Jayawardene hundred punishes India

Sri Lanka overcame the shaky start on the first day and resumed normal service, accumulating runs on the placid SSC pitch, and capitalised on reprieves to move into a position of strength. Mahela Jayawardene looked set from the moment his innings began shortly before stumps last evening and, by tea, he had scored a classy 105 and threatened to punish India severely for the opportunities they failed to take.

It was Jayawardene's ninth century at the SSC and he now shares the world record for most hundreds at a single venue with Don Bradman who made nine at the MCG. Jayawardene's has played his club cricket at the SSC and has scored over a quarter of his Test runs here: 2167 runs, another world record at a specific venue, in 20 Tests at an average of 83.34.

Jayawardene's century today was preceded by Malinda Warnapura's second hundred in his fifth Test. His was a more controlled performance: he was sure against the semi-new ball and his confidence grew as the ball got older.

Sri Lanka added 220 runs in two sessions today for the loss of only Warnapura. Their batsmen were rarely troubled and 55 turned out to be their lucky number. In the sixth over of the day, Zaheer Khan had Warnapura, on 55 at the time, caught and bowled off a marginal no-ball. His foot landed on the line and then just slid over. Jayawardene was also on 55 when a slider from Anil Kumble found the bottom edge. Dinesh Karthik, perhaps unsighted by the bat, couldn't hold on to the catch. On 93, Jayawardene was beaten comprehensively - a rare event given his form - by a legbreak from Kumble which might have taken a faint edge. Karthik once again couldn't gather it, and ended the debate right there.

Apart from those three chances, India's bowlers did not have much going for them. Two boundaries in the fifth over of the day summed up the medium-pacers' predicament. Jayawardene moved on to front foot against Ishant Sharma; the bowler consciously shortened the length but Jayawardene had enough time to transfer the weight on to the back foot and cut in front of point. He played an identical shot the next ball and the message was clear: economy might be the best form of attack once the ball lost its shine for the pitch absorbed the pace and offered only slow movement.

After Sri Lanka had scored 38 in the first six overs - Jayawardene contributing 23 -Kumble, the pick of the bowlers, brought himself on to replace Ishant. He conceded only 12 runs off his first 10 overs and India began to exercise some control over the run-flow. By tea, Kumble had bowled 22 overs for 47 runs and should have had Jayawardene at least once.

India's only wicket came in the post-lunch session when Harbhajan, from round the wicket, made Warnapura play at an offbreak and got the edge through to Rahul Dravid. Thilan Samaraweera nearly played on against Harbhajan early in his innings but he settled down and unobtrusively reached a half-century just before the tea break.

Zaheer came for a testing spell in the middle session, getting reverse swing from round the wicket. His stock ball remained the one headed for the pads but he got the odd one to swing away. He even managed to beat Jayawardene with the away-going delivery. By tea, India's medium-pacers had bowled 43 overs between them and that could be the reason that Kumble didn't take the new ball.

An awkward step in the right direction

The abolition of the presidential "veto" of national team selection is an enormous step in the right direction for South African cricket as it strives towards "normalisation" yet, as important as it is, it comes shackled to a couple of backward steps, as so often happens.

Current president Norman Arendse's misuse and even abuse of the power of veto has led to its abolition but the hand-wringing anxiety of the more political administrators to have a demographically representative national team has simply led them to meddle elsewhere.

Amongst the 12 recommendations made by Cricket South Africa's transformation review committee, tucked away at No.7 on the list, is the following: "In order to promote the principles of CSA's transformation policy, the selection panel should include black Africans."

South Africans are, perhaps, more used to career decisions being taken and made on the basis of race than any other nation on earth but, nonetheless, it still looks and feels mighty shabby to reserve a seat on the national selection panel for a "black African".

Does the absence of a black African mean that the white, Indian and Coloured selectors are all naturally predisposed to selecting only players of their own creed? Would a black selector be duty-bound to push only for the inclusion of black players?

Nobody, of course, will define exactly what constitutes a "black African" because South Africa's constitution theoretically protects us from bias and prejudice. As every visitor to South Africa knows, the population is - broadly speaking - divided into Black, Coloured, Indian and White. But the boundaries are blurred and it's only a matter of time before somebody is accused of not being black "enough" to be appointed to the "black" seat on the selection panel.

It happened all the time under apartheid - except back then the issue was not being white enough.

The intention, however, is decent and honourable. The fact that "black" player representation at international level has still to extend past a tiny number of players (Makhaya Ntini, Mfuneko Ngam, Loots Bosman, Thami Tsolekile and Thandi Tshabalala) is a source of deep concern, even embarrassment.

Artificial manipulation of selection with racial quotas has shown itself to work (albeit with some dreadfully sad casualties) at youth level but to attempt to do so at senior international level has routinely led to disaster. To attempt to do so at selection level, where international playing experience is desirable and an extended first-class career is vital, could be hideous.

