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Inzamam-ul-Haq has revealed his doubt over leading Pakistan, a mindset that doubtless has a great deal to do with the rigours of the current tour. Inzamam’s comments came in the wake of a tumultuous week for Pakistan, in which a rape allegation was levelled against one of their players.”I am uncertain about it,” Inzamam told when asked about his future as captain. “There’s been a lot of criticism in Pakistan about me. I am not feeling good on the inside and I am not sure whether it is something I want to keep doing.”After Pakistan were crushed in the three-Test series, where he missed two Tests due to injury, Inzamam had to contend with scathing remarks from various quarters. Inzamam admitted that it was the “hardest tour” that he had been on. “The Australian tour is always hard,” he said. “The conditions are different and Australia is the best team in the world. But this tour has been harder than normal, especially for me.”Imran Khan, the former Pakistan captain, had termed Pakistan’s performance “spineless” and suggested that Younis Khan be given the captaincy. Pakistan are scheduled to tour West Indies in May and Inzamam said he would consider the future of his captaincy at the end of that tour. “I don’t know why he [Imran] is doing this and saying these things,” Inzamam said. “It is disappointing. It’s not good for me and not good for the young boys in the team. Criticism is OK. But I don’t think the performances have been that bad.”Inzamam found some form in the last two games of the VB Series with a composed 68 in the four-wicket loss to Australia at Hobart and a rapid 62 from 51 deliveries that took his side to victory against West Indies at the Gabba.

Australia A 120 for 6 (Jaques 56*) v Pakistan A
ScorecardGiven the decline in fortunes that Australia’s senior team has suffered in recent weeks, their A-team tour to Pakistan has suddenly taken on an added significance. But on the evidence of the first day’s play at Rawalpindi, only Phil Jaques has anything to be proud of, as their top-order was torn apart by Shahid Nazir, Mohammad Sami and Umar Gul.By the close of a truncated day, Jaques was unbeaten on 56 having opened the batting, but his team had slipped to 120 for 6. Nazir, with 3 for 28, was the pick of the pacemen, and it wasn’t until Cameron White (23) helped add 45 for the sixth wicket, that they were able to reach triple figures.Michael Hussey, who was tipped by many pundits to take Matthew Hayden’s place for the current Oval Test, managed 2 before he was bowled by Nazir, while Brad Hodge, Dominic Thornley and Shane Watson managed only 12 runs between them. Brad Haddin, Australia’s reserve wicketkeeper, made just 9 before falling to Sami.

Vijay Hazare, the former Indian captain, has died in Vadodara after a prolonged illness. Hazare, 89, was suffering from intestinal cancer and had been kept on a life-support system in a private clinic for the last couple of days. The end came on Saturday afternoon.Hazare led India to their first Test victory, against England at Madras in 1951-52. He captained India in 14 of his 30 Tests, in which he scored 2192 runs at the impressive average of 47.65, with seven centuries – two of them in the same match, against Don Bradman’s “Invincible” Australians at Adelaide in 1947-48. There were two more in his first two matches as captain, against England in that 1951-52 series.He was one of the heaviest runscorers in the history of Indian domestic cricket, and once put together a run of 264, 81, 97, 248, 59, 309, 101 and 223 in first-class matches in 1943 and 1944. He shared a mammoth 577-run partnership with Gul Mohammad in the Ranji Trophy final between Baroda and Holkar in 1946-47, a world record for any wicket in first-class cricket.

