Showing posts with label Cricket. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cricket. Show all posts

Tuesday, 12 April 2016

Aspiring Cricketer Killed in Trinidad

Adrian St Jihn
An aspiring British cricketer has died after reportedly being shot in a robbery in Trinidad,  Adrian St John, 22, from London, is understood to have died on Sunday.

West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle, who runs a cricket academy, tweeted: "Such sad news to hear. My condolences to his family & friends. Adrian St John was the captain of the academy. #Sigh."

The Foreign Office said it was in contact with authorities in Trinidad following the death of a UK national.

Local media reports suggest Mr St John was attacked after he had stopped his car to pick up two friends, and was shot as he drove away after they had been robbed.

Donovan Miller, programme manager for the Chris Gayle Foundation, said: "I'm really finding it hard to come to terms with it, how someone could do something like that to such a lovely person."

He said Mr St John was one of the first members of the Chris Gayle Academy in London, adding: "He wanted me to support him to go to the Caribbean and to kind of push hard with his cricket."

Friends have taken to Twitter to pay tribute to Mr St John.

"In utter shock to hear that one of my good friends Adrian has passed away. One of the funniest and nicest people," Tommy Smith tweeted.

"Tragic news. A lovely lad and a talented cricketer. Thoughts are with his family and friends. RIP Adrian St John," tweeted Surrey-based Southern Railway, Kenley and Selsdon Cricket Club.

Alleyn Cricket Club, based in south London, tweeted: "Adrian St John, who played for us 85 times from 2009 to 2014, has been murdered in Trinidad. We're devastated."

"Saddened by the news of the death of one of our Alumni, Adrian St John. Our prayers are with his family. RIP Adrian," the University of Hertfordshire men's cricket team tweeted.

The Chris Gayle Foundation aims to "improve access to good-quality education, training and employment for at-risk young people in Jamaica and the UK".

The cricket academies it runs offer young people a chance to play matches "as a focus for the development of their communication skills, teamwork and collective pride in their achievements".

#RIP

Saturday, 18 August 2012

VVS Laxman Ends International Career


India's VVS Laxman has announced his immediate retirement from international cricket after a 16-year career.

The 37-year-old had been picked for the first of the two-Test series against New Zealand, which starts in his home town of Hyderabad on 23 August.

But Laxman, who scored 17 hundreds in 134 Tests and six in 86 one-day internationals, will now not take part.

"I am retiring with immediate effect. I think this is the right time to move on," Laxman said.

Laxman had a sparse time of it in the previous two summers, first in England in 2011 and then in Australia, scoring 337 runs in eight Tests.

Indian commentators, including Indian greats Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, called the selection of Laxman for the New Zealand series a retrograde step.

Laxman made his Test debut against South Africa in Ahmedabad in 1996, scoring 51 in the second innings as India won by 64 runs.

However, and despite his lavish talent, he did not score his first Test century until January 2000, when he made 167 against Australia in Sydney.

In March 2001, he made 281 and put on 376 with Rahul Dravid in Kolkata to force an extraordinary win against Australia, India having followed on.

That knock was voted by Wisden as the sixth greatest Test match innings of all time.

He was at his best against the formidable Aussie side of the 2000s, also scoring two tons in the 2003-04 series down under and six in all against them.

Laxman also scored four of his six ODI tons against the Aussies, although he was never a fixture in the Indian side for the shorter forms of the game.

He ends his international career having scored 8781 Test runs at an average of 45.97 and 2338 one-day runs at an average of 30.76



Thursday, 29 December 2011

Clarke Delights in Aussie Start


Australia dismissed India for 169 in their second innings to secure an impressive 122-run victory on day four of the first Test in Melbourne.

With India needing 292 to win, pacemen James Pattinson (4-53), Ben Hilfenhaus (2-39) and Peter Siddle (3-42) took five wickets between them after lunch to leave the tourists 117-6 at tea.

Spinner Nathan Lyon took the final wicket to clinch the victory.

Earlier, Mike Hussey was finally out for 89 in Australia's 240.

That left India needed to achieve the fourth-highest winning total at the Melbourne Cricket Ground if they were to secure victory in the first of four Tests.

But Hilfenhaus removed Virender Sehwag before lunch and India then collapsed in the second session, with Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid failing to make an impact.

Sachin Tendulkar, still chasing a 100th international hundred, looked to settle his side but was dismissed for 32 when Siddle, with the first ball of his second spell, had him caught in the gully.

"It's a great start to the series," Australia captain Michael Clarke said at the presentation ceremony. "India are a fantastic team and it's great to get a win up but we know they'll come back hard at us in (the second Test at) Sydney."

"You have to give credit to the Australian bowling attack because they bowled really well," said India captain Mahendra Dhoni. "We are known to be tentative starters and I think in the next game it will be slightly better."

