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Katich, Chanderpaul sign for Lancashire

April 23, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Australia opener Simon Katich and former West Indies skipper Shivnarine Chanderpaul have signed for English county side Lancashire for part of this season, the club said on Thursday.

Left-hander Katich will join Lancashire for the duration of June before joining the Australian squad who face Pakistan in a two-test series in England in July.

Chanderpaul, another left-handed batsman who has also played for Durham, will join in mid-July and will play for the remainder of the season.

Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara was due to be the Red Rose county’s overseas player for the second part of the season, but international commitments meant the move was cancelled.

“While it was disappointing to learn that Kumar wasn’t coming it is fantastic that we have been able to secure the services of two world-class left handed batsmen to keep the continuity within the side once Ashwell Prince departs,” head coach Peter Moores told the club’s website (www.lccc.co.uk).

(Editing by Miles Evans;

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Fifth ranked England team cannot afford to rest on Ashes laurels: Flower

August 25, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Aug 25 (ANI): England coach Andy Flower has promised fans his Ashes-winning side will not rest on their laurels.

The former Zimbabwe ace helped mastermind the 2-1 series victory over Australia alongside captain Andrew Strauss. But with England still only fifth in the world Test rankings, the 41-year-old claims the hard work starts now.

“I’m very proud of our guys, they did a brilliant job over the series and came back from a tough position on a number of occasions. But we have got a long way to go as a side, we are still No.5 in the world and we’ve got a long way to go to be where we want to be,” The Sun quoted Flower, as saying.

“I thought we were in with a chance against Australia but I knew we were underdogs. Australia have been the best team in the world for a long time but we knew we had a chance and we’ve taken it,” he said.

Flower was catapulted into the role at the start of the year following the high profile bust-up between previous head coach Peter Moores and Kevin Pietersen.

Strauss took over as skipper, with Flower made temporary head coach for the tour of West Indies.

That role became permanent at the start of the summer, with Flower praising the efforts of his captain for bringing success so soon. (ANI)

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Leave Flintoff alone, says ex-Lancashire mate Stuart Law

July 8, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, July 8 (ANI): Former Lancashire captain Stuart Law believes that England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff should not be a topic of discussion and that the ECB should value the cricketing giant who is in their midst.

Flintoff is public property again and an expectant nation is at loggerheads over whether to delight in his humanity or to suspect that his ill-timed lapse into unprofessionalism so close to the Australia series is a harbinger of doom in the Tests that lie ahead.

But Law, who played one Test and 54 ODIs for Australia, sees it differently.

“People tag people. They do that to Freddie. He has celebrated an Ashes victory and not many Englishmen have done that. He is a young man who enjoys a beer as every young man does, but you will not see a guy work harder. His detractors, mate, I’d like to see them live his life for a few weeks, to do all that rehab every day to fight back from his injuries, to receive a phone call from his physio saying ‘we need you here, now’, and to put himself through it again. They couldn’t cope for more than a few minutes,” The Guardian quoted Law, as saying.

“Freddie is the most selfless man I have ever met. He doesn’t care about himself. He cares about others. He will have been distraught enough because he had let his teammates down. I have seen him just after injury and he is destroyed, heartbroken and he feels that he is letting everybody down if he can’t play like he his supposed to. He has learned to cope with that now but it has taken him a long time,” he added.

Law, now on a one-day contract at Derbyshire.

Lancashire coach Moores is too polite to advise England coach Andy Flower.

But he did predict that England could anticipate Flintoff at full throttle:

“Fred doesn’t hold back a lot. You wouldn’t want that. That’s not how he plays. You want him to play full out. That’s what makes him different. He has his ability to raise his game for big games. One of the big challenges is can you get it out of you when you really want to? Fred has shown he can do that,” said Moores. (ANI)

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‘Vitamin D deficiency tied to cancer development’

May 22, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, May 22 (ANI): Researchers at Moores Cancer Centre at the University of California, San Diego have found that low levels of vitamin D may play a crucial role in cancer development.

Lead researcher Cedric Garland, professor of family and preventive medicine at the UC San Diego School of Medicine, said that vitamin D may halt the first stage of the cancer process by re-establishing intercellular junctions in malignancies having an intact vitamin D receptor.

