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Justin Langer, the Australia Test opener, is looking forward to a short stint with Somerset where he hopes to work on his game as well as keep a lookout for opponents he might face in this year’s Ashes.Langer, who has not played a competitive match since he was hit on the head by a vicious bouncer from Makhaya Ntini in April, will take the place of fellow Australian Dan Cullen, who is due to play with Australia A in the Top End series.He was declared fit after passing a series of neurological and vision tests and will be going to Somerset later this month. “I had my eyes checked last night, and I have got almost perfect vision, so there are no more excuses for me with my eyesight,” Langer told . “Ironically I had the same tests four years ago and the results were better on Monday than they were [then].”I am not sure if that means I am getting smarter, or if the concussion was not as bad as we first thought.”This will be excellent timing to get in amongst the action again and get back in the rhythm of batting,” said Langer, who might be opening for Somerset along with his English counterpart, Marcus Trescothick. “He and I will probably be trying to stay out there as long as we can together, not only to make as many runs for Somerset as possible, but also to get a few tips on how each other are doing.”Brian Rose, Somerset’s director of cricket, said that the players were delighted about Langer joining them at the county.”Justin offers tremendous help both on and off the pitch and will be a great asset to us during the six weeks that he will be with us,” he told the county’s website. “He will also be an informal coach because he has got a great rapport with the younger players.”His stint with the county is subject to clearance by Michael Brown, the general manager of cricket operations for Cricket Australia, who will consult with medical staff and the Australia coach John Buchanan. “We aim to get him over by the third week in June to play in the pre-Twenty20 games and the C&G match against Ireland in Belfast,” Rose said.Langer has experience of county cricket, having spent three seasons with Middlesex between 1998 and 2000, and Rose was confident the batsman, who turns 36 in November, could sign for an entire season next year. “Justin wants to get back into the English game as well and sees Somerset as the ideal county for him to do that with, so we will be having serious discussions when he arrives,” Rose said.”If he does come back to join us in 2007 we would be delighted because we have a young side. His character and the way he bats would be a huge asset in a first-class season, particularly if he is available for the majority of the time, which seems likely at the moment.”Langer’s Australian team, Western Australia has been hit by news the WACA Ground could become a smaller stadium that stages only domestic games if a state government report is carried out. Seven recommendations have been tabled including one for a major venue to accommodate Australian rules, rugby union, football and international cricket. If this project gains approval the WACA could be downscaled to host interstate matches.”Our first reaction to the prospect of the WACA Ground not being considered as having a role in the staging of major events, cricket or otherwise, in ten years is one of disappointment,” Tony Dodemaide, the WACA chief executive, said. “However, by no means is this a fait accompli.”We aren’t resigned to any outcome at this point. We have only just received the document and the association will undertake a detailed analysis of the report to properly assess the implications for the WACA Ground, our members and stakeholders, and, most importantly, the long-term well-being of cricket in this state.”

Pakistan XI 260 for 8 (Misbah 77, Hameed 52) beat World XI 216 for 7 (Robin 58*) by 44 runs
Scorecard

Wasim Akram got a rousing send-off in his farewell match as a Pakistan XI team, of which he was the captain, beat a World XI line-up by 44 runs in a charity game at Lahore. In a 40-over day-night match, Pakistan XI made 260, and then restricted the World XI to just 216. Akram contributed a 11-ball 18, and then took one wicket in three overs, but the statistics were only of academic interest as 15,000 fans at the Gaddafi Stadium cheered his every move.The Pakistan XI innings was dominated by Misbah-ul-Haq (77) and Yasir Hameed (52), who continued the good form he has shown all season. Akram batted at No. 6 and blitzed four fours in his innings, before Steve Tikolo ended the fun, having him stumped by Romesh Kaluwitharana.Akram then derailed the World XI reply early, trapping Sanath Jayasuriya in front for a fourth-ball duck. Robin Singh (58 not out) and Tikolo (43) propped up the run-chase for a while, but the World team were never in the hunt.Akram was visibly moved by the opportunity to have a last fling on the cricket field. “When I retired I received a lot of telephone calls and e-mails from fans that I should have done so in a match on home soil and I have fulfilled their demands,” he said. “I owe it all to my fans, whether they live in Pakistan, England or anywhere in the world – no cricketer can become a great player until he is motivated by fans. It’s a great feeling, I led my country with distinction and this one last chance brought it all back.”

