A career-best 192 from captain Travis Head and a 10-wicket match from Chadd Sayers set up a massive win for South Australia over Tasmania inside two days at Gliderol Stadium in Glenelg

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Mar-2016
ScorecardFile photo – Travis Head scored a career-best 192•Getty Images

A career-best 192 from captain Travis Head and a 10-wicket match from Chadd Sayers set up a massive win for South Australia over Tasmania inside two days at Gliderol Stadium in Glenelg. After the Tigers were bundled out for 91 in their first innings on day, one the Redbacks racked up 346 in reply, and Tasmania managed only 177 in their second effort to lose by an innings and 78 runs.The result vaulted SA to the top of the Shield table and placed them well and truly in contention for a final berth. They must now await results in Alice Springs and Brisbane to determine their fate.South Australia started the morning on 7 for 239, with Head already on 106, and the young skipper had enough support from the tail to add another 107 to the total. Head’s 192 came from 176 deliveries, and Tasmania’s Jackson Bird finished with 5 for 81 to take his season tally to 40 Sheffield Shield victims.But the Tasmania batsmen could not emulate the hosts, stumbling to 3 for 26 before a 108-run stand between Alex Doolan (67) and George Bailey (58) offered some resistance. However, once they departed it was only a matter of time, and Sayers finished with 3 for 31 to take his match tally to a career-best 10 for 77.

The presence of like-for-like replacements is exactly what captain MS Dhoni desires but the inevitable upshot of such squad dynamics is that a few players are not going to play even a single game

Arun Venugopal in Kolkata09-Mar-20161:06

Harbhajan targeting hat-trick of World Cups

India finally find themselves in the possession of a luxury they have craved for some time now – a settled combination topped up by a bunch of all-rounders. The presence of like-for-like replacements in the squad is exactly what captain MS Dhoni desires as India head into the World T20. But the inevitable upshot of such squad dynamics is that a few players are not going to play even a single game in the tournament.In the Indian context it is hard to see how Ajinkya Rahane and Harbhajan Singh can force themselves into the first XI. For Rahane to get a look in, one of the openers – Shikhar Dhawan or Rohit Sharma – would either have to be injured or suffer a sudden form slump. The team’s batting order is so well grooved that it can’t accommodate him in the middle order.

Want to be like Kallis – Pandya

India allrounder Hardik Pandya has said he wants to play a role similar to the one former allrounder Jacques Kallis played for South Africa. The 22-year-old allrounder, who made his international debut against Australia earlier this year, said he wants to emulate Kallis’ impact.
“Big things start with the dream only. This was the dream. Yes, it’s fulfilling. I want to be like Jacques Kallis. What he has done for Proteas in batting and bowling. I want to do the same thing for India,” Pandya said during a media session in Kolkata.
Pandya, who first came to the fore as an allrounder for Mumbai Indians, said the Indian Premier League had changed his life.
“IPL has changed my life big time,” he said. “Same time last year, I had posted a photo saying that I was sold to Mumbai Indians for Rs 10 lakh. This year on same day, I won the Asia Cup. Just imagine playing for the national team within a year and winning the Asia Cup. The journey has been quite amazing.”
Pandya said he was eager to repay the faith India captain MS Dhoni had shown in his batting abilities. One such instance was the second T20I in the home series against Sri Lanka last month, when Pandya was promoted to No. 5, ahead of Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh, and smacked a 12-ball 27.
“When you see your captain promoting you ahead of big names, [it] is really a good thing. It helps a lot. I quite like the faith he is showing. I want to contribute as many times as I can. I don’t take pressure [on myself],” he said.

