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Peter Moores, the new England coach, will have less power over the team than Duncan Fletcher, his predecessor, according to a report on the BBC.Unlike Fletcher, Moores will have less day-to-day control, and on tour he will no longer fulfill the role of team manager, chief selector and coach.The changes are believed to be ones that will be recommended by the Schofield report, an investigation into England’s performances over the last four years, when it is published later this month.Among other things, the report will look at how the selection committee works and how the coach reports to the ECB.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

India stormed to one of their most memorable wins of all time amid historic scenes at the Wanderers, wrapping up a comprehensive 123-run victory on the fourth day of the first Test. Anil Kumble led an efficient mop-up operation, just as he’d done six months ago in another momentous game at Kingston, and put to rest a 14-year bogey of never winning a Test in South Africa.Ashwell Prince resisted with a battling 97, and briefly threatened to pull off a miracle with the energetic Shaun Pollock, but eventually South Africa saving this game, let alone winning it, was a bridge too far. Pollock tried to hoick across the line once too often to the unrelenting Kumble – just like Dwayne Bravo had on the tense final day at Kingston, heralding the end – and saw any remaining hope dashed, with the ball dislodging the off bail.A couple of zipping deliveries from Kumble accounted for two more wickets – Andre Nel was late on a fizzing flipper while Prince had no answer to a yorker-length ball that rattled the base of leg stump. Zaheer returned, along with the new ball, to finish it off with Makhaya Ntini ballooning a simple catch to Virender Sehwag running from point to cover. It was a moment that signaled the breaking of a barrier and for the second time in as many Tests India’s cricketers had etched their names in the history books.

With only half their side remaining, South Africa began the day needing a minor miracle. Zaheer’s dismissal of Boucher, in the third over of the morning with one that carried on with the angle after pitching on leg stump, weakened them further. Pollock telegraphed his intentions the moment he entered, clipping a four off his pads and targeting Zaheer for special treatment. He hit him for 23 runs in the 12 balls he faced, a cameo that included a hooked six over fine leg and a crisp cover-drive three deliveries later.With Prince staying put at the other end, and with the target whittled down to below 200, India endured some nervy moments. Pollock, when on 30, scampered a dangerous single only for Rahul Dravid to fumble at mid-on ; Prince swished at a few outside off but India’s bowlers, as hard as they tried, couldn’t summon the breakthrough. VRV Singh struggled with his length – he later couldn’t get over a no-ball affliction – and minor niggles to Sreesanth and Zaheer, both of whom left the field, caused a few flutters.But for the umpteenth time in his career Kumble proved to be the go-to man and ended South Africa’s last line of resistance. Prince decided to go for broke, making room for himself and clattering a couple of fours to the off side, but he fell three short of a well-deserved hundred when he failed to read Kumble. Prince showed virtues that few other batsmen in his side displayed – gutsing it out amid the tumbling wickets and putting a price on his wicket – but his innings was submerged in India’s wave of elation.

Ian Bell has been named as captain of the MCC side to take on Yorkshire in this year’s Champion County match in Abu Dhabi. Bell, who still hopes to add to his tally of England caps, was handed the Warwickshire captaincy last month.The four-day first-class match between an MCC XI and the reigning county champions, traditionally the season’s opening fixture, will begin on March 20. Unlike previous years, when the match has been used to trial the pink ball, this time it will be played during daylight hours with a red ball, at Yorkshire’s request.It could be the first of several duels with Yorkshire for Bell, as he attempts to lead Warwickshire to the Championship title they last won in 2012.”This match is perfect for me to get some time in the middle ahead of the new season and I’m very grateful to MCC for offering me the chance to both play for and captain the team,” Bell said.”It’s a nice opportunity for some practice in warm weather, and it will of course be a privilege to represent MCC again. Yorkshire’s team is full of top quality players so it will be great for myself and the rest of our guys to test ourselves against them, and hopefully I can contribute to an entertaining match.”Bell, 33, has previously played for the MCC in 2004 and 2009 but this will be the first time he has done so out in the UAE, which is hosting the Champion County match for the seventh time. The team for this year’s fixture has yet to be announced.John Stephenson, MCC’s head of cricket, said: “Ian Bell is one of the best England cricketers of his generation and I’m delighted that he has agreed to captain MCC for this year’s Champion County match. It’s an ideal opportunity for him to gain match practice ahead of the new season, and I’m sure his experience will prove beneficial for our squad too.”

