All posts by h716a5.icu

Having made his name as a fighter, Boucher is expected to play a key role in the upcoming ODI series and has a good reason to resume the battle in a big way

Firdose Moonda17-Oct-2011Mark Boucher, the South Africa wicketkeeper, has come to epitomise the rivalry between South Africa and Australia. Besides his unbeaten half-century in that 438 game, a knock that took South Africa over the line, its Boucher’s bull-dog personality and dogged determination that represents the intensity of the contest between the two nations. Having made his name as a fighter, Boucher is expected to play a key role in the upcoming ODI series and has a good reason to resume the battle in a big way.”There will probably bit a little extra niggle in this series,” Boucher said in Centurion. “Personally, having been out of the system for a while, in the one-day format, I am up for it.”Boucher replaced AB de Villiers as the team’s wicketkeeper, after de Villiers broke a finger while training with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Champions League. Boucher had previously played in an ODI against in June last year and was left out of the squad that travelled to the World Cup in February. With age not on his side, Boucher was thought to have reached the end of his career as a limited-overs player but repeatedly said he was interested in making a comeback. His experience is something South Africa have missed and will welcome for this important series, along with that of opening bowler Dale Steyn and allrounder Jacques Kallis.”With the likes of Kallis, Steyn, [Ricky] Ponting, [Michael] Hussey and [Michael] Clarke, the level of cricket will be improved,” Boucher said. “We have played against each other before, we know what to expect, we know it’s going to be really tough.”Like Boucher, Ponting will be watched closely as he enters the twilight years. Without the responsibility of leading the side, some may think Ponting is a soft target, but Boucher said he does not expect Ponting to be vulnerable at all. “He is a fantastic player, he’s got nothing to prove coming in as a guy who is not a captain. If anything, he is probably more dangerous,” Boucher said. “He is probably more relaxed, he doesn’t have to worry about what the media’s comments are. He can just get on with his game. The Ponting with that sort of mindset, can be very dangerous.”With senior players returning on both sides, there is a sense that the real contest starts on Wednesday, when the first ODI gets underway. Boucher said that that while it is an advantage to have the stalwarts back, Twenty20 cricket cannot be ignored and the drawn T20 series set the tone for the rest of the tour. “You can’t wipe out the Twenty20s, it’s a game where you represent your country. Twenty20 is a part of the game now,” he said.The T20s also gave both teams an opportunity to assess their bench strength and try out younger players. For Australia, it was particularly beneficial, as Patrick Cummins had the chance to announce his arrival in international cricket. But, someone who missed out on the occasion was David Warner, who returned from back-to-back centuries in the Champions League for New South Wales to record back-to-back ducks against South Africa. Boucher said it was a bit of rude awakening for the Australian opener. “He is up against quality opening bowlers in Steyn, [Morne] Morkel, [Wayne] Parnell in different conditions,” he said. “He is probably desperate for a bit of form as well.”Warner may be feeling the pressure to produce in the near future and so will Mitchell Johnson, who troubled the South African batsmen when he last here in 2009 but has been through a rough patch. Boucher expects Johnson to bounce back. “He is a danger man,” he said. “We can go through the whole Australian team and I can say the same about all of them. All those guys are under pressure and they’ve got things that they want to do and sometimes pressure situations bring the best out of the best players in the world and he is certainly up there.”South Africa are under pressure as well. Under Gary Kirsten, they are expected to show improvement, especially in ODIs, and make up for some of the disappointment experienced at the World Cup. Although Kirsten has only been in charge of the team for two matches, Boucher said the players are already benefitting from his presence. “He is a very well respected man, not just in South Africa but around the world,” Boucher said. “When he talks, you listen. He’s got respect and you don’t take him for a fool at all.” Kirsten is also bringing an element of serenity to a squad that is feeling the heat. “He is very relaxed and calm and that rubs off on players. Sometimes you can have a nervous coach, a guy with his hands everywhere, but Gary is very calm.”

