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The executive of the Barbados Cricket Association survived a no-confidence vote brought by more than 100 members on Wednesday.The motion called for the resignations of Stephen Alleyne, the president, David Holford and Owen Estwick, both vice-presidents, Orson Simpson, the treasurer, and Philip Nicholls, the secretary. It followed a heated meeting last July when the financial standing of some of the officials was questioned. It was defeated by 95 votes to 51 with 13 absentions.”The membership have affirmed there was no impropriety in the behaviour of the officers as was alleged by the requisition,” Nichols told the Barbados-based Nation newspaper. “Those who attended the meeting would know that no evidence was led to suggest impropriety. Instead, there was a lot of mud-slinging.”There was also, Nichols claimed, a dispute over the motion itself, and he claimed that some people who had allegedly demanded the meeting had said that they had been misled. “It was found for what it was, namely a scurrilous attempt at besmirching the good name of the officers of the association.”

Australia’s selectors will rely on medical advice before deciding whether the opening batsman Justin Langer will play with a fractured rib in Thursday’s first Test against West Indies. Langer was adamant that he would play in the first of three matches against the tourists at the Gabba despite breaking a rib while playing for Western Australia in an ING Cup match on Saturday.But John Buchanan, the coach, said that the decision would be taken out of the strong-willed hands of Langer on Monday. “He’s a very tough little nut,” Buchanan said on Sunday. “He’s a vital member of our side. For him personally and for us as a team, we want to make sure we make the right decision. It’s like everybody else understands, that if he was unfit, he wouldn’t be playing. I know that he desperately wants to play and we desperately want him to play.”Mike Hussey, Langer’s Western Australian team-mate and the one-day international batsman, is the likely stand-by player. But Langer was in no mood to give someone else a crack at his hard-earned opening spot. “I’ve never had a broken rib before,” he said. “I am certainly feeling it at the moment but I’m sure by Thursday it will be okay.”Asked how confident he was of playing he said: “No doubt, 100%. I’ll probably be a bit sore for a while. I’m not trying to be a hero but it’s only pain, mate.”Buchanan said: “It’s going to be pretty important that we try to settle the side as quickly as we can. The selectors are discussing it. There isn’t an official stand-by player because we still don’t fully understand the extent of the injury, apart from the fact that we know it’s a broken rib and he’s pretty bloody sore. The selectors will take that all into account and have a decision [Monday].”Langer was one of the few batting successes in the failed Ashes campaign against England last month, topping Australia’s averages with 394 runs. With 22 centuries and 7,023 runs in 94 Tests at an average of 45.90, he is Australia’s eighth-highest scorer.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary

Australia are lucky that Glenn McGrath never tires of hauling them from danger. McGrath pushed New Zealand back at the start of their innings, and knocked them off in the second-last over of a thrilling first one-day international at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington.While his team-mates felt the pressure and spilled no-balls and overthrows, McGrath grabbed the ball for his final act and wrapped up Hamish Marshall, who was a No. 1 haircut away from a Michael Bevan-esque escape, and Daryl Tuffey to end a pulsating match. They should have lost, but won by 10 runs thanks to experience.Marshall’s bird’s-nest hair became an iconic symbol of Twenty20 on Thursday, and he proved he was more than a hirsute gimmick with a cool 76 from 69 balls on a tricky pitch that glued up most batsmen’s strokeplay. His only mistake was to challenge convention by an extra half-metre, as he pushed across to McGrath and leg-glanced on to his stumps (224 for 9).The giggles of Twenty20 were shaved away like the New Zealanders’ facial hair, and teams that had bonded over a novelty were again onfield enemies in the fight between the world’s top two one-day sides. Both outfits recovered from batting mistakes that appeared deadly at the time to fulfil expectations for a roaring start to the series.New Zealand were crushed by McGrath and Brett Lee as they took 22 runs and lost two wickets in the first ten overs. Drifting aimlessly at 113 for 5 in the 34th over, Marshall strengthened his position with the big-hitting Craig McMillan after losing Chris Cairns to a horrible run-out and Nathan Astle, whose 65 stabilised the innings when it wanted to flat-line.McMillan lifted the pace – and Andrew Symonds over the grandstand – with a massive slog that lost the ball. The run carried along Marshall, happier to place his shots and scurry between the wickets, and when McMillan fell to Adam Gilchrist’s fabulous stumping off McGrath – he was standing up to him – the momentum was maintained. Gilchrist walked up to take McGrath and Michael Kasprowicz in a brave display, and the ball which picked up McMillan was timed at 136kph.

