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A five-member ICC sub-committee will look into relaxing certain conditions of the five-year ban imposed on Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir after the spot-fixing scandal of 2010

Umar Farooq01-Jul-2013A five-member ICC sub-committee, which was set up after the 2013 annual conference to review the anti-corruption code, will also look into relaxing certain conditions of the five-year ban imposed on Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir after the spot-fixing scandal of 2010. While the most stringent stipulations of the ban will still remain, the PCB has requested the ICC to consider a few concessions, especially with regard to Amir using the board’s facilities for training.A PCB spokesman told ESPNcricinfo: “The ICC, during the annual conference week, constituted a five-member committee that will review and recommend amendments to the ICC Anti-Corruption Code, and on recommendation from the PCB, will also provide its suggestions to the ICC board on the ban related to Mohammad Amir.” The ICC was unwilling to the reveal who would comprise the sub-committee.Regardless of the recommendation from the committee, Amir will not be able to play any kind of club, domestic, or international cricket and will not train with the national team. The only significant allowance that could be made is that he regain access to the training facilities offered by the PCB.ESPNcricinfo understands that the PCB made the request to the ICC only because Amir had complied with conditions of the ban: not committing any further breach of the anti-corruption code and undergoing the ICC’s educational and rehabilitation programme. Amir will be available for national selection from September 3, 2015, and the PCB sought the relaxation of some terms so that he could be ready to play as soon as his ban ends, rather than spend more months in training.Amir had not been aware of the PCB’s request but seemed content with anything that would help him return to cricket. He hasn’t been doing full-fledged training but has kept himself in good shape. By the time he completes his ban he will be 23. “I will come hard despite the five-year in-activeness,” Amir had told ESPNcricinfo last year. “I want to come back with my head held high, with a new spirit and as a role model.”Salman Butt, the Pakistan captain who was banned for ten years by the ICC on charges of spot-fixing during the Lord’s Test in 2010, had made a similar request in a personal capacity two days before the ICC’s annual conference. His case, however, was not accepted as it was believed that Butt had not fully complied with the ICC’s conditions.Butt had recently taken the first step in his rehabilitation by publicly admitting to and apologising for his part in the spot-fixing scandal. He also indicated his willingness to participate in the PCB and ICC’s rehabilitation programmes. Five out of Butt’s ten-year ban from any cricketing activities were to be a suspended sentence on condition that he would commit no further breach of the anti-corruption code and participate in a PCB-controlled anti-corruption education programme.Of the three players banned by the ICC before the criminal trial began in London – fast bowler Mohammad Asif being the third – only Amir had pleaded guilty to the charges at the Southwark Crown Court. Both Butt and Asif had pleaded not guilty and appealed their bans at the Court of Arbitration in Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Mohammad Hafeez animatedly defended everyone in the Pakistan setup, specifically the coach Dav Whatmore, with even more gusto than he celebrated their 95-run victory

