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Following recent press speculation, Essex is now in a position to confirm that it has secured the services of Australian test star Mark Waugh to take over from Andy Flower in September when he leaves for the ICC Trophy competition in Sri Lanka. Essex Chief Executive David East commented:”We are delighted that Mark will be returning to us. Andy Flower has done afantastic job this summer and will be greatly missed in September, but withMark supporting our push for promotion in the last four games of the seasonwe have high hopes of success.”Waugh joins Essex on 9th September to prepare for the Championship matchstarting against Durham at Riverside on 11th September, having completed a short tour in the UK promoting his new book. He has previously played for the Club in 1988, 1989, 1992 and 1995, and currently averages just under 60 in first class cricket for Essex.Mark Waugh commented:”I am really looking forward to my return to Essex. I have always enjoyedplaying for the Club and I hope that I can help them achieve promotion inboth league competitions this season.”

Australian cricketers Adam Gilchrist and Colin Miller and coach John Buchanan receivedanonymous phone calls seeking match information during the recent tour of India, it was revealed today.The unidentified caller rang during the third Test in Chennai, asking about pitch information, the state of the match and what theythought the likely outcome of the match might be, Australian Cricket Board chief executive Malcolm Speed said.The incident rekindled memories of the bookmaking scandal in 1994 when Mark Waugh and Shane Warne later confessed toselling weather and pitch reports to an Indian bookie during the tour of Sri Lanka.They were fined a total of $18,000 but the punishment was initially kept secret by the ACB.The latest incident was immediately reported to Australian team manager Steve Bernard and passed on to Speed.The ACB boss said that, on the face of it, the calls were not illegal because no offers were made to the players.The ACB reported the incident to the International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption unit and the Indian police for investigation.Gilchrist said his phone rang as he was preparing to leave his room to go to the team bus.”We get about 10 calls a day from Indian fans. This person was obviously of Indian descent. He said he was a very enthusiasticsupporter and asked how I thought the game would go,” the Australian vice-captain told AAP.”I said that hopefully we would do well and then he asked questions about the wicket and whether it would turn and would thathelp Warney (Shane Warne) and Miller.”It didn’t really set off any alarm bells then but then I asked who he was and he asked more questions, I said don’t worry aboutit and hung up.”It was reported to the management very quickly and they got us to write a statement and explain exactly what happened.”Then it became a non-issue and we could focus on the game.”Speed said the Australian players were now well aware of the risk involved in inappropriate approaches.”We don’t know whether this person was a gambler, a bookmaker, who this person was but I think the good news that cameout of it was that it was reported and dealt with straight away,” he said.Speed said Bernard had also established that no other player or team official had received anonymous calls seeking informationabout the match.The same caller rang Gilchrist, Miller and Buchanan “at about the same time”.”The players had been alerted that if they received any calls from persons not known to them who enquired about matters suchas this it’s reported straight away,” Speed said.”It’s the first step of the players’ defence against being compromised in a position like this.”Speed said any similar incidents had to be reported and documented.He said the players were happy to follow the protocol because they had seen what happened to those who had not done so inthe past.Meanwhile, Speed would not talk about his meeting tomorrow with Buchanan, who has been the subject of speculation hewould be dropped as a selector for the upcoming Ashes tour.”I’ll be talking to John about a number of issues tomorrow. It’s not appropriate that I discuss them today,” Speed said.A report from New Delhi later quoted Indian board secretary Jaywant Lele saying he was unaware of the calls.”We’ve so far not been informed by the Australian Cricket Board about any approach made by bookies,” Lele told AFP.”I cannot comment on the news because I do not know anything about this.”

