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Saleem Altaf, the former Pakistan medium-pacer, has been appointed as director of cricket by the Pakistan Cricket Board. He will represent Pakistan at all International Cricket Council and Asian Cricket Council meetings.Altaf’s appointment fills a gap left vacant after Rameez Raja’s resignation as chief executive of the PCB in August last year. Altaf will head a committee of five, comprising Imtiaz Ahmed, the former Test wicketkeeper, Naseem Ashraf, Mueen Afzal and Ali Reza. Meanwhile Abbas Zaidi has been named director of board operations, in charge of all non-cricket matters including administration, finance, marketing and media.”The appointments have been approved by the chief patron of the board after consultations with the chairman of the board Shaharyar Khan,” Zaidi was quoted as saying by Reuters.Altaf, who is 60 years old, played 21 Tests for Pakistan between 1967 and 1978, and picked up 46 wickets. He also scored one half-century.

Somerset were left facing an uphill struggle if they are to salvage anything from their championship match against Worcestershire after ending the second day of the Bath Festival still needing 281 runs to avoid an innings defeat with all of their second innings wickets remaining.Resuming on 422 for 5, Andy Hall who was unbeaten on 30 overnight helped the visitors add a further 116 to their total before he was the last man out after becoming the third centurion for his team as Worcestershire were eventually all out for 538.The South African who was dismissed LBW by Keith Parsons after batting for a further twenty nine overs this morning, scored 104 runs that came from 115 balls, and included six sixes and eleven fours.There were two more wickets for Ian Blackwell today to give the slow left armer final figures of 4 for 131 from his 45 overs.The Cidermen’s opening pair of Piran Holloway and Mast Wood saw their first wicket partnership put on 40 runs before Wood was out for 8. Two runs later Holloway who had contributed 30 runs followed him back to the pavilion.James Bryant and Jamie Cox then seemed to have played themselves in and saw the Somerset hundred up before they both were out, Bryant becoming the first of Gareth Batty’s victims after he had scored 28 and Cox who was LBW to Hall for 37.Skipper Mike Burns followed shortly afterwards at which point tea was taken with the score on 138 for 5 wickets.After the break Blackwell scored 28 before he fell LBW to Batty, Rob Turner 23, Keith Dutch 17 and Nixon McLean was still at the wicket unbeaten on 35 as Somerset slipped to a disappointing 238 all out.Following on, Holloway and Wood remained unbeaten at the close by which time they had taken the score onto 19 without loss.At the end of the day Somerset coach Kevin Shine said: "This was not a good day for us. We just haven’t played the sort of disciplined cricket today that has taken us to the top of the table which was very disappointing, because conditions haven’t changed out there. They put together a formidable total and we should have done a lot better than the 238 runs we scored."He continued: "However at the close of play we have sat down and been very honest with ourselves about how things have gone today. We are top of the table and they are right behind us. We want to fight very hard and try to hang onto the credits that we have got ourselves so far this season."Meanwhile back at the County Ground in Taunton, Somerset seconds are also struggling to save the game against their Surrey counterparts.Chasing a formidable 600 for 8 declared the Second’s were all out for 248, with Antiguan policeman Anwar Prince top scoring with 129.Following on Somerset had moved onto 201 for 3 by the close, with Wes Durston unbeaten on 76 and triallist Ben Moore from Liverpool 30 not out. Earlier Cornishman Carl Gazzard had made 60.

