Craig McMillan has been dropped for the New Zealand side to play India in the fifth National Bank Series One-Day International with India at Wellington on Wednesday.McMillan has been sadly out of form for the series and will play State Shield cricket for Canterbury against Central Districts in Christchurch tomorrow while he will also play in the State Championship match against CD in Timaru starting on Thursday.Fast bowler Shane Bond will return to the side.In a bid to get more bowling time for left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori, he will play for Northern Districts in their match against Wellington at Hamilton tomorrow. The game is a day-night match.The New Zealand team will be: Stephen Fleming (captain), Andre Adams, Nathan Astle, Shane Bond, Chris Harris, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Mathew Sinclair, Scott Styris, Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori.Selection convener Sir Richard Hadlee said of McMillan’s dropping: “Craig has been struggling for form with the bat and has some technical issues to address.”We would like him to concentrate on rectifying these and we think it would be easier for him to do this at a domestic level where there is less pressure.”And after playing for Canterbury against Wellington in the State Shield on Sunday, Bond had been cleared by New Zealand Cricket’s medical panel to rejoin the side.Hadlee said Cairns would play again for Canterbury tomorrow and was likely to be considered for the last two matches in the series in Auckland on Saturday and Hamilton on Sunday.In relation to Vettori, Hadlee said: “With the seam bowlers dominating the Indian batsman to the extent they have so far in the series, Daniel has not been required to play much of a role with the ball.”He has decided he would like to get a few overs under his belt and, with that in mind and our support, he is heading back to Hamilton today to play for Northern Districts.”The selectors and management team are pleased that Daniel has been proactive in recognising the need to get more through more work for the betterment of himself the team and New Zealand Cricket and we commend him for his decision,” Hadlee said.

The International Cricket Council have restated their position thatEngland’s World Cup match against Zimbabwe in Harare on February 13th willgo ahead as planned, following today’s teleconference over security at thetournament.According to the ICC as neither England nor Australia or the Netherlands -the other countries that had expressed concern about going to Zimbabwe – hadrequested a change of venue, no decision had to be taken by ICC. New Zealandhad requested that their fixture in Nairobi be switched but the ICC saidthat it was felt “there were not sufficient reasons to move the game.”In making the announcement at a press conference in London, ICC chiefexecutive Malcolm Speed said: “On the issue of Zimbabwe no country sought tohave the matches moved so no decision was required."Concerns have been raised by England, Australia and Holland over scheduledmatches. We need to sit down with these countries to see if adequatesecurity is in place. No-one went to the stage of requesting a formalmotion.”Although the ECB delegate, new chairman David Morgan, did not formallyrequest a change of venue, the ECB issued a statement immediately after theannouncement in which it said Mr Morgan did “make strong remarks to theboard about the broader issue of safety and security at all matches.”The ECB statement also made it clear that the captain, Nasser Hussain, wasfully briefed by the chairman last night on the approach he was going totake.Morgan gave his account of what happened during the meeting. "It was clearfrom the mood of the teleconference that there was an implacable andoverwhelming feeling that the recommendations of the report should beaccepted,” he said.Morgan added: “I want to put the broader issue of the possibility of civilunrest and the threat of terrorism into very stark perspective.”If there are demonstrations and rioting in Harare during the England versusZimbabwe match this is not just an issue for the two countries directlyconcerned it is an issue for all the countries taking part in the World Cup.”We should all be concerned about this matter, just as we should all beconcerned about any safety and security concerns in Kenya affecting NewZealand, Kenya and Sri Lanka.”The security risk at all matches will, of course, vary according to wherethe match is being played and which countries are taking part in the match.”In that sense, the risk factor at each match must be individually assessedand evaluated.”If there are significant security and safety problems, it will blight thewhole 2003 World Cup with an indelible stain.”It will reflect very badly on cricket and, indeed, everyone associated withthe World Cup. No one will escape blame. We will all have to bear collectiveresponsibility.”If, in the next few days/weeks, there is a discernible deterioration insafety and security surrounding particular matches then decisions must beurgently reviewed and, if necessary, matches moved. We must all reserve ourright for this to happen.”The ICC’s decision was taken after lengthy consultations with all boards,player representatives, the diplomatic corps, the World Cup organisingcommittee which takes responsibility for all security matters, and securityconsultants, Kroll, who had been asked for a report on the situation.The Kroll report, according to the ECB statement, was “categorical in itsultimate assessment that it is safe and secure for all six matches inZimbabwe to proceed as planned. It was clear from the mood of theteleconference that there was an implacable and overwhelming feeling thatthe recommendations of the report should be accepted.”This is the same organisation that reported to the State Department inWashington who have issued the following advice to United States citizens:”The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of travel toZimbabwe. Zimbabwe is in the midst of political, economic, and humanitariancrises with serious implications for the security situation in the country.All U.S. citizens in Zimbabwe are urged to take those measures they deemappropriate to ensure their well being, including consideration of departurefrom the country.”Dealing with the point about New Zealand’s match against Kenya in Nairobi,Mr Speed said: “New Zealand sought to have the game relocated. This wasopposed by Kenya.”New Zealand provided a report into the security situation but the decisionthe board made was there were not sufficient reasons to move the game fromKenya.”As from next week, the conduct of the event passes to the World CupOrganising Committee. Among the personnel on that committee are MalcolmSpeed, another Australian in ICC commercial director Campbell Jamieson andWorld Cup director Dr Ali Bacher. They are joined by two former players inSunil Gavaskar from India and Michael Holding from the West Indies and amember of the South African board, Brian Basson.

