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Despite the United States-led military attacks on Afghanistan, the Zimbabwe cricket team’s tour of the United Arab Emirates for the Sharjah triangular series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka is still on.Zimbabwe Cricket Union managing director Dave Ellman-Brown said yesterday that they have not heard anything from the tournament organizers concerning any security fears and therefore the tour is still on.”Whatever decision we are going to make will be guided by the tournament organizers. At the moment we have not received any correspondence from the tournament organizers,” he said.”We will be looking at the situation daily before we decide anything. So at the moment the tour is still on.””We will only cancel the tour when there is evidence that the safety of our players will be at risk as a result of the US-led military action In Afghanistan.” The tournament is scheduled for the end of this month.Sri Lanka has already named their squad for the tournament while Pakistan is reported to have begun preparations for the tournament. Pakistan shares a border with the embattled Afghanistan while the United Arab Emirates has a large population of people from that country.A number of sporting activities have been put in a spin in the subcontinent since the terror attacks in the United States last month. The New Zealand cricket team pulled out of its tour of Pakistan, which was scheduled to start a few days after the terror attack.

Gloucestershire are on the verge of completing a clean sweep of the domestic one-day competitions after a convincing victory over Sussex last night lifted them to the top of the National League.Their six-wicket win and Yorkshire’s defeat by Kent means Gloucestershire will be crowned champions if Somerset fail to beat Lancashire at Old Trafford tonight. Even if they do, Gloucestershire can still complete the treble in front of their own supporters by beating Northamptonshire in their final game on Sunday week.Gloucestershire seemed to have been on the rough end of Duckworth Lewis calculations when they were asked to score 171 in 31 overs after two stoppages for rain had curtailed Sussex’s innings. But Tim Hancock and Kim Barnett launched the innings with a stand of 69 in 15 overs and after Barnett had holed out to long off his partner upped the tempo in partnership with Harvey, adding 66 in ten overs before he was caught at long on for 51 made off 72 balls.Harvey blasted 43 off just 30 balls before he was needlessly run out answering Jeremy Snape’s call for a quick single, but a target of 25 off the last five overs was never likely to trouble a side with Gloucestershire’s one-day pedigree and they got home with 11 balls to spare.Harvey had earlier produced another outstanding performance with the ball, taking 3-23 including dangerman Chris Adams and fellow opener Richard Montgomerie with just 12 on the board. Only fellow Australian Michael Bevan mastered some tight bowling as he made an unbeaten 82 off 87 balls, his eighth half-century in the competition this season.

Centuries from Nakul Verma and Soumya Ranjan Swain went in vain as Punjab won by three wickets in a thriller to secure their quarter-final berth. Services posted an imposing 323 for 7 courtesy a 186-run stand for the fifth wicket between Verma and Swain. But the knocks were consigned to being second-best on the day as Punjab rode Yuvraj Singh’s 83-ball 98 to chase down the steep target with six balls to spare.Jiwanjot Singh (41) and Pargat Singh (49) added 82 in just 10.1 overs to set up the chase that was then driven around Yuvraj’s knock, with Mandeep Singh (45) and Mayank Siddana (46) chipping in with vital contributions. The winning runs were hit by Harbhajan Singh, who finished 16 not out courtesy two fours and a six.Tamil Nadu bossed their way to a fifth win in six matches courtesy centuries from Dinesh Karthik and B Aparajith and a six-wicket haul from Rahil Shah. Rajasthan, who were chasing 385, were bundled out for 132 in 26.2 overs.Rajasthan’s decision to field backfired as Karthik (108) and Aparajith (137) added 199 for the second wicket to set the platform for a final onslaught. M Vijay, batting at No. 5, provided the final flourish by smashing six fours and three sixes in his 44-ball 74 as TN smashed 161 off the last 15 overs.Rajasthan lost the top three inside the third over, and from there on, it was simply a procession as Shah, the left-arm spinner, finished with 6 for 37, his best List A figures. Rajat Bhatia, who made 94 in Rajasthan’s thrilling win over Mumbai on Thursday, was the lone ranger with the bat. He was unbeaten on 29 when the last wicket fell. Rajasthan finished sixth in the group with three wins and as many losses.Mumbai cruised to a seven-wicket win over Hyderabad, but Punjab’s win meant they were eliminated from the knockouts despite winning four out of their six matches. Hyderabad’s 217 for 8, achieved largely on the back of Hanuma Vihari’s 95, was chased down quite easily in 44.2 overs, with Akhil Herwadkar (85) and Shreyas Iyer (84) hitting the high notes. Their 134-run stand flattened Hyderabad, even before Ajinkya Rahane made a sprightly unbeaten 31 to take Mumbai home by seven wickets.

