Sunday, June 19, 2011
ICC cannot let the BCCI dictate any longer: Modi
Former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi says it is "nonsense" to let BCCI dictate terms on the usage of Decision Review System and the ICC should ignore the Indian Board's rejection to make DRS mandatory in every international series....it is now high-time the ICC took a stand to invoke consistency across world cricket. It is nonsense to allow an individual body to dictate an inconsistent policy to the rest of the world," Modi wrote on his website.
"DRS was considered reliable enough for the World Cup and the technology should now be fully embraced. Otherwise, the public will lose faith in a product that television companies across the world will independently show is continually flawed. Cricket must use it or risk its credibility. The ICC cannot let the BCCI dictate any longer," he said.
BCCI maintains that DRS is not 100 per cent accurate without the hot-spot and snickometer technologies and refused to allow its usage in next month's series against England
"It is disappointing to see the BCCI continuing to turn its back on the wider use of the technology during India's tour of England this summer," he said.
"DRS was in use and apparently working effectively during last winter's Ashes series and the recent World Cup. But it won't be used in England because the BCCI continues to oppose technology the ICC clearly believes is reliable, accurate and significantly improves decision-making," he added.
The BCCI, which has opposed DRS since its very inception, has been facing flak from several countries for refusing to use the technology in Test matches. Recently English players such as James Anderson, Graeme Swann and Chris Tremlett criticized the Indian cricket board for rejecting it for next month's Test series.
In fact, Swann went on to suggest that India was intimidated by the prospect of losing out on close calls due to DRS.
Indian cricketers in batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni are opposed to it in its current form, while Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag have, in the past, supported it.
Tendulkar recently stated that he was not against the system as such but would want it to be more consistent by incorporating Hot Spot and snickometer for close LBW and caught-behind decisions.
Dhoni has repeatedly said he was not comfortable with a product that does not come with a life warranty.
However, neither Hot Spot nor the Snickometer, is part of the ICC's list of minimum technology requirements for the DRS.
Seeking to put a lid on the controversy, the BCCI issued a statement on Saturday that it does not consider DRS reliable in its present form.
"The BCCI would like to reiterate that it does not accept the reliability of the ball-tracking technology, which is an integral part of the DRS. The BCCI's position has been consistent," the Indian Board said.
PCB-Afridi rift opens new point of debate
The dispute between Shahid Afridi and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) may have been settled out of court after the intervention of influential quarters but it has triggered a new debate.
Questions are being asked whether it's fine for the authorities to abuse their powers to curb the so-called player-power? According to a report Sunday, a PCB official confided in The News that revoking Afridi's NOCs was a calculated move aimed at assuring the player's presence at a disciplinary hearing in Lahore.
"He (Afridi) would never have appeared before our disciplinary committee," the official was quoted as saying. "We revoked his NOCs to make it sure that he returns from England to face disciplinary action. He did just that," he said.
But Mehmood Mandviwalla, who represented Afridi in his brief court case against the PCB, doesn't agree with the board. "I am sorry to say but our national cricketers are in shackles. They are chained by a central contract that gives the Board unequal bargaining power," he said.
Mandviwalla is of the view that if the players properly comprehend the terms and conditions of the PCB central contract, most of them would rebel against it.
"The players have rights. They should understand their rights. They should agitate against the central contract."
The seasoned lawyer also believes that it's the PCB's duty to properly explain the contract's terms and conditions to the players.
According to Mandviwalla, the contract allows the PCB to even block a player's right to earn his living.
"And the Board exploited that power in Afridi's case. He was stopped from playing professional cricket, which is one of his basic rights," he says.
However, Tafazzul Rizvi, the Board's legal advisor, has rejected Manviwalla's claims.
"We are not a bank so there is no issue of who has more bargaining power," he told The News.
"What we have is a proper employment contract which is in written form. The players are not forced to sign it. It is offered to the country's best cricketers and they are given a week to sign it.
"They are free to take advice from all quarters. They are even provided an Urdu translation in case they do not understand English," he said.
Tafazzul claimed that the PCB central contract, which has evolved over a period of around eight years is quite "airtight".
He was of the view that without the contract, it would become impossible for the Board to discipline the players. "Without this contract, the players will run amok," he said.
