Drama unfolded at Dharamshala as the Plate Group match between Himachal Pradesh and Tripura was called off after officials of two groups, claiming to be actual representatives of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HCA), traded charges minutes before the match.It was a bizarre situation in on the morning of the game after the team announced by the HCA, headed by Anurag Thakur, entered the stadium along with the visiting Tripura team and locked all the entry points, preventing the entry of the other HCA side, headed by Rajender Zar, into the stadium. The Supreme Court-appointed election observer had named Zar the authorised representative from the state to take part in the BCCI elections on November 29.Zar is also a BCCI member and a supporter of the Sharad Pawar group, who triumphed in the recently-concluded elections, while Thakur has the backing of the Jagmohan Dalmiya group. Narendra Menon, the match referee, after consultations with the BCCI secretary, asked the district authorities to allow the entry the Himachal team announced by the Zar group to entry the stadium so that the match could start.However, Menon called off the match after vice-president of the Zar group, Vikas Thakur, alleged that the officials of the old HCA had sprinkled water on the pitch, which had been damaged. Menon also added that it was up to the BCCI to decide whether the match should be awarded to Himachal or Tripura.

Greg Chappell, India’s coach, says he has no differences with Sourav Ganguly and the matter of including him in the playing XI for the upcoming Test series against Pakistan would be a purely cricketing decision.”Sourav [Ganguly] is part of touring squad but we will decide after the lead up game what will be the best eleven for the Test,” Chappell told PTI. “He is one of those players I don’t have any difference with. He understands and I understand what is required of all the players and as a group the focus remains on commitment to excellence. The players understand what is expected of them and Ganguly is no different.”Commenting on the captaincy of Rahul Dravid, Chappell said he had found Dravid a strong competitor. “He is learning very quickly but we all need to understand that captaincy is a tough job and you learn with every game,” he said. “A captain needs to be strong, have confidence in himself and be courageous to take decisions at all stages of the game. Dravid has the talent to be one of the best captains India have ever produced, also because he has a very good cricketing brain. Dravid is a quiet but strong character and I think the players respect him.”Ganguly will join the India squad tomorrow with three others — Virender Sehwag, Anil Kumble and Parthiv Patel — as they all took part in Ranji Trophy domestic matches.

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India’s opening batsmen blitzed the West Indies before their bowlers and fielders ripped the heart out of the West Indies’ attempt to reach India’s colossal 284. India now face England in the semi-finals on Wednesday.Gaurav Dhiman (74) and Cheteshwar Pujara (97) added 110 from just 14 overs as India set off at a breakneck pace.And although Leon Johnson’s men restored order in the second half of the innings – opening bowler Javon Searles captured 6 for 68 – the final total of 284 for 9 was always likely to be too many for the West Indies.Dhiman and Pujara came out with all guns blazing after Ravikant Shukla won the toss and, against bowlers and fielders that looked off the pace, they raced along. The tone was set by the first ball of the match, by Searles. It went for five wides down the leg-side – one of 15 he bowled and 28 the West Indies conceded out of 33 extras – and after just one over India had 12 runs on the board.West Indies may have been suffering from their exertions the previous day when they beat South Africa, in energy-sapping conditions, to book their Super League quarter-final place. Whatever the reason, Dhiman, in particular, took full advantage. Three fours came in Kemar Roach’s third over, which cost 15, to bring up India’s 50 in just six overs. Johnson, in a bid to regain control of the match, turned to spin in just the eighth over.The change in pace made little difference and, after 10 overs, India had raced to 83 without loss; Dhiman and Pujara had registered only the second century opening stand of the tournament. They had posted the other one too, a brilliant 147 against Namibia last Monday.They were eventually separated when Dhiman was stumped by William Perkins and Pujara was then joined by Rohit Sharma who continued the assault. Sharma made his second successive fifty, scoring exactly 50 from 57 balls with six fours, and at 209 for 1 with 15 overs left, India looked set for a score of around 320.But Sharma’s dismissal led to a minor batting slide, and only Ravindra Jadeja (10) made double figures. Pujara eventually fell just three runs short of his hundred to Searles.The West Indies’ run-chase never got going. Their opener, Andre Fletcher, top-scored with 44 but the only other players to pass 20 were Searles (22) and Narine (29*). Vijaykumar Yomahesh (4 for 25) and Dhiman (3 for 27) ripped the top order apart, helped by brilliant fielding. Abu Nechim Ahmed’s flying leap at mid-on to catch Gajanand Singh was just one of the highlights of their effort.”We won the game in the first hour of our fielding effort,” Venkatesh Prasad, the India coach, said afterwards. “We were aware of their strengths as a batting side as we watched footage of them the night before the game.”We bowled to our strengths and stuck to the basics and that catch at mid-on will be one of the catches of the tournament.”

