Club president Jayantha Silva has denied the occurrence of anything untoward during the Tier-B game under question

Andrew Fidel Fernando20-Sep-2017Administrators of Panadura Sports Club have demanded that Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) rescind the bans handed out to its players, while several players themselves have formally asked the board to reconsider its ruling.On Saturday, SLC had announced that 22 first-class players would be banned from “cricket-related activities” for one year, for their supposed role in manipulating the result of a Tier B first-class match in January. Captains Chamara Silva and Manoj Deshapriya were given two-year bans.ESPNcricinfo has learnt that at least six of these players have retained the services of a lawyer, and that those players have lodged a formal complaint to the board.Those players contend, effectively, that they had not had adequate opportunity to defend themselves at the inquiry that found them guilty of misconduct – a claim the board has already vehemently denied. The players have also raised the possibility of a getting the club to launch a fresh inquiry.Meanwhile, Panadura Sports Club has said that the match in question – in which 605 runs were scored off 60 overs on the final day – did not feature unfair play. They pointed to alleged irregularities in the match referee’s report to support their claim.”What we are saying is that nothing untoward happened in this game,” Panadura SC president Jayantha Silva said. “Our cricketers didn’t do anything untoward, and as a club we didn’t do anything untoward.”If something did happen, the people who have to bear that responsibility are the umpires. The charge sheet was founded on unlawful documents provided by the umpires. There is some unseen conspiracy being carried out against us here. We suspect the umpires and the match referee for that.”The club also asked that the points that were stripped from them on the basis of SLC’s ruling be reinstated, meaning they would secure promotion to Tier A of the Premier League Tournament for next season.It is for promotion-relegation purposes, in fact, that the result of match is suspected to have been manipulated. At no stage is money thought to have changed hands.

Maharashtra Cricket Association also says it will conduct a probe into the matter which will be independent of the ICC’s investigation

Nagraj Gollapudi26-Oct-2017Contrary to the BCCI’s assertion that Pandurang Salgaoncar has been “dismissed” from his role, the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) says it has only suspended him as head groundsman of the Pune pitch. The MCA will appoint its own committee to conduct a probe, which will be conducted after investigation being carried out by the ICC’s anti-corruption unit (ACU).”He has been suspended as curator and as also the MCA member because of any actions which might bring disrepute to the association,” a MCA official told ESPNcricinfo. “There will be an inquiry and depending upon the verdict a final decision will be taken.”Action was taken against Salgaoncar on Thursday, hours before the India-New Zealand T20, for “malpractice” that was captured on camera by undercover reporters from . The decision to suspend Salgaoncar was unilaterally taken by the MCA president Abhay Apte, after the footage was released. It is understood that Salgaoncar had come to the ground on the morning of the T20, but Apte met him and explained the seriousness of the issue. Apte informed Salgaoncar that he was left with no choice but to suspend him. He also said that the best solution was for Salgaoncar to leave the ground.According to the MCA official, Salgaoncar asked if he could watch the match sitting in an MCA box, but Apte declined such a request as the curator’s presence would have added to the media furore. “There was the issue about perception. There is an issue about faith, about trust, and it was not appropriate to let him continue in the job and it would be incorrect,” the MCA official said.The MCA was relieved once ICC match referee Chris Broad gave the match the go-ahead upon examining the pitch.On Thursday, in an emergency meeting, Apte explained to the MCA members the logic behind suspending Salgaoncar. “The MCA suspended him pending enquiry. We cannot terminate him without any proof and finding. And we cannot let him go just based on a perception that he had done something wrong.”Asked whether Salgaoncar had committed a breach of the ICC’s ACU code, the MCA official agreed there was a violation. “Prima facie there is evidence and misconduct and hence he was suspended. If it is confirmed that there was [misconduct] then he will be removed. If it confirmed that was not the case, then he will be reinstated.”

