All posts by csb10.top

Ehsaan Mani has taken exception to Mohammad Azharuddin’s presence in Sri Lanka as a commentator. Azharuddin has been employed as a cricket expert by Aaj Tak, an Indian news channel, even though he was banned for life by the Indian cricket board. Mani wondered why, even then, Azharuddin was involved with the game.”I am extremely disappointed to see Mohammed Azharuddin doing commentary in the ongoing Asia Cup in Sri Lanka,” said Mani, according to Press Trust of India. “There is zero-tolerance for corruption in cricket and there should be no position in the game for a player who has been banned by his own cricket board. If he is deemed guilty and we have the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s word that he has been banned for life, he should not be involved in the game in any way,” Mani said, also admitting that the ICC had no say in the approval of commentators. “High profile cricketers are role models and there are better role models.”The television channel that employed Azhar has been supportive of him. Earlier, G Krishnan, the executive director of the TV Today network, confirmed that Azharuddin was doing work for Aaj Tak, and said, “His involvement in match-fixing is alleged. What has the fact that someone is alleged to have done something got to do with his commenting on a cricket match? He is not playing. Just being accused of something does not mean much. People are ministers in this country while they are accused of greater crimes. The point is they are not convicted. You have to be reasonable to everybody. Till you find someone guilty he is innocent.”

Steve Tikolo, the Kenyan captain, has said that the loss of Maurice Odumbe was a severe jolt to cricket in the country. He was reacting to the five-year ban imposed on Odumbe by the Kenyan Cricket Association, after he was found guilty of accepting money from bookmakers.Tikolo, who is currently leading the team in a tri-series against India A and Pakistan A, said that the news of Odumbe’s suspension had cast a pall of gloom over the whole team. Reuters quoted him as saying: “The players are down after getting news of the suspension. Odumbe has been an integral part of this team and his absence will affect our performance in the future.”While describing the ban as “unfair”, Tikolo said that he viewed Odumbe as one who had always given his best for his country. “I have known Odumbe for a long time and he always gives 100% in his appearances.”Sharad Ghai, the chairman of the Kenyan Cricket Association, said that there was no immediate plan to call up a replacement for Odumbe in Kenya’s squad for the Champions Trophy. “Odumbe’s lawyer has indicated that he will appeal and we are waiting for the outcome before making any decision regarding his place in the team. We are not in a hurry to replace him.”

After West Indies failed to qualify in the VB Series finals, Brian Lara, their captain, felt that Pakistan have the firepower to beat Australia in the best-of-three finals beginning on Friday at Melbourne.Pakistan overcame West Indies by 30 runs in the crucial league game at Perth to seal a spot in the finals with Yousuf Youhana, who made his first century of the series, and Inzamam-ul-Haq making vital contributions.Heading back home, Lara told , “The experience of Inzamam and Youhana and the attacking nature of Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq is veryformidable. I think they can chase very well. Hopefully if they get the opportunity and put Australia under some pressure they can win this final. I don’t think it’s going to be one-sided.”However, Lara warned, “Australia, of course, are favourites, and whenever they go onto the field they have eleven matchwinners and they can put the game beyond you at the halfway stage, but hopefully Pakistan can make a good series of it in the final.”Lara went on to praise Pakistan’s splendid performance against Australia in their penultimate match of the series, when they hunted down a daunting target of 266. “I thought they played really well on Sunday against Australia,” Lara said. “Australia seemed to have a bit of a problem getting their batting together, and lost many wickets.”West Indies were also on course to overcome a stiff target of 308 when they were 3 for 194 in the 33rd over. But the loss of three quick wickets for nine runs ended their hopes and they eventually folded for 277 and were forced out of the tournament.

It is time now to take serious note of India. It was all too easy in Nagpur and Mohali but Jaipur was the first real challenge they faced in the series. They did not panic or change their approach in the third one-dayer. They came out swinging and showed the surge of belief which is running through their veins.It is too early but a seriously good team is in the making now. The batting is flexible and is being groomed to adapt to different situations and different slots. The opposition can struggle to plan in advance. Bowling and fielding are both on the mend. India’s rise has taken the world by surprise.I feel it has happened because they have built competitions for spots. When a senior pro like Sourav Ganguly cannot find a place, and he would soon I am sure, it brings the hunger back in the team. There is no other magic in this transformation. This is exactly what we ignored in Sri Lanka in recent years.In the mid-nineties, we followed the same route and men like Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene and Chaminda Vaas in due course first became the integral part and then lynchpin of the team. The likes of Tillakaratne Dilshan and Russel Arnold were brought in by the old gang. But the past few years have been an antithesis to this theory.

