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David Morgan, the ECB chairman who has recently been re-elected to another two-year term, is in line to become the next president of ICC. He has been nominated by South Africa and is the leading candidate outside of the Asian bloc.The Sunday Telegraph reported that Sir John Anderson, the chairman of New Zealand Cricket, had been the early favourite but he is believed to have pulled out of the race. Nominations close at the end of the month and the Asian bloc Test countries could yet put forward a candidate in opposition to Morgan.The new ICC president will the first to be elected under a revamped system. In the past each continent took their turn to hold the seat; Jagmohan Dalmiya of India was followed by Australia’s Malcolm Gray before Ehsan Mani from Pakistan took charge and he was succeeded in July by Percy Sonn from South Africa. Under the new method there is a nominations committee with any of the 97 member countries able to nominate a president.If Morgan is chosen his name will go forward to the ICC executive board for approval, and he would serve as ICC vice-president before following Sonn.

Nathan Astle will have to rediscover his form at domestic level © AFP

Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan were the two biggest casualties as New Zealand’s selectors made widespread changes for the opening two matches of the one-day series against Sri Lanka starting on December 31. Five players were dropped from the squad that lost the Chappell-Hadlee Series to Australia, and Astle and McMillan were told to re-find their form in the domestic scene.Three weeks ago Astle was being touted as part of a World Cup opening partnership with Lou Vincent, but he was dumped following scores of 14, 22 and 14 against Australia while McMillan was axed after failing to pass 11 in his past four matches. James Marshall, James Franklin and Chris Martin were also dropped following the 2-1 series loss while Hamish Marshall won a reprieve.”The selectors were unanimous in the decision to select Hamish,” John Bracewell, the coach, said. “We acknowledge his recent lack of form but believe he will turn it around. We were also conscious of the need to retain continuity within the squad and not to make wholesale changes.”Stability may have returned with Stephen Fleming moving back into the captaincy role after Daniel Vettori stood in against Australia, but Shane Bond and Andre Adams were recalled alongside the uncapped Jamie How and Peter Fulton, who played an ODI against Bangladesh in 2004. “How and Fulton have been selected after showing consistent form in domestic cricket and New Zealand A,” Bracewell said.”Looking towards the World Cup, if we are going to create competition for World Cup places now is the appropriate time.” The four-match series begins at Queenstown on December 31 and finishes at Napier on January 8.

Graeme Smith: gracious in defeat© Getty Images

South Africa’s captain, Graeme Smith, was gracious in defeat as he reflected on the events of the final day at Centurion. Though a series-levelling victory had been an improbable prospect at the start of the day, England were made to fight for survival after being reduced to 20 for 3 in their aborted run-chase."Unfortunately, we lost two days to rain," said Smith. "It would have been interesting to see a full five days here. But it was nice to perform well at the end of a long series. We didn’t start well at Port Elizabeth, we fought back at Cape Town, and we lost the series in one afternoon at the Wanderers. If we’d got through that, this Test would have been very interesting.""We always felt we had a sniff today," added Smith. "We needed to start well, and AB [de Villiers] and Jacques [Kallis] provided that platform, but because of the spongy slow bounce, it was a difficult wicket to play big shots on. But the newspapers said we’d lost 3-1 – so we played superbly to set up a chance of victory."Despite the defeat, Smith was optimistic about the future of South Africa’s Test team. "We let ourselves down in an evenly fought series, but this side has great potential," he insisted. "We need to remain consistent, performance-wise, because in two years, this team will be up there and challenging the top sides. We’re young andwe’ve got some growing to do, but we believe in ourselves.Smith added that continuity was the key if South Africa was to build on their progress in this series. "We performed well at times, but it’s important to give each player the run he needs to perform well. That way, we’ll reap the benefits of patience. Given experience and exposure, and in another year-and-a-half, this team will really go places."Ray Jennings, South Africa’s coach, was equally optimistic about the future. Though his first home series had ended in defeat, he applauded his team’s efforts in the final match. "To come back the way we did today shows the spirit of the side," he said. "It was exciting and I enjoyed every day of the series. Our mental toughness is getting better, and this team can go far – there’s something special to come."Jennings admitted that the early part of the series had been undermined by off-field selections issues, in particular the axing of Mark Boucher, but he added that the trust levels between him and his selectors were improving by the day. "I am building relationships not only with the players, but selectors and the media," he said, "and I certainly felt more comfortable with the players I was working with towards the end of the series."One of those players was the young opening batsman, AB de Villiers, who overcame the disappointment of making 92 in the first innings to record his maiden Test century second-time around. He was named Man of the Match as a result, and Smith said he was very proud of his efforts. "He deserved every run he got."De Villiers did have one moment of good fortune, however, when with a century in sight, he chopped a delivery from Steve Harmison into his off stump without dislodging a bail. "It just scratched the off stump," said de Villiers, who denied that he had felt nervous as his landmark approached. "I felt a bit more excited in my stomach," he conceded, "but I didn’t let it show in my body language."

