Scotland will host a one-day international against England on August 12 next year in a continuation of the agreement between the ECB, Cricket Scotland and Cricket Ireland which sees England play their two Associate neighbours on alternate years.

The previous Scotland-England match took place in 2010 when the visitors won by seven wickets at the Grange in front of a 4000-strong crowd. The venue for the next fixture is still to be confirmed.

"It is fantastic news that England will again by heading north to take on the Scotland side in an ODI," Roddy Smith, the Cricket Scotland chief executive, said. "The match will be a highlight of our season and will enable the Scottish cricketing public to see the exciting young English one day side take on our national team. The game in 2010 was a great occasion and we will start our planning for next year’s game immediately."

Scotland captain Gordon Drummond, who is currently in Namibia with his team-mates, was equally pleased with the news. "Those of us that played last year can’t wait to have another opportunity to take on England," he said. "For our young side, it will be another important step forward, as we seek to continue our rise up the world rankings."

John Aaron has been suspended as the secretary of the USA Cricket Association by Gladstone Dainty, the board's controversial president, for what Dainty claimed were "comments damaging to the good standing and well-being of USACA".

In a move which brings into the open the battle between Dainty and those seeking to make him accountable, he claimed he had consulted "many of the USACA board members", he told Aaron he was suspending him "immediately and indefinitely".

Aaron has been openly challenging Dainty over many aspects of the way he runs USACA in the wake of cancelled elections, the failure to replace Don Lockerbie, who Dainty sacked as CEO ten months ago, and a complete failure to communicate with factions of the board opposed to his actions as president. Dainty unilaterally cancelled a board meeting called by Aaron last weekend, even though it had been arranged in accordance with the constitution. The board has not met face-to-face for ten months.

Aaron replied to Dainty that his action was "without basis and merit and is unconstitutional, and it impinges upon my right of free speech … in addition your reference to "consultation with many of the USACA board members," is also unfounded and unsubstantiated, and at best refers to a minority".

The ICC, which has twice suspended the USA from international competition while Dainty has been in charge, has yet to comment, but it is likely it will be watching the unfolding events with increasing concern.

Those insisting the USA Cricket Association is once again close to being dysfunctional under the control of its president, Gladstone Dainty, were left frustrated after a meeting called for September 24 by the board secretary was cancelled at short notice.

Dainty, who is under fire from a number of directions over what is claimed is his complete lack of accountability, scrapped the meeting even though John Aaron, the secretary, had confirmed attendances from more than enough members to constitute a quorum.

No face-to-face meeting of the executive has been held since November 2010, even though the position of chief executive has been vacant since Dainty removed Don Lockerbie from office ten months ago and elections scheduled for March have been delayed.

"The problem is those attending were not from Dainty's camp, so he changed the date to October 1" one board member told ESPNcricinfo. "He appears to be particularly manipulative of some members of the board considered his long-time allies."

Another board member said Dainty was avoiding a meeting unless he knew he could guarantee enough of his supporters were present as he feared the executive could overturn some of his recent decisions.

After having won all their group matches it looked like Guernsey would be denied the ICC World Cricket League Division Six title by Malaysia but wicketkeeper Tim Kimber rescued them from 65 for 7 to help them reach the target of 209 in the final over of the match, at the Kinrara Oval in Kuala Lumpur

Click here for the full report.

Former USA Cricket Assocation vice-president Nabeel Ahmed, who resigned last year, has accused the board of using a compliance review to try to manipulate the forthcoming elections.

“Why is there a need for a compliance review process at this time when it has never happened ever before?,” he said. “Has the math changed with the leagues voting the current administration out?”

Ahmed continued that while the regions were being given one set of rules, USACA was operating under another and was almost completely unaccountable for its actions.

“Elections that are long overdue [have] been procrastinated into indefinite schedule violating the constitutional requirements. It is a delaying tactics for this compliance process to take place four weeks prior to the announced election date. Who says it is not the height of non-governance.

“It will be an interesting scenario where the USACA compliance planned to be conducted now results in certain member leagues losing the voting rights because of non-compliance to be declared. There are administrative holes created and will become bigger with all these smart moves by the USACA administration which includes a few select individual executives inclusive of the office bearers selected on a telephone conference call.

“Will it not be considered a misrepresentation of the earlier data which was submitted to ICC from the office of Cricket Operations and in return the status of the associate membership with ICC getting into jeopardy?”

MCC are embarking on an end of season tour to Bermuda tomorrow, which will include a series of Twenty20 matches and 50-over cricket against the Bermudian national side, alongside a 50-over clash against a President’s XI. The MCC players will also deliver a special coaching session for local schools, in addition to playing in a Twenty20 triangular tournament with Bermuda ‘A’ and the Bermuda U19s team, during the 15-day tour.

