April has been just another wacky month in the wacky world of West Indies cricket.Filled with typical incongruities and oddities, it has ended with puzzling twists that, at least according to those who now preside over its destiny, have overnight turned doubt and despair into new hope and optimism.The sudden official confidence in the resurgence of a team that has nosedived from top of the world to within an inch of rock bottom in a decade, is based principally on the return to the captaincy of Brian Lara for the third time, and the eventual signed accord between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) on several of the issues they allowed to undermine the game they are supposed to promote.The supposed new dawn broke this weekend with the first of seven one-day internationals against Zimbabwe. Its high noon is a year down the line, with the first World Cup to be staged in the West Indies. Zimbabwe’s cricket is in even more of a mess than ours. It has created such a decimated team of wide-eyed juveniles that Lara should be able to successfully launch his third and final attempt at moulding a strong team and leaving a legacy to match his phenomenal, long established batting reputation.The first genuine test only comes once India, one of the best led, best balanced and strongest of opponents, arrive in two weeks for five ODIs and four Tests. If Lara’s elevation generally came as a surprise – even, judging by his own comments, to himself – it was signalled months ago when Ken Gordon, the WICB president, appointed him as the only current player on his ‘Win World Cup’ committee, even above then captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul.Gordon described Lara last week as the logical choice as new captain, based on his “unquestioned” experience and knowledge. But much the same was said by earlier presidents when Lara was first installed, in place of Courtney Walsh in 1998, and again when Wes Hall persuaded him to take over from Carl Hooper in 2003. Expectations were similarly high on each occasion but came to nothing.Lara first resigned in 2000 after “two years of modest success and devastating failure” to take a break from the game. Last year he withdrew from the team in solidarity with players dropped because of the sponsorship row with the board rather than fight their cause in the prime position as captain. Why Gordon and the former players who have now implored him to take the helm once more are persuaded it can be different this time is not clear. Every West Indian, desperate for an end to years of defeat and distress, will pray for the promised revival under Lara and wish him well. Perhaps it will be third time lucky and, for all the glory his batting has brought to West Indies cricket during its most dismal times, he deserves a more fitting finale than he has had in his previous stints at the helm (ten wins against 23 losses in 40 Tests, 37-42 in 82 ODIs).Yet such a record, along with his frequent statements over the past year that, in his 37th year, captaincy was no longer a consideration and he aimed to cut down on ODI appearances so as to prolong his Test career, do not correspond with the claim that he was the only logical choice.Quite the opposite. It is clear that this is a short-term measure designed to provide a bridge to the World Cup. It takes no account of the long-term future that required a new, younger captain, especially as his immediate opposition would be Zimbabwe.The most disturbing aspect of the whole business was Gordon’s dismissal of the alternatives as not ready for the role, even to the extent that no one was named as vice-captain. That, we were officially and bafflingly informed during the first ODI yesterday, would be decided by Lara “should the need arise during the match”. Ramnaresh Sarwan, aged 25, six years an international cricketer and twice vice-captain, must be even more confused than when Guyana preferred Chanderpaul to him as their skipper immediately after he was first chosen West Indies’ deputy. Chris Gayle, Daren Ganga and Wavell Hinds, all experienced cricketers, and others with ambitions to lead the West Indies one day must also be nonplussed by Gordon’s blanket rebuttal. But that is the way of West Indies cricket, typified by several other recent events.April started with the resignations within days of each other of two of its most prominent leaders, Chanderpaul as captain and Roger Brathwaite as the board’s chief executive officer. Two men thrust into their positions by default, they joined a host of others who had found the challenge beyond them. Soon, the longest serving member of the board, Chetram Singh, never one to be out of the limelight for long, was openly and consciously slating his president on some specious grounds, following up by hailing Chanderpaul, whose captaincy he had championed, for making the right decision to quit.

