Herschelle Gibbs, the South Africa opener, will miss the opening game of the Champions Trophy against Sri Lanka on September 22 because of a rib injury but is likely to recover in time for the rest of the games.
Gibbs picked up the injury during the warm-up game against West Indies on Friday after he took evasive action at the non-striker's end to avoid a straight drive from Graeme Smith. He retired hurt after scoring a 40-ball 38.
"Herschelle suffered a minor rib and intercostal injury in the warm-up match against the West Indies at Potchefstroom on Friday," Brandon Jackson, the South African physiotherapist said.
"We will reassess his position after Tuesday's match with the aim of getting him back on the field either for the New Zealand match on Thursday or the one against England next Sunday."
Andrew Flintoff will help coach the UAE national team while he recovers from his latest operation in Dubai.
His agent, Andrew "Chubby" Chandler, told The Times the work was part of a deal struck with Dubai Sports City where Flintoff will undertake treatment in the coming months. The arrangement will be informal and he will not have an official role.
"A partnership has been agreed to use their gym and facilities as a base for his rehabilitation," Chandler said. "I believe he will be one of the first people to use them. In return he will be carrying out some coaching for the UAE national team over the next six months. There's been good growth in UAE cricket in the last few years and Andrew felt that he wanted to give something back."
Chandler also revealed Flintoff's children had already started at a local school and the family were on the hunt for permanent accommodation.
Flintoff's decision will come as a boost to the UAE, which is among the leading Associate sides and which will host the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers later this year.
The ICC's prestigious annual awards appears to have run into a controversy with several high-profile figures from South Africa, including Gerald Majola, the national cricket board's chief executive, criticising the final selection process for not including a single South African player. Majola questioned the credibility of the awards - which will be presented in Johannesburg on October 1 - and said it appeared to him that the only way to get on the shortlist was to play the Ashes.
Majola's views have been echoed by Mickey Arthur, the South Africa coach, who said the "very disappointing" nominations shortlist would motivate his players to perform better in the ICC Champions Trophy starting on September 22. Allan Donald, the former South Africa fast bowler and a member of the awards voting panel, admitted that he was surprised by the shortlist. Journalist Neil Manthorp, the only other South African on the 25-member panel, wrote that the honour of being on that jury had turned into an embarrassment. Cricinfo has also received angry emails from readers complaining about the omissions.
When contacted, an ICC spokesperson said that the awards nomination "is a completely independent process in which the ICC has no say whatsoever".
"To me, it looks like the only way to get on these nomination lists is to play the Ashes," Majola told Cricinfo. "Unfortunately, our players don't play for England or Australia. That seems to be the criteria to select these awards. I don't know what the criteria are for these nominations but I simply can't believe that this has happened to South African players. My personal opinion is that this doesn't lend credibility to this year's awards, for sure. To rub salt to our wounds, the awards ceremony is being held in our country.
"I am totally dismayed and disappointed. The last season was one of the best ever for South Africa and there were a lot of outstanding performances by our players. In my personal opinion, there were at least three South African players who should have figured on the shortlist. But I am not going to name them because I don't want to drag our players into this issue when they are preparing for the Champions Trophy. I haven't spoken to them about this either."
Donald revealed that he had nominated two South African players for the shortlist. "But I am surprised to see that there is no one from South Africa in the final list," he told Cricinfo.
The long list of nominations for the individual awards was prepared by a five-member ICC panel headed by Clive Lloyd, the ICC's cricket committee chairman, and including Anil Kumble, Mudassar Nazar, Bob Taylor and Stephen Fleming. The performance period taken into account was August 13, 2008 to August 24, 2009. This list was then sent to the ICC's independent panel of 25 members - including two South Africans, Allan Donald and Manthorp - to vote for the shortlist of the top four contenders in each category.
