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An easier travel schedule, familiar playing conditions and more freedom to fulfill sponsor obligations are the major advantages of the IPL’s decision to conduct some games in the UAE and Bangladesh, franchises feel

Nagraj Gollapudi and Amol Karhadkar12-Mar-2014

An easier and more relaxed travel schedule, familiar playing conditions and more freedom to fulfill sponsor obligations are some of the major advantages of the IPL’s decision to conduct the first, and if need be middle, phase of the tournament in the UAE and Bangladesh, according to franchises.With just 16 matches being played in the first phase in the UAE, franchises say they are much relieved after anxiety over the past few weeks over the overseas venue and schedule. A substantial part of that edgy feeling, franchise officials have pointed out, emerged from the nervousness of their sponsors who were eager to know if the displacement of the tournament overseas would affect the activation exercise of their brands.”It is a good start. The IPL has taken a good first step,” said Hemant Dua, chief executive of Delhi Daredevils. “It removes the uncertainty. The advantages of having the tournament in India are obvious from the sponsor and revenue point of view. I do not need to adjust to the demands of the sponsor if the league does not happen in India.”During the auction most franchises had displayed a chin-up attitude stating they had assembled squads that could compete in any conditions. But subsequently their tone became more defensive as a few suggested that if half the tournament was played on bouncier pitches in South Africa before returning to India, it could damage their chances of making the knockouts.However, with the UAE and Bangladesh being familiar terrain, the franchises have assumed a more confident tone. “Playing in familiar conditions is an advantage,” a franchise head coach said. “And once the tournament shifts back to India it would be smooth considering the playing conditions would be virtually similar.”Considering the three venues across the UAE would host 16 matches, each of the eight teams would play four games in the first two weeks of the tournament. “Four matches in 14 days is not terrible,” the franchise head said. “It is not make or break for a team in the initial part of the tournament. That would also mean it is a pretty relaxed schedule for every team considering you would be staying in one place. The travel headaches would be significantly less.”This cheerful mood was non-existent in the last two weeks especially. Most franchises ESPNcricinfo spoke to confided that their sponsors, both old and new, were curious as to how they would carry out the activation programmes where players endorse their brands. Officials pointed out that many sponsors did not even want to “lock” the deals till the final venue was announced.”Realistically it should not make a difference. What the local sponsors are worried about more is the activation,” said Venky Mysore, Kolkata Knight Riders’ chief executive. “When we play in Kolkata, does that help a local sponsor in activating in a big way? To some extent, possibly, but at the end of the day as long as KKR are playing, it is on TV then it is business as usual. For a sponsor there is no change in visibility factor since it is on TV. The only difference is when you play on your home ground there is more buzz. There is no doubt. But difference this time is instead of having the whole tournament played outside, only part of it would be played abroad.”According to a franchise marketing head one of the major concerns of the sponsors was the extent of costs. He said sponsors now expect more value for their money compared to 2009 when the entire IPL was played in South Africa. “Between 2009 and 2014 the difference is the sponsors’ value has gone up substantially,” the marketing head said. “Five years ago sponsors were not paying too much but now they pay us big sums. So to some extent sponsors will expect some sort of discount in exchange for the tournament being displaced overseas. Like if the sponsor wants to entertain some friends he might ask me to pay part charges of having them flown overseas.”According to him, sponsors are not just limited to the ones seen on players’ uniforms and kitbags. There are others such as associate sponsors who will look for interactions with players. “People who have paid big dollars will ask me (help us in some way atleast),” the marketing head said.Mysore said that franchises need to get more creative in helping sponsors activate their brands. “We might end up having to upgrade some of the timelines. If it was a full tournament in India you had seven weeks to spread in terms of sponsor activation,” Mysore said. “On the other hand there are going to be only 60 compared to 74 (actually 76) matches last year. So that is a positive. When it was 74 games you did not have too much respite. So in terms of sponsors activates players did not have too many off days. Here there could be. So we will have to be creative.”The marketing head agreed with Mysore. “It is an opportunity to convert this weakness into a strength. I was telling the sponsors that earlier we would get them to watch a match of the franchise. Today I can tell them that you can watch the match abroad and even meet the players which is easier abroad compared to in India. That is because players’ movement is restricted and that way they are captive in their hotels and more sponsor activities can be done. There are positives also.”According to the marketing head, the skeptics are wrong when they say the tournament might be played in front of empty grounds, a familiar feature during the majority of the international matches that have been organized in the UAE, the home venue for Pakistan. The presence of Bollywood stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty, who are co-owners at different franchises can attract a lot of fans not only from the Indian diaspora but also from Pakistan, where these actors have a lot of support.Asked about the perception that a venue like Sharjah had been vulnerable to free movement of bookies during the match-fixing years in the late 1990s, franchises indicated that the IPL as well the ICC had extended all possible support to erase any doubts. “All the franchises have learnt a lesson from the last year’s fiasco and will be extra vigilant irrespective of the venue,” a franchise official pointed.According to a senior BCCI official things had improved a long way and the UAE had worked hard to wash away the stains of the match-fixing years. “The BCCI has not been averse to playing in the UAE,” the official said. “Had it been that way, why would we have played two ODIs in Abu Dhabi (in 2006)? Don’t forget that the working committee unanimously decided very recently that the BCCI is willing to play a series against Pakistan at a neutral venue. This was decided keeping in mind that the only venue would be the UAE and we were fine with it.”