Firdose Moonda in Centurion03-Mar-2013Unless it is the World Twenty20 final, winning a match in the shortest format is seldom the cause for massive celebration. Today, it was.For Mohammed Hafeez, Pakistan’s thumping of South Africa was as much an individual triumph as it was a team one. It showed that he has not lost his touch even after the Test series brought that up for debate. It showed that the team is not incapable of competing with and beating an opposition that continues to be talked up as better than them. And it showed those who have called for heads to roll, their words came too early.Hafeez animatedly defended everyone in the Pakistan setup, specifically the coach Dav Whatmore, with even more gusto than he celebrated their victory. He thought it proved the criticism they have copped from home was unreasonable and this would put an end to some of that.”It was unfair. If the results of one format do not come in your favour, it does not mean the boys are not working hard or the coach is not good enough. Those are all premature statements from people sitting I don’t know where,” he said.”And it does not mean that if we win the coach is working harder. He was working the same way with us throughout. We are all behind him and we’ve all been working hard.”Although it was not specifically mentioned, Hafeez’s comments were an obvious rebuttal to former captain Moin Khan’s call for Whatmore to be sacked. Moin called Whatmore “overrated” and said he was “fighting for survival.” Hafeez scoffed at all of that.Instead, he said his team had simply shown what he always knew they were capable of. He also asked for people to remain patient with them because of the difficulties of their circumstances, which includes not playing at home “for the last four years but still doing good things for Pakistan cricket.”A trophy from South Africa is one of those achievements. Even though it came from a format that is brushed aside as a small boys’ game and a contest in which one match was washed out, it means something. “We really wanted to do something good in this format because of the ODIs coming up. We knew the importance of this game,” Hafeez said. “Tests require a different discipline but here everyone just played without fear.”Hafeez led by example in that regard. His 86 was a fluent innings, punctuated with classy strokes and calculated risk-taking. After a lean Test series, it will go a long way to boost his confidence. “I knew that I was playing very well in the nets, it’s just that I was getting good balls in the Test series and that was disappointing,” he said. “But I stayed positive, the coaches kept me positive and worked hard with me.”The move to No. 3 also seems to have worked and Hafeez will likely stay there. With the youngsters Nasir Jamshed and Ahmed Shehzad upfront, he was required to drop down to provide experience and although it is not his first choice, he can see the benefit in doing it. “I always prefer to come as an opener but this is the requirement of the team. We are looking to the future and Ahmed Shehzad has been doing well domestically and we wanted to give him a chance. I will do whatever I have to for the team.”For the first time on this tour, the team Hafeez so passionately talks about have a reason to smile. It is largely because of him and Umar Gul, who Hafeez said was “outstanding,” and is “always good in this format.”They also have a reason to be hopeful ahead of their five-match ODI series in South Africa and Hafeez hopes they continue in this vein. “We’ve got a great feeling in the dressing room now. It’s a feeling that has been missing for 42 days and it’s great to have it now.”

MS Dhoni was barred by the BCCI-appointed media manager from answering any question related to the alleged corruption issues during the Champions Trophy pre-departure press conference

Amol Karhadkar in Mumbai28-May-2013On the eve of the Indian team’s departure to England for the Champions Trophy – their first assignment after a controversial IPL – MS Dhoni was barred by the BCCI-appointed media manager, RN Baba, from answering any question related to the alleged corruption issues in the league.Each time a question about the controversy was put forth during the 14-minute interaction, Baba intervened. It appeared as though Baba, who is from the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, was under strict instructions to not let the captain respond to any query that was remotely concerned with the controversy.Before the start of the press conference, Baba had announced that the interaction was “strictly pertaining to Champions Trophy and no other questions will be answered”. But considering the number of arrests that have been made in the last couple of weeks, including those of four first-class cricketers, the questions had to be asked.Four times Dhoni was asked to share his views on the alleged corruption issue. ‘What do you have to say about spot-fixing? Has there been an impact on players going into the Champions Trophy?’ ‘As the leader of the Indian cricket fraternity, why isn’t that we’ve not heard from you so far?’ ‘Can you guarantee Indian cricket fans that during the Champions Trophy, there will be no mischief on the field?’ ‘Do you know Vindoo Dara Singh personally?’Baba waited for each question to be completed before fending it off by saying, “next question, please.” Almost on every occasion, Dhoni’s face turned blank. Only once did he react with his trademark grin.This was in stark contrast to a usual Dhoni press conference that often ends up as a light-hearted interaction. But considering that Indian cricket is going through one of its most tumultuous phases that’s resulted in arrests of players, bookies, film actors and the BCCI president’s son-in-law, everyone who had congregated at a five-star hotel next to Mumbai’s international airport knew this was not going to be the usual freewheeling chat.Dhoni had evaded questions during the last week of the IPL at least three times, even skipping what used be a mandatory pre-match press conference for captains on the eve of the final. However, with the Indian team set to depart for England for participating in the last edition of the Champions Trophy, he had to face the media on Tuesday evening.Finally, a seasoned journalist diplomatically asked Dhoni whether the team would enter the Champions Trophy with an extra sense of responsibility – the last question of the interaction.”As cricketers, we always have that extra sense of responsibility with us,” Dhoni said. “It is our job to bring people into the arena and to encourage the youngsters who aspire to take up (cricket) as a livelihood and as professional cricketers. There is a responsibility on us and hopefully we can fulfill it to our potential.”

