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Pakistani speedster Waqar Younis will touch down at Sydney Airport tomorrow, in time to face University of NSW star and former Test foe Michael Slater this Saturday. The two will go head-to-head at North Sydney Oval, rekindling old rivalries stretching back to Karachi in 1994/95. Younis will be a welcome addition to North Sydney’s bowling strength, but has only claimed Slater’s wicket once in the Test arena. Slater was part of Mosman captain Trent Johnston’s hat-trick last round, and will be looking for some much-needed runs this time out.For all prospective Speedblitz Blues players, only three match days now remain before the State Selectors name their team for the Blues’ first match, on Sunday 26 October in Bowral. This weekend will comprise Round 3’s first day on Saturday, followed by Round 2 of the First Grade Limited-Overs competition on Sunday.On Saturday, Michael Bevan will make a rare Grade appearance for Many-Warringah, against Parramatta at Manly Oval. Bevan will be looking to play himself into form, while team-mate Shawn Bradstreet returns from injury.Speedblitz Blues team-mates Mark Waugh (Bankstown) and Simon Katich (Randwick Petersham) will be attempting to outdo each other at Bankstown Oval. Katich is in white-hot form, with a batting average after two matches of 172.00.At Howell Oval, Australian one-day bowler Nathan Bracken will partner former Australia A paceman Neil Maxwell in UTS-Balmain’s clash with last year’s finalists Penrith. The Panthers are winless after two rounds, and will be hoping that their batsmen can overcome the Tigers’ strong bowling attack.All Round 3 matches (Saturday, commencing 10.00am)- Bankstown v Randwick Petersham at Bankstown; Eastern Suburbs v Western Suburbs at Waverley; Gordon v Sydney University at Killara; Manly-Warringah v Parramatta at Manly; Mosman v Campbelltown-Camden at Rawson; North Sydney v University of NSW at North Sydney 1; Northern District v Hawkesbury at Waitara; Penrith v UTS-Balmain at Howell; St George v Fairfield-Liverpool at Hurstville; Sutherland v Blacktown at Caringbah.All Limited-Overs Round 2 matches (Sunday, commencing 9.30am)- Eastern Suburbs v North Sydney at Waverley; Gordon v University of NSW at Killara; Hawkesbury v UTS-Balmain at Owen Earle; Manly-Warringah v Campbelltown-Camden at Manly; Parramatta v Mosman at Old Kings; Penrith v Northern District at Howell; Randwick Petersham v Blacktown at Coogee; St George v Western Suburbs at Hurstville; Sutherland v Bankstown at Caringbah; Sydney University v Fairfield-Liverpool at University 1.

Glamorgan lost their opening game in the Twenty20 competition, losing toNorthants at Cardiff by 23 runs.The visitors, who elected to bat first, were restricted at first by an accurate openingspell by the Glamorgan attack. Mike Kasprowicz started the competition with a maiden,before David Harrison clean bowled Ben Phillips with his first delivery.However, the visitors recovered to make 159-5 in their 20 over allocation thanks toAustralian Mike Hussey who scored his second half-century in thecompetition, with a cultured 79 from just 58 balls.The Northants captain shared a useful stand of 45 in the last 4 overs withwicket-keeper Gerard Brophy to leave Glamorgan needing to score at 8 runs an over.After an early flurry from openers Robert Croft and Ian Thomas, there was thesteady clatter of wickets, as Glamorgan slipped to 44-3 after 7 overs, with Thomas,Mike Powell and Matthew Maynard all back in the pavilion.After the loss of David Hemp, Croft continued with some whirlwind blows, but shortlyafter reaching his 32 ball fifty, Croft was run out coming back for a third run after heand Adrian Dale had taken 18 from Mike Cawdron`s final over.The acting Glamorgan captain was one of four men to be run out as his batsmen struggledto keep up with the required rate against the visiting attack who bowled straight andfull. There was little on offer either from spinners Graeme Swann and Jason Brown, anddespite a few lusty blows towards the end of their innings from Darren Thomas, it wasBrown who finished things off by bowling Thomas with 8 balls remaining and Glamorgan 24runs adrift of their target.

