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Shane Warne has rubbished reports in an Indian magazine that he was seen in the company of a known bookmaker during the 1999 World Cup. The magazine Outlook claimed that Warne and Brian Lara were seen leaving a London pizza restaurant with Ratan Mehta, a man who is accused in the same article of fixing the Super Six match between India and Pakistan at Old Trafford.”This story is total rubbish and completely untrue,” said Warne. “The only time I have had dinner with Brian Lara in London was at the Pizza Pomodero with his manager, David Manassi, and my good friend Dwight Yorke. As far as Ratan Mehta is concerned, I have never even heard of him before.”Cricket Australia has come out in support of Warne. “Shane Warne has emphatically denied the reports which have surfaced out of India overnight,” said the acting chief executive David Fouvy, “and at this stage, Cricket Australia does not consider these current allegations credible to warrant any formal investigation.””Cricket Australia is fully committed to ensuring cricket remains free from corruption. If we are presented with any credible allegations of misconduct against Australian players or officials, these will be fully investigated.”

Adelaide comes alive
You couldn’t miss the fact that it’s Australia Day. More flags than usual were ondisplay and people made an extra-special effort to wear the green and gold.Adelaide residents are very proud of getting the Test back at this time of the year – it’srecent home has usually been in December – and so popular is the holiday that theday was a sell-out.A 21-gun salute and barely visible mid-day fireworks sparked the celebrations whilein town a parade of people wearing their national costume shuffled heavily along inthe dry-but-fierce heat. Many nationalities were represented including Chinese,Filipino, Belgians and Indians. For India, it’s Republic Day too, though the day ofindependence, August 15, tends to be a bigger deal.Teenage sensation
Ishant Sharma showed his ability to produce wicket balls was no Perth fluke when heupended Matthew Hayden with a classic reverse-swinging inswinger. Coming from aroundthe wicket, Sharma’s delivery swung through Hayden’s defensive effort and thumpedinto his off stump. Hayden was 103 and had looked as steady as the four AdelaideOval light towers. Sharma, the 19-year-old, had burst through again.Modus operandi
While none of the Indian batsmen were bowled in their innings, all three Australianwickets fell in that fashion. Phil Jaques will blame himself for swiping across theline to one that angled in from Kumble but Hayden and Michael Hussey wereundone by jaffas that swung into them. Ishant produced the ball of the day tocrash through Hayden’s defences while Irfan Pathan swerved one in to beat Hussey. Ona wearing pitch, expect more in this Test.Luck of the bounce
Trouble has followed Ricky Ponting during the series, but he was able to avoid whatwould have been an unfortunate dismissal to the courageous Ishant. While the Indiansappealed for an lbw decision, the ball popped over Ponting’s head and was droppingbetween the batsman and the stumps when it hit his bat. With Ponting looking towardsIshant, the ball was diverted from around leg stump towards off before skirting awayfrom danger.Pathan walks the line
Pathan was flirting with trouble all day. First he had a long chat withHayden when an lbw appeal was turned down before lunch, prompting Hayden towalk up to Billy Bowden and complain. Pathan later had an inordinately long appealagainst Hussey before being in the thick of action when Harbhajan Singhcollided with Ponting. Anything for a good verbal joust, it seems.

