A 32-ball 39 from Ellyse Perry, followed by two wickets apiece from the spinners Jess Jonassen and Erin Osborne powered Australia Women to a 55-run win against Ireland Women in Dublin

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Aug-2015
ScorecardFile photo: Ellyse Perry top-scored with 39 and helped Australia to a competitive total•Getty Images

A 32-ball 39 from Ellyse Perry, followed by two wickets apiece from the spin of Jess Jonassen and Erin Osborne powered Australia Women to a 55-run win against Ireland Women in Dublin. The victory also meant that the visitors secured the three-match T20 series.Australia, opting to bat, began brightly with the opener Elyse Villani striking three fours in the second over, but Kim Garth fought back for Ireland, dismissing Villani and Jonassen off successive deliveries in the third. The double-blow helped Ireland wrest the momentum, as Garth returned in her next over to also remove Alyssa Healy. With even captain Meg Lanning falling cheaply, Australia found themselves in a spot of bother at 38 for 4, but Jess Cameron and Perry steadied the innings with small, but crucial knocks.Cameron fell for a slow 20, but Perry and Alex Blackwell counterattacked by adding a 44-run partnership for the sixth wicket off just 38 balls. Perry, too, was dismissed towards the end of the innings, but the No.8 batsman Grace Harris provided a late thrust, drilling 19 off seven balls with four fours to lift her team to 131 for 6.Her blitz left Ireland needing more than six an over from the off, and the hosts never really got going, losing wickets at regular intervals. Ireland’s opener Isabel Joyce top-scored with 24, but was run out in the sixth over, as the team struggled to string together any meaningful partnership. With Australia’s spinners ensuring a firm grip on the game, the hosts struggled to find the boundaries; Perry and Harris hit eight fours between them, while the entire Ireland team could muster just six.Medium-pacer Sarah Coyte was the only Australia bowler to go at more than six an over, as the visitors restricted Ireland to just 76 for 7. Osborne picked up 2 for 10 from her three overs, while Jonassen finished with figures of 4-0-8-2.

Michael Yardy’s final white-ball over conceded 34. His farewell in Championship cricket brought a century that promises to save Sussex from relegation. Hove rose to one of their most stalwart sons

Will Macpherson at Hove15-Sep-2015
ScorecardMichael Yardy’s farewell century was the proper way to go, unlike his T20 exit•Getty Images

