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Several corporate governance and legal experts believe that the BCCI has abdicated its administrative responsibility in its handling of the IPL scandal

Sharda Ugra31-May-2013Several corporate governance and legal experts believe that BCCI officials’ repeated calls to “let the law take its course” in the IPL corruption scandal is an abdication of administrative responsibility masked by a falling back on the legal process.TV Mohandas Pai, former board member of Indian software giant Infosys and chairman of Manipal Global Education Services, says that in the best practices of corporate governance an organisation would “hold itself out to be transparent and well-governed and then the legal action is taken.” In the current situation, by Pai’s standard, this best practice required Srinivasan to first stand down as BCCI president and then allow the three-member commission set up by the Indian board to take its decision against his son-in-law.In professionally-run corporations, Pai – who speaks from experience as a former chief financial officer of Infosys – said in an email to ESPNcricinfo, “administration action is first taken to clear the ground for investigation so that the truth is found out.”In Srinivasan’s case, Pai said, “the basic charge here is that an insider, Gurunath, leaked confidential information to outsiders, traded on the same and benefited/lost money.” As an insider, Gurunath, was “facilitated in terms of access by the president Srinivasan.”Even if he was merely an “enthusiast,” Gurunath was seen in the dugouts and Pai said, “(had) held himself out openly in the presence of the president as being deeply associated with Chennai Super Kings and for all purposes was the face of the CSK. Without this relationship he would have no position and no access. Even if there is no direct charge against Srinivasan, by his conduct he has been compromised.”Lawyer YP Singh, a former officer with the Indian police and in the Central Bureau of Investigation (India’s federal investigative agency), said it was necessary that a clear distinction be made between legal and administration action and the level of proof required by both.Singh, who has dealt with high-profile cases of financial fraud, said legal action required “beyond reasonable doubt” before issuing a judgement and finding a person guilty. “You need beyond reasonable doubt to send someone to jail.Administrative action does not require ‘beyond reasonable doubt’. Administrative action can be taken at any time.” It required, he said, what the legal community referred to as, “the preponderance of probability.” (The “degree” or the “likelihood” of the incident taking place is a bit lower as compared to beyond reasonable doubt.)During his Kolkata press conference, Srinivasan’s defence of his refusal to stand down hinged on the fact that he had committed no offence and there was a legal process in place. Through this defence, Singh said, the BCCI was trying to take administrative action, “after the investigation is complete … that is legally impossible. A thorough legal investigation takes years.”In such a situation, the administrative action required by the BCCI should have been thorough and speedy. To redress the BCCI’s shortcomings as of now in this case, Pai said, “Srinivasan would need to resign or step down from his position or take a sabbatical, hand over power to a committee of directors who would handle the investigation and if the investigation by independent third party finds nothing against the president, then he can easily redeem his dented honour.”Corporate India rarely speaks ill of its peers, but there are suggestions that in this case Srinivasan, a successful corporate figure in Tamil Nadu, has trapped himself in an untenable situation. “As you rise in power, the standards of governance required by you have to go up,” says one leader. “The enormity of the situation is dependent on the person involved in a wrong doing.” It is why offences committed by the CEO of a firm as opposed to a junior-executive have a different impact. It is “logically impossible” for Srinivasan to “retain his authority when an investigation is on because he retains the power to subvert the process.”Srinivasan has, however, chosen to stay in power by deliberately detaching the administrative action required at a time like this from the Board and attaching it to the legal process. The BCCI has been unable to prevent him from doing so. Pai said, “By doing what he is doing Srinivasan has shown himself in poor light and BCCI has shown itself to be an institution of cronies.”Bringing out the “innocent till proven guilty” card often diverts from another vital truth. An individual remains accused until proven innocent.

