Pakistani paceman Shoaib Akhtar may want to forget this World Cup -- especially the thrashing he received from Sachin Tendulkar -- in a hurry. But he can draw some solace from the fact that he has now been officially recognised as the world's fastest bowler, edging out Brett Lee of Australia.
Shoaib's fastest delivery in the World Cup zipped through at 161.3 kmph, 0.6 kmph more than Lee, according to speed gun statistics released by TV broadcaster Octagon CSI.
Shoaib and Lee are the only two bowlers to have broken the 160 kmph mark. New Zealand's Shane Bond was a distant third with a top speed of 153.4 kmph. Only 0.2 kmph slower than Bond was West Indies youngster Jermaine Lawson, a statement from the ICC said. For India, Ashish Nehra emerged the fastest, recording a speed of 149.7 kmph, while Zaheer Khan clocked 147.4 kmph and veteran Javagal Srinath 143 kmph.
Roger Harper says the West Indies will never regain their supremacy in international cricket till the various regional factions work towards for a common good.
The former spin-bowling all-rounder and team coach believes "insularity at all levels" is hampering attempts to revive Caribbean cricket.
Harper made his comments following the team's arrival in Barbados following their first round exit from the World Cup.
Harper's contract expires at the end of the month and former South African coach Bob Woolmer is believed to be the leading candidate to take over.
But Harper believes whoever is in charge faces a tough task.
"Everyone wants the West Indies to win but they all want their own people to play.
"Until we get rid of that, until we start thinking as one, until we have common ideals and common goals and stop filling our territorial players with nonsense then we're not going to get anywhere because we are creating monsters."
He added: "The associations locally have a responsibility to the players and to the region, and it is time they start doing it."
Zimbabwe batsman Andy Flower has confirmed he will retire from international cricket as soon as his team's World Cup campaign comes to an end.
The 34-year-old was widely expected to stand down from the national side in favour of domestic cricket in England and Australia. He will return for a second season with county side Essex in April and his British wife and three children have already left for England.
He is understood to have agreed a deal to spend the next southern summer with state side South Australia.
He and Henry Olonga wore black armbands during Zimbabwe's opening match of the tournament, protesting the "death of democracy in our beloved Zimbabwe".
"I have no regrets about what I have done at this tournament," he insisted.
"The only thing I regret is getting run-out when I had made 37 in the last match against New Zealand."
World Cup executive director Ali Bacher has ordered an examination of the Port Elizabeth pitch in an effort to improve it ahead of next Tuesday's semi-final.
Bacher instructed the inspection by a group of experts after Australia and New Zealand fought out a low-scoring match in difficult batting conditions on Tuesday.
Dr Bacher said in a statement: "This is not a criticism of the Eastern Province Cricket Board or the ground staff."
"However, we are determined to produce a pitch for the cricket World Cup semi-final at St George's Park that is conducive to great one-day cricket."
The inspection will be carried out by Hilbert Smit, chairman of the South African groundsmen's association, and the United Cricket Board of South Africa's director of cricket operations Brian Basson.
They will work with Adrian Carter, the groundsman at the venue, and World Cup pitches consultant professor Neil Taintonto try and ensure a better batting surface.
Steve Waugh has only five days to inform the Australian selectors whether he wants to continue his Test career in the Caribbean next month.
The selectors must know by Sunday, with a likely phone hook-up later that night to determine the 15-man squad to confront the West Indies in four Tests.
Waugh's plans aren't known and he again brushed off questions at a press conference today ahead of Friday's Pura Cup final between Queensland and Waugh's NSW at the Gabba.
"No comment. I'm here to talk about the NSW game," Waugh told journalists.
Blues coach Steve Rixon wants Waugh to play in the Caribbean after the 37-year-old unleashed three centuries for NSW in the last five weeks.
"He's in sensational form and he would be a blessing to have in any one of those sides over there in the one-day comp right now (World Cup) and, more importantly, any four-day side or any five-day side," Rixon said.
"He's going to continue to do the business ... it's really whether Stephen himself wants to go on and no one really knows that."
National selector Trevor Hohns said he would speak with Waugh in Brisbane later this week, with the captain's future to affect the make-up of the squad.
Australia's cricketers have taken a stand over their increasingly demanding one-day schedule by pushing for a proposed tour of Morocco in August to be scrapped.
The Australians, who face a packed schedule, have been invited to play a two-week triangular tournament in the north African nation but would happily sacrifice their five-figure tour fees not to go.
The Australian Cricket Board is keen to accept the invitation -- and hold the whip hand in deciding whether the tour will go ahead.
But the players, through the Australian Cricketers Association, have expressed reservations to tour.
ACA president Tim May yesterday said he was working on the issue with the ACB and was concerned about the increased burden on the players. The amount of one-day matches has almost doubled over the past decade.
"The ACA is very concerned about the effect of these matches on the players' workload," May said.
