Makhaya Ntini and Charl Langeveldt, the two South African fast bowlers, have been fined part of their match fees for breaching the International Cricket Council’s Code of Conduct during the third one-dayer against West Indies in Barbados. Both bowlers were found guilty of “excessive appealing” by Jeff Crowe, the match referee, in a hearing after the game finished at Bridgetown on Wednesday.Langeveldt, the hero of South Africa’s one-run triumph with a last-over hat-trick, was fined 20% of his match fee as he was found to have breached 1.5 Level 1 of the ICC Code. He was penalised for his actions after the fifth ball of the final over, when he celebrated the dismissal of Corey Collymore, the last batsman, before the umpire had given the decision. Crowe added, “Charl, albeit emotional in the dramatic moment, simply did not turn to appeal to the umpire for an lbw decision and pleaded guilty to the breach.”Ntini, who incurred a 25% fine on his match fee, was also found guilty of celebrating the dismissal before the umpire’s verdict in the 11th over of the West Indian innings. “At the ODI pre-series meeting, team management was advised by the Playing Control Team that no tolerance would apply for these actions,” Crowe said. “Makhaya was apologetic after the event and pleaded guilty to the breach.”All Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum penalty of 50% of a player’s match fee. The charge was brought to Crowe’s notice by Darrell Hair, Eddie Nicholls and Billy Doctrove, the three match umpires.

Simon Katich has warned his team-mates to prepare for some Adam Gilchrist-style treatment if Kevin Pietersen fulfils his potential during Australia’s tour of England. Pietersen is still waiting for his Test debut, but Katich said he was capable of turning a game in a couple of hours.Australia will get their first look at Pietersen in the Twenty20 international at Southampton on June 13, but Katich has spent time with him as a batting partner at Hampshire. Katich, who is involved in a pre-Ashes training camp in Brisbane, said Pietersen was a formidable stroke-maker whose shots when firing were too big for any ground.”It’s hard to put someone in Gilly’s category because he’s got the record that speaks for itself,” Katich told AAP. “KP’s only 24 and he’s a lot younger and more inexperienced. But he’s got something about him that says this guy’s going to be a dangerous cricketer.”Ian Bell was preferred to Pietersen in the Tests against Bangladesh, but after averaging 139.5 in 11 ODIs Pietersen is a certainty to play in the two one-day tournaments before the Ashes series. Katich said if Pietersen performed well he would expect him to be involved in the five Tests.”It wouldn’t surprise me if he plays, just knowing the type of character he is and how crucial he could be in that he can turn a game in the space of a couple of hours,” Katich said. “He’s done that in the one-day game, and someone who plays like that in Test cricket can try and dominate our bowling.”Katich said England were a more balanced outfit than when he played one Test on the 2001 tour, but he predicted Shane Warne, the Hampshire captain, would again cause a lot of problems. “Shane’s been bowling very well and as the game wears on in England – on day three, day four, day five – the wicket will certainly turn,” he said. “The fact we’re playing later in the summer is an advantage to him because generally the weather improves.”

The Worcestershire offspinner, Gareth Batty, has been called into England’s squad ahead of the first Test against Bangladesh, as cover for Ashley Giles, who has a hip injury.Batty, 27, played the last of his five Tests in Antigua in April 2004, at the end of England’s triumphant tour of the Caribbean. But he toured South Africa last winter with both the Tests and the one-day sides, and has been in good form for Worcestershire in the County Championship. In their current match against Essex at Chelmsford, he has made 54 and taken 3 for 26.Giles, meanwhile, has been troubled by a hip problem since Warwickshire’s Championship match against Sussex at Hove on May 10. “Ashley’s fitness will be re-assessed by the England medical team tomorrow when the Test squad reports for practice,” said David Graveney, England’s chairman of selectors. “Gareth has been added to the squad as a precautionary measure.”Giles was restricted to 11 overs in the match against Sussex but batted in both innings and was confident of making the Test side. However, he is now feeling discomfort again and will be put through his paces by England’s medical team on Monday. He began the season in superb form, taking 24 wickets at 18 apiece, including three five-wicket hauls.Giles’s injury could increase the chances of England playing a full hand of seamers at Lord’s. Simon Jones has bowled 34 overs for Glamorgan in their game against Hampshire, to suggest that he has recovered from his back injury. The vulnerability of the Bangladesh batting to the county seamers they have faced may encourage the selectors to pick an all-pace attack, therefore giving Jon Lewis a Test debut and reducing the workload on Andrew Flintoff.Duncan Fletcher has said that England will need to make sure they do not take Bangladesh lightly at Lord’s. He believes Bangladesh have the ability to make things awkward if England are not on top of their game.He told : “They are a side that will make some progress. Cricket is a strange game and you can never underestimate anyone. It’s important we appreciate there are some good players in their side. There have been other sides who have been in the same position when they’ve entered the international arena and look where they are today. On any given day if one or two of their bowlers bowl in the right areas, you’ve got to make sure you’re at the top of your game.”

