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* England coming sans Stewart, Gough and AthertonEngland have announced their squad for the tour of India. Alec Stewart andDarren Gough have both opted out. Also missing is Michael Atherton whoannounced his retirement from Test cricket on Tuesday.Graham Thorpe though will be coming. Nasser Hussain will captain the Testsquad, which includes two uncapped players, the Essex wicket keeper, JamesFoster, and the Yorkshire off-spinner, Richard Dawson. Also recalled to thesenior squad is Lancashire wicket-keeper Warren Hegg.”Ashley Giles has been included in the Test squad subject to him satisfyingthe selectors of his fitness ahead of the tour departure and he will be oneof three spinners together with Robert Croft and Richard Dawson,” Englishchairman of selectors David Graveney said.Squad:Nasser Hussain (Captain), Usman Afzaal, Mark Butcher, Andrew Caddick,Robert Croft, Richard Dawson, James Foster, Ashley Giles, Warren Hegg,Matthew Hoggard, James Ormond, Mark Ramprakash, Graham Thorpe, MarcusTrescothick, Michael Vaughan, Craig White. Duncan Fletcher (coach)* Tendulkar hopes to be fit for South Africa tourSachin Tendulkar is still having problems with his injured toe but he hopesto be fit in time for India’s upcoming tour of South Africa.”I am not in too much pain, although when I run, my foot gives trouble. SoI decided to get expert advice,” Tendulkar, who is in Durban to consult DrMark Fergussen for his injury, said.Fergussen meanwhile said that he would prescribe a course of treatmentafter running a few more tests. “We are presently looking at some of thesports shoes he will have to wear,” he added.The South African doctor was the man who treated both Javagal Srinath andAnil Kumble. Tendulkar injured his right toe during the triangular One-Dayseries in Zimbabwe and had to miss the ongoing tour of Sri Lanka.* BCCI in a fix about Laloo participationNo one seems to be ready to touch the former Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav even with a barge pole these days. Even The Board of Control for Cricket in India.The BCCI has sought legal opinion on whether the President of Cricket Association of Bihar Laloo Prasad Yadav, should be allowed to participate in the Board’s Annual General Meeting. The Board’s decision follows a letter from one Sanjay Singh who claimed he was the genuine representative of the Bihar Cricket Association and not Yadav, according to BCCI sources.Let us see which way the ball rolls…

ScorecardParas Dogra drives during his 167•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Jammu & Kashmir were well-placed to push for an outright win against Tripura in Agartala, as the visitors led by 367 runs going into the final day. Tripura, who began at 85 for 2 in reply to J&K’s 428, lost wickets in a bulk, as the team failed to sting together any meaningful partnership. Parvinder Singh top-scored with 60, but no other batsman managed a half-century, as Tripura were bundled out for 224 to concede a lead of 204 runs. Fast bowler Ram Dayal was the pick of J&K’s bowlers, collecting 4 for 51, while Umar Nazir Mir and medium-pacer Rohit Sharma took two each. J&K lost their openers Shubham Khajuria and Imran Haroon early in the second innings, but Ian Dev Singh (40*) put up a fifty-plus stand with Parvez Rasool, before Bandeep Singh blitzed 51 off 16 balls to guide the visitors to 163 for 3 at stumps. Bandeep reached his half-century in 15 balls, and broke the record for the fastest fifty in the Ranji Trophy. Before Bandeep, Shakti Singh (Himachal Pradesh, 1990-91) and Yusuf Pathan (Baroda, 2012-13) held the joint record with 18-ball half-centuries.
ScorecardHimachal Pradesh edged ahead in their Ranji clash against Goa in Dharamsala as they secured a crucial innings lead. HP were 298 for 5 coming into day three, and their overnight centurion Paras Dogra made his way to 167, ensuring that his team had a slender advantage. None of the lower-order batsmen chipped in with a handy knock, but Dogra’s rearguard earned HP a lead of 52. Prasanth Parameswaran picked up 5 for 82, while Rituraj Singh chipped in with 3 for 95. Goa began their second innings positively, as the openers Amogh Sunil Desai (63) and Swapnil Asnodkar (72) batted together for 53.5 overs to add 131 runs. However, HP fought back with three key wickets towards the end of the day, as Bipul Sharma and Akash Vasisht struck to remove Asnodkar, Desai and the first-innings centurion Sagun Kamat. Goa were 182 for 3 when stumps were called, leading by 130 runs.
