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The ICC has finally taken over responsibilities for running the women’s international game, as expected, after the International Women’s Cricket Council (IWCC) ratified the proposed merger at their AGM. The move is set to have a massive impact on a sport which has struggled in administrative and financial terms.The IWCC, which ran for nearly fifty years after being founded in 1958, will be replaced by an ICC advisory committee and its former vice-president, Betty Timmer, will chair the new body. England’s Gill McConway will represent Europe, Joan Edwards will represent South Africa, West Indies’ coach Ann Browne-John and New Zealand’s Catherine Campbell are also on the special committee. Australia’s captain Belinda Clark has been co-opted on to the committee.Timmer recognized the significance of the move: “It’s great and exciting,” she told BBC Sport. “Hopefully we will get in a few years an Under-21 World Cup and more development of women’s cricket. Now we can use all the 94 ICC members in the development programme. I hope we can use the ICC sponsorships and, in selling television rights, women’s cricket can be a part of it.”A media representative for the ECB, Andrea Wiggins, also realizes the potential. “If it follows the model of the ECB, the merger could be massive,” Wiggins told Cricinfo. Significant improvements in the English game have already been seen since the ECB took over from the Women’s Cricket Association as administrators for women’s cricket in England: the international side benefit from Lottery funding, increased sponsorship and personalized coaching.With a view to the merger, the ICC had already appointed a women’s project officer whose principal role is to integrate the bodies.

Marcus Trescothick hoped that the subcontinent would not be serving up anymore surprises for England’s cricketers, after an eventful second day’splay in the second Test at Faisalabad. By the close, England had inchedalong to 113 for 3 in reply to Pakistan’s first-innings total of 462, buttheir struggles had been overshadowed by controversy – involving bothumpires and players – and moreover, by a large explosion on the boundary’sedge.”You don’t expect things like that when you’re out in the middle,” saidTrescothick, who was on 41 when a blast ripped out the advertisinghoardings at midwicket and held up play for five minutes while England’ssecurity team ascertained that a gas cylinder had exploded. “My instantreaction was that it was something quite serious, and we were a bitworried for a while.”Trescothick, who was on 41 at the time, is no stranger to suchdistractions. At Rawalpindi on England’s last tour of Pakistan in 2000-01,he and Alec Stewart were affected by tear gas that had been fired onrioting fans outside the stadium. “Hopefully this is as bad as it gets,”he said. “It was a bit of a shock to the system, but fingers crossed thatnothing else bad happens.”England were already in some difficulty when the incident occurred, withTrescothick and Ian Bell regrouping after the loss of two early wickets.”We talked for a while afterwards and just took time to switch back on,”he explained. “It’s just like you would after a drinks break or interval.As much as you can, you’ve got to get your focus back as quickly aspossible, and get back into a routine at the crease.”England’s distractions didn’t end there, however, for no sooner had theyresumed than they were talking to the umpires about some mysterious damagesuffered by the bowlers’ footmarks. TV replays showed that Shahid Afridihad used the distraction to twist his studs into the pitch.”I can’t really judge on it too much at the moment,” said Trescothick,”but we showed the umpires straight away because they were on a goodlength, and it was up to them to judge it from there on. I have a goodidea how they might have been caused, and I think most people have seen iton camera.”Trescothick was eventually dismissed on 48, caught behind by Kamran Akmalwho swooped to complete the latest of a series of debatable low catchesthat have been a feature of this Test. But Trescothick, who himselfclaimed a similar catch to end Afridi’s innings earlier in the day, had noqualms about the decision.”With low catches you instantly have an idea about whether you’ve caughtit,” he said. “With mine, I got it in my fingers, and generally speaking,if you feel you’ve caught it, that’s fair enough. It’s all a part of thegame.”A less common part of the game, however, was the controversial run-outthat ended Inzamam-ul-Haq’s magnificent innings. Steve Harmison shied atthe stumps in his followthrough, Inzamam seemed to take evasive action,and after viewing the incident from several angles, the third umpire,Nadeem Ghauri, gave him out.”It’s an instant reaction from the bowler,” said Trescothick, “but sometimesthe batsman has taken a few steps down the pitch. I spoke to Darrell [Hair] andhe said he thought he might just have lifted his foot, but it’s the firsttime I’ve seen it referred to the third umpire while we’ve been fielding.”Amid all the excitement of the day, Trescothick’s thoughts while off thefield remain with his family, after his father-in-law was hospitalisedfollowing a fall from a ladder last Saturday. “I’ve got to remain focusedon my cricket,” he said. “Things aren’t too good at home but they areimproving which is good news. I’ve been in good form, so I can’t afford todwell on what’s happened. I’m obviously concerned and get regular updates,but once I step over the rope, just got to focus as much as I can.”

