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Suzie Bates has pulled out of the the tour to Australia for five ODIs and a Twenty20 match. But she will join the side for their tour to England © GNNphoto

Amy Satterthwaite and Rachel Priest are the new faces in the 13-member New Zealand squad for the Rose Bowl Series in Australia in July. Allrounder Suzie Bates is not available for the series, but she will join the side in England.Satterthwaite, the Canterbury allrounder, and Priest, the wicketkeeper-batsman from Central Districts, were both in the New Zealand A team last summer. Canterbury’s Beth McNeil has also been named for the Australian leg of the tour, which will include five ODIs and a Twenty20 match.Steve Jenkin, the New Zealand coach, said that the squad to England will contain several changes from the one which travels to Australia. “As well as Suzie’s return, Rachel Candy will join the squad [in England] for the first time, while Selena Charteris and Sarah Burke of Canterbury will replace Maria Fahey and Sophie Devine, who have told us they are unable to make the tour.” New Zealand will play six ODIs and three Twenty20 games against EnglandSquad
Haidee Tiffen (capt), Nicola Browne, Sophie Devine, Maria Fahey, Sara McGlashan, Beth McNeill, Aimee Mason, Rowan Milburn (wk), Louise Milliken, Rachel Priest (wk), Amy Satterthwaite, Sarah Tsukigawa, Helen Watson.

Mahela Jayawardene: twin hundreds at Lord’s © Getty Images

Mahela Jayawardene admitted that his team’s achievement was beginning to sink in, as he reflected on their remarkable backs-to-the-wall draw in the first Test against England at Lord’s.Speaking at a reception for the Sri Lankan squad in central London, Jayawardene praised his side’s fighting qualities, and said that the confidence they had gained from batting continuously for the final two-and-a-half days of the match would stand them in good stead for the remainder of the series.”When you think where we were and what we pulled off, it’s an amazing achievement,” said Jayawardene, who led the rearguard with a brilliantly adhesive 119. “We didn’t think about the result, we just batted for time to see what we could achieve, and it’s amazing to see how far that took us.”After two days of the Test, nobody could have envisaged the turnaround that was about to happen. Sri Lanka had slumped to 91 for 6 in reply to England’s 551 for 6 declared, and eventually followed on a massive 359 runs in arrears. But, with England dropping nine catches in the course of the match, Sri Lanka managed to close on 537 for 9 in their second innings, having stretched their performance over 199 overs.”After the first innings we had nothing to lose and everything to gain,” said Jayawardene. “We knew the potential in the team, and I personally had a lot of belief in our guys. It was a big occasion for them, with many of them playing at Lord’s for the first time, and I think they never had a chance in the first innings. Second-time around, they just went out there and relaxed.”Jayawardene himself had no qualms about playing at Lord’s, as he rattled up his second century in consecutive visits, to join an exclusive club of nine overseas batsman with more than one notch on the dressing-room honours board.”It’s a pretty good club,” he admitted. “I didn’t realise until after the game how few people had done that. I’m not a guy who goes for records, but it’s something special for a Test cricketer to have his name on that board. It means you will always be remembered, and to do it twice is the icing on the cake.”

Tom Moody: You don’t go into a two-horse race thinking you’re going to come second © Getty Images

