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As Zimbabwe Cricket continues to hog the limelight on and off the field, Dean du Plessis, a top cricket analyst and commentator in Zimbabwe, says the board must return to the old system of player development and selection on merit.”The way forward is very simple,” du Plessis says. “We have got to bring back a lot of the former players. Not because the current players are not good enough, there’s a lot of talent in these young players, and I mean seriously talented cricketers, but they need to go through the system like those other players.”All these other players went through the system, and I’ll speak in particular of the non-white players, such as Henry Olonga, Pommie Mbangwa, Tatenda Taibu, Bernard Pswarayi, Brighton Watambwa, all these guys had a correct system, none of these players that are playing now had a correct system.”du Plessis says the fall of the domestic structure in Zimbabwe has led the game to the brink of collapse. “First of all in the past they played club cricket. For example you had a young Trevor Madondo facing the likes of [Heath] Streak and [Eddo] Brandes at club level,” he said. “Then if you did well there it was one step further, you would proceed to the Logan Cup level.”Bear in mind in those days in one-day cricket when the likes of Madondo were around making their debut, there was no such thing as a bouncer. You were not allowed to bowl short-pitched deliveries. Now you are allowed one per over.”When Madondo or Dion Ebrahim or Alester Maregwede made their debuts for Mashonaland, or whoever they were playing for that time, suddenly they had to adjust their game plan because guys like Eddo Brandes, who we all know was a very good bowler, and Streak, were able to bombard them with bouncers. But if they still passed the test, they then went one step further. They then represented what was known as the Zimbabwe Board XI. So it was basically like a Zimbabwe A side.”He explains how the system in the past was successful: “The A side in those days used to play against South African provincial sides in the B section of the Supersport Series. Fine it was the B section, but it was a lot more competitive than our Logan Cup. So if the likes of Ebrahim got a hundred or Olonga took five or six wickets, they had still proved themselves like any other cricketer should. Only when they proved themselves at every level, club level, Logan Cup level, then the Board XI, then, and only then, did they play for Zimbabwe. It wasn’t just a huge jump.”For example Johnson Marumisa went to the ICC World Twenty20. Fine he didn’t play, but that man had never represented Zimbabwe at any form of international cricket. Yet he was in the Zimbabwe side simply because he was quite impressive at club level. You cannot gauge a player by playing club cricket. He has to go through the system. And that is what every single one of those players I mentioned went through.”Taibu, we all know what a good cricketer he is, Olonga, well, he was an injury-prone cricketer, but I tell you what, when he was on the park he was special. As was Watambwa, although his work ethics you had to question, his heart wasn’t on the game, he had other things on his mind. But he was a seriously talented cricketer, Brighton’s talent came naturally, he didn’t even have to work on it, and the list is endless.”

du Plessis says players are being fast-tracked into the national side, thereby exposing their insufficient development. “At the end of the day it’s all well and good, we all want the masses to be playing cricket…well I certainly do because it’s the way forward,” he said. “As a white man I’m telling you that if there were 11 black men out there on merit I would be very proud to support my team. If there were 11 white men out there I will still be proud to support my team.”But unfortunately what is happening now is that these guys are being picked for various reasons. They are not ready to play yet, and at the end of the day, not only is it Zimbabwe that are not benefiting because they continuously get beaten, but think of the cricketer himself. You are responsible for destroying his career because he is not ready to play international cricket.”So he goes out knowing that he has to perform. And he is not going perform because he is not ready yet. You know what damage you are doing to his confidence?”du Plussis, probably the best commentator left in Zimbabwe despite being blind, believes he has suffered for his criticism of Zimbabwe Cricket’s administration. He has been sidelined from doing commentary for the current ODI series against West Indies.”I have made some comments and remarks about cricket in this country in the past that haven’t gone down well with Zimbabwe Cricket,” he said. “But they weren’t unjust, they were fair, and I speak my mind and I will never change that until the day I die.”If a guy needs a compliment I will compliment him, but if he’s played badly, or if the administrator is not running the cricket the way it should be then I will mention it, because that is my job. And if they don’t like it then change the radio station or go and watch another channel, or watch cartoon network.”

