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The ICC has delivered a damning criticism of the USA administration, rather against its own insistence that it does not get involved in the domestic affairs of its members. The ultimatum issued by Ehsan Mani and Malcom Speed, its president and chief executive, to the USA Cricket Association told it to get its house in order or face the consequences.The letter, sent to Gladstone Dainty, the USACA president, reads as follows:-“Dear GladstoneWe refer to our letter of 1st November 2004. We note that we have not received a reply to that letter.We note further that we have not received your response to the comments we made concerning the proposed Memorandum of Understanding dealing with Project USA.We note further that we have not received the brief initial report concerning the USACA’s governance review that was requested by 11th October 2004.We note that in the meantime, we have been copied with numerous letters to and from you that indicate that USACA has plunged into further disarray.Further, we have witnessed the abysmal performance of the USA cricket team at the ICC Champions Trophy.Our overriding response is one of amazement. USACA has been trying for many years to arrange for Full Member countries to come to the USA to play international cricket. ICC has put in place a mechanism to enable this to happen. The initial feasibility study carried out by Gary Hopkins indicates that this project has the potential to generate large amounts of money over the next 2-3 years. This money will be applied by ICC for the furtherment of the game in the USA.We have now been approached by other countries that would like to replace USA as the preferred partner of ICC to deliver international cricket matches.Please be advised as to the following: In the event that ICC does not receive USACA’s agreement to sign the Memorandum of Understanding for Project USA, by 1st February 2005, one of the following two responses will follow:
a) ICC will cancel the project; or
b) ICC will work with another Associate Member country to stage the proposed matches in that country.Gladstone, as a final comment, we have seen numerous sporting organisations in various states of disarray throughout our period of involvement as sports administrators. We have never seen a sporting organisation that combines such great potential and such poor administration as USACA. From our observations, much of the blame for this lies with the current office bearers of USACA including yourself. We question whether the current administration of USACA can play any constructive role in taking the game forward in the United States.Yours sincerelyEhsan Mani, Malcolm Speed”The ICC letter blew the lid off one of the most closely guarded secrets in the history of US cricket. For nearly a decade, it has been assumed that the ICC had no interest in US cricket, and was turning a deaf year to all entreaties to step in and clean out the mess. The first complaints were either ignored or routinely referred back to the USACA as “the only ICC-authorised organisation in the United States of America”.Emboldened by this ICC “mantra”, the USACA turned away several attempts to reform US cricket over the years, citing its ICC-derived authority as the “imprimatur” for its actions. As the USACA structure atrophied in the absence of any real reform, the USACA board of control grew increasingly ineffective, and its executive ceased to communicate to US cricket and even among themselves.What has emerged in recent years is suspicion of a growing feeling within ICC circles that US cricket is far too important and valuable to be left to its own sordid devices. For one thing, the number of regular US cricketers, which has been growing exponentially over the past decade, is now larger (at 16,000-plus) than anywhere outside the Test-playing countries. Then there are the estimated 5 to 8 million US immigrants from cricket-playing countries who have the financial wherewithal to pay premium prices for pay-per-view international cricket on broadband internet or satellite TV and would be happy to subscribe if appropriately marketed to.And finally, there is US ProCricket, a modified Twenty20 semi-professional league that launched providing opportunities for first-class overseas players to play alongside US cricketers. Whether US ProCricket will continue to flourish given the opposition of many Test-playing countries to having their players participate is an open question for 2005. But its point has been made–first-class cricketers from all over the world can now play in the USA, if they are willing and able to do so.The letter from Mani and Speed does not directly address these matters. But it is clear that they are concerned with a systemic failure on the part of USACA to address the fundamental problems of US cricket. To say, as they have done, that they ” question whether the current administration of USACA can play any constructive role in taking the game forward in the United States” is about the harshest indictment of any ICC-member country’s management that has ever been seen in writing. Now it needs to be seen whether USACA will emerge from its self-imposed silence, and find a way to reply (by word and deed) to ICC’s clear ultimatum.