Legspinner Shahzaib Ahmed took five wickets to help shoot out Australia Under-19 for 78 in the second one-dayer in Sheikhupura. Pakistan then cruised to a nine-wicket win as they chased down the target in 11.4 overs to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.Captain Sam Robson’s decision to bat backfired as the Australians slipped to 16 for 4. Kane Richardson and Jamie Smith helped stage a mini-recovery with a 43-run stand, but another collapse saw the last six wickets fall for 19 runs. Shahzaib was the star for Pakistan with 5 for 21 and was ably supported by the rest of the attack.The Pakistani opening batsmen, Ahmed Shehzad and Shan Masood, put on a rapid 76 to take their side to the brink of victory. They were helped in their cause by the indisciplined Australian bowlers who sent down 12 wides and overstepped on three occasions.The Australians had put on a better show in the first match on Thursday which they lost by seven wickets after setting a target of 199. Left-arm-spinner Imad Wasim was Pakistan’s wrecker-in-chief with five wickets while Shehzad and Masood laid the platform for the win with the bat.The remaining three one-dayers will be played at Mirpur, with the next game on Tuesday.

Scorecard

Bengal, helped by excellent hundreds from Deep Dasgupta and Laxmi Ratan Shukla, extended their first innings lead to 276 against Baroda on day three of the Ranji Trophy semi-finals at Kolkata. Dasgupta, the Bengal captain and wicketkeeper, went on to reach his sixth first-class century – and highest score – after occupying the crease for over eight and a half hours and facing 357 balls, while Shukla contributed a fine hundred of his own as Bengal took the day’s honours. Together they added a mammoth 314 runs in 103.1 overs, a partnership that successfully deflated Baroda.For Bengal it was imperative that they gained a substantial lead, as there was always the possibility that they would have to bat last on a pitch that could crumble as the match progresses. Unlike the first two days, where the first hour saw two wickets fall, today’s first session was dominated by the bat. At the forefront of Bengal’s surge was Dasgupta, who carried on his good work yesterday in defying anything bowled at him, running the singles well, and proving why he has been such a worthy performer for Bengal over the past four seasons. Dasgupta, whose previous hundred came against Gujarat in December, produced a definitive innings under trying circumstances, and it should provide inspiration for his team-mates.It certainly did for Shukla, whose unbeaten 137 was an innings of determination. Shukla has been a talent talked about for some time now – after making his Ranji Trophy debut for Bengal in the 1997-98 season, he hit a match-winning century as an opener in the Wills Trophy semi-final against Delhi in the next – and was seen as future India material. But a dip in consistency and a reported attitude problem has seen his name sidelined when it comes to national selection matters. Bringing up his second fifty of the season in the morning, in 190 minutes and from 155 deliveries, Shukla provided a glimpse of his potential once again.By lunch the two batsmen had extended their partnership to 138, with Bengal on 329 for 5, a lead of 88. Upon return to the middle, Dasgupta was the first to reach three figures; close on the heels of his senior partner, Shukla brought up his own hundred in emphatic fashion, launching Yusuf Pathan into the stands for six. The duo went from strength to strength, and as the partnership swelled past 250 just before tea, Baroda would have been looking for inspiration of their own. In the absence of Zaheer Khan, away on national duty in Pakistan, Baroda’s bowling attack lacked penetration. There was very little of note in the bowling today, and the spin attack comprising of Rajesh Pawar and Pathan bowled well only in spells and never looked threatening.Commenting on his maiden Ranji Trophy hundred, Shukla was pleased that it came at such a vital time for his team. “I batted the way the team wanted me to perform. I tried to restrict my shots and play according to the situation,” he said to . “I wasn’t getting the starts this season and I was determined to make most of this match. In the last two years, I have been dismissed ten times in the 80s.”Even though Dasgupta fell just before stumps, caught behind by Pinal Shah off Shekhar Joshi’s medium pace, the touring side still face the daunting task of chasing a large total on the final day. Baroda, under the tutelage of Balwinder Singh Sandhu, the former Indian fast bowler, have done exceedingly well for the last two seasons, missing out on the semi-finals last season only on a poor run quotient. After today’s play, however, it was clear that their weaknesses outweigh their strengths.

