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Cameron White has been confirmed as Australia’s replacement for the ICC World Twenty20, after Andrew Symonds was sent home by the team management for an alcohol-related incident.White, 25, was a surprise omission from the original squad, seeing as Australia have long fancied his powerful middle-order batting in the 20-over game. He has previously played seven T20Is for his country, scoring a total of 152 runs from 102 balls, with a highest score of 40 not out.Cricket Australia’s request for a replacement player was accepted by the ICC on Thursday evening, and White is due to link up with the squad in the next 24 hours, ahead of their opening fixture against West Indies at The Oval on Saturday.Despite White’s pedigree, Australia’s cricketers have conceded that Symonds will be a difficult player to replace in the squad. He is among Australia’s most seasoned limited-overs cricketers, and he played a significant role in the closing stages of the IPL to guide Deccan Chargers to the title. His explosive middle-order batting, darting spinners and athletic fielding were integral to Australia’s World Twenty20 plans.”It certainly is a big loss,” Michael Hussey said. “With Twenty20 cricket you’ve got to be really flexible with your batting order anyway, and probably with Andrew Symonds in the team we were a little bit more structured because he plays that role very very well. Now we’re going to have to be even more flexible and try and go with the flow of the game.”It’s a real shame, really, because he is a great player and a great mate of mine. It’s unfortunate and we’ve got to move on, we’ve got to concentrate on the cricket, our preparation and making sure we are 100% ready for West Indies on Saturday. We can’t afford to let it affect our preparation. It is definitely a loss for us but we’ve got other very, very capable players to come in and fill the breach and hopefully we can put in a good performance.”Despite Symonds’ repeated behavioural infractions, which have often left the Australians at a loose end in important series, Brett Lee insisted he still had the support of his national team-mates. Lee described Symonds as “the world’s greatest guy” and felt he was losing “a great mate on tour”.”To lose a player of his calibre definitely is a big hole in the Australian cricket team so it is disappointing and we hope Andrew can be back shortly,” Lee said. “We have to move on now, it’s as simple as that. It’s very disappointing that Andrew’s going home but we’ll try to find a way to try and fill that gap. He’s a world-class player and to leave a gap like that is not great for the Australian cricket team but we always find a way, if someone gets injured or if someone goes out of the side, to fill that void.”We are here to focus on cricket. What’s happened with Andrew is a very personal blow for him and we’ll be as mates sticking by him and making sure that we’re giving our best advice and the help he needs.”Nathan Bracken was hopeful Symonds’ latest alcohol-related controversy would not force him out of the game. “To say it’s the end of his career is a big call,” Bracken said. “We enjoy having him around and we hope he will be back shortly.”Like Hussey, Brad Haddin conceded Symonds’ absence could upset the balance of Australia’s Twenty20 squad. “Obviously Andrew Symonds is a big part of our team,” he said. “He was a quality player with a big role to play in our side. It will change the balance of the team, but the beauty of our squad is that we have the players to cover for that.”Stuart Clark, who is not in the Twenty20 squad and will join his team-mates for the Ashes, said there would be mixed feelings in the playing group. “He’s a very good player and very important to the team doing well,” Clark said on Australian television.”But there will be that feeling of he’s had his chance and maybe it is time that something is done about it. But the overriding feeling will be we all feel sorry for Andrew Symonds because he’s our team-mate and friend.”

Division One

Ed Joyce marked his Sussex Championship debut with a vital innings as he held his new side together against Lancashire at Hove. He ended the opening day on 89 after James Anderson had threatened to give the visitors control with three wickets in an impressive display of pace and accuracy. Anderson, in his one Championship outing before the Tests start, made the first breakthrough when Chris Nash was superbly caught off an inside edge, then returned to remove a stubborn Michael Yardy after lunch. Glen Chapple claimed two key scalps as Murray Goodwin was held low at third slip and Matt Prior edged a drive to first, but Joyce held firm throughout the setbacks. Although Luke Wright didn’t last long, well held by Anderson off his own bowling after an inside edge ballooned into the off side, Robin Martin-Jenkins provided solid support until the close. He reached his half century in the final over of the day after dominating an unbroken stand of 87.Adam Voges and Samit Patel both fell agonisingly short of centuries, but Nottinghamshire still enjoyed a profitable day against Worcestershire at Trent Bridge as they finished on 334 for 5. Voges was caught down the leg side for 99 after a 224-ball innings while Patel, given one life when dropped at slip, was run out for 95 when he chanced a single to Vikram Solanki. Patel has to prove himself all over again at the start of the season after he was dropped by England for being unfit and he played fluently in front of selector James Whitaker during his 137-ball innings until the misjudgement. Nottinghamshire’s openers departed early as the visitors’ patch-up pace attack – at least boosted by Ashley Noffke’s arrival – made inroads, but Voges and Patel combined to add 140. Voges and Chris Read then added 114 until Michael Mason struck late to shift Voges. Read ended the day on 69 and Nottinghamshire, with Stuart Broad in next, have plenty of batting left.

