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Fast bowlers James Pattinson and Peter Siddle have signed for Melbourne Renegades for the next two seasons of the BBL

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jul-2013Fast bowlers James Pattinson and Peter Siddle have signed for Melbourne Renegades for the next two seasons of the BBL. The franchise also re-signed the former Sri Lankan offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan for one year and confirmed two-year deals with legspinner Fawad Ahmed and batsman Alex Doolan.Both Pattinson and Siddle are expected to be on national duty for the 2013-14 Ashes and may only play for the franchise after the fifth Test ending January 7. The BBL, extended from this season, will run from December 20 to February 15.”I want to get back into playing short-form cricket,”Siddle said. “To have that opportunity again in four over bursts, having a crack and getting the pace up there. I think it’ll be a lot of fun.”The Pakistan-born Ahmed, was recently granted Australian citizenship, clearing the way for a possible call-up to the Test squad for the Ashes. Though originally part of the touring squad in England, he is currently with the Australia A squad in Zimbabwe. Ahmed played one game for the Renegades last season.”I worked really hard with the Renegades last season. It was a good six or seven weeks and they really helped me through BBL 2,” Ahmed said. “I [then] got an opportunity with the (Victoria) Bushrangers and it really clicked. For me, I was nervous at one stage but it was a good summer.”The Renegades have now signed 15 of 18 players for the forthcoming season, with the final three places to be filled by December 6.

The American Cricket Federation (ACF) has announced the appointment of Jamie Harrison as its new chief executive

George Dobell05-Sep-2013The American Cricket Federation (ACF) has announced the appointment of Jamie Harrison, currently the president of the United States Youth Cricket Association (USYCA), as its new chief executive.The ACF, a rival of the ICC-sanctioned board, the USA Cricket Association, was set up by disaffected cricket lovers in May 2012 as a result of the controversial elections held by USACA.Only a few days ago, Harrison called for the ICC to abandon their support of USACA and embrace the ACF instead.Harrison will continue to serve as president of the USYCA, an organization he helped found in 2010, and which has donated over 1500 cricket sets to American schools.”Given Jamie’s selfless track record as a home-grown American dedicated to the development of US cricket, we have every confidence that he will bring an exciting new dimension to ACF’s future progress,” Professor Gangaram Singh said on behalf of the ACF steering committee. “This is a momentous step in ACF’s short history.”The ICC remains supportive of USACA and, while welcoming the good intentions of the ACF and USYCA, insists that their work should come under the umbrella of the official board.

Forecast of rain on Friday morning coupled with an already wet outfield has threatened the start of the practice match between the New Zealanders and BCB XI

