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Indian middle order batsman VVS Laxman, who injured his left indexfinger during India’s emphatic win over Zimbabwe in Harare on Sunday,did not suffer any fracture and will be under medical supervision fora few days.According to team manager Chetan Chauhan “Laxman’s finger is notbroken but it has been crushed a bit by the impact of the ball hittinghis finger and he would be under medical supervision for the next 2-3days.”Laxman was injured when he caught Zimbabwe opener Dion Ebrahim offAjit Agarkar in the slips in India’s opening triangular one-day seriesmatch.The team manaement is hoping Laxman would be fit for the second gameagainst Zimbabwe, due to be played in Bulawayo on June 27.

Helen Watson, the New Zealand allrounder, has announced her retirement from cricket, ending her nine-year international career. Watson, 36, played 61 one-dayers, including winning the World Cup on home soil in 2000 and a rare Rose Bowl victory in 1999 in her debut series.In ODIs, she took 50 wickets at an average of 23.14 and an economy rate of 3.17, and made 568 runs. She also played eight international Twenty20s. At regional level, Watson represented Canterbury and Auckland, winning seven national titles.”I have gained immense satisfaction and enjoyment playing cricket at all levels,” said Watson, “with the pinnacle being my years playing for the White Ferns. The time is now right for me to hang up my boots and although I will no longer play the game there is no doubt that I will remain a keen supporter of cricket in the future.”I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported and encouraged me throughout my cricket career. It has been a fantastic journey.”Catherine Campbell, the women’s cricket manager of New Zealand Cricket, added: “Helen has made a terrific contribution to the White Ferns throughout her career. Her experience and talents will be missed and we wish her all the best in the future.”

Bermuda’s minister of the environment Neletha Butterfield threw dirt on claims that there were local solutions to the pitch problem at the National Centre.Responding to critics who decried her tabling a bill that would allow the importation of foreign soil, Butterfield said there will not be any environmental disaster akin to the cedar blight from the 1940s.She said the cedar blight that began in 1940s was the result of imported juniper trees carrying a scale pest. The cedar blight did not stem from the importation of foreign soil. The cedar blight also occurred more than 60 years ago when there were little regulations as far as importation of plants and agricultural materials.She added that there was also a cost of not importing foreign soil. “Much of the focus in this debate has been on the possible cost to Bermuda in terms of environmental damage should an invasive pest be introduced. We must look at the cost of not importing soil, for example, for use in the wicket of the cricket pitch of the Bermuda National Stadium.”The National Stadium has been one of the longest running capital projects in the history of our island with much of the funding coming from Government. It is vital that the cricket pitch be certified by the ICC for use in officially sanctioned international cricket matches. This will contribute to Bermuda’s economic and social environment in many ways, including valuable experience for our national cricket team and increased tourism to watch cricket matches. Indeed, at the recent World Cup, of the 16 competing countries, Bermuda was the only one without an accredited home ground.”To me, this entire issue is about managing risk, something many in Bermuda should understand. We in the Ministry of the Environment … are doing, and will do everything in our power to manage the risk and keep it to an absolute minimum.”Something Bermuda residents perhaps fail to understand is that the people employed in the various departments responsible for safeguarding Bermuda’s environment are passionate about what they do. They don’t want to see the environment impacted in a negative way at all. The new regulations call for specific treatment and extensive testing at many stages in the import process, and only when any imported soil has been fully cleared will it be allowed to enter the island. Highly qualified scientists will monitor the process from beginning to end to ensure risks are managed every step of the way.”The department of environmental protection has been working with the National Sports Centre board, the Bermuda Cricket Board, the department of sports and recreation, overseas consultants and the groundskeepers in their search for a suitable local soil, and other possible options including the importation of clay to be mixed with sand and local soil. However, it has been determined that the only suitable soil will need to be sourced from overseas.”Few Bermuda residents may realise that large amount of plants, fruits, vegetables, and animals and potting medium are already imported into Bermuda on almost a daily basis.”Bermuda imports large amounts of artificial growing medium and there is still a risk with this material, but it is a calculated risk. As with any risk management process, you mitigate the risk to ensure it is as small as possible, and this applies when importing plants, animals, trees, and potting mix and the same practice would be in place for any imported soil. Christmas trees are imported every year and are sometimes sent back following inspections which reveal pests. The island’s nurseries, farmers and even private individuals import thousands of live plants and animals every year but vigorous inspections ensure that, to date, we have managed to keep foreign pests from destroying Bermuda’s fragile ecosystem.”She also has no plans to resign just because the opposition calls for her head.This article is reprinted with permission of the Bermuda Sun

