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Ashish Nehra, one of India’s first-choice seamers in the shorter versions of the game, has made himself available for Test cricket, six and a half years since he last turned out in whites at the highest level.”I had never said that I will not play Test cricket again,” Nehra told . “It was just that initially after my comeback, I wanted to concentrate on the ODIs and Twenty20s. Now that I am back in the national side for one and a half years, I feel confident to make a comeback in the Test fold. I will like to make myself available for selection during the South Africa Test series.”A spate of injuries in the mid-2000s pushed Nehra out of the Indian team, but he clawed back into the reckoning with a watershed performance in the 2009 IPL in South Africa, where he stood third in the wickets chart with 18. He has since become a regular in India’s ODI plans and sporadically featured in Twenty20 internationals. His susceptibility to injuries, however, has kept him out of the Test team.Since his international comeback in June 2009, Nehra has played 36 one-dayers, picking 54 wickets at an average just under 30. More importantly, he has not missed a single game due to fitness issues or injuries, and Nehra hopes that he can carry that durability into the longest version. He is headed to the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore to follow a fitness program that will prepare him for the upcoming tour of South Africa.”I am planning to play one Ranji Trophy for Delhi before the New Zealand ODI series to check how my body is holding. I am enjoying my cricket at the moment and I don’t see any reason why I can’t make a comeback.”For me the top-most priority is the World Cup next year. That is why I have been so choosy about playing in the longer version. But after World Cup, there is lot of Test cricket to be played as India would be playing against England, West Indies. I will like to again play Test cricket with the same intensity that I used to at the start of my career.”While Nehra is keen to return to Tests, it remains to be seen whether the selectors, who have treated India’s fast-bowling talents on a case-by-case-basis, will include him in their plans. Zaheer Khan is currently the only seamer who walks into the side in all three formats, but, of late, he has been used selectively in a bid to prolong his career. Nehra, on the other hand, has slotted well into the one-day side, with his ability to move the new ball and deliver yorkers in the closing stages. Ishant Sharma and Sreesanth, who have been lacklustre in the shorter versions, have been persisted with for Test cricket. Both bowlers have reposed that faith with strong performances in recent times, and Nehra will have to stave off competition from them to enter the Test side.

81st ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF BCCI