Glamorgan progressed to the fourth round of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy with a comfortable 86 run victory over the Durham Cricket Board XI at Darlington.The Welsh county, who were put in to bat by the Board captain, Marcus North, amassed 312-9 in their 50 over allocation with Ian Thomas making a career best 93 from 103 balls and Matthew Maynard adding yet another century to his tally with a typically majestic 115 from 86 balls.The pair shared a third wicket stand of 135 which took the game well beyond the reach of the Durham side. Despite 59 from opener Allan Worthy, and 46 from the Australian North, the task of scoring in excess of six runs an over was never achieved, and the Board side were dismissed for 226mid-way through the 48th over.Robert Croft took three wickets and both Adrian Dale and Alex Wharf took two apiece as Glamorgan maintained their unbeaten record in limited over competitions this year.

Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium is finally emerging from anembarrassing string of financial and ownership disputes that have marred itsshort history since being raised from scrub in 155 days.By July, the problems had became so intractable that contractors laid downtheir tools and the shiny new stadium, situated in the central drylands,became off-limits for touring sides.

However, the ground was reopened to stage the current third unofficial Testmatch between Kenya and Sri Lanka A and the Chairman of the Board of Controlfor Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL), Vijaya Malalsekera, is hopeful that alldisputes will now be resolved in the coming weeks.Dambulla’s controversial tale started right from the projects inception,with the cricket community divided as to the value of building a 25,000seater stadium in such a remote rural area.Thilanga Sumathipala championed the project as the President of the BCCSL,arguing that the stadium would help develop the game in the outstations andprotect television revenues from the vagaries of the weather.Others were skeptical of Sumathipala’s rationale, believing the plan to be awaste of precious developmental resources.However, undeterred, Sumathipala drove the project with manic zeal, from thedrawing board into reality in the space of just five months, just in time tostage its inaugural match against England last March.But soon after that match, the real problems began.Sumathipala had been so determined to have the projected completed in timefor the England match that the costs had soared, from the original 150million rupee (USD $ 1.5m) forecast to a final bill that will be close to500 million rupees (USD $5m).Next, in a surprise move, Sports Minister Lakshmann Kiriella – apparentlyacting upon a request from President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga -dissolved the Cricket Board on a constitutional technicality.An Interim Committee was appointed to run the affairs of the board and aProbe Committee was established to investigate allegations of financialmismanagement during Sumathipala’s terms in office.

The awarding of contracts to building constructors for the Dambulla projectand the payment of those appointed contractors soon became one of the focalpoints of the investigation.The Attorney General’s department ordered the Interim Committee to freezeall further payments to constructors until such time as a properinvestigation had been completed.Sierra Constructors, the principal construction company, sealed off theground, refusing access to the BCCSL until they had received full payment.Sierra’s hardline stance mellowed with time, allowing matches to be playedagainst Canada and Pakistan A, but the payment dispute rumbled on.Meanwhile, Sumathipala successfully challenged the Probe Committee in thecourts, claiming that the appointment of its members was political motivatedwith the committee stacked full of opponents. The investigation ground to ahalt.Further problems arose over the legal standing of the lease signed by theCricket Board and the Rangiri Dambulla temple authorities, who own the65-acre plot of land on which the stadium was constructed.The government ministry dealing with Buddhist affairs argued that the leasehad been signed without their prior permission and was therefore unlawful.As the payment dispute and ownership dispute dragged on, the SportsMinistry, acting on rumours that Sierra were considering last-minute legalaction to disrupt the games, prevented three one-day matches being hostedduring the Coca-Cola Cup with India and New Zealand in August 2001.

