All posts by csb10.top

Bill Brown, who has died aged 95, epitomised the Australian cricket ethos and was an invaluable role model for the younger generations of Test cricketers, according to Steve Waugh. It was during the Waugh era that Australia’s players embraced the team’s history and Brown was called on to present baggy green caps to modern stars Adam Gilchrist and Michael Hussey.”I reckon that if one person could have their picture beside the baggy green cap to illustrate what it stood for, it should be Bill,” Waugh told the . “Bill was the man who my generation really looked up to. I say that all the time at corporate functions.”For us he was the embodiment of everything great about the baggy green cap. He had everything – strength, great ethics, character and wonderful stories from the past and yet still had great respect for the modern game.”The remarkable thing about him was he was so sharp. You never had to repeat anything. Nothing got past him. You felt as if you were talking to a 30-year-old. He was always putting himself down. He used to say his best shot was a leg glance and that he was just the guy who used to bat at the other end [to champions like Don Bradman].”Gilchrist said cricketers of the past decade adored Brown’s willingness to keep up with the game and appreciate the newer generation of Australian Test representatives. “He was just so respectful of the modern players,” Gilchrist said. “You never heard Bill complaining about modern bat weights or covered wickets.”Sam Loxton, who is now one of only four surviving members of the 1948 Invincibles touring squad, said Brown was a good friend. “Bill was a great fellow and a terrific player,” Loxton said. “He was always fun to be with.”Creagh O’Connor, the chairman of Cricket Australia, said Brown would be remembered as a first-rate batsman of the 1930s and 1940s. “Bill was a fine cricketer, good enough to carry his bat while making a double century at Lord’s,” O’Connor said. “But those of us who had the good fortune to meet and know him in more recent years will also remember him with great affection as an impish wit and good-humoured servant of the game, always ready to lend his assistance.”

Chris Gayle’s management have retained the services of a “leading Australian media lawyer” with the intention of “immediately” launching defamation action against Fairfax Media over allegations that he indecently exposed himself to a woman in Sydney during the World Cup last year.The allegation arose following Gayle’s widely decried actions in an interview with the Ten Network sports presenter Mel McLaughlin while playing for the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League.The Renegades fined Gayle $10,000 for the incident, and the Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland declared the West Indian opening batsman would be facing far more severe consequences if he transgressed further.It is believed a substantiation of Fairfax Media’s indecent exposure allegation against Gayle, which it claimed had taken place during a training session at the SCG before the start of the tournament, would be viewed by CA as sufficient cause to tear up his existing contract with the Renegades.Gayle would also be banished from playing for any club in the BBL – a competition designed in part to be a welcoming tournament for females – in the future.”Chris Gayle has strongly denied allegations first published by Fairfax Media that he indecently exposed himself to a woman during last year’s World Cup in Sydney,” Gayle’s manager Simon Auteri said in a statement.”Despite such denials Fairfax Media continues to publish the false and defamatory allegations which have received widespread re-publication in media throughout the world.”As a result Chris Gayle has retained Mark O’Brien, a leading Australian media lawyer to immediately commence defamation proceedings against Fairfax Media.”

Lalman Kowlessar, an executive member of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB), has called the recent strike by the West Indies Umpires’ Association (WICUA) during the sixth round of the Carib Beer Series a “total failure”.Kowlessar also praised the six umpires belonging to the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Umpires and Scorers Council (TTCUSC), which was not a part of the strike, and who were drafted in to fill in the void created by the WICUA’s boycott. “The games went on and the umpires did a great job,” he said.The WICUA had withdrawn its services for the last two rounds of the 2007-08 Carib Beer Series to protest against the West Indies Cricket Board’s (WICB) decision to remove Trinidadian umpires Hayden Bruce and Kaso Dowlath from the list of officials for the tournament’s sixth round. The duo are linked to the newly-formed Association of Cricket Umpires of Trinidad and Tobago, a body which is not aligned with the Trinidad board.But Kowlessar said Bruce and Dowlath were not on the list of umpires recommended by the TTCUSC to the Trinidad board, though their names appeared on the list approved by the West Indies board’s sub-committee for umpires. “This was noticed by the TTCB, which informed the WICB, pointing out the perceived error. The WICB then removed those two names.”

Boeta Dippenaar has been elected as the president of the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) at its annual general meeting in Johannesburg.”I feel privileged that the players have elected me as the president of our players association” Dippenaar said. “The player voice is very important in the game and we feel that SACA plays a big part in this. Our involvement in shaping things now can only make it better for those players who will follow us in the future.”Ahmed Amla, who was elected vice-president, said: “We are hoping to build on the good work already done by SACA and to do this by working within the spirit of the game. To be elected by fellow players is an honour and I will do my best to make a contribution.”Justin Ontong and Gerald Dros were also elected as members of the executive committee. Gerald Dros, who retired as a professional cricketer at the beginning of last season, was re-elected having already served on the committee for a number of years.”It’s good to see the players elect such a strong executive committee” said Tony Irish, Chief Executive Officer of SACA. “The re-election of Dros gives the executive committee some continuity while Boeta, Ahmed and Justin are among the most respected cricketers in the country. I’m looking forward to working with these players. SACA plays a vital role in collectively representing the players in the Proteas and in each of the franchise teams. We intend to continue to take the players association from strength to strength”.

ScorecardFahad Masood’s fifty and three wickets went in vain•PCB

Shoaib Malik and Sheharyar Ghani scored fifties to chase Habib Bank Limited’s competitive target of 181 which meant Fahad Masood’s all-round performance went in vain.After Pakistan International Airlines chose to field, Habib Bank lost Imran Farhat after he struck three fours which was followed by a 101-run stand between Asad Baig and Masood. The pair batted for 12.2 overs, scoring at more than eight an over. Masood was dismissed for 64 which included eight fours and two sixes. Baig was joined by Hasan Raza and the two scored 60 off the last 32 balls to take them to 180. They were also aided by 20 extras.PIA were in trouble early, as three of their top four batsmen scored five runs in all. They were 7 for 2 after the first five balls and 29 for 3 in the fifth over. However, Malik and Ghani revived them by scoring 118 runs in only 12.3 overs. They needed 56 from the last five overs and when Malik was run-out for 78, they still needed 34 off 16. Anwar Ali was also run-out in the next over but Ghani scored 19 in the penultimate over and his unbeaten 71 ensured they won with two balls to spare. Masood took all three wickets that were taken by bowlers.
ScorecardState Bank of Pakistan (SBP) overcame a stop-start batting performance to beat Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) by three runs to record their first win of the Ramadan T20 Cup.Choosing to bat, SBP’s openers began brightly with Rameez Raja collecting a four off the first ball. But just as Raja and his opening partner Farrukh Shehzad were getting into their stride, Mohammad Mudassar accounted for both of them in successive overs to leave SBP at 36 for 2 in the sixth over. SBP flourished again with Adnan Raees and Usman Saeed as they added 52 runs off 38 balls, but both of them were removed in the 17th and 19th overs respectively. SBP lost a further three wickets in the last seven balls to score 139 in 20 overs. Zulfiqar Babar and Mudassar took three wickets apiece for WAPDA.WAPDA began well and had the target in sight even as late as the 12th over when left-arm spinner Mohammad Waheed turned the game around. Needing 70 runs off 51 balls with eight wickets in hand, the well-set Sohaib Maqsood was run out and Waheed capitalised by removing Mohammad Ayub and Saad Nasim to leave WAPDA at a precarious 92 for 5 in the 16th over. Ayaz Tasawwar came up with a threatening cameo but fell in the eighteenth over. With 12 needed off the last over, Rizwan Haider came up with two crucial dot balls to give away only eight and seal the win.

The revamp explained

Who conceived the idea of the ICC revamp?
The three most powerful boards – BCCI, ECB and Cricket Australia – did. In January last year, a working group comprising former BCCI president N Srinivasan, former ECB chairman Giles Clarke and former CA chairman Wally Edwards designed a ‘position paper’ that recommended changes to the ICC constitution, governance structure and revenue-sharing model of the ten Full Members.
Was it accepted by the ICC board?
After opposition from some boards like CSA, PCB and SLC, the Big Three climbed down from their more extreme positions with reference to governance and constitutional changes, but did not change the new revenue distribution model.
What were the important decisions accepted?
The ICC revenue distribution model was reformulated to give BCCI, ECB and CA a graded percentage share of revenue, with a larger chunk going to these three boards when compared to the rest. It was also decided to have the BCCI nominee be the ICC chairman for the first term lasting two years. Srinivasan became the first chairman. The influential Finance & Commercial Affairs committee was led by Clarke until June 2016.
An Executive Committee (ExCo) was formed for the first time to take major policy decisions that would be ratified by the ICC board. Edwards was the first chairman of ExCo, with future heads being picked on a rotation basis from the Big Three boards. After resistance from other members the ExCO strength was increased from four to five, with CSA being included.
ICC Business Co (IBC) was set up to replace the existing IDI (ICC Development International). The IBC was in charge of issuing tenders for the ICC’s next media rights and sponsorship cycle (2015-23).
What about the Future Tours Programme (FTP)?
The existing FTP was disbanded and a new one, where members would sign legally binding contracts, for bilateral series between 2015 and 2023 was put in place. The proposed World Test Championship was scrapped.