Not many of the 26,000 at the SCG knew Lahiru Thirimanne upon his arrival at the crease, yet they rose to give him a warm ovation when he departed short of the three-figure score

Andrew Fernando at the SCG03-Jan-2013From all the innings, shots, wickets and catches Mahela Jayawardene oversawas captain of Sri Lanka in 2012, his favourite moment was an instance ofexceptional gall from Lahiru Thirimanne. Sri Lanka were five runs short of victory in Pallekele in their first Super Eights match of the World Twenty20, but they only had two balls remaining, with Tim Southee at thebowling crease, delivering one of the spells of the tournament. Thirimanne,fresh from the dugout, had not managed a convincing stroke from either ofthe balls he had faced, yet on the penultimate delivery of Sri Lanka’sinnings, he knelt and played a scoop he had never tried before ininternational cricket, sending Southee’s yorker over short fine leg forfour, and the stadium into raptures.”For Lahiru to have the courage to do that and back himself was fantastic,”Jayawardene said months later, while reflecting on the year’s events. “Ithink among the young group, he has that mindset to handle those reallytough situations.” Courage, self-belief, fortitude. They are the samevirtues that fashioned Thirimanne’s 91 in Sydney, and provided the backboneof Sri Lanka’s first innings after the team had shown little of the abovewith the bat in their last Test.Not many of the 26,000 at the SCG knew Thirimanne upon his arrival at thecrease, and until five days before the match, he had no idea he would beplaying a New Year Test either. Yet, when he departed short of thethree-figure score he deserved, the stadium rose to give him a warmovation. They only need to think back to last year’s Test to recall knocksthat dwarf Thirimanne’s 91 in heft, skill and allure, but there was much toenjoy about the steel in his defense and the defiance in his strokes, andthey did not withhold their appreciation. Perhaps the crowd had also heardon their earpiece radios by then, that Thirimanne had stepped off a planeonly 36 hours before his innings began.If Thirimanne was not nervous when he arrived at the crease, the lbw shoutand referral off his first ball certainly would have put him on edge. “Ithought that was out,” he said at the end of the day, but he did not allowthat rattling introduction detract from focus or technique. He leftpositively and even early in his innings, his scoring strokes were assured.As he grew more accustomed to the pace of the pitch, he drove the quicks onthe front foot with the same comfort with which he dispatched Nathan Lyonthrough the offside, leaning back. Australia cannot have had long toanalyse footage of Thirimanne to deduct a plan of attack, but if there areglaring vulnerabilities in his game, he did well to hide them. Few SriLankan batsmen graduate from the domestic system without a major weaknessthat must be ironed out at the top level.Thirimanne had replaced Kumar Sangakkara, and the bent-knee cover drive he wielded with increasing command throughout the day bore strong parallels to Sangakkara’s signature stroke, only it was less clean. Like Thirimanne, Sangakkara had a limited range of strokes once, but a strong mind andtireless work ethic transformed him into one of the greats of the moderngame. It is encouraging that Thirimanne already seems to possess an irontemperament, but he would do well to emulate the hunger and commitmentSangakkara has ridden to acclaim, if he is to make good on the potentialhis innings made plain.Before receiving the call from Sri Lanka’s selectors, Thirimanne’s lastmatch was at the Nondescripts Cricket Club in Colombo, where even the likesof Mitchell Johnson might find getting the ball above chest height afruitless pursuit. The SCG may be the least daunting Australian venue forSri Lanka, but the bounce and carry in the pitch on day one is a worldremoved from the featherbed on which he scratched out a limited overshalf-century a week ago, and he has had just one training session toadjust to batting in conditions that have not flattered his teammates inthe first two Tests. Uncluttered by the baggage of the Melbourne massacreperhaps, Thirimanne relied on resilience to compensate for unfamiliarity.”It was a bit difficult to adjust, but it’s all about mindset,” he said.”You have to adapt to any conditions quickly if you want to playinternational cricket. Whether we are playing ODIs or Test we have to getour mindset right. I adapted really well today. I am disappointed to havemissed a hundred, but I’m happy with my performance.”Just as Rangana Herath has shown Sri Lanka there is life after MuttiahMuralitharan, there are signs from the likes of Thirimanne and DineshChandimal that Sri Lanka can be hopeful about their batting beyond thecareers of the four ageing men who have begun winding down their careers.On day one in Sydney, a 23-year-old propelled Sri Lanka towardsrespectability with spunk and composure. The visitors may still be placedpoorly in the match, with a second-string pace attack now tasked withreining Australia in, but fans at home will take even more pleasure inThirimanne’s innings than the SCG crowd that witnessed it, becausesuddenly, the future does not look so bleak.

