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Leicestershire batsman Darren Stevens has been named in the England Academy squad who will spend the winter in Australia under the guidance of Rodney Marsh.It crowns a successful season for 26-year-old Stevens who has scored more than 1500 runs in all cricket and is approaching 800 runs in the Championship.Delighted Leicestershire coach Phil Whitticase said: “It’s fantastic news and Darren fully deserves this wonderful opportunity.”He has scored heavily in all competitions, and although he lost his way a little bit in the Championship he was back to his best in the last match against Yorkshire with a brilliant 80 in our second innings. I am delighted for him.”Stevens has hit one Championship century against Warwickshire and five other half-centuries.He has also piled on the runs in the Norwich Union League with a top score of 125 against Durham, 91 against Notts and three more half-centuries.Left-arm fast bowler Matthew Whiley who was in the provisional squad announced earlier in the season, has been omitted from the final party to go to Adelaide.

Changes to the nature of the contracts that New Zealand’s players have with New Zealand Cricket were behind the 24-hour delay in the naming of the sides to tour the West Indies.The sides were finally announced today after discussions on an interim contract went longer than anticipated.As a result of the discussions, 20 players have now been placed on interim contracts until after the ICC Champions Trophy tournament in Sri Lanka in September.The contracts were finalised this morning when matters of player payment were resolved.Negotiations between New Zealand Cricket, the major associations and the New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association over a longer term contract will continue during the duration of the interim contract.”We had discussions to review the player contract system’s structure and of details within that structure,” NZC chief executive Martin Snedden said.”This is the first time this has been undertaken and it was not possible to complete this before the West Indies tour,” he said.”There were a lot of issues that had to be thrashed out for the first time.Snedden added that he had not wanted NZC to suffer from something like the “Brad Thorn” situation suffered by rugby last year when a player was named in the All Blacks but then withdrew because he didn’t know if he had the commitment to play at that level.The interim contract would offer some security to players for their short-term future.Those players contracted are: Andre Adams, Nathan Astle, Shane Bond, Ian Butler, Stephen Fleming, Chris Harris, Matthew Hart, Robbie Hart, Paul Hitchcock, Matt Horne, Craig McMillan, Chris Martin, Chris Nevin, Jacob Oram, Mark Richardson, Mathew Sinclair, Scott Styris, Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori and Lou Vincent.Snedden said another reason for the delay had been the original decision to have discussions when the players returned from their tour of Pakistan, but once that tour was abandoned after the Karachi bomb blast he had wanted to allow players time to recover from that experience and that had resulted in a tight time frame this week for the discussions.Snedden said he had been contacted by several players in the last few days who were expressing real excitement about the West Indies and who took the opportunity to reassure him that they wanted to go.”They are really excited about the trip. They watched parts of the West Indies series with India on television while they were in Pakistan and they are anticipating a real challenge when they go and they are really looking forward to getting into it,” he said.

Devon Smith raced to a career best score as West Indies A made an explosive start to their tour match with Lancashire at Liverpool. The visitors were well placed on 355 for eight before rain bought an early halt to proceedings.Chris Gayle chipped in with a dynamic fifty, while part-time seamer Ryan Driver claimed his first five wicket haul for Lancashire. West Indies A scored at over five runs-an-over for much of the day, and seemed thoroughly to enjoy their cricket.Smith, a Grenadian, had struggled in England. The 20-year-old had scored only 94 runs all tour (he has played in every match) prior to this innings. He doesn’t seem to have a problem with English conditions – he had an excellent trip with West Indies’ Under 19s last year – and this knock should serve him well for the remainder of the tour.Smith seems more settled at three than opening, and batted with encouraging flair. His unbeaten 167 came from 251 balls with 25 boundaries.Daren Ganga won the toss and chose to bat, with the West Indians immediatelytaking advantage of a below-par Lancashire attack. John Anderson’s first spell was lashed at eight runs an over. Ganga (11) was a virtual spectator as Gayle plundered 50 from 43 balls. He hit ten fours, the knock a mixture of bludgeoning shots and elegant flourishes.Keeper Jamie Haynes’ neat catch gave Anderson something to smile about, and sent Ganga back to the pavilion. Gayle was bowled by Driver, who also picked up Runako Morton and Ryan Hinds before lunch.Dwayne Bravo and Keith Hibbert failed to settle, though Hibbert batted overthree-quarters of an hour before missing a straight one from left-armer GaryKeedy.West Indies’ own left-arm spinner was in more destructive form. Sulieman Benn clubbed a quick-fire 31 with six fours as Smith opened up after he reached his century with a flurry of boundaries. The left-hander continued with an array of crisp timing; young talent Kyle Hogg was dispatched at over seven runs an over.Anderson, who exerted more control in the afternoon than he looked capable of in the morning, found Darren Powell’s edge to pick up a second wicket. Tino Best joined Smith, and the pair batted sensibly before the heavens opened.This performance, as well as Sunday’s demolition of Yorkshire, will perhapshelp the West Indians turn a corner in this tour. Quick-scoring stroke-making is more aesthetically pleasing than dour defence and timid collapses. It’s also more Caribbean. Long may it last.