Nathan Lyon’s state coach, Darren Berry, hopes the offspinner is given an extended run in the Test side after being named in Australia’s squad to tour Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jul-2011Nathan Lyon’s state coach, Darren Berry, hopes the offspinner is given an extended run in the Test side after being named in Australia’s squad to tour Sri Lanka. Lyon was the most unexpected inclusion in the 15-man group, with only four first-class matches to his name, and he will compete with Michael Beer for the spinner’s spot in the three-Test series.Although Berry, Lyon’s mentor at South Australia, was wary of rushing the inexperienced spinner, he said it was a brave selection and he was confident Lyon could make the step up to Test cricket. However, given Australia’s recent history of discarding young spinners as quickly as they’ve been chosen, Berry said it was crucial that Lyon was not treated the same way.”I think that now they’ve shown their hand and they’ve been brave enough to pick him … they’ve got to give him every chance … not one or two Test matches and then say he’s not ready,” Berry said. “They’ve picked him, it’s their responsibility now and in Australian cricket we need to embrace this young spinner and give him an extended run.””He absolutely has the tools to be successful. He’s a very, very talented offspin bowler. He does the rare thing that not many offspinners do in the current day – he hangs the ball in the air and he has wonderful flight and variation. He’s an exciting talent. That said, no doubt Nathan this morning was quite shocked, as have many been, at his selection.”Shocked was an understatement. Lyon, 23, was not included in Australia A’s first-class matches against Zimbabwe recently, and although he performed well in the one-day matches on the trip, a Test promotion was not on his radar and the call from chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch caught him off guard.”I looked down at the phone and saw Andrew’s name pop up and thought ‘geez, what is going on here’,” Lyon said. “It has certainly come out of the blue but I’m not going to knock it back, that is for sure.”The New South Wales fast bowler, Trent Copeland, was equally surprised at his call-up, which he described as “beyond belief”. He said he was looking forward to the challenge of facing Sri Lanka and he hoped that his successful Australia A tour of Zimbabwe would hold him in good stead for the possible step up to Test cricket.”Having played against Zimbabwe for the last month, and South Africa A in a few one-dayers as well, in Zimbabwean conditions which were quite flat, slow wickets, hopefully that gets us in tune for Sri Lanka, which are renowned to be quite flat as well,” Copeland said. “Not only that, we’re coming up against some top-notch cricketers.”To win a spot in Australia’s starting line-up, Copeland will have to wait for an injury or jump ahead of one of Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle or Ryan Harris, who are expected to have the front-running for the first Test in Galle. Harris had been one of Australia’s best bowlers during the Ashes until an ankle fracture ended his series, and he is keen to resume his place in the baggy green.”It’s been very frustrating getting the injuries in the first place,” Harris said. “That broken ankle came out of nowhere. I didn’t have any warning. That’s the frustrating part about it. It’s been a hard road back, but it’s been worth it. Anything’s worth it to play for Australia. It’s great to be back in there. My bowling is going well.”

Scotland took an unassailable 3-0 series lead over Namibia in the third Twenty20 of their five-match series with a 26-run win in Windhoek

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-2011
Scorecard
Scotland took an unassailable 3-0 series lead over Namibia in the third Twenty20 of their five-match series with a 26-run win in Windhoek. A strong team performance set up Scotland’s victory as they reached 156 for 9 despite seamer Christi Viljoen’s 5 for 23, after which every one of the seven Scotland bowlers used picked up a wicket to keep Namibia to 130 for 8.After winning the toss, Scotland’s batting effort was underpinned by opener Calum Macleod’s aggressive 30 and Preston Mommsen’s 39, but there were contributions from most of the top order. The batsmen further down couldn’t quite replicate their efforts as Viljoen returned and struck regularly, finding himself on a hat-trick after dismissing Safyaan Sharif and Gordon Goudie with consecutive deliveries.Namibia lost captain Craig Williams and Sarel Burger inside the first six overs of their chase but kept in touch with the asking rate thanks to Louis van der Westhuizen’s 27-ball 39 and a rapid 30 from Gerrie Snyman.Wickets kept falling, however, and with each dismissal Scotland’s grip on the match tightened. Niel Rossouw struggled to force the pace in his 23-ball 18, and though Louis Klazinga managed a four and a six in his 19, the result was already a foregone conclusion.

