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Daniel Vettori has been handed the New Zealand Test captaincy but Stephen Fleming will continue as a Test player, ending speculation that he would join the Indian Cricket League (ICL). Fleming announced he is retiring from one-day cricket and hinted that the approaching New Zealand summer would be his last as a Test player.Vettori will take over the captaincy immediately, meaning he will be in charge for New Zealand’s two-Test tour of South Africa in November. Fleming quit the ODI leadership after New Zealand’s World Cup semi-final exit and Vettori was placed in control for the ICC World Twenty20. Fleming said he remained fully committed to New Zealand Cricket (NZC) but realised the time had come to depart from the ODI scene.”While I would have wished to remain captain of the Test team, I can also understand why the selectors prefer to have a single captain for the Test, one-day and Twenty20 teams,” Fleming said. “I hold Daniel Vettori in high regard and will support him fully in his transition as Test captain.”The tour to South Africa will be a real challenge. No New Zealand team has ever won a Test series there and I am looking forward to the tour. I shall continue playing Tests as long as I have the desire and skills required to contribute. However, it is likely that the coming New Zealand summer will be my last home series.”Justin Vaughan, NZC’s chief executive, said Fleming’s decision to graciously hand the reins to Vettori after a decade in charge was a measure of his character. “True leadership is more than just the title of captain,” Vaughan said.”Stephen is a true professional. He cares about the team and I am sure he will be a big help to Daniel and remain a leader within the Black Caps. It is likely that this will be Stephen’s last home season [in the Test team] and we will ensure that it is memorable and befits our greatest ever captain.”

Fleming, 34, has spent the New Zealand off-season playing county cricket for Nottinghamshire, where he had kept his silence amid rumours he would quit international cricket to captain a team in the ICL. His refusal to rule out such a move added to the speculation, but NZC said it would not release him or any other players from their central contracts to join the Indian group. His suggestion that 2007-08 could be his last season as a Test player leaves the door open for Fleming to join the ICL next year, if the league’s first tournament is a success.Fleming captained New Zealand in a record 80 Tests, which was streets ahead of their second longest-serving leader John Reid (34 Tests). Only Allan Border, with 93 matches in charge, led his country in more Tests than Fleming. His winning ratio of 35% put him marginally behind only Geoff Howarth at 36.66% as New Zealand’s most successful Test captain.He is also the only man to play 100 Tests for New Zealand and should add to his tally of 104 in South Africa later this year, at home against Bangladesh and England from January to March, and then on what could be a farewell tour of England next May and June. Fleming has not played a Test without the leadership since taking over from Lee Germon in February 1997.Initially Germon was out injured, allowing Fleming to become the youngest New Zealand Test captain, at 23 years and 319 days, but the incumbent never played another Test and Fleming’s ten-year reign had begun. At first he was criticised for being too laid-back in his decision-making, but eventually Fleming became respected as one of the best tacticians in the game.He led New Zealand on their memorable 1999 tour of England when they upset the hosts to win the Test series 2-1, and he also guided his side to a series win in the West Indies and respectable draws on tours of Australia and India.

Mark Thompson, the director general of the BBC, has said the corporation is considering bidding for the television rights when they next come up for tender in 2009. Last year, the ECB sold the rights to BSkyB who, from this year, hold an all-encompassing exclusive deal for the next four years.Thompson, who was appointed director general in 2004, believes the BBC “should look very closely at cricket again,” while refuelling the debate that the ECB’s asking price was too high.”I thought that the last round the amount the English cricket board were asking for the rights was very high [sic],” he told BBC Radio Five Live. “It’s a more specialist audience – it’s not as big, for example, for live Premiership football.”We have to think about value. If you buy one thing, you can’t buy another so what you’re trying to do when you’re thinking about the portfolio of rights is what’s your priority.”The decision to sell the rights to BSkyB caused an uproar among supporters and even in government. John Grogan, a Labour MP, tabled an early-day motion in the House of Commons calling for home Test matches to be returned to free-to-air TV. And lobbyists, notably Keep Cricket Free, campaigned for the decision to be overturned.Last November it was revealed that the BBC did attempt to reach a deal with the ECB by pushing for a “dip in dip out” basis; their proposal was to show shortened portions of the day’s play allowing Sky to retain their ball-by-ball live coverage. However, as Thompson concedes, the limiting factor was the money involved.”It depends not just on the choice of the sport, he said, “but also on how much it’s going to cost.”

