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Hot Spot will be used for the remainder of the Investec Ashes series despite tests reportedly showing that silicone tape on bats can disguise faint edges. The ICC’s general manager of cricket operations, Geoff Allardice, met with the management of both England and Australia in Durham on Wednesday to discuss concerns with the way DRS was operating and the outcome was that no changes would be made for the rest of this series.Earlier on Wednesday, the ICC had dismissed a report aired on Channel Nine in Australia that it was investigating the possible use of silicone tape on bats by players from both teams during this series. However, Channel Nine reported on Thursday that Hot Spot inventor Warren Brennan had raised “serious concerns” with the ICC that if tape was used on bats, edges could fail to show up on the technology.There have been a number of occasions during the Ashes when Hot Spot had failed to detect edges that have otherwise shown up on Snicko. Brennan will not comment publicly on the claims, but Curtin University engineer Dr Masood Khan has been conducting research into thermal infrared processing and has said that silicone tape has the capacity to disguise edges on Hot Spot.”The chemical composition of silicone tape makes it work as an inhibitor for most radiation,” Khan said. “Its physical characteristics also make it insensitive to minor physical impacts. Its chemical and physical features ensure an even conduction and dispersion of heat within its structure, meaning thermal changes caused by the impact of a ball as it hits the edge of a bat may remain unnoticed by a thermal infrared camera such as Hot Spot.”However, the ICC has said that after “very constructive” meetings between Allardice and the management of both teams, it was decided that Hot Spot would continue to be used.”We acknowledge that the DRS has not performed as effectively during the past three Tests as it has in other series,” Allardice said. “The purpose of my visit was to meet with the teams to listen to their feedback, and to identify potential improvements to DRS moving forward. It was very encouraging to hear both teams reiterate their support for the use of DRS. Some of the ideas that were suggested during the meetings could improve the system, and will be considered further by the ICC.”Hot Spot is an advanced technology that helps us to detect edges. It is conclusive – when there is a mark we know the bat has hit the ball. In working with the operator over several years, we know that the majority of edges are detected by Hot Spot, but there are occasions when a fine edge isn’t picked up.”If there is no mark on Hot Spot, the TV umpire can use replays from different angles to see whether the ball has deflected off the bat, and he can listen to the sound from the stump-microphone to determine whether the batsman has edged the ball. Either deflection or sound can be used by the TV umpire to make his final judgment.”While the ICC did not make any mention of silicone tape in its statement, it said it was looking into a number of ways to improve DRS. One which was trialed during the Old Trafford Test involved the TV umpire accessing replays using a multi-channel monitor system with its own dedicated operator and recording device, rather than relying on the existing TV producers to cue up replays.”The aim was to get more replay angles to the umpire, faster, so he will be able to make more accurate decisions and minimise delays to the game,” Allardice said. “The feedback from this trial has been very positive, and we now need to consider how this technology could be most effectively used as part of the DRS system.”An ongoing area of focus for the ICC is the training of our TV umpires. Several simulation activities have been conducted over the past 12 months and our elite panel training seminar next month will include several activities aimed at delivering more consistent interpretations of the images and sounds provided to the TV umpire.”Michael Clarke and Alastair Cook both reiterated their support for DRS on Wednesday and flatly dismissed suggestions their players could be using silicone tape, although they said there had clearly been issues during this series. Clarke said one such occurrence was when David Warner survived a review for a caught-behind decision at Old Trafford when he attempted a pull shot and Hot Spot showed no edge.”I asked Davey when he came off the field if he hit that and he said he did,” Clarke said. “I don’t know the reason why it’s not picking it up. I don’t know the answer to that question … I like DRS being there for the stinkers, the big inside edge, the blatant bat pads where you can see it’s a big lbw or big caught behind, I like it for that.”Cook said he was keen for Hot Spot to remain part of the DRS, even though problems had shown up during the series.”It still gives you more chance of getting the right decision and that’s why we are using it in the first place,” Cook said. “That’s what we’ve found really strange, some clear nicks that haven’t shown up on Hot Spot. It has been strange and we just can’t quite work out why it’s happening.”But like all these things there are always big evolutions and hopefully the technology can get it right. At the end of the day we’re just trying to get more decisions right so the umpires have less impact on the game. And you’re talking about decisions but hundreds and five-fors rather than decisions made by the umpire or the third umpire.One idea believed to have been discussed at Allardice’s meetings that does not concern Hot Spot is the possibility of players not losing a review if an lbw appeal shows “umpire’s call”. As well as problems with Hot Spot, the series has featured a number of very tight lbw decisions and Shane Watson said this week he believed reviews should give the benefit of the doubt to the batsman rather than to the umpire’s call.

