Australian captain Steve Waugh will miss his last chance for an interstate match before the first cricket Test against New Zealand but paceman Brett Lee is back.Lee was named today to return from a side strain injury for New South Wales in its Pura Cup match against South Australia starting at the SCG on Friday.Waugh was not considered on advice of Australian team physiotherapist Errol Alcott as he continues his recovery from a bout of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).Waugh has been back in training for two weeks since returning from the Ashes tour with a calf muscle injury and the DVT.But unless his plays for his Sydney club Bankstown next weekend, as seems unlikely, the 36-year-old will go into the first Test at the Gabba from November 8 without a hit out since his Ashes fifth Test heroics in August.Lee took 3-49 from eight overs for his club Mosman yesterday to demonstrate that he had fully recovered from the side strain suffered in the fifth Test at The Oval.Also recalled for NSW was fellow Ashes tourist and paceman Nathan Bracken, who injured his left bowling shoulder on the tour.The players to make way for Lee and Bracken were Don Nash and Anthony Clark.NSW team: Michael Slater, Greg Mail, Michael Bevan, Mark Waugh, Shane Lee (capt), Mark Higgs, Brad Haddin, Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken, Stuart MacGill,Glenn McGrath, Stuart Clark (12th man TBA).

Yorkshire officials are to meet Darren Gough early next week to discuss his future after speculation that he may leave Headingley.Last weekend the England fast bowler claimed the questioning about his commitment to the county had become “almost unbearable.”Gough suspects there is a campaign to secure his departure, and has already held talks with chief executive Chris Hassell.”I’m expecting to meet up with him early next week – he’s gone away for a fewdays to think about things,” Hassell said.”We’ve not given him a deadline or anything like that, but we do want to sortthings out as soon as possible.”There’s no panic or anything like that except that while it remainsunresolved, the rumblings continue and the whole thing gets dragged on andon.”Hassell added: “He’s got himself wound up about comments that people havemade. We’ve told him that we want him to stay at Yorkshire and he really has toignore things like that.”

On Friday evening, at the end of the first day of this non-Test, South Africa captain Shaun Pollock described it as a "practice match". A practice match, he could well have added, played under conditions closely approximating, but not quite replicating, the real thing.With this in mind, South Africa reached the end of the second day at SuperSport Park, having outpractised India to the extent of a 29-run lead with six wickets still standing. The truth about all this is that while both sides are taking the cricket seriously, the Indians are taking it a little more seriously. As if it were, in fact, an official Test.While Pollock was adamant that this was not a Test, and should not be reclassified as such in retrospect, India have taken the view that it is an official Test, no matter what the ICC says. Perhaps the strongest evidence for this argument is that the match has followed closely the pattern set during the first two Tests of the series with South Africa helping themselves to a comfortable first innings lead.On this occasion South Africa ended day two at 261 for four in reply to India’s 232. With the pitch quickening up and flattening out on the second day, the conditions were ideal for batting with all of the South Africans, with the exception of Jacques Rudolph who managed to get himself run out, getting themselves in.Rudolph was a little unfortunate in his first innings for the senior South African team. He showed few signs of nerves, opening his account with a pair of boundaries off Harbhajan Singh and looked the part until he was slow in going for a second with Gary Kirsten and found himself well short.The real significance of his innings, though, was that he batted at three with Jacques Kallis and Neil McKenzie dropping down a place each. This may well be an indication of how South Africa intend to play it in Australia next month (Rudolph, incidentally, was picked for this match before its official Test status withdrawn).The more experienced South African batsmen all helped themselves to runs. Herschelle Gibbs played second fiddle to Gary Kirsten in a 135-run opening partnership, but still managed to make 59 before scooping Javagal Srinath down to Harbhajan Singh at long leg.Kirsten, meanwhile, had been in spanking form. He has adjusted as he has matured into the side’s senior pro and plays far straighter than during the early stages of his career and, as a consequence, is a far more effective player, perfectly capable of outscoring Gibbs when the mood takes him.He looked, in fact, all set to make his first unofficial, five-day international friendly century when he was somewhat surprisingly dismissed, edging Ashish Nehra to first slip.There was only one further successes for India on a day when their three seamers and two spinners all looked equally ineffective. Kallis (41 not out) and McKenzie (33) put on 66 for the fourth wicket before McKenzie was caught at slip off Sachin Tendulkar off the last ball of the day. By then, though, attention at Centurion was mostly focussed on the England-South Africa rugby match at Twickenham. That, at least, was an official Test match.

