Ozias Bvute, who until now has been happy to remain in the shadows of the ZCU, has given his first major interview as part of the Zimbabwe board’s new media charm-offensive.Bvute spoke to the Harare-based Independent at the end of a week in which his role in the dispute between the rebel players and the ZCU has been under close scrutiny and in which he has had several allegations regarding his behaviour towards individuals leveled against him. One report even accused him of being an agent for the Central Intelligence Organisation.”I have never worked for the government,” Bvute explained. “People have just personalised this issue.” And rather than work for the regime, he claimed that he was a victim of it. “I bought a commercial farm but as we speak there are people with offer letters fighting for the farm. If I were a member of the CIO or worked for the government, do you think my farm would have been targeted?”But the main reason for the interview was for Bvute to put his side of the events surrounding the decision to sack the rebel players. “The problem with Zimbabwean cricket was that it was not accountable,” he explained. “With the blessing of all these [white] players, why were we always ranked No. 9 until the blessing of Bangladesh coming in at No. 10? We could go on losing and that was it. After our loss to Bangladesh, we wanted an explanation and the selectors met to make some changes.”A history of strikes has always been prevalent in Zimbabwe cricket. There was racism towards non-white players.”He went on to repeat the oft-repeated claims of Peter Chingoka that there is a deeper plot to subvert Zimbabwe cricket. “I genuinely know there’s a huge third force behind this,” he said. “The truth will come out.”And he dismissed suggestions that he had no cricketing background. “Contrary to people who say I can’t even hold a bat, I’ve played cricket at primary and secondary school level,” he added. “I went to university in India and for the four years that I was there I developed an intense passion for cricket.”

The International Cricket Council has said that it would mediate in the ongoing player-contract crisis only if the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) decided that the ICC had a role to play in resolving the conflict. Earlier media reports had said that the WICB had refused the ICC’s offer to help find a solution to the problem. Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, said in a media release: “Contrary to some reports, the WICB has not taken a view on if there is a role for the ICC.”Speed said that he and Roger Brathwaite, the WICB chief executive, had preliminary discussions on the status of the current issue and that he had offered to assist the WICB in whatever way possible. “I spoke with Roger last Saturday and indicated that if the WICB saw any role for the ICC that it would be willing to assist,” Speed said. “Roger indicated that he would advise his board of the ICC’s position and it would consider if the ICC has a role to play. I would stress that the ICC does not and will not become involved in any domestic issue such as this without the consent of the relevant board. It is a judgment that the WICB will make if it believes that the ICC can assist.”Cricinfo had earlier learnt from a source close to the situation that the WICB had turned down an offer to help. The source had said that the West Indies Players’ Association had suggested the possibility of an ICC intervention with Richard Bevan and Tim May of FICA, the international players union. Dinanath Ramnarine, the WIPA president, also confirmed that he had asked for FICA’s assistance in the matter, and reiterated his disappointment at the West Indies board turning down the offer for intervention.

At the end of his second stint with Hampshire, Shane Warne insists that county cricket is in good condition, although he believes that a few changes could improve it even further.”When I look back over another enjoyable season in England, I can see that county cricket is in good shape overall,” said Warne in his article in . “England are starting to play well because it [the County Championship] is competitive and producing some high-quality games, so the best players are learning how to win.”Having said that, I would change a few things here and there, he admitted. “One is the sheer volume of cricket; there is definitely too much at the moment. Players just don’t get the chance to practise or recover. I think the workload is a big reason why out-and-out fast bowlers are not coming through.”Warne, who played a vital role in Hampshire’s promotion to Division One with 51 Championship wickets at an average of just over 24 this season, suggested that the number of matches played be reduced from 16 to 12, with some counties playing each other only once, adding that this “could be organised on a system depending on finishing positions the season before.”Warne recommended that the National League schedule also be reduced to 12 games. “Put together, this would open up 20 days through the season for players to rest or work on their techniques. The Twenty20 Cup can stay as it is.”Warne also advocated the scrapping of bonus points in the County Championship, saying: “I think some teams have been playing for them this season instead of going all out to win. The difference between what you can earn for a win and a draw with full bonus points should be greater.”I accept there must be something for a draw, if only because of the way the weather can influence a game. It should be minimal – two points, say – to make sure that teams playing for big-scoring draws all season do not become champions.” Warwickshire, this season’s county champions, went through the season unbeaten, but only won five matches, and drew 11.Warne added that he believed counties should come to an agreement regarding the issue of overseas players, where every team would have to include eight players who are qualified to play for England, concluding: “The other three can be overseas, EU, or little green men from Mars.”