COMPOSITION OF WORKING COMMITTEE FOR 2010-11
1. SHASHANK MANOHARPRESIDENT2. N SRINIVASANHONORARY SECRETARY, PRESIDENT ELECT3. SANJAY JAGDALEHONORARY JOINT SECRETARY4. M P PANDOVEHONORARY TREASURER5. ARUN JAITLEYVICE PRESIDENT (NORTH)6 SHIVLAL YADAVVICE PRESIDENT (SOUTH)7. ARINDAM GANGULYVICE PRESIDENT (EAST)8. NIRANJAN SHAHVICE PRESIDENT (WEST)9. RAJEEV SHUKLAVICE PRESIDENT (CENTRAL)10. DELHI & DISTRICT CRICKET ASSOCIATION, 11. TAMIL NADU CRICKET ASSOCIATION, 12. CRICKET ASSOCIATION OF BENGAL, 13. MUMBAI CRICKET ASSOCIATION,14. UTTAR PRADESH CRICKET ASSOCIATION (All Permanent Test Centres)
15.JAMMU &KASHMIR CRICKET ASSOCIATION(NORTH)
16.GOA CRICKET ASSOCIATION(SOUTH)
17.ORISSA CRICKET ASSOCIATION(EAST )
18.BARODA CRICKET ASSOCIATION(WEST )
19.RAILWAY SPORTS PROMOTION BOARD (CENTRAL)
20..KARNATAKA STATE CRICKET ASSOCIATION, 21..PUNJAB CRICKET ASSOCIATION, 22..GUJARAT CRICKET ASSOCIATION, 23..VIDARBHA CRICKET ASSOCIATION (All Staged Test Matches)
SENIOR TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE
1.MR.SHIVLAL YADAV CHAIRMAN/VICE PRESIDENT2.HARYANA CRICKET ASSOCIATION3.TAMIL NADU CRICKET ASSOCIATION4.ORISSA CRICKET ASSOCIATION5.BARODA CRICKET ASSOCIATION6.U P CRICKET ASSOCIATION7. MR. N SRINIVASAN HON. SECRETARY/CONVENORTECHNICAL COMMITTEE
1.MR.SUNIL GAVASKARCHAIRMAN2.PREM THAKUR(NORTH)3.P R ASHOK ANAND(SOUTH)4.GOUTAM DASGUPTA(EAST )5MADHAV RANADE (WEST )6 VIJAY NAIDU (CENTRAL)7K SRIKKANTH (CHAIRMAN SENIOR SELECTION COMM)8.SOURAV GANGULY(FORMER TEST CRICKETER)9.V K RAMASWAMY(FORMER TEST UMPIRE)10.N SRINIVASAN HON. SECRETARY/CONVENORTOUR, PROGRAMME & FIXTURE COMMITTEE
1ARUN JAITLEY CHAIRMAN2..MD. ASLAM GONI(NORTH)3..VINOD PHADKE(SOUTH)4..BIKAS BARUAH(EAST)5PARIMAL NATWANI(WEST )6..PRAKASH DIXIT(CENTRAL)7N SRINIVASANHON. SECRETARY/CONVENORFINANCE COMMITTEE
1JYOTIRADITYA M SCINDIACHAIRMAN2.. ANURAG THAKUR(NORTH)3.. E VENKATRAM REDDY(SOUTH)4.. AMITABH CHOUDHARY(EAST)5.. SANJAY PATEL(WEST )6SANJAY DIXIT (CENTRAL)7M.P. PANDOVEHON. TREASURER/CONVENORJUNIOR CRICKET COMMITTEE
1.RAJEEV SHUKLACHAIRMAN2.CAPTAIN (IN) U K THAPA-NORTH3.T R BALAKRISHNAN-SOUTH4.RAJIV SINGH-EAST5.DHIRAJ JOGANI-WEST6.ASHOK KUMAT-CENTRAL7.SANJAY JAGDALE-HON. JT. SECRETARY/CONVENORUMPIRES SUB-COMMITTEE
1.NIRANJAN SHAH-CHAIRMAN2..ANIRUDH CHAUDHARY-(NORTH)3..MONCHO FERRA-(SOUTH)4..BISWARUP DEY-(EAST)5..HEMANT WAINGANKAR-(WEST )6SHUAIB AHMED-(CENTRAL)7..S VENKATARAGHAVAN-DIRECTOR8.A V JAYAPRAKASH-RETD. TEST UMPIRE9..SANJAY JAGDALE-HON. JT. SECRETARY/CONVENORVIZZY TROPHY COMMITTEE
1.ARINDAM GANGULY-CHAIRMAN / VICE PRESIDENT2..APPAL RAJU – SOUTH3..BABUL HORE-EAST4..GURDEEP SINGH-(A.I.U.)5..PROF. BEENA SHAH-(A.I.U.) / JOINT CONVENOR6.. SANJAY JAGDALE-HON. JT. SECRETARY/JOINT CONVENORWOMEN’S COMMITTEE
1SHASHANK MANOHAR-CHAIRMAN2SHASHI GUPTA-NORTH3VIDYA YADAV-SOUTH4ANURADHA MISRA-EAST5SANGITA DABIR-CENTRAL6SHUBHANGI KULKARNI-WEST7.N SRINIVASAN-HON.SECRETARY/CONVENORALL INDIA SENIOR SELECTION COMMITTEE