A second cricket journalist has been deported from Zimbabwe. Telford Vice, who was covering the five-match one-day series between Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka for Reuters, was forced to leave the country on Friday after being refused press accreditation.An exhausted Vice, speaking from Johannesburg International Airport lastnight as he waited for a flight to Durban, said Reuters made the decision tosend him to cover the series late and thus his accreditation application didnot completely comply with Zimbabwe’s stringent rules. Journalistsneed to get accreditation from both the Zimbabwean government and theZimbabwe Cricket Union, and the government accreditation alone costs US$600.Vice arrived in Zimbabwe on Monday, and without hope of getting hisaccreditation, it was “suggested” that he leave the country. “It was quite atense climate,” he said. “The thing with Zimbabwe is that everything is politicised. Itfelt like South Africa in the 1980s.”Last week the Daily Telegraph cricket writer Mihir Bose was deported from Zimbabwe, after also submitting a late application for accreditation.

Aasif Karim’s figures of 8.2-6-7-3 are the 8th most economical at 0.84 runsper over in a World Cup match by a bowler bowling at least 5 overs.The following bowlers have conceded less than 1 run per over in a World Cupmatch:

RPO Figures Name For Against Venue Year0.40 5-3-2-1 DA Reeve England Pakistan Adelaide 19920.50 12-8-6-1 BS Bedi India East Africa Leeds 19750.62 8-4-5-1 M Hendrick England Canada Manchester 19790.80 10-4-8-2 CEL Ambrose West Indies Scotland Leicester 19990.80 10-5-8-4 CM Old England Canada Manchester 19790.80 5-2-4-0 B Wood England India Lord’s 19750.83 12-6-10-0 RJ Hadlee New Zealand East Africa Birmingham 19750.84 8.2-6-7-3 AY Karim Kenya Australia Durban 20030.91 12-5-11-2 DS de Silva Sri Lanka New Zealand Derby 19830.91 12-6-11-4 JA Snow England East Africa Birmingham 19750.96 8.2-5-8-3 DR Pringle England Pakistan Adelaide 1992(Minimum 5 overs)

The record for most runs in a World Cup tournament was passed by SachinTendulkar earlier in this year’s event. In the Australia v Kenya match the record for the most wicket-keeping dismissals and catches by a fielder in a tournament were both passed. Adam Gilchrist now has 18 dismissals (all ct) in this tournament, passing the 16 (15 ct, 1 st) by Jeff Dujon (WI) in 1983 and 16 (12 ct, 4 st) by Moin Khan (Pak) in 1999. Gilchrist now has 32 dismissals (30 ct, 2 st) in his World Cup career, passing Moin Khan’s career record of 30 (23 ct, 7 st).In the fielding department, Ricky Ponting now has 10 catches in thistournament, passing the record of 8 by Anil Kumble (Ind) in 1996 and Daryll Cullinan (SA) in 1999. Dinesh Mongia (Ind) has also taken 8 catches at this year’s tournament. Ponting has now taken 17 catches in his World Cup career, passing Chris Cairns’ career record of 16.Chaminda Vaas has now taken 20 wickets (avg 14.85) in this tournament. Thisequals the record of 20 wickets in a tournament set by Geoff Allott (NZ) (avg 16.25) and Shane Warne (Aus) (avg 18.05) in 1999.

Ben Smith and Aftab Habib produced a triple century stand for the thirdwicket as Leicestershire comfortably batted out for a draw at Taunton.After the visitors had begun the final day on 19-1 in their second innings,still two runs behind, Trevor Ward fell early to boost Somerset hopes.But Smith, who hit an unbeaten 180, and Habib (149) then added exactly 300on a superb batting pitch and Leicestershire put aside any notion of adeclaration to reach 404-4 at the close.It was a disappointing finish to a match that had looked perfectly poisedafter the first two days. But the third-day wash-out doused any hopes eitherside had of a positive result.Somerset skipper Jamie Cox used his opening bowlers Richard Johnson andSteffan Jones for the first hour in an effort to make something happen, butthen preferred to rest them for the C&G Trophy semi-final againstWarwickshire tomorrow.Smith was first to his hundred, off 135 balls, with 16 fours. In the processhe became the first Leicestershire player to pass 1,000 first-class runs forthe season.It was his sixth century of the season and a fine effort, even if thebowling was less than demanding at times.Habib soon followed to three figures. By the time he gave a slip catch toMike Burns off Keith Dutch after tea, he had faced 206 balls and struck 20fours in a stylish innings.It was too good a pitch on which to set a run chase. Darren Maddy missed outwhen he skied Dutch to Jones at mid off, having made only six, but Smithmoved relentlessly on.By the close he had hit 22 boundaries in his 274-ball innings without givinga hint of a chance. Both teams took nine points.