Peter Chingoka and Ozias Bvute have been released without charge some 36 hours after they were arrested by police in Harare. The Attorney General’s office ruled that the pair had no case to answer. They were arrested on Monday night and charged with offences under Zimbabwe’s tough Exchange Control Act.But Chingoka and Bvute will not attend today’s stakeholders meeting called by Ahmed Ebrahim where it is expected that there will be an attempt to remove them from office. “How can I attend meetings I haven’t been invited to,” Chingoka told Reuters. “I do have a bit of etiquette.” Ebrahim claimed he has made several unsuccessful attempts to contact the pair.Their release does not change the reality that both remain deeply unpopular among many factions inside Zimbabwe cricket, and if they remain the crisis is likely to drag on.

Murray Birnie, the Lancashire vice-chairman, has died of a heart attack in Johannesburg. He had been a Lancashire committee member for 24 years, and was in South Africa to watch the fourth Test at the Wanderers.Birnie, 67, a chartered mechanical engineer from Haslingden, joined the Lancashire committee in 1981 after playing local league cricket for 27 years. He was involved in all the major building developments at Old Trafford in recent years, and also organised highly successful testimonials for Lancashire stalwarts David Hughes, David Lloyd and Lancashire’s current chairman Jack Simmons.

South Australia have contracted four rookies for the 2005-06 domestic season.In addition to their prize recruit, Matthew Elliott, who has transferred from Victoria, the Redbacks have signed Tom Plant, Ken Skewes, Gary Putland and Shannon Hurn on rookie deals for next season. Four players who were contracted last season – Chris Duval, Jack Smith, Shannon Tubb and Luke Williams – weren’t offered new deals.SA have signed 25 players, including the Cricket Australia-contracted trio of Jason Gillespie, Shaun Tait and Daniel Cullen.Contracted players
Darren Lehmann (capt), Graham Manou (v-c), Jason Gillespie, Shaun Tait, Daniel Cullen, Greg Blewett, Matthew Elliott, Nathan Adcock, Cullen Bailey, Cameron Borgas, Ben Cameron, Mark Cleary, Mark Cosgrove, Shane Dietz, Callum Ferguson, Daniel Harris, Ryan Harris, Mark Higgs, Paul Rofe, Matthew Weeks, Trent Kelly, Tom Plant (rookie), Gary Putland (rookie), Shannon Hurn (rookie), Ken Skewes (rookie).

Division One

Yorkshire capitulated in the face of tight, controlled Lancashire seam bowling but ended the third day just 16 runs adrift of the follow-on target with that man, Jason Gillespie, providing another dogged tailend performance. Not for the first time this season, the Lancashire captain Mark Chilton turned to Tom Smith for a breakthrough who duly provided, bowling Matthew Wood for 13. And when Luke Sutton caught Matthew Lumb off Smith’s bowling, Yorkshire had stumbled to 99 for 3. Darren Lehmann and Anthony McGrath rallied with a fourth-wicket stand of 57, but Lehmann was outdone by Gary Keedy’s flight, allowing Sutton to whip off the bails. With the dangerman gone, Yorkshire collapses from 156 for 4 to 198 for 9 until Gillespie (39*) and Deon Kruis (21*), the No. 11, edged Yorkshire up to the follow-on target. If this last pair can knock off the final ten runs needed to avoid the follow-on, the game is as good as safe with just one day to go.Durham made slow but steady progress on the second rain-affected day against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, but nevertheless made the most of their time in the middle to reach 332 for 6. Jonathan Lewis and Gordon Muchall extended their promising partnership last night, nothing up a vital hundred stand before Lewis was trapped lbw by Paul Franks. Gary Pratt batted cautiously for his 26 before Dale Benkenstein played the anchor innings, adding useful stands of 64 with Pratt and 47 with Gareth Breese. After a brief rain delay, Benkenstein was trapped in front by Mark Ealham for a patient 73 shortly before the close.

