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Graeme Smith had recovered sufficiently from a bout of food poisoning tobe able to joke about it – “Don’t eat the fish in Cape Town,” he said -but both he and his team were bristling with determination to reverse theresult of their last home series, when Ricky Ponting’s Australia handedout a 3-0 cricketing lesson. Smith refuses to write off the Indians, butsuggested that he had the quality at his disposal to inflict seriousdamage on a pitch that’s expected to favour the seam bowlers from theoutset.”I think they’d be hoping to bounce back,” he said, when asked about theIndians after a morning training session. “They also had a game in between[at Potchefstroom]. They’ll be well-prepared, and hope to catch us offguard. We’re confident though that we can carry on as we did in theone-day series. We’re pretty focussed. Some new guys have come back in,who didn’t play the one-day games. There’s a lot of hunger around, andwe’ll be looking for some big performances.”India have some big names of their own, and Smith made it amply clear thatthey would be singled out for special treatment once the game commenced at10am on Friday. “India have world class performers with fantastic records.There are some guys in our side who have knocked over big names all acrossthe world, against every side, and will be looking to do it again.”He was especially confident that his pace battery could prey on the mindsof an Indian line-up that performed way below par in the one-day games.”They’ve been bowling at real pace and hitting the areas,” he said, afterhaving played through the net session. “There’s plenty of variety in theattack, and it bodes well for the game. In the one-day matches, we bowledthe right lines and in the channels and it paid off.”The only real change on the bowling side of things is the inclusion ofDale Steyn, whose electrifying pace jolted India at Benoni a month ago.”He adds a new dimension,” said Smith. “Nella [Andre Nel] has been hitting140 [km/h] and so’s Makhaya [Ntini]. Dale’s up at 150. We plan to use himin short bursts. He gets it to swing up front at pace, and that’s a hugeasset. He’s just come back from quadriceps strain, and is raring to go.”Steyn will share the new ball with Ntini, and the pitch, with cracksrunning right through it, will come in for considerable scrutiny. “I’veseen worse cracks here at the Wanderers,” said Smith, who didn’t soundparticularly perturbed. “The pitch looks pretty good. But with all theheat around, the cracks will play a role, as in any Test. The wickets herehave always been pretty good, with pace and bounce. There’s good carry,and you stand well back in the slips.”The South Africans elected not to play for the franchises after theone-day series got over, but Smith said that there had been no complacencywhen it came to preparation. “Most of the guys have worked individuallyduring the break,” he said. “I worked with Gary [Kirsten], and we’ve hadtwo very good sessions here. The new ball might do a bit. Both attacksbowled well in the one-day series, especially with the new ball. It’s justup to the batsmen to apply themselves.”Rahul Dravid had spoken of how the lowered expectations from his teammight benefit them in a positive way, but Smith scoffed at the idea. “I’vetoured India three times now, and never seen a situation where’s there’sno expectation from the Indian team [smile],” he said. “You can’t get awayfrom it. It’s in your face, the demand for results. There are also yourdemands on yourself, both as a team and as individuals.”He was candid when asked about the return of Sourav Ganguly, though heindicated that India’s former captain shouldn’t expect an easy ride. “Isaid from start that Sourav’s record speaks for itself, in both forms ofthe game,” he said. “There was just a big question mark over how he wouldfit in after all that has happened. We have our gameplans for him, andwe’ll be looking to execute them well. But he does bring a hardness and afighting spirit to their middle order.”There was also little doubt in his mind about the danger posed by anotherof India’s old guard. “A bowler of his class will always play a role,” hesaid when asked about Anil Kumble. “Most of us have played against him afew times, and know what he’s capable of. He takes large-wicket hauls, andis much respected in our team. We won’t take him lightly.”He did suggest though that Kumble would face batsmen intent on going afterhim, with AB de Villiers likely to be asked to reprise his performancesagainst Muttiah Muralitharan. “We were pretty aggressive against thespinners in the one-day games,” said Smith. “Harbhajan [Singh] went fornearly 50 in every game. The match situation dictates what you do though.We try and play a positive brand of cricket. Our mindset is moreattacking.”If the cracks widen as the game stretches on, Smith himself may have todo some bowling, with no specialist spinner in the ranks. “I’ve beenfeeling pretty good with the ball,” he said with a self-deprecating laugh.”It will be difficult to play our seam attack. Most batsmen can deal withsideways movement, but when it starts to get up and down [the bounce],that’s hard to deal with. The first three days will be crucial in settingup the game. But if I need to bowl, I will.”At a venue that he loves, one where he says the atmosphere can beabsolutely inspiring, he’ll be hoping that it doesn’t come to that.