Michael Yardy’s final white-ball appearance at Hove could not have gone much worse. David Willey’s onslaught in the NatWest Blast quarter-final meant he came within a few feet of the indignity of joining a club created by Malcolm Nash 47 years ago. A lucky escape, but you fancy 34 from the over amid a thrashing felt bad enough.His final Championship game here will be remembered far more fondly. Tuesday saw him add an emotional, fluent 40 to Monday’s doughty, important 60 before promptly getting out, his century achieved and job done, having taken Sussex past four vital bonus points, which Chris Jordan would turn into five not long after.Yardy’s was a necessary knock and Hove, to a man, stood in applause. When he fell for 104, pulling Peter Trego directly to deep backward square, the place fell silent before rising in applause once more, as Somerset players came over to shake his hand. By Yardy’s standards, the response was emotional, a violent bat wave to mark the century, and a point to all corners on the slow walk back.Over 16 years, Yardy had earned the right to be a tad teary. Little wonder a number of Sussex folk were emotional, too. Yardy has a mighty cricketing CV. He provides the last link to Sussex’s first ever Championship winners in 2003, and has won the title twice more, in 2006 (when they also won the 50-over trophy) and 2007. In 2009, he captained the club to a limited overs double.To say Yardy’s career has merely “coincided” a golden period for his county does him a gross injustice; his centrality, as player and bloke, cannot be overestimated. Likewise, few will forget his role in England’s World T20 triumph of 2010. He retires as one of just 11 Englishman to have won the final of an ICC event.You read this plenty but Yardy really is one of the good guys; just a normal guy. Softly spoken and kind faced, his dreams, it seems, were always about playing cricket for Sussex. He admitted to being nervous before play, emotional when he reached his century and when he says he will miss his team-mates most, you believe him.The moment, he said, was “very much up there,” in his career highlights, and “very, very special. I will cherish it in the future when I’m not playing cricket…. It’s a funny one because somebody just said how great it was to do that, and then you think after what happened in the T20 I was due a little bit!”Of the celebrations, he said bashfully: “That’s not really me. There was emotion there and I probably welled up a little bit. It meant a lot. When you’re 60 not out coming into your final innings at Hove, you know what you want and the goal is very clear. It was nice to get there.”Yardy has looked a man liberated since announcing his retirement in mid-July. Since then, he has visibly shifted some timber and relocated his smile. It is telling in his cricket; in fact he bows out with centuries in both his final two Championship games at Hove and even had to laugh off suggestions that his decision should be reversed.He lost the chancier Ashar Zaidi to Jamie Overton’s first ball of a day delayed by overnight rain, but was quickly away with a wristily pulled four. The double trigger and mighty crab were as exaggerated and the striking as clean as ever, but his nerves told with some slightly hare-brained running.He moved into the 80s with a straight drive, followed it with another four through mid-on, and into the 90s with a controlled edge to the third man fence. A beautiful cover drive then a dab to fine leg brought up the milestone at a canter.”I’ve played here all my life, from the age of 11,” Yardy said, “and even during that time I’ve loved watching the guys play here. It was always something I aspired to as a young kid: like everyone who plays county cricket, you aspire to play for your home county. It’s a bit sad that it’s coming to an end but nice to finish in a nice way.”After one Jordan heave-ho too many (Luke Ronchi did well to take a swirling skier), Somerset’s response was unfussy until a hefty band of rain came at 4.45. Tom Abell was wonderfully wristy but played on to a Jordan wide one and Tom Cooper flew out of the blocks before nicking through to Ben Brown.At the other end Marcus Trescothick was undefeated, and – considering the manner in which their England careers ended and the esteem they are held at their respective counties – comparisons with Yardy do not take much finding.After both Yardy’s moments, the third-loudest cheer of the day came with another Trescothick dab to third man for four to bring up his 50. He was typically strong in that area, and brutal on that trademark tiny-stepped drive.With rain forecast on Wednesday, this vital match’s value is likely to be seen in bonus points. Both teams to took full allocation in the first round; if the Somerset are to get full allocation in the second, Trescothick must stay put.

Nine US and six Canada players were included in a 15-man ICC Americas combined squad announced on Wednesday to take part in the WICB Nagico Super50 competition next January