ScorecardBrendon Nash, seen here for West Indies, made a superb 199 but retired ill before the target was reached•Associated Press

Brendan Nash retired ill on 199 as Kent secured their first four-day win of the season after an enthralling final-day at Cheltenham. Requiring 411 for victory from 96 overs, Kent won with two wickets and 14 balls remaining thanks largely to the brilliance of Nash, who had to retire through exhaustion with 21 still needed to win.Nash, the Australia-born former West Indies batsman, struck 26 fours and a six in his 230-ball innings and was only eight short of his career best, made for Jamaica against Trinidad & Tobago, when he retired after batting for five hours on the hottest day of the year.The game was finely balanced for most of the day, but Nash and skipper James Tredwell swung it Kent’s way with an eighth-wicket stand of 58. Teenage paceman Craig Miles was the most successful of Gloucestershire’s attack with 4 for 68, while there were two wickets apiece for Will Gidman and Benny Howell.Gloucestershire’s bid for a third County Championship win of the season got off to a great start when Will Gidman had Sam Northeast caught in the gully by Michael Klinger from the second ball of the day. But Rob Key took successive boundaries from James Fuller’s first over to emphasise that this pitch was still very much a batsman’s paradise, on which 1,188 runs had been scored in the first three days for the loss of just 11 wickets.It became 48 for 2 when Daniel Bell-Drummond was bowled by Miles, but Nash was quickly into his stride and he took four boundaries from one over from Miles, with two struck through midwicket, one driven through extra cover and the other cut to third man.Play was held up for nearly 10 minutes after the batsmen complained that the sun was glinting off scaffolding above the sightscreen at the Chapel End – a problem that was solved by groundstaff putting a big cover over it.Kent reached 110 for 2 at lunch and Nash brought up his 52-ball half-century in the second over after the interval with a cover-driven boundary off Will Gidman. Key put on 85 for the third wicket with Nash, but he then flicked at a ball from Miles and fell to a tumbling leg-side catch by wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick for 42.Nash found another good partner in Ben Harmison, who had contributed 23 to a partnership of 64 when he was caught behind attempting to cut a Howell delivery.Two overs later, Nash reached his third century of the season with the most fortuitous shot of his innings, a thin inside edge off Fuller that just evaded Roderick behind the stumps and raced to the boundary. His hundred came off 119 balls and included 16 fours and a six, driven over midwicket off Tom Smith’s left-arm spin.Kent took tea on 247 for 4, which left them requiring 164 from the final 39 overs, and they stayed firmly in the hunt thanks to a rapid stand of 75 between Nash and Darren Stevens. Miles returned at the College Lawn End to have Stevens taken at slip by Alex Gidman, but Nash remained largely untroubled on his way to bringing up his 150 from 159 balls.Geraint Jones added 55 for the sixth wicket with Nash before an attempted cut at Will Gidman only resulted in a third victim of the innings for Roderick. He soon had a fourth as Vernon Philander edged Howell to depart for 2 and leave Kent 332 for 7.Tredwell and Nash saw off the threat of the second new ball and had taken Kent to within sight of the finishing line when Nash went off through exhaustion. Miles bowled Tredwell with no addition to the total, but Charlie Shreck, with three boundaries, and Calum Haggett completed a dramatic win for the visitors.

