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Michael Clarke will not necessarily succeed Ricky Ponting as Australia’s captain despite his promotion to the top job for next week’s Twenty20 game against New Zealand, according to Adam Gilchrist. Ponting is being rested for Tuesday’s match and Clarke was named captain of a squad that included Gilchrist and Michael Hussey, both of whom have filled in for Ponting in the past.The move was seen as an indication that Clarke would be groomed to eventually take over from Ponting on a full-time basis. However, Gilchrist said that was not a done deal, although he supported the decision to give Clarke a taste of leadership in the Twenty20 match.”It’s not just Pup [Clarke],” Gilchrist told the . “Mike Hussey was captain in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy earlier this year and is obviously a candidate. It’s a matter of the selectors exploring all the options as they plan for the future.”They should certainly keep Huss in the loop and any other guys they think will be worthy of higher honours down the track. I’m reluctant to assume that [Clarke] has automatically got the job and I don’t think he assumes that either.”Clarke, 26, has age in his favour as Hussey, 32, is only five months younger than Ponting, who is expected to play for several more years. A handful of younger batsmen have gained captaincy experience at state level including Adam Voges, Marcus North, Cameron White and George Bailey, but whether any of them will reach Test level remains unknown.Gilchrist said it was a good move to give Clarke some extra responsibility. “It makes sense starting to invest in a few guys for the future,” he said. “He has shown a real eagerness to learn all about leadership and enjoyed it in his younger days. He has a thirst to learn about the role and is quite an astute tactical thinker.”This is a good step in his development. He will learn over time that captaincy involves great responsibilities off the field as well as on it. But he is a smart kid and he looks after himself so he should grow into that.”Ponting’s predecessor Steve Waugh also said if Clarke had been earmarked for future leadership then it made sense to hand him the reins for a one-off match. “It gives him a bit of a taste in Twenty20 where the stakes aren’t so high, you don’t have to make so many crucial decisions,” Waugh told the .”It gives you a feel for the job so I think it’s a pretty good move. It doesn’t guarantee you are going to be the next leader but he certainly is the favourite.”

Gerald Majola, the chief executive of Cricket South Africa (CSA), has confirmed Mickey Arthur, the South African coach, cannot be axed from the national selection panel as he is under a contract. The board’s general council, which reaffirmed its stand on the transformation policy, had “removed” Arthur from the panel on Saturday. However, only the board’s professional arm, headed by Majola, had the power to remove him.”Mickey Arthur is contracted by Cricket South Africa (Pty) Ltd, and his contracted duties include being a national selector,” Majola said in a statement. “Only the board of directors of CSA (Pty) Ltd can change this, and therefore the resolution taken at General Council’s teleconference on Saturday to remove Mr Arthur from the selection process is unconstitutional.”I have been in contact today (Sunday) with the convenor of selectors, Joubert Strydom, and have informed him that the same selection panel will finalise the team to tour Bangladesh. The panel comprises Joubert Strydom (convener), Mickey Arthur (national coach), Vincent Barnes (assistant national coach), Graeme Smith (captain), Mustapha Khan (selector) and Shafiek Abrahams (selector). The team will be announced tomorrow (Monday) after three players have undergone fitness tests, namely Hashim Amla, Andre Nel, and Neil McKenzie.”With any luck, Arthur and Norman Arendse, the CSA president with whom he has been having a running battle, will bump into each other in a deserted parking lot sometime soon. Maybe then, with no one watching and nothing more lethal than a pair of jabbing index fingers, we might get to the bottom of this week of Monty Python mayhem. Until then, let’s try and make sense of what has happened.On Tuesday Arendse rejected the squad selected for South Africa’s imminent tour to Bangladesh. He did so, we believe, on the grounds that only four black players were included in the squad and not seven as called for in terms of CSA’s plan for the ongoing racial transformation the game. It doesn’t matter if we euphemise that bit of legislation as a policy or a target: what matters is the number. And that number is seven. Four isn’t even close.Where was Herschelle Gibbs in the wake of his spectacular century in the last one-day international against West Indies, Arendse wondered. And didn’t Monde Zondeki deserve some recognition for the 54 wickets he took in 10 SuperSport Series matches this season? Both are black, which would leave us just one short of the required number.Arthur countered with a similarly sharp perspective. The South Africans return home briefly from Bangladesh before returning to the subcontinent for what is sure to be a challenging series against India. Arthur wanted his best team on the field in Bangladesh to ensure they hit the ground running when they encountered the big brothers next door.Arendse countered that, with a lengthy tour of England looming after the Indian venture, South Africa needed to find out whether players like Zondeki – and other bowlers – were up to international standard.At this point, non-South African readers might wonder what all the fuss has been about. Even allowing for what in other countries would be the novelty of a racially based selection policy, this is the stuff of the average committee meeting, surely. Why all the acrimony?The upshot was that Arendse laid disciplinary charges against Arthur, who duly fired back a salvo of charges of his own against the president. Except that Arendse, as an elected official, was not subject to the same set of rules and regulations as CSA employees like Arthur. So the coach’s charges are unlikely to stick. Instead, Arthur is likely to find himself on the carpet on charges of bringing the game into disrepute in the next day or so, and he might well find himself out of a job shortly after that.

