The Australian Cricket Board is wary about the potentially thorny issueof what Shane Warne can do during his 12-month suspension.The ACB will carefully consider any bid from Warne to train with theVictorian state team until February 10 next year, when his ban ends.Warne announced on Wednesday he would not appeal the suspension fortesting positive to banned diuretics.He added he intended to give it his “best shot” to return to the Testside.The question now is whether Warne can put this disaster behind him,maintain his motivation and be ready for first-class cricket early nextyear.It also remains to be seen exactly what cricket resources he will beallowed to use.”His suspension means he can’t play in any cricket, nor can he hold anyoffice in any cricket,” said ACB public affairs manager Peter Young.”Technically, he can do anything outside that suspension.”When asked if Warne could train with the Bushrangers during his ban,Young replied: “Technically, he’s free to do that.”We’d have to consider that for any policy issue.”For example, if he was to train with Victoria and got injured, whowould be liable?”During his suspension he’s not contracted, so he’s not covered byinsurance.”Young said it was up to Warne and Channel Nine, where he already holds acontract, whether he became a commentator for the cricket broadcaster inthe next year.Young added Warne would still be subject to random drug tests during hisban.AFL club St Kilda, where Warne once played in the lower grades,indicated last week it could be interested in giving the leg spinner aconsultancy role there.The league said it would look at the matter if it received a formalrequest from the club, while Young said: “Our view is it’s a matter forthem (the AFL).”Also, the ABC reported Warne’s wine venture could be in doubt because ofhis ban.Warne had some wines named after him late last year, but it isunderstood that deal is now under review.Earlier, World Anti-Doping Agency boss Dick Pound has again attackedAustralian cricketers, describing as ridiculous claims that druginformation sessions are too difficult to absorb.Pound said the drug education program for elite athletes does not needto be changed despite claims by Warne and Test captain Steve Waugh thatthe information was too complicated.”It’s not rocket science to be perfectly candid, you know if you’re anelite athlete you’ve got to be careful with what you take and you knowthat diuretics are one of the things about which you’ve got to becareful,” Pound told the ABC.Pound also said Warne’s decision not to appeal was the right one, addingthe Australian Cricket Board’s anti-doping committee would certainlyhave increased his suspension to two years if he had appealed.

BRISBANE, April 4 AAP – Australia’s next wave of top cricketers continued South Africa’s blues in the one-day international arena tonight with a comfortable 64-run win by Australia A at the Gabba.Playing the first match of their seven-match Australian tour, South Africa A never got into stride thanks to the twin challenges of rain and a feisty Australian performance in the field.Chasing the Australia A total of 212 from 50 overs, the visitors were bundled out for 106 after being set a revised target of 171 from 30 overs following a two-hour rain delay.The Duckworth-Lewis method, which caused the South African World Cup campaign so much grief last month, was again a feature of the loss, although the damage was done to their innings before the rain appeared.Victorian pace bowler Shane Harwood was named man-of-the-match with his 29 not out and figures of 1-8 from four overs providing Australia A with a winning edge.Australia A shared its wickets around with World Cup squad member Nathan Hauritz claiming 3-33 from 5.1 overs and pace bowler Stuart Clark making the early breakthroughs to take 2-13 from six overs.NSW batsman Michael Clarke celebrated his call-up to the Australian tour of the West Indies earlier in the day by showcasing his versatility, taking 2-14 with his left-arm spinners.Australia again showed why it is rated among the best fielding nations in the world, with fine outfield catches by Damien Wright and Clarke and a direct hit by Hauritz to remove opener Adam Bacher.For South Africa A, captain Gerald Dros top-scored with 21 but it was otherwise an uninspiring performance by the tourists, which had five players with either Test or one day international experience in their ranks.Rain stopped play with the South African run chase just nine overs old after pace bowlers Clark (2-11) and Harwood (1-8) had reduced their opponents to 3-20.Following a lengthy break of nearly two hours, the South African innings resumed with their required run-rate jumping from under 5 to more than 7 runs an over.It was the second rain delay of the match, with a brief delay in the 27th over of the Australian innings, with play halted for 23 minutes when Australia was 5-122.The disruption paid off for South Africans, with dangerman Andrew Symonds dismissed for 30 shortly after the resumption, caught at first slip off the bowling of right-arm quick Charl Langeveldt.The tourists started well by dismissing Australia A captain Jimmy Maher for 5, caught at deep fine leg by Andre Nel in the fourth over, before NSW left-hander Simon Katich was out for a duck to have the home side 2-15.Australia got back on track briefly, thanks to bright batting by opener Brad Hodge (34) and Michael Clarke, who became Australia’s latest West Indies tour replacement while on the way to a breezy 24 off 22 balls, including three fours and a six.The two teams travel to Canberra tomorrow for the next match on Sunday at Manuka Oval.Left-arm paceman Nathan Bracken, who missed the opening game for personal reasons, and wicket-keeper Ryan Campbell (illness) are expected to be available for selection for Australia A.Queensland batsman Clinton Perren has joined the squad as the replacement for Clarke, who departs for the West Indies tomorrow.

