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The ICC have extended the deadlines for naming World Twenty20 squads, although the chances of Kevin Pietersen being included for England remain very slim

Andrew McGlashan16-Aug-2012The ICC has extended the deadline for naming the World Twenty20 squads, although the chances of Kevin Pietersen being included for England remain very slim.The original deadline was Saturday but boards have now been given until August 24 to submit their 15-man lists for the tournament which begins on September 18, after the ICC received requests “from several of its members”.It is understood that the ECB was one of the boards who asked about the possibility of an extension with the ICC but that was to avoid a clash with the final Test against South Africa which starts on Thursday. The ECB was also believed to be happy to abide by the Saturday deadline if required.Sri Lanka, who are currently in the midst of the SLPL, are another country who requested an extension as their domestic Twenty20 tournament will help determine selection for the World Twenty20.It is now expected that England will name their squad on Tuesday, following the conclusion of the Test series, although the party, it is believed, was decided during a selection meeting at Edgbaston last week.Although Pietersen offered an apology to the ECB on Tuesday night for what he termed ‘provocative’ text messages to South African players it was met by a cool response from the management and Andrew Strauss. His apology followed the YouTube video on Saturday night when he made himself available for all international cricket having previously retired from limited-overs cricket which led to him being unavailable for Twenty20.”The truth is a lot has happened over the last seven days,” Strauss said. “The England team has been in the news for the wrong reasons. We all want to move forward but there are some underlying issues on trust and respect that don’t get dealt with over night and it’s going to take quite a long time to overcome those.”Hugh Morris, the managing director of England cricket, said lots of negotiations remained. “We are in receipt of Kevin’s apology, but further discussions need to take place to establish whether it is possible to regain the trust and mutual respect required to ensure all parties are able to focus on playing cricket and to maintain the unity of purpose that has served us so well in recent years.”Five countries – Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Bangladesh – have already named their squads for the World Twenty20.

Bangladesh’s bowlers led them to an easy six-wicket win over Bangladesh Cricket Board Academy in the first game of the Bangladesh Cricket Board Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Sep-2011
ScorecardBangladesh romped to a six-wicket victory over an overmatched Bangladesh Cricket Board Academy (BCBA) at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. Having put BCBA into bat, opening bowlers Rubel Hossein and Shafiul Islam struck early and often to reduce their opponents to 30 for 4 in just the seventh over. Left-arm spinner Suhrawadi Shuvo then got into the act, taking three wickets in four balls as the lower order offered no resistance whatsoever. Rubel then returned to claim the last two wickets to finish with figures of 4 for 22 while Shuvo ended up with figures of 3 for 10. The last four batsmen all made ducks. In total, there were eight scores of four or less, with five zeros. Tanveer Haider topscored for Academy with an unbeaten 24.Tamim Iqbal wasted no time chasing down the meagre target of 76, smashing five fours and a six in a quickfire 36 from 37 balls. There was a bit of a hiccup as Bangladesh lost three wickets with the score on 54. Tamim was bowled by Alauddin Babu before Shahriar Nafees was bowled by Sohag Gazi and Shuvagato Hom was runout for a duck, but Alok Kapali calmed any nerves with a run-a-ball 22 as Bangladesh wrapped up the game with 31 overs to spare.

Madhya Pradesh have handed over the initiative to Karnataka with generosity that is in keeping with the spirit of the holiday season

