Kumar Sangakkara, the former Sri Lanka batsman, has enrolled for the draft of the franchise-based T20 tournament Pakistan Super League (PSL). Sangakkara has also registered for another franchise-based T20 tournament – Masters Champions League (MCL) – that is expected to run concurrently with the PSL but at different venues in the UAE.The inaugural PSL will feature five franchise-based teams from the provincial capitals – Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad – with prize money of $1 million. The tournament is scheduled to run from February 4 to 24 in Dubai and Sharjah, and will feature 24 matches.The PCB has signed over 100 players, including big names such as Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Kevin Pietersen and Shakib Al Hasan, for the draft. The board will also hold an open auction for the five franchises and broadcast rights for the tournament in due course. The players will be picked via a draft set for December.”Sangakkara is a world-class sportsman and we are excited to welcome him on board,” Najam Sethi, the head of PSL, said. “He brings a wealth of experience to the PSL. His inclusion makes the player draft even more exciting.”While the PSL has announced the window for the event, the MCL is presently sorting its dates, which are likely to overlap with the former’s.Mahela Jayawardene has also agreed to play in the PSL and the players’ management team said that they will proritise the MCL, the prior commitment, over the PSL, should there be a clash.

Rishi Dhawan’s maiden List-A ton, followed by a six-wicket haul from Pankaj Jaiswal helped Himachal Pradesh beat Madhya Pradesh by 41 runs in Rajkot to qualify for the knockout stages.HP, after being inserted, rode on a 143-run stand for the fourth wicket between Robin Bist and Dhawan. Bist was eventually run out for 84, but Dhawan carried on and remained unbeaten on 117 off 88 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes. Their efforts ensured HP posted a sizable total of 295 for 5.Plenty of MP batsmen made starts in their chase, but only Venkatesh Iyer could compile a much-needed half-century, as the team struggled for meaningful partnerships. Jaiswal ended with a career-best 6 for 33, as MP were dismissed for 254 in 46.1 overs.Samarth Vyas made 94 on List A debut to help Saurashtra beat Bengal by six wickets, but it wasn’t enough to help them qualify for the knockouts as Himachal Pradesh.Bengal’s batsmen were guilty of frittering away starts – as many as three of them got out in the 40s- as they posted 243 for 5. Abhimanyu Easwaran top scored with 48, while Dharmendra Jadeja did bulk of the damage, finishing with 3 for 46 off 10 overs. Saurashtra’s chase was driven forward by Vyas, who put on a 136-run opening stand with Sheldon Jackson (50), before Cheteshwar Pujara’s unbeaten 50 steered them home with four overs to spare.

Another dismal collapse by the most successful state in Australian cricket history, New South Wales, saw Victoria handed a 148-run win in the Pura Milk Cup match at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.Sixteen wickets fell in little more than three hours today, with the Blues, chasing a realistic target of 265 to win in 91 overs, bundled out for just 116. Apart from Michael Bevan (43*), no other NSW batsman lasted at the crease for more than half an hour. Victorian captain Paul Reiffel put in a fine early spell, taking 3/23 to add to his 4/74 in the first innings to win man of the match.Victoria collapsed in the first hour of play today from their overnight score of 4/149 to be all out for 178, Stuart MacGill (3/34) and Jamie Heath (3/37) cleaning up the tail. Any thoughts of a morning declaration were put aside following the Victorian collapse, but the NSW bats squandered any prospect of chasing a competitive target.Bevan, who also scored 132 in the first innings, stood out among the NSW lineup. It is curious that he was the only New South Welshman in the Australian ODI squad to tour New Zealand who was not “rested” for this match. The Waugh twins, the Lee brothers, and Glenn McGrath (who has not played a shield match for NSW since October 1997) were all allowed to sit this one out.The other outstanding batsman of this match was Victoria’s Matthew Mott, who followed up his first-innings 148 with a dashing 99-ball 77. His second innings knock was completed in the late Saturday afternoon gloom, rain delays forcing play yesterday to continue until 7.44pm under floodlights.As a result of this win, Victoria are now almost certain to take second place on the Pura Milk Cup ladder and face Queensland in the final at Allan Border Field, Brisbane. They still have a remote mathematical possibility of claiming first spot on quotients, and likewise either Western Australia or South Australia have a slim chance of bumping them out of the finals.One thing for certain after today’s result is that Tasmania are now out of finals contention. New South Wales’ hold on the wooden spoon is looking a whole lot firmer after today’s dismal display.