Lanka to discuss BCCI's 'no' to SLPL
Taken aback by the BCCI's refusal to permit Indian players to play in the Sri Lanka Premier League, the island nation's Board will meet on Monday to discuss the matter.
"The interim committee will be meeting on Monday to discuss the issue. It is too early to say anything as we have to study the situation," Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Nishantha Ranatunga informed.
The BCCI refused the No Objection Certificates to 12 Indian players - Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, Irfan Pathan, Dinesh Karthik, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Manoj Tiwary, Saurabh Tiwary, Umesh Yadav, Vinay Kumar, Manish Pandey and Paul Valthaty - saying that the League would be organised not by the SLC, but by a private party based in Singapore on its behalf.
"We took the decision at an informal meeting of 18-20 members held on Saturday that no Indian cricketer will be given permission to take part in the League as it is being organised by a private party based in Singapore. The Board's policy is not to allow players to take part in private party-organised tournaments," BCCI president Shashank Manohar stated.
Manohar said unless the Board gives them a No Objection Certificate, Indian players cannot participate in the Lankan Twenty20 league.
"We have to give them permission and we have decided not to give it. We have already informed the Sri Lanka Cricket about it," he elaborated.
The SLPL is scheduled between July 19 and August 4 in Colombo.
The BCCI was concerned that the contracts for SLPL had not come from the SLC but by a private firm called the Somerset Entertainment.
"They (Somerset Entertainment) are the marketing arm of Sri Lanka Cricket," Ranatunga said when asked to comment on the Indian decision.
The BCCI refused the No Objection Certificates to 12 Indian players - Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, Irfan Pathan, Dinesh Karthik, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Manoj Tiwary, Saurabh Tiwary, Umesh Yadav, Vinay Kumar, Manish Pandey and Paul Valthaty - saying that the League would be organised not by the SLC, but by a private party based in Singapore on its behalf.
"We took the decision at an informal meeting of 18-20 members held on Saturday that no Indian cricketer will be given permission to take part in the League as it is being organised by a private party based in Singapore. The Board's policy is not to allow players to take part in private party-organised tournaments," BCCI president Shashank Manohar stated.
Manohar said unless the Board gives them a No Objection Certificate, Indian players cannot participate in the Lankan Twenty20 league.
"We have to give them permission and we have decided not to give it. We have already informed the Sri Lanka Cricket about it," he elaborated.
The SLPL is scheduled between July 19 and August 4 in Colombo.
The BCCI was concerned that the contracts for SLPL had not come from the SLC but by a private firm called the Somerset Entertainment.
"They (Somerset Entertainment) are the marketing arm of Sri Lanka Cricket," Ranatunga said when asked to comment on the Indian decision.
'Not picking Gayle is Windies' loss' says Wasim
Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram believes that Chris Gayle won’t lose anything by not playing for the national side.
By Our Correspondent
It will be Advantage India in the Test series, says Wasim Akram, adding Chris Gayle's absence will only give the tourists a shot in the arm and a big mental boost.
Destructive opening batsman Gayle has been ignored so far for his outburst against the West Indies Cricket Board in a radio-show in April. The Board wants Gayle to apologize in order to win his place back. A couple of meetings between the two parties have failed to resolve the dispute.
Gayle is apparently mulling retiring from international cricket. This stalemate has former Pakistan skipper Akram worried for the future of Caribbean cricket.
“Only performances should not matter but discipline is also very important. But with all the lucrative T20 tournaments around the world like IPL, Gayle doesn’t stand to lose much if he never plays for the Windies again. We all saw what a dynamic player he is while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore during IPL 4. He can change the course of a game in a few overs. Thus I feel, West Indies cricket stands to lose by not picking Gayle, instead of it being vice-versa,” opined Akram during an exclusive conversation with Mobile ESPN from London on Saturday night.
After a disappointing ICC World Cup campaign, superstar Gayle had a phenomenal IPL by amassing 608 runs from 12 innings with a strike rate of well above 170! The 'Orange Cap' winner clinched as many as six Man-of-the-Match awards. He is also the only player in the history of this cash-rich league to record two hundreds in one edition itself. Apart from the IPL, Gayle also plies his trade in the T20 Big Bash in Australia.
