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Australia’s captain, Ricky Ponting, has been named as the Leading Cricketer in the World by Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, whose 141st edition is published on Thursday, April 8.Ponting is the first recipient of the new Wisden accolade, started as a counterpart to the traditional Five Cricketers of the Year award, which dates back to 1889. This year’s Five Cricketers include two Englishmen – Andrew Flintoff of Lancashire and England, and Chris Adams, the Sussex captain – two South Africans – Graeme Smith and Gary Kirsten – and the Australian Ian Harvey.No-one can be among the Five more than once and, with the arrival of the new honour, the Five are once again being chosen on the time-honoured criterion “influence on the English season”.But the Leading Cricketer award can be won an unlimited number of times. The almanack has also named The Wisden Forty, including Ponting and his 39 nearest rivals, based on their form in 2003. The list includes 14 Australians, seven South Africans, five Indians, four Pakistanis, three Englishmen – Flintoff, Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan – three Sri Lankans, two New Zealanders and one each from West Indies (Brian Lara) and Zimbabwe (Heath Streak).Ponting shares the cover with his predecessor as Australian captain, Steve Waugh. This follows Wisden’s first-ever pictorial cover in 2003, which featured Michael Vaughan. This year, the front has been redesigned to re-incorporate the famous woodcut by Eric Ravilious. Readers who object to pictures on the cover (or to Australians) can write off to Wisden for a picture-free version.The Notes
Wisden’s Notes by the Editor, cricket’s traditional fire-and-brimstone annual sermon, breaks with precedent by praising the game’s administrators. Matthew Engel – returning as editor after three years’ absence, spent mainly in the US – says “the game has been better run for the past few years than at any time in history”.But Engel then attacks both the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) over the current crisis involving Zimbabwe and the Champions Trophy tournament, scheduled to be held in England in September.Describing Zimbabwe as a “wretched tyranny”, he says the majority of cricketing countries will earn “the contempt of thoughtful individuals across the globe” if sanctions are invoked against England for refusing to tour there. But he adds that the English position has been “incoherent and inconsistent” and says the ECB’s plans for the Champions Trophy look like producing something “between a squandered opportunity and a total fiasco”.

Engel points out that the competition is due to go on almost until October – far later than any major cricket has ever been staged in England – and that the final will be at The Oval rather than Lord’s. Even The Oval will not be properly ready: it is being rebuilt for the 2005 Ashes. He adds that the England team will be “knackered” after a non-stop six-month programme, thus endangering any prospect of a home win to build popular support for the game.Engel also criticises the ECB’s domestic opponents, the Cricket Reform Group, headed by the former England captains Mike Atherton and Bob Willis. After analysing their manifesto, which proposes a greater emphasis on club rather than county cricket to produce England cricketers, he concludes: “I am gobsmacked that Mike and Bob expect English cricket to be more competitive by becoming more amateur.”The Articles
The lead article of Wisden 2004 is a graceful tribute to Steve Waugh, the most successful Test captain of all time, by the former England captain Nasser Hussain. Another ex-captain, Mike Atherton, profiles Graeme Smith as one of the Cricketers of the Year.The other articles all add to the long tradition of Wisden as a repository for some of the best writing in sport. They cover such subjects as the future of wicketkeeping, Over-Forties in Test cricket, the role of players’ agents and a comparison of the lives of footballers and cricketers. (“I reckon the only advantage they have over us is that their game lasts 90 minutes not five days,” says Graham Thorpe, the former England Schools midfielder and current Test batsman.)There is a tribute to Sussex, the county champions, by their former captain, and trenchant journalist, Robin Marlar. The weatherman Philip Eden shows that 2003 was not quite such a long, hot summer as people believe. This year’s book reviewer is Barry Norman, who chooses No Coward Soul, the biography of Bob Appleyard, by Stephen Chalke and Derek Hodgson, as his book of the year.The Round the World section includes reports from inside one of Saddam Hussain’s palaces on the Baghdad Ashes (four for the first landing of the marble staircase, six for the second landing), from the salt plains of East Timor and the lava fields of Rwanda, where the players learned about volcanic bounce the hard way. The Chronicle section reports on Darren Gough’s debut in The Beano and on the player who missed most of the season after breaking his collarbone – in the fathers’ sack race.And Wisden also attempts to answer the one cricketing question the book has never tackled before: What

