Two county players approached to fix games, says ECB

Two English county cricketers have reported approaches from bookmakers, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Wednesday.

“ECB can confirm that two players have formally reported approaches from bookmakers which is in accordance with the policy communicated to players from the ECB funded player education programme operated in conjunction with the PCA at the start of each season,” the ECB said in a statement.

“ECB has reported this information to the International Cricket Council Anti-Corruption Unit and to the Police Authorities.

“ECB believes unlawful activities such as those attempted here and appropriately reported by players must be eliminated.”

The Daily Telegraph reported on Wednesday that a county player had been approached by an Indian businessman who told him he could “name his own price” to fix the result of a one-day match this season.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan said he thought this was just “the tip of the iceberg.”

“By speaking out I hope this player will shame others — and I am sure more players have been approached — into also going public,” Vaughan told the Telegraph.

“In the past, players have laughed off these kinds of approaches but now they must reveal the danger the game is facing. Its credibility is at stake. This is further evidence that as far as the fixers are concerned, our game is ripe for corruption.

“That was always going to be the case as soon as county cricket was beamed abroad, which increased its exposure.”

Lancashire chief executive Jim Cumbes said there had been rumours about match-fixing on the sub-continent for some time but he had expected it in English county cricket.

“For a cricket match to be fixed you are going to need more than one individual player, probably three or four,” he said.

“But reading the report this morning, I suppose with the business of spot betting, it is easy to fix with one player.”

(Editing by Ed Osmond;

To comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

WADA shot for reluctant India on doping

The International Cricket Council understands the importance of World Anti-Doping Agency’s “whereabout clause” and it is their duty to address BCCI’s concerns, WADA Director General David Howman said here on Monday.

In the city to attend the seventh Asia/Oceanic Region Intergovernmental meeting on anti-doping in sports, Howman said he had a discussion with the ICC officials during the recent Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies on the contentious clause and WADA would meet them again to sort out the issue.

“Last weekend during the T20 World Cup, I discussed the issue with ICC officials in Barbados and made them understand the importance of the clause. The discussion was very good and I listened into their concerns,” Howman said.

“ICC has made a good progress on the issue. We have made a good progress on the issue. We know some people are scared (about clause). But one needs to understand that it’s the international federation (ICC) who ultimately has to look into and address the concerns of the national federations (BCCI and others),” he said.

The controversial clause requires the cricketers in the common testing pool to furnish details of their whereabouts three months in advance to the anti-doping authorities.

Indian players had rejected the clause, saying it’s a violation of their fundamental right to privacy and poses a security threat as well and the BCCI had supported their stand.

The ICC had last October decided to “suspend” the clause until the concerns of the Indian players were sorted out.

Howman said ‘whereabout’ is relatively a new term for the cricketing world and WADA, in its given capacity, will try and bring more light on this issue.

“World over international and national federations are in total compliance with whereabout clause. 13,000 athletes are part of this clause. We have time to time reviewed this clause and will continue to do so. There is no need to fear.

“Cricket is new to this term and we will bring more light on this issue,” Howman added.

Slow motion as NZ edge Sri Lanka in US bow

New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by 28 runs in the first of two Twenty20 matches as international cricket made a historic attempt to break into the American market.

However, the format’s reputation as a carnival of brutal power-hitting suffered on a slow, lifeless pitch at the 20,000-capacity Central Broward Regional Park Stadium at Lauderhill on Saturday.

New Zealand struggled to a modest 120-7 off their 20 overs before Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 92.

On a day of tough batting and bowling conditions, only two sixes were hit in the entire match, which was hardly the kind of advertisement the International Cricket Council (ICC) would have wanted.

Yesterday’s match and a second on Sunday are the first cricket games on US soil between two ICC full members.

Only two Sri Lankan batsmen managed to adapt to the conditions with skipper Kumar Sangakkara making 17 and Angelo Mathews top-scoring with 27 before the 2009 World Twenty20 runners-up lost their last six wickets for just 30 runs.

Experienced medium pacer Scott Styris did the damage with 3-10 off three overs.

