With all that is happening today in US cricket, any attempt to get something new started in the US market would have to be considered a foolhardy enterprise.Yet Major League Cricket Incorporated (MLC), with Bernard Cameron as its CEO and counting Clive Lloyd and Desmond Haynes among its associates, is preparing to do exactly that. It has announced its re-entry into US cricket with a refurbished website, a ten-year development plan and a national Under-15 tournament in Chicago in July 2005, and is receiving a lot of support from US cricketers who are anxious to see something happen.MLC’s original efforts go back four years, when it first presented its plans to the USA Cricket Association’s executives and board. It suggested a four-stage strategy to USACA.One, it wished to work with current cricket leagues in the USA to achieve some consistency of product. Two, it wanted to develop cricket at the Under-13 to Under-19 levels from the ground up, working with schools and state/local authorities, much as soccer did 20 years ago. Third, it wanted to work towards a US national inter-league championship format, starting in two years and developing a full-fledged structure in four years. Finally, it intended to superimpose a professional cricket league which would draw on indigenous recruits from the youth and the inter-league organizations and develop a truly US professional cricket cadre. The entire process was expected to take 10 years, in time for the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies.MLC received no reply from the USACA, although it did note that elements of their national plan were incorporated into USACA’s first regional and national tournaments. MLC’s biggest problem was that US cricket organizations wanted MLC to guarantee funds up front, and to take the entire risk of possible failure on its own shoulders, while MLC was looking for partners to share the risks and the responsibilities. MLC realized that it had to be strong enough to function on a stand-alone basis without any help from any one else.MLC did try to get things going in its own backyard of North East USA, with inter-league tournaments at senior and junior levels. All reports suggest that these events were a success. However, MLC’s contract to develop and use a first-class facility at the Floyd Bennett field in New York was voided by a vote from some newly-appointed New York board members, and its efforts to secure alternate financing for Florida-based facilities were similarly scuppered. MLC then went into hibernation, emerging in 2005 with a renewed sense of purpose.Expecting a better response from league presidents than from the USACA board, Cameron attended the inaugural CLP meeting in Dallas to test the water, and found himself recruited into writing and developing resolutions for CLP to pass. Unfortunately, his volunteer effort began to draw flack from some factions who saw in this an effort by MLC to take over US cricket. Subsequently, Cameron tried to present his road map to USACA’s June 4 meeting in New York, but was prevented from doing so on the grounds that MLC was neither a USACA league nor a USACA member organization, and therefore had no place on the agenda.Faced with this rebuff, MLC has evidently decided to re-enter US cricket on its own. Cameron formally presented his 10-year road map as MLC’s own long-term agenda, and announced MLC’s national Under-15 Tournament in July 2005 as MLC’s inaugural program effort. MLC’s newly energized website is busily moving along on its proposed lines, in contrast to other US cricket organizations which are still busily spinning their wheels over legal and procedural matters.An interesting difference between MLC’s long-range vision and those of, say, the USACA or CLP is that it places far more emphasis on local and junior cricket development in its earlier stages, and far less on representative international cricket and participating in ICC-sponsored tournaments. Under the MLC approach, at least five years of intensive development at junior levels are needed for a genuine USA team to compete in international cricket, as opposed to makeshift teams largely based on immigrant players. This attitude is unlikely to generate much enthusiasm from administrators who depend on their mainly immigrant memberships for running their current programs, and who are likely to be unwilling to make the sacrifices that MLC’s agenda entails. But judging by the very positive response it has been receiving from US cricketers, MLC could very well succeed in achieving its goals–and proving, after all, that everything is not lost in US cricket.

Not only did Matthew Hayden’s world-record score of 380 at Perth last week deny Brian Lara ownership of the record, it also removed him from the No. 1 spot on the PwC Ratings of Test batsmen. It is not Hayden’s first appearance at the head of the rankings – he reached the summit a year ago during the short series against Pakistan. He had not been out of the top three since then.

But the Perth innings could still not displace Lara from the ranking as the scorer of the highest-rated innings. That is still regarded as his 213 in Kingston in 1999, while VVS Laxman’s 281 at Kolkata in 2001 is also ahead of Hayden’s innings, as both were scored against strong Australian attacks. The fact that Hayden scored his runs against the weak Zimbabwe bowling downgrades his performance according to the ratings.

