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The ECB’s decision to sell all live cricket to satellite broadcaster BSkyB has again come under attack, this time from Andy Duncan, the chief executive of Channel 4, whose contract to cover cricket end with the Oval Test next month.Speaking at the Edinburgh International TV festival, Duncan warned that the ECB’s decision could lead to a generation missing out. “It was not that damaging for us,” he said. “It’s hugely damaging for cricket. It’s a huge mistake they have made.”They’ve gone for the money and will probably spend that on building county clubs or in paying overseas players. They’ve got more money, but in a next few years’ cricket won’t be seen.”The ECB maintain that Channel 4 could have bid, but Duncan said that it was not economic for them to try to match other offers. Although viewing figures this summer had hit record levels, he argued this was a one-off and that when BSkyB had a monopoly in 2006 there would be a “huge drop off”.Duncan’s comments come hard on the heels of similar remarks from Luke Johnson, Channel 4’s chairman. He said: “Our view is that the ECB did a very bad deal for the sport. They didn’t handle the negotiations well. They were short-term. They went for the money. We tried to bring it to the attention of the relevant people at the ECB,” he continued. “But what happened is that there are certain factions in the ECB and they took charge of the negotiations and they are very commercially minded.”Giles Clarke, the chairman of Somerset and the head of the ECB marketing committee that did the deal, explained that not to have gone with BSkyB would have meant a marked reduction in income for cricket in England. “We would have to tell Duncan Fletcher we are cutting your budget,” he said. “Twenty-five per cent of our broadcast income goes to support the England team. What would the media have said then?”

Ray Price, the Zimbabwean left-arm spinner, is the latest player to sign for an English county as a non-overseas player under the “Kolpak” ruling. Price, 28, has agreed a two-year deal with Worcestershire, and is available to play as soon as possible.Before the so-called Zimbabwean rebel players had their dispute with the board, Price had been an integral part of the Zimbabwean Test attack, taking 69 wickets in 18 matches. He also played in 26 one-dayers.He will qualify as a local player because Zimbabwe has a trade agreement with the European Union. Maros Kolpak, a Slovakian handball player, went to the European Court in a bid to play in Germany without being classed as a foreigner because he came from a non-European Union country. His victory meant that workers from around 100 countries who have trade agreements with the EU are now protected by European employment laws.Price, nephew of the major-winning golfer, Nick Price, has now set his sights on a career in England with an eye to qualifying for the national side – watch out Ashley Giles. Price said: “I have always wanted to play county cricket and am really looking forward to the challenge.””In the short-term his experience and skill will help us finish our season in style,” Tom Moody, Worcestershire’s head coach, said: “His attitude and work ethic will give us a timely boost for the final five weeks of the season.”

