Aussies concerned at Delhi bomb blasts

NEW DELHI: Australian players are concerned about the recent bombings in Delhi, where the third Test will be held, according to the fast bowler Stuart Clark. However, the team's travelling security consultant Frank Dimasi will not make a final recommendation on whether the squad should play in Delhi until closer to the match. The latest attack came on Saturday when a low-grade bomb went off in a crowded marketplace, killing three people. That blast came a fortnight after a series of five synchronised bomb attacks which killed at least 30 people around Delhi. "It is pretty fresh in everyone's mind at the moment," Clark said on the Sydney radio station 2KY. "We are still hanging out and waiting to see what will happen. "But there is some sort of concern that we are going to somewhere where an explosion has just been. I would be lying if I said there wasn't concern and that we are going to Delhi and there is that sort of thing going on." After spending a week in Jaipur the Australians have arrived in Hyderabad, where they will have their most testing hit-out to date with a first-class tour match. The Test series begins in Bangalore and then moves on to Mohali, before the third Test starts in Delhi on October 29. The Age reported that the squad is receiving regular updates from Dimasi, the security consultant who is travelling with the group and who has prepared a report for Cricket Australia. Peter Young, the Cricket Australia spokesman, said that following a briefing from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, it was decided that no further restrictions would be placed on the players' movements for the time being. "The protocols haven't changed," Young told the Australian. "They're doing things like avoiding major markets and avoiding religious gatherings on public holidays. The sorts of things that tourists are advised to avoid as well."

Contador issues warning to Astana

Astana team leader Alberto Contador has admitted Lance Armstrong's arrival may force him to move to a rival outfit.

Contador is among an elite group to win all three major tours

Armstrong came out of retirement to work with Johan Bruyneel, the man who coached him to his record seven Tour de France victories, at Astana.

But neither Armstrong nor Contador, who won the 2007 Tour, are likely to be happy for anything other than team leader status.

"If I am not happy I will change teams," said Contador.

When news of Armstrong's surprise return to the sport broke earlier this month, Contador said he would "welcome him with open arms".

But that stance seems to have changed after Armstrong officially signed with Astana.

"The team has said it has complete confidence in me, but this is a particular situation and I will have to see what happens in the coming weeks to then decide what is best for my future," said Contador.

"Four weeks from now the situation could be completely different.

"I spoke with Johan about the Tour next year and he said there is no problem and that I will be the leader, but Lance Armstrong is a champion and I think he will want to race to win.

"I am sure that he also wants to be the leader of the team."

The 25-year-old, who won the Tour of Spain and the Giro d'Italia this year, is contracted to Astana until 2010.

"I respect Armstrong. He has done incredible things, but I don't think that I have to prove to anybody that I should be the leader," said Contador.

"I want to be sure the team guarantees that I will be in the Tour as the team leader."

Armstrong has acknowledged Contador as "the best rider on the planet right now".

"We have to understand that and respect that," said Armstrong.

"I'm not sure I can ride that fast right now. I hope it works out."

One rider who believes there could be problems for the Astana team is the Republic of Ireland's 1987 Tour winner Stephen Roche.

"I could see (Contador) walking away. He's finally getting credibility and now next year everybody will be talking about Armstrong," Roche told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Uefa to expand Euro Championship

The European Championship is set to be expanded to feature 24 teams from 2016 instead of the current 16, according to Franz Beckenbauer.

Spain claimed victory at Euro 2008

A Uefa executive committee meeting on Thursday discussed the issue and will rubber-stamp the decision on Friday.

"Yes for sure it's going to be 24 teams," said Beckenbauer, who is vice-chairman of Uefa's development and technical assistance committee.

"The European Championships will not lose any quality by that."

Former German international Beckenbauer is not a Uefa executive committee member but is a European Fifa executive member who sits in on the meetings as a non-voting observer.

The proposal to expand the competition was put forward by the Scottish Football Association and Football Association of Ireland last year.

The new format will mean fewer countries will have the capacity to host the tournament but it is believed the 53 member nations are unanimously in favour of the change.