Elsewhere, Rohit Motwani’s career-best 189 helped Maharashtra put up 481 after they had been put in

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2017Left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar continued the Uttar Pradesh fightback with 4 for 54, with an economy rate under 2, as Assam finished the second day on 279 for 6, still trailing by 70 runs. He had already struck a century from No. 8 to lift his side to a more than respectable 349, but clearly it wasn’t enough to satisfy him. Coming on as the second-change bowler, he knocked over four of the top five in Assam’s line-up to make sure the visitors retained the upper hand in Guwahati. Only Sibsankar Roy (72) and Rishav Das (52) were able to progress past fifty. Assam’s hopes of a first-innings rest rather heavily on Swarupam Purkayastha (34 not out) and Pallavkumar Das (10 not out).Wicketkeeper-batsman Rohit Motwani built on his overnight half-century to make a career-best 189 to help Maharashtra put on 481 against Railways in Pune. Railways responded with an unbroken stand of 88 for the opening wicket that took them to stumps 393 runs behind on the second day.Maharashtra had begun the day on 249 for 5. They lost Chirag Khurana and Nikit Dhumal in quick succession and were reduced to 287 for 7, before Motwani dominated partnerships with the tail enders, putting on a combined 194 runs for the last three wickets. It began with 94-run stand for the eighth with debutant Mukesh Choudhary, during which Motwani brought up his fourth first-class hundred. He was the last man out, eleven short of a double-hundred, having struck 24 fours and three sixes.

India head coach joins captain Virat Kohli in publicly endorsing MS Dhoni’s spot in the T20 team

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-20176:03

Runorder: Is Kohli’s defence of Dhoni convincing?

MS Dhoni has received more public support from the Indian team’s management with regard to his future in T20Is. Following Virat Kohli’s statement that it was unfair to target Dhoni, India’s head coach Ravi Shastri has backed the former captain, saying “great players” decide their own future.Dhoni’s place was the subject of debate after his 37-ball 49 in India’s defeat in the second T20I against New Zealand. His innings was in stark contrast to Kohli’s free-flowing aggression at the other end and prompted former players and TV experts to question his strike rate and inability to hit big shots.While Kohli said he did not understand why Dhoni was the only player being targeted, Shastri’s defence was more assertive.”Looks like there are a lot of jealous people around, who just want Dhoni to have a couple of bad days,” Shastri said to . “There are a few people who are waiting to see the end of MS Dhoni. But great players like him decide their own future.”It [criticism] doesn’t make a difference to me. In our mind we know where Dhoni stands within the team. He is an ultimate team man. He was a great leader and now an ultimate team man.”The sentiment was echoed by Kohli, who had said that Dhoni was playing a specific role and was appreciated in the dressing room.”As team management and players, we understand the situations in which he goes out to bat. We don’t get emotional and excited by the opinions of people who are looking at things from a different point of view,” Kohli said. “If you are playing, you know how the wicket is and what the situation is like. So I think he is doing absolutely fine. He understands his game, he understands his role, but it doesn’t come off every time.”Shastri went on to suggest that the nature of television might have prompted some experts to offer the views they did.”Not so long ago I used to do television and people used to ask me questions. You need to answer questions to make a show happen,” he said. “Dhoni is a superstar. He is one of our greatest cricketers. When you have a career as glorious as that, you become a topic on television.”

Dwayne Bravo picked up his 400th T20 wicket to restrict Hobart Hurricanes to 164, and Cameron White went past 5000 T20 runs as he chased the target down with ease

Alex Malcolm21-Dec-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThe Melbourne Renegades recruited spree-turned heads during the off-season but it was some familiar faces that orchestrated a comprehensive first-up win over the Hobart Hurricanes. Dwayne Bravo became the first man to 400 T20 wickets and showed how valuable a commodity he is with his second five-wicket haul in T20 cricket to restrict the Hurricanes to a sub-par 164.Then Cameron White wound back the clock with a vintage unbeaten 79 to guide his side home with nine balls to spare. He was ably supported by Marcus Harris (50 off 34) and Renegade-turned-Striker-turned-Renegade Brad Hodge (22* off 14).It was Bravo who set the game up after the Renegades elected to bowl at the toss. He bowled four one over spells, all of which dragged the Hurricanes back after they threatened to post an enormous total on an excellent batting surface.Cameron White cuts one during his match-winning 79 off 59 balls•Getty Images