Auckland’s batting line-up, studded with international players, made the most of the chance to spend some time in the middle against Otago at Eden Park’s outer oval before New Zealand’s side is selected for the first Test against Pakistan next week. But most would have been disappointed not to have had even more time at the crease. They all made significant starts, but continued to show early seasonitis by getting out too soon.Mark Richardson was the early figure in the innings, scoring at a much faster clip than his usually more attacking partner Lou Vincent. It was only after Richardson got out that Vincent upped his scoring rate, but he paid the price for loosening up as he fell victim to Jeff Wilson. Matt Horne dominated the middle stages of the day with some attacking strokeplay while the up-and-coming Tim McIntosh was unbeaten at stumps on 54, as he continuing to build on the outstanding promise he has already shown in his brief career.Wilson demonstrated just how much better prepared he is for this second summer after his retirement from his international rugby career, and bowled with good accuracy and control to take 3 for 54 from 25 overs. Brad Scott, the left-arm medium-fast bowler, complemented Wilson well. Scott had 1 for 46 from 26 overs.Central Districts may have a side laden with batting potential, but the failure to put a significant innings together resulted in their facing a formidable first-innings deficit against Northern Districts at Gisborne’s Harry Barker Reserve.Central Districts were all out for 191, with Glen Sulzberger, the captain, the last man out for 43. It was the side’s highest score. Mark Orchard troubled the batsmen most, and most of the fellow bowlers were also among the wickets as Central Districts were guilty of poor shot selection.By contrast, apart from the first-over dismissal of Nick Horsley in their reply, the Northern Districts batsmen seemed well set for the long haul with James Marshall, the side’s acting captain in the absence of the injured Robbie Hart, unbeaten on 57 at stumps.

Sri Lanka A gradually wrestled the initiative away from Kenya on the secondday of the third unofficial Test match despite two plucky partnerships fromthe visitor’s lower order.Kenya were well positioned at the start of play on the second morning, butSri Lanka’s spinners soon weaved their way through their top order in thefirst hour.Were it not for partnerships of 67 and 59 for the sixth and ninth wicketsrespectively, Kenya would be struggling to prevent a three-day finish.Sri Lanka A still established a useful 42 run lead, which was then extendedto 167, as Sri Lanka A finished the second day on 125 for three thanks to anentertaining half-century from Upeka Fernando.Fernando, 22, who secured his place after a bristling 86 off 98 balls in thesecond Test, continued in the same vein here, hitting ten fours in his 83-ball61.Avishka Gunawardene (40) added 76 runs for the first wicket with Fernandobefore pulling a leg-break from Collins Obuya straight into the hands ofsquare leg.Micahel Vandort mistimed a drive – one of a number to do so on a turgidpitch that is getting slower and lower by the hour – and was well caught atmid on.When Fernando was caught in the covers, Tillakaratne Dilshan and ChamaraSilva batted cautiously till the close, clearly determined not to wastetheir last chance to impress the selectors against Kenya’s weak bowling.The visitors now need to take early wickets tomorrow morning if they are tohave a chance to stave off a whitewash. The lead is already competitive fora side struggling to play spin.Earlier, Kenya, resuming on 69, lost the crucial wicket of opener RavinduShah, scorer 94 in the first Test and 106 in the second, early on as heedged a leg-break from Upul Chandana into the hands of Upeka Fernando atslip.Chandana went on to claim five wickets in the innings, taking his tally to16 in the series, including the prize scalp of Steve Tikolo for 42. Theright-hander drove loosely and was caught at mid-off.Maurice Odumbe was adjudged lbw next ball – much to his anger – and theleft-handed Hitesh Modi drove an off-break from Muthumudalige Pushpakumarato mid-off.Kenya had once again exposed their weakness against slow bowling, losingfour wickets for nine runs to leave themselves in a perilous position (82for five).But, like they had done yesterday in the field, Kenya fought back, as DavidObuya, playing his first game of the tour scored 38 from 91 balls and MartinSuji made 28.The pair added 67 runs in 20 overs before the muscular Pulasthi Gunaratnefound the outside edge of Suji’s bat.The breakthrough was followed by two more quick wickets – David Obuyatrapped lbw and Brijesh Patel caught behind – and another spiritedpartnership.Collins Obuya clumped 49 from 69 balls, much to the delight of a coach loadof Welsh tourists who had fitted in some cricket watching into their tour ofSri Lanka’s ancient cities.Joseph Angara played his part, easing his way to 19, and helping CollinsObuya take the score to within touching distance of Sri Lanka A.However, they were unable to overhaul the hosts 262 first innings total asAngara spiraled a catch to mid off and Peter Ochieng missed a leg-break fromChandana.