Styris said: “It wasn’t too bad, this wicket suited me.”

Ross Taylor top-scored for New Zealand with 27 off 30 balls with skipper Daniel Vettori contributing 21.

For Sri Lanka, spinner Ajantha Mendis starred with the ball, taking 2-18 off his four overs.

Vettori admitted his team’s batting had been a worry.

“It wasn’t much of a total, but we bowled well. We bowl well on these wickets, and the big boundary helped us too, you can’t just hit a couple of sixes any time.”

Sangakkara praised the Kiwis.

“They got a great start, they pushed us back in the first six overs, and New Zealand were a bit more disciplined than us, both with the bat in the field.”

Akmal threatens to sue Pakistan coaches over fix claims

Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has threatened to sue former Pakistan coaches Intikhab Alam and Aaqib Javed for defamation unless they apologise for suggesting his performance in Australia may have been linked to bookmakers.

Akmal said on Saturday Alam and Javed should substantiate their allegations or make a public apology to him.

“I am fed up with these allegations. My family is disturbed. I go out and people hoot me and I am mentally disturbed. I want to clear this unwarranted stigma with my name,” he told Reuters.

“I want an apology from these people. I will be speaking to the chairman of the board about this as they are employees of the board. If they don’t apologise I intend to go to court in my personal capacity.”

The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) anti-corruption unit said on Thursday it was examining Pakistan’s dismal tour of Australia this year when they were whitewashed in the test and one-day series.

However, PCB chairman Ijaz Butt told reporters the board had informed the ICC they had found no evidence of match-fixing by any player on the Australian tour.

Pakistan slumped to defeat in the second test in Sydney after they appeared to have victory in their grasp with Akmal dropping three catches and missing a run out.

His performance came under scrutiny during a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) probe into the team’s poor tour with the two former coaches suspecting Akmal may have links with bookmakers.

The pair’s statements caused an uproar in Pakistan when video recordings of the inquiry committee proceedings were leaked to a television channel this week.

“The point is (if) these people suspected me of deliberately under-performing why did they keep on selecting me for other matches?” Akmal said.

Akmal said it was about time someone took action against people making baseless allegations of match-fixing or the ordeal for Pakistani players would never end.

Alam and Javed were removed as team coaches after the Australian tour but given top positions in the national cricket academy by the board.

(Editing by Pritha Sarkar; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Pak players may have deliberately ‘tanked’ Sydney Test: ICC anti-corruption chief

Sydney, May 21 (ANI): A top official of the International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption bureau has said that he believes that Pakistani players may have deliberately ‘underperformed’ during the Sydney Test of their winless tour DownUnder in January-February.

Lord Condon, chief of the ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit (ACSU), said that Pakistan’s stunning 36-run loss to Australia in the Sydney Test was subject of a “live investigation” by the anti-corruption authority.

“It is a match and series that worried us, we spent a lot of time talking to the players and PCB. The challenge is finding where is the solid fact,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Condon, as saying.

“What you have there is a lot of strife within the team and Pakistan politics with rivals camps making allegations,” he added.

However, PCB chief Ijaz Butt has denied any foul play during the match in question.

“The Australian tour chapter is now closed and we have finished our inquiry. We have found no evidence of any match-fixing during the tour,” Butt said.

Referring to wicket keeper Kamran Akmal’s shoddy show during the Sydney Test, in which he dropped three easy catches and missed a straightforward run out chance, Condon said his performance is particularly being investigated.

“What we are trying to establish is whether that was because rival camps wanted to do down captains or potential captains. Or whether they were doing something more serious, for a financial fix,” The Daily Times quoted Condon, as saying.

Condon, however, pointed that it was difficult to completely eradicate the menace of match fixing.

“My prediction is you will never totally eradicate it from cricket. There will always be that temptation. But we had a cadre of modern players who know the risks and are playing for the right reasons,” he said. (ANI)

Pak’s stunning defeat in Sydney Test under ICC’s anti-match fixing unit’s scanner

London, May 21 (ANI): Pakistan’s strikingly below par performance during the Australia tour in January-February is now under the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) anti-corruption unit’s scanner.