Stuart Broad, England’s captain, described their final performance as “perfect” as they secured the T20 series 2-1

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Feb-2013England carried out a round tour from the sublime to the ridiculous and back again during the T20 series against New Zealand, which they secured 2-1 with a crushing ten-wicket victory in Wellington. Talk before the match had been of New Zealand comebacks but England produced the the ideal response to defeat in Hamilton, with the captain, Stuart Broad, describing their performance as “perfect” – though he needed to take a deep breath before deciding to insert New Zealand again.The pace bowlers’ use of a short length paid off and England took regular wickets, before Alex Hales and Michael Lumb peppered the boundaries to complete the highest successful chase without losing a wicket in T20 internationals. While in the second match, England’s batsmen struggled against a moving ball under lights, the only swing on offer in Wellington came in the form of another dramatic shift in fortunes between the teams.”All round, it was probably the most powerful [T20] performance I’ve seen from an England side really,” Broad said. “The result, and the way we adapted to the conditions with the ball, was brilliant. The fielding was strong as well, catches being held. It was a pretty perfect performance really.””We know early wickets kill you in Twenty20, so it was great to see the guys take their time and get used to the wicket a little bit for two or three overs … then once Alex Hales got going, it looked hard to stop him. Some of the sixes were huge. Lumby’s almost went out of the ground to finish the game.”Broad accepted responsibility for bowling first in Hamilton but his team justified the decision this time, continuing a run that has seen the chasing side win all five T20 internationals played at the Westpac Stadium. Having taken 4 for 24 in the first match in Auckland – then going for 53 in the second – Broad collected his second-best T20 figures of 3 for 15 to finish the series on a positive personal note ahead of England’s ODI and Test commitments.”After winning the toss and deciding to bowl – it took a little time to make that decision – it was important we put our wrongs right,” Broad said. “We hung into a heavy length, and the way we started with the ball, the tone we set, was fantastic. We probably kept them to 20 or 30 under par. But the power the two openers have shown there was pretty spectacular.”For Brendon McCullum, New Zealand’s captain, it was a return to lauding the opposition after his side was comprehensively outplayed. The batsmen could only manage three sixes in limping to 139 for 8 and then New Zealand’s sloppy series in the field continued as Hales was dropped twice early the England chase.”We were blown off the park tonight. [Our] batting, bowling and fielding was nowhere near the standards they need to be – and England were ruthless, and thoroughly deserved the series victory,” McCullum said. “There was some excellent hitting. We served them up … and I thought we bowled too straight; we weren’t able to get any swing whatsoever.”We were aware, once we were batting, we’d need to get somewhere near 170 – because it would skid on later – to be competitive. But in the end we probably needed 200, the way they played. We were just poor across the board, and they were excellent across the board; hence the gulf between the two teams.”

Even in the face of a tall target and a top-order failure, Kings XI Punjab and David Hussey never lost faith

