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It’s the last weekend of the regular season in the WBBL with the final push for a spot in the knockouts

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Nov-2019Sydney Sixers v Adelaide StrikersSarah Coyte’s three-for and Tahlia McGrath’s 2 for 19 and a 35-ball 30 amplified Sydney Sixers‘ chances of missing out on a place in the WBBL semi-finals for the first time in history of the tournament as the Adelaide Strikers chased the paltry target of 94 down with 29 balls to spare.In the injury-enforced absence of regular captain Ellyse Perry, Alyssa Healy opted to bat in the first of the two must-win weekend fixtures against the Strikers. But it didn’t pay off at Hurstville Oval as Healy and No. 3 Ashleigh Gardner fell inside three overs to Megan Schutt, who finished with 2 for 12.The Sixers never recovered from the early wobble as Coyte and McGrath dented the middle and lower-middle order with regular strikes, Coyte returning an outstanding 3 for 9 – with a maiden – off her full allocation. Marizanne Kapp top-scored with 20 while Dane van Niekerk made 19, but their efforts could only help the Sixers to 93 for 9.Strikers opener Suzie Bates’ dismissal in the first over, courtesy Kapp, raised hopes of a fightback. However, a 72-run stand between McGrath and Sophie Devine – the latter making 46 not-out on her way to becoming the first overseas player to 2000 WBBL runs – steered Strikers to their tenth win of the season – and the top of the table – in only 15.1 overs.Melbourne Stars v Melbourne RenegadesJess Duffin continued to carry the Melbourne Renegades on her shoulders as they pushed for a place in the semi-finals with a superbly-paced chase against the Melbourne Stars to win by six wickets with a ball to spare. Duffin struck 76 off 57 balls after coming in at 2 for 11 in the second over, initially steadying the innings with Tammy Beaumont before adding 81 in 10 overs with Courtney Webb (30). Georgia Wareham then played a vital cameo in a tense finish with eight need off the last over. The Stars had fallen away after a tremendous opening stand of 118 in 13 overs between Elyse Villani (45) and Lizelle Lee (70). That pair departed in the space of three deliveries and the Stars could only add 44 in the remainder of the innings, 20 of those coming off the last over.Perth Scorchers v Hobart HurricanesErin Fazackerley’s first half-century of the season set up Hobart Hurricanes‘ emphatic six-wicket win over the Perth Scorchers. Hurricanes’ successful chase of 108 gave them only their fourth win of the tournament, but pegged back the third-placed Scorchers on their path to consolidating their position in the top two, heading into the final day of the league stage.The Hurricanes attack bowled the Scorchers out for a meagre 107 after opting to field at the Lilac Hill Park. Tayla Vlaeminck accounted for openers Amy Jones and Meg Lanning with two outstanding inswingers inside the Powerplay. Medium-pacers Belinda Vakarewa and Nicola Carey and wristspinner Maisy Gibson then combined to take five wickets between them, bowling the opposition out off the last ball of the 20th over.Opening the innings for the Hurricanes, 21-year-old Fazackerley anchored the chase, hitting five fours and two sixes in a 48-ball 58 – the second half-century in her WBBL career. Although medium-pacer Taneale Peschel’s double-wicket second over – she was on a hat-trick when Fran Wilson was on strike – caused a scare early in the chase, captain Corine Hall and South Africa allrounder Chloe Tryon – the latter hitting a six for the winning runs – ensured the Hurricanes overhauled the chase in 15.4 overs, six balls after Fazackerley fell.The final set of league games will be played on Sunday, with the Sixers and the Melbourne Renegades vying for the fourth and final berth in the knockouts. The Strikers, Scorchers, and Brisbane Heat are already through.

