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How Do You Solve a Problem Like Steve Harmison? England appeared lost for answers on the second day at the Gabba, after their misfiring spearhead had been treated to a second consecutive day of public chastisement. After 12 insipid overs on the opening day of the series, Harmison sent down 18 more today, finishing with the demoralising figures of 1 for 123 as Australia rattled along to a vast 9 for 602.”It’s fair to say Steve’s not been at his best,” said Andrew Flintoff afterwards. “He’d be the first to admit that, but it’s not from a lack of trying. He’s giving it everything he’s got but he’s struggling for his rhythm in this game. But there was an upturn to it. He bowled 30 overs and in patches he did get better.”Those patches were sadly few and far between. As on the first day, he opened with a wide – though not quite as grotesque a delivery as the one that had sailed clean into Flintoff’s hands at second slip (“I’d rather it had come off the edge,” Freddie later deadpanned) – and though by the end of his spell he was loping in to the crease with a renewed predatory streak, with the score already sailing into the stratosphere it was all a little too late for this Test.”I thought he was working hard to get his bowling right,” added Flintoff. “We’ve got people around who can work with him but Steve probably knows when he’s bowling well himself. He got better through the innings, but when it’s not going right it affects your confidence a little bit. Harmy is just striving to get back to his best.”One man on the park at the Gabba today claimed he knew what to do with Harmison, but unfortunately for England, it wasn’t one of his team-mates. Instead, Glenn McGrath, Australia’s No. 11 and uber-bunny, was on hand to dish out the advice after chipping in with a composed and unbeaten 8.”I was trying not to premeditate but that’s exactly what I was doing,” said McGrath as he doled out his batting tips to an amused audience. “I felt Harmy was only going to bowl short at me or at the stumps, so I thought if it was short I could get inside, or if it was full on the stumps I could play down the wicket. But I didn’t get out.”I feel for Harmy because the radar wasn’t quite switched on,” McGrath added. “But he’s got a pretty big fight to get back on track there. His confidence is definitely down, there’s no doubt about that.”Flintoff, meanwhile, was desperately trying to put a brave face on another tough day in the field. “Australia do come hard at you, it’s something we expect and it’s something they’ve done,” he shrugged. “It’s been two hard days. Australia played well, and in patches we did alright. Matthew Hoggard came back and bowled well. Ashley Giles in his first Test match for a year, I thought he bowled lovely. There are encouraging signs. But it’s fair to say tomorrow we are going to have to bat well.”

Malcolm Speed, the ICC’s chief executive, has denied media speculation that its Anti-Corruption Unit is investigating incidents during the recent Videocon Cup one-day series between Zimbabwe, India and New Zealand, labelling them “totally inaccurate and without foundation.”We do not normally comment on the operational activities of the ACU, but in light of the volume of utterly unfounded reports relating to the recent tri-series in Zimbabwe it is important to make it clear that there is no investigation being undertaken into this series,” Speed said. “It is disappointing to see such wild and unfounded accusations circulating in the media and we have taken the unusual step of commenting on this speculation as we do not wish the reputation of the sport, the teams or the players to be tarnished by utterly inaccurate media reports.”The ICC never usually comments on the ongoing operations of the ACU, but the widespread media coverage of the allegations forced it to speak out.Earlier, Daniel Vettori had rubbished allegations that there was anything untoward about New Zealand’s recent win in the series. An Indian newspaper had reported that the ICC had deployed two members of the anti-corruption unit to look into allegations of match-fixing in the tournament.”That’s the first I’ve heard of it, it’s news to me and I’d imagine it’s news to the team as well,” Vettori told the New Zealand Press Association. “It seems to always follow us around when we win something.”Vettori was the lynchpin of New Zealand’s victory in the final, taking 2 for 34 in a tidy 10-over spell mid-innings that put the brakes on India. A fine opening stand between Nathan Astle and Stephen Fleming then sealed the issue for New Zealand.”But we’re pretty comfortable with how the game went, how we played it and how they played it — 280’s not a bad score in a final,” said Vettori. When asked whether he or any of his team-mates was approached by bookmakers or suspicious characters during the series he said, “Nothing at all, there’s nothing gone on to my knowledge.”New Zealand Cricket was quick to back its players. “All we have seen regarding speculation surrounding the series is reports from Indian newspapers,” Martin Snedden, the chief executive, said. “I have very strong trust in the integrity of our players and am more than confident there is no basis to any suggestions they were involved.”