Henry Olonga has revealed how he came close to backing out of his black-armband protest during the World Cup. If he had not been approached by Andy Flower, he would not have had the strength to stage the protest on his own.Olonga, 26, was forced into retirement after the tournament. He added that others had been willing to take part in the protest, to mourn the “death of democracy” in Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe’s oppressive regime, but they were dissuaded from doing so to add potency to the statement.”I didn’t know if I had the strength [to go it alone]," Olonga told AFP. "I was wavering at the time. However when Flower suggested it after he had been approached by a third party I decided I would do it. We just thought it was the right thing to do. Not enough people have stood up.”Last week, Flower’s brother Grant revealed he had wanted to join the protest, but thought it would look as if they had bullied Olonga into it. More would have muddied the waters,” said Olonga. “I believe it added more credibility to the stand with one white man and one black man protesting.”Flower became involved in the protest after reading a newspaper in Zimbabwe. “He read some trite story on the front page," explained Olonga, "and on the inside page there was a story about some man having been tortured which was only a paragraph long and he felt that just wasn’t right.””We weren’t particularly friendly before but my conviction came from my [Christian] faith and I don’t know where his came from. All I know is we were prepared to make the sacrifices ourselves.”Olonga also praised England’s players, but not their governing body, for going out on a limb and boycotting their World Cup fixture in Harare. “I think more people could have taken stances, and the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) could have been stronger,” he said. According to a Channel 4 documentary, the Australians were asked to wear black armbands, and refused.Olonga said he realised there would be consequences and was warned that his behaviour was gone down badly back home when Zimbabwe travelled to South Africa to play in the Super Six stage of the World Cup. “I knew I would make a lot of enemies and there would be a backlash. That your phones would be bugged and you’d be followed and that always happens to people who dare to voice their dissent. However, during the World Cup it would have been very difficult for them to do something and my profile protected me, but when it declines there could be a backlash.”Olonga said he received an e-mail from Harare which alerted him to the huge problems which awaited him back in Zimbabwe. “My dad got a warning and he told me don’t come back. However the e-mail came from a different source who was a cleaner in a minister’s office as she had overheard him say ‘That guy Olonga thinks he is clever but we’ll get him when he comes back’.”Olonga went into hiding after the World Cup and then seized the chance to come to England to commentate on Zimbabwe’s two-Test series in England. He rejected suggestions that by agreeing to commentate on the tour meant he was endorsing it.”I have never endorsed this tour. I agreed to do it because the BBC and Channel Four were the first to help me get over here, and in any case more good can come out of this tour going ahead than bad.While Olonga yearns to return home he doesn’t see it happening soon.”Well the mix of the commentating, club cricket for Lashings and the music contract I am signing should see me here for at least a year. However I don’t see the current situation in Zimbabwe sustaining itself, maybe even just six months could see the end of the regime. Zimbabwe is full of nation builders with everyone working together it can be a great nation again, but at the moment it is in the mud.”

Players and board officials on both sides of the border have expressed happiness at the Indian government’s decision to let the tour to Pakistan go ahead, and though security remains an issue, the Indian board insisted it would not pressurise reluctant players to tour.”India would be touring Pakistan after 14 years,” said Jagmohan Dalmiya, BCCI’s chief, “and not only do I envisage an excellent tour from the cricketing stand point but it would also help in strengthening the bond of friendship between the people of the two nations.”Speaking to Mid Day, Shaharyar Khan, chairman of the PCB, said that the move was a step forward, and would give peace talks a fillip. “I have been emphasizing the fact that if India played in Pakistan it would have a very positive effect on relations. Despite reservations and fears of some people I am confident the series would give the peace process a big push.”Pakistan’s captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq, added that tensions associated with Pakistan-India matches would gradually dissipate if the teams played more often.On Monday, a three-man BCCI delegation will brief the board and the government about security issues on its return from Pakistan. But with security concerns still playing heavily on the players’ mind, Sourav Ganguly, the Indian captain, said he would not force anyone to tour.Dalmiya took a similar stance and emphasized that players reluctant to tour would not be under pressure.”Since the government has cleared the tour, the major concern of safety and security is now put to rest,” Dalmiya said. “They are not going for war, but to play cricket. If somebody is not comfortable, he will not be forced to go. Someone else will go. These are the trusted lieutenants of the country.”

Adam Hollioake produced another timely allround performance to book Surrey’s place in the semi-finals of the Twenty20 Cup, and in the process preserved their 100% record since the competition’s inception last year.In front of a sell-out crowd at The Oval, Hollioake rescued his side from 50 for 5 with a thumping 45 not out from 29 balls, before picking up 3 for 31 with his wily assortment of knuckle balls. Worcestershire, who on Saturday reached the final of the C&G Trophy, were unable to mount a successful chase, and fell 14 runs short of Surrey’s 145 for 7, despite a useful 33 from Vikram Solanki.Last year’s finalists, Warwickshire, were unable to make the showcase for two years running, as they were seen off by the competition’s dark horses, Glamorgan, who recovered from the shock of losing both openers for ducks, to cruise to a five-wicket win at Cardiff.Set 159 to win, Glamorgan were in a perilous position at 2 for 2, when David Hemp and Matthew Elliott salvaged the situation with a 118-run stand. Hemp top-scored with 74 from 52 balls, to trump Brad Hogg, who top-scored for Warwickshire with a 51-ball 54. Darren Thomas, whose first two deliveries were slotted for six by Neil Carter, was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 32.