Pakistan had lost the Sydney Test by 36-runs despite taking a handsome lead in the first innings, and it is this loss which has caught the the ICC’s attention.

Chairman of the ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit (ACSU) Lord Condon confirmed that investigations were on to probe the alleged involvement of some of the Pakistani cricketers in the scandal.

“That has been an ongoing investigation since the time.It is a match and series that worried us, we spent a lot of time talking to the players and PCB. The challenge is finding where is the solid fact,” Condon said during a press conference here.

“What you have there is a lot of strife within the team and Pakistan politics with rivals camps making allegations. We are satisfied that was a totally dysfunctional tour from a Pakistan point of view. The dysfunctionality in the dressing room led to players not performing well, to maybe players potentially underperforming deliberately,” he added.

Referring to wicket keeper Kamran Akmal’s shoddy show during the Sydney Test, in which he dropped three easy catches and missed a straightforward run out chance, Condon said his performance is particularly being investigated.

“What we are trying to establish is whether that was because rival camps wanted to do down captains or potential captains. Or whether they were doing something more serious, for a financial fix,” The Daily Times quoted Condon, as saying.

Condon, however, pointed that it was difficult to completely eradicate the menace of match fixing.

“My prediction is you will never totally eradicate it from cricket. There will always be that temptation. But we had a cadre of modern players who know the risks and are playing for the right reasons,” he said. (ANI)

Day/night Tests played in Australia or India set to be reality soon: Morgan

Sydney, May 19 (ANI): The longest version of cricket, which is facing a dearth of spectators, is all set to attract viewers in large numbers very soon with day/night Tests being played in either Australia or India.

Ever since floodlit fixtures came up in Australia more than 30 years ago as part of the rebel World Series Cricket, there have been suggestions that day/night Tests could draw in spectators who are at work during normal playing hours.

David Morgan, the president of the International Cricket Council (ICC), speaking ahead of an ICC meeting at Lord’s this week, insisted day/night Tests were on the horizon, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

“I talked to administrators in Australia whom I expected to be so conservative as to be against day/night Test cricket but they are very much for it and I believe it won’t be too long before we see day/night Test cricket in Australia or India,” he said.

Although the ICC has introduced a Test table, its complex rating system has so far failed to excite much interest.

“Our chief executives” committee has been looking at producing a context for both ODI cricket and Test match cricket so watch this space,” said Morgan.

“Enriching ODIs and Tests are two major opportunities, and I have little or no doubt the game will embrace those fairly quickly,” he said.

Morgan added the biggest regret of his tenure, as president, which expires within weeks, was Pakistan becoming a no-go area for international cricket following the armed attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore last year. (ANI)

Australia seek treble as England bid to end wait

Australia seek a world title treble while England will be chasing a first global one-day trophy when the old enemies meet in Sunday’s Twenty20 World Cup final in Barbados.

Australia already own the titles in the 50-over World Cup and the Champions Trophy but England have failed to land a prize in the 35 years since the International Cricket Council began global one-day events.

An exciting tournament will end at the Kensington Oval with the two best teams meeting in a fixture given added spice by the ancient rivalry between Australia and England.

While Australia have dominated the Twenty20 throughout, they will face an England team that has looked more together, focused and talented than any they have assembled in recent years.

However, as skipper Paul Collingwood has frequently noted, that progress will count for little if they return home from the Caribbean empty-handed again.

“We haven’t won anything yet — that’s the thing. We’ve got to a final but it means nothing until we win a World Cup,” he told reporters. “Until we do that we’re going to keep our feet on the ground.”

Collingwood hinted he would field the same team that comfortably beat Sri Lanka in their semi-final on Thursday.

That will mean a first taste of Australian pace bowling for young openers Craig Kieswetter and Michael Lumb.

POSITIVE APPROACH

The pair have kick-started England’s innings well throughout the tournament and despite the threat posed by the pace of Shaun Tait and Dirk Nannes, Collingwood said he would not ask his openers to change their positive approach.

