A reluctant Pakistan team has been ordered to complete their World Cup commitment by Nasim Ashraf, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman.The players had earlier wanted to pull out of their last engagement against Zimbabwe at Sabina Park on Wednesday following revelations Bob Woolmer, their coach, might have been murdered. However, a forfeit would have plunged the World Cup into further chaos as it would have tied Zimbabwe and Ireland on points.The match is inconsequential for Pakistan, who have been knocked out of the tournament, but hugely significant for Zimbabwe and Ireland, whose progress depends on it. Ireland have their noses ahead at the moment, with superior points and net run-rate, but Zimbabwe would have drawn level if Pakistan did not play and could have squeezed ahead if Ireland suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of West Indies on Friday.Pervez Mir, the Pakistan media manager, had earlier told reporters the Pakistan team management would be speaking to the ICC about pulling out since many of the players were not in the right mental frame to play.However, he later confirmed the match would go ahead following discussions between the team management and Ashraf, who has resigned from his position, but has not yet been relieved by Pervez Musharraf, the Pakistan president, who is also the patron-in-chief of the PCB. The team will be coached by Mushtaq Ahmed, the current bowling coach.”The confirmation followed a meeting between the Pakistan team management and officials from the local police, the ICC and Cricket World Cup on Tuesday evening,” an ICC spokesman said. “The Pakistan management indicated they were comfortable with the arrangements surrounding the team and that the match would take place.”

Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh have been given seven days to explain their conduct to the Indian board for having spoken to the media on former coach Greg Chappell.”The notices seeking an explanation were sent yesterday and they have been asked to respond within seven days,” a BCCI official told Cricinfo.The two players were issued notices on April 7 asking them to explain their comments to the media which were in violation of the board’s Code of Conduct for its players.On April 4 published an interview with Tendulkar in which he said that Indian cricketers would be disappointed with Chappell if he questioned their attitude. “I’ve given my heart and my soul for 17 years,” Tendulkar was quoted as saying. “No coach had mentioned even in passing that my attitude was not correct. Cricket has been my life for all these years and will always be.”It’s not that we are defending ourselves,” he added. “We do realise that we played badly and, as a team, we take full responsibility for that. But what hurt us most is if the coach has questioned our attitude.”Yuvraj’s comment to a television channel on April 6, that all the players supported Tendulkar, was also deemed a breach of the code.

Canada must appoint a coach soon if they are to qualify for the next World Cup, says Andy Pick their former coach. Pick, who has resumed his role with England Under-19 after his year-long sabbatical with Canada, has warned that, with the qualification stages in just 18 months, steps have to be taken now.”It’s essential to get a coach in place,” he said. “If Canada miss out on qualification that will be a massive step backwards.”The importance of qualifying has taken on even more weight now that the ICC is likely to increase the amount of money given to the Associates on the back of its deal with ESPN. Without qualifying, then the gap between them and the Full Members could widen massively and so “they need to beg, steal or borrow to get a programme in place for the next 18 months.”While coaching Canada in their recent World Cup campaign was “a very, very enjoyable experience”, Pickadmits to being disappointed at the restrictions he found when it cameto putting his ideas into practice. “It’s frustrating. I was takenthere as a Level 4 coach to implement frameworks and structures butthere was no money to implement them. Money was between very, verytight and non-existent.”

The ICC did contribute and, as Pick acknowledges, it’s not abottomless pit, but the conditions that came with the funding were, at times,restrictive. “They put the money in, but it’s all ringfenced.” Still,Pick believes the solution has to come from within: “Hopefully thenational government will start funding cricket to a certain level.”CCA were missing certain criteria to make them eligible for government assistance, but these arenow being addressed. What’s needed is an initial input of cash to fund appointments such as a marketing manager to raise more money and such schemes as a junior development programme, and “that’s when it will get exciting.”There is enough potential, he says, within Canadian cricket: as somany play the game, there must be “a trickle, if not a stream, ofnatural talent.” He adds: “It’s just a question of putting programs inplace.”

And he is optimistic for Canada’s future. He has identified that theartificial pitches and nets need to be replaced, where possible, withgrass to improve techniques. He would start with Toronto, where 85% of the top players are based, and would change their nets and the Premier League pitches.He admits the chief executive Ben Sennick’s desire for Canada to be aTest team within ten years is a long-shot, but not impossible. “Thatvision is there.” A more realistic goal is being a one-day outfit inthe mould of Bangladesh and Kenya, and one that should be attainedwell within a decade.He was encouraged, in parts, by Canada’s display in the World Cup. “Weshowed glimpses of competitiveness. You can’t buy consistency… but youcan put in programs that help you be consistent. We’ve shown in placeswe have the ability.” But only by playing more will they trulycompete. And to play more the players have to be available and to beavailable they all of course need… money.

