The long awaited suspense over announcement of Pakistan squad for next year’s World Cup in southern Africa will end on Tuesday afternoon when the national selectors unfold the 15-man party in Lahore.Chairman of national selection committee Wasim Bari was scheduled to arrive in Lahore on Monday evening to discuss the finalization of the squad with fellow selectors Shafiq Ahmed and Abdur Raqeeb.The squad will be approved by chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Lt Gen Tauqir Zia at the board’s council meeting on Tuesday morning before it is made public at a press briefing later in the day.The task in front of Bari and company is definitely tricky, although most of the squad, who were on duty during the recent one-day series in Zimbabwe and South Africa, pick themselves. But in this country where everything is possible, a few surprises in the final list cannot be ruled out.After the calamities in the Morocco Cup, the tri-series in Nairobi, the ICC Champions Trophy in Colombo and the 4-1 thrashing against Shaun Pollock’s Proteas, the PCB has already come under a barrage of criticism.The selectors must keep in mind that the time for whatever experimentations is over and they must ensure the best available team is picked for cricket’s most prized trophy. They are left with no alternative but to include a few players who were not considered for selection despite having strong claims.Saeed Anwar, barring a last minute change of mind by the selectors, is almost certain to be recalled for the mega event after being constantly overlooked since the ICC event in September.The left-handed opening batsman, a veteran of 242 One-day Internationals, was sorely missed in South Africa where his experience would have surely come in handy at the top of the order where time and again Pakistani openers failed to deliver.Another ex-captain who is hotly tipped to make a comeback is Moin Khan. According to well-placed sources, Moin, who was dumped after leading Pakistan in New Zealand 20 months ago, is being considered as reserve batsman and the second wicket-keeper behind Rashid Latif.Moin’s inclusion with 2853 runs in 190 one-dayers is likely to face strong resistance from Waqar Younis because the Pakistan skipper does not feel comfortable with yet another ex-captain coming under his wings with Wasim Akram, Saeed and Rashid already in the squad.Azhar Mahmood is certain to miss out because Surrey physio Dale Naylor, has intimated to the PCB that the all-rounder is making a slow recovery from an old shoulder injury that flared up on Zimbabwe tour last month and is unlikely to be fit on time.Shoaib Akhtar, meanwhile, finally arrived back in Lahore on Monday from Durban after his latest ‘disappearing act’ and is expected to appear tomorrowbefore the PCB panel of doctors who will assess whether the injury-prone speedster has recovered from reportedly sore knees.Shoaib was supposed to return on Dec 21 along with Wasim and Rashid after the conclusion of the one-day rubber in South Africa. Tauqir, must have heaved a sigh of relief to have his favourite player back. Any disciplinary action against Shoaib is unlikely because he is supposed to be the key to Pakistan’s remote hopes of repeating their World Cup triumph of 1992.This time the selectors must get the balance right otherwise another disappointing campaign is on the cards for Pakistan.On another front, the PCB is keeping its options open as regards to naming a new manager to replace Brig Khawaja Nasir, who reportedly twice clashed with Waqar during the Zimbabwe tour.However, in some quarters it is believed that either ex-Test off-spinner Hasib Ahsan or Salim Swaleh, a Karachi-based businessman, are the front-runners to take over from Nasir.Likely World Cup squad: Waqar Younis (captain), Inzamam-ul-Haq (vice-captain), Saeed Anwar, Salim Elahi, Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, Abdul Razzaq, Rashid Latif, Wasim Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Sami, Moin Khan and Faisal Iqbal

