Shame that India sat out ICC awards

LONDON: Battered by humiliating defeats on the England tour, the Indian team created a fresh controversy by skipping the ICC Annual Awards function, inviting sharp criticism from the the governing body which said such a shameful conduct was not expected from a champion team.
Indian team claimed the invite for the function came late but the ICC insisted the BCCI and the visitors had been informed well in advance.
“It was quite disappointing that the Indian team did not attend the Awards function last night. I know for a fact that my team had invited them some months back. We probably have confirmation of their likely attendance and in fact the very date was scheduled around their availability in London. Well, they haven’t and England team has attended,” ICC chief executive
Haroon Lorgat said.
“I know for a fact that they were invited. We sent those invitations through the BCCI. Perhaps that’s the question which should be asked to the BCCI,” Lorgat added.
He said the huge gathering at the ceremony was disappointed to not find Indian players. “In fact, I feel more saddened by the number of people, in fact everybody was in attendance last night, who were quite disappointed that India was not there, that makes me feel more sad,” Lorgat added.
Lorgat said such conduct and behaviour from a team like Indian was not expected.
“It’s a great shame and disappointing that not long ago they were the number one Test team in the World. They won the World Cup in such a great style. And there were many fans and people looking forward to their attendance. It’s a shame that they did not attend,” he said.
The Indians were interestingly staying at a hotel close to the venue of the function held on Monday.
Indian team manager Shivlal Yadav expressed his helplessness, stating he was informed only at 12 noon by an ICC communication officer by which time “the players were already away, some shopping, some sight-seeing as this was their final day of stay in London.”
The ICC sources said they have evidence by mail which confirms that the BCCI was aware of the function and had also agreed that the Indian team would attend it. “If it wasn’t so, the Indian team ought to have left for Cardiff (the venue of the final one-dayer) today itself and not stayed back in London on Monday,” said an ICC spokesman.—Agencies

 

Bangladesh / News

Bangladesh news

Pakistan could tour Bangladesh in December

	Bangladesh and Pakistan have played only two games against each other in the past three years

Pakistan could tour Bangladesh in December this year as the boards of the two countries discuss the possibility of scheduling a full series when both teams are available. "The two boards have worked closely together to schedule a visit by Pakistan in December which is when both teams will be free from other commitments," Rabeed Imam, the Bangladesh Cricket Board media manager, told the Express Tribune.

"Bangladesh is set to host West Indies from October to November this year but have an extensive window to host Pakistan after that until March next year when we are supposed to host the Asia Cup.

"With December being the only month when Pakistan could play us, a series may be finalised for that time but the schedule is yet to be finalised. The tour may comprise two Tests, three ODIs and a Twenty20 but that's all to be confirmed."

Bangladesh last toured Pakistan in 2008 but since then the two sides have played against each other only twice across all three formats, once each in the World Twenty20 2010 and in the Asia Cup 2010.

Pakistan were scheduled to visit Bangladesh last year but the series was postponed amid reports of differences between the two boards. "The proposed tour by Pakistan at the end of the year is part of the Future Tours Programme one originally scheduled for last August and later moved to 2011-12," Imam said.

"The BCB and the PCB have always been in a cordial and healthy relationship. You may recall that Bangladesh toured Pakistan in 2008 when other teams weren't touring and we returned for the Asia Cup later that year as well."

 

India spark controversy by skipping ICC Awards

In 2010, the Indian players turned up for the ICC Awards ceremony, but in casual clothes © Getty Images

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The Indian team's non-appearance at the ICC Awards ceremony in London on Monday night has sparked off a controversy of sorts with the ICC expressing its "disappointment" and the team management saying it was informed too late to change existing plans.

Not a single Indian player or official attended the event and there was no one to collect the Spirit of Cricket Award, which MS Dhoni won for his decision to send back Ian Bell during the second Test of the summer at Trent Bridge.

"We are disappointed," Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, told ESPNcricinfo. "They have had a great year [before the England series] and it was an occasion to celebrate. It was a missed opportunity."

According to Lorgat, India also missed out on attracting more sympathisers after a disastrous England tour where they have lost both the Test and ODI series. "It was a good opportunity to show their sporting character despite them losing on this tour."