Lalchand Rajput, the India A coach, believes the side’s “tough” upcoming tour of South Africa is an opportunity for fringe players to impress the national selectors for berths in the senior team

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jul-2013Lalchand Rajput, the India A coach, believes the side’s “tough” upcoming tour of South Africa is an opportunity for fringe players to impress the national selectors for berths in the senior team. Rajput gave the example of the squad’s captain Cheteshwar Pujara, whose fine performance on the A team’s trip to West Indies last year helped him make a comeback to the India Test side, which is scheduled to tour South Africa in November.”The tour to South Africa is a tough one,” Rajput told . “Everyone knows that Australia or South Africa is a tough tour. The A tour is an opportunity for players who are in and out of the team because if you perform well in it then you get selected for the India team. This tour is important.”Cheteshwar Pujara went last year to the West Indies where he did well and immediately came into the India team. When we went to New Zealand, Bhuvneshwar Kumar did well, Mohammed Shami and (Ambati) Rayudu also did well on that tour and now they are in the India team.”Rajput said the tour would be another step in Pujara’s development as a leader. “I have seen Cheteshwar captaining the A team in the West Indies. He is a fantastic player. As a captain, he is learning by experience. I think this tour will help him mature as a captain.”Ten of the squad’s 16 players are currently part of the senior India side touring Zimbabwe for an ODI series. Rajput said the other six currently in India will have a short camp in Bangalore starting Thursday before leaving for South Africa on August 3. “Ten players are already playing in Zimbabwe, so they must be match-fit and would be coming directly from there to South Africa. So that should also help us. I am going to meet the other six players in Bangalore tomorrow.”The tour kicks off with a triangular one-day series also involving Australia A followed by two unofficial Tests against the hosts. India A play their first one-dayer, against Australia A, on August 8. “Triangular series is important because of two big teams Australia and South Africa,” Rajput said. “That will be a big challenge. After that we have two ‘Tests’. So we will focus on one series at a time.”

England fly out to Australia on Wednesday evening to begin their attempt at securing a fourth straight Ashes series victory, something they haven’t achieved since the 19th century

Andrew McGlashan23-Oct-20130:00

Return to Oz

England fly out to Australia on Wednesday evening to begin their attempt at securing a fourth straight Ashes series victory, something they haven’t achieved since the 19th century.A squad of 17 – which won’t be far off being doubled when the backroom staff are taken into account – is led by Alastair Cook and will depart for Perth where they will begin preparations for the Test series that starts on November 21 at the Gabba.Tim Bresnan, who was diagnosed with a stress fracture of the back after the Durham Test where England clinched the series, will also leave with the squad but is not an official member yet and his recovery will be monitored during the early weeks of the tour. There are three uncapped players in the party – Gary Ballance, Ben Stokes and Boyd Rankin – while Michael Carberry has just a single Test to his name.Ballance, the Yorkshire left hander, and Durham allrounder Stokes are two of the players vying for the troublesome No. 6 spot, alongside Jonny Bairstow who was in possession of the position until The Oval Test, and deciding who fills that role will be one of the key decisions to reach during the lead-in period before Brisbane.The first warm-up match, against a Western Australia XI, begins on October 31 after a period of acclimatisation. England’s proficient use of the tour matches on the 2010-11 tour, where they won two and dominated a draw in the other, was highlighted as a key factor in their success on that trip even though they began slowly in Brisbane, being bowled out for 260 on the opening day.England’s recent record in opening Tests away from home is poor: they have not won the first encounter since beating South Africa, at Port Elizabeth, in 2004.There are concerns this time about the strength of the opposition England will encounter in the early weeks of the tour. The matches against Western Australia, Australia A and New South Wales all clash with rounds of the Sheffield Shield. The sides fielded by WA and NSW are likely to be particularly under strength and it has been suggested that reinforcements will be called in. Ultimately for England, though, the importance will be getting miles in the bowlers’ legs and hours at the crease for the batsmen.Tim Bresnan flies out with the official squad to continue his recovery from injury•Getty ImagesThree years ago, Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss fielded the first Test starting XI in the first two warm-up matches before resting the four frontline bowlers – James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Steven Finn and Graeme Swann – for the match against Australia A in Hobart.Anderson, Broad and Swann are, fitness permitting, certainties again but Finn will have to fight to regain the place he lost after the opening Test at Trent Bridge in July. On that occasion his berth went to Bresnan, who provided greater control and added depth to lower order. This time, unless Bresnan’s recovery is unexpectedly rapid, his competition will come from Rankin, who impressed during the one-day series against Australia last month, and the recalled Chris Tremlett who had a major impact on the 2010-11 series when he was brought in for the Perth Test onwards.Tremlett, who played his previous Test against Pakistan in January 2012, was expected to start on his homeground at The Oval in August but, at the last minute, was overlooked as England changed the balance of their side by handing debuts to Chris Woakes and Simon Kerrigan.The experiment was not a success and neither have made this tour: Woakes was solid, but has been leapfrogged by Stokes, and Kerrigan suffered a nightmare debut as he was mauled by Shane Watson. Despite Stokes’ presence in the squad, the odds favour England returning to their preferred balance of six batsmen, the wicketkeeper, three fast bowlers and Swann.

