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

Ireland’s Niall O’Brien has been banned for one ICC Intercontinental Cup match after being found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct and has been warned over his future conduct.O’Brien, the Ireland wicketkeeper, was found guilty of a Level 2 offence during Ireland’s ICC Intercontinental Cup match against Scotland in Aberdeen last month.He expressed dissatisfaction with the conditions of the pitch to the groundsman, Ken McCurdie, after heavy overnight rain got under the covers and prevented a restart in play on the third day of the match.David Jukes, the match referee, found him guilty of clause 2.8, which refers to “Using language that is obscene, offensive or of a seriously insulting nature to another player, umpire, referee, team official or spectator.”The heavy rain that ruined a fascinating match was a cause of frustration for everyone concerned but that was no excuse for Mr O’Brien’s outburst,” Jukes said. “Mr O’Brien let himself and his team down and, although he has since apologised, he and all other players need to be aware that such inappropriate conduct has consequences.”As one of the few fully professional cricketers taking part in the match Mr O’Brien should have been setting an example rather than behaving in this manner.The charge against Mr O’Brien was lodged by ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed and the hearing took place via teleconference. Ireland’s next ICC Intercontinental Cup match is against the UAE next February. In addition to O’Brien, his captain Trent Johnston, the Scotland captain Craig Wright and Peter Drinnen, the Scotland coach, were all charged with the Level 1 offence of “Public criticism of, or inappropriate comment on, a match related incident or match official.””Public criticism of officials undermines the fundamental principles on which the game has been built,” Jukes commented. “They include the fact that the umpires are the sole judges of fair and unfair play and that it is against the spirit of the game to dispute a decision by word, action or gesture.”

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 acknowledged the support he received from Brian Laraduring the tough times as he looked ahead to the Champions Trophy titleclash against West Indies on Sunday.”He’s been very helpful and is a great friend of mine,” said Clarke afterAustralia’s practice session at the Cricket Club of India (CCI). “When Igot dropped from the Test team, we were playing West Indies at thattime. He was there for that. He was very supportive as he has been since Imade my debut, since my first tour to the West Indies. We get along verywell. We talk a bit outside the cricket arena. We are pretty good friends.”While I was in Australia, I had a chance to catch up with him a fair biteven though I was dropped from the Test team. As friends do, you talkabout cricket obviously. He said that now that you have been dropped, itis important to go back to first-class cricket and make sure you stand upand be counted.”He asked me to be the one scoring as many runs as you can.Not just getting 50s and 70s, but scoring big hundreds and selectors won’tbe able to take their eyes off you. And they will have to re-pick you.”Clarke secretly hoped that Lara wouldn’t get too many in the final butemphasised the amount he’d picked up from watching Lara bat. “Anytime youget a chance to play against great players, you obviously don’t want themto get too many runs against you. But while they are batting, you canwatch and learn and see how they go about their job. I look forward toplaying against him. I look forward to playing against the West Indies team.They are playing good cricket at the moment.”Fortunately for Clarke, he’ll walk out onto the field with a number ofgreats as well. “All the young guys in this squad and in the Test squadare very lucky because we have some great players in the squad,” heexplained. “In our team, any opportunity you get to play cricket with themor be around them can only help you as a young cricketer. Being part ofthis Australian team, I am very lucky.”It is important to maximise yourtime with those guys – Glenn McGrath, Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne andMatthew Hayden in the Test team. These guys have been very successful forsuch a long time. So I guess, if you can’t learn off them, you will neverlearn.”While admitting that West Indies would go into the game with tremendousconfidence, after their thumping semi-final win, Clarke didn’t think therewas much to choose between the two sides. “West Indies played fantasticcricket in the first game [against Australia],” he added. “They playedreally well and we could not chase the runs down.”But I think we are ingood stead at the moment. The last two games, we played brilliant. We hadtwo very good wins. All the boys are looking forward to our first final ofthe ICC Champions Trophy. We have never won this tournament. It is apretty big tournament. Hopefully, we will play better than the West Indiesand win the game.”

Duncan Fletcher, the England coach, believes the way his batsmen countered Shane Warne at the Gabba will be a big boost for the remainder of the series. Warne went wicketless during nine overs in the first innings, but picked up four victims in the second, including Paul Collingwood and Andrew Flintoff.”I thought it was quite important we played Shane Warne very well,” Fletcher said in the . “We were pretty confident the way we played him there. The only thing is we gave him two soft wickets, and outside of that we played him very, very well and positively, so that was a big positive which came out of there.”Collingwood, who was stumped for 96, was the first of Warne’s “soft” dismissals and was quickly followed by Andrew Flintoff’s confusing punch to Justin Langer at deep mid-on. Only at The Oval on the past two tours has Warne, who finished with 4 for 124 from 34 overs, given up as many runs in an innings against England. Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen were particularly comfortable in a 153-run stand on day four until Collingwood charged Warne to end his brave resistance.Despite the 277-run defeat, Fletcher was also pleased with England’s work against the fast men in the second innings. “I thought we played the other bowlers pretty confidently as well,” he said. England will have another chance to prove themselves in the second Test starting on Friday.

New Zealand’s first-class players will earn a pay rise after the revenue for New Zealand Cricket was forecast to increase by nearly NZ$10 million over the next four years.A four-year agreement has been reached between the cricket board, the six major associations and the players’ association (NZCPA) which will run from 2006-2010. Over this period the revenue is estimated to increase from $88,993,656 to $97,353,305.This will lead to there being nearly an extra million dollars in the player payment pool, which funds the centrally contracted players from each association. With the extra money available the number of players on contracts will increase from 11 to 12.Martin Snedden, NZC chief executive, said: “The negotiations were positive and constructive. We have formed a solid partnership with the NZCPA in the past four years and I expect that relationship will become even stronger during the term of the new contract.”

