The ICC announced a dramatic increase in the programme of one-day internationals for the six Associate Member countries that will participate in the 2007 World Cup.

The six sides - Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, Netherlands and Scotland - are expected to play at least 64 ODI matches before the World Cup begins in March 2007, including scheduled matches against Full Member countries.

The Swazi Observer reports that three local companies have been brought in as the new national shirt is unveilled.

“We want to create a friendly environment within the cricket family and we will also present our development programmes to the ICC official."

North Sussex, a Maltese side, beat Marsa 2-1 in a recent series. Next Saturday, Marsa take on Melita in the Winter League. More info at The Times of Malta

Anyone who has followed US cricket in the last 18 months will be familiar with the shambles among those running the game there, with the USA Cricket Association slammed – and shunned – by the ICC and attempts to remove the executive quashed in court. Now Bernard Cameron, the man behind Major League Cricket, has written to the ICC requesting that his group be allowed to take control of the US game.

In his letter to the ICC, Cameron said:

"I remember the Gladstone Dainty [the USACA chairman] debacle, involving education, strategic development and promotion of cricket throughout the United States ten years ago. It certainly was a painful and bitter memory written in the annals of US cricket. Notwithstanding, that evil seems to befall us again and again."

Fancy a job in paradise? Fiji have just announced that they are looking for a a new coach and manager "to salvage the national team's downward spiral".

The Winter Haven Club, in Florida, is looking for new players to join. More details at The Ledger

Tony Munro's latest column has been published - Cricket comes to Paramaribo. Read it here.

Ireland have secured the services of Saqlain Mushtaq, the former Pakistan offspinner, for their C&G Trophy campaign this season.

We're a year away from the 2007 World Cup, and yet thoughts are already turning to the 2011 event, as Tony Munro finds out in this week's Beyond the Test World column.

In April, Jamie Nussbaumer, James Mullen and Johnny Clark are off to Spain and the La Manga sport resort to undergo intensive week-long training programmes. Nussbaumer has been selected for the European Cricket Council’s cricket academy, a fact which will also see him play for the under-21 European side against England under-17s during the summer, while Mullen and Clark have made it into the ECC’s Centre of Excellence.

[Via This Is Guernsey]

As reported by the BBC:

Ireland have agreed to take part in the five-team EurAsia Cricket Series in the United Arab Emirates next month.

The other teams taking part in the March 9-20 tournament in Abu Dhabi are India A, Pakistan A, an England A side and the hosts UAE.

We have full coverage of the Under-19 World Cup from Sri Lanka, including scorecards and reports from countries we feature in Beyond the Test World.

Nepal have performed admirably today in restricting England to 209. Uganda were routed by Pakistan for just 74. The USA have been given a harsh introduction by the West Indies and Namibia's Dawid Botha played well for his fifty against India.

Keep up to date by visiting our tour index, today's round-up and yesterday's.

Bermuda's dreadful tour of the United Arab Emirates continued yesterday with their fourth defeat in as many games. Their nine-wicket defeat at Sharjah was their heaviest yet. The Royal Gazette has a full report.