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London: It’s been often stated that the future is an extension of the past and that the present spans the two. The past has had both wonderful and disturbing memories for Pakistan cricket teams touring England. And, even though the last Test series in 1996 was saved the acrimonious interactions of the 1992 tour, unwarranted ugliness raised its head more then once during the ongoing series of Tests and ODI’s. If Old Trafford and Edgbaston were the past and best forgotten, Palmer’s wide ball signal nearly brought it up again. Mercifully, Pakistan won; otherwise one would have witnessed unwarranted sights that would have taken away the gloss of a really well contested match.Pakistan won by two runs, statistically very narrow, appreciatively larger in terms of heart and mind. Here was a team defending a moderate and according to Pakistani and British experts, a poor total to defend on a batsmen friendly batting strip. And with Pakistan only having one genuine, established fast bowler, 242/8 was far removed from what Pakistan wanted, and much nearer winning shores for England struggling to record their first win in this Triangular contest.Pakistan won, not because England collapsed under pressure, but because its ‘future’, the team of tomorrow, rose to the occasion and held their nerves. Imagine a centurion, the like of Trescothick, losing his nerve with fewer then a stroke to win a match for England. The Pakistan team has shown yet again that they have the poise and patience to extricate themselves from trying and testing conditions with a flair lacking from the armoury of the opponents.

Toss losing Pakistan went to bat minus two of the stars of yesterdays; Saeed Anwar, unavailable due extenuating circumstances, and Wasim Akram still nursing a sore shoulder. And showed it had what it takes to be classy winners. And what winners? With no contribution coming yet again from the bat of Inzamam-ul-Haq. The stars of tomorrow Yousuf Youhana and Younis Khan, batted Pakistan out of hopelessness and thereafter the spin and guile of Saqlain Mushtaq, Shahid Afridi complimented Waqar’s opening efforts, to stall yet again, an England effort to reach the shore.Yousuf Youhana already has the credentials to support his batting. Younis Khan though, is fast blossoming into a ‘Mr Reliable’. And his innings of 41 from 56 balls an apt reminder that one can score against the most penetrative bowling without being flamboyant or rash. His innings did not contain any boundary. Youhana’s elevation to No.3 spot, though two matches late, was an opportune decision. And he endorsed his class through a very well planned innings of concentration and selective stroke-play. 7th out for 81, Youhana partnered Younis Khan for 80 runs and added another 50 with Rashid Latif. Then, Pakistan did well to score 35 runs from the last 27 balls, thanks yet again to Azhar Mahmood, who may not be bowling to his promise and potential, yet bats convincingly to put runs on the board, Cardiff notwithstanding.Yet another loss to Pakistan at Lord’s on Tuesday has more or less made England the ‘bridesmaid’ for June 23, the scheduled final. And even if England prove an exception to the rule by upsetting favourites Australia, twice in the forthcoming matches, a very unlikely happening, they may still miss out due a poor run rate. This is England’s 8th loss since that win over Pakistan at Karachi and fourth against Pakistan in succession.

Through this win, Pakistan has drawn a lot of confidence. This ‘future’ looking team did them proud through this achievement where one and all thought 242/8 was a poor total to defend. It certainly looked all the more poorer through that Tescothick 137 that nearly gave England the much sought yet elusive win. It augurs well for Pakistan and reflects a potentially greater significance, for it was achieved without the super stars. England’s 8th defeat in a row was yet another blow to morale. For Pakistan, this win erases those unhappy moments of Lord’s 1992 when they lost to England by 79 runs.Umpiring has been consistently inconsistent and even though Saleem Elahi was unfortunate earlier on, KE Palmer nearly ‘recreated’ Old Trafford, 1992. Here’s hoping conscience rules the hearts of the umpires in coming matches and they are also alert enough to spot no balls.Pakistan plays Australia next at Chester-le-Street and certainly would feel comfortable if Australia triumphs over England at Old Trafford, Thursday.