South Africa’s domestic limited-overs season will get a star-studded launch with the annual Sports Trust Cricket Challenge at the Wanderers on November 10. The match traditionally pits the Standard Bank Cup winners against the Rest of South Africa, and this year’s game will see all 14 members of the South African squad to tour India in action.While Andrew Hall and Justin Ontong will represent the Highveld Lions, Ray Jennings, the new national coach, will pick his XI from the other 12 squad members. The squad have been in an intense training camp at the United Cricket Board’s High Performance Center at the University of Pretoria since last week, and this match will provide the players with an ideal opportunity to get some match practice ahead of their departure for India on Thursday.Aside from Ontong and Hall, the Highveld Lions – who beat Easterns in the final of the Standard Bank Cup last season – will feature five players with international experience, including Neil McKenzie, Adam Bacher, HD Ackerman and Derek Crookes.Rest of South Africa (from): Graeme Smith (capt), Boeta Dippenaar, Hashim Amla, Zander de Bruyn, Jacques Kallis, Makhaya Ntini, Robin Peterson, Shaun Pollock, Jacques Rudolph, Thami Tsolekile, Alfonso Thomas, Martin van Jaarsveld.Highveld Lions (from): Andrew Hall, Adam Bacher, HD Ackerman (capt), Neil McKenzie, Justin Ontong, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Derek Crookes, Ahmed Omar, Eugene Moleon, David Terbrugge, Enoch Nkwe, Garnett Kruger.

Abdul Razzaq, the Pakistan allrounder, was admitted to a private hospital in Melbourne this morning after a bout of vomiting, dizziness and breathing difficulties. His illness has not yet been diagnosed, but it forced him to miss the third day’s play of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. Ambulance crews were called to the team hotel this morning after reports that Razzaq had fallen out of bed, suffered some loss of feeling in his legs, and had collapsed.Bob Woolmer, Pakistan’s coach, indicated that Razzaq was slightly better after being put under observation. “We haven’t any real diagnosis as to what the problem was,” he told the AAP news agency. “As a cricket coach, I’m not going to venture into the doctor’s field. Whether he will be fit tomorrow is conjecture, I don’t know. He can walk, but very slowly.”When Razzaq was admitted to hospital, Haroon Rashid, the Pakistan manager, told , a Melbourne-based newspaper: “In the morning he complained so we took him to hospital, but otherwise everything [about him] seems fine.”Razzaq has had a listless series so far. He was out to a reckless hoick at Perth, and was then inexplicably strokeless in Pakistan’s first innings at Melbourne, facing 76 deliveries to make an unbeaten 4. Observers suggested that he may have been over-compensating for a rash dismissal in the first Test.

ScorecardA magnificent burst of bowling by Warren McSkimming almost set up a win for Otago, but they eventually had to settle for a draw against Sri Lanka A. McSkimming took five wickets for four runs in a seven-over burst in the morning, as Sri Lanka stumbled to 49 for 6. But Pradeep Hewage (67) and Hasantha Fernando (66 not out) then added 121 for the seventh wicket, and the declaration came at 170 for 7. Chasing 233 to win, Otago could only manage 208 for 8, with Craig Cumming smacking 92 off 104 balls.Dinuk Hettiarachchi, the left-arm spinner, followed up his four-for in the first innings with 5 for 74. Otago stood a realistic chance of winning as long as Cumming was at the crease, but they lost their way after he was out.

A fire believed to have been caused by workers’ welding torches has caused an estimated A$50,000 damage to the Melbourne Cricket Ground.The fire, which was soon put out by Melbourne’s Metropolitan Fire Brigade, damaged a small area of seating in a new stand under construction, as well as window panels and a section of the roof.”It could have been a lot worse,” a spokesman for the fire brigade said. “Our crews arrived four or five minutes after the fire and quickly got a couple of lines on and got it under control very quickly. The roof is damaged. Not majorly, but there is quite a bit of damage.”Up to 300 workers and other staff were evacuated from the ground while the fire was put out.