Christchurch’s Jade Stadium contributed another chapter to the book of cricket records after another day of run scoring on the third day of the first National Bank series Test.Highlights were:Graham Thorpe’s highest Test score of 200 not out was the third fastest double century. It was scored off 231 balls – Adam Gilchrist (212) and Ian Botham (220) were ahead of him and he pushed Gordon Greenidge (232) one rung further down the ladder.His 50 was scored off 51 balls, his 100 off 121 balls, his 150 off 183 balls.In his 71st match Thorpe beat his previous highest Test score of 138, scored against Australia in England in 1997, and repeated against Pakistan last summer in England.The 281-run sixth wicket stand he shared with Andrew Flintoff was the best by all nations against New Zealand for that wicket. It surpassed a stand of 254 between Gary Sobers and Charlie Davis for the West Indies at Bridgetown in 1971/72.The partnership was also England’s highest for the sixth wicket against any opponent, beating the 240 made by Peter Parfitt and Barry Knight against New Zealand at Auckland in 1962/63.Thorpe’s Test runs now stand at 4800 scored at 42.47, up from 40.91 before the innings.Flintoff scored his maiden Test century off 114 balls. His previous highest score in his 13-Test career was 42. It was scored against South Africa at Port Elizabeth in 1999/00.His 50 was scored off 49 balls. When out for 137, he had faced 163 balls and had scored 23 fours and four sixes.Flintoff now has 396 runs at 18.85, up from 13.63.England set New Zealand 550 to win, the world record for successful chases is 406 scored by India against the West Indies at Port-of-Spain in 1975/76. The target is the 19th highest ever set in Tests. Eight of those Tests were timeless Tests and two were six-day Tests.The highest target New Zealand has successfully achieved is 324 runs, against Pakistan on this ground in 1993/94.The 550 is the highest target New Zealand has ever been set in a Test match, surpassing the 511 England set them at Nottingham in 1983.The highest target ever set in a match was 836 by England against the West Indies in a timeless Test at Kingston, Jamaica in 1929/30.

Baroda, inspired by a career best first class score of 181 by Nayan Mongia, finished with an imposing first innings total of 568 on the second day of their Ranji Trophy semifinal against Orissa at the Gujarat State Fertilizer Corporation ground in Baroda on Friday. By close, the visitors had just commenced their long haul by scoring four without loss in one over.Resuming at 319 for two, Baroda did well to get to their final total. Mongia and skipper Jacob Martin resumed their third wicket association but at 342, Martin was leg before to Jayachandra for 86. The former India player batted almost four hours, faced 172 balls and hit 13 fours. Tushar Arothe joined Mongia and the two proceeded to figure in a fourth wicket partnership of 75 runs off 16 overs before the India wicketkeeper was finally dismissed. Mongia, whose previous best first class score was 165, was caught by Parida off Mohanty.He batted 7-1/2 hours, faced 317 balls and hit 25 fours and a six.There was no respite for the Orissa bowlers for Arothe and HR Jadhav (21) then added 47 runs for the fifth wicket off 16.4 overs. Then Sanjay Raul got among the wickets and Baroda slid from 464 for four to 499 for eight. Among those dismissed was Arothe who made 86. In a stay of 3-1/2 hours, he faced 156 ballsand hit 15 fours and a six.However the tired Orissa bowlers encountered one last, unexpected hurdle with Valmik Buch (29) and Irfan Pathan (40 not out) adding 56 runs off 24 overs for the ninth wicket. The Orissa bowlers had a trying time in adverse conditions against a strong batting line-up. Mohanty sent down 41 overs to take three for 110. Two other bowlers conceded more than 100 runs – medium pacer Ajay Barik who captured one for 126 off 26 overs and off spinner Sanjay Satpathy who finished with two for 120 off 38 overs. The toil of the Orissa bowlers ie best exemplified by the fact that the Baroda innings lasted 760 minutes and 177 overs.

