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HBL complete big win over Punjab

April 5, 2007

Riding on a first-innings total of 531, Habib Bank Limited (HBL) dismissed Punjab for 259 and 215 to complete a rousing innings and 57-run victory at the National Stadium.

Having reduced Punjab to 185 for 6 at stumps on day two, HBL bowled them out for 259 and gladly enforced the follow-on. Irfan Fazil, the right-arm fast medium with two international appearances, picked up 3 for 50, Danish Kaneria 3 for 90, and captain Shahid Afridi backed his 54-ball 86 with 2 for 35.

In their second innings, Punjab fared worse. Only Mohammad Hafeez (40) and Kamran Akmal (37) managed decent scores out of a total of 215, as Pakistan hopeful Abdur Rehman, the left-arm spinner, finished with 5 for 72. Afridi was again in form, with figures of 2 for 32 from ten overs.

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Having taken a first-innings lead of 131 on day two, Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) extended it to 300 with a total of 521 for 7 on day three against the combined b>North West Frontier Province (NWFP)-Balochistan at the United Bank Limited (UBL) Sports Complex. Saeed Bin Nasir extended his overnight 101 to 142 and captain and former international Mohammad Wasim made an unbeaten 108. Before stumps, KRL had nipped out three wickets to leave NWFP on 133 for 3, still 167 runs adrift.

Bin Nasir and Wasim added 121 for the sixth wicket to extend their side's lead. The duo had been in form last week, with half-centuries in a hard-fought draw against Habib Bank Limited. Jannisar Khan, the fight-arm medium-pacer, had the best figures of 2 for 56 from 16 overs.

Yasir Arafat, the Pakistan allrounder, dismissed NWFP opener Shoaib Khan jnr for 0, but Yasir Hameed (65) and Umar Javed (38*) added 85 for the second wicket. Hameed was dismissed by Saeed Ajmal's right-arm offspin, before Ajmal picked up Shoaib Khan snr for 15. NWFP have plenty to do to save this match.

Bangalore and Chennai to host Afro-Asian Cup

Cricinfo staff

April 5, 2007

The dates for the second Afro-Asian Cup one-day series, which is being staged in India, have been announced.

The three matches, which the ICC have granted full ODI status, will be played in Chennai (June 6) and Bangalore (June 9 and 10). All games will start at 2.30pm and will be day-night matches. The organisers have said that the two sides will be known as the Asian Tigers and the African Lions.

The timing is slightly surprising given that it is in the monsoon season, but such are the demands on the teams that it was one of the few free periods in the calendar. India will have just finished their series against Bangladesh, and none of the other countries who will supply players are in action.

The first staging of the tournament, which is a fund-raiser for the African Cricket Association and the Asian Cricket Council, was in South Africa in August 2005. On that occasion the outfields had to be painted green for television audiences, so far out of the normal season were the games played.

Moody delays decision on next move

Cricinfo staff

April 5, 2007



Tom Moody is in demand as a coach AFP



Tom Moody's family will influence whether he stays with Sri Lanka, heads home to Australia or returns to England to work after the World Cup. Moody has a list of potential positions to consider at the end of the tournament, including continuing his role with Mahela Jayawardene's team or coaching his former state Western Australia.

He has also been linked with the England job but that appointment depends on whether Duncan Fletcher remains in the post. "There has been speculation about this, that and the other, but at the end of the day, I haven't looked at anything," he said in the Sydney Morning Herald. "Yes, WA has contacted me and asked of my interest. I said to them that at the end of the World Cup, I will sit down with Sri Lanka and see what the future holds there, like I will with whatever opportunities may be there."

An ECB spokesman told The Australian Moody had not been approached to replace Fletcher, who has the job for "as long as he wishes". However, Fletcher's position has come under increasing pressure since England lost the Ashes and his role is expected to be reviewed once the World Cup ends.