Tatenda Taibu’s return to the Zimbabwe cricket team is almost complete after he was included in a select side for two four-day matches against India A at home.Cricinfo revealed last month that Taibu’s comeback was imminent, although he was recently quoted saying his lawyers were still in negotiation with Zimbabwe Cricket, possibly over outstanding payments still owed to him by the board.The former captain however will now play under the current leader, Prosper Utseya.Wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor was also named in the side although he is yet to return from the Netherlands and may miss the first four-dayer at Harare Sports Club. Sean Williams, who is recovering from an injury which kept him out of training for six weeks, was also included.Allrounder Keith Dabengwa meanwhile misses out on selection, but will captain the A side on a tour of South Africa at the same time the Select will be facing India A. The batsmen Chamu Chibhabha has also been relegated to the A side, where the only other senior players are the pace bowler, Blessing Mahwire, and the former Zimbabwe A captain, Alester Maregwede.Zimbabwe Select Prosper Utseya (capt) Terry Duffin, Tatenda Taibu, Vusi Sibanda, Brendan Taylor (wk), Hamilton Masakadza, Sean Williams, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Tino Mawoyo, Elton Chigumbura, Graeme Cremer, Ed Rainsford, Chris Mpofu, Gary Brent, Trevor Garwe, Tawanda Mupariwa.Zimbabwe A Keith Dabengwa (cpat) Chamu Chibhabha, Eric Chauluka, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Bornaparte Mujuru, Forster Mutizwa, Alester Maregwede, Regis Chakabva, Alois Tichana, Taurai Muzarabani, Prosper Tsvanhu, Timycen Maruma, Admire Manyumwa, Tendai Chisoro, Blessing Mahwire, Patient Charumbira.

The 2006 Standard Bank National Academy squad will face Australia’s Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence squad in two limited-overs matches before playing the tourists in a four-day match at the High Performance Centre (HPC), University of Pretoria next week.Anton Ferreira, CSA’s coaching manager, said: “It is an ideal opportunity for our young academy candidates to test their skills and gauge their individual strengths and weaknesses against quality opposition. These games will also provide a chance for the three coaches [Barney Mohamed, Corrie van Zyl and Richard Pybus], who have been responsible for the development of the players during their stay at the HPC, to asses how much improvement has taken place under their guidance”.The limited-overs matches will be played on Sunday 20 and Monday 21 August with the four-day match scheduled to take place from August 24 and all matches will be played at the University of Pretoria.Standard Bank National Academy squad:
Keagan Africa (KwaZulu Natal), Craig Alexander (Western Province), Farhaan Behardien (Western Province), Werner Coetsee (North West), Riell de Kock (Captain for limited-overs matches) (Free State), Dean Elgar (Free State), Robert Frylinck (KwaZulu Natal), Heino Kuhn (Northerns), Corne Linde (Free State), Said Mhlongo (KwaZulu Natal), Hillroy Paulse (Boland), Abdul Hack Razak (Kwazulu Natal), Pepler Sandri (Boland), Blake Snijman (Captain for four-day match) (Gauteng), Abongile Sodumo (Border), Dominic Telo (Western Province),Coach: Barney Mohamed (Western Province).Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence (CBCE) Australian squad
Shaun Marsh, Adam Voges, Ben Hilfenhaus, Brett Dorey, Tim Paine, Daniel Doran, Cullen Bailey, Ben Edmondson, George Bailey, Callum Ferguson, Aaron Finch, Grant Sullivan, Brendan Drew, Adam Crosthwaite, Tim Nielsen (Head Coach), Brian McFadyen (Coach).

Kim Hughes, the former Australian captain, has said lack of match practice against world-class bowling is one of the main reasons for Australia’s batting problems on the current Ashes tour. Hughes felt the Australian batsmen had fattened their averages thanks to some ordinary bowling on the international scene and their tecniques were exposed when confronted with a quality attack.”Once you get to 32 or 33, the only time you’re exposed is against pace,” Hughes said in . “Our blokes could go back and play the rest of the Test countries over the next two or three years and still average 55, and they’d do that standing on their head, because there is no other decent attack. They [England] have exposed a lack of footwork and technique. The rest of the series will be a real test for them.”Hughes, who captained Australia in 28 Tests, said the pace of Steve Harmison and Andrew Flintoff, who consistently bowled at speeds of 150 kmh, highlighted an ageing Australian side with only three players below 30 – Michael Clarke (24), Lee (28) and Simon Katich (29). “Our batting has looked very, very ordinary,” he said. “Spear-headed by Harmison and Flintoff they’re a good attack but you certainly wouldn’t say they’re the West Indies of 20 years ago – far from it.”Hughes also pointed out that the general standard of world bowling over the past decade or so was “pathetic”. “Honestly, the standard of world cricket has been very, very ordinary for a number of years,” Hughes said. “As a former player you never want to say that because it always looks like sour grapes.”The West Indies are pathetic, Pakistan had half a bowler last season. The two sides out here last season [New Zealand and Pakistan] wouldn’t have won our Sheffield Shield.” Both New Zealand and Pakistan suffered humiliating whitewashes at the hands of the Australians last season and New Zealand received another thrashing in the home series that followed.The Australians have a one-day match against Scotland on Thursday and a two-day game against Northamptonshire beginning on Saturday before the fourth Test at Trent Bridge.