Worcestershire have revealed that last summer’s devastating floods cost the club in excess of £1million in lost revenue, clear-up costs and replacement of damaged assets.New Road, the county’s home ground, wasn’t fit to host any Twenty20 Cup matches in what is a highly lucrative tournament, and no cricket was played at the ground after June 21. Consequently, and in spite of an insurance pay-out of £300,000 and an ECB grant of £75,000, the club made a pre-tax loss of £693,211.”The impact of the floods last summer is well documented and these figures show how big an impact they have had on the finances of the club,” Mark Newton, Worcestershire’s chief executive, said. “For the previous four years we posted a surplus and we have a strong balance sheet. This, together with help from many sources including our bankers at Clydesdale Bank and the Inland Revenue, ensured the club survived such a devastating year.”I would go so far as to say it was probably the worst disaster to ever hit a county cricket club as a result of an act of God, and our players deserve full credit for achieving what they did.”Our recovery plan is well advanced and we have received significant help from many individuals and a number of organisations since September which will be reflected in next year’s accounts,” Newton said. “We expect it will take two years for us to fully recover financially but we are sending out the positive message our cricket budget will remain ring-fenced and we intend to raise considerable funds ourselves during 2008 and 2009.”The club’s AGM takes place on Monday February 18 and, worryingly for the members, New Road was again under water as recently as last week, swamping the newly-laid outfield.

South Africa have retained the same 12-man squad from the two-Test series against New Zealand for the first two matches against West Indies.Graeme Smith, who missed the Makhaya Ntini benefit match and the Twenty20 international against the visitors, has been included in the team.The side thrashed New Zealand 2-0 in the Tests, but veteran Shaun Pollock was continued to be left of the playing XI in favour of Dale Steyn.Steyn is likely to feature in the upcoming series as well, having wrecked New Zealand with ten-wicket hauls in both games.Morne Morkel, whose injury paved the entry of Dale Steyn into the XI during South Africa’s tour of Pakistan, will join the team in Port Elizabeth to continue his rehabilitation. However, he won’t be considered for either of the Tests.The Test series between South Africa and West Indies gets underway with the first starting December 26 at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth, while Cape Town will host the second Test from January 2-6.Squad: Graeme Smith (capt), Ashwell Prince, Herschelle Gibbs, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Andre Nel, Paul Harris, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini.

Bermuda have announced their squad for the Under-19 World Cup which kicks off in Malaysia in February. Fifteen players will have further training in India at the end of January, while one extra, Kevon Fubler, will remain on the island on standby.Rodney Trott will captain a side which includes Malachi Jones, who played for the national team in last year’s World Cup. Jones is vice-captain. Another member of the World Cup squad, Stefan Kelly, is also in the 16 for Malaysia.Squad Rodney Trott (capt), Malachi Jones, Chris Douglas,Kyle Hodsoll, Stefan Kelly, Tamuari Tucker, Regino Smith, Jordan DeSilva,Gregory Maybury, Jr, Lamar Richardson, Deunte Darrell, Dennico Hollis,Pierre Smith, Tre Govia, Terryn Fray. Standby: Kevon Fubler.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Ian Bell dominated the opening day of England A’s unofficial two-Test seriesagainst Sri Lanka A with a chanceless 128 not out, a marathon innings thatwas characteristically workmanlike and patient on what was a baking hot day at the Colombo Cricket Club, leading his team to 272 for 4 at stumps.Bell, England A’s captain, added 116 in the first half of the day withAlastair Cook (63) and then 117 during the afternoon with Owais Shah (52),blunting a Sri Lankan bowling attack weakened by a spate of injuries duringthe last couple of weeks and frustrated by a hard, flat batting pitch.Nandika Ranjith, a 30-year-old left-armer, was the most successful bowler on a generally unsuccessful day for bowlers. He found the outside edge of Michael Powell (7) with the new ball and then returned after lunch to trap Cook lbw. But Mohamed Suraj, a young offspinner, was the most threatening bowler.Sri Lanka’s spinners, Suraj and Malinga Bandara, a legspinner that has pulledhimself back into international contention, pulled back some of England’sinitiative just before the close with two quick wickets. Shah was trappedlbw playing across a straighter ball and Rikki Clarke (4) was snapped up atforward short leg.The England A squad arrived in Colombo on the weekend after cruising to a4-0 series win against the UAE in Sharjah. They had expected a sternerexamination in Sri Lanka, but thus far they’ve continued their successfulrun.

