Sri Lanka have agreed to tour Pakistan in April for a series of five one-dayers to fill the gaps in Pakistan’s home series itinerary following Australia’s pull-out over security fears. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will finalise the fixtures shortly.”We are thankful to the Sri Lankan board, who have agreed to tour for a series of five one-day internationals on our invitation,” Nasim Ashraf, the PCB chairman, told reporters in Lahore.The tour is likely to take place after Sri Lanka conclude their ongoing tour of the West Indies, which ends on April 15. However, five-match series will clash with the Indian Premier League (IPL) which has several Sri Lanka players participating. Bangladesh had earlier agreed to tour Pakistan for five one-dayers and a Twenty20 from April 7 to 22.Arjuna Ranatunga, the chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket, arrived in Lahore today for discussions with Ashraf on the proposed tour and said he was more than willing to send his team to Pakistan.”India and Pakistan have always supported us in our needs like big brothers,” Ranatunga said, “so I am ready to send my team whenever Pakistan want.”
India will play a three-match ODI series against South Africa in Ireland at the end of June, the Indian board has announced, despite originally planning to face Australia.Negotiations with Cricket Australia started earlier this year and comments from the BCCI suggested the contest was well advanced. Under the conditions of an agreement signed between Zee TV and the Indian Cricket Board, India have to play 25 offshore ODIs over a five-year period.”We were only negotiating with Cricket Australia initially for the offshore series,” the BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah said. “We have now decided to have the series against South Africa at the end of June in Ireland.”Shah brushed aside reports that the India-Australia series had fallen through because Cricket Australia asked for an equal share of the revenue. “We were only having talks with Cricket Australia and nothing was finalised,” he said. “Now we have finalised the series against South Africa.”Earlier in the week, Cricket Australia denied there had been a slight cooling in relations between the two boards. Its spokesman, Peter Young, told the Daily Telegraph: “I don’t think the way we liaise with the Indian board has changed in the time I have been here.”The Irish Cricket Union won’t be too perturbed about which teams turn up. The series will provide lucrative staging rights, and Ireland may also provide warm-up opposition for the two sides in further full ODIs. The three-match series will be part of the build-up to India’s three-Test and seven-ODI tour of England, which starts in July.
Australian selectors named a strong Australia A squad for a series of four-day, one-day and Twenty20 cricket matches against A teams from New Zealand, India and Pakistan in Darwin and Cairns during July.The squad, showcasing Australia’s depth, contains players with international experience including wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin, the pace trio of Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Tait and Shane Watson, dumped Test batsman Brad Hodge and opener Phil Jaques. Haddin, who has played 13 ODIs for Australia, will lead the side.The new chairman of selectors, Andrew Hilditch, said.”We see the Top End series as a very important tournament for young, emerging talent in Australia and in particular for those pushing for Australian selection in the upcoming Champions Trophy, the Ashes and the World Cup.”We have selected players with some real experience at international level in Haddin, Hodge, Watson and [James] Hopes, whilst we also have some very exciting young players who have experience with the Australian team.”The pace attack of Johnson, Tait and Ben Dorey have all played for the Australian side recently, and along with Jaques, will be pushing their claims for the Ashes and World Cup.”The selectors have also included the young off-spinner Daniel Cullen, who played in the recent one-day series in Bangladesh. “Australia is obviously very well served at the moment with spinners Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill, but Dan Cullen has shown us what he is capable of on the recent tour of Bangladesh and Cullen Bailey has had a very strong domestic season and also deserves his opportunity,” Hilditch added.The tournament will be the first time international cricket is played in the top end region of Australia since Sri Lanka played two Tests there in July 2004.Australia A Brad Haddin (capt/wk), Cullen Bailey, Travis Birt, Mark Cosgrove, Dan Cullen, Brett Dorey, Ben Hilfenhaus, Brad Hodge, James Hopes, Phil Jaques, Mitchell Johnson, Chris Rogers, Shaun Tait, Shane Watson
