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The BCCI has reprimanded Gary Kirsten, India’s coach, for his comments to the media, in which he stated Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India’s limited-overs captain, was ready for Test captaincy.Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary, told Kirsten to avoid airing his views in the media and focus on his job. “As per the rules and regulations, Kirsten should not have spoken such things in the media, it is not his job. We have the selectors to decide who should be the captain,” Shah said. “His comments have not gone down well with those concerned because he is an important member of the support staff. But I will still give him a benefit of doubt.”Shah also dismissed the notion that Anil Kumble, India’s Test captain, who had a poor series in Sri Lanka, should retire. “Anil is a great cricketer and he knows well when to quit,” he said. “As long as he is in form, I don’t think the selectors are going to drop him.”Kirsten had earlier told Indian news channel NDTV: “He [Dhoni] is ready for it [Test captaincy] but there is no need to rush as of now. Anil has done an exceptional job, he is a great leader. He is prepared to do 30 overs in a day but he is on the other side of the physical side of the game.”In July, the BCCI had barred Kirsten from writing columns on matches involving India but made it clear that it did not have any problems with him operating his website.

Australia’s Test squad will leave for India on Sunday as scheduled after Cricket Australia confirmed on Tuesday the tour would go ahead, despite increased fears over security following a series of bomb blasts in New Delhi on Saturday. The Australian board carried out a review following the terrorist attacks, receiving input from the Australian government’s department of foreign affairs as well as conducting their own independent assessment.”We have done a review of our security advice and it has not changed since last week,” Cricket Australia’s public affairs manager Peter Young said. “The safety and security advice for India is, broadly speaking, to exercise caution.”Young said the security will be upgraded for the team as well as for the A side, which is currently touring in India. Australia A’s players have also been told not to leave the hotel without good reason.Cricket Australia’s decision to go ahead with the tour had been criticised by the Pakistan board, but Young said the situation was different. Australia were one of five teams to express concerns over visiting Pakistan for this month’s Champions Trophy, which was subsequently postponed, and had deferred their visit to the country for Test and one-day series earlier in the year.”In very broad terms the advice we have is in sharp contrast to what we had for Pakistan, which was that it was not safe to travel [in Pakistan] because the attacks there were targeting westerners,” Young said. “The problems [in India] are completely different in intensity and of a different nature.”Australia will play the third of four Tests in Delhi, where more than 20 people were killed on Saturday. The tour begins with warm-up games scheduled in Jaipur and Hyderabad, where bombs have gone off over the past year. The team then heads to Bangalore, where one person was killed in attacks in July, for the opening Test on October 9.

Match facts

Oct 31, 2008
Start time 7.30pm (1400 GMT)

Big Picture

The league has entered its next phase of matches in Panchkula and Chandigarh, who have three wins out of four matches, are ready to take advantage of home support as they push for a semi-final berth. Chandigarh were dealt a severe blow, when the ICL suspended Chris Cairns and Dinesh Mongia, but they regrouped splendidly under new captain Andrew Hall to beat the in-form Royal Bengal Tigers by eight wickets. They now have a game in hand and have a strong chance of making the final four.Dhaka Warriors are currently in the bottom half of the points table but a victory, though Chandigarh will be tougher to beat than Mumbai Champs, could lift hopes of entering the top four. A defeat, however, could put an end to realistic semi-final hopes.

Where they rank

Chandigarh are currently fourth in the table but they have played one game less than the top two teams and two less than Bengal at No. 3. A win against Dhaka will enable Chandigarh to displace Bengal for, although the two teams will have equal points, Chandigarh will have the better net run-rate.Dhaka are placed sixth with two victories from five matches and are level with Lahore Badshahs on four points. A win tomorrow will take them to fourth for they currently have a better run-rate than Chandigarh, although they will have played an extra game.

Form guide (most recent match first)

Chandigarh Lions: WLWW
Dhaka Warriors: WLWLL

Stats

• Bipul Sharma and Andrew Hall have the best economy-rates in the tournament. Sharma has bowled only two overs for 10 runs in one match, while Hall has bowled 16 at 5.31 per over.
• Alok Kapali has hit the most sixes in the tournament – 14 in five matches. He also holds the record for maximum fours and sixes in an innings – 11 and 5 respectively – against Hyderabad.