Tom Moody, Sri Lanka’s coach, was equally impressed with the resolve his players had shown over the final three days of the match. “I’m sure theirsmiles will get bigger and bigger as the days go by,” he said, “as they realise what they’ve achieved.”Cricket is all about momentum,” he added. “We didn’t have the momentum on the first two days, but we showed a lot of character and guts, got themselves back into the game slightly, and then grew in confidence to take the momentum off England. And when that happens luck tends to go your way.”Moody admitted that England’s failure to take nine of the catches that came their way was a big factor in the great escape, but didn’t think that would overshadow his team’s achievement. “England were hot favourites in this match, so the purists will know what Sri Lanka’s players achieved. It was a tremendous effort, and a great positive for the series, for both teams and spectators.”You don’t go into a two-horse race thinking you’re going to come second,” he added. “We are in it to try and win it. Realistically we are looking at England very much as favourites, but what’s important is how we apply ourselves over five days. We only played for three days at Lord’s.”And such is the confidence that the Sri Lankans have taken from the first Test that Sanath Jayasuriya, whose late addition to the squad caused such controversy last week, has been overlooked for the four-day tour match against Sussex at Hove, which starts on Thursday and is unlikely therefore to play in the second Test at Edgbaston next week.”Either we throw him in, or we get behind the young guys who fought us into a terrific position at Lord’s,” said Moody. “It’s all about what’s best for the team. But on the field or off the field, Sanath is going to be an important member of the squad, and will hopefully contribute towards the success of the series.But Moody did not entirely rule out an appearance in the Tests for Jayasuriya. “Over the last ten years we’ve seen what he’s capable of doing. Like Adam Gilchrist, he’s the type of player who can take a game away from you, and he can destroy any attack in the world. England will be aware of that, and if a catch goes in the air off his bat, they’ll want to make sure they hold onto it.”

MAK Pataudi: granted bail © Getty Images

Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, the former Indian captain, has been granted bail by a Jhajjar Court in Haryana, after he surrendered on Saturday in connection with a poaching case. According to a PTI report, Pataudi was given bail by Sudhir Jiwan, the chief magistrate, on condition that he provided a personal bond of Rs 50,000.Pataudi, who was remanded in police custody for two days, was uncontactable for a fortnight after being named a suspect, with seven others, in a hunting incident where a black buck and two rabbits were killed. He surrendered after the high court rejected his request for anticipatory bail.Jiwan revealed to the Calcutta Telegraph that his wife had received a suspicious call. “A man threatened her saying that `it would be bad for her husband if Pataudi got bail’,” he said. “When she asked who it was, the man said it was `none of her business’.”Before escorting Pataudi to court, the Haryana police had to take him to a civil hospital when he complained of uneasiness and chest pains. After being examined by doctors, Pataudi was released and taken on to court.Meanwhile, Naresh Kadyan, a leading animal-rights activist, said he would approach the court seeking cancellation of the bail, telling reporters that he ” would like to first seek legal advice why Pataudi’s bail in the high court was rejected and the lower court granted it.”If found guilty, Pataudi faces up to seven years in jail and a fine of Rs 25,000.

