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Sanath Jayasuriya has said that he is optimistic that he will get a chance to play for Sri Lanka in England, despite being effectively ruled out of contention for the second Test after he was omitted from the side currently playing Sussex.Jayasuriya reversed his decision to retire last week and flew to England to join the squad during the Lord’s Test, but neither captain Mahela Jayawardene nor coach Tom Moody was consulted before the move, which was instigated by Asantha de Mel, the chairman of selectors. “I have no problem with the players or coach so returning was nothing serious,” Jayasuriya told Sky Sports.”It doesn’t rule me out because they are trying out a few players here. I’m just practising and getting settled down in England. We don’t know about the team. If I’m picked I always love to play for my country, if not I’ll have to sit out the game.”His presence alone is a sign of the power struggle between Moody and de Mel, and the fact that Jayasuriya was left out at Hove is an indication that Moody is winning.Moody, meanwhile, continued with his policy of looking to the future. “All we are concentrating on now is working very hard with a young and exciting squad in a transitional period,” he said. “As long as we are patient and show faith in these young players the future of Sri Lanka cricket is in good shape.”

The two security experts reviewing arrangements for England’s proposed tour this October have spent the first day of their three-day trip examining the facilities at Karachi’s National Stadium. Karachi is the most contentious venue at which any of the three Tests or five ODIs will be staged.Andy Allman and Douglas Dick, representing Oliver Security, a private firm appointed by the England & Wales Cricket Board, visited the ground, which is scheduled to host the third Test, and spoke to local police and military officials. The pair declined, however, to talk to reporters.”You can’t hide the environment of a city in the computer age,” Ghulam Mohammad, the home secretary of Sindh province, said after the visit. “But we have answered their questions over security arrangements and they will give their analysis to the ECB.”The pair will visit other venues and hold more discussions with local police and security officials before submitting their report to the ECB at the end of the week.

Nasser Hussain‘s long vigil – 58 in 353 minutes, from 223 balls – did much to establish England’s strong position. Here’s what he had to say after today’s play:

On the Port-of-Spain pitch
It’s not a bad wicket, it’s just a wicket where you lose your fluency themore you bat on it. It’s also losing its pace, so isn’t easy for the bowlerseither. You just have to hang in there. Personal scores are irrelevant, youjust have to make a score for your team.On Graham Thorpe’s innings
Graham’s 81 was brilliant really. To keep his fluency right through hisinnings was a great effort. Both games have been very similar. It’s been about the first innings and pressure. If we’d have been bowled out today I know what everyone would have been thinking – we have to bat last on this pitch and we don’t want to be chasing any kind of big target. Graham’s had some tough times in his personal life – but even someone like Graham Gooch took time off and you’re going to see more of that in future with the schedule the way it is. Where Graham [Thorpe] is very good, and I’ll always praise him on this, is that when he comes back into the team, to have the mental strength to do what he did at The Oval [a century against South Africa] and what he did here today, you can’t teach that.On how it feels to battle like that
I think you can enjoy it when you look back on it and realise you gotthrough difficult days. It’s not about feeling a million dollars. Theybowled well today. Someone like Collymore bowled well, with a lot ofdiscipline.On what happens next …
I’d be concentrating on our last four wickets. We try to make runs all downthe order, and if Graham can hang around with the tail tomorrow and if Ashley hangs in there then maybe we can get a few more. You have to think that at some stage the likes of Chanderpaul and Sarwan will come to the party, as someone might say. They will make runs at some stage and we don’t want to be chasing too much in the last innings.

Brett Lee’s scorching pace and unforgiving hostility very nearly ended Sri Lanka’s World Cup dream on Friday afternoon.

Victory against the all-conquering Australians was never likely after Ricky Ponting won the toss, nor was it essential to progress into the next round.Sri Lanka could qualify for the semi-finals with just one win, and they were always going to target the India and Zimbabwe games for that victory.But the loss of Sanath Jayasuriya with a broken arm would have had catastrophic consequences.The left-hander has been the catalyst for Sri Lanka’s recent revival and stands out as the side’s premier match-winner with the blade.

Moreover, Jayasuriya has played a vital role with his left-arm spin, invariably completing his full quota of overs and often taking important wickets.His possible absence in the next game against India would upset the balance of the side and pose a selection quandary: to play an extra bowler or, more likely, bowl Aravinda de Silva for a minimum of ten overs?Against the spin-assured Indians, de Silva’s part-time off-breaks are likely to be targeted and it remains to be seen as to whether his undisputed shrewdness will cover his obvious limitations with the ball.Indeed, the ease with which Adam Gilchrist and Ponting nullified the threat of Chaminda Vaas and then plundered Sri Lanka’s assortment of spinners is a concern.