The target of 77 from the final 10 overs was cut to 32 from four and 13 from two. Australia were flustered, and held more conferences than a five-star hotel. Lee walked up for his second over of the spell and took care of Brendon McCullum and Daniel Vettori, before McGrath closed the show with 4 for 16. He did show that he wasn’t perfect, though, by dropping a catch.Batting against the medium-pacers had been a struggle for Australia; it was even harder against the quicker men. McGrath’s opening was unrelenting, giving away only seven runs in as many overs. The accuracy did for Mathew Sinclair, who pushed forward and away from his body, for Gilchrist to take an easy catch (16 for 2). By then Stephen Fleming had fallen to a questionable Aleem Dar lbw decision as Lee came around the wicket (13 for 1). Lee was fast, but Fleming was closer to furious.Fleming’s mood was much better when his side bowled, despite a closing half-century from Symonds that boosted Australia’s competitiveness. At the toss Fleming asked his bowlers to take the pace off the ball, and Styris followed the orders with a stunning display.Australia lost a dreadful 5 for 20 – they faced similar setbacks in the two Chappell-Hadlee Series games in December – to fall from the comfort of 140 for 1 to severe trauma after Styris became involved. He had already cheered the important wickets of Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting, who both made half-centuries, before he burst in with the scalps of Damien Martyn and Michael Clarke in his eighth over (158 for 5). Medium-pace at best, Styris ran his fingers over the seam in a way that would have impressed the absent Chris Harris, and collected 4 for 40.Playing himself in as wickets fell, Symonds was repaid for his patience with 53 from 44 balls, and lifted Australia in a necessary late spree, adding 69 with the help of Brad Hogg (25 not out). Australia will point fingers at the middle order for blowing a large total after they failed to adapt once Hayden and Ponting combined for 133.Reinstated at the top of the order after being dropped for the VB Series finals, Hayden scored 71 from 109 balls in a scratchy but confidence-boosting display that included favourable lbw and caught-behind decisions from Billy Bowden. Ponting was also below his most fluent as he played his side’s finest innings. He deserved to be disappointed with his batsmen, and in awe of his bowling leader.

Rained-out matches were ruining England’s preparation for the NatWest Series, according to Marcus Trescothick. England’s first match, against New Zealand, was washed out without a ball being bowled, and they now match up against West Indies at Trent Bridge on June 26.Trescothick, who is returning to the England team after an ankle injury, emphasised how difficult it was for the members of the team, especially for the one-day specialists. “This weather is tough, particularly for the guys who are just playing one-day cricket,” he told AFP. “We’ve obviously played a lot of cricket over the last eight months, and it doesn’t seem so disjointed for us. But it’s difficult for the guys coming into the team just for the one-dayers.”The focus then shifted to Geraint Jones, the latest English sensation. “Geraint has got something about him, and I’m not the first person to say it – he’s got an aura about him without a doubt,” said Trescothick. “We’re not getting to see the guys we want to see in the sort of situations we need to see them in.”Jones, who recently made his maiden Test century against New Zealand, is all set to break into the one-day team. “When he’s playing the first one-day international of his career, it’s about finding the right position for him; whether it’s opening, No. 3 or No. 7 we just don’t know at the moment,” said Trescothick. “We may have to experiment a little bit and give him a few days at the top and then maybe try him lower down the order. Then we’ll know a bit more after that.”Trescothick underscored the value of time in the middle. “They are losing the experience, and we’ve now lost six games out of 10 – and that leaves a big hole with players not getting the chances they should,” he said. “I’ve only played 80-odd games and I’m meant to be experienced. But you have people in the opposition who have played 250 games, and that to me is experience.”