Former Scotland captain, Craig Wright, will lead a strong MCC squad, which comprises several players with first-class cricket experience, along with other MCC Members from across the country. Unicorns duo Chris Thompson and Chris Benham will be looking to set a high playing standard, while Oxford MCC Universities graduate, Josh Knappett, will don the gloves behind the stumps, and MCC Young Cricketers’ captain, Paul Muchall, will fill the allrounder position.

Also included in MCC’s 16-man touring party is former England and Yorkshire CCC batsman, Geoffrey Boycott, and MCC’s Chairman of Cricket, Mike Griffith. Griffith will look after managerial duties while Boycott, who is a member of MCC’s World Cricket Committee, will play an ambassadorial role for the Club. He will offer advice and a wealth of experience to the Bermuda Cricket Board, which has been an Associate Member of the ICC since 1966.

The MCC players will need to ensure that they are firing on all cylinders for the three Twenty20 fixtures against the Bermudian national side, following the island’s strong performance in the ICC Americas T20 Division One Championship in Toronto in July. With comfortable victories against Argentina, Suriname and the Cayman Islands in this competition, Bermuda will be looking to test their skills against tougher opposition as they work towards the ICC World T20 Global Qualifier in Dubai next year.

MCC Ambassador, Geoffrey Boycott, said: “I’m very much looking forward to the tour. I have fond memories from when I last toured the Island with Yorkshire in 1964, and I’m sure that this group of MCC players will enjoy themselves. It is a wonderful place to play cricket.

“During the 60s and 70s the standard of cricket in Bermuda was very strong – they were one of the best Associate Nations in the world. In more recent times however things appear to have gone downhill, and other sides such as Canada, Ireland and Kenya have bypassed them on the world stage. Through my ambassadorial position I intend to ask questions to try and find out why this has happened, and offer my experience and encouragement to help reignite their ambition to play at the highest level once again.

“MCC plays a significant role in assisting with the development of world cricket – look at what the Club has already achieved in supporting the progression of the game in Afghanistan. I hope that this tour will act as a similar kick-start for the Bermudan players and the Bermuda Cricket Board.”

Commenting on the tour MCC’s Head of Cricket, John Stephenson, said: “Cricket has a long and diverse history in Bermuda, and I am delighted that MCC has the opportunity to assist with the ongoing development of the sport on the Island. We are sending an experienced squad, which we hope will provide challenging opposition for the talented Bermudian players in preparation for the World T20 qualifying event next year. The Bermuda Cricket Board is doing an excellent job at promoting cricket as a national sport, and it is particularly heartening to see that MCC’s Spirit of Cricket message is included within the core values underpinning the work that they do.”

MCC teams have previously toured Bermuda twice in the past 24 years, most recently in 2001. The 2011 visit will be the final overseas outing for the club this season, following tours to Namibia, Hong Kong and Greece earlier in the year.

Jersey upset the form book as they clung on for a seven-run victory against tournament leaders Malaysia at Bayuemas Oval to claim their first win of the event. Jersey were defending 171 and Alex Cooke claimed the final wicket when he had Shahrulnizam Yusof lbw with more than seven overs of the chase unused. However, the real hero was Anthony Hawkins-Kay who took 4 for 22 to earn the Man-of-the-Match award. He claimed two early wickets as Malaysia stumbled in their reply and at 76 for 6 their chance appeared to have slipped away.

But the lower middle-order showed fight and a 53-run stand between Suresh Navaratnam (37) and Eszrafiq Aziz (25) meant the odds slightly favoured the hosts. That was when Hawkins-Kay swung the game again with two wickets in two overs, yet still it wasn't over as Malaysia got to within 10 of the target before the final two batsmen fell in seven deliveries.

It hadn't been an easy day for run-scoring throughout and Jersey found themselves 28 for 3 in the 12th over. The key partnership came from Corey Bisson and captain Peter Gough as they added 88 in 28 overs to ensure a competitive total. Malaysia, though, will rue the 12 wides and three no-balls they conceded.

"The pitch was helping fast bowling today and I was definitely getting it in the right places to take the wickets," Hawkins-Kay said. "It was definitely a tough game and Malaysia played really well and pushed us right up to the end. I have to say it does feel fantastic to score our first victory of the tournament, especially after two really close games that resulted in losses for us. Today's win really is fantastic, let's hope it keeps coming."

