Zimbabwe’s inter-provincial one-day tournament, the Faithwear series, began at the Harare Sports Club and Academy grounds on Thursday and runs until next week.Since the matches will be played at the Harare Sports Club, which is adjacent President Robert Mugabe’s heavily-guarded palace, and the tranquil Highlands Country Club, no disturbances are expected during play.Players based in Harare, however, will have to beat ever-increasing transport costs to make it to the venues, that is if they manage to leave their neighbourhooods in time without encountering police curfews.The players involved in the tournament fall under the most vulnerable age range in Zimbabwe, and they look up to cricket for a reprieve from daily challenges. Most are not contacted, however, and have no formal employment. Cricket can hardly sustain their livelihood.In deepening problems in the country, it is easy to get detracted, and organisers will be hoping that the tournament passes event-free.Zimbabwe has introduced a new format to the tournament where all matches will be played in one city.

Rajesh Chauhan, the former Indian offspinner, has been injured in a road accident n Chhattisgarh, television reports claim. The accident took place at Gundardehi in Durg district when a speeding vehicle hit the car in which Chauhan was travelling.He was admitted to the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital in Bhilai, in central India, and was being monitored in the ICU. His condition has been described as stable.”Chauhan is out of danger,” a Bhilai Steel Plant – Chauhan’s employers – official told IANS. “He probably has multiple fractures and has also received some serious bruises on his hand, leg, back and head. A team of doctors is examining his condition.”Chauhan, 40, played 21 Tests and 35 one-day internationals from 1993 to 1998. While his performances were far from head-turning, India lost none of the 21 Tests in which he played. He is perhaps remembered most for his last-over six off Saqlain Mushtaq at Karachi in 1997, which sealed a four-wicket win for India.

Andy Flower, the Essex batsman and former Zimbabwe captain, has been named as assistant to Peter Moores, the newly appointed national coach. He replaces Matthew Maynard, who was the assistant to Moores’s predecessor, Duncan Fletcher.Moores, who has previously worked with Flower at the National Academy, welcomed his new assistant. “Andy will bring to the support staff a wealth of international experience as well as a clear understanding of the domestic game in England and Wales. He has worked at the National Academy for the past two seasons as a specialist batting coach and has done an excellent job. I am sure all the players will respond to his style and enjoy working with him.”With this, the 39-year-old Flower has called time on a first-class career spanning 20 years in which he scored 16,379 first-class runs at an average of 54.05. He’d spent the past five seasons with Essex, and was ruled out of the current season with a hip injury. One of Zimbabwe’s greatest players, Flower played 63 Tests, scoring 4794 runs at 51.54 with 12 centuries and 160 dismissals as wicketkeeper.”I’m proud of the days I spent in Zimbabwe and I’m proud of the fact that when we were given Test status we worked our hides off, sweating blood and tears trying to justify that promotion to Test and one-day international cricket”, Flower said in a statement. “I look back fondly on the times that I spent with a lot of good people in Zimbabwe.”Flower was Zimbabwe’s captain and scored 156 when they recorded their maiden Test victory, defeating Pakistan by an innings and 64 runs at Harare in 1995. He enjoyed a purple patch for two years starting in 1999 when he averaged 85 over 21 Tests. He grabbed the headlines when he scored 540 runs being dismissed only twice on a tour to India. Flower became the first wicketkeeper-batsman to record centuries in both innings of a Test match, scoring 142 and 199 not out against South Africa at Harare in 2001.He was also the first wicketkeeper to go to the top of the international ratings for Test batsmen and was named as one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year in 2002. Flower announced his retirement from international cricket after a turbulent 2003 World Cup, which started with an unprecedented protest by him and team-mate Henry Olonga over the “death of democracy” in Zimbabwe.”A gentleman, an educator and all-round quality human being,” said Ian Pont, Essex’s fast bowling coach. “A huge loss for Essex, but he’s just what England need.”Flower will join the England coaching staff before the first Test against the West Indies at Lord’s, starting on May 17. While he will work primarily as a batting coach, he will also help Moores work with England’s wicketkeepers.