It was actually a pretty decent day for Australia. According to the coach John Buchanan the bowlers did well as a group, especially Brett Lee and Shane Warne,and Australia will just have to score 700 and dismissEngland for 150 on the last day to win.England were actually the ones who made the major mistake by batting Kevin Pietersen at five instead of higher up the list. “Rather than have other playersblunt the new ball for him, I can’t understand why he’s not up the order,” Buchanan said. Pietersen got 158 and Paul Collingwood, who holds the No. 4 spot, claimed a maiden double-century.Taking a look at the old-fashioned Adelaide Oval scoreboard, Australia are definitely suffering after England declared at 6 for 551 before Andrew Flintoffremoved Justin Langer to maintain the impressive drive. Glenn McGrath and Warne both earned records they would be wishing to forget, McGrath giving up more runs without a wicket than in any time in his career and Warne collecting his most expensive figures against England.Despite the one-sided nature of the opening two days Buchanan was upbeat. “When I look at all the bowlers I’m very happy with what they did,” he said, “the strategies that they chose, the execution of them.”McGrath spent time off the field fixing his boot inthe opening session to ease a heel problem. Althoughhe has not been complaining about the injury, hiseffectiveness was limited and his speed has droppedsignificantly on the flat surface. “He pounded down20-plus overs,” Buchanan said, “so, so far so good.”He returned 0 for 103.Warne gave up 167 runs for the wicket of Geraint Joneswhile Brett Lee also won praise from Buchanan for his1 for 139. “I think Brett’s bowled exceptionallywell,” he said. “He’s held his pace and bowled goodlines. It’s encouraging for the second innings and therest of the series.”The measure of Shane’s bowling is how many bad ballsthere were. He bowled a couple late yesterday when hegot tired and maybe a few today. His control has beenexcellent, he hasn’t got the rub of the green, a bitlike Brett.”Stuart Clark was the only bowler not to wincompliments from Buchanan and he was the man whoperformed the best. Throughout the first two days hetroubled England with short and full deliveries andadded three victims to continue his strong series.When Australia resume at 1 for 28 on day three theywill have heard Buchanan’s plan for success.”Hopefully we get a foundation partnership going,minimise risks and therefore your error rate issmall,” he said. Buchanan was realistic enough to noteit will not be his team dictating the terms.

The 13 rebel Zimbabwe players are to have their contracts terminated by the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, according to a report in today’s London . The ZCU is expected to release the news today that it is to sue the players for breach of contract.According to the report, the group of 13, led by Heath Streak, the former captain, heard about the news “on the grapevine” yesterday. “The lawyers are dealing with it now,” said one of the players. “I’ve been told the ZCU are taking legal action, and we’ll have to decide if we counter-claim.”After the players put forward a six-page document outlining their grievances, including what they called “racial and unethical discrimination in the selection of the national team”, the ZCU made some concessions, agreeing to change some of the selection panel. Out went Ali Shah, a former Test cricketer, John Brent, a former provincial player, and Geoff Marsh, the Australian coach. They were replaced by Mpumelelo Mbwanga, a former player, and Richie Kaschula, who played for Rhodesia. Mbwanga, however, declined to take up the post, citing “conflicts” as the reason (he is also a TV commentator).However, the players are thought to be against the remaining two members of the panel, Max Ebrahim and the chairman Stephen Mangongo, who have little playing experience. It is thought that the players see these two as the main culprits in mixing politics with selection.Streak today told the BBC that he hopes to play for Zimbabwe again, but Peter Chingoka, the ZCU chairman, stressed that if Streak did play again, it would not be as captain. “There is no business in the world that can possibly operate under threats from employees – and that is what they are.”The unnamed player added that some of the players picked to play in the first one-dayer against Sri Lanka didn’t want to play in the matches, and supported their cause. “We’re not having any more meetings,” he said. “We have been in meetings for two weeks. We are sick of meetings. It’s getting dirty. Everything’s coming out. I have no idea what the consequences are going to be but we are not budging until they meet these fair demands of ours.”Another player also expressed his heartache at not being able to represent his country. “It’s so sad that it has come to this,” he lamented. “I was just remembering when I was 12 or 13, watching a Test match from the nets at HSC [Harare Sports Club] playing out our own Test and looking at the players on the field, wishing, hoping that one day I would have the honour of playing for my country.”He continued: “My Test cap sits at home now, whether I will have the pleasure of donning it once again is uncertain. Why can’t I just play cricket and fulfil a life-long dream of one day walking off the field for the last time while the sun goes down at Sports Club, take my cap off and leave because it’s my time? Then sit in the dressing-room and say farewell to all my friends who too have fought for the honour to wear and fight under the baggy green. What a nightmare this is for all of us.”

