Kenya in control after day of ups and downs

ICC MEDIA RELEASE
Dubai, 29 January 2008

Kenya suffered a few scares along the way but maintains overall control after day one of its ICC Intercontinental Cup match against Namibia at Sharjah Stadium on Tuesday.

Steve Tikolo’s decision to field first must have seemed entirely vindicated when his bowlers dismissed Namibia for just 183, with no batsman making it safely to 50.

But when it came to Kenya’s turn to bat, it did not fare much better and was reduced to 42-4 before Tikolo and Collins Obuya steadied things. Tikolo was dismissed for a run-a-ball 45 with the score on 108 and then ICC Associate ODI Player of the Year for 2007 Thomas Odoyo took up the mantle, making sure Kenya got to 148-5 by the close, just 36 runs short of an innings lead.

Obuya is clearly looking to play the anchor role in the Kenya innings, having compiled 30 watchful runs off 85 balls faced. Earlier Maurice Ouma had looked good for his 32 before being caught by Louis Burger but David Obuya and Alex Obanda both went without scoring while Tony Suji only managed five before being bowled by Louis Klazinga.

Just as he was in last week’s match against the United Arab Emirates, 22-year-old Klazinga was the pick of the Namibia bowlers, finishing the day with figures of 2-35.

Earlier in the day, a number of the Namibia batsmen got starts but none was able to turn that into a meaningful contribution with only Raymond van Schoor (39) and Tobias Verwey (43 not out) showing any real intent.

The rest of this match could be dominated by the slow bowlers as even on day one, Kenya’s spin duo of Hiren Varaiya and Tikolo took three wickets apiece as Namibia collapsed from 117-4 to 137-8 and, eventually, 183 all out.

Namibia currently sits just behind Kenya at the top of the table and will still be confident it can get back into contention on day two. An early wicket or two will heap the pressure back on to Kenya. Play in Sharjah resumes at 0930, local time.

The ICC Intercontinental Cup has quickly grown in stature and profile since its inception three years ago and now the ICC’s premier first-class tournament is an integral part of the Associate Members’ cricket schedule.

Having previously been designed around a two-group, three-day format, the event has evolved into an eight-team, round-robin and truly global tournament featuring four-day cricket which gives those teams who do not play Test cricket the chance to experience the longer form of the game.

Scotland won the first ICC Intercontinental Cup in 2004, beating Canada in the final, while Ireland has been victorious in both events since then, beating Kenya in the 2005 decider and Canada earlier this year in the 2006-07 event.

The final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2007-08 will take place in November 2008 in Dubai.

Player of the Series Brett Lee achieves highest rating of his career

ICC MEDIA RELEASE
Dubai, 29 January 2008

Pacer retains fourth place in LG ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers; Batsmen Clarke, Tendulkar and Sehwag make strides; Kumble into top 10 all-rounders

Australia pace bowler Brett Lee has achieved the highest rating of his career to date in the LG ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers following the Test series against India and is now in fourth position, fast closing on those bowlers ahead of him.

Lee, who was named the Man of the Series, played a big role in securing a 2-1 series win for Australia , taking 24 wickets at an average of 22.58. That effort has continued his rise and he now sits on 795 ratings points, poised to become the fourth bowler in the world currently beyond the magic 800-point mark.

It is all part of a steady progress for the 31-year-old New South Welshman over the past year or so. He is ahead of South Africa ’s Makhaya Ntini and now has Ntini’s team-mate Dale Steyn and Australia ’s Stuart Clark in his sights. It is interesting to note that 12 months ago Lee was placed in 15th position.

Clark has exchanged places again with Steyn after the drawn Adelaide Test when he failed to take a wicket. It remains very close between them, though, with just three ratings points separating Steyn in second spot and third-placed Clark. And now they have Lee breathing down their necks.

However, he still has a long way to go before he catches Sri Lanka ’s Muttiah Muralidaran, whose remarkable run at the top continues without, it seems, any wavering in form from the record-breaking off-spinner.

Meanwhile, Australia ’s young gun Mitchell Johnson has moved up nine places to 42nd in the list after taking six wickets in the fourth Test, including a four-wicket haul in the first innings. His match figures of 6-159 were his best effort so far in Tests and he has now overtaken the likes of Daren Powell of the West Indies, Kyle Mills of New Zealand and England’s Ryan Sidebottom to break into the top 50 for the first time.

In the LG ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen, Michael Clarke of Australia and India ’s Sachin Tendulkar have both gained one place in the top 20 and now sit on 11th and 12th positions, respectively.

Clarke scored 118 in Adelaide , his sixth Test century, while Tendulkar excelled in the first innings, stroking a masterful 153, registering his 39th hundred in Test matches. Tendulkar is currently enjoying his highest Test ranking for two years.

Andrew Symonds fell three places and out of the top 20 to 21st position after a relatively disappointing match with the bat for the Queenslander.

Gaining on him is Virender Sehwag of India , whose 63 and 151 at Adelaide has pushed him up eight places to 24th place in the rankings.

The batting rankings are still headed by Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka, ahead of South Africa’s Jacques Kallis in second place and Michael Hussey of Australia in third.

Hussey steadily progressed through the rankings during the series with India and is now poised to take top spot if he continues his good form. That said, along with his Australia team-mates he will now take a break from Test cricket so as to concentrate on the one-day form of the game as the tri-series with India and Sri Lanka is very much on the horizon.

Meanwhile, his captain Ricky Ponting retains fourth spot and is moving in the right direction again having returned to form with a beautifully constructed century.

India captain Anil Kumble has progressed four places up the LG ICC Player Rankings for Test all-rounders and is now in seventh position, enjoying the highest rating of his career to date. Kumble took only one wicket in Australia ’s first innings but hit 87 and 9 not out in the match to put pressure on the top five in the all-rounders’ list.

That means, with Irfan Pathan currently occupying sixth place, India can boast two Test all-rounders in the top seven.

Kallis still heads the rankings, followed by Andrew Flintoff of England in second and New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori in third place.


LG ICC Test Rankings (as of 29 January)

Batsmen

Rank (+/-) Player Team Points Ave HS Rating

1 ( - ) K.C.Sangakkara SL 933 56.37 938 v Eng at Kandy 2007
2 ( - ) Jacques Kallis SA 917 58.11 935 v NZ at Centurion 2007
3 ( - ) Mike Hussey Aus 912*! 78.14 912 v Ind at Adelaide 2008
4 ( - ) Ricky Ponting Aus 899 58.53 942 v Eng at Adelaide 2006
5 ( - ) Mhd Yousuf Pak 880 55.49 933 v WI at Karachi 2006
6 ( - ) Matthew Hayden Aus 860 53.51 935 v Eng at Brisbane 2002
7 ( - ) M.Jayawardena SL 835 51.93 836 v Eng at Birmingham 2002
8 ( - ) S.Chanderpaul WI 816 47.31 838 v SA at Cape Town 2008
9 ( - ) Kevin Pietersen Eng 804 50.40 909 v WI at Leeds 2007
10 ( - ) Yunus Khan Pak 799 49.14 856 v Eng at Leeds 2006
11 (+1) Michael Clarke Aus 744 46.45 761 v Ind at Melbourne 2007
12 (+1) S.R.Tendulkar Ind 737 55.57 898 v Zim at Nagpur 2002
13 (-2) Ashwell Prince SA 730 44.25 756 v Pak at Centurion 2007
14 (-1) Alastair Cook Eng 711 ! 45.02 711 v SL at Galle 2007
15 ( - ) Rahul Dravid Ind 704 55.11 892 v Pak at Kolkata 2005
16 ( - ) Stephen Fleming NZ 702 ! 39.73 702 v Ban at Wellington 2008
17 ( - ) VVS Laxman Ind 679 44.20 753 v Aus at Sydney 2004
18 (+1) Graeme Smith SA 665 47.00 756 v NZ at Wellington 2004
19 (+1) P.D.Collingwood Eng 664 42.76 730 v Aus at Adelaide 2006
20 (+1) Ian Bell Eng 657 42.51 684 v SL at Kandy 2007

Bowlers

Rank (+/-) Player Team Points Ave Econ HS Rating

1 ( - ) M.Muralidaran SL 907 21.77 920 v Ban at Kandy 2007
2 (+1) Dale Steyn SA 832*! 23.21 832 v WI at Durban 2008
3 (-1) Stuart Clark Aus 829* 21.88 843 v Ind at Perth 2008
4 ( - ) Brett Lee Aus 795 ! 29.97 795 v Ind at Adelaide 2008
5 ( - ) Makhaya Ntini SA 768 28.00 863 v Ind at Durban 2006
6 ( - ) Anil Kumble Ind 738 28.86 859 v SL at Bangalore 1994
7 ( - ) Shane Bond NZ 709* 22.39 778 v WI at Auckland 2006
8 ( - ) Shaun Pollock SA 702 23.11 909 v Eng at Johannesburg 1999
9 ( - ) M’thew Hoggard Eng 695 30.01 795 v SL at Birmingham 2006
10 ( - ) Shoaib Akhtar Pak 684 25.69 855 v NZ at Wellington 2003
11 ( - ) Chaminda Vaas SL 666 29.43 800 v Ind at Chennai 2005
12 ( - ) Corey Collymore WI 653* 32.30 700 v Eng at Lord's 2007
13 (+1) Andrew Flintoff Eng 640 32.02 810 v Pak at Multan 2005
14 (-1) Zaheer Khan Ind 638 33.60 689 v Pak at Delhi 2007
15 ( - ) Chris Martin NZ 626 32.47 643 v Eng at Lord's 2004
16 ( - ) Mohammad Asif Pak 619* 23.13 710 v SA at Cape Town 2007
17 ( - ) Danish Kaneria Pak 614 33.90 723 v Eng at Multan 2005
18 ( - ) James Franklin NZ 612* 28.19 679 v SL at Christchurch 2006
19 ( - ) Irfan Pathan Ind 608 31.41 761 v SL at Delhi 2005
20 ( - ) Monty Panesar Eng 589* 32.76 721 v WI at Chester-le-St 2007