Tasmanian opener Jamie Cox again served the national selectors with a reminder of his very considerable talents by registering twin centuries in a match for the fourth time in his first-class career today. Cox’s unbeaten 128 was the clear highlight of an otherwise largely forgettable final day of the tame Pura Cup draw between his team and New South Wales at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.Before the almost-inevitable result was delivered a little earlier than expected by virtue of a late afternoon thunderstorm, Cox’s batting carried an injury-depleted Tasmania to safety. The Tigers had gone into the final day needing to hold their nerve against a New South Wales attack in search of early wickets, and did so admirably. Assisted in no small measure by Michael DiVenuto (86) and Daniel Marsh (60*), it was Cox who offered the largest share of defiance in scoring the first pair of centuries in a match for Tasmania since he achieved the feat against the Blues in Sydney four years ago. This was the third time, in fact, that he has plundered two centuries in a match against New South Wales – the first having come in Hobart in 1989-90. He has also complemented this list with a similar performance for Somerset against Hampshire during the 1999 English county season. As is the Tasmanian captain’s trademark, this one was a correct and elegant innings, littered with a range of sparkling drives on both sides of the wicket and flashing cuts through and behind point.For all of their opener’s domination, though, the Tasmanians were well tested throughout the day by the leg spin of Stuart MacGill. MacGill (2/85) was by far the best of the Blues’ bowlers today, and was unlucky not to finish with better figures. Indeed, if Don Nash had not dropped the simplest of catches at mid on in the second over of the day as DiVenuto (then on 46) took a wild swipe at a well flighted ball, the situation could have been vastly different.Nash (1/54) eventually exacted a small measure of revenge when he had DiVenuto caught down the leg side to bring a 195-run partnership to its conclusion four minutes before lunch. The New South Welshmen also enjoyed another great moment when MacGill forced Ricky Ponting (3) to edge the very first delivery after the break back into his stumps. Following those dismissals, though, the Tasmanians were rarely in trouble on their way to a score of 3/315 by the time that the heavens opened at 3:26pm.Following their first innings victory yesterday, the Blues finish the match in second position on the Pura Cup table with eight points from their two matches. The Tasmanians assume third spot with two points. The teams will resume hostilities when they meet, weather permitting, in a Mercantile Mutual Cup encounter tomorrow.

In his first year as editor of the 145th , Scyld Berry warns of the ever-increasing likelihood of on-field physical incident, while attacking the exorbitant and rising costs of watching an England Test.”I fear the day is approaching when a high-profile, televised cricket match will see an outbreak of physical violence on the field – and nothing could be more injurious to all concerned,” said Berry, who has replaced Matthew Engel as the Almanack’s editor for this year and 2009. “Preventing physical violence on the pitch – as more and more matches are played for more and more money – will require vision and leadership.”The worst example came in the Kanpur international when Gautam Gambhir ran straight down the pitch and straight into Shahid Afridi. As the bowler, Afridi was allowed to stay where he was at the end of his follow-through; it was up to the batsman to swerve and avoid him.”It is the ICC’s responsibility to police international cricket, Berry says, and he calls for an exact clarification on the rights of way between fielders and batsmen on the cut strip.Elsewhere in the wide-ranging Notes by the Editor – Wisden’s annual sermon on the state of the game – Berry laments the performances of England’s one-day side and takes aim at the ECB’s responsibility to publicise the game to as wide an audience as possible. “A family day out at an England cricket match is now for millionaires only,” he says. “Watching the England team, whether at a ground or on subscription television, is becoming an elite pastime for the affluent, like opera. To watch the whole Test match at Lord’s against South Africa this summer will cost a member of the public at least £300. Even a day of the New Zealand Test at Lord’s will cost £60, while the best ticket for a one-day international at The Oval has exceeded £100.”Jacques Kallis, the South Africa allrounder, was named the Leading Cricketer in the World for 2007 for his 1210 Test runs at 86.42 last year and 20 wickets at 25.75, labelled by Peter Roebuck as “the first indisputably great African cricketer of the post-apartheid era”. The five Cricketers of the Year were Ian Bell and Ryan Sidebottom for their England performances last year, Ottis Gibson for his outstanding season with Durham, Zaheer Khan – who enjoyed such a prolific tour of England – and Shivnarine Chanderpaul who defied England so resolutely.Berry also questions why the batsmen of today cannot hit the ball as far as their Victorian counterparts, in spite of their apparently brawnier bodies and bats. The biggest ever hit of 175 yards, or 160 metres, was recorded at Oxford in 1856 “from hit to pitch” by Walter Fellows; the Australian George Bonnor struck a ball 160 yards a few years later. Yet the biggest strike in last year’s inaugural World Twenty20 championship, by India’s Yuvraj Singh, was only 119 metres. Berry offers a possible explanation in a piece entitled “Hail Fellows, well hit”. also look at five great cricketers who were never selected as Cricketers of the Year – which include Abdul Qadir, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Wes Hall – and they introduce a new award, the Young Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year.

