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Australia’s captain Michael Clarke is expected to be ruled out of the forthcoming limited overs tour to India due to his chronic back troubles

Daniel Brettig20-Sep-2013Australia’s captain Michael Clarke is expected to be ruled out of the forthcoming limited-overs tour to India due to his chronic back troubles. Clarke was named subject to fitness in the 14-man squad to play seven ODIs after he complained of soreness and restricted movement during the closing stages of the long England tour.However medical staff and the national selectors are conscious of ensuring Clarke is as fit as possible for the Ashes home series to follow, and ESPNcricinfo understands he is likely to be prescribed a period of rest following his exertions in England. This would be a similar outcome to that which followed the end of the India Test tour in March, when Clarke missed the final match of the series.At the time, Clarke stated he would let the “experts” decide on his fitness for the IPL that followed soon after, and he was duly ruled out of his duties for Pune in the Twenty20 tournament. Clarke spoke in distinctly similar terms when assessing his chances of making the India ODI tour this time around.”For me right now it’s about getting on the phone to Alex Kountouris, the Australian physio, and communicating with him as I have been over the last couple of weeks since he’s been back in Australia and we’ll make a plan from there,” Clarke said. “No doubt it’s quite stiff and sore but I’ll be guided by the experts on what I need to do now to try and get myself as fit as I can be.”Clarke played the final match of the England ODI series as he successfully sought a winning end to a difficult tour for him and his team. Darren Lehmann, the Australia coach, said that Clarke had insisted on playing at Southampton despite his discomfort, but would be placed in the hands of medical staff to judge his ability to make the India trip.In Clarke’s absence, George Bailey would then lead the team through the series in addition to the opening T20 fixture, while possible replacement batsmen include Callum Ferguson and Nic Maddinson. David Warner is not thought to be in contention for an immediate ODI recall.Staying at home would allow Clarke the chance to recover fully from his present ailment while also offering extra time to prepare for the Ashes Tests at home, a series that he will be under significant pressure to win having gathered intelligence and confidence against England in the latter stages of the Tests in the northern hemisphere. He may also have the chance to take part in more Sheffield Shield matches prior to the first Test at the Gabba.The back condition that has affected Clarke at numerous junctures across his career is not entirely linked to fatigue, as shown when it reared soon after his arrival in England earlier this year, ruling him out of the Champions Trophy. However regular rest over time may allow his career to go on further than it might if he maintains a diet of constant cricket.

Zimbabwe had their moments where they stretched Pakistan with a confident start in their chase of 162, but tackling the spinners in the middle overs was always going to be the bigger proposition

The Report by Kanishkaa Balachandran23-Aug-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShahid Afridi made an impact with bat and ball, scoring 23 and taking three wickets•AFP

Zimbabwe had their moments where they stretched Pakistan with a confident start in their chase of 162, but tackling the spinners in the middle overs was always going to be the bigger proposition. Pakistan’s spin trio – led by Shahid Afridi – put the stranglehold on the scoring with regular wickets and the hosts found the target rapidly slipping away from them. Once the required rate neared an improbable 12, the final passage of play turned tepid.In both innings, Pakistan found the going tough in the first half of the innings but clawed back in the second. Ahmed Shehzad weathered a sluggish start with a solid half-century that set the base for Shahid Afridi to play his natural game and push Pakistan to a competitive score. The Pakistan seamers struggled to contain the openers, but following a few quiet overs of spin, the momentum shifted. Brendan Taylor was looking to play himself into some form, after a poor series against India, and he didn’t have the time or an attacking partner at the other end to help his side reclaim the edge.After being put in to bat, Pakistan lost their first three wickets inside nine overs, all off questionable shots. Tendai Chatara accounted for the first two, and his second wicket to get rid of Mohammed Hafeez was made possible thanks to a brilliant reflex catch by Taylor. That catch was a good example of Zimbabwe’s fielding in the early part of Pakistan’s innings, but they couldn’t put enough pressure on Pakistan in the second half.Pakistan progressed to a less-than-satisfactory 57 for 3 after ten overs, but the turning point in the innings came in the 12th over. It was Elton Chigumbura’s first and he leaked 17, which included a pulled six by the debutant Sohaib Maqsood and two swept boundaries by Shehzad past short fine leg. Pakistan ensured they maintained that momentum till the end of the innings, picking 75 runs off six beginning from the 12th.Maqsood looked promising in a stand of 55 with Shehzad, pouncing on anything short from the seamers. After pulling Chigumbura over deep square leg, he tried to clear the straight boundary the following ball but was done in by an impressive running catch by Vusi Sibanda.Shehzad’s knock was vital in giving Pakistan a base to build on, which was crucial given the under par scores from the rest of the top order. He managed only one boundary in the first ten overs and began to open up in the company of the confident Maqsood. He was caught on the edge of the long-on boundary for 70, attempting a second six. Afridi, sent in at No.6, made a cameo 23 to give the bowlers a solid score to defend.Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza helped Zimbabwe race to 35 off five overs – at the same stage Pakistan had already lost two wickets. Taylor said at the toss that Zimbabwe were more comfortable chasing, and the openers certainly gave the impression. Sibanda didn’t look too troubled by Mohammad Irfan’s pace and lift, improvising by arching his back to steer the ball wide of the fielders on the off side.Saeed Ajmal was brought on in the sixth over as damage control. Captain Hafeez reverted to his seamers and Anwar Ali struck in the first over of his second spell when he trapped Hamilton Masakadza lbw attempting to pull a ball that wasn’t short enough. A set Sibanda lost his leg stump to Afridi, staying back to a flat, quicker delivery. Sean Williams was trapped lbw on the sweep, but didn’t appear satisfied with the decision.What Taylor needed was a form partner and the team management probably erred by not promoting Elton Chigumbura. Chigumbura performed better than some of the specialists in the one-dayers against India and when he walked in today Zimbabwe needed in excess of 17 an over. Timycen Maruma, who came in ahead of him, faced 13 balls for ten runs, at a time when Zimbabwe were desperate for a massive surge. The spinners held sway and the margin of victory was a comfortable 25 runs.

