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Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were outA mid-afternoon’s dream: Mohammad Aamer’s three-wicket spell rocked Sri Lanka•AFP

A fiery mid-afternoon spell from Mohammad Aamer and stable stock bowling from Younis Khan (yes, Younis Khan) rattled Sri Lanka’s second innings, setting themselves 168 to win the Galle Test, in which pace bowlers had taken 23 of the 32 wickets to fall.History is on Sri Lanka’s side (no team has scored more than 6 runs in the fourth innings to win a Galle Test and, if achieved, 168 would be the third-highest total in fourth innings here), but the nature of the pitch and the contest is on Pakistan’s. During the early stages of the hour-and-a-half Pakistan batted, a record-making win seemed inevitable, but two quick wickets late in the day meant the fourth, and most likely final, day won’t be purely academic.While Aamer has been the revelation of this match, Younis’ bowling proved to be the wild card yet again – after he had broken two vital partnerships in the first innings. Pakistan started the first two sessions on a high – Umar Gul taking a wicket in the first over of the day and Aamer taking three post-lunch – but were thwarted for some time by two partnerships, both ended by Younis.Aamer’s spell was the highlight, with swing both ways at good pace, and featuring the big wickets of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jaywardene. His third victim was Tharanga Paranavitana, the first-innings half-centurion, who fell for 49 this time.The action started late – after a 30-minute rain delay – but with immediate returns for Pakistan. Malinda Warnapura had a poor effort again, poking at the second delivery of the day, without moving his feet.Nightwatchman Rangana Herath, though, proceeded to frustrate them almost till lunch, playing and missing regularly as is the nightwatchman’s wont. It didn’t help that Gul lost his rhythm fairly early, bowling four no-balls in a three-over spell. Paranavitana cashed in on that blip, and punished fully every poor delivery. Those three overs went for 22, and Sri Lanka were on their way.Younis stemmed the flow of runs, through Abdur Rauf and himself. Both were unlucky that they didn’t get Herath in the next nine overs. A plumb lbw off Rauf was missed by the umpire, and Younis kept beating him outside the off stump.With two overs to go for lunch, Younis went for the pads as opposed to the outside edge, and ended the frustrating 68-run stand. Sri Lanka went in to lunch with the score effectively on 20 for 2. Paranavitana, who had been kept off strike for most of the last hour, moved to 42 in only 50 deliveries.Post lunch, though, Aamer made the ball sing – and it wasn’t music to the batsmen’s ears. In the fourth over after the interval, Paranavitana got one that moved away from him and took the edge. Jayawardene, for the second time, got a good delivery, in Aamer’s next over. The ball pitched in front of stumps, and moved away sharply, kissing the hanging bat on the way. In his next over, Sangakkara edged another swinging delivery, and 86 for 2 had become 101 for 5, a lead of just 51 runs.Thilan Samaraweera counterattacked, so did Tillakaratne Dilshan. A flurry of boundaries, mostly drives down the ground, eased the slip cordon, and brought a mid-off in. In no time the two added 37 runs, but the captain returned to put the lid on. He didn’t get as much movement as in the first spell, but went for only two in his two overs. Then he changed ends, and in his second over of the new spell got Dilshan. It was not the best of shots, though, chasing a wide and full delivery and guiding it to second slip.For good measure Saeed Ajmal, who had Dilshan dropped off his bowling earlier, came back and got Samaraweera with a doosra. The eight-wicket partnership between Angelo Mathews and Nuwan Kulasekara had added by 35, but a slash outside off just after tea ended Mathews’ 27. A quick 20-run partnership between Kulasekara and Thilan Thushara carried the target past 150, but Ajmal made sure it didn’t go too far.Salman Butt and Khurram Manzoor were conspicuously more watchful than they were in the first innings. Against the new and moving ball, they tried to play as few shots as possible, and kept Sri Lanka at a distance, also adding 36 in that period. At the end of the 11th over, an out-of-shape ball was changed, and the new ball got the breakthrough right away, with Manzoor edging Ajantha Mendis outside off. Younis the batsman failed where Younis the bowler succeeded, and got beaten by a sharp inswinger by Mathews.From 39 for 2, though, Butt and Mohammad Yousuf played out the nervous period till stumps. Butt, especially, wasn’t bogged down, and a late-cut from Yousuf in the last over before bad light stopped play brought the target inside 100.

