Yorkshire have appointed Anthony McGrath as their captain next season. The 27 year-old batsman takes over from Australian Darren Lehmann, who is currently serving a five-match suspension from international one-day cricket because of racist remarks made during a recent game between Australia and Sri Lanka.Yorkshire officials insisted that Lehmann’s outburst and subsequent suspensionhas nothing to do with his replacement.Lehmann is likely to be unavailable for much of next season because of his commitments with Australia, and Yorkshire want a captain for the long term.McGrath made his debut for the club in 1995 and won his county cap four years later. He has been on two England A tours.

DURBAN, South Africa, March 19 AP – Torrential rain in Durban could force organisers to postpone Thursday’s World Cup semifinal between India and Kenya.But Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly says his team will come out singing, be it rain or sunshine.”We’ll have to keep an eye on the weather and the formula to decide rain-hit matches,” Ganguly said Wednesday as heavy showers dampened the prospect of the semifinal going ahead on schedule.”One can’t go into the match getting too worried about the weather, but we’ll handle any situation that might develop,” he said.The weather factor, which hastened host South Africa’s exit from the tournament in Durban, is again in play after the eastern coastal city of Durban was hit by heavy downpours starting Tuesday night.Rain is expected to continue throughout Wednesday, and intermittent showers have been forecast for match day.If the match is not completed by Friday – the reserve day – India’s six-wicket victory over Kenya in a Super Six encounter two weeks ago will secure it passage into Sunday’s final against defending champion Australia.The KwaZulu-Natal region has been under a dry spell for the past two months, experiencing its least rainfall in 27 years.And while the rain was welcomed by the residents of this city, the World Cup organisers were hoping for a break.Kenya’s coach Sandeep Patil, a member of India’s champion 1983 team, hoped the semifinal is played on Thursday.”We’ve no control over the weather, but we’d like to play on Thursday itself. We are prepared for the game,” Patil said.

Bayswater-Morley captain Chris Mason capped a stellar season when he was crowned the WACA Pennant Competition’s Olley Cooley Medallist.In West Australian cricket’s ‘Brownlow Medal’ equivalent, Mason was named the fairest and best player in Perth’s premier cricket competition.Mason streaked clear of the field with 23 votes, well ahead of his nearest rival, Midland-Guildford’s Peter Worthington with 18.Mason was the league’s most damaging all-rounder. He made 656 runs at the excellent average of 54.67 (fourth best in the league) with two centuries and four fifties.He claimed 31 wickets at the sterling average of 12 (third best in the league) with best figures of 5-7.The 27-year-old’s Bayswater team was unbeaten during the first half of the season thanks to his match-winning form.He polled votes in nine out of 15 rounds and secured top votes on six occasions. Voting is done on a 3-2-1 basis.Western Warriors’ squad member Worthington earnt a first-class debut on the basis of his excellent form.He was second in the batting averages with 686 runs at an average of 57.16. He took 27 wickets at 23.03 with a best effort of 6-53.Subiaco-Floreat’s Steven Glew polled 13 votes and was the competition leading run-scorer with 883 runs at 55.19, including two centuries and five scores over 50.Joe Barnes, from Claremont-Nedlands, took the most wickets with 54 at 15.87 apiece. He polled 13 votes.Leader Board:
23 Chris Mason – Bayswater-Morley
18 Peter Worthington – Midland-Guildford
15 Dimitri Mascarenhas – Melville
15 Callum Thorp – Wanneroo
14 Steven Glew – Subiaco-Floreat
13 Joe Barnes – Claremont-Nedlands
13 Darren Maddy – Perth
13 Sam Howman – Subiaco-Floreat
Olley Cooley was a senior WACA umpire in the post-war period. He umpired in 49 first class matches and was regarded by former Australian Test captain Richie Benaud as the best umpire WA ever produced.Bayswater-Morley’s Brett Johnson, with 19 votes, won the J.P. Robbins Medal for fairest and best in second grade.Paul McKenzie, with 14 votes from South Perth, won the Albert Richings Medal for best and fairest in third grade.Richard Catlin (15 votes) from Subiaco-Floreat won the Allan Mackley Medal for fairest and best in fourth grade.