PCB chairman Ehsan Mani has said he will look into the issue of conflict of interest on a ‘case-by-case’ basis

Umar Farooq23-Oct-2018Dual roles held by national-team coaches Mickey Arthur and Azhar Mahmood have come under the spotlight, following recent cases of high-profile names having to give up roles in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Arthur, Pakistan’s head coach, and Azhar, the bowling coach, are both also coaches with Karachi Kings in the PSL, which has raised questions about potential conflicts of interest.Last month, the PCB removed chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq from the PSL player draft committee because of a potential conflict of interest since he was involved with a talent-hunt programme run by one of the tournament’s franchises, Lahore Qalandars. Tauseef Ahmed, who is also part of the national selection committee while also being Islamabad United’s spin coach, was also left out of the PSL draft committee.Ehsan Mani, the PCB’s new chairman, has said he will look into other cases of conflict of interest on a “case-by-case” basis.”That is certainly something I will look at,” Mani told ESPNcricinfo. “I know commitments have already been made and contracts have already been signed so you can’t enter and break them overnight. But if there is a conflict of interest that effects Pakistan cricket, of course I will get into it.”[The PCB removed Inzamam from the PSL draft-selection process because] that created a conflict of interest. If he is there with the franchise then he can’t be choosing the players and that made logical sense. In terms of him [Arthur] and others involved with PSL franchises we will look case by case on merit basis and will raise [the issue] with them and consult with people concerned.”ESPNcricinfo understands that Arthur has no vote in picking Pakistan’s squads, though the selectors take his inputs on board, but he does have a vote in selecting the final playing XI.In 2016, Arthur was already Karachi Kings’ head coach when he took over the Pakistan role shortly after Waqar Younis’ resignation.Arthur, with then PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan, had negotiated a contract to allow both roles, foregoing his monthly PCB retainer during the duration of the PSL. When he renewed his contract as Pakistan coach until the 2019 World Cup, this agreement remained intact. Arthur has coached Karachi Kings in all three seasons of the PSL so far, and is set to do so again in the fourth edition in 2019.Speaking to ESPNcricinfo in 2016, Mani had questioned the decision to allow him to continue in both roles.”I do not believe that the national coach should be involved with any domestic team,” he had said. “This creates a conflict of interest. Unfortunately it is also a reflection of the governance standards of the PCB.”Arthur has brushed away any suggestions that his dual roles could be a problem.”I see absolutely no conflict at all and in fact see it as a massive benefit because it allows me to see all the best young talent available,” Arthur told ESPNcricinfo in 2016. “I certainly am professional enough not to in any way be biased in selections or opinions on any player because at he end of the day I am here to assist Pakistan cricket and make Pakistan cricket the best and I am not going to jeopardize that in any way.”Other than cricket affairs, Mani has also removed Shakeel Sheikh from an advisory post created by the previous chairman Najam Sethi. Sheikh was the powerful former PCB governing board member representing the Islamabad region, and had taken on the role of advisor on domestic cricket and grounds upon the completion of his term last year. The role switch put him in a potential conflict of interest, and he was thought to be allotting a disproportionate number of matches to the Diamond Cricket Club ground in the Islamabad region.Sheikh was considered the most powerful non-cricketer individual running domestic cricket affairs. Mani has dissolved all the committees formed during Sethi’s tenure, citing conflict of interest as a major issue in all of them.

R Ashwin held the match ball aloft to an applauding crowd after his five second-innings wickets sent Worcestershire second at New Road

ECB Reporters Network31-Aug-2017R Ashwin took eight wickets in the match•Getty Images