The home boy did good in Peshawar© Getty Images

The has a small feature on Yasir Hameed, the 26-year-old Peshawar native who led Pakistan to victory at the Arbab Niaz Stadium yesterday. Hameed’s 98 was pivotal as Pakistan chased down an Indian total of 244 for 9. “Going in to bat, I prayed to God to help me show a credible performance in front of my home crowd,” he’s quoted as saying. “It was disappointing to miss the century, as that would have been a lifelong memory, but victory, and that too against India, was pleasant indeed.”* * *As for , it bemoans the fact that Peshawar won’t be hosting a Test match against India. Both South Africa and New Zealand refused to play there last year, and the daily suggests that the crowd’s behaviour yesterday deserved more than just a one-day match. “Every ball was cheered and every stroke appreciated, no matter whose bat it came from,” wrote a staff reporter. “So exemplary was their behaviour that they mingled freely with the Indian fans, smiling, talking and enjoying the game. A small group of them went round the stadium waving Pakistani and Indian flags in an excellent display of friendship. On a huge water-tank just outside the stadium flags of both countries fluttered side by side, giving more meaning to the ‘Friendship Series’.”* * *Across the border in Rajasthan, there was less to cheer about as 18 people were arrested in a major crackdown on cricket-related betting. According to , 15 were arrested in Jaipur, and three in Udaipur, for operating the racket on behalf of the Mumbai underworld.* * *The has a profile on the man behind Taj Television, which owns the Ten Sports channel that presently has broadcast rights for all games played in Pakistan. Abdul Rahman Bukhatir’s story is an interesting one, particular the role that cricket has played in his life.”In 1981 he built himself a stadium in Sharjah, paid generous sums to have the world’s best cricket players come and play for him, and in 2001, for a diversion if nothing else, put together his own sports channel as well,” writes the paper. “Think about it. He could now watch replays of tournaments he organised, on a channel he ran, in the pavilion of a stadium he owned. It wasn’t cricket, it was a bloomin’ fairy-tale.”Bukhatir’s passion for cricket is chased back to his childhood. “I first played the game in 1964 at the age of eight,” he told the paper. “I was then living in Karachi.” And then, in 1981, he invited unofficial Indian and Pakistani teams – one led by Sunil Gavaskar, the other by Javed Miandad – to play exhibition matches in Sharjah. He had smelt opportunity in the entertainment-starved south-Asian expats in the Emirates. Bukhatir certainly knew his market.Aside from memories of Karachi, he is fluent in Hindi, a legacy of many visits to Mumbai (“I love the city”).* * *, a Kolkata-based newspaper, reveals that a Pakistani fan has dropped a court case against Shoaib Akhtar so that he can concentrate on the matches against India.”My client Syed Najmul Abbas dropped the case in the interest of the country so that Shoaib can give his best against India,” said the petitioner’s lawyer, according to the paper. Shoaib’s supposed crime? A newspaper interview last year in which he said, “In Pakistan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis are in decline. They were great but they are not matchwinning bowlers any more. So I have to make it all happen on my own.”Abbas had gone to court claiming that Shoaib’s remarks tarnished the image of his country.* * *And last, but certainly not least, the newspaper gives Bishan Bedi space for yet another rant on the subject of chucking. Bedi alleges that the subcontinent is a hotbed of chuckers, and includes India’s Lakshmipathy Balaji along with his list of usual suspects.In the column, Bedi suggests that Sourav Ganguly and his team should take issue with Shoaib Akhtar’s action, going on to add: “There are at least three Sri Lankans and four members of the present Pakistan team who clearly chuck.” The quartet, according to Bedi, are the Shoaibs Akhtar and Malik, Shahid Afridi and Shabbir Ahmed.And in a devastating aside, Bedi refers to Muttiah Muralitharan as a “Sri Lankan bandit closing in on a dream artist called Shane Warne”.

As a result of Australia beating England in their last Pool A match, the reigning champions will finish first with 24 points and India will qualify for the Super Six in second place with 20 points. The only doubt remaining is whether England, Zimbabwe, or even Pakistan will take the third place from the group.If Zimbabwe beat Pakistan in Bulawayo, they will take the last spot in the Super Six with 16 points, and they will still go through even if they only take two points from the match.However, should Pakistan win, England, Pakistan and Zimbabwe will all be level on 12 points and the outcome will be decided on run rate as, in that instance, all will have the same number of points, same number of wins and each will have one win in matches played between themselves.As Zimbabwe will have to lose the game to be level on points with England and Pakistan, they will be unable to improve their net run rate to move above England, although Pakistan still could.For Pakistan to achieve a better run rate than England’s, the International Cricket Council have come up with the following possibilities:With Pakistan batting first, if they score 200 they will need to dismiss Zimbabwe for 13 or less. If they score 250 they will need to dismiss Zimbabwe for 62 or less while 300 sets a target of 112 or less. Should Pakistan reach the dizzy heights of 350, the target goes up to 161.The situation in Pool B is now straightforward, with Kenya, Sri Lanka and New Zealand already assured of a place in the Super Six stage. The only doubt concerns which side occupies which position.With one match between Kenya and West Indies to be completed, Sri Lanka top the group with 18 points, Kenya are in second place by virtue of their win against New Zealand who are third. Both have 16 points. New Zealand will finish third in the group, but obviously there is a chance for Kenya to take top spot. Even two points for Kenya in their last match would enable them to top the group as they beat Sri lanka in the match between the two sides.

