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Mitchell Starc’s troublesome ankle may finally have caught up with him, as Australia’s spearhead was struck out of the bowling attack due to a stress fracture on day one of the inaugural day-night Test at Adelaide Oval.After initially showing some signs of discomfort in his opening spell, Starc claimed three New Zealand wickets amid a strong display by Australia’s pace attack. His final spell, however, lasted only one over midway through the day and he spent one over looking decidedly ginger fielding at backward point before retreating to the dressing rooms.He went to hospital for scans, and after stumps it emerged that he had been diagnosed with the early stages of a stress fracture in the third metatarsal of his right foot. The injury is a major blow to Australia in this match and also clouds their plans for the new year – Starc may not be needed against a poorly West Indies, but he may now be doubtful for the tour of New Zealand and even the World Twenty20 that follows it.Having previously required surgery for bone spurs in his right ankle in 2013, Starc was again afflicted by the problem during the Cardiff Test of this year’s Ashes series. He recovered from that episode to take part in the rest of the series, but has since played under the cloud of his ankle eventually needing to submit to the surgeon’s knife.There was considerable discussion around Starc’s availability for the tour of Bangladesh before it was postponed due to security concerns. As it turned out, Starc was able to bowl without needing to resort to painkillers during a barnstorming Matador Cup campaign: 26 wickets in six games at an average of 8.11.However, his workload during the first two Tests against New Zealand was heavy, due in part to flat pitches at the Gabba and the WACA. In the Perth Test, both Starc and Josh Hazlewood bowled more overs in a single game than they had ever been put through in their careers.Australia’s captain Steven Smith seemed aware of this by using Starc only in short spells on day one, but by then it was already too late.

The United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) has been re-recognised as an Associate member of the ICC following their suspension in March 2007.The USACA held their elections at the weekend when Gladstone Dainty – despite facing strong criticism over the past few years – was re-elected president, beating off the favourite, Ram Varadarajan, who was widely tipped for the post. The elections were a last-gasp effort for American cricket; without a formal constitution in place, the ICC would have had no other choice than to continue their suspension. With that particular condition met, the ICC’s president, Ray Mali, was pleased to welcome the board back as an Associate member.”We congratulate all elected representatives to the USACA Executive, Board and Regional Administrations and hope that this newly elected group of people, with a new constitution to operate within, can now truly represent a fresh start for cricket in the United States,” Mali said. “We are grateful to the West Indies Cricket Board and its representatives, especially past and current presidents Ken Gordon and Dr Julian Hunte, for all their work on this matter, together with USA cricket’s stakeholders, over the past 12 months.”Following USACA’s suspension in March 2007 the WICB – headed by its president, Ken Gordon – was asked to intervene between the two fractious parties: Dainty’s association and the regional league presidents who opposed him. For now at least, the infighting has quietened down.”And we are also grateful for the work of Chris Dehring, who played a significant role in finding a solution to the process as an independent third party,” Mali added. “Everyone at the ICC now trusts that, following these processes, those now charged with the important responsibility to govern for the good of the game in the USA will be able to do so with distinction as a team.”The ICC now looks forward to the USA’s involvement in all our international cricket activities and also playing a role in supporting the further development of the game there alongside our ICC Development Program and its Americas Regional office.”This development, however encouraging on the surface, is only the start. Opposition to Dainty remains fierce, with US cricketers and leagues threatening to break away from the USACA and form their own tournaments.Nevertheless, it is welcome news for American cricket – regardless of the infighting which will doubtless persist – as it provides the USA with much-needed money from the ICC. And now that they are recognised, it paves the way for their national side to participate in Division 5 of the World Cricket League which begins in Jersey in May (they were relegated from Division 3 last year) and begin the long road to qualify for the 2011 World Cup.

