Whatever its critics may say – and they usually point to the lack of spectator enthusiasm – the Challenger Series fulfils a certain role. With the star players’ appearances in domestic cricket so severely rationed by a hectic international calendar, the Challenger gives the fringe players an all-too-rare opportunity to pit themselves against the best in the business.That’s the good part. On the debit side, the ad hoc manner in which the teams are chosen renders the exercise almost futile. Dividing the national team luminaries into three entities serves no real purpose, and it only lessens the intensity of the challenge that faces those looking to carve out a reputation.The format needs revamping, and soon. The best way forward would be to have an India A team comprising players on the verge of a national call-up, rather than legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Anil Kumble. It would also give the five wise men a chance to look at the leadership skills of the younger generation.As for India B, the best solution would be to pick out the cream of the U-19 crop, and any other wild cards worth experimenting with. Had such a format been in place this year, we could have seen Munaf Patel – about whom reams have been written – in action, along with players like Stuart Binny who has impressed many at the junior level.The criteria should be very clear in future. India Seniors are those in possession of the national cap, even if it sits uneasy on certain heads. India A should be those waiting off-stage, while India B showcases the new kids on the block, who are a season or two away from the big-time. Think of the incentive for the A and B teams to perform, pitted against the full might of India Seniors.Charity picks have to be abandoned. Top level professional sport is characterised by ruthlessness, and there’s no room at the top for honest pros like Vijay Bharadwaj and Satyajit Parab, to name just two. Catastrophes apart, they don’t have a bat-out-of-hell chance of ever playing for India. The same could be said of Reetinder Singh Sodhi, whose skill levels have stagnated since he was throwing his weight around in the juniors.But such criticisms aside, there were still those who utilised the Challenger platform to stake their claim for national honours, just as there were those who let slip a golden opportunity. Here, we take a look at some of the winners, and losers …WinnersRohan Gavaskar
He scored 145 runs in three innings, including two pivotal knocks in winning causes. Unafraid to play strokes, he also improvised well in the latter stages of innings. That, allied to his displays on the India A tour of England, helped clinch a Rest-of-India berth.Yuvraj Singh
The Yorkshire run-drought seemed to be a distant memory as Yuvraj punished the bowlers on placid batting wickets. The tournament’s highest run-getter with 188, including a scintillating 82-ball 111 against India A in the round-robin phase.Sridharan Sriram
He scored 176 runs at well over a run-a-ball, with some exciting, innovative strokeplay. Superb in the field, he can be justifiably disappointed over the Irani Trophy snub.Hemang Badani
Made 73 and 61 not out, both in losing causes, while never exhibiting the composure, class and steely nerve that he did during his purple patch a couple of years ago.Amit Bhandari
Figures of 4 for 144 from 23 overs were hardly impressive, but his ability to move the ball both ways, and the fact that Sachin Tendulkar didn’t destroy him, marks him out for further selectorial interest. Whether he’s good enough to compete for a new-ball slot is a moot point though. The competition won’t always be so badly off-colour.Lakshmipathy Balaji
The pick of the pace bowlers on show with 7 for 126, even if he did get carted around a bit in the second game. His accuracy was his greatest asset, and the no-ball that sent Tendulkar’s stumps cartwheeling in the opening game has ensured that his name should be right at the top of the discussion list with Ashish Nehra doubtful for the New Zealand series.Murali Kartik
On pitches where almost every bowler got slaughtered, Kartik bowled 18 tidy overs for 84 runs, and one wicket. No little earthquakes, but enough guile and control to suggest that he deserves a run or two in national colours.LosersMohammad Kaif
Scored only 77 runs in three innings, and is now reliant on past reputation for his place in the one-day squad. The challengers are queuing up, and Kaif needs some big scores. Soon.Ambati Rayudu
After all the hype, his two innings produced 6 runs. A perceived weakness against the short ball was exploited by bowlers like Ajit Agarkar. Back to the nets for Rayudu, the call from the seniors will have to wait.Irfan Pathan Jr
After starting impressively against the seniors, his bowling was wayward and ordinary in the next two games. Impressed only in patches, and now seems to have slipped behind Balaji and Bhandari in the race for the third seamer’s spot.Sarandeep Singh
His 21 overs went for 133 runs, though he did manage three wickets. Unlikely to unseat Harbhajan in the foreseeable future.Thilak Naidu
He may bat a little better than the other wicketkeeping contenders, but Naidu’s wicketkeeping so so shockingly poor that you had to peer closely to make sure it wasn’t Deep Dasgupta in disguise. He dropped catches, missed stumpings, and couldn’t even gather the ball cleanly for run-outs.

