Lincoln Green’s reputation, at the High Performance Centre, lived up to its reputation as one of the finest batting surfaces in the country as the New Zealand Academy Selection scored 349 for 9 on the first day of their two-day match with Otago yesterday.With a warm north-westerly blowing, conditions were ideal, and the Academy Selection opening batsmen Jesse Ryder and Mark Richardson revelled in an opening stand of 173 runs. The situation suited Ryder’s inherent aggression and the timing of his innings was consistently just below run a ball pace. His half-century was scored off 69 balls while Richardson took a much more typical role in taking the anchor role, although his 50 took only 76 balls, but 20 minutes slower than Ryder.By lunch, Ryder was on 95, having hit 17 fours and one six, as the Academy were 160 without loss. But after adding two runs after lunch, Ryder was run out, for the third successive time in innings with Richardson. The break in their stand resulted in Richardson also departing, when attempting a reverse-sweep off Nathan Morland’s bowling, for 75.A 61-run partnership between Peter Fulton and Neil Broom maintained the scoring momentum but it was broken when Bradley Scott struck to dismiss Broom. Scott also claimed Fulton’s wicket, for 43, when he was caught behind. The best of the rest of the batting came from Ross Taylor who scored 52 before the Academy Selection went to stumps at 349-9, having lost their last seven wickets for 105 runs.The rewards went to Scott and McSkimming who took three wickets in tiring conditions for bowlers.Brief scoreboard:New Zealand Academy Selection 349-9 (J Ryder 97, M Richardson 75, R Taylor 52, P Fulton 43, B Scott 3-67, W McSkimming 3-85) met Otago

The International Cricket Council is looking to hold discussions with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) with a view to implementing a world-wide code for the sport. Whether that involves adoption of WADA’s world policy, or a special version for cricket is likely to be the main point of discussion.Malcolm Speed, the chief executive of the ICC, said in Christchurch today during a whistlestop visit with ICC chairman Ehsan Mani, that he hoped a meeting could be set up by next month.Cricket does not have a world-wide drug protocol, and major cricket events have so far adopted the code applicable in the country where the event is being hosted. In last summer’s World Cup, the South African drug code applied to the tournament.Speed said a number of countries, including New Zealand, were tied to their government’s sports protocol which was part of the WADA policy. The ICC has sought a meeting with WADA because it had some issues with the WADA code and it was hoped that it might be possible to have a policy that was a little more specific to cricket. “We hope to meet over the next six months and make some progress on that.”He also said that it was up to individual cricket boards to decide whether they should play two, three or four Tests in a series. Two was the minimum requirement under the ICC Test Championship. “In an ideal world we would like to see more than two Tests and it may be that we see three and four Tests in a series as the competition evolves. That would give a better indication and be a better competition.”The problem of too little Test-match play for some countries had meant that India scheduled only five Tests this year. Speed said the ICC could go to the executive meetings with recommendations on the number of Tests they would prefer but it was for the boards to decide what suited them best. One of the negatives of the scheme was that there were some countries that would not wish to play more than two Tests against some other countries.Mani explained that the purpose of his and Speed’s visit to New Zealand was to get a better understanding of the way the board runs cricket in the country. He added that he hoped to have completed visits to all countries by next year.Speaking about his trip to New Zealand, Mani said: “There have been huge changes in New Zealand Cricket since the Hood Report which was not that long ago.” Those changes were reflected in the way the New Zealand team was performing and he said he and Speed would take a lot back from their trip here. Their visit has coincided with the latest brush experienced by New Zealand with security issues as the squad prepared to leave for their delayed tour of Pakistan tomorrow.”New Zealand has borne the brunt of security issues. They have been in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said in reference to the three bomb blasts that have affected New Zealand tours, twice in Sri Lanka and once in Pakistan.”We are pleased the Pakistan tour is going ahead and we have been pleased with the spirit in which the boards involved are approaching this issue,” Speed said. One of the problems in defining a common approach to the security problem was deciding what was safe and what wasn’t.Mani had no problem with NZC giving players the right to withdraw from the tour. “You can’t force a player to go. The player has to be happy to go and New Zealand Cricket has handled it well.”Speed added that when professional cricketers made their career choice, they needed to remember that many of the cities in the world in which cricket is played are dangerous places. He said that he was very impressed with Stephen Fleming’s statement that he was happy to leave the matter of the Pakistan tour to the NZC management. “That is not a viewpoint we see very often.”Speed also spoke about the extension of his contract till 2005, something that Mani said had always been intended to happen. “There has been a good deal of stress but I didn’t think it would be a pleasant holiday. The only way to deal with that is to have the best people around you and not to be influenced by outside influences.”Speed said that he felt with all that had gone on in international cricket in the last few years, the organisation, with all the changes that had been implemented, was now better placed to handle crises than had been the case before.