The new opening pairing of D’Arcy Short and Alex Doolan raced to 48 after five overs before Bravo’s mix of slower balls firstly yielded three dots to Doolan and then took him out, caught at short third man while trying a big shot down the ground. Short’s troubles against spin compared to his class against pace was evident when Brad Hogg slid one into his front pad as he tried awkwardly to sweep off an ill-advised length.Ben McDermott and George Bailey then ripped into Hogg, taking 22 from the 11th over of the innings to move the total to a healthy 2 for 102.Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi delivered an excellent over of offspin in the 12th conceding just four runs. The Hurricanes went 17 balls without a boundary before McDermott was caught off a Bravo slower ball.The Hurricanes spluttered from there with Nabi bowling four overs for just 25 and picking up Bailey. Matthew Wade was the only one to hit Bravo over the rope before he became the seamer’s fifth victim off the final ball of the innings.Jofra Archer in his delivery stride•Getty Images

The Renegades chase started horribly with Aaron Finch falling in the first over. White and Harris then combined for a 113-run stand, weathering the Hurricanes battery of express pace bowlers with some sound scoring plans and a touch of good fortune. They used the pace and waited for loose deliveries rather than trying to fight fire with fire.Jofra Archer was only Hurricanes bowler not to concede more than nine an over. He took 2 for 17 from four overs including a rare gem of a double-wicket maiden in the 14th to give the Renegades chase the speed wobbles.But Hodge, fresh from facing military mediums on synthetic pitches in sub-district cricket in Melbourne, launched the second ball he faced, a 140-plus kph rocket from Aaron Summers, onto the hill to ease the pressure.White went about his work with a minimum of fuss, as he has done so often in his career. On another day he would have been a worthy Man of the Match, but that honour went to Bravo.

England coach Trevor Bayliss has confirmed he will step down from his job when his current contract expires after the 2019 English season

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jan-2018England coach Trevor Bayliss has confirmed he will step down from his job when his current contract expires after the 2019 English season.Speaking in the aftermath of England’s 4-0 Ashes defeat, Bayliss said that he had made clear to Andrew Strauss, the director of England cricket, a year ago that he would not be seeking an extension regardless of results.It means that Bayliss, who was appointed in 2015, will leave the role following a season that will include England’s tilt at the home World Cup and the next Ashes series.”I told Andrew Strauss probably 12 months ago that September 2019 I’m contracted to and that would see me out,” Bayliss said. “I’ve never been anywhere any more than four or five years. Whether you’re going well or not I’ve always felt that round about that four-year mark is time to change. A new voice, a slightly different approach slightly reinvigorates things. So I passed that on him 12 months ago.”England’s comprehensive Ashes defeat has continued a poor run of form away from home in Tests since beating South Africa on the 2015-16 tour. They drew 1-1 in Bangladesh, lost 4-0 to India and were flirting with another Ashes whitewash before the draw at Melbourne.However, Bayliss has overseen a dramatic improvement in England’s limited-overs cricket – they have reached the final of the World T20 and semi-final of the Champions Trophy under his watch – and he has been given the support of the ECB hierarchy during this Ashes tour so he remains safe in his job.Bayliss also hinted that he could see Joe Root still being captain for the next Ashes in Australia in 2021-22. It is very rare for an England captain to get two chances to lead in Australia – it has not happened since Johnny Douglas in 1911 and 1920, either side of the first World War.”I think someone coming for the first time as captain, even with experience, it’s going to be a hard tour to be on,” Bayliss said. “I think he handled it pretty well. He is a young captain and I would expect in four years, when he comes back with another four years experience and an away Ashes under his belt, he’ll feel a lot more comfortable.”England’s next Test assignment is two matches in New Zealand at the end of March for which the squad is due to be named on Wednesday morning in Australia although the final selection meeting has been delayed due to Root’s illness on the final day in Sydney.James Vince and Mark Stoneman are under pressure after mediocre Ashes returns. Gary Ballance, who has been the spare batsman in Australia is expected to miss out, while Moeen Ali also had a torrid series. In spite of that, Bayliss did not foresee major changes.”I can’t see too many big changes. We’ve known for a couple of years we’ve been three or four performing players short of a very, very good team. We’ve had good performances at home in Test cricket but a lot of that’s been on the back of our big five or six players.”Trying to fill those last three of four spots so you’ve got that consistency in the team would help away from home. Malan has probably done enough, he’s probably cemented one of those spots we were after.”James Vince and Mark Stoneman have shown what they’re capable of but would be a little disappointed they weren’t able to capitalise on some of their good play.”If guys like that can capitalise on their starts and make big hundreds that gives us across out top seven players who are performing well.”