Before the tournament Moody withdrew from the field to replace Australia's John Buchanan, a position taken by Tim Nielsen, because the timing was not right. "It was a huge privilege to be seen as a potential applicant, but I made the decision for my own personal reasons and that hasn't changed," he said. "In five years' time, or ten years' time, it may be completely different.

"I may look at it and think: 'This is the time now.' If the demand is there and the opportunity is there, it might be perfect for me, but at the moment, that job, as attractive as it is, wasn't quite right for where I am."

Moody, who played eight Tests for Australia and won two World Cups, has two young children and his wife Helen lives in England. "Location is not a huge issue but [family] will be the No. 1 priority in the decision, and where I want to be in the next three to four years," he said. "Not from the point of view of geographically, but where I want to be with regards to the family and the time I want to spend with them." A position with a state, county or Australia's Centre of Excellence would offer him more stability than a globe-trotting role with an international team.

Former Sri Lanka Cricket chairman found guilty of breaking immigration laws

Thilanga Sumathipala handed jail sentence

April 4, 2007

Thilanga Sumathipala, the former chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket, has been sentenced to two years imprisonment for breaking Sri Lanka's immigration laws. He was granted bail on a cash bond of 10,000 rupees (100 US$).

Sumathipala was charged with taking Dhammika Amarasinghe, a Sri Lankan national, to England on forged travel documents to watch the 1999 World Cup, when Sumathipala was heading Sri Lanka Cricket. Amarasinghe was shot dead in a Colombo courtroom, where he was being prosecuted for a series of contract killings and attempted assassinations, in January 2004.

He was also fined 50,000 rupees (450 US$) by Colombo additional magistrate Ajith Anavaratne who read out the sentence for the case, which began in 2003. Sumathipala's lawyers said he would appeal the sentence.

Bradshaw believes West Indies can lift trophy

Cricinfo staff

April 7, 2007



All rise: Ian Bradshaw believes West Indies can lift their game and win the World Cup AFP



Ian Bradshaw hasn't ruled out a West Indian World Cup victory, despite a run of three Super Eights defeats on the trot for the hosts. The West Indies need to beat South Africa on April 10 to stay in the tournament and, as Bradshaw put it, would need to be "near perfect" to become the first host nation to lift the trophy.

"It is pretty straightforward for us from here on in - we have to try and win each game and win as convincingly as possible," Bradshaw, 32, told Reuters. "Now we must improve each and every aspect of our game and leave nothing to chance. We have to play near perfect games from here on in.

"If we work hard we can get out from the Super Eights then we are confident that we can play two good games, in the semi-final and the final, to win the Cup. We still have dreams of lifting the cup on the 28th, it is not beyond us but first and foremost we have to take care of these three games."

The West Indies have been criticised by many quarters, not least former players and the local media, and Bradshaw said it had not gone unseen by the team. "You are conscious of it. Family, friends and the fans are disappointed because they are looking for more from the team and we ourselves are really disappointed because we started well and just fell off in the last three games, which were unfortunately critical games for us.

"That has put us in the situation where we have to win the last three games and have other results turn our way. It means getting the runs on the board, bowling tight and taking wickets and having the energy in the field."

Bradshaw has played just two of West Indies' six games so far, but said he looked at the game against South Africa as if he were a certainty.

Fast bowling legend tells current lot not to get too ambitious

'Just keep it simple' - Ambrose

AFP

April 6, 2007



Curtly Ambrose's advice to the current West Indian fast bowlers: go easy Getty Images



Curtly Ambrose, the former West Indian fast bowler, has told the current lot of bowlers to avoid trying to be too ambitious on the Caribbean's unhelpful pitches. He said the players needed to understand that conditions were different to when he was playing.

"Just keep it simple," Ambrose said. "The pitches nowadays aren't really conducive to fast bowling and it can be a big turnoff. I would say to the guys, just try and forget about the pitch and go out there and do the best you can."

