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‘A’ team cricket is a strange world. Tickets are often free, but the crowd is invariably sparse. Outright fast bowlers dabble in spin. Premier batsmen are content with a couple of middling knocks. Gains for the self can almost be of greater importance than those for the team. And all of it is completely logical for there are no World Cups or Test championships to fight over. Just a pecking order.Australia A, India A and South Africa A might still like to win the seven-match one-day tri-series that kicks off in Chennai on Wednesday, but they might be just as content finding solutions to make their respective first XIs stronger.In 2013, Dean Elgar struck his highest score – 268 – in first-class cricket against Australia A. He is one of the first-choice openers for South Africa and is the current captain of the A team. In 2014, Naman Ojha slammed 219 and 101 in a four-day game, remained not out both times and was chosen to tour England with the Indian Test squad in July. Australia A’s response in that same match was led by Mitchell Marsh, who cracked a double-century of his own and went on to claim the allrounder’s spot in their Test XI. The three teams meet in the 50-over format from tomorrow, but the opportunity remains the same. A good showing against an international-quality side at home or away is great for the resume.”I think it’s something that every player will think about,” Elgar said. “They might not necessarily speak about it, but they will be thinking about it because that’s their common goal. I think every person that’s playing for their A side wants to play for the national side. So they are only human to want to think for higher honours.”More pertinently, South Africa, who are in transition, are due for their longest tour of India in October. Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and Alviro Petersen have called time on their careers. With craters – let alone holes – to fill, players like Elgar, who is himself only 17 Tests old, Reeza Hendricks, who is among those discussed to take over the Test opener’s slot, Eddie Leie, a promising young legspinner and Wayne Parnell, who doesn’t get to play in the senior team too often, an ‘A’ tour has great significance.”This series is a big series for every player in the side just because of the changing of the guard, if you want to call it that, in various formats now in South African cricket,” Elgar said. “It’s big for the players to make a stamp, whether they get a game or two to try and make those one or two games count for them. It’s happened quite quickly back home, I don’t think anyone expected them to retire so quickly but it’s exciting as well. It just shows you the depth that we have and the hunger of the players is right up there.”A healthy bench strength is a luxury most teams would like, even if it costs the odd ‘A’ game. The scrutiny is less, and consequently so is the backlash. Only last week did Rahul Dravid term India A’s 0-1 loss to Australia A a “good lesson,” and that “the thing about this series. You have to keep learning and keep improving.”It is a policy that tends to hold good for everyone. Virat Kohli amassed over 700 runs in four Tests against Australia and is among the top-tier batsmen going around across formats. But he insisted on playing one of the ‘A’ games and used it as a chance to polish a shot he rarely plays: the sweep.”I feel as an international batsman on a personal level, you need to keep adding things that could make a difference in probably say the next 6-12 months in your game,” Kohli had said. “With bowlers bowling more attacking lines, it really comes into play, in case you want to accelerate the scoring rate. They might set fields that are difficult to pierce. If you master another shot, it just opens up dimensions in your game that will be helpful in future.”An ‘A’ team’s results don’t haunt their country’s fans and burn column inches. First-class and List A records aren’t as quickly flung back at a player’s face. The emphasis on their growth and redevelopment instead is what people are interested in.That presents as good an environment as any for someone struggling to get back in form, like Quinton de Kock. He was persisted with in the World Cup, but his rope got cut during the Bangladesh tour. He is expected to join the South Africa A squad ahead of their second one-dayer and will remain with them for the unofficial Tests as well. He would be disappointed at not being part of the ODIs against New Zealand, but it does give him some space to remedy problems that have crept in since his return from injury.The team’s needs, of course, are not altogether ignored and Australia’s Callum Ferguson said the ideal case was to balance both priorities: “Every A tour is important from an individual point of view. Guys playing in a winning side always do well. So it’s about creating a culture in which the team’s cause comes first and it’s the real focus for us.”Australia will be especially keen for some younger talent. Their one-day team is vibrant, the fast-bowling attack that helped them win the World Cup have several miles left in them. Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are not even 25 yet. Throw James Pattinson in that mix as well, he is among the 15 men in Chennai trying to work his way back up. But their batting though is not quite as healthy, especially in Tests.More often than not their solutions have been to settle for a short-term solution by picking older, seasoned players. But say if the likes of Joe Burns, Peter Handscomb, Usman Khawaja enjoy a booming series here, options open up. And most captains like looking around a room and being able to have 14 men all capable of getting into an XI and staying there for a while.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo: Mushfiqur Rahim remained unbeaten on 25, but was off strike in the final over•AFP

The voodoo of chasing continued to haunt Sylhet Super Stars, as they lost their third consecutive game in similar fashion, this time by six runs to Rangpur Riders, who had made only 109 batting first.Mushfiqur Rahim was there till the end, unbeaten on 25, but the big question was why he let Ajantha Mendis keep the strike when eight runs were needed off seven balls, meaning the No. 11 was on strike to face the last over.Abu Jayed was given plenty of advice by his captain Shakib Al Hasan and senior players before running in to bowl the crucial last over. The first ball was an in-ducker, which Mendis survived. At the next delivery, though, Mendis swung hard and was caught at long-on by Thisara Perera.Shakib, who contributed with both bat and ball, enjoyed the win by treating himself to a jig with Darren Sammy. But he was also involved in an ugly fracas with the umpire Tanvir Ahmed in the 13th over after a caught-behind appeal was turned down.Despite Mushfiqur’s inability to steer Sylhet home, the team’s top-order batsmen did not help their cause either. Sylhet lost wickets at regular intervals in the chase, starting with the openers Josh Cobb and Dilshan Munaweera gifting theirs to Shakib without much on the board.Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur tried to get them to some comfort, but Mominul was given out leg-before for 29, though replays showed there was an inside-edge on to the pad. Still, it was arguably Mominul’s best innings of the season, as he was severe on Arafat Sunny and Shakib to find six fours.Sylhet’s decision to send in Nazmul Islam and Nasum Ahmed did not work, as they fell for 0 and 7 respectively. Ravi Bopara, a full batsman, hardly did better, trapped lbw for 1.With 25 needed off 24 balls, Nazmul Hossain Milon was cleaned up by Shakib before Nurul Hasan was run out after a mix-up with Mushfiqur. The equation at this stage read 14 required off 13 balls. Mohammad Shahid, who had bowled so well to keep Rangpur to 109, edged a boundary, but was gone next ball to be the eighth wicket to fall.Earlier, Shahid gave a short account of his current form, picking up 4 for 12 including a maiden in the final over of the Rangpur innings. His two overs up front and two towards the end were more about taking wickets rather than restricting the opposition.Shakib tried hard to hold the Rangpur innings together, but there was a free-fall at the other end. He came to the crease in the third over when Soumya Sarkar’s lean period continued, edging Shahid for just 7. Lendl Simmons was run out attempting a quick single before Mohammad Mithun was stumped off left-arm spinner Nasum.As soon as Rangpur crossed the fifty mark, Jahurul Islam was also run out, and this time it was Shakib who sent him back when there was a sure single to midwicket, where Ravi Bopara took time gathering the ball. Perera tried to counterattack, hitting Ajantha Mendis for two sixes in the 13th over, but Bopara bowled a beauty to get rid of him in the next over.Sammy, on whom a lot of Rangpur’s plans rested, was out hit wicket as he went too far back to a Nazmul delivery. The next three wickets went to Shahid, who had Sachithra Senanayake, Shakib and Arafat Sunny all caught off skiers in the 18th and 20th overs.

