As I crossed the street to enter the little used Cheapside Market, I saw my old friend Rufus coming in the opposite direction. It was unusual to see him looking so tired and crestfallen as he did that afternoon.Naturally I had to find out if he was having more serious problems than when he realised that watching the World Cup next year was going to present him with real challenges.”Skipper,” he began, “I just come from down Pelican by the ticket office and I really can’t understand why if I want a ticket for the big final, I can’t arrange to buy one. This thing about a package don’t make sense.”It is like the old days when the hawkers in this market used to tell you that if you wanted to get potatoes, you had to buy yams. We should have freedom of choice. I tell you already that this World Cup like it for certain people from over in away. But let me tell you something, I won’t be surprised if come next year, they don’t be butting ’bout trying to get people to buy tickets at the last minute, and listen, the tickets ain’t cheap.”I could understand Rufus’ concerns. One would have expected a much more straightforward system that the old-time cricket fans could deal with. Why should one have to pay up front and still not be sure that one’s application will succeed?Rufus was unhappy about the delayed start of the local season. He felt it was about time we kept matters like these out of Coleridge Street. “Boss,” he went on, “the boys from Bristol got a good case and you know nowadays everybody demanding their pound of meat like the man in the Shakespeare play.””But, Rufus,” I interjected, “now that you mention meat, I remember a story about the two neighbours who had an altercation over the action of a cat. Apparently, Neighbour A had just bought two pounds of beef and placed it on the kitchen counter. The cat climbed through an open window and quickly disposed of the beef.Neighbour A was furious, so in an effort to keep the peace, Neighbour B called his cat and weighed it. The cat weighed exactly two pounds. Neighbour B then exclaimed, “All right, skipper, now that is your beef, now where is my cat?”We both laughed and concluded that relative to the promotion issue, it seems as if people are willing to look after the boys up the hill because from time to time something “honorary” blows in the wind. Things do get hilarious at times.Rufus was pleased that for a change, West Indies had won a series. “It’s a good thing that Mugabe boys did weak. But I feel that a good intermediate team in the 60s would run all over them. The real test is against India who got some men that ain’t scared to put bat to ball.”I asked Rufus what he felt about Lara’s reappointment as captain. He was not surprised since Trinidad now seemed to be the dominant power in the regional game.”Boss,” he added, “Trinidad got the president, the chairman of selectors, the captain, The WIPA president, everybody. And you know, they got money, fish and half of Barbados. You got to wait and see if the headquarters don’t get moved to Port-of-Spain just now.”I asked Rufus if he had seen the advertisement promoting the upcoming Twenty-20 tournament. Like the rest of us, he had heard much of the warranted criticism on the call-in programmes.”Boss,” uttered Rufus, “one of them ads nearly give me a heart attack.”You can imagine them take big men, some with Sir in front their name and make them look like elementary schoolboys. These is men with dignity, men who refused apartheid dollars and this is what they reducing them to? I hear they get good money but money ain’t everything. We got to let this money man know he can’t do this to we heroes.”The authorities better understand that they got to keep certain people far from West Indies cricket. We got to wake up and understand that we must look after we game without looking like beggars.”It was the first time I had seen Rufus so angry but I could understand the reasons. It won’t be long now before he loses all interest in the game that was very much a part of his life.

