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You could never accuse of Brian Lara of lacking in timing. And if his retirement announcement was made without customary flourish, it didn’t lack drama. It was the most delectable of late cuts: perfectly conceived and deftly executed, it left those in its presence breathless.There was no gasp, because it took time to register. He dropped it in casually, just after he had finished answering his last question and when notebooks were being put away. He leaned forward, almost as if he was preparing to leave, and whispered these words into the microphone: “I gave extensive consideration to this. I want everybody to know that on Saturday I’ll be playing my last international match.”Journalists turned around and looked enquiringly at each other. Did I hear it right? Did he say merely international or was there a one-day before it. Some rushed to the dais to confirm it with Imran Khan, the West Indies media manager, who nodded his head. Some shoved miniature bats and notebooks to be autographed. But Lara had made it clear that there would be no further questions, and none were asked.The very first question had been about his future and Lara had cut the questioner off. “This is about today’s match,” he had said firmly, and had repeated the refrain whenever the subject had veered towards it. However, he had fielded other broader questions, about West Indies cricket, about Ramnaresh Sarwan – the leading contender for the captaincy – and one about how he would like to be remembered. Given what transpired, the question now seems prescient though, to be honest, it was asked in the context of his one-day career.Lara’s answer was typical of him. He didn’t bother mouthing platitudes about service to the country and the game. “I would like to be remembered as someone who came out there and tried to entertain.” That was the truth about Lara. It was his essence. Over a 17-year career, lots of his relationships – with the board, with selectors, with the media and even his own team-mates – were stretched and tested. But one bond remained unshakable, that between a conjurer and his spellbound audience. You fell for him instantly, and were hooked for life.With hindsight, it is obvious now that the press conference had so many touches of a farewell. “I am also proud,” Lara said. “I have been knocked down so many times, as a player and as a person, and I have had the strength, I suppose that has come from my parents, to be able to pick myself each and every single time and go out there in the face of adversity and try my best and perform. I didn’t read it up in a book. It’s deep down and it’s part of my family trait.”Time and again during the press conference, Lara was provoked to bring his dispute with the administrators in the open. He refused the bait. But what he left unsaid, said a lot. “Whoever is the new captain must receive the support he deserves.” When asked if he received the support he needed, he merely said it was no time to cry over spilt milk. Success in the international arena, he said, depended on much more than the 11 players on the field but, when pressed further, he insisted that “this was not the forum to discuss this”.There will be another press conference in a couple of days, and Lara will surely be there. This time though, his inquisitors will be much better prepared.

Just as there is settlement of one damaging dispute at regional level, another arises in Barbados to further heighten public disenchantment with a sport once revered as a religion on this island.Increasingly in this antagonistic age, the courts have been called upon to rule on disagreements between sporting organisations and members.Whatever the opposing arguments in the latest court challenge – Bristol’s objection to the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) decision to promote the UWI and another combined youth team, and not them, to the top division this season – it is staggering that it could halt the start of an entire annual tournament that has survived and grown for over 100 years and produced some of the game’s greatest players.Heaven knows how much longer the delay will last. If not soon, by the time the first ball is bowled keen, talented young men who were all primed for action yesterday might well have found other sporting ways to pass their time on a weekend.It is no wonder our cricket is in such a mess.

