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Michael Dighton has been dumped from Tasmania’s Pura Cup side as the Tigers search for a way out of second-last spot. David Dawson, who has not played a state match since 2005-06, has been recalled to the top of the order.Tasmania, the defending champions, have only won one match this season and they have decided to shake up their regular opening partnership for the bottom-of-the-table clash against Queensland starting on Monday at the Gabba. Michael Di Venuto, who announced during the week that this would be his final summer with Tasmania, is set to partner Dawson.Dighton has averaged 20.50 from his six matches this campaign and has had the least productive season of all Tasmania’s specialist batsmen. Dawson was a standout in the Tasmania Second XI side this week, scoring 105 and 53 against the Western Australia Second XI in Hobart.Tasmania squad Michael Di Venuto, David Dawson, Travis Birt, George Bailey, Daniel Marsh (capt), Dane Anderson, Tim Paine (wk), Luke Butterworth, Jason Krejza, Brett Geeves, Chris Duval, Ben Hilfenhaus.

Brett Lee has objected to claims made by Bob Woolmer, the Pakistan coach, that the Australian team intimidated the umpires during the recent Pakistan series. Lee said that while forceful appealing was intended to influence the umpires’ decision, he felt that he and his team-mates had been well within the limits. Woolmer had claimed that the umpires were subconsciously pressurised by Australian appeals and the crowds, which resulted into close calls going 29-6 against Pakistan.”Hopefully being a bowler you can sway the umpire to give him out. I have not seen a problem with the way the Australian cricket team has been appealing and we only appeal when we think it should be out,” Lee told AAP. “There has been a lot written about it and sure umpires make mistakes, they’re only human.”Lee said that it was difficult for the umpires to make a judgment in a split second and that those that criticise them have the advantage of watching the slow-motion replays several times. “I think we should give them a pat on the back because they have done a pretty good job,” he said, before suggesting the selection of neutral umpires in one-day internationals to prevent allegations of home side favouritism.”Umpires don’t cheat, that is common knowledge,” he said. “It would be nice to put those rumours to bed and have neutral umpires in a 50 over match.”Lee also spoke about Billy Bowden, the New Zealand umpire, whose often comical manner of umpiring has grabbed much attention. “Sometimes when you do look around and you’ve bowled a wide and you see him stretch his arms out like a pelican it is not the most flattering thing,” he said. “You want to just go up to him and push his arms back down.”

Shane Warne might be serving out a 12-month ban for using a banned diuretic, but his presence in the Australian team for the 2005 Ashes series is being keenly awaited in England. That’s the conclusion from a survey conducted by magazine.Seventy percent of respondents to the survey said Warne should be picked for Australia when he’s completed his 12-month ban. He might be the bane of English batsmen, but fans can’t wait to see the great leg-spinner back in action.John Stern, the editor of The Wisden Cricketer said, “People who love cricket want to see the big names and Warne is one of the greats. People will say [when] he’s served his ban, bring it on. Most English fans would love to see Warne play here again.”Not quite as many – 50 percent – believe England can win the series, with or without Warne, and slightly more than half would be happy if some on-field verbal conflicts were part of the entertainment.

When it comes to selection meetings in India, all but the most naïve among us know better than to be surprised. To echo the Smashing Pumpkins, … and every other night. The Rest of India team chosen to take on Mumbai for the Irani Trophy fulfilled the surprise criteria with the inclusion of Rohan Gavaskar and Amit Bhandari, though most of the 14 picked themselves.Sourav Ganguly leads perhaps the strongest Rest of India team to be assembled in over half a decade. Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Parthiv Patel and Virender Sehwag – fitness problems now in the past – were certainties to be selected, while the likes of Yuvraj Singh, Laxmipathy Balaji and Amit Bhandari could look back on a successful Challenger Trophy as the reason for their inclusion.Sanjay Bangar, whose grit in adverse English conditions presumably still lingers in selectorial memory, was chosen ahead of Shiv Sunder Das and Gautam Gambhir as Sehwag’s opening partner. In the scramble for middle-order places, it was Sridharan Sriram, Hemang Badani and Mohammad Kaif who missed out, with Yuvraj and Gavaskar the beneficiaries.With Ashish Nehra still well short of fitness following the operation on his ankle, Balaji and Bhandari will battle for the chance to share the new ball with Zaheer Khan. Balaji was easily the outstanding pace bowler in the Challenger Trophy, while Bhandari did his cause no harm in not getting slaughtered by Sachin Tendulkar in the final.Murali Karthik was included to provide a third slow-bowling option, while Patel edged out Ajay Ratra and Thilak Naidu for the keeper’s slot.Rest of India squad Sourav Ganguly (captain), Sanjay Bangar, Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Parthiv Patel, Zaheer Khan, Laxmipathy Balaji, Amit Bhandari, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Murali Karthik, Rohan Gavaskar.Wisden Comment: Tough test for Gavaskar