Kuwait were indebted to Abid Mushtaq's rapid innings as they chased down a Duckworth-Lewis adjusted target of 161 in 29 overs against Fiji at the Kinrara Oval. Mushtaq hit 43 of 24 balls in a first-wicket stand of 73 in less than 10 overs to ensure Kuwait were ahead of the pace after rain had intervened. Iniasi Cakacaka tried his best to keep Fiji alive with 3 for 13 from six overs, but the chase was comfortably completed by Saud Qamar and captain Hisham Mirza. Earlier, Fiji had done well to recover from 38 for 3 as Josefa Rika (55) and Waisake Tukana (50 not out) added 73 but, as is often the case, chasing under D/L proved an advantage.

"I tried to play my normal opening game and tried to remain on strike as much as I could to help us make the target," Mushtaq said. "It was all about us playing a sensible innings since the last few matches which we've lost have been because we have not been sensible in our performances.

"It's important now that we continue to bat well and continue to win all our games to come in the tournament. I think Fiji were a good side despite our winning today; they challenged us but now we have to remain focused on winning every game. Every player has to give it his all for the side."

The game between Nigeria and Guernsey was abandoned after 47 overs but Nigeria had produced an impressive recovery from 18 for 5. Lee Savident and Jamie Nussbaumer, yesterday's Man of the Match, did major damage with the new ball before Olajide Bejide played a fine hand to reach an unbeaten 87 off 106 balls.

Guernsey held on for a 12-run victory as Kuwait suffered a late collapse at Bayuemas Oval. Jamie Nussbaumer was the matchwinner with 5 for 35 which included a crucial spell in the closing overs. At 183 for 5 - following Irfan Bhatti's solid 66 - Kuwait needed 30 off 29 balls but Nussbaumer struck with consecutive deliveries and also had a hand in a run out. The demise was so swift that Kuwait still had eight balls of their innings unused when they were bowled out. Guernsey's innings had also collapsed at the end after they'd been 177 for 5 in the 42nd over. Jeremy Frith had provided the anchor with 82 off 95 balls, but in the final outcome it was the 23 extras conceded by Kuwait (including 12 wides and three no-balls) which proved the difference.

"I bowled with intent because we knew the guys top of the order batted well and we had to restrict them when it came to scoring runs," Nussbuamer said. "I think things worked particularly well for me today when it came down to the Powerplays and I made sure I bowled my yorkers and made it hard for them and it paid off.

"In regards to chasing down our total, they batted sensibly taking their time and I think they had 115 up off 20 overs or so and with eight or nine wickets in hand they thought they had the game in easy reach. They were slow to start but credit has to be given to them that they were in control until we managed to start taking wickets regularly."

Hosts Malaysia cruised to an eight-wicket victory against Fiji at Kinrara Academy Oval to remain top of the table on net run-rate, ahead of Guernsey. Captain Suhan Alagaratnam (54 not out) and Shafiq Sharif (55 not out) guided the run chase home with more than 14 overs to spare after Fiji had been bowled out for 129. Eszrafiq Aziz had done most of the damage with 5 for 36 as Fiji lost wickets at regular intervals and only two batsmen passed 20.

"I think today we played a really good all-round game," Alagaratnam said. "We were on the mark with our bowling and fielding in the first innings and credit should really go to Eszrafiq again who performed really well for us. In the batting department the top order contributed and it feels good to have won by a big margin to improve our run-rate even further in the points table. It's by no means a done deal for us, we need to keep winning every game to secure ourselves promotion."

Jersey were in a promising position against Nigeria when their match was washed out after 44 overs at the Selangor Turf Club. Jersey had reached 218 for 6 after a series of solid top-order contributions. Ben Stevens top-scored with 48 before he was run out while Dean Morrison had opened the innings with a positive 50-ball 46. Nigeria chipped away with Endurance Ofem taking 2 for 30 in his 10 overs, but when the rain arrived Samuel de la Haye had placed himself to push the total towards 250. The match may be replayed on September 22 depending on the completion of Wednesday's round of fixtures.

Lee Savident's rapid 82 helped Guernsey reach a winning total © ICC/Peter Lim

Guernsey and Malaysia both claimed victories on the second day of the World Cricket League Division Six tournament in Kuala Lumpur. Heavy downpours at the Selangor Turf Club meant Jersey's match against Kuwait was abandoned in the 18th over, however, just as Kuwait had the islanders on the back foot at 55 for 4.

Guernsey appeared well set to continue their winning ways after opener Lee Savident raced to a 57-ball half-century against Fiji at Bayeumas Oval.

After losing GH Smit, trapped in front of his stumps by Waisake Tukana, Savident continued his good work in the company of Jeremy Frith. On a blustery, windswept day the pair added a further 45 for the second wicket before Savident was adjudged lbw off the bowling of Jikoi Kida for 82.

After the cloud cover thickened there was a brief stop for rain but that didn't stop the sides completing the first innings. Frith had another good turn with the bat, reaching 82 with nine fours and a six before having his stumps rearranged by Kitiano Tavo, after which captain Stuart Le Provost's rapid fifty helped boost Guernsey's total to 279 for 6.

