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Accrington Cricket Club, one of the stalwarts of the Lancashire League, are facing the real prospect of folding after the club’s management revealed they have debts of more than £10,000.Last week Peter Barratt, the president, wrote to members warning them that the club could go out of business unless they were able to raise funds”We are determined to overcome these problems but they are very real problems that need to be confronted,” Barratt told the Burnley News. “It has gone on too long where we have tried to struggle through. “It’s been creeping up on us for a while and it has got to the situation where we have to make it public and ask for help.”The club is losing money and it needs to be halted and turned around. As it is there is a very real prospect that we will go out of business.”Accrington were formed in 1864 and have won the league five times, most recently in 1975. Many famous overseas players have turned out for the club, including Wes Hall, Bobby Simpson, Eddie Barlow and Mohsin Khan, while home-grown cricketers included David Lloyd and Graham Fowler.But in the last 16 seasons they have finished in the bottom two ten times, and the ground has also been subjected to repeated vandalism. Two years ago a substantial refurbishment was undertaken but it has not produced the expected increase in returns.

Prashant Chopra’s 338, the tenth-highest individual score in the Ranji Trophy and the first triple-century by a Himachal Pradesh batsman, helped the side amass a record 729 for 8, their highest total in the tournament on the second day against Punjab in Dharamsala.Chopra began the second day on 271 off 289 balls and barely let up his momentum, reaching 300 off 318 balls. A return catch to part-time offspinner Pargat Singh ended his 363-ball stay at the crease, by which time Chopra had hit 44 fours and two sixes. Himachal were on 602 at the time and the lower-middle order, led by Ankush Bains (80) and Rishi Dhawan (49) then helped them move past 700.Opening the innings with Jiwanjot Singh, Pargat struck a quick 64 off 69 balls in a 106-run opening partnership. He fell to Gurvinder Singh four overs before close of play, with Punjab trailing by 619 runs.
Ashok Dinda smacked an unbeaten 25-ball 55 to extend Bengal’s advantage over Services on the second day in Palam. His rapid fifty, and a 77-run tenth-wicket stand with Mohammed Shami that motored along at a rate of more than 10 per over propelled Bengal to 552 for 9. By close, Services had put up 103 on the board for the loss of one wicket.Bengal’s top order had done well to set up a strong base on the first day, reaching 341 for 3, and after quick wickets in the morning had left them at 378 for 6, their lower order stepped in. The last four wickets added 174 runs between them, with offspinner Aamir Gani chipping in with 51 off 84 balls to help the score past 450. The last-wicket pair of Shami and Dinda, however, laid into the Services attack. Dinda struck eight fours and two sixes, while Shami was unbeaten on 23 off 22 balls.
Wicketkeeper Manoj Singh’s maiden first-class century led Chhattisgarh’s rally on the second day against Goa in Porvorim as the lower-middle order helped the side amass 458 from an overnight score of 189 for 5.Manoj, who resumed the day on 31 in the company of Mohammad Kaif, scored 125 off 322 balls, and was the common factor in two big partnerships on the second day. After adding 93 with Kaif for the sixth wicket, Manoj and Jatin Saxena put on 132 for the seventh to take the side close to 350. An eighth-wicket partnership with Sumit Ruikar (57) then helped the side cross 400. Eight of Chhattisgarh’s dismissals fell to spin: left-arm spinner Darshan Misal, who had taken two wickets on the first day, completed his five-for and conceded 79 runs while offspinner Amit Yadav took a couple of lower order wickets to finish with 3 for 111.Goa’s openers managed to see the side through to close of play, adding 28 on the board.