The venue was also avoided during tours by West Indies and Zimbabwe later inthe year.However, finally, with the assistance of a new Sports Minister, JohnstoneFernando, anxious that the problems be quickly resolved, both the paymentand ownership disputes are close to resolution.The Attorney General has now given the all clear to the Cricket Board tostart paying the final balance payments due to the building contractors.Chairman of the Interim Committee of the BCCSL, said: “In two weeks time theInterim Committee will meet and we will decide on the final payment of theoutstanding balance which is approximately 162 million rupees (USD $ 1.6m).Sierra, and the numerous other contractors still owed money, will be paid infull if they provide a detailed and acceptable breakdown of the costsincurred.The BCCSL are also hopeful that the legal wrangle over the lease will besettled shortly after assistance from new Interim Committee member andimminent lawyer, Nalin Laduwahetty, who took over responsibility for thecomplex issue.The Sports Minister has also played his part, calling for the BudhasasanaJustice and Law Reforms Minister V.J.M. Lokubandara to intervene and bringabout a settlement between the Dambulla temple authorities and the ministry.It’s a settlement long overdue and even those with initial reservationsabout the project will be pleased that one of the most scenic venues in theworld will finally be able to start repaying the considerable sum of moneyinvested in it.

TINO BEST hasn’t become down-spirited as a result of a few dangerous, full-pitched deliveries in what has been an otherwise impressive performance in the 2003 Carib Beer Series.The exciting Barbadian fast bowler’s 23 wickets are the second highest and his average of 16.86 is the second best among bowlers with more than ten wickets in the competition.His season has, however, been spoilt somewhat by two instances in which umpires have ordered that he be removed from the attack for delivering two deliveries over the level of the batsman’s waist in quick succession."I consider myself a fighter. I know one or two people might be disappointed, but that is cricket, that is life," Best said yesterday ahead of Barbados’ sixth-round match against the Leeward Islands, starting today at Kensington Oval."I think I have performed reasonably well for Barbados. Every time I have a bad day, I just think of good days and I get through it. I am just going to keep working hard."During Barbados’ third round match against Jamaica on February 16 at the North Stars Club ground in Crab Hill, St Lucy, Best was stopped from bowling for the remainder of the innings after sending down two over-pitched balls to Robert Samuels and Mario Ventura in consecutive overs.The 21-year-old suffered a similar fate at Kensington Oval last weekend when two similar-type balls went to Trinidad and Tobago last man, Mukesh Persad.He has, however, apologised to both teams for the unfortunate incidents."I was trying for too much pace. I was just trying to finish the innings as quickly as possible," Best said. "I was trying to bowl a yorker. People always tell me that with my pace, if I can get a yorker going, I would be devastating. The balls just slipped."I try hard. Any time I play for Barbados, I put in 180 per cent all the time, no matter what situation we are in. Sometimes you try too hard and things happen."Best reckons it is a fault that can be easily corrected.Hendy Wallace, a knowledgeable seasoned professional in Ireland who has been working with Barbados’ fast bowlers in the nets in the last few days, is trying to help him overcome the problem."He was saying that when I am about to deliver the ball, my bowling arm was going away from my body and sometimes the ball comes out at the back of my hand. That is really horrible for a fast bowler," Best said."He is trying to get me come a bit straighter. I just hope that everything works out well for me."Best comes throughThose incidents aside, Best has done everything captain Courtney Browne has asked of him this season.He has consistently bowled at good pace, even on an Albion pitch in Berbice that hardly encourages fast bowlers."It all has to do with team work and captaincy. I think Courtney has bowled me beautifully," said Best, who has described Jamaican pacerJermaine Lawson as one of his biggest role models."I am just running in, putting my head down and trying to bowl as fast as possible. I’m just trying to carry out my captain’s instructions."Very often, Browne has used him for short bursts, something he appreciates very much."As a young fast bowler, just because you are quick, it does not mean you should bowl ten overs on the trot," Best said."Sometimes Courtney gives me three overs, then three, then four. Every time I come back, I am fresh and I am bowling quicker and quicker. It has really helped me to bowl better and not get too carried away."Wherever Best has bowled, be it Kensington, Albion, North Stars or Sabina Park, he has had tongues wagging because if his raw pace. But for him, it is not a priority to generate excitement among spectators."I don’t set out to please the crowd. I set out to please Barbados’ cricket," he said.Prior to the start of the season, he set himself a goal of 30 wickets. With the possibility of Barbados having another four matches, the confident youngster has revised the figure."If we do go to the finals, which would be a very good achievement, I think I’ll be looking for about 45 to 50 wickets," he said."Given the way Courtney has bowled me, once I keep concentrating and putting the ball in the right area, I should get that quite easily."

