Marvan Atapattu has admitted that the critical comments made by Ashantha de Mel, Sri Lanka¹s selection chief, spurred his team on during their Paktel Cup final victory against Pakistan.”That can be one reason for our performance. It was a big motivation factor for us to show everyone what we are capable of,” Atapattu said after his team¹s emphatic 119-run victory. “But the guys were very keen to do well, and we play to win anything around the world. We don’t go on the park to lose.” But Atapattu refused to be drawn into a public slanging match with de Mel, although he was obviously angered by the comments.de Mel had earlier launched a surprise attack in the media last week, as he accused Sri Lanka¹s team management of holding back the development of young players and he labelled the senior players as selfish, suggesting they were more concerned about their own averages than the team’s long-term health.”It has come to a stage that the selection committee felt that we have to reduce some of the options in order to get the team management to play them,” said de Mel, referring to the lack of chances for the young players. “We send the youngsters saying that we are going to groom them, but they are never given a chance to play on the tour. They come back and by the next tour they are left out.”We sent [Thilina] Kandamby on the Pakistan tour to get some sort of exposure internationally, but unfortunately he has not been given a chance to play even against a weak opposition like Zimbabwe.”If Kandamby, for instance, was promoted up in the order and was given to bat at No. 3 like they did with [Tillakaratne] Dilshan against Zimbabwe, we may have got a chance to see what his potential is. He has shown potential at A-team level and in the domestic tournaments but we need to find out for ourselves whether he actually has it in him to make it to the top, whether he is worth investing for the future. The same applies to the other young players as well.”de Mel insisted that the inexperienced players needed to be given opportunities against lesser teams to allow them to gain exposure. Otherwise, he warned, Sri Lankan cricket would go the way of the West Indian team, with the senior players retiring, and the next lot not being good enough to fill in.

Lancashire came within two wickets of defeating Worcestershire but in the end they were denied by Steve Rhodes, who batted for almost an hour in his final first-class match to earn a draw. It wasn’t enough to save Worcestershire from the drop, but it leaves Lancashire having to beat Gloucestershire in their final match, and they also need to get three more bonus points that their opponents who sit 17 points ahead of them in the table.Gloucestershire took seven vital points from their match against Sussex, bad weather on the final day limiting play to less than three hours. At Lord’s, Northamptonshire, whose own relegation was confirmed yesterday, drew with Middlesex after being set 355 to win at five an over, largely thanks to 90 from David Sales.In Division Two, Leicestershire took a little over an hour to complete their six-wicket win over Durham, a result which gives them a remote chance of catching Glamorgan for the third promotion spot. Glamorgan were left kicking their heels at Cardiff where a third successive day was severely disrupted by the weather. At Taunton, Somerset bowled Yorkshire out for 304 and then, looking to make up for lost time, declared on 141 for 0 before reducing the visitors to 125 for 4 at the close, a lead of 308.

County Championship Division One

Latest tableGloucestershire 178 and 304 for 5 (Gidman 82, Hancock 77*, Spearman 65) drew with Sussex 199 (Averis 5-45) at Bristol
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Day 1 report: Accurate Averis puts Sussex on back foot – The Times
Day 2: no play because of rain
Day 3 report: Sussex struggle to stay afloat – The Sunday Times
Northamptonshire 282 and 224 for 4 (Sales 90, Huggins 82*) drew with Middlesex 425 and 212 for 6 (Joyce 59, Koenig 51) at Lord’s
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Day 1 report: Shah and Joyce lift Middlesex – The Times
Day 2 report: Afzaal props up Northants – The Telegraph
Worcestershire 352 for 9 dec and 199 for 8 (Smith 50) drew with Lancashire 403 for 9 dec and 242 for 6 dec (Hooper 75*, Chapple 63) at Worcester
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Day 1 report: Law leads Lancashire’s survival bid – Wisden Cricinfo
Day 2 report: Hegg gives Lancs fresh hope – The Guardian
Day 3 report: Rhodes refuses to go quietly – The Sunday Telegraph