“Almost perfect” is Daniel Vettori’s summation of the opportunity provided for his personal development in the five week-stint he will have for Nottinghamshire in English county cricket.Vettori leaves on June 29 to take up the challenge, something he has always wanted to do.Coming after a six-week break from New Zealand’s international season which ended with success in the Sri Lankan tri-series, the five weeks will provide him with an unexpected chance to get plenty of overs under his belt, before returning home for another six-week break ahead of New Zealand’s tour of India and Pakistan.The left-arm spinner was frustrated by the pitch conditions in New Zealand over the summer. They denied him the sort of workload that has him at peak and it wasn’t until the Test matches in Sri Lanka that he started to feel his best, something that was borne out with his quality bowling during the tri-series that followed.”That hit home to me how much I do need the bowling workload. Sri Lanka gave me the confidence to get out there and bowl,” he said.It also allowed him to work on other aspects of his bowling, something that only comes with a reasonable amount of time at the bowling crease.”It was mainly just tidying up a few routines as I was trying to find ways to get back to my best quicker.””I was really happy with how I bowled in Sri Lanka. What was especially pleasing was that I bowled very few bad balls, was bowling well and I was getting wickets.”Since the back injury, suffered in the home series against Australia in early-2000, which was further exacerbated during the following summer in Africa, Vettori’s workload has been carefully watched.But by the time of the tour to Australia over the summer of 2001-02 Vettori felt during the Tests in Hobart, and especially in Perth, that he was bowling as well as he ever had.”In the Perth Test I felt I was really in control. I took five-wicket bags in Hobart and Perth and round that time was probably the best I have felt in my bowling.”The first innings dismissals of Adam Gilchrist and Steve Waugh, in short order, still stand out as memorable wickets, while the failure of Ian Robinson to give Waugh out caught in the second innings was a vital blow to New Zealand winning the match.Vettori added that the West Indies tour last year had also been an occasion for some good long spells after a lack of opportunity at home during the England series when two of the games were played on portable pitches that were of little value for a bowler of his type.Not surprisingly, Vettori is at the head of the queue of those waiting for the portable pitch technology to reach the point where it is capable of delivering a pitch for all aspects of the game, something that hasn’t happened so far.In the England series, the first and third Tests were played on the portable pitches which suited faster bowlers and batsmen, especially in the first Test when the feat of repeating a double century to each side in successive years occurred.Mathew Sinclair and Pakistan’s Yousuf Youhana had done it a year before on a bone dry, featureless pitch at Jade Stadium while Graham Thorpe and Nathan Astle gave the record books a nudge on a much more sporting wicket, Astle especially while scoring Test cricket’s fastest double century, off balls faced. But for bowlers of Vettori’s ilk they were a short cut to extinction.”I just hope they get the balance right for a good Test match one day,” Vettori pondered.Long absences from the bowling crease to ply his craft can affect the team dynamics and make it that much harder to be able to command the support he had previously enjoyed in the team’s strategy.While the home schedule for next year hasn’t been finalised, it is likely that Test matches in the series against South Africa will involve games in Christchurch and Auckland. No wonder Vettori has his fingers crossed that the technology produces the goods.In the meantime he knows there is a power of bowling ahead in the new summer. It starts with a tour of India, where the expectation is that the seamer-friendly conditions that plagued the Christmas series will be reciprocated with spinner’s paradises to suit the home batsmen. But that has its own benefits for Vettori and he is looking forward to that prospect.While the contest against India is always demanding for a spin bowler, Vettori is not phased. He enjoyed the challenge against the Sri Lankan batsmen and expects to thrive in the Indian conditions.Then on the Test schedule it is back to New Zealand to play Pakistan and South Africa before the tour to England.”We will be playing from September to July so it will be full on but I am really excited about it.”The challenge won’t be any less against the South Africans. In flat conditions on their last tour in 1998-99 their batsmen made life a misery for the home side, one of whom was Vettori who bowled 42 overs on a glued first Test pitch in Auckland and took one for 120. In the third Test at Wellington his 54 overs in South Africa’s first innings netted four for 153.And then there is a second trip to England to try and repeat the series victory achieved during the 1999 summer.”I definitely think we can do it again. The team we had in Sri Lanka was young, but experienced, and with some good players. If we can be at full-strength, and have Chris Cairns there, we will be capable of doing it again.Cairns, whether batting or bowling had such a huge influence on the side and, as they are now both associated with Nottinghamshire county, and as long as Cairns has recovered from a broken finger, Vettori will have the chance to go to battle together with his national team-mate.The prospects for Vettori, both during his county season, and the international summer ahead, are intriguing.

Wasim Akram upstaged his long time bowling partner Waqar Younis as PIAtook a vital 42-run first innings lead over National Bank on thesecond day of the four-day Patron’s Trophy match at SheikhupuraStadium Friday.A day after Waqar Younis picked up three for 38 to skittle out PIA for267, Wasim Akram captured four wickets for 39 runs in 14 overs todismiss the bankers for 225 after they had resumed this morning atthree for no loss.The national carriers had stretched their lead to 123 when theyfinished the day at 81 for the loss of Sohail Jaffar who was adjudgedleg before to Waqar Younis.Ghulam Ali was batting on 44 and with him was Faisal Iqbal on 36.Wasim accounted for both the National Bank openers – Imran Nazir andKamran Akmal – by trapping them in front of the wickets. His two othervictims included Test reject Qaisar Abbas and Mushtaq Ahmad who werepicked behind the wickets by Moin Khan.Abdur Razzaq, who will represent Middlesex in the English countychampionships next year, snapped up three wickets fro 68 runs whileoff-spinner Shoaib Malik chipped in with two for 21.For the bankers, Naumanullah top scored with 67 as wickets continuedto fall around him at regular intervals. NBP were saved fromembarrassment by Waqar Younis who stroked a 56-ball 43.Inzamam-ul-Haq, playing his debut match for the bankers, contributedjust two before falling to Razzaq.

