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Sussex batsman Richard Montgomerie is being recommended for an England call-up – by his opening partner Murray Goodwin.The pair both hit centuries yesterday in the Vodaphone Challenge match against the Australians at Hove to put on an opening stand of 202.Though it may not have been the Australians’ first-choice attack, Brett Lee was playing and had 117 runs taken off his 23 overs. Montgomerie’s 157 was his seventh first-class hundred of the season and when he hit his 102nd run he reached the 2,000-mark for all cricket this summer.Zimbabwe Test player Goodwin, who himself made 105 yesterday, said: “I’m absolutely amazed he has not been mentioned [for an England place], or even Kent’s David Fulton. Richard has batted superbly well this whole year against all sorts of bowling – first division bowlers, second division bowlers.”His strength is his concentration, and he has a lot of guts too. He’s notone that when he’s under a bit of pressure to throw it away. He’ll work throughit and no matter how long it takes he’ll be there.”I think they should give him a go, there’s nothing to lose. No other battersare performing better than him and he’s shown it against Australia.”I think he needs the rewards for having a good year, any cricketer does,even though it is not on his mind and he’s not talked about it at all. He’ll never know if he doesn’t get a go. Let’s go for broke and pick guys like that who have been performing.”He’s got a lot of strengths. He complements me because bowlers don’t want todeliver wide to me, that’s my strength. So they try to bowl straighter to me. Wefeed off that and they bowl a bit wider to him.”As regards the game yesterday, Goodwin said: “The wicket was slow, and it would nullify any real pace the bowlers have, so it was a little bit easier for us. Brett Lee was putting it in, but the pitch suited us batters and not him.”With Steve Waugh out of the Headingley Test because of injury, Justin Langer will have been disappointed to have missed the opportunity to bat himself into the side, having been dismissed for just two by Billy Taylor.If Simon Katich can impress with the bat today, he could get the nod for Headingley.Meanwhile seamer Ashley Noffke suffered a ligament problem in his right ankle after treading on the ball trying to run out Montgomerie. His ainjury will be assessed over the next 24 hours.

Next year’s International Cricket Council Under-19 World Cup will be attended by more than 400 players and officials and will be a bigger event than last year’s CricInfo Women’s World Cup.Fifty-four games will be played during the month of action which involves 16 teams, compared to 31 games for eight teams in the women’s event.New Zealand Cricket’s chief executive Martin Snedden said: “It is a privilege and honour for New Zealand Cricket to host this event.”New Zealand yesterday named a preliminary trial squad of 19 who will attend the High Performance Centre on December 12-13.”They will be under the tutelage of (coach) Mark Greatbatch who will work with them to develop their one-day skills and they will play two matches. Hopefully they will go away with a better appreciation of how to play one-day cricket,” team manager Dayle Hadlee said.Only four players – captain Ross Taylor, Rob Nicol, Iain Robertson and Jesse Ryder – who played for New Zealand Under-19 in their series victory over South Africa are eligible for selection.Those selected will be attempting to follow in the footsteps of previous Under-19 World Cup players like Chris Cairns, Brian Lara, Mike Atherton, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Andrew Caddick, Sanath Jayasuriya, who all played in the inaugural event in 1988, while more recent New Zealand internationals at later World Cups have been Lou Vincent and James Franklin.The squad was chosed by youth team selectors Bruce Morrison, John Howell and Dayle Hadlee.A thorough selection process has been undertaken to search for talent in New Zealand with talent identification clinics held at each of the major associations.The selectors will also be attending the Gillette Cup finals to keep an eye out for any players who may have been missed.The final team selection will be on January 2 and the team will assemble at Lincoln on January 9 before playing three pre-tournament warm-up games. These will be against Canterbury ‘A’ on January 11, the England side on January 15 and Pakistan on January 17.Hadlee said he believed that along with the National Under-19 Tournament the playing programme will have the team pretty much on track and match-hardened going into the event.Greatbatch said he wasn’t going to tell anyone how far he thought the New Zealand team could get in the tournament.”It will be a very unique experience to play on home soil (for the selected players),” he said.The trialists are (five to be added): Ross Taylor (captain, Central Districts), Scott Baldwin (Central Districts), Geoff Barnett (Central Districts), Michael Bates (Auckland), James Bullick (Auckland), Greg Cates (Auckland), Craig Clare (Central Districts), Brooke Hatwell (Northern Districts), Fraser Hawes (Canterbury), Greg Hay (Central Districts), Stephen Murdoch (Wellington), Rob Nicol (Auckland), Iain Robertson (Canterbury), Jessie Ryder (Central Districts), Ian Sandbrook (Central Districts), Robbie Schaw (Central Districts), Lance Shaw (Auckland), Jordan Sheed (Otago), Richard Sherlock (Central Districts).

