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Pakistan will try out youngsters for the five one-dayers against Bangladesh next month at home. But though some new players will be given a chance, chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed said Pakistan would not take Bangladesh lightly.”They can be a dangerous team on their day,” Salahuddin told the , a Pakistan daily. “For us the most important task would be to win the series and win comfortably.”After Australia decided to postpone their tour of Pakistan, the PCB searched for a team to replace them for a five-match ODI series. The PCB was keen on India to play the matches but the BCCI could not fit another series in to an already jam-packed itinerary.In their recent ODIs against Zimbabwe, Pakistan tried out opener Nasir Jamshed, bowlers Abdur Rauf, Junaid Zia, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz, Khurram Manzoor and Khalid Latif. They also played wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed for the last two games in place of regular keeper Kamran Akmal.But Salahuddin said Pakistan would not take any chances in playing Bangladesh. “Bangladesh proved they are a good one-day side by reaching the last-eight in the World Cup,” he said. Bangladesh beat India and South Africa in the tournament while Pakistan, along with India, made an exit in the first round.The Pakistan selectors will meet members of the junior national selection committee on March 21 for advice on the young talent available in the country and announce the squad by the end of the month.

England compled a convincing win over Sri Lanka in the Under-19 `Test’at Trent Bridge with a day and an innings to spare thanks in the mainto Kabir Ali’s accurate seam bowling.Kabir was backed up by slow left-armer Monty Panesar, who collectedthree wickets as the Sri Lankans collapsed for 184 in their secondinnings.Jehan Mubarak, who top-scored on the first day, was again the main rungetter with 44.But after he was fifth out, the Sri Lankan tail added just 47 moreruns before England won by an innings and 22 runs.Resuming on 325 for five and a big lead of 114, England’s Kadeer Ali,who had steadied the innings superbly the previous day, fell soonafter the start to a juggling catch at slip having made 59. Hisovernight partner Peter Trego, continued however with the sameaggressive strokeplay that had brought him a half century the previousevening.After hitting 13 fours and a six, Trego seemed headed for a centurybut he was bowled attempting to cut a ball from spinner RanilDhammika. But by now England were 180 runs in front and Kabir hit abreezy 28 before the innings ended on 417, a lead of 206.In the second innings, Sri Lanka raced to 25 before Kabir uprootedopener Ian Daniels’ off-stump in his third over. The 19-year-old thendismissed the other opener, Nimesh Perera, caught at backward pointand Sri Lanka were 42 for two.The third and fourth wickets also fell before 100 had been registeredbut the batsmen continued to adopt aggressive tactics.Panesar then removed three left-handers, all to edges caught at slipor by the wicketkeeper and at 156 for eight it was just a matter ofhow long it would take England to seal the win.

The Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) has given the ECB formal confirmation that it will tour the UK this summer.Peter Chingoka, Chairman of the ZCU, confirmed the tour to the ECB Chief Executive, Tim Lamb, having consulted with the Zimbabwe government’s Sport and Recreation Commission.The team is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday 30 April for a tour which comprises two npower Test Matches against England at Lord’s and at Durham, followed by participation in The NatWest Series against England and South Africa.Tim Lamb said, “I am delighted that we have been given the definitive `green light’ from the ZCU for the tour to go ahead.”This guarantees a full international programme for the summer, including the first ever Test Match to be held at Durham’s Riverside Ground. I am also pleased to say that we have received formal confirmation from the British Government that the forthcoming tour has their full blessing.”With Zimbabwe, South Africa and Pakistan touring, I look forward to another great summer of international cricket.”

India A 165 and 27 for 0 drew with Glamorgan 140 (Bhandari 6-38)
ScorecardAmit Bhandari took 6 for 38, but it wasn’t enough to prevent India A’s match with Glamorgan at Swansea ending in a rain-blighted draw.With the loss of much of yesterday, a positive result in the game was always unlikely but Glamorgan’s collapse briefly gave India A a glimmer of hope. Resuming on 104 for 4, Glamorgan lost their last six wickets for 29 in an hour either side of a break caused by of a shower.The dismissal of top-scorer Adrian Shaw for 33 started the slide, and then Bhandari weighed in with four dismissals, including Dean Cosker and Darren Thomas with successive deliveries.India A had reached 27 for 1 in their second innings when the rain returned, the wicket to fall that of Satyajit Parab for a fourth-ball duck.Day 2 Bulletin

