Cricket

CAPE TOWN, (Reuters) – South Africa all-rounder  Jacques Kallis escaped unhurt after being involved in a car  crash on Tuesday.  

DUBLIN, Ireland, CMC – The Phil Simmons-coached Ireland have named their 22-man preliminary squad for next year’s Cricket World Cup, retaining a large chunk of the players who campaigned in the Caribbean showpiece three years ago.

DUBAI, (Reuters) – Prolific Indian batsman Sachin  Tendulkar has closed in on Kumar Sangakkara at the top of the  ICC test rankings and can overtake the Sri Lankan captain with  a good showing in the remaining two tests against South Africa.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Out-of-favour batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan has been named in a 30-man West Indies squad to prepare for next year’s Cricket World Cup in Asia, months after being axed for the tour of Sri Lanka and overlooked for a central retainer contract.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – For the second year running, the West Indies Cricket Board will incur significant financial losses in staging the Caribbean Twenty20 Championship, chief executive Ernest Hilaire has said.

SYDNEY, (Reuters) – Perfectionist Ryan Harris was   still not happy with his bowling despite ending England’s resistance to give Australia a comprehensive victory in the third Ashes test at the weekend.

CENTURION, South Africa, (Reuters) – South Africa  claimed India’s last two wickets in 35 deliveries to win the  first test by an innings and 25 runs on the final day at  Centurion yesterday.

SYDNEY, (Reuters) – Stability has been one of the   pillars on which England have built their success over the  last 18 months and it looks unlikely they will be panicked   into major changes despite the crushing third Ashes test defeat.

After starting close to two hours late the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) Champion of Champions tournament got underway with Eon ‘No Nonsense’ Bancroft stopping Rock Watson in the first round at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall last night.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Next month’s Caribbean Twenty20 Championship will be without the region’s three biggest stars but a high-ranking West Indies Cricket Board official believes their absence provides the opportunity for new exciting players to emerge.

MUMBAI, India, CMC –  Pre-tournament favourites India have named only two uncapped One-Day International players in a 30-man preliminary squad rolled out yesterday in preparation for next year’s Cricket World Cup.

PERTH (Reuters) – Mike Hussey produced a sparkling century before Australia’s pace bowlers destroyed England’s top order to push the hosts to the brink of a series-levelling victory on day three of third Ashes Test in Perth yesterday.

CENTURION, South Africa, (Reuters) – India will be batting to save the first Test today after a torrent of runs from Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers on day three put South Africa in a match winning position at Centurion.

Clyde Butts and his fellow selectors have received an early Christmas present.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Newly re-appointed Trinidad and Tobago cricket manager Omar Khan has vowed to return some measure of success to the national side, following a string of recent failures.

Four national women cricketers who have been selected to tour India with the West Indies women’s team early next year recently received a large monetary donation from the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA).

Jack Finglton, the Australian batsman of the 1930s and one of the most entertaining writers on the game, devoted a book to it and entitled it “The Greatest Test of All”.

The Umpire Decision Referral System (UDRS) could undergo further changes, but will never be perfect, the ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat has said.

CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh, (Reuters) – Opener  Tamim Iqbal hit a brilliant 95 to power Bangladesh to a  six-wicket win over Zimbabwe in fifth one-day international yesterday and a 3-1 victory in their five-match series.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago’s cricket chief has continued to throw his support behind new West Indies captain Darren Sammy.