No UDRS in India's Test Tour of South Africa

The Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) will not be a part of India's upcoming Test tour of South Africa. Gerald Majola, chief executive of Cricket South Africa confirmed the news to ESPNcricinfo saying, "[We] will definitely not be using it."

Majola who was in Dubai for the ICC Chief Executives Conference did not explain what had led to the decision but a CSA official said the main reason was, "India are not keen to use it".

Corrie van Zyl, the South Africa coach, said his team had been expecting this development, given India's stance on the issue. South Africa have used the UDRS in other home series, most recently against England in 2009-10. "We are not going to use it and thats the end of it," he said. "I like UDRS and it does eradicate a lot of decisions that are wrong, which can only be good for the game.

"I'm not disappointed, I almost knew it was not going to happen in any case, so it's not a major disappointment, and it will still be a very good series without it."

Graeme Smith, the South Africa captain, had said in October that the UDRS needed to be implemented consistently and that technology was the way forward in cricket. "I think if the UDRS is going to be successful it needs to be implemented properly by the ICC and not on a 50-50 basis like we have seen so far," he had said. "It must be used all of the time and not for selective series' like we see now."

Smith's team-mate AB de Villiers has also come out in support of the UDRS. "I'd love to see the referral system used," he said. "It's necessary to get some of the really poor decisions out of the game. It frustrates everyone. I've spoken to some umpires, who also back the system and really want it in place. It's something that we all have to get used to, and it's taken us a while to get used to it. I'd like to see it being used in all cricket."

India have played a series in which the UDRS was used only once - in Sri Lanka in 2008. They struggled with their referrals on that tour, getting only one review right, while Sri Lanka successfully challenged 11 decisions. Since then the UDRS has been used in Australia, South Africa, England, New Zealand and West Indies and has found favour with several captains and players. The Indians and the BCCI, however, are firmly opposed to the system, even though the ICC have approved its use in principle during the 2011 World Cup.

MS Dhoni, the India captain, reiterated his reluctance to accept the system during the recent home series against New Zealand, calling for the standard of on-field umpiring to be improved instead.

Pietersen ruled out of West Indies ODIs

Kevin Pietersen has been ruled out of the whole of England's one-day series against the West Indies with an Achilles injury, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Wednesday.

England play the first of three one-dayers against the West Indies here at Headingley on Thursday.

However, the ECB insisted that by resting and undergoing treatment now, the South Africa born batsman would be fit for next month's World Twenty20 in England and the Ashes Test series against Australia, which starts in Cardiff on July 8.

An ECB statement said: "Kevin Pietersen has been withdrawn from England's NatWest Series squad due to a minor right Achilles tendon injury.

"Pietersen will undertake a period of rest and treatment during the NatWest Series ahead of England's ICC World Twenty20 campaign."

Nick Peirce, the ECB's chief medical officer, explained that the injury had occurred during the second Test match at the Riverside, which England won by an innings and 83 runs on Monday to take the two-match series 2-0.

"The Achilles injury flared up following the second npower Test match in Durham and the best course of treatment is for Kevin to rest throughout the NatWest Series," Peirce said.

"The injury would not necessarily prevent him from playing but by giving him a precautionary period of time out to receive some concentrated treatment and rest we are enabling the niggle to settle down in preparation for the ICC World Twenty20 and the Ashes.

"This is not an injury that would preclude him from participating in either event," Peirce stressed.

Pietersen added: "I'm extremely disappointed to be missing the NatWest Series as I was looking forward to playing a significant part in what should be an exciting and closely-fought one-day series.

"The medical advice is to rest the Achilles and although I'm frustrated to be leaving a happy and successful dressing room I'm absolutely confident this will help me overcome what has up until now been a minor ongoing injury," the former England captain added.

"I hate missing out on playing for England but understand that in this instance it's necessary in order to overcome the injury," Pietersen said.

"I'm looking forward to being back in the England line up for the World Twenty20 and the rest of an exciting summer of cricket."