Radical measures could be taken to prevent their players from signing lucrative contracts with the Indian Cricket League (ICL) and turning their backs on their country, Justin Vaughan, New Zealand Cricket’s chief executive, has said. These measures include increasing the number of centrally contracted players to 25 as well as increasing the value of player retainers.The inaugural edition of the ICL included retired players from New Zealand like Nathan Astle, Chris Cairns, Craig McMillan and Chris Harris. While New Zealand lost just two current players to the league – Daryll Tuffey and Hamish Marshall – Vaughan fears that the number could increase, with the ICL organisers announcing plans for four new tournaments next season and also increasing the number of teams from six to eight. ICL-contracted players are allowed to play domestic cricket in New Zealand but are not eligible for selection for national or A teams.”We have a shallow player pool and we can’t afford to lose players,” Vaughan told the New Zealand’s . “But we are keeping an eye on it and maybe there are things that we can look at in the structure of our contracts.”The Indian board has also lured New Zealand’s premier players like Stephen Fleming, Daniel Vettori, Brendon McCullum, Jacob Oram and Scott Styris, to sign up for its officially-sanctioned, cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL), set to commence in April next year. While these players have agreed to honour their country ahead of their franchise teams and that the IPL is not viewed as a threat unlike the ICL, Vaughan felt that the board will have to ensure they aren’t tempted by the financial incentives being offered by the BCCI to participate.”The process of picking these players is the BCCI’s business and we’ve put forward our best players for consideration and they choose who they want,” Vaughan said.Vaughan said the matter was being discussed with the New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association to work out a new structure for the contracts. Retaining elite players would, in all probability, be given more importance than increasing the pool of untried contracted players.”We don’t know how we might structure that but we will be working very closely with the [New Zealand] Players’ Association on this one,” Vaughan said. “We are starting to talk to Heath Mills, [Players’ Association head] about what might be possible. It’s this balance – yes we’d like to lock up as many players as possible but, you can either pay fewer people more or more people basically what they’re getting now.”

The touring Zimbabwean team is in a confident mood ahead of the five-match ODI series against Pakistan starting next week, according to Prosper Utseya, Zimbabwe’s captain. The Zimbabweans folded meekly in their only practice match before the series, not only losing to Patron’s XI side by an innings and 34 runs but also failing to impress with either the bat or the ball.”We didn’t play to the best of our abilities [in the tour match] but we did manage to get a lot of positives out of the loss,” Utseya said at a press conference today. “Our bowlers got a chance to bowl long spells against good opposition and a couple of our batsmen scored over fifty, so that is a good sign.”Utseya, who had to sit out the match due to an ankle injury he picked up in South Africa, will face a fitness test on the eve of the first ODI. Rating his chances of leading the side for the opening ODI as very good, Utseya warned doubters not to write off his team on strength or age.”We are young in age but a few of our players have played over 50 ODIs and with victories over Australia and West Indies behind us, we are in a positive frame of mind and in a confident mood.”Utseya welcomed the return of senior players to the fold, especially RayPrice – who got four wickets against Patron’s XI in the tour match – andGary Brent – who put on a defiant 96-run seventh-wicket partnership withKeith Maruma – adding that experience was a key ingredient if Zimbabwe were to make a successful Test comeback.”We obviously want to return to Test cricket and for that, we need to put some wins under our belt. Price forms a good spin bowling partnership with me and together with Brent, they bring in a lot of experience.”We have a good all-round team and these guys can help us get more experience. We need to put ourselves in a good position not only for this series, but also for the future and the only way we can do that is by winning.”Zimbabwe will get a chance to work on Utseya’s words on Monday when theytake on the home side under lights at the National Stadium, Karachi.

Younis Khan has been named as Pakistan’s vice-captain for their forthcoming tour of India, while Arshad Khan, the tall offspinner, has earned a recall to the Test team. Shoaib Akhtar, who recently ruled himself out of contention with a hamstring injury, was left out of the 15-man squad announced today by the Pakistan Cricket Board.Arshad, speaking to was understandably ecstatic about his recall. “It is like a dream come true for me,” he said. “I have been performing in the domestic matches in the hope of being picked for India. Now that it has happened I want to do my best for the country.”Wasim Bari, the chief selector, explained Arshad’s selection. “Arshad has been recalled because we require a second specialist spinner in India to support Danish Kaneria,” he said. He is experienced and has been bowling very well in domestic matches.” Arshad has certainly had a good run in domestic cricket, picking up 46 wickets in 13 first-class matches at an average of 22.02.Shabbir Ahmed, who has been struggling with injury, did not recover in time and nstead the pace department is spearheaded by Mohammad Sami, and also includes Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Mohammad Khalil. Pakistan will also lean heavily on Abdul Razzaq’s medium-pace.Danish Kaneria heads the spinners and will be assisted by Arshad, who was rewarded with a recall for performing consistently in domestic cricket in Pakistan. Arshad last played a Test against England in 2000-01. Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi, the allrounders, strengthen the spin department.Squad Taufeeq Umar, Salman Butt, Yasir Hameed, Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, Asim Kamal, Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal (wk), Danish Kaneria, Mohammad Sami, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Arshad Khan, Mohammad Khalil.

