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Despite the on-going dispute between the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Umpires and Scorers Council (T&TCUSC) and the Association of Cricket Umpires of Trinidad and Tobago (ACUTT), the Carib Sunday and Super leagues are scheduled to come off this weekend, with the TTCUSC promising to field enough umpires to officiate the entire season.However, the ACUTT, who say they have the support of 70 % of the umpires in the country and are lobbying to replace the TTCUSC as the representative body for umpires to the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB), are claiming that percentage is incorrect and that the TTCUSC do not have sufficient qualified personnel to carry out the job.Last week, as part of a process to arrive at a resolution to the impasse, representatives of both entities met with Ronald Ramcharan, Chamber of Commerce mediator.However, the Daily Express understands that the TTCB are awaiting the report of that mediation effort. But Parasram Ramsubar, a TTCUSC representative, said yesterday that no matter what the outcome of the mediation, there will be officials to ensure the smooth sailing of the 2006 Carib sponsored competitions. “We have already appointed the umpires that have said they will be available,” Ramsubar stated. “We have more than 20 qualified umpires and that will be sufficient to run the (Carib Sunday) League.” Ramsubar added that those figures were based on the responses to a request from the TTCUSC seeking the availability of umpires from the five zones last December.And while there were no replies from the North and North East Zones, acceptances were forthcoming from umpires in the Central, South and South East Zones Ramsubar indicated that they would need a minimum of 16 umpires to officiate the league competently.However, Harry Mahabal, the ACUTT chairman, suggested that cannot be the case. “Let’s put it this way,” he emphasised, “when the season starts you will see what will happen with the clubs. But according to our record, I don’t think they can have as many as 20 qualified. We also understand they have recalled several umpires who have stopped umpiring for the last 15 years back to the fold. Most of these people have not even seen the cover of a new rule book.”Regarding the mediation, Mahabal stated that Ramcharan was now seeking a legal opinion after the ACUTT presented two legal opinions of their own. Forbes Persaud, TTCB general secretary, said the local governing body would recognise the TTCUSC as the official body of the umpires as they had done so for the last 49 years. But Mahabal stated that the TTCB would determine the representative body at a meeting later this month.

Darren Lehmann has been ruled out of the Test series against New Zealand and will have shoulder surgery next week. Lehmann, who will lead South Australia in the Pura Cup match against Western Australia beginning on Thursday, aggravated the injury that restricts his bowling and throwing actions, but is confident of fighting his way back for the Ashes series in July.”I want to get the shoulder right so that I am fit and ready for selection for the Ashes later in the year,” he said. “I am keen to play for the Redbacks this week, and have been assured that I will not set back my recovery by doing so. However, the shoulder would not stand up to the rigors of three Test matches.”Lehmann, 35, was dropped for Australia’s last Test against Pakistan in January and his place was in doubt for the New Zealand Test tour once he was cut from the one-day squad last month. The injury delays the decision on his international future and Trevor Hohns, the chairman of selectors, said he would be considered for England. “It is important that he has this surgery to enable him to continue his cricketing career in the future,” Hohns said.Lehmann will at least provide the Redbacks’ awful batting line-up with some class as they attempt to lift from the bottom of the table against the Warriors, who lead the competition on 36 points. After Lehmann scored a brutal 104 against Queensland last Saturday, South Australia collapsed for a mere 200, and they face more stringent tests at the WACA from Thursday.Tom Plant is missing from the Brisbane squad and has been replaced by Shane Deitz. Western Australia will name their side tomorrow as they push to earn the right to host the final, which starts on March 18.South Australia Greg Blewett, Shane Deitz, Darren Lehmann (capt), Daniel Harris, Callum Ferguson, Nathan Adcock, Cameron Borgas, Graham Manou (wk), Daniel Cullen, Ryan Harris, Paul Rofe, Shaun Tait.

Make ’em snappy
What does it take for a batsman to succeed against Australia? Apart from a reasonable technique and the ability to cop some chatter in the middle, it’s the ability to score the runs quickly which separates the batsmen who have done well from those who have not. As the list below shows, the six most successful batsmen against Australia since the 1999-2000 season have all scored their runs at a rate of more than 55 per 100 balls. Jacques Kallis, at seventh spot, is the highest name in the list with a sub-50 strike rate.On the other hand, the three batsmen at the bottom of the list all have a scoring rate of below 46. Among the failures is Sourav Ganguly, who, in six matches against Australia, has scored 283 runs from 631 balls.

* * * *Left is right
Sadagoppan Ramesh did manage to find a place in the squad, and if Australia’s past record is anything to go by, the Indian think-tank would do well to include him in the Tests. Over the last four seasons, a left-right combination at the top of the order has achieved far greater success against Australia on their home turf than an opening pair consisting of two right-handed batsmen.As the table below indicates, the average opening partnership between two right-handers is a paltry 17.03, with the 61-run stand between Trevor Gripper and Dion Ebrahim for Zimbabwe at Perth earlier this year the highest partnership in 26 tries. Throw in a left-hander, though, and the average almost doubles to 32.95, with a highest of 147 between Wavell Hinds and Sherwin Campbell in 2000-01.It can be argued that the right-left combinations who played during this period were more accomplished players (Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan, Herschelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten), but this trend continues down the order as well, though the contrast isn’t quite as stark. Among partnerships for the first four wickets, right-left pairs have performed better in three of them – only for the fourth wicket have right-handed pairs done marginally better. In fact, of the 33 century stands against Australia since October 1999, 18 have been made by right-left combinations, and just 12 by right-handed pairs. Interestingly, all-left partnerships have posed a few problems for Australia. Have India missed a trick by leaving out both Yuvraj Singh and Hemang Badani from their squad?

