All posts by h716a5.icu

Somerset have appointed former wicketkeeper Steve Snell as their second XI coach and academy director

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Nov-2014Somerset have appointed former wicketkeeper Steve Snell as their second XI coach and academy director. He joins a new management team at Taunton, overseen by Matthew Maynard, and will help fill the gap left by the departures of Andy Hurry and Dave Houghton.Snell, 31, played the majority of his cricket with Gloucestershire before being released in 2010. He went from playing minor counties to appearing in the Champions League in 2011, after being signed on a short-term deal when Somerset were without both Craig Kieswetter and Jos Buttler. He also turned out for Somerset in 2012 and, most recently, has coached wicketkeeping at Gloucestershire.”The opportunity to continue the rich tradition of developing exciting and entertaining cricketers through the Somerset Academy and on to successfully representing the Somerset first team is a challenge I am immensely looking forward to,” Snell said.”The Somerset Academy is held in high esteem around the country and I am well aware of the outstanding work by past and present coaches involved with the county’s development programmes. I am thrilled at the prospect of playing a major role in the future success of Somerset.”Maynard said: “This is a key role within the Somerset cricketing structure and we are delighted to have been able to appoint Steve, who has played for the county and knows the set-up at the County Ground. Steve is a high-quality coach and he will bring additional experience, enthusiasm and expertise to the team here at the County Ground.”

England turned the Trent Bridge Test around on the fourth day thanks to a record tenth-wicket partnership from Joe Root and James Anderson

The Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy12-Jul-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFor three days England were a speck in India’s mirrors. Achieving a result would take some doing on this pitch, but if anyone was in position to think of winning it was India. By the time day four came to an end, the equation had turned on its head.England started the day trailing by 105 with just one wicket remaining. When they lost that wicket in the fifth over after lunch, they were leading by 39, after Joe Root and James Anderson extended their partnership to 198, a Test record for the tenth wicket. By stumps, they had sent back India’s top three, and all three wickets owed more to the batsman’s choice of shot than to the bowling.Batting in much the same way they had done during their first-innings partnership, M Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara put on 91 serene runs for the second wicket before Vijay jumped down the pitch and looked to show Moeen Ali who was boss, with half an hour to go for stumps.It wasn’t the greatest idea, considering Shikhar Dhawan had been out doing the exact same thing just before tea, punching a full-toss straight back to Moeen. Vijay aimed at the stands behind long-on, but only managed a thin outside edge to Matt Prior, who also took off the bails to give the umpire a choice of dismissal.This was the last ball of the 41st over. First ball of the 42nd was short and wide. The cut had been a profitable shot till this point in Pujara’s innings; now it went uppishly and straight to Ben Stokes at point. Stokes juggled the ball, and it hit his face and popped out to his left, but he put in a dive and managed to grab it one-handed.Till then it had seemed as if India would end the day having recovered the poise that Anderson and Root’s partnership had punched out of them. England’s seamers had bent their backs and asked a few questions of both Vijay and Pujara, and there was a slight increase in the frequency of uncertain bounce, but the second-wicket pair answered most of them with equanimity.Vijay offered a chance to Matt Prior before he had gotten off the mark, edging an Anderson outswinger after he pushed at the ball without moving his feet. Prior, though, was a touch late in diving to his right; the ball carried, but sped away narrowly wide of his gloves. The compactness of the first innings returned after that, and Vijay’s bat remained scrupulously close to his body even on the odd occasion when he was beaten.Pujara, meanwhile, had looked in fluent touch right from the moment he walked in and drilled the first two balls he faced, from Moeen, to the cover and long-off boundaries. He carried on punishing anything remotely loose after tea, and England must have wondered when their next wicket would come when he took two fours off one Plunkett over to join Vijay in the 50s. As it happened, they didn’t have to wait too much longer, or work particularly hard, for that moment.India, in the morning, had been made to wait much, much longer for their breakthrough. Anderson, who made his maiden Test fifty, was on course to join Root on a three-figure score when he went after a full, wide ball from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and edged it to the wicketkeeper. It was Bhuvneshwar’s fifth wicket. Root, who had hardly put a foot wrong since walking in early in yesterday’s middle session, was unbeaten on 154.In recent months, India have let a number of promising positions slip from their grasp in overseas Tests. Trent Bridge now joined Durban and Wellington. England had been on the mat yesterday afternoon, seven down and 255 behind. Their last three pairs had more than doubled their score.The morning began with Root steering Bhuvneshwar to deep point and chastising himself for taking the single and exposing Anderson to the strike so early. He needn’t have worried. England’s No. 11 played out the rest of the over comfortably, and even whipped Bhuvneshwar from off stump past midwicket for four.That first-ball single set the tone for India’s tactics throughout the session. In their second Test against Sri Lanka, England had paid for their approach of giving Angelo Mathews the single and focusing all their attacking efforts on his lower-order partners. Now Root was on the receiving end of similar largesse from India.He generally declined the singles early in the over, but the defensive fields did little to stop him from finding the boundary. He top-edged a slash off Ishant Sharma through where second slip might have been to move into the 90s. In the next over, against Mohammed Shami, he played two gorgeous cover drives, the first one through extra cover to go from 93 to 97, the second through cover point to go to 101.There was nothing in the surface to trouble either batsman, but India missed a few half-chances to end the partnership. England were on 378, and Root on 92, when he pushed the ball to mid-on and took off for a single. He had given up any hope of making the non-striker’s end safely but Mohammed Shami’s throw was wide of the stumps.Later, soon after England had passed 400, Anderson prodded the ball to point and set off, only for Root to send him back. A direct hit would have meant the end for Anderson, but Bhuvneshwar’s throw was inaccurate.In between, India’s mostly ineffectual short-ball barrage to Anderson nearly earned a reward when he popped one low towards gully, where M Vijay dropped a difficult chance, diving to his right. India kept adding men to the cordon, and at one point they had a semicircle of fielders surrounding Anderson, waiting for him to fend one in the air.That almost never happened, and he usually managed to keep the ball down. But when the chances came, he didn’t hold himself back. An uppercut off Ishant took him past his previous highest Test score of 34. Three overs later, Anderson jumped down the pitch and clubbed the ball past the midwicket boundary to go from 47 to 51. It was the first time he had reached fifty in any form of cricket – his previous best was an unbeaten 49 made while opening the batting for Burnley against Todmorden 13 years ago.Soon India’s attack began to resemble something out of the Lancashire League, as India went through the motions in the extra half-hour of the morning session, when they rested their fast bowlers and threw on first M Vijay, hoping he could winkle something out with his offbreaks, and then Stuart Binny, who sent down four overs to finally nudge his output for the innings into double figures. This surely wasn’t what India would have wanted from their seam-bowling allrounder when they decided to give him a Test debut.