All-rounders

Rank (+/-) Player Team Points HS Rating

1 ( - ) Jacques Kallis SA 527 616 v Pak at Durban 2002
2 ( - ) Andrew Flintoff Eng 340 501 v Pak at Multan 2005
3 ( - ) Daniel Vettori NZ 337! 337 v Ban at Wellington 2008
4 ( - ) Shaun Pollock SA 323 490 v Eng at The Oval 2003
5 ( - ) Chaminda Vaas SL 276 281 v Ind at Chennai 2005

ICC statement following the conclusion of Harbhajan Singh’s independent appeal hearing

ICC MEDIA RELEASE
Dubai , 29 January 2008

The following is a statement from the ICC following the conclusion of Harbhajan Singh’s appeal hearing, which was held today in Adelaide , South Australia :

Prior to the hearing, a letter signed by all the players involved – from both Australia and India – was tendered into evidence as an agreed statement of facts as to what took place during the Sydney Test match.

The hearing lasted the full day before the independent Appeals Commissioner Justice John Hansen and included video and audio evidence of the incident in question.

During the hearing, oral evidence was called by John Jordan SC, counsel assisting the Appeals Commissioner. The hearing heard evidence from all witnesses to the exchange between Harbhajan and a number of Australia players.

These witnesses were then cross-examined by Brian Ward, counsel representing the Australia players, and Advocate VR Manohar, who represented Harbhajan Singh. At the conclusion of the oral evidence, legal submissions were then heard from all legal counsel.

Justice Hansen said he was convinced that, on all the evidence submitted before him, the charge of a Level 3.3 offence was not proven but that Harbhajan should be charged with a Level 2.8 offence.

Harbhajan pleaded guilty to this charge and, after hearing submissions on the penalty, Justice Hansen imposed a fine of 50 per cent of his match fee.

Justice Hansen has advised the ICC that he intends to deliver his full reasons on Wednesday at 1700 ( Adelaide time) at a venue to be confirmed in due course.

The ICC will make no further comment prior to Justice Hansen’s full judgment being delivered.

Indoor Gym of Maharaja Bir Bickram Stadium,Agartala, Tripura.

Namibia’s youngsters ready for Kenyan challenge

ICC MEDIA RELEASE
Dubai , 28 January 2008

Namibian cricket seems to be on the up and up these days. Several youngsters have made the most of the opportunities presented to them and preparations for the start of the ICC Intercontinental Cup match against Kenya at Sharjah Stadium on Tuesday could not be going better for Louis Burger’s men.

Last week, 19-year-old opener Dawid Botha made his second first-class century when he hit 104 in the second innings against the United Arab Emirates in the same competition, and at the same venue, while 22-year-old Louis Klazinga was the leading Namibia light, ball in hand.

With his right-arm pace, Klazinga has been turning heads so far in his fledgling career – he took 8-32 in a different game against the UAE in the Intercontinental Cup. And he added to that last week, taking another six wickets in the match.

There were also fine performances from three 26-year-olds, opening batsman Jan-Berrie Burger, left-arm seamer Kola Burger and wicketkeeper-batsman Tobias Verwey, giving a very youthful glow to the Namibia scorecard.

The 40-run victory over the UAE means Namibia is now unbeaten after two games and full of confidence ahead of taking on the table-topper Kenya .

“We are happy with how things have gone so far,” said team manager Abe Louw after training on Monday.

“Back in Namibia we play in the South Africa competition and because our players are not always available, our younger guys have got some exposure and they are really coming through now,” said Louw.

“The average age of the team must be around 24 at the moment and it is all good for the development of this team for the future.

“We don’t know much about this Kenya side as we have not played them in quite a while but we think we have an advantage that the match is being played at a neutral venue.”

The match was moved from Nairobi to Sharjah because of the political unrest in Kenya and it is a situation that has affected the way the Kenya squad has been preparing.

That said, it’s a familiar-looking Kenya side, led as usual by the ever-dependable Steve Tikolo. The squad also contains all-rounder and ICC Associate ODI Player of the Year 2007 Thomas Odoyo and will be able to call on the experience of the likes of David Obuya, Peter Ongondo, Hiren Veraiya and Tony Suji.

Kenya got to the final of this event in 2006, when it was beaten by Ireland in Windhoek , and Tikolo is keen to add this title to the ICC World Cricket League Division 1 that his team won in Nairobi early last year.

“We are always a very confident and positive side,” said Tikolo. “Under the circumstances, preparations have gone as well as we could hope. Our training ground is in a part of Nairobi that has not been badly affected so the players were able to make it to the ground.

“But it is not easy. With everything that is going on in Kenya at the moment, it has taken some of the focus away from cricket,” he said.

“But I am happy with the combinations we have in the team at the moment. We need to be prepared for all eventualities. Namibia did well against the UAE here so we must not underestimate them. Our bowling is coming along well with Thomas, Peter and Lameck (Onyango) all looking good at training.

“Our batting, too, has shown good improvement with Alex (Obanda), Maurice (Ouma) and David (Obuya) getting plenty of experience even though they are still quite young. It should be a good game and we will give 100 per cent for our country,” said Tikolo.

The umpires for the match are the same as for the UAE v Namibia game, Darrell Hair of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires and Neils Bagh of the ICC Associates and Affiliates Panel.

The ICC Intercontinental Cup has quickly grown in stature and profile since its inception three years ago and now the ICC’s premier first-class tournament is an integral part of the Associate Members’ cricket schedule.

Having previously been designed around a two-group, three-day format, the event has evolved into an eight-team, round-robin and truly global tournament featuring four-day cricket which gives those teams who do not play Test cricket the chance to experience the longer form of the game.

Scotland won the first ICC Intercontinental Cup in 2004, beating Canada in the final, while Ireland has been victorious in both events since then, beating Kenya in the 2005 decider and Canada earlier this year in the 2006-07 event.

The final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2007-08 will take place in November 2008 in Dubai .

Namibia (squad): Louis Burger (captain), JB Burger, Louis van der Westhuizen, Kola Burger, Michael du Rand, Raymond van Schoor, Tobias Verwey, Wilber Slabber, Louis Klazinga, Andries Burger, Dawid Botha, Gerrie Snyman, Ian van Zyl, Bjorn Kotze.

Kenya (squad): Steve Tikolo (captain), Thomas Odoyo, Alex Obanda, Maurice Ouma, David Obuya, Collins Obuya, Tony Suji, Peter Ongondo, Alfred Luseno, Jimmy Kamande, Elijah Otieno, Nehemiah Odhiambo, Hiren Veraiya, Lameck Onyango.

Umpires: Darrell Hair and Neils Bagh

India rises to second in LG ICC Test Championship table despite losing series

ICC MEDIA RELEASE

Dubai, 28 January 2008

With the final Test in Adelaide ending today in a draw, India has climbed to second place in the LG ICC Test Championship table despite losing the four-match series with Australia 2-1.

India had entered the series in fourth place, just behind South Africa and Sri Lanka , but South Africa ’s 2-1 series win over eighth-placed West Indies earlier this month relegated it to fourth position and put Sri Lanka second, a fraction of a ratings point ahead of India in third spot.

Following its historic 72-run victory in the third Test in Perth and the drawn match just finished in Adelaide, India has moved ahead of Sri Lanka and now sits in second place on 111 ratings points, two ahead of its south Asia rival and three in front of the Proteas.

Australia , which started the series on 143 ratings points, is still out in front by a distance despite losing two ratings points over the course of the series. Ricky Ponting’s side won in Melbourne by 337 runs and in Sydney by 122 runs before the Perth defeat.

With just four ratings points separating second-placed India from fifth-placed England and plenty of Test cricket to be played over the next few months, reshuffling of the positions in the Test Championship table is very much on cards.

In the immediate future, South Africa will tour Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will visit the West Indies . However, whatever may be the outcome of those two-Test series, India will retain its second place in the Championship table.

However, England will be the team that will get the first opportunity to take a shot at Anil Kumble’s side and can jump from fifth to second if it clean sweeps the three-Test series against New Zealand.

South Africa will get its opportunity to reclaim the lost place when it tours India in March for a three-Test series. However, if India wins the series, it will widen the gap between it and both Sri Lanka and South Africa , with the latter to tour England in the English summer for a four-Test series.

LG ICC Test Championship (as of 28 January)

Rank Team Points

1 Australia 141
2 India 111
3 Sri Lanka 109
4 South Africa 108
5 England 107
6 Pakistan 94
7 New Zealand 93
8 West Indies 73
9 Bangladesh 2

Procedure to be adopted at Harbhajan Singh appeal hearing

ICC MEDIA RELEASE

Adelaide , 28 January 2008

The following is the text of Appeals Commissioner Justice John Hansen’s briefing to media on Monday at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide on the procedures that will be adopted at Harbhajan Singh’s appeal hearing:

“Following a complaint by the Australian cricket captain, Mr Ricky Ponting, the umpires brought a charge pursuant to 3.3 of the Code of Conduct for Players and Team Officials against Mr Harbhajan Singh.