The West Indian camp sounded confident of a win ahead of the final day ofthe Test at Old Trafford, needing 154 runs with five wickets remaining tocomplete the highest fourth innings run-chase in the history of Testcricket.”I think we’re in it,” said David Moore, the West Indies coach. “They [England] have only taken two wickets in the last two sessions [on day four]. We batted very well and we’ve got twoquality batsmen in at the moment.” Moore hoped that Denesh Ramdin and Shivnarine Chanderpaul could keep batting for as long as possible to get West Indies as close to the target and then leave it up to Darren Sammy and the tail.Daren Ganga, captain of the West Indies, also sounded pleased with the day’sproceedings. “This has been a very good day,” he said. “The mere fact that we onlylost our wickets today was definitely a positive for us.” Ganga felt hisbatsmen had stuck to the task in the uphill battle to chase a score ofover 400. “Shivnarine Chanderpaul led the way with his knock and all theother guys supported. Runako Morton laid that foundation, Dwayne Bravo andDenesh Ramdin all contributed.”Looking ahead to the final day’s play, an optimistic Ganga said, “The gamewould be over probably in two sessions. If we can bat for two sessions Iam sure we will win the Test match.”Shivnarine Chanderpaul, unbeaten on 81, is the man on whom West Indianhopes will be pinned on to finish the job. Talking about the approach ofthe batsmen on day four, Chanderpaul said, “We were looking forpartnerships and to take it session by session and that was how webasically approached it.” When asked about the approach for the final day,he added, “We will go out and continue doing the same thing and look tobat out the first two sessions. If we do that we will be close to winningthe game.”Moore justified the confidence in Chanderpaul by saying he was a classic Test batsman as he loved batting with his back against the wall. “He is underrated and underestimated and people do that at their own peril, Chanderpaul is a world-class cricketer.”Moore felt the West Indian lower-order could provide able support toChanderpaul. “Sammy is very gutsy as you can see with theball, he’s very passionate and certainly he has the ability to supportShiv. We’re looking forward for 9, 10 and 11 to contribute if they have tobut we’re looking forward to knock it off before that.”Expressing his view about chasing the record, Moore said, “It would befantastic if we can do it. In retrospect if we had scored more runs in thefirst innings and batted a little longer we would have been a lot closerthan we are already so we’ve got those things to contemplate later on butat the moment we certainly looking to chase down the target.”Incidentally, West Indies hold the current record for the highestfourth-innings total to win a Test, having scored 418 for 7 against Australiain 2003 at St John’s, Antigua. Chanderpaul had scored a century in that match as well.

