Jacques Kallis has joined the chorus of international cricketers in urging the ICC to have a separate window for the Indian Premier League (IPL). Kallis felt the players were experiencing an increasing workload and highlighted it as the reason for the lack of allrounders in the game at present.”If you see the amount of cricket we’ve been playing there may be evenmore of a decline [in allrounders],” Kallis said ahead of the first Test against India in Chennai. “There’s just too much of workload on the allrounders and they’re going to have to come up with some plan to cut it down. Otherwise the allrounders may have to become [solely] Test players or ODI players to cope with the workload. From that point of view, it is sad to see.”Adding to the gruelling schedule will be the inaugural 44-day IPL tournament, set to start on April 18. “It’s tough to turn down good money,” he said, “and somewhere along the line there is going to be sacrifices having to be made. It will have to be done by individual players. As far as I’m concerned, I still think I’ve got a good few years left in me and hopefully the IPL will be lucrative.”It’s going to be a tough decision and maybe the ICC will have to integrate the IPL into the international season and make sure that’s part of it. Hopefully work around it, still giving the players a break. Maybe they can come up with some formula – limit it to 20-25 ODIs and 14-15 Tests. I don’t know the ideal number but maybe someone can work it out.”However, after its meeting in Dubai on March 18, the ICC had made it clear that the Future Tours Programme will not be altered to suit the IPL as neither the league nor the Indian board, which runs it, made such a request.South Africa’s coach Mickey Arthur was the first international coach tosuggest something similar last fortnight. “I do think the IPL is good for cricket,” he told Cricinfo. “However, there must be a window period for it in the international schedule.”John Dyson, the West Indies coach, had also voiced similar concerns in the wake of the possibility that Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul would miss the first two home Tests against Australia in order to be available to play for their IPL franchises.
Was Brian Lara pushed out, or is he leaving cricket entirely of his own volition? That is the question still being asked as Lara prepares to bid West Indies and world cricket goodbye at Kensington Oval in the final Super Eights match of this World Cup.For his part, West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Ken Gordon says he wanted Lara to stay on for one more tour. “If you ask me personally, I would have liked to have seen him perhaps stay on for the English tour,” said Gordon. “But you have to take other people’s views into account and clearly his mind was running in a different direction.”However, it is understood that the West Indies selectors – Gordon Greenidge, Andy Roberts and Clyde Butts – who reportedly met with the WICB boss last week in Grenada, were of a different view and were not considering Lara for the Test and one-day tour of England next month. Asked about this, Gordon said: “I have had no formal proposal [from the selectors] but we have been in informal discussions.” He declined, however, to reveal the nature of those discussions. “I couldn’t possibly think of answering that,” he said. “I’m prepared to be open with you, but there are limits within which I cannot go.”Instead, Gordon who played an influential role in Lara’s return to the captaincy a year ago, painted a different picture. He said that prior to the afternoon of April 19, Lara’s decision to retire had not been expected.”If you had asked me that at the beginning of the match yesterday, I would have said yes, it had come as a surprise,” he said. “But by the time the seventh or eighth wicket had fallen, I got a message that he wanted to see me when the team came off and would I come to meet him.”I sensed that something was coming. And from that point onward there was no longer the surprise element. Because I knew something would be happening for him to ask me to see him at such short notice and with such urgency.”Told of Lara’s decision to retire, Gordon didn’t try to change Lara’s mind because he didn’t think it was appropriate to do that. “Clearly Brian has been thinking for some time of his future. He didn’t discuss it as though he was thinking about it. He presented me a fait accompli. So I think we must wish him well.”In an interview with the media on April 19, Lara said the decision had been arrived at after “extensive thought and consideration. I just think it’s the right time.” Prior to the World Cup Lara had spoken about extending his Test career to the age of 40.Asked yesterday if he had discussed retirement with Lara prior to his announcement, West Indies coach Bennett King was noncommittal. “Some things remain private. And discussions I have with Brian remain that way.”The departure of Lara, Test cricket’s leading run-scorer of all time and the holder of the world records for the highest individual Test (400 not out) and first-class scores (501 not out) leaves the West Indies team without their most prolific scorer and influential player for the tour of England. A new captain will have to rouse a group just coming off a dismal World Cup campaign.