Click here for full PwC ratings

Duncan Fletcher has called on England to make more history this summer after their record-breaking win against Bangladesh, in the NatWest Series, on Tuesday. England’s total of 391 for 4 was their highest in one-day internationals and the second highest by a team.Paul Collingwood made individual history when he became the first player to score a century and take six wickets in an innings. He is also the first England player to take six wickets in a one-day international, his 6 for 31 eclipsing Mark Ealham’s 5 for 15 against Zimbabwe at Kimberley in 1999-00.Fletcher told www.natwest.com/cricket that this is the style of performance the team has been talking about. “We’ve spoken about this on numerous occasions that we want to go out and make history, and to make history you have to break records and do amazing things – this is what this side is all about.”Against Bangladesh we played some very good cricket, the batting was exceptional on a good wicket and everyone put in good performances although it was unfortunate Michael Vaughan and Andrew Flintoff missed out.”Fletcher also said how Collingwood’s performance showed that he is a very versatile cricketer and that he is developing a vital role within England’s one-day side. “I think Collingwood’s six wickets setting a record was very important. He’s always doing something in the game that’s why he’s such a valuable player to us.”He’s a very useful player. Some people have classified him as a bits-and-pieces player, but all it needs is for an individual like that to develop the skill of bowling and add that to his batting. He has lots of variations and he can play a useful role for us. There are certain days on certain wickets when he won’t be able to do that.”But on a wicket like that against Bangladesh, which ended being slow, he needed a lot of variation and he fits that part very well. He takes the pace off the ball and he’s a very useful player in one-day cricket and when you add that to his fielding, then he’s got a good future.”

Michael Kasprowicz will be “disappointed” if he loses Australia’s four-into-three fast-bowling shootout for the first Test at Lord’s next week. With only one tour match against Leicestershire before the Ashes, the battle between Kasprowicz, Lee and Gillespie to partner Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne is reaching its conclusion.Jason Gillespie regained some touch in the final match of the NatWest Challenge at The Oval with his first three wickets of the series, while Brett Lee finished with six in three matches and Kasprowicz took four in two. The selection scenario has been the same since Lee returned from injury in India last year, but Kasprowicz said “it’s not as if the daggers are out”.”We help each other in the nets if we spot anything, or if anyone needs any help,” Kasprowicz told AAP before last night’s game. “You can easily fit four fast bowlers into the team – who needs a legspinner anyway?”Despite Kasprowicz’s cheerful tip, Warne is a formality and the bowlers welcome the jostling. “I’d be disappointed I suppose,” Kasprowicz said as he considered missing the team. “All I can do is just prepare to play. There’s competition, but it’s a healthy competition. The team benefits because guys in the side work harder and the blokes not in the side have to improve and try twice as hard.”Gillespie looked likely to miss out as he struggled through the one-day series, but Kasprowicz said limited-overs performances should not be used as a Test guide. “It is a tough environment to find form or discover rhythm,” he said. “I wouldn’t read too much into one-day cricket, it’s a different game.” Australia plays Leicestershire at Grace Road in a three-day match starting on Friday.

The morale of the Indian cricket team as it bids to win the upcoming tri-nation Indian Oil Cup in Sri Lanka would be low in the absence of Sourav Ganguly, according to Syed Kirmani, the former wicketkeeper and chief selector. Unless he’s granted a dramatic reprieve by the ICC, Ganguly will sit out the tournament, serving the last four games of a six-match suspension while Rahul Dravid leads the side.”The six-match ban on Sourav (Ganguly) by the ICC is harsh,” said Kirmani. “But a rule is arule. His absence will affect the team’s morale to a certain extent. After all, he has been the most successful captain of India.”Speaking at a public function, Kirmani reckoned that Greg Chappell, the new coach, was one of the great players of the game, and someone who could inspire the team to perform well. He added that Sachin Tendulkar’s absence “would not have any adverse impact”, while also pointing out that “the team had a bad series against Pakistan at home but the players would like to stabilise and do well.”Kirmani rejected any suggestion that Virender Sehwag, named vice-captain for Sri Lanka, would have to shoulder a greater batting burden. “Every player is capable of scoring runs,” said Kirmani. “A few players could run in to bad form or the entire team could have a bad patch. That is cricket. On the whole, we have an established batting line-up.”Asked whether India had no option but to pick a foreigner as coach, he replied in the negative. “The players and the BCCI wanted it,” said, adding that John Wright, the former coach, had infused professionalism and improved the team’s fielding considerably.”Greg will provide great inspiration to the team, but the fact that the Indians had won the 1983 World Cup without any coach or a physio or a trainer will remain,” said Kirmani, who was an integral part of that legendary team led by Kapil Dev.Kirmani, a former Karnataka stalwart, also pooh-poohed the idea that captaincy would take the sheen off Dravid’s batting. “Rahul has a mature mind and I am sure he will not be under any extra pressure as captain.”

