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Lalchand Rajput, the manager of the Indian team, has been appointed assistant coach for the tour of Australia which begins in December.”Gary Kirsten will confirm [his willingness to take up the job of coach] in seven days,” Rajeev Shukla, the Indian board vice-president, said. “Kirsten, if he takes up the job, will be with the team in parts during the Australia tour and hence Rajput will be with the team.”India have been without a coach since Greg Chappell stepped down in April after the World Cup. For the tours that followed, cricket managers were appointed to take charge of the side. Ravi Shastri managed the team in Bangladesh in May and Chandu Borde was in charge in England. Rajput took over from Borde for India’s victorious ICC World Twenty20 campaign and continued to manage the side for the recent home series against Australia and Pakistan.He will now travel with the team to Australia for four Tests and a triangular one-day series.

A haze hung low over the Bangabandhu Stadium, but the dark clouds of security threats had lifted enough for India’s first full tour of Bangladesh to get underway. The stadium was abuzz with activity, and both teams had an extended practice session even as the floodlights were pressed into service halfway into the morning. While the punters reckon that this series is unattractive, both teams have enough to play for.”It’s probably more important to us than it is to India, I would think,” said Dav Whatmore, Bangladesh’s coach. “We are very pleased that India have come to Bangladesh and brought their full team. Every game is tough, maybe with the exception of Zimbabwe, which we’re looking forward to.” But, for India, who lost at home to Australia, and did not quite thump a weakened South African team, this series is a great chance to get their act together. Barring Virender Sehwag, the batting line-up – the backbone of this team – has failed to put up big scores.Sourav Ganguly will be taking no chances. He made it clear that the newcomers – Gagandeep Singh and Shib Sankar Paul – would have to wait a while before they have a crack at the highest level, because India were likely to field the same team that played the second Test against South Africa at Kolkata. An attack with Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan sharing the new ball, and Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh taking up spinning duties is the combination that will best suit this pitch.”It’s a typical Dhaka wicket,” said Ganguly. “A bit damp, but otherwise a typical Dhaka wicket.” A typical Dhaka wicket offers opportunity for tall scores and liberal turn. “The pitches here are pretty good. There are lots of pitches around the world that you might worry about, but you wouldn’t worry about the pitch at the Bangabandhu Stadium,” said Whatmore. “It’s a very good pitch for batting. Even though it spins, it doesn’t spin that quickly. If you get set you get good value for shots as a batsman. But as a bowler, if you put the shoulder in, it spins.”But the return of Mashrafe Mortaza, the tall strapping fast bowler who has been out of the Bangladesh team since he suffered a knee injury a year ago, has done wonders to bolster the morale of the Bangladesh team. Recently, on pitches with a tinge of green, he had batsmen ducking and weaving in domestic cricket with his awkward rising deliveries. Habibul Bashar believed his team had no problems with steep bounce. “It might not seam, but it will have some bounce. We’re happier [batting] on bouncy pitches. We are more troubled by low bounce,” said Bashar. But he admitted that India’s spinners would pose a challenge on any surface. “Harbhajan and Kumble are the kind of bowlers who can exploit any wicket. They are two great bowlers. We just have to handle them.”For Kumble this series is certain to be a memorable one. It is inconceivable that he will not pick up the one wicket that will take him past Kapil Dev. Sachin Tendulkar also has an opportunity to draw level with and even surpass Gavaskar’s tally of 34 Test hundreds. But these are not the team’s primary focus. “You can’t go into a Test match like that,” said Ganguly. “If things happen in the due course of the game, then they do. But you can’t go into a Test thinking about records or about scoring this many runs or taking this many wickets. We have two guys in the team close to records – Anil and Sachin – so if it happens it will happen.”Probable teams
India 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Gautam Gambhir, 3 Rahul Dravid, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 Sourav Ganguly (capt), 6 VVS Laxman, 7 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 8 Irfan Pathan, 9 Harbhajan Singh, 10 Anil Kumble, 11 Zaheer Khan.Bangladesh 1 Javed Omar, 2 Nafis Iqbal, 3 Habibul Bashar (capt), 4 Mohammad Ashraful, 5 Rajin Saleh, 6 Mushifiqur Rahman, 7 Khaled Mashud (wk), 8 Manjarul Islam, 9 Mohammad Rafique, 10 Tapash Baisya, 11 Mashrafe Mortaza.