Group BSeedings

• Ireland (2)
• Denmark (3)
• Hong Kong (6)
• Bermuda (7)
• USA (10)
• PNG (11)

Irelandby Gerry Byrne2001 is perhaps make or break year for Irish Cricket. The ICC Trophy in Toronto is a huge challenge and anything less than qualification for the World Cup in South Africa will be regarded as a massive disappointment. In Malaysia, Ireland finished third and just failed to qualify.This time two of those who finished ahead of them are already prequalified for South Africa (Bangladesh and Kenya) and yet there are still three slots available. The problem, however, is that the Irish side is a weaker one than played in Malaysia. We have lost batsmen of the quality of Alan Lewis, Justin Benson, Angus Dunlop, and all rounders such as Garfield Harrison and Uel Graham. The only newcomer to the batting line up that compares with those is Ed Joyce, presently under contract with Middlesex, and while there are one of two promising younger players the competition may be coming a year too early for them in terms of experience. Dominick Joyce, younger brother of Ed, came into the squad after a good Namibian tour.A key element of our team in Canada may be the slow bowling department with the evergreen Matt Dwyer, skipper Kyle McCallan, Dekker Curry, and newcomer Andrew White. As well as being good spinners, they are all recognised batsmen. On the other hand the quicker bowling department is weak with Mark Patterson and Ryan Eagleson both recovering from long term injuries.Coach Ken Rutherford has high hopes of a World Cup spot, and Ireland will still be the team to beat in Group B.DenmarkDenamrk is a young team, markedly different from that which finished 5th in Malaysia in 1997. Seeded third this year, Denmark will be a contender for a World Cup spot. The Andersen brothers return, this time with Morten as captain – and he will be a useful all-rounder. The side’s strength will be in its bowling, with Thomas Hansen’s left arm fast medium leading the way. Hansen has brief first-class experience with Hampshire, and he’ll be joined by youngster Amjad Khan, born in Copenhagen but making his first-class debut with Kent this year. together they may form the best opening attack in the tournament, matched only by Blain and Brinkley for Scotland. They’ll be supported by Vestergaard and the Andersens. Backed by a strong fielding side, runs will be hard to get against the Danes.The batting is weaker, but their wicket-keeper Frederik Klokker looks to be a promising talent. A left-handed opening bat, he is just 18, he scored well on Denmark’s South African tour, and captained the Danish under-19 squad last year. The top 5 or 6 in the batting order need to take charge and produce the runs required for Denmark to contend.Coach Ole Mortensen thinks they have a good chance of qualifcation despite a lack of experience, but they will have to improve markedly from the European Cricket Championships last year when an under-strength squad lost every match, including an embarrassing defeat by Italy.Hong KongHong Kong bring a team that in the opinion of their evergreen captain, Stewart Brew, is one of the strongest he’s seen. The Queensland-born Brew brings his experience of two previous ICC Trophy competitions, as well as his elegant batting, and useful medium pace bowling. The batting will rely much on him, and Rahul Sharma. Sharma, who played briefly for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy, had an outstanding Asian Cricket Council Trophy in Sharjah, making 95 and 145; and 78 in the final. Mohammad Zubair, who along with opening bat Saleem Malik and Tabarak Dar spent time last year at the Australian Cricket Academy, will lead the bowling.Andy Moles will act as coach, replacing Adam Hollioake, who coached Hong Kong during their run to the final of the Asian Cricket Council Trophy last November. There, they established themselves as a strong all-round side, winning their group unbeaten, demolishing Nepal in the semi-finals, and losing narrowly to UAE in the final. This qualifed them for the Asia Cup one-day tournament in Karachi, alongside Test-playing nations India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. In Toronto they will hope to push Denmark for second place in their group.BermudaBermuda have come close to World Cup qualification several times though the ICC Trophy – losing in the final in 1982 and losing a 3rd place play-off to Holland in 1994 – but were a disappointing 9th in 1997. Their batting is strong and experienced. The captain, Charlie Marshall, is a reliable left handed run-scorer, and Clay Smith, entering his third ICC Trophy, is also likely to score heavily. Both are useful with the ball. Albert Steede can also contribute, and Janeiro Tucker is a talented all-rounder.They gained experience of Toronto conditions at the Americas Cup, where they survived a scare against the surprising Cayman Islands, beat Argentina, and then defeated Group B rivals USA with ease before losing to Canada in the final match.Under new coach Mark Harper (who has recently replaced Roland Butcher), they will push hard for a second round place, and are more than capable of upsetting higher ranked rivals.United StatesThe US team brings a blend of experience and youth to the ICC. They have the player of the highest quality in the tournament in Faoud Bacchus. Bacchus played 19 Tests for the West Indies, including in those a memorable 250 against India, and is familiar with Canadian conditions having formerly played there. Bacchus is now 47, and age may be taking its toll, but he is a high-class bat, and will be devastating against weaker bowling. He’ll be supported by youngsters David Wallace and Rohan Alexander who form a promising opening partnership; and middle-order bat and captain Richard Staple, who played 20 first-class matches with Jamaica in the early 1990s. The other player with first-class expereince is Joy Zinto, who took 57 first-class wickets for Gujarat in the 1980s with his slow left-arm spin. He is also a useful bat with three first-class fifties. Zinto will head the bowling, which on paper at least is less impressive than the batting.The Americans had a disappointing Americas Cup, only beating the Cayman Islands thanks to a last wicket partnership, and lost to both Canada and Bermuda. The squad for the ICC Trophy is considerably stronger, however, and may be able to surprise Bermuda or Hong Kong. Syed Abid Ali will coach, and they will have to perform well to make it to the Super League.Papua New GuineaLowest seeded in Group B, Papua New Guinea will struggle to advance to the Super League. Their cricket is slowly emerging from a period of internal administrative strife that at one point threatened to remove some of their best players from the national squad. They lost to Fiji in the Pacifica Cup semi final, but finshed overall in 3rd.National team captain, Navu Maha believes batsmen John Ovia and Daniel Faunt will be key players, while Toka Gaudi and leg-spinner Ross Vagi are also expected to stand out. Maha himself is an exciting left-handed bat and useful spin bowler. Keimelo Vuivagi’s father played in the ICC Trophy in 1982, and he himself is one of five who represented PNG in the 1997 tournament.