Robin Singh, coach of the India A team, felt that the team’s upcoming tour of Australia for the Top End series next month would serve as an ideal opportunity to build reliable bench strength for the national side. India A will play a series of four-day and limited-overs matches against the A sides of Pakistan, New Zealand and Australia in Darwin and Cairns.”It is basically an extension of what most of the cricketers had already proved”, Robin told before a week-long preparatory camp for the squad in Hyderabad. “India A tours are essentially feeder exercises which should help the country build a very strong senior team.”Robin indicated that recent tours such as the Eurasia Cup in Abu Dhabi have been instrumental in identifying fringe players and fast-tracking potential players into the big league when the need arises. For the upcoming tour, as many as seven out of the 15 players have already represented India. He said, “After the recent Abu Dhabi tournament, I had an useful interaction with India coach Greg Chappell and gave him important inputs on the players. And I am happy that three from that tour went on to play for India almost immediately.”I have an eye on everyone. It is important that everyone in this team is ready to grab the opportunity. There is every possibility of slots coming up for grabs at any given point of time.”Robin also revealed that Venkatapathy Raju, former India left-arm spinner and Kanwaljit Singh, former Hyderabad offspinner, have been roped in to train the squad during the camp. “I had a word with Raju and having played with him, I know his worth. It should be a good experience for the boys too.”

South Australia have recorded a 71-run victory over Western Australia on the fourth day of the ACB Cup match between the two sides at Tompkins Park in Perth.Going into the final day, Western Australia needed 229 for victory. With three wickets down and only 90 runs on the board at stumps on day three, many thought WA would be hard pressed to meet the challenge.After an innings of safety-first cricket, Simmons 34 (127) pushing forward, edged to the keeper Deitz who was standing up to the bowling of Davidson only half an hour into the start of the final day. Western Australia losing its fourth wicket with 108 the score.Voges 11 (52) lived a dangerous life, offering a few half chances. The South Australians, in fact, at one point were convinced that they’d had him caught. His dismissal eventually came when he padded up to a ball from Cleary and was given out ‘leg before wicket’. Western Australia were now five down for 120.Conservative Casson 4 (35) pushed forward to Davison and was caught at first slip by Higgins. Before that he offered no chances, stoutly defending and supporting his partners. Western Australian hopes were now evaporating with Ronchi the only remaining recognised batsman and 128 the score after six wickets had fallen.Ronchi 48* and Karppinen 24* resisted the South Australian bowlers upto the lunch break when Western Australia were 194 for the loss of six wickets after 68 overs had been bowled.Drama enveloped the dismissal of Ronchi 56 (60) who pulled Harrity in the air to deep backward square leg where Marsh running around to his left and lunging forward to take the catch, appeared to lose control of the ball after he hit the ground face down. The ball, then, appeared on the turf behind him and he seemed to turn to scramble after it. Players in the middle were of mixed attitute. Some were downcast and others enraptured. The umpires conferred and Ronchi sensing his fate moved toward the pavillion. Umpire Jeff Brookes confirmed the decision to Ronchi and Western Australia now knew for certain that it would just be a matter of time before they would all be back in the pavilion.Thorp 18 (26) was the next to go, clean bowled by Cosgrove, a victim no doubt of the variable bounce of the fourth day pitch. This left Western Australia two wickets away from defeat at 239-8. Then, Clark 2 (20) drove Marsh to Cosgrove at cover and was caught there to leave Western Australia writhing at nine wickets for 246.Attempting to make his fiftieth run, Karppinen 49* (85) called Michael Thistle 0 (4) back for a second and ultimately suicidal run. The final wicket falling with 247 the score sealed South Australia’s 71-run win.Harrity and Davison, who claimed three wickets each, were the pick of the South Australian bowling. Cleary, Cosgrove and Marsh all took one wicket each. The South Australians may have to look at some wayward returns from the deep fielders and some lack of intensity toward the end but that said they acquitted themselves quite well.The South Australian victory was achieved on the final day in the middle session after the drinks break, but the real work had been done on the first and second days. Western Australia fought hard to get back into the match on the third day but ultimate success has eluded them today.While there was no official man of the match award Deitz was by far the best player on view. His 140 runs in the South Australian first innings, while sharing in an 85-run partnership with Harris and a 179-run partnership with Ferguson, put the visitors into a seemingly indominatable position.He took two catches and effected the stumping of Karppinen in the WA first innings and then followed up with two more catches in the WA second innings. An observer claimed quite rightly that the quality of Deitz as a batsman/keeper exceeds this level of the game.

