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Auckland’s win over Northern Districts highlighted a topsy-turvy day in the State Shield. Auckland was aided by Mssrs Duckworth and Lewis after the only black cloud in the country perched over Eden Park late in the day. In fairness, Auckland looked comfortable chasing, being 188 for 2 in 37.4 overs after Paul Hitchcock (108) posted a hard-hitting century in 99 balls. When the downpour came the revised target was 177 so Auckland won by eight wickets. Earlier, Northern posted a competitive 267 thanks mainly to captain James Marshall’s stylish 87. He was run out on the last ball of the game attempting a cheeky bye. Twin brother Hamish looked untroubled getting through to 39. Mayu Pasupati was best of the bowlers with 4 for 46.Peter Fulton fell from a great height yesterday as part of a Canterbury team thrashed at home by lowly Central Districts. Fulton, the player of the recently completed series against Sri Lanka fell lbw third ball to Michael Mason for no score. Canterbury was dismissed for 109 as Ewen Thompson and Lance Hamilton both finished with figures of 4 for 22. Central had no problems knocking off the total in 24.2 overs, with Ross Taylor (55) and Geoff Barnett (52) not out after an unbroken 91-run stand.Wellington was taken for a wild ride at Carisbrook by Otago, which demolished the previously unbeaten team. Otago seamer Warren McSkimming took a match-winning 5 for 9 off 7.3 overs as Wellington was skittled for a paltry 81 in 28.3 overs. McSkimming dismissed Chris Nevin off the first ball of the match and things scarcely improved for Wellington thereafter. Otago passed the total in 19.3 overs with Neil Broom (18) and Jonathan Trott (7) the not out batsmen. Luke Woodcock top scored for Wellington with 20 while Aaaron Redmond scored 34 for the home team.

Gayle out?
Chris Gayle has been ruled out of the first edition of the Indian Premier League after failing to recover from a groin injury that he sustained during the recent series against Sri Lanka, the Kolkata based reported. However, he will be in Kolkata in the first week of May to spend some time with the team. The franchise are yet to name a replacement.However a spokesman for the franchise said a final decision was yet to be made. “He’s injured but he’s still not out of the tournament,” he said. “No decision has been made yet.”Gearing up on a centre-pitch
Both the Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings were allowed centre-wicket practice on the eve of the match, it was reported. Mumbai, who practised second, were initially asked to use the adjoining net facilities but the moment they realised that their opponents had used the one of the centre strips, they demanded similar facilities too. “The match won’t be played on the pitch on which the teams are practising. It will take place on the pitch adjacent to it,” one of the TNCA officials was quoted as saying in the .Burdett turns down SOS
The Kolkata franchise sent out an SOS to South Australia’s 57-year-old chief curator Les Burdett but he is unlikely to oblige, the reported. Burdett, who is vacationing with his family in the outback, said: “I can’t come to India now for few days at least. I am enjoying my holiday and I have recently returned from your country where I inspected the pitches (at Mohali and other centres). For a few more days I can’t leave Australia again.”The bad blood ain’t over
Though they may share the same dressing room for the Kolkata KnightRiders, Ishant Sharma has emphasised there will be no comradeship withRicky Ponting when the two face-off against each other while playing fortheir countries. “It is a privilege to share dressing room with a greatplayer like Ponting,” Ishant said. “We discussed cricket and joked at eachother at the dressing room, we are just like friends now. But it is notthat I won’t show aggression at him while playing for India againstAustralia.”The spell that Ishant bowled to Ponting at the WACA was one of thehighlights of India’s tour to Australia. “No colour comes before you whenyou are donning your national colours. I will give back if I am provokedand the same thing had happened in the Australia series.”Empty stands greet Hyderabad’s opening game
The first game in Hyderabad was preceded by a gala opening but there was hardly anyone watching. One of the reasons offered include the distance one needs to travel outside the city to reach the stadium. There is also a view that the people have been saturated with the Indian Cricket League, which recently staged seven matches in the city.