Had he been a cricket writer, Oscar Wilde’s novel might have been renamed . He may not possess Wilde’s poetic ability but even the great playwright could not deny Adam Gilchrist’s ability on the cricketing stage.Glenn McGrath has shown in this match why he is a living legend but, leaving the immortal Sir Donald Bradman on his rightful pedestal, it is hard to imagine there ever being a more important cricketer than Adam Gilchrist. To put his achievements into Trans-Tasman perspective, if he was a New Zealander, his 14 Test centuries would be second to Martin Crowe’s 17.From 201 for 6, Gilchrist, batting at No.8 after Jason Gillespie was used as a night watchman, guided his team through to 413 and away from danger with a blistering 121 from 126 balls. Before Gilchrist’s arrival Simon Katich had given Australia some momentum with a gritty display of attack and defence; after it he proved the perfect foil.If he was a rugby player Katich would be dubbed a utility. Since his Test debut at Leeds in 2001 he’s been both in and out of the side and up and down the batting order. In Sri Lanka he lost his place to Andrew Symonds for two Tests, and in India he was given Ricky Ponting’s No. 3 spot before being dumped again for Darren Lehmann.Katich’s effort today was symbolic of why Australia continues to be so successful. Players given a start take their chances and standards never drop. Gilchrist saw little strike for a period after the second new ball was taken and Katich responded with a flurry of boundaries to move rapidly from 68 to his second Test century. The 86 he scored from 20 fours and one six reflected Katich’s expertise at punishing anything wayward and exceeded Gilchrist’s 84.Had he fallen cheaply his side would have been in deep trouble but Gilchrist amazed again. Two early sixes in one Daniel Vettori over made it clear to all that Gilchrist’s natural game would prevail over the match situation. The pickets were peppered further when Stephen Fleming reintroduced the pace trio of Chris Martin, James Franklin and Iain O’Brien and it was left to Vettori and Nathan Astle to perform a rescue act.Vettori recovered to outfox Gilchrist and wrap up the tail. His arm ball, especially, was spot on, leading to numerous leg-before shouts and the dismissal of Gillespie. Vettori’s analysis of 40.2-13-106-5 continued his outstanding form against Australia: six of his 12 five-wicket bags have been in trans-Tasman Tests.The challenge for New Zealand is to bat Australia out of the game, something they’ve had little success with since John Bracewell became coach. Excluding a stroll-in-the-park victory in Bangladesh in October, when they batted third, New Zealand have avoided losing only once from seven attempts – way back in December 2003 against Pakistan.The 212-run partnership between Katich and Gilchrist was four short of Australia’s record for the seventh wicket against New Zealand, which was made at the same ground in February 1977 by Doug Walters and Gary Gilmour. Perhaps it was appropriate that the record was not broken for the final 80 runs of the Walters-Gilmour stand were made after the pair celebrated Walters’ century the day before by drinking well into the night. Although New Zealand could do with a similar effort in these professional times, it’s unlikely they’ll adopt the same preparation.

Lord’s will attract a record-breaking crowd when it stages its first Twenty20 match between Middlesex and Surrey on Thursday, July 15. MCC has confirmed that ticket sales have now topped 15,000, breaking the previous Twenty20 record crowd of 14, 862 for the match between Lancashire and Yorkshire at Old Trafford last June.”We are delighted that tickets have been selling so well,” beamed Roger Knight, MCC’s secretary and chief executive. “We look forward to staging our first Twenty20 match in front of a record-breaking Lord’s crowd.”Advance sales of tickets, which cost £10 for adults and £5 for children, will end on Monday, July 12. All eighty boxes and suites have been sold out since mid-May. Assuming tickets remain, on-the-day sales will be on a cash-only basis at the North Gate ticket sales points.MCC Ticket Office: 020 7432 1000