“It is clearly a fundamental changing of the guard,” Gordon conceded. “Brian Lara has carried West Indies cricket perhaps for two decades and no one can take that away from him.”People may say lots of things about he’s done this and he’s done that. But let’s understand, there’s a price that goes with genius .All our real greats, many of them have tended to be awkward, or people for one reason or another have been critical of them because I suppose they are driven by different forces and they think differently.”We have to take the whole picture and accept the good with the bad. But overall, I think he’s so much more on the plus side. He’s been tremendous for West Indies cricket and I’d really like to see us honour that.”According to the Gordon though, Lara has other ideas. “I indicated to him that I hoped we would be able to find some way to convey our appreciation for him. His view was that he would like to go very quietly.”It is hardly likely, however, that the audience at Kensington today will give Lara a quiet send-off.
New South Wales have announced the launch of a new club – imaginatively called The Cricket Club – which will allow members to secure one of 1250 seats in the top deck of the Bradman Stand at the SCG for all matches over the next four years. The only catch is that the $6000 are only available to Australian citizens.NSW’s initiative is possible because of an agreement with the SCG Trust which means that the state board is allocated a section of seating for all cricket matches on the ground. Membership also entitles individuals to designated bar and reception facilities.NSW said that about 100 places had been reserved for former players. “For most of us, the SCG is a venue that holds many special memories,” said former NSW and Australian allrounder Shane Lee who is involved in selling the membership packages. “I think it is important that key players in the history of NSW cricket are acknowledged and have an opportunity to maintain their links with the game by attending matches at the SCG.”
Division One Glamorgan v Surrey at Cardiff Matthew Maynard has been ruled out of Glamorgan’s match against Surrey at Sophia Gardens with bronchitis. He could be sidelined for up to a month. Jonathan Hughes has taken his place at No 5. Surrey are struggling with injuries to their bowling attack: Martin Bicknell has a hamstring strain, Azhar Mahmood is suffering from shin problems and Ian Salisbury has a torn left abdominal muscle.Gloucestershire v Kent at Bristol Upul Chandana could make his first-class debut for Gloucestershire when Kent head to Bristol. Carl Greenidge is also in contention for a place. Martin Saggers is set to return for Kent after missing the tense draw against Warwickshire, while they may also spring a surprise after including Johan Malcolm, an offspinner who will play for Denmark in the ICC Trophy, in their squad. Simon Willis, Kent’s coach, says he wants all bases covered.Nottinghamshire v Sussex at Trent Bridge Johannes van der Wath, the Eagles’ fast-medium opening bowler, is set to make his debut for Sussex against Nottinghamshire. He has been signed as a replacement for Pakistan’s Rana Naved-ul-Hasan until the middle of June. Sussex are unbeaten in the last ten first-class matches between the two sides. Nottinghamshire are still without Charlie Shreck (stress fracture) and AJ Harris (groin strain) while Anurag Singh is preferred to Russell Warren.Warwickshire v Middlesex at Edgbaston Scott Styris will make his first-class debut for Middlesex when they travel to Edgbaston. Styris appeared in Middlesex’s National League 69-run defeat against Lancashire at the weekend after recovering from knee surgery. The left-arm spinner Chris Peploe has been added to the 13-man squad, but a final decision on the team will not be taken until the pitch has been inspected. The South African fast bowler Dewald Pretorius could play for Warwickshire after recovering from a thigh injury.Division Two Derbyshire v Northamptonshire at Derby The Derbyshire coach David Houghton has a full squad to choose from, while Northamptonshire report no fresh injury concerns. The match looks set to be a battle of the seamers with both teams having four-strong pace attacks.Somerset v Essex at Taunton Marcus Trescothick will return to action after leaving Somerset’s game against Yorkshire early to attend the birth of his baby daughter. However, he may bat at No 3 to allow John Francis, who carried his bat for an unbeaten 125 against Yorkshire, to open with Sanath Jayasuriya. James Middlebrook returns to Essex’s squad after recovering from an ankle problem.Worcestershire v Lancashire at Worcester Andrew Flintoff will play his first Championship match for nearly two years when Lancashire travel to New Road, although he will play as a batsman only as he continues to recover from an operation on a bone spur. Muttiah Muralitharan could also play and a final decision on the make-up of the Lancashire attack will be made in the morning. Worcestershire a boosted by the return of Kabir Ali while Alamgir Sheriyar continues his loan spell.
