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Dasun Shanaka and Thisara Perera ransacked Bangladesh’s bowlers, after a fifty from opener Kusal Mendis, to help Sri Lanka chase down 194 – their highest in T20Is

The Report by Mohammad Isam15-Feb-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAssociated Press

Dasun Shanaka and Thisara Perera ransacked Bangladesh’s bowlers, after a fifty from opener Kusal Mendis, to help Sri Lanka chase down 194 – their highest in T20Is. This after fluent fifties from the returning Soumya Sarkar and Mushfiqur Rahim, who was passed fit after a niggle, led the hosts to their highest total in T20Is.Kusal Mendis, who had replaced the injured Kusal Perera, struck his maiden T20I fifty to give the chase direction. Sri Lanka then suffered a wobble when they lost Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis and Upul Tharanga in quick succession, but Shanaka and Thisara added an unbroken 65-run stand for the fifth wicket to take their team home.Mendis and Gunathilaka kickstarted the chase with four boundaries off seamer Mohammad Saifuddin in the second over, which cost 19 runs. While Mendis was particularly strong through midwicket, Gunathilaka regularly pierced the off-side gaps with cuts and drives. The pair added 53 for the opening stand before left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam – one of Bangladesh’s four debutants – had Gunathilaka stumped for a 15-ball 30.Mendis, however, continued his aggression: he welcomed Mustafizur Rahman into the attack with a hat-trick of boundaries through the covers. He went on to bring up a 25-ball fifty when he slugged Afif Hossain – also on debut – over midwicket for a six. The offspinner hit back when he had Mendis holing out to long-off two balls later.Tharanga didn’t last for too long thereafter, falling to a catch at the mid-wicket boundary in the ninth over but Shanaka restored Sri Lanka’s rhythm with back-to-back sixes off Mahmudullah in the next over.Saifuddin then leaked three boundaries in the 11th over but Rubel Hossain gave Bangladesh hope when he had Dickwella top-edging a catch to fine leg. Thisara and Shanaka then, however, combined to tear up the Bangladesh attack. Thisara was particularly severe on Rubel, hitting 18 runs off six balls, including two sixes. He finished with 39 not out off 18 balls while Shanaka hit an unbeaten 42 off 24.Bangladesh’s bowling starkly contrasted with their batting. Sarkar marked his return to the team with a maiden T20I fifty. He could have been dismissed for 12 had Gunathilaka hung onto a return catch in the second over. Sarkar then took three fours off Isuru Udana in the next over before Gunathilaka bowled debutant Zakir Hasan for 10.Just as Sarkar looked to reach a higher gear, he was given out lbw off Jeevan Mendis’ first ball. Replays indicated that the ball had pitched outside leg stump and was also heading past leg stump. Sarkar, who had fell over trying to pull the delivery, didn’t go for a review and walked off.Afif Hossain, also on debut, fell two balls later, with wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella showing great awareness to track down the googly, which had hit the back of the bat.Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah then got into the groove and relaunched Bangladesh’s innings in the last 10 overs. Mahmudullah smashed Jeevan Mendis over long-on before he hit Sri Lanka’s debutant Shehan Madushanka over the extra-cover boundary. He eventually fell for 43 off 31 balls, having struck two fours too. Mushfiqur, who posted his highest T20I score, then applied the finishing touches, but in all, it wasn’t enough for Bangladesh.

In a Ford Trophy match in Auckland, Jeet Raval’s drive rebounded off Andrew Ellis’ head for six, before the bowler passed a concussion test and completed the match

