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Pubudu Dassanayake, Canada’s coach, has announced a new coaching team who will take charge across the various levels of the game.Shaun Miller who played minor counties cricket in England will be the deputy national coach and he will be responsible for Western Canada which includes the areas of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. He holds an ECB Level 3 qualification.Anderson Cummins, the former West Indies and Canada opening bowler, will look after the Under-19s, who have not qualified for the World Cup in Malaysia this month but will definitely take part in the 2012 event as hosts. Farooq Kirmani who represented Canada in the ’80s, will be undertaking the future of the juniors, in looking after the Under-15s. George Codrington, who represented Canada at last year’s World Cup in the West Indies, will undertake the women’s program.The trio do not, as yet, have formal coaching qualifications, but do have extensive experience of developing players’ skills over many years. “All three have played a considerable amount of international cricket – in Anderson’s case, at Test level,” a Canada spokesperson told Cricinfo. “It is important for Canadian cricket that we maximize this type of expertise which exists within the country.”Geoffrey Crosse will resume his role as technical analyst, team with specific skills in video analysis. “He has formal, college-level qualifications in that area,” said the spokesman, “which is becoming increasingly important for us.”There has been a change in the selectors’ panel too, as Errol Townshend has tendered his resignation as national selector. Richard Hawes, Chris James, Bhan Deonarine and Arvind Patel will soon be joined on the panel by a replacement Ontario representative. The Ontario Cricket Association will recommend a replacement to the CCA. The CCA will then appoint a replacement who will be formally elected to the position at the next AGM.Their big job this year will be to select the side they believe will help Canada win the Twenty20 World Cup Qualifiers in Ireland in August. This will be Canada’s singular focus for the foreseeable future, with two teams from six going through to the World Cup. Project Stingray, as it has been called, will be led by Dassananayake and moves into high gear immediately.The efforts will include the following: an expansion of indoor winter training, with indoor nets and indoor games being played three times a week; specific Twenty20 training; much usage of DVD footage; input from qualified sports psychologists; and the inclusion of promising Canadian Under-19s in the process.

Australia may have to reconsider unleashing a four-pronged pace attack against India for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne as MCG curator Tony Ware has hinted that the pitch may not seam as much as expected. Ware also went by the recent trend of spinners getting enough purchase through the domestic season, suggesting that Australia play slow bowler Brad Hogg.”Shane Warne got a five-for on the first day of the Boxing Day Test last year, and we’ve been getting turn in all the Pura Cup games this year,” Ware told the . “The weather is shocking but I still think we’ll have a pitch that isn’t too greened up.”Hogg was successful against the Indians during Australia’s recent tour, picking up 11 wickets in the one-day series. However, his limited experience at the Test level and and the fact that India have played Australian spinners well could work against his selection.Former fast bowler Glenn McGrath felt that Australia would be better off unsettling India with pace rather than spin. “It’s a tough one,” McGrath said. “The argument is that the Indians don’t like the pace and bounce of Australian wickets, and they play spin regularly. Brett Lee, Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson can all bowl at 150kph and Stuart Clark is there to pull it back if needed. It would be a throwback to the West Indies.”One thing I’ll say for Shaun Tait is that he peaks, and when he bowls at the pace he is now, you have to capitalise on it. You have to make the most of it while it’s there. I’m sitting on the fence because I also think Brad Hogg deserves to be there.”The persistent rain over the last few days, which washed out India’s only warm-up match against Victoria at the Junction Oval near the MCG, had hampered the preparation of the pitch. Ware said at least one day of clear weather was needed to prepare a good wicket.”In a perfect world we would have 10 days of mild weather before the game, but we’ve had our Test track under the covers for the last three days and that’s not ideal for us. I’m not overly concerned yet. We need a break in the weather, though, so we can get the covers off. We basically need one good day to finish things off. We’re at the mercy of the weather.”

