Keith Piper has been summoned to appear before the ECB’s disciplinary panel later this week after reportedly testing positive for cannabis. Piper was tested during Warwickshire’s Championship match against Hampshire at Edgbaston last monthIf the panel finds against him, it would in all likelihood signal the end of Piper’s career. He is 35 and has a previous offence behind him – he failed an internally-conducted drugs test in 1997 and served a one-match ban.Dennis Amiss, Warwickshire’s chief executive, confirmed the news in a statement: “One of our players has given a positive sample and he will appear before an ECB Disciplinary panel next week.” Amiss himself now comes under increasing pressure as Piper is the third Warwickshire player to be in such a position – Paul Smith and Graham Wagg have also served drugs-related bans. Last season Wagg was given a 15-month ban by the ECB after testing positive for cocaine, and suffered a double blow when his Warwickshire contract was duly terminated.The Birmingham Post, which broke the story on Saturday, claimed that the drugs policy the club promised to introduce after the Wagg incident has never materialized, adding that while a firm was hired to construct a policy, the county have not reacted to the draft proposal sent to them before Christmas.

David Shepherd said that he would like to remain involved with cricket in some capacity after officiating in his final Test at Sabina Park in Jamaica. He is scheduled to stand in five one-day internationals in England later this summer and then see out the county season.Shepherd was embraced by the players at the end of Pakistan’s emphatic 136-run win, and Brian Lara even presented him with a bat that said: “Thank you for the service, the memories and the professionalism. Enjoy your retirement.”According to the BBC, Shepherd, who played county cricket for Gloucestershire before becoming an umpire, was keen to give something back to the game. “Cricket has been my life,” he said. “I don’t want to say goodbye completely. I’d like to have some input into it. It has been everything to me and I would like to give something back – what, at this moment, I don’t know.”Shepherd umpired three World Cup finals, and stood in 92 Tests, and said that the journey had been a fulfilling one. “It’s been a very long road but basically a very happy one,” he said. “It’s very important to get the respect of the players. It’s also very important for umpires to respect players – it’s a mutual thing.”

Pakistan are likely to appoint two neutral umpires for their one-day series at home against England later this year. According to ICC rules, only one third-country umpire is required to stand for a one-dayer, with the other umpire being from the home country, but Shaharyar Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan board, said that they planned to go one step further.”Making errors is a human trait. But when a home umpire gets it wrong, it might ignite strong reactions. This situation is least likely to happen in case of neutral umpires,” Shaharyar told the BBC Sport website. “When we play against India, the struggle can be felt everywhere in the two nations. Any mistake by a home umpire may cause resentment not only among fans but teams as well.”The ICC rules currently state that while one neutral umpire is mandatory for ODIs, the home board can appoint two third-country umpires if both teams agree. “The ICC said if a member country wants to introduce neutral umpires, it will have to consult the visiting team,” Shaharyar said. “We have to consult England, but I don’t think they would disagree.”I am to meet ECB people on Friday. I will also write them officially in this regard and we hope to reach to a decision very soon. At least three months are needed for the appointment of neutral umpires by the ICC. Fortunately, we have this time for the England home series.”Pakistan have long been advocates of neutral umpires in international cricket. They were the first nation to appoint third-country umpires for a Test, when VK Ramaswamy and Piloo Reporter officiated in two Tests between Pakistan and West Indies in 1986-87, long before the ICC regulations came into place. More recently, Pakistan were also miffed at a few close decisions going against them in the VB Series in Australia earlier this year. That prompted them to table a proposal before the ICC executive committee asking for two neutral umpires in all ODIs as well. The committee rejected the proposal, but allowed individual countries the flexibility to appoint two neutral umpires if the countries so desired.England are scheduled to play three Tests and five one-day internationals in Pakistan in November-December 2005.