ScorecardA three-wicket burst from Karaparambil Monish, coupled with timely blows from Rohan Prem meant Kerala could harbour hopes of gaining first-innings points against Services in Delhi. Services were well-placed at 66 for 0 when the day began, but Soumik Chatterjee was dismissed early on for 42. Anshul Gupta (68) and Ravi Chauhan (56) added 75 for the second wicket, but from 160 for 1, Services collapsed to 221 for 6. Handy knocks from Vikas Hathwala (45) and Muzzaffaruddin Khalid (28*) guided Services to 281 for 7 when the day ended, with the team still trailing by 41 runs.

Former Test fast bowler Mark Gillespie has been cut from Wellington’s contract list, but both Gillespie and Wellington coach Bruce Edgar have left the door open for a possible return. New Zealand’s six major associations have announced the players offered first-round domestic contracts for the 2015-16 summer, with Gillespie one of several former internationals missing from last year.Wellington have lost former captain James Franklin, whose Irish ancestry has allowed him to sign as a local player for Middlesex, meaning if he was to play for Wellington it would need to be as an overseas player. Brendon Diamanti is gone from Canterbury’s list, while Wellington fast bowler Andy McKay, Otago batsman Aaron Redmond, Central Districts batsman Jamie How and Northern Districts fast bowler Graeme Aldridge have all retired.Gillespie, 35, has made no decisions on his future, but last summer played only three Plunket Shield matches for 11 wickets at 27.63. New Wellington coach Bruce Edgar said that although Gillespie was no longer contracted, he still had some hope of being selected during the season.”We believe that Dizzy was off the pace last season and that he’s slipped down the order behind other more effective bowlers,” Edgar said in a statement. “That said, we want to work with Dizz to get him firing in time for the season. If that happens, then he’s available to be selected like any other player and I’m sure he’ll give it everything he’s got.”Gillespie this week told : “I’ve made no decisions regarding my future. As far as I’m concerned, not getting a contract does not mean I am no longer a cricketer.”In other moves, Jesse Ryder has completed his return to Central Districts from Otago, as reported last week. Otago have been particularly active in their recruiting, with Neil Broom returning after one season at Canterbury, Anaru Kitchen and Warren Barnes having joined from Auckland, and Brad Wilson having moved from Northern Districts. Anurag Verma has moved from Northern Districts to Wellington.Franklin is not the only player who has moved on due to county commitments: Central Districts allrounder Kieran Noema-Barnett is gone from their list after signing as a local player with Gloucestershire.Several players have disappeared from the domestic lists after gaining New Zealand Cricket contracts, including Central Districts’ Doug Bracewell, Northern Districts’ Mitchell Santner, and Wellington’s Grant Elliott. Colin Munro is back on Auckland’s list after losing his national contract, while Ish Sodhi has reappeared on the Northern Districts list for the same reason.Other notable additions include well-known coach Bob Carter’s son Leo Carter, who has signed with Canterbury; Kane Williamson’s cousin, the batsman Dane Cleaver, who has joined Central Districts; and Brisbane-born spinner Alecz Day, who has signed with Wellington and qualifies due to his mother being from New Zealand.The contracting process involves nine to 14 players being offered deals as part of the first round, with the remainder of the 15-man squad to be confirmed by August 10.Auckland Michael Bates, Brad Cachopa, Colin De Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Donovan Grobbelaar, Michael Guptill-Bunce, Shawn Hicks, Colin Munro, Tarun Nethula, Rob Nicol, Robert O’Donnell, Glenn Phillips, Matt Quinn, Jeet RavalCanterbury Todd Astle, Hamish Bennett, Leo Carter, Andrew Ellis, Cameron Fletcher, Peter Fulton, Roneel Hira, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Johnston, Cole McConchie, Ryan McCone, Henry Nicholls, Edward Nuttall, Logan van BeekCentral Districts Tom Bruce, Dane Cleaver, Greg Hay, Marty Kain, Andrew Mathieson, Ajaz Patel, Seth Rance, Jesse Ryder, Bevan Small, Ben Smith, Kruger van Wyk, Ben Wheeler, George Worker, Will YoungNorthern Districts Cody Andrews, James Baker, Jono Boult, Dean Brownlie, Joe Carter, Anton Devcich, Daniel Flynn, Brett Hampton, Jono Hickey, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Bharat Popli, Tim Seifert, Ish SodhiOtago Warren Barnes, Nicholas Beard, Michael Bracewell, Neil Broom, Derek de Boorder, Jacob Duffy, Ryan Duffy, Josh Finnie, Anaru Kitchen, Michael Rae, Hamish Rutherford, Craig Smith, Sam Wells, Brad WilsonWellington Brent Arnel, Brady Barnett, Tom Blundell, Alecz Day, Dane Hutchinson, Matt McEwan, Stephen Murdoch, Ollie Newton, Michael Papps, Jeetan Patel, Michael Pollard, Matt Taylor, Anurag Verma, Luke Woodcock