Aaron Finch has been named as Australia’s new Twenty20 captain, succeeding George Bailey, who stepped down from the role on Sunday

Brydon Coverdale08-Sep-2014Aaron Finch has been named as Australia’s new Twenty20 captain, succeeding George Bailey, who stepped down from the role on Sunday. Finch, 27, will become the seventh man to lead Australia’s T20 team when they take on Pakistan in a one-off match in Dubai on October 5.As captain of the Melbourne Renegades for the past two Big Bash League campaigns, Finch has acquired plenty of T20 captaincy experience, and he has also led the Pune Warriors in the IPL. The No.1-ranked T20 international batsman in the world, Finch also led Australia A against the England Lions last year and the selectors were pleased with his performance.Aaron Finch has succeeded George Bailey as Australia’s T20 captain•Getty Images”When George indicated that he was stepping down from the position, we thought Aaron was the obvious choice to succeed him,” Rod Marsh, the national selector, said. “We know he will relish the opportunity to lead his country.”He has a task ahead of him. He is taking on a young side that is currently ranked fifth in the world. His first challenge will be building consistent performances as they head towards the ICC World Twenty20 in 2016.”On Sunday, Bailey endorsed Finch as a potential successor, describing him as the kind of player who thrives on the leadership. Finch said he was looking forward to leading his country for the first time.”Having the honour to captain your country in any form of the game is something that all young cricketers dream about,” Finch said. “It came as a big surprise but it was a very nice phone call to receive from Rod Marsh. I never imagined when captaining in the past that it would lead to national responsibilities.”I’ve just set out to be the best player that I can and luckily an opportunity like this has come my way. I have been fortunate enough to play under some fantastic captains, including Michael Clarke and George Bailey and I have learnt a lot from them. It goes without saying that I will do my utmost in this role as we lead into the ICC World T20 in about eighteen months’ time. It’s going to be very exciting.”