Nitin Sundar25-Dec-2010Karnataka hold the aces in their quarter-final clash against Madhya Pradesh. It would, however, be more appropriate to say that the hosts have handed over the initiative with generosity that is in keeping with the spirit of the holiday season. Despite MP’s well-documented resurgence, this fixture was always expected to be a mismatch. Ironically for MP, it has so far proved to be a complete reversal from their Plate League days when a weak bowling attack often left their batsmen with too much to do. In Indore, it was the batsmen who let the team down on the first day; the bowlers put in a big effort on the second, but fielding lapses allowed Karnataka to move ahead, despite being well short of their best.Sanath Kumar, the Karnataka coach, minced no words when asked to describe his side’s effort on the second day, when five batsmen perished for scores between 29 and 49. “Absolutely bad batting,” was his succinct summation. “We could have easily been 320 for 4. Instead we find ourselves at 306 for 8, since our batsmen kept throwing away their starts. The last five overs [when Jalaj Saxena picked up three cheap wickets] were pathetic.”It seemed like a harsh evaluation. After all, his side had pushed the lead to three figures, with two wickets in hand, on a pitch where the bowlers had skittled MP out for 200 on the opening day. “The batsmen were finding it difficult since the ball was not coming on to the bat,” he conceded. “But that can be no excuse.”Of the lot, only Amit Verma managed to push ahead after getting used to the slow conditions. His stroke-filled 85 was the cornerstone of Karnataka’s lead, but it was an innings that underlined the kind of season he has had. He is currently fifth in the run-charts, with six half-centuries – the highest by any batsmen in the tournament – and just one ton. While players like S Badrinath and Wasim Jaffer have ensured their fifties yielded big hundreds, Verma has succumbed to carelessness too often. Sanath was left wondering how much more he could have accomplished with better application.”Amit is not getting the big runs,” Sanath said. “Too many 70s and 80s before throwing the wicket away. I have been speaking to him about it, and gave him a piece of my mind today as well. He should keep improving and not settle for half-centuries.”Sanath reserved his words of praise for the opposition’s bowlers, who showed tremendous heart all day. “To be honest, they bowled really well, and to their fields,” he said. “If they had held on to their catches, we would have been in a much worse situation.”It was a sentiment shared by Sanath’s opposite number, MP coach Mukesh Sahni. “Our bowlers tried very hard, Jalaj Saxena in particular. It has been a bad couple of days for us, and it has nothing to do with the talent in the side. It is just the mental aspect. (Yesterday, the youngsters played too many shots),” he reflected ruefully. “Once the batting fails, it becomes imperative to hold on to the half-chances, but things went wrong right from the first evening [when Mohnish Mishra dropped Robin Uthappa].”It is, however, crucial to remain positive. We hope to have them chasing a tricky target on the final day. The plan is to get the last two wickets early and then bat positively. There is no need to play too many shots – normal, positive batting will do the trick.”Devendra Bundela, the MP captain, was even more bullish about his side’s chances. “The game is 60-40 right now in their favour,” he said. “We have nothing to lose and we will give it our best. We will look to restrict the lead to around 120 and bat positively tomorrow. The opening partnership will be crucial. I hope to set a target of around 220 and go for the outright win.”His parting shot will leave the Karnataka camp a touch concerned. “It is a knockout game. There will be pressure on the fourth day if you are chasing a target, even if it is not very big,” he said. It is a pressure Karnataka know only too well after their heartbreak in last year’s final. It is a situation they won’t want to find themselves in, against this spirited MP unit that is eager to make amends for its lapses.

MS Dhoni, the India captain, has said dew contributed significantly to his team’s defeat against Sri Lanka in Mirpur

Cricinfo staff06-Jan-2010MS Dhoni, the India captain, has said dew contributed significantly to his team’s defeat against Sri Lanka in Mirpur and would prefer if the start times of the games were brought forward for the remainder of the tri-series in Bangladesh.Kumar Sangakkara won the toss for the second time in the tournament and sent India in to bat, preferring to chase in wet evening conditions. India posted 279 for 9, a total which Sri Lanka chased down with five wickets in hand and two overs to spare.”It was always going to be difficult to defend a total like 280-285. Dew became a huge factor. We knew we had to pick early wickets. After the first 10 overs there was nothing for the bowlers,” Dhoni said. “It was difficult for the spinners to grip the ball. The ball kept slipping out. There were no yorkers, no reverse-swing and no spin for my bowlers.””We can make a request for an early start but if you have to play at the same time, you have to come up with something else.”Sri Lanka had the better of the conditions in the series opener as well. Bangladesh scored 260 for 7 after losing the toss, a target which Sri Lanka chased for the loss of only three wickets with 31 balls to spare. Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh captain, had said the dew hade made conditions “almost unplayable and unfit to play” during the second half of the match.

The pitch in Multan is expected to play like it did in the first Test. But can West Indies prepare and execute better this time around?