The Indian board has confirmed that it will move the ICC’s dispute redressal committee in support of compensation claims made by some state associations in India over loss of revenues that they face by having to stage Champions Trophy matches – an ICC sponsored tournament.”We are with the associations on this issue. We will take the matter to the disputes redressal committee of the ICC,” Niranjan Shah, the board secretary, told the . The Punjab Cricket Association threatened to pull out Mohali from the Champions Trophy claiming that not receiving the television and stadium sponsor revenues meant a huge loss to them. Associations hosting ICC events receive only 70% of the revenue from seats while the rest goes to the ICC.However Shah did not confirm a timeframe for approaching the redressal committee. “It is not that we will take the step today itself,” Shah said. “We will do whatever is necessary at the appropriate time.”Shah also accused the ICC of mishandling the accreditation process of the Champions Trophy. “The ICC has bungled everything by letting Rushman’s handle the accreditation for the officials as well. They are sitting in London and sending cards for people without knowing anything … Gujarat Cricket Association president Narhari Amin was not allowed entry in some areas and then I had to rush to Ahmedabad to get the issue sorted out,” Shah told , a Mumbai-based newspaper. “They are sitting in London and sending cards for people without knowing anything.”We are not saying we would have done it on an independent basis, the ICC could have supervised but we would have done a better job because we know better.”

England’s injury crisis may be spreading from the winter into the start of the home season, but Kevin Pietersen is confident that the Ashes-winning team – which hasn’t played together since that momentous day at The Oval on September 12 – will be reunited on the field in the future. Michael Vaughan, Ashley Giles, Steve Harmison and Simon Jones all have injuries of varying seriousness, but Pietersen says they will be back.”I’m sure it will happen, I’m just not sure when,” he told reporters. “It is a worry but it gives opportunities to others and the guys who got a chance in India did really well. Owais [Shah] played well and Alastair Cook did well. They did fantastic jobs.”Now it is just the case of trying to get that Ashes team back on the field. Come November 23 in Brisbane we have to make sure we have a full-strength team to take on the Aussies.”The Ashes verbals, or probably more correctly, banter, considering how well the two teams get along, is already in full swing. In a recent interview with magazine, Matthew Hayden claimed how England are carried by Andrew Flintoff while Shane Warne, Pietersen’s team-mate at Hampshire, has not been shy at suggesting that England won’t be comfortable coming to Australia with the Ashes to defend.But Pietersen has never been one for listening to what other people say, whether it be barracking crowds in South Africa or confident Australians. He says the talk is nothing he didn’t expect and thinks it will only increase as the winter approaches.”I’ve heard that line about Freddie carrying the team before but you can name every player and they did a job for England in that series. It is probably the start of the banter they want to get going before the Ashes.”We know the Australian guys are great guys and we’re good mates with them, which means the series will be played in good spirits. We are just waiting for another Australian to make a comment now. It is all good banter adding to the build-up for what will be an amazing series.”And he was quick to get in a little jab of his own. “If it wasn’t for Shane Warne in that Australia team then we would have won the Ashes 4-1. He probably had a bigger influence on Australia than Freddie did on England.”Pietersen was speaking at the launch of Urban Cricket, a new joint initiative between the ECB and npower, the sponsor of England’s home Tests, aiming to distribute 60,000 cricket kits to youngsters around the UK. Pietersen – along with Charlotte Edwards, the England women’s captain, and the chairman of selectors, David Graveney – launched the event at a Peckham housing estate in South East London, accompanied by break-dancers that put even Pietersen’s quick feet to shame.The slogan for Urban Cricket is that ‘there are no rules’, a philosophy that Pietersen sometimes looks like taking when he dispatches the world’s best pacemen and spinners into the stands. His batting will be a vital cog in the England team this summer and he says he’s eager to get started.”Right here, right now, I’m as fit as I can be and raring to go. It’s been fantastic playing for Hampshire again and I can’t wait to get going with the internationals.” With England’s current injury catalogue mounting up that will be music to the selector’s ears.