The interim executive of Zimbabwe Cricket has announced that it has dissolved the existing five provinces and replaced them with ten new boards.The move, which had been planned for some time, further weakens opposition to Peter Chingoka, the ZC chairman, and his executive as many of the existing provincial board members are now to all intents and purposes redundant.A statement issued by ZC said that it had received applications for affiliation from five provinces around the country – Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South – and that it had “affiliated them in line with the policy of the country’s sports regulatory authority, the Sports and Recreation Commission, for national sporting associations to devolve along the country’s 10 administrative provinces.””In affiliating the five, we have not only implemented one of the Interim Committee’s terms of reference but also continued with the ZC mission of spreading the game to all the corners of the country without regard to race or creed,” Chingoka explained. “We will continue working with the new affiliates to create provincial cricket administrative structures.”Three of the five – Manicaland, Masvingo and Midlands – were dissolved because they did not “conform with the new geographical limitations of their central government administrative namesakes”. The other two – the more infulential Mashonaland and Matabeleland – have effectively been split in smaller units.Much of the opposition to Chingoka has centred on the old established provinces, and their demise and division will ease the pressure on the board. Furthermore, ZC, which has effectively cleansed itself of any dissenters in recent months, will appoint interim committees to run the new entities pending the drawing up of new constitutions and fresh elections.The new ZC affiliates are as follows:
Harare Metropole Provincial Cricket Association
Bulawayo Metropole Provincial Cricket Association
Matabeleland North Provincial Cricket Association
Matabeleland South Provincial Cricket Association
Mashonaland Central Provincial Cricket Association
Mashonaland East Provincial Cricket Association
Mashonaland West Provincial Cricket Association
Manicaland Provincial Cricket Association
Masvingo Provincial Cricket Association
Midlands Provincial Cricket Association

In a surprising development, considering the intense competetion that has characterised previous bids involving the Indian board (BCCI), only one company has bid for three tenders issued on August 2.The last date for submission of tenders – for formal wear for the Indian team (2006-2010), for producing and executing ratings and award ceremony (2006-2011); and for ground rights for the tri-series in Singapore and Malaysia – was August 11 but only one company, Percept, met the deadline. The bids will be opened on Monday at Chennai during the BCCI’s marketing sub-committee meeting in Chennai.However, Lalit Modi, the chairman of BCCI’s marketing sub-committee, wasn’t alarmed. “The base price [for all three tenders] was around US$1million and whoever could afford have submitted,” he was quoted as saying in .Canali, the Italian-based company, had shown interest in the formal wear category but backed out once the bidding process began. “Canali’s proposal was an exchange offer and we had almost finalised things with them,” Modi continued. “But when others too came forward and offered to do the same we decided to go in for a bidding process.”And what of the ground rights of the Singapore-Malaysia tri-series? “Maybe they [bidders] felt the tournament comes in between Sri Lanka [Tri-series] and Champions Trophy,” Modi reasoned for the lukewarm response. “Anyone who fulfils the minimum criteria of $1m will get it. Those who can’t won’t put it.”

Essex powered to the Twenty20 Floodlit Cup after trashing Derbyshire by 92 runs at Derby. The Essex batting, which had impressed in the abandoned first leg, again shone with Mark Pettini and Ronnie Irani launching the innings through a stand of 60.By the time Irani was dismissed for 33, becoming the first of four wickets for Graham Wagg, Essex were already on their way to a sizeable total. Pettini – who slammed 72 in the first leg – top-scored with 53 off 36 balls, while there were useful contributions throughout the middle order with Ravinder Bopara’s 31 providing the final flourish in Essex’s 189 for 7Derbyshire never threatened to get anywhere near their target of 190 in reply as Andy Bichel and Tony Palladino produced fiery opening bursts. Palladino struck in each of his first three overs on his way to 3 for 31 as Derbyshire collapsed to 38 for 5.Hassan Adnan (22) and Ant Botha (19) brought some respectability in a sixth-wicket stand of 35 before Ryan ten Doeschate and Bopara claimed two wickets apiece to leave Essex on the brink of victory. Kevin Dean was run out by a direct hit from Tim Phillips at point to finally dismiss the home side for 97 with 32 balls remaining.Irani said: “It’s brilliant for Essex that we’ve picked up the ‘Baby’ [Twenty20 Floodlit Cup] and hopefully we can add the ‘Daddy’ [Pro40] on Sunday.”Glamorgan came out on top of the third place play-off, beating Sussex by 24 runs at Sophia Gardens. Mark Wallace and Richard Grant led the Glamorgan charge, bringing up the 50 inside five overs. However, as has often been the way in the main Twenty20 tournament, the spinners slowed the batsmen with Tom Smith and Chris Nash producing useful spells of offspin. But Sussex’s attentions are on more important prizes – the Championship showdown next week – and the batting failed to fire against some impressive Glamorgan bowling.