After a spate of injuries and illness in their opening game of the seasonat Derby, Glamorgan lost the services of another player even before their first homeChampionship match, against Hampshire at Cardiff, had begun. CaptainSteve James withdrew from the side with a knee injury, and handed over thecaptaincy duties to Robert Croft.With a depleted bowling attack at his disposal against a batting line-upboasting the vastly experienced Robin Smith and John Crawley, the acting captainmust have been delighted that Glamorgan were able to restrict Hampshire to 381-5 from104 overs on an easy-paced Sophia Gardens wicket.After the visitors had won the toss, Crawley and Smith shared a partnershipof 123 in 30 overs for the second wicket. Crawley made 65 before being bowledby Alex Wharf, and Smith had moved onto 92 when he edged a delivery fromyoung all-rounder David Harrison into the gloves of wicket-keeper Mark Wallace.Harrison also claimed the wicket of Will Kendall, trapping the Hampshire batsmanleg before for 32. Later in the day, Yorkshire-born Alex Morris and Nic Pothas, who hasplayed in one day internationals for South Africa, added 122 forthe fifth wicket in 25 overs. Their stand ended when Morris swatted a short ball fromAndrew Davies to David Harrison at mid-off, but Pothas was still there at the close,unbeaten on 81, and in sight of his second Championship century of the season.

It all seemed to going to plan for Marvan Atapattu, Sri Lanka’s new captain.During the morning Sri Lanka’s bowling and fielding was zippy andpurposeful. Despite the early loss of Sanath Jayasuriya, the home side werestrolling on 62 for one. But Pakistan came storming back into the match inthe last quarter to complete a crushing 79 run win in the opening match ofthe Bank Alfalah Cup at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium.Sri Lanka started disastrously – Shoaib Akhtar celebrated his recall to theside by removing Jayasuriya for a first-ball duck – but only lost their wayafter an Abdul Razzaq inswinger thudded into the pads of Atapattu, who hadgrafted hard for his 26 from 67 balls. The leg-before decision ended a 61run stand for the second wicket and was the catalyst for Sri Lanka’spathetic freefall.Akhtar was pulled back into the attack and the speedster quickly accountedfor Sangakkara, who had been dropped on 2 and 17. Sangakkara skewed aback-foot drive to Shoaib Malik at point (75 for 3). The recalled MahelaJayawardene and Russel Arnold, who has had little match practice since beingdumped after the World Cup, rallied briefly, adding 33 in 37 balls.But then came the quick demise. Mohammad Sami planted a 90 mph inswingingyorker on Jayawardene’s toe, winning a dubious leg-before shout, and RomeshKaluwitharana, another returnee, chipped a catch tamely to mid-wicket offShoain Malik (99 for 5).Sri Lanka started to panic. Kaushal Lokuarachchi and Chaminda Vaas were runout and Russel Arnold, who had crawled to 13 from 49 balls, skied a catch ashe top edged a sweep. Malik and Sami then mopped up the tail – Sri Lanka hadlost seven wickets for 22.Atapattu’s first day in charge had begun well. His fast bowlers exploitedheavy overhead conditions, moving the ball in the air and off the pitch, toseize the initiative. His spinners nipped away at the middle order and thefielders clung onto to every chance that came their way.Mohammad Hafeez anchored the innings, top-scoring for the visitors with apatient 53 from 114 balls – his second one-day fifty in his fifth match -but their best partnerships ended just when they looked like they mightflourish. Hafeez added 48 with Faisal Iqbal (21) and 45 with Younis Khan(29).Both Chaminda Vaas and Prabath Nissanka found assistance from the pitch andfrom the heavy atmosphere. Vaas swung the ball, while Nissanka extractedbounce and seam movement from the brown, grassless pitch. Both beat the batregularly and Atapattu pressed for wickets, setting aggressive fields duringthe first half of the innings.Taufeeq Umar (9) opened his account with a flicked boundary just wide of adiving Kumar Sangakkara at square leg, before edging a catch to RomeshKaluwitharana behind the stumps in the eighth over of the morning (21 for1).Faisal Iqbal, the nephew of coach Javed Miandad, would have been run outwithout scoring had Sanath Jayasuriya at cover-point not missed the stumps.He and Hafeez were quite comfortable against Sri Lanka ‘s allrounders -Kaushal Lokuarachchi and Kaushalya Weereratne – but run-scoring remaineddifficult.Muttiah Muralitharan, whose entry into the attack was delayed thanks to thetight bowling of his colleagues, then broke through in only his second over.Iqbal edged an arm-ball to Mahela Jayawardene at slip, and he clung on to asharp catch to his left (69 for 2).Six balls later, Yousuf Youhana (1), Pakistan’s leading batsmen after thepost-World Cup purge, was also caught by Jayawardene at slip offLokuarachchi. He attempted an extravagant square cut, but only ended upgloving the legbreak straight to Jayawardene (70 for 3).Hafeez and Khan steadied the innings, adding 45 in 75 balls but whenMuralitharan returned for his second spell, they were soon back in trouble.Khan, looking for his first boundary, mistimed a leg-side flick and wascaught in the deep (115 for 5).Shaoib Akhtar was a bizarre choice at number six, as Rashid Latif tried tokickstart the innings with a few boundaries. But the plan failed as Akhtar,overly anxious to grab the strike from his cautious partner, was run out for5 (123 for 5).Sanath Jayasuriya – the most expensive of the three spinners employed -ended Hafeez’s painstaking vigil when he tried to loft a straight drive overKumar Sangakkara at deep mid-on. Sangakkara held on to a fine diving catch(158 for 5).The allrounders came and went. Shaoib Malik breezed to 20 from 14 balls,before being run out and Rashid Latif (14) biffed one four before becomingMuralitharan’s third victim of the innings – Kaluwitharana completing astumping (181 for 8). Abdul Razzaq did have time to smash one six in his unbeaten 24 from 27 balls as 14 runs were stolen from the last over.The performance of the three teams during this tournament will affect theirpositions in the International Cricket Council’s new One-Day InternationalChampionship table. Sri Lanka, currently in fourth position, have a chanceto move into third position ahead of Pakistan, while New Zealand – currentlyequal seventh with England – can move ahead of West Indies into sixthposition in the ratings.