Michael Clarke is not certain whether he will be fit to face Sri Lanka in Australia’s vital last Champions Trophy group match on Monday but has declared that he “will definitely be back for the Ashes”.Even before David Warner decided to take swing at Joe Root last week, Clarke had enough on his mind as he tried to overcome a recurrence of his back problem which had ruled him out of Australia’s first two matches.Australia’s tournament hopes rest on Monday’s meeting with Sri Lanka at The Oval but it remains uncertain whether their captain will be able to return to the side. Clarke was not with the squad during the first two games – a defeat to England and an abandonment against New Zealand – and his linking back up with the team as they arrived in London was dominated by him dealing with the fall-out to Warner’s night out.However, there was time to ask Clarke about the state of his back and though he tried to make positive noises he was not giving any promises.”It is getting there,” he said. “I can sit here and say I will be 100% fit for the game on Monday. But I have been saying that for the last two games as well.”It is about judging my back every day. It is slowly getting better, there is no doubt about it, but I am as keen as ever to try to get on the field and help this team have some success.”George Bailey has led the side in Clarke’s absence and has struck two half-centuries, but the top order has been unconvincing. Before Warner’s enforced absence, his form had been poor and Shane Watson is also struggling for runs. Phil Hughes battled his way to an unconvincing 30 against England and was run out for a duck against New Zealand.

ScorecardNeil McKenzie marked his return to Hampshire from South Africa with an unbeaten 85 to heap more misery on winless Kent in their Championship Division Two match. Former South Africa opener McKenzie, making his first appearance of the season for Hampshire, closed the first day in sight of his 49th first-class century as Kent toiled in the heat after losing the toss.Hampshire, who have won only one of their six Division Two matches, finished day one on 265 for 4 from 96 overs, with opener Jimmy Adams also hitting a half century.Kent badly missed their international-bound captain James Tredwell as Hampshire dug in on a green-tinged wicket which at first gave encouragement to pace bowlers Charlie Shreck and Matt Coles. But Kent’s other spinner Adam Riley did his best to make up for Tredwell’sabsence by making sure Hampshire did not accelerate after Adams and MichaelCarberry had got through to lunch without being parted.Riley, 21, finished the day with creditable figures of 3 for 59 from 22 overs after posing plenty of problems for Hampshire’s experienced batting line-up. For all Riley’s later efforts, it was medium-pacer Darren Stevens who made the first breakthrough with the score at 80 and with the first ball after lunch.Carberry, who had made a sound 33, pushed forward at Stevens and Sam Northeastin the slips clutched the catch. Adams followed at 118 but not before he had scored 65, with 11 fours, and laid the foundations for a big Hampshire score.Adams was Riley’s first victim, trapped lbw in his crease in the 46th over, but Kent’s successes were few and far between as the wicket eased in the sunshine. Liam Dawson went at 155, also leg before to Riley after making an attractive 36, and the young offspinner struck again at 183 when James Vince was caught at the wicket by Geraint Jones. But Vince’s departure for 10 only brought Sean Ervine out to join McKenzie and they dominated the final session of the day, putting on 82 in 33 overs without blemish.Ervine was content to be the junior partner, uncharacteristically circumspectin making 31 while McKenzie took control. McKenzie lashed Calum Haggett for three successive fours on his way to the day’s top score, so far having 12 fours in facing 140 balls.

