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“It is a dream come true.” That was Kieron Pollard’s reaction to being named in West Indies’ provisional 30-man squad for the World Cup. Only a week after scoring a century on his first class debut for Trinidad and Tobago in the regional Carib Beer Series, Pollard has been picked to train for the World Cup in March. The squad also includes West Indies A player, Gavin Tonge and Trinidad and Tobago allrounder Reyad Emrit.The call-up to the regional squad came as a bit of a shock to Pollard but it was all part of his plan, albeit, it happened a bit earlier than expected. “I always dreamt of playing for the West Indies but I had no idea it would be so soon”, Pollard said. “Right now I am focusing on the task at hand which is to defeat Guyana (in the current Carib Beer second round game). My main goal is to perform my best and when the training camp starts then I’ll worry about the final selection.”Everyone has an equal chance of being selected but I think I have a very good chance of making it into the final 15 for the World Cup. I am happy with my current form and once I continue to perform consistently, I think I can be a positive attribute to the West Indies squad.”Pollard, who burst onto the scene with impressive hitting during the Stanford 20/20 tournament last year, attributed a lot of his success to the senior players on the T&T squad. “Playing with senior players has been a big help to the younger guys. They have been there for us and it is a great feeling to play in a squad with those guys”.Emrit also had dreams of playing for West Indies but admitted that later was better than never. After playing one game for West Indies A, Emrit was named in the 15-man squad to tour India for a short one-day series.He admitted that he had some problems with his bowling recently but said he had been working with coaches and hoped to get it right in time for India. “I have been working on swinging the ball more consistently and I think that will be a great asset on the tour”, said Emrit. In terms of his chances of making it to the final World Cup squad Emrit said: “It means a lot. It is every cricketer’s dream. I have been working very hard in the past year and I think as long as I have a good tour in India my chances will only get better. Dreams do come true and I am looking forward to the tour and the World Cup”.World Cup probables
Brian Lara, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dwayne Smith, Omari Banks, Carlton Baugh, Ian Bradshaw, Dwayne Bravo, Patrick Browne, Corey Collymore, Narsingh Deonarine, Travis Dowlin, Fidel Edwards, Rayad Emrit, Ryan Hinds, Wavell Hinds, Sylvester Joseph, Rawl Lewis, Dave Mohammed, Runako Morton, Daren Powell, Keiron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Devon Smith, Jerome Taylor, Gavin Tonge.

England’s coach, Peter Moores, was left with plenty to ponder at the end of a troubling first day at the University Oval in Dunedin. After watching his probable Test batting line-up crumble for 131 in a mere 40.1 overs, there was little solace to be found in the efforts of his bowlers, who struggled for rhythm against a strong opposition, and conceded a lead of 46 with six wickets still standing at the close.”In general we played a bit loose and we paid the penalty for it,” said Moores at the close of play. “There is not much time now, they have got one more innings and they have got to make the most of any time they get out there. It’s all about getting into that Test-match tempo and getting into that way of playing.”Of particular concern is the form of Andrew Strauss, who was dropped from the Test squad for the tour of Sri Lanka before Christmas. He has since been earmarked for the pivotal No. 3 position when the first Test gets underway at Hamilton next week, but with nine runs in two innings on the tour so far, there can be no guarantees that he will hold off the challenge of Owais Shah, who top scored with 96 in the two-day practice match earlier in the week.”We’re still trying to finalise our team,” said Moores. “We’ve had Owais with us for quite a long time, but we’ve not seen much of Andrew. Fortunately he got a hundred in his last game for Northerns last week, but he’s got to do the work to put his name in the hat. We’ve got an idea of our team, but this was a chance to look at our options, and we put a side out that gives us an opportunity to look at players.”One unexpected selection was Chris Tremlett. He had not been included in the original Test squad, but was kept on as cover after the one-dayers when Steve Harmison’s arrival had to be delayed to allow for the birth of his new child. He was given his chance in the starting line-up when Ryan Sidebottom sustained a grade one tear to his left hamstring. “While we’ve still got niggles we want to keep Tremlett on, because it’s obviously a long way to ship someone in,” said Moores. “He has a chance [for the first Test], and he wouldn’t have played in this match if he wasn’t in the frame. Places are still up for grabs in the bowling department, and we’ll take as long as we need to take to identify what our best team is.”That best team need not necessarily include Harmison. Not for the first time, and presumably not for the last, he produced an enigmatic day’s work, returning the unremarkable figures of 1 for 59 from 12 overs. “Steve’s had a challenging 12 months,” said Moores. “Today he bowled better, but he’s still not where he wants to be. He needs to find rhythm and consistency, which he was starting to find at the end of the West Indies series [in June]. But then he got himself injured through no fault of his own and that put him back.”At the moment, we are very conscious he needs to get outside and bowl because he’s not hitting his straps,” said Moores. “Physically he’s fit, but Steve will admit he needs to bowl to get into rhythm, at the moment he’s not had much bowling.” With Stuart Broad and James Anderson both waiting in the wings for their opportunities, Harmison will need to find his form soon. “We have other bowlers who are exciting cricketers,” said Moores, “and it’s a fair scrap to see who gets the Test spot.”

