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The British Council, in conjunction with the Bangladesh Cricket Board, has launched a week-long Cricket Carnival at the at the BKSP Sports Academy near Dhaka. The event, it is hoped, will foster leadership qualities among the nation’s young cricketers, and heighten the communication and cultural exchanges between Britain and Bangladesh.”The event will build better relations between two organisations, who have been working together for three years,” Khondokar Jamiluddin, the vice-chairman of the BCB development committee, told The Daily Star. The British Council was represented by the director, Dr June Rollinson, who added that it was involved in similar sports programmes throughout the world, particularly in Africa.The Council has already helped the development of Bangladesh cricket by arranging for ten promising young players to take part in the Surrey League. In return, six young Englishmen from the MCC’s Young Cricketers’ Programme – Andrew Colquhoun, Steven Coleman, Simon Roberts, Paul Radley, Jonkheer van Bange and Shaun O’Brien -will also be taking part in the week’s festivities. They will each be joining one of the six divisional teams – Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Barisal and Sylhet – as well as experiencing life as a developing cricketer in Bangladesh.The teams, all including seven local players from the U-17 and U-19 development squads, have been picked by divisional coaches, but the cricketers will be on their own during the competition. “There will be no coaches to guide them and the players will be responsible for all their acts and decisions,” said BCB’s Sri Lankan official Carlton Bernadas. "They will even have to pick a substitute player in case a player is injured."When not taking part in matches, the cricketers will be involved in various community projects, from visiting a centre for the rehabilitation of the paralysed, and a junior clinic for girls’ cricket.

Sachin Tendulkar has told a reporter that what is said in the dressing-room should not be made public.Speaking to India’s Outlook magazine in the aftermath of reports last week that Greg Chappell had asked Sourav Ganguly to step down as India’s captain, Tendulkar expressed the view that such conversations should remain private.”It’s difficult for me to speak on the issue. But such talks should not come out of the dressing-room and if it comes out then it’s not right. Dressing-room discussions should remain within the dressing-room only,” he told the magazine. “[The Indian board] should speak to the players after they come back. We would get the real story once they talk to the officials [after returning home].”Tendulkar, who is recovering from surgery on his elbow, has to inform the Indian board on Wednesday if he is fit to play in next month’s ICC Super Series.

Australian Darren Holder has resigned after seven months as coaching manager for the West Indies Cricket Board. Holder, who had been in Australia with the West Indies team, albeit on vacation, will return to his home "due to a recent significant change in the circumstances surrounding his personal life."A release from the WICB quoted Holder as also saying that despite his "grave disappointment" at leaving, he enjoyed his stint in the Caribbean. "However there are things more important than cricket as the present situation at home has clearly demonstrated to me."The WICB also accepted the resignation of its Management Associate E-Commerce Operations, Marita Laurent, who has worked on marketing and the WICB’s website since 2001.

Otago 231 for 3 (Gaffaney 69, Lawson 62*, Cumming 57) drew with Wellington 482 for 9 dec
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Only 39 overs of play was possible on the final day at Wellington, as the matched petered out into a draw. Craig Cumming, Chris Gaffaney and Robert Lawson helped themselves to half-centuries. But the loss of an entire day’s play didn’t help matters and the result was a foregone conclusion.Canterbury 215 (Fulton 90, Wiseman 65, Orchard 5-10) and 136 for 3 (Stewart 78) drew with Northern Districts 434
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Auckland 316 drew with Central Districts 268
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Scorecard A big century by Qaiser Ali was not enough to save Canada – or even to take them to a fourth day – as Netherlands completed victory at Pretoria. Still, Canada will be encouraged by a decent batting display at last – after their first-innings collapse for 103, and their recent shocking form with the bat, this time they reached 485 to set Netherlands 180 for victory.Netherlands duly knocked off the runs for just three wickets, Tom de Grooth leading the way with 82. The inevitable man of the match, Ryan ten Doeschate, fittingly struck the winning runs, biffing one of his five fours on his way to an unbeaten 31 off 26 balls.It had seemed unlikely that Netherlands would even need to bat again when, on the second day, Canada were in some difficulty at 153 for 5, still trailing by 152. But Qaiser Ali continued in cracking form, building on his overnight 76 to make 176. He shared in a sixth-wicket stand of 184 with Don Maxwell (72) and Umar Bhatti (83*) also chipped in useful runs to make Netherlands enter a second innings. But they hunted down their target with ease.The openers de Grooth and Bas Zuiderent (42) got them off to a flyer, putting on 122. After that partnership the result was never in doubt and Netherlands lost just two more wickets to canter home.