Australia’s allrounder Andrew Symonds could well emerge as the key player in next month’s Twenty20 World Championship, but he fears the ever-increasing popularity of the game’s newest format could detract from the fun. Symonds has been a sensation in his 17 Twenty20 matches, cracking a century and four fifties at a strike-rate of more than 200 runs per 100 balls.”It’s a game of fun for me,” he told AAP. “But it looks like it’s heading down the serious route, unfortunately.”Australia have made plain their intentions for the inaugural tournament, which for them begins with a match against Zimbabwe at Cape Town on September 12. Unlike several teams, most notably India, they have selected a full-strength squad and intend adding to their hat-trick of titles in the 50-over format. That marks something of a break from their previous attitude to the Twenty20 game.Australia’s first match, against New Zealand at Auckland in February 2005, featured retro-1970s clothing and facial hair, and Dennis Lillee-tribute headbands. Australia won by 44 runs, but seriousness was far from the players’ thoughts.”Playing the [Twenty20] games in the past the captain doesn’t mind if you interact with the kids in the crowd and muck around a bit,” Symonds said, “but now I don’t know if that’s going to be the case. I think it may end up heading down that serious road.””I think probably in the end pride will take over and it will probably end up being a full blown battle, but we’ll have to wait and see.”Symonds also told the Sporting Life website that Australia could find it tough to win the tournament. “I’ve always said that the shorter the game the easier it is for the lesser sides to beat you,” Symonds said. “In 20 overs anything can happen.”However, Symonds maintained that his training schedule won’t change for the shorter format. “I practice my skills the same for all forms,” he said. “As long as I’ve got my basics all up to scratch and they’re all firing I tend to be able to change for the different formats. I try not to complicate things too much.”

Sourav Ganguly, the former Indian captain, has insisted that he is still good enough to play international cricket and is disappointed with his continued exclusion from the team.Ganguly, who has not played for India since February, was included in the preliminary 30-man squad for the Champions Trophy to be played in India in October. On Sunday the selectors will pick the final 14-member squad for the tri-series in Malaysia starting on September 12.”It hurts, it does hurt to be out of the team,” Ganguly told CNN-IBN. “I still feel I am good enough and that’s the way it is. There must be something wrong which has kept me out.”Ganguly, India’s most successful Test captain with 21 wins, was sacked from captaincy in October 2005 and later eased out of both the Test and one-day squads following a row with coach Greg Chappell. Chappell described Ganguly as a “disruptive influence” in an email to the Indian board last September which was leaked to the media.”It is difficult for me to pinpoint any particular reason but the bottom line is that I am out of the team for whatever reasons and that’s what matters,” said Ganguly. “I have just played two games in the last 12 months for India. Obviously when I am not a part of the team, somebody does not want you to be in the team and that could be anybody. The captain, coach, selectors, everybody is involved so it’s very difficult to pinpoint any particular person.”Ganguly said that to be out on the sidelines was tough. “Obviously I feel sad because this is a team you have commanded for long,” Ganguly told . “Eleven years and captaining India in more than 50 Tests and a large number of ODIs, you will miss cricket because there are players of your age, around 33-34, and playing decent cricket. So you want to be a part of it.”He also said that there was no point thinking about whether politics had anything to do with him being removed as captain. “Dalmiya, Pawar, is there any point in discussing or pondering over what people are saying? Cricket is big in this country and people form their own opinion by saying a host of things.”