Gary Kirsten has been appointed as Western Province captain for the forthcoming season, with Ashwell Prince named as his deputy. Arthur Turner, the chief executive of Western Province Cricket Association, announced that a youthful squad of 21 players had been contracted for the season, with some being offered two-year contracts.Kirsten’s half-brother Peter has been given a two-year contract as coach of the senior side, while Barney Mohamed has also been given a two-year contract, to coach the B side and academy teams.Turner admitted that Gary Kirsten would not always be available for all matches because of his international commitments, but on those occasions, Prince would set up to the role, with Thami Tsolekile acting as vice captain.

“What a difference a day makes”, goes the song, and that was the feeling on the second day of Hampshire’s Frizzell Championship match with Glamorgan at The Rose Bowl, when 14 Hampshire wickets fell to leave the home side in desperate trouble, facing an innings defeat.The County Championship was never supposed to be similar to 20/20 however seven Hampshire batsmen fell during the day, having got started, only to fall in the twenties.Dimitri Mascarenhas took the final wicket to fall of the Glamorgan innings, but as Hampshire started their reply they looked to the sky, which the previous day was permanantly blue, today was overcast and humid, made for swing bowlers. In Michael Kasprowicz they had just that, as the batsmen fell at steady intervals. Kenway, Adams, Crawley, Francis and Tremlett reached their 20 milestones, and when Hampshire were invited to bat again, Kenway and Adams for a second time joined in.Kasprowitz a strong swing bowler bowled long spells and was rewarded with a 5-wicket haul, as Hampshire finished with a woeful 185.Invited to follow on, this time it was skipper Robert Croft who did the damage, taking four wickets to leave the home side in the mire. Simon Katich broke the 20 run hoodoo to reach his half century, but he fell in the last over of the day, trying to pull Croft to deep mid-wicket only to find Alex Wharf waiting for the catch.

