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The XXXX Queensland Bulls will stick with an unchanged line-up for Friday night’s ING Cup clash with Victoria at the Gabba following their opening win of the season against Tasmania.The Queensland selectors have also shown faith in the one-day line-up by naming the same twelve players for the Bulls opening Pura Cup match against the Bushrangers starting on Sunday at the Gabba.The Pura Cup selection means that former Tasmanian and Western Australian representative Shane Jurgensen is set to make his first class debut for his home state.If Jurgensen plays, he will become the 13th player to represent three States in Australian first class cricket.University of Queensland batsman Steve Farrell, who was 12th man in the four-wicket win over the Tigers, is also a chance to making his first class debut while left-arm paceman Mitchell Johnson is in line to play his first Pura Cup match since 2001.The Bulls players will take to the field against Victoria in their opening first class match of the summer with their initials and their order of selection for Queensland featured on their playing shirts.Friday’s ING Cup match starts at 2.30pm, with gates opening at 1.30pm.A crowd in excess of 10,000 is expected, with the game being promoted as Volunteers’ Day.This is the third season in a row that Queensland Cricket, Volunteering Queensland and the Brisbane City Council have combined for a “thank-you” to the hard-working volunteers and voluntary organisations of Queensland.Volunteering Queensland have provided complimentary tickets to their registered volunteers and organisations, with the BCC providing free Council buses to the game.ING Cup, Friday, October 31 (D/N).
XXXX Queensland Bulls v Victorian Bushrangers: Stuart Law, Daniel Payne, Martin Love (c), Clinton Perren, Lee Carseldine, James Hopes, Wade Seccombe, Nathan Hauritz, Mitchell Johnson, Joe Dawes, Shane Jurgensen, Steve Farrell (12th man to be named).Pura Cup, Sun Nov 2 – Wed Nov 5:
XXXX Queensland Bulls v Victorian Bushrangers: Stuart Law, Daniel Payne, Martin Love (c), Clinton Perren, Lee Carseldine, James Hopes, Wade Seccombe, Nathan Hauritz, Mitchell Johnson, Joe Dawes, Shane Jurgensen, Steve Farrell (12th man to be named).

Abdul Razzaq has joined Shoaib Akhtar in skipping the home series against Bangladesh next month, said Aamir Sohail, Pakistan’s chief selector.”Shoaib Akhtar has already been given permission by the Board to skip the Bangladesh series. And Razzaq will also not be available,” said Aamir.He also said that the two vacancies would give Pakistan a chance to try out some new cricketers. “The series against Bangladesh will give us a good opportunity to try out some young and new players in our rebuilding process,” Aamir said. “We are planning to rest some senior players and try out the fringe players.”Pakistan, however, will field its strongest squad in the home series against South Africa, which starts in September.The series, beginning on August 20, consists of three Tests and five one-day internationals.

Harbhajan Singh will return home from Australia without having undergone surgery on his injured finger. Initial tests at a Melbourne hospital had indicated that he needed an operation immediately, but an official of the BCCI told the Times of India that Harbhajan would “undergo the surgery only if pain recurs.”This is the latest twist to a story which started a month ago when Harbhajan was reported to be about to travel to America to be operated on by the same surgeon who treated Sachin Tendulkar. Within days the destination had switched to Melbourne after Harbhajan spoke to Shane Warne.Harbhajan, with the consent of the BCCI, travelled to Australia and was preparing for surgery when his doctor changed his mind after physiotherapy began to show some positive results. At the weekend Harbhajan bowled in the nets for almost an hour and he came through the session with little discomfort.It is expected that Harbhajan will return to India later in the week.

New Zealand batsman Nathan Astle has withdrawn from his contract withDerbyshire to have knee surgery.Astle, 31, who is New Zealand’s highest-ranked one-day batsman, also holds the world record for the fastest Test double century.Surgeons will operate on a patella tendon injury immediately after the World Cup, which begins in South Africa in less than three weeks’ time. He will need around six months rehabilitation.”It is incredibly frustrating having to say no to Derbyshire but I want to play for New Zealand for another couple of years and I don’t want to jeopardise that,” Astle told the Dominion Post newspaper.”It might get sore at the World Cup but I don’t want to miss that for anything. I think we can manage the problem there with a sensible workload, lots of Voltarins (anti-inflammatory tablets) and just the adrenaline of the occasion.”Astle, who has also played for Nottinghamshire, is contracted to Derbyshirefrom June to September, but the county was aware of his knee problem. Derbyshire may now offer an extended contract to Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi, who is currently contracted for April and May.Astle believes the injury is the result of wear and tear rather than a specific problem. “I’ve played with niggles before but this is a bit different. It gets sore and I get sharp pain in the front of my knee so it obviously needs an op,” he added.