Andrew Symonds posted his third century in as many County Championship games since joining Lancashire, but his sustained brilliance could not grab a Division Two victory over Yorkshire. While the sides contested the 253rd Roses match, Symonds made some history of his own at Old Trafford by adding 146 to his earlier scores of 134, 45 and 121.Lancashire, the red roses, had lost 3 for 10 when Symonds arrived at 243, and with Stuart Law (0) and Marcus North (2) also falling quickly he sensibly dug in for his half-century, which came in 106 deliveries. However, he upped the pace soon after and his remaining runs came at around a run a ball in an innings including 19 fours and one six.After Lancashire reached 537 the high-scoring encounter continued as Yorkshire, the white roses, added 6 declared for 323 to their first-innings 417, with Phil Jaques contributing a pair of 14s and bowling his first three overs of the season. The draw means Yorkshire are third with a 2.5-point lead over their rivals in the race for promotion.At Derby, the home side’s win-less season was added to by Essex, who scooted to their target of 337 late on the final day. Michael Di Venuto made small contributions of 27 and 4 in Derbyshire’s 426 and 216, but Jon Moss improved on his first-innings 21 with 74 off 91 balls as his side struggled to set a total. The gap between Derbyshire and Leicestershire at the bottom of the table is 34.5 points.Stuart Clark, who was called into the Australia Test squad before Old Trafford, returned to Middlesex and must have wished he had stayed with the national team. As Sussex rattled to 522, including a century from the Pakistan bowler Naved-ul-Hasan, Clark picked up an unflattering 1 for 109 in 22.4 overs before Middlesex crashed for 128 and 162 to lose in two days. Sussex lead the Division One while their opponents are trying to avoid relegation.Hampshire cruised into the final of the C&G Trophy with an eight-wicket thrashing of Yorkshire at Southampton on Saturday, but it was a quiet match for the three Australians on show. Jaques collected 31 to start the day as Yorkshire made 9 for 197 in 50 overs, Andrew Bichel picked up a wicket and Shane Watson was 11 not out when the winning runs were hit.In the other semi-final Law made 47 as Lancashire folded for 137 chasing Warwickshire’s 236 at Edgbaston on Saturday. Symonds took 1 for 43 off his ten overs but scored only 8 in their disappointing reply.

Alec Stewart, who represented England for over a decade before retiring at the age of 40 last year, has said that the proposed tour of Zimbabwe in October is both unsafe and morally wrong. England are expected to honour their commitment and tour Zimbabwe, unless security fears or a an unlikely veto from the British government force them to do otherwise. The International Cricket Council had warned them of serious repercussions and a massive fine if they failed to meet their obligations.Speaking at a fundraiser, Stewart said: “What’s happening in Zimbabwe isn’t right. Morally, and for safety and security issues, it’s probably not right to go. In fact, it isn’t right to go.” Stewart was part of the World Cup squad that refused to play in Zimbabwe last year, citing security concerns.”The ECB have been backed into a corner,” said Stewart. “The ICC have put the ECB under huge pressure with financial penalties on the tour … that’s harsh.”Stuart MacGill has already pulled out of Australia’s tour of Zimbabwe later this month, but few other Australian players seem likely to follow his example.

THE TRIUMPHS and tribulations of the region’s most-loved game are captured by renowned photographer Gordon Brooks in his book Caught In The Act – 20 Years Of West Indies Cricket Photography.The 144-page hard-bound edition was launched last Saturday evening in the boardroom at Kensington Oval and adds to the growing vein of work on regional cricket.The book has three well-written articles, by Harold Hoyte, editor-in-chief of The NATION, former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd and president of the West Indies Cricket Board Reverend Wes Hall.Dedicated to Brooks’ former business partner, the late Cyprian LaTouche, it also features more than 150 black and white photographs spanning the Clive Lloyd years (1981-84), the Vivian Richards years (1985-91) as well as the turbulent period 1992-95 and 1996-2000 with its moderate gains."It feels great," was how Brooks summed up the achievement. "I must confess I am really humbled by the outpouring of good wishes and so forth."The thought-provoking and emotive pictures capture scenes like the triumph over England in 1984; it provides a montage of the greats like Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Sir Vivian Richards, Joel Garner and Michael Holding, as well as Sir Garry Sobers with Brian Lara after his 375 in Antigua.The abandonment of the Test at Sabina Park in 1998; Jimmy Adams with his hands strapped during the 1999 South Africa tour when he severed the tendons; Walsh passing 376 Test scalps and the whitewash against South Africa, losing the Frank Worrell Trophy to Australia and the knighting of Sir Vivian in 2000 are just some of the memorable moments captured on film.Minister of Sport Rudolph Greenidge delivered the feature address, filling in for Prime Minister Owen Arthur. The speech he read captures the essence of the book, comments on its social and historical significance and also lauds the author."He must be applauded for taking this innovative approach for recording and preserving West Indian cricket," Greenidge said. "And indeed through Brooks’ lens and the absorbing accompanying text of Tony Cozier, our history is kept alive. He showcased the waxing and waning of West Indies cricket, the highs and the lows, the truthful and, no doubt at times, painful record of our game surely speaks to the calibre of the man."Brooks thanked his family, office staff, Carl Moore, who did "the donkey work" at the beginning, Miller Publishing, 809 Design and Dynamic Imaging for helping with the birth of his baby and its professional finish.

