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Hampshire have named a strong squad for the semi-final of the 2nd XI Trophy match at Stamford Bridge, near York when they will play Yorkshire on Monday (August 12th).Jason Laney, who was recalled to the first XI for the Championship clash at Old Trafford this week, returns to lead the seconds and takes John Francis, Alex Morris and James Tomlinson from the 12 in Manchester with him.Yorkshire, winners of the North group with four victories and one defeat (three games were abandoned) tackle the South West champions – four wins and two defeats being Hampshire’s record.Uxbridge hosts the other semi-final with Middlesex hosting Kent.Hampshire team: Jason Laney (capt), John Francis, Alex Morris, Lawrence Prittipaul, James Adams, Chris Benham, Iain Brunnschweiler (w-k), James Hamblin, Irfan Shah, James Tomlinson, James Schofield, Ian Hilsum (12th man).

South Africa captain Shaun Pollock has scoffed at suggestions that his side might boycott the opening match of next year’s World Cup as some sort of protest against the way the game is administered in South Africa.The idea of a World Cup boycott was floated in a Johannesburg morning paper without naming specific sources, but Pollock said: "There’s absolutely nothing that’s been mentioned in out circles (about a proposed boycott). I haven’t heard one person talk about it at all and I don’t believe there’s any truth in it. I don’t know where it comes from."Speaking on the eve of the final Standard Bank one-day international against Australia at Newlands on Wednesday, Pollock said: "Inasmuch as you’re always planning for the World Cup, we haven’t given it much thought. Pulling out of the opening ceremony – that’s way above or past anything we’ve contemplated. I can assure you that it will never happen."Despite his claim that the South Africans had not spent a great deal of time discussing the World Cup, it is clear that Pollock has begun to apply his mind to one-day cricket’s premier event.He said that he had already identified 12 players who he thought would form the core of the World Cup squad, while qualifying this by saying that form would obviously still play a part.His immediate concern was to try and prevent Australia going through the current series undefeated, but he did concede that the hammering taken over the past few weeks might prove beneficial to South Africa in the long term."If we’d won this series, we might have gone into next season a little bit cocksure," he said. "It’s outlined for us that basic elements and certain structures have to be in place. It’s been a good wakeup call. If you want to talk about timing, then it’s been better timing for us than rocking up for the World Cup and coming short on the most important day."He said that he believed many of South Africa’s myriad problems would be sorted out in the off season."Everything from the political side and off the field needs to run as smoothly as possible to make sure that everything on the field goes as smoothly," he said.South Africa will again be without Lance Klusener, who is carrying a hamstring strain, for the final game in the series and it seems likely that the hosts will recall Boeta Dippenaar and Nantie Hayward to their team for Wednesday, if only to give both players a run.Pollock said that the current Australian side had set a new benchmark for international cricket, likening Ricky Ponting’s team to golf’s Tiger Woods."In our situation, where we are now, we know what we have to achieve," he said pointing out that during Woods’ golden run in 2000 he had been winning Majors by enormous margins."Ernie (Els) finished second twice in those Majors, but now he’s fought back and is really competing and I believe that’s what is going to take for us to get back," he said.

Shadab Kabir continued his magnificent form when he propelled Pakistan Customs to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Lahore Whites in the National One-day Cricket Championship at National Stadium Tuesday.The left-handed Test reject stroked an unbeaten 87 as Customs reached a modest victory target of 177 in 40.3 overs with eight wickets to spare.Shadab, who had scores of 83 not out and 52 not out in the previous games, struck 11 boundaries in his 134-ball innings. He featured in a 66-run second wicket stand with Azhar Shafiq (26) and later put on 75 for the unfinished third wicket with skipper Aamir Bashir (37 not out).Earlier, Lahore Whites struggled to 176 for nine from their 50 overs – thanks to a 114-ball 60 by Tariq Rasheed who struck three boundaries. It was struggle all through Lahore innings who scored 47 from the first 15 overs and then collected 51 in the last 10 overs.For Customs, spinning duo of Tabish Nawab and Salman Fazal equally shared six wickets between them. Off-spinner Tabish scooped up three for 45 while left-armer Salman bagged three for 27.

Mahela Jayawardene has led Sri Lanka into the fourth major limited-overs final of his career – now all he has to do is win one. He calls himself “blessed,” and he is, but he knows that only victory in Colombo on Sunday will silence complaints that Sri Lanka always fail at the final hurdle.Sri Lanka had to battle for their 16-run win against Pakistan after setting them a target of 140, which was distinctly vulnerable even on a slow, turning pitch at the Premadasa Stadium. The manner in which they did it deepened Jayawardene’s faith that this time their experience in the final will be different.Kumar Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Lasith Malinga have all joined their captain in suffering defeat in three previous finals, the worst of them coming last year when Sri Lanka were routed by India in the 2011 World Cup final in Mumbai, following defeats against Australia in Barbados in the 2007 World Cup, and a World Twenty20 loss against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2009.There was no time for Jayawardene to savour victory against Pakistan before he had to make light of talk of rising tension. “We are all really happy to be part of a very successful group over a period of time,” he said. “We have been blessed with four now – although I know we haven’t won anything. But four finals, it’s amazing. In one’s career you are lucky enough to play in one final.”They have all had to be approached in different ways. One final was in Barbados, one in England, one was in Mumbai. Now we are playing in Premadasa, so we will approach it differently.”I think experience-wise we are much better: Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis were all pretty new when we lost against Pakistan and we have played a lot of Twenty20 since then. We play with a very positive mindset. We spoke at the start of the tournament that we would have to play on three different surfaces in Hambantota, Pallakele and now Colombo. We had to adapt. It is about handling tough situations better.”Jayawardene tonight was a captain who actually captained. There were none of the high jinks that entailed in the final Super Eights game against England in Pallakele he officially handed the captaincy to Sangakkara, so as to protect himself from a potential suspension for a second transgression for slow overrates, but then ran the show unofficially much as he always would.The likelihood is that the authorities – Sri Lanka Cricket, the ICC or most probably a bit of both – let it be known that further mischief would be frowned upon. That is the thing about a good trick – it is best not repeated.Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistan’s captain, felt around 150 was par on this pitch and repeatedly blamed his team’s defeat on a middle-order collapse. Jayawardene, by contrast, felt 140 was around par – “a score where we could challenge.” “The way we started, we probably fell short by about 15 or 20 runs, but Umar Gul bowled well and pulled us back.”Pakistan brought in an extra bowler so we had to adjust ourselves up front. Sohail Tanvir usually picks up wickets for them so we changed our game plan and tried to hold out for six overs and then we knew we could attack their spinners. Today it worked for us. Sometimes you may lose calls and it doesn’t work, but I think our situation has been pretty good in this tournament.”Chasing down runs is always going to be a tough call in a semi-final. Hafeez batted really well and guided them through the first 10 or so overs, but we knew they were a batter short today and we kept pressure on them.”