Secondary schoolboys’ supremacy in cricket will be decided by Tuesday next week.Kelston Boys’ High School (Auckland), St Paul’s Collegiate (Hamilton), Wellington College (Wellington) and Otago Boys’ High School (Dunedin) will play in the three days of finals for the Gillette Cup in Palmerston North.On Sunday, St Paul’s Collegiate of Hamilton will play Otago Boys’ High School and Wellington College will play Kelston Boys’ High School.On Monday, Kelston will play Otago and St Paul’s meets Wellington and on Tuesday, Otago meets Wellington with St Paul’s playing Kelston.Wellington College’s team is made up completely from sixth and seventh formers. The side is coached by former New Zealand and Wellington representative batsman Graham Newdick.Captaining the side is Simon Allen, who also captains both Wellington’s Under-17 and Under-19 sides. James Hill, Justin Lampard, Blake Horsley, Jay Newdick and Liam Chrisp are all members of the Wellington Under-17 side.The last time Wellington College played in the Cup was in 1992 when it lost all three games.St Paul’s Collegiate of Hamilton is captained by Richard Snell, a right-arm in-swing bowler who holds the St Paul’s 1st XI record of taking 114 wickets during his time in the side.Also in the St Paul’s team is Peter Carey, a member of the expanded squad to prepare for the International Cricket Council Under-19 World Cup. He also achieves another distinction. A right-hand batsman, he completes a four-year span between making his first and last appearance in the event. The only other player with a career spread over four years is Otago Boys’ High School player Grant Billcliff, who played from 1990-93.David Richardson is a member of the Northern Districts’ Under-17 team while in the three qualifying games Sam Uffindell took six wickets for 31 runs from his 21 overs bowled.Ben Hurrell has achieved the distinction of being the first boy in the school’s history to take a six-wicket bag and hit a century in the same calendar year. His brother Scott is the side’s wicket-keeper. Coach of St Paul’s is Hugh Barton.Kelston Boys’ High School captain Blayne Fraser is a member of the Auckland Under-17 team while Michael Bates is another member of the national Under-19 squad preparing for the ICC Under-19 World Cup.Dusan Hakaraia is an exciting top-order batsman in the side while slow left-arm spinner Anatoj Singh has been a successful bowler for the side. Blair Webby is coaching the Kelston Boys’ side.Alistair Collie is captaining the Otago Boys’ High School team which had an outstanding Gillette Cup record in the competition’s earlier years. However, this year’s finals are its first since 1996.Ken Rust is the OBHS coach.

The beaches of the Cape Peninsula are not the only places where holiday-makers can soak up the sun, have fun, and relax this summer : Newlands Cricket Ground, with the majestic Table Mountain as the backdrop, is a must for all visitors to experience and during the current summer holidays there is plenty of cricketing action to enjoy there while sipping a cold beer on the grass banks and waiting for the braaivleis coals to glow.On Boxing Day high flying and unbeaten Nashua Western Province take on the Northern Titans in a day/night Standard Bank Cup fixture (3.45 pm start). And then a week later, on January 2nd, a fun filled day is in the offing in the Discovery Knock-Out Challenge, which sees the KZN Dolphins (Jonty Rhodes included) take on the Northern Titans at 9am, followed by W.P. against Darryl Cullinan and the Highveld Strikers at noon.The winners of these two 20-over a side encounters will play in the 25-over Final at 4.30pm, with the victors claiming the stunning prize of a 5-day Starlight Cruise among the islands of the Indian Ocean! Before the Final begins, members of the Stormers Rugby side take on the cream of the Supersport commentary team (Mike Haysman, Fanie de Villiers, Pat Symcox, Adrian Kuiper ……………. and Neil Andrews) in a 6-a-side clash.And even that isn’t all …. after the Final finishes at about 8pm, South Africa’s favourite band Mean Mr Mustard will be on hand to entertain the spectators for 90 minutes and bring the New Year festivities to a memorable close.Western Province’s pursuit of glory in the Standard Bank Cup resumes on 11 January,. when the star-studded KZN Dolphins return to Newlands (3.45pm start) and on Sunday 13 January the Stormers once again strut their cricketing skills on the turf of Newlands, this time in a 30-over a side match against the full W.P. team (starting at 12 noon).Tickets for all these events (except the Stormers match, for which entrance is free) are available at Computicket or at the gates (R30 for adults, R10 for Under14’s. with an additional R5 for a reserved seat if desired).Newlands is indeed the place to be!