Cricket Australia’s security officials will sit in on a security briefing for ICC officials in Dhaka, on December 28 and 29, in view of the Under-19 World Cup that is scheduled to begin in Bangladesh on January 27. CA have not raised any specific concerns in public yet concerning its junior team’s participation in the tournament; the Australian security officials’ visit could be seen as a precautionary step, given the senior team’s tour to Bangladesh was cancelled in October due to security seasons.CA’s head of security Sean Carroll, who had visited Dhaka in September after the Australian government had issued security alerts for their citizens in Bangladesh, will arrive in Dhaka on Monday. Following that visit, CA had eventually cancelled their tour to Bangladesh due to the increased security risk. In November, Cricket South Africa had also cancelled their women’s team’s tour to Bangladesh.The ICC held meetings in Dhaka in November and December regarding security measures being taken for the U-19 World Cup, which is to be held in eight venues in Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet and Cox’s Bazar.An ICC spokesman said the briefings on December 28 and 29 would be a follow up to those previous meetings. “The ICC and the BCB are working together to ensure complete safety and security of the event. In relation to this, and as follow up to the meetings held in November and December, the CA and ICC security officials are visiting Dhaka and receive security briefings on Monday and Tuesday,” the spokesman said.BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said that a visit similar to CA’s was recently made by the security representative of two other boards, so he sees this as a routine visit. He also said that CA will be directing all its communication towards the ICC, who is the tournament organiser. “Reg [Dickason] came during the last ICC visit, possibly for England and New Zealand,” Chowdhury told ESPNcricinfo. “One part of a board’s inspection team is security. So CA can send anyone as a routine matter.”We don’t directly communicate with the participating boards. They have to communicate with the host [the ICC]. If it was a bilateral series, only then the communication is between the two boards.”Chowdhury reaffirmed that the BCB has made plans to provide the highest security levels for the participants. “As the host nation, our concentration is on making the event successful. The level of security offered for this particular U-19 event is unprecedented. There hasn’t been such measures taken for an U-19 tournament in the past and I doubt if it will be done in the future.”

On May 2, Taesongsan Park in Pyongyang will be the host venue for the first ever formal cricket matches in North Korea.Two teams from Shanghai and the newly-formed Pyongyang Cricket Club will take part in a triangular Twenty20 tournament with the winners receiving the inaugural DHL Pyongyang Cricket Friendship Cup. This landmark event will take cricket into one of the last countries left where it has neither been played nor witnessed in the hope that it may start one of the most unlikely development programmes the game has ever seen.An trio comprising a Scotsman and South African both living in Shanghai and a North Korean enthusiast from Angola have been the driving force behind an initiative that has been eight months in the planning and which will feature players from ten nations, including one 14-year-old schoolboy.In recent years there has been a rapid expansion of the game in China where the 2010 Asian Games will include cricket for the first time. The Shanghai Cricket Club has played a key role in the game’s expansion in the country.

India somewhat made amends for the botched Canberra chase on Saturday at the SCG by becoming the first team to chase down a 300-plus target against Australia in Australia. Along the way, they also halted Australia’s record 18-match winning streak at home.The man who played a monumental role in handing Australia a six-wicket loss was Manish Pandey, who struck an enterprising unbeaten 104 after the stiff chase of 330 was set up courtesy a 123-run opening stand in just 18.2 overs between Shikhar Dhawan (78) and Rohit Sharma (99).”I got the chance to bat at No.4 because Ajju (Rahane) was injured. Seeing the way the wickets have been behaving, with 300 being scored each game, it’s tough to get a chance at No. 6, so I thought I should make use of my chance at four,” Pandey said. “It was good to bat with the captain. His encouraging words helped.”MS Dhoni, far from his destructive best in his 42-ball 34, attributed the win to consistency of the top order. “Last time, we spoke about our batsmen being young and how they will be successful over time across all conditions if persisted with,” he said. “This is a result of sustaining with the same set of players.”The top order has been together for a long time now. They are all experienced. Especially in this series, considering all the matches have produced 300-plus totals, you needed that, and so the experience counts. Where we have been hurt is our lower-order batting, that’s where Manish did really well today.”As happy as he was with the batting, Dhoni hinted at a strong show with the ball towards the death that helped India save precious runs. India conceded just 28 off the last four overs to round off a mixed show, where Jasprit Bumrah, the debutant, was the pick of the lot with figures of 2 for 40 off his ten overs.”The first four games were quite close but we didn’t close it out well, which is important in the ODI format,” he said. “Every over matters in a high-scoring game. If you bowl two or three overs that go for 15-20 runs it really puts a lot of pressure when you’re chasing. It makes it easy for the opposition.”Dhoni felt the absence of a settled bowling group also played its part in the overall series score of 4-1 in Australia’s favour. “We wanted to pick bowlers who hit the deck hard, we decided even if they go for runs, you still have guys who bowl fast,” he explained. “This is perhaps the only time where our set of bowlers was faster than Australia’s. That’s the positive. But at the same time, you can’t only rely on pace. You need to close down overs well. You can’t keep giving away 15 or 20-run overs.”Looking ahead to the T20s, Dhoni said his biggest challenge was in managing some of the older players, albeit in a cryptic manner. “We have to improve our fielding slightly,” he said. “A few of the experienced players will be joining us. The grounds here are big, and if you don’t have a good shoulder, there will be a lot of pressure. That’s what is crucial in conditions like these. If we manage that well, we will have an exciting T20 series.”

