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ScorecardAshley Noffke produced a four-wicket haul as Queensland extended their lead at the top of the Ford Ranger Cup table with a comprehensive 32-run against Victoria at the Gabba. The platform was laid by a century opening stand between Jimmy Maher and Matthew Hayden before the Bulls’ attack, led by Noffke, restricted the Bushrangers despite Cameron White’s 77.At 2 for 108, Victoria were on track to make a decent fist of their chase. However, Noffke had Aiden Blizzard caught by Chris Simpson to end a third-wicket stand of 56 with White. When David Hussey was run out three overs later the momentum had swung in Queenland’s direction.The experience of Andy Bichel and Andy Symonds, who celebrated his Test recall with three wickets and a sharp catch, proved too much for the Bulls’ middle order. The result was sealed when Noffke claimed Adam Crosthwaite and White in the space of three balls in the 45th over.After a lean run in the opening two Ashes Tests, Hayden spent valuable time in the middle as he compiled a studious 84 off 110 balls alongside Maher’s 53. It was not just the Victoria bowlers that suffered from Hayden’s power. The square leg umpire Norm McNamara left the field with a broken hand after a Hayden pull shot cannoned into him in the 39th over, and was replaced by the third umpire Andrew Curran.The quick loss of James Hopes and Symonds to Shane Harwood stalled Queensland’s progress but Michael Buchanan and Chris Hartley added 48 off 38 balls for the seventh wicket, a stand that proved decisive.

Usually by the end of March Ashley Noffke knows what is happening with his off-season plans. Previous winters have involved stints in England or business duties, family time and fishing trips, but this one threatens to include the tour of the West Indies in May.Noffke’s outstanding first-class collection of 51 wickets at 19.03 and 741 runs at 46.31 – he became the third Australian behind George Giffen and Greg Matthews to capture the 50-wicket, 500-run season double – has him hoping to be part of his second Caribbean adventure with the national team. After such a strong campaign the expectation is he will be in the squad when it is named this week, possibly as early as Wednesday.While picking up a host of trophies at the Queensland awards dinner on Saturday, including the Player-of-the-Year prize, Noffke made it clear he was ready to add to the one-day and Twenty20 debuts that came in 2007-08. “Throughout the year I was thinking, ‘how am I going to get into the Test team?’ Halfway through I came to the conclusion Test cricket wasn’t going to happen this summer.”I love playing one-day cricket and I love playing Twenty20, but I want to play a Test and I want to show my wares over the long game. Whether or not I get an opportunity for that soon, or if I’ve got to wait another season, I don’t feel age is a barrier.” Noffke turns 31 in April but is not concerned when he looks at players such as Stuart Clark and Michael Hussey, who received later-in-life-opportunities.A remodelled bowling action and extra attention on his always-productive batting has turned Noffke into a major force. Even Simon Katich, who struck a record-breaking 1506 Pura Cup runs, could not feel more upset than Noffke if he is omitted from what will probably be a 15-man touring party.If Noffke is picked it will be his third trip with the squad after being a late call-up for the 2001 Ashes tour and completing the 2003 visit to the Caribbean. Injuries over the next few years intervened and led to the technical overhauls.Noffke returned to the international set-up for the Twenty20 against New Zealand in December, taking 3 for 18, and hit back from a poor opening in his ODI debut on his home ground in February. “The first two and a half overs were some of the most regrettable bowling I’ve bowled,” he said. “It’s funny how body and mind can let you down at times. I’d worked so hard over a long time to achieve that specific moment.”Brett Lee and Ricky Ponting offered support, but it was Adam Gilchrist’s advice that was memorable after Noffke let 19 runs escape in 12 balls. “Gilly ran up to me and said: ‘If you took a wicket in your first couple of overs we would have thought you were a big head.'”The good-natured teasing was successful. “It calmed me down a little bit,” Noffke said. “I was thinking, ‘if I don’t pull my socks up and start bowling like I know I can, I’m not going to get another opportunity’. After those couple of overs I settled down and bowled as well as I’d done throughout the year.” He finished with 1 for 46 off nine, but was squeezed from the side when Clark came back.The rest of the season was spent trying to revive Queensland without squad success, but his individual results remained strong. While some of his team-mates considered deals with the Indian Premier League, Noffke hid himself from the talk and did not register for the second auction. “At end of the day I didn’t want to let myself know too much about it,” he said. “I just want to play cricket for Australia at the moment.”Another season with the English county Middlesex is a possibility, but that depends on the events of the next week. “I’m waiting to see what’s happening with the tour,” he said. “I’m still contemplating going to Middlesex as long as they want me, but that’s if I’m not selected for the West Indies – I’d be pretty disappointed if I didn’t go.”

