ScorecardAfter Michael Bevan’s sixth century in seven games threatened to keep Victoria from the final, a rapid stand between Jason Arnberger and Brad Hodge pulled the game back Victoria’s way. Both scored half-centuries after losing Matthew Elliott to the fourth ball of the innings. They took their team to 1 for 121, giving them an overall lead of 252 with a day to go.Tasmania were dismissed for 346 shortly after tea, after Bevan struck 144 and was involved in a 101-run stand with Sean Clingeleffer (46). This left Bevan with five innings to beat Matthew Elliott’s record of seven centuries and 1381 runs. Bevan currently has 1023 runs. “I’m overjoyed with the season I’ve had so far,” he said to AAP, “and hopefully there can be a couple more before the end of the season. There’s going to be a result which is good for both teams, obviously good for Victoria given their position and it would be nice for us to have a win … as well.”Cameron White, Victoria’s captain, did not let on at what score he would declare, but said that it would be a tantalising prospect for the chasing team. Victoria require an outright victory to keep their Pura Cup hopes alive.

ScorecardAn unbeaten 65 from Sean Ervine helped Zimbabwe A seal the five-match one-day series against Bangladesh A with a five-wicket win in the decider. Needing 198 to win the decider at Bulawayo, the Zimbabweans romped home with 16 balls to spare.Bangladesh A won the toss and opted to bat, but were in early trouble, losing both their openers with only six on the board. Tushar Imran and Shamshur Rahman steadied the innings somewhat with a 38-run stand, but wickets fell steadily thereafter, reducing the Bangladesh side to 132 for 8. An unbeaten 49 by Waseluddin, batting at No. 9, propped up the team to a reasonably respectable total.Zimbabwe’s run-chase was characterised by useful partnerships all the way through, but it lacked the one big stand which would have sealed the win early. Justice Chibhabha, the opener, made 58 to lend some solidity at the top of the order, before Ervine came in to settle the issue.

Australia will name their 16-man squad for the Ashes tour on Tuesday morning, with just a handful of the places up for grabs after another all-conquering winter for the Australian team. The 13 players on duty in New Zealand are expected to be retained, and it is the selection of the understudies that will create most interest.The Australian batting is powerful, and settled, so the reserve batsman will probably spend much of the tour carrying the drinks. Brad Hodge had plenty of practice in New Zealand and will probably edge out Mike Hussey, the left-hander who is likely to be named on the one-day squad. Simon Katich has done enough to secure his place, while Michael Clarke, despite his recent poor run, is set for his first Ashes series.The four pacemen – Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Michael Kasprowicz and Brett Lee – will be supported by an extra seam bowler. Shane Watson is a candidate, after making his Test debut against Pakistan, at Sydney in January, but with their batting strength, and the option of playing Adam Gilchrist at No 6 they are likely to go for a specialist bowler, with Nathan Bracken or Shaun Tait the favourites. If the Ashes were being played in the first half of the season Bracken would be ideal, with his ability to swing the ball and his experience with Gloucestershire. But the pitches will have dried out by the time the series starts in July, so outright pace is more likely to cause damage, and Tait certainly has that. Despite a chastening experience for Durham last summer, where he sent down 18 overs for 176 runs, he bounced back during the Australian domestic season, taking 65 wickets at 20 apiece. Tait is also seen as the next spearhead of the Australian attack so an Ashes tour would be valuable experience.

Support for Shane Warne is the other bowling dilemma to be solved. The Australians always favour an attack of three quick bowlers and one spinner, unless the pitch is crumbling on the first day, so it is unlikely two spinners will play – but a broken figure can’t be ruled out so back-up is required. There has been talk of Dan Cullen, an offspinner from South Australia, being a surprise pick following a successful domestic season, where he took 43 wickets, but MacGill was outstanding for New South Wales, and won the man-of-the-match award at Sydney in the only Test he played. After claiming 54 wickets at 24 apiece and being named the NSW player of the year, MacGill could count himself very unlucky if he misses out on a first Ashes tour.As is the case with modern tours, once the Test matches start they come thick and fast – five in seven weeks – so any squad members will have limited time to get match practice. However, a reserve wicketkeeper is the other consideration the selectors will make, if only to give Adam Gilchrist a rest in the non-international matches. Brad Haddin has been his understudy for the last couple of years and there is no one else pushing him, especially after making 902 runs at 60 in the Pura Cup.The one-day squad for the Natwest Series and Challenge will also be named, but even though those competitions take place before the Ashes all thoughts are already focused on July 21 at Lord’s.Possible Test squad Ricky Ponting (capt), Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Damien Martyn, Michael Clarke, Simon Katich, Brad Hodge, Adam Gilchrist, Brad Haddin, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie, Michael Kasprowicz, Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath, Shaun Tait, Stuart MacGillPossible one-day squad Ricky Ponting (capt), Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Damien Martyn, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Simon Katich, Mike Hussey, Shane Watson, Brad Hogg, Jason Gillespie, Brett Lee, Michael Kasprowicz, Glenn McGrath