Indian spinner R Ashwin took five second-innings wicket to ensure a winning debut as Worcestershire climbed back into the second promotion spot in the Specsavers County Championship with a 189 run success over Gloucestershire at New Road.Ashwin, having a brief taste of county cricket ahead of India’s tour next year, completed a productive opening game for his adopted county by taking eight wickets in total – including 5 for 68 in the second innings – and making useful contributions with the bat.He left the outfield to a standing ovation proudly displaying the match ball.Worcestershire’s sixth Championship win of the campaign moved them 19 points clear of Sussex, who have a game in hand as Gloucestershire were dismissed for 211.They will head into next week’s top of the table clash with leaders Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge full of confidence after this comprehensive victory against their neighbours from down the M5.It was a welcome return to form for the home side after a disappointing NatWest T20 Blast campaign and defeat against Sussex in their last Championship match at New Road.The majority of their batsman made sizeable contributions and Ashwin was well supported on a used pitch that might have been designed for him by Worcestershire’s seam attack in which Ed Barnard was again outstanding.Gareth Roderick, skipper Phil Mustard and first innings century-maker Jack Taylor all got into the 40s for mid-table Gloucestershire but their resistance was ended in mid-afternoon by Ashwin and co.Gloucestershire resumed on 55 for 3 and Ashwin came straight into the attack for the second over of the morning and, apart from a brief spell by Brett D’Oliveira, bowled from the New Road End for the majority of the day.It was Barnard who made the first breakthrough as nightwatchman Tom Smith (9) was trapped lbw by a delivery which ket low.Ashwin collected his third wicket of the innings in the next over as George Hankins also fell leg before for a duck.Gareth Roderick and Mustard defied Worcestershire for 13 overs.Worcestershire skipper Joe Leach brought himself into the attack and knocked back the middle stump of Roderick for 47 – his 49th Championship victim of 2017.Mustard and Taylor provided stiff resistance during a partnership of 71 in 18 overs but the contest was effectively ended when they both departed in quick succession.
Mustard (40) presented Leach with a comfortable catch at mid off when facing rookie paceman Pat Brown and Taylor (43) fell leg before to Ashwin who completed his nap hand when Kieran Noema-Barnett was caught at fine leg.Leach rounded off Worcestershire’s victory by bowling Liam Norwell to secure his 50th Championship wicket of the campaign.

The BCB has formed a four-member committee to investigate a Dhaka Premier League match that was abandoned last week after the umpires walked off the field

Mohammad Isam19-Jun-2016The BCB has formed a four-member committee to investigate a Dhaka Premier League match that was abandoned last week after the umpires walked off the field.When a stumping appeal against Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club was turned down by umpire Tanvir Ahmed, the players and fans of Abahani Limited began to protest. That led the umpires to consult with match referee Monu Datta and take their leave citing “illness”. The match did not resume on the reserve day.The board’s umpires committee chairman Nazmul Karim, disciplinary committee chairman Sheikh Sohel, technical committee member Athar Ali Khan and match referee Raqibul Hassan will interview players and umpires before reporting to the BCB president within 72 hours. If the match is replayed, it could be held on June 24.BCB president Nazmul Hassan said: “Such an incident should not have happened but we will get to the bottom of what happened in that game.”The BCB also formed the bowling action review committee, to be headed by Jalal Yunus with Dipu Roy Chowdhury, Omar Khaled Rumi and Golam Faruq Suru as the other members. Technical personnel will be appointed at a later date.The DPL players were supposed to get 60% of their fees by the end of the first stage of the tournament, and the clubs who have defaulted on the payments have been given three days to get up to date.”If they don’t pay within this time, the board will pay the amount from their coffers,” Hassan said. “In that case, the board will take stern action against the clubs.”Hassan also confirmed the 2016 BPL will begin on November 6 and added the BCB would take legal action against Sylhet Superstars franchise after their bank guarantee couldn’t be encashed. “They owe around Tk 3 to 4 crore to us and the players. We condemn this and will take legal measures.”

Nitin Patel, the physiotherapist of the India team, resigned during the IPL citing personal reasons

Amol Karhadkar26-May-2015Besides finalising the new coach of the India team, the BCCI will also have to search for a new chief physiotherapist after Nitin Patel resigned from the post.Patel is understood to have put in his papers during the IPL, citing personal reasons. Though the resignation has not been formally accepted yet, a BCCI insider revealed that Patel had “made up his mind since he wants to spare more time at home”.Patel has been one of the longest-serving support staff members of the national team. Ever since being roped in midway through India’s tour to England in 2007, after John Gloster had been injured, Patel has emerged as one of the key backroom staff for India.For the last couple of years, Patel had been touring with the India team primarily for limited-overs series and used to look after the rehabilitation of BCCI-contracted players at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore. He had been instrumental in relocating the injury rehabilitation centre from Bangalore to the Sri Ramachandra Medical College campus in Chennai last year. Besides helping in healing player injuries, Patel also developed the modules for the BCCI’s physiotherapy training courses.

Lions consolidated their position at the top of the table by beating Cobras. Warriors and Dolphins are still looking for points after their game was washed out

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2012
ScorecardLions increased the gap between them and the rest with a third consecutive win in the Momentum One Day Cup, beating Cape Cobras by 19 runs at Newlands. It was their hardest-fought win yet.After choosing to bat on a slightly difficult pitch, Lions made a positive start, reaching 65 for 0 and then 101 for 2 in the 23rd over. It was then that Gulam Bodi, whose 45 was eventually the innings’ top score, was run out by Justin Ontong. Lions lost two more wickets for 22 runs and their momentum was shot. Temba Bavuma and Zander de Bruyn made 30s but were dismissed before converting their starts into substantial scores. Johann Louw and Justin Kemp took two wickets each for Cobras as Lions were restricted to 248 for 9.The Cobras chase got off to a swift start, with Richard Levi leading the way. Andrew Puttick’s struggle – 13 off 32 balls – ended in the 10th over, and then Levi was dismissed in the next, leaving Cobras on 55 for 2. From 99 for 2 they slipped further to 158 for 6 in the 36th over, with none of the top and middle-order batsmen making significant contributions. However, the equation boiled down to 47 runs to get off 40 balls with four wickets in hand, and Cobras were in the game. Ethan O’Reilly then struck the telling blow, Kemp caught behind for 24, and Cobras were eventually dismissed for 229. O’Reilly finished with 3 for 61, but the Lions spinner Aaron Phangsio proved most economical, taking 1 for 31 in ten overs.Despite maintaining their 100% win record, Lions captain Stephen Cook asked for improvement from his side. “We probably didn’t play as well as we have the last few games,” he said. “Perhaps we were a tad lucky to get over the line at the end, but that keeps everyone honest and working hard at their game.”The Cobras captain Ontong was disappointed with his team’s batting. “I thought we didn’t get a partnership going and, although a couple of the guys got starts, we just couldn’t really kick on,” he said. “We’ve got to do some hard work now and get some wins under our belts.”Cobras are third in the points table with one win in three games.Match abandoned
ScorecardOnly 17 overs were possible at Kingsmead before rain washed out the game between Dolphins and Warriors. After getting sent in to bat, Dolphins had reached 67 for 2, with Makhaya Ntini and Wayne Parnell striking for Warriors.Neither team has won a match in the tournament so far and they are at the bottom of the points table.

A court heard on Friday during the alleged spot-fixing trial defendant Mohammed Asif insist that he was not protecting his former captain Salman Butt

Richard Sydenham at Southwark Crown Court14-Oct-2011A court heard on Friday during the alleged spot-fixing trial defendant Mohammed Asif insist that he was not protecting his former captain Salman Butt and denied that Butt had ever put pressure on him to bowl no-balls or to cheat in any other way.On the eighth day of the trial at Southwark Crown Court, the jury heard a transcript of an initial police interview with Asif in September last year, shortly after the publication of an undercover investigation into alleged corruption by the Pakistan cricketers and Majeed, released in the .The transcript was read out in role play format between policeman at the time Detective Constable John Massey and Sarah Whitehouse for the prosecution. Asif, though, was not present at the time as he arrived two hours late.When the court heard how Asif was questioned on whether he was protecting Butt, he replied: “No…I’m going to protect myself. How can I protect Salman Butt. Even in the game and in my life I am going to protect myself.”When police probed further and asked Asif if he was being put under any pressure by Butt not to tell the truth, Asif was again firm in his response: “No pressure, how can he put pressure on me? How can he pressurise me? Nobody can pressurise me as I have played in the (Pakistan) team for a long time.”The police interview also heard, which had been revealed earlier in the trial, how there was no marked money found in Asif’s room, but there was in the hotel rooms of Butt and Mohammad Amir at the time of police searches.Asif also revealed that his initial agent was Mazhar’s older brother Azhar but he switched to Mazhar “seven or eight months ago”, yet added that despite conversations of potential income, he had never received any money from either of the Majeed’s.Butt and Asif are facing charges of conspiracy to cheat, and conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, following the Lord’s Test in August last year when they allegedly conspired with agent Mazhar Majeed, teenage fast bowler Amir and other people unknown to bowl pre-determined no-balls. Butt and Asif deny the charges.The case continues.