Given the presence of Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Carl Hooper, it was a big call but Michael Holding’s assertion on television that Ramaresh Sarwan is presently the West Indies’ best batsman stands up to statistical scrutiny.After Friday night’s key World Cup match against Sri Lanka, courageous is another flattering adjective to add to the many associated with his name since he was identified as a cricketer of such rare potential he was picked for Guyana at age 15.His effort to secure an incredible victory for the West Indies, after resuming an innings cut short by a fearful blow to the helmet and a visit to nearby Claremont Hospital, failed by six runs. But it will be long remembered for its brave defiance by the 20 000 who witnessed the drama live and the millions of others watching on television.Sarwan had made ten from 25 balls when he was startled by the steep lift of a delivery from the tall, heavy-set Dilhara Fernando, Sri Lanka’s fastest bowler. He turned his head and took such a blow on the side of the helmet that the ball rebounded more than 20 yards to be caught, on the full, at backward point.He immediately slumped onto the pitch and lay there motionless for nearly ten minutes while he was examined by a doctor and paramedics, who had sprinted to his aid.Eventually, he was carefully lifted onto a stretcher, covered in a blanket and wheeled off to a waiting ambulance that sped him to hospital.Once there, according to team manager Ricky Skerritt, he was clinically examined by a neurologist, had several x-rays taken from different angles and two stitches inserted into a small cut above his left eye.His involvement in the contest seemed surely over but the X-rays showed no serious damage and the specialist was convinced he was "medically fine". Fully conscious and anxious to resume his innings, he returned.Facing defeatWhen he arrived in the team’s dressing room, the West Indies were six wickets down and Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Vasbert Drakes were trying to stem the advance towards defeat with a dogged partnership.Within half-hour, Chanderpaul hoisted a catch to long-on after topscoring with 65 and Sarwan re-entered the battle to a standing ovation from around the stadium that echoed from the nearby Table Mountain.He even chose a cap instead of a helmet, only replacing one with the other after a couple of overs.It seemed a futile, if bold, gesture at the time for the West Indies were 169 for seven, still 60 away from their winning goal with only 7.5 overs remaining and the Nos. 9, 10 and 11 fast bowlers to help him.In quick time, the neat, 22-year-old Guyanese changed the course of the match, stroking two sixes and two fours in adding 37 off 19 balls as the tension grew. His unbeaten 47 would prove insufficient and Sarwan had to return to teammates inspired by his daring but distressed by the result.No one was more upset than Sarwan himself."I don’t like to lose," he said afterwards. "None of us wants to lose and I am a very proud person.""When I saw what was happening, I had to come to the crease," he added. "Cricket is about heart. There’ll be occasions when you’re struck down by someone or something but you have to be man enough to fight to the bitter end."He explained that he "basically misread" the ball that hit him."Once I got checked and I realised that I was okay, I decided that I wanted to come out and fight for the West Indies," he explained. "The game was very important for us. We had to win to go into the Super Sixes and I was determined to try my best.""It was always going to be difficult to score eight to ten runs per over in the last couple of overs with the bowlers at the crease but I gave it a shot," he noted. "With a little luck we could have got the runs."Familiar patternThe situation of seeing the West Indies home in One-Day Internationals – if not the blow to the head – has become all too familiar for Sarwan in the past few months.In the series of seven in India last November, in which he scored 436 runs at an average of 109 and a strike rate of 84.66, his last ball four won the first match.His unbeaten 99, off 104 balls, helped boost the total to 324 for four in the fourth match but did not ensure a West Indies victory. In the decisive victory in the last match, he scored 83 off 101 balls, setting the stage of Marlon Samuels’ breathtaking, unbeaten 108 off 75 balls.He has again been the leading batsman for the West Indies in the World Cup.His 32 off 15 balls and his grand, unbeaten finale of 63 off 28 balls with Ricardo Powell powered the total to a match-winning 278 for five against South Africa.His more measured 75 off 99 balls against New Zealand began in a crisis at 46 for five and, in a partnership of 98 with Ridley Jacobs, almost clinched an unlikely victory. But, like Friday’s, it was not enough and, as such, it meant nothing to Sarwan.Unlike the power-hitters, like Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds and Powell, Sarwan’s sixes and fours are based on technique, timing and placement.At the start of the World Cup, he had an average of 51.04 and a strike-rate of 79.4 in 29 One-Day Internationals. He has boosted that with a present average of 101 at a strike rate of 95.87 after five matches.Skerritt said yesterday Sarwan was understandably nursing "a slight headache" but was in good spirits.He’ll have further neurological tests in Kimberley tomorrow prior to Tuesday’s match against Kenya, just to be sure that he can continue the consistent scoring that, in the opinion of at least one highly respected former West Indies player, makes him the best West Indies batsman at present.