Chris Gayle, the West Indies captain, has made no secret of his enjoyment of Twenty20. In his own words, it “wouldn’t be so sad” if Test cricket gave way to the 20-over version and he was considering giving up the longer formats to focus on Twenty20. The way his men played in the Tests and ODIs in England it looked as though he wasn’t the only one whose attention span was suited to three-hour games. Expectations will therefore be raised that West Indies can lift for the World Twenty20.They are in a difficult group along with Australia and Sri Lanka – it’s the only group that doesn’t feature an Associate side – and therefore they must hit top form from day one. They beat Australia the only time the teams have met in a Twenty20 and they have never faced Sri Lanka.West Indies have the quite remarkable record of having tied two of their 11 Twenty20 internationals – both against New Zealand – and they have won four and lost five. At the 2007 World Twenty20 they went down to both South Africa and Bangladesh in the group stage and were bundled out in the space of three days.Strengths
A batting line-up boasting Gayle, Xavier Marshall, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Andre Fletcher, Denesh Ramdin, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard should score its runs quickly. They are all capable of demolishing an attack with clean strikes and opposition bowlers must keep the wickets falling to stop West Indies posting a big score. Throw in Shivnarine Chanderpaul as the man who can anchor one end should wickets tumble and it’s a batting order with the potential to scare any bowling group.Weaknesses
Those who live by the sword die by the sword. West Indies’ batsmen can be destructive but they can be just as liable to capitulate dramatically. And it’s impossible to predict which version of the side will arrive on any given day. At their best Fidel Edwards and Jerome Taylor are fine fast bowlers but opposition batsmen’s eyes will light up when they see the backup brigade of Lionel Baker, Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy.X-factor
The X-man is the X-factor. Nobody highlights the disparity between potential and consistent performance in West Indies’ squad quite like Xavier Marshall. Never one to back down, he has the ability to dominate even the best attacks, as he proved when Australia visited the Caribbean last year. His 36 off 15 balls in the Twenty20 in Barbados set up West Indies’ victory over Ricky Ponting’s men. Far too many failures fill the gaps between his triumphs but even one matchwinning effort in this tournament will justify his place.Key players
Gayle is the only man to have scored a century in a Twenty20 international and it came at the previous World Twenty20. Having shown little interest in the Test series in England, he has no excuse now that his preferred format is taking centre stage. At his best, he can win a game in a handful of overs. The question is, after such a lean patch in England, can he reach his best?Twenty20 form guide
Over the past 12 months, West Indies have won two Twenty20s, lost one and tied one. Importantly, they beat Australia – who they meet in the group stage – in Barbados last year. But their matches have been infrequent and it’s impossible to ignore their failure to win a Test or ODI in England this year – much of the personnel remains the same from those longer formats.Squad: Chris Gayle (capt), Denesh Ramdin, Lionel Baker, Sulieman Benn, David Bernard, Dwayne Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Xavier Marshall, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Lendl Simmons, Jerome Taylor.

John Buchanan, the former national coach, believes Australia should have picked a squad of specialists for the World Twenty20 instead of relying on regular campaigners in a move that could harm their Ashes defence. Buchanan, whose side Kolkata is struggling at the bottom of the current IPL, would have pushed for Adam Gilchrist or Matthew Hayden to lead the side in England next month rather than having Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke in charge so close to a major series.”If I was a selector I would not be risking, wherever possible, key Ashes players such as Ponting, Clarke, Hussey, Hughes, Haddin, Watson, Clark, Katich, Siddle, Johnson,” he told the Age. “Have them embark on a combination of rest, physical and then technical preparation for the Ashes while this tournament is underway.”Buchanan wanted more specialists in the unit, including Shane Harwood, Cameron White and Shaun Tait, while recalling old stars. “Selectors should have been talking with former players to make themselves available for this particular event,” he said. “I would be looking at Warne or Gilchrist as captain.”After two seasons in charge of an IPL team, Buchanan said the current Twenty20 format was not suitable for regular international competition. “Given the ICC have chosen to cash in on the excitement of Twenty20 and the potential revenues that can be made, then Australia or any country should treat it for what it is,” he said. “It is a one-off tournament that will occur periodically in the world tournament schedule, and in my opinion has little to do with long-term developments of player squads apart from the inclusion of possibly one or two under-19 or ‘new’ players who are included for experience around an Australian environment.”Australia’s 15-man outfit was chosen on Tuesday and included Andrew Symonds, Brett Lee and Shane Watson. The opener David Warner was the only Twenty20 specialist in the line-up.

