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The future of Mark Greatbatch as Warwickshire’s coach appears to be in increasing doubt. Not only are the county fighting relegation in the County Championship, but he is also under fire from supporters.At a heated forum last week, Greatbatch, who was appointed at the beginning of last season, faced calls from members for his resignation after two summers where the county has underperformed. His relationship with the media has also been tense, and he was hardly diplomatic when asked for his views on the forum. “I thought there were some good questions and I thought there were some idiots there,” he said.There were murmurings of discontent as early as last season, but with two years of his three-year contract remaining, Greatbatch won the backing of the committee. Things have not improved, however, and they are already relegated from Division One of the Pro40 and a double relegation would almost certainly seal his fate.After the latest Championship defeat – to fellow-strugglers Surrey at the weekend – Greatbatch admitted he was under pressure. “I’ve had a near the end of the season appraisal and I’ll have an end of season appraisal,” he told The Times. “There’s pressure there; time will tell. If you’d spoken to me a month or three weeks ago I would have been quite upset, but now I’m actually calm. Whether that’s a good or bad thing I don’t know.”I’m calm in the sense that what be will be. You can’t plan it.”Speculation as to who might replace him is already doing the round at Edgbaston, with two names emerging as favourites, Ashley Giles, who was forced to retire last month, is one, although he has no coaching credentials; the other is Dermot Reeve, who has been living in New Zealand since revelations about his drug-taking emerged in the national newspapers.Reeve is a more realistic possibility as he led the county to domestic success in the 1990s and also spent time as Somerset’s coach. But his recent misdemeanors might count against him at a county where there have been several instances of players falling foul of drugs.

A Jamaican specialist has testified at the inquest into former Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer’s death that the genetic samples taken from Woolmer’s hotel room matched his DNA and not any of the others questioned in the case, reported the .Investigators took 22 swabs of evidence from the hotel room but none of them matched any of the other samples taken during the murder probe, said Sharon Brydson, an analyst at the forensics science laboratory in Kingston.Several Pakistan players were fingerprinted and swabbed by the police, although they were never termed suspects, after Woolmer was found unconscious in his hotel room on March 18 following Pakistan’s defeat against Ireland in the World Cup.The police had initially backed the government pathologist Ere Sheshiah’s finding that Woolmer was murdered and released a statement to that effect. However, a review by three other pathologists – Nathaniel Cary, Michael Pollanen and Lorna Martin – said Woolmer died of natural causes, possibly due to a heart attack.As the investigation continued, toxicology tests could not conclude whether Woolmer was injected with a poison or not. Marcia Dunbar, a Jamaican forensic analyst, testified at the inquest that evidence of the pesticide cypermethrin was found in blood and urine samples. Of three samples of blood taken from Woolmer, Dunbar said one tested positive for cypermethrin while the others did not and no suitable explanation was given for this. She also said that one of the containers she received from the police containing the samples had been contaminated.John Slaughter, a British forensic expert, later told the inquest that said he found no pesticide in the sample which was tested in his lab on May 4. He said the presence of cypermethrin could have been due to contamination at the government forensic laboratory in Kingston.On November 5, the coroner Patrick Murphy had asked for further tests to be carried out on samples taken from Woolmer’s body. The directive came on a request from Mark Shields, the Jamaica deputy commissioner of police, following discrepancies in the toxicology reports by forensic scientists from the Caribbean and the UK. Shields said more samples would be retrieved from the UK and the local forensic laboratory.

Both Durham and Hampshire made inroads into the interrupted Championship match at Riverside on Friday. By lunch the home side had scored 141 runs, with Hampshire taking three wickets.With the crowd anticipating the approaching seasons 1,000 from Australian Simon Katich, he cut at a ball from Dimitri Mascarenhas as was caught high up at first-slip by Shane Warne, just four runs short of the magical target.Katich had batted for nearly three hours, sharing a 125 run partnership with makeshift captain Jon Lewis.Paul Collingwood was well held low down at second slip to give Hampshire their first bonus point of the match.Lewis who had batted patiently for four hours, finally fell when he played on to Shane Warne, but by the lunch interval on the second day Daley and Speight had added a further 74 in 15 overs.Rain and thunderstorms predictably arrived during the lunch break. By three pm, the deluge of hailstones, very heavy rain and thunder and lightniing gave umpires Benson and Steele little option but to abandon play for the day.