Details of Hayden’s inningsMins      Balls    Balls for 50s50         167        107        107100        308        208        101150        343        242         32200        412        292         50250        463        321         29300        529        362         41350        588        402         40380        622        437          –

Highest Test scores380    Matthew Hayden     Australia v Zimbabwe    Perth          2003-04375    Brian Lara         West Indies v England   St John’s      1993-94365*   Garry Sobers       West Indies v Pakistan  Kingston       1957-58364    Len Hutton         England v Australia     The Oval       1938340    Sanath Jayasuriya  Sri Lanka v India       Colombo        1997-98337    Hanif Mohammad     Pakistan v West Indies  Bridgetown     1957-58336*   Walter Hammond     England v New Zealand   Auckland       1932-33334*   Mark Taylor        Australia v Pakistan    Peshawar       1998-99334    Don Bradman        Australia v England     Leeds          1930

Highest Test scores by Australians380    Matthew Hayden    v Zimbabwe   Perth         2003-04334*   Mark Taylor       v Pakistan   Peshawar      1998-99334    Don Bradman       v England    Leeds         1930311    Bob Simpson       v England    Manchester    1964307    Bob Cowper        v England    Melbourne     1965-66304    Don Bradman       v England    Leeds         1934

Highest Test scores for Australia at Perth380    Matthew Hayden    v Zimbabwe     2003-04219    Michael Slater    v Sri Lanka    1995-96200    David Boon        v New Zealand  1989-90197    Ricky Ponting     v Pakistan     1999-00176    Bob Simpson       v India        1977-78171    Ian Redpath       v England      1970-71

Hayden’s Test runs in last four calendar yearsRuns     Avge2000       267     33.372001      1391     63.222002      1160     72.502003       837     76.09

Most sixes in a Test innings12  Wasim Akram       Pakistan v Zimbabwe          Sheikhupura          1996-9711  Matthew Hayden    Australia v Zimbabwe         Perth                2003-0411  Nathan Astle      New Zealand v England        Christchurch         2001-0210  Wally Hammond     England v New Zealand        Auckland             1932-339  Chris Cairns      New Zealand v Zimbabwe       Auckland             1995-969  Inzamam-ul-Haq    Pakistan v New Zealand       Lahore               2002

Highest totals by Australia in Tests758-8d    Australia v West Indies     Kingston             1954-55735-6d    Australia v Zimbabwe        Perth                2003-04729-6d    Australia v England         Lord’s               1930701       Australia v England         The Oval             1934695       Australia v England         The Oval             1930674       Australia v India           Adelaide             1947-48668       Australia v West Indies     Bridgetown           1954-55

Jon Dakin has rejoined Leicestershire after two seasons with Essex. Dakin was awarded his County Cap with Essex last season after a promising start and ended with 40 wickets. Dakin, 30, also helped them to win the Division Two Championship medal in 2002.However, he has returned to Leicestershire, where he left at the end of 2001, and where he started his career in 1993.David East, Essex’s chief executive, said: “Jon made a valuable contribution in his time at Essex and we thank him for his efforts. We wish him all the best for his return to Leicester.”Meanwhile, James Whitaker, a former captain of the club, has also rejoined Leicestershire as the director of cricket, while Kevin Hill, the chief executive, has agreed to part company.Neil Davidson, the chairman, said: “James Whitaker’s loyalties lie firmly with Leicestershire. His track record when captain demonstrates that he has the credentials to get the best out of players."