PERTH, March 1 AAP – Chris Rogers’ and Marcus North’s outstanding 369-run partnership put Western Australia back in with a chance in the Pura Cup cricket match against NSW at the WACA Ground.Chasing 182 runs for outright victory, the Blues head into the final day at 3-29 with Michael Slater not out 14 and Don Nash unbeaten on two after WA resurrected the contest today.The Blues had the worst possible start to their fourth innings with Greg Mail bowled first ball by an inspired Matthew Nicholson (2-10).Veteran quick Jo Angel then had Simon Katich (two) trapped in front to hand the Blues’ innings the wobbles.But Nicholson took the prized scalp of NSW captain Steve Waugh (two) just before stumps to keep the home team on track after trailing by 308 runs on first innings.Rogers’ career-best knock of 194 and North’s gallant 178 were the backbone of WA’s second dig, which ended on 489.North is no stranger to leading escape acts after making an unbeaten double century last summer to lead WA to a memorable victory over Victoria after being forced to follow on at the MCG.Rogers’ and North’s fourth wicket stand was the second highest partnership for WA in Pura Cup/Sheffield Shield history.Only Michael Veletta and Geoff Marsh’s opening stand of 431 against South Australia in 1989-90 was better.After resuming at 3-216, it was a Brad Haddin blue which allowed Rogers to go on and nearly post a maiden double century after a missed stumping opportunity when Rogers was on 93 and the total 227.The Blues’ fielding, which had been so sharp in knocking off WA for 110 in the first innings, fell away as the pair barely put a foot wrong.Rogers and North had precious little support from their teammates with the last seven wickets falling for 44 runs.Rogers said he thrived on leading the remarkable fightback with North.”I quite enjoyed the challenge of being in that sort of position,” Rogers said.”It gives a lot more purpose to the cause of batting and the chance to do an important job for your team.”I took the attitude that I wanted to be the player that did a great job for our team today.”I like it when there is a big target to chase and you can set yourself toward a long time at the crease and that’s what Marcus and I did.”Rogers’ last century came early in the summer when he stonewalled the South Australian attack for almost an entire day to deny the Redbacks an outright victory.