There has been a lot of activity in recent weeks with regard to the players, the terms and conditions of their employment, selection, the Task Force report and the future of cricket in general. Zimbabwe’s professional cricketers have now come out in the open on a number of issues.Colin Blythe-Wood, on behalf of the Zimbabwe Professional CricketersAssociation, this week made public a letter the association sent to the Zimbabwe Cricket Union president Peter Chingoka. Six copies of the letter were also sent to the Integration Task Force.The letter summarized the matters that have been addressed in the immediate past and set out the framework for better liaison between the players and administration in the future. It also set out the ZPCA response to the Task Force report on the integration of cricket.The players have been unhappy with several issues for some time, with the main problems being the terms and conditions of their employment and the poor liaison between the players and cricket administrators. According to ZPCA, the discontent has resulted in fixtures and tours being jeopardized, as well as anger and frustration for both players and executives. The players believe that the below-par performances on the field of play have been a result of such discontent.When ZPCA was put in place, a representative was appointed to act as a liaison officer between the association and ZCU. A remuneration committee has been revived to review and discuss present terms and conditions, especially where problems have arisen. It will motivate the payment of the share of profits for the six months to February 2001. It will also ensure that the calculations and payment of the share of profits for the six months from March to August 2001 are carried out as quickly as possible after August 31. The committee comprises a chairman and a representative each from the players and the ZCU.On the issue of team selection, the players said that the resignation of captain Heath Streak on the first day of the Coca-Cola Cup last month was a result of the inability of the coach and captain to influence selection. They state that they have never insisted that the coach and captain be on the full-time selection panel.”All we ask for is that the two of them are involved in the process in an open, frank and constructive way,” read the letter. “After all, they are the two people responsible for the performance on the field and so they should be involved in the procedure to determine who they are coaching and captaining.”On the issue of integration, the players say that they are fully behind the Task Force recommendations, except for the issue of having a quota system in the team. “The first point that must be made by us is that we believe that the future success of cricket in this country depends on the extent to which we are able to involve the black community in the game. We have to take cricket to the population at large and popularise the sport.”It will grow and prosper as a sport only if it becomes a game that has the support and active involvement of the black majority. Here, and in other larger cricket-playing nations, it is a minority sport. For the growing success of the game we must widen its appeal and popularity. There is only one area in which we disagree with the Task Force report, and that may be one of interpretation. While we accept and support the report, we do not believe in a system that is not based on merit, i.e., a quota system. This has not worked anywhere in the world.”What we believe will not help is forcing players into the teams to fulfil quotas and make up numbers. This will create stress and problems for both the players who are left out even though they have more ability, and for the players who are included but cannot perform at the required level. This is what will lead to personal and racial tension, and it will be because of a misguided policy based on racial practice. We do not believe you correct a wrong by perpetuating a wrong – that simply exacerbates the problem.”What we will not support is a racially motivated quota system, not based on merit. We will support a system where, in the case of players of equal ability, the selection goes to the black player as opposed to the white or Asian one. We do not support a selection process where a player of clearly inferior quality or form is chosen ahead of an alternative player of clearly superior quality or form, whatever the racial group of the first player.”This is patently unfair and unconstitutional, and will lead to the demise of cricket and the reversal of all the admirable goals of the past ten years or more. If the next World Cup side is made up of 11 black players, and they are the best players in the country, we will support the team wholeheartedly. The better solution is to correct the wrong by giving help and assistance to the person or group that has been wronged, by means of support, advice, financial security and incentives, coaching and opportunity. The ZCU now has the resources to do this, and should use its resources generously.”The players say that they do not need political agendas and selfish aims of a few people to prevail over the sensible good work and steady progress that has been achieved by the many people who have been involved in the past. We do not pretend that everything has been done properly. We know that mistakes have been made, and we acknowledge that the players have contributed their share of errors. We have to be less selfish about our own needs.”We have to be more nurturing and sensitive to the needs of the younger players, especially the black players who are under pressure, both financially and in terms of performance. The senior players have already resolved to be more caring and considerate to the junior players. They are the future of the game and we know we have to pass on, to them, a proud heritage.”The players also note with regret the big gap between club cricket and national cricket. “We understand the ZCU is already dealing with this. What is needed are more Board XI games and A-team games. This will give the second and third-ranked groupings of players much-needed experience at a higher level and will bridge the gap between club and national cricket.”