There have been suggestions that all England need to do to bag a 3-0 whitewash is to turn up. While the visitors begin as clear favourites, New Zealand are far from so hopeless that England can ignore their challenge

Andrew McGlashan in Dunedin04-Mar-2013New Zealand is a country of adrenalin-fuelled adventure sports, but the expectation is that the Test series that starts in Dunedin on Wednesday will not get pulses racing in the same way. In fact, there have been plenty of suggestions that all England need to do to bag a 3-0 whitewash is to turn up. There has just been the odd hint of disquiet from the New Zealand viewpoint that this is being treated as an Ashes warm-up. The New Zealand XI victory in the tour game in Queenstown has not gone unnoticed.New Zealand’s recent Test form is leading to the low expectations but perhaps it should not be taken as so black and white. They are not the only team to have been recently bowled out for under 50 by South Africa; the match before that they beat Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka to level a series (the same result England managed). They are now back on home soil, after extensive periods touring, which should make them feel more comfortable.England begin as clear favourites. That is usually the way when they tour here but history is littered with examples of the challenge having proved harder than expected. Last time, in 2008, they lost in Hamilton by 189 runs, getting humbled on the final day by Kyle Mills and Chris Martin. In 2002 they went into the final Test, in Auckland, with a 1-0 lead and despite the match being badly hit by rain lost by 78 runs. Although Michael Atherton’s team were ultimately 2-0 winners in 1997 they had to overcome the embarrassment of being defied by Danny Morrison in the first Test.This time, led by the combative Brendon McCullum, New Zealand are far from so hopeless that England can ignore the immediate challenge. Clearly, the recent problems surrounding the shockingly handled change of captaincy have destabilised the team – rumours of differences in the dressing room persist, although New Zealand aren’t alone in that – but McCullum is a single-minded leader who faces his task head on.From England’s point of view, anything less than a 2-0 scoreline (there is a chance of rain at some point, not least in Dunedin) will be a disappointment. Having put their Test game back on track in India after a difficult 2012 they now need to redevelop that ruthless edge which characterised their play during 2011.After the upheavals of last summer – Kevin Pietersen’s problems and the retirement of Andrew Strauss – the team has been stabilised. Nine of the first-choice XI for Test cricket are set in stone; the two areas for debate are the third fast-bowling slot and the long-term opening partner for Alastair Cook.Stuart Broad looks set to return to support James Anderson and Steven Finn, but doubts remain over how much long-form cricket he will be able to play as he attempts to manage his heel problem. It seems inconceivable that he will be able to go through such a full programme this year – 14 Tests, with a 15th in January 2014 – without another break. Beyond him, too, there are now a few more questions about the depth of what follows than had previously been thought.Nick Compton will retain his position alongside Cook and he deserves the opportunity to build on his hard work in India. At 29, he still has time to forge a lengthy Test career but he needs to show he can do more than purely blunt the new ball.As odd as it may sound considering the considerable averages of most of England’s top order, New Zealand should feel they have a chance to make early inroads. Compton and Pietersen are short of time in the middle and Jonathan Trott has not been quite at his best. And in the opposite corner the home side have, amid all the problems, formed a decent pace attack.