Sourav Ganguly, the Indian captain, is expected to be fit for the firstTest, starting in Multan on March 28. Ganguly suffered an injury scare inthe final one-day match in Lahore when he fell awkwardly while attempting adiving stop at mid-off.An MRI scan at the hospital in Lahore today revealed nothing more seriousthan a lower-back spasm. According to hospital sources, Ganguly needs acouple of days to recover and should be in proper shape before the Test.The rest of the Indian team has already travelled in Multan, but Ganguly has stayed back in Lahore with Andrew Leipus, the Indian team’s physiotherapist, for medical consultation. He will join the team tomorrow.Ganguly’s condition had looked much more serious on Wednesday night when hehad be stretchered off the field after a desperate attempt to cut off anoff-drive from Inzamam-ul-Haq during the early part of Pakistan’s innings. He fell heavily and lay motionless on the field for a few minutes, and wasin intense pain for about an hour. Rahul Dravid captained India for the restof the match, but Ganguly was among the first onto the field to congratulatehis team after the victory.

MELBOURNE, Feb 5 AAP – Steve Waugh may as well have ridden a white charger into the middle of the MCG today.The man who has forged a 20-year cricket career on rescuing innings in distress did it again on the opening day of NSW’s critical Pura Cup match against Victoria.With NSW reeling at 2-0 after four overs and its hopes of a Pura Cup final berth looking as sick as the scorecard, the Blues skipper strode to the crease with his team’s season on the line.And as he has done so often, Waugh was still there at the close of play 334 minutes later – unbeaten on 125, a 72nd first-class century in his keep and his side in control at 4-279 in their first innings.”It’s a good challenge,” Waugh said of coming in with his side in desperate trouble.”Obviously those are the times I play my best cricket.”It was tough out there for the first couple of hours and after that, the wicket seemed to flatten out.”I feel pretty good. I’ve been hitting the ball really well for a long time now.”Now I’m looking forward to making a big one tomorrow.”In a match in which the winner will have the inside running for a Pura Cup final spot, the second-placed Bushrangers will rue allowing the third-placed Blues off the rack.Paceman Shane Harwood had rocked the Blues early on a lively pitch, despatching Michael Slater and Simon Katich for ducks to leave NSW at 2-0.Enter Waugh – though he did have an early life when Victorian debutant David Hussey failed to hold a hot overhead chance at first slip when the Australian skipper had only made three.That allowed Waugh and Greg Mail to put on a 110-run salvage operation before Mail became Harwood’s third victim for 57.Australian cricket’s brightest young hope Michael Clarke then joined Waugh, terrorising the Victorian bowlers with a dashing 78 off 119 balls as part of a 138-run stand.As the speculation continues about when Waugh will retire from Test cricket, his innings today proved again that if you were to choose an Australian to bat for your life, 37-year-old Waugh would still be the man for the job.But he was still refusing to give anything away about how long he will continue to play international cricket.”I think I’m playing good cricket,” Waugh said.”I felt really relaxed today and I’m hitting the ball the best I have in a long time.”Waugh will resume tomorrow alongside brother Mark, who is unbeaten on 14.Play will start 22 minutes early tomorrow to make up for five overs lost today when stumps was called early after a heavy downpour of rain.

The Indian tourists won their mismatch of teams against the CFX Academy by 226 runs with 13 overs to spare, thanks to superb bowling by Javagal Srinath and Harbhajan Singh. For the Academy, Barney Rogers played an excellent fighting innings of 65 not out, but most of his colleagues were no match for the top-quality Indian bowling.During the morning session, Sadagoppan Ramesh and Hemang Badani enjoyed a useful practice session in fine batting conditions against undemanding bowling. They did not seek to dominate the bowlers, although left-arm spinner Ian Coulson again suffered at times, with Badani hitting him for an effortless straight six. Badani cruised to 35 before becoming the fourth Indian batsman to retire during the match.The accurate Sean Ervine finally took the Academy’s second genuine wicket of the match when he trapped Sameer Dighe lbw for 6. Shortly afterwards they missed the chance of another, bungling what should have been an easy run-out of Ramesh. The batsman retired in any case at the end of the over, for 52. It had been hard enough as it was for the Academy in the field, but missed catches and a run-out added salt to their own wound.Finally a catch was taken as Dion Ebrahim held Harbhajan Singh (16) in the deep off Barney Rogers. Sairaj Bahutule fell lbw later in the over without scoring and the Indians decided to call it a day at 128 for five. Theoretically the Academy needed 383 to win in 66 overs.The Academy soon found themselves in trouble again at the start of their innings. Without a run on the board, Ebrahim flicked at a ball from Srinath and was caught at the wicket. The double failure of Zimbabwe’s latest Test match opener is depressing for the home side and could put his place in doubt. He is certainly not batting with his usual confidence.Srinath worked up a good pace and found movement off the pitch, using four slips and a gully, and a few overs later comprehensively bowled the gallant but struggling Duffin for 4. Next to go was Guy Croxford, playing positively as usual but trapped lbw for 15. The Indian fielding effort did not match their bowling, though, with the captain setting a poor example to his team, and no doubt the coach will have some comments to make.Then Srinath was rested and the pressure instantly lifted. Barney Rogers and Mluleki Nkala settled into a more confident partnership, handling the later bowlers, even Harbhajan, with more comfort. At tea the Academy were heading towards safety at 81 for three.They continued to flourish afterwards, with the left-handed Rogers sweeping Harbhajan to good effect, but it was the off-spinner who finally made the breakthrough, having Nkala caught in the slips off a top-edged sweep for 59. Ervine fell immediately, adjudged lbw to Bahutule; Brent (1) was caught at the wicket and unable to repeat his rescue act of the first innings, and the match had swung sharply again. The Academy were now 129 for six.Rogers was still there and Campbell Macmillan stood firm for a while until, seemingly unsettled by some aggressive Indian appealing and shows of dissent, he swung wildly at Harbhajan to be bowled. The off-spinner quickly wrapped up the tail to finish with six for 37; Srinath, who did not bowl again, took three for nine.

