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ScorecardSNGPL became the first Pakistan team to win the Mohammad Nissar Trophy as the game ended in a draw after overnight rain ruled out play on the final day. SNGPL were declared victors on the basis of their first-innings lead as Delhi, who were in a dominant position with a 384-run lead in the second innings, were left to rue a poor batting performance on the first day.Rain had left the outfield and playing area soggy and the umpires finally called off play at 1.30 pm after inspecting the conditions on three occasions.The two previous editions of the Mohammad Nissar Trophy, instituted in 2006, had been won by Indian teams – Uttar Pradesh in 2006 and Mumbai in 2007.

A few screams from Jason Krejza helped convince Ricky Ponting that theoffspinner has what it takes to become an international bowler. Krejza,who is jostling with Cameron White for the final spot in Australia’sfirst-Test team, was angry the Board President’s XI had declaredtheir second innings – even though at the time he had the unflatteringfigures of 0 for 76 from 11 overs.The closure left him with a match return of 0 for 199 and seemed to endhis immediate chances of making his debut after being catapulted over BeauCasson into the squad. “One positive coming from that game was I couldhear all this yelling and screaming coming from the background and it wasJason on the boundary,” Ponting said. “He was really disappointed not toget another bowl. For me that was a good sign.”While White, a composed batsman and part-time legspinner, is thesafer option in an unenviable choice, Ponting seemed to lean slightlytowards Krejza despite his problems in the tour game. “You couldunderstand that something like that would probably have affected him insome way, but if you had a look at him at training [on Tuesday] he bowledprobably the best he’s bowled on the tour.”He’s willing to learn and is still a bit raw because he hasn’t played alot of first-class cricket, but he’s got all the skills he needs to becomea very good bowler.” Krejza has appeared in 24 four-day games while White,who is Bryce McGain’s understudy in Victoria, has 161 state and countywickets at 38.24.Ponting knows there is a significant difference between time in the netsand life in the middle, but Krejza has received special attention on howto cope with the various demands of the India batsmen. The captain is alsoconvinced the Test players will not treat Krejza in the same brutal manneras Yuvraj Singh did in the warm-up.”The more senior guys have probably got a fair bit more pressure on themthan the tour game,” he said. “I think he can do a good job if he gets anopportunity.”Ponting also said White could shine in Tests and was keen for him to gainfurther top-level opportunities. “The more exposure we give him atinternational level the better,” he said. “He bowled well on the A tourhere, albeit mainly in one-dayers, but the more we can put him insituations against better players the better he’ll become.”While Ponting has a decision to make on who receives a new baggy green,there is one call he won’t be making. Shane Warne said in London onTuesday he would consider a return if Ponting asked him to help out.”I’m not sure how much bowling he’s done,” Ponting said before being toldit was a few balls. “That’s good preparation for four Tests in India.That’s not our focus at the moment.”With this series coming up – we’ve know it’s been coming up for a while -if we were going to do it, we’d have done it before now. I haven’t spokento Warney at all about making a comeback – I’m pretty sure nobody has.”He’s said a few times he’s happily retired. Our challenge is to find thenext spinner in Australia who is going to help us win a few Tests.” At themoment it’s between Krejza and White.

Glenn McGrath’s Test career finished 18 months ago but the honours are still arriving and he will be awarded life membership of Cricket New South Wales on Monday night. McGrath, who took 563 Test wickets, will be recognised at the SCG for his outstanding contribution to the game over more than 15 years.”Glenn has enjoyed a brilliant career for both New South Wales and Australia and life membership of the New South Wales Cricket Association is a fitting tribute for his efforts,” the chief executive David Gilbert said. “He has left a lasting legacy for all aspiring young cricketers to emulate.”McGrath, whose wife Jane died in June, retired from Tests at the end of the 2006-07 Ashes series and exited one-day internationals with the 2007 World Cup victory in the West Indies. His excellent contributions for Australia limited him to 26 first-class games for his state.