Marcus Trescothick was back batting at the County Ground at 9.30 this morning only a few hours after Somerset had been defeated by Gloucestershire in their opening championship match of the season.Trescothick who failed to score in the first innings in Bristol and was dismissed for just ten runs after occupying the crease for thirty eight minutes in the second, is obviously determined to make amends for the Cidermen judging by the way he was treating the net bowlers.The England star gets an early opportunity to set the record straight when he faces Durham in the four day match that starts at Taunton on Wednesday and following of from Mondays disappointing result knows that nothing short of a victory will do.The county championship new boys finished bottom of Division Two last season with only a single win and eleven defeats from their campaign.Somerset on the other hand were relegated from the top division at the end of last season, after having finished runner’s up in 2001, and will feel confident of beating the north east county at Taunton.The two sides have met in the west country on five occasions, Somerset winning three times, with the other two being drawn. The last time the pair met in August 2000 was rain affected and ended as a high scoring draw.Somerset make two changes to the team that played against Gloucesterhire. Ian Blackwell is missing as a result of damaging the webbing between the fingers of his left hand taking a catch at Bristol, so Keith Dutch is brought into the twelve to give the attack some variety along with Keith Parsons who scored an impressive century for Somerset Seconds last week.The Somerset twelve have been named as: Marcus Trescothick, Peter Bowler, Mike Burns, Jamie Cox, James Bryant, Rob Turner, Aaron Laraman, Keith Parsons, Keith Dutch, Richard Johnson, Nixon McLean and Simon Francis .Chief executive was philosophical about the Cidermen’s defeat when I spoke to him at the County Ground on Tuesday morning. The Somerset boss said: "Whilst it was a disappointment to lose our match at Bristol we take some satisfaction from the fact that it was a highly competitive match and a very good advert for county cricket."He continued: "We now look forward to our first home match of the season and hope that our members will come out in force and support the team. The weather looks set fair and we are all keeping our fingers crossed that the new swipe card turnstile system will operate without a hitch. Miracles sometimes happen!"One entrance that members will not be able to use for the match is the new Riverside Turnstile, that has been built on the riverside walk near to the Brewhouse Car Park, alongside the River Tone, to replace the old entrances at the back of the Colin Atkinson Pavilion and the Coal Orchard entrance.Mr Anderson told me: "The new Riverside Entrance will not be in use, and people will have to access the ground either using either the Sir Vivian Richards gate on Priory Bridge Road, or the Jack White Gates in St James Street."He continued: "We are extremely disappointed that the project was held up as a result of an objection by the Environment Agency who were apparently concerned that people queuing or leaving the ground might fall into the river."He concluded: "This is the ultimate in nanny state gobbledegook because the ground has been in existence since 1875 and I am unaware of anybody falling into the river accidentally-although I’m not sure that in the past some of our members might have felt like jumping in!"

West Indies fast bowler Jermaine Lawson will miss the remainder of the one-day series against Australia because of a back injury. He might also miss the one-day series against Sri Lanka in June because of bulging discs in the lower back, according to Roger Brathwaite, chief executive of the West Indies Cricket Board.Lawson’s bowling action is under review by the International Cricket Council after he was reported by umpires David Shepherd and Srinivasa Venkataraghavan during the fourth Test against Australia. He will fly to Antigua to work with bowling advisor Andy Roberts once he is free of pain and ready to resume bowling.The sessions in Antigua form part of the ICC’s prescribed six-week review process for bowlers whose actions are reported.

Bashley (Rydal) cricketers have been nummed by the loss of their 23-year old team-mate Dale Middleton, who was found dead at his Lymington home on Friday evening.Middleton was an talented and extremely likeable all-round sportsman, who also played soccer for Pennington in the Bournemouth League. He had been due to play for Bashley 2nd XI at New Milton on Saturday.He represented Hampshire Under-17s and Under-19s as a left-arm spinning all-rounder and in recent seasons had developed into a useful `pinch-hitter’ in limited-over matches.”Dale was hugely popular around the Bashley club and in his Pennington footballing circles,” said club captain Matt King.”We talked about postponing the South Wilts and New Milton games on Saturday as a mark of respect, but the players felt they just had to go out and play.”All the Bashley teams – and their New Milton rivals – wore black armbands as a mark of respect to Dale this weekend.

