Only five domestic matches have been played in Bangladesh since the national side’s successful Asia Cup campaign, due to a suspension of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League that has now run into its second week

Mohammad Isam13-Apr-2012Only five domestic matches have been played in Bangladesh since the national side’s successful Asia Cup campaign, due to a suspension of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League that has now run into its second week. A controversy surrounding the clearance letter of Mohammad Yousuf, the former Pakistan batsman, has spiralled into a three-way battle between Victoria Sporting Club, the Bangladesh Cricket Board and the giants, the Mohammedan Sporting Club and Abahani Limited. The conflict has had a big impact on cricket in the country, as the first-class competition, the National Cricket League, also remains in limbo with one round and the final left to play.Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM), the BCB committee that runs the league in the capital, has said they are not in a position to take a decision on the issue. “The board president [Mustafa Kamal] is not in the country and I haven’t received any letters from the clubs,” Aynul Islam Tiash, the committee’s coordinator, told reporters yesterday.During the Super League match on March 28, Abahani refused to play Victoria after being bowled out for 177 runs in 47.4 overs. Their grouse was the participation of Yousuf, whose clearance was said to be forged though the CCDM had initially endorsed the letter. Mohammedan, which had supposedly provided the clearance letter, denied submitting any letter to the CCDM and immediately made a complaint with regards to his participation. As they raised the red flag, Abahani asked for an explanation and when none was made available by noon, they didn’t take the field. Four hours later, match referee Obaydul Haque Azam ruled that Victoria be given two points for Abahani’s actions.The CCDM promptly suspended the league on the same evening and two days later asked the BCB president Mustafa Kamal to take a decision on the matter. During the April 1 board meeting, it was decided that a four-member committee, led by vice president Mahbubul Anam, resolve the issue. A week later, their recommendations were set out at an emergency meeting, and it was decided to restart the league from April 10, endorse the match referee’s decision and restrain Yousuf from taking further part in the competition.But the clubs didn’t comply and just a day after the date of resumption was announced, the CCDM resorted to using “inclement weather” as a reason to suspend the league once again. Abahani, on Thursday, demanded that two points be awarded to them as Yousuf has been barred from playing, and that the league restart on April 17. Mohammedan supported Abahani in this matter, while Victoria has asked for an increase the number of foreign players in the XI from three to five as their star players, Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal, are away at the Indian Premier League.There is growing discontent among the other three clubs – Old DOHS Sporting Club, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and Gazi Tank Cricketers – while the media and public too have been left bewildered by the issue that has stopped Bangladeshi cricket in its tracks.

The delayed Cricket Kenya elections this weekend will go ahead despite a dispute within the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association

Martin Williamson25-May-2012The delayed Cricket Kenya elections this weekend will go ahead despite a dispute within the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association (NPCA) which threatened to derail the process.In a throwback to the kind of argument which left Kenyan cricket embroiled in acrimonious rows between 2003 and 2005, the NPCA, itself riven by an internal dispute, had sought to again postpone the CK election.Although the NPCA nominated a candidate, it argued that the withdrawal of two of the three candidates it was being asked to choose between was a reason for the delay. This was rejected by CK.Yet again there is confusion over the details and three NPCA clubs – Swamibapa, Premier and Impala – claim that they were unaware of resolutions passed in their names.Some NPCA officials have threatened to boycott the elections. “The issue as to whether NPCA should attend or should not attend the AGM is a matter for the NPCA,” a board spokesman said. “There is nothing that we can do to prevent them from attending. They have complied procedurally with everything they were required to do.”The dispute has all the hallmarks of the way Sharad Ghai and his associates managed to keep control of the old Kenyan Cricket Association until they were ousted in 2005. Since then although Kenya have continued to struggle on the field, its finances, accountability and transparency have become far more stable.