East Zone 227 for 2 (Kiran Powar 79*, Gandhi 75*) beat North Zone 225 for 7 (Manhas 72, Sodhi 68, Sanyal 4-48) by 8 wickets
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An unbroken 160-run stand between Devang Gandhi and Kiran Powar guided East Zone to a comfortable eight-wicket win with 12 overs to spare at Cuttack. After a solid 67-run partnership between Nikhil Haldipur and Mahendra Dhoni, both fell in quick succession to Sanjay Gill’s medium-pace. But Powar carried on his runscoring spree and along with Gandhi, his captain, ensured that the target was reached without too many hassles. Sandip Sanyal (4 for 48), the medium-pacer, was instrumental in keeping North Zone down to a modest 225. North were struggling at 53 for 4, before a 134-run stand between Mithun Manhas and Reetinder Sodhi bailed them out. It proved too little as East romped home to their second consecutive win of the tournament.West Zone 247 for 7 (Kanitkar 103, Ganesh 4-39) beat South Zone 245 (Sriram 54) by 2 runs
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South Zone’s last five batsmen were run-out as West Zone won a humdinger at the Keenan Stadium at Jamshedpur. Chasing 247, Sadagoppan Ramesh(42) and Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan (47) got them off to a steady start. But both fell in quick succession and South lost their way in the middle overs. Sridharan Sriram anchored the innings with a 62-ball 54 but the running between the wickets was far from assured as West scraped home by two runs. Earlier in the day, Hrishikesh Kanitkar’s 103 was the highlight of the West innings, and his important partnerships with Nishit Shetty (47) and Ranjit Khirid (34) ensured that they reached a competitive score.

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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.

Mike Watkinson will remain as Lancashire’s cricket manager until the end of the 2007 season, after signing a four-year extension to his contract.Watkinson, who was drafted in as England’s bowling coach for the tour to Bangladesh last October, began negotiations with Lancashire at the end of last season, but the deal was finally completed thisweek.”I have been happy with the progress which has been made, not only by the first team, but by Lancashire cricket in general over the past two years," said Watkinson. "Hopefully this will continue into the seasons ahead.””Mike is a Lancastrian through and through," added Lancashire’s chairman, Jack Simmons. "Success for the club is, I know, Mike’s main ambition. The contract extension represents security for him and shows the confidence the club has in his abilities.”

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.”

The International Cricket Council has announced that the preliminary hearing into match-fixing allegations against Maurice Odumbe, the former Kenyan captain, will take place in Nairobi on May 19.The preliminary hearing, which will be presided over by Justice Ahmed Ebrahim, the former Zimbabwean Supreme Court judge, will deal with any preliminary points raised by Odumbe’s lawyers and will set a process in place for a more substantive hearing.The preliminary hearing follows an investigation by the ICC’s Anti Corruption and Security Unit and a recommendation by Michael Beloff, who is the chairman of the ICC’s Code of Conduct commission. Under the ICC’s code of conduct, the penalties that the players can face range from a two-year suspension to a life-ban depending on the nature of the charge.Odumbe, 34, has been an integral part of the Kenyan one-day team, with his middle-order batting and slow bowling coming in handy. He was the Man of the Match in Kenya’s historic win over the West Indies at Pune in the 1996 World Cup.

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.”

In the latest round of the County Championship, rain had the final say in the majority of matches, although Derbyshire couldn’t quite avoid an emphatic ten-wicket defeat at the hands of Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge. The match was a closer-run affair than the result suggests, however, thanks to an heroic unbeaten 129 from Hassan Adnan. His effort, along with an astonishing 36-ball half-century from No. 11, Mohammad Ali, ensured that the innings defeat was avoided, but they couldn’t quite hold on for the draw. Gloucestershire, on the other hand, did just that. Their last pair of Jonathan Lewis and Shabbir Ahmed added 22 to frustrate Surrey at The Oval, as they secured a slender lead to avert an innings defeat. Elsewhere, rain wrecked the matches at Lord’s, Stratford-upon-Avon and Headingley.

Frizzell County Championship Division One

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Day 1 report: Joyce given leading role – The Guardian
Day 2 report: Weekes continues good form – The Daily Telegraph
Day 3 report: Hick nears milestone – The Guardian

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Day 1 report: Stubborn Taylor denies Surrey – The Daily Telegraph
Day 2 report: Brown’s happy return an object lesson for Newman – The Independent
Day 3 report: Brown’s class puts Surrey in driving seat – The Times

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Day 1 report: Wagh weighs in for Warwickshire – Wisden Cricinfo
Day 2 report: Loye and Mongia lead the way for Lancashire – Wisden Cricinfo
Day 3 report: Loye gives Lancashire a slender lead – Wisden Cricinfo
Day 4 report: Knight shines on soggy final day – Wisden Cricinfo

Frizzell County Championship Division Two

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Day 1 report: Tremlett counters Caddick – The Daily Telegraph
Day 2 report: Hampshire may rue missed point – The Daily Telegraph
Day 3 report: Stand-in Watson gives Hampshire the edge – The Times

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Day 1 report: Pietersen continues to make Derbyshire suffer – The Times
Day 2 report: Read makes his point – The Daily Telegraph
Day 3 report: Modern Derby not so game – The Guardian

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Day 1 – No play due to rain
Day 2 report: Weather not welcoming at Headingley – The Daily Telegraph
Day 3 report: Wood slips prove costly – The Times

Somerset’s Peter Bowler, the oldest player on the county circuit, has announced he will retire from first-class cricket at the end of the season.Bowler, 41, made his debut for Leicestershire against Hampshire at Grace Road in 1986, before going on to represent Derbyshire and Tasmania in a 19-year career. Somerset’s current match against Glamorgan at Taunton is his 314th first-class appearance.”Peter has had a wonderful professional cricketing career,” said Peter Anderson, Somerset’s chief executive. “He wishes to play for the remainder of the season, but accepts it is a matter of form and whether he is picked. The club wishes to mark the retirement of a wonderful player in a suitable manner at the end of the season.”Bowler has scored nearly 20,000 first-class runs at an average in excess of 40, and has made 45 hundreds and 98 fifties. “[That average] is the hallmark of a really good player,” added Bowler. “Some may say he was unlucky not to get an international cap.”