Peter Della Penna07-Oct-2015Hard-hitting opening batsman Steven Taylor is one of nine US players in a 15-man ICC Americas combined squad announced on Wednesday to take part in the WICB Nagico Super50 competition next January. Taylor played this year for the Barbados Tridents in the Caribbean Premier League but Canada’s lone CPL-contracted player, Nikhil Dutta, was left out of the squad.Dutta was a surprise exclusion after excelling in limited opportunities at the 2015 CPL with St Kitts and Nevis Patriots but underperformed during several trial matches at the second phase of the ICC Americas cricket combine last month in Indianapolis and was beaten for the offspinner’s slot in the team by USA captain Muhammad Ghous. Aside from Ghous, the bowling attack is dominated by US players. Fast bowling allrounder Timroy Allen, medium pacers Hammad Shahid and Ali Khan, legspinner Timil Patel and left-arm spinner Danial Ahmed also made the team. Jeremy Gordon was the only Canada bowler to be included.Khan, from Dayton, Ohio, is the lone player in the 15-man squad who is yet to play for his respective national team but was consistently impressive throughout both phases of the trial for his pace and ability to bowl yorkers. He was also one of six players – along with Allen, Ahmed, Gordon, Alex Amsterdam, and Srimantha Wijeratne – who progressed out of phase one of the trial to beat numerous competitors who were fast-tracked directly into phase two.Allen’s inclusion is another step towards his return to international cricket after vowing not to play for USA again in the wake of a falling out with then head coach Robin Singh following USA’s tour of the UAE in November 2013 for the World Twenty20 Qualifier. Allen served as vice-captain on that tour and stood in as skipper for two games.Allen was not nominated by USACA as a fast-tracked player for phase two of the Indianapolis trial and therefore had to apply to compete in phase one to make it into the final weekend for a spot in the team. However, he was easily the best performing player over the two phases out of more than 90 competitors.The fast bowling competition was the most intense part of the trial, meaning that David Pieters, who consistently impressed with his athleticism and attitude through both phases of the trial, was left out. The fielding around him did not help his case though with catches regularly dropped off his bowling, including three in the final 50-over trial match with all three of those players – Taylor, Fahad Babar and Nitish Kumar – going on to make half-centuries.Babar, who was the MVP and leading scorer at the ICC Americas Division One Twenty20 in May in Indianapolis, was left out despite half-centuries in each trial match, but Kumar’s 70 off 59 balls in the final game cemented his place.Surprisingly, all four wicketkeepers – Taylor, US team-mate Akeem Dodson, Canada’s Hamza Tariq and Wijeyratne – who were competing in phase two of the trial were included in the final 15 with Taylor and Wijeratne expected to compete as specialist batsmen.The final squad was selected by a panel headed by Courtney Walsh, Mike Young and Venkatapathy Raju – who were all brought in by the ICC Americas office as independent talent evaluators present during both phases of the trial – as well as multiple local coaches including Ontario Cricket Academy coach Derek Perera and current USA U-19 coach Thiru Kumaran.”We’d like to thank all the players and coaches involved in what was a unique process to select the team,” said ICC Americas High Performance consultant, Tom Evans. “There is an exciting amount of talent in the region, and we are looking forward to helping the players selected, and those that missed out this time, continue to improve.”The team is scheduled to arrive in Trinidad on January 4 with the first of six 50-over matches starting on January 7. Included in their four-team group is Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados and Combined Campuses and Colleges, with all teams playing each other twice before the semi-finals begin on January 21.ICC Americas squad: Timroy Allen, Danial Ahmed, Alex Amsterdam, Navneet Dhaliwal, Akeem Dodson (wk), Muhammad Ghous, Ruvindu Gunasekera, Jeremy Gordon, Ali Khan, Nitish Kumar, Timil Patel, Hammad Shahid, Hamza Tariq (wk), Steven Taylor, Srimantha Wijeratne

Richmond Mutumbami’s 74 helped Zimbabwe to secure a 2-1 series lead with a six-wicket victory in the third one-day international against Afghanistan at Queens Sports Club

The Report by Liam Brickhill20-Oct-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRichmond Mutumbami struck four fours and two sixes in his 74•Zimbabwe Cricket