Amrit Mathur, Delhi Daredevils’ consultant and former India team manager, said that it was impractical for franchises to form a formal body to educate and monitor players in the IPL. In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Mathur said that the concept of a formal body to control activities like spot-fixing would not be feasible as the franchises had control over players only during the tournament. Moreover, he said that incidents like these could not be completely eradicated but, with appropriate systems, could be controlled and reduced.”There’s no provision at the moment for a formal body. At the same time, there is a practical body in the sense that the teams have the players contracted with them for only 45 days,” Mathur said. “Beyond those 45 days, there is no relationship between the franchise and player. So if it’s the 46th day, and a team has to go to its captain, it’s on request mode. If we’re with a player only for 45 days, there’s nothing we can do beyond that. The players are busy, they have no relationship with you, so what kind of programmes or education or anything can you do? It doesn’t work.”Mathur also said there was very little administrators could do in the spot-fixing situation, but advised that systems governing cricket could always be strengthened. “I don’t think the IPL or the BCCI could have done anything more once it was revealed such a thing happened. The IPL or the BCCI doesn’t have the tools or the ability to monitor or police this beyond a point. So, they have to go by what the investigations throw up in terms of evidence or offence of the individual is concerned.”The systems can be strengthened, there could be better monitoring and provisions to ensure such things don’t happen. It’s not that the IPL is not aware of the importance of keeping the league and tournament corruption-free of informing and warning the players of an act of this nature. Before the season, the anti-corruption unit meets each team separately, it’s a pretty serious exercise.”Mathur also stated that there was now a greater understanding of the problem of match-fixing because such incidents had occurred in India, on the county circuit in England and in Test cricket. “I think there is an understanding across the boards, across the countries, across the ICC, across the member nations that this is a serious issue. It will throw up wrong things from time to time and you have to be vigilant, you have to educate, you have to monitor. And at the same time, after all this, if somebody is caught doing it, there has to be some punishment.”Mathur stressed on the importance of a law in India that could enforce stricter punishments for spot-fixing and other related crimes.”That punishment, in England came through the court of law, not through the ECB. Similarly there has to be some procedure through which it comes to court of law in India,” Mathur said. “Apparently, earlier, there was some uncertainty about which provisions of the law does such an act attract. Ultimately, we were informed yesterday that it is under conspiracy and cheating, which do not attract very serious punishments.  So maybe down the line there could be a special legislation which enforces stricter punishments for spot-fixing or any crime of this nature.”In response to a question on how franchises perceived the threat of spot-fixing, Mathur admitted that while vigilance wasn’t as stringent in the first year, franchises began understanding that controversies like these would affect their business.”I think in year one it was just a mad scramble to get things rolling,” Mathur said. “But very soon the understanding reached everybody that: a) it is sport, you can’t have sport sallied by something like this and b) it’s a commercial venture, you invest huge amounts of money into the team, into the franchise and you’re building a business. And the last thing a business wants is a controversy of this kind. It holds the foundation of a business of any kind, let alone a cricket team or a sporting tournament. So even before the ICC’s anti-corruption unit became a part of the IPL, I know many teams were telling their players the need to be clean, the need to be fair, the need to not do anything that would tarnish the brand.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsPeter Fulton cut loose as New Zealand’s lead grew•Getty Images

New Zealand are on course for an historic series victory against England after dominating the fourth day of the final Test in Auckland. Peter Fulton’s second century of the match took New Zealand out of reach, but it was the bowlers who hammered nails into the coffin of England’s hopes to salvage a draw. England will resume on the final day with just six wickets in hand and all three of their most obdurate batsmen gone.Fulton, who came into the game having not scored a century in a Test career that began in 2006, pulverised the England attack on the fourth day in a devastating partnership with his captain, Brendon McCullum, that did not so much close the door on England’s hopes as slam it in their faces.Fulton’s heroics have earned New Zealand an outstanding opportunity to claim just the second home series win in their history against England. The first was in 1983-84. New Zealand have not won a series against any of the top eight Test nations – nations other than Bangladesh or Zimbabwe – since they defeated West Indies in 2006.Here they set England 481 to win the third Test and, with it, the series. New Zealand finally declared on 241 for 6 in their second innings having plundered runs with ease against a dispirited attack.The manner with which Fulton brought up his second century of the match – a straight six thumped back over the head of Stuart Broad – spoke volumes for the balance of power in this encounter: New Zealand, roundly dismissed as no-hopers before the series, established dominance over an England team that arrived in the country full of confidence, having just beaten India in India.New Zealand, resuming 274 ahead at the start of play on the fourth day, extended their advantage by another 206 runs in just 34.2 overs. Fulton, batting with more confidence than at any time in his Test career following his maiden century in the first innings, drove powerfully through mid-on and three times took a step or two down the pitch to thump Monty Panesar for six back over the bowler’s head. As his confidence grew, he gave himself room to drive Anderson over extra cover for six more.He became one of just four New Zealand players to have scored one in each innings of the same Test. Glenn Turner (against Australia in 1973-74), Geoff Howarth (against England in 1977-78) and Andrew Jones (against Sri Lanka in 1991) are the others to have done so.

