The United Cricket Board of South Africa has recommended that Kepler Wessels, the former Test captain who’s now Eastern Province’s coach, be suspended for allegedly making racist remarks earlier this year. Wessels skippered South Africa on their return from international exile, and has been a strident critic of certain UCBSA policies in recent times.In a statement, the UCBSA said, “The board has instructed Eastern Province to suspend the coach of the EP Jumbos Kepler Wessels on full pay pending the outcome of a disciplinary hearing which will be held shortly regarding allegations of racist remarks allegedly made by Wessels.”Wessels, who also represented Australia during his playing days, denied any wrongdoing. Speaking to Reuters, he said: “I demand the investigation take place as soon as possible. The matter is in the hands of my legal advisers and we will fight it all the way. I am looking forward to the outcome.”Gerald de Kock, the UCBSA spokesman, said the case would come up for hearing in the next few days. No details were available about the alleged incident.

Lee Carseldine, the Queensland allrounder, is set to make his return from injury for the Queensland Academy of Sport side to take on India at the Allan Border Field this weekend.Carseldine has missed the past two weeks with a back injury, but will play as a batsman only against the Indians, who play their final match before the first Test next week. Carseldine has had an impressive run against international touring teams, scoring a double century against New Zealand two years ago, and 92 against Bangladesh earlier this year.He will be joined in the Academy team by his Queensland team-mates, Daniel Payne, Chris Simpson, Steve Farrell, Shane Jurgensen, Scott Brant and Joe Dawes. Aaron Nye, the Wests batsman who led the second XI to victory over Western Australia last week at Albion, will captain the side. The three-day game, which starts on Saturday, will not be a first-class match. Admission is free for the game, with play starting at 10.00am. Queensland Academy of Sport XI 1 Daniel Payne, 2 Chris Simpson, 3 Lee Carseldine, 4 Aaron Nye (capt), 5 Craig Philipson, 6 Steven Farrell, 7 Chris Hartley, 8 Ryan Leloux, 9 Shane Jurgensen, 10 Scott Brant, 11 Joe Dawes, Steven Magoffin (12th man).

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A quickfire century by Chris Rogers put Western Australia on course to set Tasmania an imposing final-day run-chase tomorrow at the WACA. WA collected their first Pura Cup points of the summer, but not before some late-order resistance from Tasmania, the competition leaders. In reply to WA’s 437, Tasmania were dismissed for 380 in their first innings, Sean Clingeleffer leading the tail with a patient 79.WA closed on 1 for 231 in their second innings, with a lead of 288. Rogers had made 116 not out, while Murray Goodwin scored an unbeaten 50. Michael Hussey, the stand-in captain, set the pace with a rapid half-century before Rogers blossomed. He reached his hundred off only 119 balls, with a cover-drive for four off Damien Wright. He had smashed 18 fours and a six by the close in a thoroughly entertaining innings.Hussey would have been delighted with the frenetic scoring speed of his team – 211 runs in the final session – but he should be wary about setting a small target on a batting-friendly deck. WA were scorched last month when Justin Langer set New South Wales 303 off 52 overs at the SCG, and Steve Waugh and Simon Katich hauled it in. But Hussey also knows his side needs maximum points to get back into contention in the four-day competition.Earlier in the day, Tasmania’s tail wagged after being 6 for 163 with Wright (65) and Andrew Downton (45) recording their highest Pura Cup scores. Clingeleffer’s 79 was a timely return to form after a barren run – he managed only 28 runs from four previous knocks this summer after averaging just 15 last season. Wright and Clingeleffer frustrated the WA attack, but Ryan Campbell, the wicketkeeper, failed to hold a chance when Clingeleffer was on 33.The pair put on 115 for the seventh wicket before Brad Williams had Wright nudging a sharp catch to Hussey at third slip. Adam Griffith drove Callum Thorp to the cover boundary to pass the follow-on mark before Williams had him caught behind. But the defiant lower-order batting continued, with Clingeleffer and Downton putting on 61 for the ninth wicket. Downton was the last to go, falling to Brad Hogg after Williams just managed to grasp the catch after initially misjudging the ball’s flight.