Tottenham are interested in a deal to bring Lautaro Martinez to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication Tuttosport (via Sport Witness), who claimed that, after failing with a move for the Inter Milan centre-forward last summer, Fabio Paratici could once again launch an offensive for the 24-year-old at the end of the current campaign.

The report added that the Argentina international could view Spurs as the ideal destination if he were to secure a move away from the San Siro this summer, having enjoyed an extremely successful spell under Antonio Conte during his own time in Milan.

Finally, it is claimed that Inter may be willing to discuss a deal for the striker due to their ongoing financial difficulties, with the Serie A club’s hierarchy reportedly willing to listen to offers starting at €70m (£59m).

He’s “perfect” for Conte

Considering the quite extraordinary metrics that Martinez returned when previously working with Conte, it is not difficult to see why both Paratici and the 52-year-old coach would be interested in a move for the Inter star this summer.

Indeed, over his 38 Serie A appearances in the Nerazzurri’s Scudetto-winning 2020/21 season, the £63m-rated forward was in breathtaking form, bagging 17 goals, registering 10 assists and creating nine big chances for his team-mates, along with taking 2.9 shots and making one key pass per game.

These returns saw the €125k-per-week (£105k-per-week) sensation, who Roberto Rojas dubbed an “absolute goal machine”, average an incredibly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.17, ranking him as Conte’s third-best player last term.

In total, the Argentine scored 40 goals and provided 19 assists in his 97 appearances under the 52-year-old, although it was not only his efforts in the final third which made him a key player for the head coach, but also his tireless work rate in a defensive capacity.

Indeed, speaking about Martinez last year, Siavoush Fallahi said of the 24-year-old: “Not many know that Lautaro Martinez was a defender back in the days. That’s why he’s so good in defence and winning the ball back. Huge resource for Inter and very appreciated by Conte for that work.”

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Furthermore, it is clear that Partici is also a massive fan of the striker, with Gianluca Di Marzio stating in a recent interview with Wett Freunde: “I think Tottenham will go after Lautaro because they wanted him last summer. They want another forward to play with Kane or plan for the future without Kane. Lautaro Martinez is one of the players that Fabio Paratici loves. I think it could be Lautaro’s summer and Atletico Madrid or Tottenham could be the perfect destinations for him.”

Indeed, considering all of the above, it seems all but certain that Martinez would be something of a perfect signing to play alongside Harry Kane in the Tottenham attack, leading us to believe that Paratici simply must do all he can to get a deal over the line for the centre-forward this summer.