Fji's reply didn't start smoothly, and two top-order batsmen had been lost inside the first 10 overs. The innings never recovered, with Frith and Gary Rich picking up two wickets apiece while wicketkeeper Tom Kimber had a good day with the gloves, catching Iniasi Cakacaka, Josefa Dabea Balecicia and Colin Rika and rounding off his day with the stumping of Maciu Gauna. Frith earned his second Man of the Match award of the tournament for his efforts with bat and ball.

"Fiji did challenge us early on, their new ball bowlers were fairly tight but when we got past 200 their heads began to drop," said a delighted Le Provost after the match. "I don't think we take any opposition lightly and they certainly challenged us. There were great runs from Jeremy Frith again and it was also good to see Lee Savident adding to the total and obviously it's nice to be able to contribute myself."

Guernsey's next match is against Kuwait on Tuesday, an opposition the team has not faced before. "We've seen Kuwait's scores, but not seen much of them at all as a side, so we will go look at them tomorrow when Jersey play them in their re-match at Kinrara to get a feel for the side," said Le Prevost.

At Kinrara, hosts Malaysia took on Nigeria, with Nigerian new-ball bowlers Saheed Akolade and Oluseye Olympio keeping the batsmen quiet at the start. Nevertheless, the Malaysian openers put on 73 before Shafiq Sharif departed for 43, trapped lbw by Oluwaseun Odeku's medium pace.

Not long afterwards, a heavy downpour stopped play for close to four hours but the good drainage at Kinrara Oval allowed the teams back on to play a game reduced to 29 overs.
Nigeria were set Duckworth/Lewis-adjusted target of 181, but their batting faltered from the start and eventual man of the match Eszrafiq Aziz helped himself to figures of 4 for 27.

"I was really pleased with how we bowled this morning," said Nigerian captain Endurance Ofem. "We kept things tight and things looked to be going really well until the rain set in. Obviously that's disappointing and we didn't do well at chasing down the target set with the reduced overs but we have to take the positives and move on for Tuesday's game."

"I think credit has to go Nigeria's bowling in the first innings, the first 10 overs of the game they had us on the back-foot with some good tight bowling and they were superb in the field too," said Malaysian coach Thushara Kodikara. "It's disappointing that we didn't get a full 50-over game but I was pleased with how my young side performed to restrict Nigeria in the 29 overs. Eszrafiq did particularly well bowling in all the right places to take four wickets and deservedly the Man of the Match award."

At Selangor Turf Club, heavy overnight rainfall resulted in a late start before Jersey lost quick wickets against a rejuvenated Kuwait. The match lasted only 18 overs, by which time Jersey had lost four wickets, before the rain returned. With reserve days in place, the game will be replayed on Monday at Kinrara Oval.

Malaysia's cricketers warm up before their match against Kuwait © ICC/Peter Lim

Malaysia, Guernsey and Fiji were the victorious teams on the opening day of the World Cricket League Division Six in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

Adverse weather conditions meant one of the three games was shortened and the Duckworth-Lewis method applied after the rain clouds arrived in the late afternoon bringing thunder and lightning. No re-calculations were required for Fiji's match against Nigeria, or Guernsey's against Jersey, while hosts Malaysia had their game abandoned against Kuwait but not before D/L was imposed.

After a delayed start at the Selangor Turf Club cricket ground, Malaysia's Suresh Navaratnam dismissed Irfan Bhatti with his second delivery as the hosts made a spirited start against Kuwait. Watched by a small crowd of supporters at a venue that is surrounded by the Selangor Turf Club racetrack on the south-side of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia then removed Aamir Javed five overs later when the 22-year-old was bowled by Hassan Ghulam, while Navaratnam dismissed Sibtain Raza not long after for just one run.

Captain Hisham Mirza briefly steadied the innings but the slide continued when he fell for 22, with six wickets being lost before the score had passed 100. After a series of sloppy shots Kuwait were bowled out for 151 in the 47th over, Navaratnam collecting figures of 4 for 15.
Faris Almas had his stumps rearranged by Abdullah Akhunzada as Malaysia's chase suffered some early blows, but captain Suhan Alagaratnam and Ahmed Faiz added an unbeaten 54 for the third wicket and put their side ahead of the required rate before the rains arrived. After a lengthy stop in play, the match was called to a halt and Malaysia won by 38 runs after D/L was calculated.

"I am very happy to have won," said Alagaratnam. "One win and we're building momentum. I was surprised Kuwait chose to bat, the wicket was a bit sticky early on. Our bowlers, especially Suresh [Navaratnam], did really well and the spinners played a big part. It's a little disappointing not to have finished the match but we know our strengths and I was glad to see how fast we were to the ball when fielding."

