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Ali Bacher: ‘The biggest legacy for me is going to be the cricket grounds that are going to be refurbished, rebuilt or new ones built’ © Getty Images

The man who successfully co-ordinated South Africa’s staging of the World Cup three years ago has every confidence that the West Indies can pull off a grand event next year. “I’m sure everyone in the Caribbean will like it to be a great success which I’m sure it will be,” Dr Ali Bacher said.And he fully emphasised that the region stood to benefit tremendously from hosting the third-largest sporting event in the world. “The biggest legacy for me is going to be the cricket grounds that are going to be refurbished, rebuilt or new ones built for the World Cup,” he said. “Over the years, despite ordinary or below ordinary facilities, the Caribbean has produced so many great players, some of the greatest the world has ever seen. It has staggered me.”This will be the legacy, whether it be Barbados, Jamaica or St Lucia, you will leave behind outstanding cricket grounds which your players and your spectators deserve.”Development of other infrastructure, including roads and ports would also lead to the improvement of the tourism industry. The exposure, by way of television coverage, was another medium that would have a big impact. “The Caribbean is basically about tourism. You’ve got an opportunity to grow that market by the people who will come here and go back and say that St Lucia is unbelievable,” Bacher said.”In South Africa, in every match – if there was a match in Port Elizabeth, about four minutes before there was a video clip about the beauty of Port Elizabeth or the game parks – I’m sure the same will happen here.”You’ve got hundreds of millions of people around the world seeing the beauty of St Lucia or Barbados or Antigua. That industry can thrive and become even stronger. The World Cup in South Africa helped our tourism industry enormously.”

Tom Moody: set for new role © Getty Images

India’s recruitment of Greg Chappell as their new coach leaves Sri Lanka poised to sign up his fellow Australian Tom Moody. A deal is expected to be finalised early next week after a formal interview on Monday or Tuesday.Sri Lanka had been forced to put their own recruitment process on hold because of India’s interest in both Moody and Chappell, the two favourites to take the Sri Lanka job after several weeks of discussions with a range of possible candidates.Moody was considered Sri Lanka’s first-choice candidate anyway, because Chappell’s other work commitments might have affected his availability between tours, and board sources have privately expressed their delight that Moody is now available.”We hope to have an interview with Tom early next week, probably on Monday and Tuesday,” Jayantha Dharmadasa, the chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket, told Cricinfo on Friday. Moody is expected to travel to Colombo over the weekend.Sri Lanka have already had preliminary discussions regarding possible terms, and the interview is expected to be a mere formality. The contract will probably be for two years up until the 2007 World Cup.Moody, who played eight Tests and 76 one-day internationals for Australia, is currently the director of cricket at Worcestershire. He has been linked to several coaching jobs in recent months, including the England post during speculation earlier in the year that Duncan Fletcher might call it quits at the end of the summer.

With the knock-out stages of the U-19 World Cup now completed, Pakistan will play India, and England face West Indies in the semi-finals of the Super League. In the Plate Competition, meanwhile, Australia are up against Ireland, and Bangladesh play Scotland.Pakistan today lost for the first time in the tournament to England, by five runs. Both sides had already qualified, but the result meant that Pakistan finished second in the group and now play India, the winners of Group One.England ended up topping Group Two, and their semi-final against West Indies will take place at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on March 2.In the Plate Championship, Bangladesh today beat Ireland by eight wickets to qualify as group winners.Match reports and scorecards to follow.
February 29 India v Pakistan, Bangabandhu National Stadium
March 2 England v West Indies, Bangabandhu National Stadium
March 5 Final, Bangabandhu National Stadium
February 29 Australia v Ireland, M.A. Aziz Stadium
March 1 Bangladesh v Scotland, Chittagong
March 4 Final, Fatullah District Stadium