County Championship Division Two

Latest table B>Leicestershire 508 and 71 for 4 beat Durham 298 and 280 by six wickets at Chester-le-Street
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Day 1 report: Mustard adds dash of class – The Daily Telegraph
Day 2 report: Durham’s bowlers fail to contain Maunders – The Times

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Day 1 report: Essex wilt as wickets tumble – The Daily Telegraph

Day 1: No play because of rain
Day 2 report: Croft inspires Glamorgan – The Sunday Times

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Day 1 report: Rain takes edge off needle match – The Guardian

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Ian Billcliff, Canada’s captain, has said that John Davison’s absence would be felt during their ICC Intercontinental Cup semi-final against UAE at Sharjah, but that it would give others a chance to display their skills. He believed that the team’s sense of self was a strength, and though they had not played UAE much, they would reply on getting their basics right in order to win."John is obviously a very important player for us and has been our most successful performer in the qualifying matches so it goes without saying that he will be missed," said Billcliff. "But his absence gives some of the others a chance to shine. We’ve got some good players and I’m still confident we can do well."Billcliff said that the experience his team got in the tournament would be vital, and that facing different countries and conditions hurried their learning. "Any opportunity we have to play cricket against quality opposition is a great experience for us. Playing in different countries against varied opposition is a very steep learning curve, and what we have experienced so far is that the team that comes to terms with the conditions the quickest and executes their plans efficiently comes out on top."It [playing the three-day game] definitely has been helpful to learn to be able to build an innings and to be patient with the ball and build pressure. The experience will definitely benefit the team’s growth and I think that we have grown closer as a unit over the series of three-day games. The wearing pitch is the biggest factor. To be able to adapt one’s game as the match progresses is the key."We have had limited experience playing these teams so there will have to be a lot of input from various members of the team. There will be a fair bit of thinking on our feet but in the end it is a fairly simple game, and the team that executes the basics the best will win the tournament.

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James Hopes made an aggressive century to lift Queensland from a moderate position to a strong one in the the Pura Cup match against Victoria at the Gabba. Hopes, who hit 14 fours and two sixes from 126 balls, turned the day the Bulls’ way after they were slipping at 5 for 186 before tea.Chris Hartley, the wicketkeeper, shared a 111-run partnership with Hopes before he was lbw to Cameron White for 50. Hopes, 26, departed with his second century and Queensland in good health after being caught by Peter Roach off Matthew Innes.Allan Wise grabbed four of the top five wickets as Victoria, who won the ING Cup match between the teams on Saturday, made regular indents, but he missed the wicket of Clinton Perren, who held the top-order together with 89.

ScorecardGlenn McGrath and Stuart MacGill shared eight wickets to end Victoria’s ambitions for a berth in the final. The 114-run defeat inflicted on them by New South Wales meant they failed to secure the two points for a place in the ING Cup decider. Tasmania, only a point ahead, will now take on Queensland in the final on Sunday.McGrath dismissed the first four batsmen to leave Victoria reeling at 4 for 61. MacGill then claimed one before coming in for severe punishment, particularly at the hands of Cameron White, whose 61 contained four sixes. But MacGill struck back, removing White and Shane Warne within an over to effectively halt Victoria’s tournament. The match ended with Victoria all out for 152.A blazing 96 by Brad Haddin took New South Wales to 4 for 266. NSW’s innings began with a 106-run stand between Simon Katich and Michael Clarke. Katich’s 78 took 100 balls, but Clarke, who scored 35, had a strike-rate of less than 50. Clarke’s dismissal brought Haddin to the crease, and the runs began to flow immediately. Haddin’s innings contained three sixes, five fours and gave the innings an impetus it did not lose even when Katich and Matthew Phelps fell within four balls of each other.

