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The Pakistan Cricket Board authorities heaved a sigh ofrelief as the West Indies have given them a green signal oftouring Pakistan from Jan 25 to March 7 for three Tests andas many One-Day matches.A PCB spokesman announced the itinerary on Thursday. It willbe the first tour of any foreign senior team to Pakistansince a year. India refused to tour Pakistan in Jan-Feb dueto political reasons. Later, New Zealand cancelled theirtour to Pakistan at the eleventh hour after the Sept 11 airattacks on US and took back their team in midway fromSingapore after listening to the news of attacks there.The West Indies tour was also in doldrums due to securityreasons in the wake of the US retaliation attacks onAfghanistan, however International Cricket Council (ICC)saved the PCB from further losses by taking a decision thatunder such circumstances a series could be shifted to aneutral venue.The West Indies tour, as second option, could also beshifted to a neutral venue, most probably Kenya. The WestIndies team will arrive at Islamabad on Jan 25 to start itstour with a three-day side game at the KRL ground,Rawalpindi from Jan 28 to 30.The first Test will be held at Rawalpindi from Feb 2to7 withone day rest on Feb 5 due to Kashmir Day.The second Test is allotted to Peshawar and is scheduled tobe held from Feb 11 to 15.The third Test is scheduled to be held at Faisalabad fromFeb 19 to 23.The three-match One-Day series will begin with the opener atLahore on Feb 28. The second and third One-Dayer will beheld at Multan on March 3 and Karachi on March 6,respectively.Itinerary of the tour:Jan 25 (Friday): Arrival at Islamabad from Karachi.Jan 26 (Saturday): Travel/Rest/Nets.Jan 27 (Sunday): Nets.Jan 28 to 30 (Mon-Wed.): Three-Day Game at KRLground, Rawalpindi.Jan 31 and Feb 1: Rest and Nets.Feb 2 to 7 (Sat-Thurs): First Test at Rawalpindi (Feb 5 Rest- Day due to Kashmir Day).Feb 8 to 10: Travel and Nets.Feb 11 to 15 (Mon-Thurs): Second Test at Peshawar.Feb 16 to 18: Travel/Rest/Nets.Feb 19 to 23 (Tue-Sat): Third Test at Faisalabad.Feb 24 to 27: Travel/ Rest/Nets.Feb 28 (Thurs): First One-Day at Lahore.March 1-2: Travel/Rest/Nets.March 3 (Sunday): Second One-Day at Multan.March 4-5: Travel/Rest/Nets.March 6 (Wed): Third One-Day at Karachi.March 7: Departure.

The maiden over
Maiden as in first. Definitely not as in free of runs. Debutant Hardik Pandya was waiting for his first over, and then he was waiting for his first over to end. The eighth of India’s innings and the first of Pandya’s career began with three consecutive wides down leg side as Steven Smith walked inside the line, and two more followed later in the over. It meant the over lasted 11 deliveries, and given that a six and a four came off two of the legal balls, he finished with figures of 1-0-19-0 and five wides.The comeback, part one
Nearly five years after he last played for Australia, Shaun Tait took the new ball once again. His first ball was 150kph, a quick reminder of his capabilities. But a four and a six followed later in the over – Tait was unlucky the six was not a wicket, more on that shortly – and by the end of his four overs he had leaked 45 runs. It left Tait with the worst economy rate of his 20-game T20 international career.The comeback, part two
Okay, Shane Watson played Australia’s most recent T20 international, so this was not technically a comeback. But he has retired from Tests and was overlooked for the recent ODI series against India, so this was his first outing for his country this summer and thus felt like a comeback. He could hardly have made a stronger start. His first over brought two wickets – Rohit Sharma caught at mid-on off an offcutter and Shikhar Dhawan caught behind from a slower bouncer – and only one run. Watson’s return of 4-0-24-2 was a reminder that he could be a highly valuable member of Australia’s World T20 side.The fielding woes
Kane Richardson’s four overs leaked 41 runs without a wicket but just as costly was his work in the field. The fourth ball of Tait’s opening over of the game was top-edged by Rohit Sharma and Richardson at long leg misjudged the flight, running in before realising he had to be back on the boundary, and spilled over the rope what could have been a regulation take had he stayed there in the first place. Another poor piece of judgment came in the 19th over when Cameron Boyce’s throw from long-on found the bowler Richardson in front of the stumps instead of behind, which almost certainly cost Australia the chance at a run-out.The pull-out
On 14, Suresh Raina was all set to face James Faulkner, but then he wasn’t. As Faulkner let go of the ball Raina backed away and pulled out, indicating that he was not ready. The ball crashed into his stumps, but the umpire Simon Fry had no hesitation in calling a dead ball. Faulkner looked unimpressed, but then again, he often does.

