All posts by h716a5.icu

Lalit Modi has filed an appeal in the Bombay High Court against the earlier order that permitted the BCCI’s disciplinary committee hearings to go ahead

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Mar-2011Lalit Modi, the former IPL chairman, has filed an appeal in the Bombay High Court against the earlier order given by the court that allowed the BCCI’s disciplinary committee to continue investigating charges against him. Modi had challenged the existence of the committee in an earlier petition, claiming it had been improperly constituted, but on March 4 Justice SJ Kathawala dismissed the application and criticised Modi for trying to delay the proceedings. The hearings were due to restart today.”We had sought for stay on the DC [disciplinary committee] enquiry pending disposal of the appeal,” Mehmood Abdi, Modi’s lawyer, told . “We would now request with BCCI to postpone the enquiry till the High Court decides on our appeal.”On Monday, a two-person division bench made up of Justices Ranjana Desai and RG Ketkar heard arguments from Modi’s counsel, Ram Jethmalani, and BCCI’s counsel, Rafiq Dada. A further round of hearings were scheduled for today.Modi has repeatedly challenged the composition of the committee, particularly objecting to the presence of current IPL chairman Chirayu Amin and BCCI vice-president Arun Jaitley on grounds of bias against him. His case was rejected by the Bombay High Court but the Supreme Court told the board and Modi in October to come to a compromise on the issue. However, the two sides failed to do so.

Given Punjab’s lack of depth, Deccan will start this particular match as favourites, despite not being the strongest side in the tournament

The Preview by Dustin Silgardo15-Apr-2011Match factsFriday, April 16
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)Kings XI Punjab will need more lesser-known players to do what Paul Valthaty did•AFPBig pictureIt is a clash between two sides that have exchanged captains from last season. Both had disappointing starts to this edition, but followed them up with morale-boosting wins. Both have relatively unknown batsmen as their highest run-getters. It is hard not to draw parallels between Deccan Chargers and Kings XI Punjab, yet a little scratching beneath the surface reveals very different back stories.Deccan look well-balanced, and seem dependent on their bowling strength. They spent $2.83mn on bowlers in the auction, and in their last game, the seamers were the key according to captain Kumar Sangakkara. With Dale Steyn leading their attack, Ishant Sharma looking sharper than he has in a long time, and Manpreet Gony and Rusty Theron also in the squad, the pace and bounce on the pitch at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium might make home advantage a key for Deccan. That’s something no-one would have said on Thursday afternoon, before which the franchise had never won in 10 attempts at this venue.Punjab’s victory against Chennai Super Kings also came about due to the fruition of a plan; except theirs – to hope young Indian players will carry them – seems a more risky one than Deccan’s. What Paul Valthaty did in Mohali will be talked about possibly for the length of the tournament. But the question is, how many times can someone pull off a Valthaty? Given Punjab’s lack of depth, Deccan will start this particular match as favourites, despite not being the strongest side in the tournament.Team talkDavid Hussey, Punjab’s most expensive buy at the auction, is expected to come in, but it will be interesting to see who makes way for him. Excluding either Ryan Mclaren or Ryan Harris will weaken an already frail-looking bowling attack, while Shaun Marsh has been prolific for Punjab in past seasons.Deccan may continue to leave out the $1.1mn-worth Cameron White, given the form JP Duminy showed in the last match, and Dan Christian’s all-round abilities. They will need to think of a way to move those two up the order. Manpreet Gony will probably continue to play in place of Pragyan Ojha – the second-highest wicket-taker in IPLs – on a track that is expected to favour the seamers.Predict the playing XIs for this match. Play ESPNcricinfo Team selector.In the spotlightJP Duminy played a cameo against Bangalore, but is capable of getting bigger scores in the Twenty20 format. In the second season of the IPL, in 2009, he got five fifties for Mumbai Indians, and in the Champions League Twenty20 later the same year, he was the leading run-getter, scoring 224 runs including an incredible 99 not out for Cape Cobras. With Sangakkara due to go back to Sri Lanka in the first week of May, Duminy may also be an option for captaincy.Thank’s to Valthaty’s brilliance against Chennai, Dinesh Karthik’s 21 not out off 11 balls went unnoticed. However, as the most experienced Indian player in the entire squad, Karthik will be a crucial player for Punjab. At Delhi Daredevils, his steady contributions – he scored more than 250 runs in each of the last two seasons – were often eclipsed in a star-laden batting line-up. For Punjab, though, he could be the pivot around which the middle order revolves.Prime numbers Deccan Chargers lost their first four encounters against Kings XI Punjab, but have won the last two. All six matches were at different venues.
In the 24 matches Dale Steyn and Praveen Kumar played in together for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Praveen Kumar took more wickets – 24 compared to Steyn’s 21 – and had a better bowling average. The two will face each other on Saturday.The chatter”Darren [Lehman] has been working with the groundsmen; he’s seen what our strengths are in the bowling, and one of the advantages of playing at home is being able to prepare wickets that suit us.”