The ICC has confirmed that Harbhajan Singh, the Indian offspinner, will be able to continue to bowl in international cricket, provided he uses an action consistent with the one he exhibited in the biomechanical tests conducted at the University of Western Australia in February.The decision follows a report from Marc Portus, the independent biomechanist, who conducted a further analysis of Harbhajan’s action after he was reported during the recent series against Pakistan.Portus’s report identified several differences in the actions employed by Harbhajan during the match against Pakistan and the one analysed at the university. However, it was unable to reach a definitive conclusion on the action used in the Pakistan match.Dave Richardson, the former South African wicketkeeper who is now the ICC’s cricket general manager, said that while the differences in the actions were identified, Portus had advised that he could not reach a conclusive decision because of differences in the footage quality and the camera angles.”There is no doubt that the action analysed in the university showed Harbhajan bowling with an action that is in accordance with the regulations,” said Richardson. “The analysis of the action used during the Pakistan match identifies some differences, including the position of the feet and the speed of the delivery. However, Portus was unable to reach a definitive conclusion on the action used against Pakistan because of the quality of the footage and the camera angles used. On this basis the ICC has advised the BCCI that Harbhajan is able to bowl in international cricket, provided his action is consistent with that used in the laboratory.”But Richardson added: “Should his action deteriorate, it is possible that the match referees would again report him and this would raise the prospect of further biomechanical analysis.”SK Nair, the BCCI’s honorary secretary, said that his board “welcomes the ICC decision to allow Harbhajan to bowl in international cricket. BCCI firmly believes that no bowler is licensed to throw. But at the same time, if a prima facie case cannot be established against the bowler, he should be allowed to play with a free mind. This cricket-friendly decision would not only lift the morale of Harbhajan, but also the other bowlers around the globe.”So that Harbhjan can be given the opportunity to understand the concerns raised in the Portus report, the BCCI has accepted an offer from the ICC for Richardson to meet with Harbhajan and his coach, to go through the specific points raised.
New Zealand have been boosted by the news that Daryl Tuffey, Shane Bond and Nathan Astle all passed fitness tests and are available for the forthcoming tour of England.Bond is such a key figure in New Zealand’s next 12 months of international cricket that he will not be placed at undue risk during the tour of England, which starts with a match against British Universities on May 3. He is returning after suffering a stress fracture in his back and is not regarded as a certainty for selection in the side for the first Test starting at Lord’s on May 20. He passed a final fitness test at New Zealand Cricket’s High Performance Centre at Lincoln University, near Christchurch.Bond was tested handling a gradually increased bowling load to see if he could maintain the technical changes that had been made to his action in order for him to have a longer career at international level. Astle was tested in a match situation and his knees, both of which have been operated on in the last 12 months, responded well. Tuffey, who had a knee problem during much of the lastsouthern hemisphere summer, was tested in the bowling spells and rest periods that he could expect in a match, and he also came through that well.John Bracewell, the New Zealand coach, reinforced the point that Bond was seen as going through a 12-month rehabilitation, and if that meant he was considered too fragile to be risked in the three-Test series, then he wouldn’t be.Such has been the impact Bond has made in his 10-Test international career that he has already taken on a newspaper column in New Zealand for his home town newspaper in Christchurch, The Press, while the cricket community iswaiting with bated breath to see if he can regain anything like his former pace.New Zealanders have become cautious, and rightly so, in their expectations of their faster bowlers. After injuries have denied them players reaching their maximum utility, like Geoff Allott, Dion Nash, Chris Cairns and Simon Doull,they have every reason to be wary.But they also know that Bond, in full cry, is a rare sightand a welcome opportunity to dish out something in return towhat has been delivered to New Zealand without too muchreply for many years.Bond is in no doubt of his readiness for action. He has been on a strictly managed build-up in New Zealand and completed the last part of an intensivefitness test programme today. “I’m not going to get too carried away. I’ve got to stay patient and remind myself of the longer termimplications of my return,” he said. “But it is hard not to run in andgive it everything. We’ve got three games before the firstTest, and it will be up to the management what role theyhave planned for me,” he said.As part of his rehabilitation, Bond has been working onchanges to his technique to lessen the torque on his bodyduring delivery. He has been monitored by video analysisevery time he has bowled during his recovery and he has beenassessed on three-dimensional testing facilities, similar tothose at the University of Western Australia where MuttiahMuralitharan and Shoaib Akhtar were assessed, at theUniversity of Auckland.Wellington coach Vaughn Johnson is traveling with the NewZealand team as an assistant to John