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Australia’s tougher immigration laws are set to see three English tabloid journalists deported and unable to cover the death throes of England’s disastrous Ashes tour.

David Hopps23-Jan-2014Australia’s tougher immigration laws are set to see three English tabloid journalists expelled and unable to cover the death throes of England’s disastrous Ashes tour.John Etheridge from The Sun, one of English cricket journalism’s most experienced operators, has been refused licence to stay, as has Dean Wilson from the Mirror and Paul Newman of the Daily Mail.Etheridge said that Cricket Australia had tried to negotiate on their behalf but that “all avenues have been exhausted”.All three journalists were travelling on a working visa which had been recommended by the Australian visa department.They are the only three members of England’s travelling press pack who had opted to cover the entire tour, including the warm-up matches, and so had gone beyond 90 days. “We had hoped to stay long enough to see England win a match,” Etheridge said.With all solutions seemingly exhausted, Etheridge has even appealed directly to Australia’s prime minister Tony Abbott on Twitter.

.@TonyAbbottMHR Why are 3 English cricket writers being forced home early from tour becaus immigration dept refuses to issue visa extension?

— John Etheridge (@JohnSunCricket) January 22, 2014

Newman tweeted disconsolately: “Cricket Australia and the ECB have done all they can to help us but I guess, in Australia particularly, rules are rules…”Seven England players plus members of the support staff will also go beyond 90 days. They are travelling on a different visa. Australia has yet to evict them.

Live updates of the final round of the Ranji Trophy 2013-14

Abhishek Purohit30-Dec-2013

Australia fast bowler Jackson Bird’s participation in South Africa was left in doubt after he was pulled out of a warm-up appearance due to a back complaint.

Daniel Brettig26-Jan-2014Jackson Bird will enter the South Africa tour under something of a fitness cloud after he was pulled out of a warm-up appearance due to a back complaint, with James Pattinson now taking up his spot in the Western Australia second XI team for the first two days of the fixture against the Queensland Academy in Brisbane.In an alarming development for Australia’s tour plans, Bird jarred his back while fielding in his most recent Big Bash League appearance for the Melbourne Stars against Hobart Hurricanes on Tuesday, and has been undergoing treatment since.It has now been decided that Bird should not bowl in the Futures League match on Monday, opening the way for Pattinson to play on the first two days after he was not selected for the fifth and final ODI against England at Adelaide Oval on Australia Day.”Jackson Bird jarred his back whilst diving in the field for the Melbourne Stars on Tuesday night which has resulted in some back soreness,” the Australian team physio Alex Kountouris said. “As such, he has been withdrawn from the second XI fixture whilst he receives treatment ahead of his departure for South Africa.”Bird has spent most of this summer recovering from a back injury he sustained in the fourth Ashes Test in Durham during the England tour, his only appearance in the back-to-back series. His action was remodeled under the guidance of the Test bowling coach Craig McDermott, before he put in a string of encouraging displays in the BBL.The majority of the Australian Test squad departs for South Africa on Wednesday.

Kyle Abbott has been added to South Africa’s Twenty20 squad as cover for Dale Steyn, who will miss at least the first two matches against Australia because of a hamstring strain

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Mar-2014Fast bowler Kyle Abbott has been added to South Africa’s Twenty20 squad as cover for Dale Steyn, who will miss at least the first two matches against Australia because of a hamstring strain. Steyn suffered the injury during the third Test at Newlands and bowled only 13.1 overs in the match, which South Africa lost to concede the series 1-2.”A Grade 1 hamstring strain would usually take between 7-10 days to recover, so Dale is unlikely to be available for the first two matches in Port Elizabeth and Durban,” South Africa’s manager Mohammed Moosajee said. “At this stage we are hopeful that he will be available for the ICC World Twenty20 and will work towards having him ready for the final T20 against Australia in Centurion.”Fast bowlers Wayne Parnell and Beuran Hendricks will undergo fitness tests on March 8 to determine their availability for the first T20 the next day. Parnell sustained a strain to his right groin during the second Test against Australia, while Hendricks is recovering from a side strain sustained during a Sunfoil series match.South Africa play the first Twenty20 against Australia on March 9, and their World Twenty20 campaign begins on March 22.