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-20180:13

WATCH – Raval’s drive hits Ellis on the head, goes for six

In a bizarre incident in New Zealand’s domestic 50-over competition, Auckland batsman Jeet Raval struck an Andrew Ellis delivery so hard that it hit the bowler’s head and still crossed the boundary ropes for a six. Ellis, the Canterbury captain, passed a concussion test before completing his over and later on batted at his usual No. 6 position, “showing no obvious ill effects,” according to a New Zealand Cricket release.The incident occurred in the 19th over of Auckland’s innings in the third preliminary final of the Ford Trophy. Auckland opted to bat, and when Ellis brought himself on, Raval struck consecutive sixes in his first over. The second of the lofted drives struck Ellis on the front of his head before sailing over the ropes. The umpire initially signalled a four, before revising his decision. Ellis left the field for a concussion test, and went on to bowl six overs after that to end with figures of 7-0-52-2, including Raval’s wicket, in Canterbury’s 107-run loss.”Whenever anybody gets hit in the head, your immediate concern is for the person, and I was worried Andrew had hurt himself,” Raval said. “But, thankfully, it soon looked like he hadn’t been injured by what had seemed a nasty blow. He’s a true Cantab, a very tough nut, and it was a relief for me to see him carry on and complete the game without any visible effects. My hope for him is that he won’t experience any delayed concussion. It’s certainly not pleasant for anyone to experience that in a game.”Auckland’s win set up a final clash with Central Districts on Saturday, after Raval scored 149 off 153, studded with 10 fours and four sixes, to lead them to 304 for 6. In reply, Canterbury, the defending champions, were bowled out for 197 in 37.2 overs, as legspinner Tarun Nethula ran through the middle and lower order with 4 for 43. Michael Pollard top-scored for Canterbury with 47, and only one other batsman – Todd Astle – crossed 40.

Cameron Bancroft, the player to actually tamper with the ball during the Cape Town Test, has been banned for nine months, as the fall-out of the scandal rumbles on

Daniel Brettig in Johannesburg28-Mar-2018Steven Smith and David Warner, formerly captain and vice-captain of Australia, have been banned from playing international and domestic cricket for 12 months by Cricket Australia for their roles in the pre-meditated plan to tamper with the ball during the Cape Town Test. Warner is banned from captaincy for life, and Smith for 12 months after the completion of his ban. Cameron Bancroft, the player caught tampering with the ball, was banned from playing for nine months and from captaincy for 12 months after the completion of his ban.CA has said that the plan was devised by Warner, the foreign object used was sandpaper, and that Bancroft and Smith lied publicly in their post-match press conference in referring to it as adhesive tape. The full charge sheet confirms a raft of misdeeds by the trio, under which they have been charged with conduct contrary to the spirit of the game, conduct unbecoming, conduct harmful to the interests of cricket, and conduct bringing the game into disrepute. The basis for these charges includes the following:Warner developed the plan to alter the condition of the ball, instructed Bancroft in how to do it including making a demonstration of technique with sandpaper, and the misled the umpires by helping to conceal the plan.Smith had prior knowledge of the plan and did not stop it, directed the plan’s concealment on the field once it became apparent that the team had been caught out on the big screen, and then made “misleading” public comments about the “nature, extent and participants” in the plan.Bancroft had knowledge of the plan, took instruction as to its carrying out and then did so, before seeking to conceal the evidence and then to mislead the umpires as to what had taken place, and then joined Smith in making misleading public comments about what he had done.All three players were told of their bans in person by the CA chief executive James Sutherland at the team hotel in Johannesburg on Wednesday morning. Smith left the team hotel to fly home soon afterwards. All players will have the right to challenge the verdicts and also the duration of their penalties via a CA code of behaviour hearing with an independent commissioner, who can also choose whether the hearing is public or private. Players at the hearing are permitted to call as many witnesses as they like and also to have legal representation.
Warner, who has been singled out as the architect of the plan and given the harshest penalty of the three, is expected to challenge the verdict and take the matter to a code of conduct hearing. It is not known what Smith and Bancroft intend to do – all three players have seven days to consider the charges and their intent to accept or challenge. All three players have been replaced in the squad ahead of the fourth Test against South Africa in Johannesburg.”The sanctions we have announced are significant for the individuals involved. That is why the process has had to be thorough to ensure that all relevant issues have been examined,” Sutherland said. “I am satisfied that the sanctions in this case properly reflect a balance between the need to protect the integrity and reputation of the game, and the need to maintain the possibility of redemption for the individuals involved, all of whom have learned difficult lessons through these events.”The CA chairman David Peever said that the Board had chosen to take a path that still allowed the players to eventually rebuild their careers. “The CA Board understands and shares the anger of fans and the broader Australian community about these events,” he said. “They go to the integrity and reputation of Australian cricket and Australian sport and the penalties must reflect that. These are significant penalties for professional players and the Board does not impose them lightly. It is hoped that following a period of suspension, the players will be able to return to playing the game they love and eventually rebuild their careers.”While banned from international and first-class cricket, Smith, Warner and Bancroft are all permitted to play club cricket for the period of their bans “to maintain links with the cricket community”, and at the same time will be required to commit to 100 hours of voluntary service in community cricket.The ball-tampering incident took place during the afternoon session on day three at Newlands and was picked up on by TV cameras. A small, yellow object was seen in Bancroft’s hands after he had worked on the ball, which he later claimed to be adhesive tape with soil particles on it. He was also captured taking the object from his pocket and placing it down his trousers.The footage showed Bancroft rubbing the rough side of the ball, the opposite side to which he would usually be trying to shine on his trousers. He put the object down his pants after being spoken to by the substitute Peter Handscomb, who had come on to the field after speaking to Australia coach Darren Lehmann over a walkie talkie. Lehmann seemed to speak to Handscomb after footage of Bancroft working on the ball was shown on the TV screens at the ground.The on-field umpires Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth were then seen speaking with Bancroft, though they did not choose to change the ball or penalise the Australians five runs – the statutory on-field penalty for illegally changing the condition of the ball. When Bancroft spoke to the umpires, he was shown holding a bigger, black cloth rather than the small yellow object he had earlier seemed to place down his trousers.Smith and Bancroft owned up to the offence at the press conference after play on the third day. Smith and Warner were stood down as Australia’s captain and vice-captain during the Newlands Test, and both players took the field on the fourth day under wicketkeeper Tim Paine’s leadership.The ICC had already suspended Smith – who was fined 100% of his match fee and given four demerit points – from the fourth Test against South Africa, while Bancroft was given three demerit points and fined 75% of his match fee. There was no ICC sanction against Warner.Smith and Warner had already stepped down from their positions as captains of the IPL franchises Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, and have subsequently been banned from playing in the tournament.

