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“I thought about this in Sydney in 2004,” said Anil Kumble with a smile, “but I think this time it will be my last match in Australia for sure.” The final Test in Adelaide offers India a chance to draw level but also promises to be the last time the five members of the golden generation will play in a Test match in Australia.Kumble has had a roller-coaster ride through his three tours here. He was rendered ineffective in 1999 before reviving his career last time around, snapping up 24 wickets in three Tests. He’s been a big threat here too and needs just two more victims to snap up 50 wickets in Australia. Among Indians, only Kapil Dev (51) has managed more.”It’s been fantastic in Australia,” said Kumble the day before the game. “It’s my third trip here and I’ve enjoyed all my visits. In terms of results, the last one was fantastic and this one as well. We’re thoroughly enjoying this tour. We came with the purpose of winning a series in Australia but haven’t achieved that. But we can hold our heads high after this – hoping we level the series. Future Indian teams will come here and look at the past. I’m really proud of what this team has done.”It was in Adelaide that Kumble saw his Test career being revived. Harbhajan Singh injured his finger and Kumble was given a chance in the second Test last time around. He endured a hammering on the opening day but came back with an iron-willed performance. “Indeed a special venue,” he said. “It all started here in 2003-04. It was important we won the Test and the last four years have been fantastic for me personally and for Indian cricket. Here we are again, with the opportunity to level the series. Having done well in the past in Adelaide, gives us the added confidence.”Was he confident that this bunch of five players – Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and himself – could be replaced? “It’s difficult to replace anybody. You can see that in the current Australian team itself. Every team will undergo a transition. The key is how you handle it. There is definitely a lot of talent in India. It’s about ensuring they get the confidence and probably 4-5 years from now, you’ll have a good set of players to ensure India goes forward.”The most heartening aspect of this tour, according to Kumble, was the manner in which the young bowlers have exceeded expectations. RP Singh has grown into the leader of the pack, Irfan Pathan has shown the desire to come back and Ishant Sharma, just 19, has got tongues wagging with his seam movement. “I remember the first press conference here and I was asked about us picking up 20 wickets. We’ve shown we can do that. Although we don’t have the senior most bowler in terms of experience [Zaheer Khan] the young fast bowlers have stepped up.”

Shaun Tait has been rated a “day-by-day prospect” by Troy Cooley, the bowling coach, as he attempts to prove his fitness for next month’s Twenty20 World Championship. Tait had surgery on his bowling arm in June and an infection in the elbow prevented him from joining his pace team-mates for a camp in Brisbane last week.Australia’s first game is against Zimbabwe on September 12 and Tait will need to start bowling over the next week or two to remain in the squad. “It’s more or less a day-by-day prospect to try to get him up for this tournament,” Cooley told AAP. “He needs to have a workload under him and I’m just waiting for the medical people to hand him over to me.”Cooley was confident Tait could get in shape quickly for the trip to South Africa. “He only needs to bowl four overs a match in Twenty20,” he said. “But common sense says every week that he’s not bowling makes it a bit harder to get that workload under his belt.”While Tait is struggling to recover, Brett Lee has been operating at 75% in his return from the ankle surgery that ruled him out of the World Cup. “Everything is going to plan,” Cooley said. “He’s fit and healthy.”He’s been bowling three-quarter pace. That’s what he needs to be at this stage. You don’t want to be pushing him too hard too early. He needs to go through the full recovery cycle.”