“This prohibits using language or gesture that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person’s race, religion, gender, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin.

“The matter was heard by the ICC referee, Mr Mike Procter , on 6 January 2008. Mr Singh was found guilty of the charge as laid, and was banned for three Test matches.

“Mr Singh has exercised his rights pursuant to Clause 11 of the Code of Conduct and has appealed against the referee’s decision.

“In accordance with Section H, Clause 11(c) of the Code of Conduct, the ICC legal counsel, Ms Urvasi Naidoo , appointed me to hear Mr Singh’s appeal.

“My name is John Hansen and I am a judge of the New Zealand High Court. I am a member of the ICC Code of Conduct Commission. I have held various judicial offices since 1979, firstly from 1979 until 1988 in Hong Kong and since 1988, in the High Court of New Zealand. I have had a life-long involvement with cricket, both as a player and administrator.

“The appeals process contained in Clause 11 of the Code of Conduct puts in place a robust procedure to ensure for a fair hearing, in this case for Mr Singh.

“It was felt proper that Mr Singh should have the benefit of a personal hearing in this case. The process of that hearing is left to the discretion of the Appeals Commissioner, in this case myself.

“However, in this case I have consulted counsel for Mr Singh and the Board of Control for Cricket in India , counsel for Cricket Australia and counsel assisting me, Mr John Jordan SC.

“Following that consultation I have directed that the procedure to be adopted at the hearing will be as follows:

In accordance with normal sporting disciplinary hearings, and previous appeals, the hearing will be in private.
This will be a re-hearing, with evidence being given by all of the witnesses who gave evidence to the adjudicator, Mr Procter. There may also be some additional evidence, such as the transcript available from the stump microphone, which was not available to Mr Procter.
The witnesses will give viva-voce evidence that will be led by counsel assisting me, Mr Jordan. Opportunity will then be afforded to both the counsels to cross-examine the witnesses.
Again, in accordance with the practice adopted for sporting disciplinary hearings, the evidence will not be on oath.

“The hearing will commence tomorrow (Tuesday, 29 January) at the Federal Court in Adelaide at a time to be announced in due course and will follow the procedure I have just outlined.

“I should add that Section H, Clause 11(e) of the Code of Conduct requires the Appeals Commissioner to hear and determine the appeal within seven days of appointment.

“In this case, at the request of both the BCCI and Cricket Australia , I agreed to the adjournment of the hearing until tomorrow to enable all parties to be in a position to be prepared properly for this serious matter.

“Given the time between Tests, the simple logistics of the matter did not allow a hearing to be convened within seven days in any event. A venue for the hearing had to be found. The necessary secretarial and transcription assistance needed to be put in place. Video links had to be arranged for witnesses and counsel who are overseas. Counsel had to be instructed. Obviously all these matters take some time.

“At the end of the hearing I will consider my decision and reduce it to writing.

“In accordance with Section H, Clause 11(g) of the Code of Conduct it will be forwarded to Mr Singh, Mr Procter, and the Chief Executive of the ICC. Following that required process I will deliver my decision publicly.

“At that time written copies of my decision will be made available to the media.

“As you will appreciate, this matter is effectively sub judice. In such circumstances it is inappropriate that I comment further, and for that reason there will be no questions.”

Background:

Harbhajan Singh was found guilty of breaching the Level 3.3 which refers to players or team officials “using language or gestures that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person’s race, religion, gender, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin” during the third day’s play in the second Test between India and Australia at Sydney.

The charge against Harbhajan was laid by the on-field umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires after the close of play on day three of the second Test between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground following a complaint they received from the Australia captain, Ricky Ponting.

The complaint was made by Ponting after the 116th over of India ’s first innings, prior to which Harbhajan is accused of making a racist comment directed at Australia ’s Andrew Symonds.

The Code of Conduct hearing was conducted by Mike Procter of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees after the Test concluded on Sunday 6 January.

Harbhajan pleaded not guilty to the charge. Procter found that the case was proved and imposed a ban of three Test matches on the India spinner.

I surprise call from Gilly when I crossed 500 Test wickets

Anil Kumble

I couldn't speak to Gilly on Friday evening because they had a team meeting on just after the day's play and I didn't want to disturb them. So this morning, I congratulated him on his breaking the world record for maximum dismissals by a wicketkeeper and told him I just wished that his 414th scalp wasn't me. Or that it happened after 13 runs.

He just smiled, in the way he always does. I had no inkling, none of us did really, that some hours later he would announce his retirement from Test cricket. It has come as a huge surprise because I thought he had lots of cricket left in him and could have gone on for at least a year, till Australia came to India next winter.
As a spinner, I look at Gilly a little differently. Any quality spinner needs to have a special understanding with the wicketkeeper. Theirs is a very crucial partnership, and it was that way with Gilchrist and Warne for really long. He's been brilliant behind the stumps.

And that wasn't just it. What really worked for Australia and was so inherent to this team's success was Gilchrist coming in at no. 7 and changing the complexion of a game single-handedly.

He was larger than life and frankly, the pressure on whoever replaces him is going to be immense. Comparisons will be made straightaway and to match up to the Gilchrist phenomenon will not be easy.
He is a different kind of opposition player, basically, it all boiled down to the fact that he is a very nice man, humble, straightforward, quite down to earth.

We've always talked whenever we've played each other, or met in the hotel lobby or anywhere else. After stumps, he would often come into the dressing room and chat with our team. He never really took whatever happened on the field off it. He believed that cricket should be played on the field and stay on the field. Whatever happened there should be left behind.

He also came across as someone who cared and made that extra effort to show it. I remember getting a surprise call from Gilly when I crossed 500 Test wickets. We weren't playing after that and I was home when I got this call and the voice announced, 'this is Adam Gilchrist'.

Australia were touring Bangladesh at the time and he told me that he had been trying to get in touch with me for the last 10 days and that it had been really tough getting through from there. It was really nice of him, but he is that kind of guy.

I haven't spoken to him about the reasons for his decision but I can imagine what he went through before coming to it.

There comes a time when it keeps going through your mind and you wonder. These decisions are rarely sudden.

I took a call on my retiring from one-day cricket because I was not playing in the XI in most matches anyway. So before leaving for the World Cup, I had decided that this would be my last one-day tour. Whether I played or not, whether we won or lost, I would not be playing any more one-dayers after we returned from the Caribbean.

When you make these decisions, you sit with your family and tell them first. I did, I told my wife that this is it, I'm quitting one-day cricket. She supported me and said I should do what I think best. Gilly's apparently said he needs to spend time with his family and I understand that.

You start thinking ahead, you think about spending more time with your family, doing the things you never had time to do. And it becomes a lot easier when the decision is done in your head. A lot of people ask me if I miss playing one-day cricket and I tell them I don't.

Once I made up my mind, that was that. But yes, you have to be strong to make that decision, especially when you're playing good cricket --- you don't want to leave it, you don't want to stop. After all, it's never easy for a sportsman, for anyone, to give up something that's has taken up 15-20 years of your life. That mental step is a huge, huge one.

I expect that the next couple of days of this Test will see a lot of focus on Gilly's decision. But he deserves the attention.

It will be remarkably tough to replace someone like him, in more ways than one. He changed the way countries would look at wicketkeepers. Once he started playing for Australia, he forced cricket boards across the globe to have a rethink on how they wanted their keepers to be. People only picked keepers who could bat really well.

When you look around international cricket now, most of the top wicket-keepers are good bats, some are brilliant even. Sangakkara, Boucher, Dhoni… McCullum is very decent too.

That change will forever be Gilchrist's legacy to the game. He will be sorely missed.

Hawkeye/Chivach Sport

Match officials announced for ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup

ICC MEDIA RELEASE
Dubai , 27 January 2008

The International Cricket Council today announced the match officials for the upcoming ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup (U/19 CWC) 2008 in Malaysia , which will run from 17 February to 2 March.

The tournament will be overseen by Javagal Srinath, Mike Procter and Chris Broad of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees.

The on-field umpires will be split between appointments from the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires and those from the ranks of the Associates and Affiliates.

Peter Hartley ( England ), Marais Erasmus ( South Africa ), GA Prathap Kumar ( India ), Gary Baxter ( New Zealand ), Steve Davis ( Australia ), Enamul Hoque-Moni ( Bangladesh ), Zameer Haider ( Pakistan ), Clyde Duncan (West Indies), Tyron Wijewardena ( Sri Lanka ) and Ian Robinson ( Zimbabwe ) from the Emirates International Panel will all stand.

Meanwhile, Sarika Prasad ( Singapore ), Paul Baldwin ( Germany ), Roger Dill (Bermuda), Buddhi Pradhan ( Nepal ), Lakani Oala ( Papua New Guinea ) and Jeff Luck ( Namibia ) will represent the Associate and Affiliate world.

Darrell Hair from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires will also be present in Malaysia , primarily as a continuation of his work with the accreditation and mentoring of development-level umpires. Previously, Hair has stood in several development tournaments, including the ICC World Cricket League Division 1 and ICC Intercontinental Cup, while also assisting with the coaching of emerging umpires.

“In the same way that the U/19 CWC is a great opportunity for players to make their mark, it is also a chance for up-and-coming umpires to experience an international cricket event,” said ICC Umpires Manager Doug Cowie.

“We have a good mix of experienced International Panel umpires who are pushing their way towards the very top and talented officials from outside the Full Members. All the umpires present will use this tournament to hone their skills and techniques while also having to cope with the rigours of tournament cricket,” said Cowie.