Anil Kumble has started to show signs of form ahead of New Zealand’s tour of India, leading the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) XI into the final of the KSCA all-India Invitation MRF Trophy tournament.Kumble was instrumental in crushing the Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) by 111 runs in the semi-final at Bangalore. He took four wickets in the RSPB’s first innings, restricting their total to 219, a lead of 37. He then gambled by promoting Stuart Binny to number three, and was duly rewarded with a 99-ball 117.That set the RSPB a target of 199 runs, and Kumble shone again, removing Bhavin Thakkar, Jai P Yadav and Santosh Sahu to pick three for 15. Just when he looked certain to run through the side, however, he brought medium-pacer Vinay Kumar into the attack. Yet again, his move paid rich dividends – in this case, a hat-trick that accounted for Yerre Goud, Kulamani Parida and Santosh Saxena.Kumble’s role as the strike-bowler on home pitches seems certain to continue for the New Zealand tour, but bigger challenges lie ahead, when India tour Australia at the end of the year. It will be a long, hard season, but Kumble has begun it well.

Cricket Australia today announced a squad of Commonwealth Bank CricketAcademy (CBCA) players to travel to India next Tuesday, to take part in theMRF Trophy tournament starting on August 2.The 12-player CBCA squad will compete in the 12-team round-robin competitionagainst some of India’s leading senior sides.It is the first time that the Academy has participated in the MRF Trophytournament and will provide players with an opportunity to assimilate tovarying playing conditions. Teams have been divided into four groups ofthree teams each. Each group will play two two-day league matches againsteach other, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for thequarter-finals.The CBCA side will play the strong Railway Sports team in their openinground match and then play the Oil & Natural Gas Corporation XI, who haveproduced Indian Test players Mohammad Kaif and Virender Sehwag through theirteam.The two-day quarter-finals will be played on August 7-8, while thesemi-finals (August 10-12) and final (August 14-16) will be three-daymatches.CBCA head coach Bennett King said the opportunity to participate in thetournament was an important part of developing Australia’s young cricketersand exposing them to different playing conditions.”We have a duty to prepare our developing cricketers, for all types ofconditions, should they one day tour the sub-continent in a national side,”King said. “Providing the opportunity for players to familiarise andappreciate the conditions first-hand is an invaluable experience for them.”The CBCA squad is:The team members are: Adam Crosthwaite (Victoria), Chris Duval (SouthAustralia), Callum Ferguson (South Australia), Matthew Innes (Victoria),Shane Jones (Victoria), Trent Kelly (South Australia), Rhett Lockyear (NewSouth Wales), Steven Magoffin (Queensland), Scott Meuleman (WesternAustralia), Aaron Nye (Queensland), Luke Ronchi (Western Australia), PeterWorthington (Western Australia). Support staff, Bennett King (head coach),David Moore (senior coach), Max Pfitzner (physiotherapist), Shaun McMahon(performance co-ordinator).When the players return from the tour they will return to their states andprepare for the Institute Challenge, to be held from August 23-30 in farnorth Queensland.

John Bracewell, the Gloucestershire coach, has told the England management to stop blaming county cricket for the national side’s shortcomings. Bracewell, who leaves at the end of the season to coach New Zealand, accused England of having an excuse environment.After England’s 191-run defeat against South Africa at Headingley, Michael Vaughan claimed that county cricket was not tough enough to prepare players for Test cricket. But Bracewell said it’s time Vaughan and the management stepped out of their blame culture and stopped making excuses, and that they can start by looking at their rugby counterparts.He said, “They should sit down and talk to Clive Woodward and work out a similar environment to the England rugby side. There they have a no-excuse environment.” He continued, “If the England rugby team lose the World Cup it will be because of their players and not because of what’s been put around them. If we trip up at Gloucestershire we know it’s down to us. It’s our problem. Because we’ve been given the budget, the environment and the licence to do what we like.”But England haven’t bought into that. They’ve got the contracts they want, they take blokes out of games and they still blame the nursery of the game. It does annoy me. The England cricket team has an environment that offers them a lot. Not every cricket team in the world is gifted with the resources the England cricket team has.”Bracewell has led Gloucestershire to six one-day trophies in five years, including this year’s Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy, in which they thumped Worcestershire by seven wickets in the final.