Close India 362 for 6 (Ganguly 144, Laxman 75) lead Australia 323 by 39 runs
Scorecard

India had a day they could be proud of at the Gabba. Sterling performances from Sourav Ganguly (144) and VVS Laxman (75) went a long way in assuaging the pain of seeing Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar dismissed for only a run between them. There was a passage in play between lunch and tea when India were well and truly on top. Australia’s bowlers were under pressure, the field was spread and India’s traditional strength, their batting, came to the fore. India reached 362 for 6, a lead of 39, with one day left in the game.When the day began, with India on 11 for no loss, there was still plenty of work to be done. Steve Waugh unleashed Australia’s bowling firepower on a bright, sunny day, but India had answers to most of the questions asked of them. Akash Chopra and Virender Sehwag looked the part at the top of the order.Sehwag made the most of Andy Bichel’s ordinary spell earlier on, driving and flicking with confidence. It was only the full, swinging deliveries outside the off stump that created trouble. He was dropped by Damien Martyn off Nathan Bracken in just the fourth over of the day. But, Bracken had his revenge, and first Test wicket, later on, when Sehwag’s flashing drive resulted in an edge to Matthew Hayden in the slip cordon (61 for 1). Hayden wrapped his hands gratefully around the ball, and ended Sehwag’s breezy 45.Soon after, Gillespie imposed himself on the game. He tricked Rahul Dravid (1) into poking at a delivery that swung, seamed away and kissed the edge on the way to Hayden at slip (62 for 2). In the same over came the moment that Steve Bucknor will be reminded about by every Indian supporter he comes across in the rest of his life.

Gillespie let rip a quick one on the stumps. Tendulkar picked up the length of the ball early and shouldered arms in the firm knowledge that the ball would clear the stumps. As the ball thudded into pad, Gillespie, wild mullet flapping in the wind and fire in the eyes, went up in appeal. Bucknor looked back blankly till Gillespie gave up hope, and then raised his finger. Tendulkar gone for a duck, 63 for 3, and suddenly talk about the follow-on target of 124 seemed valid.But Ganguly did not entertain any such negative thoughts. He hit the crease running, and drove through the off side with the panache that once prompted Dravid to say, “in the off side there is God, and then there is Ganguly.” He leaned into the line of ball, not necessarily moving his feet in exaggerated fashion, and stroked, nay caressed, the ball to the fence. The timing was spot on, and soon the placement matched it.Even the fall of Chopra, in the first over after lunch, for a well-made 36, once again to the firm of Hayden and Gillespie (127 for 4) did not slow down Ganguly. For that, much credit must go to Laxman. When Laxman played a characteristic swivel-pull, that left square leg dead in his place, for four, it seemed as though he was batting on a hundred. There were several more gorgeous shots, fit for a king. There was the flick off the hips, the on-drive and the backfoot punch through covers.When Ganguly brought up his century with a sweep off Stuart MacGill, a well of emotion poured forth. Under pressure, against the best side in the world in their backyard, the captain of India had come good. It sent out a strong signal and did much to set up the series.Laxman, another man who has been under needless pressure in recent times, was out in the middle to share the moment with his captain. Sadly, even though he himself looked good enough for a hundred, Laxman gave his wicket away, completely against the grain of play. He sliced a short, slightly wide delivery from MacGill straight to Simon Katich at point (273 for 5). Laxman had made an elegant 75, laced with 11 delectable boundaries.Unfazed, Ganguly carried on in the company of Parthiv Patel (37 not out) and racked up 144, with 18 boundaries, before he holed out to Gillespie off MacGill (329 for 6). By this stage, India had taken the lead, and stretched it to 39 when play was called off due to bad light.Anand Vasu is assistant editor of Wisden Cricinfo.