"I think the expansion will be better for the game - more teams will have the chance of qualifying and the excitement of the groups will go on for longer," said Scottish FA chief executive Gordon Smith.

"It is disappointing in that it means we will not be able to stage the tournament in the future, and we recognise that will be the case.

"It was a trade-off between trying to stage it or open up the qualification process and we have decided to look at something that helps everybody."

Spain emerged victorious at Euro 2008 earlier this year at a tournament where there was no presence from the home nations.

The expanded version should mean it is easier for Scotland and other home nations to qualify but Smith added: "It will make it easier for other countries such as England who failed to qualify for Euro 2008.

"We didn't do it specifically for that purpose however."

Yuvraj to lead in Australia's warm-up match

Test discard Yuvraj Singh gets a chance to return to the Indian team after being picked on Tuesday to lead the hosts in a warm-up match for the touring Australians.

The elegant left-hander will captain the Indian board president's XI in the four-day match beginning in Hyderabad on October 2, said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Singh, a regular in India's one-day and Twenty20 side, has played only 23 Tests since his debut in 2003, scoring 1,050 runs at an average of 32.81 with three centuries.

He was dropped for the recent Test series in Sri Lanka and was not considered for the five-day Irani Cup domestic tie, regarded as a trial match for the Australian series, which begins in Vadodara on Wednesday.

The board president's squad of 15 includes 12 current or former India internationals like Wasim Jaffer, Aakash Chopra, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Parthiv Patel, Irfan Pathan and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth.

The match will be Australia's lone first-class match before the four-Test series opens in Bangalore on October 9. The remaining back-to-back Tests will be played in Mohali, New Delhi and Nagpur.



Indian board president's squad:

Yuvraj Singh (capt), Subramaniam Badrinath, Wasim Jaffer, Aakash Chopra, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Parthiv Patel (wicket-keeper), Irfan Pathan, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Piyush Chawla, Pragyan Ojha, Pankaj Singh, Manpreet Gony, Yogesh Takawale, Rakesh Dhurv.

Ronaldo back on the ball

:Former AC Milan and Real Madrid star Ronaldo, one of Brazil's most decorated footballers, was Tuesday back in full training seven months on from a knee injury which led him to leave Italy.

Ronaldo is currently without a club but has in recent days been working on his fitness with Brazilian side Flamengo - though last week the 32-year-old three-time World Footballer of the Year - he celebrated his birthday on Monday - said he would fancy a stint with French side Paris St Germain.

Tuesday saw the "Phenomenon" participate in training with the Flamengo youth team having Friday indulged in some light training sessions.

"All this time I've been doing physiotherapy and gettting back to training with the ball is very important, another stimulus. It's marvellous," Ronaldo told reporters.

"We know we couldn't touch him as Ronaldo is just coming back and nobody wants to prejudice the return of an idol," youth team midfielder Leo said.

Ronaldo, who has suffered a chapter of knee problems in his career but returned to lift the World Cup in 2002, seriously injured his left knee playing for Milan against Livorno last season.

Media reports have linked him with English Premiership moneybags Manchester City, where compatriot Robinho is playing, but the club have denied any approach.

In May, Ronaldo, the all-time top World Cup scorer, said he was "incredibly ashamed" over a much-publicised encounter with a trio of transvestites who allegedly tried to bribe him out of 30,000 dollars for keeping mum about the incident.

PCB release itinerary for India test tour

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has released the itinerary for neighbour India's test tour early next year, although the schedule will only be finalised after a delegation for the visitors complete a security inspection.

PCB chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi told a news conference on Tuesday that India had approved the itinerary, which includes three tests, five one-day internationals, a Twenty20 game and a three-day tour match.

According to the schedule, India will arrive in Pakistan on Jan 4 and play tests in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore.

"The Indians have approved the itinerary and our security plan but will send a security delegation for an inspection tour before the series," he said.

"If their delegation makes any recommendations, we will look into them but for the time being, this itinerary is approved."

The test tour will be India's third in Pakistan since 2004.