England’s cricket fans are still pinching themselves, after the class and ease with which their team has romped through the first two Tests of the summer. But that astonishment is nothing compared to the shock and awe in the New Zealand camp. The Kiwis have had just two days to recover from their bruising nine-wicket defeat at Headingley, and now face a massive task if they are to avoid one of the least predicted whitewashes of all time.As Brian Lara proved to England back in April, nothing can be taken for granted where clean sweeps are concerned, but New Zealand’s litany of injuries has stretched their 14-man squad way beyond its means. Their two most potent bowlers, Shane Bond and Daniel Vettori, are out of contention, while their batting has been severely dented by hand injuries to Michael Papps and Craig McMillan.As a result, Mathew Sinclair and the left-arm seamer James Franklin have been called into the squad, although quite how the Kiwis intend to replace Vettori is another question. There has not been enough time to fly a replacement all the way over from New Zealand, and on Monday, Stephen Fleming hinted that they may resort to blooding some youngsters as an emergency measure.Another, less probable solution, would be a last hurrah for that most combative of souls, New Zealand’s coach John Bracewell. He is only 46, after all, and his inclusion as a spinning option would bolster the batting as well – he scored his one and only Test century at Trent Bridge back in 1986.More likely, however, is that New Zealand will seek to draw their inspiration from another man with fond memories of Nottingham. Tomorrow, Chris Cairns begins his 62nd and final Test, at the ground that became his second home throughout the 1990s. He, of all people, has the capacity to raise New Zealand’s game when it is most needed.But it is far from the homecoming that Cairns had envisaged at the start of the tour. "To say we’re down is an understatement," he admitted. "There are a lot of disappointed guys, and we have to pick ourselves up and play like we know we can. A victory is all I want. For me it’s always been about winning. I find individual performance is shallow if it doesn’t lead to a victory."Cairns had no doubt about the difference between the sides. "Purely Steve Harmison," he said. "Overall the teams are pretty similar, but Harmison has spearheaded their attack. Unfortunately we haven’t had someone to do the same thing." Harmison’s 15 wickets have taken his tally for 2004 to 38 in six games – second only to Muttiah Muralitharan, whom he also trails in the world rankings.

