In the wake of Sunil Gavaskar’s statement that sportsmanship has gone out of the modern game, James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive, today revealed that they were deluged with 15 days of complaints from the public, along with a backlash from sponsors, after Glenn McGrath’s verbal tirade in the West Indies.Speaking at a business lunch, Sutherland said that CA were inundated with phone calls and e-mails following McGrath’s vein-popping rant at Ramnaresh Sarwan during the fourth Test in Antigua. McGrath later apologised to Sarwan and publicly expressed regret at his behaviour, but it has left significant ramifications for the game in Australia.Sutherland continued: “The damage that that caused Australian cricket and arguably our brand could never be measured, but judging by the reaction we got from the media and the public there was no doubt there was a diminution as a result of that unfortunate incident.”People were saying that the Australian team were poor role models anddon’t want (their) kids playing cricket and the captain needs to take controlof the team.”Sutherland, who at the time demanded Steve Waugh curb in his team’sbehaviour, also said sponsors had contacted him to say their brands weresuffering because of the backlash.However, he insisted Cricket Australia had learned much from the incident. While not condoning McGrath’s actions, he also believed that the Australian team had in some ways been a victim of their own success: “When you are successful in this day and age people do like to pick out the bad things and look for things that aren’t that great.”No action was taken by either the umpires or match referee, Mike Procter,against McGrath over the incident, but he was rebuked by Sutherland,who believed it was up to the umpires to clamp down and enforcecricket’s code of conduct to make sure such incidents were promptly dealt with.Sutherland said: "What we need to see is the umpires having the strength of their convictions to act and report players when they cross that line. We need to clarify it and the umpires need to back it up and perhaps stop trying to be everyone’s mate and actually take the hard line and nail players who cross the line.”

<James Hamblin and Shaun Udal held the Yorkshire bowlers at bay for over 20 overs to hold out for a draw. Being set 307 in a minimum of 66 overs on a slow and increasingly turning wicket proved a bridge too far for Hampshire on the last day of the Frizzell Championship match at Scarborough.Having lost the whole of the third day to rain, Yorkshire set about increasing their lead, which they did with venom, Steven Fleming and Michael Lumb in particular were fierce on the Hampshire attack, cutting and pulling at anything short. James Bruce came in for punishment, but was rewarded with a wicket when the New Zealander pulled him to deep mid-wicket. Udal and Hamblin stemmed the tide, but the home side added 188 runs to set up a declaration just before the scheduled lunch interval.Losing Derek Kenway and Simon Katich early put a damper on the idea of a run chase. Kenway was again unfortunate when he was lbw to a ball that barely left the ground. Katich the hero of the first innings left Victor Craven's first ball as he misread the inswinger.James Adams and John Crawley then steaded the innings, but the pace was slow, and when both were dismissed, quickly followed by two more wickets, Hampshire were in serious danger of defeat.A cold wind streatched in from the North Sea as Hamblin and Udal then set about their defence, the pair stayed together for 80 minutes, surviving regular appeals and near misses as the Yorkshire bowlers tried in vain to dislodge them.

Lord MacLaurin, the chairman of the England & Wales Cricket Board until earlier this year, has warned that cricket in England risks becoming “a former sport of the summer … like croquet” unless a major overhaul of the way the game is run is undertaken.In an interview on BBC Radio’s Today programme, MacLaurin pulled no punches about what he sees as a game at the crossroads. His most radical proposal was for a reduction in the number of first-class county sides from 18 to 12, with the resultant loss of around 100 players. That would be just part of a widespread streamlining of the entire structure of the game.”I think the 18 first-class counties that we have at the moment we cannot sustain over a period of time,” he said. “Is 2nd XI cricket sustainable? Probably not. And certainly we can’t afford over 450 professional paid cricketers. We cannot sustain the amount of professional cricketers we have at the moment in the county game. It isn’t as professional and competitive as it should be.”This is going to cause havoc when the county chairmen hear what I’m saying. They have to sit down and have to talk about it, the structure of the whole game, if it’s going to survive in the environment in which we live.”MacLaurin explained that the critical issue which made a revamp necessary was the end of the current television deal in 2005. Despite reassuring noises from the ECB, MacLaurin – and many others – feel that the next deal will provide far less money for the game – possibly as much a 25% reduction on the £65million currently generated. “Each county receives a fee of £1.5million a year,” MacLaurin explained. “If the ECB income were to be reduced in any way, then their income would not be as much.”For obvious reasons MacLaurin’s views are unlikely to go down well around the counties. Giles Clarke, Somerset’s chairman, told the Daily Telegraph: “Any change of structure would be fiercely resisted in every area. If football hasn’t had to do it, I don’t see why cricket should.”