Pacemen Marlon Black and Mervyn Dillon fought a brave battle against the inevitable but Australia has nonetheless finished day two of the First Test against West Indies in a commanding position here at the ‘Gabba in Brisbane. By stumps, the home team holds an overall advantage of 225 runs; the tourists at 2/25 in their second innings and fighting a losing battle to stay alive in the match.In their humiliating effort yesterday, the West Indians had shown precious little resolve. Today, they displayed considerably more. But the world’s best team still showed that it remained a world apart from its current challenger. It was somehow a statement of the depths to which the tourists had sunk that, initially at least, it took a man playing in his very first Test to show his teammates how things were done.The sense of aimlessness by which his team had been gripped in plunging to a total of 82 yesterday seemed, paradoxically, to inspire Black (4/83). He ran in with purpose, he ran in with aggression, he ran in with the look of a man completely unwilling to yield any more of the ground that had so decisively been conceded to the Australians. At first, this manifested itself in a beautiful seven over spell from the Stanley Street End that quickly had overnight batsmen Michael Slater (54) and Andy Bichel (8), as well as Justin Langer (3) for good measure, shuffling away from the arena.It was the very first Black delivery of the morning, in fact, which simultaneously spurred the downfall of Slater and brought the tall Trinidadian fast bowler his first Test wicket. The right handed opener reached for a full wide outswinger of lively pace but could do no better than direct it to Sherwin Campbell at second slip. Later in the same over, nightwatchman Bichel departed after playing away from his body (at a ball that cut marginally away) to be caught behind. The gritty Langer saw out slightly more of the opening session but made similarly little impact on the scoreboard. Three Black overs later, he was defeated by a lovely inswinger, inside edging the ball within a coat of vanish of his off stump and presenting Ridlley Jacobs with the chance of another catch as he moved across neatly to his right.Around a fourth dismissal for Black – the departure of Ricky Ponting (20) to a nicely pitched outswinger – Dillon (3/79) then added his weight to the cause by snaring three prize wickets of his own. He was responsible for removing Mark Waugh (24) at the end of an always-scratchy innings and then complemented that success with the scalp of Steve Waugh (41) in his next over. The former went to a low caught and bowled after he was deceived by a delivery that appeared to hold up on him slightly and caused him to meekly push the ball back down the pitch. The latter succumbed to a wonderful catch from Campbell, at head height, at second slip after issuing a flashing cut shot at a wider, shorter offering.It was not until Adam Gilchrist (48), the highest averaging left hander in Tests at present, came to the crease in the unfamiliar territory of number eight that a batsman finally looked completely at ease. In a whirlwind partnership of sixty-one runs for the eighth wicket with an equally aggressively inclined Brett Lee (62*), he took toll of a tiring attack with relish. It was from there that Lee’s production of a maiden half-century in first-class cricket – and the highest individual score of the match no less – served to underline the West Indians’ apparent inability to match it with the Australians for sustained periods. Tailender Stuart MacGill (19) also joined in the late assault, albeit in ungainly style, helping to swell the eventual first innings lead to the small matter of 250 runs.From there, what already shapes as something akin to an inevitability in this series – the sight of West Indian batsmen departing with regularity – returned to haunt the tourists once more. To begin the spectre all over again, Campbell failed to defend a delivery from Glenn McGrath (2/7) which did little more than hold its line outside off stump. After one ferocious pull at his nemesis, Brian Lara (4) then succumbed almost as tamely as in the first innings. He beat that well worn path off the ‘Gabba when he impetuously attempted the stroke again and top edged. Gilchrist took a simple catch and, in doing so, took the Australians another large step toward a record-equalling eleventh Test victory in succession too. Barring a monumental reversal, this result will come quicker than most.