Zimbabwe A 294 (Ervine 75) and 28 for 1 trail Sri Lankans 461 (M Jayawardene 113, Samaraweera 97, Sangakkara 95) by 139 runs
ScorecardThilan Samaraweera laid the foundations, and Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene applied the flourish, as the Sri Lankans took command on the second day of their tour match against Zimbabwe A in Harare. In reply to the Zimbabwean first-innings total of 294, Sri Lanka were eventually bowled out for 461 with contributions all down the order. By the close, Stuart Matsikenyeri had failed for the second time in the match, as Zimbabwe A limped to 28 for 1 in 12 overs.Even the presence of five of Zimbabwe’s so-called rebels could not change their fortunes, as the Sri Lankans’ engine-room of Samaraweera, Sangakkara and Jayawardene took control from the word go. Sangakkara, as is his custom, was the principal aggressor in the morning session, picking up from his unbeaten 41 to motor towards a richly deserved century. But he was eventually caught behind off Sean Ervine for 95, after cracking 16 fours and two sixes in his 93-ball innings (152 for 3).Samaraweera had been content to drop anchor and let the fun go on at the other end, and he duly performed the same role for Jayawardene, who is standing in as captain for this match. There was an air of inevitability about his innings, but he too fell just short of his hundred – caught by Elton Chigumbura off Heath Streak for a 200-ball 97 (290 for 4).Jayawardene made no mistake, however, and had raced to 113 from 106 balls, with 17 fours and a six, before falling lbw to Trevor Gripper. Gripper then accounted for Upul Chandana and Thilina Kandamby, both caught and bowled, although Kandamby didn’t depart the stage until he had blitzed his way to a remarkable 52 from 41 balls – it was an innings that did not involve a single non-boundary, as it contained 10 fours and two sixes.Prasanna Jayawardene, the reserve wicketkeeper, and Farveez Maharoof continued to enjoy themselves at the Zimbabwe bowlers’ expense, before Chigumbura chipped in with both wickets and Ervine returned to wrap up the tail. Zimbabwe A trailed by 167 runs on first innings, and face a tricky task on the final day if they are to avoid defeat.

Wellington will host the State Championship final against Canterbury after they used their severely rain-affected match against Auckland as nothing more than batting practice. Grant Elliott, fresh from his Test debut, compiled a career-best 196 not out and Neal Parlane continued his prolific campaign with 110 as Wellington reached 444 at the Basin Reserve. Auckland needed a victory to have any chance of overtaking Canterbury on the points table but there was little they could do as bad weather meant no play was possible until well into the third day. Auckland barely had time to have a bat, fizzling out to 23 for 1 when bad light ended their season.Canterbury were pleased with the rain in Wellington as they conceded first-innings points in their last preliminary match against Otago in Dunedin. They struggled against the all-round efforts of Warren McSkimming, who collected 5 for 56 as Canterbury stumbled to 247 having been sent in. McSkimming then helped rescued Otago from a precarious 134 for 6, scoring 71 and putting together valuable partnerships with Derek de Boorder and Bradley Scott to secure the lead. Todd Astle made an unbeaten 79 in Canterbury’s second-innings 215 for 3 as the match petered out to a draw.At McLean Park, the defending champions Northern Districts managed to avoid finishing on the bottom despite giving up first-innings points to Central Districts, who were left propping up the table. Brent Arnel finished with ten wickets for the match, his first such haul in first-class cricket, but the star was Ross Taylor. His 152 from 111 balls – he reached triple-figures from 85 – brightened up a game that was always heading for a draw. Taylor’s effort came as Central Districts piled on 392 for 9 in their second innings, having scored 390 in the first, when Peter Ingram made 112. Arnel grabbed 6 for 82 in the first innings and four in the second, however his batting colleagues could not quite push in front of Central Districts and finished their only innings at 365, led by Daniel Flynn’s 109. Arnel finished the preliminary rounds as the competition’s leading wicket taker, with 33 at 20.93.

