The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has prohibited alcohol from being brought to international matches, as it seeks to comply with the International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) Safety and Security Pro Forma. Starting with the first one-day international against Zimbabwe at Antigua today, alcohol will not be allowed into the stadiums, but will be sold from concessionaire stands within the grounds at respective matches.”We want to meet our obligations as a member of the ICC and therefore it is important to adhere to this regulation,” Zorol Barthley, the WICB’s chief cricket operations officer, said. “Cricket in the Caribbean is steeped in tradition, but we are operating in a global marketplace and we must keep pace with international standards. This policy is part of the ICC Safety and Security Pro Forma which will still permit the sale of alcohol by concessionaires. Making alcohol available in this manner will help match authorities to manage the level of alcoholic consumption by fans.”The ICC’s Safety and Security Pro Forma was designed to ensure a safe environment for the game. As per the rules, glass bottles and cans containing alcohol and soft drinks will not be sold to spectators. Plastic is the norm, and spectators will have to submit mandatory security checks of their bags and hampers.The decision to prohibit alcohol to ICC-sanctioned venues was taken at the ICC chief executives’ committee meeting back in June 2003, but came into effect on April 1 after a two-year implementation period. Clive Hitchcock, the ICC’s cricket operations manager, added: “The reason for the cut-off date of April 2006 was to give those members that do not have a policy plenty of time to implement it at international venues.”It remains to be seen how this goes down in the West Indies, where spectators who have traditionally enjoyed a glass of rum or bottle of beer purchased from outside the ground will have to change their ways.
International cricket is so crammed full of firsts these days that the lasts rarely get a look in. Old players tend to fade away (or take coaching jobs in Sydney) rather than retire. But the second Test between West Indies and Pakistan at Sabina Park will feature a notable farewell: it’s the last Test match for the umpire David Shepherd.The Kingston game will be Shepherd’s 92nd Test – only Jamaica’s own Steve Bucknor (102) has officiated in more. And even Bucknor can’t match Shep’s current total of 167 one-day internationals (there will be a couple more in England before he finally hangs up that wide-fit white coat).Shepherd, who turns 65 in December, has been a fixture as long as most people can remember. He started as a ruddy-faced batsman for Gloucestershire – he hit 108 on his first-class debut, against Oxford University in 1965 – and continued, seamlessly, as a ruddy-faced umpire who soon floated to the top.He played for Gloucestershire for 15 years, with modest success – he crept past 10,000 runs, at an average of 24, collected 11 more centuries to go with that debut one, and he didn’t really bowl. But his ample waistline soon marked him out as one of county cricket’s characters: I can recall an amusing batting partnership between Shepherd, red-faced and blowing hard, and the whippet-like Jim Foat, with Shep in some danger of being lapped. He was nonetheless a handy one-day performer, and played in both Gloucestershire’s Lord’s final wins in the 1970s – the Gillette in 1973 and the Benson & Hedges in 1977.Popularity as a player soon translated into popularity as an umpire. He told Cricinfo recently: “I’d like to think I had a good relationship with most of the players I umpired. I think it helped that I played first-class cricket, it helps you to know what the players are thinking and going through if they are having a bad trot.” In the white coat his size somehow added to his authority – he looked like an umpire, which always helps. Shepherd stood in his first ODI in 1983, and made his Test debut against Australia two years later. Soon he was part of the Test-match furniture, calm and confident, authoritative without being authoritarian.He made mistakes – who doesn’t? – and was particularly upset a couple of years ago when the all-seeing TV eye showed that he’d missed a number of no-balls, some of which took wickets. Square-on cameras and Hawk-Eye are great innovations for the armchair viewer, but they make the umpire’s job a sight more stressful. And for the elite official, there’s another problem: “The travelling has been the major change, not being able to umpire Test matches in your own country. Now umpires are expected to spend large amounts of time away from their families and this has put some people off taking up the role.”What really cemented Shepherd’s name in the public consciousness, though, was not a super career but a superstition: those fey little skips when the score reaches Nelson – 111 – or a multiple. It all started back in the county dressing-room, with a belief that things would somehow work out better if no part of you was touching the floor, and carried on from there. The commentators were tipped off, and the cameras have zeroed in at the vital moment ever since: “I’ve always done it, I’ve always been superstitious,” he told us. “When I went into umpiring people said I should carry on doing the hop, but I thought I would look an idiot. But I decided to go with it …”The bottom line is that you could have all the hop-skip-jump gimmicks in the world, but if you’re not a damn good umpire you won’t survive very long in county cricket, let alone the international cauldron. Dickie Bird showed that, and David Shepherd followed suit.
