If hosts can whitewash tourists in ODIs they will rule world in all forms of game

Stern test: Alastair Cook says achieving No 1 ranking in
all forms of the game would be 'amazing'.

England can go where no cricket team has gone before and become the top-ranked side in all three forms of the game if they whitewash Australia 5-0 in the forthcoming NatWest Series. 

It may seem fanciful that they would win every match against Michael Clarke’s side, the current No 1 ranked 50-over side, but this England team under Andy Flower have risen to every challenge they have set themselves bar winning the World Cup. But if that remains a notable absentee in their burgeoning trophy cabinet, steps are under way to address it starting with this one-day series, scheduled here as a reciprocal arrangement to the five one-day matches England want to play ahead of the 2015 World Cup in Australia.
 

Modern cricketers do not look too far ahead and Alastair Cook was predictably cautious about making any Glenn McGrath-like predictions of a clean sweep.

Yet as a plodder and a donkey (as one scribe famously described Cook’s one-day credentials) who has confounded every critic with the caterpillar to butterfly transformation of his one-day batting, he will doubtless be more confident of his team’s chances of achieving a 5-0 result than he is letting on, especially as England have won six of their last home one-day series.

“It would be an amazing achievement to be top in all formats but I don’t want it to be blown out of proportion,” Cook said on Thursday. “We are very much a developing one-day side and we’re desperate to keep going up the rankings. But let’s not get too carried away. It’s the start of a series against the current world No 1 side, something they’ve proved over a number of years. We’re going to have to be at our absolute best to try to win the series.”

Australia tend to peak against the old enemy and, while they were well beaten in the last Ashes series, they have yet to bend their knee to England in 50-over cricket. Clarke, a maligned figure when he first took over the captaincy, has since proved himself an adept and aggressive leader of a young team beginning to hit their stride.

“England have won their last six series playing some really consistent cricket so it’s important for us to play well and stay at No 1,” Clarke said on Thursday. “Our goal as an Australian cricket team is to be top in all three forms and I hope we can play some good cricket in England to stay there.”

The recent form suggests they will have to play well. England were scarcely troubled by the West Indies for more than an over or two in either the Tests or one-day internationals, while Australia drew the one-day series against Darren Sammy’s side in the Caribbean 2-2, with one game tied.

But then judging what might be from past results is rarely an exact science, or so England will be hoping after winning just one of their last nine ODIs against the Aussies.

The West Indies never really came to terms with the conditions, the slow, seaming pitches and biting wind anathema to their sunny dispositions.

Australia’s seam bowlers will be better equipped to use any movement that might ensue, while, in 19-year old Pat Cummins, they have someone with the genuine pace to disconcert.

Cummins tends to come on first change after Brett Lee and Clint McKay have delivered the opening salvo, a short and tall combination that can test a batsman’s judgment of length. Their bowling after that varies on the skipper’s hunch and how somebody is going on the day.

Xavier Doherty is the spinner of choice at present but could find it difficult to contain on English pitches that tend to offer precious little grip until later in the year. Thereafter a combination of Shane Watson’s muscular seamers, the captain’s left-arm skidders and David Hussey’s off-breaks fill the remaining overs, a kaleidoscopic approach in direct contrast to England’s use of five specialist bowlers.

Australia bat deeper than England, who have Tim Bresnan at seven, a consequence of playing those specialists as opposed to an all-rounder.

David Warner will open the batting, probably with Shane Watson, though Matthew Wade, the Australia wicket-keeper touted as the new Adam Gilchrist, could team up with the big-hitting Warner if the pitch looks true.

For this first game, at least, the contest will be the batting depth of the visitors against the bowling depth of the home team - as much a test of ideologies as of mettle.

England start out on World Cup journey

Andy Flower and Alastair Cook are hoping to mastermind
England's success in a global one-day tournament

Whatever the hype and hysteria over the next couple of weeks, there be will no World Cups or Ashes urns won as England and Australia resume hostilities in the NatWest ODI series. Instead, these five games represent not a destination, but a step on the journey for both teams. 

That does not render this series worthless. It will act as a barometer of each side's true position and provide an idea of how they must improve. It might also provide a vague guide to next year's ICC Champions Trophy. The fact that Lord's is expecting a capacity crowd of 30,000 underlines not only the draw that encounters between these two sides still has, but the draw of a wonderful, well-run ground. To regularly fill a stadium of this size in the current economic climate is a fine effort. 