Adrian Barath, the West Indies and Trinidad opening batsman, has said he hopes to be fit in time for West Indies’ home series against India

ESPNcricinfo staff08-May-2011Adrian Barath, the West Indies opening batsman, has said he hopes to be fit in time for West Indies’ home series against India after picking up a right hamstring injury just before the 2011 World Cup that caused him to miss the tournament.Barath has not played any competitive cricket since February but has been working on improving his fitness and technique while he recovers, something he believes will help him become a better player.”I am feeling much better and I have been training [with First Citizens Clarke Road United] and I feel fitter now than I ever was,” Barath told the . “I want to return to competitive cricket as soon as possible and hopefully I can return to international cricket for the India home series.”He admitted that injuries have set him back and that he was frustrated by the layoff but was optimistic he would come back stronger and fitter because his recovery period was being extended to ensure that the injury would not re-occur in the future.”I have been using the time to work on my fitness. As an international cricketer, fitness is very important so I want to be as fit as possible and I think that will auger well for me in the future.”The opener will make his return to competitive cricket this weekend in the Eastern Credit Union Premier Division, playing for Clarke Road United against T&TEC Sports at Point Lisas.”This game is going to be competitive and I am going to try my best to help Clarke Road move up the table. My personal aim is to occupy the crease. I have been batting in the nets a lot and I have been working on certain aspects of my game, both physically and technically. I got advice from various coaches. I have been training with my club and I am ready to play.”

Zulqarnain Haider has announced his intention to resume his cricket-playing career

ESPNcricinfo staff12-May-2011Zulqarnain Haider, the Pakistan wicketkeeper who fled to London in November last year claiming he had received death threats from unidentified people seeking to draw him into match-fixing, has announced his intention to resume his cricket-playing career.Haider, who retired from international cricket soon after arriving in the UK, returned to Pakistan in April after receiving assurances from the government about his and his family’s safety.”I have decided to abandon retirement and will soon meet PCB officials once I get clearance to go out of my home,” Haider said in Lahore. “I did not retire from first-class cricket, so I can still play for my department where my job is permanent [Haider plays for ZTBL].”Haider had gone missing from the Pakistan team hotel in the UAE before the fifth and final ODI against South Africa. He fled to the UK to seek protection and placed an application for asylum that hinged on the nature of the information he was able to divulge, as the extraordinary nature of his case appeared to fall outside the usual conditions required of a person seeking refugee status.A fact-finding committee subsequently set-up by the PCB, who suspended his contract, to look into the affair failed to find any clear motives behind his actions.A board official told ESPNcricinfo last month that there was no “official next step,” as far as Haider was concerned. “The fact-finding committee’s last communication with him was to seek some more details, but they never heard back from him. The board will do nothing now until he gets in touch with us. After that we can decide on a future course of action, whether disciplinary because he breached the code of conduct, or otherwise.”