After South Africa bowled out West Indies in a day, and followed that up with two second-innings wickets, they were on the brink of another series win. Andre Nel and Shaun Pollock bowled with fire, but the star of the day was Makhaya Ntini, with his third five-wicket haul of the series. He attributed his – and South Africa’s – success to keeping things simple, and each member’s clearly-defined purpose.”We stuck to our basics, creating pressure, working together as a team and supporting each other,” Ntini said. “Mentally, we have adjusted and know what our jobs in the team are. We each have a role in the team, and we all fulfil that role. Mine is to take wickets. In the past my role was to support and learn from Allan Donald and Shaun, but now I have to take wickets as the strike bowler.”With 27 wickets in the series, Ntini has filled the void created by Donald’s departure from the game. To keep himself going, he set targets. “I set a goal of 150 career wickets and 20 wickets in the series. Whatever I get above that is a bonus and pushes me more and more.””All players go through up and downs, and as a bowler it is more difficult to keep your place in the team. You have to work hard to get over the bad periods, and by believing in yourself you will get through it. Since Australia I have bowled well,” Ntini said, referring to the home series against Australia two years ago, when he picked up 11 wickets in three matches at 41.73.He picked up the pieces of that tour and laboured to ensure a better future for himself. “I worked towards those goals and attained them. I always believed that I could be a strike bowler. My chance came when Steve Elworthy got injured and with me opening the bowling I showed most people and the team that I can be a strike bowler.”When Ntini stepped up, Andre Nel filled in the support bowler’s role with conviction, almost bullying batsmen into submission. And he’s waiting for the day he shares the new ball with Ntini. “I would like to bowl with the new ball with Makhaya when I get the chance, but you have to bide your time and follow and learn from a awesome bowler like Pollock. You have to try your best, believe in yourself and gain experience first until the chance of the new ball comes along.”While he waits patiently, he’s convinced West Indies didn’t utilise the pitch fully. “They maybe bowled too many short deliveries while we might have been more patient. There has always been something in the pitch, some swing and some movement. We have just been patient in bowling to our areas.”The patience paid off, and how! “Getting married was very special and hard to explain, but getting Brian Lara out twice in one day is very special. It has not really sunk in yet, but I am sure it will. Those two wickets are very special. I don’t think that I can intimidate a batsman like Lara very easily. He has played against a lot better bowlers than me. I was just determined to get him out. Getting him out just keeps me going and seems to help me not getting too tired. That way I help the team.”We were determined to do well in this test. We did not want what happened in England to happen over here. This time, we had the series won, but said to ourselves that we are going to go out there and perform. We did not want to relax. We had a deep desire to do well for our pride, the team and our country.”

New Zealand have approached Mark O’Donnell, the current Auckland and former Gauteng coach, to help them plot against South Africa in the forthcoming one-day series, according to the .O’Donnell, who coached Gauteng before moving to Auckland last summer, is highly regarded and knows the ins and outs of South Africa’s strengths and weaknesses.Although neither O’Donnell or Lindsay Crocker, the New Zealand manager, have confirmed the news, it is thought to be a done deal.The only delay surrounding the move is thought to be over the board gaining clearance from Auckland. Crocker said, “I’m unable to confirm anything at the moment, but there could be something in a few days.”O’Donnell is already due to join the squad for the three-Test series, which starts in Hamilton on March 10, but was prevented from joining them any earlier because of his commitments to Auckland in the State Championship. His knowledge on the South Africans comes from his time at the national academy, where Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs graduated, and also from his six seasons with Gauteng.New Zealand have used O’Donnell before during the 2003 World Cup, even though they then went against his recommendation in the first match against Sri Lanka by opting to bowl first.Since coming to New Zealand, O’Donnell has an impressive record with Auckland, taking them to the first-class title in his first year, and qualifying top for the domestic one-day final, only to lose to Northern Districts.This season they were beaten in the semi-final of the State Shield by eventual winners Central Districts, and are currently third in the Championship.