Wellington Cricket’s draw for the two-day round starting on Saturday is:(Note that in Wellington 4B Grade, 2 games are scheduled in the Hutt Valley due to ground shortages in Wellington)Pearce Cup (11.00); Karori v Naenae, Karori 1; U Valley v Onslow, Delaney 1; EaTawa v U Hutt A Kilbirnie 1; Taita v Petone/Riv, Fraser 1Hazlett Trophy (11.00): North City v Hutt Districts, Linden; Wainui v Easts, B Heath 1; University v J’ville, Kelburn; Colls v U Valley, AndersonSenior 2( 12.00): Brooklyn v Taita, Cobham 1; J’ville v Well Coll, Grenada; Onslow v Karori, Nairnville 1; Hutt Districts v U Valley, Te Whiti 1.Senior 3 (12.00): E’bourne v Colls, H W Shortt; Petone/Riv v University, Petone 1; Karori v Indians, Karori 2; Naenae v Hutt Dists, Naenae 1Womens Senior( 12.30): Easts v Taita, Kilbirnie 3; J’ville v Hutt Dists, Alex Moore; Colls v Onslow, Macalister 2Super 8s Section One (2.00): Taita v Colls, Fraser 3; Naenae v Petone/Riv, Te Whiti 3; J’ville v U Valley, POWSection Two (2.00): Tawa v U Hutt A, Grenada 3A; U Hutt B v University, TMP 3; Wainui v Onslow, R Prouse 3Hutt Valley2A(12.30): Northern Park v Wainui A, Petone 2; U Hutt v Taita Black, TMP 1; Tokelau v Taita Red, Trafalgar; Wainui B v S Valley, R Prouse 12B (12.30): E’bourne v Wainui, Te Whiti 2; Naenae v Trafalgar, Naenae 2; S Valley v Taita Red, Delaney 2; Taita Black v Petone/Riv, Fraser 2; Taita White v U Hutt, Fraser 44A (1.00):U Hutt v Petone/Riv, TMP 2; Hutt Dists v S Valley, Te Whiti 4; Taita v Te Aroha, Fraser 7A4B (1.00): U Hutt v Petone/Riv A, Maidstone; Hutt A v Naenae Soccer, Naenae 3A; Petone/ Riv B v Taita, Petone 4; S Valley v E’bourne, Delaney 3A; Hutt B v Naenae Gold, Petone 34C (1.00): Wainui A vTe Aroha, R Prouse 2; Naenae Green v S Valley, TMP 4; U Hutt v Naenae Silver, TMP 8; Petone/Riv v Wainui B, B Heath 2; Tokelau byeWellington2A(12.30): SLS v Tawa, Kura St; Easts Panthers v Onslow, Kilbirnie 2; Easts Roosters v Colls, Cobham 2; Mana v Univ, Ngatitoa 12B (12.30): Brooklyn v Easts A, Macalister 3; Onslow v Indians, Cobham 3; Easts B v Tawa, Elsdon 1;2C ( 1.00):University v Onslow, Macalister 4; Mana v Tawa , Ngatitoa 3; Colls v Brooklyn, I Galloway 1; Karori bye2D (1.00): Tawa v Indians, Elsdon 2A; Newlands v SLS, I Galloway 2; Easts v Karori., Karori 33A(1.00): Easts A v Newlands, I Galloway 3; Univ A v Univ B, Ben Burn; Brooklyn v Easts B, Churton4A(1.00): Onslow B v Colls A, Liardet; Mana v Thorndon, Ngatitoa 2; Univ v Karori , Grenada 1A; Colls B v Onslow A, Grenada 2A; Easts v Sikhs, I Galloway 44B (1.00): Easts A v Easts B , I Galloway 5; Karori A v Univ B, Te Whiti 6; Onslow A v Colls, I Galloway 7; Univ A v Tawa, C Creek; J’ville A v Karori B, Fraser 6A; Onslow B v J’ville B, I Galloway 6

