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The Pakistan Cricket Board has hired Greg Chappell, the former Australian captain, as a consultant to their national team and their cricket academy. According to sources in the PCB, Chappell has telephonically given his consent to accepting the offer, but the contract remains to be signed.As per the terms of the proposed contract, Chappell will have to set aside 30 days per year to work with the PCB. He will be required to deal with players from the national team, and perhaps even the national cricket academy as required.When Chappell was contacted at his Sydney residence he preferred to play it safe. “I don’t think it’s right to comment on this until the contracts are signed, sealed and delivered,” said Chappell. Meanwhile, a spokesman for the PCB has said that Daryl Foster, a bowling coach also from Australia, will have a similar contract with the PCB. He is set to take up his first on-site assignment by conducting a 16-day coaching camp from June 24 onwards. The board was also considering using the services of Barry Richards in a similar fashion.Foster has worked with the Pakistan team before while Chappell has been evolving his own brand of coaching, called Chappellway, over the last few years. He has also been coach of the South Australian team and has conducted various coaching seminars in India and Australia.

Bill Frindall, the statistician for the BBC’s and known as the Bearded Wonder, has been honoured with the MBE, on the occasion of the Queen’s birthday. Clare Connor, captain of the England Women’s team, was given the OBE for her services to women’s cricket.Frindall, who began working for the BBC in 1966, was surprised by the award. The BBC Sport website quoted him as saying, “It was a bit of a shock to find out I had been awarded an MBE but a nice shock. I’m absolutely chuffed. It’s a tremendous honour and one I never expected to get for doing my hobby and getting paid for it for 40 years. It’s an honour for all scorers across the land – that’s the most wonderful aspect of it.”The only other cricket statistician to have won the prestigious medal was WH Ferguson, the Australian who was handed a British Empire Medal in the 1950s. “I share the same initials as him and I found out he died in Bath,” said Frindall. He added with a tinge of humour, “My nearest hospital is in Bath but I hope I don’t follow him in this trend as well.”Frindall has also answered Radio Four listeners’ questions and BBC Sport website punters’ emails. His columns were titled `Ask the Bearded Wonder’ and were extremely popular with the cricketing community. Astonishingly, he not missed a single Test match in England since his BBC debut against West Indies at Old Trafford in 1966.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