Ricky Ponting says Phil Jaques will not be under significant pressure in the first Test against Sri Lanka as he is the only one of Australia’s potential new openers in form. Jaques will play his third Test when the series starts at the Gabba on Thursday and Ponting advised the newest member of his top order to “relax”.”[Chris] Rogers, [Brad] Hodge, [Shane] Watson and himself were the four mentioned, and he is the only one that has done anything at the start of this season, so he thoroughly deserves his opportunity,” Ponting told the . “If you look at things at the moment he’s the only one who has grabbed that opportunity.”Rogers might have had the edge over Jaques at the end of last summer having topped the Pura Cup run tally with 1202 at 70.70. However, he made 9 and 17 in Western Australia’s opening game this season and was then struck down with appendicitis.Another hamstring injury ruled Watson out of the race, while Hodge was in poor form in the ODI series in India. Hodge tried opening in Victoria’s Pura Cup match last week – he made 2 and 0 – and although he managed 162 on Saturday for his Melbourne club side Jaques already had the Test position sewn up.After a strong Australia A tour of Pakistan, Jaques opened his Pura Cup season with 167 for New South Wales in the same match in which Rogers failed. “I don’t think there is any pressure on him now,” Ponting said.”The pressure was on him in the first couple of games of the season, and now that he has been picked he can relax into things and hopefully get some runs in the first couple of Tests. He deserves his chance and he’s a guy that loves batting and usually when he gets in he makes big scores, so hopefully he can do that for Australia.”

VVS Laxman, the Indian middle-order batsman, has responded to his recall to the ODI side by citing his experience of playing on juicy South African pitches. Laxman, who was recalled after Rahul Dravid fractured his finger, remained diplomatic over whether he would be on trial during the remaining two matches of the best-of-five series.”It is a great feeling to be included in the one-day series and I would try to give my best,” he told reporters in Hyderabad. “It is sad that Rahul should be injured so badly in the series and miss out the rest of the one-day matches.”I would only work on the opportunities that come my way. I do not want to think of things that are beyond my control,” he added. “I do not think too much about the future and use each opportunity to give my best and play to my potential. I have played Duleep Trophy and Ranji Trophy matches and I am fully fit to take up the assignment.”Laxman, scheduled to represent Hyderabad in a Ranji Trophy match in Jaipur later this week, said he was willing to bat anywhere in the line-up, but preferred the middle order.India, down 2-0 with two to play, take on South Africa in Port Elizabeth tomorrow, but as Laxman put it, “My travel plans are not yet confirmed, the Board will inform whenever things fall in place”.