Indian team manager Shivlal Yadav explained that he received a call from the ICC on Monday afternoon. "I had already told the boys that it was an off day. So now how could I have asked them to suddenly change their plans? Hence I told them (ICC) that they should not keep the table free for us," Yadav said.

The BCCI's chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty said the board did not want to comment on the issue. "Lorgat can say whatever he wants to. We don't want to comment on it," he told the Times of India.

Interestingly, in 2009 Dhoni failed to collect his ODI Cricketer of the Year Award even though he was in Johannesburg, the venue of the ceremony. Last year's event was in Bangalore, with the Indian team in attendance albeit in denims and T-shirts. Raising more eyebrows, though, was the absence of the BCCI's top brass, including N Srinivasan, then its secretary and currently its president-elect.

The decision to hold this year's awards in London was taken the ICC's executive board on February 16; it is understood that the ICC then sent an email to the BCCI outlining the various details of the awards ceremony, to be held on September 12. On August 24, two days before the nominees' list was formally made public in Canterbury by Clive Lloyd, head of the selection panel for the awards, the ICC sent another e-mail to the Indian board informing that three Indians - MS Dhoni (Spirit of Cricket), Sachin Tendulkar (Cricketer of the Year) and Gautam Gambhir (ODI Cricketer of the Year) - had been nominated in three different categories.

On September 7, the ICC sent a fresh e-mail to Srinivasan's office reminding him about the awards and thereby extending another invitation for the Indians to attend them. It is believed that the Indian team, which was originally scheduled to leave for Cardiff, where it plays its final one-day match on September 16, had in fact postponed its trip by a day, leading to speculation that the players would attend the ceremony.

"We hold the awards' night at a time convenient for the cricketers," Lorgat said. "When we sat earlier in the year to decide on the dates for this year's awards, the choice was between London and Colombo. But we felt that England-India would be a marquee series and therefore [it would be] apt to host it in London."

Unofficial estimates put the ICC's expenditure on the ceremony at close to US$ 1 million.

Sri Lanka v Australia, 3rd Test, Colombo

Harris in serious doubt for third Test

Ryan Harris could miss the Colombo Test © Associated Press

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Ryan Harris, the Australia fast bowler, is in considerable doubt for the third Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo after scans revealed a minor hamstring strain sustained on the final day of the second Test in Pallekele.

Having taken six wickets for the match, Harris, 31, complained of hamstring stiffness and left the field towards the end of play on day five, with subsequent examinations confirming some damage had been sustained.

Should Harris be ruled out of the match, his place would likely be taken by one of the Victorian duo of Peter Siddle and James Pattinson. Siddle is the more experienced paceman but Pattinson has also impressed many on the tour with his speed and swing.

Harris' absence would be a serious blow to Australia's chances of securing a series victory in Sri Lanka, as he has taken 11 wickets for the series at the startling average of 14.54 and a strike rate of 36, consistently troubling the hosts with the new ball and also posing plenty of problems by reverse swinging the old.

He has a troubled injury history, having missed the first third of 2011 with an ankle fracture sustained in the Melbourne Ashes Test. Harris must also manage degenerative right knee trouble, an ailment that has caused him to question his longevity in the game more than once.

 

Zimbabwe v Pakistan / News

Zimbabwe v Pakistan, 3rd ODI, Harare

Zimbabwe seek consolation win

Pakistan may not have been beaten, but Mohammad Hafeez says they have been tested © AFP

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Match facts

September 14, Harare Sports Club
Start time 0930 (0730 GMT)

Big Picture

Zimbabwe will want to stop their series against Pakistan from spiralling into a failure and the final ODI is their last chance to do so before the Twenty20s start. So far, they have dramatically swung from a team that can compete fiercely, to one that can be comprehensively outplayed by the same opposition.

Their problems are as much in the mind as they are to do with skill and, if Zimbabwe hope to punch above their weight, they will have to start by showing more self-confidence. It's a problem that has plagued them in the past and although they gained belief from the Bangladesh series, that good work is now on the verge of being undone.

On a good batting surface, they will have to apply themselves with less inhibition than they have done so far. Importantly, Zimbabwe will have to show more energy and purpose in the field to back up the performances of their bowlers. Harare does not offer much for either the seamers or the spinners but if they can maintain accuracy and discipline, they should be rewarded.