TOUR ITINERARY:

Jan 4: Arrival in Karachi

Jan 6-8: Three-day tour match Hyderabad

Jan 13-17: First test Karachi

Jan 21-25: Second test Rawalpindi

Jan 29-Feb 2: Third test Lahore

Feb 6: First one-day international Faisalabad

Feb 8: Second one-day international Lahore

Feb 11: Third one-day international Rawalpindi

Feb 14: Fourth one-day international Multan

Feb 17: Fifth one-day international Karachi

Feb 19: Twenty20 international Karachi

Hamilton confident no problems under Singapore stars

:World championship pace-setter Lewis Hamilton is confident be a problem in other sports and there have been huge preparations for this so I think it will be great. "We are racing on another street circuit which are a particular favourite of mine.

"From what I understand it is wide and fairly flowing in nature, which is not what you usually expect from a street circuit, but it sounds like it will be pretty spectacular."

The race will start at 8pm (1200 GMT) Sunday with final qualifying at 10pm on Saturday, a scenario no Formula One driver has experienced before.

Some have said they are apprehensive, particularly since they only take to the track on Friday.

Organisers say 1,500 lighting projectors -- powered by 12 pairs of diesel generators -- will illuminate the 5.067km long Marina Bay circuit, each one four times brighter than those routinely used at football stadiums.

Tendulkar fit for Australia Tests: official

Batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar will be available for India's upcoming Test series against Australia despite racing against time to be fit, an official said on Monday.

Tendulkar, 35, opted out of a five-day trial match starting in Vadodara on Wednesday after being advised to take a week's rest to recover from an elbow injury sustained during the recent Sri Lanka tour.

The news sent shockwaves across India, but cricket board secretary Niranjan Shah denied media reports that Tendulkar could miss the four-Test series against the world champions starting on October 9.

"The physiotherapist wants him to take another week off as a precautionary measure, but he will certainly be available for the Test matches," Shah told reporters.

Tendulkar will be replaced by Subramaniam Badrinath in the Rest of India squad that takes on Ranji Trophy champions Delhi in the five-day Irani Cup match in Vadodara.

The Indian squad for the first Test in Bangalore will be named after the match.

Tendulkar, a veteran of 150 Tests, needs 77 runs to overtake retired West Indian Brian Lara's record tally of 11,953 runs and become Test cricket's highest run-getter.

The Indian already has a record 39 Test and 42 one-day centuries and is also the world's leading one-day batsman with 16,361 runs from 417 matches.

Tendulkar is hoping to make amends for a poor series in Sri Lanka, where his highest score was 31 in three Tests which the hosts won 2-1.

The world's most senior cricketer, who made his Test debut in 1989, has been plagued by a spate of injuries in recent times and underwent corrective surgery on his left elbow in 2005.

Tendulkar injured the elbow again while attempting to take a catch in the third Test in Sri Lanka last month and missed the subsequent one-day series.

LHC summons Shoaib Akhtar next month

Lahore High Court on Monday summoned the fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar to appear before the court to submit his reply in connection with an application of Pakistan Cricket Board.

PCB in its application prayed the LHC to issue a direction to the fast bowler that he must pay fine of rupees seven millions which was imposed on him by the Appellate Tribunal (AT) of PCB on the charges of misconduct.

PCB's AT had also banned Shoaib for playing cricket till 18 months, however, he challenged this decision in the LHC and the court allowed him to play while the payment of fine was upheld.

PCB last month after the court's decision asked Shoaib to pay fine but he argued that he would pay after the final decision of the court on his petition in which he challenged the AT's decision so PCB filed an application in the LHC.

Chief Justice of LHC on Monday ordered to serve notice to the respondent fast bowler to appear before the court on October 3 next.

Australia arrive for India tour

Ricky Ponting's Australia arrived in India on Monday for a four-Test tour, setting aside security worries following deadly bomb blasts in the country and in neighbouring Pakistan.

The 15-man squad will spend the next week training in Jaipur before flying to Hyderabad for a four-day match against the Indian board president's XI from October 2.