Bracewell and he willbe keeping a close watch on Bond, and the other members ofthe New Zealand pace attack.”Shane is happy where he is technically,” said Bracewell, who will be keen to use Bond’s pace on England’s early season wickets. They leave for England on Tuesday, and the first of three Tests begins at Lord’s on May 20.”Traditionally at this time of year in England the wickets are fresh, grass-covered and conducive to seam and swing bowling,” added Bracewell, who has gained plenty of experience as coach of Gloucestershire. “For this reason we have opted for one specialist spin bowler only.”That spinner is Daniel Vettori, who made his Test debut against England as an 18-year-old in 1996-97. He also played a key part in New Zealand’s victories on their last tour of England in 1999. Their 2-1 series win condemned England to the bottom of the world rankings.New Zealand squad Stephen Fleming (capt), Nathan Astle, Shane Bond, Chris Cairns, Chris Martin, Kyle Mills, Brendon McCullum, Craig McMillan, Jacob Oram, Michael Papps, Mark Richardson, Scott Styris, Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori
As was the case yesterday, Australia won two of the three sessions, ending the extended second day in complete control of the first Test at Georgetown. In the morning Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting effortlessly wiped out West Indies’ first-innings total, and then after Vasbert Drakes had triggered a spirited West Indies fightback either side of tea, Adam Gilchrist and the tail snuffed out the revival. Trailing by 252, West Indies will have to bat well on a pitch which is showing signs of wear to avoid an innings defeat.Resuming on 120 for 1, Langer and Ponting cruised past the West Indies first-innings total before lunch without ever looking anything other than in complete, untroubled control. Langer reached his hundred first, his 14th in Tests, and Ponting followed suit shortly before lunch. The West Indies bowlers huffed and puffed and Brian Lara switched them around to try and work some magic – it was all in vain. It wasn’t pretty for anyone bar the partisan supporter, but it was ruthlessly clinical.The afternoon session continued along the same lines, and so impotent was the bowling that it was a surprise when the breakthrough finally came. Ponting rather wearily tried to drive at Drakes, but only edged low to Marlon Samuels at first slip. Ponting made 117 and added 248 for the second wicket with Langer (285 for 2).Four overs later Drakes struck again. Darren Lehmann put all his not inconsiderable bulk into smashing a short, wide delivery but substitute fielder David Bernard dived far and wide to his right at point to take a superb two-handed catch. An incredulous Lehmann departed for 6 (300 for 3).By now Langer was tiring in the heat, and the new ball did for him when he probed off the back foot at Drakes and nicked the ball to stand-in wicketkeeper Wavell Hinds. Langer made 146, smashing 19 fours and two sixes (319 for 3).Steve Waugh and a strangely subdued Gilchrist restored order, and the grinding down process continued through to tea. Waugh departed soon after the break for an unconvincing 25, trapped leg-before by Merv Dillon (349 for 5), and when Brad Hogg fell lbw to Pedro Collins for 3 shortly after (362 for 6) West Indies tails were up.But their bowling was frustratingly ordinary, and it was Andy Bichel who led a seventh-wicket stand of 85 which snuffed out West Indies’ embryonic recovery. When disciplined bowling was needed to prise open the tail, Lara had to watch his pace attack send down a string of half-volleys and longhops. Even the fielding disintegrated as the day wore on. It was depressing viewing.Drakes gave West Indies a late hurrah when he had Bichel well caught by Hinds for 39 as he tried to run a ball that was too close to him down to third man. (448 for 7) A grinning Hinds hurled the ball up with relief. He was clearly struggling with his new role, and 18 byes plus a dropped catch – Langer shortly after he had reached his hundred – told its own story.Gilchrist, who had looked more like his old gung-ho self after passing fifty, ended with the tamest of dismissals, patting a held-back half-volley straight to Jermaine Lawson when he had made 81 (473 for 8). Jason Gillespie (7) and Brett Lee (20) perished in a flurry of swipes and swings as quick runs became the priority as dusk approached.Drakes’s performance in the heat, on a featherbed, and with little effective support from the other end, was truly admirable. A latecomer to Test cricket – he only made his debut last December at the age of 33 – he alone looked threatening. It was the first five-wicket haul by a pace bowler in a Test at Bourda since 1991.There was just time for Australia to open their attack with Stuart MacGill and Brad Hogg as Waugh tried to keep West Indies on the rack in fading light. Hinds and Devon Smith survived, Smith’s youth giving him the confidence to drive and loft MacGill for three fours in an over.Australia are buoyant, West Indies have the air of a defeated side, two of their first-innings heroes (Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ridley Jacobs) are walking wounded, and the pitch is misbehaving. The omens are not good for WestIndies.