“We’ve got a plan of action against every team and right the way through the tournament we have been very aggressive and I don’t want to change our mindset going into the final,” said the captain.

“The guys are going to go out with confidence and belief and keep doing the things they have been doing well throughout this tournament.”

Australia have looked the most powerful outfit in the event although they needed a rescue act from Mike Hussey, who struck a brilliant 60 in 24 balls, to get past Pakistan in Friday’s semi-final.

Michael Clarke’s men will be favourites largely due to their strength in depth and experience in big matches.

Clarke, though, said the form book counted for little in the compressed action of Twenty20.

“People would have thought we were the favourites on Friday and we nearly got beaten,” he said. “The fact is that we’ve got two wonderful cricket teams who’ve played fantastic Twenty20 cricket throughout this tournament.

“We have come a long way in this form of the game. But we didn’t come here to make the final, we came here to win the final.

“There’s no doubt we’d be much happier leaving Barbados with that one last trophy we don’t have just yet,” added Clarke.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

PCB mulling IPL-like T20 tournament in UAE

Lahore, May 15 (ANI): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is reportedly mulling to launch a T20 cricket tournament in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the lines of the much famous Indian Premier League (IPL), and the proposal has already been approved by President Asif Ali Zardari, who is the PCB’s chief patron.

According to well-informed sources in the PCB, the board had sent a proposal of starting a T20 tournament in association with Abdul Rehman Bukhatir’s led Bukhatir group of companies.

“President Asif Zardari has given his consent to the proposal,” The Daily Times quoted sources, as saying.

The proposed league, named the Middle-east Cricket League (MCL) is likely to be launched in October, and the matches would be played in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.

“The concept is the same as the IPL. The cricket league will have franchised teams around five or six who will be allowed to sign on and play overseas players,” sources added.

Sources said that efforts were on to get clearance and support from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and its member boards and try to find a window for the MCL later this year.

Bukhatir has been associated with cricket for the past many years, and is primarily known for his Cricketers Benefit Fund Series (CBFS) venture in Sharjah. The CBFS series was suspended in 2003 following a match-fixing scandal. (ANI)

Muralitharan heading home early with groin injury

Sri Lanka’s record-breaking spinner Muttiah Muralitharan is heading home for treatment on his groin injury and will miss the rest of the Twenty20 World Cup.

Muralitharan was surprisingly included in the team which beat West Indies on Friday, having initially been ruled out of the tournament.

However, the record wicket-taker in test and one-day internationals was in pain at the end of that game and Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement he was being sent home for treatment.

The International Cricket Council said it had approved Thilan Thushara as a squad replacement.

Sri Lanka continue their Super Eight campaign against Australia on Sunday.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Duckworth hits back at T20 criticism

Frank Duckworth, the co-creator of the Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method for settling rain-affected matches, has leapt to its defence after it came under fire from England captain Paul Collingwood.

But he said the International Cricket Council (ICC) needs to look at the minimum length of an innings required to constitute a Twenty20 match.

Collingwood was left fuming after England suffered an eight-wicket loss to the West Indies in the visitors’ tournament opener, despite scoring 191 – a challenging Twenty20 total.

Rain, though, left the West Indies with a target of 60 from six overs.

England did secure a path through to the Super Eights after its match with Ireland this morning was declared a no-result due to rain, with Collingwood’s side progressing thanks to a superior run rate.

At present, five overs of the second innings of a Twenty20 international must be played in order for a winner to be declared.

Duckworth told The Wisden Cricketer five overs may not be enough for the method to be fair.

“The ICC ought to look into whether five overs for a valid match is appropriate because you can get this apparent distortion,” he said.

Collingwood was damning in his assessment of D/L as it applied to Twenty20, having seen his side bow out of last year’s World Twenty20 to the West Indies in similar circumstances at The Oval.

“I don’t know what equation you should have but you shouldn’t have that one,” Collingwood said.

“We’ve played a near perfect game but we’ve lost.

“There’s a major problem with this Duckworth-Lewis in this form of the game. It certainly has to be revised for this form of the game.”

