Damien Martyn says he has nothing to prove despite being told by Merv Hughes, the newest Australia selector, to re-find his form in state cricket. However, Martyn, who was dropped from the Test side on Tuesday, said something “extra special” was needed for him to add to his 61 appearances. reported that Martyn signed a two-year Cricket Australia contract before the Ashes and as a long-term figure in both Tests and ODIs was ranked its No. 5 player. “It hurts in the sense that I’ve been playing Test cricket in the last four or five years where I’ve done it all, particularly the last 18 months,” Martyn told the paper. “I was averaging almost a century every second Test so this has been my first hiccup in that period.”Martyn believed the five-Test series had made his slump stand out more than if it was over three matches. “This just shows that once you’re at a certain age that it’s an unknown,” he said. “I’m 34 next month and the World Cup is in 18 months so I don’t know what’s going to happen. You’ve got to be honest with yourself. It would almost be something extra special to get back [in the Test side].”While Martyn was shocked with his dropping – he felt he was more likely to miss the one-day team – he was disappointed with Hughes’ public comments. “I’m not going back to play for WA feeling I’ve got anything to prove,” he said. “I’m going back to WA hoping to help some young kids there, put back in, and hopefully see some of those young WA guys play for Australia. That’s the next stage for me.”

Pakistan’s obsession with Shoaib Akhtar’s fitness and commitment, increasingly a pre-series ritual, has once again got underway. Bob Woolmer, the Pakistan coach told Cricinfo in an exclusive interview that he still has concerns over the fast bowler’s fitness.”I understand that Shoaib Akhtar runs thirty metres to bowl and he puts a lot of effort into it. He bowls very quickly and is a massive asset to any team. But in order to do that you have to be a lot fitter than he is at the moment.”Shoaib has not played for Pakistan since January this year; he missed the tour to India with a strained hamstring and was overlooked for the subsequent Caribbean tour on the grounds that he wasn’t fit enough. Since then, he has played a handful of games at county level, the Afro-Asia series where he looked impressive and two ODIs in the recently concluded Super Series against Australia. He wasn’t included in the World XI Test squad for the one-off Test at Sydney, although Graeme Smith, the captain, was at pains to point out it wasn’t due to lack of fitness.Woolmer and the Pakistan board are keen that Shoaib proves his fitness before the England series. His largely unimpressive performance in the Super Series ODIs have not been reassuring on this count.Shaharyar Khan, the Pakistan board chairman, too has sought assurances from Shoaib about his commitment to the team and fitness, and set both down as a condition for a comeback.Shaharyar told the Karachi-based daily, , that he had spoken long and hard to Shoaib during the Super Series and explained to him exactly what he needed to do to get back into the team. Shoaib, according to Shaharyar, guaranteed him his full commitment.Woolmer expects Shoaib to play in two games before the England series, including the four-day practice game between a Pakistan XI and Lahore, in Lahore from October 26. A source close to the Pakistan team told Cricinfo that nothing short of sustained spells of fast bowling, in these conditions, over a few days, will convince the management of Shoaib’s fitness levels.Woolmer said, “He’s coming to the training camp on the 21st and he’s playing on the 26th in the practice game in Lahore so I want to see him get stuck in. We have a very important series coming up against England and it’s not about Shoaib Akhtar or Bob Woolmer.”Given that, for the first time in over a year, Pakistan have considerable depth in the fast bowling department – Mohammad Sami and Umar Gul are fit again, Shabbir Ahmed has been allowed to resume bowling and the likes of Mohammad Asif, Najaf Shah and Mohammad Khalil have also impressed recently – there will be added pressure on Shoaib to prove his fitness.Woolmer added, “The only thing I believe Shoaib has to consider is that he must get himself fit if he is to bowl consistently fast for the rest of his career. He’s 30 now so his fast bowling career has probably four years left. It doesn’t take two years to get fit, it takes two months; he has an opportunity to do that.”Woolmer also touched on problems relating to getting the message across to Shoaib, saying that he might be receiving advice from people outside the game of cricket. “It’s a major problem if you have contrary advice; either you listen to the cricket coach or you listen to people who don’t know anything about cricket. If Shoaib wants to do it his way and if he doesn’t fit the bill, he has to understand he might not get selected.”