Division Two

Bowlers ruled the opening day at Bristol with 13 wickets falling as Essex slipped to 60 for 3 in reply to Gloucestershire’s disappointing 155. Ryan ten Doeschate claimed 5 for 62 after the top order was dispatched by David Masters and Chris Wright. When ten Doeschate opened his haul with Chris Taylor, the home side were 38 for 4 before a New Zealand alliance brought some stability. Hamish Marshall and James Franklin added 55 and Marshall top-scored with 64 off 149 balls as ten Doeschate wrapped up the innings. Gloucestershire, though, hit back with the ball and Franklin led the way by trapping both Essex openers leg before.For a full report from the opening day between Kent and Northamptonshire click here.

Surrey County Cricket Club has received a boost ahead of the new season after announcing pre-tax profits of more than £583,000 for the 2008 financial year.Despite a desperate season on the field in 2008, which culminated in relegation from the first division of the County Championship, Surrey’s hospitality, conference and events activities continued apace, with Oval Events Limited (OEL) and Oval Events Holdings Limited (OEHL) contributing to an annual turnover of £23,961,000.”We are pleased to announce a pre-tax profit in excess of £500,000,” said Surrey’s chief executive, Paul Sheldon. “Income streams were strong throughout the year, particularly our conference and events business. We also recorded our highest ever membership number of 10,113 during the 2008 season.”The profits from 2008 have been ploughed back into the development of The Oval, with the outfield being completely re-laid for the 2009 season, in addition to the installation of new floodlights and the appointment of a new management team, headed by the former Sussex captain, Chris Adams.”2009 will be greatly helped by both the Ashes series and the ICC World Twenty20 but in these times of economic uncertainty our financial position cannot be taken for granted,” said Sheldon. “I feel confident that the club has a management team and staff in place whose experience and dedication will see us through these difficult times.”

Stuart Law, the former Lancashire captain, is set to make a surprise first-class debut for Derbyshire after their captain and overseas player, Australia batsman Chris Rogers, didn’t secure his visa in time. Law had signed up to play only limited-overs cricket but will step in for the club’s opening first-class game against Essex starting Wednesday.Another experienced player, West Indies batsman Wavell Hinds, managed to get his visa two days ago but South African fast bowler Charl Langeveldt is not available as he will be at the IPL. In Rogers’ absence, wicketkeeper James Pipe will lead this side.”It’s massive for the club because everyone wants to start the season well and put their best team out,” John Morris, Derbyshire’s head of cricket, told the ECB website. “The fact that Chris hasn’t been able to get his visa yet is a blow because he’s a quality player and our captain as well.”But we have Stuart available and that’s a bonus as we can call on his vast experience and quality.”