Karnataka completed an emphatic eight wicket win over Delhi in theRanji Trophy Super League Group A match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadiumat Bangalore on Thursday. Karnataka finished their fixtures with 19points and are placed second to Mumbai in this group. Mumbai withoutright victories in all their four games, ended with 32points. Karnataka being the reigning champions, have qualified for theknock-out stage of the national competition, along with Mumbai.Resuming at 182 for seven, Delhi were all out for 191 in 63.3overs. Venkatesh Prasad mopped up the tail and ended with figures offive for 36 giving him match figures of 11 for 96.Set to score 175 for victory, Karnataka were home in 40 overs. Theywere given a heady start with openers J Arun Kumar (32 runs of 47balls) and Mithun Beerala (101 not out of 122 balls) putting on 66runs in 14.3 overs. Roland Barrington was out for five in the 22ndover. But from 98 for 2, Vijay Bharadwaj (28 runs of 61 balls) helpedBeerala in an unbeaten third wicket stand worth 77 runs in 18 overs tosee Karnataka through.

Hyderabad coasted to a comfortable innings and 46 run victory beforelunch on the fourth day of their Ranji Trophy South Zone league matchagainst Kerala. Seamer NP Singh did most of the damage, mopping up5/39 in the visiting team’s second innings to finish with a match haulof 9/109. The win lifted Hyderabad to second place in the zonal pointstable, with 11 from two games, while Kerala remained at five points,also from two games.At the NFC Ground in Hyderabad, Kerala resumed on the fourth morningat 210/4, still needing 114 to make the hosts bat again. In the day’sthird over Kerala suffered a major setback when Kanwaljit Singhcastled Sunil Oasis for 43. B Ramprakash (26) and skipper KNAnanthapadmanabhan (24) led a brief fightback, adding 45 for the sixthwicket. But that was to be the extent of their resistance. Kerala losttheir last five wickets for 18 runs, being bowled out for 278 in the86th over. All rounder Parth Satwalkar ended the match, trapping TinuYohannan leg before to return figures of 3/64.

Auckland gathered in several Shell Trophy records as they annihilated Northern Districts by an innings and 275 runs before lunch on the fourth day of the Trophy match on the Auckland Outer Oval today.Auckland opened the match with a first innings of 547 for eighth wickets declared, their biggest against ND, and Northern Districts were removed for 195 yesterday and 77 today.This was the biggest innings defeat suffered by a team in the Shell Trophy competition, if still below several first class margins when the Plunket Shield (which included Hawkes Bay for a time) was the championship trophy.The only bigger post-war innings margins were by Australia against Otago in 1949-50 (an innings and 356) and West Indies against New Zealand in 1994-95 (an innings and 322 runs) This was also a record Auckland defeat of ND, but the big Auckland first innings, while their best in trophy matches and post-war, was only sixth on Auckland’s list, topped by the 693 for nine declared against Canterbury in the 1939-40 season.In contrast ND’s 77 was their ninth worst – bottom being their 32 against Auckland in 1996-97.For an awkward moment or two there seemed the possible that the number of lbw decisions, as ND tried to survive on a difficult pitch, might also reach a record.There were two given, in consecutive balls, by Test umpire Brent Bowden last evening as ND slumped to 20 for three in their second innings. Kevin Manley, the umpire in his first big match, added two more lbw decisions soon after the start of play today, and followed up with two more as the ND second innings stuck on 59 while four wickets fell.Manley was often in the spotlight, for the Auckland bowlers and fieldsmen, sensing a quick and decisive victory, appealed vigorously for lbws and catches, and seemed most unhappy when two appeals for catches were turned down by Manley.It was a rigorous introduction for Manley, but afterward common-sense prevailed, neither camp would be drawn into comment about the umpiring, and Grant Bradburn’s apparent comment to Manley when given out lbw was not followed by any official action.The ND players showed similar poise when they accepted the nasty tricks the wearing pitch played on them.There had been the occasional low bounce yesterday while Bradburn and Matthew Hart tried in their 119-run to rescue the ND first innings. The bounce became more uncertain the longer the match went on in sunny weather, and the Aucklanders were quick to make the most of this ample assistance.Basically they needed only to bowl at a brisk pace, aim for the stumps or near the off-stump, and before too long the ball would hit the seam and zero in on the stumps, or would scuttle a little and beat the defensive stroke.Andre Adams, who took two quick wickets last evening, was again the most dangerous Auckland bowler, and ended with the remarkable figures of 13.1-6-12-4. Adams had Matthew Hart caught, bowled the No 11 Graeme Aldridge (top-scorer with 14), and had all the ND batsmen on tenterhooks.With his stocky build and whippy action, Adams’ bowling style was perfectly suited to get whatever low bounce was available.In the end Auckland rejoiced with their first Trophy points for the season, and the chance to keep within sight of the leaders going into their game against the early favourites, Wellington, next week.

