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The deadline for submission of the 2007 World Cup bids passed yesterday evening with two surprises. Firstly, the Trinidad and Tobago government announced that although it had complied with the requirements of the Bid Book, it was submitting itself only as being able and willing to host matches, and would not compete with territorial neighbours.Patrick Manning, the Prime Minister, said he did not want Trinidad to seem to be grabbing for everything, given its better economic standing in the region. "What T&T did not want to do was to compete against those very countries that support us, as the benefits that could accrue from these matches would be more needed in those countries than in T&T."Manning added that the government would be willing to host whatever matches were left over after the bids were sorted. The understanding is that the most costly affair, the opening, will be outside the reach of most territories, and will more likely than not end up on Trinidad’s door.Meanwhile, Barbados and St Lucia have submitted a joint bid proposal. Stephen Alleyne, head of Barbados’s World Cup programme, said that their joint effort will have "the resources of half a million people" behind them. The driving force behind the St. Lucia committee, Desmond Skeete, died while preparing for the weekend of one-dayers against England at Beausejour Stadium. In all, 12 countries have indicated their intention to bid for matches. The allocations are to be announced on July 12.

Sanath Jayasuriya is determined to play against India on Monday despite a badly bruised left forearm and a hairline fracture on his left thumb.Sri Lanka manager Ajit Jayasekera believes that Sri Lanka skipper will have recovered sufficiently to lead the side in their crucial Super Six tie withtheir Asian neighbours.Jayasuriya was hit twice during a hostile first over from Brett Lee and wasforced to retire hurt as Sri Lanka slid to a 96 run defeat against the world champions.”Sanath’s injury has been treated with ice. The swelling has gone down and the pain has subsided a little in his forearm,” said Jayasekera here today.”The hairline fracture in his left thumb appears to be an old injury which Sanath thinks he picked up against the West Indies,” he revealed. “His main concern is the forearm and will have a net tomorrow to check it out.”Even if Jayasuriya plays there is some doubt as to whether he could bowl.Apart from Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka have more injury concerns with Hashan Tillakaratne having aggravated a hamstring injury first sustained during the South Africa game.Jayasekera described the left-hander’s fitness as a “concern” but it is unclear whether one of the replacements, Jehan Mubarak and Avishka Gunawardene, will have to step in.

Isn’t it strange the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been functioning without a constitution for the last two years? Erstwhile Chairman Mujeeb-ur-Rahman’s term started August 1999 and lasted a few months with some actions called ‘comical’ by many. The next incumbent, Dr Zafar Altaf hardly got the chance to practically assume the coveted appointment. Thus the onus of running PCB, controlling the richest and the most popular sport in Pakistan, now rests with the Board’s present set up. But it is still being run on an ad hoc basis for the past 20 months and without a constitution in place.We hear the excuse, they are waiting for the Nation’s overall devolution plan to take effect but this does not seem valid. The PCB is an autonomous body with a special role, its constitution has never been subservient to the country’s political structure or to the government’s plans and policies. The Board appears to have been misguided on this point.In 1978 an ad hoc committee took over in exactly the same manner as the present set up. The organisation’s size was a fraction of what it is now and yet it only took six months to conduct countrywide elections of cricket bodies down to district level, restore the dissolved associations, draft and promulgate a new constitution and appoint the Council and General Body of the Board to run cricket affairs. The restoration of cricket relations with India after a break of 17 years and exchange of teams, renovation and expansion of stadiums and creation of numerous other facilities were the other landmarks.Except for a few amendments made during the times of Air Marshal (R) Nur Khan, the constitution remained supreme for 18 years. It was on the eve of World Cup 96 that a group of political appointees, desirous of running the Board through their whims and fancies, replaced it with an abstract looking document. Although the new constitution was far from being comprehensive enough to run national cricket, it had not fiddled with vital aspects of the Board’s structure. However, it seems the present set up is planning on making fundamental changes.The actual contents of a new draft constitution are not known but reading between the lines of recent news reports as well as statements issued by PCB officials from time to time, one gathers the following:

1. The Board seems to be waiting for the Government’s devolution of power plan to take effect before giving final shape to the document.
2. The Divisional Cricket Associations are being replaced by the Provincial Associations.
3. The membership of Departments, commercial organisations and institutions is being cancelled to give the Board a purely regional touch.

