The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Sport England today confirmedthat the permanent site of the new ECB National Academy will be LoughboroughUniversity, an English Institute of Sport site.The decision follows meetings of Sport England’s Council and its Lottery Awards Panel and the ECB’s Management Board, at which a budget of £4m was approved for the capital costs of the project.In total a budget of £4.4m is needed for the development of residentialaccommodation as well as for the building of a new indoor cricket centre. The finance will come from Sport England and from Loughborough University. Building work on the facilities will begin as soon as possible although no time-scale has yet been set for the completion.The National Academy concept began in October this year and the first intake of students is currently training in Adelaide, at the home of the AustralianNational Academy, under the guidance of National Academy Director Rodney Marsh.Hugh Morris, ECB Performance Director, said: “I am delighted that the go-ahead for Loughborough University has been given. It will not only act as a training centre for the National Academy but also for all of our national age-group teams throughout the year, and it offers the ideal environment for the development of our next generation of international cricketers and high performance coaches.”With two outdoor cricket pitches, grass nets and a new indoor centre, thefacilities will be first class, but Loughborough also offers high quality sports science and medicine provision which is essential for today’s topathletes and coaches.”In addition Loughborough hosts over 250 elite athletes from athletics, swimming, tennis, badminton, netball and football, thereby providing a unique opportunity for our players to interact with top quality performers from other sports. Our coaches will be able to share ‘best practice’ with their counterparts too.”Whilst this announcement represents a big step forward, there is still muchwork to be done. It is not yet known when the infrastructure at Loughborough will be complete, therefore we still need to remain flexible with our plans for the National Academy programme for the 2002-3 winter.”Trevor Brooking, chair of Sport England said: “The ECB’s decision to developthe National Cricket Academy at Loughborough has been formally supported by the Sport England Lottery Panel and the Sports Council and will become a welcome addition to the English Institute of Sport’s (EIS) network of high performance training facilities.”Sport England has already invested over £21m at Loughborough University tocreate a major regional base for the EIS by funding world class facilities for swimming, hockey, netball, badminton, gymnastics and athletics. Elite competitors in the region will be able to access a range of sports medicineand sports science support services through the EIS on-site.”We look forward to working with the ECB and the University to develop thisunique facility for the next generation of Test cricketers.”The Academy squad, currently training in Australia, has already achieved good results on and off the pitch and is supported through the World Class revenue funding programme. The establishment of the National Cricket Academy is an important step towards developing a successful Test team for the future.”Dr Guy Jackson, Director of Cricket at Loughborough University, who has beenleading negotiations with ECB Performance Director Hugh Morris, said: “Clearly we’re very pleased with the announcement, which further cements our working relationship with the ECB. More importantly in cricket terms we feel, as do ECB, that young England cricketers aspiring to Test level can really benefit from the Loughborough University location which provides for interaction between coaching at the highest level and world class sports science, in a supportive ‘performance environment’.”We are confident that Loughborough can provide an excellent site for ECB todevelop the next generation of Test cricketers. Its existing facilitiesalong with the new Sport England investment and ECB’s coaching structurewill provide a truly world class Academy base.”

The Konica Queensland Fire will look to use the unexpected bonus ofpractice matches against world champions New Zealand this month toresurrect their faltering Women’s National League campaign.Queensland suffered their second successive defeat in as many rounds inthe WNCL over the weekend, losing both of their matches against NSW atDrummoyne Oval in Sydney.The Fire fought well on Saturday but lost comfortably on Sunday to leavethem winless so far this season.However Queensland will have the chance to put their house in orderlater this month with the New Zealand White Ferns coming to Brisbane toplay three matches.New Zealand had been scheduled to tour India but cancelled their visitin light of the international situation. Instead, they will play matchesagainst Queensland on December 17, 19 and 20 as part of their build-upto the coming series against Australia, the team they defeated in theWorld Cup Final at the start of the year.The first game of the mini-tour on December 17 will be at Allan BorderField with the remaining two games at the Gabba. All games will be daymatches.The Fire’s remaining WNCL matches are in January against the SouthernScorpions in Adelaide and the Western Fury at Allan Border Field.New Zealand will play a home and away series against the AustralianSouthern Stars team in February.