The BCB has decided not to involve in the National Cricket League Dhaka Gladiators’ Mosharraf Hossain and Mahbubul Alam as it plans to appeal against the Bangladesh Premier League corruption tribunal’s decision to hand the two a clean chit

Mohammad Isam09-Apr-2014The BCB has decided not to involve in the National Cricket League Dhaka Gladiators’ Mosharraf Hossain and Mahbubul Alam as it plans to appeal against the Bangladesh Premier League corruption tribunal’s decision to hand the two a clean chit. The duo were among the nine cricketers accused of match-fixing in the second edition of the BPL.”The board is planning to appeal,” Jalal Yunus, the BCB media committee chairman, told . “It might happen in a day or two. They won’t be able to play the national league for that.”The players’ lawyer, Nawroz MR Chowdhury told the same newspaper that the BCB can appeal but it won’t affect the judgment. “Here they (BCB) don’t have the option to appeal. Even if the tribunal had made the full judgment, the appeal couldn’t have stayed the order. According to the tribunal bylaws, an appeal can be made but it will have no affect on the judgment,” Nawroz said.The sixth and seventh rounds of the NCL begin on April 12.The incident of alleged match and spot-fixing came to light in May 2013 when BCB president Nazmul Hassan confirmed that a Bangladesh player had been questioned by the ICC. Mohammad Ashraful was the first player to admit to being involved in corruption, after which formal charges were laid against nine individuals, including six players from the Dhaka Gladiators franchise.The BCB decided “not to involve” Ashraful in any kind of cricket until investigations into the matter were complete, and appointed a disciplinary panel, from which an anti-corruption tribunal was formed to probe the issue. The tribunal held a preliminary hearing in November last year and the full hearing of the tribunal began in January.One of the owners of Dhaka Gladiators, Shihab Jishan Chowdury, was found guilty of “being party to an effort to fix” a match in the BPL 2013. Six others were discharged as not guilty by the tribunal, but both the ICC and the BCB had said in February they were “disappointed” by the outcome and may yet consider an appeal.

Pakistan have relieved Mohammad Akram from the role of national bowling coach only to appoint him as head coach of the national cricket academy. He will also join the six-man selection panel

Umar Farooq24-Apr-2014The PCB has relieved Mohammad Akram from the role of national bowling coach only to appoint him as head coach of the national cricket academy (NCA).The PCB said in a statement that the decision was taken “in consultation with Mohammad Akram in order to strengthen grass-roots cricket through additional training camps and procedures for upcoming youngsters”. He will work with the national team, the statement said, whenever required.Akram has also been drafted into a six-man selection committee, headed by Moin Khan, along with former wicketkeeper Saleem Yousaf and batsmen Shoaib Mohammad, Ijaz Ahmed and Wajahatullah Wasti.Akram, earlier this year, had signed a two-year contract as bowling coach but was facing an uncertain fate with the coaching panel as another former fast bowler Waqar Younis was expected to roll in as head coach of the national team. Now the PCB abolished the role of bowling coach.The PCB has also announced a six-man selection committee, inducting Wasti who has been working as head coach of departmental team ZTBL and Yousaf, who has been working in the customs department in an executive post.Shoaib was the fielding coach with Pakistan during the Asia Cup and World T20, while Ijaz is the NCA’s fielding coach.For Yousaf and Shoaib, this is their second stint as a selector, having been involved in 2003 when the committee was headed by Aamir Sohail. Wasti, who last played for Pakistan in 2000, has been coaching on the domestic circuit since he retired from playing in 2010.The PCB setup has been in extensive transition after the Zaka Ashraf regime. The newly-announced selection committee will be the first full-time panel in the last 10 months after Iqbal Qasim decided to not renew his contract – since then, an interim selection panel has been functioning.The new selection committee effectively replaces a trio of long-serving members – Azhar Khan, Saleem Jaffar and Farukh Zaman – who had been engaged in selection affairs since 2007.The selection committee’s first assignment will be to pick the squad for the Sri Lanka tour in August this year, following the upcoming summer camp from May 6 to June 6 in Lahore.

Sri Lanka’s fast bowlers have begun training at home with Duke balls, in preparation for the two-Test series against England in June