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Matthew Hayden continued from where he had left off in the 2001 series, muscling his way to 67, as the Australians gained some valuable batting practice on the first day of their tour opener in Mumbai. After overnight showers had delayed play by more than four hours, all the batsmen in the Australian top order used the chance to get into their groove. Mumbai did manage to pick up three wickets in the final session, and the Australians finished on 159 for 3.Hayden was like a bulldog on a leash – always threatening, and at times ferocious. He took an excessively long time preparing himself to face the first delivery, with Ramesh Powar surprisingly sharing the new ball, as he cleared huge amounts of dust from the pitch, squatted several times and checked the field placement twice. Powar got away unscathed in his first spell but suffered when he returned in the 11th over, being clattered for 16 runs, including a six that crashed into the sight-screen.Ajit Agarkar and Avishkar Salvi were also carted around – one four off Salvi was close to the mid-off fielder, but it screamed past so fast that he didn’t move. The only bowler who he wasn’t taken apart by Hayden was Sairaj Bahutule, the legspinner. Though Hayden lofted him over long-off for six, and came down the track almost every ball, Bahutule induced a few iffy moments. He finally got his wicket in the 33rd over, as Hayden converted a full-length ball into a low full-toss and patted it back to give Bahutule a simple return catch (108 for 2).Hayden and Justin Langer had given Australia a confident start, and added 69 in the ninety minutes before the tea-break. Langer’s innings was characterised by a number of balls that he drove straight to the fielders. He preferred to rotate the strike and watch the show at the other end, but just before the tea break he capitalised on some wayward bowling, and helped himself to a few fours as well. However, he fell to the second ball after the break as he tried to drive Agarkar through the off side, but edged through to Vinayak Samant, the wicketkeeper (69 for 1).Simon Katich (30) was promoted to No. 3, which is where he will probably bat in the first Test, and milked the bowling around in his 80-ball innings. He survived a run-out chance when he was on 3 as he danced down the track and played a shot straight to the short-leg fielder, who failed to hit the stumps with a return throw. Damien Martyn (28 not out) then gave a sneak preview of his silken touch, and there was a gentler ending to the day’s play after Hayden had torn everyone apart earlier.Due to heavy showers last night, the first half of the day was spent waiting for the field to dry up. Polly Umrigar, the chief curator, was in the centre of all the action, enthusiastically handing out instructions to the ground staff while constantly muttering: “It’s all OK”. Fittingly, it was Umrigar who walked out to the toss with Ian Johnson way back in October 1956, when Australia played their first-ever Test match on Indian soil.

Pakistan will tour India to play three Tests and five one-day internationals in February 2005, just days after completing a gruelling three-month stint in Australia. According to Shaharyar Khan, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, final dates and venues will be decided after consulting with the Board of Control for Cricket in India.The reported Shaharyar, a former diplomat, as saying: “People from both the countries came together when India toured us and now people from Pakistan will go to India and a lot of friendship will develop.”Pakistan revised their international programme recently, asking Sri Lanka to tour in October as opposed to February-March next year so that they could accommodate the Indian tour. According to sources, the three Tests are likely to be played first, starting on February 25. Pakistan will go into the five-day games just a fortnight after completing their engagements in the VB Series in Australia.The PCB has also agreed in principle to play India in a one-off one-dayer on November 13, as part of the 75th anniversary celebrations of the BCCI. Pakistan last toured India for a Test series in early 1999, drawing the two-Test series 1-1, but also winning a match at Eden Gardens which formed part of the Asian Test Championship.

Division One

Kent took a leaf out of Surrey’s book and cashed in on a flat Guildford wicket as this match continued to be dominated by the batsmen. Matthew Walker and Justin Kemp put together an undefeated sixth-wicket stand of 206 as Kent closed within 44 runs of Surrey’s 452 for 8 declared. Kemp’s innings was a breakthrough for the South African allrounder, who had previously managed 56 runs in four Championship innings. Walker has had no such problems this summer and reached his third century from 120 balls. Azhar Mahmood was the best Surrey bowler but Ian Salisbury and Nayan Doshi both struggled to exert any control. Surrey’s declaration had earlier denied Kent the chance of a third bowling point after Amjad Khan, Andrew Hall and Min Patel had picked up a wicket each in the morning session.Nottinghamshire ended the second day within one shot of a crushing win over Warwickshire but the umpires ruled play had to finish so the match will have to completed in the morning. Warwickshire subsided for 133 in their second innings with Graeme Swann taking 6 for 57 after David Hussey had helped secure a 122-run first innings lead with an aggressive 77. Swann ran through Warwickshire’s middle and lower order and only Ian Westwood showed any real resistance with 33. In all, 18 wickets clattered during the day and Warwickshire are now on the verge of their third defeat of the season, leaving they grip on the County Championship increasingly weak. Nottinghamshire, though, are continuing to perform impressively and this will be their fifth win.Hampshire suffered their second top order collapse of the match after Sussex gained a slender seven-run lead while 16 wickets tumbled in the day. Three late strikes – two to James Kirtley and one to Mushtaq Ahmed – left Hampshire ahead by just by 15 runs. Richard Montgomerie top-scored for Sussex with 64 and all their middle order chipped in useful contributions. Rana Naved hit 39 from 38 balls before Sean Ervine wrapped up the innings with 5 for 73. Hampshire’s first innings resistance lasted a further 12.1 overs during the morning session, Nic Pothas was trapped lbw by Mushtaq for 135.1st dayOwais Shah made his third Championship century of the summer to give Middlesex a solid start in their clash with the Division One strugglers Glamorgan. Shah, Middlesex’s second highest run-scorer, with 858, after the prolific Ed Joyce, added 109 with Ben Hutton. Shah then received useful support from the middle-order until he was caught behind off Robert Croft for 101. Although Scott Styris went without addition to the score, Jamie Dalrymple caused further problems for the Glamorgan bowlers. He ended the day unbeaten on 57 and his partnership with Ben Scott is already worth 60. The pick of Glamorgan’s attack was Huw Waters, an 18-year-old, who took 3 for 67 in his second Championship match.