That England go into this series with an outside chance of becoming the No. 1-ranked ODI side - they will need to win 5-0 to do so - speaks volumes not just for their progress in recent times, but also for some anomalies within the ranking system. A team that has lost so comprehensively in both India (5-0 at the end of 2011) and Australia (6-1 after the 2010-11 Ashes series) will surely have to win a major global trophy to convince that they are more than a very good side in their own conditions. 

That remains a key aim of this England side. Indeed, this series has been scheduled very much with a view to the World Cup, to be played in Australia and New Zealand in 2015, and the Champions Trophy, to be played in England next year. In return for this five-match series, England will have the chance to acclimatise with a five-match ODI series in Australia ahead of the World Cup, while these games should help both sides prepare for the Champions Trophy. 

It was a point made by England captain, Alastair Cook, as he looked forward to the games. "The reason this series is in is because of the 2015 World Cup," Cook said. "We really want to have some warm-ups in Australia to get used to those conditions just before that World Cup. That makes sense for our preparation then, so obviously as a reciprocal thing they have to come here. As players we don't mind. It's going to be a brilliant, hopefully, ten days. 

"We haven't won an ICC [one-day] trophy and we have a good chance next summer in our home conditions. That would suit us well. Clearly in a four year cycle you build to the World Cup but on the way you have to win as many games as you can. The Champions Trophy next year is half way to the World Cup and a good stepping stone." 

England have a dismal record in the last five World Cups and, despite the recent success in the UAE, they also have a modest ODI record away from home. But, in their own conditions, they are dangerous and recent performances suggest they are heading in the right direction. 

No other side is playing ODI cricket with the same methodology as England. While all other major sides have at least one explosive batsman at the top of the batting order, England have opted for batsmen of more solid, traditional style and a line-up that increasingly resembles their Test side. One of the few concessions they have made to 'specialist' limited-overs players comes with the selection of Craig Kieswetter as wicketkeeper. And it is his place that is, arguably, most at risk. 

But just because no-one else is doing it does not make England's method wrong. Indeed, against two new white balls and a No. 1-rated ODI side boasting at least two high-quality fast bowlers, England may well be grateful for batsmen of the class of Ian Bell, Cook and Jonathan Trott at the top of the order. 

It is worth remembering that England, too, would be playing quite differently had Kevin Pietersen not departed. But, just as Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss only came to form the captain/coach partnership that revived England's fortunes through the successful calamity that was the sacking of Pietersen and Peter Moores, so we may come to reflect in time that Pietersen's retirement proved to be a blessing in disguise. Bell, in particular, has been given a fresh chance to fulfil his undoubted potential in this format. 

Cook said he was not surprised how quickly England had moved on from Pietersen. "It's a great sign of strength," he said. "It's an encouraging sign as a captain that we have a good squad of players, that if someone is no longer here we have got people who can come in and perform straight away. 

"We are very much a developing one-day side and we're desperate to keep going up the rankings," Cook said. "I think we are progressing as a team. People are starting to feel comfortable in their roles in the set-up, but that doesn't count for anything when you walk out on the pitch. 

"We've got a really good test of ourselves now. They've proven they are going to be a really tough and dangerous one-day side and a tough side to beat. We're got to have to be at our absolute best. 

"Each international side has a couple of guys who can get it up to 90mph and these guys are now in a similar position to us in that they have eight or nine guys who can play in their fast bowling slots. They're in a position of strength just like we are."

Michael Clarke backs fast bowler Pat Cummins

Up to the task ... Skipper Michael Clarke has backed young
gun Cummins to fire in England.

Pat Cummins won't be fazed by playing on cricket's grandest stage in Friday's one-day series opener against England, according to Australia captain Michael Clarke.

The teenage paceman is set to play his first international match on English soil in the Lord's clash.

Australia have traditionally had a strong affinity with the home of cricket, the scene of the nation's 1999 World Cup triumph as well as 75-year unbeaten run in Tests.

However Mitchell Johnson's meltdown and Brad Haddin's tardy glove work during the 2009 Ashes loss at the venue showed the occasion can sometimes get the better of first-timers.

The vagaries of the ground's famous slope have caused many a fast bowler to struggle for rhythm in opening spells.

Clarke said Cummins showed in his performances in South Africa late last year that he could handle the big occasion.

"He will be out to enjoy himself and do as well as he possibly can," Clarke said.

New South Welshman Cummins made his debut for Australia at just 18 in a Twenty20 match against South Africa in Cape Town.

He then impressed in the 2-1 one-day series win before producing a man-of-the-match performance on Test debut in Johannesburg.