Harbhajan, similarly, would find it hard to dislodge the team’s frontline spin options, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. He would have reason to feel hard done by given that his recent performances have been impressive; he picked up nine wickets from five games in the Syed Mushtaq Ali domestic T20 tournament. While India have played 11 T20Is since January, Harbhajan got his solitary opportunity against UAE in the Asia Cup where he returned figures of 4-1-11-1.Rahane, on the other hand, has had luckier circumstances: he got to play the entire Sri Lanka series with Virat Kohli being rested and turned out against Pakistan in the Asia Cup after Shikhar Dhawan was out with a niggle. However, he hasn’t really pushed his case with a tally of 51 runs from four games.What has helped India’s cause though is neither Harbhajan nor Rahane has appeared to harbour any feelings of negativity or frustration. Instead, both the players have sought to derive happiness from contributing to the team in some form, be it mentoring, sharing ideas or running drinks. Rahane insisted there was no need for him to feel disappointed.”For me, even if I am not in the XI, it’s important to be of some help to the team. I think kisi ko paani pilaana bhi bahut badi cheez hoti hai [even carrying drinks for someone is a very important thing],” Rahane said at a media interaction in Kolkata on Tuesday. “If you do anything from your mind, whether you are in the XI or not, if you are offering drinks or helping someone by being the 12th man it’s of some value to the country.”Getting the team combination right is the best priority. I am quite happy that the ones who have got opportunity have done well. It only gets difficult [to deal with being dropped] when you don’t prepare but if I prepare well and practice with purpose I am sure I will do well when I get the opportunity. “Harbhajan said he gained satisfaction from sharing his knowledge, and that a receptive bunch of team-mates made the process even better.”It’s important to share your knowledge. If you don’t, you haven’t done much in your life,” he said. “If my seniors have helped me to become the player I have become then it’s important to share my knowledge on what to do in different situations, not just on the field but off the field.”Guys like me understood many things late; I would get angry a lot but with time we all learn. So I share my knowledge even when I am not playing. If someone is looking to do something as a bowler help him out with things he wants to achieve in the net sessions. Luckily this team has those sort of guys who are good listeners. They believe in sharing thoughts.”A naturally introverted person like Rahane has found his voice in team-meetings. He attributed that to the enhanced confidence level gained from constantly working on his game.”Whoever is playing now I try to learn from them about their shot-selection in different conditions,” he said. “In Bangladesh, the ball was moving around quite a bit initially, and I was noticing how our openers and also the batsmen in the opposition were playing. Specifically how Rohit took some time initially but after 10 overs began opening out. It’s about how quickly you analyse a situation and adjust mentally that’s most important.”My wife told me many times that I need to talk a little more. My nature is such that, even during the days I used to practice karate, I was very shy. Sometimes you end up not saying things that are right and which ought to be said that also you don’t end up speaking. I think it’s important to speak for yourself. We all speak in team meetings and it is very important to speak your mind and if what you say helps the team it is important. Like you said my confidence has also improved and because of that you express your mind better.”Harbhajan said two things, faith and satisfaction, played a huge part in him keeping pace with youngsters. He even has the word ‘faith’ tattooed on his hand to reinforce the message.”I have done one and only thing – I have worked really hard on my fitness which has kept me going,” he said. “If I have to compete with a 25-year-old then I have to have the same sort of fitness. You need to have the will along with the skill. If the will is big enough you can achieve anything.”Playing for India satisfies me the most and playing anywhere gives me pleasure. This is a very important part of my life. Till the time I can play I must play, whether it is 40 or 45 or 50. I don’t know anything else other than playing. [The tattoo refers to] faith in God, faith in your ability, faith in everything you do. There is a reason behind your working hard.”

The BCB has lifted the temporary suspension of fast bowler Shahadat Hossain, imposed last year, on humanitarian grounds

ESPNcricinfo staff10-May-2016The BCB has lifted the temporary suspension on fast bowler Shahadat Hossain on “humanitarian grounds”. Shahadat will be eligible to play domestic cricket but not international cricket until his legal problems are resolved; he is likely to play in the ongoing Dhaka Premier League.”The BCB’s disciplinary committee has taken the decision to withdraw the playing ban on Shahadat from humanitarian considerations following an appeal by the player,” BCB chief executive Nizam Uddin Chowdhury said. “The ruling, effective from today, is applicable for participation in domestic cricket only. He will not be considered for national team selection until his legal issues are settled.”Shahadat expressed his gratitude to the board and said that he was “fully fit”, although he hasn’t played competitive cricket for over a year.
“I felt really bad missing out on so much cricket, but I am thankful to the BCB for letting me play, and always helping me in my bad times,” Shahadat said. “I tried to work on my fitness even when I was in jail. Now I am fully fit and I can bowl at my full strength. It is still not confirmed for which club I will play. I have been training for a long time with Mohammedan Sporting Club, so I could play for them. Or it could be any other club too.”Shahadat had been suspended in September 2015 after a case was registered against him and his wife under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act on charges of assaulting their housemaid. They were arrested on October 5 and were granted bail in December.Shahadat had appealed to the BCB in April this year for permission to play in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, but the board’s disciplinary committee turned him down. AJM Nasir Uddin, the disciplinary committee chairman, had also said Shahadat would remain suspended unless the court dismissed the case. His name had been listed in the B+ category of the tournament roster subject to withdrawal of the suspension.Shahadat’s last appearance for Bangladesh was in May 2015, in the second Test against Pakistan in Mirpur. He bowled only two balls in the first innings before suffering a knee injury that ruled him out for six months, during which time he was charged for assault and suspended.