The independent panel included former players Ian Healy, Ramiz Raja, Athar Ali Khan, Allan Donald, Bob Willis, Sidath Wettimuny, Srinivas Venkataraghavan, Ian Bishop, Jeremy Coney, Dave Houghton, Roland Lefebvre. The media was represented by Jim Maxwell (Aus), Osman Samiuddin (Cricinfo's Pakistan editor), Sayeed Uzzaman (Ban), Neil Manthorp (SA), Scyld Berry (Eng), Ramil Abeynaike (SL), Sharda Ugra (Ind), Fazeer Mohammed (WI), Richard Boock (NZ), Enock Nuchinjo (Zim) and Jon Coates (Associates). The officials were ICC referees elite panel representative: Alan Hurst; ICC umpires elite panel representative: Billy Bowden and chairman of the ICC cricket committee: Clive Lloyd.
While the shortlist was announced on Tuesday, the category winners will be known only on awards night. The votes have already been collated by Ernst and Young, who acted as independent auditors.
South Africa are currently the No. 1 Test and ODI team on the ICC rankings and the long list, reflecting this, featured four South African players. Graeme Smith, who led his team to their first Test series win ever in Australia, and AB deVilliers, who hit two match-winning centuries against Australia - one of them set up that historic away series win - were nominated for Cricketer of the Year and Test Player of the Year; Dale Steyn, who was ICC's Test Player of the Year in 2008, also featured on the long list for the best Test player; and Wayne Parnell, the left-arm fast bowler, was nominated for the best Twenty20 International Performance of the year.
None of them made it to the final four in their categories.
Writing on the SuperSport website, Manthorp said the fault lay not with the ICC but with the system used for determining the award winners. The 25-member panel has to select the final nominees from a dozen or more names on the long list, which, he said, was simply too time-consuming to be done thoroughly. There were "plenty of Proteas" on the long list, he said, but not having played for three months meant they were "out of sight and out of mind."
Andrew Strauss, the England captain, and Mitchell Johnson, the Australian fast bowler, figure in both the shortlists (of four players each) for Cricketer of the Year and Test Player of the Year. MS Dhoni, the India captain and Gautam Gambhir, the India opener, are the other shortlisted nominees for Cricketer of the Year; Gambhir and Thilan Samaraweera, the Sri Lankan batsman, are also in the race for the best Test player.
However, South African players can still be part of the awards night by featuring in the best Test and ODI teams for the last year that will be announced at the ceremony. Smith, for instance, was named captain of the best Test selection last time in a team that also featured Jacques Kallis and Steyn. Herchelle Gibbs was part of the best ODI selection last year.
Tim Paine's maiden one-day international century and two spectacular, direct-hit run-outs from Ricky Ponting sent England tumbling to their third heaviest all-time home defeat and a sixth consecutive loss to Australia. In a thoroughly dispiriting display, England were bundled out for 185 in pursuit of the tourists' 296 for 8, allowing the Australians a chance at an unprecedented seven-game series whitewash and moving them into a first-place tie with South Africa atop the ODI rankings.
England seemed resigned to another punishing outing when Paine and Michael Hussey combined for Australia's highest third-wicket partnership (163) in limited overs matches against England. That sentiment was mercilessly driven home when Ponting capitalised on the confused states of mind of England's middle order to gun down Matt Prior and Ravi Bopara during the fielding Powerplay; dismissals from which they would never rebound.
England's run-chase began disastrously when Andrew Strauss was incorrectly ruled out for the second successive match by Asad Rauf, but the hosts had only themselves to blame thereafter. Prior was caught off-guard at the non-striker's end by a sublime Ponting turn-and-throw at extra cover, while another mix-up from the combustible duo of Owais Shah and Bopara led to the latter's demise six balls later. Bopara's departure rounded out a depressing sequence in which England lost three top-order wicket for 15 runs in the space of 26 deliveries, and when Eoin Morgan fell with the England total on 100, another home defeat seemed assured.
