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When the Indian team for the first three ODIs of this seven-matchseries was named, the one big name missing was Virender Sehwag. WithHarbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan returning to the team on the basis ofperformances in the ICC World Twenty20, it was widely assumed – and theselectors speaking privately did nothing to dispel the notion – that therewas no reason for Sehwag to worry and that in the course of the one-dayseason he’d get a look in. As of now, though, there’s still no place forhim.”This is the best batting line-up we’ve got. Sachin, Sourav, followed byRahul, then Yuvi, myself and Robin,” said Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indiancaptain, at the end of the fifth match, when asked about why the line-upwas changed around. “It just didn’t work today. We didn’t get thepartnerships we wanted early on.” Obviously he was referring to theline-up he had on his hands, and not whether Sehwag figured in the plans, but it’s interesting that the talk over Sehwag has died down almost completely as the series has progressed.What’s more, with India still in with a chance of levelling the series3-3, although that’s unlikely given just how hard the Australians haveplayed each of these games, it makes it extremely difficult for the teamto think about resting one of its senior batsmen. The results, however, donot change the fact that India have a large volume of cricket – both ODIand Test – in the coming year. In fact this was the rationale behind theselectors and the team management contemplating a rotation policy in thefirst place. In the 12 ODIs India would play against Australia andPakistan, it was believed that each of Tendulkar, Dravid and Ganguly wouldsit out at least one match.With Dravid struggling for runs, and he’s hardly been at the crease enoughto judge what kind of form he is in, the selectors have a tough decisionon their hands. In different circumstances, with the series decided oneway or the other by the time game six came around, Dravid would have beenrested. But now, with only 44 runs from five matches, there’s hardly acase to rest him, and dropping him in the first series after he steppeddown as captain would be cruel to someone who has served the team’s causeexceedingly well in both forms of the game for several years now.If India win the next game then the temptation to rest someone willrecede further as the seventh match will provide an opportunity to level aseries that once looked gone for all money. If Indialose, then again it will be hard to consider someone like S Badrinath inplace of one of the senior batsmen, for a solitary win from seven gameswould hardly be acceptable returns for Dhoni in his first series ascaptain. However, the temptation to play Badrinath will be strong, forDhoni will remember how Rohit Sharma could barely get a knock in England,and delivered so brilliantly when drafted in the ICC World Twenty20.Robin Uthappa’s case was no different, with him sitting out the best partof the one-day series in England, only to turn matchwinner at the firstopportunity he was afforded. In short, it’s a tricky conundrum, and onethat Dhoni will have to deal with delicately and sensibly.Australia, for their part, have their own selection dilemmas, buttypically have their own way of dealing with these things. Brad Haddinmight have scored 156 from his two innings, scoring half-centuries ineach, but when the time for Ricky Ponting’s return from injury came along,he was left out, with Brad Hodge, the more senior batsman, retaining hisplace in the team despite a string of poor scores. Few teams other thanAustralia would have chosen this path, and on top of this they’ve evensent Adam Voges, who was in the squad as cover for Ponting, back home.Already, he’s in action, playing domestic cricket for the WesternWarriors.