Mohammad Isam in Chittagong03-Oct-2013Forecast of rain on Friday morning coupled with an already wet outfield at the MA Aziz Stadium has threatened the start of the three-day practice match between the New Zealanders and BCB XI. Besides being an important tune-up for the New Zealand side, the match will also help Bangladesh take a final call on two positions being contested by three batsmen.As of now, Marshall Ayub is ahead of Naeem Islam and Mominul Haque to fill in the No. 3 spot, according to Bangladesh coach Shane Jurgensen. If he does take the place of Mohammad Ashraful, it will be a Test debut for Marshall.There is also a battle for the No. 4 position between Naeem and Mominul, with the former in the BCB XI side.
“The practice match is important to give an indication of who stands where,” Jurgensen said. “I think Marshall [Ayub] has really put his hand up in the practice match at Khulna a few weeks ago. We also got the option of Naeem [Islam] and then we have Mominul [Haque], who is a gutsy cricketer. He can bat for long periods.”I think obviously Marshall [is ahead] at the moment, with his hundred in Khulna. He was quite impressive, batted for long periods. But it’s still not fixed. It’s exciting to have competition though: Naeem got runs in the Dhaka Premier League, Mominul got a hundred there too.”But there has already been substantial rain in Chittagong over the last week, including Thursday evening, the eve of the game. Unlike the other cricket-specific stadiums in the country, the MA Aziz Stadium has a flat outfield from where water doesn’t easily drain out. The outfield in the other venues has a reversed bowl shape to it, so that the water trickles out quickly after a spell of rain.The Bangladesh team management visited the venue in the afternoon, after which Jurgensen didn’t sound too confident of an on-time start on the first day.”I would be surprised if it does [start on time],” Jurgensen said. “There are a couple of wet patches in the outfield. They [the groundstaff] informed us that they had a bit of rain here in the last few days. We went there early in the afternoon; I suppose it will take a while to dry out.”However, the teams’ scheduled training sessions on Thursday were cancelled not because of the rain, but due to logistical delays. New Zealand’s flight to Chittagong was shifted from Wednesday to Thursday afternoon because there was a general strike in Chittagong. By the time they arrived, it was evening.The two home sides, Bangladesh and BCB XI, arrived early in the morning on Thursday but their gear and baggage arrived in the afternoon. The Dhaka-Chittagong highway has severe traffic, and the truck took 17 hours to complete the journey of around 400km. Jurgensen wasn’t best pleased, as it disrupted his plans leading up to the first Test.He also hinted at being disappointed at how the selection of the first Test team was rushed. Reportedly, the Dhaka Premier League clubs arm-twisted the BCB into changing the practice match squad, so that their players can be available for the league matches.The announcement of the Test squad was supposed to take place on the second day of the three-day match, which would have given the selectors, Jurgensen and Mushfiqur Rahim enough time to make a call on the undecided batting positions.”We haven’t been able to train because the luggage took a lot of time to come to Chittagong. We can’t control that, and I can’t control what happens in domestic cricket. But these things happen at times. We got to kick off again tomorrow.”When you are a head coach you are planning for a series that is really important, maybe sometimes the intensity of international cricket is maybe missed. I have had plans in place for quite a few months, so it was a little bit disappointing that it took us a while to get together and get things settled, but at the same time that is how it is.”

Essex and Kent found themselves locked in an intriguing duel as they battled for supremacy on the opening day of their Division Two clash at Chelmsford

Press Association19-Apr-2015
ScorecardJesse Ryder picked up 5 for 43 but Kent hit back strongly in the final session•Getty Images

Essex and Kent found themselves locked in an intriguing duel as they battled for supremacy on the opening day of their Division Two clash at Chelmsford.On a greenish pitch on which bowlers found plenty of encouragement, the visitors were bowled out for 193 in 68.5 overs after they had been put in, to which Essex replied with 67 for 6.Seam and swing were the dominant forces as Jesse Ryder underlined as he once again his liking for Kent batsmen. Last season he claimed 10 wickets in the match at Canterbury and his latest haul of 5 for 43 in 18 overs helped explained why Kent found run-gathering a difficult task.He destroyed the top and middle orders, starting by having Robert Key lbw for 18 at a time when he and Daniel Bell-Drummond were just promising a decent partnership following the early loss of Joe Denly. On his return to Kent from Middlesex, Denly made 3 before edging Jamie Porter to wicketkeeper James Foster.Among Ryder’s other victims was the evergreen Darren Stevens, now a few days short of his 39th birthday, but still a formidable foe. He was the one man to bat with any fluency as he struck eight fours and a six, that blow coming off Greg Smith, on his way to 50 from 88 deliveries.Stevens wasted no opportunity in punishing the loose delivery but two balls after completing his fine half-century, was ninth out when trapped lbw. In contrast, Bell-Drummond needed 84 balls to reach 30 before he edged David Masters to Nick Browne in the slips.Porter and Smith provided the main back-up to Ryder with two wickets each but Kent were to hit back so strongly that they ended the day in the ascendancy.Essex lost half their side for 60, with Tom Westley and Browne departing to successive deliveries. First, Westley found the hands of Denly in the gully to provide Matt Coles with a success with the last ball of the seventh over and with the first of the next, Ivan Thomas breached Browne’s defences to leave the home side 19 for two.Then the irrepressible Stevens was to confirm what a fine all-rounder he is. With his first delivery, he removed 17-year-old Dan Lawrence lbw and after James Foster gave a return catch to Coles, he bowled Ryder.That prompted Essex to send in Porter as nightwatchman for the remaining five overs but he failed to survive, departing in the final over of the day when he was snapped up in the slip cordon by Fabian Cowdrey. It was that man Stevens who claimed the wicket to finish the day with figures of 3 for 23 from seven overs.Much will now depend on Jaik Mickleburgh if Essex are to mount a serious challenge to Kent’s modest total. He reached the close on 20, an effort which has so far lasted nearly an hour and a half and consumed 58 deliveries with just one boundary.

