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The Sri Lankan selectors have retained the same 15-man squad for the third andfourth one-dayers, both of which are to be played at the traditionally spin-friendly Premadasa International Stadium in Colombo.Sri Lanka levelled the series on Sunday thanks to a match-winning spellfrom Chaminda Vaas, who took 3 for 48 and was the only seamer in a bowling attack that included six spinners.With conditions expected to be similar, the same XI could be retained.However, according to selection sources, changes to the final XI are beingconsidered and the team will not be finalised until the pitch is inspected on Tuesday.The relegation of Romesh Kaluwitharana down the order on Sunday suggeststhat the likeliest change may now be Kumar Sangakkara taking over wicketkeeping duties for the first time in one-day cricket since last year’s World Cup.Kaluwitharana, run out in the first two matches for single figure scores,could be replaced by either a fast bowler – probably Nuwan Zoysa – or SamanJayantha, an explosive batsman who is yet to make his international debut.Squad
1 Marvan Atapattu (capt), 2 Sanath Jayasuriya, 3 Mahela Jayawardene, 4 Kumar Sangakkara, 5 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 6 Russel Arnold, 7 Upul Chandana, 8 Chaminda Vaas, 9 Muttiah Muralitharan, 10 Kumar Dharmasena, 11 Romesh Kaluwitharana, 12 Nuwan Kulasekara, 13 Kaushal Lokuarachchi, 14 Nuwan Zoysa, 15 Saman Jayantha

Paul Reiffel has thrown his support behind a possible challenge rule, which would allow players to request a review of an umpire’s decision with the assistance of television replays. The ICC is considering trialing such a system, in which the teams would be able to ask for a limited number of referrals.Reiffel, who has regularly stood in first-class matches in Australia after retiring as a player, said the idea had merit. “You want the right decision to be made,” Reiffel told the . “It doesn’t bother me how you get it. If it’s there and available straight away, you [should] look at it.”The ICC trial will probably take place at the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in September. The reviewed decisions will be based solely on replays, not technological tools such as Hawkeye and the Snickometer, which Channel says are not 100% accurate and take too long to configure. However, Reiffel said technology should not be written off altogether.”You don’t want everyone to be waiting and waiting all the time,” Reiffel said. “It’d slow down the game too much. But let’s look to improve the situation and embrace the technology if it means less controversy and contention. The trouble in the past is that the technology hasn’t quite been in place and the players have said they don’t want it.”Umpiring has been in the news after several controversial decisions in the Sydney Test between Australia and India, and Reiffel’s former captain Steve Waugh said abolishing the neutral-umpire rule might be the answer. But Reiffel said the current system was safer. “I know having had 15 years’ experience [playing] with Victoria,” Reiffel said, “that I’m more comfortable standing in games interstate involving teams other than Victoria.”

Mohammad Yousuf, the Pakistan batsman who recently pulled out of the Indian Cricket League (ICL), is set to face an arbitration hearing in Mumbai on December 15. Yousuf had signed with the ICL in the wake of his omission from Pakistan’s squad for the ICC World Twenty20 before cancelling his contract after talks with the Pakistan board.Yousuf then signed a national contract as well as signing up to play in the India Premier League (IPL), a recognised league that is run by four different national boards and is approved by the ICC.The organisers of the ICL insist he can’t join the rival league (IPL). “It’s an open and shut case as far as we’re concerned,” said Ashish Kaul, the executive vice-president of the Essel Group who are organisng the tournament, told Cricinfo. “The contract clearly says he can’t play in any other professional league.”Meanwhile the Pakistan board, who convinced Yousuf to cancel his contract, have assured their full support. “We will fully defend Yousuf, if he is taken to court using all legal means,” said Nasim Ashraf, the chairman of the PCB.Besides Yousuf, all of the ICL’s other Pakistani recruits have decided to honour their commitments with the league. The most prominent among them is the now retired Inzamam-ul-Haq, who despite having signed on with the ICL, was given an opportunity to make his exit from international cricket in the second Test against South Africa. The others in the ICL mix are Abdur Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Taufeeq Umar, Imran Farhat, and Shabbir Ahmed.