Sri Lanka’s Caribbean tour started under a cloud of criticism. The failureto qualify for the final of the Sharjah Cup and the Bank Alfalah Cup hadprompted a media bashing. Some of the more sleazy columnists felt soempowered that they even had the audacity to print wild (and whollyinaccurate) stories of player sex orgies in Dambulla.

Fickle advertisers sensed this despondent mood and slashed their cricketbudgets. Broadcasters did their sums and realised that to buy the televisionrights for the West Indies would be a huge financial gamble, surmising that no one wanted to advertise and few people would watch. They were better off showing their prime-time soap operas.But the Sri Lanka team responded. Thousands of kilometers away from home,they pulled together as a team. An indifferent batting performance wasfollowed by an inspired bowling effort in the first game. West Indies,cock-a-hoop after a trio of wins against Australia, lost the first game emphatically.

Then came Sri Lanka’s finest one-day run chase for years. This time thebowlers were collared, leaking 312 runs their 50 overs as Brian Lara cutloose. On the basis of recent form only the mentally unstable would havebetted their rupees on a Sri Lanka victory. But Sri Lanka marched home withfour wickets and three balls to spare thanks to a splendid 89 from UpulChandana and a hardworking fifty from Mahela Jayawardene.The third one-day international was lost but that matters little – who caresabout dead rubbers? After a post-World Cup slump, confidence had returned.The team was smiling once more. Of course, there were still areas ofconcern, particularly the batting and fielding, but there was light at theend of the tunnel.

It helped, of course, that Sri Lanka had settled upon the right combination.At Sharjah the selection – just five batsmen – was suicidal. During the BankAlfalah Cup it improved, with Tillakaratne Dilshan slipping into the middleorder and Romesh Kaluwitharana moving back up to the top. The introductionof Chandana in the West Indies, a move that stiffened the batting and perkedup the fielding, was the icing on the cake.Marvan Atapattu breathed a sign of relief afterwards, admitting that he hadbeen under real pressure since the unfathomable decision to spilt thecaptaincy. Finally, he felt more at ease and he celebrated in the openingTest, compiling his 11th hundred – another knock of high-elbowed eleganceand unflappable concentration.

Sri Lanka finished the first day in the box seat on 250 for 4. But althoughthey finished the Test on a high, as Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya knockedup an unbroken 126 run stand in the second innings, the middle three dayswere disappointing: the middle order crumbled on day two, the supportbowling lacked penetration, the fielding was sloppy, and Kaluwitharana’sglovework was erratic. Fortunately, the rains tipped down on day four,condemning the match to a draw.

So all is not entirely rosy, although the top order batting is gelling againwith the top four all in good form. Nevertheless, assuming the rains cloudssteer clear of Sabina Park, Sri Lanka can make history and win their firstCaribbean Test series. This Test marks the end of a grueling 14-month run ofnon-stop cricket and Sri Lanka’s players will hold nothing back as theycontemplate a four-month break from international action. They will want tosunbathe in glory not defeat.

Changes are being considered. Some radical. Kaluwitharana, who missed Laraon 94 and Omari Banks on 0, could be axed to allow Tillakaratne Dilshan intothe middle order. Kumar Sangakkara would then re-take the gloves. With sixspecialist batters in the side the management would then be more inclined tobolster the bowling, ditching Thilan Samaraweera for a third seamer -probably Dharshana Gamage. That would provide the bowling more teeth.But to win, of course, they must dismiss Lara early – the bete noire of SriLanka’s bowlers having scored 897 runs in the last four Tests between thetwo sides. If they can do that then they can win the series and take anotherimportant step up the confidence ladder.