It’s funny how some small things can make a huge difference. What would have been a quiet affair that attracted little attention – a Ranji Trophy match between Karnataka and Saurashtra, both of whom who are safe in the Elite Division – but through a mixture of circumstances the situation is anything but. Rahul Dravid, captain of the Indian team, is turning out for Karnataka in the home ground of the increasingly high profile BCCI secretary, Niranjan Shah. The day before the game, the Madhavrao Scindia Ground in Rajkot was buzzing with anticipation.The Karnataka team were out in the nets early in the day, albeit without Dravid, who was in Mumbai still trying to locate his baggage, which had somehow gone missing when the team returned from South Africa. Dravid was scheduled to arrive in Rajkot on the Tuesday evening, and one thing was certain – he would play. The Karnataka team management confirmed that Dravid would certainly play. Raghuram Bhat, the former India left-arm spinner and currently both a state selector and team manager, said, “Dravid is definitely playing. He was stranded in Mumbai as his kit had not arrived with him from South Africa.”There was just the briefest of flutters as the Karnataka State Cricket Association had not actually listed Dravid as one of its probables when the season began, probably assuming he would be away on national duty and therefore unable to play in domestic cricket. While this was not a serious matter, it was a minor procedural glitch. The BCCI takes a probables list from each state association at the start of the season for purposes of sorting out insurance cover for all domestic players.The Karnataka team management wanted to clear this up at the earliest, and a member of the thinktank was overheard clarifying the matter with Shah, who was quick to dismiss the matter – as was only right – saying, “Dravid was a contracted player with the Board and will have no problem in playing the game.” It was also understood that Dravid would not be leading Karnataka in the match, leaving the reins with Yere Goud, who has led the side all season.Even in his absence, Dravid was hogging the limelight, but there was another Karnataka cricket keeping everyone on their toes. In the nets Robin Uthappa held nothing back, belting the ball around the park, scattering those who stood and watched. With Virender Sehwag showing little form in either form of the game of late, Uthappa has a chance to regain a spot in the Indian squad, especially with Dilip Vengsarkar, the chairman of selectors, due to arrive in Rajkot on Friday to pick the 30 probables for the forthcoming World Cup and the home one-day series against West Indies.Away from the glare, though, Saurashtra went about their business quietly. There’s plenty of joy in that camp, though, as they have already ensured that they will spend another year in the Elite Division. Crucial outright wins against Delhi and Haryana have left Saurashtra with nine points, and though they are not in with a chance to make the knock-out phase of the competition, there’s much to cheer about. Sitanshu Kotak, that veteran run-getter, has already amassed more than 500 runs this season, and equally Cheteshwar Pujara, the exciting young batsman, has chalked up more than 500 runs.”As secretary of the Saurashtra Cricket Association I’m very happy,” said Shah. “Playing against top teams in the Elite Division has been very beneficial for us.” And now, with Rajkot being the cynosure of all eyes as the league phase of the domestic competition winds to a close, you can see why Shah is a happy man.SaurashtraJaydev Shah (capt), Sagar Jogiyani, Prashant Joshi, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sitanshu Kotak, Kanaiya Vaghela, Pratip Mehta, Sandeep Jobanputra, Sandeep Maniar, Kamlesh Makvana, Rakesh Dhruv, Ashok Kamalia, Feroz Bambaniya, Sadil Natkan.Karnataka Yere Goud (capt), Rahul Dravid, Robin Uthappa, Barrington Rowland, Thilak Naidu, Deepak Chougule, Sunil Joshi, Bharat Chipli, R Vinay Kumar, B Akhil, Udit Patel, Raju Bhatkal, Devraj Patil, Gaurav Dhiman, C Raghu.