Chris Hassell, the Yorkshire Chief Executive, was not at Scarborough to seehis team clinch the CricInfo Championship. Confined to Headingleyheadquarters on administrative duties, he found time to comment on thecounty’s triumph.”Personally, I’m delighted for the team, because I do think it’s been a teameffort. We’ve used two dozen players in the first team this season and allof them have contributed. In addition, the coach and the captain havecontributed enormously, as have the coaches behind the scenes. They haveprepared the young players to come into the first team to counter thenumerous England calls and injuries that we’ve suffered.”He went on, “This has been a triumph for all Yorkshire cricket, from thegrass roots up to the first team which has actually won the title. TheAcademy side is going for the Premier League title, and the second team arefighting for that title as well, so there is success right through the club.All Yorkshire cricket will benefit, from marketing to cricket development.It’s just so good for cricket as a whole in Yorkshire.”Hassell has been in charge of Yorkshire for 11 years and, despite allhis tireless work behind the scenes, this is the first title he has beenable to celebrate and will be all the sweeter for that.

Sussex have again questioned the viability of cricket festivals at Horsham and Arundel, suggesting that at least one of them could be dropped next season unless there are more indications of commercial and community interest.Most at risk over recent seasons has been Horsham, which looked under threat two years ago before a late influx of sponsorship gave it a stay of execution.Festivals have been in gradual decline for decades as counties have invested heavily in their main grounds, commercial support has wavered and players, the media and some spectators have come to expect better facilities.Zac Toumazi, Sussex’s chief executive, has told BBC Sussex about Sussex’s cricket festivals: “We all love it and all want it but very few want to pay for it. I am a massive supporter of it but the economics have to be considered.”Sussex’s chairman Jim May sounded even more pessimistic. “Our takings at Horsham and Arundel were considerably down last year on the prior year – gate money by over 30% while hospitality wasn’t good at all. It is the old cliché: ‘use it or lose it’. Unless we get significant sponsorship I find it highly likely we will only be playing at one festival ground in 2016.”Only part of that decline could be put down to a disappointing Sussex season that ended in relegation in the Championship, especially as crowds at Hove actually rose on the previous year.Horsham CC is one of oldest cricket clubs in the world. The first recorded game for a side based around the town was in 1771, the club dates back to 1806 and has been at its current ground at Cricketfield Road since 1851.”I’ve been clear I would like the festivals to continue,” Toumazi said. “We look at the model all of the time but I can’t guarantee what the outcome will be.”

ScorecardMichael Hogan satrred with the bat not the ball [file picture]•Getty Images