ScorecardTom Beaton celebrates his century•Getty Images

Tom Beaton’s captain’s innings of 106 helped Australia Under-19 claim the opening day honours in the first three-day match against India Under-19 at the Bellerive Oval. Beaton was supported by half-centuries from Tim Armstrong and Sean Abbott and at the end of 90 overs, Australia had piled on 7 for 306. The Indian openers then added 18 before stumps.Australia didn’t get off to the best of starts after winning the toss when they lost their top three with the score on 69. Armstrong and Beaton added 101 for the fourth wicket as the hosts held the initiative for the majority of the post-lunch session. However, the innings suffered a wobble in the half hour before tea when Armstrong, Tom Triffitt and Kane Richardson fell for the addition of only 17 runs.Beaton held firm and continued his good form from the second one-dayer where he scored a half-century. He brought up his century in style with a six over square leg. His 159-ball knock included ten fours and two sixes. After he was dismissed, caught and bowled by Ashok Meenaria, Abbott (51*) and Jackson Coleman (31*) pushed the score past 300. For India, Jaydev Unadkad and Mannan Sharma took two wickets apiece.”It was good to get a few and felt awesome to be out there and especially the way it came up (with a six), I wasn’t expecting that with everyone in the ring,” Beaton was quoted as saying in the Cricket Australia website. “Wickets fell a bit early so I just had to adjust and play a more mature role and work the ones and get the scoreboard ticking over.””We’ll get the two opening bowlers back on tomorrow morning and get them bowling nice and full and try to get them nicking and hopefully we will get a few easy wickets and make it a bit easier for Doors [Luke Doran]. We’ll definitely be looking to get them out as early as possible and then go back out there and have another hit at some stage.”

The Big Picture

Afghanistan: A group of players from a country ravaged by war, where the Taliban banned the game, now stand on the threshold of rubbing shoulders with the world’s best•ICC/CricketEurope

South Africa are hosting not one but two large tournaments in the coming weeks. The country has only just been unveiled as the venue for the Indian Premier League, yet already the interest has begun to dwarf that of the World Cup Qualifiers which gets underway on April 1.The disparity between the two events, both in terms of ability and prestige, could not be greater. The gold, glitz and sheer opulence of the IPL contrasts against 12 sides as diverse and hotchpotch as Oman, Ireland, Afghanistan and Denmark, each of whom are battling for four places in the 2011 World Cup. With that comes not millions of dollars, nor the adulation of millions of fans, but an arguably greater honour in representing one’s country alongside the world’s best. In addition, the top six will qualify for ODI status and, with it, a sizeable increase in funding, even if Lalit Modi would scoff at such minuscule sums.While Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals and company do battle, the latest chapter in a far more poignant story begins on Wednesday when Afghanistan begin their campaign. They have now won their last three tournaments on the trot; amazing for a war-torn country who only began playing serious cricket since the fall of the Taliban. “We want a good relationship with the world and to show we are not warrior people,” said their batsman, Raees Ahmadzai, this week. For all their undoubted cricketing ability, their story of rising from oppression is a reminder that cricket remains a simplistic game of entertainment, of bat and ball and of enjoyment. No amount of money can pay for that, and Afghanistan have every chance of going all the way over the next three weeks.

Group A

Canada

With a number of gifted and experienced players, Canada is that rare Associate nation where cricket is gradually expanding in schools and not relying largely on immigrants’ passion for the game. Consistency is their problem; they have the potential to beat most Associates, and in theory should breeze past the Affiliate nations, yet often let themselves down, as their warm-up defeat to Zimbabwe A showed. Much rests on the shoulders of their wicketkeeping captain, Ashish Bagai.Player to watch – John Davison Thirty-eight years-old but few batsmen hit the ball harder. A match-winner when chasing.Warm-up form Beat Easterns XI by 113 runs. Comfortably beaten by Zimbabwe A, and again by Netherlands who set them a huge 306 to win.Prediction Could slip up against Uganda before the Super Eights and may struggle to beat Ireland.