In the meantime, Clive Lloyd, the eminent former captain rejected after he was nominated as vice-president at the board’s directors meeting last year, was named head of a reformed cricket committee. As was immediately evident, it is a post that carries far greater authority. The first problem requiring the attention of Lloyd and his colleagues, all members of the teams he led during the glory days, was the prolonged and tiresome impasse between the WICB and WIPA over retainer contracts. They had all passed this way before, on the opposite side as players. Now they declared in a public statement that they were “at a loss to understand the reasons for this matter being dragged out as long as it has”. It was a sentiment widely shared by those who still cared about West Indies cricket.Lloyd’s committee described what had been put forward as “a good offer, fully competitive with other full member countries of the world” and, as only ten days remained before the start of the series against Zimbabwe, recommended a cut-off date for the players to sign so that a new captain and team could be named.There was one drawback. The board was still drafting its contracts so the deadline had to be shifted. It was not until 3 a.m. last Wednesday that the deal was finally done: 23 years after the retainer scheme was first mooted by then WICB president Allan Rae to Lloyd’s team, specifically to combat the exodus of players to apartheid South Africa. As those who have managed to maintain their interest in West Indies cricket through all the nonsense of recent times, waited to know if there would be anything to watch in the coming weeks, there were other bewildering developments.One of the WICB’s representatives in the contracts negotiations was Desmond Haynes, the former West Indies opener who, only eight months earlier, was secretary of WIPA. Now one of Barbados’ directors on the board against which he once had a protracted court action, he has found a fellow director to be the new president of the Leeward Islands Cricket Association Gregory Shillingford, who was fired as the WICB’s chief executive officer three years ago.And if these contradictions were not perplexing enough, there were the full page, colour advertisements in Thursday’s newspapers in Trinidad and Tobago. Each featured a prominent image of Brian Lara. One proclaimed: “Born Leader – Raise Your Hand!, the other Lara In The Lead!” One was for Digicel, sponsors of the team that Lara captains once more, the other for TSTT, the Trinidad and Tobago off-shoot of Cable & Wireless, Digicel’s fierce rivals with whom Lara has a personal contract.Only in West Indies cricket.

Richard Caborn, the sports minister, is under pressure to call for a meeting with BSkyB officials to discuss the small audience being attracted to Sky Sports’ coverage of international cricket.This comes after it was revealed that viewing figures for the Tests against Sri Lanka were under a third for those on Channel 4 this time a year ago. The average audience for the Sri Lanka Tests was 200,000 while the comparative figures for the Bangladesh series in 2005 were around 700,000. Critics of the BSkyB deal also point out that Bangladesh were also a less appealing opposition.The Department of Culture, Media and Sport also indicated that the BBC had expressed a desire to hold “serious discussions” with BSkyB to try to negotiate the return of limited coverage to terrestrial TV. The Keep Cricket Free campaign said that the audience figures were proof that the deal with BSkyB had been “misguided”.John Grogan, the MP for Selby, a vociferous advocate of cricket being available for free, said that it was “absolutely unprecedented” for a minister to call in broadcasters to discuss a commercial contract such as this. “This reflects the fact that the viewing figures on Sky have been truly appalling,” he told the Yorkshire Post. “There is still hope that if James Murdoch, head of BSkyB, agrees to negotiate, some of the England-Pakistan series could be on free-to-air television.”A media insider said that the BBC’s move was slightly surprising given that it had not been interested in putting forward any bid when the contract was up for review in 2004. He also questioned whether the BBC would be able to devote the hours needed for the coverage of matches on its main channels, or even if it would be prepared to pay a commercial rate for such coverage.Caborn confirmed in parliament yesterday that he had written to all broadcasters asking them to major broadcasters last month offering to hold a summit, providing they “are willing to negotiate with BSkyB”.