Smart stats

• Peter Fulton became the fourth New Zealand batsman to score a century in each innings of a Test, and the first since Andrew Jones against Sri Lanka 22 years ago.

• Fulton is only the second New Zealand opener to achieve this feat, after Glenn Turner in 1974.Overall, there are 26 instances of opening batsmen scoring hundreds in each innings of a Test.

• Fulton became the first New Zealand batsman to play more than 500 deliveries in a Test match since Mark Richardson in 2004. Richardson played 575 balls to score 194 runs at Lord’s against England.

• The most overs ever played by England in the fourth innings of a Test against New Zealand is 146.4, in Christchurch in 1997. England, chasing a target of 305 in that match, won by four wickets.

• Brendon McCullum’s 53-ball unbeaten 67 is the tenth-quickest 50-plus score by a New Zealand batsman in Tests. Six of those top ten innings have come against England.

• The fifth-wicket partnership of 117 between Fulton and McCullum came off 101 balls. The run-rate of 6.95 per over is the second-fastest ever in Tests for a century stand for New Zealand.

His fifth-wicket partnership with his captain, Brendon McCullum, was worth 117 runs, scored in just 16.5 overs, as New Zealand progressed with an ease that made a mockery of the gap between these two teams in the Test rankings.Fulton enjoyed one moment of fortune. When he had 31, he mistimed his attempted on drive off Stuart Broad but saw James Anderson, at a shortish midwicket, spill a sharp but far from impossible chance. New Zealand would have been 65 for 4 had it been taken.England produced an oddly diffident performance in the field. Their attempt to pitch the ball fuller in search of swing that remained elusive too often resulted in over-pitched deliveries that Fulton drove through mid-on. At other times the England bowlers drifted on to Fulton’s legs, allowing him to pick up runs with an ease that defined the match situation.The introduction of Panesar brought some relief for England. His third delivery induced Dean Brownlie to attempt to clear the field. Ian Bell, running back from mid-on, made a desperately tough chance appear straightforward.But that only brought McCullum to the crease. He square drove his first delivery, a wide, over-pitched ball from Steven Finn, to the point boundary and soon pulled Anderson, looking more jaded by the moment, and Finn for sixes.Panesar bore the brunt of the assault, though, His attempt to stem the flow by bowling over the wicket and into the rough outside the right-handers’ leg stumpwas negated when McCullum took him for successive boundaries, a powerful pull followed by a precise sweep, and drove him for another six. Panesar conceded52 in five overs at one point. It was brutal batting.Whatever Alastair Cook envisaged when he won the toss and inserted New Zealand on the first day, it was surely not a situation where his side had to bat for four-and-a-half sessions to save the game. There were no realistic hopes of victory: England have never chased more than the 332 they made against Australia in Melbourne in 1928-29 to win a Test and no team has ever made more than the 418 West Indies made against Australia in Antigua in 2002-03. The highest successful chase on this ground is 348, made by West Indies in 1968-69, though since the introduction of drop-in pitches just over a decade ago, no side has managed more than the 166 scored, admittedly for the loss of just one wicket, in 2005.Nor is this the England team that enjoyed such success a couple of years ago. Not only is there no Kevin Pietersen, but there are fewer lower-order allrounders such as Graeme Swann or Tim Bresnan. Two of the middle-order, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow, came into this game with only eight Test caps between them and the days when Stuart Broad could be considered an allrounder seem long ago.Tim Southee soon made inroads into England’s second innings. Nick Compton, feeling for a fine delivery that pitched on off stump and left him, edged a catch behind the stumps before Jonathan Trott squandered his display of resistance by chasing a wide one from the impressively sharp Neil Wagner, bowling left-arm around the wicket.But the hammer blow was inflicted by part-time off-spinner Kane Williamson. Cook, on one, had survived a chance to BJ Watling when he felt for one angled across him from Southee. But when he edged a drive off Williamson, Brownlie, very close in at gully, clung on to a very sharp chance.With Finn, the nightwatchman, also falling to an outstanding close catch before the close, New Zealand were on the brink of a memorable success. It meant that a series that started with many England supporters presuming an easy victory looks set to finish with their team engaged in a desperate – and surely vain – struggle to salvage a draw.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
7 for 29, numbers Kyle Abbott is never going to forget•Getty Images

