Brett Lee, who has been cleared to play in the second Test against Bangladesh on Friday despite a back problem, is expecting plenty of success on a pacy wicket at Cairns. Bangladesh were shot out for 97 and 178 on a sluggish track in Darwin, but conditions are likely to be even more in the bowlers’ favour.Kevin Mitchell, the curator, said that recent wet weather had produced more grass than expected, and there had not been enough sun to dry the wicket out. The prospect had Lee licking his chops. “I haven’t seen a nice fast wicket for a while,” he said, “but this looks as close to a green-top as possible.”Lee, who picked up match figures of 4 for 57 at Darwin, has set his sights on becoming Australia’s spearhead in the coming years. “Whether that happens in one, three or five years time … I’m channelling all my emotions and my energy toward it in the long run. While it was good to bowl fast it still comes to taking wickets and I was pleased to be able to do both in Darwin.”Lee had to withdraw from the attack on the third morning of the Darwin Test complaining of pain in his back. He was diagnosed as suffering from an inflamed facet joint and given an anti-inflammatory injection, which appears to have had the desired effect.Errol Alcott, Australia’s physiotherapist, explained that the injury was probably caused by Lee bowling prolonged spells after a long lay-off. “It’s not uncommon,” Alcott told the Australian newspaper. “It usually happens at the start of a season when players are with their states, but because we’ve gone straight into a Test series after a six-week break the body has not had the chance to get used to bowling again.”

Warwickshire are concerned that Makhaya Ntini will not be allowed to play for them next season. Ntini, who took 23 wickets during South Africa’s tour of England, held talks with the club earlier this week before flying home.But to be able to play he needs to get permission from the South African board, as do all their contracted players. A Warwickshire spokesman said: “We’d like to see him here, he would like to be here, but the stumbling block could be the UCB. It is becoming more difficult with overseas players, particularly bowlers, because they do have a heavy workload.”Ntini has taken 123 wickets in 36 Tests at an average of 29.69, and won the joint Man of the Match award at the second Test this summer after becoming the first South African to take ten wickets at Lord’s.The concerns about his move to Warwickshire follow more problems they have had this season with their overseas players. Corey Collymore was the latest player to join Waqar Younis after Shane Bond, Michael Clark and Collins Obuya were forced to withdraw.Meanwhile, Neil Smith, a former captain, and Melvyn Betts and Mo Sheikh are to be released at the end of the season, while Trevor Penney has been awarded an extension to his one-day contract.

It’s just 10 days since the last ball was bowled at Derby and Hampshire celebrated their promotion in the National League. I had the opportunity to talk to the Hampshire players about their winter plans:-Derek Kenway Is taking a rest from cricket, although keeping fit with regular visits to the gym, he will be helping friends out at a Delivery Company and setting up “Posh Parties” as a side line.Will Kendall has set off with wife Emily on a 10 week tour to Chile, New Zealand, Australia and South Asia. From December he will be involved in some coaching at The Rose Bowl, and keeping himself in trim.Alan Mullally will be having an ankle operation in Perth in October. He hopes the injury that has kept him from playing many of the Championship matches in 2003, will be sorted. After Christmas he is hoping to play some grade cricket in Australia.James Hamblin currently on holiday in Florida, will keep fit up to the end of the year, and then will be working on his rehab in Sydney.Nic Pothas On holiday to Greece next week, he is off to South Africa on 28th October, where apart from keeping fit will be looking after some family business interests. He has a flourishing Carpet and Upholstery cleaning business in Southampton and Coulston in Surrey.Lawrence Prittipaul is off to play Grade Cricket in Perth, Australia, and will be working on his technique and fitness with Hampshire manager Paul Terry.Chris Tremlett is now off his crutches following his hip operation, and is making steady progress. He will be off to New South Wales working with the staff there including Hampshire physio Patrick Farhart.James Bruce is like Prittipaul off to Perth to work with Paul Terry, and play for South Perth Cricket Club at weekends.Jimmy Adams is back to Loughborough for his last year at University.James Tomlinson is back to Cardiff University. He has an excellent coach in Rob Ahman at Cardiff, so will be keeping fit and ready for the new 2004 season.Dimitri Mascarenhas although playing for Melville Cricket Club in Perth, after an arduous season in UK, will be looking to a much more relaxing winter, soaking up some sum.John Crawley His winter plans are yet to be finalised after the disappointment of being excluded from the England’s touring squads. He is currently taking an Open University course and working a few days a week with the Rose Bowl marketing team and also for BSports Management Company.Shaun Udal The operation he had on his shoulder last week has been very successful, in fact the specialist told him that it was not as serious a problem as had been muted. A family holiday in Barbados at Christmas, followed by extensive training.News as it happens; throughout the winter months will appear here on the Hampshire Web site, so please keep visiting…

