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Yorkshire have announced they are going to appeal against their expulsion from the Twenty20 after they fielded an ineligible player, 17-year-old Azeem Rafiq, during their group match against Nottinghamshire.An ECB disciplinary committee awarded the points from the match at Trent Bridge to Nottinghamshire, who are now set to play the quarter-final against Durham which was postponed when the Rafiq issue came to light. Yorkshire won the match handsomely by nine wickets and Rafiq played a minimal role, bowling two overs for 18.”The club feel that the punishment is manifestly disproportionate to the offence and as such feels duty-bound on behalf of its players, members and staff to lodge an appeal,” Yorkshire said.Glamorgan, the other side who could into the equation as one of the best third-placed teams, feel the points shouldn’t be awarded to Nottinghamshire and instead the match annulled. This would mean they would take the quarter-final place.Durham, too, are unhappy about the situation because they will be unable to field some of the players who helped them reach the quarter-final in the rearranged match. Shaun Pollock and Albie Morkel have now left the club and although Shivnarine Chanderpaul arrives as a replacement they feel at a disadvantage.”I’m disappointed about the whole affair,” said chief executive David Harker. “We have already put the case that we are being unduly punished for something that had nothing to do with us.”Yorkshire’s appeal will be heard on Monday July 14 at Taunton.

BRISBANE, Oct 18 AAP – New South Wales dug in for the long haul towards first innings points against Queensland on the third day of the Pura Cup match at the Gabba today.At tea, the Blues were 2-218 in their first innings – still trailing the Bulls by 289 runs in a match which needs a rush of wickets to have any chance of a result.That won’t happen if the match maintains a pattern which has yielded just two wickets in the last five sessions, but it hasn’t been a batting paradise.Matthew Phelps has taken 258 balls for his 80 not out, while Michael Clarke, who joined Phelps at the crease in the 37th over, was unbeaten on 75 at the break.Michael Bevan was the only batsman out today when he was softened up by consecutive short balls from Michael Kasprowicz (1-45) before edging a pull shot from the next delivery to wicketkeeper Wade Seccombe.Bevan failed to add to his overnight score of 23 despite facing 25 balls today.Phelps and Clarke struggled for runs against some tight bowling, taking 16 runs from one 15-over stretch dominated by Bulls paceman Ashley Noffke (0-46), who went 44 deliveries without conceding a run.But Clarke still showed why he is rated as one of the most promising batsmen in the country, playing some delightful shots mixed with some streaky swings as he tried to increase the run-rate.

Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka’s serene middle order batsman, is bracinghimself for a pace onslaught against South Africa starting Friday.The 25-year-old right-hander, now firmly established as Sri Lanka’s finestbatsman in a richly talented line-up, has made adjustments to his game inanticipation of the expected battle with Shaun Pollock and company.A naturally modest and understated character he is nevertheless confident ofmaintaining a prolific run for form that has seen him average 55.50 in thelast two years, including five Test centuries.”We have no problems with facing fast bowlers. As long as we stick to ourgame plan and back ourselves to do well in these conditions we will be ok,”said Jayawardene.Jayawardene, possessed with a natural inclination to attack, vows to take onthe pace bowlers in what promises to be a mouth-watering contest.”In South Africa your defense has to be solid and you must be very compact,playing the ball in front of your eyes,” he reveals. “But you must alsoremain positive, looking to score whenever possible.Being an impulsive ‘hooker’ he can be expect to be targeted with shortdeliveries by the South Africans, who will hope that he holes out in thedeep.But Jayawardene will be taking on the challenge: “I will be pulling andcutting because I know that I am not going to get many opportunities todrive.”During his last tour to South Africa he started with a brilliant 98 atDurban but failed to pass fifty in his next five innings. This time he hopesfor greater success having tinkered with his technique during the past twoyears.”I have been making little adjustments to my game such as reducing mybacklift and trying to avoid moving my feet unnecessarily,” he reveals. “Onthe sub-continent we tend to walk into out shots but here you cannot affordto do that.”Although Sri Lanka have a woeful Test record outside the sub-continent withonly three victories in the past two decades, Jayawardene believes that hiscolleagues can surprise South Africa during the forthcoming series.”We have improved a lot during the last three years,” he says. “We may havelost our last series here but we learnt a great deal during that tour andhopefully we can put those things right in these two Test matches.””We had two good practice matches here so far. The batsmen have spent timein the middle and everyone is feeling pretty confident. However, the Testmatch is going to be totally different and we have to prepare ourselvesmentally.”He urges his colleagues to lift their games: “We cannot be one step belowthem just because we are not used to playing in these conditions. We have toraise our game in all three departments and compete with them on a levelpar.”And if they possess the required self belief then Jaywardene is hopeful: “Aslong as we have the confidence in ourselves we can be successful herebecause South Africa have traditionally not handled pressure well.”But he warns that the first two days will be crucial: “When they get on topit can be very difficult to pull them back. It’s imperative that we do letthem get away in the first two days of the Test match. If we can stay withthem to the 3rd and 4th day then we have a very good chance.”

