Divisions within the ICC on Friday deepened with Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zealand asking John Howard not to withdraw his candidacy for the vice-president’s post even as new president Sharad Pawar hit back at his detractors saying the former Aussie PM did not have the numbers.

The immense popularity of cricket in India is giving the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee sleepless nights. OC chairman Suresh Kalmadi on Friday sought the intervention on the sports ministry to convince the Board of Control for Cricket in India to reschedule India’s two-match Tests series against Australia to avoid a clash with the 11-day extravaganza.

The International Cricket Council executive board on Thursday said it had approved a tweaked Anti-Doping Code with minor amendments to the “whereabouts” clause.
The new code will come into effect from August 1, 2010, although the changes made to the contentious clause haven’t yet been made public. The code’s adoption was delayed after the objections were raised by the Board of Comtrol for Cricket in India on behalf of its cricketers.

Sharad Pawar on Thursday became only the second Indian after his one-time adversary Jagmohan Dalmiya to occupy the top post at the International Cricket Council.
Pawar took over as ICC president from England’s David Morgan at the world cricket governing body’s annual conference that concluded in Singapore on the day.

The Ferozeshah Kotla has been at the centre of a storm for more than six months now. The renovation work on the turf has been in full swing since May, and the International Cricket Council made it clear on Wednesday, that it has no plans of taking away 2011 World Cup games from the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association.

Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard bid to take office as International Cricket Council vice-president has fallen through with India siding with other Asian and African countries to veto the appointment.

South Africa survived a fiery spell of fast bowling to complete a seven-wicket victory over West Indies before lunch on Day Four of the third Test on Tuesday and clinch the series 2-0.

The second edition of the Champions League T20 will see 10 of the top Twenty20 teams from around the world vying for the title. Indian Premier League-3 runners-up Mumbai Indians will face South Africa’s Highveld Lions in the opening match of the tournament in Johannesburg on September 10.

No final decision will be taken on Lalit Modi’s case in next week’s BCCI Special General Body Meeting, which will only decide whether to refer the suspended IPL Commissioner’s fate to the Disciplinary Committee, Board secretary N. Srinivasan said.

Ashwell Prince maintained some of the momentum as South Africa suffered a lower-order batting collapse in the third and final Test against the West Indies here on Monday.