The opening section of South Africa’s first-class Supersport Series concluded this week with three of the country’s biggest unions, as well as the defending champions, all failing to qualify for the Super Six section of the competition, which takes place in March next year.The glory years of the old Transvaal “Mean Machine” are so far gone that they feel like a part of ancient history. Under Clive Rice’s captaincy in the early 1980s many believed that Transvaal were as strong as most Test teams, but the team now called Gauteng has not won a first-class match for three years, and the famous old Wanderers stadium will once again be empty when Gauteng compete in the inglorious consolation Shield Series in March.Northerns Titans may also struggle to attract the attention of their usually loyal fans, and Supersport Park’s grass banks will be emptier than normal. St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth will count the cost of Eastern Province’s failure to progress despite a bowling attack that includes two international fast bowlers in the shape of Mornantau Hayward and Mfuneko Ngam.Easterns aggresively threw off their poor-relations reputation last year by overturning Western Province in the five-day final to become champions, but, through a combination of bad luck and rain, they will not be able to defend their title this time. So Willowmoore Park in Benoni will return to being a sleepy cricketing backwater.As surprising as the qualification of Free State and Griqualand West was, it was nothing compared to the progress of North West – the smallest and, with due respect, the least significant of the 11 provincial teams. One star they have produced just slightly brighter than several others is their opening batsman Davey Jacobs, who made 181 on the final day of the last group match against Northerns to earn a draw – and qualification by a mere 1.46 points. It was heroic stuff, and confirmed Jacobs, who has just turned 23, as being destined for greater things.A decade ago it was left-arm spinner Jacob Malao who was being tipped for stardom at a time when the South African game screaming out for a black role model. But he was swamped by the pressure, and appeared to have disappeared from the cricket map. But this season Malao, who’s now 31, reappeared with Easterns and claimed a brace of five-wicket hauls to reignite his career and, inevitably, start another round of clamouring for his international recognition.Easterns batsman Zander de Bruyn is another well-seasoned professional who has had an extraordinary season, scoring nearly 600 runs in five matches including a top score of 266. But at 28 he will probably need another year of the same for the selectors to take serious note.The Amla brothers, Hashim and Amla, have both made significant contributions to KwaZulu-Natal’s all-conquering start to the season, as has their spinning allrounder Imraan Khan. Jean-Paul Duminy has shone like few other 19-year-olds for WP, and there are a number of other players around the country who have made a name for themselves. But it’s two veterans who are occupying the thoughts of fans, administrators and fellow players alike.They are Daryll Cullinan and Lance Klusener, who have been in outstanding form. Cullinan made two centuries and a 95 while captaining Easterns, and, at the age of 36, he still has as many friends as enemies. Many have not forgiven him for walking out of the national team 24 hours before a Test against Australia in 2001, and the waters have been further muddied by reports that he had retired from international cricket last year. Cullinan himself has yet to comment, despite a UCB offical saying recently that “If he hasn’t retired from international cricket then the selectors need to know that”.Klusener averaged 45 with the bat and took 25 wickets in five matches, bowling faster and with more commitment than he has managed for five years. He is also currently suing the Board for not renewing his national contract and insists, despite the current national captain Graeme Smith’s observation that he can be “bad for morale”, that he is “not changing now. I am who I am”.Tough debates will follow in the weeks to come, and some tough decisions – but unless Klusener calls off his legal dogs and, together with Cullinan, starts flashing a few warm smiles in the direction of the people who matter, they are likely to stay cold-shouldered. Both men have said they don’t care what the world thinks about them, but in the new world of South African cricket the “who you are” is just as important as the “what you are”. Runs and wickets, by themselves, aren’t good enough any more.

