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When Yuvraj Singh cracked a sensational 358 in the final of the Cooch Behar Trophy – an under-19 tournament – in 1999-2000, his father is supposed to have admonished him for not going on to make a quadruple century. He expected another call today, talking about a double-hundred, but one which came with heartfelt congratulations as well.”One hundred and sixty-nine is a lot of runs,” said Yuvraj, talking about his third Test hundred, all of which have come against Pakistan. “I should have got 200, and I am disappointed from a personal point of view that I did not. But I am delighted that Sourav and I hauled the team out of a tough situation, from 61 for 4. What is most important for me is that the team is in a good position.”It’s been nearly 18 months since Yuvraj last played in a Test and he admitted to the frustrations during the intervening period. He was also aware that he could miss out when India walk out to the park in Melbourne to take on Australia on Boxing Day. “It feels bad to sit out, but you must see how many great players we have in the middle order,” he said. “Rahul, Sachin, Laxman and Sourav all have very good Test records. Going out to bat today, I wasn’t worried about the Australia tour and whether I can secure my place in the XI. I wanted to play for the team, to help the team win the Test.”Was he hurt at being left out for so long, despite staking his claim so emphatically in the one-day arena? “I had a very bad Test series in the West Indies, and after that, the rest of the batsmen all played well,” he said. “I have myself to blame. I stayed motivated, worked hard on my game, and was determined to take my chance when it came my way again. I always knew that I could do well in Test cricket. You have time to settle down and play yourself in. To me, Test cricket is the main thing.”

Yuvraj walked in with India in a pickle. Yasir Arafat, the debutant medium-pacer, had made a mess of the top order by surprising a few with zip off the pitch. The pitch assisted him, as Arafat himself admitted, but it still required a good spell to remove three prized scalps. Hailing from Rawalpindi, he doesn’t possess the furious pace of his city-mate Shoaib Akhtar but makes up with accuracy. In fact one Pakistan newspaper recently referred to him as the [in contrast with the more speedy ].Arafat had to first come to terms with making his debut. By the first session, he was enjoying a fairytale start. “I was playing domestic cricket in Pakistan and I didn’t think I will be called up,” he said. “People consider me as an allrounder suited to one-dayers. I was surprised I got a call up. I didn’t think much about Tests. But I got a chance because of injuries. And now I’ve made a debut. The pitch was supporting the fast bowlers early on. I wanted to bowl on and outside off and got wickets because of that. But I didn’t think I’ll get such important wickets so early.”The rest of the day wasn’t as rosy. “After lunch it became a good wicket. It was playing very easy, like a good batting track. It was very frustrating for me and the team. But again, they played well. But credit to the batsmen. Yuvraj is a very talented cricketer and his innings was tremendous today.” Yuvraj might have hogged the headlines today but Arafat’s chance will come. With a name like that, headline writers will struggle to control the urge.

The Duleep Trophy, the Indian domestic competetion between zonal teams, has been advanced so that the national players can participate in the tournament. It will now be held from February 15 to March 12. The Indian board also announced that Bangladesh would take part in the tournament.According to Ratnakar Shetty, the joint secretary of the board, the dates had been brought forward “in order to give the Indian players better exposure to the longer version of the game prior to the Test matches against Pakistan.”The Duleep Trophy was previously scheduled to be held from February 25 to March 22 in various venues across central zone. Pakistan are scheduled to visit India in the last week of February to play three Tests and five one-day internationals.The Ranji Trophy one-day knock-out tournament has been postponed by two months and will now be held in Mumbai from April 8 to 14. The other domestic ODI tournaments – the league phase of the one-day tournament, the Deodhar Trophy and the Challenger Trophy – remain the same. However, the dates of the Ranji Trophy semi-finals will now be held between March 18 to 22 while the final is scheduled for March 30 to April 3.Click here for revised Duleep Trophy schedule

