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Australia’s left-arm seamer, Nathan Bracken, could make his Gloucestershire debut in the C&G Trophy on Saturday, after being signed as an overseas player until the end of the season.Bracken has played three Tests to date, and is in line to replace Mike Smith, who has suffered a slipped disc. Should he play at Lord’s, it will be a bittersweet moment for him, for it was after sustaining a shoulder injury there in 2001 that he was forced to fly home from the Ashes tour.”Nathan will be a very useful addition to us in these important final games of the season,” said Gloucestershire’s player-coach, Mark Alleyne, who is himself a doubt for the match because of a broken thumb.Alleyne, however, is expected to play through the pain barrier, in what could be his final Lord’s appearance. “I would be very surprised if Mark isn’t fit,” Gloucestershire’s allrounder Alex Gidman told BBC Sport.

Brett Lee has been included in Australia’s 14-man squad for the ICC Champions Trophy and the Videocon Trophy against Pakistan and India in Amsterdam, AAP has reported. But Adam Gilchrist will be missing from the first tournament, as his wife is expecting their second child, and will only play in the Champions Trophy. Brad Haddin will take his place for the Videocon Trophy.Lee underwent ankle surgery after sustaining an injury during a first-class game in Sri Lanka in March, and was out of cricket for more than three months, before rejoining the Australian squad for net practice at Cairns. He is also expected to visit the MRF Pace Foundation in an effort to prepare himself for the upcoming Test series against India.Allan Border, a selector, had said that Lee would be hard-pressed to reclaim his place after Michael Kasprowicz had performed well against Sri Lanka at both, home and away. In any case, Kasprowicz has been named in the squad as well, with Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie taking up the role of the senior fast bowlers. Brad Hogg is the sole specialist spinner, while Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds and Darren Lehmann will provide backup.Fox Sports website quoted Lee as saying: “I have been working really hard since the setback in Sri Lanka. After the initial disappointment of that injury, I focused all my energies into getting back for the ICC Champions Trophy, which is really the only one-day tournament that has so far eluded us. I guess the whole break has given me a chance to reflect on the past five years and assess where my career is.”The ankle feels fine, my body feels fresh and I just can’t wait to pull on an Australian uniform again.”The team, led by Ricky Ponting, is a formidable one even without Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill, and the batting line-up – consisting of Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Lehmann, Symonds, Clarke, and bowlers who can bat – makes for an intimidating presence on the field.It’s not news that Australia have dominated most Test teams in recent years, but in one-dayers, the gulf is even bigger. Since January 1, 2003, the team has won 44 out of 53 one-dayers, and with Pakistan starting under a new coach, and India struggling to find form, Australia are pretty much favourites for the Videocon Trophy, which begins on August 21.Squad Ricky Ponting (capt), Adam Gilchrist (wk), Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Andrew Symonds, Michael Clarke, Ian Harvey, Brad Hogg, Shane Watson, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Michael Kasprowicz, Glenn McGrath.

Anand Vasu, an assistant editor of Cricinfo, has won the award for the Best Interview of the Year in the inaugural Indian Sports Journalism Awards held in Mumbai on Saturday night. The awards function, organised by the Sports Journalists’ Federation of India, was attended by Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar, Ajit Agarkar and several notable personalities from other sporting fields.Vasu, who has extensively covered both international and domestic cricket over the last six years, was nominated for the category for his Talking Cricket with Jonty Rhodes, which appeared in the February 2005 issue of Wisden Asia Cricket, and walked away with the prize ahead of Clayton Murzello from , a Mumbai-based tabloid, and G Krishnan from Deccan Herald, a Bangalore-based daily. Vasu was also nominated for the Best Cricket Writer of the Year but lost out to Kadambari Murali from Dravid, one of the guests of honour, spoke about the importance of journalism and how “good performances on the field turn into memorable ones once journalists write about it.” Michael Ferreira, the former billiards world champion who was one of the three judges, said that the standard of journalism had improved in the country and added that it was a very tough task to choose the final winners.

Kevin Pietersen, who is currently playing for the World XI in the ICC Super Series, left the field towards the end of Australia’s innings with cramp in his leg. But David Graveney has dismissed suggestions that England would have preferred three of their key players – Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison – to miss the series, ahead of their forthcoming tour to Pakistan.”He’s a fit young lad,” Graveney told . “I think it is a great occasion for our lads to be involved in. We’ll be keeping fingers crossed he has not suffered serious injury.”At the post-match conference, Shaun Pollock, Pietersen’s captain for the series, said: “He [Pietersen] wasn’t sure whether it was cramp or a tear. It was still a bit sore when he went out to bat which is why he had a runner. he will have a scan tomorrow and if it’s a tear he will be in doubt for the third game but if it’s cramp he should be ok.”Pietersen, despite still being new to international cricket, is already an integral part of the England one-day and Test teams. He finished the Ashes series as England’s leading scorer with 473 runs, including a remarkable innings of 158 in the final Test at The Oval.

