Phillip Hughes is going back to England to state his Ashes case after recovering from a dislocated shoulder

Peter English04-Aug-2010Phillip Hughes is going back to England to state his Ashes case after recovering from a dislocated shoulder. Hughes, the New South Wales opener, has started full-scale training but his time with the local side will be short after he agreed to finish the county season with Hampshire.”I am fully fit and just need time in the middle and this is the best course of action for me now,” Hughes said in Sydney. Hughes, 21, required surgery on his left shoulder after a damaging boxing session in May and the injury ruled him out of the Test tour to England to face Pakistan. He would have been the spare batsman in that squad, but the spot went to Usman Khawaja.Hughes has given up boxing training – for now. “I love it, maybe I will continue it again one day,” he said. “But just not yet.”In his seven-match Test career Hughes has experienced extreme peaks and troughs, including twin centuries in his second game and being dropped after two matches of the 2009 Ashes. He has added a couple of appearances since then as a replacement for Simon Katich and Shane Watson, and blazed to an unbeaten 86 off 75 balls in his last innings.”I want to dominate this season and dominate more than I did last season and the year before,” he said. “I want to make a statement in all three forms of the game. I don’t just want to average 40 or 50, I want to reach the 70-80 mark and if I can do that then everything else is out of my hands.”He could be part of the Ashes series if Watson is shuffled down the order, but that depends on whether the selectors remain faithful to the out-of-sorts Marcus North. Australia’s next Test engagement is in India in October and Hughes should be involved in the squad.Last year Hughes had a short stint with English county Middlesex to fine-tune ahead of the Ashes. The move was criticised by England supporters – especially when he scored 574 runs in five first-class innings – but the experience did not help him during the opening two Ashes Tests.

Dominic Cork admitted he was considering his future in the game after captaining a young Hampshire side to the Friends Provident t20 title

Cricinfo staff15-Aug-2010Dominic Cork admitted he was considering his future in the game after captaining a young Hampshire side to the Friends Provident t20 title on Saturday evening.Cork turned 39 earlier this month but played a pivotal role on finals day – knocking international stars such as Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann off the headlines. Hampshire snuck over the line in an extraordinary finish at the Rose Bowl with the injured Daniel Christian scrambling a leg bye off the last ball of the game to level the scores and win by virtue of fewer wickets lost. Hampshire ended five wickets down while Somerset lost six wickets in their innings thanks to Cork taking two for three runs in the 20th over.It scripted what could be a fitting finale to a career stacked with triumphs but Cork is unsure whether he is ready to part ways with the game after being offered a new contract by Hampshire.”I’ve been offered a deal for next year. I have been offered a contract,” he said. “Ali Brown, Robert Croft, Mark Ramprakash … they’re all over 40 and I’m 39. But as long as I’m physically okay and feel I can make a difference I want to play. I don’t want to be picked because of what I’ve done in the past, I want to be picked because I can make that difference and if I believe I can do that I’ll carry on.”If I don’t think that then it’s time to let some of the youngsters take the ball and have a good time because it’s been a great career. I’m going to think about it and I’m sure I’ll make the right decision for myself and for Hampshire as well.”