Shane Bond’s comeback from an abdominal muscle strain, amid speculation he has signed with the Indian Cricket League, could not help his side Canterbury in their Twenty20 loss to Central Districts in Christchurch. Bond took 0 for 38 from his four overs as Central Districts cruised to 186 for 6, with Ross Taylor smashing five sixes in his 19-ball 46. Chris Harris, who is used to the Twenty20 format after joining the ICL, made 47 in the chase but had little support as Brendon Diamanti collected 3 for 14. Canterbury were all out for 120 in the 18th over, crashing to a 66-run loss.The Northern Districts captain James Marshall posted an unbeaten 58 to help his side to victory over Wellington in Hamilton. Marshall guided Northern Districts to 133 for 3 in the 16th over as they overhauled Wellington’s 131 for 8 with little drama. Grant Elliott top scored for the visitors with 34 but regular wickets meant they could not gather significant momentum.Bradley Scott helped Otago secure a 60-run win in Dunedin, grabbing 3 for 9 as Auckland were rattled out for 94. Rob Nicol tried to guide Auckland’s chase and made 43 but his team-mates fell apart and could get nowhere near Otago’s 154 for 7. Nathan McCullum’s 38 from 20 balls was the best individual effort for Otago.

Western Province Boland 122 for 4 (Puttick 63*) beat Dolphins 121 for 6 by 6 wickets
ScorecardThe much-marketed Standard Bank PRO20 Series got underway in front of 10,035 spectators at Newlands as the new franchise system also kicked off with Nashua Western Province Boland playing host to Nashua Dolphins.A new concept in South African cricket, with each team set a maximum of 20 overs, saw Ashwell Prince winning the toss and asking the Dolphins to bat first. Doug Watson, after being bogged down, had the distinction of becoming the first player to lose his wicket in the Series, being caught by Graeme Smith off the bowling of Charl Willoughby. Disaster followed with Imran Khan and Dale Benkenstein falling off consecutive balls and then six balls later Hashim Amla followed also for 0. Shaun Pollock, batting up the order, was next to go, leaving the Dolphins 57 for 5 at the halfway mark.With Jon Kent losing his wicket, Lance Klusener joined Ahmed Amla and together they upped the scoring rate, accelerating to 121 for 6 at the end of the 20 overs. Klusener hammered 39 off 28 balls, including two fours and two sixes, while Amla added 30 off 37.Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs opened the innings for Western Province Boland and both got first ballers from Pollock. Andrew Puttick and Neil Johnson got the innings back together taking the total to 56 after 10 overs before Klusener struck, getting rid of Johnson in the 11th.With Puttick going to his 50 off 46 balls and Prince riding his luck, they brought up a 50-run partnership in 37 balls, taking Province Boland to the brink of victory at 111 for 4 when Prince holed out to Khan. Puttick, winning the Master Blaster award, guided them to a six-wicket win.The match showed that the Dolphins have a lot to learn, with Klusener stuck at the crease after coming in too far down the order at No. 8 and Shaun Pollock only bowling three overs.