The Madras High Court has overturned an order which prohibited celluar phone providers and internet portals to give on SMS scores and other updates during the current India-Pakistan one-day series.On February 8, the same court granted an interim injunction to Chennai-based Marksman Marketing Services which prevented SMS scores being sent out on the series. The company claimed it had signed a deal with another firm who had in turn secured rights from the Pakistan Cricket Board.Besides the 18 cellular telephone companies and web portals like Rediff and Yahoo, the plaintiff had also cited the Indian board and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India as respondents.The defendants countered that SMS was a value-added service over which no one could claim copyright.

Steve Tikolo has dismissed reports in today’s Nation newspaper that Kenya’s players refused to train on Thursday.Tikolo told Cricinfo that the confusion had arisen because the players were seen in a meeting during the morning. “We were supposed to meet an official to discuss the finances for the Bangladesh tour, but he got delayed and so we were waiting for him.” A reporter put two and two together and filed a story that the squad was again refusing to train.Samir Inamdar, the Cricket Kenya chairman, told Cricinfo that the financial package for the trip – which was the same as that offered for the recent Zimbabwe tour – had been agreed. He added that all fees owed from Zimbabwe had been paid.

Guyana 211 ( Arjune 55, Chattergoon 51) v Barbados
ScorecardThe last time Barbados won the toss and sent the opponents in to bat at the Carlton Club, the critics gave them a hard time. Those very same detractors would have been on their case midway into the opening day of the Carib Beer Challenge semi-final at the same venue after Ryan Hinds asked Guyana to bat first. By the close, however, the critics might have changed their tune.To their credit, Barbados managed to convert a Guyana century opening stand to a total of 211 all out. Two months ago they managed to dismiss Trinidad and Tobago for 259, but still lost by the heavy margin of 264 runs when a draw would have assured them of the Cup.For the first three hours, the surface appeared to be lifeless as Krishna Arjune and Sewnarine Chattergoon added 106 for the first wicket with the help of a few missed chances. For the next three hours, the match took a complete swing with Barbados running through the top and middle order.Pedro Collins, making his first first-class appearance in a year following a stress fracture of the back that sidelined him since last September, showed he had lost nothing and grabbed two wickets. One came when he embarrassed Narsingh Deonarine. The left-hander left perplexed after his stumps were hit when he offered no stroke. Collins could have had another two wickets, but catches were missed off him by Smith and wicketkeeper Patrick Browne when Chattergoon was 30 and Arjune 40.Tino Best, hungry to fire for Barbados since he was stung by his omission after a solitary match in January, also created a big impression, generating pace that no one else could, and at times making life uncomfortable for the batsmen. There was one eventful over in which he hit the 17-year-old Steven Jacobs on the helmet, forced him into taking evasive action with another fast lifter and appealed for a bat/pad catch to forward short-leg.It was somewhat of an injustice that Best had no wickets to his name at tea, but he returned in the evening session with just as much life to remove Travis Dowlin with a wonderful, diving return catch, after which he sprinted several yards for his usual animated celebrations, and also dislodged Derwin Christian with a full length ball for an lbw verdict.While Collins and Best were at the forefront, Dwayne Smith’s contribution was not to be underestimated. Used as the fifth bowler in an 11 in which the selectors eventually decided to leave out the recuperating Corey Collymore, Smith claimed three wickets, including the last two. His first scalp, Neil McGarrell, was lbw offering no stroke immediately after Floyd Reifer had put down a relatively easy chance at first slip.Ian Bradshaw also assisted the effort, and even if offspinner Ryan Austin could not sustain the high standards he set in pervious matches, he did enough to claim two wickets.At the close, Barbados would have been the more contended team on a day that was watched by a few dignitaries, headed by Prime Minister Owen Arthur, former Prime Minister Sir Lloyd Sandiford and former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, the new chairman of the West Indies Cricket Board’s Cricket Committee.For the first half of the day, those beyond the boundary might have wondered where the first wicket was coming from.Arjune and Chattergoon buckled down to play solidly in compiling half-centuries, seemingly setting the platform for a middle order that was badly missing captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul and vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan.Arjune’s 55 occupied exactly three hours before Bradshaw dismissed him with the help of a good catch by Hinds in the gully, while Chattergoon’s 55, that lasted just shy of four hours, was ended when he tried to heave Austin through the onside and gave a catch to slip.

