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BCB decide to expand National Cricket League 2011-12 to an eight-team competition and launch television channel, at board meeting

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Sep-2011The Bangladesh Cricket Board had met on September 20. The following were decided at the meeting:

• The National Cricket League 2011-12 will be an eight-team competition. The two new teams to be included are Rangpur Division and Dhaka Metropolis.
• The BCB will start the process of establishing a television channel. A committee was formed to expedite the procedure. The committee is headed by media and communications committee chairman, Mohammed Jalal Yunus. The other members are Dewan Shafiul Arefin and Siraj Uddin Md Alamgir.
• Gazi Ashraf Hossain was named chairman of the BPL [Bangladesh Premier League] committee. The tournament will be held in February 2012 at the Shere Bangla Stadium in Dhaka and Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong, and will last 21 days. A stipulated number of international and Bangladesh players will be put on auction ahead of the tournament.
• The Sylhet Divisional Stadium will be developed into an international standard facility by December 2011.
• Former Bangladesh opener Zahid Razzak was appointed manager of the national team for the home series’ against West Indies and Pakistan.
• The draft of the Regional Cricket Association concept was approved in principle. Board members were asked to come up with observations, suggestions and recommendations [if any] within the following seven days.
• The board approved the appointment of 39 assistant district coaches.

Andrew White’s unbeaten century led a fighting Ireland to a first-innings lead on the second day against Namibia at Stormont

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAndrew White’s unbeaten century led a fighting Ireland to a first-innings lead on the second day against Namibia at Stormont.The bowlers had dominated the first day with 14 wickets falling and Namibia the happier of the sides but White found the right moment to produce his fifth first-class century. Things didn’t start well for the home side as Kevin O’Brien added just six more to his overnight total before falling. O’Brien is captaining the weakened Ireland side but the responsibilities of leadership clearly didn’t inhibit his aggressive style as he struck four fours and a six in his 38-ball stay.At 85 for 5 Ireland were in something nearing crisis when John Mooney joined White. Mooney was typically combative and the pair began laying the foundations for recovery. They added 69 with Mooney making 44 from 58 balls before driving crisply towards extra cover, where Gerhard Erasmus pulled off an excellent diving catch.When Stuart Poynter was bowled second ball it looked like the recovery was stalling but George Dockrell rode to the rescue. In his short Ireland career he has repeatedly impressed with the ball – collecting his first five-wicket haul on the first day – but this was the first time he’d shown talent with the bat.Dockrell dug in to support White and made his first first-class half century. His 53 came from 96 balls with eight fours and he helped add 100 runs for the eighth wicket with White that took Ireland into the lead. Eventually he fell sweeping but his job was done. White, at the other end, found enough support to register his century and finished unbeaten on 123, having faced 213 balls.In a batting line-up missing a clutch of first-choice players due to county commitments, his innings was vital. It looked as though Ireland would follow their fighting batting with quick wickets when Graeme McCarter jagged one back to a shotless Pikki ya France but Christ Viljoen and Stephanus Ackermann held fort in contrasting styles.Ackermann shut up shop – making 7 from 61 painstaking deliveries – while Viljoen blazed merrily. He made 48 from 49 balls to bring Namibia back ahead before the day was out.

Shaminda Eranga has been ruled out of Sri Lanka’s Test series against Pakistan in the UAE with an injury, and will be replaced in the squad by uncapped seamer Kosala Kulasekara

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Oct-2011Shaminda Eranga has been ruled out of Sri Lanka’s Test series against Pakistan in the UAE with a shoulder injury to his right arm, and will be replaced in the squad by uncapped seamer Kosala Kulasekara. Eranga had looked dangerous on Test debut, picking up four first-innings wickets against Australia in Colombo and his absence is a blow to Sri Lanka.Kulasekara, a tall 26-year-old, has been a regular member of the Sri Lanka A squad over the summer, and impressed with a five-wicket haul in Leicester. He was also part of the Sri Lanka Board XI that played Australia during their recent tour, and took two wickets. He plays for Nondescripts Cricket Club in Sri Lanka’s domestic competitions and has 148 wickets in 72 first-class matches.”I have developed and matured quite a lot as a fast bowler,” Kulasekara said. “Former national fast bowling coach Anusha Samaranayake has helped me to improve on my technique, pace and ball release.” He also said he had worked hard on his batting. “I love playing the lofted on-drives and off-drives and I have made a lot of runs by just hitting straight. I have learnt to be more patient and to wait for the bad balls to hit.”Sri Lankan team physio Steve Mount said that Eranga had damaged his cartilege on his right shoulder while fielding (throwing) during the one-day international series against Australia and is presently under treatment. “He will be fit in a few weeks. We are trying to get him ready for the South African tour later this year,” Mount said.Sri Lanka do have cover in the fast-bowling department with Chanaka Welegedara, Dhammika Prasad, Suranga Lakmal and Nuwan Pradeep all in the squad.The first Test of the series starts on October 18 in Abu Dhabi.