A brilliant bowling performance by left-arm spinner Neil McGarrell saw
Guyana thump Trinidad & Tobago by five wickets in the fifth round
Busta Cup encounter between the two teams at the Albion Sports
Complex, Berbice, Guyana

Staff Reporter29-May-2016Guyana seal five-wicket win over BarbadosA brilliant bowling performance by left-arm spinner Neil McGarrell saw
Guyana thump Trinidad & Tobago by five wickets in the fifth round
Busta Cup encounter between the two teams at the Albion Sports
Complex, Berbice, Guyana.After dismissing Trinidad & Tobago for 230 in the first innings, the
Carl Hooper-led Guyanese side replied with 343. For the home team,
opener A Haniff made 67, while Shivnarine Chaderpaul made 76. Hooper
was also among the runs, making 44. Marlon Black, who claimed four
wickets, was the most successful bowler for Trinidad & Tobago.The Trinidad second innings proved to as pathetic as their first,
despite a 60 from opener IH Jan and a 52 from captain Richard Smith.
McGarrell claimed four wickets for Guyana.The home team, led by opener Sewanine Chattergoon, then, knocked off
the 150 runs they needed to win. Guyana claimed 12 points from the
match.Leeward thrash WindwardLeeward Isles beat Windward Isles by ten wickets in the encounter at
the AO Shirley Recreation Ground, Tortola. Runkao Morton, who made 103
in the Leeward first innings, was the standout batsman in a match
dominated by his team.After winning the toss, Windward made just 233 despite a 70 from
wicket-keeper Junior Murray.Leeward, aided by the Runako Morton hundred, and fifties from FA Adams
and Ridley Jacobs, amassed 367 in reply. Fast bowler Kerry Jeremy,
then, consolidated his team’s advantage by claiming six wickets, as
the Windward Isles were dismissed for just 200 in their second
innings.With just 67 to get, Leeward captain Stuart Williams, who made an
unbeaten 42, and his opening partner FA Adams (27*) sealed their
team’s win without any great fuss.Jeremy, who claimed nine wickets, was named man of the match in the
game which saw his team claim 12 points for their convincing win.Reifer stars in Barbados winBarbados, for their part, were outstanding in their ten-wicket win
over Bangladesh ‘A’.Fast bowlers Pedro Collins and Corey Collymore claimed eight and six
wickets respectively as Bangladesh A were dismissed for 293 and 161 in
their two innings.Bangladesh A’s capitulation in their second innings came after an
impressive performance by the Barbados batsmen. Hundreds from Sherwin
Campbell and Floyd Reifer ensured that they piled on 449 for five
before declaring their first innings. This left the home team needing
just six runs for victory in their second innings, the fourth innings
of the match. Their openers completed the task without any fuss.Reifer was named man of the match for his unbeaten 127. Barbados were
rewarded with 12 points for their win.Jamaica Breese to an easy winJamaica consolidated their position at the top of the table, with a
nine-wicket win over West Indies B at the Botanical Gardens, Roseau,
Dominica.Opener Leon Garrick, who made 138, and captain Robert Samuels, who
made an unbeaten 106, played outstanding hands in a Jamaican first
innings of 462 for seven declared. Off-spinner Gareth Breese, then,
claimed five wickets for the Jamaicans as West Indies B were dismissed
for just 179.Following on, the West Indies B batsmen put up a much better show, led
from the front by captain Roland Holder, who made an unbeaten 112.
Breese again was the best bowler on view, claiming another five
wickets to take his match haul for ten as West Indies B were dismissed
for 321.The Jamaican batsmen ensured that their star bowlers’ efforts were not
wasted, sealing a nine-wicket win. Breese was deservedly named man of
the Match. Jamaica claimed 12 points from the match to take their
tally to 51 at the end of round five.

Michael Klinger and Chris Dent smashed big centuries as Gloucestershire finally rekindled their Royal London Cup form of last season with a ten-run victory over Hampshire at Bristol.

