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Oman are one step closer to replicating Afghanistan’s dramatic rise up the WCL ladder from 2008-09 after they stormed past Malaysia by 131 runs at Lugogo Stadium to top the WCL Division Three table. The result helped them secure their third consecutive promotion.Naseem Khushi was the latest player to make hay with the short boundaries at Lugogo, smashing four fours and eight sixes in an unbeaten 77 off 30 balls in a late surge that took Oman to 293 for 7, after they had been sent in. It was the third fifty of the innings and the quickest after 61 off 76 balls from Aqib Ilyas and 51 off 69 balls from captain Sultan Ahmed.Malaysia went pedal to the medal early in their chase in a desperate attempt to both win and do it fast enough to take their net run rate above Uganda and USA in order to avoid relegation. They reached 94 for 3 in 10.4 overs on the back of opener Anwar Arudin’s 33-ball fifty. His innings, however, ended when slingy fast bowler Munis Ansari had him caught behind for 57 off 35 balls at the end of the over. Malaysia subsided meekly thereafter to be bowled out for 162 in 33.1 overs.Ansari, who had struggled all tournament with just one wicket coming into the match, ended with 4 for 47 while legspinning allrounder Khawar Ali wiped out the tail to finish with 5 for 23.File photo – Rizwan Cheema’s 35-ball 42 was not enough for Canada to topple Singapore•Associated Press

Singapore completed a sweep of the North American contingent at Division Three with a two-run win over Canada at Kyambogo Oval. Canada still gained promotion despite an equal 3-2 record with Singapore thanks to a vastly superior net run rate, the tournament tiebreaker, while Singapore’s win ensured they avoided relegation.Their net run rate was worse than both USA and Uganda at 2-3, so a loss would have sent them back to Division Four but Canada collapsed with victory in sight. Chasing 167, they lost their last four wickets for 17 runs to be all out for 164 with 12 overs left unused.Singapore’s innings was anchored by Anish Paraam’s 58 off 75 balls at No. 3 after they had been sent in. But when he fell to to Bhavindu Adhihetty in the 32nd over to make it 147 for 7, Singapore’s tail lasted less than five overs, before they were wiped out by Adhihetty and Saad Bin Zafar, who finished with 3 for 10 and 2 for 39 respectively.Canada’s chase got off to a rocky start when Adhihetty fell for a duck off the third ball and they lost wickets at regular intervals thereafter. Allrounder Rizwan Cheema looked set to take Canada over the line with 42 off 35 balls, including five fours and two sixes, but he fell to Anantha Krishna with eight needed to win. The legspinner kept his composure under pressure to also dismiss Hamza Tariq and then Saad Bin Zafar with just four needed to win to put Singapore one wicket away from victory.Canada only lasted two more balls before last man Cecil Pervez was run out, going for a second run off Krishna, ensuring Singapore were spared relegation in dramatic fashion.Elmore Hutchinson’s half-century at No. 9 set up a dramatic finale at Entebbe to save USA from relegation•Peter Della Penna

USA saved their place in Division Three in similarly dramatic circumstances with a 13-run win over Uganda at Entebbe, sending the hosts back to Division Four.Set a target of 146 to win, Uganda needed to get to 141 in spite of a loss to stay above USA on net run rate. But USA’s spinners wreaked havoc on a track offering significant turn with Steven Taylor taking 5 for 32.When Taylor dismissed Frank Nsubuga for the ninth wicket in the 30th over, Uganda still needed 27 runs to overtake USA on net run rate and they nearly did it as tailender Henry Ssenyondo provided valiant support, lasting 42 balls, to captain Davis Karashani. With Taylor, Mrunal Patel (1 for 27) and Nosthush Kenjige (2 for 43) all bowled out, Taylor tossed the ball to pacer Jessy Singh for a steady diet of yorkers until one finally broke through Karashani’s defense and clipped leg stump to finish off Uganda for 132 in 43 overs.Though Taylor claimed five wickets, it was Elmore Hutchinson who took home the Man-of-the-Match honors after hitting 52 off 50 balls from No. 9. USA had been reduced to 104 for 9 in the 44th over but Hutchinson scored 39 out of the last 41 runs in a 10th wicket stand with Kenjige. The last over of the innings saw Hutchinson strike two fours and a six off Jonathan Sebanja in a back-breaking sequence that ended up being the difference in keeping USA up and sending the hosts down.Oman will play Canada in the tournament final at Lugogo on Tuesday. USA will face Singapore in the third place match at Kyambogo while Uganda and Malaysia will square off at Entebbe in the fifth place playoff on the same day.

