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The Dalai Lama will no longer inaugurate the the opening game of the series between India and Pakistan at Dharamsala due to Pakistan’s apprehensions that the encounter could turn political.A spokesperson for the Dalai Lama said in a statement that, “The general thinking of Dalai Lama is not to cause inconvenience to any party," and explained that since there were reservations over his inauguration of the game, the Dalai Lama would withdraw.The reported that Abbas Zaidi, the Pakistan team’s manager, was quoted in a Pakistan newspaper as having said the team would “not take part in any social activity, even those involving the Lama”. The PCB had expressed their fears to the BCCI, who responded that the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association had invited the Dalai Lama, not them.With the Dalai Lama’s withdrawal, the state board invited the rather less-controversial state governor, VS Kokje.

Match facts

Tuesday, May 6 2008
Start time 20.00 (local), 14.30 (GMT)

The Big Picture

Four days ago, the Chennai Super Kings were sitting on top of the points table with four wins out of four. Two defeats and a Trans-Tasman exodus later, they’ve slipped to No. 4. Chennai’s loss of form, with the bat in particular, has been dramatic. They were swung out for 109 by Sohail Tanvir in their previous game, the lowest score by a team batting first in the IPL. On paper, they have batsmen who can fire, and bowlers who have shown the ability to contain. All teams are entitled to their bad days and Chennai would do well to erase those bad memories as soon as possible. They will take heart from the fact that their opponents Deccan Chargers are languishing right at the bottom of the points table. However, Deccan have several impact players such as Adam Gilchrist and Shahid Afridi who, can single-handedly change the course of a match. The middle-order also needs to back up the efforts of Rohit Sharma, who is among the leading runscorers of the tournament.

Watch out for …

… Adam Gilchrist taking on Makhaya Ntini. Ntini bowled a maiden over against Rajasthan Royals and was one of the few bowlers who returned decent figures after the assault. Rohit taking on Muttiah Muralitharan should be another interesting battle in the middle overs.

Team news

Shahid Afridi has had a rough time with the bat so far but his saving grace is his contribution with the ball so one would expect him to retain his place. Chamara Silva has been warming the bench since he arrived in India and could be slotted in instead of Herschelle Gibbs. Moreover, Rohit could use some support in the middle order and Silva’s finishing abilities could be just what Deccan need.Deccan Chargers: 1 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 2 VVS Laxman (capt), 3 Scott Styris, 4 Rohit Sharma, 5 Shahid Afridi, 6 Chamara Silva, 7 Arjun Yadav, 8 Sanjay Bangar, 9 RP Singh, 10 P Vijaykumar, 11 Pragyan OjhaAs the only specialist foreign batsman in the side, Stephen Fleming needs to fire after two failures. Parthiv Patel hasn’t really pushed on after making starts. With only four overseas players to choose from, they are likely to retain their line-up from the previous game.Chennai: 1 Parthiv Patel, 2 Stephen Fleming, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 S Vidyut, 5 Albie Morkel, 6 MS Dhoni (capt/wk), 7 S Badrinath, 8 Joginder Sharma, 9 Manpreet Gony, 10 Muttiah Muralitharan, 11 Makhaya Ntini

IPL form (last five matches)

Chennai Super Kings: WWWLL
Deccan Chargers: LLWLL

Stats and trivia

Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
Photo galleryBulletin – India romp to comprehensive victory
Verdict – Men in form deliver
On the Ball – Timeless Dravid
Commentary – Midsummer madness
Plays of the day – The right hand of Zak
Sehwag and Ganguly quotes – ‘It was very humid and hot’
Inzamam quotes – ‘The target of 282 was gettable’

