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Eighty-three players, including 65 from the USA, will participate in a first-round trial for a chance to be selected in a combined ICC Americas regional team that will take part in West Indies’ Nagico Super50 tournament next January. The 83 players will participate in the first part of the two-weekend trial, between September 18 and 21.Twenty-one players were already earmarked last month for the final weekend of the trial from September 24 to 27.The ICC has not confirmed how many players from the first weekend will be invited to phase two to join the second group of 21 players, but it is expected to be no more than ten. A final squad will then be picked, with some potentially getting a further invite to a Caribbean Premier League trial.Apart from the 65 USA players, the list includes 14 players from Canada, one each from Cayman Islands and Bermuda as well as two players from Argentina. The trial will be run by Tom Evans, the ICC Americas high-performance consultant.Three coaches Canada, two from USA and one from Bermuda – including Canada U-19 coach Errol Barrow and USA U-19 coach Thiru Kumaran – will play a talent observation and development role in the camp. However, none of the men’s national team coaches from the three countries will be taking part.”We were encouraged by the amount of interest in the online process and the quality of applications received, while I’m sure the selected players will now be striving for a place in Phase 2,” Evans said in an ICC press release.Batsman Timothy Surujbally is the only player from the recent USA World T20 Qualifier squad who will not be participating in the trial. Four players from the Canada squad – captain Rizwan Cheema, Ahmad Awais, Khurram Chohan and Jimmy Hansra – are absent, while Nikhil Dutta is another notable omission.Dutta, a 20-year-old offspinner, had earned a CPL contract with St Kitts and Nevis Patriots but a dispute arose over his commitment to the Canada squad for the T20 Qualifier, after which his No-Objection Certificate was revoked by Cricket Canada and he wound up not going to the qualifier either. ESPNcricinfo had reported last month that Dutta and Cricket Canada are working through mediation to come to a resolution over the dispute before any decision is made regarding his participation in the Indianapolis camp.The 65 USA players include two with relative obscurity from a cricketing perspective. Kyle Neathery is a 25-year-old former high school baseball star from Louisiana who is now trying his hand at cricket in Houston, Texas. Ryan Carter, 31, a former college lacrosse player at Butler University in Indianapolis, now lives and plays league cricket in the St. Louis area.Seven former USA representatives not part of the squad to Ireland are also in the list, including Timroy Allen, who was USA’s vice-captain at the 2013 T20 Qualifier in the UAE but had a falling out with the USACA administration and coach Robin Singh over player treatment during that tour. Ravi Timbawala, who is in the late stages of rehabilitation for a torn ACL suffered at the USACA T20 National Tournament in August 2014, is also in the list.Three USA players are from the current U-19 squad that finished runner-up to Canada at the ICC Americas U-19 championship last month in Bermuda – leading scorer Kushal Ganji, Karan Patel and Gauranshu Sharma, the youngest player at the camp at just 17.One teenager not included in any of USA’s junior squads but who received an invite for the trial is Caen Healy, 17. Born to an American mother and an Irish father in London, he lived in Ireland until he was 11 before moving to California in 2008. However, he has traveled back to Ireland over the last several summers to play as a wicketkeeper for Merrion Cricket Club in Dublin.Two other notable names are former Singapore player Glenn Meyer and former Guyana U-19 player Zaheer Saffie, who both currently play league cricket in New York City. Meyer made his senior team debut for Singapore as an opening batsman at the age of 16 in 2002, and played 38 times for the men’s team with the last of those games coming in 2008, before he moved to the USA.Saffie has been a prolific scorer in the Eastern American Cricket Association while captaining Big Apple Cricket Club but has never drawn the attention of regional or national selectors. He played for Guyana U-19 for three years between 2002 and 2004, where his team-mates included current West Indies players Leon Johnson, Assad Fudadin and Devendra Bishoo.