Mathew Dowman and Dominic Cork at last gave Derbyshire supporters a dayto savour when they transformed the match at the County Ground with arecord breaking partnership.The unbroken seventh wicket stand of 225 was the highest for Derbyshireagainst Durham and at the close, Dowman and Cork had taken their sideinto a lead of 369.It was a totally different story shortly after lunch when Durham had thehome side on the ropes at 121-6, only 143 runs in front, and there wasevery chance the game would finish inside two days.But the pitch had by now flattened out, the ball did not swing andDowman and Cork plundered bowling which became increasingly ragged on ahot afternoon.This was Dowman’s best innings for Derbyshire and, after spending 18balls on 99, he reached his eighth first-class century which wasapplauded by all the Durham team.Cork scored his fourth hundred and his unbeaten 105 was his highestscore while Dowman’s 129 not out was his best for Derbyshire.The stand was the highest against Durham this season and has seriouslydamaged their chances of avoiding relegation to the Second Divisionwhile Derbyshire now have an excellent chance of winning their firstgame since late June although they already look doomed to lose theirDivision One status.

The start of South Africa’s next domestic season could be threatened by the Griqua Diamonds’ decision to go the legal route in their efforts to become one of the six franchises who compete in the country’s premier local competitions.Griquas have filed a High Court order seeking to stop the implementation of the franchise review committee proposals accepted by the United Cricket Board (UCB) of South Africa’s General Council on June 11 and have named an astonishing 24 respondents – all six franchises, the provinces, the companies that run the main stadiums, the UCB, the South African Cricketers’ Association, the men who conducted the independent review (former Minister of Education Kader Asmal and legal experts John Smith and Norman Arendse), the Minister of Sport and Recreation, Makhenkesi Stofile, and even their own sponsors, De Beers, the diamond mining giants.When a new franchise system was adopted for South African domestic cricket in 2003, Griquas were grouped with Free State in a Central Region franchise to be based in Bloemfontein. But the Kimberley-based union failed to agree with their Free State counterparts on how to combine forces and Griquas went to court in a bid to stop the inaugural season (2004-05) of franchise cricket.They halted their legal action when the UCB agreed to a fresh independent review of the franchise system, conducted by Asmal, Smith and Arendse, at the end of last season. The review suggested Griquas join with Free State in a 50/50 split of the Central Region franchise, with the headquarters to alternate between Bloemfontein and Kimberley.The Griqua Diamonds are still not happy and on Tuesday will seek an urgent High Court interdict setting aside the UCB General Council decision of June 11.The General Council decision of June 11 was on the back of a 16-0 vote in favour of the review committee’s recommendations. Franchises were awarded to teams based in Durban, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Centurion and Johannesburg, with East London and Port Elizabeth agreeing to alternate as headquarters of the Eastern Cape franchise.If Griquas are successful in getting the number of franchises increased, they will have to fight off stiff competition from Port Elizabeth, Benoni and Paarl/Stellenbosch for the extra places.Port Elizabeth is South Africa’s fifth biggest city and the home of the country’s oldest Test venue – St George’s Park. Benoni is in the Witwatersrand, 30 kilometres east of Johannesburg, but their provincial team – Easterns – was one of the strongest in domestic cricket, winning the four-day SuperSport Series competition in 2002-03. After the switch to franchises they joined forces with Northerns, based in Centurion.The Boland Cricket Board is based in Paarl, with a prestigious university situated in nearby Stellenbosch, and the area is a major producer of talent, especially among the coloured (mixed race) community.Griquas abstained from voting on June 11, but have been vehemently opposed to the franchise system from the outset. In 2003, when the new structure was first adopted, their representative on the UCB General Council said “we will stop this just like we stopped the Gatting tour”. Mike Gatting led a rebel English squad on a tour of South Africa in 1989-90, but it was cancelled due to unprecedented protests in most South African cities by anti-Apartheid demonstrators.Griqua Diamonds chief executive Brian Kidson said “he had nothing to say yet” when asked about their reasons for going to court.Ken Borland is a journalist with the MWP Sports Agency in South Africa.