1K SRIKKANTH-SOUTH -CHAIRMAN2. YASHPAL SHARMA-NORTH3C R VENKATRAMAN-EAST4SURENDRA BHAVE-WEST5NARENDRA HIRWANI-CENTRAL6N SRINIVASAN-HON. SECRETARY / CONVENORALL INDIA JUNIOR SELECTION COMMITTEE
1ABEY KURUVILLA-WEST -CHAIRMAN2ARUN SHARMA-NORTH3VENKA PRATAP-SOUTH4RAJIB DEBBARMAN-EAST5PREETAM GANDHE-CENTRAL6SANJAY JAGDALE-HON. JT. SECRETARY / CONVENORALL INDIA WOMEN’S SELECTION COMMITTEE
1VRINDA BHAGAT-WEST -CHAIRPERSON2.RESHMA GANDHI-NORTH3.SAVITHA NIRALA – SOUTH4GARGI BANERJEE-EAST5REETA DEY-CENTRAL6.N SRINIVASAN-HON. SECRETARY / CONVENORIPL GOVERNING COUNCIL COMMITTEE
CHIRAYU AMIN-CHAIRMANRAJEEV SHUKLA-UPCAARUN JAITLEY-DDCAANURAG THAKUR-HIMACHALRANJIB BISWAL-ORISSAAJAY SHIRKE-MAHARASTRATWO CRICKETERS-TO BE NOMINATED BY PRESIDENTALL OFFICE BEARERS OF BCCISPECIAL COMMITTEES DURING THE YEAR – 2010-11
LEGAL COMMITTEE
SHASHANK MANOHAR-CHAIRMANARUN JAITLEY-DDCANILLAY DUTTA-ASSAMANIRUDH CHAUDHARY-HARYANAD V SUBBARAO-ANDHRAPRATAP SATPATI-ORISSANATIONAL CRICKET ACADEMY BOARD
ANIL KUMBLE-CHAIRMANAJAY SHIRKE-VICE CHAIRMAN – MAHARASHTASANDEEP PATIL-DIRECTOR-NCARAKESH PARIKH-MEMBER- BARODASUNIL DEV-MEMBER-DDCAGROUP CAPT. D D DESHPANDE-MEMBER-VCAT C MATHEW -MEMBER-KERALACHIRARAJNA PAUL- MEMBER-TRIPURAALL OFFICE BEARERS OF BCCINCA CONSTRUCTION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
AJAY SHIRKE – CHAIRMANC R LAXMINARAYAN-KSCAANSARI MIRZA-PRADEEP DESHMUKHSANJAY JAGDALE-HON.JT SECRETARY/ CONVENORCONSTITUTION REVIEW COMMITTEE
SHASHANK MANOHAR -CHAIRMANANIRUDH CHOUDHARY-HARYANAARUN JAITLEY-DDCAPROF. R S SHETTY-CAO -BCCIN SRINIVASAN-HONORARY SECRETARY/CONVENORMUSEUM COMMITTEE
ANIRUDH CHOUDHARY-CHAIRMANP D PATHAK-UTTAR PRADESHSANJIB KUMAR DUTTA-ORISSAANURAG THAKUR-HPCAM PRABHAKAR RAO-ANDHRAM R KRISHNA-KARNATAKAS.P. BANSAL-DDCAS VENKATESWARAN-HYDERABADK P KAJARIA-NCCSALEEM KHAN-JAMMU & KASHMIRPROF. R S SHETTY-CONVENORMEDIA COMMITTEE
RAJEEV SHUKLA-CHAIRMANG S WALIA-NORTH(PUNJAB)R N BABA-SOUTH (TNCA)PABITRA GAGOI-EAST (ASSAM)VINOD DESHPANDE-WEST(MUMBAI)RAJAN NAIR-CENTRAL (VIDARBHA)N SRINIVASAN-HONORARY SECRETARY /CONVENORMARKETING SUB-COMMITTEE
DR. FAROOQ ABHULLAH-CHAIRMANC P JOSHI-RAJASTHANGOUTAM ROY-ASSAMCHIRAYU AMIN-BARODADR. G GANGA RAJU-ANDHRAANIRUDH CHAUDHRY-HARYANADILIP CHUDGAR-MPCASAMARJIT GAIKWAD-BARODAANURAG THAKUR-HPCAS N WADIYAR-KSCAM M MISRA-UPCADAYANAND NARVEKAR-GOAARVIND CHOUDHARY-HARYANAC K KHANNA-DDCAD S CHALAPATHI-HYDERABADCHITRAK MITRA-CABBHARAT SHAH-SAURASHTRAALL OFFICE BEARERS OF BCCIGROUND & PITCHES COMMITTEE
VENKAT SUNDARAM-NORTH -CHAIRMANP R VISHWANATHAN-SOUTHRATUL DAS-EASTSUDHIR NAIK-WESTRAJIV GOKHALE-CENTRALN SRINIVASAN – HONORARY SECRETARY/CONVENORAFFILIATION COMMITTEE
ARUN JAITLEY-CHAIRMANASLAM GONI-JAMMU & KASHMIRSANJAY JAGDALE-HONORARY JT SECRETARYCRICKET DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
DILIP VENGSARKAR -CHAIRMANCHETAN CHAUHAN-NORTHARSHAD AYUB-SOUTHPRANOB ROY-EASTPRASHANT VAIDHYA-CENTRALN SRINIVASAN-HONORARY SECRETARY/ CONVENOR