The England & Wales Cricket Board is trying to persuade Australia to play three ODIs in England next summer as it attempts to recoup the financial losses stemming from the decision to boycott Zimbabwe during the World Cup.The ECB is facing a shortfall of around £2.5million as a result of the stay-away, and three matches against the Aussies could generate up to £1million. The aim would be to play them ahead of the ICC Champions’ Trophy, which is being held in England in September 2004, and the hope is that Australia will see them as a good way of warming up for that tournament, which will involve all the Test-playing nations.While the accountants will be delighted with the plan, England’s cricketers might be less enthusiastic. They are already due to play seven Tests and a ten-match triangular series against New Zealand and West Indies, as well as the ICC Champions’ Trophy. Another three games crammed in to the schedule will place further strain on them at a time when the burdens of nonstop cricket are a major concern among players.The other question is whether the public will continue to flock to matches, or whether the sheer quantity of games will lead to a decline in interest. The appetite for cricket isn’t infinite, and the ECB has a delicate balancing act to perform.

Wisden Asia Cricket, Batting for the Empire by Mario Rodrigues systematically demolishes the once-held notion that the celebrated cricketer Ranji was the finest ambassador India ever sent to England. With its striking cover photograph of Ranji at the batting crease, the book is sure to attract even the casual cricket lover, but it is meant really for an altogether more cerebral readership. It is a painstaking attempt to de-mythify Ranji the man, and a near-scholarly work.Hardcore cricket followers and cricketers with an interest in the history of the game, if such a breed still exists, are rarely swayed by the larger-than-life personae the media creates around cricketers. To them the appeal of Ranji would be based on his feats on the field – that he played for England, scored a hundred on Test debut and captured the imagination of critics and fans alike with unequalled artistry at a time when his countrymen were a subject race and treated as such. Their respect for Ranji the player may not need the buttress of admiration for Ranji the prince, but even they will find disillusionment in the image of their hero – as despot, buffoon, schemer, spendthrift, unreliable borrower, and despicable toady of the British empire – that emerges from Rodrigues’s hard-hitting biography.Another category of readers likely to find the book illuminating is followers of recent Indian history, especially scholars with a deep interest in the affairs of the princely states, in particular the politics of the western Indian region of Kathiawar.It is the sophisticated reader of recent vintage, owing much of his appreciation of cricket and cricketers to an increasing body of work by experts in fields other than cricket, who may actually read it from cover to cover, for readable the book surely is. This elite readership, familiar with the writings on Ranji of such reputed authors as Simon Wilde, Mihir Bose, Ashis Nandy and Ramachandra Guha, already knows that the ‘Black Prince’ was one of the greatest players the game has known but not quite the white knight that his hagiographers, English and Indian, make him out to be. Rodrigues’s work offers them a wealth of information that will strengthen such an impression.Rodrigues has succeeded in revealing Ranji in his true colours in his role of Jamsaheb of Nawanagar. It is obvious his research has been extensive, ranging from purely propagandist literature – both for and against – including the vernacular press and official mouthpieces of the state, to the more objective writings of cricket writers and historians. While we can hardly fault the systematic way he has gone about his job, we do get the impression sometimes that he takes a spade to a soufflé, piling on the evidence long after the jury have decided to return a verdict of guilty. And, while his acceptance of adverse criticism of the Jamsaheb by his detractors is generally unquestioning, he displays a constant streak of skepticism towards any praise of him or statements made by Ranji himself that show him in a good light.Ranji’s unswerving loyalty to the Empire, his total faith in hereditary rule and suspicion of democracy, his opposition to the freedom movement led by fellow Kathiawari MK Gandhi, his desperate attempts to perpetuate the Indian princely order, his claim that he and his nephew Duleepsinhji were “English cricketers”, his refusal to play an active role in Indian cricket – all these and worse are pitilessly exposed in the book.The last chapter includes this defence by Mihir Bose: “So if Ranji did not do much for Indian cricket it is because he did not think of India as a cricketing nation. He did not think of India as a cricketing nation because he could not conceive of India as a political nation. India as a political nation was born fourteen years after Ranji died and, had he lived, as his successors’ actions show, he would have undoubtedly opposed it … Had Nawanagar managed to get together a Test team then, I am sure, Ranji would have advised Duleep to play for Nawanagar. For inasmuch as a king is ever a nationalist, Ranji was a Nawanagar nationalist. He was, perhaps, a Rajput nationalist, if that term can have any meaning …”Rodrigues does not endorse this view. He refuses to give Ranji the benefit of doubt. His biography is an indictment that allows for few grey areas or bright spots, while painting a vivid picture of a dark prince.