MIDLANDSMidlands general manager Ken Connelly must secretly be hoping that Zimbabwe will not make the final at Sharjah – as they are not expected to do. For if they do, he will have five players missing from the Logan Cup match against Matabeleland scheduled to start in Kwekwe on Friday 11 April, and will experience great difficulty in raising a second team to play their B Division match in Masvingo at all.Since the first three rounds of matches, played in October, Midlands have lost several players. Among them are two former CFX Academy graduates. John Vaughan-Davies resigned and emigrated to South Africa, while Innocent Chinyoka had his contract with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union terminated for disciplinary reasons.Coach Don Campbell is calling for squad practices starting on Monday 7 April, and they will wait to see what happens in Sharjah before announcing a team. If Zimbabwe, as expected with Pakistan and Sri Lanka as opponents, are knocked out, they expect their international players to be back just in time to play Logan Cup.MATABELELANDOn the administrative side, Matabeleland have appointed Norman Dube as assistant general manager to Neil Todd.Board member Terry Nicolle says that Matabeleland intend to rest their international players, even if they do return from Sharjah theoretically in time to play their match against Midlands in Kwekwe. They will also be without Mark Vermeulen, who is still suffering from the injury he suffered in the nets during the World Cup Super Sixes in South Africa and may need an operation on the bone above his eye, and Pommie Mbangwa, commentating in Sharjah. Mbangwa has played little league cricket for Queens Sports Club this season either, which may well prejudice his chances for a national recall for the England tour.They are looking at a likely batting line-up of Charles Coventry, Ryan King, Barney Rogers (captain), Andre Hoffman, Gavin Ewing, Greg Strydom, Wisdom Siziba (wicket-keeper), Piet Rinke, Jordane Nicolle, Keith Dabengwa and Norman Mukondiwa. All have first-class experience.According to Mr Nicolle, Rogers is batting exceptionally well at the moment, while Jordane Nicolle has recovered from his injury problems and is bowling with genuine pace and hostility. Ewing and Strydom will be looking to recover their form, which has been rather disappointing this season. Strydom will be attending the CFX Academy, as will Mukondiwa, who has had a reasonable club season despite frequent problems with no-balls.MANICALANDThe big interest for Manicaland cricket at present is their appearance in the National League final against Takashinga on Sunday 6 April, according to Alan Walsh. The Mutare Sports Club team finished top of the league and won their semi-final against Kwekwe, so they hope to wrap up the double this coming weekend.The news is not so encouraging for the final three rounds of the Logan Cup. They have lost both Alistair Campbell and Henry Olonga, and Neil Ferreira, the third captain this season, takes over the reins. Kudzai Taibu, brother of Tatenda, has been promoted to the first-team squad. Only Stuart Matsikenyeri of their team is currently playing in Sharjah.Stephen Mangongo has been appointed cricket coach for the province. He will shortly move down from Harare to take up residence in Mutare.The local Manicaland league was badly disrupted by the World Cup and the cyclone, which brought little but rain for two weeks. Fortunately the new covers at Mutare Sports Club did their job and the pitch was well protected.MASHONALANDMashonaland could not provide any news. They are waiting to see when the national side are returning from Sharjah before naming a team.