"We're very disappointed to have lost," added Kuwait captain Hisham. "Our batsmen couldn't cope with the early swing. If we win the toss tomorrow, I will think hard about bowling first.

"We're missing Mohammad Murad, he's the kind of bowler that gets early breakthroughs and he works well with Saad Khalid. Nevertheless we're looking forward to the rest of the tournament. One strong team would have lost today. We can bounce back."

At Kinrara Oval, Jersey took on local Channel Island rivals Guernsey in the sides' hotly anticipated first round game. Stuart Le Prevost's side won the toss and elected to bat against Peter Gough's bowling attack

Guernsey's star allrounder Jeremy Frith made his intentions for the tournament clear after the 33-year-old smashed his way to 80 runs to be the cornerstone of the side's innings. Frith departed after being caught by Jersey's Ben Stevens off the bowling of Gough.

Ross Kneller ably assisted Frith for some time, with the 28-year-old right-hander hitting a half-century, while after their departure Le Prevost and David Hooper added important runs. Jersey's bowlers shared the spoils with captain Gough the pick of the attack with 2 for 11.

Jersey initially looked like making light work of their target of 252, knocking off 131 runs before a wicket was lost. The fortunes began to change after a passing rain shower forced the teams from the field. Dean Morrison had been run out for 59 before the brief interval, and when the teams returned to the field Ben Stevens departed without a run to his name after being bowled by Jamie Nussbaumer.

Nussbaumer then dismissed in-form batsman Ed Farley who dragged the ball onto his stumps to depart for 64, gathering thunderclouds adding to the drama at Kinrara. Corey Bisson added a hard-fought 29 but Jersey captain Gough managed just 17 runs.

As thunder and lightning struck around the ground and the rain clouds converged, Jersey began to lose wickets and at six down in the 44th over, it began to look as though the threatening downpours might end the match. Jersey moved ahead on D/L after a 19-run over off Stuart Bisson, but the rain held off and a reinvigorated Guernsey bowling attack fought their way back into the game.

With two overs remaining, Jersey needed 14 with just one wicket in hand, and after some tight bowling the target was 10 from the final six deliveries. Tim Ravenscoft bowled James Faudemer with the second ball of the over to secure a nerve-wracking win.

"Obviously gutted about today with the fact we couldn't score a victory but to keep them down to 250 on such a good batting track was good," said Gough. "I was really pleased with the way our two young lads worked out in the middle. Corey Bisson and Sam de la Haye both worked really hard and now it's about improving for tomorrow."

"I think we were 15 to 20 short of runs on the board and then we didn't bowl well to begin with which didn't help us," added Frith, who was named man of the match. "I am a little disappointed that I didn't make it to a hundred and got us to 270 but fundamentally today got us two points. Jersey played fantastically and all credit to them, they probably deserved to win. It was a tough game out there but it's good to walk away with a win and take the two points."

Fiji got their tournament off to a flying start at Bayeumas Oval, beating the promoted Nigeria by 63 runs. Having won the toss and elected to bat, Fiji lost wickets early on but the Rika brothers, captain Joe and his brother Colin, came together and were soon batting fluently in the morning sunshine.

Their fightback was cut short when the Fijian captain was removed by Kunle Adegbola, but Colin Rika's 40 helped his team pass 100 before the lower order took up the challenge. Wicketkeeper Maciu Gauna made an unbeaten 37 from just 35 deliveries while No. 10 Mohammad Khan's quickfire cameo helped Fiji reach 203 for 8.

In reply the Nigerians simply could not handle the veteran Iniasi Cakacaka's canny offspin, the 43-year-old dismissing key batsmen Ramit Gill and Sean Philips on his way to 4 for 27. Despite the best attempts of Oluwaseun Odeku, who reached 29, Nigeria were bowled out for 140 in 41 overs.

the side was on its way to be all out for 140 when Lomani took two bottom order wickets and the victory was sealed for Fiji when Joshua Ogunlola was run out.

"It was great to start off with a win and the boys are feeling good," said Joe Rika. "Iniasi [Cakacaka] did really well to come back after making a duck with the bat, to come back and take four wickets was a great effort. The boys are really happy and we're looking forward to our next match tomorrow."

The intrigue and infighting within the USA Cricket Association continues with a row over the disappearance of the website which has been unavailable since September 6. While in the normal course of events that might seem a simple technical issue, critics of embattled USACA president Gladstone Dainty point out this is exactly what happened a few years ago when he was also under fire.

USACA secretary John Aaron has tried to contact Dainty, who holds the access passwords, regarding this matter but has not been able to elicit any response from him. John Thickett, the treasurer, is also proving hard to contact, and it is believed he is siding with Dainty in the ongoing internal squabbling.

