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Ian Robinson, one of the ICC’s international panel umpires, has announced his retirement. He will now focus on his new role as ICC Regional Umpires’ Performance Manager (RUPM) for the Africa region.Robinson, 57, started his umpiring career in 1975 and served on Zimbabwe’s first-class panel for a record 31 seasons. A veteran of 28 Test matches, 90 one-day internationals and three World Cup tournaments, Robinson was recently appointed as one of five RUPMs and he will have particular responsibility for the Africa region.”Following my appointment as an ICC Regional Umpires Performance Manager, it has become clear that I will not be able to continue as a member of the ICC International Panel,” said Robinson. “It is, therefore, with regret and enormous pride, that I am closing this chapter of my cricket life, so as to be fully effective in my new role.”Vince van der Bijl, the ICC’s Umpires’ and Referees’ manager, credited Robinson as an “enormously popular figure within cricket and an excellent umpire”. “Ian has given a huge part of his life to cricket and, in particular, to umpiring the game so his on-field influence will be missed by players, spectators and other match officials.”It is great, though, that Ian will still be heavily involved in the game and I have no doubt that his knowledge and enthusiasm will help to develop and nurture the next generation of top-level umpires from Africa,” he said.

The fate of the Champions Trophy hangs on Sunday’s telephone hook-up after it emerged that India and Pakistan have hardened their position on the tournament going ahead as scheduled from September 12 onwards in Karachi and Lahore, leaving the ICC with the possibility of a cancellation otherwise.An option is to relocate the tournament to Sri Lanka, the official alternate venue – a solution that ESPN-Star Sports (ESS), the official broadcaster, may agree to even at this late stage – but India and Pakistan remain adamant that the tournament cannot be shifted on what they believe are “flimsy grounds”.The ICC, it is learnt, was informed about this view during a meeting at its headquarters in Dubai on Wednesday evening between David Morgan, its president, Sharad Pawar, its vice-president who also heads the BCCI, Haroon Lorgat, its chief executive and Shafqat Naghmi, the chief operating officer of the PCB. Apparently, there is also a credible pullout threat from Pakistan, backed by India, if the venue is changed.Asked if moving the tournament to Sri Lanka was a solution, a source said, “You can’t rule out the possibility of a cancellation, considering the absolute lack of a consensus at this stage.”There is no other alternative for the tournament which involves teams from the top eight cricket nations, sources told Cricinfo. “If countries like Australia pull out, there is no question of the tournament going ahead with substitutes like Bangladesh,” a source said. “The broadcasters are not going to allow that.”Crucially, it’s understood that ESS is concerned as there is no clarity yet on the tournament, which is less than a month away, and is open to a shift in order to salvage the situation. “Obviously, ESS wants the best teams to participate and ensure a world-class tournament,” a source said. “It is possible [to ensure quality coverage] if it is shifted to a nearby country even now, but it will involve significant extra costs for the broadcaster.”The ICC board is expected to take a final decision on the issue during a teleconference on Sunday, two days after its task force on the Champions Trophy discusses the feedback it received from officials and players’ representatives in Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa.Players’ associations from these countries have insisted security concerns remain – another blast was reported near Islamabad on Thursday – and officials from the Australian Cricketers’ Association and the New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association have said they would advise teams against touring. Their boards may highlight those views, if not endorse them, on Sunday, but the BCCI and the PCB, with the traditional backing of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, are expected to reiterate that the ICC’s “positive” security assessment after the Asia Cup in Karachi and Lahore during June-July leaves no room for doubt.The ICC, meanwhile, remains firm the tournament will go ahead in Pakistan, as of now, and its officials are in Karachi and Lahore this week, conducting venue inspections. “We are still fighting and are hopeful of hosting the tournament,” Naghmi told Cricinfo.All this, of course, leaves Sri Lanka in an unusual position. Duleep Mendis, Sri Lanka Cricket chief executive, told Cricinfo his country is prepared to host the tournament if needed. However, he said the tournament should go ahead in Pakistan, indicating which way the Asian countries are likely to go if the future of the Champions Trophy comes down to a vote of the ICC board – any decision requires at least a 7-3 majority.”The issue of security is subjective and what some may believe to be reality will be seen as mere perception by others,” a source said. “This is the issue that has to be resolved on Sunday, if the tournament has to go ahead.”

Alex Gidman has committed his future to Gloucestershire after signing a new three-year deal with the club.He had been the subject of interest from Warwickshire and Surrey about a possible move, but the return of John Bracewell, the New Zealand coach, to Bristol next season has encouraged him to stay.”I am very pleased to have signed a new contract with the club and very excited about working with John Bracewell again,” Gidman said. “I feel that with the right investment of players and the continued excellent support we get from fans and members we can start to climb the ladder once again.”Chief Executive Tom Richardson said: “Clearly we are delighted that Alex has signed a new contract. We see him as a very important part of the team both now and in the future.”