Bangladeshis 309 for 7 dec (Rahim 115*, Rafique 54) drew with Northamptonshire 230 for 6 dec (Shafayat 76, Afzaal 47*, Hossain 4-113)
ScorecardMushfiqur Rahim gave the Bangladeshis a much-needed boost ahead of the first Test, with an unbeaten century on the third and final day of their rain-affected match against Northamptonshire. The match petered out into a predictable draw, but Rahim’s innings enlivened proceedings and gave Dav Whatmore, Bangladesh’s coach, some unexpected selection dilemmas.Rahim, who is only 16, was originally picked on the tour as understudy to Khaled Masud, the established wicketkeeper, but he has shown the best form of all the batsmen in the last two warm-up matches. Following his gutsy 63 against Sussex he struck 15 fours and a six here, adding 91 with Masud and 87 with Mohammad Rafique, who made a quickfire 54 from 52 balls.Rahim has put his name in the frame for Lord’s as a specialist batsman, after the Bangladesh top order suffered another slump. The Northants attack did not feature any first-team players, but still caused plenty of problems. Charl Pietersen disposed of Javed Omar (6 for 1), while Matthew Friedlander removed Mohammad Ashraful, Rajin Saleh and Mashud as the Bangladeshis slumped to 105 for 5.Northants had earlier taken their first-innings total from 149 for 5 to 230 for 6. Usman Afzaal made a run-a-ball 47 and Andrew White struck an unbeaten 30. Anwar Hossain Monir picked up his fourth wicket, but conceded nearly six an over throughout his 20 overs. He is unlikely to feature at Lord’s and, although Rahim’s innings is a boost for the Bangladeshis, the XI who take the field on Thursday know that that will be the true test.

The New Zealand and South Africa cricket teams, in the midst of a one-day series, have donated bats and shirts for auction to raise money for victims of the recent storms and floods that lashed the southern and central North Island and the northern areas of the South Island.Graeme Smith, South Africa’s captain, hoped the contribution would make a difference.”We often see the devastation caused by storms and floods from afar,” Smith said, “but being so close to the worst affected areas makes us realize just how quickly lives can be seriously disrupted and we hope that in making this donation we can make a difference to those people whose lives have been severely affected.”New Zealand Cricket announced that ticket prices for the third one-day at Wellington would be slashed, and a certain amount donated for every adult ticket sold.

South Africa has been given a lifeline after the West Indies match was washed out in Benoni as a no-result. With West Indies only securing two points from the match, South Africa has been given a further option of squeezing their way into the Super Six stage.South Africa has to win all their remaining games with a further loss sure to see them exit the tournament in round one. The scenario is also based on no further games being washed out by rain. By winning the remaining games South Africa will end on 16 points. Any loss will see 15 players and a nation into further rain dances.New Zealand, who have completed their matches against the "stronger" teams in the group are going to lose four points for their decision not to go to Kenya and should, on present form, also end on 16 points.West Indies, by winning all their remaining games will end on 18 points, which makes the game against Sri Lanka vital for them to progress to the second round. A loss against Sri Lanka will see them end on 14 points.Sri Lanka holds the key to the group. By beating West Indies and South Africa they will top the group unbeaten on 24 points. Losses to both the teams will see them also finish on 16 points. Net run-rate will then decide the two teams to progress to the second round with West Indies.The following points position are possible accepting that New Zealand will win all their remaining games.Sri Lanka wins all their games the points will be:
Sri Lanka 24, New Zealand 16, West Indies 14, South Africa 12.Sri Lanka beats West Indies, loses to South Africa:
Sri Lanka 20, New Zealand 16, South Africa 16, West Indies 14.Sri Lanka beats South Africa, loses to West Indies:
Sri Lanka 20, West Indies 18, New Zealand 16, South Africa 12.Sri Lanka loses to South Africa and West Indies:
West Indies 18, Sri Lanka 16, New Zealand 16, South Africa 16.
With two of the three teams on equal points qualifying on net run-rates.For South Africa then it is imperative that they win all their remaining games well (to up their net run-rate) and that Sri Lanka beats West Indies on the 28th February at Newlands.