The Pakistani internationals, Shahid Afridi and Saqlain Mushtaq, will make their debuts for Ireland in Dublin at the end of the month, after being named in a 12-man squad for the C&G Trophy match against Hampshire at Clontarf on April 23.David Langford-Smith from the Phoenix club in Dublin also features in the squad, and is in line to win his first cap, following his impressive bowling display in the non-capped friendly match against Loughborough UCCE on Saturday.Also included is Dominick Joyce, the brother of the Middlesex batsman, Ed, and Eion Morgan, who starred in the recent Under-19 World Cup. Clontarf’s Trent Johnston will captain the side.Hampshire are the current holders of the title. They are expected to include Shane Warne and Kevin Pietersen in their ranks, for a match that will be televised live on Sky Sports.Ireland’s selectors have also named a 14-man squad for the EurAsia Series challenge in Abu Dhabi, which runs from April 22 until May 5. The tournament features the A teams of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Holland and Ireland, with the full UAE side completing the line-up.The Ireland A team contains seven players who have played for the senior side, including the former captain, Jason Molins. Paul Mooney was ruled out of contention due to injury, while Ralph Coetzee and Greg Thompson weren’t available. The side will be led by 21-year-old William Porterfield.C&G Trophy squad Trent Johnston (Clontarf, capt), Shahid Afridi (Pakistan), Andre Botha (North County), Jeremy Bray (Eglinton), Peter Gillespie (Strabane), Dominick Joyce (Merrion), David Langford-Smith (Phoenix), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Kyle McCallan (Waringstown), Adrian McCoubrey (Saffron Walden), Saqlain Mushtaq (Pakistan), Andrew White (Northamptonshire).EurAsia Series squad William Porterfield (Rush, capt), Conor Armstrong (North County), Trevor Britton (Bready), Kenneth Carroll (Railway Union), Martinus Fourie (Phoenix), Mark Hutchinson (Bangor), Gary Kidd (Waringstown), Jason Molins (Phoenix), John Mooney (North County), Kevin O’Brien (Railway Union and MCC Young Cricketers), Boyd Rankin (Bready and Derbyshire), David Simpson (Lisburn), Roger Whelan (Railway Union).

Pakistan begin their tour game on a `ganja’ wicket. That’s how their coach Bob Woolmer described the pitch at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association ground in Dharamsala, where the tourists play a three-day game with the Indian Board President’s XI being led by Mohammad Kaif. Kaif went straight to the point, without saying much about the pitch: “There can’t be a result in a game of this sort.” “It’s completely bald” was Woolmer’s assessment.Both men were right with their assessments. However, if nature had behaved true to form, their opinions might have been different. In the ongoing domestic season, the ground had hosted six first-class games – four Ranji Trophy and two Duleep Trophy – and all the six produced results.The chief reason behind the results was the grassy pitch. “The speciality of this wicket was the abundant grass cover,” says Himachal Pradesh Ranji Trophy coach, Rajdeep Kalsi, who acted as the curator for the ground under the guidance of the BCCI grounds committee member Daljit Singh. However, in the last one month, inclement weather and drizzle has denuded the pitch of its lush green tinge.The altitude and the heavy air will assist the fast bowlers who rely on movement, but the ball will not zip off the pitch as it had during the domestic games. As for the bounce, that will be normal. That should be good news for the Pakistan pace brigade of Naved-ul-Hasan Rana, Mohammad Sami and Abdur Razzaq. Mohammad Khalil, the left-armer, is still recovering from the injury he suffered during the Australia series and didn’t bowl in the nets.Kalsi felt that the wicket could take turn as the match wore on. “There are good chances of the wicket breaking midway into the third day,” he said. That might happen if the frequent clouds that keep appearing take a break.Both teams were quiet on the team-composition front, but it should be quite a tussle. Kaif said that his team would make sure that they don’t allow Pakistan to gain any momentum before the main event starts in Mohali in six days’ time. Hopefully, the weather Gods will relent long enough for both teams to make an impression.Board President’s XI (from): Satyajit Parab, Dheeraj Jadhav, Shikhir Dhawan, Venugopala Rao, Mohammad Kaif (capt), Suresh Raina, Neeraj Patel, Parthiv Patel (wk), Ramesh Powar, Shib Shankar Paul, Rudra Pratap Singh, Gagandeep Singh, Ranadeb Bose, Ram Kumar.Pakistan (from): Salman Butt, Yasir Hameed, Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), Yousuf Youhana, Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal (wk), Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Mohammad Sami, Danish Kaneria, Mohammad Khalil, Asim Kamal, Taufeeq Umar, Shahid Afridi, Arshad Khan.