Greg Chappell, the India coach, has defended India’s batting performance which saw them set a modest target of 226 against an inexperienced Zimbabwe bowling attack, saying that criticism from outside was easier than performing in the middle.”Sitting outside perhaps it is not easy to understand how difficult the wicket was in the centre. It was moving and slow as well and the bounce was spongy,” Chappell was quoted as saying by PTI. “There has been some encouragement in the sense that all batsmen have managed to spend time in the middle, sometime or the other. It’s all a question of bringing it together and building up on the start.”Chappell backed Sourav Ganguly, the Indian captain, who yet again failed to play a long innings. “I am pretty happy with the way he [Ganguly] has shaped up. He was looking confident. On the ball he was dismissed, usually he hits it for a single but today he wanted to hit it for four. These things happen in the game.”He also said that he understood that batting collapses such as the one against New Zealand where India were 44 for 8 happened occasionally. “Having played the game myself, I know how wickets can fall in a clutter. The best way to come out of it is to not yell at the batsmen. Maybe now that they have had this experience they know how to react to such situations in future.”Venugopal Rao who has two ducks in as many games in the series also recieved Chappell’s support. “He [Venugopal] is a fine youngster with good attitude and he knows that the team is behind him,” said Chappell. “Unfortunately, twice in two games he got two very good balls.”Though Ganguly termed India’s victory by 161 runs over Zimbabwe as a much better performance than in their match against New Zealand, he still felt that there was scope for improvement. “We batted better and it should improve further as the tournament goes on,” said Ganguly. “The team needs to put partnerships together at the top of the order and batsmen need to get hundreds to win games for us.”Ganguly admitted that India has lost their way during the middle overs but also said that the wicket at Harare was soft and spongy. “The wicket in Bulawayo was quicker but here the ball came slowly off the pitch.”

Andrew Flintoff has spoken of his astonishment at the hostile response by the Australian media, following Australia’s Ashes defeat earlier this month. Speaking to reporters before boarding a flight to Melbourne, for next week’s Super Series against Australia, he said the Australian media’s criticism of their cricket team has been unduly unfair.”They are the world’s No. 1 nation and rightly so, as they’ve dominated for 10 years or so,” Flintoff told the . “We have played good cricket for two years and, while we won the Ashes, it was hardly a whitewash.”Since losing the Ashes, the Australian media, including former players, have taken pot-shots at the Australian team, with Ricky Ponting’s leadership again being questioned. Flintoff remained bullish, however, reminding reporters that England were a side very much in the ascendancy, and considered his team’s chances of retaining the Ashes in 14 months excellent.”We have to continue to prove ourselves, and let me tell you we have great belief that the England squad is on the verge of greatness in coming years,” he added.”We back our ability and most of us are 27 or 28 and just approaching our prime, so anything is possible. We’re certainly getting closer to Australia.”Before this summer’s Ashes series, many questioned whether Flintoff had the skill and tenacity to compete against Australia. His only previous encounters had been in a clutch of one-day matches, which were largely forgettable performances. However, after his series-winning and country-binding performances in 2005, he is excited at the opportunity to face Australia so soon after the dust has settled on this summer’s Ashes.”It is a great honour for me to be involved in this series and I’ll be going hard at it. It will be good, hard-fought cricket.”Flintoff and the World XI face Victoria in a practice match on Sunday, before the first one-day match against Australia gets underway at Melbourne, on October 5.