Akram Khan will leave his position as chairman of Bangladesh’s selection committee on the day the BCB election dates are announced

Mohammad Isam04-Jul-2013Akram Khan will leave his position as chairman of Bangladesh’s selection committee on the day the BCB election dates are announced. He confirmed this on Thursday after being asked to continue in the role till September, along with the other selectors Habibul Bashar and Minhazul Abedin.In the meantime, the BCB will formally ask the National Sports Council, Bangladesh’s sports regulatory body, to announce the board election dates. According to BCB president Nazmul Hassan, that could very well be this month.Akram has apparently been assured by the NSC that he will be elected unopposed as one of their designated directors on the board. In the 2008 elections, the number of NSC directors on the board was one, but it has not been made certain which constitution will be followed in the forthcoming election.”I will leave this position the day the election dates are announced,” Akram said. “If it happens to be before my term ends in September, I will let the board know. I am not interested in contesting elections in the present situation. I have been given an assurance. I may become a director through NSC’s quota.”I have already told the board regarding my desire to become a director, and I have done that before my tenured ended on June 30. I plan to make cricket better in the country, at all levels. I have a lot of plans about school cricket and age-group cricket. I have been a selector for six years, and I have worked with honesty and hard work.”

Nadir Shah, the Bangladesh umpire, has been handed a ten-year ban by the BCB on charges of corruption alleged by a TV sting operation in 2012

Mohammad Isam18-Mar-2013Nadir Shah, the Bangladesh umpire, has been handed a ten-year ban by the BCB on charges of corruption alleged by a TV sting operation in 2012. The decision followed an investigation carried out by the Bangladesh board.Sharfuddoula Saikat, the other umpire who was contacted by reporters posing as agents, was cleared to continue umpiring. Saikat had informed the BCB’s umpires committee at the time of contact with whom he perceived to be agents, but his case had also been kept pending since October last year.”Nadir Shah will not be considered for a BCB retainership for 10 years,” the BCB said in a statement. “During this period he will not be eligible for any assignment under the jurisdiction of the BCB.” He has the right to appeal to the BCB once he is formally informed of the decision.The sting, broadcast by , claimed to have “exposed” several first-class umpires from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan who were allegedly willing to give decisions favouring players for a fee. In the sting, conducted in July and August 2012, the reporters claimed to belong to a sports management company and promised the umpires officiating assignments in events of all kinds around the world, largely domestic Twenty20 leagues.All three national boards announced investigations following the broadcast. The BCB conducted a detailed investigation into the matter, with two committees being formed by subsequent board of directors. A BCB statement said the ICC supported it in the investigation process. The PCB is scheduled to receive the report of its inquiry committee later on Monday, while in Sri Lanka the investigation has not been carried out as yet.ICC chief executive Dave Richardson said the decision reflected the commitment of the ICC and its members to root out corruption from cricket. “This decision also reiterates cricket’s zero-tolerance approach towards corruption and should serve as a reminder to all stakeholders, be they umpires, players, curators or administrators of the risks and challenges the sport faces.”Shah, who officiated in 40 ODIs and three Twenty20 internationals, was the only umpire shown in the sting to have met the undercover reporters in person; the others operated through internet-based video chats. He had said at the time that he went along with the undercover reporters’ plan because he had felt “threatened” by the people, whom he met at a Delhi hotel. He maintained that stand in public though he did admit his mistake to the investigation committee.