England fast bowler Steven Finn looks certain to miss the final Test against South Africa in Centurion after sustaining a side strain on the final day of the third Test in Johannesburg.Finn, rated by coach Trevor Bayliss as England’s “best bowler” in the first couple of Tests, underwent a scan on his left side on Sunday morning. While the results were not yet known, Bayliss feared Finn will miss the Test and quite possibly the limited-overs section of the tour.”I doubt very much whether he will be available for the next Test,” Bayliss said. “We will have to wait and see how bad it is and make a decision on the one-day and T20 games. At this stage, it looks like we will have to make a replacement heading into the last Test. It’s unfortunate, because I thought he bowled with good pace and bounce and was probably our most dangerous bowler in the first two Tests.”There was a more encouraging development for the team with the news that Stuart Broad had become the first England bowler to top the ICC Test bowling rankings since Steve Harmison in 2004. Broad started the third Test in third place, after his man-of-the-match performance in Johannesburg, has gone above R Ashwin and Dale Steyn.Before Harmison, Ian Botham was the last England bowler to top the bowling rankings. He reached No. 1 in 1980.

The Delhi High Court has restricted the number of complimentary passes handed out during the Delhi Test in the first week of December to 10,000, Mukul Mudgal, the retired High Court judge asked to oversee the Test, has said. The Test will go ahead at the Feroz Shah Kotla thanks only to the court’s intervention, it having facilitated the necessary government and civil body clearances required by the defaulting Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA). Mudgal, who headed a probe into corruption in IPL, was asked to supervise the running of the match, taking key decisions out of the DDCA’s hands.Complimentary tickets are usually one of the means for state associations to appease their vote banks and influential people in their constituencies. There is no set number to limit how many are usually distributed, but indicators from past examples from various venues are striking. In 2013-14, when Sachin Tendulkar began his farewell series, only 6500 tickets went up for sale in Kolkata; Eden Garden holds 65,000 people. Recently, when Hardik Patel, a quota-stir leader in Gujarat, threatened to disrupt the Rajkot ODI, it came to light that only 11,000 tickets went up for sale in a 28,000-capacity stadium.Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi holds more than 40,000. Limiting the complimentary passes to 10,000 suggests a significant clampdown. The free tickets could instead go to school kids, preferably those whose parents can’t afford to buy them tickets, Mudgal said. “We have given a proposal subject to the approval of the High Court,” he said. “Two stands at ground level, free tickets to school children, preferably of weaker section. This is subject to High Court permitting us to do so.”We are also trying to see children are provided some edibles. We never know that a Kumble, Tendulkar, Dravid or a Bishan Bedi might emerge from them, because these are students who can never afford a Test-match ticket. So we want them to be given an opportunity on all five days.”To prevent corruption and over-marking of costs, Mudgal has appointed an unidentified deputy Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to look into every tender. “All the tenders that will be issued for the Test match will be verified independently by a former deputy CAG,” Mudgal said after meeting the DDCA executive committee. “In order to make the process fair and transparent, all tender documents will be checked and scrutinised by deputy CAG.”When asked who the former deputy CAG was, Mudgal said: “We will not like to name him.”

