It’s back to the drawing board for young Jehan Mubarak for whom the world seems to have turned upside down.Only two months ago he was leading the Sri Lanka `A’ team and was looked up as a future prospective cricketer for the senior side. But after a dismal failure in the first unofficial test against West Indies `A’ at Rangiri Dambulla where he disappointed with scores of 17 and 15 he finds himself on the sidelines.The tall and graceful left-hander who represents CCC in the Premier competition has been dropped from the squad of 14 for the remaining two `tests’ against the tourists and now faces a long haul of resurrecting his career all over again.Last year Mubarak was made captain of the Sri Lanka `A’ team that toured England. He not only led the side admirably but also made runs scoring 235 at an average of 47 inclusive of three fifties in three first-class matches. In the six one-day matches also he showed pleasing form to average 55.75 for 223 runs and two fifties.It was a memorable tour for the team because they won all seven one-day matches against county sides and had a win-loss-draw record in the three first-class games.Based on these performances the selectors picked him for the tour of Pakistan where he appeared in the two Tests but failed to make any worthwhile contributions with the bat scoring just 49 runs in four innings with a top score of 34.The selectors continued to persist with him and appointed him captain of Sri Lanka `A’ for the home series against England `A’ and Pakistan `A’. It was here that Mubarak’s form began to decline. He was totally out of sorts and failed to make an impression in any of the `tests’ or the one-day triangular except in the last `test’ against Pakistan `A’ at Dambulla where he scored a compact 80. His scores prior to that innings were: 10, 24, 11, 36, 0, 4, 0, 16, 2, 33, and 1.The selectors thought the weight of captaincy was affecting his batting and removed him from that post for the series against West Indies `A’ hoping that at least now he would deliver. But once again he failed.To sum up his disappointing run he has not made a century since scoring 169 for CCC against Ragama CC in a Premier trophy match in November 2003. It also happens to be the only century Mubarak has scored in six years of first-class cricket.For the 24-year-old Mubarak the world has not ended. He has been retained in the Sri Lanka `A’ pool and needs to get some runs behind him to once again attract the selectors’ attention.”To me Mubarak looks tensed up and mentally not there,” said chairman of selectors Lalith Kaluperuma.”He should be confident and play his normal game. He has been in the circuit for a long time and he should use his experience to come out of the situation. He couldn’t ask for a better person than Anura Tennekoon (the present `A’ team manager) to seek advice,” he said.Kaluperuma said that since the time Mubarak played for Sri Lanka in the under 19 World Cup the selectors have been nursing and guiding him all along.”I don’t thing any other cricketer has been given the amount of opportunities that Mubarak has. He has taken a long time to come out of his bad patch and there are others knocking on the door,” said Kaluperuma.Mubarak’s place in the fourteen has been given to Colts batsman Shantha Kalavitigoda.

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.”

New Zealand’s connection with first grade cricket in Sydney was apparent again on Saturday.Last week former Central Districts batsman Joseph Hill, who is now living permanently in Sydney scored 123 not out for his Randwick side. However, he wasn’t so fortunate on Saturday as he was out for a duck while Australian international Simon Katich scored 177 against Mosman. Randwick Petersham declared at 428/6 and Mosman were 14/0 at stumps.Hill hasn’t given up returning to New Zealand to have another shot at breaking into the first-class scene but for the moment is taking his chance in Australia.Otago’s Brendon McCullum is also playing in the competition until October 31 and made his mark yesterday for the UTS-Balmain side by taking five catches as Fairfield-Liverpool were dismissed for 208 with UTS-Balmain 76/1 at stumps.The Northern Districts connection saw Scott Styris make 37 in Gordon’s total of 216 while Daryl Tuffey took four for 60 for Sutherland who were 132.1 at stumps with Styris having none for 18 off five overs.James Marshall scored 40 for Eastern Suburbs in their total of 123 while Hawkesbury were 136/4 at stumps.Bruce Martin had a tough time at the bowling crease as Penrith scored 305 against Manly-Warringah. Martin sent down 24 overs for one for 105.

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

Hopes that the Zimbabwe Cricket Union was serious that it was willing to accept the return of the rebel players appeared to be dashed with the response of the board to news that Heath Streak was helping out Matabeleland in an unpaid capacity.Streak, a former Matabeleland captain, had accepted an invitation to help Pommie Mbangwa, their bowling coach, on a voluntary basis. But as soon as ZCU officials became aware of the situation, they demanded that Streak withdraw. They were probably further irked by the excellent reception Streak received from spectators of all colours when he was spotted on the ground at Bulawayo.Peter Chingoka, the ZCU’s chairman, has been at the forefront of those making conciliatory comments. But he claimed that Matabeleland had acted inappropriately and that the Logan Cup, Zimbabwe’s domestic first-class competition, depended “on adherence to appointments within existing structures otherwise one risks having those who should benefit not being in place at the right time.”The appointments of the four provincial coaches were well-structured and done in consultation with the national team coach and national selectors,” Chingoka told the government-controlled Herald newspaper. “Streak’s involvement was irregular as it did not go through this process. The protocol was breached and the person who made the ad hoc appointment has since apologised to the Union for the breach. Because of the irregularity, we did ask Heath not to be involved but he was not replaced by Phil Simmons.” Coincidently, Chingoka added that the ZCU was about to appoint an assistant coach to Mbangwa.The ZCU’s action is unlikely to do anything to smooth the way to a settlement, nor is Zimbabwe cricket is a position that it can afford to shut out players of Streak’s calibre.ZCU officials were not available for comment. They refuse to speak to Cricinfo as they do not approve of our coverage of cricket inside Zimbabwe.