Punjab ended the opening day of their third round match against Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) on a healthy 325 for the loss of 4 wickets at the National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex.Winning the toss and batting first, Punjab rode on a 115-run opening partnership between Pakistan internationals Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Nazir. Hafeez scored an aggressive 88 including 12 fours and two sixes before being dismissed by Saeed Ajmal. Nazir scored a characteristic 41-ball 60 with nine fours and a six before being caught behind off Bilal Asad.While Bilal Khilji scored 41 coming in at number three, Misbah-ul-Haq, the returning Punjab captain, shared a useful 79-run fourth wicket partnership with another Test discard Naveed Latif. In sharp contrast to Punjab’s aggressive opening partnership, Misbah battled for nearly three hours over his 43.Punjab will resume their innings with Mohammad Ayub (17*) partnering Naveed Latif who has faced 146 balls for his 64 that includes 11 fours and a single six.Medium pacer Bilal Asad was the pick of the bowlers on a placid pitch as he picked up three wickets in 18 overs while giving away only 44 runs. Saeed Ajmal, the other wicket-taker, gave away 110 runs from his 25 overs.Sind recovered from a dismal 73 for six to post a decent 234 on the first day of their match against North West Frontier Province – Baluchistan at the National Stadium, Karachi.The day ended with the combined NWFP and Baluchistan team scoring 84 for the loss of opener Shoaib Khan (24) in reply. Yasir Hameed was unbeaten on 48 while Raiz Kail was batting on 9.Earlier, the opening bowling pair of Shakeel-ur-Rehman and Nasir Jalil picked up the first four wickets with only 27 on the board, including that of captain Faisal Iqbal for one. Rizwan Ahmed (58) steadied the innings slightly with a 35-run fifth wicket partnership before adding 51 with Mohammad Sami who scored 27.But it was Tahir Khan, better known for his off-spin, whose brilliant 70 helped Sind recover. He added 43 for the eighth wicket with Sami and 60 for the ninth wicket with Farhan Ayub before being running out of partners.Nasir was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets for 60 runs while Shakeel and Faisal Irfan both picked up three wickets each.

Nasim Ashraf, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, has said that Pakistan would not back down as hosts of the Asia Cup, scheduled in June. Ashraf has reacted to an offer by his Sri Lankan counterpart Arjuna Ranatunga to host the tournament due to the security situation in Pakistan following former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.”There is no way we would withdraw as Asia Cup hosts, then I don’t know why they [Sri Lanka] had to make such an offer,” Ashraf told the in Karachi.Ranatunga confirmed that Sri Lanka was willing to act as a back-up should both sides agree on a neutral venue but left that decision to Pakistan.”We have written and asked Pakistan if we can host the Asia Cup,” Ranatunga told in Colombo on Thursday. “It’s a sensitive issue, but we will understand if Pakistan refuse us.”The PCB had earlier ruled out hosting Australia in a neutral venue for the home series in March and April. General elections were due to be held in the country on January 8, but have now been postponed to February 18. A security delegation from Australia is expected to arrive after the elections and Ashraf has expressed confidence that both series would go on as planned.

Darren Gough has announced his retirement from Test cricket, following his brave but ultimately futile attempt to re-establish himself following a chronic knee injury last year. Gough, who made his Test debut in 1994, finishes with 229 wickets at 28.39, putting him in eighth place on the all-time list of England wicket-takers. He will, however, remain available to represent the England one-day team.”I’ve come to a decision to retire from Test cricket,” said Gough, ” due to the injury sustained playing for England in New Zealand, and three operations later, the subsequent rehab to get back to Test cricket to prove myself and to other people that I could give Test cricket a go one more time.”Every day is a hard one and my career is based on being a strike bowler and being the one the captain always turned to in time of need,” added Gough. “But I’ve found the last two matches hard going both mentally and physically – not just on playing days but also against the backdrop of the effort I’ve put in over the last eight months to get back to this stage. It has become apparent to me, no matter what my heart, head or public want me to do, that my knee will not allow me to play Test Match cricket.”Obviously I’m sad, but I think every player knows when it’s time to step down and I feel in order for me to concentrate on my dream of one-day cricket and possibly another World Cup for England and trying to help Yorkshire move forward, I feel I have to retire from Test cricket.”Thanks to England for giving me the chance to play Test cricket again, thanks to Wayne Morton, Steve Oldham and Scott McCallister for their phenomenal support. Thanks to Colin Graves and Yorkshire CCC and finally the public, I hope they don’t feel that, after 229 Test wickets and a body in bits, I’ve let them down.”I hope I’ve served England well but as you look around there are some very good bowlers all waiting for a chance and good luck to them. I’m a cricket supporter and I will be supporting them.”England’s chairman of selectors, David Graveney, added his tributes. “We respect Darren’s decision to step down from Test cricket. He has been a brilliant talisman for the English team over the past decade. It has been unfortunate that his career has been blighted by injury and I am sure he would have moved higher up the all-time England wicket-taking list if he hadn’t been so unlucky.”He has always given nothing less than 100% for his team and I am sure that he will be missed, but hopefully his form and fitness will still allow him to make a contribution to English cricket by continuing the outstanding form he has shown this summer in the one-day squad.”Tim Lamb, chief executive of the ECB, said, “Darren has given an enormous amount to English cricket and he will be remembered as one of England’s best ever fast bowlers, having been a key member of the Test team since his debut in 1994. Few will forget his hat-trick in Sydney in 1999 or his amazing catch at Lord’s against the West Indies in 2000, which, along with his bowling, helped turn the series England’s way.”To battle back from a serious knee injury to represent England again this summer showed tremendous courage. His talent as a fast bowler, his effervescent character and his huge desire to do well for his country will be sorely missed, not only by the England dressing-room but by cricket supporters everywhere.”