The three Pakistan players at the centre of the spot-fixing controversy were questioned by police in London until late Friday evening, though no charges were laid against them. It is believed that alleged phone interactions between the players and Mazhar Majeed formed part of the quizzing of all three players. The money found in some of the players’ rooms is also understood to have been the subject of the queries.”At no time were they placed under arrest, they were free to leave at any time andthey have answered all of the questions that were put to them and have beenreleased without charge or conditions,” their local lawyer Elizabeth Robertson said.The day began early for the trio, who have been provisionally suspended by the ICC over their alleged involvement in the controversy that engulfed the fourth Test at Lord’s between England and Pakistan. Mohammad Amir, the 18-year-old fast bowler, was the first player to be questioned at the Kilburn police station in North London by the Metropolitan police officials, arriving at around 9am.He was followed in the afternoon by Mohammad Asif, before Salman Butt, the Pakistan captain, was questioned. The session ended nearly 12 hours later. The PCB’s legal advisor Taffazul Rizvi and Robertson were present through the three sessions. It is believed that the police will now contact the players again only when they need to.”The players have informed the police that the man was their agent, but they had no knowledge about his illegal activities,” Rizvi told private television channels in Pakistan. “They [players] all went to record statements voluntarily to the police station.”The criminal investigation is separate from the one that the ICC and the ACSU are carrying out, though evidence has been shared. The ICC suspended the players on Thursday under Article 2 of their anti-corruption code believing that they had sufficient evidence to do so. The move drew a sharp reaction from the top Pakistan diplomat in London, Wajid Shamsul Hasan.Rizvi said the the three players were issued individual notices by the ICC. “We will just monitor what happens at the appeals, but they have to contest it on their own.”A tough day for Amir got worse with the news that he had been removed from the list of nominees for the ICC’s emerging player of the year award, for which he was a favourite.The allegations against the players revolve around an undercover operation by the , during which a 35-year-old man, Mazhar Majeed, claimed he had paid Asif and Amir to bowl no-balls to order and that Butt was also involved.Rizvi told ESPNcricinfo that the option of legal action against the NOTW by the PCB remains if the players are proven innocent, which is what the Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK had said. He denied reports that the PCB was threatening to sue the ICC over the suspensions.