Scorecard
Western Australia ended the third day of their Pura Cup clash against Tasmania at Perth in a good position, but some good bowling gave the visitors an outside sniff of an improbably victory. They closed on 0 for 53 in pursuit of a target of 348.Tasmania’s innings had its share of drama. David Dawson was dropped by wicketkeeper Ryan Campbell when he had made 9 – he was 17 not out at stumps – and Michael DiVenuto (32 not out) caused a few flutters among his team-mates when he required lengthy treatment after being struck on the elbow by Ben Edmondson.The day had started well for Western Australia, even though Scott Kremerskothen delayed procedings with a spirited 66, and Tasmania were bowled out for 234, a first-innings deficit of 171. Rather than enforce the follow on, WA looked to press home their advantage by building an insurmountable lead.But that plan soon came off the rails as Scott Kremerskothen (3 for 22) ripped through their middle order to leave them teetering on 6 for 108, of which Chris Rogers made 73. Darren McNees (3 for 47) chipped in with late wickets as Western Australia were bowled out for 176.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Fresh from consigning England to their worst-ever defeat, Pakistan rubbed in the salt with a sparkling bowling performance which took them to a series win at Rawalpindi. It was their tenth victory in 11 ODIs but it was no easy task; a composed display from the bowling attack was required to hold off Kabir Ali and James Anderson’s last-gasp charge. They added 33.England had looked dead and buried at 114 for 8, chasing 211, but Ali added 50 for the ninth wicket and Ian Blackwell and then he and Anderson took England agonisingly close. In the end, though, Pakistan held their nerve to win by a slender 13 runs.They were always going to be up against it after an average showing from their batsmen. Inzamam-ul-Haq had been the mainstay of their innings, his unbeaten 81 taking Pakistan past 200, while Shahid Afridi added 34. But it was just enough.Poor old England, though – just when they thought their bowlers had restricted Pakistan to a realistic target, their batsmen narrowly failed to deliver. Andrew Flintoff top-scored with 40, and Ali posted an unbeaten 39.To be fair to both line-ups, the pitch was the trickiest of the series to date, but it was definitely a day which belonged to the bowlers. England’s attack were first up after Inzamam chose to bat. Pakistan were wobbling at 34 for 3, but Inzamam’s 82nd one-day fifty took them to 210, although this was still way short of his reckoning that 270 was par.While others around him struggled to cope with a turning pitch and some hostile England bowling, Inzamam was as laissez-faire as ever, easing the ball over midwicket, cover, straight – in fact, wherever he fancied – as he moved to an unbeaten 81.There weren’t quite the fireworks that Pakistan’s batsmen have been dishing up of late, in fact it was England’s bowlers who were the sparklers. Liam Plunkett removed their big hitters Afridi and Abdul Razzaq in successive balls to neutralise any danger of a big rearguard and his contribution was just one part of a convincing England bowling display – at long last.Flintoff and James Anderson got the ball rolling, and the wickets tumbling; their pressure caused three wickets to fall for no runs to leave Pakistan in some trouble. Salman Butt and Younis Khan fell in successive balls, then five balls later Kamran Akmal was back in the hutch, too, as Pakistan’s top order succumbed to the squeeze.Flintoff bowled a nagging line and length, and bristled with hostility, while Anderson – who was immediately upgraded from Supersub to opening bowler – proved a worthy foil, using the slower ball to good effect to deceive Akmal. Plunkett slipped in an offcutter later to scythe down Afridi and followed next ball with Razzaq’s wicket to puncture Pakistan’s momentum late on.England’s work was only just beginning though. Pakistan came strongly at them with the new ball as Rana Naved-ul-Hasan took two wickets in two balls to rock their top order and then Shoaib Akhtar followed up with the wicket of Vikram Solanki.In a double wicket maiden that rocked England, Naved got the ball to swing away and was twice rewarded for his efforts; causing Matt Prior to thick-edge through to the keeper and then trapping Andrew Strauss plumb first ball. It wasn’t long before Akhtar got his dues either, banging in a 94mph-belter which Solanki could only edge onto his stumps.