Saeed bin Nasir and Shahid Afridi hit impressive halfcenturies as Karachi Whites consolidated their grip overKarachi Blues in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade-I cricketmatch at KCCA Stadium here Friday.After taking a first innings of 33, the Whites closed thepenultimate day of the four-day clash on 212 for two intheir second knock.Saeed, who was tragically run out for 68 in the firstinnings, was batting with a fluent 73 off 115 balls in theunbroken third wicket stand of 86 with Test reject HasanRaza (36). Saeed has so far hit six fours and one six.Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan all-rounder, struck a typicallyswashbuckling 60 off 59 balls while dominating the openingpartnership of 80 with Ghulam Ali (37). He hit eight foursand a brace of sixes, the second clearing the ground by along way.Earlier, the Blues skipper Mohammad Javed was left strandedon 79 as his side managed 218 after resuming at 167 forseven. Javed’s 171-ball innings contained four boundaries.Pacer Tanvir Ahmed took two more wickets Friday to finishwith five for 64 in 25 overs.International umpire Afzaal Ahmed was unable to take hisplace Friday because of a back strain and was replaced byKhalid Mahmood.

Pakistan breathed a sigh of relief in Christchurch today when keeping their ICC Under-19 World Cup aspirations alive by qualifying for the Super League series when beating England by six wickets.Having been beaten by Nepal in their match, the Pakistanis were in a must-win situation today and they made the most of it after winning the toss and putting England in.England were soon in trouble with their two openers back in the pavilion with only 22 runs on the board.However, Nicky Peng maintained the consistent form he has shown with the bat this summer to score a handy 59 off 83 balls and with assistance from Gordon Muchall (18), Bilal Shafayat (21) and Kyle Hogg (40) built a position of reasonable advantage.But England could well have done with extra runs in the two overs they missed out on as a result of being dismissed in 48.1 overs.Irfan-ud-Din used his off-spin to good effect to take four for 42 from his 10 overs, including the key wickets of Peng and Hogg.Pakistan made a solid start which wasn’t spectacular but was certainly effective. Opener Salman Butt scored his 35 off 93 balls while his partner Kamran Younis scored 15 off 41 balls. Thirty-five runs were scored for the first wicket and then a key 83 runs for the second wicket as Khaqan Arsal joined Butt to score 62 off 76 balls.Kamran Sajid was 22 not out out and Asim Butt scored 20 to round out a Pakistan batting effort which saw the side home to their six wicket win in the 45th over.Tim Bresnan took three wickets for 46 runs for England.

Peter Bowler who enjoyed one of the best season’s of his long career in 2001 told me earlier this week,” I can’t ever remember being so excited about a new cricket season.”He continued, “It’s great to see the club back towards where they were in the 1980’s, and to have the community behind us.”Last season Peter Bowler helped the club to the best ever season in their history when they ended as runner’s up in the County Championship and won the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy.In the championship he scored almost 800 runs at an average of just over 42 runs, as well as scoring 560 runs in the Norwich Union League.”At last it’s all coming together after six or seven years. People forget all of the preparation that has been done. We’ve done all of the hard work to get the young side that we have now – we’re not quite there yet – but can look forward to being one of the top four sides in the country.”How about his own performances I asked. “I’m still improving as a batsman, I’m getting smarter. Physically I’m deteriorating, but just how fast depends on working hard at my fitness.I hope that I can hold back the years by keeping fit and at the moment I feel very fit. I know that I can bat, but it’s all the other bits, running and the athleticism. I’m working very hard at it,”he told me.At the age of thirty eight, how much longer did he see himself continuing in first class cricket. “I don’t even think about stopping playing at the moment. I’m lucky that I have prepared for the next stage of my life, and I’m free to enjoy what I like doing, and that’s playing cricket, batting,” he said, and continued, “While I feel there’s a job to do I’m keen to do it. The game will tell me when it’s finished with me.”What about next season I asked him. “We have our best chance in the one day competitions, especially in the Sunday League. To win the knock out cups you need a bit of luck,” he told me.What about the County Championship in 2002. “To win the championship we have to keep everybody fit and a couple of the young bowlers have to come to the fore. Yes we can win it, but need it all to go our way through the season.”He concluded, “I’ve never won a championship medal. At Derbyshire we ended third and last season we were second. It would be as good a reason as any to go on playing if we don’t win it this year!”

