Division One Premier League teams in Sri Lanka are at odds with their country's governing body over the supply of cricket balls. Members of certain clubs have, according to the Sunday Times, complained that Pakistan-made Grays balls have been provided this year instead of the usual Kookaburra make. The Grays ball apparently has a slightly protruded seam, which gives new-ball bowlers an undue advantage of producing generous swing.

“This time the Premier League Tournament is going to be used as the yardstick to pick the final lineup for the Provincial Tournament which is going to be branded as our main tournament," said an irate member of one club. "However, when bowlers with less skills have taken a lot of wickets not owing to their own skills, but the bad quality of the ball, there may be lopsided selections. That might be a very dangerous situation.”

Another player raised the issue of injury, citing the number of injuries when fielders stop the ball or go for catches. For their part, the SLC said they had not received any complaints and that the Grays ball had been provided to the national team, without any disapproval. Sidath Wettimuny, now an administrator, said that if Pakistan use the Grays ball for Tests then the SLC could do the same in club cricket.

The Assam Cricket Association (ACA) is hoping to get insurance cover for the losses incurred after the sixth one-day international between India and England was cancelled following the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

“We’re very disappointed. So much preparation has gone into hosting this match. Now, if we don’t get the insurance cover, we’ll have to suffer a huge loss,” Bikash Barua, the ACA secretary, told the Indian Express. “It takes about Rs 80 to 90 lakh to organise an ODI in the city and ACA treasurer Ghanashyam Barua is not certain whether the expense will be covered by the insurance company.

“We’ve insured this match for Rs 80 lakh. In case of abandonment, without a ball being bowled, we’re supposed to get this amount from them. But I’m not sure whether we can claim the insurance amount. If it doesn’t happen, we’ll have to request the BCCI to compensate us.”

The spectators who had purchased tickets for the match will be given a refund by the association.

	Kabir Ali: "“I should have been there by 9 o'clock, about half an hour before the shooting started" © Getty Images

“We were having coffee there [Taj Mahal hotel] in the afternoon and were due back for dinner later,” Kabir told the Times. “I should have been there by 9 o'clock, about half an hour before the shooting started. I don't really know why I changed my mind. For some reason, something told me not to go and I went to the cinema instead. I should have been at the hotel.
“I started watching the film, but it soon became obvious something was wrong. It was a really good Bollywood film but people kept leaving. Then I received a text message telling me what was happening and I joined those trying to get out.

“There was panic outside. At first I thought there were fireworks going off in the next street, but then it hit home. There were sirens and bangs and people running. It was chaos. I just want to get home now. I do feel shaken, but my thoughts are with all the people who were just going about their lives normally who haven't been as lucky as me.”

Pakistan internationals Kamran Akmal and Sohail Tanvir were also in Mumbai during the attacks - at the suburban Taj Land's End. But they were nowhere near the areas where the violence erupted and stayed in their hotel after hearing the news.

“I wasn’t sure what was happening when I heard about the attacks," Tanvir told Daily News & Analysis, a Mumbai daily. "Both me and Kamran have not stepped out of our rooms and have been following the news." The two players are now waiting for the Pakistan board to facilitate their return home. “It would be good to head back," Tanvir said. "It was expected that after attacks of such enormity the Champions League and England tour would be put on hold or cancelled. I have been in touch with PCB officials and they are making plans to get us back to Pakistan."

During a press conference after his final Test in Nagpur, Sourav Ganguly had said that he was not yet ready for commentary because it meant “traveling all the time”. However, he will be part of the ESPN-Star Sports commentary team for the Champions League which begins on December 3. His first match behind the microphone will be between the Rajasthan Royals and the Dolphins in Bangalore.

“It’s just going to be a start,” Ganguly told the Telegraph, a Kolkata based daily. “Right now, however, I don’t intend doing commentary full-time.”

Ganguly retired from international cricket after the Test series against Australia which India won 2-0.

The bees have license to travel, it seems. Last month, a swarm of pesky bees swooped into the Feroz Shah Kotla and forced Indian and Australian players, as well as the two umpires, to hit the deck and lie flat until the horde passed over. Now it has been reported that organisers of the India-England ODI in Cuttack are worried that bees may be a nuisance to spectators at the Barabati Stadium.