Spinner Gary Keedy produced a stunning spell as Lancashire Lightning secured their first win in the Friends Life t20 with an eight-run victory over Worcestershire Royals

03-Jun-2011
ScorecardSpinner Gary Keedy produced a stunning spell as Lancashire Lightning secured their first win in the Friends Life t20 with an eight-run victory over Worcestershire Royals.Keedy claimed 3 for 15 in his four overs at Old Trafford to help turn the match around. At the end of the seventh over Worcestershire were coasting at 72 for 3 in reply to Lancashire’s 154 for seven. But Keedy, along with wicketkeeper Gareth Cross who made three stumpings, changed that as the Royals finished on 146 for 9.Moeen Ali hit six boundaries off as many balls in the opening two overs as the Royals raced to 26 at the end of the second. But he did not add to his 24 as he was trapped lbw by Kyle Hogg in the third.Vikram Solanki and Alexei Kervezee kept the run rate above 10 as the Royals passed 50 in the fourth. But Lancashire began to turn the game in their favour when Simon Kerrigan bowled Solanki for 13.Kervezee’s innings of 21 from just 10 balls ended in the next over as he chipped Hogg to Stephen Parry. Keedy then ripped the heart out of the Royals. James Cameron was caught in the deep by Steven Croft in Keedy’s first over, then Cross stumped Aneesh Kapil off the first ball of his next as Worcestershire slumped to 83 for 5.Cross struck again in Keedy’s final over as Ben Scott went for 6, and he made it a hat-trick of stumpings in the 16th as Gareth Andrew fell to Croft. Parry ended Daryl Mitchell’s resistance before Chris Whelan was run out in the penultimate over as Worcestershire fell short.Earlier, having won the toss, Tom Smith and Stephen Moore put on 38 in the opening four overs for Lancashire, with Moore smashing five boundaries against his former employers. Jack Shantry broke the partnership in the fifth when Smith was caught by Kervezee for 18. Moore followed in the next over from Whelan for 28.Paul Horton and Croft put on 42 for the third wicket in six overs before they both went in the space of three balls. First Horton was bowled by Ali for 20, and Croft followed in the same over lbw for 14.Solanki claimed his only wicket of the innings when Mitchell pulled off a brilliant catch to send Cross back for nine. Jordan Clark was dropped twice in successive balls in Shaaiq Choudhry’s last over by Shantry and Solanki, but he fell two overs later for 15, bowled by Andrew.Luke Procter led a late Lancashire rally, smashing 17 from just seven deliveries before he was bowled by Shantry, with Hogg’s 14 from 12 balls taking Lightning over the 150 mark.