Sri Lanka are still unsure whether their key spinner Ajantha Mendis will be fit to play their first Super Eights match on Sept 27

Sa'adi Thawfeeq26-Sep-2012Sri Lanka are still unsure whether their key spinner Ajantha Mendis will be fit to play their first Super Eights match against New Zealand on September 27. Mendis, who is suffering from a side strain, is scheduled to practice with the team today, and a call on his participation will be taken before the game.Mendis picked up the injury in Sri Lanka’s opening game against Zimbabwe on September 18, but completed his overs after being treated on the field. He has since then been under treatment and was left out of Sri Lanka’s final group match against South Africa on September 22; Sri Lanka lost that rain-curtailed game by 32 runs. Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lanka captain, had said Mendis’ omission from the South Africa match on Saturday had simply been precautionary but, despite having eight days to recover, Mendis is yet to regain full fitness.”We are monitoring his progress carefully. We took an MRI scan on his left side and it showed a slight tear,” Charith Senanayake, the Sri Lanka manager, said on Tuesday. “These injuries are quite common with fast bowlers, but because Mendis bowls at a fast pace may have strained himself,” he said. “Mendis bowled a few overs at the nets today, but we will monitor him carefully and take a call whether he is fit enough to play against New Zealand.”Mendis marked his return to international cricket after a back injury had kept him out for eight months in Zimbabwe game with the best bowling figures by a bowler in T20 cricket with six wickets for eight runs.

Former India opening batsman Navjot Singh Sidhu has been appointed the chairman of Punjab cricket association’s technical and coaching committee

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Aug-2012Former India opening batsman Navjot Singh Sidhu has been appointed the chairman of Punjab cricket association’s technical and coaching committee. Sidhu’s role will incorporate advising the association on technical issues connected to effective management of cricket in the state. Two former Punjab captains – Chaman Lal Malhotra and Vinod Sharma – have also been included in the committee.Sidhu represented Punjab in first-class cricket in a career spanning 19 years. He scored 9571 first-class runs from 157 matches, including 3202 from 51 Tests for India. He also played 136 ODIs, starting with four consecutive half-centuries during the 1987 World Cup.

Stuart Broad was England’s hero after an epic but under-rewarded spell from Graeme Swann had sparked them into life, as South Africa’s bid to hunt down a mediocre total of 171 collapsed in a heap of wickets and dot-balls at Chennai

The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan06-Mar-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJames Anderson put England back on track with the key wicket of AB de Villiers•Getty Images

What a World Cup England are producing. From a thrilling tie against India to the shock of losing to Ireland they have now conjured a stunning fightback to beat South Africa by six runs in a gripping contest on a tough pitch in Chennai. They took all ten wickets for 102 through a combination of spin, reverse swing, perseverance and the never-say-die-attitude which is such a trait of this team, with Stuart Broad sealing the victory with two wickets in four balls after Dale Steyn’s 31-ball 20 had taken his team close to the winning line.It showed you don’t need 600 runs to create an epic one-day international and the celebrations when Morne Morkel was caught behind proved how important it was for England spirits. Without it they would have faced the real possibility of heading home early, but can now approach the clashes against Bangladesh and West Indies with much greater heart. What will please Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower is that it was the much-maligned attack that won the match – after the batting struggled to post 171 – as Broad took 4 for 15, James Anderson produced a devastating burst of reverse swing shortly before the 34-over ball change and Graeme Swann bowled with guile and craft to set up the prospect of victory.Despite the tricky pitch, South Africa had broken the back of the run-chase after an opening stand of 63 between Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla. However, they suffered two slumps; the first as three wickets fell for 19 – with Broad claiming the vital scalps of Amla and Jacques Kallis – then the more significant slide from 124 for 3 to 165 all out as Anderson produced some wonderful reverse swing, Ian Bell pulled off a fine piece of fielding at short leg to run out Faf du Plessis, and Broad cleaned up the tail.Swann could have dismissed Smith almost half a dozen times with spitting, turning deliveries until one finally bounced and brushed the thumb although it needed the DRS to overturn Asoka de Silva’s on-field not out decision. Amla had moved along serenely despite the testing surface until he became a little lazy against Broad and chopped into his stumps. Kallis then edged a drive and, in a rare sight, accepted Prior’s word on whether it had carried without asking for the umpires to check.AB de Villiers, who began the tournament with back-to-back hundreds, and du Plessis are normally free-flowing batsman, but they decided to consolidate rather than attack during their 42-run stand. It wasn’t a major problem for South Africa at the time with the asking rate remaining comfortable, but it conceded the momentum and when the breakthroughs came England still had runs to play with.Anderson produced his finest spell of reverse-swing since the Ashes as he trimmed de Villiers’ bails and then clattered JP Duminy’s stumps two balls after he’d been reprieved by the DRS having been given caught down the leg side. It had been a controversial moment because there didn’t seem enough evidence to overrule the on-field umpire, but Anderson soon made it irrelevant. In between those two wickets, Bell showed brilliant alertness at short leg as he stopped du Plessis’s shot and flicked it to Prior in time to complete the run out.