Eighteen percent of first-class cricketers in England would risk incurring a year-long county ban by the ECB to play in the next Indian Cricket League (ICL), and 35% would consider retiring from international cricket prematurely, according to a survey conducted by the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA).The report canvassed the anonymous opinions of 334 players, including all the current England squad, providing “a comprehensive picture of the current cricketing landscape with particular reference to the Indian cricket leagues, the opportunity they offer and their potential threat to the domestic game.”Most significantly for England, the report said that 35% of England players “would consider retiring from international cricket prematurely to play IPL, primarily to avoid the grind of cricket and spend more time with their family”. The same percentage also believe that a day will arrive where they see tournaments such as the IPL and ICL ranking ahead of obligations to their country.Currently, the ECB restricts any player who represents the ICL and are likely to ban them from playing in county cricket for a year, but the vast sums of money are keeping the ICL and the IPL the hot topic of county dressing rooms up and down the country. 89% thought that freedom of movement should prevail, however.”Almost 100% of players see Indian cricket leagues as an attractive option and are hoping that a window in the Future Tours Programme (FTP), and scheduling that doesn’t conflict with the domestic season, can be created for them,” the report said. “36 players (11 per cent) have been approached to play in either the ICL or current IPL tournaments, with 27 players targeted specifically by the ICL.”Players believe the Twenty20 format and the newly formed Indian leagues create a level of threat to the fabric of the game as we currently know it. The restrictions put in place by the ECB prevent a player from participating in county cricket for 12 months if they play in the next ‘unauthorised’ ICL tournament in October, but 18% (60) said that they would sign up for ICL knowing there was a ban in place. A further 27% (90) were currently unsure at this time.”Michael Vaughan, who has said that the IPL is huge attraction for players and an exciting development for the game, believes Test cricket remains the top level but is a route to the high-earning leagues: “The findings are revealing in many ways. We have always said playing for our country was the priority. Test cricket is the pinnacle and we see that international cricket is at present the pathway to achieve selection to any other authorised tournaments,” he said.”We’ll continue to work the ECB to see if opportunities within the FTP can be created in the coming years. In the meantime, we have much important domestic and international cricket this summer beginning, with the Kiwi’s in a couple of weeks. Let’s concentrate on that for now.”Following today’s news that Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, has been ousted from his post, the survey also revealed cricketers’ dissatification with the governing body with 64% of England players having no confidence in the ICC and 57% believing decisions are made along party lines and not in the interest of cricket.