Perth Scorchers won the one-over eliminator
Scorecard

Brett Lee picked up career-best T20 figures of 4 for 28•Getty Images

Yasir Arafat took 2 for 1 in his One-Over Eliminator to deliver the Perth Scorchers a thrilling victory over the Sydney Sixers.Following a tie to send the game into the first One-Over Eliminator in BBL history Arafat clean bowled Steve Smith with a slower ball first ball of the over. Then, after Nic Maddinson had faced a dot and scored a single, Moises Henriques sliced a catch to backward point to bag the BBL’s first-ever unofficial pair and leave the Scorchers needing two runs to win. Adam Voges struck the first ball from Brett Lee for four send the Scorchers to second on the BBL table.Arafat was the sole reason for the tied game in the first place, as he experienced the highs and lows of T20 cricket in the Sixers’ nail-biting chase.He dropped Steve Smith at third man off Alfonso Thomas when the Sixers captain was on 27. It would have left the Sixers 6 for 79 needing 75 to win from 50 balls.Instead, Smith exploded to make 65 off 48 before Arafat dismissed him with a slower ball in the 18th over. Arafat cleaned bowled Nathan Lyon two balls later to leave the Sixers requiring 23 runs off 14 balls with two wickets in hand. But Brett Lee and Chris Tremlett took 14 from Thomas’ fourth over, the 19th, to put the pressure back on Arafat.The Pakistan international conceded four runs from the first three balls of the last over when he only had six to play with. He then bowled Lee with an inswinging yorker.Josh Hazlewood scrambled a single to leave Tremlett needing two for the win and one for a tie from the final ball. Arafat misfielded Tremlett’s drive back to him and the resulting single forced the One-Over Eliminator.Jason Behrendorff was overshadowed by the adventures of Arafat. His opening burst of 3 for 21 decimated the Sixers top order. He was on a hat-trick in his second over courtesy of deliveries that found the outside edges of both the right-handed Henriques and the left-handed Marcus North.Earlier Brett Lee had produced a similar burst, taking two wickets in the first over of the match after the Scorchers won the toss. His pace was too much for Craig Simmons and Mitch Marsh. Lee finished with career-best T20 figures of 4 for 28.Between Lee’s two spells a partnership of 129 between Simon Katich and Sam Whiteman set up the Scorchers total, before Lee castled Whiteman for 54. Katich made 71. Adam Voges chimed in with 19 from eight balls to tick the total to 153. As it turned out the Scorchers needed every last run.