It was second against fourth in the top division of the Norwich Union League as Glamorgan Dragons – backed by their vocal coterie of supporters – did battle with Warwickshire Bears at Edgbaston.And it was the Dragons who emerged victorious as they defended a daunting total of exactly 300 to win by 62 runs and draw level with the Bears on points in the table. The Bears remain second for the moment, courtesy of a marginally superior run-rate.The Dragons, inserted by Bears’ skipper, Michael Powell, made a bright start until Croft missed a drive at Neil Carter (63-1) in the eighth over. It hardly halted their progress however, with the new man David Hemp, returning to his former county, soon picking up Richardson for a six over square leg as the Bears missed the bowling of the injured Pollock (thigh strain).Powell’s gamble on calling Neil Smith’s off-spin into the attack as early as the 12th over, with only two fielders allowed outside the ring, backfired with the impressive Thomas striking successive fours back over the bowler’s head. The left-handed opener brought up the 100 up in just the 15th over with a pulled six off Brown.But in the same bowler’s next over he dismissed Hemp, pulling a ball that was too close to him to mid-on where Neil Smith clung on to a tricky chance well above his head (103-2).Ian Thomas batted beautifully. Only in the team in place of the injured Steve James he went to 50 in 42 balls (8×4 1×6) with a push off the legs, and celebrated with a delightful late-cut, a shot he played well several times, off Smith that raced to the boundary.He was furious with himself after perishing for an excellent 72 (65 balls 1×6 11×4), well caught by a diving Richardson off Powell on the mid-wicket fence.But Maynard was soon into his stride, crashing a brace of boundaries over mid-wicket off Smith before treating Powell to the same punishment. It wasn’t long before he brought up his own half-century with a dismissive six over mid-wicket off the suffering Carter (9-0-67-2). But Maynard fell to a poor ball, clipping Powell straight into the hands of Knight on the square-leg fence.Adrian Dale (63 from 48 balls, 7×4) continued the momentum, accelerating well thanks in part to a loose over from the rusty Mark Wagh (one over for 17). But when Dale fell (280-6) the Dragons lost some impetus with Wallace and Mike Powell (caught by his namesake) sacrificing themselves in the search for quick runs.Indeed, 300 was fewer than they had looked capable of with 10 overs to go, And, on a good batting pitch and with the Dragons missing Kasprowicz (hamstring problem) the Bears were far from out of it.They needed a good start to their reply however, and promoted Carter to the pinch-hitting role. But it didn’t work out as he drove Wharf straight to mid-on. Worse was to follow as the in-form Nick Knight departed to the same bowler for just six, in what was probably the key moment of the game.Knight gave Wharf (who dismissed the top three in the order) the charge, but in trying to turn the ball to leg succeeded only in chipping the ball up to Powell at a short-ish mid-on. Wagh and Ostler – smartly caught by Wallace standing up to the stumps – soon followed as the Bears looked to be heading for a heavy defeat.But a fine partnership of 104 between two of the brightest batting prospects in the domestic game, Ian Bell and Jamie Troughton threatened to turn the game on its head. Both players found the gaps in the field, and were harsh on any error of length from the Dragons bowlers.The experience of off-spinner Robert Croft proved crucial however, and when Troughton succumbed to the wily Welshman for 48 and Powell followed, there was a great deal of pressure left on Bell.He recorded a career-best one-day score of 86 (77 balls; 10×4 1×6), but found the requirement simply too great. And, when he fell, lbw to Thomas, with almost 100 still needed, the writing was on the wall.

