All posts by h716a5.icu

Cricket Kenya has been forced to further postpone the finals of the East Africa Premier League and East African Cup due to the prolonged rains in Nairobi

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Nov-2011Cricket Kenya has been forced to further postpone the finals of the East Africa Premier League and East African Cup due to the prolonged rains in Nairobi.Rwenzori Warriors were due take on the Nile Knights in the final of the EAPL on December 3 while the Knights were scheduled to meet Kongonis in the EAC final a day later. Both games were set to be played at Nairobi Gymkhana Club. Torrential rain led to the initial postponement of both matches in October and now an extended period of exceptionally wet weather has resulted in a further delay to the finals.Cricket Kenya carried out a ground inspection over the weekend and found the Nairobi Gymkhana ground completely waterlogged. Alternative venues were discussed but with more wet weather expected this week, the decision to postpone once more was taken.Cricket Kenya Chief Executive Tom Sears said: “Obviously we are extremely disappointed that we are going to have a further delay but there was no chance the finals could have been played next weekend. We have had around six weeks of exceptionally wet weather and that has taken its toll.”We have consulted with key stakeholders and agreed to look at re-scheduling the finals early in the New Year. As we said previously it is very important we do play the finals and bring to a conclusion what has been a very successful inaugural year of the East African Cricket competitions.”

Mumbai overtook defending champions Rajasthan’s mighty first innings’ score to take lead and thereby pocketed three critical points

The Report by Nagraj Gollapudi in Mumbai13-Nov-2011 625 (Nayar 243, Rohit 100, Pankaj 5-111)
Scorecard
Relief was writ large on Abhishek Nayar’s face when he helped Mumbai overtake Rajasthan’s first-innings score•FotocorpThe picture of the match was a moment of pure synchronicity. Abhishek Nayar, the best batsman, caressed a square drive between point and cover off Pankaj Singh, the best bowler. Nayar and his partner Iqbal Abdulla completed a single as the ball raced past the square boundary. Then, unbeknownst to the other, Nayar and Abdulla raised their gloved left hands, swiftly whipped it down in an arc, before letting out a cry of relief. Mumbai had overtaken defending champions Rajasthan’s mighty first-innings score to take the lead and pocketed three critical points.By the end of their innings, Mumbai led by 95 runs, courtesy Nayar’s first double-century in the Ranji Trophy and some sturdy partnerships from the lower order involving Abdulla, Dhawal Kulkarni, Nayar and Murtuza Hussain. The match entered the second session and a dead zone. Rajasthan played for an hour, lost their openers before the teams decided to call off the game.Though Nayar deserved to be present to savour the moment, it was the 106-run partnership between the overnight unbeaten pair of Abdulla and Dhawal Kulkarni that had paved the way for Mumbai to overtake Rajasthan. They walked out together immediately after tea on Saturday when severe body cramps had forced Nayar to the physio’s table. Mumbai were 146 runs behind, and Rajasthan sensed an opportunity to wrest control. However, Abdulla and Kulkarni, no strangers to such anxious situations, stayed calm to battle out the next two hours as Mumbai finished 92 runs adrift.The first hour on the final morning held the key to the contest. Pankaj Singh and Deepak Chahar, Rajasthan’s new-ball pair, bowled attacking lines but the Mumbai pair remained steady. Aakash Chopra, leading the side after Hrishikesh Kanitkar’s injury on Saturday, employed the spin pair of Gajendra Singh and Vivek Yadav early. The moved tempted Kulkarni, who stepped out twice against each spinner and was lucky to survive having dragged his back foot in in the nick of time. Otherwise he timed his cuts and pulls well to collect five fours while Abdulla had three boundaries in the morning session.Half an hour before lunch, Kulkarni swished at a straight, seaming delivery from Pankaj, and the thin edge was pouched easily by Rohit Jhalani behind the stumps. Mumbai were just ten runs away from Rajasthan’s score. Abdulla ran towards Kulkarni, patted him on the back and ruffled his hair in appreciation. That was the story of Mumbai this match: through collective efforts – two centuries, three fifties – the hosts bounced back in a match in which they were bystanders on the first two days.To say Mumbai managed to escape easily against an opposition that lacked a killer instinct wouldn’t be wrong. Barring Pankaj, Rajasthan have an inexperienced bowling attack. Chahar overcompensated trying to go for speed and, like any rookie, struggled with his mind, lines and lengths. The inability of the spin pair of Yadav and Gajendra to break through only added to Rajasthan’s woes. In three straight games this domestic season, Rajasthan have conceded 600-plus scores. In the Irani Cup, Shikar Dhawan, Abhinav Mukund and Ajinkya Rahane pummeled the hosts’ bowlers in Jaipur, setting up massive totals in both innings. Last week, Karnataka batted only once to put pressure on the Rajasthan bowlers.Rajasthan, though, are playing in the Elite league for the first time. As their captain Hrishikesh Kanitkar said, they improved with every game last season and to maintain the consistency in the higher grade against quality and seasoned opponents will be difficult.Mumbai have their own issues to deal with. The most significant among them could be the difference of opinions between the selectors and the team management. On the second evening after the day’s play, Mumbai coach Sulakshan Kulkarni laughed at the suggestion from a media person that his team had home advantage playing at Brabourne. According to Kulkarni, the Brabourne pitch was flat and put pressure on his bowlers who toiled on the first two days in vain. Reportedly, his remarks did not sit well with his own selectors, who felt Kulkarni should look at his bowlers who failed miserably in their lengths and lines.”Why was there no third man for most part of the Rajasthan first innings. About 75 runs were leaked there,” said an aggrieved Mumbai selector. “And what about bowling part-time bowlers in Nayar and Kaustubh Pawar after tea on the second day. Why was Ramesh Powar only bowled for a handful of overs (six) on Friday. The field was also not attacking when all the specialist batsmen were out,” were questions that the selector rolled out.Mumbai have plenty to think about in order to avoid any hiccups when they meet a tougher opponent in Karnataka in four days’ time at the same venue.