Nottinghamshire ended weeks of speculation by confirming that they have signed Ryan Sidebottom on a three-year contract.Sidebottom, 25, left Yorkshire at the end of the summer after failing to secure a permanent place in the side. "I was bowling as well as I ever have done, was high in the national averages but was still not playing regularly in the first team," he explained. “Competition is fierce among the seamers at Headingley but I am very ambitious and want to get back into the England set-up.”The only way to do that is to take wickets week in week out and hopefully I’ll get the chance to do that at Nottinghamshire," he continued. “It’s a move to another Test ground where there’s a good squad combining talented youngsters with some quality experienced players and I’m really looking forward to getting started.””At Yorkshire, Ryan was competing in a seam attack where everyone is an international but he offered variety as a left-armer so I was very surprised when they agreed to release him," explained Mick Newell, Nottinghamshire’s director of cricket. “We were in the market for a seamer and once I knew there was an opportunity to sign someone of his quality I had to target him as a top priority. He’s an outstanding bowler with an excellent record and the right attitude and I’m delighted he has chosen to come and join us at Notts.”Sidebottom is Nottinghmashire’s fourth new signing since the end of the season, joining Mark Ealham, Anurag Singh and David Alleyne at Trent Bridge.

At tea (day 2) in round six of the Commonwealth Bank Under-19 Championship Series:Queensland v VictoriaVictoria 210 all out (Nevill 84, Marriott 5/49)
Queensland 4/190 (Hoffman 96)Tasmania v Northern TerritoryTasmania 9/299 dec (Anchor 60, Wade 57*, McCard 4/73)
Northern Territory 5/215 (Barry 64, Richards 50)Australian Capital Territory v Western AustraliaAustralian Capital Territory 164 (Verco 3/25)
Western Australia 6/343 dec (May 162)
Australian Capital Territory 1/52New South Wales v South AustraliaNew South Wales 7/331 dec (Hinton 114, O’Keefe 77)
South Australia 162 all out (Littlewood 32*)

India 255 for 6 (Dravid 84, Yuvraj 69) beat Zimbabwe 231 by 24 runs
Scorecard

A match which seemed to be going India’s way turned out to be much closer than expected, as Zimbabwe made a spirited fist of chasing their 256-run target. Ultimately, despite healthy contributions from Sean Ervine and Dion Ebrahim (39 each), they fell 24 short, handing India their third win of the series, which took their VB Series points tally to 17.Zimbabwe had little to cheer about in their first three matches, but they showed far more intensity today. It started with a splendid display in the afternoon, when they excelled in the field and bowled with plenty of discipline to restrict India – despite Yuvraj Singh’s 69 and Rahul Dravid’s 84 – to reasonable limits. Then they showed plenty of resolve with the bat as well.Importantly, Zimbabwe attempted to fix the aspect of their game which had caused the most concern in the earlier matches – their top-order batting. Grant Flower was promoted to open, Travis Friend played as a specialist batsman and was slotted in at No. 3, and Stuart Carlisle returned after missing the previous game with an injury.The moves seemed to pay off, too, as Zimbabwe got off to their best start of the tournament. Mark Vermeulen was forced to retire hurt after being hit just above his right eye by an Irfan Pathan short ball – reports later confirmed that he had suffered a fracture – but Flower guided the early part of the run-chase, scoring 36 as Zimbabwe reached 65 without loss at the 15-over mark. Then, instead of a period of consolidation, there came a period of capitulation, as four wickets went down for the addition of 15 runs in seven overs.Friend was run out by a direct hit from Sourav Ganguly (66 for 1), Flower carved Ashish Nehra straight to VVS Laxman at deep extra cover (70 for 2), then Andy Blignaut, promoted to keep the asking rate under control, slapped a drive straight to Yuvraj at point (73 for 3). When Heath Streak suffered a rare failure, bowled through the gate by Ganguly for 3, Zimbabwe had slumped to 81 for 4, with all the earlier good work undone. Carlisle and Tatenda Taibu stopped the rot, adding 47 on either side of a 45-minute rain delay, but both perished soon after the resumption, and Zimbabwe, six down and requiring a further 108 from 13 overs, seemed out for the count.But Ervine and Ebrahim thought otherwise, clubbing drives down the ground repeatedly. Anil Kumble, in particular, felt the heat, going for 22 in two overs as Ervine pulled and steered boundaries, and Ebrahim executed a perfect reverse-sweep for four. Balaji, who bowled quite superbly throughout, finally broke through when Ervine clubbed a cover-drive straight to Ganguly, ending a frenetic 49-run stand.The run-chase was far from over, though, as Ray Price thrashed seven off his first two balls. Zimbabwe needed just 25 from the last three overs when Pathan – who, along with Balaji, was again India’s best bowler – finally nailed the contest, persuading Ebrahim to hole out to Ganguly at midwicket (231 for 8). With Vermeulen not fit to return, that wicket effectively ended Zimbabwe’s charge.India’s total of 255 owed much to a stand of 114 for the fourth wicket between Yuvraj and Dravid, which bailed the team out after they had stuttered out of the blocks.On a flat pitch and against a modest Zimbabwean attack, the Indians would have expected a torrent of runs after opting to bat, but it didn’t quite pan out that way as they managed just 67 in the first 15 overs, losing both openers in the process. Both Streak and Blignaut bowled testing spells, forcing the batsmen to take risks.The rewards followed: Parthiv Patel, in the team in place of the injured Sachin Tendulkar, was bowled attempting a pull (41 for 1), Ganguly – for the second time in consecutive matches – fell to a short ball, and a magnificent one-handed catch by Douglas Hondo at short fine leg (67 for 2). When Laxman wafted loosely at one outside off and was caught behind, the Indian innings had slumped to 74 for 3, and was in danger of coming unstuck.Dravid and Yuvraj then stitched together the revival. Dravid wasn’t quite as fluent as in the match against Australia two days before, but his solidity was the ideal foil for Yuvraj’s exuberance. Both started off with risk-free batting, before gradually stepping it up – Yuvraj essayed his trademark powerful pulls and drives, while Dravid finally started finding the gaps in the field.It was still hard work, though, as the Zimbabweans threw themselves at the ball with gusto and stopped almost everything – Hondo at short third man and Ebrahim in the outfield were outstanding.Price finally ended the partnership with the last ball of his spell, when he sneaked one through the gate to bowl Yuvraj (188 for 4). Rohan Gavaskar, sent in ahead of Hemang Badani, and Dravid kept the momentum going with some superb running between the wickets and a few meaty blows. Both Gavaskar and Dravid fell in the space of three balls in the quest for quick runs, and it needed a slogged four from Pathan to lift India past 250. As it turned out, it was just enough to sneak a win.