ESPNcricinfo previews the second Test between West Indies and India at Barbados

The Preview by Siddarth Ravindran27-Jun-2011Match factsTuesday, June 28, Bridgetown
Start time 1000 (1400 GMT, 1930 IST)Adrian Barath was the most impressive of the West Indian batsmen in the first Test•AFPBig PictureHistory isn’t on India’s side going into the second Test at the Kensington Oval. India have never won two Tests in a series in the Caribbean, and they have been thrashed in seven of the eight matches they have played at this ground – including the infamous failure to chase 120 in 1997. In addition, they are missing at least four of their first-choice players. Still, they enter the match as clear favourites after the 63-run win in the first Test.West Indies had their moments in Jamaica, particularly on the first day when they had India pinned at 85 for 6, but couldn’t capitalise. In an attempt to improve a record of just one series win in seven years, West Indies have hired the services of sports psychologist Rudi Webster. That might address their temperament problems, but they also have other troubles to deal with.Chris Gayle’s stand-off with the WICB continues, leaving him watching from the stands once again, Dwayne Bravo is again not in the squad and another senior member, Brendan Nash, has been dropped. Of the other two experienced players, Shivnarine Chanderpaul has had his problems with the board after the World Cup and Ramnaresh Sarwan has managed only 57 runs in six Test innings over the home summer. West Indies have had lesser to worry about on the bowling front with Ravi Rampaul striking early, Darren Sammy pulling his weight and Devendra Bishoo making a promising start to his Test career.They will be up against an Indian batting line-up filled with youngsters who don’t get too many chances in Test cricket. After the failure in Sabina Park, the openers and Virat Kohli get another opportunity to showcase their suitability for the longest format.Form guide (most recent first)India: WDWLW
West Indies: LLWDD
The spotlightBrendan Nash has been dispensed with, Shivnarine Chanderpaul is nearly 37 and unlikely to be around for more than a couple of years, which leaves Marlon Samuels an important role to play in the future. Samuels has been around for more than a decade but has only managed 30 Test appearances in that time. Widely regarded as one of the most talented batsmen in the region, he needs to live up to the expectations to ease a painful transitional period for West Indies.

A series of consistent performances has propelled Virat Kohli to a permanent spot in the Indian limited-overs sides. This series presents him his first chance to perform a similar job on the Test team. Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman automatically take three middle-order slots in a full-strength team, leaving a host of contenders for the remaining place. Cheteshwar Pujara, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma and S Badrinath are all competing with Kohli for that place. Kohli fluffed his lines in Jamaica, and a repeat here could open the gates for Badrinath to come in for the final Test.Team newsMS Dhoni has hinted that India could go in with three quick bowlers, which means Amit Mishra is likely to be sidelined despite a reasonable show in the first Test. Abhimanyu Mithun is likely to take Mishra’s spot after Munaf Patel was ruled out due to his ongoing elbow injury. Munaf still struggles to bowl long spells due to inflammation in his elbow, and he failed to recover in time after lengthy net sessions in the lead-up to the match. That should allow Mithun, who arrived in the Caribbean five days after the rest of the squad due to visa issues, to play his fourth Test. Though Badrinath and Parthiv Patel are waiting in the wings, India will probably stick with the same batting line-up from Jamaica.