Scorecard
A captain’s knock from Mithali Raj lifted India to their third successive win of the Asia Cup against Sri Lanka at Jaipur. Set 172 for victory, India rode on Raj’s 108-ball knock, which included four fours, along with handy 30s from Sunetra Paranjpe and Anjum Chopra.Sri Lanka’s total of 171, largely thanks to half-centuries from Dedunu Silva and Eshani Kaushalya, proved to be inadequate. Choosing to bat first, Sri Lanka were done in by tight Indian bowling, with Jhulan Goswami and Thirush Kamini managing two wickets apiece.Only one other batsman managed double figures and Sri Lanka didn’t get the kick in the final overs. Paranjpe began India’s reply confidently, with a stroke-filled 37, before a 70-run stand between Chopra and Raj sealed the deal.

Shoaib Malik, the Pakistan captain, has dismissed the suggestion that the team batting second is likely to win the World Twenty20 matches in South Africa. “If you have a strong bowling line-up up you can bat first and put pressure on the other team,” Malik told agencies.Pakistan play New Zealand in the semi-final in Cape Town today and Malik said, apart from making any major mistakes, his side had to avoid fielding lapses, like giving away extra runs, to reach the final.Malik gave credit to coach Geoff Lawson for Pakistan’s improvement in fielding. “His [Lawson’s] presence is a big support to us because he minutely watches the performance of every player, listing their mistakes and then works on them,” Malik said.Lawson, in turn, praised the team for proving the critics wrong and reaching the semi-final stage of the tournament.”We faced different types of rivals – from the preliminary round to the Super Eights phase – and so there were different levels of competitions; obviously there were varied challenges midway but the team overcame all of them successfully,” said Lawson, who is on his first assignment with Pakistan.”We lost one game to India and I would say it was a decent defeat as we almost had won and then suddenly could not perform in the bowl-out format which was new to the players,” he said. “After beating Scotland the way we played against Sri Lanka and then Australia is a credit to establish the team’s reputation as a winning side.”Lawson also said Pakistan’s pace attack in Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul could trouble any batting line-up in the world. “We [also] have some competent batsmen besides a couple of good allrounders. So I think it is a right combination needed by a team.” But the team may have to rethink their strategies in the event Asif, who is doubtful to play after he sustained an elbow injury, is unavailable to lead the attack.

Inzamam-ul-Haq cannot take any part in the Champions Trophy even if Pakistan reached the final. Although he would have served outthe four-match ban that he was handed in late September, the ParticipatingNations Agreement (PNA) clearly states that a player who is replaced in a squadcannot be reinstated.Every team that takes part in the Champions Trophy has signed the PNA, andit comes as a bit of a surprise that Younis Khan, now leading Pakistan wasnot aware of this clause, when he said, at a pre-tournament media session,on arriving in India, “It will be really good if we win our first fourgames in the Champions Trophy and then Inzy [Inzamam] comes back and I will be ready to stand down as captain. I will be really happy to see him lift thetrophy while I am standing behind him. He has been one of my heroes rightfrom the 1992 World Cup.”Clause 6.9 of the PNA deals with the issue of replacements, and it says quiteunequivocally that once a player is replaced he cannot be reinstatedlater in the tournament. Inzamam was replaced by Faisal Iqbal after beinghanded the ban by Ranjan Madugalle at a hearing in London in lateSeptember. Inzamam was found guilty of bringing the game into disreputeafter his team forfeited the Oval Test against England. The forfeiturecame after Darrell Hair docked the Pakistan team five runs for ball-tampering and changed the ball that was being used at the time. Pakistanstayed off the field in protest after a break, and the match wasforfeited, despite attempts to get it going. Inzamam was subsequentlycleared of the charge of ball tampering.Younis Khan was then appointed captain in place of Inzamam, refusing to take the job, saying he did not want to be “a dummycaptain”. Mohammad Yousuf was given the job of leading the side, while Younis would continue as an ordinary member of the team. However, after Shaharyar Khan resigned as the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, and Mushtaq Ahmed sacked as assistant coach, Younis was persuaded to take the job back, and he agreed. Perhaps, in all this confusion, he was neverhanded a copy of the PNA to read.