Heath Streak, the former Zimbabwe Test player, is set to stay at Warwickshire for another two years.Streak, 30, made an impressive debut in the County Championship, taking 13 wickets in Warwickshire’s win against Northants at Edgbaston. Although he is currently out of action with a torn stomach muscle, Streak is keen to sign a new contract.Ray Warner, Streak’s agent, told BBC Sport that: “Heath hopes to commit his long-term future to Warwickshire in the next couple of weeks,” adding, “he is very happy at Warwickshire, the players and supporters have been first-class and he has been made to feel welcome by everyone.”Streak has also been coveted by New South Wales, who tried to secure his services this winter. However, Streak was forced to decline their offer on the grounds that his wife is expecting their third child.

Hampshire’s Academy side are off the mark in the ECB Southern Electric Premier League with a tense one-wicket victory at Liphook & Ripsley – the winning runs coming courtesy of four byes!The Young Hawks had lost nine wickets and left last pair Charlie van der Gucht and Tony Middleton to chisel out the 11 runs needed to squeeze past Liphook’s rain reduced 130-run target off 34 overs.And they did it, thanks to several lusty leg-side blows from the Hampshire left-arm spinner … and four byes off South African Alistair Gray, which shot past wicketkeeper Jez Bulled and sped over the boundary.There was great relief in the Academy ranks – but heartbreak for Liphook, who have now lost three times already this season."I honestly didn’t think they’d beat the 190-9 we scored off 50 overs," lamented Liphook skipper Bulled. "Especially when they were 58-5 and then 119-9."Liphook’s total was built around Gray (56) and Duncan Berry (49), with Morgan Rushbrook (3-31) and Kevin Latouf (3-33) bowling the county youngsters back into contention.Latouf (26) became the first of three victims of spinner Alan Crawford (3-25), who had the Academy struggling at 58-5 before Mitchel Stokes (29) and Tom Burrows (21) pulled things round.Burrows held firm while later wickets tumbled, but when he was caught at 119-9, the Academy looked set for a second consecutive defeat. But van der Gucht and those four byes changed all that!Havant emerged 16-run winners over Calmore Sports, whose prospects of pulling off a surprise win gradually diminished in the last 15 overs.Chasing Havant’s 214-6 (Dominic Carson 48), Calmore came out of the traps at speed with Clive Surry (50) leading the charge. "Their tactics really caught us by surprise," admitted Havant skipper Paul Gover."With the fielding restrictions, you can hardly defend at all in the initial 15 overs and the Calmore top order batters took advantage."Surry remained until Calmore reached 121-4 and then watched Tom Pegler (30) and David Rouse (32) apply further pressure on the champions.But as the scoring rate increased, four batsmen were run out and Calmore finished 16 runs adrift at 198 all out after a gallant effort.Gover reckoned that the pre-tea onslaught by his own fifth-wicket pair Bev Moynhan (36) and Shane Ferguson influenced the outcome."They put on about 80 in ten overs, including a 14 run blitz at the end – and that was a major factor," he added.Havant fear that their unbeaten start could come to grief at Lower Bemerton next Saturday when they play South Wilts, who nailed Portsmouth by eight wickets at St Helen’s, Southsea.Portsmouth, furious that Lawrie Prittipaul had been pulled out of their starting line-up to carry out Hampshire’s second innings 12th man duties against Somerset at the Rose Bowl, caved in against some top class pace bowling.Hampshire’s James Tomlinson (1-32) and Combined Services pacebowler Andy Senneck (1-18) had Portsmouth scrimping and scraping for every run."The overs were keeping pace with the runs at one stage," reflected South Wilts skipper Rob Wade.But it was Adie Holewell (3-18) who did the damage, as Portsmouth slipped to 47-5 before Neil Randall (41) and James Manning (39 not out) led the recovery and they reached 147-9.Paul Draper and Russell Rowe fell cheaply for South Wilts, who would have lost Jason Laney – but for a spilled return catch.The former Hampshire man cashed in with 75 not out, including three big sixes off Lee Savident, and with Wade (48 not out) alongside, swept South Wilts home.Bournemouth made it two wins out of two after a cloudburst left Andover marooned in the rain at Chapel Gate.They beat the North Hampshire side by virtue of a faster overall run rate to secure a second consecutive Division 1 win in four rain-ravaged weeks.Once Bournemouth had posted 227-5, they were always favourites to beat weakened Andover.But it was only due to the fact that they bowled their overs quickly after tea that they snared the crucial win points."We’d bowled 26 overs – one more than the regulation number you need to send down in order to get a result – when it poured down with rain," said vice-captain Martin Miller."Five minutes later, Chapel Gate was underwater and a haven for seagulls."Bournemouth’s success was built around former Hampshire all-rounder Richard Scott and Kingston Lacey teenager Nick Park, who shared a prolific 153-run opening partnership.Park, whose elder brother Chris cut his teeth at the Sports Club two seasons ago before joining the Northants Academy, belied his tender years with a splendid 62.Scott, striking two 6s and ten boundaries, hit 99 before being stumped by young Cille van der Merwe off Hampshire Under-19 spinner Matt Hooper."It would have been my first ton since 1997," Scott said afterwards. "And, of all things, I go and get myself stumped."Nonetheless, the pair set the tone for Western Australia’s Adam Voges to spank 41 and lift Bournemouth to 227-5 in 50 overs.Andover, fielding a much weakened side, lurched to 13-2 against the miserly David Kinder and Joe Wilson who, conscious of the pending rain storm, whipped through their overs.Left-arm spin duo Voges and Sean Wallbridge hurried through their overs to leave Andover marooned at 52-2 after 26 overs when the rains came.Skipper Roger Miller, with little back-up batting to follow, was 29 not out.It all went horribly wrong for Bashley (Rydal) at BAT Sports, who avenged a recent ECB Club Championship defeat with a 22-run victory at Southern Gardens."We bowled very poorly to start with and batted without much application," groaned skipper Matt King.Kiwi Neil Parlane (40) and Richard Kenway (40) feasted on Bashley’s off-line bowling and were comfortably scoring at six runs an over.BAT pushed on to 100-1, with Dave Banks (44) piloting the mid-innings while wickets fell to Matt King (4-29) and Kevin Nash (3-53).Rain delays left Bashley chasing 170 off 42 overs – BAT had reached 202-8 in their full 50-over allocation – but the Tobacco men need not have worried.Bashley’s batting folded against the second string attack of Mark Page (3-16) and Chris Thomason (2-14), who had the visitors reeling at 30-5 and later 47-7.Kevin Nash (52), with a swashbuckling maiden SPL half-century, and Neil Taylor (29) launched late resistance, but Bashley could only manage 148 all out.