Famous names from six different sports will line up for the Cystic Fibrosis Invitation XI against the Canterbury Crusaders. The 21st annual 40-over match will be played at Hagley Oval on Sunday January 18.Former Test players, Lee Germon, Geoff Allott and John Bracewell will provide the cricketing experience, along with Haidee Tiffen from the women’s side. Chris Flanagan, a grade player also joins in, while hockey international Hayden Shaw, and rugby players Robbie Deans and Leon Macdonald make the line up as well. National representatives in softball, basketball, and netball complete the squad.The charity cricket and gala day includes a celebrity auction of sports memorabilia, rugby goal-kicking competitions, donkey rides, catch a six competitions earning NZ$100 per catch, and lots of autograph and photograph opportunities with the Canterbury team and other sports stars.Invitation XI Lee Germon (capt), Geoff Allott, John Bracewell, Belinda Charteris, Robbie Deans, Chris Flanagan, Paul Henare, Rhonda Hira, Phill Jones, Leon MacDonald, Hayden Shaw, Haidee Tiffen, Clayton Willocks.Canterbury Justin Marshall (capt), Sam Broomhall, Ben Blair, Daniel Carter, Ross Filipo, Scott Hamilton, Chris Jack, Tony Koonwaiyou, Cameron McIntyre, Aaron Mauger, Nathan Mauger, Andrew Mehrtens, Scott Waldrom.
Peshawar batted themselves into a winning position by increasing their overall lead to a substantial 397 on the second day of their Quaid Trophy Grade-I clash against defending champions Lahore Blues at Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar Wednesday.According to details available here, Peshawar were 314 for nine in their second knock having resumed at one without loss.After the drama of Tuesday when 20 wickets fell, the second day was dominated by Peshawar’s batsmen. Opener Riffatullah led the way with 85 off 109 balls in 148 minutes.Test reject Wajahatullah Wasti also weighed in with a solid 60 off 112 deliveries in a stay of two hours and 40 minutes.Slow left-armer Mohammad Hussain captured six for 58 to follow his 12 wickets in the last game against Rest of NWFP.
Karen Rolton had already established herself as one of the dominant figures of the CricInfo Women’s World Cup but in the space of just 20 overs against South Africa today she made an indelible mark on the tournament.The Australian left hander must have been listening to the groundstaff when they described the pitch at Lincoln University’s BIL Oval as a belter. From the moment she arrived with Australia 20 for one in their chase for 170 to the moment she left on 107 not out with the game won, she put bat to ball in an array of shots that left the South African field and the privileged crowd gasping.This was no slog fest. Each shot was appropriately chosen for the ball, hit with power and placed with precision. Few of her 17 boundaries came from shots in the air. For all that the South Africans ran and dived themselves into the ground, they could not contain the onslaught. And when a diving fielder did parry the ball away to safety from the boundary, Rolton and her partner in crime, Belinda Clark, ran four. It was that sort of day for the South Africans.The class of her century was such that it seemed almost incidental that it was reached off a world-record 57 balls. The quality belied the speed of the execution. At the other end, Clark was given the ideal opportunity to play herself back into the form that has been eluding her during the tournament. The Australian captain was much the junior partner but produced plenty in her 49 not out to signal that she is back.The pair put on 50 off 58 balls, 100 off 81 and 150 off 123.The South Africans were left to shake their heads. As their coach, Rodney Willemberg, said after the game, his top order had batted well. “They proved that they can score runs.”Linda Olivier (34), Daleen Terblanche (22), Anina Burger (44), Cindy Eksteen (46) ensured that the Australians would face what on any other day might have been a competitive target. Certainly not one that they would be expected to pass in the 25th over with just one wicket down.Even then, Charmain Mason and Cathryn Fitzpatrick with a late brace apiece ensured that the 180 plus that the South Africans had looked likely to achieve was reined in to 169, supposedly something for which the Australians would have to work.Well, one did. Said Willemberg: “When you come up against Rolton in that form . . . . ” A shrug of the shoulders said it all. The South African coach did say, in one of the very few allusions at this tournament to the men’s game, that there was hardly a men’s side that could have dealt with Rolton.”That’s one of the best knocks I’ve ever seen. It was awesome.” And that from the opposition.Talking to CricInfo about the innings, Rolton said she did not come into the match feeling something special was about to happen. “I just wanted a good hit out after scoring only 17 in the previous game.”She was still coming to terms with the innings. “It all happened so quickly.” And she was not aware of the record until after the game, even with the previous record-holder keeping her company in the middle. Clark had held it with a century off 64 balls against Denmark in the 1997 World Cup.More important to the new record holder was getting out of the game with a win. That was all the more important because they expected to face South Africa again in the first semi-final on Monday.”They’ve had a look now and will be that much harder to beat for it.”What is scary for those still to face the world champions is that she believes that they are only now hitting top form. “We will need to be to go further.”But referring again to “that innings,” she mused: “It was just one of those days. Tomorrow could be quite different.”
