The 2005 Intercontinental Cup kicks off today in Kampala. The two teams – Uganda and Kenya – are both there and practised yesterday morning, the ground is ready and the weather is set fair. All that’s missing is an umpire.One of the two officials arrived safely, but the other one was bumped off his flight from South Africa – by Kenya Airways to the delight of conspiracy theorists everywhere – and will now not arrive until the early hours. Husain Ayoob, the ICC’s regional development officer, was also left kicking his heels in Johannesburg.The pair are now not expected at Entebe airport until 9am today, and then face an entertaining one-hour drive to the ground where the match is scheduled to start at 10am. That allowed them no time to check into their hotel or even have a shower.There was talk that the game would be delayed by an hour or two, but then, in a compromise familiar to club cricketers the world over, it was decided that a local umpire would be allowed to start the match but would stand at square leg only, with the senior official taking the main role at both bowlers’ ends.

Sussex’s joy at reaching the third round of the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy has been severely tempered by the realization that they will now miss out on a lucrative three-day clash against the touring Australians – a fixture that was expected to have netted them a cool £50,000.Sussex’s four-wicket victory in a low-scoring encounter against Nottinghamshire on Wednesday was greeted with a certain ambivalence by those in the know in Hove. Their reward, if it can be termed as such, is a tricky away fixture against Lancashire at Old Trafford, which will be played on either July 15 or 16.The honour of hosting the Australians, on the other hand, now passes to Leicestershire, and given that the fixture falls in the week before the first Test, it is expected that something approaching their full-strength XI will take the field for that game. As Robin Marlar, the new Sussex president, told The Guardian, “To make up the money we have lost today we will have to go on and win the trophy.”Sussex have, of course, already hosted one touring side so far this summer, although the challenge that the Bangladeshis posed last week was rather less of a drawcard. Sussex defeated them by an innings and 226 runs inside three days, and given that entry to the ground was free, they could only rely on sales of lunchtime lasagne to boost their coffers.There would have been no love lost between Sussex and the Australians either. During Sussex’s recent match against Hampshire, Chris Adams and Matt Prior were involved in an unseemly war of words with Shane Warne, and all three would have relished the renewal of hostilities. As it is, the Australians will now warm up in Grace Road, against a less alluring attack that includes the likes of Charl Willoughby, Ottis Gibson, Phil DeFreitas and Claude Henderson.

Ravi Shah, Kenya’s quality opening batsman, will be out action for six months due to a knee injury, according to Tom Tikolo, the chairman of selectors.”We have just received a letter from his doctor saying his knee injury will take six months to heal,” Tikolo told reporters, although Shah himself was less pessimistic. “I am still on the bench and have been asked to rest by a specialist for a couple of months,” he said. “With physiotherapy, I should be back to full strength in a couple of months.”Either way, Shah will miss Kenya’s crucial Intercontinental Cup decider in Namibia starting on June 3, although the semi-finals are not until October by which time he should be back in action.

Sanath Jayasuriya could follow Muttiah Muralitharan to England next summer having been approached by the Scottish Saltires who are looking for a top-quality overseas star for their third season in the Totesport League Two.”There are one or two big names who are interested in coming over. Jayasuriya is one of several we are talking to,” Saltires skipper Craig White was quoted as saying on BBC Online. Marvan Atapattu, Sri Lanka’s skipper, had also been approached. Sri Lanka are taking a break from international cricket from February to mid-July next year creating a window of opportunity for their players to play a half-season in England. Sri Lanka’s cricket board is encouraging the players to go to gain valuable experience.The main stumbling block to the Jayasuriya deal will be money. Scotland lack the financial muscle of the counties and a deal with Rahul Dravid in their first season was only clinched after assistance from the Indian expatriate community in Scotland.Scotland are keen to wrap up the deal as soon as possible: “Obviously we would like to be able to make a decision as soon as possible, because it would encourage season-ticket package sales and create a buzz,” admitted White.Muralitharan signed for Lancashire earlier in the week for a third season after stints in 1999 and 2001 and Mohan de Silva, Sri Lanka’s cricket board president, hopes that it will pave the way for more players securing county contracts in the coming months.”I hope Murali’s signing paves the way for more Sri Lankan cricketers to have stints with counties,” said de Silva. “The contrasting conditions could only make a player better.” Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara are both being sought contracts by former England batsman Neil Fairbrother, who works with a leading sports agency called International Sports Management, the UK agents for Muralitharan.