After hitting the winning runs at the Wanderers, Cummins succumbed to a foot injury and has only just returned to national colours.

His lethal combination of pace and swing caused all sorts of trouble for batsmen in warm-up matches against Ireland and Essex.

It was his 3-26 against the county side in Chelmsford on Tuesday that looks to have confirmed his spot in Friday's match.

England won the past six one-day series on home soil but only enjoyed one victory against Australia in their past nine encounters.

England can replace Australia as the world No.1 one-day side with a 5-0 series whitewash.

Not that England captain Alastair Cook is showing such optimism.

"Let's not count our chickens just yet, before they hatch," he said.

"That's totally irrelevant for us.You go into any series just trying to win the series."

"That's a tough enough challenge."

Ravindra Jadeja may not retain place in ODI team

NEW DELHI: IPL's million-dollar baby Ravindra Jadeja may find it tough to retain his place in India's ODI team. Struggling with both bat and ball in last few tournaments, Jadeja may have to sit out of the Indian squad that will tour Sri Lanka for ODI and T20 series. The team will be picked by the selection committee on July 4.

Sources say skipper MS Dhoni is in favour of Jadeja's presence in the squad. The team does lack a quality allrounder presently, a fact which may go in favour of the Chennai Super Kings player. However, selectors feel India can do with part-timers spinners like Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma instead.

Harbhajan Singh, dropped from the team last year due to poor form, is back in the reckoning and could fill the third spinner's slot. Rahul Sharma too is in the reckoning. The batting lineup, however, looks good with Virender Sehwag set to make a comeback.

The squad is expected to comprise of eight batsmen though the availability of Sachin Tendulkar has not been confirmed. Ajinkya Rahane, in that case, is likely to get the nod. Of the seven bowlers, four will be pacers, with Ashok Dinda being a sure shot while Vinay Kumar, Praveen Kumar, Umesh Yadav and Zaheer Khan are some of the other options.

The spin department will revolve around Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha.

Khawaja and Hauritz join Queensland

Usman Khawaja has followed Phillip Hughes
in leaving New South Wales.

The exodus from New South Wales has continued with Usman Khawaja and Nathan Hauritz both confirming they have signed with Queensland. Their departures follow Thursday's news that Phillip Hughes was moving to South Australia, further depleting a New South Wales line-up that had already been hit by the retirements of Simon Katich this month and Phil Jaques at the end of last summer. 

Khawaja and Hauritz both held Cricket Australia contracts last year but were cut last week as the list of national contracts was slashed from 25 to 17. The influx of former international players - Hughes, Doug Bollinger and Steven Smith also lost their national deals - has left the Blues juggling their list as some of their players have looked interstate for other offers. 

Although Queensland won the Sheffield Shield last season, the presence of Khawaja will be a major boost to their batting. The Bulls can now boast two men on the fringes of Test selection, Khawaja and Peter Forrest, as well as two of the most promising young batsmen on the domestic scene in Australia, Joe Burns and Chris Lynn. 

Khawaja, who is currently playing for Derbyshire, is expected to link up with the Bulls in September ahead of what could be an early start to their title defence. Khawaja averages 80.80 in four first-class matches at the Gabba, and although it can be a challenging venue for batsmen, he can take inspiration from the significant improvement in Forrest's results when he moved from Sydney to Brisbane last year.

"The decision to join Queensland has been the toughest decision of my career, particularly because I had to leave my home, my mates, my family, and my clubs of Cricket New South Wales and Randwick Petersham," Khawaja said. "I owe a great deal to where I am, and what I've achieved, to Cricket NSW and the 'Randy-Petes'. 

"I'm extremely excited about joining Queensland and taking my cricket to the next level. I have a big role and it's a perfect environment for me to grow as a player and a person. Darren [Lehmann, the Queensland coach] and Trevor Hohns have meticulously crafted a team culture that is welcoming, yet very demanding."

Lehmann said he was impressed that Khawaja had been willing to move out of his comfort zone to embrace a new challenge. 

"The easy decision for Usman would have been to stay where he was, but to his credit, he got in touch with us to see whether there was an opportunity with the Bulls to take his game to a new level, and for that stance, I congratulate him," Lehmann said. "It was a mature cricket decision, based around joining a successful group and I'm very excited about him coming into our culture, developing his skills and growing as a player." 

Khawaja, 25, has played six Tests for Australia, the last of which was the loss to New Zealand in Hobart in December. Hauritz, 30, was a regular member of Australia's Test side until the 2010-11 Ashes, but the emergence of Nathan Lyon and a serious shoulder injury to Hauritz last year has left him adrift from international cricket, and he did not play a game for Australia over the past year despite holding a national contract. 

