Brendon McCullum will return to Otago for the 2007-08 season after ending his four-year stay at Canterbury. McCullum, who was born in Dunedin, played for Otago until the 2003-04 season, when he switched to Canterbury.New Zealand Cricket-contracted players had until last Friday to nominate their provincial team for 2007-08. However, with McCullum’s move back to Otago the side’s incumbent wicketkeeper and new national squad member Gareth Hopkins has been given an extra week to decide which team he will play with next year.”I have really enjoyed my time with the State Canterbury Wizards and the support I have received from Canterbury Cricket, especially Richard Reid and Dave Nosworthy,” McCullum said. “I now look forward to returning to play cricket in my home town.”McCullum, who will join his brother Nathan at Otago, will be keen to help his new side enjoy a more consistent summer. In 2006-07, they finished last on the State Championship table but first in the State Shield, losing the final to Auckland. “We’re delighted to welcome back an ex-Otago player to the fold, and certainly one with such a high profile as Brendon,” the Otago Cricket CEO Ross Dykes said.Canterbury’s season was almost the reverse of Otago’s – they were last in the one-day competition and second in the first-class tournament. Reid, the CEO of Canterbury Cricket, said there were no hard feelings upon McCullum’s departure. “We wish Brendon all the best as he continues his career back in Otago, and have greatly appreciated his contribution to Canterbury Cricket,” Reid said.

Scorecard

Nepal eased into the final with a nine-wicket victory against China at the Johor Cricket Academy.China’s one chance of victory was to hope to put up a score big enough to force Nepal to go for their strokes for the first time in the tournament and thus create wicket-taking chances. Nepal however, were never remotely in danger and – but for two dropped chances – played a close to faultless game in the field.Only one four was struck by China after they batted, that a heave over midwicket by Sun Meng Yao, who made 18 of their 40. China’s batsmen were not allowed to play any strokes as delivery after delivery pinned them to the crease in defence.China were all out in the 29th over and Nepal’s batsmen, not overly capable of attack themselves, took their own sweet time in chasing down the target. Extras did the work; 21 of them, surpassing by one the runs off the bat.Nepal now play Bangladesh in the final for which Bangladesh – in spite of all the application shown by Nepal – are the overwhelming favourites.

The India Under-19s defeated Bangladesh Under-19s by 129 runs to clinch the Tri-nations Under-19 tournament in Colombo. Saurav Tiwary top scored with 86 as India were bowled out for 199, after which they dismissed Bangladesh for 70, with Abu Nechim taking a career-best 6 for 9.India got off to a positive start after electing to bat first, but a top-order collapse negated the 42-run opening stand between Shreevats Goswami and Abhinav Mukund. Goswami, Mukund, and Tanmay Srivastava fell within the space of seven runs as India were in a spot of bother at 48 for 3.Tiwary arrived at the crease and in the company of Virat Kohli put on a 50-run partnership for the fourth wicket to resurrect India’s position. While Kohli was more circumspect, scoring his 27 of 69 balls, Tiwary was in an attacking mode, hitting five sixes and five fours in his knock of 86. After Kohli’s dismissal, Tiwary found an able partner in Iqbal Abdullah, adding 58 for the sixth wicket.India were finally dismissed for 199 in the last over of their innings, with Rubel Hussain and Golam Kibria, the Bangladeshi opening bowlers, taking three wickets apiece.Bangladesh may have fancied their chances of victory before going in to bat, but Nechim put paid to those hopes, taking 6 for 9 as they were routed for 70. Amanpreet Singh picked up two wickets, including the prize scalp of Mahmudul Aziz, the Bangladesh captain, for 17. Nasir Hossain, who scored 21, and Aziz were the only batsmen to register double-figures as India made use of bowling friendly conditions at the Colts Cricket Club ground.India finished the tournament with wins in all of their five matches while Bangladesh had recorded a solitary win against Sri Lanka, who did not win a single match.