COLOMBO – Australian vice-captain Adam Gilchrist feels he’s close to abig score and would love to get one against cricket minnow Bangladeshhere on Thursday.Gilchrist has been hammering rapid-fire 20s, 30s and 40s over the pastfew weeks, including an excellent 44 off 30 balls against New Zealand onSunday, which set up Australia’s massive 164-run win.But the man labelled “The Destroyer” by Champions Trophy promoters,feels he’s only taking pot-shots at bowlers at the moment.”I’ve been happy with the way I’ve been hitting them,” Gilchrist toldAAP.”It was good to get to 40 again the other day but it’s stilldisappointing to have got out.”In the context of the game it provided a good start, it was a launchingplatform to get a massive total [7-296] … but it would still be niceto get a big score.”Since making a half-century against Pakistan in the three-match winterseries, Gilchrist has been averaging a shade over 20. Even though he’sstill scoring quickly, he hasn’t been able to get a really big score -but that may come against the inexperienced Bangladesh outfit.Australia has played the newest Test nation just once, in the 1999 WorldCup.In that match the Aussies needed a big win to boost their run rate inorder to make sure of their place in the next round of the tournament.After Bangladesh made 7-178, Australia rattled off the runs in 19.5overs with Gilchrist making a stunning 63 off 39 balls to ensureAustralia won easily.Gilchrist also needs just one more catch behind the wicket to become thefirst keeper to record 200 catches in one-dayers.

In an ironic twist, the next round of championship games, following on from the first Test, have prompted the England team management to show great kindness to the counties which have contracted England players. Alex Tudor in particular has been given a rest, although the others were able to put their feet up for most of the last three days. The batsmen were all able to get some practice against left arm quick medium bowling, a particular boon for Stewart, Butcher and Thorpe, who welcome Somerset and left arm seamer Matthew Bulbeck to the Oval.Given the easy pace of days four and five at Lord’s, and the lack of recent practice evident in the side’s performance in the first three days of the Test, it makes perfect sense that the contracted players will also be free for this round. It would, after all, be a shame if the series were to be lost because the Sri Lankans have had more practice in English conditions than their hosts this summer.

Frizzell County Championship Division OneP   W  L  D  Bat Bowl  Deduct PointsSurrey                    3   3  0  0  11   9    0.25   55.75Leicestershire            4   2  1  1  15  11    1.00   53.00Lancashire                4   2  1  1  11  12    0.00   51.00Hampshire                 4   1  1  2  13  11    0.00   44.00Somerset                  3   1  0  2  11   8    0.00   39.00Kent                      3   1  1  1  10   7    0.00   33.00Sussex                    3   0  1  2  11   8    0.00   27.00Warwickshire              3   0  2  1   5   7    0.00   16.00Yorkshire                 3   0  3  0   2   9    0.00   11.00