South Africa women 239 for 6 (Brits 46) beat Netherlands women 140 for 9 (Rambaldo 34) by 99 runs
ScorecardSouth Africa’s women eased to a comfortable 99-run win over their Dutch counterparts at the VRA Ground in Amstelveen, thanks to a solid batting performance from their top five, and a disciplined bowling effort in which Sunette Loubser, Lonell de Beer and Susan Benade were the pick with two wickets each.After winning the toss and batting first, South Africa never looked back. Having already got the measure of the Netherlands attack during their Test victory in Rotterdam earlier in the week, they racked up a comfortable 239 for 6, with Cri-Zelda Brits top-scoring with 46.In reply, the Netherlands top-order capitulated, with four of the top six making single-figures. Helmien Rambaldo held the innings together with 34 from 69 balls, but South Africa were never in danger of defeat.

Andrew Flintoff has not ruled out bowling in the Champions Trophy even though he is only just coming to the end of his ankle rehabilitation programme.Flintoff was named captain of England’s squad for the tournament in India with a view to him playing as a specialist batsman. He has not played for England since the final Test against Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge in June, and an aborted comeback for Lancashire in July led to ankle surgery.The time frame for his recovery initially appeared to cut things close to the start of the Ashes, but Flintoff says he is right on track. England’s first match in India is on October 15. “My rehabilitation programme was meant to stop in mid-October and that’s when the cricket starts,” he told reporters before a signing session for his new book Freddie My World. “Fingers crossed, if everything goes to plan hopefully I will bowl. But it’s just wait and see.”He is also confident that his ankle will stand up to the stress of the winter, which after the Champions Trophy includes the five-Test Ashes series, VB Series and the World Cup in West Indies. “The operation was a success, and something that was needed, so going into a test series my ankle and my body are as fit as they have been for, probably, ever.”Flintoff has been England’s first-choice captain since the tour of India in March – despite a late bid from Andrew Strauss – when Michael Vaughan was forced home with his knee injury. He says he will try to follow a similar pattern to how Vaughan captained in last summer’s Ashes series, but won’t be afraid to go about leadership in his own style.”The way Michael captained the side and the basic principles that he used, I will be trying to do the same,” he said. “He wanted us to enjoy playing cricket and have no fear of failing and enjoy each other’s company. I will be working down those lines as well, I will probably put my stamp on it as the series goes on.”Flintoff, who is aiming to be the first visiting captain since Richie Richardson in 1992-93 to win a series in Australia, is not daunted by the challenge. Typically, he is motivated by the winter that lies head. “Playing Australia at home, having played against them last year, is tough cricket. We are going to have to play better than we did last time and we realise that. It’s going to be a tough winter. It’s going to be one to be enjoyed, getting the chance to play in the Ashes in Australia and the chance to go to the West Indies, it’s a tough challenge but I think it will be the best winter of our lives.”