Danyal Rasool24-Jan-2025

Big Picture

It is not difficult to know what’s coming this Test match. It is an easy one to analyse, a straightforward one to predict. West Indies will have prepared studiously for the challenge Pakistan will pose, and Pakistan, themselves, have made no secret they will double down on the nature of the surfaces they prepare. The wicket might begin to break up when the two captains head out for the toss. Whoever wins will bat first, and spin bowling will feature right from the outset.But forewarned is not necessarily forearmed. The challenge Pakistan pose with these surfaces that crackle in the winter heat is much easier to understand than to do anything about. The outcome of the game hinges on West Indies’ execution; any mistakes they made in terms of understanding what kind of pitch this was will have been ironed out.Kraigg Brathwaite threw the gauntlet down to his team at the end of the first Test, while encouraging them with the reminder they were ahead in the game at a few key stages, and there was significant room for improvement to offer them belief.Related

• Aaqib Javed says Pakistan's spinning pitches are here to stay

West Indies’ own spinners showed they could go toe to toe with Pakistan’s, and Jomel Warrican registered better figures than any of his Pakistani counterparts. In Kemar Roach, they possess the best fast bowler on either side, on the few occasions that one will be required. They even worked out how to make the sweep and reverse-sweep productive, if not necessarily risk-free. And they found runs with the lower order, an inveterate Achilles’ heel of Pakistan’s bowling, no matter the conditions.Aaqib Javed made an impassioned defence of the pitches Pakistan have begun preparing at home, but he knows he has not won everyone over yet. Concerns about what it means for the country’s Test batting and fast bowling linger, and the only thing – the main thing, in his view – his style has got going for it is simple; it wins Pakistan Test matches. Pakistan are aware they must continue getting these wins, because the moment results turn, that spring-loaded criticism is waiting to be unleashed.

Form guide

Pakistan: WLLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)West Indies: LLWLD

In the spotlight – Shan Masood and Alick Athanaze

Pakistan cricket brings with it short attention spans, and Shan Masood knows he will not have much of it for the next nine months. He has now been now been captain for just under the full WTC cycle, and this is Pakistan’s last Test in a disappointing year and a half of Test cricket. Reports about his position as Test captain being vulnerable have surfaced more than once, and with a new cycle beginning at the end of the year, Pakistan will likely reevaluate at some point. However, this game represents a chance to finish off strongly, and continue making his case. With the bat, there are possible signs of a patch of form with a hundred and a fifty in his last three innings, and while he has not been viewed as the reason for an upturn in Test results, victory here will mean he finishes the cycle off with four wins in his last six TestsAlick Athanaze compiled a fine fourth-innings half-century on a tough Multan surface•AFP/Getty Images

Alick Athanaze came into this series with runs against Bangladesh, and appears to have enjoyed batting in Pakistan more than most of his team-mates He scored 99 and 58* in the three-day game before the series in Islamabad, and was responsible for nearly half of his side’s runs in the fourth innings in Multan, becoming the only visiting batter to score a half-century. Praise for the Dominican’s technique has come from exalted quarters, with Brian Lara and Ian Bishop among his admirers, and if the visitors top six are to rise to the challenge their captain laid out for them, Athanaze is expected to have a significant role.

Team news

Pakistan have not yet named an XI, with Aqib Javed saying they would take a final look at the surface.Pakistan (likely XI): 1 Shan Masood (capt) 2 Muhammad Hurraira 3 Babar Azam 4 Kamran Ghulam 5 Saud Shakeel 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk) 7 Salman Agha 8 Noman Ali 9 Sajid Khan 10 Abrar Ahmed 11 Khurram ShahzadWest Indies, too, have yet to name a starting line-up. Jayden Seales misses out with a slightly niggle in his leg. Kemar Roach is available again alongside Amir Jangoo.West Indies: 1 Kraigg Brathwaite (capt) 2 Mikyle Louis 3 Keacy Carty 4 Alick Athanaze 5 Kavem Hodge 6 Justin Greaves 7 Tevin Imlach/Amir Jangoo (wk) 8 Gudakesh Motie 9 Kevin Sinclair 10 Jomel Warrican 11 Kemar Roach

Pitch and conditions

The pitch has been prepared in the same way as the one for the first Test was. Weather conditions have not changed in the week since, and it remains cold and dry. Any deviation from what happened in the first Test would be a surprise.