John Scholes, who coached the Victorian Bushrangers to two Pura Cup finals during his tenure as coach from 1996-2001, died of a heart attack earlier today. He was 53.John “Barrel” Scholes played 62 times for Victoria, compiling 3201 runs at an average of 30.78. He captained Victoria for the first time when just 21, one of the youngest to do so. After his retirement as a player, he achieved much success as a coach, leading the Bushrangers to the Mercantile Mutual Cup in 1998-99 and consecutive Shield finals (1999-2001).Ken Jacobs, Cricket Victoria’s Chief Executive Officer, said that Scholes was aunique person who would be sadly missed. “I think today Victoria lost one of its greatest ever cricketing sons. John’s contribution as a player, junior andsenior coach, as well as mentor to many young Victorian cricketers, will quitesimply never be matched.”Scholes leaves behind his wife, Diane, and children, Shannon and Adam.

Jagmohan Dalmiya reckons that the contracts row, which hogged so much attention in the build-up to the World Cup, is certain to be resolved now that Ehsan Mani has taken over from Malcolm Gray as the president of the International Cricket Council (ICC). In a thinly-veiled attack on the previous incumbent, Dalmiya said that the issue had not been “handled the right way”.In a television interview, Dalmiya went on to add, “Everybody wants to serve the game well, but the methods are different. I have no problem with Gray. No jealousy or anything. Somewhere down the line, it might have appeared that we were not going in the right direction. That’s why we are not great buddies.”The ICC have withheld India’s share of the World Cup revenue, which comes to almost US$9 million, until an agreement can be reached with the Global Cricket Corporation (GCC), which marketed the event. The GCC had filed for compensation of $50m, claiming breach of player contracts.Dalmiya and Mani worked closely together during the Dalmiya’s tenure as ICC chief, and he’s convinced that Mani will sort things out at the earliest. “He (Mani) has now put the matter on the right track. It could have been sorted out earlier. I know him personally and I’m sure he’ll do what is in the best interest of the game.”Dalmiya launched a scathing attack on the GCC last month, claiming that they had not marketed the tournament properly. But a full-scale confrontation was avoided when Mani intervened. “We have accepted Mani’s request to avoid confrontation and also do not want the matter settled through arbitration,” said Dalmiya. “There is a lot of behind-the-scenes activity going on which I do not want to disclose now, but I am confident the matter will be settled amicably.”

CloseAfter pounding England into submission with a masterly century, Graeme Smith took the battle off the field, firing thinly veiled salvos at Nasser Hussain in a press conference. Smith’s unbeaten 178, along with Herschelle Gibbs’s 179, put South Africa in a commanding position at the end of the first day’s play, brushing aside Hussain’s earlier comments that the South Africans were “ripe for the taking.”Graeme Smith
On Hussain’s comments: That definitely played a role in motivating us. Wefobbed them off because we knew the comments were a load of rubbish. It gave us a bit more heart and it puts pressure on you when you make comments like that.On the record-breaking partnership: To be part of any pair that’s done that is a great feeling. We were a bit nervous up front. They bowled well. It was a difficultfirst hour but then we knuckled down.On Gibbs’s knock: After lunch Herschelle raced away to a hundred. It was a fantastic knock and it allowed me to settle down. With a player of his class, flair and talent we knew it wouldn’t be long.On Kallis’s bereavement: In some ways it was an emotional day. We wanted Jacques to know he was in our hearts. We’re playing for him.Duncan Fletcher
On the toss It was probably a good toss to win. You have to give the batsmen credit. Good batsmen are allowed to score hundreds.On England’s bowling effort: You have to remember our bowlers are very inexperienced. James Anderson’s not played in many Tests, Andrew Flintoff’s not bowled in many and Stephen Harmison’s inexperienced against batsmen at this level. They are all pretty attacking bowlers and maybe should have gone into a more defensive mode.