England’s preparations for the first Test were given a lift as Steve Harmison underwent a workout in the nets at the Adelaide Oval. However, there are still no guarantees that he will be fit for Brisbane and England will wait until Sunday morning to assess his fitness to see how he responds.Harmison began gingerly off two or three steps but he stepped up the pace before bowling off a longer run. Andrew Flintoff, the England captain, said Harmison would be re-assessed early on Sunday on the team’s return to the ground for the final day against South Australia.”Harmy’s bowled somewhere between 12 and 15 overs. He’s run in, he’s bowled and injuries for fast bowlers are part-and-parcel of the job, so we just have to see what happens tomorrow morning, how he pulls up. He’s a key player for England, has been for a numerous time now in the Test side. We still want Harmy fit, but we’ll know more in the morning.”After Harmison woke up on Friday morning with pain in his side, the England management took the decision not to risk him against South Australia, calling in Sajid Mahmood. The problem was a recurrence of the one that caused him to miss the one-day series against Pakistan in September. He went for a scan which proved inconclusive before being given a cortisone injection.A spokesman said that the team management was “pleased with the way he came through”. However, Duncan Fletcher has voiced his concerns about Harmison’s lack of bowling ahead of the Ashes with him having sent down just 25 overs in competitive action on the tour.”He’s been an effective bowler for us and the other bowlers feed off him,” Fletcher said on Friday. “We’ve just got to monitor the amount of balls he bowls because we’ve got to get some mileage in his legs.”Meanwhile, Flintoff was satisfied with his steady build-up to next Thursday’s Ashes opener in Brisbane after returning to full bowling duties following his ankle injury. “In the first innings I bowled a little bit quicker than what I have done and I’m pleased with the way I’m progressing,” he said. “I’ve had no ill-effects from the ankle, everything’s been fine, I’ll bowl a few more overs tomorrow just to top up a little bit.”

After a frustrating winter on the fringes of England’s tour of the Caribbean, James Anderson took 6 for 49 in his first match of the season, as Lancashire took control against Worcestershire. Afterwards he spoke to the press at Old Trafford:

Are you doing anything different now to what you were doing six months ago?
No, I’m just concentrating on bowling pretty straight – keeping things wicket-to-wicket. The ball seemed to be coming out quickly, but it didn’t swing at all and the breeze wasn’t helping me. I just had to keep it tight. I’ve felt quite good all winter, to be honest, and I had a decent rhythm in the nets. But it’s a totally different situation when you get out into the middle.Were you apprehensive about playing in this match?
Yeah, I’ve had four one-day internationals over the winter, so it was a bit of a different situation today, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. But it turned out to be exactly what I needed – a long bowl and a good couple of spells to get back into it.Are you feeling refreshed after a winter on the sidelines?
That’s one way of looking at it – I am feeling pretty fresh, yeah. Some of the guys here are saying I look fresher than they are, and that’s only a couple of games into the season. I’m definitely feeling fit and strong.There must have been some doubt about you playing for Lancashire today – Sajid Mahmood has been in good form …
He has. Someone asked me this week whether I was worried about getting my England place back, but I said: “First things first, let me get back in the Lancashire side”. Kyle [Hogg] and Sajid have been playing exceptionally well, and just because I’ve come off an England tour, it doesn’t mean I have a right to walk into the side.Does England status create extra pressure?
Not really. I was just out to bowl well, not necessarily even to take wickets. All I wanted was to feel good in myself again. That will do me fine. But six wickets under my belt is certainly not going to do me any harm with the selectors.Did you bowl as well as the figures suggest?
Maybe not, but I’ve definitely bowled better for less. But that’s cricket. You need a bit of luck, and when your second ball of the day is nicked down the leg-side, you know you’ve just got to cash in.How frustrating was your experience this winter?
At times it was extremely frustrating, sitting there watching the other guys taking all the wickets and wishing it was you out there. But that’s the way it goes. I was happy, because it was my mates who were doing the job, but I was happy and sad at the same time.Did it get you down?
Sometimes, but I tried not to let it show. I just got on with my training and practising with Troy [Cooley] and the other coaches. After that, it was just a case of getting back to the County Championship and taking wickets.Will you be a better player for the experience?
Hopefully. It’s not done me any harm at all to be out there and not playing. It should stand me in good stead for the future.What have you done in the four or five days since you returned from the West Indies?
I went home to see my friends and family, then had a net with the 2nd XI on Tuesday before the game.It’s been a rollercoaster 12 months – sometimes you’ve been taking wickets galore, and other times you’ve been getting none. Has your bowling form been tied in with that?
It’s really hard to explain. It’s the same for batters and their bad runs of form – sometimes it’s a poor decision, other times a stunning catch. As far as I’m concerned, I might be bowling well, but if I don’t take the wickets, everyone assumes I’m bowling badly.Are you a better bowler now than 12 months ago?
Definitely. I’m more experienced now. I adjust more quickly to each batsman, and I’m getting to know their strengths and weaknesses as I play more. Everyone ought to get better with experience, and as long as you’ve got the right coaches on hand, you should progress.It must be exciting to be part of this England team at the moment?
Yeah. My job now is to put pressure on the guys in the side. If I keep taking wickets, then hopefully they’ll have to perform even better as well.You might not be seeing much more of Lancashire this season?
Yeah. There is so much international cricket at the moment. It was sad to miss out on Lancashire’s one-day trophy last season as well, but unfortunately you can’t be in two places at once.Do you expect to play at Lord’s?
I haven’t a clue. All I know is I’d love to play for England again anywhere, whether it’s Lord’s or Turf Moor.