The Plight of the Proteas
The Proteas entered the World Cup 2003 as runaway favourites along with the Aussies. While Australia’s campaign to retain the trophy (despite the disqualification of their leading wicket-taker in Shane Warne) is pretty much on course after it tamed the two sub-continental giants to be certain for qualification for the Super Sixes, Proteas have neither been as lucky nor nearly as awesome.Having lost to the West Indies in a tight opening match and despite putting 306 on the board, they were rather conveniently brushed aside by the resurgent Black Caps, by nine wickets. Such was the resolve of the Kiwi skipper, Stephen Fleming, whose run-a-ball unbeaten 134 stole the thunder from a devastating Herschelle Gibbs (143) effort. Though South Africa could again blame rain and the Duckworth-Lewis formula for their demise, yet it is indeed debatable whether the absence of rain would have made a difference.Anyway, South Africa’s cup of woes is now brimful. They need to win all their matches, and even that would not be enough, for they would still be dependent on the West Indian largesse for survival. That is because only if the Caribbeans win their encounter against Sri Lanka in Cape Town on February 28 would the Proteas be able to progress to the round-robin Super Sixes.Can it get tougher than that?
But teams painted in a corner have survived such odds and gone ahead to capture glory. Remember Pakistan in 1992, and Australia in 1999? But the problem with the Proteas is that they have been unable to conquer self-doubt, and unless they do so, they wouldn’t be able to subdue opponents who matter.Fleming shows the way
Well, this skipper is one of a handful leading from the front. Stephen Fleming’s never say die spirit saw the Springboks humbled in the Wanderers bullring with the third innings in a week that had written greatness on it, following those of Andrew Symonds 143 and Herschelle Gibbs’ identical score in the first innings of the match. But unlike Pakistan which had thrown in the towel after conceding 310, the Black Caps captain facing 306, refused to cave in, and as a result carved a niche for himself as the scorer of one of the great winning knocks at the World Cup. His unbeaten 134 sank the Proteas rather deep – an outcome after which they are gasping for survival.No longer the Lightning
Allan Donald, the great white fast bowler of the 1990s who had earned the sobriquet of ‘White Lightning’, is no longer the threat that he used to be. In this World Cup, after which he is likely to bow out of the game along with a galaxy of stars, he has been treated with complete lack of respect. His 5.5 overs in the crucial game against the Black Caps on Sunday went for 52 runs; the Windies too had plundered 54 runs off his nine overs. No wonder, there were calls for the axing of the spent up lightning.Shoaib has no peers in pace
With wickets coming thick and fast as Namibia collapsed to 9 for 42 before being bowled out for 84, few noticed that one of Shoaib Akhtar’s deliveries was recorded at 159.1 kmh (about 99 mph) – by far the fastest delivery bowled in this World Cup. When Shoaib had bowled at 161 kmh against the Black Caps last year, instead of being hailed for breaking the 100 mph barrier, questions were raised, on the lines of whether the speed gun used in the match was good enough. While Akhtar says he is eschewing speed for the sake of accuracy in this World Cup, 99 mph with a ‘reliable’ speed gun shows that he has no peers in pace.Lying in wait for India
Liable to shoot his mouth with speed matching his fearsome thunderbolts, Shoaib Akhtar says that he is lying in wait for India. “I am anticipating the duel with the Indian batsmen, and I know that I would prevail over them”. You may call it a psychological ploy or the usual Akhtar hyperbole. But the fact is that when Pakistan takes on its arch-rival for the first time in nearly three years at the Centurian on March 1, the same venue where India was buried by Aussie pace, there would be concern in the Indian ranks about Akhtar’s speed and Akram’s wiles.