Referring to what?
There was widespread confusion at the Wanderers when Ricky Ponting made a quick decision to refer Steve Bucknor’s not-out call for an appeal for a leg-side catch off JP Duminy. The players and umpires stood around waiting for a decision but the TV coverage didn’t cut to the replays. After a couple of minutes, the players started making their way back to their positions to resume the over while Ponting and Bucknor had an animated chat. There was uncertainty over whetherPonting had withdrawn the referral but it turned out the relevant TV camera had broken down and the third umpire couldn’t see any footage. When the replays were finally found after play resumed there was no evidence that Duminy had hit the ball.Peer support
Not a single decision has been overturned as a result of the referral system in this Test. Billy Bowden gave Bucknor a pat on the back when his decision to send Neil McKenzie on his way lbw was backed up by Asad Rauf on referral. Then came a couple of occasions when Bowden’s line-ball calls were upheld. Mark Boucher was adjudged caught-behind and was clearly convinced he hadn’t hit it, although Rauf couldn’t see any hard evidence to disagree with Bowden. Then Andrew McDonald was certain he had AB de Villiers lbw. Bowden said noand though it could easily have been given out, again there was no firm proof for Rauf to overturn the call.Take my advice …
McKenzie’s lbw looked out to most observers and it was a surprise when he asked for a referral. Perhaps the fact that Bucknor took so long to adjudicate placed some doubt in McKenzie’s mind. His partner at the time, de Villiers, wasn’t in any such doubt. “He asked me and I said it looked out,” de Villiers said. “He said we’ll take a chance and it’s worth taking a chance, it could be outside the line it could have run down [leg side] but it looked pretty plumb from where I wasstanding and that’s what I told him but he was adamant he should use the referral.”The one that got away
Ironically, the one decision that would have been overturned came at a time when South Africa declined to use their referral. Morne Morkel bounced Phillip Hughes and there was a big appeal as he tried to fend the ball down and it sailed through to Boucher. Graeme Smithdidn’t ask for a referral and it was a shame for South Africa – the replays showed there was some glove and Hughes would have been out for 21.A fillip for Phillip
After his ugly duck in the first innings of his debut, Hughes was again desperate to get off the mark in the second innings. However, he took a more cautious approach. A clip off the legs for a single in the first over could have been the moment he was waiting for, except that Bucknor called it a leg-bye. But in the next over a cracking four through cover off Makhaya Ntini gave South African fans their first look at Hughes’ skill.Decisions, decisions
Ponting doesn’t like to enforce the follow-on – he has done it only twice in his time as Test captain – and despite taking a first-innings advantage of 246 and despite the potential for rain in the next couple of days, he again declined to send South Africa in a second time. It meant he faced the tough call of how long to bat to allow his bowlers time to dismiss South Africa a second time, which in turn made it even stranger that he accepted the umpires’ offer to go off for bad lightwith an hour and a half of play still remaining.Tackling a hard Steyn
As a crocodile and several Australian batsmen have discovered in the past few months, Steyn is not a man you want to antagonise. Peter Siddle clearly hasn’t learnt that lesson. While Steyn tried to help South Africa push past the follow-on mark, Siddle peppered him with a barrage of bouncers. It was brave but also the kind of tactic that will come back to haunt Australia’s No. 10. Siddle wasn’t worried. “It’s part of Test cricket isn’t it?” he said. “Everyone is going to cop it one day. It’s going to happen to me. There’s plenty more times I’m going to get bounced out there so I don’t think I have to worry about just him.”