Andrew Fidel Fernando28-Apr-2014Sri Lanka’s hopes of sending up to six cricketers to England for early-season training had been upset by former coach Paul Farbrace’s move to the English setup, but their fast bowlers have nonetheless begun training at home with Duke balls, in preparation for the two-Test series in June.Tests in England pose a unique challenge for foreign sides, most of whom use Kookaburra balls across all formats. Chaminda Vaas did not have memorable Test tours of England in his career, but as the fast-bowling coach, he has drawn up specific plans to consolidate the pace attack’s 2014 gains.”The Duke ball doesn’t swing much earlier on,” Vaas told . “Some of the guys who could play for us in Tests like Suranga Lakmal, Shaminda Eranga, Dhammika Prasad and Nuwan Pradeep have lot of potential and they will develop during this tour.”Though his Tests returns in England were mediocre, Vaas has had good experience of English conditions in four largely successful county stints for Northamptonshire, Hampshire, Worcestershire and Middlesex. His knowhow may be vital to the fast bowlers’ performance on the tour, particularly as only one tour fixture precedes the Tests.”The wickets will suit seamers in the early season and conditions will be wet. It will be tough for them, but hopefully they will enjoy the conditions and I am looking forward to working with these guys.”Nagging line-and-length complemented by modest movement off the seam has been the hallmark of Sri Lanka’s new pace spearheads Eranga and Lakmal – a strategy that brought laudable dividends against Pakistan and Bangladesh this year. Vaas suggested the attack would not veer far from that blueprint in England.”We have been working on things like accuracy, good line and length. The results are there for everyone to see and we need to keep improving. Suranga and Shaminda both bowl at 135 (kph) plus. They need to bowl in that range constantly and their variation will help them.”Accuracy had been allied with endurance in the UAE, where Eranga and Lakmal both delivered over 130 overs each in three back-to-back Tests against Pakistan. The side’s plans made for some attritional cricket, but when Sri Lanka won a Test in Dubai largely on the back of their quicks, there were hints the strategy could lead to a resurgence of fast bowling in the national team.”I always tell them to be patient. We need to bowl good balls to take wickets. When you keep bowling one line the wickets will come. You need to put the batsmen under pressure. During the Pakistan series in UAE a lot of people didn’t give us much of a chance. But our seamers did the simple things right and enjoyed quite a bit of success.”Kumar Sangakkara will also have some Duke-ball preparation, after he confirmed a two-match stint with Durham before Sri Lanka’s limited-overs series in England.Sri Lanka depart for Ireland for two ODIs on May 2, before moving on to England for a full tour consisting of one T20I, five ODIs and two Tests.

Matt Prior and Stuart Broad got the chance to stretch their legs ahead of tomorrow’s England Test squad announcement with rain doing enough to ensure there was nothing more than handshakes after 56 overs of play on day four.

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Hove04-Jun-2014
ScorecardMatt Prior had a long stint behind the stumps against Notts•Getty ImagesMatt Prior and Stuart Broad got the chance to stretch their legs ahead of Wednesday’s England Test squad announcement with rain doing enough to ensure there was nothing more than handshakes after 56 overs of play on day four.Broad, England luggage in tow, looked nonplussed as he headed off after stumps, 10 economical overs and two wickets in the bag. He has little to worry about as one of England’s better performers in Australia. But Matt Prior, who lost the gloves to Jonny Bairstow for the fourth and fifth Ashes Test and had not kept in a first-class game since the December 16, might be a bit cautious.But Sussex head coach Mark Robinson is confident that Prior would be mentally and physically ready to make the XI for the first Test against Sri Lanka.”He’s in good nick and he’s batting well and in a good place,” Robinson said. “Keeping wise, he got better and better through the game.””I tell you what, I’d want him stood next to me in a first England Test at Lord’s because he’s ready. He’s a tough competitor and when he’s like this, you want him in the team. I’d have no qualms putting him in.”In this match, he has had the gloves for 172 overs, which included a full 96-over stint on day one. He batted well in his first innings of 30, against an international (at one time or another) attack, before succumbing to Broad – an lbw that he may well have reviewed had he the opportunity.There were only two blemishes against him; the concession of five penalty runs after he diverted the ball onto the helmet behind him and a sharp chance, high to his left, in the 28th over of the first innings. As the game wore on, he crouched and skipped from side to side with great ease.He had the bonus of an extra hit on day four, looking untroubled by the bowlers or any niggles for 19 runs from 35 balls. His injury has not affected his ability to bat, which has meant he has been able to net with the rest of the team throughout his recovery.You only need to look at the miles Prior clocked up in the last week to gauge just how determined he is to prove his fitness.He was originally going to play in Sussex’s Championship match against Middlesex as a specialist batsman. But when play was rained off early on the third day, and with no practice facilities at Merchant Taylor’s School, he drove down to Eastbourne in the vague hope he might be able to take part in a 2nd XI match. He ended up keeping for 30 overs and, with more rain predicted for day four, decided to drive back to Hove to spend the day working on both parts of his game. He kept tabs on the state of the conditions over the phone and, with nothing more than a delayed start predicted, returned to London with every intention of taking the gloves. Unfortunately, weather spoiled things for the fourth day running.A call was put in to Bruce French who, to his credit, came to Merchant Taylor’s to do a session with Prior. He was back on the road on Thursday to Cardiff and played the following day in the NatWest T20 Blast defeat to Glamorgan, keeping for 20 overs after scoring 39. Further volume and technical work with French, as well as rehab and physiotherapy on Saturday then led into the start of this fixture on Sunday.He will no doubt be sore tomorrow, but from the evidence of the last four days and the testimony of those around him, he is fit to go and as hungry as ever.The delayed start took the sting out of this game, even if it was given its edge via some questionable use of social media. “It’s a nightmare for coaches” Robinson said, when asked about the use of Twitter, particularly during a match. While talk of Ben Brown’s catch to remove Alex Hales had added a heat and passion that is often lacking from the County Championship at this stage in the season, it was ungainly.A 1:10pm start meant a morning of thumb twiddling and players ambling about the outskirts of the ground. Four overs in, Nash was subject to an lbw appeal from Stuart Broad. He survived and moved to 39 and thus 8,000 first-class career runs. Luke Wells survived his own scare when he mistimed Samit Patel to short midwicket but then moved past 3,000 career runs.Both seemed to be making their way to a century in an opening standing of 161, before Broad had an evening workout – 10 overs, 2 for 16 – and bowled briskly to take Wells’ middle stump out of the ground and tricked Nash into defending a ball and taking his edge. Those were the only two wickets to fall, with Hales’ part-time off spin drawing a chance from Rory Hamilton-Brown but he couldn’t claim his first wicket in first-class cricket since 2009.