ECB Reporters Network14-Jun-2016
ScorecardMichael Klinger notched his highest one-day score in Gloucestershire’s huge total•Getty Images

Michael Klinger and Chris Dent smashed big centuries as Gloucestershire finally rekindled their Royal London Cup form of last season with a ten-run victory over Hampshire at Bristol.The holders had lost their first three group matches. But an opening stand of 242 in 38 overs between Klinger and Dent led the hosts to 352 for 3 from their 50 overs and ensured points on the board at last after the visitors had won the toss.Dent outscored his captain to make his second ton in this season’s competition off 116 balls, with 14 fours and three sixes, while Klinger went on to a career-best List A score off 150 balls, with 16 fours and six sixes.In reply, Hampshire managed a creditable 342 for 8 without ever looking like winning. Gareth Andrew contributed 70 not out, Liam Dawson 57, Sean Ervine 53 and Tom Alsop 50.Dent was in top form from the outset with a series of sweetly-struck boundaries through the off-side. The left-hander has rarely looked better as he moved to a brilliant 95-ball hundred, with Klinger content to play a supporting role.The Gloucestershire skipper only took charge after Dent had fallen to a skied catch at extra cover by Shahid Afridi off Dawson at the end of a memorable innings.From then on Klinger moved into top gear himself, reaching his 15th List A century off 115 deliveries. He then smacked a six and two fours in an over from Ryan Stevenson as the 300 was brought up in the 45th over.Klinger passed his previous best List A score of 140 not out by blasting his biggest six off Tino Best, the ball smacking against the top floor of the flats at the Ashley Down Road End.Ian Cockbain contributed a breezy 29, but it had basically been an exhilarating two-man show as Gloucestershire took a grip. Only Afridi, who conceded 44 from ten overs, exerted any measure of control.Hampshire began their reply solidly with an opening stand of 41 before Jimmy Adams fell to Liam Norwell for 22.Alsop went on to an impressive half-century off 39 balls, with five fours and a six, but the very next delivery from Benny Howell saw him carelessly drive a catch to extra cover.Ervine blasted successive sixes off Howell in the 19th over as he moved to the quickest fifty of the match off 32 balls, with three sixes and two fours.Will Smith helped add 78 in 11 overs before driving Kieran Noema-Barnett to mid-on where Tom Smith initially fumbled, but grabbed the ball at the third attempt.Noema-Barnett then struck the key blow with his innocuous looking medium-pace as Ervine miscued a cross-batted shot to short fine-leg. And Hampshire’s last realistic hope was dispelled when Afridi fell cheaply to Craig Miles.Dawson’s 47-ball half-century and Andrew’s blistering late assault were spirited efforts, but too little too late as 30 were still required off the final over. Andrew picked up two more sixes in it to take his five in a 41-ball blitz that deserved more reward.

Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman will undergo shoulder surgery on August 11 in London, according to the Bangladesh Cricket Board

Mohammad Isam06-Aug-2016Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman will undergo shoulder surgery on August 11 in London, according to the Bangladesh Cricket Board. Andrew Wallace of London’s Fortius Clinic, who was recommended by the ECB to the Bangladesh board, gave Mustafizur the appointment for the surgery. The recovery time could keep Mustafizur out for at least six months.”The operation will take place in London on August 11,” BCB’s media committee director Jalal Yunus said. “After Mustafizur had met him yesterday, he gave the appointment. We are confident that Mustafizur is in good hands. We want this to get over as soon as possible.”BCB president Nazmul Hassan had said on Tuesday that Mustafizur was sent to Wallace after the surgeon who was the board’s initial choice went on leave. There was talk of sending Mustafizur to Australia for the surgery, too.Mustafizur had complained of pain after his second match for Sussex on July 22. He was ruled out of the rest of their one-day and T20 campaign with a SLAP (Superior Labrum from Anterior to Posterior) tear, and did not return to Bangladesh, instead meeting specialists for the injury to his left shoulder.