Michael Vaughan has highlighted the need for his team to acclimatise quickly to the testing conditions of the subcontinent. England’s tour of Pakistan begins with a warm-up match on October 31, and one further practice game before the first Test gets underway on November 12 at Multan.”We’ve got players who haven’t played in the subcontinent and it does take a while to get used to the surreal conditions out there,” Vaughan told the BBC. “It’s a different type of cricket and we’re going to have to be at our best to get used to the conditions quickly.”Following this week’s news that the Pakistani team will lend hands-on support to areas devastated by last week’s earthquake, Vaughan is acutely aware of the trauma engulfing the region. “Going to Pakistan now for me is just a chance to hopefully put a few smiles on some of their faces,” he added. “We’ve played some great cricket and we know how passionate they are about their cricket. It’s going to be difficult but hopefully we’ll get the chance to do a bit of fundraising while we’re there, play some good cricket and bring some joy to some of them.”Any doubts about England suffering an Ashes hangover in Pakistan were quashed by the captain. While obviously delighted with his team’s performance against Australia, he conceded that Pakistan remain formidable opponents on their home territory: “It was great to play in [the Ashes] and win but we have to move on now and try and play well in Pakistan. Pakistan are a very talented team, Bob Woolmer has done a good job with them, got them playing well as a team, so it’s going to be a tough challenge.”Vaughan also said he was happy to continue as the England captain for as long as the ECB wanted him to. “I’m sure there will come a stage where the players would like to hear a different voice and like to have a different direction,” he added. “When that is I’m not too sure but it is up to the players and the ECB to decide how long they want me to carry on. I would love to carry on for a while but it is not my decision. I’ll stay for as long as they want me.”

Cricket Australia has defended Kevin Mitchell, the Gabba curator, after John Bracewell questioned his decision to switch pitches for the final match of the Chappell-Hadlee Series because of heavy rain.Bracewell, the New Zealand coach, said yesterday they were unsure what the wicket would do because it had “been changed two or three times depending on the results of the last two games”. Bracewell also said a pitch switch could negate Daniel Vettori’s impact.James Sutherland, Cricket Australia chief executive, said a “month’s worth of rain in two days” forced Mitchell to abandon his original choice of pitch because of insufficient preparation time. Mitchell instead decided to re-use the one from Queensland’s ING Cup victory over Tasmania last Saturday.”Australian curators are among the best in the world, and Kevin Mitchell junior is right up there at the top,” Sutherland said. “We have utmost faith that his decision is the right one, and is made in the best interests of cricket.”Sutherland, who complained to the ICC this week about the condition of the Test pitch at Mumbai last month, said Cricket Australia did not give orders to curators and they worked on the principle of preparing the best possible wickets.

Cricket Australia (CA) will review its codes and policies for anti-doping breaches after a decision by an independent arbitrator according to James Sutherland, chief executive of CA. The arbitrator found that CA’s current policy did not specifically allow players suspended for anti-doping breaches to be banned from all cricket.The arbitrator also ruled that Shane Warne should be allowed to play incharity and testimonial matches during his 12-month drug ban. CA and the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) had disagreed over a provision of the agreement between the two parties which allowed the former to prevent suspended players from playing in charity or testimonial matches.Both the CA and ACA sought a ruling, and in the opinion of independent arbiter and barrister Peter O’Callaghan the provision did not give CA the right to suspend players from all cricket.Sutherland said CA believed it was inconsistent and detrimental to the spirit of the game for suspended players to not be suspended from all cricket. “We had believed we had this right under our Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the ACA but accept the umpire’s ruling that this is not the case. We now need to review our codes to determine whether it is appropriate to make changes to reflect what we believe the spirit of cricket demands.”The review is likely to take place over the next few months.