Michael Clarke’s reign as Test captain might just be starting but his time as Twenty20 leader has ended. Clarke announced after the Ashes loss at the SCG that he would stand down from the role and will not play Twenty20, instead preferring to concentrate on regaining form in the five- and one-day arenas.Cameron White has been named as Australia’s captain for the two Twenty20 games against England next week, with Tim Paine confirmed as his deputy. The squad also includes Brett Lee, who will represent Australia for the first time since October 2009, as well as the uncapped Aaron Finch and James Pattinson.Clarke struggled to keep pace with the demands of the shortest gamebecause his technically correct batting was more suited to the longerformats. In 32 T20 internationals he had a strike-rate of 103, or slightlybetter than a run a ball, well below the output expected of a top-orderplayer.”I’m retiring from international Twenty20 cricket,” Clarke said. “I guess, looking back on this series, my Test cricket isn’t where I want it at the moment. This gives me the opportunity to focus wholly and solely on Test cricket and one-day and to use that time to play more domestic or first-class cricket for New South Wales and become a better Test player.”For me, I’ve always said Test cricket is the ultimate for me. This gives me that opportunity. In saying that, obviously my T20 performances haven’t been that great, which made the decision that much easier.”He captained the side in 18 matches and won 12 times, with the highlightbeing taking Australia to the final of the World Twenty20 in the WestIndies in May. England beat Australia on that occasion too.Clarke replaced Ponting asTest captain for the final game of this Ashes series, but will have towait until August to learn if he will be the full-time leader. However, he will captain Australia in the upcoming one-day series against England, as Ponting continues to recover from his finger injury.The two Twenty20s will be played next Wednesday and Friday, followed by seven ODIs beginning at the MCG on January 16. The chairman of selectors, Andrew Hilditch, said White was ready for the leadership of Australia’s Twenty20 side and the selectors were keen to play Paine more often to help him prepare for when he eventually takes over from Haddin permanently.”Cameron White has been named as captain of the Twenty20 team and Tim Paine vice-captain,” Hilditch said. “We are confident that they will provide outstanding leadership for what is a very exciting Twenty20 team.”Brad hasn’t been picked in the side, he’s obviously disappointed, but the reality is we need to take opportunites from time to time to look at other players. We think Tim has big future, we’re keen to give him leadshership experience as well, which we’re doing in the Prime Minister’s XI game and this Twenty20 squad. Brad is still our No. 1 keeper in all forms of the game, but at this particular moment the right thing is to look at Tim Paine.”The national selection panel is taking the opportunity to look at some of our exciting young talent in this form of the game. Aaron Finch has been in outstanding form for Victoria and the NSP looks forward to watching him play at the highest level in this form of the game.”James Pattinson is one of a crop of young fast bowlers with great potential and he impressed with his stint with the Australian side in India. We’re sure he’s ready for the challenge of international cricket. The squad also sees the return of Brett Lee and Shaun Tait. Both at their best are explosive bowlers and should add greatly to the team.”Australia squad David Warner, Shane Watson, Cameron White (capt), David Hussey, Aaron Finch, Steven Smith, Tim Paine (wk), Steve O’Keefe, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, James Pattinson, Shaun Tait.

Match facts

October 9, 2012
Start time 1730 (1530 GMT)Naved-ul-Hasan is one of Sialkot Stallions’ seasoned T20 campaigners•BPL T20

How they qualified

Auckland Aces: Winners of the HRV Cup, New Zealand’s domestic competition
Sialkot Stallions: Winners of the Faysal Bank Super Eight T20 Cup, one of Pakistan’s T20 domestic competitions