Sri Lanka Cricket will hold its long-overdue elections on December 27, the country’s sports ministry announced on Tuesday

Sa'adi Thawfeeq22-Nov-2011Sri Lanka Cricket will hold its long-overdue elections on December 27, the country’s sports ministry announced on Tuesday. Harsha Abeykoon, a ministry spokesman, said that a period of two weeks will be given for candidates to submit their nominations starting November 25.”The Sports Minister has appointed Director-General Sports Development Ranjani Jayakody to conduct the elections which will be supervised by the Ministry of Sports,” Abeykoon further stated.SLC has been run by government-appointed interim committees since 2004. The last interim committee, headed by Upali Dharmadasa, was dissolved on November 15 by the sports minister ahead of the elections. The board continued to suffer from financial trouble during Dharmadasa’s tenure with the contracted players and SLC employees not receiving their salaries since the World Cup in April.

Rohit Sharma has said that he is mentally ready should he be asked to make his Test debut at the SCG on Tuesday

Sidharth Monga at the SCG01-Jan-2012Rohit Sharma has said that he is mentally ready should he be asked to make his Test debut at the SCG on Tuesday. If he is asked to play, it will be in the place of Virat Kohli, who has scored 107 runs in seven Test innings away from home. Kohli was dropped after a disappointing tour of the West Indies, and then scored two fifties against the same side when recalled for a home Test. In the first Test of this series, he scored 11 and 0.Rohit said he has to stay mentally prepared all through the tour, even if he doesn’t get a game. “Of course [I’m ready],” he said. “I don’t want to be unprepared. My preparation has to be 100%. It doesn’t matter if I am playing or not. Preparation has to always be the same. I have to be ready [to play] each and every time. Because you never know, somebody might get injured on the day of the Test. You have to be ready.”Rohit should know about injuries on the morning of a Test: one he suffered during the warm-ups cost him his Test debut in Nagpur, against South Africa, in early 2010. Under MS Dhoni, India have been known to given players a decent run before dropping them, if required. Keeping that in mind, smart money has to be on Kohli getting another chance.They haven’t been told either way as of now. “As far as the team combination is concerned, we have not decided anything yet,” Rohit said. “Maybe tomorrow we will have a better idea as to what the wicket will be like. Probably by tomorrow I will be told whether I am playing or not.”Rohit said the morale in the team is “very good” right now. “We really had a good time off,” he said. “We had a team get-together yesterday, which was nice. And we got back again today to see how we are going to take it forward. We don’t want to think about what has happened. We need to focus on what we have to do now. The process is still on. Hopefully things will turn around for us.”We spoke about what went wrong, and what we need to do, and stuff like that. Which always happens, whether you win or lose. That is nothing new for us. As I said, we need to keep doing the right things.”Rohit gave credit to the Australian bowlers for their performance at the MCG, but denied the notion that the Indian batsmen might be shaken up or intimidated. “Not shaken up,” he said. “They really bowled well, we need to accept that. Our batters also batted well in the first innings, but somehow we didn’t manage that in the second. Credit goes to their bowlers.”

Monty Panesar has said there were moments he feared he would never play Test cricket again during his long absence from the England team