Makoni’s cricketers have had mixed fortunes in recent weeks in the Lilthurbridge Cup. A month ago they travelled to Enterprise Country Club (30 minutes north-east of Harare) where they comprehensively outplayed these six-time champions. Set a modest 185 (Ant Mitchell 59, Roger Staunton 38), Makoni cruised home with 186/4 (Kenyon Ziehl 66, Kevin Curran 47*).The following week they handed out another six-wicket hiding, this time to former Country Districts powerhouses Hwedza. Winning the toss and fielding, Makoni restricted the visitors to 163/7. Richard Seager was luckily dropped four times during his 59 otherwise the game would have been over sooner. Zeihl(41), Hough (37), Frans Briers (34) and Curran (32*) knocked off the runs with ten overs to spare.Makoni – who always field first to get the worst part of the day over with – included former Zimbabwe B opening bowler Dave Timms. Now resident in the USA, ‘Gonzo’ was unfortunately unable to re-enact former glories. A huge man who occasionally played lock for Manicaland in the eighties, he once carried the drinks for Zimbabwe – dutifully wearing blazer and black shoes, believing his team mates’ assurances that this was protocol. A notable absentee from Hwedza’s ranks after 30-odd seasons was Mike Seager, now playing for Enterprise after a spat with the selectors.These results propelled Makoni as group winners into the play-offs. Early-season favourites for the title, they came unstuck at the first hurdle. Travelling to Chegutu (formerly Hartley), they were beaten by 89 runs by a young side bristling with Academy players. Batting first, Chegutu made 198/8 (Barney Rogers 44, D. Waterfall 32), with only Bokkie Moolman (2/45) enjoying limited success with the ball. Stunned by Academy bowler Van Rensburg (5/33 – all ducks) and De Vries (3/36), Makoni slumped to 109 all out, with only Kevin Curran managing 57. The Makoni veterans took exception to the tone adopted by these youthful townies who sledged and abused their way to an unpleasant victory.Last weekend with only nine players they drove 400 kilometres to receive a hiding from Karoi. Sent in, they made 194 (Nigel Hough 75, Kenyon Ziehl 35), which Karoi overhauled with 13 overs and seven wickets to spare. Robin Brown felt obliged to retire on 70 such was the disarray of these would-be cup bowlers. Simon Ballance had done an Achilles, Hough’s back had gone and Ziehl had pulled thigh, hamstring and armpit muscles. With only one game to go they are now unable to progress to the semi-finals.Last weekend saw all the provincial chairmen meeting for discussions in Bulawayo during the one-day internationals at Queens Sports Club. Plenty of fire was breathed on the state of the game and the direction its leaders were taking. There was a consensus that development needed huge financial support, most importantly in the form of full-time paid provincial administrators. With the game’s expansion and thrust, the amateur part-timers currently doing the job feel increasingly overwhelmed. All clubs are struggling financially and there are feelings that the ZCU should emulate other Test nations in equitable income distribution.

India’s cricket officials refused to reschedule the one-day series against the West Indies despite crowd trouble in all the three matches played so far.”There is no threat to the series, it will be completed as scheduled,” said Karunakaran Nair, the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).While the first two matches in Jamshedpur and Nagpur were briefly interrupted by missile-throwing fans, Tuesday’s game in Rajkot was forced to be abandoned after West Indian fielders were hit by plastic water bottles.Two of the remaining four matches will be played in Ahmedabad and Baroda, which like Rajkot are situated in the sensitive western state of Gujarat where thousands were killed in communal violence earlier this year.BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya said he had spoken to state administration officials to ensure the untoward incidents of the first three matches were not repeated.”We are happy the Gujarat government has agreed to our suggestions to increase security in Ahmedabad and Baroda,” Dalmiya said.”We have also issued necessary instructions to the staging associations to install close-circuit cameras as strategic points in the stadiums, so that mischief-mongers can be identified.”Ahmedabad will host a day-night match on Friday, followed by day games in Baroda (November 18), Jodhpur (Nov 21) and Vijayawada (Nov 24).The West Indies lead the series 2-1 after winning the first two matches. The third at Rajkot was awarded to India by a margin of 81 runs after the home side was ahead on run-rate when the match was abandoned.Nair said the problem was not lack of security, but hooliganism by a small section of spectators.”We can control 99 per cent of the crowd. But if the remaining one per cent decides to create nuisance, we are rendered helpless,” he said.”We can only appeal to the sporting public of India who are great fans of cricket to desist from such behaviour as it is bringing a bad name to the country.”The International Cricket Council (ICC), worried at the incidents in India, said it was looking at expanding its powers to remove international status from unruly venues.ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said while it did not at present have the authority to remove the international status of a venue, its Safety and Security Committee would consider it “imminently”.”We have asked this committee to consider appropriate penalties for venues which consistently fail to meet their obligations in meeting minimum standards of security,” Speed said in a statement.”This is likely to include the ultimate sanction of withdrawing international status from a ground, combined with a heavy financial penalty.”