Scotland are pushing to be included in next season’s Twenty20 Cup on the back of their impressive performances in their early outings in the National League.Gwynne Jones, Scottish Cricket Limited’s chief executive, is believed to have been talking to several counties to press the case for Scotland being brought in to the competition."We would love to be involved in the Twenty20, which I’m convinced would be a major draw in Scotland," Jones told the Herald newspaper. “The indications I’m getting are that we could get an invite and that it could happen as early as next season.”The main obstacle to their involvement would appear to be that the 18 first-class counties neatly divide into three divisions of six. However, such is the success of the competition that an alternative structure might be considered with two divisions and more games, and that would boost Scotland’s chances.

Sourav Ganguly has said that while he was encouraged by India’s performances last season, the players needed to guard against complacency and ensure that they improved on their display this year. Looking ahead to the 2004-05 season, which kicks off with the Asia Cup on July 16, Ganguly told Press Trust of India: “It is an important season for us. Last year was good and successful. We have to follow it with another good season – that is how you become a strong and good side.”Ganguly, who turned 32 today, admitted that his players could be rusty after a three-month layoff, but said that the challenge was to get into groove early. “The important thing is that we have to settle down quickly because just like any other team we are coming out of a two-and-half-month layoff. Getting the rhythm straightaway is never possible; so it is a challenge for us to get into rhythm and optimum level of confidence as quickly as possible.”India go into the Asia Cup as favourites, but Ganguly refused to underestimate their opponents. “It is always going to be tough since Sri Lanka will be playing at home and Pakistan is a good side. It is going to be tough for all three sides when they compete against each other.”India had played through most of last season without a couple of frontline bowlers, but the three-month rest has allowed both Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh to recover, a fact which delighted Ganguly. “I think after a long time we are back in full strength. Considering this we hope to do well in the Asia Cup.”Harbhajan back in the team is a huge bonus for us. If he can raise his standards on par with Kumble along with Zaheer, Irfan Pathan and [Lakshmipathy] Balaji, I am sure we will have an edge over the other teams.”

The Logan Cup, Zimbabwe’s premier first-class inter-provincial four-daycompetition, gets underway on Tuesday with the four provinces in actionin Bulawayo and Mutare.A fierce battle is in store at Bulawayo Athletic Club where Matabelelandwill host Mashonaland. The last time the two sides met, in April thisyear, Matabeleland won by five wickets. Heath Streak, the then-Matabeleland skipper, put up a sterling allround performance in thatmatch to lead them to their first victory over Mashonaland in eightyears.He scored a century and took seven wickets as Matabeleland completelydominated. This time around Streak is available: he was willing to playbut did not notify the Matabeleland selectors that he was available,after spending most of last week trying to retrieve his boat which sunkin Binga a fortnight ago.Matabeleland will be captained by pace bowler Mluleki Nkala and boast astrong batting line-up that includes Mark Vermeulen, who is likely tobat down the order. Gavin Ewing, along with Keith Dabengwa and GregoryStrydom, are their proven allrounders. Nkala leads the Matabelelandbowling attack.Tatenda Taibu, skipper of the national side, captains Mashonaland, whohave won the Logan Cup five years in a row. They have an equally strongbatting line-up, including Brendan Taylor, Barney Rogers and EltonChigumbura. Their bowling attack will be led by Douglas Hondo.Taibu, a capable bowler himself, is likely to hand over the wicketkeeping gloves to Taylor, who is equally good behind the stumps. Taibu is still recovering from an injury to his left shoulder which he suffered duringZimbabwe’s match against Sri Lanka in the ICC Champions Trophy.In the other match, at Mutare Sports Club, Manicaland, captained by DionEbrahim will host Midlands, who are skippered by Alester Maregwede.

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South Australia won a thrilling ING Cup day-night match at the Adelaide Oval, squeezing home against Tasmania by three wickets and with one ball to spare. Chasing 251, Darren Lehmann anchored the chase with 83 before Graham Manou scored the winnings runs – and also hit the sponsors’ sign, earning him A$50,000.Shaun Tait got SA off to a great start as he took 8 for 43 in Tasmania’s innings of 250. That was the first ever eight-wicket haul by a bowler in Australia’s domestic limited-overs competition, enough to earn him the Man of the Match award.After SA had slumped to 106 for 5 in their chase, Lehmann, playing his first game since October having recovered from an achilles injury, guided SA over the stormy waters with 83 from 88 balls. He added 130 with Mick Miller, who scored a valuable 51, but after they both fell, the game was back in the balance.In a nail-biting finish, SA needed nine to win with five balls remaining, and Manou, the wicketkeeper, smashed a six over midwicket which hit the sponsors’ sign, meaning he won a $50,000 prize for the second time in two seasons.He scored two off the following ball to level the scores, and then hit a four past midwicket off the fifth ball of the over to win the match, after facing only six balls in his innings of 14.