“It’s a chance for us to identify emerging talent and provide them with intensive individual mentoring and coaching over the course of the event and also give them direction for the future,” he said.

Individual match appointments will be made in due course.

The tournament runs from 17 February to 2 March at seven venues in three cities around the country, Johor, Kuala Lumpur and Penang . But prior to that the umpires will have the chance to stand in warm-up matches and begin getting feedback from coaches before the tournament starts in earnest.

The 16-team event includes sides from the 10 Full Members as well as the host country, and five regional qualifiers, Namibia (Africa), Papua New Guinea (East Asia-Pacific), Ireland (Europe), Nepal (Asia) and Bermuda (Americas).

This is the first time the event has been held outside a Full Member country and, as ever, it will be a great opportunity to view the next batch of stars for the international game. Such players as Inzamam-ul-Haq, Brian Lara, Yuvraj Singh, Michael Clarke and Sanath Jayasuriya have all cut their teeth at this tournament.

The tournament will be played across four groups of four teams playing a round-robin format. The top two teams will progress to a Super League and the bottom two will go into the Plate Championship.

The top four from each of those sections will play in their respective semi-finals with the Plate Championship final taking place on 1 March and the Super League final on 2 March at Kinrara Cricket Academy (KCA), Kuala Lumpur .

During the tournament, all 10 matches being staged at KCA, including both Super League semi-finals and the final, will be televised live by ICC’s rights-holding broadcaster ESPN-STAR Sports.

Match Referees: Javagal Srinath, Mike Procter and Chris Broad (Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees)

Umpires: Peter Hartley (England), Marais Erasmus (South Africa), GA Prathap Kumar (India), Gary Baxter (New Zealand), Steve Davis (Australia), Enamul Hoque-Moni (Bangladesh), Zameer Haider (Pakistan), Clyde Duncan (West Indies), Tyron Wijewardena (Sri Lanka), Ian Robinson (Zimbabwe), Sarika Prasad (Singapore), Paul Baldwin (Germany), Roger Dill (Bermuda), Buddhi Pradhan (Nepal), Roger Dill (Bermuda), Lakani Oala (Papua New Guinea), Jeff Luck (Namibia) and Darrell Hair (Australia).

Namibia goes second in ICC Intercontinental Cup after close win in Sharjah

ICC MEDIA RELEASE
Dubai , 27 January 2008

Namibia has gone joint-second in the ICC Intercontinental Cup, level with the Netherlands and just behind Kenya, after its thrilling 40-run victory over the United Arab Emirates at Sharjah Stadium on Saturday.

The win sets up a top-of-the-table battle between the south-west Africans and Kenya when the two sides go head to head at the same venue, starting on Tuesday.

Namibia now has two wins from two matches but is six points adrift of Kenya due to the fact that Louis Burger’s men failed to take the points on offer for first-innings lead against the UAE, having been 60-runs adrift at the half-way stage.

But then wrist spinner Jan-Berrie Burger gave the UAE a dose of its own medicine when he turned the tables and bowled Namibia to a 40-run victory on the fourth and last day.

Burger, coming in as a first change bowler, finished with figures of 5-81, his career-best figures, as the UAE was spun out for 296 while chasing 337 for victory.

For the UAE, it was its second defeat in four matches and leaves it ahead of eighth-placed Bermuda in seventh spot on 23 points after it earned six points from this match. Captain Saqib Ali was not disheartened, however, as he knows his side is showing improvement.

“We do not play four-day cricket very often but we are learning to adapt,” said Saqib.

“This competition is great for us and is really helping to develop our skills in the longer form of cricket. I have already seen big improvements in the side and I am very positive for the future.

“ Namibia batted very well in the second innings and set us a difficult target. I knew we had time to get the runs and I thought we could do it but we just fell short. I thought we put up a very good fight and it was a great game of cricket,” he said.

For JB Burger, it turned out to be one his most memorable performances after he had contributed 68 and 38 with the bat as well as figures of 2-12 in UAE’s first innings which gave him match figures of 32.1-4-93-7.

The UAE, which resumed on Saturday morning at 44-2, looked dead and buried when it slumped to 103-6 before the innings was revived by Khurram Khan and Amjad Ali. The two batsmen added 117 runs for the seventh wicket giving the Africans plenty to worry about.

But just as it looked like the UAE might pull off a remarkable victory, Ali fell with the total on 230 after scoring a fine 52 from 89 balls with six boundaries.

Khurram, who had bagged 6-98 on the third day with his left-arm spin, however, kept UAE’s slim hopes alive when he carried the score to 258 before he was out lbw to Kola Burger after scoring 97. His career-best knock came off 176 balls and included nine boundaries.

Kola Burger struck again four balls later as 258-8 became 258-9 with the departure of Zahid Shah and defeat starred right in the eyes of the home team.

Ahmed Raza and Fahad Alhashmi managed to take the score to 296 but that was the best the pair could do as Jan-Berrie Burger struck for the fifth and last time in the match to bring Namibia an excellent come-from-behind victory.

Besides JB Burger, Louis Klazinga, who dismissed both the openers on the third evening, finished with 3-56 while Kola Burger bagged 2-50.

The ICC Intercontinental Cup has quickly grown in stature and profile since its inception three years ago and now the ICC’s premier first-class tournament is an integral part of the Associate Members’ cricket schedule.

Having previously been designed around a two-group, three-day format, the event has evolved into an eight-team, round-robin and truly global tournament featuring four-day cricket which gives those teams who do not play Test cricket the chance to experience the longer form of the game.

Scotland won the first ICC Intercontinental Cup in 2004, beating Canada in the final, while Ireland has been victorious in both events since then, beating Kenya in the 2005 decider and Canada earlier this year in the 2006-07 event.

The final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2007-08 will take place in November 2008 in Dubai .

ICC Intercontinental Cup table (as of 27 January)

Team P WO WI D LI LO T Points

Kenya 2 2 2 - - - - 40
Namibia 2 2 1 - 1 - - 34
Netherlands 3 2 1 - 1 1 - 34
Ireland 2 1 2 1 - - - 29
Canada 4 1 2 - 2 3 - 26
Scotland 3 1 1 2 2 - - 26
UAE 4 1 1 1 3 2 - 23
Bermuda 3 1 1 - 2 3 - 6

WO - outright win - 14 points
WI - lead on first innings (also retained if outright loss) - 6 points
LI - behind on first innings - 0 points
LO - outright loss - 0 points
TO - outright tie - 7 points each
TI - tie first innings - 3 pts each Abandoned - 10 pts each
D - draw - 3 pts each

Namibia makes it two out of two in ICC Intercontinental Cup as UAE goes down fighting

ICC MEDIA RELEASE

Dubai , 26 January 2008

Jan-Berrie Burger claims maiden five-wicket haul; Khurram Khan narrowly misses century

Wrist spinner Jan-Berrie Burger gave the United Arab Emirates (UAE) a dose of its own medicine when he bowled Namibia to a 40-run victory on the fourth and last day of the ICC Intercontinental Cup match at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Burger, coming in as a first change bowler, finished with figures of 5-81, his career-best figures, as the UAE was spun out for 296 while chasing 337 for victory.

It was Namibia ’s second successive victory in the tournament which came after it conceded a 60-run first-innings lead. Namibia , which now sits in second place along with Ireland on 34 points, secured 14 points and now faces leader Kenya at the same venue from Tuesday.

For the UAE, it was its second defeat in four matches and leaves it ahead of eighth-placed Bermuda in seventh spot on 23 points after it earned six points from this match.

For Burger, it turned out to be one his most memorable performances after he had contributed 68 and 38 with the bat as well as figures of 2-12 in UAE’s first innings which gave him match figures of 32.1-4-93-7.

The UAE, which resumed this morning at 44-2, looked dead and buried when it slumped to 103-6 before the innings was revived by Khurram Khan and Amjad Ali. The two batsmen added 117 runs for the seventh wicket giving the Africans plenty to worry about.

But just as it looked like the UAE might pull off a remarkable victory, Ali fell with the total on 230 after scoring a fine 52 from 89 balls with six boundaries.

Khurram, who had bagged 6-98 on the third day with his left-arm spin, however, kept UAE’s slim hopes alive when he carried the score to 258 before he was out lbw to Kola Burger after scoring 97. His career-best knock came off 176 balls and included nine boundaries.

Kola Burger struck again four balls later as 258-8 became 258-9 with the departure of Zahid Shah and defeat starred right in the eyes of the home team.

Ahmed Raza and Fahad Alhashmi managed to take the score to 296 but that was the best the pair could do as Jan-Berrie Burger struck for the fifth and last time in the match to bring Namibia an excellent come-from-behind victory.

Besides Jan-Berrie Burger, Louis Klazinga, who dismissed both the openers on the third evening, finished with 3-56 while Kola Burger bagged 2-50.

The ICC Intercontinental Cup has quickly grown in stature and profile since its inception three years ago and now the ICC’s premier first-class tournament is an integral part of the Associate Members’ cricket schedule.

Having previously been designed around a two-group, three-day format, the event has evolved into an eight-team, round-robin and truly global tournament featuring four-day cricket which gives those teams who do not play Test cricket the chance to experience the longer form of the game.

Scotland won the first ICC Intercontinental Cup in 2004, beating Canada in the final, while Ireland has been victorious in both events since then, beating Kenya in the 2005 decider and Canada earlier this year in the 2006-07 event.

The final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2007-08 will take place in November 2008 in Dubai .