A joining date for Graham Ford, chosen yesterday as the coach of the Indian side, is likely to become clearer sometime tomorrow when he sits down for talks over his current contract with Kent County Cricket Club.Paul Millman, Kent’s chief executive, said that the county were keen to retain him but also suggested that they would respect whatever decision he would take. “Graham is due back later today and we will sit down and talk with him then,” Millman told Cricinfo a day after the Indian board had chosen Ford over John Emburey for the job.”We have always been fairly relaxed about the situation,” Millman said about Ford’s contract, which lasts till September 2008. “As far as we are concerned he went on a fact-finding trip and we don’t yet know what he has found out. He is still employed by us, but clearly there is an offer on the table, but we don’t know whether he has taken it. We are obviously keen to keep him but things will take their course when we talk to Graham.”Ford was confident that Kent wouldn’t stand in his way of taking up the Indian job. “I’ve got the County’s support, but we haven’t discussed an early release from my contract which, as you know, runs till September 2008,” he was quoted as saying in the . “I’ll begin discussions [with Kent] … I’m sure the County won’t stand in the way.”The discussion is set to take place after its penultimate group match in the Friends Provident Trophy against Hampshire on June 11. “Discussions with Ford will take place after the match,” a statement issued by the county side said. “It is hoped that the popular South African will remain at Canterbury to continue the progress made towards re-establishing Kent as a major force.”The Indian board were waiting for Ford to get back to them about his existing contract with Kent, Ratnakar Shetty, the Chief Administrative Officer of the BCCI, confirmed. “He is expected to get back to us soon, once he discusses the matter with them.”India’s cricket chiefs expect Ford to get back to them sometime tomorrow (June 11). They hope he would join the team ahead of the tours of Ireland and England, starting later this month.

As the national selectors sit down to pick separate Indian squads for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England, the task will be anything but easy, given the number of options available to them. It’s a familiar muddle, further complicated by last-minute injury worries over a few fast bowlers, which in turn raises questions about the fitness standards. While no player, with the exception of Manoj Tiwary, has definitely been ruled out of the tour, the challenge that awaits the selection committee is to pick two sets of 15 players.Of all the slots in the Test squad for England, perhaps only the wicketkeeper’s seems secure, with Mahendra Singh Dhoni the number one choice for both teams. Dinesh Karthik lends a great deal of flexibility in his dual role as reserve wicketkeeper and opening batsman. The gamble of sending Karthik in with Wasim Jaffer paid off at the fag end of the tour of South Africa and during the Test series in Bangladesh, relieving the team management of at least one major headache.Karthik’s presence leaves the committee needing to pick just one reserve opener. Gautam Gambhir, in and out of the squad, scored a century in the one-dayers against Bangladesh and should receive strong backing despite missing out on selection for the Tests against Bangladesh. However, doubts remain over the efficacy of his technique in seam-friendly conditions, and that could just leave the door ajar for Aakash Chopra, Gambhir’s fellow Delhi opener. Chopra was impressive on the tour of Australia in 2003-04, and his calming influence helped Virender Sehwag play his natural game. Chopra’s name did the rounds recently and his experience as a league cricketer in England could make his selection a credible one.Perhaps the biggest conundrum for the committee is Sehwag. He flattered to deceive in Bangladesh, and in the Afro Asia Cup, failed to convert good starts. Impressive in patches, he could be slotted into the middle order, though he will have to fight for a place with Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly. The man left on the outside to look in may be VVS Laxman, and it’s his misfortune that he has been tossed around, never sure of his place.It’s in the bowling department that the selectors have a plethora of options. Zaheer Khan and Munaf Patel have been declared fit for selection, albeit at the last minute. Munaf still remains the most brittle of the lot, and if the committee opts for more backup, Ajit Agarkar could get a look in. Sreesanth, VRV Singh, RP Singh and Ishant Sharma are the other options, with Sreesanth having been the pick of India’s bowlers in South Africa.As has been the norm in recent times, the committee might stick to the policy of picking two specialist spinners, with Anil Kumble leading the pack. Harbhajan Singh and Ramesh Powar will compete for the offspinner’s slot, and it will be interesting to see if Harbhajan eventually wins the confidence of the selectors. He was impressive in the final match of the Afro Asia Cup, taking 3 for 48 in a high scoring game in Chennai. Rajesh Pawar, the left-arm spinner, didn’t get a game in Bangladesh and if the selectors opt for a left-armer to partner Kumble, it could be a toss up between him and Murali Kartik, another player who has been in the wilderness for a couple of seasons.The Ireland one-dayers might just be about giving opportunities to fresher faces, but all thoughts will invariably be on the Test squad chosen for England. Australia were the last team to win a series there, all of six years ago, and there won’t be room for either sentiment or experimentation when it comes to writing down those 15 names.