India won by an innings and 52 runs and lead the three-match series 1-0ScorecardDay 5Bulletin – India clinch an historic win
Verdict – Aspiring to greatness
Roving Reporter – An hour to remember
Pakistan View – Time to start afresh
Quotes – ‘The boys can be justifiably proud’ – Dravid
Quotes – ‘We should look at our weaknesses’
Day 4Bulletin – India on the verge of history
Verdict – Triumph and defeat
Quotes – ‘It felt like Sydney again’ – Kumble
News – Zaheer out of second Test
Day 3Bulletin – Pakistan struggle against determined Indians
Verdict – Wanting to win
Quotes – ‘Do we need a spinning coach as well?’ – Inzamam
Roving Reporter – Give us some Milo
Comment – Ghost stadiums
Feature – The battle-scarred boy – Parthiv Patel
Day 2Bulletin – India high on Sehwag’s 309
Verdict – Departures from the past
Quotes – ‘I was taken by surprise’ – Sachin
An appreciation – Watching Sehwag bat
Day 1Bulletin – Sehwag’s unbeaten 228 rocks Multan
Verdict – Breaking away
Pakistan view – Listless and helpless
Roving Reporter – Alexander’s lung
Quotes – Sehwag: ‘I would like to go for 300’

A leading British newspaper has claimed the London bombers were initially ordered by Al-Qaeda to target the England and Australian teams during the 2005 Ashes series.Quoting a friend of one of the terrorists, said Mohammad Sidique Khan and Shehzad Tanweer allegedly received the orders at a training camp near Kotli, in Kashmir, during December 2004. The claims have been made by a family friend of Hasib Hussain, the bus bomber who killed 13 people. The friend, who is willing to pass his information to the police, uses the pseudonym Ahmed Hafiz.According to Hafiz, 32, the bombers were instructed to get jobs as stewards at Edgbaston and spray sarin gas inside the changing rooms. The second Test between England and Australia began on August 4.Hafiz, whose family have known the Hussains for 25 years, said he had received details of the bombers’ visit from members of his extended family, who were involved in running the camp. He claimed Tanweer, 22, objected to the plot, possibly because he himself was a cricketer. He was told by a witness Tanweer argued with Khan, 30, and a scuffle between them had to be broken up by a minder.

Brian Lara has denied reports that he overruled Viv Richards, West Indies’ chief selector, by changing his team moments before the toss at the start of the fourth Test at Centurion. In his column for the Trinidad Guardian, Lara said that he had great respect for Richards and that to “consider disrespecting him is unthinkable”.Neil Manthorp, writing for Wisden Cricinfo, said that Lara reinstated the fast bowler Mervyn Dillon to the starting XI even though Richards had insisted on his omission. “Lara asked him [Graeme Smith] whether he was carrying a pen,” wrote Manthorp. “A perplexed Smith looked in his pocket, found a pen and offered it to Lara. Odd became odder when Lara asked Smith to make the change himself, holding the teamsheet and requesting that Smith put a line through Adam Sanford’s name and write ‘Dillon’ in its place. A dazed Smith duly did as he was told.”Lara insisted that the decision to play Dillon rather than Sanford came about because of the state of the pitch. “After looking at the pitch, I noticed that there were visible cracks and moisture, which would have worked in Dillon’s favour, because of his height,” wrote Lara. “Sir Viv was not there and he had to be contacted. When I reached him, he agreed and, as you know, Dillon was selected.”Lara added that the article was penned by a foreign journalist (Manthorp is a leading South African cricket writer), although Tony Cozier, writing on the series for various Caribbean-based newspapers, reported that Manthorp’s version of events had supporters. He wrote: “Individuals who were in the middle when the toss was made have confirmed the report that Lara did belatedly alter the team-sheet.”Ricky Skerritt, the West Indian team manager, refused to confirm or deny the matter. “I am out of the loop as far as team selection is concerned,” he said. “You would have to ask Brian or Sir Viv.”

National League Division TwoDivision Two Table Hampshire 216 for 8 (Kenway 78) beat Northamptonshire 162 (Mascarenhas 4 for 22, Udal 4 for 40) by 54 runs
ScorecardDimitri Mascarenhas and Shaun Udal took advantage of The Rose Bowl lights as Hampshire bowled out the league leaders Northamptonshire for a meagre 162 and won by a comfortable 54 runs.While the Northants bowlers struggled to extract life from the pitch, Mascarenhas darted the ball around at will, and took the two big wickets of Mike Hussey and Phil Jaques early on, both trapped lbw with the ball swinging in to their pads. That left Northants on a stuttering 19 for 3 and two more wickets from Mascarenhas sank them in to further trouble at 50 for 5.David Sales provided some resistance with 73 from 115 balls, but while his team-mates continued to perish at regular intervals, he was fighting a lost cause. He was eventually last man out, bowled by Udal, who wrapped up the tail with 4 for 40 as Northants crashed to 162.For Hampshire, Derek Kenway held the innings together with 78 from 112 balls, and put on 75 for the second wicket with James Hamblin, who scored 32. It was Hampshire’s seventh win of the season and pushed them up to third spot of the second division.

Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Sri Lanka’s legspinning allrounder, narrowlyescaped serious injury after a car accident on Saturday morning thatkilled a woman and critically injured her son.Lokuarachchi, who claims to have fallen asleep at the wheel, lost control of his car and ploughed it through a wall and into a house. He suffered minor shoulder injuries.”He knocked into a mother and son waiting at a bus stand at 4.20am on Saturday morning,” confirmed police spokesman Rienze Perera. “The mother later succumbed to her injuries in Ragama National Hospital while the son is still critically injured.”Lokuarachchi was arrested by the Kadawata police and examined by a medicalofficer who reported that he had not been under the influence of alcohol. Heappeared before a magistrate at 6pm the same day and was released on bail of 50,000 rupees (US$500).He will appear before court on August 29 charged with causing a fatalaccident.Lokuarachchi, 21, has played three Tests and five one-day internationals.

Close Sri Lanka Board President’s XI 142 for 8 (Perera 29*) v England XI
Scorecard

James Kirtley bowled himself into contention for a place in next week’s first Test at Galle, and Ashley Giles showed a welcome and timely return to form, as England took control on the shortened first day of their warm-up match against a Board President’s XI at the Colombo Cricket Club. Play was called off at tea after the now-habitual bank of clouds rolled towards the ground and poured down. But by then, the President’s XI had slumped to 142 for 8 after winning the toss.England began the day like a team desperate to put a dreadful week behind them. Kirtley had been due to fly home with the one-day specialists on Monday, but stayed with the party as cover for James Anderson, whose ankle he had helped to twist during an energetic squash match on Thursday evening. He bustled in from his long run, and required just four legitimate deliveries to claim his first wicket – Michael Vandort lbw for 1 (3 for 1). In fact he might have struck even earlier, but umpire Gamini Dissanayake turned down a stone-dead appeal second ball, when Vandort offered no stroke to one that arced into his pads.Kirtley was lively and accurate throughout, and his skiddy pace and eager approach provided a passable resemblance to Darren Gough. Chamara Silva edged to Geraint Jones for a 13-ball duck (6 for 2), and Jones added a second catch to his collection when Dhammika Sudarshana drove at a half-volley outside off stump (19 for 3). The Sri Lankans went to lunch at 69 for 3, but Kirtley required just three balls of the second session to take his fourth wicket, as Gareth Batty clung on to a sharp chance in the gully off Russel Arnold, the home side’s captain (69 for 4).

Robert Croft, back in England contention after a two-year absence, did not make the best of returns when he reprieved Thilan Samaraweera at third slip. It was a regulation edge off Andrew Flintoff, who is captaining England for the first time in a first-class match, and whether by accident or design, Croft was not called upon to bowl in the first session. Instead he was limited to seven wicketless overs, as Gareth Batty and Giles were given the chance to renew the spin partnership that failed to take off in Bangladesh.Giles has spent the winter working on a new approach to the wicket, and at last he is showing signs that he has rediscovered his rhythm and balance. He grabbed two wickets in four balls, including a smart stumping by Jones, before dismissing Dilhara Fernando lbw on the stroke of tea. Batty did not go unrewarded either, when Nasser Hussain held on to a regulation bat-pad chance, to end Samaraweera’s innings of 32 – the highest score of a piecemeal batting performance.For Kirtley, the day’s success came as a pleasant surprise. “It’s been a very simple day for me,” he said. “It’s probably a game I didn’t expect to play in, so the pressure’s been off. I’m not here to compete for a place, I’m just here to bowl, and when you’re relaxed like that, it can sometimes be your day.”I’m only here as cover for Jimmy’s ankle,” he stressed. “When he’s fit, that’ll be my time to depart, although I might yet try to play Johnno or Hoggy at a game of squash …”England 1 Mark Butcher, 2 Nasser Hussain, 3 Graham Thorpe, 4 Chris Read, 5 Andrew Flintoff (capt), 6 Gareth Batty, 7 Ashley Giles, 8 Robert Croft, 9 Geraint Jones (wk), 10 Matthew Hoggard, 11 James Kirtley.Sri Lanka Board President’s XI 1 Michael Vandort, 2 Dhammika Sudarshana, 3 Chamara Silva, 4 Russel Arnold (capt), 5 Thilan Samaraweera, 6 Rashan Peiris (wk), 7 Bathiya Perera, 8 Ranil Dhammika, 9 Nandika Ranjith, 10 Chamila Gamage, 11 Dilhara Fernando.

Zimbabwe’s captain, Heath Streak, will play against Sussexin the four-day tour match which starts at Hove tomorrow, after recoveringfrom a back injury that dogged him throughout last week’s game againstWorcestershire. Geoff Marsh, Zimbabwe’s coach, said that Streak wasespecially keen to play, given that this was the final warm-up match beforethe first Test, which starts at Lord’s next Thursday.With the exception of Douglas Hondo, who is being rested,Zimbabwe’s team is likely to be the Test side. Hondo’s replacement, MlulekiNkala, is playing his first match of the tour and is an outside bet forLord’s. Barney Rogers and Travis Friend also drop out of the side thatplayed in Worcester, with the allrounders Sean Ervine and Douglas Marilliertaking their places.At first glance, the team looks very short of specialistbatsmen, but their strength is in their allrounders. Raymond Price is theonly man not to have scored a century at first-class level, but even he hasseveral fifties to his name. The allrounders, in fact, have often donebetter than the specialist batsmen, and as Worcestershire discovered, thisteam cannot be counted out until the tenth wicket falls.Streak will probably nurse himself with the ball to ensurehe has no fitness problems before the Test, leaving most of the seam bowlingto Andy Blignaut, Sean Ervine and Nkala. Nkala was in such woeful form afew months ago that he was omitted from the World Cup squad, but hasimproved since then and will be keen to impress. Price will expect plenty ofwork with his left-arm spin, but Marillier’s offspin and Grant Flower’s slowleft-arm will probably also be used.Marsh believed the tie against Worcestershire had done the team a lot of good. “There was a lot of intensity and real pressure outthere,” he said. “Some practice games fade out and have little value, butthe pressure was on the team the whole time [at Worcester]. I think wedominated the match on the whole, although the result doesn’t show that. Itwas a good warm-up game.”Sussex, ironically, will be captained by former Zimbabweanbatsman, Murray Goodwin, who scored a magnificent 148 not out at TrentBridge in 2000 in Zimbabwe’s last Test against England. As is sadly thecase these days, Sussex will not be fielding a full-strength side,although they themselves could do with a boost after their heavy defeat byWarwickshire over the weekend. For Zimbabwe, there is little doubt thattheir main aim will be a morale-boosting win on the eve of the Lord’s Test.Zimbabwe 1 Dion Ebrahim, 2 Mark Vermeulen, 3 Stuart Carlisle, 4 GrantFlower, 5 Tatenda Taibu (wk), 6 Sean Ervine, 7 Douglas Marillier, 8 HeathStreak (capt), 9 Andy Blignaut, 10 Mluleki Nkala, 11 Raymond Price.