Clearly, with their currently limited bowling resources, the best way for SriLanka to win games is to score a mountain of runs and then apply pressureduring a run chase with tight bowling and dervish-like fielding.Thankfully, the current prognosis on Jayasuriya is that his chipped finger and badly bruised forearm are unlikely to rule him out of the tournament.Alex Kontouri, the Sri Lanka physio, is adopting a wait and see attitude: “It will take at least 48 hours to decide if he can play in the next match. But he is not out of the tournament.”

Should Sri Lanka meet the Australians again, in the semi-finals or final, Jayasuriya can expect a similar working over by Australia’s pace bowlers.”When you bowl to him on his body he tends to wriggle,” said Ponting after the game.Adding, unapologetically: “It’s a World Cup and we’re trying to bowl where their batsmen are least likely to score. If that happens to be at the body then it will be at the body.”We’re not going to go out there and bowl him wide ones because he’s going to smack us over cover or point every time – that’s a weakness in his game and we’ve picked up on that of late.”

But, in truth, Jayasuriya is not a complete mug against short bowling and should he survive the initial burst against the hard, glossy new ball then he can still prosper.In fact, after the early retirement of the skipper, Sri Lanka fared moderately well as Marvan Atapattu and Hashan Tillakaratne added 36 runs.Lee was forced to wait for the fifth ball of his fifth over to claim his first wicket. Had Atapattu not popped back a return catch then Lee could well have taken his sweater after a wicketless first spell.

Sri Lanka would most probably have still lost chasing such a towering target but an already fragile middle order might have survived with more confidence.At least de Silva proved that even Australian bowlers can be flogged.So much for 37-years-old’s powers having waned. The veteran rolled back the years with a vintage swivel pull onto Centurion’s grassy banks and his one-legged flick for six off Lee later was simply magical.De Silva is batting with better form and greater freedom than he has down for years. He no longer has anything to prove: no selectors to please, no treadmills to run. A new life beckons and de Silva wants to end two decades on a high.

For Shane Warne, Jonty Rhodes, Alan Donald, Wasim Akram, possibly Waqar Younis and perhaps Carl Hooper there was no fairytale farewell. On the contrary, this World Cup has shed no tears.Can de Silva bow out with a bang? Sri Lanka certainly needs one.

ECB Premir Division 1 (Time games)Andover 252-6 (R Miller 58, Brunnsweiler 42, M Miller 41, Keighley 37, Hayward 33, Caines 3-52)
South Wilts 215 (Woodhouse 71, Pauwells 33, Wade 26, Langdown 5-69)
Andover won by 37 runsBAT Sports 171 (Hayes 42, Adams 35, Goldstraw 25, Motchall 8-87)
Calmore Sports 136 (Cass 37, Archer 37, Goldstraw 4-44)
BAT Sports won by 35 runsHavant 278-2 dec (Perry 173, Hindley 66)
Burridge 237-5 (Francis 80, Hawkins 46, Jackson 38, Creal 27)
Match drawnHungerford 195-9 (Maier 64, Kidner 3-26, Waite 3-61)
Bournemouth 196-5 (Swarbrick 68, Park 47, Rintoul 32)
Bournemouth won by 5 wicketsLiphook & Ripsley 188 (Brown 61, Tyler 37, Whiting 5-38, King 5-58)
Bashley (Rydal) 190-1 (Sexton 103, Thurgood 67)
Bashley (Rydal) won by 9 wicketsPremier Division 2 (50 overs)Hambledon 210-7 (James 87, Barnard 62, Nolan 3-43)
Portsmouth 213-2 (Cook 99, Keech 92)
Portsmouth won by 8 wicketsLymington 335-2 (Clemow 213 not out, Peacock 46, Craft 31)
Cove 233-8 (Randall 71, Peacock 3-51)
Lymington won by 102 runsOld Tauntonians & Romsey 294-6 ( )
Old Basing 206-6 ( )
Old Tauntonians & Romsey won by 88 runsSparsholt 114 ( )
Easton & Martyr Worthy 115-2 ( )
Easton & Martyr Worthy won by 8 wicketsTrojans 128 (Subnaik 32, Durand 28, Carson 4-32, Geoghegan 3-13)
United Services 130-3 (Toogood 46, Braithwaite 26, Subnaik 3-49)
United Services won by 7 wicketsPremier Division 3 (50 overs)Alton 240-9 (Oliphant 114, M Heffernan 42, Chalkley 38, Shapland 3-32)
Flamingos 164 (Hitchings 47, Manthorpe 42, Chalkley 3-15, Gadsby 3-38)
Alton won by 76 runsBashley (Rydal) II 171-9 (Herbert 46, Tam 4-27)
United Services II 163 (Patel 62, Saunders 31)
Bashley (Rydal) II won by 8 runsHook & Newnham Basics241-7 (Gardner 71, Lovelock 58)
Havant II 245-7 (Ferguson 54, Mist 53, Gover 42, Rivers 5-27)
Havant II won by 3 wicketsLeckford 305-3 ( )
Lymington II 276-6 ( )
Leckford won by 29 runsNew Milton 258-9 (Wheeler 50, L Beck 38, Gargaro 35, Taylor 35, Love 4-31, Rudder 3-58)
Waterlooville 149 (Over 58, Wheeler 3-19, Beck 3-28)
New Milton won by 109 runsPaultons 303-9 (James 104, Darnton 51, J Adams 4-44)
St Cross Symondians 173 (Barrett 67, Lamb 3-27, Wilde 3-51)
Paultons won by 130 runsPurbrook 190 ( )
Gosport Borough 118 ( )
Purbrook won by 72 runsRowledge 284-2 ( )
Portsmouth II 183-7 ( )
Rowledge won by 101 runsWinchester KS 202-8 ( )
Hursley Park 115-9 ( )
Winchester KS won by 87 runs

With PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan set to meet BCCI president Shashank Manohar in Mumbai on Monday, there is expectation that a decision will be made on India’s proposed bilateral series with Pakistan in December.According to a report, Shaharyar, accompanied by PCB executive committee head Najam Sethi, will meet Manohar and BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur along with other government officials.”The PCB is mentally prepared to even settle for a shorter series but want it to be Pakistan’s home series and in the UAE,” a PCB source was quoted as saying by .Meanwhile, it is understood that the BCCI, as reported by ESPNcricinfo on Saturday, had discussed the possibility of a tri-series featuring Pakistan and Bangladesh in its working committee meeting, but was apprehensive about the viability of non-India games played in India.”The BCCI does intend to promote tri-series, but non-India games are not attracting revenue and BCCI’s cost of production is so high it’s not remunerative. We’re trying to work out how it can be done,” a BCCI member privy to the discussions told ESPNcricinfo.He also said that should Bangladesh be the third team in the tournament certain games would have to be played in the country. “If Bangladesh were to be involved, then we’ll have to work out things in a way where Bangladesh’s matches will have to be played in Bangladesh,” he said.BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said that although his board hadn’t received any proposal about the tri-series from the BCCI, there were informal discussions. “It was not a formal proposal. We had a discussion about matches,” Chowdhury told reporters in Dhaka.”Since we have a slot [after December 15], the possibility of it [tri-series] cannot be ignored,” Chowdhury said. “The host country will decide who will be the participating nations. Not just the BCCI, we spoke with a few other boards too regarding playing some matches in December. It can be at home or away.”

Punjab U-14 humiliated Haryana U-14 by 323 runs in their North Zoneleague tournament at the Maharaja Aggarsain Stadium, Rohtak. Punjab,put into bat, made 198 in 77.3 overs in their first innings withopener K Goel being the top scorer with 91. For Haryana Pratik was themost successful bowler, and he scalped 4 wickets. In response Haryanawere dismissed for 81 in 47.2 overs in their first innings. Onlyskipper D Saini lasted for a long time at the crease by making anunbeaten 31.In the second innings Punjab declared at 295 for 8 in 80.1 overs withgood scores from opener A Vinayak (68), M Bhatia (82) and skipper TGupta (84). Needing 413 runs to win, Haryana in their final inningsmade 89 in 34.4 overs with only D Saini (28) and S Kumar (18) reachingdouble figures. New ball bowler Hardavinder Singh claimed threewickets for Punjab.In completing their victory, Punjab notched up 8 points.

England players face missing an entire summer if they choose to play for the Indian Cricket League, after the England Cricket Board tightened up regulation to prevent county players from signing up the unauthorised Indian Cricket League.The board said that while any action would not be retrospective, any players who turn out in the ICL would be refused registration for a year. “A cricketer who has played in an unauthorised event in the 12 months leading up to 1 April in any given year will not qualify for registration,” a spokesman said. Although the ECB did not mention the ICL by name, referring to “events which are not authorised by the ICC and its members” the implication is clear.”Counties and the Professional Cricketers’ Association have sought clarity concerning this complex situation,” said the ECB chief executive, David Collier. “The [legal] advice received has informed the steps that the board has taken and the board stands ready to discuss the detail and impact of these steps with counties and individual players potentially affected.”The position with overseas players remains as before. The ECB maintains that such cricketers need a No Objection Certificate from the board of the country they are qualified to play Test cricket for, as per ICC instructions. “Without an NOC a cricketer is not entitled to registration,” the spokesman said. “The ECB will not exercise its discretion in favour of a cricketer who has contracted with an unauthorised event, save in the most exceptional circumstances.”That means that players such as Mushtaq Ahmed (Sussex), Jason Gillespie (Glamorgan) and Shane Bond (Hampshire), who have all signed with the ICL, will be prevented from taking up their positions with their counties. Although the ECB statement implied that no action would be taken against such players “who are already registered with the ECB, and who have already contracted with an unauthorised event,” without the NOC from their respective boards, they will be unable to proceed.But what seems apparent is that Kolpak players fall through the net. They do not need registration as with England players, but nor do they need NOCs from their home boards. “Kolpaks still have to abide by the regulations as set out by ECB, same as any other cricketer,” said an ECB spokesman. What that appears to mean is that it is relying on the counties to fall into line with the overall policy.