Anil Kumble has resigned as chairman of the National Cricket Academy over what he says was a lack of “alignment” over between his vision for the NCA and that of the committee

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Dec-2011Anil Kumble, the former India captain, has resigned as chairman of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) over what he says was a lack of “alignment” between his vision for the NCA and the rest of the committee’s.An official statement from the BCCI for the reasons for Kumble’s decision is awaited. He is tipped to be replaced, at least on an interim basis, by MP Pandove, the chairman of the BCCI’s specialised academies committee and a member of the IPL governing council.”I had a three-year vision, a holistic approach for the NCA that was not in alignment with that of the rest of the committee,” Kumble told ESPNcricinfo. “It didn’t make sense to me to just be a figurehead in this kind of a situation. So I thought it was better that somebody else take over.” In his role as chairman, Kumble told , he had made 10 presentations to the committee about his vision for the NCA.The NCA committee, as listed on website, is made up of 14 members including Kumble. The other committee members are BCCI president N Srinivasan, joint secretaries Sanjay Jagdale and Anurag Thakur, treasurer Ajay Shirke, chief-administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty, vice-chairman Ranjib Biswal, NCA Board members Anirudh Chaudhry, TC Mathew, Rakesh Parikh, Bikash Baruah and Gyanendra Pandey, director, NCA cricket operations Sandeep Patil and administration manager AK Jha.Kumble is president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and chief mentor of the Royal Challengers Bangalore IPL team. The post of NCA chairman, an honorary post, was Kumble’s first official BCCI position since being elected KSCA president last year. He denied that his decision to quit a day after an NCA meeting in Chennai was due to arguments in Monday’s BCCI working committee meeting over apparent conflict of interest issues concerning him. Board rules require that any resignation must be tabled before a working committee.Two months ago, controversy arose over Kumble’s co-ownership of a talent management firm called Tenvic that has on its books several young players including R Vinay Kumar and S Aravind, both of whom have been part of recent India squads and also play for the Royal Challengers. Tenvic – named after Kumble’s ten-wicket haul against Pakistan in 1999 – looks after the commercial interests of the players but Kumble has consistently denied any conflict of interest between his administrative and mentoring roles.He said at the time that “less than 2%” of Tenvic’s business was related to “mentoring cricketers”, and that too without any commercial benefit.Anil Kumble’s resignation from the post of NCA chairman has only strengthened Indian cricket’s status quo. By suggesting changes to the NCA structures, Kumble walked into no-man’s land. There is little doubt that Indian cricket needs to alter, streamline and professionalise its injury-management system, a fact reflected by repeated selectoral faux pas. BCCI posts are largely figurehead positions; power and decision-making rest in the hands of very few. For the BCCI to accept what Kumble was offering, even in theory and irrespective of cost, required humility and recognition that their status quo required changing.
Kumble could have been the best man for this job, based on his experience, work ethic and empathy of player hardship. In an ideal world, Kumble should have been the NCA’s fully-paid professional CEO. It would, however, have made his KSCA position untenable and shrunk his real influence. As much contempt as he may have for the BCCI’s functionaries today, it is only by working with them that he will wrestle change out of the status quo. A seasoned policy wonk would have told Kumble that in this high-profile BCCI post the wickets do not fall easily. Patience and persistence, his strengths as a bowler, needed buffeting by new skills of negotiation, diplomacy and an acceptance that progress will come not in sessions or in days but in years. It would seem both sides have lost this one. – Sharda Ugra