Marcus Trescothick has declared himself unavailable for September’s Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa as well as England’s winter tours of Sri Lanka and New Zealand.Trescothick hasn’t played for England since pulling out of the Ashes tour of Australia last November with a recurrence of the stress-related illness which dogged him throughout last year. And although he said two weeks ago was “delighted to be named in the [Twenty20] squad”, he insists he has not yet sufficiently recovered to give England his all – in South Africa for the Twenty20 World Championship, or for England’s other two tours.”Whilst I have been enjoying my cricket for Somerset this summer and feel that I am making good progress, I need to ensure that I am completely ready for a return to international cricket before making myself available for selection,” Trescothick said. “I recently informed the selectors that I was happy to be included in the 30-man squad for the Twenty20 World Cup to leave all options open but I am now clear that I should take more time to complete my recovery. I still have ambitions to play for England.”The Twenty20 World Championship had appeared to be the perfect halfway house for Trescothick’s comeback. Such a short tournament it would, as Trescothick himself admitted two weeks ago, have acted “as a way of testing myself in an international environment abroad”. And though disappointed, the England chairman of selectors, David Graveney, insists that Trescothick has made the right decision.”The selectors have been acutely conscious that it would be counter-productive to try to rush Marcus back into international action before he was ready,” Graveney said. “We appreciate the fact that Marcus has alerted us at the earliest opportunity of his decision which will avoid there being any disruption to the team’s one-day planning processes.”Marcus has proved himself to be a very special talent on the international stage and we look forward to his making himself available again for England when the time is right and to his pushing his case for selection through his performances for Somerset.”

Michael Clarke has vowed not to look too far ahead after his short-term Test future was sealed with Damien Martyn’s sudden retirement. A century at Adelaide not only showed Clarke was ready for an extended stint in the side, but it also led to Martyn walking away from the game mid-series.The men are close friends and have exchanged text messages since Martyn’s decision, a move Clarke believed opened a spot for him during the third Test at Perth from Thursday. “If Watto [Shane Watson] was fit for this game, I still would’ve assumed I would’ve been the one to go,” Clarke said in the . “Marto’s performances have been outstanding over a long period of time. A player of that class is always going to come good.”With Marto retiring, I guess there are spots there. But I’ve got to focus on continuing to score runs. I feel like I’m batting pretty well and my goal is just to focus on that – one ball at a time, not look too far ahead – because as I’ve seen before it can all be taken away from you very quickly.”Clarke fell away after two brilliant centuries in his first month in the Test arena in 2004 and had to fight his way back. He has batted at No. 6 in the opening two games of the current series and does not expect a move to No. 4, where he sat for a couple of games when Martyn was dropped after the previous Ashes.”I haven’t spoken to anyone but I’d assume I wouldn’t go back [to No. 4],” he said. “I don’t even really want to think about it. In my opinion, Huss [Michael Hussey] is batting that well it makes sense for him to go to No. 4. I’m rapt just to be in the team at the moment given that a few games ago I was playing for New South Wales. It’s slow and steady for me now.”Clarke said he hoped “it’s not my fault” Martyn retired. “Marto made that decision because he did what he thought was best,” Clarke said in . “Now this gives us the chance to continue our friendship outside cricket, I guess.”He’s a great mate of mine and I’m not going to get the chance to play international cricket with him anymore. I’m the first guy to congratulate Marto on every single thing that he has achieved. He’s helped me a lot. He’s a very close mate.”

Michael Vaughan has again indicated that he has not ruled out a return to the England side during the forthcoming Ashes series.It has generally been accepted that Vaughan, who has not played an international for almost a year because of a long-standing knee injury, would not be fit until the one-day series which follows the Ashes at the earliest. But in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, he said that there is still “a small window of opportunity” that he might be ready for the final Tests at Melbourne and Sydney.Vaughan will join the Academy side in Perth when the series gets underway. “Everything would have to go between now and then, but it’s in my mind,” he said. “I would have to stay fit, and it would also depend on the state of the series and how the England management are thinking. But it’s definitely what I am aiming for and definitely a target.”But England’s chairman of selectors, David Graveney, told BBC Sport that talk of Vaughan’s return was premature. “We know his rehab is going well and that’s great news but there is a lot of water to go under the bridge,” he said. “He still hasn’t had a bat. He is running but he hasn’t twisted or turned on the knee.”Vaughan hasn’t held a bat since his last operation in July, although he is taking part in golf’s Dunhill Links Championship this weekend as a “mental break” from his rehabilitation. “I wouldn’t play golf if it would in any way jeopardise my knee. I’ve done a few straight-line sprints. I began running three weeks ago and hope to start batting in a couple of weeks.”The twisting and turning and fielding will be the real test,” he admitted. “The next month or so will confirm if it is progressing well or if we will have to take a bit of a backward step.”My knee aches but it was sore throughout the whole of the Ashes and there were many injections,” he added. “But I am getting good feelings. There is not that give-way sensation … nothing of the jerking feeling.”Vaughan will undergo another scan in a fortnight, and a date for his departure for Perth will be agreed then. While out there, he will combine playing cricket with fitness training.