“From England’s point of view, anything less than a 2-0 scoreline will be a disappointment. Having put their Test game back on track in India after a difficult 2012 they now need to redevelop that ruthless edge which characterised their play during 2011”

Tim Southee is back to lead the line and has matured into a consistent swing bowler. His success in Sri Lanka, where he took 12 wickets in two Tests, was the mark of someone entering his peak. Doug Bracewell, fitness permitting, can produce incisive spells while Trent Boult, as long as he doesn’t drop it short, can swing the new ball. Neil Wagner also caused England problems in Queenstown.In turn, though, New Zealand’s batting will be severely tested, especially by Anderson’s swing and Finn’s pace. They will have a new-look opening pair – likely to be Hamish Rutherford and Peter Fulton – and it has been a while since the side have been given consistent starts. Four of the last six first-wicket stands have been single figure (albeit three of them came against Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander) and the last hundred opening partnership was 12 Tests ago in January 2012 against Zimbabwe; the last against a major nation another four Tests before that.The middle order, however, offers the hope of something better. Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, McCullum, Dean Brownlie and BJ Watling has a solid ring about it, although there is an argument that McCullum should be at No. 3 to allow Williamson to develop lower down. Watling, and to a lesser extent, Brownlie impressed for New Zealand XI in Queenstown, McCullum is in strong form and Taylor’s hundred in the Napier ODI has put him back on track.The public also need a team they are pulled into watching. Unlike with the rugby union side, there is not the expectation, or demand, that they will bring home the major prizes but neither is embarrassment accepted. New Zealand Test cricket desperately needs some good news over the next three weeks. A series win, though, would verge on miraculous.

Myles Hodgson at Old Trafford10-May-2013Lancashire 177 (Phillips 3-20) and 253 for 7 (Prince 80, Brown 80, Topley 5-80) beat Essex 226 (Napier 102*, Procter 4-66) and 203 for 3 dec (Cook 60, Mickleburgh 53*) by three wickets
ScorecardSaj Mahmood suffered another head-in-hands moment against his former club•Getty ImagesSajid Mahmood may have pictured a triumphant homecoming on his return to Old Trafford with Essex, who he joined following an acrimonious departure from Lancashire during the winter, but instead he suffered a final day that will haunt him for many years to come.The stage was set for Mahmood, furious that Lancashire were not prepared to offer him a new contract at the end of last season, to deny his former team a thrilling victory as they attempted to chase down 253 off 51 overs on the final afternoon. That target was later reduced by four overs by an interruption for bad light, but it was Mahmood’s intervention that proved decisive.Given the responsibility to bowl the 44th over of the innings, with Lancashire needing 32 to win off the final four overs, it was pretty much the turning point of the match as Steven Croft helping himself to 15 off the final five balls, including a six over midwicket and an all-run four through the covers.If that was not enough of a setback for Mahmood, he was to play an even bigger role in the final over, with Lancashire needing five runs to win having lost three wickets in the previous over. They scored four off the first four deliveries before Wayne White launched Graham Napier to Mahmood at long leg, only for him to spill the regulation catch and allow the single to be scrambled that secured victory.”When we saw that last ball, we all ended up with mixed feelings,” said Karl Brown, whose 80 in a 169-run stand with Ashwell Prince proved crucial to Lancashire’s win. “Saj is a great mate of a lot of the lads, we’ve played with him for a long time and it’s not nice to see that happen. We won the game so we were really happy, but I think we all spared a thought for Saj because that’s not nice when that happens, especially to someone you’re so close to.”Lancashire’s triumph came a week after they dismissed Glamorgan for 139 at Colwyn Bay chasing 154 for victory and boosts their promotion hopes. That the umpires saw fit to dock each side a point for slow over rates was barely noticed in either dressing room after such a compelling advert for county cricket.Essex, in particular, deserve plenty of credit for their role in such an exciting finale. Having reached 203 for 3 overnight and in little trouble, they could have watched from the dressing room for the final afternoon and enjoyed batting practice in the middle.Instead they set up a game to remember and so nearly secured an astonishing win themselves. They began the final afternoon impressively, dismissing both Lancashire openers in the space of three balls to leave them struggling on 13 for 2. Despite an outstanding opening spell from Reece Topley, and Mahood troubling Lancashire’s batsmen with his pace and bounce, Essex could not dislodge Brown and Prince during their 198-ball partnership.Both fell in quick succession for 80, Prince bowled by Topley making himself room and Brown in similar fashion to Napier, only for Steven Croft and Simon Katich to add 41 in four overs to leave Lancashire needing 12 off the final two overs.Just as victory was in sight, Topley responded by claiming three wickets in an over to finish with 5 for 80, with Croft falling to a brilliant diving catch from Rob Quiney in the deep that forced him off the field with a shoulder injury.It left Lancashire facing a tense final over, which was finally settled by Mahmood’s misfield, and left Essex rueing missed opportunities. “We took a bit of a punt, but the way we’d been playing, showing a lot of character and skill, we thought it was an excellent opportunity to get a win under our belts and get a lot of points,” captain James Foster said. “It was a risk but we thought it was a calculated risk.”