Michael Hussey and Lendl Simmons produced a century stand for the first wicket that helped Mumbai Indians prevail over third-placed Rajasthan Royals in Ahmedabad

The Report by Devashish Fuloria19-May-20148:10

Hattangadi: Rajasthan were oversmart

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFaced with a must-win situation on a dry pitch, Michael Hussey and Lendl Simmons produced a century stand for the first wicket – Mumbai Indians’ best in 40 games – that helped them prevail over third-placed Rajasthan Royals in Ahmedabad. Both batsmen scored half-centuries before Rohit Sharma used the platform as a springboard for a 19-ball 40 that lifted his team to 178. Their three spinners then shared two wickets each to give Mumbai Indians a comfortable win that took them level with Sunrisers Hyderabad on points.However, one has to question the number of changes made by Royals ahead of an important match, given they were still not assured of a place in the playoffs. Kane Richardson, the Royals seamer, had even mentioned on the eve of the match that they were in no mood for experimentation, but there were four changes when Shane Watson came for the toss. They swapped Ajinkya Rahane, easily their best batsman for such conditions, for Unmukt Chand, who hadn’t played a game this season, while also benching their best bowler, Pravin Tambe.With this loss, they have not only kept Mumbai Indians’ dreams alive, but also got stuck on seven wins from 12 games with two difficult away matches to go – against Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians.Unlike Royals, Mumbai Indians’ changes didn’t need an explanation. Corey Anderson had come to the end of the long rope he had got from the management, CM Gautam hadn’t set the scene on fire with his batting and Lasith Malinga had left for England to join his national team. In came, Hussey, Krishmar Santokie and the young Karnataka allrounder Shreyas Gopal, all of whom played their parts.Hussey had been dropped after only 30 runs in his first four matches for Mumbai Indians but on a slow pitch in Ahmedabad, he showed the quality that the team had been missing at the top of the order. He remained busy in the first half of the innings, manoeuvring the ball with ease, while his partner, Simmons, mainly looked for the big shots. At the end of five overs, Mumbai Indians were on 34, and more importantly, without the loss of any wicket, nine more than their previous best opening stand this season.Simmons wasn’t comfortable with the deliveries that stopped on him but used powerful cuts and lofted shots whenever offered with the right length. He had six boundaries to Hussey’s one as the partnership reached 50 in the seventh over.Hussey, the more fluent of the two, just got better with the day. He crisply timed a length ball from Stuart Binny through covers for his second boundary before deftly punching a slower delivery from Rajat Bhatia through point for his third.Off the first ball of the 11th over, he hammered a slower bouncer from James Faulkner over deep midwicket. He smashed another six in the next over, before nudging the next ball for a single to reach his half-century off 32 balls, easily beating Simmons to the landmark.Both batsmen were dismissed in the 15th over, allowing Rohit just enough time to cut loose. Even though Kieron Pollard struggled for timing with the ball reversing, Rohit clobbered three sixes and a four in the last two overs that cost Royals 29 runs.Mumbai Indians introduced spin early in the chase and Pragyan Ojha, who had just one wicket this season till then, struck twice in his first two overs to remove Chand and Watson. Karun Nair played a free-flowing innings of 48 from 24 balls, but with batsmen offering catches at the other end, the Royals innings came off tracks early. Brad Hodge and James Faulkner, coming in at Nos 8 and 9, landed some parting blows but the match had long slipped out of Royals’ hands.