After days of rain, the weather in Mirpur improved to allow a full one-day international and it was Bangladesh’s spinners who shone, dismissing New Zealand cheaply to secure a seven-wicket victory

The Bulletin by Andrew Fernando11-Oct-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Suhrawadi Shuvo took 3 for 14 in ten overs to help dismiss New Zealand cheaply•AFP

Bangladesh took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, and won two consecutive ODIs against top-flight opposition for the first time in their 232-match history, by cruising to a seven-wicket victory in the third one-dayer at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur. The stage was set for Bangladesh’s batsmen after their spinners had decimated the New Zealand line-up – and they didn’t disappoint, hunting down the meagre total of 173 in 40 overs, ensuring the visitors had to win both the remaining matches to draw the five-match contest.The trio of Bangladesh’s left-arm spinners were into the game early after Shafiul Islam had removed the dangerous Brendon McCullum in the first over, and they tore out the heart of the New Zealand batting line-up, reducing them to 101 for 7 in the 33rd over. A belligerent 72-run association between Ross Taylor and Kyle Mills revived the innings, but a total of 173 was always going to be tough to defend, especially with the New Zealand seam bowlers yet to find their radar on this rain-ridden tour.The Bangladesh openers began positively in pursuit of New Zealand’s total, smartly putting away bad balls through point and down the ground to reach 35 for no loss after five overs, before the lunch break interrupted their progress. Not much changed after the stoppage, though, as both
batsmen continued to pick up regular boundaries, with a particularly handsome on-drive from Imrul Kayes standing out. The fifty came in just 7.4 overs and not even the introduction of the ever-
threatening Daniel Vettori – so often the bane of Bangladesh in these one-day encounters – could prevent the batsmen from scoring over five an over with relative ease. It was a day when everything
was going right for them.Shahriar Nafees was effective square of the wicket on the off side, and he brought up his half-century with a cover drive off Andy McKay in the 16th over. Neither batsmen was troubled by
the wayward bowling and they rotated strike intelligently, with the more circumspect Kayes feeding the strike to his aggressive partner.The century partnership between the Bangladesh openers was only the third such stand in 19 matches against New Zealand. By the time Nafees chipped Nathan McCullum to mid-on for a run-a-ball 73, only 47 runs were required for victory. Imrul Kayes also fell soon after reaching his fifty, again trying to loft McCullum over cover, but the Bangladesh middle order ensured that the home team got home with plenty of overs and wickets to spare.This significant victory, however, had been set up in the first half of the match, when BJ Watling and Jesse Ryder’s attempts to steadily rebuild the innings after the early loss of McCullum were thwarted by the hosts’ spinners, who began operating at both ends after just eight overs had been bowled by the fast bowlers. Both batsmen holed out trying to accelerate, and the wickets continued to fall in quick succession. Grant Elliott was bowled by a delivery from Shakib that broke sharply off the slowish surface, and Suhrawadi Shuvo added the scalps of Daniel Vettori and Shanan Stewart to the wicket of Ryder to complete his three-wicket haul.McCullum didn’t last long at the crease either, leaving the New Zealand innings in tatters. Taylor, who had played a lone hand, finally found some support in Mills, and the pair went about setting a new New Zealand record for the eighth wicket, scoring 72 runs off 64 deliveries. Taylor was typically strong on the leg side, slamming four sixes and four fours in his unbeaten innings of 62, Mills also smacked three magnificent sixes down the ground.Despite the expensive period of play for Bangladesh, it was business as usual following the wicket of Mills, as Mahmudullah dismissed Tim Southee and Andy McKay in successive deliveries to end the innings. The total was made to look extremely average by a Bangladesh top order that seems to be growing in confidence in the one-day format.

