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Mitchell Starc has been warned by Steven Smith to let out his frustration in other ways after he threw a ball at New Zealand batsman Mark Craig on the final day at the Gabba

Brydon Coverdale at the Gabba09-Nov-2015Fast bowler Mitchell Starc has been warned by captain Steven Smith to let out his frustration in other ways after he threw a ball at New Zealand batsman Mark Craig on the final day at the Gabba. Smith said the incident was “pretty disappointing”, and he noted that it was not the first time Starc had failed to keep his cool and thrown a ball in a batsman’s direction.The incident occurred in the 84th over as New Zealand’s final pair, Craig and Trent Boult, were holding off the Australians in their push for victory before lunch. Craig had just struck two consecutive fours off Starc and the third ball of the over was pushed back to the bowler, who gave away four overthrows by directing his throw close to the batsman and not the stumps.Starc was fined 50% of his match fee by match referee Roshan Mahanama over the incident, after he admitted breaching Article 2.2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct, relating to throwing a ball at or near a player in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner.”I thought it was pretty disappointing,” Smith said. “He’s done it a few times and I’m going to have a word with him when we get back down in the sheds. I don’t think it was necessary at the time. Hopefully he can improve and get better from that.”I don’t think he needs to apologise. I just don’t think he needs to do it in the future. There wasn’t an opportunity for a run-out there and I think it was just a bit of frustration. I think he needs to let it out in other ways.”There was no obvious apology from Starc to Craig, who at the time was still firmly in his crease and was some distance from the stumps. As the players left the field following Australia’s win, Starc shook hands with the batsmen Craig and Boult, but again there appeared to be no exchange of words between Starc and Craig.”I thought the game was played in really good spirits, and I’m sure the rest of the Tests will be as well,” New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum said after play. “We’re about half an hour away from having a few beers downstairs with them as well, so that will be good fun.”But the way I looked at it, I hoped he was trying to aim at the stumps. If that was the case and it just slipped out then so be it, we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.”The final day was also marred by a poor umpiring decision that ended McCullum’s run-a-ball innings on 80; he was given out caught at slip but the ball had touched only his pad rather than his bat. New Zealand had unsuccessfully used their final review in the previous over, and they were only nine balls away from having the reviews replenished at the 80-over mark.”That’s the game,” McCullum said. “Both Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth are two of the best umpires in world cricket. They’re outstanding umpires who are allowed to make the occasional mistake. That’s just the game that you play and you’ve got to cop it sweet. We had two reviews which we used for decisions that could have gone either way as well. No regrets there.”

Chris Cairns, the former New Zealand allrounder, has told the jury in his perjury trial in London that there is “no truth” to allegations that he attempted to persuade his team-mate, Lou Vincent, to take part in match-fixing

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Nov-2015Chris Cairns, the former New Zealand allrounder, has told the jury in his perjury trial in London that there is “no truth” to allegations that he attempted to persuade his team-mate, Lou Vincent, to take part in match-fixing.Cairns, who was taking the stand at Southwark Crown Court for the first time in the trial after listening to three weeks of testimony, repeatedly denied any involvement in match-fixing.He denies two counts of perjury and perverting the course of justice, relating to his successful 2012 libel action against Lalit Modi, while his co-defendant and former attourney, Andrew Fitch-Holland, is accused of perverting the course of justice.Asked by Orlando Pownall, his barrister, whether at any stage he was involved in match-fixing, Cairns replied: “No.””Did you contemplate match-fixing?” Pownall continued.Cairns again replied: “No.”When it was put to Cairns that he had attempted to coerce his former team-mates into match-fixing, including Vincent and the current New Zealand captain, Brendon McCullum, who testified last month, he repeated his denials.The court heard how, in 2008, Cairns had signed a three-year deal to captain Chandigarh Lions in the now-defunct Indian Cricket League. His contract was worth NZ$350,000 per year, a prospect that made him “very excited” in the latter years of his career, especially having had a “significant drop” since his final international appearances two years earlier.However, according to Vincent’s testimony, Cairns had ordered him to fix games by deliberately playing badly. When Vincent told Cairns how he had declined the offer of cash and a prostitute to get involved in fixing, Cairns had allegedly responded: “You did the right thing … that’s good cover. You’re working for me now.”Cairns denied all of these incidents, adding that, had Vincent told him of any approach, it would have been immediately reported to Howard Beer and Tony Greig, the administrators of the ICL.”Did you at any stage seek to persuade him, successfully or not, to underperform?” Pownell asked. Cairns replied: “No.”The trial continues.