The BCB has lifted the provisional ban on Mosharraf Hossain and Mahbubul Alam, two months after they were cleared of wrongdoing in the BPL

Mohammad Isam27-Apr-2014The BCB has lifted the provisional ban on Mosharraf Hossain and Mahbubul Alam, two months after the players were cleared of wrongdoing in the BPL by the investigation tribunal. Both players are looking to play in the Bangladesh Cricket League, which will restart in early May.The decision comes three weeks after the BCB had decided not to involve the duo in the National Cricket League, as it planned to appeal against the tribunal’s decision to hand the two a clean chit. But ESPNcricinfo has learned that the charges against the duo wouldn’t have resulted in suspension, which supposedly prompted the BCB’s legal team to suggest lifting the ban.BCB’s acting CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said on Sunday that there is no bar on the duo from participating in any tournament. “They are free to take part in any form of cricket,” Nizamuddin said. “We have sought legal opinion and they suggested there is no problem regarding their returning to cricket.”Mosharraf and Mahbubul were among nine individuals accused by the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit for being involved in corrupt practices or failing to report corrupt approaches made to them during the BPL’s second edition. The BPL tribunal, on February 26, acquitted six players and officials and only found an owner of the defending champions, Dhaka Gladiators, guilty.Left-arm spinner Mosharraf said that he was happy with this decision of the BCB. “I am extremely relieved,” Mosharraf told . “I feel that the toughest phase of my life is just over. I am expecting to play for Walton Central Zone in the BCL. I was practicing and making every effort, still I could not play.”It was really hard. At times the future looked very bleak, making me wonder what is really in store for me. I am hoping to go to England after the BCL and see whether I can find a team in Minor County. Though their season has started, still I will try to get somewhere.”Pace bowler Mahbubul was also satisfied with the decision. “I cannot explain through words how I am feeling. For the last one year it was quite hard for me because of the mental pressure that I went through. Socially it was really hard, as these days cricket is followed by a lot of people.”I don’t know about my immediate future as there are only a few games left in the BCL. I feel that probably I will be back with the Dhaka Premier League.”

ESPNcricinfo previews the first ODI between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Dhaka

The Preview by Mohammad Isam16-Feb-2014Match factsFebruary 17, 2014
Start time 1300 local (0700 GMT)Dinesh Chandimal has only one half-century in his last 10 ODI innings•AFPBig PictureBangladesh are slowly creeping closer to Sri Lanka. It happened in the Test series when they bounced back from a horrendous defeat in Dhaka to a first-ever drawn home Test against Sri Lanka. The two Twenty20s were last-ball finishes; Anamul Haque failed to connect a high full-toss in the first and Sachithra Senanayake hit a boundary when two were required to win in the second. Sri Lanka will however look to maintain their excellent record in Bangladesh, having won all their bilateral series in the country.The last ODI series between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka was a drawn affair. One match in Hambantota was rained off while Bangladesh won the rain-shortened third ODI in Pallekele. It was always important for Bangladesh to finally compete against Sri Lanka, the team against whom they have had a poor record for a long time. They have now drawn two Tests in the space of a year, and ran them close in Twenty20s. Given Bangladesh’s home record in bilateral ODI series over the last two years, they will be expected to push Sri Lanka in the ODIs.Bangladesh have a settled line-up, with Tamim Iqbal and Shamsur Rahman at the top of the batting order. Mushfiqur Rahim will have Shakib Al Hasan and Nasir Hossain for company, but have to choose two among Anamul Haque, Naeem Islam, Mominul Haque and Mahmudullah. Sohag Gazi’s bowling form is a concern while they are without Abdur Razzak, which would mean more emphasis on Shakib an Mashrafe.Sri Lanka, on the other hand, are a settled side, with their main batsmen among runs. Lasith Malinga, too, found some sting in the second T20 in which he picked up three wickets. But Sri Lanka have won just one bilateral ODI series out of their last five, drawing three. The win came against South Africa at home, whom they edged aside 4-1. Their last ODI series was against Pakistan in the UAE where they lost 2-1. The last time they won a series away from home was against Australia in 2010.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh WWWLL
Sri Lanka WLLWL
Watch out forMushfiqur Rahim has made just one half-century in his last ten ODI innings, so runs will be expected from him. He will also have a crucial role to play as captain, as Bangladesh have not lost a bilateral ODI series at home since 2011.Dinesh Chandimal was poor during the two Twenty20s but was successful as captain, winning both games. He is a crucial part of Sri Lanka’s middle-order, and will bank on his last ODI performance, an unbeaten 64 against Pakistan, to come back among runs.Teams newsBangladesh have a tricky task selecting their playing XI. Mushfiqur will not keep wickets because of an injury to his hands, but will bat. That would mean that either Shamsur or Anamul could keep wickets. Taking various factors like ODI performance, recent form and team building into account, either Mominul Haque or Anamul Haque would feature No 3, while Naeem Islam may get the nod ahead of Mahmudullah, who has made just one half-century in ODIs in 2013. Shafiul Islam and Al-Amin Hossain will also be second choice behind Mashrafe Mortaza and Rubel Hossain.Bangladesh (possible) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Shamsur Rahman, 3 Anamul Haque/Mominul Haque, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), 5 Naeem Islam, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Nasir Hossain, 8 Sohag Gazi, 9 Mashrafe Mortaza, 10 Arafat Sunny, 11 Rubel HossainSri Lanka could make two changes to their side that last played an ODI. Nuwan Kulasekara’s impact as a bowler and fielder in the Twenty20 series could bring him back into contention while Thisara Perera also has a chance. There is likely to be a choice between Ashan Priyanjan and Kithuruwan Vithanage.Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Kusal Perera, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Ashan Priyanjan/Kithuruwan Vithanage, 6 Angelo Mathews (capt), 7 Thisara Perera, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Sachithra Senanayake, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Ajantha MendisPitch and conditionsThe Dhaka wicket will be slow and low, as it has usually been over the years. Curator Gamini de Silva will stick to the tried and tested, and ensure runs are aplenty on the surface. There was rain in the air around Mirpur on the eve of the match, but clear skies are predicted on match day.Stats and trivia Mushfiqur Rahim is 49 short of 2500 runs in ODIs Dinesh Chandimal has scored only a single fifty in his last ten ODI innings. That innings came in the last ODI, against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi.Quotes”Dew factor might come in. There was overnight rain. We might play three pacers or three spinners.”