Guyana snapped a four-game losing streak with a draw against Jamaica at the Providence Stadium. Jamaica picked up six points by virtue of their lead but it was not enough to take their top spot from Barbados, who are sitting on 51 after beating CCC.A mid-afternoon declaration by Jamaica set Guyana a tough 272 from less than two sessions. The home side were aided by four half-centuries and finished on 159 for 4.Jamaica took a 139-run lead by bowling out Guyana for 302. Travis Dowlin could only add a run to his overnight 71 before he was bowled by an incoming delivery from Andrew Richardson in the second over. Jamaica’s second innings started poorly, with Esaun Crandon snapping up Brenton Parchment and first-innings centurion Donovan Pagon in the first over without a run on the board. Parchment drove a catch to Narsingh Deonarine at mid-on and Pagon was bowled by a delivery that cut back in and took out middle and off.Xavier Marshall, dropped from the West Indies team, put on 49 for the third wicket with his captain Tamar Lambert before he chipped a catch back to Deonarine for 23. Wavell Hinds was the fourth to go at 90, pulling a short ball from Esuan to the other Crandon, Royston, at wide long-on. Lambert made 59 from 75 balls and Jamaica declared at 132 for 8. Their push for a win was thwarted by the left-handers Leon Johnson (58) and Narsingh Deonarine (51not out).Rain ruined Trinidad & Tobago’s hopes of victory against the Leeward Islands on Monday in St Augustine. The match ended in a draw and T&T could not move to third place on the points table.The umpires Rawle Richards and Richard Kettleborough made six pitch inspections between the scheduled 9.30am start and the actual resumption at 3pm. When play finally began Leewards, set 230 to win after Daren Ganga declared on the overnight 101 for 1, crawled to 36 for 0 in 38 overs – numbingly, a run-rate of 0.94 an over.In the seventh round starting Friday, Jamaica travel to face the Windward Islands in Dominica and Guyana will be at home to T&T.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will have no jurisdiction over Mohammad Asif’s detention case in Dubai, in which the fast bowler was detained at the airport last June after being caught in possession of opium.The PCB has received a letter from WADA about the case and though opium is on the list of banned substances – because it contains morphine – the board feels an internal inquiry is the way ahead.”It [opium] is a drug because it contains morphine,” Salim Altaf, the PCB’s chief operating officer, said. “From that perspective it is a banned substance. However, if this drug is in the possession of an individual and it’s out of competition, we have to look at that perspective as well. All angles will have to be looked at. I don’t think WADA has any jurisdiction over it.”If this is the case, then the onus for any punitive action falls on the board. A three-man committee has been set up by the PCB, though no timeline has been decided for its operation.This is the second such committee for the same incident, after the first fell victim to the administrative mess caused by the regime change last year, which saw Nasim Ashraf and his upper management replaced by Ijaz Butt and his team.A decision anytime soon seems unlikely as Altaf wants to ensure a fair, comprehensive investigation. “Once we read the report [from Dubai] and take a legal opinion on that, the committee will get to work,” he said. “You cannot hang a man until you give him a fair hearing. We have written to Shafqat Naghmi (the former chief operating officer of the PCB), who was on the first committee, and asked him to send us a report – if there was any – on the matter.”Both WADA and the ICC have toughened up their doping policies but, as they are yet to be put into effect, they might not apply to this particular case. “WADA’s new rules, if approved, that any athlete found with drug even if out of competition would be liable to punishment, will only be applicable after July 1, 2009,” Altaf said.The ICC has also asked individual boards to ensure their anti-doping policies are WADA-compliant. Altaf said a draft of the policy is to be submitted to the ICC by March 2009.WADA and Asif have had a previous run-in, in 2006, when Asif first tested positive for nandrolone, the banned anabolic steroid. Asif and Shoaib Akhtar tested positive before the Champions Trophy, during an internal testing conducted by the PCB, and after being banned initially, the punishments were scrapped on appeal.The overturn prompted WADA to step in and challenge the decision. But the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Lausanne, Switzerland, ruled even then that WADA had no jurisdiction over an internal matter.Asif is currently in India, where he will remain until an IPL hearing into testing positive for nandrolone last year takes place on January 24 in Mumbai.

Simon Katich’s walk across his stumps is a strange manoeuvre but it is working so well for him that he has shuffled his way into being Australia’s most consistent batsman. Katich’s 83 against South Africa was a vital innings after Australia fell to 3 for 15 within the first 30 minutes at the WACA and he said it ranked with his very best efforts at Test level.”It felt important because I know at the start of the day we felt that obviously this is a huge series and at 3 for 15 that’s when you’d want to stand up and help everyone out,” Katich said. “It was a tense little period early on but thankfully Clarkey [Michael Clarke] and I managed to scrounge a partnership together and we felt a little bit better at lunch.”The 149-run stand between Katich and Clarke eased the pressure on Australia after they lost Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey, and it allowed them to compile a respectable 9 for 341 by stumps. It was an end result that pleased Katich, who looked controlled and composed at the crease.His confidence was hardly surprising as the WACA was his home ground for the first half of his state career before he relocated to New South Wales. Seven years after making his Test debut he finally made his first appearance in Perth, the city where he was raised.Katich said his technique, which includes a shuffle so significant it often exposes his leg stump, was honed to suit the local conditions. It worked for 83 runs today until the method proved his undoing when he missed a Morne Morkel full toss and was lbw.”Having grown up here there’s always a danger of getting out nicking because of the extra pace and bounce,” Katich said. “The danger is as I got out [today], if I get hit then it’s going to be close. But on a wicket like this you’ve got to back yourself to try and hit the ball all the time.”Laying bat on ball has not been too difficult in the past few months for Katich, who is experiencing a career renaissance at the age of 33. When he returned to the Test team in the West Indies in May it was as a temporary replacement for the injured Hayden. He has become so prolific that he is comfortably Australia’s leading scorer since that time, with a buffer of more than 200 runs to his nearest colleague, and deserves to be locked in to the opening role for the foreseeable future.The situation is less certain for Hayden, who struck three commanding fours before he poked outside off stump and edged to slip for 12. It continued a disappointing run for Hayden, who was below his best on the tour of India and has scored 8, 0, 24 and 12 in Australia’s home Tests this summer. Katich said he had no concerns over Hayden’s form and was certain his slump would not last too long.”As his opening partner I know that it’s a tough job going out there and facing the new ball, particularly against their attack, it’s a quality attack,” Katich said. “He’ll be disappointed with how he got out today but I think he’s a quality player and he’ll bounce back … he’s been through it all so he knows how to deal with it.”