India: (probable) 1 Abhinav Mukund, 2 M Vijay, 3 Rahul Dravid, 4 VVS Laxman, 5 Virat Kohli, 6 Suresh Raina, 7 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Praveen Kumar, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Abhimanyu Mithun.West Indies’ problem in the first Test was their batting, something they have tried to address by dropping their misfiring vice-captain Nash. That opens up a place for Samuels in the middle order. Another decision for West Indies is the make-up of their fast bowling, needing to pick two out of Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach and Fidel Edwards.West Indies (probable) 1 Adrian Barath, 2 Lendl Simmons, 3 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4 Darren Bravo, 5 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 6 Marlon Samuels, 7 Carlton Baugh (wk), 8 Darren Sammy (capt), 9 Ravi Rampaul, 10 Fidel Edwards / Kemar Roach, 11 Devendra Bishoo.Pitch and conditionsThe Barbados track is likely to have plenty of bounce, testing the technique of the batsmen. The Kensington Oval has generally been a result-oriented venue over the past decade, though the weather could play spoilsport over the next week, with showers predicted every day.Stats and trivia Harbhajan Singh is only four wickets away from becoming the third Indian bowler to reach 400 wickets This will be Chanderpaul’s 132nd Test, equalling Courtney Walsh’s West Indian record for most Test matches
Dravid’s next innings at No.3 will be his 200th at that position. Ricky Ponting is second on the list with 193. For a comprehensive stats preview, please click here.Quotes”He leads the spinning department and is doing really well. And you can expect a lot of character from him not only in the bowling department but also in the lower-order department with his contributions. He is a very good character to have. An aggressive character.”

Shahid Afridi’s legal counsel has said the PCB’s disciplinary proceeding against Afridi is “a sham” and has called for a transparent hearing for its client

Osman Samiuddin05-Jun-2011Shahid Afridi’s legal counsel has said the PCB’s disciplinary proceeding against Afridi is “a sham” and has called for a transparent hearing for its client, in which he “be given the opportunity to properly defend himself through counsel.” The latest in a brief flurry of legal communication between Mandviwalla & Zafar Associates and the Pakistan board has upped the stakes of an individual player-board dispute, swiftly becoming the most significant of recent years.As ESPNcricinfo had reported, Afridi had employed lawyers in a bid to resolve the dispute on June 2 (reported on June 3). The PCB replied on June 4, again outlining the violations Afridi committed, as well as raising serious concern about his accusations of a Punjab-Lahore “lobby” being behind his ouster.To this communication, barrister Syed Ali Zafar sent the latest letter, a four-page response on Afridi’s behalf in which he questions, among other things, the “pre-judged sentence” and the “non-transparency of the hearings”, and also states his client is not guilty. The last seems to be an apparent reversal of Afridi’s earlier stance in which he accepted he had violated the code of conduct.Afridi returned to Karachi from London on Sunday night, having been in touch with various political figures over the last week regarding his case. A crowd of cheering fans gathered at the airport to greet him, showing support for the sacked captain and chanting slogans against PCB chairman Ijaz Butt. There were signs and banners supporting Afridi in parts of the city as well.The latest letter from Afridi’s lawyers to the PCB, a copy of which is with ESPNcricinfo, does not clarify whether Afridi will appear before the disciplinary committee on June 8. Afridi’s management in the UK had indicated that he would, but reports since have indicated he might not.”It appears that the PCB has already made up its mind and has come to the conclusion that Shahid Afridi is “guilty”, has violated his central contract and the disciplinary code, and accordingly our client’s central contract is liable to be suspended/terminated and NOCs revoked,” the letter reads. “Since PCB has already come to the conclusion, as is evident from your letter under reply, that our client is guilty as charged, the disciplinary proceeding is in fact a sham.”The question of whether Afridi will appear seems to hinge on whether or not he will be allowed legal representation at the hearing. The letter points out that the PCB, in detailing the disciplinary process to be followed, has said that “the proceedings shall be conducted in camera and no stranger (outsider),” which seems to indicate that Afridi will not be allowed a lawyer inside. A board official, when asked specifically whether lawyers are allowed to represent players in such hearings, told ESPNcricinfo only “the code says no outsider is permitted to attend.”There is precedent either way in earlier cases. In a disciplinary hearing involving Mohammad Asif in a doping case, his lawyer wasn’t allowed to be inside, but in the case of Younis Khan last year, for example, his lawyer was allowed inside the hearing (though that was an appellate tribunal). The PCB, incidentally, will have legal representation in the committee set up to look into the matter, and at least one eminent lawyer, involved in board-player cases previously, believes “that the principles of natural justice should allow a lawyer inside to defend him.”More complication is expected on the question of whether or not Afridi has accepted guilt, and he has earlier accepted violations of the code. Now, the letter says, “As far as the allegations …are concerned our client did not intend to plead guilty, as he is not guilty.” It argues that the reason Afridi wrote the initial email to the board was “a gesture of goodwill to play the ongoing T20 tournament in England for which the PCB had already sanctioned and given him the permission through due process.” It adds Afridi had not sought legal help at that stage to “understand the implications of the show cause notice.”Finally, the letter states again that due process has not been followed and that the board in a “proper, honorable and dignified way,” should have issued him a show cause notice and “waited for his response before taking any action … or announcing the formation of a disciplinary committee.” Significantly, the letter also calls into question the legality of any central contract in which clauses “have the effect of restraining the freedom of our client to pursue his profession … or which are in restraint of trade” and thus violating the country’s constitution and law. The possibility of challenging such clauses, the letter says, remain open, probably in a court of law.As conclusion, the letter draws on the spiralling nature of the dispute, and asks – dramatically perhaps – the PCB to “treat this matter as one of national importance,” and revoke the suspension order and provide the NOC once again. “Our client is one of the most important players for Pakistan’s cricket…and we request PCB to act in accordance with law and not force our client to resort to litigation in this regard.”

