ScorecardWestern Australia sealed their highest run-chase in domestic history with a stunning 4 for 397 against Tasmania at Bellerive Oval. Led by the captain Mike Hussey and backed by fine contributions from Chris Rogers and Marcus North, Western Australia leaped to the top of the Pura Cup table with a win sealed with nine balls remaining.Hussey made 95 and put together 133 for the first wicket with Rogers (74), while North concluded with an unbeaten 94 after Tasmania had set them a daunting 396 in less than a day. Western Australia’s previous highest sucessful chase was 390 against South Australia in 1992-93.”It was just basically assessing what Tasmania set us and then going out there until there were 50 overs remaining and treating it like a one-day game,” North said. “It worked out we were roughly five an over from that point so we were in a good position.”Western Australia required 182 in 35 overs at tea, but their efforts were hindered by the dismissals of Hussey and Rogers, who both fell lbw to Dan Marsh. However, North, Shaun Marsh and Adam Voges, who added 105 with North, pushed the Warriors, who now have a two point lead over Queensland and New South Wales, to victory.Michael Bevan completed his second century of the match when play resumed this morning, and had moved to 114 when the declaration arrived, adding to his first-innings 190.

Shaun Pollock is unlikely to participate in the second Test against Zimbabwe due to an ankle problem he sustained during the series against England. His discomfort was visible in Zimbabwe’s second innings of the first Test, where he bowled only five overs.Shane Jabaar, the South African team physiotherapist, believed the Shaun’s ankle would not recover in time for the Test, which begins on March 11. Supersport quoted him as saying, “Shaun will consult a specialist about his sore ankle on Wednesday, but I do not think he will play in the second Test.”Jabaar also spoke about the injuries afflicting Graeme Smith, Charl Langeveldt and AB de Villiers. “His ankle remains problematic and we are treating it,” Jabaar said of Smith. “However, we need time, that is something we do not have.”But he had some good news. He confirmed that AB de Villiers did not have a broken finger and that Langeveldt’s hamstring problem was recovering well. “Charl is responding well to treatment and will remain in the squad,” said Jabaar. “I cannot see his injury preventing him from playing in the second Test.”

Peter Chingoka, Zimbabwe Cricket’s chairman, has said that the dispute with Zimbabwe’s rebel players is officially at an end and that it’s now “business as usual”.In an interview with Zimbabwe’s Independent newspaper, Chingoka said that he believed the board had “done everything in our power to resolve this issue once and for all. ZC employs over 200 people and they are treated just like the other employees. We have a system in place, and that is what we are using as a guideline.”Chingoka stressed that the side would be picked on merit and said that “the players’ return means that we have got a good blend of senior and younger players. It fits well with our target of doing well at the World Cup in 2007.”He also denied reports that Zimbabwe’s Central Intelligence Organisation were investigating ZC over its new logo, insisting that he only learnt of the story through the media. “We can’t stop such mischievous and malicious rumours,” he said. “ZC is an apolitical organisation. When the agent designed that logo, we explained what the colours and emblem mean. To us that should not even be a subject for discussion.”Cricinfo was told by a senior official inside Zimbabwe Cricket that the matter of the logo was raised at board level.

West Indies might have slumped to two crushing defeats in the opening two games of the one-day series but Shivnarine Chanderpaul, their captain, was optimistic about his team fighting back and winning the five-match rubber.”The same way South Africa came out and won two games we can come out and win three games,” Chanderpaul was quoted as saying in The Nation. “Anything is possible, we still believe in ourselves and we will stay positive all the time.” South Africa cruised to an easy eight-wicket win in the rain-affected second one-dayer, after restricting West Indies to just 152 for 7.”We lost some early wickets … and the wicket was a little bit low and the ball was gripping, but with the total on the board, anything was possible. We just needed to go out there and put the ball in the right areas and anything can happen for you.”We need to think more on our cricket,” he said. “Our batters need to stand up, they need to lay the foundation … to give us a score to fight with.” Chanderpual also mentioned that the South African bowlers have managed to put the bowl in the right spot and made early inroads in their batting line-up.However, Graeme Smith, was a satisfied man and was confident of a clean sweep. “The last two days have been unbelievable, the intensity in the field, the half stops, the half chances … are all crucial to winning one-day cricket, but from a bowling point of view, I was really satisfied today,” he continued. “We are looking to win all five, and the one in Barbados is really important for a series win. We want to do well there and hopefully leave there with a series win.”