The research team claim to have developed a model, called DINOMIT that hinges on a loss of cancer cells’ ability to stick together.

“The first event in cancer is loss of communication among cells due to, among other things, low vitamin D and calcium levels,” said Garland.

“In this new model, we propose that this loss may play a key role in cancer by disrupting the communication between cells that is essential to healthy cell turnover, allowing more aggressive cancer cells to take over,” he added.

The researchers suggest that such cellular disruption could account for the earliest stages of many cancers.

“Competition and natural selection among disjoined cells within a tissue compartment, such as might occur in the breast’s terminal ductal lobular unit, for example, are the engine of cancer,” Garland said.

Garland revealed that each letter in DINOMIT stands for a different phase of cancer development. “D” stands for disjunction, or loss of intercellular communication; “I,” for initiation, where genetic mutations begin to play a role; “N” for natural selection of the fastest-reproducing cancer cells; “O” for overgrowth of cells; “M” for metastasis, when cancer cells migrate to other tissues, where cancer can kill; “I” refers to involution, and “T” for transition, both dormant states that may occur in cancer and potentially be driven by replacing vitamin D.

“The DINOMIT model provides new avenues for preventing and improving the success of cancer treatment,” he added. (ANI)

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New biomarker that may help predict leukemia aggressiveness identified

April 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, Apr 20 (ANI): Scientists from University of California, San Diego and the Moores UCSD Cancer Centre have identified a biomaker that may help predict aggressiveness of difficult-to-treat form of leukaemia.

The research team, led by Dr Paul A. Insel, professor of pharmacology and medicine at the UC San Diego School of Medicine, has found that high levels of a enzyme, called PDE7B, in the blood are an indicator that chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) – the most common form of adult leukaemia.

In the previous study, Insel’s group had discovered that among a group of enzymes, cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases, one of the phosphodiesterases, PDE7B, was 10 times higher in CLL patients than in healthy individuals. PDE7B controls the levels of cyclic AMP (cAMP), a molecule that can promote programmed cell death, a process that is defective in CLL.

“The question was, could the level of PDE7B expression provide evidence for the clinical stage and diagnosis for individual patients?” Insel said.

During the study, Insel along with postodoctoral fellow Linghzi Zhang, compared the amount of PDE7B in white blood cells in 85 untreated patients with CLL to those of 30 healthy adults, and watched for changes over time.

“We found that individuals with high levels really had worse disease and showed that PDE7B expression had predictive value relative to other currently available markers for disease severity and progression,” Insel said.

“In some cases, the level of PDE7B expression provided prognostic information that was additive to existing markers,” he added.

Zhang said that PDE7B can be used alone as a biomarker for CLL if the levels are high enough, but may be used with other markers if the level is lower and ambiguous.

“PDE7B may not be good enough by itself if it’s not high enough. If it is low, other markers could be helpful,” she said.

Insel said that their research to date implies that PDE7B has a role in prognosis and could also be a good drug target because it reflects part of the biology of the disease.

“This implies that if we can develop drugs to block this enzyme, which would raise cAMP and promote apoptosis – which is really at the heart of the underlying pathology,” he added.

The study was presented at the AACR 100th Annual Meeting 2009 in Denver. (ANI)

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Coach Flower could be removed if ECB chooses to axe Strauss

April 17, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Apr.17 (ANI): England team director Andy Flower may have to consider other employment options if Andrew Strauss were to lose the captaincy, reveals former skipper Tony Greig.

Greig believes everything should be done to avoid a repeat of the Peter Moores and Kevin Pietersen fiasco.

He told Cricinfo: “I think Andy Flower deserves the job. But if I were the ECB, I would write into the new coach’s contract a clause stating that should the captaincy change, it will be the prerogative of the new captain, in consultation with the ECB, to review his position. I say this because I feel strongly that the captain should always have a say who his coach should be.” (ANI)

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Flower believes KP has the goods to deliver Ashes to England

April 16, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Apr.16 (ANI): New England cricket team coach Andy Flower believes batsman Kevin Pietersen can help England regain The Ashes this year.

The ex-Zimbabwe skipper, 40, insists that the talented but sometimes self-obsessed Pietersen is fundamental to the side’s chances in the busiest summer in their history.