He is currently the hottest property in world cricket, and with that in mind, Duncan Fletcher has warned that he may be rested for much of the NatWest Series against New Zealand and West Indies later this month. But one man who needs all the bowling he can get is James Anderson. He has recovered from a bruised heel and is expected to start his first Test since England’s innings defeat in Colombo last December.That’s tough luck on Martin Saggers, who let nobody down at Headingley and even celebrated his recall with a first-ball wicket. But Anderson is in desperate need of a run-out, after a frustrating winter on the sidelines in Sri Lanka and the Caribbean.”The way the lads bowled in the West Indies and in these Tests has made me more determined to squeeze back into the team," said Anderson, adding that his heel was not a massive problem. "I’ve got a little bit of the old pace back from when I first started with England, and hopefully I’ll have the same sort of success."That would certainly be a bonus for England – Anderson shot to stardom with his matchwinning four-wicket haul against Pakistan in the World Cup, and followed up with five wickets on his Test debut at Lord’s. And given Trent Bridge’s seamer-friendly reputation – James Kirtley took six wickets in last year’s victory over South Africa – it is the ideal ground on which to launch a comeback.And the ideal time as well, for everything is currently rosy in England’s garden. Confidence is soaring, and the general belief is that things can only better. After all, the Headingley Test was made memorable by the contributions of England’s youth brigade, but it was the old guard who starred in the Caribbean triumph. However, Graham Thorpe and, especially, Mark Butcher have been peripheral characters in this series so far, while Michael Vaughan is due some big runs as he beds down in the No. 4 position.It is a long time – three years, in fact – since an England team has exuded such an air of confidence. But we all remember what happened on that occasion. At Old Trafford in 2001, they were seemingly all set for a fifth series win in a row, only to squander eight wickets in the final session, as Pakistan tied the 2001 series at 1-1. Shortly afterwards, England were steamrollered by the Australians.Somehow, it is hard to envisage a similar failure of nerve at Trent Bridge, but with England, you can never quite be sure. For the moment, it is probably best to keep pinching yourself, just in case.England (probable) 1 Marcus Trescothick, 2 Andrew Strauss, 3 Mark Butcher, 4 Michael Vaughan (capt), 5 Graham Thorpe, 6 Andrew Flintoff, 7 Geraint Jones (wk), 8 Ashley Giles, 9 Matthew Hoggard, 10 Steve Harmison, 11 James Anderson.New Zealand (probable) 1 Mark Richardson, 2 Stephen Fleming (capt), 3 Nathan Astle, 4 Mathew Sinclair, 5 Scott Styris, 6 Chris Cairns, 7 Jacob Oram, 8 Brendon McCullum, 9 Daryl Tuffey, 10 Kyle Mills, 11 James Franklin.

Thirty-five years of struggle was not meant to end so easily. Conquering the final frontier was supposed to finish with a duel similar to the one Australia fought in India in 2001, except that it was meant to finish with Ricky Ponting’s sweaty hands raising the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Instead, the conquest was over in three Tests as India let down the drawbridge before Ponting could try his first sweep.Moses led his people through the desert wilderness for 40 years before arriving in Canaan. Adam Gilchrist, the stand-in captain, has achieved what Hughes, Border, Taylor and Waugh – four times – could not, by leading Australia to the promised land. The journey began when Bill Lawry departed Madras with a 3-1 victory on December 28, 1969. Of the current Australian side only Shane Warne was alive, but he was a baby months away from his first mouthful of baked beans.While Moses had his Ten Commandments, Australia’s definitive plan didn’t come until the heartbreak of 2001, when Steve Waugh turned up to celebrate with his Southern Comfort and instead drank in unfulfilled destiny. Desperate to avoid further heartbreak, the players and the support staff filled laptops with tactical and trivial plans over months and years. No team has ever been better prepared.There’s been an executive summary for everything and everyone. They’ve had a yoga instructor, detailed instructions for the hotel chefs, and have sipped drinks during games instead of gulping them like their predecessors. In mid-tour everybody went on holiday. These were small moves, but they yielded big results.On the field they would be more patient. Under Gilchrist Australia have been willing to go on the defensive in a way Waugh never allowed. Shane Warne, now the world’s highest wicket-taker, would be a stock bowler. The pace attack would be the hit-men, bowling straight, sharing their reverse-swing secrets and having more protection on the leg side. Only singles would be on offer to batsmen addicted to boundaries.Importantly, they’ve been flexible enough to adapt. Michael Clarke wasn’t supposed to bat, but performed better than everyone except Damien Martyn by playing with a joie de vivre not seen since the young Michael Slater. Gilchrist took charge so seamlessly that Ponting, recovering from a broken thumb, was not missed. And after avoiding the sweep in the first innings at Bangalore, the batsmen began to play that shot in an effort to rotate the strike. The outcomes have been spectacular.India have four of the world’s most intimidating batsmen, and two of the most feared spinners. Yet they have been humiliated. Gilchrist continued the torture today by extending the lead well beyond 500. He had declared early at Headingley when filling in for Waugh in 2001, and was Butchered. There was no way he was risking such a prize on anything remotely close to a sporting declaration.What followed was the Indian top order’s softest collapse of the series. Aakash Chopra and Rahul Dravid were bowled in ways that would upset club batsmen, and Jason Gillespie finished with four wickets. Sachin Tendulkar became Glenn McGrath’s 450th victim with a timid shot from a great man, and the game was up. The fielders’ smiles widened and they waited for the winning moment. John Buchanan held his camcorder, Ponting chewed his fingers like Mark Taylor, and the final pair’s boundaries were laughed off.But this was serious. When Martyn caught Zaheer Khan in the deep off Warne the team exploded. Gilchrist, flapping like a swan chased by a fox, was overwhelmed, but managed to call the moment “the most fulfilling of my cricketing life”. Allan Border, now a selector, was in the stands to cheer, and greetings were quickly sent back to Steve Waugh.This was the Australian equivalent of England winning the rugby World Cup, and the trophy they had won only at home in 1999 will be returned next week in Mumbai. This result means that the team, the extended family reborn under Border, built into world champions by Taylor, and turned into record-breakers by Waugh, can enjoy the view as cricket’s greatest travellers. It has taken them 35 years, but they have finally won in India.