Scorecard

Matthew Elliott just missed out on his second one-day hundred in a week, but his 94 against Queensland in Adelaide helped South Australia make it two wins in five days following their midweek success in Perth. Their seven-wicket win means they are now in second after beginning the week in fifth; an excellent Christmas bonus – and it was Queensland they leapfrogged.Elliott continued in a rich vein of form, his innings making him the leading runscorer in this year’s competition, and he was in super touch with some typical clean hitting. He also paced his innings well and picked the gaps with ease.He was particularly impressive through the on-side, both straight and square, until he holed out at deep midwicket by Clinton Perren off Aaron Nye going for a swept six trying to bring up his hundred and win the match. It wasn’t to be but he left his team-mates with little work to do.Daniel Harris provided an excellent support act in an opening stand of 94, and he made a solid 34 until edging through off stand-in skipper James Hopes. Daniel Christian followed soon after, a soft catch off Michael Kasprowicz to Aaron Nye at short midwicket, but the platform had been set, and Mark Cosgrove’s pacy, unbeaten 27 duly saw them home.The batsmen had been given room to swing following an excellent bowling and fielding display which tied Queensland in knots after Hopes, deputising for the injured Jimmy Maher, chose to bat on a good batting pitch. They slumped to 5 for 67, without Shane Watson, who had a virus, and under pressure from Paul Rofe and Ryan Harris, who each bagged two wickets, and Jason Gillespie, who grabbed one.Their 170 represented a mini-recovery: Ashley Noffke and Nye both helped out with 45, but the total was always going to be well short.Nathan Adcock’s bowling again proved useful and he was on a hat-trick after bowling Carseldine and taking a screaming return catch off Grant Sullivan. His third ball, to Kasprowicz, only just missed off stump. Dan Cullen also found good turn, and a wicket, as all the bowlers impressed.South Australia, then, will take great seasonal cheer from their fielding, too, with Cosgrove taking two lightning catches in the slips and Gillespie’s direct hit removing the unlucky Hopes who had made a good start with 39 until he ran in to Rofe. Noffke, who had begun to lead the recovery, was then also run out, another important wicket.It was unseasonally cold in Adelaide, but the home side’s performance was a heartwarming Christmas present for the Redbacks who have now won five of their last six games. It was Queensland who provided the only blip in among those wins, but that was in a rain-affected encounter at the WACA. On Sunday, however, nothing could stop them and they can already look forward to the new year.

The ongoing dispute within the Mashonaland Cricket Association (MCA) looks set to end up in court after Tawengwa Mukuhlani, the deposed chairman, and three other sacked board members told a local newspaper that they were taking legal action action to try to overturn their dismissals.The four were sacked during a heated special general meeting just before Christmas after members accused them of not taking a firm stand against the running of Zimbabwe Cricket. Now Mukuhlani is claiming the meeting was unconstitutional. "The board did not agree on the meeting," he told the Zimbabwe Independent. "We just decided that since clubs had said they wanted to go ahead with the meeting, we did not want to be a stumbling block … we had agreed to set the agenda for the meeting which was to discuss the change of logo and name. We were very surprised that people did not stick to the agenda item."Mukuhlani said that the new board had fuelled the dispute with ZC, choosing confrontation ahead of negotiation. "Before the dispute broke out ZC approached MCA to discuss several issues affecting cricket. MCA agreed to discuss everything apart from the re-branding, and indication that they were rearing for a fight."The legal maneuvering was dismissed by Cyprian Mangenge, the new MCA chairman, who said that the constitution had been adhered to.It is believed that Mukuhlani was recently told in no uncertain terms by Peter Chingoka, the ZC chairman, to reassert his authority over the MCA. The aggressive attitude of the new board has led to some bitter discussions and casued further unease within Zimbabwe cricket at a time the board are keen to be seen as united.