How they were out

Four years on from the Ides of March that tormented Steve Waugh in Kolkata, India were at the receiving end of a rearguard action that is certain to go down in the annals. Kamral Akmal, who had suggested very little by way of batting ability in his previous ten Tests, thwarted India with a quite magnificent century as Pakistan batted with composure and comfort to ensure that the Mohali Test would end in a draw. But just as crucial as Akmal’s stroke-filled 109 was a revelatory innings of 71 from Abdul Razzaq, who eschewed his attacking instincts to defy the Indians for 346 minutes and 260 balls. Like Casanova doing penance in a monastery under an order of silence, Razzaq’s innings was remarkable for its focus, and it provided Akmal with a platform to play some glorious strokes.Akmal and Razzaq batted together for 56.1 overs, adding 184 and shutting India out of the game. By the time Inzamam called his players in – Rana Naved-ul-Hasan contributed a breezy 38 for good measure – India were left to score 293 to win in 25 overs. When play was called off nine overs early, with Sehwag (36) just having been stumped, they had reached 85, a million miles from the victory that had appeared inevitable in the morning.Pakistan had started the final day just 53 ahead and with only four wickets standing, but they sauntered unharmed through the opening session, adding 112 runs and suddenly glimpsing the safe shores of a draw. They were aided and abetted by a pallid Indian bowling performance that became ragged and indisciplined as the morning wore on.Having taken the new ball within six overs of the restart, India wasted it by failing to bowl the right channels and lengths. With the exception of Lakshmipathy Balaji, who beat the bat a few times with late movement, the bowlers failed to ask questions of the batsmen, who became increasingly comfortable and confident as the session wore on.Akmal, who started the day with the finest of tickles off the pads for four when Kumble strayed down the leg side, was sensational. Unfairly compared to Moin Khan – he’s a far more accomplished keeper – in the batting stakes, he chose the most vital innings of his nascent career to showcase his qualities. When he drove, it was with a flourish, and on the couple of occasions when he edged the ball, he went at it so hard that it made the slips redundant.Zaheer Khan, who combined some fine deliveries with hit-me balls, was cut and guided away for four to third man, while Kumble, who grew ever more frustrated, was late cut and driven with panache through the covers. At the other end, Razzaq was content to rotate the strike and strike the odd powerful blow when the mood took him. In desperation, Sourav Ganguly turned to Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar, but nothing worked and as the lead swelled past 150, the despair was visible on a few Indian faces.An over from Kumble a quarter of an hour before lunch encapsulated the morning. After Darrell Hair had mistakenly signaled four byes – the ball went off Akmal’s body – the next ball was slog-swept for four. And when Kumble tried to spear the next one towards leg stump, it evaded both the batsmen and the keeper to add to the byes column.It got no better after lunch with Zaheer bowling a whole succession of mindless short-pitched balls on a surface that was certainly no WACA. One of them hit Razzaq, but didn’t faze him a bit. A ball after Ganguly had put down a difficult chance running to deep mid-on off Kumble, Razzaq finally decided to free his arms and thump one a few miles over the fence at long-on. It was exhilarating stuff, and minutes later, there was more euphoria in the Pakistani dressing room as Akmal, who had progressed to 99 with the help of a fine leg-glance and a superb cut, smacked a cover-drive off Kumble to bring up three figures.Balaji, the only pace bowler to fathom the right length to bowl on this pitch, got him soon after, lofting one to Harbhajan at cover (427 for 7), but by then, the result was not in doubt. Razzaq’s vigil ended soon after, with the luckless Kumble finally inducing an edge through to Dravid – who overcame a recent bout of butterfingers to hold on at the third attempt.The game meandered after that, with Naved’s big-hitting and a few meaty blows from Sehwag having an exhibition air to them. For India, the sins of the third afternoon when they wasted time and run-scoring opportunities had come back to deservedly kick them in the teeth, and thoughts of victory songs were rudely dismissed by the brilliance and tenacity of two men who refused to accept that defeat was an option.How they were outIndia 2nd innings Stumped by yards while trying to feast on Younis Khan’s buffet bowling.Pakistan 2nd innings Drove a Balaji delivery straight to the substitute fielder at cover. Edged a legbreak to slip, where it was taken after a couple of fumbles. Brilliantly caught one-handed by Kumble diving to his left off his own bowling.

Australia 152 for 3 (Rolton 96*, K Blackwell 43*) beat England 151 for 7 (Edwards 42) by seven wickets
Scorecard

Karen Rolton produced a stunning allround performance, as Australia’s women finished their tour on a high with a seven-wicket victory in the one-off Twenty20 international at Taunton. Coming to the crease at a disastrous 6 for 3 in pursuit of England’s impressive 151 for 7, Rolton romped to an unbeaten 96 from just 53 balls, to seal victory with 14 balls of the match to spare.She was aided and abetted in her onslaught by Kate Blackwell, who opted not to mess around with victory in sight and hit the winning boundary to finish not out on 43, and deny Rolton a much-deserved century.The win followed hot on the heels of Australia’s series-clinching four-run win in yesterday’s fifth one-day international, and ensured that a host of Australian stars, including Belinda Clark, Lisa Keightley and Cathryn Fitzpatrick, completed their final tour of England on a high.Victory looked a long way off for Australia for much of the match. Laura Newton and Charlotte Edwards gave England the perfect start with an opening stand of 77, but Rolton then made the first of her interventions, picking up 2 for 13 in her last three overs to stifle England’s innings just when it seemed set to take off.Their total of 151 looked ample, however, once Katherine Brunt had got stuck in with the new ball. She took three wickets in quick succession as the top of the Australian order imploded, but Rolton soon made mincemeat of the rest of the attack to complete a memorable tour.