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After two washouts on the opening days, and 37.1 overs on the third, the deluge returned to Bulawayo to wipe out the fourth day’s play at the Queens Sports Club. Bangladesh, however, will not be complaining, after slumping to 88 for 5 in what little time has been available.Bangladesh had started brightly enough on Saturday, with Hannan Sarkar and Shahriar Hossain adding 64 for the first wicket. But then five wickets tumbled for 23 runs, including the captain, Habibul Bashar, who at least scored his first four runs in his new role, after collecting a pair at Harare last week.With one day remaining, there is no doubt that this match will finish as a draw – only the second time in 28 matches that Bangladesh will have avoided defeat. As was the case against Zimbabwe at Dhaka in November 2001, rain will have had the major say.Zimbabwe 1 Dion Ebrahim, 2 Trevor Gripper, 3 Stuart Carlisle 4 Grant Flower, 5 Sean Ervine, 6 Tatenda Taibu (wk), 7 Travis Friend, 8 Heath Streak (capt), 9 Raymond Price, 10 Douglas Hondo, 11 Blessing Mahwire.Bangladesh 1 Hannan Sarker, 2 Shahriar Hossain, 3 Habibul Bashar (capt), 4 Rajin Saleh, 5 Mohammad Ashraful, 6 Mushfiqur Rahman, 7 Manjarul Islam Rana, 8 Khaled Mashud (wk), 9 Mohammad Rafique, 10 Tapash Baisya, 11 Alamgir Kabir.

Simon Jones was a happy man after capping his comeback with the most prized wicket in the world, as West Indies closed on 311 for 9 on the opening day of the first Test in Jamaica. “It’s great to be back playing Test cricket,” said Jones. “Taking Brian Lara’s wicket was a great feeling. It’s what I’ve been waiting for for the last 16 months.”The wicket was a real confidence booster,” added Jones. “For the first two sessions I was very nervous, but I found my feet, relaxed more and just bowled. Nine wickets on the first day can’t be bad. The boys are happy. We all worked hard and you can’t ask for any more.”Lara was ambivalent about his side’s performance, but was full of praise for West Indies’ centurion, Devon Smith. “It was a see-saw day,” he admitted, “and is probably now evenly-matched. England were on top early on, we rallied, but the way we collapsed at the end was a bit disappointing.”But I’m happy for young Smith. I can see the starting of a long career. He and [Ryan] Hinds showed their quality and proved we have a good batting line up all the way to Ridley Jacobs at No. 7.””My century was a great feeling,” beamed Smith, who attributed his success to the work he had been doing with Sir Garry Sobers. “Someone in the top order had to stick around and I managed to do it. My work with Sir Garry before the game certainly helped me. He improved my technique and concentration, and that helped me today.”

Victoria 6 for 592 (Elliott 155, Moss 98, Arnberger 90, Hodge 89) v Queensland
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The record books were spared but Queensland’s bowlers were not as Victoria continued using their licence to bat with abandon on the second day of the Pura Cup cricket final at the MCG. With Victoria 6 for 592 at stumps in 186 overs and 723 minutes, the innings was a statistician’s delight but prolonged agony for Queensland, who faced another three days of formalities before Victoria were crowned champion.Needing only a draw to secure its first first-class title since 1990-91, Victoria appear certain to continue batting on the third day to become just the third side after Queensland (in 1994-95) and Western Australia (1986-87) to post 600 in a Sheffield Shield/Pura Cup final. Darren Berry, Victoria’s captain, said, “We’ll bat until Queensland get us out.”While the first day produced a stack of records to century-maker Matthew Elliott, the second day was more like a thousand cuts, with the Victorian middle order knuckling down after Queensland’s pacemen picked up three wickets before lunch. The star of the day was Jonathan Moss, who made an entertaining 98, and was denied a century when he failed to get to the pitch of the ball for possibly the first time all day, and chipped Nathan Hauritz to short mid-on.Moss and Cameron White (54) put on 135 to regain Victoria’s ascendancy and then Ian Harvey (34 not out) and Andrew McDonald (37 not out) rounded off another dominant batting performance.Berry smiled when asked if it would be hard keeping a lid on celebrations for the next three days. But he said that Victoria were still chasing an outright win, and could get some help from a pitch that has been dead for two days but starting to show signs of life.”Speaking to McDonald and Harvey, they said a few kept a little bit low today towards the end of play today, which is obviously very encouraging for us with almost 600 runs on the board,” Berry said. “There was a few cracks in it at the start of the first day so I’ll have a look at it again in the morning, but I would imagine it will be difficult to bat on day five.”Although disappointed at missing a century, Moss was pleased to have played his part in such a crucial match given that Victoria lost three wickets in the space of 33 runs early in the day. “The fact is if we win the Pura Cup I won’t let it bother me too much,” he said. “It would have been great to get the hundred but as cricket goes, sometimes you’ve got to cop the disappointment. It might hit me later on tonight … but it’s great we’re in such a good position and that I contributed to putting us into that good position.”Victoria resumed at 1 for 322 but the morning belonged to Queensland, as Joe Dawes, Andy Bichel and Ashley Noffke removed Brad Hodge (89), Elliott (155) and David Hussey (16) respectively.But as the sun emerged from the cloud, it rendered the pacemen to spectators and the batsmen went largely untroubled against Hauritz and the part-time spin of Stuart Law and Chris Simpson. Moss hit a six off Law into the MCG construction site and the resulting delay for getting a replacement ball only drew Queensland’s agony out further.

