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Bermuda’s captain Clay Smith led his country’s fightback with an unbeaten century after they had looked dead and buried yesterday, but it seems unlikely to be enough to prevent Kenya moving into Thursday’s final.Bermuda were in trouble at 72 for 3 in reply to Kenya’s 403 for 6, but Smith, who was given excellent back-up by Irvine Romaine and wicketkeeper Dean Minors, who both scored fifties, dealt well with an uninspired Kenyan attack. After struggling to 13 off as many overs with the loss of Cutis Jackson last night, Bermuda lost opener Kwame Tucker went early on, falling to Thomas Odoyo.Romaine’s and Saleem Mukuddem’s third-wicket partnership added some respectability and obviously gave Bermuda confidence. At Mukeddem’s wicket, Smith took the attack to the Kenyans and turned a one-sided match back into a contest. After Romaine fell for 56, Janeiro Tucker added a useful 30 from just 29 balls as Kenya continued to throw away advantage Tikolo had given them yesterday. Tucker’s wicket brought no respite, Minors sustaining the fast-scoring with a run-a-ball 51, falling to Tikolo. Kenya’s captain was on a hat-trick after Lionel Cann fell first ball, offering a return catch to Tikolo.There was little to celebrate for the out-of-form Collins Obuya, one of the stars of Kenya’s World Cup in 2003. He struggled for any consistency and took 0 for 74 off 14 overs. He is scheduled to spend some time in Australia working on his bowling when this tournament is over.Kenya took a lead of 61 into the second innings, and although they lost Maurice Ouma before the close, it will take something remarkable on a good pitch for Bermuda to prevent them reaching the final.

Harmison: backed by Gough© Getty Images

Darren Gough is confident that Steve Harmison will soon regain his form. The fast bowler Harmison slipped from top of the world bowling rankings to eighth after an indifferent Test series. He picked up just nine wickets at 73 apiece as England completed a 2-1 series victory against South Africa.”Confidence plays a big part in fast bowling,” Gough told the BBC Sport website. “Especially after a couple of games haven’t gone your way. It goes in spells and he’s a quality bowler. He’s going to take wickets sooner rather than later. I don’t think Harmison is doing that much wrong. He had two catches dropped on the last day of the last Test.”Although Harmison will be fit for England’s third ODI this Friday after recovering from a calf strain, he knows that he will not be an automatic selection. “It is progressing nicely,” Harmison said, “and with a bit of luck I will be fit for Port Elizabeth, [but] the way the boys have bowled I might not get a game.”England take a 1-0 lead into the second of seven matches on Wednesday at Bloemfontein.

Muttiah Muralitharan wants to end his career on a high note© AFP

Muttiah Muralitharan, the world’s highest Test wicket-taker, has said that he wants to go out of the game on a high note, and cited the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean as his swan song.”I want to play till the next World Cup and try to win it and go off on ahigh note when I am retiring,” Muralitharan said after becoming the new record holder. “The world record means a lot to me and for Sri Lanka, but winning the World Cup in 1996, I would say, was the biggest achievement of my career. The World Cup was something different. You can’t forget that easily. It was tremendous. It is bigger than my individual performance in Harare.”At Harare, Muralitharan broke Courtney Walsh’s world record of 519 wickets from 132 Tests – which had stood for three years – when he took eight wickets in the first Test against Zimbabwe on Sunday. Sri Lanka won the Test by an innings and 240 runs inside three days to take a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series. But he was aware that his mark would be surpassed. “Records are meant to be broken. Somebody else may break my record. It won’t stay for a long time.”But for the present moment he can relish the ‘world champion’ title, despite the fact that his bowling action has always been clouded with uncertainty.Muralitharan’s doosra had been reported to the ICC by Chris Broad as beingillegal and not within the laws of the game. But since the incident flaredup at the end of the three-Test series against Australia in March, Muralitharan made perhaps his first public statement on it.”The doosra has always been at the back of my mind. People have questionedme about it. I have done all the tests that are required and the reportshave gone to the ICC. At the end of the day what matters is what the report,the expert, my cricket board and what the ICC says.”Curiously, Muralitharan’s action has evoked rabid criticism or fanatical support since the first time he was called for throwing in Australia in 1995, a few months before Sri Lanka, led by Arjuna Ranatunga, beat Australia in front of a packed house at Lahore to lift the World Cup. Although Sri Lanka undertook two unsuccessful World Cup campaigns after that, Muralitharan has been devastating in the shorter game, and is gradually catching up on the400-wicket mark. With 360 wickets in 232 matches, he lies third behind Wasim Akram (502 wickets from 356 matches) and Waqar Younis (416 wickets from 262 matches).But it’s in Tests that Muralitharan has caused more damage. With his present average of nearly six wickets a Test, cricket pundits and experts predict that by the time he retires, he will have gone past the 600-wicket mark. To put the matter into perspective, if he carries on at his current wicket-taking rate, in 132 Tests (the number Walsh took for his record), he will have claimed 772 wickets.And with Shane Warne right behind Muralitharan on 517 Test wickets, the battle is on between the two great turners of the ball to become the leading spinner of all time. Australia comes to Zimbabwe after Sri Lanka’s second Test to play two Tests, following which they play Sri Lanka in two further Tests at home in July.