Smart Stats

• The 171 is the ninth time England have been bowled out for less than 200 in World Cups. Their lowest remains the 93 against Australia in the 1975 World Cup semi-final.

• Imran Tahir’s 4 for 38 is his best bowling performance in ODIs surpassing his 4 for 41 in the game against West Indies. The bowling performance is also the second best by a spinner against England in a World Cup game behind Abdul Qadir’s 4 for 31 in 1987.

• Robin Peterson’s 3 for 22 is his best bowling display in ODIs surpassing his 3 for 42 against Pakistan in Dubai.

• From a position of 124 for 3, South Africa lost their next four wickets for an additional three runs including three wickets with the score on 124.

• Stuart Broad’s 4 for 15 is the best bowling performance by ean England bowler in World Cup matches against South Africa and the seventh best by an English bowler overall in World Cups.

• The 99-run stand between Jonathan Trott and Ravi Bopara is the second highest for the fourth wicket for England in World Cups.

• Trott continued his excellent ODI form with his ninth half-century. He has now scored 1080 runs in 22 matches at an average of 54.

• England’s six-run win is their closest margin of victory in a World Cup match when thry have batted first. Their previous closest win was the nine-run win over India in the 1992 World Cup.

• The 172 is the lowest target that South Africa have failed to chase in World Cups and the third lowest in ODIs.

England were buzzing, having taken 3 for 0, and the scoring remained at a standstill for the next three overs as Morne van Wyk and Robin Peterson struggled against spin. Michael Yardy, the weak link in the attack, then had Peterson caught behind trying to cut but the mandatory ball-change at 34 overs meant the threat of reverse swing was momentarily removed.Andrew Strauss opted to keep Swann back for one over and used Yardy and Kevin Pietersen in tandem. Both were given one over too many as Steyn took advantage, driving Yardy through the covers and lofting Pietersen straight down the ground. Slowly but surely he and van Wyk chipped out 33 tension-filled runs.However, because of the extensive use of the spinners Strauss was able to return to his quicks at the death and with 12 needed Tim Bresnan found van Wyk’s inside-edge which crashed into the stumps. Then it was over to Broad who trapped Steyn lbw with his first ball and Morkel had clearly decided to try and finish the game quickly when he got the final edge.Despite proving to be yet another thriller, the match could not have been a greater contrast to the two run-fests England were involved in Bangalore. It became abundantly clear this wouldn’t be a 300-match when Peterson stunned everyone by removing both openers in his first over. The value of South Africa’s rounded attack was again on show as the frontline spinners took seven wickets and were backed up by Morkel and Steyn with England losing their top three for 15 and last six for 37, but their failure to cross the line will raise old concerns.Smith isn’t known for out-of-the-box captaincy but it was clever to hand Peterson the new ball. Strauss tried to take an attacking approach by using his feet, but could only pick out de Villiers, who took a fine running catch at deep midwicket. If that was a bonus for South Africa they could barely believe what happened three balls later when Pietersen pushed forward and got a regulation edge low to first slip. Bell soon became Peterson’s third as he pushed a return catch back to the bowler after being beaten in the flight.Ravi Bopara, back in the side at the expense of Paul Collingwood, set about the recovery with Jonathan Trott, who was saved by the DRS after being given lbw against Imran Tahir on 20. Bopara nearly ran himself out on 26 – it wouldn’t have been the first time – but a dive just saved him, then he broke a run of singles with a handsome straight drive for six before Trott reached fifty from 87 balls.Having used up considerable time Trott needed to up the tempo but Tahir pulled off a fine return catch after deceiving his former Warwickshire team-mate in the flight. Prior had the chance to build an innings after previously needing to slog from the start but was undone by Morkel.Bopara’s 60, his first ODI fifty since November 2008, remained the top score and will have given him huge confidence for the rest of the tournament as he showed he could adapt to conditions. The lower order couldn’t build momentum against Tahir and failing to use up 26 deliveries looked like being costly. However, once again England dug deep when all seemed lost and gave the World Cup another memorable finish.