Eoin Morgan has been named as vice-captain of England’s Twenty20 side

Andrew Miller22-Jun-2011Eoin Morgan has been named as vice-captain of England’s Twenty20 side, and could be in line to lead the team in Saturday’s one-off international against Sri Lanka at Bristol, if Stuart Broad fails to recover from the bruised heel he sustained on the final day of the drawn Test at the Rose Bowl.An ECB spokesman confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that the appointment had been made, but added that Broad’s injury was not expected to prevent him from captaining England for the first time in his international career. Broad is also Alastair Cook’s official deputy in 50-overs cricket, with his first match as full-time captain taking place at The Oval on Tuesday.Morgan’s promotion underlines the esteem in which he is held in limited-overs cricket, and also reinforces the sense that Paul Collingwood, England’s victorious captain in last year’s World Twenty20, has reached the end of the line after playing in an England record 197 ODIs, and all but one of the team’s previous 36 T20Is.At the age of 24, Morgan represents the future of England’s limited-overs team, and as England embark on a new four-year cycle, culminating with the 2015 World Cup, the management have demonstrated a desire to tap into his knowhow. According to the Daily Express he was interviewed for the job via Skype last month, while on duty with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.Since coming into the England set-up after transferring his allegiance from his native Ireland, Morgan’s influence in the team has been immense. His innovative strokeplay in 50-over cricket helped secure series wins over South Africa, Australia and Pakistan last year, while he was one of the main contributors to England’s World Twenty20 triumph in the Caribbean last May, where he scored 183 runs in seven innings at a strike-rate of more than 128.Nevertheless, naming an official vice-captain in Twenty20 cricket is a new departure for England, which raises the possibility that Broad’s fitness is not entirely clear-cut. The Test captain, Andrew Strauss, had been coy on the subject after the Rose Bowl Test, when asked if a deputy for Broad was being considered.”There are a number of contenders, and we will deal with that if and when it happens,” he said. “His injury is a niggle rather than anything serious. He will have to rest up over the next few days, but I don’t think there’s any real reason to doubt that he won’t be fit.”Morgan risked the displeasure of the England selectors last month by announcing he would return to fulfil his contract with Kolkata Knight Riders if he wasn’t chosen for the first Test squad at Cardiff. In the event, his 193 in his solitary first-class outing for England A against the Sri Lankans at Derby ensured he was chosen ahead of Ravi Bopara.As far as England’s defence of their World Twenty20 crown is concerned, Morgan’s appointment could yet prove significant. The next event takes place in Sri Lanka in September 2012, and as one of England’s few representatives at the IPL, his input could prove invaluable in planning the team’s strategy. Last time around, Collingwood’s recognition of the threat posed by left-arm seamers led to Ryan Sidebottom’s key inclusion ahead of James Anderson.

Durham were unable to tempt Nottinghamshire into chasing a target of 272 in 58overs and had to settle for a draw in their bid to succeed their visitors as County champions

05-Aug-2011
Scorecard
Durham were unable to tempt Nottinghamshire into chasing a target of 272 in 58overs and had to settle for a draw in their bid to succeed their visitors as County champions.With 20 overs left Nottinghamshire needed 134 with seven wickets standing, butthey lost Steven Mullaney and skipper Chris Read in quick succession and put upthe shutters.They were 172 for 5 when hands were shaken with four overs left, with thethree points for a draw taking Durham six clear at the top. On the day when he signed a new three-year contract, Paul Collingwood suffered a back spasm while making a half-century in the morning and did not resume after lunch.Ian Blackwell took over and smashed three sixes off Graeme White in making 29not out off 11 balls, allowing Durham to declare four overs after the break on181 for 3.Dale Benkenstein was unbeaten on 61 and with Nottinghamshire again sending intheir two debutants to open Durham would have fancied their chances of making upfor the loss of more than a day to rain.England Under-19 batsman Sam Kelsall fell lbw to Callum Thorp for four but KarlTurner, the triallist left-hander who is a product of the Durham Academy, lookedvery comfortable against the seamers in making 40 off 49 balls.His troubles started when Blackwell came on first change, bowling into therough outside his off stump and Turner fell lbw on the back foot. Without Alex Hales and Samit Patel because of England Lions duties, Nottinghamshire simply refused to take liberties with Blackwell and he bowled 19 overs for 30 runs.They might still have been pondering a late charge for victory until afourth-wicket stand of 69 in 21 overs was ended when Phil Mustard leapt to hisright to hold a brilliant one-handed catch. It gave Graham Onions his eighth wicket of the match and ended Mullaney’s contribution to the stand with Adam Voges, who remained unbeaten on 68.After playing superbly for his unbeaten 133 in the first innings, skipper Readwas bowled for a duck when he shaped to leave a ball from Blackwell and realisedtoo late it was coming straight on. Paul Franks then helped Voges play out the remaining overs, refusing even to be tempted by the occasional off spin of Will Smith.