Australian players have dominated the English county scene in recent years, in both their number and with their figures. But the IPL, the new one-overseas player limit, and, ultimately, the rain all had their part to play in limiting Australians’ appearances and their chances to contribute to the opening round of seven first-class matches last week.Chris Rogers, however, made the most of his opportunity to give a nod to the selectors who had dumped him off the contracts list, with a second-innings ton for Derbyshire in their Division Two draw with Gloucestershire in Bristol. He had made an inauspicious 3 in the first dig as the visitors collapsed.His former Western Australian team-mate Marcus North topscored in the home side’s first innings with 87 and did not bat second time out as rain put paid to proceedings after Derbyshire’s Rogers-led rally. Only three wins were registered, the four draws all victims of the weather.Lancashire captain, the English-qualified Stuart Law, made 38 as Lancashire, last year’s runners-up, drew with the champions Surrey at The Oval. His team-mate Brad Hodge made an unbeaten 43 before the rain came. Surrey were without Matt Nicholson, who had a virus.In the second division, Western Australia’s Steve Magoffin took one wicket in each innings as Worcestershire drew with Warwickshire.

Uncapped left-arm spinning allrounders Milinda Siriwardana and Sachith Pathirana have been called up to Sri Lanka’s squad for the five-match ODI series against Pakistan. Test spinners Rangana Herath and Tharindu Kaushal have been left out, as have seamers Nuwan Kulasekara and Dhammika Prasad.In addition to the new allrounders, Sachithra Senanayake and legspinner Seekkuge Prasanna serve as the squad’s frontline spin options. Nuwan Pradeep, who has played two ODIs, most recently in 2012, joins Lasith Malinga and Suranga Lakmal to form the quick bowling line-up. Seam bowling allrounder Thisara Perera has also been named.The batting contained few surprises. Kusal Perera is in the squad following his stellar performances against Pakistan A. Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal and Ashan Priyanjan have also been named while captain Angelo Mathews and opener TM Dilshan are almost certain to play. Opener Dimuth Karunaratne, who had been in Sri Lanka’s original World Cup squad, has been left out.Siriwardena, 29, had an outstanding domestic season this year, hitting 1144 runs at an average of 67.29 across 19 first-class innings. He has also been a dependable bowler in domestic cricket. Pathirana, 26, is more of a bowler, and has been chosen on the back of several solid domestic seasons. He has taken 86 List A wickets at 22.58.This series will be Sri Lanka’s first ODI foray since the World Cup. It is also their first series without Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. Other players who featured in the World Cup campaign but have not been chosen include Jeevan Mendis and Dushmantha Chameera. The first match begins on July 11, in Dambulla.Squad: Angelo Mathews (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Milinda Siriwardana, Ashan Priyanjan, Nuwan Pradeep, Thisara Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Sachithra Senanayake, Seekuge Prasanna, Sachith Pathirana