After the encouraging performances of the senior side, Bangladesh’s A team have embarked on a one-month tour of England. The 15-member squad, which includes nine players with Test experience, will play five three-day games and four one-dayers against various county sides.Talking to the media before leaving for England, Shaun Williams, the coach of the side, said: “We will try to build on the results of the national team especially their performance in the one-day games. But it will not be an easy task for my boys because we are going to face some strong opponents. This is a very exciting squad. There are some talented players who have the potential to dominate the game in future. Our main objective will be to perform at a certain level and gain valuable experience.”Bangladesh’s senior team performed dismally in the two Tests against England, losing both by an innings, but came up with a couple of outstanding displays in the triangular NatWest Series, pulling off a shock win against Australia and then running them close in their last game.Williams admitted that the three-day games would be a bigger test for his team, but added that relatively dry conditions in the second half of the English summer would help the side. “I have watched all the matches of the senior team. I think the conditions were not suitable for our players to perform as per their potential. But now the conditions are almost similar to what we have here. That’s why I believe this side will fare better.”The squad, to be led by the 19-year-old left-handed batsman Shahriar Nafees, includes six players who were in England with the senior team earlier this season, and Williams indicated that handling the rigours of the tough international schedule would be another challenge for them. “Most of these players are very young so fatigue is not unlikely although they have international experience. But they have to cope with the hectic international schedule and that is another off the field challenge for them.”Talking about some of the players for whom this tour could be a huge opportunity, Williams brought up the name of Alok Kapali. Still only 21, Kapali made his international debut three years back and was rated highly for his batting and also became the first Bangladesh bowler to take a hat-trick in Tests, before he lost his way and was dropped from the senior side. “Kapali is a brilliant cricketer,” Williams insisted. “He is still very young and I can tell you that within a couple of years he will be doing justice to his potential.”Williams also had words of praise for Enamul Haque Jr, the left-arm spinner, and Shahadat Hossain, the fast bowler. “I think Enamul will be playing a vital role as I expect the pitches to be dry at this time of the season. I am also looking forward to seeing how Rajib [Shahadat Hossain] responds to the demands after a bitter Test debut at Lord’s [he was spanked for 101 runs in 12 overs]. However, I do not have any doubts about his talent.”Nafees himself exuded confidence on the eve of the trip. “This will be my third visit to England so I have the opportunity to share my experience with my team-mates. To me captaincy is not a burden. Rather it is just additional responsibility and I am looking forward to prove myself both as a captain and a batsman,” said the 19-year old left-handed opener.”This is a very balanced side and there are some out-of-favour cricketers who will be desperately looking to get back their national team places. On the other hand, younger members including myself will also be anxious to impress. So it will be a fantastic tour for us.”Squad
Shahriar Nafees (capt), Nafees Iqbal, Tushar Imran, Alok Kapali, Mehrab Hossain Jr, Nazimuddin, Hasanuzzaman, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mushfiqur Rahman, Alamgir Kabir, Talha Jubair, Shahadat Hossain, Syed Russel, Enamul Haque Jr, Abdur Razzak.

