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Shashank Manohar will succeed Sharad Pawar as president of the Indian board next year when Pawar moves over to the ICC. Manohar, who heads the Vidarbha Cricket Association, was today declared the BCCI’s president-elect ahead of its 78th AGM tomorrow as his was the sole nomination for that post.Pawar will step down as the board president next year when he becomes ICC vice-president; he takes over the ICC’s top job in 2010.The board had introduced the concept of president-elect by amending its constitution at a special annual general meeting last month.Manohar, a lawyer based in Nagpur, is a vice-president of the Indian board and a close confidant of Pawar’s. He was one of the senior officials working on the players’ contracts that were announced today.Tomorrow’s meeting, in Mumbai, will also discuss the nomination of a chairman for the Bangalore-based National Cricket Academy in place of Ajay Shirke, who was appointed as the interim head in place of Kapil Dev. The former India captain was removed from the post after he joined the Indian Cricket League.Also on the agenda is an update on the Indian Premier (T20) League and Champions League, launched earlier this month, from the board’s marketing committee head, Lalit Modi.

Bangladesh have named Saqibul Hasan and Forhad Reza, two young allrounders, in their 15-man squad for the tour of Zimbabwe and Kenya following outstanding performances with the youth teams over the past year.Hasan is a left-arm spinner and a middle-order batsman who had an outstanding season with the Bangladesh under-19 squad and is currently with the A squad in Zimbabwe. Reza, a middle-order batsman and a seam bowler, was the top-scorer in last year’s domestic league.Faruq Ahmed, the chief selector said: “They are very good cricketers in all departments of the game. We have high hopes from them and it’s time for them to perform at the international level.”Tushar Imran, the middle order batsman with 35 ODIs under his belt and the left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak were dropped from the side that also sees the return of Mushfiqur Rahim, the U-19 captain. Bangladesh, who beat Kenya 4-0 in a one-day series at home earlier this year, will leave for Nairobi on July 16.They will play three one-day matches against Kenya on July 19, 22 and 23. Habibul Bashar’s team will also play five one-dayers against Zimbabwe starting on July 29.Squad Habibul Bashar (capt), Mohammad Ashraful, Shahriar Nafees, Rajin Saleh, Javed Omar, Aftab Ahmed, Mushfiqur Rahim, Khaled Mashud, Mohammad Rafique, Mashrafe Mortaza, Syed Rasel, Shahadat Hossain, Farhad Reza, Saqibul Hasan, Alok Kapali

Adam Gilchrist, the Australia vice-captain, says the Indian Cricket League (ICL) could be good for the game in the long run and hopes it will strengthen the relationship between players and their boards. “I don’t see it as a particularly bad news story,” Gilchrist told the media at the Sunshine Coast town of Coolum.”Competition in the marketplace is always healthy. And it’s great if that helps establish a better bond between players and the respective boards in the other countries.”Asked about Cricket Australia’s link to the ICL, Gilchrist said he wasn’t aware of any potential signings and emphasised that the relationship between the board and the players was strong. “I can’t comment on the other countries,” he said. “It may be a very different landscape there, but we are very well supported by Cricket Australia. There’s no doubt about that. Primarily they seem to be targeting retired players so I don’t know of any poaching attempts of current Australian contracted players.”Shaun Tait, the Australia fast bowler, also agreed with Gilchrist that the ICL was better suited to retired men trying to earn a living. “These guys who have retired, they can make up their own minds,” Tait said. “Young guys like myself, we don’t think about it too much, because we are striving to play consistent cricket for Australia. But that’s their decision and there’s obviously money to be made.”So far, the ICL has attracted interest from retired players such as Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne and others from around the world who have little hope of making comebacks. The league has signed up nearly 50 domestic players in India and the future of those players is still in question after the Indian board refused to embrace the league. The ICC today said they would not recognise the league if the Indian board did not.

