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Herman Gibbs, the father of Herschelle Gibbs, has lashed out at the ICC for banning his son on charges of racist abuse. He accused the ICC of looking away when South African players were victims of racist remarks in Australia last year.”There are a bunch of incorrigible old men in the ICC,” Gibbs senior said to Supersport website. “They were unable to do anything about match fixing and are too afraid to tackle any controversial matter properly.”He said that Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, seemed to have a vendetta against the South African team and now his son, Herschelle, had become a convenient stick in the team for him to hit at.”To describe Herschelle as a racist is laughable; it makes me angry. My children attended non-racial schools when most of their contemporaries were still in one-race schools. If there’s one thing Herschelle is not, it’s a racist.”Gibbs was handed a two-Test ban after he was heard over the stump microphone making allegedly racist remarks about a section of the crowd on the fourth day of the Centurion Test against Pakistan. Gibbs has appealed against the ban and will be able to play the second Test at Port Elizabeth starting January 19 as all punishments are suspended between the appeal and its decision.

Scotland have received a windfall of £336,300 from , the country’s national agency for sport, to help develop the domestic game and aid funding the national team.”In the three months leading up to the World Cup we have been required to make considerable financial outlays to cover salaries for our international players,” Roddy Smith, Cricket Scotland’s chief executive told . “But the news of sportscotland’s investment to specifically assist with these costs has been a huge boost.”Scotland, like many of the Associate nations, are not full-time professionals. Though many have regular jobs, their commitment to the sport compels Cricket Scotland to cover their salary and pay their employers.The hand-out comes just two weeks after receiving $250,000 for reaching the final of the World Cricket League in Kenya, thereby gaining entry into the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship to be held in South Africa this September.

Bangladesh’s players have been handed a financial incentive to perform at the World Cup with the BCB announcing bonuses for group wins and progression to the Super Eights.For each group match Bangladesh win the players will receive US$2000 on top of their usual win bonus. If the team reaches the Super Eights there will another US$3000 for each match won in that section of the tournament.Bangladesh are one of the first teams to arrive in the Caribbean ahead of the World Cup, which starts on March 13, as their preparations include an ICC Tri-series with Bermuda and Canada in Antigua.They are in Group B for the main tournament, alongside Sri Lanka, India and Bermuda. Bangladesh have never progressed beyond the first stages of a World Cup, but did manage a shock win against Pakistan in 1999.

Under-strength Zimbabwe and debutants Ireland may look like a lightweight contest in a World Cup group which also includes West Indies and Pakistan, but for the captains, it’s serious business. Both Ireland and Zimbabwe need a win from their clash on March 15 to progress further, and the opposing captains weren’t about to give each other an inch.Trent Johnston, the Australia-born Ireland captain, said his side wanted to make a big impact in the tournament. “If we can turn up, and bring our A-game to the park, especially against Zimbabwe, we think we have a chance there to win. We are entering this match against Zimbabwe with a lot of confidence. We know we have a very tough group, but we have our plans in place, and we are looking to execute them.”Ireland, like Bermuda in Group B, are playing in the World Cup for the first time, and Johnston acknowledged that his side was the least recognised of the four in the group. “West Indies are going to be difficult to beat on home soil and they have that extra bit of an incentive to do well. Pakistan are a world-class team with world-class performers, and Zimbabwe are capable of causing an upset, but there is no reason why we cannot cause an upset of our own. If a bit of luck goes our way, and we execute our plans, I believe we can make it to the next round.”Prosper Utseya, Zimbabwe’s captain, said it would be difficult planning for Ireland, since television footage and other information about them was not readily available. “We have been seeking some information about them, but we feel no pressure because we have nothing to lose, since we just have to play to our best. We have been working very hard for the last two months before we came here.”We have taken some positives out of our warm-up games, so I feel we are moving in the right direction, and we just need to take that momentum into the competition.”Utseya also said that Zimbabwe would like nothing better than to upset a bigger team to regain some measure of respectability. “If the other sides in the group do not take us seriously, it will be to our advantage, and we need to capitalise on it. We have a number of guys that have now played more than 50 ODIs in our side, and they have performed against the best, so they just need to be themselves and do well.”

The Australian government has indicated it might help Cricket Australia (CA) get out of its scheduled tour of Zimbabwe in September, should it decide not to make the trip. Alexander Downer, the Australian foreign minister, said the team could face fines of up to US$1.6 million from the ICC if it failed to go ahead with the series of three ODIs.”I don’t want them to tour Zimbabwe,” he told . “I think that is the wrong look.” Robert Mugabe’s regime in Zimbabwe has attracted increased criticism this month over its violent crushing of dissent.However, CA are under contract to tour each ICC member nation at least once every five years. Downer said there could be ways for CA to avoid the heavy financial penalties.”We’ll sit down with Cricket Australia when they get back [from the World Cup] and we’ll go into all that sort of detail about what the contract says,” Downer said. “It might be that they are able to get out of the tour on the back of the rising violence in Zimbabwe.”We’ll have to look at the contract in detail. Just simply to breach the contract, that could be expensive but there may be other ways around it.”Downer said cancelling the series was unlikely to hurt Mugabe and his allies. “A lot of them are not interested in or enthusiastic about cricket,” he said. “[But] the whole concept of the world’s greatest cricket team and the biggest names in world cricket visiting Zimbabwe and giving a blessing to that country is one I feel uncomfortable with.”