Shane Watson is in doubt for the Sydney Test after suffering yet another injury while bowling.

Brydon Coverdale27-Dec-2012Shane Watson is in doubt for the Sydney Test after suffering yet another injury while bowling.Watson hurt his left calf – the same muscle that caused him problems earlier in the summer and ruled him out of the first two Tests against South Africa – while bowling against Sri Lanka at the MCG on Boxing Day.The problem did not prevent Watson from batting on the second day and he was able to score 83 in an innings that lasted more than four hours but Cricket Australia revealed his injury late on Thursday night.”He was able to get though the batting innings today and is likely to field on day three,” team physio Alex Kountouris said. “Whether he bowls in the second innings will be determined closer to the bowling innings. A decision on his availability for the New Year Test will be made after the completion of the current match.”Watson has had an injury-plagued year, missing the whole of the last Australian Test summer due to hamstring and calf problems, before being ruled out of the Brisbane and Adelaide Tests this season after injuring his left calf while bowling in a Sheffield Shield match. As he recovered from that problem, he retained his determination to remain an allrounder and said he would not consider giving up bowling “unless something goes very horribly wrong”.During Australia’s victory against Sri Lanka in Hobart this month he bowled 47.4 overs, easily the most he has ever sent down in a Test, as he helped cover for Ben Hilfenhaus, who broke down during the game.In the lead-up to the Boxing Day Test, Watson said his body had recovered well from the workload and he was looking forward to contributing more with the ball in future.”My body has pulled up really well so far from the amount of bowling,” Watson said in Melbourne on Sunday, three days before the Test began. “To be able to get through that many overs is something that I’ve been thinking about for the last six months, and more so dreaming to be honest, to be able to contribute to an Australian Test bowling side of things with that amount of overs.”I’ve pulled up really well from it. I always wished I was able to contribute some time when the team needed it. Unfortunately for Ben Hilfenhaus he went down injured but it meant that it gave me an opportunity to see if my body could handle that sort of thing and so far it has.”

Ashton Agar’s stay in India has been extended to take in Australia’s major warm-up for the Test series as the possibility grows that he may be in line for an extraordinary international debut in Chennai

Daniel Brettig15-Feb-2013Ashton Agar’s stay in India has been extended to take in Australia’s major warm-up for the Test series as the possibility grows that he may be in line for an extraordinary international debut in Chennai.Previously scheduled to depart for India once the full touring squad had assembled, Agar will now be playing the three-day match against India A beginning on Saturday, and may yet have his time on the subcontinent expanded to include the Tests.Agar is one of three spinners Australia will field in the practice game, Xavier Doherty and Nathan Lyon being the other two. Michael Clarke and David Warner will miss the match, following their recovery from injuries, to be ready for the first Test on February 22.Only 19 years old and having played just a pair of Sheffield Shield matches for Western Australia following the shoulder injury to Michael Beer that ruled him out of this tour, Agar’s left-arm spin has stuck in the memory of all who have witnessed his bowling in recent weeks.His mature approach and skill in the field and with the bat has notably impressed the national selector John Inverarity, who is en route to India to discuss the composition of the team ahead of the first Test with the captain Michael Clarke and the coach Mickey Arthur.”The plan at the moment is that he returns in time to play for Western Australia but there is a possibility that he could stay a bit longer,” Inverarity told . “We needed someone to make up the XI and it was a very good opportunity to invest an opportunity in a promising young player.”Inverarity’s panel named numerous spin bowling options for the tour behind the incumbent Test tweaker Nathan Lyon, including the Tasmanian Xavier Doherty and the allrounders Glenn Maxwell and Steve Smith. Agar lost little by comparison to his more experienced slow bowlers when he delivered eight overs during a two-day practice match earlier this week, and now has a further opportunity to usurp his seniors.”Ash bowled really well in the two-day game,” Clarke told . “Everyone knows he’s very talented. He’s had success for Western Australia [eight wickets at 30.12 in two matches].”I spent some time with him yesterday in the nets and tried to get him to watch some of the Indian spinners in the nets and see what he was learning from what they were doing. He’s going to be a very good bowler. He wants to learn – he wants to get better.”You never know what could happen. He’s very lucky now. He’s been given the opportunity to play in this three-dayer. We have Xavier Doherty, we have Nathan Lyon, we have Glenn Maxwell and we have Ashton Agar who all bowl spin. We want to make sure we’re doing everything in our power to make the right decision for the first Test.”In this there are parallels with Lyon, who was chosen for Australia’s Test side in Sri Lanka in 2011 after only a handful of Sheffield Shield appearances for South Australia, and to date has played more than half his 35 first-class matches at Test level. In the absence of outstanding spin bowling talent bolstered by experience, the selectors have been inclined to flights of fancy, of which Agar would be another.His spells for the Warriors against New South Wales on his Shield debut at Blacktown Oval were noteworthy against batsmen well versed in tackling spin, the wickets of Scott Henry and Peter Nevill gained through genuine turn and changes of pace.Agar’s Shield batting has also been useful, reaping one half-century and one other handy score in four innings so far. He went to India on the cricket equivalent of an internship, but is now a chance of making a most rapid graduation to full duties.’I wasn’t expecting too much at the start of the summer but it has all happened very quickly and it has turned into a bit of a dream,” Agar said. ”Michael Beer was bowling really well but he got injured. That gave me an opportunity to play for Western Australia, now to tour India for a week. It has been great.”