Neil Ferreira, a left-hand top-order batsman, is expected to be called into the squad when the Zimbabwe selectors name their team for the first Test against New Zealand on Thursday.Sources within the selection panel said that Ferreira, a 26-year-old left-hand batsman, would be named in the starting line-up as an opener. The selectors wanted Matabeleland and Zimbabwe A opener Terrence Duffin to partner Ferreira, but Duffin is unavailable for selection due to a knee injury.Ferreira, who is currently playing club cricket in England, impressed the selectors during Zimbabwe’s two four-day matches against Pakistan A in May. To show that he was really committed to playing for Zimbabwe, he bought his own ticket to return home from England when he learnt that he had been called up to the A side. He scored 57 runs in the first innings and followed that up with 90 runs but that all in vain as Zimbabwe A went down by three wickets in the first four-day match at the Harare Country Club.The selectors have constantly ignored Ferreira in recent years despite brilliant form forManicaland in the Logan Cup. In 2001-02 he hit three centuries in five matches with a high score of 210 against Matabeleland despite the pressure of being captain, wicketkeeper and opening batsman for Manicaland.Ferreira and former Manicaland teammate Richard Sims hold the country’ first-class record for the first wicket stand of 314 against Matabeleland at Queens Sports Club in October 2002.He was part of the group of players who rebelled against the Zimbabwe board last year but he subsequently returned to the fold. It is largely believed that the selectors are fed up with Stuart Matsikenyeri’s consistent failure at Test level and now want to try out other options for the top-order slot.

West Indies saved the follow-on on the third day at Port-of-Spain … just.Daren Ganga and Marlon Samuels batted well, but the lower ordercouldn’t keep up the momentum and the innings folded for 408.Australia took a handy first-innings lead of 168, and extended that toone short of 200 for the loss of Justin Langer in an uncharacteristicallyrestrained hour’s batting before the close.It took some time, but Australia eventually worked their way through theWest Indian batting order. Steve Waugh hasn’t batted in this match yet,and won’t mind too much if he misses out tomorrow as well. On abelter of a pitch, albeit one showing signs of occasional unevenbounce and offering substantial turn, Waugh will be looking to pushthat lead towards 400 before letting his fast men off the leash again.Ganga’s century, his second in successive Test innings after 17matches without one, gave West Indies hope in the first session. Thespinners, Stuart MacGill and Brad Hogg, were turning the ballappreciably, but Ganga picked them with great certainty, apart from theodd rush of blood, building on his century at Georgetown. He cracked15 fours and a six in his century,It was Ganga’s second Test hundred, and his first at home in Trinidad.Ironically Brian Lara, who was out for 91 late on the second day, has yetto reach three figures in 10 Tests on his home island. Some estimateshad it that 5000 extra people might have ventured to the ground on thisEaster Monday if Lara had still been batting.Ganga had 117 by lunch, but failed to add to his score afterwards. BrettLee, armed with the new ball, moved one away from him – the perfectpacy outswinger – and Matthew Hayden clutched a screamer into hismidriff (279 for 5). The new batsman, the debutant David Bernard,played straight enough despite being clunked on the head by a Leebouncer that flew off for four leg-byes, but had made only 7 when JasonGillespie threaded one through the gate and knocked back his offstump (300 for 6).Samuels, who made two single-figure scores in the first Test, wassketchy at first against Lee, but blossomed later, unfurling somedeadeye drives. One over from Hogg cost 14, including an off-drive thatblistered to the boundary, followed by a huge six over the cycle-trackinto the crowd at long-on. At 47 Samuels was caught by Hayden at firstslip off Andy Bichel, but it was a no-ball. He sauntered to a half-century,in 130 minutes, in the next over.At the other end another new cap, the diminutive wicketkeeper CarltonBaugh, played a breezy innings. In the first match of the Australians’tour Baugh bagged a century for the President’s XI in Georgetown.Here he played some breezy strokes and helped Samuels put on 67,but at 19, off what turned out to be the last ball before tea, hedemolished his own stumps trying an extravagant cut (367 for 7). It wasMacGill’s 100th Test wicket, in only his 21st match.West Indies nibbled nervously at the tea-time sandwiches, needing 10to save the follow-on. Samuels fell for 68 with the lead exactly 200,chipping a catch to the incoming Bichel at long-off (376 for 8). VasbertDrakes earned a huge cheer for the vital single, and although he soonlost Merv Dillon – lbw to Jason Gillespie for his 25th Test duck (384 for9) – Drakes set the Trini Posse jiving with two huge sixes off Hogg, oneof which nearly reached the TV commentary box.Drakes was eventually trapped in front, a fourth wicket for Lee. Despitethe extravagant turn the spinners extracted at times, it was the fast menthat did the damage: Gillespie was also waspish and wasted little.West Indies may have saved the follow-on, but they haven’t saved thismatch yet.