Sri Lanka’s awesome one-day record at home over the last five years has taken a beating. Worse, for the first time ever, Sri Lanka have failed to qualify for a tri-series final on home soil.They came agonisingly close to making it – just nine runs – but the line between success and failure in sport is narrow. They failed.Unlike at Sharjah, where they were handicapped by an unbalanced side and missed several key players, there are no easy reasons for their failure.On paper the side was strong, experienced and well-balanced: six batsmen, two allrounders and three frontline bowlers.But Sri Lanka lacked confidence. They thought failure first, success second.The thinking was betrayed by their actions.The first indication came when a nervous top order failed to grasp a bonuspoint against New Zealand in their second game when they were chasing only139.

It was not as crucial as it could have been but it did prompt some navel-gazing in the dressing room – are we not good enough to chase 140 in 40 overs?Sri Lanka had been ticking along after a solid start from Sanath Jayasuriyaand Romesh Kaluwitharana, but a double strike by New Zealand changed themindset.Fear of failure stalled the innings, paralysing the middle order until Tillakaratne Dilshan was bold enough – and fortunate enough – to make adash for victory.Stephen Fleming couldn’t believe his luck when he walked off with a bonuspoint. “For the second time in a week Sri Lanka have let us off the hook,”he said, refering back to the final Test in Kandy.Dilshan also impressed in the third match, Sri Lanka’s best game of the tournament, top-scoring with 46 from 93 balls after having come to the creasewith Sri Lanka on 48 for 4.He was the major positive to come out from the tournament. Dilshan had always been a gutsy cricketer – unflinching close to the bat, safe hands under pressure – but doubts had persisted over his mental resilience with the bat.But two years kicking his heels on the sidelines has toughened his innercore. If he can iron out a few technical kinks against fast bowling,Dilshan may be the middle-order batsman that Sri Lanka so desperately need.Sri Lanka then held their nerve in the field against Pakistan, with MuttiahMuralitharan starring with the ball, taking 5 for 23.

But it all went awry against New Zealand from the time Atapattu had won thetoss and decided to bowl first – the decision made no sense.It would have been a brave decision to bat first, considering that everyoneelse had elected to bowl, but it suited Sri Lanka to do so considering that their strength lay in spin bowling.The bone-dry pitch was always going to crumble after the curator, followinga request from the Sri Lankan team, did not water it properly the night before.Atapattu had intimated earlier that he was going to bat, but in the morning he hesitated. He said there was more moisture than had been expected.He talked about Sri Lanka playing to their strengths, but what hemeant was that Sri Lanka were playing to their fears – they were scaredof handing New Zealand’s fast bowlers an advantage early on.If the batsmen had knuckled down to make a reasonable score, Muralitharan and Co would have been virtually unplayable on what Daniel Vettori called “a dirty Bunsen.”

In the end, Brendon McCullum took the match away from Sri Lanka, creaming 40runs from the final four overs.Chasing 157 for victory was never going to be easy. Mahela Jayawardenedid well to take it to the last over. On another day his reverse-sweep – ajustified gamble considering his restricted scoring options and the need tocollect a boundary – would have sped to the boundary and taken Sri Lanka to thefinal.The selectors – who have organised a three-match trial series before picking the squad for the West Indies – will now have to mull over potential changes to the line-up for that tour. Few changes are expected, for the problem was not personnel but approach.Nevertheless, the sooner the selectors can clean up the ambiguity created bythe spilt captaincy, and the cricket board can appoint a full-time coach,the better. Sri Lankan cricket needs someone to lead it forward. At themoment it’s stuck at the crossroads.