Sussex ensured their survival in Division One of next year’s County Championship with a resounding 251-run win over Worcestershire

George Dobell at New Road10-Sep-2011
ScorecardSussex ensured their survival in Division One of next year’s County Championship with a resounding 251-run win over Worcestershire.For Worcestershire the fight goes on. They require a maximum of eight points from the final game to ensure their survival. In reality, however, they will probably need far fewer. Going into their final game of the season, starting in Durham on Monday, Worcestershire are just one point behind Yorkshire – who have already played their last game – and 17 points ahead of Hampshire. That means that Hampshire will have to defeat the title contenders Warwickshire in their final match if they are to have any chance of denying Worcestershire. It is, at both ends of the table, a superbly dramatic finish to the Championship campaign.This has, however, been a disappointing game from Worcestershire. They’ve dropped some simple catches, bowled some poor spells and given some wickets away with reckless strokes. They remain a work in progress.But any dissatisfaction needs to be put in context. Worcestershire, remember, lost their first six Championship games of the season. They are a club who have been forced to cut £300,000 from their cricket budget and who, not so long ago, saw the majority of their senior players depart for greener pastures. Division One survival might seem a modest ambition to richer clubs; to Worcestershire it is an outstanding achievement.Perhaps that sounds patronising. But if you compare the cricket budgets and facilities of Worcestershire with the other teams in Division One – and some of those in Division Two – and you realise how well Steve Rhodes and co. have done. It is, in its own way, as big an achievement as Lancashire, Durham or Warwickshire winning the Championship title.It’s a point not lost on Rhodes, their director of cricket. He described the prospect of survival as the biggest personal achievement of his career: bigger, even, than two Championship titles and representing England in Test cricket.”It would be an awesome achievement,” he said. “We were quoted as 25-1 on to finish bottom. And we were tipped to be bottom of Division Two last year. It would be amazing.”In some ways, however, this was a deeply frustrating performance from Worcestershire. To see Moeen Ali chasing a wide delivery and edging to slip moments before lunch on the final day was akin to seeing Alexei Kervezee trying to hit Monty Panesar over long-on with only six required to avoid the follow-on in the first innings. It was naive batting from two deeply talented young men who are at the stage of their careers where they need to be promising less and delivering more.”We have some young guys in the dressing room,” Rhodes said. “Sometimes we want them to run a bit faster and they trip up. Inevitably, mistakes are repeated. But it’s all part of the learning curve. If we do stay up, we’ll be better prepared for another season at this level. We’ve a young, English side and we’ll be better for this experience.”Sussex could also feel well satisfied with their season. While some at Hove may have been rather spoiled by the success of the last decade – you have to go back to 2004 to find a year when Sussex have gone without a trophy – most teams, particularly most non-Test hosting teams, would be delighted with a mid-table position in Division One.Again, the context is important. Not only have they lost a coterie of senior players in recent years – the likes of Martin-Jenkins, Lewry, Kirtley and Adams but, a week ahead of this season, their director of cricket, Mark Robinson, expected to have Michael Yardy, Luke Wright and Matt Prior in his side for the first Championship game. He ended up with none of them and, with injuries of different types depriving him of Yardy and Wright for much of the season, struggled to find the requisite balance in the side.That should be better next year. Luke Wright has recently undergone successful knee surgery and is expected to be 100% fit to play a full part with bat and ball next year. Yardy, too, should be back to his best, while in the likes of Joe Gatting and Luke Wells, Sussex have two young batsmen who should serve them with distinction for a generation. There will, no doubt, be an addition or two to the squad. A swing bowler is the target; Naqaash Tahir is a possibility.”We’re relieved, more than anything,” Robinson agreed afterwards. “We’ve had a couple of difficult periods this season, so it’s great that we’ve taken stock a bit and can build on this next year.”Ed Joyce, Chris Nash and Murray Goodwin have been absolute rocks for us this season, while Monty Panesar has taken on a colossal workload. We’ve tended to bat poorly in the first innings – which is why we have so few batting bonus points – but well in the second innings – which shows character. We’ll definitely be looking to improve on this next year.”It was, perhaps, fitting that it was Jimmy Anyon who should bowl them to victory on the final day. While Anyon is not a local product – indeed, he’s something of the archetypal journeyman having spent time at Lancashire, Surrey and Warwickshire – he is typical of the sort of cricketer that Sussex have made a habit of rehabilitating in recent years. Mushtaq Ahmed followed a similar route.Anyon was rescued from the second team at Edgbaston and instilled with new confidence and sense of purpose at Hove. That can only happen with excellent management and a strong team spirit and Anyon has now emerged as the strong, fast bowler he always suggested he could become. He passed 50 Championship wickets in the season on the final day here – the first time he’s reached that landmark – and, in a weaker playing age, he might have interested the England selectors.Here he discomforted the Worcestershire batsmen with his pace and bounce. Vikram Solanki lost his off stump attempting to turn a full ball through mid wicket, Aneesh Kapil, roughed up by some short stuff, was then slow to come forward to an excellent inswinger, while Daryl Mitchell’s tentative forward prod was defeated by pace. Mitchell, it should be noted, has not scored a century since he was appointed Worcestershire captain a few weeks from the end of the 2010 season.Meanwhile Kervezee was caught behind as he made room to cut Panesar – a high-risk shot – James Cameron was somewhat unfortunate to be caught down the leg side and Gareth Andrew, who didn’t much seem to fancy the pace of Amjad Khan, was beaten for pace.Worcestershire were, perhaps, a little unfortunate. The umpiring decisions that saw off Kemar Roach, Daryl Mitchell, Alan Richardson and, in the first innings, Moeen Ali and Ben Scott, all looked harsh. Indeed, the umpires – quick to take the players off in bad light, but slow to bring them back on – didn’t have the best of games. They, like players and journalists, are human after all. But few would deny that the best team won.

Tillakaratne Dilshan has been named as Sri Lanka captain in all formats of the game until the end of the year

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Aug-2011Tillakaratne Dilshan has been named as Sri Lanka captain in all formats until the end of the year. This means he will stay in charge for the three-Test home series against Australia and at least the first two Tests of the South Africa tour that kicks off in December. The appointment was ratified by the Sri Lankan sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage.Dilshan took over the reins from Kumar Sangakkara following Sri Lanka’s runners-up showing at the World Cup, but the team’s fortunes have dwindled since – they lost the Test and ODI series in England, and currently trail 1-2 with two matches to play in the home one-dayers against Australia. They have had more success in the Twenty20 format, with victories in the one-off against England and the two-match series against Australia.Dilshan, personally, has had a mixed time as batsman since taking charge. After Sri Lanka’s capitulation in the first Test against England at Cardiff, Dilshan was in the process of leading a fightback at Lord’s when he was struck on the right thumb. The injury was diagnosed as a fracture, and kept him out of the third Test and the solitary Twenty20, leaving Sangakkara to lead the side in his absence.Dilshan was in poor form on his return, failing to reach double figures in the five ODIs against England and the solitary outing against Scotland that followed. An unbeaten ton in the first Twenty20 against Australia, however, seemed to shake the rust off. Dilshan played a key role in the victory in the third ODI, hitting a half-century and bowling a tight spell in the middle overs as Sri Lanka kept the series alive.

Michael Clarke must weigh up the fitness of his spearhead Ryan Harris and the century at No. 3 by Shaun Marsh as he travels to Colombo for the third Test

Daniel Brettig in Pallekele12-Sep-2011Michael Clarke, the Australian captain and selector, must weigh up the fitness of his spearhead Ryan Harris and the century at No. 3 by the debutant Shaun Marsh as he travels to Colombo with a 1-0 series lead over Sri Lanka after the second Test in Pallekele was washed out.The Australians would have been heavily favoured to finish off the series had five full days been possible, and even another two hours on the final day might have been enough as Sri Lanka teetered with a lead of 80 and four wickets left when the rain returned for good.Harris, who claimed six wickets for the match and has been the most dangerous bowler on either side so far, left the field after the last of his spells, complaining of hamstring stiffness. Clarke said Harris’ physical well-being would be a pivotal concern in the three days between Pallekele’s soggy conclusion and the start of the final match at the batsman-friendly SSC ground.”There’s always been concerns about Rhino’s fitness because unfortunately he’s dealt with a few injuries throughout his career,” Clarke said. “He’s a very strong bloke and he’ll do anything to get on the park. He has a bit of hammy stiffness so tomorrow he’ll have a scan just to find out if there’s anything there but we’re confident, if the scan shows nothing, that he’ll certainly be available for the third Test. If it does show something there’s going to be a little bit of doubt.”He’s been a very good bowler for a long time now, it’s just obviously with Harry his body … trying to keep him fit and healthy. He’s got this issue with his knee that he’s dealt with for years that is going nowhere. It’s part of what he has. He’s a wonderful player to have in your team, not just the way he bowls, he’s got plenty of talent with the bat. He’s as good as any fast bowler in the world in the field. And he brings a lot to the team as a guy. He’s one of those guys you want in your team.”He’s having a big impact in this series. Hopefully he’s fit for game three – if he’s not it gives somebody else an opportunity and it’s about trying to make sure we get him as fit and healthy as we can for our next series against South Africa. We’re not silly – we know with every game Rhino plays there’s going to come a day that his knee can’t take it anymore or his body can’t take it anymore, like all fast bowlers. It’s just about trying to manage him as best as we can. He’s certainly been doing the business for us.”Harris may have been in line for a rest irrespective of his injury status, given the rigours of three back-to-back Test matches. Clarke said that option had been a point of discussion across the tour, with the Victorian duo of Peter Siddle and James Pattinson sitting in reserve.”There were discussions about all the fast bowlers, having three back-to-back Test matches with big workloads on generally pretty flat wickets here. Tough bowling conditions,” Clarke said. “Certainly concerns about all the fast bowlers but maybe rain has saved [Harris] from a few overs. Finishing a day early in the first Test probably saved him a bit there as well.”He feels okay at the moment, it was more precaution. I said to him once he finished that spell that it was unlikely he was going to bowl again today so he should go off and see Alex (Kountouris, physio) and do what he needs to do to ensure we’re not doing anything silly. Fingers crossed, hopefully it’s clear.”Less clear is what will be done about Marsh, who would have been expected to lose his spot to Ricky Ponting before he impressed all observers with a committed 141 at No. 3. Ponting is guaranteed to return, leaving Marsh, Usman Khawaja and Phil Hughes in a fight for two remaining batting places. Clarke and the coach Tim Nielsen will be the men on the ground making the call, following the selector Greg Chappell’s pre-planned departure from the tour at the outset of the second Test.”Interesting couple of days coming up. Like I said before this Test match it’s not a bad problem to have, a problem that we’ve been looking forward to for a while,” Clarke said. “Unfortunately not all the batters can play, someone’s going to have to miss out. I’ll need to speak to Tim, who is obviously a selector, and the other selectors back home and we’ll make that decision.”I’ve got a couple of ideas in my own head at the moment but, like I say, I think it’s important I communicate with the other selectors, see how they feel and then we’ll go from there. The first thing is to work out what six batters we feel are the best six batters for the next Test match. Once we do that then it’s obviously up to me to select the batting order. Time will tell I guess.”I think it’s important that we do have a long hard think about what six batters we’re going to go with. It’s obviously hard. Shaun’s batted beautifully, Uzzie’s done pretty well since he’s come in and I thought Hughesy looked really good the other day and unfortunately didn’t go on, and we’ve got the great Ricky Ponting coming back. It’s a good problem to have.”