Stats and trivia

• None of the last 62 wickets Pakistan have taken in home Tests have come from a fast bowler
• Pakistan have not won back-to-back Test series since February 2021

Quotes“Of course we were right to prepare a spin pitch against West Indies. Their batters are not as proficient against spin when compared to fast bowling.”
“I’ve played on surfaces that spun from day one, but this was the first time I’ve seen such cracks on a pitch on day one.”

“It will be a challenging series but we have the extra confidence from the Pakistan series”

Mohammad Isam15-Sep-2024Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto says his side is confident going into the first Test against India in Chennai, after their 2-0 win against Pakistan earlier this month. The two-match Test series against India starts on Thursday, followed by three T20Is.”It will be a challenging series but we have the extra confidence from the Pakistan series,” Shanto said in the pre-departure press conference in Dhaka. “I guess the whole country has that confidence now. Every series is an opportunity. We want to win both Tests, but we have to stick to our process. If we do our job, we can get a good result.”They are well ahead of us in the rankings. But we did play well recently. We want to play well for five days, that’s our goal. We want to get the result in the last session of the Test match. At that time, the match can go in any direction. It is an opportunity [to get our first win in India]. We will play with a win in mind. But we don’t want to think too far ahead. We want to do well for five days, and play to our strength. That’s most important.”Related

• Hathurusinghe: This is the most well-rounded Bangladesh team in my time

• India's stars descend upon Chennai to prepare for bumper Test season

• How Bangladesh pulled off their greatest feat

• Uncapped Jaker Ali replaces injured Shoriful Islam for India Test series

Bangladesh played an inspired brand of cricket in Pakistan where their batters and bowlers combined to beat the home side by ten wickets in the first Test and by six wickets in the second. Much of the focus was on their fast bowlers who combined to take all ten wickets in the Pakistan second innings in the second Test, a first for the country.Shanto knows Bangladesh’s pace attack is not as experienced as India’s, but the recent success will keep them in a positive frame of mind. At the same time, he feels Bangladesh’s spinners – Shakib Al Hasan, Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz – are much closer to India’s.”We are in a good place with our bowling attack, both spin and pace,” he said. “Perhaps our pacers are behind them in terms of experience but our spin attack is close to theirs. They can bowl in any conditions. All I can say is that our pacers, spinners and batters will give 100%.”I think we can make a difference only if we play as a team. It is not just the spinners but the pacers and the batters also. The whole team has to play together.”Shakib Al Hasan, here with Alec Stewart, picked up nine wickets in the match for Surrey•Getty Images

Bangladesh’s batters also made an overall recovery of their form. They had an ordinary time in the last 12 months, particularly against Sri Lanka earlier this year when the team crossed 300 only once during the home series. But they batted splendidly in the first Test in Rawalpindi, with Mushfiqur Rahim getting 191 and three other batters crossing fifties. In the second Test, too, they fought hard despite a top-order collapse. Litton Das struck his fourth Test century, and Mehidy his second fifty in the series.Shanto and Shakib, though, could not get a half-century in Pakistan. Shanto hasn’t emulated his 2023 form when he scored 1650 runs across formats, with five centuries. He has scored only one century so far this year. Shakib has scored just one half-century in 16 innings. But he has continued his strong bowling form, and took nine wickets for Surrey against Somerset recently. He will join the team in India directly from London.”My personal goal would be for the team to win,” Shanto said. “I want to contribute as a batter, for which I have prepared to the best of my ability. I am hopeful [Shakib] will do well. The expectations are always the same with him. He is in good form with the ball. He didn’t get runs [for Surrey], but he had a good outing with the ball.”Before the Pakistan series, the new BCB president, Faruque Ahmed, had said that he did not want Chandika Hathurusinghe to continue as head coach, but he has reportedly toned down that rhetoric. On Sunday, he also said that the team would donate a portion of their bonus for winning the Pakistan series.”The captain [Shanto] has said that they will contribute a portion of their bonus to the flood-affected people and those who were affected in the student-led people’s movement,” Ahmed said. “The amount is BDT 3.2 crore [approx. US$270,000] for winning two Tests and the series. Some different bonuses have added up also. A portion of the amount will go to the chief advisor’s relief fund for the flood-affected people.”

