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A team representing Pakistan’s National Cricket Academy will tour Zimbabwe and Kenya in August and September this year.The PCB, in a release, said it has always supported Zimbabwe Cricket, and hoped the NCA team’s visit will help Zimbabwe to strengthen their chances of returning to the international fold. Zimbabwe haven’t hosted an international match since December last year, when West Indies visited for a five-match ODI series, right after South Africa played three ODIs. Zimbabwe had toured Pakistan earlier this year, losing 5-0 in an ODI series.They have not played a Test since September 2005, and the heightened violence ahead of the run-off to the presidential elections this year prompted England and South African boards to cut off cricketing ties. A Zimbabwe delegation also agreed to pull out of the ICC World Twenty20 in England in 2009, as a Zimbabwe team would in all likelihood have not been allowed to enter the country, putting the ECB in an embarrassing situation.However, there are chances of a improvement in the situation in Zimbabwe, with president Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai signing “a deal setting a framework for talks on the country’s political crisis”, the BBC reported.The NCA team will play two four-day games and three one-dayers in both countries. Their tour begins with the Zimbabwe leg. They arrive in Harare on August 20, and will play two four-day games and three one-dayers in Harare and Bulawayo. The Harare Sports Club and the Queens Sports Club will host the matches. The team will touch down in Nairobi on September 10, where they play all two four-day games and two one-dayers, with one game scheduled in Mombasa.

India began steadily but with little urgency against tight bowling from Andrew Caddick and Matthew Hoggard with a near-new ball on the fourth morning of the final npower Test at The AMP Oval. 37 runs were added in the first hour as Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman dealt a further blow to England’s already dented victory hopes.When Dravid reached 139 he became the first batsman to reach 1,000 for the 2002 calendar year in his 17th innings. A firm cover drive for three by Laxman brought up the 50 partnership (172 balls), and when Cork replaced Hoggard he was immediately dispatched to the rope at long leg by Dravid. A single into the same zone raised his first 150 against England (360 balls, 19 fours).Ashley Giles replaced Caddick for the fifteenth over of the morning, as Nasser Hussain shuffled his pack in search of the all-important but elusive first breakthrough of the day.

Group 1:
Wiltshire 187-5 in 49.5 overs (C Budd 63)
Somerset Cricket Board 185-9 (M Coles 59; Paul Marsh 4-22)
Wiltshire won by five wicketsGroup 4:
Berkshire 222-6 (N Wilton 56, S Brogan 50)
Middlesex Cricket Board 221 (R Rao 88)
Berkshire Cricket Board won by four wicketsGroup 5:
Gloucestershire Cricket Board 176 (JA Pearson 51)
Worcestershire Cricket Board 216-9 (Round 67, Candola 54)
Worcestershire Cricket Board won by 40 runs

Somerset Under 15’s Girls team reached the next stage of the ECB Girls Under 15’s competition when they comfortably beat Hampshire at Bath on Saturday.Hampshire won the toss and batting first scored 99 for 8 from their 30 overs. Steph Davies opened the bowling and had the impressive figures of 6 overs, 2 maidens, 2 wickets for 6 runs, but it was skipper Annie Riccio who was the pick of the bowlers taking 3 for 11, including a double wicket maiden.In reply Somerset reached 100 for 6, with Steph Davies making 19, and coming in at number five Jenny Withers who remained unbeaten on 38 at the end.As a result of their victory Somerset Girls won their pool and now go through to the next stages of the competition where they play Kent at King Edward’s School, Bathampton on Saturday July 6th at 2pm.