Even on a rain-flecked morning with the sun fugitive it was difficult to credit that a few folk wanted this game finished in three days. Glen Chapple was bowling and he was moving it away late from Graham Wagg and Andrew Salter, Glamorgan’s eighth-wicket pair.The air was still, though it still held the tang of the sea. Many spectators, caught between realism and hope, had opted for anoraks and shorts. They watched the cricket mostly in rapt, appreciative silence.Of course it was natural to expect that Lancashire’s players, eager for an early win and a day’s rest before their journey to Worcester on Friday, aimed to have matters concluded as early as possible. But many others, whatever their loyalties, probably hoped to enjoy their full four days’ cricket by the sea.Fortunately for this large latter group, Glamorgan’s team is filled with proper cricketers this summer, playing with the confidence born of regular victories. Their win against Surrey at Guildford firmly established their credentials, even though it must seem a long month since that week of wonders.So Glamorgan’s later batsmen made Lancashire work for almost every success in an entertaining morning session. After Mark Wallace had played on when driving crookedly to Chapple in the sixth over of the day the last three wickets added 175 runs, more than doubling the score to 348. And by the time Michael Hogan was last out in the ninth over after a delayed lunch for a career-best 57, Glamorgan’s tail had done their best to make it clear that this was not to be a day characterised by submission and collapseNor was it, quite, even though Lancashire remain utterly dominant in this game, their power founded on their mammoth first-innings 698 for 5, a total that not so much exceeds Glamorgan’s scores as towers over them. Even with the efforts of the tail Glamorgan were still 201 runs short of avoiding the follow on and they go into the last day on 146 for 5 in their second innings. They are still 204 runs in arrears and almost certainly heading for an innings defeat.Once Hogan, Wagg and their friends had done their best, Glamorgan plainly needed their top order to occupy the crease for hours on this flat pitch. Yet none of the five batsmen dismissed in the second innings lasted longer than 57 minutes against this fine, well-balanced Lancashire attack, which was supported by some inspired out-cricket.For the second time in 24 hours Glamorgan’s openers failed to provide a solid platform for an innings. In the eighth over Jacques Rudolph was pouched at slip by Steven Croft when driving at a rather wide one from Kyle Jarvis which he could have left alone; in Jarvis’s next over Will Bragg was brilliantly caught by wicketkeeper Alex Davies, who dived wide to his right to take a nick off the inside edge. Glamorgan were 40 for 2 at tea and the sun’s brief appearance seemed almost a consolation to the supporters who had travelled from Neath or the schoolchildren from Mold and Abergele.Things got worse for the home side in the evening session and, therefore, so much better for Lancashire, whose seventh win would all but confirm their promotion. Colin Ingram was superbly caught by Alviro Petersen off Arron Lilley, the fielder diving backwards to take the chance one-handed at deep mid-on. Then David Lloyd, having hit six pleasant boundaries, was leg before to Lilley for 34 when he went only half forward to a straight one; seven overs later, Mark Wallace, for all his studious and orthodox defence, was bowled by Kerrigan for 2.That left Glamorgan on 120 for five and though Chris Cooke and Salter saw them safely to the close, they did so with close fielders in attendance and the spinners in full cry. There will be more of that for Cooke and Salter to deal with on the final day.Yet all this grim defence in adversity was far removed from that morning session when Glamorgan’s tail had lifted the spirits of the home supporters in the crowd. Predictably, a fresh mood was established by Graham Wagg. Glamorgan’s leading run-scorer in Championship cricket, Wagg deposited Lilley into the Penrhyn Avenue gardens three times in an over, which may have disrupted the residents’ morning coffee and custard creams a little.Lilley gained some balm for his pain a few moments later when Wagg skied him to Brown at deep mid-wicket, although we could have done without the bowler’s graceless send-off to the departing batsman. But Lilley is still young and he will learn.Encouraged by Wagg’s faintly mad heroics, Glamorgan other’s batsmen responded with resistance of their own making. Salter and Dean Cosker, the latter almost anchoring the end of the innings, had added 45 for the ninth wicket when Jarvis bowled Salter for 43, although Lancashire had by then been forced to take the new ball.And still bowlers continued to play like batsmen. Hogan, often regarded as a tail-ender of the old fashioned “whack, whack, out” variety, began to select his shots with fine discrimination. Three sixes, one of them into the road off Chapple, and six fours were mixed with defensive shots out of the coaching book. Lunch was delayed by eight overs but Hogan and Cosker resisted until mid-afternoon when Hogan edged Lilley to Paul Horton at slip via Davies.The last pair had added 75 and almost everybody except eleven Lancastrians had enjoyed the entertainment. If they or Wagg had felt any scoreboard pressure, that fashionable cricketing burden of the day, they had done an excellent job of concealing it.This was a pretty fine effort when you consider that they could see Lancashire’s total of 698 every time they looked at the scoreboard. Of course, it will not save their side but it has still made the fourth day something to which all spectators can look forward, even if those in Penrhyn Avenue are spending the evening checking their insurance policies.

Some of Bermuda’s most talented young cricketers will compete for an Americas XI in a mini World Cup to be held in the West Indies next month.The Under-15 tournament will also include West Indies, Ireland, Bangladesh, Kenya, Pakistan, Holland and Zimbabwe. Bermuda were invited to send a team but because of exam commitments the board opted to be part of an Americas select instead.Lionel Tannock, the manager of the senior national team, has been selected as the Americas manager with Theo Cuffy, the Cayman coach, chosen as head coach.The group stages will take place in Trinidad and Guyana, from April 19.Bermuda coach Gus Logie said the selectors would choose five or six youngsters to be part of the squad, which will also include players from Canada, the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands.”The squad is in training at the moment,” he said, “and the selectors will be getting together over the next few weeks.”Grant Smith, the Under-15 national coach, said the quality remained pleasingly high – an age group Bermuda traditionally dominate in the Americas.The likes of Greg Maybury, Tre Govia and Deunte Darrell – who travelled with the Under-19s to the recent World Cup – along with Shea Pitcher, Josh Gilbert, Sinclair Smith and Kevon Fubler are all in contention for a place in the Americas side.”It should be a very competitive tournament. The last time they held an Under-15 World Cup was quite a few years ago,” Logie said. “A few of the big names, like Australia and South Africa, are not participating. I don’t really know what to expect to tell you the truth.”Bermuda Sun