Surrey v Somerset, Kennington Oval (24th – 27th May)Viewed from The Oval, the table has a rosy glow. Since the round three dispatch of Lancashire, Martin Bicknell has returned to form with five for 26 and Ali Brown has delivered a trademark 40-ball half century. The entire top order took advantage of the university match at Fenners, and the Lord’s Test, to occupy the crease after a feeble first innings effort against a keen and accurate Lancashire attack.In recent years home advantage has been key in this fixture, with Somerset winning well in `98 and having the better of rain-affected draws in 2000 and 2001. But their hosts have dropped just a single point out of 60 in the last three Oval meetings.Surrey’s Ian Salisbury has secured 33 wickets against the visitors in the past four seasons, and he also welcomes back his spin twin Saqlain for this fixture. The runs have been spread around too, with 11 Surrey players posting first-class fifties so far, and six with centuries. With a full cast to choose from and 20 wickets a game so far in the course of their three convincing wins, Surrey will be looking to pull even further ahead in the early stages of the title race.For Somerset Cox and Bowler are once again the core of a batting side that also features wicket-keeper Rob Turner and hard-hitting spinning all-rounders Keith Dutch and Ian Blackwell. The availability of Andy Caddick, who enjoys bowling at the Oval, may be crucial to their chances, especially if Richard Johnson’s hamstring still rules him out, in what seems likely to be an uphill struggle for the Cidermen.Either Surrey’s 100% record or Somerset’s undefeated status will be lost in this contest between the two highest-placed sides, who each have just three games under their belts. In recent seasons even one-sided games between the two have provided captivating cricket, and with both teams loaded with internationals, veterans and up-and-coming prospects, this should be no exception.Sussex v Leicestershire, Horsham (24th – 27th May)Sussex are likely to be without the exceptional form of their captain and leading batsman Chris Adams, who was injured in training for their B&H quarter-final defeat, Adams’ 466 runs, with three centuries in three games have been the highlight of their season so far. His supporting cast has been on song too though, with Michael Yardy and overseas player Murray Goodwin scoring well, backed up lower down the order by the likes of Robin Martin-Jenkins. They score their runs at a fair rate too.The South coast team, one of three sides yet to record a victory, will be hoping that the cloudy conditions forecast for this weekend will help their seam attack improve its penetration and take 20 wickets for the first time this season. The first two years of the two-division championship have shown that the key to success in the top flight is the ability to bowl sides out twice, and only Jason Lewry and James Kirtley have so far achieved strike rates sufficient to the task.Leicestershire have weathered the extraordinary exodus at the end of last season amazingly well, recording two wins in four games and losing narrowly in their nail-biting season opener against Lancashire. They have outshone both the other promoted sides by significant margins already.Darren Stevens, in his sixth year as a first-class cricketer, has scored just 1711 from 66 innings, but 395 from six this season has delighted the county’s fans as their unexpected star turn, showing once again the ability of the club’s highly-rated Jack Birkenshaw to spot and develop talent. The rest of the batting has been strong too, and Leicestershire have the highest batting points average in the division, with 15 out of a possible 20.The bowling is lead by the vastly experienced Test veteran Phil DeFreitas, who has had excellent and unexpected support from Darren Maddy, whose 15 wickets continue the late blooming he started last season. But Devon Malcolm has yet to produce one of the spectacular wicket-hauls that have characterised his seemingly unending first-class career.Weather permitting, this looks likely to be a high scoring encounter, but it remains to be seen whether either side can force a win.Yorkshire v Hampshire, Leeds (24th – 27th May)With the wheels hanging off the creaking Yorkshire bandwagon, out of the B&H and last in Division One, this match against promoted Hampshire approaches the status of a must-win contest. Yorkshire come into this game after five straight championship defeats (fortunately just three this season) since claiming the 2001 title, this includes two innings defeats by championship leaders and arch-rivals Surrey.The champions at least come into this game with their captain, overseas player and batting mainstay Darren Lehmann showing some of the form that brought the championship to Headingley for the first time since 1968. The return of their Test players also gives a fillip to their chances, especially given the Test century by their own Pennine-hopping run machine Michael Vaughan. So far they have raised a paltry two batting points while seven of their rivals have already reached double figures. The good news is that the batsmen put up a fight in their game against Somerset and produced some runs, but they have still only mustered one century in six innings, from Craig White, and no batsman has passed the 200-run mark for the campaign.Their bowling too has failed to prosper in the usual fashion – the only five wicket haul so far being the inimitable Steve Kirby’s 5-129 achieved while Surrey were peppering the boundary boards. Sidebottom and Hoggard have disappointed so far, but both are hard-working young men with real talent who will surely improve as the season goes on. Given targets to bowl at their seam attack, all-conquering last year, should prosper again.Hampshire bring the best record of any of the promoted teams into this game, and John Crawley returns from international duty to strengthen their batting, which has benefited from improvements by Shaun Udal and the arrival of South African wicket-keeper Nick Pothas, as well as the contributions of overseas player Neil Johnson and captain Robin Smith.Bowling success has been headed by Dimitri Mascarenhas, who spearheaded their home victory against Kent, and Chris Tremlett, with neither of their internationals, Alan Mullally or Udal, at their best yet.Despite some batting success, Hampshire have been forced to follow on twice and their bowling has been taken for huge first innings totals in three of four matches. The contest between their varied bowling and Yorkshire’s erratic batsmen is set to be one of the most interesting of this round of matches.