The Pakistan Cricket Board organised a seminar at Lahore earlier this week to assess the state of the game in the country. Called ‘Creating a Winning Team: The Future of Cricket in Pakistan’, the seminar had participants from all over Pakistan and abroad and included former players, administrators and journalists.Coming barely two months into the tenure of the new PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf, the seminar looked at ways and means of improving the infrastructure at the grassroots level, of obtaining commercial backing to do that, and the role of coaches and captains. Formulating a strategy to win the World Cup, to be held in the Caribbean in less than six months’ time, dominated the discussions.The absence of legendary former captains like Imran Khan and Javed Maindad, and of Inzamam-ul-Haq and Bob Woolmer, obviously deprived the seminar of crucial inputs. It also provided ammunition to sceptics who denounced the seminar as just another ritual and a publicity-seeking exercise.

Virender Sehwag: the surprise element in the Indian team© Getty Images

Two days after the Karachi one-day international, the post-mortem continued into how India pulled off the win and why Pakistan lost despite an amazing run-chase. In his column for Gameplan, the syndication agency, Shoaib Akhtar explained his disappointing performance with the ball: “Right from the first ball, I was having problems with my run-up, and they persisted right through the Indian innings.” Meanwhile, just one match into the series, Shoaib was sure who posed the biggest threat to Pakistan’s bowlers: “Rahul Dravid will be the most crucial wicket if we are to dislodge the Indians cheaply.”Writing for the same syndication agency, Ravi Shastri opined that Virender Sehwag’s form could be the decisive factor in this series. “Pakistan’s bowlers have not seen too much of him, so he has that element of surprise. His ability to play unorthodox shots can unsettle any bowler or coach – even the irrepressible Javed Miandad.”For Youhana, the greatest difference between this Indian team and the ones of the past was the never-say-die attitude of this outfit. Writing for the syndication agency TCM, he said: “I have not known Indian teams to fight like this one did when under pressure. I have played a few Indian teams in Sharjah, Dhaka and even Australia. This one refused to give up, and fought till the end.”* * *The Nation reported that Miandad was busy trying to instil some discipline in his two main fast bowlers. According to the daily, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami had long bowling stints, with Miandad watching out for no-balls and wides. The team had a three-hour practice session at the Pindi Stadium in Rawalpindi, the venue of the second ODI, with Shoaib and Sami bowling almost throughout. Between them, Shoaib and Sami sent down eight no-balls and nine wides in Saturday’s five-run defeat.* * *According to Dawn, around 3000 policemen have been deployed for the Rawalpindi match. Talking to the daily, Syed Moravet Ali Shah, senior superintendent of police, said: “We will have 1500 police in and around the stadium while as many are on duty at other points in the city. We have set up barricades at the road leading up to the stadium and only those with valid tickets or duty passes will be allowed to go through.”The scanning of spectators will start from the parking lot through vehicle search mirrors after which there will be the walk-through gates. A final scan will then be done through handy metal detectors.”* * *Rameez Raja, the chief executive of the Pakistan board, sought to play down fears that the five-match one-day series would be one continuous run-fest with nothing in it for the bowlers. Speaking to The Nation, he said: “Three of the four [remaining] one-dayers are day-and-night games, and at night conditions are more suited to the bowlers, and batsmen would be facing swing, so it won’t be easy to score runs.”* * *LK Advani, India’s deputy prime minister, welcomed the idea of a visit by Atal Behari Vajpayee, the prime minister, to Lahore to watch one of the ODIs. He was quoted by Press Trust of India as saying: “If there is any such move, it will be a further step in improving ties between the two countries.”PTI also reported that the Indian team is scheduled to meet Gen Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan’s president, on March 17. Confirming the news, Ratnakar Shetty, the manager of the Indian team, said: “The team has been told that there would be a meeting with the President on March 17. We believe it is a get-together over tea. The timing is yet to be confirmed.”* * *The Times of India stated that Rahul Dravid and Murali Kartik used their time off on Sunday to visit the ancient site of Taxila, around 30 km north of Rawalpindi. Known as the City of Stones, the ancient city is famous for housing many Buddhist monuments.