Originally from Queensland, where he played 28 first-class matches before moving to New South Wales in 2006-07, Hauritz began the gradual journey home last summer when he played for the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League. Although he will be battling with the promising young legspinner Cameron Boyce for a place in the side, Hauritz said the opportunity to move back to Brisbane was too good to pass up. 

"I left Queensland looking for opportunity and gained that with New South Wales, and for that, I am eternally grateful," Hauritz said. "I was able to realise my dream of playing for Australia and thoroughly enjoyed playing cricket with NSW and with Randwick-Petersham. My wife Di and I enjoyed living in Sydney, but when the possibility emerged for us to come back home, it was too good to miss." 

"The chance to work with Boof [Lehmann] and get back to playing with the guys I grew up was very attractive and the fact I enjoyed my time with the Brisbane Heat last season reinforced that it was the right way to go. I still believe I can play for Australia and I'm confident the way the Bulls play and the group they have will help me with that goal." 

Lehmann said Queensland were happy to welcome Hauritz home. "He's a world-class offspinner, which fits in with how we are structuring our squad, and I am sure he is ready to demonstrate those skills for us and again reach the heights he has previously achieved," Lehmann said. "He showed me with the Heat that he is a calm, mature cricketer and we're confident he will work beautifully with the Bulls group." 

Queensland's two big signings came as all six states continued to lock in players for next summer, with one week left in the contracting window. Western Australia were keen on recruiting the Tasmania wicketkeeper Tim Paine to replace Luke Ronchi, but Paine has declared he will be staying in Hobart next season. 

The Warriors were also interested in Tom Triffitt, the young Tasmania backup gloveman, while his state team-mates James Faulkner has also received interest from interstate. However, Tasmania confirmed on Friday that Faulkner had signed a new three-year deal to remain with the Tigers.

Lasith Malinga Test return possible

Sri Lanka's bowling coach on Lasith Malinga
"I will be happy to play him for one Test in
every series, because I am confident he can
win that game for his team."

Champaka Ramanayake, Sri Lanka's fast-bowling coach, has said he believes Lasith Malinga might return to Test cricket if he feels his fitness is back at optimum levels. Malinga quit Tests in 2011 due to a long-standing knee problem, deciding to focus only on the limited-overs formats. If Malinga returns to Tests, Ramanayake said, he, like the rest of the seamers, would have to be managed very carefully. 

Ramanayake, a fast bowler from the Galle district who played 18 Tests and 62 ODIs for Sri Lanka, is credited for discovering Malinga, who hails from the same region. 

"Because of his [Malinga's] knee problem, he realised that he could be out in all forms of the game [so he had to quit one]. But I have the feeling he might come back to Test cricket if he feels he is fit and strong," Ramanayake told ESPNcricinfo in Colombo. "He is working hard on his fitness. I will be happy to play him for one Test in every series, because I am confident he can win that game for his team. 

"He has the hunger, I know he loves Test cricket. Recently I asked him to join us at the dressing room; he loves to pass on advice to the fast bowlers." 

Sri Lanka's fast bowlers have recently suffered several injuries. Chanaka Welegedera, their main seamer in Tests, was ruled out of the three Tests against Pakistan due to a torn shoulder muscle. Suranga Lakmal has a serious ankle injury that could rule him out for at least six months, and Shaminda Eranga has a nerve problem in his back. Ramanayake said these injuries are mainly due to a lack of bowling long spells in domestic cricket. 

"Bowling fitness is very important. We found that one of the reasons why bowlers keep breaking down is that they don't bowl enough at practice or at the domestic level, especially the youngsters," Ramanayake said. "You get these injuries if your body has not adapted to bowling long enough."

Nuwan Kulasekara, he said, is someone who is capable of lasting through a long spell because he doesn't strain himself too much when he delivers. "Some [bowlers] have sound technique. Kula [Kulasekara] for instance is smooth and wristy, and doesn't use much of his body when he bowls. He doesn't have to exert much effort. 

"On a flat pitch, you have to bowl 30-odd overs in an innings and your body is not used to it. We are now making sure they bowl more in domestic cricket, but they also have to be managed carefully. You may spend a lot of time at the gym, but still injuries occur." 

Despite his success as a one-day bowler, Kulasekara has played only 13 Tests over seven years. Kumar Sangakkara said recently that Kulasekara had it in him to be a Test spearhead, and Ramanayake agrees.