AND in other news: Conte can unearth his next 243-goal talent in Spurs prodigy who “runs over every blade”

Omar Khan, West Indies’ new team manager, has said the most important challenge for the home side ahead of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Guyana is their mental approach to the game. “I have no doubt of the quality and potential of these players and now it’s about instilling that competitive edge, that fighting spirit that is so essential for success,” Khan told the .Khan replaced Clive Lloyd as the team manager and said a new era had emerged with the arrival of the new management. John Dyson replaced Bennett King as the coach after the World Cup and later David Williams, the Trinidad & Tobago coach, was appointed the assistant coach. “This is a new era in West Indies cricket with a new management team and players must see it as a stepping stone to getting their game right and taking West Indies cricket forward.”We head into Guyana on Tuesday and from Wednesday through to Friday, we will be hosting a number of team building sessions with the hope that it can bring the players closer together and improve team unity.” Khan said though there was little time to work with the players on the mental aspect of their game he was certain, being professionals, they would respond well.Khan also said Pedro Collins’ withdrawal from the Test squad to play for Surrey was an unfortunate event. “Myself and the coach looked at Collins during the Barbados-Jamaica game and he took nine wickets. He was bowling very well and it is a pity that he won’t be with us. However, having said that, we have a number of good bowlers in our ranks and we will be well served in that department.”

West Indies thrived at the 2005 World Cup but their participation in the next one, in 2009, is at serious risk © Getty Images

The West Indies Cricket Board “has killed or is killing” women’s cricket in the region, according to a former board employee who is calling on the ICC to intervene.Dr Michael Seepersaud, the former chief cricket development officer of the WICB under whose portfolio the women’s cricket fell and who is now the secretary of the West Indies Women’s Federation (WIWCF), believes that the WICB has fallen well short of the ICC mandate to integrate women’s cricket, saying: “It is doing very little.”Without much-needed funding and organisational support from the board, the once-strong women’s game will flounder, he believes – and it is already dying on its knees. “It’s a bleak situation,” he says.West Indies women haven’t played a game in two years and have no more matches scheduled until the next World Cup in 2009. If they fail to play any cricket in that time their place at the tournament is in serious jeopardy, as the ICC has minimum requirements for competing. They are supposed to host Pakistan and India later this year, but without funding the tours cannot take place. Unsurprisingly, the cricketers are in low spirits, as Dr Seepersaud says: “It’s affecting the morale of our players and administrators very badly.”West Indies do have some very good players coming through, and the side qualified automatically for the last tournament, while one of their best players, Nadine George, has recently received an MBE. Women’s cricket is the WICB’s responsibility, but the players are still required to pay their own travel costs to participate in regional tournaments, nevermind not being able to play international cricket.

We cannot continue to treat our women with this kind of disrespect

In this year’s senior tournament, several territories, including Guyana, Grenada and others who have always participated, can’t afford to fly over to Barbados to take part. This situation, says Seepersaud, would never occur in the men’s game regardless of age.Funding used to come through an annual grant from the WICB of $100,000 per annum, which Seepersaud had secured when he was on the board. But when the WICB took over the women’s game, this sum was discontinued. It’s unlikely to be reinstated, either, as the board is $15million in debt.Under an ICC mandate, each board must look after the women’s game in its own country, but WICB has largely ignored the players since it took over in 2005. The board did provide some funding for the Under-19 inter-island competition which was held in Jamaica in 2006 – although the money didn’t cover airfares and accommodation. That, says Seepersaud, is encouraging but he believes it borders on tokenism where the process and funding are concerned. “The WICB must shed its old boys’ club image. We cannot continue to treat our women with this kind of disrespect.”He has also called on the ICC to put pressure on the WICB to designate some of the $11.5million generated by the World Cup to the women’s game to help keep it alive. “The ICC can’t sit idly by and allow the WICB to destroy women’s cricket in the region,” he says. “By taking over women’s cricket they have accepted responsibility for its development. They must step in to redress the situation.”The WICB Integration Steering Committee, which was established to manage the integration process jointly with the WIWCF, has met just twice since its formation in 2004. The WIWCF is entirely staffed by volunteers, who rack up hundreds of dollars in telephone bills between islands.The WIWCF has, says Seepersaud, the administrative capabilities to step in and save the proposed visit of Pakistan and India, but without any representation on the board, or access to the requisite funding, they are powerless to assist. “If they make X amount of funding available we will do it ourselves, but some full time employee of the WICB must be directed to provide the logistical and organisational support. The very least they could do is to reinstate the annual subvention.”