Round-up of the fourth day’s action in the Karnataka Premier League

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2010Stuart Binny’s unbeaten 47 took Bijapur Bulls home by two wickets in a last-ball finish against Mangalore United in Bangalore.Chasing a target of 143, Bijapur had slumped to 76 for 5 in the 12th over before Binny steadied the chase, even as wickets kept falling at the other end. Eight runs were still needed when Deeepak Anish was dismissed off the first ball of the last over. However, Binny kept his cool to steer his side home off the last delivery.Opener Karun Nair had earlier top-scored for Mangalore, with 63 off 52 deliveries, after losing his partner Bharat Chipli off the second ball of the match. Nair added 75 in 64 with Daniel Sequeria for the fifth wicket. Medium-pacer Nithin Muly took 4 for 15 to restrict Mangalore to 142 for 7.Ganesh Satish’s unbeaten half-century helped Malnad Gladiators beat Mysore Maharaajas by seven wickets in Bangalore.Sathish, the Malnad captain, hit four fours and a six in his 58 off 55 deliveries ato set up the chase of 134. Ryan Ninan’s 15 off 7 ball ensured there were no nerves towards the end as Malnad won with five balls to spare.Mysore, put into bat, had earlier struggled to 101 for 6 in the 19th over in the face of disciplined bowling by the Malnad spinners. However, captain Chethan William hammered four fours and a six off the five deliveries he faced to lift his team to 133 for 7.Bangalore Provident won their first game in three matches when they chased Bangalore Brigadiers’ 141 for 9 with seven wickets in hand.Wicketkeeper Thilak Naidu smashed an unbeaten 65 off 52 deliveries and dominated a 93-run opening stand. With 38 needed off 24, Aniruddha Joshi hit two sixes and a four in his 25 off 14 balls to dash Brigadiers’ hopes.Syed Ibrez and Lokesh Rahul had earlier got Brigadiers off to a strong start, putting on 85 off 74. However, their dismissals triggered a collapse as Brigadiers slumped to 108 for 5. N Vinu Prasad then hit three sixes in his 26 off only seven deliveries to enable his side to post a competitive total.

Scotland Yard says it has passed on to prosecutors an initial file of evidence on claims that the Pakistan cricketers accepted cash bribes to take part in spot-fixing

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Sep-2010Scotland Yard has said it has passed on to prosecutors an initial file of evidence on claims that Pakistan cricketers were involved in spot-fixing.It said evidence that there was a conspiracy to defraud bookmakers will be considered by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).”The Metropolitan Police Service has today delivered an initial file of evidence relating to conspiracy to defraud bookmakers to the Crown Prosecution Service,” a Scotland Yard spokesman said. “The file will now be subject to CPS consideration. This is an initial file and the Met investigation continues.”Four Pakistan players – Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz – have been questioned by the police, and the first three have been suspended by the ICC pending the investigation. Those three have returned to Pakistan following an agreement with Scotland Yard that they would return at any time for further questioning.Butt, Asif and Amir have also replied to notices issued to them by the ICC after it felt they had a case to answer.Scotland Yard’s announcement comes a day after ICC president Sharad Pawar said the police investigation was “likely to end soon”.

Lalit Modi has been sent a show cause by the passport office in Mumbai asking him to justify why his passport should not be revoked

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Oct-2010Lalit Modi, the former IPL chairman, has been sent a show cause by the passport office in Mumbai asking him to justify why his passport should not be revoked, according to the . Modi has 15 days to respond to the notice, which was sent after the Enforcement Directorate [ED], a department of the Finance Ministry that handles allegations of financial irregularity, requested the cancellation of his passport in a letter to the Ministry of External Affairs.Mehmood Abdi, Modi’s lawyer, told ESPNcricinfo that neither he nor his client has received any notices from the ED or the passport office. “Lalit Modi has been cooperating with ED in the best possible manner i.e. through his constituted attorney and lawyers. Each and every summons has been timely responded; all documents and explanations called for have been provided to ED.”Abdi added that taking away someone’s passport was a strong step that threatens Modi’s personal liberty, and therefore should not be taken lightly. He also reiterated that Modi’s absence from India is due to a “grave and elevated threat perception of his life.”The ED is examining whether Modi violated the Foreign Exchange Management Act during his time as IPL chairman. Last week the directorate issued a blue corner alert for Modi, which makes it mandatory for law-enforcement agencies around the world to detain him wherever they spot him and inform the ED accordingly. Modi has denied receiving that notice as well.The Chennai police have also registered a case against Lalit Modi and six others on allegations of criminal conspiracy, cheating and falsification of accounts, according to a report in the . The case is based on a criminal complaint filed by the BCCI on Wednesday.