During Sunday’s Norwich Union League match at Trent Bridge against the Surrey Lions Paul Johnson became the county’s highest ever run scorer in the history of the NCL/Sunday League.Beginning the day on 7,060 runs Johnson entered the record books when he reached 3, passing Derek Randall’s previous highest aggregate of 7062.Johnson made his county debut in the competition in June 1982 against Leicestershire at Trent Bridge and 19 seasons later, in his 257th game, he passed his former team-mate reaching the milestone in five games fewer then the former England player.Randall’s career had spanned the period 1971 to 1993 during which he played in 262 matches, finishing with an average of 33.46, a fraction higher than Johnson’s current average of 33.14.Johnson’s record-breaking innings ended on 14 in a farcical run-out when both he and Kevin Pietersen found themselves at the same end.

Kerala ended the second day of their South Zone Ranji Trophy matchagainst Karnataka, trailing by 68 runs with seven wickets in hand inthe first innings at the Nehru stadium in Kochi on Thursday. Replyingto Karnataka’s first innings total of 236, Kerala were 168 for three.Resuming at 231 for seven, Karnataka were dismissed for the additionof only five runs. Medium pacer Tinu Yohannan bagged three wickets for61 whereas Sunil Oasis and Suresh Kumar picked up two each.Kerala scored at about two runs an over in making a confident replybefore play was called off an hour early due to bad light. PrashanthMenon was the top scorer with a steady 63. He faced 123 balls and hitseven fours and a six. Dodda Ganesh picked up two of the threewickets. Sunil Oasis (30), having been dropped twice, had Ajay Kudua(17) batting at the crease when play was halted.