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The six major associations in New Zealand’s domestic circuit have announced their list of contracted players for the 2008-09 season. The names exclude players who have been centrally contracted with New Zealand Cricket.Ian Butler, the right-arm seamer who played eight Tests and 15 ODIs for New Zealand, has moved to Otago after losing his contract with Northern Districts. Harry Boam, the promising 17-year-old batsman and medium-pacer, becomes the first schoolboy cricketer to bag a contract with Wellington. The Birmingham-born Boam also featured in the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia earlier this year.Auckland: Michael Bates, Andrew De Boorder, Colin De Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Roneel Hira, Paul Hitchcock, Richard Jones, Tim McIntosh, Andrew McKay, Rob Nicol, Lance Shaw, Reece YoungWellington: Matthew Bell, Harry Boam, Dewayne Bowden, Josh Brodie, Michael Burns, BJ Crook, Grant Elliott, Kevin Forde, Mark Houghton, Chris Nevin, Neal Parlane, Luke WoodcockNorthern Districts: Graeme Aldridge, Simon Andrews, Brent Arnel, Trent Boult, Bruce Martin, Peter McGlashan, Cameron Merchant, Michael Parlane, Bradley Scott, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson, Joseph YovichCanterbury: Corey Anderson, Todd Astle, Hamish Bennett, Leighton Burtt, Andrew Ellis, Brandon Hiini, Johann Myburgh, Michael Papps, Iain Robertson, Shanan Stewart, Kruger Van WykCentral Districts: Brendon Diamanti, Bevan Griggs, Greg Hay, Brent Hefford, Peter Ingram, Tim Lythe, Mitchell McClenaghan, Robbie Schaw, Richard Sherlock, Mathew Sinclair, Ewen Thompson, Tim WestonOtago: Derek de Border, Neil Broom, Ian Butler, Craig Cumming, Mathew Harvie, Nathan McCullum, James McMillan, Warren McSkimming, Leighton Morgan, Craig Smith, Greg Todd, Neil Wagner

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that white bails(instead of black) will be used on the normal black stumps for the remainingthree matches of the NatWest Series.Discussions between the ECB, the umpires and match referee resulted in thechange of colour to assist the umpires in their decision-making for run-outsand stumpings.In a further development, it is confirmed that three individuals who encroached on to the playing surface during the npower Test Match at Edgbaston earlier this season have all been successfully prosecuted. As a result they all now have a criminal record and their DNA profile has been added to the national database.

NAIROBI – Shane Watson saved Australia from the most humiliating defeatin its long cricket history but struggled to give himself a pass markfor his effort.The world champion side was on the verge of losing to Kenya – a non-Testnation which hardly ever plays at international level – before Watsoncame to the rescue with a couple of lusty blows in the penultimate over.With Australia needing 19 to win off 12 balls, Watson hit a a four and asix, saw off a no-ball and then took a single before Brett Lee hitanother six to tie the scores with six balls left.Watson then hit the winning runs as Australia reached 5-205 to win byfive wickets with five balls to spare.Acting Australian captain Adam Gilchrist said he almost had to cheer upWatson afterwards.”He’s pretty hard on himself,” Gilchrist explained.”He thinks he could have done things a little bit better or a little bitdifferently but I’ve said to him ‘At the end of the day you’ve won agame for us mate – not many people get a chance to do that for theircountry’.”Watson almost grudgingly accepted the kudos after making 77 not out off114 balls.It was his first half-century in 11 games for Australia, coming off 81balls, but he blamed himself for not scoring at a better rate on adifficult deck.”I had to make sure I got us home because I got us into trouble,” Watsonsaid.”Obviously it’s good to win a game for your country but I wasn’t veryhappy with the way I hit the ball – I hit the ball to the fielders alot.”However, Watson was never too worried the game was out of Australia’sreach even though six runs an over were needed for the last 16 overs.”I never thought it would get away from us, I knew all we needed was acouple of boundaries to get us back level. I was never worried.”Watson went in at No.4 as Australia kept back Matthew Hayden and DamienMartyn in an effort to test the mettle of the lower order.Never at any stage, did he hope Hayden would step through the gate andonto the field to join him.”We’ve got good enough players to get ourselves out of a toughsituation,” Watson said.”Brett Lee’s a good striker of the ball and so is Shane Warne so I neverthought at any time it would be good to have a specialist batsman outthere.”He said the experience would do him the world of good further down theline.”Even though I didn’t hit them that well it’s good to put myself intothat position because I know that, hopefully, at the World Cup, in thesemifinals or something like that, I’ll be able to handle myself underpressure.”Gilchrist agreed, saying it was strong effort from a player who has beentouted as the answer to the hard-to-fill all-rounder’s spot.”It’s another step in his climb up the ladder towards cementing a spot,”Gilchrist said.”He’ll get a lot from this.”