Andrew Strauss
The frontrunner to take over, and many believe Strauss should have been made England captain for the 2006-07 Ashes ahead of Andrew Flintoff. The ECB would probably have liked him to be a candidate when Michael Vaughan stood down, but he was still battling to secure his place back in the top order. Twin hundreds in Chennai confirmed him as a long-term fixture once again, and now his calmness could be just what the team needs during these tumultuous times. His previous short spell as captain, in 2006, brought an impressive series win against Pakistan and even when Kevin Pietersen took the role the thought still remained his time would come.
Pros A senior player with previous captaincy experience, respected by his team-mates
Cons Not part of the one-day or Twenty20 set-upAlastair Cook
Like Michael Atherton, Cook has carried the tag of an FEC (Future England Captain) since he made his nerveless debut against India in 2006. Despite a below-par 2008 he is still a fixture as opening batsman in the Test team, but has lost his one-day place and will struggle to make the grade in the limited-overs game as a one-paced player. At just 24 it would be a very young appointment and he would be best left to work on his own game without the burden of leading a team. He has plenty of time to rise to the top of the English game.
Pros A long-term pick which would allow planning for the future
Cons Like Strauss, only a Test certainty and still very youngAndrew Flintoff
Still the talismanic figure of English cricket and a good barometer of how the team is performing. His return from a long-term ankle injury has added another dimension to the team in all formats and he carries a huge amount of respect from team-mates and opposition. However, following the 5-0 Ashes whitewash he said he wouldn’t want to take on the captaincy again and England will be loath to over-burden such a key figure with leadership duties. Flintoff is best suited to being the heartbeat of the side with bat and ball.
Pros A chance for him to prove he can lead a team after the Ashes whitewash would be a motivation
Cons He’s too important to the team and already has enough on his plateRobert Key
If the ECB finally decide to look outside the Team England bubble, Kent captain Key will be the leading figure from the domestic scene. His name was touted when Vaughan stepped down and his captaincy style has developed since taking the role with Kent, even though the county has struggle on the field. He is a calm, laid-back leader who would allow the players to be their own people and would have no problem fitting back into a side which includes good friends Flintoff and Steve Harmison.
Pros A new face would bring new ideas, and at the same time would freshen up a batting order that has become stale
Cons Would have to justify his place with runs at the same time as learning international captaincy.Paul Collingwood
He resigned the one-day captaincy at the same time as Vaughan stood down and probably the only thing in his favour is that he can command a place in all formats of the game. When he was in charge of the one-day side he struggled to make his presence felt and was involved in the run-out controversy involving Grant Elliott at The Oval when he refused to recall the batsman.
Pros A tough character for tough times, possibly as short-term solution
Cons Wasn’t quite up to it previously and is seemingly always fighting for his place.Michael Vaughan
He resigned in tears, saying he’d put everything he had into the captaincy for five years. Would he have anything left to give with England crying out for some stability? His credentials aren’t in doubt, but the same problem would arise as when he quit over his batting form. However, with the most important series this year being the Ashes it might be the desperate solution to a desperate situation.
Pros Been there, done that and won the Ashes
Cons Has had his time and no chance to prove any batting form

Shaun Tait will adopt a cautious approach to playing over the rest of the season after adding a hamstring strain to his list of injuries. Tait hurt himself during South Australia’s one-day loss to Queensland and is in doubt for Wednesday’s FR Cup match against Tasmania.”I will have to be pretty cautious now to see if I can get through the season,” Tait said in the Advertiser. “I have had tendinitis for a while and it just flared up through the four-day game against Queensland and got worse in the one-day game.”It has gradually been getting sore. I have been getting through okay then Wednesday night I was in a fair bit of discomfort and couldn’t run in and bowl, pretty much.”The captain Graham Manou said Tait would have to be managed carefully and left to decide which matches he plays. “I have another four-day game before Christmas and will just have to see how I go and if I can get through that game or not,” Tait said. “I am not sure at this stage.”I have the Twenty20s after Christmas and then it depends how selection goes with the Australian team in the one-dayers and further games for the Redbacks.” He has not played for Australia since the India Test in Perth in January, when he took a complete break from the game due to physical and mental exhaustion.