Daren Ganga, the Trinidad & Tobago captain, has been appointed to lead the West Indies A side for the Sri Lankan tour which starts on June 19. Ganga, 26, has played 31 Tests for West Indies, and was also the captain on the last A tour to England in 2002.The naming of the 15-man squad had been delayed owing to pay disputes between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA). Both parties finally reached an agreement earlier this week. The squad also includes players who took part in West Indies’ recent series against South Africa and Pakistan – Tino Best, Narsingh Deonarine and Dwayne Smith have all been named in the line-up.Others, like Marlon Samuels, Dave Bernard jnr, Jermaine Lawson and Carlton Baugh, who have been out of the West Indies side, get another chance to reclaim their spots. Nikita Miller, the left-arm spinner from Jamaica, and Ryan Ramdass, the Guyanese opener, have been rewarded for the consistent domestic performances.West Indies A squad
Daren Ganga (capt), Ryan Ramdass, Xavier Marshall, Marlon Samuels, Narsingh Deonarine (vice-capt), Dwayne Smith, Runako Morton, Dave Bernard jnr, Carlton Baugh (wk), Dave Mohammed, Nikita Miller, Dwight Washington, Tino Best, Jermaine Lawson, Kerry Jeremy.Tour itinerary
June 23-26: First Test, Dambulla
June 29 – July 2: Second Test, Colombo
July 5-9: Third Test, Colombo
July 11: 1st one-dayer, Colombo
July 13: 2nd one-dayer, Colombo
July 15: 3rd one-dayer, Colombo
July 17: 4th one-dayer, Colombo
July 19: 5th one-dayer, Colombo

Northamptonshire are on the verge of signing Steffan Jones from Somerset.Steve Coverdale, the chief executive, confirmed that “negotiations are very advanced and we hope we’ll have something finalised in the next few days.”Jones, 29, has been at Somerset since 1997 but has been told he can leave the club and he has reportedly been offered a two-year deal by Northants.If they do capture Jones, he will join other new faces Usman Afzaal and Martin van Jaarsveld at the club, but whether Jones was the “big-name signing” Coverdale promised earlier this week is doubtful, so watch this space.

Alok Kapali, the allrounder who was recently dropped from the Bangladesh team for consistently failing with the bat, has been given a chance to claw his way back into the national team. He was named captain of the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI that will take on New Zealand in a tour opener later this month. Kapali was dropped from the team during the second Test against West Indies but came back into the side for the Asia Cup. Then, upon registering a string of low scores, he was dropped from the team.The BCB XI squad includes three others with Test experience – Talha Jubair, Alamgir Kabir and Anwar Hosain Monir, all medium pacers. Jubair returns to the scene after a gap of two years, having been laid low by a back injury.Jamaluddin Ahmed, the offspinner who has played one-day cricket, has also been included in the squad, as have four cricketers from the Bangladesh under-19 team. Shahadat Hossain Rajib, the 18-year old considered to be the fastest bowler in Bangladesh, may also get a look in.New Zealand are expected to arrive in Bangladesh on October 8 and play a three-day match at the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan (BKSP) from October 14-16. The first of the two Tests start in Dhaka on October 19.BCB XI squad
Alok Kapali (captain), Mohammad Ashraful, Hannan Sarkar, Nafees Iqbal, Aftab Ahmed, Jamaluddin Ahmed, Talha Jubair, Alamgir Kabir, Anwar Hossain Monir, Dhiman Ghosh, Shamsur Rahman, Nadif Chowdhury, Nasiruddin Faruque and Shahadat Hossain.