Ravi Sawani, the chief of BCCI’s anti-corruption unit (ACU) has resigned from his position citing personal reasons

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jun-2015Ravi Sawani, the chief of BCCI’s anti-corruption unit (ACU) has resigned from his position citing personal reasons. He is likely to be succeeded by Neeraj Kumar, the former Delhi commissioner of police, who was recently roped in as an advisor to the Indian board’s ACU. Sawani’s tenure is likely to end in June.Sawani’s decision hasn’t surprised the BCCI administration as it is understood he had indicated his desire to quit soon after the board appointed Kumar in April. The former ICC ACSU chief was then informally asked to stay on until the end of IPL 2015.Sawani was considered by many within the BCCI as a trusted aide of N Srinivasan, the former BCCI president whose son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was arrested and charge-sheeted in the IPL 2013 corruption scandal. However, a BCCI official denied that the change in power equations in the BCCI – with Srinivasan losing his control over the board following the elections in March – has had anything to do with Sawani’s resignation.The BCCI hierarchy acknowledged Sawani’s efforts for having set up the ACU after being appointed in 2012. With Kumar’s vast knowledge and experience of dealing with cricket corruption-related cases, the BCCI hopes that he can implement measures to curb fixing-related offences in India.

Bangladesh fast bowler Taskin Ahmed has said that the memory of his ODI debut, in which he took a five-for against India, will serve as an inspiration in the forthcoming series against the same opponents

Mohammad Isam16-Jun-2015A year ago, Bangladesh fast bowler Taskin Ahmed rocked India with a five-wicket haul in Mirpur on ODI debut. The immediate gloss was taken off by Stuart Binny’s six-for that skittled Bangladesh out for 58, but Taskin’s performance was enough to suggest that Bangladesh had unearthed another promising fast bowler.Taskin became the first Bangladesh bowler, and ninth overall, to take five or more wickets on ODI debut, and the instant impact of his performance could be seen in the fact that Bangladesh looked to take three pace bowlers in their line-up even in slightly suitable conditions.Taskin said the memory of that game is an inspiration for the forthcoming, three-match ODI series, which starts on June 18, but he is also aware that India’s batting is much stronger compared to 2014, when they toured without MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan.”The memory from the last India series will work as an inspiration but this is a new start,” Taskin said. “We have to play much better, but what has happened last year will remain in history. India are one of the best teams in the world. Their batting is very good in the sub-continent. Our pace bowlers have to bowl well, there is no choice.”I think we can do well against them. Our team is stronger, everyone is doing well. If we can continue to be consistent, I hope there will be something good (in this series). If you are talking about a special goal, if given the chance, I will try to bowl a spell that helps the team win the game.”Taskin has played 12 of Bangladesh’s last 19 ODIs but has bowled his full quota of 10 overs only twice. He has made an impact in terms of wickets, taking three-wicket hauls in three games, of which Bangladesh have won two – against Scotland and Pakistan.Taskin said he is bowling at a better pace and is learning new tricks with more experience at the top level. Bangladesh are also looking at him as a Test prospect and his workload is increasing steadily. Injuries from his early days as a bowler, however, have ensured that he is still a work in progress.”I try to learn from every game. My speed has increased, while I have also bowled in several different match situations,” he said. “It helps me gain experience, and I am learning a lot.”I am training for all formats. I am bowling a lot more, working harder. I am trying to prepare myself for Tests. I am fitter than before. I hope to play in all formats. I used to bowl 100 deliveries per week even a couple of weeks ago. Now I am bowling around 160 deliveries a week. I am also doing a lot of work in the gym.”Taskin has tended to bowl more overs between the first Powerplay and the 40th over, and he has also shown wicket-taking abilities. He is confident of adapting to any role given to him, and hopes to take advantage of supportive pitches in Mirpur.”My role depends on the match situation. I will try to cut out the runs if that’s the requirement,” he said. “I will bowl to get a breakthrough if that’s the case. I will try to fulfill the demands of the captain.”Wickets were sporting during the Pakistan series. Pace bowlers get a bit of assistance these days, which wasn’t the case before. Spinners were more successful, but the wickets have changed.”