MELBOURNE, Jan 20 AAP – Australia could regain leg-spinner Shane Warne for Thursday’s first one-day cricket final against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).Warne reported he pulled up well from bowling for Victoria in yesterday’s match against Tasmania.National team physiotherapist Errol Alcott will examine Warne’s right bowling shoulder tomorrow.Alcott said provided there were no unexpected problems, he could clear Warne for national selection.”I’ve seen Shane today and he says his shoulder is excellent, he says he `fizzed’ a couple (of deliveries) yesterday and he’s very happy,” Alcott said.”I will `put him on the hoist’ tomorrow and examine him….he could be available as early as this week.”It (Warne’s rehabilitation) has gone as well as anticipated – I’m just happy he’s come along.”Warne dislocated the shoulder on December 15 in a fielding accident during a one-dayer against England at the MCG.He had exploratory surgery the following day, which revealed no secondary damage to the joint, and Warne made his cricket comeback 10 days ago in a one-dayer pitting his team Victoria against Western Australia at the same ground.His return, providing there are no setbacks, will be a massive boost to Australia’s World Cup chances.Alcott added Jason Gillespie, out with an elbow injury, had been “pencilled in” to play for South Australia in its January 26 one-dayer against Tasmania.Gillespie continued his rehabilitation here today with the national team, which will play Sri Lanka at the MCG tomorrow night in the last of the preliminary matches of the tri series.Alcott will also reassess paceman Glenn McGrath (back) on Wednesday when the Australians go to Sydney to prepare for the best-of-three finals against England.But fellow paceman Andy Bichel is in doubt for tomorrow’s dead rubber with a shoulder injury.The weekend’s results in Adelaide ensured England would play Australia in the finals regardless of tomorrow’s result.Australia denied deliberately batting slowly in yesterday’s win over England to ensure it would not play Sri Lanka in the finals.Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya said he could not criticise Australia after his team lost to England on Friday night.”If we won the other night, it’s a different story,” Jayasuriya said.”We lost the other night, we can’t blame anybody.”A Sri Lankan team spokesman said a squad would be picked later tonight, but Muttiah Muralitharan (thigh) would not be available.Australia will regain captain Ricky Ponting and opener Matthew Hayden, who were rested at the weekend.AUSTRALIA (from): Ponting (capt), Michael Bevan, Andy Bichel, Nathan Bracken, Adam Gilchrist, Hayden, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Jimmy Maher, Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds, Shane Watson, Brad Williams.SRI LANKA (from): Sanath Jayasuriya (capt), Russel Arnold, Marvan Atapattu, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Aravinda de Silva, Buddhika Fernando, Dilhara Fernando, Chamila Gamage, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Chaminda Vaas.

THE Western Australian Cricket Association selectors have announced a squad of Western Warriors for the important ING Cup match against New South Wales at the WACA Ground on Wednesday, February 12, 2003.The squad includes recalled paceman Michael Clark and rookie all-rounder Peter Worthington, for the first time.Fast bowler Brad Williams has been named following his solid training session at the WACA Ground on Tuesday afternoon.Williams suffered a side strain during last Sunday’s exciting Warriors victory over Tasmania in Hobart.Worthington, 23, has been in blistering form with SunSmart League club side Midland-Guildford. He scored 113 not out last weekend to take his season tally to 631 runs.He has also taken 20 wickets at an average of 25 with his right-arm seamers.The Warriors squad is:
Justin Langer (captain), Mike Hussey (vice-captain), Jo Angel, Ryan Campbell, Beau Casson, Michael Clark, Murray Goodwin, Kade Harvey, Shaun Marsh, Chris Rogers, Callum Thorp, Brad Williams, Paul Wilson and Peter Worthington.The final team of 12 players will be decided just before Wednesday’s match.Warriors chairman of selectors Mr Wayne Hill said the inclusion of Clark and Worthington offered a cover for several selection alternatives."We want to see how Brad Williams pulls up on the morning of the match after training," said Hill."Going with a squad of players at this stage, gives us options with a healthy depth in batting and bowling."We think we have adequately covered all possibilities."The Warriors are second on the ING Cup ladder, with 26 points from eight matches.Ladder leaders Queensland has 27 points from nine limited-overs games.The New South Wales SpeedBlitz Blues have two games to play and sit in fourth with 19 points, one behind Tasmania (20).The Warriors could qualify for the final at home with two wins to complete the qualifying rounds.Wednesday’s match begins at 2.30pm. Gates open at 1.30pm. Umpires for the game are Ian Lock and Jeff Brookes.