Experience, rather than record, and injuries, rather than form, have regained Sherwin Campbell his place in the West Indies team he had held for 21 consecutive Tests until a year ago.The little 31-year-old Barbadian opener was chosen yesterday in the squad of 15 for the unique, rearranged series of two Tests and three One-day Internationals against Pakistan in the neutral location of the Arabian Gulf state of Sharjah, January 31 to February 17.Campbell’s selection came five days after he was hurriedly drafted into the pre-tour practice match in Port-of-Spain following the withdrawal of Ramnaresh Sarwan that further diminished the batting already without its linchpin, Brian Lara.Once the selectors had made that decision, it was clear Campbell would be on the way to Sharjah to reboot a Test career that seemed at an end after he was overlooked for the home series against South Africa last season and subsequent tours of Zimbabwe, Kenya and Sri Lanka.He played the last of his 51 Tests against Australia in Sydney in early January last year, scoring 79 and 54.Younger playersBy then, his overall average had plunged from the mid-40s at its peak to 32.82 and the selectors turned to younger alternatives, Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Leon Garrick and Daren Ganga, for subsequent series.Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the left-handed Guyanese batsman with 49 Tests to his name, and Cameron Cuffy, the towering, 32-year-old Vincentian fast bowler whose spasmodic international career started seven years ago, both return as well for the short Sharjah assignment.Their absence in Sri Lanka was on medical, not selectorial, grounds, Chanderpaul with back pains, Cuffy with a stress fracture of the left foot.Like Campbell, they add experience to a team weakened not only by the crippling absence of Lara, who reclaimed the No. 1 position in the world batting ratings after a phenomenal series in Sri Lanka, and Sarwan but injured fast bowlers Reon King and Colin Stuart as well.Without Lara, Campbell and Chanderpaul will give the batting a more seasoned look.Lara had already been eliminated by the dislocated and fractured left elbow sustained December 15 in a One-Day International against Sri Lanka when Sarwan presented the doctor’s negative report to shocked selectors last week.So they sought a batsman to fill the breach who had been there, done that.The only oneShort of summoning former captain Jimmy Adams from his contract with Free State in South Africa or asking Desmond Haynes to excuse himself from Senate duties Campbell was the only one with as many Tests, or One-Day Internationals (90), on his CV.He has had six Tests against Pakistan, averaging 32, played in two One-Day International tournaments in Sharjah, and was rated highly enough as a leader to be team vice-captain.The left-handed Gayle, 22, and the right-handed Ganga, 23, the opening pair in the past five Tests, are in the 15. But, after a successful start in Zimbabwe and Kenya, both had poor series in Sri Lanka and one or the other could make way for Campbell.Garrick, the diminutive, 24-year-old Jamaican opener, has been stood down, having had hardly any opportunity on tours of Zimbabwe and Kenya (where he played three first-class matches and a One-Day International) and Sri Lanka (where he did not play before coming home with a heart problem).Hinds solidHinds was the only batsman to capably deal with the reportedly testing conditions in the two trial matches in Port-of-Spain over the weekend, scoring 76 and 62 not out, and should regain the No. 3 position he occupied when he hit 165 against the Pakistanis in the Kensington Test, his fifth, in 2000.Fast bowlers Merv Dillon,the disciplinary matter that brought his dismissal from the Sri Lankan tour now behind him, left-armer Pedro Collins and Corey Collymore are retained from the 21 that was the eventual number of the changing cast in Sri Lanka.They join Cuffy as captain Carl Hooper’s fast bowling options.All-rounders Darrell Brown (left-hand bat, right-arm medium-pace) and Ryan Hinds (left-hand bat and spinner and unrelated to Wavell) made their debuts after they were rushed to Sri Lanka as late replacements and keep their places. Their role now, as it was then, is likely to be confined to the shorter game.Leg-spinner Dinanath Ramnarine has seemingly recovered from the strained side muscles that prematurely ended both his tours of Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka and is the only specialist spinner chosen.It is a limitation that may be regretted on pitches in Sharjah only ever prepared for One-Day Internationals.Squad: Carl Hooper (captain), Ridley Jacobs (vice-captain), Darrell Brown, Sherwin Campbell, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore, Cameron Cuffy, Mervyn Dillon, Daren Ganga, Chris Gayle, Ryan Hinds, Wavel Hinds, Dinanath Ramnarine, Marlon Samuels; Ricky Skerritt (manager), Roger Harper (coach).