Sharad Pawar, the Indian board president, today said India was yet to decide on its participation in the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa next year.”We will take it up in the board’s Working Committee which will decide on this,” Pawar said at a media conference in New Delhi today. He added that because of a previous resolution the board had to annually ratify the ICC’s proposal to hold a Twenty20 World Championship. And, as such, it had sought time to embrace the new format of the game.”The ICC did not compel us to play in the 2007 Championship, but we have agreed to play from 2009 event on,” Pawar said. “The BCCI members had resolved in a working committee meeting recently that they were not happy with the Twenty20 version and will not play it.”At the ICC meeting [in Dubai last week] we went through the previous records and found that a unanimous decision had been passed in October 2005 in Sydney and we were party to it. Any resolution which had two-third majority of the ICC members was binding.”The resolution referred to by Pawar allows for an annual Twenty20 World Championship under the aegis of the ICC. Pawar also clarified that the Pakistan board had informed the Indian board of its inability to play in a triseries at Abu Dhabi in September. “The dates were not suitable to them because it came immediately after their England tour,” he said. “But we will have a triseries in Abu Dhabi, the dates will be different though.”

Roger Dill, a 48-year-old fireman from Bermuda, will create history in Trinidad later today.Dill will become the first member of the ICC’s Associate and Affiliate umpires’ panel to stand in a one-day international during the opening match of the tri-series between Zimbabwe, Bermuda and Canada which is being held in Trinidad. He will officiate alongside Simon Taufel, while former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd will act as match referee for the four matches.”I’m pleased to be invited and also very excited,” said Dill. “I didn’t realise I will be the first person from the Associates and Affiliates to umpire a ODI but the chance to do that is a great vote of confidence in the new panel. It shows the ICC is now looking at all umpires, no matter where they come from, and no one is out of the circle.”Dill’s rise is especially impressive given he has been umpiring for less than ten years and he admitted he began by chance and not because of any burning ambition. “I started in 1997 when I went to watch a friend playing and they were short of an umpire,” he said. “I was told afterwards I didn’t do too badly so I went to a few meetings to learn more, I found it fun and interesting and it went from there.”I did play a bit as well but I never expected to get this far in my umpiring career. Now I just want to continue to enjoy the game, make myself available whenever I can and umpire consistently at as high a level as I can.”Dill was a member of the first ICC Associate and Affiliate umpiring panel, created in April last year to give officials outside the Full Member countries the chance to progress to the highest level possible. He has stood in Intercontinental Cup, ICC Trophy and ICC U-19 World Cup matches and after impressing during those appointments has now gained further recognition.It means Dill will have to take time off from his job as a sergeant in Bermuda’s fire service but he views it as a worthwhile sacrifice. “There have been a couple of instances where I have had to take some leave and my colleagues have also been willing to cover for me,” he said. “It is all worth it for something like this. When we get these sorts of opportunities as Associate and Affiliate umpires then it is part of our responsibility to take them.”Dill believes his job as a firefighter, one he has done for almost 30 years, has helped him in his efforts as an umpire. “They do have some similarities,” he said. “They both involve being under pressure and everyone around you expects you to be calm and in control.”Now he has the chance to work with the ICC’s umpire of the year Taufel and Lloyd, a legend of the game, and he cannot wait. “Simon is one of the top elite umpires and he came and spoke to us during a recent meeting in Dubai,” he said.”He is so professional in everything he does, his dedication and attention to detail is amazing and I can only gain from his experience and knowledge. And to be part of Clive’s team will be a great thing given the way he is revered in the cricket world.”And what advice has Dill got for other aspiring officials, especially those from the Associate and Affiliate ICC members? “I have learnt lots from the Elite and International panels I’ve met but the main things are to maintain a sound knowledge of the Laws, be physically fit and stand in as many matches as you can. And as for the matches in Trinidad, I’m really looking forward to them and am determined to enjoy it all.”