The Warriors and the Lions, the two South African franchises who competed in last year’s Champions League Twenty20, have confirmed they have not received their prize money from the tournament

Firdose Moonda31-Jan-2011The Warriors and the Lions, the two South African franchises who competed in last year’s Champions League Twenty20, have confirmed they have not received their prize money from the tournament. The amount, totalling US$ 1.5 million for both franchises, was due to be paid out on the last day of January.”We have not received any notification of the money yet,” Cassim Docrat, chief executive of the Lions told ESPNcricinfo. “We understand that it takes a while to reconcile everything although we were told that the money would be paid at the end of the month.”Signs of a delay in the processing became evident last Tuesday at the launch of the Standard Bank Pro20, the competition which produces South African’s two CLT20 candidates. Alviro Petersen was asked if he was enjoying his CLT20 money, to which he replied, ‘I’m still waiting for my wallet to fill up.”At the time, both Docrat and Dave Emslie, chief executive of the Warriors franchise, were not concerned about the non-payment, because they expected the money to arrive by the end of the month. “The tournament ended in September and we think it’s a very acceptable time period for payment to be made,” Emslie said.The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations’ (FICA), however, disagrees. “It’s simply unacceptable that three of the most financially affluent cricket boards in the world can seemingly sit on their hands for four months with no apparent sense of obligation to pay this prize money in a timely manner,” Tim May, FICA’s chief executive, said. The CLT20 is jointly owned by the BCCI, CSA and CA and the total prize money owed by them totals US $6 million.May said that FICA has been told that payment “may be made in late January or early February.” He added that participation fees, which were due to be paid no more than 20 days after completion of the event on September 26, 2010, had also not been paid. “We will be assessing our various options regarding recovery of these outstanding amounts for the 2010 event should the monies not be received within the next couple of weeks.”The two South African franchises will receive notification from CSA when the money is successfully transferred from India. On receipt, it will be divided among all six local franchises. The Warriors, who reached the final of the CLT20, will be awarded the biggest share. Despite their imminent riches, Warriors captain Davy Jacobs is in no hurry to receive his cheque. “We will get it at some stage. The later, the better,” he said. “By then we would have forgotten all the silly things we want to do with it and will spend it properly.”