That an England v Australia series could at times feel so mundane must have been quite a shock to the administrators who foisted it upon us

The Preview by David Hopps09-Jul-2012Match factsTuesday, July 10
Start time 1400 (1300 GMT)
The final one-day international will take place against the backdrop of Old Trafford’s redevelopment•Getty ImagesBig PictureTo be as driven to succeed as this England side are under the stewardship of Andy Flower is quite an advantage in a NatWest Series which essentially means very little and where desire has to come from within. That is enough for England to start as strong favourites in the final match against Australia at Old Trafford to achieve their tenth ODI win on the trot. Whether their improvement translates into a powerful challenge in the Champions Trophy next summer or the next World Cup in Australia and New Zealand remains to be seen.That an England v Australia series could at times feel so mundane must have been quite a shock to the administrators who foisted it upon us. It has been a series without a proper narrative, an add-on before the real business of the Ashes next summer. There has been an underlying feeling that something is not quite right.Rarely can an England one-day victory against Australia have felt as routine as their eight-wicket victory in Chester-le-Street on Saturday, a result that put them 3-0 with only Tuesday’s dead rubber at Old Trafford remaining, an Old Trafford that is in the throes of rebuilding work. Only the façade of the old pavilion remains and two new two-tier stands were still Hard Hat areas as the weather again forced both sides to practice indoors.There was much to admire in England’s Chester-le-Street performance – the destructive fast bowling of Steve Finn and the batting elegance of Ian Bell are two of the highlights that spring to mind – but Australia, in the words of their coach Mickey Arthur, had allowed themselves to be “bullied.” Australia’s 50-over side, he asserted, had “something missing.” Old Trafford is their last chance to find it.Form guide (Complete matches, most recent first)England WWWWW
Australia LLLWLWatch out forChris Woakes was once described by Warwickshire’s director of cricket and England selector, Ashley Giles, as the player he would most like to clone. The original uncloned version is still awaiting a chance in the series. He has the ability to balance up the side at No. 8 and deserves a home debut.Coaches might value the reliability of players who allow them to sleep at night, but Mitchell Johnson might provide some welcome unpredictability for the spectators. Johnson has been told by Arthur to increase Australia’s aggression, but he only has one game to do it and admitted he has no idea whether he can flick the switch.Team newsDo not be surprised to see England rest one, or even two, frontline players for this final match ahead of the South Africa Test series.England (possible) 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Ian Bell, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Ravi Bopara, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Craig Kieswetter (wk), 7 Tim Bresnan, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 James Tredwell, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steven FinnMatthew Wade will fill the vacancy created by Shane Watson’s injury while Mitchell Starc could get a chance to bring his good form for Yorkshire onto the international stage.Australia (possible) 1 Matthew Wade (wk), 2 Dave Warner, 3 Peter Forrest, 4 Michael Clarke (capt), 5 George Bailey, 6 David Hussey, 7 Steve Smith, 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Clint McKay, 10 James Pattinson, 11 Mitchell StarcStats and triviaEngland are looking for their 10th successive ODI win, but Graham Gooch, now England’s batting coach, was captain when they won 11 in a row, a run which ended with defeat in the 1992 World Cup final although that included a no-result against Pakistan in the group stage. Stuart Broad needs two wickets to reach 150 in ODIs while Alastair Cook needs 20 runs to reach 2000.
Australia have never lost four matches in a one-day series against England
Quotes”Everything for me is focused towards playing Test match cricket. But at the moment it is about taking the responsibility of opening the bowling for the one-day team and trying to thrive on it.”
“There’s maybe a bit of fire missing in our one-day side. My role in the team is I want to have that fire in the belly, get really aggressive, show them that we’re serious and get on top of them. It could take a few games, it might be the next game where it all switches back on for me.”