Australia’s right to favouritism for the World Cup has never been in doubt.It has marched relentlessly through the early rounds of the tournament in the manner expected, just as it has for most of the summer.New Zealand, by comparison, slipped into the Super Six although its right to that position could not be questioned after it at least beat the West Indies and South Africa to make that possible.Now, comes the real test.A match with the arch-rivals, and one that is no doubt keenly awaited by both sides.New Zealand might have achieved a dominance over Australia in their last outings, last summer’s VB Series in Australia.Times are much different this time around.The Australians of last summer had Steve and Mark Waugh, Shane Warne and Jason Gillespie.They were all players well known to the New Zealanders and plots to stymie their influence were worked out well in advance.Some newer cabs are parked on the Australian rank now, and how the New Zealanders handle this new blood will determine their fate in this World Cup.Sporting oddsmakers would say that without a core of experience, long established sides are weaker. That doesn’t seem to apply to this well equipped and prepared Australian side.Rather, they are now playing individuals who are keen to keep their spots in the future, and ahead of a rising tide of quality bursting for a taste of the international action.That makes Ricky Ponting’s side as formidable, if not moreso, than the Steve Waugh-led Australians of the past.New Zealand are not without some virtues of their own.Every one of the players in South Africa has met the Australians in an international match. The side appreciate the threat that Australia are to them.By the same token, the Australians are more familiar with their opponents as a result of last summer and they can be assured of targeting the individuals they perceive to be the key elements in the side.Australia cherish the thought of going through this World Cup unbeaten.Why shouldn’t they?Their record says they are capable of it.New Zealand are just another impediment in their quest.However, Stephen Fleming’s side have shown a greater ability to seize their chance than New Zealand teams have managed for many years.They have achieved a depth in their batting that means no opponent can rest until the entire line-up is quelled.Their bowling has yet to produce the perfect performance, and the lesson from the last 10 over pummelling Zimbabwe achieved could be crucial to the last stages of this campaign.The job of beating Australia is as tough as it gets. That’s why success is so highly prized.Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Ponting, Darren Lehmann, Damien Martyn and Michael Bevan defy any description that Australia have been weakened by the absence of their more experienced players.Just how Craig McMillan, Fleming, Nathan Astle, Scott Styris, Chris Cairns and Chris Harris sit alongside their opposite numbers will be a big factor in the outcome of this contest.In Shane Bond, Daniel Vettori and Jacob Oram New Zealand have three players who will command respect from Australia, but the difference in containing the megastar Australian batting line-up will depend on how Andre Adams, Cairns and Harris respond to the bowling duties.But, in dealing with the guile and pace of Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee, the unrelenting pressure from Andy Bichel and Ian Harvey, and the spin of Brad Hogg and Lehmann, New Zealand will largely determine their own fate.So it has always been in transtasman contests, and tomorrow is just another extension of the rivalry but with a more significant outcome.

Hampshire announced this morning the signing of Pakistani all-rounder Wasim Akram as their second overseas player. Wasim made a flying visit to England and was met by Hampshire Cricket Officials in a hotel in London in the early hours of Wednesday morning after his flight was delayed, signing a one-year contract.After a few hours sleep Hampshire’s latest signing flew off again, this time to St.Lucia in the West Indies to play in a double wicket tournament.Wasim will join the Hampshire squad next Tuesday 9th April.

Wasim Akram brings with him a wealth of experience, with 104 Test Matches and a stunning 356 One-Day Internationals, the left handed batsman and bowler, becoming the first player to reach 500 wickets in ODIs during the recent ICC World Cup. He has taken to date 1,022 First-class and 871 list ‘A’ limited overs wickets.Before jetting off, Wasim made the following statement.”I was impressed by the enthusiasm and ideas shown by Hampshire and am delighted to join such a progressive county. For me it is a fresh challenge and a new chapter in my career. The aim is for Hampshire to gain promotion in both competitions this year, and I hope to be able to play a part in that ambition”.Hampshire will make a statement later this week on the appointment of a captain, with Wasim coming into the frame alongside Will Kendall, Shaun Udal and John Crawley.More comment from Hampshire will appear here later today.