Poor application on the part of Central Zone batsmen saw East Zone take firm control of their Duleep Trophy match at Kolkata on Thursday.East reached 365 in their first innings after starting the second day on 261 for four. Deep Dasgupta, East’s centurion, could only add three runs to his total, falling for 112 off 290 balls, with 13 fours, as the first wicket of the day.Pravanjan Mullick, who had retired hurt the previous day, came out again to make 34 off 56 balls, with five fours. His was the sixth wicket to fall. Laxmi Rattan Shukla, the overnight batsman, made 40 off 98 balls, with six fours, before he fell.The tail could not add much to the total, although Utpal Chatterjee showed some resistance to make 22 off 32 before getting out. East ended their innings in 121 overs and 499 minutes. For Central, Kulamani Parida took four wickets for 41 runs.Central Zone opener Jyoti Yadav top-scored for his side with 48 off 96 balls. None of the other batsmen who were dismissed could even cross the 20-run mark. Yadav shared a good partnership of 71 runs for the third wicket with Yere Goud, but after Yadav got out, wickets tumbled in a hurry.At the close of play, Central Zone were 136 for five off 57 overs. Goud was unbeaten on 34 off 156 balls, desperately looking for partners to stay with him at the crease. Raja Ali was unbeaten on 5 off 58 balls at stumps.

Border made short work of their task, scoring 98 runs in just less than two hours to wrap up a seven-wicket victory over Northerns shortly before lunch on the third day. The result earns Border a share of second place with Boland, temporarily at least.A pitch which harboured variable bounce from the first morning ended up yielding 33 wickets in less than seven sessions, but there were no complaints from either side.”Good bowling, bad batting,” was Northerns coach Dave Nosworthy’s succinct assessment of what went wrong for his team. Chasing a minimal 105 for victory, Border scored 108 for three. The pattern for the match was set in Northerns first innings, in which they totalled 190. Border replied with 236 and then dismissed the visitors for 150 in their second innings.The home side resumed on 10 for one with Northerns still in the game byvirtue of their useful attack and, of course, the pitch. And when Craig Sugden was caught behind for five off Steve Elworthy half-an-hour into the day’s play to make it 22 for two, hope must have flickered ever so slightly among the men from Centurion.However, Steven Pope and Wayne Wiblin snuffed it out in their solid partnership of 51, which ended abruptly when Wiblin pushed a delivery into the covers and set off on an ill-judged single. Pope was flying for the crease, but Allahudien Paleker’s throw hit the stumps and the batsman was run out for 33.Mark Boucher was not about to suffer a similar indignity and smashed six fours in his unbeaten 27 in an emphatic effort to hasten the end of the match. Wiblin helped him finish the job with a more sedate 23 not out. Border captain Pieter Strydom was named man-of-the-match for his 86 in the first innings which had much to do with his team gaining a lead.