Michael Clarke has been named as Australia’s new vice-captain following the retirement of Adam Gilchrist. Clarke, who turns 27 on Wednesday, was handed the role for the upcoming Test and ODI tours of the West Indies and his appointment is a strong indication he will be groomed to eventually take over the top job from Ricky Ponting.Clarke was given captaincy experience in Australia’s two Twenty20 internationals this season, against New Zealand and India, and the team comfortably won both games. The promotion completes an outstanding 18 months for Clarke, who was initially overlooked for the first Ashes Test in 2006-07 until an injury to Shane Watson opened up a middle-order vacancy.It also capped off an exciting few days after Clarke proposed to his model girlfriend Lara Bingle in the United States. “This will be a week I remember for the rest of my life,” Clarke told the . “I only arrived home on Monday and had a fantastic holiday where I had some special times in New York, where we were engaged.”And now I’ve had this news – I’ve been given the chance to become vice-captain of Australia, which is fantastic and something I’m really looking forward to. I think all young players dream of playing for Australia and every kid aspires to one day becoming vice-captain or captain – I certainly did.”The chairman of selectors, Andrew Hilditch, said it was an easy decision to make Clarke the deputy to Ponting. “With Adam Gilchrist retiring after a stellar Australian career we have identified the need to look towards the future,” Hilditch said.”While we had some very strong candidates within the current team, including those of the calibre of Michael Hussey, we had no hesitation in recommending Michael Clarke for the position. We were thrilled with his performances as captain during the two Twenty20 international games this summer and believe he has outstanding leadership credentials.”In addition to replacing Gilchrist as vice-captain, Clarke is also one of several options who could be considered as Matthew Hayden’s new opening partner in one-day internationals. However, James Hopes was tested in the role during the CB Series and might be the team’s initial preference, while the Western Australia top-order batsman Shaun Marsh could also be considered having been named for his first ODI tour.

While Sushil Nadkarni has been the talk of the country’s cricket community in the last several months, a certain Niraj Shah from the same Houston Cricket League has been emerging from Sushil’s shadow, to develop into one of the finest allrounders in the country. Over the span of a year and a half Niraj has played a major part in several major tournaments in the country eventually leading to the National selectors taking notice of this young lad and awarding him with a place in the USA National squad.If Sushil has been the Tendulkar of Texas, Niraj has been accumulating runs with a Dravid-like consistency. It all began for him in the 2005 Central West Regional championships in Colorado where he bagged the MVP award for his allround performances. Later in the year, he captained the MLC Texas team to victory in the National Interstate tournament where he scored an unbeaten half century in the finals to see his team through. Another good fifty in a pressure-cooker situation at the Central West Regional finals, 2006 in Austin was followed by scores of 70, 106 not out and 59 in the National Western Conference Championships in LA which earned him the Best Batsman award and a National call-up.During the recently concluded Houston Twenty20 championships where Niraj led his team to a championship victory with an incredible allround performance in the finals, Vinod Periagaram got a chance to talk to the emerging 24-year-old star.Niraj, you have had a phenomenal year starting from the MVP of Central West regional championships in Colorado last year to the Western Conference Championships in LA where you were the best batsman two months ago. What would you attribute to this success in recent months?I have been consistent with the bat for the past two seasons now. I have stopped taking risks and have cut down on my aerial shots unless I am absolutely positive and am well set. My focus has been to be patient, play long and finish good. Although I have been consistently scoring fifties, my goal has been to convert those into big hundreds more often, since that is the hallmark of a great batsman. Hopefully, I can carry on the consistency I have over the past two years.You play one of the best pull shots in US cricket and seem to pick up the length really early. Is this something that comes naturally? Actually, I had to work really hard to perfect this shot. I was a strong front-foot player in the early years. I was never able to get runs on the back-foot which was exploited by good bowlers. I had to work a lot on fetching runs on the back-foot before my coach, Shailesh Pandya, helped me with my grip. I used to have a top handled grip which I changed to a bit lower and that has helped me grow as a strong back-foot player. Also, the back-and-across technique helps me see the ball early enough to play the pull and the cut shots.