Sri Lanka have called up Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Nuwan Zoysa, AvishkaGunawardene and Nuwan Kulasekera into a 15-man squad for the first Testmatch against Australia, which starts in the south coast town of Galle onMonday.The selectors, who picked the side on Thursday night after the completionof a three-day warm-up match between Australia and a President’s XI,included four specialist spinners in a match that should be dominated by theslow bowlers.Rangana Herath, a left-arm spinner, is the surprise omission afterimpressive performances for Sri Lanka A in South Africa and India. Hisomission from the A squad for a tour of New Zealand had suggested apromotion to the national team.Zoysa, now 25 years old, returns to the fold for the first time since June2002 after his match-winning performance against Australia in the finalone-dayer, when he grabbed three wickets and then stroked 47 from 42 balls.Zoysa is expected to open the bowling with Chaminda Vaas. The seamers willbe backed up by two frontline spinners and seven batsmen. But there is anoutside chance that the final XI will include three specialist slow bowlers.The squad needs to to be ratified by the Minister of Sports.Sri Lanka squad Hashan Tillakaratne (capt), Marvan Atapattu, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Avishka Gunawardene, Chaminda Vaas, Nuwan Zoysa, Nuwan Kulasekara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Dharmasena, Upul Chandana, Kaushal Lokuarachchi
Austria will take on Portugal, twice winners of the ECC Indoors Championships, in the opening fixture in the ECC Indoor Championships to be held in Herning, Denmark. Austria has had an instrumental role in the development of the championships, holding the first ever European Indoor Championships, in 1995, on a boat on the Danube. In 1996, Austria won the European Championships, winning the competition at the Lords Indoor School.Austria’s full group fixtures are as follows:Friday 14th February, 20031800 vs Portugal (Hall 1)Saturday 15th February, 20031000 vs Greece (Hall 2)1200 vs Spain (Hall 2)1500 vs Holland (Hall 2)1700 vs Denmark (Hall 3)In the event that Austria finish either fifth or sixth in the A group, they will play a qualifying game against either the fourth or sixth placed team in the B group (at 1900 on Saturday in either Hall 2 or 3). Thereafter, there will be a knock-out tournament with a plate competition also being introduced this year.Further information and scores can be obtained from the Danish Cricket Federation website.
Gloucestershire have appointed 49-year-old Army man Tom Richardson as their new chief executive.Richardson, from Shrivenham in Wiltshire, has spent all his working life with the Royal Corps of Signals and will take up his Gloucestershire duties on August 1.The post has been vacant at Gloucestershire since early March when Colin Sexstone, who transformed the club during his five years at the helm, left to take over the same position at Bristol City Football Club.Richardson was a keen cricketer in his younger days and spent three seasons in the late 1970s playing in the same Hong Kong side as Somerset chief executive Peter Anderson.”Peter skippered me and I used to open the bowling for him or come on first change,” he recalled. “I’d like to say I was a bowling all-rounder, but anyone good found me out when I was batting.”Richardson had already bought a ticket for Sunday’s NatWest Series match between England and Australia in Bristol, an occasion that reflects the steps Gloucestershire have made to attract big games.Richardson said: “I’m looking forward to building on the tremendous progress Gloucestershire have made on and off the field in recent years. There are a lot of challenges there for me.”
Celtic midfielder David Turnbull could return from injury for the crucial weekend meeting with Rangers, according to ex-Hoops striker Frank McAvennie.
The Lowdown: Hoops face season-defining game
The biggest game of the Scottish Premiership season takes place on Sunday lunchtime, as Ange Postecoglou’s side head to Ibrox to face Rangers.