BCCI president Shashank Manohar, who is also the ICC chairman, has criticised the imbalance of power within cricket’s governing body because of the constitutional revamp last year, which gave the boards of India, England and Australia greater authority and a larger share of the revenue.Manohar called the revamp “bullying”, and said there were several faults in the ICC that he hoped to rectify during his term as chairman, which ends in June 2016.”I don’t agree with the three major countries bullying the ICC,” Manohar told the . “That’s my personal view, because as I have always said, an institution is bigger than individuals. You cannot guarantee which individual will occupy the top position in either of these countries. And, the ICC constitution, as it stands today, says that in all the major committees of the ICC, these three countries will be automatically there. So all the financial and commercial aspects and the executive committee will be controlled by the representatives of these three countries, which according to me is wrong. You should have the best man, whether he comes from Zimbabwe, or West Indies, or even from an associate or affiliate to work on a committee, who will promote the interests of the ICC.”Manohar was in Dubai last week to get acquainted with the ICC’s functioning after the BCCI named him its representative to replace N Srinivasan, who had become the inaugural chairman last July. Srinivasan had been the main architect behind the Big Three plan, which was passed by the ICC board last February.When asked whether he would propose to other ICC board members to revoke the decisions taken last year, Manohar said he was speaking in his individual capacity and not as ICC. “I don’t agree with that in principle. I am talking about myself. I don’t know what will happen in the future.”Under the new governance structure, while the BCCI president became ICC chairman, the Cricket Australia chairman would head the five-member executive committee, and the ECB president would continue to head the ICC’s Finance and Commercial Affairs (F&CA) committee, making sure the three boards had control over major policy decisions.On January 9 last year, an F&CA committee “working group” comprising Srinivasan, Giles Clarke and Wally Edwards had presented the draft of their radical revamp to the rest of the ICC board. Central to the draft was the revenue distribution model, which was reworked to give the BCCI, ECB and CA a graded percentage share of ICC revenue, with a larger chunk going to these three boards than the rest.In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Srinivasan had said it was wrong to see the revamp as a takeover of the ICC by the BCCI, ECB and CA. “If I had to sum it up I will say the proposal gives financial stability to nations who play cricket,” Srinivasan had said.Manohar, however, was opposed to the revenue-sharing formula. “I don’t agree with the revenue-sharing formula, because it’s nice to say that India (BCCI) will get 22% of the total revenue of the ICC, but you cannot make the poor poorer and the rich richer, only because you have the clout. The ICC runs cricket throughout the world.”Secondly there is another angle to it which nobody has thought of. India generates money because the other countries come and play in India. If you do not have a fierce competition, the broadcasters are not going to pay you and the sponsors are not going to sponsor your events. So whatever you generate through bilateral series is because there are good teams playing against you. If all teams are of the standards of the low placed ninth and tenth team and India is a good side, who is going to pay you; what interest would be left with the spectators to watch a game, if it’s a one-sided game always. So if you reduce their corpus, their development is going to be hampered and ICC has to think from that point of view.”Manohar also expressed dissatisfaction at the possibility of conflict of interest because of the dual roles held by officials – at the ICC and at their home board. “According to me there is a conflict now at the ICC level, which I have to sort out. Under the present ICC constitution, the chairmanship is offered to the representative of the BCCI. Under the ICC constitution, after the annual conference, there is going to be an election and the person who is elected the chairman will continue only till the time he continues to be the representative of his country.”So tomorrow here could be a scenario, wherein ‘A’ person is elected the chairman and after 10 days he is removed by his board, ‘B’ would take over as the chairman, and after four months that person is removed, ‘C’ would take over as chairman. When people vote, they vote for an individual; they don’t vote for a member board. It’s the competence of a person to lead the ICC is important, and keeping that in mind, people vote for him. According to me that clause is also a bad clause.”Secondly when I am at the ICC as a BCCI representative, it’s my paramount duty to protect the interests of the BCCI; then how can I protect the interests of the ICC, sitting as its chairman? If there is a conflict between the interest of the BCCI and the ICC, I will have to protect the interest of the BCCI. Then I am failing in my duty, sitting there as chairman of the ICC and not protecting its interests.”So according to me there are many flaws in the ICC constitution, which was amended, because earlier the president’s post was occupied by a person who had nothing to do with any board. The first requirement was he had to resign from his home board from all positions; with the result that he was not attending the ICC meetings as a representative of a member board. David Morgan, [Sharad] Pawar, Alan Issac, they resigned from their offices to sit as ICC presidents. This is a unique situation which has been created because of the amendment which creates, according to me, a direct conflict.”Manohar said he had already raised all these issues with Clarke and other senior ranking ICC officials. “I have spoken about these issues to Giles Clarke (ECB) and he agreed with me.”