Tim Bresnan has been called up to the England squad after an ankle injury ruled Ajmal Shahzad out of the first Test against Pakistan at Trent Bridge. It had been a foot injury to Bresnan that helped Shahzad make his Test debut against Bangladesh last month, during which he impressed with his pace and reverse-swing.Shahzad’s ankle problem has sidelined him for a week and he could be back as soon as the second Test at Edgbaston. He had previously suffered a hamstring strain during the third ODI against Bangladesh.”After twisting his left ankle with Yorkshire over a week ago Ajmal went on to successfully play in a Clydesdale Bank 40 match for his county last Monday,” ECB chief medical officer, Nick Peirce, said. “Unfortunately Ajmal felt some discomfort following England practice at the NCPC [National Cricket Performance Centre] on Tuesday and as a precautionary measure it is felt he is best to undergo rehabilitation on the ankle for the remainder of this week.”Shahzad’s Yorkshire team-mate Bresnan had a solid tour of Bangladesh earlier this year but was a let-down when given the new ball at Lord’s earlier this season. With fast bowlers James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Steven Finn already in the squad, it is unlikely Bresnan will make the XI for the first Test against Pakistan starting Thursday.Both Bresnan and Shahzad face an important few weeks as they aim to cement their places on the Ashes tour later in the year. Bresnan is considered as an option to bat at No. 7 to allow England to play five bowlers, but currently Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss favour the six-batsman route with Matt Prior, the wicketkeeper, at No. 7.

Gary Kirsten, India’s coach, has expressed disappointment over how few Indian fast bowlers have added to the bare cupboard, or shown the promise to be given a long run. “In the last two years and seven months that I have been with the team, we have tried 15 or 16 seamers in one-day cricket,” Kirsten said. “That’s a lot of options. We need to settle on the few who can get through.”It is a concern that the guys are not saying ‘I am here now and now I am going to play international cricket for next five years’. A lot of them might argue that they haven’t been given enough opportunities, but when you are trying to achieve results all the time, sometimes you get only limited opportunities and you have got to ensure that you show what you are capable of in that time.”Kirsten was speaking after India had a disappointing start to the Test series against Sri Lanka, conceding 256 for 2 in 68 overs on a rain-curtailed first day. Ishant Sharma, who has not had a great time after a promising start to his career, found himself leading the pace department in the absence of Zaheer Khan. He went for 79 runs in14 overs.”We need to be patient with Ishant Sharma,” Kirsten said. “He hasn’t had much game time in the last three months. In his last Test in Kolkata he made a crucial contribution, got two vital wickets against South Africa. We need to be patient with guys who we know have the potential and talent to go forward. We must be careful not to judge him on one practice game and one day here. Let’s give him a bit of a run and see how he goes. He lost a bit of confidence towards the end of the last season and that takes some time to come back.”When asked if Ishant and Sreesanth should have been sent on the A tour of England, especially to play in the first-class games, Kirsten said: “I would like the guys to have as much game time as possible. Wherever they get an opportunity to play quality cricket they must play.”Kirsten also spoke about the missing allrounder in the scheme of things, someone who could have shored up the bowling in circumstances like today. “It [playing five bowlers] is an option, but you know that our success in the last 16 Test matches has been this combination. We are a good batting line-up, and it’s important for us to have six batsmen. Ideally we want a batting allrounder who can bowl seam but there are not many of those.”If he is going to be a batting allrounder, he has to be able to make a contribution with the ball. We can’t have a guy bowling at 115 kmph, holding up one end and getting one wicket every five Test matches. He has got to be able to make a proper contribution with the ball. Irfan [Pathan] was certainly one of the individuals that we earmarked, but he is probably a little bit light on his bowling side.”