Bangladesh’s tour of India next October looks set to be postponed for the second time in six months, according to the Daily Star newspaper in Dhaka, because it will clash with the International Cricket Council’s new fixture, the Super Series.The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) received a letter on Sunday from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), in which it was stated that the scheduled time was not feasible. Bangladesh had originally expected the tour to take place in April, after India’s visit to the country in December last year.”The Indian board informed us that it would not be possible to arrange the series in October due mainly to the Super Series and as well as their two big festivals in this month [Diwali and Dhashara] ,” said BCB president Ali Asghar on Monday. “But it is an ideal time for us as we also have international commitments with the other countries.”Asghar added that the ICC had requested all the respective boards to avoid any kind of clash with the Super Series if their players are involved. The Bangladesh board, however, is worried that the tour could be postponed indefinitely, as India has busy international schedules from next November, which begin with a five-match one-day series against South Africa.”It is a very important tour for us considering financial and other aspects but there is actually hardly any vacuum to reschedule the series,” added Asghar. “I will discuss the matter with the Indian authorities when I attend a function in Kolkata on July 16.”Asghar also informed that he would visit England next August during the Bangladesh A tour to create opportunities for the Bangladeshi players to play county cricket. “We had a preliminary discussion with our English counterparts during the ICC meeting and hopefully it will be finalised this time. We believe that it would create real exposure for our cricketers.”

Responding to media reports of a financial crisis in South African cricket, Gerald Majola, the chief executive officer of the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA), has issued a statement showing cricket’s firm footing in the country’s consciousness as well as its good financial health. There had been speculation that the board would find itself bankrupt within 18 months, and this spurred the UCBSA into clarifying that its sponsor base, an ingredient vital for the success of a sport, was as strong as ever, and that even its amateur league had found financial backing.Majola stressed that a strong rand had affected the board, as it had other companies in South Africa, but that measures were in place to increase revenues. These included cost-cutting as well as internal auditing. “We have the backing of major sponsors such as Standard Bank, SA Breweries, SABC, SuperSport, National Brands, SA Airways, Southern Sun, Mutual and Federal, Coca-Cola, PG Bison, Energade, Budget, and Hummel. “Even the vacancy left by MTN, a major sponsor, would be filled by other companies. “For instance,” Majola said, “SA Airways has signed as a sponsor of the new provincial amateur league which is a first for South African cricket … Another new sponsorship is the Standard Bank Pro20 Series. This has proved an out-and-out hit, attracting record crowds.” This had also helped increase the value of the sponsorship base by R25million.Majola added that for the fourth successive year cricket was the second-most popular sport in South Africa.

John Gloster, the Indian physio, has said that he was pleased with the progress Sachin Tendulkar was making after his elbow surgery and that he could assess the condition of the elbow after a week.Gloster said that they were working according to a schedule given by Dr Andrew Wallace, the surgeon who operated on Tendulkar’s elbow. “I feel we are right on track. I am happy with the progress he has already made and with the way he is hitting balls in the nets,” Gloster was quoted as saying in rediff.com.Tendulkar batted for two hours at the MIG Cricket Club in Mumbai and sounded confident after the nets session. “If I am fit to play for India, then why wouldn’t I play,” said Tendulkar. Gloster added that the final decision had to be taken by Tendulkar “The decision is up to him. It depends on his confidence. If he is not confident about the way he is playing, then we will need to work on it.”

Australia 131 and 179 for 7 lead England 298 (Brunt 52, Guha 31, Liddell 4-45) by 21 runs
Scorecard

England stand on the brink of regaining the Ashes for the first time in 42 years after making significant inroads into Australia’s batting lineup on the third day. By the close, Australia were 179 for 7, a lead of just 21 runs.But Australia hadn’t even looked likely to take the game into the fourth and final day after Katherine Brunt and Jenny Gunn reduced them to 18 for 4. Kate Blackwell, though, led the fightback, and was 72 not out by the close, having put on an unbroken stand of 112 with Shelley Nitschke as England’s bowlers tired.Their pace attack will come back refreshed tomorrow morning, though, confident of blasting out the final three wickets needed for the series victory. But it was a familiar feeling that England could do without, as Australia set about putting together some late resistance. Their rearguard had echoes of Hove, where Australia’s last three partnerships put on 240 – and England will be keen to avoid a repeat as they go in for the series kill tomorrow.The home side certainly bossed the first two sessions of the day. Brunt put on 85 with Isa Guha, an England record last-wicket stand, to take the home side to 289. Brunt added 52 and Guha made 31 to boost England from their overnight total of 222 for 9. Then Australia felt the pressure: by tea they had put on just 58 in 52 overs. At that stage, Gunn’s 16 overs had cost just 4 runs, a ridiculous economy rate – and two of those runs were wides. It was agonising stuff all round.The Blackwell twins combined well and battled hard in a stand of 28, constructed over an hour, but Alex eventually fell to Isa Guha on 14. It took another 50 minutes for England to get another breakthrough on a bowler-friendly pitch, as 46 for 5 became 58 for 6.Australia were inching along at an agonising rate of one run per over – in stark, sorry contrast to the fireworks elsewhere in the Midlands, at Trent Bridge – and dots were coming thick and fast.Cathryn Fitzpatrick took 44 balls to get off the mark, but fell soon after, when Clare Connor brought on Charlotte Edwards; an inspired change. Edwards struck with her legspin in her first over, leaving victory there for England’s taking.But they like to do things the hard way, and Australia took command of the final session – if not the match. After watching their colleagues crumble, Blackwell and Nitschke decided the best form of defence was attack, and they upped the run-rate to a heady 1.8 runs an over. They were helped by some loose bowling as England’s bowlers, unused to being in the field all day, began to tire.Should England complete victory on the fourth and final day at New Road – and the signs are that they will – then a miserable week for Australia will be completed. Last Sunday England defeated them in a one-dayer for the first time in 12 years. Australia may still lead that series, but there are signs their empire is crumbling.

