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Hot Spot will not be part of the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) that will be used during the 2011 ICC World Cup, reducing the system to its basic requirements: a ball-tracker (in this case Hawk-Eye), a super slow-mo camera and a ‘clear’ stump microphone.In October 2010, the ICC had announced that the Hot Spot cameras would be used in the semi-finals and final of the World Cup, to be held in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from Feb 19 to April 2. An ICC spokesman, however, confirmed to ESPNcricinfo on Saturday that, “the supplier of the Hot Spot technology advised that it was not willing to supply its cameras for the tournament so, accordingly, they will not be used at any stage in the tournament. The use of these cameras is not a minimum requirement for the DRS.”While the Hot Spot cameras are not a minimum requirement of the UDRS, they are thought to provide among the most accurate images of the contact between ball and bat, or pad, using infrared thermal imaging. The owners of the Hot Spot technology, Melbourne based BBG Sport, were unwilling to comment on their decision.The Hot Spot infrared cameras form part of military hardware used in jetfighters, tanks and warships, and they fall under the category of restricted equipment which, it is believed, needs a temporary export licence from the Australian Defence Department whenever they are taken out of the country. Part of that licence includes the return of the cameras to Australia within a seven-day period after the end of the event in which they are being used. An ICC spokesperson however said that the ICC was “unaware of the Australian government regulations to this effect.”The cameras were first brought into India during the 2009 Champions League Twenty20 event. It is possible that the logistical hurdle of moving the cameras, which are both expensive and sensitive security equipment, in and out of Sri Lanka and India could have led to the decision. India remains the only country in cricket that has not accepted the UDRS. Ironically, the only part of UDRS technology basket that is considered by the Indians to be the most trustworthy is the Hot Spot camera.

USA captain Steve Massiah believes his side’s early arrival in Hong Kong for the ICC World Cricket League Division 3 tournament will help them gain promotion to Division 2. USA, who were in Division 5 at the beginning of 2010, will arrive in Hong Kong on January 15, and will play two practice games before the tournament starts on January 22.”It’s tough for us to get together ahead of the tournament with people spread out across the country, but we’ve all got training schedules to stick to and we will all definitely have the fitness levels needed ahead of the tournament,” Massiah told the ICC.The hosts Hong Kong’s biggest advantage is that they have played plenty of cricket leading up to the tournament, their coach Charlie Burke said.”We played in the Asian Games [in Novemer 2010], albeit in the shorter format, but the opposition we faced was strong, and playing on a big stage against the likes of Afghanistan has really helped us prepare for Division 3,” Burke said. “We’ve just come back from a tour of Sri Lanka where we played three games against strong domestic teams and we won two out of three of those games. It’s the first time we’ve had wins in Sri Lanka which to me is an extremely positive sign ahead of this tournament. We’ve also had turf practice-nets put down now in Hong Kong which has been a huge plus for us when it comes to training.”Hong Kong and USA will compete with Italy, Papa New Guinea, Oman and Denmark for two promotion spots to Division 2.There are four uncapped players in USA’s squad for the tournament – left-arm spinners Ryan Corns and Asif Khan, wicketkeeper Ritesh Kadu and seamer Durale Forrest – and Massiah said they have all settled into the side.”Forrest, Corns and Kadu are all young, exciting prospects for us,” Massiah said. “Forrest is a former West Indies Under-15 player, Corns has represented the USA at Under-19 level, while Kadu has been a consistent performer in his local league in Southern California. Asif Khan is also a positive addition for us as we’ve been in need of a left-arm spinner and Asif provides that along with bringing the experience he’s had as a former first-class cricketer in Pakistan.”Hong Kong’s squad for the tournament has an average age of 21 as compared to 29, which it was when Burke took over as coach in May 2010. “Our vice-captain Courtney Kruger, who is a right-hand batsman, is definitely one to watch for this tournament,” Burke said. “Mark Chapman, who is just 17-years-old, was our highest run-scorer in Sri Lanka and is technically very sound for someone so young.”Then when you look at our bowlers, the Ahmed brothers – Irfan and Nadeem – are the ones to watch in our side. Irfan is a great strike bowler, who knows how to bowl with great pace and can deliver yorkers. His brother Nadeem knows the conditions here and gets some good spin.”Burke said he has a good knowledge of all the teams competing, especially Papua New Guinea whom he worked with in his previous role as the ICC East Asia-Pacific development officer.”I have a very good knowledge of the PNG side and in regards to planning for the other teams, I’ve seen recent footage of the USA and we’ve done our homework on Denmark too. I suppose Italy and Oman are the interesting teams as we don’t know too much about them.”Since the USA only received promotion after winning the Division 4 tournament in Italy in August 2010, they have not faced many of the Division 3 teams in recent times, but Massiah is not too concerned by that. “We don’t know all the teams particularly well apart from Italy who we played in August,” he said. “I personally have played Oman, Denmark and Papa New Guinea before, but that was over ten years ago now so I’m sure the sides have changed. We’ll be sure to do our research so that we can get on and execute our game on the day.”

