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Ed Joyce, the Dubliner who scored a maiden century at Lord’s recently, may try and qualify for England.The 22-year-old told CricInfo: “You never know. It’s a four-year wait to qualify. A big decision.”Joyce follows in the footsteps of another Middlesex player with an Irish heritage, the great Patsy Hendren.Indeed, with the same hooked four that brought up his hundred, the fourth wicket record for Middlesex against Warwickshire, set in 1927 years ago by Hendren and Cyril Gray, was broken.Joyce said: “I couldn’t stop smiling for about ten minutes. It was a great feeling. A brilliant feeling.”The law graduate smiled so much he lost his concentration, and was run out for 104 not long afterwards.On his first CricInfo Championship appearance of the season, Joyce returned from representing Ireland at the ICC tournament in Canada with a flourish.However in Toronto not all went well for Ireland, despite having two Joyces in the team.”All my brothers play,” revealed Ed. “I’ve got four brothers and four sisters. Two of the girls (Cecelia and Isobel) play. My little brother(Dominick) went to Canada with me and one of my elder brothers (Augustine) played for Ireland as well.”But there was disappointment for Ireland in Canada as they failed to qualify for the 2003 World Cup.”We didn’t play very well,” admitted the promising left-hander. “The batting was quite good, but the bowling was poor.” Joyce scored 359 runs at 71.80 in the competition.He complimented Ireland coach Ken Rutherford, the former New Zealand captain.”Ken’s a good coach. He was with Gauteng a long time and did reasonably well there,” said Joyce. “In Toronto it just didn’t work out,” he mused.Finally, the big question: is he from the same family as Dublin’s best-known Joyce – literary giant James? “My Dad’s called James Joyce,” young Ed smiled, “but I’m not related to THE James Joyce.”

Eight Pakistani players, including fast bowlers Mohammad Sami and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, have signed up to play in the unofficial Indian Cricket League (ICL).All eight players have represented Pakistan at the international level. Sami, Naved-ul-Hasan, Mushtaq Ahmed, Humayun Farhat, Shahid Nazir, Hasan Raza, Imran Nazir and Riaz Afridi will now join six other Pakistan players who are already part of the league.The Pakistan board, meanwhile, showed no sign of softening their stance towards players moving to the league. “Our domestic teams and players are like a family for us and we have worked for their welfare and betterment,” said Zakir Khan, director operations PCB.”Players are given salaries and retainers at domestic level now. If after all this these guys want to join the ICL, we wish them well and good luck. Our stance remains the same still [barred from selection for Pakistan and domestic cricket]. A number of these players are in the twilight of their careers anyway.”Sami is the most high-profile signing, having played for Pakistan as recently as December last year, in the third Test against India in Bangalore. Humayun, who kept wicket in one Test and five ODIs, joins his brother Imran, while Raza, who, in 1996 became the youngest Test cricketer at 14 years and 227 days, last played for Pakistan in 2005. Shahid Nazir, a promising fast bowler when he burst onto the scene in 1996, has also been in and out of the side over the last decade.The youngest of the lot is fast bowler Riaz Afridi, an Under-19 World Cup winner in 2004, who has one Test under his belt. Imran Nazir, a batsman touted as the next big thing after a scintillating hundred in Barbados in 2000, made a comeback last year to the team, but played his last one-dayer against India in November and was overlooked for a central contract by the Pakistan board.There are reports that Arshad Khan, the offspinner, was to join as well, especially after he resigned from the PCB’s junior selection committee. “Arshad Khan, who is the member of the Junior Selection Committee of Pakistan Cricket Board, tendered his resignation yesterday in view of better opportunity elsewhere,” a board statement said. “The management has accepted his resignation with immediate effect.” However, the Zee Group, who are behind the ICL, insist that this is the final list and that Arshad isn’t part of the league as of now.Inzamam-ul-Haq, Imran Farhat, Taufeeq Umar, Shabbir Ahmed, Abdul Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood signed up when the league was launched last year. Mohammad Yousuf decided to join too before pulling out. The Pakistan board subsequently barred the players from representing Pakistan or playing domestic cricket.”We are extremely pleased to welcome these players to the ICL family,” said Kapil Dev, the former Indian captain who is currently the chairman of the executive board for the ICL. “These talented & experienced cricketers will definitely be a great source of learning for the youngsters who will play with them. Under their guidance, the Indian Cricket League players will develop skills comparable to the best of international cricketing talent.”

