Scorecard
India bounced back to level the series in the second one-dayer at Lucknow, but they made hard work of their run-chase after cruising in the early stages. Anjum Chopra was the star of the slow, surviving an injury scare to hit 71 and set up the four-wicket victory after England set them 163.Under gloomy skies, there was nothing miserable about Chopra’s bright knock even though play was held up at one stage for ten minutes after she flicked a leading edge into her face. But she carried on without further ado in her matchwinning innings. She was indeed the backbone, and with Monica Sumra she eased India to 95 before the first wicket fell. India were rolling along, but some tight bowling pegged them back before they finally edged home in the final over.The bowling wasn’t always on the button, though; sometimes it threatened to be more on the noggin. Rosalie Birch was particularly culpable, the ball twice slipped out of her hand and she delivered two no-balls which resulted in the rare indignity of a slow bowler being taken off for dangerous bowling.But if it was hard work for the bowlers, it was equally difficult for the batsmen on a dull pitch with low bounce. Nevertheless, England’s coach Richard Bates expected his charges to score 220 after opting to bat first. But their going was slow and it got tough early on when Amita Sharma knocked the stuffing out of the top order with three quick wickets. The middle order proved similarly wobbly.”We should have been able to bounce back from there, though,” said Bates, “our batting is full of depth.” Still, partnerships were hard to come by and wickets were given away, puncturing any momentum until Caroline Atkins, at No 6, and Beth Morgan at No 8 stitched the innings back up. Together they put on 62 for the eighth wicket.Jane Smit helped to rally the score, too – “the last three played sensibly, how the others should have done” Bates fumed – but even so, a total of 162 for 8 from 50 overs should never have posed too much of a problem. India weren’t helped by a pitch which broke up during their innings, but they paced their innings well.”We didn’t deserve to win,” said Bates, a sentiment echoed by England’s captain Charlotte Edwards. “Electing to bat first was OK,” she said, “but we did not play good shots. At 1-1 the series is nicely set up.”Mithali Raj, India’s captain, was relieved that her team had recovered from defeat in the opener to bring themselves back into the series. While Bates was left to rue England’s below-par performance, Raj was delighted that her side were firing on all cylinders. “It’s good that we did well in all departments of the game,” she said. The teams come together again on Sunday for the third of a five-match series which is wide open and up for the taking.

Rain at Kingsmead in Durban has virtually finalised the final four placesfor the Standard Bank Cup semi-finals starting in the new year. With theLions innings washed out after 7.4 overs, the three points gained by theDolphins almost ensures them the fourth spot.The other thee teams, Titans, Eagles and Lions are still fighting it outfor a home semi-final while the Warriors have a very slim chance ofknocking the Dolphins out of the fourth spot. They have to beat theLions and gain the bonus point, and then hope that the Titans beat theDolphins well enough to deny them a bonus point. The sixth team, theCape Cobras, have no chance of reaching the semi-final stage.The Dolphins innings of 235 for 5 was also interrupted by a 49-minuterain delay after 16.3 overs with the Dolphins then on 66 for 1. With theresumption of play, the rate steadily increased but it was left to LanceKlusener to once again do the damage as he hit an unbeaten 43 off 24 ballswhich included four towering sixes. Earlier Doug Watson had propped theinnings up with a steady 53.With the weather continuing to threaten the Lions got off to a briskstart. In the end it was all to no avail as the rain resumed, leavingthe Lions on 42 without loss and a no result.

Scorecard

Centuries by Martin Love and Brendan Nash left Queensland in total control at the end of the second day of their Pura Cup match against Western Australia at the WACA. They ended on 9 for 415, a first-innings lead of 225 runs. There were runs, too, for Chris Hartley who made 73.The day had started well enough for WA, who captured two early wickets with the cheap dismissals of Clinton Perren and Lachlan Stevens, who were both caught behind (127 for 4).But Love stayed firm and marked his return to form with a stylish 106 which he carved out over four hours. He played particularly well through the offside, teasing the ball through the gaps despite a heavily loaded offside field and will be relieved to have finally come good, having averaged 14.88 in his nine previous innings this season.The Bulls’ other centurion, Nash, also had a point to prove: it is his first match this season and his 107 should ensure that it won’t be his last. He put on 94 runs for the fifth wicket with Love to hand Queensland the advantage. Hartley and Nash then extended the lead, sharing a sixth-wicket stand of 114.Steve Magoffin was the pick of WA’s attack, taking 3 for 76 against his old side, although his showing was marred by 13 no-balls. WA’s hopes of appearing in the Pura Cup final are fast receding. They need an outright win to have any hope, but their chances are looking slimmer and slimmer against Queensland who have not conceded a point to the Warriors at the WACA in six years.