Gareth Batty effectively admitted that he made a mistake “in the heat of battle” in not withdrawing appeal after Murali Kartik after he had run out a Somerset batsman while backing up

David Lloyd at Taunton30-Aug-2012A contrite Gareth Batty effectively admitted that he made a mistake “in the heat of battle” in not withdrawing the appeal that resulted in Somerset’s Alex Barrow being run out for backing-up too far – a practice known outside England at least as ‘Mankading.’The Surrey captain accepted full responsibility for the decision and said: “The last thing I wanted was to bring the spirit of cricket into disrepute.”Although it has always been strictly acceptable within the laws, ‘Mankading’ is regarded by many within the English game as being a breach of etiquette and is an unpalatable act for many players, as well as fans.County cricket has remained wedded to such mores since the late nineteeth century but attitudes are now blurred, especially outside England, to the point where for the tradition to survive it might ultimately have to be written into England’s domestic playing regulations.Law 42.15, as adapted by ECB playing regulations for championship cricket, simply states: “The bowler is permitted, before releasing the ball and provided he has not completed his usual delivery swing, to attempt to run out the non-striker”Somerset and their supporters were incensed when Murali Kartik, their former spinner, removed a bail and appealed for a run out after non-striker Barrow had wandered out of his crease.The young batsman had already been warned by Kartik, earlier in the over, for leaving his ground too soon – a caution the bowler did not need to deliver under the laws, but one which if delivered traditionally protects the bowler from allegations of sharp practice.*As captain, Batty was asked by umpire Peter Hartley whether he wanted the appeal to stand. “In the heat of the battle I made the decision that, according to the letter of the law, it was the correct decision for him to be out,” said the former England spinner.Batty said that “hindsight was a wonderful thing” and suggested that if – like India during last summer’s Test at Trent Bridge when Ian Bell was reinstated following a controversial run-out incident – he had enjoyed the luxury of a 20-minute tea interval to reconsider events, a different outcome would probably have resulted.”People obviously think the spirit of the game has been brought into disrepute – that was not my intention and I thoroughly apologise for that,” Batty said.He added that he would be speaking to Marcus Trescothick, Somerset’s captain. “I want to make sure it is right with Marcus and his team,” he said.Trescothick is not the sort of person to hold a grudge but he was clearly cross with what he had witnessed. “It’s not what you come to expect in county cricket – I’ve never seen it before,” the former England opener said. “That was quite astonishing and disappointing. The game doesn’t need to come to that. It’s not the game we like to play. It annoys the players and upsets the players. But we’ll move on, come back tomorrow and carry on playing the game.”Chris Adams, Surrey’s team director, was also in placatory mood. “I think in terms of upholding the laws of cricket it was the right decision but I think the situation certainly challenges the spirit of cricket,” said Adams. “That is regrettable.”I will support the captain in this because I have been out there in many, many situations where it is very intense. These are very intense days for a lot of teams, but especially us. It has been a very, very difficult summer [Surrey’s young player Tom Maynard died in an accident on London underground in mid-summer] and we find ourselves in a position where every point, every wicket and every run appears to be of the highest premium.”Adams also recalled the dismissal of Bell against India last year, run out after he thought tea had been called. “In that incidence they India had 20 minutes of a tea-break to reflect, discuss and consider and whether it was right to change that decision,” he said.”I think we all breathed a sigh of relief when that decision was overturned. I would like to think that had we been afforded the same 20 minutes that perhaps we would have come to the same outcome. Perhaps we wouldn’t.”I would suggest maybe in the goodness of time we could all say that the one thing that hasn’t been totally upheld is the spirit of cricket, and that is regrettable.”The issue has come to the fore because of a recent change in the ICC playing regulations – adopted by the ECB for domestic cricket – which now allow the bowler to run a batsman out until the point where he has completed his delivery stride – not entered his delivery stride as stated in the MCC laws. That has made the practice easier for the bowler and confused players and spectators alike.As for Kartik, he apparently could not understand what all the fuss was about, tweeting: “Everyone get a life please… if a batsman is out on a stroll, in spite of being warned, does that count as being in the spirit of the game?”*2:50 GMT August 31: The report had erroneously stated that the law relating to Mankading was rewritten last year.