Chris Schofield returned to form in a superb Lancashire win over Kent at OldTrafford today which kept them firmly in the hunt for their first outrighttitle since 1934.John Crawley’s side completed a 154 runs victory after claiming the extrahalf hour of the third day, bowling out relegation haunted Kent for 125.It earned Lancashire 16 points, putting behind them their recent troublesin one-day cricket, and Schofield celebrated his best all-round performancefor the club.The 21 years-old Schofield first took his overnight 22 to an unbeaten 70as Lancashire battled their way from 110-7 to 198 all out. He put on preciousruns with Gary Keedy and Mike Smethurst but broke Kent’s hearts in a lastwicket stand of 51 with Peter Martin.There is no doubt that Schofield has batting talent. This season he hadalready notched up two half-centuries for Lancashire and one for Englandagainst Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge.But he also made a big contribution with the ball after Martin and Keedyhad made early inroads into Kent’s forlorn bid to reach a victory target of280.Lancashire captain John Crawley held him back until the score reached 70-4but his introduction into the attack paid immediate dividends with threewickets in four balls – the last delivery of one over and the second andthird of the next.Min Patel foiled him of a hat-trick and resisted Lancashire for a further70 balls. But Schofield had the final say when Patel miscued him to mid offto be last man out for 35, giving the leg-spinner 4-25.

Pubudu Dassanayake, Canada’s coach, has announced a new coaching team who will take charge across the various levels of the game.Shaun Miller who played minor counties cricket in England will be the deputy national coach and he will be responsible for Western Canada which includes the areas of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. He holds an ECB Level 3 qualification.Anderson Cummins, the former West Indies and Canada opening bowler, will look after the Under-19s, who have not qualified for the World Cup in Malaysia this month but will definitely take part in the 2012 event as hosts. Farooq Kirmani who represented Canada in the ’80s, will be undertaking the future of the juniors, in looking after the Under-15s. George Codrington, who represented Canada at last year’s World Cup in the West Indies, will undertake the women’s program.The trio do not, as yet, have formal coaching qualifications, but do have extensive experience of developing players’ skills over many years. “All three have played a considerable amount of international cricket – in Anderson’s case, at Test level,” a Canada spokesperson told Cricinfo. “It is important for Canadian cricket that we maximize this type of expertise which exists within the country.”Geoffrey Crosse will resume his role as technical analyst, team with specific skills in video analysis. “He has formal, college-level qualifications in that area,” said the spokesman, “which is becoming increasingly important for us.”There has been a change in the selectors’ panel too, as Errol Townshend has tendered his resignation as national selector. Richard Hawes, Chris James, Bhan Deonarine and Arvind Patel will soon be joined on the panel by a replacement Ontario representative. The Ontario Cricket Association will recommend a replacement to the CCA. The CCA will then appoint a replacement who will be formally elected to the position at the next AGM.Their big job this year will be to select the side they believe will help Canada win the Twenty20 World Cup Qualifiers in Ireland in August. This will be Canada’s singular focus for the foreseeable future, with two teams from six going through to the World Cup. Project Stingray, as it has been called, will be led by Dassananayake and moves into high gear immediately.The efforts will include the following: an expansion of indoor winter training, with indoor nets and indoor games being played three times a week; specific Twenty20 training; much usage of DVD footage; input from qualified sports psychologists; and the inclusion of promising Canadian Under-19s in the process.