It’s been a heady couple of days for Kyle Abbott. On Friday, he got the exhilarating news that he would make his Test debut, after Jacques Kallis was ruled out with a calf injury. On Saturday, he grabbed that chance in the most spectacular manner, ripping through Pakistan’s brittle batting to end with 7 for 29, the best figures by a South African in his first Test innings.He’s still only South Africa’s sixth-choice fast bowler, but at Centurion he was the one proudly leading the team off the field after Pakistan were bundled out for 156. Dale Steyn, the premier quick bowler in the world, walked across and gave Abbott the innings ball to treasure.Over the past year, Abbott worked on his fitness and shed plenty of kilos, before forcing his way into the national reckoning with a chart-topping haul of 49 wickets for Dolphins in South Africa’s domestic competition.A bustling bowler operating in the mid-130s kph range, he was accurate around off stump and consistently got the ball to zip away from the right-handers on a pitch that had variable bounce. It was that movement that confounded the Pakistan batsmen, with six of his victims edging to the slip cordon or gully. It was also a damning statement on the technique of some of the batsmen, as they regularly tried to defend with an open blade, resulting in outside edges that were eagerly snapped up behind the wicket.Unlike every other innings in this series, Pakistan’s openers actually managed to provide a solid start. Their highest partnership in four previous innings was 10, but this time Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Farhat, taking the place of the struggling Nasir Jamshed, kept out everything South Africa threw at them for over an hour.South Africa’s bowlers, yet again, showed their ability to turn the game around in a jiffy. From a steady 46 for 0, Pakistan slipped to 56 for 3 in the space of the 13 deliveries. Vernon Philander started the slide, by getting Farhat lbw with a full delivery. Abbott then became the second debutant in the game to get a wicket in his first over as Hafeez slapped the ball to gully where Dean Elgar scooped up a low catch. Azhar Ali followed next ball, as a Philander delivery stayed low and Ali’s limp attempt at defence ended in an inside-edge onto the stumps.Asad Shafiq, one of Pakistan’s more successful batsman this series, was then trapped lbw by a pumped-up Steyn in the first over of the final session. Sarfraz Ahmed, whose batting has looked woefully short of international standard this series, resisted briefly, and with the help of Younis Khan, Pakistan’s perennial saviour, he took the score to 132 for 5.Just as Pakistan fans were beginning to hope that the follow-on could be avoided, Abbott took over, and the final five wickets were rolled over in 40 deliveries. He began by getting Sarfraz to nick to Graeme Smith at first slip and the very next delivery it was an action replay as Saeed Ajmal went for a golden duck. The smile kept getting wider as the spell continued and more lower-order batsmen gave catching practice. The final wicket was that of Younis, who had hung around gamely for 33 before falling lbw.Younis didn’t have much time to put his feet up, however, as Hafeez’s horror tour ended with a golden duck in the second innings after Smith enforced the follow-on. Less than 15 minutes after having stuck around with the tail, Younis was back out to battle South Africa’s fearsome pace pack.Pakistan had had a bit to smile about in the morning session. Rahat Ali hadn’t earned too many admirers after his lacklustre debut in Johannesburg earlier this month, and his shelling of an absolute sitter off AB de Villiers made him a laughing stock, but he silenced the doubters with a six-for that ended South Africa’s first innings at 409. With debutant Ehsan Adil struggling with a leg injury, Ajmal understandably not at his most dangerous this early in the Test, and Mohammad Irfan tiring towards the end of the innings, Rahat was the most successful in an inexperienced Pakistan attack.Before Rahat’s strikes, de Villiers completed his 16th Test century, and Philander went on to his career-best score of 74 as they stretched their seventh wicket partnership to 129, and South Africa reached a total that they could be satisfied with.Abbott made certain they had nothing to worry about, as he exemplified the depth of South Africa’s talent pool and put them on their way to complete a summer of total Test success.

