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If the building process is continuous, there is no need to re-build. Whenever I used to read about preparing the Pakistan team for the World Cup, I would write that the World Cup should not be seen as a cut-off point and there would be cricket after the World Cup.That we should not put all our eggs in one basket. There is certainly no need to panic and start throwing all the furniture out. At the same time, there is a need to find out why such a talented team underperformed, why there was such a rash of ‘lean patches’.We won’t get very far if we look for scapegoats. Cricket is a team game and it is the team that stands together or falls apart, together. Cricket does not accept the division of a team into senior and junior players.Nor does an arbitrary age-factor come into it. Look at Aravinda de Silva or Andy Flower or Javagal Srinath, for proof that he who is old in years may be young in hours, it is the spirit that must be willing.Last year, Pakistan went to Australia to play in an indoor tournament. Pakistan beat Australia and we kept dining out on that success and it became a term of reference even when it had become abundantly clear that it was that one swallow that did not herald the summer.We were called a ‘mercurial’ and an ‘unpredictable’ team and we accepted this, as if, it was a badge of honour. Cricket at the highest level demands consistency. An egg has to be good, it cannot be partly good.Consistency requires discipline and discipline cannot be imposed. A player does not have to be told or reminded that he has to stay focused. If it has to be drummed into him, then that player is in the wrong profession.Every team has a coach. Richard Pybus laments that there were players in the team who refused to learn. Learn what? Learning how to bowl line and length? Shot selection?A child is toilet-trained. Once trained, he doesn’t have to be trained over and over again. I happen to believe that at the highest level, there is no need for a coach. An Under-15 team may need a coach.At an international level, a player should be able to work out on his own what he is doing wrong. He doesn’t need a tutor. Self-improvement comes with self-discipline. Sachin Tendulkar needed a coach when he was a schoolboy.Imran Khan and Javed Miandad took Wasim Akram under their wing, but once launched, he was on his own. There seems to be no need for Pybus making statements. He does not come into the equation.Television coverage has been so good that we don’t want to be told what went wrong. We already know. Those who met me or telephoned me during our matches did not get a pep-talk but a brutal assessment that the team’s management was not allowing for local conditions, that it had brought a script with it and was not prepared to change it, that the body-language suggested that the players were not enjoying their cricket and, therefore, the team was either over-awed or not awed enough. It seemed a distracted team.Of course, there should be changes but only if we are rebuilding and if we accept that the process is a painful one. Unfortunately, such is the poor quality of domestic cricket, it is an unreliable nursery.Pakistan needs to concentrate on Under-19 and ‘A’ team tours, send the young players out to play under different conditions so that a bank of players is created and there should be an ‘understudy’ system, for every player in the national team, there should be one waiting in the wings. This should be an in-built mechanism.The decision whether a player should retire is something that a player needs to decide himself. He needs to heed his inner voice. But a player’s reputation should not warrant automatic selection. We too need to change the method of appointing a captain.Every player should be good enough to be in the playing eleven. A captain should be good enough to make it on his abilities, no bonus should be awarded if he is a good captain. A captain should earn his keep as a player.The word ‘accountability’ has lost its credibility. But we should be able to carry out a study of what went wrong and pinpoint the mistakes. The team was accompanied by a large number of officials. What was their contribution?We must get the World Cup out of our system but not before ensuring that the same mistakes are not made all over again. Perhaps, we need to change the mindset and introduce a performance-related system. Earn your keep!

Somerset Coach Kevin Shine said he was “looking forward to another good day on Monday”.He said: “The bowlers have stuck well to their task out there today, but it’s been hard work. We didn’t bat as well as we ought to have in the first innings apart from Sohail, Woody and Noddy. Let’s hope we can learn from our mistakes and put together a decent effort in the second innings.”The coach spoke highly of Matthew Wood and Jamie Grove and said: “Woody played really well in the first innings. It was a great catch to get him out. Jamie Grove has worked hard out there on a flat track. He’s got a great heart.”