The Perth Scorchers have made two changes in their Champions League squad. Alfonso Thomas, the Somerset fast bowler, will not be available for the tournament as Somerset have chosen to retain him for the ongoing county season. Perth have named South Australia fast bowler, Joe Mennie, as his immediate replacement.Shaun Marsh, the Australia batsman, who recently pulled up with a hamstring injury during the fourth ODI against England, has also been ruled out of the Champions League, with Marcus North being named his replacement.”It is obviously disappointing not to have Alfonso available,” Ben Oliver, the general manager of cricket operations for Perth Scorchers, said. “However, it is not unexpected and is part of the landscape of Twenty20 cricket.”In saying this, it is a great opportunity for Joe, who is a talented young bowler who performed well for us in last year’s CLT20 tournament. Marcus is a proven performer at international level and we welcome his experience back into the side.”He was unlucky to miss initial selection in the squad, but has returned from the UK in good form and we look forward to him contributing to what we hope will be a successful Champions League campaign.”Perth have been in Darwin the last week, acclimatising to conditions which they perceive as similar to what they expect in India. The squad competed in a three-game T20 series against NT Strike, which they won 2-1.They are expected to fly out of Perth on Tuesday morning, with their first game against Highveld Lions on September 23 in Ahmedabad.Perth Scorchers: Simon Katich (capt), Ashton Agar, Michael Beer, Jason Behrendorff, Hilton Cartwright, Burt Cockley, Liam Davis, Brad Hogg, Joe Mennie, Marcus North, Joel Paris, Tom Triffitt, Ashton Turner, Adam Voges, Sam Whiteman.

Nuwan Kulasekara has been named in the Sri Lanka squad for the Twenty20 series against South Africa after missing the ODI leg of the tour, while Jeevan Mendis has also earned a place

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jul-2013Sri Lanka T20 squad

Dinesh Chandimal (capt), Lasith Malinga (vice capt), Kusal Perera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Perera, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Sachithra Senanayake, Ajantha Mendis
In Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sangakkara, Jayawardene, Kulasekara, Lakmal, Ajantha Mendis
Out Chaturanga de Silva, Shaminda Eranga, Ishan Jayaratne, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dilshan Munaweera, Ramith Rambukwella, Kithuruwan Vithanage

Nuwan Kulasekara had hurt his finger in the West Indies•AFP

Nuwan Kulasekara has been named in the Sri Lanka squad for the Twenty20 series against South Africa after missing the ODI leg of the tour, while Jeevan Mendis has also earned a place. Suranga Lakmal, Kusal Perera and Angelo Perera, all of whom played in the ODI series, have also been included.Kulasekara had been sidelined for three weeks by a finger injury he sustained in the tri-series in the Caribbean, while Mendis’ exclusion from Sri Lanka’s squad for recent ODI assignments was due to his poor form. Mendis played in Sri Lanka’s last Twenty20, against Bangladesh in March.Two players who were present in that XI but could not find a place in this squad are T20 specialist Dilshan Munaweera, and fast bowler Shaminda Eranga. Munaweera’s axing may be because he has been unable to provide the starts for Sri Lanka that he has promised in his domestic performances, while workload management may have played a role in Eranga’s exclusion.Rangana Herath has not found a place in the side either, with Ajantha Mendis and Sachithra Senanayake taking the specialist spinners’ spots.Neither Angelo Perera nor Kusal Perera prospered in their one innings in the ODI series, but have been earmarked as explosive talents, largely because of their domestic exploits. Lakmal, however, took 3 for 24 in his only appearance in the series.Dinesh Chandimal will resume his T20 captaincy, with Lasith Malinga as his deputy. Sri Lanka will attempt to maintain the top ranking they have held in the format since October last year in the three-match series which begins on Friday in Colombo before the teams move to Hambantota for two games.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Dwayne Smith scored 62 off 44•BCCI