“You just have to concentrate on your role, whether you’re a captain or a normal player in the side. You need to give your maximum to the team regardless of your position.”

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is likely to back the ICC revamp at the world governing body’s board meeting next month to give it leverage with other countries, especially India

Umar Farooq11-Mar-2014The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is likely to back the ICC revamp at the world governing body’s board meeting next month to give it leverage with other countries, especially India. The PCB is aware, ESPNcricinfo understands, that a pragmatic approach will give it the benefits of bilateral tours it needs in its current situation, while not signing it will increase the sense of isolation.The PCB is the only Full Member to have not extended its support as yet to the governance, finance and FTP changes in the ICC, which were proposed by the BCCI, the ECB and Cricket Australia in February. When the changes, which increase the power of those three boards within the ICC, were first proposed, four Full Members had come out against them: the PCB, the Bangladesh Cricket Board, Cricket South Africa (CSA) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). The proposals have since been revised and were approved by eight of the Full Members on February 8. SLC and the PCB were the only two to vote against it at that meeting, and SLC extended its support to the revamp 10 days later.The PCB’s previous chairman Zaka Ashraf believed the revamp was against the principle of “equality”, and so the PCB, under, Ashraf objected to it. Current chairman Najam Sethi, though, who has been exchanging the reins of the PCB with Ashraf frequently over the past few months due tolegal and political reasons, said it was important to “safeguard” Pakistan’s interests.”I don’t think this is about principles, it is about safeguarding our own self-interests in the long run in world cricket,” Sethi said. “We are the only ones now, left alone [against the revamp]. Whomever I have spoken to says they also initially opposed the changes but later went with it because they were gaining a lot by supporting these changes.”Sethi reportedly met with his Bangladesh and Sri Lanka counterparts, on the sidelines of Asia Cup, in Dhaka.The PCB is keen on negotiating bilateral series with India. “The fact is every country wants to play India because they say it brings them much needed revenues. It is a fact that not playing cricket with India is damaging for us,” Sethi said.Ashraf, however, maintained that the revamp would be unjust to the other members. According to him, the PCB – given Pakistan’s commercial value to world cricket – was offered the chance to side with the ‘Big Three’ and benefit from the original proposals.”The situation is very tricky,” Ashraf told ESPNcricinfo. “The PCB obviously will be the last country [to accept the revamp], but that doesn’t make any difference. The restructuring is still against the basic principle of equality and the ‘Big Three’ will be acting despotically.”The [revised] financial model is based on merely theory and a dummy model [by which no Full Member loses] is shown with a verbal assurance that they won’t let the things slip. They promised that every board would get its fair share according to their commercial value. They also asked us to be the part of the scheme, to make it Big Four, as Pakistan holds a productive commercial value.””The revamped ICC model is bound to fail in the long run,” Ashraf said. “Their bid is to control things and that is what the whole idea was, but there is no indemnity if the structure collapses. And I am afraid the way cricket is being treated, the structure won’t sustain itself in the long run and in the next three years board members, especially the supporters, will start realising this and things will start splitting.”Pakistan have not hosted any Full Member at home since the terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore five years ago. Despite that, the PCB has been functioning rather well and that shows “the value” of Pakistan cricket, Ashraf said. “Pakistan, in last few years, despite being isolated are still standing tall and the PCB is not in debt as many boards are. No board is ready to help Pakistan at a crucial time to revive cricket in Pakistan. But Pakistan cricket is still going strong.”The world knows the value of Pakistan cricket and this is what keeps us going. Despite the isolation, cricket in Pakistan still a profitable product.”Currently, Sethi is discussing the matter of the revamp with previous chairmen of the board, including Ashraf, seeking their advice on what he has termed a “crisis”. It is understood that all of these former chiefs have suggested Pakistan remain in opposition to the revamp.