Division One

Points Table

Kent were indebted to an amazing last-wicket stand of 135 between Justin Kemp and Amjad Khan to rescue their first innings against Middlesex. The pair came together with Kent struggling on 249 for 9, after wasting the earlier efforts of Robert Key who made 94. But Kemp and Khan flayed the ball around, with Kemp reaching his second century of the season. Khan was no slouch, and actually struck more boundaries – 10 – than his more recognised batting partner. The stand began as a frustration for Middlesex and rapidly turned into something serious as they are in desperate need of a win to ease their relegation fears. Kent, meanwhile, will have gratefully welcomed the extra batting points as they chase Nottinghamshire at the top of the table. Jamie Dalrymple eventually ended the stand, but the pick of the attack was Alan Richardson who worked through 27 overs for his three wickets. Paul Trego also snapped up three in the morning, while Yogesh Golwalkar, the 25-year-old spinner signed to fill Middlesex’s overseas gap, managed three of his own on Championship debut.Mushtaq Ahmed bowled Sussex into a promising position against relegated Glamorgan as they attempt to keep pace with the Championship leaders. Mushtaq took 5 for 89 as he and James Kirtley shared nine wickets between them to restrict Glamorgan’s first innings. A number of batsmen made starts, but only David Hemp converted into anything approaching a substantial innings. Even his 71 was a wasted opportunity to reach a bigger score when he was bowled by Kirtley and Mushtaq quickly wrapped up the tail. However, Glamorgan did show some fight as they claimed two Sussex scalps before the close although Ian Ward remained firm on 42.

Division Two

Points TableIt was a day of wasted innings for Worcestershire as they shared the opening day honours with Yorkshire. Both teams are still fighting for promotion, with Yorkshire holding the third spot at the moment and they will have been happy with their efforts today. The bowlers chipped away at Worcestershire’s batting, as everyone except Shoaib Akhtar reached double figures but no one went beyond Vikram Solanki’s 48. Tim Bresnan took three wickets and the rest of the attack all chipped in but the total was boosted by a last-wicket stand of 58 between Matt Mason and Nadeem Malik. Yorkshire’s reply moved along a rollicking pace as Anthony McGrath raced to 65 from 54 balls with 12 boundaries.Ian Blackwell and Arul Suppiah made contrasting nineties as Somerset took control against Northamptonshire. Both teams are someway adrift of the promotion spots but produced a hard fought day of cricket at Taunton. Matthew Wood starred in the early proceedings with an aggressive half-century but Suppiah and Blackwell added the key stand of 91. Suppiah’s individual 91 came from 179 balls while Blackwell’s was a typically forthright innings, his 98 taking 122 deliveries with 13 fours and two sixes. It was a blow for Somerset as both fell because on a flat Taunton pitch one of them really needed to turn their innings into a big century. Monty Panesar toiled away for 24 overs – as did Jason Brown – with three wickets between them, while also keeping a lid on the scoring rate after the seamers had been dispatched at around four an over.