England’s ability to adapt, especially the younger players, to New Zealand conditions at Jade Stadium will determine the course of the first Test match of the National Bank series according to captain Nasser Hussain.England went into the game, and the series, slightly under-cooked but with Graham Thorpe and Marcus Trescothick returning to the side after the Canterbury game, and backed by himself and Andy Caddick, England would be prepared.”It is how the young lads step up on Wednesday and adapt to the conditions,” he said.Hussain said pitches were never of concern to him and, in fact, he got quite excited about wickets that did a bit.”It is a cliche but it is exactly the same for both teams,” he said.Wickets that did a bit meant there was never dull cricket.”It’s exciting, it might do anything. I prefer to play on a variety of wickets,” he said.But at the same time he said the drop-in pitch being used for the game was a very new experience for him and he would need to have a good look at it over the next two days.In England, most grounds had wickets that had a historical perspective which would give a fair idea of how they were going to play.This portable pitch had no real history and no-one could honestly say how it would play, he said.”You have to back your gut feeling. You can’t presume the best or worst about it,” he said.”The first session will be crucial, that will determine the course of the series,” he said.However, even if the strip was the greenest of green he didn’t think that would necessarily mean the non-selection of left-arm spinner Ashley Giles. Although Hussain said he was suffering a strain in his back that was not Test-threatening.Conditions with breezes often blowing across grounds in New Zealand meant there was still a role for slow bowlers and the contest between two very similar bowlers in Giles and Daniel Vettori would be an interesting one.It wasn’t only because Hussain was Vettori’s first first-class victim, back on the 1996/97 tour of New Zealand, that he regarded him as a “very fine bowler.”As with Giles, he had natural flight and guile and was a left-arm bowler of the old variety and the two were probably the best in the world of their kind. And Vettori had progressed nicely, as borne out by the fact he was the youngest spinner to get to 100 wickets.England were keen to reverse the 2-1 series loss they suffered in England in 1999.”I think we should have won that series,” Hussain said. He blamed himself for not having led the side better in the last Test at The Oval.But the side had also moved on since then and Duncan Fletcher had come in as coach. The performances of the side and the selection policy were more consistent as well, and young players brought into the side had come in and held their hands up which had been a good thing for English cricket.Some of those young players were still a little short of experience but the three Tests would advance that process.The young players, like Michael Vaughan, Trescothick and Matthew Hoggard now knew that they had every chance of having a good, long run in the side and that was important for their development.Hussain repeated his assertion that the Kookaburra ball in use for the game would demand accurate bowling in the first 25 overs before the seam softened.The side will have a final practice session tomorrow to complete their match preparation and a Test 12 will be named tomorrow evening, if Giles is fit for consideration.