ScorecardJake Lehmann (pictured playing in the BBL) was on 92 at stumps on the second day in Adelaide•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Jake Lehmann was within sight of a second first-class century at stumps on the second day at Adelaide Oval, but South Australia still had plenty of work ahead of them after Queensland posted an imposing 6 for 474 in their first innings. At the close of play Lehmann was on 92 and Tim Ludeman was on 26, with the Redbacks at 5 for 252.Queensland legspinner Mitch Swepson had picked up 3 for 64 after veteran James Hopes struck in the first over of the South Australia innings, and Charlie Hemphrey was also credited with a wicket when Sam Raphael (65) stepped back onto the stumps off his bowling. But Lehmann was the key man for the Redbacks and had a strong chance of scoring his second ton in a five-game career.The Bulls had started the day on 5 for 357 and Jack Wildermuth, playing his sixth first-class match, registered his maiden century before Chris Hartley declared with him on exactly 100. Hartley had been the only Queensland batsman to lose his wicket on the second day, one of three victims in total for South Australia spinner Tom Andrews.

The ICC have given their strongest indication yet that Darrell Hair, the umpire who was reinstated yesterday, will return to Test umpiring for England’s home series against New Zealand in May.Hair has undergone a rehabilitation period since he was effectively removed from international cricket – with the exception of umpiring the occasional Intercontinental Cup match – in the aftermath of England’s forfeited Test against Pakistan at the Oval in 2006. Dave Richardson, the ICC’s general cricket manager, said yesterday that the board will “probably keep him away from Pakistan matches where we can” but added that Hair’s first real opportunity will come during England’s first home series of the summer.”Both teams rate Darrell Hair very highly,” Richardson said. “It’s likely that he will get an opportunity.”Hair’s reinstatement has sparked outrage in Pakistan, with Inzamam-ul-Haq, who captained Pakistan in the Oval Test, saying he was “shocked and disgusted” by the news. Shaharyar Khan, the Pakistan board chairman during the Oval Test, also expressed similar sentiments.

Women have been allowed into the Singapore Cricket Club Men’s Bar and Billiards room on a permanent basis for the first time. The room at the 155-year-old club was the final all-male enclave.But now, the reports, by-laws have changed to allow women access to the room they were previously only allowed in once a year, on New Year’s Eve. However, the rule change may be motivated more by concerns for the bottom line than an equality issue. Of late, drinkers at the club have been favouring a unisex sports bar named Stumps.One female member, and former committee representative, Margaret Cunico told the paper: “If there’s a lack of demand, it makes sense to lift the restriction. To leave it there for symbolic sake is to undervalue what it’s best for. I think there will be some women who go there.”But some men are still not so welcoming, as the paper reported: “When three women tried to enter while the Straits Times was visiting the bar last night, one merry-making male member ran them out the door the moment they walked in.”

Nadeem Malik has returned to his former county Nottinghamshire on a one-month loan from Worcestershire to help them out in their injury crisis.Malik, the 24-year-old seamer, will play in Wednesday’s Championship match against Somerset to replace Kyle Hogg – another loan player – who has an ankle problem.Nottinghamshire’s director of cricket Mick Newell said: “With five seamers already out injured, we simply didn’t have any other fast bowling options from within the club to turn to.”As soon as Kyle failed a fitness test this morning we were on the phone to a few contacts and when we knew that Nadeem was available, it was an easy decision to make. He is familiar with the set-up here and should be able to settle in immediately.”Malik signed for Worcestershire in 2004 after coming up through the youth system at Nottinghamshire and playing for England Under-19s. He has played 45 first-class matches, taking 126 wickets at an average of 33.84.Nottinghamshire’s injury list is currently creaking with Mark Ealham, Charlie Shreck, Paul Franks, Mark Footitt and Simon Francis, while Ryan Sidebottom is on England duty.

Subscription TV channel Setanta Sports have paid an undisclosed sum to secure the UK rights to the Indian Premier League. The tournament will mark their first foray into live cricket coverage.Setanta have recently expanded into Premier League football and launched their own dedicated sports news channel. They will broadcast all 59 IPL games from April 18 to June 1 with matches due to start at 9.30am, 1.30pm or 2.30pm UK time. They will also repeat the games in peak time.”The Indian Premier League is going to be massive. We’re absolutely thrilled to acquire these rights and add another major sport to Setanta’s programme line-up,” Trevor East, Setanta’s director of sport, told . “Twenty20 cricket has been a phenomenal success and this tournament, with all its world-class players, is sure to capture the imagination of sports fans young and old.”I firmly believe the IPL will become a highlight of the international sporting calendar for years to come. That’s why we’ve shown our commitment to it by signing a five-year deal.”Currently there aren’t any England players involved in the IPL due to the clash with tours and the start of the domestic season.