After a strong start, Lions collapsed dramatically in their chase of 176, losing nine wickets for 73 runs to fall 29 short of Knights in Potchefstroom

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Nov-2015
ScorecardAfter a strong start, Lions collapsed dramatically in their chase of 176, losing nine wickets for 73 runs to fall 29 short of Knights in Potchefstroom.Lions had raced to 73 for 0 in 8.5 overs, with openers Rassie van der Dussen and Devon Conway batting solidly. They needed 103 off 73 balls with all wickets intact, a fairly straightforward equation, before Conway was caught behind off Malusi Siboto for 36. That dismissal began the first part of the Lions collapse, in which three wickets fell for 15 runs. Offspinner Werner Coetsee dismissed Alviro Petersen and van der Dussen, who made 40 off 26 balls, in successive overs.From 88 for 3, Andre Malan and Thami Tsolekile took Lions to 122 for 3, but the run rate had slowed and they needed 54 off 25 balls. Siboto once again made the crucial strike for Knights, bowling Tsolekile for 20. The collapse was swift thereafter. Lions lost their next three wickets for one run in the space of five deliveries, with Shadley van Schalkwyk taking two off successive balls. The chase fizzled out and Lions ended with 146 for 9, with West Indian allrounder Andre Russell returning economical figures of 1 for 21 in four overs for Knights.Knights had also enjoyed a strong start after they had lost the toss, their openers Reeza Hendricks and Rilee Rossouw adding 90 in 10.3 overs. Rossouw made 46 off 29 balls, but Hendricks batted through the innings, remaining unbeaten on 72 off 56. Hendricks’ solidity at one end helped Knights overcome a period during which they lost three wickets for 26 runs. Wicketkeeper Tulemo Bodibe gave the innings a strong finish by smacking 22 off 9 balls, leading Knights to the match-winning total of 175 for 5.

Graham Napier, the Essex allrounder, has announced he will retire at the end of 2016 English season to take up a position running his cricket academy

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-2016Graham Napier, the Essex allrounder, has announced he will retire at the end of the 2016 English season to take up a position running his cricket academy.Napier, 36, made his Essex debut in 1997 and is widely considered a player unlucky not to have earned an England cap in white-ball cricket. The closest he came was when he was named in the 2009 World T20 squad but did not feature in the starting XI during the tournament.It was in T20 where he has produced the most stunning performance of his career when in 2008 he struck 152 off 58 balls against Sussex with a then world-record 16 sixes. His career-best first-class score of 196 off 130 balls in 2011 was also an extraordinary display of hitting against Surrey, at Whitgift School, when he equalled Andrew Symonds’ first-class record of 16 sixes in an innings, a mark which has subsequently been overtaken by Colin Munro’s 23 for Auckland.With the ball, Napier can be quick when conditions – and his body – allows and has developed into a fine death bowler in one-day cricket. In 2013 he took four wickets in four balls during a Yorkshire Bank 40 match against Surrey, where he finished with a career-best 7 for 32. His first-class record, which includes batting and bowling figures around the 30 mark, highlights his versatility as a cricketer.Napier is retiring to take up the role of Director of the Graham Napier Cricket Academy at Royal Hospital School in Suffolk which is due to open in September.”The opportunity at RHS is one that I could not turn down,” Napier said. “I feel the time is right to move on, and give back to the game that has given me so much. I have loved every second of playing for Essex, and will be doing my best to make sure I retire with a bang at the end of the season.”Ronnie Irani, Essex’s cricket committee chairman, said: “Graham has had a fabulous career in all three formats of the game for us, and has been the very definition of loyalty over the past 19 years which is what Essex and its supporters are all about. We naturally wish Graham all the best with his next career move and he will be sorely missed.”