That will be Australia's only warm-up before the first Test opens in Bangalore on October 9. The remaining Tests will be played in Mohali, New Delhi and Nagpur.

The highly-anticipated tour had been placed in doubt after five coordinated bomb blasts ripped through crowded markets in New Delhi on September 13, killing more than 20 people.

Australia cancelled a Test tour of Pakistan in March and also raised security concerns about this month's Champions Trophy there, forcing the tournament to be put off by a year.

AUSTRALIAN SQUAD:

Ricky Ponting (capt), Matthew Hayden, Phil Jaques, Michael Clarke (vice-capt), Simon Katich, Michael Hussey, Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wicket-keeper), Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson, Doug Bollinger, Peter Siddle, Bryce McGain, Jason Krejza.

SCHEDULE:

Sept 22-28: Training camp in Jaipur

Oct 2-5: Four-day match practice match, Hyderabad

Oct 9-13: First Test, Bangalore

Oct 17-21: Second Test, Mohali

Oct 29-Nov 2: Third Test, New Delhi

Nov 6-10: Fourth Test, Nagpur.

Aussies hope game can return to Pakistan

Aussies hope game can return to Pakistan

SYDNEY ( 2008-09-21 16:08:39 ) :Cricket Australia said on Sunday it hoped the security situation in Pakistan would calm down so that international cricket could again be played there, following a massive bomb blast in Islamabad.

"Our reaction is that it's terribly sad and tragic news," CA public affairs manager Peter Young told Australian Associated Press.

"We enjoy playing against them and we have tours coming up there next year of course," he said.

"Everyone is praying quite fervently that the domestic situation there settles down so people can live their life in peace and hopefully we can start playing cricket there again."

Australia was one of the nations that declined to tour Pakistan this month for the International Cricket Council's Champions Trophy on security grounds, which led to the tournament being put off by a year.

"We do have cricket scheduled in Pakistan in 2009 and as always we'll do a pre-tour assessment before we travel there," Young said.

CA did decide to proceed with next month's tour of India even after a series of deadly bomb attacks in New Delhi, prompting criticism from Pakistani officials.

As for the Champions Trophy, Young said the ICC was "trying to come up with dates and venues for that."

"Of course, we were due to be there today. We would have been in Pakistan had the originally scheduled dates gone ahead," he said.

Bryan and Fish keep USA alive

Makeshift doubles pair Mike Bryan and Mardy Fish kept defending Davis Cup champions United States alive on Saturday after winning a five-set thriller against Spain's Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco.

The US duo, playing together for the first time after Mike Bryan's twin brother, and usual partner, Bob pulled out injured, won 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to send the semi-final into a deciding final day when the reverse singles will be played.

Spain, who have been Davis Cup champions twice, lead the tie 2-1 after world number one Rafael Nadal and fifth-ranked David Ferrer won their opening singles on Friday.

Nadal will face Roddick in Sunday's first rubber boasting a 3-2 career record against the American.

"It was very close," said Lopez. "In the fifth, if we've had a little more luck things might have gone our way."

Bryan said he was pleased the way he and Fish had responded to the pressure if playing in the intimidating 22,000-capacity Las Ventas bullring in Madrid.

"The crowd was very loud and it wasn't easy, but we stayed tough," said Bryan. The winners of this tie will play either Argentina or Russia in the final on November 21-23. Argentina, who have never won the Davis Cup, were 2-0 ahead after the first day in Buenos Aires.

In the play-offs, where the winners will secure places in the World Group in 2009, Olympic doubles champions Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka came back from a set down to beat Belgium's Olivier Rochus and Xavier Malisse.

The Swiss duo won 4-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-3, 6-3 in Lausanne to give their team an unassailable 3-0 lead. The 6,000 fans at the Centre Incommunal de Glace Malley venue greeted their gold medal pair in a warm half-hour celebration before the rubber got underway.

"The emotions were strong. I had tears in my eyes and couldn't find the proper words", Federer said.