THE WORLD CUP TEAMThe only problem I can see with leaving Mbangwa out is that it doesn’t do his confidence much good knowing he hasn’t been considered to be in the list of the best 30 one-day cricketers in Zimbabwe, knowing that players like Mahwire and Mwayenga, who have hardly even touched first-class cricket have been selected instead.The biggest problem I can see is not one caused by the selectors but this. When Streak, Blignaut, Hondo, Friend and Olonga are fully fit, who will play out of them? A tricky situation for the selectors, I feel, especially with the racial quota.This would be my final 15.1. Alistair Campbell
2. Mark Vermeulen
3. Andy Flower
4. Stuart Carlisle
5. Craig Evans
6. Grant Flower
7. Doug Marillier
8. Guy Whittall or Barney Rogers
9. Tatenda Taibu
10.Brian Murphy
11.Andy Blignaut
12.Heath Streak
13.Douglas Hondo
14.Travis Friend
15.Henry Olonga
How Wishart was selected for the recent one-day series I will never know. He only adds depth to the side. No one has really seen him do an awful lot in international cricket. Carlisle, despite being out of form, adds depth and experience. He has performed on occasions in international cricket and deserves another chance. I sure if Campbell had a lean domestic series he still would have been selected for the series against Pakistan and Kenya.Thanks. What do the other readers think?James Matthews (Australia)DIFFERENCE IN OPINIONReply To Muslim Karimjee from KenyaI don’t mean to sound rude or anything but I think you are just about the most narrow-minded person I have come across. You say that Kenya could beat Zimbabwe. Have you seen the stats? Not once EVER has Kenya beaten Zimbabwe. The last result being of course a stroll in the park for Zimbabwe.I also believe you are mistaken about Kenya being able to thump our A side. If you look at the last year’s series, one draw and one loss doesn’t to me sound like a thumping. If you look at the second `Test’ 199 for 1. That to me doesn’t sound very encouraging for your bowlers. Now you want Test status. Apart from Tikolo and Odumbe you have NO batsmen who would even make a full-strength Midlands team.I don’t mean to sound too negative about Kenyan cricket. I would love to see them gain Test status but not until they can play somewhere near Test standard.Apart from that I would like to know more about Paul Strang. The last time I heard about him he wasn’t bowling leg-spin because of injury. Is that still the case? Is Guy Whittall injured or are the selectors just ignoring him as usual?Sibusiso Nkomani (Belgium)Reply: Paul still hasn’t been able to resume his usual leg-spin. Guy Whittall can bat but is still doubtful for bowling, and this may well be why the selectors have excluded him.KENYA DISAPPOINTINGIn regards to the letter published in the last ZCO newsletter on Kenya in cricket, I believe that Zimbabwe are a lot better team than Kenya and would definitely have beaten Kenya in the First ODI if it hadn’t rained.With due respect Kenya are a good and talented team and may well beatZimbabwe one day, but not too soon in my eyes. They are a strong batting side but lack the bowling they deserves. They need someone to back Martin Suji and at the moment that’s just not happening.Surely there must be better cricketers in Kenya then some of the guys in the team at the moment. In my opinion they should have been given Test status before Bangladesh without a doubt, but because they didn’t I’m sure they will work harder to receive that status and give teams like India, Pakistan and so on a run for their money.Adam Pfeiffer (Australia)THE STATE OF KENYAN CRICKETA couple of points* I did feel you were a little harsh on your comments about Kenya’s current status last week, despite the results against Zimbabwe. In the last two years they seem to have play Sri Lanka A (twice), West Indies, Zimbabwe A & Bangladesh A in first class games. However I agree more matches of this type can only help. It has to be asked what has happened to the plan of the major Test playing nations, sending their `A’ teams to the leading associates each year?* As for Test Status for Kenya, their players deserve to be playing a more regular, higher class of cricket (as do some other individuals from associate nations). However, what is the strength of the their junior system? I’m surprise to see no Kenyan team playing in the Under-17 national South African championships, while both Namibia and Zimbabwe have entered teams. Maybe I’m mistaken or is there a good reason???* Let’s hope that Zimbabwe, Kenya & Nambia can work together (where possible) to raise the standard of cricket in their respective nations and surprise a few in the World Cup.Richard Jones (Australia)

There are bound to be many different views on why the Indian teamis struggling – and struggling so badly at that – in New Zealand,and one of those opinions pins the blame on the nature of thetracks in the Antipodes. Our batsmen, it appears, are like SouthAmerica’s clay-court specialists who fail to clear the firstround at Wimbledon.Make no mistake, though; there are professional cricketers inthis world. One need not even look at tennis or basketball tolearn a few lessons about professionalism in sport. The currentAustralian cricket team exemplifies the professional attitude,and it has reaped rich dividends by making them the best team inthe world.