The 111-run loss was England's heaviest home defeat in eight years, and 11th worst in their 517-game ODI history. It was, by some distance, the nadir of England's already lamentable series, and will prompt much soul-searching barely a week out from their Champions Trophy opener against Sri Lanka.
Earlier, Paine and Hussey posted Australia's highest third-wicket partnership against England to lead the tourists to a near run-a-ball total from their 50 overs. Paine notched his maiden one-day international century in just his seventh match, while Hussey blasted a brisk 65 as part of a 163-run stand that eclipsed the previous record set by David Boon and Allan Border in Sharjah 22 years ago.
Australia's prospects of a sixth consecutive victory over England were significantly boosted by the contributions of Paine and Hussey, although James Anderson (4 for 55) ensured the tourists did not have it all their own way. Anderson, clearly rejuvenated after his enforced two-match break, removed Shane Watson and Ponting early and bowled Callum Ferguson with the first delivery of his third spell to apply a degree of restraint to Australia's total.
But the afternoon belonged to Paine. Called in as a late replacement for the injured Brad Haddin, the wicketkeeper-batsman displayed temperament far beyond that of a man playing just his third week of one-day international cricket during a 148-ball innings of 111. He batted methodically in the tense, early exchanges, relying on cover and square drives for the bulk of his runs before expanding his repertoire to include a deft reverse sweep off Graeme Swann and a series of well-struck cut-shots. Patience and placement were his major weapons, although Paine did dip into the power reserves on occasion, most notably when he dispatched a Dimitri Mascarenhas slower ball over the long-off rope.
Paine was ably supported by Hussey, who operated on a higher gear to his younger partner throughout his 69-ball stint in the middle. Hussey weathered a testing period early before hitting the accelerator to bring the previously subdued Trent Bridge crowd to life. Glides behind square were complemented by withering blows in front of the wicket - his sixes of Ryan Sidebottom and Mascarenhas a highlight - as Australia's third-wicket partnership swelled to 163.
Hussey's dismissal to Swann sparked a nervous period for the tourists during which they lost 3 for 17 in 24 deliveries. However, a late surge from James Hopes (38 off 22 balls) and Cameron White (35 off 23) allowed the Australians to take 54 runs from their final Powerplay. The pair combined for a sixth-wicket stand of 53 from 27 deliveries.
Ricky Ponting has already suffered the ignominy of surrendering the No. 1 Test ranking on this tour, but his final week in England may yet witness Australia's return to the summit of the 50-over game. Ponting produced his highest ever ODI total against England - a breathtaking innings of 126 from 109 deliveries - that provided the platform from which Australia launched a successful assault on England's intimidating first innings total of 299.
Nothing short of a 7-0 series whitewash will allow Australia to usurp the top-ranked South Africans entering the Champions Trophy, and Ponting's 27th career ODI century delivered them to within two wins of the feat. Australia's fifth consecutive victory over England was sealed when Mitchell Johnson blasted Ryan Sidebottom for a straight six with four wickets in hand and 10 balls remaining, however it was the imperious batting of Ponting that will be remembered as the tide-turner.
The designated rest period has clearly done Ponting no harm. From the outset, his was an innings of sublime timing and intimidating power that England's bowlers could do little to repel. At one point, Ponting cuffed a Sidebottom delivery over the press box, but his most entertaining sequence came when he pounded consecutive sixes off Adil Rashid, who had the dubious honour of taking the second ball.
Ponting's only moment of trepidation came on 35 when, facing Dimitri Mascarenhas, Matt Prior removed the bails with his foot in motion behind the crease. The third umpire, Nigel Llong, found in his favour, however, allowing Ponting to resume his third-wicket stand with Michael Clarke, which produced 123-runs.