They say 40 is the new 30. Or maybe 40 is the new 20 in Brad Hogg’s case after the 40-year-old left-arm wrist spinner, who retired from all forms of cricket in March of 2008, was selected in Australia’s T20 squad for the upcoming internationals against In

Alex Malcolm23-Jan-2012They say 40 is the new 30. Or maybe 40 is the new 20 in Brad Hogg’s case after he was selected in Australia’s T20 squad for next week’s internationals against India. Hogg, who turns 41 next month, retired from all forms of cricket in March 2008 but made his comeback this summer for the Perth Scorchers and has been one of the standout performers in the Big Bash League.He has collected 12 wickets at an average of 13.50 in helping the Scorchers reach this weekend’s final, but even more impressive has been his economy rate of 5.40. Hogg now has the chance not only to resume his international career next week, but also to earn himself a place at the ICC World Twenty20, to be held in Sri Lanka in September.”It’s unbelievable. Seriously I feel like I’m 21 again,” Hogg said. “I really feel excited about where my cricket’s gone over the last month and to be honest with you it’s just a dream come true.”John (Inverarity, national selection manager) rang me up yesterday morning and just asked me if I was right to go. He woke me up at about 7 o’clock in the morning, the old bugger, but it was just great news. I hardly slept last night. I’m just excited. It’s just like being a kid again and another Christmas present under the Christmas tree.”It is an astonishing turn-around for Hogg, who four years ago ended a 15-year first-class career that brought him seven Test appearances, 123 one-day internationals, and two T20 internatioanls. Despite still being extremely fit, and seemingly enjoying the game, he cited personal issues as the major reason for his retirement, saying at the time “I’ve got things that I want to sort out at home and get my new chapter in my life organised and on the go.”Hogg disappeared from the game completely, surfacing briefly as a television commentator for Australia’s tour of India in 2010, before returning to represent Willetton Dragons in Perth grade cricket last season. After two T20s he was convinced to play two-day cricket again, and he took 5 for 44 in an elimination final, before scoring off a match-winning 144 in the semi-final. Since being recruited by the Perth Scorchers this season he has been a revelation.”I didn’t plan it. It’s just really exciting and I’m going to enjoy every moment of it,” Hogg said. “One thing I’ve realised over the last three years is life only comes once and once cricket was gone I thought it was gone forever. But I’m just really going to make the most of this opportunity. It’s just fantastic. I’m proud to be West Australian and I’m proud to be back in the green and gold as well.”Only Rana Naved-ul-Hasan (15) and James Faulkner (13) have taken more wickets in the BBL than Hogg this summer, while only Mitchell Starc has a better average, and no other player has conceded less than a six per over. However, despite his incredible form, representing Australia had only recently become a possibility in Hogg’s mind.”Probably only about a week ago I started to think if they were interested in selecting me I’d definitely take that opportunity,” he said. “The only thing that’s on my mind for the rest of this week is to make sure that we give it our best to get some silverware on the mantelpiece for West Australian cricket through the Perth Scorchers, and then after that my goal will be to try and get in that World Cup squad and win a World Cup at T20 level for Australia.”Hogg is no stranger to World Cups having been a part of both the 2003 and 2007 triumphs for Australia in the 50-over format. Hogg was quick to point out he was no guarantee to go to the World T20 later this year and was even more cagey when asked about his prospects of playing beyond that tournament.”Firstly I’ve got to be fit around the World Cup and