Peter Barrable, a former batsman and captain of Northern Transvaal, has died at the age of 72 on Thursday.He had played 16 first-class matches and scored 626 runs. His career began in the 1964-65 season and lasted a decade. He led Northern Transvaal for his final two years between 1972 to 1974 and had been president of the Northerns Cricket Union even as he played cricket.”Not many cricketers possess the skill and leadership qualities to represent the union as batsman, while also being given the captaincy role and simultaneously serve as president,” Titans chief executive officer Jacques Faul said. “Barrable had the skills and knowledge to lead in the board room and on the field and we are grateful for his legacy to the NCU. On behalf of the Northerns Cricket Union family I extend our deepest condolences to his family, his friends and his cricketing colleagues.”

Australia’s captain Michael Clarke hinted at some confusion within the team over Shane Watson’s omission and rapid recall from the World Cup team across games against Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, and said a squad mentality would be critical should the national selectors continue to shuffle their deck according to the prevailing conditions.Watson was left out against Afghanistan and appeared likely to be on the sidelines for some time when his prime No. 3 spot in the batting order was handed over to Steven Smith. But a dry SCG surface and the decision to choose Xavier Doherty instead of a third seamer pitched him back into the team in the recently unfamiliar role of a No. 6 batsman, where he prospered alongside Glenn Maxwell.Clarke has long avoided commenting on selection, ever since he excused himself from a formal role on the panel in the first half of 2013, but his rueful laugh and long sigh at the start of a response to questions about the Watson shuffle said as much as any words could about the sequence of the past few days. The coach Darren Lehmann and the selector on duty Mark Waugh waited until match day to conclude that Watson and Doherty would play.”I’m not going there,” Clarke said before making a fishing gesture. “The selectors pick the players, and my job is to try to get the best out of the 11 players. So no chance am I getting hold of that hook. I thought the selectors made it pretty clear that they were horses for courses in regard to selection today, they went for the extra experience with Watto in the bowling department only playing two frontline fast bowlers, so that was a big part of why they made that call … but good question.”I thought Shane played really well. His batting was how we know Watto can bat. He’s got amazing power and I think he played a big part in helping set the game up, that partnership with Maxy and him. Then he held his nerve under pressure with the ball as well. That was a real test for us out there, as games continue to move forward we’re going to be under pressure and I felt the way all the bowlers held their nerve today was exceptional.”Consultation between a captain and the selectors has long been a point of discussion in Australian cricket. Ricky Ponting had no formal selection role but seldom got a team he did not prefer, but since he stepped down from the panel Clarke has been at odds with Lehmann, Waugh, Trevor Hohns and the chairman Rod Marsh more than once. Asked whether he needed a more open line, Clarke answered carefully.”I think it’s exactly how it’s been since I stood down from being a selector,” he said. “It’s been very consistent the whole way through. I think when I was a selector there was a lot more stuff over email and the phone in regard to communication but since I’ve stood down it’s been exactly the same.”It’s the squad that wins you tournaments, not just the 11 players. We had a completely different team in Perth and we made a world record score. So whatever 11 players the selectors decide to pick for the conditions and against the opposition, everyone will be ready to play.”The summer has been a vexing one for Clarke, and having made his first substantial score since suffering the hamstring injury that required surgery after the first Test against India in early December, he also spoke at some length about his dealings with the media. It was in response to a broader question about how he managed to handle the stress of this season.”I don’t feel stress from what people write or say,” he said. “It might have taken me a few years but I think I’ve slowly learned to ignore a lot of it and laugh at a lot of it, and I think that’s probably the only reason I’m still playing this game at the highest level. When I was a lot younger I probably took a lot more to heart. I think I’m pretty honest with a lot of the journalist who I feel are out of line or criticise me for something that’s not true.”I’ll generally front the journalist and ask why it’s been said and voice my opinion, as I’m sure a few of the journos in this room have experienced. But I also understand that people have jobs to do, they have to sell newspapers, there’s channels on TV that are fighting for viewers. So I understand and respect that’s part and parcel of sport at the highest level, and I think if you cannot take it personally that’s been the best thing for me. Sometimes it’s hard but you’ve got to do your best.”

