Well its tuesday morning the temperature is about 35, there’s not a cloud inthe sky another awful day in Perth!I’m just taking my morning off to write a report on how things are going over here. I’ve been here since October and loved every day, Perth is a fantastic place with great weather and lots to do. But I don’t want this to sound too much like a holiday because I’ve put in some hard work.There are fourteen cricketers on the Paul Terry scheme or “Aus CricketManagement” and that has made it great fun to train with the other guys.Chris Liptrott, Stevie Peters from Worcestershire, James Hamblin and DimiMascarenhas from Hampshire and plenty more from other counties. Fourteen may sound a lot, but Paul seems to have got things just right. Mixing one to one coaching with Team training sessions. Along with Fielding, Pschycology and being laid back enough to cope with the shenanigans that go along with fourteen cricketers.My cricket has been going well, I’m playing for a team called Gosnells in the Waca Perth grade league. This is a good standard and regularly play against WA and sometimes international players such as Ryan Campbell, Brad williams Justin Langer, Adam Gilchrist and Mike Hussey.Gosnells are’nt having A great season, But they have a very young side andwill be much better in a few years. We are “The Baggy Blues”, Aussie leagueplayers are very proud of who they play for and passionate about winning.Personally things have gone well, I’ve taken wickets all summer and bowledwith good control. I have worked with Bret Mulder on my bowling, And likehis approach to spin. He’s been helping me fine tune my action and get theball up and down With a better loop.Paul has worked with my batting. Focusing on my balance and making mymovements quicker and more decisive. Although i haven’t had the same successwith the bat for Gosnells as I have with the ball I feel to be playing welland more solid from the work im doing.Paul employs a fitness trainer called Craig Wilson. He’s come to be known aslots of other things that are unprintable as he screams at us towards theend of every session. I thought the training would be quite scientific beenin Australia but Willo runs the sessions like boot camp. The fitness is veryvaried and ranges from sprints, boxing, swimming to Jacobs Ladder! A particular favorite. The ladder is 220 stairs that lead up to kings park, combine this with a slope called Heartbreak hill, do six ladders followed by sprints up Heartbreak and you have a great little workout.That’s all for now looking forward to the season, See you all soon.

JOHANNESBURG, Feb 13 AFP – Controversial Indian cricket chief Jagmohan Dalmiya raised the stakes in the Zimbabwe World Cup boycott crisis today by accusing the world governing body of going out of its way to help England.Dalmiya, a former head of the International Cricket Council (ICC), criticised the current leadership of “bending backwards” to favour England in its bid to shift its scheduled clash with Zimbabwe away from Harare.”Let the ICC decide whether it is safe to play in Zimbabwe or not,” Dalmiya said one day before the tournament technical committee meets here to decide on the affair.”If it is not safe, then it should shift all matches out of that country. But if it is safe, England should be docked four points.”England refused to play their Group A match in Harare, which was scheduled today, due to security concerns and claimed they had new evidence to support their claim which was being presented to the technical committee.”It appears the ICC is bending over backwards to protect the interests of England at the cost of other competitors,” Dalmiya said.”We had waited for so long because we wanted an amicable solution and give the ICC enough time to sort out the matter.”Being a competitor team playing in the same group, India could be put to a lot of disadvantage if England do not play in Zimbabwe.”England’s intention appears to be an intentional delay so that they can pursue a wait and watch policy to see how the other results in the group go before they make up their minds about playing in Harare.”Meanwhile, New Zealand, who have refused to play their Group B game against Kenya in Nairobi on February 21, eased their fears about having to reluctantly make that trip with a 20-run victory over the West Indies at Port Elizabeth.The Kiwis, semi-finalists in two of the last three World Cups, made 241/7 from their 50 overs, with Nathan Astle top scoring with 46, before they dismissed the West Indies for 221.Ramnaresh Sarwan hit 75 and Ridley Jacobs 50, but a tigerish display in the field ensured victory for the Kiwis.The World Cup lost one its top fielders today when South Africa’s Jonty Rhodes was forced out of his country’s squad because of a broken hand.The 33-year-old, who suffered the injury in a fielding accident against Kenya in Potchefstroom on Wednesday, was dropped from the squad to be replaced by Graeme Smith.”It was one of the toughest conversations of my life,” said Omar Henry, convenor of the South African selectors.”Jonty wanted to stay in the squad and he was positive that he could be fit again in three weeks. But the medical specialists could not give me that guarantee. We had to make a decision.”Smith, 22, a tall left-hander who usually opens the batting, was regarded as the unluckiest player to miss the original World Cup selection.