As Brian Lara announced his retirement from international cricket, former West Indies players offered tributes and some amount of criticism on his 17-year career.Wes Hall, the former West Indies fast bowler, said Lara’s announcement to retire from international cricket, and not just from one-day cricket, was unexpected. “I am at a loss for words,” Hall told AFP. “He was a great servant to West Indies cricket. His legacy is fantastic, a great batsman, 400 in a Test, 501 in first-class cricket, I mean it’s a big legacy.”At the press conference following West Indies’ win against Bangladesh – their first win of the Super Eights – Lara announced that the game against England on April 21 would be last international match. There had been rumours that the West Indies selectors were planning to drop him from the squad to tour England in May.Another fast bowler, Charlie Griffith, agreed that Lara was leaving behind a strong legacy and players would have to work very hard to fill his shoes.Ramnaresh Sarwan, expected to replace Lara as the West Indies captain, added that Lara’s mental strength stood out as he had come under a lot of scrutiny throughout his career and yet managed stay strong.But there were others who felt that it was the right time for Lara to make his exit. Michael Holding felt that no doubt Lara had had a great career but there were lots of times when his captaincy had been questioned. Joel Garner too felt that there was nothing wrong in Lara’s decision to retire. “A captain can only be judged by his success record and that’s not good in his case,” said Garner. “Now we have to take drastic steps to carry West Indies cricket forward.”

Michael Kasprowicz has confirmed he will play on next season after a series of injuries allowed him to bowl only nine balls for Queensland in 2006-07. Kasprowicz was named on the Bulls’ new list of contracted players, which also features a return for Aaron Nye and places for Greg Moller and Michael Buchanan.Brendan Nash and Lachlan Stevens were axed from last year’s line-up, while Shane Jurgensen has retired. Kasprowicz, 35, missed virtually the entire summer with back and groin problems and subsequently lost his Cricket Australia contract last month. However, he is keen to have an impact in his 19th season for Queensland.”I guess I had cricket’s equivalent of long-service leave last season, although not by choice, and so I’m very keen to get back playing and see where things take me,” Kasprowicz said. “I’ve started training and hopefully I can have a good off-season and pre-season preparation.”The retention of Queensland’s two leading wicket-takers of all time, Kasprowicz and Andy Bichel, 36, meant no new fast bowlers earned a place on the full contract list. The three additions to the squad all played for the Bulls last season.Nye lost his contract a year ago but played a crucial role in Queensland’s Ford Ranger Cup victory in February. In only his second game of the season, Nye removed David Hussey, Cameron White and Adam Crosthwaite with his part-time offspin to put the Bulls within reach of the title.Buchanan, the son of Australia’s former coach John Buchanan, played all but two of Queensland’s one-day games last summer. He proved a valuable bit-part contributor, averaging 25 with the bat and was also used as an occasional medium-pace bowler.Moller forced his way into the Pura Cup squad in February and despite failing to pass fifty in his three matches, he was preferred to Stevens as a top-order candidate. Murray Bragg and Ryan Le Loux did not have their rookie contracts renewed and were replaced by Worrin Williams and Wade Townsend.Williams, 20, has played for the Australian Indigenous XI and is the first Imparja Cup player to earn a spot on Queensland’s list. He is a right-arm fast bowler and claimed 27 wickets at 23.3 for his club, Beenleigh-Logan, last season. He also made his Queensland Academy of Sport debut in 2006-07, along with Townsend, 21, a left-hand top-order batsman.Squad Andy Bichel, Ryan Broad, Michael Buchanan, Daniel Doran, Chris Hartley, Matthew Hayden (Cricket Australia contract), James Hopes (CA), Mitchell Johnson (CA), Michael Kasprowicz, Nick Kruger, Martin Love, Jimmy Maher, Greg Moller, Ashley Noffke, Aaron Nye, Clinton Perren, Craig Philipson, Nathan Rimmington, Chris Simpson, Grant Sullivan, Andrew Symonds (CA), Shane Watson (CA).Rookies Ben Cutting, Nathan Reardon, Wade Townsend, Worrin Williams.