* Arrested Prabhakar in hospitalFormer Indian all rounder Manoj Prabhakar. arrested in connection witha cheating case and admitted to a private clinic following a suspectedbrain stroke was on Tuesday remanded to 14 days judicial custody by acourt at Haldwani.The judicial magistrate Ashok Kumar visited Prabhakar at the hospitaland ordered that a medical report of the former cricketer be sent tothe court on a daily basis, the Superintendent of Police, NainitalJeevan Chand Padney told PTI over phone on Tuesday.Prabhakar was arrested by the Uttaranchal police from his south Delhioffice on Monday following a non bailable arrest warrant issued by themagistrate in connection with a chit fund company scam case on May 11.Police had alleged that Prabhakar as the director of the company haddefrauded and cheated people while accepting deposits from them.* Chauhan reacts sharply to drug allegationsIndian team manager Chetan Chauhan on Tuesday reacted sharply to anews magazine article that some Indian cricketers had used steroidsand cortisones to enhance their performance.”I can state categorically these players do not take drugs of anyperformance-enhancing type,” said Chauhan. “They may take boosts likeenergiser and other things but these were taken even in my time,” saidChauhan who represented India in 40 Tests from 1969 to 1981. “The teamhas been upset by the allegations and we deny them completely,” hetold a television network.The cover story of the latest issue of ‘Outlook’ alleged that someplayers, including Rahul Dravid, Javagal Srinath and Ajit Agarkar haveresorted to drug-taking in the past. The Indian team deliberated onthe issue on Tuesday morning before entrusting to Chauhan the job ofclearing the position.* Narvekar, three other GCA officials arrested, releasedGoa Cricket Association (GCA) president Dayanand Narvekar and threeother GCA officials were arrested and subsequently released by Margaopolice last evening, police sources said in Panaji on Tuesday.Narvekar, GCA secretary Vinod Phadke, former treasurer Rama Shankardasand a member Vivek Pednekar were arrested under section 336 of IndianPenal Code (IPC) on charges of endangering human lives during theIndia-Australia ODI on April 6, they said. They were subsequentlyreleased on bail bond of Rs 10,000 each, sources said.Narvekar, a former deputy chief minister, Phadke and Shankardas are onbail in another case connected with the fake ticket scam. Achargesheet in the case was likely to be filed by the police thisweek, they said. According to police, around 15,000 ticket holders hadto be denied entry fearing a stampede on the day of the ODI as thestadium was packed to capacity. It had to then resort to a lathicharge to disperse the crowd.

Everton centre-back Yerry Mina is getting closer to returning from injury, injury analyst Ben Dinnery reports. 

The lowdown

Mina hasn’t played since the 3-1 defeat at Newcastle on 8 February – Frank Lampard’s first Premier League game in charge.

The thigh injury he sustained at Goodison Park has kept him out for the last six Premier League matches, as well as two FA Cup games.

Everton resume their bid to survive on Sunday afternoon when they travel to seventh-place West Ham United.

And aside from Mina, Lampard is without Allan (suspended), Tom Davies (knee) and Andros Townsend, who suffered an ACL injury last time out against Crystal Palace.

The latest

Dinnery tweeted on Monday morning that Mina ‘will step up his recovery at Finch Farm this week’.

Meanwhile, Fabian Delph has been ‘involved with the group’ of players who have remained on Merseyside during the international break.

‘Lampard is hopeful’ that he’ll be back in ‘contention’ for the trip to the London Stadium.

The verdict

When could Mina actually be back in action?

Well, according to Dinnery’s Premier Injuries site, he’s scheduled to return on 20 April, when Everton host Leicester City. That would mean a further three-game absence, including a vital clash with relegation rivals Burnley on 6 April.

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When Mina completes 90 minutes (as he’s done on six occasions this season), The Blues concede an average of 1.33 goals per game, but when he doesn’t, that climbs to an alarming 1.86.

You could argue, then, that the Colombian’s predominant lack of availability has been a significant factor in their struggles this season, and that getting him fit for the run-in could be key.

In other news, read this transfer insider’s claim on Anthony Gordon.

Elvin James, the former Bermuda bowler and the country’s current sports minister, is confident Bermuda will be in a position to host Scotland for an Intercontinental Cup match in July, providing the pitch at the National Sports Centre receives the ICC seal of approval.The sub-standard pitch at the ground in Hamilton has long been a source of controversy. It hasn’t hosted an international in four years and Bermuda are the only side outside the six Associates not to have a ground that is accredited to host ODIs. In 2007 Andy Atkinson, the ICC’s pitch consultant, deemed the pitch suitable for club cricket but not for internationals owing to the loose, sandy soil. His suggestion that Bermuda should import foreign soil was lambasted as reckless by government ministers.”There is light at the end of the tunnel however, and the ICC are due to make an inspection in the next few months.”I was up at the NSC yesterday [Tuesday] and I think we have a tentative commitment based on an inspection that is going to take place in the next few months. And it will be ready for the four-day match,” James told the . “The experts haven’t given me their formula, but they told me that with the roller, sunshine, a little water and manpower they will have that wicket ready at a level that will make us proud.”Clifford Wade, the general manager of the NSC, shares James’s optimism. “We are going to produce the best wicket possible,” he declared. “We have consulted with local groundsman and right now we are just waiting for the weather to warm up.”If the pitch is approved, Bermuda could host its first international in four years when they take on Scotland, otherwise it will be held in Canada who own the only two international venues in the ICC Americas region.