Canada’s World Cup preparations have been dealt a significant blow with opener John Davison, one of their key players, withdrawing from the World Cup squad over the exclusion of fellow batsmen Geoff Barnett and Ian Billcliff. He has told Cricket Canada he would be withdrawing until the pair are given the reasons for their exclusion from Canada’s 30-man preliminary line-up for the tournament.In an e-mail to Cricket Canada, where he called into question the competence of Canada’s chairman of selectors Chris James, Davison wrote, “I am embarrassed to be selected in the squad of 30 when players who have been long-time servants have been omitted, and given no valid reason for their non-selection. It is with great regret that I have to withdraw my availability until these players have been given answers to some very simple questions.”Billcliff and Barnett played a significant role in Canada’s qualification for the World Cup. However, commitments outside of cricket, as well as distance – Davison lives in Australia, while Barnett and Billcliff live in New Zealand – have limited the trio’s availability, something that has contributed to Canada’s inconsistent performances over the years.In November, Canada undertook a preparatory tour of India to play against club teams. It was initially envisaged that this tour was compulsory for players wishing to be considered for World Cup selection. Billcliff’s work commitments prevented him from going on tour, but Barnett was available for the final leg. As the tour progressed Cricket Canada re-evaluated the weight it wished to give to the tour, considering that Canadian players of Pakistani origin could not make the trip to India due to visa issues. With key players missing all around, Canada advised Barnett and Davison that they were not required to be on the tour. Yet it appears that not going on the India tour is what is being held against Billcliff.”In regards to Ian Billcliff, if Barnett and myself were not required to be in India for selection, then surely he doesn’t need to be?” asked Davision in his e-mail. Barnett did not receive any official communication from Cricket Canada about his non-selection in the 30-man squad.Cricket Canada’s president Ranjit Saini, who maintains that he stays out of team selection, has asked the vice-president in charge of the senior men’s team to submit a complete report on the matter. “Without having a complete briefing on all of this, I do feel that we owe Geoff Barnett an explanation (for his non-selection). He has performed really well for us over the years.”Regarding Davison’s potential withdrawal from the team Saini said that it was something that would be discussed with the player. “This is an internal matter and it’s normal for a player to ask for an explanation about selection. I think JD’s (Davison) position is that he just wants the communication gap closed with the two players (Barnett and Billcliff).”Saini went on to say that if Davison is available he has a lot to offer Canadian cricket at the World Cup and beyond. “At the World Cup we see him as having a leadership role with the younger players in the team. We’ve selected players like JD and Balaji Rao who are mature, experienced and knowledgeable about the game, to guide the young force we’ve assembled.”