The West Indies have lost all three of their World Cup Super Eights matches so far and must win their next three, as well as rely on other teams' results, if they are to have any hope of making the semi-finals. The hosts have just two points in the standings, courtesy their win over fellow qualifiers Ireland in the group stage.

Their bowlers conceded 322 in their first Super Eights match against Australia, which they lost by 103 runs, a match where Ambrose felt the bowlers got carried away. "Bowl a proper line and length consistently, you will get wickets and will be successful," he said. "They tried too many things against Australia."

Surprisingly, the hosts dropped Jerome Taylor in their second match against New Zealand to accommodate an extra batsman, Lendl Simmons, but still lost by seven wickets. Ambrose said omitting a bowler was a blunder.

"I have always been of the opinion that you should never weaken your bowling to strengthen the batting, I figure if the batsmen you have selected can't do the job, then you replace them," he said. "I really don't comment on selection but I am going to say 'support the guys' whichever team is playing out there."

The West Indies also lost to Sri Lanka by 113 runs, a defeat which further hit their chances of reaching the last four. Ambrose, who took 405 Test and 225 one-day wickets during his illustrious career, said like all other West Indian fans he too was upset with events at the World Cup. "I can't say that I am a happy man at the moment because we are not doing too well and as a West Indian and a patriot I can't stand losing," he said.

The defeats have left millions of Caribbean fans disappointed, former players looking for scapegoats and organisers fearing for the financial implications of seeing even emptier stadiums for the remaining matches. West Indies take on South Africa in Grenada on Tuesday where a defeat will confirm their elimination from the tournament

WIPA scores contract victory

Another blow for West Indies board

Cricinfo staff

April 6, 2007

The latest round in the seemingly endless battle between the West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has resulted in another defeat for the board.

The WICB had claimed that it had the right to enforce the terms and conditions of contracts awarded to the players for the World Cup. The board wanted to remove clauses relating to payments to the Provident Fund - a welfare system set up to assist former players - as well as insist that all players, regardless of seniority, were paid the same.

WIPA countered, claiming that payments should be within the existing agreement relating to players, which would mean that senior players earned more than novices, on a sliding scale. It also argued that the Provident Fund could not be brushed aside.

A three-man panel, headed by Sir David Simmons, Barbados's chief justice, ruled in favour of WIPA in both instances.

Rich rewards for woeful Windies

Tony Cozier

April 1, 2007



Some redress, finally: Upset by delayed contracts there were reports of a threat to strike prior to the start of the World Cup AFP



More than half-way through the tournament and with their chances of advancing to the semi-finals diminishing after three heavy defeats in the Super Eights round, the West Indies players finally got clearance yesterday to sign their contracts for the World Cup 2007.

It followed the second ruling by an independent arbitration committee that first met on February 11 to settle a disagreement between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) over certain terms and conditions.

Details were revealed on Tuesday night in a statement signed by arbitrators, Chief Justice of Barbados, Sir David Simmons, former Attorney General of Barbados and Bermuda Elliott Mottley and management consultant Dr Aubrey Armstrong. Under the arrangement, players are expected to earn between US$110,000 and US$180,000 for the tournament, depending on experience.

Although the rulings on February 11 were accepted as binding, the panel noted that "it was deemed expedient" to seek further arbitration on "new issues" that had arisen between the two parties in the interim. Some of those issues caused such disquiet within the team that there were reports of a threat to strike prior to the start of the tournament in Jamaica. As a result of the second arbitration, the 15 players in the World Cup squad would split their 22% share of the US$ 11.5 million the WICB is receiving from the International Cricket Council (ICC) "in accordance with a tiered, hierarchic formula as recommended by WIPA and accepted by WICB", the arbitrators stated.

They also determined that contributions to the players' Provident Fund be made in accordance with the standard WICB Match/Tour Contract, as was argued by the WIPA. The division of the ICC money is known to have been a sensitive matter among the senior players since fees are normally paid according to experience based on their number of Tests and ODIs.