Glamorgan maintained their unbeaten sequence in the National Leaguewith an emphatic 10 wicket victory over Gloucestershire in a contestthat was reduced initially to a 30 over game as a result of morningrain in South Wales.Robert Croft won an important toss and with rain clouds gathering, he hadno hesitation in inserting the opponents. Andrew Davies then reducedGloucestershire to 20-3 in a very impressive opening spellfrom the River End, as Davies took 3-4 in 9 balls.A short shower caused another interrruption and thegame was further reduced to a 26 overs contest, but when play resumed the Glamorgan bowlersremained on top with Alex Wharf taking 4-18 – his best ever figures in one daycricket and the best by a Glamorgan bowler against Gloucestershire in thecompetition.With Robert Croft making shrewd bowling changes, and his team fielding withgreat spirit, none of the Gloucestershire batsmen could come to terms withthe Glamorgan attack, and they closed their innings on a disappointing 133-9.After the Duckworth-Lewis calculations had been performed Glamorgan`s targetwas 133 in 26 overs, and Robert Croft and Ian Thomas then shared an unbrokenstand of 135 in 21.2 overs as Glamorgan cantered to only their third everwin the competition by 10 wickets, and their first since 1993.Ian Thomas was in imperious mood, hitting three huge sixes and six fours inhis unbeaten 71, whilst Croft`s 60 contained four fours and a six as they putall of the Gloucestershire bowlers to the sword and raced to their targetwith 28 balls to spare. This was Glamorgan`s first victory over Gloucestershire in the competition since 1996and their first in Wales since 1993.It was the Dragon`s third successive win in the League and equalled the club`s best everstart in the competition, achieved in1980 when Glamorgan defeated Lancashire, Essex and Nottinghamshire. The Dragons willbe looking to make it a record four out of four next Sunday when they travelto Headingley to play Yorkshire.

In the July issue of Wisden Cricket Monthly Stephen Fay argues that the Twenty20 Cup may solve cricket’s image problem but it is a big riskIt had better work. The £250,000 the ECB is spending to promote Twenty20 cricket is a gamble based on the marketing department’s faithful response to a survey. The ECB’s annual report spells it out: "It became evident from consumer research … that there was a considerable demand for a shorter, fast variation of the game."For two weeks in high summer, starting on June 13, it will be a jacuzzi at Worcester and a pyjama party at Glamorgan. "A good night out and a few beers with your mates," say the marketing people. Atomic Kitten – our older readers might like to know that this is a fashionable pop group – have been hired to sing at the final on July 19. Westminster council found the prospect so forbidding that it refused the MCC a licence. The final will be at Trent Bridge, which has only half the capacity but neighbours who are more tolerant of amplified noise.Stuart Robertson, the ECB marketing manager, gave a succinct summary of cricket’s perceived problem at the launch of Twenty20 cricket in London on May 8. "The audience profile for cricket is disastrous: middle-aged, middle class and white. Kids think it’s for oldies and women think it’s for men. Twenty20 cricket is about addressing these structural barriers and the research says it is women and kids who want this sort of cricket." The idea is that a new audience will then transfer their attractions to the first-class game.What they will get is 20 overs a side played over three hours. The 18 first-class counties have been divided into three regional groups and will battle for £108,000 in team and individual prize money. The game is a hybrid. It is part serious with rules from one-day cricket like fielding restrictions for six overs, bowlers limited to four overs and short-pitched balls limited to one an over. These are rules to suit batsmen. And it is part frivolous: microphone links to the players and the third umpire; the Sky Sports team interviewing players "direct from the dugout"; and batsmen being timed out if they take more than 90 seconds to reach the wicket. American baseball will be gratified that cricket is copying some of its principal features. No more jeers about it being like rounders, please.Sponsors arrived late on the scene but there are three of them now: the Test sponsor npower, the Dutch electrical company Philips, whose screen will show instant replays, and Nectar, whose vouchers can be turned into bonus prizes. Now they are ready for the off, what are the prospects?The most productive comparison is with New Zealand where a longer 40-over, four-innings version called Cricket Max started in 1996-97. "The formula was devised by Martin and Jeff Crowe as an off-beat, television-geared form of the game but public interest was minimal," WCM’s New Zealand correspondent Don Cameron reports. "The offer of a NZ$1,000 prize to spectators to catch sixes failed to excite the few hundred fans. At some grounds wits reckoned it was a better idea to introduce all the spectators to all the players. The lesson seemed to be that you could put all manner of gimmicks into a package but people might not want to buy it."When costs rose too high the tournament was scaled down; last winter’s players’ strike put paid to this year’s tournament and Max is likely to languish as a too expensive event for regular competition among the six first-class teams in New Zealand. In Australia an attenuated version of Cricket Max called Super Eights – eight players on a team bowling 14 overs and a six counting eight – was used as a pre-season tournament but it lasted only two years and finished in 1997.Perhaps neither example will prove relevant to the success or failure of Twenty20. The ECB’s gamble will be difficult to judge this summer. A generous publicity budget ought to bring the crowds. It will be harder next year when the originality has worn off. The gamble is like a bet on a horse. There are no ifs and buts. You know whether you have won or lost. A win may alter the image for the good of the game. A loss will have damaged the integrity of cricket in England. That would be a disaster.Click here to subscribe to Wisden Cricket Monthly