Richmond Mutumbami’s 74 helped Zimbabwe secure a 2-1 series lead with a six-wicket victory in the third one-day international against Afghanistan at the Queens Sports Club. Mutumbami’s aggressive knock, which included four fours and two sixes, ensured a steady start to Zimbabwe’s pursuit of Afghanistan’s 223 for 8. The visitors chipped away at the middle order, but Zimbabwe never lost wickets in clusters, with Elton Chigumbura and Sikandar Raza’s unbeaten 51-run stand seeing the side home in the final over.That had not been the case when Afghanistan batted, and they will rue the collapse which ruined the platform that had been set by their top order. Noor Ali Zadran scored his second consecutive fifty in the series, and Mohammad Nabi chipped in with 42 but Afghanistan slipped from 124 for 1 to 149 for 6 against some disciplined bowling. Had they held together more firmly, Zimbabwe might have sweated a bit more in their chase.Mutumbami burst out of the blocks with three fours in the first five overs and Zimbabwe had cruised to 40 before Afghanistan broke through with the wicket of Chamu Chibhabha. He had been happy to lay down an anchor as Mutumbami took the bowlers on, but was then dismissed in unusual circumstances. Chibhabha stepped away to cut left-arm spinner Amir Hamza, who had opened the bowling, but chopped the ball close to his stumps. He stuck his hand out to catch the ball, tossing it away, but wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad immediately appealed. Umpire Nigel Llong upheld the appeal, and Chibhabha became the first Zimbabwe batsman to be given out for handling the ball.For a while Mutumbami tempered his attacking instincts, but he should have been out for 36 when he chipped a regulation catch to Samiullah Shenwari at midwicket. The ball went straight into the fielder’s hands, and then straight out again when his elbows hit the ground. Again the batsmen buckled down, but Afghanistan forced another opening when Hamza bowled Craig Ervine for 11 in the 22nd over.That dismissal brought Sean Williams to the crease, and he clashed almost immediately with Shahzad, who was a constantly chatty presence behind the stumps. At one point, the umpires had to step in when Williams and Shahzad faced off mid-pitch, but Mutumbami – who had also exchanged a few words with the wicketkeeper – didn’t lose his focus and put Zimbabwe back on top with a pair of sixes off Nabi and teenage legspinner Rashid Khan. He was offered another life when he was dropped at long-off on 68, and eventually fell for a career-best 74, slog-sweeping Hamza out to Rashid on the deep-midwicket boundary.As tempers calmed, Chigumbura and Williams eased into accumulation mode, and they had taken the runs needed to under 50 before Williams chipped a catch to long-on. Chigumbura and Raza forestalled any chance of an Afghanistan fightback with a chanceless fifty partnership, and though the match went into the final over, Zimbabwe were always ahead of the game.Afghanistan’s middle-order implosion meant they had always been chasing it. Asghar Stanikzai had chosen to bat once again, and the decision appeared to be validated when Afghanistan cruised past 120 in the 30th over. But Noor Ali was then bowled behind his legs, attempting to sweep, and two balls later Nawroz Mangal picked out Luke Jongwe on the deep-midwicket boundary for the second wicket of the over. Afghanistan needed to steady themselves, but Stanikzai heaved wildly at his third ball to be caught behind for a duck, and 124 for 1 had become 124 for 4.Miscommunication between Nabi and Shenwari brought another dismissal, with both batsmen at the same end when Nabi was run-out for 42. Shenwari was then bowled, slog-sweeping at Wellington Masakadza’s left-arm spin, and Afghanistan were sinking fast at 149 for 6 in the 40th over. They might have been bowled out for under 200 had the recalled Shafiqullah not led a spirited lower-order counter-assault, ably helped by Dawlat Zadran’s sparky cameo. Despite their efforts, Afghanistan’s total was always below par for the conditions.

Jos Buttler struck the quickest century in England’s ODI history, from just 46 balls, to help his side to a record-breaking total of 355 for 5 in Dubai

The Report by George Dobell20-Nov-2015England 355 for 5 (Butter 116*, Roy 102, Root 71) beat Pakistan 271 (Malik 52, Azam 51, Moeen 3-53) by 84 runs

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJos Buttler struck the quickest century in England’s ODI history, from just 46 balls, to help his side to a 3-1 series victory against Pakistan in the UAE.Buttler’s innings included eight sixes – another record for an England player in ODI cricket – as England posted 355 for 5, their highest total away from home. Only four times have they scored more. It was to prove more than enough as Pakistan were dismissed for 271 with almost ten overs remaining.Buttler, who had already recorded the two fastest ODI centuries for England (61 balls against New Zealand and 66 against Sri Lanka) finished unbeaten on 116 from 52 balls with 18 of them having been hit for four or six. There have been only six quicker ODI centuries and it helped England plunder 145 off the final 11 overs.If Pakistan’s bowling looked ragged in the face of Buttler’s assault – and it did – they probably deserve some sympathy. Promoted to No. 4 after Jason Roy, who scored a maiden ODI century of his own, had established an imposing platform, Buttler was given every freedom to unleash his spectacular talents upon this game.Having hit the bowlers of their length with a series of scoops, reverse-sweeps and bottom-handed drives which rendered even yorkers a feeding opportunity, Buttler then thrashed the follow-up collection of long-hops, full-tosses and slower balls. It was an innings of which AB de Villiers or Viv Richards would have been proud. And there really is no higher praise than that.For a while, Pakistan kept up with the required run-rate. Azhar Ali and Mohammad Hafeez struck the ball sweetly in hitting first Reece Topley and then Chris Woakes out of the attack. Then Babar Azam and Shoaib Malik took up the charge with swift half-centuries that left England just a little flustered.But when Alex Hales, who had earlier missed a relatively straightforward catch offered by Hafeez, pulled off an outstanding catch at deep midwicket – Hales ran in from the fence and threw himself forward to scoop the ball up inches from the ground – to dismiss Malik, the Pakistan resistance crumbled. It was, though, a brave effort.How they will rue the self-inflicted wounds that continue to hold them back. After three run-outs in Sharjah, they suffered another here when Hafeez, batting with real class at present, called Azam for a sharp single only to see his partner motionless and ball-watching at the other end. Hafeez had no chance of regaining his ground.Defeat means Pakistan have lost three ODI series in a row against England and, placed eighth in the rankings, they face the real prospect of having to qualify for the 2019 World Cup.This was not a day when Pakistan lost because they played poorly, though, as much as it was a day when they came up against a player of special ability in golden form.Jos Buttler hammered a century from just 46 balls•Getty Images