Leicestershire, another of last year’s semi-finalists, made it through for the second time in a row, thanks to Darren Maddy’s furious 48-ball 84. He smacked 12 fours and three sixes to lift Leicester to 180 for 6 against Essex, whose reply faltered early on when they slipped to 33 for 3, with Ronnie Irani falling first-ball for 0. Andy Flower and Paul Grayson salvaged the innings with a 95-run stand, but were always off the pace.The biggest mismatch of the day came down at the Rose Bowl, where Hampshire were routed by nine wickets by Lancashire, after a stuttering batting effort. They never got going after losing the toss, and when Michael Clarke pulled a long-hop down deep fine-leg’s throat for 36, the innings was effectively over.Dmitri Mascarenhas made 33 not out, but Lancashire were still able to cruise to their victory target of 121 with more than three overs to spare. It was a rare failure for Hampshire under the captaincy of Shane Warne, who bowled four unsuccessful overs and also recorded a duck.

Sri Lanka cricket board chief, Hemaka Amarasuriya, hinted at fresh board elections on Thursday night, arguing that the time had come to end a two-year period of control by interim committees.A government appointed interim committee has run Sri Lanka cricket ever since the suspension of an elected executive committee in March 2001 following allegations of financial mismanagement and constitutional malpractice.However, there have been increasing calls for fresh elections in recent months and the interim chairman Amarasuriya now believes the time is ripe for a return to democracy.”Interim committees are not good for the game and we have to decide what is now best for Sri Lanka cricket,” said Amarasuriya, adding, “I believe in elected committees with safeguards.”No elections have been formally announced by the sports ministry but Amarasuriya suggested his term in office is about to end and there have been strong rumours of elections being held after the current tour by New Zealand.

The Pub Charity Youth Cricket Draw – November 1(Please Note: Colts & U14A are 2-day matches)U18 (1-day):Stac v Midd G Midd G 1,Pk v St Bedes Parkland Reserve,Pap HS v Syd Syd 4a,CBHS Bye.Colts (2-day)25 Oct & 1 Nov2nd day of 2Section 22nd day of 2U16A (1-day):CC v St Bedes CC 2,Stac v CBHS Straven 3,SBHS v Syd Cash HS 1.U16B (1-day):Ricc HS v LPW Ricc HS 3,NB v CBHS South Brighton Dom,OC v Upr Ricc Dom,Horn CC Bye.U15A (1-day):CBHS v CC CC 6,SBHS v Stac White Stac 6a,Stac Blue v St Thom Stac 5,Syd v Burn HS Burn HS 3.U15B (1-day):Burn HS v Upr Ilam 6,St Bedes v Pap HS St Bedes 5a,Pk v CC CC 3,CBHS Black v CBHS Blue Straven 6,Stac Bye.U14A (2-day)25 Oct & 1 Nov2nd day of 2U14B (1-day):CC v St Bedes St Bedes 3,Burn HS v CBHS Blue Straven 8,SBHS v CBHS Black Straven 7,Stac v Syd Cash 2a,Rang HS v Ricc HS Ricc HS 4,Pap HS v Nb Pap HS 3a.U14C (1-day):CBHS Black v SBHS Straven 5,BWU v LPW Han 1a,CC Bye.

Saleem Altaf, the director of cricket operations of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), will take up the issue of Inzamam-ul-Haq’s exclusion from the Super Series squads at the ICC Chief Executive’s Committee meeting in Dubai starting on Sunday. The ICC Super Series will involve matches between Australia and a World XI, to be played in Australia in October.Abbas Zaidi, the PCB’s director of board operations, said that Altaf would not question the integrity of the ICC selectors, but would present Pakistan’s view that clearer methods and criteria were needed for selecting the World XI teams. “This is a follow-up to the letter we’ve already sent to the ICC outlining the outrage and resentment in Pakistan over the exclusion of Inzamam from the ICC World eleven Test and one-day teams that play Australia in the Super Series next month,” Zaidi was quoted as saying in , a Pakistan-based daily. “We are not asking the ICC to reconsider Inzamam’s selection for the World eleven squads but we are only saying it would be better if the ICC make its committees more broad-based.”Zaidi said that the PCB would ideally like to have a representative on the selection panel. “Obviously the PCB comes under pressure as to what it is doing to protect and promote its players and cricket at the ICC level when such a thing happens that Inzamam is not considered good enough for selection in either the Test or one-day squad,” he said. “[Altaf] would also stress on the need to have more country representation on the ICC selection committee on rotation basis with each country getting an equal chance on the committee.”Inzamam has scored 940 Test runs at just under 59 since the start of 2004. As a one-day player, he averages 46.14 with the bat in that period.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out – South Africa
How they were out – India

