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West Indian fans may not see or hear a ball on the tour of Zimbabwe. Two days before the start of the five-match one-day series, uncertainty surrounds live television coverage and no radio commentary appears to be available.SportsMax, the Jamaica cable company that holds television rights for West Indies overseas tours, is trying to finalise last-minute arrangements to facilitate the broadcast, and managing director Oliver McIntosh said yesterday a decision would be made today. In his estimation, it stood at a “50-50″ chance that the matches would be shown on their channel which is beamed to 18 islands across the Caribbean.”The issue that we faced is extremely short notice. If we carry it, it will be more for content and less for commercial purposes. It is essentially a cost to carry it,” McIntosh told the Nation from his office in Kingston. “There are also issues picking up signals from Zimbabwe that we’ve experienced in the past and we’re trying to make sure that if we do carry it, there are no issues. The video satellite and link-up is not as easy from Zimbabwe as it is from say Australia or South Africa.”While the tour of Zimbabwe was always part of the ICC’s calendar, there were doubts over whether it would have proceeded on the grounds of safety, security and food integrity in the African nation. The West Indies Cricket Board finally provided confirmation of the tour on November 6 when it also said it would continue to monitor the situation in Zimbabwe.”It’s about 50-50. The problem is the lateness of the tour,” McIntosh said. “The announcement of it was very late. It is tough. We already have our content and spending set for the year. This is a cost venture.”Radio coverage also seems a no-no for the tour in which the other matches against Zimbabwe are on December 2, 5, 7 and 9.Caribbean Media Corporation CricketPlus producer Adriel Richard said itwas not in a position to provide coverage because it does not hold rights for either radio or television.While uncertainty hinges on the Zimbabwe tour, SportsMax will carry live television coverage of the West Indies’ tour of South Africa that includes three Tests and five ODIs from December 26 to February 3, while CMC will also have live ball-by-ball radio coverage from the South Africa Broadcasting Corporation.

Perhaps the most famous spectacle-wearer ever to have stalked the covers, Clive Lloyd was one of the great captains of all time. With his hulking six-foot frame and a slight air of professorial detachment, he was the natural leader of the great West Indian side of the late 1970s and early 1980s and, in 1975, his century at Lord’s secured victory in the inaugural World Cup. And yet, Lloyd’s career might have been ended before it began, when his eyesight began to deteriorate in his early teens.At the age of 12, Lloyd was already a budding schoolboy cricketer, when he was poked in the eye with a ruler while breaking up a fight between two younger boys. At first he took no real notice of it, but before long he was unable to read the blackboard in the classroom, and he had to squint to make out the score while batting in cricket matches. But most importantly of all, he was failing to sight the ball properly. “I was getting out lbw far too frequently,” he wrote in his autobiography. “The umpire couldn’t have been wrong every time.”So out came the spectacles, and a legend was born. Lloyd’s prowess as a fielder was ample proof of the benefits they provided to his game, while in a 22-year career, they enabled him to score more than 30,000 runs, with 79 centuries.

The ongoing debate over Steve Waugh’s future as Australia’s captain surfaced again at the weekend with comments from two former players turned commentators, Jeff Thomson and David Hookes, that the time is right for him to step down.Thomson and Hookes said that with the Australian middle-order aging and with a series against Bangladesh starting in July, Waugh should go in the interest of the team. “It’s time to move on and it’s a good time to do it when the opposition isn’t that good,” Thomson argued. “When he [Waugh] got the hundred in Sydney, I thought that was enough. What’s he going to prove if he plays Bangladesh? Who cares if Steve Waugh gets a hundred?”Hookes, a long-standing critic of Waugh, agreed. “I can’t see any point [him] playing against Bangladesh. He won’t get a hit for starters. Look at the batting,” he continued. “You’ve got him, Lehmann, Ponting and Martyn to come back – they are not young blokes.Thomson went one step further, suggesting that Glenn McGrath should be relived of his new-ball duties in favour of Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie. “If the wicket’s got something in it, you may as well use Gillespie and Lee,” Thomson said. “Lee should be opening the bowling, get the choice of ends. To bowl Lee into the wind is not on any more. McGrath wouldn’t have to wait long. They are only going to bowl five or six overs.”