Andre Nel, South Africa cricket’s original scary eyes, is back. Not to inflict another bruise on a hero, like he did when he felled Allan Donald with a fierce bouncer in a first-class match, or to stick his tongue out at the opposition and induce impromptu bat-swinging breakdance like he did against Sreesanth, but to teach others how to.Nel, who has been coaching at a school and a university academy, will coach provincial side Easterns at the Africa Cup T20 tournament, a coming-of-age position for the now-placid paceman. “I feel like life has come full circle for me because this is where I started and now I just want to help Easterns get back to the where they were,” he told ESPNcricinfo. Nel was part of the Easterns provincial side that won the premier first-class competition in the 2002-03 season, before South African domestic cricket was franchised.Since the franchise system formed, Easterns have been one of the feeder teams to the Titans. But as a semi-professional side, Easterns have underwhelmed in the three-day and List A competitions, with no titles to their name. Nel wants to begin changing that in his first assignment, a T20 competition, played between South Africa’s provincial teams as well as invited outfits from Zimbabwe, Kenya and Namibia, which starts this weekend.Easterns are grouped with their franchise partners, Northerns, Western Province and Zimbabwe. Only the top team in each pool advances to the knockouts, so Nel knows he has a difficult task ahead. “We’re in a tough pool and everybody expects us not to win so it’s definitely going to be a challenge,” Nel said. “But if everything in life was easy, everyone would be doing it.”But Easterns have two major advantages. The weekend’s fixtures, which incorporate all six matches in the group, will be played at their home ground, Willowmoore Park and they have a rejuvenated international in their squad. Quinton de Kock will turn out for Easterns in a bid to continue with his new-found form and play himself back into the national team after he was dropped during the Bangladesh series.Nel hopes to nudge de Kock in the right direction by putting no pressure on him and providing advice as someone who also had to work his way back into the senior side.”He has been through a tough time. I know what it is like to be dropped and then have find your way back and the most important thing is to be humble. When you get in quite young, there is extra pressure on you to stay in the side and you have to take that out of the equation.”I just want to give him the freedom to go out and express himself. Sometimes maybe he gets too nervous. He must just go out and be Quinton de Kock and not try to be someone else.” Although Nel was no batsman, his only other advice for de Kock is “work on his on-side game.”The technical tidbits will be saved for the bowlers and Nel has a number to work with, including Junior Dala, who featured regularly for the Titans last season.Dala is quick with an unusual slingy action and Nel is looking forward to moulding him for future success. “I worked with Junior at the University of Johannesburg academy so I know him pretty well. He has just come back from Sri Lanka with the South African Emerging side so he is definitely on the radar and he should be. He is looking strong and fit and he offers something different.”

South Africa have been fined for their slow over-rate in the first Test against India in Chennai. Roshan Mahanama, the match referee, found the side was two overs short of its target after time allowances were taken in to consideration.On day three South Africa managed only 85 overs as India pushed to gain a first-innings lead. It was the day Virender Sehwag raced to the fastest Test triple-hundred, his second in 55 Tests.According to ICC Code of Conduct players are fined 5% of their match fees for every over lost while captain is fined double of that. Consequently South African players lost 10% of their match fees and Graeme Smith lost 20%. The team cannot appeal the fine.After a dull draw in the first Test the two sides now move on to Ahmedabad for the second one starting on April 3.