The 2011 Uganda Schools Cricket Week ran from August 13 to 17, 2011 in Kampala. 11 teams participated in the tournament with Kololo Senior Secondary School having the best of Busoga College Mwiri in the final held at Lugogo Oval. The tournament was played on a T20 basis following the excitement created by the ICC Africa T20 Championship hosted by Uganda in July. 5 grounds were used for the tournament namely Lugogo, Kyambogo, Makerere University, Budo A and Budo G Grounds. Uganda Cricket Association also organised review sessions between the players and National Team players after each game for players to realise their mistakes.

Andy Bichel has taken PNG cricket to a new level © ESPNcricinfo

It may not have stolen headlines in the last week or so, but a dedicated contributor to cricket in the Associate world is moving on. Andy Bichel, the former Australia fast bowler, stepped down after two years in a coaching and development role as Papua New Guinea's director of cricket. PNG still has some way to go before joining Ireland and Afghanistan in the top class of Associate teams, but Bichel feels proud of the steps taken in his time at the helm to lift up the standard of cricket in the island nation.

"For Papua New Guinea, when I first went there, getting 30 and two wickets and a catch, that was player of the match," Bichel told ESPNcricinfo. "That's the challenge, to create a performance-based environment because I can't have a whole team of people who get 30 and two wickets and a catch because that just doesn't happen. It doesn't win you a game of cricket. If they get five wickets and a 100, all of a sudden you start to win games of cricket."

At the recent ICC Under-19 World Cup Qualifier in Ireland, PNG captain Christopher Kent showed just how much Bichel's presence had changed the country's approach to cricket. In PNG's seventh match of the tournament, Canada batsman Nitish Kumar scored 150 in a total of 261 for 9 for his side. Kumar's innings was the highest score of the tournament for a few hours before Kent eclipsed it with 166 not out, taking PNG to a four-wicket win.

Introducing a sense of professionalism to PNG's blue-collar style of cricket is a major reason why Bichel says the players have been able to register several noteworthy achievements over a relatively short period of time. The senior team have climbed up to 19 in the world rankings while Kent's efforts as the overall leading run-getter at the U-19 Qualifier played a large part in PNG gaining a spot at the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Australia next year. At the 2009-10 ICC U-19 World Cup in New Zealand, PNG's Raymond Haoda became the first player from an Associate nation to finish as the tournament's leading wicket-taker, taking 15 in six games.

"Anything to do with PNG Cricket now has a professional approach to it," Bichel said. "There's so much passion to play for Papua New Guinea and I think that's fantastic but there's actually now a real standard required for a PNG player and I just think that's the greatest thing. It is performance based. You have to train. That sort of attitude of turning up when you want to is really starting to disappear. All their skill levels are improving week by week."

Perhaps just as important, maintaining a professional approach off the pitch has also received heavy emphasis from Bichel. Things like dealing with the media, nutrition and fitness were things that might have been neglected in the past but have seen a greater attention to detail in the last 24 months.

"The way they present themselves now in public, I think that's a big area that we've improved in. The players' English has improved. We'll have a team dinner [on tour]. We prepare the food for them so therefore they're getting good-quality food. They never used to get that. They used to go off and eat McDonald's. Recovery sessions, ice baths, pool sessions, they all come under that tag of what you have to do to be a PNG player."

Bichel arrived in a place where no turf wickets existed with matches typically played on concrete covered by jute matting. The only time players experienced turf conditions were on overseas tours. But proper infrastructure is now coming into place to give players the opportunity to develop their skills in the right conditions. The country's first ever turf wickets were unveiled just over a year ago at Amini Park and Colts Cricket Ground in Port Moresby; Amini Park now has six training nets.

"Two years ago when I took over before the overseas tour to New Zealand, it was an Under-18 tour but some of the players had never played on grass before," Bichel said. "Now I can honestly say that the minimum number of games any one of our players has played on turf wickets is 30 to 40. Some of the guys have played 200 or 250 games on turf. So that's great for starters. Now they're starting to read wickets. Why does this one turn? Why does this one play slower? Why does this one come onto the bat easier? They're starting to work out all those sorts of things."

Bichel's connections with the Queensland Bulls also opened up doors for many PNG players to grow by getting to train with players of a higher standard. Training sessions at the Gabba and Allan Border Field were routinely organised without cost. Cricket scholarships were awarded last year for 14 players who were sent to Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne to play club cricket in the local grade competitions from September through March.

Not everything can be completed in two years though. One of the things Bichel hopes will happen after he leaves is that the players will continue to absorb a greater sense of tactics in the game, things that he took for granted growing up in Australia that aren't always present in PNG.