Half-volleys hit straight to hand. A fielder found perfectly with a long hop. Crazy wide balls. A dropped catch to finally lose the match. Another night in the life of IPL. After which Mumbai Indians made it to the finals. Chennai Super Kings have already made it to the final. Chasing 166, which was thanks to Lasith Malinga’s profligate last over, Mumbai were on their way with Dwayne Smith and Aditya Tare strolling through, but a spate of poor shots made for some late drama.Mumbai were 70 for 0 after nine overs when Tare played a chip straight down long-on’s throat. It was not an attempt at hitting a six. It was not an attempt to keep the ball along the ground. Nor was it a mis-hit. He was caught comfortably at long-on. While Smith continued to bat solidly, Dinesh Karthik cut a short and wide delivery straight to point. Mumbai were now 125 for 2 at the start of the 15th over, and Rohit Shamra was soon to make it 128 for 3 with a slog down the wrong line.In the 17th over, Smith timed a half-volley a bit too well and found deep midwicket to fall for 62 off 44. In the next over, the 18th, Pollard did the same, and this walk had now become treacherous. Ambati Rayudu was the last of the recognised batsmen, and he responded with a six to cow corner to make it 16 off 10 balls. Two balls later, keeping with the spirit of the match, Rayudu mis-hit a full toss, Brad Hodge ran in from deep square leg, got under it, but dropped it.In the last over, Shane Watson, who had had an ordinary time with the ball thus far, produced a moment of inspiration, an accurate legcutter to knock back Rayudu’s off stump. With six required off four balls, and two new batsmen at the wicket, it was game on again. Rishi Dhawan, the young Himachal Pradesh allrounder, produced the other moment of inspiration, ramping a length ball over short fine leg. Game over.Dhawan was one of the inspirational men for Mumbai with the ball. Brought in to replace Munaf Patel, who was ordinary when replacing the injured Dhawal Kulkarni, bowled ahead of Malinga, and kept it quiet. Harbhajan Singh came on and broke the sizeable but slowish opening stand when he bowled Ajinkya Rahane behind his legs. Harbhajan found a way to stay in the match. Of the six wickets that fell, he either took or caught five.The biggest of those wickets was Watson, who top-edged him to square leg. Royals kept losing wickets until Dishant Yagnik gave them a total to defend with an innovative 31 off 17. Unsettled by that, Malinga bowled two sets of big wides and conceded 18 runs in the last over. That wasn’t to be the last bit of ordinary cricket on the night.

West Indies posted a mammoth 352 for 8 but rain didn’t allow Ireland’s chase to begin

Abhimanyu Bose23-May-2025No result West Indies marched to a mammoth total of 352 for 8 on the back of Keacy Carty’s second ODI century and Matthew Forde’s record-equalling fifty as they looked to level the three-match series against Ireland, but the second ODI was washed out as rain didn’t allow Ireland’s chase to begin.Ireland sent West Indies in under slightly overcast conditions. The West Indies openers, Brandon King and Evin Lewis, got going with boundaries through the off side but Barry McCarthy, who took four wickets in the first game, drew the outside edge from King to give Ireland the first breakthrough.The first bowling change also worked for Ireland as Lewis drove Josh Little straight to cover point in the bowler’s first over.Related

• Matthew Forde equals AB de Villiers' record of fastest ODI fifty

Hope and Carty then rebuilt for West Indies, ensuring there wasn’t a repeat of the top-order collapse they suffered in the first ODI, as they rotated strike well with quick singles and doubles amid the odd boundary.Hope looked the more fluent in their 81-run stand off 90 balls as Carty slowly grew into the game. Hope also hit the first six of the game, coming down the track to Andy McBrine. But the West Indies captain nicked off on 49 to give Liam McCarthy his first international wicket.West Indies then picked up the tempo, with Carty doing the heavy lifting and Amir Jangoo happy to keep rotating strike. Carty brought up his half-century off 67 balls in the 27th over and then started to shift gears.Matthew Forde is all smiles after equalling the record for the fastest ODI fifty•Sportsfile/Getty Images