Shoaib Akhtar, the Pakistan fast bowler, has refused to respond to the notice sent by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), asking him to explain his recent critical statements in the media. Shoaib said the board had no right to question him as he was not a centrally contracted player.”I am not contracted to them,” Shoaib told reporters after the Pentangular Cup match between Federal Areas and Punjab at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. “So I am not bound to respond to their notice. How can they seek any explanation from me?”They can send me as many notices as they want but I know my rights and when I am not contracted to them I am not going to answer them.”Shoaib was overlooked for a central contract and instead offered a retainership, which he refused, insisting he didn’t need money to play for Pakistan. He then criticised the board’s policy on handing out contracts, accusing them of double standards after an unnamed inexperienced player who had played little cricket in the last six months was retained in the top category of contracts. He still has until February 18 to respond to the notice.A failure to respond, or a conclusion that he has criticized the board could result in a life ban, as Shoaib is currently serving two-year probation periof after his altercation with Mohammad Asif during the ICC World Twenty20 in August in South Africa. Aside from a 13-match ban and a massive monetary fine, Shoaib was warned by the board that any further indiscretions could end his playing career.He also dismissed the PCB’s statement that he needed to sign the retainership to get a No Objection Certificate (NOC) in order to take part in the Indian Premier League starting in April. “Why do I need an NOC from them,” he asked. “I have no contract with them. So why this NOC condition and secondly this is a matter between me and the IPL and not the board.”As a result of this, there has also been increased speculation linking Shoaib to the Indian Cricket League (ICL), one not recognised by cricket boards across the world. He was said to be one of the Pakistan players approached last year, though he turned it down at the time. If he does join the ICL, he will subsequently be barred from representing Pakistan again, as per board policy.

Kyle Mills will not travel with his team-mates to Napier and will stay in Auckland to recover from a stiffness in his back. Mills sustained this stiffness in the first game, which New Zealand won comprehensively, and felt a twinge during the third over of his spell.This was not the first time that Mills had this problem and had recovered from similar trouble a couple of times in the past. On those previous ocassions, he had been back to full fitness within a couple of days. John Bracewell, the coach, was optimistic that Mills would be available for the second match on Wednesday. Mills had a good first game in which he conceded only 24 runs in his economical eight-over spell. He also took the wicket of Kumar Sangakkara.Ian Butler, the fast bowler, will also rejoin the squad early on Tuesday morning to be ready for Wednesday’s second ODI. Butler left for Wellington to play in Northern Districts’ State one-day match against Wellington tomorrow so that he could be match-fit for the Napier game.

Rain forced the State Shield semi-finalbetween Central Districts and Otago at Napier to continue to the second day after Centrals posted a competitive total of 274 for 7 in their 50 overs. Ross Taylor continued his fine form this season, top-scoring for Centrals with 114. In reply, Otago reached 23 for 1 in 3.5 overs when rain intervened.Taylor shared useful partnerships with Mathew Sinclair and Jarrod Englefield and a 90-run fifth-wicket stand with Bevan Griggs, the wicketkeeper, who made 36. Taylor’s innings included eight fours and two sixes and was dismissed by Bradley Scott, the pick of the Otago bowlers. Otago lost Chris Gaffaney early, caught by Brendon Diamanti off Lance Hamilton for 9.The match is scheduled to resume at 10.30 AM local time on Thursday. In the event of no further play, Centrals will qualify for the final, having finished on top of the points table.

Samir Inamdar, the newly elected chairman of the Kenya Cricket Association, has said that one of his priorities will be to ensure that the team gets back its official ODI status. The quoted him as saying that he would bring up the issue in a meeting with Ehsan Mani, the ICC president.”I have received an invitation from the International Cricket Council president Ehsan Mani to [come to] London towards the ICC annual conference and we shall discuss the matter,” said Inamdar. “He wants to meet me but this issue will feature prominently because I think there is more to it. We will make a presentation and we hope that we will be given a hearing.”The ICC executive committee had, at its meeting in March 2005, recommended that Kenya be stripped of their ODI status, and Percy Sonn, the ICC vice-president, said that only a formal ratification remained to be done. “Kenya’s one-day status is gone. It will be done formally in London during the June 24-25 annual general conference.” If this does happen, Kenya will then be demoted to associate-member status and will lose the right to qualify automatically for the 2007 World Cup.Inamdar, though, was still hopeful that the decision will be reversed. “Tom Tikolo [the chief selector] and I will be fighting to preserve this status as being a necessary stepping-stone for any country, including Kenya, to proceed to Test status.”Meanwhile, Inamdar said that the government had made arrangements to fly in four Kenyan internationals – Steve Tikolo, Collins Obuya, Thomas Odoyo and Hitesh Modi – who have been selected for the ICC Intercontinental Cup match against Namibia in Windhoek from June 2-4. Inamdar also expressed his satisfaction over the government’s decision to pay daily allowances to the players for the three-day game. “This is a good gesture by the government, especially the [sports] minister Ochilo Ayacko. We are pleased with the government for according cricket the seriousness it deserves.”