Will the selectors also persist with Taskin Ahmed, Abu Hider and Mehidy Hasan after sub-par performances in the Nidahas Trophy in March?

Mohammad Isam19-May-2018Bangladesh’s selectors were left with hard decisions to take ahead of Sunday’s squad announcement for the T20Is against Afghanistan in India next month. Most of their selections will be based on the performances in the Nidahas Trophy that was played in Sri Lanka in March.Imrul Kayes, Abu Jayed, Ariful Haque and Nurul Hasan didn’t get a game during the Nidahas Trophy, while Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed, Abu Hider and Mehidy Hasan also had sub-par performances. Soumya made just 50 runs in five innings while Taskin, Mehidy and Hider combined to take just three wickets.Soumya, who lost his central contract in 2018, could still retain his spot, with the team management having shown faith in his T20 ability. Mohammad Mithun, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Afif Hossain and Zakir Hasan are possible inclusions. However, Afif and Zakir, who made T20I debuts in February, aren’t in the 31-member preliminary squad.The selectors are also likely to persist with Mehidy; uncapped Naeem Hasan is the only other specialist offspinner in the training camp. Abul Hasan, who showed some form in the death overs in the BPL, and Yeasin Arafat have outside chances among the bowling group.Meanwhile, among those in the preliminary squad, Sabbir Rahman is likely to be picked on his international form. His most recent score was a 50-ball 77 in the Nidahas T20 Trophy final. Sabbir, was banned from domestic cricket after assaulting a fan during a first-class game earlier in the season, has been working on his batting technique and fitness.”I have been out for two months, having missed the DPL and BCL,” Sabbir said. “I worked on my fitness and batting technique. I feel staying out of the game can be a positive thing. I spent time with my family. My mother was sick, so I was with her.”Confidence is a big factor. All the techniques are in place when runs are scored. There are no faults. Everything is in place. I get out playing a good shot when I am not scoring runs, and then there are questions about technique. There can be technical and temperamental issues but as far as I am concerned, there’s nothing greater than scoring runs.”