"He always had an immaculate line and length. He used to bowl only inswingers, but now he gets it to move away and gives opportunities to the slip fielders," Ramanayake said. "He's a rhythmic bowler and a smart cricketer. He has proven everyone wrong [regarding the] need for raw pace to play Test cricket. His fitness was never an issue. I have always rated him very highly but not everyone did." 

Nuwan Pradeep, who has emerged as one of the fastest bowlers in the country, also has a history of breakdowns in his short career. Ramanayake cited him as an example of someone with natural talent, but lacking in bowling fitness. 

"We discovered him when he was playing softball cricket. He hadn't bowled much with a cricket ball. He always had the natural talent, but he didn't bowl enough when he was younger. We need to be patient with someone like him. He is actually one of the fittest guys in the team, but he needs bowling fitness. This is why domestic cricket is very important for player development." 

A few months ago, Sri Lanka Cricket had advised the clubs in the first-class competition to prepare more seaming pitches. Ramanayake felt that merely preparing helpful tracks may not help their bowling fitness, when confronted with flat tracks in international cricket. 

"If you give them seaming tracks, they may not get to bowl much, if the batsmen are bowled out quickly," he said. "I would say 50-50 pitches would be ideal. Most the tracks in international cricket are flat and they need to learn how to bowl on those. They will also have to learn to bowl on turning pitches, using reverse swing and the cutter."

A series that could provide a few answers

Cook has had a rosy stint so far but the men from Down
Under are bound to pose a few problems.

Not always does an ODI series between England and Australia start without the latter being the clear favorites. Atleast, in the last decade or this has been the case. However for the five match ODI series starting tomorrow it is hard to pick a clear favorite. England have been on a roll in ODIs in recent times after Alastair Cook took over. Australia have been no different under Michael Clarke and that sets up a rather intriguing contest.

England:
Alastair Cook has had a dream start to his captaincy stint. Hiw own personal fortunes as well as the team's form has been on an upswing. England have secured four series' wins under Cook. Their only loss came against India in India. The win against West Indies being the most recent one and that series has helped England try out some new combinations in the aftermath of Kevin Pietersen's surprise retirement. Ian Bell's good form has masked the absence of KP in the series against West Indies but the middle order remains a concern for England. Howeverm it does provide yet another opportunity for the likes of Johnny Bairstow and Ravi Bopara to seal a spot in the ODI eleven.

The bowling has a more balanced look about it. The strategy of going in with five bowlers seems to be working well for England. Stuart Broad, Tim Bresnan and Graeme Swann are no mugs with the bat either. Alastair Cook will be relying on his world class bowling attack more than the batting to provide the game changing moments.

Australia:
That Australia are a team in transition was never in doubt. They have managed to sail over things pretty smoothly in recent times but facing a world class England side in their own backyard will pose a wholly different challenge. One look at the squad is enough to tell you that it is Australia's untested batting line up that will face its biggest challenge. David Warner might have made rapid strides in the recent past but facing James Anderson and Co in the seam friendly England conditions will be one of his toughest tests. Australia will rely heavily on the trio of Michael Clarke, Shane Watson and David Hussey to lead the way for the other batsmen.

While there is nothing much to call for between the batting line up of the two teams, there is definitely a stark difference in bowling, atleast in terms of experience. Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson will have to shoulder the responsibility of leading an attack that contains two of Australia's brightest young pace prospects who are returning from injury. Expectations are high from James Pattinson and Pat Cummins and Clarke is bound to have a tough time in getting his bowling combination right. Xavier Doherty has impressed in the chances he has got so far and should be a shoo in into the final eleven unless conditions call for an extra seamer.

Final Word:
England hold a slight edge going into the series but they will be wary of the Aussies who seem to reserve their best for the Old Blighty.

Ex-cricket chief says spot fixing was low point

Outgoing International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon
Lorgat (r) shakes hands with successor David Richardson.

World cricket's outgoing chief Haroon Lorgat Thursday admitted spot-fixing scandals were a low point of his tenure -- but insisted the sport was now in better shape to fight corruption.

Lorgat, who handed over to new International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive David Richardson in Kuala Lumpur, said the sport's response to its worst betting controversy in years would act as a deterrent to cheats.

"It's a lowlight, but in the manner we responded we demonstrated we will not tolerate any form of corruption and that we're going to pursue it to a logical conclusion," the South African told AFP.

Three Pakistani players were jailed in England over the spot-fixing affair after they were caught arranging no-balls to order during the 2010 Test series against England.