Everton ended their FA Cup run in disappointing fashion this afternoon with a 4-0 defeat away at Crystal Palace.
Goals from Marc Guehi, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Wilfried Zaha and Will Hughes comfortably booked Patrick Vieira’s side in the next round of the competition, leaving the Toffees dejected as they head into the latest international break.
In terms of individual performances on the day, one player whose display will have been particularly disappointing for Frank Lampard is Anthony Gordon.
Having played through the entire 90 minutes, the 21-year-old had 43 touches of the ball, which is only five more than goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had and could only complete 12 of the 21 passes he attempted, misplacing three crosses and one long ball, ultimately losing possession on 20 occasions.
The attacker, who was described as “frightening” by Boreham Wood manager Luke Garrard, also failed to register even one shot at goal and lost three of the four dribbles he tried to make to get his team up the pitch.
Things were equally as disappointing for the Englishman off the ball, having lost 11 of the 16 ground duels he was involved in as well as getting dribbled past twice and giving four fouls away.
This display eventually earned the youngster an overall match rating of 6.3, making him one of the lowest-rated outfield players on the day according to SofaScore.
Given how well the winger has done for his side in the Premier League this season with WhoScored listing him as the sixth-highest rated outfield player currently in the squad, it’s safe to say that Lampard will feel let down to some extent with what Gordon delivered on the pitch in south London today.
Moving forward, now that they have been booted out of the FA Cup, Everton’s main objective for the rest of the season now will be to avoid getting relegated to the Championship, meaning that they will need all of their players, including Gordon, to be in top form in terms of their attacking and defensive output.
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With the latest international break around the corner, the Everton players should be using this defeat at Palace to focus on what they need to improve on as a team and let the disappointment fuel them to attack their remaining league games.
In other news: Lampard can finally axe Everton liability with £11.8m gem with “natural explosiveness”
A spirited chase led by Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa fell 18 short as Australia celebrated the end of Ricky Ponting’s rocky batting patch with a tight victory. While the home side toasted a return to form ahead of Sunday’s first final, India’s plight to reach the CB Series deciders now comes down to the match against Sri Lanka on Tuesday after they reached 299, a haul relying on Gambhir’s second century of the tournament.A horrible series was forgotten by Ponting during his fine 124 while half-centuries to Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds also lifted their clouds of poor form in a brutal team display of 7 for 317. In the face of such a challenge – it was easily the highest total of the series – India were always behind and it was only the performances of Gambhir and Robin Uthappa that kept them in the game after the first four wickets went by the 11th over.Gambhir and Mahendra Singh Dhoni met at the difficulty of 4 for 51 and made sure the team could provide some outstanding fight during the 98-run liaison, but the assignment eventually proved too difficult. Gambhir varied his pace throughout his display and his 113 from 119 balls was important, although his side was left wanting more. Uthappa tried his best with Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh providing excellent help as the overs ran out.Gambhir lifted his rate after Dhoni departed, having taken his time in the first half of his innings, but he was unable to drag his side ahead. His best shot was a pull in front of square leg off Brett Lee – a slog-sweep for his only six from Brad Hogg was also impressive – and he was strong on the offside. The main shame was the lack of support provided from his top-order team-mates.Dhoni failed to ignite regularly, usually working the ball around like he was chasing a total in the 200s, but while he was there the Australians sensed danger. He was removed for 36 when Lee picked up his second major wicket on a mixed night that included five wickets and some no-ball problems, including three in a row in a nine-ball over. At 5 for 149 India’s were in big danger, but they didn’t stop battling and Gambhir found a willing partner in Uthappa.They needed about nine an over and the slow bowlers Michael Clarke and Hogg were targeted in the 67-run partnership in 8.4 overs. A sharp piece of work from Gilchrist, who stumped Gambhir when his back foot slid out of the crease when trying to slog Hogg, earned his fifth dismissal. Uthappa and Pathan scurried another 41 and Harbhajan arrived to slash 20 off 11 before he miscued and Gilchrist benefited again. Next ball Uthappa holed out to midwicket, leaving with 51 from 46, and Lee had four wickets. He came back to finish the match by bowling Ishant Sharma to collect an unlikely 5 for 58.The batting problems began when Stuart Clark captured two early victims with the edges of Virender Sehwag (18) and Yuvraj Singh (5), who both pushed unconvincingly and provided work for Gilchrist. Rohit Sharma went in a similar manner to Bracken after the chase started badly when Sachin Tendulkar stepped across his stumps and was lbw to Lee fifth ball. What they needed was the start their opponents managed.After a subdued campaign the Australia top order decided blasting out of a slump was the best option and in a game of no consequence to them they raced like a bushfire. Pegged back by the slower bowlers after reaching 92 from the first ten overs, they rebuilt through the reborn Ponting before Symonds added some late-innings impetus with 59 off 49 balls.