Close Sri Lanka 81 for 1 (Atapattu 29*, Sangakkara 16*) trail Australia 220 (Lehmann 63, Muralitharan 6-59) by 139 runs
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Muttiah Muralitharan burst out of the blocks in the race to 500 wickets, ripping through Australia’s formidable batting order to leave Sri Lanka in pole position in the opening Test in Galle. Australia, wasting a crucial toss on a bald, sun-baked pitch, were bowled out for just 220 in 68.3 overs. Muralitharan snapped up 6 for 59, his best figures against Australia. Marvan Atapattu finished off the day with a brace of elegant cover-drives, and Kumar Sangakkara smashed Stuart MacGill for a magnificent six in the last over as Sri Lanka closed on 81 for 1 from 22 overs.It was the 40th time in his 86-match career that Murali had taken five wickets in an innings – extending his own world record – and it wiped out Shane Warne’s six-wicket lead as he extended to his career tally to 491 wickets. The chances of Murali reaching 500 in this game remain extremely remote, but Sri Lanka’s cricket board is taking no chances, speeding up the production of souvenir T-shirts and a commemorative award.Darren Lehmann, back in the side after an Achilles-tendon injury, used his experience and prowess against the spinners to hold the innings together with a battling 63. Lehmann added 72 with Damien Martyn (42) for the fourth wicket, and then 52 for the seventh with fellow returnee Warne (23), who was playing his first Test for 12 months after a drugs ban.The Australian innings, though was dominated by incendiary passages of play. First, midway through the afternoon with a small crowd tiring under a fierce sun, three wickets fell for 15 runs to bring the Martyn-Lehmann recovery to an abrupt halt. Then, straight after the tea interval, the last four wickets tumbled for just five runs in the space of 13 balls.Sri Lanka’s dream day continued as Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya added 53 for the first wicket. But Warne’s return to the bowling crease gave Australia something to cheer. There was no wonder-ball to relaunch his career, as eight runs were scored off his first over, but an innocuous straight one accounted for Jayasuriya (35), who missed an attempted sweep.Earlier, Sri Lanka opened the bowling with Chaminda Vaas, their only fast bowler, and Kumar Dharmasena, one of six slow men in the XI. Vaas found a smidgin of swing in his first couple of overs, but the pitch was back-breakingly slow from a fast-bowler’s perspective and, although Hayden offered a difficult return chance on 19, the spinners were always going to hold the key.Justin Langer was the first spin casualty of the series as he rocked onto the back foot and tried to punch Dharmasena through the off side. He was deceived by the low bounce of the offbreak, and Sangakkara took a juggling catch off the toe of the bat (31 for 1).Ricky Ponting, who had finally assumed the Test leadership from Steve Waugh, showed his aggressive intentions immediately. He had batted superbly in the one-day series, clocking up four consecutive fifties, and he started in an equally business-like manner here as 31 runs were added in 39 balls.Muralitharan was drafted into the attack with immediate success, courtesy of an athletic, full-stretch catch by Upul Chandana, sprinting around from a deepish square leg. Hayden, who had top-edged an attempted sweep, had scored 41 from 46 balls, with six fours. The introduction of Chandana was equally successful, this time accounting for the prized scalp of Ponting, stumped by two metres after being lured down the pitch by a flighted legbreak (76 for 3).Martyn and Lehmann steadied the innings for a while, adding 72 in 131 balls for the fourth wicket either side of lunch. Like their colleagues back in the dressing-room, they endeavoured to be positive whenever given an opportunity to score. Lehmann was the bolder, shuffling down the wicket to the slow bowlers as often as he could, even to Muralitharan, whom he lifted for six over long-on.As the partnership started to reach sizeable proportions, Sri Lanka slipped back onto the defensive. Dharmasena operated with a 7-2 field against Martyn, who hasn’t scored a Test century for 25 months. The ploy worked, as he paddle-swept an offbreak straight into the hands of Mahela Jayawardene at leg slip. Martyn had scored 42 from 81 balls and hit three fours (148 for 4).Muralitharan, called back into the attack for a second spell, then spun Sri Lanka firmly back into the driving-seat: Andrew Symonds was adjudged to have edged a fizzing offbreak via his pads to Jayawardene at slip for a debut duck, and Adam Gilchrist’s poor run continued as he toe-ended an awkward sweep to Dharmasena, running in from deep square (163 for 6).Sri Lanka were firmly in charge now, as three wickets had tumbled for 15. But Lehmann, dropped at silly point when 30 off Muralitharan, battled hard, along with Warne. Lehmann chugged past fifty for the fifth time in his career while Warne, riding his luck against Muralitharan, smacked four meaty fours in a valuable cameo.They carried Australia within sight of a competitive score by tea. But Muralitharan ensured that was never achieved after Lehmann fidgeted too far across his stumps, leaving them exposed. Vaas’s offcutter feathered Warne’s outside edge, and Murali mopped up the rabbits: Kasprowicz was bowled through the gate, and Stuart MacGill made a complete hash of a straight one, to leave Murali on a hat-trick in the second innings.