Andhra completely dominated the opening day’s play in the South ZoneCooch Behar Trophy (under-19) tournament match against Kerala at theUkku stadium in Vishakapatnam on Monday. After skittling out Keralafor 56 runs, Andhra replied with 164 for one wicket at stumps.Opting to bat after winning the toss, Kerala struggled for 37 overs tocompile their meagre total. Only NJ John (18) reached double digits.Three batsmen failed to score. Md Faiq was quite unplayable andfinished with the excellent figures of 13-5-15-5. He was wellsupported by Appala Raju (two for 10) and Gnaneswara Rao (two for 9).Kerala had the comfort of an early wicket when D Vinod was out fornine when the total was 27. But for the rest of the day, the otheropener Tahir Hussain (79) and Gnaneswara Rao (61) batted confidentlyto register 137 runs for the unbroken second wicket partnership off38.1 overs. While Hussain faced 175 balls and hit eight of them to theropes, Rao faced 94 balls and hit six fours and a six. Andhraoverhauled the Kerala total in 26.2 overs.

The Asia Cup is back: the latest incarnation starts in Sri Lanka on Friday (July 16). In contrast to the past, when first India then Pakistan contrived to avoid taking part for one reason or another, all four of Asia’s Test nations will be there. Making up the numbers are the United Arab Emirates and, for the first time, Hong Kong, who made their way here via a qualifying tournament.There’s a fly in the ointment. The matches have been scheduled for a time when it invariably rains in Sri Lanka. (Click here and scroll down for a ten-day weather forecast for Colombo: “Scattered T-Storms” are predicted on each and every day.) Also, as if to make up for all the cricket that is likely to be rained off, the organisers scheduled rather too much of it. After all six teams play a league phase, the four qualifiers play another all-play-all round-robin to determine the finalists.But if the rains hold off, the Asia Cup could still serve up some wonderful cricket. Muttiah Muralitharan will be back in the playing arena, India will be looking to recreate the momentum of the last season at the beginning of this challenging one, Pakistan will play for the first time under their new coach, Bob Woolmer, and Bangladesh, coached by Dav Whatmore, will be out to inflict an upset or two. No offence to Bangladesh, but the tournament will certainly be won by one of the other three.Take a look at the ICC ODI table: Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India occupy places 4 to 6, within four points of one another, with Nos 2 and 3 not far ahead. In fact, all the teams barring Australia are bunched so close together that this season represents a great opportunity for one of them to string together some impressive wins and climb to No. 2, and establish a gap on the others. All of these three teams are capable of doing just that, and the Asia Cup will be a good place to start. This is not just another meaningless one-day tournament; it is a vital cog in the progress of each team.India are coming off some quiet months following the successful tour to Pakistan, and they will be quietly confident. Their batting has been excellent of late, and they have had a problem of plenty: so many fast bowlers were in contention for the squad that they were forced to leave out Ajit Agarkar, and a further quandary will present itself if they decide to play just one specialist spinner, and have to choose between Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, who is returning after injury. Sourav Ganguly has also dropped hints recently that the question of who will open the batting is not yet settled, so that will be interesting to watch. Virender Sehwag has indicated that he would like to score one-day international cricket’s first double-century against one of the minnows, and Sachin Tendulkar also has an eye for records – the India v UAE game on July 16 promises to be exciting for that reason alone.But once the tournament gets serious, India might face a problem if one of their batsmen is injured – there are no back-ups for them in the squad. Either Parthiv Patel, or an extra bowler, might have to come into the side then. Patel had been selected as a specialist wicketkeeper even after the team management had made it perfectly clear that they would ask Rahul Dravid to open, and the management and the selectors need to be on the same wavelength if India are to continue advancing in world cricket.Pakistan will also be a side to watch. My colleague, Osman Samiuddin, commented recently on Pakistan’s refreshing decision to opt for continuity, even after their defeat against India, and that, as well as their move to hire Bob Woolmer, indicates that they mean business. From the era of amateur coaches who beseech their team to “put 150% effort” to a professional age, under one of the finest modern coaches – if Pakistan continue on this road, which India embarked upon when they hired John Wright, it could transform their cricket. Will the first signs of change be visible in this Asia Cup? The world will be watching closely.Both India and Pakistan will be hard-pressed to beat Sri Lanka. At home, and with Murali in their ranks, Sri Lanka are a powerful side. Also, unlike their opponents, they come into this tournament with plenty of recent match practice behind them. Will they be sharp after their battles in Australia, or weary (surely that’s just wishful thinking)?And what can Bangladesh do? They almost won a Test in the West Indies, but beyond that, there are few signs that Whatmore has made much difference to a notoriously diffident side. But the process of becoming a contender from a minnow is a long one, and Whatmore has been down that road before, with Sri Lanka. Does he have enough talent available to repeat that process with them? Can Bangladesh cause an upset or two in this tournament? Well, maybe they can. But first, they must get past the even minnower talents of Hong Kong.Amit Varma is managing editor of Wisden Cricinfo in India.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming believes cricket authorities should review the Duckworth/Lewis system as the result of changes that have been made to the one-day game.The system is applied for rain-interrupted one-day matches.Fleming believes the introduction of the one bouncer per over law has altered the nature of the game and will therefore affect the calculations on which the Duckworth/Lewis system is based.”I would like to see it reviewed every now and then, even if it does remain in place. Keep reviewing it, it is like everything, when the game evolves, every rule around it has to evolve,” he said.Changing it by use of modern data may prove easier said than done because the D/L system was built up on factual analysis based on the history of all One-Day Internationals.As the new law has only come into effect, there is not the historical perspective on which to base any decisions for change.”I don’t think we can just be happy with it. Keep reviewing it, don’t accept it as being the best form all the time,” he said.Fleming felt that, initially with the new law, the quality of fast bowling would improve and bowlers would get better at using the short-pitched ball. There was still a lot of bowlers’ time left before a different style of batting emerged as batsmen worked the bowling out.”Basically, you’re asking for a more complete batsman, you’re asking for back foot and front foot, so a lot of guys, especially from the subcontinent, are plonking that front foot down and just swinging from the hip may be found out.”You will get a different style of batsman playing in one-dayers,” he said.