Wizards, whether in the shape of players, administrators or other technocrats are not easy to find. Some of them are born and destined as such while others achieve top positions through dint of sheer hard work and relentless effort to enhance their basic talent. Each one is worth millions to any organisation.Letting go waste such people amounts to depriving an organisation of invaluable assets. Unfortunately PCB seems to have accepted letting go two of its wizards, Wasim Akram, slashed by the Selection Committee and Javed Miandad, walking out the door, said to be a victim of ‘palace intrigues and jealousies’.Wasim’s exclusion from the practice camp to prepare 27 probables for Asian Test Championship and the visiting New Zealand team has raised a hue and cry far and wide. Disappointment has been expressed at home and abroad about on inviting a number of ‘non-entities’ under the garb of “concentrating on young talent with an eye on 2003 World Cup”.The media is full of reports, articles and comments criticising the PCB for the shabby treatment given such a great cricketer. This also appeared in a panel discussion conducted by Radio Pakistan. Excluding Akram from the training camp and telling him to prove his form and fitness in two practice matches being held before the final selection, was considered to be ridiculous. Cricket observers attribute this Selection Committee decision as a downright insult of an outstanding cricketer of his times, who holds the world record of clinching over 400 wickets both in the tests as well as one-day internationals.The issue reflects two completely different sides of the picture. Skipper Waqar Younis who was thought to have opposed Akram’s inclusion among the probables has denied it by saying that ‘he only knew about the names of players and the omission of some top players when he arrived home from abroad’. When questioned, he even denied having called the former Pakistan Captain ‘problematic’, as some press correspondents termed it.Waqar Younis in fact came out in support of his dropped pace-partner by saying, “I never had any problems with Akram and to use the word ‘drop’ for a player of his calibre is not right. It all depends on his fitness and form…Akram can come back in the side through trial matches.”In contrast, Chief Selector Wasim Bari’s remarks on the subject carried a tinge of arrogance. He maintained that it was a unanimous decision by the selectors who picked the best possible combination from which the Pakistan side will be formed for the Asian Test Championship. Insisting on the form and fitness of the dropped players, he emphasised, ‘the players must show their worth again in the domestic first class season starting in September.’The Chief Selector’s attitude and the PCB’s endorsement of his theme ‘that upcoming fast bowlers who are working hard to earn a place in the national side should be tried in the home series which was the best opportunity for them to prove their worth’ indicate that there are no roses in the basket for Wasim Akram.Despite all his achievements he is almost back to ‘square one’. He is likely to be picked for the two matches to be played on August 17 and 20 between the Camp Trainees XI and the Rest, during which his performance will be evaluated like others. Congratulations Wasim Akram, you are being treated as a ‘youngster’ again! Then what else can be said, if a player like Chris Cairns considers you “the greatest cricketer he has ever played against”?My advice to the PCB is to not blindly follow the dictates of the selection committee but also use its own imagination to decide important issues. Let’s be clear one cannot win a tournament like the World Cup with a team comprising players having only two years international experience.While the Pakistan cricket team is set on the path of losing a great cricketer like Wasim Akram, the PCB has lost an illustrious figure in world cricket, Javed Miandad. The irony is that the people at the helm of Pakistan’s cricket do not feel sorry about losing these two invaluable diamonds. I only wish someone would realise that players of such calibre are born once in a century.Miandad has reached Bangladesh on a coaching assignment where he and former West Indies quickie Andy Roberts are to prepare the Bangladesh team for the Asian Test Championship. Though not a permanent assignment, Miandad’s act of withdrawing from all the assignments of PCB is shrouded in mystery.After recently serving as coach of the Pakistan team, he was appointed Chairman of the newly formed Management Committee that had the important mandate of looking after the affairs of domestic as well as international cricket. Not willing to carry on, he declined to hold the appointment on the pretext of ‘non-availability of time’.Surprisingly, before departure Miandad returned all the items issued to him by the PCB including the car and a mobile telephone – enough to indicate his disenchantment with the Board. His initial attachment with Bangladesh cricket is said to be of only 3 weeks duration and he could have done the task easily while holding his job in the PCB. Former Test cricketer, Iqbal Qasim who was appointed as his deputy was competent enough to carry on the job during his absence. His severing of relationship with the PCB smells of some sort of politics.Since his involvement in Pakistan’s cricket affairs, whether as a coach, member of the Advisory Council or Chairman of the Management Committee, Miandad did not really have a happy time. Troubles arose on different occasions turning him into a controversial figure. Whether it was on account of his inability to adjust himself or others’ unwillingness to accept him, only the Board would know.It was, however, a great gesture on the part of PCB Chairman to say that ‘the doors of PCB were open for him and he could resume again on his sweet will’ but somehow it is not enough. Apart from his status as a world-class cricketer and captain, Miandad is a wizard as far as knowledge of the game is concerned. A player of his calibre would be an asset for any cricket body and on any assignment. Like any other human being he may be have his idiosyncrasies but let us not forget that a king is a king who must be treated and respected as such.It is unfortunate that, the PCB is still inhabited by people who do not like the presence of those wiser or more competent than them. Thus differences still crop up, turning into conflicts and controversies.The principal officers of the Board need to involve themselves more actively and monitor closely, the working of all committees. There would be no harm in taking advice of some ‘neutral observers’ when required. It is wonderful to know that the PCB has hired the services of a psychologist. Besides looking after the players, let him also study the ‘attitude problem’ that badly ails the cricket body and find a remedy.