ScorecardFour wickets for Adil Rashid, bowling with a self-assurance that can only encourage both Yorkshire and England, helped the Championship leaders reach a position from which they might take a clear lead at the top of the First Division.Warwickshire’s position at the close – delayed until almost seven o’clock after a 30-minute stoppage for rain – leaves them needing 55 more to avoid the follow-on, although they at least had the consolation of a batting bonus point – only their second in six matches in an increasingly grim season.That was made possible for the most part by their first opening partnership in three figures for more than a year as Ian Westwood and Darren Maddy put on 102.Rashid’s current status is difficult to assess. Largely a passenger on England’s winter tour of South Africa, he has not played any international cricket since he bowled three overs in the second one-day international at Centurion Park on November 22nd. He was overlooked for the World Twenty20 and both series, home and away, against Bangladesh.But while some may judge that to be insensitive treatment by the selectors, it may actually be just what he needs. Armed with some knowledge, at least, of the standards he must attain to be successful at the top level, a period giving his undivided attention to county cricket should make him a better bowler. If a snub by design is taking place, the selectors may yet congratulate themselves on their wisdom.Yorkshire will not mind if he does not get a look-in for the rest of the season. He is their leading wicket-taker in first-class cricket with 37 successes and has been their most effective weapon in Twenty20 thus far for good measure. What’s more, he looks as though he is enjoying every minute, particularly with the support of a captain, in Andrew Gale, who encourages self-expression.Rashid was Yorkshire’s trump card in the evening session. In the morning, it was wicketkeeper Gerard Brophy’s turn to enjoy an overdue moment in the sun. Under pressure from Jonathan Bairstow for the gloves, he did his cause no harm by completing his seventh first-class century – his second for Yorkshire – off 168 balls with 15 fours.Unfortunately, though, he did not extend it by much, giving his wicket away somewhat with a loose stroke as Warwickshire mounted a fightback that, for two sessions, went well.After Rashid had been leg before to Neil Carter off the second ball of the day, Brophy aimed to cut Rikki Clarke but steered the ball straight to point. Azeem Rafiq was then taken at gully off Clarke before a fine throw by Steffan Piolet – a direct hit from short third man – ran out Steve Patterson at the non-striker’s end.A brave effort from Rich Pyrah, suffering a bout of sickness and clearly under the weather, gained Yorkshire a fourth batting point. He finished unbeaten on 45, despite being stopped in his tracks several times by an irresistible urge to retch. Tino Best showed rather less resolve. He was caught at gully fending off a short ball from Boyd Rankin, and with Oliver Hannon-Dalby caught at short leg soon after lunch, Warwickshire could claim to have dominated the day to that point, having claimed six Yorkshire wickets for 100.They were still on top at tea. Captain Westwood, with Maddy in the supporting role, led a partnership that took them past 100 without the loss of a wicket for the first time since June 2008. Most of this season’s efforts have been broken in single figures.Missing Ian Ball and Jonathan Trott, Warwickshire’s form with the bat had been woeful coming into this match. Topping 150 has often proved beyond them, which explains why relegation looks a strong possibility. Westwood’s 95-ball 66, therefore, represented rare riches.But after both he and Maddy fell leg before in consecutive overs, the innings began to lose its way. Westwood was a first victim for Rashid, playing back to a delivery that shot through with a low trajectory, as Warwickshire found themselves 104-2. They should have been 111-3 at tea but Ant Botha was missed by Anthony McGrath at slip on six off Rashid with the last ball of the afternoon session.That reprieve allowed Botha and Jim Troughton to build a recovery of sorts but three wickets in the space of 10 balls shifted the balance back in Yorkshire’s favour as the visitors slipped from 148 for 2 to 153 for 5.Rashid, looking confident and making the ball turn and bounce, claimed his second success when Troughton popped the ball obligingly to Adam Lyth at forward short leg and dismissed Botha in much the same fashion. In between, 18-year-old Atiq Javid was leg before to an arrow-straight delivery from Steve Patterson.Tim Ambrose, who had been short of his best with the gloves, would have been out without scoring had an edge off Patterson not flashed past a motionless Jacques Rudolph at slip, after which the former England wicketkeeper had another piece of luck on 17 when he squirted a ball from Rashid onto his stumps without dislodging the bails.After the rain, Warwickshire lost two more wickets. A straight and fast ball from Best left Ambrose looking helpless, then Rashid had Piolet leg before, although the first impression, which the batsman seemed to share, was that he had put bat on ball first, although fourth-floor level at third man is possibly not the best place from which to make an accurate judgment.Warwickshire will want Clarke and Carter to dig in on day three and lose some more time rain. But even that might not be enough.