Justin Langer continued his outstanding county season with 145 at nearly a run a ball in Somerset’s 87-run one-day victory over Middlesex on Sunday. Langer was well supported by Cameron White, who made 61 as the visitors piled on 332 at Lord’s.It was Langer’s second limited-overs century in the tournament and he is now second on the county one-day run tally for 2007, and third in the first-class list. His effort against Middlesex took 149 balls and he shared in a 136-run stand with White.Just when the home side appeared to be setting a platform to launch the big chase through a 52-run partnership between Eoin Morgan and David Nash, White became the hero with the ball, removing both batsmen and finishing with 3 for 37.On the same day at Worcester, Phil Jaques turned his poor form around to register his second hundred of the season. Jaques made 102 but was overshadowed by Vikram Solanki as they added 223 for the first wicket. Solanki remained unbeaten on 144 as Worcestershire cruised to 2 for 307 from 46 overs, easily overhauling Warwickshire’s 6 for 303.It was not such a memorable match for Doug Bollinger, however, whose first season with Worcestershire has not gone to plan so far. Bollinger took 1 for 63 from his ten overs, two days after he was taken for 75 from eight overs against Durham at Chester-le-Street. Kabir Ali, who has played Test cricket for England, also struggled and cost 94 from ten overs as Durham’s batsmen – including Michael Di Venuto with 49 – blasted their way to 4 for 332. Jaques and Solanki could not save the day and Worcestershire lost by 143 runs.Hampshire confirmed the value of having two of Australia’s best bowlers as they skittled Glamorgan for 146 to win by 137 runs at Swansea. Shane Warne – who earlier had enjoyed a cameo of 18 from nine balls – claimed 2 for 32 but it was Stuart Clark’s devastating opening spell that did for Glamorgan. Clark, who finished with 4 for 25, took three early wickets as the home side spiralled to 7 for 49. Glamorgan only climbed to 146 through some late hitting from Simon Jones and Dean Cosker.Clark and Warne were also effective in the four-day match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston earlier in the week but Hampshire’s batsmen let them down. Clark collected 3 for 65 and Warne 2 for 47 as they dismissed the home team for 262 in reply to Hampshire’s 169. Hampshire eventually escaped with a draw but found themselves sixth on the County Championship table for Division One.Marcus North signed off from his impressive stint with Gloucestershire, scoring his third first-class century from five games. North’s 109 helped his side to 394 against Northamptonshire at Gloucester and he followed up with 2 for 23 as the visitors struggled to 223. North, who is Gloucestershire’s leading run-scorer in first-class and one-day cricket this season, will be replaced next week by his Western Australia team-mate Ben Edmondson.At Hove, Stuart Law compiled his second century of 2007 as his team, Lancashire, finished with a slight edge over Sussex. Law made 119 and Brad Hodge scored 43 as Lancashire posted 330 in the first innings.Both batsmen failed in the second, however, and despite a nine-wicket match from Lancashire’s star bowler Muttiah Muralitharan, the match ended in a draw. Although nine players in their squad boast Test or ODI experience – Law, Hodge, Muralitharan, Andrew Flintoff, Sajid Mahmood, James Anderson, Dominic Cork, Mal Loye and Glen Chapple – Lancashire are third-last on the Division One table.A bold declaration by Langer backfired spectacularly at Lord’s. He called Somerset’s innings closed at 8 for 50, in an effort to expose Middlesex on a damp pitch. However, the home side clearly had not read the script and ploughed along to 252. That left Somerset with a hefty first-innings deficit and despite a better effort on the third day – White chipped in with 77 – Middlesex took the points and leapfrogged Somerset into second place on the Division Two table.In first place are Nottinghamshire, who narrowly missed another victory against Leicestershire at Oakham. Set 377 to win, Nottinghamshire were on course thanks in part to David Hussey, who continued his prolific form with 79 off 65 balls.But Hussey, who made his name leading enormous chases at Victoria, was caught behind and the visitors soon had little option but to play out a draw. Hussey now has 737 runs at 81.88 this season and is second only to Mark Ramprakash on the county run-tally.