Rearguard action puts Namibia in sight of victory

ICC MEDIA RELEASE

Dubai , 25 January 2008

Botha hits second century of his career while Khurram records best bowling figures

A fighting rearguard action by Kola Burger, Bjorn Kotze and Tobias Verwey put Namibia in sight of an unexpected victory over the United Arab Emirates on the penultimate day of the ICC Intercontinental Cup match at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah on Friday.

After half of the side was back in the hut at the score of 207, the last five wickets put on 189 runs to lift the tourists to 396 in its second innings that set a victory target of 337 for the home team.

When stumps were drawn for the day, the UAE had its back against the wall when it was reeling at 44-2 and requiring another 293 for victory.

Namibia started the third day’s play at 164-3, 104 runs ahead, and soon lost Dawid Botha who became one of the six Khurram Khan’s victims. Botha had resumed his innings on 96 and departed after scoring 104, his second first-class century in 11 matches, that came off 223 delivered and included fours and a six.

Soon after Botha’s demise, captain Louis Burger returned to the dressing room to leave Namibia at 207-5, 147 runs ahead. He also fell to left-arm spinner Khurram Khan who finished with career-best figures of 6-98.

At that stage, Kotze and wicketkeeper Verwey got together and repaired the damage by putting on 62 runs for the sixth wicket. The partnership ended when Verwey fell Khan after contributing 43 off 85 balls with six boundaries.

Wilbur Slabber survived just three balls to leave Namibia at 270-7 before Kotze found another reliable partner in Kola Burger. The two batsmen brought stability to the innings by adding 107 runs for the eighth wickets.

The two batsmen played delightful shots to all parts of the park. Burger was more aggressive of the two when he slapped 10 fours and two sixes in his 102-ball 76 before falling to Arshad Ali who finished with 2-54.

Kotze managed to add another19 runs with the last two wickets before becoming the last batsman to be dismissed after a watchful and sedate 66 that came off 224 balls and included just four fours.

The UAE, chasing 337 for victory, made a disasterous start when it lost the experienced opening pair of Arshad Ali and Mohammad Iqbal to fast bowler Louis Klazinga to slump to 16-2.

However, Gayan Silva (20) and Owais Hameed (4) saw off the day without further damage. However, the UAE will have to put up an exceptional performance on the last day to thwart Namibia ’s push for second successive victory in the tournament.

The ICC Intercontinental Cup has quickly grown in stature and profile since its inception three years ago and now the ICC’s premier first-class tournament is an integral part of the Associate Members’ cricket schedule.

Having previously been designed around a two-group, three-day format, the event has evolved into an eight-team, round-robin and truly global tournament featuring four-day cricket which gives those teams who do not play Test cricket the chance to experience the longer form of the game.

Scotland won the first ICC Intercontinental Cup in 2004, beating Canada in the final, while Ireland has been victorious in both events since then, beating Kenya in the 2005 decider and Canada earlier this year in the 2006-07 event.

The final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2007-08 will take place in November 2008 in Dubai .

Who will be the next Brian Lara, Inzamam-ul-Haq or Sanath Jayasuriya?

ICC MEDIA RELEASE

Dubai , 23 January 2008

Let the star spotting begin. With less than four weeks to go before the start of the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup (U/19 CWC) 2008 in Malaysia , all 16 squads have now been finalised. History has taught us that it’s highly likely this year’s tournament will reveal some of the great players of the future.

Brian Lara, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Sanath Jayasuriya, Michael Atherton, Yuvraj Singh, Chris Cairns, Michael Clarke, Graeme Smith and many other household names have used the U/19 CWC as a stepping stone to full international honours.

Pakistan is going for three in a row having won this tournament in 2004 and 2006, and the side is captained by Imad Wasim, a left-arm spinner who is also a useful batsman. Imad captained this strong Pakistan side to a 5-0 win over Australia in October last year and also a 3-1 win away to England last August.

One of the other players to watch for the defending champion will be Umar Akmal, who is the brother of Kamran, the Pakistan senior team’s wicketkeeper. The younger Akmal enjoyed an excellent season in first-class cricket scoring 851 runs, including an outstanding 248 against Karachi Blues.

For Australia , captain Michael Hill, who has appeared for New South Wales this season, will be working hard to ensure his side’s fortunes improve following that 5-0 series defeat to Pakistan in October.

Much attention will also be on powerful opening batsman, Kumar Sarna, who was born in Delhi but who grew up Down Under.

A side to watch out for in this event will undoubtedly be Bangladesh , which is fresh from a place in the final of a triangular series in South Africa , where it was edged out by India . The side also managed to defeat Pakistan in a five-match series in 2007, despite having lost the opening two matches. Much will be expected of Sohrawardi Shuvo, the slow left-arm bowler who has already taken an impressive 69 wickets in 15 first-class matches.

England has experienced indifferent form over the past 12 months but will be led by the impressive Alex Wakely, who scored a half-century on his first-class debut for Northamptonshire last year.

Much is thought of England ’s pace bowlers Steven Finn, who spent the latter part of 2007 in India with the England Performance Programme squad, and Glamorgan’s James Harris who became the first 17-year-old to take a seven-wicket haul in the County Championship .

Fresh from winning a recent triangular series in South Africa , India will be one of the favourites for the competition. Virat Kohli, who will captain the side, has made 373 runs at an average of 53 in five first-class matches, including a top score of 159, so he will surely be one to watch.

For New Zealand, skipper Kane Williamson showed evidence of his potential when he made an excellent 47 not out off 56 balls for Northern Districts against Bangladesh’s senior side in a rain-affected match at the end of 2007.

But Williamson will need support from the likes of Corey Anderson, Greg Morgan, Tim Southee and Trent Boult who were all were selected for New Zealand A’s three-week training camp in Darwin last year. The side contains Michael Bracewell, nephew of former Test players John and Brendon Bracewell, and Hamish Rutherford, son of former Black Caps’ captain Ken.

South Africa had a disappointing U/19 CWC in 2006 and recent form suggests they could be up against it this time around too, having performed disappointingly in the recent under-19 triangular series held in Pretoria . But captain Wayne Parnell is an all-rounder with strong leadership qualities and there is plenty of talent in the squad.

The host from two years ago, Sri Lanka will be hoping its talented slow left-armer Sachith Pathirana can recapture the form that netted him 15 wickets in SL’s 3-2 series defeat against Bangladesh last year.

Other key players for Sri Lanka will be first-class batsman Ashan Priyanjan, who made an impressive 30 not out against England’s senior team last October, and Tissara Perrera, a veteran of the previous U/19 CWC.

For the West Indies , much responsibility will lie on the shoulders of captain Sharmarh Brooks, who participated in the 2006 edition of this tournament, and is a well-regarded all-round cricketer.

Adrian Barath is considered to be the best under-19 batsman in the Caribbean at present, having scored 485 runs at 53.88 in his six first-class appearances for Trinidad and Tobago , and is also valued for his fielding skills. Devon Thomas is also one to watch while Darren Bravo, the brother of Dwayne, is also named in the squad.

Zimbabwe will look towards captain and all-rounder Prince Masvaure, a gifted batsman who can also swing a ball whether old or new. Masvaure made one appearance at the 2006 event but has since gone on to play regular first-class cricket and be named in the Zimbabwe A squad.

Other players to watch for Zimbabwe will be Solomon Mire, a talented all-rounder, who has a highest List A score of 94 and Justin Gaisford, who is a fine up-and-coming wicketkeeper-batsman.

Europe qualifier Ireland will be trying to emulate the senior team, who turned more than a few heads at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in the West Indies . Taking part in his third U/19 CWC captain Greg Thompson has played eight first-class matches taking 13 wickets with his probing leg-spin and is a useful lower middle-order batsman.

Big things are also expected of Dublin batsmen Andrew Balbirnie and Graham McDonnell while Richard Keaveney, in his second U/19 CWC, is a hard-working medium-pacer with a big future.

Playing in its first ever U/19 CWC, Americas regional qualifier Bermuda can boast the presence of Malachi Jones, who took the wicket of India opener Robin Uthappa in Port of Spain during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007. And in Stefan Kelly, Tamauri Tucker and captain Rodney Trott it has other players who have already started their first-class careers with the senior team.

Papua New Guinea , who qualified from the East Asia-Pacific region, will rely on captain Colin Amini, who is useful both with bat and his off-spin bowling. His grandfather, Brian, and father Charles were both captains of the PNG senior team so it’s in the family.

Host team Malaysia will look to skipper Ahmad Faiz who displayed his batting prowess when he made an impressive 60 against Australia under-19 in September last year.

The surprise package of the previous U/19 CWC, Nepal , will be back to show its exploits in Sri Lanka were not a one-off. Captain Paras Khadka will be playing in his third U/19 CWC and he is now a regular member of the senior Nepal side. Khadka was named man of the tournament at the U/19 ACC Trophy last year which saw his team qualify for the event.

In an event such as this, the role of the coach is of paramount importance and there is a wealth of cricketing experience accompanying these young players to Malaysia .

Former coach of the Bangladesh senior team Dav Whatmore will lead India , former Test batsman Larry Gomes will coach the West Indies, another West Indies star Phil Simmons is now with Ireland while Andy Pick, who coached Canada at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007, will lead England .

Defending champion Pakistan is the top seed with the winner from 2000 and beaten finalist from 2006, India , seeded second. Australia (winner in 1988 and 2002) is seeded third and England (winner in 1999) fourth.

All four will be in action on the opening day on February 17 when Pakistan meets Malaysia at Johor Cricket Academy in Johor , India faces Papua New Guinea (PNG) at Kinrara Cricket Academy in Kuala Lumpur , Australia takes on Namibia at Penang Sports Club in Penang, and England takes on Ireland at Selangor Turf Club in Kuala Lumpur .