Pakistan International Airlines’ ambitions of winning their first Patron’s Trophy Championship title received a setback, as they finished the opening day of their match against Habib Bank on 167 for 7 at the Khan Research Laboratories Stadium.On a day when more than 32 overs were lost due to fading light, PIA struggled against the pace bowlers. With Faisal Iqbal joining the Pakistan squad for the third Test against India in Karachi, their batting resources appeared uncertain.Bazid Khan was handed over the captaincy in Faisal’s absence. But the two PIA batsmen who managed to score some runs yesterday were among their tried and tested veterans. Opener Ghulam Ali top-scored with 79 off 150 balls and hit 12 fours and a six.But four wickets fell with only 84 runs on the board. These included Pakistan batsman Yasir Hameed, returning after a bout of typhoid, Asif Mujtaba and Bazid. Ali was then joined by Mahmood Hamid for a 73-run stand for the fifth wicket. Mahmood’s 36 came off 65 balls with four fours. PIA then lost three more wickets for 10 runs.Like PIA, Habib Bank are also fielding with a depleted side. Hasan Raza, the captain, is not playing after injuring himself in the previous match. Also missing is Taufeeq Umar, the left-handed opener, and the team is being led by pace bowler Shahid Nazir. Shahid picked up 3 for 22 in 7.4 overs. Kamran Hussain, the left-arm fast bowler, took 2 for 25 from nine overs while Fahad Masood took one.Last season, PIA and Habib Bank had reached the final of the tournament which was rained-off, and the trophy had to be shared. Strangely, although PIA have been Pakistan’s national cricket champions on six occasions – having won the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy title – the Patron’s Trophy has somehow eluded them for the last 33 years. Habib Bank, on the other hand, have claimed this championship on a record seven occasions.National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), five-time champions, are playing against Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) at the Sheikhupura Stadium, but their final-round match now begins on Sunday. As they head the points table currently, a win for NBP would most probably keep them ahead of PIA on the basis of the net run-rate.

A special DVD marking England’s 3-0 Test series victory in the West Indies will be released in May. will feature over two hours of highlights from England’s Wisden Trophy triumph – the first time for 36 years that England have won a series in the West Indies.Highlights of this memorable series include matchwinning performances from Stephen Harmison, Graham Thorpe, Matthew Hoggard, Andrew Flintoff and Michael Vaughan. The release includes Harmison’s demolition of West Indies for their lowest-ever Test score (47 in Jamaica), Graham Thorpe’s invaluable knocks, Matthew Hoggard’s hat-trick, and the Antigua run-fest, which included Brian Lara’s new world-record score of 400 not out, and valuable centuries from Andy Flintoff and Michael Vaughan.This production is a DVD exclusive, and is Region 0 (viewable worldwide). The DVD is being produced by Green Umbrella, the sports specialists who are also releasing 400 not out – Brian Lara’s World Record Innings.Caribbean Calypso – West Indies 0 England 3
Running time: 130 mins approx
Release date: May 17, 2004
Publisher: Green Umbrella
Price: £14.99Customers can pre-order this DVD at Cricshop. An exclusive Cricinfo version of this release features a number of special DVD extras.Click here to order a copy from Cricshop

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

In contrast to yesterday, the fourth day of the SuperSport Series Final startedin overcast conditions that cleared into almost perfect weather. DaleBenkenstein, scoring 151, took the Dolphins into a very strong position with an excellent innings, mixing patience and aggression, after Doug Watson had done the initial groundwork with an innings of equal quality of 103.Dale Steyn got the Titans very excited in the early overcast conditions,but once the sun came out and the pitch flattened out the patience of theDolphins batsmen gained the upper hand. As the runs flowed fromBenkenstein’s bat, who also went past the 8,000 first-class career runs, theshoulders of the Titans dropped and crucial catches and fielding mistakesfollowed. Benkenstein gave chances on 88 and 140 but by then the damage hadbeen done. A run-a-ball 33 from Mornatau Hayward followed and the Titanswere 470 when Steyn took his fifth wicket to end the innings.With a target of 378 and the light failing quickly the Titans batted out thefinal 4.2 overs to end the day on 11 without loss and face a hard day at thecrease tomorrow on the fifth and final day.