You have been consistently picking up wickets with your offspinners. Do you consider yourself an allrounder or predominantly a batsman who can bowl a few overs? Is this an area you are working on improving?
I certainly consider myself a genuine allrounder. In fact, in my early days my fellow cricketers used to call me a bowler who can bat. I have been consistently taking wickets at every level. I am working on consistency with both, but there is always a room for improvement.It seems you really did not have much of a problem switching from the cement based wickets in Texas to the turf wickets in LA where most of the other batsmen struggled. What are the adjustments you had to make?What helped me most was that I had experience playing on turf wickets back in India before playing here in the US on the concrete wickets. However, I have played on these concrete wickets for quite a while and was used to playing on them and hence I had to revert to a technique which helped me succeed on turf wickets. As everyone knows, the ball comes onto the bat really well on concrete wickets where poor foot-work does not make much of a difference if your hands are coordinating well with your eyes. The turf wickets are very different where you have to wait for the ball to play the shots, plus you have to adjust your footwork with quality fast bowlers who can cut and swing the ball both ways. You need to have really good footwork to play on turf wickets and have to be selective in shot making.You have played a pretty high level of cricket in India before migrating to the US. Where were you playing there and in what way are those conditions different from what you play here?I have played Under-16, Under-19, and Under-22 for Gujarat. I have played with a lot of first-class cricketers all over and especially in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, where I have played all my life. I have also been a first-vlass cricketer in India playing the All-India University tournament representing Gujarat. We used to play on matting or turf which is much different than astroturf on concrete. I would admit that it is rather a batsman’s paradise on concrete, whereas it was not easy on the turf or matting where bowlers can exploit the conditions and make you work really hard for runs.Congratulations on making the US National team for the ICC tournament in Toronto. Did you expect a National call-up so early considering that it hasn’t been long since you have been playing cricket in the United States?
Thank you. I am really happy to be named as one of the few National players out of thousands. The biggest reason for my selection in the US team is my performance over the past Memorial weekend in LA where I got the Best Batsman of the Western Conference award. Although, I wasn’t convinced that this was enough to have cemented a berth in the National side as I have not been here for very long, I believe I have had considerable performances throughout the Houston/Texas/Central West Regional tournaments, and I am very fortunate to have been chosen.How are you preparing for the ICC tournament in Toronto? Are there any goals you aim to achieve there? I do a 45-minute cardio every day. I aim to strengthen my legs and not get tired. I practice three days a week. My main focus is to bat as long as possible without getting tired and even after getting tired to not throw my wicket away. I am on a special and a very healthy diet plan as well. The biggest goal I have is to help, in each and every way I can, to win the Championship for my team. I believe in the phrase cricket is a TEAM game and I will do anything and everything my captain and my team needs me to do.Twenty20 cricket is taking off in a big way around the world. Having recently played a major part in your club’s victory in the Houston Twenty20 championships do you think this form of cricket is best suited to popularizing the sports in the United States? Yes, most certainly. We know that people here do not have eight hours to spend on a sport which they do not know or understand. Diversification is definitely needed where we can attract more viewers and fans. I certainly think Twenty20 cricket along with the six-a-side can create a lot of interest amongst the locals.If you were to name on youth cricketers to watch out for in the near future from your region, which would that be?Chirag BhaktaThis article first appeared in www.3rdUmpire.com

Twenty20 cricket is set to become an official part of the ICC international calendar from 2007 onwards – and England could be named as hosts of the inaugural world championship in 2009 – after a deal was struck on the second day of the ICC executive board meeting in Dubai.There had been much scope for disagreement before the meeting, with the powerful Indian board especially sceptical about a form of the game that has drawn massive crowds across the globe since its inception in 2003.But with India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh keen to make a belated submission to host the fifty-over World Cup in 2011, the opportunity arose for a compromise to be reached. As a result, the Asian bloc have been given until April 21 to make their hosting submission for 2011, and England in the meantime have set their sights on hosting the first mandatory Twenty20 tournament in 2009.”There was potential for an impasse on these two issues with several of our members holding strong views,” admitted Ehsan Mani, ICC’s president, “but this approach has allowed us to map out a way forward on these important topics to try and reach consensus. The programme of ICC events from 2007 to 2015 will now be considered again in April.”The deals were put forward as the ICC thrashed out its package of events for 2007 to 2015. Under the new arrangement, there will be a major event every year, with a shorter eight-nation Champions Trophy set to take place on a biennial basis from 2008.An invitational twenty-over tournament has been pencilled in for next year but, as a demonstration of their willingness to host the Twenty20 tournament, and to win over the Asian bloc, England have proposed to withdraw their application to stage the 2015 World Cup, and will instead bid for 2019. Australasia and Asia are now the two regions in the reckoning for the forthcoming World Cups in 2011 and 2015.