Ottis Gibson is the one West Indian who has been on the receiving end of some Dutch (mischief) before

Firdose Moonda in Delhi26-Feb-2011Ottis Gibson is the one West Indian who has been on the receiving end of some Dutch (mischief) before. He was England’s bowling coach at the World Twenty20 when they lost the opening match at Lord’s by four wickets. It was the upset of the year and it hasn’t been easy to erase from memory.”I remember the feeling was like in our dressing room and jubilation in their dressing room,” Gibson said. “Those guys, when they come into an event like this, they bring in lots of energy and an expectation of upsetting a big team.”To the Dutch, West Indies would fit comfortably into that category – they are a Full Member, albeit one in decline – and they still hold the aura of being one of the traditionally great nations in the cricketing world. For the critics, West Indies present Netherlands with an even challenge, which is why the men from the Caribbean have to find a way of showing that they still belong in the elite league. “The results in the last two years don’t suggest that West Indies are a big team, but what we know and what believe in is that we are a still a big team and we have to prove that,” Gibson said.Their opening defeat against South Africa has by no means ruled them out of the competition with the format allowing teams more than one slip up and still make into the quarter-finals. It means that West Indies can’t allow any clouds of gloom to crowd out their sunshine and that they still have plenty to play for.”Our players have got a lot belief that they can come here and do well and prove to the world that we are still a more than capable nation.” Gibson said and added his team are taking inspiration from tournament past. “India weren’t expected to win the World Cup [in 1983] but they won. Pakistan had to win a game to qualify for the semi-finals, they won the game and went on to win the World Cup,” he added. “We’ve got history in this competition. We have to look forward, we have to positive.”Something that will aid that sort of thinking is the fact that they have played on this wicket before and take more information into the match which they did not have on Thursday. “The wicket didn’t exactly play according to how we thought. [Kemar] Roach plays here for the IPL team, [Dwayne] Bravo and [Kieron] Pollard have played a lot here and they said in the second innings it was going to go a lot slower and lower which it didn’t. It remained a pretty good wicket throughout the game.”What will make the task of staying upbeat more difficult is the absence of Dwayne Bravo, one of West Indies’ key players even though his pitch information was a little off target, who has been ruled out for four weeks with a knee injury after he slipped in his follow through against South Africa. “Bravo has been key part of our team for a long time,” Gibson said. “He is a sort of energiser in the team, with his fielding, bowling, batting and also with his presence in dressing room.”Bravo also formed an essential cog of the team’s overall game plan. “Our strategy was built around three allrounders – captain Darren Sammy, Bravo and Pollard,” Gibson explained. “With him [Bravo] missing it give us an opportunity to perhaps think whether we a need a batsman at number six and perhaps an extra bowler.”In one way, though, the need to play an extra bowler could help West Indies because they didn’t look like taking a wicket for long periods against South Africa, after they got a couple of early breakthroughs. Ravi Rampaul and Andre Russell may come into contention, as will left-arm spinner Nikita Miller.What they need most of all is a fresh perspective, a mentality that says they are going to compete, no matter who they are playing against and the will to prove what Gibson said with such confidence. “Cricket is still very much alive in the Caribbean,” he said. Now show us.

Celtic are on the verge of securing the Premiership title this season in Ange Postecoglou’s first campaign in charge of the Parkhead club.

With 35 matches played, the Hoops have won 27, drawn five and lost just three, scoring 81 goals and conceding 20 along the way.

Despite failing to secure victory in the latest Old Firm Derby over the weekend, the Bhoys still have a six-point gap over their Glasgow arch-rivals in second.

One figure who hasn’t played much of a part for the Parkhead club in the current campaign is left-back Boli Bolingoli.

With just two league appearances to his name this season, it was reported last month that the full-back is currently training on his own in Belgium rather than with his team-mates at Lennoxtown.

Having been slammed for his “unacceptable” efforts on the training field when he was part of the squad earlier in the season by Frank McAvennie, the Belgian’s future at Celtic is very much in doubt moving forward.