The annual Division 1 cricket championship, which usually starts inMay, will begin in August this year.For the first time in recent history, the season will begin with theBarbados Fire & Commercial Cup Limited-overs Competition on May 19.As a result, the new-look Division 1 competition, which features theintroduction of covers and a morning start for two-day matches, willbe delayed until August 11.Play will now start at 11 a.m. daily in the Division 1 competition, anhour later than was originally planned.Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) business manager Rollins Howardsaid the decision to start the season with the Cup competition wasmade primarily to accommodate schoolboys who have examinations in themonths of May and June.”We don’t usually play on Saturday and Sunday at the start of theseason,” Howard told NATIONSPORT.”If we start with the Cup, we will still play cricket every Saturday.The schools will be playing in the knockout competition and it wouldnot impact on Sunday cricket with them.”The Cup competition will run for nine successive Saturdays,culminating with the final on Sunday July 22.Once the Division 1 competition starts on August 11, it will run for13 successive weekends, ending in the first weekend of November.For the first time ever, there will be Reserve League for teamsparticipating in Division 1, registration of clubs and players andmatch referees in Division 1.”There are other changes but the above are those which will have animmediate and the greatest impact on clubs participating in theDivision 1 competition,” Howard said in a memo to clubs and schools.”We appreciate that many changes are being implemented for the newseason and expect that several challenges will present themselves.However, it will be a learning experience for all of us.”Covers, which are to be used in Division 1 and the entire Cupcompetition for the first time, have been ordered for each club andshould soon arrive in the island.In an effort to familiarise the groundstaff with the requirements forpreparation of two-day pitches as well as with the elements involvedin covering pitches, a seminar for groundsmen, sponsored by the BCAand the National Sports Council, was held recently at Queen’s Park.Each Division 1 club will be represented in the Reserve League, whichwill be played on two consecutive Saturdays initially.”This concession is made to allow current clubs time to recruitplayers who will be able to compete in the Reserve League under thesame conditions as the First Division and will not exceed two years,”Howard said.”Clubs are therefore urged to embark on programmes to attract youngplayers.”In these two years, the Reserve League will begin at 12:30 p.m. dailyand will be played on the basis of 35-overs-per-side in the firstinnings with many of the requirements of a regular limited-overs matchin place.The second innings will be played to a normal conclusion. There will,however, be a minimum of 75 overs in the day’s play.Match referees, who have become a regular part of the Fire Cupcompetition in recent years, are expected to be in place for Division1 matches.”There is a need for more match referees and efforts are under way torecruit suitable persons so that all of the competitions can be wellserved,” Howard said.Other changes include the promotion of teams from Intermediate andSecond Division and the introduction of new clubs to the SecondDivision.Barbados Defence Force Youth Programme, champions in the IntermediatePremier League in 1999 and 2000, have been promoted to Division 1 totake the place of one of the Combined Schools teams.Additionally, Conrad Hunte Sports Club, Dover, Wotton and Fustic havebeen promoted to the Premier League; Lords, Parish Land and theBarbados Fire Service have moved up to Intermediate from SecondDivision; and Isolation Cavaliers, Melrose and Brereton are the newcomers to the Second Division competition.There will only be minor changes to the conditions of play in thePremier, Intermediate, Second and Schools divisions.Playing times and general conditions will be the same as in previousyears, with play starting at either 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.The Second Division, however, will play under conditions similar tothe Reserve League.The Fire Shield, which starts on June 10, will be played almostsimultaneously with the Cup and ends with the final on July 15.In another new feature, all clubs will have to register their players.Registration fee per club is $100 and per player $10.Registration for schools is $50, but there is no registration fee forindividual schoolboys.

Ragama Cricket Club, playing their first year in the Premier League, havebeen declared the runners up of the Premier Trophy Plate Championshipfollowing disciplinary action taken by the tournament organising committeeagainst Sebastianties Cricket and Athletic Club.Sebastianites were the runners up after the final round of matches but weredocked three crucial points for fielding an ineligible player, a penaltythat allowed Ragama to grab some silverware in their first season.Sebastianites have been left to rue their decision to drop wicket-keeper KLKFernando, who had ironically taken more catches than any other fielder inthe tournament, and play Madushan Fernando who had earlier played for OldCambriyan Sports Club in the Division III competition.The decision cost them 100,000 rupees in prize money, a not inconsiderablesum for a small club.