Division Two

Michael di Venuto could only add a further three runs to his overnight 90, but two excellent hundreds from Steve Stubbings and Travis Birt has put Derbyshire into the comfortable position of 399 for 6 on the second day against Leicestershire at Derby. Di Venuto fell to David Masters for a fine 93, and the same bowler accounted for Chris Taylor (23) soon after. However, Stubbings continued where he left off last night to bring up his hundred and, together with Birt put on 148 for the third wicket to hand Derbyshire the advantage.Yet another hundred from Mark Ramprakash, together with useful and aggressive lower-order contributions has put Surrey in complete control of their match against Worcestershire on day two at The Oval. Ramprakash was in belligerent mood, cutting powerfully and lofting a huge six. He and Butcher (74) shared in a third-wicket stand of 156 before Ramprakash was bowled by Kabir Ali for a magnificent 118. Rikki Clarke then took up the attack in a brisk, and all too brief, 38, containing two sixes and four fours before James Benning smashed a 54-ball 52 as Surrey declared on 501 for 7. In reply, Worcestershire raced to 54 without loss, trailing by 446 runs.

West Indies have been serious underachievers at their home World Cup and need to improve their infrastructure and facilities to avoid falling even further, according to Ricky Ponting. The hosts’ chances of reaching the semi-finals are almost non-existent and Ponting said they appeared to have succumbed to the pressure of being labelled one of the tournament’s favourites.”A couple of weeks ago, there were some people saying they were one of the favourites coming into this event,” Ponting told . “They haven’t played as well as they can. Their national team is pretty strong. They have underachieved a lot in this tournament.”Ponting’s team was unimpressed by West Indies’ behaviour after they beat Australia early in the Champions Trophy in October. West Indies went on to reach the final but were convincingly beaten by Australia, which Ponting said was typical of their hit-and-miss temperament.”They are a funny side,” he said. “Once they start getting on top, then their body language is out of control. You’ve only got to see a couple of games in the Champions Trophy, especially the first game that we lost.”It was like they’d won the World Cup, and it was the first game of the Champions Trophy. I think they probably felt a bit of the pressure of being at home in this World Cup and being spoken about a fair bit as real contenders in this event.”Ponting expected the hosts to hit their straps at some point in the Super Eights, with only matches against Bangladesh and England remaining. “You’ll see at some stage, there’s a couple of games to go,” he said. “If they can get off to a good start and they take early wickets then all that sort of body language will come back.”Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels and Dwayne Bravo and those sort of guys tend to enjoy themselves pretty much out on the field when things are going their way, but when things aren’t going their way then they can drag their backsides around.”The team would have more chance of on-field success if their administrators poured money into training facilities and attracting talented young players, Ponting said. “If they don’t maximise the money that is generated with this World Cup and get their infrastructure and facilities right, then they really could go by the wayside,” he said.

Michael Vaughan has dismissed suggestions Australia have gained a psychological advantage having staved off defeat at Old Trafford. Only a tenth-wicket stand lasting four overs between Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath kept the series at 1-1 at Manchester on Monday.”We’ve been talking about psychological advantages and disadvantages throughout the whole summer,” Vaughan said. “We will arrive at Trent Bridge next week fully focused and hoping to go 2-1 up. What we do know is we can take a lot out of this last game because we dominated four days of Test cricket against the number one team in the world.”However, Shane Warne told the England missed a big chance at Old Trafford and would have been disappointed not to be beat Australia in the final over. “They’ll be thinking, ‘should we have declared earlier?’,” he said. “Ashley Giles won’t be happy with his performance getting 0 for 90-odd on a spinner’s paradise on the last day of a Test to win a game. There’s a few individuals that aren’t performing.”Vaughan said the team had bounced back and shown a lot of character since Lord’s. “It can be hard to produce two performances on the trot of such high-intensity and high-pressure cricket but we have,” he said. “I really do hope the two final games are as good as the last two because the series deserves that.”Since inheriting the Test captaincy from Steve Waugh 18 months ago, Ricky Ponting has not faced anything like the extended challenge of the past fortnight. “There are only two Tests to go so we better start getting things happening pretty quickly,” he said. “I don’t think there will be any personnel changes as far as the batting goes because all the guys are in good form and we have just made errors in judgment at times.”