ScorecardAndrew Gale can anticipate a second chance to lift the title•Getty Images

Andrew Gale could have written the script. Next week, a little under a year after a last-minute ruling from the England and Wales Cricket board denied him his dream of lifting the Championship trophy as Yorkshire captain, he will realise his ambition on their own front lawn, so to speak, at Lord’s.That this will happen is a formality after Yorkshire’s third win by an innings in the space of seven matches left them within a handful of points of winning the title for the second year running. Now they take on Middlesex, currently in second place, knowing that when they turn up at headquarters next Wednesday, a draw would put Middlesex out of the running and give Yorkshire enough points to ensure that Nottinghamshire could not catch up even if they won all their remaining matches with maximum points.

Gale reluctant to lose 16-game Championship

Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale has spoken against reducing the number of Championship fixtures from the current 16 per team in any restructuring of domestic cricket.
It is expected that a cut to 14 — opposed by county chief executives but supported in principle by county chairman after consultations at Lord’s this week — will be recommended when the ECB executive meets at the end of the month.
Polled by the Professional Cricketers’ Association, the majority of players said they wanted the primacy of the Championship to be preserved and Gale, about to lead his team to a second consecutive title, is among them.
“I’m not against 14 games but only as long as there is symmetry in the fixtures,” he said, “but I would prefer 16 because I think you need that number to properly reflect who is the best side in that format over a season.
“I’m also a Yorkshireman and a traditionalist and if you asked the members I think 99 per cent of them would want 16 games as well.”

As Yorkshire celebrated this crushing win, Gale revealed that the title had not been mentioned in the dressing room, even though it is so close, but he was not denying the gleam in his own eye. Told that, because he was suspended after his verbal attack on Lancashire’s Ashwell Prince, he would have to stand aside as Yorkshire received their trophy last season, what should have been the sweetest moment of his career was soured. He knew he might never have the chance again but now 12 months later he has.”Since we came back for pre-season, the motivation for me to lift that trophy again after what happened last season has been a big driver,” he said. “To win back to back Championship trophies will be special but, for me, to actually lift the trophy myself will be even more special.”It would have been nice to do it here in front of our own fans but to do so at Lord’s, the home of cricket, will be a fantastic experience. I’m sure people will travel down to be there too.”And I don’t know if you noticed but I’ve been keeping my mouth firmly shut during this game, leaving the others to do the talking. And I’ll be keeping it shut again next week, just concentrating on the job in hand.”Amid intense competition for places at Headingley, Gale’s sometimes patchy batting form has again put him under pressure to justify his place but he has inspirational qualities as an individual to which his players respond time and again.On this occasion, his bowlers delivered twice, skittling Somerset for 110 in the first innings and making short work of them second time around. Resuming at 44 for 2 on the third morning, the relegation-threatened west countrymen managed to survive 35 minutes without losing a wicket but once the first incision was make by Steve Patterson they were ripped apart with ruthless zeal.Tom Cooper, driving expansively, was first to go, caught behind, followed by Jim Allenby, taken at third slip. Once James Hildreth, having reached 57 following his reprieve on 18 on Wednesday evening, had been seen off by Jack Brooks, it became only a matter of how quickly Yorkshire could finish the job.In the event, it was before lunch, more or less, the interval having been delayed for all of two minutes after the ninth wicket fell before Tim Groenewald squirted a catch to Gary Ballance at point off Tim Bresnan and the celebrations began. From the first wicket of the morning to the last there were 19 overs precisely, the last eight Somerset wickets falling for 68 runs.Patterson and Ryan Sidebottom in particular were impressive, the latter moving to within one wicket of 700 for his career in first-class matches, although Somerset’s resistance was feeble, their performance collectively that of a side who could not wait to be on the coach home.Their captain, Marcus Trescothick, admitted the next two matches are more important.”This was a comprehensive defeat and we were completely outplayed,” he said. “Yorkshire executed their skills far greater than we did in every aspect of the game. It is why they will almost certainly be champions for the second year.”Our next game is a crucial relegation clash with Hampshire and it is a massive game in the context of the season. We need to improve our skills and put in a much better performance to get the result we want.”We follow that with a visit to Hove so we have eight days of challenging cricket in nine days. We have got a mental battle ahead of us over the last few weeks of the season.”