While West Indies cricket remains in turmoil, Akram is happy the controversy around Shahid Afridi’s shock retirement due to his differences with coach Waqar Younis has ended. Afridi was fined 4.5 million rupees by the PCB after pleading guilty for airing his views in public. However, the Pakistan Board has allowed Afridi to play for Hampshire in the domestic T20 championships in England.
Akram is relieved that all the drama is now over. “I am glad all the differences were sorted out between the Board and Afridi. It is time to move on from this.”
The temperamental Afridi was the joint-highest wicket-taker in the World Cup along with Zaheer Khan with 21 scalps. Akram feels Pakistan still need Afridi since he has been their best bowler in recent times.
“I hope that he plays for Pakistan again. Afridi is still our best bowler. I also believe he is a good enough cricketer to be there in any side in the world in the limited-overs format,” concluded Akram.
It will be Advantage India in the Test series, says Wasim Akram, adding Chris Gayle's absence will only give the tourists a shot in the arm and a big mental boost.
Destructive opening batsman Gayle has been ignored so far for his outburst against the West Indies Cricket Board in a radio-show in April. The Board wants Gayle to apologize in order to win his place back. A couple of meetings between the two parties have failed to resolve the dispute.
Gayle is apparently mulling retiring from international cricket. This stalemate has former Pakistan skipper Akram worried for the future of Caribbean cricket.
“Only performances should not matter but discipline is also very important. But with all the lucrative T20 tournaments around the world like IPL, Gayle doesn’t stand to lose much if he never plays for the Windies again. We all saw what a dynamic player he is while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore during IPL 4. He can change the course of a game in a few overs. Thus I feel, West Indies cricket stands to lose by not picking Gayle, instead of it being vice-versa,” opined Akram during an exclusive conversation with Mobile ESPN from London on Saturday night.
After a disappointing ICC World Cup campaign, superstar Gayle had a phenomenal IPL by amassing 608 runs from 12 innings with a strike rate of well above 170! The 'Orange Cap' winner clinched as many as six Man-of-the-Match awards. He is also the only player in the history of this cash-rich league to record two hundreds in one edition itself. Apart from the IPL, Gayle also plies his trade in the T20 Big Bash in Australia.
While West Indies cricket remains in turmoil, Akram is happy the controversy around Shahid Afridi’s shock retirement due to his differences with coach Waqar Younis has ended. Afridi was fined 4.5 million rupees by the PCB after pleading guilty for airing his views in public. However, the Pakistan Board has allowed Afridi to play for Hampshire in the domestic T20 championships in England.
Akram is relieved that all the drama is now over. “I am glad all the differences were sorted out between the Board and Afridi. It is time to move on from this.”
The temperamental Afridi was the joint-highest wicket-taker in the World Cup along with Zaheer Khan with 21 scalps. Akram feels Pakistan still need Afridi since he has been their best bowler in recent times.
“I hope that he plays for Pakistan again. Afridi is still our best bowler. I also believe he is a good enough cricketer to be there in any side in the world in the limited-overs format,” concluded Akram.
Misbah not thinking about next World Cup
“Frankly speaking, I have never thought whether my career will continue till the next World Cup [2015] as it’s too far to dwell upon,” Misbah, who reached the age of 37 years on May 28, 2011, told Dawn on Saturday.
“No one can predict even about tomorrow, while the next World Cup is four years away. Therefore, it is better for me to concentrate on fitness and form in order to deliver my best performance for the team,” he said.
According to a report, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is pondering over installing a vice-captain while believing that it would be quite demanding for Misbah to continue playing international cricket till the 2015 World Cup.
However, Misbah is oblivious of any such move by the game’s authorities.
“I am not aware of any such plan within the PCB. It is the prerogative of the board to appoint any suitable captain for the team and I am ready to quit [captaincy] whenever the PCB deems it appropriate,” he said.
Misbah, who has played 25 Tests for Pakistan, insisted the main challenge ahead of him was to lift the current team to the peak amid all the challenges confronted by the team management and the PCB.
As a cricketer, Misbah underlined, he would always prefer to focus on his individual performance, and not captaincy. “It is the [individual] performance that can help you keep your place in the team or can enable you to retain captaincy. Therefore, everyone should concentrate on producing prolific [individual] show,” he emphasised.
While acknowledging that he has to bear pressure to lead from the front, Misbah asserted he always tried to perform his duty with honesty.