Frizzell County Championship Division OneKent 362 and 418 for 3 dec beat Nottinghamshire 156 and 337 by 287 runs at Maidstone
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Mohammad Sami completed the superb match figures of 15 for 114, the best bowling figures of the season so far, as Kent completed their first Championship victory of the season by overwhelming Nottinghamshire at Maidstone. Kent didn’t have it all their own way, however, as Notts mounted a valiant rearguard, led by Jason Gallian’s six-hour 106 and ably supported by Kevin Pietersen, Chris Cairns and Paul Franks. Sami though was irresistible, and followed his eight wickets in the first innings by skittling Notts’s tail with five more wickets in the space of seven runs. Muttiah Muralitharan arrives at the end of the month, and Kent’s prospects are on the up at last. Leicestershire 447 and 148 for 2 trail Middlesex 620 for 7 dec by 25 runs at Southgate
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It’s not often that a side scores 447 and still has to follow on, but that indignity was inflicted on Leicestershire, after Middlesex had compiled a whopping 620 for 7 Dec on the first two days at Southgate. Chad Keegan added three more wickets to his overnight haul to finish with a career-best 6 for 114 from 29 overs, and when John Maunders fell to the first ball of the follow-on, caught behind off Ashley Noffke, the omens didn’t look good. Noffke then dealt with Leicestershire’s first-innings hero, Virender Sehwag, in similar fashion (31 for 2), but Darren Maddy and Brad Hodge knuckled down to rescue the innings with an unbeaten 117-run stand for the third wicket. By the close, Leicestershire were 25 runs behind, with eight wickets remaining, and a draw seemed to be the likely result.Essex 340 and 254 for 6 lead Sussex 282 for 8 by 235 runs at Arundel
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The Championship fixture between Essex and Sussex remained evenly poised, after another day of slow manoeuvring at Arundel. The early honours belonged to Sussex, who secured a first-innings lead thanks to Mushtaq Ahmed, James Kirtley and Jason Lewry, who added 79 runs for the last two wickets. Essex then slipped to 50 for 2, with both Nasser Hussain and James Foster dismissed, but Paul Grayson’s 71 and a pair of half-centuries for Andy Flower and Aftab Habib put Essex back in the reckoning. Warwickshire 245 and 304 for 5 trail Surrey 355 and 450 for 5 dec by 256 runs at Edgbaston
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Warwickshire’s pursuit of the improbable suffered two devastating blows shortly before the close, when Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott were prised out in quick succession, to leave Surrey on the verge of their fifth Championship victory of the season. Warwickshire’s slim hopes had been ground into the dust in the morning session, as Mark Ramprakash converted his overnight 121 into a magnificent unbeaten 182, allowing Surrey to declare on 450 for 5, a lead of 560. But Michael Powell led the charge with 91, and at 293 for 3, Warwickshire dared to dream. But Adam Hollioake trapped Trott lbw for 51, before Saqlain Mushtaq picked up Bell three runs later for 71.Frizzell County Championship Division Two Gloucestershire 277 and 171 for 5 beat Derbyshire 89 and 356 by five wickets at Derby
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Derbyshire were made to pay for a pathetic first-innings effort, as Gloucestershire eked out a five-wicket victory that might have been very different had they been set more than 169 for victory. After collapsing to 89 all out in their first effort, Derbyshire fared considerably better second-time around, as Michael di Venuto (148) and Luke Sutton (81*) carried them to a healthy 356. Gloucestershire, who had managed 277 in their first innings, then slumped to 52 for 4, with two wickets each for Kevin Dean and Graeme Welch. But Jonty Rhodes calmed the nerves with an unbeaten 62, and Alex Gidman added a brisk 41 from 46 balls before being bowled by Dominic Cork with 48 runs still required. Northamptonshire 322 and 206 for 2 beat Durham 327 and 199 by eight wickets at Chester-le-Street
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Jason Brown gave a reminder of the form that earned him a place on England’s tour to Sri Lanka in 2000-01, as he bowled Northants to victory at Chester-le-Street with second-innings figures of 7 for 69. Northants and Durham had been level-pegging on first innings, but match was transformed when the spinners Brown and Graeme Swann entered the fray. From 70 for 0, Durham slumped to 100 for 5, and though Nicky Peng and Phil Mustard slowed the rot with a 71-run partnership, Brown ripped through the tail for his best figures in first-class cricket. Set 205 to win, Mike Hussey and Phil Jaques broke the back of the run-chase with a 156-run partnership, as Northants took their place at the top of Division Two. Somerset 233 and 129 for 3 trail Glamorgan 349 and 307 by 294 runs at Cardiff
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Matthew Maynard completed his third Championship century of the season as Glamorgan closed in on victory against Somerset at Sophia Gardens. Maynard, who had been 32 not out overnight, was in scintillating form, rushing to 101 from 114 balls, with 13 fours and two sixes to give Glamorgan plenty time to force a result. By the close, Somerset had limped to 129 for 3 in pursuit of 424.