Following their six-wicket defeat in the first Test against India in Delhi, there was further bad news for Pakistan as Shoaib Malik, the captain, injured his ankle during training after the match. Malik has had precautionary X-rays though the team management says it is too early to say if he would be fit for the second Test in Kolkata.”The boys were playing football after the match when Malik twisted his ankle,” Javed Akhtar, the team’s media co-ordinator, told . “He was taken to a hospital for precautionary X-rays.”Malik’s is the latest among Pakistan’s injury concerns on this tour. Fast bowler Umar Gul, who missed the first Test, is likely to miss the Kolkata Test as well due to a troublesome back. Mohammad Asif, who pulled out at the start of the tour due to a elbow injury, is in the frame for selection for the final Test in Bangalore though that depends on how quickly he recovers.The second Test begins from November 30.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) believes it has come closer to sorting out a record television rights deal with Nimbus Sports International. A core negotiation delegation of the BCB has put forward some adjustments to the initial contract and if all goes well, the deal should be finalised soon, said the head of the negotiation committee.Nimbus, a Singapore-based television company, had paid US$57million for live coverage rights for all matches in Bangladesh until 2012. However, the government stalled its approval of the record deal in late 2006, stating that the deal lacked transparency. The new BCB management decided to investigate the sensitive financial deal, which was supposed to be finalised by the end of last year.”I am hopeful about a positive end of it especially after the way the discussion has progressed in the last three days. We put forward our observations on the legal and financial aspects of the agreement and the Nimbus delegation agreed to place those issues on their board,” MA Momen told the , a Dhaka-based daily. “What we felt is that we have to make some adjustments in the agreement to protect our interests. If we fail to make those adjustments then ultimately we will be a loser in the long-term agreement.”Momen did not rule out the possibility of a new deal if the Nimbus authorities chose to deny the BCB’s desired adjustments. “I am hopeful about a good solution because we discussed in a very friendly atmosphere and I think nothing is better for both sides than reaching an agreement if we are a little bit more compromising,” he said.”Minimum guaranteed clause made totally based on the series that included India and we found that we will be the loser in seven series where India would not be taking part. And it was evident when Zimbabwe toured here last year. That’s why we wanted the adjustments in this regard.”According to Momen, there were some observations on the allowable production expenses where the BCB specified areas that needed to be solved. The BCB also had problems with the manner in which insurance was described were there to be a no-show.

Matthew Bell and Iain O’Brien have been handed New Zealand Cricket contracts for the remainder of the season. The pair were given deals that expire on May 31 as they took over the contracts vacated by Shane Bond and Lou Vincent, who joined the Indian Cricket League.Bell bounced back into the Test team in January after an absence of more than six years and he immediately impressed with 107 against Bangladesh. However, his results against England – 19, 0, 0 and 29 – have been less inspiring.O’Brien also enjoyed a strong series against Bangladesh, collecting seven wickets at 16.57, but a toe injury has kept him out of the first two Tests against England. The contract list for the 2008-09 season is likely to be finalised before New Zealand set off for their tour of England in late April.

The Australia opening batsman Matthew Hayden is in doubt for the third Test against India in Perth after injuring his right thigh in Sydney. Alex Kountouris, the team physiotherapist, revealed that it could take Hayden up to five weeks to recover although he wouldn’t rule out him playing the next match.Hayden picked up the injury while turning for a run during his 123 in the second innings, prompting him to call for a runner, and he didn’t take the field during India’s reply. Hayden is set to return home to Brisbane for three days before starting his rehabilitation program.”It could take one week to heal, it could take five weeks,” Kountouris told the . “We are waiting to see how it looks in a few days. He is a chance to play in Perth but we are waiting to see.”Brad Hogg, the wrist spinner, is also in doubt for the Perth Test after sustaining a finger injury while fielding in Sydney. Scans did not reveal a fracture and Hogg is most likely to be replaced by Shaun Tait should Australia opt for four-pronged pace attack.Chris Rogers, the Western Australia opening batsman, is a strong candidate to replace Hayden after scoring 362 runs in five Pura Cup matches this season. He and Phil Jaques were vying for the opener’s spot but an untimely appendix problem ruled Rogers out of contention for the Sri Lanka series in November. Simon Katich, who is seeking a comeback, is another contender as he currently tops the Pura Cup table with 878 runs in six games.The Perth Test is set to get underway on January 16, but the tour is in the balance after the Indian board complained against Harbhajan Singh’s three-Test ban for racial abuse. India were also upset with the umpiring in Sydney and Steve Bucknor has been replaced for the game at the WACA.