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India have declined an offer from the Sri Lankan board (BCCSL) to play a triangular one-day tournament there in November. An Associated Press report had earlier stated that the BCCSL had invited India to join Sri Lanka and England for a three-nation one-day tournament in November.Speaking to Wisden CricInfo, SK Nair, the BCCI secretary, cited India’s packed schedule as the reason for declining the offer. “With India leaving for the Australian tour in November, there is no possibility of [participating in] any such series. The Sri Lankan board were talking to us about it last year, but we have not received any concrete proposal later.” He however said that the Sri Lanka A team would be in India in November. “This A team tour is in all likelihood to be confirmed at our Working Committee meeting in the beginning of July.”England are scheduled to tour Sri Lanka for three Tests and an equal number of one-day internationals this winter. The Sri Lankan board had earlier stated the need to alter the dates for England’s tour, as some venues needed to be changed, but it has been speculated that the real reason might have been to accommodate India in a triangular series.

Khaled Mashud’s unbeaten 37 led Bangladesh to a four-wicket victory over the Queensland Academy of Sport at Innisfail on Thursday. The visitors were also indebted to Alok Kapali (36) and Hannan Sarkar (35) as they made heavy weather of a modest target of 176.Habibul Hossain, with 3 for 39, and Khaled Mahmud – 2 for 33 – were the stars with the ball as the Academy were kept to 175 for 7 earlier in the day. Bangladesh play the first of three one-day internationals against Australia at Cairns on Saturday.

They paid him the highest compliment possible and say he played the gamelike an Australian.Larger than life and always the centre of attention, Darren Gough alwaystantalized his fans with amazing feats but, sadly for him and for England, hecould not produce these consistently.As the consummate performer he knew that it was best to be centre stagewhen the spotlight was brightest and that was, of course, against Australia.The Australians craved a contest and a feisty worthy opponent and they foundthat in Gough.At Sydney in 1995, he captured six wickets and thrashed a scintillating halfcentury. This brought hopes that he would be the saviour of English cricket.Capable of wreaking havoc with both bat and ball.Seventy-four of his 229 wickets were Australian victims (his next highest is SouthAfrica with 43) and he always tried to make inroads into the Australian toporder. More often than not he succeeded and claimed Michael Slater’s wicketeight times and Ricky Ponting and Mark Taylor six each. He never wentwicketless in a Test against Australia.Gough batted at No 9 and 10 for the majority of his career but gave earlyglimpses that maybe he should have been at eight. He had two half-centuriesin his first seven Test matches after which his batting average was 35.Thereafter, Gough somewhat lost much of his proficiency with the blade andhis average steadily declined to 13.When Gough delivered he delivered in spades. With Australia 13 runs shy ofvictory in Melbourne in 1998 and two wickets in hand, within the space ofthree balls Gough cleaned bowled Stuart MacGill and pinned Glenn McGrath infront to give England a famous victory. Four days later in Sydney, Goughcaptured the first English Ashes hat-trick in 100 years. The hat-trickdelivery which cannoned into Colin Miller’s off stump was unplayable.What will history make of Gough’s career? His nickname ‘Dazzler’ provessomewhat ironic. Like a comet, he dazzled brightly but dazzled quickly andall cricket fans will be left pondering what he could have been had he beenable to avoid the serious injuries he suffered.Players might spend hundreds of hours in the nets, and studying videos andthe like, but Gough proved that there is still a place in the game fornatural exuberance and talent.Australian fans recognized his infectious personality and his desire toalways have a go. There was no such thing as a honorable defeat. Going downswinging and fighting. At times he may not have elected to play thepercentages but with his instincts instead. A mercurial talent who left thegame better for his presence. He will be missed.