Inzamam-ul Haq, Pakistan captain, will lead a Test-strength side against an Asian XI for two exhibition matches in Saudi Arabia in an effort to promote the game in the region. The matches are scheduled for May 25 and 26.The matches will be played at the Al-Ahli stadium in Jeddah on artificial turf, and officials expect both to be fully sold out. Supported by the Saudi Cricket Centre, formed by expatriates from Pakistan and India, it is hoped that the event will convince the government and locals that interest in the sport is growing in the region.Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Imran Farhat, Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Sami are all set to play for Pakistan, whose side will essentially be their Test XI.Four Sri Lankans and four Bangladeshis join five Indians to form the Asian XI, which will be captained by VVS Laxman. The team also includes Ajay Jadeja, the former India batsman, who has served a five-year ban imposed for match fixing in 2000.Pakistan XI: Inzamam-ul Haq (capt), Imran Farhat, Salman Butt, Younis Khan,Mohammad Yousuf, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal (wk), Arshad Khan, Mohammad Sami,Umar Gul, Danish KaneriaAsian XI: VVS Laxman (capt), Gautum Gambhir, Ajay Jadeja, ShahadatHossain, Venkatapathy Raju, Wasim Jaffer, Shahriar Nafees, Roshan Mahanama,Romesh Kaluwitharana (wk), Kumar Dharmasena, Dilhara Fernando, Mohammad Rafique,Aftab Ahmed

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) have again committed themselves to a new dispensation of cooperation, after settling their latest pay dispute. The two sides have also pledged to work together to dispose of all outstanding matters (including retainer contracts) no later than August 31.The WICB have agreed to pay the players a total of US$100,000 for the four preliminary matches in the upcoming tri-series in Singapore and Malaysia, and an additional US$50,000 if the team reaches the final.”WICB and WIPA each recognise their common interest in the development and success of West Indies cricket,” a joint statement signed by Ken Gordon, the WICB president and Dinanath Ramnarine, the WIPA executive president said. “The relationship in the past has been one of conflict and controversy – a situation which is inimical to West Indies cricket, particularly for the stability, growth, and development of the game in the Caribbean.”Both parties recognise the goodwill which has made this agreement possible and restate their desire to improve the earnings of the Board and the Players whenever practicable.”The parties settled the dispute, after the WIPA agreed to accept a minimum fee of US$30,000 for the junior players and the upper figure for the more seasoned players now stands at US$75,000. The WICB claimed that the WIPA’s original demands for payments ranging from US$40,000 to $US95,000 per player was unacceptable.The two parties have also committed themselves to making public statements on controversial issues, only after every reasonable effort has been made to resolve differences internally.”Both parties acknowledge that there is a Dispute Resolution Process, as is contained in the Collective Bargaining Agreement which will be signed by August 31 and emphasise their commitment to follow this process,” the statement said. “Both parties commit themselves to engage in a relationship of mutual respect and the honouring of all agreements arrived at between the parties.”

True to the newly-found unpredictability of Zimbabwe domestic cricket, Southerns have clinched the country’s first-ever inter-provincial Twenty20 series after beating host province Easterns by five runs in the final in Mutare at the weekend.Southerns comprise largely of the old Masvingo, a province which in the old set-up, had no first-class status. It only contested the “B” Division of the Logan Cup, the country’s premier first-class tournament. Their victims in the final, Easterns, are the new champions of the Faithwear one-day series which ended in Harare last week.The historic Twenty20 tournament took place in the border town of Mutare over three days on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The final was a rain-affected match reduced to eight overs a-side, and Southerns were 73 for 7 in their 8 overs with Man of the Match Norman Mukondiwa smashing 20 off nine balls. Young spin bowler Timycen Maruma, who played in Zimbabwe’s first and only Twenty20 match against South Africa last year, took 2 for 21.Easterns were 68 for 7, managing only 12 of the 17 they needed from the last over, with Blessing Mahwire doing the damage with 3 for 18.Southerns won through to the final after topping the group stage. Easterns finished level on points with Westerns, but secured their place thanks to a superior run rate. Northerns came fourth while Centrals, who lost all four of their matches, came bottom.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
How they were out