Players to watch

Daryl Tuffey has a reputation for picking up wickets in his first over. He’s taken seven wickets from four matches at 13.42 apiece and the only time he went wicketless, against Hyderabad Heroes, Chandigarh lost.
Alok Kapali is second on the highest run-scorer’s charts, one run behind Bengal’s Hamish Marshall. He’s also the ICL’s only centurion and is enjoying this fast and furious format.

Quotes

“It is important that the efforts of our main batsmen are supplemented by others. Also, we need to bowl a better line and length in order to contain the opposition.”

Scorecard

A Twenty20 round-robin in Canada does little to set hearts fluttering. Yet when Shoaib Akhtar steams in to bowl at Sanath Jayasuriya and Co, the venue is of little importance. Unfortunately for Pakistan, Shoaib has yet to rediscover his accuracy, and it was Jayasuriya who won the battle, leading Sri Lanka to a convincing five-wicket win in the final of the T20 Canada at King City.In stark contrast to Pakistan’s, Sri Lanka’s batsmen set off in frantic pursuit of 133, in front of a boisterous crowd of 9000. Jayasuriya and Mahela Udawatte put on a match-altering 66 in seven overs, though they were indebted to a predictably wayward start from Pakistan’s trio of fast bowlers, Shoaib, Sohail Tanvir and, chief culprit of all, Umar Gul.Jayasuriya shot out of the traps and never allowed Shoaib to settle. Flicking him for four in his first over, he then pulled him for consecutive sixes into the midwicket stand, the second of which went AWOL. Udawatte was no less aggressive, but such was Gul’s persistently short length that he spent most of his time on the back foot. A hook for six was followed by a flayed cut for four, and a slice past point scorched the outfield. Sri Lanka’s fifty came up inside five overs.So, it was to spin that Pakistan turned and it brought immediate results when Shahid Afridi – who earlier managed only 14 with the bat – beat Udawatte in flight and had him caught at long-off. Afridi’s partner at the other end, Shoaib Malik, then bowled Jayasuriya, and followed it up with the prized wicket of Mahela Jayawardene – both batsmen fell attempting the sweep. They made it five when Kaushalya Weeraratne was bowled in Gul’s second spell, but it was all too little, too late, and Chamara Kapugedera’s calm 17 guided Sri Lanka to their first win over Pakistan in Twenty20 internationals.That Sri Lanka were allowed to chase such an attainable target was thanks to their own spin-attack, namely Ajantha Mendis, whose three wickets stifled Pakistan’s middle order. Salman Butt played a steady hand for his 44, but wickets fell at crucial moments around him, and Pakistan’s innings never gained true momentum. Misbah-ul-Haq cracked two fours in a spirited 25, but no one could truly get on top of Mendis, who ended the tournament with 11 wickets for a frugally economical 55 runs.

Efforts are underway at the Pakistan Cricket Board to cut down heavily on the administrative expenditure of running the organisation as the board struggles with the financial crunch caused by the spate of postponed series and tournaments in 2008.Wasim Bari, the former wicketkeeper and captain as well as selector, has recently been appointed director HR and administration and is keen on trimming expenses. “Needless appointments made to the board will be terminated to reduce the overall expenditures,” he said.Three areas will be looked at in particular to cut down costs. General administrative costs are to be cut down by at least 50%. The budgets of each director and their department will also be revised, this time, say officials, based on more accurate forecasts. Finally, capital expenditure on stadiums through the country will be halted. The only exceptions are the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and Rawalpindi, where the renovation work is yet to be completed.Pakistan suffered heavy losses this year after Australia pulled out of a full series in March-April and the Champions Trophy was postponed, both due to security concerns. The current administration has also accused Nasim Ashraf’s regime of whittling down the PCB’s treasury dramatically over the last two years. The number of PCB employees ballooned under Ashraf’s time, going from approximately 300 to an estimated 700, though officials dispute this figure.