Rain affected more than half a day’s play as Tamil Nadu and Hyderabadsettled for a tame draw in their KSCA Coca Cola Under-25 Tournamentmatch at the Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wodayar Sports Complex inBangalore on Saturday.Play started only at 14.15 hours on the third and final day due to acontinuous drizzle in the morning. Resuming at the overnight score of262 for 8, Hyderabad’s first innings folded up at 290. Ravichandra(104), who was stranded at 97 overnight, completed his century in notime. However he was the first to go when he was caught at square legby K Velmurugan off DS Doss. Then Fatima Reddy (17 notout) andMallikarjun (6) took the score on to 290 when Mallikarjun foundhimself stranded out of his crease.Tamil Nadu in reply made a disasterous start to their second inningslosing opener Ravindra John (0) off the fifth ball of the innings whenhe offered a catch to Saberwal off Ghouse Baba. Then the other openerS Badrinath (3) and N Lokesh (19) took the score upto 26. Badrinathwas the next to be dismissed when he gave a chance to Fatima Reddy atmidwicket off the bowling of Ghouse Baba. Ghouse Baba claimed histhird wicket of the innings, that of Lokesh, when he shattered thebatsman’s defences.C Hemanth Kumar (11) and R Satish (10) then took the score on to 49for 3 when play was called off for the day. Tamil Nadu got 5 pointswhile Hyderabad had to be content with three. Tamil Nadu now take onKarnataka in the finals which is to be played at M Chinnaswamy Stadiumin Bangalore from October 9 to 11.

Shoaib Malik, the Pakistani allrounder who admitted to throwing a domestic Twenty20 game, is likely to be banned for either a Test or two one-day internationals after the Pakistan Cricket Board took a decidedly dim view of his antics. After a hearing on Saturday that lasted about 150 minutes, a three-member commission appointed by the board recommended that Malik, touted by some as a future captain, be punished according to clauses 2.9 and 2.11 of the International Cricket Council’s Code of Conduct.In addition to the ban, Malik is also likely to be docked a full-match fee. Malik, who was due to play his 100th ODI in St Vincent on May 18, admitted to engineering a four-run defeat for his Sialkot Stallions side against the Karachi Zebras, a result that he thought would knock the Lahore Eagles out of the competition.On being shown video footage, Malik owned up to his error of judgement. The inquiry commission was headed by Haroon Rashid, a former Test player and manager of the team, and a board source told Reuters, “He said he was sorry for what had happened and he had reacted in the heat of the moment and would not repeat such a thing again.”Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman, was said to be so incensed by the incident that Malik’s participation in the West Indies tour was in doubt, but with the one-match ban likely to come into force during the Barbados Test in late May, he could yet play that 100th ODI in St Vincent. While the squad for the West Indies has already been decided on, it will be rubber-stamped by the board’s ad hoc committee only on Monday.

Zimbabwe all-rounder Gary Brent is set to stay and boost struggling Burridge when his current One-Day International commitments are completed next month.Speaking during Hampshire’s match with the tourists at the Rose Bowl yesterday, Brent confirmed that he will join the Southern Electric Premier League, Division 2 side after the tri-angular final at Lord’s on July 12.Brent, who spent three successful seasons with Burridge in the nineties, had originally planned to spend the whole summer back at his old haunts."But then I was picked for the ODI’s against England and South Africa, so all my plans changed," he said."It will be great to play with the Burridge lads again and hopefully I can help them out of their current predicament."Relegated from Premier 1 at the end of last season, Burridge currently lie fourth from bottom of Division 2, having lost three of their initial five matches.They visit local rivals Gosport tomorrow – minus in-form left-hander Neil Cunningham and Phil Ransley, both ex-Borough players. Suspended Lee Wateridge sits out the second and last match of his club-imposed ban.Unbeaten table toppers Old Tauntonians & Romsey face a stiff test at second-placed St Cross Symondians, who delay selection pending the possible availability of young Hampshire all-rounders Jimmy Adams and Jon Francis.Lymington all-rounder Glyn Treagus is ruled out against United Services by a nasty bout of tonsilitis, so in-form 2nd XI batsman Jason Carr comes in.Easton & Martyr Worthy entertain high-scoring Hursley Park at Cockets Mead, where they also host Sunday’s NVC county final tie against Paultons, 2pm.Sparsholt, who have won their last two matches to slip into a comfortable mid-table slot, ought to make it three victories in a row against winless Purbrook at the Norman Edwards Ground.