Serbia also opened up a 3-0 winning lead over Slovakia in Bratislava.

Viktor Troicki teamed with Nenad Zimonjic, the 2008 Wimbledon doubles champion, to defeat Michal Mertinak and Filip Polasek 7-6 (10/8), 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 (7/5).

Troicki, the world 128, came in as a late replacement for Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic.

"I learnt that I would be playing yesterday evening, as Djokovic did not feel completely well," said Troicki.

"However there was no need to worry as I had practised with Nenad throughout the week and our partnership seemed to click."

In Bucharest, Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes kept India alive in their tie with Romania beating Horia Tecau and Adrian Cruciat 6-4, 7-6 (7/0), 6-4 to reduce the overall deficit to 2-1 ahead of Sunday's concluding two singles.

India had been left facing a mountain to climb after Prakash Amritraj and Somdev Devvarman lost Friday's singles to Victor Crivoi and Victor Hanescu respectively.

Bhupathi and Paes' success put them on a 21-match winning streak in Davis Cup competition.

Paes said: "I thought we played a solid match. We did enough to win in straight sets. But give credit to the Romanians. In Davis Cup, it's never easy, especially on clay." Great Britain's hopes were left hanging in the balance after Austria won the doubles to take a 2-1 lead into the final day at Wimbledon.

Jurgen Melzer and Julian Knowle made short work of Jamie Murray and Ross Hutchins, racing to a 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 win.

Elsewhere, Israel opened up a 2-1 lead over Peru at Ramat Hasharon after Andy Ram and Harel Levy beat Mauricio Echazu and Matias Silva 6-1, 6-1, 6-2.

At Apeldoorn in the Netherlands, the Dutch also led 2-1 thanks to Peter Wessels and Jesse Huta Galung seeing off Jun Woong-Sun and Lee Hyung-Taik 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.

In the day's other two play-offs, Chile took a 2-0 lead into their match with Australia in Antofagasta while Croatia were 2-1 ahead of Brazil in Zadar after Marcelo Melo and Andre Sa defeated Ivo Karlovic and Lovro Zovko 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 to keep the South Americans in the tie.

Asif's lawyer upset over doping hearing delays

The lawyer for suspended fast bowler Mohammad Asif has asked for his appeal against a positive doping test to be set for the earliest possible date.

Asif tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone during a domestic Twenty20 competition in India and was immediately suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board when the positive test was announced in July. He denied taking any banned substances.

His 'B' sample also tested positive.

Asif's lawyer Shahid Karim said last month when the results for the 'B' sample were announced they would appeal, though admitted on Saturday he was frustrated in the delay in getting a hearing.

"This long delay in giving a date is strange," Karim said. "Because initially they were pushing for a quick hearing. Now they are saying 'wait we will get back (to you)'."

Karim said he had been given an initial date of Aug. 30 for the appeal, though he had asked for a delay until Sept. 15 to prepare.

That date had since passed and he had yet to receive notification of another possible hearing date.

"We had asked them to keep Sept. 15 as a new date for hearing now they say 'we will let you know when it is possible'," Karim added.

Asif, who was detained in Dubai for 19 days in June after airport authorities found a small quantity of an illegal drug on him, had tested positive for nandrolone in 2006.

He was banned by the PCB for two years then later cleared by the board's anti-doping appeals committee.

Injured Tendulkar doubtful for Australia tests

India batsman Sachin Tendulkar could miss the four-test series against Australia starting in Bangalore on Oct. 9 after injury ruled him out of a premier domestic competition match next week.

Tendulkar suffered an elbow injury during the third test in Sri Lanka last month which forced him out of the subsequent one-day series.

He had declared himself available for the Irani Trophy match, seen as a selection game for the Australia series, but the physiotherapist at the National Cricket Academy advised him another week's rest to recuperate.

"He is not playing the Irani Trophy as he has been advised a week of rehabilitation," Ratnakar Shetty, the board's chief administrative officer, told reporters on Saturday.

Tendulkar missed the first two tests of Australia's last tour four years ago due to tennis elbow.