The great chasm in ability and experience continued to show in this year’s Logan Cup with Gary Brent’s all-round exploits spearheading Northerns to an innings and 92-run rout of Southerns inside two days in Harare. Southerns were bowled out for 141 on the first day but fought back well to reduce Northerns to 87 for 5 at the close. But Brent (51) and Ray Price (89) rescued the innings with a 133-run partnership for the ninth wicket to boost Northerns to 275. In a little over an hour after tea Southerns were blown away for 42, Brent, who finished with 5 for 21, starting the collapse by removing the top four.Southerns, formerly known as Masvingo, were only awarded first-class status two years ago. They have not done too badly in the shorter-version, but have been clearly out of depth in four-day cricket. That, with ever-depreciating standards in the game in Zimbabwe, suggests that the prospects remain bleak for the country’s Test future as most players are still a long way to master this form of the game. The lack of experienced players in matches like this is also a concern.At Mutare, defending champions Easterns kept in touch with Northerns with a convincing 385-run win over Centrals. Easterns’ batting was the difference between the sides, with Hamilton Masakadza’s 205 ball hundred, and a breezy 67 in the second innings, leading the charge – but it was fireworks from Forster Mutizwa which lit up the game. The 22-year-old Mutizwa clubbed 102 from 92 balls with 13 fours and four sixes as Easterns set an almost impossible target of 492 in three-and-a-half sessions. Centrals mustered 169 and 107, with Prosper Utseya (5 for 28) doing the damage in their first innings and Steady Musoso (5 for 43) in their second. The only solace for Centrals was the performance of Brighton Mugochi, who finished with match figures of 8 for 158 with his left-arm spin.

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.

A baggy green of Keith Miller will be auctioned alongside three other Australian players’ Test caps in Melbourne on June 28. The hat of Miller, who died as the country’s greatest allrounder in October 2004, is expected to receive bids of $20,000, according to .The caps of Tim Wall, the fast bowler who appeared in 18 Tests from 1928-29 to 1934, Wally Grout, the great wicketkeeper of the 1950s and 1960s, and Geoff Dymock, the Queensland left-armer, will also be offered. “In any given year, we might auction around three or four baggy green caps, which are as close to the holy grail of Test cricket as one can get,” Charles Leskie, the auction house representative, told the news agency.Miller retired from Tests in 1956 after playing 55 matches, taking 170 wickets and averaging 36.97 as a batsman. A signature of Fred Spofforth, `the Demon’ who earned Test cricket’s first hat-trick, is another of the 420 lots of sporting memorabilia for sale.

Sourav Ganguly is getting better as a captain with everypassing day and his record is beginning to reflect it too.The Indian skipper’s 12th win in 28 Tests at the helm wasscripted by his main trump cards on home soil – hisspinners.