So if there is even a fragment of truth in the allegation thatthe Indians are distracted by the events off the field ortroubled by New Zealand’s pitches, then I must ask John Wrightand Sourav Ganguly to get their act together right away.If the batsmen and a few commentators lament about the tracks inNew Zealand, think for an instant about all the bowlers in Indiandomestic cricket who almost never get a decent pitch to bowl on.Instead the cricketers should be focussing on the next ball,rather than thinking about the peripheral issues of cricket. Goout and play with passion and courage; that should be the onlymantra a good cricketer requires.As a former international bowler, I have exploited certainweaknesses in batsmen. That is the beauty of the game – thecontest between bat and ball. Nobody wins that contest rightaway; it is the will to work hard for every run and wicket thatmakes a world of difference in cricket. Apart from Rahul Dravid’sbatting and the Indian bowling, that attitude seems to be missingin Indian cricket at the moment.It is of some small consolation that Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehraare bowling well, as is Harbhajan Singh. The offie, in fact, hasimproved a great deal, and I am glad to see him working harder -trying to give the ball air and turn. But from a team’s point ofview, it was disheartening to see young Parthiv Patel beingpushed up to open the second innings of the Hamilton Test. It wasequally appalling to see a non-specialist fielder stationed atforward short-leg, that too when India were defending a lowtotal. If it had been a Virender Sehwag or a VVS Laxman at shortleg, then Bangar’s dropped chance would have been taken, and thescript at Hamilton may have been significantly different.

Ambiguity and ad-hocism persists even in the selection policies.India are to announce their 15-man squad for the World Cup byDecember 31; so what then was the need to replace Tinu Yohannanand Murali Kartik? Kartik’s omission in particular is baffling; Iwould love to see him operating in tandem with Harbhajan, ratherthan a Kumble, who’s away record is at best dismal.The reasons for Rakesh Patel replacing Yohannan are equallytenuous, and to reinforce the general perception that there isutter confusion in the Indian think-tank, Shiv Sunder Das – aplayer not even in the World Cup pool of 30! – was asked to openin the first one-dayer. Such arbitrary decisions that ignorelong-term benefit have haunted Indian cricket for long.To be sure, there is still much talk of professionalism, butthere are few indicators that things are changing. Seriousquestions must now be raised on Wright’s contributions – or lackof them – once this disastrous tour of New Zealand ends.Ironically, even without an Indian coach, the New Zealanders seemto have a good measure of this Indian team, while the touristslook clueless even about themselves, let alone the opposition.Most other sides in the world today would have had this NewZealand team on the mat. The most experienced Kiwi batsmen,Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan, have scored just 90 in toto inthe two Tests and one ODI thus far. The hosts’ batting looksfragile, and all India needs to do is to get their batsmen toscore heavily. The onus is then on Ganguly to lead from thefront, to go out into the middle as an opener and score big runs.Plans for the World Cup can go on hold until India sortthemselves out in this particular one-day series.

Senior officials from the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today met with Tessa Jowell, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport and other Government Ministers to discuss England’s scheduled ICC World Cup match next month against Zimbabwe in Harare.Commenting on the meeting, Tim Lamb, Chief Executive of the ECB, said: “We had a firm and open exchange of views, but are disappointed with the outcome.”The final decision about whether we play this match does, as the Government maintains, technically rest with the ECB. However, if we sacrifice this match it will, in effect, be at the Government’s request – and for the wider national interest.”We don’t understand therefore the Government’s refusal to compensate us out of the national purse for any consequential losses we incur. These losses could damage cricket enormously. Surely, it is only fair that the Government should at least discuss this with us – as the Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, has said he is willing to do with the ACB (Australian Cricket Board).”We are also disappointed that Government Ministers waited until very late in the day to tell us that they did not want us to play this match against Zimbabwe. This has now left us in a total ‘no-win’ situation. If they had expressed their views earlier, perhaps this situation could have been avoided.”We are only too well aware of the immoral and repressive nature of the Mugabe regime and, should we fulfil this fixture, have given the Government our assurance that we are determined not to give the Mugabe regime any opportunity to make propaganda out of the England team playing against Zimbabwe. That is the last thing we want to happen.”