The skipper said the recent tour to the West Indies gave the youngsters a great opportunity to learn and improve their skills.
The captain revealed he would participate in the Super Eight Twenty20 tournament starting from June 24. “The T20 tournament will provide the best opportunity to all the players to remain in on-field action as the national team has a long off from international cricket,” Misbah, who has featured in 32 Twenty20 Internationals so far, said.
Umar blames mistakes for his ouster
In an exclusive interview with TheNation on Saturday, Umar said that, "I have no problem to accept that Pakistan Cricket Board has given me many opportunities but I failed to utilise them." He discussed his entry in the first class cricket in 2006 from PCB school hunt cricket where he represented City School despite being the student of Foundation School. The school did not have its own team so he decided to appear from City School platform.
After playing a season in school cricket, Umar was selected for national Under-19 team in 2007. He toured Australia in April and then England in July. Then Australia toured Pakistan. He also played a series against Bangladesh. In January 2008, Umar was selected to tour Sri Lanka for a tri-series involving England and home nation.
Soon after that series Umar went to Malaysia with Pakistan Under-19 team to play Under-19 World Cup. Umar also hold the record of being the third highest scorer after Ahmad Shahzad and Hassan Raza in Under-19 World Cup, but both Shahzad and Hassan Raza played more matches than Umar. After consistent performances he was selected for Sri Lanka home series in January 2009, but he was not selected in the playing XI. Umar finally gets his chance in the senior side in June 2009 in Asia Cup match against Sri Lanka.
After so many eye-catching performances, Umar was selected for Pakistan's home Test series against Australia at the neutral venue in UK, as the Australians were unwilling to come to Pakistan sighting so-called security concerns. Umar played two Tests against Australia and then the same number of Tests against hosts England. He accepted whole-heartedly, he doesn't perform well in those matches and accepted selectors were right in dropping him, this is unique as a player had never accepted his fault in past and always blamed selectors for their exclusion. He is determined to win back his place in the national side and training hard in the nets and playing maximum side matches to get back in to rhythm and overcome his shortcomings.
MOHAMMAD HAFEEZ WANTS TO BE AMONG THE BEST BATSMEN OF THE WORLD BY THE END OF THIS YEAR
Pakistan’s all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has said that he wants to be among the best batsmen of the world by the end of this year.
The opening batsman has faced a lot of ups and downs in his eight-year-old career. He was dropped from Pakistan team after a disastrous ICC World Cup 2007 in the Caribbean but was given chances in T20 cricket off and on.
However, Hafeez made a comeback in the Pakistan team during last year’s One Day International series against England and since then he has been a permanent member of the Green Shirts in all the formats of the game.
While talking about his time out of the team, Hafeez said, “After my ouster from 2007 World Cup team and till 2010 England tour. I kept my motivation alive and worked really hard on my game technically and physically and forced my way into the team. My target is to finish among the top 10 batsman of the world by the end of the year.”
The opening batsman is often criticised for his lack of consistency with the bat as he is averaging around 20 in both Test cricket and the 50-overs format of the game. However, the stylish batsman has a wide range of strokes under his belt and has the potential to deliver the goods against the best of the bowling attacks.
The all-rounder has been doing reasonably well for Pakistan in all the departments of the game since last one year. His bowling has come of age in limited overs cricket and Hafeez gave the credit to former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi for giving him confidence with the ball.
“Afridi used me in a pressure situation and I lived to expectations of the team. Like the life, cricket is very hard and demanding game and now my objective is to keep up momentum and consistency extending in all areas of the game,” Hafeez added.
The 30-year-old all-rounder has not lived up to his potential in International cricket as yet, but he has started to show some signs of improvement, which augurs well for Pakistan cricket.
Afridi hopes for fresh start with Hampshire
Former captain Shahid Afridi said Saturday he hoped to make a fresh start playing for Hampshire following his clashes with the Pakistan Cricket Board which fined him $53,000 for disciplinary breaches.
The 31-year-old locked horns with the PCB by announcing his retirement from international cricket after being dumped as one-day captain, and criticising the current management.
The PCB said Afridi violated the players' code of conduct, suspended his central contract and revoked permission for him to play abroad, preventing him from joining Hampshire in the ongoing Twenty20 league in England.