Alastair Cook has warned that England’s 104-run thrashing of India in their one-day opener will count for little unless they back it up during the remaining six games of the series. England’s best limited-overs display since before the World Cup saw Cook and Ian Bell both score maiden centuries before James Anderson’s career-best return finished the deal.Cook, who laid the platform with a patient 102, said: “The ability to tough out a result when you’re up against it is a skill that good teams have, it is what Australia have done for so long and it really only comes with the experience of winning matches. That is the next challenge for us.”We’re really excited about what we did on Tuesday but it will mean very little if it stands out on its own for the rest of the summer.”Cook, 22, said consistency was the key to England improving their low standing in one-day cricket. “There is no point putting in one performance like that with two hundreds and then forgetting about it.”Cook’s place in the one-day line-up was under scrutiny after five previous appearances had not even yielded a half-century. Bell too was under pressure before scoring a hundred in what was his 48th ODI. “I’d played a few games and got a couple of forties but I hadn’t really made a score so to get to three figures, especially at the start of your career, is always nice,” said Cook. “It shows you and everyone else that you can do it. Now it’s up to me to repeat it as I have done in Test-match cricket.”England will again be without left-arm pace bowler Ryan Sidebottom for Friday’s match and Monday’s third fixture at Edgbaston after he failed to overcome a side strain he sustained during the third and final Test against India at The Oval nearly two weeks ago.

With one day left to go for the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) elections – the first in almost a decade – the level of activity has reached fever pitch. Brijesh Patel, the incumbent, is feeling the heat from the group led by Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar. With the industrialist Vijay Mallya entering the fray with his big money and persuasive charisma, few are willing to call this result.The elections have been preceded by acrimonious mudslinging from pretty much all parties and so deep is the mutual hostility that the entire election process – 20 posts will be decided – has been handed to the Registrar of Societies.For the longest time the Patel faction did not reply in kind to the allegations of financial improprieties, autocratic style of functioning and other charges that the Wadiyar faction has laid firmly at Brijesh’s feet. But recently he has begun to respond, attempting to refute the charges, and even threatening legal action for defamation.In all the mudslinging, though, there’s one person on whose face no mud will stick. GR Vishwanath, standing for the post of president, is one of India’s greatest-ever batsmen and has maintained a spotless record off the field since his retirement.The Patel faction is looking to bank on this goodwill. “Vishy is the man to head a cricket association. He has all the qualifications. He’s been the captain of India and Karnataka, a gentleman cricketer,” Brijesh told Cricinfo recently. “Apart from that, he’s been part of this whole programme of developing cricket in the areas. As a cricketer, he has played in each and every town of Karnataka. He’s travelled by train, bus, whatever it took. He got the crowds in in these remote towns. He’s been a senior vice-president for the last two terms. What next? We want to elevate him to the president’s post.”Wadiyar, though, has other ideas. “I have not been very happy with the way this association has functioned. The KSCA is sitting on public money,” he said. “Therefore, you owe some responsibility to the public in general and specifically to the members whom you are answerable to. You have to be very transparent. I intend to bring transparency in the functioning of the KSCA.” Wadiyar is talking of radical steps like video-taping all management committee meetings of the KSCA and making these available to the public, should he win.If Wadiyar is against a heavyweight in Vishwanath, Brijesh appears to have it a touch easier, squaring off for the post of secretary with G Kasturirangan. “Contesting against me is Mr Kasturirangan, who is 75-plus. We have done our work. I think the cricketing fraternity appreciates the kind of work we’ve done and the facilities given to them,” said Brijesh.Cricket administrators are sitting ducks for all kinds of criticism. It’s a largely thankless job and yet the profile has grown to be so high that it’s attracting some candidates who would never have considered entering state cricket politics a decade ago.What’s more, holding a position at the state level opens doors for an entry into the Board of Control for Cricket in India, and this is what most covet. So much so that Sharad Pawar, the BCCI president, had to call a press conference and insist that he had no stake in what was an “internal matter of the KSCA.””The president said it right. People in the board are trying to take advantage of our elections here,” said Brijesh. “Pressures will be there and people want to get into the cricket board because of the exposure they get. It’s the most popular sport and there’s visibility.”The entry of Mallya throws up some serious concern for the Brijesh Patel group, although they do not concede as much. While Mallya cannot contest for a post himself, he can be nominated to a committee of the KSCA through Select Cricket Club, run by AV Jayaparakash, the umpire, of which Mallya recently became president. “Vijay Mallya will be a representative of theSelect CC. I have no qualms or problems working with anyone,” said Wadiyar. “I have certain principles on which I work, and anyone who works with me on those principles will be most welcome. I will never refuse any help or assistance given by anyone interested in promoting cricket.”A split panel is a distinct possibility, and Wadiyar does not rule out any sort of compromise. The scion of the Mysore royal family, and a former MP, Wadiyar said, “If and when we do get into power and they [the opposition] make a suggestion, we will surely be open to accepting them if they are valid and have substance. After all, I am a politician, basically. I always took the suggestions of everyone. You should not forget that politics makes for strange bedfellows.”