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.

Ireland suffered a narrow defeat to a strong Eastern Province XI at Port Elizabeth on Tuesday as their preparations for next week’s World Cricket League continued.In their first match since August 17 last year Ireland were patently lacking form, clearly demonstrated by their poor batting display. Only Jeremy Bray, the opening batsman who has been playing competitively in Australia during the winter, provided any sort of resistance with a well-composed 43. Peter Gillespie (14) was the only other batsman to reach double figures as Ireland were dismissed for just 133.However they fought back strongly with the ball with Trent Johnston and Dave Langford-Smith making early inroads into the Eastern Province top order, but the home team’s batting was simply too strong.”Obviously it’s disappointing to lose,” Adrian Birrell, the Ireland coach, said, “but I was pleased with the attitude shown in the field. We didn’t score enough runs, and our lack of competitive cricket was evident. Despite only making 133, we made them fight all the way, and could have won it.”We play the same opposition tomorrow, and I’ll be looking for improvements in the batting department. If we can get more runs on the board, I’d be confident of reversing this result.”

Jimmy Maher has slammed John Buchanan and Cricket Australia for ruling that World Cup squad members must not play in the domestic one-day final on Sunday. Maher, who will captain Queensland against Victoria, has been denied Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson, two men who could have made a significant difference in the final.He said Buchanan, who once coached Maher at Queensland, had changed his stance now that he was in charge of the Australia team. “When he was coach of Queensland he wanted Australian players to play as much as possible for their states, wherever possible,” Maher said on . “So where’s the standard? I think he’s contradicted himself because it doesn’t suit him now.”Maher said the decision, which also rules Brad Hodge out of the Victoria line-up, smacked of contempt for the domestic competition. “I think it’s outrageous, not just from our point of view, but from everyone’s point of view,” he said. “It just shouldn’t be happening. Even if we ran fifth and weren’t involved in the final, I just don’t think it’s the right message to be sent to the sponsors of the Ford Ranger Cup, anyone involved in the Ford Ranger Cup, domestic cricket full-stop.”At the end of the day, I’ve got no problem with guys like Ponting or Gilchrist, if they’ve got a game in five days, but mate, the Australian cricket team does not play cricket for three weeks. This is a final, it’s not just round three of the Ford Ranger Cup, this is a final, it’s 100 overs of cricket.”Queensland had already named Watson, Johnson and Matthew Hayden, before he broke his toe, in their squad for the final. Maher said if the players were fit it would do them good to get some more practice ahead of the World Cup.”It just does not make any sense whatsoever,” he said. “Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson have played hardly any cricket in the last six months and they’re told they can’t play for fear they may get injured. I hope they didn’t cook last night, they might have burnt themselves. I just can’t believe it, it is just a disgrace in my opinion.”Queensland have recalled Scott Brant, the fast bowler, and Nathan Reardon, the allrounder, to replace Watson and Johnson. Cameron White, who will not be on the Caribbean tour, has returned to lead Victoria. Gerard Denton has also been included in their 13-man outfit at the expense of Peter Siddle.Victoria squad Michael Klinger, Jon Moss, Cameron White (capt), David Hussey, Rob Quiney, Aiden Blizzard, Andrew McDonald, Adam Crosthwaite (wk), Grant Lindsay, Shane Harwood, Gerard Denton, Mick Lewis, Darren Pattinson.Queensland squad Jimmy Maher (capt), James Hopes, Clinton Perren, Craig Philipson, Aaron Nye, Nathan Reardon, Chris Simpson, Michael Buchanan, Chris Hartley (wk), Andy Bichel, Ashley Noffke, Scott Brant.

Reality bites
Even in the heavy defeat to New Zealand, Ireland were in the game for more than 40 overs. Here, that’s about as long as they lasted, and Michael Hussey’s disdainful slap over midwicket finished things off before lunch could be laid out.New tricks for old master
Glenn McGrath was always renowned for nagging accuracy while pitching the ball just short of a length. Unlike a Waqar Younis or a Brett Lee, the yorker was never his forte. But in the evening of his career, he summoned up a superb inswinging one to flummox Jeremy Bray and set up the rout.What might have been
In a dream world, Trent Johnston might have worn the baggy green [or gold in this case]. When confronted by McGrath, a fellow New South Welshman, he produced a peachy drive past mid-on that sent the Irish fans into raptures. The innings, like the Irish challenge, didn’t last, but it was an image to freeze for posterity in the Johnston home.Doing a Freddie
Johnston had his moment with the ball as well, getting some late movement off the pitch to end Adam Gilchrist’s destructive cameo. Taking the cue from Andrew Flintoff and other English bowlers, he’d gone round the wicket. The celebratory chicken dance was very much his own though.Irish luck runs out
The leprechauns were out in force and the calendar did say the 13th, but it certainly wasn’t unlucky for Australia. Ricky Ponting won the toss on a pitch where most would have bowled, and even the inside edges didn’t go Ireland’s way. The crowd could only console themselves with the thought that there were beaches nearby.Winning, not entertainment
One of the commentators on the radio asked Damien Fleming, who represented Australia at the World Cup in 1996 and ’99, whether the large crowd would have got more value for money if Australia had batted. There was a brief pause, and then Fleming said: “They’re here to win a game.” It summed up the Australian approach, and might throw some light on why they haven’t experienced defeat in the World Cup this century.A kill or a win?
At the press conference, an Australian journalist asked Ponting and McGrath if the players got any enjoyment from “a kill like that”. Ponting smirked for a second before saying: “Win. For us, it was another win in a World Cup game.” Given earlier events in the tournament, some words are best avoided.