Scorecard

Rahul Dravid led the way with a superb 66 and Shaun Pollock, given the honour of captaining the side, chipped in with a terrific 38-ball 54 as the World XI held off a determined challenge from Victoria to post a narrow 12-run victory in a warm-up match at the Junction Oval in Melbourne.Brad Hodge top-scored with 92, and Michael Klinger chipped in with 62 as Victoria made a bright start in pursuit of 282 for victory. But with the exception of David Hussey, who made 32, none of the other batsmen could make a decisive contribution as the chase floundered. Muttiah Muralitharan ended Hodge’s marvellous innings on his way to figures of 2 for 54, and there were two wickets apiece for Shoaib Akhtar – the pick of the bowlers, in a fiery spell of 2 for 29 – and Jacques Kallis as the World XI staved off embarrassment.That had certainly been on the cards when Cameron White, seen by many as Shane Warne’s legspin successor for Australia, bowled Shahid Afridi to end an 18-run cameo, leaving the World XI reeling at 131 for 6. But Dravid added 64 with Chris Gayle and 53 with Pollock as the Victorian bowling was taken apart in the final overs.There was no hint of the drama to come as Virender Sehwag and Kumar Sangakkara added 63 for the first wicket. But a probing spell from Shane Harwood changed the complexion of the game, with Brian Lara – caught flicking one to square leg – and Kevin Pietersen, caught behind going for a big one, both falling cheaply.Dravid and Gayle started the riposte, taking the total into the realms of respectability before Rudi Koertzen gave Gayle out stumped off the bowling of White. Fortunately for the world’s finest, Pollock provided a devastating sting in the tail. After that, it was the bowlers who proved their mettle, despite Hodge’s announcement of intent to the Australian selectors.

Kenya 237 (Odoyo 53) beat Zimbabwe A 152 and 73 (Odoyo 5-31) by an innings and 12 runsKenya’s tour of Zimbabwe got off to an excellent start when they beat Zimbabwe A by an innings and 12 runs with more than a day to spare in the opening match of their brief visit.The first day ended with honours just about even. Zimbabwe won the toss and batted, but were almost immediately in trouble, slipping to 66 for 6 at lunch before recovering to 152 thanks to a last-wicket stand of 55 between Allan Mwayenga and Christopher Mpofu. Kenya found the going equally hard, sliding to 111 for 6 by the close.But on the second day, Kenya established an 85-run lead, thanks largely to Thomas Odoyo’s 53, and then skittled Zimbabwe A out for only 73, Odoyo leading the rout with five wickets. Zimbabwe A’s top order was again found wanting as they slumped to 29 for 5, with Dion Ebrahim, the most expereinced player in the side, collecting a pair.

Ehsan Mani, the ICC’s president, officially launched the Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka on Monday, telling reporters said that hosting the event would demonstrate the island’s strength and resilience in the wake of last year’s tsunami.”In December 2004 Sri Lanka was devastated by a terrible tragedy, and yet 11 months later the country is preparing to welcome 15 overseas teams full of the best young cricketers in the world,” Mani said. “Sport cannot compensate for such a tragedy but the fact this tournament is set to take place in Sri Lanka sends a wonderful and very positive message to the rest of the sporting world. It shows Sri Lanka is moving forward after the massive problem that has confronted the country and this World Cup should prove the perfect stage to once again highlight all that is good about the island.”The teams are scheduled to arrive in Colombo on January 31. The opening ceremony is on February 4 and that is followed by 44 matches over 15 days at five venues in the city. The final will be held at the R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday, February 19.Mani pointed out this was the third time Sri Lanka has hosted an ICC event in the past six years, following on from the Under-19 World Cup in 2000 and ICC Champions Trophy in 2002. “No other nation can match this feat and it is something that reflects the confidence the ICC has in Sri Lanka to host these important events,” he said. “It also reflects Sri Lanka’s continuing passion for the game of cricket and the importance of the game in the fabric of the country.”He added that the event offered glimpses of the potential stars of the future. “Sanath Jayasuriya, Brian Lara, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Graeme Smith and Michael Clarke are all veterans of this ICC event,” he said. “Smith and Clarke played in the tournament here six years ago, along with the Indian duo of Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh, Pakistan’s Danish Kaneria and Marlon Samuels of the West Indies. And in 2004, in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka was captained by Farveez Maharoof, a player that made his Test debut just two months later.”