Justin Kemp, the former South Africa allrounder, is confident he will be able to successfully appeal the ECB’s ban on his Kent deal and resume his county career. Kemp was one of four players, including Wavell Hinds, Johan van der Wath and Andrew Hall, barred from taking up their positions at the beginning of the season after their participation in the Indian Cricket League.But Kemp has flown into the UK and joined up with his Kent team-mates so he can train and maintain his fitness should be become available. His appeal is being heard next week at Lord’s and Kemp said he wants to put everything into playing for Kent.”I think everyone who knows me or has had dealing with me in the past knows my desire to play for Kent is huge,” he told the . “I have been approached by one or two other counties to play in England, but I’ve played some of my best cricket for Kent and Kent is where I want to be.”I’ve signed up for two years and I’m already looking longer-term than that because I’m in an environment here where I can really enjoy myself. It has been nerve racking for me and I am disappointed at not being allowed to play, but hopefully things can all be resolved next Wednesday and things will sort themselves out.”I’d like to think that me being over here more than a week ahead of the appeal hearing is a clear indication of how strongly I want to play for the club.”He adds that his priority was always with Kent and he wouldn’t have taken up the ICL offer if he’d known the problems it would cause. At one stage during the last ICL tournament he remained in his hotel room in case taking the field for Hyderabad Heroes added to his problems.”I would never have made the decision to play in India if I had known at the time I was putting my career with Kent into any jeopardy whatsoever,” he said. “That’s clear with all my dealings, before I did anything I spoke with Kent first.”The difficulty Kemp is facing is because he’d played international cricket, at the ICC World Twenty20, within 12 months of the April 1 cut-off for registrations.

A new coach for the Indian cricket team will be appointed after the Ireland and England tours, according to Niranjan Shah, the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).Speaking to rediff.com, Shah indicated that the BCCI were cautious following the rejection of the post by Graham Ford. The South African had been appointed as coach on Saturday following the BCCI’s selection panel interviews with Ford and former English spinner John Emburey.Shah felt that the team could manage on the tough tour to England without a coach. “The manager Chandu Borde is highly experienced, both as a player and as an administrator, to handle everything. Besides, we’re sending Venkatesh Prasad and Robin Singh as bowling and fielding coaches respectively with the squad. There are already many experienced players in the side and they too can always guide and help the younger members of the team.”He also dismissed the speculation in some television news channels that former Test cricketers Gundappa Vishwanath and S Venkataraghavan were prospective candidates for the position. “We have the utmost respect for Viswanath, Venkataraghavan and others, whose names have been discussed in certain sections of the media to coach India. But, frankly, we have never discussed their names and they are rumours only.”On whether the new coach would be an Indian, Shah said, “Whether an Indian or a foreigner will be appointed coach of India will be decided later on. Let me reiterate, we really want to be very, very careful now when it comes to appointing the coach of India.”Shah’s statements also suggested that the position was not going to be offered to Emburey. “We don’t want to appoint anyone, whether he is an Indian or a foreigner. Not even Emburey for that matter. Let the squad return from the twin tour [of Ireland and England]. Only then, the BCCI will take up the issue of the new coach. We have full confidence in Chandu Borde, Venkatesh Prasad, Robin Singh and, of course, Rahul Dravid and his team.”

The perennial inability of West Indies teams at all levels to enforce strong positions has cost the A team two likely victories in the first three matches of their England tour. But Tony Howard, the team manager, said on Monday that he was generally pleased with the way things have gone.He acknowledged that he was disappointed with the way the team was beaten by Worcestershire by nine runs in a 50-over match on Sunday, but said he was encouraged by the overall attitude of the team and by several individual performances.However, he was more concerned that the players learn and improve during the tour that comprises four first-class and four one-day matches against the counties and a two-day match against the touring Pakistanis.”Apart from the matches themselves, everyone has been at daily net practice,” he said. “They are all keen to make the best use of the opportunity.”Howard was also keen that the team should uphold the image of West Indies cricket on the first A tour to England in 2002 when, according to , “their behaviour made more impact than their cricket”.”It’s a point we’ve spoken about and emphasised,” Howard said. “The players seem to appreciate their role. After the Durham match, the umpires came to me to compliment the team for its demeanour on the field.” Howard identified Runako Morton’s 105 against Durham as “an innings of the highest class, in any company” and Lendl Simmons’ even 100 against Leicestershire as confirming his potential and his progress.He reported that Daren Powell had bowled with pace, swing and consistency that had previously eluded him and noted that Dwayne Smith had an excellent allround game, especially with the ball.The manner of Sunday’s loss to Worcestershire was a let-down, Howard admitted. “Yes, we held the advantage both in the field and then batting but we let it slip,” he said. “We discussed it at length after the match to determine where we went wrong and how to ensure we don’t let it happen again.”Worcestershire were reduced to 70 for 7 by the pace and swing of Powell and the medium pace of Darren Sammy and Dwayne Smith but recovered to reach 213 all out in 49 overs. The West Indies appeared headed for victory at 183 for 4 but the last six wickets collapsed for 21 runs.