In the 29th over, he took on Barry McCarthy for two fours and a six. The six was probably his best shot; he backed away and slapped it over cover.Jangoo was caught at short third off George Dockrell before Carty brought up his century in the 36th over, off 105 balls.But when Carty was caught behind next over trying to cut Liam McCarthy and Roston Chase fell in the 44th with Paul Stirling taking a screamer at short fine leg, West Indies were reduced to 246 for 6 and suddenly were in danger of falling short of 300.Enter Forde. He hit his second ball for a six over cover before hitting four sixes off the next over, bowled by Josh Little – three of them off consecutive deliveries.The next two balls he faced brought ten runs as he scooped Thomas Mayes for four and six. Back-to-back sixes off Liam McCarthy in the next over saw him equal AB de Villiers’ record for the fastest ODI fifty, off just 16 balls before being bowled for a 19-ball 58.Justin Greaves (44* off 36), who scored just seven runs of the 68-run stand with Forde, then accelerated along with Gudakesh Motie (18 off 8) to power West Indies to their second-highest total against Ireland as they plundered 106 runs off the last 42 balls.However, it started to rain during the innings break and didn’t relent, and play was eventually called off at around 5.20pm local time, ensuring Ireland go into the final ODI with an unassailable 1-0 lead.

Former India Women captain Diana Edulji talks about the apathy of the cricket administration towards the women’s game in India

Interview by Abhishek Purohit29-Jan-2013Diana Edulji: “The selectors get the maximum [money in Indian Women’s cricket], then come the match referees and then the players”•Andy Campbell/UTPMEDIA