Along with Hayden, Ponting and Symonds have been the main under-achievers in the series, but the results of Ponting – his highest score in six previous matches was 25 – were the biggest worry for Australia. The century, his 26th in ODIs, came when he found a single to mid-off from his 111th delivery and he accelerated until he skewed to Pathan at deep mid-off.Before today Ponting and Hayden had been responsible for sleepy starts that were from the 1980s, but the modern approach returned and the early exchanges were like a Twenty20. Ishant and Sreesanth, who came in after Munaf Patel suffered food poisoning, were unable to stop the initial pummeling. Sreesanth went for 37 off four overs and Ishant was only slightly better in giving up 37 from five.Some reshuffling from Dhoni was effective – Harbhajan was employed for the 11th over – and only 32 came in the next ten overs, but Ponting was able to break away. Once Hayden departed for 54 and Clarke (31) left to a poor pull shot off Sehwag, Symonds joined the flexing. His six fours and two sixes were typically forceful and his fifty came up with a heave over the fence from Pathan.India chased the same quick opening as Australia got from Gilchrist, whose 16 came from seven balls, before he left to a miracle take from Dhoni. Sreesanth clipped Gilchrist’s inside edge, forcing Dhoni to change direction and he leaped to his right for a one-handed take. It was the highlight of India’s time in the field and from there things went downhill.The bowlers were almost helpless and gained figures to forget. Sreesanth went for 58 from eight overs – he did take two wickets – Ishant gave up 65 in ten and Pathan allowed 73 in nine. Harbhajan and the part-timers Sehwag and Yuvraj fared better, but it was Australia’s turn to fire. India will hope the same applies to their big-name batsmen when they face Sri Lanka in Hobart on Tuesday in a must-win encounter.
Duncan Fletcher has told his misfiring team they must learn from their Australia tour if they are to salvage their World Cup campaign. England were beaten by seven wickets by Ricky Ponting’s men in Antigua on Sunday, but Fletcher insists they can make the semi-finals, although they will have to win all three of their remaining matches against Bangladesh, South Africa and West Indies.Fletcher said it was possible for England to pick themselves up just as they did in Australia when they shrugged off a losing run to beat the hosts in the CB Series. “We did it in Australia when we were beaten quite comprehensively and got through to the final and we’ve got to make sure we do the same thing here,” Fletcher said.”It’s mainly a mental thing rather than a technical thing. It’s how they think about it when they get out there in those crucial periods, but it’s important we don’t talk too much about it and cloud their thoughts.”England face Bangladesh on Wednesday at the refurbished Kensington Oval in Barbados with Fletcher telling his team that they have to be more patient when they bat. He said they could learn from Michael Clarke’s innings on Sunday.”They have got to know they have a little bit of time to have a bit of patience to rebuild and regroup,” Fletcher said. “Sometimes we’ve gone in and the new batter has tried to score at six an over, but on these wickets it’s not easy.”
The ICC has denied suggestions that its new Future Tours Program (FTP) does not conform to the agreed guidelines provided by players’ representatives. Malcolm Speed, the ICC’s chief executive, said the FTP fitted into the plan provided by players and their representatives, including FICA, the international players’ association, regarding the volume and scheduling of international cricket.”The guidelines, which have been supported at the ICC cricket committee, by the players at the captains’ meeting and by player representatives, including FICA, suggest the volume of cricket for national teams should not exceed 15 Test matches and 30 ODIs in a 12 month period,” Speed said. He added that the guidelines need to be interpreted with some flexibility, but that no side is scheduled to exceed the Test or ODI limit over any 12-month period.”In developing this FTP the ICC has sought regular input from players’ representatives, including FICA,” he continued. “In addition, our members attend ICC meetings as representatives of the sport in their countries and, as part of this, undertake to consult with their own players and their representatives on issues that impact directly upon them.”To try and make its point, the ICC produced tables to show the commitments of each full member country over the next six years. The first number refers to the Test matches, the second to the ODIs.