Russel Arnold, the Sri Lankan middle-order batsman, has announced that he will retire from international cricket after the World Cup. Saturday’s final at Barbados will be Arnold’s last match for Sri Lanka, if selected. He will continue to play domestic cricket for the Colombo-based Nondescripts Cricket Club.”Russel has informed his decision to team manager Michael Tissera in Jamaica and it has now been officially conveyed to the cricket board,” Samantha Algama, a spokesman with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) told AFP.Primarily a one-day player, Arnold has the experience of 179 ODIs, scoring nearly 3500 runs at an average over 35, mostly in the middle order. His ability to graft in the middle overs and accelerate towards the end of an innings and his tidy offspin made him a utility player in Sri Lanka’s one-day squad from the late nineties.However, he was in and out of the squad following the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, with the national selectors looking to blood younger players. He was recalled for the 2007 World Cup, largely for his experience and in ten games, has managed 117 runs at a healthy strike rate of over 82.He began his career as a Test opener back in 1997, later dropping down the order. In 44 Tests he has scored 1821 runs at an average of 28.11. His last appearance in Tests was in the 2004 tour of Australia.Arnold is the latest to join the player exodus after the World Cup, following the high-profile exits of Brian Lara and Glenn McGrath and a host of international coaches.

A depleted Karachi Harbour didn’t do too badly on the opening day of their final round Pentangular Cup match against National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) at the Gaddafi Stdium. Karachi were dismissed for 249 and then bagged one NBP wicket before the end of the day.The Karachi side, lying at the bottom of the points table with three straight defeats, did well to reach a score of 215 for 3 after having been put in to bat. However, the last seven wickets fell for 34 runs. National Bank’s in-form fast bowler Wasim Khan again pulled a performance right out of the top drawer with figures of 6 for 57 in 27 overs. Mohammad Sami rattled the tail, taking 3 for 73 in 24.5 overs.Mohtashim Ali, the opener, top-scored for Karachi with 77 off 144 balls with 15 fours as he and Mansoor Baig added 84 runs for the second wicket. Mansoor hit 43 off 65 balls with seven fours.Mohtashim then got involved in a 60-run partnership for the third wicket with Afsar Nawaz. Afsar made 48 off 117 balls with six fours and found an able partner in Fawad Alam during a 60-run stand for the fourth wicket.Fawad reached 40 off 86 deliveries with four fours, but following his dismissal Karachi Harbour capitulated. Then it was the turn of NBP’s opener Salman Butt to fall cheaply yet again.NBP may still not find much difficulty in defeating Karachi Harbour eventually, a result that will also enable them to clinch the Pentangular Cup title. Even a draw with first-innings lead will give NBP the trophy.National Bank, looking to go beyond Faisalabad to snatch the Pentangular Cup title, have lost three leading players – Shahid Yousuf, Mansoor Amjad and Yasir Arafat – to the Pakistan A team now playing in Abu Dhabi in the EurAsia Cricket Series. But they have acquired the services of Kamran Akmal, the national wicketkeeper, to boost their chances.Sialkot scored 278 and reduced Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to 69 for 3 on the opening day of an inconsequential fifth-round match at Multan. Neither team is in the running for the eventual title, as PIA only have nine points while Sialkot have just six.Sialkot’s 278 would not have been possible had it not been for a blitz by their wicketkeeper Haafiz Khalid. He had to retire hurt early on and when he returned Sialkot were 192 for 9 having lost three wickets on the same score.In partnership with Adeel Malik, Khalid hammered 64 runs off 73 balls with eight fours as the last-wicket stand produced an incredible 86 runs. Adeel remained unbeaten on 61 off 73 balls with five fours and four sixes.Earlier, opener Haafiz Majid Jahangir had contributed 62 off 120 balls with seven fours, and put together a 98-run second-wicket stand with Inam-ul-Haq, whose 44 came off 65 deliveries with six boundaries.The PIA pace bowling duo was excellent, Najaf Shah picking up 5 for 54 and Fazl-e-Akbar 4 for 66. Ali Gohar’s medium-fast bowling went for 81 runs in nine overs.The PIA batting got rattled when it was their turn to bat. However, Faisal Iqbal, the captain who was returning from national duty in Abu Dhabi, is yet to bat.