George Dobell25-Jan-2012Monty Panesar has said there were moments he feared he would never play Test cricket again during his long absence from the England team.Panesar, who returned to Test cricket after a break of two-and-a-half years, bowled 33 overs on an absorbing first day of the second Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and clearly enjoyed every moment of it. Panesar, the 29-year-old left-arm spinner, has been sidelined by the emergence of Graeme Swann and England’s reluctance to go into a Test without three seam bowlers, but was recalled after the tourists opted to select two spinners as part of a four-man attack for the first time since December 2003.”In a sense I was making my second debut, having been out of the team for such a long time,” Panesar said afterwards. “I was nervous, but I was also delighted to get a go and bowl in tandem with my spin twin: my partner ‘Swanny’. I’ve been out of the team for three years, so I just want to make the most of my opportunities.”Panesar even hinted that he might be prepared to take his double act a stage further by joining Swann, an enthusiastic lead singer in a Nottingham-based band, on stage at their next gig. During his time playing grade cricket in Sydney, Panesar has been singing Bruce Springsteen covers in the Mike Whitney Band. “Maybe me and Swanny can do a duet one day,” he said.”I enjoy my partnership with Swann,” Panesar said. “Bowling in tandem with him works well. I might have the ball spinning away from the batsman and he might have it turning in and that creates pressure. We help each other. Some batsmen don’t feel comfortable against offspin, so I’ll try to get them on strike so Swann can bowl at them. It can be very effective, either in bowling sides out or creating pressure.”I’m not thinking about being the No. 1 spinner. I have been out of the team for a long time, so I’m just enjoying this opportunity. We just see each other as partners and look to help each other.””When you’re out of the team you do wonder if it is ever going to happen again,” he added. “There were times when self-doubt did creep in.”Panesar was only informed that he was playing 20 minutes before the start. While some might have wanted the extra notice, Panesar was relieved not to have known in advance. “It was good I didn’t find out before,” he said. “I wouldn’t have been able to sleep and I’d have been practising my action in the mirror all night.”Panesar’s best moment of the day came moments after his worst. The ball after dropping a relatively simple return catch off Mohammad Hafeez, Panesar bowled the same batsman with his slower ball.”I was thinking I needed to do a bit more caught-and-bowled practice,” Panesar said, of the dropped chance. “I should have taken it. But I think I meant to do it – the arm ball – and it just hit the leather and skidded on.”Panesar was quick to credit the role of Sussex in his revival. He moved to Hove ahead of the 2010 season and feels that the culture of the club and the increased role he has been asked to fulfil have helped him develop as a player.”They’ve helped me grow at Sussex,” he said. “They have made me play a leading role in all forms of the game and that has increased my confidence and self belief. I’ve just kept going and waited for this opportunity.”You need good coaches – good people – around you to help you get through that. That is why Sussex has been so good. They have a good culture there. Mark Robinson and Mark Davies have worked hard on my game.”Panesar was not, perhaps, quite at his best. The slow pace of the pitch allowed batsmen plenty of time to cut and he was punished for pitching short. But with Tests to come in Sri Lanka and India this year, England will be relieved that they have a viable partner – or, if necessary, replacement – for Swann.Meanwhile Taufeeq Umar, Pakistan’s opening batsman, agreed that England had enjoyed the best of the opening day. “England are in the better position right now,” he said. “We lost a couple more wickets than we expected. But Misbah-ul-Haq is still there and he knows how to play with the tail.”Everyone was surprised by how much it turned, even with the new ball. But with two top spinners in our side, that is a plus point for us.”Taufeeq also praised his captain, Misbah. “He always delivers when the team needs it,” Taufeeq said. “He’s a great player – a thinking cricketer – and he always leads from the front.”

Powered by a blistering ton from Rob Nicol, Canterbury chased down a target of 203 rather comfortably against Auckland at the Colin Maiden Park, in what was essentially a dress rehearsal for the HRV Cup final on Saturday

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jan-2012
ScorecardRob Nicol smacked 101 not out off 57 balls•Getty Images

Powered by a blistering ton from Rob Nicol, Canterbury chased down a target of 203 rather comfortably against Auckland at the Colin Maiden Park, in what was essentially a dress rehearsal for the HRV Cup final on Saturday. Auckland’s Azhar Mahmood, too, scored a century, but it went in vain as Canterbury knocked off what was the highest total in this season’s HRV Cup with three balls and seven wickets to spare.Canterbury’s decision to bowl looked to have backfired when Mahmood, opening Auckland’s innings, teed off. He hit three sixes and 10 fours to bring up a hundred in 61 balls – the third ton of the season overall. He was particularly supported by his captain, Gareth Hopkins, who made 42 off 28 as Auckland finished on 202 for 4.The Canterbury openers, Nicol and George Worker got the chase off to a fine start, putting on 85 in under eight overs. Worker fell for a rapid 44, but Nicol was unstoppable: he hit nine sixes during the course of the innings to finish on 101 not out of just 57 balls and nullify Mahmood’s effort. His unbeaten 101 is the joint second-highest individual score in this edition of the HRV Cup. Canterbury would have strolled home much sooner had it not been for left-arm spinner Ronnie Hira – he went for a very respectable 23 runs in 3.3 overs, and picked up two wickets.