Ireland

Favourites for the World Twenty20 Qualifiers last year, Ireland are again at the top of the pecking order for this event. However, as they found out in Kenya in 2006, for the World Cricket League Division 1, nothing can be taken for granted. They have the players to beat all-comers; the only question remains whether they can handle the pressure against opposition whose free-spiritedness often takes more accomplished sides by surprise.Player to watch – Niall O’Brien Last year’s Associate Player of the Year and for good reason. A classy, combative batsman and fierce competitor.Warm-up form Lost to Zimbabwe A and Easterns XI but recovered to beat UAE and Afghanistan.Prediction If their bowlers can support Ireland’s depth in batting, they could go all the way.

Namibia

Realistically, Namibia have only an outsider’s chance of reaching the top four and thus qualifying for the World Cup. An impressive four-day side – they reached the final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup last year – they’ve struggled to adapt their game to the shorter format, but they did beat Bermuda in a warm-up last week. Much rests on the shoulders of Gerrie Snyman who hits the ball a very long way and bowls tidy seam-up.Player to watch – Gerrie Snyman A strokemaker to watch. Averaged 147 in the 2007 Intercontinental Cup including 196 against UAE.Warm-up form Beat Bermuda by six wickets on Saturday, with Sarel Burger cracking 54.Prediction Unlikely to reach the top four unless Snyman’s heroics can inspire the rest of the batting.

Oman

The ACC Challenge champions, Oman have gradually worked their way up through the divisions with a number of impressive performances. This latest challenge, however, is by far the toughest. They have had sporadic success against UAE, Namibia and Uganda, but the likes of Ireland and Scotland and Kenya outrank them in both ability and experience. They are in reasonable form, however, beating an Easterns XI and Afghanistan last week. Though the chances of reaching the final four are slim, the knowledge they will gain should stand them in good stead for the future.Player to watch – Hemin Desai Topped the runs for Oman in the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 in Windhoek.Warm-up form Maqsood Hussain starred in their thrashing of Easterns XI and they followed it up with a five-wicket win over Afghanistan, though they lost their next encounter on Saturday.Prediction Should challenge Namibia, but Ireland and others ought to be much too disciplined.

Scotland

Not the favourites, but neither are they the underdogs. Ireland may outrank them, but Scotland are a highly organised side who will challenge all teams in all facets of the game. They are the fittest, too, following a new strenuous regime-change. Their foundations behind the scene are strong, too: if they qualify for the 2011 World Cup, they have promised to double the number of players on professional contracts to six. Associate and Affiliate players so often have to mix their full-time jobs with playing for their country, so this is a giant leap forward. Their captain, Ryan Watson – upon whom so much rests – has lost nearly two stone in weight and is confident that this is the best-prepared Scotland side he has ever captained.Player to watch – John Blain An English-style seamer and canny to boot.Warm-up form Beat two university sides but lost to Gauteng Lions when they were skittled for 137, then lost to Kenya at the weekend by 7 runs.Prediction Mentally and physically strong, they just need consistent performances from Watson, Gavin Hamilton and Blain to challenge the best.

Uganda

Arguably the most exciting African nation to be making their way up the ranks, Uganda are an interesting prospect. Physically they are very fit, largely thanks to their South African coach, Barney Mohamed, who has instilled in them a belief in themselves which is beginning to bear fruition. Consistency, as ever, is a problem – their batting has a horrible tendency to randomly implode – but with an outstanding youth development scheme, helping to promote the game among schools, the signs are encouraging for the future.Player to watch – Kenneth Kamyuka One of the tournament’s must-see players, Kamyuka is an explosive opening bowler and can add savage late-order runs. A potential match-winner with bat or ball.Warm-up form Lost to Western Province; beat Boland and then defeated Denmark by two wickets. Their talented captain, Junior Kwebiha, scored 39.Prediction A wild card for the final four if the likes of Bermuda and Netherlands are caught napping.Uganda’s Kenneth Kamyuka is one of the tournament’s must-see players•ICC/CricketEurope

Group B

Afghanistan

The team to watch. Afghanistan have injected enthusiasm and, just as importantly, publicity into Affiliate cricket which inevitably rarely attracts much attention. Their story is undoubtedly compelling; a group of players from a country ravaged by war, where the Taliban banned the game, now stand on the threshold of rubbing shoulders with the world’s best. It doesn’t end there. Their cricket is entertaining, their players talented and aggressive and they have now won three consecutive World Cricket League titles on the bounce. Hope is rapidly being replaced by belief, a sentiment beginning to be shared by Kabulites themselves.Player to watch – Hamid Hassan A bustling, nagging fast bowler with excellent control, and a former member of the MCC groundstaff.Warm-up form Not a good start. Lost to Oman and Ireland before bouncing back against Oman again with a four-wicket win.PredictionIf they hit the ground running, momentum and sheer belief might take them to the final, but it’s difficult to see how they will consistently challenge in the Super Eights.