COLOMBO – Uncertainty continues to surround Pakistan’s preparation forthe upcoming cricket Test series against Australia, which starts herenext month.Veteran leftarm pace bowler Wasim Akram confirmed to AAP today that hewould “definitely” miss the Test series, which will be played in Colomboand Sharjah, while opening batsman Saeed Anwar said he was still makingup his mind about his availability.And Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Lieutenant General Tauqir Zia saidon Monday that former skipper and wicketkeeper Moin Khan had beenrecalled to a squad of 22 “probables” for the Test series, primarilybecause current keeper Rashid Latif wanted a break from internationalcricket.But Pakistan skipper Waqar Younis said today Latif was tired but happyto carry on. He said there would be more certainty when the Test teamwas named at the weekend.”We’re doing well with Rashid Latif.”I don’t think he needs a rest – he says he’s fine.”He’s probably a little tired but that’s the life of a professionalcricketer.”Waqar said Akram’s decision not to play was not unexpected as he hadmissed the past five Pakistan Test matches and his last match was backin January.”In the last year or so he’s more or less not playing Test matches,”Waqar said of his long-time new ball partner.”He’s played enough and he just wants to have a rest to concentrate onthe one-dayers.”Of course it’s a disappointment not to have someone like him in thesquad but that’s just the way it is.”He said Anwar’s position was less clear.”I’ve been hearing that he’s going to finish but he hasn’t said anythingdirectly to me.”He’s working hard, he’s training and he’s started to look better withthe bat.”

Before the conditions had the last say, Auckland brought Wellington’s supposed march to a massive first innings total to a grinding halt on the morning of the second day.In the face of accurate bowling from Gareth Shaw, Andre Adams and Tama Canning, the visitors added just 80 runs in the session for the loss of five wickets, the innings ending 15 minutes before lunch at 409.It did not initially look that way. Mark Jefferson and Luke Woodcock continued the partnership they had established the previous evening, adding 30 in the first nine overs as they boosted their combined effort to 73 and the Wellington total to 359/5.However, Shaw, who bowled just 11 overs on the first day, powered in for 13 on the trot and received just reward. Jefferson, who had looked uncomfortable at times against the young pace bowler, got a leg-side touch to the last ball of the morning’s ninth over and a diving Reece Young behind the stumps did the rest.It was the beginning of the end for Wellington. Young continued his involvement, his gloves completing the work as first Canning and then Shaw got the edges of Leighton Morgan and Andrew Penn respectively to leave Wellington 375 for eight. At the same score, Canning cleaned out an impressive looking Woodcock two runs short of a deserved half century.A stubborn 34-run last-wicket stand between Jeetan Patel (23) and Iain O’Brien (11 not out) inched Wellington closer to the sort of score that would offer them a realistic chance of securing a sufficient net average runs per wicket rate to sneak past Auckland for the title.However, at 409 Patel swept Brooke Walker to Tim McIntosh at backward square leg to end the innings, bringing out the calculators to establish a range of permutations under which Wellington could continue the Hodini acts that have marked their season.Shaw was impressive during the session, ending with two for 35 from 14 to go with his 11 overs for 34 the previous day. Canning also lifted his game from the first day, his two for 18 from eight overs in the morning giving him an innings return of two for 54 from 19. Walker took the other wicket to fall in the session, ending with two for 86 from 33.2.Five minutes before lunch, Auckland came out to bat, Wellington came out to field, the umpires came out to check their light meters and they all turned round and left the field, just beating the rain, which settled in for the rest of the day.Wellington will start the next with the immediate target being to remove Auckland within the follow-on mark of 259. Then the calculators will go into action in earnest.