All 16 teams will be battling for a place in the final on 2 March in Kuala Lumpur .

The Squads:

AUSTRALIA
Michael Hill (captain), Daniel Burns, Michael Cranmer, James Faulkner, Josh Hazlewood, Phillip Hughes, David King, Dominic O’Brien, Kirk Pascoe, James Pattinson, Clive Rose, Anant Sarna, Jeremy Smith, Steven Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Cameron Francis, Christopher Quelch.

BANGLADESH
Md. Sohrawardi Shuvo (captain), Dollar Mahmud, Md. Marshall Ayub, Shubhashis Roy
Md. Rubel Hossain, Gulam Kibriya, Rony Talakdar , Md. Mahmudul Hasan, Nasir Hossain, Mohammad Shakil, Mohammad Nadimuddin, Md. Mithun, Md. Saikat Ali, Amit Majumder, Ashiqul Islam.

BERMUDA
Rodney Trott (captain), Malachi Jones, Tamauri Tucker, Machai Campbell, Pierre Smith, Greg Maybury, Lamar Richardson, Terryn Fray, Deunte Darrell, Jordan De Silva, Christopher Douglas, Kyle Hodsoll, Dennico Hollis, Tre Govia, Regino Smith.

ENGLAND
Alex Wakely (captain), Ben Brown, Liam Dawson, Steven Finn, Billy Godleman, James Harris, James Lee, Stuart Meaker, Sam Northeast, Daniel Redfern, James Taylor, Thomas Westley, Chris Woakes, Greg Wood, James Goodman.

INDIA
Virat Kohli (captain), Abhinav Mukund, Ajitesh Argal, Shreevats Goswami, Tanmay Srivastava, Manish Pandey, Taruwar Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Saurabh Tiwary, Duvvarapu Siva Kumar, Pradeep Sanghwan, Siddharth Kaul, Einstein Napoleon, Perry Goyal, Sayyed Abudllah Iqbal.

IRELAND
Greg Thompson, (captain), Ben Ackland , Andrew Balbirnie, Andrew Britton, Christopher Dougherty, Shane Getkate, James Hall, Richard Keaveney, Theo Lawson, Graham McDonnell, Gavin McKenna, Lee Nelson, Stuart Poynter, James Shannon, Paul Stirling.

NAMIBIA
Dawid Botha (captain), Claude Bouwer, Gert Coetzee, Morne Engelbrecht, Tiaan Louw, Elandre Oosthuizen, Bernard Scholtz, Sean Silver, Ewald Steenkamp, Keady Strauss, Louis van der Westhuizen, Izak van Niekerk, Ashley van Rooi, Raymond van Schoor, Helao Ya France.

MALAYSIA
Ahmad Faiz (captain), Aminudin Ramly, Faris Rosmanizam, Mohamad Fauzi, Mohamad Norwira, Mohammed Miran, Mohammad Kasman, Mohammad Shafiq, Mohammad Shahrulnizam, Mohammad Suharril Fetri, Muhamad Nik Azril, Muhammad Faizal, Sarath Ananthasivam, Shahid Aslan, Sarvana Raj.

NEPAL
Paras Khadka (captain), Rahul Vishwakarma, Rom Shrestha, Aakash Gupta, Antim Magar, Gyanendra Malla, Raj Shrestha, Abhaya Rana, Sagar Khadka, Amrit Bhattarai, Mahesh Chhetri, Chandra Sawad, Anil Mandal, Puspa Thapa, Subash Pradhan.

NEW ZEALAND
Corey Anderson, Nicholas Beard, Harry Boam, Trent Boult, Michael Bracewell, Tamati Clarke, Fraser Colson, Michael Guptill-Bunce, Greg Morgan, Jeet Raval, Hamish Rutherford, Timothy Southee, Anurag Verma, Kane Williamson, George Worker.

PAKISTAN
Imad Wasim (captain), Umar Amin, Ali Asad, Shahzaib Ahmed Khan, Ahmad Shahzad, Muhammad Amir, Muhammad Azhar Attari, Usman Salah-ud-Din, Muhammad Junaid Khan, Umair Mir, Umar Akmal, Muhammad Rameez, Shaan Khan, Mirza Ahsan, Adil Raza.

PNG
Colin Amini (captain), Tony Ura, Heni Siaka, Tanti Heni, Alfred Amini, Jonathan Diho, John Reva, Joel Tom, Jason Kila, Loa Nou, Jacob Mado, Willie Gavera, Charles Amini, Arua Dikana, Archie Vala.

SOUTH AFRICA
Wayne Parnell (captain), Roy Adams, Matthew Arnold, Clayton August, Bradley Barnes, Daniel Childs, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Reeza Hendricks, Pieter Malan, Mangaliso Mosehle, Abraham Pienaar, Rilee Rossouw, Jon Jon Smuts, Yaseen Vallie, Jonathan Vandiar.

SRI LANKA
Ashan Subasinghe (captain), Sachith Pathirana, Thisara Perera, Roshane Silva, Mohamed Mazahir, Dinesh Chandimal, Dilshan Munaweera, Imesh Udayanga, Navin Kavikara, Denuwan Fernando, Ishan Jayarathne, Angelo Perera, Chatura Peiris, Umesh Karunarathna, Kusal Perera.

WEST INDIES
Shamarh Brooks (captain), Devon Thomas, Kieran Powell, Dawnley Grant, Delorn Johnson, Steven Jacobs, Veerasammy Permaul, Andre Creary, Horace Miller, Jason Dawes, Nkrumah Bonner, Shacoya Thomas, Darren Bravo, Adrian Barath, Kyle Corbin.

ZIMBABWE
Prince Masvaure (captain), Tinashe Chimbambo, Tendai Chitongo, Hughes Dinembira, Justin Gaisford, Kyle Jarvis, Edzai Jaure, Daniel Landman, Stewart Matsika, Solomon Mire, Peter Moor, Confidence Mutombodzi, Njabulo Ncube, Reginald Nehonde, Tendai Mashonganyika.

UAE edge towards an innings lead in low-scoring first day

ICC MEDIA RELEASE

Dubai , 23 January 2008

The United Arab Emirates had just the better of Namibia on day one of what is turning out to be a low-scoring but fascinating ICC Intercontinental Cup match at Sharjah Stadium.

Saqib Ali’s side is just 17 runs short of securing the points for a first innings lead with the skipper himself leading the way on 72 not out at the close. When the umpires called time on the day’s play the UAE had moved on to 147-6 in reply to Namibia ’s meagre total of 164 all out on what is a typically flat, if slightly slow, Sharjah pitch.

Opening bowler Fahad al Hashimi did the early damage for the UAE removing three of Namibia ’s top four batsmen with just 43 runs on the board. The pain continued for Louis Burger’s men as they stuttered to 52-5 with Amjad Javed getting in on the act with a brace of wickets.

Tobias Verwey and opener JB Burger then put on a crucial 69-run partnership for the sixth wicket but it was a short-lived recovery as Ahmed Raza struck late and often to reduce the Africans to 164 all out.

In reply, UAE’s top-order did nothing early on to suggest it was going to be any easier for them collapsing to 36-5 and then, after a recovery of sorts, to 78-6 as Amjad Ali was dismissed by Louis Burger for 20.

But Saqib was standing tall and when he was joined in the middle by Ahmed Raza there followed what will perhaps prove to be the most important partnership of the match. The pair put on an unbeaten 69 to finish the day just 17 adrift with four wickets still in hand.

The first task for Saqib and Raza will be to knock off those runs to secure first-innings points and then they’ll seek to build a lead to set up an outright win that would recharge the UAE’s ICC Intercontinental Cup campaign and improve upon its current position of seventh in the log.

The ICC Intercontinental Cup has quickly grown in stature and profile since its inception three years ago and now the ICC’s premier first-class tournament is an integral part of the Associate Members’ cricket schedule.

Having previously been designed around a two-group, three-day format, the event has evolved into an eight-team, round-robin and truly global tournament featuring four-day cricket which gives those teams who do not play Test cricket the chance to experience the longer form of the game.

Scotland won the first ICC Intercontinental Cup in 2004, beating Canada in the final, while Ireland has been victorious in both events since then, beating Kenya in the 2005 decider and Canada earlier this year in the 2006-07 event.

The final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2007-08 will take place in November 2008 in Dubai .

Crucial Test for India

Anil Kumble

Celebrations in international cricket these days don't last too long. There's far too little time between matches and you have to re-focus really quickly on the business of playing cricket and the next game. We've had three days or so, so whatever we did in Perth has been put away as part of history now, and the focus is on Adelaide. However, we would like to take forward the confidence gained from that win, ahead of what will be a crucial Test for India.

One more thing happened in between; the one-day squad was announced. There are definitely huge disappointments here about the squad for the shorter version. Having said that, the people who've missed out are thorough professionals and have played enough cricket to understand the importance of being completely focussed on this. It's important that we carry the same kind of hunger and sense of purpose that was there to get the right result in Perth coming into Adelaide.

If we level the series here, I think it's as good as winning it recovering from 2-0 down. We're looking to take inspiration from our last visit here.

We did exceptionally well that time. This time too, it looks a good batting surface, probably the best in Australia. I believe the forecast is not great but that's something that is not in our control and we can't worry about that.

Incidentally, I still haven't finalised the playing XI. There is a feeling that we should play five bowlers, with Irfan adding the balance with his batting but I'm not totally convinced about changing the order. We've done exceptionally well when we've stuck to our batting order.