Ricky Ponting says the World Cup is more prestigious than any trophy on offer in Test cricket.Ponting will lead the defending champions into the Cup final against India on Sunday spurred on by messages of support from absentees Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie and Shane Watson and dedicating victory to “every Australian person” as his country becomes embroiled in the war on Iraq.It will be a special occasion.”I think this is as big an event that happens in world cricket,” said Ponting.”I do love playing Test cricket and there’s nothing better than winning a big Test match or big Test series.”I think this is the biggest in world cricket.”Asked about the players’ feelings on the war on Iraq, Ponting said: “We are aware of what’s going on.”Whatever we do on Sunday is going to be for the whole of Australia, every Australian person.”If we happen to play well and win a game, then hopefully that puts a smile on the face of every person back home.”Ponting rated opening batsman Sachin Tendulkar and India’s left-arm seamers Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan as the biggest dangers to Australia.Tendulkar, the little master, the best since Bradman, has been the player of the tournament, amassing 669 runs at an average of 66.9.Nehra and Khan have been a revelation, taking 15 and 18 wickets respectively at averages of 15.46 and 17.05.Their success against Australia’s top order of Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden and Ponting will be crucial.”Sachin has been as good as he’s ever been,” said Ponting, whose side limited Tendulkar to 36 from 59 balls at Centurion last month.”We did a pretty good job on him last time. Obviously it helped that we had taken wickets at the other end as well. He couldn’t probably be as free-flowing in that game as he would have liked.”Hopefully that will work out against him this time.”The Australians will attempt to hurry Tendulkar with short and fast deliveries directed at his body.Pitched up balls will be wide of off stump because he loves to drive straight.”We’ve got to put pressure on him and all the Indian batters,” said veteran Darren Lehmann.”But it’s not just Australia versus Sachin Tendulkar. They’ve got some class players. If we put them under pressure hopefully they’ll crack.”Ponting faces the burden of expectation from a sport-loving Australian public but it’s nothing compared to the pressure on Indian captain Saurav Ganguly.India has a population of one billion and the vast majority of them are mad about cricket.”Obviously being captain of India, there are a lot of expectations,” Ganguly said.”At the same time you look at the positives. There are so many people who want you to win. So many people who want you do well.”They’re a passionate bunch, the Indian supporters.Ganguly is either a hero or a villain depending on his team’s results.They burnt effigies of him after the loss at Centurion but since then he’s become an idol again.”We have got used to that actually,” he said.”At the end of the day we know they love us and want us to do well.”It will be big for the people back home because it is a big sport in India.”Just one year after taking the reins from Steve Waugh, Ponting is one win away from the honour of being a World Cup-winning skipper.”It’ll be huge, no more so for me than the other guys in the side,” he said.”It will be a great honour for everyone in the side. You can guarantee we will be giving it our best shot.”We have six guys who played the last World Cup final but India have a lot of guys who have played a lot of one-day cricket.”Sachin has played over 300 games. It’s pointing towards being a very good game.”Ponting said he wouldn’t give any Churchillian-style speeches in the dressing room before the last one-day match that will really matter for Australia until the next World Cup in the Caribbean in 2007.”I say a few words before most games as to what we want to do and how we should go about things as we go out on the field but the beauty about this side is you don’t need to say too much to the lot of them,” he said.”They are very excited about going out there and representing Australia … it’s no bigger than any other games we’ve played in this tournament.”That’s the way we want to keep it – we haven’t played our best yet, hopefully that comes out on Sunday.”The first ball will be bowled at 10am (7pm AEST) Sunday.