Flintoff and Marcus Trescothick set about repairing the innings, adding 45 for the fourth wicket. But their partnership was less than convincing against a polished Pakistan attack, and it wasn’t to last. Flintoff had a reprieve on 5, when his hooray to long leg had Kamran Akmal and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan careering towards each other on course for a collision. They missed each other, but also the catch.Yet it was England who were hurtling to the danger zone. Naved thought he had Trescothick on 9 – and so did the team, the crowd and the Snickometer. Even Trescothick appeared to concur, too, to judge by his guilty expression. But the umpire gave him a stay of execution.It wasn’t to last. He struggled against Arshad Khan’s first two deliveries – alarming rippers – and then he played the third for non-existent turn. It was a great bowling change after Naved had become a little wayward.If the wheels were coming off for one bowler, though, the entire bodywork of England’s batting was in a state of collapse. Flintoff was next to fall courtesy of another good change: Afridi coming into the attack to bolster the spin attack, and he trapped Flintoff in front. Then Geraint Jones capitulated to his legspin, popping up the easiest of chances to gully before Afridi made it three with Plunkett.England needed their tailenders to pull something really special out of the bag – and the final two pairings nearly delivered. Shoaib Malik came on to bowl the 48th over and had Anderson in some trouble against his spin. Anderson nurdled his way to his highest one-day total of 11 but then came the fall, as Akhtar dismissed him with one which the batsman could only fend to slip.With each member of Pakistan’s attack firing, it proved to be too tall an order and the teams will return here on Wednesday with only pride on offer for England.How they were out
PakistanSalman Butt run out (Solanki) 15 (34 for 1)
Younis Khan b Flintoff 0 (34 for 2)
Kamran Akmal b Anderson (34 for 3)
Mohammad Yousuf lbw Ali 11(58 for 4)
Shoaib Malik c Strauss b Blackwell 23 (118 for 5)
Shahid Afridi b Plunkett 34 (174 for 6)
Abdul Razzaq b Plunkett 0 (174 for 7)
Rana Naved-ul-Hasan c Collingwood b Ali 17 (208 for 8)
Shoaib Akhtar c Collingwood b Flintoff 0 (208 for 9)
Mohammad Sami c Jones b Anderson 0 (210 all out)
EnglandMatt Prior c Kamran Akmal b Naved-ul-Hasan 6 (13 for 1)
Andrew Strauss lbw b Naved-ul-Hasan 0 (13 for 2)
Vikram Solanki b Akhtar 6 (26 for 3)
Marcus Trescothick b Arshad Khan (70 for 4)
Paul Collingwood c Shoaib Malik b Sami (77 for 5)
Andrew Flintoff lbw b Shahid Afridi 40 (99 for 6)
Geraint Jones c Naved b Afridi 12 (106 for 7)
Liam Plunkett lbw b Afridi 7 (114 for 8)
Ian Blackwell run out 29 (164 for 9)
James Anderson c Younis b Akhtar (197 all out)

Reacting to the news of his inclusion in the Indian squad for the Pakistan tour, Sourav Ganguly said he was happy to have made a comeback and hoped that the side would do well against their traditional arch-rivals.”I am very happy to be back in the side just like any other player in a similar situation,” Ganguly told newspersons at his residence in Kolkata soon after being picked in the team.He said he was yet to hear officially about his inclusion and received the “good news” from television. Asked whether he was going to open the innings, Ganguly said, “I haven’t heard anything of the sort. All I can say at this moment is that I am very happy”. Recalling that India had won both the Test and one-day series during their last visit to Pakistan, he said “I hope we will all play well”. Ganguly refused to draw any comparison between now and his earlier return to the Test team in 1996.Jagmohan Dalmiya, the former BCCI president, today welcomed Ganguly’s inclusion into the Indian Test squad for the tour of Pakistan while stating that undue pressure should not be put on Ganguly. “In the first place, Sourav should not have been dropped from the Ahmedabad Test despite playing reasonably well in Delhi. It is good that better sense has prevailed and selectors realised their mistake and have corrected it,” Dalmiya said.”Sourav has a lot of cricket left in him. I am confident he will be given his due chance and hope that undue pressure will not be put on him,” said Dalmiya who is the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB). He also said the CAB was delighted that Ganguly was back in the Indian team.Meanwhile his adversary , Sharad Pawar, the BCCI president, also threw his weight behind Ganguly, saying the former captain deserved a place in the squad and that reports questioning his conduct were not true.