Bhajji’s bunny
Harbhajan Singh’s trance over Ricky Ponting gains in strength with each innings. Having dismissed Ponting on day one, Harbhajan collected Ponting with his first ball at the batsman and his record is now as stunning as the celebration. He sprinted towards the boundary before rolling twice to mark the achievement. “It’s a good thing he stayed on the ground,” Sourav Ganguly said, “I thought he was going to the dressing room.” It was the eighth time Ponting, whose leading edge went to VVS Laxman at silly point, had fallen to Harbhajan in eight Tests. It was not the last Ponting saw of the Indians as he had to run for Matthew Hayden, who had a sore right thigh.Standing firm
Michael Clarke had seen Andrew Symonds and Ponting survive caught-behind decisions in the first innings so he thought he would try it when he edged Anil Kumble to … first slip. The deviation to Rahul Dravid was marked but Clarke waited for Steve Bucknor to give him out and collected his first zero in Tests. “Why did he wait?” Hayden said. “Just to see the umpire’s finger go up.” The dismissal followed Hayden’s exit and Kumble’s hat-trick delivery, a wrong’un to Andrew Symonds, almost secured an lbw, although there was doubt over the height.In reverse
Hayden had a bit of trouble connecting with some of his sweeps, but there was no problem when he moved to fifty. With a vacant region behind point, he turned himself around and reverse-swept Harbhajan from outside leg stump. It was a brave, unconventional but effective stroke, which he tried for the first time in Tests. He hasn’t perfected it yet as he was dismissed playing the shot.Momentum shift
Australia were meandering in the morning as they worked on reducing the deficit, but Hayden changed the tempo with 14 runs off an Ishant Sharma over. Hayden powered three boundaries and a two to signal the lift in pace and shortly after Australia moved into the lead. They finished with an advantage of 213.Rain and coffee breaks
The numerous weather interruptions were annoying for the spectators and the players and Hayden revealed what he did to keep busy. “I had a lot of flat white coffees just to try and relax,” he said. “The breaks in play leant a bit to me because I was very sore with my leg.”A different set of spikes
India began the day with a game of volleyball, with the batsmen taking on the bowlers. It was played out in a relaxed air with some tapping instead of spiking. The game was one of the features of their tour last time around and John Wright remembered how India suddenly stopped doing well when the side didn’t have the contests. Going by their batting performance in this match, the volleyball luck appears to have resurfaced.

With little more than two weeks left for the start of the Indian Premier League, the eight franchises will meet the IPL governing council on April 2 in Mumbai to discuss key issues like security and ticketing. The franchises will also seek clarity and help from the BCCI-backed IPL council on gaining exemption from paying entertainment tax to local governments on the matches they host.Charu Sharma, the CEO of the Bangalore franchise, said that IPL is a tournament run by the BCCI and if the board usually gets exemption from the tax while staging matches, the franchises also should get a similar treatment. “We don’t own the stadium or even the players for that matter,” Sharma told Cricinfo. “We have them in for a team activity, which is run by BCCI, and I think we should get exemption. We will raise the issue in the meeting.”The franchises are already in the process of fixing ticket prices for the matches – Rs 125 to well over 5000 in Bangalore, and between Rs 200 and 3000 for a game in Hyderabad – and one factor that would affect the rate is the entertainment tax. The working committee of the BCCI took a decision on March 25 that the franchises would be left to deal with the tax and the franchises, for their part, plan to seek exemption.”This is a BCCI-run event and we hope we would be exempt,” J Krishnan, the Hyderabad franchise CEO, said.Yogesh Shetty, the CEO of the Delhi team, however, said that they were ready for the probability of paying that tax. “We are a for-profit organisation and IPL is entertainment and I do see the government at state levels levying the tax. However, what we have to see is whether legally we come under the auspices of BCCI, which is a not-for-profit organisation, and if so can we be exempt from the tax. Anyway this is a state-level issue involving local governments and we will deal with it appropriately.”The franchises believe security and ticketing could be key issues, too. Most of the teams have no previous experience of organising a cricket match and plan to seek BCCI’s counsel in helping them get ready for the event.The Bangalore franchise will be hosting the opening ceremony of the tournament and plans to get clarity on the how the event should be hosted. “We have to make sure the ground doesn’t get affected,” said Sharma. “We will of course seek the help of the KSCA [Karnataka State Cricket Association] but we will be going into details of the launch in the meeting; what we can do and what we can’t.”Other issues like “look and feel of the stadium”, anti- doping procedures and anti-corruption protocol are also on the agenda, said a franchise representative.