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has banned Shah Rukh Khan from entering Wankhede Stadium for five years

ESPNcricinfo staff18-May-2012The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has banned Shah Rukh Khan, the Kolkata Knight Riders owner, from entering Wankhede Stadium for five years as a result of his scuffle with security guards after the game between Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians on May 16. The IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla, however, said the ban was not final until the BCCI had its say on the matter.”The MCA managing committee is forced to ban Shah Rukh Khan from entering Wankhede Stadium for a period of five years,” Vilasrao Deshmukh, the MCA president, said in Mumbai. “It was a unanimous decision. It applies to any match whether domestic or international at the Wankhede. We have taken a decision to protect the dignity of our association. BCCI is our parent body and we have written to them informing what had happened. We have no control over BCCI’s decision. We are also an independent body with the Wankhede being our property.”If rules are violated, action will be taken. It does not depend who the individual is. It’s a message to everyone, whosoever he or she may be, that stern action will be taken if there is any misbehavior. How can he go inside the ground without proper accreditation? Even I can’t go inside the ground if not invited for presentation ceremony.”Shukla said only the Indian board could make the final decision. “State bodies can only recommend but a final decision has to be taken by the BCCI. When the matter comes to BCCI, the board will decide [on the ban].”The incident took place after Knight Riders had beaten Mumbai Indians. Shah Rukh was accused of trying to walk on to the field of play after the game and MCA officials lodged a complaint against him the Marine Drive police station. They also said he had been drunk and abused officials.Shah Rukh, however, denied being drunk and said he was reacting to the “obnoxious” and “unpardonable” behaviour of officials at the stadium. He said he had not been present at the match but had gone there after it was over to pick up a large group of his children and their friends. Shah Rukh said he saw security guards manhandling the children and when he objected a group of officials came over and the altercation started.

It turned out to be a good toss to lose for Pakistan, as their seamers, led by Umar Gul, set up a comfortable six-wicket win by keeping Sri Lanka to a paltry 135

The Report by Kanishkaa Balachandran07-Jun-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsUmar Gul was the most incisive of the Pakistan seamers with three wickets•AFP

It turned out to be a good toss to lose for Pakistan, as their seamers, led by Umar Gul, set up a comfortable six-wicket win by keeping Sri Lanka to a paltry 135. The ball nipped around, skidded, turned and bounced alarmingly and tested the technique and patience of the batsmen, with the cloudy conditions giving the bowlers an overwhelming advantage. Three rain interruptions in the first innings did little to help Sri Lanka’s cause. They struggled to build momentum and sizeable partnerships, and following a lengthy rain interruption, the overs were culled to 42, leaving very few overs in the end to accelerate.Pakistan too were tested by a probing opening spell by Sri Lanka’s seamers, but they could afford to take their time and grind it out. Subcontinent pitches aren’t known to produce too many low-scoring games, and based on the evidence so far in the three games on tour, watching the bowlers have a say has been compelling.Runs off the bat were at a premium as Sri Lanka’s top four failed to reach double-digits and their combined contribution was outscored by extras. It was a struggle, not just to pick the gaps but to put bat on ball. Sohail Tanvir’s angle away from the right-hander kept Mahela Jayawardene playing and missing; Gul’s bounce off a good length and incutters troubled Tillakaratne Dilshan, who looked like he hadn’t yet shrugged off the Twenty20 hangover.It was a battle of attrition at both ends. Sri Lanka had two of their most experienced accumulators at the crease – Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara – but the seamers found ways to avert a partnership. An indipper from Gul trapped Jayawardene lbw, before Dinesh Chandimal chopped one onto his stumps without using his feet.The batsmen may have had their wallets nicked when they walked out to bat – they couldn’t even buy a run. In the first ten overs, Pakistan didn’t concede a run off the bat for 26 consecutive legal deliveries. In that period, the only source of runs was 13 wides. The first boundary off the bat – there were only six in all – came in the 12th over. Any semblance of a recovery was halted when Mohammad Sami nipped out two wickets in successive overs, leaving Sri Lanka five down at the 15th over.Rain forced interruptions in the 18th over and again after the 24th. What followed after the second interruption were two of the most productive partnerships. Lahiru Thirimanne added 25 with Thisara Perera, and doubled that with Nuwan Kulasekara. It was still a battle for survival, and the frequent interruptions didn’t help Sri Lanka’s bid to find momentum to accelerate. Following the third rain interval, which stretched to an hour and a quarter, Sri Lanka had only five overs to bat out. Thirimanne slogged and swished at several deliveries and managed to fetch three boundaries, including one off the final ball. Subtracting the wides, Sri Lanka would have been defending a much lesser score.Sri Lanka managed only six fours in their innings, hitting the first only in the 12th over. Pakistan hit their first four as early as the third ball, when Mohammad Hafeez punched Lasith Malinga past the covers. Malinga soon had Azhar Ali caught off a loose drive, and he continued to create half chances by shaping the ball away from the right-handers. Kulasekara posed questions by getting the ball to cut back in – his stock delivery – and one of those breached Younis Khan’s defences, leaving Pakistan at 27 for 2.The pressure created by that dismissal led to three consecutive maidens. Misbah-ul-Haq halted a run-drought that lasted 25 deliveries with a slash past point for four. While Hafeez gave Pakistan the edge with positive shots, including a lofted off-drive for six, what prevented Pakistan from imploding was Misbah’s calm presence.Pakistan were a batsman short, so it was imperative one senior player pitched a tent through the duration of the innings, which Misbah had all but achieved. It was a pressure-free scenario for Umar Akmal to play his strokes, as Pakistan coasted home to extend their recent domination over Sri Lanka, with their ninth win in 11 games.