In theory Mitchell Johnson and Ashley Noffke are competing for a fast-bowling place in the West Indies. The reality is different for the Queensland team-mates.Johnson would be devastated if he wasn’t picked for the opening Test from May 22 after being a fixture over the summer. When thinking about the tour he is as relaxed as any bowler can be when there are persistent threats from further down the queue.”It was a big summer, my first playing Tests, one-dayers and Twenty20,” Johnson said as the pre-tour camp wound up in Brisbane. “I wouldn’t say I’d nailed a spot there, but it’s given me a bit more confidence playing out the summer. I feel pretty confident that I can keep continuing my form.”For Noffke, who is going on his third senior tour, the initial aim is to play a game. Any game. Johnson, Brett Lee and Stuart Clark, who is a menace on the wearing surfaces expected in the Caribbean, are ahead of Noffke and there is only one practice match before the three Tests. Noffke is not in the one-day squad, so he may fill a sideline role like the one Johnson performed during the World Cup.While Australia eased to a third consecutive global triumph last year, Johnson was camped in the nets throughout the Caribbean. Only occasionally in the West Indies do the practice facilities mirror those in the middle so when he lands he will start with a conversation with Brett Lee.”Hopefully he can point me in the right direction because he’s toured there before,” Johnson said. “I’ll just take it day by day.” His main memory of the conditions was it was very hot.His recollections of the past summer, when he made his debut against Sri Lanka and held his spot throughout the India series, are more cohesive. Ricky Ponting is impressed with Johnson’s left-arm attributes and he gave him an average of 42 overs a game during his opening six Tests. He captured 24 wickets to finish behind Lee’s 40 and ahead of Clark’s more economical 21.”It’s pretty hard to get the ball out of my hand,” Johnson said. “I probably don’t want to do it [bowl long spells] all the time, but if Ricky needs me I’ll bowl.”One of the most memorable aspects of Johnson’s performances was his tendency to deliver a wide, full offering outside off stump early in his spell. For much of the summer he was trying to correct a faulty wrist position that prevented the ball from swinging in to the right-handers. It is something he is continuing to monitor, but insists is not a problem.”I have been working on it, but I’m not going to go out in games and be too worried about it,” he said. “If it’s swinging, it’s swinging. If it’s not swinging, I will still be trying to hit the deck hard.”The thought of bowling to West Indies’ main weapons, Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, is also enticing. Johnson thinks the alteration in angle to the left-handers, a group which also includes Sewnarine Chattergoon, Ryan Hinds and Devon Smith, will help him achieve more movement through the air.At the moment Noffke has much more simple aims. “I’d love to play a game, but that’s out of my control a bit,” he said. “It can be fairly difficult on a set tour like this. There’s only one tour game at the start and I’m not sure what the set-up is going to be there.”It will be Noffke’s second time in the West Indies after he went with the side in 2003, but a series of injuries followed the trip. He swept back into national calculations with an amazing season of 741 first-class runs and 51 wickets, a convincing haul that could tempt the selectors into using him as an allrounder at some stage.”I hope I give them that option,” he said. “My first-class statistics last year prove that. Whether or not their perception of me is the same, I don’t know. I haven’t had any sit-down chats with them yet. I hope I provide some different options.”Noffke’s improvement over the past two seasons has led to him feeling reborn as a batsman and finding a niche with his right-arm fast bowling. “There’s nothing more pleasing than to see your name with the guys I am travelling with,” he said. “The reason I am there is because of top-quality performances for Queensland.” Unfortunately for Noffke, the same applies to Johnson.

Shane Bond is facing the likely end of his New Zealand career after his national contract was terminated to allow him to participate in the Indian Cricket League. The decision comes after weeks of negotiations as Bond tried to find a way of mixing the two, but in the end he says he leaves with no hard feelings.”I think everyone has acted with best intentions and then we have found ourselves between a rock and hard place really,” he told the . “It’s probably not a way I expected to finish. It would always be nice to go out and walk off the field for the last time. But..if I’m never to play again [for New Zealand] it’s been a great run.”Although neither Bond or the New Zealand board has completely ruled out a return the fast bowler appears set to end is international days with an impressive record of 79 wickets from 17 Tests and 125 scalps in 67 ODIs. Those numbers would have been even greater had it not been for an endless string of injuries that limited his appearances and the lack of Tests played by New Zealand.Bond, who was a policeman before becoming a tearaway quick, says he regrets not having been able to enjoy more success, but is happy with what he achieved. “I would definitely go down as a player who got the best out of myself,” he said. “And that’s the one thing, I suppose, as a player you hope for when you finish. By doing that I have got the record I have, and I’m proud of the record I have got. It’s a shame that it can’t go any further.”With his injury prone body, Bond said that it was time he looked at securing his future which is one of the major reasons behind his decision to take the ICL over the national team. He turned down an offer to play county cricket last year to ensure he was fit for New Zealand’s tour of South Africa but, without revealing the figure, found the latest offer to good to refuse.”I have made some financial sacrifices to try to play my best for New Zealand. I think now is the time, even though I miss out on some of my goals I wanted to achieve for New Zealand, the benefits for my family are going to be there.””The winter that has just gone I got the opportunity to go and play county cricket and had a really good offer on the table. But I turned that down because I wanted to go to South Africa [with the Black Caps] and be in the best shape I could be to go over there.”Later on in the year I got another offer [from the ICL] – at that stage I was able to do both. So on one hand I could play for New Zealand and on the other hand secure the future of my family, which was a dream result for me.”However, Bond did sound a cautionary note regarding the explosion of Twenty20 in India in the form of the ICL and IPL which are generating huge sums of money.”Really I think everybody is unsure about what is going to happen,” he said. “I suppose what everyone can see is there’s a huge amount of money in cricket, so from a player’s point of view it’s an exciting time to be involved in the game. But what you do hope is that we don’t have a complete split, that they can find a balance that keeps everyone happy.”