“It looks like that he is definitely the proper person who should be included [in the team],” Pawar told reporters minutes after the Test squad for the tour of Pakistan was named.”What was appearing in the papers that he was not cooperating and his relationship with his colleagues was not good, I myself went to his senior colleagues, there is not a single complaint against him. And whatever reports appeared in the media is unfair on any player and especially for the person who has got victories for India,” he said.Pawar had met Ganguly last week in Delhi where the player reportedly discussed his exclusion from the team.Jubilant scenes broke out on the streets of Kolkata with delirious crowds streaming on to the streets to distribute sweets as news of Ganguly’s return to the Indian team spread like wildfire today. Minutes after television channels beamed the news large crowds gathered at various pockets in the city to kickstart impromptu celebrations.Having held up trains and set up road blocks for days in protest against Ganguly’s exclusion from the Test side earlier this month, cricket buffs sprinkled ‘gulal’ on each other and shouted ‘Sourav Ganguly zindabad’. A large number of people gathered outside Ganguly’s home at Behala in the southern outskirts of the city, displaying his posters and beating drums, as Christmas seemed to have descended a day in advance in the City of Joy.The local television channels, which had been beaming deabtes on Ganguly’s chances of returning to the national side for the last few days, started showing scenes of mirth and conducting ‘vox pops’. From Shyambazar in the north to Naktala in the south, from Beleghata in the east to Gardenreach in the west, the joy on the faces of Ganguly’s fans was there for all to see.Meanwhile, Parthiv Patel, who was recalled to the Indian Test squad for the tour of Pakistan as a back-up wicketkeeper to Mahendra Singh Dhoni, said he would make the most of the chance that has come his way.

“I am very happy. My patience and perseverance have finally paid off,” Patel told PTI over the phone from Surat where he would he playing in the Ranji Trophy match against Bengal starting tomorrow.”I have been working very hard since the last season, I have done well in the Challenger Series, Irani Trophy, Duleep Trophy and Ranji Trophy games,” said Patel who was dropped from the Indian eleven after a string of poor shows behind the stumps, including on the tour of Australia. “I have got a chance and I will make the most of it,” he added.Patel said he had improved upon both his batting and wicket-keeping skills and would do well if he made it to the final eleven in Pakistan. “The most memorable moment during last year’s Pakistan tour was when I made 69 runs as a stand-in opener in the Rawlpindi Test which India won,” he said.