Danish Kaneria, Pakistan’s 22-year-old legspinner, has signed for Essex, ending several weeks of negotiations. The deal was sealed when Essex received the sanction of the Pakistan Cricket Board."The PCB have now given us permission to sign him," said David East, Essex’s chief executive. "As with all overseas players, they have first call on the player should any international cricket be arranged during the English season.”And Graham Gooch, Essex’s coach, said that signing a top-class spinner was crucial. “We felt we needed a wrist spinner because here at Chelmsford it is difficult to bowl teams out twice," he explained. “We did have opportunites in the early part of last season but we couldn’t drive them home, so we thought Danish would be a welcome addition to the squad.”

Chittagong 61 for 2 trail Dhaka 143 (Alamgir 5-44) by 82 runs
ScorecardDespite losing two early wickets, Chittagong had the better of the day and restricted Dhaka to only 143 on the second day of their Mirzapore Tea National Cricket League match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. Chittagong ended the day on 61 for 2, with Mohammad Rafique snapping up both the wickets.Dhaka began the day on a precarious note (75 for 4 overnight) and things just got worse as they put in an insipid batting display. Only Halim Shah offered some resistance with a gritty 208-ball 39.Gazi Alamgir, the young medium-pacer, wrapped up the Dhaka innings by picking upthe last two wickets with successive deliveries to finish with fine figures of 5 for 44. Yasin Arafat, the offspinner, conceded 35 runs in 19 overs for his three scalps – including Khalid Mahmud, the captain.Chittagong lost the wickets of Anisul Hakim and Masumud Dowla before the close of play. Anisul was caught in the slips and Masumud offered a catch to Rashedul Haq at gully. Masumud made 29 off 48 balls that contained five fours.Sylhet 102 and 15 for 2 trail Rajshahi 200 for 9 dec (Hasanuzzaman 77, Samad 5-41) by 102 by 83 runs
ScorecardAt Rangpur Cricket Garden, a 100-run sixth wicket partnership betweenHasanuzzaman and Shamimul Haq guided Rajshahi to a 98-run first-inningslead. Sylhet were in trouble when they batted again and lost two wickets before stumps were drawn.Sylhet’s bowling effort was lead by Nabil Samad, who bagged five wickets, but even that could not stop Rajshahi surging ahead. Hasanuzzaman cracked 11 fours on his way to 77 off 112 balls, while Shamimul Haq was unbeaten on 33.Khulna v Barisal
ScorecardThe second day’s play at the Jessore Stadium was also called off due to rain without a ball being bowled.

Brian Lara and Simon Jones have both been found guilty of breaching LevelOne of the ICC’s Code of Conduct, and have been fined half their match fees.Speaking after the disciplinary hearing, Mike Procter, the match referee,explained that Lara was fined for showing dissent to the umpires on Sundayevening, when the England batsmen were offered the light for the second time,minutes after declining to go off.”Brian was very genuine at the hearing,” said Procter. “He apologised andpleaded not guilty of a level-one [breach of the code], but admitted to having shown dissent.”Jones, on the other hand, pleaded guilty and was punished for bringing thegame into disrepute after his spat with Ramnaresh Sarwan. “I listened toboth sides of the story, and what came out loud and clear was that Jones wasvery apologetic,” said Procter. “The umpires were very complimentary abouthis behaviour – Jones apologised to them straight away, and at the end ofplay.”Procter concluded, “I originally thought it was a more serious charge than level one, but in the end I decided to fine him %50 of his match fee.”