Danish Kaneria, the Pakistan legspinner, has filed an appeal against the lifetime ban handed down to him by the ECB for his involvement in spot-fixing

Umar Farooq11-Jul-2012Danish Kaneria, the Pakistan legspinner, has filed an appeal against the lifetime ban handed down to him by the ECB for his involvement in spot-fixing.His lawyers also confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Kaneria has also appealed against an order to pay £100,000 in costs for the hearings, a charge that was not publically outlined in the ECB judgment.Kaneria, Pakistan’s fourth-highest wicket-taker in Tests, was handed the life ban by an ECB disciplinary panel for his part in the spot-fixing case involving former Essex fast bowler Mervyn Westfield. He had been found guilty of inducing Westfield to under-perform and of bringing the game into disrepute.Last month Kaneria’s legal team said they wanted an opening hearing for the appeal after describing the outcome of the tribunal as “pre-determined”. Westfield provided testimony against his former Essex team-mate but Kaneria’s lawyers contend that the legspinner was not given a fair hearing. They also indicated that a further legal appeal – potentially to the Court of Arbitration for Sport – could be pursued in order to clear Kaneria’s name.”We’ve got nothing to hide about this. It’s not sour grapes that we lost a fair hearing,” Steven Hourigan, who represented Kaneira, said. “We lost a hearing where it was pre-determined what the result was going to be. We’re going to have an appeal. What we want is an independent observer to sit in and listen to the evidence. What we want is a fair hearing in front of an independent panel. We would want the press to sit in on the appeal and hear every word.”The PCB have said they will uphold the ECB’s ban – as was agreed between all ICC member nations – and earlier this week the PCB’s integrity committee barred Kaneria from playing any official cricket in Pakistan pending the outcome of his appealWestfield, Kaneria’s team mate, pleaded guilty to bringing the game into disrepute and was given a five-year ban, although he will be allowed to play club cricket after three years.Kaneria’s Pakistan-based lawyer Farogh Naseem, told ESPNcricinfo. “The appeal cover not only covers the life ban but also against the £100,000 cost that was imposed as a part of the
expenditure of all he hearings.”There was no understanding before or during the hearing that we will pay the expenditure of all the hearings that took place. The cost along with the ban is unfair. They don’t have any evidence against Kaneria and still the ECB passed an order against him.”Gerard Elias QC, chairman of the ECB disciplinary panel that found Kaneria guilty, called him “a grave danger to the game of cricket.” Kaneria has continued to plead his innocence.