Both hit half-centuries as Birmingham recover from 7 for 3 to secure fourth successive win

ECB Reporters Network21-Jun-2024Sam Hain and Jacob Bethell powered Birmingham Bears to the top of the Northern Group in the Vitality Blast as they defeated local rivals Worcestershire Rapids by five wickets at ‘Visit Worcestershire New Road.’Haine and Bethell joined forces with the Bears floundering at 7 for 3 in reply to Worcestershire’s 155 for 7. They both hit half-centuries and featured in a century partnership to guide Birmingham to a fourth successive win.Hain was dismissed with one run needed for 76 to end a stand of 148 – a record fourth-wicket partnership against Worcestershire in the competition, beating the 113 in 2014 by Durham’s Calum McLeod and Paul Collingwood at Chester-le-Street. But Bethell remained undefeated on 71 to see the Bears home with 2.1 overs to spare.The duo batted with great assurance and calm as Birmingham moved two points clear of previous leaders Lancashire with a sixth triumph of the summer.For Worcestershire it was their fifth successive setback of the campaign and their hopes of emulating last summer’s quarter-final spot have all but evaporated with six games remaining.Worcestershire produced another disjointed display with the bat and too many of their players contributed to their own downfall when appearing set.The Bears spinners, Danny Briggs, Jake Lintott and Dan Mousley, kept a tight grip on proceedings and had combined figures of 4 for 79 from their 12 overs.Adam Hose led the Rapids against his former club with captain Brett D’Oliveira ruled out with a recurrence of a shoulder problem.Batter Kashif Ali returned for the home side after taking a break from the game in place of Shoaib Bashir.The Bears brought in Michael Booth in place of pace bowler Richard Gleeson who suffered a side strain in last night’s win over Northamptonshire Steelbacks.Bears captain, Alex Davies, put the home side in to bat on a new hybrid pitch.Kashif struck Michael Booth for six over deep mid wicket but perished next ball attempting to repeat the shot.Ed Pollock went on the offensive against George Garton, striking him for a huge six backward of square and two boundaries in an over costing 14 runs.But Jake Lintott pulled off a superb one-handed catch at mid-off to dismiss Josh Cobb off Craig Miles.Ed Pollock then lofted Dan Mousley straight into the hands of mid on in the final over of the powerplay.Gareth Roderick swung Bethell over midwicket for six but then was bowled by a ball of full length from Danny Briggs.Briggs struck again as Hose departed to an excellent catch low down on the long-on boundary and Ethan Brookes fell in the same area off Bethell.Another attempted big hit, by Nathan Smith, led to his downfall at long-off – off Lintott – before some spirited late hitting from Rob Jones and Tom Taylor lifted the total.Worcestershire needed early wickets and Smith struck twice in two balls in the opening over of the Bears innings.Ed Barnard attempted to ramp the New Zealander and lobbed an easy catch to keeper Roderick and then a fine delivery bowled Mousley.It became 7 for 3 when Hayden Walsh held onto a low chance after Bears captain Alex Davies sliced a Taylor delivery to Hayden Walsh.But Hain, so often a thorn in Worcestershire’s side, unleashed a series of fine strokes as he and Bethell launched a recovery, initially rebuilding and then accelerating.It was Bethell who produced the power hitting and he brought up his fifty in three balls fewer than Hain – 37 – with the third of his three sixes.Hain and Chris Benjamin were dismissed in a late flurry by Tom Taylor before the Bears sealed victory.