To the rest of the cricket playing world South Africa's policy of righting the wrongs of the past may seem awkward and unnatural, but that's mostly because apartheid was wrong and unnatural. Nobody ever said there would be an easy solution but at least a solution is being sought.

Counties free to pick players - Pawar

Sharad Pawar, the BCCI president, has said that all teams participating in the proposed Champions League have the freedom to include players of their choice for the US$5 million multi-club Twenty20 tournament, even it means including players with ties to the unauthorized Indian Cricket League (ICL). But he placed the onus on letting such teams go through on the countries they represent and warned that the BCCI would then have the freedom to take its decision on the issue.

"This is not within the BCCI's jurisdiction," Pawar told Cricinfo. "They can do what they want . If any country takes any decision on this, they have every right to do so. They have the freedom to take a decision on the teams they choose to represent them (in the Champions League). But then, we also have the freedom to take our decision on the issue later."

Pawar's statement turns the spotlight firmly on the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), which is the only national board to have allowed players associated with the ICL to play in its domestic circuit. The ECB has permitted around 25 such cricketers to represent 15 of its 18 counties after it faced legal action from the ICL, which was backed by the country's strong trade laws that protect the rights of individuals. The Champions League, which is being powered by the BCCI, is expected to feature the top two Twenty20 domestic teams from India, England, Australia and South Africa. An ECB spokesperson had said last week that it would wait for the tournament rules to be finalised before taking a stand on the issue.

Asked to elaborate on the possibility of English county teams with ICL players qualifying for the Champions League, Pawar referred to the ICC's stand on the ICL and said that all countries "have been informed about it". The ICC has clarified that it would go by the BCCI's policy towards ICL. "The ICL is a domestic event that takes place in India so our rules prescribe that any decision as to whether an event be regarded as official or not must be made by the country that event is played in," Dave Richardson, the ICC's acting chief executive, said.

The BCCI has cut off all official links with players associated with the ICL, which was launched last year before the BCCI's high-profile Indian Premier League (IPL). Asked whether the BCCI would be more generous now, especially towards young Indian players in the ICL, Pawar said, "If anybody approaches us, we will consider their case."

Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman and prime mover behind the Champions League, had previously told Cricinfo that teams with players associated with ICL would not be invited for the tournament "under any circumstance". Cricket Australia is drawing up the competition's rules, which are expected to be finalised during the ICC annual conference in Dubai at the end of the month.

Pawar also said that despite the hugely successful IPL, Test cricket remains the BCCI's "first priority" and said that the Indian board would soon discuss the ICC's proposal to hold a Test championship. "The BCCI is definitely working for the future of Test cricket," Pawar said. "We are clear and confident that Test cricket has a future. We have digested one-day cricket, we have digested Twenty20, but the first preference is always Test cricket. My first preference is always Test cricket. We will discuss the Test championship proposal."

Dubai drops case against Asif

The case against Mohammad Asif, who was detained in Dubai on June 1 for suspected possession of an illegal substance, has been dropped by the Dubai public prosecutor and the fast bowler will be deported soon, according to a report in the Gulf News.

The report quoted the public prosecutor, Mohammad Al Nuaimi, as saying the case was being dropped due to "insignificance".

The Pakistan board issued a press release to confirm the case against Asif had been dropped. "The drug tests conducted on Asif during the investigations in Dubai were clear and negative for any contraband substance." However the board said it intended to conduct an enquiry in to the matter as soon as it received official records from the UAE authorities. Even if the PCB doesn't take action against Asif, it is likely the ICC might. They have been monitoring the situation and it is possible that Asif will face penalties under the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA), of which the ICC is a signatory, once he is released.

Aamir Bilal, media advisor to the PCB, told Cricinfo that Asif would be in Pakistan by midnight on June 20.

"He [Asif] will be deported as soon as the police finalise the procedures," Mohammad Al Nuaimi, the public prosecutor who handled Asif's case, told Gulf News. "It is definite that he committed the crime as he was caught red-handed ... however in certain cases and for a faster litigation process the Public Prosecution drops a case due to insignificance and deports the suspect."

Pakistan's ambassador to the UAE, Ahsanullah Khan, also confirmed to the BBC's Urdu service that Asif would return to Pakistan, but refused to specify the legal position on the charges of possession of contraband. He also said that the PCB and the Pakistan embassy had played a significant role in this matter.

Dave Richardson, the ICC's acting chief executive, had said that they had asked the PCB to keep them updated on the Asif issue. "As far as we know he has not been charged as yet," Richardson said. "But since the ICC is a signatory of WADA regulations if he is charged then he is liable to penalties under WADA code of conduct."