Big Picture

At long last, a Pakistan team will make its debut in the Champions League T20, when Sialkot Stallions face off against Auckland Aces. Sialkot were scheduled to play in the inaugural CLT20 in 2008, but the Mumbai bomb blasts caused that event to be postponed and the resulting freeze in India-Pakistan relations kept them out of the tournament since. At that time, they were midway through compiling one of the most awesome records in cricket – a streak of 25 successive wins in T20s, the most fickle and egalitarian format of the game.Their recent form is just as impressive, and were barely troubled during their run to the Faysal Bank Super Eight T20 Cup title. Their dominance was reflected in the margin of victories: five wickets, nine wickets, seven wickets, 40 runs and, in the final, eight wickets. They lack the star power of some of the other teams, but they have several experienced T20 campaigners including captain Shoaib Malik, opener Imran Nazir and fast bowler Naved-ul-Hasan. One of the revelations of the World T20, left-arm spinner Rana Hasan, is also part of the squad.Auckland Aces also have little experience at the CLT20, though they are making their second appearance in the tournament. Last season, they lost both their qualifying matches, but were agonisingly close to winning both: they went down by two runs to Kolkata Knight Riders, and were trumped off the last ball by Somerset. Their captain, Gareth Hopkins, insists last year’s experience will help the team this time round, and that Auckland have realised the importance of preparation as they come into the tournament after a long winter break. Their campaign could last only two days but they are making sure they are thoroughly ready for it, having arrived in South Africa as early as two weeks ago.

Players to watch

While Naved-ul-Hasan hasn’t managed to nail down a spot in Pakistan’s T20 side, he is a fixture in the short-form leagues around the world. This year itself, he has represented Uthura Oryxes (in the SLPL), Derbyshire (in the Friends Life t20), Sialkot Stallions, Dhaka Gladiators (in the BPL) and Hobart Hurricanes (in the Big Bash League). In Hobart, he has become something of a local cult hero with his ability to regularly take wickets, and his flamboyant mullet. A master of bowling at the death, with great control over the slower ball and the yorker, his form will have a huge role in determining how far Sialkot progress in the tournament.Another experienced Pakistan player, Azhar Mahmood will be critical to Auckland’s performance. With Auckland unfamiliar with the games of many of Sialkot’s players, Mahmood will be able to provide them some insight on the opposition. He can turn matches with either bat or ball, as he has repeatedly shown in T20 leagues in several countries.

Quotes

“We’re not looking to qualify but to win this tournament. That spirit is special.”

“We have the ingredients to become champions as we’re a balanced team. Our biggest positive is our captain who has proved himself a great leader in crunch situations.”
Sialkot coach Naved Anjum thinks his team can go far in the tournment

ScorecardMichael Carberry scored his second century of the match before rain washed out any hope of a positive result against Durham at Basingstoke. Carberry, capped once by England against Bangladesh in March, hit 162 in the first innings and followed that with another 107 in the second innings. But when rain intervened Hampshire were 203 for 5 in their second innings, a lead of 304 with 44 overs of the match allocation still remaining.Hampshire were in a hurry when they resumed their second innings at 41 for 2 with Carberry and Michael Lumb putting on a rapid 150 for the third wicket in 47 overs. Both players made full use of the small boundaries at May’s Bounty with Lumb hitting four sixes and Carberry three.Lumb was the first to go at 191 when he lofted Ian Blackwell into the deep where Steve Harmison took the catch. Lumb, who had made 158 in the first innings, had to settle for 64 this time as Hampshire accelerated towards a declaration.Carberry fell when the score was 200, stumped by Phil Mustard going down the wicket to Blackwell. His innings also included 13 fours and came off 176 balls. James Vince became left-arm spinner Blackwell’s fifth victim when he was bowled without scoring but then it rained.Blackwell finished with creditable figures of 5 for 79 from his 25 overs but former England pace bowler Harmison bowled only six completed overs as Durham captain Mustard turned to his spinners.Hampshire dominated the first day by making 421 for 5 with Carberry and Lumb sharing in a record-breaking stand of 314 for the second wicket. But rain also accounted for most of the second day’s play so that only 11 overs were bowled.