Disturbed about his exclusion from the one-day side after playing two games in the Indian Oil Cup in Sri Lanka, Anil Kumble has asked if different standards are used to measure different players.Aggrieved enough to refer to himself in the third person, Kumble said to the , “It’s a bit strange this happens only to a few players like Laxman, Anil. People expect me to take five wickets every time I bowl. That’s not possible. As long as there is the same scale for everyone, it’s fine, but…”While Kumble’s Test form has improved dramatically, his one-day record has not been as noteworthy. In his last 30 games, Kumble has claimed 28 wickets at 42.10. But the 30 have been scattered, with instances of hurried selections and hasty rests, followed by calls for his retirement from one-dayers. “For the last one-and-a-half years people have been asking me this question,” he said. “Do they mean to say that I should stop playing one-dayers? Isn’t it my prerogative to decide?”The secretary of the Indian board, SK Nair, explained the dropping of Kumble and VVS Laxman: “The selectors felt they would be more useful in the Tests. Their recent record in one-day matches was also considered before selecting the side.” He attributed Zaheer Khan’s exclusion to the same reason. As for Lakshmipathy Balaji, who had done little wrong, Nair said that he had been rested to give others a chance on what he hinted was an ideal tour to experiment.Sourav Ganguly, assigned the captaincy for only the tour of Zimbabwe after what was reported to be a narrow selection vote in his favour, said that the two separate teams chosen for the one-day and Test series were the board’s decision. He refused to speak about the high-profile exclusions, telling the (HT) that it “doesn’t matter who is [in] the team and who isn’t. The team has to deliver.” Asked specifically about Kumble, he replied, “That’s for the selectors to answer. I’m happy with the selection.”Meanwhile, asked about Ganguly’s return as captain, Virender Sehwag said, “I think he is the best choice. It is not easy to comment on the issue. However, I think whatever the selectors have decided is based on past performance and while taking into account what is best for the team. Ganguly has been the most successful skipper for India, this speaks for itself.”Also satisfied with the team selection was Ajit Agarkar, who made his seventh return to the Indian team. “I was always hopeful of a recall to the Indian team,” he said to and later told the that “not being picked [for the Indian Oil Cup] did hurt a lot.”