A steady half-century from Jake Weatherald and a solid contribution from John Dalton means South Australia are 43 runs away from victory

The Report by Alex Malcolm18-Feb-2018Nick Winter belts out an appeal•Getty Images

Nick Winter’s third five-wicket haul in four innings has put South Australia on the brink of an upset victory over New South Wales at the SCG.The Blues began the day at 1 for 61 looking to set South Australia a substantial total to chase in the fourth innings. They progressed to 1 for 87 before Daniel Worrall removed both Daniel Hughes and Ed Cowan.Winter then claimed four of the last seven wicket to secure his first Sheffield Shield ten-wicket haul in just his second match. Worrall finished with 4 for 55 as the Blues were all out for 213 with a lead of just 189.A steady half-century from Jake Weatherald (56) and a solid contribution from John Dalton (29) set the run chase up. Stand-in skipper Callum Ferguson was unbeaten at stumps with his team requiring just 43 on the final day with seven wickets in hand.

An unbeaten century from Hilton Cartwright has helped Western Australia set a near impossible fourth-innings chase for South Australia

Alex Malcolm16-Mar-2018
Associated Press

An unbeaten century from Hilton Cartwright has helped Western Australia set a near impossible fourth-innings chase for South Australia at Glenelg Oval.The Warriors began the day 269 runs in front and showed no mercy despite losing D’Arcy Short and Ashton Turner early on. Both men were caught behind off the bowling of Nick Winter.But Cartwright and Ashton Agar added 136 for the sixth wicket. Agar made 86, his first half-century of the season, before becoming Winter’s fourth scalp.Cartwright got to a patient century, his first of the season after he was moved down the order from No. 3 to No. 6 following a lean period.The Warriors showed no urgency in declaring, piling up a lead of 524 before sending the Redbacks in to face five overs late on day three.Joel Paris had Conor McInerney caught at second slip off the second ball of the innings before Jake Weatherald and Callum Ferguson saw the home side through to stumps.

Darren Lehmann has announced that the Johannesburg Test will be his last as Australia coach, as the ball-tampering scandal that occurred in the Cape Town Test continues to take its toll on Australian cricket

Daniel Brettig29-Mar-2018Steven Smith’s anguished arrival was the final straw. A day after vowing to stay on and drive cultural renewal, Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann bowed to the inevitable on Thursday and chose to resign at the conclusion of the Wanderers Test match after five years at the helm of the national team, saying the former captain’s tears had convinced him it was the only course of action.His public announcement, a matter of minutes after he told an already shell-shocked Test squad, was followed by a surreal training session, where the touring party engaged mainly in football and fielding drills while the Wanderers public address system belted out classic Australian songs such as How to Make Gravy by Paul Kelly, Into My Arms by Nick Cave, Reckless by Australian Crawl, Don’t Dream It’s Over by Crowded House and Wide Open Road by The Triffids.Lehmann confessed to not being able to sleep since Saturday night following the team’s exposure for ball tampering. While maintaining his lack of knowledge of the plot between David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, with the approval of Smith, Lehmann conceded it was impossible for him to stay on as coach while the team and Cricket Australia continued to be under attack. The home Test series sponsor Magellan cancelled its deal on Thursday, while longtime broadcast partner Channel Nine looked the other way in signing a new five-year deal with Australian tennis.