It took around half an hour for Anureet Singh and Krishnakant Upadhyay to ensure three points for Railways but cricketing achievements became incidental in their ill-tempered Ranji Trophy match against Bengal

The Report by Amit Shetty in Delhi09-Dec-2013
ScorecardFile photo: Murali Kartik was one of the central characters on an ill-tempered day•Getty ImagesIt took around half an hour for Anureet Singh and Krishnakant Upadhyay to ensure three points for Railways but cricketing achievements became incidental in their ill-tempered Ranji Trophy match against Bengal that witnessed a poor display of sportsmanship from players of both sides.Anureet who bowled tirelessly for 45 overs was rewarded with a match-haul of 5 for 97 as Bengal were bowled out for 270 in 133.5 overs with Railways getting a 36-run first innings lead to take their points tally to 20. While Railways, currently No. 2 in the group, remain firmly in contention for a place in the last eight, Bengal with 12 points from six matches will need to win both their matches in order to qualify.Anureet’s new-ball partner Upadhyay complemented him well, taking 3 for 78 in 38.5 overs. Bengal captain Laxmi Shukla remained unbeaten on 95 but should partly accept the blame for missing out on a landmark, having exposed his tail-enders by taking a single or three within the first three balls of the over.But it was the conduct of the players and also one of the coaches that remained the talking point. During the Bengal innings, the umpires had to tell Murali Kartik to get back to his position when he stood near the striker’s end, making a show of setting the field while taking a dig at Ashok Dinda. Then there was a slew of unsavoury remarks from the slip-cordon, prompting Shukla to seek square-leg umpire P Jaypal’s intervention. It went from bad to worse when Upadhayay gestured a kick after getting last-man Shib Paul, which didn’t escape umpire Milind Pathak’s eyes.Upadhyay later told , “It wasn’t aimed at Maco [Paul] but I couldn’t control my anger as Dinda had said something really abusive. We played in IPL for the same team [Pune Warriors] and suddenly he becomes abusive.”With the match over as contest, Railways batsmen were getting some much needed batting practice and everyone expected play to end as soon as the mandatory overs started. While the visitors were ready to come off the field, Kartik intimated to the match officials that he wanted his batsmen to continue, which irked Bengal further. Once the match ended, the Bengal players, led by Dinda, refused to shake hands with their opponents. Kartik had in fact walked up to the huddle of Bengal players, who were doing their post-match drills, but they refused to shake hands.Bengal captain Shukla later defended the decision. “If my boys don’t want to shake hands after what all they did during the last two days, I can’t blame them. As it is they were doing a cool-down exercise and told Kartik not to disturb them. If they want to shake hands, they should have waited,” Shukla said.Shukla then questioned Kartik’s sportsman spirit,”Was it right on their part to continue playing when the match was over as a contest? We hear that a lot of players learn a lot of things sharing the dressing room with Sachin and Sourav… Leave it, I don’t want to say anything more.”On his part Railways coach Abhay Sharma said that decision to continue was done to give Nitin Bhille, who is finding it hard to convert his starts into big scores, the chance to complete his century. “A first-class hundred is a milestone and we wanted him to get there. Also Dinda was bowling well, so it was a very competitive atmosphere. It was a well-contested game,” Sharma said.