Sourav GangulyOn the suggestion that India lacked the killer instinct in the last match
Everyone has got his own opinion. I don’t think we lack killer instinct. We have to give credit for how they [Pakistan] batted under pressure. But we should have sealed the game.On the pitch at Eden Gardens
They have left a bit of grass on the pitch. It looks similar to the Mohali track. There’s a bright chance that we will play three seamers.On whether India were under more pressure after failing to win the first Test
It’s a three-Test series and we came close to winning the first Test. There will be pressure on both teams to win. We will try hard to win this game and I’m sure the same goes for Pakistan.On the reasons for scoring slowly in the last two sessions of the third day at Mohali
Obviously when Sehwag gets going he scores fast. Also at the start of the innings there are lots of fielders in attacking positions so there are more scoring options. When Sachin [Tendulkar], [VVS] Laxman and myself batted the ball was about 100 overs old and they set defensive fields and had a defensive line of attack. You can’t score at six an over against quality opposition for 120 overs in Test cricket.On Harbhajan Singh coming into the playing XI
There’s an option of Harbhajan playing. We will look at the wicket tomorrow and then decide.On the Pakistan team
I said even before the series that they are a very good team. Young guys want to make a name for themselves and the best platform is an India-Pakistan series.On whether he is under more pressure to score runs because this is his home ground
When you play for India there is pressure to perform anywhere in the world. I’ve been trying [to score a hundred here] for the last five Tests but it just has not happened. Hopefully I’ll go out there and stay positive and it will come.On Danish Kaneria’s performance in the first Test
He bowled very well but still went for 150 runs. He is a quality bowler. We have to play him well again. He might have got six wickets but we got runs off him too.

Inzamam-ul-HaqOn what the team took from the Mohali Test
The performance at Mohali has given us a lot of confidence. If we play with the same spirit we can come up with a better result here. But there is a lot of hard work ahead of us. Even now India are the more experienced side.On Naved-ul-Hasan’s fitness
Rana has a shoulder problem. We are looking at maybe two changes, one in the top order and one in the bowling. Younis Khan will not be dropped.On the pitch
It looks a good Test wicket. It should be good for the batsmen as well as for seamers, if they are prepared to bowl in the right areas. After two days it will start helping the spinners.On Kamran Akmal’s performance
We all knew Akmal was a very good wicketkeeper. But now he has also performed with the bat. He has gained a lot of confidence and knowing that we have a good batsman lower down the order will definitely help the team.On the lack of good opening batsmen in Pakistan team
We are trying to unearth good openers through academies. The ones here are young and still learning. They will be better for the experience.On drawing inspiration from Pakistan’s win here in 1999
Everyone knows how we won from a difficult position in 1999. Our record at this ground is good. But each match is a new one. We have to work hard to win here. Not many of our boys have played a Test here, but most have played a one-day international. There is more atmosphere in a one-dayer, and having played here recently will help us.On the pressure of playing against India
If India and Pakistan play each other more regularly obviously the pressure will be less. But there is always pressure in international cricket, and especially in India-Pakistan matches, but we enjoy that.

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Deon Kruis took 5 for 59 to restrict Northamptonshire to 281 at Headingley. Anthony McGrath added three wickets, but Northants will still be pleased with their day’s work after recovering from 113 for 6 to post 168 for the last four wickets. Johann Louw blasted 58 from 69 balls from No 9 and Ben Phillips struck an unbeaten 55 at No 8.
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Essex ended the first day in a strong position, 68 for 0 in reply to Leicestershire’s 220. Darren Robinson’s 73 gave the visitors a strong platform, and they were cruising at 98 for 1, before Ravinder Bopara started the rot. Darren Gough and the South African Dale Steyn – on his Championship debut – each took three wickets as they worked their way through the Essex line-up. Will Jefferson and Alastair Cook were unbeaten by stumps, and Leicestershire know they have much work to do.
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Derbyshire recovered from 80 for 6 to post 216 after Lancashire let them off the hook at Old Trafford. At the close Lancashire were 65 for 0, with Mark Chilton on 30 and Mal Loye on 33, but they will be kicking themselves as they are still 151 runs behind and the deficit could have been much smaller. But take nothing away from Derbyshire’s battling batsmen. While James Anderson would have pleased the England selectors with 4 for 62, there was little else to cheer about for Lancashire as Derbyshire mounted a dramatic rearguard challenge, boosted by Luke Sutton who was run out five short of his century.