The Wales squad for the first international challenge match against Englandin Cardiff on 24th June was announced today and contains one or two surprises. Tony Cottey of Sussex and Steffan Jones of Somerset are included in the 17-strong party, along with Jacques Kallis, who played for Glamorgan in 1999 and who has agreed to come over and guest for Wales in the match. A decision on whether Glamorgan’s current overseas player, Michael Kasprowicz, is to be involved has yet to be taken.The game, which is being staged as part of the England team’s preparations for the NatWest Series Tournament being played between England, India and Sri Lanka from 27th June to 13th July, will be the first time Wales have met England at this level and the England team will be selected from the squad picked for the NatWest Series competition.Tony Cottey and Steffan Jones are appearing courtesy of Sussex and Somerset and provided that those counties are not involved in any cricket on that day. Both were on the Glamorgan staff at the start of their careers. Kallis has agreed to play and has obtained permission from the United Cricket Board of South Africa. Qubik Applications of Cardiff have helped make that possible by part financing the costs of bringing him over.Steve James will skipper the side and the Glamorgan Coaching team of John Derrick, Adrian Shaw and Steve Watkin will look after the Wales team’s coaching prior to the game and on the day itself. A special kit is being designed for the Wales team for the occasion.Glamorgan’s Chief Executive Mike Fatkin said:Steve James said:England’s Head Coach Duncan Fletcher said:Tickets are still available for the game, priced £25 for adults, £18 for Glamorgan members and £8 for juniors under sixteen years of age. Applications can be made to the Glamorgan office either by post, by telephone (029 2040 9380), by calling in to the offices in Sophia Gardens, or via the Glamorgan website (www.glamorgancricket.comA very limited number of corporate hospitality packages are still available. For details of these, and how else to get involved in supporting the event,contact the commercial department at Glamorgan.Subject to everyone being available and fit, the 17-man Wales squad for thegame is:

Steve James (Captain) Jacques KallisDean Cosker Matthew MaynardTony Cottey Keith NewellRobert Croft Owen ParkinAdrian Dale Michael PowellAndrew Davies Darren ThomasDavid Hemp Mark WallaceSteffan Jones Alex WharfSimon Jones

In the event of there being any availability or injury problems other players will be added from within the current Glamorgan squad, namely Dan Cherry, Alun Evans David Harrison, Jonathan Hughes, Adrian Shaw and Ian Thomas. A decision on the involvement of Michael Kasprowicz will be taken nearer the time.The umpires for the match will be Mervyn Kitchen and former Glamorgan seam bowler Allan Jones. Trevor Jesty will be the third umpire.S4C are providing live coverage of this historic event. The channel’s Commissioner of Sport and Events, Gareth Davies, said the channel were looking forward eagerly to broadcasting the event.He said: “We are delighted that we have won the rights to televise this historic first international between Wales and England. We will be giving the match the most comprehensive coverage possible and are looking forward to playing a central role in this major sporting event. S4C already broadcasts a wide variety of international cricket and this match complements that coverage. It proves that S4C is batting for cricket and batting for Wales.”Steve James, John Derrick and some of the players involved in the Wales teamfor the match are available for interviews this morning – Thursday 2nd May -at Sophia Gardens.