I’ve got to be still showing form. They’re not going to pick me if I’m not showing form, simple as that. Beyond the World Cup I don’t really have any aspirations after that. I think Australian cricket’s got to look forward and go for the younger players, but at the present moment, luckily, I’ve been in form with the ball and they’ve given me the nod to participate in Twenty20 cricket for Australia. I’m not going to complain, simple as that.”Hogg was hoping to go Sri Lanka for the World T20 in any case, having accepted a coaching role with Papua New Guinea.”I’ve had to change a few things. I was meant to be coaching Papua New Guinea and we were hoping to get that squad into the T20 World Cup just coming up. Things have changed. We’ve got to find a new coach over there for the boys.”Andy Bichel was doing the job and then I was going to take over when Bich decided to leave but those things have changed. I’ll stay involved in some capacity there. [I will] keep chatting with Greg Campbell who is in charge. They’re a pretty good, talented squad over there. An interesting group of people but the enthusiasm over there for the way they go about their cricket gave me the joy to come back and play for the Perth Scorchers.”Should Hogg play next Wednesday against India it will be one month shy of four years since he last represented Australia, and more than five years since he played a T20 international. But that pales by comparison to the seven-year, 78-match gap between his first and second Tests. However, Hogg is unperturbed by any of that as Twenty20 has given him a new lease on life.”If I was a little bit younger I’d want to play all three forms of the game but Twenty20’s given me the opportunity to participate for my country at the highest level again and keep me involved in the game as a player,” he said. “Basically I just want to stay involved in cricket as long as I can. It’s been my life from day dot, I’ve enjoyed it. I love my sport and I’m just grateful that cricket’s given me the opportunities that it has.”

The ECB is re-examining its policy towards broadcasting and television rights

George Dobell21-Feb-2012The ECB is re-examining its policy towards broadcasting andtelevision rights in the light of the ‘s purchase of theon-line audio commentary service Test Match Sofa.Test Match Sofa offers free ball-by-ball commentary of all Englandinternational games but, due to a legal loophole, is not obliged topay any rights fees to the ECB. Instead, the Test Match Sofa teamcommentate using television coverage of the games from their base inLondon.The company has, until now, been a niche, independent player. Now,however, with the backing of the magazine it has ambitions to become a recognised alternative to the BBC’s iconic Test Match Special. Both at the ECB and the BBC this has been met with some apprehension.”It’s a situation we have to monitor,” the ECB’s commercial director,John Perera said. “We are slightly uncomfortable with the situationand we have had some dialogue with the BBC. They are our audio rightspartner and we will always work with our partners to protect theirrights.”We do not feel that the existence of Test Match Sofa threatens toreduce the value of our rights. But we would be foolish to ignore thesituation and we will have to see if this opens the floodgates.”The ECB has recently agreed a new six-year deal for the BBC to provide exclusivelive radio coverage of all home internationals. There are concernswithin both organisations that the existence of services such as TestMatch Sofa undermine the worth of such deals and could, in time,reduce the ECB’s income.The ECB’s chairman Giles Clarke recently condemned unauthorised websites streaming games, calling them: “The biggest danger to cricket, because they take money outof the game without commercial benefit to us. They are being used bythe bookmakers as well. The problem of pirate-site streaming is verybig for sport.”He has yet to voice what he thinks of Test Match Sofa.