Sri Lanka have not coped well with the retirement of their players and the present injury crisis and face up against a smoothly purring Indian batting machine

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando08-Feb-20164:11

Agarkar: Series a good test for India’s spinners ahead of World T20

Match facts

February 9, 2016
Start time 1930 local (1400 GMT)

Big Picture

When these T20 teams met most recently, at the 2014 World T20 final, India may have been better-drilled, but Sri Lanka had the cleverer strategy. Sri Lanka were T20’s iconoclasts at the time, topping the rankings with wit and versatility, while other teams doubled down on power. Things have changed south of the Palk Strait since then. There’s been an exodus of cricketing intelligence. The team has not coped, so far.India have never lacked for smarts themselves, with one of limited-overs cricket’s savviest men at the helm, but as ever, they also have a strapping top order. With their sweep of Australia, India have already sounded a warning in the approach to next month’s World T20. If they are that good abroad, you wonder how good will they will be at home? Sri Lanka has only just managed to get a half-decent domestic T20 tournament off the ground. India has a two-month T20 frenzy each year.It would seem this Sri Lanka team will have to play unexpectedly well to rattle their hosts. India are light a Virat Kohli, but Sri Lanka are without Lasith Malinga’s street-smarts, Angelo Mathews’ even-tempered finishes, Nuwan Kulasekara’s control and now one of the rookie seamers they wanted to assess, Binura Fernando, is injured too. It is a fresh team, led by an unproved captain as well. The areas in which India outgun Sri Lanka at the moment would appear to be exactly all of them.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
India: WWWLL
Sri Lanka: LLLWL
Dilhara Fernando made a shock return to the Sri Lanka squad and may well be among the first XI•AFP

In the spotlight

After that World T20 final Yuvraj Singh was derided by some for his stalling innings that played a role in India’s loss. That criticism was perhaps a little sharp – even MS Dhoni was restrained by the quality of Sri Lanka’s death bowling. But Yuvraj is back now, and has an eye on the finisher’s role. He faced only 12 balls in Australia, but had been in good form for his state side Punjab, before that series.Sri Lanka’s selectors have punctuated their search for talented youth by picking an occasional throwback, but the selection of Dilhara Fernando is perhaps the biggest surprise yet. Until this selection, Fernando had been viewed as a lost talent; penetrative in patches, but ultimately too flawed for the international game. The selectors have seen something in his recent performances to warrant this renewed faith in the man, and they also know that they must find experience where they can. With any luck, Fernando will rekindle memories of that shrewd split-finger slower ball, and not for that recalcitrant front foot.

Teams news

India have a choice to make between Hardik Pandya and Pawan Negi, in that allrounder role. Pandya is the closest thing to an incumbent, having played through the Australia series. Ajinkya Rahane is likeliest to take up Kohli’s No. 3 spot.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Suresh Raina, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Yuvraj Singh, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Ashish NehraTillakaratne Dilshan is unavailable through injury, meaning Niroshan Dickwella may make a T20 debut. There is also a chance Dickwella will take the gloves, freeing Chandimal up. There is a chance allrounder Asela Gunaratne will debut, but Sri Lanka are likely to stick with a better known lower-middle order for now. Binura Fernando picked up a hamstring injury on the eve of the match, but has been replaced by the better experienced Shaminda Eranga.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Niroshan Dickwella, 2 Danushka Gunathilaka, 3 Dasun Shanaka, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (capt & wk), 5 Milinda Siriwardana, 6 Chamara Kapugedera 7 Thisara Perera, 8 Seekkuge Prasanna, 9 Sachithra Senanayake, 10 Dilhara Fernando, 11 Shaminga Eranga

Pitch and conditions

Pune has generally been a high-scoring domestic venue. It has hosted only two previous international matches – one of them a T20 in which 157 was comfortably chased down. The weather is expected to be good for this encounter.

Stats and trivia

• Sri Lanka have lost five of the six most recent T20s they have played.
• Yuvraj Singh needs 17 more runs to complete 1000 in T20 internationals. He would be the fourth India batsman to the milestone.
• The teams have won one match apiece in the T20s they have played in India.

ESPNcricinfo previews the opening match of Group 1 between England and West Indies

The Preview by Andrew Miller15-Mar-2016

Match facts

Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Start time 1930 local (1400 GMT)3:01

Agarkar: Wankhede pitch suits England

Big picture

Two of the three most recent winners of the World T20 go head to head in a tantalising showdown at the Wankhede, and picking a winner is rather like guessing which side of bed either team plans on getting up. The fact that no side has yet won any of the five tournaments on more than one occasion points to the unknowable nature of the format itself, but in the case of these two teams, the turmoil they have endured in the intervening years has rather precluded any sort of coherent challenge.England have been to the brink and back, their credentials stripped bare in a brace of ignominious campaigns in 2012 and 2014, over which the banishment of Kevin Pietersen loomed uncomfortably large. West Indies, by contrast, would be delighted to have had their own troubles so concentrated on a single character. Contractual disputes have been a constant companion in recent years – the squad came close to a full-blown strike on the eve of this competition – and yet, here they are, both sides on the starting line with their engines running and opportunity knocking.Of the two, West Indies look the likeliest to go the distance, simply because of their greater experience, both of Asian conditions and of previous victory in the World T20. Whereas Eoin Morgan is the last man standing from England’s 2010 campaign, no fewer than eight survivors from West Indies’ triumph over Sri Lanka four years ago are back for more.With eight squad members over the age of 30, West Indies are longer in the tooth and in many cases facing the final curtain – a legend though Chris Gayle remains, it is hard to imagine him turning out for the 2020 event at the age of 40 – which merely reinforces that sense of now or never.England, by contrast, are at the start of their own journey. They’ve had several aborted rebuilds in one-day cricket in recent years, but there’s a strategy and coherence to this particular regeneration that augurs very well for the future. Of their 15, only Liam Plunkett has so far reached the big 3-0. Nine of the squad have yet to turn 26.Morgan spent much of his pre-match press conference playing down his team’s chances and keeping his cards tucked tightly to his chest. Darren Sammy, by contrast, wasn’t afraid to big up his big men, and why would he hide their lights under a bushel given the fear factor they can bring to any contest? Gayle, he declared, is “one of the most destructive T20 batsman”, but it wasn’t anything other than a stone-cold fact. On Wednesday night, under the lights, we shall witness a battle of reputation versus potential. And there can be only one winner.West Indies will have many of the big guns that helped them win the title in 2012•Getty/ICC

Form guide

England: LLWWW (last five completed matches)
West Indies: WLLWW

Watch out for

Chris Gayle. Who else? Everything about this contest screams for a from the man who epitomises above all others the hopes, the talents and the frustrations of West Indies cricket in the 21st century. This contest will be Gayle’s first full international appearance since the 50-over World Cup 12 months ago, and his first T20 outing since he spanked South Africa for 90 in 41 balls at Johannesburg in January 2015. But the prodigal son is back for more, and back in a country where his legend precedes him. Gayle has been the heart and soul of the IPL since its inception, and assuming the local population have found a means to secure any tickets, you can be sure who they will be rooting for when the first ball is sent his way.Gayle may be an established local hero but Jos Buttler could yet be the coming man and, if that is the case, then the Wankhede will soon feel like his second home, following his signing for Mumbai Indians in the recent IPL auction. His casual ability to ally supreme power to outlandish shot selection has turned him into the flagbearer for England’s new free-spirited attitude to one-day cricket, and though he was scuppered in the end by Chris Jordan’s yorkers during England’s practice match at the Brabourne on Monday, his 25 from 16 balls while guesting for Mumbai was a hint that he has found his range. “Everyone’s worried by Jos when he gets going,” said Joe Root after that innings.

Team news

England’s XI is more or less straightforward. Ben Stokes provides the all-round flexibility to factor in four seamers and both spinners, Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali. With Chris Jordan’s death bowling and outstanding fielding securing him a berth, the only real debate is whether the extra grunt of Liam Plunkett is preferable to the left-arm attack of David Willey. Morgan refused to be drawn, but Willey’s hat-trick at the death in Monday’s warm-up may have tilted the scales in his favour.England (probable) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Jos Buttler, 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Adil Rashid, 9 David Willey, 10 Chris Jordan, 11 Reece TopleyWest Indies have all-round options pouring out of their squad, and any batsman from No. 4 to No. 9 could prove to be interchangeable depending on the match situation. The likelihood is that all eight of West Indies’ previous World T20 winners will be given the chance to start the campaign, although with only one spinner likely to make the cut, Samuel Badree could conceivably make way for Sulieman Benn, having failed to play in either of West Indies’ warm-ups.West Indies (probable) 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Marlon Samuels, 4 Dwayne Bravo, 5 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 6 Andre Russell, 7 Carlos Brathwaite, 8 Darren Sammy (capt), 9 Jason Holder, 10 Samuel Badree/Sulieman Benn, 11 Jerome Taylor.

Pitch and conditions

The wicket is one of the seamier in the subcontinent, and both teams look set to respond in kind with pace options. A day out from the contest, there was still plenty grass in situ, although the baking 37C degree heat may put paid to some of that by game time.

Stats and trivia

• England have not played West Indies in T20 cricket since a three-match series in Barbados on the eve of the last tournament in March 2014. England lost 2-1 but they did win the last of the three encounters, by five runs, thanks to Chris Jordan’s haul of 3 for 39.
• That contest, however, is now better remembered for Ben Stokes’ reaction to his first-ball duck. He was bowled by Krishmar Santokie to complete a dismal sequence of scores – 5, 4, 0, 4 and 0 – and on returning to the dressing room, Stokes punched his locker, broke his wrist, and ruled himself out of the World T20 in Bangladesh.

Quotes

“I look at our lower order and it always makes me smile.”
“We’ve played a lot more positive cricket, we haven’t been afraid to go out and play with no consequences.”

Chris Nash batted for more than seven hours in the longest innings of his career to guide Sussex to safety and illustrate the benefits of his time with South Africa’s adhesive opener Gary Kirsten

ECB Reporters Network04-May-2016
ScorecardChris Nash shepherded Sussex to safety with a marathon knock•Getty Images

Chris Nash batted for more than seven hours to score his second hundred of the season as Sussex denied Leicestershire on the final day of the Specsavers County Championship match at Hove.Nash spent part of the winter working with Gary Kirsten and the former South African opener, who once batted for more than 14 hours in a Test match, would have admired the adhesive qualities Nash showed in making a chanceless 144 to add to the 119 he made against Essex a fortnight ago.”I’m delighted. I worked hard during the winter with Gary Kirsten and it has paid off,” he said. “Gary stays in touch and he texted me at tea and I know he’s delighted with how I have started the season, but the coaching staff here have made sure I keep doing the things that we worked on. I have tried to be more relaxed and play at an even tempo. My job here was just to bat as long as I could but because I’m more relaxed I get less tired, it was disappointing to get out when I did because I still felt good.”Nash batted for seven hours 26 minutes, more than an hour longer than his previous longest innings, faced 315 balls and hit 21 fours but when he was caught behind down the leg side in the 110th over Leicestershire’s hopes of winning were rekindled with Sussex five down and only 32 runs ahead.Ben Brown was out shortly afterwards to Charlie Shreck and in a tense final hour Ollie Robinson needed lengthy treatment after ducking into a bouncer from Clint McKay that removed part of his helmet. However, Robinson and Ajmal Shahzad survived, taking Sussex to 377 for 6 when the players shook hands on a draw.Nash didn’t offer a chance all day as he settled for quiet accumulation in the sheet anchor role. A first-wicket stand of 136 with Ed Joyce gave Sussex the belief that they could save the game on a placid pitch which was offering little assistance to Leicestershire’s five seamers.Joyce himself batted for 200 minutes for his 69 before chasing a ball from Wayne White that he should have ignored and although Matt Machan (13) also fell before lunch, Nash was able to form another important stand with the experienced Ross Taylor for the third wicket.
Together they added 93 and used up 29 overs although Taylor was fortunate to be reprieved on 21 when Paul Horton dropped a straightforward chance at slip off the unlucky McKay.Nash briefly came out of his shell to reach his century with successive fours off Shreck but he scored only 30 runs between lunch and tea. There was belated reward for McKay when he slanted one into Taylor (62) before Nash and Luke Wells took Sussex to within eight runs of making Leicestershire bat again when Neil Dexter trapped Wells (23) leg before with the ninth ball after tea.The dismissals of Nash and Brown in the space of three overs briefly re-energised Leicestershire but they gave up hopes of victory with eight overs left.

Uncapped Mumbai quick Shardul Thakur has been picked in the 17-member squad for the four-Test tour of the West Indies in July-August

ESPNcricinfo staff23-May-20166:46

Agarkar: Shardul Thakur selected at the right time

Uncapped Mumbai quick Shardul Thakur has been picked in the 17-member squad for the four-Test tour of the West Indies in July-August. The squad also includes fast bowler Mohammed Shami, who has not played international cricket since March 2015 due to injuries. Virat Kohli will captain the team, while Ajinkya Rahane has been named vice-captain.Apart from batsman KL Rahul, none of the other players in the squad are part of the limited-overs tour to Zimbabwe immediately after the IPL in June. The series in West Indies is India’s first Test assignment since the home Tests against South Africa in October and November. India’s selectors made only two changes to that squad – fast bowler Varun Aaron and allrounder Gurkeerat Singh Mann were left out.Thakur had two strong showings in successive Ranji Trophy seasons. In 2014-15, he finished as the joint highest wicket-taker, alongside R Vinay Kumar, with 48 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 20.81. He followed that with 41 wickets in the 2015-16 season, the highest for Mumbai, to help the side clinch its 41st Ranji Trophy title. Overall, Thakur has 133 wickets in 37 first-class matches at an average of 27.53. He was also part of the India A squad that played four-day matches at home against South Africa A and Australia A last year.Shami has not played international cricket since the 2015 World Cup semi-final against Australia and he later revealed he had bowled through the tournament while battling pain from his knee injury. Despite that, he picked up 17 wickets in seven matches in the tournament. Following a surgery, Shami made a return to competitive cricket, playing two matches each in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Shami was picked for the ODI and T20I tour of Australia in January but was ruled out after suffering a Grade-2 hamstring injury. The injury also forced him to miss the Asia Cup T20. Shami retained his place in the World T20 squad but bowled only in the two warm-up matches, against West Indies and South Africa.India have plenty of pace-bowling options for the tour of West Indies, with Ishant Sharma, Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav and Thakur in the squad, along with allrounder Stuart Binny. Their spin bowling line-up comprises R Ashwin, legspinner Amit Mishra and Ravindra Jadeja.India’s squad for the four-Test series against West Indies•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Fran Wilson top-scored with 43 in her first international appearance in more than five years to help England Women overcome Pakistan’s spin challenge to secure a 35-run win and seal the series

Andrew Miller in Southampton05-Jul-2016England women 138 for 7 (Wilson 43*) beat Pakistan 103 (Gunn 2-7) by 35 runs

ScorecardFran Wilson’s career-best unbeaten 43 helped ride a middle order wobble•Getty Images

Fran Wilson top-scored in her first international appearance in more than five years, while Amy Jones once again restated her qualities as Sarah Taylor’s replacement behind the stumps, as England’s women were forced to battle hard for the ascendancy before sealing a comfortable 35-run victory in the second T20 against Pakistan at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.In the end, England’s depth proved the difference, as Pakistan’s middle- and lower-order faded after a spirited start to their pursuit of 139. They lost their last four wickets for 19 runs in 36 balls, with Jenny Gunn, England’s veteran allrounder, returning the ultra-parsimonious figures of 2 for 7 in four overs of wicket-to-wicket medium pace.However, after the power-hitting exploits that had marked England’s victories in the first four matches of the tour, their performance on Tuesday was a timely reminder of the fragilities that still exist in a line-up that has been significantly remodelled since their disappointing World T20 campaign in March.After winning the toss, Heather Knight chose to bat first on a flat surface with tantalisingly short boundaries – apparently the rope was brought in to the minimum 55 metre-mark at the behest of England’s coach, Mark Robinson. However, the captain herself struck the only six of the innings as Pakistan responded to the challenge by bringing their spinners to the fore – all four of them, whose tidy and threatening lines of attack exposed an England batting line-up that had hardly been called upon all summer, due in no small part to the towering success of their opening partnership.The match began, sure enough, with an extension of a formidable record for Lauren Winfield and Tammy Beaumont. The pair had come into the game with 664 runs between them in three ODIs and one T20 to date, including seven sixes and 83 fours at a strike-rate of 110.48. And, when Winfield began her day’s work with three fours from the first four balls of Aiman Anwar’s international career, it seemed the summer’s narrative was set to continue.But then Aiman hit back at the end of her second over, trapping Beaumont lbw for 5 with an inswinging yorker that replays suggested would have missed the stumps. There on, England lost a touch of fluency to their batting. Winfield was badly dropped at extra cover off the bowling of Sadia Yousuf, the left-arm spinner, but then picked out long-off from her very next delivery – Aiman, right in the thick of the action, held a well-judged chance right on the edge of the rope to reduce England to 44 for 2 in the seventh over.Natalie Sciver, England’s hard-hitting allrounder, got off the mark first ball with a cut for two through point, but fireworks proved elusive as she and Knight failed to make the most of their starts – Knight was excellently stumped by Sidra Nawaz as Nida Dar, the offspinner, slid a wide one across her bows, before Sciver fell one over later, caught at long-on as she attempted to up the ante against Yousuf’s left-arm spin.It was left to Wilson to apply some gloss to the latter stages of England’s innings – her 43 nor out from 39 balls featured three fours, including an excellent one-bounce thump for four down the ground from the penultimate ball of the innings as Pakistan’s deep-set field, which had previously challenged the batsmen to clear the rope or settle for the single, was finally pierced by the best shot of the innings.But thanks in part to England’s improved running between the wickets, a total of 138 for 7 always promised to be a touch out of Pakistan’s reach, not least after a frantic first over from Katherine Brunt. Having been run out for 3 in the final over of England’s innings, Brunt’s mood quickly worsened when Sidra Ameen’s first-ball mow was caught by Jones behind the stumps but over-ruled for a front-foot no-ball. Two balls later, however, Ameen was sent on her way for a duck – run out by a direct hit from Danielle Wyatt at point, after a tentative poke from Javeria Khan had been spilled in the gully by Knight.Jones then showcased her class as a wicketkeeper in Sciver’s opening over, as she held her shape to a very wide swipe from Bismah Maroof and clung onto a thick edge to reduce Pakistan to 8 for 2. Javeria hit back with power and placement, taking advantage of the Powerplay with five fours in a 17-ball 23, before Knight induced Jones’ third catch and second dismissal of the innings, another ambitious swipe that led to a backpedalling chance.Pakistan refused to relinquish hope as they carried on going for their strokes, particularly across the line, but aside from one powerful connection for six from Asmavia Iqbal – her 13th in T20s, more than any other Pakistan player – they struggled to keep in touch with a mounting run-rate. Sophie Ecclestone, the 17-year-old left-arm spinner, once again displayed her composure in picking off two late wickets, before Danielle Hazell secured an unassailable 2-0 series lead by having Nida caught in the deep by Brunt with two balls of the innings left unused.