As Greg Chappell waits to hear whether he will coach West Indies the former Australia mentor Bob Simpson has warned the exodus of local talent is not going to stop.”It’s becoming part and parcel of world cricket because Australia is so much the flavour of the game right now,” Simpson told the Courier-Mail. “Other countries probably don’t have the same quality people available so they’re going to keep looking at the most successful countries.”If Chappell replaces Gus Logie, who stepped down after West Indies won the Champions Trophy last month, he will join Dav Whatmore, in Bangladesh, and John Dyson, in Sri Lanka, as Australians coaching other national teams. Steve Rixon, the former New South Wales coach who guides Surrey, and Rod Marsh, an England selector and their Academy coach, also hold prominent positions overseas.”There can be trouble in Australia sharing between six states so it’s only natural that there will be some politics with so many different countries,” Simpson, who lifted Australia out of the doldrums after taking over in 1986, said. “But there is only so much you can do as a coach if you haven’t got the talent.”Chappell finished as South Australia’s coaching director in 2003 and was appointed a batting consultant with Pakistan. He expects a decision on the West Indies job next week.

Andrew Leipus, former physio of the Indian cricket team, said he was satisfied withthe progress Sachin Tendulkar was making as he recovered from elbow surgery. “I met him in Mumbai and his arm looks like it’s healing very well,” Leipuswas quoted as saying in . “He has still got lots of work to do.”Leipus, who is at the Indian team probables training camp at the National CricketAcademy (NCA) in Bangalore, said that Tendulkar’s injury had left him with nooption apart from surgery. “I think the best he could have done under thecircumstances is to undergo surgery, considering that the demands on him are huge,both from the playing point of view and the physical point of view,” he said. “He’sbeen there for 16 years and obviously there will be wear and tear on his body. Ithink in my perspective, Sachin opting for surgery is the right call.”Leipus is presently a consultant-physio with the probables at the camp. He said thatTendulkar’s progress augurs well for the rest of his playing career. “In the future,he can do what he is comfortable with,” he said. “I think he will be better thanwhat he has been for the last few years, and mentally he will be stronger now.”Leipus also mentioned that the Indian team was fairly unfit, having come in from theoff-season. But he singled out Zaheer Khan for praise. “Zaheer Khan is extremelyfit,” he said. “Probably the fittest I’ve ever seen him. That’s a very positivething.”

Division One

Robin Martin-Jenkins struck a season’s best 88 to earn Sussex a healthy 130-run lead over Surrey. He came to the crease with the match evenly poised with Sussex on 180 for six after Azhar Mahmood had taken three quick wickets. But Martin-Jenkins nursed the tail along as 198 runs were added by the last four wickets with Luke Wright and Rana Naved both striking 26. Mahmood finished with 5 for 72 and the Surrey openers, Scott Newman and Richard Clinton, knocked off 54 of the deficit before close to set up a crucial third day.Middlesex took a stranglehold on the match at Lord’s as Warwickshire continued to see their Championship crown slip. Ben Hutton and Owais Shah added 117 to extend a first innings advantage of 51 into a commanding 206 with nine wickets in hand. Earlier, Warwickshire were staring at the follow-on when the fell to 85 for 6 but were rescued by Dougie Brown’s 92, from 160 balls. Luke Parker helped with 43 and a last-wicket stand 53 with Dewald Pretorius got Warwickshire closer than they might have expected, but by the close the margin was huge again.Alex Gidman hauled Gloucestershire back into their match against Hampshire. Gidman and Stephen Adshead added 105 to lift their team from 191 for 6, reducing Hampshire’s lead to 22. James Bruce took three top order wickets – including Ramnaresh Sarwan for 18 as Gloucestershire stumbled in the morning session. But, as with Nic Pothas and Andy Bichel yesterday, the recovering came from a wicketkeeper and an allrounder. Jon Lewis managed to remove Chris Benham before the close to complete a satisfying comeback for Gloucestershire.Glamorgan are facing another huge defeat despite a defiant century from David Hemp. Kent took complete control on the second at Canterbury, firstly through Darren Stevens who completed the first double-century of his career and then an all round team bowling effort as six bowlers chipping in with wickets. Stevens and Andrew Hall extended their partnership to 277, Hall making 133, and Min Patel rubbed salt in the wounded Glamorgan bowling figures with a 55-ball 64. Glamorgan then slumped to 63 for 5 and despite Hemp’s unbeaten 134 it is a huge mountain to climb to avoid defeat.