Bob Woolmer, the Pakistan coach, warned his players to expect some stiff resistance from England, especially after their disappointing Test series against Sri Lanka.England began the series as favourites but had to settle for 1-1 in the three-Test series after a spirited fightback by Sri Lanka in the final Test at Trent Bridge. However, Woolmer doesn’t expect any easy offerings when Pakistan begin their tour, keeping in mind that England would be determined to bag a comprehensive win at home before heading to Australia in their bid to retain the Ashes.”England’s show against Sri Lanka means nothing for us”, Woolmer told Reuters. “It is not our divine right to win and we will have to play very well to beat them. Winning in England is never easy.”The England side suffered a huge setback after Andrew Flintoff and Simon Jones got sidelined due to injuries. Pakistan too had their share of bad news with Shoaib Akhtar, their key fast bowler, failing to make the Test squad because of an ankle injury which failed to heal in time. However, Woolmer saw this as an opportunity for the other fast bowlers to carry the load with merit.”I think the writing was on the wall for us as far as his injury is concerned and we have to play without his pace,” Woolmer said. “However, we have played without him in the past and managed. It is a good opportunity for others to be counted.”

ScorecardPakistan A drew their Top End Series match against Australia A after a sporting declaration by the hosts set up an interesting climax. Set to chase 245 at just over a run a ball, Pakistan responded to the challenge strongly till Australia applied the brakes in the final session. The captains called off the match ten overs before the scheduled close of play.Earlier, Shane Watson continued with his good form with the bat, with his half-century taking his side to a position from which they could force a result. Resuming on 2 for 57, Australia added only seven runs to their overnight score before Travis Burt fell to left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman. Mohammad Khalil’s double strike in one over then sent back Phil Jaques and Brad Haddin with the score on 86. Watson continued playing positively as he and Brad Hodge took the score to 165 when Haddin made a surprise declaration.Allotted 40 overs, Pakistan changed their strategy, sending in Rafatullah Mohmand to open with Shahid Yousuf instead of Mohammad Hafeez, the first-innings centurion. The openers added a quickfire 53 in six overs and the signs looked ominous for Australia. However, the bowlers pulled it back, with Mitchell Johnson dismissing Misbah-ul-Haq immediately after tea. Pakistan were still in the reckoning, sticking to the required rate as long as Mohmand was around. However, the run-rate slackened after he was bowled by Watson in the 15th over, after which a draw was the only possibility. In contrast to the first innings, Hafeez chose to play out time, scoring 6 off 48 balls, while Hasan Raza helped himself to an unbeaten half-century. The match was called off with Pakistan requiring a massive 100 off the last ten overs.The action in the Top End Series moves to Cairns where Pakistan A play their next match, against New Zealand A from July 17 while Australia A take on India A in another four-day encounter, starting the next day.