Craig Kieswetter, Somerset’s wicketkeeper-bataman has pledged his future to England despite appearing for his native South Africa Under-19 at the World Cup last year. Kieswetter, whose mother is Scottish, holds a British passport and will qualify for England through living there for four years.The talented player, who made his senior debut this summer, is on part of the National Academy skills set, which he will attend this winter.Kieswetter started the 2007 season playing for Somerset 2nd XI, but after some impressive early form, soon forced his way into the senior side and helped them to promotion to the Championship top flight.”I want to make it in first class cricket and eventually go on and play for England,” he told the . “I have to say that I was a bit surprised to get invited [to the Academy] after just one season in the game over here.”I am very grateful to have been given this opportunity and thrilled to think I have been noticed.”

Mushtaq Ahmed has ended speculation over his future by signing a new two-year deal which will keep him at Sussex until the end of the 2009 season. There had been reports linking him with a move to Warwickshire.”Sussex is a family club and it is an honour for me to be playing here,” Mushtaq said. “Signing a two-year contract is great news and I feel blessed and very pleased.””Obviously I am delighted to have Mushtaq back again next year,” Mark Robinson, the cricket manager, said. “It was always going to be the case; it was just a question of whether he still had the desire and passion for the game. He clearly still has a lot left in him so actually completing the deal with us was just a formality. Once again he has won games for Sussex and I am sure this will continue to be the case.”Chris Adams, the captain under whom Mushtaq has played throughout his time at Sussex said: “What can I say about Mushy? I, along with the rest of the playing staff are delighted that the best bowler to ever have pulled on a Sussex shirt is staying with us for another two years. And I know that whenever Mushtaq wears a Sussex shirt we will be highly competitive in all forms of cricket.”In 77 matches since he joined Sussex in 2003 Mushtaq has taken 443 wickets at 24.78, including a hundred in 2003 and 2006, Sussex winning the Championship in both those years.Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Sussex’s other overseas player, will now have to find another county if he is to continue to play domestic cricket in England. From next season counties will be allowed one overseas player only.

Australia’s final workout of the Super Eights against New Zealand might not have much significance to the make-up of the final four, but don’t expect either side to treat the 47th game of the tournament as glorified training. While there will be some experimenting for the more intense days ahead, the unblinking gaze of both teams will not be broken by thoughts of next week.Only a ridiculously huge victory by New Zealand could topple Australia from the top spot and even if it is achieved the southern hemisphere neighbours will be kept apart in the semi-finals. Both teams are already talking about their next opponents. Ricky Ponting has spoken of the dangers posed by South Africa in St Lucia and John Bracewell, the New Zealand coach, wants his side to improve their net run-rate so they can overtake Sri Lanka, move to second and get the better training times in Jamaica.When the focus returns to Friday’s match in Grenada it is impossible to discuss it without mentioning allrounders. Shane Watson’s fragile body is ready for action after two weeks out with a calf strain, but Jacob Oram has succumbed to a heel problem. While the pair is crucial to the balance of the teams, there is another allrounder who is also being closely monitored.Scott Styris has 435 runs at 108.75 in the Caribbean and when his eight wickets at 23 are mixed in he is a genuine contender for the player of the tournament. Ponting is aware of the problems Styris poses and has been impressed by the way he has anchored New Zealand’s batting.”These conditions suit the way he plays, the slower lower wickets,” Ponting told AFP. “He plays spin pretty well. We’ve got a few things up our sleeve which we’ll have to execute well against him and make sure he doesn’t get away from us.”What he has done in the tournament is bat for long periods. He might not have necessarily got his runs at a 100% strike-rate but he’s been there and thereabouts, anchored their innings and played very well.”When it comes to Australia’s potential run-scorers they are as well stocked as the nearby waters are with fish. Four of the top 15 batsmen at the World Cup are Australians, but the bowling is even more impressive with four of the leading nine. The individual success is a reason why they have extended their unbeaten streak in World Cups to 26 matches.While Australia’s swap of Watson for Brad Hodge requires only one change in the order, New Zealand have some restructuring to do to cover Oram. The preferred option seems to be to promote James Franklin three places to No. 6 so Brendon McCullum doesn’t have to shift from seven.