Garth Roe returned career best figures of seven for 47 as Free State lost the initiative on the first day of their SuperSport Series match against the North West Dragons at Goodyear Park.At 183 for four and 251 for five, the Eagles looked capable of posting the kind of first innings score to dominate the match. But in the space of six Roe overs that all changed. The seamer got the breakthrough by having Gerard Brophy lbw for 33 to end a threatening 68-run partnership with Kosie Venter.In the next over Roe followed up with the wickets of Venter (57) and Rasjeed Lewis for a duck to reduce the home side to 254 for seven. Four overs later he struck again to end any hopes of a wagging tail by dismissing Bakkes for a hard-hit 34 from 41 balls and, in his next over, he completed his afternoon rout by having Mpitsang caught for eight.Roe had started the ball rolling in the morning session when he took the only wicket to fall. Immediately after his introduction as first change bowler he castled Andrew Gait, but that was to be Free State’s only success before lunch.Gerry Liebenberg steered his team to the break in the relatively healthy position of 80 for one. His 68-run partnership for the second wicket with Louis Wilkinson, was ended shortly after the resumption by Dreyer, and although Wiaan Smit and Liebenberg (60) fell to Dreyer and Roe respectively, there was no hint of Roe’s coming dominance.Instead Morne van Wyk (38) and Venter put on 56 for the fifth wicket and then Brophy joined Venter to suggest Free State were about to take a telling grip on the match. That was before Roe got hold of the ball though.

Glamorgan beat Essex by eight wickets with a magnificent batting display as they successfully chased a daunting target of 254 under the Duckworth/Lewis system with 13 deliveries to spare.Keith Newell played the lead role, hitting a belligerent 97 from just 53 deliveries that included five sixes and 10 boundaries as he destroyed the home attack with a series of pulls and drives that tilted the balance firmly in favour of his side after Essex had reached a formidable 243-6 in 34 overs despite three rain interruptions.Newell ensured the perfect start for his side as the first 50 took less than seven overs and then he maintained the momentum with his continued onslaught of the hapless bowlers on a batting paradise. Although Jimmy Maher was dismissed with the score on 59, Newell continued his savage assault showing a particular liking for Mark Ilott from whom he thrashed 27 from one over.Matthew Maynard accompanied Newell in a forceful second wicket stand that produced 100 runs in 10 overs before Newell was caught driving to mid-off. By that time, his side had utilised only 17 overs and upon his departure, Maynard took control in a perfectly executed display of timing that saw him reach his half-century from 45 deliveries before continuing to oversee the victory with an unbeaten 87.Earlier, Ronnie Irani had delighted the crowd with a superlative, scintillating unbeaten 108 having faced only 61 balls with 17 boundaries that included four sixes, an innings that appeared to have put his side on the winning path but then came Newell’s display to upstage the Essex captain.

New Zealand’s Level III cricket coaches will be receiving their latest round of training over the next month.With about 70 Level III coaches spread over the six provincial associations, New Zealand Cricket’s director of coaching development John Howell and the director of player development Ashley Ross will be visiting each association to conduct the two-day courses.Coaches at this level are required to attend a new course every four years to maintain their certification.Among some of the Level III coaches are: Sir Richard Hadlee, Tony Blain, Allen McLaughlin, Matt Horne, Llorne Howell, Ann McKenna, Denis Aberhart, Gary MacDonald, Lee Germon, Michael Sharpe, Dave Hadfield, Mark Greatbatch, Scott Briasco, Alistar Jordan, Paul Unwin, Brendon Bracewell, Chris Kuggeleijn, Cliff Dickeson, Karl Treiber, Mike Wright, Grant Bradburn, Michael Austen, Julie Harris, Sarah Kelly, Vaughn Johnson, Kristy Van Dyk.Also taking part will be Lyn Kidman of the Christchurch College of Education who will be discussing the subject of player empowerment, the subject of a book she has recently written.This relates to players being more responsible for their own decision-making.New Zealand national coach David Trist will work with Howell on what is a team culture while Howell and Ross will also discuss the role of decision-making.They have just completed a course in Auckland which dealt with learning styles and Howell said the role of decision-making was becoming a big thing in cricket.It was an area with a lot of debate and said there was great interest in the type of decision-making that saw less orthodox batsmen like Nathan Astle and Andrew Jones play a ball a certain way and survive while more orthodox players played it another way and got out.”People in pressure situations often react differently to an event than they would in normal life,” Howell said.There would also be tactical and strategic discussions on things such as whether a spinner like Sri Lankan Mutiah Muralitharan should be played in front of the pad in the way Martin Crowe preferred or behind the pad as John Reid preferred.As part of the programme, regional under-19 high performance squads will be working with Ross at each venue on skills practices with the coaches observing.Another part of the course will involve Bruce Blair working on Digi-Cricket, the coaching programme designed by former Australian women’s cricket coach John Harmer, who is now the England women’s coach. Blair will also deal with what makes the tough, elite athlete.Ross will also discuss whether athletes should have their styles changed or should they be left alone?The first session will be held in Hamilton on June 27-28, the second in Wellington on July 1-2, the third at Palmerston North on July 3-4, the fourth on July 5-6 in Auckland, the fifth in Dunedin on July 9-10 and the final session in Christchurch on July 11-12.From August 1-3, development workshops will be held at Lincoln University with the first-class coaches and other invited coaches. The programme will be slightly different to that for Level IIII coaches.