Australia’s attack for the Gabba Test is not set in stone, but they are taking no chances with any of their fast bowlers in the lead-up to the match. Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus and Ryan Harris will all be rested this week, with Mitchell Johnson and Doug Bollinger the only members of the pace attack who will take part in the round of Sheffield Shield games starting on Wednesday.The first Ashes Test begins in Brisbane in nine days and on a pitch expected to offer some seam movement, Australia’s fast men are vital to ensuring the hosts begin the series on a high. The most likely attack is Johnson, Hilfenhaus and Bollinger, with Shane Watson as backup and Nathan Hauritz bowling spin, but the selectors are taking a cautious approach with the entire group.Siddle has not played a Test since January, after stress fractures in his back ruled him out of the Test tours to New Zealand, England and India. He has now been back in action for Victoria for two months and has 13 Shield wickets at 23.38, but won’t have the chance to impress the selectors further in the four-day game against Western Australia at the MCG.”The plan has all been worked around with Cricket Australia, with the selectors, with coaching staff, physios, everyone involved,” Siddle said of resting this week. “That’s the plan we were always going to take. I’ve ended up playing an extra Shield game than I was going to, anyway. I’ve played three now and I’m feeling comfortable with my game.”Siddle, who turns 26 on the first day of the Gabba Test, had become an established member of Australia’s attack over the past couple of years, but now faces a tough battle to regain his position. While he was out injured, Johnson took 23 wickets at 32.82, Bollinger 22 at 23.40 and Hilfenhaus 14 at 32.21, and Harris also made a promising start to his Test career with nine wickets in two games in New Zealand.”I’ve obviously been out of the game for ten months, not playing,” Siddle said. “Those blokes who have come in have performed well and done very well for Australia. It is going to be hard. I’ve done everything I can, and everything that has been asked of me. It’s just a matter of getting up there and being a part of the team if I get the opportunity.”If Siddle doesn’t make the cut for the first Test, there is every chance he will play at some point during the series. The selectors have shown a lot of faith in Johnson but their patience might run out if he begins the summer with a couple of lacklustre Tests, and he knows that improving his consistency is a must against England.”With a big series coming up, and the squad that they’ve picked, you’re always fighting for your spot,” Johnson said. “But I’m pretty confident with the way I’m going at the moment. I’m feeling pretty good with myself and I’m looking forward to a big series.”Johnson expects an aggressive approach from England’s batsmen, who will be keen to get under his skin after he struggled during the previous Ashes series last year. His nadir came at Lord’s, where he struggled to have any impact and finished with match figures of 3 for 200, as England took a 1-0 series lead.”I’m sure they’re going to try and target me, being the most experienced of the guys and obviously after what happened last time,” Johnson said. “I look at Lord’s more than anything else, if you look at the rest of the series I ended up finishing second leading wicket taker. I guess they’ll do their best to try and take me off my game, but we’re in our home country now and I’m looking forward to bowling on our wickets.”Johnson is one man for whom resting is a hindrance, not a help, so he will bowl for Western Australia at the MCG this week. Bollinger will also play, in a New South Wales side missing Stuart Clark (hamstring) against Tasmania in Sydney, as he aims to prove his fitness in his first-class comeback following a month-long injury lay-off due to an abdominal problem.But the selectors want Hilfenhaus to be as fresh as possible for the Gabba Test, so he will put up his feet while his Tasmanian team-mates play. The Australians are also taking no chances with Harris, who suffered a swollen knee after taking nine wickets for Queensland last week. He won’t take part in the Shield match against South Australia in Brisbane, or the Australia A game against England in Hobart, which also starts on Wednesday.Victoria squad Rob Quiney, Michael Hill, Aaron Finch, David Hussey (capt), Andrew McDonald, Ryan Carters, Matthew Wade (wk), Will Sheridan, John Hastings, Damien Wright, Jon Holland, Darren Pattinson.Western Australia squad Wes Robinson, Michael Swart, Michael Hussey, Marcus North (capt), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Luke Ronchi (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Brett Dorey, Michael Beer, Michael Hogan.New South Wales squad Simon Katich (capt), Shane Watson, Phil Jaques, Ben Rohrer, Peter Forrest, Brad Haddin (wk), Moises Henriques, Sean Abbott, Nathan Hauritz, Scott Coyte, Trent Copeland, Doug Bollinger.Tasmania squad Jon Wells, Mark Cosgrove, Ricky Ponting, George Bailey (capt), Alex Doolan, Travis Birt, Luke Butterworth, Brady Jones (wk), James Faulkner, Jason Krejza, Xavier Doherty, Brendan Drew, Adam Maher.Queensland squad Ryan Broad, Wade Townsend, Lee Carseldine, Chris Lynn, Ben Dunk, James Hopes (capt), Chris Hartley (wk), Chris Swan, Cameron Gannon, Scott Walter, Cameron Boyce, Luke Feldman.South Australia squad James Smith, Daniel Harris, Michael Klinger (capt), Aiden Blizzard, Tom Cooper, Graham Manou (wk), Daniel Christian, Aaron O’Brien, Tim Lang, Ben Edmondson, Rob Cassell, Gary Putland.