A day after refusing to confirm his retirement, Glenn McGrath is expected to announce his departure date at the MCG today. McGrath has called a press conference for 1.10pm local time to “discuss his future plans” and is tipped to follow Shane Warne into Test retirement at his home ground in Sydney.McGrath, the leading Test wicket-taker with 555, has endured a week of speculation that he will walk away from the international game after the World Cup. Regaining the Ashes at Perth on Monday has meant a number of Australia’s senior players have ticked a significant box in their career goals after they were responsible for handing over the urn at The Oval in 2005.Having returned from an 11-month Test lay-off to start the current series, McGrath opened with 6 for 50 at the Gabba but even though he has produced some crucial spells he has been below his best during the series. Aged 36, McGrath has spent 13 years in the Test set-up after making his debut as a stringbean fast man against New Zealand at Perth.He started with match figures of 3 for 142 and was immediately dropped and it wasn’t until he was part of the first victory in the West Indies for 32 years that he became an essential member of the side. The 1994-95 Caribbean campaign was crucial to McGrath as he refused to be intimidated by the home side’s bowlers and fearlessly bounced them despite his limited ability with the bat. Australia sealed the series and McGrath’s reputation continued to be enhanced.Employing a simple action and applying regular check-ups, he was able to nag away with an unrelenting line and pick up kitbags full of wickets with movement off the seam. A shy and calm man off the field, he had no problem firing up when bowling and his behaviour often came under scrutiny. In the West Indies in 2002-03, when he arrived late to the series after his wife Jane was diagnosed with cancer, he had an angry, finger pointing exchange with Ramnaresh Sarwan. He admitted to “carrying on like a pork chop” at times but Australia would not have changed anything about their long-term spearhead.McGrath passed Dennis Lillee’s 355 Test wickets – it was the most famous Australian bowling milestone until Shane Warne overtook it – at The Oval in 2001 and became the country’s first fast man to play 100 Tests when he achieved the mark at Nagpur in 2004. It was a particularly satisfying record as he was out for a year with a serious ankle problem requiring two bouts of surgery. He briefly considered retiring and there were questions over whether he could return to his best. It became a regular theme during his career.Following his long lay-off to care for his family when his wife experienced another relapse of the disease in January, McGrath’s comeback ability was doubted again. He started slowly in the Malaysian tri-series and was part of Australia’s first Champions Trophy victory in India before re-setting his sights on England.

Supporters in the United Kingdom did not understand the McGrath fuss when he first toured England in 1997 and Australia lost the opening Test at Edgbaston. He stepped in quickly to assure them he was a player of the highest quality. In the rain-ruined second Test at Lord’s he was responsible for knocking England over for 77 with his incredible 8 for 38.Michael Atherton was a victim, one of 19 times in his career, and they were his best figures until he produced 8 for 34, the second-best haul by an Australian, against Pakistan at the WACA in 2004-05. When it comes to wickets he has an almost photographic memory and his removal of the opposition’ best players are recalled proudly. Brian Lara was taken 15 times in Tests while Alec Stewart was also high on the list with 10. His comedic 61 against New Zealand two years ago also showed the hours of work he put into his often-ridiculed batting.McGrath passed Courtney Walsh’s world record of 519 wickets during the one-off Super Test against the World XI in 2005-06. It was suitable company for such a wonderful bowler. A country boy from central New South Wales, McGrath has grown from a spindly adolescent who was told he couldn’t bowl into one of the most durable fast men in Test history. His record over 122 matches is amazing and will always be treasured.

Old age is going extremely well for Glenn McGrath. He doesn’t look like growing into a cranky retiree and is happy to poke fun at himself. As he left the field beaming at his stunning 6 for 50, he broke off from his ball-raising and grabbed at his lower back, pretending to be an aching grandfather. The crowd laughed as it cheered.”The boys were into me today for the number of times ‘old’ appeared in the headlines,” McGrath, 36, said. “I was having a bit of fun, I wasn’t having a go at anyone.”In two days McGrath has swept away the game’s version of the Zimmer frame and is walking proudly. England’s batsmen must wish he would limp off over the horizon as they again faltered against such a durable bowler. McGrath has 548 wickets and his opponents have severe trouble, facing a deficit of 626 runs with two days remaining.”To get that five-for, I couldn’t have hoped for a better Test comeback,” McGrath, who hasn’t played since January due to his wife’s illness, said. “When Ricky Ponting put down that chance off Ashley Giles I thought that was it, but he gave me a couple more overs than he probably wanted and I got the last two wickets.” Stuart Clark collected an impressive 3 for 21 and also exploited the conditions.McGrath’s excellent workout ended at 23.1 overs and he was given an extended rest when Ponting refused to enforce the follow-on. Looking fresh at the end of the day, McGrath said giving the bowlers a break and the widening cracks were behind the decision.”We’re only two-and-a-half days through the Test so it’s not about how quickly you can try to win,” he said. “We hit the cracks a few times and it will definitely be playing on the English batsmen’s minds. The longer the game goes the tougher it’s going to get.”However, McGrath was also quick to recognise the strengths of the surface. “To have lost 10 wickets for about 750 runs, you’d have to say it’s a pretty good deck.”