Hampshire surpassed their highest score of the season, and their biggest innings total in matches against Derbyshire. Needing a massive 373 to avoid the follow on, Derbyshire advanced to 188-2 by the close, just half way towards their task.Prittipaul lost his wicket early in the day, when Derbyshire took the new ball, however, some big hitting from Dimitri Mascarenhas and Shane Warne game the home side maximum batting points for the first time this season.Simon Lacey with 4-98 was the pick of the Derbyshire bowlers.Mascarenhas hit a huge six off Lacey and with 10 fours splayed the Derbyshire attack. Warne was equally belligerent as he sent two sixes into the adjoining flats.When Hampshire was finally out at 1:40, the visitors set about recovering. Makeshift opener Luke Sutton and Steve Stubbins put together 85 runs, before Shane Warne bowled the latter leg stump. Australian Michael Di Venuto then joined Sutton. Both reached their 50s, Sutton in a patient 145 balls, Di Venuto in a quick fire 63.The Australian attempted a cover drive off Mascarenhas, the catch being gobbled up by White, but Sutton who has only opened twice before this season was still unbeaten at the close.With the wicket showing signs of turn, Hampshire will be looking to their own Australian – Warne, and off-spinner Shaun Udal to force Derbyshire to follow on and give them an extreme outside chance of survival in Division One.At the end of the day, both teams joined members in a barbecue at the County Ground to celebrate its pending closure.

The county game continues to be tinkered with as the ECB have agreed to reduce the number of overseas players back to one per county from 2008.During a consultation process led by the ECB deputy chief executive, Hugh Morris, it became clear that an overwhelming number of counties supported the reduction from two to one overseas player.Counties reported that it has become increasingly difficult to attract a second overseas player for a full season, overseas boards were recalling players at more frequent intervals and that counties wished to provide more opportunities for talented players qualified for England.The view of the chairmen along with the opinions from the chief executives, cricket directors and the PCA was discussed by the ECB board at their meeting at Lord’s on Tuesday and the proposal for a reduction was passed unanimously.However, although from 2008 counties will be able to register just one overseas player, they will be able to replace that player should he be injured, called up for an overseas tour at short notice or be required to return home by his board.A maximum number of four overseas players could be registered in one season under the new proposals with a minimum three week registration period for each player.