Their biggest total in the format led to their biggest win as well

Mohammad Isam18-Mar-2023Bangladesh set two new team records in their 183-run win over Ireland in the first ODI in Sylhet. It is their biggest win in ODIs, batting first, after they scored 338 for 8, their highest total in the format, too. The visitors, who have come to these shores after 15 years, were bowled out for 155 in 30.5 overs.Bangladesh’s innings was built around Shakib Al Hasan and Towhid Hridoy making nineties, with Mushfiqur Rahim’s fiery 26-ball 44 complementing their effort. Hridoy’s 92 is the highest by a Bangladeshi debutant in ODIs, beating Nasir Hossain’s 63 in 2011. Hridoy became the first batter from this team to score a fifty on debut batting in the top five. Shakib scored 93, the fourth time he has fallen in the nineties. The pair added 135 runs for the fourth wicket, the foundation on which Bangladesh built their record-breaking total.With a big chase in front of them, Ireland suffered a top- and middle-order collapse, triggered by Shakib and then made terminal by Ebadot Hossain and Taskin Ahmed, who picked up the next four wickets to fall. The visitors went from 60 for 0 to 76 for 5. Nasum Ahmed cleaned up the lower order with 3 for 43. On the day of winning the ESPNcricinfo award for 2022’s best Test bowling performance, Ebadot finished on his career-best ODI figures of 4 for 42.But it was Bangladesh’s batting that made this victory possible. The big partnership between Hridoy and Shakib came on the back of Ireland taking three early wickets. Paul Stirling took the catches of both Tamim Iqbal and Litton Das, before Andy McBrine removed Najmul Hossain Shanto for 25. The trio must have rued their luck having seen what followed.Shakib and Hridoy spent roughly 15 overs rebuilding the innings before unfurling a flurry of boundaries. During this consolidation period, Shakib became the third cricketer to reach 7,000 runs and 300 wickets in ODIs. The pair struck a four each in the 32nd over before Shakib launched into Harry Tector in the 35th over. He struck five fours — sweeping twice, cutting one through point, and chipping over cover and long-on – as Bangladesh lifted the scoring significantly.Towhid Hridoy made 92 on ODI debut•AFP/Getty Images

A century after four years stared back at Shakib at this stage but Graham Hume, Ireland’s best bowler of the day, removed him with a wide yorker. This was Shakib’s eighth dismissal in the 90s in all formats. His 89-ball stay contained nine boundaries.Soon after that dismissal, Hridoy blasted Hume for a six to keep the momentum going. He struck one more, and rushed towards a century himself. It would have been the first by a Bangladeshi on ODI debut but Hume bowled him with a full one and, having already removed Mushfiqur earlier in the over. finished with his maiden four-wicket haul in ODIs.Mushfiqur had hammered three sixes, two of them down the ground. He also hit three fours as his 26-ball 44, the late push that took them to a big total.Ireland’s innings started as promisingly as any team would want chasing 339. Stirling and Stephen Doheny added 60 runs for the first wicket before the batting collapse set in. Doheny made 34 off 38 balls with five boundaries, before Shakib had him caught behind in the 12th over. Ebadot removed Stirling in the following over but that was more a wicketkeeper’s wicket. Mushfiqur dived down the leg-side to complete a tumbling effort.In his next over, Tector edged Ebadot for 3, with Mushfiqur taking his third catch. Then Taskin turned 68 for 3 into 76 for 5 in the space of five of his deliveries. First he bowled captain Andrew Balbirnie through the gate for 5, before Yasir took a smart catch at slip, to remove Lorcan Tucker for 6.Curtis Campher and George Dockrell stemmed the collapse with a 33-run stand for the sixth wicket, before Nasum did away with it. He trapped Campher lbw in the 24th over, with the third umpire upholding the on-field umpire’s decision. Nasum repeated the dose to Gareth Delany in his following over, trapping him lbw for 1. McBrine fell next ball, caught behind for a golden duck. Ebadot removed Mark Adair three overs later, with Mushfiqur taking his fifth catch in the match, for the second time in his ODI career.Ebadot finished the game with his fourth wicket, that of Dockrell, who top scored with 45 off 47 with six fours. It was Ebadot’s second four-wicket haul, coming in an already special day for him.

Other potential venues for the pink-ball Test include the MCG and Canberra’s Manuka Oval