In compliance with the Supreme Court orders the Indian board has appointed a 3-man panel to select the Himachal Pradesh Ranji team for the one-day matches starting from February 10Gurusharan Singh, the former Test player from Delhi, has been named the Chairman of the panel while Bhupinder Singh (Snr) from Punjab, and Sarkar Talwar, a first-class cricketer of long standing from Haryana, have been included as the other members in the panel. The two-day trial for the selection of the team would start on February 4 at the PCA Stadium in Mohali.Two rival factions of Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association – one headed by Anurag Thakur and the other by Rajinder Zar – are fighting it out in the courts for the control of the Association. A Bench comprising YK Sabharwal, the Chief Justice, CK Thakker and RV Raveendran had on January 30 directed the Indian board to appoint a three-member panel to select the Himachal Pradesh team for the remaining domestic matches this season. The court had also stipulated that the Indian board “shall not included anyone from Himachal Pradesh” in the panel. As an interim measure, the Indian board would provide finance for the Himachal Pradesh team and the apex cricket body would be compensated for the same by the Association, which proved its credentials in the court of law, the court had said.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Sri Lanka wasted no time in wrapping up a comprehensive victory in Chittagong, responding to an early setback with an authoritative run chase. Michael Vandort (64 not out) and Kumar Sangakkara (46) scored the bulk of the runs and Mahela Jayawardene (26 not out), Sri Lanka’s new captain punched the winning runs through the covers off the last ball before lunch.Sri Lanka, starting the day on 25 without loss, stumbled early as Upul Tharanga, who had looked so solid the previous evening, edged into the slips. However, Bangladeshi hopes of a dramatic collapse and a historic last-gasp victory flickered briefly as Sangakkara, in prime form during recent weeks, swaggered out of the blocks and asserted complete command.Vandort, desperate to impress having just been recalled after a three-and-a-half year absence (despite scoring 140 in his last Test, albeit against a much weaker outfit than this team), started more awkwardly, looking uncomfortable against a barrage of short pitchers from the increasingly impressive Shahadat Hossain. But he battled it out, slowly growing in confidence.It soon became apparent that Sangakkara might be eyeing lunch at the team hotel and an early bus to Bogra, the venue for the second Test, as he tucked into the spinners, using his feet and crashing over the top. But within one boundary of his second fifty he poked a return catch back to Enamul Haque off his leading edge, leaving Sri Lanka 115 for 2.Jayawardene, too, shared a similar sense of urgency and was soon finding the boundary, using his feet expertly. Vandort started to find his timing and began driving powerfully through the covers. Eventually, Habibul Bashar threw in the towel and tossed the ball to his part-timers. Jayawardene and Vandort crossed the finish line in a flash.

Afterwards, Jayawardene paid tribute to what had been a spirited Bangladesh effort. Clearly, on the evidence of recent months, their minnow status is fast-becoming unfair. Dav Whatmore has, in his own words, found some “hardware” he can work with and now the “software” is being polished. The decision-making of the batsman has already vastly improved and home Test wins surely beckon.”Bangladesh pushed us hard here and forced the team to show a lot of character in order to win,” said Jayawardene afterwards. “Thilan (Samaraweera) and Farveez (Maharoof) shared an important stand in our first innings and then we bowled really well in the second innings, showing a great deal of patience.”Jayawardene also saluted Muttiah Muralitharan, who narrowly missed out on another Man-of-the -Match award – won by Mohammad Ashraful for his superb first-innings hundred – for his match haul of 9 for 141 but reached yet another landmark as he claimed his 1000th international wicket.”Murali was brilliant once again and all the guys in the team are really happy for him and proud that he has achieved such a great achievement – in fact, everyone in Sri Lanka will also be proud. Murali, throughout his career, has been a great ambassador for the game and for Sri Lanka. He is a very humble man but a fierce competitor who always plays for the team.”Both teams now will be able to rest for three days before the start of the second Test in Bogra next Tuesday.

Sri LankaUpul Tharanga c Nafees b Rasel 19 (25 for 1)
Kumar Sangakkara c & b Haque 46 (115 for 2)

Michael Hussey has praised the good showing by Stuart Clark, the New South Wales fast bowler, in his debut Test series in South Africa and believes he is in for the long haul. As Australia prepare to take on Bangladesh for the first time on their home soil, Hussey has singled out Clark as a potent threat to the opposition.”When Glenn [McGrath] made himself unavailable for the tour of South Africa, we definitely needed someone to come to the fore,” Hussey told Sportal, an Australian website. “He got his opportunity after a long wait – really – to play Test cricket, and he grasped his opportunity with both hands by bowling absolutely beautifully on tour.”Clark was a revelation in Australia’s recent 3-0 drubbing of South Africa, claiming 20 wickets at 15.85 in his first Test series after being called up as replacement to McGrath. Clark took advantage of bowler-friendly conditions to lead Australia in total wickets, strike-rate (35.4) and registered the best individual figures for his side – 5 for 55 in the first Test at Cape Town.Hussey added that while Clark’s Test debut was overdue, he made the most of his selection and should consider himself in the running for a place in this winter’s Ashes series at home. Hussey said he expected Clark to be as effective as he was in South Africa even on the Bangladeshi wickets that traditionally offer little asstance to fast bowlers. “I hope this is the start of a long career for him,” he said. “He’s a fine bowler and a good bloke to have around the team,” he said.The first Test begins tomorrow at Fatullah.