Close Australia 121 for 2 (Langer 40*, Lehmann 51*) lead Bangladesh97 (Ashraful 23, McGrath 3-20, Lee 3-23) by 24 runs
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The Australian crawl used to be the style that powered their swimmers to the top of the world rankings, but it was never a term meant to describe theirbatting against the minnows of world cricket. But that was what happened today in Darwin, when Australia cold-footed it to 121 for 2 by stumps – a lead of 24 – after Bangladesh had become the first Test side to score less than 100 at Test cricket’s newest outpost.For all but the last dozen or so overs, the Australian run rate sputtered along at around 2.5 an over, before climbing to 2.69. Coming from a side that has made scoring at a fast clip one of the cornerstones of their success – since the Ashes series of 2001, they have scored at 3.96per over – it was bizarre to watch.However, despite the loss of Matthew Hayden (11) and Ricky Ponting (10), Australia were in a formidable position with Justin Langer and Darren Lehmann at the crease, and the threat of Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist and Martin Love to follow. Bangladesh will be thankful that the Marrara Oval has such a painfully slow outfield. While it denied them more runs, it frustrated the Australians as much, if not more.The Australians walked out to field wearing black armbands, in memory of Victoria stalwart John Scholes, who died earlier this week aged only 53.The Bangladeshis, as expected, struggled to cope with the experienced bowling attack when asked to bat first on a pitch of variable bounce. Poor techniquewas ruthlessly exposed, with several dismissals attributable to failing toget in line, leaving gaps between bat and pad or playing down the wrong line. Glenn McGrath added three scalps to lift his career haul to 428, while Brett Lee, despite an inconsistent spell, took 3 for 23.Mohammad Ashraful briefly suggested that he could provide the necessary solidity to the Bangladesh innings, but then, in the vital moments before lunch, he miscued a hook off the last ball of the first over of Glenn McGrath’s second spell, chipping it up for Jason Gillespie to take the catch behind square leg.The seventh-wicket pairing of the two Khaleds, Mashud and Mahmud, achievedthe highest partnership of the innings, adding 27. Mahmud relished successive fours off McGrath – a pull and a hook – but the bowler had the last word, breaking the stand by having Mashud leg before wicket.Mahmud followed soon after for 21, when an attempted cut off Stuart MacGill was top-edged to Adam Gilchrist. Gillespie and Brett Lee polished off the lower order. The Australian bowling bore the hallmarks of an out-of-season campaign but it was still too much for Test cricket’s newest boys.Lehmann’s half-century was his fifth in Tests, coming off 93 balls, whileLanger – who edged one from Kapali between Mashud and Habibul Bashar, at first slip, when he had made 35 – was unbeaten on 40 at the close.It proved a slow first day, and the tourists – after an embarrassing batting display – could feel well pleased about having forced the Australian batsmen to treat them with respect. How long that respect lasts will be the story of the second day.

England finally arrived in Sri Lanka late on Thursday night to a low-key reception from the public but a considerable one from the police and militia. The authorities denied suggestions that the security accompanying the side would be the same as that afforded to visiting heads of state, but there was no shortage of muscle on hand to ensure England had a trouble-free trip to their hotel.The weary team were greeted in the foyer of the Taj Samudra Hotel, their beachfront base in Colombo, by locals proffering garlands of flowers – a traditional Singhalese welcome – and quickly headed for the bedrooms to sleep off the effects of their long journey. Such is the lot of the international cricketer.One thing which was subject of speculation amid the travelling media was that England might consider sending for another spinner – almost certainly Robert Croft if they did – in the light of Ashley Giles’s continuing poor form and the belief that the Sri Lankan pitches will take considerable turn.The other concern which has travelled with the England team from Bangladesh is the form of one-day opener Vikram Solanki. He is an attractive strokemaker, but in eight innings following his hundred against South Africa in June he has scored 82 runs, including scores of 10, 0 and 1 against Bangladesh.Duncan Fletcher, England’s coach, admitted that it was a worry, but said that Solanki would play in Saturday’s warm-up match. “If you start saying ‘tighten up a bit’ then you get indecision,” Fletcher explained. “You have to be very careful. I want to say to a player, ‘Go out there and play your own game’.” But another failure for Solanki would probably open the door for Middlesex captain Andrew Strauss to make his ODI debut.