Five counties will enjoy more competitive pre-season warm-ups than usual when they travel to the UAE to take part in the Pro ARCH Trophy, a limited-overs series which starts on March 12.Essex, Lancashire, Somerset, Sussex and Yorkshire will play four matches each, three against other counties and one against the UAE national side, with eight matches in Abu Dhabi and four in Sharjah.The most high-profile game will be on March 21 when Lancashire and Yorkshire meet in a Roses match far away from home.One county spokesman told Cricinfo that the tournament offered the guarantee of meaningful cricket, adding that too often on overseas trips the standard if opponents and the quality of grounds can vary considerably.A four-team schools event will run alongside the main competition with teams from Eastbourne College, St Bede’s, Wellington College and Worth School featuring.Click here for the full fixtures

Say what you like about all of the on-field errors that West Indies’ cricketers have committed on this tour of Australia. But save some energy for condemnation of the off-field howlers too. The omission of batsman Ricardo Powell from a Test squad sorely lacking attacking strokemakers, for instance, was a glaring oversight. And it was one that it took him just ninety deliveries to authenticate as he led his side to a tense one wicket win with eight balls to spare in the Carlton Series match against Zimbabwe here at the ‘Gabba ground in Brisbane tonight.For all of the unpredictability and mystique that one-day international cricket has relinquished over the course of the last nine months, it still retains an innate capacity to produce wonderful twists and turns and breathtaking finishes. This encounter was one to exemplify the fact. West Indies’ seventh match against international opposition on this tour and Zimbabwe’s first on Australian soil in six years, it developed into the sort of cliffhanger rarely witnessed in this country in recent years.With another disappointing West Indian batting surrender occurring around him, much rested upon the broad and powerful shoulders of Powell (83*). He strode to the crease in the twenty-fourth over with his team staring down the barrel of another defeat at a score of 4/119 as it set out after Zimbabwe’s 9/240. Yet he handled the difficult situation with the class and sophistication of a player who has been presented with far more than thirty-six one-day internationals and a solitary Test to underline his prowess.Powell was denied the opportunity of enhancing a career statistic that shows he has struck more sixes than fours – for the record, he struck nine shots into the boundaries and only one over it – but scored from exactly half of the deliveries that he faced. He deployed the sweep stroke and the cover drive with particular aplomb. Against an attack which was steady but unspectacular, his strokeplay was little short of magnificent.Had Stuart Carlisle and Travis Friend capitalised upon a golden opportunity to run him out in the fortieth over when he had only forty-seven runs alongside his name, Zimbabwe might have defended its total. The pair did not; the team did not.Variously, the Zimbabweans had reduced their opponents to scores of 3/72, 5/137 and 6/155 at different stages of the evening. Despite resolute performances from Sherwin Campbell (42) and Marlon Samuels (34), the West Indian top order was generally unable to effectively kickstart its team’s chase. Wavell Hinds (0), Brian Lara (21) and Jimmy Adams (24) again struggled to occupy the crease for anything but brief periods. Lara, in particular, played another carefree innings that looked unsuited to the situation.That the Zimbabweans had set the West Indians such a chase owed much to the hard work of opener Alistair Campbell (81) at the top of its batting order. On the occasion of his 150th one-day international, the hard-hitting left hander was in supreme form, rewarding captain Heath Streak’s decision to bat first on a hard, straw-coloured pitch upon winning the toss.The former Zimbabwean captain lost out-of-sorts opening partner Trevor Madondo (6) early in the day but looked comfortable from the outset, even amid a fine new ball burst from Cameron Cuffy (1/52 off nine overs) and Nixon McLean (3/48 from ten overs). He played straight early, hitting a number of solid drives through the arc between mid off and mid on, before gradually playing more expansively and striking some exquisite blows through the off side in particular. Moreover, in the midst of fifty-four and eighty-six run partnerships for the second and third wickets with Carlisle (29) and Andy Flower (33) respectively, he nullified any apparent threat offered by a West Indian attack that did not seem to have enough in the way of strike bowlers to crash through on the placid ‘Gabba surface.But the Zimbabweans ultimately lacked the necessary polish to capitalise upon Campbell’s performance. Wickets were surrendered too readily in the middle and latter stages of their innings; slips catches were dropped; misfields and overthrows were too prolific; run outs were missed. They played with a heart and a zest that, at times, was entrancing. However, they brought to their game some unforgivable sins too.The task of securing victory certainly requires more than just heart in circumstances like these. They conceded a forty-six run stand in thirty-four minutes to Powell and Mahendra Nagamootoo (8) for the eighth wicket that proved decisive in the final analysis. Nagamootoo was removed with twelve runs still left to attain, and McLean was forced to beat a path back to the pavilion with two runs required and eleven deliveries remaining. Cuffy (1*) scrambled a single from a shot played through square leg to level the scores and then Powell – by this stage with only the medium pace of Guy Whittall (2/16 off 3.4 overs) left to counter given that Streak had already fully utilised the services of all of his best bowlers – issued a powerful blow over mid wicket.The knowhow and nerve that the Zimbabweans had needed to ally to their enthusiasm had somehow eluded them. As it was, the West Indians possessed slightly more in the way of both commodities when it really mattered.