Nadine George receives her MBE from Prince Charles – a brief highlight among the malaise of women’s cricket © Getty Images

No money is currently available to the WIWCF even for executive meetings. Seepersaud says that he has requested less than $2000 for airfares with the executive looking after their own accommodation. Yet every time they have asked, the board has turned their request down. “We are not begging for anything. We just want an historical wrong to be righted, and for the women to take their rightful place.”Ironically, the ICC move was seen as a potential saviour of women’s cricket in the country. Before the merger, West Indies women had struggled to gain sponsorship to enable them to participate in the 2005 World Cup in South Africa. Governments and sponsors stepped in, and once there, they thrived.Seepersaud blames what he calls “the chauvinistic nature” of the WICB and the lack of leadership at the board and secretariat levels for the current malaise. In 2005, consultants from Ernst and Young recommended that women’s cricket be given a voice on the board, with one seat, but “that was kicked out in a very aggressive way.” He adds: “Yet a short time later the board expanded its membership by three – males, of course.”Perhaps the telling indication of the board’s attitude towards women’s cricket is that the WIWCF specifically, and women’s cricket generally, played no part in the recent World Cup in the Caribbean. The board invited the president to one match after lobbying from the WIWCF, but, again, Seepersaud believes that was tokenism. “I just don’t think that in the 21st century this kind of insult should be allowed.”

Bruce Reid believes that Australia’s incumbent bowlers will have to hang in there for a few years yet © Getty Images

Bruce Reid, the former Australian left-arm seamer, has sounded a warning about the dearth of quality fast bowlers in Australian cricket at present, and believes that the current international incumbents will have to hang in there for a little while yet before the next generation is ready to step into their shoes.”They are not jumping out of the trees as such,” Reid, Hampshire’s bowling coach, told Cricinfo at the county’s press day at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. “One or two guys in the first-class system are getting there, but otherwise there’s a bit of a lull at the mo.”We haven’t got three or four who are ready to take over,” added Reid, “so Australia is really relying on those current guys to hang around for a couple more years to see us through this little patch.”Such a pessimistic outlook is good news for England ahead of the forthcoming Ashes rematch. During the recent Australian summer, the selectors made half-hearted attempts to blood one or two youngsters, such as Brett Dorey and Mitchell Johnson, but aside from the admirable 30-year-old, Stuart Clark, there have been no significant personnel changes since the Ashes.Consequently, Australia – to universal surprise – turned back to the old faithfuls, Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz, for the current trip to Bangladesh. “Gillespie and Kasper seem to be bowling okay again which is good news,” said Reid, “but if you look back to the last Ashes, Australia struggled to bowl sides out.”Part of Australia’s problem in the Ashes stemmed from the absence of a specialist bowling coach, an issue since rectified by the recruitment of England’s mentor, Troy Cooley. “It’s a catch-22 when you’ve had such a good bowling attack for so many years,” said Reid, “you think you don’t need one. Then when a couple of those guys get a bit old and some new faces come in, or a couple struggle as Jason did in the Ashes, then who do you turn to?”There’s always been an abundance of batting coaches but the poor old fast bowlers have been left to their own devices a little bit. If they can have someone to come and talk to, then so much the better. It’s a way of getting the best out of that player.”Of all the young players vying for the Ashes, Reid’s own tip for the top is the strapping 24-year-old left-armer, Johnson, who stands 6’4″ tall, and bears more than a passing resemblance to Reid himself, who took 113 wickets in a 27-Test career that was plagued by injury.”He’s tall and quick and moves the ball around, and he’s got the potential to play a big role in the Ashes,” said Reid. “I did well as a left-armer against England, as did Brendon Julian. It’s something people haven’t often seen before, and it could provide the variation Australia need.”