Ben Duckett showed a glimmer of form with his second half-century of a disappointing season as Northants sought their first Championship win

ECB Reporters Network20-Jun-2018
ScorecardBen Duckett, Luke Procter and Richard Levi all made half-centuries as bottom-of-the-table Northamptonshire made 282 against Gloucestershire on the opening day of the pink-ball Specsavers County Championship match at Wantage Road.After being bowled out with 13 overs left in the day, Northants swung the new ball around as the floodlights took effect and struck in the final over of the day with Steven Crook trapping Chris Dent lbw for 11 and Gloucestershire closed 25 for 1.Until that wicket, Gloucestershire had fought back fairly well into the day after handing Northants easy runs early in the innings. But two mini-collapses prevented that early initiative being converted into a commanding total and had Dent survived with Benny Howell to the close, Gloucestershire, having elected to bowl, may have felt the more content with their day.The visitors began the day terribly with the new ball and gave Northants a racing start with Duckett and Procter adding 97 runs in the first 16 overs. Duckett in particular feasted merrily to reach fifty in just 44 balls with nine fours – five of them in successive deliveries in the third over of the game bowled by Matt Taylor – for his first half-century in the Championship this season.But Taylor returned and, after lodging his second half-century of the season, Duckett chased a full wide delivery to edge behind for 52, Ricardo Vasconcelos steered a catch to first slip off the same bowler for a nine ball duck and Alex Wakely was caught and bowled by Kieran Noema-Barnett for just 3 as Northants lost three wickets for 13 runs in five overs.Just after lunch, Procter went to fifty in 93 balls with nine fours but having got to 70, top-edged a pull against Taylor and James Bracey ran back from slip to claim the catch. It was Taylor’s third wicket, none of them terribly deserved, and he went on to claim 4 for 70 in 12 overs.The wicket of Procter brought about the second Northants collapse as three wickets went down for 34 runs in eight overs. Adam Rossington lazily cut Taylor to first slip and Levi, having struck 13 fours in reaching 63 with a number of eye-catching strokes, pushed forward and was caught behind giving Ryan Higgins his first wicket before Northants settled to 247 for 6 at tea.Saif Zaib fell in the first over of the evening session, trapped lbw by Noema-Barnett and after Rory Kleinveldt received a far more questionable lbw decision to fall for 9, Higgins removed the final two wickets – Crook caught a slip and Brett Hutton caught behind – to finish with 3 for 52.

Gupta’s eight-month doping ban will only end on September 14, six days after the conclusion of the Duleep Trophy

Saurabh Somani23-Jul-2018In June, the BCCI imposed a retrospective doping ban on Punjab wicketkeeper-batsman Abhishek Gupta, having confirmed he had tested positive for a prohibited substance during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in January. Gupta’s eight-month ban is set to expire on September 14.On Monday, Gupta was included in the India Red squad for the forthcoming Duleep Trophy, which is scheduled to be played between August 17 and September 8.Genuine oversight or plain ignorance? It could be either, but the selectors first named Gupta in the India A squad before another BCCI release arrived, close to seven hours later, confirming that they had replaced him with Vidarbha’s Akshay Wadkar.”It was brought to notice by the BCCI Anti-Doping team that Mr. Abhishek Gupta who was initially added in the India Red squad is serving an 8-month ban for a doping violation,” the release said. “His ban is set to end on the 14th of September, 2018. The Senior Selection Committee has reached a consensus that Mr. Akshay Wadkar will be included in the India Red team as Mr. Gupta’s replacement.”Wadkar, 24, has only played six first-class matches, all of them during Vidarbha’s run to the 2017-18 Ranji Trophy title. He has scored 395 runs at an average of 65.83, with three fifties and a hundred, which came in the final against Delhi.The three squads for Duleep Trophy were part of the various selections finalised by the selectors in Kolkata on Monday. Also picked was the India A squad for two four-day games against South Africa A, the India A and India B squads for a quadrangular series that will also involve South Africa A and Australia A, and three squads for the Duleep Trophy – India Blue, India Red and India Green.Gupta was handed a retrospective eight-month ban in June, after a urine sample he provided as part of the BCCI’s testing programme was found to contain terbutaline, which is among the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) list of prohibited substances. This test was conducted on January 15, during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.Gupta had admitted to taking the banned substance, saying he did so inadvertently, as part of medication he had been prescribed. The BCCI was satisfied with Gupta’s explanation and back-dated the start of his eight-month ban to January 15.Gupta, 27, made his senior debut for Punjab last October, and has since played six first-class, six List A and nine T20 games. He has scored 471 first-class runs at an average of 52.33, with two fifties and a double-hundred on debut against Himachal Pradesh.IST 1040 The story was updated after the selectors named Wadkar as Gupta’s replacement

