Japan has been upgraded to associate member status of the International Cricket Council, in a boost for the ICC’s East Asia-Pacific (EAP) Development Program, the EAP said here Thursday.

Japan, who received their ratification at this week’s ICC annual conference in London, join new affiliate members Jersey, Guernsey, Mali and Slovenia, taking the total membership of the ICC to 96 countries.

Japan, an affiliate ICC member since 1989, join Fiji and Papua New Guinea as associate members of the ICC EAP region, the EAP said in a statement.

The region also has seven ICC affiliate members including Indonesia, Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, South Korea and Philippines.

There are now 915 senior and 2,896 junior players playing in organised cricket activities in Japan with 22 grounds used for regular competition including a facility at the base of Mt Fuji, the EAP said.

ICC EAP Regional Development Manager Tim Anderson welcomed the approval of Japan as an associate member.

“The ICC EAP Development Program is excited about working with the Japan Cricket Association as it now takes the development of cricket in Japan to the next level.”

From September 23 to 29 Japan will be competing against Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Indonesia and tournament hosts Vanuatu in the 2005 EAP Cricket Cup, a regional component of the ICCs World Cup qualifying series.

England and Australia to trial rule changes

New rule, new format during games at Headingley (July 7), Lord’s (July 10) and The Oval (July 12)

England and Australia will be the first sides to trial new one-day innovations on substitutes and fielding restrictions after both agreed to implement the changes in their three-match series, which starts next week.

The changes, which come into force formally at the end of July for a 10-month trial period, will include teams being able to bring on one substitute who can bat or bowl.

And unlike the current 15 overs of fielding restrictions at the start of the innings, only the first 10 overs will be so restricted with two other five-over spells to be used by the fielding captain during the remainder of the innings.

“We are delighted that the host grounds, the players and our commercial partners have embraced these new regulations,” England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive David Collier said Thursday.

England captain Michael Vaughan added: “It’s a new concept and it should be fascinating for the game and very interesting to see how it develops.

“It will certainly be challenging for the team to see how you use your 12th man and how to utilise the five-over periods. I think it will be good for cricket.”

England head coach Duncan Fletcher added: “I think that this is a very good idea. It will bring more excitement into the game and it is exactly what was needed.

“Captains and coaches will have a lot more thinking to do and I am particularly pleased that the two five over periods are variable rather than being allocated.”

Australia head coach John Buchanan said: “We fully support these new changes which place a greater emphasis on tactics in one-day cricket.”

The tens, who meet in the Triangular final at Lord’s on Saturday, will adopt the new rules during their games at Headingley (July 7), Lord’s (July 10) and The Oval (July 12).

Narain confident of giving his best

For the first time in his debut Formula One season, Narain Karthikeyan actually sounds confident. And it’s not the fourth-place in the controversial US Grand Prix that’s given him this feeling but the venue of this weekend’s race: Magny-Cours, of which both he and Jordan have fond memories.

For Jordan, the French Grand Prix is where it won its last GP, through the efforts of Heinz-Harald Frentzen in 1999. And though Frentzen had vast experience, no one, Narain points out, expected him to win. “It was a combination of teamwork and strategy, apart from the German’s grit”, Narain told this website’s newspaper.

While Jordan has a happy history at the circuit, Magny-Cours was where Narain secured the first major win of his career during last year’s Nissan World Series. That race saw him lead from start to finish but, in the second race later that day, he managed fourth place.

The circuit, a combination of slow corners and tight hairpins, usually tests drivers to the limit. Narain, though, says it suits his style of driving. “Though the World Series is very different to F1″, he says, “I’m hoping to exploit my knowledge of the track. I’ve always found a good balance and rhythm here and enjoy driving on it.”

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Day of healing for Venus on Centre Court

She took just a moment between the victory and the handshake, a moment strictly for herself. Bending over with clenched fists, Venus Williams celebrated her glorious resurrection.

Through to the Wimbledon final with her 7-6 (2), 6-1 triumph over defending champion Maria Sharapova, Venus deserved that moment. This was a highly significant development in women’s tennis, the return of a champion and a message to everyone on tour.

About a half-hour later on Court 1, Lindsay Davenport faced just enough of a puzzle to have it end without resolution. Just four points from winning, Davenport had to scurry off in a drizzle with a 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4), 5-3 lead over Amelie Mauresmo, who was serving at 15-love. It was 7:30 p.m. and the rain didn’t let up, forcing both players to return this afternoon and join the men’s semifinalists on the program.

Thursday was supposed to be a Centre Court doubleheader, but a four-hour rain delay pushed things well into the afternoon. It was determined that Davenport and Mauresmo would move to Court 1, with Centre left to the heavyweights. Despite the lopsided appearance of the score, Williams and Sharapova did not disappoint. (more…)

Australia beat Bangladesh

Australia beat Bangladesh by six wickets ahead of the triangular series final against England on Saturday.Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain, found his form in the nick of time today to help his team avoid further embarrassment against Bangladesh and put them in good heart for this weekend’s NatWest Series final against England.

Ponting’s first 50 in this triangular tournament set his side on course for a six-wicket win at Canterbury - and probably settled his own nerves too after a sequence of only 62 runs in four previous limited-overs international innings this summer. (more…)

New Champions Trophy rule puts India in a conundrum

Makeover of Cricket continues, as now this time there will be a new format for Champions Trophy. ICC Development International (IDI), the commercial arm of the International Cricket Council, has approved a new format that will see just eight teams in action for next year’s ICC Champions Trophy in India.

“After the last ICC Champions Trophy we sought the opinions of a wide range of stakeholders and conducted a thorough review of the tournament’s structure,” ICC CEO Malcolm Speed said in a release.

“The IDI Board is of the view that the new format has addressed the main flaws of the previous 12-team system and we now look forward to an exciting major international event in India.”

A new simplified format will be introduced for next year’s ICC Champions Trophy in India. But it is not yet over.

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Brazil Has What It Takes to Win Sixth World Cup

Brazil thrashed arch-rivals Argentina 4-1 to win the Confederations Cup in Frankfurt’s Waldstadion on Wednesday.

The World Cup holders started the better and were two goals ahead within the first 16 minutes.

Inter Milan striker Adriano opened the scoring with a fierce drive and moments later Kaka extended Brazil’s lead with a sublime second.

t is the second Confederations Cup crown for the five-time World Cup champions, who were surprisingly straightforward victors over their South American rivals. Germany claimed third place in the tournament earlier in the day, beating Mexico 4-3 after extra time in Leipzig. (more…)