The Report by Siddarth Ravindran13-May-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Gurkeerat Singh powered 29 off 12 to seal the victory•AFPFor the second match in a day, the hero was a cricketer who was a complete unknown, playing his second game of the tournament. In the afternoon, Rajasthan Royals’ offspinner Ajit Chandila took the first hat-trick of the season and the wind out of Pune Warriors’ chase and in the second game, it was 21-year-old Gurkeerat Singh who handed Deccan Chargers their fifth last-over defeat of the season with an ice-cool display of hitting.Chargers seemed to have the game in control for much of the time. First, their two most consistent batsmen, Shikhar Dhawan and Cameron White, added to their rapidly growing collection of half-centuries this season to lift Chargers to their second highest total of 2012. And soon after Azhar Mahmood was dismissed in the 13th over of the chase, the asking-rate was rocketing past 13, with David Hussey as the only recognised batsman remaining. Still, as they have so often this season, Chargers managed to make a hash of it, and end up on the losing side.The first signs of trouble for Chargers came in the 15th over from Amit Mishra, when Hussey hammered a couple of leg-side sixes as Kings XI looted 21 off it. Madhya Pradesh seamer TP Sudhindra then seemed to have pulled things back with a yorker-filled over that went only for five in the first five deliveries, but he missed his length off the final ball and Hussey promptly dispatched it for a straight six.Fifty needed off four overs and time for Chargers to turn to their most potent weapon, Dale Steyn. He delivered with two wickets in his comeback over, though Piyush Chawla got a couple of audacious boundaries off it. When Hussey muscled a slower one from Daniel Christian for six early in the 18th over, everyone thought the outcome of the game would depend on Hussey. Instead, there were no more boundaries from Hussey and most of the runs came from Gurkeerat.First, Christian was drilled down the ground for four and then a fearless attempt to paddle a ball from outside off resulted in a streaky four off the thigh pad. Steyn has combusted on a couple of occasions at the death this season, and has been unhittable on others. This time he was back at his best-bowler-in-the-world mode, conceding just four singles off the first five balls, though the pressure on him was evident from the expletive-infused outburst at a fielder for shying at the stumps. The last ball of the over was a low full toss that Gurkeerat somehow squeezed behind point for a boundary, making it 16 required off the final over.With Christian and Steyn having bowled out, Kumar Sangakkara had to choose between legspinner Mishra and quick bowler Manpreet Gony, and he picked Gony. Chargers’ fielding seemed to have cost them on the first ball when a fumble allowed Hussey to return for two and retain the strike, but Hussey could only take a single off the next.Gurkeerat was unfazed by the task at hand, clubbing the next ball over midwicket for six before placing the fourth delivery to the sweeper cover boundary. Two more were taken off the penultimate delivery, levelling the scores. Sangakkara brought in all his fielders, but Gony opted to go with the bouncer, which was probably the wrong option as Hussey could have scampered a bye even if Gurkeerat missed. Gurkeerat didn’t though, getting an edge as he pulled it to the fine leg boundary to deliver victory that tightens the table – the top seven teams are only four points apart.The late heroics were needed as Christian had taken two early wickets, including the crucial one of Shaun Marsh, to stall the chase. Mahmood then helped Kings XI gain ground with a quick 31, then the baton was taken by Hussey who speeded up the innings further before Gurkeerat provided the final burst.Earlier – considering the three tough games remaining for them – Kings XI seemed to have blown their chances with an amateurish effort in the field. Two simple catches offered by White were put down and there were numerous fumbles as Chargers built up a big score.Parthiv Patel featured in a brisk opening stand and Christian showed off his hitting skills at the death, but the innings revolved around a 96-run stand between Dhawan and White. The pair set a scorching pace, scoring at nearly 10 an over, and despite another underwhelming performance from Sangakkara, Chargers put up what looked like a winning score. Once again, though, repeating a familiar story from their season, they managed to go down despite controlling a big chunk of the match.

South Africa will play a Gabba Test for the first time in 49 years and Sri Lanka will return to the MCG for their first Boxing Day Test since Muttiah Muralitharan was no-balled for throwing in 1995, as part of Australia’s international schedule for 2012-1