A lot can happen in 12 months.This time last year, the national team’s form was a thing of wonder. It had just completed an undefeated run through an entire Australian summer; had extended an amazing streak of consecutive Test wins to 15; and a Test series win in India loomed as a likelihood on the impending tour of the subcontinent.And Mark Waugh stood out as a clear favourite for the Allan Border Medal.That Waugh’s potential slice in history actually went his brother’s way instead; that the India series turned expectation on its head; and that the national side now finds itself under challenge from the media rather than the subject of its admiration, adequately paints the tale that nothing is a certainty in Australian cricket.Which is why – even though he’s a standout choice to win the Allan Border Medal in its 2002 incarnation – Queenslander Matthew Hayden’s chances of winning the award shouldn’t ever ascend to unbackable odds.By any measure, Hayden’s last year has been outstanding.He was not only Australia’s leading Test run scorer of 2001, but no player in the world accumulated runs so prolifically. Across the 14 Tests that his nation played between March 2001 and January 2002, the left handed batsman collected an eye-opening 1509 runs in total at the average of 71.86.It was a remarkable assertion of his qualities as a Test cricketer after an unstinting campaign to confirm his abilities in the top flight.Before losing his spot late in the Australian season, the powerful opener also began to make important inroads in the one-day international arena over the last year, complementing his ravenous haul of Test runs with an authoritative limited-overs series in India.Yet, all this being as it is, the presence within national ranks of a range of consistently high-performing players makes Hayden no outright certainty to claim Australian cricket’s highest individual accolade in Melbourne tonight.Representing a particular challenge will be the form of Western Australia’s Damien Martyn. Like Hayden, Martyn used 2001 as the year in which he crowned his re-emergence as an accomplished international player after previous efforts at cementing a permanent Test berth had proved unsuccessful.Martyn was not a part of the eleven that played out the fateful series in India, but gained the nod for the First Test on Australia’s tour of England; marked his return with a century; and never looked back.At a mark of 70.45 over the course of his 11 Tests during the voting period, his average represented only a fractionally less successful return than for Hayden.Adam Gilchrist, whose Test centuries at Mumbai and Edgbaston represented arguably the two most distinguished innings played by an Australian at international level in 2001, should also poll well.The potential of Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer, Michael Bevan, Mark Waugh and Steve Waugh to claim maximum votes from a number of games clouds the issue further.And, if it had not been for a suspension incurred during the recently-completed VB Series of one-day internationals against South Africa and New Zealand, then inaugural winner Glenn McGrath may have been another to challenge.Under the complex system of counting in operation for the award, votes have been cast by players, umpires and members of the media after each of the 14 Tests and 19 one-day internationals played by Australia over the period between 12 February 2001 and 4 February 2002.The individual votes of the players have been combined after each match and a collective 3-2-1 vote has been calculated. The votes of the umpires and the media have also been combined with a collective 3-2-1 vote cast for the group. Under this system, a player can receive a maximum of six votes from any one match.The votes have also been weighted to reflect the notion that fewer Tests have been played over the voting period than one-day internationals. The effect of this provision is to afford both Test and one-day international players equal opportunity to win the medal.When the counting begins – at a glittering black-tie ceremony – Hayden should establish a significant early lead on the back of his remarkable individual Test and one-day series in India.But Martyn and Gilchrist can each be expected to head a charge that will see significant inroads made into that advantage as the votes for the country’s twin one-day and Test tours of England are counted.If any of those three players wins, then they will carve another slice of history for themselves too. Having been awarded to McGrath and Steve Waugh in its two previous years of existence, this may be the year in which the medal heads outside New South Wales for the first time.