Muttiah Muralitharan, the newly-crowned world-record Test bowler, has returned home to a hero’s welcome in Sri Lanka. Politicians, cricket administrators, family and close friends welcomed him at the airport before crawling in a four-hour motorcade through rush-hour traffic to the cricket board headquarters in central Colombo.Thousands of fans, provided extra motivation by the ongoing controversy over his bowling, poured onto the streets to celebrate his return from Zimbabwe where he broke Courtney Walsh’s world record and became the highest wicket-taker in Test history.Muralitharan’s arrival was even broadcast live on national television with the cameras following his journey from the time the team’s Emirates airline jumbo touched down at Katunayake International Airport. He was garlanded as he led the team into the VIP arrivals hall before being mobbed by the media.Murali appeared slightly overwhelmed by the outpouring of affection. “I’m very happy to have achieved this record for the country,” he said. “It’s a huge honour and I am very grateful for all the support I have received. Everyone has done so much for me.””I would like to thank the public, my parents, all my past captains,especially Arjuna Ranatunga who stood by me during tough times, and myteam-mates, without whom it would have not been possible, and, finally, the cricket board, who have backed me all the way.”Behind the scenes, Murali’s arrival has prompted the government to get ever more involved in his doosra ban. Despite Eshan Mani’s plea for politicians to stay out of the controversy, the prime minister, MahindaRajapakse, has successfully lobbied for the Indian government to support Muralitharan.Murali has remained typically defiant about his outlawed delivery,claiming that he “was stronger than ever” and suggesting that he was the victim of an Anglo-Australian conspiracy: “The ban is because of pressure from Australia and England. There is no problem in Asia.”When the hullabaloo over his return dies down – on Saturday he will beparaded through the streets of Kandy, his hillcountry hometown – he will sit down with close friends and advisors to consider whether to confront the ICC directly with a legal fight.

Allegations of bungled management, racial divides, and a WesternProvince clique intent on embedding themselves into powerful positions to the detriment of the future have been made about the South African national set-up by a handful of current internationals. They told Durban’s : “We would love to be quoted with our names but fear we will be pushed even further into the background and have no chance of playing for South Africa. It is very sad, but we feel we must speak out.”The un-named players accused a clique of established stars of freezing out new coloured players. Meanwhile suggestions of a Western Province “takeover” seem to be based on the fact that the captain Graeme Smith, the coach Eric Simons, Omar Henry, the convenor of selectors, and Tim Southey, the manager, are all from there.An emergency meeting of the United Cricket Board’s general council was held yesterday to discuss the allegations. The council comprises presidents of provincial unions, and Cricket South Africa, which controls professional cricket in the country. They decided to give the chief executive of the UCB, Gerald Majola, ten days to assess and investigate the claims with due attention to any legal and contractual consequences should anyone involved resign.Majola said: “These are serious allegations and powerful and convincing proof would be needed to back them up.” He added, “None of the players I spoke to within the last week made any mention at all to me of being a victim of a racist incident.”

XXXX Queensland Bulls captain Jimmy Maher returns to ING Cup cricket tomorrow with the knowledge that he can become the leading domestic one-day runs scorer in Australian cricket.Maher is potentially one innings away from passing his Australian World Cup teammate Darren Lehmann as the leading runs-scorer in the one-day game in Australia.The Bulls left-hander, playing his first ING Cup game this season for Queensland, needs 84 runs to pass Lehmann’s total of 2791 runs scored for South Australia and Victoria.Lehmann is in Brisbane with the Redbacks team as a team manager while he recovers from a ruptured Achilles tendon.Tomorrow’s day/nighter at the Gabba has a host of potential milestones, with Redbacks batsman Greg Blewett just two runs away from becoming South Australia’s leading one-day runs-scorer.Blewett will eclipse Lehmann’s SA tally of 2599 runs.Queensland wicket-keeper Wade Seccombe is one dismissal away from becoming only the second glovesman to record 100 domestic limited overs dismissals.Seccombe, who will play for Australia ‘A’ in the three-day tour match against India in Hobart starting on Friday, will join Victoria’s Darren Berry who has 132 dismissals.Tomorrow’s match starts at 2.30pm with gates opening at 1.30pm.The Bulls are in second last spot with four points from three games while the Redbacks are one spot ahead on nine points from four games.Queensland welcome back Maher, Andrew Symonds and Michael Kasprowicz for their first limited games for the Bulls this season.Meanwhile Queensland’s Pura Cup team for the match against SA starting on Friday will be released tomorrow.XXXX Queensland Bulls: Jimmy Maher (c), Stuart Law, Martin Love, Andrew Symonds, Clinton Perren, Lee Carseldine, Wade Seccombe, James Hopes, Nathan Hauritz, Ashley Noffke, Michael Kasprowicz, Damien MacKenzie (12th man to be named).Southern Redbacks: Greg Blewett (captain), Mark Cleary, Mark Cosgrove, John Davison, Shane Deitz, Andy Flower, Mark Higgs, Ben Johnson, Graham Manou, Mick Miller, Paul Rofe, Shaun Tait. (12th man to be named).