Chases do not come easier than the 106 Middlesex asked Surrey to knock off and the hosts did not have to break sweat in ensuring success

Will Macpherson at Kia Oval03-Jul-2015
ScorecardKumar Sangakkara saw Surrey home in a small chase•PA Photos

Many very real battles took place at the Kia Oval on Friday night. Spectators battled end-of-week queues on tubes and roads to make it into the ground, then further queues to make it to the equally congested bars. Stewards battled those spectators as they grew restless and unruly, sculpting their beer snakes and shouting their chants.The crowd – barely a spare seat was visible – can claim emphatic victories in both. That they then stuck around in their thousands at play’s end to watch and cheer some of their number sprint across the outfield – battling, as ever, those unfortunate, officious stewards – suggested that they felt somewhat shortchanged by the action in the middle.Out in the middle, either side of the “mascot derby” – adults dressed as furry animals from sports club across London and perhaps the closest the crowd came to seeing actual sport – came the cricket. Chases do not come easier than the 106 Middlesex asked Surrey to knock off and the hosts were not about to break sweat in ensuring success. Middlesex were abject, for the second time in as many days, and have a seventh consecutive defeat in the format to show for it.

Insights

Zafar Ansari produced the sort of intelligent containing bowling performance that explains quite why he is so highly regarded in South London and beyond. Brought into the attack with Gubbins and Malan set and just after Batty’s first over had cost 12, Ansari dried things up and picked up three crucial wickets too. He varied his flight and pace and bowled just short of a hittable length that meant his 24 deliveries yielded 17 singles and seven dots, including those three scalps.

The similarities with their defeat to Sussex across town on Thursday were striking. Once again they batted first, lost wickets frequently, failed to clear the rope enough – seven times to Thursday’s nine – and posted a target wildly under par. They did not score a boundary in the final 80 deliveries of their 120, and no batsman outside of their top three managed it. Sussex beat them with 28 balls to spare, Surrey 32.Surrey must take some credit. They fielded like hawks and bowled parsimoniously, giving Middlesex no rope. The sight of Kumar Sangakkara, 38 this year and a wicketkeeper by trade, haring round from long-off, diving full stretch and flicking the ball up to James Burke in order to save two runs off the bowling of Sam Curran just about epitomised Surrey’s effort.Middlesex’s start did not tell of the inadequacy to come. The runs didn’t flow, but wickets didn’t tumble. Paul Stirling skied Sam Curran to Zafar Ansari at cover before Dawid Malan, who pulled with disdain, shared 40 with the organised Nick Gubbins, who pulled then cut Burke for boundaries. The pair ran sharply as Malan looked to dominate but never quite could, carting Gareth Batty for a cow-bound six in his first over nevertheless.But when Ansari joined Batty in the attack the runs dried up and the rot set in. Gubbins skied the first ball of Batty’s second when trying to follow Malan to the short cow fence, taking on a strong breeze that held it up and saw him caught. Even then, a handy enough platform had been laid at 55 for 2.Eoin Morgan scratched and couldn’t settle before being bowled by Ansari as Middlesex contrived to lose six wickets for 13 runs and end all hopes of a contest. Simpson was bowled by Batty, Malan – who had acted as the innings’ glue – sent Ansari straight to long-on and Neil Dexter attempted to turn a sharp turner to leg next ball and was bowled. Ansari was outstanding, varying his lengths trickily to make each delivery tough to hit.Young bowlers – men who should not be required to bat in a game this short – Harry Podmore and Ravi Patel saw the line and were determined to limp over it, taking Middlesex to the last over with a series of singles and the occasional two before the latter was castled by Tom Curran. It had been a sorry showing indeed.In reply, Jason Roy did as Jason Roy does, but Surrey were in no hurry. He flashed through off and attempted a switch hit, while his pinch-hitting partner Tom Curran – perhaps a permanent fixture up top in this format now – sent Gurjit Sandhu over long-off for six. He then moved to 16 with a French cut off Podmore, who gained his revenge by bowling him four balls later. Roy would follow, also bowled, attempting an audacious ramp.Wise old heads Sangakkara and Gary Wilson new they needn’t rush. Sangakkara strolled to 12 off 17 before hunting Patel. There was a sweep for four, a bunt over long-on for six and a pulled four. Stirling and Malan were given a bowl as the action wound down and the crowd ramped up, both were dispatched by Sangakkara and the game was up. Middlesex can forget this competition once more but Surrey – up to sixth now – might just be on the charge.