Match Timeline

Shahid Karim, Mohammad Amir’s lawyer, has said he would have preferred an independent tribunal to adjudicate on the charges against his client over the spot-fixing controversy

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Dec-2010Shahid Karim, Mohammad Amir’s lawyer, has said he would have preferred an independent tribunal to adjudicate on the charges against his client over the spot-fixing controversy, instead of the three-man panel set up by the ICC. Amir, along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, has been provisionally suspended by the ICC for their alleged involvement in the controversy, and the final hearings are scheduled to be held over six days in Doha from January 6-11.”Looking at the case from a legalistic point of view, from the point of view of the case being presented to an independent and unbiased tribunal, then I think he has a fair chance of coming out clean,” Karim told . “However the situation is an odd one. Ideally we would have liked the tribunal to be completely independent of the ICC, but at this point in time I have to have full faith in the tribunal.”The ICC’s three-man tribunal includes Michael Beloff QC, Justice Albie Sachs of South Africa and Sharad Rao of Kenya. Beloff, the ICC code of conduct commissioner, had chaired the hearings into the appeals of Amir and Butt against their suspensions in Dubai, and had upheld the ICC’s decision. Subsequently, the PCB revoked the central contracts of the players.Beloff’s prior participation in the hearings drew objection from Karim. “We raised a slight objection to Michael Beloff QC chairing the hearing in Doha, as he had heard the case in the provisional hearing, but he chose not to remove himself,” Karim said. “However, my training as a lawyer requires me to have full faith in the forthcoming tribunal and I should expect a fair hearing.”Although the members of the three-man tribunal are already part of the anti-corruption commission which is a permanent body in the code of the ICC and are nominated by the ICC, and the tribunal members have been picked out of those members, I still think that I have faith in their independence and impartiality.”Karim was confident of a verdict in favour of Amir, claiming there were certain mitigating circumstances in his case. “One of the mitigating factors is age and the other mitigating factor is Amir’s previously unblemished record,” he said. “Emotionally he is drained, he’s been affected badly by it, but he’s coping as best he can and above all he is very confident that he will come out of this clean.”And in the event of an unfavourable verdict for Amir, Karim said he would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland. “If the hearing does not go our way we plan to take the matter further. The next stage of the process would be to go to the Court of Arbitration of Sport in Lausanne. It is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport and would be completely independent and divorced of the ICC.”Meanwhile, Butt’s lawyers have asked the ICC for a postponement of the hearings to prepare their reply.

ESPNcricinfo previews the first Test between Sri Lanka and West Indies in Galle

The Preview by Siddarth Ravindran14-Nov-2010

Match Facts

Monday, November 15

Start time 10.00 (04.30 GMT)
Does Dwayne Bravo still have the appetite for Test cricket?•AFP

The Big Picture

Two teams in a transitional phase come face-to-face in Galle on Monday. West Indies are led by Darren Sammy, a man who till last month wasn’t even sure of his place in the Test side. Two of their senior batsmen – Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo – have turned down central contracts in favour of keeping their options open for the lucre that comes with being Twenty20 freelancers. Another senior batsman, Ramnaresh Sarwan, wasn’t even offered a contract, which caused more controversy, and is not part of the squad. In addition, they are without their two best fast bowlers – Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards – both of whom have long-term injuries.