Will Tavare produced a back-to-the-wall innings reminiscent of his famous uncle to help Gloucestershire salvage a draw against Glamorgan at Bristol.

Press Association24-Jun-2014
ScorecardWill Tavaré drew on the batting of his more famous uncle•PA PhotosWill Tavare produced a back-to-the-wall innings reminiscent of his famous uncle to help Gloucestershire salvage a draw against Glamorgan at Bristol.Having seen the visitors claim a first innings lead of 224 before declaring at 615 for 7 on the final morning, Tavare opened Gloucestershire’s second innings and faced 167 balls in a fighting knock of 41, occupying more than three and a half hours.It enabled the hosts to reach 165 for 5 when the players shook hands with a possible five overs remaining. Former Kent and Somerset batsman Chris Tavare, who built a reputation as a stone-waller with England would have been rightly proud of his 24-year-old nephew.Ian Cockbain contributed 25 off 97 balls to a fourth-wicket stand of 44 with Tavare that used up 32.1 overs before Will Gidman’s 47 not out ensured Gloucestershire of a draw.Glamorgan’s bowlers toiled hard on a pitch which had been unresponsive throughout the game, but had to be content with 12 points from the game to their opponents’ nine.The final day began with Glamorgan batting on for five overs, extending an overnight lead of 178. Ruaidhri Smith was 57 not out off 111 balls when the declaration came.There were some forgettable bowling figures for Gloucestershire. Left-arm spinner Tom Smith went for 183 from his 52 overs, while claiming three wickets, and seamers Liam Norwell and Matt Taylor also registered unwanted centuries in runs conceded. But it was a memorable baptism for 17-year-old debutant wicketkeeper Patrick Grieshaber, who conceded 17 byes, largely as a result of wayward bowling, in standing behind the stumps for 159 overs.Glamorgan looked set to press home their advantage when Graham Wagg struck twice and Jacques Rudolph claimed a stunning slip catch of Jim Allenby to reduce Gloucestershire to 49 for 3 at lunch. But Tavare and Cockbain then dug in for most of the afternoon session. At one point the pair played out 57 consecutive dot balls as they battled to save the game.Cockbain was eventually caught at slip off the occasional leg-spin of Rudolph and at tea the home side were 103 for 4 with 34 more overs due to be bowled. Tavare perished in the final session, gloving a leg side catch to wicketkeeper Mark Wallace off Smith, but Gidman and Benny Howell saw Gloucestershire to safety.Glamorgan coach Toby Radford said: “I’m proud of the way the bowlers stuck to their task and our efforts in building a big lead in the face of a near 400 total. But in the end the pitch didn’t deteriorate sufficiently for us to force the win.”Gloucestershire have signed 21-year-old former Hampshire wicketkeeper Adam Rouse on a one-month trial to help provide cover for the injured Cameron Herring and Gareth Roderick.Director of cricket John Bracewell said: “Patrick Grieshaber kept well in this match and will share first team duties with Adam. It was not realistic to expect a 17-year-old to play in all the matches while Cameron and Gareth are out.”