It could be said that England are getting better. Not getting the better of Australia, for they are still facing defeat, but they have at least managed to take this fourth Test into the fifth day. Having been bowled out for 387 in their second innings, largely thanks to an innings of 145 from Michael Vaughan, they set Australia 107 to win. By stumps, eight runs had been knocked off that target without mishap.With Vaughan on his way to his second hundred of the series and passing Sachin Tendulkar’s aggregate number of Test runs in 2002 (the Yorkshireman now has 1481), England enjoyed a good morning. Nasser Hussain was in obdurate mood. Raising English hopes of an epic rearguard action to force a draw, he displayed impressive resolve while his partner scored more freely.Vaughan was the dominant partner during an 80-run partnership for the third wicket. He opened his account for the fourth morning by driving leg-spinner Stuart MacGill for a straight four – one of nine he stroked in the session as he reached his sixth hundred of the year from 153 balls. MacGill’s bowling appeared to be entirely to Vaughan’s liking as he helped England add 63 runs in the first hour of something that has been all too lacking in this series – a genuine contest of Test match cricket.Hussain’s defiant innings of an hour and a half came to an end when he was out-thought by Glenn MacGrath. Failing to spot the slower ball, he pushed it straight back to the bowler to be caught and bowled for 23.Vaughan found a new ally in Robert Key who again showed that he has the temperament for Test cricket. This pair kept the momentum going by adding 67 before Vaughan’s splendid innings came to an end. AfterFinding little difficulty with MacGill in his four and a half hour stay at the crease, he tried to late cut and steered the ball straight to Martin Love at slip to be out for 145.Key reached his first fifty in Test cricket, but having done so fell to the seventh delivery with the new ball as he edged Jason Gillespie to Ricky Ponting at slip.John Crawley and Craig White continued to offer resistance, adding 55 for the sixth wicket before a resolute innings from Crawley ended when he played on to Brett Lee for 33. That was the signal for the Australian attack to pour through the breach as England suffered their customary collapse by losing their last five wickets for the addition of 45 runs in 16 overs.In the next over, White was caught behind cutting MacGill. James Foster went in similar fashion, except that he was superbly caught by Martin Love at slip. MacGill claimed his fifth wicket when Andrew Caddick drove him straight to Steve Waugh in the covers before Steve Harmison was bowled by Gillespie to bring the innings to a close on 387, their highest total of the series, leaving Richard Dawson not out on a valuable 15.The target of 107 is no more than nominal for such a strong batting line-up. Had England managed to have taken a couple of wickets in the two overs before the close, a few feathers might have been ruffled but they did not and now only a day’s rain or the most unimaginable turn of events can prevent Australia taking a four-nil lead into the final Test.

The Western Australian Cricket Association selectors today announced a Western Warriors ACB Cup Second XI to play against New South Wales in Perth next week.The match will be played from Monday January 13, to Thursday January 16, at Fletcher Park, home of the Perth Cricket Club, in Weston Street, Carlisle.Fast bowler Matthew Nicholson will make a comeback following his recovery from a viral infection that prevented his selection in the Warriors Pura Cup team for the match against Queensland which concluded at the WACA Ground on Monday.All-rounder Darren Wates also makes his first appearance of the season after making a full recovery from a groin injury.The Warriors Second XI is:
Marcus North (Captain), Scott Meuleman, Craig Simmons, Shaun Marsh, Adam Voges, Brett Jones, Luke Ronchi, Peter Worthington, John Taylor, Callum Thorp, Matthew Nicholson and Darren Wates.