England won by seven wickets
ScorecardPreview – England line up the knockout punchDay 1
Bulletin – Chanderpaul and Bravo boost West Indies
Verdict – West Indies swing and miss their chanceDay 2
Bulletin – Rain washes out the second day
Roving Reporter – Moving talk amid the showers
Day 3
Bulletin – Strauss and Thorpe steady the ship
Verdict – A bar-room brawl of a day
Day 4
Bulletin – Windies build lead after Bravo’s burst
Roving Reporter – The strange case of the unresumed innings
Verdict – Flintoff approaching true greatness
Day 5
Bulletin – Key and Flintoff seal the series
Verdict – Brimful of confidence

The crown may sit slightly uncomfortably for Shane Warne, but before he collected the world record he was already Australian bowling’s king. Warne deferred to Dennis Lillee before the second Test, saying “DK” would always be the country’s greatest, but a coronation that started when he passed his hero in sleepy Auckland in 2000 is now complete.Lillee’s 355 wickets sat in the throne for three years, until they were passed by Richard Hadlee, and Warne’s reign could be over in a couple of months. But Warne changed the game in a way Lillee never could. Where Lillee incited, Warne excited. Lillee’s legion charged in, wore headbands, flicked off sweat with their fingers and got wickets. Warne’s disciples tried to spin the ball metres and struggled to land it on the pitch. After Lillee came McDermott, Hughes, McGrath and Gillespie. After Warne there is Cameron White, whose spin is more like Anil Kumble’s than his Victoria team-mate’s.Warne has inspired playgrounds full of flippers, but researchers can find nothing nearing a clone. A soccer striker can pot goals at will from inside the area, but very few can curl the ball in regularly from 30 yards. Over 22 yards, Warne has changed the way Australians watch the game and revived interest in an art that had been dying since the days of Clarrie Grimmett and Bill O’Reilly.Early in his career he was gazed at because he was stunningly different to the pace monotony. Later he was monitored to see if the magic remained after long absences with serious shoulder, finger and diuretic issues. Yet, he still kept swallowing milestones: Paul Wiseman to pass Lillee, Alec Stewart for 400, Hashan Tillakaratne for 500 and Upul Chandana, in Cairns, to equal Muttiah Muralitharan on 527.But 533 was the one he – and everyone else – was waiting for. Losing the plot in the first Test as he pushed too hard for history, Warne stepped out on his own when Irfan Pathan edged to Matthew Hayden in the first session. With a regal air he collected the ball from David Shepherd and waved it to the crowd. However, the new status did not prevent a pounding from Virender Sehwag, who he eventually had caught in the deep. India have always troubled him.

Beginning against them in 1991-92, Warne must have wondered if he’d ever get a Test wicket. A podgy 22-year-old who had been booted from the Academy, he was pasted all over the SCG by Ravi Shastri, who became his only wicket alongside 150 runs. But he kept ripping the ball with his strong wrists and foiled a late charge by Sri Lanka when they threatened to sneak away in 1992. Back in Australia he introduced his flipper against West Indies and the Ball of the Century to Mike Gatting turned his career. The wattle-blond bombshell had arrived.”Hollywood” was an early nickname and everyone tuned in to see what the blockbuster would do next. He once complained his life was a soap opera. Raking through the closets of Ramsay Street’s Dr Karl and Summer Bay’s Alf Stewart could never create so much interest. Drug scandals followed hat-tricks, lewd text messages were sent with the same fingers delivering mystery balls. Potty-mouthed sledging was heard on microphones and he was often overweight. Photographers camped outside his house and followed his children to school whenever he was required for the front pages instead of the back.Through it all he continued to plot wickets and retired from the one-day game, prolonging his career in whites and his attack on the world record. While losing the mark to Muralitharan seems inevitable, it will take somebody extra-special – more talented, more engaging, more prolific than Lillee, Miller or McGrath – to knock off Warne as Australia’s greatest bowler.