Day 3
ScorecardA good all-round batting effort – only one batsman failed to cash in – allowed Sri Lanka A to declare on 290 for 7 and leave West Zone with 467 to win their Duleep Trophy clash at Cuttack. Faced with the large target, Wasim Jaffer (56*) and Amol Muzumdar (46*) overcame two early losses to take West Zone to 125 for two at stumps on the third day.Sri Lanka A began the day with the overnight pair of Michael Vandort and Malinda Warnapura progressing to fifties. Their dismissals in quick succession did little to dent Sri Lanka A’s progress, as Thilan Samaraweera (35), Jehan Mubarak (40 from 34 balls) and Chamara Silva (57) each left a mark. Silva’s wicket, with Sri Lanka A ahead by 466, prompted the declaration.Dammika Prasad and Akalanka Ganegama, the right-arm fast bowling pair, then grabbed a wicket each to jolt West Zone. The experienced hand of Jaffer and Muzumdar then steadied the boat with a 97-run stand.Day 3
ScorecardA comprehensive bowling performance and a confident start to their second innings put North Zone firmly in charge against Central Zone at stumps on the third day at Jamshedpur. Ashish Nehra and Rajesh Sharma, the offspinner, each bagged three wickets to help bowl out Central Zone for 288 before Gautam Gambhir and Akash Chopra added 60 in a solid opening stand.For Central Zone, only Naman Ojha, the wicketkeeper, offered any real resistance with 67, while Murali Kartik hit a quick unbeaten 33 down the order. North Zone lost Chopra, edging Piyush Chawla’s legspin to Ojha for 29, but Gambhir was still around as they accumulated a lead of 227.

Shoaib Akhtar is on course to be fit for the third Test against England, at Headingley, after recovering from the stress fracture to his ankle that has ruled him out of the early part of the tour.He is currently working with Warwickshire as he continues his rehabilitation and is expected to play a couple of games for them before his international return.”[Shoaib] had a meeting with the team physiotherapist and trainer in England yesterday and they reported he was physically strong now and looking good for a comeback in a week’s time,” the PCB director Abbas Zaidi told Reuters. “They feel he needs to play one or two games to get back to full match fitness and then should be available for the third test.””Obviously he is an important member of the side and the team management is very keen to have him back as soon as possible,” Zaidi added. “His pace gives the team that extra edge.”However, Shoaib himself is still not setting any dates for his return. “I still can’t set a comeback time for Pakistan, though I know the third or fourth Tests have been mentioned,” he told Bigstarcricket.com. “I don’t feel that is up to me because if it was I would be playing tomorrow and running in hard again.”I feel really fit and just want to bowl but, after what happened last time, I know I need to listen to my trainers. One thing is for certain and that is when I do play against England I expect to bowl faster and better than when I bowled against them in Pakistan last year.”He is being very careful about not rushing his return after previously breaking down again after pushing himself too hard. “I wasn’t fit enough then and I paid the price. “I’m looking forward to attacking the England batsmen and not giving them any time to settle.”They [the medical staff] don’t want me to be breaking down again. I want to be playing for another five years yet so they are looking after my interests and Pakistan’s interests.”Shoaib has been out of action since February when he underwent a knee operation in Australia before a reoccurrence of his ankle problem leading into the England series.Pakistan have been beset by injury problems on their current tour, with Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Shoaib Malik ruled out of all the Tests and Mohammad Asif injured until at least the third. Younis Khan also missed the opening Test at Lord’s but has returned to lead Pakistan in their current tour match against Northamptonshire.The second Test starts at Old Trafford on July 27 with the third, at Headingley, beginning on August 4.