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Tasmania lost three wickets and knocked 148 runs from their massive chase of 484 against Western Australia at the WACA. Michael Di Venuto, who was in his final outing for his state, went for 45 to Mathew Inness, another player who is stepping down, and Travis Birt (17) and Dane Anderson (47) also departed, leaving George Bailey and Dan Marsh with the work to do on the final day.Luke Ronchi’s brutal 93 off 76 balls, which was backed by half-centuries to Marcus North and Luke Pomersbach, allowed North to declare at 8 for 318, an advantage of 483. Ronchi’s first eight scoring shots were boundaries and he finished in a hurry during another aggressive display.He raised his fifty with a six and the innings was closed when he became Tim Macdonald’s second wicket. North had already strolled to 69 and Pomersbach gained 68 to give the Warriors few worries as they built their buffer. Brett Geeves and Luke Butterworth also captured two victims before the declaration arrived. The Warriors will finish third and Tasmania fourth whatever the result.

The peace pipe was smoked at New Zealand Cricket headquarters today as chief executive Martin Snedden met with wicket-keeper Adam Parore and selection committee chairman Sir Richard Hadlee to defuse a potential selection snarler.Parore, who last month said he was taking an indefinite break from all cricket, citing exhaustion, was unable to win selection in the Auckland team for the State Championship match this week against Central Districts.Having made himself available for consideration that rejection by Auckland appeared to be an impediment toward his selection for the first Test starting in Christchurch next week.The selection panel had made a precedent of ensuring that all players returning from injury or time away from the side had played either domestic four-day or one-day cricket to prove their readiness.This policy appeared to leave Parore out in the cold – it still may.However, Parore told Snedden and Hadlee today that the past month away from cricket had rejuvenated his desire to play.”I was feeling exhausted after the Australian series and was planning a break after the England Tests.”When I was left out of the one-day side I wanted to bring the break forward and I am grateful that New Zealand Cricket supported this decision.”I am now feeling fully refreshed and it was very useful to meet face-to-face with Sir Richard and Martin and to tell them that I am 100% committed to a return for the England Tests,” Parore said.Hadlee said Parore’s commitment was reassuring to the selection panel.He said it had been helpful to speak directly to Parore and he had been reassured of Parore’s fitness and commitment as a result of the discussions.”The selectors will now sit down to debate the Test side in the sure knowledge that Adam Parore is fully committed to the cause,” Hadlee said.

Shoaib Akhtar’s troubles continue as Nasim Ashraf, chairman of the PCB, has served a legal notice on the fast bowler for comments he made to a private television channel in the aftermath of the PCB’s decision to ban him for five years.Shoaib appeared on a number of TV channels yesterday arguing his case, after he addressed a packed press conference claiming that he had been victimised. Though he refused to attack the chairman specifically on some channels, in an interview to the Express News channel, he alleged that the ban was punishment in return for refusing to give the chairman a share of his salary from the Indian Premier League (IPL). Shoaib also alleged that Ashraf had tried to extort money from other Pakistani cricketers as well.The notice, issued by the board’s legal firm on behalf of Ashraf, said that the comments made by Shoaib were “not only utterly outrageous, fabricated, and manifestly baseless” but were made “solely to character assassinate [Ashraf]”. It added that his allegations were a “counterblast” to the disciplinary action taken against Shoaib, and had damaged the reputation of Ashraf, as well as the Pakistan board.The notice called upon Shoaib to “retract” his statements against Ashraf, and “tender an unconditional apology”. The notice also sought damages of Rs100 million (approximately US$1.6 million) to Ashraf for “defaming him personally” and another Rs100 million to the PCB for “sullying the name of the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Pakistan Cricket team.”Ashraf has threatened to seek legal remedies under the civil and criminal laws of Pakistan if Shoaib does not respond to the notice’s requirements.This is the second setback on the day for Shoaib, who just hours earlier, was barred from taking part in the IPL till the end of his five-year ban or until his ban is lifted.Shoaib was banned for comments he made after not being offered a contract by the PCB, in which he lashed out at domestic tournaments, pitches and the administration. The severity of the ban, argue the board, is the result of a litany of disciplinary issues; he was also on a two-year probationary period after hitting team-mate Mohammad Asif with a bat before the World Twenty20 last year, an act which also saw him banned for 13 matches and fined over US$50,000. The board had warned him that any further transgression during this period would result in a life ban.