But we'll definitely play positive cricket and go for a win. I'm also expecting the Aussies to come really hard at us after the loss at Perth, which would have really hurt them.

So it's equally important that our young attack, which stood up so well in the last game, do the same here. It won't be easy. The conditions are very different here, far more challenging. And that's the beauty of Test cricket, every time you need to go out and challenge, be challenged. It's very different in one-day cricket --- which is why Test cricket is so much about character-building and character itself.

Adelaide last time was where it all began, where we started believing that we could really get on to Australia's own turf and go eye to eye with them and survive, even win. So it would be great to leave Australia by levelling what has been a dramatic, quite fantastic series.

At a personal level, this will definitely be the last time I will be playing in a Test in Australia, so also for some of the others. Funnily enough, I had thought the same when I played in Sydney in 2004 --- that that would be my last Test in Oz --- but I'm pretty sure that come 2011, I won't be around here. But well, you never know!
There's another point I wanted to make.

The senior group within the team, well, we've pretty much achieved whatever's there to achieve in terms of individual milestones and landmarks. From our viewpoint, it would be great for us, moving forward, to ensure that we make one more move towards achieving consistent team success in Test cricket.

We came into this series knowing fully well it could be a last one here for most of us. I think we've done well to be leaving behind something important for the next generation of cricketers --- a belief that they can actually come here to Australia, compete with the Aussies on their terms, on their turf and win.

Instead of putting a message across to other teams, I think we can put a message across to our own teams. Keep believing.

HAWKEYE / CHIVACH SPORTS

Football. One of the popular game of Tripura.

Time has come for UAE to make its move

ICC MEDIA RELEASE
Dubai , 22 January 2008

The United Arab Emirates players know now is the time they need to launch their campaign in the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2007-08.

With just 17 points from three games out of a maximum of 60, this match against Namibia , which begins in Sharjah on Wednesday, is crucial to Saqib Ali and his men if they are to push their way up from their current position of seventh on the log.

But a fine win against Bermuda in November at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi has given the team a serious confidence boost and kept hopes alive.

“It was an unbelievable win for us,” said Saqib, referring to the fact that his team was behind by 168 runs on first innings yet still managed to come back and win the game by 138 runs.

“That victory really gave us the belief that we can do well in this competition. I think we have what it takes. We have plenty of experience with people like Khuram Khan and Arshad Ali and there is a good feeling in the squad,” he said.

That said, preparations for this match have not all gone to plan. Over the past couple of weeks, the region has experienced heavy rains and chilly temperatures that has hampered the UAE’s training programme.

“Also it is a new pitch at Sharjah Stadium so we don’t really know how it is going to play,” said Saqib, although traditionally the ground is a batsman’s paradise.

Former captain Arshad Ali is glad to be free of the responsibility of leading his side. The opening batsman handed over that duty to Saqib before the Bermuda match and it certainly seemed to make a difference.

In the second innings Arshad scored 185 in the UAE’s total of 449 setting up the home win.

“I decided that I wanted to play as just an ordinary player, not captain,” said Arshad. “It is easier for me that way and since I gave up the captaincy I have been doing very well, scoring runs and taking wickets,” he said.

Mind you, the extra pressure of captaincy did not seem to affect Saqib adversely. The 29-year-old came back from a duck in the first innings to score 142 in the second, sharing a 155-run fourth-wicket partnership with Arshad.

“We are wary of Namibia . We know they have a good side with plenty of experience and lots of batting. It will be very interesting. I am looking forward to it,” said Saqib. The UAE is boosted also by the presence of its coach, former Pakistan Test player Kabir Khan.

Meanwhile, the Africans come into this match with a 100 per cent record having secured the maximum 20 points from an outright win over Canada in Windhoek last October. Bjorn Kotze was the backbone of the Namibia batting in that game, compiling 163 to give his side the initiative from day one, and the 29-year-old has made the trip to Sharjah eager to pick up where he left off.

Kotze’s brother Deon has not made the trip, however, and neither has Louis Klazinga, who took 6-82 in the match with his right-arm pace.

Namibia has never made the final of this competition but there is a feeling – in south-west Africa if nowhere else – that this could be their year. Maximum points over the next four days will see Louis Burger’s men go joint top of the table with Kenya .

The umpires for this fixture will be Darrell Hair of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires and Neils Bagh of the ICC Associate and Affiliate Umpires Panel.

The ICC Intercontinental Cup has quickly grown in stature and profile since its inception three years ago and now the ICC’s premier first-class tournament is an integral part of the Associate Members’ cricket schedule.

Having previously been designed around a two-group, three-day format, the event has evolved into an eight-team, round-robin and truly global tournament featuring four-day cricket which gives those teams who do not play Test cricket the chance to experience the longer form of the game.

Scotland won the first ICC Intercontinental Cup in 2004, beating Canada in the final, while Ireland has been victorious in both events since then, beating Kenya in the 2005 decider and Canada earlier this year in the 2006-07 event.

The final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2007-08 will take place in November 2008 in Dubai .

Squads
United Arab Emirates : Saqib Ali (captain), Arshad Ali, Khurram Khan, Mohammed Iqbal, Amjad Javed, Alawi Shukri, Zahid Shah, Waseem Bari, Rashid Khan, Owais Hameed, Gayan Silva, Fahad al Hashimi, Amjad Ali, Ahmed Raza.

Namibia : Louis Burger (captain), Louis van der Westhuizen, Kola Burger, Michael du Rand, Raymond van Schoor, Tobias Verwey, Wilber Slabber, Andries Burger, Dawid Botha, Gerrie Snyman, Ian van Zyl, Bjorn Kotze.

Umpires: Darrell Hair and Neils Bagh.

Indian women football coach Kuntala Ghosh Dastidar with Indian team member Gulti Chowdhury and other footballers in a training season at Agartala.

It is important to win Perth

Anil Kumble

Everything begins somewhere and I'd have to say that our win in Perth began with the toss. There was a lot of talk about how visiting teams invariably come here and field first, but I wasn't convinced.

The wicket looked a good batting surface and I believed that it was important that we stuck to our plans and executed them. The plan was to put runs on board then put the Australians under pressure. Whatever might have been written or said outside, I had complete confidence in the ability of our batting line up to handle whatever the pitch had in it.

And that's exactly what they did, so all credit to our batters, beginning with the start Viru and Wasim gave us. Those 50 runs or so made a big difference and was really the start of the series for us.

As a bowler, it was one of those wickets where you knew it would be tough to control the flow of runs. You had to be patient, even if you were going for five to six runs an over. There was always a chance of getting a wicket.
Against the backdrop of all that happened in Sydney, it was really creditable to pull off a victory. It was important we regrouped, we believed in ourselves, kept faith. We kept telling ourselves that and it helped.
Our young bowling attack did superbly to reduce Australia to 60-5 and from thereon, we just had to ensure there would be no repeat of Sydney, where their tail wagged. That 120-run lead was very crucial.

I have to mention here that I've been asked whether, after winning here, I ever thought about the events of Sydney and wondered, 'if only'. Well, I didn't. I didn't look back at all. I always believe it's important to look ahead and that's why we're now looking at Adelaide. We're going to go and do what we spoke about in Sydney, go ahead and level the series. We decided we'd take things a day at a time and that's exactly what's working for us.

Here, some things must be mentioned. The return of Sehwag and Irfan was important as they came into this game without practice and played exceptionally well in both departments. Viru did very well in whatever was asked of him and so did Irfan.

It was important to give Irfan the new ball, given his ability to swing, especially in Perth, where there is carry. They also brought a fresh approach and a positive influence to the team.

Mention must also be made of Ishant, who is improving everyday, every time. His eight-over spell in the second innings was one of those where you can easily end up with 4-5 wickets on another day.

But it was great to watch. He is a quick learner with a great attitude. He will understand the nuances of how to get people out very quickly and that augurs well for India. At 19, he is doing everything he was asked to do. Actually, he reminds me of Sri (Javagal Srinath) in the early days. The pace, the height...

Towards the end, when we were obviously thinking of finishing the game, that 73-run stand between Johnson and Clark was a bit frustrating. It was one of those things… I had had a long bowl, bowling literally from just before lunch to an over after the first drinks break post tea. It was 17 or 18 on the trot. Unfortunately again, I had a wicket off a no ball, then there was a dropped catch, some airy shots that landed in no man's land.
Still, there was never a negative thought that we couldn't win. We needed just one ball and Irfan got us that win with the new ball.

It's still sinking in but this is really special, to become the first subcontinental team to win in Perth. There's been a one-off Kiwi win, a one off English win, a few by the West Indians at their heights. Most teams don't last four days here and frankly, I don't think anybody gave us a chance against the backdrop of Sydney.
What made this really special was that it was a total team effort: Everybody contributed when the chips were down. Rahul and Sachin's stand in the first innings, Rahul and Laxman later, Dhoni and Laxman, RP Singh's cameo, RP's bowling too was exceptional in both innings… and all the rest I'd mentioned. There was something from everyone.

Personally, it was also very special for me to cross the 600-wicket landmark. The Symonds wicket was very important at that juncture and when I look back at Perth, it will be so special at many levels.

On another final note, before we move to Adelaide, it was really nice to have Brett Lee and Adam Gilchrist come in after the game and sit and chat with us in our dressing room. It was a reflection of the spirit in which this game was played for the most.

But it was played hard of course. To beat Australia in Australia was really tough. You have to play really well and I think India have been the only team to have matched up consistently over the last 10 years.
Out of 21 games, we have a 10:8 ratio; with other teams, it's way off balance. I think we've shown time and again that we can compete on equal terms and that feels very good. It was important to win here and have people finally realise that we are good enough. And now, on to Adelaide to complete the job.