Now that the upcoming summer transfer window is on the horizon, this could give Postecoglou the chance to finally get rid of the 26-year-old outcast and bring in a suitable replacement at the same time.

With that in mind, having been linked with a move for Hammarby left-back Mohanad Jeahze in recent days, this could open the door for Bolingoli to finally bring his time at Celtic to an end.

In his five league games for the Swedish club in the 2022 season prior to today’s clash against Malmo, the 25-year-old has racked up 21 crosses, 13 interceptions and nine tackles.

Contrast that with the two league games that Bolingoli played this term against Livingston and Motherwell, as he ended up committing more fouls (six) than the combined number of tackles (four) and interceptions (one) that he made.

Labelled a “class” player by Hammarby team-mate Darijan Bojanic, £1.6m-valued Jeahze could be just what Celtic need to get the Belgian out of the club and add some depth to Postecoglou’s squad at left-back.

Even if the Parkhead club aren’t able to secure a deal for the Iraq international this summer, they should still do all they can to offload Bolingoli and get his £15k-per-week wages off their books.

In other news: Insider claims Celtic may now sign £2.7m-rated brute as soon “as possible”, it’s great news

The MCC World Cricket Committee has made several proposals to help overcome match-fixing, including the use of lie detector tests and the legalisation of betting markets in India

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Dec-2010The MCC World Cricket Committee has recommended that the laws of the game be amended in a bid to rid the sport of corruption, and has called for the use of lie detector tests to reinforce the need for transparency in the wake of the spot-fixing scandal that erupted during Pakistan’s tour of England in August.Following a two-day meeting in Perth ahead of the third Ashes Test, the club’s working party, including two former Ashes-winning captains in Steve Waugh and Mike Brearley, issued a statement containing a wide range of proposals including “the legalising and regulating of betting markets in India as proposed by the Delhi Court; the length of bans; non-selection of tainted players; the possible use of lie detector tests; the provision of integrity officers; and the inclusion of anti-corruption clauses in all professional playing contracts in all countries.””The greatest issue facing the game right now is match-fixing,” said Waugh. “How can we make players more accountable for their actions? Personally, I think if you’ve not done anything wrong, why wouldn’t you want to have a lie detector test? You can’t make it compulsory but like I said, if you’ve got nothing to hide, why wouldn’t you take it? If we sit back and don’t do anything about corruption, it’s going to get worse.”In its statement, the committee also complimented the ICC and its Anti-Corruption & Security Unit (ACSU) for its work to clean up the sport, but urged the game’s governing body to commit more resources – and increased powers – to tackle the single biggest menace to the integrity of cricket.”The education of players should not be a meaningless formality; the message should be pressed home with regularity by figures known and respected by the players,” the statement read. “Furthermore, the committee believes that team captains – as enshrined in the Laws and Spirit of Cricket – should accept greater responsibility for the conduct of their players.”Speaking on the eve of the Perth Test, England’s captain, Andrew Strauss gave a cautious welcome to the notion of introducing lie detectors to the game. “That’s hard for me to answer at this stage,” he said. “I don’t know about the accuracy of lie detector tests. But what I do know, and is probably more important, is that we don’t want the whiff of anything suspicious going on in the game.”We’ve seen how disruptive and detrimental to the game of cricket it is,” added Strauss. “The devil of all these things is in the detail. If we have to take extreme measures in order to be 100% confident the game is being played in the right spirit, then I’d certainly be happy to do that.”I’d have to think about the arguments [for lie detector tests] one side and another first. But the principle, of having 22 guys on the pitch that the supporters are absolutely 100% certain are playing the game for the right reasons, is a good thing.”