The visitors put behind the horror Test series to begin the limited-overs leg with a resounding win

The Report by Mohammad Isam22-Jul-2018CWI

A 48-run win in the first ODI took Bangladesh out of the hopeless pit they had dug themselves into during the Test series, and it took the combined effort of four senior players to pull them out.Tamim Iqbal’s 10th ODI hundred and his 207-run stand with Shakib Al Hasan (97), and Mushfiqur Rahim’s end-overs sixes raised their highest total on tour, 279 for 4 in 50 overs, after electing to bat.Mashrafe Mortaza, who nearly didn’t tour because of his ill wife, provided the perfect follow-up, taking four wickets and making a statement with his thunderous leadership to give the visitors some joy four weeks into what has been a horror tour.West Indies were in it till the 35th over, but spectacularly unravelled. Needing 140 from the last 15 overs with six wickets in hand, they eventually finished with 231 for 9, with the last wicket pair of Alzarri Joseph and Devendra Bishoo adding an unbroken half-century stand to delay the inevitable. Shimron Hetmyer’s 52 was the highest of the innings.The turning point was the show by Bangladesh’s seniors. Tamim and Shakib, who promoted himself to No. 3, put together their highest-ever partnership, beating their previous best of 144, achieved against Sri Lanka. This helped Bangladesh set up a strong platform, even if there were times where they could have looked to score a touch faster.From the second over till the 35th, Tamim and Shakib batted at a run rate of 4.7 for 33.3 overs. They took almost seven overs to find the first boundary, but then showed awareness of the conditions to play tactfully. During this period, both Tamim and Shakib reached fifties amid four dropped chances. But after Shakib struck Jason Holder for two fours in the 35th over, Bangladesh went through the next 10 overs without a single boundary.They put together Bangladesh’s only second 200-plus ODI partnership, apart from setting the record highest partnership at the Providence Stadium, against West Indies overall. When Mushfiqur carved three fours and two sixes in his 11-ball 30, it gave the innings the end-overs impetus.The West Indies quicks leaked 53 runs in the last three overs. Andre Russell, playing his first ODI after nearly three years, conceded 31 in two of the last three, while Holder went for 22 in the 49th. West Indies, however, would be disappointed with the five dropped chances: Gayle putting down thrice, Ashley Nurse and Hetmyer put down one each.West Indies’ reply kick-started with Evin Lewis’ pulled six in the third over, but he didn’t last long. Gayle was next to go, left stranded by Hetmyer after an uncharacteristic 40 off 60 balls where he surprisingly wasn’t averse to taking singles and rotating the strike. His knock featured a four and couple of straight sixes, but the Bangladesh bowlers held him back. Gayle also survived a plumb lbw shout as Bangladesh decided not to take the review, which would have ended his innings on 18.Jason Mohammed couldn’t withstand the pressure by spin; he was Mehidy Hasan’s only wicket in his impressive 10 overs. Hetmyer, upon reaching fifty, got caught at cover trying to drive Mustafizur Rahman in the 36th over, before Rovman Powell edged an away-swinger for a first-ball duck. This proved to be the gamechanger.

Peter Trego also played a key role with Somerset with 60 off 31 balls after Tom Barber had knocked over three quick wickets