Sutherland says he will stay on

James Sutherland has said that he will not step down as Cricket Australia’s chief executive in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal that has already resulted in bans for Steven Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft and the resignation of the coach Darren Lehmann.
“I’m absolutely committed to my job, my employment and tenure is a matter for the board of Cricket Australia but I’m not resigning, in fact what has happened over the last few days has only strengthened my resolve to ensure that Australian cricket and the Australian cricket team gets back on track, and back in a place where it has not only the full respect but the pride of the Australian community,” Sutherland said in Johannesburg shortly after Lehmann had made his announcement.
“It’s been a difficult week, but most difficult for those three players who have returned to Australia. They are obviously in a very difficult and sad place, and between CA and the ACA, we will offer all of those players all the support we can, all the welfare services within and outside our system. We will make sure we support the players and their families as best we can.”

“It’s been happening for a few days, and you think you can keep going, but the amount of abuse or whatever word you want to use just takes its toll, everyone has their views out there, but they made a mistake, and we need to get the game back on track,” Lehmann said. “And speaking to my family they’ve had enough of traveling 300 days a year and not being home at all to see your family, so that’s also a big reason, the main reason. Spend some time with them, see the kids and maybe go and watch my son play cricket, and be there for my daughters.”I’ve been speaking with the hierarchy the last couple of days, and this morning, no sleep last night again, no-one’s slept, that’s the biggest challenge fronting up tomorrow. I don’t think I’ve slept since Saturday to be perfectly honest, couple hours here and there, playing around in your head, and what’s right, and let the game move forward.”After seeing events in the media today with Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft, the feeling is that Australian cricket needs to move forward and this is the right thing to do. I really felt for Steve as I saw him crying in front of the media and all of the players are really hurting. As I’ve stated before I had no prior knowledge of the incident and do not condone what happened at all, but good people can make mistakes.”2:02

Lehmann’s long history of confrontations

After watching Smith and Bancroft speak emotionally in Australia, Lehmann said he hoped his decision would help the team and game to move on from a hellish five days. “It’s been unbelievable. Watching those two young men face the media and I’m sure David will be the same, it’s been unbelievable,” he said.”Hopefully the game gets back to the game of cricket, it is a game to be loved and enjoyed. I’ve had a great time coaching in my career and coaching the Australian team is a real high. So for me looking forward to having some time off and what’s the next step from there. I’d love to stay involved in the game because I love it so much. My family and I have copped a lot of abuse over the last week and it’s taken its toll on them.”As many of you sitting in this room will know, life on the road means a lot of time away from our loved ones and after speaking with my family at length over the last few days, it’s the right time to step away. I’m ultimately responsible for the culture of the team and I’ve been thinking about my position for a while, despite telling media yesterday that I’m not resigning, after viewing Steve and Cameron’s hurting, it’s only fair that I make this decision. This will allow Cricket Australia to complete a full review into the culture of the team and allow them to implement changes to regain the trust of the Australian public. This is the right thing for Australian cricket.”Asked what his proudest moment as coach had been, having won the Ashes twice at home and also the 2015 World Cup, Lehmann pointed to the way the team dealt with the death of Phillip Hughes in November 2014. “I would say the way we dealt with Phillip Hughes,” he said. “We’re only playing a game, that’s all we’re playing, we lost a great young man and the way we tried to deal with that is probably my proudest moment as coach. You win games, you lose games, that for me would be the most pleasing one.”Lehmann agreed it would be extremely difficult for the team to find the mental strength to perform at a high level over the next five days. “I thought this was tough, but speaking to the players and saying goodbye, telling them the news, that’s the toughest thing I’ve ever had to do,” he said. “It’s about fronting up for your country and playing good cricket over the next five days.”Like all Australians, we are extremely disappointed and as a team we know we’ve let so many people down, and for that we’re truly sorry. The players involved have been handed down very serious sanctions, and they know they must face the consequences. They’ve made a grave mistake but they are not bad people. I hope the team rebuilds from this and the Australian public find it in their hearts to forgive these young men and get behind the XI who are going to take the field tomorrow.”It’s been an unbelievable series marred by some incidents, but it’s great playing against South Africa, two rival countries that really play the game of cricket really hard and it’s been an exciting Test series. So our challenge is to get back to level the series, and that’d be a big challenge but the boys will be doing everything they possibly can.”That effort started with the Australian playlist over the Wanderers speakers. These are extraordinary times.