Daniel Brettig18-Nov-2020The South Australia (SA) government has imposed the harshest lockdown conditions seen across the country this year in an effort to contain a developing Covid-19 outbreak situation as well as preserve a narrowing window for the pink-ball Adelaide Oval Test against India scheduled from December 17.On Wednesday, Cricket Australia continued to be optimistic that the first Test of the much-anticipated series between Australia and India would remain in Adelaide, a little more than two weeks after SA’s health authorities are hoping they would be able to ease the restrictions. While only two new Covid-19 cases emerged on Wednesday, a six-day “pause” would limit all households to only one visit a day to buy essential household items. Even takeaway food and drinks have been banned for this period before a further eight days of somewhat relaxed conditions.These decisions were reached only a day after CA successfully moved the Adelaide Strikers Big Bash League club and numerous other players out of SA, while also relocating players from Western Australia, Queensland and Tasmania, to New South Wales. In their wake, they have left a state about to enter six days of minimal activity, even extending to prohibitions on exercise outside the home.”It’s too early to tell, but this is really the one chance we’ve got of going to having a normal Christmas. The virus doesn’t understand our public holidays and it doesn’t understand we have Christmas coming up,” SA’s chief health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier said. “For definitely these 14 days I do not want to be responsible for taking this virus to other states. I’d be asking SA to stay put, I’d like to see very limited movement.”The state’s premier, Steven Marshall, added: “You don’t get a second chance to stop a second wave, so we’re throwing absolutely everything at this. We want to have six days [of] this circuit breaker so we don’t have much more pain down the track. We know the consequence of getting this wrong.”CA is yet to have anything more than informal discussions with other potential venues for the first Test against India, which include the MCG in Melbourne and Canberra’s Manuka Oval. However, Stuart Fox, the Melbourne Cricket Club chief executive, expressed hope that Adelaide would still be able to host the day-night Test.”I would hate to see it moved – we lost the [AFL] Grand Final this year and it hurt us dearly. Hence I wouldn’t want to be seen to be poaching an event out of Adelaide,” Fox said on SEN Radio. “We’re capable and willing if required. The G’s available, we could host it, but I think it’d be a shame if Adelaide or Cricket Australia had to move their Test away.ALSO READ: India begin training after clearing Covid-19 test“I’m not picking up the phone to CA. They know we’re available because we’re clear right up until Christmas. The pitches are in, the place is looking magnificent, bar a bit of dust and we’re ready to go. CA know we’re available and I’m sure if they needed a backup venue, the MCG is a possibility.”After a year in which he has seen plenty of fixtures postponed, cancelled or relocated, Australia’s fast bowler Josh Hazlewood said that most members of the national squad have mentally adapted to this new and ever-changing reality.”I think everyone’s used to it, I think it maybe troubled a few guys going back a few months. But now guys are just going week to week and things change daily if not weekly. People aren’t planning too far ahead, they’re just taking it on the run,” Hazlewood said. “CA have been fantastic getting messages through to us and our families and partners on what the summer would look like and things change all the time.”We’ve played at all the different grounds before and in all different orders, so I don’t think that’d have any impact. It’s a pretty uncertain time, so we’re adapting pretty quickly to whatever is being thrown in front of us and I think all the guys are coping well with it.”Josh Hazlewood: “I think you’ve got the wicket perfect at Adelaide for a pink-ball Test.”•Getty Images

If the Adelaide Test had to be moved interstate, Hazlewood said that his personal preference would be for an opening Test at the Gabba. He also expressed doubt if the Kookaburra pink ball would stand up to conditions at the MCG – among other venues – that have not achieved Adelaide’s fine balance between a well-grassed pitch and a lush but fast outfield.”I think you’ve got the wicket perfect at Adelaide for a pink-ball Test,” he said. “I’ve never played one in Melbourne, but a few grounds around Australia I think are just too abrasive or too hard, such as the Gabba or Perth. I think those wickets are too hard for a pink ball, it goes quite soft after a certain amount of time.”I think Adelaide’s got a great coverage of grass and it looks after the ball a little bit better throughout the 80 overs. It holds its hardness and I just think [the curator, Damian Hough] he’s got it down pat, he’s had the most opportunity to work on those wickets having so many pink-ball games in Adelaide, and he’s got it down to a fine art. I think it could be red ball, Melbourne or Brisbane or somewhere, and then we head back to Adelaide later in the summer. But I think from all reports we’re still all good for Adelaide, but it can always change.”Hazlewood also offered an insight into how the team would prepare for the Tests after a sextet of white-ball matches – three ODIs and T20Is each start India’s tour – while looking to some hefty bowling sessions, possibly more than one a day, in the lead-up to the opening match of the long-form series.”Most summers we get the one Shield game at least to bowl the red ball and get those overs under our belt, but this year’s a little bit different,” he said. “We’re going to have to try to replicate that at training in the lead-up. We’ve got six white-ball games first – three one-dayers in a week is not far off a Test match, you’re bowling 30 overs at good intensity and fielding for 150 potentially.”So we’re not far off there, then a lighter week with the T20Is and we’ll head to Adelaide and really try and replicate a day or day and a half through centre wickets, bowling longer spells. Then coming back in the afternoon and bowling if that’s an option. So I think we’ll be fine.”