ScorecardJames Taylor brought his ODI form back into the Championship although was given three lives•Getty Images

A man doesn’t like to find himself saying “size isn’t everything” too often, but in James Taylor’s case, it seems almost unavoidable.Despite an outstanding domestic record, Taylor has had to be content with a supporting role in international cricket. Even his latest foray into the ODI side – during which he scored his maiden century and captained the side when Eoin Morgan was injured – only came about because Joe Root was rested.But for various reasons – not least a perception that his technique will be exposed by the best bowling attack – Taylor has had to wait a little longer than might be expected for his first Test tour. Kevin Pietersen infamously told Andy Flower that Taylor was built to be a jockey – like his father – and “not up to it” at Test level.But Taylor is the same height as Sachin Tendulkar. He could swap shoes with Murray Goodwin. He could reach up to shelves and pass things down to Alvin Kallicharran. He is plenty tall enough.And while it is true that he has a jockey’s height, it might also be said that he has a jockey’s toughness. County bowlers learned several years ago that it was foolish to equate his size and fresh-face with weakness and have long since given up trying to intimidate him. A first-class average of 47 will do that.This was, in many ways, a typical Taylor innings. It was scrappy at times, dropped on three occasions but, while nobody else in the top six could reach 25 – four of them could not reach 10 – he compiled the 20th first-class century of his career and the second of this campaign. He also recorded his 1000th first-class run of the season.He is wonderfully balanced at the crease. While other players fell to the off side as they attempted to play the inswing of the dangerous Keith Barker, Taylor waited just that fraction longer so that, instead of attempting to play through midwicket, he was able to punch the ball straight down the ground. His on-drives were a delight.But he is not much interested in being pretty. The way he throws himself into cut shots – the full MS Dhoni helicopter was on display here when an out of sorts Boyd Rankin dropped short – the way he scampers his runs with a pace that would leave a greyhound trailing – suggests a man that is utterly committed to the practical business of run scoring and will let others worry about style. Taylor maybe more artisan than artist, but he has a method that he understands and works for him. He doesn’t need to change.He had some fortune here, though. On the few occasions he allowed himself to be expansive, he offered chances. He was put down three times – on 8, 22 and 75 – and also caught off a no-ball. While the chances on 8 and 75 – both to the normally reliable Tim Ambrose – were not straightforward, the catch to Sam Hain, at point, should have been taken. Rankin and Barker were the unfortunate bowlers.Warwickshire were also convinced they had Taylor caught behind off Jonathan Trott on 99. As a result, they declined to applaud his century.”It’s not the batsman’s fault if the fielders keep dropping the ball,” his coach, Mick Newell said afterwards. “I don’t call that good luck, I just call it taking the most of your opportunity.”Ambrose, like the rest of his Warwickshire team, looked a little jaded having played through any number of aches, strains, bruises and bumps. They no longer have much to play for and the combination of a long season and a tinge of disappointment has taken the edge off their performance. There is talk of some discontent, but it looks like nothing a lengthy break from cricket – and maybe from each other – will not solve. There is no reason why both these teams should not challenge for the Championship next year.Warwickshire will be doing it without their second-string keeper, Peter McKay, though. He has been released after struggling with injuries, while 24-year-old Staffordshire keeper Alex Mellor – who made a double-century for Staffordshire a few weeks ago – has been signed in his place. Warwickshire have also released the batsman Tom Lewis, while the seam-bowling allrounder Tom Milnes is likely to join Derbyshire for greater opportunity.The pick of the bowlers here was Barker. He dismissed Alex Hales, set up by two inswingers and then guilty of nibbling at one angled across him that didn’t swing, before Steven Mullaney was caught off the boot at gully after jabbing his bat down on another full swinging ball, and Brendan Taylor’s innings was ended when he played around another inswinger. When