Shaun Udal has been banned from playing league cricket for Camberley, his club side, for three years after being found guilty of “physical violence on and threats to an opposition player.” Udal, who played ten ODIs for England in the 1990s, turned out for Camberley in the Surrey Championship when his county commitments with Hampshire allowed.The incident which led to the ban occurred when Camberley played Cranleigh at the end of July, and an altercation took place between Udal and Cranleigh’s Australian legspinner Alex Wyatt. Udal, who was batting at the time, and Wyatt exchanged comments and witnesses said that an altercation followed and contact was made between the pair who had to be separated by members of the fielding side.”It does take a lot to get me riled,” Udal said after the league hearing had imposed the severe punishment. “When I was batting, one of the opposition players severely insulted one of my team-mates, who has a disability. A minor fracas took place with a bit of pushing and shoving but there was no fighting and certainly no punches were thrown. Sadly, the umpires didn’t step in, which is rather symptomatic of the weak officiating that can exist in club cricket. But the other player and I had a beer in the clubhouse afterwards and said our apologies.”I accepted there might be some repercussions but I am not going to lose any sleep over the punishment. The disciplinary committee presumably decided they wanted to make an example of me and that is precisely what they have done.”Although Udal is generally regarded as a mild-mannered character, it is not the first time that he has been in trouble while playing for Camberley. In 1996 he was banned for the rest of the season following an alleged assault on an opponent after a match.

Sri Lanka’s attorney-general has ordered the arrest of Thilanga Sumathipala, the cricket-board president and the chairman of Sri Lanka Telecom, for alleged passport fraud, according to newspaper reports on Saturday.According to The Island newspaper, the attorney-general’s order, issued on Thursday night, follows a criminal investigation into Sumathipala’s involvement with an underworld gang leader called Dhammika Amarasinghe.The CID investigation was prompted by a series of newspaper articles during recent weeks published by another newspaper, the Sunday Leader, which alleged that Sumathipala had helped Amarasinghe obtain a fake passport.Sumathipala was also alleged by the newspaper, which passed on evidence to the police, to have authorised the use of cricket-board funds to help finance Amarasinghe’s trip to the UK to watch the 1999 World Cup.Sumathipala has strenously denied any involvement with Amarasinghe, claiming that the allegations are merely a cynical and malicious attempt to smear his reputation. Amarasinghe, currently being held in remand, stands accused of several contract killings and attempted assassinations, including the attempted murder of the Sunday Leader‘s editor Lasantha Wickramatunge in 1998.The attorney-general’s decision to issue a warrant for Sumathipala’s arrest followed the receipt of a CID report last week. Detectives visited his residence at midnight on Thursday but his whereabouts remained unknown on Friday night.Sumathipala was elected as board president for a third term in June, after winning landslide support among the member clubs that make up the board.

Dhaka 374 (Halim 119, Niamur 62, Muntasir 58) beat Barisal 193 and 118 (Mahmud 4-19, Muntasir 4-31) by an innings and 63 runs
ScorecardKhaled Mahmud, after a combative half-century to rescue Dhaka from a perilous position, bowled them to victory, taking 4 for 19 as Barisal were skittled out for 118 in their second innings. Fahim Muntasir, an offspinner fighting to get back into the national side, also had a fine match, scoring 58 and, then, taking 4 for 31.Sylhet 80 (Razzaq 7-11) and 145 for 9 (Hadi 43, Bashir 4-36) need 92 more runs to beat Khulna 160 and 156 (Parvez 48)
ScorecardKhulna was on the verge of victory at the end of the third day, with Sylhet needing 92 more runs to win, but with only one wicket in hand. Khulna’s second innings was wrapped up for 158 early in the day, giving them a lead of 236 runs. Tamim Bashir then got his act going, taking 4 for 36 as Sylhet crumbled to 145 for 9. Only Taqrimul Hadi, with a defiant 43, provided any resistance.Rajshahi 234 and 129 for 6 lead Chittagong 300 (Hossain 99*, Saifullah 6-91) by 63 runs
ScorecardFaisal Hossain was heartbreakingly left not out on 99, as Chittagong were all out for exactly 300 on the third day against Rajshahi. Saifullah Khan took 6 for 91 in 45.3 overs, and Rajshai then made 129 for 6 in their second innings to lead by 63 runs. Ahsanullah Hasan, with 3 for 24, was they key bowler for Chittagong.