The organisers of the Stanford 20/20 have announced the creation of a Stanford 20/20 Professional Team in Antigua as part of their ultimate goal of establishing a professional 20/20 cricket league in the West Indies.Made up of Antiguan nationals, the team in Antigua is being described as a test case to establish the format for setting up other such professional teams throughout the region. Players on the team will be paid to play cricket full-time. They will also be able to carry out West Indies, Leeward Island Cricket Association and Antigua national team duties as part of the programme.”In addition to creating more competitive play in the Stanford 20/20 tournament, the purpose for the Stanford 20/20 Professional Team in Antigua and the league overall is to provide the West Indies with a pool of players that they can tap into when making selections for their National and West Indies Cricket Teams,” explained Sir Allen Stanford. “These players are going to live, eat and breathe cricket.”They are going to be paid for it. Their job will be to play cricket and they will make a living doing so. The West Indies cannot help but benefit from the caliber of cricket that we are going to see come out of this team and the league when it all comes together. We are very excited about what this means for West Indies cricket.”Along with training and playing cricket, the Stanford 20/20 Professional Team members will also participate in educational classroom activities focusing on such topics as motivation, financial planning and advanced technical cricket and work with the youth programme and in the schools with up and coming youth cricketers. The players will also travel extensively in order to gain valuable competitive experience.Seventeen players have been selected for the team following a camp in May. Another 13 will train with the team on a regular basis.The selection panel comprised the local selectors from the Antigua & Barbuda Cricket Association along with the coach for the team, Eldine Baptiste and the Stanford 20/20 legends from Antigua – Sir Vivian Richards, Andy Roberts, Richie Richardson and Curtly Ambrose.The team will have a full time coach and personal trainer in Antiguans Eldine Baptiste and Evans ‘Jawakie’ Jones, as well as a full-time manager. Other specialists will be brought in when necessary to assist in the physical and mental development of the players.Stanford 20/20 Professional Team Sylvester Joseph (capt), Justin Athanaze, Michael Challenger, Wilden Cornwall, Juari Edwards, Chad Hampson, Larry Joseph, Anthony Martin, Stephen Matthew, Branco Payne, Austin Richards, Mali Richards, Curtis Roberts, Carl Simon, Devon Thomas, Gavin Tonge, Gavin Williams. Coach – Eldine Baptiste. Trainer – Evans ‘Jawakie’ Jones.

Arif Butt, the former Pakistan fast-medium bowler, has died at the age of 63 in Lahore. Butt was suffering from a number of heart and lung-related ailments stemming from diabetes. He had been in hospital for the last month.Butt played only three Tests for Pakistan, though many felt he should have played many more, especially after one of the most impressive debut Test performances for Pakistan. As a lanky 19-year-old, Butt took 6 for 89 on his first appearance against Australia in a one-off Test at the MCG in 1964-65.He was a handy lower-order batsman as well, as a first-class career average of 29, four hundreds and over 4000 runs testifies. In the second innings of his debut Test, he was considered good enough to open, replacing the injured wicketkeeper regular, Abdul Kadir, and he hung around for nearly an hour. In what proved to be his last Test, he made his highest Test score of 20, helping Intikhab Alam add 52 valuable runs for the ninth wicket in a low-scoring, tense draw.It was primarily for his bowling, however, that he was known, possessing a good bouncer and an acclaimed leg-cutter. Along with his height and stamina, those traits enabled him to pick up 14 wickets in his first two Tests, including six wickets in his second Test against New Zealand.To many people’s surprise he never played for Pakistan again after that tour Down Under, more so because Pakistan were struggling to find a decent new-ball pair at the time. On that tour, Butt was often opening the bowling with the less than threatening Asif Iqbal.A couple of Tests later, Pakistan’s new-ball attack was shared by Asif and Majid Khan. On the 1967 tour of England, when Saleem Altaf was often the only recognised fast bowler, Butt’s non-selection in conditions ideal for him was widely questioned. It was often suggested that his poor fielding skills and his temperament went against him.The snub didn’t prevent an accomplished first-class career. He began his career playing for the Friends Cricket Club of Lahore, under the watchful guidance of his uncle, Khawaja Abdur Rab, a famous coach. He joined Pakistan Railways, where his father worked, soon after and stayed with them for 16 years.His maiden century came in a losing cause against Karachi in the 1966-67 Quaid-e-Azam trophy final but his greatest season came seven years later, when, as captain, he led his side to the Patrons Trophy and the Quaid-e-Azam trophy, often opening the batting and the bowling. He took 6 for 55 against Sindh in the Quaid final and ended the season with 718 runs (including a career-best 180 as opener) and 48 wickets from 12 matches. Though he played on till 1977-78, the early 70s remain his best first-class years.