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have to come to terms with losing their greatest match-winner, Muttiah Muralitharan. No more can their captain toss the ball to Murali and expect the wickets to tumble. They are also pondering how best to use their limited-overs spearhead, Lasith Malinga, whose injury-prone body they are unwilling to subject to the rigours of Test cricket ahead of the World Cup. It leaves Kumar Sangakkara and the team management with the challenge of grooming a bowling combination that can regularly take 20 wickets in a Test.
The other similarity between the two teams is that neither of them have played much Test cricket in 2010, having had to make do with one three-Test home series each so far this year.Sri Lanka will start the series as clear favourites. Their No. 3 ranking puts them four spots above the West Indies, and they have a decent home record to be proud of – losing only one series in more than six years. West Indies, in contrast, haven’t won a series away from home – except against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe – since early 1995. They have a dreadful record in Sri Lanka as well, losing all five Tests in their previous two series and drawing the lone match on their first visit back in 1993.

Form guide

(most recent first)
Sri Lanka: LDWLL
West Indies: LDLLD

Watch out for…

Adrian Barath announced himself with a sparkling century on Test debut late last year, but injuries have hampered his progress since. He has played only one first-class match in 2010, and hasn’t been in the best of form in the domestic season. This series, though, will provide another chance to see how his potentially exciting opening partnership with Gayle develops.Thilan Samaraweera is unsure whether he’ll find a place in the one-day outfit, but he is a dead-cert when it comes to Tests. Whether he’s good enough to boast of a 50-plus average has been debated for long but Sri Lanka won’t care as long as he keeps performing like he did in his previous Test – making a century in the first innings, and 83 in the second to lift his side from the depths of 87 for 7.

Teams

Sri Lanka’s batting is pretty settled, with Nos 1 to 7 being guaranteed starters. The bowling isn’t though, in the absence of Malinga and Murali. Suraj Randiv has been picked out by Sangakkara as Sri Lanka’s main spinner, so he’s likely to play but it remains to be seen who will partner him. The fast bowlers will have an additional responsibilty as Angelo Mathews won’t be bowling his medium-pacers due to a thigh strain.Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Tharanga Paranavitana, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Thilan Samaraweera, 7 Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), 8 Suraj Randiv, 9 Rangana Herath, 10 Dilhara Fernando, 11 Chanaka Welegedera
West Indies are also missing key fast bowlers which leaves the young Kemar Roach as their pace spearhead. The pitch is expected to assist spinners, but will West Indies pick both Sulieman Benn and Shane Shillingford, or go with one spinner and expect Gayle to send down a few overs?West Indies (probable) 1 Adrian Barath, 2 Chris Gayle, 3 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 4 Brendan Nash, 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Darren Bravo, 7 Darren Sammy (capt), 8 Carlton Baugh (wk), 9 Kemar Roach, 10 Nelon Pascal, 11 Sulieman Benn

Quotes

“Randiv has become the main spinner in the squad, while Herath is an experienced bowler who has done a great job for us. We expect Mendis to come back very strongly.”

“You saw Sri Lanka just won in Australia where they had never won (a one-day series). It’s an opportunity for the guys to use this as a motivation and go out there and be competitive and consistent.”

Tim Paine will lead Tasmania for the first time after the captain George Bailey was ruled out of Friday’s Twenty20 game against Queensland with an elbow problem

Cricinfo staff06-Jan-2010Tim Paine will lead Tasmania for the first time after the captain George Bailey was ruled out of Friday’s Twenty20 game against Queensland with an elbow problem. Bailey has an infection in his elbow caused by an abrasion and has been left out, with Michael Dighton and the uncapped batsman John Rogers added to a 13-man squad.Queensland have included the batsman Chris Lynn, 19, in their 13-man group following a strong year in which he was a prolific scorer in the national youth titles and the Futures League Twenty20 tournament. Lynn has replaced Alister McDermott, who is unavailable for the rest of the Big Bash having been named in Australia’s Under-19 World Cup squad.Queensland have lost both their matches so far in the tournament and need a win to lift themselves off the bottom of the table. Tasmania have won one match and lost one.Queensland squad James Hopes, Ben Dunk (wk), Lee Carseldine, Andrew Symonds, Glen Batticciotto, Chris Lynn, Craig Philipson, Nathan Reardon, Chris Simpson (capt), Ryan Harris, Ben Cutting, Ben Laughlin, Nathan Rimmington.Tasmania squad Tim Paine (capt, wk), Michael Dighton, Rhett Lockyear, Travis Birt, Alex Doolan, John Rogers, Naved-ul-Hasan, Brett Geeves, James Faulkner, Jason Krejza, Xavier Doherty, Brendan Drew, Gerard Denton.