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The batting team will decide when to introduce either the second or the third Powerplay during their innings, starting with the one-day series between New Zealand and Bangladesh in October. The change from the earlier scenario, in which the fielding side decided when Powerplays would be taken, is part of the ICC’s new playing conditions which takes effect from October 1.

The ICC Chief Executives’ Committee had met in June and unanimously approved certain changes. The amendment to the Powerplay rule also allows the captain three fielders outside the 30-yard circle during the second and third Powerplay. The previous rule allowed the captain to have two fielders in the outfield during the first Powerplay, and three in the others.

Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain, says he is still open to a captains’ agreement on taking the fielder’s word on disputed catches despite the controversy that marred the Sydney Test between India and Australia earlier this year.

Darren Gough has said he is in talks to join the Indian Premier League next year after finishing his first-class career with Yorkshire.

Gough played his final Championship match against Somerset, at Scarborough, before sitting out the last round matches as Yorkshire battled to Division One safety. He had already hinted that he may yet return to the domestic Twenty20 tournament next season, and now a trip to India is looking likely.

The instigation of two divisions in the County Championship has been a blessing of sorts. In terms of maintaining interest until the very end of the season, the last day, no less, for the second year in succession, this has been, unquestionably, a success.

The postponement of the Champions Trophy was a godsend as well. The public and the media have been able to give all their attention to what remains, even in this era of Twenty20 cricket, the prime domestic tournament. As captain of Kent, Rob Key will have had his head in his hands on numerous occasions this summer owing to their failure to win a one-day trophy, but to observe him on the pavilion balcony at Canterbury when he realised that his county would be relegated to the second division for the first time was to witness a shattered man.

Sachin Tendulkar has said the India-Australia series is about more than just how the Indian seniors play. “It’s India versus Australia, it’s not certain individuals versus certain individuals in their team,” he said, responding to a question whether the seniors were under extra pressure, especially after Sourav Ganguly was not picked for the Irani Cup.

“It’s about performing, and that is what the whole team should concentrate on doing,” Tendulkar said. “We would just like to focus on our performance. It is both the countries competing against each other, so every little thing matters.”

Owais Shah has been preferred to Ravi Bopara for a place in England’s squad to tour India for two Tests during December. The final batting slot was the main decision for the selectors after their announcement at the weekend that Michael Vaughan wouldn’t be picked.

Bopara was named in the squad to face South Africa, at The Oval in August, and enjoyed a prolific season for Essex which appeared to put him in line for a place. However, Shah made his Test debut in Mumbai in 2006, making 88 and 38, and is likely to have played all seven preceding ODIs to find some form.

The situation for the Pakistani cricket team was never so gloomy as it is right now. It’s players are in scandal, the structure and command control of the team and the board is in shambles, and there is no cricket for the team at home whatsoever, and not much at abroad.

The Pakistan cricket team has not played a Test match this year after Australia postponed their scheduled tour in March and the International Cricket Council (ICC) postponed the Champions Trophy tournament for a year due to security concerns of four leading teams.

Martin van Jaarsveld was named the Professional Cricketers’ Association Player of the Year at a glitzy dinner in London on Monday.

van Jaarsveld scored more than 1000 runs in the Championship but was unable to prevent Kent being relegated. He was also prolific in limited-overs cricket, cracking four centuries and 660 runs in nine innings as Kent reached the FP Trophy final which they lost to Essex.

Essex’s Ravi Bopara, who earlier in the day was left out of England’s Test squad for the India tour, was named Young Player of the Year. It was the second award in a month for Bopara who was also named the Cricket Writers’ Club Young Cricketer of the Year.

Tom Tikolo, Cricket Kenya’s chief executive has discussed a proposal with Pakistan Academy manager Haroon Rasheed to play around six one-dayers in Pakistan to get ready for the 12-nation qualifying tournament from where the top four will make the cut for the 2011 World Cup to be co-hosted by Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

When no country including even Bangladesh is apprehensive about coming over to Pakistan to play cricket, the gesture by Kenya must not be underplayed, and Pakistan Cricket Board must encourage Kenyans to come over and have a ball with us, and that is very kind of them.