Bob Woolmer, the Pakistan coach, says the inclusion of four fast bowlers and five spinners in Pakistan’s 16-man squad is designed to give Pakistan’s bowling as many options as possible as the series against England draws closer.In pointing out the squad was varied enough to be suitable for all types of pitches, Woolmer told , “We’ve picked a very strong squad and we’ve been preparing well for the series. But it remains to be seen how we perform under pressure and how the players respond to that pressure. They have been focusing hard for this series.”But he played down continuing suggestions that a decision to make spinning wickets – given the presence of Danish Kaneria, Arshad Khan and Mushtaq Ahmed – had already been taken. Woolmer said, “The truth is that we can talk to the groundsmen and tell them what sort of pitches we would like but we can’t tell them what to prepare. It is their decision.”Woolmer also spoke of the decision to pick only one specialist opener – Salman Butt – in the squad. Despite having trialed nine different partnerships in ten Tests since taking over, Woolmer said, “We aim to give a pair a long run in the series. We’ll go with two openers and then allow them proper chances to seize the opportunity. We don’t want to confuse this issue in this series. We will not experiment in this series. We want to go with two openers and give them a proper run.”We want to give a decent run to the openers. We want to give them confidence. Because it is toughest facing the new ball. If we can find a stable partnership in this series than we are on the road to overcoming this problem,” he added. “Definitely we need a stable pair in this series because they have a good new ball attack.”Woolmer added that the issue of substitutes, which attracted increasing attention and condemnation from Australia as the Ashes progressed, was unlikely to be as contentious as issue here. England’s `tactics’ of letting their fast bowlers go off the field immediately after long spells, as well as irking Ricky Ponting, prompted Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, to call for clearer definitions of what is acceptable in the usage of substitutes.Woolmer, however, disagreed with Ponting, saying he felt, “England were within their rights to depute fielders when necessary. I think it is natural that during a match, because of the heat and sweat, players want to come out for a change of shirts or for a call of nature. It is not a big issue with us.”Meanwhile, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Pakistan captain, has said his side won’t be under any extra pressure given the strength of this English side. “Why should we be under pressure? I don’t see any reason for that; we are a good team and we’ll be proving it against England,” Inzamam told APP.Inzamam added, “If someone thinks that we are the weaker side and are under pressure, then it isn’t wise or fair. I’ve pinned a lot of expectations on my side and I’m fully confident they can respond to that.”

New Zealand Cricket has announced that the 2004-05 domestic cricket programme will involve a five-day State Championship final, and the use of the Christmas-New Year holiday period to make State Shield matches more accessible to fans and holiday makers.The eight-round State Championship, two rounds of which will be played prior to Christmas, will culminate with a five-day final for the first time in recent history. Martin Snedden, New Zealand Cricket’s chief executive, said that a five-day final was more appropriate for determining the winner of the competition, though all the round-robin games would be played over four days.”The purpose is to try and provide a final that is above the level of domestic cricket and which will more closely replicate a Test match,” said Snedden. He also said that the final had been scheduled to be played after New Zealand’s Test series against Australia, so that the country’s top players could participate.”It enables the two finalists to regroup and also for players carrying niggling injuries to recover,” he said. “It will enable ground staff at the final venue to prepare the best possible playing surface and it might open up an opportunity for some Black Caps players to participate.”The opening round of the State Championship will see a re-match of last season’s final, with the State Wellington Firebirds, the defending champions, facing the State Canterbury Wizards at Hagley Oval in Christchurch from December 7-10.The Christmas-New Year break has been targeted in the State Shield programme with matches on December 27, January 1 and January 3, all public holidays. “What we have done, and it was a key aim of ours, is make first-class cricket more accessible to fans and holiday-makers,” said Snedden.However, the proposed New Zealand A home series against South Africa A and India A would not go ahead, since neither would be able to tour. “When we launched the regular New Zealand A team programme last season we anticipated being able to secure three series’ every two years,” said Snedden. “The current series in South Africa and confirmation that the team will tour Sri Lanka next September/October ensures that volume of top-quality competition is delivered for the New Zealand A team.”

Queensland have enviously replaced the injured Martin Love and Shane Jurgensen with Matthew Hayden and Michael Kasprowicz as the side polishes its ING Cup final preparations against Western Australia at the Gabba on Friday. The Bulls have already confirmed their place in the decider and will play either Tasmania or Victoria on February 20.Western Australia, who are missing Justin Langer with a back injury, are out of contention, but have a chance to repeat their thrilling win of 2003-04 in the final rematch. The Bulls stuttered against Victoria last weekend, when Love split the webbing in his hand, and will hope Hayden returns to form after a disappointing national campaign.Queensland Jimmy Maher (capt), Matthew Hayden, Clinton Perren, Craig Philipson, James Hopes, Brendan Nash, Wade Seccombe (wk), Andy Bichel, Ashley Noffke, Nathan Hauritz, Michael Kasprowicz, Mitchell Johnson.Western Australia Michael Hussey (capt), Beau Casson, Murray Goodwin, Kade Harvey, Steve Magoffin, Shaun Marsh, Marcus North, Chris Rogers, Luke Ronchi (wk), Adam Voges, Darren Wates, Brad Williams.