Hampshire departed the north-east heading for the south-west tonight with their tails between their legs having seen their National League Division Two championship and promotion hopes take a hammering at the hands of Durham Dynamos at the Riverside.It capped off a disasterous five days for the south coast county, having been thrashed in the Championship the day before – it was no wonder they wanted to take the long trek to Taunton tonight instead of on Bank Holiday Monday.On a wicket that gave plenty of assistance to the quicker bowlers, Hawks skipper John Crawley won the toss and chose to take first use only to see the first four wickets disappear with only 34 on the board.Eighteen-year-old Liam Plunkett dismissed James Hamblin and Simon Katich, after the Australian had hammered Neil Killeen out of the attack with four fours in his 12-ball 18. However, the introduction of England paceman Stephen Harmison further dented Hampshire as only John Francis held firm.Reduced to 93-8, Chaminda Vaas showed some resistance with the bat with an unbeaten 28 once Francis (25) and Udal (16) had fallen. Spinner Graeme Bridge wrapped up the tail with 4-20 but 131 was never likely to be enough.And so it proved despite Vaas dispatching Martin Love and Ashley Thorpe in the space of two balls as Nicky Peng and the returning Paul Collingwood clocked up 91 for the third wicket to lead the side, starting the day second bottom of the table to a rare victory.Peng finished unbeaten on 56 while Collingwood smashed 48 to lead Durham to victory with nearly 20 overs to spare.

India’s selection committee, headed by a new chairman, sprung a couple of surprises when they named a squad for the first Test against New Zealand, which starts at Ahmedabad on October 8. Akash Chopra and Sairaj Bahutule were surprising inclusions, while Sanjay Bangar and Ajit Agarkar were prominent among those that missed out.Under Syed Kirmani’s stewardship, the committee have also given opportunities to Yuvraj Singh, L Balaji and Aavishkar Salvi. Yuvraj is unlikely to play, but the five wise men appear to have decided to give him a feel of the big time before the tour of Australia later this year. Salvi and Balaji benefit from Ashish Nehra’s injury, and the unavailability of Javagal Srinath.Chopra’s selection – ahead of Sadagoppan Ramesh, Shiv Sundar Das, Wasim Jaffer, Gautam Gambhir and Deep Dasgupta – will prompt many a debate over the coming week, especially given the fluency with which Ramesh made a century at Rajkot. The man Chopra replaces, Bangar, is also entitled to a few complaints, having done little wrong in his time with the squad.Parthiv Patel has been given the chance to prove his batting mettle on the more placid tracks at home, while Agarkar must wonder just what he has to do to get a look in. No such complaints for men like Murali Kartik and Gambhir, who blew their chances with some indifferent recent performances.If India go into the game with six batsmen, a keeper and four bowlers – as they’re expected to – Yuvraj, Balaji and Bahutule are likely to be the ones relegated to drinks duties. Mind you, the selectors could spring yet another surprise, and open with Yuvraj and Virender Sehwag, just to show the New Zealanders, and Martin Crowe – who once opened the bowling with Dipak Patel – that they don’t have a patent on the bizarre.Squad Virender Sehwag, Akash Chopra, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly (capt), VVS Laxman, Parthiv Patel (wk), Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Aavishkar Salvi, L Balaji, Yuvraj Singh, Sairaj Bahutule.Wisden Comment