The Australians suffered a pair of setbacks when Tim Bresnan removed Tim Paine and Shane Watson, the latter for a well-struck 36 from 34 deliveries. But their exits drew Ponting and Clarke to the centre, and both appeared in an ominous mood from the outset. While Ponting powered out of the blocks, Clarke began his innings watchfully before steadily accelerating as the evening progressed. His penchant for scoring runs this series has not been in question, although his ability to do so quickly has emerged as a discussion point, particularly with the Twenty20 captaincy up for grabs. A return of 52 from 64 balls might not have ended the debate, but it did represent a higher gear than those which he has operated on thus far in the series.
England were left to rue a poor fielding display that undid much of their earlier work with the bat. Australia's final pair of Cameron White (24 not out from 15 balls) and Johnson (18 not out from 12) were too often allowed charity runs in the closing overs, turning a potentially tense finale into a relatively docile stroll.
Earlier, Eoin Morgan's flashing blade propelled England to their highest total of the series, and with it their best chance yet of ending Australia's fortnight of dominance. Morgan's frenetic innings of 58 from 41 deliveries featured an array of dazzling strokes, including powerful sixes to bring up England's 200 and his own half-century.
England seemed set for another middle order stammer when Owais Shah departed in the 39th over with the total at 192 for 5, however Morgan's late-innings partnerships with Mascarenhas and Stuart Broad provided the hosts first with ballast, and later authority. The Dublin-born left-hander made his move between the 38th and 42nd overs during England's batting Powerplay, at which time the hosts advanced their total by 45 runs, then proceeded to frustrate the Australians with powerful and occasionally improvised strokeplay, such as his stunning reverse sweep to the boundary off Nathan Bracken.
Bracken exacted revenge with his next delivery, though not before Morgan, who was dropped on 38 by juggling Michael Hussey at deep square-leg, had accelerated to his highest one-day international score since shifting allegiances from Ireland. At the time of his departure in the 48th over, England were well on course for a competitive total, and when Rashid blasted three boundaries from Johnson's final over, a intimidating score was in the books.
England's middle-order resurgence may not have come in time to save the series, but it will provide team management with a sense of optimism ahead of the Champions Trophy. Too often England's batsmen have been contained and subsequently dismissed by Australia's bowlers over the past few weeks, but on an ideal batting surface the hosts managed a display befitting of an international-standard limited overs side.
The ghost of batting under the R Premadasa lights was almost buried tonight. Sachin Tendulkar's master class, an 86th international century which was not far from being his best, nearly became a footnote on a night of punches and counter-punches. Sri Lanka knew being ultra aggressive was the only way of going about this huge chase, and they counterattacked every time a wicket was lost. Thilina Kandamby, batting at No. 7, fell just short of pulling off a heist against India for the second time in his short career, as the early wickets had left him with too much to do.
Don't go by the 46-run margin. India's fielders and fast bowlers were rattled during the frenetic chase. It was their spinners, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh, who saved them the embarrassment. They took critical wickets at critical points and Raina's dismissal of Chamara Kapugedera in the 43rd over, with 68 runs and the batting Powerplay to go, proved to be the decisive blow. A pumped-up Harbhajan then finished off what he started, dismissing the last three batsmen in a hurry. He had earlier taken two wickets in the eighth and 10th over of the innings to rein in an explosive start to the chase.
When Harbhajan came in for his first spell, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya had jolted the Indian team out of a dream afternoon. Sixty runs were scored in seven overs and all three fast bowlers were clueless. Harbhajan's first over, then, was a masterpiece. With a slip and leg slip in place, and a strong on-side field, he invited Dilshan to take the risk and hit through the off side. Dilshan took the bait - he didn't have many choices - got one boundary through cover, and was bowled the next ball.
In his next over, Harbhajan got Mahela Jayawardene with a doosra, and India were on all-out attack. Three more bowlers took wickets in the first over of new spells, but failed to bring Sri Lanka's run-rate down, which was helped by Thilan Thushara's pinch-hitting. But after they lost the fifth wicket, Kumar Sangakkara and Kandamby settled in for longer innings.