Ehsan Mani, the ICC president, has denied that the ICC has ignored allegations of racism inside Zimbabwe Cricket and insisted the situation was being monitored.Mani met with Peter Chingoka, the ZC chairman, in Karachi in January and, among other things, remarks made by the head of the Sports & Recreation Commission that the board has been cleared of whites and Asians because of their “racial connotations”, were discussed.”Racism in any form is unacceptable to the ICC,” Mani told Cricinfo. “I raised this with Mr Chingoka in my meeting and he has undertaken to highlight ICC’s concerns with the interim committee. I advised of him of the ICC’s concerns over the absence of representation of the Asian and white communities on the interim board and asked that these should be addressed. “Issues of race must not get in the way of the rebuilding process and this was accepted by Mr Chingoka. I am aware that the interim board has made approaches to members of the two communities and I further note that Kevin Curran has been appointed the national team coach and Andy Pycroft has been appointed to look after the A team.”Asked whether the ICC could be assumed of sidestepping the issue, Mani was adamant that was not the case. “Clearly the ICC is not ignoring the issue of racism,” he explained. “The ICC expects Mr Chingoka and the interim committee to address this in an open and transparent manner.”Mr Chingoka will be expected to give a full update on this and other issues to the ICC executive board at its board meeting in March.”

Jason Gillespie has backed himself to earn a spot in the Australian team set to tour South Africa. “I think I am a real show for the Test tour [of South Africa],” said Gillespie, who recently had an hour-long chat with Trevor Hohns, the national selection chairman.Rubbishing the critics who cite his age as a reason to keep him out, Gillespie said, “It’s funny … I hear comments in the press that they are searching for a new generation of quicks yet they are picking guys that are older than me or the same age. That makes me laugh. Pidgey [Glenn McGrath] is 36. I’m not too old at 30. Kasper got picked again at 32. Andrew Bichel played his last game at 34. Age shouldn’t come into it at all”.Expressing confidence about his form he said, “I feel I am bowling really well. I haven’t bowled quite as well in the ING competition but the four-day competition I am really pleased how they are coming out in the four-day game. I know I am good enough to play Tests. It is only a matter of time”.Gillespie believes his experience of South African conditions – he took 22 wickets in six Tests at an average of 26- will be an asset and weigh in his favour. “I have been to South Africa two or three times before and I know what it needs to play Test cricket. I have played a few of them now.” But he also added that he didn’t see himself in the contention for the ODIs. “I am not getting my hopes up about selection. I have always said I was more of a chance to go for the Tests. I didn’t think I was a chance for the one-dayers.”Gillespie has found support from Darren Lehmann, his former team-mate. “If Glenn [McGrath] doesn’t go to South Africa Jason [Gillespie] is a must,” Lehmann said. “He has been there twice before and done well. If they don’t take him then I think it’s the wrong mix. They need some experience there. Brett [Lee] has held up magnificently but if Glenn wasn’t there you would need some experience.”Looking back on a disastrous Ashes series Gillespie believed he slipped in the mental department and admitted to a lack of focus. “If I had my time again I would think about the game more and pay attention to detail. I am not making any excuses but my mind was wandering the whole tour. My wife told me at the start of the tour we were going to have a baby and I know now I wasn’t switched on to play cricket.”The Australian one-day side leave for South Africa on February 20 and the Test side will be selected at the end of the five-match ODI series.

The Sussex and England fast bowler, James Kirtley, has been cleared to resume bowling after undergoing extensive tests on his controversial action, at the ECB National Cricket Centre at Loughborough.Kirtley, 31, played four Tests and 11 one-day internationals between 2001 and 2004, but was suspended at the end of last season after his unusually jerky action was called into question and found to exceed the 15 degrees of elbow extension that is permitted by the ECB and ICC regulations.But following his time at Loughborough, under the supervision of Dr Mark King, he will be allowed to lead Sussex’s attack when the county season gets underway next month. “I am delighted that the last five months of hard work has paid off – it has been an intense and emotional journey.”I have received fantastic support from the club and supporters, and I am particularly grateful to Mark Robinson and the Sussex coaching team for their tireless efforts. I am now looking forward to taking an active role in the season, but understand the need to continue monitoring developments.”Robinson, Sussex’s professional cricket manager, added: “With today being report-back day for the Sussex squad, the timing of this announcement could not have been better. It has felt like a cloud has been hanging over us over the last five months, but we can now look forward to the challenges of the new season.”Throughout this whole process James has shown magnificent strength, and I would also like to congratulate my coaching and support team for all their efforts throughout the winter in this regard. We will continue to support James throughout this summer to ensure his action remains consistent.”

Scotland have signed Ian Moran, an allrounder from New South Wales, to strengthen their squad ahead of their C&G Trophy campaign, which starts against Warwickshire on April 30.Moran joins Corey Richards, the NSW batsman, in the squad after a productive season playing grade cricket in Sydney. He scored 742 and took 38 wickets, finishing as the leading player, and although he has yet to feature in first-class he was part of the NSW Twenty20 squad.Peter Drinnen, the Scotland coach, said: “We need to give World Cup-qualified players every chance to perform. But we also need to be able to compete effectively in this first year of the new C&G Trophy format.”