Close South Africa 362 for 4 (Kallis 32*) v England
Scorecard

An astonishing display of non-stop shotmaking from Herschelle Gibbs blazed South Africa into command against England, on the first day of the fifth npower Test match at The Oval. Gibbs walloped 183 – 146 of which flowed in boundaries – as South Africa closed on 362 for 4. He added 227 with the equally admirable Gary Kirsten, in a performance that brought back painful memories of the first days at Edgbaston and Lord’s. Back then, of course, it was Graeme Smith who took centre stage. Today it was the gallivanting Gibbs.Gibbs was all about power and placement as he treated the crowd to his dazzling array of strokes all round the wicket. He fired a non-stop procession of classy boundaries: 35 fours and a six in all, and ten in the morning session alone. He took a particular liking to Ashley Giles, dancing down the wicket and driving him over the top at any opportunity. The shots just kept coming and he brought up his tenth Test century in the afternoon with another boundary – his 20th – when he lofted Michael Vaughan over mid-on for four. An astonishing 86 runs of his 100 came from boundaries, and he wasn’t finished there, not by a long way.Immediately after reaching his hundred, Gibbs cracked James Anderson for three fours in an over, but might have been out twice. The third of his boundaries flew straight past Mark Butcher’s hands at point, and that was after Martin Bicknell had made an unconvincing attempt to catch a skyer running back at midwicket. The crowd were pleased with the entertainment, but Kirsten wasn’t. He stomped down the pitch and gave Gibbs a long lecture, telling the young upstart to calm down and not throw it away. Meanwhile, amid all the mayhem, Gibbs had passed 400 runs in the series.Next came the 150. England tried everything to stop him: short balls, full balls, but Gibbs treated it all like a load of balls as he carried on hammering anything loose to the fence. He eventually fell after five hours and twenty minutes at the crease when he heaved across the line to Giles and was bowled for a breathtaking 183 (345 for 3).Kirsten was less explosive, but still just as effective. As England have found out down the years, once Kirsten’s in, he’s pretty tough to get out. He soon realised that this pitch held no demons to compare with those lurking in the Headingley track, and played with increasing freedom. He reached his fifty off 84 balls with a host of characteristic drives and slashes past point. Crucially, he also saw out a spell of short aggressive bowling from Stephen Harmison, and proved an effective foil to Gibbs as the pair batted throughout the middle session. Kirsten was eventually adjudged lbw while sweeping against Giles, even though TV replays show the ball hit him just outside the line (290 for 2).Jacques Kallis, on the back of a double-hundred against Derbyshire, got under way with two perfectly-timed onand off-drives, as well as a huge six into the pavilion off Giles. He and Neil McKenzie almost saw out the last hour of play, but McKenzie edged Anderson to Alec Stewart in the final over to give England some joy in an otherwise depressing day.It was another day of toil for a batch of bowlers, who appeared to be suffering from a Headingley hangover. Apart from a mindless run-out, a dubious lbw, and a tired slog from a centurion, England and the packed Oval crowd had little to shout about until McKenzie’s late dismissal. Anderson was once again erratic and Andrew Flintoff was expensive, going for 73 from 14 overs. They had a few good appeals turned down, but they didn’t bowl well enough. One ball was too short, the next too full. It was a familiar story.Vaughan was forced to turn to Giles as early as the 12th over of the day, but Gibbs promptly pulled him for four to bring up the fifty. Smith’s run-out temporarily lifted England’s spirits back up again. Gibbs dropped Giles into the off side, and set off for a quick single. It was a risky run and Smith was slow to get out of the blocks. Vaughan, at cover, was much quicker off the mark and hurled the ball to Stewart who did the rest with Smith well short of the crease (63 for 1). It was the only sour point on what was a champagne day for Gibbs, and for South Africa. But Vaughan, on the other hand, will be left cursing England’s perpetual FPS: flat pitch syndrome.Wisden Verdict: Gibbs’s power lights up the day