Harshad Khadiwale and Kedar Jadhav continued their run feast, scoring centuries on the first day for the second week in succession as Maharashtra plundered 360 for 3 against Goa

Amol Karhadkar in Pune21-Nov-2013
ScorecardFile photo – Harshad Khadiwale made his third successive century•K SivaramanHarshad Khadiwale and Kedar Jadhav continued their run feast, scoring centuries on the first day for the second week in succession as Maharashtra plundered 360 for 3 against Goa at the Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium on the outskirts of Pune.The picturesque stadium has been a happy hunting ground for home batsmen and they took advantage of a mediocre Goa bowling attack after being put in to bat.With Maharashtra deciding to alter their combination from last week’s game in Hyderabad, the promising youngster Vijay Zol walked out to open the innings with Khadiwale. Though Saurabh Bandekar did ask a few questions with the new ball, the duo survived the initial period. Zol, who scored a double-century on Ranji debut, moved to 20 before Bandekar breached his defense with an incoming delivery that crashed into the off stump.Khadiwale, coming into the game on the back of a century in each of Maharashtra’s two games so far, looked in supreme touch. He added 75 with Sangram Atitkar before the latter was trapped lbw by the offspinner Amit Yadav in the penultimate over before lunch.That brought together Maharashtra’s in-form combination of Jadhav and Khadiwale, who had shared a 206-run partnership in Hyderabad last week. The pair took on Goa’s spin duo of Shadab Jakati and Yadav, who did the bulk of the bowling in the second session. Jadhav went after Jakati, slogging the left-arm spinner for his first six that rammed into the super sopper outside the square leg fence. Jadhav’s craft was also on display as he then played late cuts whenever either of the spinners pitched it short.Jadhav then danced down the wicket and hit Yadav almost 20 rows back into the stands to complete his fifty. Khadiwale shifted gears and hit Yadav for a six over long-off. Minutes before tea, Khadiwale flicked the medium-pacer Gauresh Gawas through midwicket for a couple and completed his 12th first-class century.The attacking stand prompted the Goa captain Ravikant Shukla to adopt defensive tactics. Jakati changed his angle to over the wicket with a defensive line, hoping to contain the batsmen. Even that didn’t work as Jadhav reverse swept the first ball to the point fence, and then paddled one to the fine leg boundary, much like Sachin Tendulkar.Jadhav threw his wicket away shortly after scoring his second successive century, top-edging Yadav to offer wicketkeeper Keenan Vaz a dolly. But with Khadiwale looking solid and Ankit Bawne having reached a sedate 36, Maharashtra looked set to pile on their third-successive 450-plus total on the board.

India’s sports ministry has reiterated that the BCCI be brought under the transparency-enhancing Right to Information (RTI) Act

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jul-2013India’s sports ministry has reiterated that the BCCI be brought under the transparency-enhancing Right to Information (RTI) Act, a move that was last proposed in 2011 but ran into political resistance.”The BCCI, like all other national sports federations, will have to come under the RTI and anti-doping regulations,” sports secretary PK Deb told the . “We will stick by the recommendations made to us by the Justice Mukul Mudgal-led panel.”Mudgal, who heads the committee charged with finalising the National Sports Development Bill, said the BCCI will have to meet the requirements of the RTI Act, failing which it will not be allowed to use “India” in the titles of its teams. “It is important that the BCCI, like all [sports] federations, is brought under the RTI,” Mudgal said. “Apart from a few exemptions – like, one cannot raise questions regarding why a particular player/coach is selected over another, or the contents of a player’s contract, medical health and fitness etc – the public is authorised to raise questions. Unless the BCCI adopts this rule, it won’t be able to use ‘India’ for its teams.”The sports secretary also criticised the BCCI’s clearing of the owners of Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings before the completion of the police investigation into alleged corruption in the IPL. “The board should have waited for the police probe to get over before clearing them,” Deb said.The secretary’s comments came just before the Bombay High Court ruled that the BCCI’s two-member committee that investigated and subsequently cleared the franchise owners was constituted illegally.