The debut of the Three Ws-Sir Frank Worrell, Clyde Walcott and Sir Everton Weekes – some 60 years ago changed the face of West Indies cricket forever. That history was celebrated on Tuesday night at the Queen’s Park Oval Banquet Hall in the presence of the last surviving member, Sir Everton Weekes.Worrell made his Test debut in 1948, at the Oval, against England. The match marked the start of the Three Ws era, and was also Andy Ganteaume’s lone Test appearance. Though the Trinidad and Tobago batsman made 112, he was never again selected on the regional team.Three perspectives on the life of Worrell and the 1948 Test match were presented at Tuesday’s function. Deryck Murray gave a player’s take on Worrell, Tony Cozier delivered a journalist’s point of view and Professor Courtney Bartholomew presented a personal perspective.All three speakers agreed that his contribution to West Indies cricket went “well beyond the boundary”.Murray described the 1948 Test as unique since it was Ganteaume’s first and last appearance. He said Ganteaume’s unfortunate situation will remain one of the defining moments of the era. Murray praised Ganteaume for the way he carried himself after being dropped after becoming the first West Indies batsman to make a century on debut, in the first innings of the Oval Test. The T&T board president said Ganteaume was “still able to contribute, and further the cause of West Indies cricket.”Murray recalled the first time he played under the captaincy of Worrell. “In Sir Frank Worrell we had a man who became accepted as the elder statesman of West Indies cricket…a unifying force. He was all things to all men. I understood how little the significance of insularity could be if you wanted to be part of a team. He insisted that room-mates could not be from the same territory, he insisted that there was an older and younger roommate so that at all times the team administration was about learning, mentorship and becoming a representative of a truly West Indian team in the true sense of the word. I have no hesitation in saying that Sir Frank Worrell was the greatest leader that world cricket has ever seen and probably even beyond that.”Cozier looked back at Worrell’s career. “Here is a man who, through cricket and from quite humble beginnings in Barbados, was knighted in 1964, the second West Indian cricketer to be knighted, was a senator in Jamaica, and when he died he was honoured by a Memorial Service in Westminster Abbey, the only cricketer to be so honoured.”It was here at the Queen’s Park Oval,” Cozier continued, “a 17-year-old school boy, batting No. 11 and considered a left-arm spin bowler, came onto the scene playing for Barbados. He moved up the order, and in 1946 he and Walcott put on an unbeaten partnership of 574 of which Worrell had 255 not out and Walcott 314 not out. “Sir Everton Weekes,” Cozier noted, “was out for a duck, but he more than made up for it in subsequent innings at the Oval.”

In the feature address, Bartholomew was high in praise for the Three Ws. “It was all for one and one for all,” he declared, noting that when Weekes was out for a duck at the Oval, Worrell and Walcott made up for it. It is a good thing that God made night or else Worrell and Walcott would still be at the crease.”Bartholomew also spoke about Worrell’s captaincy on the tour of Australia in 1960-61. At the end of the tour there was a ticker-tape farewell for the team, with 200,000 people lining the streets of Melbourne chanting “We want Frank”. West Indies lost the series 2-1 but featured in the first-ever tied Test. “We won the hearts of everyone in Australia and indeed the world.”In 1963, West Indies toured England and were again very popular. On that occasion, West Indies won the series 3-1. Worrell retired after the series, and died in 1967.The day before he died, Bartholomew recalled, Worrell told the nurses, “‘Please remove the drips … I am tired, very tired’. And so, the captain declared his innings retired hurt, before he reached his half-century, at the age of 42. The king is dead, long live the king. It was the worst of times.” Bartholomew thanked the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Committee for keeping the “memory of the King alive … it was the best of times.” Weekes and Ganteaume were presented with memorial plaques.

New Zealand Cricket’s chief executive, Martin Snedden, has dismissed suggestions of tension between the national team’s coach and captain after making a special trip to check all was well in the squad. Snedden departed for London satisfied that the team had moved on from the desperate low of the 3-0 Test series loss to England, and that John Bracewell and Stephen Fleming were a happy coach-captain duo.In England for a week of International Cricket Council meetings, Snedden arrived early to ease his mind on the state of the team, and spent three days with them in Manchester and Birmingham. He described the recent suggestions of a Bracewell-Fleming rift, made on television and in print by the former England captain, Michael Atherton, as “rubbish” and “mischief-making”.”I think Atherton has got absolutely no basis whatsoever for those comments,” Snedden said. “I’ve spent a lot of time concentrating on that issue while I’ve been here just to satisfy myself that there is nothing happening that I didn’t know about. I’ve enquired carefully around the team as well as talking pretty strongly to John and Stephen individually about it, and I don’t think there’s the slightest indication of that at all.”They’ve got an excellent working relationship,” he continued, “they complement each other really well. Like any situation, they’ll both learn a bit out of this. John is only six months into his first international assignment, so he’s going to reflect on this afterwards and I’m sure he’ll take some lessons out of it, as will all of us.”