The potential of an English Premier League to counter the dominance of its Indian counterpart may be gathering momentum, but already there is a split among the county chief executives.Last week Sean Morris, the chief executive of the Professional Cricketers’ Association, spoke candidly about his vision for the future and insisted that if England are to create a viable competition to the IPL, the 18 first-class counties must merge into six regional sides. Bold though the plan is, the counties are less certain.”My aim is to knock this idea on the head,” Richard Gould, the Somerset chief executive, told the BBC. “We are hugely against regionalising – that would lead, eventually, to the domestic game being reduced to eight regional franchises for all forms of the game.”I don’t have a problem with an EPL, as long as it involves the 18 counties. Otherwise it would drastically reduce the number of English-qualified players available. The Test-match playing grounds might benefit, because they would host the matches but the rest of county cricket would not.”Similarly, Neil Davidson, the Leicestershire chief executive, is concerned that the franchise system might threaten the game’s tradition.”Franchises would be a negative and could turn a lot of people off the game,” Davidson said. “As long as the idea is a revenue generator that favours the game as a whole, I’m in favour. But we need to think about everyone, the minor counties, grassroots cricket and the Test match grounds.”Lancashire’s Jim Cumbes, however, has greater confidence in the idea.”There’s really no need for us to merge, or Yorkshire or a number of other counties, but I think it could work in some areas of the country where the counties are pretty close together,” Cumbes said. “We should be seriously looking at setting up our own Premier League. I could envisage two divisions, with promotion and relegation between the two, like the football Premier League.”And I think it could happen as early as next year, with the top nine teams from our Twenty20 competition this year forming a Premier League.”

Queensland 6 for 245 (Watson 69*, Love 62) lead South Australia 237 by 8 runs
Scorecard

Shane Watson’s unbeaten 69 steered Queensland to an eight-run lead over South Australia as they finished a hard-working day at 6 for 245. The Bulls scrapped to the initial target of 237, a task which had became more difficult when Ryan Harris removed Chris Simpson (10) and Ashley Noffke (2) in quick succession.Martin Love’s 62 and a slow 32 from Jimmy Maher put Queensland on track for the small total, but once Maher departed things started to get a bit shaky and they were 6 for 190 when Watson was joined by Chris Hartley. Watson’s innings was also a calm one, taking 136 balls and including only six fours, but it was essential to Queensland achieving first-innings points late in the day.The visitors started the morning on 0 for 8 and lost Greg Moller to Harris for 3 before Jason Gillespie captured Ryan Broad, his first wicket in his final game for the state. Harris returned 3 for 68 while Mark Cleary captured the wickets of Maher and Love.