A little over a decade ago, a one-day series between West Indies and Zimbabwe would have been an intriguing prospect. International cricket’s newcomers, boasting players such as the Flowers, Heath Streak and Dave Houghton, against the world champions, with Richie Richardson, Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose and Brian Lara.In the intervening period both countries have fallen on hard times, and now the bloated seven-match one-day series has all the appeal of a late-season meeting between Torquay and Stockport. Both are in decline – West Indies a gradual long-term one, Zimbabwe’s politically-motivated – and this is a series few outside the Caribbean, and that includes in Zimbabwe, really care about. Since West Indies’ victory in the Champions Trophy in 2004, they have won three out of 23 ODIs they have played. In the same period, Zimbabwe have won four out of 21 (all against either Bangladesh or Kenya).Only one player survives from what we can now look back on as something of a golden era, and that is Lara. It is no coincidence that he is the only real class act on show this time round, with all due respect to Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.Not that the gulf between West Indies and the almost totally anonymous Zimbabwe side needs underlining, but consider this. Lara has played 259 ODIs and scored 9359 runs. The entire 16-man Zimbabwe squad boasts a combined total of 166 one-day caps and 2371 runs – and 831 of those come from the bat of Brendan Taylor, their most experienced player. And between them, they cannot even muster 100 ODI wickets,On paper, this series should be grotesquely one-sided. West Indies might have been disrupted by recent contractual upheavals, but they are now settled and Lara has returned for a third tilt at the captaincy. He is realistic enough to know that India in June and July will be a tough nut, so this is his and his team’s best chance to get some capital in the bank as the build-up to the World Cup begins.

West Indies might be a shadow of what they were but they still have more than enough in stock to rout Zimbabwe. The tourists’ batting is fragile, as they showed in the recent series against Kenya. Then, they faced little more than dobblers. Against genuine pace, as was the case in South Africa 13 months ago, almost none of them have the technique to survive. With only four ODIs (all against the Kenyans) in the last eight months, it is inconceivable that they have improved enough to cope with the West Indies attack. The man in form, opener Piet Rinke, is explosive but has yet to be tested against anything half decent.Zimbabwe’s bowling is barely above club standard. Edward Rainsford has the makings of being a decent opening bowler, but he struggled in the warm-ups and , remarkably, is being released halfway through the tour to go and play club cricket in England. Blessing Mahwire, his new-ball partner, looked ordinary against Kenya. The change bowlers hold few concerns and it should be a chance for West Indies’ batsmen to fill their boots.It is, therefore, slightly puzzling that throughout the West Indies the talk has been of not underestimating Zimbabwe, almost as if they are preparing for a setback or two. Perhaps the ghost of Kenya in 1996 still lingers, but a defeat in at least one match seems to be a real concern. It shouldn’t be. While West Indies have slid to a new low, there remains a massive gulf between them and Zimbabwe, and anything other than a comprehensive whitewash will be unsatisfactory.If only Zimbabwe had not driven so much talent abroad then this series could have been a cracker. Imagine a Zimbabwe side containing the likes of Streak, Andy Flower, Murray Goodwin and Tatenda Taibu. As it is, what amounts to a third-string Zimbabwe team are set for three weeks in which their real goal must be to show the world that they have enough potential to prevent the ICC calling time on their participation at cricket’s top table.

Mohammad Akram and Azhar Mahmood have signed three and one-year contracts respectively to play for Surrey, following the retirement of Adam Hollioake and the departure of Alex Tudor. Surrey are still looking for a spinner to replace Saqlain Mushtaq, who has not been re-engaged after he missed most of the 2004 campaign with a knee injury.

Akram, who last represented Pakistan in March 2001, has previously turned out for Northamptonshire and Essex, but had one year still left on his contract at his last club, Sussex. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Sussex and wish them every success in the future.” Akram said. “It was a great dressing-room atmosphere.” On his move to Surrey, he added “I’m delighted to have signed for what I regard as the biggest club in England. I already know a few of the players, such as Azhar [Mahmood] and I’m looking forward to working hard in the off-season so that we can bring trophies to The Oval next summer.”Azhar himself, who has been an overseas player for Surrey since 2002, took 58 wickets in the Championship this year and was voted Team Player for 2004. He said, “The Oval has become my home over the last few years and I’m very happy to have committed to the club for next year.”Steve Rixon, Surrey’s cricket manager enthused: “To have the talents of Mohammad on the field for us next season will be a real bonus. He is a top-quality performer who will relish the sort of pitches produced here at the Brit Oval. We know what we are getting with Azhar, someone who gives 100% and is very popular in the dressing room. To have the both of them playing here at the Brit Oval next summer is very exciting and demonstrates our intention to strengthen the squad.”Two-year contracts were given to Richard Clinton, a opening batsman and son of Surrey’s former coach Grahame, and left-arm spinner Nayan Doshi, son of former Indian Test player Dillip, while two brisk right-arm bowlers, Danny Miller and Jade Dembrach, who is a product of their Academy, have agreed to terms.