Stuart MacGill has been called up to the Australian Test squad as the replacement for the injured Brad Williams.Trevor Hohns, Australia’s chairman of selectors, today announced that MacGill had been called for after Williams was forced to pull out with a back injury. The selectors had to track MacGill down in Venice, where he is currently on holiday.MacGill, 33, has been playing for Nottinghamshire in the English County Championship this season, and has taken 25 wickets in nine games. MacGill had taken advantage of a break in the county schedule to escape to Italy, but he has now been summoned back to Australia immediately. The first Test against Sri Lanka starts next Thursday (July 1) at Darwin. MacGill’s legspin claimed seven wickets there last year against Bangladesh – and he added ten more scalps in the second Test.MacGill has played 32 Tests for Australia, taking 152 wickets, but he recently decided not to tour Zimbabwe for moral reasons and was then not originally picked for the squad to take on Sri Lanka.”It’s obvious that we haven’t gone for a like replacement for Brad Williams,” said Hohns. “But given we already have four fit fast bowlers in the squad, Stuart gives us some added flexibility. He is a proven Test performer and is match-fit, having spent the last few months playing county cricket.”

When Irfan Pathan strode in to address the media, sporting an India tracksuit and smoothing back his tousled curls, he certainly didn’t look as if he was part of a side that had lost hope. Yet to be spoilt by adulation and the fat endorsement contracts, he answered questions with candour and an optimism that could be India’s greatest ally going into the final two days:

On the state of the pitch
It’s quite slow, and if you bowl a bad ball it will go for runs. From the first day, it has had fairly low bounce, and today was no different.On the decision that cost him his wicket
I don’t think I’m going to talk about that, but I’ll just say I thought I was unlucky.On whether his 31 shamed some of his more illustrious top-order colleagues
It’s not going to happen all the time. They too will miss out on some days. We did pretty well [he and Parthiv Patel added 60] but I don’t think there’s anything for the top order to be ashamed about.On playing Shane Warne for the first time
It was a good experience and I thought I played him quite well.On whether India can save the game
We did very well today, and we’re very confident that we can do even better over the next two days.On getting Justin Langer in his first over, and whether he had plotted a similar dismissal to that in the first innings
It definitely lifted the team, but there was no definite plan to target him.On leading the Indian attack for the first time in a home Test
Playing for India is a big thing, and is always going to be a big thing for me as long as I continue playing. And whenever I bowl the first ball, and lead the side’s bowling, it gives me great confidence.On what tactics India need to adopt on the fourth day
We need to do both – keep runs down and take wickets. Zaheer [Khan] has bowled very well, and we are both swinging the ball. We will do better.

Rahul Dravid has spoken up for Sachin Tendulkar, who is battling with a run of low scores. Speaking to the media ahead of India’s Boxing Day Test against Australia, at Melbourne, Dravid said: “A lot has been said unnecessarily about his form – we believe he’s in great touch and hitting the ball really well.” Tendulkar’s poor run of form in Tests in 2003 has yielded just 109 runs from 15 innings at an average of less than 16.”We’re looking out for a big score from him here,” said Dravid. “Having said that, it’s not just about Sachin, we don’t want to put any additional pressure on him. We want him just to go out there and enjoy his cricket, play like we know he can play.”I’m confident Australia has not seen the best of him … you can see he’s really keen to make a big one,” said Dravid, who helped himself to a big score in the second Test at Adelaide, racking up a magnificent 233.On an unrelated note, Dravid also looked forward to having the services of Zaheer Khan for the next Test. “We’re very hopeful and confident he’ll make it.”Meanwhile, Sandy Gordon, the sports psychologist who has worked with the Indian team from time to time, singled out patience and determination as the two virtues that helped India beat Australia. “The key to their win was patience and discipline. At the team level it was outstanding,” he said. “Now they need a big effort to sustain it for the next 15 days. They got to do it session by session. They have to get around doing the same again and again, to apply the process of Adelaide.”Gordon also spoke highly of Dravid’s mental ability. “The discipline and patience of Dravid has been exemplary. He has shown a wonderful temperament, an unflappable and even personality,” he said. “I am glad he has been able to imbibe the lessons so well. For example, he has been able to switch on when the delivery is to be bowled, switch down when he negotiates it, and switch off after he has dealt with it.”Gordon is expected to work with the Indian team before the final Test at Sydney.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Daniel Vettori got into his stride early and wrecked Bangladesh with a superb spell of 6 for 28 as New Zealand romped to victory by an innings and 99 runs at Dhaka. Not one batsman had an answer to Vettori’s loop and bounce as he reduced Bangladesh’s second innings to a shambles in a few hours of mayhem. He was ably assisted by Paul Wiseman, as both spinners exploited the dry Bangabandhu pitch perfectly. It was especially satisfying for Vettori, who claimed his first five-wicket haul since November 2001.Rajin Saleh had played a painstaking knock in the first innings, but Vettori prevented a repeat in his first over. Making the ball fizz, he sneaked one past Saleh’s defensive prod and Brendon McCullum, the wicketkeeper, went up in celebration (41 for 3). Replays showed that Saleh did not get a snick. But there was no doubt about the other dismissals. Vettori had Manjural Islam Rana in two minds, and a hopeless prod resulted in a loopy catch to Mark Richardson at silly point. Then, Mohammad Ashraful (26) fended off a nasty lifter to Scott Styris at slip, while Tareq Aziz padded up to an arm ball (122 for 9).Meanwhile, Wiseman played the support act to perfection. He first ran out Nafis Iqbal (49) with an accurate throw, and then got among the wickets himself. Alok Kapali edged on to McCullum, while Khaled Mashud played a delivery straight to Styris at leg slip. Mohammad Rafique flailed valiantly, hitting 24 off 18 balls before edging the ball to slip just after lunch.The complexion of this game changed on the third morning, when Bangladesh failed to limit New Zealand, who fought hard to put up a respectable total and finally ended up with an imposing 402. What seemed a contest at one stage slowly descended into a rout.