This was a day so tense and full of unexpected twists and turns that it would have been no surprise had Al Gore turned up to demand a recount. It finished with Auckland 74-2 in their second innings, a lead of 42.The highlight was a gutsy tenth wicket partnership of 80 by Bruce Martin and Graeme Aldridge for ND. This swung the game ND’s way, but Blair Pocock and Richard King did much to move it back again in the final session.With thirteen wickets having fallen on the first day the batsmen had as much trust in the pitch as in a Florida election official. Their lack of faith appeared justified as the heart of ND’s middle order was removed in the first hour.Auckland’s left-arm seamer Richard Morgan was the main destroyer, removing Bradburn caught behind from a bouncer, Bailey caught at short leg and Hood, off stump removed for a debut duck. Morgan demonstrated the twin dangers of the pitch. There was bounce and there was movement. It was difficult to deal with one while remaining alert for the other.Morgan finished with career best figures of 5-44.At 49-7 ND faced a substantial first innings deficit. Simon Doull began the recovery. Doull has a good record with the bat against Auckland, mostly by adopting the no-nonsense aggression he showed here. His 27 included a six over mid-wicket.When Doull’s departure was followed shortly afterwards by that of Robbie Hart, clearly annoyed to have been given out caught behind, it seemed that Auckland would have a lead of forty or so.Martin and Aldridge were soon to prove that to be a false assumption.Their partnership contained strong elements of good fortune, particularly in the early stages. But it contained a good deal of skill too, as well as a large slice of bloody-minded determination. There were few memorable shots, though Martin’s effortless lift over square leg to level the scores was one. The way in which both men resolutely stood up to short-pitched deliveries will be recalled as will their discipline in leaving as much as possible alone.The innings ended when Barnes found the shoulder of Martin’s bat to have him caught in the gully by Canning with the score on 178.Both batsmen left the field with personal highest scores (Martin 51, Aldridge 21 not out). They were only two short of breaking ND’s tenth wicket record against Auckland, set up by Martin in partnership with Simon Doull in the Shell Trophy final last April. Most importantly, they handed ND an unexpected lead of 32.Auckland’s second innings got off to the worst start when McIntosh was caught at second slip by Bailey off a Doull delivery that moved from leg to off. No runs were on the board.A quiet, but important phase of the game followed. Pocock and King put on 70 for the second wicket. It was slow at first, but gradually the shots came more freely. A slow outfield helped to keep the scoring rate down.Almost imperceptably, the balance of the game shifted towards Auckland. Joseph Yovich was the most dangerous bowler, twice having appeals for legside catches to the wicketkeeper, one for each batsman. However, Yovich was limited to one four over spell and may be injured.Doull returned to remove Pocock lbw to one that kept low shortly before the close of play.Today was first class cricket of a high order, not in terms of shot making, but as a contest in which concentration and determination are allied with skill to overcome the opposition and the conditions.These are the factors that will decide the outcome of the game, but in whose favour? To use the phrase with which we have become so familiar in recent weeks, it is too close to call.

IS Bindra, the former BCCI president, said on Wednesday that the ICC principal advisor’s post is an ideal arrangement for him personally and stressed that his new role would not lead to an Indian domination over world cricket affairs.”I am only an advisor, not the chief executive, so there need not be any worry,” Bindra told Cricinfo. “There should absolutely be no alarm over any Indian domination of world cricket. India’s intention is not to dominate the West. India will use its immense financial powers for the betterment of world cricket, and act as an engine of growth for other countries. My being with the ICC will only cement those bonds.”Bindra’s two-year tenure is renewable and part of it is likely to overlap with Sharad Pawar’s term as ICC chairman, leading to fears that the top positions in world cricket will be in the hands of one country.Bindra, however, said that he would take up the ICC job only in July after the first edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is over and would remain on the League’s governing council till then.”For now, I will remain on the IPL governing council and will take up the ICC assignment only in July after the first tournament of the IPL is over. By then, the IPL would have taken off anyway. I also have some other commitments which prevent me from taking over the advisor’s position sooner,” Bindra said.Bindra said that his responsibilities at the ICC would include development of cricket in North America and China, ensuring strong ties between member nations, and overseeing major tournaments like the World Cup. Some of those key responsibilities, he said, were close to his heart.”Developing cricket in North America, especially, is very close to my heart. Even when I was the BCCI president in the early 1990s, we played a major role in launching the Sahara Cup tournament in Toronto. My other responsibility, of cementing the good relationships between member countries, is something I look forward to,” Bindra said.Bindra said that the ICC job was the best thing that could have happened for him, as it would mean that he is able to retain his base in India. “It’s an ideal arrangement as far as I am concerned. I can do my best for international cricket, and at the same time serve my state association.”

Tom Moody will delay a decision on his coaching future until after he talks with the Sri Lankan board. Moody is in high demand after guiding Mahela Jayawardene’s side to the World Cup final and he has options to stay in Colombo or take charge of his former state Western Australia.”I’m not making any decisions on my future until I’ve had a chance to speak to the Sri Lankan cricket board, until I’ve had a chance to reflect and have a look to see where I want to be professionally and personally,” Moody told AAP.Western Australia are confident of securing Moody, who has said his family would be the top priority in his choice. “I have intentionally put this whole thing on the back burner because it wouldn’t be right professionally if I didn’t give 100% to Sri Lanka,” Moody said.Sri Lanka were the second best side in the tournament but they were out-played in the final, although rain and bad light did not help their chances of defeating Australia. Moody is confident the team will again be a threat at the next World Cup in 2011.”If we continue the professionalism that we are adopting,” he said, “there’s no reason why Sri Lanka as a cricketing country can’t compete with the likes of Australia.”