The grand final between the two teams commenced amidst a packed house. The spectators must have enjoyed every minute of the game, but the result was one sided. Though it was unusual for Pakistan to surrender, they did so today.Bating first South Africa did not have a promising start losing 2 wickets for only 29 runs on the board. Gary Kirsten and Nicky Boje later succeeded in picking up the score and raising it to 70 in 15 overs, when the game was suspended on account of rain.On resumption the match was reduced to 35 overs each, thus prompting the players to score fast. As a result 40 runs were added in 5 overs. The rate of scoring going up created lot of excitement for the spectators. South Africa lost 3 wickets for 126 with Gary Kirsten having scored a marvelous 62 and Nicky Boje hoisting 50 in 36 deliveries.With full consideration of the reduced innings South Africa was trying to score the maximum runs. The batsmen at the crease were hitting all over the ground with a grand exhibition of slogging too. Pakistan’s poor fielding enabled them to pile up runs. Having survived a lot of chances, the Proteas were 152 for 6, eventually ending up the innings at 197 for 7. Daryll Cullinan remained unbeaten with a valuable contribution of 31 runs. Kabir Khan and Abdur Razzaq claimed 2 wickets each.Though the Proteas had scored 197 runs, the Umpires gave Pakistan a target of 215 runs in 35 overs to win. With a rain soaked pitch and wet atmosphere it was not an easy target.Pakistan opened with Imran Nazir and Saleem Elahi and lost the 1st wicket at 7, when Imran Nazir was out. He was followed on his trail by Yousuf Youhana rendering Pakistan to 33 for 2. Saleem Elahi who showed some courage to stay was trapped LBW for a useful 26 bringing down Pakistan to 44 for 3.All hopes now rested on the great pair of Saeed Anwar and Ijaz Ahmed but a good bowling – fielding combination of the Proteas did not let them flourish. Saeed Anwar was out after scoring a brilliant 24, while Abdur Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood followed him quick reducing Pakistan to a miserable 76 for 6.With the mountain of a target ahead, the players had lost heart and the spirit to fight. Ijaz Ahmed was the only batsman capable of pulling the team out of crisis but it was not a one man’s job. He was out after scoring a valuable 31 rendering Pakistan to 102 for 7. Rest was the matter of time. With no intentions to fight, the whole team was out for 121 runs in 28 overs.South Africa thus defeated Pakistan by 93 runs to win the Trophy. For his excellent all round performance Nicky Boje was declared Man of the Match.It was a very poor display of cricket by Pakistan. The players some how, did not have their heart in the game. Contrary to their previous performance they lacked the fighting spirit. South Africa certainly deserved to win. They gave a masterly performance to cause Pakistan’s demolition in less than the lesser quota of overs. Well done Proteas.

John Wright has given England some Ashes series advice by telling them not to let the Australians know if they are overawed. Wright was in charge of India’s drawn series with Australia in 2003-04 and he has used his new book John Wright’s Indian Summers to outline his successful plan, which was initially devised from his time as a New Zealand opening batsman in the 1980s.”You don’t look up to them, you look down on them – if you give any hint of being overawed you are gone,” Wright told the India team as he stood on a chair to deliver his series address. “The players looked up at me with bemused expressions probably wondering if I planned to jump or fly.” The tactic worked as Sourav Ganguly guided India to a 1-1 result in Steve Waugh’s final series, although Australia gained revenge with a 2-1 win on their tour in 2004.Wright told The Courier-Mail the New Zealand teams of the 1980s just stood and watched the “guys in green and gold track suits”. “As soon as you start doing that you are losing the battle,” he said. Despite the attitude to their opponents, New Zealand won four of 16 Tests between the teams in the decade and beat Australia in consecutive home-and-away series in 1985-86.Wright, who scored two hundreds and averaged 38.69 in 19 Tests against Australia, told the paper touring teams also had to accept they would be targeted by the media. “It’s so predictable it really should be on the itinerary,” he said. “Some well-known ex-players start to talk then one of the current team chips in with his view. Depending on your view it’s either psychological warfare, cheap pointscoring or the same old bullshit. We were never intimidated in that series [in 2003-04], which is the key to playing in Australia.”England showed in the first session of the 2005 Ashes series that they would not be overawed, with their fast bowlers striking Hayden, Langer and Ponting. Despite losing the opening Test, the side recovered to seal a 2-1 victory that set up a thrilling rematch that starts at the Gabba in November.