Having recovered some confidence after his unbeaten 49 in Sharjah – how important might that missed stumping before he had scored in that game prove to be? – Buttler gave himself a little time to get used to the conditions, scoring just 5 from his first nine balls before going on the attack.Mohammad Irfan, a thorn in England’s side throughout the series, was flicked from outside off to square leg and then scooped as if he were a medium-pacer. When Wahab went full he was laced through the covers and when he dropped short he was pulled through midwicket. One Anwar Ali over was thrashed for 22 as Buttler followed one perfectly timed reverse sweep for four with two thunderous pulls for six. It was murderous, merciless stuff. So un-English in many ways. The last 33 balls of his innings produced 99 runs.Buttler’s brilliance might have overshadowed the contribution of Roy, but it was England’s strong start – they were 194 for 2 with almost 15 overs left when he wandered to the middle – that allowed him the freedom to attack.Batting was, initially at least, far from straightforward for Roy. Twice in the opening overs – once against Anwar Ali and once against Wahab Riaz – he enjoyed some fortune when, pushing at the ball away from his body, inside edges flew perilously close to his stumps and down to the fine leg boundary for four.But as he settled, he produced some sparkling strokes. A checked straight drive off Wahab was a thing of beauty, while a flick through midwicket off Irfan was gloriously timed. While he didn’t completely time one straight drive off Malik, such was his commitment to the stroke that the ball still carried beyond the long-off boundary.He gave one chance, on 77, when an outside edge off Yasir Shah was dropped at slip – Mohammad Rizwan had little chance after the ball deflected off the keeper’s gloves – but this was an innings which allied power and placement; restraint and aggression. It was an admirably mature innings from a man who is looking more at home at this level by the game.Roy gained support from Hales, with whom he posed 54 in 11 overs for the first wicket, and then 140 for the second with Joe Root, who placed the ball with precision and rotated the strike expertly. And, when the opportunity arose, he attacked with style: he brought up his 50 with a gorgeous lofted drive off Malik, having already slog-swept six off Yasir.It was all just a prelude for Buttler, though. There may have been better innings played by an England player in ODI cricket, but it is not easy to think of them.

West Indies allrounder Marlon Samuels has been banned from bowling in international cricket for 12 months after his action was found to be illegal for a second time since December 2013

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Dec-2015West Indies allrounder Marlon Samuels has been banned from bowling in international cricket for 12 months after his action was found to be illegal for a second time since December 2013. The offspinner’s action can be reassessed by the ICC only after this period is complete.Samuels, who was prohibited from bowling quicker deliveries in 2013, was reported for a suspect action in October, during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. Samuels underwent an independent assessment in Brisbane which revealed that his elbow extension exceeded the permitted 15-degree limit. Incidentally, the ICC had allowed Samuels to bowl in an ODI in November, after the 14-day grace period for reported bowlers had expired, on the grounds that the West Indies team was “incorrectly advised” about his eligibility.”As this report constitutes the player’s second suspension within a two-year period, he is now automatically suspended from bowling in international cricket for a 12-month period,” an ICC release stated. “Samuels is entitled to appeal any procedural aspect of the Independent Assessment that has led to this automatic suspension. However, only after the expiry of this one-year period will he be entitled to approach the ICC for a re-assessment of his bowling action.”Samuels was reported for the third time in his career in October. In 2008, he was called for a suspect faster ball after the third Test against South Africa in Durban. He was later suspended from bowling in international cricket but after remedial work on his action, was permitted to bowl in September 2011.He was reported once again at the end of the second day of the second Test against India in Mumbai in November 2013. He was subsequently allowed to bowl the offbreak delivery but not his quicker ball.Samuels is the third bowler to be banned from bowling in international cricket by the ICC in 2015. Sunil Narine was suspended in November due to an illegal action. Like Samuels, Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez was handed a 12-month ban by the ICC in July, after his action was found to be illegal for a second time since November 2014.