What has actually changed on the ground after the BCCI has come into women’s cricket?
Initially everybody was happy with the merger in 2006, when we requested Mr Sharad Pawar, who was then the president of the board. Earlier the women’s association did not have funds, the players did not have good facilities. [After the merger], domestic players started getting more money, they travelled better, stayed in good hotels and got good grounds to play on. But I think that was just the beginning, and that was it. It was a dream, and then the bubble burst. I am not too happy with the situation at the moment.The BCCI is running women’s cricket because they have to run it, since the ICC is now running both men’s and women’s cricket.I would say it is an insult to women’s cricket to be treated this way. There is no cricket. Domestic cricket comprises only one T20 tournament and one 50-over tournament. There are no longer-format matches and no Test matches. I cannot understand why we cannot play one Test match at least during a bilateral series. If Australia and England can play the Ashes, why can’t India play Tests?When I was on the [women’s] committee, I had an argument with Mr [Shashank] Manohar and Mr Srinivasan. I asked them why we couldn’t play the longer version. When we went to England in 2006, we won a Test series.The T20 mindset, where you go and hit from the first ball, is not going to help. There is a little bit [of long-form cricket] at Under-19 level, nothing at the Under-16 level. So how is the game going to develop?The team can have one or two Tests. You don’t have to have seven ODIs or five T20s for the women. You bifurcate the full series, see how many days a team can play, and then work out a schedule. It is not necessary to play only 50-over or 20-over cricket.Compared to the times you grew up in, what incentive does a young girl have to play the game today in India?
When we started playing, we had nothing. We were paying from our pocket. When I went to the World Cup in 1982, each girl had to pay Rs 10,000 to go to New Zealand. We put it in the papers, and Mr Antulay, the Maharashtra chief minister, came to the rescue of the four Maharashtrian players: myself, Vrinda Bhagat, Anjali [Pendharkar] and Shubhangi [Kulkarni]. He signed a cheque and told us, “You all will go.”There was a tin shed here [at the Western Railways ground in Mahalaxmi, Mumbai] where there is now a hostel. The Indian team have slept there on tables. They have travelled unreserved in a train from Mumbai to Delhi. Compared to that, what these girls [] have got at the moment is absolutely five-star treatment.But where is the game? Where is the dedication? What we played was total, absolute enjoyment. Even my own team here are not enjoying the game. They are playing because they have got jobs [with Railways] and they are satisfied.I have been telling the girls that they must not be satisfied with the breadcrumbs thrown at them. Jhulan [Goswami], Mithali [Raj], nobody can throw them out of the team. They have got their backing with their performances. If they demand something, it has to be heard. But they are satisfied.The board has kept us away because it knows that they are not going to say anything. They threw Shanta [Rangaswamy] out, they threw me out, now Shubhangi is out because Mr Pawar is not there.All those who are pushing for women’s cricket have been put on the back burner, so there is nobody to present the players’ cases. The people who are in the committee at the moment are all “yes girls”. How many meetings does the BCCI women’s committee have? One in a year, just before the general body meeting. The next year, the committee changes.Players should be getting the maximum. In women’s cricket, it is the other way round. The selectors get the maximum, then come the match referees and then the players. So how are you going to get girls into cricket?And what is the domestic match fee? Rs 2500. Where are you going to eat if you stay in a four-star hotel? The fee for T20 is Rs 1250.When you have a World Cup shifted from a ground to accommodate a Ranji game, what does that say?
It is an absolute disgrace. And why are we having it [the World Cup] only in one centre? Promote it in the smaller areas. When we played in the late 1970s, in Patna, in Jamshedpur, we used to have 30,000 people watching. When we won the Test against West Indies, the scenes were unbelievable. Even at the Eden Gardens, in 1975, the pavilion side was packed with spectators. Maybe people came out of curiosity, but at least crowds came to see the match. Who is coming today?I am happy with the advertisements that ESPN is doing now on women’s cricket. Like: who is the first person to make an ODI double-hundred? It is a woman. Why is Sachin [Tendulkar] getting credit for the double-hundred? It has to be Belinda Clark [who made a double in 1997].Now that the BCCI is running cricket, it shouldn’t be that they should run only men’s cricket. They should be happy with the women’s cricket too.Where are the photos of the women’s team captains in the BCCI office? Why are there only photos of male cricketers? There was not a single ladies’ toilet in the old BCCI office till I went and fought for it.What about the one-time benefit? Srinivasan has just refused. What have we asked for? We are not asking to be paid at the same level as men’s cricket. All we have asked is that women cricketers who have played between one and ten Test matches should get Rs 10 lakh (approximately US$18,000); those who have played between ten and 20 Tests can get Rs 20 lakh ($36,000).But when Mr Srinivasan took over as president of the board, he said, “Why should we give you money? What have you all done?”Mithali has said that India women’s matches must be televised to create visibility. I may be boasting, but when I go to movies or restaurants, I am still recognised. But I am sure if Mithali is with me, she won’t be recognised. It is sad. I still feel nice when someone comes up to me and introduces me to their children. Why shouldn’t these girls get the recognition? Jhulan is a Padma Shri winner – she’s an Arjuna awardee, so is Mithali. Why can’t more articles be written about them?I guess the media also has to be blamed for failing to cover women’s cricket adequately?
Yes. I have been after Arnab [Goswami], Rajdeep [Sardesai], Barkha [Dutt], especially for this one-time benefit. Even the National Commission for Women took it up. What happened? Nothing.Look at the pension for women cricketers. We are getting Rs 15,000 as pension. Fair enough. But the pension is given only to cricketers who have played five Tests and more. Why? What about people who have played less than five Tests? Suddenly the ICC said some matches have been declared unofficial. Why? We played as India, we went abroad as India. The government gave a sanction for India. Just because the English or Australians said we sent an U-19 or an U-21 team? The International Women’s Cricket Council did not recognise it, so the ICC did not, too. But did you take us or our board into confidence, asking: have you played official series? [Edulji is referring to three series between 1975 and the mid-80s, which included a tour by an Australian women’s team to India in 1975 and a tour to England by the Indian women in 1981.] If a [male] domestic cricketer can get a pension, why not [a woman] who has played even one Test? They get Rs 5000. I cannot understand this logic at all.What do you think motivates people like you, Jhulan, Mithali and the others to keep going?
It is just the love of the game, even in these circumstances. I was driving and on Marine Drive I saw this whole bunch of red t-shirts coming. I realised it was the India women’s team. They were walking from the hotel to the Wankhede. I stopped my car, and the way they greeted me, I felt nice, but I also felt that this is the Indian national team, and they are walking on the street? And where are they playing? Police Gymkhana, Hindu Gymkhana, Bombay Gymkhana? Would any men cricketers play there?When I went as the manager for the England tour in 2009, it was cold and we had no warm clothing. I rang up Nike and also informed BCCI that we would need jumpers. I was told, “It is not in the budget.” I said, I don’t care. That is the first time they got jumpers. I am told that, at times, they are even given used kits, left over by men. The sizes don’t match, patches are put [to hide the names]. Is this the way you treat them? This mindset has to change.I think the media has to have the guts, otherwise women’s cricket will die in a few years. Tell me, where are the back-ups? Where are the U-19 players? I have asked for the Under-19 squad to be given at least one tour. Why will that player come on to the ground? She will pick up another sport, like hockey or squash.How does a woman make a living out of cricket in these times of inflation?
She can’t. Unless you really click, like Jhulan or Mithali. The only positive is the Railways. Players get a permanent job there. In spite of that, the board is anti-Railway. They won’t let players get an NOC.What is your match fee? How are you going to survive on it? At least in the Railways, players start with a minimum salary of Rs 15,000-Rs18,000, if they get a Group C job. They also get free medical care and free travel for life.The Indian Railways is the lifeline of Indian women’s cricket. Air India closed down once the BCCI came in, because they were not an affiliated unit. We were lucky we were affiliated, as we play Ranji. So Railways got an entry, while Air India did not. Services do not have a women’s team. So it is just one organisation.Sport is on the decline in the Railways too. Jobs are not easy to get.What about the grassroots level? The Ministry is talking about the core group – those who are shining at Asian or Commonwealth level – so is the Railways. But where did they come up from? You have to give them the support at the grassroots for them to come up.Belinda Clark, the first player in history to hit a double-century in ODIs, is now a part of Cricket Australia’s Centre for Excellence•Getty Images