The Western Australian Cricket Association today announced that its Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Kath White, will retire from her position following the conclusion of the 2003/04 cricket season.Mrs White will leave the WACA to travel overseas with her husband, whose work commitments require him to spend extended periods overseas.The Chairman of the WACA Executive Committee, Mr Charles Fear, said that Mrs White had made an outstanding contribution to the development of a revitalised WACA during her two-and-a-half years as Chief Executive."The Executive Committee is very disappointed that Kath will be leaving the WACA," he said."She has performed exceptionally in all facets of the job at a time of significant change for the WACA despite inheriting a number of difficult issues."She has developed an outstanding management team around her which will be to the long term benefit of the Association."Kath and her team were a driving force behind the refurbishment and redevelopment of the WACA Ground into the world-class cricket and multipurpose facility that it is today. She has also been heavily involved in the ongoing constitutional review process."The WACA wishes Kath and her husband all the best for their overseas travels," said Mr Fear.Mrs White’s retirement will take effect before June 2004 following the appointment of her replacement. Mr Fear added that the WACA would commence the search process to identify and recruit Mrs White’s replacement early in 2004.

The old adage claims that all publicity is good publicity. But that might not be the case as far as the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) is concerned. As the furore over ticket prices for next spring’s series between West Indies and England rumbles on, some tour operators are claiming that sales have slowed markedly since the Draconian levy on ticket prices was announced.What has angered tour operators was that the WICB only told them of the levy in October, long after they had begun advertising and selling holiday packages. The companies were further incensed when they were told that only one company – London-based New Century Marketing – would be handling tickets sales."The minute the levy was announced, sales dried up and we are now getting cancellations," Don Gooding, a senior consultant at London’s Barbados Journeys, told The Nation newspaper. "We are taking cancellations higher than I would have expected."New Century Marketing have repeatedly claimed that the levy has had no effect on sales, but another agency, the high-profile Kuoni Travel/Sports Abroad, disputed that."Our sales have dropped considerably since," Nick Abbott-Charles told The Nation. "Within the last month, we’ve taken about ten per cent of the bookings we felt we would have got. Things have slowed down. The phones are not ringing and it’s worrying." Kuoni was intending to send 700 people to the Caribbean, but so far has sold only 300 packages.A number of individuals have said that they have decided to eschew the official tour groups following the announcement of the levy and would travel in the hope of picking up tickets from locals – the levy is only being applied to ticket sales abroad. "I’ll offer two or three times the face value – which will still be far less than the rip-off prices demanded by the board – and I’ll get a ticket, no worries," said one would-be spectator. "The locals touts will make a killing."The WICB might have stumbled on the price-hike as a good way of bringing in vital cash to help prepare for the 2007 World Cup, but it could be at the cost of damaging the region as a holiday destination. "At the end of the day, tourism is going to suffer," Abbott-Charles said. "This is big business … [the authorities] are making up in one area but losing out considerably in another."But not everyone is so downbeat. Mack Campbell of Carib World told The Nation newspaper: "We’ve had some cancellations, but to be honest, we’ve had more bookings coming in since the prices were announced.Carib World, who are based in Hertfordshire, will send around 500 spectators from England to the Barbados and Antigua Tests, but Campbell admitted that he was not going to be asking for more tickets. "We’re happy with the number of people we’re going to be bringing out … we’ll draw the line there and take no further risk on it."