Division Two

Alistair Cook guided Essex to a useful 49-run first innings against Durham but Dale Benkenstein’s unbeaten 96 went most of the way to cancelling out Cook’s 107 and it is Durham who hold an advantage. Paul Collingwood made 46 and Gareth Breese 42 to enable Durham to build a lead of 226 despite losing both openers with 13 on the board. A first innings lead seemed a long way off for Essex when 134 for 7 following James Middlebrook’s run out but, Cook combined with Graham Napier (51) adding 86. However, Durham showed all the fighting qualities that have taken them top of Division Two and will fancy their chances of another win.Lancashire’s top order squandered the hard work of their bowlers by slumping to 38 for 3 in the face of some impressive bowling from Leicestershire late in the day. Ottis Gibson bowled Mark Chilton with the first ball of the innings and he also removed the dangerous Mal Loye. Aftab Habib and David Masters had shared a vital ninth wicket stand of 77 to lead Leicestershire from 183 for 8 to within 31 runs of Lancashire’s first innings 291. Habib hit 12 fours and a six in his 84 and Tim New also reached a half-century before he was trapped lbw by Glen Chapple, who took three wickets.1st dayShoaib Akhtar ripped through Northamptonshire to give Worcestershire control at New Road. Although he only sent down 9.2 overs he claimed 5 for 55. Martin Love made 51 before falling to Nadeem Malik and Northants wasted a solid platform of 147 for 3. In reply, Stephen Moore held firm on 41 and although Graeme Hick fell for a duck Worcestershire will certainly be the happier of the two teams.Two of Somerset’s youngsters, Arul Suppiah and Wesley Durston, combined to give their team control against Derbyshire. Both players struck their maiden first-class centuries and added 112 for the fourth wicket. Durston was marginally quicker to his milestone – taking 154 balls – with Suppiah not far behind on 176. Derbyshire stuck to their task but showed little penetration after an early wicket apiece for Ian Hunter and Graeme Welch.

Returning to Test cricket after a 28-month layoff, Shane Bond was delighted with his performances in the two-Test series in Zimbabwe. He took 13 wickets at 9.23, including returns of 10 for 99 in the second Test at Bulawayo – his first ten-wicket haul – and in the process became the quickest among all New Zealand bowlers to get to 50 Test wickets. Bond achieved the mark in only his 12th match, beating Chris Martin’s earlier record of 13. (Click here for Bond’s Test stats.)”That’s what’s driven me on, a few of those milestones I wanted to achieve,” Bond told Radio Sport after the match. “I’ve just got to keep working hard and hopefully I can tick them off as I go along. I feel like I’m in better condition now. I’m fitter, stronger, and a smarter cricketer.”Bond expressed his surprise, though, at the number of wickets that came his way at Bulawayo. “I set myself high standards but you never think you’re going to get a bag of wickets. I never gave up hope [during the injury layoff]. There were some really tough times, more mental than physical, but you’ve just got to work through them. All I wanted to do was be consistent and support the guys around me.”Stephen Fleming, the New Zealand captain, admitted that Bond’s presence had made a huge difference to their attack. “We’ve gone through some series and kept our mouth shut, knowing we were missing possibly one of the greatest bowlers to play for New Zealand. He’s worked very hard and come back well.” Fleming himself had a reasonably good series with the bat, scoring two half-centuries. His 65 in the second Test took him past the 6000-run mark in Tests, making him the first New Zealander to achieve the feat.New Zealand’s next engagement is the one-day tri-series next week, involving Zimbabwe and India. However, Bond will have to wait seven months to play his next Test, when New Zealand host West Indies in March 2006.