However, England were equally confident that Andrew Flintoff, currently out with a knee injury, would be fit in time for the World Twenty20 only for the all-rounder to cast doubt on his own participation last week when he said: "I'd love to play in the Twenty20 - but that might be too tight."

England have not called up a replacement into their one-day squad, opening up the possibility that either former Ireland international Eoin Morgan could make his England one-day international debut on Thursday or that Warwickshire's Ian Bell might be recalled.

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Chennai favourite to win IPL in SA: Warne

Sitting atop the points table, they might have been the most consistent side in the IPL-II but Delhi Daredevils are not "best" according to Shane Warne, who feels it's Chennai who will probably run away with the title.

Delhi are perched at the top, having accumulated 18 points from nine wins off 13 matches and looked a balanced side all through.

But Rajasthan Royals skipper and former Australian leg-spinner think otherwise.

"I don't think Delhi Daredevils are the best side in the competition. I think it is Chennai Super Kings who look a better side. And Chennai Super Kings are probably the favourites to win," he said Warne's team failed to reach even the semifinal stage this year, owing to batting failure.

Chennai, who booked their lat-four stage berth last night after beating Kings XI Punjab, are placed second in the points table with 17 points.

The last year's finalists' skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was naturally happy to be termed as favourite side.

"It feels good when somebody reckons you as the favourites in the tournament," he said.

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Yousuf ignored for Pak T20 tournament

Pakistan senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf has not been considered for the national Twenty20 championship even though other ICL players were selected in their regional teams that clashes in the tournament starting in Lahore from Monday.

There was no mention of Yousuf in either of the 13 teams announced for the tournament which is being held ahead of the ICC Twenty20 World Cup to allow the selected players gain valuable practice for the mega event.

Before joining the ICL last year, Yousuf had played for Lahore in the national domestic events including the T20 competition.

But this time the regional selectors have completely overlooked him although other ICL players like Imran Nazir, Imran Farhat, Abdul Razzaq, Naved Latif, Hasan Raza will all be representing their respective regional teams.

Farhat and Razzaq will play for the Lahore Lions team led by Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal.

There was no word on why Yousuf was ignored for the tournament although sources close to the Lahore team said he was busy with his religious activities.

Yousuf is the only Pakistani player to have announced his resignation from the Indian Cricket League to make himself available for national selection.

The Pakistan Cricket Board had made it clear that ICL players can be considered for the national team once again only if they break their ties with the ICL by May 31. But sources close to Yousuf say that the senior batsman with 79 Test and 269 one-day caps has been assured of a comeback in the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka from June 27.

"Yousuf is expected to make the Test and one-day squad for the month-long tour as no one doubts that even at 34 years of age he remains Pakistan's best batsman at the moment," one source said.

Pakistan plays three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match in Sri Lanka in their first proper Test series since late 2007. Their Test series earlier this year against Sri Lanka was cut short after the terrorist attack on Sri Lankan cricketers.

Yousuf himself has expressed his desire to play for his country again and made it clear he would not be going back to the ICL ranks ever again.

The board has made it mandatory for all the Pakistan players to play in the T20 competition which is one of the biggest attractions on the domestic circuit.

ICL will keep rolling despite exodus

Players seeking a termination of their contracts with the Indian Cricket League were on Wednesday given a go-ahead by the rebel venture, clearing the decks for their return to the BCCI fold.

"A few domestic and overseas players and support staff have approached us with an application to be released from ICL to pursue cricket with the state associations. The same was due to the announcement made by the BCCI offering to take the players back into their fold.

"ICL has been set up for development of cricket to unearth and nurture young talent for the game and if certain players wish to go back to BCCI fold we will not stop them nor would we ever wish to exercise contractual authority to stall their dreams," the ICL executive board said in a statement.

The recession-hit event has been getting several requests for release after the BCCI announced that it would take back players who terminate their contracts with the 'rebel' league.

The ICL said it does not have any problem in releasing the players.

"We are happy that many good domestic players got the opportunity to play at the highest level with international talent in the ICL events. ICL will continue to bring up and nurture younger talents for future.

"We wish them the best for their promising careers and would hope that there would be no victimisation of the innocent," the ICL statement read.