Alastair Cook, England’s victorious captain, said that his players could take pride in a complete team performance after a stunning second-innings bowling display, led once again by Stuart Broad, delivered a remarkable seven-wicket win at Johannesburg, and a first overseas series victory since the tour of India in 2012-13.Cook top-scored with 43 in the run-chase, as England hunted down a target of 74 in 22.3 overs to secure an unassailable 2-0 lead with only next week’s fourth Test at Centurion to come. Afterwards, he paid tribute to Broad’s skill and stamina, after an incredible afternoon spell of 5 for 1 in ten overs had sent South Africa tumbling to 83 all out.However, Cook admitted that Broad’s off-colour performance on the first day of the contest – when he, along with many of his team-mates had been feeling the effects of a stomach bug – may have been a factor in his determination second-time around.”At the beginning of the day, we were talking positively about how we were going to win the game, and Stuart was really on it,” Cook told Sky Sports. “I don’t know if he was disappointed at not feeling well on the first day, rushing off to the toilet, but I think he thought the other bowlers carried him even though he bowled 17 overs [in the innings].”He just thought ‘this is my time’ and jeez, he bowled well,” Cook added. “We knew that, on this pitch, if you could hammer it down on the top off stump at good pace with the brand new ball, and make them play, it would be really hard.”Broad, who has now claimed five wickets in a single Test spell on a remarkable seven separate occasions in his career, said that the Wanderers surface was the sort he would like to pick up and take with him everywhere he played, as he finished the match on 330 wickets, five ahead of Bob Willis in third place on England’s all-time bowling list.”The air’s a bit thinner here so a ten-over spell is probably a bit much,” he said. “But I got in a rhythm from the far end and it was a good day to bowl, the wicket offered a little off the seam and in the air, and for a 6 foot 6 bowler there was a bit of bounce there as well. I wish I got to take that wicket around with us most places, that’s for sure.”I was a little bit under the weather [on the first day],” he admitted. “I think most of our fans and players, everyone we know has been ill in the last few weeks. But fortunately the doctors got me over it pretty quickly, and the guys bowled well on that first day to cover my absence really.”As so often in the best of Broad’s spells, the secret to success was pitching the ball up, as he himself admitted he had failed to do during South Africa’s first-innings 313.”I fell into the trap of probably bowling a bit too short and getting carried away with the bounce,” he said. “So we had a chat with the coach and the bowling group before we went out in the second innings, we talked about bringing the batsman forward a lot more, using the bouncer of course, but from a fuller length.”We got lucky today,” he added. “We got some clouds, the lights were on, it was perfect conditions to bowl, but we got the ball in the good areas from both ends to create that pressure and we took our catches, especially Titchy Taylor’s great catches at short leg. We took our opportunities and it’s been a fantastic day for us.”Despite Broad’s heroics, Cook was keen to spread the credit throughout his squad, on a day which began with England 75 runs adrift of South Africa’s first-innings score, but finished with him becoming the first England captain in history to achieve series wins in both India and South Africa.”It has not sunk in at all,” said Cook. “I think tomorrow morning with a dusty head it will start to.”One of the dustiest heads of all is likely to belong to Ben Stokes, who followed up a vital counterattacking fifty in the first innings with a key afternoon spell in support of Broad’s onslaught, and Cook singled his up-and-coming allrounder out for special praise.”I can’t take any credit for man-managing Ben Stokes,” he joked. “He’s off the leash tonight, but he’s an absolute gem in the side. The ability to score 250 one day then bowl almost 90mph, swinging both ways, when it’s time to balance the attack, a lot of people would want that in your side. When he got injured in Abu Dhabi, to come back here and do what he’s done, it’s amazing.”At the start of today, day three, we knew it would be a moving day in one sense,” he added. “But the challenge was to get up close to them and try to put pressure on them in the third innings. Trev [Trevor Bayliss, the coach] gave us a rocket at lunch, saying if you want to win the series, go now and go hard.”I’m really proud of the lads but also pleased for them,” Cook said. “Pakistan [in the UAE before Christmas] didn’t quite go our way and I felt we deserved more out of it. But we’ve got our rewards for sticking together and playing good cricket. You can get carried away with stats and averages, but everyone can be proud of what they’ve done.”

The Pakistan board is trying to bring Mohammad Yousuf back into the fold after he’d signed up with the Indian Cricket League (ICL). Three other Pakistan internationals – Abdul Razzaq, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Imran Farhat – have also signed up with the league though, revealingly, the board has not made any efforts to convince them otherwise.A board official told Cricinfo that Yousuf’s absence was the main concern. “Obviously the four signing up is something of a loss but we are concerned mainly about Yousuf. We are trying to discuss his decision with him but we are happy that he is the only big name to sign up from Pakistan.”Local papers reported the board was considering offering greater financial rewards in a bid to lure Yousuf back and, though unconfirmed, they are likely to create some friction with players who turned down lucrative offers from the ICL to stay with Pakistan.Of equal concern, for this present administration, would be another policy u-turn. Since taking over in October 2006, the board has acquired an unhealthy reputation for reversing on major decisions; lifting the doping bans on Mohammad Asif and Shoaib Akhtar, sacking and then re-hiring 80 board staff and the dismissal and re-appointment of Mushtaq Ahmed are just three examples.Its policy on the ICL has been clear so far: any player associated with it will be banned from playing for Pakistan. And even as efforts are underway to change Yousuf’s mind, Nasim Ashraf, the PCB chairman, reiterated its stance on the ICL.”Our position is clear. Anybody who goes to the ICL does so of his own choice,” he told Cricinfo. “It is not an approved league and anybody associated with it will not be associated with Pakistan thereafter.”Critics point out, though, that the stance may cause legal complications. Arif Abbasi, a former board chairman, was involved in negotiations with Kerry Packer over the fate of Pakistan players who signed up with World Series Cricket in the late 1970s and he believes, as he did then, there is nothing wrong with a separate league.”What is wrong with the league? You can’t stop players from playing and earning money,” Abbasi told Cricinfo. “That is a human right and it will become an issue if the board tries to implement a ban. The PCB’s reaction stems from ignorance because Kapil Dev [the chairman of the ICL board] has already said players will be released for international matches. So where’s the problem?”Another legal problem could arise if the board does decide to bring back one player and ignore the other three. Further, none of them are legally bound to the board in any way, as none have current contracts. “You cannot justify bringing just one player back and banning the other three. In any case, how do you ban someone you have not selected?” asks Abbasi.Yousuf is currently unavailable but some further development, says one official, is expected in the next few days. Just how unawares the board was caught by the signing is evident from the uncertainty of his response. “We need a few days to see what is happening. We are not sure at this point how big this whole issue will be or how it will pan out. We will have a clearer development on the whole matter in a few days.”