ECB Reporters Network29-Jul-2018
ScorecardElectrifying half-centuries from Peter Trego and Lewis Gregory led Somerset to a total of 229 for 6 and a 38-run Vitality Blast win over Middlesex under the DLS system at Taunton.Trego smashed 60 off 31 balls, including 24 off an over from Ashton Agar, to relaunch his side’s innings after left-arm seamer Tom Barber had taken three wickets in an over to reduce them to 29 for 3.Skipper Gregory then took up the attack with an even more destructive 62 off 28 deliveries, receiving good support from Corey Anderson (41 not out) as the Middlesex bowlers were dispatched to all parts of the ground.In reply, the shellshocked visitors had made 88 for 4 from ten overs when rain interrupted their innings for the second time. They faced a revised target of 213 from 18 overs, with a required run-rate of around 16 an over, and, despite a 29-ball fifty from Stevie Eskinazi, fell well short at 174 for 6.After losing the toss and making a bright start, Somerset looked to have slipped into trouble when Barber, generating good pace, removed Steve Davies, Johann Myburgh and James Hildreth in the third over of the innings.But Trego and Tom Abell set about rectifying the damage with panache, Trego leading the way with seven fours and three sixes in a typically savage onslaught before falling in the 11th over with the total advanced to 112.Abell followed for a comparatively sedate 31, but the importance of his stand with Trego was emphasised when Gregory and Anderson had the freedom to cut loose from the start of their innings.Gregory was in magnificent form, striking eight fours and four sixes, and outshining the powerful Anderson, who still managed to contribute three sixes in his 24-ball innings.Max Waller began the Middlesex reply with a wicket-maiden, the legspinner having Max Holden caught at extra cover for a duck.Gregory then cemented his claim to Man-of-the-Match by dismissing Nick Gubbins and Eoin Morgan in his first two overs as their side reached 50 for 3 at the end of the six-over Powerplay, actually one ahead of Somerset at the same stage.Paul Stirling had looked the one early batsman capable of making a game of it before he fell for 30 to a sensational boundary catch by Jamie Overton, catching the ball, releasing it as he fell back over the rope and re-entering the playing area to grab it.Just before the rain first arrived, with Middlesex 74 for 4, a spectator was struck by a six from Eskinasi off Roelof van der Merwe. Medical staff were quickly on the scene and as the players looked on with obvious concern the drizzle increased and sent them to the dressing rooms.After a short delay the game resumed, only to be interrupted again after a couple of overs by a heavier downpour. The final session saw Gregory remove John Simpson for 29 and Eskinazi for a valiant 55 off 32 balls, for figures of 4 for 28.

Several players were recalled for the three-ODI series and two uncapped spinners were picked for the five T20Is against South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2018West Indies have named Shemaine Campbelle, Natasha McLean and Shakera Selman in their 13-member squad for the three-match ICC Women’s Championship ODI series against South Africa that is scheduled to begin on September 16 in Barbados.Uncapped spinners Karishma Ramharack and Sheneta Grimmond were the two additions to the squad that will play five Twenty20 Internationals against South Africa from September 24 to October 6. The series will serve as a prelude to a three-match series against India later in October that will lead up to the World T20 in November. West Indies, who won the 2016 edition of the tournament, will look to defend the title at home.”As we approach the ICC WWT20, both the ODI and T20 series will be key as our preparation continues towards the tournament,” West Indies women chairman of selectors Courtney Browne said. “After a disappointing tour of New Zealand, our players now have the opportunity to be highly competitive in familiar conditions.”Campbelle, a 25-year old wicketkeeper-batsman, last made an international appearance during the 2016 tour of India, and made her way back to the national squad with strong domestic performances. McLean, 23, hasn’t played an ODI for West Indies since September 2014. Selman, the 29-year old fast bowler, returned from an injury that kept her out of the side that toured New Zealand in March.Several players from that tour, on which West Indies lost both the ODI and the T20I series, were dropped. Britney Cooper, Reniece Boyce, Kyshona Knight, Akeira Peters and Tremayne Smartt were left out, while 17-year-old Qiana Joseph, who debuted during the 2017 World Cup and played only two one-dayers since, found a place in the ODI squad.ODI squad: Stafanie Taylor (capt), Merissa Aguilleira (wk), Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Qiana Joseph, Kycia Knight, Hayley Matthews, Natasha Mclean, Chedean Nation, Shakera Selman, Anisa MohammedT20I squad: Stafanie Taylor (capt), Merissa Aguilleira (wk), Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Qiana Joseph, Kycia Knight, Hayley Matthews, Natasha Mclean, Chedean Nation, Shakera Selman, Anisa Mohammed, Sheneta Grimmond, Karishma Ramharack

Cricket Association of Bengal president also speaks of ‘appalling’ manner in which Ravi Shastri was picked as India coach

Sidharth Monga30-Oct-2018In a letter to the BCCI’s office bearers, Sourav Ganguly, the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), said he has a “deep sense of fear and worry” about how cricket is being run in India and that the game’s popularity is “in danger” because of the current administration.In his letter, which ESPNcricinfo has accessed, he has also spoken publicly for the first time about the “appalling” way in which Ravi Shastri was selected as the national team’s head coach. He also criticised the handling of the recent sexual harassment case and the changing of playing conditions in domestic cricket in the middle of the season.