Riki Wessels poked at an outswinger from Trott and Samit Patel was bowled round his legs as he attempted to flick into the leg side, Nottinghamshire were in some trouble.But Chris Read helped Taylor add 124 for the sixth-wicket with Taylor. He was savage on the pull, merciless on both sides of the wicket if the ball was over-pitched and very quick to punish Jeetan Patel when he gave the ball a little flight. If Newell’s hopes of overhauling Middlesex for second place in the table look optimistic, it is still possible.”I don’t think we’ll be setting up a chase tomorrow. We want to finish second in the Championship and if we can pick up 12 or 13 points from this game then we will have a strong chance of getting past Middlesex in the last round of matches.”It is to be hoped that the aim does not convince Newell to ask Hales and Taylor to play in their final Championship game. They have long, emotionally draining winters ahead which could define their careers. And in 30 years time, the difference between second and third in the Championship season may not seem terribly important.

ScorecardThis time David Lloyd could not be removed as Glamorgan clung on at Canterbury (file photo)•Getty Images

Gritty Glamorgan batted throughout the final day in Canterbury to deny Kent a first win of the Championship campaign and land an unlikely draw. Set to chase an improbable 404 for what would also have been their maiden success of the season, battling Glamorgan lost eight wickets throughout the fourth day to clinch a fourth draw from as many Division Two games.Though bowlers Matt Coles and Calum Haggett gave it their all, Kent were unable to blast through the Glamorgan tail and the hosts were made to settle for 12 points as the visitors reached 309 for 9 for a 10-point return.They had three heroes in nightwatchman Dean Cosker, Graham Wagg and then No. 10 David Lloyd, who batted 89 minutes for an unbeaten 43 to complete Glamorgan’s great escape.Kent encountered their first major stumbling block in the shape of Cosker, sent in as makeshift No. 3 on the third evening. Playing in his 246th first-class game, the 37-year-old veteran’s four-hour vigil for a career-best 69, set the determined tone for the final day.Glamorgan, resuming on their overnight total of 32 for 1, lost opening batsman James Kettleborough in the seventh over for 20. Playing back and across the line to a Darren Stevens in-ducker, the right hander was trapped leg before. Will Bragg perished in similar fashion five overs later when he played across a full length ball from Coles to depart without scoring to make it 50 for 3.Cosker and Colin Ingram combined either side of lunch to add 87 for the fourth wicket until Ingram, the ball after posting his 77-ball half-century, nicked a good delivery from Ivan Thomas to slip to go for 51.Nine overs later Sam Northeast held a juggled chance at mid-off to account for Chris Cooke then Cosker’s 183-ball stay ended when he played across a near yorker-length ball from Haggett to make it 194 for 6 at tea.Kent claimed the second new ball 10 overs after the resumption to account for Mark Wallace, who was undone by the pace of Coles and trapped leg before to a very full length delivery before Craig Meschede had his stumps rearranged by Haggett.A counter-attacking 65-ball 50 by Wagg extended Glamorgan’s resolve into the final hour of the match but, after 136 minutes at the crease, the right-hander was caught off balance by another near yorker to depart lbw and give Haggett career-best figures of 4 for 61. Coles might have finished the job in the next over, only for Darren Stevens to spill a regulation catch at second slip off Lloyd’s outside edge.Kent circled the bat in the final overs but last man Hogan combined with Lloyd to see out the final 32 minutes and salvage a draw much to the delight of their team-mates on the St Lawrence balcony.A delighted Glamorgan captain Jacques Rudolph said: “I thought our guys fought all the way and deserved something out of the game. We were up against it at the start but battled back well after what seemed a long first day in the field and Kent’s second-wicket century stand.”Generally, we’ve managed to take wickets in the second and third sessions and, although that has kept us competitive, we could maybe work on our plans at how to get into teams quicker. As for the batting, the way William Bragg batted in our first innings was particularly pleasing. He’s our in-form batsman. He prepares really well and shows a lot of grit. I’ve set him a target of five centuries this summer, so I’m backing his form to continue.”