For a team to win by scoring 66 more in the fourth innings than the next highest total in the match is a rare event, but that is what Central Districts achieved against Northern Districts at McLean Park, Napier today.They did it with something to spare in the end, winning by six wickets with more than 20 overs to spare thanks to a thrilling and violent innings from their captain, Craig Spearman.The tempo of the match changed from dead slow to lightening quick and back again several times. It was a game that either side could have taken hold of at various stages, but that remained in the balance until Spearman took over.His 90 took 81 balls and included 11 fours and five sixes, the biggest of which sent the ball over the McKenzie Stand and out of the ground, off Yovich. Spearman took on each of the Northern bowlers in turn, with the same degree of contemptuous aggression. Joseph Yovich suffered more than most. The match was won when his recall was greeted with an upward gear change by Spearman.There are few players in New Zealand who can destroy an attack in this manner. Watching Spearman in this mood makes you wonder why he is not an entrenched member of the national squad.Opening batsman David Kelly’s contribution to Central’s win was just as vital. He gave solid foundation to the innings with 71. This was an outstanding effort from a batsman whose form had deserted him before this game.Glen Sulzberger also played a supporting role to perfection. He and Spearman put on 135 in 21.5 overs at a strike rate of 6.18 for the fourth wicket.Northern suffered the important – probably decisive – loss of Simon Doull before play began. He received a knock on the knee during his whirlwind fifty yesterday and could take no part in proceedings. Doull will probably miss Northern’s fixture at Whangarei next week.With Joseph Yovich used only in short spells, possibly an after effect of his marathon stint on the second day, the Northern bowling resources were severely depleted.Both Martin and Bradburn bowled tidily, but there was little help for the spinners in a pitch that seemed to get flatter as the game wore on. Most of the terrors that it appeared to hold on the first two days were in the minds of the batsmen, rather than in evidence on the cut strip.The loss is a blow to Northern’s title aspirations, though how much so depends upon other results. Earlier in the game Central coach Dipak Patel refused to discount his team’s chances in the Shell Trophy. This victory keeps the door open to the possibility of adding to their reputation as the come-back kids, earned after their victory against the odds in the Shell Cup.The reputations of several young cricketers have been enhanced over the past four days. Brent Hefford continued his meteoric rise with seven wickets earned by impressive control and cricketing intelligence.Andrew Schwass showed that he may be an undiscovered gem in first-class cricket, as well as in the one-day game. Joseph Yovich showed that he is a talent with bat and ball, bowling very quickly for a long time.There are some reasons for optimism in an otherwise gloomy week for New Zealand cricket.

Opening batsman Daniel Payne today said he was shocked after being named to make his debut for Queensland against Victoria at the Gabba on Wednesday.Payne will replace Jimmy Maher, who flies out on Saturday with the Australian one day cricket squad for South Africa.He and left-arm spinner Matthew Anderson come into the Bulls’ squad at a crucial time with Queensland needing first innings points to host the Pura Cup final at the Gabba.”Just shock,” said Payne today when asked his reaction to getting the selectors’ nod.”I didn’t really think I’d play this year, maybe next year. But it’s come now so you’ve got to make the most of it.”Payne is the seventh player to make his debut for the Bulls this season.He began his cricket career for the Gold Coast as a teenager before switching to the Redlands Tigers three seasons ago in the Brisbane club competition.He’s scored 540 runs for Redlands in the first grade premiership this season and notched up two half centuries against New Zealand with a Queensland Academy ofSport outfit last October.Payne said he would rely on advice from former Redlands captain Maher when he steps into his shoes on Wednesday.”He’s kind of seen me develop. He’s … had a bit of influence,” the 24-year-old said.”He’s always said if you’re going to score runs you’ve got to play it straight for as long as you can and that’s hopefully what I’ll try and do.”I’m just going to enjoy it and keep it simple and watch the ball, try not to let the nerves get too much in the way.”Anderson, who was 12th man during the Bulls’ recent win over South Australia in Adelaide, replaces Nathan Hauritz who will join Maher in South Africa for the one day series.Queensland: Stuart Law (c), Brendan Nash, Daniel Payne, Martin Love, Andrew Symonds, Lee Carseldine, Wade Seccombe, Ashley Noffke, MichaelKasprowicz, Joe Dawes, Scott Brand, Matthew Anderson (12th man to be named).