“Kevin is very important to English cricket – he is a very fine player. Kevin and I have always got on pretty well and that hasn’t changed. As to any detail on that, you’ll have to ask Kev,” Flower was quoted, as saying.
Pietersen, who is in South Africa preparing to captain Bangalore Royal Challengers in the IPL, revealed Flower came out of his shell in the Windies.

He said: “Andy Flower is a totally different bloke without Peter Moores around. We smoothed things over and have a great working relationship now. He has the makings of a world-class coach.”

Once Test skipper Andrew Strauss made it clear he wanted Flower to get the top job, his elevation was virtually certain.

Little more than three months ago, Pietersen wanted Flower axed along with coach Peter Moores.

England knew they could not afford another bust-up between captain and coach so the hiring of a head-hunting firm became little more than a show to avoid accusations of a cosy appointment.

England managing director Hugh Morris said: “The ECB believe he has the vision, drive and ambition to be just as successful in his new post as he was as a player. (ANI)

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Flower will have onerous task as full time England coach

April 15, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Apr. 15 (ANI): Former Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower will have a task that will involve far more than simply selecting and organising players as England cricket’s full time coach.

According to The Independent, Flower will need to get the team to function as a single unified unit.

The England and Wales Cricket Board have been coy about the names and numbers on their final shortlist for the job and there has been some suggestion Flower was the only one to have a face-to-face interview with the panel, which included Hugh Morris, Dennis Amiss and Angus Fraser.

Yet even if there were 10 others, Flower’s integrity, experience of international cricket, strength of character and relative youth make him the ideal man.

Flower is a level-four coach (the job specifications were for level three or above), it will be his ability to get on with his captain and players that will ultimately decide whether he succeeds or fails, as Moores found to his cost.

Coaching is about relationships, not qualifications, which is presumably why management and communication skills were highlighted in the job description.

When Moores departed, the ECB employed recruitment consultants Odgers Ray and Berndtson to help them find the new coach. Flower and Tom Moody were the two most obvious candidates.

Flower’s appointment will be met with approval by most in English cricket. (ANI)

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ECB tells new coach Flower to win Ashes

April 15, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Apr. 15 (ANI): Andy Flower, who is set to become the new permanent coach of the England cricket team, has been told to win back the Ashes this summer.
Flower has been elevated to the full-time position of England team director, after filling in during the three-month tour of the West Indies.

His appointment strengthens the position of Test and 50-over captain Andrew Strauss, who was adamant he wanted Flower to do the job.

Now Flower, 40, will be expected to out-think Australia in the way fellow Zimbabwean Duncan Fletcher ran rings round them during England’s epic Ashes triumph of 2005.

Before then, Flower must take charge for the Test and one-day series against the Windies and the World Twenty20 event in June.

His first task in his 300,000-pound-a-year role will be to decide the immediate future of Michael Vaughan.
Flower joins the selection panel of Geoff Miller, Ashley Giles and James Whittaker and this weekend they will pick a squad for the First Test against West Indies on May 6.

Flower’s appointment ends the bloodletting which saw Peter Moores and Kevin Pietersen both sacked.

The ex-Zimbabwe skipper, once rated the world’s No 1 batsman, has been a strong favourite for the post since Moores was ousted. (ANI)

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12 terror suspects held during raids in UK

April 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

In England, a series of raids have led to the arrests of 12 suspected terrorists. But it has turned out to be a major embarrassment for the British authorities as the raids had to be conducted suddenly after a top counter terrorism cop inadvertently leaked details of the operation. He has resigned over the gaff.

Documents with details of a top-secret anti-terrorism operation that got inadvertently leaked forced the police to quickly conduct raids planned over months in broad daylight on Wednesday.

Twelve men, ten of them said to be of Pakistani origin staying on student visas were arrested in raids conducted in Northwest England.

“I want to congratulate Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Lancashire police forces for carrying out a successful anti-terrorist operation in which twelve arrests were made in locations across the north west of England,” said Jacqui Smith, Home Secretary.

However, it is not clear if some suspects managed to get away. The counter terrorism chief has resigned after that security blunder.