Worcestershire have signed Nadeem Malik, the former England Under-19 bowler. He has signed a two-year deal after requesting to leave Nottinghamshire due to a lack of opportunity.Malik nearly moved to Worcestershire last season, but chose to stay on at Notts in the hope of playing in the first team. However, after making just two appearances last year, he decided to make the switch second time around.”The signing of Nadeem is a real coup for Worcestershire,” Tom Moody, Worcestershire’s coach, said. “There were a number of counties after him and we are delighted he is joining us at New Road. He has already demonstrated his enormous potential in first-class cricket and I am confident we can help him build on that and become a top-class performer.”Malik was equally as pleased himself. He said: “My opportunities were limited at Notts and this move gives me a chance to break into the Worcestershire team and, if all goes well, stay there. I want to go all the way to the top and play for England. There’s a lot of work to do before I get there, but I think this move will give me a chance to do that.He continued: “Something’s working right here at New Road. You only have to look the transformation off Gareth Batty — he’s out in Sri Lanka with England. You look at the progress Kabir Ali and Vikram Solanki have made and you know that Tom Moody is making a massive difference. He’s a big reason why I came here and hopefully I can go along the same lines as those players.”Malik, 21, has toured India and New Zealand with the England Under 19s, and has played 14 first-class matches for Notts, taking 35 wickets.

South Africa 302 for 1 (Smith 139, Gibbs 139*) v West Indies
Scorecard

Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs powered their way to a record opening stand for South Africa at Centurion Park on a shortened opening day of the fourth Test. After Brian Lara won the toss and put South Africa in, Smith and Gibbs both scored centuries and made West Indies pay for some more wayward bowling and shoddy fielding. South Africa closed at a dominating 302 for 1 when bad light stopped play.What has gone before in a one-sided series was nothing to compare with the level of the slaughter today. The bowling was toothless, the fielding tired, but the batting was almost faultless. After a morning seeing off the new ball on a damp track, Smith and Gibbs cut loose, smashing the hapless attack to all parts of the sparsely populated ground, and keeping the run rate up to five an over.Smith was the more aggressive of the two, racing to his sixth Test century from 125 balls, including 17 fours and a six. He played a host of sublime shots, most of which pierced the leg-side field. He had only one blemish, when, on 23, he should have been run out by Ramnaresh Sarwan, but was reprieved by bad fielding. Gibbs, meanwhile, opened up after a subdued start, and he reached his 13th Test hundred on the way to an unbeaten 139.Play was delayed by half an hour after heavy overnight rain, and the tone of the day was set with the first ball of the match – a wide long-hop from Merv Dillon, which Smith slashed over the slips for four. Gibbs was temporarily in a spot of bother when Dillon managed to apply some pressure for all of an over, but Gibbs soon helped himself to some erratic bowling from Fidel Edwards at the other end.Smith signalled the fifty partnership with a handsome cover-drive off Dillon, and 10 fours had come in the first 11 overs – not exactly what Lara would have hoped for after he won the toss. The Smith run-out chance, which happened shortly before the lunch break, was in fact the only time West Indies came close to making a breakthrough, but that was wasted – and in comical fashion.Smith pushed Vasbert Drakes to Sarwan at point and set off for a suicidal run, but Gibbs sent him back. Smith was halfway down the track and Sarwan had all the time in the world to take aim and fire. Instead, he chose to pick the ball up and get closer to the stumps. After a few strides, though, he belly-flopped forward and looped the ball way over the target. Smith couldn’t believe his luck – and he made the most of it.Just as West Indies were beginning to assert some control, Smith bulldozed Drakes for three fours in same over, all on the leg side, to put South Africa back on track to domination. And it didn’t stop there. Corey Collymore was next in Smith’s firing line. He was peppered to different parts of the leg-side boundary, and Lara was forced to turn to Chris Gayle for a wind of change. Gayle promptly served up a floating full-toss, which Smith smacked away with disdain on the way to his hundred.

Gibbs, meanwhile, was more watchful. He took 116 balls to reach his half-century, but he did it in style with a back-foot thump through the covers off another Edwards short ball. He then smeared Gayle over midwicket, later pulled Dillon for a huge six over deep mid-on, and eased to his hundred off a gentle Sarwan full-toss.Smith and Gibbs carried on the charge, continuing to punish anything short in particular, and they soon had their sights on beating their own record stand of 368 against Pakistan at Cape Town last year. However, Collymore spared West Indies that embarrassment when Smith edged him behind to Ridley Jacobs for an outstanding 139, including 21 fours and two sixes (301 for 1).Not long after Smith’s wicket, at 5.05pm local time, the umpires offered Gibbs and Jacques Rudolph the light with 22.5 overs to go – and, rather surprisingly, they accepted with South Africa in total control of a completely one-sided contest.

