A GROUP of four Malaysian cricket enthusiasts have been awarded internet ball-by-ball broadcasting rights for the Asia Cup tournament, starting in Pakistan on June 24, through a relatively new website called hearcricket.com that covered the recent ICC Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia.

THE use of traditional materials for bat-making has been enshrined in the Laws -- with the handle joining the blade in the regulations -- to prevent cricket going the way of golf and, to a lesser extent, tennis and football.

WORLD cricket is set to usher hi-tech eletronics into Test cricket and this should help revive the endangered craft of spin bowling.

WORLD cricket is to discuss major issues in Dubai today, most notably the impact of Twenty20 on the game's landscape.

CRICKET followers will be able to view full match highlights from last year's inaugural ICC World Twenty20 tournament in South Africa direct from the International Cricket Council website.

From the ECB

GILES CLARKE, the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, today questioned whether city franchises have a place in any revamping of the county Twenty20 competition.

ROBERT KEY captains a genuine England 2nd XI against New Zealand at the Rose Bowl next week, with each member of the 12-man squad in line for Test cricket, especially Owais Shah.

DARRELL HAIR'S return the elite level to officiate in two England Tests against New Zealand in Manchester and Nottingham will be widely welcomed within the umpiring fraternity.

THE Australia batsman Brad Hodge has jumped ship at Lancashire to play in the Indian Premier League and will be absent for five weeks.

A FIGURE of cricket authority has trod where no man has trod before by publicly questioning the viability of the Indian Premier League, which has been hastily assembled and launched like a gold-plated stock car.

THE former Sussex opener Richard Montgomerie, now an Eton College teacher, returns to professional cricket for a day when he turns out for the MCC against the New Zealand touring side at Arundel on Sunday.

THE Hampshire left-hander Michael Carberry has been drafted into the extended England squad at the age of 27 today along with two other uncapped players, off-spinner James Tredwell and leg-spin all-rounder Adil Rashid.

THE fast bowling coach Ian Pont believes he has created the world's best slower ball that can be learned in one afternoon by anyone, though practice is advised before use in a match. He calls it the SLOB, the slow ball.

DAVID SALES, at the age of 30, has been singled out by Mike Gatting as a player to watch during this season's Friends Provident Trophy competition, which starts on Sunday.

THE Hyderabad-based franchise Deccan Chargers are the favourites to win the Indian Premier League, according to bookmakers Ladbrokes.

THE Trinidad & Tobago women's development XI bowled 81 wides in a one-day game against the touring Canadians in Tobago this week and still won by three wickets.

THE honour remains obscure, but Australia have won another world title -- the ICC Test championship and the £90,000 prize that goes with it. South Africa took the one-day version, the ICC Shield, and the same money.

THE MCC are to experiment with pink match balls for their one-day match against Scotland at Lord's on April 21, the first time this colour will be put on trial at this level.

By Mark Harrison

THE former England batsman and current Surrey captain Mark Butcher says he sees no difference in the actions of Australian players, who can play in the unofficial Indian Cricket League with impunity, and English players who risk severe sanctions if they sign up.