An Australia supporter has been jailed for seven days for indecent exposure, and fined 3000 rupees (approx. USD $21) for intoxication, after he streaked naked at Pallekele Stadium on Tuesday evening

Andrew Fidel Fernando27-Jul-2016An Australia supporter has been jailed for seven days for indecent exposure, and fined 3000 rupees (approx. USD $21) for intoxication, after he streaked naked at Pallekele Stadium on Tuesday evening.Alex James vaulted over two sets of metal barriers and made his way to the middle of the ground fully clothed, after rain had stopped play on the first day, before beginning to pose near the venue’s covered square. With no police or security personnel in the vicinity at the time, James then proceeded to remove his clothes and made a brief nude jaunt, which featured a dive on the rubberised tarpaulin covers.Upon seeing a policeman approach him, James then collected his clothing, scaled the barriers, and was seen high-fiving other Australia supporters on the bank. He was later arrested, taken to the police station, and was sentenced by the Kandy Additional Magistrate on Wednesday.Streaking is virtually non-existent at Sri Lankan sports venues, and public nudity deemed offensive, especially in the vicinity of children. Indecent exposure carries a maximum penalty of three months.

Warwickshire hope to play a Championship game under floodlights before the end of the season as they continue to explore the possibilities of staging England’s first day-night Test in 2017

George Dobell25-Aug-2016Warwickshire hope to play a Championship game under floodlights before the end of the season as they continue to explore the possibilities of staging England’s first day-night Test in 2017.The club hailed their first trial game, a second XI match against Worcestershire held this week, as a success, though there were some concerns about the deterioration of the pink balls utilised. Both sides scored 300 in their first innings, with the three-day game eventually ending in a draw.Warwickshire accept that time is running out if they are to have any hope of staging the Test between England and West Indies at the ground next August under lights. As a result, they would like to extend the trials as soon as possible and have identified the Championship match against Lancashire (scheduled to start on September 20) as a possibility. Both the ECB and Lancashire would have to agree to the move.”There was no problem with visibility,” Ian Blackwell, the former England allrounder who is now an umpire, told ESPNcricinfo. “On a basic level, it was safe and there were no obvious issues for the batsmen, the fielders or us as umpires. The only issue was the wear of the balls.”Two types of ball were used in the game. While both aged more in the way you might expect a white ball to deteriorate, the general view was the Dukes ball has fared slightly better than the Kookaburra. Players also reported that visibility of the Dukes ball, which has a more prominent, dark seam, was better than the Kookaburra’s relatively light, slight seam.Of particular concern was the scuffing of the ball. Most involved agreed that, due to the way the ball aged, there was no obvious way to shine the ball, making it impossible to gain either conventional or reverse swing. The pronounced seam on the Dukes ball did, at least, enable bowlers to gain some movement throughout and spinners might even find gripping it a little easier.One option that has been mooted, though not especially forcibly, it the possibility of changing the pink balls earlier than the 80-over mark used for red balls. Russell Warren, the other umpire in the game, pointed out that, in List A cricket, the white ball used to be changed at 35 overs and that now a new ball isused from each end.”We couldn’t find a way to buff the ball,” William Porterfield, the Ireland batsman who captained Warwickshire’s 2nd XI in the game, said. “It went soft pretty early. After about 30 overs it looked like a 70-over old red ball.”The visibility was fine. If people think staging a Test under lights will bring in another 10,000 people, I’d say ‘go for it’. It’s a spectator sport and we have to be mindful of that.”But you’d want to see what happened at a higher level, against quicker, more skilful bowlers, before making that decision. It was a slightly different game due to the lack of shine, but from a player’s perspective it was fine.”A delegation from the ECB including Kevin Shine, Andy Flower, David Parsons and Alan Fordham attended the game at various times, as did John Stephenson from the MCC, which has been at the forefront of tests into the viability of staging Test cricket under lights. They will now reflect on all the relevant feedback from the match and consider the best way to progress.Among the issues to consider might be the start times. This game finished at around 9.30pm each evening, meaning that there was only around 30 minutes of cricket played in true darkness. Dew was not a factor, though it had been an unusually warm week.It may also be that, on a more grassy pitch (this was the pitch used for the Test against Pakistan and the Royal London quarter-final match between Warwickshire and Essex) the balls may have fared a little better. The pitch for the first floodlit Test, the Adelaide game between Australia and New Zealand in November 2015, was a little more grassy than usual and was finished, in a three-wicket victory to Australia, within three days.If plans to stage the Test in 2017 do not come to fruition – and Warwickshire chief executive Neil Snowball rates them 50-50 at best – the opportunity may not come again until 2020. The TV audience in India, England’s visitors in high summer of 2018, will not be helped by later start times necessary for floodlit games, while it may well be considered that there is no need to stage an Ashes Test in 2019 under lights with full houses all but guaranteed. For a Test against West Indies, however, the novelty value of floodlights might add to ticket sales.