Amy Satterthwaite, Lea Tahuhu, Erin Bermingham and Anna Peterson have all been added to the list of centrally-contracted New Zealand women’s cricketers for 2015-16

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jul-2015

List of contracted players

Suzie Bates (Otago Sparks), Erin Bermingham (Canterbury Magicians), Sophie Devine (Wellington Blaze), Sara McGlashan (Auckland Hearts), Morna Nielsen (Otago Sparks), Anna Peterson (Auckland Hearts), Katie Perkins (Auckland Hearts), Rachel Priest (Wellington Blaze), Amy Satterthwaite (Canterbury Magicians), Lea Tahuhu (Canterbury Magicians)

Amy Satterthwaite, Lea Tahuhu, Erin Bermingham and Anna Peterson have all been added to the list of centrally-contracted New Zealand women’s cricketers for 2015-16. Gone from last year’s 10-player squad are Sophie Curtis, Holly Huddleston, Hayley Jensen and Felicity Leydon-Davis.This is the second year in which a group of 10 women’s cricketers have been retained on annual contracts under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding between New Zealand Cricket and the New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association. Coach Haidee Tiffen said the list reflected the likely core of the team for the next 12 months.”These players have all shown they have what it takes it to perform at the top level and we expect them to make a significant contribution over the next 12 months,” Tiffen said. “The likes of Suzie, Sophie and Rachel have continued to lead the way for us and will remain key figures going forward.”Amy and Lea have forced their way back into the side over the last 12 months and been really impressive for us. Anna has been in and out of the side in recent years, but is an exciting batsman and fielder, and took some big strides forward in the recent tour of India.”The team’s recent performances have been encouraging and it’s important that we continue to build on that – we think these are the right group of players to help us do that.”New Zealand will host Australia and Sri Lanka in the ICC Women’s Championship this summer, before competing in the World Twenty20 in India next March.

Paul Horton, the experienced batsman, will leave Lancashire at the end of the season after the club did not offer him a new contract

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Aug-2015Paul Horton, the experienced batsman, will leave Lancashire at the end of the season after the club did not offer him a new contract.Horton revealed he had begun discussions with the club over his future earlier in the season and said he had wanted “to look at his options”. He was overlooked for the captaincy when Tom Smith was named as Glen Chapple’s successor while Steven Croft was named vice-captain.Horton made his debut for Lancashire in 2003 and was the leading run-scorer when they won the Championship in 2011. Last season he also captained them to the final of the T20 Blast.He has been a regular in the first team this season, playing all 12 Championship matches to date in which he has scored 611 runs at 35.94, but has not played in all the limited-overs cricket.”I have had a wonderful time at Lancashire. From my first game as a 15-year-old to all 308 competitive professional games for the club,” Horton said. “The pinnacle has to be helping Lancashire win the County Championship in 2011, especially after 77 years of waiting. It was also an honour and privilege to captain the side to the NatWest T20 final last year.”After speaking to the club in mid-season, I wanted to have a look at my options and I am now looking forward to a fresh challenge where my experience can hopefully benefit a new club. I wish the club every success in the future.”Director of cricket Ashley Giles said: “Paul has been a tremendous servant to Lancashire and has been a key member of the squad during my time at Old Trafford. This was a tough decision to make and I would like to thank Paul for all of his efforts for the club. We all wish him well in the future.”