Essex have emerged as serious contenders in the race to sign Darren Gough, with a local businessman offering to fly him to and from matches in a helicopter if it helps secure the deal.Gough made it clear one of the reasons for him quitting Yorkshire was a desire to cut down on the amount of traveling he was doing from his Milton Keynes home. “Everyone else goes home after a day’s play and sees their families,” he told Sky Sports. “But unfortunately for me my children live down south and I can’t just pop home for three hours and then nip back again for the next day.”Now Bob Weston, an Essex-based millionaire, has said that he will fly Gough around in his own helicopter. “I will make sure he gets there and back again, to help him cut down on journey times,” Weston, who owns the Battersea Heliport, told the Mirror newspaper.Graham Gooch, Essex’s head coach, added that he wanted to speak to Gough. “We are always looking for top players,” he said. “I think we would be keen to discuss something with him.”Warwickshire were the first county to be identified as being definitely interested in signing Gough, and Middlesex and Gloucestershire have also been mentioned as potential candidates.”We are all trying to make contact with him at the moment,” admitted John Emburey, Middlesex’s coach. “In our position we would be interested, but I need to speak to the chairman of the cricket committee as well.”

Western Province, finishing the round robin at the top of the table, was surprised by a highly motivated Easterns team after the visitors knocked off the small target of 198. Easterns will now play either Gauteng or Northerns in the finals.PointsTableEasterns 198 for 6 (Koenig 95, Cullinan 31, Dawson 3-30) beatWestern Province 197 for 8 (Duminy 51, Munnik 33, Z de Bruyn 5-44) by 4 wickets.
ScorecardWestern Province began their innings under pressure after losing both openers for 38 within 15 overs. When Gary Kirsten (19) and Lloyd Ferreira (26) were dismissed, further pressure was added to the middle order.Jean-Paul Duminy (51) and Renier Munnik (33) put their hand up and batted maturely, clawing their team back into the contest. Their 84-run partnership gave Province an outside chance of defending the mediocre total of 197 for 8. Duminy, especially, showed the character required to succeed at higher levels of the game.Zander de Bruyn took 5 for 44 (by far his career best), and tore the heart out of the middle order. And good support from Gareth Flusk and Brendon Reddy ensured that Easterns, without Albie Morkel, Andre Nel and Andrew Hall, stayed on course for the upset.Following up on his bowling performance, de Bruyn gave Easterns the solid start they needed after losing a wicket in the first over. Along with Sven Koenig, they saw off the new ball and kept the run rate at the required rate. Slowly, surely, they built a 60-run partnership that laid the foundation.A further partnership of 80 runs between Daryll Cullinan and Koenig brought them even closer. Koenig, dropped on 46, continued to give the fielders chances with ample mishits, but concentrated hard to remain unbeaten at the end with a 95 that took Easterns to the final.

The Sir Vivian Richards Foundation was launched in Viv’s native Antigua on Saturday night (April 10), with a gala dinner at the Crystal Palace Ballroom at the Royal Antiguan Hotel.More than 300 guests attended the launch, with the proceeds going to theFoundation. There was also a raffle and a memorabilia auction – with a bat signed by the West Indian and England players from the current series – which helped ensure that the Foundation got off to a healthy start.The Foundation, which is licensed in Antigua & Barbuda, will promote self-awareness among the youth and will help young people, particularly among theunder-privileged, achieve their goals. Sir Vivian said that assistance would not be limited to the youth of Antigua& Barbuda.Sir Vivian, one of cricket’s all-time greats and now the chairman of the West Indies selectors, was on hand at the function, which was billed as "An Evening with Sir Vivian Richards and Other Cricketing Greats". One of the highlights was a question-and-answer session involving Viv and his great friend and former Somerset team-mate Ian Botham.