ScorecardKenya opened their Intercontinental Cup campaign with a commanding nine-wicket win against Canada to take maximum points with a day to spare in Nairobi. Steve Tikolo claimed four wickets to leave Kenya chasing 100 for victory and they cruised home as Maurice Ouma helped himself to an unbeaten 68-ball 71.Canada began the day facing a first-innings deficit of 130, following Thomas Odoyo’s maiden first-class century on Saturday, and were in immediate trouble as Peter Ongondo removed both openers in the first over. Their main resistance came from a third-wicket stand of 113 between Trevin Bastiampillai (63) and 36-year-old debutant Arvind Kandappah (87). As they pushed Canada into a narrow lead there was a chance Kenya could be set a challenging target, but the home side stuck to their task.Bastiampillai became Tikolo’s first wicket when he was beaten by the turn and Asif Mulla soon followed as he edged an outswinger from Nehemiah Odhiambo. Kandappah, who clubbed three sixes in his 111-ball innings, miscued a sweep to square leg as Kenya tightened their grip leaving Odoyo to help his captain clean up the tail.Kenya began their chase with a flurry of boundaries and Ouma recovered from his first innings duck with a string of powerful blows. David Obuya fell with the target in sight, leaving Ouma to finish the match in emphatic style by launching Qaiser Ali over long-on for his second six.

Kenya 242 for 5 (Odoyo 58*, C Obuya 53, D Obuya 53) trail Bermuda 281 (Hemp 97, Varaiya 5-56) by 39 runs
ScorecardFifties from David Obuya and his namesake, Collins – along with an unbeaten 58 from Thomas Odoyo – steadied Kenya’s response to Bermuda’s 281 on the second day of their Intercontinental Cup match at Nairobi Gymkhana.Heavy overnight rain juiced up the pitch, but it was the new ball which did the trick for Kenya. David Hemp, whose 95 bailed Bermuda out of a hole yesterday, survived seven overs of the old ball before chipping Peter Ongondo straight to mid-off three short of his hundred. Dwayne Leverock never got going, labouring 16 from 89 balls before he became Hiren Varaiya’s fourth victim. Varaiya ended with 5 for 56, his second five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.Kenya got off to a solid start, cruising to 45 for 1 with Maurice Ouma and David Obuya quick to punish the bevy of leg-side treats. Leverock found one which kept low on Ouma who was trapped in front, but David Obuya muscled his way to a brisk 72-ball fifty before offering Leverock a return catch. And Leverock picked up his third to dismiss Tony Suji, leaving Kenya wobbling on 97 for 3.Kenya then lost their run machine and captain, Steve Tikolo, to a beautiful inswinger from Kevin Hurdle. Kenya were in trouble at 104 for 4, but Collins Obuya and Odoyo combined well in a fifth-wicket stand of 89 – the highlight, a straight hit six from Obuya into the sightscreen.Odoyo’s dogged fifty came from 104 balls and, together with Jimmy Kamande (30*) the pair edged Kenya into the lead.

Points table

ScorecardDelhi duly completed victory over Rajasthan on the fourth day at the Feroz Shah Kotla, taking the last three wickets in 21.1 overs. Mithun Manhas, the captain, brought himself on and quickly took two wickets and Amit Bhandari dismissed overnight batsman Robin Bist for 69 to signal the end.Medium-pace bowler Shailender Gehlot delayed the inevitable with 47 from 85 but with over two sessions left it was just a matter of time for Delhi to complete victory.The hosts took five points from an outright win to move to the top of Group A.
ScorecardAnoop Pai’s unbeaten 119, his maiden first-class hundred in just third third appearance for Hyderabad, ensured a draw against Bengal at Eden Gardens. Hyderabad recovered from an overnight 86 for 3 to finish 302 for 6, with Pai and Arjun Yadav (53) getting among the runs. Left-arm spinner Murtaza Lodhgar added two wickets on the fourth day to finish with 5 for 68. Bengal took three points to Hyderabad’s one.