Griqualand West 311 and 146 for 4 beat Western Province 173 and 283 (Philander 168) by 6 wickets
ScorecardIn Kimberley, Griqualand West notched up a six-wicket win against Western Province. A massive 168 from Vernon Philander was not enough to save Province after their first innings debacle of 173. It was a virtual one-man show from Philander: apart from his marathon five-and-a-half hour century, he also scored 66 in the first innings, and had match figures of 5 for 92. It still couldn’t prevent defeat, though, as Griquas reached the target of 146 with six wickets to spare.Eastern Province 230 for 9 dec and 166 beat Boland 109 and 229 (Howell 4-38) by 58 runs
ScorecardAt Boland Park in Paarl, Eastern Province beat Boland by 58 runs afterrestricting the home team to 229 in their second innings. Chasing atarget of 288, Boland had a glimmer of hope when the middle order took thescore to 207 for 6 after an early collapse had reduced the team to 18 for 3. Grant Howell, the top run-scorer for Eastern Province in their first innings, triggered the lower-order collapse, ending the day with 4 for 38 as Eastern Province registered their first win of the season.Border 282 for 9 dec and 207 for 5 (Bradfield 61, Matika 57, Pillay 3-47) drew with KwaZulu-Natal 305 for 6 dec (Mall 96, Madsen 90, Hinkel 3-93)
ScorecardRain and bad light in East London over all three days of the game ensured that Border and KwaZulu-Natal could only play out a draw. Nineties from Ashraf Mall and Wayne Madsen helped Natal to a healthy 305 for 6 when, in an attempt to manufacture a result, they declared inside the mandatory 85 overs. Warwick Hinkel was the most successful bowler for Border, taking three of the six wickets to fall. Half-centuries from Michael Matika and Carl Bradfield – his second of the match – ensured that Border comfortably batted out the remaining overs.Free State 419 and 303 for 9 dec (du Preez 89, Summers 74, de Bruin 5-124, Mafa 4-78), beat Gauteng 270 and 296 (Harris 98, Crookes 51, Tshabalala 4-70) by 156 runsScorecardA target of 453 put the match at the Wanderers well out of reach for Gauteng as Free State ran away winners by 156 runs. With the target not attainable, Gauteng failed in their attempt to bat out for a draw as Thandi Tshabalala spun his side to a win with four wickets. Matthew Harris fell just two short of his century when he was trapped leg-before for 98. A quick 51 from Derek Crookes entertained the few spectators present at the ground, but it didn’t save Gauteng from defeat.