Roger Brathwaite jumped – he was not pushed out – and so the West Indies Cricket Board will soon begin a worldwide search for its next chief executive officer.This was the word from Ken Gordon, the WICB president, in a wide-ranging interview with Cable News Channel 3, following the announcement that Brathwaite will pull up stumps after four years with the WICB and declare his innings closed on April 28. Brathwaite resigned from the position last Friday after an all-day meeting of the WICB at which his job came under review, but reports indicated he had been asked to do so by Gordon.”People resign,” was the initial response Gordon gave to a question about Brathwaite’s pending departure from the WICB. “Clearly, Mr Brathwaite wanted to get on with his career in a different avenue, and by mutual agreement we agreed to part.”In a dynamic situation where things are always happening every day, there are agreements and disagreements, but you carry on. If somebody feels that they have had enough, and it’s time they look for something else, you have got to understand this,” Gordon added.Brathwaite was appointed CEO of the WICB in April 2003. He first worked with the WICB as chief marketing executive in May 2002, and was installed as acting CEO in September the same year under the presidency of former West Indies fast bowling great Wes Hall, after Gregory Shillingford was asked to resign.Gordon, however, refused to give a review of Brathwaite’s performance, but disclosed that the WICB will soon roll out its advertising campaign for a new CEO, and hoped that candidates from far and wide would apply.”We are going to put it in the hands of professional people and try to get the best possible candidates, and we will hope that what we will have presented to us from them will be a shortlist,” he said. “We would hope to have the position filled by the end of the month, but it’s not practical. We will hope that the ads will appear very shortly, but as you know, these things take time. They have to be done thoroughly.”We are not talking about advertising it only in Trinidad, but we are talking about the Caribbean, and you’ll have to hope that you can even get something out to places like the United States and Canada, where West Indians are living and they may want to apply, so it has to be thorough. My hope is that we can get this transition completed within three months.”Gordon also outlined the prerequisites for the new CEO, who should ideally have a background in cricket, but whose skills in a top management position are without question.”The person has got to be an effective CEO,” said Gordon, who took over as WICB president last year July after Teddy Griffith decided to not to seek re-election to the post. “A person who is a problem solver, who can lead, who takes accountability, someone who has an understanding of dealing with the whole picture.”Some people are very good at pockets of these things, but a CEO is someone who first recognises the resources available to him, and the limitations in which he has to work, and then devises a plan to achieve results. This is the single-most important thing by which a CEO should live – a creed of delivering results – and that’s the kind of person we are looking for – someone who will deliver results.”Until then, the affairs of the WICB will be controlled by the remainder of the management personnel under the eye of Gordon, who will meet weekly with them to review the status of various issues.”You have people who are there, you have staff, and you have the chief financial officer, Barry Thomas, who is a very competent man,” he said. “I will be going to Antigua on Mondays to meet with the managers, so that you have a managers’ meeting the same way that you have in most companies, and have a good idea about what is being tackled and I will have various inputs into it.”So for the next few months, until we have a new person in place, it will put a little more pressure on me in terms of having to go up there on a weekly basis to ensure that’s done,” Gordon said.

Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir, is all set to return to the Indian cricketing map. The exotic locale of the Himalayan valley will play host to a first-class game for the first time in 16 years when a series of Ranji Trophy matches of the 2006-07 season are held later this year.”Teams from North India will play matches against Jammu and Kashmir in Srinagar this year,” Peerzada Mohammad Syed, Minister for Youth Services and Sports, said today. It would be the first time that Ranji Trophy, India’s premier domestic championship, matches will be played in Srinagar since the eruption of militancy in 1989-90.Peerzada said he had directed the officers of his ministry to undertake necessary renovation of Bakshi stadium, indoor stadium and youth hostel, and also make lodging arrangements for the visiting players for the proposed Ranji Trophy matches.