If the above is true, I suggest the PCB should appoint a committee of ‘neutral’ experts to study the pros and cons of the new proposals. In my opinion, these proposals if implemented will not only retard the development of cricket in the country but also create serious administrative-cum-functional problems for the Board.One thing is clear, that it is neither obligatory nor necessary for the PCB to conform to the country’s political structure. To achieve its aims and objectives with success, the Board should have a set up that suits its own requirements. Apart from infusing politics in the game, the Provincial Associations may well cause disruption and hindrance in the functions of the Board rather than being of any help.Actually, back in 1978, deep thought was given to this aspect and top legal experts consulted while drafting the 1978 Constitution. A combination of district and divisional cricket association was found to be the most ideal for promotion of cricket in the country and thus adopted. The system stood the rough and tough tests of time and brought unprecedented progress in the game. It must not become a victim of the whims of a group of people who perhaps had/have no love for the game.As in the past, the District Cricket Associations (DCA’s) must be formed with utmost care. Leaving the control of clubs to them, the DCA’s are in fact the nurseries of cricket as far as the Board is concerned. There are around 80 districts in the country and the calibre of those elected as heads of DCA’s can be well imagined. If the plan is to directly affiliate them with the Board, the PCB will likely turn into a farm with the responsibility of brooding young chicks. If placed under their respective provinces, they will face the vagaries of politics and likes and dislikes, eventually becoming the victims of neglect.The ideal and the most efficient control of the DCA’s would be under the bodies as compact as the former Divisional Cricket Associations. Since the divisions do not exist in the government’s devolution plan, I suggest that the good old divisional associations may be revived under the new title of “Regional Cricket Associations” and given the control of DCA’s with changes in composition where necessary. These associations should also be given membership of the Board rather than the politically motivated trouble shooting Provincial Associations.The major blunder in PCB’s future plans is the ouster of Government departments, commercial organisations and institutions from the Board. The people at the helm of affairs cannot perhaps visualise the invaluable contribution that they made to cricket during the last three decades. In a poor country like ours, where talented youngsters emerging from lower/middle class families could not afford to buy a full set of cricket gear, these organisations not only provided them employment but also groomed them to become officers.A cursory glance of the Pakistan’s cricket scene, past and present, will show how many great cricketers emerged from organisations like PIA, banks, railway, services and others. With the change of policy, we will not only deprive our cricket of a big chunk of talent but also render hundreds of promising cricketers, officials and umpires jobless, ultimately closing the doors of employment for the future aspirants.It’s no secret that former skipper Imran Khan, disliked the presence of these organisations and always harped on the tune of organising Pakistan cricket purely on regional basis. There is no doubt Imran was a great cricketer as well as captain but as I said in my first article, cricket administration is a different cup of tea. Imran’s proposal was not accepted for being unsuitable to our conditions. The present Board has somehow succumbed to something similar, perhaps not knowing its implications and adverse effects on the game, its popularity and promotion.I am surprised to read Rameez Raja’s explanation of the priorities under the PCB Vision 2005, which included ‘progressive phasing out of department based cricket’. I wonder, how could a person who happens to be a senior employee of a major bank and their team actively participates in domestic cricket, is reconciled to such an idea?Out of the numerous disadvantages that the ouster of department-based cricket has, I will only discuss one and leave the rest to those in power. The Regional cricket associations produce hundreds of talented players. As per rules only 25 of them could represent the association team in domestic cricket while the best among the left over lot played for the departmental teams. Now when the departmental teams are being phased out, where would these boys go?In defence of the plan one may say that, ‘the associations could be allowed to enter any number of teams in domestic cricket tournaments’. Having been a part of the system, I know that our associations do not have enough funds even to send their teams to far-off places to play matches. How would they manage it? What about the employment of these boys? I feel the change will reduce the level of our domestic cricket to a third-rate competition. And last of all, what are we trying to gain by changing the system?
(To be continued…..)

According to reports in the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds United are keen to sign Everton loanee Matthew Pennington on a permanent deal this summer, although the Toffees could throw a spanner in the works.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Pennington moved to Elland Road on a season-long loan deal last year after finding first-team opportunities hard to come by on Merseyside, and despite missing chunks of the campaign because of injury and disappointing form, he has obviously still made a positive impression to Paul Heckingbottom and his assistant Jamie Clapham.

The Yorkshire Evening Post says that the Whites have already looked into the possibility of a permanent deal, but the Toffees are keen to extend his current contract which is due to expire next summer when he returns to Goodison Park.

How has Pennington done this season?

The 23-year-old started Leeds’ first Championship match of the season away against Bolton Wanderers, but he picked up an injury that meant he didn’t make his second league appearance until the end of September.

The centre-back, who played as a makeshift right-back in the 2-1 win against Barnsley at Elland Road on Saturday, has made 22 outings in total for the Yorkshire outfit this term, and has started six of their previous eight fixtures – although fans on Twitter weren’t impressed with his display against Aston Villa earlier this month.

Are they right to try and sign him?

They certainly would be, for the right price.