A five-wicket haul by Tasmanian left-arm paceman Andrew Downton today thwarted South Australia’s bid for a hefty first innings total in the Pura Cup cricket clash at Bellerive Oval.After a slow but steady start on the opening day, the Redbacks crumbled in the second session, losing 6-88 to be bowled out for 236 in their first innings.Downton claimed the prize scalps of Zimbabwe import Andy Flower and captain Greg Blewett in his impressive haul of 5-71 before Tasmania reached 1-39 by stumps on day one.SA’s opening partnership of David Fitzgerald (32) and Shane Deitz (40) yielded 67 runs in 117 minutes off 180 balls.Deitz fell LBW to Xavier Doherty, leaving the visitors at 1-68 at lunch.But the Tigers turned up the heat in the second session as Downton fired, vindicating his surprise selection over fellow paceman Gerard Denton for the match.Downton was picked ahead of Denton who was made 12th man despite bagging 11 wickets in the Tasmania 2nd XI match against Western Australia in Perth last week.Tigers captain Dan Marsh said it was a tough decision to leave Denton out, but Downton’s inclusion was “a good call”.Former Zimbabwe Test batsman Flower scored 20 runs – including one six and three consecutive fours – off six balls before being dismissed for 28.Michael Di Venuto held on to impressive left-handed catch at second slip to dismiss Flower and later caught Mark Higgs for 16 at the same spot.A slow-scoring Blewett (25) followed Flower, but not before he brought up 16,000 first-class runs with an on-drive for four off paceman Damien Wright (3-47) in the 51st over.Canadian World Cup hero John Davison – the team’s top scorer and man of the match in the ING Cup win against the Tigers on Saturday – went for a golden duck.Wright was on a hat-trick after dismissing Graham Manou (1) and Davison off successive balls, but was denied by Mark Cleary.Cleary again showed his ability as a late-order batsman by topscoring with a hard-hitting 58 from only 62 balls including eight fours and one six.But Wright didn’t go away disappointed as Manou gave him his 100th Sheffield Shield/Pura Cup wicket.In reply, the Tigers opener Scott Mason fell LBW to Shaun Tait for 13.Fellow opener Jamie Cox was on 23 at the close of play, with Shane Watson on one.Play resumes at 11am (AEST) tomorrow, with a break scheduled to coincide with the Melbourne Cup.