Glen Motchall, Calmore’s lanky Australian left-arm pace bowler, took a career-best 8-87, yet finished on the losing side as BAT Sports turned a likely defeat into an improbable 35-run victory over their arch Southern Electric ECB Premier League rivals at Southern Gardens.BAT emerged from a gruelling morning session at 64-6, but revealed an abundance of character to turn a pulsating match, full of attacking cricket, around in quite dramatic style.Lower-order pair Adam Hayes and Dave Adams, relishing a rare opportunity to shine, were largely responsible as BAT advanced to 171 all out before Dan Goldstraw used his high trajectory to great effect and blew over Calmore’s top order.Calmore’s reply in many ways mirrored the BAT innings, with five wickets falling for 46 runs before teenage duo Paul Cass and Mark Archer launched a determined but ultimately unsuccessful bid to turn the tide again.The youngsters added 61 in a heartening sixth-wicket recovery, but when Cass toe-ended an intended pull into the deep, Calmore’s prospects disappeared back into the pavilion with him.They were eventually bowled out for 136 – 35 runs adrift of BAT, whose 21-point victory has nudged Havant off the top of the Premier One table.Motchall, who plays for the Carlton Grade club in Melbourne, described the dry Southern Gardens pitch as a "bit more like bowling back home.""I was able to get a lot more bounce than I’ve previously been accustomed to here. I certainly got a fair bit of movement, especially when the ball was hard and new," he said.The 6’5" Victorian had five wickets in the bag by lunchtime, but Hayes, whose unbeaten 42 would have been worthy of any ‘man-of-the-match’ tag, and Adams (35) gave the Australian notice of their fighting intentions.The pair added a precious 55 before Motchall ripped out Adams’s leg stump at 123-8.Realising how important another quick 20 or so runs could be, Goldstraw didn’t hang about – pulling Motchall for two huge sixes, and dumping the argumentative James Hibberd on to the adjoining railway track..Goldstraw’s cameo and Hayes’s carefully constructed innings lifted BAT to 171 all out – a testing total for Calmore to chase.Calmore made it to 21 before Richard Taylor (of local rock band fame) had Paul Draper taken down the leg side by Banks.Then Goldstraw, effectively using his height at the same end as Motchall earlier, had Tom Pegler caught by a diving Richard Kenway at second slip.And when the ex-Lymington in-swing paceman rearranged Jez Goode’s stumps and trapped Hibberd smack in front for a first ball duck, Calmore were neck deep in trouble.Then Rob Budd located the bucket hands of Mark Page, to become Taylor’s second victim.Calmore sagged to 46-5 …and were seemingly out for the count.But Cass and Archer, the two 17-year olds, showed maturity beyond their tender years to haul Calmore back into the contest.The pair showed an effective form of defence and produced a selection of fluent shots in a gutsy partnership of 59, which ended when Cass miscued a long-hop from left-arm spinner Dave Carson into Page’s waiting hands at deep square-leg.But Archer, using the occasion to give Hampshire YCs selectors a timely nudge, took Calmore’s reply on to 124-7 before he lifted Richard Dibden into the deep … only to be quite brilliantly caught by Carson, in front of an enthusiastic clubhouse gathering.Archer’s dismissal effective marked the end of Calmore’s challenge, Goldstraw ending the resistance at 136 to give BAT a hard-earned victory.Calmore skipper Tom Pegler, who alongside Dave Banks maintained his attacking options throughout, wasn’t overjoyed with the end result."We won the game wit the ball – then lost it with our batting," he groaned.