It promises to be a mouth-watering appetizer to the 2003 World Cup in March. Probably it will produce more spectacular cricket, after all, it will be played in Sri Lanka, the land that revolutionised one-day cricket when they gave birth to pinch-hitting in the 1996 World Cup.Fast bowlers beware. Expect flat, sun-baked pitches, clear blue skies and fast outfields. This is going to be a tournament for the batsmen; the curators are already at work, mothering their precious turf in the hope of producing towering totals.No longer a straight knockout tournament, it’s a gluttonous festival of cricket with 15 matches in just 18 days. Each of the 12 teams (10 Test playing countries plus Kenya and Holland) have been divided into four groups, ensuring them a minimum of two games with the group winners proceeding to a semi-final stage.It’s a straightforward formula that should produce exciting and unpredictable cricket. In the last tournament, staged two years ago in Nairobi, New Zealand caused an upset when they defeated India in the final to secure their first ever major international triumph. This time, nine of the twelve sides will believe that they can win.

Home conditions will hand the Asian bloc in general and Sri Lanka in particular an advantage. Indeed, Sanath Jayasuriya’s team will start as favourites alongside Australia considering a formidable home record in the limited overs game – they have not lost a single series or tournament in their backyard for over three years.The slow pace of the pitches is ideally suited to their vibrant brand of cricket: batsmen need to make full toll of the new ball and early fielding restrictions before the ball softens; the fielding must be electric and the spinners have a very important role, especially in the second innings when the pitch may deteriorate.But Sri Lanka have to contend with Pakistan in Pool 4 and then face the daunting prospect of a semi-final clash against Australia. It’s good news for England fans – they won’t have to play any of the top three countries until the final.However, first they need to defeat Zimbabwe and India to ensure qualification. That will require the taming of Sachin Tendulkar and his blistering waxwork Virender Sehwag. Stand-up Darren Gough. For England’s Barmy Army is a delicious prospect – stick September 22 in the diary.Don’t rule out the West Indies either. They have first hand knowledge of Sri Lankan conditions after a recent tour and are looking a sturdier outfit under captain Carl Hooper. Certainly a middle order containing a revitalised Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Hooper is second to none. They play South Africa in the opening game of the tournament.

All the matches will be played in Colombo – laid-back Asian city with wide roads, green parks and a refreshing sea breeze – at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) and Premadasa International Stadium.English fans will remember well the grass-banked SSC from last year, when Nasser Hussain’s team completed a remarkable Test series win. It has the potential to be the best batting strip in Sri Lanka with pace and consistent bounce, but can also offer swing bowlers encouragement in the early overs (Chaminda Vaas bowled out Zimbabwe for 38 last December).Premadasa will stage the day-night matches, including the tournament final on September 29. A vast concrete bowl, which hosts an electric atmosphere when full. Again the batters traditionally dominate, but this is a fiendishly difficult ground on which to chase even moderate targets, as the pitch can crumble and the ball turn sharply in the second innings.It will all make for a fascinating September; a spectacle best watched from the stands – why not make sure you’re there to savour the thrill of watching one-day cricket in Sri Lanka?