Shashank Manohar, who was BCCI president between 2008 and 2011, has been formally elected for a second term at the board’s special general meeting in Mumbai on Sunday

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-20152:05

Karhadkar: Manohar known for keeping his word

Shashank Manohar has been formally elected BCCI president at the board’s special general meeting (SGM) in Mumbai on Sunday. Soon after, at his first press conference, he announced a wide range of measures to tackle various critical issues facing the board, including conflict of interest, corruption in cricket, the lack of transparency in the board’s operations and financial accountability of the state associations.His overall message was clear: “Nothing is wrong in the board.” The problem, he said, was one of perception, created by the lack of information flowing from the board. “Therefore, to clear that myth and change the perception, we would [implement the changes] immediately,” he said. How immediate? “In two months’ time all these things about which I have spoken will be implemented in full force.”He also stressed on the board’s unity, a point reinforced by his specific comments – “Excellent secretary, better than most of the secretaries I have seen in this board” – on N Srinivasan, the ICC chairman and seen as an adversary. “We are not working here with a vindictive attitude,” he said. “The entire Board, when we discussed together, were united. All 30 members including the Tamil Nadu Association said we have to work together and build the image of the Board and not fight amongst ourselves.”For starters, he said, the BCCI would appoint an independent official to preside over matters relating to conflict of interest – the one issue at the heart of the BCCI’s credibility problem since 2008, when the constitution was changed to allow officials to be stakeholders in the IPL. “The board would frame regulations with regards to conflict of interest of administrators, players and their staff. That would be done within a month’s time,” he said. “And the board would also appoint an ombudsman or an ethics officer who would be independent of this board and who would look into the complaints regarding conflict of interest.”The IPL also threw up the board’s single biggest crisis of the past few years, the 2013 spot-fixing case. Investigating that case revealed several shortcomings in the board’s process, including its lack of teeth in carrying out deep and meaningful inquiries. To that end, Manohar said, he hoped to discuss with government officials the possibility of engaging their investigating agencies, who would have far greater powers. It would help that the board secretary, Anurag Thakur, is a senior member of India’s ruling party, the BJP.Much of the public distrust of the board is the lack of transparency, especially in financial matters, which has given the BCCI an image of being a closed club. The board is not accountable to any outside agency, nor even to the public under the Right to Information legislation, and Manohar stressed that the latter should apply only if the government amends the law. However, he seemed to take a step forward by saying the board’s constitution – so long inaccessible to all outsiders – would be posted on its website. Also to be posted are the board’s balance sheet and any expenditure above Rs 25 lakh (approx. US$ 38,000).Similarly, he aims to tighten controls on the state associations, who receive funds from the central kitty but whose spending is not monitored. “A lot of debate goes on that the associations are paid huge money by the board and nobody knows what happens to that money,” he said. “The accounts of all associations are audited by their auditors. However, we would build a system by which the accounts of the affiliated units would be audited by an independent auditor appointed by the board, where after [thereafter] the further money would be released to the state associations. The board would also be empowered to take action in case the board finds that the money which has been given to the state association is not being properly utilised.”Manohar also held out some hope for that most forgotten stakeholder in Indian cricket, the ordinary fan. He made several references to the fans and acknowledged their role in making the BCCI the powerful organisation it is today. “The BCCI is a huge brand in itself. [But] without the support of the fans it would not have been possible for the board to become this big. The confidence of the cricket-loving fans has shaken due to certain unpleasant things that have happened. [It is the duty of] all members of the board to build the reputation of the board and bring it back to its full reputation.”Manohar’s election, which was necessitated by the death last month of the incumbent Jagmohan Dalmiya, became a formality after he was the only person nominated for the post on the eve of the election. He had first emerged as the front-runner for the post when the Bharatiya Janata Party backed him.