ScorecardKenya’s No. 10 batsman Hiren Varaiya scored 35 to help the side reach 162•ICC/Saleem Sanghati

Kenya’s dismal batting form continued in their Intercontinental Cup match against Afghanistan, as they were dismissed for 162 on a day in which 16 wickets tumbled in Dubai. At the close of play, however, Kenya had managed to fight back, reducing Afghanistan to a 69 for 6.Playing without some of their regulars, like captain Mohammad Nabi, Shapoor Zadran and Nawroz Mangal, Afghanistan won the toss and put Kenya in to bat. The Kenyan top order failed once again and at 84 for 8, they looked in danger of being dismissed for a score of less than 100 for the fourth successive time, across formats. The lower order, however, resisted and led by Hiren Varaiya, the ninth and tenth-wicket stands contributed 78 runs.Medium-pacers Izatullah Dawlatzai, Sayed Shirzad and Yamin Ahmadzai took two wickets apiece and triggered the top-order collapse. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nasim Baras also took two wickets towards the end of the Kenya innings.Afghanistan hardly fared better in their reply. The opening pair of Javed Ahmadi and Fazal Niazai added a cautious 26 runs before Ahmadi was caught behind off Nelson Odhiambo’s bowling. That was to be the best partnership for Afghanistan on the day, as the Kenya attack, and fast bowler Ragheb Aga in particular, struck regularly to reduce them to 63 for 6. Aga finished the day with figures of 6-3-12-3. Rahmat Shah was the only batsman to hold steady and will be expected to guide the lower order as Afghanistan look to wipe out a deficit of 93 runs.

Bradley Dial’s all-round display was instrumental in South Africa Under-19s securing a 17-run victory over Australia Under-19s in the first match of the Quadrangular one-day series in Visakhapatnam.Dial’s innings was the sole source of impetus for South Africa, who were 43 for 5 in the 13th over after winning the toss. Matthew Fotia, who has taken 17 wickets in his last seven matches, continued his fine form, claiming all his three wickets in the space of two overs.Dial, however, was resolute, and his 48 off 53 balls included five fours and one six. But South Africa had slipped to 119 for 9 before a last-wicket stand of 60 between No. 11 Andile Phehlukwayo, who made 39 off 38 balls, and Justin Dill took them to a fighting total. South Africa folded for 179 in 44 overs, as legspinner Tom Andrews picked up two wickets.Damien Mortimer and Jaron Morgan set up Australia’s chase with a steady opening partnership, but the introduction of spin caused multiple mini-collapses. From 40 for 0, Australia slipped to 67 for 4 as Yaseen Valli’s offbreaks fetched two wickets in successive overs. Jake Doran kept Australia’s hopes alive with a sedate 35, but once Dial removed Cameron Valante to end the 46-run partnership and then claimed Tom Andrews in the 43rd over, Australia were bowled out for 162.Deepak Hooda powered India Under-19s to 291 in their 50 overs before Kuldeep Yadav took four wickets to set up a massive 148-run win over Zimbabwe Under-19s.Hooda cut lose after a 77-run stand with Sarfaraz Khan was broken in the 45th over. India leaped from 219 for 6 to 291 as Hooda dominated a seventh-wicket stand of 72 runs with Aamir Gani, who contributed only 14. Wicketkeeper Ankush Bains and captain Vijay Zol gave India a solid start, but they wobbled primarily because of Kieran Geyle’s three for 32. Hooda’s 83 off 55 balls, however, with five fours and five sixes, transformed the innings.Zimbabwe’s chase was hampered early when Yadav dismissed the openers with only 36 on the board and their recovery efforts were foiled by the Hooda-Gani combination again. Offspinner Gani’s double-strike in the 31st over accounted for the innings top-scorer Ryan Hurl, for 46, and Luke Jongwe. With the score at 116 for 5, Hooda dismissed Charles Kwinje and later captain Malcolm Lake for 13 and Yadav returned to finish off the tail, claiming two more wickets.