Early optimism turned into frustration for West Indies A, as they struggled tocapitalise on an excellent start to their four-day encounter with Derbyshire.After reducing the hosts to 76-6 in a lively morning session, the West Indian attack were frustrated by a stubborn knock from keeper Luke Sutton (80), with stoic contributions from bowlers Tom Lungley (19), Paul Aldred (29) and Neil Gunter (18) on debut.Derbyshire were bowled out late in the final session for 238. West Indies A lost Devon Smith early in reply, grinding out 21/1 from 14 overs at stumps. Skipper Darren Ganga remained unbeaten with Donovan Pagon.Marlon Black (4-32) and Reon King (3-63) were the pick of the bowlers, returning to claim seven wickets between them after disappointing opening spells on a fine morning. But the visitors’ inconsistent form on tour so farreturned with a vengeance in the afternoon, with bad balls swatted away and accurate deliveries dourly defended.Initially, the two Test seamers were indifferent. Derbyshire’s openers Stuart Stubbings (25) and Andrew Gait (13) took advantage of a wealth of looseners to race to 40 in nine overs. Sulieman Benn’s catch saw the back of Gait, while Stubbings was caught behind off Black.A second ball duck for close-season signing Dominic Hewson left the door ajar, with a second-string Derbyshire team teetering on the brink. King clean bowled James Pyemont, with Jermaine Lawson crashing through stand-in skipper Matthew Dowman’s defences in the next over.When Steven Selwood’s edge gave King his third victim, the home side seemedmortally wounded. Of the top six, only Stubbings, Dowman and Hewson have much first-class experience, and it showed.Sutton took the lead in the afternoon, with a knock requiring patience fromboth batsman and spectators. An uncomplicated player, Sutton is well equipped for rearguard actions – he carried his bat with 140 against Sussex last season – like the one shown today. He was the last man out, giving Keith Hibbert a fourth victim behind the stumps.Lungley was a willing ally. His 19 was grafted from 80 balls in a stay of over an hour and a half. He was unadventurous, leaving the ball well, only to be dismissed leg before to one which straightened from Black.Aldred, a reasonable tail-ender who should not give bowlers nightmares, lasted an hour, while Gunter looked solid before playing all round a straight delivery from Benn.Derby had recovered well after their dreadful morning, and while the visitors are on top, they should tighten their grip on the game tomorrow.

The Pakistan cricket selectors had wanted to include Shadab Kabir in the 14-man squad for the Asian Test Championship final but the idea was rejected by skipper Waqar Younis.According to highly placed sources, the selectors had maintained that the left-hander had batted well in the sole innings of the first Test against Bangladesh and deserved another opportunity. Shadab had got a poor decision in the only innings of the second Test.”But the skipper had more confidence in the abilities of Shoaib Malik rather than Shadab. In the end he rejected the idea and the selectors were left with no option but to leave the youngster out of the 14-man squad,” sources said.”We always try to accommodate the demands and requirements of the captain. And that’s precisely why Shadab was not included. But after the squad is handed over to the captain, the selectors can’t influence their views on final selection,’ sources said.Pakistan selectors have tried Imran Farhat, Saleem Elahi, Ijaz Ahmad, Saeed Anwar, Abdur Razzaq, Taufiq Umer, Shadab Kabir, Naved Latif and Shahid Afridi in 11 different combinations in the last 12 months.

Hampshire suffered their first-ever Championship defeat at the Rose Bowl, when they went down to an innings defeat against Leicestershire.Will Kendall was the only batsman to offer any real resistance to the Leicestershire attack; he became the 16th player to carry his bat in Hampshire’s history. He batted for over four hours in an attempt to hold the innings together whilst all around him wickets were tumbling to Darren Maddy and Devon Malcolm.Malcolm who did not bowl the previous evening because of a bad cold, struck first, dismissing nightwatchman James Hamblin. After DeFreitas limped off with a mild hamstring injury, Darren Maddy, better known for his batting prowess, took charge. Smith, Johnson, Pothas (to Malcolm) and Udal all fell cheaply. Four fours in a quickfire innings from Mascarenhas gave some cheer to the cold Hampshire supporters, before Tremlett and Mullally fell to Maddy. The last wicket fell just four balls after the lunch interval.Darren Maddy completed career-best figures of 5-37 and match figures of 9-74. Devon Malcolm took advantage of some uneven bounce to take three wickets, which left him 14 short of 1,000 first class wickets.