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.

The organisers of the 2007 World Cup are pulling out all the stops to ensure profitability in the region, and to protect the rights of sponsors when the event touches down in the Caribbean in March 2007.Stephen Price, special events officer of ICC CWC 2007, went into some detail in outlining the measures the World Cup management committee would be implementing to ensure smooth running of the event as they hosted the Stakeholders Road Show at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Wrightson Road, Port of Spain, yesterday.Price highlighted the importance for West Indian people to benefit from hosting the Cricket World Cup, which he said was the reasoning behind the Caribbean Economic Enterprise Initiative. The initiative seeks to ensure long-term benefits for the region, not only financially, but in the sharing of knowledge, as well as the experience of staging an event of such magnitude.Thus, any tasks being contracted to foreign companies must be sub-contracted to smaller units within the region to ensure their involvement and, consequently, monetary benefit and increased knowledge base.Price also pointed out the committee had paid great attention to the running of the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, and expressed several undertakings that are necessary for safeguarding sponsors’ interests.Some of the main areas with which he expressed concern included “ambush marketing”, as well as counterfeit merchandise. One of the examples he gave was an incident where a company in Antigua was advertising a “Cricket World Cup mortgage” without being given the rights to do so.Price also warned against congratulatory advertisements, which are quite common in the Caribbean, and announced that some of the measures being taken to counteract such advertising included monitoring the internet, as well as having “spotters” on the lookout for counterfeit merchandise, and they have also hired lawyers to be their “eyes and ears”. He also gave some insight into the Sunset Bill, which must be passed by the Parliaments of all nine host countries, which will make it illegal to carry out such activities.The bill, he said, was drafted with the guidance of regional attorneys general as part of an Anti-Infringement programme. He noted the CWC committee did not want to be in the position of South Africa, who are being levied for more than US$47 million worth of breaches at the 2003 World Cup.Price also invited local individuals and businesses to take advantage of opportunities for licensing for CWC paraphernalia, saying those interested can contact the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of their territory, or indicate their interst by e-mail to licensing @cricketworldcup.com. The official global partners of CWC 2007 are LG, Hutch, Pepsi and Hero Honda, and the official sponsors are Indian Oil and Cable & Wireless.

Shaharyar Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), says he hopes that the forthcoming Test and one-day series with England will improve his country’s image – both on and off the field.”I think the series against England is important for our safe image because England is the first side other than the subcontinental sides to play in Pakistan for five years,” Khan told AFP. England were the last non-South Asian side to play in the troubled cities of Karachi and Peshawar in 2000 before the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States sparked security fears about Pakistan. “Tension was at the peak after 9/11 because no team was ready to tour Pakistan,” he added. Khan has been a former foreign secretary and high commissioner [ambassador] to India and the United Kingdom.Australia and the West Indies refused to tour Pakistan, citing players’ safety concerns and the series were played at neutral venues in 2002. New Zealand, who postponed their tour of Pakistan a week after the 9/11 incidents, had to cut short their revised schedule after a bomb blast outside their team hotel in Karachi killed 14 people in May 2002. That followed South Africa and India’s refusal to play a five-day Test in Karachi where bomb blasts and ethnic violence has killed scores of people in the last five years.England, too, have refused to play a Test in Karachi over security fears and agreed to play only one limited-overs international in the southern port city on the current tour. “England had and still have security concerns but I think that, after providing them security assurances and taking good care of them, we hope our image will improve as a safe country,” said Khan, who took over as cricket chief in December 2003.Khan said India’s tour of Pakistan last year was the first step in improving Pakistan’s image. “I remember that the wives of Indian stars Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid did say that they would not like their hubbies to tour Pakistan over security fears.” The PCB not only hosted India without any problems but earned a record 22 million dollars from the series, India’s first in Pakistan for 14 years. “Now England will play a one-day match in Karachi and we are sure India will play a Test in Karachi,” Khan said.Khan also said Pakistan’s team can improve its Test image. “England is on a roll after their Ashes win and if Pakistan beat them they too can get a place among the top teams. Let the best team win and people enjoy the intense competition in the series.”Pakistan and England clash in the first of three Tests at Multan, starting November 12. The Tests will be followed by a five-match one-day series.