The blush was unmistakable. Chris Gayle, when asked about his “relationship” with St Kitts, couldn’t hide a naughty smile. Gayle had played a first-class match in St Kitts only once before, scoring 78 in two innings, but the questions were obviously pointed references to Natasha Berridge, Gayle’s Kittsian girlfriend. Gayle said that he wasn’t showing any “favouritism” to the ground but his quickfire 83 definitely made the first day of Test cricket at Warner Park a memorable affair for the locals.Think Gayle, and you think spontaneity. The ease with which he carries himself, the lilt with which he jives, the calm shouldering of arms, the sudden burst of power, all appear impromptu. Yet, there’s a calculated streak that adds to the danger and Gayle admits to a certain level of premeditation. He’d decided to bide his time – in the first eight overs, even loose balls were only tapped or flicked; he’d decided to take the “fight” to the “aggressive Sreesanth” – in the eighth over, with clouds hovering over the ground, he punched a four to long-on and upper-cut, in true Sanath Jayasuriya-style, over point; he wanted to take on Harbhajan Singh – “He was playing his first Test of the series and I tried to put the pressure on him as early as possible” – and soon had the commentators running for cover.Rahul Dravid recently compared Gayle to Virender Sehwag, for being able to start with an impact. Both can demoralise, make good balls look ordinary and generally leave the whole place in a total mess. But one area where Gayle falls short is with regard to conversion. While Sehwag manages a hundred every other time he gets a fifty (12 hundreds, 11 fifties), Gayle has missed out on a hundred 24 times after crossing 50. Gayle admits it’s a concern, as does Lara. “It was another excellent knock by Chris,” said Lara, “but I don’t know if I’m more disappointed or he is [at the end].”I think he’s played four out of five very good innings and hasn’t gone on to get a triple-figure score. That’s unfortunate but I suppose when it comes the flood-gates are going to open … But Chris is improving and personally I would like to see him go on to get big scores. That’s the trademark of an opener – you get rid of the new ball, get to 30-40 and then go on to get a big score.”It’s been more than a year since Gayle’s reached a three-figure score – in May last year he amassed a monumental 317 against South Africa. Gayle knows it’s a problem. “I’m very disappointed with not being able to get the big scores. It’s been a while since I have a Test century and I really work hard to achieve it. I’m a strong guy and next innings or next game I can achieve it. You never know. One of the things that’s worked is that I’ve tried to be more consistent with my batting. I try to aggressive at the start of my innings, whenever I’m aggressive I’m in control of the game more.”Gayle and Daren Ganga might sound like a duo specialising in fusion music, but Lara pointed out their effectiveness by pulling out a telling stat. “I don’t know if you guys heard, but Chris and Daren has a partnership of 43, compared to Desmond and Gordon who average 47.” Of course, these two have walked out to open in only 31 innings – compared to the 148 that the legendary Greenidge and Haynes managed – but the start’s been promising.”Myself and Daren talked a lot and tried to utilise the wicket,” said Gayle of their collaboration. “The first hour was very important and we tried not to lose a wicket as much as possible and communicate well between the wickets as well … Daren and I are very close, good friends off the field as well. We really communicate and share a joke with each other while batting out there. He always tells me to look to drop the ball and run. If I have a problem with a bowler, we communicate that as well and he tries to take more strike. And I might do it as well.”Going by today’s evidence, Ganga had slightly more problems – facing 105 balls compared to Gayle’s 127. Yet, one wonders what strike rotation Gayle was talking about. Having got 19 singles, one double and 13 boundaries, he didn’t need to. He was in St Kitts, remember.

ScorecardChris Benham’s riproaring century consigned West Indies A to a convincing defeat by 62 runs at the hands of Hampshire. Benham wasted no time in making 122 from 145 balls to lift Hampshire to an unassailable 292 for 8 and ultimately heap further misery on the tourists.He and Mike Brown put on 122 for the first wicket, a strong opening platform and the home side simply motored on from there. There was a mini-wobble after Brown fell for 44, with four wickets falling for 37, but some powerful lower-order hitting from Mitchell Stokes (36 off 18 balls) and Shaun Udal (32 not out from just 11 balls) boosted Hampshire late on.West Indies’ innings got off to a woeful start at 4 for 2 and, despite Runako Morton’s 102, they couldn’t recover. In fact, they were never in the hunt as they lost wickets steadily. James Bruce did the damage to the top order, grabbing 3 for 14 from seven overs, and there were three wickets too for Greg Lamb.

In an unprecedented move in English cricket, Duncan Fletcher yesterday confirmed that James Anderson and Liam Plunkett – both of whom have been injured this season – could play in the final round of Championship matches for counties other than their own to assess their fitness ahead of England’s tour of Australia.Lancashire, still gunning for the title, could not be expected to field a match-unfit Anderson; nor Durham to select Plunkett in their relegation match against Yorkshire. Instead, other counties who have nothing at stake, will be asked to field the two players which is essentially an extension of the loan system; Oliver Newby, Lancashire’s fast bowler, played for Nottinghamshire on loan last year while Alamgir Sheriyar, contracted to Kent, was lent to Worcestershire.The move clearly hints that Fletcher wants both players in his squad of 16 to tour Australia and the coach, speaking to , confirmed there would be a number of reserves stationed at Perth, with two coaching staff. Fletcher and the England selectors will announce their Ashes squad on Tuesday, before which the likely England players will all undergo a medical at Loughbourgh on Monday.As ever, Fletcher remains tight-lipped and noncommittal regarding the England captaincy, although he did express his long-standing doubt over the immense pressure captaincy would put on Andrew Flintoff. “It’s always been my concern that it’s a lot to ask.”Possible England squad
Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Chris Read, Geraint Jones, Ashley Giles, Monty Panesar, Matthew Hoggard, Steve Harmison, Sajid Mahmood, Liam Plunkett and James Anderson.