ESPNcricinfo previews the third ODI of Pakistan’s series against South Africa in Dubai

The Preview by George Binoy04-Nov-2010Match FactsNovember 2, Dubai
Start time 15:00 (11:00 GMT)Colin Ingram and Hashim Amla’s efforts were put firmly in the shade by Abdul Razzaq’s blistering knock in the second match•AFPThe Big PicturePakistan’s victories are rarely unspectacular. They rarely win without a blitz from the blue or a jaw-dropping demonstration of fast bowling. They almost always leave it late, and to a few men, sending their fans from despair to delight. But because Pakistan rely so much on moments of individual genius to overcome collective, sustained efficiency, they don’t win as much as less exciting sides do.Like well-oiled South Africa, who won ten consecutive one-day internationals before being blind-sided by Abdul Razzaq. Pakistan are certainly the more memorable side, in victory or defeat, but South Africa unquestionably the more successful. Even if South Africa go on to take the series 4-1, the stand-out match and performance could still be Razzaq’s heist. It’s a back-handed compliment of sorts but Pakistan would probably be willing to swap some of their breathtaking tendencies for mundane, run-of-the-mill victories. But that isn’t this Pakistan’s way.So as the series moves to Dubai, South Africa will enter Tuesday’s game as favourites once again, simply because it’s likelier that Hashim Amla will provide a solid start, which his team-mates in the middle order will convert into a substantial performance. And it’s likelier that Pakistan’s batsmen will combust, whether from their indiscretions or South Africa’s superiority. Should that come to pass, ODI No. 3064 is likely to fade from memory quickly. But if it doesn’t, and Razzaq or another temperamental Pakistan player produces a mercurial performance, the battle between these two very different teams will be worth the watch.Form guide(most recent first)
South Africa: LWWWW
Pakistan: WLLWWWatch out for…Misbah-ul-Haq made only 31 runs in the first two ODIs after replacing Umar Akmal, who perhaps paid the price for one flamboyant shot too many. Misbah is likely to keep his place in the remaining games, considering he will be Test captain after the one-dayers are over, but would like to secure it with worthy performances. His steady approach could form the pillar around which the shot-makers can rally, but he is yet to find form.Few people will remember Colin Ingram’s century, a innings that was the bulwark of South Africa’s 286 in the second ODI, because Razzaq blitzed it into an obscure page in the record books. Ingram does, however, average 85 with a strike-rate of 94 after five ODIs, and is a prospect for the future.Team newsGraeme Smith and Jacques Kallis missed the second ODI and it’s not yet certain that they will return for the third. Smith got hit on his hand but x-rays revealed no fracture, while Kallis was racked with cramps and had to retire in the first game. He needed an intravenous drip after suffering from dehydration, which was triggered by a viral infection.South Africa (possible): 1 Robin Peterson, 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Colin Ingram, 4 AB de Villiers (wk), 5 JP Duminy, 6 David Miller, 7 Albie Morkel 8 Johan Botha (capt), 9 Morne Morkel, 10 Lonwabo Tsotsobe, 11 Charl LangeveldtNever change a winning combination, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it … the cliches exhorting the virtues of persisting with a winning side are numerous. But Pakistan, with their reliance on individuals, aren’t a winning combination and so there’s a case for Umar Akmal to be given a look-in once again.Pakistan (possible): 1 Asad Shafiq, 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Misbah-ul-Haq / Umar Akmal, 5 Fawad Alam, 6 Shahid Afridi (capt), 7 Abdul Razzaq, 8 Zulqarnain Haider (wk), 9 Umar Gul, 10 Shoaib Akhtar, 11 Saeed AjmalStats and trivia Only two ODIs have been played at the Dubai International Stadium – between Pakistan and Australia – and both were low-scoring contests. Australia’s 208 for 4 is the venue’s highest total
Beware Shahid Afridi the legspinner at this venue. In those two games against Australia, Afridi claimed 6 for 38 and 2 for 38 in ten-over spells.Quotes”We are feeling better now as a team. We have areas to improve on, but we will try our best in the coming games.”

“I can’t really say much, but you play an innings like that, then you deserve to win the game. It’s never nice to lose, but rather here than in a World Cup.”