Australia’s steely resolve enabled them to win a crucial encounter at Colombo, and wrap up the five-match one-day series. Ricky Ponting was understandably elated after the match, saying, “That was a fantastic win.”Ponting said that his team’s triumph was built on the ability to “hang in” for as long as possible. “We had things going our way half-way through our batting innings, but things change around pretty quickly over here. At one stage, we were looking at about 260 … and ended up about 30 short. Then we were behind the eight-ball early with the ball.”But as I said to the guys out on the ground, the side that hangs in there the longest in this game will probably win.”Michael Kasprowicz was the declared the Man of the Match, and he said that the win came thanks to the unity within the side, and a defiance in the face of foreign conditions. “You can feel the emotion in the team that comes from achieving something special,” he said. “Playing in Australia, you know the conditions, but to come over here and play on turning wickets against unfamiliar spinners on lightning quick outfields – everything’s just so different – and I think that’s the challenge.”When asked about his bowling, Kasprowicz said, “I’ve definitely bowled better in domestic cricket, but never better for Australia.”Adam Gilchrist took six catches in the match, thereby equalling his own world record. Afterwards, Ponting said: “I know he was very happy with that. Equalling the world record in one-day cricket doesn’t happen every day.”He added that he wasn’t too concerned about Gilchrist’s barren run with the bat, and warned, “Gilly’s still batting well, there’s no doubt about that. He probably hasn’t scored as many as he would have liked in the last couple of games. But don’t worry, he’ll play well in the Tests.”Australia will probably rest a number of key players for the final match of the series tomorrow, with Gilchrist, Jason Gillespie and Ponting or Matthew Hayden the likely candidates to make way for Brad Haddin, Brad Williams and Simon Katich.Ponting confirmed this when he said, “Obviously we’ve got a few guys in the shed that haven’t played any cricket at all and a few that have only played a couple of games. We want to try and give most guys a bit of cricket.”

The former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has said Pakistan could struggle against England later in the year, but still considers the home team will start favourites. England’s much-publicised tour of Pakistan – they have refused to play a five-day Test in Karachi – gets underway in late October, with three Tests and five one-day matches.Speaking to , Akram said: “England have been playing good cricket these days and they will be coming to Pakistan high on confidence after a big Ashes series.””Pakistan, I feel, still would start as firm favourites with three quality spinners, two of them – Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik being top-class all-rounders – and pacer Shoaib Akhtar coming back into the side, something which will tilt the scale in their favour.””But they will have to work very hard to challenge England. Pakistan, under coach Bob Woolmer, [are] a different side. They are much more mentally strong and that matters,” said Akram.England are in the throes of a nail-biting Ashes series, one which has drained every ounce of energy from players and supporters alike. Akram rejected the notion that England could be jaded and exhausted from their summer efforts:”I don’t think it will be the case. They will have a rest before coming to Pakistan and also players these days are very professional and have a high level of fitness.”England’s pace attack has bullied Australia’s batsmen all summer, and their mastering of reverse swing has, many believe, been the key factor to England’s success against Australia. And Akram paid tribute to England’s attack:”I don’t think their pacers will struggle in Pakistan since the weather will be cold and nice. In winters we have only 83 overs in Punjab and so that will matter. England will cope well with conditions there, and Pakistan will have to play out of their skins to do well.””The current Ashes series has shown that England are getting very close to finishing the matches. They are getting the extra edge in general.”

India have retained the same squad for the first three ODIs against South Africa after giving Sri Lanka a 6-1 hiding in the one-day series. VRV Singh, the Punjab fast bowler, has been sidelined for two-and-a-half weeks because of an ankle injury.VRV Singh was originally picked as Jai Prakash Yadav’s replacement for the last two matches against Sri Lanka but it was later discovered that he was suffering from an inversion injury to his left ankle with associated bruising. Yadav, who was then recalled as VRV Singh’s replacement, has another chance against South Africa to stake his claim to a one-day spot.Sourav Ganguly, who was initially injured for the first two ODIs against Sri Lanka and was subsequently dropped for the rest of the series, did not find a place in the squad. Ganguly was overlooked in spite of making 117 against North Zone in a Duleep Trophy match at Rajkot. However, in his next innings, he made just 14 against Zimbabwe Board President’s XI.Ganguly did his cause no favours today after Zaheer Khan bowled him for a duck in the first innings of the Duleep Trophy final against West Zone at Ahmedabad. Zaheer also did not earn a recall even after tallying 19 wickets to date in the Duleep Trophy .Squad for the first three ODIs against South Africa
Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid (capt), Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Suresh Raina, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Murali Kartik, Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar, S Sreesanth, RP Singh, JP Yadav