Shane Warne, Hampshire’s captain, made clear his frustration over Kent’s lack of co-operation on the final day of the Championship match at The Rose Bowl.Warne, who is one of the most adventurous county captains, tried to agree a fourth-innings target with Robert Key after rain affected the first two days of the game.”There was a little bit of haggling going on but Keysy didn’t want to know,” said Warne. “We got down to 240 off 65 overs, but they still weren’t interested at all. If I was offered that I’d take it everywhere in the world – no matter what the ground was like – and there was a kiddies’ boundary out there as well.”In the end, Kent were left a far-from-demanding 225 in 48 overs after Warne declared Hampshire’s second innings on 176 for 6. That target was not agreed between the captains. In the end, bad light brought an early end to the match.Warne, however, was clearly irked. “I was disappointed that Kent weren’t really interested in anything – they wanted 60 overs to get 200. I thought we were the only side that really wanted to win the game. Right from ball one I thought they came here with the mentality, their body language and everything, to be very negative about the whole thing. I think they just wanted to come here and basically not lose.”This is not the first time that Warne has been less than impressed with Kent. Last September, he accused David Fulton, Key’s predecessor, of effectively handing Nottinghamshire the Championship title by agreeing to chase 420 at more than six an over. Nottinghamshire won the game, and with it the title, whereas any other result would have set up a decider against Hampshire.

Luke Pomersbach has been ruled out of Western Australia’s Pura Cup match against Victoria after being involved in a car accident on Sunday. Pomersbach is not in hospital but has been rested as a precaution as Western Australia’s medical staff wait for the results of scans to determine the extent of any injuries.The Warriors recalled Clint Heron to replace Pomersbach for the match starting on Thursday at Melbourne. However, Pomersbach could yet be deemed fit to play in next week’s Pura Cup game against South Australia. Western Australia also called on Danny McLauchlan, the uncapped left-arm fast bowler, to boost their attack at the MCG as Brett Dorey continues to recover from a toe injury.McLauchlan, 29, moved to Perth from Sydney at the start of the season in an effort to increase his chances of playing first-class cricket. His nine-wicket match for the Western Australia Second XI last week – including 6 for 111 in the second innings – came on the back of a solid season for his club Scarborough, where he has 42 wickets at 19.70.The Warriors also returned Shaun Marsh to their 12-man squad. The game is a vital one for both teams, with Victoria third and Western Australia fourth on the Pura Cup table and only one match remaining for each side after the MCG clash.Victoria have not yet named their line-up but they will be without Jon Moss, who suffered a thigh strain at training on Thursday and is unable to bowl for two weeks. Moss batted in the FR Cup final on Sunday but Greg Shipperd, the Victoria coach, said he would not be risked this week. “He’s an important part of our team so we can’t take any chances with him,” Shipperd said on the Bushrangers’ website.Western Australia squad Justin Langer (capt), Chris Rogers, David Bandy, Shaun Marsh, Marcus North, Adam Voges, Clint Heron, Luke Ronchi (wk), Aaron Heal, Steve Magoffin, Ben Edmondson, Danny McLauchlan.