Ravindra Nath Sawani, the former Indian police officer who was in charge of the enquiry that blew the lid off match-fixing in India in 2000, has been appointed the general manager and chief investigator of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU).”I look upon my job as a great responsibility to protect the game of cricket through preventive vigilance,” Sawani said in a press conference called by the ICC in Mumbai on Thursday.Asked why an Indian was chosen for the role, and whether this was an indication of the prevalence of match-fixing in India, Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive said: “India has the biggest cricket-watching population and it’s the financial powerhouse. We are aware of how much money is bet on cricket matches in India. We understand it is to the tune of $500 million to one billion for every ODI.”In the history of match-fixing investigations, there has been involvement of bookies from India, and it will be good to have someone from India.”Sawani replaces Jeff Rees – who held the post since its inception until his retirement – and starts work in Dubai next week, reporting to Lord Condon, the chairman of the ACSU. Speed said he was happy with the partnership. “We have the best from England, which is the old power of cricket, and the best from India, the new power of cricket, and that’s a good synergy.”Having investigated match-fixing in 2000, we [the ICC] have come a long way in tackling these issues. It’s not merely match-fixing we look at; players’ behaviour, enforcing the code of conduct, the entire gamut of cricket runs under the ACSU.”Speed stressed the importance of the ACSU when asked about the investigation of the match-fixing allegations against Marlon Samuels, the West Indies batsman, which cropped up in January this year. “There has been a process in place since 2000 wherein when such an alleged offence comes up, it goes to goes to the ACSU”.The ACSU will then send a report to the ICC code of conduct commission, which is chaired by Michael Beloff QC. He will report to the ICC board, which will then advise the home board – in this case the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) – on what steps to take. Speed said “it’s a slow but rigorous process”, and WICB will then appoint a lawyer to conduct the hearing, if it is called for.Sawani, 57, has 30 years of experience with the Indian Police Service, including seven years with the Central Bureau of Investigation, where, as the joint director in charge of special crimes, he led the enquiry into match-fixing. He is also the recipient of the president of India’s Police Medal for Distinguished Services, the highest police medal in the country, in 2001.

Andrew Symonds is expected to play the first match of the Chappell-Hadlee Series in Adelaide on Friday despite injuring his right ankle while fielding in the Twenty20 victory. Symonds has iced the ankle and will have further physio but should make it, a Cricket Australia spokesman told .The problem is not as serious as when he first hurt it in the second Test against Sri Lanka and Michael Hussey said the allrounder’s condition was “pretty good”. “I know he will be getting physio over the next couple of days,” Hussey said in Adelaide. “We’ll see how he goes at training [on Thursday].”He seemed pretty confident this morning, he wasn’t too worried at all. He’s obviously in great form and we want him in our team.”Symonds’ problem was the only cloud surrounding Australia’s thumping 54-run victory against New Zealand on Tuesday. Symonds hit a typically entertaining 85, which came from 46 balls, and Australia will rely on his input if he can recover in time to take part in the three-match series.The Twenty20 was Michael Clarke’s first match in charge and his usual captain Ricky Ponting, who sat out the match, was impressed with the appointment. “He’s 26 now, so in a few years, when I’m finished, he’ll be perfect age-wise and experience-wise to fit into the leadership roles,” Ponting told the Australian.Justin Langer, Clarke’s former Test team-mate, also endorsed the view in the same paper. “I applaud the selectors for this short opportunity to give him a taste of it. It might just be the stepping stone for him to turn into the final product, as Steve [Waugh] and Punter have done.”Clarke has dismissed talk of future captaincy, especially with Ponting locked in for years, and he was ready to hand back the reins. “I will take one from one and give it back to Punter, I am quite happy with that,” Clarke told Nine after the match. “It was a pretty easy team to captain, the guys were fantastic, and our energy out in the field was spot on.”