"The number one thing at this stage is that cricket awareness develops and that just comes with time," Bichel said. "We all had that awareness from Under-12s or Under-10s in Australia. Cricket awareness includes everything from sliding your bat to reading the game, setting the right field, bowling a particular delivery, being able to play an offspinner or a legspinner. Those sorts of things are probably the number one thing that we need to fast track in a sense but it takes time to learn that."

At the closing ceremony of the U-19 Qualifier in Ireland, the PNG players seized every opportunity to take photos and capture one last memory with Bichel. It was a sign of just how much he means to them and how much he'll be missed. He hopes that Papua New Guinea will continue to build on the foundation he's helped lay for them to succeed.

"I've loved the experience. I've loved the time. I've loved what I've done," Bichel said. "Hopefully I've left a brand and a style of playing the game which is different from what they knew before. Getting 30 and two wickets and a catch was a pretty good game and hopefully now I've given them a vision that the game is not played like that. Hopefully it's that professionalism that we've touched on, but like I said there's so many things to that professionalism. We didn't have a facility. Now we've got a facility so now we can start to play the game."

- By Peter Della Penna, a journalist based in New Jersey

The eight cricketers who refused contracts offered by Cricket Kenya now face a bleak future in the game after the board refused to meet with them, and then their local franchises unanimously decided not to pick them again this season.

ESPNcricinfo found out that while the group publicly objected to new-style contracts, they were also trying to force the board to reinstate several of those dumped after the shambolic World Cup earlier this year. They objected to the new deals which partially depended on their on-field performances, and when it became clear the board would not back down, they changed their demands to that of wanting more pay.

But while in the past such tactics usually resulted in a climb-down by the board, this time the nine were outflanked. When the players refused to meet with board officials last weekend and then staged a last-minute boycott of the national league matches, the board offered contracts to up-and-coming players instead.

Faced with that, it seems the players subsequently offered to meet with the board, but that was declined.

“We decided that there wasn’t any point in meeting the players,” a board official told ESPNcricinfo. “The franchise teams have unanimously decided to suspend the players for the rest of the new competitions for this year which will deprive them of earnings and, as the national squad will be picked on the basis of performances in these events, it will be a difficult few months for these players as a result of their actions.”

The hard-line stand will be welcomed by those who have felt the players have had too much power for several years, although the local media, who have backed them almost unquestioningly, are unlikely to be as supportive.

The eight are Alex Obanda, Shem Ngoche, James Ngoche, Nehemiah Odhiambo, Elijah Otieno, Maurice Ouma, Nelson Odhiambo, Alfred Luseno

The rumbling discontent within US cricket about the way the USA Cricket Association is being run continues to grow with reports that a number of its board members are at odds with Gladstone Dainty, USACA's president, over the way he is operating.

Dainty has been a controversial figure for a number of years, and it was on his watch that the USA was twice suspended from international cricket because of what the then ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed labelled its "dysfunctional" operation.

Through active and crafty politicking Dainty has managed to remain in office when his track record would have appeared to have fatally damaged his standing. He has often relied on a small group of associates on the USACA board to support him, but now he is again under attack.

Critics point out that Dainty has failed to hold a face-to-face board meeting since November 2010. Since then, Don Lockerbie, the CEO, has been removed from office and in eight months a replacement has not been sought. Dainty, it is argued, has made no attempt to encourage the search for a new CEO, surprisingly at a time when USACA is seeking to attract lucrative commercial deals and real funding, not to mention the rebuilding of a very tarnished image in the domestic and international cricketing communities. The argument is that the lack of a successor for Lockerbie allows Dainty to proceed unchecked.

Board elections, constitutionally due to be held in March of this year, have been delayed until October 15 and there are fears they may not even happen then. And most recently, Dainty has ordered election results in the Atlantic region be frozen, with critics claiming the reason is that one of his long-standing supporters is likely to be voted out of office.

Last week, one board member expressed concerns that Dainty would try to use the constitution to remain in power, and within days USACA announced that eight leagues may not be allowed to vote because of technicalities. Many of those on the sidelines have seen it all before.

Some board members are pushing for a face-to-face board meeting on September 17, and have more than enough support to impact a quorum of the board, but Dainty has refused to agree to that date, even though it is believed that the meeting was requested by USACA's executive secretary, John Aaron.

"We are all being painted by the general public, with one broad brush and labelled dysfunctional and incompetent," one of his opponents on the board said. "That's because our fight is not being seen on the outside. Dainty's ability to continue demonstrating such a dictatorial style of governance is helped by the few who are afraid of his wrath, that they are too weak to join the few who are strong-willed enough to stand up to him."

While in the past there has been little at stake other than some internal politics, there is now the prospect of large amounts of foreign money pouring into the USA from media deals, making control of USACA increasingly important.