The names of senior officers, locations and other details were on the briefing paper. The raids were carried out in Manchester, Liverpool and nearby areas, including Liverpool’s John Moores University.

The suspects are said to have links with the Al-Qaida and were planning major attacks against Britain.

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Pakistani student recounts horror of being under anti-terror arrest in UK

April 10, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Apr. 10 (ANI): A Pakistani student, who was mistaken for an al-Qaeda suspect and taken into a custody briefly on Thursday in northern England, has recounted the horror of being arrested.

Peshawar-based Muhammad Adi, 27, is in his final year of an MBA at Liverpool’s John Moores University.

Adil told The Guardian that he spent most of Thursday in the library working on a dissertation that he has to submit by April 30.

He agreed to meet a friend because he owed him 100 pounds. They were sitting on benches outside the building eating peanuts and talking when the anti-terror officers arrived.

“Special forces with telescopes on their machine guns came and said ‘hands up’. I thought maybe they are students playing with me. My friend was sitting on the bench. They grabbed my wrists and pushed my friend and he fell down on the other side of the wall,” Adil said.

He told the officers that he was a student and was told to “shut up”. The police made him lie down, and tied his hands behind his back.

“I kept saying ‘I’m normal’. I couldn’t see my friend but the officers were on him. They said ‘don’t move’. They asked me if I knew why I was being arrested – as a suspect of terrorism, I was laughing in shock at that point and the officer told me it’s not the time to laugh,” he said.

Adil said he was kept lying face down on the floor with his hands tied behind his back for an hour with the officers pointing guns at him. After about an hour of being held on the floor, the police took the two men to a police station in separate cars.

Several hours later, Adil said the officers’ attitude towards him changed. Adil believes this is because they had confirmed he was a legitimate student.

Adil, whose friend he believes is still being held by the police, feels insulted as a Muslim student in the UK, and hopes to return to his home country as soon as possible.

“They are clearly identifying Muslim students. It’s a big insult. The first thing I will do is leaving this country as soon as possible. The police officer said your country is not secure but I still prefer to live there. I love my country.” (ANI)

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Flower tipped to be permanent England cricket coach

April 10, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Apr.10 (ANI): Former Zimbabwean cricketer and now assistant coach of the England cricket team appears set for taking up the role in a more permanent capacity.

Having just returned home from a tough 11 weeks in the Caribbean, Flower was preparing for the challenge ahead as he and national selector Geoff Miller watched a Durham Vs MCC match from one of the deserted broadcasting boxes in the Lord’s media centre yesterday.

Flower, who stepped into the breach in the Caribbean after Peter Moores was sacked, is the hot tip for the permanent role as England’s head coach. He is due to be interviewed over the coming few days by an ECB panel with an announcement due by the end of next week.

With Graham Ford, Tom Moody, Gary Kirsten and Mickey Arthur apparently ruling themselves out, the short-list is exactly that and Flower impressed in his caretaker role working with new captain Andrew Strauss in the Caribbean despite the poor results.

Miller appears to have endorsed Flower, saying that his equation with captain Andrew Strauss and himself is good.

“I would like the appointment of director of cricket (head coach) to be made as soon as possible, so I can get on making decisions to plan for this summer. Whoever it is may or may not want to be a selector. I can work with it either way, but it makes the situation difficult until this appointment is made,” The Times quoted Miller, as saying.

Miller said his meeting with Flower was more of a de-briefing after the West Indies tour, rather than the pair of them mapping out the summer’s battle plans. (ANI)

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Police foil bomb attack plot in Manchester

April 9, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Apr.9 (ANI): British police have foiled a suspected plot to launch a massive bomb attack by arresting ten suspects.

Detectives believe it was planned to detonate a huge conventional device rather than a “dirty” bomb, The Daily News reports.

The arrests came after an intelligence operation led by the security service MI5 which identified leading Al Qaeda-linked figures at the heart of a terrorist conspiracy.

Raids were carried out at Cheetham Hill in Manchester, Liverpool’s John Moores University and at Clitheroe, Lancashire.

It is understood simultaneous raids were carried out in Pakistan.

Senior sources also revealed the alleged terror cell planned to attack the Birdcage nightclub in Manchester city centre or the Trafford Centre shopping complex.