Two of England’s leading international grounds, Lord’s and The Oval, are considering offers to stage exhibition games involving teams from the Indian Premier League, according to a report in .Although the venues for the initial games have already been allocated in India, there seems an increasing likelihood that other international venues will be also be used, as a way to promote the tournament around the world as much as provide world-class facilities. As it stands, however, the London venues will only host exhibition matches.Paul Sheldon, the Surrey chief executive, declined to comment to , while a spokesman for the MCC also refused to make a statement.Meanwhile, the Domestic Structure Review Group, chaired by Glamorgan chairman Paul Russell, will go before the ECB on April 9 and is due to suggest a radical response to the IPL. The committee proposes two new Twenty20 competitions, the first of which will run in early summer along similar lines to the old Benson & Hedges Cup which ran for 30 years from 1972. It will feature Minor Counties, the universities and Ireland and Scotland.The second tournament, according to today’s , will be called the English Premier League, taking place at the height of summer and consisting of 21 teams in three groups of seven – with county sides supplemented by international players from India, Australia and South Africa. The idea falls in line with the suggestions made by ECB’s chairman, Giles Clarke, that England should mirror some of the IPL’s makeup: namely, that Twenty20 sides field three overseas players and four players under the age of 23.”We wanted to see something radical come out of this committee,” an insider told the , “but instead it is as if they have put all the same balls into the hat, shaken them around a bit and taken them out again.”The idea of restoring the old Benson & Hedges Cup under a different name is just crazy. What this needed is some vision, a different pair of eyes. The DSRG should have gone out and sought the input of the players, the press, television. What about city teams, for instance, rather than counties? If we don’t take this thing by the scruff of the neck, we will find that the game has been pinched off us by other operators.”

Shahid AfridiOn his innings
It wasn’t easy. Making the runs was necessary. I made it with the grace of God.On going after Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh
I didn’t have a choice. They tried getting me out but I was fortunate.On why he doesn’t play bigger innings
My game is a risky one. My main aim is to help the team get off to good starts.About his captain’s confidence in him
The captain’s confidence is a big thing for me. When I wasn’tperforming in the first few games, I needed the faith of my captain. Ihad it, and hit a hundred today. His confidence is important for me.Inzamam-ul-HaqOn the team
This is a team game. Everyone works hard for a victory. They’reimproving everyday. The boys played positive cricket, believed inthemselves.On whether Ganguly’s absence helped
Let’s stick to questions about my team.About the line-up
The batting is flexible. Razzaq has batted in a number of positions. But thecombination is looking good.On which contribution was more vital, Naved’s or Afridi’sIt was not easy to get 250. Afridi’s innings was vital.Even Naved’s performance was very good.Rahul DravidWho was at fault
It’s no-one’s fault. One man played brilliantly, and we have to giveAfridi credit for it.On the decision to bat first
The decision wasn’t wrong. We know about the movement in the morning.We also know it spins later. But because they managed 100 in 15 overs,we lost the match.Was Tendulkar brought on too late
You have to back your quality bowlers. After Anil and Harbhajan, Ibrought on Tendulkar.About the batting
We had to build a bit and push things along. Kaif batted beautifully.Even Dinesh did very well for us.About the bowling
There wasn’t that much help for the faster bowlers but the spinnershad help, as you saw. But I though Zaheer bowled very well. Sevenovers for 34 runs in these conditions [was very good].