Scorecard

MS Dhoni struck an unbeaten 86 as the Indians warmed-up for the Indian Oil Cup with a comfortable 61-run win over a Sri Lanka Cricket XI. Dhoni and Mohammed Kaif (52) steadied the Indian innings after they were struggling on 104 for 4.Rahul Dravid was dismissed for 5 but Kaif and Dhoni added 56 before Kaif fell to Pradeep Jayaprakashdaran, who was the pick of the Sri Lanka XI attack with 3 for 35. Once Kaif fell Dhoni cut loose and in total hit five fours and three sixes.The Indian seamers – led by Irfan Pathan – then demolished the Sri Lanka XI top order, reducing them to 70 for 6. Jai P Yadav claimed two wickets and conceded just 11 runs from his six overs. Prasanna Jayawardene offered the only real resistance but his 66 only narrowed the margin of defeat. Pathan wrapped up the tail and his figures of 4 for 42 will send him into the triangular tournament in high spirits.

Australia are using the latest fitness techniques to get an edge over England in next month’s Ashes series. Most of Australia’s cricketers are over 30 and face a tough season, including five Tests against England in seven weeks, and the side have implemented GPS satellite tracking systems and accelerometers to measure their physical activity.Justin Cordy, Australia’s strength and conditioning coach, has devised fitness programs for each player and they have returned in excellent shape from a four-month winter break. “Skinfolds is what we are focused on … overall as a team there’s been a 15 percent change in all players,” Cordy told Brisbane’s . “Over the last four or five months, I’ve really seen these guys knuckle down with the Ashes and World Cup on the table. It’s about making them more athletic and getting excess weight off, so we can really focus on power and speed of movement. From my perspective, it was a matter of building on their [fitness] base and taking them to another level.”GPS devices are regularly fitted to players – Nathan Bracken agreed to wear one on his wrist during a one-day international final in Brisbane last season – as Australia seeks an advantage over England.”The GPS satellite tracking devices give you an idea of what distance the players cover and at what speeds,” Cordy said. “For instance, it showed that Bracken covered 15 kilometres [nine miles] out in the field in Brisbane. One of the things that came out of the technology was that there was a significant difference in training heart-rates versus playing heart-rates. It has highlighted the need at training to work harder because of the intensity of matches.”