A day that was twice interrupted by rain belonged entirely to Northern Districts, who should maintain their title challenge with six points for an outright win tomorrow. Northern’s dominance was down to some attritional batting by Matthew Hart and Joseph Yovich and some spectacular hitting from Simon Doull.For much of the day the scoring rate struggled to get above one and a half an over. When Doull came to the crease it increased fourfold.After the dismissal of James Marshall for a season’s best 29, Hart and Yovich settled into a partnership of 98 for the sixth wicket, one short of the Northern record against Central. Their priority was survival. The first boundary of the day did not come until 15 minutes before lunch. The Central seam attack continued to be testing and accurate, with Hefford giving away half run an over for much of the first session.Before and after the first break for rain Hart increased the runflow, hitting eight fours and a six before being dismissed for 69 from 191 deliveries. Yovich followed soon after. He owed his survival to the judgement of the umpires on several occasions, but battled through, facing 133 deliveries without finding the boundary.Simon Doull passed Yovich’s score in 109 fewer deliveries. After hurting his leg at the start of his innings he apparently decided to avoid running between the wickets, opting for boundaries instead. Four successive balls from Andrew Schwass went to the fence, three to long on and one to square leg.Doull was last out for 59, including two sixes and nine fours. He faced 58 deliveries. His attack today was more selective than his largely-successful pinch hitting in the Shell Cup. He picked the balls to hit and usually his judgement was sound. When he came in Northern were on the verge of being bowled out with a lead of a little over 200. Doull’s knock probably put the game beyond Central’s reach.Andrew Schwass took the first five-wicket haul of his first-class career. Even in the face of the Doull onslaught his figures of 27.3-8-53-5 were impressive. At 26 he is something of a late developer, but is set to become a key member of the Central squad in both forms of the game. He bowls deceptively innocuous-looking seamers with accuracy, intelligence and great competitiveness.Northern coach Chris Kuggeleijn spoke to CricInfo about the key figures in his team’s domination of the day. He said that the key to Matthew Hart’s resurgence is his organisation.”He has got his game worked out. He gets into line and his feet move well.”Kuggeleijn agreed that Joseph Yovich has had an outstanding match with bat and ball.”He battled well today. Joey is improving all the time. As a bowler he has genuine pace and works at his game.”And Doull?”He is just enjoying his cricket and playing well. He bowled well and unluckily yesterday. He deserved a couple of wickets.”Kuggeleijn agreed that the pitch was better than the performance of the batsmen on the first two days suggested, but insisted that it was “not a belter. There is a lot of bounce, especially with the new ball. There has been some very good bowling. The bowlers have not given away many freebies.”Yesterday, Kuggeleijn’s opposite number, Dipak Patel, suggested that lack of application was the problem. Hart and Yovich provided this in quantity today, and Northern should be victorious tomorrow as a result.

Opener Derek Kenway hit a chanceless century as Hampshire moved themselves into a powerful position on the second day of their CricInfo Championship match against Gloucestershire at the Rose Bowl before rain brought an early end to the day’s play.Kenway and captain Robin Smith shared an unbroken stand of 136 in 47 overs for the third wicket to take Hampshire to 244 for two before rain washed out the final session.The pair had resumed the day on 122-2 and were quick to seize on any loose deliveries as they moved smoothly along with few alarms.Kenway resumed the day on 55 not out and brought up the third century of his career soon after lunch off 206 balls which included 17 crisply struck boundaries.The opener had batted for nearly five hours and hit 20 fours in an unbeaten knock of 124 off 234 deliveries when the weather brought an early close.Smith, six not out overnight, was content to play second fiddle in the stand to finish the day unbeaten on 55 but his knock included some fierce trademarks square cuts.Gloucestershire captain Mark Alleyne turned to six bowlers to no avail as he desperately searched for a breakthrough before the rain brought a welcome end to proceedings for the visiting team with more than two hours of play still left.

