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The two-member panel, which was formed to look into the involvement of the owners of two IPL franchises in corruption during the tournament, has found “no evidence of any wrongdoing” against Raj Kundra, the Rajasthan Royals team and India Cements

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jul-2013A two-member panel has found “no evidence of any wrongdoing” against Raj Kundra, co-owner of Rajasthan Royals, the Rajasthan Royals franchise, and India Cements, the owner of Chennai Super Kings. The panel, comprising former high-court judges, was formed to look into the involvement of the owners of two IPL franchises in corruption during the tournament.The BCCI working committee met in Kolkata on Sunday and Niranjan Shah, a BCCI vice-president, said that the report submitted by the two retired judges, T Jayaram Chouta and R Balasubramanian, will now be forwarded to the IPL governing council.”There is no evidence of any wrongdoing found by the judges against Raj Kundra, India Cements and Rajasthan Royals,” Shah said. “The report will now be forwarded to the IPL governing council which will take a final decision when it meets on August 2 in New Delhi.”Meanwhile, Joint commissioner of police (crime) Himanshu Roy said, “The BCCI had written to us asking for the investigating officer to depose before the board. We wrote back a month ago, seeking clarification on the legal provisions of their request. But they have not replied.”The investigation into Gurunath Meiyappan, a top Super Kings official and BCCI president N Srinivasan’s son-in-law, India Cements, Kundra and Rajasthan Royals’ owner Jaipur IPL Pvt Ltd was sanctioned after Meiyappan was arrested by Mumbai Police and Kundra reportedly confessed to betting in IPL matches.When asked if India Cements – the company of which Srinivasan is managing director and vice-president – has been given a clean chit in the report, Jagmohan Dalmiya, the interim BCCI chief, said: “The final call will be taken in the IPL governing council meeting. The governing council will examine the report and accordingly will take a decision. The copy of the report will be made public in due course.”Dalmiya also said that Srinivasan, who stepped aside from his duties till the investigation was complete as it included the probing of his son-in-law, will decide who will chair the governing council’s meeting on August 2. The question arose because Rajiv Shukla had resigned as the IPL governing council’s chairman on June 1. However, Dalmiya said he had not accepted that resignation. “I have requested him to continue,” he said. “I have not accepted Shukla’s resignation.”He conceded that BCCI Anti-Corruption and Security Unit chief Ravi Sawani’s findings on the Rajasthan Royals players accused of spot-fixing was discussed on Sunday, but since one of the three players involved – Ajit Chandila – was still in police custody, he could not be spoken to and so the probe is as yet incomplete.”We will wait for some time and then proceed accordingly,” Dalmiya said. “Sawani is currently on leave because of his son’s marriage. Let him come back.”Regarding the controversy over MS Dhoni’s conflict of interest because of his involvement with player management company Rhiti Sports, Dalmiya said “nothing will be swept under the carpet”.”I had said nothing will be swept under the carpet, many were asking what happened to that,” he said. “We have changed our mode of working. The players will have to declare their interest in sports management companies.”
By Sharda UgraThe BCCI’s working committee meeting in Kolkata has turned an important step of “Operation Clean-Up” into something resembling “Operation Cover-Up”.BCCI vice-president Niranjan Shah said the two-member probe panel had found “no evidence of wrongdoing” against Raj Kundra, co-owner of Rajasthan Royals, and India Cements, the owner of Chennai Super Kings. Interim chief Jagmohan Dalmiya announced that the panel’s report would be formally tabled at another meeting five days later in Delhi.These facts spin out a series of questions.Does “no evidence of wrongdoing” erase the fact that Gurunath Meiyappan, who went from being “team principal” of Chennai Super Kings to an “enthusiast” and happens to be the son-in-law of BCCI president N Srinivasan, was arrested and questioned by Mumbai Police, and that Kundra was called in for questioning by Delhi Police?The arrest of a top-ranking team official and the questioning of a team owner about his association with bookmakers are not routine for any self-respecting sporting league. The damage caused to the IPL’s credibility by these events is as much of a “wrongdoing” as the arrest of and allegations against the three Rajasthan Royals players. Both Gurunath and Kundra were in positions of authority, with access to inside information.The next question that arises is with regards to the still-amorphous nature of the two-member probe panel that was set up to investigate the Rajasthan and Chennai honchos. To begin with, its appointment took place without a formal meeting of the IPL governing council. After the resignation of BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale, who was originally named on the panel, it was neither disbanded nor was there a third member chosen to replace him. It is not known whether either Gurunath or Kundra deposed before the panel and who else was questioned. Had help been sought from the Mumbai or Delhi Police, whose investigations had a two-month head-start over BCCI’s own probe panel? The bazaar says the panel did approach Mumbai Police, but were refused help. Mumbai Police says that it had asked the panel a question, but nobody replied. So, what were the panel’s questions and where did their answers come from?Two conclusions emerged from Kolkata: Rajasthan Royals will benefit from the fact that they share the dock with Chennai Super Kings, the IPL’s best-connected and most powerful team. If Super Kings owners are to be spared, regardless of the arrest of a key official, so will Royals’. Even though the Delhi Police chief said that Kundra had confessed to betting in the IPL. Secondly, the probe panel’s report is now in the hands of the BCCI’s one-man disciplinary committee, Arun Jaitley. The other two members are Srinivasan, whose company India Cements is under investigation, and Shah.The report will then pass on to the IPL’s governing council, which will meet on August 2 in Delhi, home turf for Jaitley and Rajiv Shukla, whose resignation as IPL chairman, Dalmiya said, has not been accepted.With the IPL’s standing eroded, the ground beneath the BCCI’s feet is merely becoming shifting sand.