The nightspot, with its dancing showgirls, has become hugely popular, attracting thousands of clubbers each week.

Detectives believe it was chosen as a symbol of “western decadence”.

The Trafford Centre, on the outskirts of Manchester, attracts about 140,000 shoppers every weekend.

Officers also raided three houses in the city’s Cheetham Hill area about 6pm, looking for explosives.

One of the addresses was an Internet cafi that also carries out computer repairs.

Another was a residential address where three men aged 18 to 30 were arrested.

Neighbours said the men moved in about a year ago and regularly attended a nearby mosque. (ANI)

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Terror Raids Based On ‘Very Real’ Threat

April 9, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Greater Manchester Police have told Sky News the on-going series of raids across the North West are prompted by a “very real” terror threat. Skip related content
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Police have arrested 12 men in parallel raids in Manchester, Liverpool and Clitheroe in Lancashire.

Witnesses in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, described what they saw.

One woman who lives next door to a terraced house where two men were arrested said she saw a man being hauled down the street by officers.

Bushra Majid, 33, a housewife, said: “I opened the door and four or five policemen were on top of a man. They were dragging him along the street and he had no shoes on.

“They shouted at me, ‘Get inside. Get inside’. There was a policeman on each corner of the street. They were dressed in black and had machine guns.

“I heard lots of noise inside the house, like people running up and down the stairs.”

The mother-of-four said the house next door was rented and there were always people coming and going.

“There were about six or seven men living there for the last six months.

“Some were aged 45 to 50, others were aged in their 20s. They used to go to the local al Falah mosque daily.”

Witnesses at Liverpool John Moores University said two Asian men in their mid to late-20s were held by armed police outside the main library on Maryland Street.

They described how the suspects were stopped as they walked past the main entrance and ordered to lie on the ground.

Students were held inside the library for up to 30 minutes as the two men were searched by officers before being taken away.

Craig Ahmed, 24, a business student from Maghull, Merseyside, said: “Suddenly there was all shouting and commotion outside so I went to the window and saw about eight police officers.

“One of them was armed and was pointing his gun at two men who were ordered to lie face down on the ground. “For about half an hour they held the men on the floor. The police were shouting things at them but I couldn’t hear what was being said.

“They looked like students, one was wearing tracksuit bottoms and a hooded top and the other had a Puffa-style jacket on.

“The library Tannoy came on telling everybody inside to stay away from the windows and not to go outside.

“They said it was for our own safety and people inside were getting quite stressed about it. There was talk that they had a bomb and it spread like wildfire around the building.

“After some time the police then searched a satchel belonging to one of the men and a carrier bag belonging to the other one. The two men were then searched as they were on the ground and cuffed and taken away.”

In Clitheroe, Lancashire, up to 100 officers swooped on the Homebase store and arrested two security guards as stunned work colleagues looked on.

Police simultaneously raided the nearby Brooklyn Guest House in Pimlico Road where the two men were staying.

An eyewitness said: “About 50 vehicles filled the car park and the police stormed in and quickly brought the two men out.

“They seemed to know who they were looking for. It looked a well planned operation.”

Adam Howard, who lives opposite the guest house in Pimlico Road, said he was shocked at the arrests.

He said: “I saw about 15 officers go in the front and the back of the house. It was a bit of a shock. You don’t expect this to happen in a market town.”

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Terror Cop’s Job On The Line After Blunder

April 9, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Hundreds of officers carried out raids on 10 properties in the North-West of England and arrested 12 men – including 10 Pakistani nationals on student visas and one Briton.

Sources said the raids – codenamed Operation Pathway – were brought forward after Metropolitan Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick was photographed carrying clearly visible papers relating to the operation as he arrived in Downing Street for a meeting with the Prime Minister and Home Secretary.

Fearing the suspects would be tipped off about the plan, police swooped at about 5.30pm on Wednesday on addresses in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, Liverpool – including John Moores University – and Clitheroe in Lancashire.

A Homebase store, due to open today, was also raided by more than 100 officers and two staff members are believed to have been arrested.

As police targeted the suspects Mr Quick released an apology to Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson saying he “deeply regretted” leaving the document on show.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said the UK remained under “severe” threat from terrorists and praised police for a “successful operation” – but she refused to be drawn about Mr Quick’s future.

Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling said: “This is an extraordinary and very alarming lapse.

“It’s the kind of error that Britain’s most senior anti-terrorist officer simply can’t afford to make and it will lead to serious questions about his judgement and about his ability to do his job properly.”

Sky’s chief political correspondent, Jon Craig, said: “The Home Secretary has effectively hung Bob Quick out to dry.

“She could have said he was an excellent officer doing a first-class job, but conspicuously she did not do that.”

Mr Quick is no stranger to controversy:

Last December he apologised for an outburst in which he accused senior Tories of leaking a story about his wife’s business interests.

Mr Quick faced unwanted newspaper headlines after it emerged his wife Judith was running a luxury car hire firm from their home and details of their address were published on a website.

The stories followed hot on the heels of his involvement in overseeing the arrest of shadow immigration minister Damian Green as part of a Whitehall leak inquiry.

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Strauss backs Flower to be England’s new head coach

March 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Mar 27 (ANI): England’s cricket captain Andrew Strauss has offered his strongest support to Andy Flower to become the team’s new head coach.

Strauss says he has loved working with Flower on this Caribbean tour and wants the relationship to continue beyond the summer Ashes series.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is expected to reveal the name of the new coach within days of the team flying home on April 5, The Sun reports.

South Africans Mickey Arthur and Graham Ford are in the frame as well as is former Indian team coach John Wright. But Flower remains the favourite.

Strauss’ support will be a strong factor when ECB Managing Director Hugh Morris names Peter Moores successor.

On the eve of today’s third one-dayer against West Indies here in Barbados, Strauss said: “Andy and I have worked very well together, and it would be fantastic to continue.”

“I’m sure Andy is a very strong candidate so there is a good chance things will continue how they are. I look to an announcement soon so we can make sure everything is established prior to the Ashes,” he said.

Part of the philosophy of Strauss and Flower is to work the players extra hard in the gaps between the one-dayers.

These have included tough fitness sessions and exercising between balls in the nets to try to simulate fatigue. Strauss added: “We’ve had some tough sessions. Traditionally, the back end of a tour has been beach time. But our schedule is arduous and the only way to counteract that is to be fit, both physically and mentally.” (ANI)

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Formula for perfect spot kick revealed

March 24, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Mar 24 (ANI): University eggheads have unveiled a formula for the perfect spot kick – leaving no excuse for footballers who’re prone to fluffing penalties.

Researchers, who studied hour after hour of footage to reach the conclusion, say the formula promises 100 per cent success.

According to them, the shot should be 65mph or more, which requires a run-up of five to six paces, commencing from the edge of the 18-yard line – approaching the ball at an angle of 20 to 30 degrees.

And it must cross the goal line at exactly 0.5m below crossbar and 0.5m inside either post.

Using Sky Sports high definition cameras installed at the back of goal nets, boffins at Liverpool John Moores University analysed spot kicks.

“Many factors make up a ‘perfect penalty’. But we’ve finally nailed the key elements,” The Sun quoted Professor Tim Cable, director of sport and exercise sciences, as saying. (ANI)

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Pitersen snubbed, Collignwood to lead in England-Windies Odi series

March 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Mar 19 (ANI): English selectors have snubbed Kevin Pietersen once again and named Paul Collingwood to lead the side for ODI series against West Indies in place of injured skipper Andrew Strauss.

The move has ended Pietersen’s hopes of getting another chance to lead the side, even as a stand-in captain, The Sun reports.

Essex opener Alastair Cook has already been appointed Strauss’ No.2 in Test cricket.

Pietersen, sacked as skipper in January, has said that he would like to lead England again.

Though it is not a major snub to Pietersen, the selectors believe it is too soon to return him to the helm following his incredible attempt to oust Peter Moores as head coach.

Strauss is recovering from his hamstring strain and expects to be fit for the first ODI here in Guyana tomorrow, But if he has to leave the field, Collingwood will deputise.

“Collingwood is not an official vice-captain, but he would lead if Andrew was not available. Colly is the right man if the instance occurs and we’ve made that decision in the past 24 hours,” said national selector Geoff Miller.