Angelo Mathews will embark on a new stage of his career when he captains Sri Lanka in the Twenty20 against New Zealand in Pallekele, but says the burden of leadership will not affect his game. Mathews has been groomed for the captaincy since being named vice-captain in July 2011, and has been given the post of Twenty20 captain for one year, after Mahela Jayawardene stepped down following the World Twenty20.”Because I am captain my game will not change. Whether you are captain or vice-captain you have a way of playing the game and that won’t alter because you have been given added responsibility.”Mathews already bears a heavy workload in Sri Lanka’s limited-overs team, where he is looked upon as a finisher in the batting order, as well as a reliable seam option – sometimes called upon to open the bowling. With Jayawardene set to reassess his Test and ODI captaincy at the end of January, Mathews may be tasked with leading all three teams next year, in addition to contributing across all three disciplines.”When Mahela was captain in the T20 format he managed me quite well,” Mathews said. “All the bowlers need some sort of management when it comes to preparing for tournaments and to prolonging their careers. It will be the same but in the ODIs and T20 formats I will be bowling but in Tests I will have to manage my workload.”The seniors have played a major part up to now with me. TM Dilshan, [Kumar] Sangakkara, Mahela and even [Chaminda] Vaas and Sanath [Jayasuriya] all of them have helped me quite a lot. They have always told me to keep it simple and try and be calm as possible when tense situations arise.”Mathews also said his team must perform well against New Zealand in order to prepare psychologically for their tour of Australia, which begins in December. Sri Lanka play three Tests, five ODIs and a T20 international on that tour, which begins two weeks after the end of the second Test against New Zealand.”We lost the World T20 final to West Indies due to a mental factor. If we are to be successful in the future we have to get over that mental block. We have a lot of matches coming up for us. After New Zealand we go to Australia which is a big series so we need to perform well.”The teams have had poor preparation leading into the tour, with the north-east monsoon having arrived in force, leading to one of the wettest starts to the rainy season in recent memory. Neither side been able to train since arriving in Kandy, and their practices in Colombo have also been hindered by bad weather. West Indies were the last team to tour Sri Lanka in November, and that tour was plagued by incessant rain, which made a result impossible in all three Tests and forced the postponement of the ODI series till late January.”Hopefully we’ll get the game going tomorrow,” Mathews said. “The toss will play a big part. If the Duckworth-Lewis rule comes into play it is always beneficial for the team to be batting second.”Sri Lanka last met New Zealand at the same venue during the World Twenty20, when the match was decided in a one-over eliminator. New Zealand also tied with eventual champions West Indies, also at Pallekele. Mathews said Sri Lanka were wary of the threat New Zealand posed, particularly in the shortest format.”We’ve had meeting before the game and we have analysed all their players. New Zealand has always been a very forceful team in international cricket wherever they play. We can’t take them lightly we need to step our game and rise to the occasion.”

Hampshire meet Worcestershire at The Rose Bowl, in the CricInfo Championship match tomorrow (Wednesday 9th May), the first ever first-class match to be played at their new purpose-made complex at West End.Hampshire include Shaun Udal in the side, after missing the recent Benson & Hedges game with a back injury. Udal will have a fitness test on the morning of the match to assess his condition, but either James Hamblin or Irfan Shah will play should he not pass the trial.Giles White returns to the first team in place of Jason Laney.The Hampshire team: Giles White, Derek Kenway, Will Kendall, Robin Smith (captain), Neil Johnson, John Stephenson, Adrian Aymes (wicket-keeper), Dimitri Mascarenhas, Shaun Udal, Alex Morris and Alan Mullally.Worcestershire select from 12 names: WPC Weston, A Singh, GA Hick, VS Solanki, DA Leatherdale, PR Pollard, SJ Rhodes, AJ Bichel, SR Lampitt, MJ Rawnsley, A Sheriyar, CG Liptrot.Umpires: John Steele and Barrie Leadbeater

Muhammad Ishaq Bhatti of Rizvi Group Thursday swept to victory to become the new president of the Islamabad Cricket Association (ICA) in elections held at the KRL Ground.According to unofficial results, Bhatti polled 20 votes to beat his presidential rival Khawaja Muhammad Mustafa by five votes.Irfan Manzur, also of Rizvi Group, was elected the secretary after a 19-14 win against Muhammad Yousuf while Hasan Asghar claimed the treasurer’s slot with a 21-14 victory against Hanif Sajid.The results of the elections, which were fair and peaceful, were not officially declared after the Lahore High Court (Rawalpindi Bench) on a writ filed by Muhammad Yousuf had directed the Pakistan Cricket Board to withhold the results.Yousuf in his writ had prayed that the elections should not be allowed to go ahead and that the Ministry of Sports be directed to hold the polls.The elections were conducted by the PCB election committee comprising Brig (Retd) Khawaja Muhammad Nasir, Brig (Retd) Iqbal Awan and the Board’s legal consultant Shahzad Farooq.The committee had earlier conducted scrutiny of the clubs following which 36 clubs were granted the right to vote and in Thursday’s elections only National club abstained from voting.The clubs that exercised their right to vote were I-9, King’s Gymkhana, Federal Gymkhana, Nurpur, Imran Memorial, Diamond, Asif Memorial, Muslim, Classic, Azam, All-Youngsters, Mehran, Al- Muslim, Young Capital, Youngsters, Majid Memorial, Hasan Memorial, Al-Fateh, Millat, XI Star, Punjab, Rawal Town, Evan, Islamabad Hawks, Essco, Prince, Najam Memorial, CRA (Community Centre), Shalimar, Shaheen, Ismail, Islamabad Gymkhana, Potohar Gymkhana, Services and Lucky Star.Meanwhile, a beaming Bhatti said that his first priority would be to establish a stadium of international standard in Islamabad. “I’ll leave no stone unturned to raise money for the project,” the new president told Dawn.He said that victimisation of players would now end and everyone would be given a fair chance to prove himself. “To promote cricket here, we have to move ahead hand-in-hand with our rivals.”Cricket in Islamabad is currently being run by an ad hoc committee headed by Mansoor Ahmed. The body will continue to look after the affairs in the region until the matter is settled by the court.