Celtic are currently three points clear of their bitter rivals at the top of the table, so the importance of the result this weekend is undeniably huge.
Victory for the Hoops would put them in pole position to wrestle back their league crown, although defeat would blow the race even more wide open.
The Latest: Pundit makes Turnbull claim
Turnbull has only featured for Celtic one since December because of a hamstring injury, but speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie claimed that the 22-year-old could feature at Ibrox:
“Turnbull is coming back but we don’t know how fit he is. Is he fit enough to play 90 minutes in an Old Firm? I guarantee you he will certainly be asking to play.
“Everyone wants to play and Ange knows how good Turnbull is on his day. I think he could play some part, maybe he won’t be risked because we have a tough end to the season and we need everyone fit.
“So maybe he could play half an hour or something like that. I’ve missed watching him because I’m a huge fan of his. Ange will want him back playing so I think he will want to give him some minutes.
“It would be wonderful to see him back because he is a magnificent player.”
This could be a massive boost for Celtic, with Turnbull clearly a special talent who has the ability to unlock a defence or produce a piece of magic on his own.
The Scot has scored five goals and registered four assists in the league already this season, not to mention one and two in the Europa League, respectively.
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It may be that Postecoglou feels Turnbull isn’t ready to start against Rangers but he is someone Giovanni van Bronckhorst could fear coming off the substitutes’ bench.
In other news, Celtic are expected to sign one player this summer. Find out who it is here.
Paddy Upton, the South African mental-conditioning coach, is almost certain to join the Indian team support staff. Gary Kirsten, India’s new coach, was keen to have Upton on board and he is likely to double up as a trainer as well.”We just need to sort out the terms and conditions,” a BCCI official told Cricinfo. “But he is likely to be appointed in the next few days. Only the formalities remain.”Upton has accepted the amendments which the board made to his proposal. What’s left now is for the board to send him the final copy of the agreement.Upton, currently a mental conditioning coach at Kirsten’s academy in Cape Town, was South Africa’s bio-kineticist and fitness trainer in the mid to late 90’s. He was also a fitness trainer with the South African cricket team from 1994-98 and also worked with the Western Province Rugby team. He then quit to concentrate on the psychological side of the game and became a mental conditioning coach.Although India did not have a full-time mental conditioning coach in the past, the two previous foreign coaches – John Wright and Greg Chappell – had sought services of specialist sports psychologists for brief stints during their tenure.While Wright had turned to eminent Australian sports psychologist Sandy Gordon to have interactions with the players, Chappell had relied on West Indian Rudy Webster to motivate the players.
The Jamaican police investigating the murder of the late Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer have analysed his laptop and have found no evidence so far of match-fixing and betting. Mark Shields, the deputy commissioner of police told a news conference in Jamaica’s Pegasus Hotel all possible motives were being considered, as well as match-fixing.”We have Bob Woolmer’s computer,” Shields said. “We are looking at what is on the hard drive. We’re exploring the possibility of match-fixing, but that’s only one line of inquiry.”Woolmer was found unconscious in his hotel room a day after Pakistan’s shock defeat to Ireland and Shields said that the police will look into the betting odds for the match. Investigators are also relying on the footage from the hotel surveillance camera, for which Shields pointed that it would be a very time consuming process, having to study the footage frame-by-frame.With no solid clues emerging from any source yet, Shields added that his team were considering other methods of clinching evidence such as getting DNA samples from all persons who were in the hotel at the time of murder and investigators traveling to other islands to interview players and officials for useful bits of information. The Pakistan players and officials underwent DNA testing and questioning by the police before their departure and all have been cleared of any wrong doing.”At the end of it, it might be that we might identify a suspect or suspects,” Shields said. “The reality as I’ve said before is that there are many potential suspects in this investigation and even more potential witnesses, and we are nowhere the stage of being able to start naming names in terms of suspects.”Meanwhile, Perviz Mir, the Pakistan team media manager, and Tasnim Aslam, the foreign ministry spokesperson, hit out at all the malicious rumours of match fixing being the primary motive for murder, saying that it had deeply affected the players, already traumatized by the events.