A magnificent 209 runs partnership for the fifth wicket, between opener Kamran Sajid and skipper Faisal Iqbal, enabled Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to gain a big first innings lead over Pakistan Customs, on the second day at the United Bank Limited (UBL) Sports Complex Ground No.1.PIA ended on 318 for 5, which means that they are now 119 runs ahead of the Customs’ modest first innings effort of 199 all out, with five wickets still in hand. At one stage early in the morning, Customs looked like turning the tide their own way, as four PIA men were back in the pavilion with only 54 scored. The nightwatchman Umar Gul was gone soon after his team resumed at 46 for 2 and Bazid Khan lasted only four balls before perishing for a duck.However, Kamran and Faisal then took control with an excellent display that saw them both scoring centuries. The 22-year-old Kamran from Lahore achieved his career-best knock of 147, playing in his 50th first-class match. The all-rounder, who represented Pakistan at the 2001-02 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand, reached his fifth hundred. It was a patient knock, as he stayed at the crease for just over six and a half hours, faced 313 balls and hit 21 boundaries.Faisal has so far scored an unbeaten 107, in almost five and a quarter hours, off 237 deliveries with the help of 15 fours and a six, his fourth century of the season. Even after Kamran’s departure, Faisal found another able partner in the veteran Mahmood Hamid and the two have added 55 for the unbroken sixth-wicket stand.An interesting match is developing at Sheikhupura as Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) equaled Service Industries’ first innings score, by the close of play on the second day. However, after Service had been bowled out for 191, ZTBL replied with exactly that amount of runs but they still have a wicket standing.At 65 for 6 it appeared that ZTBL would concede a first innings lead. The seam bowler Asim Butt and opening bowler Jamshed Ahmed had them in deep trouble but then came a useful cameo innings of 42 off 68 balls from wicket-keeper Adnan Akmal, the younger brother of Pakistan stumper Kamran Akmal. He helped add 45 for the seventh-wicket stand with Tanvir Ahmed (19). Later on, the tail-enders Kashif Daud (24) and Siddiq Khan (22 not out) continued the reconstruction.Butt has so far captured a career-best 6 for 29 in 18 overs, his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. Earlier, after having resumed at 174-6, Service were all out for 191. Mustansar Ali added only one run to end his innings at 56 and Kashif Daud, a 19-year-old quick bowler, finished with figures of 5 for 47 in 14 overs.Struggling Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) turned the tables on Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) by claiming the crucial first innings lead, on the second day at the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Sports Complex.Faced with KRL’s under-par first innings total of 220, SNGPL were spun out for a poor 157 yesterday that handed KRL a 63-run advantage. By the close KRL had boosted their overall lead to 101 runs with all wickets intact. SNGPL were undone by the off-spin of Saeed Ajmal, who captured 4 for 25 in 17.4 overs. He was ably supported by 3 for 51 from Alamgir Khan. The only bright spot in the SNGPL innings was a 63-run fourth-wicket partnership between the Test duo of Mohammad Hafeez and the skipper skipper Misbah-ul-Haq (28). Hafeez hit 40 off just 56 balls with five fours and a six.Left-arm paceman Sajid Ali finished with 5 for 46 for SNGPL while wicket-keeper Mohammad Salman completed five catches. Even if KRL gain nine points from this match, they’ll remain faced with the danger of relegation to next season’s Grade-II circuit. They were beaten in all their first three matches and are making their last appearance in the league round.On yet another day curtailed by heavy fog and fading light Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) moved to 216 for 6 against National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) at the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) Ground on Thursday. A thick blanket of fog had reduced the first day’s play on Wednesday to a mere 45 deliveries.On the second morning two wickets fell with the score having got to just 23. Adil Nisar began the recovery with a watchful 37 in a little over two and a quarter hours. Then came an invaluable 123-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Aamer Sajjad top-scored with 74 runs off 139 balls with seven boundaries. Mohammad Sami took 2 for 60 in 18 overs and the medium-fast Yasir Arafat bagged 2 for 51, while Kamran Akmal held two catches.

Tryphon Mirando, secretary of Sri Lanka Cricket’s interim committee died suddenly in London on Sunday. Mirando, 51 was visiting his wife and children when he suffered a massive heart attack. According to sources, he was rushed to hospital but it was too late.A Royal College alumnus, Mirando was a long standing member of Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club. He was a livewire at the club, being a former president and a past secretary. A charming personality, Mirando was also a good choir singer.At the time of his death, he was marketing director of Janashakthi Insurance Company Ltd and a director at Kotmale Company.

Danny Law hit a six and four off consecutive balls to help keepEssex’s hopes of promotion from the National League Division Two.Essex needed 12 in the last over with one wicket left against Durhamat Chester-le-street.Law swung two full tosses of Neil Killeen over square leg for six andfour to seal Essex’s victory.Earlier Durham made 188 for 8 in 43 overs. Simon Katich (63) and PaulCollingwood (50) were the main scorers with Ashley Cowan taking 3 for51. As rain interrupetd the match twice, the target for Essex wasrevised to 167 in 33 overs. Essex were at one stage 92 for 2 in the21st over and were making merry. Nicky Phillips then removed RonnieIrani (23), debutant Will Jefferson (50) and Steve Peters (2). Essexrecovered thanks to the stand of 30 in four overs between Law and PaulGrayson.When 31 were needed in 5 overs, Killeen removed Grayson (18), JamesFoster (10) and Ashley Cowan (0). In the penultimate over, Ian Hunterremoved Ricky Anderson (1) and just gave two runs with Law not gettingthe strike.But Law batted superbly in the last over to end with 27 not out in 20balls.