ScorecardJake Ball ran through Somerset’s lower order to finish with four wickets•PA Photos

The whiff of relegation hangs in the air for both these counties in the Championship, rather strongly for Somerset, who will not have the consolation of a Lord’s final a week on Saturday to take their minds off their troubles. In a contest trimmed to 35-overs per side, they batted for only a little over 25 overs as they were soundly thrashed by Nottinghamshire, who will be favourites to beat Glamorgan on September 21.Jake Ball, a 23-year-old right-arm seamer who has yet to play Championship cricket, took 4 for 25, his best figures in senior cricket, as Somerset were dismissed for their lowest YB40 total of the season – by some distance – and provided a familial link with Nottinghamshire’s last appearance in a Lord’s final, when they beat Essex by three wickets in 1989.That match was famous for Eddie Hemmings hitting the winning boundary off the last ball of the match. At the other end was Bruce French, whose sister, Debbie, became Debbie Ball and would a couple of years later give birth to Jake.Peter Trego hit 40 off 53 balls to offer some substance to Somerset’s cause but once he had been out-thought by Steven Mullaney, who drew an ankle-height return catch from a slower ball, they lost their last six wickets for 28 in an abjectly dispirited display. Mullaney finished with 3 for 35 as Somerset were dismissed in just 25.4 overs, their total of 119 some 103 runs fewer than their previous lowest in this year’s competition, their form in which – until this performance – had been the highlight of a dismal season.Nottinghamshire lost Alex Hales in the second over of their reply but once Michael Lumb had imposed his presence by hitting 46 off 38 balls, including 10 boundaries, before he top-edged Jamie Overton to be caught behind, the result was not in any doubt.With the freedom to let rip, Samit Patel completed the night’s work by smashing an unbeaten 43 off just 26 deliveries – including three fours in one over off Overton, who was released from England’s one-day squad to take part – as Nottinghamshire passed their target in a mere 16.2 overs.Young Ball’s career has not progressed as quickly as it seemed it might when he made his first-class debut against MCC in Abu Dhabi in 2011 but on the basis of this performance is surely worth another look.Unlucky not to strike with his first delivery, which beat Trego all ends up but somehow missed the stumps, he conceded 13 runs and bowled a wide in his second over, at which point he was taken out of the firing line. When he came back, for one over, he took out James Hildreth’s middle stump, before a third spell yielded the wickets of Piyush Chawla, Alfonso Thomas and Jamie Overton, the last-name pair off consecutive balls before Steve Kirby survived the hat-trick attempt.It was a pretty poor effort by Somerset, whose decline this season has been quite startling given that between 2009 and last season they were runners-up twice in both the Championship and the 40-over competition, and three times finished second in the Twenty20.Put in by Nottinghamshire with cloud and rain about – the start was delayed by 50 minutes – but on an essentially good wicket, they lost Marcus Trescothick to the fourth ball of the match when the skipper thin-edged pushing at Harry Gurney, but Trego and Craig Kieswetter made decent progress until the latter, having just launched Ajmal Shahzad over cover, bottom edged an attempted pull and was caught behind. Nonetheless, 41 for 2 was a decent platform at the end of the seven-over Powerplay.But Nick Compton gave his wicket away carelessly, attempting to hit Mullaney out of the ground in an over that had already yielded 10 runs. Without Jos Buttler, away on England duty, they needed Compton or Hildreth to deliver but Trego, who has made more than 1,000 runs in white ball cricket this year, was their only serious contributor, and Craig Meschede tried gamely to add runs in the closing stages, none of his lower-order partners lasted more than six balls.The trip to Lord’s gives Nottinghamshire a chance to add a late shine to a season in which they lost in the quarter-finals of the Twenty20 and have not won a Championship match since May. The quality of their batting line-up, in particular, with six internationals in their top seven, demands a trophy win, which may now come.Director of cricket Mick Newell described the night as “an excellent all-round performance”.”We may have neglected one-day cricket in the last few years as we have concentrated on the four-day game but I identified this competition as one we could do well in as I think we now look a decent one-day side,” he said.”We’ve played well in both white-ball competitions this year and it is nice to have gone one step further and reached the final in this one.”