Dean Elgar, JP Duminy’s replacement in the South African squad, is counting on his ability adapt to strengthen his case for a spot in the Test XI. Elgar arrived in Brisbane on Wednesday and has four days to settle in before the squad regroups on Sunday.It is thought that Elgar is unlikely to play because Faf du Plessis was already in the touring party and will probably be promoted, but Elgar’s selection indicates he is in the national selectors’ future plans. He was called a “like for like replacement” for Duminy by convenor of selectors Andrew Hudson because apart from being a frontline batsman, his left-arm spin is a useful part-time option.But there is dissimilarity too, because Elgar has played most of his cricket in the top order and if he were to come in for Duminy, he would have to bat in the lower-middle order. It will require him to play a slightly different role, one which Duminy noted provides less batting time but more freedom because “the bowlers tend to forget about you.”Elgar thinks it’s a position he will be able to fit into with ease. “I don’t think it will be a problem to adjust to the middle order, it’s just a bit of a mind-set change,” he said. “I see myself as a versatile, flexible player and I can bat in the top order or middle order, whatever the case may be. It’s one of my better assets.”During South Africa’s one-day series against England in August, Elgar batted at No. 4, No. 3, where he made his top-score of 42, and No. 7 as part of the floating line-up. Although he did not manage any milestones on the trip, Elgar believes the experience he gained from being around the team will stand him in good stead on this tour.”Being someone who is not as active in the side and then coming for the first time to a place Australia tour, which is a tough tour, could be quite difficult.” He said. “But luckily I have had a taste of some international cricket and that does help.” He has also toured Australia before with the South African Emerging side in 2008 and 2009.Elgar’s previous involvement also means he does not need the Gary Kirsten coaching method explained to him. He understands it as being based on a philosophy in which players are accountable for their own actions. “You can prepare like an adult, they don’t treat you like children. It’s an adult’s set-up and they trust you to do what you have to do before a game. They trust you to prepare the way you want to prepare for a game or for a net session. There is a lot more responsibility on you.”Those who have followed Elgar’s career may believe he will develop quicker in an environment like that, especially as his ability to lead is clear – he captained the Under-19s in the past – and his discipline has been obvious. They may also believe he is finally getting an opportunity in the format to which he appears best suited. When Elgar was making his name at the domestic level, it was in the longer version that he was most proficient. Elgar has played in the South African A side with great success over the last few years, most recently during his 177 against Sri Lanka A in June.Elgar, too, is pleased that he has been recognised in the longer format. “I love first-class cricket because that’s the finest, purest form of the game,” he said. “I also love my one-day cricket because it adds a different dimension to the game, but if you had to put the two on the table and say chose one, I would have to say the longer format.”His penchant for spending hours at the crease is something the circumstances may not allow for on this tour, but Elgar hopes it will remain a feature of his game. “I think you reach a point where you just want to keep on batting – ask guys like Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla. It’s just the enjoyment factor. You’ve got to look at the finer things and realise that the longer you bat, the more you are going to score and the better it is for your side. That’s something I have worked on in the past, especially in four-day cricket.”

Auckland may have the big cricketing names, but Central Districts had the spirit – and three heroic new chums – to bring them their astounding Shell Cup eight-wicket win over Auckland at Eden Park this afternoon.In their most inefficient and humbling effort of the season Auckland lost their 10 wickets in 25.5 overs for only 73 runs, only three runs short of their lowest score, against Northern Districts 13 years ago.After what appears to be a mix-up which extended the lunch break to 82 minutes, CD lost an early wicket, had a fright when misty rain appeared, but then cruised to their win at 75 for two wickets in 14.4 overs.Veteran Auckland cricket-watchers maintained at lunch they had never seen a weaker Auckland performance, but that did not give credit to the whole-hearted CD performance, headed by the deeds of Ewen Thompson and Andrew Schwass, the bowlers, and Bevan Griggs, the wicket-keeper.Thompson was in his first Shell Cup game, Griggs in his second after not getting a catch or a run in his first against Canterbury earlier in the month, and Schwass was the comparative old hand, after four Cup games this summer.Thompson was first in the limelight when he had Adam Parore, an experimental opener, caught by Griggs in his second over. Thompson struck again when Ben Smith took a dazzling gully catch to send back Lou Vincent, the other half of the Auckland opening gamble, and at 39 had Dion Nash caught by Griggs.Thompson finished with figures of 7-0-31-3, and was overlapped by an even more spectacular haul by Schwass, who is brisk medium-pace and not really of spectacular method.Schwass cut the heart out of the Auckland innings by dismissing Tama Canning (2), Kyle Mills (4) – both caught by Griggs – and Andre Adams (0) and eventually had Blair Pocock caught by Griggs after the Auckland skipper had hung about for 14 runs in 70 minutes from 41 balls while his team-mates disappeared from the other end.Facing an easy winning target, but worried about the low clouds over Auckland, the CD players and management were most annoyed when they found the lunch adjournment, supposed to run from 2-2.40pm after the short Auckland innings, was to be extended an extra 40 minutes.The first critical target was Sky Television, broadcasting the match live and with their planning schedule messed up by the sudden Auckland collapse. New Zealand Cricket supposedly had a hand in the delay.In the event Martin Crowe, the Sky executive producer, said he had nothing to do with the delay, and would have preferred to carry on with the regulation lunch-break.In the end it appears the match management apparently wanted more time to prepare lunch for the players and officials.After a slowish start Craig Spearman put his foot on the accelerator, hit three sixes and three fours in 34 runs from 24 balls, and CD hustled along through some light mist before reaching clear weather and their incredible win.It was just as well they wrapped up the match by 4.19pm. Fifteen minutes later some very substantial misty rain drifted over the ground. Had the match still been in progress there would have been every chance that CD, the bad-luck team of the competition with four washed-out games, might have suffered another heart-breaking.