Somerset have boosted their chances of gaining promotion in 2003 by announcing that they have signed batsman James Bryant to strengthen their top order.Earlier in the winter the Cidermen were linked with Tasmanian batsman Michael Dighton, but he failed to meet the ECB requirements to play English cricket.Chief executive Peter Anderson told me: "We were very disappointed that Michael Dighton couldn’t meet the E.C.B. qualifications required to play in the championship, but every cloud has a silver lining and we have now signed James Bryant who does meet the requirements."Once they heard that Bryant was interested in playing cricket in England, Somerset wasted no time in signing the right hander who plays domestic cricket in South Africa for Eastern Province.Twenty six year old Bryant is a quality player and since making his debut for Eastern Province in 1996-7, has played in 48 first class matches and scored nearly 3000 runs at an average of just over 38. He has hit six centuries and has a highest score of 234 not out.Bryant’s one day record is also impressive. He has played in 46 matches and scored almost 1400 runs, including one century at an average of nearly 38.This season in first class cricket the right hander has an average of over 57.The Somerset boss continued: "James Bryant does have British citizenship and we think that he will bolster our top order and obviously he will be keen to show us that he is what we are looking for."Somerset Head Coach, Kevin Shine said, "As everyone knows, we need a proven top order batsman and we think James is a good signing for the Club".James Bryant said, "I am very happy to have the chance to play in England for Somerset and I know I have a lot to do to prove myself to the knowledgeable Somerset fans. Jimmy Cook has warned me that they are very demanding".Bryant completes the trio of new players who have been signed by Somerset, joining West Indian paceman Nixon McLean and all rounder Aaron Laraman who was signed recently from Middlesex.After suffering a double relegation at the end of the 2002 season the management at the County Ground in Taunton promised that they would bring in some new faces and they have been as good as their word.Somerset have wasted no time in snapping up these three classy players whose presence will certainly ensure that there is fierce competition for first team places in 2003 as well as hopefully putting the Cidermen in contention for promotion back to the top flight in both the county championship and the National League.

ScorecardAfghanistan drew level with Scotland in second in the ICC’s WCL Championship table after a five-wicket win that boosted their hopes of securing automatic qualification for the 2015 World Cup. A second defeat to the same opponents in three days, meanwhile, was a significant blow to Scotland’s chances of finishing in the top two.Despite Kyle Coetzer’s run-a-ball 133, only three other batsmen got into double figures as Scotland made 259 from their 50 overs. Afghanistan put on several solid partnerships, with the lowest score among the top six being 28, and Mohammad Nabi rattled off 51 from 44 balls to put them on the brink of victory. A few blows from the powerful Gulbodin Naib were enough to finish the game with eight balls to spare.Nabi had earlier taken two wickets but Scotland will rue not having made a more challenging total after reaching 144 for 1 in the 32nd over. Coezter and Josh Davey (64) had combined for a second-wicket partnership of 134 but Hamid Hassan broke the stand and Samiullah Shenwari (3-42) ripped out the middle order. Dawlat Zadran took two wickets and also ran out Coezter to prevent Scotland getting away.Ireland lead the WCL Championship with 13 points, with Scotland and Afghanistan on 11, having played two games more. Netherlands, in fourth, face Namibia next month, while fifth-placed UAE host Ireland later in March. There will be a further two rounds of games, with the top two teams guaranteed a spot at the next World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Match facts

