Stalwarts depart, empires crumble

2 Paul Adams, the former South Africa chinaman bowler, announces his retirement from professional cricket.

4 The West Indies women's tour of Pakistan is called off because of security concerns.

Former Pakistan offspinner Zulfiqar Ahmed, dies of cardiac arrest in Lahore, aged 81.

6 Wynne Bradburn, who played two Tests for New Zealand against South Africa in 1963-64, dies of a heart attack, aged 69.

7 Sourav Ganguly announces before the first Test against Australia in Bangalore that the series will be his last.

Ijaz Butt, the former Test opener, is appointed the Pakistan Cricket Board's new chairman.

8 Pakistan's chief selector, Salahuddin Ahmed, quits his post, claiming a change was made to the original 15-man squad for the four-nation Twenty20 tournament in Canada without the selectors' consent.

West Indies opt out of a proposed tour of Pakistan in November because of security concerns.

10 The Sri Lanka Cricketers' Association and the sports minister, Gamini Lokuge, finalise a proposal that could bring in $70 million for Sri Lanka Cricket over the next 10 years. The proposal, to be presented to the BCCI, calls for the full participation of SLC in the IPL and the Champions League for the next decade.

12 David Morgan says the US$70 million proposal between Sri Lanka Cricket and IPL chairman Lalit Modi is " quite unacceptable behaviour against the background of Sri Lanka's signed agreement with the ECB".

14 The BCCI agrees to meet officials of the ICL, and ICL officials hope for an "early resolution" to their quest for official recognition.

15 Anil Kumble hits out at the media's calls for his retirement, their "uncharitable" comments on his fitness and his performance as a player and captain following India's draw against Australia in Bangalore.

16 Discussions between the BCCI and the ICL fail. ICL sources say the BCCI was "ridiculous" in the way it handled the meeting.

17 Sachin Tendulkar goes past Brian Lara's record for the most Test runs, against Australia in Mohali. He also scores his 50th half-century and becomes the first player to cross the 12,000-run mark.

21 India defeat Australia by 320 runs in Mohali, their biggest ever victory in terms of runs.

23 A Pakistan court lifts the life ban imposed on Saleem Malik for his involvement in match-fixing.

24 Geoff Lawson is sacked as Pakistan coach, just days after it was announced that he would serve out the rest of his contract.

Adam Gilchrist criticises Sachin Tendulkar in his autobiography, questioning the evidence Tendulkar presented during the Harbhajan Singh-Andrew Symonds racial abuse hearing. Tendulkar later clarifies that Gilchrist called him up and assured his comments were taken out of context.

Australia, New Zealand and South Africa plan a multi-nation franchise-owned Twenty20 tournament based on the IPL, which they hope to launch by 2011.

28 The proposed Test series between West Indies and Pakistan, planned originally for Abu Dhabi in November, is cancelled after West Indies cite problems in their schedule.

1 The Stanford Superstars storm to a 10-wicket win, and with it the US$20 million bounty, thumping England.

2 Anil Kumble retires from international cricket at the end of the Delhi Test against Australia. He finishes third on the all-time wicket-takers' list, with 619 wickets.

Ireland become the Intercontinental Cup champions for the third consecutive time when they crush Namibia by nine wickets in Port Elizabeth.

5 Mohammad Yousuf formally signs up for the ICL and is banned by the Pakistan Cricket Board.

8 Hedley Howarth, the former New Zealand left-arm spinner, dies aged 64.

10 India regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after they beat Australia by 172 runs in Nagpur to take the series 2-0. It is Sourav Ganguly's last Test. He finishes with 7212 runs at 42.17 and as India's most successful captain.

12 The ECB and MCC discuss having yellow cards in English first-class cricket for abusing umpires or excessive sledging.

17 Andrew Symonds admits that alcohol played a part in his poor attitude during the year and in his getting axed from the squad in Darwin.