The ongoing drama that is the USA Cricket Association shows no sign of ending despite the hope expressed by Chris Dehring, the independent third party appointed to try to find a solution to the imbroglio.Last Friday (November 30) Dehring wrote to stakeholders to advise them that after months of negotiations the new constitution had been released for ratification. He said: “I recommend this new constitution to you as a solid foundation to take US cricket forward.”But those hopes might come to nothing after a scathing attack on the new constitution by Atul Rai, the man who preceded Gladstone Dainty as the USACA president.In a letter to Dehring which has been circulated to all stakeholder clubs, Rai wrote: “I am thoroughly disappointed with the outcome of the six-month process, to say the least. I have examined the document that has been posted on the USACA website and I am shocked to see that the final version of the draft constitution is almost the same as what Dainty tried to force down everyone’s throats back in January. There are several areas in the constitution that remain unchanged despite your assurance to me that the new document was going to reflect the changes as agreed upon by both parties at your meetings.”Rai claims that the constitution will allow Dainty to in effect control the balance of the board. He also accuses him of creating new leagues which are “either completely non existent or they are just a bunch of guys playing cricket on a long weekend” to further boost his support. “Isn’t it ironic that these duly constituted leagues that have been in existence for a long time are not allowed to be part of the process while some bogus leagues are listed as legitimate member leagues?” he wrote. “Despite repeated requests to investigate this matter, no action has been taken.”Dainty called the shots every step of the way, whether it be by delaying things or by intimidation. The entire process of ratification of the constitution and the elections should have been conducted by an independent auditor. Without the independent auditor, a majority of the stakeholders in America, including myself, have no faith in the process and plenty of precious time and effort by many individuals has been wasted.”Rai, who is a major voice for the influential Council of League Presidents, concluded with a call to reject the constitution and “to find alternatives to USACA so that the future of USA cricket does not continue to hang in balance while the … inept administrators of USACA dwindle away precious time trying to build their own power houses”.The letter will be a blow to Dehring, who has worked hard to broker a solution, but there are strong concerns in many areas that Dainty has been allowed to establish a position where his faction will contain control of the USACA.While critics of the board are vocal, the USACA continues to maintain the virtual silence which has been a hallmark of their administration for several years.The result of the election is due to be announced on December 27.

Phil Jaques is trying to recover from the mumps in time to play in New South Wales’ FR Cup match against South Australia in his home town of Wollongong on Sunday. Jaques is desperate to move off Australia’s injury list after being struck by the disease after scoring two centuries in the Sri Lanka series.Jaques is one of a group of players causing concern – Stuart MacGill, Andrew Symonds, Michael Clarke, Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting have all missed domestic games – but he is regaining health. “I’m hopeful of playing but we’ll need to see where I’m at physically,” Jaques said in the Sydney Morning Herald. “My aim is to play.” New South Wales’ medical staff will continue to monitor Jaques in case he develops any complications.It now appears he will be fit for the Boxing Day Test and Matthew Hayden, Jaques’ opening partner, has also recovered from knee tendonitis. Hayden spent the past week training in preparation for the Chappell-Hadlee Series, which starts in Adelaide on December 14.Shaun Tait, who had to withdraw from the first Test of the Sri Lanka contest, is also on the comeback trail from an elbow problem, but he was outstanding in the Pura Cup match against Queensland, taking ten wickets for the game. The selectors are trying to decide the best way back for Tait, but the bowler is in no doubt about which option he would choose.”I’d rather play for Australia in any game,” he told AAP. The squad for the Chappell-Hadlee Series will be chosen on Thursday.

Richard Langridge, who played 212 matches for Sussex between 1957 and 1971, has died after a short battle against cancer. He was 65.A top-order left-hand batsman, Langridge scored 8310 runs at 22.89, including five hundreds. He was a member of the team which won the Gillette Cup in 1963 and 1964, and was on the losing side in the 1970 final.Langridge topped 1000 runs in five seasons, with his best aggregate coming in 1961 when he made 1675 at 26,58. He took a break from the game between 1967 and 1969, before returning to play two final seasons with the county.Langridge was one of the family which played such an important part in Sussex’s history, His father, James, played eight Tests for England and made almost 600 appearances for the county, and his uncle, John, was named in the touring party for the 1939-40 series against India which never took place.