Pakistan’s most successful domestic tournament, the ABN-AMRO Twenty20, hasbeen postponed till August following scheduling problems.The tournament has yet to find a set date or location in the domesticcalendar, despite being the biggest crowd-puller in recent years: thefirst edition was held in April-May 2005, then in February 2006 andfinally in December 2006. The finals of the tournament have regularlyattracted crowds of over 30,000 in Lahore and Karachi, the two venueswhere the tournament has been held.”The tournament this year is likely to be played in August,” said ShafqatNaghmi, the PCB’s chief operating officer. “We had a number ofinternational commitments and top players wouldn’t be available for itduring then. In July the weather won’t be right, so we have planned it forAugust.”It is understood that the sponsors, ABN-AMRO, also prefer that month as itwould mean all of Pakistan’s top players are available then for what isthe showpiece tournament of their sponsorship to cricket.This also means, as Naghmi acknowledged, that plans for a Pakistan PremierLeague (PPL) will be shelved until next year. “The PPL will not happentill next year but we are keen on inviting foreign players to that aswell.” But as a source close to the sponsors has pointed out, the currentformat for the Twenty20 is not much different to the proposed PPL.”We already have a city-based system for the tournament and our originalidea three years ago, as well as that of the PCB, was to find sponsors sothat they could make the teams franchises, much as the IPL has done,” theofficial told Cricinfo. “This format can be worked into the PPL.”It is not yet clear whether any teams from Pakistan will take part in theChampions League, details of which have been informally firmed up over thelast few weeks. However various boards, including Pakistan’s, wereinvolved in those discussions, suggesting that sides from Pakistan mightparticipate. In that case, as the PPL will not start until next year, itis likely that the top two teams from the domestic Twenty20 will beinvited.

Derek Shackleton, who played seven Tests for England and took a record 2669 wickets for Hampshire, has died at the age of 83. Only six men have taken more wickets than his total first-class haul of 2857, and none of those operated entirely in the post-war period.Shackleton was a seamer – not fast but metronomic in his accuracy – who was desperately unlucky not to have be called on more by England. Unfortunately for him, he played in an era when Alec Bedser, Fred Trueman and others dominated. “Shrewdly varied, and utterly accurate,” wrote John Arlott, “beating down as unremittingly as February rain”. He was also economical, conceding under two runs an over. Initially he relied on late outswing, but he later developed an equally late inswinger, and he could also cut the ball either way off the pitch.His seven Tests came in two bursts separated by almost 12 years, but he was not as penetrative at the highest level. He played once in 1950 and 1951 and then toured India in 1951-52, finishing with the most wickets but only one more Test. He had to wait until 1963 for a recall, taking 14 wickets at 34.53 against West Indies, including 3 for 93 and a best 4 for 92 at Lord’s.