ESPNcricinfo previews the first Test between Sri Lanka and England in Galle

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan in Galle25-Mar-2012Match factsMarch 26-30, Galle
Start time 10.00am (0430GMT)Andrew Strauss said Stuart Broad was fully fit but the question of having enough bowling options was still being pondered•Getty ImagesBig PictureThis is an odd tour – two Tests and nothing else – but one with great significance for both sides. It is Mahela Jayawardene’s first Test series since returning to the captaincy and Sri Lanka are still searching for their first series win since Muttiah Muralitharan’s retirement. England, meanwhile, are coming off a 3-0 whitewash by Pakistan in the UAE, which raised questions about their No. 1 ranking.The brief nature of the series adds a certain lottery factor to the outcome, particularly given the recent history of Galle, the venue for the opening match. The previous Test at this ground, which Australia won by 125 runs, led to a warning over the pitch from the ICC. It remains to be seen what type of surface is produced this time, and whether the groundsman plays it safe (two Tests ago Chris Gayle slammed a triple hundred here), but one crazy session – as Nathan Lyon and Shane Watson produced last September – could be all that is needed to take the series.Significant questions remain about England’s batting on the subcontinent and, with a tour to India to come at the end of the year, they need to show that lessons have been absorbed from what happened against Pakistan. There is less mystery about Sri Lanka’s attack but this England line-up are not in a position to take anyone lightly.Neither, though, are Sri Lanka’s batsmen likely to find it easy. While the reputation of England’s batting slumped in the UAE that of the bowlers soared. James Anderson and Stuart Broad became a two-man pace attack with Monty Panesar making a resurgent comeback. When a slightly below-par Graeme Swann is the main concern for England, it’s a sign of the strength on offer. And Steven Finn is unlikely to play.The fact that the strongest element of either team – England’s bowling and Sri Lanka’s batting – will face-off against each other suggests this should be a tight contest.Form guideSri Lanka LWLDL (most recent first)
England LLLWWWatch out for…Tillakaratne Dilshan was apparently treated pretty harshly as Sri Lanka captain but being freed of the burden was not the worst outcome for such an explosive player. There were signs in the one-day series against Australia that he was getting back to being that expressive, domineering batsman that can tear attacks apart. This series will give him a chance to translate that to Test cricket, although he will need to be at his best against England’s strong new-ball attack. Don’t rule out his bowling having an impact, either.Monty Panesar flourished at the beginning of his second coming as an international cricketer with 14 wickets in two Tests against Pakistan. Now, all of a sudden, he has to deal with the expectation of success again. When England were last in Sri Lanka it marked the start of Panesar’s problems in Test cricket, as he failed to have the impact needed from him. Now he is back as a wiser, sharper cricketer, and will be aiming to make it very difficult for the selectors to drop him.Team newsAngelo Mathews was ruled out of the Test having initially been named in the squad, but Sri Lanka have batting cover available. Dinesh Chandimal will slot in at No. 6 and hand the wicketkeeping gloves back to Prasanna Jayawardene, who has recovered from hernia surgery. Mahela Jayawardene also confirmed that Lahiru Thirimanne will continue to open the batting, while it’s a choice between Suranga Lakmal and Dhammika Prasad for the second seamer.Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Lahiru Thirimanne, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kumar Sangakkara, 4 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 5 Thilan Samaraweera, 6 Dinesh Chandimal, 7 Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), 8 Suraj Randiv, 9 Rangana Herath, 10 Suranga Lakmal/Dhammika Prasad, 11 Chanaka WelegederaAndrew Strauss said Stuart Broad was fully fit but the question of having enough bowling options was still being pondered. Samit Patel remains an option but it would be bad luck on Ravi Bopara who’s side strain couldn’t have come at a worse time.England (probable) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Ian Bell, 6 Ravi Bopara, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Monty PanesarStats and trivia There have been three Tests between these two teams at Galle, and the hosts have dominated them all. They won by an innings and 28 runs in 2001, where a wicket away from victory in 2003 and would have won in 2007 except for the rain. The one current England player with fond memories of the ground is Alastair Cook, who scored 118 in 2007. Ravi Bopara, in the same match, had bagged a pair that stalled his Test career. Chanaka Welegedara, who will take the new-ball for Sri Lanka, made his Test debut in the correspondent fixture.Quotes”The history of the wicket is that it tends to deteriorate as the match goes on, but I expect it to be a pretty good Test wicket. You are looking for a good balance to your side to give you the best chance of taking 20 wickets.”
Andrew Strauss doesn’t expect another Galle minefield“We have about six guys, who are genuine Test players, coming in to the squad. They have been training hard, and for the rest of the boys who have been touring, it’s a good challenge switching back to the longer version.”

