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The Indian offspinner Harbhajan Singh has been reported to the ICC after the officials at the Chittagong Test decided that there were doubts over his doosra, a delivery which turns away from the right-hand batsman. Unofficial sources suggested that the degree of elbow-flexion involved was 22 degrees, well beyond the ICC’s previous tolerance levels.The report was made by Aleem Dar and Mark Benson, the on-field umpires, Mahbubur Rahman, the TV umpire, and Chris Broad, the match referee, at the end of the second Test against Bangladesh.Malcolm Speed, the ICC’s chief executive, explained that Broad had informed both the ICC and the India team management of the report. “Having closely reviewed the action Harbhajan Singh employs during this delivery, the match officials decided to report the bowler to the ICC and, in line with the protocol, notified the India team management of this course of action.”This issue now comes under the ICC’s bowling-review regulations which stipulate that over the next six weeks an expert biomechanist from the ICC’s Approved List should be appointed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India to work with the bowler to clearly identify and address any flaws that may occur during the delivery action.”Harbhajan was reported in November 1998, and underwent corrective coaching in England afterwards. He is the sixth player to be reported since the ICC revised its process for dealing with suspect actions in 2004.”All bowlers’ actions are scrutinised and the match officials are empowered to make a report where they have concerns,” Speed explained. “Every bowler is treated in the same way by the ICC, and this report is no different from the five others that have been received in the past 12 months. Harbhajan Singh will now work with an expert team over the next six weeks to address these concerns. He can continue to play international cricket and cannot be reported again during this period. At the end of that time the ICC will be provided with a specialist report on the remedial action, if any is required, that has taken place. This report will be circulated to the elite panel of umpires and referees for their information.”

Sir Donald Bradman’s Adelaide home will be heritage-listed in a decision that is against his wishes. Bradman fiercely opposed the move before his death, and was also upset by plans aiming to cash in on his name.The two-storey, red-brick house in Kensington Park was initially recommended for state heritage listing in 1987, but the plan was dropped when Bradman objected. In a letter written three years before his death Bradman said: “At 89 years of age I am not prepared to exist just to satisfy the autograph-hunters’ requests. People just seem to want my signature before I die.”But an Adelaide council is again trying to celebrate the home in a move that has drawn criticism from Bradman’s supporters. “Sir Don Bradman was against it being listed because of his privacy issues and that’s understandable,” John Hanlon, the council’s chief executive officer, told ABC Radio. “However, we have now decided to list that property and, I might add, we haven’t received any objections from the family in relation to that.”Bradman’s grand-daughter Greta said the family accepted that heritage listing of the home was inevitable. The Don moved to Kensington Park from Sydney in 1935 and died there on February 25, 2001.

The Indian selectors have decided to go in with a full-strength squad for the two-Test series against Bangladesh later this month. There was speculation that some players from the A team would get a look-in, but the 15-man squad included only one newcomer – Gagandeep Singh, a 23-year-old seamer from Punjab. Shib Sankar Paul, who was in the Indian squad for the Mumbai Test against Australia last month, was also included. Ajit Agarkar was left out, while Ashish Nehra wasn’t picked because of a side strain.Gagandeep made his first-class debut in 1999-2000, and has an impressive domestic record – 154 wickets in 34 matches at the superb average of 19.72. However, with Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan in the line-up, it is unlikely that Gagandeep will win a place in the Tests in Bangladesh.The first Test will be played at Dhaka from December 9, while Chittagong will play host to the second match, from December 16. The Tests will be followed by three one-day internationals. SK Nair, the secretary of the Indian board, added that the Indian squad for the one-dayers would be announced on Thursday.Indian squad for Bangladesh Tests
Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Sourav Ganguly (capt), Mohammad Kaif, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Irfan Pathan, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Murali Kartik, Shib Sankar Paul, Gangandeep Singh.