Brydon Coverdale19-Jul-2012South Africa will play a Gabba Test for the first time in 49 years and Sri Lanka will return to the MCG for their first Boxing Day Test since Muttiah Muralitharan was no-balled for throwing in 1995, as part of Australia’s international schedule for 2012-13. The summer will also feature a Twenty20 against Sri Lanka at Sydney’s Olympic Park on January 26, the first time in a decade Adelaide Oval has missed out on hosting the national team on Australia Day.Australia will also play an international in Canberra for the first time, a one-dayer against West Indies, who will visit for a five-match ODI series in February. The one-day tri-series, which was reinstated last summer when India and Sri Lanka competed, has not surprisingly been ditched again, and both Sri Lanka and West Indies will play separate limited-overs series against Australia.The international season will begin at the Gabba on November 9 with the first Test against South Africa, who will then move on to play Tests in Adelaide from November 22 to 26 and Perth from November 30 to December 4. South Africa’s desire to play cricket at home around the Christmas-New Year period meant the only option was to play them earlier in the season.The Gabba match will be South Africa’s first Test in Brisbane since 1963, when Ian Meckiff was no-balled for throwing and Graeme Pollock made his Test debut. Australia have not lost a Test at the Gabba since 1988, when West Indies beat them, and facing Dale Steyn and his colleagues at the venue could provide them with their toughest challenge yet to keep that record alive.Sri Lanka’s three-Test series begins in Hobart on December 14, and it could be an extra special match for the Tasmanian fans. If Ricky Ponting plays all three Tests against South Africa he will be in line to break Steve Waugh’s all-time record of 168 Test appearances for Australia and he will do so at his home ground, Bellerive Oval.Sri Lanka will then play the MCG Boxing Day Test for only the second time, and while the first holds dark memories for the Sri Lankans after Muralitharan’s no-balling, both teams have moved on since then. Ponting is the only man who played in that Test who is likely to be part of this year’s Boxing Day encounter, and the Sri Lankans have enjoyed success at the MCG in the shorter formats over the past few years.The Test summer finishes with the third Test against Sri Lanka, at the SCG from January 3 to 7, before the limited-overs part of the season kicks in. From January 11 to 23, Sri Lanka play five ODIs at the MCG, Adelaide Oval, Gabba, SCG and Bellerive, before two Twenty20 internationals in Sydney on January 26 and Melbourne on January 28.It will be the first time since 2003 that Adelaide Oval has not hosted the national team on Australian Day, a decision that came about largely because the venue is being redeveloped and will have a reduced capacity this summer. Adelaide’s Australia Day tradition is expected to resume when the ground’s redevelopment is complete.The final part of the international summer will consist of five ODIs and a T20 against West Indies from February 1 to 13. As part of Canberra’s centenary celebrations, Manuka Oval will host an ODI on February 6, and the other one-dayers will be held at the WACA, SCG and MCG, before the Gabba finishes the international season with the one-off T20.”Over the last 12 to 24 months we’ve seen some young and exciting talent injected into the Australian men’s team and those changes are starting to reap the rewards of the hard work led by Michael Clarke and Mickey Arthur,” James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia chief executive, said. “The Australian men’s team has a chance to test themselves early in the summer against a very strong South African side and the series is a great way to start the program.”We’re also fortunate to have Sri Lanka back again. They play a very entertaining and attacking style of cricket and as we saw last year have a passionate and vocal fan base around Australia. This year we also return to head-to-head Commonwealth Bank Series and a highlight will be the Australian men’s team first international match in Canberra.”The match is part of a big year of celebrations for Canberra and fans will be spoilt for choice with West Indies playing in the city twice and Sri Lanka once over the course of the summer. The Test and one-day series are again complemented by KFC T20 Internationals, including the Australia Day blockbuster at Sydney Olympic Park that I’m confident will draw a bumper crowd after last year’s first international match at the venue.”Australia’s schedule for 2012-13
Nov 2-4: Australia A v South Africans, Sydney

Nov 9-13: Australia v South Africa, 1st Test, Gabba
Nov 22-26: Australia v South Africa, 2nd Test, Adelaide Oval
Nov 30-Dec 4: Australia v South Africa, 3rd Test, WACA

Dec 6-8: CA Chairman’s XI v Sri Lankans, Manuka Oval, Canberra

Dec 14-18: Australia v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Bellerive Oval
Dec 26-30: Australia v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, MCG
Jan 3-7: Australia v Sri Lanka, 3rd Test, SCG

Jan 11: Australia v Sri Lanka, 1st ODI, MCG
Jan 13: Australia v Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI, Adelaide Oval
Jan 18: Australia v Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI, Gabba
Jan 20: Australia v Sri Lanka, 4th ODI, SCG
Jan 23: Australia v Sri Lanka, 5th ODI, Bellerive Oval

Jan 26: Australia v Sri Lanka, 1st T20I, Sydney Olympic Park
Jan 28: Australia v Sri Lanka, 2nd T20I, MCG

TBC: Prime Minister’s XI v West Indians, Manuka Oval, Canberra

Feb 1: Australia v West Indies, 1st ODI, WACA
Feb 3: Australia v West Indies, 2nd ODI, WACA
Feb 6: Australia v West Indies, 3rd ODI, Manuka Oval, Canberra
Feb 8: Australia v West Indies, 4th ODI, SCG
Feb 10: Australia v West Indies, 5th ODI, MCG

Feb 13: Austalia v West Indies, Only T20I, Gabba

Mohammad Amir must go through a process of rehabilitation and not focus on the reduction of the ban imposed on him by an ICC tribunal, the ICC chief Haroon Lorgat has said

