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Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman and commissioner, has firmly ruled out the possibility of any team that includes cricketers associated with the unauthorised Indian Cricket League (ICL) participating in the proposed Champions League Twenty20 tournament, even if these players are dropped just for the event. This implies that those cricketers cannot play even in the domestic tournaments that serve as the qualifying stages for the Champions League.It’s a scenario that could open up a host of legal issues in England, with the possibility of players suing their counties if they are dropped from the Twenty20 sides. Alternatively, it could mean that most of the English county teams will not be eligible for the proposed US$ 5 million event that is expected to feature the top two Twenty20 domestic teams from India, England, Australia and South Africa. Currently, there are around 25 players, spread over 15 of the 18 county teams, with official links to the ICL.”We are very clear on that,” Modi, who is a major force behind the Champions League, told Cricinfo. Asked if counties with ICL players would be invited if they drop these players for the event, Modi said, “No, even that is not possible. Only teams that have no ties at all with ICL players will be invited… others are automatically disqualified.”The ECB had on Saturday issued a press release which said that the ECB, Cricket Australia, the BCCI and Cricket South Africa had “reached an agreement for the staging of the inaugural Champions League this autumn” to be staged either in India or the Middle East.An ECB spokesman told Cricinfo that Cricket Australia were drawing up the rules for the competition and “it would be wrong to prejudge their decision”. It is expected that the regulations will be finalised during the ICC annual conference in Dubai at the end of the month.However, Modi indicated today that the ECB’s press release did not present the final picture and was issued earlier than expected. He said details of participating teams, venues and possible dates were yet to be finalised and all that had been formalised was just an “in-principle agreement” to host such an event.

Andrew Moulding the Somerset Cricket Board Development Officer was busy at his desk in the Centre of Excellence at the County Ground this afternoon putting the finishing touches to a newsletter for the Somerset Young Cricketer’s Patron Scheme.The Young Cricketer’s Patron Scheme was launched earlier this season in an effort to provide additional funding for youth cricket across the county and has received good support from all areas of the cricketing spectrum.The Development Officer told me earlier: "We are absolutely delighted with the response so far to the scheme, and we have just received our first consignment of the specially designed Somerset Young Cricketer’s Patrons ties which will dispatched to each patron along with the newsletter in the near future."During the next few months Mr Moulding is hoping to recruit many more patrons for the scheme, and anyone who would like to sign up to help this very worthwhile cause should send a cheque for a minimum of £15 made out to the Somerset Cricket Board to Mr Moulding at The Centre of Excellence, The County Ground, Taunton, Somerset TA1 1JT.

Two two-day matches for Wellington, firstly against Central Districts on Wednesday and Thursday, then in an internal trial between Wellington and Hutt Valley next week, will be vital preparation for last year’s State Championship runners-up.Badly hit by the weather, Wellington’s players have had only two-and-a-half weeks of club play, although poor starts to the summer are not unusual for Capital dwellers.The loss of time in October due to the players’ strike is also another factor.Coach Vaughn Johnson regards November as the most important month of the season, a time when the transition is made between winter and the forthcoming season.”Pitches for club play have been very bowler-friendly but it will be the same for all teams, except Northern Districts who seem to have had half their team playing in Australia,” he said.The start to the season would be a difficult one because Wellington were not yet in control of their own destiny due to the political strife caused by the strike.”We want to start the season competitively and we want to hit the ground running but there are a few obstacles in achieving that.”With Chris Nevin, Paul Hitchcock and Stephen Fleming required to be in Christchurch for the TelstraClear Black Caps camp this week, they were not considered for the Central Districts game.That has given Johnson the chance to look at some of the contenders for positions.His squad is: Matthew Bell, Luke Woodcock, Richard Jones, Leighton Morgan, Grant Donaldson, James Franklin, Matthew Walker, Andrew Penn, Iain O’Brien, Jeetan Patel, Glynn Howell, Jonathan McNamee.

Mohammad Asif has been suspended by the Pakistan board for testing positive for a banned substance during random drug tests conducted during the Indian Premier League. To make it worse for Asif, the Pakistan board has refused to assist him in the matter, though he has the right to appeal against the suspension. Asif has said he will ask for a testing of his B sample.”Asif has been suspended until the drug tribunal of the IPL completes its inquiry,” Shafqat Naghmi, the PCB’s chief operating officer, said. “For the time being he is suspended from playing all forms of the game until further decision which includes the right of appeal.”The board also said it would go by the decision taken by the IPL’s drug tribunal. “Since Asif competed in a tournament outside Pakistan, we will honour the findings of the IPL drug tribunal and will assist them if required,” Naghmi said.He also explained the PCB’s decision to not provide assistance to Asif. “Our policy on dope offenders is very clear,” he told . “The board will not provide any kind of help to Asif and he will have to fight his case himself. The player seems to be in a lot of trouble. A second drug offence means a life ban.”If he is left to fight for himself this time, it will signal a distinct change in the board’s policy. In 2006, Asif and Shoaib Akhtar had their bans overturned after successfully appealing to an independent committee against the original punishments. Though they escaped on a technicality, it was widely speculated that the decision had the PCB’s complicit support.Asif, who said he was “shocked and surprised” at failing the test, has asked for his B sample to be examined. “We will fight the case because we believe that our client has not taken any drug so we will go for the B sample test and do whatever required to clear Asif’s name,” his lawyer Shahid Karim told .This is Asif’s second drug offence since failing a dope test before the Champions Trophy in 2006, and the board has warned that a life ban is possible if he is found guilty. Last month he was detained in Dubai for 19 days under suspicion of possessing a contraband substance and is already the subject of a board inquiry into those events.While the PCB has chosen to distance itself from the current controversy, it hasn’t stopped former Pakistan cricketers from lashing out at its functioning. Aamer Sohail, a former captain, has blamed the board for not taking appropriate action against doping after Asif and Shoaib tested positive for Nandrolone, a banned substance, in 2006.”My question is, what has the PCB done in this regard,” Sohail told the . “What measures did the board take since Asif and Shoaib Akhtar tested positive for banned drugs in 2006? Did they introduce dope testing in domestic cricket? The board has totally failed to handle things.”The last two years have been the worst for Pakistan cricket and the situation will get worse if no action is taken.”The IPL had announced on Monday that Asif’s sample was positive after comparing the result from the WADA-approved laboratory in Switzerland [that tested the samples] with the data collected by IDTM, the Sweden-based independent agency that organised the tests.Asif played eight of the Delhi Daredevils’ 15 matches in the IPL, taking eight wickets with an economy rate of 9.25.

Shrewsbury Cricket Club has won the 2002 Sun Bank Under 15 National ClubChampionship after trouncing Cardiff Cricket Club in the national final by 46 runs. The Shropshire side therefore lifted the Harry Secombe Cup for the first time in its history, victors over a record entry list of 1,517 clubs throughout the UK.Hosted at Hertfordshire’s picturesque Shenley Cricket Club, Shrewsbury defeated Fenner CC in the semi-final by a comfortable eight wickets. Restricting the Yorkshire club to just 77 runs in their 20 overs, Shrewsbury cruised to victory in the 14th over thanks to number four batsman, Joe Hart, who eased his side home with 34 not out, having earlier taken an impressive three wickets for 19 runs.Cardiff, who beat Horsham in the semis, were swept away in the final. Robert Foster top scored with 46 as Shrewsbury set a challenging target of 129, and team captain James Gale then dismissed the Cardiff’s first three batsmen as the Welsh side were skittled out for 83 in 16 overs.So Shrewsbury won the tournament, becoming Shropshire’s first ever champions of the prestigious 30-year-old competition, in a finals day made even more memorable by the presence of Nasser Hussain, Alec Stewart and Alex Tudor from the England men’s team, and Clare Connor and Isa Guha from the England women’s side amongst the 300-strong crowd.Mark Campkin, ECB Competitions Manager, underlined the success of the day, “As ever it has been a fantastic occasion. All four teams did tremendously well to get to the final, but well done to Shrewsbury who took the overall honours.”Over 16,000 boys have benefited this year from this expanding competition, which provides the perfect stage for aspiring junior cricketers to show their skills. The ECB is extremely grateful to Sun Bank for their outstanding contribution to the grass roots of the game.”Semi-finals
Cardiff 109-4 (20 overs; Owain Williams 53*) beat Horsham 73 (17.1 overs;Mohammed Usman 3-21)
Fenner 77-9 (20 overs; Joe Hart 3-19) lost to Shrewsbury 79-2 (13.2 overs)Final
Shrewsbury 129-8 (20 overs; Robert Foster 46, Stephen Johns 3-14) beatCardiff (16 overs; James Gale 3-20)

Hampshire Under-19 batsman/wicketkeeper Steve Snell has confirmed that he is joining Southern Electric Premier League club Havant this summer.Snell, 19, will play for the 2000 Premier 1 champions when his duties as an MCC Young Professional at Lord’s permit. Leading run scorer for Hampshire YCs for the past three seasons, Snell joins the Lord’s groundstaff next month.He is currently playing for the MCC YCs in Cape Town, where he has spent the winter playing for Hermanus, scoring over 500 runs.He hit two centuries – including a career-best 179 against Correctional Services – and four scores of 50-plus for the Boland Super League club.Snell played for Ventnor for the past three seasons, helping the Steephill club to successive Hampshire League championships and, ultimately, a place in Premier League Division 3.”I’ve had three superb seasons at Ventnor. Everyone at the club has been magnificent in helping me in my career, but now I have to look to the future and move on.”Havant are a very professionally run club and, having direct road and rail links with London, will be an easy venue for me to reach each week,” he said. Snell confirmed, however, he had no intention of severing his links with Ventnor.”Rest assured, I will go back there and play midweek and Sunday games whenever I can. Some of my best mates play at Steephill and I want to continue my association with the club for a long time yet,” he stressed.Snell is expected to make his Havant debut in the Southern Electric Premier Division opener against Portsmouth on May 4.

County ChampionshipAdults £9.00OAP £7.00Under 16 £2.00Car Parking £5.00NUL (except Floodlit)In Advance On the DayAdults £10.00 £12.00OAP £10.00 £12.00Under 16 £5.00 £6.00Car Parking N/A £5.00NUL (Floodlit)In Advance On the DayAdults £10.00 £15.00OAP £10.00 £15.00Under 16 £5.00 £7.00Car Parking N/A £5.00B & H Quarter FinalAdults £12.00OAP £9.00Under 16 £6.00Car Parking £5.00C & G Trophy Round 4 & Quarter FinalAdults £12.00OAP £9.00Under 16 £6.00Car Parking £5.00Tourist MatchesAdults £13.00OAP £13.00Under 16 £6.00Car Parking £5.00

Now that the 2002 Southern Electric Premier League has been successfully concluded it is time to look back on your thoughts in our season-long running polls on who you thought would scoop the three divisional titles.And you were wrong on all three counts, too!!!The majority of the 406 votes cast in the Division One poll thought that Liphook and Ripsley would take the title. Some 24.1% (98 votes) were cast in favour of the East Hampshire club, comfortably ahead of their nearest rivals B.A.T.Sports and actual runners-up, who gained 71 votes (17.5%).Havant, who regained their crown as kings of the league, came in third amongst the SPCL web-site loggers, generating 60 votes (14.8%).It may have been a surprise to many the success of Easton and Martyr Worthy this season, who finished second behind the Hampshire Academy in Division Two, but many of you were not, as 33 voters of the 120 listed thought they would win it!United Services (15 votes) came in second, one vote ahead of the Academy, who of course will be playing in SPCL Division One next term.Division Three was the closest you had come to getting it right. Alton were the season favourites with 26 of the 179 total votes (14.5%), three votes ahead of actual winners Purbrook (23 votes – 12.8%).Thank you for taking part – hope that proved to be a bit of fun during the season. Watch out for some developments on the site during the winter.DIVISION ONE – WHERE THEY FINISHED and WHAT YOU SAID

DIVISION TWO – WHERE THEY FINISHED and WHAT YOU SAID

DIVISION THREE – WHERE THEY FINISHED and WHAT YOU SAID

In a press briefing held at BCB auditorium, the skipper and the cricketing officials fresh from Zimbabwe were present to run a discussion over Bangladesh’s attainment from their first overseas tourthe meeting was chaired by Ashraful Hoque, the general secretary of BCB. Addressing the journalists the coach, manager and captain first delivered their speech concerning the experience they gathered in abroad which they wished they would capitalize in future. The manager Mr. Mahbubul Anam seemed to be sheer hopeful about the matches between the same sides in Bangladesh in November. He aspiration to turn over the calculations in the home ground appeared to be taken to heart by the media-men present there, because he had been hopeful to reverse the result they got from the latest tour. He got himself unnerved by the hostile question from the journalists and defended he and his team tactfully with smile always hanging on his face.Some questions concerned the inclusion of Al-Sahariar as an opening batsman as his experience did not talk in his favor much in earlier days, therefore, playing him as an opener is sort of a risky experiment the coach carried out in such a vital tour. Trevor joined the argument saying all specialist batsmen should be acumen to play at any order. He thought Al-Sahariar would click-but he could not and that is cricket where expectations sometimes had to stumble.The late incusion of Akram Khan in the third one-day raised another dispute. The journalists contrived to confirm it was a stronger influence from the board that played it’s knack to get this ace batsman, though struggling a bit, hold the grip in that match. The officials refuted it saying it as a media-hype; none could play any role except the team management to decide upon who was playing and who was not.The skipper admitted his confined performance in the tour where he was seen most of the time taking his stride with runs between twenty and thirtya wretched feat for a batsman like him; he took shelter to lack of concentration to hide up his failure that sounded unconvincing to others.At one point all gave the impression to be unanimous that the pitch was exotic and quiet alien to BD players and they were not apt to see themselves in such bouncy tracks often, if we keep that thing along with the inexperience in test match in our head, we could find that Bangladesh had not played that bad. The progress would be empirical and the plight of BD cricket would develop accordingly.The disagreement went on as Mushfiqur Rahman replaced Hasibul Hasan in the second test who is one of the leading new-ball operators of the country. The members of the press termed it as a foolish act as Mushfiq failed utterly in both versions of the game, specially when his batting was an added advantage that helped his way into the squad but miserably that botched too.By the way, Mr. Ashraful Hoque gave the November schedule when Zimbabwe is going to travel around Bangladesh to take part in three one days and two tests. Most of the matches will be played at BNS and BKSP though the venues are not confirmed yet.

Zimbabwe Cricket has incurred debt amounting to US$18 million and has not paid some of its players, ESPNcricinfo has learned. The board has denied the allegations and said its “financial standing is sound” and it has “never failed to execute our mandate”.The situation came to a head three months ago, when Zimbabwe hosted an unofficial T20 tri-series between themselves, South Africa and Bangladesh, which Zimbabwe won. Midway through the competition, a delegation of players who had not been paid match fees in over a year sought the help of a government minister to ensure the board fulfilled its obligations to them.Apart from players who had not been paid at all, some were given only allowances, and put up in what an insider called “appalling conditions” for the duration of the event. ZC is also accused of asking some of their own players from outside Harare to pay their own expenses to travel to the capital to compete while Cricket South Africa paid all the costs for its own team to take part in the tournament.Certain players were “threatened” when they asked about the status of their payments and so looked for outside assistance. The intervention resulted in most of the players been paid, although there remain a few who have not seen any of the amounts owing to them. A source close to the Zimbabwe camp told ESPNcricinfo that five members of the squad who played at the World T20 had not been paid.This has led to some concerns being expressed over the players’ financial well being and whether they will be able to continue playing cricket in the future. “Some of them are the breadwinners of their families and so they can’t afford not to be paid,” the source said. Zimbabwe’s preparations for the World T20 were disrupted because those players who had found other employment were unable to attend some practices.Alistair Campbell, chairman of the cricket committee, said he was “not aware,” of any non-payment*. He said the 10 central player contracts were renewed in August, in keeping with the annual date for their turnover and that any players were told when their paperwork would be in order and all payments had been made. He conceded that ZC does have some “financial concerns” but said they are making efforts to sort it out.Campbell referred to the body moving out of its headquarters at Harare Sports Club two weeks ago. It was reported in the local media that ZC were forced out because they had not paid their rent, a charge ZC denies. It said it chose to move to property it owns in the suburb of Highlands for cost-cutting purposes. “Like every other company, ZC has had to review its expenditure within the framework of the current economic conditions,” the board said in a statement. “It does not make sense for an individual or company to pay rentals when they have a property that can be utilised for the same purpose.”ZC was previously not able to fit all its staff into the Highlands office but has since trimmed its administrative roster. “Harare Sports Club remains an international cricket ground and we are likely to have satellite offices there during international games,” the board said.Zimbabwe are scheduled to host Bangladesh in a series that was postponed from August this year, but no dates have yet been set for that tour. Talk that the delay was partly caused by ZC’s cash-flow problems has been squashed by the board, which insists it remains able to provide the necessary finance to run cricket in the country. “We have prepared and equipped a national team to represent us at the World Twenty20, the domestic season is set to commence on schedule, our franchise system continues to function, and our age-group teams have been well represented on the international arena,” ZC said.While Zimbabwe does have a functional franchise system, there is no active second-team competition and club cricket has suffered. ZC has little means of making money, with incoming tours often costing more than is made from selling television rights. The board made losses on all three series it hosted last year, and although it has sponsorship arrangements, these do not offer them enough money to fully fund cricket in the country.*09:20 GMT, September 26: This story has been updated.