New South Wales 4 for 177 (Bevan 71*, S Waugh 65) trail Queensland 9 for 418 dec (Bichel 112, Nye 102) by 241 runs
Scorecard

New South Wales ended the second day of their Pura Cup match against Queensland on 4 for 177, with Michael Bevan on 71 and Mark Waugh yet to score in reply to Queensland’s 9 for 418 declared, a healthy total made possible by Andy Bichel’s career-best 112 and Aaron Nye’s 102 on debut. Meanwhile, Tasmania were on the verge of taking first-innings points against Victoria at the Bellerive Oval, a result which would effectively knock NSW, the defending champions, out of the competition and ensure that Steve and Mark Waugh bow out of first-class cricket this weekend.A typically defiant 65 from the Steve Waugh sparked another standing ovation – and chants of Steve Waugh (clap, clap, clap), Steve Waugh (clap, clap, clap) – from 3509 spectators in his last game at the SCG. He’ll go to bed tonight convinced there’s still some way that NSW can defend their title.But their chances nosedived when he was dismissed in the shadows of dusk, caught by Chris Hartley, the wicketkeeper, off Nathan Hauritz. Steve was unhappy with the decision of the umpire Ian Lock and hesitated before walking off.Earlier, Bichel was in a belligerent mood with the bat. Exactly 12 months ago, back when he was still considered worthy by the national selectors, he was in the middle of a golden run at the World Cup. He had just taken a riproaring 7 for 20 and made 34 not out in a matchwinning partnership with Bevan against England at Port Elizabeth, and was about to crack 64 alongside Bevan against New Zealand to keep Australia’s ultimately successful tournament on track.Bichel has since seemingly been assigned to the international scrapheap, but his abilities and competitiveness remain. His celebrations at the World Cup were almost tame compared to his reaction to reaching three figures today – his second ton for the Bulls. He whipped off his maroon helmet, kissed it, threw his arms in the air, bolted past the stumps and pointed his bat towards his hootin’-and-hollerin’ team-mates on the players’ balcony.Bichel, whose 189-run partnership with Nye rescued the Bulls from the perils of 6 for 202, went on to take the vital wicket of Michael Clarke, who fell for 13 to a tempestuous pull-shot that was caught on the square-leg fence. Bichel took 1 for 33 from 14 overs.Queensland limped into this crucial game with seven regular players unavailable against a NSW side overflowing with stars, but their veteran batsman Stuart Law predicted before the match that his side would thrive as underdogs.”Queensland, who are Queensland?” said Law. “Down this part of the world, it’s in everything we do. NSW and Victoria are supposedly better, but that’s good for us. If we come here and no-one is really talking about us, there’s no pressure on us. There’s a lot of pressure for the other team to get into that final.”Especially now, given that Waugh had said on Wednesday that there would be “no excuses” if his full-strength XI failed to win outright. Queensland can still make the final if they beat NSW outright, but only if second-placed Tasmania fail to beat top-ranked Victoria by the maximum margin in Hobart.Law dropped a hot chance off Bevan at second slip before he had scored. The full ramifications of that are yet to be seen.

Division One

2nd dayChris Adams struck a belligerent 156 for Sussex who finally declared on an impressive 531 for 6 against Durham at Hove. The visitors then capitulated in their reply – Mushtaq Ahmed picked up 6 for 64, and Jason Lewry 4 for 55 – as Sussex dismissed them for just 150. Phil Mustard top-scored with 58 but there was scant little from his team-mates. Their day didn’t improve when they followed on, either, with Yasir Arafat and Mushtaq picking up two wickets as Durham stare down the barrel, still trailing by 339 runs.Simon Cook made the most of his role as nightwatchman with 71 as Kent and Yorkshire battled out a tight day, reduced by rain, at Headingley. Cook and Robert Key added 80 for the second wicket and then when Cook fell, Martin van Jaarsveld stroked an unbeaten 59. Yorkshire hit back as Deon Kruis took two wickets and Adil Rashid impressed again with two wickets in two balls, which included trapping Dwayne Bravo lbw for a duck.On a stop-start second day at Southampton,Hampshire struggled against Warwickshire who were finally bowled out for 401. In reply Hampshire were indebted to James Adams at the top of the order who batted very patiently while Paul Harris, the South Africa slow-left-armer, took two wickets to stymie Hampshire’s progress. The home side finished some 275 runs behind with seven wickets remaining.1st dayOwais Shah followed up his century in the Pro40 with an unbeaten 73 as Middlesex made a decent start on a slow, and truncated, opening day against Lancashire at Old Trafford. Ed Smith was removed early, trapped lbw by Kyle Hogg, and Middlesex’s progress was turgid on a slow and low surface. Nick Compton took 87 balls to reach double figures before eventually falling just after lunch to Hogg. Shah and Ed Joyce upped the tempo with a third-wicket stand of 58 before Joyce fell to Glen Chapple. Shah was progressing comfortably when rain forced an early tea and didn’t allow any more play.