John Taylor, the allrounder, has decided leave Western Australia for family reasons and will return to Victoria. Taylor, along with his wife, will leave Perth and return to Melbourne, his original home.Taylor moved to Western Australia in the beginning of the 2002-03 season and excellent performances with Willetton in the WACA Pennant competition led him being offerred a full contract for the next season.Taylor made his first-class debut against New South Wales at the SCG in November and he went on to play in six Pura Cup matches, taking 12 wickets at an average of 51.25. He excelled in the ING Cup, though, where he picked up 11 wickets at 22.45.Wayne Clark, the Western Australian coach, bid Taylor farewell when he said, “John Taylor was valuable member of the Retravision Warriors. John has decided to return to Melbourne with his wife for family and personal reasons. The WACA would like to wish John all the best on his return and we hope he can have a successful career.”

Australia’s selection panel has named a 30-man preliminary squad for the Champions Trophy in England in September. The party will be trimmed down to 14 before August 10. And Michael Bevan, for years the key player in Australia’s one-day line-up, and considered by many to be one of the greatest one-day batsmen of all time, has been omitted.Bevan, who averages a scarcely believable 53.58 in his 232 one-day internationals, was denied a central contract earlier this year, but Cricket Australia insisted then that uncontracted players would still be considered for selection. Indeed, Andy Bichel, who also missed out on a central contract, is part of this preliminary squad. But Bevan has been left out, and the message from Australia’s famously unsentimental selectors is all too clear.Trevor Hohns, chairman of the selection panel, said he was certain that the touring party would have sufficient depth to capture one of the few baubles missing from Australia’s overloaded trophy cabinet. “This is just the first step in selecting the squad to take part in the Champions Trophy, a tournament Australia has yet to win and one which is important in maintaining the country’s status as the best one-day side in the world.”So far we have selected a healthy mix of players – batsmen, bowlers, allrounders, and two specialist wicketkeepers. It gives us a broad range to choose from when it comes to finalising the list. That won’t be an easy task, because there are several players that could fill a variety of roles for us at the tournament.”There are a few new players in the mix including Jonathan Moss, Marcus North, Dominic Thornely and Damien Wright, who continue to impress at domestic level. Their selection recognises their strong performances of late.”Australia will first take part in a three-nation tournament in Holland in late August, with India and Pakistan the other participants. At the Champions Trophy itself, they will take on the United States of America – rank outsiders playing at this level for the first time – at the Rose Bowl in Southampton (Sept 13), and then New Zealand at The Oval three days later.The squad will depart Australia on August 19.The 30-man preliminary squad
Andrew Bichel, Nathan Bracken, Michael Clarke, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Jason Gillespie, Brad Haddin (wk), Ian Harvey, Nathan Hauritz, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hodge, Brad Hogg, Michael Hussey, Michael Kasprowicz, Simon Katich, Justin Langer, Brett Lee, Darren Lehmann, Jimmy Maher, Damien Martyn, Glenn McGrath, Jonathan Moss, Marcus North, Ricky Ponting (capt), Andrew Symonds, Shaun Tait, Dominic Thornely, Shane Watson, Cameron White, Brad Williams, Damien Wright.