Waqar Younis, Pakistan’s bowling coach, is being lined up to join New South Wales after the World Cup according to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald.Dave Gilbert, NSW’s chief executive, has already said that he wants Waqar to replace Anthony Stewart, who recently left to take charge of Wellington in New Zealand.”It would be great to work full-time in NSW,” Waqar said. “I am very much interested in the job. When I finish my contract with Pakistan I will speak to David [Gilbert].”

Scorecard

Nick Jewell and Brad Hodge made the most of their time at the crease as Victoria and Tasmania played out a predictable draw at the MCG. The Tigers reached 518, passing Victoria’s 429 in the morning session, and then it was glorified batting practice for the Bushrangers as the captains ignored the chance to manufacture a result on the sunniest day of a rain-affected game.After bowling well for no return on Thursday, Shane Warne gave Victoria the sniff of a first-innings lead by snaring Brett Geeves caught and bowled for 18. When Brendan Drew played down the wrong line and was bowled by Gerard Denton for 3, Tasmania were 8 for 427 and still needed three runs to pass Victoria.Daniel Marsh made sure the Tigers took the two points, then he and Adam Griffith (47) frustrated the Bushrangers, adding 86 for the tenth wicket. Victoria were willing to let Marsh take singles – they had eight fieldsmen on the boundary – and attack Griffith and finally Warne had the No. 11 caught at mid-on, leaving Marsh stranded on 95.With no pressure to push for a result, Jewell took the opportunity to post his second first-class century, making 100 not out, while Hodge followed on from his first-innings 153 with an unbeaten 66. Ricky Ponting tested some bodyline-style tactics, encouraging his fast men to bowl short deliveries from around the wicket with two legslips in place, but no catch was forthcoming. Late in the day the match degenerated as the fast bowler Geeves tried his offspin.Jewell was pleased with his century, especially considering the legside attack Ponting had used. “It’s pretty hard to score if you don’t really play the hook shot,” Jewell said. “It’s not one of my preferred shots. I prefer to just ride them around the corner or get underneath them.” He said the Bushrangers were surprised by the way the match petered out. “We were actually expecting them to declare behind and for us to set them a chase,” Jewell said.By taking first-innings points Tasmania put themselves two points clear of New South Wales on the Pura Cup table, although the Blues have played one fewer game.

Kevin Pietersen will not bat at No.4 in the first Test despite the absence of Marcus Trescothick at the top of the order. Andrew Flintoff said Pietersen would fill the No.5 position even though he has a better record further up the batting list.”Kevin has proven that he can bat at Test cricket,” Flintoff told . “He’s got a fantastic record. We think for the strength of this side we’re better suited with Kevin batting at five. It’s just the dynamics of the team. We’re happy with Kevin at five.”Pietersen averages 46.85 from 15 innings batting at No.5 compared to 53.88 from 17 innings at No.4. Flintoff’s words indicate Paul Collingwood could get the job at No.4, a move that would be a backward step for England, according to Darren Lehmann, who captained South Australia in a tour match against the visitors on the weekend.”He’s the key,” Lehmann said. “He’ll take Australia on. And he should bat at No.4 because of Trescothick going home. The big thing for him will be that the grounds are a lot bigger. In England the grounds are so small that Pietersen and some of the other batsmen hit Warne and Lee for a lot of sixes. The Australians will bounce him a lot.” reported Pietersen acknowledged he would be the target for short-pitched bowling. “There’s been a lot made of it and it’s going to happen whether you bat at one or 11,” Pietersen said. “Nowadays it doesn’t matter. You’re going to get it.” After his century in last week’s tour match against New South Wales, Pietersen admitted a skied hook shot off Brett Lee early in his innings had almost brought him undone. “I know it was a bit of a naughty shot,” he said. “It’s the way I have been training, the way I have been playing.”