As spectators soaked up the sunshine on an entertaining day, conversation often turned to the ECB’s controversial plans for 100-ball cricket

David Hopps at Headingley20-Apr-2018
ScorecardCricket’s changing landscape was there for all to see at Headingley. Behind the arm at the rugby end of the ground, the clanking and hammering told of a new stand rapidly taking shape. And, as spectators soaked up the sunshine on an entertaining, helter-skelter day, conversation often turned to the ECB’s controversial plans for 100-ball cricket. Praise for that in this hotbed of traditionalism is not easy to find.The two things are linked, of course. Without the revenue gained by successful short-form cricket, such stands as the one that will secure Headingley’s future would be impossible to finance. But this? Sun-creamed heads shook not with shock, but with deepening sadness.Many feel the game is being stolen from them. Championship diehards begin to grow old, lose friends and family and the game they love is gradually pilfered. Having become used to Twenty20, they are now told that even Twenty20 is not enough. If there was a unanimous plea here it would probably be to say: “Just leave us something worth caring for.”At such times, traditionalists take their pleasures one day at a time. There was plenty to be had with Yorkshire, up against it for much of the day, finding resilience down the order in the form of Andrew Hodd, who made 62 from 116 balls, and then picking up four cheap Nottinghamshire wickets by the close.There was zest, too, from Jack Brooks, who is no fall-guy with the bat. Last season he scored a Roses Championship century at Old Trafford and added another during an intra-squad friendly on Yorkshire’s pre-season tour of South Africa last month. His stand of 44 for the tenth wicket with Ben Coad gave Yorkshire the edge and his 30 included another clanking of the new stand with a six off Samit Patel.Three top-order wickets then quickened Yorkshire’s rally. Steven Mullaney dragged on and Chris Nash’s furtive dab flew to slip – two for Brooks in his first two overs. Patel fell lbw, that one met by a throaty Headingley roar, 100-ball cricket temporarily forgotten. If Nottinghamshire’s batting line-up is to survive the rigours of Division One, one senses that Patel needs a big season.Yorkshire made much play before the start of the season on batting time in the Championship. Twenty20 shot-making was to be frowned upon. Lines were drawn in indoor schools, sessions arranged with psychologists, meaningful conversations held.Yet before the ball had lost its sheen Alex Lees fended at a wide one from Jake Ball and Gary Ballance, the skipper, yet to score, slapped his ninth ball to point. Conditions were testing, but there were grumbles that nothing had changed. Still, if they were accused of a T20 mindset, they could always have suggested that nobody had warned them not to play 100-ball.It was grand to see Luke Fletcher among the wickets – four of them – after his horrendous head injury in a Blast tie against Warwickshire last season. Such career-threatening blows, if things turn out well, can encourage players to return with fresh resolve, determined to make the most of their good fortune.For 18 overs, Fletcher allowed few gifts. His quartet included the Indian Test No 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, a valid lbw decision which Pujara dwelt upon before leaving, as if he was still hanging around for his luggage at the airport carousel.