The two Pakistan batsmen are potentially facing lifetime bans for their alleged breaches of the PCB’s anti-corruption code during the PSL

Umar Farooq18-Feb-2017

The rules in question

• 2.1.1 Fixing or contriving in any way or otherwise influencing improperly or being a party to any agreement or effort to fix or contrive in any way or otherwise influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any domestic match, including (without limitation) by deliberately underperforming therein.

• 2.1.2 Ensuring for betting or other corrupt purposes the occurrence of a particular incident in a domestic match.

• 2.1.3 Seeking, accepting, offering or agreeing to accept any bribe or other reward to (a) fix or to contrive in any way or otherwise to influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any domestic match or (b) ensure for betting or other corrupt purposes the occurrence of a particular incident in a domestic match.

• 2.1.4 Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any participant to breach any of the foregoing provisions of this article 2.1.

• 2.4.4. Failing to disclose to the PCB Vigilance and Security Department (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations received by the participant to engage in corrupt conduct under this anti-corruption code.

• 2.4.5 Failing or refusing to disclose to the PCB Vigilance and Security Department (without unnecessary delay) full details of any incident, fact, or matter that comes to the attention of a participant that may evidence corrupt conduct under this anti-corruption code by another participant, including (without limitation) approaches or invitations that have been received by another participant to engage in conduct that would amount to a breach of this anti-corruption code.

Pakistan and Islamabad United batsmen Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif face the prospect of lengthy bans from cricket after the PCB charged them for alleged breaches of its anti-corruption code.The pair were handed official charge sheets of their alleged misdemeanours on Saturday in Lahore, a week after they were sent home from the ongoing Pakistan Super League in the UAE.The PCB confirmed in a statement that Sharjeel and Latif had been charged for breaching various articles under Clause 2, including specific ones to attempt to corrupt a game, as well as more general misdemeanours of failing to disclose suspect approaches.”They have been handed notices and been advised to seek legal counsel,” the PCB’s legal advisor Taffazul Rizvi told ESPNcricinfo. “They have 14 days to respond.”The specific articles of the code both are alleged to have violated are: 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.4.4 and 2.4.5. In addition, Latif is alleged to have breached 2.1.4.How the case now proceeds will depend on the replies the players make to the charges. If, for instance, they decide to contest, then an independent tribunal will be set up to hear the arguments of both the PCB and the players. If they accept the charges, the chairman of the PCB’s disciplinary panel will decide on the quantum of punishment each player receives.Sharjeel and Latif have been in Lahore for the last three days, where they have been interviewed extensively by the PCB’s Vigilance and Security department. They were handed their notices in person on Saturday.The charges centre on the opening game of the second season of the PSL, as well as activities around it, in Dubai. Islamabad romped home to a comfortable D/L win over Peshawar Zalmi; Sharjeel was dismissed for 1 off four balls and Latif did not play the game. Both men have played international cricket for Pakistan with Sharjeel starting to become a vital cog in limited-overs cricket for his ability to attack from the outset.Khalid Latif has five ODIs, 13 T20Is and more than 100 first-class matches under his belt•Getty Images

The pair, along with team-mate Mohammad Irfan, were first questioned by the PCB’s anti-corruption unit straight after that game. Sharjeel and Latif were sent home, but Irfan was allowed to stay on and has continued to play a part in Islamabad’s campaign.In the immediate aftermath of those developments, Zulfiqar Babar from Quetta Gladiators and Shahzaib Hasan of Karachi Kings, were also questioned. But both have been cleared and have continued to play for their franchises.The other key figure in the investigation is another left-handed opener who has represented Pakistan – Nasir Jamshed, who was arrested in the UK by the National Crime Agency last Monday but released on bail until April. Jamshed was one of two men arrested. Prior to this, PSL chairman Najam Sethi had said on his talk show on : “We had a lot of evidence on which we based our decision. We know what we are doing. We have all evidence. We had this for a while, we had information – we cannot talk about stuff right now but a charge sheet will be given to players soon.”