Warwickshire are exploring the loan market in an attempt to secure their first Championship title since 2004

George Dobell at Edgbaston09-Aug-2012
ScorecardWarwickshire will miss Jeetan Patel after his Test recall and are trying to fill the gap•PA Photos

Warwickshire are exploring the loan market in an attempt to secure their first Championship title since 2004. The current leaders require a replacement for their spinner, New Zealand’s Jeetan Patel, who is about to depart on Test duty and are looking at several options – including Durham’s Ian Blackwell and Lancashire’s Gary Keedy – as short-term solutions.While Ashley Giles, Warwickshire’s director of cricket, expects Patel back for the final game of the season (against the second-placed team Nottinghamshire) and maintain outside hopes of welcoming him back for the game before that, against Worcestershire, they are reluctant to go into their matches against Middlesex and Nottinghamshire without an experienced spin bowler.Chris Metters, their left-arm spinner, is out for the season though injury while spin-bowling allrounder Paul Best, with just nine first-class games behind him, is deemed too green for such a demanding task. The overseas market has now become so bureaucratic that it takes a minimum of three weeks to bring in a new player.There are several loan possibilities. The most intriguing is the former England allrounder Blackwell who cannot currently squeeze into the Durham squad. Blackwell is not really Giles’ type of player – Blackwell’s dislike for training and fitness are something of a throwback to a different age – but, aged 34, he remains a fine cricketer who took career-best bowling figures of 7 for 52 in his last first-class game, against Australia A. He has also scored over 11,000 first-class runs at an average only a fraction under 40.The Lancashire pair of Keedy and Stephen Parry are also of interest. Giles has long been a fan of Keedy – Warwickshire offered him a three-year contract at the end of last year – but he might well be required by Lancashire. It is possible, however, that in seeking to help Warwickshire defeat Lancashire’s relegation rivals, Lancashire’s cause might be well-served by allowing Keedy to go for a spell at Edgbaston. Parry has played only three first-class games and none since 2009 and is a less likely option.While Warwickshire worry about replacing Patel, they also missed Chris Woakes against Worcestershire. Woakes’ lower-order excellence with the bat has papered over cracks in the top-order batting at the club for some time, just as Neil Carter did in the past. Yet, like several counties, they have seen their team weakened by England Lions call-ups just as the Championship should be reaching a peak. While the ECB consult about the future of county cricket, they might also reflect how it would prosper if given half a chance.Still, in a game of numerous twists and turns, the decisive blow may have been struck by Warwickshire in the evening session. Set 260 to win, the opening batsmen rode their luck and benefitted from a somewhat jaded performance in the field from Worcestershire in reducing their target to a more manageable 181. On a day on which 17 wickets fell, their unbroken stand of 79 was the largest by a distance.They enjoyed some fortune. Ian Westwood, in particular, endured the most uncertain of starts and came within an ace of playing on when four. Varun Chopra, meanwhile, escaped an edge off Moeen Ali that flew between wicketkeeper and slip when he had scored 27 and another to short-leg off Brett D’Oliveria when he had 39.The pitch, also used for Tuesday night’s CB40 game, is offering ever more assistance to spin, however, and some uneven bounce to seamers, so all is not yet lost for Worcestershire.If Worcestershire do lose they will rue their lower-order batting collapses in both innings. Just as on the opening day where they lost their last five wickets for the addition of just seven runs, on the second they lost their last six for the addition of only 37. It meant they squandered a position from which they were 222 ahead with six wickets in hand to one in which they set a target of only 260.It is not an unfamiliar tale for Worcestershire. They have shown throughout the last couple of seasons that they can compete with the best for a couple of days, only for one poor session to undermine their good work.Perhaps, when we come to reflect on this game, we may conclude that the turning point came with the early wicket of Phil Hughes in Worcestershire’s second innings. Leading by 114 on first innings, Worcestershire had an excellent opportunity to bat Warwickshire out of the match but Hughes, unsettled by Keith Barker’s incisive swing, left a straight one, before Daryl Mitchell and Moeen Ali were drawn into pokes at deliveries on off stump that resulted in slip catches.But Vikram Solanki was even more culpable. For the second time in the match he made batting appear easy only to once again squander his wicket. This time a thick edged force squirted to point and, while Matthew Pardoe fought hard, the lower-order never hinted at permanence against Patel’s off-breaks.In many ways this has been a bewildering game. There is little wrong with the pitch. But the bowlers of both sides have performed admirably and the batsmen of both sides have shown a lack of application and technique. Still, Chris Russell, the 23-year-old Worcestershire debutant, showed excellent stamina and consistency to deliver a 12-over spell of pace and swing bowling in the morning session that picked up three wickets.The only Warwickshire man who looked at all comfortable was Rikki Clarke, who batted beautifully in registering his fifth score above 50 in the campaign. Clarke is an admirable cricket and a passionate competitor but may concede, in time, that he soured another fine innings by displaying obvious disappointment when he was adjudged by umpire Neil Bainton to have been caught at short-leg.It matters not whether the umpire was right or wrong, such obvious signs of dissent have no place in the game. Later the umpires were also obliged to speak to Chopra, captain in place of the unwell Jim Troughton, after Clarke’s continued disappointment manifested itself in the field. The umpires spoke to Warwickshire’s team management at the close and Clarke may consider himself fortunate if he escapes further censure.