A solid batting performance enabled Central Districts to consolidate their position at the top of the points table in a drawn encounter with Northern Districts in Whangarei. Peter Ingram (105) and George Worker (52) led the way with a big opening stand, and Tim Weston (99) and Kruger van Wyk (92 not out) boosted CD past ND’s 342 with a century sixth-wicket partnership. Graeme Aldridge took four wickets but there wasn’t much going for the other bowlers as CD surged to a 155-run first-innings lead. Kieran Noema-Barnett, Doug Bracewell and Michael Mason had earlier grabbed eight wickets between them to restrict ND to 342, despite Daniel Flynn’s 135 and half-centuries from Peter McGlashan and Aldridge.ND recovered from 24 for 3 in their second innings to post 275, but the match had meandered into academic realms by then. BJ Watling was dismissed for 99, and Brook Hatwell got 71. Worker helped himself to three late wickets with his slow left-armers, but it was the seamers who did most of the damage upfront. In a short but frenetic second innings, CD made 28 for 3, with two batsmen being run out. But they had already assured themselves of two points.Otago fell two runs short of beating Canterbury in their game at the Queenstown Events Centre. Chasing 345 for victory Otago reached 343 for 7 with Shaun Haigh unbeaten on 94.Earlier, centuries from Reece Young and Andrew Ellis and 95 from Michael Papps, propelled Canterbury to 496 in their first innings. In reply Otago reached 171 for 3 at the end of the second day. On a rain-interrupted third day, they could only add a further 70 runs and they declared overnight. Canterbury raced to 89 for 2 in 15 overs, before declaring to set Otago a target of 345 in 90 overs.Otago started steadily with openers Cumming and Aaron Redmond putting on 90 runs in just under 23 overs before Redmond was dismissed. Cumming, who made an unbeaten 127 in the first innings, continued to look in fine nick, hitting 17 fours as he reached his second century of the match. At 234 for 1 with 30 overs remaining, Otago looked well on course for victory. However Willie Lonsdale struck a crucial double blow dismissing Cumming and Neil Broom in the 62nd over. Otago seemed to lose momentum after that as Todd Astle and Ellis picked up four middle and lower-order wickets between them. The seventh wicket fell with the score on 308 and at the stage Otago needed 37 runs off 46 balls. But Haigh and No 9 Neil Wagner were only able to add 35 runs and the match ended in a draw.Wellington beat Auckland by five wickets at the Basin Reserve to record their first outright win of the season and joined Northern Districts at third position in the points table.Andy McKay and Mark Gillespie picked up seven wickets between them as Auckland were bowled out for 330 in their first innings. Andrew de Boorder made 124 and Jimmy Neesham made 67 but none of the remaining batsmen could get past 35. Wellington declared their innings on 332 with Michael Pollard making 131 and Stewart Rhodes an unbeaten 71. McKay, followed his four-wicket haul in the first innings to pick up five wickets as Auckland declared their second innings on 277 for 9. Their top six batsmen all got past 20, but failed to go on and make a big score with Boorder top scoring with 55. Set a target of 276, Wellington started poorly losing opener Stephen Murdoch with just six runs on the board. However Neal Parlane, who made an unbeaten 127, put on a half-century partnership with Pollard, and an unbroken 134 runs with Joe Austin-Smellie (63), to take Wellington to a victory.The next round of games begin on February 24.