Injured Smith ruled out of IPL final

Graeme Smith, the Rajasthan Royals opener, has been ruled out of the final of the Indian Premier League because of a hamstring injury he sustained during the semi-final against Delhi Daredevils on Friday.

Smith was rested for Rajasthan's last two league games because he injured his hamstring against Chennai but returned to open the innings in the semi-final. However, he pulled up while running a single in the second over and continued batting with a runner, Mohammad Kaif. He was eventually dismissed for 25 off 21 balls as Rajasthan crushed Delhi by 105 runs.

"Smith has played a huge part in the team's success and we had gave him a couple of games off to recover from his hamstring injury [against Chennai]," Shane Warne, the Rajasthan captain, said. "Yesterday he was running around like an 18-year-old and said he had no problem at all. However, during the game [against Delhi] he tore his hamstring in different spot.

"Unfortunately, he [Smith] is out for tomorrow's game [final]. We have to make the big decision on who will open the innings with Swapnil [Asnodkar]. Younis Khan and Kamran Akmal come to my mind as being likely to open in the final."

Smith's injury is a blow to Rajasthan for he is their second-highest run-scorer with 441 at an average of 49. He also forged an attacking opening partnership with Swapnil Asnodkar - the pair average 59.71 at 8.96 per over, with two century stands.

Rajasthan are likely to pick Akmal, who has scored 122 runs in five innings at a strike-rate of 171.83, over Younis who has played just one game in the IPL so far. If Akmal does get the nod, he is likely to keep wicket instead of Mahesh Rawat, which could also open the door for Niraj Patel's return.

Rajasthan will take on the winner of the second semi-final between Chennai and Kings XI Punjab, which will take place on Saturday at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The final will be held on Sunday at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

Clarke sets up big Australia total

Michael Clarke continued his blistering form on the second morning, dashing West Indies' hopes of restricting Australia after they picked up a couple of early wickets. Australia went to lunch at 360 for 5 with Clarke on 85 and Brad Haddin on 33, and the hosts were running out options with a five-man pace attack on a dead, flat pitch.

Clarke launched some truly punishing drives as he galloped along at a strike-rate around 70 for much of the session, building on the solid platform set down by Simon Katich and Ricky Ponting on the first day. He leant into his strokes beautifully, timing the ball perfectly and finding gaps where there looked to be none.

His best shot of the day came when he pierced the miniscule hole between the extra cover and the short extra cover with a cracking drive that flew away for four off Daren Powell. Clarke's cover-drives were the prettiest but he also timed his cuts terrifically and scampered through for quick singles that built the frustration for West Indies.

While Clarke was revelling in his role as vice-captain and refreshed after two months away from the game, Haddin was also enjoying his new position as Australia's permanent No. 7. He wanted the runs to keep flowing, matching Clarke with a couple of cover-drives and punishing anything short with pulls, cuts and a willingness to go over the top.

Their 64-run partnership subdued West Indies after they managed two wickets early in the first half of the session; a good result following an opening day on which they only picked up three. Katich had not added to his overnight score of 113 when he got a slightly misdirected inswinger from Jerome Taylor, the movement taking it down leg and as Katich tried to glance he feathered to Denesh Ramdin, who took a good catch moving to his right.

Andrew Symonds also fell to a leg-side caught-behind for 18 after Fidel Edwards pushed him onto the back foot with a couple of short deliveries that found some extra bounce. Symonds tried to flick some easy runs through but the ball ran off the face and Ramdin completed another nifty take, this time moving to his left.

But the leg-side chance that could have meant most to West Indies came in the next over when Clarke, who had 63 at the time, made better contact with a stray Taylor ball and Ramdin fumbled a tough but gettable opportunity. Clarke immediately made West Indies pay with one of his best shots of the day when he walked at Taylor and turned a good ball into half-volley to send a cover-drive rocketing to the boundary. By lunch the miss had already been costly; the remainder of the day will determine just how much Ramdin will regret the dropped chance.

Clinical Chennai send Punjab packing

An inspired Chennai Super Kings shrugged off the underdogs' tag with a thoroughly comprehensive display to thrash Kings XI Punjab by nine wickets and join Rajasthan Royals in the IPL final. Punjab's batting had been in superb form through most of the tournament, but they came completely unstuck in the face of some accurate and relentless seam bowling by Chennai's three fast bowlers, folding for a paltry 112. Parthiv Patel and Suresh Raina then ensured that the run-chase was a canter, putting together 102 for the second wicket - both ended on unbeaten half-centuries as Chennai sailed home with 31 deliveries to spare.

Punjab's two previous losses to Chennai, in the league games, had both come when they'd chased, and Yuvraj Singh did the team a huge favour by winning the toss and choosing to bat on a pitch which was expected to assist the spinners later in the evening. That, though, was the only thing that went right for Punjab, as Makhaya Ntini and Manpreet Gony struck twice each in their first spells, reduced Punjab to 40 for 5, and never released the pressure thereafter, as the Wankhede Stadium played host to the second one-sided semi-final in two days.