On the ground where they secured their first outright championship title since 1934 just seven months ago, Lancashire enjoyed their best day of a season that has taken some time to flicker into life.

George Dobell at Taunton26-Apr-2012Lewis Gregory was part of a very young Somerset attack•Getty ImagesOn the ground where they secured their first outright championship title since 1934 just seven months ago, Lancashire enjoyed their best day of a season that has taken some time to flicker into life.Starting this game bottom of the table and having failed to pass 250 in any innings, Lancashire are already on the brink of maximum batting bonus points after taking a heavy toll on an attack as green as the emerald outfield. Steven Croft, with the fourth first-class century of his career and the first by any Lancashire batsman this season, added 208 for the fourth-wicket with Ashwell Prince in just 49 overs. The pitch is unusually true for this time of year, but to concede over four an over in April says as much about the bowling as it does the batting.This was an oddly uncompetitive day’s cricket. Much of the time it resembled a fixture between a county and a university side as an injury-depleted Somerset team was exposed for its inexperience. As a result, Somerset will send for reinforcements in the coming days.”We will look into the loan market very quickly at the end of this game,” Brian Rose, Somerset’s director of cricket told ESPNcricinfo. “I only have one more bowler in reserve – James Overton – so we have already started to look at some names that aren’t playing. There don’t seem to be many options, but it is an area we are going to explore.”Perhaps, had James Hildreth at slip, held on to a low chance offered by Prince off Peter Trego when the batsman had just seven, things might have been different. As it was, though, Prince and in particular Croft were content to put away the poor ball on a decent pitch offering little margin for error. They rarely had to wait for long. Somerset struggled with their line and length throughout, with a tendency to pitch too short punished in such easy-paced conditions.”Our back-up bowlers let us down a bit,” Hildreth, Somerset’s stand-in captain, admitted afterwards. “We had simple game plans but we didn’t execute them properly. It’s a bit disappointing, but we have to remember that some of these bowlers are young.”If it is the hope that hurts, then Somerset supporters can take some comfort from the day’s play. While the final weeks of recent seasons have been characterised by agony as the team threaten to win their maiden championship title only to fall away at the last, this year there will be no such pain. It is highly unlikely that Somerset will win the championship this year.They do not have the depth in their bowling attack to mount a sustainable challenge. With Alfonso Thomas absent on IPL duty and Steve Kirby, Geemal Hussain and Adam Dibble injured, they have been obliged to rely too heavily on a band of talented but inexperienced bowlers. Craig Overton is barely 18, George Dockrell and Lewis Gregory are both teenagers and Craig Meschede is, aged 20, the oldest of the four. They have played just 27 first-class games between them. Indeed, Glen Chapple, the Lancashire captain, has played more first-class cricket than all six members of the Somerset attack combined. While Somerset could claim, with some justification, they have suffered some ill-fortune, they might also reflect on the wisdom of allowing Charl Willoughby to depart for Essex. Their squad is too thin.It would be unreasonable to expect too much of their callow recruits. Overton, tall but red raw, has just a hint of Stuart Broad about him and may well develop into a fine cricketer. He also claimed his maiden first-class wicket when Prince punched one to mid-wicket. Gregory bowled horribly most of the time, but also ended Karl Brown’s delightfully fluent innings with a good, full ball and has, just occasionally, a turn of pace that suggests there is plenty of untapped talent lurking within. Neither they nor Meschede are yet ready for this level, but all are worth perseverance. Somerset have simply asked a bit much of them a bit soon.More disappointing was the performance of Vernon Philander. The South African removed Paul Horton early, leaving a straight one, but generally failed to utilise the new ball by making the batsmen play in that crucial first hour and conceded four an over throughout the day. Six no-balls underlined his lack of rhythm. Somerset, it should be noted, would have bowled had they won they toss.This is a decent pitch, though. Croft, who scored the winning runs here when Lancashire clinched the championship, rated it the best he has seen this season. “There’s nowhere better to bat,” he said. “Hopefully this will kick start our season.”The way in which one delivery from left-arm spinner George Dockrell took off and leapt over the shoulder of batsman and keeper for four byes suggests that Simon Kerrigan may yet find a little more joy in the surface.Somerset also expect to hear confirmation of Chris Gayle’s availability within the next couple of days. The West Indian, signed for this season’s FLt20 is believed to be on the brink of resuming national team duties and may well, as a consequence, become unavailable for Somerset as a result.