South Africa struggled to come to terms with some disciplined and determinedbowling as they slumped to 132-6 against Jamaica at tea on day one of two atJarrett Park In Montego Bay.After the fall of Boeta Dippenaar (13) in a curtailed morning session, a half-hour delay to the start of play caused by a damp patch on the pitch, his opening partner Gary Kirsten fell shortly after lunch.It was just reward for fast-bowler Franklyn Rose, who bowled with pace and aggression from the start. Rose got one to snort past Kirsten and take the outside edge as it rose through to wicketkeeper Keith Hibbert who took a comfortable catch. Kirsten (21) was watchful and patient, hitting just the one boundary, but as has been a feature of his tour, fell to a real snorter of a delivery.Jacques Kallis (30) set out to dominate spinners Gareth Breese and Nehemiah Perry after the lunch interval, but was a victim of his own attacking intent, top-edging a pull-sweep to be well caught by Audley Sanson making good ground as he ran backwards from square-leg.Daryll Cullinan looked in magnificent form again as he thumped three fours and a six clean out of the ground off Breese, the ball disappearing into a building site, never to be seen again. Despite his rousing start, Cullinan offered Hibbert some challenging catching practice on 21 and was well caught one-handed to his right by the ‘keeper.Neil McKenzie also launched a big six, this time off Perry, but was trapped leg-before by Sanson on 17 and the bowler struck again in his next over, captain Mark Boucher also leg-before for a duck.

Test discard Ijaz Ahmad slammed the dismal performance of the Pakistancricket team in first Test against England at Lord’s. Talking to Dawn,Ijaz said that Pakistan displayed depressing performance in the Testas they were forced on follow-on while facing not too imposing totalof 391.Ijaz suggested the team’s management to either prepare Inzamam-ul-Haqor Yousuf Youhana to bat at one-down.He said that though Abdur Razzaq scored at No. 3 position but he wasnot a specialist batsman.

The IPL Governing Council will meet in Mumbai on Friday to discuss an agenda that includes the format of the 2011 tournament. While the meeting’s main purpose is to approve the 2010 IPL financials, it is also scheduled to discuss the number of matches to be played next season, with the focus on reducing the players’ workload.”They will discuss the number of matches,” a franchise official told Cricinfo. “But mostly, it will be dominated by the closing of accounts.”The rules and regulations for the 2011 tournament have been up in the air since the suspension of IPL chairman Lalit Modi. The league added two new teams for next year, increasing the total number of matches to be played on a home and away basis from 60 to 94. The greater workload for the players became a contentious issue after India’s poor performance in the World Twenty20 this year, with some suggesting their exit from the tournament was a consequence of a hectic IPL schedule.At the time, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, a member of the Governing Council, said they could consider reviewing the number of matches for the league next season. However, the franchises are opposed to a shorter tournament not only because playing fewer matches means the tournament will generate less revenue, but also because the original eight franchises only agreed to add the two new teams on the basis of more matches and a larger share of the pie.”If they roll back on the number of matches but the number of teams remains 10, it is unfair to all,” a franchise official said.The board and the teams met in June this year to discuss their respective concerns and the BCCI set up a three-man committee consisting of Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi to make recommendations to the board based on their discussions with team owners. Gavaskar, Shastri and Pataudi are all members of the IPL Governing Council. The committee is expected to present is recommendations to the Governing Council tomorrow. The rules for player regulations, however, are, unlikely to be determined until after the Champions League in September.The BCCI’s finance and marketing committees are also meeting. For the first time in its history, the board has solicited bids for corporate sponsorship of all international cricket played by India in India for the next three years. The previous period’s sponsorship rights were with World Sport Group, who sold the sponsorships on an individual tournament basis. Under the latest proposal, one company will become the exclusive sponsor of Indian cricket for the next three years.The board has received bids from ten companies, including Airtel, Idea Cellular, Karbonn Mobile and MicroMax, according to a BCCI statement. The bids will be opened at the marketing committee meeting in front of the bidders.”The reserve price has been fixed as Rs 2 crore ($428,815) per match.” BCCI chief-executive Ratnakar Shetty told