Makhaya Ntini has been nominated in five different categories in the third annual Mutual & Federal SA Cricket Awards. The winners will be announced next week, and Ntini, who won the Cricketer of the Year prize last year, has been nominated in that category again, besides being one of the nominees for the ODI Cricketer of the Year, the Test Cricketer of the Year, the Players’ Player of the Year, and the Fans’ Cricketer of the Year.Apart from Ntini, Mark Boucher, Jacques Kallis and Shaun Pollock have been nominated for the Cricketer of the Year award, while Kallis and Ashwell Prince will battle with Ntini for the Test Cricketer of the Year prize. For the top one-day honours, there are six contenders in the race, with Boucher, Andrew Hall, Herschelle Gibbs, Shaun Pollock and Graeme Smith being the others.Apart from recognising international players, the awards also honour domestic performers. There are prizes too for the best administrators, umpires and coaches, plus recognition for women cricketers and the best performers at the junior level.

Four Pakistan A players, Hasan Raza, Taufeeq Umar, Misbah-ul-Haq and Zulqarnain Haider, have been fined US$300 for violating the code of conduct during the Eurasia series at Abu Dhabi in April. They were fined because they travelled from Abu Dhabi to Dubai without permission from the manager.During the journey, the players spent three hours in a Dubai jail for alleged speeding offences but the Pakistan board said that no blame could be attached to the players because the driver – a friend of theirs – was speeding. They were detained by the police because they were not carrying their visas and were released immediately after the manager produced copies of their visas.All four are free to continue playing domestic cricket.

Was the move to cancel the eagerly awaited elections of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on the orders of Sri Lanka president Mahinda Rajapakse the correct decision?The president had to force his hand in this matter after a team of past national cricketers headed by Arjuna Ranatunga, the former World Cup-winning captain and present tourism deputy minister, had met him personally and apprised him of the situation at hand with regard to the administration of cricket in the country.Acting on a directive from the president, Jeevan Kumaratunga, the sports minister, said that the elections were cancelled because it was not the appropriate time to have it keeping in mind the 2007 World Cup which is eight months away.Kumaratunga said he feared that under the present circumstances, interested parties could go to court and obtain stay orders to affect the administration of the game. He said that cricket cannot suffer from bitter experiences of the past especially with South Africa due for a tour here for two Tests starting July 19 followed by a one-day tri-series also involving India next month.To a point the sports minister is right because the SLC has been riddled with enough and more court cases which has not only proved detrimental to the development of the game in the country but also made its administration a laughing stock in the eyes of the entire cricket world.Kumaratunga indicated that he may consider changing the composition of the interim committee to accommodate reputed former cricketers and administrators with genuine interest for the game, but for now the present interim committee headed by businessman Jayantha Dharmadasa would continue until at least the end of the 2007 World Cup although no specific date has been decided.The present committee appointed on March 24, 2005 comprises, apart from Dharmadasa, Adel Hashim (secretary), Sujeewa Rajapakse (treasurer), Damien Fernando, K Mathivanan and Prakash Schaffter.Mohan de Silva, a presidential candidate, expressed shock at the cancellation of the elections which came less than 48 hours before it was scheduled to be held. The date was fixed for July 15. De Silva hit out directly at Dharmadasa, his rival candidate, and accused him of deliberately getting it postponed.”This is definitely the work of my rival candidate because he knew that he was going to lose the elections. My feeling is he did not want to face defeat,” he said. “Leading upto the elections Dharmadasa’s team had brought various allegations and filed court cases against us to prevent clubs from supporting us. But despite these attempts I was quite confident of racking up more than 100 votes out of the 146 who were eligible to vote.”The majority of cricket lovers in the country are sympathetic towards our cause. We were sent out on wild allegations of financial mismanagement made by the sports minister. But sad to say to-date we have not received a single charge sheet to answer if that was the case.”De Silva said that he would take up the unfair postponement of the elections with Rajapakse.Dharmadasa said that the interim body accepted Kumaratunga’s decision, and added: “I am sure the minister has taken this decision in the best interest of the game. If the elections were held I was quite confident of winning.”During Dharmadasa’s tenure as interim chairman his committee had put into place several plans to develop infrastructure facilities, school cricket, high performance centres at each district and commenced a spinners’ clinic among other things. The cancellation of the elections will come as a big body blow to those seeking a democratically elected body to run the SLC.Petty politics have been the bane of the SLC cricket for the past seven years or so with the two camps trying to wrest control of running the affairs of it Their individual greed to run the richest sports body in the country has resulted in the destruction of the game today with the Ministry of Sports also being responsible for taking sides and allowing them to be used as a puppet to suit the whims and fancies of individuals.As a result of this petty politics Sri Lanka’s had four interim bodies and as many elected bodies administering cricket in the past seven years. Can any long term plans be drawn up for the betterment of the SLC if there is going to be such a constant change of administration?The most of what has been happening is mud slinging and trying to prove that one administration has performed better than the other – something similar to a change of governments. The result is that no firm commitment or plans can be put into motion (or if they have been they have not being given sufficient time to implement it) to develop the level of cricket in Sri Lanka.The SLC should be thankful that the players have started to perform on the field after going through a lean period. The way they performed in England brought back smiles to the faces of all cricket lovers in the country. They at least cover the sins of others.