Adam Gilchrist considers retirement "almost daily" and could bow out at the 2007 World Cup. The end-of-career revelation, which is based on his desire to spend more time with his family, comes despite an amazing surge of three run-a-ball centuries in his last four Tests and baseball interest from the Boston Red Sox.In an interview with Inside Cricket Gilchrist said he was "excited" when he thought about not touring. “The big question which I find myself pondering on an almost daily basis lately is how much longer can this last?” he said. “That’s why my battle to survive in cricket these next few years is going to be a mental battle more than a physical one. It seems I’m always questioning myself now as to whether I should be away and how good it would be to be at home."Gilchrist, 33, said he has felt like this since his two children were born. "At this stage Harrison and Annie are at an age where it’s all lost on them," he said. “But by the time they reach a stage where they can identify with what I’ve done or where I fit in society, I plan on being around a lot more and in a better position to keep a rein on things.”The World Cup in the West Indies is Gilchrist’s "carrot" to continue playing. “I suspect I won’t be going around three years from now," he said. “That’s providing I still warrant a place in the one-day team and even that’s coming from a guy who’s said he’s never going to go on and on and sap it for everything possible."During his last four Tests against Pakistan and New Zealand Gilchrist scored 113, 121, 162 and 60 not out. At the end of the 2-0 series win against the Kiwis an approach from the Red Sox, who were impressed by his clean hitting, was revealed.

Ricky Ponting is not losing any sleep over becoming the first Australian captain to lose the Ashes for 16 years. Ponting took over from Steve Waugh, who with his predecessors Mark Taylor and Allan Border made sure England have not held the trophy since 1989, and when he landed in England insisted he was not worried.”I’m not looking at it as being the first to lose them,” he said. “I’m looking at being another Australian captain to retain the Ashes. It comes back to us being here and preparing well.”Ponting said this series carried no more pressure because Australia had been the favourites for the past ten years. “It is not something we have thought about,” he said. “We are here to play the best possible cricket.”

The 2006 Twenty20 Cup final will be held at Trent Bridge, the venue for the first final in 2003.”We are absolutely delighted that our bid has been successful and I think it reflects the faith which the ECB have in us to stage big occasions,” said Lisa Pursehouse, Nottinghamshire’s commercial director. “We have a proven track record for filling the ground and running big matches with great efficiency and I’m sure these were key factors in the decision.”It was a magnificent day two years ago when we staged the inaugural Twenty20 final and knowing that other counties were keen to secure the event for 2006, we thought the chances of us getting it again so soon must have been slim. But our proposal has been successful and it’s brilliant news that our members and supporters will have easy access to one of the showpiece sporting occasions of the summer.”The final is provisionally scheduled for Saturday, August 12, with the Sunday set aside as a reserve day should the weather intervene.Trent Bridge will stage the third Test against Sri Lanka which starts on Friday, June 2.

Bangladesh are planning to stage a one-day tournament in December in a bid to improve their one-day ranking. At the moment, Bangladesh are 11th in the ICC’s rankings, but this will improve to 10th in the coming weeks as some of Kenya’s wins are expunged from the calculations.Under the ICC’s new rules for Champions Trophy qualification, Bangladesh need to be in the top 10 to be part of the play-off between countries ranked from No. 7 to 10 to decide one of two places in the competition.To help do this, Ali Ashgar Lobi, the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s president, told reporters that the board would be looking to stage a triangular one-day series involving Kenya and Zimbabwe, two sides immediately above them in the rankings. Although sources in Kenya indicated that this series would take place in the second week of November, Lobi said that it would be in December or January.Lobi hinted that Chittagong might get the chance of hosting the tournament as there will be no venue in Dhaka at that time.

