There is likely to be a windfall for the Indian domestic cricketers as the BCCI has decided to give them a ten-fold hike and pay upto Rs 52,000 for each match. Jagmohan Dalmiya, the president of the board, said in Delhi that the cricketers at the domestic level will get the enhanced payments when the graded system of payment comes into effect, most likely by the end of this month.”We have been working on it for the last one-and-a-half years. Not much work is left, may be a week’s concentration is required. We hope to get it signed by the end of this month,” Dalmiya told Press Trust of India.Dalmiya added, “Those playing all the matches at the domestic level will get Rs 52,000 as per the revised formula and players playing upto the qualifying rounds will get Rs 35,000 per match.”As of now, cricketers taking part in domestic tournaments get Rs 5,000 per match and the revised fees, under the graded payment system, represents a steep hike. This, however, will not be applicable to international cricketers, for whom a different scale will be used.The international cricketers will be divided into three categories depending on their seniority and all the three categories will have different annual contractual payments.The graded system will provide the senior cricketers more money based on the number of Tests and one-dayers they have played. “The gradation system is something which is on our priority list. We have had discussions with the senior players and it is just a matter of time before we can implement it.”Dalmiya spoke about how the BCCI had set aside 26% its earnings for player payments. Out of the 26%, 13% has been reserved for international cricketers, 10.4% for domestic players and 2.6% for those at the junior level. “We feel that the new system will go a long way in removing the disparities. The domestic players can earn a lot more now, it will help them a lot.”The Board has also decided to provide more financial incentives to under-15 players and will also offer them scholarship and equipment. “The under-15 players will also get more money apart from scholarships. We have decided to keep some funds for that purpose. It will serve as an incentive for parents.”

Twenty20 cricket could become an Olympic event in time for the 2012 games, under plans outlined today by the England & Wales Cricket Board. If their campaign proves successful, cricket will return to the Olympics for the first time since the Paris games in 1900, when Great Britain beat France to take the gold medal.Twenty20 cricket was a huge hit in its inaugural season last year, with 250,000 spectators flocking through the gates. Already the format has been replicated in South Africa, and even the USA has been enticed by the prospect, with its own Pro Cricket tournament launching next month.Now the plan is to go global, and with London in the running for the 2012 games, the ECB is keen for Twenty20 cricket to be a part of the event. “We have had preliminary discussions with the ICC,” said Tim Lamb, the outgoing chief executive of the ECB, “about the possibility of them making a case for Twenty20 cricket, particularly if London is successful in its bid. If 2012 is too soon, then perhaps we will look further down the line. Twenty20 in 2020, who knows?”A spokesman for the ICC said there had been “very, very preliminary talks” with the ECB on the subject, but added that it was too early to speculate about the success of such a proposal. “We are currently exploring ways in which we could join the Olympic family,” he said, “perhaps initially as a non-playing member.”In the meantime, Twenty20 cricket is set to play its first international match in August, when England’s women take on New Zealand, and then next summer, the men are planning an Ashes curtain-raiser against Australia.

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Hundreds from Sylvester Joseph and Dwayne Bravo put the West Indians in an excellent position on the first day of their final warm-up game before the first Test, against Sri Lanka A at Shenley Park. The West Indians were 351 for 6 at stumps after Joseph, brought into the side to replace the rested Brian Lara, hit 114 and Bravo crashed an aggressive 118.Chris Gayle was also given the match off, and the stand-in captain Ramnaresh Sarwan opened with Devon Smith. Smith didn’t last long, falling to Nuwan Kulasekara for 6 (9 for 1). Sarwan fell before lunch to the spin of Kaushal Lokuarachchi, caught by Jehan Mubarak for 28 (79 for 2). Joseph was then the dominant partner in a 94-run third-wicket stand with Chanderpaul, which was ended when Chanderpaul was run out for a snail-paced 32 (173 for 3).Joseph fell soon afterwards, bowled by Lokuarachchi (192 for 4), but Bravo took up where he left off, immediately laying into the young Sri Lankan bowlers. Dwayne Smith desperately needed a good score to keep his place in the Test side, but it was not to be, as he was run out shortly before tea for 8 (211 for 5).Bravo continued his assault after tea, slamming 17 fours and two sixes in his 130-ball innings before he became Kulasekara’s second victim just before the close (351 for 6). Omari Banks safely saw off the two remaining balls without scoring, and with Ridley Jacobs unbeaten on 30 at the other end, the West Indians could bat on tomorrow for a huge first-innings total, should they so choose.