In an interview to ABC radio, Shane Warne has hit back at Dick Pound, World Anti-Doping Agency president. He said: “As far as I’m concerned it’s got nothing to do with these guys (WADA).””I’m an employee of the Australian Cricket Board and both the ACB (now called Cricket Australia) and us have come to a decision," said Warne. “I’ve abided by their rules and had an arbitration meeting and they said I can play in charity games, I can train with the team, I can do all those things.”Pound and David Howman, WADA chief executive, earlier criticised Cricket Australia’s (CA) decision to allow Warne to play in charity matches and train with the team, saying that it was “bizarre” and “anti-ethical” to “allow a cheater to play”.Jason Warne, Shane’s brother and manager, said today that Shane didn’t have immediate plans to play charity games anyway, putting to rest rumours that he had a game lined up for the rich Lashings club in England on August 18.”The first thing is, Shane has no charity games booked in at the moment – no, he’s not playing for Lashings, simply because he’s unavailable,” said Jason. “Right from the word go, not once has Shane been told he can’t train with the team, as long as he’s invited.”CA ruled Warne was ineligible for any form of cricket when it suspended him in February for testing positive to a diuretic.But in July an independent arbitrator gave Warne the green light to take part in charity fixtures, forcing CA to comply.Warne will finish his ban on February 10 – just before Australia leaves for a tour of Sri Lanka.In the meantime, he can be invited to train as a guest with the Australian team – another development the WADA hierarchy disapproves of.Warne, who hasn’t bowled a ball since a guest appearance at a net in June, will be commentating on Channel Nine during Australia’s home Test series against Zimbabwe in October.

Both captains will know that winning the toss could be the deciding factor as no team has lost a day-night one-day international at the Wankhede Stadium after scoring more than 226. In the last one-dayer played on this ground England won the thrilling encounter by five runs after scoring 255.

The last few matches on this ground have brought the spinners to the fore and India will be hoping for Harbhajan Singh to strike it rich. In the last match against England Harbhajan spun his web around the English batsmen with a controlled spell of 5 for 43. Anil Kumble too has had his moments at the Wankhede, when he destroyed the backbone of the Bangladesh batting with a spell of 3 for 17 in 1998.

The Australians will be weary of Sachin Tendulkar, playing in his own backyard, who averages 45.43 at this stadium and has begun the tri-series in blistering form. However they will take consolation from the fact that Tendulkar’s last three matches here have yielded only 12, 33 and 2 respectively.

On this ground, the fast bowlers have been more successful while defending a total under lights than while bowling first. The average for the fast bowlers bowling second is 21.86 and is considerably lesser than the corresponding 31.45 while bowling first. The Australians will remember the last time they played here, during the 1996 World Cup, when the swing and nip of Damien Fleming (5 for 36) undid the Indian run-chase.

Considering that this pitch was re-laid for the Test match against the West Indies and this will be the first one-dayer played on the new turf, past performances may not count for much.

Australia’s left-arm spinner, Brad Hogg, has been ruled out of the remaining matches of the Champions Trophy, after sustaining a tear to his left hamstring. The injury occurred during a practice session in the nets at Edgbaston on Sunday, and he will return home immediately.Hogg’s injury was reviewed by a representative of the ICC’s medical panel, and Cricket Australia has yet to make a decision whether to send for a replacement to shore up their 14-man squad. "Brad is experiencing a fair degree of discomfort in his movement," said Errol Alcott, the team physio. "There is a large amount of swelling behind his knee.”Once he has returned to Australia, Hogg will be placed on a three-to-five-week rehabilitation program ,where his progress will be monitored and the injury will be reassessed. He is naturally disappointed, but he is a very fit player who works hard, so I have every confidence that he can overcome the injury sooner rather than later."Hogg, a World Cup-winner in 2003, was naturally despondent at the turn of events. "I’m pretty flat at the moment," he said, "because as always I was enjoying being a part of the Australian side, and was determined to play my part in helping us win this tournament for the first time."I was also looking forward to the chance of playing at Edgbaston as it’s been my English home for the past few months during my stint with Warwickshire in county cricket."I knew that the injury was fairly serious as soon as it occurred, but being an optimist, I thought I still might be able to play with it. That’s obviously not the case, so all I can do now is get back home and try and be as fit as possible for the start of the state season."