Scorecard
Subashis Roy grabbed a four-wicket haul to power Bangladesh Under-19s to a series-clinching win against West Indies Under-19s.West Indies were in pursuit of 233 but Roy never allowed their chase to get underway. Roy struck in his first over, removing Kieran Powell before knocking out the other opener Horace Miller and Adrian Barath in quick succession to leave West Indies struggling at 34 for 3.Suhrawadi Shuvo, the left-arm spinner, gave able support to Roy and ended up with a three-wicket haul. Sharmarh Brooks and Darren Bravo revived the innings with an 83-run partnership for the fourth wicket but Shuvo trapped Bravo to terminate it. And when Brooks fell soon after, with West Indies at 140 for 6, the chase was all but over.Earlier, an 87-run partnership between Nadimuddin (49) and Saikat Ali (49) helped Bangladesh recover from 25 for 3 before Rony Talukder (59) propelled them to finish at a healthy 232.

The England coach Duncan Fletcher must be replaced, whatever happens in the World Cup, according to Matthew Engel, the Wisden editor. In his notes, Engel praises Fletcher’s leadership over the past seven years but adds “it is time for renewal, and there can be no renewal without change at the top”.Engel said England’s 2006-07 Ashes loss was not a disgrace. “It is 36 years now since England last won an away series against a full-strength Australian side,” he said. “The manner of it was disgraceful. England were at once worn out but under-prepared; complacent yet over-apprehensive; inward-looking yet dysfunctional as a unit; closeted yet distracted.”Engel said the “England bubble”, in which Fletcher protected his players against outside distractions, had helped create the conditions for the team’s earlier triumphs. “But there are problems living inside a bubble. Eventually the oxygen runs out. And if this one began as the Eden Project, it turned this winter into something like the Big Brother house.”Accurate information rarely seeped out; it also stopped seeping in. Even experts have to keep listening and learning; Fletcher, on the evidence of the 2006-07 Ashes, just stopped.”In the wide-ranging notes, Engel touches on John Betjeman, Ashby-de-la-Zouch and “incomprehensible” scoreboards. And he also attacks England stars Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff for displaying their tattoos, thus inevitably encouraging young admirers to imitate them.

Essex have announced a pre-tax profit of £26,129 for the year ended December 31, 2005. This is slightly down on the 2004 figure of £27,707, while the balance sheet stood at £2,573,726.David East, the chief executive, said the profit was reward for hard work during a tough year. “We are pleased that we have been able to show a profit once again, but this should not detract from the fact that 2005 was a very challenging year.”We have worked extremely hard on examining all areas of expenditure, whilst ensuring that our cricket remains competitive and properly resourced. It is a fine balance, but the combination of our [National] League success and a modest surplus in 2005 indicates that the club is moving in a very positive direction.East added that there were ambitious plans in the pipeline to try and secure the future financial health of Essex. “We have an exciting plan for a major redevelopment of the ground which is progressing well. Our objective is to have a top-class stadium with fantastic facilities, whilst ensuring the financial security of the club for the future.”As guardians of the game in the county it is vital that we continue to support the recreational and developmental activities of the Essex County Cricket Board, whilst retaining our focus on achieving excellence on the professional field.”