Andrew Puttick, a left-handed opening batsman from Western Province, has been named as cover for Herschelle Gibbs for the two-Test series in Sri Lanka. Gibbs sprained his ankle during a training session last Thursday and is a doubt for the series.Puttick, 23, has an impressive first-class record. He made his debut in the 2000-01 season, and has notched up 2062 runs in 28 games at 49, with a highest score of 250 not out. He was part of the A side that played against Sri Lanka A last season. What would also have counted in his favour is his experience of Sri Lankan conditions – he played the Under-19 World Cup there in 1999, and was among a squad which included Graeme Smith, the current captain, and Jacques Rudolph.Commenting on his selection, Omar Henry, the convenor of selectors, said: "It is clear from Andrew’s performances for his province and the South African A team that he is a player of skill and talent and he clearly has a good temperament. This will be a great opportunity for him to step up to the highest level."Puttick himself expressed surprise over his inclusion. “I was driving to the mechanic to pay a bill for repairs to my car when I got a call from Eric [Eric Simons, the South African coach] who said that Herschelle was injured and that they wanted me to join the squad.It’s something I have always dreamt about and its just fantastic to be part of the set up.”Puttick will be among the line-up that leaves for Sri Lanka on Monday, July 26. The South African board also revealed that Gibbs would travel with the squad and would undergo intensive treatment from Shane Jabaar, the physiotherapist. South Africa’s tour begins with a three-day warm-up match on July 30, while the first Test starts on August 4, at Galle.

New South Wales 5 for 251 (Katich 92, Jacques 70) beat Victoria 5 for 245 (Moss 74, Hussey 67, Rummans 54*) by 5 wickets
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Simon Katich led the way with a fine 92 as New South Wales scraped to a last-ball win in their match against Victoria and earned their first ING Cup points of the season.Needing 246 to win, NSW sufferred a mini-collapse once Katich fell as they lost three wickets for four runs late in the game. But Shawn Bradstreet smashed 26 from 17 and sealed the victory with a six off the final ball.Katich said he was under pressure to justify publicly expressing his frustration at being axed from the Test squad to play New Zealand. He was quoted by AAP as saying, “I was definitely nervous today because I knew a lot of people would be viewing to see how I went, particularly after what I said last week. But I was lucky to be able to back it up.”Earlier in the day, Victoria managed to reach 245 thanks to a good allround batting display. Matthew Elliott, Jonathan Moss, David Hussey and Graeme Rummans notched up half-centuries but Victoria couldn’t get the required acceleration late in the innings.

Donate to the US Red Cross appealThe extent to which Sri Lanka’s cricketers suffered from the tsunami disaster was spelt out clearly by four of the players whose families and relatives were directly affected by it.The cricketers related their tales of woe at Sri Lanka Cricket’s headquarters on Sunday, with Sanath Jayasuriya holding centre stage along with three of his team mates Nuwan Zoysa, Upul Chandana and Dilhara Fernando.Jayasuriya related how his mother Breeda, 64, had gone to the Sunday market in Matara and was caught when the wave that hit the town. She was swept towards a river before she managed to get a hold onto a branch of a tree and cry out for help.She was one of the few who were lucky to survive, although she was left with a grim reminder of her ordeal with a large area of skin pealed off from her hip downwards by the polluted salt water. Jayasuriya said his parents’ house, which was near the seafront, was badly damaged but he was thankful that the rest of his family had survived. He said his mother was being treated at the Nawaloka hospital.Chandana also had a sad story to tell. Mulin Umagiliya, the youth who saved his 69-year-old mother from drowning, was killed soon afterwards when the roof onto which he had climbed collapsed. He had clambered on top to call for help on his mobile phone. Chandana said that his mother had suffered injuries but was out of danger.Zoysa said he lost his aunt and four other relations in Galle, while Fernando suffered losses from his wife’s side when three relatives travelling by train to Galle were killed.Marvan Atapattu, Sri Lanka’s current captain, also had some anxious moments when his father was held up at Kataragama when the disaster occurred. Atapatttu senior was later able to get in touch with his family and returned to Colombo safely.Brendon Kuruppu, the Sri Lankan team manager, said the team first came to know about the calamity in Sri Lanka soon after the first one-day international at Auckland at around 6pm local time.”Initially we did not feel the gravity of it,” Kuruppu said. “But as the days passed by and the death toll began to rise the players became extremely worried and concerned. The team’s mental preparations was not towards cricket but what was happening back home. The players wanted to return home and be with their loved ones not clearly knowing what fate had befallen them.”