New Zealand’s failure to maintain the first day-last session strike power in the first Test at the Gabba was the feature of newspaper coverage of the rain-affected second day’s play.The New Zealand Herald: “Not even Craig McMillan, who masqueraded as the Caped Crusader on the opening day, was able to conjure up anything to stem the run flow as the Australian lower-order not only repaired the innings, but went on to leave their side in a virtually unassailable position.”[Adam] Gilchrist was a mercurial force, feeding heavily off the smorgasbord of short deliveries sent his way and taking toll of anything full, his 88 coming off 123 balls, including 13 fours and one gorgeous straight drive for six.”Following his Cinderella appearance at the bowling crease on the opening day, McMillan was back in ugly sister mode yesterday, giving up six boundaries off the blade of Gilchrist as Australia ticked the scoring over at a healthy 3.5 an over.Sydney Morning Herald: “Six times in his 22 Tests before this one, Gilchrist had dug Australia out of holes of varying depth to help them to success.”Probably the best effort came in only his second Test, when, with Australia chasing a daunting 368 against Pakistan, he came to the wicket at 5-126 and unleashed a superb 149 not out, teaming with Justin Langer in their 238-run partnership to ensure a four-wicket triumph.”He has the best average among the Australian top seven, his 54.69 shading Steve Waugh’s 51.60. If he was to be dismissed here today without adding a run, his average when batting at fifth drop would be 64.22, making him statistically the most successful batsman in that position in the game so far.”Gilchrist noted he had a better record when his side was in trouble, saying such situations helped him focus.”The Daily Telegraph: “Gilchrist and [Brett] Lee batted like they were in a hurry, hitting four consecutive boundaries and later two sixes into the northern stand.”Both sixes were caught by spectators and New Zealand might consider moving its fielders into the plastic seats tomorrow if their bowlers continue to bowl without brains.”The Kiwis were not helped by a grim outlook for left-arm quick Shayne O’Connor, who may not bowl again in this Test after suffering the potential recurrence of a knee injury.”The Herald Sun: “After 12 successive Test wins on home soil and two years without a draw, Australia might have last found an opponent it cannot beat: the weather. Rain is forecast for the weekend.”Australia has racked up a record 23-match run (20 wins, three losses) of results since its last draw, against Sri Lanka in Colombo in September, 1999…””…For all the gloom which descended over the Gabba, the day was not without its bright spots.”Gilchrist can burn off anyone at his best, but he was outscored 22 runs to 17 by [Shane] Warne and though he was 17 when Lee came to the crease, the youngster had closed to within a run when Gilchrist was 24.”Then he opened up with a starburst of pull shots off Dion Nash and Lee chimed in by lifting Chris Cairns for four, enticing a payback sledge from the bowler.”Lee strode out yesterday with a Test batting average of 21.75 and batted as if it was twice as high. At its best, his batting is a worthy combination of guts, technical assurance and a touch of flair.”He also has the big shots and clubbed the stroke of the day when he slashed Cairns over backward point for six, a sweet payback for several massive Cairns sixes in New Zealand last year.”The Australian: “The Kiwis were constantly frustrated on the field as well, continually complaining to the umpires about a wet ball as Gilchrist (13 fours, one six) and Lee (nine fours, one six) plastered it all over the damp outfield.”This prompted Gilchrist to join one of the conversations, claiming that he did not care how often the ball was changed in an attempt to keep the game moving.”He was surprised that New Zealand did not “come at” the Australians harder yesterday after ripping the heart out of the middle order on Thursday to rebalance the match.”They slowed down the over rate and set negative fields,” Gilchrist said.”The Australian vice-captain also believes that while the Kiwis have done their homework on the specialist batsmen, they were uncertain how to bowl to a free-swinging Lee, who played the shot of the day, a six sliced over third man from a Chris Cairns short ball.