* * * *The southpaw factor
Plenty has been written about why Murali Kartik should have been in the Indian squad to Australia. Here’s another reason: over the last couple of years, left-arm spinners have had more than reasonable success in Australia. As the table below shows, left-arm spinners have taken more than 30 percent of the team’s wickets in matches they have played. The list includes Daniel Vettori and Ray Price, but also the less likely Ashley Giles, who took six of the 15 wickets in the only Test he played in Australia.

* * * *India down under
A quick reality check on how the Indians have performed in Australia: Sachin Tendulkar is the only batsman who has consistently scored runs there, while Ajit Agarkar shone as a bowler on the 1999-2000 tour (though he is remembered – rather unfairly – for his horrendous run with the bat). Especially glaring is the lack of success of Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble: Dravid averaged a meagre 15.50 last time around, while Kumble’s five wickets came at an exorbitant 90.

Wisden Asia Cricket.

Mumbai register massive winSet a fourth-innings target of 400 to win, Gujarat never had a chance of getting there on the last day, especially since they ended the third day teetering at 33/2. But their meek collapse must have surprised even their rivals Mumbai in their Ranji Trophy league match at Bulsar.With Ajit Agarkar and Paras Mhambrey picking up three wickets apiece, Gujarat folded for a pitiful 101 in just 30 overs. Aside from TN Varsani’s 26 and K Damani’s 24, none of the other batsmen could even make a good start. Varsani and Damani took the score from 51/5 to 93, but when the former fell, the reins slipped rapidly out of Gujarat’s hands.Mumbai’s bowlers all stuck to a plan, bowling tight and attacking all the time. They got their just rewards in a 298-run victory, picking up eight points from the encounter by virtue of an outright win.Merchant, Odedra play out Day Four for a drawNine bowlers could not achieve a breakthrough for Maharashtra on the final day of their Ranji Trophy league match against Saurashtra at Pune on Wednesday. The match drawn, the home side picked up five points from the encounter, while the visitors picked three.Relatively comfortable overnight on 112/2, Saurashtra batsmen Altaf Merchant and Niraj Odedra experienced no hiccups at all in wiping out the first-innings deficit of 176. That done, they settled to patiently play out the day, putting all thoughts of a result out of the minds of spectators and rivals alike.Merchant ended the day on 111 off 282 balls, hitting 14 fours in the process. His partner Odedra also hit 14 fours in his knock of 129 from 299 balls. Merchant thus spent 423 minutes at the crease, while Odedra’s tenure lasted 343 minutes.With only Niranjan Godbole and wicket-keeper S Satbhai not turning their arm over in the day, Maharashtra used nine bowlers to no avail. Saurashtra, at the close of play, were on 339/2, ensuring the three points from the drawn match.

ScorecardTravis Dean had a hard act to follow when he walked out to bat in his debut first-class innings. Chosen ahead of international batsman Aaron Finch for Victoria in the opening Sheffield Shield round against Queensland, Dean walked out to bat with Finch having on the same day scored an unbeaten double-century for the Cricket Australia XI against New Zealand in Sydney.But Dean seemed unperturbed by events at Blacktown, and by stumps had scored a composed 81 not out as Victoria chipped away at Queensland’s first-innings total of 444. At the close of play Victoria were 2 for 147 with Dean batting alongside Peter Handscomb, who had 46; Handscomb had been the last Victorian before Dean to score a half-century on first-class debut, when he achieved the feat in 2011.Like Victoria, Queensland found that the pink ball offered little assistance once the shine had worn off. Ben Cutting claimed both the wickets from consecutive deliveries, Rob Quiney lbw for 17 and Marcus Stoinis bowled for a golden duck when he failed to get bat and pad close together and saw the ball zip through the gate.There was little else the Bulls could do and they adopted similar tactics to Victoria, placing fields heavy on men forward of the wicket – at one stage a cordon of three catchers were spread from short mid-on to short midwicket – on the assumption that no edges would be flying to slip. At least their batsmen had made good use of the friendly batting conditions earlier.Queensland had resumed on 4 for 298 and lost Jack Wildermuth, run out for 8, and Nathan Reardon, who edged to second slip off John Hastings for 36 early in the day. However, the experienced pair of Chris Hartley (55) and James Hopes (33 off 30 balls) ensured some handy late runs, along with 30 from Ben Cutting.Hopes holed out to long-on off the bowling of Fawad Ahmed and Hartley was caught behind off Hastings, who finished with 4 for 59 from 34 overs and was the most effective of Victoria’s bowlers. Peter Siddle was typically hard to score off but went wicketless, with 0 for 57 off 23 overs.