ESPNcricinfo staff

New Zealand's first-class season got off to a wet and subdued start after a southerly blast traversed the country over the weekend

Canning takes the honours on the opening day

Graeme Smith, South Africa's captain, has been given the all-clear by his country's board to lead Somerset in 2005

Smith and Morkel given all-clear

Maharashtra were overwhelmed by an innings and 238 runs in a no-contest at Mohali

Punjab wrap up comprehensive victory

Ray Jennings, the South African coach, has hinted at a return to the national team for Mark Boucher

Jennings hints at Boucher return

Vijay Hazare, who was admitted to hospital 15 days ago for age-related problems, is in a 'critical but stable' condition, according to reports from the Press Trust of India

Vijay Hazare 'critical but stable'

MS Dhoni, recently chosen in the Indian one-day squad to Bangladesh, clattered 97 in 84 balls, but he was the lone star as Jharkhand struggled at Jamshedpur

Jharkhand struggle despite Dhoni blitz

Record debts may force Cricket Scotland to shelve plans for having a full-time coach for the national team

Full-time coach could be dropped

VVS Laxman, frustrated at being 'rested' for the three-match one-day series against Bangladesh, has expressed strong feelings on the eve of India's departure for the Test tour

Laxman angered at being 'rested'

Zimbabwe is all set to get back Test status next month, without need for a fresh assessment, Ehsan Mani, the International Cricket Council president, told the Associated Press

Zimbabwe set to regain Test status

The Indian squad's departure to Bangladesh has been delayed by at least one day after an unknown radical Islamic group issued death threats to the players

India's tour of Bangladesh delayed

Reetinder Singh Sodhi amassed a mammoth 251 as Punjab trampled all over Maharashtra on the second day at Mohali

Sodhi amasses a mammoth 251

Bangladesh have brought back Mashrafe Mortaza and Talha Jubair into their 13-man squad for the forthcoming two-Test series against India

Mortaza and Jubair back in squad

India have announced their one-day squad for the seven-match series against Australia which starts on 11 December

India announce one-day squad to face Australia

Shane Warne insists his retirement from one-day internationals is permanent and he hopes that this decision will allow him to play Test cricket for three more years

Warne hopes for three more years at the top

Matthew Elliott and David Hussey scored centuries and led a spirited run-chase by Victoria, but in the end they fell short of their target, as Western Australia won by 46 runs at the Junction Oval in Melbourne

Victoria fall short despite spirited run-chase

West Indies preparations for the tour of Australia have suffered yet another blow with a side strain rendering Corey Collymore's participation doubtful

Collymore's VB Series participation in doubt

A maiden century to Clinton Perren set up a 94-run victory for Queensland against Tasmania at the Gabba

Perren's century leads Queensland clear

This season's Carib Beer Series, which begins on January 7, will be watered down to six teams who will play each other home and away

Six teams in Carib Beer Series

West Indies coach Bennett King has announced his intention to remain true to the traditional style of Caribbean cricket

King to favour traditional West Indies style of play