Northamptonshire escaped any penalty for the state of their Wantage Road pitch after Matthew Hayden staged a batting masterclass to leave his Northamptonshire side in charge against Essex.The tall Australian cracked a six and 17 fours in his magnificent 164 off 260 balls as Northants closed on 337 for seven, a lead of 104 with two days remaining.And Hayden’s men were able to celebrate their promotion into Division One, albeit 24 hours late, following the ECB pitch panel’s decision not to order a deduction of points.Phil Sharpe, the Board’s Pitch Liason Officer, said: “During the cricket on the first day the ball turned sufficiently to warrant a further inspection, and I asked for a second opinion.””Having seen the cricket on the second day, along with Alan Smith, we came to the conclusion that this was not a substandard pitch and did not warrant a rating of poor.”Hayden and David Sales (61) posted 122 in 34 overs for the third wicket after off-spinner Tim Mason had removed Adrian Rollins and Jeff Cook cheaply.Sales struck nine boundaries in his 109-ball knock before edging Peter Such to slip, but Hayden powered on and gave a superb demonstration of footwork and concentration, securing three batting bonus points.”It has been a stressful day for us. Now we can celebrate a bit,” commented Northants’ relieved Director of Cricket Bob Carter when the panel’s findings were eventually announced shortly after tea.

Division One

Nottinghamshire became the first side to notch a win in 2008’s Championship with a comprehensive rout of Kent, who were beaten by 10 wickets at Canterbury. Nottinghamshire only needed 22 runs to complete the victory with Will Jefferson (5) and Matthew Wood (17) guiding them home.Hampshire’s match against the champions Sussex ended in a predictable draw, with rain preventing any play on the fourth day at The Rose Bowl.Persistent drizzle in London also called a halt to the game at The Oval, with Surrey drawing their match against Lancashire.

Division Two

Essex eased to their first win of the season, beating Northamptonshire by nine wickets on the final day at Chelmsford. After their poor day yesterday, when they slipped to 38 for 4, Northants’ batsmen fared much better with Lance Klusener cracking 92. But he became David Masters’ fourth victim, Essex dismissing Northants for 237 to leave the home side needing a mere 15 to win. Jason Gallian fell for 1 but Varun Chopra saw them home in the third over.Nadeem Malik took 5 for 51 to spark a mini Middlesex collapse in which they lost their last five wickets for 141 as Leicestershire romped to a six-wicket win at Grace Road. Owais Shah notched his fifty, adding to the fine 116 he made in the first innings, and Shaun Udal also cracked his maiden half-century for his new county, but Middlesex fell away to be dismissed for 258, leaving Leicestershire 166 to win. Chris Silverwood nipped out two early wickets to give Middlesex hope, but Matthew Boyce’s 66 and an unbeaten 69 from Jim Allenby urged Leicestershire to their target.Tony Frost, Ant Botha and drizzly conditions in Birmingham all conspired against Worcestershire, who were denied an opening victory against Warwickshire on the final day at Edgbaston. Resuming on 26 for 3, Warwickshire’s resilience began with the nightwatchman, Lee Daggett, frustrating for nearly an hour before he was bowled by Gareth Batty. Navdeep Poonia followed almost immediately, and when Luke Parker edged to gully, the hosts were 109 for 7. Enter Frost (46*) and Botha (18*) who ground Worcestershire down for an hour-and-a-half, and inclement weather prevented any further action after tea.No play was possible between Gloucestershire and Derbyshire at Bristol, the match dribbling to a damp draw.