Are there any decent players on the horizon? What after Jhulan and Mithali go?
No, because there’s hardly anything happening at the Under-19 and Under-16 levels. It just shows that they are not interested in letting it go further. Look at the set-up in Australia and England. It is so professional.The ECB have arranged jobs as coaches for their women players…
Yes. And Belinda [Clark] is at Cricket Australia’s Centre for Excellence. They are being respected, their achievements are being recognised.Do you think the women’s game can be made marketable?
Why not? Anything is marketable. During the IPL I was watching a game with Mr [Lalit] Modi and Mr Pawar and suggested that a five-over game for the women could be held, to promote women’s cricket; an international team could come over; you could mix the Indian players with the internationals and have one match during the semi-finals and one during the final. What is wrong in that? You can do anything if you want to. But if you don’t want to, then all sorts of excuses come forward.Why is the Indian women’s team not allowed to wear the Sahara logo? Why does the men’s team wear the logo? Sahara pays the BCCI, a share comes to the men. It doesn’t come down to the women. Sahara is the BCCI sponsor. It hasn’t said, “Don’t sponsor the women.” Think about it.

The former captain will be in charge of developing and implementing coaching programs across all formats and levels of the game

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Oct-2021Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has appointed Dave Houghton as its coaching manager. Houghton will be in charge of developing and implementing coaching programs across all formats and levels of the game in ZImbabwe, and also run special cricket camps. His “ultimate aim”, according to a ZC release, will be to “help coaches to get the best out of players.”Houghton will also be head coach at the provincial side Mountaineers for the 2021-22 season.Related

• Houghton takes on New Zealand

• 'I had opportunities to leave but I didn't want Zimbabwe to go downhill'

• Dave Houghton to leave role as Derbyshire head of cricket

“We can count ourselves fortunate to have a legend of the game such as Dave joining us in a capacity that will add greater value to our coaching set-up and the game itself,” ZC managing director Givemore Makoni said. “He has a wealth of knowledge and skill in both coaching and administration and his passion, determination and hard work ethic will massively boost our efforts as we aim to continue improving and gaining success on the field of play.”This isn’t the first time Houghton has assumed the role of ZC’s coaching manager, having been brought on in a similar role back in 2009. He was also head coach of the men’s national side in the late 90s, and was at the helm during their memorable run to the Super Six stage of the 1999 World Cup in England, following memorable group-stage wins over India and South Africa.Dave Houghton captained Zimbabwe during their first-ever Test against India in 1992•Getty Images