A change in attitude – not the end of selection rotation – was the key factor in Australia’s form reversal in the cricket tri series, batsman Mark Waugh said today.Australia’s comprehensive victory over South Africa in Sydney last night, its second in three days, came from an improved mental approach, not the change inplaying personnel, Waugh told reporters in Adelaide today.”We didn’t lost the first three games because of the rotation, we lost because our attitude wasn’t quite right,” Waugh said.”We didn’t do the basics right, rotation or not, you’ve got to do the basics right.”Selectors opted to go with Australia’s best batting line-up for last night’s match after deciding to end the system of rotating the squad of 14 players through the side for the first four matches of the series.Waugh said Australia’s one-day side had rotated regularly and without any problems for the past 26 matches.But he said the turnaround in attitude should be enough for Australia to carry its improved form through to the tri-series finals after climbing past South Africa (8 points) with a bonus point last night to be on nine points, behind New Zealand (12).”I think we’ve turned the corner, our attitude’s been spot-on the last couple of games, guys have got a bit more confidence back and hopefully we can keep thatgoing,” he said.”We can’t afford too many slip-ups or we won’t be in the finals but I’m confident that we’ll keep winning now.”Waugh said his own improvement in making 55 not out last night was more to do with a change in luck than a return to form.”I wouldn’t say I’m in great form, I had a bit of luck last night, I haven’t had much luck all summer, so it was nice to get a few chances and post a 50,” he said.Waugh had made scores of one, nought and 15 in his three previous innings in the series and there was speculation he would be dropped from the side with theprolific Darren Lehmann touted as a replacement.But the 36-year-old veteran said he had not felt any added pressure.”I suppose when you get older people don’t want to give you as many chances,” he said.”Every time there’s a couple of failures there’s always pressure on but I’m pretty used to it now, I’ve got to keep scoring runs, that’s the name of the game, so that’s what I hope to keep doing.”

The scene of the three match unofficial Test series between Sri Lanka A andKenya now moves to the coastal town of Matara where the visitors will bestriving hard to win the second four-day match and keep their chances ofwinning the series alive. But the home team, meanwhile, will be lookingforward to executing the knock out blow, to seal the series at the UyanwattaCricket Stadium, Matara.Batting made all the difference between the two sides in the firstunofficial Test Match in Colombo. While most of the frontline Sri Lankanbatsmen notched up half centuries, the Kenyan camp failed to provide thegoods with big names like Steve Tikolo and Maurice Odumbe failing with thebat.”Our batting failed in the match in Colombo. Myself, Steve (Tikolo) and theother front line batsmen really didn’t get going,” admits Kenyan skipperMaurice Odumbe.He continues,” It’s even disappointing when you analyse the way we’ve beengetting out. We’ve been getting out going for our shots,”However Odumbe feels that his side can bounce back, “We can pickourselvesup. We know what we are doing wrong. We are going for too many shots veryearly in the innings. So we got to cut down on our shots and got to occupythe crease and bat on,””Occupying the crease,” is the answer to square the series Odumbe feels. TheAfrican nation seems to be ill at ease with the four-day game being moreused to playing one-day games. But this tour is to learn and with noquestion on their ability the visitors might spring up a surprise by doingthe essentials right.Meanwhile Sri Lanka A coach Roshan Mahanama commended his side for a goodperformance with the bat in Colombo, but expects them to start afreshtomorrow.”When the top five make runs it’s a good sign and that eases the burden onthe bowlers, but on the other hand I told the boys that one of them shouldhave gone on and made a big hundred which they didn’t do. So here in Matarathey’ve got an opportunity,” says Mahanama.This is the first real challenge that has come Mahanama’s way from the timethat he took on the post of coach cum manager of the Sri Lanka A team inlast September. He believes in the young guns that have been entrusted tohim and expects a series win here from them.”In Colombo the boys bounced back after a bad start on the first day to winthe match against odds like rain and if they continue the good form we canwin the series here,” believes Mahanama.Both the sides are to decide on the final eleven on the morning of thematch. However it’s felt that the Kenyans will play 25-year-old mediumpaceman Peter Ochieng instead of fellow paceman Lameck Onyango who had arelatively bad game in Colombo.The Sri Lankans have dropped Kaushalya Weeraratne from the side that playedin the Colombo match and have brought in Pulasti Gunaratne.The Uyanwatta Stadium pitch looks a good batting track with a bit of grassthat should help the seamers early on.But if the grass on the track is further pruned on the final day morning itlooks as if Sri Lanka will go with a three men spin attack with RanganaHerath coming in to support skipper Upul Chandana andMutumudalige Pushpakumara.The teamsKenya (from):Maurice Odumbe (capt), Steve Tikolo, Ravindu Shah,Kennedy Otieno, Hitesh Modi, Thomas Odoyo, MartinSuji, Otieno Ondik, Lameck Onyango, Sorongo Ababu,Brijal Patel, David Obuya, Joseph Angara, PeterOgondo,Collins Obuya, Muhammed Sheikh.Sri Lanka A (from):Avishka Gunawardene, Ian Daniel, Michal Vandort,Chamara Silva, T.M. Dilshan, Upul Chandana, PrasannaJayawardene, Muttumudalige Pushpakumara, PrabathNissanka, Ruchira Perera, Rangana Herath, UpekaFernando, Gayan Wijekoon, Pulasti Gunaratne.