Adam Gilchrist smashes another six during his 149 in the World Cup final © AFP

Australian cricket officials have dismissed claims that Adam Gilchrist’s use of the squash ball as a batting aid in the World Cup final was an unfair advantage. “It’s a storm in a teacup, or a batting glove,” Peter Young, a spokesman for Cricket Australia, said. “To the best of our knowledge it’s no different to, say, putting two or three grips on the bat handle, or batting with two pairs of gloves or having inserts sewn into the palm of gloves.”Gilchrist’s 149 in the final ensured that Australia beat Sri Lanka with ease, clinching a hat-trick of World Cup titles. After the match, Gilchrist had said that he had used a squash ball in his left glove to give him a better grip.Gilchrist’s revelation caused an uproar with Kangadaram Mathivanan, Sri Lanka Cricket’s secretary saying that the matter could be brought up at next month’s ICC annual general meeting. He had said he would push for a stringent application of “Law 42” on fair and unfair play to ensure only approved protection equipment was used.Batting coach Bob Meuleman, who introduced Gilchrist to the technique, said he laughed when he heard about the objections. “Actually, it’s just a little bit sad that some people think there’s something sinister in it,” he said. “There’s not.” Gilchrist also found support from his Wayne Clark, his former coach in Western Australia who said that it was rubbish to think that it gave Gilchrist an unfair advantage.Bob Parry, the senior Australian umpire who stood in the only previous time that Gilchrist used a squash ball, while scoring a century against Queensland, has said that he has no problems with its use. “I don’t see it being outside the spirit of the game. It’s the same as wearing an extra inner inside a batting glove.”

Dravid: ‘What Sehwag does for us when he fires at the top is very destructive, something he has done with a lot of success’ © AFP

Virender Sehwag’s form, or lack of it, at the top of the order in the one-day game has been a concern for over a season now, but for the moment, the team management is keeping faith in his hit-and-miss method. With the cushion of a 3-0 series lead, Rahul Dravid was understandably upbeat ahead of the game in Kochi, and he insisted that Sehwag would be given more opportunities to indulge the appetite for destruction that once made him such a feared one-day opener.”At the moment, we want to give him some more opportunities at the top of the order,” said Dravid. “He is having a tough run of late. For us, it is critical to try and get him back into form and we will do whatever it takes. What he does for us when he fires at the top is very destructive, something he has done with a lot of success.”Dravid opened with Sehwag in Goa, but with the exciting Robin Uthappa having been drafted in, that experiment is unlikely to be continued. Sehwag, with a sub-30 average and only four 50s in the last year, struggled in the Tests against England, undone by the short ball directed at the body, and his travails have continued in the one-dayers, despitethere being no Steve Harmison or Matthew Hoggard – yet to feature in the pajama games – to torment him.Sehwag moved down the order against South Africa last November, smacking a game-winning 77 at Bangalore, but was then restored to the top. But from Dravid’s responses today, the middle-order option will be the last one explored. “We have a lot of options, but we will see as the series progresses.”Dravid was aware that victory at Kochi – India have won three of four games at the Nehru Stadium – would seal the series, but he reiterated that proximity to the finishing line wouldn’t distract a side that excelled in dead rubbers against Sri Lanka (a 6-1 romp) and Pakistan (demolished 4-1, after the opening game was lost). “It will be nice to win it,” he said. “But I do not think we will deviate too much from our plans. We will try and play the cricket which we played for the last three games.”Having played three matches in the space of a week, rest and recuperation were high on the agenda for the Indian team, with Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Irfan Pathan giving the practice session a miss. ”It’s not that we will forget to bat or bowl in one day,” said Dravid with a hint of cheek when asked if all was well within the side.In his last outing here, Dravid nurdled a century against Pakistan, in conditions so oppressive that he had to be administered a drip afterwards. India triumphed in similar conditions at Goa, and Dravid reckoned that the weather would certainly be a factor on a pitch that he expected to be full of runs. “It gets quite hot and humid here,” he said. “You need a lot of mental strength and ability to cope with it.”Unless England can summon up hitherto unseen reserves of energy and skill, the series will be over by sundown tomorrow, and Dravid will have even more leeway to ease the likes of Sehwag and Mohammad Kaif back into the groove.