The word ‘choke’ was not uttered when Michael Clarke answered questions about Australia’s scarcely believable defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka

Brydon Coverdale at the MCG03-Nov-2010The word ‘choke’ was not uttered when Michael Clarke answered questions about Australia’s scarcely believable defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka. It didn’t need to be. Whatever you like to call it, Australia are struggling to finish teams off, and the evidence has been building for a long time. It is a worrying trend for a team that in the next six months is hoping to regain the Ashes and retain the World Cup.To allow Sri Lanka back into the game after reducing them to 8 for 107 in a chase of 240 was a failure of bowling and captaincy. Clarke is not a seasoned leader, and after this loss he’ll no doubt be glad to hand control back to Ricky Ponting for Friday’s second ODI. But whoever is in charge, Australia must find a way to regain their killer instinct.The problem is occurring across all formats. A month ago, India’s last two pairs added 92 and inflicted a similarly unbelievable one-wicket defeat on Ponting’s men in the Mohali Test. The classic example was the Ashes opener last year in Cardiff, when Monty Panesar and James Anderson became national heroes for England by surviving a tense final period to secure a draw. The stakes weren’t as high at the MCG, but the feeling was much the same after Angelo Mathews and Lasith Malinga fought back with a 132-run stand.”What I’m so disappointed in is we got so close again and we couldn’t finish the game off, which is an issue we’ve had for a while now in all three forms of the game,” Clarke said. “We’ve got to look at that and ask ourselves questions, find out what we can do to improve that.”Execution cost us today with both bat and ball. Having them 8 for 107, we got hit around the park. Mathews is a very good player, but Malinga is a No. 10 – a good No. 10, but he’s still a No. 10 batsman. If we’re good enough to execute our plans and get the top order out, I don’t see any reason why we can’t do it to the tailenders. But it’s not the first time it’s happened, and it’s something we need to look at.”Mathews and Malinga batted superbly, but the Australians didn’t make life too difficult. There was a distinct lack of yorkers from the fast men, who served up plenty of half-volleys that the batsmen could dispatch with power, and after the impressive debutant Xavier Doherty had completed his overs, nobody looked like getting a wicket.Ponting has often been criticised over his choice of bowlers in crunch situations in the past couple of years, and Clarke will analyse his own decisions as much as anyone. He could not call on Steven Smith during the match-winning partnership as Smith had hurt his back while fielding, but given the success of Doherty, a couple of overs of Clarke’s own spin might have been worth a try.The loss stretched Australia’s winless streak to six internationals across all formats. Not since the Lord’s Test against Pakistan in July have they won a match, and as Mohammad Amir and co would attest, that seems like a lifetime ago. Australia look like they’ve forgotten how to win at all, and even victories in the remaining two ODIs won’t erase the doubts ahead of the Ashes. And then there’s a World Cup to play for, starting next February.”I think [these games are] important for more than the Ashes,” Clarke said. “We’ve got a one-day World Cup coming up after the Ashes and we need to be playing our best cricket now. Before this game we’ve got 10 matches leading up to a one-day World Cup. The Ashes is great, everybody’s looking forward to it, but we need to be focused on what’s in front of us because right now, we’re not playing our best cricket and we need to be.”South Africa have traditionally entered major tournaments trying to dispel the notion that they choke at big moments. Australia have three months to ensure they don’t develop a similar reputation.

Neil McGarrell has become a strong candidate to be picked for USA’s squad that will travel to Hong Kong for ICC World Cricket League Division 3 in January