Zee Telefilms are almost certain to reject the Bombay High Court’s proposal to submit fresh bids for India’s cricket rights. Both Zee and ESPN-Star Sports – who went to court in protest against the granting of the rights to Zee – have been given time till Tuesday to decide whether they want to table new bids.According to a report on indiantelevision.com, it appears that Zee will inform the court on Tuesday of the strength of their original bid. ESPN-Star had questioned the eligibility of Zee’s bid, citing their lack of experience in cricket telecasting, and a two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice DS Bhandari and Justice DY Chandrachud will preside over the matter.According to the report, Zee is unlikely to enter into equity collaboration with a foreign partner, ruling out the chance of a joint venture with AOL Time Warner for the sports channel which is set to be launched on Octiber 2.The much-anticipated Test series against Australia starts on October 6, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India will want the rights dispute resolved well before that. The High Court had proposed that fresh sealed bids be submitted with the Registrar General of the High Court on Wednesday, with the understanding that the rights would be given to the highest bidder. Further, there would be no scope for appeal afterwards.Zee has already made an initial payment of $20million to the BCCI.

New Zealand 147 for 7 (Sinclair 62, Aftab 5-31) beat Bangladesh 146 by 3 wickets
Scorecard

New Zealand made heavy weather of a small target on a flat deck at the Bangabandhu Stadium in Dhaka, but still managed to clinch the three-match series 2-0. A fine bowling performance where wickets were shared all round ensured that Bangladesh were dismissed for an unthreatening 146. But then New Zealand batted shabbily, stunned by Aftab Ahmed’s five-wicket haul, and lost seven wickets before stuttering past their target in 44.4 overs.The match as a contest ended in just under ten overs, when Bangladesh were rattled at 51 for 5. A healthy holiday crowd was on hand to witness the carnage, and at one point it looked as though the game would be finished before the lights came on. Kyle Mills did the early damage, sending back Nafis Iqbal and Aftab in the very first over, with two delectable outswingers that found their way to safe hands behind the stumps via the outside edge (5 for 2).Javed Omar managed to relieve the pounding pressure somewhat with a couple of boundaries, but then Habibul Bashar, the captain, was blasted out by a perfectly directed James Franklin yorker (22 for 3). Then Omar lost his cool, tried to punch a wide delivery through the off side and dragged the ball back onto his stumps (25 for 4).Mohammad Ashraful, that carefree biffer of a cricket ball, then spooned Scott Styris to Franklin at mid-on, but was let off. Two balls later he showed that he was going to continue on his merry way regardless and, in an action replay, offered an even simpler chance to the same fielder. Franklin held on this time, and half the Bangladeshi batting was back in the pavilion.No strangers to top-order strife, Rajin Saleh and Khaled Mashud mounted a recovery. Saleh did what he knows best, defending stoically and only occasionally deflected the ball away for singles. Mashud, however, was more authoritative. A cover-drive, a glance to fine leg and a tuck off the hips all found the fence, and suddenly, a partnership was building.Daniel Vettori, leading this New Zealand team, threw the ball to Chris Cairns, and the sixth-wicket partnership of 57 was broken. Cairns, looking stately in his full beard, bustled in and winkled out two quick wickets. Mashud (41) was brilliantly caught by a diving Chris Harris at cover (108 for 6), while Saleh (28) feathered an edge to the keeper (125 for 7).From there on, it was only a matter of closing out the innings, and New Zealand did so in 43.4 overs. Left to chase 147, Mathew Sinclair and Nathan Astle began watchfully. There was a bit of dew around as the lights came on, and Tapash Baisya got the ball to bite off the pitch on more than one occasion. However, there were also plenty of loose balls on offer, and the fifty partnership for the first wicket came up in the 14th over.Sinclair and Astle struck the ball efficiently, if not spectacularly, and were coasting towards the target when suddenly two wickets went down in one over, completely against the run of play. Aftab, a part-time seamer at best, had Astle (29) caught at midwicket when he miscued a pull (74 for 1) and three balls later trapped Hamish Marshall plumb in front (76 for 2).Sinclair then brought up his sixth one-day international half-century with a sweetly timed on-drive off Aftab. Scott Styris, who came to the wicket at the fall of the second wicket, smacked a magnificent cover-drive, showing scant regard for the fact that those two wickets had just fallen. Sinclair went over the top with gusto, laced one inside-out drive past cover, and suddenly New Zealand needed less than 50 to win.Mohammad Rafique was then rewarded for some canny bowling when Sinclair (62) overstretched and was smartly stumped by Mashud (103 for 3). This got the crowd on their feet, and soon enough they had the slightest flicker of hope when Styris played all over a straight one from Aftab and was clean bowled (114 for 4). Aftab then more than made up for his failure with the bat, trapping Craig MacMillan in front (125 for 5). Unbelievably, Brendon McCullum then became Aftab’s fifth victim, easily adjudged lbw. Aftab, bowling for the first time in a one-dayer – this was his fourth match – ended with 5 for 31 from his ten overs. No Bangladeshi bowler had ever taken five wickets in an ODI before.Baisya, who bowled without luck at the start of the innings, came to the party. Harris struck one sweet drive through the covers, but then failed to replicate the same timing with his pull, which lobbed up to mid-on (133 for 7). Bangladesh had shown incredible fight, but were just a few runs short as New Zealand crept passed the finish line with only three wickets to spare.