East Zone
Opener Shreevats Goswami’s 53-ball 81 helped Bengal chase down 178 with five wickets to spare against Jharkhand in Kolkata. Goswami was the common factor in two half-century stands – 73 for the second wicket with Abhishek Raman, and 71 for the fourth wicket with Pramod Chandila – and he brought Bengal to within ten runs of the target by the time he was dismissed in the 18th over. Chandila, who was unbeaten on 37 off 21 balls, helped the side reach 178 with five balls to spare.Sent in to bat, Jharkhand posted 177 for 6 riding on contributions from Saurabh Tiwary (44), Virat Singh (42) and Pratyush Singh (39), before wicketkeeper Sumit Kumar and Anand Singh added 30 off nine balls for the sixth wicket in a late burst.File photo – Biplab Samantray’s fifty pushed Odisha to 143, but they lost by six wickets•BCCI

Opener Pallavkumar Das’ 51 off 30 balls, including eight fours and a six, helped Assam chase down 144 against Odisha in Kolkata. The result meant Assam finished second in the East Zone points table while Odisha finished third. Bengal topped the table with four wins from four matches.Assam lost Rishav Das and Sibsankar Roy cheaply in their chase but Pallavkumar and Amit Verma put the team back on track with a 34-run partnership for the third wicket. The stand ended in the tenth over when Pallavkumar was dismissed by left-arm spinner Dhiraj Singh. Verma then added 34 with captain Arun Karthik to take the team closer to victory. By the time Verma was removed, Assam needed 31 off 30 balls and they eventually won by six wickets.Having opted to bat, Odisha were reduced to 48 for 3 inside nine overs. Biplab Samantray, the captain, then rescued the innings with his second T20 fifty, which contained five fours and a six. When Samantray fell, Assam were 117 for 6, but a string of cameos from the lower order pushed the total to 143. Verma impressed with the ball too, picking up 3 for 19 in four overs.File photo – Akshadeep Nath’s fifty was not enough for Uttar Pradesh to put it across Vidarbha•BCCI

Central Zone
Vidarbha won their second game in two days after completing a comfortable four-wicket victory against Uttar Pradesh in Jaipur. Lower-order batsmen Apoorv Wankhade (27 off 14 balls) and Shrikant Wagh (14 off 9 balls) added an unbroken 38 runs in 19 balls for the seventh wicket after Vidarbha were reduced to 133 for 6.Having opted to bat, UP put up 169 for 4 thanks to half-centuries from opener Eklavya Dwivedi and Akshdeep Nath. Wagh was the pick of the bowlers for Vidarbha, claiming 2 for 17 in four overs. Ambati Rayudu and Ganesh Satish then laid the groundwork for the chase with thirty-somethings before the lower order sealed the deal. Nath and fast bowler Ankit Rajpoot took two wickets each for UP.Fifties from allrounder Mahipal Lomror and wicketkeeper Dishant Yagnik powered Rajasthan to 184, a total they defended by 21 runs against Railways in Jaipur.After opting to bat, Rajasthan lost three early wickets, but Lomror and Yagnik offset the early wobble and then gave the innings muscle with a 78-run stand in 52 balls. Lomror struck seven fours and three sixes during his 65 while Yagnik hit three fours and three sixes on his way to 60, before he was the eighth Rajasthan batsman to be dismissed.Railways started positively in their chase with opener Saurabh Wakaskar scoring 55 off 29 balls, but the middle order could not sustain the momentum, despite an unbeaten 42 off 32 balls from captain Karn Sharma. They ultimately fell short with seamers Tanvir Ul-Haq and Deepak Chahar taking two wickets each.

ScorecardFile photo – William Porterfield provided the early momentum with a 15-ball 30•Getty Images

Ireland sealed the T20 series with a nine-run D/L win against Papua New Guinea in Townsville, after rain reduced the match to a 11-overs-a-side contest. After a delayed start, Ireland were inserted to bat and were 4 without loss after one ball before rain intervened again. Three balls after the resumption, Ireland lost Andy Balbirnie.However, brisk camoes from William Porterfield (30 off 15) and Stuart Poynter (35 off 24) lifted Ireland to a score of 96 for 5. Pipi Raho brought PNG back into the game with figures of 3 for 11 from two overs.PNG managed to stay abreast with the required rate through Assad Vala’s 15-ball 25. A clump of wickets fell from the other end, though, and they were soon reduced to 63 for 9 in the ninth over. Norman Vanua provided a glimmer of hope with a quick 26 but it wasn’t enough as PNG fell seven runs short.