Ricky Ponting believes Dan Cullen, the offspinner who impressed in his debut series against Bangladesh, will have a successful career for Australia.”Dan bowled beautifully but he probably didn’t bowl as much as I would have liked in the Test match that he played,” Ponting told AAP. “He only bowled about 13 or 14 overs in that series, but looked very much the part there. He had to work really hard in the one-dayers to get his first wicket, and didn’t get his first wicket until his second spell in the third one-dayer. But he’s going to be a good bowler for Australia for a long period of time, there’s no doubt.”Cullen took 1 for 54 from 17 overs in the second Test at Chittagong and conceded less than four an over in all three one-day internationals. He is currently Australia’s No. 2 one-day spinner after Brad Hogg.Ponting was also impressed with Mitchell Johnson, the fast bowler, who played his first full series in Bangladesh. In his previous two ODIs in New Zealand and South Africa he had conceded a total of 92 runs in 12 overs.”Mitchell played one [ODI] game in New Zealand and one in South Africa and hadn’t really been given an extended run at all,” said Ponting. “He got three more games over there [in Bangladesh] which was good. If you look at it, he improved every game he played. It was great for him to have a chance to bowl with the new ball in the third game. He got a few wickets with the new ball as well. We’ve always identified him as being a good prospect for Australia down the track and I think we’re just starting to see some of that come out now.””He [Johnson] will definitely benefit from the experience [of playing in Bangladesh], just something simple like playing in front of a crowd. He found that really difficult in his first two games prior to coming here,” Adam Gilchrist told the Australian Associated Press. “The chance to play three games in front of, while it is not 50,000 or 60,000 [people], it is still a pretty full house and a pretty noisy crowd and I think that is one part from which he will really benefit from.”

Teddy Griffith, the president of the West Indies Cricket Board, has announced that he will not seek a second term when the office comes up for re-election during the AGM in July.Griffith, 69, said that his decision came as a result of personal and family considerations which would not allow him to commit the energy and resources required to fulfil the role through the two year period to the World Cup in 2007.He also advised the member boards that he had been particularlyconscious of the rigorous and demanding schedule that would be required of the president over the next two years in discharging the onerous responsibilities and travel schedule required to fulfil obligations to the WICB, the ICC (where he serves as the director representing the West Indies), as a member of the ICC Governance and Audit Committees, and to the board of the World Cup.A new president will be elected at the WICB’s AGM on July 16 in St Maarten. Ahead of the meeting, WICB directors will attempt to find a consensus candidate. If competing candidates emerge, the six territorial boards that make up the WICB will cast two votes each. Griffith, as outgoing president, and Val Banks, the vice-president, also have one vote each.The website caribbeancricket.com reported that there was a proposal that the roles of CEO and president be merged. If so, that would probably lead to the removal of Roger Braithwaite, the existing CEO.

After a few hours in hospital including some time on a drip, Matt Horne has been left to contemplate what might have been.Looking forward to continuing the form that catapulted him into the record books on Monday at Eden Park, and remind the national selectors what they are missing, Horne will instead sit out Auckland’s last round-robin State Championship match against Central Districts, starting today, because of a suspected viral infection.”I’m not enjoying it. I can’t sleep, can’t eat and I’m aching and constantly dehydrated,” said Horne. “I felt run down on Monday. My flatmate, who is a nurse, said I needed to get to hospital. You want to keep playing but your body says you can’t.”In Horne’s absence, Mark O’Donnell, Auckland’s coach, has recalled Sam Whiteman to the team for the match, in which Auckland must take the maximum eight points and hope results in other games go their way if they are to progress further.”We want to finish the season strongly,” said O’Donnell. “We have to worry about our game and not be too concerned about what’s happening elsewhere.”O’Donnell is looking to his four batsmen at the top of the order to score much-needed runs. “They haven’t been doing it this season,” he said. “It is a huge opportunity for players like Mark Richardson, Lou Vincent, Tim McIntosh and Rob Nicol to show they are capable of a big score.”Central Districts have the same 12 who lost in under three days, and by 231 runs, to Wellington in the last round. Wellington, at home to Otago, lead the championship race with 23 points – one ahead of Canterbury, who meet Northern Districts at Gisborne needing only two points to end Auckland’s slim hopes. Otago, on 19 points, could make the final if they beat Wellington outright and have other results go their way.ND have an added incentive: unless someone scores a century, they face the prospect of being the first ND team in 19 years to complete their first class programme without any player reaching three figures. They have kept the same 12, but have Jamie Lee on standby if Grant Robinson fails a fitness test.