He made his debut for Hampshire, who spotted him while he was playing services cricket, in 1948 and was taken on as a batsman who bowled occasional legspin. Bereft of quick bowlers, Hampshire asked him to give it a try. He took 21 wickets in his first season and a hundred in his second. In a career which lasted until 1969 he took 100 wickets in a season 20 times consecutively, his haul of 172 in 1962, a year after he had helped the county to their first Championship, being the best. Few bowlers have got through so many overs, and those that have have been spinners.In 1955 he took match figures of 14 for 29 against Somerset (including 8 for 4 in their first innings) and five years earlier took five wickets in nine balls for no runs, but not including a hat-trick; that was about the only achievement that eluded him.In all Shackleton took 2857 first-class wickets at 18.65; his 18 Test wickets cost him 42.66.After retiring he coached and acted as groundsman at Canford School in Dorset and had a brief spell as an umpire in 1979. He was one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year in 1959.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Ireland’s World Cup adventure ended with a chastening experience as they crumbled for 77 against Sri Lanka in Grenada. Farveez Maharoof took three wickets in an over and Muttiah Muralitharan bamboozled the middle order before Sri Lanka raced home in 10 overs, leaving everyone with an early lunch.All ten Ireland wickets fell for 49 in 20 overs – 23 of those coming in a final-wicket frolic – as Maharoof and Muralitharan shared eight victims. A mark of the ruthlessness shown by the Sri Lankans is that this was an even more destructive performance than the Australians managed.But Ireland’s campaign has been highlighted by their spirit and excitement. They remained buoyant until the end – albeit an early one – as Boyd Rankin and Dave Langford-Smith finished their World Cup with a wicket apiece. Mahela Jayawardene, though, didn’t want to be back after dinner, finishing the chase with a flourish. His mind will already have switched to the semi-finals.After Jayawardene put Ireland in, the early overs lulled everyone into a false sense of security, while the start of Maharoof’s first over didn’t suggest the bounty that would soon come his way. Jeremy Bray dispatched the opening two balls to the boundary, a flick over square leg and a drive through cover, before being deceived by a slower ball, popping an off side drive.Ireland then changed the batting order, promoting Andre Botha to No. 3, but that experiment lasted two balls as he flashed outside off stump with no footwork. While Botha’s was a poor shot, Eoin Morgan couldn’t do much about his dismissal – a perfect line and length from round the wicket producing an edge, which Kumar Sangakkara pouched brilliantly low to his left with the ball almost behind him.Chaminda Vaas, back in the side after controversially missing the match against Australia along with Muralitharan, wasn’t at his best with the new ball, drifting into the pads too often, but Nuwan Kulasekara kept a tight line. William Porterfield and Niall O’Brien survived 10 overs before Maharoof struck again, Porterfield top-edging a pull to mid-on, but Ireland’s problems were only just starting. At the start of the 19th over Muralitharan – 447 ODI wickets, the Ireland team had 85 – took the ball and by the end of it had added two more scalps to his tally.

Ireland’s batsmen are not the first, and certainly won’t be the last, to be made to look foolish by Murali’s skills. Niall O’Brien edged a conventional offbreak and Kenny Carroll’s first World Cup outing lasted two balls before he swept and missed at a doosra. Muralitharan collected one of the easiest four-wicket hauls of his career as the lower order proved clueless against his variations.There was also time for Maharoof to show his fielding skills. Trent Johnston drove a ball back down the pitch, Maharoof dived in his follow through, picked up and threw down the stumps at the non-striker’s end. His day wasn’t quite faultless as he spilled Langford-Smith at deep square-leg and Langford-Smith brought out the long handle, swinging a maximum over deep midwicket and shimmying down the pitch to whip Muralitharan through the on side. It was a shot to tell the grandchildren about; the innings won’t be remembered quite so fondly.But the reputation of Ireland’s players has been unanimously lifted by their World Cup exploits, none more so than Rankin who now heads to Derbyshire to take up a county contract. He claimed his 12th tournament wicket when Upul Tharanga slashed to point in the opening over. Sangakkara drove a sharp catch to cover, one final chance for Langford-Smith’s distinctive celebration, before Jayawardene added the finishing touches in a stand of 56 off 41 balls with Sanath Jayasuriya. The one consolation for the Irish fans is a few extra hours to spend on the beach. Then it’s back on the plane and a return to their normal lives, with enough stories to last a lifetime.

The final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup between Ireland and Canada will take place at Chelmsford between May 21 and 24. It will be the first time and Intercontinental Cup tie has taken place in England. The previous finals have been in the UAE and Dubai.Ireland, the holders, qualified by topping Group A, beating UAE and Namibia and drawing with Scotland. Canada qualified through victories over Bermuda and Kenya, although they lost to Netherlands.The new format of the tournament means sides play a minimum of three four-day matches in this tournament, increasing to seven four-day matches in 2007 and 2008 when it is hoped the event will be a full round-robin format. That compares to a minimum of just two three-day matches per year under the previous structure which, until the semi-finals, was regionally based rather than global.