Hawkeye/Chivach Spors

Irfan Pathan makes big strides in LG ICC Player Rankings with India now certain of second place in LG ICC Test Championship

ICC MEDIA RELEASE

Dubai , 20 January 2008

Fast bowler Clark returns to second place while Hussey overtakes Ponting in batting list for the first time; Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman and Sehwag are all on the rise

India ’s Irfan Pathan has re-established himself as one of the most promising all-rounders in the game and in the process has made a big impact on the latest LG ICC Player Rankings following a match-winning performance against Australia in the third Test at Perth .

Returning to action after missing the Melbourne and Sydney Tests, the 23-year-old from Baroda scored 28 and 46 with the bat, claimed 5-117 in the match and in the process leapfrogged Australia ’s Brett Lee and West Indies duo of Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo to sixth spot in the LG ICC Player Rankings for Test all-rounders.

Pathan has now set his sights on fifth-placed Chaminda Vaas of Sri Lanka as only eight points separate the two left-handers.

Andrew Symonds, Stuart Clark and Virender Sehwag also improve their all-rounders’ rankings. Symonds climbed two places to 12th position, Clark is up three spots to 15th position and Sehwag has rocketed eight places to 22nd.

India captain Anil Kumble, however, dropped out of the top 10 list after sliding two places to 11th position in the list that is still headed by South Africa ’s Jacques Kallis.

Pathan also made the right movement in the LG ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers when he climbed six places to join Kumble and injured Zaheer Khan in the top 20.

Pathan is now ranked in 19th spot and will be hoping for another good show at Adelaide that will help him to overtake Pakistan pair of Mohammad Asif and Danish Kaneria as well as New Zealand ’s James Franklin. Only 24 ratings points separate 16th-placed Asif from Pathan who is now just three short of 100 Test wickets.

Pathan’s contributions with the bat in different batting positions and in difficult situations have also allowed him to improve his batting standing. He is now in 57th position in the LG ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen after rising seven places.

And Pathan is not the only player from Team India to make the upward movement.

In the batting charts, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Sehwag and Mahendra Singh Dhoni have all made improvements. Tendulkar and Dravid rose one position each and now sit on 13th and 15th positions respectively, Laxman climbed one place to 17th spot, Sehwag jumped three places to share 32nd place with Pakistan’s Kamran Akmal and England’s Marcus Trescothick while Dhoni lifted one place to share 41st spot with team-mate Wasim Jaffer.

Jaffer is one of the two Indian batsmen to lose ground with the other being former captain Sourav Ganguly. Ganguly dropped five places to fall out of the top 20 list and is now ranked 22nd while Jaffer slides one place to 42nd spot.

In the LG ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers, Pathan’s new-ball partner RP Singh climbed three places to 29th position while Ishant Sharma jumped 18 places to 69th place.

Despite its first defeat in 17 Tests, there was some good news for Australia as well.

Fast bowler Clark was back in second place in the LG ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers. The 32-year-old from New South Wales , who took 6-106 in the match, swapped places with South Africa ’s Dale Steyn.

Brett Lee cemented his fourth position by achieving a career-best rating along with Clark while Mitchell Johnson improved his ranking by three places to 51st position, one ahead of Symonds who climbed four places and now sits on a career-high 52nd spot.

The bowling list is still headed by Sri Lanka ’s Muthiah Muralidaran who is the only bowler currently beyond the magic 900-mark.

In the LG ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen, Australia ’s captain Ricky Ponting’s slide continues and he has now dropped to fourth position after entering the series as the leading batsman.

Ponting’s failure to score heavily in this series has allowed Michael Hussey to rise to third for the first time in his career. Hussey is still qualifying for a full rating and because his provisional rating is exceptionally high, for a couple more innings he will be able to score relatively modestly and still move up. Batsmen qualify for full ratings when they have played 40 Test innings.

Symonds is the other Australia batsman to make the upward movement when he broke into the top 20 for the first time in his career. He climbs three places to sit on 18th position.

Besides that trio, Matthew Hayden, who is likely to bolster Australia after missing the Perth Test, is in sixth position, Michael Clarke stays in 12th spot and just 10 points adrift of South Africa ’s Ashwell Prince in 11th place and Adam Gilchrist is on 23rd position.

The only other Australia batsman to lose ground along with Ponting is opener Phil Jacques who drops four places to 28th spot.

By virtue of its 72-run victory at Perth, India has assured itself a second place in the LG ICC Test Championship table behind Australia regardless of how the Adelaide Test pans out.

If the final Test is a draw, India will move two ratings points ahead of third-placed Sri Lanka and if Kumble’s side manages to square the series, it will finish on 113 ratings points, four ahead of Mahela Jayawardena’s side. Even if Australia wins the match in Adelaide , India will sit above Sri Lanka when ratings points are calculated beyond the decimal point.

The table is only updated at the conclusion of each series.

LG ICC Test Rankings (as of 20 January)

Batsmen

Rank (+/-) Player Team Points Ave HS Rating

1 ( - ) K.C.Sangakkara SL 933 56.37 938 v Eng at Kandy 2007
2 ( - ) Jacques Kallis SA 917 58.11 935 v NZ at Centurion 2007
3 (+1) Mike Hussey Aus 908*! 80.22 908 v Ind at Perth 2008
4 (-1) Ricky Ponting Aus 889 58.04 942 v Eng at Adelaide 2006
5 ( - ) Mohd Yousuf Pak 880 55.49 933 v WI at Karachi 2006
6 ( - ) Matthew Hayden Aus 849 53.19 935 v Eng at Brisbane 2002
7 ( - ) M.Jayawardena SL 835 51.93 836 v Eng at Birmingham 2002
8 ( - ) S.Chanderpaul WI 816 47.31 838 v SA at Cape Town 2008
9 ( - ) Kevin Pietersen Eng 804 50.40 909 v WI at Leeds 2007
10 ( - ) Yunus Khan Pak 799 49.14 856 v Eng at Leeds 2006
11 ( - ) Ashwell Prince SA 730 44.25 756 v Pak at Centurion 2007
12 ( - ) Michael Clarke Aus 720 44.79 761 v Ind at Melbourne 2007
13= (+1) S.R.Tendulkar Ind 711 55.31 898 v Zim at Nagpur 2002
(-1) Alastair Cook Eng 711 ! 45.02 711 v SL at Galle 2007
15 (+1) Rahul Dravid Ind 710 55.25 892 v Pak at Kolkata 2005
16 (-2) Stephen Fleming NZ 702 ! 39.73 702 v Ban at Wellington 2008
17 (+1) VVS Laxman Ind 690 44.40 753 v Aus at Sydney 2004
18 (+3) Andrew Symonds Aus 666*! 41.70 666 v Ind at Perth 2008
19 ( - ) Graeme Smith SA 665 47.00 756 v NZ at Wellington 2004
20 ( - ) P.D.Collingwood Eng 664 42.76 730 v Aus at Adelaide 2006

Bowlers

Rank (+/-) Player Team Points Ave HS Rating

1 ( - ) M.Muralidaran SL 907 21.77 920 v Ban at Kandy 2007
2 (+1) Stuart Clark Aus 843*! 19.98 843 v Ind at Perth 2008
3 (-1) Dale Steyn SA 832*! 23.21 832 v WI at Durban 2008
4 ( - ) Brett Lee Aus 793 ! 29.87 793 v Ind at Perth 2008
5 ( - ) Makhaya Ntini SA 768 28.00 863 v Ind at Durban 2006
6 ( - ) Anil Kumble Ind 755 28.72 859 v SL at Bangalore 1994
7 ( - ) Shane Bond NZ 709* 22.39 778 v WI at Auckland 2006
8 ( - ) Shaun Pollock SA 702 23.11 909 v Eng at Johannesburg 1999
9 ( - ) Matthew Hoggard Eng 695 30.01 795 v SL at Birmingham 2006
10 ( - ) Shoaib Akhtar Pak 684 25.69 855 v NZ at Wellington 2003
11 ( - ) Chaminda Vaas SL 666 29.43 800 v Ind at Chennai 2005
12 ( - ) Corey Collymore WI 653* 32.30 700 v Eng at Lord's 2007
13 ( - ) Zaheer Khan Ind 645 33.60 689 v Pak at Delhi 2007
14 ( - ) Andrew Flintoff Eng 640 32.02 810 v Pak at Multan 2005
15 ( - ) Chris Martin NZ 626 32.47 643 v Eng at Lord's 2004
16 ( - ) Mohammad Asif Pak 619* 23.13 710 v SA at Cape Town 2007
17 ( - ) Danish Kaneria Pak 614 33.90 723 v Eng at Multan 2005
18 ( - ) James Franklin NZ 612* 28.19 679 v SL at Christchurch 2006
19 (+6) Irfan Pathan Ind 595* 31.22 761 v SL at Delhi 2005
20 (-1) Monty Panesar Eng 589* 32.76 721 v WI at Chester-le-St 2007

All-rounders

Rank (+/-) Player Team Points HS Rating

1 ( - ) Jacques Kallis SA 527 616 v Pak at Durban 2002
2 ( - ) Andrew Flintoff Eng 340 501 v Pak at Multan 2005
3 ( - ) Daniel Vettori NZ 337! 337 v Ban at Wellington 2008
4 ( - ) Shaun Pollock SA 323 490 v Eng at The Oval 2003
5 ( - ) Chaminda Vaas SL 276 281 v Ind at Chennai 2005