There was a spontaneous eruption of firecrackers, cheers, chanting and joy across the length and breadth of a large country as India pulled off a stunning win against the old enemy Pakistan for the fourth time in as many World Cup clashes.India had never successfully chased more than 222 in a World Cup match before Saturday. But gritting his teeth through a shooting pain in his left leg, the world’s best batsman scored a scintillating 98, as India chased down a victory target of 274 with majestic ease in 45.4 overs. Sachin Tendulkar was the match-winner once more as India sailed through to the Super Sixes.It was always going to be a day of heated arguments, passionate following and a tense battle out in the middle. Several cities in India had declared a public holiday to watch their team take on Pakistan in a one-dayer for the first time in three years. Cities that did not were paralysed as children stayed away from schools, offices emptied out by the start of the game and the streets wore a deserted look. Time stood still, life was put on hold as India delivered the game that a billion people wanted.Chasing 274 needed something special, especially against a Pakistan attack that included Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar and Waqar Younis. There was something unusual in the air as Tendulkar took first strike, allowing Virender Sehwag to stay at the non-striker’s end. Sehwag can hardly complain – he was at the best place in the world, watching a breathtaking innings unfold from 22 yards away.There was an exaggerated shuffle across the stumps as Tendulkar flicked Akram to the on-side fence for his first sweetly-timed boundary. Then came Akhtar, steaming down to deliver his thunderbolts. Seeing a short one early, Tendulkar played an unfettered cut shot, inside out and over the top, sending the ball into the stands several rows back at point. The little master had thrown down the gauntlet.A bouquet of the finest strokes greeted the 22,000 strong crowd at the SuperSport Park, Centurion. Anything on the toes saw Tendulkar shuffle across and time the ball impeccably to the midwicket fence. A copybook on-drive signalled that the maestro was in perfect touch.Not one to stay out of the limelight for long, Sehwag came to the party, clattering a six over point and a few fearsome drives. In just 5.4 overs, India had blasted their way to 53 when Pakistan struck their first blow. Driving on the up, Sehwag hit a full-swinging delivery from Waqar Younis straight to cover. Afridi held the sharp chance and Sehwag (21, 13 balls, three fours, one six) was on his way.After making an elaborate show of setting his three slip fielders in the right place, Waqar sent down one of his trademark full, straight deliveries next up and Sourav Ganguly fell into the trap. Not moving his feet, he was rapped on the pads and Rudi Koertzen’s slow finger adjudged him lbw. The Indian skipper was back in the hut for a first-ball duck and the pumped-up Pakistan side had India at 53/2.Waqar ran from player to player, back slapping, hugging, celebrating what might have been the most vital breakthrough of the day.Promoted up the order, Mohammad Kaif began watchfully and proved to be an able foil for Tendulkar. Not taking any risks, Kaif was able to rotate the strike and pick up the boundaries whenever the loose ball was on offer.Tendulkar, meanwhile, continued to score boundaries with regularity even after the fielding restrictions were lifted. When he knocked his way to 83, Tendulkar brought up 12,000 ODI runs. When the giant screen flashed this message, the large Indian contingent rose and applauded.But the same fans had to concede a point to their Pakistani counterparts as Kaif (35, 60 balls, five fours) dragged an Afridi delivery back onto his stumps.Rahul Dravid walked out to an atmosphere that would have made the most feisty bullring appear pedestrian. Taking his time to get set, Dravid had one eye on the scoreboard at all times, making sure that the required run-rate never ran away from the Indians.Well, that really never was in doubt – thanks to Tendulkar’s masterly knock. It was only a brute of a delivery from Shoaib Akhtar, rearing from a length that got the better of Tendulkar. Having just called for a runner, Tendulkar in considerable pain, fell just two runs short of what would have probably been his finest one-day ton. Fending the ball to gully for Afridi to catch, Tendulkar departed on 98 (75 balls, 12 fours, 1 six) in the 28th over. Remarkably, India were already 177 at this stage, needing only a further 97 runs for victory in more than 20 overs.Yuvraj Singh then underlined his utility in the side, scoring a priceless unbeaten 50 and taking India to victory. Belting the ball through the covers with the honest enthusiasm of a flaming young talent, Yuvraj kept the runs coming at a healthy pace, blunting the Pakistan bowling and making sure there were no mishaps as India overhauled the target. Ever reliable, ever trustworthy, Dravid was unconquered on 44.Earlier in the day, things looked so much better for Pakistan as they won the toss and elected to bat.On the back of a Saeed Anwar century that was more dogged than spectacular, Pakistan posted a daunting 273/7 from their 50 overs. After a bright start, a clutch of wickets slowed Pakistan down and it is to Anwar’s credit that he managed to bat on, regardless of the fall of wickets at the other end.Despite being tired, and certainly wishing for a pair of younger legs, Anwar stuck to his task admirably. Realising that the side was short on inspiration, the elegant left-hander pieced together his third World Cup century, in the process drawing level with Sourav Ganguly on 20 ODI tons. What will give Pakistan supporters more comfort, though, is the fact that Anwar has now scored 2,000 runs against the old enemy – India.When he was finally dismissed, it was a result of a lapse in concentration. Soon after reaching the three-figure mark Anwar (101, 126 balls, 7 fours) was cleaned up by a yorker from Ashish Nehra.The rest of the Pakistan batting was patchy, with the next highest score being 32 from Younis Khan. Yet Pakistan had made 273, surely a total that they would have been confident of defending with the bowling attack at their disposal.But nothing’s a surety when you’re up against Tendulkar. Walking away with yet another Man of the Match award, he went on to why he is lauded as the greatest batsman in world cricket today.There will be mourning in the streets of Lahore and Karachi. There will be heartburn in Pakistan’s provinces. There will be calls for a change of captain and coach. There will be anger, there will be disappointment and there will be a sense of shock. But somewhere in the hearts of cricket fans there will also be a small place for joy. For yet again, one man had played the game as well as it could be with admirable support, and a team that was better on the day came out on top.What more can a game of cricket possibly do?