James Taylor said it was “massively frustrating” to see Mohammad Hafeez reprieved by a partial DRS system early in his innings on the third day in Sharjah with England convinced he had edged the ball.Hafeez, on 2, was given out on-field by Bruce Oxenford off James Anderson but successfully challenged the decision with the third umpire, Paul Reiffel, ruling there was conclusive evidence that he had not touched the ball. Hafeez went on to finish the day unbeaten on 97, helping Pakistan to a lead of 74 with seven wickets in hand.The DRS for this series does not include Hot Spot or Snicko due to cost reasons and the reduced version only gives the third umpire the basic pictures plus audio from which to adjudicate on edges. Jonny Bairstow, England’s wicketkeeper, did not appear fully convinced during the appeal, but Taylor said that he was in no doubt.”Yes, I did,” he said when asked if he thought there was a nick, “and I think all the guys behind the stumps did as well. Obviously the umpire did – that’s why he put his finger up. But the third umpire has a job to do, and he made his decision.”It was massively frustrating, obviously a massive wicket. You can see that in the context of the game now – he’s on 97 not out – so obviously a huge moment in the game.”There was another curious incident during the review process of Hafeez’s wicket. Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan’s reserve wicketkeeper who was called up shortly before this Test, brought out drinks for the batsmen and on seeing that the decision would be reversed he gave the hands-across-the-chest signal, which umpires use to indicate a change in decision, in very close proximity to AndersonThis did not go down well with the England players – Joe Root appeared to share a few words – while Paul Farbrace, the assistant coach, in the dressing room did not seem overly impressed.When Taylor was asked if it was reasonably light-hearted, he said: “I’m not sure we were laughing at him, I think we were frustrated he was smiling a little bit too much for our liking. I think he had fun while he was out there briefly.”Mohammad Hafeez made brilliant use of his successful DRS appeal•Getty Images
On a personal level for Taylor the day was also frustrating as he added just two to his overnight score before edging Rahat Ali. However, he said he had savoured his return to Test cricket after the gap of three years.”I was excited to get out there to be fair, I loved every second of it yesterday – not so much today – but yesterday was really enjoyable to play in those conditions. It’s been a frustrating three years trying to get back in but I loved every second of it. I felt really good at the crease, just disappointing not to kick on today but that happens.”He is now set for a spot in the middle order against South Africa when that series starts on Boxing Day and he is relishing the prospect of the extra pace and bounce. “I back myself against the seamers and I probably prefer a bit more pace on the ball so hopefully the bounce in South Africa will help me.”
Football is back! I missed it. There’s only so much golf and cycling I can watch. And believe me I watched a lot.
But my hunger for football saw me playing more and more FIFA this summer. With no World Cup to hold my attention, I needed my fix – ITK transfer rumours and pre-season friendlies just won’t do it. It’s like being allowed only a single nicotine patch and a packet of chewing gum to kick a 50-a-day habit.
And during my PS4 sessions, I noticed something rather odd. I noticed that EA Sports had given Phillipe Coutinho a 68 rating for long shots. The scandal of my summer!
Now, EA do so very well with their player-scouting, and games in general have really kicked on in this pursuit, so much so that we’re starting to use them as real scouting tools, apparently. Well, not you and me per se, we’re the discerning kind of football connoisseur who prefers to keep a close eye out on all of the emerging talent from around the world, compiling reports and DVDs so we can tell our mates down the pub that that young full back at SM Caen is worth a punt. Right? No, not us, more the media behemoths that are Sky Sports, but still, you get the point. Video game scouting is becoming alarmingly accurate.