Nagraj Gollapudi21-Mar-2012Mohammad Amir must go through a process of rehabilitation, including educating himself and others about the perils of corruption, and not focus on the reduction of the ban imposed on him by an ICC tribunal for his involvement in spot-fixing, the ICC chief Haroon Lorgat has said. Lorgat also said the ICC rules do not allow for a reduction of the five-year ban and stressed the importance of respecting the verdict the independent tribunal had reached.In his first statement after returning to Pakistan from England on February 26, Amir had said he would not request the ICC to reduce his ban, which runs until 2015. Lorgat said Amir should start the rehabilitation process by doing the right things.”I would prefer that the starting point should not be about whether we [ICC] could reduce the sentence,” Lorgat told ESPNcricinfo in Mumbai, en route to Sri Lanka where he will release the first batch of tickets for the ICC World Twenty20. “Let that [the reduction of the ban] be the end result of a process of rehabilitation since he has now come clean, if that is indeed the case. Part of the sanction he received from the ICC tribunal was to educate himself and for him to educate others. So let us do all the necessary building blocks before we get to a point where anyone could ask, ‘Does he now deserve a review?'”Amir was released from custody after serving half of his six-month sentence for his involvement in the spot-fixing scandal during the Lord’s Test in 2010. The Crown Prosecution Service had brought charges against Amir, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif under conspiracy to accept corrupt payments and conspiracy to cheat at gambling after a sting operation carried out by the now defunct . Butt and Asif had pleaded not guilty in court but were found guilty in November 2011; Amir pleaded guilty to the charges and did not stand trial. Amir, however, had pleaded not guilty before the ICC’s tribunal in Doha in February 2011.Life could have been different and perhaps easier for Amir, Lorgat said, had he pleaded guilty in front of the ICC tribunal in Doha. Amir had maintained he was innocent at the time. The three-man tribunal – comprising Michael Beloff QC, Sharad Rao and Justice Albie Sachs – banned Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Amir for ten, seven and five years respectively, after finding them guilty of spot-fixing. Amir’s reaction to that decision was that he would appeal the ban in the Court of Arbitration of Sports in Switzerland. He later decided not to appeal.”I find it very unfortunate for Mohammad Amir. We did provide him with lots of opportunities,” Lorgat said, when asked if he was disappointed Amir did not confess in Doha. “The tribunal might have looked at it differently and who knows what decision they could have come to on sanction. It could have been a different story. I am sad for him.”In an interview on Sky TV after his release from custody, Amir said he had been tricked into bowling no-balls to order during the Lord’s Test by his agent Mazhar Majeed and his captain Salman Butt. He said he did not “have the courage” to admit his guilt to the ICC tribunal.Lorgat’s advice for Amir was to not to give up and, “do all the right things.” “Come into the education process and don’t just give up the game,” Lorgat said. “Retain your faith in the future. He must be prepared to tell his story and explain to others what they need to be careful of.”Lorgat felt the ICC, the PCB and Amir, and all other stakeholders, should work together to try and ensure no other player falls prey to corruption. He said Amir could talk, over video, to the players during the ICC Under-19 World Cup to be held in Australia later this year. “If Mohammad Amir stands up and delivers a message of caution about this murky world, people are going to sit up and listen. That is one example of rehabilitation.”

ESPNcricinfo previews the 14th match of IPL 2012 between Kings XI Punjab and Pune Warriors in Mohali

The Preview by Kanishkaa Balachandran11-Apr-2012Match factsThursday, April 12, 2012
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)Can Kings XI Punjab turn it around at home?•AFPBig pictureWith two defeats in as many games, Kings XI Punjab are under pressure to get a foothold in this IPL edition, though it’s still early days. Their batsmen haven’t fired, and the bowlers have conceded 191 and 166, which proved too much in the end for their batsmen to chase. Their opponents at home tomorrow are Pune Warriors, familiar faces considering they played each other on Sunday.Kings XI will hope to mobilse some home support to get their campaign going. If they are to retain their batting line-up, they could promote David Hussey from No.5 to give Adam Gilchrist more support. They will wait on the fitness of the left-handed batsman Shaun Marsh, who missed the last game due to injury.What Kings XI need is for at least one of their Indian players to step up, inspire the rest and relieve the pressure on the overseas players.The Warriors, following a dry debut season last year, have now become one of the teams to watch after winning both their opening games. The bowlers have combined well in both games, particularly so in their first match against Mumbai Indians where they defended 129. If they are to make one change, Tamim Iqbal, the in-form Bangladesh opener, could replace either Jesse Ryder or Callum Ferguson.Players to watchSteven Smith, the spin-bowling Australian allrounder, is proving really capable as a finisher for the Warriors, with scores of 39 and 25. His innings against Kings XI featured three massive sixes in the final few overs.Since his blistering century last season which launched him in the IPL, Paul Valthaty is under pressure to keep his place at the top, with scores of 13 and 1. He also had a quiet Ranji Trophy season for Himachal Pradesh, scoring 120 runs in five first-class games.Stats and trivia Kings XI’s Shaun Marsh is one of the most consistent batsmen in the IPL, with 12 fifty-plus scores in just 29 innings while scoring at a strike-rate of 140.77. Sourav Ganguly is yet to fire in this edition, but his IPL record isn’t the worst, with 1104 runs in 46 games at a strike-rate of 108.66. Not bad for a 39-year old.Quotes”We have looked at different combinations to this point, but he is definitely an option. We have got a good balance of left-hand and right-hand, so that’s played its part about who is batting at what position, but there is every chance that he might be up there.”
“We are a very good bowling side. But sometimes, you don’t want to have too many options.”