Percy Sonn, the ICC’s ever-entertaining president, regaled the media fornearly 45 minutes after his arrival in Colombo, but the sense of humourwas conspicuously absent when it came to his views on South Africa’swithdrawal from the tri-nation series that also involved India and SriLanka. With the ensuing three-match series between Sri Lanka and Indiaalso on the verge of being cancelled, Sri Lanka Cricket is in disarray andlooking at a considerable sum in the red.Sonn, who broke the ice by speaking of his love of the country, trips upnorth to see the elephants and the efficacy of the local oils, invoked thespirit of cricket when he spoke of South Africa’s withdrawal from thetour. “It’s always disappointing when cricket is called off,” he said. “Thespirit of cricket is also about a commitment to play even under the worstcircumstances.”There was a chuckle or two when he spoke of his experiences managing ateam in the townships – “On a Friday night, I’d have to beat up people tokeep them sober for the next day. Some days, if we didn’t have enoughplayers, we’d fill in with school boys.”Sonn went on to state that it was now for Sri Lanka Cricket and CricketSouth Africa to sit together and decide when the matches could be played.He said that the issue would only be presented before the DisputeResolution Committee if both countries couldn’t come to an agreement onthe matter.While admitting that security was a touchy subject, Sonn stated thatcricket had to live with ground realities. ‘The world we live in is animperfect place,” he said. ‘Every country has some issues. The place whereI was born is often referred to as the crime capital of the world, but Ihave never felt that way. I feel as safe there as I do here.”We in the cricketing family have to make the most of the situation andlook to play at all times. We must go out of our way to ensure that thespirit of cricket overrides all the diversities in our cultures.”Sonn spoke of how the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa had helpedbring the country together, and also alluded to Pakistan’s tour of Indiain 1999, with the two countries on the verge of another war, as examplesof how sport could have a positive effect on life.With the ICC’s own tournament, the Champions Trophy, due to be held inIndia in October-November, Sonn said that every precaution had been takenon the security front. “It will be a feast of cricket,” he said. “We havean opportunity to create the best of cricket in India, a country whereeveryone watches the game.”He said that his reaction had been one of “deep disappointment” when helearnt of South Africa’s decision to leave Sri Lanka. “It’s not for theICC to judge the South African decision,” he said, before going on to addthat if all countries were amenable to the idea, the ICC might considermaking the security assessment themselves, rather than leaving theresponsibility to private agencies.He said that the decision to ask for an independent opinion, in the wakeof South Africa’s own security team declaring Colombo unsafe, was part ofICC protocol, put in place after South Africa had dithered prior to theirtour of Pakistan in late 2003. He said that Sri Lanka Cricket would haveto calculate their losses and then talk to South Africa about reschedulingthe matches within the framework of the Future Tours Programme.The man who was president of the United Cricket Board of South Africaduring the last World Cup, laughed when asked what security arrangementshad been made for his visit. “They’re so efficient that I don’t see them,”said Sonn with a chuckle. And when someone enquired whether he felt safewhere his countrymen had not, he smiled and said: “I’m from Cape Town. We aredifferent.”

Australia’s cricket team is “totally confident” in security measures taken in response to reports of a terror threat against the squad during last year’s Ashes series, according to the captain Ricky Ponting. The .”Unfortunately it is part and parcel of modern life when you are travelling the globe. We didn’t go to Sri Lanka or Pakistan because we were not 100 percent sure. Being 99 percent sure isn’t good enough.”