Australia have announced their 13-man squad for the final Test against India at Sydney. As expected, Steve Waugh gets a chance to bid farewell to Test cricket at his home ground. Jason Gillespie returns to the squad, while the 12 who did duty at Melbourne retain their places.Gillespie suffered a groin strain in the course of the second Test at Adelaide and was forced to sit out at Melbourne. His selection to the squad, which would be pruned down to 12 men in the lead up to January 2, is subject to a fitness test. Although rested, Gillespie travelled with the Australian team to Melbourne, and was monitored closely by team medical staff. Erroll Alcott, the Australian team’s physiotherapist, said, “Jason has undertaken a thorough rehabilitation program since suffering the injury in Adelaide and his progress is certainly encouraging. He has bowled off a full run a number of times now, and despite not showing any signs of pain, he will remain under daily review up until the Sydney Test.”Squad 1 Matthew Hayden, 2 Justin Langer, 3 Ricky Ponting, 4 Damien Martyn, 5 Steve Waugh (capt), 6 Simon Katich, 7 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 8 Brett Lee, 9 Brad Williams, 10 Nathan Bracken, 11 Stuart MacGill, 12 Andy Bichel, 13 Jason Gillespie.

East Zone 324 for 4 (Dhoni 114, Shukla 55*, Haldipur 52) beat Central Zone 182 (Jai P Yadav 50, Lahiri 3-15) by 142 runs
Scorecard
Mahendra Dhoni cracked a fine 114 and helped East Zone amass a mammoth 324 for 4 against Central Zone at Jamshedpur. Central got nowhere near the target and with the fourth successive win in the tournament, East were crowned champions. This was the first time since the 1996-97 season that they had won the trophy. Nikhil Haldipur and Dhoni, the two openers, gave their team a blazing start by adding 108 in just 89 balls. Dhoni shared two more valuable partnerships through the course of the innings; 61 with Kiran Powar and 74 with Laxmi Ratan Shukla and these propelled East to 324. Central lost both their openers early and Jai Prakash Yadav (50) was the only batsmen to pass 30. Sanjib Sanyal (3-34) and Saurasish Lahiri were the pick of the bowlers and snapped up three wickets apiece.West Zone 161 for 4 beat North Zone 160 for 8 (Munaf 3-23) by 6 wickets
Scorecard
North Zone stumbled to their third defeat in as many matches after managing only 160 against West Zone at Silchar. After opting to bat first, North were pegged back early as Munaf Patel got rid of Gautam Gambhir and Dinesh Mongia. Ajay Jadeja fell soon, and it was left to Mithun Manhas (44) to hold things together. North managed to reach a modest total thanks to some contributions from the lower order. But it all proved too little as West Zone cantered home with 12.1 overs to spare. Satyajit Parab (38) and Vinayak Mane (29) set up the platform and Niraj Patel (33 not out) and Ranjit Khirid (30 not out) finished the job easily. With this defeat, North languish at he bottom of the table. The final two matches on January 31 will only be of academic interest and East Zone will get to savour their triumph with a well-earned rest.

Warwickshire have dismissed newspaper reports that they are planning to move away from Edgbaston to a new purpose-built stadium in Birmingham.The reason for Warwickshire considering a move is thought to be the repeated refusal of the city authorities to allow them to erect floodlights, with the opposition of local residents the main reason.Keith Cook, the county’s operation manager, told the BBC that the future was at Edgbaston. “Subject to being able to achieve the right funding, we will be developing this ground,” he said, although he refused to rule out a move if circumstances changed.And Roger Draper, chief executive, said that as with football, cricket should consider moving away from traditional venues to more modern grounds. “The problem is we are the only country in the world where not too many day/night matches can be staged,” Draper told The Daily Telegraph. “But such matches are the norm in the rest of the world. At present we have some lovely grounds but they are impossible to modernise. Permanent lights cannot be installed and it is not very satisfactory."In 2004 Edgbaston will host the second Test between England and West Indies, first round games in the Champions Trophy and the finals day in the Twenty20 Cup.