Bermuda

As ever, if Bermuda play to their ability they will beat most teams. Yet this hasn’t been the case for some time, despite large funding from the government which has yet to bear much fruit. This time it could be different though: they have spent several weeks training in the West Indies where the results, while mixed, showed a huge improvement in the consistency of their top order. Lionel Cann, a flamboyant strokemaker, has so often been left to clean up the dregs. Perhaps now is his time to be let loose. While in West Indies Gus Logie, their coach, organised a training camp – or “brutal boot camp”, as Cann put it, which is another encouraging sign that the perceived apathy of the past is now a distant memory.Player to watch – Dwayne Leverock Offers control and is a wicket-taking left-arm spinner. Don’t rule him out fielding at slip again after catch.Warm-up form Beat Northerns XI and an Academy side but lost to Namibia.Prediction Should reach the Super Eights, but they can’t rely solely on David Hemp if they’re to make it to the final.

Denmark

Cricket remains a minor sport in a country obsessed by football, but the Danes have potential – as demonstrated in their third-place finish in the European Championship last year. Freddie Klokker, the captain, is a compact and talented left-hander who has played for Derbyshire, and led his side to a 21-run win over Uganda in the World Cricket League Division 2. This tournament, however, is all about laying a bedrock for the future.Player to watch – Bobby Chawla The legspinner took ten wickets in the WCL Division 2 to help Denmark qualify for this tournament.Warm-up form Lost to two club sides but beat an Eastern Province Invitational XI by four wickets.Prediction Even the underdog tag may be a little generous, but much depends on Klokker’s batting. Need early victories.

Kenya

Kenya have had a difficult few years. In terms of pure ability, they still possess some of the most gifted in Associate cricket, but boardroom battles and payment disputes have seeped their poisonous ways into their performances on the pitch. The year 2008 was near enough a disaster: they lost to a school/club side on their tour of Britain and later were accused of poor behaviour and dissent by another team in Devon. When Ireland rolled them for an abject 67, it spelled the end of their qualification for this year’s World Twenty20, and drew the curtains on an awful 12 months for one of Associate cricket’s top nations. They have, however, unearthed one of the most talented batsmen for years in Seren Waters; and their evergreen captain, Steve Tikolo, remains near the top of his game.Player to watch – Seren Waters He has already signed an emerging players contract with Surrey, but for now remains committed to Kenya. And they need him. He made 75 against Ireland and a composed 74 against South Africa in a full ODI.Warm-up form Beat a university side but lost to a second-string Titans. Scored a seven-run win over Scotland.Prediction Almost impossible to gauge how they will fare. Early victories are vital for their confidence, otherwise implosion could be on the cards.

Netherlands

That they managed to qualify for this summer’s ICC World Twenty20 showed the ability that lurks within, but Netherlands’ inconsistency continues to prevent them from regularly challenging the best. With Peter Drinnen on board (former Scotland coach and victim of a whispering campaign against him), along with Roland Lefebre – the former allrounder – they have a solid support staff. They could just as easily cause an upset as they could be routed.Player to watch – Ryan ten Doeschate Probably the best player in the tournament, and head and shoulders above his team-mates. Their success depends on him.Warm-up form Lost to Hampshire but beat Boland, Glamorgan and Canada at the weekend.Prediction Lots of ifs. If they’re on top of their game, and if other teams aren’t, they have a strong chance.

UAE

With Pakistan off the agenda for touring teams, cricket in Dubai and Abu Dhabi will increasingly host high-profile tournaments and series, and the UAE side will soon have neighbourhood access to some of the world’s most prestigious facilities once the Dubai Sports City and the ICC’s academy are finally built. They won Division 2 of the WCL and are a side packed to bursting with batsmen. Their standout player, Saqib Ali, cracked a hundred in the ACC Trophy Elite event last year and is a consistent bedrock of stability to the line-up.Player to watch – Saqib Ali Former captain carved a brilliant 195 against Ireland last year, albeit in a losing cause. Enjoys time at the crease but can be explosive when needed.Warm-up form Lost to Ireland by eight wickets – rolled for 132.Prediction Plenty of potential, but inexperience will cost them dear.