South African cricket board president Percy Sonn today admitted he forced the Proteas to include coloured player Justin Ontong in their team for the third Test against Australia which started here today.Sonn said he was presented with a team list last night and rejected it over what he saw as a “breach of policy”.”I did intervene on a matter of policy and that right is invested in me as president,” Sonn said.South Africa had originally selected Jacques Rudolph to make his Test debut in place of axed No.6 batsman Lance Klusener. The tourists probably would have shuffled their batting order to play Rudolph at No.3 and move Boeta Dippenaar to No.6.But Sonn argued that “shuffling” was discriminatory to Ontong, who was selected on the tour as the lower order backup.”Shuffling to me amounts to exclusion of a person of colour who has the right to be given the opportunity,” said the president of the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCB).”If you look at our transformation charter … it says if there are people of colour, who have previously been disadvantaged, we must ensure that those people get those opportunities.”He said the matter went beyond the UCB’s stated policy of playing “at least one person of colour” in every Test.That policy was met by the inclusion of Herschelle Gibbs.”But the other policy says that if there is an opportunity for a person of colour to represent his country then we must make sure that he does get that opportunity.”I regarded that as not having been complied with.”The team was given to me without a certain player of colour (Ontong) who was selected to fill in a position in the batting list.”So I intervened and I said `you take this team back and this is how I understand the policy and this policy must be complied with. You go back and reformulate your team’.”Jacques Rudolph came over to shadow the first three – he’s a top order batsman, as is Boeta Dippenaar. Ontong was brought in to shadow positions six andlower.”If you try to shuffle number threes into number sixes you are doing something that is exclusionary to people who are brought in to shadow other positions.”Asked if he had taken into account Ontong’s poor form in his only tour match – when he made a pair of ducks against New South Wales, Sonn said: “That wasraised with me but I didn’t regard that as cogent enough for me not to take action.”And how do you determine form?”When do you start gazing into the future and saying when form is going to be permanent?”He said he spoke to South African captain Shaun Pollock about the matter, adding that the skipper didn’t initially understand the policy.Sonn rejected suggestions that pursuing the goal of transformation would weaken the team, saying his decision doesn’t “of necessity produce a team or an effort that is less than the best we give”.

The Asian Test Championship (ATC), which has lain quietly dormant for fivemonths, is set to spring back into action in March when Sri Lanka andPakistan contest the final.The final, tentatively scheduled for March 6-10, will also mark the returnof international cricket to Pakistan, as Sri Lanka’s cricket board haveagreed to become the first major international side to tour there after theSeptember 11 terrorist attacks in America.The second Asian Cricket Council (ACC) managed Test championship was dealt acruel blow before its commencement when India withdrew at the last momentciting political reasons.Without the prospect of a high profile clash between India and Pakistan, theACC was unable to find a title sponsor and international broadcaster,undermining its revenue raising objectives.Pakistan and Sri Lanka romped to thumping innings victories againstBangladesh in the opening two games played in September.With Pakistan and Sri Lanka’s place in the final already guaranteed, thefinal group game, originally penciled in for January 30 at Colombo, wasabandoned.Wasim Akram’s Pakistan won the inaugural ATC crown in March 1999 when theycrushed Sri Lanka by an innings and 175 runs in the final at Dhaka.