A minor surgery puts Sourav Ganguly out of the Mohali Test © AFP

At the Irani Trophy a few weeks ago, Sourav Ganguly was asked by a journalist how Yuvraj Singh might find a place in the Indian Test side. “When you’re aspecial player,” replied Ganguly, “places automatically open up for you.” Yet,even Ganguly wouldn’t have thought that Yuvraj’s route to Test cricket wouldbe via boils on his own thigh.But that is what it has come down to. Ganguly, who underwent minor surgery forthe infection last night at the dauntingly named Fortis Heart Institute and Multi-Speciality Hospital, is said to be flying home tomorrow, while Yuvrajis set to play in his first Test, and on his home ground too.By late morning, news trickled in that Stephen Fleming had also stopped by thehospital, for a head-scan, and the spate of injuries was appearing a bit spooky. Fleming’s scan turned out only to be a precaution, after “one of the young pace bowlers in the nets decided to make a point”.So Fleming will lead, though it is not clear what he thinks of Ganguly’sabsence. “I don’t know whether it strengthens or weakens the team,” he said,rather unflatteringly for Ganguly. Word from the New Zealand media is thatFleming, having spent time with Yuvraj at Yorkshire, has vast respect for his talent. And this in a season where Yuvraj averaged 17 and needed to be dropped from the county’s 1st XI.If Yuvraj felt tense, he certainly didn’t show it, cheerfully sauntering alongside his crocked captain for the inauguration of a second gymnasium in thePunjab Cricket Association’s unfailingly impressive premises. Wonderful thoughit is, Mohali’s reputation for bouncy wickets must no longer be taken seriously. Ever since the first Test here, nine seasons ago against West Indies, there has been nothing to suggest that this is a pitch out of the ordinary.Stephen Fleming got it right when he said that “your perception of bounce and pace in wickets is a bit different from ours. Last time too (when India werebowled out for 83 on the first day but eventually drew the game), there was notreally too much bounce.” Rahul Dravid, addressing his first press conference asIndian Test captain, tended to agree: “It was a bit damp, and the bowlers put the ball in the right areas, Dion Nash bowled superbly, and it was one of thosemornings where we nicked a lot.”The discussion around the pitches on this tour hasn’t abated. Ganguly was disgusted at the pitch at Ahmedabad; Dravid, while more subtle, holds a similarview. Yesterday Ashley Ross, New Zealand coach, let drop a snide one saying that it wasn’t India’s best preparation for Australia. And Fleming, whileconceding that he wasn’t one to talk after what India were served up last year in New Zealand, thinks that surfaces without some bounce and pace shave off an entire dimension of cricket, to the spectators’ disadvantage.This Mohali pitch does have a tinge of green on it, but nothing excessive, and the heat (about 33 degrees), says curator Daljit Singh, might lead to a surface that becomes increasingly dry as the match progresses.It makes New Zealand’s final selection tricky. They have retained the same XIIthat did duty at Ahmedabad. Tomorrow morning they will decide whether an extra seam option should be pursued in Ian Butler, or Paul Wiseman, the offspinnerwho took four wickets in the second innings, should keep his place.India, meanwhile, are in a position with which they have become unfamiliar over the past two years. In each of their last three home series – against West Indies, Zimbabwe and England – they have won the first Test, and done so comfortably. The one against England was here at Mohali – and forget pace, India won because Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble took 15 wickets between them. They will have to be at their very best if India are to once more force victory at a venue where teams average 37.44 runs per wicket – six points higher than at Ahmedabad.TeamsIndia (from) Rahul Dravid (capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Akash Chopra, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Parthiv Patel (wk), Ajit Agarkar, L Balaji, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Sairaj Bahutule.New Zealand (from) Stephen Fleming (capt), Nathan Astle, Lou Vincent, Craig McMillan, Mark Richardson, Robbie Hart (wk), Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori, Paul Wiseman, Ian Butler, Jacob Oram, Scott Styris.