Wavell Hinds’s groin injury, which cut short his tour of South Africa, may force him to miss the forthcoming Test series against England as well.Hinds picked up the injury during the third Test at Cape Town, and wassent home with orders to rest it for 6-12 weeks. But, talking to the last night following his return from South Africa, Hinds wasn’t very optimistic. He said: “After six weeks we will assess it because at that point in time it will be better to say if I will be ready for the English tour.”Hinds insisted, however, that his groin problem did not contribute to his poor form in the South Africa series. Hinds mustered only 59 runs in six innings, and was moved down to No. 5 for the third Test. “I was out of sorts – I wouldn’t put it down to the injury,” he said. “I have played on those wickets before. I’ve played in Australia, which is just as bouncy, or even bouncier. It was just a matter of not moving accordingly and being out of co-ordination. I think that’s something I have to adjust in the near future.”The opening Test of the England tour starts in Jamaica on March 11.

After being ruled out of the Champions Trophy with a bout of tennis elbow, Sachin Tendulkar is facing a race against time if he is to be passed fit for the first Test against Australia, starting in Bangalore on October 6.Though he no longer carries his team’s batting single-handed, Tendulkar’s absence has been keenly felt by India, who have been a shadow of their dominant selves in their recent one-day outings. They failed to qualify for the latter stages of either the Videocon Cup in Amstelveen or the Champions Trophy, and lost 2-1 to England in the NatWest Challenge.Australia would have a huge psychological advantage if he was not fit for the Test next month, and Tendulkar knows it. “I really want to play,” he told Mumbai’s Mid Day newspaper, after returning home from England, where he has been undergoing extensive treatment. “I am hoping and praying that I am fit for the series, but it is important to be in good shape for that challenge.”Tendulkar has received strict instructions from Anant Joshi, a sports medicine expert, about how best to speed his recovery. “Any untoward movement of the wrist or elbow will be a setback,” said Joshi, who added that the recovery has been slow, but positive. “I have asked him not to drive his car and lift anything.””I am pretty conscious of what I do with my left hand,” admitted Tendulkar. “I have to guard against even remote aggravation, and I even have to be careful while playing with my kids.”Even if he does recover fitness in time for Bangalore – which is a long shot – his form would be a worry. Tendulkar has not picked up a bat for six weeks, and his last first-class fixture was the third Test against Pakistan at Rawalpindi, which ended on April 18. He has missed just one Test series in a 15-year career, when a leg injury forced him out of the Sri Lanka tour in 2001.

On Andrew Hall as his opening partner
We thought we would go in a different partner, someone whom they wouldn’t expect and he [Hall] had already batted in the top order in one-day [cricket]. He has played a really good knock – he’s been patient and stroked the ball well. We took a risk but it’s paid off.What he felt generally
I’m happy; the guys have had a solid day. Forget the run-rate as the runs haven’t been scored that quickly [in the past] at this venue. [But] there were a couple of soft dismissals in the last two sessions.How pitch plays
There was [either] moisture early in the morning or there was a lot of overnight dew, but the wicket played pretty well all day.On wining the toss
It was a good toss [for us] to win. We knew that they wanted to win the toss and bat first considering they were going in with three spinners.Team selection
We thought about the batting order first and we needed a batter at seven, which Zan der Bruyn can do and [he can] also provide a lot of overs. With Jacques [Kallis] carrying a side strain, we are not too sure how much we’ll get from him with the ball, so it was important that we carried that extra bowler.And Hashim Amla
At this stage, he’s purely a batter – at three or six – and we saw him more as an allrounder in India.On the Indian spinners
All of them bowled tightly, bowled with a lot of pressure.

Doug Walters, the former Test batsman, insists Australia need Michael Clarke in their side to win back the Ashes. Clarke was dropped last summer before forcing his way back for two games in Bangladesh, but he has said the selectors face some tough choices before the England series.However, Walters, who played 36 Ashes Tests and toured England four times, told the Clarke was ready to resume his match-winning ways. “He had a brilliant start to his career, but then had one or two hiccups,” Walters told the paper. “But he is going to be a good player for a long time. We have to stick with those sort of guys. Australia need to play him.”Walters said it was important for Clarke to have an opportunity at regaining the Ashes in the series beginning in Brisbane on November 23. “All of our batsmen would have learnt from last year,” he said of the 2-1 loss. “In another 12 months or 18 months, we will be looking for some younger guys. Hopefully they start that this year by playing [Clarke].”