An astounding display of power hitting from Justin Kemp lit up Cape Town and utterly transformed what seemed like a disastrous day for South Africa into a glorious one as they thumped India by 106 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the series. Kemp blazed his way to an 89-ball unbeaten 100 – his first in ODIs – to lift South Africa from the depths of 76 for 6 to a daunting 274 for 7. Utterly demoralised by that battering – 113 came off the last ten, while the eighth-wicket stand between kemp and Andrew Hall yielded a record 138 – the Indians came up with a limp batting display, with only Mahendra Singh Dhoni (55) and Rahul Dravid (63) showing any fight.At the 20-over stage, it seemed the only team which could wrap up a comprehensive win in this match was India, as they fought back superbly after the drubbing at Durban. Zaheer Khan struck twice in his first over – with Smith perhaps disturbed by the pre-match altercation with Haroon Lorgat, the convener of selectors – while the rest of the top-order batsmen self-destructed quite spectacularly on a pitch which, though offering pace and bounce to the bowlers, was excellent for batting.Jacques Kallis, Loots Bosman and Herschelle Gibbs all fell to extravagant shots outside off, while Mark Boucher was run out. Zaheer bowled an outstanding first spell – his figures read 7-4-9-3 – while Anil Kumble, back in the one-day side after 13 months, sustained the pressure with his typically impeccable control, conceding just 12 from his first eight overs. With most of the recognised batsmen back in the hutch, there was little more India could have hoped for after losing the toss.The South Africans, though, are well known for the depth in their batting, and Kemp, along with Shaun Pollock, slowly began the rescue mission. The pair added 60, which stabilised the innings and allowed Kemp to settle in before launching into that incredible onslaught. The Indians showed plenty of generosity in the field as well, offering Pollock and Kemp early chances – Dravid dropped a tough slip catch off Harbhajan Singh to reprieve Pollock, while Sachin Tendulkar quite shockingly missed a regulation caught-and-bowled when Kemp was on 9.Kemp had 13 on the board after 40 deliveries, but that was only the proverbial lull before an onslaught of quite scary proportions. Hitting cleanly through the line of the ball with meaty power and immaculate timing, Kemp had the Indians scurrying for cover as the complexion of the game changed in a trice. Whether it was pace or spin, Kemp backed himself, simply making room and hitting through the line of the ball, which kept disappearing high over long-on and long-off.Harbhajan felt the heat first, being tonked for a six and four off successive balls, before Kemp turned his attention to the faster bowlers. Irfan Pathan disappeared for two sixes and a four in an over – all blasted straight down the ground – while Zaheer took a fearful battering too, being clobbered for consecutive straight sixes. Kemp took most of the honours, but he received excellent support from Andrew Hall, who kept the momentum going with a quickfire 47-ball 56. The punch-drunk Indian bowlers threw in the towel – Pathan continually bowled length balls, while Zaheer’s attempt at yorkers regularly threw up full tosses. Both were meat and drink for Kemp and Hall, who added an amazing 76 in the five overs between 43 and 47.

Battered into submission in the field, the Indians needed a powerful start to have any chance, but Shaun Pollock snuffed those hopes with an impeccable new-ball spell in which he nailed Virender Sehwag, Tendulkar and Mohammad Kaif – Sehwag, for the umpteenth time, skied a cut to third man, while Tendulkar and Kaif both fell playing the pull.The only encouraging passage of play was when Dhoni joined Dravid and blasted four sixes on the way to an entertaining knock which briefly offered India a glimmer of hope. Enjoying the pace and bounce on the track, Dhoni clobbered Makhaya Ntini for six off the third ball he faced, and then continued in similar vein, adding 85 for the fifth wicket with Dravid at nearly a run a ball. Dhoni even had the pleasure of briefly giving Kemp a taste of his own medicine, carting him for a six to bring up his fifty, but when he fell soon after to a magnificent catch at the square-leg boundary, the match was as good as over. Dravid required treatment for dehydration and battled on to his 73rd ODI half-century, but he was only delaying the inevitable.