Younis will turn down Twenty20 league

Younis will turn down Twenty20 league

KARACHI ( 2008-09-20 17:28:25 ) :Younis Khan will skip the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League tournament to concentrate on playing first class cricket in Australia.

The tournament, to be held Dec. 3-10 with $6 million in prize money will feature two teams from each of Australia, India and South Africa and the champions from the English and Pakistan domestic competitions.

Younis, however, confirmed he would not play the tournament to fulfil his contract in Australia's domestic competition with South Australia.

"Twenty20 cricket might be popular among the people but to me it is nothing compared to first class cricket," Younis told private News channel.

"I would prefer to play first class because that is real cricket and that is where a player is really tested," he added.

Younis is scheduled to join South Australia in mid-October after playing in Pakistan's domestic Twenty20 competition and in a four-nation event in Toronto, Canada, that finishes on Oct. 14.

Harbhajan hopes to leave Australia in a spin

Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh wants the focus firmly on his bowling and not his behaviour when the home test series against Australia starts on Oct. 9.

"Yes, I'm sick of all the bad-boy crap," he told Hindustan Times on Friday ahead of the four-test series.

"I've no interest in hearing about how controversies follow me wherever I go," he said. "I'm going to stay away from all that."

He added: "It's always important to learn from your mistakes. I've learnt my lessons, good and bad, the good things teach you stuff as well."

India will rely heavily on the 28-year-old, their second most successful test spinner, who is nine short of taking 300 wickets, while hoping he would avoid the kind of drama that marred their previous trip Down Under.

India threatened to pull out of the series in January after Harbhajan was initially found guilty of racially abusing all rounder Andrew Symonds in the acrimonious second test in Sydney.

A standoff between the teams was ended after the charge was downgraded on appeal to using abusive language and he let off with a fine. Australia won the series 2-1.

The Indian board then suspended Harbhajan for five one-dayers in May for slapping fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth during a domestic Twenty20 league match.

McGain's huge task against India's spin masters: Clark

Australia's late-blooming leg-spinner Bryce McGain faces a massive challenge bowling to India's spin batting masters on next month's tour of the subcontinent, Test paceman Stuart Clark said Friday.

The Australians leave for India on Sunday and have included the uncapped 36-year-old as part of their tour strategy for the four-Test campaign.

Australia have indicated they are keen to attack India's premier batting lineup through their pace attack, led by Clark and Brett Lee.

But India's pitches are renowned for their lack of bounce and assistance to the slow bowlers so internationally-untried McGain will be pitched into the deep end as the Aussies seek to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

"We did discuss it very briefly in our training camp," Clark told radio here Friday.

"What we've got to remember is these blokes are proven performers in whatever cricket they have played.

"They (spinners) have done well somewhere otherwise they wouldn't have got picked. We've got to try and take that view.

"But it's going to be an interesting challenge for them.

"India are great players of slow bowling and they are going to be put to the test straight away.

"It will be a matter of how they step up and we have got full confidence in them."

Tasmanian finger-spinner Jason Krejza, 25, and Victoria's McGain are Australia's frontline spinners with Beau Casson overlooked after making his Test debut against the West Indies earlier this year in the Caribbean.

Allrounder Andrew Symonds will miss the tour after he was disciplined for going fishing rather than attending a compulsory team meeting during the one-day series against Bangladesh last month.

Clark said he welcomed moves by Symonds this week to knuckle down and force his way back into the Test side.

"It was starting to get for me a bit concerning he hadn't said anything," Clark said. "We hadn't heard from him. He hadn't made a statement to the media.

"It was great to see him come out (and speak). It was great to see he's committed to playing again and we look forward to him working his way back into the team because he brings a lot to the team."

Clark dismissed Pakistan's accusation that Australia were showing "double standards" by touring India despite five bomb blasts which ripped through parts of Delhi earlier this month, killing more than 20 people.

Australia cancelled a tour of Pakistan earlier this year over security concerns.

Australia were one of four nations that voiced concerns, effectively forcing the postponement of this year's Champions Trophy in the Muslim state.