Kane Williamson, who is yet to recover from his elbow injury, will sit out the two-match series

Sruthi Ravindranath07-Feb-2022Cam Fletcher and Blair Tickner have earned their maiden Test call-ups, while Colin de Grandhomme and Hamish Rutherford have been recalled for New Zealand’s upcoming first Test against South Africa in Christchurch.”Cam has been excellent across the three formats for Canterbury over the past couple of seasons, producing consistent and often match-winning performances for his team,” New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said. “Blair’s been a consistent performer in the Plunket Shield over the past few seasons, and we felt his pace, bounce and aggression covered our bases should we lose a pace bowler to injury.”It’s pleasing to see Colin back in the Test side, having proved such an influential member before his foot injury last season. His form of late shows he’s clearly benefited from simply getting back on the park consistently, and it’s great to have his allround skills and experience to call on. It’s a really exciting time for Hamish to be back in the Blackcaps after a long time away, and I know he’s absolutely buzzing at the opportunity ahead.”New Zealand squad for first Test against South Africa•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Wicketkeeper-batter Fletcher, who has been called up as a cover to Tom Blundell, has been Canterbury’s highest run-scorer in the ongoing Plunket Shield with 344 runs in four games. Meanwhile, Central Stags right-arm quick Tickner, who will provide back-up for the other pace bowlers, has taken 14 wickets in four matches in the current season. This is Fletcher’s first international call-up, while Tickner has appeared for New Zealand in eight T20Is since his debut in 2019.Rutherford has earned a recall to the Test side for the first time in seven years, having played his last match in 2015 – against Sri Lanka in Wellington. He has scored 371 runs in four matches for Otago this season, and was also the second-highest scorer with 588 runs in eight matches last season. The 32-year old has so far played 16 Tests after his debut in 2013, having scored 755 runs with a highest score of 171.Allrounder de Grandhomme had missed much of last season with a foot injury. He had opted out of India Tests last year due to bubble fatigue, and had been subsequently dropped for the Tests against Bangladesh.Hamish Rutherford last played for New Zealand in 2015•Getty Images

Regular captain Kane Williamson, who is yet to recover from his elbow injury, will sit out the two-match series, while Tom Latham will continue as captain in his absence. Trent Boult will miss the first Test as he awaits the birth of his third child, while Ajaz Patel could be added for the second Test depending on the conditions as well as his recovery from a left-calf injury.Stead was hopeful Williamson will be ready for the white-ball series against Netherlands at home in March. Williamson last played in the first Test against India in Kanpur last November, following which the recurrence of the elbow issue ruled him out for at least another two months.”He was desperate to be fit for the series but with the amount of loading required for Test cricket, we had to make the tough call for him to sit it out and focus on returning for the white-ball matches against Netherlands in March,” Stead said. “Kane loves playing for the Blackcaps – and especially in Test cricket – so it was a particularly hard call. However, the priority has to be trying to get the injury right and having him available long term.Related

• Matt Henry to replace Trent Boult as New Zealand look to improve record against South Africa

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• Covid-19 puts Keegan Petersen out of SA's Test tour of NZ

• Simon Harmer returns to South Africa Test squad

“It’s important to remember this squad is just for the first Test so we do have flexibility to make changes as required, with the likes of Trent and Ajaz potentially available for the second. We’re conscious the second Test pitch may differ from the first, so we’re keen to have the option of adding Ajaz if required. He’s targeting a return for the Stags in the Ford Trophy on February 20 to prove his fitness and availability.”According to an NZC release, the 15-member squad “will allow the selectors to better cover their options while mitigating the health-risk associated with bringing players into the team environment at short notice, should there be any injuries.” It also stated that NZC is currently working through the Covid-19 health framework for hosting some fans at the matches at the Hagley Oval.The first Test is scheduled to begin on February 17, with the second one to follow on February 25 at the same ground.