Imran Khan, the former Pakistan captain, has undergone emergency surgery for an intestinal blockage

Cricinfo staff11-Nov-2009Imran Khan, the former Pakistan captain, has undergone emergency surgery for an intestinal blockage. He was operated on at Lahore’s Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital (which he built in memory of his mother) on Monday afternoon after complaining of severe abdominal pain.Imran, 56, captained Pakistan to glory in the 1992 World Cup and formed a political party -Tehreek-e-Insaaf – after his retirement. “He suffered cramps in his small intestine while exercising and was taken to hospital for diagnosis where doctors decided on surgery,” a spokesman for his party said. “Imran is out of danger and his condition is stable now.”Imran is in intensive care and has been advised to remain in the hospital for at least three days.

“There’s been no charges laid, but to have an opposition swarm the non-striker like that, we’ve got a duty of care to our player to make sure he’s okay”

Andrew McGlashan04-Jan-2025Australia coach Andrew McDonald has accused India of attempting to intimidate Sam Konstas with the way they celebrated the wicket of Usman Khawaja late on the opening day at the SCG.In a dramatic finish to play, Konstas got involved in a verbal exchange with Jasprit Bumrah over Khawaja’s attempts to ensure it was the final over, with the umpire stepping in. Two deliveries later, Khawaja nicked the last delivery of the day to slip with Bumrah turning and advancing towards Konstas with visible aggression.Related

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McDonald spoke with Konstas after the incident to make sure the 19-year-old had not been shaken by India’s reaction to him.”My conversation with him was around whether he’s okay. Clearly, the way India celebrated that was quite intimidating,” McDonald said. “It’s clearly within the laws of the game, the rules and regulations. There’s been no charges laid, but to have an opposition swarm the non-striker like that, we’ve got a duty of care to our player to make sure he’s okay and in a headspace to go out there and perform.”Pressed on whether he felt India had gone too far, McDonald added, “It’s clear that’s acceptable because there was no fines or punishments, so I’ll leave that up the ICC – Andy Pycroft being the match referee – and the umpires out there. If they thought it was satisfactory then I suppose that’s the benchmark we are playing towards.”Konstas advanced to 23 on the second morning, which included using his feet to Bumrah to drive him down the ground and bringing out another scoop to deep third, before edging Mohammed Siraj into the slips. Bumrah, who was fielding at mid-on, did not immediately head towards the Indian huddle when the wicket fell and appeared instead to walk in Konstas’ direction.”We enjoy the way that he plays the game and we would also like to play the game aggressively,” Prasidh Krishna said after the second day’s play. “If we have somebody that comes up and says I can fight you, as a team we want to tell them we are here and you can’t take us for granted. We are all here, 11 of us versus you. If you can be as aggressive, that’s fine.”During his debut at the MCG, Konstas was shoulder-barged by Virat Kohli during his 60 off 65 balls in the first innings.Speaking before play on the second day in Sydney, Ricky Ponting said he did not like the way Konstas had inserted himself into the situation the previous evening.”I didn’t like Konstas getting involved,” he told . “That was not his battle to fight. It was between Khawaja and Bumrah. So, for the young man there, I hope that there was some talking to from the Australian dressing room last night because he should have stayed out of it, let his senior player try and handle the last couple of balls. And of course, when you play with the game, the game has a way of coming back and biting. That happened to Khawaja last night.”