But Duckworth, who devised the system with fellow statistician Tony Lewis, countered.

“While Paul Collingwood may have been angry at Messrs Duckworth and Lewis, he might have been angry at (England bowlers) Messrs (Tim) Bresnan, Graeme) Swann and co who added to the four wides that they bowled before the rain by adding four more wides.

“So, the West Indies target wasn’t just 60, it was effectively 52.

“Since Twenty20 came into the world in 2002, there have been about 70 cases of T20 with a D/L revised target or result.

“And there’s only been two moments of dissent, both by Paul Collingwood or ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) people, both following England not doing very well against the West Indies. It’s the high-profile matches that attract attention.

“The other 68 matches – like the one that occurred earlier (on Monday, between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe), nobody queried that and in fact the result went the other way. The side batting first (Sri Lanka) won.”

Duckworth and Lewis updated their system in October last year after examining data that Duckworth insisted proved the method did not require wholesale revision for Twenty20 matches.

“As a result of that analysis we did decide that a few changes were needed but these were only slight adjustments to the parameter of the formula,” he said.

“The important thing that we did discover was that the scoring patterns in Twenty20 fit in perfectly with our original formula derived largely from 50-over games.”

Sir Viv stadium to be open to matches again in May

St. John’s (Antigua), April 29 (IANS) The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, suspended for a year, will be available for international cricket in West Indies’ home series against South Africa in May.

The stadium was suspended from international circuit for a year after the second Test there against England was abandoned after just 10 balls because of the dangerous condition of the outfield.

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Tuesday said the ground has been cleared by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and it would host the matches, two Twenty20 (May 19 ,20) internationals and two one-day internationals (May 22, 24) which were earlier scheduled to be held at Trinidad and Tobago.

‘A full inspection of the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium was conducted by the International Cricket Council and the venue has been given full clearance to host international cricket again,’ the WICB said.

The series against South Africa will begin immediately after the conclusion of the World Twenty20 Championship which begins Friday and will comprise three Tests and five ODIs.

FEATURE – Corruption concerns surface in Twenty20 game

A dancer entertains fans at the end of the 2009 Indian Premier League (IPL) T20… Enlarge Photo A dancer entertains fans at the end of the 2009 Indian Premier League (IPL) T20…

A police investigation into suspected “match irregularities” at Essex county cricket club has stirred unwelcome memories of the match-fixing scandal which rocked the sport a decade ago.

The investigation follows rumours of match-fixing in the second Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament staged in South Africa last year and was announced shortly before the third Twenty20 World Cup opens in the Caribbean on Friday.

Twenty20 cricket, the shortest form of the game, has quickly become the most popular. But because of its frenetic nature, with just 240 deliveries in around three hours, it is wide open to the insidious cancer of spot-fixing.

Spot-fixing involves seemingly trivial incidents within the match, such as a bowler delivering consecutive wides, which may have no ultimate influence on the result. But if done by pre-arrangement they could earn corrupt players and their allies a fortune in India’s illegal betting industry.

The sums involved are enormous. According to Wisden almanac editor Scyld Berry, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has estimated that around $1 billion was gambled in India on a match between India and Pakistan at the 2007 Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.

This year Tim May, the chief executive of the international players’ union FICA, said Twenty20 cricket was “just ripe for corruption” and opened up “great opportunities for the bookmakers to try and corrupt players”.

Speaking by telephone from his home in Austin, Texas, the former Australia off-spinner told Reuters he had not personally heard of any examples of corruption and that any concerns expressed by FICA members would be confidential.

“But I am concerned that there’s potential for corruption in Twenty20 cricket with the ball flying around everywhere,” he said.

CORRUPTION RUMOURS

Berry told Reuters there were plenty of rumours “of all sorts of goings-on”.

“There is a serious threat to the integrity of the game coming from such a proliferation of Twenty20 cricket. The more there is, the more the chance for mischief.

“If I had to put my house on it, I would have thought there was quite a bit of spot-fixing going on around the world. Not fixing the results of games but of details within the game.

“It’s the thin edge of the wedge, it’s something that’s only going to expand, not go away.”