Division Two

Steven Davies and Vikram Solanki built a valuable lead against Worcestershire but Northamptonshire fought back before losing Martin Love to the final ball of the day. Davies, the promising young wicketkeeper who is filling an opening role, struck a career-best 95 and Solanki a typically boundary-filled 80. A useful 48 from Gareth Batty and a valuable last-wicket stand of 45 between Shoaib Akhtar and Matt Mason gave Worcestershire an 82-run lead. Northants had gone virtually all the way in clearing the deficit but, such is Love’s importance, his dismissal to Ray Price could yet prove a pivotal moment in the match.Leicestershire have compiled a healthy lead of 286 with five second-innings remaining despite a belated comeback from Yorkshire. Ottis Gibson – who earlier fell nine runs short of a second first-class century – Charl Willoughby and Stuart Broad took three wickets each as Yorkshire stumbled to 187 all out – 179 behind Leicestershire – but were not asked to follow on. Darren Maddy and Darren Robinson both fell for nought when Leicestershire batted again, but a stand of 65 between John Maunders and Chris Rogers settled the nerves. However, two late wickets from Anthony McGrath have left Yorkshire with a glimmer of hope.1st dayPaul Collingwood made a career-best 190 for Durham but a belated Derbyshire fightback left the match interestingly poised after the first day. Collingwood and Dale Benkenstein added 250 for the third wicket however, Benkenstein’s dismissal for 98 sparked a collapse. Derbyshire lost 6 for 50 as Nick Walker took 4 for 64. Collingwood was eventually caught by Jon Moss off Walker after facing 255 balls and striking 28 fours and two sixes.Andy and Grant Flower gave Essex the upperhand against Lancashire at Old Trafford. Grant anchored the innings with 115 after the early loss of Will Jefferson to Dominic Cork. He added 96 with Andy before falling to the last ball of the afternoon session, caught behind from Gary Keedy. He faced 238 balls and hit 19 boundaries while his brother will be trying to match him after ending the day on 62. Cork was the most impressive of Lancashire’s attack taking 2 for 49 in 21 overs.

Imran Khan has joined the chorus of voices criticising the dustbowl at the Wankhede Stadium which produced a two-day Test between India and Australia. Speaking to Press Trust of India in Jaipur, Imran urged home associations to desist the urge to produce tailor-made tracks.”Every country has a right to prepare the kind of wickets which suit their own bowlers. But there has to be a limit. If something is not done soon to curb this trend, cricket is sure to suffer,” Imran said. “In order to gain victory in front of their own countrymen, every team is going too far to prepare pitches favouring their own bowlers. This will ruin interest of the spectators.”India achieved a consolation win at Mumbai, but the pitch for the game came in for widespread flak, with Ricky Ponting calling it “nowhere near being close to Test standard”. Forty wickets fell in 202 overs, 13 of them in a frenetic final session of play on the third day.

Tom Tikolo has been the chief executive of the Kenyan board for less than a week but he has already announced plans to spread cricket across the country in the next five years.Cricket is only played in Nairobi, Mombasa and a few schools in Nakuru and Thika at the moment, but Tikolo wants to extend the game’s reach through targeting schools. He does not think the task will be an easy one, but he believes it is achievable, having seen how such an approach has helped Uganda when he was their national coach last year.”Cricket culture in Uganda is much more than what we have in Kenya,” he told , a Kenya newspaper, after becoming just the second chief executive after Sammy Obingo.

England A will tour West Indies next February, playing two unofficial Tests and five one-day matches during their month-long trip.Making the announcement, Zorol Barthley, the COO of the West Indies cricket Board, said that this was the first of three A-team tours planned in 2006. In May, Sri Lanka A will visit the Caribbean, and in July West Indies A will travel to England. “These tours will be of tremendous benefit to our young players,” he said. “They will give promising West Indies players more international exposure and encourage them to push for places in the senior team.”The West Indies A team will be named after the upcoming Carib Beer tournament, which is scheduled for next month. The England A team is expected to be announced following the conclusion of England’s tour to Pakistan, at the same time the squads for the England tour to India are announced.England A in West Indies tour itinerary

England captain Michael Vaughan says the prospect of facing two spinners during the Pakistan series doesn’t faze his team.Mushtaq Ahmed and Danish Kaneria may both be picked to test England’s perceived weakness against spin. “I’m sure they will put us under a lot of pressure, but it’s good to know we’ve faced them before,” said Vaughan. “We have a good idea of what they’re going to come up with, we’ve got a lot of footage and a lot of players have played against them.”Mushtaq, 35, hasn’t played a Test for two years but has 185 wickets from 52 Tests and has played for Sussex for the last three seasons. Kaneria, 24, is now Pakistan’s frontline spinner and has spent two successful seasons at Essex. Vaughan believes their county experience will count in England’s favour: “It’s not going to be the mystery factor that you sometimes get when you face someone like Muralitharan because we’ve faced them so much in county cricket.”England have been left in the dark about Pakistan’s line of attack for the Test series, which starts on November 12 at Multan. Pakistan are likely to prepare either spinning wickets to suit Mushtaq and Kaneria, or bouncier strips and choose an extra paceman.