Ricky Ponting has conceded he is struggling for form less than a fortnight from the start of the Ashes. Ponting was out for 10 in Tasmania’s Ford Ranger Cup loss to Victoria on Sunday, following on from his below-average performances in the Champions Trophy.Since September Ponting has played nine one-day internationals at the DLF Cup and the Champions Trophy, averaging only 22.33 with three half-centuries and five single-figure scores. After he was caught behind down the legside on Sunday, Ponting said he was keen to spend time at the crease in Tasmania’s Pura Cup match with Victoria starting on Tuesday.”I’m not great, I’m probably not setting the world alight at the moment,” he told . “It would have been nice to spend a bit longer out there today and get a few runs under my belt, have something to do with the result of the game. The last few months haven’t been my best batting. Hopefully some time in the middle will come for me and hopefully that’s in the next game.”Ponting said Australia’s Test players would need to adjust quickly to the conditions in Australia after spending nearly a month in India. “I worked really hard on my game through India and I felt I played a couple of decent innings over there,” he said. “But back in Australia, the conditions are slightly different to what we had over there, so I think it’s important for all of us looking forward to the Test match to make what we can from this next game. Probably we’re all looking forward to a good, solid hitout.”But we’ll worry about that when we need to – I’m looking forward now to be able to change things around for Tasmania. If that means me spending some time in the middle and getting some runs, getting some valuable time in the middle looking ahead, then that would be great. But we’ve got a state game to win now.”

Seldom does a five-wicket haul occasion muted celebration, but a12th one for Danish Kaneria is one such instance. He did dismiss Brian Lara but it came at exorbitant cost. Then again, on this surface, any success, two, three or fivewickets, is a victory in its own right.The pitch was foremost on Kaneria’s mind after a day on which Pakistanpulled themselves out from a spot of considerable bother, asking localcurators to make more helpful tracks. “This wicket has no life at all andyou have to put a lot of effort into it. I know in the winter seasons inPunjab it is difficult to make good wickets but the wickets should be suchto offer advantage to the home team. Curators here have to work harder toproduce better pitches.”But a day-after sort of feel permeated through the fourth day, Lara’s aura still looming large. Of Kaneria’s 177 wickets – now equal tenth in Pakistan’s list of highest wicket-takers with SarfrazNawaz – none have come more expensive than Lara. It is typical of Kaneriathat he enjoys bowling to him, even after Lara, at one stage, had taken 60runs from 29 deliveries he faced from Kaneria. “He is such a great batsmanthat it is an exciting challenge for me to bowl to him. I don’t thinkgetting hit by the world’s number one batsman is a failure on my part.I am actually happy that a player as great as Lara hits me around. I learnfrom that but he has hit everyone from around the world.”Not all of them have been hit for 26 runs in an over, as Kaneria was,though Robin Peterson of South Africa, dispatched for 28 by Lara once,offers company. Talking about the over, Kaneria recognized he had beenbested. “I was just thinking I wanted to block him and stop his scoring.He is a fantastic timer of the ball. He sees the ball from my hand andreads it so well which is the sign of a great player. I wanted to trap himbut he was thinking ahead of me.”Trapping him he tried, as variations were utilized, angles changed andflights lowered, none to much effect. “I changed my action every now andthen, used the crease a bit more. I tried different angles and variationsand you have to give batsmen boundaries to buy their wickets. It justdidn’t work this time.” But, as he was also quick to remind everyonebullishly, ultimately, he did get rid of him. “I also got him out. I knowhe had made a double hundred by then, but he sets himself for making 400usually so it is something.”Solid half-centuries from Imran Farhat, Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf,second for the match for each of them, mean that Pakistan are only 21 runsbehind, eight wickets in hand and a whole day left. A draw is thehonourable and realistic option though Kaneria, ever the optimist, thinksotherwise. “We weren’t negative today and we just wanted to playpositively which I think we did with our batting. We are batting well. Ifwe can get quick runs, make a total, we can put them under pressure aslast days are always difficult.”More realistic claims to victory are those made by Daren Ganga, though healso acknowledged that the pitch wasn’t likely to do them any favours.”The pitch is playing really well still. It is really placid and notoffering much help to bowlers. The second new ball tomorrow morning willbe the key period. We are obviously aiming for the win. We’d like to go toKarachi with the series tied and a chance to win the series.”.