After winning a good toss, Ganguly wisely decided to batfirst on a newly laid track. The ever-confident VirenderSehwag was at hand to ensure that his team got off to astrong start. The more I see of the dashing opener, the moreI am convinced that he is the most refreshing thing to havehappened to Indian cricket in recent times. He never seemsto be saddled by any unwanted burden and always gives fullrein to his naturally aggressive instincts.I thought Pedro Collins bowled a good spell on the openingday. He was bowling the odd heavy ball, and getting a few tobounce rather nastily. It was one of these quick bouncersthat smashed into the back of Sehwag’s helmet. This is whatthe Windies fast bowlers have been most renowned for -hostility. I must add that Mervyn Dillon, though, cut asorry figure; he was too keen on bowling well withinhimself. Dillon and the rest of the West Indies fast bowlersfailed to apply any pressure on Sehwag and gave him enoughwidth to play his trademark strokes through the off side.Sehwag’s partner Sanjay Bangar is also coming along nicelyas an opening batsman. It is always good to have a batsman,who puts a high price on his wicket and will do his utmostto stick around and take the sheen off the new ball. WithSehwag blazing away at one end, Bangar certainly makes foran ideal foil. Each of the 201 runs that the duo put on forthe first wicket bears testimony to the strength of theirnewly-forged partnership. I sincerely hope that theselectors give these two openers a good run.The other batsman to come up with a standout performance wasRahul Dravid. By scoring his fourth consecutive Testhundred, the Indian vice-captain yet again underscored hisimportance in this Indian team. The moment he retired hurt,the rest of the Indian batting fell apart.Moving on to the West Indies, I just can’t find anythingpositive to say about their performance. With the exceptionof Chanderpaul’s batting, everything about their cricket wasat best mediocre. If they continue to bowl, bat and catch inthis fashion, they’d even struggle to get the better ofBangladesh in their next series.Their woeful catching was what appalled me the most; no teamcan afford to drop so many crucial catches. This from a teamthat is in India with a fielding coach! As for the batting,I feel the current team is sorely missing the spark and theconfidence that the presence of great batsmen like GordonGreenidge and Viv Richards could have provided.When it came to the Indian efforts in the field, ParthivPatel’s performance behind the wickets during the two WestIndian innings gave me a lot of heart. The young man was nottroubled one whit by the prospect of keeping to eitherKumble or Harbhajan and his glove-work was confident andvirtually impeccable. This does augur well for Indiancricket.Moving on to the bowling, I felt that Harbhajan Singh didnot bowl all that well in the West Indies first innings,being yet again guilty of bowling flat and quick. That saidhe was quick to correct his mistakes in the next innings,bowling much more slowly and getting the ball to turn a lot.

Zaheer Khan was the other Indian bowler to make animpression. The left-arm quick has come on by leaps andbounds, and these days he can be seen charging in to bowl. Ithink he deserves a five-for in Tests now and I am confidentthat he will claim that soon.Bangar also drew my attention when he rattled RamnareshSarwan with a few bouncers. The medium-pacer was generatingmore pace than Srinath, which suggests that he couldactually share the new ball with Zaheer Khan. Given thenature of tracks in Chennai and Kolkata, it would be a goodidea to go along with this combination and replace Srinathwith the young leg-spinner Amit Mishra. It is always best toplay to one’s strengths, and in India’s case it is our spinbowling.All said the beleagured West Indies team is, in my opinion,not in any position to salvage anything out of this series.Their weakness as a side places Sourav Ganguly’s men in theenviable position of recording India’s first clean sweepover the West Indies by winning the Chennai and KolkataTests. I for one would dearly love to see the Indian juggernautroll on.

Ramnaresh Sarwan will lead West Indies in their forthcoming one-day series against Bangladesh. Brian Lara, who is nursing a finger injury, has been rested for the first two matches of the three-match series as a precautionary measure.Lara’s finger was first injured in March in the first Test against England at the Sabina Park. He then missed the first one-dayer against England and then came back into the side, only to be hit on the same finger in the final match.Sarwan, who has led the team in Lara’s absence before, takes over the captaincy for the first two matches. There is a recall for Devon Smith, while Mervyn Dillon and Corey Collymore miss out.This is Bangladesh’s first full tour of West Indies, and they kick off with a match against a West Indies Cricket Board XI. Following this they play three one-dayers and two Tests.Teams
West Indies (from): Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ricardo Powell, Ramnaresh Sarwan (capt), Devon Smith, Dwayne Smith, Sylvester Joseph, Dwayne Bravo, Ridley Jacobs (wk), Ian Bradshaw, Tino Best, Fidel Edwards, Ravi Rampaul.Bangladesh (from): Rajin Saleh, Hannan Sarkar, Habibul Bashar (capt), Shahariar Hossain, Mohammad Ashraful, Alok Kapali, Mushfiqur Rahman, Khaled Mahmud, Khaled Mashud (wk), Mohammad Rafique, Manjural Islam Rana, Faisal Hossain, Tapash Baisya, Tareq Aziz, Abdur Razzaq.WICB XI Wavell Hinds, Kurt Wilkinson, Sylvester Joseph, Lendl Simmons, Ryan Hinds, Denesh Ramdin (capt), Austin Richards, Carlton Baugh (wk), David Bernard, Pedro Collins, Jermaine Lawson, Dwight Washington.