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsChris Gayle and Aaron Finch put on 84 in six overs•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Over the last week, Hobart has hosted the Taste of Tasmania event on the shores of its harbour. The festival showed off the best of the island’s fine food and drink, in a picturesque location, with the weather wonderful. It was evidence that Tasmania has much going for it.Tasmania, however, for all those abundant virtues, does not smack as Chris Gayle’s sort of place. Gayle is not renowned for his love of craggy coastline, picturesque woodland, or varied flora and fauna. In Hobart, there may be dancing girls, but they don’t immediately meet the eye, and it’s not a famous hub for collectors of bling. In this light, it was unsurprising that Gayle batted like a man in a hurry to get back to the mainland.After a slow start, welcome to the Big Bash League, Chris. Gayle faced only 15 deliveries. Three of the first five went for four, and the next two went for six. Another six, another four and a few drag-footed singles later and he was gone, his dismissal coming entirely in the spirit of Gayleism; a legside hoick shorn of its power as he slipped, tumbling as if a lumberjack had been hacking away at his trunk. Sensing a moment, Channel Ten bravely sent their reporter Mel McLaughlin to get some sharp, on the spot analysis from the West Indian, but, ever the opportunist, Gayle continued to play shots. “Hopefully we can win this game and we can have a drink after. Don’t blush baby,” he said. McLaughlin gave Gayle suitably short shrift, and minutes later, the network – after briefly exploiting the situation on Twitter – were issuing an apology.Gayle’s batting had been far more endearing. After a series of trademark, brutal biffs to legs and a superb straight driven six off Shaun Tait, he fell to the last ball of the Powerplay but by then, the game’s result was beyond doubt. Eventually, the Melbourne Renegades – having looked on for an even more comprehensive thrashing – only won by five wickets. Aaron Finch, playing his last game before joining up with Australia’s ODI squad, almost saw them home, before, like Gayle, falling to Cameron Boyce, who impressed once more, caught at deep midwicket.Finch had played a series of outstanding cover drives and flicks to leg in his 60, but it was his first act of the night that proved most decisive. Heading into this game, these two teams were travelling in different directions. The Renegades had lost their last three games, all batting first (having lost the toss); the Hurricanes had won their last three (having twice won the toss), all bowling first.It’s amazing what happens when the coin falls your way. Unsurprisingly when the coin landed in his favour for the first time this season, Finch chose to field first. This played to the Renegades’ strengths, leaving their powerful batting line-up to chase whatever their seemingly weaker bowling attack served them; in their last two games, they’d managed just three wickets in a pair of thumping defeats.The batsmen weren’t left with a great deal to haul down as, on a tacky pitch and after Finch sprung a surprise by opening the bowling with two spinners, they had three wickets – key wickets – by the end of the Powerplay and their season was back on track. Tim Paine played all round a Xavier Doherty turner, before the Hurricanes’ key men Kumar Sangakkara and George Bailey fell to peculiar shots as the pressure told. Sangakkara uppercut the excellent Chris Tremain straight to third man, and Bailey slapped Cameron Gannon straight to mid-off. The Renegades had found 14 consecutive dot balls, and two straight wicket maidens. The result was the lowest-scoring Powerplay of the tournament, as the the Hurricanes finished 20 for 3.Dan Christian led a Hurricanes fightback, of sorts. The allrounder carefully played himself in, with seven of his first nine deliveries dots, before pummelling Nathan Rimmington over the short cover boundary for six and continuing to accelerate. Cameron Gannon’s 14th over was taken for two more sixes, before one stroke too many saw Christian sky Xavier Doherty to long-on. Shortly before, Ben Dunk, who was far less fluent but held the innings together and played a pair of good off-side scythes, had been caught at deep midwicket.Some resourceful hitting from Jonathan Wells hauled the Hurricanes to 140, but it never looked enough. With Gayle in a hurry to get out of town, the drubbing – a major blow to the Hurricanes’ finals aspirations – was never in doubt.

Zimbabwe have suffered a blow with the news that Hamilton Masakadza has been ruled out of action for at least six weeks after injuring his finger in training.Masakadza tore his finger ligament in a fielding session last week. The injury rules him out of the whole tour by Sri Lanka A to Zimbabwe. There is a 50-50 chance of him making it on time for West Indies’ ODI tour. It has now been confirmed that Sri Lanka A will play two four-day matches and two one day matches against the full Zimbabwe side.Meanwhile, the recuperating Sean Williams is almost set to make a return against the Sri Lankan fringes. Williams is now training fully with the rest of the Zimbabwe side, giving a boost to coach Robin Brown, who asked his players to play positive cricket when he took over from former Zimbabwe team-mate Kevin Curran.