Gough Test Match record – 58 matchesBatting & Fielding I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Catches86 18 855 65 12.57 43.46 0 2 13BowlingO M Runs Wkts Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ1970.1 369 6503 229 28.39 6-42 9 0 51.6 3.30England Test Match bowlers (most wickets)1. I.T. Botham 383 wickets2. R.G.D. Willis 3253. F.S. Trueman 3074. D.L. Underwood 2975. J. B. Statham 2526. A. V. Bedser 2367. A.R. Caddick 2348. D. Gough 2299. J. A. Snow 20210. J. C. Laker 193

Pakistan have included youngsters Shoaib Khan and Mansoor Amjad in the 15-member squad for the one-off Twenty20 international against Bangladesh in Karachi, the first Twenty20 international in the country.Shoaib is an opening batsman, while Amjad is a legspinner. However, it’s unlikely they will feature in the match, as the squad has all of Pakistan’s ODI regulars, except Mohammad Yousuf, who had been dropped for last year’s World Twenty20 as well. Nasir Jamshed comes in his place.Younis Khan, who had opted out of the ODI series before making himself available for the fifth one in Karachi, has been included as well.Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul, both of whom who made comebacks during the ODIs following injury layoffs, have been included in the squad, along with Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz and Rao Iftikhar Anjum.Pakistan Twenty20 squad: Shoaib Malik (capt), Salman Butt, Younis Khan, Nasir Jamshed, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal (wk), Fawad Alam, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul, Rao Iftikhar Anjum, Wahab Riaz, Shoaib Khan, Mansoor Amjad.

Holders Karnataka State Cricket Association XI could not have beenvery happy at stumps on the first day of their Buchi Babu All Indiainvitation tournament quarterfinal against National Cricket Academy atthe CPT-IP ground in Chennai on Thursday. They struggled during theday to score at two runs an over and when play was called off with 4.5overs still left to be bowled because of bad light, they were 182 forfive wickets.After KSCA won the toss, Mithun Beerala was off to a confident start.He hit four boundaries and out of the first wicket stand of 22 runsoff 10.5 overs with Roland Barrington, he scored all but one beforebeing caught by Sharandeep Singh off medium pacer RB Patel.Joined by Amit Kumar, Barrington continued to struggle and by the timehe was second out, leg before to skipper RS Sodhi, at 56 in the 21stover, he had batted 104 minutes and faced 61 balls for his 18.Vijay Bharadwaj did not last long. He was bowled by Sriram for sixruns for which he took his time – 48 balls. Amit Kumar who haddominated the scoring till then was fourth out at 86. For his 34, hebatted two hours, faced 67 balls and hit six fours.AR Mahesh and RC Shanbal then brought about a recovery of sorts byadding 40 runs for the fifth wicket but the runs continued to bescored at a tardy rate. The association lasted all of 25.4 oversbefore Shanbal was caught by Gambhir off Kaif. During his stay of anhour and a half, Shanbal faced 74 balls and hit two fours.The recovery process continued with Mahesh and SN Shiraguppi adding 56runs for the unbroken sixth wicket partnership which has so far lasted29 overs. When stumps were drawn prematurely, Mahesh had come throughunbeaten with 40 for which he had faced 180 balls. He had only threeboundary hits. Shirugappi was not much more enterprising scoring 25off 93 balls with just one four.Sodhi tried eight bowlers in all including himself and five of themcame through with one wicket each. At the end of the day’s play, theyoungsters from the Bangalore based academy would have no doubt lookedback at a job well done.