Afridi challenged the decision last week but the matter was settled out of the court following a meeting with PCB chairman Ijaz Butt in Islamabad, which followed Afridi's appearance before the disciplinary committee on Thursday.
The committee restored Afridi's no-objection certificate (NOC) to clear the way for him to play abroad but levied a heavy fine.
Afridi said he would fly to England on Tuesday with a fresh mind.
"The last 15 days were very difficult for me, but I have got the NOC to play in England and hope to put everything behind me, "Afridi told reporters in Karachi.
The hugely popular all-rounder said he hoped to perform well for Hampshire in their title defence.
"I have no training for two weeks but hopefully I will start training and then do well for the county," said Afridi, who will also feature in the inaugural Sri Lankan Premier League in July-August.
Afridi said he had decided not to appeal against the fine.
"PCB took a decision which was acceptable to me, so it's past for me now," he said.
When asked about a return to international cricket, Afridi said he would not reverse his decision.
"Whatever I said, I will not take any U-turn on that," said Afridi, who on announcing his retirement last month said he would not play international cricket under the current PCB set-up headed by Butt.
"I will play domestic cricket if I am available," he added.
I will not take a u-turn: Afridi
Pakistan former skipper Shahid Afridi said that he would never go back on his word and he would not reverse his retirement decision even after the legal battle against the board has ended in an out-of-court settlement.
“What I had said earlier stays and I would not backtrack on my words and my decision. Retiring from international cricket does not mean that I would not play cricket. County cricket is also a cricket for me,” Afridi told reporters here at Karachi Gymkhana on Saturday.
He was attending a welfare organization - ‘Make a Wish’ program on Saturday.
Afridi had retired from international cricket and had also vowed not to play cricket under the present Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) set up.
After reaching an agreement with the board, where Afridi was reissued his NOC to play cricket for Hampshire county, while Afridi agreed and later appeared before PCB’s disciplinary committee and prematurely ended his legal battle against the board, it was speculated that Afridi might take a U-Turn as did his other colleagues did in the past.
The most recent case is of prolific middle order batsman Mohammad Yousuf, who retired from international cricket last year but ironically he came out of it in the same year.
However, the flamboyant all-rounder categorically rubbished such speculations. “I will stand firm on my words,” said Afridi.
The agreement between the skipper and the board brought an end to a controversy that began during Pakistan’s tour of the West Indies.
During the one-day series in the Caribbean, Afridi had a falling out with the coach Waqar Younis and he made his feelings public on his return to Pakistan.
The PCB responded by stripping Afridi of the ODI captaincy after which the all-rounder pulled out of the trip to Ireland and retired.
Meanwhile, Afridi said that he has accepted the decision of the board and he would not be to appealing against the fine imposed on him.
“PCB disciplinary committee did what it thought right and I would not appeal against the fine they imposed on me,” he said.
Afridi was fined Rs 4.5 million by the board for breaching its code of conduct.
Afridi also said that if he had time in his schedule to play in domestic cricket than he would certainly feature in the local event.
Afridi would be leaving for England on June 22 to feature in Hampshire county.
Pakistan working upon forming "T20 specialist" team for 2012 World Cup
"I want 70-80% of the Twenty20 squad for next year's World Cup to be made up of twenty over specialists," PakPassion.net quoted Mohsin, as saying.
"I've always been keen on having a "separate team" for the Twenty over format and that is something that we have been working upon and will continue to do so as the build up towards the World Cup carries on," he added.
The chief selector revealed that he would not just be casting a watchful eye over players in the upcoming domestic tournament to find some "hidden gems", but would also be monitoring the performances of Pakistani players in County cricket.
"The boys that are playing in the Friends Life Twenty20 competition in England are very lucky. They are playing in a competition with a high standard of cricket and my fellow selectors and I will be keeping a very close eye on their performances. It's good for Pakistan cricket that we have a number of our players playing County cricket this year," he said.
Apart from the generally accepted criteria of good match performances, Mohsin, unlike many of his predecessors, singled out fielding standards as a major factor in selection of future squads especially in the twenty-over format.
"The emphasis on fielding has never been greater. The players all know the importance of fielding standards and fitness levels. Those boys that are good in the field definitely have an advantage when it comes to selection," he maintained.
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