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Sri Lanka A have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in their five-match series against Kenya. Nuwan Zoysa claimed 4 for 15 as Sri Lanka A beat Kenya by seven wickets at Simba Union grounds on Wednesday. The Kenyans were no match for a strong Sri Lanka A team and only Steve Tikolo (71) could make any impact.After they won the toss, Kenya batted first and began well, reaching 119 for 1. Kennedy Obuya’s contribution of 40 at the top of the order ensured that the Sri Lanka A bowlers were kept at bay. When Obuya was dismissed, lbw to Rangana Herath (119 for 2), the wheels came off.Kenya lost wickets in rapid succession, with Tikolo waging a lone battle. Wickets fell at regular intervals and no one else made more than 13 as Kenya were bowled out for 179 in 45.3 overs.The total did not trouble Sri Lanka A, who reached the target in just 36 overs. Zoysa, no doubt buoyed by his four-wicket haul, was sent out to open the innings and topscored with 48. He was named the Man of the Match.

JOHANNESBURG – The entire Caribbean must unite if the 2007 cricket World Cup is to be the organisational and financial success it can be, Barbados Cricket Association president Stephen Alleyne has forewarned."We have to make sure that, in our individual territories, we do an excellent job so that the whole World Cup operation is of a consistently high quality," he said, following two weeks in South Africa as a member of a West Indies delegation of 17 observing the running of the current tournament."It’s not going to help if Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, for instance, do an excellent job and Barbados and St Lucia are second rate, because the World Cup is going to be judged on the whole."Alleyne, also a director of the West Indies Cricket Board, said his experience in South Africa reinforced his opinion that the Caribbean could not host the World Cup "without the full partnership of the governments of the region".They would have to be involved in security, institute "ambush marketing" legislation, as the South African government did, and be consulted over the best way to deal with the movement of teams, officials, media and fans between territories."The kind of security requirements of a world championship such as this probably exceed the current capabilities of any of our territories," he said. "The traffic-free and no-fly zones, the bomb sweepers, the personal security officers for every VIP and team, all this will take careful thought and planning with our police and possibly armies."Alleyne admitted he was struck by the "extensiveness and exhaustiveness" of measures to protect the official sponsors against competing products and services at the stadia here."Every electrical appliance in the stadium that was not of the main sponsors had to have its brand name masked out. Spectators were not allowed entrance carrying any soft drink other than one of the sponsor."This was one of the provisions in the contract between the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Global Cricket Corporation that bought the rights to all ICC events up to and including the 2007 World Cup.On logistics, one suggestion was that each individual coming for the World Cup would be served at first point of entry with accreditation that would act as "a sort of temporary passport" to allow a freer flow for the duration of the event. Chartering of aircraft and cruise ships was also a possibility to be discussed."These are the kinds of measures that will be required," Alleyne added.He conceded that outside help would be essential."It will need a significant import of expertise. Rather than us trying to run a World Cup on our own, having never done so before, it makes sense to use some of the techniques and some of the experiences that have been used in previous world [sporting] events."