YR
ENGLAND
AUSTRALIA
INDIA
NEW ZEALAND
PAKISTAN
2006-07
T 12 ODI 25-34
5 17-36
7 24-27
3 22-31
10 25-31
2007-08
13 20
9 26-39
15 35-43
5 13
8 17-21
2008-09
14 26
18 26
18 28
11 25
3 8
2009-10
14 15-23
14 30-33
8 24-29
13 24
12-13 20 24
2010-11
11 24-33
7 26-35
12 32-39
8 20-27
8 16-22
2011-12
11 21
18 26-29
14 30-37
10 21-24
12 23-27
Total
76 /139-157
71 / 151-178
74 / 173-203
50 / 125-144
54 / 109 -128
YR
SOUTH AFRICA
SRI LANKA
WEST INDIES
ZIMBABWE
BANGLADESH
2006-07
8 20-27
8 26-34
7 20-27
21 28
0 18-24
2007-08
15 20-21
10 23-30
13 18-19
6 9
6 10-15
2008-09
12 23
9 18
13 25
6 16
8 16
2009-10
7 13
9 22-27
5 14-17
11 20
9 20-25
2010-11
12 21-27
3 20-30
15 23-29
6 14-20
10 20-26
2011-12
9 15
12 27-31
14 23
10 17
8 21-25
Total
63 / 112-127
51 / 136-171
67 / 123-141
39 / 97-111
41 / 105-132
The number of ODIs does not take into account if a team makes the finals of Champions Trophy or World Cup, but Dave Richardson, the ICC’s general manager – cricket, said even those would only make a total of 91 matches of the six years.”The fact is, however, that everyone in the sport wants to see more international cricket than this bare minimum,” said Richardson. “International matches raise essential revenue for the boards, provide significant income for the players and excitement for supporters. One of the main reasons the original FTP was introduced was to ensure regular cricket for all Full Members, many of whom had never previously had any certainty in their forward planning. What this new FTP does is maintain the guarantee of a regular schedule while allowing members to modify their program to meet specific requirements they may have.”What the new programme doesn’t take into account are the random one-day tournaments that spring up around the globe, such as the India-Pakistan matches in Abu Dhabi and the proposed tour of Europe by the same teams. However, Richardson added that some countries wanted to play more cricket. “Several of our Members, including some of those where the players’ association is affiliated to FICA, maintain the view that they would like to be playing more cricket than they currently have scheduled.”On the flip side, India, who have more ODI matches scheduled than any other country, indicated at the recent ICC board meeting that their playing schedule was supported by their player group.When we canvassed the views of the Full Member captains at our captains’ meeting, we found that as well as those who supported the current guidelines, there were some that wanted to play more international cricket.”Overall we think the balance that has been struck by this new FTP is about right and we believe that in conjunction with the ICC events it will help ensure that the sport continues to remain popular with players, supporters, broadcasters and sponsors.”
Sri Lanka’s cricket board crisis is set to continue for several weeks after the Court of Appeal restrained Jeewan Kumaratunga, the sports minister, from dissolving or cancelling Sri Lanka Cricket’s registration without a hearinguntil the completion of the case.The complicated legal fight started on March 30 when Thilanga Sumathipala’sexecutive committee, elected on March 27, filed a lawsuit to quash the sportsminister’s order to suspend the board on the grounds of financial mismanagement.Sumathipala also sealed off the board headquarters, sending home all theemployees on paid leave, so that the six-man interim committee appointed totakeover would not be able to gain access. Only “moveable property” such asfiles and documents were handed over to the new officials.Although the interim committee is technically empowered to run the cricket board and make decisions, in practice the legal fight has effectively paralysed the administration, hampering decision-making on several important pressing concerns, including the sale of team sponsorship rights, the renewal of player and coaching contracts and planning for future tours.The status quo will continue – assuming the sports minister does notcircumvent the current interim order by appealing to higher authorities -until June 1 when the Court of Appeal will reconvene to hear the sportsminister’s objections to Sumathipala’s legal challenge.