For a man who has been afforded just two one-day internationals to translate impressive domestic form on to a higher stage, Jimmy Maher (150) took things in his stride remarkably easily in Hobart today. On a day when his opponents did little to diminish their gloomy collective disposition, the Queenslander’s century was the clear highlight of an otherwise unremarkable opening to the tour match between Australia ‘A’ and West Indies at the Bellerive Oval.The twenty-six year old left hander profited from a curious decision at the start of the day by the West Indians and remained at the crease until nearly its very close. Albeit that it was crafted on a placid pitch, Maher’s ninth first-class century – and a third from only five matches in an explosive beginning to this Australian season – was a masterpiece of concentration and a tribute to his ability to deal with loose bowling.During its 339-minute course, he also proved at least two things. That Australia, lest it will ever require it, has a wealth of largely unexplored talent waiting in the wings and that West Indian captain Jimmy Adams might well have been better advised to bat first in this match.In view of the fact that his team entered the contest urgently requiring batting practice, and found that he had no more than three fit front-line bowlers at his disposal, it seemed an odd decision for Adams to want to invite his opponents to bat first. It assumed even more confounding proportions as Maher and Queenslandteammate Martin Love (76) stood firm to add an untroubled 156 for the second wicket and provide the impetus to help carry a side which brims with some ofAustralia’s best-credentialled domestic players to 4/306 by stumps.”We thought there was enough moisture in it to warrant that,” mused the tourists’ skipper of the decision.”We figured that it (the moisture) would have lasted until about lunch time and that, if we’d had two or three wickets by lunch time, it would have been worth it.””The bottom line is that we bowled too many full balls during the course of the day. I would have been happy with 4/250; I think (to concede) 300 is too much for a Test team,” he said.Maher certainly wasn’t in any mood to complain. The ball did plenty through the opening half-hour, the period during which the steepling bounce being extracted by Marlon Black (0/49) from the Church Street End seemed, ultimately, to unsettle local hero Jamie Cox (6) into an error at the other end. But, thereafter, he seamlessly took toll of the understrength attack with a lovely mixture of drives, pulls and cuts. The only semblance of a chance from his bat came with his score at fifty-three and even that was near-impossible: Marlon Samuels launching himself high into the air above cover point to try and intercept a ripping cut.”Being down here, and being part of the ‘A’ side is a thrill for me,” said Maher after play. “It was important to go out and score runs … and very pleasing.””Generally down here, the wicket does a bit early … but early today, I think they probably bowled a fraction short and probably didn’t make the best use of the wicket.””Every time you go out to bat, you want to do the best you can. It doesn’t matter where you’re playing – someone’s got a ball in their hand and you’ve got a bat in your hand (and) you’ve got to work hard to get your runs ,” he added, underlining the disciplined mindset which lay at the core of his innings.Of the West Indian bowlers, Colin Stuart (3/76) was the most successful. Part-time spinners Adams (0/25) and Samuels (0/71) also held up well in difficult circumstances. And Wavell Hinds (1/18) performed an important job with his gentle medium pace by luring Damien Martyn (37), the likely replacement for the injured Steve Waugh in next week’s Third Test in Adelaide, into playing a lazy, uncontrolled cut in late afternoon.But there will be likely be little respite for the attack in the morning when the ravenous Simon Katich (25*) continues to mount a burgeoning campaign for inclusion in Australia’s Test team in the near future. Having seen champion batsman Brian Lara disappear to the rooms for the entirety of the last hour as his much-publicised hamstring complaint continued to haunt him, omens, strategies and developments simply go from bad to worse for the tourists.

Anthony Gordon ‘fumed’ at Ben Godfrey during Everton’s 1-0 win at home to Newcastle United in the Premier League on Thursday night.

The Lowdown: Vital win

It was such a vital win for Frank Lampard and the Merseyside club at Goodison Park, with Alex Iwobi bailing them out deep into stoppage time after a protestor had tied himself to one of the goalposts early on in the second half, which in truth were the only two real moments of note in the match.

Nonetheless, it was also a very nervy game at times for the hosts, especially after Allan found himself given a controversial red card with a few minutes to go.

The Latest: Gordon fume

Taking to Twitter, the Liverpool Echo journalist Adam Jones noticed Gordon’s anger towards Godfrey late on in the first half, after did not receive a pass from his teammate:

“Gordon has just fumed at Godfrey there for not receiving a pass in space.

“It’s all a bit frantic and panicked from EFC.”

The Verdict: Not at his best

Despite the win, even Godfrey would admit that he was not at his best.

Playing as a makeshift left-back, the Englishman lost out on six of his duels, and also failed to record any dribbles, interceptions, key passes or accurate crosses, giving possession away 13 times (SofaScore).