"I suppose that was inevitable. They (Pakistan) were always going to say something like that," Clark said.

"It's all based on what DFAT (Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) say.

"DFAT said we shouldn't tour Pakistan and (for) India it says we should travel with caution. It's as simple as that."

Clark said the Australians were genuinely excited about their re-match with India after acrimonious exchanges between Symonds and spinner Harbhajan Singh last summer.

Sri Lanka lifts domestic ban on ICL players

Sri Lanka will re-admit players aligned with the unauthorised Indian Cricket League into domestic cricket, officials said on Friday, in a move that defies the world cricket establishment.

"Players will be allowed to play for their respective clubs and share their expertise, but cannot represent the country," Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) media manager Shane Fernando told AFP.

The SLC had last year banned its five ICL players -- Marvan Atapattu, Russel Arnold, Upul Chandana, Avishka Gunawardena and Saman Jayantha -- from playing any official cricket matches.

The decision comes two days after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) joined its counterparts from other countries in banning 13 players, including former captain Habibur Bashar, who has signed up with the ICL.

The ICL, bankrolled by India's largest listed media company Zee Telefilms, was launched last year in a direct conflict with the powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The BCCI not only barred any ICL player or official from taking part in official cricket, but also convinced other boards to take similar action against their 'rebel' players.

The Indian board also started its own lucrative Indian Premier League Twenty20 competition, featuring the world's top stars, to counter the ICL.

Not surprisingly, ICL officials welcomed Sri Lanka's decision.

"This is a step in the right direction," ICL business head Himanshu Mody told the Cricinfo website.

"We hope that this decision will pave the way for Sri Lankan cricketers to play both for the ICL and their country in the near future."

The ICL's first season last year comprised Twenty20 and 50-overs-a-side matches between eight teams that included a mix of international players and domestic Indian cricketers.

Among the top stars aligned with the ICL are retired former Test captains Brian Lara of the West Indies and Inzamam-ul Haq of Pakistan, besides fiery New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond and veteran Chris Cairns.

The Dhaka Warriors will be added as the ninth team in the second season starting on October 10.

Nato may "step up" its planning and training to defend the 26-nation bloc's territory, the alliance's head said Friday, amid tensions between the West

Younis Khan has delayed his departure to play for South Australia by a week after deciding to make himself available for domestic and international Twenty20 tournaments next month.

Younis said on Friday he would be playing in the domestic Twenty20 championship from Oct. 4 in Lahore and would also be available for a four-nation international event in Toronto from Oct. 10-14.

"I am definitely excited about playing top grade cricket in Australia. I will join them after the Toronto event," he told reporters.

Akhtar can play in national T20: PCB

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday gave a go ahead to speedster Shoaib Akhtar for playing in the Twenty20 national championship from October 4, saying the bowler's fitness would be judged during the tournament.

PCB's Chief Operating Officer Shafqat Naghmi said the Board had asked its legal counsel to get a clear order from the court on the fine issue.

"The fine is purely a legal matter which is being sorted out. But we want Shoaib to play in the Twenty20 championship so that the selectors can judge his form and fitness," Naghmi said.

The Twenty20 event in Lahore will constitute the basis for selecting the Pakistan squad for a four-nation international T20 event in Toronto that also features Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Canada.

Shoaib, currently playing for Surrey in the English county championship, has been named in Islamabad's 15-member squad for the National Twenty20 Championship.

The Board has been embroiled in a dispute with Akhtar over the payment of a fine of seven million rupees imposed on him by an appellate tribunal of the Board.

The appellate tribunal had reduced a five-year ban on him in June to 18 months but instead imposed the fine as well.

The bowler has now lodged a writ petition in Lahore High Court which is yet to be heard although the court has given an interim stay order against the ban.

The Board sent a legal notice to Akhtar, asking him to pay the fine to be eligible to play for Pakistan or anywhere else in Pakistan.

Naghmi said the Board policy was clear that no player would be considered for the international event if he didn't play in the national tournament.