Change in independent committee

Veena Gowda, the independent member on the BCCI’s internal complains committee, has replaced PC Sharma on the independent committee put together to probe into allegations of sexual harassment against the BCCI CEO Rahul Johri. The BCCI statement on its website did not give a reason for the change but Vinod Rai, head of the the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA), told the that Sharma, a former Central Bureau of Investigation director, is in a “minor” conflict of interest. Sharma’s son-in-law is a BCCI employee, the paper reported.
The BCCI has also uploaded the terms of reference for the committee on its website, which made clear that the committee was free to probe into allegations that pertain to a time outside Johri’s tenure with the board. An email address will soon be set up to invite any person “desirous of placing any fact before the committee”. The first meeting of this committee will be held in Mumbai, where the CoA will share with the committee all it knows about the case.

Two of these three decisions – made with the blessings of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) – directly involved Ganguly, and possibly overruled him.Ganguly was on the Cricket Advisory Committee that selected Shastri as India’s coach after the bitter falling out of captain Virat Kohli with incumbent coach Anil Kumble. First, the deadline for the application was extended, allowing Shastri to apply. After the interviews, Ganguly said in a press conference he wanted to give Kohli some time to think about his demand. However, the CoA and the BCCI announced Shastri’s appointment the same evening. The first press release said Rahul Dravid and Zaheer Khan had been appointed batting and bowling consultants, but neither Dravid nor Zaheer ever got to work with the team.”My experience in the matter of coach selection was appalling,” Ganguly wrote. “The less said the better.”Ganguly is also the head of the BCCI technical committee, which has traditionally framed rules, regulations and playing conditions for the domestic game. But their recommendations on how to include north-eastern state teams into Ranji Trophy were also overlooked. “Cricketing rules are changed in the middle of a season, which has never been heard of,” Ganguly wrote. “Decisions made in committees are turned around with complete disrespect.” There have been other cases of qualification criteria being changed mid-tournament in domestic cricket this year as well.Another important recommendation of the committee was to favour day-night Test cricket, but the BCCI CEO Rahul Johri said that plan was put on hold because the team management was against it. Consequently, for India’s tour later this year, Cricket Australia has scheduled an all-day Test in Adelaide for the first time since 2014.Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri share a laugh•Getty Images

Ganguly was also critical of the manner in which the charges of harassment against Johri was being handled by the CoA. After an anonymous sexual harassment complaint against Johri popped up on Twitter on October 12, a divided CoA constituted an independent committee on October 30 to investigate the allegations. There had also been murmurs of an internal complaint against Johri, but the CoA neither acknowledged nor denied them until it asked this committee to look into internal complaints as well.Johri was first given a week to explain himself; Diana Edulji, one half of the CoA, wanted Johri to resign before any such probe, but Vinod Rai constituted the independent committee, which was then revealed to include a member, PC Sharma, whose son-in-law was a BCCI employee.”I don’t know how far it’s true, but the recent reports of harassment has really made the BCCI look very poorly,” Ganguly wrote in his letter. “More so the way it has been handled. The committee of CoA from four has come down to two and now the two seem to be divided.”Ganguly used strong language to describe the state of cricket administration in India. “I write this mail to you all with the deep sense of fear as to where Indian cricket administration is going,” he wrote. “Having played the game for a long period of time, where our lives were ruled by winning and losing, and the image of Indian cricket was of paramount importance to us. We wake up looking at how our cricket is faring even now.”But with deep sense of worry, (I used the word worry) I beg to state that the way things have gone in the last couple of years, the authority of Indian cricket to the world and the love and belief of millions of fans is on the way down.”Indian cricket with its massive following has been built over the years of hard work from superb administrators and greatest of cricketers who have managed to bring thousands of fans to the ground. I, at the present moment, think it’s in danger. Hope people are listening.”Ganguly’s comments came on a day when it was revealed that the CoA had identified the CAB as one of the state associations “partially compliant” with the Supreme Court order of August 9 that had directed all BCCI members – states – to follow the new constitution created on the basis of the Lodha Committee’s recommendations.