“We have discussed the situation with everybody involved and they are all happy. No decision is made to try to create friction,” he added. (ANI)

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ECB planning on reforms to improve the way the game is governed

March 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Mar.12 (ANI): The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chairman, Giles Clarke, has outlined a series of reforms that aim to alter the way the game is governed.

The moves represent an attempt by the ECB to get back on to the front foot in the wake of the divisive Pietersen-Moores affair and the damaging Stanford episode.

In the wake of the fallout from the Sir Allen Stanford affair that led to calls for his resignation, Clarke has promised to introduce a fit and proper persons test as part of a wide-ranging review of the sport’s future.

Other reforms being thought of in the wake of the challenge posed from Culture Secretary Andy Burnham, include improved representation for women at the highest levels and independent input into a new five-year strategic plan.

According to a report in The Guardian, Burnham has challenged major sports to reassess their relationship with money and ensure more is invested in the grass roots.

In a meeting with Clarke and Collier later the same day, he raised concerns about the long-term health of the county game and the lack of a test for backers of the national team and owners of counties.

Following a board meeting earlier today, Clarke said the ECB would work far more closely with government in an attempt to tackle the issues raised and address them in its forthcoming review.

But he also placed some of the onus back on to Burnham by looking into how regulators and government might help investigate the finances and legitimacy of potential owners.

The ECB chairman said he would -discuss with Burnham “suitable arrangements for securing independent verification and input into the next five-year plan and how his department can assist in the complex financial arrangements that may be needed in examining whether people and institutions are fit and proper to be involved in the game”.

ECB insiders, however, still feel they have established a good working relationship with government in recent months and argue that its progress in driving grassroots participation and increasing attendances should be recognized. (ANI)

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Coach Flower hopes to lead England to Ashes triumph

March 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Trinidad, Mar.12 (ANI): Coach Andy Flower wants to lead England to an Ashes triumph this year, even as the side battles to remove the tag of rank outsiders in which they have rapidly descended into.ngland has failed to win any of its twelve matches this winter, while the Aussies are on an amazing upward turn having won their last three Tests against South Africa, reports The Sun.lower knows England have little chance of regaining cricket’s most fabled prize this summer unless their performances improve dramatically. ut it has not stopped the former Zimbabwe captain wanting to take on the role of head coach – officially England cricket director – vacated when Peter Moores was sacked.

Flower’s application was dispatched to the ECB last Thursday. ast night, he said: “Andrew Strauss is leading this team and he’s a good leader. On the coaching front, I’ve really enjoyed the responsibility and the different role.

“My application for the job is in. I think the ECB wanted an appointment by the end of March but might extend that until the first week of April. I don’t know if losing the Test series here is a blow to me getting the job. Possibly – but I’m not the man making those decisions.”

Current selector Ashley Giles has applied and former South African coach Graham Ford is also interested.

Losing this series in his role as assistant coach does not look good on Flower’s CV but the original squad was picked when Moores was still head coach and Kevin Pietersen captain.

England has now dropped to sixth in the Test rankings. They were expected to win the series comfortably but ended up losing 1-0.

By contrast, Australia has overcome successive series losses to India and South Africa with two stunning Test victories in the return contest with the Proteas.

The Aussies have brought in new players who have made an instant impact – such as opener Phil Hughes who scored a century in each innings in Durban this week, all-rounders Marcus North and Andrew McDonald plus quickies Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus. And left-armer Mitchell Johnson is now the world’s No 2-rated Test bowler.

Yet Flower insists he is optimistic about England’s chances.

He said: “I can see signs of progress. We played really good cricket in this series after being bowled out for 51 in First Test. We’ve posted big totals and I’m pleased with how our bowlers performed. I know we didn’t bowl out West Indies twice in the same match – we were very close twice – but Jimmy Anderson got better and better and it was great to see Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar operating in tandem.”

“The lesson we learned is we must start series well. One of Steve Waugh’s maxims was to hit the ground running and land the first punch. But we haven’t won a first Test in an overseas series for a long time. Straussy and I will talk about it and do things differently next time. I wish I’d had a say in the selection of this squad. We all have different opinions on how to play and who we think are international cricketers. So there is still some sorting out to be done in terms of selection,” he said. (ANI)

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