Cash-strapped Glamorgan have admitted that they will not have any big-name foreign signings in 2007 as a result of their financial predicament.”It’s entirely down to money … we won’t have an overseas player in 2007, but will look at it again in 2008,” Glamorgan chairman Paul Russell told BBC Sport at the end of summer which saw them finish second bottom of the Championship and relegated from the Pro40 Division One.”It’s been disappointing to say the least, in all tournaments,” Russell admitted. “We have talented and able players, but they’re yet to gel so they are a poor team, but I feel we can be a good one. There hasn’t been a happy balance between youth and experience with the talented youngsters not getting the help they needed from the senior players – but the senior guys have been struggling for form.”The sense that things are heading towards a crisis was only fuelled by his final remark: “We will have a management meeting in mid-October when we will assess our season. Everyone will be under review …myself, the coach, the chief executive.”Russell admitted the county has lost £1 million in the last seven years, and the ambitious redevelopment plans for Sophia Gardens, which should reap rewards in the long term, will cause more serious cash-flow problems in the immediate future as interest charges rise.Towards the end of 2006 Robert Croft quit as captain, and his successor David Hemp tried to sound upbeat when he said the lack of an overseas star would allow homegrown youngsters to come through. “It was a hugely disappointing end to the season, but hard work is the only answer,” he told the BCC, “from the most seasoned player to the most junior.”Glamorgan have a rich history of fielding some of the biggest stars in the game, from Javed Mianded to Viv Richards. But, to their credit, they have not gone down the path trodden by other strugglers and filled their side with Kolpak signings.

Greg Chappell, India’s coach, will not attend Friday’s selection committee meeting in Mumbai, which will choose the captain for the forthcoming tour of Zimbabwe. “Chappell would not attend the meeting tomorrow to choose the captain, but he would be present at the selectors’ meeting the next day to pick the rest of the squad members,” said SK Nair, the board secretary.Nair also said that the BCCI was awaiting an update on the fitness of Sachin Tendulkar. “We have asked team physiotherapist John Gloster to give an update on Tendulkar’s fitness and his progress,” he said. “We would be talking to Tendulkar tooon the matter before selecting the team.”Tendulkar underwent surgery in London for an elbow injury at the end of May and was ruled out of cricket for 12 to 16 weeks. Asked about the injury sustained by Irfan Pathan which has ruled him out of the forthcoming Afro-Asian one-day international series, Nair saidhis report too was awaited.Pathan apparently suffered the injury on his right shoulder when he fell while fielding the ball on the boundary during India’s tri-series final against Sri Lanka on Tuesday. BCCI sources said that Gloster had Pathan’s MRI scan report with him and would intimate the Board about the extent of the injury before the meeting.

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.

Ricky Ponting could yet play in the final Australia-West Indies Test starting in Antigua tomorrow.The Australian vice-captain, who did not play the last day of the third Test in Bridgetown due to a virus-like illness, has rested since arriving in Antigua.He hasn’t trained at all but was at a team meeting to discuss the match tactical options and his condition will be assessed before the game.