Tyron Henderson, the South African allrounder, has rejoined Middlesex for the remainder of the Friends Provident t20 campaign. Henderson, who had a previous spell with the club in 2008 and 2009, will help cover for an injury-hit bowling attack.Having arrived in London earlier this week, Henderson proved his fitness we two outings for the Middlesex second team which included hitting 80 off 31 balls against Surrey at Beckenham. Henderson was the final-over hero for Middlesex when they won the 2008 Twenty20 Cup against Kent at The Rose Bowl, although he had a limited impact for Rajasthan Royals at IPL3 having been brought for $650,000.”Injury to Iain O’Brien and Shaun Udal, and the ECB’s decision to withdraw Steven Finn from all cricket has given Middlesex’s bowling an inexperienced look,” said Angus Fraser, the managing director of cricket. “The predicament also places a heavy workload on a couple of bowlers who have already bowled a lot of overs this summer.”With this in mind it seemed sensible to bolster our bowling resources, and there are few more experienced and skilful t20 bowlers than Tyron. In 2009 it was reassuring to watch Tyron bowl at crucial stages of matches and we all know how hard and far he can hit a cricket ball. On his day he is a high quality limited over cricketer.”Meanwhile Neil Dexter, the recently appointed captain, and allrounder Gareth Berg have been given new three-year deals by the club. Dexter will take over the leadership following Shaun Udal’s resignation now that Adam Gilchrist’s spell with the county has come to an end.Berg, meanwhile, has been rewarded for some impressive all-round results after averaging 51.18 with the bat in the first half of the Championship season and taking 24 wickets at 34.75 to go with a batting average of 44.66 in the CB40.”That Neil has been appointed captain for the second half of the season highlights how highly he is regarded by everyone at Middlesex,” said Fraser. “He has been in excellent form with the bat and is one of the most elegant and classy players in the country. His bowling in one-day cricket is becoming highly effective too.”When I returned to Middlesex in many people’s eyes the jury was out on Gareth. But over the past season and a half he has become one of the country’s leading all-rounders. He holds a pivotal role in our side and when Gareth plays well we tend to. The most encouraging thing is that Gareth is getting better all the time and there is still plenty more to come.”

Jesse Ryder is flying home to New Zealand after an elbow injury forced him out of the two Twenty20s against Sri Lanka in the United States next weekend. Ryder, who has just returned from a long-term stomach problem, left the squad to get a thorough assessment of the complaint, which hampered him throughout the World Twenty20.”The focus for him now is the Sri Lanka tour [in August],” the team manager Dave Currie said. “So he has returned to assess the extent of the injury and to get ready for that tour.”While Ryder exits the team, Andy McKay is re-entering it to replace Shane Bond, who retired on Friday. The coach Mark Greatbatch said McKay’s selection was a good opportunity for him to join the squad and prepare for the trip to Sri Lanka.”We brought Andy into the frame during the summer series against Bangladesh and he showed us some things we haven’t had before, with a left-armer swinging it at good pace,” Greatbatch said. “It is a good opportunity for him to play against a subcontinent side [Sri Lanka] before we tour there.”New Zealand were originally scheduled to play three Twenty20 matches against Sri Lanka in Florida, but that has been reduced to two due to the quality of the lights at the Broward County Regional Park stadium. Those games will occur next Saturday and Sunday.