BCB has awarded Top of Mind, a media planning company, the team sponsorship rights for Bangladesh’s home series against Pakistan this month. The agreement was reached on Tuesday after their contract with Aamby Valley, an affiliate of Sahara India Parivar, was cut short 15 months before it was scheduled to end.It is understood the BCB had hoped for a deal over Tk 2.5 crore (approximately US$ 321,000) and the winning quote was for more than Tk 3 crore (approximately US$ 385,000).BCB revealed last Friday that they had issued an advertisement seeking a new team sponsor after the two parties’ deal ended in March. On April 5, BCB president Nazmul Hassan said that a number of companies had submitted their bids but none of them quoted a price to BCB’s liking on the last day of submission. Top of Mind and Grameenphone, which was the team sponsor for the eight years before Sahara, were the two highest bidders and were asked by the BCB to bid again.”We asked the top two bidders to re-bid,” BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said. “They did so and we are pleased to announce that Top of the Mind has won the team sponsorship rights. We cannot disclose the amount but we are more than happy with it.”Their four-year deal with Sahara, which included branding rights for the national team and the national cricket academy, title sponsorship and in-stadia sponsorship for 2012-13, was worth USD$ 14 million.

British sports fans are used to stadium developments running way over budget – the virtual farces surrounding Wembley and the Olympic venues are the worst examples – but the MCC has readjusted the cost of its planned rebuild at Lord’s from £200 million to more than £250 million … within months of the original announcement.A report in The Times says that a rejig of the requirements of stands at the Nursery End will mean an increase in the eventual capacity to 40,000 but that will come at a cost.Plans include new stands opposite the pavilion the same height as the Grandstand and six retractable floodlights. The Times also speculated that the new media centre, which attracts mixed views from both public and the press, may be replaced, although the MCC are believed to be opposed to such a move.