A report in The Sunday Telegraph has claimed that comments made on Sky Sports by Rameez Raja during the fourth afternoon at The Oval may have sparked Pakistan’s protest which led to them forfeiting the Test.Rameez was outspoken on air about the actions taken by the on-field umpires and repeatedly cricticised their actions. “It was a big decision [by the umpires] and I totally disagree with what happened out there,” he said at the time. “I am disgusted with the way the laws have been interpreted. You cannot tell whether the ball was scratched, unless you catch somebody in the process. It’s a needless controversy.”As Rameez let rip, the article claims that the players inside the dressing-room quietly listened to the broadcast. “After watching the television and hearing what Rameez had to say, Inzamam was very angry and wanted to do something,” a source inside the dressing-room was quoted as saying.”Inzy asked Younis Khan [Pakistan’s vice-captain] what he thought about a protest and Younis said he would support whatever decision was made. Inzy then asked the team whether they agreed with staying off the field and everyone said they would support him.”Until August 2004, Rameez was CEO of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Shane Watson, the Australia allrounder, will finally make his debut for Queensland in the ING Cup match against South Australia at Adelaide on Sunday. Returning from the India tour last week after playing in the one lead-up game, Watson will represent his home state after spending three seasons in Tasmania boosting his international prospects.Watson, 23, is the only change to the Bulls team that defeated the Redbacks two weeks ago and he will replace the fast bowler Shane Jurgensen. The left-handed batsman Brendan Nash, a replacement for the injured Martin Love against South Australia, has retained his spot.A Greg Blewett back problem has forced South Australia to name a 13-man squad and he faces a fitness test later this week. Following the retirement of Mick Miller and the omission of Mark Higgs, the Redbacks have named two uncapped players in Chris Duval, the 21-year-old Northern Districts fast bowler, and the batsman Jack Smith.Queensland Jimmy Maher (c), Andy Bichel, James Hopes, Brendan Nash, Ashley Noffke, Aaron Nye, Clinton Perren, Craig Philipson, Wade Seccombe, Chris Simpson, Andrew Symonds, Shane Watson.South Australia Graham Manou (c), John Davison, Nathan Adcock, Greg Blewett, Ben Cameron, Mark Cleary, Matthew Weeks, Mark Cosgrove, Chris Duval, Callum Ferguson, Ryan Harris, Jack Smith, Shaun Tait.South Australia have made one addition to the Pura Cup side that beat Victoria, with Nathan Adcock coming in for Matthew Weeks for the match against Queensland, which starts in Adelaide on November 9.South Australia Pura Cup squad Graham Manou (c), Paul Rofe, Dan Cullen, Nathan Adcock, Callum Ferguson, Greg Blewett, Ben Cameron, Mark Cleary, Mark Cosgrove, Tom Plant, Jack Smith, Shaun Tait.

Michael Vaughan admitted that England’s batting form, or lack of it, had become a serious concern after they were shot out for 147 and 101 in successive matches of the NatWest Series. The latest reverse, a seven-wicket thrashing by New Zealand, meant that England stayed rooted to the bottom of the table, with bleak prospects of making the July 10 final.Vaughan was in no mood to gloss over the display afterwards. “You get bowled out for 147 and then 101. It’s not good enough, especially on a wicket when 180-200 would have been a real competitive total with the likes of Stephen Harmison in your team,” he said. “You’ve just got to hold your hands up and say as a group we are not playing well enough at the minute.”England have missed the big-hitting contributions of Andrew Flintoff – out for the entire series with an ankle injury – but Vaughan suggested that he wouldn’t be looking for excuses. “You can talk batting orders, different personnel, but the be-all and end-all is the eleven in the team aren’t batting well enough as a unit to give our bowlers enough chance to win a game of cricket when we are batting first.”James Franklin, the left-arm swing bowler, devastated England with career-best figures of 5 for 42 and though Vaughan praised him – “You’ve got to give Franklin a bit of credit for the way he swung it” – he suggested that it was a lack of application from the batsmen, rather than the toss, which had decided the game. “I’d have batted first today if we’d won the toss because we have to get used to doing it,” he said. “If you want to be a good team, you have to get used to doing both, whether you are chasing or setting totals.”England now need to win two of their remaining three matches to reach the final, They meet West Indies in another day-night match at Headingley on Thursday, and Vaughan, for one, was relieved that there was an immediate opportunity to turn things around after the team was booed off by a disappointed Chester-le-Street crowd on Tuesday.”That’s the one positive, that we’re back on the horse quickly to put things right,” he said. “When you play well, as we have done in the Tests, you take all the praise and when you play badly as one-day team, as we have, you are going to have to take criticism.”