International Cricket Council chief executive Malcolm Speed will have “a chat” with the head of the ICC’s cricket committee-playing, and former Indian batsman, Sunil Gavaskar about the conflict of interest issue raised this week when Gavaskar criticised England.Gavaskar writing in an Indian newspaper, the Hindustan Times, described the recently departed England team as “the champion whingers of the world.”That has upset the English who complained about the conflict of interest Gavaskar faces when he comments about the game in which he has such a high profile administrative position.Speed, who is in Christchurch for a meeting of the chief executives of the Cricket Committee – Management which is coinciding with the last stages of the ICC Under-19 World Cup, said he will be talking with Gavaskar about his comments and would be interested to hear his views.”The view of the England and Wales Cricket Board is well known to me and I would like to talk the issue through with him.”He performs a very important role on the cricket committee and does a very good job for them,” Speed said.The sort of situation Gavaskar found himself in was the sort of thing that happened to media figures who also had administrative positions in their sport, he said.”It is a difficult balancing act,” Speed added.

New Zealand was once again lamenting a 10-over lapse against South Africa after their opening one-day cricket final last night at the MCG.South Africa will go to Sydney today with a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three finals series after easily disposing of the Kiwis by eight wickets, scoring 2-191 off 45.1 overs after dismissing them for 190 off 47.5.New Zealand made a shocking start at 2-18, but top-scorer Craig McMillan (73) and captain Stephen Fleming (50) built the run rate to around four an over as the side aimed for a total of 230-240.The Proteas squeezed the momentum out of New Zealand’s batting with some outstanding bowling and fielding in the late stages of the innings.Lance Klusener returned to form with two timely wickets midway through the innings and then opening bowler Makhaya Ntini snared 5-31 to warrant the man of the match award.But Fleming insisted his side could turn around its fortunes ahead of Friday’s second final in Sydney, despite having won only one of the last 17 one-dayers against South Africa.”Once again it’s a 10-15 over spell which set us back and it’s hindered all the way through this tournament against South Africa,” he said.”It’s either been the 10 overs we’ve bowled or, today, the last 15 overs we batted.”If we can just round off an innings we’ll create some pressure and they’ll make some mistakes.”Adding to New Zealand’s problems was the plight of opening bowler Dion Nash, who came off the ground last night after only one over with an abdominal strain.Fleming said it was too early to tell whether Nash would be available for Sydney.Neither side has won the international one-day tournament in this country and South African captain Shaun Pollock was careful not to claim the title yet.Although Sydney’s weather has been shocking lately, Pollock did not think last night’s result would decide the series, with no rescheduling of games if Friday and Sunday are washed out.”I don’t think the rain will continue for four days, so there’s no doubt were going to get a second game in,” he said.”We’re not looking for the easy way out.”

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.