Sitting in an office with a blizzard howling outside, Durban seemed a million miles from snowy Canada rather than a few thousand.Yet as Bangladesh wickets continued to tumble, the desire was to be somehow instantly transported across the Atlantic to witness perhaps Canada’s finest cricketing hour.Bangladesh are not a powerhouse in world cricket, and Canada have beaten them before, in the ICC Trophy.But few gave Canada a chance of winning a single match at this World Cup.The last competitive cricket Canada had played as a team was in August.Most of the team has not seen grass for some months, instead they’ve practising indoors in Toronto.Theirlong-time coach Jeff Thomas was replaced by Gus Logie just six weeks before the World Cup, and lack of money prevented a pre-World Cup tour.This was a day-night match, and the first opportunity the team had to play under lights was last week. Excuses were ready for what seemed likely to be a disappointing trip to South Africa after the excitement of qualifying in Toronto in 2001.The main hopes might have been John Davidson and Ian Billcliff, both of whom are Canadian by birth, but ply their cricketing skills in the Southern Hemisphere, Davidson for South Australia, and Billcliff in club cricket in Auckland, after a varied first-class career.But on the day this was truly a team effort.Davison and Billcliffcertainly played their part, Billcliff with the top score, a much-needed steady innings in the middle-order after wickets had tumbled, and Davison with two crucial wickets.However, the hero was Austin Codrington – he had only managed two wickets in the 2001 ICC Trophy, and his best bowling in the Toronto leagues last summer was three for 33. His five wickets were taken with accurate pace bowling, of good line and lengthwith a little movement.Then there was Ashish Bagai, the young ‘keeper who learned his cricket in Toronto – three catches, one of which was as good as any you’ll see, behind the stumps in this World Cup, and not a single bye. Fazil Samad took two good catches at slip and his brother two more as substitute, including a stunner to dismiss Khaled Mashud.Sanjay Thuraisingam had hardly bowled since August, with work commitments preventing him taking part in the Red Stripe Bowl, and back problems keeping him out of the lead-up matches, yet he bowled six aggressive overs, taking a crucial wicket.The veteran Davis Joseph at 39, made the first breakthrough and took a second wicket to break an important partnership. Desmond Chumney had adismal run in the warm up matches and some would be surprised to see him in the team today.He and Ishwar Maraj together got Canada off to a solid start and, if not for an unfortunate run-out, he might well have made a more substantial contribution. The fielding as a whole was magnificent – certainly world-class, with some great catches.Joe Harris failed with the bat today, but was triumphant as a captain. He never let up in the field, realising that wickets were critical, and deserved full credit for bringing this disparate group of players together as a team.”It’s the best day of our lives” hesaid.It’s also perhaps the greatest day in Canada’s long cricket history, and one that has brought a little bit of warm South African sunshine to the cold Canadian winter.

West Indies has named Nixon McLean to replace fellow fast bowler Pedro Collins in the final 11 for their second Cricket World Cup 2003 match against New Zealand at St. George’s Park.It will be McLean’s first international match for West Indies in almost two years. Aged 29, he has played 44 limited-overs internationals, scoring 309 runs at an average of 12.36 and captured 46 wickets at 36.76 apiece with an economy rate of 4.86 runs per over.His international career appeared to have ended after playing in the Cable & Wireless 2001 home limited-overs international series against South Africa before taking up an offer to play for the KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins in the South Africa provincial championship later in that year.West Indies completed a three-run triumph over South Africa in their opening match at Newlands in Cape Town on Sunday and manager Ricky Skerritt says the side is looking forward to the match."We are optimistic about or chances against the Black Caps and are looking to continue to build upon the hard work that we have put into preparing for the CWC 2003," remarked Skerritt.Squad: Carl Hooper (captain), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Carl Hooper, Ricardo Powell, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Ridley Jacobs, Vasbert Drakes, Nixon McLean, Mervyn Dillon.