Peter Della Penna28-Nov-2010Neil McGarrell, the former Guyana captain who played four Tests and 17 ODIs for West Indies, has become a strong candidate to be picked for USA’s squad that will travel to Hong Kong for the ICC World Cricket League Division 3 in January. In his first year of playing in USA Cricket Association tournaments McGarrell, a 38-year-old left-arm spinner, captained the Atlantic Region to a second-place finish at the recently concluded USACA Senior Nationals, which was won by the North West Region. He took 6 for 44 in three matches in the tournament to be the third highest wicket-taker and also topped the runs tally with 147 in three innings without getting dismissed.”I thought McGarrell was really outstanding,” USA coach Clayton Lambert said. “His all-round performance was really up to par.” At the USACA Eastern Conference tournament played in Atlanta in September, McGarrell claimed the Best Bowler award after taking 7 for 60 in three matches.”Obviously, Neil McGarrell has been a standout,” USA captain Steve Massiah said. “Over the last two tournaments in Atlanta and here, he was exceptional. I think if he is to become available to the US, that would be the link that we’re missing.”USA’s most pressing need since returning from WCL Division 4 in Italy has been a left-arm spinner. At the previous two World Cricket League tournaments USA participated in, they witnessed the success of Nepal’s array of left-arm spinners including Basanta Regmi, who was the leading wicket-taker at the tournament in Italy, and Rahul Vishvakarma, who took 7 for 15 against USA at the Division 5 final in Nepal.”One thing we have to try to do is include some more spin,” Lambert said. “We are anticipating that the wickets are going to be turners, kind of Asian-style wickets. Instead of overloading on the fast bowling side, we were looking to keep the senior fast bowlers and try to bring in more allrounders and include a few spinners in there.”It appears that the only thing holding McGarrell back from joining the team is his day job. “I wouldn’t have a problem representing the USA, but my job comes first,” McGarrell said. “If I’m getting the time off from my job, I’ll definitely represent the USA.””It would be great to have a person like Neil in the team with the wealth of experience he has. His skill level would definitely lift this team and give us a much needed boost, especially in the fielding department which at times can be complacent,” Massiah said. “Neil is someone who throughout his career has been an outstanding fielder and I guess having him in our squad would do wonders.” Even at 38, McGarrell’s fielding skills inside the circle remain sharp and he was responsible for two run-outs for his Atlantic team in Florida.Lambert, Massiah and vice-captain Sushil Nadkarni were part of a selection meeting at the conclusion of the Senior Nationals in Florida to help decide the initial 18-man list sent to the ICC before the squad is trimmed down to the 14 players that will go to Hong Kong. USA’s three appointed selectors, Sew Shivnarine, Sunny Khan and Abrar Ahmad, did not attend the Senior Nationals. According to multiple USACA officials, they were not asked to come because their observations from USACA tournaments in September were deemed sufficient to make selection decisions. However, Ahmad did not attend any of the USACA tournaments in September either.

Lydia Greenway played her third match-winning innings in a row as England took a 2-0 lead in the Twenty20 series with a five-wicket success at the MCG

The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan at the MCG14-Jan-2011
ScorecardShelley Nitschke top-scored for Australia with 27•Getty Images

Lydia Greenway played her third match-winning innings in a row as England took a 2-0 lead in the Twenty20 series with a five-wicket success at the MCG. Following her crucial efforts in the final ODI and opening T20, Greenway hit an unbeaten 30 to guide the chase of 100 in a match reduced to 16 overs per side.Given the torrential rain that lashed Melbourne for the previous 36 hours it was remarkable that any length of match was possible but the sun broke through in early afternoon and the ground dried swiftly. The fielding of both teams was poor and Australia’s last chance went in the 15th over when Rene Farrell dropped a return catch off Greenway with six needed from eight balls.England had made a swift start to their chase but from 39 for 1 in the sixth over lost 3 for 17 in the next four as Lisa Sthalekar bowled a fine spell. Danielle Wyatt (18) heaved across the line, Charlotte Edwards (16) got a leading edge that was superbly caught and Suzie Rowe found deep midwicket.Greenway, though, is rapidly becoming the women’s version of Eoin Morgan in the manner she can finish an innings. There was solid support from Jenny Gunn as the pair added 43 for the fifth wicket. The boundary count was low on a large outfield, even though the square ropes had been brought in, but the pair ran well.The final momentum shift came in the 14th over from Rachael Haynes as Greenway and Gunn collected 11 although Gunn sliced to point with the scores level.It meant a shoddy England fielding display didn’t prove costly. At one point they spilled a hat-trick of chances all offered by Leah Poulton, firstly off Gunn who then became the bowler to suffer. However, Australia struggled to find large-scoring overs regularly with England’s spinners again doing a good job.Poulton was eventually caught by a superb reflex return effort by Gunn leaving Sthalekar and Alex Blackwell to scamper 24 off the last three overs. But again Australia weren’t good enough to defend a total leaving them needing to win all three matches in Canberra to take the series.

England look set to go into the Boxing Day Test with an unchanged side, after James Anderson allayed fears about his fitness with a lively performance in the team’s first nets session since Perth

Andrew Miller in Melbourne24-Dec-2010England could go into the Boxing Day Test with an unchanged side, after James Anderson allayed fears about his fitness with a lively performance in the team’s two net sessions following the 267-run defeat at the WACA. Steven Finn also hit a good rhythm in an hour-long spell at the MCG, as the squad set about refocusing following a four-day break from practice.In the aftermath of the Perth defeat, changes appeared to be on the cards for England, with the 21-year-old Finn looking weary following a rigorous introduction to Ashes cricket. More worryingly from the team’s point of view, Anderson reported stiffness in his side following his less-than-ideal preparation for the match, which had involved 48 hours of flying time to return to England for the birth of his second daughter.However, a chance to rest and recuperate appears to have done the job for both bowlers. “He’s 100% fit,” Andrew Strauss, the England captain said, “he had a niggle but has managed to shake it off and is available for selection.”Finn, meanwhile, went head-to-head with Ajmal Shahzad, whose old-ball skills could yet come into play in the final reckoning, if England feel that the surface will be conducive to reverse swing. Prior to England’s return to action, Strauss had hinted that Finn was set to be retained in the bowling attack, having claimed 14 scalps at 33.14 to be the leading wicket-taker in the series.”It has been a demanding Test series, especially with our reliance on only four bowlers, and Stuart Broad didn’t bowl in the second innings at Adelaide,” said Strauss. “So the bowlers have had quite a lot on their shoulders, but I don’t think that’s a reason for him not to play. We must look at the conditions here and decide what type of bowling attack will most suit, and also how fresh Finny is and the rest of the bowlers before we make any decisions.””It’ll definitely be harder for their attack,” said Australia’s vice-captain, Michael Clarke. “On a big stage, a very important Test match, to lose such a big player, it would definitely put a dent in their team, but I’m very confident that Anderson will be fit to play. Tremlett did really well, grabbing his opportunity in Perth, and Finn has done well in this series as well. But Anderson is probably the leader of their attack, the most experienced, They will miss him if he’s not fit, no doubt.”The deciding factor in the make-up of England’s team will be the nature of the pitch, which is expected to be slow and low and a far cry from the high-kicking conditions that greeted bowlers on both sides at the WACA. For the sake of the Boxing Day spectacle, it has to be hoped that it is a better surface that the one which England encountered for their three-day warm-up against Victoria earlier in the month, but either way, it is likely to be a pitch that rewards patience and accuracy.Those are traits which Finn is renowned for possessing in abundance, although his adjustment to Australian conditions has not been entirely smooth on this trip. Australia have taken him at 4.5 an over in the course of the series, and at over 5 during the WACA defeat, although with Graeme Swann expected to play a much greater holding role in the forthcoming match, Finn’s ability to force breakthroughs is a knack that England are reluctant to overlook entirely – especially if, as Strauss implied, England are going all out for victory rather than looking to settle for a drawn series and a retention of the Ashes.”I think Finny has been a little frustrated that he hasn’t been as consistent as he would like,” said Strauss. “Last summer in England, his lengths were very good consistently and maybe he has not done it on this tour. But he is a bowler with a knack of taking wickets and it’s a great skill to have. Every match he plays he is learning about bowling in Australia. The vast majority of what he has done on this tour I’ve been very happy with, and I expect him to continue getting better.”The other factor that could count against Finn is the prospect of reverse swing, which has been a regular weapon at the MCG in past campaigns, although the unseasonably damp weather in Victoria this year has led to more lush conditions and hence less abrasion on the Kookaburra balls. Shahzad is England’s best exponent of reverse swing, and for that reason, he appears to have leap-frogged Tim Bresnan in the pecking order.Strauss, however, will defer all such decisions until England have had a better read of a wicket which the MCG curator, Cameron Hodgkins, said “will offer something up front, then get quite flat.””It’s always dangerous to assume a pitch is going to play a certain way,” said Strauss. “The wicket we played on against Victoria was very slow and low and there wasn’t much in it for the bang-in-type bowlers, but according to reports the wickets have actually gone OK, so it would be wrong to think the Test wicket will be like that.”They will be two tough Tests, you expect that out here,” he said of the challenge awaiting England in the coming fortnight. “Huge support for Australia, Ashes on the line, there’s going to be a lot of pressure around and personally that excites me. It’s a great test for us as a side and I think we’ll handle it well. I’m very confident that the team won’t be overcome.”England (probable) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Paul Collingwood, 6 Ian Bell, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Graeme Swann, 9 Chris Tremlett, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steven Finn.