K Jeshwanth, the Karnataka coach, said it was primarily a batting failure that led to the six-wicket defeat, which secured Haryana their first semi-final berth since 1990-91

Nagraj Gollapudi04-Jan-2012How did Karnataka let Haryana, a surprise quarter-finalist, overwhelm them on their own turf inside three days? K Jeshwanth, the Karnataka coach, said it was primarily a batting failure that led to the six-wicket defeat, which secured Haryana their first semi-final berth since 1990-91.Karnataka were dismissed for 151 in the first innings after they chose to bat. They lasted only 49.5 overs and were destroyed by 21 year-old Harshal Patel, who took 8 for 40. A medium-pacer playing his maiden season, Patel bowled with an upright wrist and seam, and got both movement and bounce from the first-day pitch, forcing edges from Karnataka’s batsmen.The score of 151 was Karnataka’s lowest in completed innings this season. Before this game, Karnataka had four totals in excess of 500, two in excess of 600. Against Haryana, they didn’t even make 300. The six-wicket loss was their first outright defeat.”Obviously the batting,” Jeshwanth said, when asked to explain the reason for defeat. “After making 151, it is difficult to come back. It was not a 150-run pitch. Harshal Patel bowled really well, putting the ball in the right areas. We did fight back – Binny bowled well and Aiyappa showed a lot of heart – but it was always going to be difficult. If we had scored 250 in the first innings – like we did in the second – we would have been able to make a match out of it.”Karnataka had been below full strength for significant parts of the season and Jeshwanth said that had impacted their campaign. Their original new-ball bowlers, Vinay Kumar (also the captain) and Abhimanyu Mithun, were in Australia with the Test squad. Manish Pandey, who hit an unbeaten double century against Mumbai, suffered from hernia. S Aravind, the third quick, was advised four weeks after the penultimate group match because of a knee injury.”The season – Manish Pandey’s absence made a difference to our batting, and three bowlers were also missing,” Jeshwanth said. “We had expected to reach the final, so it is a disappointment. Haryana is a team we were supposed to beat. We were also unlucky in this match; everything our batsmen missed took the edge.”The problem was with the batsmen getting out after getting set. We thought we had overcome it when we crossed 500 in the last match (against Uttar Pradesh).” In Shimoga, after conceding the first-innings lead to UP, the Karnataka middle order comprising Ganesh Satish, Amit Verma and Stuart Binny converted their starts into big hundreds. Against Haryana, they did not manage even a fifty.The other problem for Karnataka was their batsmen’s inability to convert starts. Robin Uthappa, Karnataka’s top scorer, failed to anchor both innings. On Monday, after the first drinks break, Uthappa was caught off a ball that pitched marginally outside off stump and angled away from him. In the second innings, after he had hit an aggressive fifty, Uthappa played across to a delivery that nipped back in to trap him lbw. On the third day, Binny gave it away by holing out to mid-on while attempting an ambitious loft.Amit Mishra, the Haryana captain, was pleased to cash in on Karnataka’s weakness. “At the end of day two the match was evenly poised. But we knew that the pressure was on Karnataka to not lose wickets quickly, but at the same time score runs in quick time,” he said. “So our aim was always not give away any easy runs and we stuck to our plan. We were confident of chasing down any target between 150-170 and we eventually managed to do that.”