England’s hopes of having their World Cup match against Zimbabwe played at a ground in South Africa rather than Harare will be decided tomorrow by the World Cup technical committee. Originally the match was scheduled to be played today, but with the England and Wales Cricket Board making strong representations that it should be played at a different venue on the grounds of security, the ICC cancelled the fixture.Now the ECB hope that new evidence will persuade the committee that there is some substance to the death threats received from an organisation called the Sons and Daughters of Zimbabwe and they cannot simply be dismissed as a hoax, as claimed by the Deputy Commissioner of South African Police, Andre Pruis.He said that the organisation was not known to pose a serious threat and that he received several such letters himself on a personal basis. However, it was later revealed that the organisation was known to Interpol.The ECB will be making a new legal submission with evidence that they trust will convince the technical committee to reverse its earlier decision. If they can, there is a possibility that the game can be rescheduled and so the points from the match will not be forfeited but decided on a cricket field. They would also then avoid a heavy fine for breaking their contract with the ICC.The ECB have claimed that the security issue must be addressed, and this has received the full backing of the players, all of whom have signed a statement that will be presented to the committee.Left-arm spinner Ashley Giles was the man chosen to finalise the statement with the ECB’s head of legal affairs, Mark Roper-Drimie. He explained why."I held the views of a lot of the players so I got the job. It has been really tough; there have been some emotional meetings between the team, guys have spoken their minds and it has been hard for everyone. But that sort of thing does bring you together."The problem for the players now is to concentrate their minds back on the cricket to be played rather than the possible outcome of the Zimbabwe crisis. They play what is now their first match of the tournament on Sunday in East London against a Dutch side that caused India a few problems in their match yesterday.To help them in this aim, they have had an extensive session with sports psychologist Steve Bull, who has actually travelled with the team on previous tours. His job has been to get their attention re-focused on cricket so they go into the important matches against the Netherlands and then Namibia in the right frame of mind.Giles appreciates the importance of this saying, "How you think determines in many ways what is going to happen. Negative thoughts have a big influence on outcomes and the more positive you are the better chance you have of succeeding."Whatever happens with the Zimbabwe fixture, it is not in our hands now so we are working towards beating Holland and then Namibia. We need to try and beat Holland well, we have to play our best cricket and hammer them."We pretty much have to win every game and if we do that we have a great chance even without the Zimbabwe points."Having said that, the task would be made that much easier if England could play, and beat, Zimbabwe, but that opportunity now depends on the complicated legal issues that will be discussed around the conference table in Johannesburg tomorrow.Also present will be a delegation from the Zimbabwe Cricket Union led by their impressive president, Peter Chingoka. It is possible that the New Zealand claim to play their match against Kenya scheduled for Nairobi will also come under discussion.

It may be old hat to some counties, the novelty may have worn off elsewhere, but at Hampshire a sell out crowd is expected to pack the new Hampshire Rose Bowl as the county venture into new territory with their first home floodlit (day/night) match on Wednesday at home to Sussex 4:10pm start.The ECB Event Management team will take over the event and Musco the American company hired by that team to install the floodlights have come to town. Like Billy Smart’s Circus of old, the ground will look resplendent for Hampshire’s most lucrative one-day match ever.Mike Taylor, Hampshire’s Marketing Manager will be welcoming 40 companies who have taken up corporate hospitality for the evening, with the caterers ready to feed 800-900 meals to them alone.”Various catering outlets will be on hand, to feed the spectators also” said Taylor. “We are keeping fingers, in fact everything crossed, that the weather holds good”.There will be music before the event, music selected by individual players to greet them out to bat, noisy when a four or six is hit, or a wicket falls.The Hampshire side are not unknown to this treatment as they have played in a number of day/night matches over the past couple of years, but only so far away from home. And the circus will also have its famous Rollerball competition during the interval, with the winners going on to represent the county in the grand final at the end of the season.Sky TV will also be covering the event.Hampshire captain Robin Smith expects it to be a super night out, but he is also aware that the events off the field will not distract the main event and that is to keep their push for promotion on track with a victory over Sussex. “We must instil into the players, and particularly the youngsters, what is happening on the cricket field is the prime aim for the team”. Smith remarks.Shuttle buses will run both before the match from Hedge End and Southampton Parkway railway stations from 2:30pm to 4:30pm, and returning immediately after the match. A coach has also been booked for travellers returning to Southampton City centre and in particular timed to catch the 11pm sailing to East Cowes. The buses will leave promptly at 10:30pm from the bus shelter on Marshall’s Way near the main entrance to the ground.There are still tickets available during the probably last day of the Derbyshire match on Sunday, or from the County Office on 023 8047 2002.