With barely a week to go before Canada’s Intercontinental Cup match against Bermuda in Toronto, the Canadian board (CCA) has finally selected a venue – but the choice has left many surprised and disappointed.With the cash-strapped CCA unwilling to pay to use one of the main venues, it was left with few alternatives and plumped to play the game at Sunnybrook. While the ground might sound idyllic, one local told me that aside from their being no pavilion to speak of, there is "no running water, no hydro, no covers, no sightscreens and a very poor schoolyard scoreboard."The venue is used regularly for cricket, but there has not been a turf wicket there since 2001, when they were specially laid for the ICC Trophy. Last season the artificial pitches, which are used for all games, were relaid, and the adjoining grass wickets were damaged during that work and never repaired.Reports suggest that the CCA has been carrying out some urgent work on the grass pitch, but the chances of getting a surface good enough to last three days, and good enough for a first-class match, in such a short time is almost impossible."A three-day wicket takes considerable preparation or it will deteriorate after the first day or so, and either become dusty and turn square or be so lively on the first day that a medium-pacer will be unplayable," a local curator explained. "I cannot believe that the umpires will allow it [the game] to proceed on this track."

The CCA faces other problems. The venue is in a picturesque public park, and as such it cannot be fenced off and so there will be no opportunity to charge for admission. Without any cordoning off, there will also be problems in erecting any tents or marquees to sell alcohol. That, coupled with the fact that players will not have immediate access to washing facilities, means the entire venture is verging on a farce.This is Canada’s chance to show the world that it is ready to be taken as a serious player in world cricket. The Canadian board appears to be hell-bent on squandering that opportunity, and with ICC officials in town for the match, it could be a very public humiliation.Back in May, the CCA attempted to get the Intercontinental Cup tie against USA in Florida postponed, claiming that there had not been adequate time for preparation. Rightly, the ICC ruled the game had to go ahead. This time, the CCA has had seven months to prepare, and yet they only approached the three clubs with good grass wickets – Ajax CC, King City and the Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club – in late July.For the good of Canadian cricket, it has to be hoped that, somehow, the whole thing comes together and works. If it doesn’t, then the CCA, already deeply unpopular in some quarters, will face increasing calls for change.Click here for www.canadacricket.com’s full report on Sunnybrook

Wales have taken a further step towards being recognised as an international side in their own right. With just three days to go until their unofficial ODI against England at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, they have run into an injury crisis.Wales won last year’s inaugural fixture by a massive eight wickets, but this time around they will be without the man who carried them to victory. Glamorgan’s captain Steve James, who top-scored with an undefeated 83, has been ruled out by a knee injury.Tony Cottey has damaged his back and will miss out as well, while Andrew Davies broke a thumb during a Second XI Trophy match at Neath on Monday and he will be out for four to six weeks. Jonathan Hughes also sustained a hand injury but the extent of that is not known at present, though his participation is in doubt.There is some good news for Wales. Steffan Jones had been released by Somerset and will be available to play, while the captaincy has been passed to that most passionate of Welshmen, Robert Croft, who took 2 for 36 and lamped a rapid 30 in last year’s match. Mike Kasprowicz, Glamorgan’s overseas player, follows in the footsteps of Jacques Kallis as an honourary Taff.Wales squad Ian Thomas, Robert Croft (capt), Mike Powell, Matthew Maynard, David Hemp, Adrian Dale, Jonathan Hughes, Mark Wallace (wk), Michael Kasprowicz, Alex Wharf, David Harrison, Darren Thomas, Steffan Jones, Dean Cosker.

West Indian fast bowler Marlon Black lost his place in international cricket as well as income of $A100,000 following an attack on him early this year, a court in Melbourne was told today.Three men – Brian Siali, 24, of the Melbourne suburb of Burwood; Gideon Tuinauvai, 21, also of Burwood, and Sione Puamau, 21, of Ringwood – have pleaded guilty to intentionally causing serious injury in the assault that took place on 11 February outside Colonial Stadium.The Victorian County Court heard that Black was punched and kicked repeatedly to the head and body by the three men and struck with a garden stake before being left unconscious.Crown prosecutor Jack Vandersteen stated that Black took four months to recover from the beating.Mr Vandersteen added that his client had been forced out of the West Indian team’s home series against South Africa (which began in March) as a result and that he had suffered severe financial and emotional loss.Black, 26, has played in a total of four Tests and four One-Day Internationals for West Indies, and has also been a member of Trinidad & Tobago representative sides since 1993-94. He appeared in each of the first three matches on West Indies’ five-Test tour of Australia last summer, claiming 4/83 in Brisbane on his international debut.The pre-sentencing hearing is continuing.