Mick Miller, the South Australia allrounder, has retired to set up a charter fishing business in Darwin. Miller, 25, told his team-mates of the decision following Saturday’s ING Cup game against Victoria at Adelaide Oval.He said the business venture, which would also involve his brother, was a move to secure the financial future of his young family. “This was a very difficult decision to make, particularly with the season underway, but needing to secure the financial future of my family is my No. 1 priority,” Miller said.Miller made his first-class debut for Queensland in 1998-99 but moved to Adelaide in 2001 to further his career. He played 18 first-class matches, scoring 745 runs at an average of 24.83, and collected 28 wickets at 39.50. In his final appearance last weekend he scored 28 and took 0 for 35 as South Australia lost to the Bushrangers.Harvey Jolly, the South Australian Cricket Association general manager of cricket, said Miller was a talented player who would be missed. “Mick has outstanding all-round ability and has represented South Australia well during his time here,” Jolly said. “He is not only a talented cricketer but someone who is a real character within the squad.”

John Buchanan, Australia’s coach, feels that the change in the bowling laws could give bowlers greater variety, and this, in turn, would make batsmen play differently. The ICC’s recent law-change for what constitutes a legal delivery had been criticised by past and present players, but Buchanan’s positive assessment meant that the ICC had at least one of modern-day cricket’s most influential figures on its side.After comprehensive testing, the ICC recommended that bowlers could straighten their arm up to 15 degrees. Muttiah Muralitharan’s doosra, a delivery that some reckoned explored that boundries of legality, was tested at 14 degrees earlier this year. Buchanan said that if Muralitharan’s delivery, as well as others, was now permitted, it would add to the game.”I believe it’s exciting what Murali, Harbhajan and Shoaib, and whoever else that has been under investigation, what they do in their bowling,” Buchanan said to AFP. “If bowlers can actually increase the variety of the type of deliveries they can bowl, then that’s a good thing for the game, because that means batsmen have got to counter that with their own skills.”It may mean that captains have got something else to work with. In a sense I think there’s a real gain in it if it’s handled correctly.”Policing bowlers has also been an issue raised by people with an interest in the game. Shane Warne recently asked, “I think it might [create confusion]. How does an umpire tell if it’s 12 degrees, 10 degrees, nine, 13, 14, whatever it is when it happens like that?”Tim May, a representative of the ICC panel that recommended that the law be changed, said that advanced technology and stricter guidelines would be put in place next year. He added that bowlers would have a fresh start with regards to reports for suspect actions.

Daniel Vettori, the New Zealand left-arm spinner, feels that it won’t be too long before young spinners start exploiting the International Cricket Council’s revised throwing law.Currently in Melbourne preparing for the Super Series one-dayers against Australia, Vettori said he firmly believed young spinners should start exploring the more relaxed ruling, which allows bowlers to bend their arms upto 15 degrees at the point of delivery without fear of being no-balled.The new law was adopted this year in an attempt to defuse the row over illegal actions, and particularly the controversy surrounding Muttiah Muralitharan, the legendary Sri Lankan spinner. Vettori said he supports the stance of the New Zealand Cricket Academy, which encourages young spin bowlers with unusual actions to explore their capabilities, rather than stick to traditional methods. Dayle Hadlee, the former New Zealand fast bowler who is currently a coach with the academy, said that NZC had performed something of an about-face on the question of borderline actions: “We’d see nothing wrong with one of our bowlers employing a doosra, as long as his action was within the legal framework. In fact, we’d encourage it.””I can’t see why a young guy coming through the academy who’s showing that sort of ability shouldn’t be encouraged to use it for every advantage he can,” Vettori told . “I can’t see it becoming a mass development within New Zealand because it’s rare enough to find someone who’s spinning it with their wrist, let alone someone who can also handle a doosra. But I think it will happen; it’s only a matter of time.”There’s been a bit of a stigma about it because it’s never been the done thing, but there are bowlers popping up all over the world doing it now, and the 15-degree law will only encourage more to try. I just think that if it’s within the laws and guidelines set down, then you’re almost obliged to tap into it, if only to keep pace with the rest of the world,” said Vettori.Vettori added that the doosra – the offspinner’s delivery that leaves the right-handed batsmen – was a very difficult ball to execute and landing it with any degree of accuracy required tremendous practice. “I’ve practiced it and can get it out occasionally,” he added, “but I find it comes back and influences everything else I do; it sort of has a domino effect on my action and rhythm and becomes counter-productive. So, having gone through the entire phase of working at it and practicing until I can bowl it, I’ve decided to shelve it and concentrate on what I know I can do well.”