ScorecardWellington wrestled their way back to the top of the table with a 90-run win against Canterbury in Wellington. Matthew Bell’s second-innings 188 helped them to 414 for 8 declared, to set Canterbury 358 and they promptly bowled out their visitors for 267, Dewayne Bowden leading the attack with three wickets.Bell’s unbeaten 188 contained 24 fours and he received good support from Neal Parlane and Grant Elliott, who both made fifties. Parlane also made a half-century in the first innings, as did Chris Nevin, while Brandon Hiini bagged his third five-wicket haul to bowl them out for 256.Kruger van Wyk gave Canterbury hope with 42 to go with his first-innings 111, as they reached 213 for 6. This was some recovery from 139 for 5, the bulk of which was Peter Fulton’s 92. But van Wyk’s dismissal, bowled by Charlie Shreck for 42, brought about a further collapse of 5 for 54. Shreck grabbed another wicket to bring his match haul to seven, following his 5 for 77 in the first innings.Fraser Quarterman struck first in the second dig, removing Shanan Stewart, before Bowden opened his account by bowling Michael Papps for 28. He went on to trap Johann Myburgh for a duck and remove Hiini for 20.

Peter Siddle, Victoria’s early hero in the Pura Cup final, battled a severe tooth ache as he inflicted pain on New South Wales at the SCG. Siddle picked up the infection on Friday and was not able to eat during the initial exchanges of the contest, but it could not stop him from taking four wickets on day one and finishing with 5 for 66 as the Blues dropped to 281 early on the second morning.He was forced to leave the field late in the final session for treatment on Saturday, but returned to capture the crucial wicket of Brad Haddin. As soon as he reached the dressing room he was taken to a dentist to deal with the problem.”It’s pretty nasty, one of those ones that might have to be pulled out,” Cameron White, the captain, told AAP. “He was in quite a lot of pain.”He had so many drugs and couldn’t eat and he started to feel really ill as well. So it was a good effort to keep bowling for us. He has gone straight to the hospital now so hopefully some doctor can fix it up, pull them out or something for him. I think he’ll be OK, he’s a pretty tough lad.”Siddle showed no signs of the problem on the second morning and picked up his fifth victim when he had Nathan Bracken caught by David Hussey in the slips. It was his fourth five-wicket collection of the season and his 29th wicket in five Pura Cup games.

Nottinghamshire can take very little credit for making Middlesex bat for a second time as they slumped to an embarassing 10 wicket defeat inside 3 days at Trent Bridge.Nothing much went right for Notts after Jason Gallian inserted the visitors on the first morning as a punishing century from the Australian Justin Langer took Middlesex to 412 and full batting points. Notts were then dismissed inside 80 overs in their first innings and made to follow-on 167 runs behind.Resuming on the third morning at 29-0 seamers Angus Fraser and Richard Johnson wiped out the Notts top order in the first hour of play. Fraser picked up the early wickets of Welton and Gallian with successive deliveries and that heralded the start of a steady procession back to the pavilion as the former England player took 4 wickets and Johnson 3 before lunch.The spin of Phil Tufnell accounted for AJ Harris, who had earlier pulled the same bowler for 6, to leave Notts on 128-8, still 39 runs away from making Middx bat again.However, in the first hour of the afternoon session David Lucas and Paul Franks batted sensibly to ensure that Middlesex would have to bat for a second time. Lucas, on the way to beating his previous career high of 25, dominated a stand which grew in confidence and shot selection. The first 50 partnership of the innings necessitated a return for Fraser at the Radcliffe Road End. Though obviously still tired from his marathon unbroken morning spell of 13 overs he managed to end the stand when Franks clipped to Joyce at square-leg.Franks had reached exactly 50, coming off 98 deliveries with 7×4’s. Lucas had advanced to 46 not out but any hopes he had of a maiden half century were instantly dashed as Fraser had last man Matt Whiley caught behind first ball – to complete a pair.Fraser, three days after celebrating his 35th birthday, had taken 6-64 (9-103 in the match) to take the starring role in dismising Notts for 192 in just 60 overs.Requiring 26 runs for victory openers Andrew Strauss and Mike Roseberry saw Middlesex home side 4 overs to lift their side above Gloucestershire at the foot of the Division Two table.