Kevin Pietersen has unveiled an attacking line-up for his first match as England captain, against South Africa at The Oval, with two key changes from the side that lost the third Test, and the series, at Edgbaston last week.As widely predicted, Steve Harmison returns for his first outing since the defeat against New Zealand at Hamilton in March, as a replacement for Ryan Sidebottom who was noticeably off the pace in the last match after missing the second Test with a back injury.”Sidey’s struggling with a few niggles,” said Pietersen. “We all saw he was down on pace last week, so he’s not fit at the moment and we decided to give him a bit of a break to get away from things. But Steve is buzzing, properly buzzing. You can see that little smile on his face, and he’ll be given the responsibility to take the new ball tomorrow.”Also recalled is Stuart Broad, who had been expected to miss out to give Ravi Bopara his second chance to cement a role as a Test batsman, after a torrid debut series in Sri Lanka in December. Instead, Broad’s prowess with the bat has been acknowledged, and he will slot into a potent lower-middle order which begins with Andrew Flintoff moving up one position to No. 6.”We need the extra bowler,” said Pietersen. “It’s a positive move, an aggressive move, and it’s one where Mooresy [Peter Moores] and I have come to sing off the same hymn-sheet, which is a good start for us. It’s given the batters the responsibility to score the runs, and Fred’s happy at 6. I spoke to him and he said: ‘Whatever you want to do, I’m there for you,’ which is great from the big man.”Following Michael Vaughan’s resignation and withdrawal from this Test, Ian Bell moves up from No. 5 to the No. 3 position that he has long coveted, with Paul Collingwood – England’s centurion at Edgbaston – reverting to his former position at No. 5.”Bell’s going to get the responsibility at 3, and he wants that because he’s played 40-odd Test matches now and he’s been everywhere from 1 to 7,” said Pietersen. “Flintoff, the way he’s batted for us this summer, he’s looked to build an innings and he’s looked real real good. He balances the side beautifully at 6, and with Stuart at 8, that’s a real strong side.”After the rumours about his strained relationship with Moores, Pietersen was keen to emphasise how much co-operation had gone on between the two men in the selection of the side, although it was left to the coach to inform Bopara of his omission. But once the team takes the field at The Oval on Thursday morning, there’s no question who is going to be in charge.”It’s time to draw a line under what’s happened, and start again afresh,” said Pietersen. “I think the recipe for success that I’ve tried to use is do it my way. Once you go over the white line, to express yourself, and do whatever you need to do to be successful. Trust your practice, and trust your instinct, and trust what you’ve done the day before or the week before. And go out and do it.”That’s what I want my lads to do,” he said. “Passion is a big word, but international cricket can roll into, day in, day out, train and play, train and play. The big feature for us this week is to get back to playing with real pride and passion, and get back to playing with confidence and without fear.”For all his bravado, there are several aspects of the leadership that will still be a mystery to Pietersen come Thursday morning. He had put little thought to where he himself will be fielding, for instance, and though he was looking forward with pride to the moment he walks out to toss up with Graeme Smith, he admitted that he has little idea about how to read a pitch.”It’s something I will definitely have to improve on,” he said. “I’ve always believed that if you win the toss and you want to bat, you bat. If you don’t think you’re sure, you still bat, and if you’re really not sure, you think for ten seconds then you still bat again. That’s what I’ve been told, but I’ve never been a captain in a Test match.”All that is about to change, as England prepare to launch their new era. “It hasn’t really sunk in properly yet, but I’ve got to do the simple things right,” said Pietersen. “I’ve been under pressure ever since I came to England eight years ago, but I know what a great honour this is, and I’m going to give it a real good go. If I make a success of it, I make a success of it, but if I don’t I’ll be man enough to know I’ve got to go back and bat.”England 1 Andrew Strauss, 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Ian Bell, 4 Kevin Pietersen (capt), 5 Paul Collingwood, 6 Andrew Flintoff, 7 Tim Ambrose (wk), 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Steve Harmison, 10 James Anderson, 11 Monty Panesar.

ScorecardOnly 19 overs were possible on the second day in Rotterdam, but there was enough time for Andre Botha to progress from his overnight 103 to 152, and Ireland went to stumps on 296 for 4.Like yesterday, Botha was quick to punish anything short against an inconsistent Netherlands attack. Partnered by Andrew Poynter, Botha’s 150 came from 190 balls and, by the close, the pair’s partnership had extended to 112. In doing so, Botha became only the fourth batsman to reach 1000 runs in the Intercontinental Cup.