In the wake of concerns being expressed by the ICC over his proposed multi-million dollar Twenty20 International Super Series next June, Allen Stanford suggested last week that he has an alternative to channel his US$20 million should the showpiece tournament be stumped by the authorities.That plan, as he explained, was to establish a fully professional regional competition featuring 21 teams. Given that his direct investments in the game so far have focused on the new popular hybrid of one-day cricket, I suppose the Antigua-based Texan billionaire was thinking in terms of broadening the Stanford Twenty20 beyond the limited scope of the one-month tournament that is scheduled to have its second edition early next year.However, in the context of what West Indies cricket really needs to get back on a sound footing in the longer, traditional form of the game – a form that is still considered by the vast majority of players and fans as the true standard of cricketing excellence – wouldn’t it be more beneficial in the long term for Stanford to pump his millions into the regional first-class competition, if, as he has stated many times, his primary aim is to contribute to the revival of the West Indies as a world power?There are a number of challenges to be overcome if such a proposal is to ever become a reality, not least the apparent reluctance of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to be seen as relinquishing control to a Kerry Packer-type tycoon. Yet their very existence is supposed to be to ensure both the prosperity and viability of the Caribbean game, two fundamental objectives in which they have failed miserably over the past decade (it has taken the revenues of the World Cup to pull them out of a deep financial hole), so you would think that the big men in those positions of influence would be prepared to sacrifice their parochial interests if a workable relationship could be established with the investment banker.Some may want to suggest that the success of the regional side in the Twenty20 matches and ODIs at the end of the tour of England and Ireland indicates that the team is well on the way to turning things around. Hopefully, that is not the view of anyone in any critical position at the WICB, for everyone knows only too well that as much as we are capable of beating the world in the abbreviated versions, our performances in Test cricket continue to be abysmal.Being a man who has made his fortune through wise investments, Stanford should certainly appreciate that supporting first-class cricket, as dull and unattractive as it is when compared to the calculated vupping of Twenty20, will not bring immediate returns, but through perseverance, consistency and an insistence on the very highest standards, can eventually reap dividends at the top level.It really takes a certain amount of vision and appreciation of the inherent value of the longer form of the game for any business enterprise to want to associate with first-class cricket. Everywhere in the world, from England to Australia to the cricket-crazy environment of the Indian sub-continent, first-class matches are played day after day, year after year to a mere scattering of spectators. Even in the halcyon days of West Indies cricket in the 1970s and 1980s, Shell Shield matches struggled to attract decent crowds, while the prospect of seeing Andy Roberts bowling to Viv Richards wasn’t enough of an attraction to fill English county grounds at Hampshire or Somerset when these great men were in their prime.Yet despite being associated with long periods of boredom in empty stadiums, private companies have been persuaded to identify with first-class cricket, not so much on the basis of the visibility of their brand to a massive audience, but as a true supporter of the game by ensuring the viability of a level of competition that essentially determines how strong a country will be in Test cricket.And that’s why Stanford, his advisory board of 14 outstanding former West Indies cricketers and officials of the WICB should seriously consider working out an arrangement that will essentially guarantee the viability of first-class cricket in the region for many years to come. As with anything else these days, it won’t be a case of money for nothing, as everyone – administrators, team officials and players – must be held to a higher standard if the remuneration is greater.Of course, this could very well prove to be easier said than done, especially as Stanford himself seems more inclined towards the instant gratification, gimmickry and excitable crowds of Twenty20 to ensure that his name, and therefore his associated business interests, becomes increasingly identifiable to a large segment of the Caribbean populace.But just think about the two options: a one-week festival of Twenty20 action featuring the very best teams and players in the world, all straining every sinew for the US$20 million jackpot, or a properly structured, well-financed regional first-class competition for at least the next ten years.It’s like choosing between fast food and farming. One looks good but is of little value, while the other is tedious and unattractive but ultimately much more rewarding.Stanford has chosen already, however it would be encouraging to think he can be persuaded to plant the cricketing land instead of ordering another burger and fries.