Frizzell County Championship Division One
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Lancashire 368 for 5 v Sussex at Old Trafford
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The champagne in the Sussex dressing-room will have to wait for at least one more day as Lancashire and the rain further prolonged their wait for that elusive maiden Championship title. They did at least pick up three wickets, including the centurion Mal Loye, in the 42 overs possible. Loye eventually fell, caught off Robin Martin-Jenkins for 144, after a partnership of 241 with Stuart Law, who then added 56 with Carl Hooper (33). Law batted throughout the truncated day’s play and ended with 131 not out, having hit 20 fours. Lancashire closed on 368 for 5 with Mushtaq Ahmed still searching for his 100th wicket of the season, a feat not achieved since Andy Caddick and Courtney Walsh both did it in 1998.Leicestershire 295 v Kent 23 for 1 at Leicester
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In an ominous sign for the England batsmen this autumn, Muttiah Muralitharan added a few more Englishmen to his bagful of wickets this season. Murali polished off Leicestershire’s last three wickets for 34 runs on the way to 6 for 51, and at the same time sealed their long-threatened relegation from Division One. Leicestershire’s fate was sealed when they failed to take maximum batting points. John Maunders was one of the few to escape Murali’s magic, and scored a century to boot. Resuming on 76, Maunders went on to make 129, his second hundred of the season. In Kent’s reply, Rob Key was bowled early on by Phillip DeFreitas for 11, leaving David Fulton (7*) and Ed Smith (0*) at the crease when the gloom forced an early finish.Nottinghamshire 361 v Middlesex 9 for 0 at Lord’s
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Nottinghamshire’s problem all season has been that one good day is followed by a bad one, and it happened again today. Resuming on a strong 316 for 5, they lost their last five batsmen for 44 as Middlesex fought back at a murky Lord’s, on a day in which only 28 overs were possible. Jamie Dalrymple (2 for 5) took two of those wickets and Chad Keegan (2 for 105) took the big one of Russell Warren for 123. In their reply, had Middlesex reached 9 for no loss before bad light stopped play.Essex 249 for 9 v Warwickshire at Chelmsford (Day 1)
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The steady old head of John Stephenson showed Essex how much they have missed him this season as he marked his Championship comeback with a rescuing 69 not out to pull his side out of the mire at 73 for 7. Stephenson, 38, put on 106 with Graham Napier, who showed signs of why he was selected for the academy with a sprightly 48 from 65 balls, with eight fours and two sixes. Andy Clarke then carried on the rescue act with 41 from 34 balls to bump Essex up to 249 for 9 before bad light brought an early close. Relief for Essex, but frustration for Warwickshire, who threw away their good early work in which Alan Richardson took 3 for 47 and Corey Collymore 2 for 60.Frizzell County Championship Division Two
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Somerset 409 v Derbyshire 326 for 6 at Taunton
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Andrew Gait kept Derbyshire in touch with Somerset’s big first-innings score with 110, his fourth first-class century. Gait hammered 17 fours and a six, and put on 185 with Steve Stubbings, who scored 93 in Derbyshire’s 326 for 6. But it could have been even better, as Simon Francis hit back for Somerset late in the day. Francis grabbed four wickets for only 12 runs, three of which were catches for Rob Turner, the wicketkeeper, who pouched five in all. Francis finished with 4 for 74. Derbyshire now trail by 83, with four wickets in hand.Northants 319 and 80 for 2 v Glamorgan 203 at Cardiff
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Graeme Swann sliced through the Glamorgan innings with 5 for 37 to put Northants into a strong position. Mark Wallace was out without adding to Glamorgan’s overnight total of 20, when he was trapped lbw by Mike Cawdron, who also nipped out the other opener, Jimmy Maher, for 29. Swann then dismissed the two top-scorers, Matthew Maynard (48) and Mike Powell (40), and polished off the tail after Jason Brown chipped in with two wickets. Northants had a lead of 116, but made a wobbly start when Tim Roberts and Phil Jaques were both out with only seven on the board. But Mike Hussey (22*) and David Sales (52*) steadied things up to give Northants a 196-run advantage.Gloucestershire 374 and 53 for 2 v Durham 218 at Bristol
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Ian Fisher and Jonathan Lewis gave Gloucestershire the advantage as they helped to bowl out Durham for a below-par 218. Lewis (3 for 52) started things off by removing his namesake, Jonathan, and Gordon Muchall early on. And despite a stylish 98 from Martin Love, including 20 fours, the Durham batsmen were always on the rack as Fisher reeled in the last five wickets, including Love’s. Shoaib Akhtar struck back with the scalps of Craig Spearman (28) and Phil Weston (7), but Gloucestershire still ended the day with a 209-run lead, and with eight wickets left.