“You had to be awake to play Shane Warne”, Sachin Tendulkar said today, a smile on his face, as he looked back on the rivalry between two of the longest-serving players in Test cricket. Tendulkar and Warne enjoyed some memorable contests, with Warne onceadmitting that Tendulkar’s batting – especially in the series in India in 1998 – gave him nightmares, and at his press conference today singled out Tendulkar and Brian Lara as the two toughest batsmen of his era.Asked what made Warne so special, Tendulkar pointed to his legendary accuracy and a spirit that remained unbowed no matter how tough the situation. “You had to be awake. There was no breathing space at all”, he told the media as the Indian team limbered up for the second Test at Kingsmead. “Warne being such a fierce competitor, you knew that at no stage could you bat him out of the game. He was always coming back at you. That kept me on my toes.””He’s been a great ambassador for cricket, and Australia. He’s a good friend of mine and it’s unfortunate that he’s retiring. We’ll all miss his quality bowling. It’s been a treatto watch.”According to Tendulkar, Warne would always command a special place in thegame’s annals. “He’s surely one of the greatest players to have playedthis game,” he said. “Above all, I think he’s a wonderful person. He’s agood friend and what he’s been able to achieve for Australia is somethingspecial. There are not many guys who can stand next to him and say thatthey have done similar things. You don’t get to see such cricketers everyday.”While most rate Warne as the greatest slow bowler of his or any other era,Tendulkar preferred to think of him as one part of a triumvirate thatrejuvenated spin bowling after some lean years in the 1980s. “He’scertainly been one of the top spinners,” said Tendulkar. “Another greatspinner is playing in my team, Anil Kumble, and then there’s Muralitharan.These three spinners are the best, and anyone would want to have them inthe side.”For years, his tussles with Warne were among the game’s marquee contests,and Tendulkar said that there would be several great memories. “We’vealways had good competition, and shared some nice humour. I remember thefirst time I scored a hundred against him in one-day cricket, in SriLanka. I hit him for a six, and he said something. I didn’t really followwhat he said because I started walking towards the square-leg umpire. Icaught up with him after the game and told him: ‘Now you can tell me whatyou wanted to say on the field’. We shared a joke, and since then we’vebeen good friends.”India are scheduled to tour Australia in a year’s time, and Tendulkar wasasked if the game would be poorer for the personal rivalry having come toan end. “I’ve always said that it’s not about Shane Warne and Sachin,” hesaid. “It’s Australia and India. People like to build up these things. Intime to come, there will be someone else.”I’ve already sent a message to him,” he said. “I want to wish him all thevery best. And above all, good health.”

Tama Canning, the allrounder who has played four ODIs for New Zealand, has announced his retirement at the age of 29, following a disciplinary breach. He renounced his contract with Auckland, his state side, after questions were raised about his conduct and commitment during their State Championship match against Northern Districts at Eden Park last week.Canning, the overnight batsman, reported late on the final day with a hangover, showing up barely 20 minutes before the first ball was to be bowled. Though he picked up seven wickets, he failed miserably with the bat, with scores of 0 and 1, as his side crumbled to a 318-run defeat. His actions irked the team management and his team-mates.This was his second breach following an incident in an Auckland nightclub last year, and though he claimed no recollection of the offence, he was fined by the Players’ Association. Andrew Eade, Auckland Cricket chief executive, told the that they were yet to discuss at that stage whether his contract would be cancelled.”There was an incident at the last game,” Eade said. “We held a hearing following the incident, which is what we do in situations like that, and it hadn’t reached the stage of deciding what we were going to do as a flow-on from the incident. Tama himself decided, because he’s had a bit of a history of difficulties with commitments I guess, that it was time for him to retire.”Heath Mills, the Players’ Association manager, added that Canning had struggled to meet his obligations as a professional cricketer, thereby prompting him to retire and look for a career outside cricket. Canning has moved back to Perth, his former base.Canning was named the Auckland Player of the Year in 2003 after a good season in which he took 46 wickets in the State Championship at an average of 21.97, breaking John Bracewell’s haul of 43 in 1986-87. He also scored 451 runs, averaging 37.58.