ADELAIDE, Dec 20 AAP – Justin Langer finally capitalised on what he believes is his career-best form to score his first first-class century of the season, handing Western Australia first innings points and control of its Pura Cup match against South Australia at Adelaide Oval today.At the end of day two, the Warriors were 2-299 in their first innings, with Murray Goodwin on 108 and Mike Hussey on nine, holding a first innings lead of 73 after SA was dismissed for 226 in its first innings on day one.The highlight of the day was WA skipper and Australian Test opener Langer’s 164, which included 16 fours and two sixes from 263 balls, and ensures he will head into the fourth Ashes Test, starting at the MCG on Thursday, in absolute top form.While Langer’s performances have been overshadowed by his run-guzzling Test opening partner Matthew Hayden this summer, he said he had been batting better than ever, despite failing to notch a hundred until today.”I’ve got a lot of starts and I’ve been batting probably as well as I have in my whole career,” Langer told reporters.”I said a number of times for the last three or four weeks ‘someone’s going to pay soon’ because I felt like I was due for a really big score.”Batting’s about getting momentum and it doesn’t matter whether you play in a grade game, a Pura Cup game, or a one-day game, if you’re scoring runs the momentum usually goes with you, so I’ll be looking to take that momentum into Boxing Day.”Langer and Goodwin shared a 247-run second-wicket stand, dominated by Langer, which carried WA past SA’s total and was only one run short of the highest second-wicket partnership for WA against SA, scored by Greg Shipperd and Mike Veletta here in 1984/85.It was eventually broken by Paul Rofe in the third over with the second new ball, when Langer got a thin inside edge to keeper Shane Deitz with the total on 267.But by then WA was in command, and Langer said he expected SA would find it difficult to get back into the match on a pitch that is likely to get tougher to bat on.He said young left arm spinner Beau Casson, who took six wickets in the first innings in just his second first-class match, was likely to pose an even bigger threat in the second innings.”We’re in a great position now, I imagine it’s going to get harder and harder to bat on,” Langer said.”We saw it spin in the first innings, so young Beau Casson will be confident and for our other guys it will be a bit up and down, it will be tough to bat on.”In the one bright spot for the Redbacks, 19-year-old debutant paceman Shaun Tait showed promise and captured the wicket of WA opener Chris Rogers for six in the 10th over of the day.The fiery teenager also struck Langer on the shoulder with a short ball during his opening spell.

Chris Adams, Sussex captain
“It is the biggest day of my cricket career. I was lucky enough to play for England, which was very special. But the stress we have gone through over the past two or three weeks makes this something else. It has been a long journey over the past six years, and we have worked very hard for it.”This caps everything. It has been an outstanding season. A lot of the core membership have been coming for years. We have given them lots of great times before, but I am sure every one of them will remember this day and treasure it forever. At a time when everyone is having a go at the county game, this club has stayed strong and stuck to its guns. We are the underdogs – but we have gunned down the big teams in Surrey and Lancashire.”Peter Moores, Sussex’s director of cricket
“There’s been a lot of pressure on us but the lads have come through and I’m just really, really pleased. I think we have been the best team without a shadow of a doubt – what a fantastic achievement. It’s great for us to finish on top but all credit to all those who took part.”We were writing down some of the outstanding performers the other day and there’s too many to list. The bowlers have done well. They’ve all done it when it counted. Chris Adams has been a fantastic captain, he has matured every year. When it really counts he has played beautifully. All credit to the team – they’ve grown as the season’s gone on. Now we’ve got to defend it.”James Kirtley, Sussex vice-captain and England bowler
“Words can’t describe it. It’s not just been a year’s work – it has been years and years. People have huge ambitions at this club and to secure the title is a special day for Sussex County Cricket Club. Peter Moores has brought ambition and the will and desire to improve and in Chris Adams I have never met a bigger winner in my life. I think we’ve got a fantastic unit but I think we’d be naïve not to think we could have improvement in certain areas. We’ve already started to talk about where changes can be made.”Imran Khan, Sussex player from 1977 to 1988
“I am delighted. Since I am so actively involved in politics I never get to know what’s happening in international cricket, although occasionally I get to talk to John Barclay, who was our captain in 1981. When we came second to Nottinghamshire that season, it was because they had Eddie Hemmings supporting [Richard] Hadlee and [Clive] Rice. I tried to bring in Abdul Qadir but somehow it did not materialise.”Former Sussex captain Ted Dexter
“We had our old boys’ reunion the Saturday before last when they were playing Middlesex and they played so fantastically well – they were in a huge hole, but they climbed out of it and won the game. Little Mush [Mushtaq Ahmed] has made a huge difference, but they’ve got a good allround side. When the big names fail, then somebody chips in.”Alan Wells, Sussex captain from 1992 to 1996
“It’s been a fantastic team effort. Mushtaq’s taken 100 wickets and he’ll probably take most of the accolades but Andrew Caddick took 100 wickets for Somerset [in 1998], and they never won anything. It’s not just about taking wickets, it’s about scoring runs and the top order, the middle and lower-middle order have at some stage during the season scored some vital runs.”I played for Sussex Schools from the age of 15 onwards and had 16 years as a professional at Sussex. Although I had five fantastic years at Kent, which I thoroughly enjoyed, my heart remained with Sussex despite trying to do a professional job for them.”Tony Pigott, a Sussex player for 18 years, and a former chief executive
“When I took over we lost six capped players that winter – James Kirtley was on the verge of leaving – and the first thing we had to do was address that, stabliise the club and build for the future. The thing I wanted to do was to get everybody to work together as a unit – the players, the admin staff, the members, the committee, the sponsors, club cricketers – and buy into the vision.One part of the vision was the win the Championship in five years. At the time, people thought I was completely mad. But this is the sixth year – so I was a year out.”Mike Watkinson, coach of second-placed Lancashire
“Being realistic, all the talk about [Lancashire winning] the title was a bit over the top. We came here knowing that Sussex would have to play very badly and Leicestershire to play very well in the Hove match for us to even have a glimmer of hope. It was never really on but full credit to Sussex for their success.”