The curse of Durban has struck another New Zealand sports team with cricketer Chris Cairns felled by a king hit outside a night club in the early hours of yesterday morning (South African time).Cairns was with a group of nine players, support staff and New Zealand Press Association journalist Mark Geenty at the same venue.Cairns was hit, without warning, on the back of the head. When collapsing to the footpath, he was assisted by fellow players and four security guards who have been with the players throughout the World Cup campaign.Cairns, one of the world’s leading all-rounders who is making a comeback after being off the scene for 12 months due to surgery on his knee, suffered only a cut lip in the incident.According to an NZPA report the players, who included Cairns, captain Stephen Fleming, Craig McMillan, Andre Adams, Scott Styris, Daniel Vettori, Brendon McCullum, Jacob Oram and Kyle Mills were leaving the nightclub when members of a crowd outside wanted to know if they were New Zealanders.When Cairns was hit a scuffle broke out. The New Zealanders were quick to help Cairns out.”It was pretty tense. We were told to get out of there – we went,” said Geenty who escaped with the players in the two cars.New Zealand had been in Durban while they awaited the outcome of the International Cricket Council hearing into the application to have their match with Kenya transferred to South Africa.The ICC ruled yesterday that the match had to be played in Nairobi and because New Zealand said they would not play there the four points for the match have gone to Kenya.Several incidents involving New Zealand rugby teams have happened in Durban, the most recent being a scuffle in a nightclub involving several members of the New Zealand Under-19 rugby team who had been in South Africa for their World Cup.The New Zealanders had been given permission by manager Jeff Crowe to have a night out and he knew the security guards would be accompanying them.Not all the players left at the same time, and those players inside, who were unaware of what happened, had been told immediately by the security guards to get out of the club.The players were dressed casually and it was not immediately clear to the public that they were members of the side who had beaten South Africa earlier in the week to make life very difficult for the home team’s bid to go further in the Cup.The incident has not been reported to the police.

Pakistan’s 2003 World Cup campaign has come to a challenging pass, which may seem virtually impossible. They need to beat Zimbabwe here at Queen’s Sports Club in Bulawayo tomorrow, but just a win would not be enough. They must meet exceptionally stiff targets whether they bat first or second.There are so many permutations that the match could be called a statistician’s dream and the nightmare for any cricket fan, let alone Pakistan supporters.On sheer ability, the target is not an unrealistic one for Pakistan, although one has to concede that it falls in the realm of a super-human effort. That is the optimistic view. The flip side is rather stark, and judging by Pakistan’s performances so far, they would be catching a plane home next morning.Zimbabwe is one of the weaker outfits in this World Cup, and the fact that the country and the team has suffered because of its political problems and resulting isolation, has had a bearing on the morale and unity of Heath Streak’s team.Pakistan did not do themselves justice against the much weaker Namibia and Netherlands. Had they scored 300-plus against these two minnows, which Zimbabwe did, their net run-rate would have been far superior to what it is now, and their present predicament much lighter.But that is water under the bridge. Pakistan need to lift themselves, and each member of the eleven needs to play out of his skin. In three of five outings in their recent series in Zimbabwe, Pakistan scored well over 300. They need to repeat it.Coach Richard Pybus has promised that the boys would go flat out, but it is difficult following the gut-wrenching defeat by India, after which a pall of gloom has descended over the team. But Pybus said: “They’ve pulled themselves up after that loss, and they’re aware that they can still make it if they play flat out.”So Pakistan need one big final effort. Though the Australian batting must have given them quite a fright (the entire Pakistan team watched the Sunday match on television and there was visible relief at the outcome), the Aussies in the end gave them a lifeline with their narrow win over England.Beggars cannot be choosers. When you leave your fate in the hands of others, you live at their mercy. And Pakistan must blame their pathetic bowling against India, and lack of application in other games, especially the less important ones against the two bottom-ranked outfits.The Queen’s Sports Club wicket is slow-paced, and if Pakistan win the toss, it would give an opportunity to their batsmen to go after the Zimbabwe attack, which only has a couple of good performers with the ball, captain Heath Streak among them.Zimbabwe will be happy with the return from injury of all-rounder Grant Flower,who along with brother Andy is a world-class performer. Grant missed the game against Holland because of a finger injury, and neither opener Mark Vermeulen or all-rounder Doug Marillier would make up for him. Henry Olonga may still notfind a place in the side, as his replacement Andy Blignaut has blasted runs in quick time.As for Pakistan, Pybus has hinted at a couple of changes, but refused to divulge what these would be.The toss will again be vital, but Pakistan has to make sure that if Waqar Younis loses on the spin of the coin, they still make a fist of it, with sharp and incisive bowling and then some big-hitting.The task is difficult in the extreme, but Pakistan know what is required to achieve a slot in the Super Sixes. If they play up to their potential, with self-belief and a can-do spirit, their comeback may just be achievable. Take a look at the permutations below.