It might change character over the final two days, but so far the pitch hasn’t helped the spinners, it hasn’t helped the seamers, and the conditions weren’t conducive for reverse swing. There was turn, but it was slow. What it required, then, was a spinner who could produce a bit of magic.India’s leading spinner Harbhajan Singh hasn’t been in great form, though. It’s often been said by his critics – and there are quite a few of them – that he needs spin-friendly tracks to be really effective, like he showed in the Calcutta Test against South Africa in February. The last time he bowled superbly and consistently through a series, though, was not at home. It came in New Zealand in 2009. He got the ball to drift, turn, and bounce. He deployed over spin, side spin, and top spin and looked at the top of his game.A few months after that series, Daniel Vettori was asked to name the player he admired the most in the international scene. “I really enjoy watching Harbhajan Singh bowl. I think he’s my favourite bowler to watch in world cricket. I admire his skills and his repertoire, and he’s someone I always try to learn from whenever I see him bowl.”But it’s clear from the last 12 months that all is currently not well in Harbhajan’s world. Over that span, encompassing 10 Tests, he has averaged 42.47 at a strike rate of 86.1. In comparison, his career bowling average is 31.66 at a strike rate of 67.2. He rarely uses the doosra now; he perhaps didn’t bowl a single one in the series against Australia. He prefers the topspinner now. It is most puzzling. It’s tempting to use that to explain his decline, but even on that 2009 New Zealand tour he didn’t bowl many doosras. His bowling has lacked drift and bounce. He has been injured in the recent months and missed a few Tests. That could be a factor. His fans have pointed out that he is still the best spinner India has and he will overcome this dip in form.Throughout his career, Harbhajan has shown a tendency to push his deliveries on middle and leg on his bad days. That, though, hasn’t happened a lot in recent games. The lines have been better, the speeds have been relatively fine, but the lengths have suffered. Without a loop and dip, they often do. The result is that 42.84 average. Luckily for India, this has coincided with the rise of Zaheer Khan, who has been awesome with the old ball when it reverses. It didn’t today, and the New Zealanders marched along.The other spinner, Pragyan Ojha, averages 41.60. He is rarely used as a strike bowler and it’s clear that he doesn’t like one. He was quick to switch to over the stumps today – – perhaps because he was asked to by the team think tank. You could see why. There were rough patches outside leg stump and both McCullum and Ross Taylor like to sweep. Perhaps one would take the top edge? It didn’t, and he struck almost immediately on returning to bowling around the stumps with a beauty to remove McCullum. It dipped and turned to leave the batsman stranded. That’s the thing about Ojha that confounds. There were couple of deliveries today from the spinners that gripped, turned and bounced. All of them came from Ojha, though they seem to be exception rather than norm with him. His deliveries seem to land on a length and turn very slightly. It feels as if he doesn’t give them a good rip. It perhaps is the stock bowler in him dominating. Most probably, that’s his role.Ojha’s former Hyderabad bowling coach, Kanwaljit Singh, tells of a meeting with the bowler in what proved to be a turn-around game for him. “We [Kanwal and the captain VVS Laxman] told him, look you are our strike bowler. This is a wicket aiding spin and we are confident you can run through them. Show us you can.” Ojha took 6 for 84 and moved up a grade. Is what we see from him now at the international level his best, or is there a gear he has not tried yet? India might want to use him as their containing bowler, but that doesn’t mean he can’t attack at all. It would be good to know whether there is another gear to him at this level for Murali Kartik, who is clearly the better bowler, is still going strong at the county and domestic circuit.So far, the game has the look and feel of a draw. Even the usually ebullient Sreesanth didn’t sound upbeat.” It’s very flat track as usual in Ahmedabad. I worked very hard because it is not an easy track to bowl on, very slow track. We have to work very hard. I don’t think we could have done anything differently. Maybe we should have restricted a few more boundaries. It just happens – some days it clicks, some days it doesn’t. You have got to be patient. We will keep on giving our best shot.”Credit goes to their batsmen, they played well.” Of course, Sreesanth being Sreesanth, he couldn’t let it go at that. “I can’t wait to see the next game. I really want to see how they play on a turner; I think they are going to struggle.”