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Chennai Super Kings
When Mahendra Singh Dhoni leads his boys against last-placed Deccan Chargers in Hyderabad, he would expect nothing but a win which will ensure his team’s spot in the final four. Chennai are currently on 14 points, and victory in their final match will see them jump to 16, and whatever Mumbai does, Chennai will still be through as Delhi Daredevils finished on 15.Things, however, will become complex if Chennai lose to Deccan. Chennai will then be stuck on 14, and their way through will depend on Mumbai’s results. If Mumbai lose their final two games, they will end on 12 points, two shy of Chennai. If Mumbai win one of the remaining two, they would need to suffer a big defeat if Chennai are to qualify for the semi-finals.If, due to rain or any other circumstance, a result is not possible in Hyderabad, then Chennai will reach 15 points. To go through, they will then need Mumbai to lose one of their games.Mumbai Indians
For Mumbai, currently on 12 points, two wins – against Rajasthan Royals and Bangalore Royal Challengers – will guarantee them a place in the semi-finals irrespective of what Chennai do. If they lose one, Chennai must suffer a reverse in their last game against Deccan. Also, Mumbai must ensure they do not lose by significant margins, or they could squander the net run-rate advantage they have over Chennai.In case Mumbai win one and get one point from the other (if the match is abandoned), they will make the cut, while a loss and one point from the other or two losses will result in Chennai and Delhi joining Rajasthan and Kings XI Punjab in the semi-finals.

Scorecard

Lancashire perhaps had slightly the better of a bread-and-butter opening day at Old Trafford, thanks to a determined and invaluable opening partnership of 109 between Paul Horton and Iain Sutcliffe when conditions were the most testing. They did not quite build as they might have done on such a good foundation, with three batsmen getting out after scoring good fifties, but a fourth in Steven Croft is still there, and his team will be looking for him to play the leading role in building a daunting total tomorrow.Lancashire won a toss they might have preferred to lose, given that swing was likely under an overcast sky. The pitch itself played soundly enough on the whole, giving some help to the bowlers, even Graeme Swann’s offspin on the first day, but not enough to interest the ECB pitch inspector, Mike Denness, who arrived by train from his home in Essex, after the previous championship match on this ground, against Durham, had finished before lunch on the third day.A minor curiosity in this match is that the two captains are both wicketkeepers: Chris Read, the official captain of Nottinghamshire, and Luke Sutton, standing in for the injured Lancashire skipper Stuart Law. The ball did indeed swing copiously at times, especially early on and especially when the medium-pacer Mark Ealham was using it. Ealham came into the action early on, as Charlie Shreck had difficulty finding his line from the Brian Statham End, although later he came back with better results from the Stretford End.The Lancashire openers, Horton and Sutcliffe, did a superb job for their team as they saw off the difficult overs with the shine still on the ball, and survived until after lunch in their team’s first century opening stand of the season in any competition. Inevitably there were a few plays-and-misses, but on the whole remarkably few errors, and they also managed to take advantage of loose deliveries to keep the scoreboard ticking along.Ealham was the most difficult of the bowlers to face, swinging the ball considerably away from the right-hander and bowling a good line and length; with a little more pace, he may well have been lethal. Again, the openers handled him with great skill and judgement.Sutcliffe was the first to his fifty (91 balls), just after lunch, reaching it with one of his few errors, an edge that would have been a chance had third slip been in place, but instead flew between second slip and gully to the boundary. He then survived a very close lbw appeal against Ealham, before Horton reached his 50 (112 balls) – ironically also with a false stroke, an inside-edge that missed the off stump and shot to the left of the keeper to the boundary.Then came disaster for Lancashire, as Horton played a ball into the covers, called for a quick single, and a superb pick-up and direct hit from Adam Voges found the irate Sutcliffe just short of his crease. He made exactly 50 of the 109-run partnership. The balance of the match swung as Horton (64) fell to the swing of Ealham, well caught one-handed by Swann at slip, who then also caught a struggling Mal Loye (3) in the same position as he edged a rather desperate slash off Shreck. With Lou Vincent, clearly out of practice in his first first-class match of the year, bottom-edging a hook off Shreck to the keeper for 5, Lancashire slumped to 131 for 4 and the balance of the match had quite shifted.The situation did not faze ‘Faf’ du Plessis, the South African still undervalued by home supporters. He and Steven Croft began cautiously, but du Plessis grew in confidence and the pair gradually pulled their team out of the mire. They put on 84 together, but du Plessis was another whose valuable fifty (105 balls) was not converted into three figures; he flicked at an arm ball from Swann outside off stump and was caught by the keeper for 55.Croft appeared to be much slower, but in fact he had less of the strike. Just before the close he reached his fifty off 117 balls, and then survived a hard low catch to slip off the petulant Swann. Hard as the Notts bowlers tried, they could effect no further breakthroughs, and Croft survived to make an attempt tomorrow morning to reach the century he narrowly missed in his last match at Headingley.