Gary Kirsten, India’s coach, has joined Virender Sehwag in saying that a warm-up game is not really necessary on a tour. India’s 48-day tour of New Zealand doesn’t include a tour game, and the schedule was criticised by former players.”For me, it is a bit of a myth about having to go and have a warm-up game,” Kirsten said. “It can work and it can’t work. I, as an individual, couldn’t stand warm-up games because the tour became that much longer.”India have been slow starters on tours, often turning out cold on the first day. But Sehwag said that there was no point wasting the good form on tour games. He has found a friend in his coach.”I just believed that if I could get enough preparation, I was experienced enough in my own thinking to go straight into Test cricket after a few nets,” Kirsten said. “But the general rule is that you have got to have a warm-up game. We have come on this tour, and we didn’t have any warm-up games. Yes, one could argue that we were a bit under-cooked in the Twenty20 games.”I was very happy that we had two Twenty20 games upfront because it gave us a chance to settle down. You will find that at the beginning of tours, the visiting team always inevitably struggles. I remember when I came here with South Africa, they sent us down to Dunedin, it was about 4 degrees and we never won a game. Equally, when a team comes to South Africa, they get sent to Kimberley in 38 degree heat and they never win a game there. Some people enjoy a bit of game time, others don’t mind it.”But Rahul Dravid, for one, felt differently. In the past, he has termed the circumstance of walking straight into a Test match not ideal, but unavoidable. But Kirsten said Dravid and the other Test specialists wouldn’t have much reason to complain about their preparations.”The one issue we have had is that some guys feel they need game time if they haven’t had much game time back home,” Kirsten said. “All the Test players have played a lot of cricket back home at the moment. So they have had the game time. Dravid has come off a couple of hundreds in the Duleep Trophy and he has got a hundred here [for Canterbury]. He is in game mode already.”We went to Sri Lanka last year and our Test players didn’t have much game time because there wasn’t any cricket on in India. We felt we were a bit under-cooked in that series. I guess game time is important, it doesn’t necessarily have to be on the tour.”India take on New Zealand in the fifth ODI in Auckland on Saturday before the first Test begins in Hamilton on March 18.

Lonwabo Tsotsobe, the South African left-arm seam bowler, has been awarded a central contract by Cricket South Africa (CSA). The board today announced its list of 16 contracted players and the notable absentees are fast bowlers Andre Nel and Monde Zondeki and allrounder Robin Peterson.Tsotsobe had an impressive ODI debut during the tour of Australia last month, taking 4 for 50 in the fifth ODI in Perth.”He is a very committed young man and has fitted into the South African set-up very well indeed,” CSA chief executive Gerald Majola said. “He certainly proved his mettle in the final ODI against Australia, when he took 4 for 50 on debut in Perth, and bowled exceptionally well during the last Powerplay which helped South Africa win the match and the series 4-1.”Lonwabo’s fast left-arm swing bowling also brings a new dimension to the attack, and he will certainly be a contender for both Tests and ODIs”.Majola added that the board had decided to retain the existing six-team franchise system in domestic cricket after its Franchise Review Committee withdrew its report which contained a recommendation that extra franchises be awarded to Border and Griqualand West.”The committee members felt that the cricketing and financial landscape had changed significantly both here and abroad since its review, and consequently they withdrew their report,” Majola said. “The CSA board agreed to the withdrawal of the report, and the franchise status quo will remain for now.”Contracted players: (from May 2009 to April 2010) Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Johan Botha, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Paul Harris, Jacques Kallis, Neil McKenzie, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, Makhaya Ntini, Ashwell Prince, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