After a break of nearly a month the fourth round of the Standard Bank Cup starts again Friday 20th with Griqualand West hosting North West and Namibia going to Paarl to do battle with Boland.On Saturday a near full strength Western Province with host a top of the table clash against Free State who head the table with one point. With Allan Donald and Nicky Boje turning out for Free State and Herschelle Gibbs, Gary Kirsten, Graeme Smith, and Jacques Kallis for Province a titanic battle should materialise.Sunday sees KwaZulu-Natal travel to Centurion for an all day affair against Northerns with the hosts maybe better off after their win in the Discovery Challenge.

The BCCI has decided to advise its lawyers to assist the Mumbai High Court in the speedy disposal of the telecast-rights case. The case involves Zee Network and ESPN-Star Sports battling for the telecast rights to all international matches played in India over the next four years. reported the president of the board, Jagmohan Dalmiya as saying: “The committee was updated on all developments pertaining to the TV-rights issue and it was also appraised of the order of the High Court with regard to the “status quo”. The committee decided to advise the Board’s lawyers to assist the HC for expeditious disposal of the matter.”Dalmiya was speaking after the working-committee meeting in Kolkata. However, he wasn’t willing to comment on the possibility of the series being affected due to the delay in the case. “The matter may be sorted out in a day or two,” he said. “We cannot take any decision on this matter till the case is decided upon by the court.”The president said the board would also seek clarification from the court on its order of maintaining status quo.”

Vusi Sibanda, the youngest and least experienced of the Zimbabweantourists, had never been out of Southern Africa before. Apart from hishomeland, he has only visited South Africa and Zambia in the past.It was no doubt to everyone else’s surprise as well as his own that he was chosen to tour England this year with the national team. After all, in 20 innings he has only one first-class fifty to his name, but his natural timing of the ball indicates a player of great natural ability.Vusi appears to have taken the new experience in his stride, confessing to few preconceived ideas about England and few surprises. “I was definitely expecting something different [from Zimbabwe],” he says. “The environment is totally different. But nothing surprised me, because I know from back home that England is a well-developed country and it’s well-organised. We don’t have facilities like they do.” When pressed, he mentions ‘the way it is built’ as the most significant difference he has noted.”On the cricket side, their grounds are very nice and well organised, from what I’ve seen so far,” he continues. “We’re quite used to hot weather in Zimbabwe, but here, one minute it’s hot, the other it’s cold, and then it’s raining. It’s very unpredictable.”He laughs, and admits his first introduction to the English weather was’quite shocking’. “It was raining and it was very cold, four degrees! As we drove off from the airport, it was green all over, since it was wet.”The Zimbabwe team travelled to the Crown Plaza in London before leaving in the team coach for Birmingham, where they played their first match against the British Universities. As far as he was aware, none of the English cricket officials had yet met the Zimbabwe team.So far, Vusi’s cricket had been limited to net sessions, without even a middle-wicket practice. He did not play in the Universities match, and neither has he been selected for the second match, against Worcestershire. However, he did not anticipate any problems in coming to terms with English conditions.”The wickets are slower than the ones in Zimbabwe and they’re verygrassy,” he says. “You don’t really need to change your game but just get used to the slower pitches and they don’t bounce as much. These are wickets where you need to work very hard. In Zimbabwe they’re harder. But it’s not going to affect anything and I’ll just take it normally for myself and show that I’m a man.””I hope I’ll have a very good tour," he adds. "I’m expecting to go back home knowing the team has done very well and that I’ve done well for my country as well – since I’m very proud to represent my country. Since it’s my first tour and I’m the youngest in the side, I’m sure I’ll learn from it.”Vusi is also a useful medium-pace bowler, but may well not get his hands on the ball very often with so many in the team who can bowl. He does not anticipate having to make any changes to his bowling approach in English conditions.Vusi’s selection was widely criticised in Zimbabwe, as he has so little by way of performance at first-class level to recommend him. But all those with the good of Zimbabwe cricket at heart will he hoping this tour will be the making of him.He is on a steep learning curve, but he has the ability to succeed. This tour will test his mental approach and his ability to learn, a prerequisite for that success.