21 The BCCI moves the Supreme Court, challenging the Calcutta High Court's directive to initiate criminal proceedings against six top board officials, including the president, Shashank Manohar, and former president Sharad Pawar.

22 Mahendra Singh Dhoni says the fact that matters discussed in selection meetings are leaked and reported in the media is "disgusting and disrespectful."

25 Andy Moles is appointed New Zealand's coach, replacing John Bracewell.

26 Andrew Symonds apologises after being cleared of any wrongdoing by Cricket Australia for an incident in which a member of the public was alleged to have thrown punches at Symonds in a Brisbane pub.

27 The terror attacks in Mumbai force the cancellation of the ICL World Series in Ahmedabad. The inaugural Champions Twenty20 League is also cancelled.

North-West Frontier Province are the Pentangular Cup champions after they beat Baluchistan by 28 runs.

1 Chennai and Mohali are named as the two Test venues for England's tour of India, replacing Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

Australia thrash New Zealand by an innings and 62 runs in Adelaide to sweep the two-Test series.

3 A full-strength England head to Abu Dhabi to train ahead of their Test tour of India, awaiting a security clearance from Reg Dickason, the ECB's security advisor.

7 England announce they will tour India with a full-strength squad after the trip finally gets the go-ahead following team meetings in Abu Dhabi.

8 The ICL drops its legal action against Mohammad Yousuf after he was lured out of his ICL contract by the PCB.

9 The inaugural Champions Twenty20 League is postponed by a year and will now be held in India in October 2009.

13 Western Australia and Victoria contemplate approaching Cricket Australia for compensation after being told they must re-qualify for the Champions League Twenty20.

15 India complete a six-wicket victory in Chennai against England, chasing down the fourth-highest total in Test cricket. Sachin Tendulkar scores a match-winning 103.

17 Allen Stanford dissolves the Stanford 20/20 board and sacks all 12 "Legends", sparking speculation that his involvement with cricket is coming to an end.

Chris Lewis is remanded in custody after appearing in court via video link, charged with attempting to bring drugs into the UK.

18 India call off their tour of Pakistan, following a directive from the government that it was not feasible "in the prevailing circumstances", following the Mumbai terror strikes.

19 Sri Lanka confirm they will tour Pakistan in January and February for a series of three Tests, three ODIs and a Twenty20, replacing India.

20 It is reported that England are planning to scrap home Test series against Bangladesh after 2010 because of the increasing lack of commercial feasibility of such contests.

21 The ECB insists that despite Allen Stanford's contractual issues with the West Indies Cricket Board, the quadrangular tournament between the Stanford All-Stars and England will go ahead as planned in 2009.

South Africa record the second-highest chase in Tests after scoring 414 to win the first Test against Australia in Perth. Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers score centuries in an easy six-wicket win.

23 Sri Lanka's sports minister Gamini Lokuge dissolves the interim administration of Sri Lanka Cricket, headed by Arjuna Ranatunga.

India take the Test series 1-0 against England after the Mohali Test heads to a predictable draw.

The ECB agrees a four-year deal with the BBC to broadcast live ball-by-ball commentary of England's international cricket.

24 Ossie Dawson, the former South Africa Test player dies at the age of 89.

The ICC faces having to reschedule its next executive board meeting, due to be held in Perth in January 2009, after Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Peter Chingoka is included in a list of 75 individuals barred from entering Australia because of their links to the Robert Mugabe regime.

26 The first Super-Over contest in an international Twenty20. New Zealand and West Indies finish with scores tied after the 20 overs of the second innings in Auckland, following which Chris Gayle hits Daniel Vettori for 25 runs in the Super Over. New Zealand manage 15 in reply, off Sulieman Benn.

30 South Africa become the first team in nearly 18 years to win a Test series in Australia when they take a 2-0 lead in the three-match series with a win at the MCG, chasing down a target of 183 on day five. Dale Steyn stars with 10 wickets, and JP Duminy with 166 runs in the first innings;