Shoaib Malik, the Pakistan allrounder, has been advised against bowling until he undergoes remedial action on his offbreak and doosra deliveries. Professor Bruce Elliott, a biomechanics specialist, conducted tests on Malik, and in his report to the Pakistan board recommended the measures, stating that both his offbreak and doosra had elbow-extension levels above the ICC’s current and proposed levels of acceptability. Malik hasn’t bowled in the second Test against Australia which started on Sunday at Melbourne.Malik, 22, who has played eight Tests and 85 one-dayers, was reported for a suspect action by Aleem Dar and Simon Taufel during the Paktel Cup final against Sri Lanka at Lahore in October. It was second time in his career – the first was in 2002 – that he had been reported. Since then he has undergone extensive tests under the supervision of bowling and biomechanics experts at the University of Western Australia in Perth.According to , a Pakistan-based newspaper, Elliott’s report said: “It is recommended that Shoaib Malik undergoes a programme of remediation, prior to being subjected to a further series of tests to determine his eligibility to bowl.”Abbas Zaidi, the director of the Pakistan board, termed this as a “setback”, as the PCB hadn’t thought it was a major problem. Zaidi added that the PCB would quickly take steps to remove any problems in his action before sending him for further tests in Perth. “We have shown the University’s report to our group of bowling advisers, who have studied it, and the test pictures, thoroughly. They have also concluded Malik needs to undergo remedial work on his bowling action before he can bowl again.”The PCB now has two weeks before it sends a report on Malik’s action to the ICC. He can continue to play during this period, but if he is reported again, after undergoing remedial work on his action, he would face a suspension for up to a year.

Tim Nielsen, the former South Australia wicketkeeper, will replace Bennett King as the head coach of the Cricket Academy in Brisbane. After working with the Australian team as an assistant and performance analyst since 2002, Nielsen has accepted the job and was excited by the prospect of leading the Australian Institute of Sport men’s program.”This is a tremendous opportunity and I am thrilled and excited at the challenge that lies ahead,” Nielsen said. “I have gained immeasurable experience working closely with the Australian side over the past few years and I am really looking forward to making a positive contribution to the players coming through the ranks of Australian cricket.”James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia chief executive, said Nielsen was chosen to fill the “particularly important” role following a rigorous selection process. “Through his experience as a player, assistant coach at state and national level, and his technical knowledge, Tim is well-equipped to head-up the men’s program,” he said. “This appointment is a key step forward for Tim in his coaching career, and his credentials will be especially valuable as we seek to keep our elite players and programs at the cutting edge of world cricket.”Neilsen joins a list including Rod Marsh and King, who left in October to guide West Indies, as the head of the Academy and will oversee the work of the senior coaches, John Harmer and Damien Fleming, and Stephen Jenkin, the AIS’s women’s head coach. Nielsen played 101 first-class games as a wicketkeeper-batsman and his 316 dismissals were a South Australia record.

South Africa’s 4-1 series victory over England has enabled them to address their decline in the ICC One-Day Championship table. Prior to their victory in the third match at Port Elizabeth, South Africa had won just one match in their last 13 – and that had been against Bangladesh.But now, after four wins and a washout in their last five games, they have climbed from seventh to fifth, and have overtaken England in the process. South Africa’s rating has been boosted from 101 to 106, while England, who began the series in fourth place on 109 points, have slipped back to seventh, behind West Indies, who beat them in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy in September.There have been some significant changes in the one-day player rankings as well. Jacques Kallis was briefly rated as the best one-day batsman in the world, but slipped behind Ramnaresh Sarwan following a disappointing end to his series. But South Africa’s other two leading players, Graeme Smith (14th in the batting) and Shaun Pollock (second, behind Glenn McGrath, in the bowling) both improved their rankings.For England, Darren Gough made a welcome return to the top ten following an excellent series – he finished in eighth place – while Kevin Pietersen is already in 25th place in the batting, following his dramatic arrival in international cricket, which culminated in 454 runs in the seven-match series. England’s only top-ten batsman is the injured Andrew Flintoff, because Marcus Trescothick has fallen 15 places to 20th, following his poor run of form.

India have agreed to play an additional one-day international when they tour Pakistan early next year. They were scheduled to play five according to the original itinerary, but an extra match has been added as a response to Pakistan’s gesture of playing six one-dayers on their current tour.Both the boards had reached a settlement when the Test originally scheduled for Ahmedabad was shifted to Kolkata due to security reasons expressed by the Pakistan board, and Ahmedabad was instead granted a one-day international. “We’ve agreed to play the additional match under a reciprocal agreement according to which when India tours Pakistan early next year they’ll also play six one-day internationals along with three Tests,” a PCB official was quoted as saying in , a Pakistan daily.According to the ICC rules, teams generally charge a fee of over US$25,000 for playing an out-of-schedule one-dayer. However, the PCB has agreed to waive those charges. “We are not taking any fees for playing the sixth one-day international next month,” the PCB official said.