Work on the development of Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl ground, including the construction of a hotel and media centre, has been halted after the contractor went into administration

Alan Gardner04-Oct-2013Work on the development of Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl ground, including the construction of a hotel and media centre, has been halted after the contractor went into administration. Hampshire, however, are confident that the delays will not impact on their ability to host England matches, with a Test against India scheduled for 2014.Rod Bransgrove, Hampshire’s chairman, said that there had been “plenty of buffer built into the programme” and that the immediate priority was to minimise the impact to local subcontractors, after developer Denizen ran into financial difficulty. The ECB confirmed it had been in contact with the club and would monitor the situation but was not currently concerned about the staging of matches next summer.”We’re not anticipating any problems,” Bransgrove said. “We’ve already spoken to and are in contact with potential step-in builders. We’re fine in terms of scheduling, we had plenty of buffer built into the programme, so in terms of meeting our obligations for the summer we don’t think they’re going to be affected at all.”A new Hilton Hotel forms the major part of the development and that may now not open in time for the 2014 season, as had been planned. While the hotel is 75% complete, the state-of-the-art media centre – which, unlike the hotel, would fall within the ECB’s remit – is “virtually finished”, Bransgrove said. An inspection was made by the ECB’s major match group in September and a further visit is planned before next season to assess the ground’s readiness for India’s arrival on July 27-31, in what will be only the second Test match Hampshire have hosted.The Ageas Bowl project, which includes additional conferencing and hospitality facilities to help expand Hampshire’s business outside of cricket, is one of many in which counties have been assisted by their local councils. The £48m development has benefited from an investment of £38.5m by Eastleigh Borough Council, which anticipates 500 jobs and £50m in extra annual revenue for the local economy being created.A Hampshire statement said: “Whilst there will inevitably be a short delay to the opening of the hotel, funding to complete the project remains in place and the process to replace Denizen as the main contractor is already underway. This development will not affect the ground’s ability to host major events in 2014.”

West Indies’ horror of a match against India on Friday has not only been an eye opener for them, but also opened up the tournament

The Preview by Kanishkaa Balachandran06-Jul-2013

Match facts

Sunday, July 7
Start time 0930 (1330 GMT)West Indies need their top order to set the base•Associated Press

Big Picture

West Indies’ horror of a match against India on Friday has not only been an eye opener for them, but has also opened up the tournament. India’s chances of qualifying for the final looked bleak after two consecutive defeats, but they trounced the hosts by a big enough margin to pick up a bonus point. West Indies are still on top with nine points and a game to play, and a win against Sri Lanka on Sunday will guarantee their spot in the final. A defeat will still give them a chance at qualifying, but it could come down to a three-way net-run rate scenario if the teams are tied on nine points. A win for Sri Lanka on Sunday will tighten the screws as it will at least put them on par with the hosts. It will also make things tougher for India, who are currently on five points with a game to play.While West Indies are not yet in grave danger of being knocked out, concerns remain. For starters, they will be without their captain Dwayne Bravo, who has been suspended for a slow over-rate. In all likelihood, Kieron Pollard will take over for the second time in three matches. Nothing went right for West Indies on Friday. If looks could deceive, the pitch certainly did. The grass looked inviting enough for both captains to have a bowl, but the decision to insert the opposition backfired on Bravo as his seamers failed to pick up early wickets. The opening partnership was allowed to develop and the West Indies’ death bowling was exposed by Virat Kohli. The batting suffered a bigger meltdown than the bowling, and while the afternoon rain may have spiced up the pitch for the Indian seamers to exploit, the hosts were struggling to get the start they wanted even before rain struck. Chris Gayle and Darren Bravo fell to poor strokes and the loss of two early wickets piled the pressure on the middle order, which looked just as inept. Perhaps the hosts lost the game in the mind after conceding 311. Perhaps batting first might not be a bad option if given the chance, going forward.Sri Lanka have two more games to play, are tied on points with India but have a superior net run rate. They peaked in all three departments in their previous game, losing just one wicket on their way to 348 and all their five bowlers contributed in bundling out India for less than 200. It remains to be seen if they will change their batting order and give players like Lahiru Thirimanne more time in the middle.

In the spotlight

The over-rates in the last two games have been costing the captains and players, literally. On Tuesday, India overshot by 20 minutes leading to Kohli being fined and on Friday, West Indies were worse by one more minute. It was costlier for West Indies, with Bravo now suspended. Changing captains during a tournament could upset a side’s rhythm and West Indies especially can’t afford too many stop-gap arrangements, at a time when Bravo is establishing himself as a full-time ODI captain.Sri Lanka’s new opening pair of Mahela Jayawardene and Upul Tharanga was formed after Tillakaratne Dilshan’s pre-tournament pull-out due to injury and that combination could stay at least until Dilshan returns. The question is whether Sri Lanka will be tempted to persist with it in future series, after their 213-run stand against India. Jayawardene has had success as an opener, but he hasn’t been a regular at that position; Dilshan is most comfortable at the top and Tharanga will be hard to ignore after his 174. With Kusal Perera earmarked for the future, Sri Lanka might find it hard to settle on one pair, once Dilshan returns. It’s a good headache to have.

Team news

Lendl Simmons, the opening batsman, was called in to the squad on Saturday as a replacement for Bravo.* West Indies could either play him or bring back Devon Smith.West Indies (probable) 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Marlon Samuels, 5 Devon Smith/Lendl Simmons, 6 Kieron Pollard (capt), 7 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 8 Darren Sammy, 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Tino BestSri Lanka may retain their winning combinationSri Lanka (probable) 1 Mahela Jayawardene, 2 Upul Tharanga, 3 Kusal Perera, 4 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 5 Dinesh Chandimal, 6 Angelo Mathews (capt), 7 Lahiru Thirimanne, 8 Sachithra Senanayake, 9 Nuwan Kulasekara, 10 Rangana Herath, 11 Lasith Malinga

Stats and trivia

Team overcomes Covid outbreak to outclass England in four-wicket victory

Andrew Miller05-Feb-2022VVS Laxman hailed the “resilience and positive attitude” shown by India’s Under-19 World Cup winners, after they overcame a mid-campaign outbreak of Covid-19 to outclass their battling England opponents in the final, winning by four wickets to lift the trophy for the fifth time in the tournament’s history.”In the middle of this tournament, we all know what happened to the boys,” Laxman, the former India great who now heads their National Cricket Academy, told the host broadcaster. “To test positive, but to show that kind of resilience and positive attitude, was exemplary.”Yash Dhull, the captain, was one of six India players to test positive for the virus during the group stages of the tournament, alongside Nishant Sindhu and Shaik Rasheed, both of whom made half-centuries in India’s successful run-chase in the final. That followed an exceptional effort in the field, led by Ravi Kumar and Raj Bawa, in which England were bowled out for 189 despite a fine 95 from James Rew.”It’s a proud moment to achieve something for India,” Dhull said at the post-match presentation. “At first it was difficult to find our combinations in the tournament but then we became like a family. Sir [head coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar] made it a good environment and team strength was good.”After collapsing to 61 for 6 despite winning the toss, England made India work for their victory – first through the efforts of Rew, who found key support from James Sales in an eighth-wicket stand of 93, and then in a spirited defence of their sub-par total. The left-arm seamer Josh Boyden struck in his first over to remove Angkrish Raghuvanshi for 0, and when Sales grabbed two wickets in three balls in the middle overs, India were again vulnerable at 97 for 4.”It was too exciting for my good, but I’m happy with the result,” Kanitkar said afterwards. “But I think we learned a lot from this. [Dhull] led them very well, he has a good head on his shoulders, he read the game situation and what players would want, and I think that really counted today.”Tom Prest, England’s captain, was one of the early wickets to fall as Kumar bowled him for a fourth-ball duck to end a fine campaign with the bat on a low note. But despite his disappointment, he was full of praise for the fight that his team had shown.”Obviously choosing to bat first, we’d have liked a better start, but the way James Rew then batted to get 95 – he deserved a hundred – we got to a score that we felt we were in the game with, and I think we gave that a good crack.”We’ve got a strong bowling attack and taking a wicket in the first over, that got the mood up and got some confidence going. But they obviously batted really well, they had a couple of great partnerships. So credit to them.”Dhull acknowledged that Rew and Sales had made India work for their win, but said his team had remained confident throughout. “Those two batted well and England made a good comeback, but we were cool in the chase,” he said. “It was great for us that VVS sir, Hrishi sir, Sairaj sir, Bali sir, Harsha sir all joined us. Their words will help us all individually.”Despite falling at the final hurdle, Prest was still the first England captain to reach an Under-19 final in 24 years, and he was full of praise for the tournament experience. “It’s been amazing,” he said. “We’ve all really enjoyed it. Not only the cricket, the media exposure that we’ve got, and doing interviews like this. It’s something that we’ll never forget. And we’re very proud of our achievements.”Kanitkar echoed Prest’s sentiments. “I think it’s a fabulous competition,” he said. “Getting this stage to perform at young age. I think for all teams it’s a great opportunity to showcase talent, and also for the academies all over the world. You get a lot of things you can work on now.”Related

• Under-19 World Cup 2022: Wyllie, Dhull, Brevis and Wellalage headline ESPNcricinfo's Team of the Tournament

• There was no pressure, because 'we were prepared for everything' – Yash Dhull

• 'I'm always ready' – Rehan Ahmed is on the move, and has a World Cup trophy in his sights

• Fateh Singh's journey – from seam to spin, now treading the Moeen Ali route

• Messages from Kohli, Root and others lift India and England squads ahead of Under-19 final

Laxman, whose own experience of Under-19 cricket predated the tournament’s reboot in 1998, added that the players should recognise the importance of the achievement, but use it as a learning process first and foremost.”This is just the start of their journey,” he said. “Everyone in this group understands that, because this is all about development as players, as persons, and it’s great to see the way they have developed and the way they’ve evolved over the last couple of months. It’s very exciting time for all of them but it’s just the start of their journeys as cricketers.”Huge congratulations to the selection committee,” he added. “It was a new selection committee and quite challenging to identify this group. The coaching staff, with Rishikesh as the head coach and all the support staff, the way they brought this group together, they worked really hard. They won the Asia Cup and the preparation to this World Cup was fantastic.”Asked what India is doing right at Under-19 level, Laxman said it was all about “structure”.”The BCCI has to be complimented for the number of matches and the number of tournaments,” he added. “Each age-group level gets to play, whether it’s Under-16, Under-19, Under-23. But unfortunately, over the last two years, because of Covid, they didn’t play any tournaments. And that’s why I think this tournament win is very special.”After the result, BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced an INR 40 lakh prize for every player in the winning squad and INR 25 lakh for every support-staff member. BCCI president and former India captain Sourav Ganguly also tweeted: “Absolutely breathtaking and tremendous skills under pressure.”

Alastair Cook and Nick Compton struck centuries as they committed themselves to righting the wrongs of England’s first-innings batting debacle

The Report by David Hopps08-Mar-2013
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAlastair Cook and Nick Compton outstripped England’s first-wicket record against New Zealand, the 223 previously set by Graeme Fowler and Chris Tavare at The Oval in 1983•Getty Images

Alastair Cook and Nick Compton struck centuries as they committed themselves to righting the wrongs of England’s first-innings batting debacle. But that told only half the story. For Cook, a 24th Test hundred, timed to perfection with the new ball still five overs away, was simply a restatement of his undoubted quality. For Compton, the final stages of a maiden Test hundred possessed all the mental anguish that a first time should.These were hundreds born of mortification as England, guilt-stricken by a first-innings deficit of 293 and with five-and-a-half sessions to save the game, closed the fourth day only 59 runs behind New Zealand and with still nine wickets remaining. But if Cook added further lustre to his Test record – one to rival Sachin Tendulkar at the same age – with what has become his customary languorous elegance, Compton scraped through the 90s in more than 12 tension-ridden overs.Compton, who fell for a duck in the first innings, had steeled himself to track Cook’s progress for much of the day and if his innings was the more unobtrusive, his defensive outlook possessed a seasoned feel which illustrated why England’s director of cricket, Andy Flower, kept faith in the solidity he could bring at the top of the order. He must have been born with his back to the wall.But when Cook logged another hundred, Compton found himself on 90, and it felt an age away. Cook urged him to maintain his tempo, impending new ball or not, and when that new ball came, with him still six runs away, he would have been immediately run out on 94, risking a single to mid-on off Trent Boult, had Bruce Martin managed to hit direct.Cook must have felt like a guiding light for his inexperienced partner, but that light was then cruelly extinguished two overs before the close with Compton on 99, the England captain’s five-and-a-half hour stay ending when Boult had him caught behind.It was appropriate reward for Boult, who was the likeliest of the New Zealand attack and who conceded less than two runs an over all day, but it piled the pressure on Compton. When he next looked to the non-striker’s end for encouragement, he found only the gangling figure of the nightwatchman, Steven Finn. Two balls later – with 11 deliveries left in the day – he worked Tim Southee through midwicket, shouting with delight and applauded from the boundary’s edge by his tearful father.

Smart stats

• Alastair Cook’s century is his 24th in Tests and takes him two ahead of Kevin Pietersen on the list of England batsmen with the most Test centuries.

• Compton’s century is his first in Tests and the 100th by an England batsman against New Zealand. Compton now averages 44.28 in ten innings.

• The 231-run stand between Cook and Compton is the 18th double-century opening stand for England and their first against New Zealand since Graeme Fowler and Chris Tavare added 223 at The Oval in 1983.

• It is the 13th time that both England openers have scored centuries in an innings. The last time this happened was against Australia in Brisbane in 2010.

• The strike rate of 125.42 is the highest for a fifty-plus score for Brendon McCullum. Overall, the strike rate is the sixth-highest for a New Zealand batsman against England (fifty-plus score).

• The 77-run stand between McCullum and Bruce Martin is the sixth-highest eighth-wicket stand for New Zealand against England and their second-highest against England in Dunedin.

• The lead of 293 is New Zealand’s third-largest against England (completed innings). The highest is the 298-run lead at Lord’s in 1973. Click here for a list of matches when New Zealand have batted first and here for a list of matches where New Zealand have batted second.

Cook and Compton settled to a laborious task without much ado, outstripping England’s first-wicket record against New Zealand, the 223 previously set by Graeme Fowler and Chris Tavare at The Oval in 1983.Their resistance on a cold and cheerless day gave the crowd another reason for forbearance. It was Saturday, but the mood was so workmanlike it felt like Monday morning. New Zealand’s bowlers ran in eagerly, their spirits high and their lengths fuller than their English counterparts, and the captaincy of Brendon McCullum was business-like, more proactive perhaps than his predecessor, Ross Taylor.But for all New Zealand’s vigour, a stodgy brown surface showed no signs of deterioration. Cook essayed an occasional attractive square cut or clip off his legs, so intent upon not driving down the ground that only one single in his hundred came in such a manner; Compton just bedded in, his mental approach as upright as his stance, his footwork decisive but rarely expansive.There was a hint of swing for the left-arm quick, Neil Wagner, the least accurate of New Zealand’s fast-bowling trio, and when Cook squirted Bruce Martin’s slow left-arm off his pads to reach his fifty, there might have been a semblance of turn, but any excitement was tempered by the low bounce that made it easier to counter.England’s openers took time to settle. Cook, on four, needed an inside edge to survive Southee’s resounding lbw appeal and New Zealand lost a review against Compton, on 16, when the same bowler appealed for a catch down the leg-side, replays suggesting that the ball had brushed his thigh pad. Wagner also found enough inswing to give Compton some uncomfortable moments. But after staving off 22 overs before lunch, they were in orderly mood throughout an attritional afternoon. That both have the temperament to bat long was not a matter for debate, but while Cook’s Test record has few equals at this stage of his career, Compton’s talent remained unchartered.It was all an abrupt change of tempo from New Zealand’s enterprising start to the day as they added a further 58 in less than nine overs before declaring with nine down. McCullum, 44 not out from 42 balls overnight, flogged England to distraction, thrashing another 30 from 17 balls.McCullum swung Stuart Broad over deep square-leg to reach his fifty, the ball sailing over two Union Jacks at the back of a temporary stand and a bus as it flew out of the ground. He then pulled and drove James Anderson for further sixes. To compound Anderson’s misery, McCullum escaped potential catches by Cook, at first slip, and Compton, at deep cover, by inches before he skied Broad high to mid-on where Anderson held an awkward catch.McCullum’s mood also rubbed off on the debutant left-arm spinner, Martin, who pulled about with gusto until he was caught at the wicket for 41 off Finn attempting another leg-side hit. It was an enterprising start to the day, but it was about to be replaced by something more serious and, ultimately, more significant, too.

Babar, Rizwan add 150 for first wicket, before Shaheen Shah Afridi stars with three wickets

Valkerie Baynes16-Jul-2021Liam Livingstone scored England’s fastest T20I century in vain as Pakistan won a thrilling contest by 31 runs to go 1-0 up in their three-match series at Trent Bridge.Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan guided Pakistan to their highest T20I total of 232 for 6 with a 150-run opening partnership, Pakistan’ssecond-highest for any wicket in this format.It meant England had to better their highest T20I score while chasing and Livingstone did his utmost to try and get them there, his 42-ball hundred beating Dawid Malan’s 48-ball century against New Zealand in 2019. But with his dismissal, they fell short, bowled out for 201. Livingstone struck nine sixes and six fours but, after Pakistan had reduced England to 48 for 3, their bowlers continued to take wickets at regular enough intervals to dent the hosts’ run-rate, which had been superior for significant periods. Shaheen Shah Afridi was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 30 off 3.2 overs and he was excellent in the field.Pakistan didn’t get off to a blazing start. On the contrary, by the end of the powerplay, they were 49 for 0 and it wasn’t until the 12th over that they struck their first six. They went on to score 12 in all, equalling Pakistan’s record against Bangladesh in 2007.Rizwan was still scoring at a run a ball by the end of the eighth over but the 12th over – when he and Azam each struck sixes off Matt Parkinson in the space of three balls – signalled an acceleration. Pakistan ended up scoring 152 runs of the last 10 overs, their middle order maintaining the momentum even after Azam fell for a 49-ball 85 and Rizwan for 63 from 41.

Azam on a roll

His 158 had set Pakistan up to avoid being swept 3-0 in the ODI series before James Vince and Lewis Gregory trumped his effort, and Azam continued his fine form. He struck three consecutive fours off David Willey in the third over of the match, steering him through the covers before advancing down the pitch to send the ball over long-on and then flicking through midwicket with imperious timing. On the last ball of the over, he survived an England appeal for lbw and their subsequent review when he was given not out, replays showing the ball was missing leg stump.Eoin Morgan brought Livingstone on in the ninth over, but it backfired when he conceded 11 runs, including back-to-back fours to Rizwan. The 12th over, bowled by Parkinson, went for 18, Azam cracking a shot over the midwicket boundary and Rizwan going flat and hard in the same direction. Azam went over the fence at long-on twice more, off Parkinson and Gregory, amid a total of eight fours. He finally fell swinging at a wide, full delivery from Willey which Jonny Bairstow took behind the stumps. Initially given not out, England’s review was successful when UltraEdge revealed a clear spike for bat on ball.Sohaib Maqsood contributed 19 runs off seven balls, Fakhar Zaman 26 off just eight – including three sixes off Saqib Mahmood in the 18th over – and Mohammad Hafeez 24 off 10 to keep Pakistan tracking in the right direction.

Catches, winning matches and all that

England were well ahead of the required run-rate at the end of the powerplay, having scored 20 more runs than Pakistan to that point, but wickets were the problem and some excellent fielding from the visiting side was responsible.Afridi’s gem of a return catch sent Malan packing for just 1, as he dived forward on his follow-through to grab the ball low to the ground. Imad Wasim’s take to dismiss Bairstow, also off Afridi, was straightforward in comparison, but then came Haris Rauf’s miraculous effort at cow corner to remove Moeen Ali. Having skied Mohammad Hasnain in that direction, Moeen could only watch as Rauf – and Maqsood – were lucky not to be injured as they both ran for the ball. Rauf ended up in Maqsood’s lap as he leapt with two hands and both fell to the ground, Rauf crucially holding the ball to leave England wobbling on 48 for 3.

Livingstone lights it up

Jason Roy looked the man most likely to go big for England, racing to 32 off just 13 balls as wickets fell around him. But when Roy was out edging Shadab Khan to Azam at deep point, Livingstone stepped in. Playing just his sixth international T20, Livingstone raced to a half-century off just 17 balls, England’s fastest fifty in T20Is.His striking was immaculate and power immense as he pummelled nine sixes in all. Having seen Hasnain tip his leading edge off Rauf over the rope at third man, he then sent Rauf into the stands over deep square leg. Livingstone punished a couple of Shadab long-hops before punching him down the ground twice more. His drive into the stands at cow corner off Rauf took him to 97 off 41 and within reach of the England record. Livingstone’s almighty drive over long-on off Shadab to bring up his hundred was to be his last. He skied the very next ball in the same direction but picked out Afridi on the boundary’s edge. Needing 44 off the last three overs, the task proved too much for the England tail.With Eoin Morgan having said that England would use this series to assess fringe players ahead of the T20 World Cup later this year, Livingstone showed there is nothing “fringe” about him.

Sri Lanka Cricket has apologised for the generator failures that halted play for 99 minutes in the first ODI in Hambantota, and said an investigation into the problem will be launched tomorrow

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Hambantota23-Mar-2013Sri Lanka Cricket has apologised for the generator failures that halted play for 99 minutes in the first ODI in Hambantota, and said an investigation into the problem will be launched tomorrow.One floodlight tower lost power after the 41st over of the Bangladesh innings, before both the towers on the western side of the ground went out during the innings break, causing the major 85-minute delay. Sri Lanka’s innings was curtailed to 41 overs as a result, and their target adjusted to 238 according to the Duckworth-Lewis method.”Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to apologize to the millions of viewers & the general public for the inconvenience caused due to this technical fault,” a release said. “Two of the four light towers at the ground had failed. It should be noted that these generators were tested the day before and were fully functional during the said testing period.”One generator provides electricity to two floodlight towers, and each of those primary generators has a back-up generator that kicks in if the first one fails. The first generator on the western side failed during the Bangladesh innings, causing the first delay, but although the backup generator took over after a short break, that too failed during the innings break.The generator that provides electricity for the southern grandstand was then brought in to provide power for the floodlights.SLC has contracted state owned power company Ceylon Electricity Board, to provide and maintain the generators required for cricket matches, but an SLC engineer is employed to oversee the electricity arrangements for each match. The investigation into the failures will be carried out by the power company.There have been several instances of floodlight failures affecting international matches, with the Twenty20 between South Africa and New Zealand in East London last year being the most recent example. This is the first time a floodlight failure has stopped play in Sri Lanka.Hambantota hosts the second ODI on Monday, and SLC said two new generators would be brought from Colombo on Sunday, to replace the faulty ones.

“I guess it’s a great way to give back to the fans that’ve supported us,” Tim Southee says

Deivarayan Muthu07-Jul-2021New Zealand’s World Test Championship-winning squad is set for a week-long, nationwide tour with the mace later this month. The tour will kick off in Whangarei on July 26 and will end in Invercargill (Stadium Southland) on August 1, with Auckland (Eden Park), Tauranga (Hamilton), New Plymouth/Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin (Forsyth Barr Stadium) being the other stops on the trip.Captain Kane Williamson, Kyle Jamieson, the Player of the Match in the historic WTC final, Devon Conway and Colin de Grandhomme, however, will not be part of the revelry at home, as they are all currently in the UK, playing county cricket or preparing for the Hundred. The rest of the players and the support staff will likely be part of the tour after spending time with their families following MIQ (Managed Isolation Quarantine) in Auckland.Spinners Will Somerville and Todd Astle, and opening batter Jeet Raval, will also take part in the tour. The trio was not part of the squad for the UK tour, with the WTC final thrown in, but will be recognised for their roles in helping New Zealand qualify for the final.”It’s quickly become apparent that Kiwis want an opportunity to be part of, and to share in this historic achievement,” NZC chief executive David White said in a statement. “We’ve been inundated with requests to do something so that New Zealanders can join in with the team and share the moment.”At first, we thought the time-out in managed isolation and the length of time since the win would dampen enthusiasm for a public celebration, but we have been persuaded to think again.”NZC/BlackCaps