John Wright, the former Indian coach, has said that the time for honorary selectors may be up, and has urged the Indian board administration to bring in professionals. “I have no problems with the selectors because they’re all trying to do a tough job,” said Wright in a frank interview with . “What I have a problem with is the system, whereby they’re voted in every year and they’re voted in by a geographical region. I don’t think that situation is healthy.”Wright said he had witnessed several passionate selection meetings, and noted that since selectors performed in an honorary capacity, they would be changed often, regardless of whether they were competent or otherwise. This process, he said, had to change because a large part of a team’s showing depended on the actions of the selectors.”Every year, generally, you have a new convenor and a different make-up on your panel, so the continuity is difficult. Sanjay Jagdale has been an outstanding selector and because his time is up he is no longer in that position. That to me just doesn’t make sense.”I feel that the system of picking your national selection panel may have done its course,” he continued, “and I would urge the BCCI to study the situation. I have a personal opinion that it should be a professional position, the way it is in a number of countries. You can have the best coaching system and your best coaches, but if you don’t get your selections right, you’re making it very difficult for yourselves.”Wright added that a selector who toured with the team could help matters, because he would be in a position to interact with the captain and coach on requirements and decisions, and could convey them to the rest of the selection panel. As for feedback on players at first-class level, utilising the services of coaches could be helpful. “I think there are some good coaches out there in the first-class system, and they should be used. I hope they establish a pathway for coaching in domestic cricket. There’s a new group coming through, guys like Paras Mhambrey, Venkatesh Prasad, Robin Singh. If you can get a system going where they feel there’s a career there, then that could be helpful.”Wright added that you could not rule entirely out a situation where coaches becamse surplus to requirement and the team was “taking responsibility for those decisions.”Which leads us to the Ian Chappell situation, where if a captain doesn’t really want anyone else around, then fine.”

Tom Moody, Sri Lanka’s latest Australian coach, has been given a wider mandate than his predecessors to revamp the island’s coaching structure at the national and grassroots level, with the aim that Sri Lanka can win the 2007 World Cup and are able to be consistently rated as one of the top three Test nations in the world.Sri Lanka’s previous foreign coaches have had limited input into wider development issues and have often been left frustrated by a general lack of clout over even minor team issues. But Moody, the highest-paid coach in Sri Lanka’s history with a pay packet estimated to be US$150,000 plus expenses, has been assured a freer rein to build for the future.”Tom’s primary focus will be as head coach of the national team but he will also be looking at the structure of our coaching system in the island which we believe needs to be reviewed,” Tryphon Mirando, the interim board secretary, said at a media briefing. “We have already had a very healthy discussion about the long-term future and Tom will be working very closely with everyone so we can be champions again.”Moody produced an accomplished performance in front of the Sri Lanka media for the first time, sidestepping the predictable politically-slanted questions from some journalists relating to the recent cricket board crisis with ease. His theme was building for the future and putting in place the support structures necessary to properly harness the talents of the national team in particular and the island as a whole.”I am very excited and honoured to be Sri Lanka coach,” Moody announced. “I am ambitious and this [an international post] is something that I have been striving for. I am now looking forward to working with some of the world’s best players and taking the side forward. I will be the head team coach but I will also closely monitor the A team and the under-19 team and look into coaching at the grassroots.””Our main focus is the World Cup in 2007 and the journey we are started now is geared towards a successful campaign in the West Indies,” he added. “We will sit down with the senior core of the players when I return to review how the game is being played now and the likely conditions to formulate our strategies. Fortunately, we have plenty of time up our sleeve to come up with strategies that can help us win that tournament. In Tests, our goal is to look at a consistent place in the top three and to do that we need to maintain the side’s home form and improve performances overseas.Moody has also been given the freedom to build a new back-room support staff for the team. CJ Clarke is the current physiotherapist and is contracted until the 2007 World Cup, but there is no fitness trainer any longer after the failure of the previous administration to renew Shane Duff’s contract at the start of the year. A full-time assistant coach – possibly one of the leading local coaches like Rumesh Ratanayke or Roy Dias – is also on the cards.”I am in favour of having a quality support team to give the players the best chance possible of performing at their best,” commented Moody. “It may be worthwhile looking at an assistant coach and that is something we will look at in addition to the physiotherapist and fitness trainer. With regard to specialist batting and bowling coaches, as an experienced allrounder, I feel confident of being able to handle both of those areas. If I feel we need additional support, for example a dietician, we will address that when the need arises.”Moody promised innovation, but not technology for the sake of it: “I am familiar with all the new technologies that are being used now in the game and we will also be introducing new technologies into the coaching process, but it is also important to stick to the basics and we will not cloud the players in technology. If we can use technology to develop the players then fine.”Potentially Moody’s greatest frustration in the coming months could be selection, which has been a recurrent and consistent source of controversy over the years. Moody, who met Lalith Kaluperuma, the new chairman of selectors, on Wednesday afternoon, will not have an official vote but hopes that his opinion will be sought and valued: “It is important that the captain and coach have a close relationship with the selectors as it is important that we get the best XI out of the park.”Moody leaves for England on Thursday afternoon to re-join Worcestershire before returning on June 18 to start training and planning for the home series against West Indies, which starts on July 15.