The BCCI has said it “unanimously” adopted “important recommendations” made by the Lodha Committee at its Special General Meeting (SGM) in Mumbai on October 1

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-2016The BCCI has said it “unanimously” adopted “important recommendations” made by the Lodha Committee at its Special General Meeting (SGM) in Mumbai on October 1. However, the list the board said it had accepted did not include key recommendations such as the age cap of 70 years for board officials, the tenure cap of nine years with cooling-off periods in between, and the one-state-one-vote policy, among others.The BCCI’s move would appear to be against the Supreme Court order, which said that all of the Lodha report’s recommendations passed by the court on July 18 – and not a selection – would have to be adopted by the board.The SGM in Mumbai, which was originally supposed to be on September 30 but was adjourned on a technicality, lasted about six hours, at the end of which BCCI president Anurag Thakur said there were “legal challenges and practical difficulties” in accepting some recommendations of the Lodha Committee.

What the BCCI needed to do by September 30

• Adopt amended BCCI MoA, and Rules and Regulations

• Amend constitutions of state associations

• Establish 15-day gap between national calendar and IPL

• Amend anti-corruption and related codes of IPL

• Amend player-agent registration norms

• Decide order of the rotational vote in states with more than one association

• Decide on fund disbursements among members

• Establish transparency of tenders

• Make Pondicherry an Associate member

• Set in motion creation of players’ association

“Wherever they [members] find legal challenges and practical difficulties, they have given their viewpoints and have not accepted those recommendations,” Thakur said. “If you look at the overall structure of the BCCI, it is the members who form the board. As far as Anurag Thakur and Ajay Shirke [the board secretary] are concerned, we were there just to convene the meeting. It is up to the members to accept or reject. We’ve invited members to adopt the Lodha recommendations and members have given their viewpoints.”According to Thakur, representatives of every state association had attended the SGM except for Vidarbha, which had requested for a leave of absence. He said a detailed report would be submitted in the Supreme Court and sent to the Lodha Committee. “[The report would be about] what the members have felt, and why they have accepted and not accepted a few recommendations.”Although no one from the Lodha Committee was available for a comment, a senior lawyer, who has followed and been party to the BCCI case, did not agree with the board’s stance. “The Supreme Court has passed a judgement. Today the BCCI is saying there are parts of which we are rejecting. There is no question of accepting or not. The directive of the court to the BCCI is: you will adopt the amendments,” the lawyer said. According to him the BCCI’s defiance will further empower the court, which had already warned the BCCI more than once to “fall in line.”In a media release following the SGM, the BCCI listed the following among the recommendations they had accepted from the Lodha report:

• The induction of the representative of the Comptroller and Auditor General as the member of the Apex Council and the IPL Governing Council
• The formation of the Apex Council – to replace the working committee, according to the Lodha report – with certain modifications. The Lodha report had recommended that only the BCCI president, vice-president, secretary, joint secretary and treasurer be part of the Apex Council but it is understood that the board was in favour of all the members of the working committee remaining a part of the Apex Council.
• Putting in place various committees as recommended by the Lodha Committee, including the special committee for the differently abled and the women’s committee.
• The formation of the Players Association
• Voting rights for the Associate members as per the ICC guidelines
• Puducherry (Pondicherry) to be granted associate membership in the BCCI
• A Code of Conduct for players and team officials, Anti-Doping Code, Anti-Racism Code, Anti-Corruption Code and Operational Rules for implementation for the next IPL season
• Implement player-agent registration norms

