Gilchrist rested for final ODI vs NZ

Sydney: Adam Gilchist will be rested from Thursday’s final Chappell Hadlee Trophy one-dayer against New Zealand to ease his workload ahead of the India Test series, Cricket Australia said on Monday.

“It was always the selection panel’s intention for Adam to play in the Twenty20 International and the opening two matches of the Chappell Hadlee Trophy regardless of results,” Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said in a statement.

New South Wales ’keeper Brad Haddin will deputise for Gilchrist in the third and final Chappell Hadlee Trophy game against the Black Caps in Hobart.

Colts win

Calcutta: The Bengal U-19 team emerged group C champions after thrashing Karnataka by five wickets in a Cooch Behar Trophy match in Indore on Monday, says A Staff Reporter. Bengal have bagged 16 points from five outings and next face Hyderabad in the quarter final on December 24.

According to information reaching here, Srivats Goswami hit a brilliant 73 while skipper Rohan Banerjee scored 50 as Bengal reached the target of 196 for the loss of five wickets in the second innings.

BRIEF SCORES: Karnataka 298 & 249/9 decl. Bengal 352 & 196/5 (Srivats Goswami 73, Rohan Banerjee 50). Bengal won by 5 wickets.

Rasel ruled out

Dhaka: Bangladesh fast bowler Syed Rasel has been ruled out from the ongoing New Zealand tour with injury, a senior official of the BCB said on Monday. Uncapped left-arm pacer Sajidul Islam will replaced Rasel, who injured his collar bone while fielding in an one-day warm-up in Hamilton on Sunday. Sajidul will fly out on Tuesday.

Same squad

Port Elizabeth: South Africa will go into the first two Tests of a three-match series against the West Indies with the same squad that won successive series against Pakistan and New Zealand. The selectors again included veteran allrounder Shaun Pollock in a 12-man squad.

THE SQUAD: Graeme Smith (captain), Ashwell Prince (vice-captain), Herschelle Gibbs, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Andre Nel, Paul Harris, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Nini.

PCB stand

Karachi: The PCB has made it clear that it would not give a free hand to players to sign County contracts in the near future. “We know some of our players are in demand in English cricket. Although we have not finalised any policy as yet but we are clear that first and foremost national duty and requirements will take precedence over everything else,” a PCB official said on Monday.