After being crushed by an innings and 129 runs in the first Test, Bangladesh have shown more fight during the first two days of the second Test against South Africa in Centurion. Batting first, they posted 250, and Shakib Al Hasan’s three-wicket burst had South Africa in a hole before centuries from Ashwell Prince and Mark Boucher rescued the hosts.South Africa may have been let off the hook, but Shakib said it was not for want of effort. “We tried our best, but they saw off the pressure period, and then went on the attack,” he told . “You have got to remember that this is only the day-two pitch, and still very good for batting.”The Centurion pitch was expected to favour the quick bowlers, but it was left-arm spinner Shakib who was the best bowler on the second day. “I had a feeling yesterday that the wicket would turn. But the important thing for me is the length and line I bowl,” he said. “I think the reason I am getting all these wickets is because I am hitting the right spot continuously.” He now has 18 wickets in his last six innings, after having managed three wickets in his first six Tests.Another in-form Bangladesh player is wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim, whose brisk 65 pushed the visitors to a respectable total on the first day. Four of his five highest Test scores have come over the last two months. Mushfiqur attributes that to a changed mindset, and his discipline during net sessions.”In the past I used to think too much about matters not directly related to my game, like who I was going to face or what the wicket would be like,” he said. “I also could not stop thinking about the disappointment any failure would bring to my close ones because I live in a joint family.”After being dropped from the national side earlier this year, Mushfiqur stopped putting pressure on himself. “I focused only on trying to do my job to the best of my ability. If I have given it my best and still failed then so be it, and I wasn’t going to loose sleep over it.”Mushfiqur also said he now took his training sessions more seriously. “I have trained exactly like I would play in a match. I tried not to get out in the nets, and only hit the bad balls when I got them,” he said. “The two-day practice game in which I got 89 also was a massive help as I approached it as if I was playing a Test and planned my innings accordingly.”

Scorecard

South Australia challenged New South Wales to set a tempting target after declaring their first innings 179 behind in the final session of the third day. At stumps the Blues were 2 for 106, with a lead of 285, following the Redbacks’ decision to abandon any thoughts of first-innings points at 3 for 304 declared, a total which was boosted by the in-form Michael Klinger.Klinger is having an amazing season, topping the competition with 900 runs at 112.50, and he added another 125. There were two reprieves for Klinger on 24, both off Doug Bollinger, but he made the most of the chances while collecting eight fours and three sixes in a highly effective display.His 314-ball innings, which was interrupted by a couple of rain breaks, ended when he was caught by Beau Casson off Nathan Hauritz shortly before the declaration. The closure was untimely for Cameron Borgas, who was unbeaten on 90.New South Wales lost Greg Mail (2) and Phillip Hughes (23 off 16 balls) before Ben Rohrer, who scored a century in the first innings, crashed his way to 51 from 31 deliveries. Peter Forrest also enjoyed the unexpected opportunity and reached 29.

Muttiah Muralitharan, with 500 ODI victims, starts the first game against India in Dambulla needing three wickets to overtake Wasim Akram and become the highest wicket-taker. Murali, 36, also holds the Test record with 769 wickets from 125 matches.”We will be very happy once he [Muralitharan] gets the record. It is another milestone for him and another one for Sri Lankan cricket,” Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene said. He said Murali’s secret of success is “pure hard work, commitment, the willingness to win matches and to compete against the best in the world.”India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was equally appreciative. “I’ve seen his career graph and he has been very consistent. He is a champion bowler,” Dhoni said. “As far as this series is concerned we know that he will reach that mark. We will play as we played him in the last series.”Jayawardene praised Murali’s resilience in getting close to Akram’s record, set in 2003.”It is difficult for me to put it in words. Everyone knows the amount of hard work he has put in over the last 16 years. He has gone through a lot of hardship. Probably in a few games or even tomorrow he might hold both the records in Tests and one-dayers. That’s an amazing effort for someone who started out as a fast bowler and then turned into an offspinner.”