Stuart Carlisle celebrated his 31st birthday with the best century of his first-class career, a dogged marathon of 139 runs. He left the field unbeaten with the Zimbabweans on 296 for 8 in reply to Worcestershire’s total of 262.A brief light shower at about 10 am resulted in the start of play being delayed for 15 minutes. The Zimbabweans quickly lost the wicket of Barney Rogers, who dabbed at a ball from Australian Mark Harrity into the slips to depart for 4, leaving them on 75 for 4, having added only six to their overnight score.Tatenda Taibu, as usual, looked to take the initiative, and hit one particularly superb cover drive to the boundary. Both he and Carlisle had to handle dubious light, though, conditions far removed from their normal experience. Carlisle moved slowly to his fifty, working hard for every run, and then the rain returned briefly.Gradually after lunch the batsmen tried to accelerate, although whether it was wise to do so – against good bowling extracting movement off the pitch – was debatable. Carlisle got away with a top-edged hook over the keeper’s head and a snick over the slips, both going for four, but these should not detract from an excellent innings of concentration and determination. Taibu too had a couple of narrow escapes, and had any of these blemishes gone to hand, there would have been an inappropriate end to a gallant innings.Frustrated, the Worcestershire bowlers resorted to an overdose of short-pitched bowling, forsaking pitch movement. Taibu reached his fifty with a hard slash over the slips for four, and in the same over another slash over gully brought up the hundred partnership, which took 35 overs. However, within minutes he was on his way, caught at the wicket off Kabir Ali for 57. The Zimbabweans were 178 for five.Andy Blignaut scored only 2 before he was brilliantly caught at first slip by Andrew Hall in the same over. Joined by Travis Friend, Carlisle began to open up, surviving a hard chance at backward point on 92, and brought up his first century in England in remarkable style, cutting a six off Kabir into the stands below the Worcester pavilion behind backward point. It took him 221 balls.Friend too played a few handsome drives and Zimbabwe took the lead with six wickets down, an achievement that had not appeared very likely when play started. They survived the new ball until Friend was well caught at first slip for 39. Raymond Price made 5, but Douglas Hondo stuck around with Carlisle, who even now did not look fully in touch, playing and missing with some regularity.Unlike many players in the modern era, the batsmen did not appear over-eager to leave the field as the light worsened, and were discussing the matter with the umpires when bad light dissolved into rain. The lost overs could not be made up, so Zimbabwe finished 34 runs ahead with two wickets to fall – although it is not certain Heath Streak, still suffering back spasms, will decide to bat.

Looking forward to the final two matches at The County Ground, Chief Executive Peter Anderson told me, “Whether we survive in the top division of the National League will all depend on the final match of the season against Northamptonshire Steelbacks on Sunday. The weather could well play a part in the situation. We have made representation to England Coach Duncan Fletcher to see whether or not Andy Caddick can be released to play for us, which would be a tremendous boost.”Regarding the County Championship match which starts on Wednesday he said, “We have to take 5 points from the Championship game to be certain of securing second place, which we are hopeful of doing. This would round off a pretty good season for us.”