I must admit that it is not easy to concentrate on cricket, much less enjoy it while a brutal war rages in Iraq. Still the show must go on. So far so good for the new-look Pakistan team. But Sharjah was never going to provide a real test. It’s a friendly environment and the nature of the opposition in this particular tournament is not all that hot.But the main idea is to re-build and there appears to be little doubt that there is more cohesion, more spirit in the team. This generally happens with a new team. The skill lies in the ability to sustain the exuberance. Not only is the team new but also the management.There seems to be a general approval about the re-building process and the virtues of youth are being extolled even by those who themselves set a bad example by hanging around when it had become apparent that it was well past the time for calling it a day.The key is going to be providing some security to the new players. They need to be given a long run and though we should monitor their performance carefully, we should accept that there will be some false starts. But what needs to be avoided is the sense of smugness that some kind of revolutionary change has taken place in our cricket thinking.This is not the first time that Pakistan has experimented with a new-look team. When Kerry Packer arrived on the scene, like Pied Piper he was able to take away the best players.Packer had made it clear that he would make the players available for national duty but so incensed were the various cricket boards with the players who had ‘deserted’ to Packer that they gave these players the boot. In the end the prodigals were received back and they dined on the fatted calf.I think it is wholly wrong to portray the axed senior players as some sort of villains. To wholly blame them for the World Cup debacle is manifestly unfair. The senior players per se were not a part of the problem.The re-building process should be de-linked from the poor performance of the team in the World Cup. Rather, we should take the stand that we would have proceeded with the re-building irrespective.Re-building is an attempt to acquire a bank of players so that there is a greater pool of players available for national duty. There seems to be no need to follow the political pattern of debunking previous leaders.On the contrary, these senior players should be actively involved in the re-building. Most of them rendered distinguished service to cricket. There is an irony of sorts that to date in the Sharjah tournament Pakistan has needed the contributions from Abdul Razzaq, Younis Khan, Yousuf Youhana and Rashid Latif to see them through.Once South Africa pulled out for wholly untenable reasons, the tournament seemed less competitive. And it was generally expected that it would be a Pakistan-Sri Lanka final. But Zimbabwe had other ideas and it is Sri Lanka that had to take an early flight back home.Sri Lanka has looked jaded and a troubled team. Usually, it gives the impression of being a happy team. On his return from the World Cup, Sanath Jayasuriya had resigned as captain but his resignation had not been accepted. Now he has resigned once again and may have played his last match as captain.I have absolutely no idea about the internal politics of Sri Lankan cricket but can only guess that something is not quite right. There was some palaver about the selection of the team. Kumar Sangakkara was initially dropped but re-instated in the team as a specialist batsmen. He showed his detractors, if there were any, that he was not amused and he slammed two hundreds on a trot.Sri Lanka too has been unlucky. Chaminda Vaas has had to go home without having bowled a ball, a sprained ankle and Dilhara Fernando was nursing a stiff back. But more than that, I don’t think that Muttiah Muralitharan is in his best form. He still remains a bowler who commands respect but I may be wrong, and I hope that I am, he seems not to be taking wickets.Muralitharan did not have a particularly good World Cup and at Sharjah he has had only modest success by his standard. I am wondering if he has fully recovered from his shoulder injury.New Zealand is proving to be a difficult team. It walked out of a tour of Pakistan because of an unrelated bomb blast at an adjoining hotel in Karachi.Then it refused to play in Nairobi and forfeited the points (and I hope will be made to pay a financial penalty as well) and now we learn that it is monitoring the deadly pneumonia outbreak in Asia before deciding to tour Sri Lanka later this month.As far as I know there have been no cases of this pneumonia in Sri Lanka though there have been few cases in Canada. If there is any health hazard, it would apply to all teams taking part in the tournament.Actually it should be the other way round. Since the New Zealand team is scheduled to fly to Colombo via Singapore, there is danger that the New Zealand team may become carriers of the mysterious virus.I think that the New Zealand cricketers need to grow up. They have to live in a world that the rest of us do. If they are constantly feeling threatened, they should pull out from international cricket until they are satisfied that the world has become a safe place.It will, unfortunately, have to be a long wait. Somehow the New Zealand players think nothing about brawling in night clubs but they are terribly concerned about security.I think if there is any health hazard, I imagine that the Sri Lankan government would be aware of it. But somehow New Zealand does not seem to ‘trust’ home governments. They prefer to deal with their own independent sources.