Australia suffocated under a massive total set up by Sanath Jayasuriya’s century-making return from a shoulder injury as Sri Lanka sealed their second win of the VB Series. Jayasuriya’s brilliant 114 from 96 balls bounced the tourists to a massive 7 for 309 and while Australia felt in touch on a couple of occasions they were unable to conquer the unusual situation and lost by 51 runs.Trying a strange line-up that omitted the in-form Phil Jaques and Glenn McGrath, Australia were punished for their experiments as their back-up seamers were thrashed and the opening batsmen missed their chances to push for longer stints in the current roles. Sri Lanka carried the vibe of their wonderful batting performance into the field and Australia suffered a poor start – the required run-rate was already above seven at 3 for 41 in the 13th over – to place too much pressure on the rest of the order.Michael Clarke spent ten balls on zero before making a useful 67 and when he was partnered by Andrew Symonds, who crashed 31 in 32 balls, Australia were hopeful, but as Symonds departed to a horrible mix-up at 6 for 184 the cause was downgraded to hopeless. Sri Lanka, the world’s No. 7 team after a poor run in New Zealand and India, have beaten both of their top-two rivals in the past week and this success was due to the clever changes of pace from their seamers, the spinning problems created by Malinga Bandara, who captured 4 for 58, and Jayasuriya’s inimitable strokeplay.”Everything is falling in place and everyone wants to keep going the way they are going,” Marvan Atapattu said. “It’s all about winning habits. There was a time when we couldn’t chase 225, but everything falls into place when you’re winning.”Jayasuriya left the one-day tour of New Zealand earlier this month after falling in the shower and hurting his shoulder, but he showed no signs of discomfort – or slipping – as he flayed his third century at the SCG. Arriving in Sydney on Friday, Jayasuriya shook off the jetlag with a 39-ball fifty and his hundred arrived 46 deliveries later to give his side a stunning start against the world champions.In a 163-run partnership with Kumar Sangakkara, whose sweet 78 from 95 was delicious support, Jayasuriya lifted a sleepy start with a burst of fierce boundaries once Nathan Bracken and Brett Lee finished their opening spells. Brett Dorey was thrashed for 34 off four overs and quickly Supersubbed while James Hopes went for 36 from three, including 19 from his first, as Sri Lanka reached 100 in the 16th over.The onslaught forced Ricky Ponting, who refused to delay the Powerplays, to bring back both Lee and Bracken, who collected 2 for 40 from nine, to stop the demolition and he spent the remainder of the innings constantly reshuffling. The changes didn’t worry Jayasuriya and he continued to trouble Australia until he started to cramp.Jayasuriya’s boundary blasting – he hit ten fours and four sixes – ended when he played a weary shot and was stumped off Brad Hogg at 2 for 187. Sri Lanka used the platform extremely well and careered past the 300-mark thanks to Mahela Jayawardene’s 56 off 48 balls and a late 31 from Marvan Atapattu.Ponting also adjusted his batting line-up after the early problems and Brad Haddin was employed at No. 5, pushing Symonds and Michael Hussey back to seven and eight. Haddin was the most comfortable of Australia’s batsmen until he was bowled between his legs by Muralitharan’s doosra for 41, but the gamble stole time from his senior and regular team-mates.Haddin makes way for Adam Gilchrist this week after a two-game stint and there will be further questions over the make-up of the opening pair following Jaques’s 94 in Melbourne on Friday and the failures of Damien Martyn and Simon Katich. Ponting worried about his batting order after the previous match and his concerns remained tonight.Under severe run-making pressure, Australia could not find regular fluency and needed James Hopes (43) and Brad Hogg (22 not out) to prevent a Sri Lankan bonus point. What they really wanted for such a big chase was an in-form Jayasuriya.

Australia
Damien Martyn c Kulasekara b Vaas 8 (1 for 16)
Ricky Ponting c Muralitharan b Perera 13 (2 for 26)
Simon Katich c Mubarak b Perera 13 (3 for 41)
Brad Haddin b Muralitharan 41 (4 for 110)
Michael Hussey run out 0 (5 for 111)
Andrew Symonds run out 31 (6 for 184)
Michael Clarke c Muralitharan b Bandara 67 (7 for 188)
Brett Lee c Dilshan b Bandara 3 (8 for 197)
James Hopes c Vaas b Bandara 43 (9 for 257)
Nathan Bracken c Atapattu b Bandara 0 (258)
Sri LankaJehan Mubarak c Haddin b Lee 2 (1 for 24)
Sanath Jayarsuriya st Haddin b Hogg 114 (2 for 187)
Kumar Sangakkara c&b Symonds 78 (3 for 227)
Leading edge trying to play to legMahela Jayawardene b Bracken 56 (4 for 280)
Tillakaratne Dilshan c&b Clarke 6 (5 for 289)
Russel Arnold run out 6 (6 for 297)
Chaminda Vaas c Hussey b Bracken 2 (7 for 309)