* Tendulkar not sure that he can make an early returnLittle master Sachin Tendulkar is not sure if he can be fit in time for the South African tour.Tendulkar, who has an injured toe, was talking to mediapersons after his return following check-ups by South African surgeon, Dr Mark Fergussen.”My injury does not need treatment as such. But the toe has to be rested for some more time,” he told the Press Trust of India in Mumbai. “I don’t want to predict the time it will take for me to start playing again,” he added.Dr Fergussen had prescribed special inner soles for Tendulkar’s shoes which he says will have to be worn for some time. The critical area is the ball of his right foot which has not healed completely after a hairline fracture suffered during India’s tour of Zimbabwe.”I know that injury is part and parcel of the game but it has been a bit disheartening knowing that the injury has not healed properly. I was very relieved to hear that I do not need surgery. I am now keeping my fingers crossed that I will be fit for the South African tour and I promise that I will be trying very hard to be ready,” Tendulkar said.* Indian captain for South Africa to be named on September 6The Indian selectors will meet on September 6 to name the captain for the tour of South Africa. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jaywant Lele also told cricketnext.com that the rest of the team would be named the next day.The indications are that Ganguly will retain his job despite the now certain prospect of India losing the Test series in Sri Lanka. The five wise men reportedly feel that South Africa will be far too demanding an assignment for a new captain. The big news on September 7 will concern the availability of Sachin Tendulkar. India will desperately need the little master to be fit and playing if they are to put up any fight on the hard and bouncy wickets in springbok country.The day would also bring us further news about VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath. The twenty players who will be offered contracts could also be named by then.The cricketnext.com report says that the Indian squad will now leave for South Africa four days earlier. They are expected to land in Johannesburg on September 24. This follows a request from the Indian team management that they be given a week to ten days to come to grips with the pitches and conditions in South Africa.India will play their first practice match against a Nicky Oppenheimer XI at Randjesfontein. On October 5 they would feature in a one-dayer against South Africa in Johannesburg. That match will be the curtain-raiser for the one-day tri-series that will feature Kenya as the third team. The Test series starts on November 3. You can get the most comprehensive coverage of the matches here at cricinfo.com.

A powerful collective batting performance from Canterbury set up a 65-run victory against Auckland in Timaru. After winning the toss, Canterbury made a fast start, with their openers adding 48 inside six overs. Henry Nicholls and Neil Broom then put on 103 for the second wicket, laying the foundation for a large score. Auckland fought back through Tarun Nethula, though, the legspinner taking three wickets to reduce the opponents to 166 for 5. Canterbury were lifted once again by Andrew Ellis and Todd Astle, who struck aggressive half-centuries to post 335 for 6.Auckland’s chase suffered because a lot of their batsmen got starts but no one made even a half-century. Opener Anaru Kitchen’s 47 was the top score. They slumped to 205 for 9 at on stage before Michael Bates struck 44 off 29 balls at No. 10 to lift them to 270 in 50 overs. Ellis and Astle took two wickets apiece for Canterbury to go with their scores of 66 not out and 83.Half-centuries from Jamie How, Ben Smith and Will Young spurred Central Districts to a six-wicket win against Wellington in Nelson. Chasing 256, How blasted 53 off 27 balls, Smith contributed 75, and Young was unbeaten on 97 as the target was achieved in 44.1 overs. Brent Arnel took all four Central Districts that fell.The Wellington batting had fallen away after their top three made useful contributions. Michael Pollard made 55, Michael Papps scored 35 and Stephen Murdoch contributed 61 but the innings slumped from 86 for 0 to 123 for 4. They collapsed again from 167 for 4 to 211 for 8, before finishing on 255. Adam Milne and George Worker took three wickets each for Central Districts.

Titans fast bowler Marchant de Lange has been called up to South Africa’s squad for the last two Tests in India as cover for Dale Steyn, who is doubtful for the Nagpur fixture beginning on November 25 because of a groin injury.De Lange has played two Tests for South Africa, the last of which was in Wellington in 2012. He was part of the T20 squad that won the series in India earlier in the tour.”At the moment we only have three fit seamers in Morne Morkel, Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Abbott, so with Dale still struggling with a groin injury we decided to bring Marchant in as cover so we are prepared in case one of the three breaks down,” South Africa coach Russell Domingo said. “Marchant’s biggest strength is pace, if the ball does start to reverse swing his pace through the air brings him into the contest.Marchant de Lange last played a Test for South Africa in 2012•Getty Images

“Even though his performances back home have been a bit inconsistent, we do know that as an impact player he is a guy that can turn the game with a good spell. Guys that can bowl at 150 km per hour will always be good value.”South Africa trail 1-0 in the series, after losing heavily in Mohali and then watching rain washout the Bangalore Test. Domingo, however, was confident his team could turn it around.”We’ve done it before,” he said. “We know that we are still in the contest with two matches to play, the wickets are definitely going to produce results. We are 1-0 down so we have every chance of turning it around in Nagpur. We have a lot of inexperienced players who haven’t played in India before so hopefully they will have learnt a lot of lessons from these first two matches.”