Ross Taylor, the New Zealand batsman, has said that he and his team-mates would do their utmost to help Jesse Ryder get over his problem with alcohol. Ryder was fined for missing a team meeting and a training session after a late night of drinking and was also left out of the XI for the fourth ODI against West Indies in Wellington. He was subsequently reported to have given up alcohol.”It’s pretty well publicised but the fact Jesse has come out and admitted his problem is one of the biggest things for him,” Taylor told the . “The team and the support staff are fully behind him and we’re there to help him stay away from the alcohol, which is the problem for him. The whole team has a lot of faith in Jesse to perform on and off the field.”Taylor also said he hoped Ryder could live up to his commitment but clarified he hadn’t talked about the issue in detail with him. “I’ve known him for a long time and there have been a few indiscretions but it’s up to him to make that decision. Jesse likes to keep to himself and so do I, so I haven’t talked to him in-depth.”Taylor is now one of the more experienced members of the New Zealand team, having played 14 Tests and 53 ODIs. Martin Guptill was the most recent addition to New Zealand’s batting line-up among other new entrants like Daniel Flynn and Neil Broom. With allrounder Scott Styris out of the team due to injury, Taylor’s responsibilities have grown and he has had to adapt his style of batting too.”I guess I see myself as a little bit more of a senior player. I don’t feel like a senior player but in terms of the games I’ve played, I guess I am. So there’s a lot of responsibility on myself and Brendon [McCullum] in the batting unit to try to help the less experienced members of the team.”I can’t play as many shots as I used to. It’s something I’ve had to work on and change my mindset on; we have so much explosive power in our line-up. With Jesse, Brendon and Martin all going for it, you can’t afford to have four guys going after it. So at this stage I’m enjoying the challenge of trying to be more consistent, which is what I want to be.”Taylor averaged 62.33 in four ODIs against West Indies but said there was still room for improvement. “I’m pretty happy with the way I’ve gone but I don’t want to get carried away. It’s only three innings of note and hopefully I can build on that to become the solid middle order player I want to be.”New Zealand were comprehensively beaten in the two-Test series against Australia last year, but Taylor felt his team would compete much stronger in their upcoming ODI series against the same team in February. “Yeah, I think we will be more confident. There were crucial times in that Test series when we had Australia on the ropes and let them get away. The one-day environment just brings the teams closer together.”Andy Moles [the New Zealand coach] has put in place a team goal that he wants his boys to be no more than three wickets down after 35 overs. It’s a basic game plan but if we’re no more than three down after 35 overs, with the line-up we’ve got, we’re going to have a formidable total on the board.”

Bollinger sparks home crowd
The debutant Doug Bollinger promised passion and he delivered and received it. The crowd cheered his name when he walked out to bat and the fast bowler was roared when he marked out his run-up, bowled a bouncer or forced an edge. Bollinger followed through to the batsman a couple of times and after Hashim Amla looked uncomfortable to a short delivery he pointed theatrically to short leg. Within moments Ricky Ponting had called for the change and Simon Katich was standing in close. The only thing missing was an early wicket.Bad times turn good
A year ago Michael Clarke said he stayed at the crease after edging to first slip on 0 because he was so disappointed to have failed in front of his home crowd. In six innings at the ground his highest score was 39 against the World XI, but the SCG supporters no longer have to dream ofClarke producing his best for them. When he reached his century he ran towards the dressing room, slobbered a kiss on his helmet and raised his bat to his Sydney followers.Anything is possible
JP Duminy was responsible for upsetting the Australians in the first two Tests with the bat and showed he was a man with magic in his fingers when Graeme Smith gave him a bowl after lunch. In his first over Duminy’s casual offspin ended Clarke’s innings at 138. While the move was a masterstroke, the ball wasn’t. It was a full toss that Clarke hit back to the bowler.Smith finally breaks
Smith had just had some treatment on his troubled right elbow when Mitchell Johnson added some more pain to the captain’s body. Johnson’s delivery found a crack and came back at Smith, hitting him on the left hand, which he shook immediately. In serious trouble as the physio treated him, he could not put his glove back on and winced whenever the bruised area was touched. Over the past two Tests Smith has shown his bravery while battling through his elbow problem, but even he could not stand the new pain and retired hurt on 30.All-round artist
Johnson plays shots a tailender should not be able to. During a career-best 64 he wowed the crowd with the purity of his strokes and during the performance it was easy to think of him one day being a legitimate allrounder. A back-foot drive off Dale Steyn was as good as his hook and off-drive for fours from Morne Morkel. Even the in-form Clarke would have done well to have played them so smoothly.Pain for Steyn
No bowler has caused more damage to Australia than Steyn, but his efforts have also led to some self-inflicted pain. Steyn is suffering from a badly bruised heel that restricted him to two overs before lunch and four after the break. Despite his hobbles, he was able to remove the fluent Johnson when he edged behind in Steyn’s first over in the second session. He willbe fit to bowl in the second innings.