John Elliot, Worcestershire chairman, has slammed the contribution of Shoaib Akhtar during the last season. Elliot claimed that the fast bowler’s lack of team-ethic led to considerable unrest in the dressing room.”Players like that are no good to our club. In fact, Shoaib has been no good for any club he’s been at,” Elliot was quoted as saying by . “It’s all about team spirit and getting the dressing room right and when you’ve got a bloke like Shoaib in there, it can cause mayhem.”Akhtar had said that he signed with Worcestershire because of Tom Moody, who was then director of cricket at New Road. However, Moody then left Worcestershire to take up the position of Sri Lanka coach, and Elliot believes Akhtar did not live up to his credentials under Steve Rhodes, the current coach. “Steve Rhodes inherited a thankless task when he took over having to deal with someone like Shoaib Akhtar.”You can only wonder whether Tom Moody might have got the best out of him as he was the one that signed Shoaib. But, really, I don’t think anyone could have handled him. He’s a superstar and just does what he wants.”Akhtar’s contribution in the first two matches of the World XI’s one-day series against Australia was lacklustre and drew considerable criticism from various quarters. And following his reported rift with Inzamam-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, Akhtar’s every statement and action during the upcoming series against England is sure to be scrutinized.

Jason Gillespie’s fightback into Australian contention suffered another setback when he was ruled out of South Australia’s Pura Cup match with a bruised lung. Gillespie was hit in the chest by a stinging Brett Lee delivery while batting in yesterday’s ING Cup game against New South Wales, and showed courage to bowl ten solid overs for 39 in the three-wicket loss.After visiting a respiratory specialist in Sydney today Gillespie was withdrawn from the squad for Tuesday’s New South Wales fixture and missed his chance to make a national claim following a disappointing Ashes tour. A South Australia spokeswoman said Gillespie, who scans showed had deep bruising to his right lung, should be fit for the one-day match against Queensland in Adelaide on November 4, a day after the first Test against West Indies begins.Gillespie was not the Redbacks only injury worry and Greg Blewett, the former Australia batsman, was given until tomorrow to prove his fitness after sustaining a back injury in making 31 against the Blues. Gary Putland and Nathan Adcock stayed with the squad in Sydney as the selectors delayed naming the starting XI until before the toss at the SCG.

Scorecard

Powered by Charlotte Edwards’s unbeaten 91, England Women crushed the India Under-21 Women’s side, cruising to a 10-wicket victory at the Kailash Prakash Stadium in Meerut. Set to chase a meagre 147, Edwards partnered with Laura Newton (51 not out) and reached the target inside 23 overs in front of 4000 spectators.The sponsors had promised about US$2 for every four and about US$12 for every six and by the end of the run-chase the opening duo ended up with a hefty purse. Edward’s knock was studded with 16 fours while Newton smashed two sixes and the money raised will go towards worthwhile causes.Diana David top-scored for the India U-21 Women with 40 not out, with the 34 extras the next highest contribution. After Katherine Brunt sent back the openers, Angha Deshpandey and Shweta Jadhav, the Indian side reached a reasonable position at 72 for 2 when Sindu Ashok was stumped by Jane Smit, the wicketkeeper. Then on, the wickets kept falling at regular intervals as Laura Harper grabbed three wickets for 16.England now play India A on Friday, a team that will include seven members from the India U-21 line-up and four members of the Indian national side.

At SuperSport Park, Centurion the Titans moved back to the top of the Standard Bank Cup table after stuttering to a two-wicket win in a match that could have gone either way against the luckless Cape Cobras who now prop up the bottom of the league without a win in five outings.Set a small target of 171, the Titans got off to a cautious start as Cobras bowlers maintained a disciplined line to subdue most of the Titans batsmen. Charl Willoughby’s immaculate line and length was rewarded with 3 for 21 in an uninterrupted nine overs. Ian Harvey took 1 for 12 in a spell of seven overs while left arm spinner Con de Lange took three wickets in the middle of his spell.With the Titans at 125 for 7 after 36 overs, the match was in balance but Johan Myburgh kept his head scoring a match winning 59 not out as the Titans scraped home with six balls to spare.The Cape Cobras had earlier also struggled to come to terms with the quick and bouncy SuperSport Park pitch and, after being asked to bat first, they were kept under pressure throughout their innings. Losing four wickets for 71 in the first 20 overs had not helped their cause, but JP Duminy (43) and Henry Davids (40) put on a near match winning partnership of 60 for the fifth wicket.Having done all the hard work both were run out after just getting into the forties. With the tail not contributing and 170 all out the Cobras, against an in-form Titans team, looked to be completely out of the game.