Jamaica put their international reputation on the line yesterday when the first Test in the 1998 Cable & Wireless series between the West Indies and England was abandoned after only 55 minutes of play.A hush descended on a seemingly shocked Sabina Park in an almost eerie tribute to the embarrassing manner in which the match was called off, after the pitch was ruled unfit.England, who opted to bat after winning the toss had reached 17 for three in 10.1 overs when umpires Steve Bucknor and S. Venkataraghavan consulted with match referee Barry Jarman and captains Brian Lara and Mike Atherton and made their ruling.It was the first time in 122 years of Test cricket – and 1,396 matches – that a match was being abandoned because of the state of the pitch.Cable & Wireless said they are extremely disappointed.”As official sponsors, who have committed US$2.1 million to this year’s series; we feel this is extremely unfortunate,” said Cable & Wireless in a news release.The telecom giant said it shared the disappointment of those who had travelled from around the world to Jamaica to witness the game, as well as those who planned to watch it on television and listen on radio.The grim announcement was made at a brief press conference by WICB president, Pat Rousseau, after a series of meetings involving administrators, the teams’ management, match referee and umpires.Mr Rousseau expressed deep regret that the match had to be abandoned, apologised to sponsors, the teams and the spectators and promised patrons refunds between yesterday and today.Electing to bat first on a pitch from which the ball sometimes kicked off a good length or kept low, the England batsmen were hit all over the body and on the hands so often that physiotherapist Wayne Morton had to make several trips to the middle.The first sign that the match was in trouble was when the batsmen and fast bowler Curtley Ambrose met for a mid-pitch conference while pointing at the pitch. Then, after that, the batsmen and West Indian captain Lara also had a chat while looking at the pitch. The final straw was when left-hander Graham Thorpe was hit on the right hand and England captain Atherton followed Morton onto the field.The England captain, Lara, Bucknor and Venkataraghavan were huddled in conference and were later joined by Jarman. They talked for 12 minutes before signalling the players off the field.England lost their first wicket after 10 minutes, when Atherton was caught by Sherwin Campbell at gully off Courtney Walsh for two, at four for one. It was a nasty delivery, as the batsman went forward, attempted to pull away his bat and the ball hit the bat as it kicked off a length.Mark Butcher did not survive the first ball and made it four for two, when he failed to get his bat away from one which flew off a fair length and edged high to Stuart Williams at third slip.The third wicket, however, had nothing to do with the pitch. Ambrose got one to cut away as it bounced off the pitch and Nasser Hussain edged to Carl Hooper at second slip to make it nine for three after 35 minutes.

Wasim Akram, the former Pakistan captain, has said he was perplexed by the docile pitch prepared at the National Stadium for the first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Karachi. Four 150-plus scores – including a triple-century and two double-tons – were raked up in Pakistan’s first home Test in 16 months, and Akram said sparse crowds for five-day games in the country would only improve if the pitches were more bowler-friendly.”It’s a mystery to me why after 14 months of [not playing] Test cricket, such type of a wicket was made,” Akram said. “We don’t have to play the blame game but have to look what type of wicket should be prepared for the next Test.”Pakistan captain Younis Khan and coach Intikhab Alam had expressed their dissatisfaction about the pitch, and Akram felt the home captain should be consulted. “I think the captain’s involvement should be there in the preparation of the wicket. When I was the captain, Imran [Khan] was the captain, Javed [Miandad], Inzamam [ul-Haq], we made sure what type of wicket we should have and we got that. So I think there was some communication problem there. But I hope not such type of wicket is made in future. We want teams to come to Pakistan and people of Pakistan should support their team but with such type of wickets it gets a bit difficult.”Sri Lanka raked up 644 for 7 in their first innings, and Pakistan’s reply of 765 for 6 was powered by Younis’ triple-century, the first by a Pakistan captain. “I think technically it was a superb knock. For any batsman who scores 300, it doesn’t matter what type of wicket or against which opposition. It is a big achievement and against the likes of Murali [Muttiah Muralitharan] and [Ajantha] Mendis, who are experienced spinners. Murali is one of the best ever and to bat against him for two-and-a-half days shows that Younis is a great player and he has got the ability to lead from the front.”Akram was hoping Younis can provide the much-needed stability to Pakistan’s set-up with his leadership. “It could have been better had he agreed to lead one-and-a-half years ago. He is still 31-32, quite fit, the passion is there and he could take Pakistan cricket further. Let’s hope for that.”Fast bowler Sohail Khan did not have the best start to his Test career, conceding 164 runs in 27 wicketless overs. “Sohail is playing a Test match so it means he is a Test-level bowler. He has been performing in first-class cricket consistently but I think it was such a dead track and he was an inexperienced bowler. You need experienced bowlers to get wickets. You can try youngsters on slightly supporting wickets. He just needs couple of games to get into rhythm.”