Gloucestershire have admitted they are interested in bringing New Zealand’s batsman Hamish Marshall to the county next season.Marshall has recently established himself in the Kiwis side and averages 48.58 in Tests. “He’s someone we’re interested in,” Tom Richardson, Gloucestershire’s chief executive, told Cricinfo. “We wanted to bring him in last season as an overseas replacement and he was very keen but it didn’t quite fit his schedule with New Zealand.”Gloucestershire were relegated from the top tier of the County Championship last year, and they are keen to add strength to their batting as they look to bounce straight back. “We’re looking for a top-order batsmen who can bring real quality to the county,” said Richardson. “We believe someone like Marshall would be a huge benefit on and off the field and is the kind of man who can enthuse our younger players.”

Scorecard

Bermuda virtually guaranteed themselves a place in the ICC Intercontinental Cup semi-finals when they wrapped up an innings-and-105-run victory over Cayman Islands in Toronto.Canada need to score more than 575 inside 90 overs against Cayman Islands later this week and then bowl them out twice if Bermuda are to be denied. But weather forecasters expect heavy rains in the Toronto area from Hurricane Katrina, and if correct that match could be a complete washout.It took Bermuda a little over an hour to polish of Caymans. Resuming on 50 for 4, they had little answer to Dwayne Leverock who took five of the six wickets to fall, finishing with 6 for 16 and match figures of 11 for 72. Despite that, Clay Smith was named Man of the Match for his first-innings hundred.Bermuda, barring miracles from Canada, will meet Kenya in Namibia in October. The other semi-final will be between Ireland and United Arab Emirates.

Sri Lanka will finish their two-Test tour of New Zealand in April, after the original trip was cancelled following the Boxing Day tsunami. Martin Snedden, the chief executive of New Zealand Cricket, said he was also working to reschedule the four one-day matches that were abandoned when the Sri Lankan squad returned home to assist with their nation’s recovery.The Tests will begin on April 4 and April 11, and the venues are expected to be confirmed in two weeks. “The climatic conditions in early April are normally similar to those in March,” said Snedden, “and we are confident that Test cricket can be played at that time of year.”Shane Warne, who played his first one-day international since December 2002 last night, will captain a FICA World XI in three limited-overs matches against New Zealand in a hastily arranged replacement series to raise money for the tsunami victims. Warne will be joined by Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya and Andy Flower at Christchurch on January 22, Wellington on January 24 and Hamilton on January 26.Warne has also refused to shut the door on a possible one-day return after he showed his value in the limited-overs arena during the charity match. “I definitely enjoyed it,” he told ABC Online. “It’s something I speak to Ricky [Ponting] about a fair bit and chat about it, but at this stage I’m still retired. But I do enjoy playing it and who knows, down the track, you never know.”Snedden said that NZC hoped to break even from the series, or to run at a manageable loss. “It will be expensive to hold, but the benefits for the home cricket season and the Black Caps, as well as those who benefit from our fund-raising activities, will make the series more than worthwhile. The series is an important initiative.” Snedden said funds from the matches would go to World Vision and Sri Lanka’s Cricket-Aid, which is providing emergency relief for the homeless.FICA World XIsGame 1 Shane Warne (capt), Andy Flower, Ian Harvey, Graeme Hick, Sanath Jayasuriya, Lance Klusener, Nick Knight, Muttiah Muralitharan, Jonty Rhodes, Kumar Sangakkara, Heath Streak, Chaminda Vaas.Game 2 Shane Warne (capt), Andy Bichel, Matthew Elliott, Andy Flower, Ian Harvey, Graeme Hick, Sanath Jayasuriya, Lance Klusener, Nick Knight, Muttiah Muralitharan, Jonty Rhodes, Kumar Sangakkara, Heath Streak, Chaminda Vaas.Game 3 Shane Warne (capt), Michael Bevan, Andy Bichel, Matthew Elliott, Andy Flower, Ian Harvey, Graeme Hick, Sanath Jayasuriya, Justin Langer, Muttiah Muralitharan, Jonty Rhodes, Kumar Sangakkara, Heath Streak, Chaminda Vaas.