Trinidad and Tobago’s (T&T) women cricketers defied St Lucia – and the rains – to lift the West Indies Women Cricket Federation regional tournament league title in Barbados. Stacy Ann King and Anisa Mohammed played star roles in the victory at the Passage Road Ground. King hit a robust half-century to take T&T’s total to 213 in 48.3 overs, before Mohammed wrecked St Lucia’s innings, which ended 33 runs short of the revised target.St Lucia followed the tournament trend by winning the toss and asking T&T to bat. King responded by blasting 83, and T&T also had useful contributions from Devika Singh, who scored 22, captain Marissa Aguillera (17), as well as Gaitri Seetahal, who remained unbeaten on 24. Naralee Cooper took 4 for 35 off ten overs for St Lucia while her sister, Roylin Cooper, took 2 for 33.In reply, St Lucia stumbled to 49 for 3 after 14 overs, when rain interrupted the innings. Aguillera and Co would have been hoping desperately for the weather to clear, with the other two fixtures of the day – Barbados v Grenada and Jamaica v St Vincent and the Grenadines – being washed out.T&T had already failed to complete two matches due to inclement weather. In their first outing against Jamaica, T&T batted but were awarded a point after rain flooded the outfield. A day later, T&T were unable to take the field after the weather ruined their match against Barbados. But with successive victories against defending champs St Vincent and Grenada, they were level on points with Barbados going into today’s match. The bad weather meant only a win would ensure them the title. This time, the elements were on their side.St Lucia resumed their innings and were still in contention to pull off an upset at 116 for 6. However, Mohammed’s figures of 5 for 26, and Gaitri Seetahal’s 2 for 26, made sure there was no repeat of 2004, when T&T narrowly lost out on the title to hosts St Vincent, after suffering two rained-out matches. St Lucia folded for 138, chasing the revised target of 171. Swaylyn Williams top scored with 30 while West Indies batsman Nadine George (22) and Purner Thomas, who scored 20, also gave good support.T&T and Barbados will both enjoy a bye today, while the other four teams play for the other two semi-final spots in the knockout phase of the competition.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has served a legal notice on batsman Imran Farhat over his decision to join the Indian Cricket League after his omission from the Twenty20 squad for the World Championship. It has asked him to explain how he joined the ICL while he was still a contracted player and to substantiate his remarks at the time about the selectors.”I have received this notice [on Monday] and my lawyer will respond to it appropriately,” Farhat told . “I am not going to back down from my stand. I maintain I have not been treated justly – I asked them to release me from the central contract before signing up for the ICL.”The notice said Farhat had violated the terms of his contract by signing up to play elsewhere without obtaining the board’s consent. Farhat has seven days to respond to the notice, failing which he will be taken to court.”Even though Imran had requested for his exclusion from the central contract, the board still considers him on the contractual list which is why the opener was served a legal notice for levelling allegations on some of the PCB officials and the national selection committee,” Shafqat Naghmi, the chief operating officer of PCB, said.Farhat was on the tour of South Africa earlier this year but overlooked for the World Cup and the subsequent series in Abu Dhabi and Scotland. Though he was handed a central contract, he said he felt humiliated after being put in a Future Players Programme and being dropped from the Twenty20 squad despite being called for the preparatory camp in Karachi.Farhat and two others – Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq – who were also excluded from the Twenty20 event turned their backs on Pakistan and joined the ICL, a league which has not been recognised by the PCB or the ICC.

Mohammad Ashraful, Bangladesh’s captain, has called for the appointment of a full-time coach ahead of his side’s tour to New Zealand at the end of the year.”I feel we desperately need a permanent coach, whoever it may be, Shaun [Williams] or anyone else. There is a big difference between a permanent and temporary coach. You can’t expect teamwork with a temporary solution,” Ashraful told the .The Bangladesh Cricket Board has been looking for a national coach since Dav Whatmore refused a two-year contract extension after spending four years with the team. Interim coach Shaun Williams, who took over in June, was at the helm for a tour of Sri Lanka and the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa. Neither of the two tours was successful for Bangladesh and the strategies of the team management have been criticised, especially after some haphazard batting in the Twenty20.National selector and former captain Akram Khan, who was part of the team management during the last two trips, also stressed on the need of a full-time coach. “I was only part of the selection process. I wasn’t involved in game planning,” he said. “Actually the captain and coach have the big role behind the planning. What I want to say is that we should have come out from the short-term solution immediately about the coach.”However, he expressed his satisfaction over the Twenty20 performance. “I think our performance was not bad because we fulfilled our target but the problem is that we were not consistent enough in any form of the game,” he said. “What I felt was that our team couldn’t play their natural game with the expectations getting higher.”Chief selector Rafiqul Alam also expressed his satisfaction over Bangladesh’s performance in South Africa. “The batting problems might remain in the Twenty20 format but what is most important is that nobody took us lightly. I believe if anybody is good in the five-day game then he will be okay in any format,” he said. “We have to shift our focus to the New Zealand trip and I think this year’s National Cricket League will be crucial for the players because we are trying many things to make it worthy including the financial encouragement.”Rafiqul also believed that the team needs a permanent coach. “A permanent coach is a very important part but as well as that, we have to find the right man for the job and in that case you have to compromise on time.”Responding to allegations that Ashraful had attitude problems during the Twenty20 and did not listen to anybody during the tour, Rabeed Imam, Bangladesh’s media manager, told Cricinfo: “Ashraful is a proactive skipper and he takes initiatives. He is confident enough to take decisions he feels are right and I don’t see any justifiable reason why some people should be critical of that. He’s also the senior-most pro in the side and has more experience at this level than any other player in the Twenty 20 team.”He has excellent working relationship with the coach, coaching staff and selectors and they can vouch for that. The players also find him easily approachable as most are his age or near about.”