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	Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Suresh Raina at practice on the eve of the warm-up match against Sri Lankan XI © Cricinfo Ltd

India’s one-day specialists have one opportunity to acclimatise to conditions before the five-ODI series and the team management faces selection headaches ahead of Friday’s warm-up match against a Sri Lankan XI in Colombo. The momentum is with Sri Lanka, who won the Test series 2-1, while the Indians are still grappling with methods to handle Ajantha Mendis, who took 26 wickets in three Tests and a six-wicket haul in the recent Asia Cup final against India.Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who joined the squad on Wednesday, said he was not going to talk about the Test series, which he opted out of, but on how his ODI side would tackle whatever came their way. India’s one-day squad has two uncapped players – Subramaniam Badrinath, the Tamil Nadu batsman, and Virat Kohli, who led India to victory in the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year – and Dhoni stressed on the importance of youngsters stepping in to fill the breach left by Sachin Tendulkar’s absence.It’s likely that Badrinath and Kohli will be competing for a spot as the batting order picks itself. Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir will continue their partnership at the top, followed by Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh and Rohit Sharma. Dhoni will bat at No. 6, leaving the next spot for Badrinath, Kohli, or an allrounder.India are without fast bowler Ishant Sharma for this series and their pace options include Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, Munaf Patel, Praveen Kumar and Irfan Pathan. Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha are the only two spinners in the squad. The warm-up match gives India the chance to test Ojha, RP and Munaf, neither of whom played in the Test series but choosing between Kumar and Pathan is tougher.The bowling attack is likely to comprise three medium-pacers and one spinner. With Zaheer virtually certain to play, the other four – RP, Munaf, Kumar and Pathan – will compete for two spots and performances in the warm-up match could decide who plays. Harbhajan could be the lone spinner which means India will have to consider getting ten overs out of part-timers Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag on helpful pitches.India’s last one-day international was the 100-run defeat in Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka. Sanath Jayasuriya scored 125 before Mendis snuffed out India’s chase by taking 6 for 13. Neither of them will be playing the warm-up game but they will be an intergral part of the challenge that awaits India in Dambulla, a notoriously low-scoring venue, on August 18.Teams
Sri Lanka XI: (probable) 1 Malinda Warnapura, 2 Upul Tharanga, 3 Mahela Udawatte, 4 Jehan Mubarak, 5 Chamara Silva, 6 Chamara Kapugedera (capt), 7 Kaushal Silva (wk), 8 Kaushalya Weerarante, 9 Malinga Bandara, 10 Dilhara Fernando, 11 Thilan Thushara.Indians: (probable) 1 Gautam Gambhir, 2 Virender Sehwag, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Rohit Sharma, 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt & wk), 7 S Badrinath 8 Irfan Pathan 9 Pragyan Ojha, 10 RP Singh, 11 Munaf Patel.

A magnificent innings of 177 from Michael Vaughan has enabled England to carry the fight to Australia on the first day of the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval. After Nasser Hussain won the toss, England ended the day on 295 for four when Vaughan was caught at slip off Andy Bichel in the final over. Vaughan shared in an opening partnership of 88 with Marcus Trescothick (35) and added 140 with Hussain (47).Vaughan continued to show the form which has put the 28-year-old second behind Sachin Tendulkar on the run scorers’ list for the calendar year 2002. He outshone his England team-mates and outwitted the Australian bowlers, showing the way for other players and teams to play and beat Australia.The Yorkshire opener had some help from Australia. Their usually reliable fielders dropped six catches on what proved to be a beautiful batting track with true bounce. But Vaughan’s amazing innings included an array of shots to all parts of the ground.Trescothick and Vaughan got England off to a great start with a run rate of over three an over. They share a similar approach to the game to that of Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden, and Vaughan played much like Hayden did in the opening Test at Brisbane.Each was given a life in the first session. Three balls after smashing Bichel (1/67) for six, Vaughan sliced to Langer at gully where he appeared to take a great catch. Vaughan stood his ground and the matter was referred to third umpire Steve Davis. As the evidence was inconclusive, he gave Vaughan the benefit of the doubt. The decision could have changed the course of the game, with Vaughan going on to make his best score outside England.Trescothick then hit the ball hard to gully, where Hayden couldn’t hold on, allowing the ball to go through to the boundary. Bichel later claimed a return catch as Trescothick drove, and once again the third umpire was consulted. Replays clearly showed the ball bouncing before it reached Bichel and Trescothick was ruled not out.Shane Warne was brought into the attack earlier than expected, and the leg-spinner went for nine in his first over. It was Glenn McGrath made the much-needed breakthrough, bowling Trescothick off the bottom edge as the opener’s luck ran out.Robert Key, playing in place of the injured John Crawley, was promoted to number three because Mark Butcher was suffering from a migraine. Key and Vaughan took England to lunch at 1/94, but Key had made just one when he drove Warne into the shin of Ricky Ponting who caught the ball at the third attempt. Key stood his ground but the umpires confirmed the bad news.This brought skipper Hussain to the crease and he took a back seat, enjoying the Vaughan show. The Yorkshire opener brought up his fifth century in nine Tests with a push to mid off. It was his sixth Test hundred in all, and included two sixes and 12 fours. In 12 matches he has made just under 1200 runs.Vaughan and Hussain took England to tea on 2/201. The Australians made it harder for themselves again in the second session, dropping two catches and missing the chance of a run out.Needing a breakthrough, Steve Waugh decided to bowl himself, but after five overs the skipper had some discomfort in his shoulder and returned the ball to Jason Gillespie, who still appeared troubled by his calf injury. When Vaughan ducked into a short ball he was hit on the shoulder, dropping his bat and crouching on the ground in pain.Hussain, tied down as he approached 50, gave Warne his second wicket when he was caught behind off the bottom edge on 47, trying to cut. Butcher, showing no effects from his migraine, took boundaries with his first two scoring shots and with Vaughan continued to punish the toiling bowlers.It was a clever bowling change that finally undid Vaughan, after Gillespie and McGrath had failed to break through with the new ball. Waugh turned to Bichel for the last over of the day and Vaughan pushed defensively at the Queenslander’s third ball, which carried to Warne at first slip.England played some great cricket today, but they also had a lot of luck. Day two should be a cracker with a new batsman at the crease and Australia hungry for more wickets. England will need to bat positively, with Australia’s batsmen eager for their turn on a beautiful wicket.

Most of the attention in Zimbabwe cricket this last week has been centred on their performances in the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka.CONTENTS

• International cricket:
  • Zimbabwe v India
  • Zimbabwe v England
• Africa Cup
• Provincial cricket reports – Vigne Cup
• Interviews: Gus Mackay and James McMaster
• Letters

After a long break, we hoped the team would be fresh and ready to go, but unfortunately it didn’t work out like that. The engine is running in fits and starts, with the bowling being the most disappointing area. We have seen our team play brilliantly, but apart from a brave run chase against India – led of course by the incomparable Andy Flower – they did not play to the high standards we know they can obtain. Assessments of the matches against India and England are included in this issue.In one way I feel this tournament could have been organized better. That regards the fixture list. Long before the group matches were concluded, Australia and Sri Lanka are in the semi-finals, South Africa are virtually assured of a place, and the only match with any real significance is that between England and India for the remaining semi-final place.That means there are quite a number of meaningless matches, mostly involving the minnows Bangladesh, Kenya and Holland, remaining before the semi-finals start. The crucial matches between the two strongest teams in each group were played early on, when they should have been used as likely deciders, as England v India will be. Perhaps the fixtures were drawn up in this way to stimulate early local interest in the tournament, or perhaps it was done to put less pressure on the likely semi-final teams. Perhaps they just came out of the hat that way.In future, I would suggest that the weakest team in each group – which would include Zimbabwe – get their matches over with early. The likelihood is that the bigger guns will beat them, and each of the final group matches will be in effect a quarterfinal, with a semi-final place dependent on the result. This will sustain interest, which will otherwise be lost in a series of dead matches.Closer to home, this issue includes a report on the Africa Cup competition held in Lusaka recently, after an interview with manager Kish Gokal, and reports on the Vigne Cup and provincial cricket. Gus Mackay, recently appointed general manager of the Mashonaland Cricket Association, talks about his job in a major article. We also include an interview with Australian James McMaster, a strong ZCO supporter, who is visiting Zimbabwe for the first time and has some interesting observations to make.

Somerset Second Eleven recorded a resounding victory over Worcestershire at North Perrott in their opening championship match of the season on Friday.Once again it was all rounder Pete Trego who did the damage, taking 5 for 60 as the visitors slumped to 143 all out to give the Somerset second string a victory by an innings and 60 runs.The young all rounder from Weston super Mare ended with match figures of 11 for 113 to earn himself a recall to the first team for the NUL opening match against Yorkshire Phoenix on Sunday.

Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy Quarter FinalSomerset v Worcestershireat The County Ground, Taunton17 July 2002
(reserve day 18 july)Gates open 8.30 a.m.
Play starts 10.45 a.m.Ticket prices for the above match are as follows:Adult £15.00Junior (under 16) £10.00Tickets will be available to Somerset County Cricket Club Members on a first come first served basis until Friday 5 July and thereafter available to the general public. TWO PER MEMBER.All postal applications made by Members must be accompanied by the appropriate slip in the membership book and a SAE.All postal applications made by non-members must be accompanied by a SAE.Telephone orders with a credit card will have a handling charge of £1.50 per application added. For telephone orders please call 01823 272946.

This is what happens when you are so much better than everyone else, thebiggest challenges come from within.With no-one from world cricket, able to lay a glove on the Australians, theAustralian selectors have taken it upon themselves to challenge them.Their non-selection of Mark Waugh followed by his subsequent retirementthreaten to do more damage to the side than England could ever hope toachieve.In their cricket to date, England have suggested that they would struggle towin a game if they were playing in the Pura Cup. A side already hopelesslymismatched, is stricken with injuries.Australia will defeat England easily regardless of Mark Waugh.If they were to replace him, logic dictated that they do so with ayoungster. To get rid of a 37-year-old for a 32-year-old makes no sensewhatsoever.Mark Waugh was owed better. Only two players have scored more Test runs forAustralia. No-one in the world has more Test catches than him.He has been a stalwart of the side for the last 10 years, playing his last107 Tests in succession. The Australian side is one where the aggregate sumis greater than that of the individual parts.The side was winning well and so there was no case to drop Mark Waugh.From his century on debut against England at the Adelaide Oval, there wasnothing better in world cricket than watching him.His innings stand the test of time.

• The 139 not out at Antigua in 1991 against the might of Ambrose, Patterson,Walsh and Marshall. [Scorecard]
• His 126 at Sabina Park in 1995 which set up the winning of the Sir FrankWorrell trophy. [Scorecard]
• His classic 116 at Crusaders, St George’s Park in 1997 which gave Australiaa famous two-wicket victory. [Scorecard]
• The 115 not out against South Africa at Adelaide in 1998. [Scorecard]
• The 153 not out at Chinnaswamy Stadium in India in 1998. [Scorecard]

Mark Waugh was there for his fans and sadly they can’t be there for him.He should have been allowed to announce his retirement at the end of theAshes, thus giving Australian fans to express their gratitude to him.Fittingly, he could have played his last Test match on his beloved SCG andbowed out like the champion he was.

SYDNEY – Australian captain Steve Waugh today criticised the points systemin the new International Cricket Council Test championship as “stupid” andclaimed every Test should count.The championship, which started with last week’s Test between England andPakistan at Lord’s, will pit the 10 Test playing nations against each otheron a home-and-away basis over a five-year period.Two points are awarded for a series win and one for a draw.If a team wins the first three matches of a five-Test series, the last twowould effectively count for nothing while a team winning a series 5-0 wouldget no more points than one triumphing 3-2.Waugh today admitted he didn’t fully understand the system, but rejected thesuggestion Tests could be vulnerable to match fixing if they weren’t worthany points.”I wouldn’t think it would leave it open to match fixing, but I think it’sstupid,” Waugh said.”We pride ourselves in every Test match being special and what’s the pointof playing if they don’t count for anything?”They still count for our personal pride and the team. I must admit Ihaven’t looked at the championship specifically and seen how it works, butI’m surprised those Test matches don’t count, they should count.”That’s what it’s all about, that’s why you’re the number one side, becauseyou can perform I guess when other people don’t expect you to.”With 10 teams having to be accommodated in a packed international schedule,Waugh even suggested the days of the five-Test series were numbered.”I think eventually they might even go back to four. Four Tests might be themost convenient number, I don’t know,” Waugh said.”With five, you definitely sort out the best team, in three sometimes youget the feeling `I’m not sure whether the best side is actually on top atthis stage’ and you’re just getting to know the opposition really well.”Australian Cricket Board chief executive Malcolm Speed said it consideredplaying five Tests in each country rather than three in this summer’shome-and-away series against South Africa, but felt the additional workloadwas too much.”Five here and five in South Africa is pretty much ridiculous,” said Waugh,who along with Speed admitted Australia probably would ultimately play afive-Test series against South Africa.”Ten Tests in a row against the same side and I think you’re on automaticpilot by about the seventh Test, I don’t think too many people would bewatching it, you’ve got to keep it special and not overdo it.”Waugh welcomed tomorrow’s much-anticipated release of the ICC AntiCorruption Unit’s report into alleged matching fixing.”We want to know what’s going on and people want the game cleared up, so assoon as it comes out the better,” Waugh said.He wouldn’t comment on a claim by former England all-rounder Ian Botham thatup to a billion dollars had been wagered on a single Test, but Speeddescribed the claim as “a frightening thought.”Waugh also today called for any technological advances aimed at assistingumpires to be trialled at lower levels of the game.The technology issue will be raised at the ICC’s annual cricket committeemeeting in London tomorrow at which former Test captain Allan Border willrepresent Australia.Speed said the ACB supported technology provided it improved the game andintroduced a level of certainty while Waugh didn’t want the game to become”too Americanised” with each decision referred to a video replay.”They (the umpires) are going to make errors on occasions and I think we canlive by that, that’s the way it’s always been,” Waugh said.”But if there’s a decision where there is a line involved with a stump or arun out, I think that’s fine.”If they’ve got the technology to show where a ball has carried for a catchthen use it, but I think at the moment it’s unclear and it’s caused morecontroversy than the issues that it solves.”

LAHORE – It was indeed a solidly relentless all-round display in the field throughout, as Pakistan blanked out the Black Caps with great authority, taking the third and last game of the series by a convincing margin of 66 runs, with a bit more than four overs to spare.With this new-found consistency, having won 23 out of their last 31 games, Pakistan enters the truncated two-Test rubber with their morale and confidence pretty high. This was also Pakistan’s seventh consecutive victory over the Kiwis.As Shoaib Malik made his career-best score, 115, having a hand in three partnerships of 50-plus, Pakistan posted a huge 277, always a difficult prospect against the Pakistan attack under lights.Even with a depleted side, with Wasim Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq and Imran Nazir rested, the Pakistanis held such sway that by the end of the 30th over the asking rate was already 7 an over and climbing. The writing was pretty much on the wall for the Black Caps. And sensing a tame ending, the near capacity crowd in the Gaddafi Stadium, which created an electrifying atmosphere throughout, started filing out.Despite the task being rather daunting, the Black Caps may have made a fist of it had Craig McMillan and skipper Stephen Fleming stuck around in the middle for long. They didn’t, and from then on the slide down the slope was pretty swift.Malik also piled more misery on the Kiwis with his second career-best in the match – this time with the ball, with a return of 3-37, and more crucially clean bowling Fleming behind his legs. With this all-round display, he removed any contention for the Man of the Match award!With Shoaib Akhtar spearheading the attack along with skipper Waqar Younis, the crowd was treated to some great pace bowling. Shoaib’s raw pace was a spectacle in itself, and Waqar’s virtuoso display of swing bowling added spice to the difficult chase. It was Shoaib who continuously put the 100-mile barrier under a threat, one of his thunderbolts to McMillan clocking 99.3 mph (159 kmph). An unreliable, hence not deemed official (assuming the tv broadcaster’s gun is official), speed gun also clocked him at 99.9 mph. The PCB issued a press release as follows:’According to the speed gun operated in the ground by a sponsor, Shoaib Akhtar bowled a delivery at a speed off 161 kph during the third odi between Pakistan and New Zealand at Gaddafi Staium, Lahore.’Well this is an issue that will fire up lots of media speculation as the TV broadcaster’s speed gun was not working, so one can only rest this case as there is really no ‘official’ system in place for measuring speeds.The Black Caps were treated to some scary stuff by Akhtar from the word go, but it was Waqar Younis who disturbed Chris Nevin’s off-stump with a gem of a delivery, which pitched on the leg and swung out late. This early scalp brought McMillan in, and he along with Matt Horne did a measure of repair job with controlled aggression. Horne displayed lots of guts, flicking Akhtar for two consecutive fours over mid-wicket and square leg in the eighth over.Shoaib was replaced by Mohammad Sami after a rather expensive spell of bowling where he went for 23 runs in four overs. Horne rode his luck when he was caught behind off a no-ball in the very first Sami over. As the Kiwis went past 50 in the 11th over, Horne and McMillan continued to play their shots and also tried to maintain a healthy run rate. Horne (28, 44 balls, 3 fours) was bowled by Abdul Razzaq in the 15th over. McMillan (38, 48 balls, 3 fours) went soon after, his miscued pull off Sami, who also worked up considerable pace, regularly in the mid 140s, giving a simple chance to Inzamam at mid-wicket.Lou Vincent, who had quite efficiently kept wickets earlier in the day, along with Fleming (15, 26 balls) tried to steady the innings but their hopes more or less evaporated when Fleming was bowled by Malik round his legs.At the end of 30th over, the Black Caps were 137 for four and the required run rate was already creeping up to 7 an over. Vincent and Styris tried to make a fist of it, but the former was bowled by Afridi and Styris was comprehensively stumped by Latif off Malik, who also bowled Adams neck and crop.It was all over, and the remaining three wickets fell in no time, two of them, Brooke Walker and Daryl Tuffey being run out. Chris Harris, the last man out, tried to reduce the margin of defeat but it was Sami who snared him leg before for 37 to bring down the curtains on the Kiwi innings.Shoaib scores ton as Pakistan batting gives another organised display:
Malik (115, 142 balls, 12 fours) scored his second century in three games, as Pakistan posted a very competitive score of 278 for five wickets in their regulation 50 overs. Par for the course in this series as far as first innings scores go, as Pakistan had 275 at Karachi and New Zealand 277 at Rawalpindi.Though the finish was not as powerful as it could have been, with the last 10 overs going for just 71 runs, it still was a very organised batting display by Pakistan, fifth on the trot if one includes the last two games of Sharjah Cup 2002. And though the Kiwis bowled with a lot of discipline, conceding only three extras in the whole innings, and barring one dropped chance, they fielded with their usual athleticism, they still had no answer to Pakistan’s clinical efficiency in gathering runs.That too, without much help today from Younis Khan or Abdul Razzaq, great strikers of the ball that they are, getting in a proper innings. As Razzaq walked in at the fag end, only 17 deliveries remained. He got to face 11 of them, he slammed 22, with two fours and a six, all in the mid-wicket region, to provide some impetus to the innings which was tapering off at the close. Ostensibly because of Malik getting bogged down while looking for his hundred and debutant Misbah-ul-Haq trying to make a success of his first outing.Though the cornerstone of the innings was young Malik’s knock, his highest in One-day Internationals, the four good partnerships ensured Pakistan putting up a big total without any real difficulty.Afridi started the way he usually does, in an exuberant manner, flicking Andre Adams first delivery to deep square leg for a boundary. He had two more hits to the fence, and in trying to repeat one of them over mid-wicket, skying a simple catch to Matt Horne at mid-on off Andre Adams.Yousuf Youhana, who is in high season form these days, chipped in with a brisk 53 (of 51 balls, 5 fours, 2 towering sixes). He seemed to be in the kind of groove that had the promise of a third century in four innings, and was playing his strokes with great freedom once Scott Styris dropped him in the covers of Chris Harris. He really rubbed it in, by clouting Harris for a six and four in the same over and then spanking Ian Butler for two fours next over. But having made his 50 in style, Youhana gave it all away when he offered a simple caught and bowled chance to leggie Brooke Walker in his first over, and he didn’t fumble it. But by then the second wicket stand had posted 93, off mere 103 balls.Inzamam, out of sorts in recent times, seemed to be in his element, as he whacked Walker for a huge six over long-on. Malik reached his 50 in the next over, from 76 deliveries, and laced with six fours, some of them really glorious strokes.Inzamam played well for his 35 (40 balls, 1 four, 1 six) when trying to clear the field played one right down the throat of Daryl Tuffey at deep mid-wicket off Walker. Pakistan were 191 at this point and the third wicket partnership between Inzamam and Malik had yielded 72 runs. Inzamam was replaced by debutant Misbah who mostly concentrated on rotating the strike, but with Malik eyeing his century things slowed down a bit, and though Pakistan had posted 207 by the end of the 40th over, the next four overs only yielded 19. Malik reached his 100, off 130 balls with 11 fours, but the scoring rate was still a trifle slow. Malik and Misbah, after contributing 59 in 65 balls, departed in quick succession with Razzaq hitting out to help bring the innings to a brighter close, striking Styris for a six in the last over to make it count for a dozen.A highly defendable total; given Pakistan’s potent attack. And the Pakistan attack, despite being without Wasim Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq, didn’t allow them to reach anywhere near the target.

Michael Powell notched the first CricInfo Championship century of the 2001 season as Glamorgan made excellent progress on a cold and bleak opening day against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.It always promised to be an interesting encounter between two sides promoted from the second division at the end of last summer, but 24-year-old Powell’s fluent 106 in just over four hours, including 16 boundaries, gave the visitors the edge.And with stand-in skipper Adrian Dale cracking an unbeaten 130 – his first hundred since July 1999 – they were able to establish a position of strength.Glamorgan closed on 339-4 from 108 overs with three batting points already secured, making good use of a pitch that looked full of runs despite all the recent rain in Northampton.Dale, leading Glamorgan in the absence of the injured Steve James, performed his first task to perfection by winning the toss, thus condemning Northants to three chilly sessions in the field.He then joined Powell in a fourth-wicket stand worth 123 in 42 overs after the Welshmen had slipped to 101-3 at lunch, despite a promising 34 off 61 balls from Australian Jimmy Maher on his Championship debut.Paul Taylor struck two important blows by removing Maher and former skipper Matthew Maynard, but Northants were obliged to wait a long time for their next breakthrough as Powell and Dale dug in.The stand was eventually broken when Powell went to a bat-pad catch at silly point off Graeme Swann, leaving Dale and Keith Newell to see out the day with an unbroken 115-run partnership.

‘India will host the ICC KnockOut Tournament’, AC Muthiah, President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in Udhagamandalam on Thursday.Expressing surprise at BCCI secretary JY Lele’s statement in New Delhi yesterday that ‘the BCCI is not necessarily keen in hosting the tournament’, Muthiah clarified that ‘there is no hitch in India hosting the tournament. The Union Sports Ministry has cleared it and Sports Minister Uma Bharti has extended all support for the success of the ICC KnockOut tournament’, he said.’We do not want to deny the best of opportunity for the cricket loving public of India in missing out on the chance to witness players from all Test playing countries of ICC in action’ Muthiah told PTI.It may be noted that Malcolm Gray, President, International Cricket Council, had on March 21 met the Union Ministers and officials concerned and he had been assured of all Governmental support to the tournament when hosted by India. The final decision on India hosting the 2002 ICC KnockOut tournament will be taken in London on June 15.Asked to comment on India playing Pakistan in any future tournament, Muthiah said ‘the Government’s letter clarified that there is no hitch in these two countries competing in multilateral tournaments’.Muthiah said the Government had clarified vide its letter on May 10 that ‘India will continue to play Pakistan in multilateral tournaments at regular venues. Regarding bilateral contests between the countries, the Government after careful consideration has already decided that in the prevailing circumstances it would be inappropriate for the Indian team to participate in a two-nation cricket tournament against Pakistan’.The BCCI chief said ‘the Government has said that it has no objection to the Indian team playing in ICC KnockOut, World Cup and other ICC recognised tournaments despite the fact that certain matches in such tournaments may be played between India and Pakistan either in India or in Pakistan’.Accordingly, the Government has considered all venues in Test playing countries and venues recognised by the ICC for one-day Internationals such as Kenya as regular venues.As for India’s participation in the coming Asia Cup to be hosted by Pakistan, Muthiah confirmed that India will take part in the tournament. However, the programme for the Asia Cup would be decided at the meeting of the Asian Cricket Council in Lahore on May 24, he said.When drawn to comment on Lele’s statement that he `was not aware when and where the decision would be taken on the new sponsor for the Indian team’, Muthiah clarified that the Board has received offers for sponsorship approximately 45 per cent above the previous sponsorship of ITC and a decision would be taken by the BCCI Marketing Committee within two days. ‘The players will benefit immensely by the additional revenues since 60 per cent of the sponsorship revenue goes to the players’, he said.