England have moved up to third place in the ICC’s Test Championship table after their 3-0 win in the Carribean while India’s 2-1 series win in Pakistan has lifted them to fourth place, the highest they have ever been in the ratings.The result meant England jumped ahead of India by a single point, while West Indies stayed stagnant in eighth position. With Pakistan losing the third Test, and hence the series, against India, England will be assured of their third spot at least until the end of their home series against New Zealand this summer.India’s rating has risen from 100 to 102 as a result of the series victory in Pakistan. The result put India ahead of Pakistan for the first time since August 2003 with Pakistan dropping from 102 to 99.Earlier this year, India’s rating improved from 95 to 100 due to a strong showing in the drawn series against Australia. India has never had a rating above 100 since the new system of calculation was introduced in July 2003 and has never been as high as fourth since the introduction of the system in May 2001.Prior to the current Test series, India also overtook Pakistan in the ICC one-day championship by virtue of a 3-2 win in the ODI series.

Thilanga Sumathipala, the former president of Sri Lanka Cricket, will take up a new formal role as the board’s official representative to International Cricket Council this weekend. Sumathipala is scheduled to attend the ICC’s executive meeting in Lahore on October 16 and 17.”The executive committee unanimously decided to request Mr. Sumathipala to attend the ICC executive meeting in Lahore on October 16 and 17,” a media release said. “Sumathipala is the longest serving ICC executive board member, who has been handling the most important affairs in the international arena for Sri Lankan Cricket.”Sumathipala decided not to run for a fourth term as board president earlier this year, after an immigration scandal led to him being held in police custody for nearly five months. But he remains a powerful and influential figure in the current administration.The position as an international envoy had been offered earlier in the year, but Sumathipala, at the time under police guard in a private hospital, turned down the post. He was released on bail in June and has now been handed back his passport.The immigration case, however, still continues with the next hearing set for later this month. The case revolves around Sumathipala’s alleged assistance of Dhammika Amarasinghe, a man implicated in more than 28 murder cases, to obtain a forged passport and travel to London as a cricket board guest in 1999.

Andy Caddick has been ruled out of the Test series against Zimbabwe after sustaining ligament damage in his right foot.Caddick, England’s leading wicket-taker in last winter’s Ashes series, had retired from one-day cricket after the World Cup in order to concentrate on Tests. But after seeing a specialist this morning, he is likely to be ruled out of all forms of cricket for up to six weeks, after being diagnosed as having damaged ligaments in the arch of his right foot.