Will Gidman kept his nerve with the bat to steer Gloucestershire to a three-wicket victory over Yorkshire in the Royal London One-Day Cup at Headingley.

Press Association29-Jul-2014
ScorecardWill Gidman rolled his four-day form into the 50-over arena•PA PhotosWill Gidman kept his nerve with the bat to steer Gloucestershire to a three-wicket victory over Yorkshire in the Royal London One-Day Cup at Headingley.It was a fine all-round performance from Gidman who, after claiming two wickets in a tight opening spell, ensured his side got to their modest target of 193 with an unbeaten 71 off 89 balls with 10 fours.Yorkshire were left kicking themselves for an undisciplined batting display which saw them lose three wickets with the score on 45 before their last five crashed for 18 runs in 22 balls.And their total would have been much smaller but for a record-breaking sixth-wicket stand of 129 between Adil Rashid, who made 71 and 56 from Jack Leaning 56.Their early demise in 41.4 overs left Gloucestershire with nine overs to bat before the interval and a double strike by Tim Bresnan left them uneasily placed on 27 for 2, Hamish Marshall slashing hard to second slip where Adam Lyth held on to a fast catch and Chris Dent being strangled down the leg-side.Gidman came in at 69 for 3 after Michael Klinger 37 had fallen to Richard Pyrah for 37 and he had plenty of re-building work to do as his side succumbed to fine bowling from Rashid and Pyrah to slump to 83 for 6.He then received excellent support from offspinner Jack Taylor, who attacked strongly in only his eighth List A match to make a career-best 38 off 39 balls with three fours and a six. The pair had put on 69 in 13 overs when Taylor was caught at slip driving at Rashid’s last ball, the legspinner finishing with 3 for 43 from his 10 overs.Gidman remained in control, his half-century coming from 74 balls with six fours, and 28 deliveries remained when the winning run came from a Bresnan wide.Yorkshire threw caution to the wind after winning the toss and carelessness cost them both openers in the first three overs to leave them on 16 for 2. Alex Lees cut Gidman straight into the hands of Ian Cockbain at point and Lyth aimed to leg only to fall lbw to the left-arm pace of David Payne.Kane Williamson and skipper, Andrew Gale, looked to be mastering the bowling until both got out as three wickets fell with the score on 45. Gale was caught behind by wicketkeeper Adam Rouse for 16 while attempting to steer Payne to third man, Williamson, on 12, nicked a good ball from Gidman which left him and Jonny Bairstow was taken low down at first slip by Klinger off Payne for a duck. The catch looked a perfectly clean one but Bairstow waited until the umpires had conferred before walking off.The first half of Yorkshire’s batting order had been swept away in 13 overs on a slow but firm pitch but when Gidman was rested with figures of 2 for 16 through seven overs and Payne eight overs 3 for 21, things became a little easier for the sixth-wicket pair of Leaning and Rashid. Both batsmen began to blossom as their confidence grew and Leaning drove Taylor to the extra-cover boundary to raise three figures, Rashid lofting a straight drive for four in the same over.Rashid was the more dominant of the two and he completed his maiden half-century in his 59th List A innings from 71 balls with five fours. When the stand had reached 129 it became Yorkshire’s highest for the sixth wicket in one-day cricket, beating the unbroken 128 between Anthony McGrath and Gary Fellows in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy quarter-final against Essex at Chelmsford in 2002.But then, in a bizarre spell of almost suicidal play, Yorkshire crashed from 174 for 5 to 192 all out in just three full overs. First to go was Rashid who drove Benny Howell to long-on and was caught by Cockbain.Leaning completed his 50 off 73 deliveries with three fours and a six before both Bresnan and Pyrah were run out cheaply in consecutive overs by direct hits and Leaning dashed out of his crease to a leg-side wide from Taylor and was stumped, the spinner’s next ball trapping Jack Brooks lbw.”The wicket was quite slow and holding a bit and the match turned into a bit of a scrap,” Gloucestershire director of cricket John Bracewell said. “Gidman and Payne hit the right areas and found the correct length and took wickets up front. Leaning and Rashid put on a good partnership which was bound to happen and we faced a respectable but achievable total.”We always said this could be a competition for Will Gidman because 50-overs cricket suits his bowling and he showed that it does. It was good to beat a class side like Yorkshire who have some excellent outstanding cricketers. To tip them over on their home turf is a good effort.”