England 197 for 5 (Bell 75, Vaughan 56) beat Zimbabwe 195 (Chigumbura 52, Gough 3-34) by five wickets
Scorecard

England won the opening one-dayer of this four match series at Harare Sports Club by five wickets – if the margin of victory gave the impression that this was a contest, the result wasn’t ever in doubt. England cruised, losing late wickets as concentration and enthuasiam drifted and running between the wickets took on a comedy air. The performance was unspectacular and somewhat clinical, but a win was what a ring-rusty side needed after the traumas of the last few days.To give credit to Zimbabwe, they played as well as anyone expected. Their enthusiasm was evident, as was that of the crowd, but sadly so was the enormous gulf between the sides. In an interview on the BBC this morning, former ECB chairman Lord MacLaurin described them as “a third-rate side … a bunch of club cricketers.” That was a little harsh, but not that wide of the mark.Zimbabwe’s innings only spluttered into life in the opening overs, when Stuart Matsikenyeri and Brendan Taylor benefited from Darren Gough and Anderson’s profligacy, and later during a breezy sixth-wicket stand of 82 between Dion Ebrahim and Elton Chigumbura.

The 18-year-old Chigumbura is one of the youngsters who has grasped the chance given by recent conflicts and looked a genuine international prospect. He showed few nerves and tremendous confidence, albeit with a lack of self-control as highlighted by the heave which eventually cost him his wicket, but his 47-ball 52 brought a decent-sized crowd to life. He signalled his intent with a top-edged four over the wicketkeeper, but a subsequent straight six and clubbed pull through midwicket were class.The shame was that both he and the dreary Ebrahim fell within five balls at a time England were just beginning to look a little ragged. Early successes after Vaughan had won the toss, aided by three top-order batsmen playing on, had given way to frustration. Zimbabwe’s naivete was underlined by the way their tail succumbed to a series of swishes and ridiculous run-outs.Their most unnecessary own goal involved Mark Vermeulen and Ebrahim, two of the more experienced players. They had briefly stopped the rot after Zimbabwe had lost three quick wickets when Vermeulen was run out by a superb diving stop and throw by Andrew Strauss at backward point – the misunderstanding was such that the batsmen had barely crossed at the moment of the direct hit.All England’s bowlers, with the exception Alex Wharf in his opening spell, struggled at times, and the total of 17 wides might have been decisive against any other opponents. But it was preferable England got it out of their system against Zimbabwe before heading south in eight days time.Chasing 196 – about 50 short of anything likely to cause real jitters -England lost Vikram Solanki for 7 early on, but then a stand of 111 in 23 overs between Ian Bell (rarely can a debutant have faced a more friendly international attack) and Vaughan ended the contest.

Christopher Mpofu, 19 yesterday and making his debut, bowled a superb opening spell, conceding six off five overs, but otherwise there was far too much inconsistency to trouble the batsmen. Entrusted with the new ball, Tinashe Panyangara lacked any control, and the experienced Hondo wasn’t much better. Only the introduction of some fairly ordinary spin upset England’s applecart.Vaughan departed for 56, falling short attempting to heave Stuart Matsikenyeri airily over the midwicket boundary, and then Andrew Strauss spooned an attempted drive back to Matsikenyeri for 8.With two inexperienced batsmen – Bell and debutant Kevin Pietersen – at the crease – a little pressure might have brought another wicket. But Tatenda Taibu held back, probably as a result of spending almost all his brief career as captain on the back foot. Although Bell somehow contrived to nick the innocuous offspin of Taylor to Taibu for 75 and then Paul Collingwood ran himself out, it was too little, far too late.One suspects that this represented Zimbabwe’s best chance of an uspet. England now know their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses and have dusted off many of their own accumulated cobwebs. It should be one-way traffic hereon in.Martin Williamson is managing editor of Wisden Cricinfo