The chief medical officer of the England & Wales Cricket Board, Dr Peter Gregory, said: “We will re-assess Andy’s condition again in the near future but at this stage we anticipate, that with rest, he should be fit and available for the npower Test Series against South Africa.” Caddick has been advised to wear a protective surgical boot for up to six weeks to help overcome the problem.Caddick is not the only England player with fitness problems. Andrew Flintoff recently suffered a trapped nerve in his right shoulder and was ruled out of Lancashire’s latest Championship match against Essex. “At this stage there is a slim chance that Andrew will be available for the first Test,” added Gregory. “We will have a clearer idea once we have had an opportunity to assess the results of the tests he underwent earlier today.”But Caddick’s absence will leave England’s selectors with the biggest dilemma when they gather on Saturday to select their squad for the first Test at Lord’s, which starts on Thursday. James Anderson is now likely to take the new ball with Stephen Harmison, both of whom were awarded England central contracts last month, but their lack of Test experience is a worry.Matthew Hoggard and Alex Tudor, both of whom played during the winter, are among the likely candidates to take Caddick’s place, but there is the outside chance that England could turn to Darren Gough, whose recovery from a chronic knee condition has been one of the highlights of the early season.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India had approached the Delhi Police asking for its stand on the thorny issue of questioning Herschelle Gibbs and Nicky Boje should they come on South Africa’s tour of India in November.Both men are considered key witnesses in the match-fixing case that was investigated by the Delhi Police, and the South African team has reportedly threatened to abort the tour unless they’re given assurances that Gibbs and Boje won’t be questioned. The BCCI has now written to KK Paul, the Delhi Police Commissioner, asking for a clarification.”We have received the letter and are examining it,” said Paul, when contacted by the Press Trust of India yesterday. The Delhi Police have yet to decide on their course of action.It may be recalled that it was the Crime Branch that unearthed the scandal which led to the fall from grace of the likes of Hansie Cronje and Mohammad Azharuddin, when they eavesdropped on conversations between some players and bookies. According to Delhi Police, the case has not been closed.

Although it was USA’s turn to have a day off on Friday, heavy rain which washed out the games involving their nearest rivals ensured that they won the tournament before their last match, leaving Cayman Islands, Canada and Bermuda scrapping for second place.USA beat Cayman Islands by six wickets
USA completed an impressive clean sweep, confirming beyond any doubt that they were the best team. That they beat Cayman Islands, the side drafted into the Intercontinental Cup at the senior team’s expense, will give them added pleasure.Cayman Islands were inserted on a wicket that had a little moisture from the overnight rain. Openers Ricardo Roach and William Quin got off to a reasonable start but then disaster struck as both fell with the score on 26 . Wickets fell rapidly thereafter as the spinners tied down the batting and Cayman Islands were skittled for 86. Hemant Punoo, USA’s captain, was the pick of the bowlers with 8.3-3-12-4. The solid USA batting side struggled somewhat, but again it was Punoo to the rescue with a brilliant 42 not-out as the USA won the match by six wickets. Unsurprisngly, Punoo was named Man of the Match.Canada beat Bermuda by 99 runs
Originally planned as the championship decider, this contest took a new meaning with USA already securing the Championship Trophy all the winner could hope for was the silver medal.Canada won the toss and surprised the crowd by electing to bat on a damp wicket , and that decision looked dubious as they slumped to 65 for 5. Then Trevin Bastiampillai was joined at the wicket by Waqas Junaid and the pair put on the best batting display of the tournament with a 142-run sixth-wicket partnership. Junaid fell for 43 but Bastiampillai carried his bat through the innings for 110 not out, the first century of the tournament. The Canadians finished on 239 for 8.From the moment Bermuda lost their Captain O.Bascome to the first ball of their innings, they were never really a threat. Rodney Trott (30) and Dickinson (42 not out) were the only two batsmen to offer some fight. Gunraj Patel 7.5-2-18-3 and Krunal Patel 6-2-21-3 made certain that Canada gained the silver medal.For his fine innings Trevin Bastiampillai was the obvious Man of the Match. There was further gloom for Bermuda who lost out on a medal as they tied with Cayman Islands in the points table, but the Cayman Islands had a better run rate.