Glenn Querl starred with ball and bat as the Unicorns pulled off their first win of the Clydesdale Bank 40 season, beating Kent by four wickets

20-May-2012
ScorecardGlenn Querl starred with ball and bat as the Unicorns pulled off their first win of the Clydesdale Bank 40 season, beating Kent by four wickets with an over to spare at Canterbury.Querl, the Zimbabwe-born all-rounder, followed up best figures of 4 for 41 with an unbeaten 24 from 21 balls to see his side to victory in the Group C clash. Having played out a maiden from Matt Coles to leave the Unicorns needing 33 from four overs he went on to hit four boundaries in seven balls to make Kent pay for a self-destructive batting effort.The experienced Keith Parsons played with calm composure to finish unbeaten on 46, guiding the ECB recreational side to a notable scalp. It was also Kent’s first competitive defeat this season.The pattern was set as early as the ninth ball of the Kent innings, when Sam Billings played across the line to be bowled by Querl. Alex Blake then miscued a pull to Steven Cheetham at mid-on to become Querl’ s second victim.Rob Key, the Kent captain, was third out at 41 when he was lured down the pitch in slow left-armer Luke Beaven’s first over and was stumped by yards by Tom New. In Beaven’s next over Darren Stevens tried to hit over the top and fell to an excellent low catch by Luis Reece at mid-on.A low-key stand of 50 in 14 overs between Brendan Nash and Sam Northeast brought some stability to the Kent innings before Nash was run out for 26 attempting a risky second run to James Campbell at long leg.Kent would have struggled to reach 150 but for a responsible 69 off 94 balls from Northeast, who was run out in the final over of the innings.Off-spinner James Tredwell made a much-needed breakthrough for Kent in the 10th over of the Unicorns reply when he dismissed Michael Thornely, Geraint Jones sprinting from behind the stumps to scoop the ball up in the vacant short-leg position. Jones also caught James Ord as he tried to angle medium-pacer Adam Ball down to third man.The same combination accounted for Campbell when he top-edged an attempted hook in Ball’s next over, but Tom New and Parsons brought the Unicorns closer to their target in a stand of 49 in 12 overs before New chipped Tredwell to Blake at midwicket.The Unicorns were still well placed needing 54 from 10 overs, but Tredwell, who finished with four for 24, gave Kent fresh hope with two wickets in successive balls.