During the game’s development in the 18th century cricket was steeped in gambling, with bookmakers openly setting up their stalls at Lord’s.

“For the most part the involvement of the gentry in the cricket games of their inferiors was a by-product of their penchant for gambling,” Derek Birley recorded in his “Social History of English Cricket”.

Cricket became respectable during the Victorian era and assumed its now outdated reputation as a force for moral good during Britain’s imperial expansion.

The ethos of fair play was still strong, though, when a match-fixing scandal erupted at the turn of the century and the outrage throughout the game was genuine.

Three international captains: Hansie Cronje (South Africa), Salim Malik (Pakistan) and Mohammed Azharuddin (India), were banned for life for involvement in match-fixing and a Pakistani judge recommended that Wasim Akram should not captain his country again.

In an example of spot-fixing, Cronje, who always denied actually fixing the result of a match, admitted paying two team mates to under-perform.

ICC CONCERN

Berry said he thought the ICC anti-corruption unit should include former professional cricketers as well as former policemen.

“There may be one or two former military men, but I think the officialdom needs to expand to include former cricketers who know exactly what to watch on the ground, to see the telltale signs,” he said.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said the world governing body had spoken of the need to keep a balance between test cricket, 50-overs internationals and Twenty20 games.

“Because of the popularity of Twenty20, the proliferation has been beyond anybody’s expectations. And it is something we are considering at the chief executives’ committee at the ICC,” he told Reuters by telephone from the ICC’s Dubai headquarters.

“We have to be absolutely vigilant because the format of Twenty20 does lend itself much easier to that sort of behaviour.

“We were concerned with the sums of money that were available in the format and we have cautioned all of our members to be particularly vigilant around Twenty20 cricket.”

The need for eternal vigilance was emphasised during last year’s Ashes series when the ICC said its investigators had received a report from the Australian team management that a player had been approached by a suspected illegal bookmaker in their London hotel.

Lorgat said the ICC had a zero tolerance approach to any form of corruption.

“We certainly do not take lightly to any sort of corruption. If we were to pick up any of that sort of behaviour from any place, we would take serious action,” he said.

(Editing by Clare Fallon, To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

ICC lifts ban on Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua

Georgetown (Guyana), Apr.30 (ANI): The International Cricket Council (ICC) has lifted the ban on the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium at Antigua following a 12 -month suspension.

The ban was lifted after the ICC match referee Geoff Crowe declared the stadium fit to play international cricket after an inspection.

“We are content that the ground is now of sufficient standard to host international cricket. The remedial work has been carried out and Mr. Crowe has carried out a full inspection, during which he found the ground to be of a good standard,” ICC spokesman David Richardson said.

The ICC had banned the stadium in February last year after a Test match between West Indies and England was called-off due to unhealthy playing conditions.

The stadium is considered to be the premier cricket stadium in the Caribbean. However, it has been facing troubles one after another since it was inaugurated ahead of the 2007 World Cup.

It initially had a capacity of 20,000 people, but was reduced to 10,000 after the World Cup.

The ground has hosted only two Tests till now, as the pitches were re-laid after the first test between the West Indies and Australia in 2008. (ANI)

ICC reapproves suspended Antigua ground

The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua has been passed fit to host international cricket again after being suspended for 12 months due to a pitch fiasco, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has said.

The second test between England and hosts West Indies was abandoned as a draw after only 10 balls last February after the ground was declared unfit and dangerous to play.

“As per ICC instructions, over the past year, appropriate work was carried out and monitored by the WICB and an inspection of the ground was carried out by Jeff Crowe of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC match referees,” the sport’s governing body said in a statement. (Reporting by Sanjay Rajan; Editing by Alastair Himmer. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

ICC reapproves suspended Antigua ground

The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua has been passed fit to host international cricket again after being suspended for 12 months due to a pitch fiasco, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has said.

The second test between England and hosts West Indies was abandoned as a draw after only 10 balls last February after the ground was declared unfit and dangerous to play.