Chris Gayle sets the tone for West Indies and his poor recent form is a concern•Getty Images

February 3, WACA Ground
Start time 1120 (0320 GMT)

Big Picture

It feels as though the series hasn’t really started, yet Australia find themselves 1-0 up. The first match at the WACA on Friday was so short that it was over well before the time that should have been the change of innings. In fact, the teams could have played a Twenty20 afterwards and still been finished early. Having been bowled out for 70, the only way is up for West Indies. Hopefully, at least. The Perth fans would certainly like to see more of a contest in the second game.Prior to the series, the captain Darren Sammy spoke of his desire for West Indies to begin 2013 in the right way, to set the tone for the coming year. He can only hope the players forget Friday’s match ever happened, just like they have tried to erase from their minds the ODI series loss to Bangladesh late last year. There is much improvement required from West Indies in the 50-over format, and if they can’t turn things around on Sunday in Perth this series could be almost out of their grasp by the time Australia send their first batch of players off to India to prepare for the upcoming Test series.

Form guide

(Most recent first)
Australia WWLLW
West Indies LLWWL

In the spotlight

Glenn Maxwell has scored two half-centuries from his eight one-day international innings, including an unbeaten 51 in Australia’s tiny chase on Friday. But it is bowling that needs to continue developing and he is yet to take a wicket in ODI cricket. If Xavier Doherty is again left out, Maxwell will be the only spinner in Australia’s line-up and it will be a good test of his bowling – that is, if the fast men leave any work for him this time.West Indies rely heavily on Chris Gayle at the top of the order and they cannot afford for his lean patch to continue too much longer. He has not scored a half-century in his past nine ODI innings and his BBL form was also disappointing. There is plenty of batting talent in the West Indies line-up but Gayle sets the tone, and they need that tone to be positive.

Team news

After Australia’s clinical performance on Friday, there is little reason for them to alter their team. The success of the fast men means it is unlikely Xavier Doherty will be needed until the series moves away from Perth.Australia (possible) 1 Phillip Hughes, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Michael Clarke (capt), 4 Usman Khawaja, 5 George Bailey, 6 Matthew Wade (wk), 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 James Faulkner, 9 Mitchell Johnson, 10 Mitchell Starc, 11 Clint McKay.West Indies will be hoping Andre Russell can prove his fitness after missing the first match due to a knee problem. He would add some depth to their batting while also providing another pace option. After the success of the fast men on Friday, West Indies might consider whether Sunil Narine is required at the WACA or whether they can use Chris Gayle for their spin requirements.West Indies (possible) 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Kieron Powell, 3 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4 Darren Bravo, 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Devon Thomas (wk), 9 Darren Sammy 10 Sunil Narine/Jason Holder, 11 Kemar Roach.

Pitch and conditions

Perth’s forecast is for another hot day with a top temperature of 37C. There should again be assistance for the fast men.

Stats and trivia

• Australia have now won their past five ODIs at the WACA. The last team to beat them in Perth were New Zealand, who did so on February 1, 2009
• Friday’s game lasted only 199 deliveries, making it the shortest completed ODI ever played in Australia

Quotes

“We were talking about it straight after the game, that any day Gayle can turn it on and score 200 in a one-dayer and, all of a sudden, we are chasing 370 or 380. They can flick it on and off like a switch.”
“It’s going to be hard to wipe what happened out of the memory, but we’ve had great games against them and we’ll think about the positives. We need to dust ourselves off and believe we can be successful against them.”