AB de Villiers said, after Royal Challengers won with seven balls to spare, he had read the situation to “perfection”

ESPNcricinfo staff07-May-2012Royal Challengers Bangalore needed 39 to win off 18 balls against Deccan Chargers, as AB de Villiers prepared to face Dale Steyn, who had two overs remaining. The first delivery of the 18th over disappeared for a flat six over midwicket, the beginning of 23 game-changing runs in Steyn’s over. De Villiers said, after Royal Challengers won with seven balls to spare, he had read the situation to “perfection”.”I guess we know each other pretty well,” de Villiers said of his battle against Steyn. “I can’t take anything away from Dale, he could have knocked me over with any of those balls, unfortunately for him I read it well, it was just my night.”I thought I saw him whispering to Sanga [Kumar Sangakkara]. I think they took the fine leg back. I was quite lucky, I saw them communicating about where to bowl and I saw Sanga saying short of a length and I was expecting the short delivery upfront. From there on I knew he was going to go full. I just nominated that over well, on another day he might knock me over.”De Villiers began his innings when Royal Challengers needed 76 off 37 balls, and he finished unbeaten on 47 off 17 deliveries. His awareness of the situation was so complete that, after taking 22 off the first five balls of that Steyn over, de Villiers intentionally steered the final delivery to third man to keep strike for the penultimate over. He then hit the first three balls of the 19th over from Anand Rajan to the boundary as well.”I enjoyed the situation tonight, I came in [with] 80 [to get] off 40-odd balls. I knew what was required and played to that kind of game plan and, like I said before, my game plan paid off tonight. On another night it might not, so I took full advantage tonight.”I won’t say I’m a finisher of the game. I’d like to think of myself as a guy who can play anywhere, that’s something I’ve worked on in my whole career. I’d like to be a guy that can adjust to certain situations and that’s something I strive for. I can even get better hopefully as there’s lots of room for improvement.”While de Villiers provided the finish, Royal Challengers had significant contributions from other batsmen as well. Tillakaratne Dilshan scored 71 off 54 balls, while Chris Gayle adapted to playing second fiddle during a 91-run opening stand. “I thought Dilshan played an amazing knock, and even Chris, it was a much-needed foundation we needed,” de Villiers said. “We’ve collapsed a few times in the IPL before, so we needed that foundation to finish it off well at the end, and luckily for me I was in that kind of situation to do so.”And before de Villiers launched his attack on Steyn, Mayank Agarwal had given Royal Challengers valuable propulsion by hitting 18 off the six balls he faced. It was overshadowed by the extraordinary flurry of boundaries that followed, but de Villiers acknowledged the importance of Agarwal’s contribution.”Some of the guys around me played amazing knocks. Mayank Agarwal took a lot of pressure off me with those boundaries he hit,” de Villiers said. “It was either him or me who had to take a lot of risks, and he did it before I did. So he played a very important hand tonight and set it up well for me. I could just go and play the situation at the end.”The win helped Royal Challengers move to fifth spot in the league, overtaking Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab.