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Umar Akmal’s aggressive half century, combined with disciplined bowling efforts from Shoaib Akhtar and Saeed Ajmal, helped the Pakistanis to start their English summer with a six-run victory over MCC at Lord’s

Nagraj Gollapudi at Lord's27-Jun-2010
Scorecard
Brian Lara rolls back the years with a characteristic one-legged pull behind square during his 37•Getty Images

Umar Akmal’s aggressive half century, combined with disciplined bowling efforts from Shoaib Akhtar and Saeed Ajmal, helped the Pakistanis to start their English summer with a six-run victory over MCC at Lord’s on Sunday. Chasing a challenging target Aiden Blizzard kept MCC’s hopes alive till the final over of the match. He put on 94 with Brian Lara – who managed a 32-ball 37 on his return to competitive cricket – but his sparkling 73 went in vain in the absence of any able support after Lara departed.On a sun-drenched afternoon, when the whole of England watched in horror as the national football team fell apart against Germany in Bloemfontein, the Pakistanis started on a bright note with their opening pair of Shahzaib Hasan and Salman Butt rushing off the blocks against the odd new ball pair of Chaminda Vaas and Hamid Hassan of Afghanistan. Shahzaib was quick to pounce on the inexperience of his namesake as he repeatedly charged the Afghanistan quick to pick up easy runs.The signs looked ominous for the hosts when the Pakistanis passed fifty in just the fifth over. Just then Shahzaib, in a rush-of-the-blood moment went to clear the leg-side boundary, but instead mistimed a pull which landed safely in the hands of Vaas behind square.When Kamran Akmal and Butt fell in quick succession, the Pakistanis appeared to be in a spot of bother. But Umar has been one of Pakistan’s best – if not the best – batsman in the last year and he unleashed his range of strokes while displaying a knack for smartly finding the gaps. Though the trio of Mohammad Nabi, Glenn Querl and Chris Harris managed to keep a tight leash on the Pakistanis, Umar remained patient and picked off any bad balls that came his way.With the old warhorses Brian Lara and Sourav Ganguly in the batting ranks the target, though stiff, was not out of reach. Though Lara was playing his first match in nearly three years, he never showed any rust as his feet moved in line of the delivery with minimal fuss, and he played his strokes in his inimitable fashion. The raging cuts, the caressed late-cuts and steers, and the strong pull-shots all came stumbling out of the storeroom, as Lara overtook Blizzard, who couldn’t have asked for a better birthday gift than standing and admiring the brilliance of the genius.Lara had started off with a fluent cut against a wide delivery from Umar Gul, who was still warming up in his first over. He followed it with another boundary, as he walked across and pulled over midwicket. At the other end Blizzard was stealing singles and twos and charging the likes of Afridi, who he hit for a handsome six over widish long-on (his second).Their alliance was steadily loosening the visitors’ grip and to the delight of the 4000-strong crowd Gul bounced back with an inswinging yorker that beat Lara’s high backlift before going on to splay the stumps. A year ago Gul was the best Twenty20 bowler in the world and he showed why he is rated so highly when he repeated the same delivery against Ganguly off the first ball off his next over.The former Indian captain had already survived a close lbw appeal against Ajmal in the previous over. Shahid Afridi, like a predator, jumped on the nervous Ganguly, ribbing him with some sly remarks.Ganguly was annoyed and shot back at his counterpart, asking him to stay away. Never shy to engage in mid-pitch banter, Afridi started walking towards Ganguly as the crowd started screaming excitedly. But Ganguly was not interested in any further conversation.Blizzard maintained his calm and when 18 were needed in the final over it looked possible as he hit Mohammad Aamer over long-off for a six. But Aamer improved his length, pitching the ball much fuller to beat Blizzard’s swing and end MCC’s hopes.

Sridhar comes with the experience of a long stint as India’s fielding coach

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Aug-2024The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has signed up R Sridhar as assistant coach for Afghanistan’s upcoming series against New Zealand and South Africa. Sridhar had served as India’s fielding coach from 2014-21, working as a part of Ravi Shastri’s support staff.Afghanistan, coached by former England batter Jonathan Trott, have a one-off Test against New Zealand in Noida from September 9, followed by three ODIs against South Africa in Sharjah from September 18.Related

• Rashid Khan not in Afghanistan's preliminary squad for one-off Test against NZ

• 'Fitter fielders mean faster fielders. That means saving runs' (2019)

• Jonathan Trott to take over as head coach of Pretoria Capitals

Sridhar, 54, is a former left-arm spinner who played for Hyderabad in the Indian domestic circuit in the 1990s. He began his coaching career in 2001, and went on to work at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, with the India Under-19s at the 2014 World Cup, and with Kings XI Punjab at the IPL, leading up to his long stint with India’s senior side. Sridhar is a Level-3 certified coach.The ACB said in a statement that Sridhar’s role with Afghanistan comes with the possibility of a longer-term contract in the future.

“It extends the batting… and with all [Australia’s] lefties, we’ve got an offspinner bowling at them,” he explains

Matt Roller07-Jun-2023Are England better-equipped to face Australia now than they were a week ago? Graeme Swann believes they are, following Moeen Ali’s decision to reverse his retirement from Test cricket and fill the vacancy created by Jack Leach’s lower-back stress fracture.”I think it makes us stronger,” Swann, a three-time Ashes winner during his England career, said. “Which is hard on Jack, because he was doing a good job with the ball. But it extends the batting, which is important. And with all their lefties [Australia are expected to pick four left-handers in their top seven] we’ve got an offspinner bowling at them.”Leach has thrived under Ben Stokes’ captaincy but has struggled against left-handers throughout his Test career. “Jack does a similar thing every game: he holds an end up and does a job,” Swann said. “There are still areas I think he could be better and he does things differently to how I did, but he’s playing a role in a team.”If you’ve got seamers who are attacking all the time – if you’ve got Stokesy’s bouncer theory coming in – then you need a spinner who can go around three an over rather than one going at sixes. It is a loss, but you’ve got Mo, who extends the batting… and they’ve got so many left handers.”Related

• McDonald: Moeen replacing Leach presents 'a challenge' for England

• Swann: Moeen needs to believe he's a Test-class spinner

• Swann to mentor England Lions' spinners

• Mr Right Now returns for one last job – and what a task it is

• Switch Hit: England in a spin

Moeen’s recall was confirmed by the ECB on Wednesday morning after discussions between him and Ben Stokes, Brendon McCullum and Rob Key – England’s captain, coach and managing director respectively – over the past few days.”The very fact that Baz and Stokesy are in charge makes it easy for him,” Swann said, speaking at the launch of IG’s Net Gains campaign at Lord’s. “They’ve said, ‘You come in and all your positive attributes are what we’re after’ – none of the hang-ups of anything that has happened before.”I’m sure he’s just been given a licence to run up and bowl, and spin it as hard as he can, and bat the way he can. I’m glad to see him back: he’s still brilliant. I watched him in the IPL. He’s mercurial, sure, but he’s still a brilliant talent.”I think having his tyres pumped up by Baz and Stokesy and coming into a dressing room with guys he has grown up with, who play in the same free-spirited way, will suit him down to the ground – and that is why he’s come back.”Swann was speaking at the launch of IG’s Net Gains campaign, which will raise funds to build cricket nets for community use in the cities hosting Ashes Tests this summer•IG

Swann believes that Moeen’s biggest challenge will be getting to grips with the red Dukes ball again, rather than the rhythms of first-class cricket after an absence of nearly two years. “They don’t worry about that,” he said. “They are redefining red-ball cricket and I applaud that.”My one concern is the difference between bowling with the red Dukes ball and the white Kookaburra. There is a major difference. It is harder to bowl with a red Dukes ball: it is not as easy to grip, it is smaller.”That might be an issue, just getting enough overs under the belt to be confident. The red ball can be almost slightly greasy: it has a wax on it and can be a bit tricky to get used to again. But if the sun is out and it’s dry, that’s no issue.”Swann also believes that Moeen’s success – and his own – exposes an issue with English coaching of fingerspinners. “The reason why I always liked Mo as a bowler is because he spins it properly and bowls it off the right knuckle,” he said. “He doesn’t do it how you are coached in England, which goes back to why we haven’t got many spinners.”The coaching manual is wrong from an early age, for bowling spin. Mo is a natural spin bowler. I was a natural. Monty Panesar was a natural. We all hold it completely differently to how you are taught as a young kid: they teach you to put it [the ball] between the first knuckle on both your first and second finger as if you are opening the door which gives you no revolutions, no dip, no spin.”You hold it on the first knuckle of your first finger and the second knuckle of your second finger and you rip it over the top. That is how you get high revolutions and drift and dip. That’s how the Indian spinners bowl, when I watched them growing up, so I copied them. But you’re not coached that in England.”To that end, Swann has launched a coaching career over the last 12 months. He was part of Trent Rockets’ backroom staff in the Hundred last year, which they won, and said that he “adored” the opportunity to work with some of the best young county spinners on Lions tours to the UAE and Sri Lanka over the winter.Swann has worked with Sussex offspinner Jack Carson in the England Lions set-up•Getty Images

But he suggests that the wider message sent by Moeen’s recall is “concerning”. Swann said: “We haven’t got 10 candidates lined up and banging on the door. it says that we don’t have good enough spinners in the country ready to go.”We have spinners coming through: I’ve been with the Lions and there are some talented lads there who I don’t think personally are quite ready for Test cricket… someone like Jack Carson at Sussex is a great little bowler. I think he’d do well – but whether has has got the actual skills to cope with it is another thing.”It could ruin a career before it has even started, so I think Mo is a safe – and exciting – option. And the fact he is there means Keysy and Baz are probably laughing that they had a back-up option there all along.”

Jason Holder returns to the top spot for allrounders following the Antigua Test against England

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Mar-2022Jasprit Bumrah and Dimuth Karunaratne made significant gains in the ICC Test rankings after the two-match series between India and Sri Lanka.While Bumrah’s maiden five-for at home, in the second Test in Bengaluru – and eight wickets in the match – helped him move up six spots up to No. 4, Karunaratne’s determined fourth-innings knock of 107 pushed him up three spots to a career-best No. 5 in the batting charts.*Bumrah left behind the likes of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, James Anderson, Neil Wagner and Josh Hazlewood on his way up, his eighth five-wicket haul in Tests leading India to a 2-0 series sweep and rendering Karunaratne’s fighting effort on a testing Chinnaswamy track in vain.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Jason Holder reclaimed the top spot among Test allrounders after Ravindra Jadeja briefly displaced him following his 175 not out and nine wickets in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Mohali. Holder’s all-round contributions of three wickets, and 45 and 37 not out with the bat, ensured West Indies hung on to draw the first Test against England in Antigua.Holder’s team-mate Nkrumah Bonner, who hit 123 and 38 not out in a Player-of-the-Match performance, gained 22 places to rise up to No. 22 in the batting rankings, while Shreyas Iyer’s twin half-centuries in Bengaluru helped him jump 40 spots to No. 37. Iyer was the Player of the Match in the game following knocks of 92 and 67.*

The offspinner will be suspended if he’s reported again in the tournament

Nagraj Gollapudi12-Oct-2020Kolkata Knight Riders have expressed “surprise” about their premier offspinner Sunil Narine being reported for suspect action in the match against Kings XI Punjab on October 10. Narine was placed on a “warning list” by the IPL, which said the offspinner would be “suspended” in case he were to be reported again this tournament.According to the Knight Riders, even Narine was surprised at being reported at the halfway stage of the tournament because there were “no concerns” expressed by any match officials in the five previous outings prior to the Kings XI match.”This [Narine being reported for suspect action] came as a surprise to the franchise and Mr. Narine, considering he has played over 115 games in the IPL since 2012 and as many as 68 games since 2015, when he was last reported during the IPL season for a suspect action before being subsequently cleared completely by SRASSC, an ICC accredited facility,” the franchise said in a media statement on Monday. “Furthermore, he was playing his sixth game this season, with no concerns expressed formally or informally by the match officials so far.”The IPL said Narine’s suspect action was reported by the on-field umpires Chris Gaffeney and Ulhas Gandhe. However, the IPL did not specify which type of delivery/deliveries Narine was reported for.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The franchise has not indicated whether Narine would feature in the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Monday evening.Narine, the most successful bowler for the Knight Riders in IPL, was one of the two players retained by the franchise in 2018 along with Andre Russell. So far this IPL, while his batting returns have diminished, Narine has been instrumental with the ball, particularly in the death overs.Narine played the winning hand in the two-run victory against Kings XI by defending 14 in the final over.As per IPL rules Narine’s bowling action for the type of delivery/deliveries reported would be reviewed and corrected if necessary. Narine can continue to bowl the type of delivery/deliveries he was pulled up for, but will be suspended if reported again. The Knight Riders, however, remain optimistic about resolving the issue soon.”We are respectful of the process that the IPL has put in place to have his action reviewed, and are working closely with the IPL in this matter. We are hopeful that there would be an appropriate resolution quickly. We appreciate the cooperation being extended by the IPL in expediting this matter.”

It’s a high-stakes match, especially for Sarfaraz Ahmed’s side, as another defeat will significantly diminish their chances of qualifying for the semi-final

The Preview by Danyal Rasool25-Jun-20193:11

Vettori all praise for ‘reliable’ Williamson and Taylor

Big Picture

The action shifts to Birmingham next, with New Zealand and Pakistan facing off in a game of very high stakes. It’s the seventh game for both sides. New Zealand have 11 points, and Pakistan five. That might feel like two ends of a spectrum, but New Zealand aren’t quite in the final four yet, and Pakistan aren’t out of the race either.Few things better illustrate the inexorable march of modernity in cricket and the benefits of embracing it – or the cost of falling behind – as a fixture between New Zealand and Pakistan. Little New Zealand, tucked away in a pretty little corner of the earth, the teacher’s pet; they were to the Spirit of Cricket award what Daniel Day Lewis is to the Oscars. Up against devious and more naturally gifted Pakistan throughout the last quarter of the last century, they would come up short. They did things by the book, understood their limitations, respected the opposition and won admirers. Pakistan managed none of those things, but time and again, they made sure they put it past New Zealand.Points tableBut New Zealand, among the first to embrace the possibilities that attacking, positive cricket held for their natural style of play, have seen the foundations they set turn that tide. Remember the experiment of moving Brendon McCullum to open the batting just before the 2007 World Cup? It resulted in a whitewash of Australia in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy in February that year, still the only time they have pulled off a clean sweep. They made the semi-finals of that World Cup and at least that stage in each edition since. They have won 18 off their last 20 group stage games at World Cups, spanning four competitions. They have beaten Pakistan in 12 of their last 13 ODIs. There was a time when Pakistan were the bullies; now, when New Zealand show up, it’s Pakistan who have to look for a place to hide; they are running out of those too.In the time New Zealand have made these strides, Pakistan have stayed largely motionless, though the current coaching team have made some headway in trying to change that. Fitness is no longer the joke it was before Mickey Arthur and Steve Rixon got together, though it’s worth noting that New Zealand’s yo-yo test is the most challenging, while Pakistan’s ranks among the more forgiving ones. Fielding, an area which had seen standards soar in 2018, has slumped significantly once more; Pakistan have dropped more catches this tournament than any other side, including half a dozen in the game against South Africa.ALSO READ: The World Cup of Mohammad Amir, the nerdFor Pakistan, the old tales still hold sway. After every game, WhatsApp conversations and email threads circulate like digital clutter, cherry-picking numbers to show how spookily similar this World Cup is to the one in 1992 (uncannily so, in case you’re wondering). The ‘unpredictable’ tag still holds romance, as does the idea of squeezing into the semi-finals almost like the breathless dash after the train has left the station, rather than marching into it. Pakistan’s fans have acquired a taste of living in the brink, and this World Cup, they’re getting a full dose of that drug.The win against South Africa might have buoyed both fanbase and players alike; the demands for wholesome institutional and domestic reform have been shelved for one late push, with the belief that the dice is starting to roll in their favour. With games against Bangladesh and Afghanistan to close out the tournament, this remains Pakistan’s obstacle to a proper crack at the most unlikely semi-final berth. It is unlikely, it is low-percentage, it is perhaps even undeserved. Pakistan wouldn’t have it any other way.4:06

Misbah feels Birmingham conditions will suit Pakistan well

Form guide

New Zealand WWWWW (Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan WLLWL

In the spotlight

It all went according to plan in the first game with a 137-run stand, but since then, New Zealand’s opening pair of Martin Guptill and Colin Munro hasn’t done the job their role demands. Guptill, who was the highest scorer at the 2015 World Cup, has scored 25, 0, 35 and 0 in the four innings that have followed. Against South Africa, the only game he appeared to have rediscovered his mojo, he found a way of swivelling on the crease for a pull shot, and then, like an ice skater who attempted one pirouette too many, lost his balance and trod on his stumps. Munro has been found similarly wanting, with 55 runs in four matches. Kane Williamson’s superlative form and Ross Taylor’s reliability have helped, particularly against West Indies where both openers were dismissed for golden ducks, but runs from the top two is a more sustainable way to a competitive batting score.After one senior player was dropped, probably for good, in Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez may feel the hot breath of Asif Ali on his neck when he next comes out to bat. With Pakistan having found a way of squeezing Imad Wasim into their side, Hafeez’s role as a bowler is somewhat diminished, so it is with the bat that he must continue to make a case for inclusion in the XI. With 175 runs in five innings, he hasn’t exactly been out of form, but the manner of his dismissals, and the frequency with which he throws away starts, can exasperate. Against Australia, he holed out to deep midwicket at a crucial moment in the chase off a knee-high Aaron Finch full toss, while Aiden Markram snared Hafeez in the last game. With Pakistan playing without the power-hitting that Asif can offer and Hafeez occupying the crucial No. 4 slot, the onus is on him to prove it is a responsibility he is the right man for.A semi-final spot looks unlikely for Pakistan; they wouldn’t have it any other way•Getty Images

Team news

New Zealand have not made a single change in the tournament so far, and Kane Williamson said after the thriller against West Indies that they had no plans to rest players. The only question hangs around Matt Henry, who endured a difficult day with the ball in the last game. Tim Southee will be itching for some game time.New Zealand (probable): 1 Colin Munro, 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Kane Williamson
(capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Colin de Grandhomme, 7 Jimmy Neesham, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Matt Henry/Tim Southee, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Trent BoultPakistan have found success with Haris Sohail at No. 5, and appear to have finally found a way of accommodating six genuine batsmen with five proper bowlers. It is unlikely, after their best ODI performance since January, that they will make changes to that combination.Pakistan (probable): 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Hafeez, 5 Haris Sohail, 6 Sarfaraz Ahmed (capt & wk), 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Shadab Khan, 9 Mohammad Amir, 10 Wahab Riaz, 11 Shaheen Afridi

Strategy punts

• Pakistan should bring on Shadab Khan when Colin de Grandhomme comes in to bat. He averages 53 against Pakistan, but has scored 0 and 3 in his last two innings against them. Both of those dismissals were effected by Shadab, against whom the allrounder averages a mere 7.
• Target Shaheen Afridi. While Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim have all kept things tight, Afridi’s diminishing form represents an opportunity for New Zealand. In his first ten ODI innings, he took 19 wickets at 19.4 and an economy rate of 4.6. In his last five innings, his average is 46.1 and his economy rate 7.7.

Pitch and conditions

Rain on Tuesday has meant the pitch remained under covers all day, so what it looks like on matchday is a bit of an uncertainty. No precipitation is expected tomorrow, though a significant cloud cover should give swing bowlers an added layer of potency.

Stats and trivia

• New Zealand’s Nos. 3 and 4 – Williamson and Taylor – have amassed a combined 573 runs between them, while their top two have scored just 246.
• Guptill is 58 runs away from becoming the second New Zealander to score 1000 runs in World Cup matches after Stephen Fleming.
• Mohammad Amir has taken two or more wickets in all five matches so far. Never before in his ODI career has he managed multiple wickets in more than three consecutive games.

The expelled USACA had announced plans earlier this month to host men’s and women’s series against a visiting ‘Cricket India’ squad

Peter Della Penna13-Mar-2018The ICC gave a stern rebuke to plans announced by USACA earlier this month to host men’s and women’s tours of a visiting “Cricket India” squad for what the expelled governing body had labeled a pair of T20 bilateral series, stating that neither event is recognized by either the ICC or the BCCI.”Two bilateral series being planned by former ICC Member United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) would constitute unsanctioned events within the ICC’s regulatory framework,” stated an ICC press release. The announcement is noteworthy considering that the ICC has not made similar determinations on events organized by Cricket Council USA and American Cricket Federation, two other governing bodies who had been contesting national-governing-body status prior to USACA’s expulsion.”In accordance with the ICC’s regulations on sanctioning events, no person affiliated to a National Cricket Federation is permitted to participate in any disapproved cricket. This prohibition applies to players, match officials, coaching or management staff affiliated to a National Cricket Federation or any team affiliated to a National Cricket Federation.”The announcement for the men’s matches stated a team would be picked by a selection panel chaired by former USA player and coach Clayton Lambert, who coached USA from 2008 to 2011 until he was dismissed in favour of Robin Singh following USA’s relegation from WCL Division Three. The other members of the USACA selection panel include two men regarded as long-time allies of president Gladstone Dainty, former captain Steve Massiah and former coach Charlie Javed, as well as former USA player John Reid.Javed was also named to the USACA women’s selection panel, headed by Dr Ahsanuddin Ali Khan, along with Shahnaz Rehmani and former USA women’s coach Linden Fraser. The women’s tour is being spearheaded by former USACA president Masood Chik Syed, another long-time ally of Dainty designated as the “USACA director of cricket operations” in the release, while former USACA tournament umpire Babu Venkatachalapathy has been appointed the USACA tournament director for both planned events.The women’s tour had been announced to take place in April and the men’s tour in May, though exact dates were not specified by USACA in either announcement with solicitations made for interested parties to host the matches. Both announcements ostensibly are targeted at drawing players away from the USA Cricket Combines which began earlier this month in North Carolina and run through June at eight regional sites organized by the ICC Americas caretaker administration.

Sreesanth had sought out the BCCI for a no-objection certificate to play league cricket in Scotland, but the board denied him their permission to do so

Arun Venugopal24-Jan-2017India fast bowler Sreesanth had been trying to play league cricket in Scotland this year but the BCCI, which had imposed a life ban on him following his alleged involvement in the IPL spot-fixing scandal of 2013, has refused to give him the necessary permission.Sreesanth had been hoping to play for Glenrothes CC and had asked the BCCI for a no-objection certificate, however a board official confirmed that they had not obliged his request. Sreesanth, though, claimed he has not received any word from the BCCI. “I don’t know… I still haven’t got any letter from BCCI,” he told ESPNcricinfo in a text message and revealed a similar request last year had gone unanswered.In May 2013, Sreesanth and two other Rajasthan Royals bowlers – Ankit Chavan and Ajit Chandila – were arrested for alleged fulfilling of promises made to bookmakers. All three players were later banned for life by the BCCI.In 2015, Sreesanth was cleared of spot-fixing charges by a Delhi trial court due to insufficient evidence under the MCOCA act, a special law passed by the Maharashtra state government to tackle organised crime syndicates and terrorism.”I will try to start training properly as soon as possible,” Sreesanth had said then. “I wasn’t allowed anything… Hopefully I can get permission from BCCI to use their facilities so that I can get fit and come into the selection process.”But the BCCI’s investigation in 2013, handled by the board’s then anti-corruption unit chief Ravi Sawani, only needed to focus on the conduct of the players and not their alleged connections to organised crime syndicates. The BCCI’s decisions were therefore “independent to any criminal proceeding” and “based on its independent disciplinary action, shall remain unaltered.”Sreesanth, Chavan and Chandila were found guilty of match-fixing, seeking or offering a bribe as a reward for match-fixing, underperforming for a reward, ensuring the occurrence of an event during a match, knowing it is the subject of a bet, receiving payment or gift for the possibility of bringing cricket into disrepute, failing to report an approach by bookmakers to fix a match to the BCCI anti-corruption unit.

Leicestershire have been granted planning permission to install floodlights at Grace Road, a development that has been viewed as vital to the club’s survival

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jan-2016Leicestershire have been granted planning permission to install floodlights at Grace Road, a development that has been viewed as vital to the club’s survival.Floodlit evening T20 matches have become increasingly important to driving gate revenue in the domestic game and Wasim Khan, Leicestershire’s chief executive, said the decision would help the club “retain and grow our audiences”. Khan had previously addressed residents’ concerns about light pollution by warning that, without floodlights, “we might not be here in five years’ time”.The path has now been cleared, with Leicester City Council unanimously approving the proposals. Leicestershire will begin work immediately and hope to have the floodlights in place in time for their opening NatWest Blast game in May.”It is fantastic news for Leicestershire County Cricket Club that planning permission was granted at the meeting,” Khan said. “Floodlights are an important aspect of supporting our sustainability strategy and we look forward to improving the match-day experience for our supporters.”We saw an average 48% increase in attendances at Grace Road for NatWest T20 Blast matches in 2015. The installation of floodlights will help us to both retain and grow our audiences. We can start our NatWest T20 Blast games later in the evening which will give more people the opportunity to attend after work.”Leicestershire are currently one of four counties without permanent floodlights. Gloucestershire have been granted planning permission, while Somerset are expected to draw up plans as part of their ground redevelopment, which would leave Worcestershire as the only county unable to play evening games.

IS Bindra, the former BCCI president, has asked the ICC to conduct an enquiry into the actions of N Srinivasan and to bar him from the activities of the ICC pending the completion of such an investigation

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2013IS Bindra, the former BCCI president and principal advisor to the ICC president, has asked the ICC to conduct an enquiry into the actions of N Srinivasan to bar him from the activities of the ICC pending the completion of such an investigation.In an open letter to the ICC/ IDI (ICC Development International, the commercial arm of the International Cricket Council) boards, who began their annual conference in London on Tuesday, Bindra wrote: “If India, through its public, has rejected Mr Srinivasan’s presence in the BCCI, there is no reason why the ICC should acknowledge his position.” He asked the ICC to “hold an enquiry into all points raised above and disallow Mr Srinivasan from attending any meeting of the ICC till such time you reach a conclusion. I am aware that this request of mine is well within your rights and as per the ICC Code of Ethics, needs to be investigated.”Bindra, who along with Jagmohan Dalmiya turned cricket into a highly successful business property from a mere sport primarily through the sale of broadcast rights, has been a vocal critic of Srinivasan and was the first board member to demand his resignation during the recent crisis.He cited several instances of impropriety by Srinivasan.The arrest of his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan in relation to betting allegations in the IPL, he said, meant Srinivasan was in breach of various codes that ICC directors, of which he is one, need to adhere to under the Code of Ethics.Srinivasan, Bindra claimed, was in direct intervention of the clause 2.1 which states: Directors shall act in an ethical manner and shall not engage in conduct that gives the appearance of impropriety.He was also allegedly in breach of clause 7 of the code, which deals with ‘Betting, Gaming and Gambling’, sub-section 7.2, sub-para (d) reads: “It is not permitted and a Director shall be in breach of this Code if a member of his immediate family (being a spouse, parent, sibling, son or daughter) has a controlling interest in a betting business, a substantial relationship with a betting business or is employed in the day to day operational control of a betting business.”While Meiyappan doesn’t run a betting business, the fact that he has been charged by the police with being involved in betting may result in the clause being applied in this instance.Bindra also pointed to a potential conflict of interest should Srinivasan attend the meeting of the finance and commercial affairs (F&CA) committee, of which he is an independent member, during the annual conference.”I must mention here that Star, the current official broadcast partner (of the ICC) is also through one of its channels [Life OK] a sponsor of none other than Chennai Super Kings, the IPL team owned by a company controlled by Mr Srinivasan,” Bindra wrote.Star Sports are broadcast partners for all ICC events till 2015, and the F&CA committee has been deliberating renewal of rights and will advise the ICC Board on future course of action.Bindra also wrote about another potential conflict of interest, the more publicised one involving Srinivasan owning an IPL franchise through his company India Cements despite being a BCCI office-bearer, and a member of the ICC Board thereby.”I have not heard of any declaration being made by Mr Srinivasan regarding his involvement with the Chennai Super Kings and this must surely contravene Clause 4.1 of the ICC Code of Ethics.”According to Clause 4.1, “Directors must be free from any influence which might interfere or appear to interfere with the proper and efficient discharge of their duties, or which might be inconsistent with their duty of loyalty to the ICC. It is also the duty of Directors not to use their position with the ICC for personal advantage or gain. To that end no Director shall have an undisclosed conflict of interest.”