The South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) today announced a twelve-man West End Redbacks squad to take on the Western Warriors in the first Pura Cup game of season 2003-04.Greg Blewett will captain the side, with new recruit Andy Flower making his debut for the South Australian team.West End Redbacks coach Wayne Phillips said he is looking forward to the first game of 2003-04 after an excellent pre-season."I am very happy with the effort and commitment shown by the players during the pre-season and am confident it will hold us in good stead for the first game.""The selectors have chosen a balanced side, with a mixture of experienced senior players and some of our up and coming talent.""I’m sure the boys, like me, are looking forward to getting the season underway this weekend."The Redbacks team is:

Greg Blewett (c)	Andy Flower
Mark Cleary	Mark Higgs
Chris Davies	Graham Manou
John Davison	Mick Miller
Shane Deitz	Paul Rofe
David Fitzgerald	Shaun Tait

The Pura Cup game runs from October 19 to 22 at the WACA Ground in Perth. The Redbacks remain in Perth to take on WA in an ING Cup game on October 24.

The South Australian Cricket Association (SACA), in conjunction withCricket Australia, has today announced various tributes in honour ofDavid Hookes to occur across all levels of cricket this weekend in SouthAustralia.Tomorrow’s One-Day International between India and Zimbabwe will see theSACA’s president Ian McLachlan lead a minute’s silence before the startof play.Both India and Zimbabwe participated in a minute’s silence prior totheir match on Tuesday (January 20), therefore the SACA requested thisopportunity for a small tribute to David Hookes for the benefit of thefans attending tomorrow’s game.The One-Day International between Australia and Zimbabwe on Monday(January 26) will see the West End Redbacks join the two internationalteams on the Adelaide Oval, following the national anthem, to observe aminute’s silence.The Redbacks will wear their Pura Cup uniform and SACA red cap duringthe tribute.All Grade clubs, both men’s and women’s, will wear black armbands thisweekend and observe a minute’s silence prior to the start of each match.Flags at the Adelaide Oval will continue to fly at half mast throughoutthe weekend.

Darren Lehmann, who selflessly offered his Test place to Michael Clarke, is Cricketer of the Year. The award is recognition of Lehmann’s belated, unlikely and romantic international purple patch, which is currently on hold after he injured his hamstring in the third Test at Nagpur.The 2004-05 edition of , published today, is a history-making edition: the front image of a roaring Shane Warne is the first full-colour pictorial cover in 141-year history. mourns the modern trend towards “McCricket”, calling for a stop to “back-to-back Tests, whistlestop tours, twoand four-Test series and all other dunderheaded attempts to jam Test cricket into a polystyrene carton and shove it down our throats as quickly as possible”. For its first 125 years, the five-Test series was cricket’s prestige forum. But Australia have played only one in the past three years and India one in the past seven. New Zealand last played a five-Test series 33 years ago, Pakistan 12 years ago and Sri Lanka have never played one. new editor Christian Ryan writes in his Editor’s Notes: “Only when Australia play England are we now assured the unique thrill of a five-Test series. And beware the hardheads: with their calculators for brains and cash registers for hearts, they are plotting to take even that away from us. Cricket tampers with its own crazy, bewitching rhythms at its peril.”The disappearance of the five-Test series is one of several troublesome issues confronted by a feistier, revamped edition. Cricket Australia (CA) comes in for the fiercest criticism. Of the board’s eagerness to play against a race-based Zimbabwean side, and its description of this year’s tour to Zimbabwe as “a tick in a box”, wonders: “Have Australian cricket administrators no heart, no moral existence at all?”Of the Sri Lankan offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan’s refusal to come to Australia last July, it says CA did not try hard enough to change his mind. “Anything, everything should have been done to make sure he felt comfortable … Australia is the only cricketing nation Murali has felt compelled to stay away from. History will judge us accordingly.”Kerry Packer’s Channel Nine network, the long-time broadcaster of Australian cricket, also comes under attack for televising its quiz show at the moment Shane Warne equalled the world bowling record in Darwin. It was Channel Nine, again because of rival scheduling commitments, who insisted on the bizarre 9.30am starts to this year’s Tests in Darwin and Cairns.”Packer’s priority has only ever been his own prosperity, not cricket’s,” it says. “But so long as the two went hand in hand, all was hunky-dory. In the past year, Packer has appeared happy to suck the game dry and give very little back … It makes you wonder whom cricket belongs to: Packer or the people. Maybe it’s time Cricket Australia reminded a certain billionaire who’s really Boss.”The 2004-05 edition of Wisden Australia is at 976 pages the biggest ever and the first – in Australia or England – to incorporate balls faced and boundaries hit in Test scorecards. Among several innovations is a new section called “Farewells”, women’s player profiles, a beefed-up back half and two new tables listing the full career records of every Australian Test and one-day player in order of appearance.Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack Australia 2004-05 is edited by Christian Ryan and published by Hardie Grant Books.