Australia have altered their focus from swing to Twenty20 as they try to find a way for their bowlers to cope at the World Championship in South Africa. Troy Cooley is hosting a camp for the fast men at the Centre of Excellence in Brisbane this week to prepare for the two-week tournament in South Africa.This time last year the bowlers were working on traditional and reverse-swing in a bid to tackle England, but the unforgiving nature of Twenty20 has forced some experimenting. “We are really trying to develop plans to help the bowlers survive in the game,” Cooley said in the Courier-Mail. “It’s a pretty tough one for bowlers to survive in.”We have been doing a lot of talking about that and we are working on some technical things as well. Last year we worked on swing bowling, this year we are working on Twenty20.” Bruce Reid, the former Australia bowler who was a part-time coach with India, is also at the camp where Brett Lee is continuing his return from ankle surgery.

It was Geoff Lawson’s fast-bowling background that won him the coaching job for the Pakistan team, the Pakistan Cricket Board revealed while formally announcing the decision at a press conference in Karachi.Lawson’s appointment ended a lengthy wait without a coach since the death of Bob Woolmer during the World Cup. Lawson, the former Australia fast bowler, has been appointed for two years and edged out compatriots Dav Whatmore and Richard Done in the race for the job.”Pakistan has many pace bowlers and we win matches with them,” Nasim Ashraf, the PCB chairman, said. “Having a former fast bowler on board is an advantage for that definitely.”We weighed all our options and, though all three were highly qualified, we felt Lawson was most suitable to our needs. Dav Whatmore and Richard Done were not any less candidates, just that Lawson was what we needed.”Ashraf dismissed claims that Arjuna Ranatunga’s comments regarding Whatmore played a part in the decision, or that the players, many of whom were in favour of Lawson, had exercised their influence unduly.Ashraf described Lawson, who picked up 180 wickets in 46 Tests, as “a very educated man” and said the PCB liked “his approach and his attention to detail and so we opted for him”.Lawson, a level three coach, will arrive in Pakistan on August 15 and is expected to be on a similar financial package as Woolmer. He is likely to bring his own management support team with him and Ashraf said Pakistan might appoint a specialist batting coach, given their brittleness in that department. “We will definitely have a fielding coach and we want world-class trainers and physiotherapists as well,” he said. “We want to have a streamlined management team and Lawson has his ideas on that.”Lawson told the prospect of bringing out the best talent in Pakistan lured him to the job. “It is such a talented team that you have to be excited working with them,” he said. “A series of events essentially led me to the job. Two months ago, this was a long way from my mind. I got a call asking whether I would be interested and I waited on the findings of the Bob Woolmer case because that was important.”I came over and met with the board and the players and I have to say I was very impressed with the set-up, their ideas and vision. The chief [chairman Nasim Ashraf] was very impressive.”This will be Lawson’s first international assignment though he has been head coach with New South Wales and is currently involved officially with the state. But his state experience and his media work, he says, will help him adjust.”It’s a different level, no doubt,” he said. “But I’ve worked with high-performance players at NSW. Nathan Bracken and Stuart Clark are sort of my pupils and I’ve worked with Glenn McGrath as well, so I have that experience. Also my media work has taken me round the world as an analyst so I haven’t been too far from the game ever.”

Lawson is also a rarity in that he is an ex-fast bowler, a breed not renowned much for their coaching abilities. Pakistan, with an abundance of fast bowling talent, is a fitting first job. “They have some terrific talent. Shoaib [Akhtar] – we have to make sure he is fit and consistent. Rao Iftikhar, Mohammad Sami, Mohammad Asif – these guys make up a quality pace attack. And there’s more beyond them, big guys who bowl fast. Quality fast bowlers basically help you win Tests and I am excited about working with them.”Pakistan have busy times ahead, the Twenty20 World Championship is a precursor to an international season that includes visits by South Africa and Australia with a tour to India sandwiched in between for good measure. “We hit the ground running really, as there are some big series coming up. I know what I want to do with the team and where we should go. History will judge my move here but I hope, ultimately, that Pakistan will remember me as one of the best coaches they ever had.”