Well this is the grand finale. It has been a long time on the road and it comes to an end as all things must come to an end. It’s been a long, hard fight on the road, three and a half months, but unfortunately the tour ended on a disappointing note.We started well in Malaysia, then went on to India and finished here in Pakistan. First of all, to touch on the last couple of Pakistan games, it was disappointing in both forms but I think it was a good experience. India and Pakistan may be neighbours but it’s a different environment.You get English conditions here, it’s a bit cooler and it’s been a while since we’ve played in those conditions. In the last game we came up a bit short defending 238. I think we should have got more runs on the board, it was a flat pitch and Pakistan came out easy in the end with a lot of wickets in had.I thought the team played well in the one-dayers. Marlon (Samuels) got a century and came back to his own and it is good to see him get an opportunity to prove himself at the top of the order. Shiv (Chanderpaul) came up in the end with another century. After missing the first two games he came back well and got a half-century and a century.Once this continues and everyone contributes it will be good for the team. The bowlers did well in Pakistan -Jerome (Taylor), (Corey) Collymore, (Daren) Powell in his first game and (Dwayne) Smith played a good part as well.If we continue to play the sort of cricket we have been playing, we will find ourselves struggling going into the World Cup. The chopping and changing is going to be difficult for us and put us on the back foot.Personally, from my point of view, things can be handled right within the team with the selections on a whole. It’s about time we have a steady World Cup squad … there is no time to experiment now.On a personal note, I started with a good one-day series in Malaysia and then continued on in India on a high and then came to Pakistan and it was a disappointing tour for me in both forms. No excuses, it was a good experience; I will use it to gain more experience. In the bowling department, I think I have been underused on most occasions. I am not a scapegoat bowler in this team to be used only when things are difficult.Things can be handled a bit better in that scenario. I have to wish my fans and everyone a merry Christmas and happy new year when the new year arrives. I hope everyone keeps supporting the team, we have a lot of cricket to play next year and, hopefully, we will start the new year on a high note.This Christmas is not going to be a party Christmas for me but you can find me in the club most of the times.

When they sat next to each other on the team bus during an ill-fatedone-day series, Wasim Jaffer and Dinesh Karthik couldn’t have dreamt of aday such as this, and a 153-run opening partnership that thwarted SouthAfrica until Asad Rauf upheld an optimistic appeal from Paul Harris.Jaffer took that setback in his stride though, going on to make 116 beforea tired push at a Dale Steyn delivery gave Jacques Kallis a 100th catch inTest cricket.”We’re pretty good friends,” said Jaffer at the press conference after theday’s play. “We have sat next to each other on the bus right through thetour, and I know him very well as a person. We get along well off thefield, so there were not too many adjustments to make while opening theinnings.”He was playing a Test after a long while, and it was a commendableperformance from him, not merely to accept the task of opening the inningsbut to make 60-plus.”When the two walked out in the morning after Rahul Dravid won the toss,they might have been forgiven for thinking that it was a home Test, minusthe bedlam in the stands. According to Jaffer, it was “an Indian pitch”that greeted them.”When we saw the track yesterday, we were surprised how a pitch in SouthAfrica could look like this,” he said with a characteristic shy smile. “Itwas very good for batting today and I’m glad we capitalised on it. Theball’s already turning and there are rough patches. Obviously, Anil Kumblewill have a role to play as the game wears on.”His place in the side had come under the scanner after two poor outings inthe one-day series and failures in the tour game and first Test. But theteam management kept faith and he played two attractive innings atKingsmead, though the lasting memory will be of that awful pull that ledto his dismissal on the final morning.Jaffer called his third Test century the best possible gift that he couldgive his team at the start of the year. “I was definitely under pressurecoming into this game,” he said. “Right through this tour, I haven’t madeenough runs. I’m thankful to the team management that they stuck by me andgave me a chance to bat here. Thank God I came good in this Test.”He was mindful of what had happened in Durban, and showed commendableconcentration for six hours under a blazing sun. “There’s pressure inevery match,” he said. “I had spent some time in the middle in Durban, andthat helped me here. I had a lapse in concentration there, and I wanted toavoid those mistakes.”Jaffer had been informed on the eve of the game that he was part of the12, but he said that he only knew for sure that he’d be padding up when hearrived at the ground in the morning. The identity of his opening partnerdidn’t surprise him unduly though. “It’s the management’s decision, I haveno role in that,” he said. “I am happy to bat with anyone as my partner.”For the moment, the man who sits alongside him on the bus appears to be asgood an option as any.