An unbeaten 96 from No. 3 Amay Khurasiya guided Central Zone to a comprehensive 91-run win over East Zone in the Deodhar Trophy tie played at Burlton Park, Jalandhar.Central Zone skipper Mohammad Kaif won the toss in the morning and had no hesitation in taking first strike. Jyoti P Yadav made a belligerent start which saw him make 23 off 26 balls with four fours. But fall of regular wickets prevented Central Zone from fully capitalising on it. Their run-rate would have fallen further had it not been for Khurasiya’s steady presence in the middle. The veteran Madhya Pradesh batsman shared useful partnerships with S Raza Ali (55 runs for the fifth wicket) and with D Bundela (67 for the sixth wicket) as Central Zone put up a useful 239 for nine in their 50 overs.When East Zone replied, none of their batsmen could play a similar hand. Skipper Rohan Gavaskar, who made 45, played the only meaningful innings but it was far too brief to be of any significance. Medium-pacer Harvinder Singh and left-arm spinner Murali Kartik, who claimed three wickets each, were the most successful bowlers for Central Zone who claimed five points from the match.

Gloucestershire have given their squad a major boost with the signing of New Zealand opening batsman Craig Spearman on a two-year contract.Spearman, 29, has played in 19 Tests and 51 one-day internationals. He will be able to play alongside Australian all-rounder Ian Harvey at Gloucestershire since he holds a British passport, courtesy of his Welsh mother.Gloucestershire have been chasing a proven top-order batsman for some while and they can thank a change in the eligibility rules for Spearman’s arrival in Bristol.Auckland-born Spearman, who has spent the past five years playing for Central Districts, explained: “I came to England in July with the intention of starting a career outside cricket.”I recently completed a degree in business studies and finance, but the events of September 11 have meant that the banking industry is a little gloomy at the moment.”I found out that the eligibility rules have changed for me to play cricket over here and I have qualified quite fortuitously.”The rules state that I must not have played international or first-class cricket in the 12 months before the English season starts next April and my last game was in March.”I told New Zealand officials earlier this year that I was going to the UK and not coming back. I wasn’t sure I would be playing any cricket, so this will be like starting my career over again.”One of the major reasons for Spearman’s arrival at Gloucestershire is the presence of John Bracewell, the county’s director of cricket and former New Zealand Test spinner.Spearman said: “When John finished playing, he started coaching in Auckland. I played in the 16, 18 and 20 age group sides under him and then I was part of the Auckland team when he took charge of that.”I know John quite well and I know his style and desire to succeed. I have a background of some experience and I’m looking forward to helping Gloucestershire.”Spearman has a first-class average of 36 and, in Test cricket, has scored 923 runs at just over 26 per innings. His one century came against Zimbabwe.Gloucestershire captain Mark Alleyne said: “We want Craig as an opener and he will fit in well with what we want to achieve. Anyone who has played 70 times for their country will bring with him a wealth of experience.”He is pretty much in our mould. He hits the ball well and is not scared to get on with it when needs be.”