Shabbir Ahmed, the Pakistani fast bowler, is expected to undergo tests on his bowling action under the direction of a biomechanics specialist appointed by the ICC. Shabbir, whose action was reported after the first Test in Barbados, played in the second Test in Jamaica despite being warned by the umpires and match referee, finishing the series with 13 wickets.According to The News, a source within the board said, “The team management after consulting Shaharyar Khan, the chairman of Pakistan cricket board, told the ICC officials they would play Shabbir and if he was called again they would take the matter to the highest level with the ICC.”After undergoing the tests in England, the PCB will examine the report and see where Shabbir’s action falls within the 15 degrees tolerance level set by the ICC. “Only then will they decide on the next line of action including, if need arises, sending Shabbir to work with a specialist abroad,” said the source. “The Board has made up its mind it will support him strongly and find a solution to his problem. It also feels that it is strange that while he was not reported even after playing three one-dayers in the West Indies he was reported after the first Test mainly because of lobbying against his action by some television commentators.”This was the third time that Shabbir’s action had been reported, and the board felt that a long layoff from the game – due to a knee injury – could be the reason for the glitch in his action. However, the News also mentioned that at the end of the second Test, the ICC match officials urged the team management to work on his action immediately, and that they would be reporting the matter to the ICC.

Noel David, the former Indian offspinner, has announced his retirement from all forms of the game. David, 34, who played four one-dayers for India in 1997, planned to quit the game to concentrate more on his coaching career.David was picked as the offspinning allrounder to replace Javagal Srinath on India’s tour to West Indies in 1997. His selection was shrouded in controversy, allegedly prompting members of the team-management to react, Noel “Who?”, but David impressed on his debut game and finished with 3 for 21 and helped India record a comfortable ten-wicket win. However, his fastish offbreaks produced only one wicket in the next three games and he was eventually dropped after the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.David managed only 9 runs in his four matches, but he started off as a promising allrounder for Hyderabad when he cracked an unbeaten 207 in his third first-class game. However, he managed only one more hundred in his 35 games and finished with an average just short of 30. He played his last first-class game in October 1998 and is currently involved in coaching youngsters at the St. John’s Cricket Coaching Foundation in Secunderabad.

Nic Pothas guided Hampshire to a thrilling last-ball victory over Kent, cracking seven fours in a 55-ball 58 and keeping his cool after his fellow opener, Derek Kenway, was bowled for a second-ball duck by Andrew Hall. He was given ample support by Craig McMillan (36) and Lawrence Prittipaul (35). Earlier, Kent were given a flying start by Matthew Walker, but were indebted to Michael Carberry’s 43-ball 56, which anchored the innings.Stuart Law trumped HD Ackerman’s unbeaten 79 with a magnificent 92 not out from 54 balls, as Lancashire kept their hopes alive of progressing in the Twenty20 Cup. Law’s blitz enabled Lancashire to romp home in the 17th over, after Muttiah Muralitharan had claimed amazing figures of 4 from 19, to confirm his injured shoulder is on the mend. Brad Hodge helped condemn Leicestershire to defeat with a composed 31.James Hildreth starred with bat and ball as Somerset overwhelmed Glamorgan by 89 runs at Taunton. Hildreth spanked 71 from 37 balls, including seven fours and three sixes, and was backed up by a 57 not out from 28 balls from Keith Parsons, as Somerset rattled up an imposing 212 for 3. Glamorgan needed a solid start, but Matthew Elliott fell first-ball to Andrew Caddick. Ian Blackwell chipped in with 4 for 26 to hasten Glamorgan’s defeat.David Sales and Usman Afzaal were the mainstays of Northamptonshire’s victory over Worcestershire at New Road, adding 86 for the third wicket out of a testing total of 180 for 6. Stephen Moore replied with 53 from 50 balls, but received scant support from his team-mates, as Johann Louw took 3 for 25.