Assured batting from the trio of Keith Dabengwa, Bonaparte Mujuru and Dion Ebrahim, in addition to Chris Mpofu’s match-haul of seven wickets, were the highlights in Matabeleland Tuskers’ seven-wicket win over Mashonaland Eagles at Bulawayo. Asked to bat first by the Eagles, the Tuskers’ top order set up a strong platform to dominate the match. Mujuru and Ebrahim contributed 70s before Dabengwa took centre-stage. His score of 136 included 13 fours and three sixes, and in the company of Charles Coventry, guided his side to an imposing 425 for 8 declared.Despite Prince Masvaure’s 94, the Eagles’ reply was always behind the eight-ball, as a concerted allround effort from the Tuskers’ attack pegged them back. John Nyumbu picked up three wickets, while Mpofu and Ebrahim scalped two apiece to ensure that the Eagles fell just short of avoiding the follow-on. They fared marginally better in the second dig, reaching an even 300 thanks to Ryan Butterworth’s 102, but would be disappointed with the way they collapsed from the strength of 192 for 2. Mpofu was in the thick of action, striking body blows on either side of a promising third-wicket stand between Butterworth and Forster Mutizwa. Mujuru and Ebrahim struck their second fifties of the game to ensure that the victory target of 140 was achieved in the 33rd over.Sean Ervine marked his comeback to the Zimbabwe domestic scene with a grand display that yielded 364 runs as Southern Rocks managed to hold on for a draw against Mid West Rhinos at Masvingo Sports Club, a middle-order wobble late on the fourth day notwithstanding. The Rhinos had their backs against the wall from the outset, as Blessing Mahwire and Tanyaradzwa Munyaradzi reduced them to 56 for 5. Malcolm Waller then put his head down to score a hundred and take his side from dire straits to respectability. A final score of 267 still looked under-par and required a lion-hearted performance from the bowlers. That was exactly what the Rhinos’ attack provided, reducing the Rocks to shambles at 13 for 4. Enter Sean Ervine.In the company of his brother Craig, Sean counterattacked in majestic style. Craig matched Sean shot for shot in the stand of 178 before falling 19 short of a century. There was to be no letting up from Sean though, as he brought up three-figures and then doubled his score in a batting display of rare dominance. After 22 fours and 3 sixes in 274 balls where he had given his side a lead in excess of 100, he was finally run out, the last wicket to fall. The Rhinos had a tough task on hand, and responded in fitting fashion as Innocent Chikunya and Brendan Taylor added 235 for the second wicket to take their side out of the red. Chikunya was the more sedate partner, striking 75 before falling to Tafadzwa Kamungozi, but Taylor was in a zone of his own. Striking at a rate better than a run-a-ball, he carted the bowlers to all corners, his four sixes and 24 fours standing testimony to the havoc he wreaked. He brought up the second 200 of the match, before falling to the man who had scored the first one. The Rhinos declared at 443 for 5, setting a sporting target of 337 for the Rocks.Early wickets fell again – two on this occasion – leaving Sean to do the repair-work for the second time in the match. And he responded in earnest yet again. Steve Marillier helped him add 131 for the third wicket and raise visions of a stunning chase. The Rocks were then set back by the losses of Marillier and Craig in quick succession, but Sean kept them in the hunt with another audacious display. Tendai Chisoro supported him, as he blasted 17 fours and a six to bring up his second three-figure score for the match. Graeme Cremer sparked a late collapse where three wickets fell for nine runs, prompting Sean to adopt a safety-first approach. His dismissal in the dying stages, for 160, put paid to hopes of a result in what had been a game of fluctuating fortunes.

A former South African national player has been charged with corruption involving match-fixing, ESPNcricinfo has learned.The player, who has yet to be named, is understood to be the same “intermediary” who was the subject of a CSA press release in December, following attempts to influence results in South Africa’s domestic competition, the Ram Slam T20 Challenge.In their original statement, CSA said the intermediary had been charged under its anti-corruption code with “contriving to fix, or otherwise improperly influence aspects” of the 2014-15 domestic Twenty20 competition.The person involved had also been charged with “failing, or refusing without compelling justification, to cooperate with an investigation carried out by an anti-corruption official.”South Africa’s Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act Law was introduced in 2004 and included a so-called “Hansie clause” to tackle corruption in sporting events, such as those for which Hansie Cronje, South Africa’s former captain, received a life ban from cricket in 2000.ESPNcricinfo also understands that other players involved in the competition will face the lesser charge of failing to report an approach, a breach of the ICC anti-corruption code that carries a ban of up to five years if found guilty.”Our attitude to corruption will always be one of zero tolerance and we are confident that we have the necessary structures in place to effectively deal with any corrupt activity,” said Haroon Lorgat, the CSA chief executive, in December.”We will relentlessly pursue under our code and the law of the land any persons we believe to be involved in corrupting the game and, with assistance from the police, we will also seek criminal prosecution.”