ScorecardDebuts don’t come much better than Peter Connell’s against Netherlands. He wrapped up Ireland’s innings-and-67-run victory with a hat-trick, in the process completing a 10-wicket haul. He becomes the 16th player to take a hat-trick on first-class debut and the first in an international match.Connell had a taste of success in the first innings when his four wickets helped Ireland set-up their final-day victory charge. Second time around Netherlands again found him too much to handle as they fell to 206 all out. The end came in a hurry with Connell collected his hat-trick by bowling Jeron Smits and Pieter Seelaar, then trapping last man Edgar Schiferli lbw.Only Peter Borren (53) and Mudassar Bukhari (59 not out) put up any resistance for the Netherlands on the final day as the home side struggled in vain to save the match. They weren’t helped by some poor shot selection from the top order as Eric Szwarczynski and Daan van Bunge both fell loosely with just five runs added to the overnight total.Despite Connell’s 10 wickets, the Man of the Match went to Andre Botha for his vital 172 in Ireland’s innings. With Ireland claiming maximum points, this victory moves them up one spot to second place, leap-frogging Kenya in the process. They now lie just 13 points adrift of Namibia but with a game in hand.

The Pakistan board has dismissed concerns from several international players regarding security arrangements in the country for the Champions Trophy in September. The ICC had declared itself happy with the security situation in Pakistan “at this time” but many Australian and New Zealand players remain uneasy about the tournament.”We’ve been hearing though the media that there may be concerns among some of the players about the Champions Trophy,” Zakir Khan, the PCB’s director of cricket operations, told the Karachi-based . “But we are not taking any of it seriously unless there is an official confirmation from the boards of those countries.”Zakir said since the ICC was satisfied with the security measures, there was no need for other countries’ boards to be worried. “I don’t think there is a need for any security consultant from Australia to come here,” Zakir said regarding reports that an Australian official was headed to Pakistan next week to review the situation. “The ICC [security] officials are already here and monitoring the situation. I believe that should be enough.”But while Ponting and other Australian players expressed their concern over the tournament, Daniel Vettori, the New Zealand captain, said he would feel it was safe to tour if the level of security was the same as when his side toured Pakistan in 2003. “I was there when the bomb went off outside our hotel in [2002] and I went back a year later on tour and the security they put forward that time was immense and overwhelming,” Vettori said. “So if they could promise that level of security it would appease a lot of guys.” Earlier Jacob Oram, the New Zealand allrounder who was part of the 2003 tour to Pakistan, had said he would sit with his family and take a decision on whether or not to tour the country this year.Peter Moores, the England coach, said his side hadn’t discussed the situation yet. “We’ll wait and see what is said and if that’s where we’re going and we’ll take our advice from the ECB.”

Ireland’s Amy Hunter has become the youngest player to score a senior international century, hitting an unbeaten 121 and taking her side to a win against Zimbabwe on her 16th birthday.Hunter overtook the record previously held by India’s Mithali Raj, who scored 114 not out in and ODI against Ireland at the age of 16 years and 205 days in June 1999.Shahid Afridi is the youngest man to hit an ODI century. He was 16 years and 217 days old when he scored 102 against Sri Lanka in 1996.Hunter is younger than any man or woman who has scored a century in T20Is. No one has scored a hundred in Test cricket at a younger age, where records are known.Playing just her fourth ODI on Monday, Hunter’s knock came off 127 balls and included eight fours. It was the highest score by a batter for Ireland Women, passing Karen Young’s 120 made in 2000 against Pakistan.Having managed just seven runs across her previous three innings – all against Zimbabwe – Hunter’s latest performance helped her side to a total of 312 for 3 from their 50 overs in the fourth and final ODI in Harare, the highest team total by Ireland Women in ODI cricket. Ireland won the match by 85 runs to seal the series 3-1.”It feels really good, it’s a bit surreal right now,” Hunter said. “When I was coming up to my fifty, I just wanted to stick by and get there, then when I came to my hundred I didn’t know what to do, take my helmet off or keep it on, but it was unbelievable.”I felt more nervous for my fifty. I didn’t do so well in the first three games so I was just delighted to be out there and get that first four away and from there it kind of flowed. From fifty to a hundred felt like it went much quicker than from nought to fifty.”Hunter shared a 143-run stand for the third wicket with captain Laura Delany. Delany, who scored 68, was in the middle when Belfast schoolgirl Hunter brought up her ton.”Del’s so supportive of me and she always backs me and tells me to back myself and back my skills so it was unbelievable,” Hunter said.