England 256 for 9 dec and 112 (Arafat 5-31) beat PCB Patron’s XI 211 and 105 (Plunkett 4-16, Giles 4-38) by 52 runs
Scorecard

Ashley Giles and Liam Plunkett dug England out of a great big hole on the final day at Rawalpindi, grabbing four wickets apiece to seal a nervy 52-run victory. Having eased to 50 for 0 in pursuit of 158, the PCB Patron’s XI lost all ten wickets for 55 in the space of 23 overs. It was left to Shaun Udal to complete the formalities after tea, wrapping up the last two wickets to complete a satisfactory bowling workout ahead of the second warm-up match, which begins at Lahore later this week.If the bowlers could be happy with their efforts, however, the same could not be said of the batsmen. Had it not been for the efforts of Marcus Trescothick, who took his match tally to 162 not out with an unbeaten 38 in the second innings, England would have been unable to set the Patron’s XI even the smallest of targets. They had been braced for an embarrassment after resuming on 39 for 6 this morning, but an important eighth-wicket partnership of 56 between Trescothick and Paul Collingwood enabled England to muster a defendable total, and in the event it proved to be more than enough.Thanks to Duncan Fletcher’s pre-match arrangement that all 14 squad members could be used, England’s batting line-up extended way beyond the normal limits. Collingwood and Ian Bell were the overnight incumbents, and both were seeking a big innings to push their claims for a place in the first Test at Multan. Bell, however, cut a sorry figure as Yasir Arafat pinned him on the crease for 1. It was his second failure of the match and, allied to the pair he recorded at The Oval against Australia, it seems increasingly likely to condemn him to the also-rans for this series.The real revelation in this match, however, was Arafat, who completed the impressive match figures of 9 for 76. He hardly needed the assistance of his fielders in producing a performance that recalled the feats of the great Waqar Younis. Seven of his nine victims were bowled, one (Bell) was lbw, and only England’s No. 11, Matthew Hoggard, fell to a catch, at third slip, as he skewed an attempted drive. His two seasons with Scotland have reaped an unremarkable 37 wickets at 29.10, but two days against England could yet have propelled him into the eyes of the Pakistani selectors.

By tea, the Patron’s XI openers, Asher Zaidi and Yasir Hameed, had knocked off 13 of the 158 runs they needed for victory, and when Kevin Pietersen dropped a regulation clip to square-leg when Hameed was on 24, it seemed England would struggle to save face. The pair brought up their fifty partnership in the 14th over, but no sooner had they done so than Giles struck to change the course of the innings.Giles had missed the second day of the match with a stomach upset and had earlier recorded a second-ball duck as England subsided to the wiles of Arafat, but by grabbing two wickets in two balls he turned the Patron’s XI innings on its head. First Hameed clipped a firm chance to a juggling Andrew Strauss at midwicket, and then Giles came round the wicket to trap Bazid Khan first-ball with a quicker delivery (50 for 2).Plunkett entered the attack and sprayed a series of rapid deliveries on both sides of the wicket. But he got it right before the over was out, as Asher chipped a leading edge to James Anderson at mid-on. Three balls later, Asim Kamal flashed hard and was caught by Trescothick at second slip for a duck, and at 65 for 4, the innings was in freefall.Faisal Iqbal didn’t hang around, swishing a rising catch to wicketkeeper Matt Prior, before Giles persuaded Shahzad Malik to chop onto his stumps for 3. Khaled Latif then hoisted a mighty slog straight into the hands of Strauss in the covers, and when the becalmed Misbah-ul-Haq edged Plunkett to Trescothick in the slips for 14, their last recognised batsman had fallen. Plunkett reached tea with the impressive figures of 4 for 13 for five overs, and at 88 for 8, England were just about out of jail.Udal, who had not featured in the first two sessions, then appeared after tea to push his Test claims, and he used his opportunity well, ending the resistance long before the last two wickets could cause England any alarms. It was a mixed performance in a mishmash of a game, and England now travel to Lahore to team up with their two missing talismans, Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison. Perhaps their arrival, and a proper first-class match at Bagh-e-Jinnah, can concentrate a few minds in the England camp.