Division Two

3rd day
No play was possible between Somerset and Glamorgan at Taunton as heavy rain moved through the South West of England.2nd dayA magnificent third-wicket partnership of 170 between Mark Pettini and Ravinder Bopara gave Essex a first innings lead over Surrey on the second day at Colchester.Resuming on 32 for 2 the pair steadied Essex with Bopara the more aggressive of the two, smashing 12 fours and a six – but they both fell in the nineties to give Surrey some hope. James Foster continued their fine efforts, though, in a cautious half-century and received excellent support from James Middlebrook. Essex lead by 69 runs with four wickets remaining.Rain prevented much play at Leicester between Leicestershire and Worcestershire. Gareth Batty fell two short of a fine hundred as the visitors declared on an imposing 456 for 8. In reply, the home side moved to 40 without loss.1st dayJust 30.4 overs were possible on the opening day between Derbyshire and Gloucestershire at Derby. The home side made a fine start, reducing Gloucestershire to 5 for 2 and they claimed their first bowling point when Steffan Jones shifted Phil Weston moments before the rain arrived. Jon Lewis made his way the ground after being omitted at The Oval but his services have not been needed yet.

Brett Lee, who was savaged by India’s batsmen in the recently concluded 3 Test series, has been recalled to the squad for the VB Series match against Zimbabwe at the Bellerive Oval on Friday (starting 2300 GMT Thursday). Brad Hogg also gets a look in, with Jason Gillespie and Ian Harvey being rested for the game.Lee took eight wickets in two Tests against India, but they came at a cost of 59.5 apiece. In the first innings at Sydney, he went for 201, the first genuinely fast bowler to suffer such an indignity in the game’s history. Ricky Ponting, who has led Australia to victories in their first two games of the tri-nation tournament, reckoned that Lee was now ready to set the record straight.”He probably wasn’t bowling well a couple of weeks ago and that’s why we decided to give him a rest,” said Ponting. “I think he was a bit tired, which was hindering the way he could bowl and the way he could perform, so we’ve given him a bit of time to recover and I’m sure you’ll see him perform better over the next couple of weeks.”The decision to rest Gillespie was no surprise, given the load he has had to shoulder since coming back from a calf injury for the Sydney Test. With Brad Williams in splendid form, Australia clearly fancy their chances of knocking over Zimbabwe, even with their premier fast bowler on the sidelines.”Jason’s been up for a while, played a fair bit of cricket and is bowling well at the moment, and with the tournament the way it is at the moment, it just presented itself to give him a bit of a rest,” said Ponting. Zimbabwe’s top order will need to show a great deal more skill and pluck if they are to take advantage of his absence.Australia squad Adam Gilchrist (wk), Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting (capt), Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds, Michael Clarke, Michael Bevan, Brad Hogg, Andy Bichel, Brett Lee, Brad Williams.

Australia 254 for 7 (Ponting 101, Bevan 57) beat Bangladesh 142 (Kapali 49; Harvey 4-16) by 112 runs
Scorecard

Australia wrapped up the one-day series against Bangladesh 3-0, as expected, beating them by 112 runs at Darwin’s Marrara Oval. Bangladesh fought lustily to start with, though, reducing Australia to 114 for 4 after they had won the toss and opted to bat, picking up three middle-order wickets for two runs at one stage. Ricky Ponting came to the rescue with his fourth ODI century of the year, and his 127-run stand with Michael Bevan was instrumental in Australia reaching 254 for 7. Bangladesh’s batsmen then duly wilted, though Alok Kapali contributed a doughty 49.Bangladesh made a cautious start but stumbled every time they tried to accelerate the scoring. Both openers, Javed Omar (16) and Hannan Sarkar (1), were done in by lack of footwork, and were out leg-before. Jason Gillespie was magnificently parsimonious early on, giving away just two runs in his first seven overs. Bangladesh were crawling, and something had to give.Both Habibul Bashar (2) and Mohammad Ashraful (4) were out charging the bowlers in an attempt to up the run-rate, then Tushar Imran was run out for 1. A sixth-wicket partnership of 66 between Kapali and Sanwar Hossain (27) took Bangladesh past 100, but both were eventually out to Brad Hogg, deceived by his guile into giving simple return catches. The tailenders attempted valiantly to last the 50 overs, but failed.Earlier, Ponting had dominated the Australian innings, rescuing it from their only slippery moment of the series. Bevan and Ponting added 127 at a rate of over six an over, efficiently wiping out any chance Bangladesh might have had of restricting Australia to a gettable total.Mohammad Rafique, who picked up the wickets of Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden for just 31 runs, bowled particularly well, as did Mashrafe Mortaza, who bowled at the business end of the innings to finish with 2 for 41. Bangladesh showed spirit; but in the end, they weren’t anywhere near good enough.