Sangakkara was unfortunate when his bat slipped out of his hand and landed on the top of the stumps in the 28th over. With four wickets left, and 138 to get, it seemed over but Kandamby and Kapugedera had other ideas. They didn't panic, kept the singles and the odd boundaries coming, and were helped by sloppy fielding - India missed at least two run-outs and an easy catch.
With 80 required in the last 10 overs, five of which would be bowled under field restrictions, India relied on the spinners. Raina and Yuvraj gave nine runs in Nos. 41 and 42 and, in the 43rd, Raina got the ambitious shot out of Kapugedera, ending a 70-run stand in 15 overs. Harbhajan then came on to finish his third five-for in ODIs.
The beauty of the chase was that it overshadowed a classy knock by Tendulkar, who rolled back the years, and then some more. He stroked, ran and yearned for runs like it was the 1990s, but unlike those days he didn't need to take any risks on the way to setting what looked like a total safe beyond doubt.
This was Tendulkar's ninth international century since May 2007, to go with seven scores in the 90s. Judging by this form, 100 international hundreds have become a distinct possibility. A measure of the bowlers' helplessness lay in the fact that the first time he hit a ball in the air was to reach his fifty, that too off a free hit. With Tendulkar batting the way he was, who needed aerial shots?
He shared valuable partnerships with Rahul Dravid, Dhoni and Yuvraj, especially crucial being the one with Dravid. Tendulkar and Dravid, 73 years and 762 ODI caps (before this match) between them, took charge of what has looked a shaky batting line-up: their 95-run opening stand took them to No. 6 on the all-time partnership aggregates in ODIs. Tendulkar you simply couldn't take your eye off. Albeit on a flat track, Tendulkar and Dravid were prepared to work hard in sapping conditions, their shirts turning to dark blue with sweat even before the shine went off the white ball.
Nuwan Kulasekera and Thilan Thushara didn't serve up loose half-volleys or long hops; Tendulkar had to work for every forceful shot. The first ball he faced he punched sweetly off his toes, wide of mid-off for three. In the fourth over, he took a similar delivery and wristed it wide of mid-on for three. We were on to something.
A string of lovely boundaries followed, the best being the punches through a tight cover ring, and the late flicks from off and middle stump to midwicket and cow corner. After Dravid's dismissal, Tendulkar added 110 with Dhoni, who kept the tempo up.
By then Tendulkar had started taking the odd chance, stepping out, making room, and hitting Jayasuriya and Mendis over extra cover. One such shot off Mendis, in the 29th over, took him into his 90s and serenely, with ones and twos, came the hundred. After the hundred came the cramps, and when Tendulkar opted for a runner we were reminded for the first time it was in fact the year 2009.
Dravid came back to run, but Tendulkar did most of the calling. The bowlers showed no mercy, Malinga bowling a mix of bouncers and yorkers. Tendulkar's response was to hit Mendis for a six inside-out and reverse-sweep two boundaries in three balls. After he got out in the 46th over, trying one reverse-sweep too many, Yuvraj's big hitting got India 42 runs, which also proved crucial in the end.
Luke Wright is doubtful for the fifth one-day international against Australia after being injured by the bowling machine while practising at the National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough.
Wright was struck on the left toe while batting and required stitches. He will be assessed ahead of Tuesday's match at Trent Bridge before a decision is made on his availability.
England are currently trailing 4-0 in the series and facing the prospect of a whitewash. Wright has been given the role of trying to inject some life into the middle order, but his results have been mixed so far with scores of 38, 20, 9 and 12. However, he has an all-round job in the side and has taken three wickets in the series so his absence would leave England needing to cover two bases.
The squad is already depleted after Paul Collingwood and James Anderson were rested. Graeme Swann was omitted for the fourth ODI at Lord's, while Graham Onions is still awaiting his first one-day cap having been called up earlier in the series.