Jos Buttler has admitted his relief at being able to play a part in an England victory after his brutal 32 off 10 balls against South Africa at Edgbaston levelled the Twenty20 series

Andrew McGlashan13-Sep-2012Jos Buttler has admitted his relief at being able to play a part in an England victory after his brutal 32 off 10 balls against South Africa gave England a timely boost ahead of the World Twenty20. It was the first time Buttler had managed to translate his county exploits for Somerset onto the international stage and it has thrown his name into the spotlight as the team fly to Sri Lanka.Buttler’s England career remains in its infancy having made his debut last year against India so time was always on his side, but he came with such a reputation for matchwinning innings at domestic level that it was important to live up to his billing after six previous innings had brought a best of 13. That was quickly eclipsed as he straight drove two sixes off Wayne Parnell then twice flicked him over short fine-leg with his ‘ramp’ shot – the penultimate over of the shortened innings going on to cost 32.”International cricket hasn’t quite gone as I’d have hoped but days like this are really pleasing and give me a lot of confidence to take into Sri Lanka,” Buttler said. “It was something I was desperate to get in an England shirt, to have that innings.”I could take confidence from what I’ve done for Somerset but to do it on the international stage is a really proud moment. It’s nice to repay the faith that people have shown in you. But I need to get back in the right frame of mind a look forward to Sri Lanka.”Buttler conceded that his confidence had taken a hit against Pakistan in the UAE earlier this year where his ramp twice brought his downfall during the Twenty20 series. However, he was not about to shelve a shot he had played since his days at the Somerset academy and continued to use it during this year’s Friends Life t20 and CB40 competitions. He also said that a chat with Mark Bawden, the England team psychologist, and his county captain Marcus Trescothick had relaxed him ahead of the final match against South Africa.”I had a bit of a confidence knock by getting out to it in Dubai, but think being myself was a huge thing,” he said. “I had a good chat about things and had a nice couple of texts off Tres, just saying be yourself and enjoy it and that’s what I did.”It’s a huge part of my game to either get fine leg or mid-off up to be able to hit straight and sweep. I always know I have an option. Guys improvise a lot these days and try to second guess bowlers so I’m glad I can do that and have it in my armoury.”Nowadays players practice scoops, ramps, flicks and switch-hits as much as their cover drives, hook and pulls and Buttler’s belief in the shot comes from hours against the bowling machine to the extent that he sees it as a viable option regardless of how the bowler responds. That was shown on Wednesday at Edgbaston when Parnell tried to counter Buttler’s approach by dragging his line outside off stump only to see the ball still fly over short fine-leg”I’m looking for a ball in an area but I’ve worked on ways to compensate if it’s in other areas and get bat on it and get off strike,” Buttler said. “The way I play it, I think I can do it to a full ball, a wide ball or a back-of-a-length ball. I’m really comfortable with the shot, obviously it didn’t work against Pakistan in the UAE – but talking to people they said it was a huge a part to my game so keep trying it and it came off.”