Somerset have given two-year contracts to six players: Keith Parsons, James Hildreth, Matthew Wood, Gareth Andrew, Neil Edwards and Carl Gazzard.Peter Anderson, Somerset’s chief executive, said: “As always, negotiations tend to be long-winded, as players seek to do the best for themselves in terms of pay and length of contract.”Parsons, 31, has been with Somerset for the last 12 seasons, but has played only four games in the last two years. “The club obviously wants to stick by its younger players and those, such as Keith Parsons, who have been loyal to the club,” Anderson explained. “We do not, however, have a bottomless pit of money and there has to be a degree of compromise on both sides.”

Arjuna Ranatunga has reacted angrily to Chris Broad’s decision to reportMuttiah Muralitharan for having a suspect bowling action when he bowls hisdoosra, suggesting that the decision may have been racially motivated.Ranatunga, who fiercely defended Muralitharan during controversial tours ofAustralia in 1995-96 and 1998-99, told newspaper: “I can’t understand why Murali is having problems only when he plays against Australia. He had problems in Australia just before two World Cup tournaments and now, just as he is nearing a crucial milestone, here they go again.”Murali phoned me last night [Sunday] and sounded pretty down. The point Iam trying to make is that he bowled the doosra even while I was playing.Today he has mastered that delivery and it is total nonsense to suggest thatthere are any problems with it.”Ranatunga believes that Broad was not only out of order in acting unilaterally at such a crucial juncture in Muralitharan’s career, but also out of his depth:”The ICC should appoint those who are experienced and have an impeccablerecord in such positions. What experience does he have? Look at his background. His actions are a huge let down to the ICC’s reputation. This is all to totally discredit the achievement of a great player. Murali is chasing the world record with Shane Warne, and the Australians and English do not want one of our players getting there [first].”

POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa, Feb 2 AAP – Australia will use 14 players in its World Cup warm-up match against a South African provincial side here on Tuesday.Captain Ricky Ponting said today fast bowlers Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie would both be eased back after their recoveries from injury.The only member of Australia’s 15-man squad to be rested will be Michael Bevan, nursing a torn groin muscle that might yet heal in time for Australia’s opening World Cup game against Pakistan on February 11.Ponting said getting McGrath and Gillespie back on the paddock was a priority after their struggles with a back strain and elbow ligament damage respectively.”What we’re going to do in the first game is use all 14 players, excluding Bevo,” he said.”We’ll give the guys who have been out of cricket a little while a solid hit-out without probably using them as much as we can.”We’ll ease them back into their cricket a little bit.”It will be a good hit-out for everyone. We haven’t played for a week, it’s a bit unusual for us not to play for a week or so, it will be good to get time in the middle.”Australia has two practice matches, both of them in Potchefstroom.The second is on Thursday.