Zimbabwe made their victory charge just a little too late, losing by 13 runs to India, their second successive defeat in the Champions Trophy in Sharjah. On an evening when there was much less dew in the outfield, the Indian attack spearheaded by Zaheer Khan were able to hold off Zimbabwe, but not without a measure of discomfort. A gallant 118 run third wicket stand between Andy Flower and Stuart Carlisle laid a sound platform for the final surge. Flower was the more adventurous of the two, always ready to take a risk or two in order to disrupt the rhythm of the bowlers.He fell for 63 (68 balls), sweeping at Tendulkar but failing to clear Joshi at midwicket. Carlisle had been an able lieutenant, opening out after a slow start to play some rasping pulls through the midwicket region. When Joshi bowled him for 60 (99 balls) as he made room to cut, it left Zimbabwe at 165/4 in the 37th over. The loss of both these protagonists in quick succession as they sought to raise the ante did not quite leave Zimbabwe out of the picture.Grant Flower and Guy Whittall then added 49 at a run a ball and entering the final six overs, Zimbabwe were actually ahead of India at the corresponding stage. But they were unable to match the Indian tailenders in making optimum use of the final few overs. Flower was caught at the edge of the circle by an Agarkar slower ball and then although Heath Streak struck the same bowler for a massive straight six in the penultimate over, the target was just out of their reach as they settled at 252/6.Zaheer Khan was declared man of the match for his brilliant spell of 3/37. His fifth ball had seen Alistair Campbell, back after a onematch suspension, offer a stinging catch to the left of Rahul Dravid at second slip which was put down. Zaheer was not to be denied as Doug Marillier found out in the fifth over, having his offstump knocked back to leave Zimbabwe at 21/1. Prasad had a good leg before shout against Campbell turned down by Daryl Harper but the in-form opener failed to make the most of his chances. Zaheer got one to cut back sharply and cannon into off stump as the batsman tried to steer it square of the wicket.Earlier the Indian tail wagged with abandon to provide a breezy climax to an innings built around a rocksolid 85 by Rahul Dravid, promoted to open the batting. None of Dravid’s colleagues at the top of the order were able to show similar application, throwing their wickets away after getting set. Yuvraj Singh played a delightful cameo of 34 which gave some momentum in the middle overs but it was really the efforts of Vijay Dahiya and his cohorts at the fag end which bolstered India to a once unthinkable 265. Ironically it was Dravid’s fall that provided the impetus as the 5.4 overs post Dravid produced a mammoth 59 runs.Inserted to bat, India began quietly with Dravid and Tendulkar playing out a maiden apiece. Having survived a dropped chance by Guy Whittall at short midwicket, Tendulkar was enticed into a full blooded drive off a lovely outswinger that was pitched up from Streak, the faint edge being snapped up by Andy Flower.Vinod Kambli, he of the wretched luck, arrived at No.3 and promptly took charge of the situation. The Zimbabwe bowlers erred in line, pitching on Kambli’s legs, and the lefthander, fluently but chancily, kept whipping the ball off his legs through midwicket and squareleg. Travis Friend replaced Streak and Kambli pulled him to the midwicket fence to bring up the fifty.Friend surprised Kambli with a lifter that struck him on the forearm and the physio came on for some treatment. After the break, another short delivery was fired in at shoulder length, and Kambli pulled it to the man at square leg on the edge of the circle. The batsman looked beseechingly at both umpires for any sign of a no-ball call. No response was forthcoming and Kambli departed for 18.Ganguly had suggested in his pre-match comments that he was shunting himself down the order to handle Zimbabwe’s two spinners. Well, Friend scotched any such pretensions by getting rid of the Indian captain in the 23rd over. Friend had been unafraid to bounce Ganguly, even if it meant giving away a stray no-ball or two. Following one such delivery which ruffled Ganguly just a bit, he slipped in an innocuous ball down leg which the batsman glanced loosely to Andy Flower who gathered the catch well.Left arm spinner Dirk Viljoen was brought on by Streak and he immediately copped some punishment from Dravid who, with no sweeper stationed, rocked on the backfoot to get him away to the cover boundary. That brought up the hundred in the 24th over and Dravid posted his half century in the same over off 74 balls. Yuvraj took a little while to adjust himself to the pace off the wicket but it was a treat when he finally cut loose. He picked out Grant Flower for some choice treatment, lofting him into the first tier of stands over long on and then flatbatting the bowler in his second over for another six over midwicket.But it was that man Friend who struck again. Coming back for his second spell, he hustled one round Yuvraj’s legs that just nicked the leg bail on its way through to Flower. A blissfully ignorant Daryl Harper had actually signalled wide before his eyes homed in on the fallen bail and Yuvraj was on his way for a swift 34 off 39 balls.The fifth bowler’s duties had been apportioned between the three slow bowlers – Viljoen, Flower and Campbell – who went for 65 in their ten overs. Robin Singh was unfortunately run out and Dravid who was nearing the end of his tether now holed out to Grant Flower on the square leg boundary for 85 (121 balls).Sunil Joshi, who’d stepped in for the injured Anil Kumble, (19 off 13) belted a nice juicy full toss from Friend over the bowler’s head for six before his stumps were rearranged by Streak. Dahiya mauled Friend’s figures further in the penultimate over of the innings, slicing a full toss to deep backward point for four and following it up by lifting a half volley for a straight six. He fell for 32 in 23 balls, but Ajit Agarkar provided the icing by blasting Streak into the first tier of the stands over long on in the last over. Friend who was taken for plenty in his last spell finished with the best figures of 4/55.