“As per ICC instructions, over the past year, appropriate work was carried out and monitored by the WICB and an inspection of the ground was carried out by Jeff Crowe of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC match referees,” the sport’s governing body said in a statement. (Reporting by Sanjay Rajan; Editing by Alastair Himmer. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Injured Lee likely to be ruled out of T20 World Cup

St. Lucia, Apr 28(ANI): Australian fast bowler Brett Lee is likely to be ruled out of the Twenty20 World Cup after sustaining a muscle strain in his right forearm during the warm up game against Zimbabwe.

Lee complained of a muscle strain in the same spot of the right elbow that required surgery in December last year and hastened his retirement from Test cricket in February.

He took 1 for 13 in four overs in the match at Beausejour Cricket Ground, and later underwent MRI scans to determine the seriousness of the strain.

Australian physio Alex Kontouris, however was adamant that the injury was unrelated to Lee’s elbow surgery, Fox Sports reports.

The Australian team management has already put in a request to the International Cricket Council to see if they can replace the injured fast bowler.

While no names have been mentioned, fellow fast bowlers Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris are being considered as the logical choice. (ANI)

ICC’s anti-corruption, security unit chief resigns

Sydney, Apr 27 (ANI): The chief investigator of the International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption and security unit, Ravi Sawani, has resigned as the game confronts its most serious integrity issue in a decade.

With Indian Premier League commissioner Lalit Modi suspended amid corruption allegations, and with a disputed report from Indian income tax department reportedly implicating 27 players in spot-fixing at last year’s IPL, cricket faces its greatest tests on match-fixing charges.

Sawani handed his resignation letter to his employers. His move comes as Paul Condon, the ACSU’s long-serving chairman, prepares to retire in June, leaving a leadership vacuum in the unit.

Condon’s replacement is expected to be named within a month, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Sawani’s resignation is not linked to the scandal engulfing Modi and the IPL, but rather a disagreement with ICC brass.

Security officials fear there has been a dramatic rise in spot-fixing, engineering outcomes within matches, since the advent of Twenty20.

Illegal bookmakers, whose activities were slashed after the formation of the ACSU in 2000, have been emboldened by their advances into Twenty20 and have been seen in increasing numbers around team hotels and functions.

The report about involvement of a famous Australian cricketer who allegedly helped fix Indian Premier League matches played in South Africa last year has been denied by the Indian tax authorities.

Indian tax officials have denied issuing a report naming 27 cricketers, including a “famous Australian”, for spot fixing during last year’s IPL. (ANI)

ICC increases 2011 World Cup prize money to 4 mln dollars

Lahore, Apr.21 (ANI): The 2011 cricket World Cup winning team would be taking home a prize money of four million dollars, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) deciding to double the total allocation for the coveted tournament to 10 million dollars.

The decision was taken during the ICC’s executive board meeting, which was held in Dubai on Monday, The News reports.

During the 2007 World Cup, winners Australia pocketed 2.24 million dollars, and the runners-up Sri Lanka received one million dollars.

In 2003, when India played Australia in the final, the winning Aussie team took home two million dollars in prize money, and the team India was awarded 800,000 dollars. (ANI)

England may travel by train to reach West Indies for T20 cup

London, Apr 21 (ANI): England cricket team could travel by train to the south of France to catch a flight to the West Indies for the World Twenty20.

Most of the England squad are due to fly to Barbados from Heathrow on Sunday morning, but the continuous suspension of flights from London has left the International Cricket Council and the England and Wales Cricket Board looking for alternative routes.

The ICC is set to charter a flight from Dubai on Sunday or Monday, which could carry the England team if they can find a working airport in Europe.

The south of France and Spain are being explored, with the ECB having provisionally booking a Eurostar trip on Sunday, The Telegraph reports.

Almost all teams were due to fly through London en route to the Caribbean but the ICC is now looking to send Australia, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, South Africa and Bangladesh through Dubai instead.

“We will do everything possible to ensure the players get to the Caribbean. We’ll look at all possibilities to ensure the attendance of players from the UK, even if it means getting them to Dubai on helicopters and low-level flights,” said ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat. (ANI)