MUTARE SPORTS CLUB v UNIVERSALSAt Mutare Sports Club. Mutare Sports Club won by 143 runs (target 285, Duckworth-Lewis).MUTARE*+N R Ferreira run out (Rogers) 78M G Burmester c Rogers b Croxford 94A D R Campbell c Rogers b Sanyika 38A Flower run out (Rogers) 1K P R Went b Sanyika 5A D Soma not out 14A L Taylor not out 3T K MawoyoJ M LewisD OberholzerK J TaylorExtras (b 5 lb 4 w 7 nb 8) 24(5 wkts, 44 overs) 257Matambanadzo 8 0 39 0Croxford 9 0 52 1Sanyika 8 0 56 2Murphy 10 0 52 0Rogers 9 0 49 0UNIVERSALSD R Matambanadzo c Mawoyo b Burmester 20*B A Murphy c Ferreira b Burmester 0B G Rogers lbw b Lewis 11G M Croxford c Ferreira b Lewis 0K J Taibu c Mawoyo b Lewis 19D T Hondo c Ferreira b Lewis 0M Imran c Ferreira b Lewis 5N Chouhan c Went b Campbell 31S Shah st Ferreira b Flower 15R Chiradza run out (Lewis/Flower) 22R Sanyika not out 4Extras (b 4 lb 6 w 5) 15(36 overs) 142Burmester 8 1 26 2A L Taylor 2 0 23 0Lewis 9 4 25 5Campbell 6 0 39 1Flower 7 1 12 1K J Taylor 4 1 17 0Mutare bowling adds to 4 runs too many.OLD GEORGIANS v BULAWAYO ATHLETIC CLUBAt Old Georgians Sports Club. Old Georgians won by six wickets.BACC K Coventry lbw b Coulson 124A P Hoffman c Coulson b Mwayenga 4B Stadden lbw b Mwayenga 9+M G McKillop c Barrett b Coulson 40*G M Ewing c and b Mwayenga 43C Mahachi lbw b Fraser 0K M Dabengwa c Evans b Fraser 0C R Williams c Evans b Bennett 15J S Nicolle c Neethling b Bennett 7N Mukandiwa run out (Robb/Bennett) 13T Mupariwa not out 3Extras (lb 4 w 12 nb 2) 18(39.3 overs) 276Mwayenga 8 0 45 3Bennett 7.3 0 85 2Evans 8 0 36 0Coulson 8 0 41 2Barrett 1 0 17 0Neethling 4 0 27 0Fraser 3 0 21 2OLD GEORGIANSA J C Neethling lbw b Mukondiwa 12G F Barrett c Mahachi b Dabengwa 51C B Wishart not out 112*C N Evans c Coventry b Dabengwa 88R Chengetere run out (Mahachi/Dabengwa) 0R J Bennett not out 8I M CoulsonW MwayengaA FraserD Robb+R BiggsExtras (lb 1 w 6 nb 2) 9(4 wkts, 39.3 overs) 280Nicolle 5 0 33 0Mukondiwa 5 0 43 1Mupariwa 8 0 39 0Dabengwa 8 0 67 2Ewing 6.3 0 48 0Hoffman 7 0 49 0TAKASHINGA v OLD HARARIANS SPORTS CLUBAt Eaglesvale School. Takashinga won by 106 runs.TAKASHINGAG Makoni c Burki b Chari 1E Chauluka c Khalid b Butterworth 38H Masakadza lbw b Ervine 69S Matsikenyeri c Brewer b Benade 41+T Taibu not out 24*A Maregwede c Khan b Benade 4E Chigumbura c and b Ervine 4R N Manyande st Khan b Burki 6P Utseya c Strang b Burki 0H K Olonga c Strang b Ervine 10A MaungwaExtras (b 1 lb 8 w 16 nb 3) 28(9 wkts, 50 overs) 225Rinke 8 0 32 0Chari 6 0 23 1Burki 8 1 27 2Butterworth 10 0 43 1Benade 10 0 49 2Ervine 8 0 43 3OLD HARARIANST Benade b Utseya 46R E Butterworth c Masakadza b Maungwa 5C H Brewer c Matsikenyeri b Olonga 11*P A Strang c Olonga b Chigumbura 11H P Rinke lbw b Utseya 1C Ervine c Taibu b Chigumbura 1N Chari b Utseya 14+S Khan lbw b Masakadza 12T Mashonganyika c Makoni b Matsikenyeri 3S Khalid c Utseya b Matsikenyeri 3A Burki not out 2Extras (lb 1 w 6 nb 3) 10(43 overs) 119Olonga 10 2 19 1Maungwa 7 1 23 1Chigumbura 7 0 26 2Utseya 10 1 25 3Matsikenyeri 7 3 16 2Masakadza 2 0 9 1KWEKWE SPORTS CLUB v ALEXANDRA SPORTS CLUB – Scorecard still not received, but match won by Kwekwe.QUEENS SPORTS CLUB v HARARE SPORTS CLUB – To be played this weekend.NATIONAL FIRST LEAGUE: LOG AFTER MATCHES PLAYED ON 3 NOVEMBER 2002NetP W L Pts Run rateMutare SC 5 4 1 12 2.30Universals 5 4 1 12 1.19Takashinga 5 3 2 9 0.30Kwekwe SC 5 3 2 9 0.11Old Georgians 5 3 2 9 -0.15Alexandra SC 5 2 3 6 -0.10Harare SC 4 2 2 6 -0.66Old Hararians 5 2 3 6 -1.49BAC 5 1 4 3Queens 4 – 4 0