Scorecard

Somerset have already caused one or two upsets this summer – just ask Australia – and today was no different when they defeated the favourites Lancashire to lift the Twenty20 trophy for the first time. And, again, it was the imperious Graeme Smith who led from the front to mastermind victory in a rain-reduced, relatively low-scoring chase under the lights.Smith was in control from the outset, mixing up his bowlers, setting fields with aplomb and then striking 64 not out to take them home after Lancashire made just 114 for 8 from their 16 overs. James Hildreth, who hit the winning runs, joined Smith in a matchwinning fourth-wicket stand of 53 from 36 deliveries.Earlier, the pace bowlers Richard Johnson and Andrew Caddick had taken five wickets between them to put Somerset in a dominant position. Stuart Law topscored for Lancashire with a battling, brave 59 after some injudicious batting had left his side reeling at 40 for 5, with Mal Loye and a brace of Andrews – Symonds and Flintoff – all back in the pavilion. Another Andrew, Crook, added 15 but there was little else to cheer about for Lancashire’s batsmen.Somerset made steady progress in their reply, until Flintoff struck two vital blows, removing Marcus Trescothick and Matthew Wood. But by this time, Somerset had more than half of the runs they needed, and they knew that from there on in it would be a case of hanging around, playing a patient game. Ian Blackwell showed no such patience, holing out for 3, but no matter, for this was the last wicket to fall, and Smith seized control of the match from there.Showing shades of the former Somerset bighitters Viv Richards and Ian Botham, Smith casually swatted boundaries like flies. Lancashire’s captain Mark Chilton threw Symonds and Flintoff at the latest incarnation of Somerset brawn, but neither of these experienced campaigners could make a dent in Smith’s well-fashioned armour. Smith stood firm and did the job, but admitted later such efforts had taken their toll. “I’m going to go and put my feet up for a bit,” he said. He deserves it.Lancashire’s total, though, had never seemed enough after their middle order was dismantled by Johnson. He followed up from where he had left off in the semi-final, with nagging, wicket-taking form. He took two wickets in successive balls to continue the slide started by Andrew Caddick, who had decided that he, too, was coming to this Twenty20 party. Johnson brought his own bottle – having dropped a sitter from Loye in the first over off Caddick, he stayed calm to hang on to an identical chance three balls later. That was the first of Caddick’s two big wickets, and his second was even bigger: Flintoff, for 2, caught by Blackwell (15 for 2).Symonds was next to fall, run out for 12. Just one run later, Dominic Cork (a skier to Marcus Trescothick) and Glen Chapple (golden duck, bowled) joined him, both cleaned up by Johnson. Chilton followed soon afterwards. At 69 for 6, a dire Lancashire were in the mire and, although Crook followed the long handle of the Law – they shared a stand of 32 – it was too little, too late.

Scorecard

Needing only 104 for victory when the final day began, New South Wales crushed New Zealand on their way to a nine-wicket victory. It was a tough start for a team that had publicly admitted that the Australian campaign would be tougher than the last time they toured. Phil Jaques remained unbeaten on 70, and Matthew Phelps was not out on 39 when the winning runs were scored.Jacob Oram had Greg Mail caught in the day’s third over for 13, but from then on Jaques and Phelps added runs at an easy pace. New Zealand’s bowlers were economical, but could not get breakthroughs, adding to the feeling in Australia that their attack is ineffective.This heavy defeat will not go down well with Stephen Fleming, rested for this game, who acknowledged that his team would have to play “out of their skin” to give Australia a run in the Test series.