Pakistan 364 for 6 (Hameed 91, Inzamam 77) trail India 675 for 5 dec by 311 runs
Scorecard

India inched closer to getting themselves into a position that would allow them to dream of a first-ever Test win in Pakistan. They ended a day of gently seesawing fortunes with the advantage, having taken six Pakistani wickets at intermittent intervals throughout the day, the last coming off the final delivery. India haven’t quite got a grip on this game, but there were signs of Pakistan choking under the sheer volume of runs. Yet they might just have kept India out in the field long enough to make them think twice about enforcing the follow-on even if they do have the option. At 364 for 6 by the close, Pakistan were 311 runs adrift of the mammoth Indian total.The two best batsmen in the Pakistan team, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana, were both extremely unhappy at being given out by Simon Taufel. Inzamam was at the wrong end of a bat-pad catch while Youhana was dismissed trying to flick a ball slipping well down the leg side. On a flat pitch, under the glare of the exceedingly hot Multan sun, it was not easy for the bowlers, and they were grateful for any help that they received. But it was not all bad news for Pakistan: Yasir Hameed batted exceedingly well for his 91, while Abdul Razzaq (who was still there when stumps were drawn) and Moin Khan struck some telling blows towards the end of the day. They took the aggressive route to survival, and it came off for them.India gained the early advantage by removing both openers in the first session, but Hameed and Inzamam looked to be batting Pakistan towards safety when the persevering Anil Kumble struck by removing Inzamam before tea, and then Irfan Pathan doubled India’s joy by dismissing Hameed.Inzamam was deeply disappointed, but had to go when he was adjudged caught at forward short leg for 77, with 13 fours. Hameed, whose assured batting delighted the small crowd, was unlucky to miss out on a century. Hameed made 91 (151 balls, 14 fours) and richly deserved a century just for the assured manner in which he handled everything that was bowled at him.

So all the good work of the second session was undone by a brief passage of play in which two wickets fell in the space of ten runs. Until he was given out, Inzamam had handled the barrage of around-the-wicket balls with aplomb. He cut out the horizontal-bat shots and defended with bat and pad held close together. When the ball was pitched well outside the leg stump he nonchalantly kicked it away. The fall of Inzamam’s wicket, with the score on 233, dented Pakistan’s hopes of avoiding the follow-on.Shortly afterwards, Hameed tickled Pathan through to Parthiv Patel (243 for 4), to give India a decided boost on a day when bowling was a thankless task. Despite a couple of accurate spells of bowling by Pathan and Lakshmipathy Balaji, India’s attack never threatened to run through the Pakistan batting line-up. Zaheer Khan was not at his best and Anil Kumble, though enthusiastic, did not trouble the batsmen consistently.But, thanks to the discipline showed early on, India had prised out two wickets in the morning session. The first to go was Taufeeq Umar (23), who was forced to push at a Pathan delivery that cut away, and only managed an edge to Rahul Dravid in the slips (58 for 1). Just 26 balls later, India had their second breakthrough when Balaji got one to pitch on the stumps and straighten enough to beat Imran Farhat’s bat. Farhat (38), who was trying to work the ball to the on side, missed and was trapped in front (73 for 2).Zaheer improved steadily through the day, but success eluded him till the 94th over of the innings, when he had Youhana (35) caught behind down the leg side (321 for 5). India then had to wait till the last ball of the day for their next wicket. Sachin Tendulkar set Moin up perfectly, and bowled him for 17 with a googly that ensured India ended the day on a high (364 for 6). Razzaq, battling it out on 47, will have to wait till tomorrow to meet his partner.

The KwaZulu-Natal allrounders Lance Klusener and Jon Kent have both been suspended for one match for dissent. They have been barred from playing the SuperSport Series Super Six match against Border which begins on March 19, after they were found guilty of dissent during KwaZulu-Natal’s recent match against Western Province.In addition, Kent was found to have contravened rule 1.4 of the South African Board’s code of conduct, which states that “participants shall not use crude or abusive language nor make offensive gestures to any other participant, official or the spectators”.Klusener and Kent have been given the right to appeal against the sentence.