With Mitchell Marsh returning and John Hastings difficult to leave out following an excellent display at the Gabba, Australia face the prospect of squeezing three seam-bowling allrounders into their MCG line-up

Brydon Coverdale16-Jan-20161:32

‘Strange for me to hit 140kph’ – Hastings

During the World Cup last year, Australia’s selectors found it hard to fit James Faulkner and Mitchell Marsh into the same line-up, viewing the two allrounders as bringing similar qualities to the XI. Now they face the prospect of squeezing three pace-bowling allrounders into the ODI outfit, with John Hastings having impressed in the win over India in Brisbane, where he replaced the resting Marsh.Of course, during the World Cup there was also a need to fit Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood in; Johnson is now retired, Starc is recovering from an ankle injury, and Hazlewood is being rested for the remainder of the summer. It is much less of a stretch to drop one of Kane Richardson, Joel Paris or Scott Boland to accommodate the three allrounders.That is the scenario for the upcoming third ODI on Sunday in Melbourne, where Marsh rejoins the squad and presumably will walk straight back into the XI alongside Faulkner. At the Gabba, Hastings put up a strong case for his retention by taking 1 for 46 from eight overs on a pitch offering very little, and captain Steven Smith was rewarded for trusting Hastings with the 50th over, which cost only four runs.”I thought the way that he bowled was excellent,” Aaron Finch said after the win. “He bowled at some difficult times. Rohit [Sharma] and Virat [Kohli] were batting beautifully through that period when John got the ball for the first time and … the way that he’s got his cutters going – legcutters, offcutters, seam-up, cross-seam – I think that he’s a really attractive package for the one-day game.”Should Hastings keep his place at the MCG it will be quite a vote of confidence given he was added only after the Perth win and would be taking the place of one of the original squad members. But Australia’s selectors have shown their willingness in recent times to stack the team with allrounders, and the pace depth is being tested in any case.”There’s a lot of injuries in Australian cricket, most of our express bowlers are out,” Hastings said after arriving in Melbourne on Saturday. “James Faulkner has got a really unique skill-set, Mitch Marsh has got another unique skill-set, and I offer something different as well. I think there’s definitely scope for it … I think it can work.”During the Gabba ODI Hastings even broke the 140kph barrier, unusually quick by his standards, though in white-ball cricket it is his variations that make him an attractive bowling prospect. Hastings said Australia’s attack deserved credit for restricting India to 75 runs for the loss of six wickets in their last 10 overs on a pitch that offered very little for the bowlers.”It was probably on the slower side of a Gabba wicket that I’ve seen for quite some time,” he said. “But there just wasn’t any sideways movement or receptiveness to gripping slower balls or cross-seam deliveries. There just wasn’t much there. For us to pull it back like we did, I think the bowling group really needs to have a pat on the back for that, because they were two down going into the last ten overs, you can really get anything.”

Among the more sweeping of the Lodha committee’s recommendations is a players’ association, intended as a “necessary” mechanism for addressing player concerns

Arun Venugopal04-Jan-20163:27

Joshi: Players’ association not just for collective bargaining

Among the more sweeping of the Lodha committee’s recommendations is a players’ association, intended as a “necessary” mechanism for addressing player concerns. It would be radical because India is the only Test-playing nation not to have a players’ association – and has not contemplated one in the recent past. The BCCI has historically opposed the idea and two earlier attempts have come to naught; this latest venture, if mandated, will be financed by the board and comprise only those players who have retired from competitive cricket in all forms.