Shaun Tait believes Australia’s World Cup pace attack is the best in the world as they aim for a fourth title in a row

Andrew McGlashan in Hobart19-Jan-2011Shaun Tait believes Australia’s World Cup pace attack is the best in the world as they aim for a fourth title in a row. There is no lack of speed in the 15-man squad with Tait joined by Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and Doug Bollinger as the selectors take an aggressive route to the subcontinent.It is a major gamble because Tait, Lee and Johnson can all prove expensive but they also have the ability to make significant inroads. In the 2007 tournament, Tait was a success as a shock bowler with 23 wickets, but was able to feed off the pressure built up by Glenn McGrath and Nathan Bracken. “We’ve all had a fair bit of experience and if you put that pace attack up against any in the world and I think it comes out No. 1,” Tait said. “The selectors should be pretty happy with what they have.”Out of the four fast bowlers Tait will be used in the shortest, sharpest, spells mainly because his of his fragile body. He missed the first one-day international against England due to a back strain but he is unconcerned and is ready to take his place at Hobart on Friday in the best shape of his life.”I’m at full fitness apart from the back complaint a few days ago,” he said. “Obviously they will manage the fast bowlers through the rest of the series and probably the World Cup as well which is the done thing these days. It’s probably the fittest I’ve been. I worked hard during the three months I was injured. At the end of the day you can be as fit as you like, but it is performances out on the field that count.”Despite the strain on his body when bowling in excess of 150kph, Tait won’t be holding back against England or during the World Cup. “The reason I get selected is because of my pace and there’s no substitute for me. I’m not going to hold back and try and put the ball in the right areas,” he said. “I’m there to bowl fast and take wickets which is what I’ll try to do.”The subcontinent used to be a graveyard for fast bowlers but that has changed in recent years, especially in India, with some lively wickets being produced. Finding swing with the old ball will be a key weapon during the tournament and Tait is looking forward to the challenge.”In those conditions reverse swing will be a factor and all four of us can bowl that,” Tait said. “You never know, though, in India because some of the wickets they produce can go through pretty quickly. Fast bowling isn’t that bad over there, that’s for sure.”Australia remain the No. 1 one-day team in the world but are not favourites for this year’s tournament after a difficult year which has seen them lose to England, India and Sri Lanka in 50-over cricket. However, this current group of players are taking it as a major motivation to continue Australia’s World Cup domination without some of the great names of the past.”We had a team full of legends to be fair and it’s a little different this time,” Tait said. “When you lose so many great players over a couple of years it’s a big hole to fill. Australian cricket is slowly trying to do that, but there’s still plenty of experience there.”Form suggests that Australia will struggle to make it four in a row, but the squad they have selected means they aren’t going to let their title go quietly.