“It’s about making this seamless and I think James is really looking forward to the challenge of it,” Bracewell told NZPA. “He’s batted quite well for a long period of time for us – it’s nothing new for him to bat in the middle order.”Bracewell is also considering bringing in the fast bowlers Mark Gillespie and Michael Mason to prepare them for possible use in the semi-final and final, which will be played on surfaces expected to assist the quick men. Jeetan Patel will be the unlucky one in Grenada if this method is followed.”There’s the temptation to prepare for the future, but there’s also the reality of what needs to be done on Friday,” Bracewell said. “We don’t want to lose the momentum.”Ponting wants to use the match as a guide for Australia, who were beaten 3-0 by New Zealand the last time the teams met. “I’m looking forward to the game,” Ponting said. “It will be a good indicator for both teams of where they are at.”Australia (probable) 1 Matthew Hayden, 2 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Andrew Symonds, 6 Michael Hussey, 7 Shane Watson, 8 Brad Hogg, 9 Nathan Bracken, 10 Glenn McGrath, 11 Shaun Tait.New Zealand (probable) 1 Stephen Fleming (capt), 2 Peter Fulton, 3 Ross Taylor, 4 Scott Styris, 5 Craig McMillan, 6 James Franklin 7 Brendon McCullum (wk), 8 Daniel Vettori, 9 Mark Gillespie, 10 Shane Bond, 11 Michael Mason.

Cricket South Africa (CSA), the South African Cricketers Association (SACA), and the country’s six professional franchises have agreed on a business model expected to make professional players “genuine stakeholders in the game.” The agreement includes standardised contracts and benefits for players and regulations on the number of playing contracts.”The Memorandum of Understanding provides for salary minimums and salary caps and for optimal use of South Africa’s player resources through regulations relating to player transfers, player loan-outs and playing overseas in the off-season,” Norman Arendse, the president of CSA, announced at a press conference in Johannesburg.Arendse said that the primary objectives included dealing with annual revenue fluctuations and stating how fundamental player issues would be dealt with. “The model enables longer term financial forecasting and planning for the provision of funds to amateur cricket for the development of the game,” he said.Tony Irish, the chief executive of the SACA, added that the initiative for the MoU came from the SACA and the players themselves. “We had a good look at what we believed was best practice relating to professional cricketers around the world [and] presented this to CSA and since then we have shared a common vision, which has resulted in the MoU.”According to Irish, the MoU projects and averages South African cricket’s revenues over a four-year period and links what the players will earn to the financial position of the game. “For players this really means stake-holding in the game, like being a shareholder in a company,” said Irish. “What players will receive in the future will depend on how successful the game actually is, and as players we will obviously work with the other stakeholders to make it as healthy as possible into the future.”Ashwell Prince, the South African batsman and president of the SACA, said that cricket’s number one stakeholder was the paying public and that the players were aware that more would be expected of them in the future. “They [the public] are our supporters and are the ones who will ultimately determine the game’s success,” said Prince. “The way we play our cricket and how we contribute to the game both on and off the field in the eyes of the public will be the key.”

Michael Kasprowicz will today make his comeback from a back injury that has kept him out of the game for eight months. Kasprowicz will line up for University in Brisbane club cricket as he works his way towards full fitness.He has not played a first-class match since early April, when he and Brett Lee carried Australia to victory in the third Test against South Africa at Johannesburg. But a disc problem that he picked up in that game, combined with a groin strain he sustained during Australia’s boot camp in August, has hampered his chances of playing a role in the Ashes series.Kasprowicz said he would strictly limit himself to ten overs in his comeback match. “Even if I’m on a hat-trick on the first ball of my 11th over I’ll say ‘no’. I want to get it right,” he told . “It’s the biggest setback of my career, for 18 years of first-class cricket.”But he will increase his workload next weekend with two days of grade cricket and he hopes to be available for Queensland’s Pura Cup game against South Australia in two weeks. Kasprowicz said he had not given up hope of again playing for Australia. “Nothing will change,” he said. “I’ve always concentrated on doing well for Queensland and when I enjoy doing that other things happen.”