Sourav Ganguly, India’s captain, has been suspended for two Test matches because of India’s slow over-rates during the BCCI Platinum Jubilee one-dayer against Pakistan. According to the Press Trust of India, Clive Lloyd, the match referee, made this announcement in a Kolkata hotel a day after the game. The Indian board has announced that it will appeal to the ICC against this decision, and will name a replacement for Ganguly in the India squad only if the appeal is turned down.Ganguly, who had missed the last two Tests against Australia because of injury, will, thus, miss both of India’s Tests against South Africa. Rahul Dravid will captain the team in his place.Ganguly had breached clause C1 of ICC’s code of conduct, which is a level two offence, and would not ordinarily carry a suspension. But because this was his second such offence within a span of 12 months, it was automatically treated as a level three offence, and the suspension followed.No other current Test captain encourages slow over-rates the way Ganguly does, with frequent consultations with bowlers. He would feel a little hard done by this time, though, as there were plenty of interruptions during the game, and as many as eight ball-changes. Lloyd, who was also the match referee when Ganguly was pulled up for slow over-rates earlier this year, disagreed.”The ICC code relating to over rates needs to be strictly observed,” he said, “and it is important for all the stakeholders in the game to have matches finished on time. The allotted three-and-a-half hours is ample time to bowl the required 50 overs, so captains need to ensure that all efforts are made to achieve this.”Besides the punishment to Ganguly, Lloyd announced that Yousuf Youhana and Irfan Pathan had also been found guilty of breaching ICC’s code of conduct. The two exchanged a few words in the 35th over, for which Youhana was fined 75% of his match fee and Pathan was fined 50%.

Lord MacLaurin has reopened the TV rights debate by saying the ECB was right to hand Sky the contract for showing England’s home Tests – and he says that cricket should stay off the list of “crown jewels”, too. In a letter to The Times, MacLaurin, the former chairman of the ECB, writes that “Sky made a very substantial bid [£220million] which was far and away the best financial deal for cricket. The ECB had no option but to accept it.”To put Test cricket back on the “A” list would be a financial disaster for the game. All cricket followers are thrilled with out “joint Ashes” win. But we need money to keep up the momentum.”England’s recent Ashes triumph prompted a debate in the media regarding TV rights, with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Tessa Jowell, coming under increasing pressure to try to reinstate cricket on the list of “crown jewels” covered by terrestrial TV. She has now hinted that this may take place in 2008 or 2009 when the list will be reviewed.But MacLaurin says that the ECB were right to negotiate for the home Tests to be removed from category A status (terrestrial only) to category B, as the increase in revenue from a satellite provider such as Sky has been vital for the game’s improvement.”In 1996, the BBC had the television rights for a very small fee, English cricket was at a low ebb and there was little money in the game,” he wrote. “My colleagues and I set about bringing money into the game with the ambition of both our men’s and our women’s teams being the best in the world by 2007.”England contracted players, we built the Academy at Loughborough, we engaged Duncan Fletcher … as well as introducing the two-division championship, divisional limited-over competitions and the Twenty20 competition. None of this could have happened without the Channel 4 and Sky money.”

Greg Chappell, the Indian coach, has said that opening the bowling with S Sreesanth, the Kerala fast bowler, would be among the new tactics and methods tested during India’s forthcoming one-day series against Sri Lanka.”The objective was really to try a few things we are planning to use against Sri Lanka. We looked at a few different tactics and a few different bowling combinations,” Chappell was quoted as saying by PTI. “More than likely that Sreesanth would open the attack in the games that he plays. But we are likely to try different combinations at different times. But at this stage, we would be using him as an opening bowler, yes.”Chappell was happy with the preparatory camp at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore and said that the team had got a lot out of it. “We are in pretty good shape, mentally and physically. The group is looking pretty good. We will only find out when we get there. But from the point of view of preparation, everyone is quite happy.”Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag missed the camp because they had only just returned from the Super Series in Australia. They will join the team in Nagpur ahead of the first one-day international against Sri Lanka. Chappell said that Dravid’s and Sehwag’s poor performance in the Super Series did not affect India’s chances against Sri Lanka or South Africa. “I don’t think any of them [World XI] performed all that brilliantly. So, it was one of those things. I don’t think it has big bearing on what’s going to happen in the next few weeks.”Chappell also stressed the importance of disciplined bowling because of the batsmen-friendly pitches in India. “It’s a matter of bowling the ball in the right areas, accepting that some overs, some balls, some games are not going to work out very well. What we need is to make sure that we have four or five bowlers bowling well each day. From the young bowlers’ point of view, they have to learn from their experience.”Chappell added that Anil Kumble, Ashish Nehra and Mohammed Kaif, all of them currently undergoing rehabilitation, were a few weeks away from returning to competitive cricket. He also said that Yuvraj Singh and Murali Kartik had come down with fever over the last two days.