The fate of the Champions Twenty20 League, due to begin in Mumbai next week, is uncertain in the wake of Wednesday’s terrorist strikes. The ODI series between India and England has already been aborted and Cricket Australia has advised its two teams, Victoria and Western Australia, and other players taking part in the tournament against travel to India in the immediate future.A series of terrorist strikes in Mumbai on Wednesday night left at least 100 dead and 250 injured; the situation had not settled on Thursday morning, 12 hours after the attacks began, with Army troops joining the security operations.Cricket Australia has suspended plans for players with Champions League teams to travel to India, a move backed by Ricky Ponting. Shane Warne, captain and coach of Rajasthan Royals, was in Singapore en route Mumbai. He said he was “shocked” and didn’t think he would be completing the journey.Two Pakistani cricketers, Kamran Akmal and Sohail Tanvir, who are part of the Rajasthan Royals squad, landed in Mumbai yesterday. They were out for dinner when the attacks began and were told to return to their hotel immediately. Both are safe and currently unsure about what their plans are. “We are both safe in a hotel,” Tanvir said. “In Pakistan we are in a similar boat and both countries have to support each other. We are here for now and hope that things get better and can go on.”Naeem Gulzar, president of the Sialkot Region, Pakistan’s representative in the Champions League, said his team had no problems if the venue was changed from Mumbai to either Bangalore or Chennai. “We have not yet been advised by the Pakistan Cricket Board, but personally I would definitely like to accompany my team if the matches are shifted to Chennai and Bangalore,” Gulzar said.Cricket South Africa (CSA) are waiting for further advice before two of their franchises, the Dolphins and the Titans, leave for India this weekend for the Champions League. Graeme Smith and Makhaya Ntini are also part of the Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings respectively. “The safety of our players is of paramount concern to us at all times,” CSA chief executive Gerald Majola said. “We will have to wait for guidance from the Department of Foreign Affairs as well as the people on the ground in India before we take any decisions.”The strikes, including blasts and shooting incidents, were spread out across the city but the majority of them were in south Mumbai, the main tourist hub. In the early hours of Thursday morning, a major blaze was sweeping through the Taj Mahal hotel, a city landmark and the scene of one such attack, which was to host the two Test teams and was where the England side stayed during their warm-up period in Mumbai. It is also where Middlesex were set to check-in.The Brabourne Stadium, venue of the second Test and scheduled to host three Champions League games, is in the middle of the area where most attacks have taken place. It is also the vicinity where most foreign tourists are likely to stay.Middlesex were due to leave London for Mumbai at 10am on Thursday to prepare for the Champions League but postponed their departure by 24 hours after being told that matches scheduled for Mumbai would be switched to Bangalore. However, Brijesh Patel, secretary of the Karnataka State Cricket Associaton (KSCA) said he is yet to receive any information regarding such a shift.Asked if he was concerned by travelling to India, Shaun Udal, Middlesex’s captain, said: “You’d be a big liar if you said no … there are concerns, lots of us have families and children. It’s not just a cricket tournament any more. If I am told everything is fine in Bangalore then we’ll go.”What has made it particularly disturbing is the fact that we were going to stay at the Taj Palace Hotel 24 hours later. That’s really brought it to heart. If we had gone out 24 hours earlier then that would have been the Middlesex team. It could have been us. That’s what could have happened.””We have to consider whether players and their families are happy with us travelling,” Middlesex coach Toby Radford said. “Can you go somewhere and feel safe when there are people injured just 24 hours before? Our participation and the tournament itself must be in some doubt. Personally I would rather not be anywhere near there.”A Cricket Victoria spokesman said the team was due to stay in the Taj Palace after it landed on Saturday. They were scheduled to play the opening game in the city against Middlesex on Wednesday.”We’re reeling from the news of what’s taken place,” he said. “We’re liaising closely with Cricket Australia and the government to work out the implications for the tour. We will have to change some of our travel plans. It’s outside the scope of our normal areas of expertise.”Western Australia, however, said that their players were keen to participate in the Champions League if they were given the go-ahead by Cricket Australia. “We’ve spoken to the players and they are still keen to participate in the Champions League,” the chief executive Graeme Wood, said. “We will be guided by Cricket Australia and the WACA certainly won’t be jeopardising our staff or players.”