The international community remains wary of a Dainty-controlled board, but he is a survivor and one that many have tried without success to unseat. His lack of accountability continues to deter many - both at home and abroad - from dealing with US cricket. It is crying out for slick and transparent leadership and, at present, it has neither.

Namibia have named a squad with a good blend of youth and experience for their Intercontinental Cup fixture against Ireland in Belfast from September 6, with several teenagers in a group led by Craig Williams. The match was originally scheduled for early July but was postponed because the Namibia players were facing issues getting their visas.

Namibia squad: Craig Williams (captain), Raymond van Schoor, Chris Coombe, Gerrie Snyman, Stephen Baard, Andre Englebrecht, Merwe Erasmus, Pieter Rossouw, Louis Klazinga, Stephanus Ackerman, Louis van der Westhuizen, Christoffel Viljoen, Pikky Ya France

That a handful of Kenya's cricketers have again decided they are in a strong enough position to try to play hardball with Cricket Kenya is a masterclass in self-delusion and bad timing.

For a number of years Kenya's cricketers have been Associate cricket's most pampered professionals, while their performances and, in some cases, their commitment have been increasingly woeful. Strikes, boycotts of training, and internal bickering dominate the headlines more than anything achieved on the pitch. The nadir came at the World Cup earlier this year, when they were abject on the field and a shambles off it.

The board finally decided enough was enough and sent out the message that things would have to change. Top-to-bottom reform of the game's structure was undertaken, and the old guard in the squad was culled. The players expected to form the nucleus of the team going forward were offered new deals, but ones that meant they were more accountable. The clear message was that the old days, where the role for some was a virtual sinecure, were over. It is worth flagging at this point that Kenya's cricketers have been well rewarded, in terms of salaries and benefits, in recent years, and in comparison with the national average wage, their pay is good.

This new approach appears lost on some. Undoubtedly they are being advised - perhaps manipulated might be more accurate in certain instances - by people with agendas against the board, but only the most blinkered of them can think they have a morally defensible case.

It now seems some of players' decisions were not only about themselves but also about trying to force the board to take back some of those jettisoned after the World Cup farrago. They told the board - offer X and Y contracts as well, or we won't sign. When that failed, they resorted to plan B and simply demanded more money.

Up to now this kind of blackmail has worked because the board has had a small pool of players to choose from. But there are now youngsters coming through, and, correctly, Cricket Kenya has decided it would prefer to take a short-term hit in terms of results to allow it to build for the future, and at the same time cut out the cancer that has undermined all attempts at reform.

What all players were offered seems fair for any professional sportsman. Perform, stay fit and committed, and you will be looked after. Fail to do that and your place is at risk. However, those who refused contracts wanted all the perks with none of the responsibilities. As one Cricket Kenya official put it: "It's about time that professional players realised that they have to prove themselves on the field of play to justify the security they would get from cricket."

Any lingering sympathy for the players disappeared when, hours before they were due to play for franchise sides in the East Africa competitions last weekend, they all indicated they would refuse to do so. It was an old tactic, one that had cost them and their board money and credibility when they did exactly the same a year ago on the eve of a tour to England.

To its credit, the board, led by chief executive Tom Sears, has a new resolve and has called their bluff all the way. The players now find themselves without an income, and replaced by youngsters with the commitment and enthusiasm needed to play for their country. Far from being in the driving seat, the old guard now finds itself without the car.

For the good of the game it has to be hoped that some of the younger and more promising names among those who are at odds with the board realise that they need cricket more than it needs them. And that for those operating within the structure as it stands, the rewards are more worthwhile than the alternatives.

But if they don't, then it is vital Sears and his board stand firm. For too long Kenya's prospects have been undermined by selfishness and laziness, and those days have to end if Kenya are once more to be taken seriously on the world stage.

Chandra Gocool has stepped down after two years as Cricket Canada’s chief executive after the board decided not to renew his contract.

The board has been blighted by constant internal bickering in recent times, and it is uncertain when a replacement will be identified.

“My contract with Cricket Canada has ended,” Gocool said. “It’s now over to the Cricket Canada's leadership to take the steps they feel might be necessary to move the various opportunities forward.”

This means that both Cricket Canada and the USA Cricket Association, two of the biggest Associates, are now without chief executives. Don Lockerbie, the USACA’s high-profile CEO, was removed at the start of the year and no steps appear to have been taken to try to replace him.

Cricket Kenya has been forced to name a weakened squad to take on Netherlands in the ICC Intercontinental Cup and the subsequent ODI series. The four-day match starts in Deventer on September 7.

Several players continue to be in dispute with the board, and a decision was taken to exclude them from consideration.

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