Scotland Yard detectives have told Jamaican police that Bob Woolmer, the former Pakistan coach, was not murdered, according to a report in the UK’s Daily Mail. “Mr Woolmer was not a well man,” a source close to the inquiry told the Daily Mail. “It is now accepted that he died of natural causes.”Police have been treating the case as murder shortly after Woolmer’s body was discovered in a Kingston hotel on March 18. But the change of tack came after an investigation by a UK Home Office pathologist who flew to Jamaica to help.It is claimed the authorities will announce Woolmer died of a heart failure caused by chronic ill health and possibly diabetes at a press conference next week. However, Karl Angell, the Jamaica police’s director of communications, told The Gleaner he did not know of any planned news conference for next week.The BBC has also apparently reached similar conclusions as the after an investigation of its own and backed the latter’s claim that Scotland Yard had told Jamaican police officials Woolmer’s death was not murder.The ‘s report added, however, that Gill Woolmer had heard nothing about her husband dying of natural causes.

Spin me once, shame on you. Spin me twice, shame on me. South Africa went through the Test series calmly picking apart the myth that they wilt in the face of spin. On turning wickets, they rarely looked in any kind of trouble. But suddenly, twice in succession, an inability to prosper against spin has cost them matches.Spin over five days and spin over 50 overs are different prospects entirely. Against Danish Kaneria and Abdur Rehman in the Tests, the objective was to not get out to them, one they achieved so well they eventually scored runs comfortably against them. Against Shahid Afridi and Rehman in the ODIs, where swift runs are a must, South Africa have stuttered.The pair have seven wickets between them and have gone for under 4.5 an over; in these numbers have the games essentially been lost by South Africa. Pakistan’s plan has been simple: prepare a slow pitch and choke the middle overs.”We have seen the conditions after the first game,” said Graeme Smith. “They believe they can beat us on these wickets and their spinners have bowled well. Afridi and Rehman in the middle overs made it difficult for us and that is something we have to look at now and plan against that.”Spin at both ends began from the 30th over onwards, when South Africa were a not unreasonable 111 for 3. But in the subsequent, vital 16 overs, until pace offered relief at one end, they squeezed out only 71 runs and lost four key wickets doing so. Each time, it seemed, they started, they immediately stopped and no real partnerships were forged.The pitch fooled many. Yesterday the general consensus was that it had runs, and plenty of them, in it. Smith had little hesitation in batting when he won his fourth toss out of five on this tour. But after a confident start, when ball zipped off pitch and bat, matters slowed down.”Ten overs into the innings we realised the wicket was getting slow and stopping,” Smith admitted. “I think both teams struggled to bat on this wicket. Pakistan bowled well up front. Their spinners were very good because they got the ball to turn away. We got ourselves back in game but we lost too many wickets at crucial times. Mohammad Yousuf held their innings together and we needed that.”Indeed he might praise Yousuf’s innings for South Africa made every one of those 197 runs count. Smith’s assertion that another 20-30 runs to the total would’ve been very defendable has substance in light of the way they bowled, particularly Albie Morkel. Had one or two throws hit the stumps and one catch been held, even the target they set might have been defended.

“We bowled very well. I just think we needed one or two bigger partnerships in the middle. If we can set 220-250 it will be very difficult to chase on these wickets. We had run-out opportunities and we dropped Misbah-ul-Haq first ball. There are too many ‘ifs’ at the moment that we are not controlling. We are making little mistakes that are costing us. We need to be little more precise with our chances,” said Smith.All well and good and true, but you also wonder whether sending their star of the Test series, Paul Harris, back before the ODIs was such a clever move after all. He took 12 wickets in the two Tests and as much as his bounce and turn, it was his consistency in hitting the right areas and restricting runs that impressed.Johan Botha has done well in spurts, but Harris would’ve offered a different threat. Was Smith just a little rueful when answering the question? “I think Botha has done a good job. It might have been nice to have two spinners but the selectors have given us a team, we have backed it and we have to give the guys their opportunities.”