FICA is threatening legal action against the Masters Champions League, a T20 tournament for retired players, over non-payment of dues following its inaugural season earlier this year

George Dobell15-Jul-2016The Federation of International Cricketers’ Association (FICA) is threatening legal action against the Masters Champions League (MCL), a T20 tournament for retired players, over non-payment of dues following its inaugural season earlier this year.The MCL was intended to be staged over the next two years as well, but with FICA now threatening litigation on behalf of up to 50 players over what they term “the systematic non-payment of players,” and questioning the integrity of the tournaments organisers, the MCL could turn out to be a one-off event.Confirming the players’ intention to sue the organisers, GM Sports whose parent company is chaired by Zafar Shah, for unpaid fees, Tony Irish, the executive chairman of FICA, also called for the formation of “an an international dispute resolution body and contract enforcement mechanism in cricket.””It’s pretty obvious the organisers of the MCL have lost credibility,” Irish told ESPNcricinfo. “The failure to honour contracts sends a strong message. It is not a straightforward process to bring legal action, but we ensured there were proper player contracts in place and we are looking to coordinate a class action on behalf of 40 or 50 players.”We have given the organisers several deadlines and these have not been met. If they want to hold an event next year, they have a lot of ground to make-up. I think players will look at what happened in the first year and draw their own conclusions.”Despite several undertakings from Mr Shah that outstanding player payments would be made, under a payment plan proposed by MCL, many players have still not received payments due to them several months after the event. Some players have received less than 25% of their fee for an event that finished in February.”It’s also extremely disappointing that the event organisers have now taken to simply ignoring attempts by FICA, players and player agents to address the situation.”The MCL was beset with issues from the start. Struggling to define what constituted “retired” to the satisfaction of some Full Members boards, some players were withdrawn from the event after playing the initial games without No Objection Certificates.The cricket boards of Pakistan, South Africa and West Indies, were especially upset as they suggested the league, taking place at the same time as their own domestic events, threated to weaken their competitions and was attracting players who had no intention of retiring.While broadcast audiences were not insignificant, the rights had – in the vast majority of territories and on the vast majority of platforms – been given away for between two and three years in order to develop interest in the tournament. For that reason, it raised little revenue in the first year and promises to raise little more if held again.Complaints from players about non-payment began as soon as they gathered in Dubai for the first matches. Having been promised payment on arrival, there were various threats made to pull out of games only for an agreement to be reached at the last minute. ESPNcricinfo understands that some players were paid little over 10% of what they were promised, with others paid 25% and many paid 50%.While ESPNcricinfo understands that at least three of the six teams involved in the inaugural event did not have a clear ownership structure – franchise papers had not been signed – there is little disputing who is responsible for the payments. The terms of the player contracts state that the organisers, GM Sports, guaranteed to underwrite all agreements.GM Sports, a subsidiary of Grand Midwest Hotels, is owned by Zafar Shah. He declined to comment when contacted by ESPNcricinfo though he has previously given assurances that all payments will be made and that he is waiting for payment from sponsors and team owners. It is understood there is also an on-going attempt to refinance the league ahead of a second season.”We want to see an opportunity for such leagues and we want to see more opportunities for players,” Irish continued. “And that’s why we helped draw-up these contracts and put in place the anti-corruption safeguards you would expect at major events. We wanted to see that everything was done properly. So we feel the set-up of the event was not a worry. The problems have occurred when it has come to payment and, under the terms of the contracts, GM are responsible.”Systematic breaches of professional player contracts in cricket, such as this, are unacceptable. The MCL was an approved cricket event, under the jurisdiction of the Emirates Cricket Board.”As part of the ongoing work on the global structure of the game, we will be proposing an international dispute resolution body, and contract enforcement mechanism in cricket. Players, boards, clubs and leagues would all benefit from such a mechanism.”Some suppliers complained the ICC also failed to conduct due diligence into the event before authorising it. While the ICC said that it was the responsibility of the Emirates Cricket Board to grant such authorisation, they appear to be at odds with their own criteria (Section 32 of the ICC operating manual) which suggests that: “The ICC will decide whether or not a match or event is approved where: the match or event is taking place in the territory of an Associate or Affiliate Member, and does not involve any team that is under the jurisdiction of a Full Member.”Clive Hitchcock, the ICC’s senior operation manager, also appeared to tacitly admit to having approved the tournament in an email sent to boards in January. In it, he stated: “Our decision not to issue a Disapproved Notice was based on the application from MCL which clearly stated that it was an event for retired players only.”