India’s cricketers will soon be on par with their counterparts in Australia, New Zealand and England, once the system of player contracts is put into practice by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The new pay structures could be in place as early as end-July, long before New Zealand arrive for a two-Test series.Under the present system, the fringe players earn as much as established internationals when it comes to match and logo fees. As a result, players like Sanjay Bangar, Ajit Agarkar and Parthiv Patel – who didn’t play a single World Cup match – managed to bank as much prize money (Rs 75 lakh) as those who played every game.Under the formula that Dalmiya has proposed, the top 20 players will be offered contracts, and within that group, there will be four different grades – based initially on experience, and later, on performance.Senior Indian players first started lobbying for central contracts after Anil Kumble missed out on the entire 2001 season as a result of a shoulder injury that required surgical intervention. If they have their way, it’ll be those on the fringes – along for the ride, for the most part – who end up with noses out of joint.

Pakistan have paved the way for a clean sweep over Bangladesh as they beat the hosts by the conclusive margin of 72 runs in the second one-day international of the Coca-Cola series held in BNS ground in Dhaka to take a 2-0 lead.Assisted by a swashbuckling knock from stalwart Yousuf Youhana, Pakistan piled up 281 for 5 after a disastrous start. At one stage the tourists were 48 for 4. But then Younis Khan and Yousuf Youhana compiled a 135-run stand to take the side out of danger. Younis made 73 before Enamul Haque removed him.Youhana and Razzak remained inseparable till the end, when Youhana had reached 112 and Razzak 48. Mohammed Sharif was the most successful among the local boys claiming 2 wickets for 59.Chasing a target of 282, the hosts made a flying start despite loosing Javed Belim early. Mehrab Hossain and Al-Sahariar were going well and put on a 59-run stand for the second wicket. Razzak finally broke the partnership by claiming the wicket of Mehrab.The game was halted when crowd troubled erupted in one of the stands. Shoaib Akhtar, who was fielding near deep fine leg, got hurt when one of the spectators hurled something at his head. He had to go to hospital to receive treatment as play was held up for some three-quarters of an hour.On the resumption, Bangladesh lost two wickets in quick succession, includingAl-Sahariar for 41.Among the batsmen, Tushar Imran, gave the spectators something to cheer as he struck six boundaries in his 65, despite the match turning out to be a one-sided affair.The lower order batsmen managed to remain to take the total to 209 after 50 overs. Both Shahid Afridi and Saqlain Mushtaq captured three wickets.Yousuf Youhana was adjudged the man-of-the-match for his brilliant innings of 112 from 108 balls with 12 fours and two sixes.

Tushar Imran, the dashing batsman from Dhanmondi Club, looked very joyful yesterday and there are reasons. He and four other boys from different age group got the rare chance to undergo a four-week training session in Commonwealth Bank Academy of Cricket in Australia (CBCA). It is noteworthy that CBCA toured Bangladesh in January 2001, to play some exhibition matches.Tushar is famous for his crushing knock against the champions of the Premier League 2000-2001. He slammed an unbeaten 131 against Mohammedan Sporting Club, which ended up with a surprising victory over their gigantic opponents. After the League had finished, he was called in for Bangladesh-A camp. Tushar thinks he has some problems relating to his temperament and he wants to work on that. He played a three-day match against the CBCA squad in BKSP early this year.Anwar Hossain Monir, the pace bowler who was summoned to practice with the national squad, is also very optimistic about this training tour. He thinks that there are a lot of things he should learn from the Academy. He has identified few of his problems and is hopeful that the Australian experts would help him to prevail over those. Monir played for Surjatarun Club in this year.Hasibul Haq was in the under-17 squad that took part in the Asian U-17 tournament held in Dhaka, 2001. He played the First Division 2000-2001 for Gopibagh Friends Club and scored a little more than 750 runs, which is an outstanding achievement for a kid like him. He is known as the little prodigy of First Division. He is reliable behind the stumps and aggressive in the front. His friend Arif, who also played the Asian U-17 as a specialist leg-break bowler, is going with him. Both are students of class ten and they still have not crossed sixteen.The boys will play five practice matches in Western Australia. The former wicket keeper-batsman Wayne Philips now coaches for CBCA.