In a drastic move the West Indies selectors have made sweeping changes for the fifth one-day international to be played today at Bridgetown, Barbados. Nixon McLean, Leon Garrick and Wavell Hinds have been replaced by Corey Collymore, Dinanath Ramnaraine and Darren Ganga. The changes are all the more surprising, as all the players inducted have not played one-day cricket regularly for the West Indies. The home team also need to win all the three remaining games to be able to win the seven-match series against South Africa, who leads the series 3-1. The full team is as follows: Carl Hooper (Capt), Ridley Jacobs (wk), Chris Gayle, Daren Ganga, Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Cameron Cuffy, Ricardo Powell, Marlon Samuels, Neil McGarrell, Mervyn Dillon, Corey Collymore, Dinanath Ramnarine, Kerry Jeremy.

After many disappointments and years of waiting the efforts of the Queensland wicket keeper Wade Seaccombe finally seem to have borne fruit. Departing from tradition, the Australian selectors have included the Queenslander as the second wicket keeper for the Ashes tour in an effort to reduce the burden on Adam Gilchrist who would have to play more than 25 matches. Seccombe's impressive record for Queensland won him a place on the important tour after having lost out to Brad Haddin during the Indian tour last season.

Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq ran through the Derbyshire batting as the county team was bowled out for 166 on the first day of their tour match. Controversial fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar making his first appearance on the tour looked a shadow of his normal self as he failed to make any impression on the batsmen. Many of the regular Derby players (Australian Michael di Venuto, Tim Munton and Rob Bailey) were unable to play due to their various injury complaints. Skipper Dominic Dork too was proving his fitness after being out of action for a long while. Saqlain took 6- 34, as Pakistan in reply were four without loss at close.

It has been confirmed for the first time that Pakistan skipper Waqar Younis was not keen to have former captain Wasim Akram in the side. Rameez Raja today confirmed that the PCB chairman Tauqir Zia had an important role in resolving the Waqar-Wasim row. The PCB chief had requested the cricketers to bury the hatchet for the sake of Pakistan cricket. Meanwhile, Rameez, in relying to a query regarding player indiscipline within the Pakistan team said that this is an area of concern. He felt with so many changes within the Pakistan Cricket Board during the past five years, the players realized that they could do anything and get away with it.

The Pakistanis better watch out for England's left-handed opener Marcus Trescothick. During this season he has displayed fine form with the bat and is in excellent nick just before the first Test match, which begins on May 17. The Somerset batsman made a quick 112 against Gloucestershire in a B&H Cup match on Monday to record his fourth century in six innings.

Nearly five years after the incident took place, the issue has now come to light following the release of the biography of former Sri Lankan batsman Roshan Mahanama. Australian quick bowler Glenn McGrath has been accused by Mahanama in his book titled "Retired Hurt" for calling Sri Lankan batsman Sanath Jayasuriya a "black monkey" during an ODI match at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1996. McGrath, who is seeking legal advise, however retorted that since Mahanama did not play in the particular match and the umpires involved received no complaints from the tourists, denied the accusation. Meanwhile the ACB chief Malcolm Speed said he could investigate the matter further only if there were more evidence. It may be recalled that the Australians cricketers during their recent tour of India were also involved in war of words with the Indians. Led by their captain Sourav Ganguly, the home team as a part of their strategy to counter the Aussie sledging, later during the Test series decided to give it back, which took the Australians by surprise and led to the Test defeats in Kolkata and Chennai. Interestingly, the Australian captain Steve Waugh and the touring Australian media did not like the taste of their own medicine.

The Australian Cricket Board has just confirmed rather belatedly that the Australian cricketers Adam Gilchrist, Collin Miller and coach John Buchanan received anonymous phone calls during the last day of the Chennai Test match asking about pitch and weather information. The three had alerted the tour management immediately. Meanwhile, the BCCI secretary JY Lele said he had no knowledge of the incident and received no intimation about it from the ACB.

A new stadium of international quality will be built at the cyber-savy city of Hyderabad within the next two years, in the 21-acre plot of land that has been allotted by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The plan was announced at a function organized to felicitate VVS Laxman in Hyderabad recently. The land has been allotted at Bandallagudem on the outskirts of the city. Laxman was presented a silver plaque and a cheque for Rs one lakh for his batting efforts during the just concluded series against Australia. Former international cricketers Mohammad Azharuddin, Arshad Ayub and Venkatapathy Raju were also present at the function.

The war torn country of Afghanistan has sent out its first cricket team on tour to Pakistan. Sporting the traditional salwar kameez, baggy pants and long beards the team arrived in Pakistan to play a series of matches against local sides.

The next Asian Cricket Council Under-19 tournament for non-Test playing nations will be hosted by Nepal at Katmandu from October 11 to 18. Eight nations will compete in the tournament, which will serve as a qualifying competition for the ICC Under-19 Tournament for associate members. The countries participating in the tournament are the UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, Maldives, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and host Nepal

If the new pay deal is enforced, then most of the regular members of the Australian cricket team will be millionaires. Under this deal which is being negotiated between the Players' Association and the ACB will make the Australians as the highest paid cricket team in the world, with each of them earning more than a$1 million annually in wages alone.

New Zealand's Mathew Sinclair who hit a double hundred a couple of days ago, scored his third century in three days for Cheethorpes against Barnsley in the Yorkshire league. However his effort was not good enough for his team to win the match.

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