The West Indies Cricket Board announced on Tuesday that the Selection Committee has named 12 players from which the final 11 will be picked for the third Cable & Wireless One-Day International against Australia at Beausejour Stadium on Wednesday.West Indies trail Australia 0-2 in the seven-match series after losing a double-header at Kingston’s Sabina Park by two runs on Saturday and eight wickets on Sunday.Squad: Brian Lara (captain, Trinidad & Tobago), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice-captain, Guyana), Omari Banks (Leeward Islands), Carlton Baugh Jr (wk, Jamaica), David Bernard Jr (Jamaica), Corey Collymore (Barbados), Mervyn Dillon (Trinidad & Tobago), Vasbert Drakes (Barbados), Chris Gayle (Jamaica), Wavell Hinds (Jamaica), Ricardo Powell (Jamaica), Devon Smith (Windward Islands)Coach: Gus Logie
Team Manager: Ricky Skerritt
Team Analyst: Garfield Smith
Team Trainer: Ronald Rogers
Adriel Richard
West Indies Media Attaché
Tel: 246/230-7016

The rehabilitation of Ajay Jadeja progressed by one more notch as the Supreme Court refused to stay a Delhi High Court interim order allowing him to play domestic cricket. The court directed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to approach the division bench of the High Court to seek modifications.Dismissing the BCCI’s petition for a stay, the Supreme Court said: "he [Jadeja] has been allowed to play only domestic cricket."The vacation bench of the Supreme Court consisted of Justice N Santosh Hegde and Justice Shivaraj Patil. They said that though the next High Court hearing on the matter was scheduled for July 21, the BCCI had the right to approach the High Court before that to make their submission.Jadeja was present at the court, but refused to comment on the incident. He said that he did not understand the ruling and would consult his lawyers before expressing himself on the matter.

Subrata Guha, the former Indian swing bowler, died in Mumbai following a massive heart attack early this morning. He was 57.Guha was an accurate right-arm medium-pace bowler who could swing the ball both ways, but his Test appearances were limited. Guha played only four Tests for India, in the late 1960s. He finished with three wickets at an unflattering 103.67, and 17 runs at 3.40. His best bowling was 2 for 55 – the wickets of Paul Sheahan and John Gleeson – at Kanpur in 1969-70.He made his presence felt when he took 11 wickets in the match to bowl an unfancied combined Central & East Zone team to a shock victory over the all-conquering West Indian side in 1966-67. But he had a nightmarish start to his Test career, when he sent down 48 overs and conceded 115 runs without taking a wicket against England at Headingley in 1967.In the Ranji Trophy, however, Guha was a pillar of strength for Bengal for over a decade, and took 209 wickets at 14.61, with a best return of 7 for a8 against Assam at Gauhati in 1972-73. In his first-class career, Guha captured 299 wickets at an average of 20.29.