Sri Lanka 246 for 7 (Arnold 51*) beat Zimbabwe 221 for 9 (Taylor 74, Muralitharan 5-23) by 25 runs, and won series 5-0
Scorecard

Sri Lanka, despite some periods of uninspired cricket, completed a predictable clean sweep of the one-day series when they beat a gallant young Zimbabwe team by 25 runs at Harare Sports Club. An unexpected and invaluable opening stand of 79 between Stuart Matsikenyeri and Brendan Taylor put Zimbabwe in with a chance of overhauling Sri Lanka’s modest 246 for 7, but the inexperience of the middle order in the face of Muttiah Muralitharan and an ever-increasing run rate proved too much for them.Both Zimbabwe’s openers were hesitant at first, but they gained in confidence,helped by the absence of Chaminda Vaas and by Muralitharan’s late appearance in the bowling ranks (apart from a single over to enable the new-ball bowlers to change ends). Matsikenyeri dominated the stand with 37, before being smartly stumped by the stand-in wicketkeeper Tillakaratne Dilshan, while Taylor was generally quieter, apart from a remarkable six over extra cover off Rangana Herath.Then Murali did come on, and immediately put a brake on the scoring – his first six overs cost just three runs. Taylor and Tatenda Taibu (26) tried their best,only to find themselves falling further behind the clock, and when both wereout in quick succession, Taylor perishing on the midwicket boundary for 79, hopes of an upset faded.Muralitharan, with 5 for 23 in his ten overs, turned the match, and waswell supported by the slow left-armer Herath, who took 2 for 36 and two catches as well. Again the raw Zimbabwean line-up was able to prove competitive, although Sri Lanka were inconsistent and seemed unable to lift themselves against such weakened opposition.Earlier in the day Sri Lanka survived another careless slump by their middle order to reach 246 for 7. They were struggling at 162 for 6 in the 42nd over before Russel Arnold and Farveez Maharoof tore the bowling to shreds in a dynamic partnership which swung the balance back strongly in Sri Lanka’s favour at the halfway stage.The weather remained fine, but the crowd at the start did not even numberthree figures. Sri Lanka this time played a stronger – but not their strongest – team, with Murali returning along with the captain Marvan Atapattu and Nuwan Zoysa.Douglas Hondo began with an impressive maiden over to Saman Jayantha, whileTinashe Panyangara again supported him well from the other end. With 21 onthe board, Jayantha (8) lost patience and lashed out at Hondo, only forTawanda Mupariwa to pull off a good flying catch at extra cover.After that, Atapattu and Jayawardene adopted a policy of steady accumulation, cutting out the big shots – except for one occasion when Jayawardene came down the pitch and lofted Panyangara high over mid-on for four – and working the ball successfully for ones and twos at almost five an over. They added 72 together before, in the 19th over, Atapattu cut Mupariwa uppishly and was caught at backward point for 38 (93 for 2).Dilshan, who later kept wicket in place of Kumar Sangakkara, came in next, and he and Atapattu continued to concentrate on the singles. Mupariwa again impressed with the ball, and produced a superb slower delivery, a yorker, that deceived and bowled Jayawardene for 47 as he attempted to hit it over mid-on for four and reach his fifty (128 for 3). Then Sri Lanka began to wobble, as Dilshan foolishly attempted a quick single straight to Dion Ebrahim, a fine fielder, and was easily run out for 21 by a direct hit (137 for 4).More trouble was to come, as Taibu took off his pads to bowl, as he had in the first match, and bowled Thilina Kandamby with a swinging ball for 7 (146 for 5). Upul Chandana had pulled Sri Lanka out of the mire on Tuesday, but Thursday was a different matter. He made only 3 before clipping Taibu straight to midwicket (162 for 6).This time Arnold and Maharoof came to the rescue in spectacular style. Taibu and Matsikenyeri, a part-time offspinner, had been keeping the runs down nicely, but Taibu fatally decided to return to his pacemen for the final overs, and they were smashed to the tune of 71 from just 41 balls before Maharoof holed out at long-on for 38 (233 for 7), including two fours and two gigantic sixes. Arnold reached a 51-ball fifty off the final ball of the innings.It proved enough, along with Murali’s tight spell, for Sri Lanka to win the match and sweep the series. Zimbabwe did better, and their improved showing might just persuade the Zimbabwean board that they can do without the 15 dissenting players in the forthcoming two-Test series which starts at Harare next Thursday (May 6).