The reason for concern is that honeycombs have been a part of the gallery structures for over a decade. Last January, during an Orissa versus Assam Ranji Trophy match, players and umpires had to dive for cover when a swarm of bees invaded. Bee collectors were duly called in to help out. However, it is understood that the honeybees have multiplied on the outer roof of galley No. 5 and a giant honeycomb has been formed.

“We are taking steps on priority basis to get rid of the honeycomb to prevent possible bee invasion during the match," said OCA secretary Asirbad Behera.

Google tells you that a large enough swarm of bees could theoretically generate as much lift as a jet liner. Here's hoping they don't train their attention to the good folks in gallery No. 5, or that a Virender Sehwag six doesn't disturb that beast of a honeycomb. No funny 'bees'ness, this.

In an age when shirt numbers are mandatory for players in uniform, Virender Sehwag decides to bend the rules a bit. In the fourth one-dayer in Bangalore, Sehwag walked out with a numberless shirt and when questioned about it later, said he really didn’t see the big deal with numbers or the whole concept of astrology.

"I don't believe in astrology but my family members do,” he told PTI. “Too many people used to call up and pester me and my family to use different numbers. I was so fed up that I decided not to take their advice. We play Test matches without numbers and hence I don't use any number on my T-shirt."

The innings-and-129 run defeat to South Africa was not taken too well by Bangladeshi supporters in Bloemfontein. Bangladesh have had a dismal tour so far - they lost the ODIs 3-0 - and the fans lost their cool as the team boarded their bus on Saturday.

The Daily Star reported the players were greeted by abusive fans, and Mashrafe Mortaza, the vice-captain, lost his calm. He got into a verbal tiff with the supporters, and a few other players joined in. However, things were brought under control soon enough.

"They actually used abusive words and some of our players also reacted as they were also frustrated after the defeat. It's nothing so big," Mohammad Ashraful, the Bangladesh captain, said. "We watched the match sacrificing many things but it was frustrating the way they performed and some players' behaviour was also frustrating," said a supporter.

The offspinner Jason Krejza called himself and Simon Katich “the two angry Europeans” in Australia’s squad earlier in this Test, and Katich showed his irritable side after play on the third day. Having been asked why Australia were so defensive – they scored 166 in 85.4 overs – he challenged the knowledge of the person who asked the post-play question, but that was not the end of the exchange. As he left the press conference room he told the journalist it was “the most stupid question I’ve ever heard”.

	© Getty Images

Simon Katich and Michael Hussey have been playing together since they were ten-year-olds in Western Australia, and their almost life-long journey reached a peak when they were batting together in Nagpur on Saturday. Katich scored his fifth Test century - his 102 narrowly beat Hussey’s 90 - and the pair combined for a 155-run third-wicket partnership in the morning.

“We grew up playing cricket a lot together, from about when we were ten,” Katich said. “It was special to be out there with him when I got [my hundred].” They shared a hug, a handshake and a high five before things turned bad on the way to Australia being dismissed for 355. “Unfortunately we couldn’t build on that partnership,” Katich said. "If we could have it would have been an interesting day.”

It will not surprise those who are familiar with the low-key style of Anil Kumble that his retirement announcement during the tea break on Sunday took some of his own team-mates by surprise. Within minutes, it the cricketing world’s turn to be startled as the giant screen at the Feroz Shah Kotla displayed the message.

Then, after the day's play, it was time for Kumble to cut a cake after a host of speakers, including Sachin Tendulkar, Gary Kirsten and Kris Srikkanth, quickly summed up their thoughts on Kumble’s contribution, his achievements, and his legacy. Kumble, in turn, thanked every member of the Indian contingent individually, and took time to shake every hand and also for a few final hugs.

In between, there was time for some humour as well. A player turned to Mahendra Singh Dhoni and quipped: “You have two empty seats now” (the Nagpur Test will be Sourav Ganguly’s last). But for those who are familiar with Dhoni’s style, the gist of his instantaneous reply did not come as a surprise: “Nobody can replace those two”.