And so begins Brendon McCullum Month. It is not officially marked on calendars in New Zealand, probably only because they were already printed when he announced his decision just before Christmas. But expect February to be a month of celebration of McCullum’s career, beginning with his final ODI series, continuing with his 100th Test in Wellington and ending with his Test finale in Christchurch. By the end of it, he hopes to hold the Chappell-Hadlee and Trans-Tasman Trophies.Not that his back would necessarily stand up to holding them at the same time. McCullum has missed the past month with a back injury and returned against Pakistan on Sunday, in New Zealand’s victory in the third and final ODI at Eden Park. It was hardly the perfect comeback for McCullum, who was caught hooking for a golden duck, and he said that while he felt the effects of nearly 50 overs in the field, he was confident he could stand up to another month of cricket.”I was a bit stiff and sore on that first game out, and it was incredibly heavy as well which a lot of guys commented on which has it demands anyway, let along if you’ve coming in with a bit of a sore back as well,” McCullum said on Tuesday. “But I’ve got three or four weeks left of international cricket and I want to get out there and compete and try and do as much as I can to make a contribution to the team.”The fact that you’re a bit stiff and sore, you try and play through and hopefully it will be fine. But also you don’t want to be to the detriment of your team, you’ve got to make sure you’re at a level where you think you’re able to operate as well and we’ll certainly make an honest assessment of that as we head into each game.”But you get the sense McCullum would have to be physically unable to walk to miss any of these matches against Australia, the one-day and Test series being “certainly the one that we’ve been waiting for,” in his words. The teams last met in one-day cricket in the World Cup final at the MCG but from that side Australia will be missing the retired Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson, the injured Mitchell Starc and Aaron Finch, and the overlooked Shane Watson.”We had our opportunity in the World Cup and we ran second, but we’re really proud of how we played throughout that World Cup,” McCullum said. “But it’s a year down the track now and both teams have changed quite substantially. For us it’s a three-match series with the Chappell-Hadlee on the line and our chance to test our skills against the best.”Well, against most of the best, anyway. Arguably Australia’s most in-form batsman at present is Usman Khawaja, who since the start of the home Test series against New Zealand has averaged 123.28 across all formats at all levels. But Australia’s selectors are still unable to squeeze Khawaja into the ODI side, preferring Shaun Marsh to open with David Warner in Auckland.”I was a bit surprised to be honest,” McCullum said of Khawaja’s omission. “He’s been the in-form batsman of the Australian summer across all forms of the game. He’s in incredible touch … the guy replacing him Shaun Marsh is a very good player as well and we saw that in Adelaide. Australia have so much depth they can afford to have guys missing but they’ll be replaced by guys who are equally as strong.”Khawaja is a certain starter for the first Test in Wellington, though, and his presence in the ODI squad means that he now misses out on the chance for a red-ball warm-up: he would otherwise have been playing this week’s Sheffield Shield match for Queensland. Australia’s captain, Steven Smith, said he expected Khawaja to play at some point in the Chappell-Hadlee Series, with the Tests following so closely.”I think he will play one of the games, at least,” Smith said. “He does need a hit going into what is a big Test series for us, and he is batting extremely well, so he is unlucky to miss out. But Shaun is going to get the first opportunity as he played well in Australia and he is batting extremely well as well, so he’s getting the first opportunity.”Australia also decided against picking the legspinner Adam Zampa and instead opted for just the one spin option, allrounder Glenn Maxwell, despite the fact that New Zealand have included legspinner Ish Sodhi in their squad for this game. The spin extracted by Pakistan’s part-time legspinner Azhar Ali on the same pitch on Sunday showed New Zealand that Sodhi could be a good option, but Smith said Australia preferred to trust their pacemen.”We think that the wicket might swing around a bit, we saw that in the World Cup game we played here, the ball swung around for a good 30 odd overs or whatever we lasted with the bat and whatever New Zealand lasted with the bat chasing,” Smith said. “So, we suspect it will swing around a little bit and we’re going to make use of that. So no surprises they’ve brought in a legspinner, he can play and he’s got some good skills. If he gets an opportunity hopefully we can go after him a little bit.”