A move has been initiated to shift the Indian cricket board’s headquarters from Mumbai to Delhi and, more significantly, change the place of its registration from Chennai to the national capital. The proposal has come from Jagmohan Dalmiya, former board president, and has the support of many BCCI members.According to the plan, the BCCI is not just keen to shift the headquarters to Delhi but also construct its own state-of-the-art offices, a stark contrast from the decrepit headquarters at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.According to the Indo-Asian News Service, Dalmiya raised the issue on behalf of the CAB at the emergent working committee meeting in June and the matter again came up at the August 15 meeting in New Delhi.”The two proposals were raised by Dalmiya and have been duly listed in the minutes, just in case someone wants to see them as a proof,” said an official. “It was also agreed at Kovalam that legal opinion would be obtained to have the registration changed and that the process should be initiated.”The BCCI was registered as a society under Act XXI of 1860 at Chennai, November 28, 1940.But while many would like the headquarters to be shifted, the Mumbai Cricket Association’s Lalchand Rajput, a former Test player, registered his opposition. Apart form Rajput, Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) President Inderjit Singh Bindra is also opposed to the idea of the change.”Shifting of the headquarters would need an amendment in the BCCI Constitution, which requires two-third of the members of the general body supporting the move,” said Bindra. “And so far as changing the board’s registration is concerned, I’m not sure if it is legally possible – because then the board (as it is known) will cease to exist.”

Imran Khan, former Pakistan captain, said he doubted England would ever emulate Australia’s success and become the world’s top team because they lacked a quality spinner like Shane Warne.Imran told AFP, “England is a young emerging side and exudes the confidence of Australia but for them to emulate Australia-like success is difficult because they do not have a spinner of Warne’s quality.”Michael Vaughan’s team closed the gap on world champions Australia when they regained the Ashes with a 2-1 victory on Monday, their first win over Australia since 1986-87.Imran praised Vaughan and allrounder Andrew Flintoff for their roles in England’s success. “Flintoff is the pivot around which the England team revolves. He is a genuine allrounder,” he said. He added that in Vaughan, “England has a very determined sort of character as captain, quite unpretentious.”Following the conquest of Australia, Vaughan said his side would only achieve the top ranking if they beat Pakistan in the November-December series and India early next year.But Imran, who took 362 wickets in 88 Tests and led Pakistan to their first series win over England in 1987, said England would struggle on the subcontinent’s slow pitches.Imran added, “They have a fast-maturing pace attack but when they come up on wickets which do not have support for pace then they do not have the variety that Warne provides.” Warne led the Australian attack with 40 Ashes wickets.”I do not see them attaining the consistent success rate of Australia until they have a matchwinning spinner.”But he also had reservations about Australia’s future at the top, saying the side was on the decline because their players were ageing and the Ashes had shown that their batting could collapse under sustained pace pressure.”Australia is in decline… the most notable thing of the Ashes was that the Australian batting was exposed for the first time against a sustained pace attack.”The myth of Australian batting’s invincibility was broken, except for one innings at Lord’s when they did well after the England team was completely demoralised by a Glenn McGrath spell,” said Imran.He also said Jason Gillespie’s lack of form was also throwing the Australian attack out of balance.Pakistan, Imran said, could match England’s attack if they had fit bowlers but their batsmen need to improve their form. “They need a fully fit Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami and Umar Gul and an in-form legspinner, Danish Kaneria. But for me the concern will be Pakistan’s batting.”Pakistan hosts England for three Tests and five one-day matches starting in Multan from November 12.