Geoff Lawson, the former Australian fast bowler, is a possible candidate to succeed Bob Woolmer as Pakistan’s coach and will fly to Islamabad for discussions.Lawson said he was contacted at short notice about the job and was trying to obtain a visa from the Pakistan high commission in Canberra. He hoped to fly out this weekend “once the paper work has been done”.”It’s a significant challenge,” Lawson told about coaching Pakistan. “They’re an underachieving team with plenty of talent. I’m flattered I’ve even been invited I suppose. I certainly haven’t been chasing it. At short notice they asked me to come to Islamabad for an interview.”Lawson was among three candidates on Pakistan’s shortlist, along with Dav Whatmore and Richard Done, the former New South Wales fast bowler. Steve Rixon, the former New Zealand coach, told AFP that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) contacted him about the role but he had already made other plans.Lawson, currently a commentator, took 180 wickets in 46 Tests between 1980 and 1989 before finishing his career as captain of New South Wales and later becoming their coach.Done replaced Woolmer as the International Cricket Council’s high performance manager two and a half years ago, after Woolmer took up the Pakistan job. He played first-class cricket for New South Wales before beginning a successful coaching career in Australia.

As Geoff Lawson waits to learn whether he will be the next Pakistan coach, he has targeted a fit Shoaib Akhtar as being a crucial component in the country’s push to be a regular international force. Lawson, the former Test bowler, has returned to Australia after being interviewed to replace Bob Woolmer and he spoke with Shoaib during his visit.Shoaib has struggled with lengthy injuries and will come back from a knee problem for the tour of Scotland next month. “He’s a vital cog to them being top of the tree,” Lawson said in The Australian. “At 32, he’s still got two or three very good years left in him.”I had a good chat to him and saw him bowl a bit in a practice game. He looks pretty good. He bowled four or five overs and bowled sharply. He looks fit and by all accounts has been training hard.”Lawson was one of three people interviewed for the job this week after making the shortlist alongside Richard Done, the ICC high performance manager, and Dav Whatmore, who has guided Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. He said he was impressed with the PCB’s organisation and said safety issues in the country were “blown out of proportion a little bit”.Lawson, who played 46 Tests between 1980 and 1989, has a strong bowling focus and believes Shoaib’s future hinges on his recovery from injury. “He’s had some knee surgery,” he said. “Pakistan, like everyone else in international cricket, have a pretty hectic schedule coming up. A lot will depend on how players are managed. I’m sure they would like him to be fit three-quarters of the time.”

The England & Wales Cricket Board have launched an investigation into the circumstances of Worcestershire’s County Championship washout against Kent at New Road. The game had to be abandoned without a ball being bowled, after the ground was flooded on June 26 when the River Severn burst its banks. Kent had asked for the game to be moved to Beckenham or elsewhere in the county, but Worcestershire declined, prompting their opponents to lodge a complaint with the ECB.On Sunday Mark Newton, Worcestershire’s chief executive, said he would stand by his decision over not relocating the match because of an important Pro40 game at the ground on Friday. From the start of the match there seemed very little chance of any play, with large areas of the ground like a mud bath.”We are not trying to be confrontational and sympathise with Worcestershire’s position,” said Kent’s chief executive, Paul Millman. “But we do not feel the game should go ahead under the present conditions.”Graham Ford, Kent’s director of cricket, was less than impressed by the situation: “There is sympathy for Worcestershire in the sense it has been a pretty tragic situation in terms of the flooding. But I would be being dishonest if I didn’t say we feel pretty hurt and let down,” he told the Press Association.”When a decision like that is made, surely the people who made the decision were aware of what is an acceptable set of conditions for first-class cricket. That is what they needed to present us with and they must also be aware of the punishments that are in place for not presenting the right conditions and they failed pretty dismally.”Under those circumstances, some action should be taken. Worcester have made their problems our problems.”The match was called off by the umpires Richard Kettleborough and Martin Bodenham after only an hour of the third day, with pools of water still sitting on the outfield. “We will be reviewing all the circumstances of the match and will make a decision,” said the ECB chief executive David Collier. ” There are quite significant implications and precedents we need to have a look through. We will be reviewing all of the facts and will make a decision in the next 48 hours.”On Monday, Robert Key, Kent’s captain, said: “Both sides agree, and the umpires agree, the ground is nowhere near fit. Worcester are prepared to go out there and we are not at the minute. It is just mud. As soon as you start running around on it, it is going to go all over the place.”I understand the decision their chief executive has made for business reasons. Unfortunately this game is suffering for it which I am sure they would agree with.”Key also said he had health concerns with the recent flood waters having contained sewage and also didn’t want to risk any of his pace bowlers on poor run-ups.Newton continued to stand firm and was confident the ECB wouldn’t come down too hard on Worcestershire. “The ECB could have a word and say ‘it was an ill-advised decision’ but I’ve already admitted it could be a risk and I am going to defend my decision,” he said. “But they wouldn’t do anything fine-wise because we missed a day or two because of the weather.”