Pakistan are looking forward to the ICC World Twenty20, with the fast-paced nature of the game being ideally suited to their young and dynamic side.Shahid Afridi, who has already hit 229 sixes in ODIs, would be keen to showcase his abilities in the tournament. “It’s like watching the highlights, you definitely have a more energetic feeling in Twenty20,” Afridi said. “But you can play sensibly as well during the first six or seven overs because 20 overs is still a lot; you still need to keep wickets in hand for the end.”Younis Khan was also taken in by the Twenty20 game.”It’s fast and furious and good for the skills. It’s under that sort of pressure that you find out about yourself,” he said. “The boys are used to it and we should have the edge over the other Asian teams, but it is a funny type of cricket so you never know … “Meanwhile, Salman Butt, the Pakistan vice-captain, believed that the pool game against India in Durban on September 14 was guaranteed to ensure the team was at their most motivated. “We always have good games against India and we respect them as a good side. They bring out the best in us,” Butt said.

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.

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.

Shaun Pollock
On the pitch
It wasn’t easy as there was not a lot on offer, but it was nice to have the sea breeze and get a little bit of movement in the air. In the subcontinent if you can get [the ball] to do something, to cut or swing, it obviously makes the batter think a bit. There was a little bit of that with the two new balls and it worked for us.On South Africa’s day
It was important we got off to a good start, and we got two early wickets and picked up more pretty regularly through the day. If you said 279 for 7 on that deck on the first day of a Test match we would have been more than happy. Those last two wickets were definitely the cherry on the top, and I’m sure that knocked them a little bit in the dressing-room. Our first innings is really important. If we can cash in and put a big score on the board and they have to catch up, then we are in control.On Jayawardene’s innings
He played really well and kept us out there. He was patient and applied himself on a pitch that was batsman-friendly.On whether the pitch will deteriorate
The ideal thing from our perspective is not to think there are gremlins. We have got to go out there looking to be positive. Even if there are balls that are turning big or going through the top, we are going to have to try and play every ball on its merits.Mahela Jayawardene
On Sri Lanka’s day
It was a very difficult day for us. We lost early wickets and every time we thought we could get on top of them we lost more wickets. I knew I had to bat as long as possible. We are disappointed that we lost two wickets towards the end. If we had been five down tomorrow it would have been a very good day. But I think we have a couple of decent guys inside who can hang around a bit. I think 350 would be a very good score on this wicket, because it is very slow and spinners will get a lot of turn on it. South Africa will have to bat last. Hopefully, we can do the job.On South Africa’s bowlers
South Africa bowled to a very good plan, especially the quicks. They knew that they didn’t have that much in the wicket so they bowled to a decent line and length. We had to be very patient to get our runs. When a couple of us played bad shots they put the pressure on. [Nicky] Boje bowled well, getting some turn, and the others just stuck to their task, bowling one side of the wicket trying to force us to make a mistake.On batting on the Galle pitch
I enjoy batting on this track, but it is usually a much better wicket than this. It was pretty hard as the ball was not coming onto the bat and I had to wait for the bad stuff. I could not force myself and try to dominate the bowlers. It will get worse, there is no doubt about that. Murali was talking a lot in the break after Boje got some turn. I never expected the pitch to give that much turn so early in the game, so I am sure that Murali and Upul [Chandana] will look forward to bowling on it.