ScorecardHamish Marshall went past 13,000 first-class runs as he helped Gloucestershire fight back•Getty Images

Hamish Marshall and Geraint Jones saved the day for Gloucestershire and set up a potentially exciting fourth and final day at Bristol.Having bowled out Kent, finally, for 235 in the morning session, Gloucestershire found themselves staring down the barrel of defeat, inside three days, as Darren Stevens and Ivan Thomas reduced them to 81 for 4, shortly after lunch.However, Marshall and the former Kent wicketkeeper Jones added 134 for the fifth wicket to give Gloucestershire the chance of winning a third successive Championship game.Resuming on their overnight total of 223 for 9, Kent lost their last wicket when Adam Riley top-edged a pull shot, off the bowling of Liam Norwell, to wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick. It was Norwell’s 32nd first-class wicket of the season and left him with the impressive figures of 4 for 44 off 24 overs.On a wicket that provided the bowlers with a degree of encouragement, Gloucestershire batted well in the early stages of their second innings. Openers Chris Dent and Roderick put on 59 for the first wicket with both batsmen looking set for the day. However, the introduction of Darren Stevens turned the game back in Kent’s favour as Gloucestershire preceded to lose four wickets for just 22 runs in 9.3 overs.Dent, who struck three boundaries in his 48-ball stay, was first to go, when he played on to a regulation delivery from Stevens. Eight runs later, off the final ball of the morning session, Ian Cockbain became victim number two for Stevens. That was 67 for 2.If the final throes of the morning session were disappointing, for Gloucestershire, the early stages of the afternoon session were equally as frustrating. First, Peter Handscomb flashed at a short and wide delivery from Thomas and was duly caught by wicketkeeper Sam Billings. Then, Roderick departed in similar fashion, caught at slip by Stevens, once again off the bowling of Thomas.Thankfully, for Gloucestershire, Marshall and Jones batted with far greater application to add 134 for the fifth wicket. Marshall passed 50 off 84 balls and reached 13,000 first-class runs, courtesy of four overthrows. Jones, who signed a two-year contract in the winter, reached his half-century off 92 balls, with six fours.Marshall eventually holed out to Fabian Cowdrey at backward point off the bowling of Matt Coles, for 83, before Kieran Noema-Barnett departed without scoring and Jones for 55, trapped lbw by Thomas. Craig Miles and David Payne put on 36 for the eighth wicket as Gloucestershire finished the day on 282 for 9, leading by 240 with one second innings wicket in hand.

Ajay Ratra, the former India wicketkeeper, has decided to call time on his 16-year playing career. Ratra last played a first-class game in 2013 for Tripura.Ratra, who made his international debut in 2002, played six Tests and 12 ODIs for India. His maiden Test century against West Indies in Trinidad – an unbeaten 115 – made him the fifth-youngest Indian player and the youngest wicketkeeper to score a Test hundred. He played 99 first-class matches, scoring 4029 runs at an average of 30.29, which included eight hundreds and a double-century. He also played in 89 List A games, scoring 1381 runs at 22.63.Ratra is the second Indian player to retire in the space of two days, following Hrishikesh Kanitkar’s retirement on Wednesday.”Both Hrishikesh and Ajay were hardworking cricketers and thorough professionals,” Anurag Thakur, BCCI secretary, said. “I have no doubt that they will display the same qualities in their chosen vocations.”Ratra was part of the Indian U-19 team that won the Youth World Cup in early 2000, and the following season, he captained them to victory against England.”On behalf of the BCCI, I congratulate both Hrishikesh and Ajay for memorable careers, and wish them all the best for the future,” Jagmohan Dalmiya, president of the board, said.