The New Zealand government is increasing the pressure to have Zimbabwe banned from international cricket, and while some national governments have given varying degrees of support, the response from the national cricket boards is likely to be less enthusiastic.On Monday, Phil Goff, New Zealand’s foreign minister, repeated his call for action to be taken against Zimbabwe in view of the escalating human rights abuses being perpetrated by Robert Mugabe’s regime. That coincided with condemnation of events in Zimbabwe from a number of bodies, including Britain, the USA, the Commonwealth and the European Union.Goff said that he was hoping to enlist the support of national cricket boards, but added; “If we have to go to the ICC alone, we will.”The first to react was the Australian government whose foreign minister, Alexander Downer, who said that he would be speaking to Cricket Australia. “Given the level of human rights abuses that are now taking place in Zimbabwe it’s not appropriate for cricket matches to be played against Zimbabwe,” Downer told ABC. “But before we make any approach to the ICC as a government, we’ll be consulting with the board. After [that] consultation, we will make a decision about whether we will join with the British and the New Zealanders to lobby the ICC to stop cricket matches against Zimbabwe for the time being.”Goff is also understood to have held fruitful talks with Jack Straw, his UK counterpart. But last year Straw was unnsuccessful in his attempts to persuade the England & Wales Cricket Board to scrap its tour of Zimbabwe.

A lengthy debate on whether the Board of Control for Cricket in India was an authority of the state dominated proceedings on the opening day of the Supreme Court hearing which sought to find a solution to the telecast-rights impasse that has overshadowed the build-up to the Test series against Australia.KK Venugopal, the BCCI counsel, pleaded that the writ petition filed by Zee Telefilms was invalid since the board was not an authority of the state – as defined in Article 12 of the Indian constitution. As per definition, “the State” implies not just the government, but also “all local or other authorities”, and according to a report in , Harish Salve, Zee’s counsel, argued that the BCCI should be considered as an “other authority”.He asserted that the BCCI was the sole representative of India as a nation at all levels of the game, with the team it selects playing under the national flag. The BCCI, however, contended that since it had no links with the government, and received no financial assistance from it, it could not be subjected to a writ petition.According to Venugopal, all that the government did was recognise the BCCI as the game’s apex body in India. The hearing, presided over by Justice Santosh Hegde, will resume on Wednesday.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has struck a deal for a two-year extension with GrameenPhone, the official sponsors of the Bangladesh team for the last two years. The extension of the contract came at the cost Taka 3.5 crore, more than double the amount that GrameenPhone had to pay for their first contract.The extension of the initial contract which was worth Taka 1.5 crore came after Bangladesh’s impressive string of performances; a win against India at home, a Test and one-day series win against Zimbabwe which was followed by an impressive showing on their tour of England where they beat Australia in a one-day match. “Bangladesh have been playing good cricket in the recent months and that’s why our partner in development came up with a better deal,” Ali Asghar, the BCB president, was quoted as saying in .”GrameenPhone has always been in the forefront in supporting the development of cricket in Bangladesh over the years. The company has supported BCB in many other areas in the past like Pacer Hunt Programme. We will continue our support in future,” said Erik Aas, the managing director of GrameenPhone. “We will continue to maintain the policy to disbursing fifteen percent of the amount to the national players,” said Macky Dudhia, the BCB’s chief executive.

Graeme Smith will captain the World XI Test side while Shaun Pollock was chosen to guide the one-day team after the final squads for the Super Series against Australia were named. Rahul Dravid is Smith’s vice-captain and Sachin Tendulkar will be Pollock’s deputy. Andrew Flintoff, Brian Lara, Jacques Kallis, Muttiah Muralitharan, Steve Harmison and Shoaib Akhtar were also picked for the matches in October.Sunil Gavaskar, the former India captain who chaired the selection panel, said the sides would put Australia under severe pressure to maintain their dominant home record. “This is the first time for decades that the greatest players from the rest of the world have combined their talents,” he said. “Australia will be looking to regroup after the intensity of the Ashes series in England, but I don’t think the cricket will be any easier for them against these sides.”South Africa have six players across both squads, England and India have three, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have two and West Indies and New Zealand have one each. The series schedule includes a three-match ODI series at Melbourne’s Telstra Dome on October 5, 7 and 9 and a six-day Super Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground from October 14-19.Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, said the selectors had picked two squads of superb players who would test Australia to the limit. “There are no weak links in either of these squads,” he said. “Everywhere you look there is an outstanding player whose talent enriches the game.”World XI Test squad Graeme Smith (capt), Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid (vc), Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Jacques Kallis, Andrew Flintoff, Shaun Pollock, Mark Boucher, Steve Harmison, Shoaib Akhtar, Muttiah Muralitharan, Daniel Vettori. World XI ODI squad Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar (vc), Jacques Kallis, Brian Lara, Kevin Pietersen, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Flintoff, Shaun Pollock (capt), Kumar Sangakkara, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, Makhaya Ntini, Muttiah Muralitharan, Daniel Vettori.Also see: The Super Series sides picked by more than 16,000 Cricinfo readers.