BERBICE – Horrendous!That’s how Barbados captain Courtney Browne described the tactics of Guyana after a combination of rain, faulty covers, the hosts’ slow over-rate and fading light denied Barbados the opportunity of completing their first first-class victory in this country in 23 years.The tournament leaders were 17 runs away from victory, but with only two wickets in hand, when they accepted the umpires’ offer to go off because of fading light at 5:49 p.m. at the Albion Community Development Centre.Given almost the entire day to make 138, Barbados were 66 for three when play resumed at 4:30 p.m. following two significant interruptions for rain that accounted for the loss of 200 minutes on the final day of their fourth-round Carib Beer Series match.On resumption, the visitors needed another 72 runs from 24 overs, but the Guyanese bowled a mere 11 overs in an hour and 20 minutes, even with a spin bowler operating.At a rate of four minutes an over, 20 overs should have been bowled in that time.With the Guyanese seemingly delaying the game, Barbados’ batsmen took several risks and wickets fell at regular intervals.They were 121 for eight when umpires offered "light"."The sort of cricket the Guyanese displayed here was horrendous," Browne told NATIONSPORT."You can’t play cricket like that. It is supposed to be impossible to bowl nine overs in an hour, bowling with a fast bowler and a spinner. That is total madness."The Guyanese constantly made several field changes, held countless discussions among themselves, and leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo was often delayed by with mud on his boots or an apparent stomach ailment."I would say it wasn’t conducive to good cricket," Barbados coach Hendy Springer said."It is a matter for them, if they want to bowl four overs in an hour. Unsportsmanlike is not a word I want to use, but it was very negative."It’s not conducive to good West Indies cricket and that’s what the people participating in this tournament are aspiring to."Even so, both Browne and Springer felt Barbados should have long wrapped up the match to achieve their third win."We should have won the game in three days," Browne said. "We had a very poor third day – batting, bowling, fielding, whatever."Springer said the batsmen did not do well enough in the run-chase."It should not have come down to the fact that light was involved."We should have knocked the runs off a lot earlier. We lost some very soft wickets badly chasing those runs," he said.With the knowledge that the light would have been a factor, Barbados’ batsmen were drawn into aggressive strokes that caused their downfall.After Floyd Reifer and Ryan Hinds extended their fourth-wicket partnership to 59 in between the stoppages, Reifer (39) was bowled playing across a full-length ball from Nagamootoo.By now, it was 5:13 p.m. and 42 runs were required with six wickets in hand.Browne soon lifted a catch to long-off and Hinds, on the backfoot, was lbw for 29 to one that kept low from Nagamootoo.Once Ryan Hurley gave a catch to backward point and Ian Bradshaw was run out, the Bajans decided it would be a tall order for Dwayne Smith in the company of Sulieman Benn and with only Tino Best to come."I thought I did the best thing. I’ve played this cricket long enough and I knew that if we had batted any further on, we would have lost the game," Browne said, explaining why they accepted the umpires’ offer for light.The first sign of rain surfaced during the lunch break and light, persistent showers delayed the resumption after the break until 2:20 p.m.Only one over was bowled before a heavy shower drove the players off the field. When the covers were removed, there were wet spots on the pitch that required the use of fire and the application of grass to dry the affected areas.When it was all set for resumption, there was the unusual sight of batsmen emerging from the pavilion before the fielders. It was a sign that the Guyanese were going to take their time.At no stage did the hosts appear to have been cautioned or warned about their over-rate.Yet, when Barbados emergency fielder Antonio Thomas came out to middle to say something to Barbados’ ninth-wicket pair, he was stopped.