Senior seamer Tim Southee has been lined up to launch the tour in his hometown of Whangarei. He was particularly excited about sharing New Zealand’s WTC success with the public.”I guess it’s a great way to give back to the fans that’ve supported us – not only the last couple of years through the Test Championship but for a long time,” Southee said. “For some of these smaller places that don’t get a lot of international cricket or see a lot of cricketers, it’s a great chance to go back to those smaller towns… I know growing up in a small town, anytime there’s something special like that, it’s always a great occasion. Hopefully, we can give back and hopefully give kids a bit of future hope of future cricketers.”Southee was also looking forward to celebrating the occasion with Somerville, Astle and Raval who were among 22 players that represented New Zealand in the inaugural World Championship cycle.”With the Test Championship spanning over a two-year period, we used a number of players. I think 20-odd players in total and although there was [only] 15 in the final, it was nice for those guys that contributed,” Southee said. “I look back to the likes of Somers that played a massive role in the series in Sri Lanka that got us underway in the Test Championship, so it’s great to have those guys that contributed along the way in a two-year cycle to get us through to the final. So, it’s nice for them to be able to bask in the rewards as well.”‘Huge of sense of pride among the whole community here’ – Somerville
As for Somerville, he will be part of the Auckland leg of the mace tour. The offspinner had played his part in New Zealand’s overseas Test victories in Abu Dhabi and Colombo.”It was just a huge sense of pride, having been involved in a small way,” Somerville said. “[I] suppose I played three of the games before the final. Huge sense of pride amongst the whole community here – walking up to school and dropping the kids off. Everyone was very excited, talking about it, and there was a lot of buzz around, going into day six and yeah there was not a lot of sleep had by the dads the next day and it was very exciting. It was a nice result to have after a few years of really good cricket by the Black Caps.William Somerville played a key role for New Zealand in their overseas victory at the P Sara Oval•Getty Images

“It [the mace] looks like quite a big thing to hold. But it’d be fun waving it like a wand I suppose and get some photos with it…To have won the first World Test Championship final is something that everyone in New Zealand is going to remember forever. To be part of that history is pretty wonderful really.”The 36-year old has not played for New Zealand since the Sydney Test last year, but could come back into the selection frame as the side prepares for two Tests in India later this year, which will be part of the second WTC cycle.”I’ve always felt a part of this squad and the wider squad, in contact with Steady [coach Gary Stead] and Gav [selector Gavin Larsen] about where I sit,” Somerville said. “Unfortunately last year we were supposed to go to Bangladesh in August, but by the time June came out, we sort of knew that wasn’t going to happen. That was a two-Test series that I’d have liked to be a part of; it hasn’ t happened.”Moving forward, there’s a tour of India in November – whether that’s in India or not who knows at this point? I’m sure they’ll be keen for it to be there based on the wickets that we present for them. So, hopefully they will want to get us back with some spin-friendly wickets and it’ll be nice if we can meet that challenge head-on. If that occurs, I’d love to be a part of that. Certainly have my eyes set on the Indian tour and hoping that I can have that opportunity into the year.”

Darren Beazley has been named as chief executive of the USA Cricket Association

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Dec-2012Darren Beazley, former general manager of business development with the Western Australia Cricket Association, has been confirmed as the new chief executive of the USA Cricket Association. He will take up the post in February and will be based in Florida.Tim Anderson, the ICC’s global development manager, and a member of the sub-committee tasked with finding a suitable candidate, expressed hopes that Beazley would be able to bring a greater sense of professionalism to cricket in the United States and satisfy ICC ambitions for growth in the region.Anderson said: “It is critical that cricket continues its growth path globally and helping ICC Associate and Affiliate Members put in place more professional management structures is an important corner stone in that progression.”Having been appointed through a highly competitive recruitment process, Darren will now
have a key role – together with the USACA Board – in developing such a structure for cricket in the USA.”USACA has not had someone working in the position full-time since Don Lockerbie was dismissed in November 2010, although Nabeel Ahmed, a former vice president, has acted as interim CEO since April.Beazley’s experience in sports administration includes periods as chief operating officer of the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships and as general manager of strategic partnerships with the Australian Rules side Fremantle Dockers.Gladstone Dainty, president of USACA, said: “This appointment marks a key moment for the growth and development of cricket in the United States as USACA looks to take better advantage of the sport’s widening global appeal for men, women and youth.”The appointment of a competent and motivated chief executive to lead our operations was
a vital component of an action plan agreed by the USACA Board during 2012, and after
completing a rigorous recruitment process, I’m delighted that someone with Darren’s skills
and experience has agreed to join us.”The Board can now focus on developing policy and relationships with partners who share
our vision for the success of cricket in the USA.”Beazley said: “Cricket has always been a major part of my life and I am therefore thrilled to have the opportunity to assist its growth and improvement in one of the most important emerging markets in the world today.”I look forward to leading USACA’s national efforts, as well as working closely with the
member leagues, clubs and partners to ensure cricket’s vast potential in the US is realized.”There is a rich, diverse and long history of cricket in the US. One of my first key projects
will be to talk to a wide selection of league presidents, stakeholders and partners about that
history and the future. My hope is that this will help encourage the levels of collaboration
and compliance critical for the development of the game at all levels and in all forms in the
US.”