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

Omar Henry, head of the South African selection committee, has hit back at Bob Woolmer’s comments that South African cricket is in a mess, while Graeme Smith insisted that he didn’t receive any sort of contact from Woolmer regarding his acceptance of the captaincy.Henry said: “I don’t know in which country Bob Woolmer finds himself right now. Perhaps he must have his eyes tested.” Henry’s comments were in reaction to Woolmer, the former national coach, who speaking at a benefit dinner for Dale Benkenstein in Pietermaritzburg, said he was deeply hurt by the present state of affairs in South African cricket, before going on to point a finger at Smith, who had questioned Klusener’s team ethic in a breakfast interview.”I can’t really believe that Lance has not been selected to tour England,” said Woolmer. “It was because of him that we got to the semi-finals of the 1999 World Cup in the first place. That man wins games for South Africa and then someone had the temerity to attack him at a breakfast.”Smith is the youngest man ever to lead the national side, and Woolmer was incensed by his lack of respect for a man who has been a mainstay of the team for over half a decade. “Graeme Smith has not been playing long enough and after five Tests has no right to criticise someone whose track record for South Africa is so good,” he said.He added that he had cautioned Smith against accepting the captaincy when it was offered to him in the wake of Shaun Pollock’s sacking. “I pleaded with him not to take the captaincy but to rather wait until he was 26, more experienced and more settled in the side so he could handle all the pressures.”However, Smith has since insisted that he in fact never received a call from Woolmer to that effect: “Bob’s entitled to his opinion on whether I should be the captain or not,” he said. “I don’t begrudge him that. But I just don’t remember him phoning me and suggesting that I should wait until I was 26 before taking over as captain.” He added, “I know I’m only 22, but my memory’s in pretty good working order.”Woolmer also hinted at provincialism in South African cricket when he said, “Lance, I must tell you that if you live in Cape Town you have more chance of playing for South Africa, and you think I’m joking.” Henry, Eric Simons, the national coach, and Smith are all from Cape Town.As South Africa prepare for what is sure to be a closely contested series in England, Woolmer – who played for Kent and England – said he considered himself a South African, though he felt dismayed at the about-turn in the nation’s cricketing fortunes. “I feel more like a masochist at the moment because the state of our sport really hurts me,” he said. “I wish I knew what was going on in our cricket because at the moment it is a complete mess.”