For Pakistan, two of the three things they set out to achieve on this tour have been completed. They have created a chance to introduce a few more youngsters into the team and test different combinations, which was one of the major aims of their journey. Although they were pushed hard in the first match, they regrouped strongly to put on a sterling all-round performance in the second.

Mohammad Hafeez has underlined his role as a premier allrounder but some of the other members of the squad will also want to use the opportunity to make an impression - particularly the youngsters and players making their comebacks. Sohail Tanvir has made a convincing comeback while Imran Farhat also put his hand up. It will be up to the other fringe members of the squad to capitalise on the chances they may get, especially against opponents struggling to stay above water.

Form guide (most recent first)

Zimbabwe LLLLW
Pakistan WWWWL

In the spotlight

The decision to move Brendan Taylor down the order has worked well but his replacement at the top, Chamu Chibhabha, has yet to put on a convincing performance. Chibhabha has not played for the national team since December last year and missed out on the World Cup squad. He has over 2500 runs in domestic cricket and has shown signs of real improvement recently. Like many of his fellow players, Chibhabha has shown immense commitment and spent large amounts of time during the Test match hitting balls in the nets with Grant Flower. Now, he has to apply his technique on the field.

He is a livewire behind the stumps, but Adnan Akmal has not had the same feistiness with the bat. Kepler Wessels criticised his temperament in one-day cricket and his inability to accelerate the run-rate. Although he has only batted once in the series so far, Adnan will want to cement his place by putting on a convincing performance with the bat, as well as with the gloves. His List A statistics indicate that he is capable of scoring quickly, with a strike-rate of 82.70, but he will want to outdo his average at that level, which is just 21.31.

Team news

Zimbabwe's idea of playing two frontline seamers and two spinners backfired on them on Sunday and they may choose to return to a three-pronged pace attack with Kyle Jarvis returning in place of Prosper Utseya. The No. 6 position is still a contentious one and Malcolm Waller had not been able to make it his own in two attempts. Craig Ervine, Forster Mutizwa and Regis Chakabva are all part of the squad and one of the three could be given the opportunity to make a case for themselves there.

Zimbabwe: (probable) 1 Vusi Sibanda, 2 Chamu Chibhabha, 3 Hamilton Masakadza, 4 Brendan Taylor (capt), 5 Tatenda Taibu (wk), 6 Craig Ervine / Forster Mutizwa / Regis Chakabva, 7 Elton Chigumbura, 8 Ray Price, 9 Brian Vitori, 10 Kyle Jarvis, 11 Chris Mpofu

Pakistan have given themselves an ideal opportunity to experiment, but will have to juggle cleverly to include their fringe players. Rameez Raja and Yasir Shah could be brought into the side although it will be harsh to drop Imran Farhat after his impressive showing in the second match. One of Junaid Khan, who injured his ankle during that match but returned to complete his spell, or Aizaz Cheema may have to make way for Sohail Khan, and Asad Shafiq could to slot in at No. 3 although Pakistan are unlikely to leave Younis Khan out.

Pakistan: (probable) 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Imran Farhat / Rameez Raja, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Adnan Akmal (wk), 8 Sohail Tanvir, 9 Saeed Ajmal, 10 Junaid Khan / Sohail Khan, 11 Aizaz Cheema

Pitch and conditions

Despite Zimbabwe's tentative approach to batting in the first innings on Sunday, the Harare pitch remains batsmen-friendly. Any advantage for the seamers will dissipate after the first hour of play and chances are the team that wins the toss will bowl first to exploit that. Another perfect summer's day in Africa is expected to close off the ODI series.

Stats and trivia

• Mohammad Hafeez is enjoying his most successful year in ODI cricket. He has played 23 matches, and scored 865 runs at an average of 43.25. All three of his centuries were scored in 2011.
• Elton Chigumbura suffered his worst averages with the bat, 21.06, and the ball, 158.50, when he was captain last season. Since being relieved of the responsibility, he has scored 107 runs at an average of 21.40 and taken five wickets.

Quotes

"I do firmly believe that we have progressed and one of the reasons for that is a more consistent selection policy. We stick by our players and give them a chance to succeed."

Zimbabwe coach Alan Butcher will not make too many changes despite the team's poor run of form against Pakistan

"It looked easy but we really worked hard for it. We did all the basics right."

Mohammad Hafeez, Man of the Match in the second ODI, says that Pakistan have been tested though they haven't been beaten