All Today’s Yesterdays – July 1 down the years 2000
The end of a momentous Lord’s Test. England looked set to go 2-0 down to West Indies when they were 160 for 8, chasing 188. But Dominic Cork, who had already taken match figures of 7 for 52 on his return, had other ideas: he smacked Franklyn Rose for six and after some unbearable tension as England limped towards their target, cut the winning four. It was the purest catharsis. The third day alone would have made this a classic, but the second was extraordinary. For the first time in Test history, a part of all four innings took place on one day. Throughout a famous Friday, a wicket fell every 22 balls. After England trailed by 133 on first innings, Darren Gough took a sensational catch to dismiss Sherwin Campbell, and in the blink of an eye West Indies were 54 all out. Only Ridley Jacobs reached double figures, and he was dropped on 0. Then England squeezed home, but spare a thought for Curtly Ambrose. In the second innings he beat the bat almost at will, but ended with figures of 22-11-22-1.1993
When England threw in the kids. At Trent Bridge, two-nil down to Australia, and having lost seven Tests in a row, the selectors decided enough was enough. Out went Messrs. Tufnell, Lewis, Foster, Hick and Gatting, and in came Mark Lathwell (age 21), Graham Thorpe (23), Mark Ilott (22) and Martin McCague (24) for their debuts, as well as Nasser Hussain (25) after a three-year absence. And Andy Caddick and Peter Such were playing only their third Tests. But as Alan Hansen would tell you, you never win anything with kids. And as he might have said, you don’t bowl Australia out twice on a flat track with an attack of McCague, Ilott, Caddick and Such. England didn’t, even though they had the better of the match. Thorpe became the first English debutant for 20 years to make a hundred, and McCague, backed by a raucous crowd and fired up by Australian papers describing him as “the rat who joined the sinking ship”, worked the Aussies over in a hostile first-innings spell.1996
A journeyman’s day in the sun. In a tour match against India at Southampton, Hampshire’s Kevan James took four wickets in four balls – and then scored a century. He is still the only man to do so in a first-class match. Better still, the four wickets came after India had stormed to 207 for 1. It took what James described as “a rubbish ball” to get things started. Vikram Rathour missed it and was stumped down the leg side. Next was Sachin Tendulkar, taken at short leg. Then Rahul Dravid was lbw and, not content with a hat-trick, James had Sanjay Manjrekar caught chasing a wide one. It was a brief, delirious interlude in India’s relentless run-gathering: Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble then added 155 for the sixth wicket.1994
The day Darren Gough bustled into Test cricket. He’d been a spectator on the first day of England’s third Test against New Zealand at Old Trafford, but on the second Gough puffed out his chest and immediately had a huge impact. At first it was with the bat. Coming to the crease after England had crawled to 235 for 7, Gough cracked 10 fours in a quickfire 65 and injected some life in the match in the process. Wisden Cricket Monthly said that “Gough carried on as if he played in these matches every Saturday afternoon.” Then came his day job. Mark Greatbatch was bounced out fifth-ball, and soon after Stephen Fleming was caught behind. Gough ended with first-innings figures of 4 for 47, and a star was born.1954
Aged just 16 years 352 days, Khalid Hassan made his Test debut for Pakistan against England at Trent Bridge. At the time Hassan was the youngest Test cricketer, but he has since been left behind by a series of younger men. Hassan does have one (unwanted) record: as a one-cap wonder, his last day of Test cricket came at the tender age of 16 years 356 days.Other birthdays
1938 Chester Watson (West Indies)
1963 Sajid Ali (Pakistan)
1969 Graham Lloyd (England)

Retravision Warriors fast-bowler Michael Clark will find out tonight if he needs surgery on his spine.Clark met with Orthopedic Surgeon Michael Alexis in West Perth this morning to discuss the results of his MRI Scan completed on Wednesday.The news was not good. The MRI scan showed an abnormality in disc 4-5. This is the same disc that suffered stress fractures in May 2003.Clark will have a more comprehensive CT (cat) scan this afternoon on the troubled disc to ascertain whether he needs a screw inserted into the disc.Alexis will inform Clark tonight on whether he requires surgery. As such Clark will not be available to the Media today, as he will not know his immediate future until tonight.Clark re-injured his back playing in an ING Cup match against Tasmania in Launceston on February 1st. He immediately flew home.

Although nearly four months have passed since allegations surfaced on the web hinting at serious concerns regarding team selections for the Champions Trophy in England in 2004, the USA Cricket Association has yet to investigate the matter.The stories concerned unsubstantiated allegations that a player had paid to be included in the Champions Trophy squad, and there was also confusion surrounding the withdrawal from the squad of another player for what were only described as extraordinary circumstances.While the USACA had maintained (and still maintains) a public silence on the matter, USACA officers privately assured Cricinfo that it was taking the matter seriously, and would proceed to investigate with all speed.Now, a series of e-mails has surfaced that casts some doubt on USACA’s handling of the matter.At the US National Tournament in Los Angeles in October, Mr. Sampath who is the Director of the USACA Northwest Region, summarized his discussion on the topic with Gladstone Dainty, the USACA’s president, and placed it on record in an e-mail. It appears that Dainty had declared that he would find a retired judge to conduct an impartial investigation of the matter. Sampath affirmed his approval of the approach, and also suggested that the ICC be asked to provide guidance on how best to conduct such an investigation.The next two e-mails from Sampath indicated his impatience with Dainty and the USACA, and the suggestion that the ICC be invited to look into the issue.Sampath has been considered a gadfly in USACA circles, because he often brings up issues that the association would rather not discuss or deal with. He is also the only USACA board member who had actively championed the semi-professional cricket league, ProCricket, which was seen by the vehemently anti-ProCricket USACA leadership to be something of a betrayal.However, it would be difficult to dismiss Sampath’s e-mails as mere trouble making. The allegations surfaced well outside his jurisdiction, and it is clear that USACA leadership admitted to him there was something that required investigating.What needs addressing is what the USACA will do about them.