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.

Former Victorian player, captain and coach John Scholes passed away today aged 53. The cause of death is unknown and will be subject to a coroner’s report.Cricket Victoria Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ken Jacobs, said that Scholes was a unique person and would be sadly missed. “I think today Victoria lost one of its greatest ever cricketing sons. John’s contribution as a player, junior and senior coach, as well as mentor to many young Victorian cricketers, will quite simply never be matched. On behalf of the entire Victorian cricket community, I extend our sincere condolences to Diane, as well as John’s children, Shannon and Adam”.JOHN “BARREL” SCHOLES

• Played 62 matches for Victoria (3201 runs @ 30.78, 3 centuries, HS 156)
• First captained Victoria aged 21 and again aged 30
• Coached the Victorian Bushrangers between 1996 – 2001. Led the side to the 98/99 Mercantile Mutual Cup and to two successive Pura Cup finals in 99/00 and 00/01
• All time Premier Cricket games record holder (396). Carlton (277), Fitzroy Doncaster (119)
• 12, 693 runs (Premier Cricket record at the time), 26 centuries, 60 half-centuries
• 5 Premierships (4 Carlton, 1 Fitzroy Doncaster) from 9 Grand Final appearances
• Coached Carlton CC in 2002/03
• Played Premier Cricket for 31 years

South Africa’s cricketers were caught in the midst of an alleged terrorist attack on Wednesday, as their hotel in London had to be evacuated.The team had been relaxing at the Buckinghamshire Hotel in London, ahead of a low-key charity match, when a suspicious white powder – thought to be anthrax – was discovered in the adjoining shopping centre.”The entire area was cordoned off and there were police and sirens all over,” said Omar Henry, the convenor of the national panel of selectors. “Within minutes, the fire brigade was on the scene and people were running in every direction. I locked myself in my room and did not want to move around in the hotel.”The players were told to stay in their rooms, and they were late in leaving for their match. After police had searched the area for quite some time, the players were eventually given permission to leave the hotel through a side door.

The elements and a fine captain`s innings of 127* by Anthony McGrath prevented Glamorganfrom winning their fifth Championship match of the season. Chasing 381 to win in a minnimum of 77 overs on thefinal day at Colwyn Bay, Yorkshire had collapsed to 89-5 in 33 overs, and with around three hoursremaining, it seemed that the Welsh county would be victorious. But indifferent lightfor the rest of the afternoon prevented the seamers from bowling again, and despite 80 oversof spin from the wily Robert Croft and Dean Cosker, Yorkshire were able to escape with a draw.Yorkshire were indebted to their captain whose first Championship century of the season waschiseled out in four and a half hours, and together with Richard Dawson, they added 64 in 34overs for the seventh wicket as Croft was unable to use Micahel Kasprowicz, his main strike bowler,who had already struck twice early in the Yorkshire innings.The Australian claimed his first wicket with his eighth delivery, as Matthew Wood fell l.b.w, and despite a flurryof boundaries early on from McGrath, three wickets quickly fell after lunch. Cosker claimdStephen Fleming leg before, before Croft gained the same decision as Michael Lumb departed fora single. Then with the score on 78, Yuvraj Singh, playing his final game for Yorkshire, droveairily at Croft and lobbed the ball to Cosker at cover.Having made the early inroads with spin, Croft then brought back his quicker bowlers, andKasprowicz soon struck as Blakey was leg before shuffling across the crease. But with cloudsbuilding, and the odd drop of rain falling, the Australian was only able to bowl one more delivery asMcGrath and Dawson began their match-saving stand.McGrath eventually reached his first century of the season, from 202 balls, hitting 16 fours, andthe pair survived until mid-way through the final hour, when Dawson, having made a stubborn 22 becamethe fifth l.b.w. victim of the innings. Chris Silverwood then stoutly defended for 10 overs, butwith the light deteriorating further, no further play was possible in the final twenty minutes as the game ended in a draw.Earlier in the day, Glamorgan had batted on for an hour before setting the visitors their target,and during this time, the Welshmen lost two wickets, including that of Michael Powell for 85, whowas bowled by a sharply turning delivery from Dawson, leaving the Glamorgan batsman 20 runs shortof his 1,000 runs for the season. Croft was also bowled by Gough, before declaring with David Hempunbeaten on 85 – his highest score of the summer.