According to the Lodha Committee, the decisions taken by the BCCI at its AGM – including the appointment of a five-member selection panel and the election of Shirke as secretary – on September 21 were “contrary” to the court order issued on July 18 by TS Thakur, the Chief Justice of India, and Supreme Court judge Ibrahim Kallifulla.The BCCI had been given one week from September 28 to respond in court to the status report filed by the Lodha Committee, which had recommended that the Supreme Court supersede the BCCIs top brass because they were impeding the implementing of the recommendations.The Committee had also taken exception to the BCCI announcing the SGM on September 30. The BCCI, Lodha said, was supposed to hold an executive general body meeting (EGM) by September 28, when it would adopt the new Memorandum of Association and Rules (MoA), the first step needed to adopt the recommendations of the Lodha Committee. Instead Shirke had written to the Committee on September 22 stating the BCCI would “consider” the amendments suggested at the SGM.The BCCI had also filed an application in the Supreme Court, pleading for the court’s July 18 order to be “suspended” until it heard the board’s review and curative petitions against the mandatory implementation of most of the Lodha Committee’s recommendations. The board had filed a review petition last month against the Supreme Court’s order directing it to implement most of the recommendations. In the petition, the BCCI called the court order “unreasoned” and asked for the recusal of Chief Justice Thakur from its hearing. However, the petition has been lying “in defect” because the court raised technical objections to the petition and asked the BCCI to repair them.The Lodha Committee – comprising former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha and retired Supreme Court judges Ashok Bhan and R Raveendran – was formed in January 2015 to determine appropriate punishments for some of the officials involved in the 2013 IPL corruption scandal, and also to propose changes to streamline the BCCI, reform its functioning, prevent sporting fraud and conflict of interest.

A quick recovery after a heavy loss in the first ODI would be New Zealand’s priority in Delhi, but India would want to celebrate the festive season with another win

The Preview by Sidharth Monga19-Oct-2016

Match facts

Thursday, October 20, 2016
Start time 1330 local (0800 GMT)2:33

Kumble backs Rahane to open

Big picture

In a normal Indian season, this ODI would have been played on Wednesday and not Thursday, but it has been postponed to accommodate the festival of . This is festival season in India; the Kolkata Test was advanced to avoid a clash with Durga Puja and Diwali, one of the biggest pan-Indian festivals, takes place during the ODI series.For India, the festivities seem to have extended to the field – they have beaten New Zealand in all four matches of the tour, the Dharamsala ODI being the latest. But it is easier to recover from a loss in ODIs than it is in Tests, even a comprehensive one.One defeat doesn’t make New Zealand, the World Cup runners-up, an ordinary team, nor will one win make India’s ODI issues go away but there are enough trends to bother one and please the other. Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor haven’t joined the festivities, whereas Virat Kohli’s unbeaten fifty showed he had no trouble putting aside a nine-month gap between ODIs.Excluding Zimbabwe, New Zealand last beat an international side in March in the World T20. These are the kind of things that begin to stack up; never mind the difficult conditions they have played in or the injuries. India will want to stretch that streak to leave New Zealand needing to win every game to win this series.

Form guide

India WWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand LWLWWMartin Guptill hasn’t been in form for New Zealand•BCCI

In the spotlight

Ross Taylor‘s miserable tour continued in Dharamsala where he got out first ball, poking at an outswinger. With 89 runs in seven innings, it will take a lot of mental strength from him to turn this tour around.This series is a great opportunity for Ajinkya Rahane to establish himself in the ODI XI beyond all doubt. KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan are injured, but when they are back, wasted starts such as the 33 in the first game could hurt Rahane’s prospects.

Team news

Suresh Raina has been ruled out of the second ODI too with viral fever, which should mean another chance for Kedar Jadhav. Hardik Pandya, after three wickets and the Man-of-the-Match award on debut, should get another go with the new ball.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Ajinkya Rahane, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 MS Dhoni (capt. & wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Amit Mishra, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Umesh YadavAfter resting for the first ODI, Matt Henry is ready to return to the XI. If it is a normal ODI pitch, Ish Sodhi should be the one making way for him.New Zealand (probable): 1 Tom Latham, 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Kane Williamson (capt.), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Corey Anderson, 6 Luke Ronchi (wk), 7 James Neesham, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Doug Bracewell, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Matt Henry

Pitch and conditions

The Dharamsala pitch, which offered assistance to quicks early on, should be an aberration. With winter setting in, dew can be an issue so expect the side winning the toss to chase.

Stats and trivia

• MS Dhoni is 61 short of becoming the fifth Indian to 9000 ODI runs.
• Luke Ronchi is third on the list of New Zealand wicketkeepers with most dismissals – 90
• Guptill needs another 144 runs to reach 5000 ODI runs. Only four New Zealand batsmen have done it

Quotes

“Everyone’s determined to make amends, and there are areas to we can make adjustments in. We’ll be good and ready to go.”
“I love coming to this ground… It’s a confidence booster. But we’re not banking on our records at Kotla. Numbers are nice to look at, but I think statistics is not how we approach every game, We go out there to win.”