The South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) today announced the 12-man squad to play the Victorian Bushrangers in the Pura Cup match to take place from February 8 to 11 at the MCG.Tea Tree Gully right-handed batsman and Redbacks rookie Ben Cameron has been selected in the squad, as the only change from the side which lost to Victoria in this week’s Pura Cup game at the Adelaide Oval. If chosen in the final XI he will make his first-class debut.23-year-old Cameron has been in outstanding form with the bat this season for both Tea Tree Gully, scoring 448 runs at an average of 64 already this season, and the South Australia second XI with 371 runs at an average of 53.00. He comes into the side to replace opening batsman David Fitzgerald, who has been omitted.Andy Flower remains unavailable for selection due to a broken finger. Recent x-rays showed that the fracture had not completely healed and the splint is expected to remain in place for up to a further two weeks.The Redbacks Pura Cup team is:

Dilhara Fernando has been named in the 14-man Sri Lanka Cricket President’s XIsquad for the warm-up match against the Australians next week. Fernando gets a chance to prove his fitness ahead of the first Test in Galle.Fernando’s career has been plagued by injuries and this time he’s returning after recovering from a stress fracture in his back, the second time in a year. Fernando regained his place in the team for the third Test against England but broke down weeks later in the Provincial tournament.The President’s XI, which will be led by Russel Arnold, also includes Rangana Herath, the left-arm spinner, and legspinner Kaushal Lokuarachchi. Both bowlers are in contention for a place in the Test squad.The three-day practice match will also mark Shane Warne’s return tothe Australian side. It will be played from March 2 at the Colombo Cricket Club. The first Test starts on March 8 in Galle.Sri Lanka Cricket President’s XI Squad
1 Russel Arnold (capt), 2 Avishka Gunawardana, 3 Saman Jayantha, 4 SajithFernando, 5 Thilan Samaraweera, 6 Lanka de Silva (wk), 7 Gayan Wijekoon, 8 Kaushal Lokuarachchi, 9 Rangana Herath, 10 Dilhara Fernando, 11 Ruchira Perera, 12 Omesh Wijesiriwardene, 13 Dhammika Sudarshana, 14 Muthumudalige Pushpakumara.

The much-awaited Australia tour of Sri Lanka starts in earnest on Friday, when the first ODI gets underway at Dambulla. Australia are determined to use the five-match series to overcome a reputation for touring badly in the subcontinent, while Sri Lanka – unsurprisingly and unashamedly – have pinned their hopes on their spinners.Sri Lanka are seeking to turn home conditions to their advantage. AfterAustralia’s mauling of a strong Indian side in the recent best-of-three VB Series finals, it’s clear that they need all the help they can get. The Dambulla outfield is lush and green but the pitch is bone-dry and will be painstakingly slow. Seamers dominated the last match at the venue, against England last November, but that was during the monsoon season. This time, it is the height of summer.The conditions, which the likely Sri Lanka XI experienced first-hand in a day-night practice match on Tuesday (they even used the same pitch that will be used on Friday), mean that Sri Lanka are set to make one change to the side that walloped England in their last one-dayer. Dinusha Fernando, Chaminda Vaas’s new-ball partner on that occasion, will be replaced by Kumar Dharmasena.The change leaves Marvan Atapattu, the one-day captain, with a multitude of spin options. Muttiah Muralitharan, his sore shoulder now fully repaired, will lead the attack with Dharmasena and Upul Chandana in support. As back-up, there will be Sanath Jayasuriya with his slow left-arm and Tillakaratne Dilshan with a few off-breaks.The strategy is entirely sensible judging by the past record of the two sides in Sri Lanka. Australia have never won a one-day series or tournament in Sri Lanka and have won only three of the 14 matches played. This compares with an 82% win record against Sri Lanka on home soil.”It is no secret that spin has been our strength and on these kind ofpitches, and it has to be slow bowlers that dominate,” said Atapattu after the team’s practice on Wednesday evening. “No matter how experienced or skillful you are, it is difficult to adapt to these conditions. We are expecting an assault to start with [from Australia’s batters], but strokemaking is a little difficult on these wickets.”Australia know what is in store and appear entirely comfortable with the challenge. Ricky Ponting has repeatedly voiced his confidence in his team adapting quickly and his desire for them to play the same exciting brand of cricket overseas that makes them virtually unbeatable at home. Indeed, Australia are so confident that they took the day off on Wednesday rather than get an early look at the conditions.Ponting has identified patience against Sri Lanka’s spinners as the key: “The game plan … is to keep wickets in hand for as long as we can against their spinners and be a bit more patient through the middle of our innings. You know that on these grounds whatever you sacrifice through the middle you can pick up at the end of the innings with wickets in hand.”Australia will decide upon the final line-up and, crucially, the bestbalance for the bowling attack when Trevor Hohns, the chairman of selectors, joins the team on Thursday. “We have got to look at whether we go in with two quick bowlers, an allrounder and an extra couple of spinners or three quick bowlers, an allrounder and spinner.”The likeliest scenario appears to be Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee with the new ball, Ian Harvey with his medium-paced all-sorts, and Brad Hogg, the only bowler to complete a full quota of overs in the practice match, as the specialist bowlers. The remaining 10 overs could be shared by the part-time spinners: Andrew Symonds, Michael Clarke and/or Simon Katich.Michael Bevan played no part in the President’s XI warm-up but Buchananinsisted that was merely precautionary. His batting is apparently no longer handicapped by his fractured rib and he will probably be slotted back into the team in place of Katich.The match will be a special day for Sanath Jayasuriya. Now 34-years-old and enjoying his role as a senior statesman in the team, he will become the most capped Sri Lankan ODI player in history when he walks onto the field for the 309th time. During the course of the series, Jayasuriya, now with 9172 runs, also has a chance of overhauling Aravinda de Silva’s record 9284 ODI-run aggregate.Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Sanath Jayasuriya, 2 Romesh Kaluwitharana (wk), 3 Marvan Atapattu (capt), 4 Kumar Sangakkara, 5 Mahela Jayawardene, 6 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 7 Upul Chandana, 8 Kumar Dharmasena, 9 Chaminda Vaas, 10 Nuwan Kulasekera, 11 Muttiah Muralitharan.Australia (probable) 1 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 2 Matthew Hayden, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Damien Martyn, 5 Andrew Symonds, 6 Michael Clarke, 7 Michael Bevan, 8 Ian Harvey, 9 Brad Hogg, 10 Brett Lee, 11 Jason Gillespie.