Scorecard

England A finally had something to cheer on their tour of India with a convincing 187-run win against Tamil Nadu at Chennai. Even better news for them, and for Duncan Fletcher, the national coach, was that Simon Jones bowled them to victory with 5 for 31, thus taking 10 wickets in the match.After England A declared at 295 for 9, having adding 44 runs to their overnight total with a lead of 330, Simon Francis set them on the way with the wickets of both openers.The Indian batsmen then stood firm to go to lunch on 90 for 3 as Jones struggled to find his range, but after the break it was a different story. Jones proved too hot to handle as he blew away the middle-lower order in his five-wicket haul, and also boosted his chances of making the full tour of West Indies next month.England A’s next game is in the Duleep Trophy, India’s domestic first-class competition, next week at Jalandhar.

Day One Verdict | Day Two BulletinIt took some time, but like a feature-length episode of Scooby Doo, Zimbabwe’s bowlers finally stopped ghosting past the bat and were exposed as an all-too-human outfit. They had never been given much chance of gettin’ away with it, even before that meddling kid, Anthony McGrath, got stuck in with a debut half-century, but while the clouds hung low over Lord’s, England were forced to toil for their clues.

Zimbabwean affairs have always been a mystery to England, as one Test victory out of four and that World Cup business will testify. Whether on the field or off, they are damned if they do and damned if they don’t, so it’s little wonder they took the cautious route to dominance. Still, by the time they had passed 450 for the seventh time in eight home Tests, with Ashley Giles and extras breezing towards their highest Test scores, they could be satisfied with a job well done.Given the baggage that most of this England side have accumulated over the winter, it was appropriate that the bulk of the work should be done by two men who, for various reasons, were spared the hours of soul-searching and the interminable security briefings ahead of that Harare no-show in February, McGrath and Mark Butcher.Butcher is fast becoming the forgotten man of the England middle order, which is no bad thing at all – the last man to hold that particular title was Graham Thorpe. Like Thorpe, Butcher has proved a classy and compact strokemaker, with a taste for low-key, but vital, contributions. His century was his second in consecutive Tests and his fourth in ten home matches, and in all but one of his previous efforts, that Headingley piece de resistance, he has played second fiddle to a more noteworthy performance.To think Butcher couldn’t force his way into Surrey’s team at the beginning of the summer. Still, being overlooked is nothing new to him – he is unique among modern England cricketers, in that he has played more than 50 Tests, but not a single one-day international. But since that 2001 reincarnation, he has shown a priceless ability to leave any fretting in the dressing-room, and get on with the job in hand. Amid all the talk of Nasser Hussain’s successor, it is a wonder that Butcher’s name has not been mentioned more often.Ahead of the day’s play, the smart money would have been on yet another Alec Stewart v-sign to the vultures, but The Gaffer’s main contributions were a brace of zealous shuttle runs to fine leg when England finally took the field. Instead McGrath took centre stage, becoming only the third specialist batsman in a decade, after Thorpe and Marcus Trescothick, to score a debut half-century for England.Raised on Headingley’s greentops, McGrath was at home against the moving ball, and his maiden innings would have been satisfying both to himself and to Duncan Fletcher, whose hunches have rarely failed him. As befits a Yorkshireman, McGrath required a Boycottian piece of running to get off the mark, but three fours in four balls off Andy Blignaut were Vaughanish in their quality. It was tough luck on Robert Key, who did his hard work Down Under, but was sawn off by a duff decision today.And by the end of the day, another debutant had proved a (rather more predictable) success. Apart from living up to the hype, James Anderson has managed a rare double – he has appeared from nowhere, while seeming to have been around forever. The only surprise was that it took him 20 balls to take his first wicket.Andrew Miller is assistant editor of Wisden CricInfo.