Scottish cricket received a significant boost this week with the confirmation that a sponsor has been found to back a new national Twenty20 competition across Scotland this summer.The format has proved one of the most popular innovations in the sport during the past three years and Scotland will now have its own tournament, with Glasgow-based sponsors, Murgitroyd and Company, agreeing on a two-year deal. It is believed to be worth five figures.The existing 16-team Twenty20 events in the east and west of the country will be re-launched as the Murgitroyd Masterton Trophy and the Muritroyd Rowan Cup. In addition, two new regional competitions will be based in the Borders and the Caledonian district, and the four area winners will proceed to a high-profile national finals day at Shawholm, the home of Poloc CC, on August 3.In its initial format, this seems an ideal opportunity for cricket to raise its profile throughout Scotland in the months ahead. And although the prize money on offer – £600 for the regional winners, with a further £1000 up for grabs for the overall champions – may not be huge at this stage, this development is the most positive thing to have happened in Scotland’s game since the national side were invited to lock horns with the English counties in the NCL in 2003.”This is a fantastic sponsorship, which will spark the imagination and enthusiasm of the participation clubs,” said Cricket Scotland’s chief executive, Roddy Smith, who has worked behind the scenes with Keith Young, the CEO of Murgitroyd, to get the tournament up and running as quickly as possible. “Practically all the sponsorship fund will be returned to the benefit of the participating clubs and district organisers, and it is tremendous news. The new event will enhance and extend the enjoyment and competitiveness which has been a feature of Twenty20 wherever it has been played and this is sure to generate good crowds.”Cricket Scotland has faced criticism for a number of policy decisions over the last couple of years, but on this issue, at least, they deserve praise. As Paul Hoffmann, a former international player whose belligerent batting is likely to make him a very dangerous opponent in the abbreviated game, remarked: “We’ve watched the way that Twenty20 has taken off in England and what a success they have made of their showpiece finals day, and it will be brilliant to have something similar up here in Scotland, because I’m sure that the cricketing public will be really enthused by this.” So, one suspects, will Scottish-based TV producers, if the weather stays fair.

Marcus Trescothick is adamant his decision to retire from international cricket is binding, contrary to the impression he may have given during an interview on Sky Sports News. Trescothick told the channel he missed the buzz of playing for his country “every day” but clarified on the website that he will not return to internationals.”I have no plans to return to international cricket,” he confirmed, “for all the good reasons that have already been explained at length. I am committed to continuing my career with Somerset and understand that people may wish to try and continually link me with a return to England, but that will just not happen.”Trescothick withdrew from consecutive winter tours to India and Australia after suffering from a stress-related illness, and has not featured in the England set-up since the summer of 2006. Despite seemingly hinting at a comeback, he officially announced his international retirement at the end of March, after pulling out at the last minute from Somerset’s pre-season trip to Abu-Dhabi.All his energies are being concentrated on the start of a new county season with Somerset, but confusion arose when he spoke to Sky Sports News. He appeared to suggest that, at the age of 32, the chance might one day arise for him to pick up where he left off in the international arena. “It’s never an easy decision, of course it’s not,” he said of his retirement. “But I think it was inevitable at that point that it was the best thing to do for all parties.”It was time to move on, draw a line under that part of my life and my career that had gone by, which was great fun but it’s time now to challenge myself in different areas at Taunton and hopefully we can do well and make things happen here.”But Trescothick was asked whether he misses playing for England, to which he said: “Of course I do, every day, and I’ll get that for the rest of my life. The buzz you have from international games in front of a full house at Lord’s is irreplaceable. But you sacrifice that at different times for things which are more important to me. I’ve made the right decision and we’ll move on from there.”As for the future, Trescothick would not be drawn: “We’ll see how it goes,” he said. “I’m not going to set targets or deadlines or anything at the moment, I’ll just continue to do the right thing for myself and make sure my health is the most important thing.”