On a pitch offering generous bounce to the fast bowlers, Chennai's pace attack of Ntini, Gony and Albie Morkel bowled in the perfect channel, denying the Punjab batsmen any room to execute strokes through the off side. Learning from Shane Watson's spell on Friday, Ntini pitched it slightly short of a length, hit the bat hard, and hurried the batsmen in their shots, while Gony bowled a fuller length, and with the sort of control which would have made Glenn McGrath proud. Chennai were also superb in the field - Muttiah Muralitharan pulled off a splendid catch over his head to intercept a Yuvraj pull, Suresh Raina was equally spectacular in pulling off a diving catch to dismiss Wilkin Mota, while the ground fielding was without blemish.

There was little sign of such a dramatic collapse when Shaun Marsh stroked the first ball of the match - from Muralitharan, surprisingly - through the covers for four. Seven came off that over, but the wheels started coming off in the next over, when James Hopes slashed at a wide one from Ntini and edged to Parthiv.

That dismissal sparked off a procession of wickets, as three more fell in the next four overs. Kumar Sangakkara's was the most bizarre, as he seemed to miss a drive off Gony, but walked off even though Parthiv didn't appeal at all. Yuvraj was restless after playing out three successive dot balls and pulled to Murali at short midwicket, but the biggest blow was delivered in the next over, when Ntini hit back to dismiss Marsh immediately after being creamed for a perfect straight drive. Marsh had top-edged a pull for six earlier in the innings, but wasn't as lucky in the sixth over, as the inside edge crashed into his stumps.

Clearly rattled by the early wickets, Punjab lost the plot with some terrible running between the wickets, which cost Irfan Pathan his wicket. Mahela Jayawardene stroked the ball to third man, ran two, started for the third and then changed his mind, leaving Pathan with too little time to gain his ground. When Jayawardene himself fell next over, steering to the wicketkeeper, Punjab had slumped to 45 for 6.

From there, it was only an exercise in damage control: Mota and Ramesh Powar - the two local Mumbai players - put together 35, easily the most productive partnership of the innings. Mota managed a useful 26-ball 25, while Powar smeared Morkel for a huge six over midwicket and then punished a listless L Balaji for three fours in the last over, but a target of 113 was hardly enough to test Chennai.

S Vidyut fell early, but Raina and Parthiv gave Punjab no further opportunity. Raina was in especially sublime touch - he started off with two delectable fours, adjusting to Powar's turn and gliding a four to third man, and then cutting the next ball through point. As he grew in confidence, the ferocity of the strokes increased, and the high point was an incredible pull off Hopes - on a pitch where most batsmen struggled to ride the bounce and execute the stroke - which sailed onto the roof of the stadium. Pathan was similarly dismissed over square leg, while Chawla was slog-swept for six and then driven through extra cover in the last over as Raina brought up his fifty off a mere 32 balls.

Parthiv was slightly more subdued, but the paltry target gave him plenty of time to work with. He started slowly, but then a couple of superb straight hits off the fast bowlers, and powerful sweeps off the spinners. Pathan's early swing with the new ball offered Punjab some hope, but once Chennai got past that threat, there was little the slower bowlers could do. Chennai lost both their league games against Rajasthan, but after such an emphatic win, that'll hardly bother them.

Mohali confident of putting it across Chennai

Despite losing both their previous IPL matches to Chennai Super Kings, King's XI Punjab were going into Saturday's semi-final against the same opposition with a measure of confidence, team captain Yuvraj Singh and coach Tom Moody said on Friday.

"It's a different ground (Wankhede Stadium) and circumstances are different. We are coming into the game with greater confidence and will be looking to do our best with ball, bat and on the field," Moody said.

Captain Yuvraj said the team had learnt valuable lessons from their losses to Chennai at home and in the latter's backyard (Chidambaram Stadium) and were keen not to commit the same mistakes.

"We will try not to make the same errors again and will see where the opposition falters and try and take advantage," the stylish left-handed batsman said.

"Our confidence is high with the way we are playing and if we execute our plans properly tomorrow, no doubt we can win," the King's XI skipper said.

About his own form with the bat, Yuvraj said the good run he had in their last game would stand him in good stead.

"I had some good form in the last game. It has come at the right time ahead of the semi-finals," he said referring to his knock of 49 in 16 balls.

Yuvraj Singh backed his bowling attack by saying it had performed well barring the odd game.

"Our bowlers have bowled well. It's just that the wickets were flat. The attack might have faltered on one or two games, but our bowlers are doing a great job," Yuvraj said.

Yuvraj praised the batting of Shaun Marsh, who has accumulated nearly 600 runs in only 10 games.