The refurbished Lord’s pavilion was today opened by Tom Graveney, the MCC’s president, after a seven-month, £8.2 million makeover. In a blend of the old and the new, Graveney was joined by Alastair Cook, the 20 year-old England A batsman who will be playing for MCC in the season’s opening match which was due to start this morning.Outside, the pavilion, which was originally opened in 1890, looks almost unchanged, with the exception of the restored viewing areas in the two turrets and the terrace at the very top of the building. But inside, aside from a complete redecoration, there has been considerable restoration, especially to the Long Room. The installation of new gas fires was particularly appreciated by the few hardy souls who braved cold wind and rain to turn up for the first day of the season. The refit has also been used as a good opportunity to move around the works of art. Adam Chadwick, the Lord’s curator, estimated that 70% of the MCC’s collection is now on show, a two-fold increase.”The refurbishment of the pavilion has been a complex, as well as expensive, project,” Roger Knight, the MCC’s secretary, said. “We wanted to improve every aspect of the building, from top to bottom, but needed to complete all the work in the gap between the 2004 and 2005 cricket seasons. Despite some unforeseen difficulties, I’m delighted that the project has been completed within our budget.” It might be churlish to point out that the entire pavilion was built in the same time over the winter of 1889-90 at a total cost of £21,000.Graveney was also understandably delighted. “I first played here more than half a century ago and, quite simply, I’ve never seen the pavilion looking better. For decades to come, spectators, officials and players will benefit enormously from the improvements which this great project has brought about. I congratulate everyone concerned in improving the pavilion in such a spectacularly successful way.”Members of the public can see the refurbished pavilion for themselves during a Tour of Lord’s. (Details are available from the Tours Office on 020 7616 8595 or via [email protected])

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Punjab rode on centuries from Ravneet Ricky and Gaurav Gupta to reach 392 for 4, gaining a 192-run lead, to put Punjab on top by the end of the second day’s play against Hyderabad at Mohali. Both came together with Punjab rattled at 31 for 3, but their 213-run association ensured that Punjab assume complete control. Once Gupta fell at the score on 244, Ricky – who smashed 23 fours in his knock – put on an unbroken 148-run stand with Muneesh Sharma to further stretch the lead.
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Half-centuries from Kiran Powar and Rakesh Solanki, buttressed with handy contributions from the rest of the batsmen, propelled Baroda to 306 for 9 at the end of the second day, gaining a crucial 46-run lead. Haryana fought hard through a four-wicket haul from Joginder Sharma but could not prevent Baroda – powered by three fifty partnerships – from taking the first-innings lead.
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Amol Muzumdar’s superb century and his123-run partnership with Nishit Shetty for the fourth wicket steered Mumbai to 83-run first-innings lead before Bengal reached 37 for no loss to reduce the deficit at Wankhade Stadium. Mumbai, having resumed at 50 for 2, had reached 71 for 3 for the loss of Vinit Indulkar before Muzumdar and Shetty came together. Shetty, who has often rescued Mumbai from precarious situations, carted five fours and two sixes to seize the initiative before Muzumdar consolidated their position with his 19th first-class century. At a certain stage Mumbai were cruising along at 193 for 3, but Ashok Dinda, the medium pacer, grabbed five of the eight wickets that fell today and brought Bengal right back into the contest.
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Rain continued to play spoilsport at Chennai and only 16.3 overs were possible on the second day’s play. The Tamil Nadu openers, S Vidyut and Hemant Kumar, motored along at over three-and-a-half runs an over but it is highly unlikely that their efforts will alter the course of the game.
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Powered by a five wicket haul from Kulamani Parida, the offspinner, Railways shot out Gujarat for a paltry 79, gaining a vital 109-run lead, before reaching 35 for 1 at stumps to gain complete command of the game in Delhi. Parida ripped into the middle order after Sanjay Bangar and Madan Yadav, the left-arm spinner, had removed the top four, to put Railways, the defending champions, on course for their first victory of the season.
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An unbeaten 74 by Mayank Tehlan, the 19-year old batsman who is Virender Sehwag’s cousin, steered Delhi to a strong position by the end of the second days’ play. Earlier, Kunal Lal, the left-arm medium pacer, removed Sairaj Bahutule and Kaushik Aphale, the overnight batsmen, and along with M Deewan, who also finished with a four-wicket haul, bowled Maharashtra out for a modest 208.
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A watchful half-century from Sarabjit Singh, the Services wicketkeeper batsmen, stretched their total but Uttar Pradesh rode on Suresh Raina’s unbeaten fifty kept Uttar Pradesh in the game at the end of the second day at Lucknow. Sarabjit guided the tail – with plucky contributions from AK Mohanty (30) and Amrinder Singh (33) – to lift Services, overnight on 207 for 5, to 321 in their first innings. But Piyush Chawla, the legspinner, was rewarded for his persistence and he ended with a five-wicket haul in a marathon effort that contained 42 overs.