Stricter rules for player agents

The Lodha Committee has proposed a rigorous system for a person to be accredited as a player agent, who will be monitored by the BCCI in conjunction with the players’ association.
1. An applicant needs to submit a clearance certificate issued by the ICC ACSU, and must not have any criminal record
2. There should no conflict of interest or dual representation
3. A player agent is required to undertake that he will charge no more than a maximum agent fee of 2% of the total annual revenue earned
4. The five-member committee on agent regulation will have powers to initiate disciplinary proceedings against agents

The committee has appointed a four-member standing committee, comprising former union home secretary GK Pillai (chairperson) and former India cricketers Mohinder Amarnath, Anil Kumble and former India women captain Diana Edulji, to “identify and invite all eligible ex-cricketers to be members, to open bank accounts, receive funds from the BCCI, conduct the first elections for office bearers, communicate the names of BCCI player nominees to the board.”The committee, having taken note of the BCCI’s “apprehension of unionisation”, has deemed it important to give the players “a voice to raise their concerns” while barring them from forming a “trade union of any sort.” It recommends the need to advance the welfare of players, including insurance, medical and other commercial benefits.In the early 2000s, a group of players, including MAK Pataudi (president), Arun Lal (secretary), Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Ravi Shastri and Abbas Ali Baig were the founding members of a players’ association, but that eventually served as no more than a means to the end of player contracts.”The BCCI would tell the senior players ‘we will give you what you want, why do you need an association?’,” a source privy to the formation of the association then told ESPNcricinfo. “They would talk to Ganguly, Dravid, Tendulkar and Kumble as senior players but not as representatives of a players’ association.”He said there was an effort to organise a body under Kapil Dev as the president in the late 80s as well to put forward genuine concerns. “Playing cricket was not a career then. Ranji Trophy cricketers would only get Rs 50 a day to play a match. This was not [an attempt to get] a larger share of the pie, it’s just genuine concerns.”The source said the board always looked at players’ associations as “anti-establishment” bodies, and would discourage them overtly and covertly. “Everybody didn’t join because they were scared. I don’t blame them. If my state association secretary warns me against joining such an association, how will I dare join then?”Former India fast bowler Javagal Srinath felt the players’ association was a greater responsibility of the players than the board. “It’s up to the boys,” he said. “At that time we felt there was a need for all of us to come together. We started cricket as a profession [for the first time]. Anything of that sort is always a start and stop kind of thing in India.”Even if it was started by someone there have to be reasons for players to see what could be achieved from players’ association.”The source, however, felt the senior players in the early 2000s didn’t carry forward the early momentum that was achieved. “It’s also the fault of the players because you start something with conviction and you don’t follow it through,” he said. “They were the power base at the time and owed it to the next generation to carry it through.”The BCCI was willing to help out as long as you approached them as players and not as players’ association representatives. The best way to kill an association is give them what they want so that there is no need for one for a while, and it dies a natural death.”Srinath, though, was of the belief the time was ripe for such an association to come into being, given that players have a more professional outlook.”Cricket has taken such a big professional dimension in India. It will be good for the game, the board and the players,” he said. “I think more than addressing the rights, it’s players coming under the umbrella, players starting to accept various contracts.”It’s just not about fighting for your rights alone, because most things are taken care of. The odd incident has to be customised, but I don’t think any player is put under any financial discomfort. “A BCCI official took a contrarian view and suggested that the creation of such associations would encourage politicisation and politicking among players.”Such politics is already there in the BCCI and a lot of state associations, and you curse it day in and day out,” he said. “You will have a situation where this will happen among players as well. Why would you want that? Won’t these associations have control over players and create lobbies? In any case, the interests of the players have been traditionally looked after by the BCCI more than anybody else.”

Bottom-placed Tasmania added considerable tension to the race for the final by making a storming start to their match against the competition leaders Victoria at Bellerive Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Feb-2016
ScorecardFile photo – Andrew Fekete took the key wickets of Travis Dean and Peter Handscomb•Getty Images

Bottom-placed Tasmania added considerable tension to the race for the Sheffield Shield final by making a storming start to their match against the competition leaders Victoria at Bellerive Oval.Sent in to bat, the Bushrangers were rolled for 165 on a pitch that offered some assistance to the seam bowlers, before Ben Dunk led the Tigers to a comfortable 2 for 115 at the close.With three rounds remaining, Victoria had been in comfortable possession of the first spot on the table, but the loss of regular wickets in Hobart offered hope for their pursuers.No Victoria batsman passed 30, with the sometime Australian pace prospect Andrew Fekete claiming the key wickets of Travis Dean and Peter Handscomb.Tasmania shared the spoils, including a three-wicket burst for the part-time off breaks of Beau Webster and another trio of wickets for the seamers of Hamish Kingston.Chris Tremain found a way past Tim Paine and Webster when Tasmania batted, before Dunk played sweetly with sound support from Alex Doolan to take the hosts within 50 runs of a first innings lead.