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Two contrasting left-handers made their mark on the opening day at Lord’s, as Marcus Trescothick signalled his return to international cricket with a robust century and Alastair Cook eased into his life at No.3 with 89, powering England into a commanding position. A late flurry from Kevin Pietersen signalled the intent to grind Sri Lanka down and the first act of the international summer could not really have gone much better for England.Muttiah Muralitharan, in his first Test at Lord’s, was Sri Lanka’s sole shining light and caused most of the uncertain moments. He was in the action by the 23rd over and Sri Lanka were only making the day competitive when he was twirling away. Until Farveez Maharoof snuck in by removing Cook with the second new ball, to take a marginal amount of gloss off England’s performance, Muralitharan was the only reason for any Sri Lankan smiles.The biggest grin, though, belonged to Trescothick, whose winter problems seemed a world away. Content to leave plenty during the opening overs, he let Andrew Strauss do most of the scoring – in an opening stand of 86. He escaped a plumb lbw appeal against Muralitharan when he had 28, and a couple of edges fell short of slip, but for a returning innings this wasn’t to shabby.Post-lunch the Trescothick that has hammered attacks around the world came more into focus as the tempo increased. He made an emphatic statement by launching Muralitharan into the Grandstand, with a trademark slog-sweep, to reach his fifty and when he shimmied down the track to Tillakaratne Dilshan’s part-time offspin, and deposited him down the ground, the swagger was back.He went to tea on 93 and wasted no time completing his hundred in the evening session, aptly sweeping Muralitharan through the legside. The helmet came off, the arms went aloft and the smile went from ear to ear. England’s balcony – and the whole of Lord’s – stood to applaud the century, which arrived from 171 balls, the 14th of his career and one of the most important. With a far-from-testing bowling attack – Muralitharan the notable exception – there was a monstrous innings on the cards but Trescothick couldn’t march on when he edged to slip.

While Trescothick had been the main feature Cook hung around in the shadows during their stand of 127. When he initially arrived in the middle, he had to work hard for his runs and struggled to pick Muralitharan’s variations. However, he was quick to pick off any loose offerings from the seamers, especially when Vaas drifted onto his pads.An early alarm did come from Muralitharan, but through his fielding rather than bowling. Cook set off for a single to mid-on and almost misjudged Muralitharan’s prowess as a sharp throw hit the stumps, but TV replays showed Cook had just made his ground by a couple of inches. A flashing edge then flew between Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, but he slowly began to settle and the sparkling offside strokeplay that was present during his debut century at Nagpur began to make an appearance. However, with the chance to get his name in lights on the Lord’s honours board at the first time of asking, he had a waft outside the offstump and gave Sri Lanka a late boost.Cook’s lapse came three balls after Maharoof had committed the ultimate sin for a bowler – a wicket off a no-ball, and it was Pietersen who was reprieved when the catch at short cover didn’t count. Maharoof struggled with overstepping all day, sending down 12 in his 18 overs, and eventually one was going hurt. Pietersen had begun circumspectly – Vaas had a close lbw turned down against him on 4 – before unfurling his flamboyant strokeplay against a tiring attack and the reprieve on 52 could be costly. The pace attack is military medium at best and needs to take every opportunity.The basis for the commanding batting display was laid through a controlled opening stand by the reunited Trescothick and Strauss. They had to be watchful during the early overs as Vaas and Maharoof found some swing and it was Strauss who quickly located his rhythm and threaded the ball to the boundary. England appeared to be heading for a perfect first session but Strauss became Muralitharan’s first Test wicket at Lord’s when he pushed a conventional offbreak to Jayawardene at slip – a combination that became the leading fielder/bowler pairing in history.But, in many ways, Muralitharan’s lone performance just highlighted his team’s shortcomings and the pressure that is on his ever-twirling shoulders. With Pietersen having found his range and a powerful middle order around the corner it isn’t going to get any easier for Sri Lanka.

How they were outAndrew Strauss c Jayawardene b Muralitharan 48 (86 for 1)
Marcus Trescothick c Jayawardene b Muralitharan 106 (213 for 2)
Alastair Cook c Sangakkara b Maharoof 89 (312 for 3)