As we mentioned previously, the defender has struggled at times this season but when he has had something of a regular run in the XI, he has impressed.

The 23-year-old certainly has the quality to make an impression for Leeds in the future, and the club will hope that Everton can be convinced to let him go this summer.

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Will they get him?

It’s difficult to say.

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Leeds found themselves in a similar situation last season when they wanted to sign loanee Kyle Bartley on a permanent basis following a successful loan spell, but he penned a new contract with Swansea and ended up staying there instead.

The Whites will certainly be fearing the same outcome, and could come down to whether Pennington feels he is going to get the chance to play regularly or not at Goodison Park next season.

	Simon Katich has had a year to remember © Getty Images

Simon Katich ended a week in which he returned to the Australia squad by picking up the Steve Waugh Medal as New South Wales’ outstanding player. Katich’s dream season included a record 1506 runs at 94.13 and the Pura Cup trophy before his promotion to the Test outfit for next month’s West Indies tour.He dominated the judging for the medal, which included Pura and FR Cup matches, picking up 269 votes and easily beating Brad Haddin’s 129 at the ceremony in Sydney on Friday night. Katich also received back-to-back Pura Cup Player of the Year awards after posting five centuries, including a career-high 306 against Queensland. Doug Bollinger, the left-arm fast bowler, earned 111 nominations to finish 80 behind his captain.Haddin, who will join Katich in the West Indies, was the limited-overs star and was recognised for his FR Cup form after winning one more vote than Dominic Thornely’s 87. International commitments meant Haddin appeared in only six games, but his 314 runs and seven dismissals swayed the judges and ensured he matched last season’s victory.The Belinda Clark Medal was won for the third year in a row by Lisa Sthalekar, the Australia vice-captain. Sthalekar, a batting allrounder, collected 312 runs and 12 wickets as she steered the New South Wales Breakers to their third consecutive WNCL title. The campaign was a successful one for Sthalekar, who had already been named the WNCL Player of the Year and the Australian Women’s International Player of the Year.”Simon and Lisa have both had fantastic seasons in leading their respective sides to victory,” David Gilbert, the New South Wales chief executive, said. “Simon’s performances were phenomenal and winning the Steve Waugh Medal is a just reward for his outstanding, record-breaking summer. Lisa has also had an impressive summer and her form was a major factor in the Breakers winning the WNCL for an incredible 10th time in 12 seasons.”The Rising Star Awards went to Phillip Hughes, who at 19 became the youngest to score a century in a domestic final, and the 17-year-old Ellyse Perry, Australia’s record-setting Test debutant. Richie Benaud, Alan Davidson, Bob Simpson and Steve Waugh received medals and entry into the state’s Hall of Fame, which welcomed the 12 members of New South Wales’ team of the past 150 years.

Michael Vaughan faces the media during England’s poor World Cup campaign © Getty Images

Michael Vaughan has accused the England management of freezing him out of the Ashes dressing-room last winter, and that his offers to share his experience with the team were rebuffed.In an interview with The Guardian, Vaughan, who was in Australia with the England Academy side for the early stages of the tour, said: “I was never involved at all in the Ashes and I think we could have used me more. I’m an Ashes-winning captain with a huge amount of knowledge on a lot of things and I wasn’t used at all. It was made clear that I was to be kept away from the team, and I understood the reason, but there were times when I think I could have helped.”Although Vaughan did not mention Duncan Fletcher by name, the implication that he was at the heart of the decision to sideline him was evident. Vaughan, who misses the first Test at Lord’s with a broken finger, also made clear that he was looking forward to working with Peter Moores, Fletcher’s successor. “Obviously this is the start of a new regime and I think it’s crucial that I’m around just to get a feel for the new regime and the way it works.”And he explained that the 0-5 drubbing in Australia and the poor World Cup campaign may have dulled the appetite of some players. “When you get beat so heavily, losing every session, every day – losing, losing, losing – then it’s got to have an effect. I don’t know any team that stays together when you are getting battered.

You talk about the wheels coming off … they’d fallen off at one point

“Then we went to the World Cup … didn’t start well, incidents happened, we really struggled and the coach went. The formula of the team started to get a little bit disgruntled. You talk about the wheels coming off … they’d fallen off at one point. It’s down to us to make sure we get those wheels back on and the only way we’ll do that is by getting together as a team, working hard and enjoying the game.”As for his own future, he said he was keen to carry on leading both Test and one-day sides. “It would be easy for me to sit here and say, ‘Right, you lot have got to me’, but I’m going to actually try and fight, take a few people on and see if I can prove a few people wrong. If I can I’ll be happy, if I can’t I’ll say, ‘You lot were right’, but at the minute I’m quite happy to have a fight. I really have a passion to try and play and my body feels fine. As long as I continue to go in the gym and get my leg stretch right, do the stretching, get in the pool, do the ice, I’ll be fine.”At the minute I’m desperate to do the work and play as much cricket as I can. I’d love to play for England for a few more years because I feel I’ve got a lot to offer.”