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His versatility as a central defender certainly makes him a good option in the squad, but Lampard will want to see more from him as the Toffees aim to stay up in the Premier League, perhaps moving him into his more comfortable central role next time out.

In other news, find out what ‘dangerous’ Blues update has now emerged here!

The Colts Cricket Club and nine other Tier A clubs will receive US$34,767 each to cover their player fees, match fees and administration fees for this season © Cricinfo Ltd

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has sanctioned Rs 56 million (US$495,421) to be spent on the ten Tier A clubs playing domestic tournaments this season in an effort to make the events more professional.The Sinhalese Sports Club, Nondescripts Cricket Club, Colombo Cricket Club, Colts Cricket Club, Bloomfield, Tamil Union, Badureliya, Chilaw Marians, Ragama and Moors Cricket Club will each receive Rs 3.93 million ($34,767) to cover their player fees, match fees and administration fees for the season. They will also be given coloured uniforms for the limited-overs and Twenty20 matches.For the first time, SLC will pay a monthly retainer to 15 players from each club. A total of Rs 1.05 million ($9,289) has been set aside for that purpose. The board will also pay the club coaches Rs 50,000 ($442) a month for ten months, apart from allowances to managers, trainers and masseurs. Earlier, the board distributed bowling machines worth Rs 500,000 ($4,423) each to the clubs.The clubs play the Premier Limited Overs tournament between November 14 to December 21 and the first-class Premier League tournament between January 17 and March 23.Meanwhile, SLC hopes to have the Pallakelle Stadium in Kandy ready for domestic matches by January-February next year. “We are hoping to complete the playing area, pavilion and dressing rooms so that by January-February next year we will be able to play Premier trophy and provincial matches there,” K Mathivanan, the board secretary, said.The stadium, a 20-minute drive from Kandy town, is expected to be ready to host Test matches only by 2011. “At the moment the drainage lines are being laid on the ground after which the sprinkler system will be put in place. The entire outfield will be planted with grass and the pitches attended to. The scoreboard and sight screens along with the media centre are also scheduled for construction.”

No announcement will be made until David Hemp’s return from play for Bermuda © Eddie Norfolk

Glamorgan appear set to shake up their coaching staff, with director of cricket John Derrick in line to be sacked after a dismal last two years in charge.The claims that the county’s second XI coach Adrian Shaw will be promoted to take charge of the first-team.Derrick, who joined the county in 2002, is expected to take up a new position with the Cricket Board of Wales after he is relieved of first-team duties.Arguably the most successful coach in the club’s history, Derrick led Glamorgan to the one-day league in 2002 and 2004, but results have tailed off in recent seasons and the county have lost 21 of their last 32 Championship matches, winning just three.Last season they finished one place off the bottom of division two in the Championship and were relegated in the Pro40 league.The county is also in serious financial difficulty, with the costs of reaching the standards required to host an Ashes Test in 2009 meaning that they cannot afford overseas players for 2007, and as a result any appointment is likely to be in-house.When quizzed on a possible change two months ago Glamorgan chairman Paul Russell said: “Adrian is a very capable coach. It would not be beyond the bounds of anyone’s imagination that one solution would be to give him more responsibility.”Glamorgan chief executive Mike Fatkin refused to confirm or deny the speculation surrounding Derrick’s position, and said no announcement will be made until captain David Hemp returns from international duty with Bermuda.

Scorecard

Andy Bichel’s 7 for 56 sparked Queensland’s revival in their Pura Cup game against Victoria © Getty Images

Clinton Perren and Jimmy Maher led Queensland’s revival at Brisbane, as they finished the second day of their Pura Cup match against Victoria on 5 for 225. After Andy Bichel had taken 7 for 56 to bowl Victoria out for 194, Perren (86 not out) and Maher (66) ensured that Queensland had an overall lead of 200 with five wickets in hand.Starting their second innings 25 runs in the arrears, Queensland got off to a poor start in the second innings, losing Ryan Broad with only 14 on the board. Maher, their captain, struck ten fours in his 66, and put together a useful 55-run stand with Martin Love. Maher and Perren then added 61 for the third wicket, and when Maher was dismissed, Perren took over, hitting 14 fours in his knock. Though Queensland lost a couple of wickets, Perren was still around when stumps were drawn for the day.If Perren was the star with the bat, then Andy Bichel was undoubtedly the bowling hero, taking 7 for 56 to restrict Victoria to just 194 in their first innings. Resuming at 6 for 126, Victoria were propped up by a useful 51 by Jonathan Moss, and his 71-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Adam Crosthwaite. However, once Bichel got the breakthrough, he nailed two more wickets before Ashley Noffke finally got rid of Moss to end the innings.