During its annual talks, the ICC also ordered all its members to uphold a lifetime ban slapped on Pakistan's Danish Kaneria by English authorities over a separate scam which left English player Mervyn Westfield in prison.

The reappearance of cheating, which has also been alleged in several other competitions and international series, badly damaged the image of a sport which was left reeling by a series of similar scandals at the turn of the century.

But Lorgat said the prison terms and the reforms made by domestic bodies, including the adoption of new anti-corruption codes, had left cricket better placed to battle corruption.

Mohammad Aamer, the young Pakistani caught and jailed for deliberately bowling no-balls in England, has also appeared in a cautionary video warning players about the consequences of spot-fixing.

"There's a far greater appreciation from (players) to be responsible and to respond to approaches that they might face," Lorgat said.

"I think the positive out of that scandal is that we've dealt with it and strengthened our processes. Part of that is the education process that we've also improved upon."

Lorgat said he considered last year's successful one-day World Cup in South Asia as one of the best achievements of his four-year term.

But he warned not to expect quick progress towards reform of the ICC, which has been strongly criticised over the power exercised by India, it's main revenue-provider.

"I think it would be unfair of any of us to expect overnight change," he said.

India holds the key to the future

Tony Greig was funny, outspoken and enlightening in a
question and answer session.

Tony Greig's analysis is that India holds the future of the game in the palm of her hands and everything hinges on a willingness to apply the 'spirit of cricket'

I attended the Cowdrey Spirit of Cricket lecture at Lord's on Tuesday. This may seem an anglocentric way to start a World Cricket Forum but the speaker was Tony Greig, an international figure if ever there was one.

Greig was born in South Africa, played for England, settled and worked after the end of his cricketing career in Australia and is often feted in Sri Lanka and India – though after his lecture he may not be feted quite so extravagantly in India as he once was. He is without question a global figure, always provocative and entertaining whether as a player or a commentator on the game.

For Greig this was an emotional homecoming. Here he was, welcomed back to Lord's, the home of an establishment that he had enraged 35 years ago by signing up for Kerry Packer and then recruiting cricketers for the "Circus". It may have helped a little that the president of the MCC, Phillip Hodson, is a good friend of Greig and a brother-in-law. The welcome was genuinely warm.

Actually the lecture format did not suit Greig perfectly. It was almost as if he was shackled by a script, which had taken weeks to chisel out, and he was determined to cover almost every aspect of the modern game. This was highlighted when the evening moved to a Q and A format, hosted by Mark Nicholas, in which Greig was joined by his old mate, Derek Underwood, and the nearest equivalent to Greig that England can currently offer, Stuart Broad, blond, 6ft 6in and a dashing all-rounder with a bit of devil in him. Once the Q and A was under way Greig was at his best: instinctive, mischievous, funny, outspoken and enlightening.
Greig has always been a man of contradictions. He took on the old order, yet last Tuesday he mentioned how much he regretted causing such pain to two very contrasting members of that cricketing establishment, EW Swanton and Alec Bedser. In the Q and A he was extolling the virtues of "walking" to Broad one moment and then explaining amid much hilarity why he could not contemplate walking against the Australians back in the 70s and how he encouraged the English players of that era to follow suit.

He explained that one of his reasons for aligning himself with Packer was to secure the future for himself and his family. Clearly self-interest was a significant factor. Yet here he was beseeching India to put aside self-interest – or at least immediate financial gain – for the greater good of the game.

In simple terms Greig's analysis was this: that India holds the future of the game in the palm of her hands. Everything hinged on India's willingness to apply the "spirit of cricket" and to make some financial sacrifices along the way, a simple analysis but also an alarming one.

So it was all the more striking to read on the day after Greig's lecture that India would not agree to the use of the umpire decision review system in the forthcoming series against England at the end of this year. In the scheme of things it does not matter hugely that India should veto the DRS again. The assumption is that a senior player, such as Sachin Tendulkar, does not like the system partly because it is always used against him. After all, it makes sense for India's opponents to use their reviews against the opposition's best player. But there is something symbolic about India's stance. With all that financial clout, India is more than willing to go her own way on a whole range of topics whatever the majority at the International Cricket Council think.
Less symbolic but far more financially significant was Greig's suggestion that the administrators in India should reduce the duration of the Indian Premier League as part of a package to preserve and protect Test cricket. Even Greig, a natural optimist, was none too sure whether India currently regards Test cricket sufficiently highly that they might be prepared to do that.