Shoaib Akhtar has been fined 75% of his match fee and banned for two one-day internationals for ball-tampering. Akhtar was found guilty of changing the condition of the ball (Law 42.3) and breaching Level 2.10 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players.Shoaib was hauled before Gundappa Viswanath, the match referee, on Tuesday night after television footage showed him scratching the surface of the ball during Pakistan’s 22-run victory over New Zealand.”Tampering with the ball is contrary to the laws and the spirit of cricket,” said Viswanath. “I consider this offence to be of a serious nature and the penalty imposed reflects this view.”It is unfair to attempt to gain any advantage by altering the condition of the ball, apart from the traditional method of polishing, or the drying of a wet ball,” added Viswanath. “Players are aware that they can clean the seam under the direct supervision of an umpire.”Shoaib wasn’t available for comment, but Haroon Rashid, the manager of the Pakistan team, indicated that Shoaib was disappointed by the ruling. “He is disappointed as anybody would be but he accepted the decision. He had a fair hearing although he did try to put across his point of view, which was that he was cleaning the ball.”Shoaib will miss the final of the Bank Alfalah Cup on Friday.Shoaib was warned for ball-tampering during Pakistan’s recent tour ofZimbabwe by Clive Lloyd and, later in the same tour, was banned for one match for throwing a bottle into the crowd.Shoaib was dropped from the team after a poor World Cup, and was brought back for the triangular series in Sri Lanka only after being warned by Tauqir Zia, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Zia made it clear that Shoaib’s behaviour would be scrutinised closely and any further misdemeanours would jeopardise his career.

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on Tuesday night accused India of”going back” on its “commitment” to play in the second edition of theAsian Test Championship beginning at Multan on Aug 29 and said thecouncil would go ahead with the holding of the event.Reacting to Indian government’s decision not to take part in thechampionship, ACC secretary Zakir Sayed told PTI in Islamabad that theentire ACC programme, including the India-Pakistan match, was drawn upwith the “permission of the Indian government.””It was the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India ACMuthiah who had obtained permission from the government and worked outthe ATC schedule at the ACC meeting in Lahore sometime back,” Syedsaid.”Having given permission to the competition, it is strange on the partof India to go back on its own commitment,” he said.Syed said “we have tried our best to take India along but it is sadthat India have chosen to opt out.”He said both the Pakistan Cricket Board and the ACC would sufferfinancial losses due to India’s absence from the competition as therights for the telecast of the ATC matches have already been firmedup.But, Syed said, the ACC would “emerge stronger” out of thedevelopment.

On an rather interesting day’s play Railways reduced the hosts UttarPradesh to 157 and gained a first innings lead of 77 runs, and went onto extend it by another 125 by the end of the third day at the SportsStadium in Meerut on Wednesday.Resuming at the overnight score of 98 for 5, the UP innings folded upin a further 30.5 overs. Skipper Gynender Pandey (56 not out) whoscored a sedate half century fought a lone battle. After the fall ofhis overnight partner Rizwan Shamshed (25) none of the other batsmenmanaged to stay long at the crease thus leaving Pandey stranded.Parida (5 for 33) added one more scalp to his credit while the otherwickets were shared allround.In reply Railways made a sedate start to their second innings withopeners TP Singh (32) and Sanjay Bangar (5) adding 33 runs in 10.1overs. Then Shalab Srivastava sent back Bangar and skipper AbhaySharma (4) in quick succession. TP Singh also did not last long and hedeparted, bowled by Raza. But Yere Goud (26) and Raza Ali (34) added63 runs for the fourth wicket. But UP made a come back after the fallof Raza Ali, bowled by Pandey, when Mohd Kaif struck two blows toleave the visitors in a spot of bother at Stumps. Railways by the endof the day had extended their lead to 202 runs.