South Africa 266 for 5 (Jack 109, Kirsten 103) beat Bermuda 169 for 9 by 97 runs

Gary Kirsten’s second hundred in successive matches guided South Africa to a 97-run win over hosts Bermuda in the final of the inaugural 20-20 World Cricket Classic in Nassau.South Africa’s batting has been the key to their success, and Kirsten and former Transvaal fast bowler Steven Jack finished the tournament with 461 runs between them. Kirsten followed his 134 in the semi-final with 103 this time, while Jack smashed 109. Both reached their hundreds in under 50 balls. Jack, who played his two Tests for South Africa as a bowler, raced to his century in 40 balls, including four fours and ten sixes.The Bermuda bowlers all came in for some stick, with Kevin Hurdle being slammed for 71 from his four overs.Bermuda never seemed interested in chasing a daunting ask of more than 13 an over, but they batted well and the spirits of a lively capacity crowd were not dampened.”I think the bowlers have learned a hard lesson tonight,” Gus Logie, Bermuda’s coach, admitted. “We talked a lot beforehand about how we were going to have to bowl against them but we just did not put those plans into practice and we got punished for it.”

Thilan Samaraweera, whose century rescued Sri Lanka from a dicey 99 for 6, said the key to securing a win in the second Test at the Queen’s Park Oval would be how the visitors utilise the new ball.”The pitch is still allowing the bowlers to seam the ball around, and the bounce is up and down,” he said. “If we can get two or three wickets with the new ball, we can put some pressure on them, since we have a world-class spin bowler (in Muttiah Muralitharan). Chris Gayle was getting the ball to turn a little bit, but the new ball will be the key.”Samaraweera’s 138-run partnership with Chaminda Vaas for the seventh wicket left West Indies chasing a challenging 253 for victory. “My approach when I went in to bat was to play as straight as possible,” he said. “I played a bad shot in the first innings – a ‘nothing shot’ – and found playing straight and playing off the front foot was the key.”My strategy was to bat through the innings, but I think Chaminda (45) helped a lot since he was batting so well at the other end. When I came to the crease, we were 32 for 3 and I felt that we could still get a good score since Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chamara Silva, and Vaas were still to come.”Besides shoring up Sri Lanka’s fortunes, his sixth Test century is also likely to guarantee him an extended run in the side. “This innings is important for me, since there is a lot of Test cricket coming for us this year – we have about six Tests remaining – and I feel strongly that I can establish myself in the side again,” he said. “I have a key role to play in the side. I have to play among a host of stroke-players, and I can play the long, patient innings which I did a few years ago when we were in a similar situation and I scored a hundred against Pakistan.”I also thought this innings was crucial because I had set myself the goal in this series to take the pressure off Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, since they have been tremendous for Sri Lanka over the last three or four years.”Looking ahead to the fourth day’s play, and a possible series win, he said: “We want to create history by becoming the first Sri Lanka team to win a Test series in the Caribbean, and whitewash West Indies in a series at home for the first time in their history.”

Muttiah Muralitharan attributes his recent good form to the abuse that he faced during VB series in Australia this January. “If there is one thing that maybe has helped me this year it was the experience I had in Australia,” Murali told Bigstarcricket website.”It may sound a strange thing to say as it was a very tough tour for me on and off the field, especially with the abuse we received.”Murali was greeted with chants of ‘no-ball’ by Australian crowds during the series. He was first no-balled at Melbourne by umpire Darrell Hair in Sri Lanka’s tour of Australia in 1995.”If you go through difficult times and come out the other side, you become a stronger character for it,” Murali said. That’s what happened to me. I like to think that I am quite strong mentally anyway. But these sort of experiences only make me more determined.”Murali has had a phenomenal run of form the past year collecting 108 Test wickets at an average of 19.37, from 15 matches between September 2005 and August 2006. But in one-day cricket during that period, Murali has got only 36 wickets from 28 matches. “Cricket is like this, wickets can come all at once and at other times you can bowl well and maybe not receive your rewards,” Murali said.”I am in some good form but I wouldn’t say it is necessarily the best form of my career. I am just bowling well and have found some good rhythm. For the last year I have bowled well and I haven’t done anything different in these series than at other times,” he added.