Three rain-delayed Southern Electric Contracting Cup first round ties are due to be played this evening, 6pm.Burridge host Trojans at Botley Road, while Portsmouth play Southsea in an all city debry at St Helen’s, and Hambledon visit United Services.Only three first round ties survived last week’s rain, with Havant, Lymington and Winchester KS emerging victorious.Results:Liphook & Ripsley 96-7 (Wright 3-13, Loat 3-24)
Havant 99-6 (Perry 44)
HAVANT WON BY 4 WICKETSLymington 151-4 (Treagus 86)
New Milton 147-7 (D Miller 32)
LYMINGTON WON BY 4 RUNSSparsholt 50 (Greetham 3-8, S Marks 3-16)
Winchester KS 51-3
WINCHESTER K.S. WON BY 7 WICKETS

Little play was possible on the opening day of the three-day tour game between the West Indies Cricket Board’s President’s XI and Sri Lanka at Arnos Vale. Sri Lanka, opting to bat, were 46 for 1 at lunch when heavy rain washed out the rest of the day.Sri Lanka suffered an early setback when Sanath Jayasuriya was run out for 4 with the score on 7. But Kumar Sangakkara (26 not out) and Marvan Atapattu (16 not out) steadied the innings with an unbroken partnership of 39.The start of play had been delayed by half an hour because of early morning rain. This was the solitary tour game that Sri Lanka had before the Tests, a scheduling that looked more and more foolhardy with every inch of rainfall.

A total of $21,430 will be donated to community health and cricket programs in South Australia as the result of money raised by the Prime Minister’s XI v the Australian and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) match in Adelaide on March 21.Cricket Australia announced today the money would be spent on supporting indigenous cricket programs in South Australia through the South Australian Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Association, and to assist medical research through the Julian Burton Burns Trust at Royal Adelaide Hospital.The amount was raised from gate takings and money left over from the grant for the game provided by ATSIC.Cricket Australia and the host state cricket association manage the match which is played annually for the Johnny Mullagh Trophy, in memory of the star of the all-indigenous side that toured England in 1868.This years match at the Adelaide Oval was played as a day-night fixture for the first time, using ING Cup playing conditions with 50-overs per side.The Prime Minister’s XI, led by captain and Australian batsman Justin Langer, retained the Johnny Mullagh trophy, with an eight-wicket victory.

The second day of the first Test between Australia and Bangladesh was significant for the centuries by Steve Waugh and Darren Lehmann, and Bangladesh’s spirited display in the field and with the bat. Here’s what Waugh, Lehmann and Dav Whatmore, the Bangladesh coach, had to say after the day’s play. Steve Waugh
On becoming only the second batsman to score a hundred against all nine Test-playing nations “If you play long enough you are going to reach milestones and records are going to be passed and I’m sure someone down the track will beat those. But it is nice to achieve things and to score a hundred against every country is something I’m proud of. I’m not too concerned about records. I just want to go out there and play well and I’ve said if I don’t think I can improve then I shouldn’t be there.”On the difficult days last season when there were calls for him to retire “It is nice to overcome those tough times. Every cricketer has them in their career and it’s probably a bit harder as you get older – but I’m just happy with the way I’m playing. I’m enjoying the game and being positive.”Darren Lehmann
On conditions in the middle “It was hard work out there. They stuck to their guns pretty well, they put it in the right areas and made it tough to score runs. To be the first one to score 100 here – it was a good day.”Dav Whatmore
On his bowlers “The bowlers did a pretty good job. I felt that against other sides there was enough good balls and sustained effort to perhaps bowl another opposition out. But we are playing against Australia, the number-one ranked team, and we’ve seen what they are capable of today, even though they had to sustain some fairly good pressure in terms of the way our guys bowled at them.”On what the batsmen need to do on the third day “It’s only just the start, really. It’s a long day tomorrow and we’ll be tested greatly when we have to bat the day out. This really isn’t about winning or losing for us, this is all about being able to improve.”After yesterday’s performance we are really behind the eight-ball, youcan’t win a game in a session, but you can sure go a long way to losing it and that opening session when we were six for 60-odd, it’s very difficult to come back from that.”But we have a really good opportunity to work on one or two things asbatsmen and get out there and really compete. We’ve just started, it’s 15 overs and it’s nice to see the 70 runs, but there’s a lot of hard work ahead of us.”