Despite including two former World Cup heroes – Sanath Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas – in the provisional 30-member squad for the tournament’s 2011 edition, Sri Lanka’s chairman of selectors Aravinda de Silva gave no indication that they would be in contention for a spot in the final 15.”We felt that, in the 30 we need to have a combination of experience as well as youth,” de Silva, also a member of the 1996 World Cup winning side, said. “We have mainly considered performances and also, to a certain extent, experience. Putting everything together that is what we ultimately came out with.”You know what Vaas and Jayasuriya can do but you also have to consider the current form. We have seen the potential of some of the guys we have tried out. It is only if there is an absolute requirement or necessity that we need experience as well as good performances, will we look at them.”Vaas, 36, last played for Sri Lanka in August 2008 and the 41-year-old Jayasuriya’s last one-dayer was in December 2009. de Silva hinted that the youngsters who have been a part of the set-up in recent times were likely to be prefered.”At the moment if you take some of the fast bowlers who are doing pretty well we need to persevere with them,” de Silva said. “We must also consider the fact that Vaas has not played one-day cricket for a little while. If you take Sanath into account, there are guys like Tharanga Paranavitana who we wanted to try. All this time we didn’t include Jayasuriya in the team because we didn’t have a requirement. That is why we went with the present team. We have a basic idea of about 10-11 players but there are a few places which we need to work out, and if we can get some cricket before the final selection it would be ideal.”de Silva also mentioned that unity would be essential to the team’s cause, and that the selectors were guarded against allowing divisive influences to creep into the side’s make-up. “If there is any antagonism or issue in the team of someone being included, who is going to create any sort of problems within the team, that will be the main reason for leaving them out of the squad,” he said. “That sort of thing will be very hard to tolerate especially during the World Cup because you need unity if you want to succeed. We can’t have any divisions within the team.”Sri Lanka’s lead-up to the World Cup has been strong, with victories in the Dambulla tri-series and in Australia, but weather dealt a setback to the final plans, forcing a postponement to the home series against West Indies.”Missing those five ODIs against West Indies was very crucial because we were really looking at finding an ultimate combination before picking the final 15,” de Silva said. “There were things which we wanted to try in the five ODIs. It was very unfortunate we missed out on it, but nevertheless we have a basic idea of what we are looking for. There are a couple of things we would have loved to have tried out and made sure before the World Cup.”If we are unable to get some international fixtures we’ll have to take the risk and go with our gut feeling in selecting the final 15. That is why we are here to take certain decisions on the experience we’ve had and what we seen. My co-selectors and the team management are quite confident we will put out a strong squad.”de Silva underplayed the notion that Sri Lanka would lose the home advantage because they haven’t been able to familiarise themselves with the three Sri Lankan venues for the World Cup – Hambantota, Pallakele and R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. “When I saw the wickets and how they played I didn’t see much of a difference from the past,” he said. “It is all a mental game. Even when you play at a familiar venue on that particular day the conditions can defer. As international cricketers, there is no excuse to say that you haven’t had enough cricket on a particular ground or a wicket. It’s unfortunate the West Indies series had to be postponed but they will have enough practice under lights at these three venues.”