The WICB had initially offered the players a 13% share of the US$ 11.5 million expected from the ICC but the arbitrators decided on 22% along with "an appropriate sum representing three per cent" to go to "a fund for the development of other regional cricketers". The remaining 75% would be retained by the WICB.

The panel also ruled that, in addition to its 25% management fee for certain sponsorship revenue, the WICB should deduct a further 40% of the sponsorship income "for its own purposes" and pay the remaining 60% to the WIPA.

The WICB have contracted Slazenger, the bat manufacturer, and Mittal, the steel company, as two new joint sponsors for the World Cup.

Digicel, the Irish-based mobile telephone operation that took over from rivals, Cable and Wireless, as team sponsors for home and away international series in 2004 is ineligible for the World Cup since Cable and Wireless is one of the official sponsors.

Barbados determined to restore local flavour

Cricinfo staff

April 5, 2007



Organisers in Barbados are keen to restore fun to World Cup matches Getty Images


Stung by criticism that the World Cup has been robbed of most of its Caribbean flavour by strict regulations, the local organising committee (LOC) in Barbados have hit back by announcing that restrictions would be eased at the Kensington Oval.


Stephen Alleyne, the CEO of the LOC told reporters that matches in Barbados would be closer to tradional "calypso cricket" than has been the case so far. He said that measures were being put in place so that music and food could flow more freely. For example, he said people bringing musical instruments would get clearance at the gate on the day of the game, rather than having to get permission beforehand.


In a break with the official line, which has continued to insist the tournament is running smoothly, Alleyne admitted that things had not gone so well at other venues. He also said that some matches at the Oval were not sold out, mainly because sponsors had not taken up their allocations, and that spare tickets would be made available free of charge to local children. Furthermore, he hinted that ticket prices might be reduced "to encourage more folk in" although that would need to be cleared with the ICC.


"We need to ensure that the environment is such that everybody in there, whether Barbadian, West Indian or from further afield, can get the chance to experience what it is like to be at a Caribbean Test match, or in this case at a Kensington Test match, and we are working with CWC and the ICC as we speak to get that balance right," he explained. "One of the things we are going to work to achieve is the bringing of musical instruments in - we're going to simplify that process. We're looking at how you can bring things like foodstuff and so on into the Oval [while] making sure there's clarity around those things."

Former player disappointed with West Indies' performance

Richards unhappy with World Cup organisation

Cricinfo staff

April 6, 2007



The restrictions imposed on spectators during this World Cup, Viv Richards says, has been like 'someone has held us by the throat and said 'we don't want you to shout anymore'.' Cricinfo Ltd



Viv Richards, the West Indies batting legend, has joined the growing number of detractors unhappy with the organisation of the World Cup.

The reason for low turnout in the matches, Richards believed, was because there were too many restrictions placed on the people of the Caribbean. "We are different in terms of our way of life," Richards told AFP. "I just believe it's as if someone has held us by the throat and said 'we don't want you to shout anymore'.

"Those of us who have played here know exactly what we are about, the excitement factor. We are a vibrant people."

Richards said that though the new stadium at Antigua - named after him as the Sir Viv Richards Stadium - was a much larger venue than the old Antigua Recreation Ground, it wasn't as intimate. "Something is seriously missing", he said. "It's a particular problem. We are a rather unique people. We live differently to the way you do in Europe or South Africa."

The West Indies team's poor performance in the Super Eights also disappointed Richards. West Indies lost all three of their matches by large margins and are unlikely to qualify for the semi-finals. Richards said that his sentiments matched those of many other Caribbean people. "At this particular stage we are a little bit dumbfounded by the fact we have a team who haven't shown much interest in terms of the event," he said. West Indies lost of Australia by 103 runs, to New Zealand by seven wickets and to Sri Lanka by 113 runs.

But Richards insisted that he hadn't written off the team yet. I'm just hoping we can find a miracle." West Indies must win their remaining three games of the Super Eights to stay alive in the competition.