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The Somerset captain Justin Langer is in talks with the county to sign a new one-year contract to extend his stay until 2008. Langer had a six-week stint at Taunton last year and agreed to captain Somerset following his international retirement after the 2006-07 Ashes in Australia.”Justin has already publicly stated that he wants to come back and play for Somerset in 2008,” Brian Rose, Somerset’s director of cricket, told the county’s official website.”He is thoroughly enjoying his cricket with Somerset and has been making positive noises, in addition to which his family is enjoying their time over here in England as well.”Richard Gould, the chief executive at Somerset, said: “Discussions with Justin regarding his likely return to Somerset for next season are at an advanced stage and an official announcement will be made later this week.” In 12 first-class matches for the county this season Langer has scored 953 runs at 59.56 and he has added another 555 in the one-day competitions.

Johmari Logtenberg, who it’s no exaggeration to call a batting sensation, has surprised the world of women’s cricket by suddenly giving up the sport for golf. More unexpected still is the fact that the cricket star, who averaged 422.50 in a domestic season and has been instrumental in the international set-up since the age of 14, has only just taken up golf on a whim and she doesn’t know if she will be any good at it.”I didn’t plan to play golf,” she told the Times of South Africa. “It was just a spur-of-the-moment decision”It seems an extraordinary move for the girl, still only 18, who had the cricketing world at her feet with two one-day international centuries and five fifties under her belt. Then again she didn’t earn any money from it – English counties offered to pay her travel expenses “I would have ended up playing for charity” – while a successful women’s golfer can earn a lucrative sum.With great hand-eye co-ordination, the one thing that perhaps will not raise eyebrows is that she’s already got a handicap of 12 despite these being early days where golf is concerned.She has enrolled at Gavan Levenson’s golf academy to improve her game further but if it doesn’t work out she hinted there would be a chance she could go back to cricket. “We’ll only see after this year whether golf is for me.”

Australia could introduce a tournament similar to the Indian Premier League in two years after Cricket Australia revealed it has started planning for another domestic Twenty20 event. The IPL has forced other countries to consider their options, with England already involved in talks with the billionaire Allen Stanford.Paul Marsh, the Australian Cricketers’ Association chief executive, has pushed for an international league system like the one used in soccer and Peter Young, a Cricket Australia spokesman, said the organisation was looking at the possibilities. “In reality we have taken a blank sheet of paper and said: ‘What might a domestic Twenty20 competition look like?'” Young told the Herald Sun.”Should it be just one side from each state? Should we look at overseas models, including the IPL model, where you have a city base and more than one team from certain states? Should it involve New Zealand or not? We are thinking that through.”While the ideas are speculative, the paper reported a salary cap, icon players for each team and a draft for the international talent could be employed. Similar moves have helped make the IPL a major success in India over the first half of the competition. A domestic Twenty20 tournament has been held in Australia for the past three years but has only involved state players, limiting its potential for international exposure and television revenue.

Dhawal Kulkarni’s 4 for 19, and three wickets from Abhishek Nayar and Sagar Trivedi, helped Mumbai bundle Assam out for 102 runs for a 96-run win. A middle-order slump that saw Mumbai fall from 60 for 1 to 118 for 7 restricted the side to 198 but their bowlers routed the opponents within 35 overs to hand Assam their third straight loss.
The first half of Mumbai’s innings, after they opted to bat, was held together by Shreyas Iyer’s 65-ball 49. Once Iyer had departed – one of the six wickets Mumbai lost for 58 runs – Suryakant Yadav’s 46-run partnership with Dhawal Kulkarni (21*) lifted the side past 150. Yadav was eventually dismissed for 42 off 58 deliveries, and Mumbai then benefited from Trivedi’s quick 24 off 19, which included three fours and a six. Kulkarni dismissed Assam’s openers – Pallavkumar Das and Sibsankar Roy – within 11 overs after which Nayar and Trivedi carved up the middle-order. Amit Verma’s 33 and J Syed Mohammad’s 25 were the only scores above 20 as Assam crumbled to 83 for 8 by the 29th over.Fifties from Jiwanjot Singh and Mayank Sidhana helped Punjab cruise to a six-wicket win after a batting collapse limited Tamil Nadu to 226 in Hyderabad. Put in to bat, Tamil Nadu made a strong start as openers Abhinav Mukund and Dinesh Karthik shared a 54-run partnership. Once Abhinav fell, Karthik and B Aparajith added 87 runs for the second wicket to consolidate Tamil Nadu’s position. Much of that work came undone in the last 10 overs of the innings. M Vijay was stumped off Harbhajan Singh for 35 and after his wicket, Tamil Nadu lost their last six wickets for only nine runs. Four of those wickets fell to Siddarth Kaul, who struck in successive overs, while left-arm pacer Brainder Sran took two of his three wickets in that period. Punjab were shaky at 24 for 2 in the seventh over but Jiwanjot and Gurkeerat Singh Mann forged a recovery through a 92-run partnership. After Gurkeerat fell for 41, Jiwanjot and Sidhana added another 86 runs to take Punjab closer to victory. Jiwanjot was eventually dismissed for 85, but Sidhana finished unbeaten on a run-a-ball 67.Fifties from Mumtaz Qadir and Rajat Paliwal helped Services overcome a target of 225 with five wickets to spare against Hyderabad in the penultimate over in Hyderabad. The pair shared in a 116-run partnership for the third wicket to set the platform for Services’ chase. While Qadir scored 68 off 111 deliveries, Paliwal struck a 71-ball 64. That Services had been set a target of 224 was largely down to Pagadala Naidu (45*) and Chama Milind (42*) at Nos 8 and 9. The pair combined for an unbeaten 85-run, eighth-wicket partnership that lifted Hyderabad’s score past 200, after the side had been reduced to 139 for 7 by the 37th over. Apart from Hanuma Vihari (35) and Bavanaka Sandeep (41), the rest of the top seven failed to notch up an individual score of more than 15.

January 7
News – McGrath backs former team-mates
January 6
News – Kumble questions Australia’s spirit
Peter English – Australia’s attitude lacking in appeal
Martin Williamson – Not walking is not cheating
News – India seek to replace Bucknor for Perth Test
Siddhartha Vaidyanathan – A frustrating end
Audio – Ravi Shastri: Tough for India to come back
Audio – Ian Chappell: India let Australia off the hook

Shane Bond believes he is fit enough to get through the rest of the CB Series in Australia, despite his latest reoccurrence of his back problems.”I never thought I was going home, I didn’t think it was that major,” Bond said, after being hampered during New Zealand’s 90-run victory over England at Adelaide this week.”It still aches, it did ache in the last game,” Bond said. “I can deal with the pain, but when that pain diminishes my back spasms and almost locks right across the back and once that happens it becomes a little difficult to bowl.”Bond underwent a scan after the Adelaide match, and the New Zealand media speculated that his tour could be over, but no stress fracture or structural problem was detected. Instead, he has arrived in Perth for the next round of matches, still reveling in the capture of his 100th one-day international wicket.”I’m stoked because the 100-wicket thing is not a very big group of people and even though I’ve had injuries it shows a degree of longevity to get to 100,” said Bond, who needed just 54 games to reach the mark – one more than the record-holder, the former Pakistan offspinner Saqlain Mushtaq, but one fewer than Australia’s spearhead, Brett Lee.”I knew I was in the running for the record but the rain out in Hamilton [against Sri Lanka] killed it,” added Bond. “I knew in the last game if I got a wicket I could equal it but I’m just pretty happy to get there.”

A low scoring affair between Pentasoft and Combined Districts XI sawthe Chennai software company notch up an easy victory in the Moin udDowlah Cup at Hyderabad. Combined Districts’ skipper Vishnuvardhan wonthe toss and decided to have a bat. Although he won the toss there waslittle joy for Vishnuvardhan. His openers got off to a dreadful start,with Venu losing his wicket to Tamil Nadu all rounder Sadagopan Maheshin just the 4th over of the day.One drop batsman Mohamood Ali got to 5 before he was cleaned up byPavan Kumar. Another Kumar, this time Sathish, got rid of openerNaveen Reddy and Combined Districts XI were in a spot of bother at30/3. The spot of bother got progressively worse as 30/3 became 39/5.Wickets were shared around as Combined Districts slumped to 110 allout.Chasing 111 from 50 overs was never going to pose any problem for abatting line up that boasted the likes of Sadagopan Ramesh, ShivSunder Das and Hrishikesh Kanitkar. With just one wicket down,Pentasoft cruised to a nine wicket victory. Ramesh (67) and Das (25)were unbeaten at the crease as the target was overhauled with 29 oversto spare. Ramesh’s knock of 67 came off just 71 balls and included 10sweetly timed hits to the fence.Not one to be left behind, Das helped himself to an easy 25 (33b,2×4). Pentasoft have a number of stars in their side, and are bound tobe stretched further by opposition stronger than Combined DistrictsXI.

Australia have chosen a squad heavy with young allrounders for the Hong Kong Sixes tournament that starts on the weekend. Aaron O’Brien is the most experienced member of the seven-man group, which features three players who have played first-class cricket.O’Brien, a left-arm orthodox spinner and middle-order batsman, will be a key player for Australia having 20 first-class matches to his name at New South Wales. Shawn Gillies and Steve O’Keefe have also played in the Pura Cup, while Nathan Reardon, Michael Buchanan and Matt Johnston have domestic one-day experience.Tasmania’s Alex Doolan is the only member of the squad without a state game to his name. Australia’s first match is against Bangladesh on Saturday. Also in their pool is South Africa and an All Stars team that features Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Brian Lara, Craig McMillan, Heath Streak, Anil Kumble and Geraint Jones.Squad Aaron O’Brien, Michael Buchanan, Alex Doolan, Nathan Reardon, Shawn Gillies, Matt Johnston, Steve O’Keefe.

England 229 for 4 (Bell 73, Collingwood 70*) beat New Zealand 234 for 9 (Oram 88, Broad 3-32) by six wickets (D/L method)
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

England’s chastised cricketers demonstrated a new-found resolve in the third ODI against New Zealand in Auckland, and hauled themselves back into contention in the series with a hard-earned but ultimately comfortable six-wicket victory. After winning the toss and bowling first, England might have imagined an easier day’s work when New Zealand slumped to 95 for 6 midway through their innings, but a flamboyant 88 from Jacob Oram ensured a stiff rain-adjusted target of 229. Fittingly, after one or two alarms, it was left to England’s captain, Paul Collingwood, to seal the match with a fusillade of boundaries. He finished on 70 not out from 50 balls.For Collingwood personally, it was a triumphant day – he also picked up 3 for 43 with his medium-pacers. But the collective morale boost was of far greater consequence to his side. England’s one-day fortunes have known some dog-days in recent years, but their ten-wicket defeat at Hamilton on Tuesday was about as bad as it has ever been. At 2-0 down in the series, anything less than victory in this game would have been curtains for the series.That prospect, however, didn’t look remotely likely during the opening exchanges of today’s contest. At Hamilton, New Zealand’s openers, Brendon McCullum and Jesse Ryder, added 165 unbeaten runs in just 18.1 overs. This time they were parted before the end of the second over, and New Zealand went on to lose three more wickets inside the first 15. It was James Anderson who removed both men – McCullum to a fifth-ball bouncer and Ryder to a mistimed pull to deep midwicket – having located that extra yard of pace and aggression that he had mysteriously mislaid in his previous outing.Stuart Broad also struck twice in his first spell. Jamie How steered a low catch to Collingwood in the gully before the off-colour Scott Styris top-edged a bouncer to midwicket, and at 53 for 4, New Zealand’s ropey middle-order had been exposed. Collingwood picked up his first wicket when Peter Fulton, with his feet stuck in treacle, was bowled through the gate for a tortuous 4 from 25 balls, and he struck again soon afterwards when Ross Taylor was adjudged lbw by a flustered Asaf Rauf. Rauf had just been forced to call a dead-ball for a slogged six over midwicket, because he had not been watching the action when the delivery was bowled.At 95 for 6, all New Zealand’s hopes were invested in Oram, and he didn’t disappoint. On 5, he was very lucky to survive a confident lbw appeal from Ryan Sidebottom, but he made his life count with another innings of intense power and perfect timing. He combined with Daniel Vettori in a seventh-wicket stand of 74 to take the sting out of the scoreline and then, when Vettori picked out Owais Shah with a flat pull to wide long-on, he took up the cudgels with a stunning square drive for six off Mascarenhas, and consecutive sixes in Broad’s final over, to dent his otherwise excellent figures of 3 for 32.Ian Bell produced a superb catch running back at midwicket to deny Oram a shot at a century, but New Zealand’s total of 234 for 9 was considerably more than England had bargained for. It was soon put into some sort of context when England lost both their openers inside the first eight overs. Phil Mustard slogged two fours and a top-edged six in another frenetic innings, but then became England’s seventh run-out victim in 21 dismissals when he unwisely took on Vettori’s arm at mid-off. Then, following a brief rain break, Alastair Cook lost patience after batting out consecutive maidens, and pulled loosely to mid-on.The sting of England’s chase, however, was absorbed by Bell and Kevin Pietersen, who added 107 for the third wicket in unexpectedly contrasting styles. Bell was the aggressor, using his feet well to force the ball through the covers and over long-on; Pietersen was strangely subdued, trying but failing to find his timing as New Zealand’s medium-pacers cramped his style. Nevertheless, while the pair were in harness, England were in full control of their destiny. The threat of rain spurred Pietersen into action with three fours in a row off Paul Hitchcock, but Vettori tipped the scales once again when both men fell lbw in consecutive overs. Bell was decidedly unfortunate – the ball clearly deflected off an inside edge – but Pietersen could have no complaints as he once again stepped across his stumps to be rapped on the shin.At 149 for 4, England still required 80 to win from 14 overs, but Collingwood was in no mood to succumb to another embarrassment. With Shah alongside him, England ticked off the singles until they were within striking distance, and then Collingwood cut loose. A volley of four sixes and two fours in nine balls – including a cheeky reverse dab and an effortless pick-up over the ropes – allowed England to coast home with a full three overs to spare. It might not be enough to expunge the memories of Hamilton, but it was just the tonic the team needed. And more importantly, it kept the series alive.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Inspired by a genius who raised his game when the occasion demanded, Sri Lanka overpowered India in their final league match at Port-of-Spain and stormed into the Super Eights. India suffered one of their most disappointing days in recent memory, muffing up a run-chase on a pitch posing no worries, and were all but ousted from the World Cup, in what is likely to be their worst campaign since 1979.It wasn’t as one-sided a contest as the scorecard suggests. The first half of the match was a cat-and-mouse battle that everyone expected, with neither team establishing their dominance. Sri Lanka scrapped out a competitive 254 and defended it with verve and skill. Muttiah Muralitharan towered over India’s batsmen, bounding in from around the wicket and taunting them with offbreaks and that were near unplayable. He was unstoppable on the field too and pulled off a full-length lunge to dismiss the in-form Sourav Ganguly, and killed Indian hopes once and for all with a good catch at long-off to get rid of Rahul Dravid.Coming close on the heels of Bob Woolmer’s tragic demise, India’s exit will no doubt be a setback for the World Cup. Carrying the tags of ‘commercial favourites’, they will be the first to admit that they didn’t deserve to go through, having been trumped by both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It was no doubt a spineless batting effort today but there is little one can do when confronted by a magician like Murali.Half-centuries from Upul Tharanga and Chamara Silva had set Sri Lanka up but it was the Murali factor that proved too much for India. His first-ball topspinner that hoodwinked Mahendra Singh Dhoni summed up his influence. He fizzed one through and landed it on middle stump, Dhoni thought about the cut but could only watch in a daze as the ball crashed into his back pad. It was so plumb, and he seemed so embarrassed, that he walked instinctively. To see Dhoni walk before the bowler had completely gone up for the lbw appeal was to see the last whiff of hope evaporate.Murali earlier removed the dangerous Virender Sehwag at a crucial juncture. Sehwag’s solidity, and reading of the percentages, was reminiscent of the batsman in his prime. There was hardly any wild swinging outside off – barring one moment on 39, when Kumar Sangakkara couldn’t latch on to a full-length dive off a fierce slash off Dilhara Fernando – but a game built on assessing the situation and the bowlers. Yet, in the 23rd over, Murali’s third, he was tied up in knots. He first missed a doosra down the leg side, one that was called wide despite nearly knocking off leg stump, but was completely baffled by another that pitched on off and turned away, watching Mahela Jayawardene gobble up a catch at first slip.If Sehwag’s dismissal was the turning point, Yuvraj Singh’s fatal run-out was probably the clincher. Taking off for a single where there was none, after Dravid had nudged behind square, was all it needed for Sri Lanka to pounce. Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar had fallen cheaply earlier – one to a poor stroke, another to an incisive delivery – and the run-chase was well and truly derailed. Dravid ploughed along amid the ruins, suffering a hamstring along the way and briefly lashing Lasith Malinga for four consecutive fours in an over, but that was nothing but a rage against the dying light. The contest was long over.

Sri Lanka’s batting efforts were built around Tharanga and Silva. Sri Lanka didn’t ride on their senior pros, who were bogged down and snaffled out, but relied on a 22-year-old to guide them past the early tension. Tharanga wasn’t at his flowing best, understandably so considering the needle in this contest, but his half-century was the one that anchored the innings. He didn’t endeavour anything out of the ordinary and had his lucky moments, against Ajit Agarkar’s slower balls and Zaheer Khan’s in-cutters. But he interspersed them with gorgeous drives.His dismissal brought in a couple of hardworking batsmen – Silva was beaver-like in his approach, grinding out singles and improvising fours while Dilshan, always on the look-out for runs, provided support. Silva’s third consecutive World Cup fifty formed the heart of the middle overs and his cheeky glides behind the wicket irritated the bowlers. Dilshan was the more forceful, backing away and forcing the ball through the off side. Both fell in quick succession but Russel Arnold and Chaminda Vaas, adding 38 in 23 deliveries, boosted the total beyond the 250 mark.India’s bowlers turned in an impressive performance, 27 extras notwithstanding. Agarkar and Munaf Patel were the best bowlers on view and would have ended with richer hauls with a dose of good fortune. Tendulkar surprised with his banana inswing and Ganguly chipped in with an important wicket. The tension that had built up over the last few days simmered right through the first 70 overs of the match, only for Murali to cut through it in his inimitable style. A banner that read “Murali-ed” probably got it just right.