Bails don’t budge
The last ball of the 70th over had an otherwise resolute Jacques Kallis in a spot of bother. Harbhajan Singh, with a 6-3 leg-side field, got one to turn and spit up from outside off stump and Kallis stayed back to uneasily fend it off. What followed drew loud gasps from all who saw it. The ball struck Kallis’ glove, rolled onto the stumps and made contact. The bails, however, stuck to the grooves and remained intact. The next time the ball deflected off Kallis’ bat the bails did come off, but by that time he’d helped himself to 132.Heads up
India’s fielding on day two was pretty ordinary, but there were moments when it appeared they didn’t care. On two occasions between lunch and tea, the fielder at cover collected the ball and passed it to mid-off, as is customary, who proceeded to throw it towards the bowler – andmiss the man altogether. The first occasion it was Irfan Pathan on the receiving end, who’d already seen a needless throw give up three runs, and on the second it was Sreesanth, walking back to his mark, who almost ducked as a lob went over his head. These were elementary errorsthat many school coaches would have sent their wards for laps of the ground for.Cheeky, cheeky
AB de Villiers has played some energetic innings in one-day cricket and while batting on 98 he pulled out a typical ODI shot to reach three figures. Clearly itching to get to the mark – he tried to hit one down the ground the over before – he walked right across his stumps and paddledSourav Ganguly from outside off down to fine leg. That shot has became rather en vogue, and de Villiers pulled it off like true pro.A four-storey shot
de Villiers scored a brilliant century against West Indies in last year’s World Cup, virtually on one leg, and today he raised his highest Test score with a shot off one leg. Skipping down the track to Harbhajan, he was beaten in flight but went through with his almighty heave, falling over and landing on his back. While de Villiers lay there in a heap, and the Indians craned their necks as the ball made its way onto the deep midwicket roof. That ball travelled at least 100 metres. It was a shot that would have made Rohan Kanhai and Denis Compton proud.No, is how you do it
As people looked up and wondered how to get that ball down from the roof, thankfully one of the manual scorers, already on the roof skipped across the tiles and threw the ball back onto the field. It was a fine throw to the bowler’s end, right in the line of the stumps before Pathan intercepted it with one hand. It was the best throw all day. This kid could be the news channels’ colour story of the day.Drama queen
Harbhajan was clearly the most animated player on the field and at the start of the 130th over he caught a bump ball off de Villiers and had the crowd excited by pretending to celebrate the dismissal. Spurred by the spectators’ response, Harbhajan repeated his act in the next ball. More drama from him four overs later when Sourav Ganguly failed to back up to stop five overthrows off his bowling. Harbhajan, peeved at such incompetence, gave Ganguly an earful.

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The tournament gets underway in Castletown•ICC/Cricket Europe

Italy got to a winning start in the European Under-17 Division Two Championships with a thumping victory against Belgium on the opening day. The Belgians had beaten Italy in the final of the previous edition of the tournament, but this time they were not given a chance by the clinical Italians.Captain Roshendra Abeywickrama set up the win with an accomplished 76 off 98 balls and he was supported well by Abdulla Al Noman Chowdhury and Jakub Peret who struck 30s. Italy finished with 214 for 5 in their 40 overs. Abeywickrama continued to torment Belgium with the ball, removing Shamin Shah for a duck early. Mohammad Adnan struck a double blow after some resistance from Robert Sehmi after which there was no respite for Belgium. They slid to a sorry 76 all out in 21.4 overs.
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Hosts Isle of Man made a confident start to the tournament with a 66 run victory over Germany in Tromode. Openers Adam MacAuley and Carl Wagstaff built a solid platform with their 91 run stand after which there was no looking back. MacAuley struck a pleasing 53 off 68 balls as the hosts reached 180 in their 37 overs. Germany’s reply came unstuck against some persistent bowling from Robert Hester who finished with four wickets. Opener Krishna Cholleti resisted with 34, but it was not enough as Germany slid to 114 all out.
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Spain were made to work hard by Switzerland before sealing a 38-run win in Crosby. Himesh Parikh and George Gaillet questioned Spain’s decision to bat first by reducing them to 51 for 4. Charlie Cook then turned the tables with a 46-ball 59 to turn the heat back on Switzerland, as Spain finished with a respectable score of 176. Switzerland’s reply was stunted by a fiery spell from Ben Girling who scalped six wickets. Ali Saleem tried to hold one end up, with 43 off 73 balls, but without support from the other end, as his side were bowled out for 138.
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France steamrolled Gibraltar by 222 runs in St John’s in the most one-sided match on the opening day. Gibraltar lost the initiative almost as soon as they invited France to bat after winning the toss. William Smati and Avishka Liyanaarachchi cashed in with lively 60s and received good support from the rest of the cast as France amassed 278. Zain Zahir’s opening burst reduced Gibraltar to 9 for 3 and ended the match as a contest early. Zika Ali then came on to run through the middle and lower order and finish with dream figures of 5 for 3 in four overs as Gibraltar were shut out in the 22nd over for 56.