[ffc-gal cat=”arsenal” no=”5″]
So when I saw that Coutinho was given a paltry excuse of a long shot rating, I started to question my very view of the player. I had him down as something of a long shot specialist, actually. Information I had gleaned from my many filing cabinets of DVDs compiled on the brightest young talents on this continent, if you must know.
How many times, I asked myself, has Coutinho popped up with a lovely top-corner strike to send the Kop into raptures. Or pulled Liverpool’s chestnuts out of the fire with a spectacular strike only minutes from time. I started to wonder if indeed he is just a decent dribbler with little to no flair for a cracker from distance. Even worse, that I should really stop writing about football if I thought he was actually good at them.
Step up Mr Coutinho in the dying minutes of a game in Stoke this weekend. Like Michael Owen, Miroslav Klose and ‘fox-in-the-box’ Francis Jeffers, you should always trust your instincts. He belted in a wonderful goal from long range, right into the top corner. And my mind then wandered back to the goals he scored against Manchester City over the last two seasons – one last season when Jordan Henderson scored with an equally good strike from almost the same blade of grass, and one two seasons ago in an almost-title decider against Manchester City and Vincent Kompany’s clearance landed at his feet – and his goals against Bolton and Blackburn in the FA Cup.
There are more I couldn’t remember at the time, and probably even more that I still can’t remember. Three of his four goals this calendar year for Liverpool have come from outside the box. I knew those DVDs would come in handy! Coutinho really does have a penchant for a worldy 25-yarder.
So yet again a Coutinho long strike has saved Liverpool, and it has managed to exorcise some of the demons of last season’s humiliation at the same stadium. Nothing like getting a second bite of the cherry, a chance for revenge at the very earliest possible opportunity.
But there are things stats won’t tell you. Things you’ll have to rely on memory and feel to suss out for yourself. The familiar feel of a Coutinho wonder-strike, but also the familiar feel of Liverpool passing the ball around and sniffing out blind alleys, looking devoid of ideas. It’s the first game of the season, so I won’t criticise too much, especially with all the nervous debutants on show and the fact that the Britannia must trigger some awful memories for the survivors of last season. I can only surmise that Brendan Rodgers hired a therapist specialising in PTSD in order just to get his boys onto the pitch on Sunday.
But all I’ll say is that stats can be deceiving. Liverpool probably just shaded the stats in that game, not by much though. And if all you saw was the match stats you could certainly make a case for it being a draw. But the ones that count show a Liverpool win, and a Liverpool three-point haul. But the look and feel were all too familiar for Brendan Rodgers. He’ll be hoping he didn’t bring in all of those new players and still see his side play like they did last year.
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But that’s for another day. For now, Liverpool have three points, they’ve exorcised the demons and they have a home game against Bournemouth next week where they can bag some points before the really daunting away fixtures start to come thick and fast, and then thicker and faster still.
It’s job done for Liverpool. It may have had a familiar hue, but winning that game was very important given the away games they’ll face between now and the end of November or so.
For now, a win is enough, and we’re all just glad the football’s back – and I can stop trying to score screamers with Coutinho on FIFA now!
Australia are set to host Bangladesh for a two-Test series in mid-2010, Cricket Australia have confirmed.The decision was taken when representatives from Cricket Australia and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) met during ICC meetings in Kuala Lumpur. It was agreed to hold the two-Test series in July-August 2010 in northern Australia. Bangladesh’s first and only tour of Australia so far was in in July 2003, when they played Tests in Darwin and Cairns in northern Australia.The series was originally scheduled to be played in August this year but was postponed due a clash with the Beijing Olympic Games. “Through the cooperation of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, we have been able to reschedule the Test series between Australia and Bangladesh for the middle of 2010 when both teams have no other obligations under the Future Tours Program,” Michael Brown, CA’s general manager of cricket, said.”The decision to delay this year’s scheduled Tests due to the Beijing Olympics was taken to ensure that the series received its due recognition from the media and cricketing public. We believe the opportunity to play the Test series in mid-2010 will attract higher television audiences and a high level of interest in Australia and Bangladesh.”Cricket Australia also accepted BCB’s proposal for four warm-up one-dayers and a three-day fixture when Bangladesh tour later this year, besides three additional tour games during the trip in 2010.The two teams have played four Tests so far. Australia toured Bangladesh in mid 2006, a series that saw them clinch a thrilling Test in Fatullah. The second Test in Chittagong, which Australia won, is most remembered for Jason Gillespie’s unbeaten 201 in what turned out to be his last Test.