Hampshire’s score at Taunton today was their highest achieved in the 34 year history of Sunday/National League cricket, the top five are listed below:

335-6  (45 overs)   v Somerset at Taunton                10 August 2003(Simon Katich 106, John Crawley 92, John Francis 50)313-2  (49.5 overs) v Sussex at Portsmouth               29 August 1993(Robin Smith 129, Paul Terry 124*)292-1  (40 overs)   v Surrey at Portsmouth               10 July 1983(Trevor Jesty 166*, Gordon Greenidge 108*)289-4  (44.3 overs) v Northamptonshire at The Rose Bowl  22 September 2002(John Francis 103*, Neil Johnson 73, John Crawley 52)288-5  (40 overs)   v Somerset at Weston super Mare      27 July 1975(Gordon Greenidge 102, Richard Gilliat 62*)

Sri Lanka A 192 for 4 (Jayawardene 76, Nawaz 72*) and 244 (Herath 51, Bhandari 6-55) lead India A 369 (Gavaskar 60, Kaif 53, Badani 50, Herath 6-89) by 67 runs
Prasanna Jayawardene and Naveed Nawaz made vital contributions as Sri Lanka A clawed back into the game against India A on the third day. India A added 65 more runs in the morning session, largely due to a plucky 42 by Ramesh Powar, before they were bowled out for 369. Rangana Herath, the left-arm spinner, was the chief destroyer with 6 for 89.Both Jayawardene and Nawaz had fallen cheaply in the first innings, but they rescued their team from a precarious situation (49 for 2) by putting on 94 runs for the third wicket. Jayawardene hit nine boundaries, while Nawaz’s innings included four boundaries and a six. However, Jayawardene fell 24 runs short of a century when he was bowled by Ramesh Powar. Nawaz remained unbeaten at the end of the day and received good support from Thilina Kandamby, who hung on for more than an hour.Rohan Gavaskar(60) was the top scorer for India A, and Mohammad Kaif and Hemang Badani chipped in with useful fifties. Ramesh Powar ensured some late-innings impetus with a 61-ball 42, which included six boundaries. But Herath took the last three wickets and finished with six overall. He had also hit a fifty in the first innings, a useful contribution when his team was struggling.

The Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) has appointed former captain Duleep Mendis as interim coach of the national team. Mendis will coach the team for two home Tests against New Zealand later this month and a subsequent one-day series, also involving Pakistan.Mendis takes over from Dav Whatmore, who requested an early release from his contract, which was due to expire at the end of May. Whatmore has been instrumental in shaping Sri Lanka into a top flight side. The pinnacle of his career was leading Sri Lanka to World Cup glory in 1996. Most recently, Sri Lanka reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in South Africa.The BCCSL has drawn up a short-list of potential replacements for Whatmore, but chief executive Anura Tennakoon has so far refused to reveal the names of those shortlisted. The favoured candidates are believed to be Australian Steve Rixon, former South Africa coach Graham Ford and New Zealander John Bracewell, who is currently in charge of English county side Gloucestershire.Mendis, meanwhile, has a wealth of experience, having previously served as team manager and chairman of selectors, as well as skippering Sri Lanka in 19 of his 24 Tests and 61 one-day games. The 50-year-old played in Sri Lanka’s inaugural Test against England in 1982 and the 1979, 1983 and 1987 World Cups.”He is no doubt one of the best suited candidates to take over the coaching of the national team during this important time,” a Board spokesman commented. The BCCSL hope to name a permanent replacement for Whatmore in time for the tour to the West Indies which begins in early June.