Pakistan’s captain, coach and chief selector were forced to backtrack on their choices for replacing injured players in the squad for the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean. A day after the trio said Mohammad Sami and Mohammad Irfan had been approved as replacements for Umar Gul and Yasir Arafat – without the approval of the PCB chairman Ijaz Butt – the board announced that Sami and Abdur Rehman, the left-arm spinner, will now be the replacements instead.The confusion had begun early yesterday morning, when Shahid Afridi and Waqar Younis and then Mohsin Khan, held press conferences in Lahore ruling out Gul and Arafat and bringing in Sami and Irfan, a decision that didn’t have unanimous backing among the selection committee in any case.Further, Butt had not been informed of the replacements and his approval wasn’t sought – as is the procedure – and the board immediately issued a release clarifying that no replacements had been approved.The lack of communication is believed to have irked Butt and soon after meetings were held in Lahore’s Gaddafi stadium HQ between selectors, coach, captain and board officials. Though both captain and coach were keen on Irfan, the main objection to his selection was that he hadn’t been picked in the list of 30 probables that Pakistan had sent to the ICC.Though a final decision wasn’t taken last night – Butt had by then flown to Dubai for an ICC meeting – the name of Rehman as an alternative had been agreed upon. The team management was keen on another fast bowler, but only left-arm paceman Wahab Riaz was in the probables list and he is not fully fit. Today it was decided Rehman would be picked ahead of Irfan.”After Gul and Arafat’s injury we wanted another fast bowler, but from the list of 30 probables, we didn’t have any others,” Mohsin told Cricinfo. “The problem with Irfan’s selection was that he wasn’t in the 30 and that is where the problem was. Rehman’s name has been approved by the chairman.” The ICC clarified, however, that a player can be picked from outside the probables list.Rehman has been one of Pakistan’s leading domestic spinners for the last few years now and was particularly successful in the season just gone. He has played two Tests as well as a number of ODIs, though the last time he stepped out in Pakistan colours was back in November 2007.The turnaround denies Irfan what would’ve been a dream entry into international cricket, not even a year after his first-class debut. Irfan’s height – he is said to be near 7 feet tall – has attracted attention and his bowling has impressed many this season, including Afridi. “I’ve faced him and he is really good,” Afridi told today. “We can actually use him as a surprise package in the World Twenty20. He is quite fast but it’s his height that can really trouble a lot of batsmen. He extracts good bounce.”

Durham 459 for 9 dec and 228 for 6 dec beat MCC 162 and 214 (Murtagh 55*, Borthwick 4-57) by 311 runs
ScorecardScott Borthwick’s four wickets capped an impressive game for the legspinner•PA Photos

Durham’s bowlers wasted no time in wrapping up a comprehensive 311-run victory over MCC in the first match of the county season.The champions resumed on day four needing three more wickets and mopped up the tail in 45 minutes. While the setting, a deserted Sheikh Zayed Stadium rather than a rainy Lord’s, was unfamiliar, Durham’s status as the side to beat in English cricket is fast becoming the norm.Nevertheless, the focus has been less about the build up to the summerprogramme and more about the innovations on show, chiefly the use of a pink ball under floodlights.Durham had looked likely to wrap up victory inside three days until Tim Murtagh and Jon Lewis put on an unbroken 59-run stand for the eighth wicket last night. But having delayed Durham’s inevitable triumph and ensured their bowlers would have to return for one final push in sapping heat, Lewis (32) promptly threw away his wicket off the first ball of the day.Ian Blackwell was the bowler, but he will take little satisfaction from thedelivery, a slow long hop that Lewis somehow contrived to nick to wicketkeeper Phil Mustard.Steve Harmison took only eight balls to add the wicket of Dean Cosker (14) at the other end. The out-of-favour England bowler has looked dangerous when motivated, which has been intermittently at best, and had no problems beating the Cosker’s defences to win a clear lbw verdict.Murtagh, now with only Steve Kirby for company, quickly added the 23 he needed to reach 50 and was dropped by Mustard off Harmison moments later. He finished 55 not out as Kirby fell for 16 to 19-year-old legspinner Scott Borthwick, who picked up his fourth wicket of the innings and eighth of the match with a googly.