The fast bowler Mitchell Johnson will not make an individual choice on whether to tour Pakistan for the Champions Trophy and will instead follow the advice of Cricket Australia.The ICC has ruled the tournament will go ahead next month despite the safety concerns from a number of countries, including Australia, but a final security check will be completed over the next week.”I still stick with Cricket Australia and the [Australian Cricketers’ Association],” Johnson told AAP. “They still haven’t made a decision on Pakistan so until that time comes we’ll see what happens.”Paul Marsh, the Australian Cricketers’ Association chief executive, said last month the risk was too great for the team to tour. “We would expect Cricket Australia to adopt the same position,” he said. “If it continues in Pakistan at this volatile time, unfortunately many of the world’s best players won’t participate, which is not a good outcome for cricket.”Johnson has played 39 one-day internationals and has become a useful member of the Australian side, which is the defending champion. “We want to go over and play in safety, we want to make sure that we’re safe when we’re playing in any country, so it’s not just Pakistan, it’s any country,” Johnson said. “As long as we’re safe and we’ve been guaranteed that all the security measures are right and so and so, then there’s no reason why we can’t go.”Australia delayed their Test and one-day series in Pakistan earlier in the year for similar reasons. The Test contest is due to be held in 2010 while the limited-overs fixtures are planned for next year.

Michael Vaughan’s graduation to world-class batting status has ensured the close attention of the Australian camp as they prepare for the third Ashes Test in Perth, which starts on Friday.The Yorkshire opener scored 218 runs in England’s innings defeat in the second Test defeat at Adelaide, moving up to fifth place in the world batting ratings as a result.But the Australians believe Vaughan’s tendency to go for his shots from the outset will always give their bowlers m a chance, and they aim to exploit a Perth wicket regarded as the quickest in 20 years to probe his weaknesses.”He’s the danger man in the England line-up,” said seamer Andy Bichel, who is tipped to retain his place ahead of Brett Lee in Australia’s bowling line-up.”He comes out and plays his shots – that’s aggressive cricket and that’s what we play and he attacks all the time. He’s going to give you a chance playing like that, but you can also go for some runs against him.”There’s no doubt during his innings he looked uncomfortable at times against short-pitched bowling and we’ll be targeting him at certain times.””We’ve talked about their team and there’s going to be a lot of short-pitched bowling in this game, but teams can get a bit carried away with that at Perth.”In their game against Western Australia at the start of the tour, the English bowled pretty short, especially Steve Harmison and Simon Jones, and that’s a trap you can fall into – you’ve got to use the pitch in the right way.”I’ve had a lot of success here before for Queensland and it’s one of the pitches you want to play on as a fast bowler. There’s plenty of bounce in the wicket and there’s a little bit of swing.”The groundsman at the WACA, Richard Winter, believes the pitch, which was regarded in the 1970s as the quickest in world cricket, could be the fastest Test wicket there in years.”It’s probably going to be a bit pacier than it has been in previous years,”Winter predicted. “It’s hard and flat and we’re expecting it to be a lot more bouncy than it has been in the last few years.”It’s been our plan to get the pitches back to what they used to be like and we’ve done a lot regenerative work on them for that reason.”Meanwhile Andrew Caddick is to have a second injection in 48 hours in a bid to overcome the back spasm that has made him a major doubt for the Perth Test.He was given a steroid injection yesterday.Caddick benefited from the Perth surface earlier in the tour by claiming four for 49 against Western Australia.