Adam Gilchrist says the players still don’t know what to expect at the Twenty20 World Championship as they will be competing for a trophy, unlike earlier international matches where entertainment was the key. “I think there is a little bit of unknown as to what’s going to happen,” Gilchrist said before Australia’s departure to South Africa.”We’ve tasted Twenty20 cricket, and it’s been a real entertainment package, but in every game we played there’s never been anything up for grabs. It’s almost been like an exhibition game if you like.”Three players including Ricky Ponting have stayed back but are expected to join the team before Australia’s first match against Zimbabwe on September 12. Ponting cited “private family reasons”, while Shane Watson has a hamstring problem and Stuart Clark is attending to his ill son.Gilchrist, who will lead the team in case Ponting misses out, said it would be interesting to see how teams approached the tournament. “I’ve no doubt that once we get there, and given that there’s a world title up for grabs, it will get serious,” he said. “But I do hope the entertainment factor stays. I would encourage everyone to try and embrace that entertainment part of the game.”He said the World Championship might push administrators to consider slotting in more Twenty20 matches in international schedules, though perhaps at the expense of one-day internationals. “I think world cricket will have a clearer understanding of how serious, how much we need to play Twenty20 cricket and what role it will have in the cricket calendar [by the end of the tournament],” he said.”I don’t know necessarily if it will be the be all and end all of Twenty20, but I do think it’s here to stay for a number of reasons … and it may be a case of, if Twenty20 cricket continued to grow, it might limit the 50-over game to a certain extent, with the need to tailor the program to fit both in.”The Twenty20 World Championship starts on September 11, with the final to be played in Johannesburg on September 24.

Darrell Hair will fight any attempts to sideline him as a result of Sunday’s ball-tampering row. There has been speculation that the four Asian Test nations will try to push him out of the game, but Hair said: “If other people have issues they want to use to force me out it will be an interesting battle.”In a front page interview with Robert Craddock he made it clear he was not going anywhere. “I have always taken a lot of pride in my performance,” he said, “and while I am doing the best job I possibly can I am going to continue.”He also said that he had no regrets about his actions at The Oval that ended the Test a day early. “I stand by what I have done,” he said. “But if anything comes out at the inquiry that proves me incorrect I would accept that too. The process would have been followed. People who know me and the sort of person I am know I would not take action unless I really thought it was necessary.”And Hair denied there were any problems with his relationship with the teams from the subcontinent. “That is not something that is an issue for me,” he said. “There is no problem with me and the subcontinent. I have umpired quite a lot in the subcontinent over the last couple of years and when the ICC have asked me to do a job I try and do it to the best of my ability.”But the former Australian umpire Dick French told it won’t be that simple. “It’s a tricky one,” he said. “If the Asian bloc gangs up on him and says ‘We don’t want him appointed in our games’ there might be trouble. He can’t umpire Australia as a neutral, so he can’t then just umpire South Africa, the West Indies and England for the rest of his career.”Shane Warne has used his column in to defend Hair of claims of racism and bias. “He tries to do the best job that he can, like any other umpire,” Warne wrote. “He goes by the letter of the law and does what he thinks umpires ought to do. It is unfortunate that he has been involved in a couple of controversies in his time, but labelling him racist is unfair.”Ross Emerson, a Western Australian umpire who also called Muttiah Muralitharan for throwing and reported Pakistan for ball tampering, praised Hair for “having the balls to take action”. “There have been a number of occasions when there has been a suggestion or an allegation that a ball has been tampered with but in the end most of the umpires don’t want to do anything about it,” he said in . “If you accuse the subcontinental sides of anything it becomes an international incident. It becomes country versus country and you are called a racist.”Hair will take two days’ rest before the hearing begins on Friday in London where Inzamam-ul-Haq faces charges of bringing the game into disrepute and altering the condition of the ball. “The media criticism has been hot over here … that surprises me,” he said. “But life goes on … nobody died.”