South Australia’s Chris Duval has not yet broken into the state first team, but he has been spotted by the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.Duval, 20, left Pat Kelly and Tony Harris, scouts for the Dodgers, impressed when his pitches were timed at 137 kph.”He would be in the top one per cent absolutely, in the top one per cent of his age and his size,” Duval told ABC Sport. “He’s young, he’s a very strong big durable guy and he’s got arm strength which is something you can’t teach. All those three things you really can’t teach you know, they’re just God given."

Duncan Fletcher, the England coach, has suggested he could continue his role beyond the 2007 World Cup. Fletcher, born in Zimbabwe, told the : “I’m going through the 2007 World Cup and we’ll see what happens after that. My enthusiasm is as strong as ever.””It’s also because I’m seeing our one-day side develop nicely. They have lagged behind the Test team but they’re a young team and are catching up – and increasingly they’re becoming the same team.”Fletcher, 57, has been an instrumental figure in England’s resurgence since taking up his post in 1999, at a time when England’s Test fortunes were at their lowest ebb. Remarkably, only six years later, England are now placed second in the Test table and much of the behind-the-scenes changes are Fletcher’s work: it was he, for example, who helped introduce the controversial central contracts, a move which many believe has been a key factor in allowing England’s Test players sufficient time to recover and recuperate in between Tests and tours.Despite his efforts to help and improve English cricket, it was reported yesterday by the that he has been denied British citizenship. The Home Office declined to comment.

For Shivnarine Chanderpaul, it was a time for reflection after a remarkable innings that should have propelled West Indies to victory over Australia on Tuesday. A cataclysmic collapse destroyed those hopes, and Chanderpaul was obviously disappointed that the rest of the batting order couldn’t build on a superb opening partnership of 136 runs.”Obviously, we got off to a very good start, but it is another thing to finish the game and not leave it open,” he said, before the team trained at the Royal Selangor Club ground. “Last night, we were ahead and from there, we let the game slip.”Chanderpaul said that he enjoyed his batting, and gave some insight on the blazing approach that served him so well against Australia. “No one knows what’s going to happen on a surface like that,” he said. “I thought you could get a ball anytime that can get you out. So, when I went out, I decided to have a look early on and then start playing my shots. Chris [Gayle] was struggling a bit initially and the ball was doing a lot. Both of us were struggling a bit and eventually, I got through a few shots and just kept going on from there.”Brian Lara had spoken after Tuesday’s game of West Indies having a psychological edge over an Indian side that they beat 4-1 two months ago, but Chanderpaul was a little more cautious when it came to assessing the opposition. “Every win will help us, because we’ve been down and will have to get our confidence back,” he said. “We all know what Sachin [Tendulkar] can do,” he added, aware that the game’s most successful batsman hadn’t toured the Caribbean.”The wicket is not that is easy to bat on. You can get a ball that can take off or it might seam around all through the game. We know Sachin can bat well, just like others in the team. Our gameplan would be to restrict them to a decent total, which we think would be quite easy to chase.”His thoughts were echoed by Ian Bradshaw, who bowled a tidy spell against Australia to finish witn 2 for 37. “They [India] have a very talented batting line-up, you can’t afford to focus on one or two individuals,” he said. “It’s just a case of sticking to our team plan and restricting their batting as best we can.”Though the bowlers got plenty of encouragement in the opening match, Bradshaw reckoned that the pitch had been a sporting one. “There’s a little bit of seam movement and a bit of bounce for the fast bowlers, but the performance of both teams yesterday showed that it is a wicket where runs can also be scored.”