Kings XI Punjab will be keen to put a disappointing 2015 behind them as they start a new season, under a new captain, with a home game against a new team in Gujarat Lions

The Preview by Nikhil Kalro10-Apr-2016

Match facts

Monday, April 11, 2016
Start time 2000 local (14.30 GMT)

Big picture

Kings XI Punjab’s previous two seasons have represented the travails of the stock market. With nine totals of 170 or more and a runner-up culmination, 2014 was their bull market. The weight of the bear was too much in the next year as Kings XI became the first team ruled out of a playoff spot. The team released their captain George Bailey, their non-performing asset, and appointed as his successor David Miller, who has led only three times in his 189-match T20 career. With only four fifties since 2015, Miller’s own form has come under scrutiny. Having played 34 matches for the franchise since 2014, he should know all about their ups and downs.Bailey’s departure opens up an overseas playing slot and Shaun Marsh is the leading candidate. Unlike previous seasons, Kings XI will not face the dilemma of wanting to accommodate this highly consistent performer while not being able to.Gujarat Lions come into the contest with none of the baggage that their opposition have. A formidable foreign talent pool is their biggest strength and the Indian contingent, despite containing 12 uncapped players, possesses plenty of IPL experience. Brendon McCullum and Aaron Finch, unburdened after international retirement and being relieved of T20 captaincy respectively, can fire away in the Powerplay. With end-overs specialists in Dwayne Bravo and James Faulkner and new-ball operators in Praveen Kumar, Dale Steyn and Dhawal Kulkarni, Lions have most bases covered. With a number of permutations available to them, how quickly can the new franchise figure out their best combination?

In the spotlight

Glenn Maxwell had a disastrous 2015 campaign, scoring 145 runs in 11 matches at an average of 13.18. Much of Kings XI’s success has been dependent on his pyrotechnics. That is unlikely to change this season, and their opening game, at home, is as good an opportunity as any for Maxwell to remind everyone of the force he was in 2014.Lions’ allrounders – Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo and James Faulkner – are all capable of bowling their quota and providing impetus towards the end overs with the bat. They also lend depth and balance to the team, allowing the top order to bat with more freedom. Clearing the large square boundaries in Mohali will be a hard task, particularly against Bravo and Faulkner’s slower deliveries.

Team news

With Marsh likely to return to the opening slot, Kings XI’s four overseas players look set for a long run, barring injury or drastic loss of form. Mohali isn’t known to offer too much turn, which means Axar Patel should mostly be the solitary spinner with Maxwell and Gurkeerat Singh as back-up options.Kings XI Punjab (probable): 1 M Vijay, 2 Shaun Marsh, 3 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 David Miller (capt), 6 Gurkeerat Singh, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Sandeep Sharma, 10 Mohit Sharma, 11 Anureet SinghLions have a good selection headache. Given the options at their disposal, they could take a horses-for-courses approach to decide between Finch, Dwayne Smith and Steyn for the final overseas player’s slot.Gujarat Lions (probable): 1 Brendon McCullum , 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Ishan Kishan (wk), 4 Suresh Raina (capt), 5 Dinesh Karthik, 6 Dwayne Bravo, 7 James Faulkner, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 Praveen Kumar, 10 Pravin Tambe, 11 Dhawal Kulkarni

Pitch and conditions

The Mohali pitch was batsman friendly during the World T20, without much assistance for the spinners. Hitting a good length, or just back of a length, could be the way to go given the long square boundaries, and fielders will have to be wary of twos and threes placed into large pockets in the outfield.

Stats and trivia

• Shaun Marsh is one of only four players who have represented the same franchise since the first IPL season, in 2008 – the others are Lasith Malinga, Harbhajan Singh and Virat Kohli.
• Kings XI have played 125 matches, winning 61 and losing 62, with two tied games