William Kamanyi, the former Uganda coach, has replaced Tom Tikolo as the new East African Development Officer, a role in which he will oversee cricket in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and his home country Uganda.”I received my ticket to South Africa yesterday but I cannot start the celebrations yet because I have not been given any official written documents,” Kamanyi the . “But I will reinstate all the regional tournaments soonest if this news is true.”Kamanyi’s credentials for the job, which was advertised last year by the Africa Cricket Association (ACA), are impressive: a former cricketer, he also represented Uganda in the long-jump during the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. He has also been in sports administration for a number of years.

ScorecardOffspinner Ollie Rayner took 5 for 68, his first five-wicket haul, to give Sussex hope of enforcing a win over Sri Lanka A, but the tourists eked out 191 for 8 as the match ended in a draw.Michael Yardy ploughed on from where he left off on the second day, bringing up a dogged hundred to guide Sussex to 372 for 9. And it was a lone effort, too, as his team-mates struggled against the legspin of Kaushal Lokuarachchi who picked up impressive figures of 5 for 48.Sussex then made inroads into Sri Lanka A’s fragile top-order, reducing them to 89 for 5 and giving them genuine hope of enforcing a thrilling victory. But Mahela Udawatte struck a combative 50 and, allied with useful contributions from Lokuarachchi (39) and Dilruwan Perera (23*), guided the tourists through to a draw.

After strolling to a five-wicket win in the first one-dayer at Bulawayo, South Africa are expected to go in with a full strength side as Herschelle Gibbs is set to return from injury and bolster the batting. The action in the short three-match series shifts to the Harare Sports Club for the weekend double-header.Gibbs missed the first match due to a lower leg injury and is expected to bat in the middle order. JP Duminy, who missed out after scoring 3 in South Africa’s chase at Bulawayo, is likely to make way for Gibbs. Gulam Bodi, who impressed with a debut half century, will retain his place, as will opener Loots Bosman, despite falling for his fifth consecutive score under five. The plan would be to try out all the players set to take an active part in the Twenty20 World Championship next month.The bowling attack is likely to be retained, despite letting Zimbabwe off the hook at Bulawayo. Zimbabwe, in a hole at 72 for 7 by the 25th over, looked in danger of being wrapped up under 100 before the lower order stepped up and set a fine example for the rest. A 115-run stand between Elton Chigumbura and Gary Brent lifted them to 206, giving the visitors a little to think about. Allrounder Johan van der Wath is likely to keep his place despite leaking 59 off nine overs in his one-day comeback. Dale Steyn, not in the squad for the Twenty20 championship, may have to sit out another game, depending on how the team management decides to rotate the bowlers over the weekend.The Zimbabweans on the other hand are contemplating a few changes in the bowling attack, going in with just one specialist spinner. Legspinner Timycen Maruma, who went wicketless in his debut ODI, is likely to be dropped, leaving the lone spin duties to Prosper Utseya. Tawanda Mupariwa is set to join Brent and Christopher Mpofu in the seam attack.The top order will continue to worry the home side, with players like Vusi Sibanda and Tatenda Taibu failing to convert their starts. Chamu Chibhabha, after a poor run in the World Cup, is expected to return in place of either Hamilton Masakadza or Stuart Matsikenyeri. The running between the wickets too left a lot to be desired at Bulawayo, with five dismissals coming by way of run-outs.

Essex’s Darren Thomas has announced his decision to retire from first-class cricket due to injury with immediate effect.Thomas, 32, picked up an injury to his shoulder at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai in February that never recovered sufficiently to allow him to bowl for the county. The fast-medium bowler, who joined Essex from Glamorgan on a one-year contract last December, was able to play for the 2nd XI as a batsman and, latterly, as captain.”Darren developed a tear to the cartilage in his right shoulder prior to the start of this season,” Essex physio Mark Thomas explained. “Vigorous rehab along with therapeutic injections has failed to resolve this issue, preventing him from bowling. It is expected he will have surgery at the end of the season.””I had massive ambitions to continue playing for another three to four years when I arrived but injury has unfortunately put an end to my career,” Thomas admitted. “My time with the 2nd XI has been really enjoyable and I hope I have been able to pass on my experience to the youngsters. Essex has a great crop of young players coming through and I wish the club every success in the future.”

The number of participants in Botswana’s youth development programme has swelled dramatically from 300 children to almost 1300 in under six months, and shows no signs of abating.Seven more schools have joined the initiative which has been sponsored by the ICC and the African Cricket Council (ACC) to promote the game to a wider, younger audience. Such is the enthusiasm that a league has been set-up for government primary schools.”We are about to commence the league Oct 3,” Girish Ramakrishna, Botswana’s development manager, told Cricinfo. “There are five schools participating in a contest lasting the entire month. This is the first time in the history of Botswana cricket that a separate league has been [set-up] for government-educated kids.”The kids are quite enthusiastic and we expect a good response from the sports council and the media. To make it more interesting we are giving prizes for every game, for the best batsman, bowler and fielder. With 20 schools already in the development phase encompassing 1300 kids, the future looks quite encouraging.”Botswana have been an Associate member of the ICC since 2005.