• It was the 1738th ODI in cricket history.
• It was New Zealand’s 382nd and Sri Lanka’s 358th match – 49thbetween these two sides. The record now reads : Sri Lanka 20, NewZealand 26, abandoned 2 and tied one.
• Umpires EAR de Silva and LV Jayasundra were officiating in theirninth and sixth match respectively.
• New Zealand’s total (236-8) was its highest against Sri Lanka inSri Lanka. This obliterated the previous highest of 234 for six (in 42overs) at Colombo SSC on March 3,1984.
• During his unbeaten knock of 37 (off 25 balls) Adam Parore becamethe highest run scorer for New Zealand against Sri Lanka. Hisaggregate,at the end of this match,stands as 622 runs from 24 gamesagainst Sri Lanka which puts him ahead of John Wright’s run aggregateof 588 from 24 matches.
• The catch of Gunawerdene was 11th for Chris Harris in his 27thmatch against Sri Lanka which makes him the fielder with most catchesagainst Sri Lanka for New Zealand. He was previously at level withJohn Wright and Stephen Fleming with 10 catches.
• Romesh Kaluwitharana was getting out without scoring for the 21sttime in his 163rd match. He is now inching towards Wasim Akram’sdubious record of aggregating most ducks in a career. Wasim has 25ducks from 319 matches to his (dis)credit. However it wasKaluwitharana’s only second duck on Sri Lankan soil.
• The fifth wicket partnership of 110 runs between Marvan Atapattuand Russel Arnold was Sri Lanka’s best for this wicket against NewZealand in all matches. This obliterated the previous highest of 88between Asanka Gurusinha and Upul Chandana at Sharjah on April18,1994. Incidentally Sri Lanka’s previous highest record partnershipfor sixth wicket against New Zealand was of only 28 runs betweenArjuna Ranatunga and Sanath Jayasuriya at Colombo SSC on December13,1992.
• The above partnership was also the third highest by any side forfifth wicket against New Zealand after the 115 run-partnership betweenBruce Laird and Allan Border for Australia at Dunedin on February17,1982 and 113 run-partnership between David Gower and Derek Randallfor England at Brisbane on January 15,1983.
• The sixth wicket unbroken partnership of 103 runs between RusselArnold and Suresh Perera was also Sri Lanka’s best for this wicketagainst New Zealand expunging the previous highest of 91 (unbeaten)between Hassan Tillakaratne and Ruwan Kalpage at East London onDecember 18,1994. The previous highest for Sri Lanka against NewZealand in Sri Lanka was 65 between Roy Dias and Aravinda de Silva atColombo PSS on November 3,1984.
• Russel Arnold’s 91* was the 22nd score in the nineties by a SriLankan. He also became the eight Sri Lankan to do so. The table isheaded by Aravinda de Silva who has eight scores from 90 to 99 to hisname,followed by Marvan Atapattu,Roshan Mahanama and Arjuna Ranatunga(thrice each),Romesh Kaluwitharana (twice) and Asanka Gurusinha andSanath Jayasuriya (once each).
• Arnold’s innings was the highest for a Sri Lankan while batting atnumber six. The previous highest was Arjuna Ranatunga’s unbeaten 83against West Indies at Sharjah on October 28,1993.Incidentally India’sKapil Dev holds the ODI record of highest score at number six with hisswashbuckling innings of 175* against Zimbabwe on Tunbridge Wells onJune 18,1983.
• Suresh Perera (56*) made his maiden fifty in his 14th match. Hisprevious highest was 28 against India in the third league match ofthis series.
• Russel Arnold was winning his fourth Man of the Match award in58th match.

Boland trounced Free State by 10 wickets in their Supersport Series clash in Paarl on Sunday thanks to eight wickets from right-arm seamer Brad Player.The match was over within three days with Player returning match figures of eight for 37 in 33.5 overs. His second innings haul of five for 26 came off 27.5 overs including 18 maidens.Free State resumed the third day on 184 for four in their second innings, still 44 runs short of requiring the hosts to bat again. Kosie Venter and his overnight partner Gerard Brophy took the score to 213 before Brophy was trapped leg before by Charl Langeveldt for 27.Venter, who was at the crease for almost four-and-a-half hours, followed without any addition to the total when he mistimed a pull shot off new Warwickshire signing Neil Carter for 40.With his wicket went any chance of a Free State fightback, although their fate was probably sealed as early as Saturday evening when Louis Wilkinson departed for 89. It was a stylish and fluid innings, but its end, coming as it did just before the close of play, was the worst possible way for the visitors to end the day.By the time the rest of the batting order crumbled after the Venterdismissal the match was clearly over. Free State managed to surpass the Boland first innings total to avoid the embarrassment of an innings defeat, but their total of 249 only left Boland needing to score 22 to win.They knocked-off the runs in six overs with Jonathan Trott not out on 14.Boland earned 18 points for the win while Free State took two bowling bonus points for their efforts.On Friday Boland won the toss and elected to bowl, which proved to be a wise decision by skipper Louis Koen. Right-arm seamer Charl Langeveldt took five for 19 and Player three for 11 that crippled the Free State innings as they slumped to 102 all out.Boland’s reply was severe, taking a 228-run first innings lead with total of 330. Pieter Barnard was inspired, scoring his ninth career century and sharing a record 171 second-wicket partnership with James Henderson (76). He was dismissed for 120 early on the second day but by then the damage was terminal for the Free Staters.Free State were reeling at 52 for three in their second innings before Venter and Koen put on 112 for the fourth wicket that perhaps gave them a false glimmer of hope. In the end though, Free State will examine the flaws in their batting as they prepare for their next match, while Boland will try to build on this strong showing.