The ICC and FICA will be participating in efforts aimed at ending the stand-off between the West Indies Cricket Board and the West Indies Players’ Association

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jun-2012The ICC and FICA (Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations) will be participating in efforts aimed at ending the stand-off – largely over the issue of contracts and the running of West Indies Cricket – between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA). Meetings have been scheduled between June 10 to 13 in Barbados, wherein the ICC and FICA will mediate in the negotiations between the two disputing parties.”The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) wish to advise all stakeholders of West Indies cricket that they will be meeting to discuss the terms and conditions, which could result in a mutually agreeable, revised Collective Bargaining Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding between the parties,” a joint statement said.The ICC will be represented by its general manager of Cricket Dave Richardson and acting head of Legal Ian Higgins. Tim May, the FICA chief executive, will represent his organisation. “The joint mediation team has established guidelines for the process, one of which is strict confidentiality, and both the WICB and WIPA have agreed to adhere to those guidelines,” the statement said.It is understood that Dinanath Ramnarine, the former WIPA president and chief executive, who resigned from his post in late March this year, is likely to be present at the meetings. WICB sources fear Ramnarine could prove to be a stumbling block, as he has been against a new CBA/MoU and happy to stick with the existing. It is in this area the pair of Richardson and May, acting as facilitators, could play an important role in paving a new path that could be beneficial for both the WICB and the WIPA.The impasse reached its height in 2009, when several senior members of the West Indies team boycotted the home series against Bangladesh. West Indies were forced to field a makeshift side that lost both the Test and ODI series, and was then retained for the Champions Trophy that year.

Glamorgan’s batsmen showed their resolve and a willingness to battle on day three at Canterbury

21-Jul-2012
ScorecardGlamorgan’s batsmen showed their resolve and a willingness to battle on day three at Canterbury, digging in against Kent to reach 264 for 7 and improve their chances of avoiding the follow-on.Kent declared on their overnight first-innings total of 456 for 9 when play finally started at noon, setting the Welsh county 307 to avoid the follow-on, and by stumps the visitors were only 43 short of their target with three first-innings wickets intact.When Matt Coles bagged two early wickets to help reduce the visitors to 83 for 4 all appeared to be going Kent’s way until Stewart Walters and then Glamorgan vice-captain Jim Allenby dug in to frustrate the hosts for much of the afternoon.After early morning showers led to an umpteenth delay in the game, Glamorgan posted 37 for their first wicket before Kent started to make gradual inroads. With only his seventh ball of the day from the Nackington Road End, Coles rushed one through the defensive push of Will Bragg to pluck out the left-hander’s off stump.Six balls later, Charlie Shreck got one to lift from the Pavilion End, forcing Gareth Rees to fence it towards gully where Darren Stevens pocketed a sharp overhead chance that made it 47 for 2.Marcus North pushed with firm hands at one from Coles to snick to James Tredwell at second slip then soon after lunch Ben Wright went back and across in defence to Stevens to perish leg before.Walters then joined forces with Allenby to add 84 in 19.3 overs for the fifth wicket, with Walters posting a 98-ball 50 with four fours. It was his third in this Championship season. But only 11 balls later the wafted cross-batted against Stevens only to feather one into the gloves of Geraint Jones.Allenby took on the anchor role thereafter as he and wicketkeeper Mark Wallace combined to add a further 87 in 31.4 overs in the best batting conditions of the game.Allenby, having battled for three hours, was only 14 short of his century when he tossed away his own wicket against the occasion left-arm wrist-spin of Brendan Nash. Advancing to drive over the bowler’s head, Allenby’s bottom hand took control and tugged the ball straight into the hands of Michael Powell at long-on.With the new ball available, home captain Rob Key immediately reverted to pace and Shreck returned to trap James Harris leg before as the tail-ender jumped across his stumps in aiming to work to leg.Kent will look to claim Glamorgan’s three remaining first-innings wickets quickly on the final day and will be favourites to force a victory should they do so.