Chris Schofield has been released by Lancashire. Schofield, a legspinner, made his debut for his native county in 1998, and picked up ten wickets in two matches. Schofield, 25, played two Tests against Zimbabwe in 2000, and was one of the first batch of players who were centrally contracted to the ECB. But his accuracy and consistency have let him down since – to the extent that he rarely bowled for Lancashire in 2004.”Chris is an extremely talented cricketer who has perhaps not reached his full potential at the club,” said Mike Watkinson, Lancashire’s manager. “We feel it is an appropriate stage in his career for him to seek pastures new and play more regular first team cricket.”Jamie Haynes, the reserve wicketkeeper, has also been given his marching orders as Lancashire reshuffle their pack following relegation from the first division of the Championship. Haynes, described by Watkinson as “a tremendous servant”, will be replaced by a new signing in 20-year-old Gareth Cross. Cross, who bats in the middle order, made his debut for Lancashire 2nd XI during 2002, and played league cricket in Melbourne last winter.Three other players, all of them allrounders, have been brought in: Steven Croft, Andrew Crook and Simon Marshall. Croft, 19, is a graduate of the Lancashire Cricket Academy. He played for Blackpool CC and Lancashire 2nd XI this season. Crook, an offspinner, will join his brother Steven at Lancashire. Andrew, 23, stepped up from the 2nd XI twice in 2004 to play for the first team.Marshall, 22, offers another legspinning option following Schofield’s departure. He joins the full-time staff after an outstanding season with Lancashire’s 2nd XI. He took 9 for 47 against Nottinghamshire in July, the second-best figures by a Lancashire bowler in the 2nd XI Championship.Warren Hegg has agreed a new contract for 2005, although it hasn’t yet been decided whether he will continue as captain. Tim Rees, Paul Horton and Oliver Newby have all agreed new contracts. Horton and Newby joined Lancashire at the end of 2003, while Rees signed in 2002.

Geraint Jones is still hurting from his disappointing Ashes debut, but he hopes to pay back his team-mates if picked for the second Test. While his performance was highlighted by two simple dropped catches in the second innings, Jones was criticised by commentators for a performance that included an irresponsible dismissal – he pulled Glenn McGrath to Jason Gillespie at mid-on – when England wanted to hang on for a draw.However, Jones, who will face pressure from Nottinghamshire’s Chris Read, said he deserved a spot at Edgbaston next Thursday. “There are always those worries but I hope that one performance will not be detrimental to the way I’ve performed,” Jones told the . “It still hurts. I was disappointed to miss those two chances but the rest of the summer I’ve been keeping as well as I ever have.”Allan Border, a former Australia selector, said the display of Jones was “clearly a worry”. “He will need to improve or I would be looking closely at his position within the team,” Border told .Jones hoped the bad patch was just a “blip” after earning his spot against New Zealand last year and holding it through the successful South Africa series. “I know myself that I’m good enough,” he said. “To miss those two chances did hurt a lot, but that’s part of the game. When you think you’ve got everything under control, cricket bites you hard.”

Simon Jones is on track to play in next week’s fifth and final Test against Australia, after recovering well from the ankle injury that caused him to miss the final stages of England’s three-wicket win at Trent Bridge last week.While his team-mates have been unwinding in the aftermath of victory, Jones has been undergoing twice-daily spells in an oxygen chamber, in a bid to reduce the irritation around the bone spurs in his right ankle. “He is progressing pretty well at the moment,” England’s bowling coach, Troy Cooley, told BBC Radio Five Live. “There is a chance, and if there is a chance I am sure Simon will take it.”I think he will play,” added Jones’s team-mate, Kevin Pietersen, speaking ahead of Hampshire’s C&G Trophy final against Warwickshire tomorrow. “He seems very confident and positive.” Jones’s mastery of reverse-swing has made him a pivotal figure in England’s set-up this summer, and he picked up consecutive five-wicket hauls at Old Trafford and Trent Bridge.”I’ll get as much treatment as I can on it and touch wood – I’m touching my head – I’ll be all right,” he told BBC Sport, adding that the closing stages of the Trent Bridge Test had been extremely frustrating. “I wanted to be out on the field with the boys. I felt pretty useless watching but it was very painful, I was struggling to walk and there was nothing I could have done.”If Jones fails to recover in time, England are likely to hand a debut to the Hampshire seamer, Chris Tremlett, who has been a member of the squad all summer. Other names in the frame include Paul Collingwood, who could shore up the middle-order batting and provide a few overs of medium pace, and James Anderson, who has shown some flickers of the form that deserted him over the winter.