‘You miss it. It’s a bit like eating cod and then having to go back and eat sardines’ © Getty Images

Ray Price, the former Zimbabwe left-arm spinner now playing for Worcestershire, has set his sights on playing international cricket again – for England.”My best years are still to come,” Price told the Press Association. “You learn so much with all those experiences you have gained from when you are younger. I just wish I could go back five or six years with the same mental approach I have now and apply it.”Joining the likes of Heath Streak in rebelling against Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), Price chose to resume his playing career in England where he was eligible to play for Worcestershire under the Kolpak scheme. Making his debut in 2004, he is nearly halfway through a four-year qualifying period to play for England.”You sit and watch the Test matches and one-day internationals, I really miss that, playing in the heat of battle, enjoying yourself in front of a large crowd and being under pressure the whole time,” he said.”You miss it. It’s a bit like eating cod and then having to go back and eat sardines. Once you have tasted it, there is nothing like it.”This is my second full year at Worcester. I have got two years after this and then I am qualified for England when I’ll still only be 32, 33 which is nothing for a spinner.”Look at Shaun Udal who is in his late 30s. I think it is really great that England gave Udal a go in India. He bowled so well on that India tour and it just showed that he has got so much experience under his belt.”

Sourav Ganguly has, over the last few months, often stated that India are the second-best side in the world. Now, he has the opportunity to see his team climb to that position in the official ICC Test Championship table – all he needs is a series win against Australia.Even a victory by a one-Test margin (1-0 or 2-1) will help India, currently in fourth place with 104 points, gallop to 111, ahead of England, who are now in second place with 109. In such a scenario, Australia will still maintain their top spot, but will slip from 129 points to 123. In fact, Australia are so far ahead of the pack that even if they lose all four matches, they will have a four-point lead – 119 to 115 – over India at the top of the table. On the other hand, a 3-0 win will boost Australia’s tally to 131, their highest-ever rating in the Test table.In the event of a drawn series, India will move to third spot with 108 points, while Australia’s total will slip marginally to 126.

Rank	Team	Points
1	Australia	129
2	England	109
3	Pakistan	107
4	India	104
5	Sri Lanka	103
6	South Africa	102
7	New Zealand	94
8	West Indies	73
9	Zimbabwe	51
10	Bangladesh	1

Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds face ICC level-one Code of Conduct charges for dissent following an incident during the second one-day international against Sri Lanka on Sunday.Mike Procter, the ICC match referee, viewed videotapes on Monday morning of an incident in which Symonds was first adjudged to have been trapped lbw but later recalled after discussions between Peter Manuel, the umpire, and Marvan Atapattu, Sri Lanka’s one-day captain.A disciplinary inquiry will be held on Tuesday in Colombo during which the pair will have to answer charges that they showed dissent towards the initial decision. Gilchrist threw down his gloves, apparently in disgust, while Symonds is alleged to have shown his bat to the umpire before walking off.After the match, Procter had praised the actions of Manuel, describing his decision as “courageous”, and the sportsmanship of Atapattu, who had accepted that a mistake had been made and accepted Manuel’s decision to recall Symonds. “You have to take your hat off to Marvan [Atapattu],” he said.If found guilty, Gilchrist and Symonds could be either officiallyreprimanded and/or fined up to 50% of their match fee. The third one-day will be played under lights on Wednesday.

Australia v Namibia:Adam Gilchrist (AUS) needs 73 runs to complete 5000 ODI runs
Andy Symonds (AUS) needs 95 runs to complete 1000 ODI runsMichael Bevan (AUS) needs 111 runs to complete 500 World Cup runs
Adam Gilchrist (AUS) needs 166 runs to complete 500 World Cup runsSouth Africa v Canada:Jacques Kallis (RSA) needs 52 runs to complete 6000 ODI runs
Shaun Pollock (RSA) needs 164 runs to complete 2000 ODI runsMakhaya Ntini (RSA) needs 4 wickets to join the 100 ODI-wicket clubGary Kirsten (RSA) needs 202 runs to complete 1000 World Cup runs
Jacques Kallis (RSA) needs 79 runs to complete 500 World Cup runs
Lance Klusener (RSA) needs 129 runs to complete 500 World Cup runsLance Klusener (RSA) needs 3 wickets to join the 25 World Cup wicket-club
Shane Pollock (RSA) needs 4 wickets to join the 25 World Cup wicket-club