The bulk of Houghton’s coaching experience has come in county cricket. He stepped down as Derbyshire’s director of cricket last month, having spent three years in the role. He had served as the team’s director of cricket in an earlier term from 2004 to 2007, and was their batting coach from 2011 to 2013. He has also had spells on the coaching staff at Worcestershire, Somerset and Middlesex.The 64-year-old Houghton is one of Zimbabwe’s greatest batters. He captained Zimbabwe in their inaugural Test against India in 1992, and scored a century on debut. It was the first of four that he made in 22 Test matches, scoring 1464 runs in total at an average of 43.05. His 266 against Sri Lanka in Bulawayo in 1994 remains Zimbabwe’s highest individual Test score.Houghton also scored 1530 ODI runs at 26.37, and reserved his best performance for the biggest stage, scoring an outstanding 137-ball 142 in a World Cup match against New Zealand in Hyderabad in 1987. The innings rescued Zimbabwe from 104 for 7 in the company of Iain Butchart and bringing them to the brink of what would have been a sensational upset.

The PCB has decided to to not send its senior board officials to the ICC awards ceremony in Colombo on Saturday as a protest over the exclusion of offspinner Saeed Ajmal from shortlists for two top awards

Umar Farooq14-Sep-2012The PCB has decided to not send its senior board officials to the ICC awards ceremony in Colombo on Saturday, as a protest over the exclusion of offspinner Saeed Ajmal from shortlists for two of the top awards. The Pakistan board, though, said it has, “decided not to [fully] boycott the awards ceremony and as a token send some squad members to the event”.Ajmal is the No. 1 ranked bowler in both one-dayers and T20Is, and the top-ranked spinner in Tests, but has been overlooked for the Cricketer of the Year and Test Cricketer of the Year nominations.A meeting of senior officials was held at the PCB headquarters, headed by PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf, to decide whether to go for further ‘robust protest’. The board said it will take up the issue at the upcoming ICC chief executives committee meeting. “The ICC’s process of the short-listing needs to be reviewed and there should be a mechanism to correct errors,” the PCB said in a press release.The PCB earlier had lodged a written protest with the ICC after Ajmal was left off the awards shortlist last week and ICC refused to reconsider Ajmal’s case, saying that the voting results are final and binding on everyone.Ajmal was in the longlist this year but missed out when an independent 32-member jury that included former Pakistan captain Aamer Sohail and Pakistan journalist Majid Bhatti nominated Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara, South Africa fast bowler Vernon Philander, Australia captain Michael Clarke and South Africa opener Hashim Amla for Test Cricketer of the Year.The 34-year-old Ajmal, took 72 Test wickets between August 4, 2011 and August 6, 2012 – the qualifying period for the award. That haul included 24 at 14.70 against England, the then No. 1 side in the world, helping Pakistan sweep them 3-0 in January.The omission, according to the PCB “is an injustice to the talent and achievements” of Ajmal. “The PCB has strongly registered its protest with the ICC already and has conveyed them the sentiments of the people of Pakistan and fans and legends of cricket on this issue,” the release said.The Pakistan board also said it wanted changes to the process. “The matter will be raised in the upcoming CEC meeting of the ICC and a review of the process would be sought to avoid any such incidents in future. Corrective measures would be suggested.”The PCB will impress upon this issue at other forums of cricketing community and all necessary input will be sought to devise a mechanism which is performance based and is acceptable to a wider segment of cricket fans.”

أعلن نادي إشبيلية الإسباني، إقالة المدير الفني الأرجنتيني خورخي سامباولي، بسبب سوء النتائج، بعد أن أصبح الفريق في منطقة الخطر بالدوري.

إشبيلية يتواجد في المركز الرابع عشر برصيد 28 نقطة، بفارق نقطتين فقط من منطقة الهبوط إلى الدرجة الثانية.

النادي قرر إقالة الدير الفني الأرجنتيني، رغم أنه لم يكمل نصف موسم مع أمراء الأندلس، حيث تولى قيادتهم خلفًا لـ جوليان لوبيتيجي في أكتوبر الماضي.

ويستعد نادي إشبيلية لمواجهة مانشستر يونايتد في الدور ربع النهائي من بطولة الدوري الأوروبي، يوم 13 أبريل المقبل.

ويبحث النادي الإسباني عن بديل سامباولي، من خلال التعاقد مع خوسيه لويس مينديلبار، أو خوسيه بوردالاس، لإنقاذ الفريق هذا الموسم من الهبوط للدرجة الثانية.