AUSTRALIA V INDIA
26-30 Dec: 1st Test, Melbourne
3-7 Jan: 2nd Test, Sydney
13-17 Jan: 3rd Test, Perth
24-28 Jan: 4th Test, Adelaide
1 & 3 Feb: 2x Twenty20
5 Feb-2 Mar: Triangular one-day series- Australia, India, Sri Lanka

Monday, 12 December 2011

Bracewell Helps Kiwi's Win Test


New Zealand recorded their first Test victory in Australia for 26 years with a thrilling seven-run win in Hobart, to draw the two-match series 1-1.

It was only their third Test victory in 28 matches on Australian soil.

The Australians resumed on day four needing only 169 more runs with all 10 wickets intact, but lost Phil Hughes in the second over of the morning.

Seamer Doug Bracewell took 6-40 as Aussie opener David Warner carried his bat for a maiden Test century.

Left-hander Warner, previously thought to be a Twenty20 specialist, was playing in only his second Test, and after adding 72 with Hughes he put on another 50 with Usman Khawaja (23) to leave Australia in relative command at 122-1.

But Bracewell, the nephew of former New Zealand spinner and coach John Bracewell and himself playing in only his third Test, turned the game.

He had Ricky Ponting caught at extra cover, and in his next over, with the score still on 159, dismissed Australia captain Michael Clarke and obdurate middle-order batsman Mike Hussey with successive deliveries.

Clarke was caught at first slip while Hussey departed via video referral, after umpire Asad Rauf had originally rejected the appeal for lbw.

Tim Southee and Bracewell took two wickets each in two overs to leave the Australians on the brink of defeat at 199-9.

Man of the match Warner and last man Nathan Lyon added 34 inside eight overs but Bracewell nipped one back off the seam to breach Lyon's defences and signal the start of the celebrations for the Kiwis.

"We believed in ourselves that we could win this match, we knew we had to fight, we knew we had to play a lot better than we did in Brisbane," New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor said, referring to the team's nine-wicket defeat in the first match of the series.

Counterpart Michael Clarke was critical of his batsmen and said: "Obviously disappointed, no doubt.

"The way we played in Brisbane was outstanding and I thought we were pretty inconsistent throughout this Test match.

"I want to pay credit to David Warner for his first Test century and also to Nathan Lyon for the way he hung in there.

"I think if a few of us batters had shown the character and courage he showed, we wouldn't be standing here with the same result."

Friday, 9 December 2011

It's the Full Monty for England


England have named Monty Panesar and Ravi Bopara in their 16-man squad for the three-Test series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

Panesar was included as the second spinner ahead of Samit Patel, with Bopara the back-up batsman and Steven Davies the reserve wicketkeeper.

Eoin Morgan, Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan have all returned to the squad after injuries.

Chris Tremlett and Steve Finn are also included in a five-man pool of seamers.

Left-arm spinner Panesar has not played Test cricket since the start of the 2009 Ashes series but has been included on the strength of a successful domestic season with Sussex in which he took 69 County Championship wickets at an average of 27.24.

Nottinghamshire's Patel was left out despite some promising all-round displays in the October one-day series in India, with Durham leg-spinner Scott Borthwick also overlooked.

With the pitches for the Tests in Dubai and Abu Dhabi likely to be receptive to turn, Panesar could be asked to operate in tandem with off-spinner Graeme Swann.

"'Monty had a super season with Sussex and could play a very big part in the series," said National Selector Geoff Miller. "But we will wait and see what wickets are like and, if we need two spinners, they are there."

The inclusion of Bopara in place of the retired Paul Collingwood is the only change from England's squad for the triumphant 2010-11 Ashes series in Australia.

The Essex batsman, who replaced the injured Jonathan Trott for the last two Tests of the summer, got the nod ahead of emerging players like Yorkshire's Jonny Bairstow.

"Ravi Bopara has another opportunity to show his growth as a Test player, and we believe he will continue to add depth to our batting stocks for what promises to be a highly competitive series," said Miller.

The Pakistan series will be England's first since they rose to number one in the world Test rankings in August after a 4-0 series victory over India and the first between the teams since the spot-fixing scandal which overshadowed Pakistan's 2010 series in England.

The tour, taking place in the UAE because of security concerns in Pakistan, will also include four one-day internationals and three Twenty20 games.

"Pakistan are used to playing in the UAE and are playing very good cricket at the moment," said Miller.

"To be best in the world is all about beating opposition not only at home but away as well. But we are quietly confident that we have players who can perform in all conditions with bat or ball."

England squad: AJ Strauss (Capt, Middlesex), JM Anderson (Lancashire), IR Bell (Warwickshire), RS Bopara (Essex), TT Bresnan (Yorkshire), SCJ Broad (Nottinghamshire), AN Cook (Essex), SM Davies (wkt, Surrey), ST Finn (Middlesex), EJG Morgan (Middlesex), MS Panesar (Sussex), KP Pietersen (Surrey), MJ Prior (wkt, Sussex), GP Swann (Nottinghamshire), CT Tremlett (Surrey), IJL Trott (Warwickshire).


Wednesday, 2 November 2011

Cricketers Butt and Asif Pay Price


Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif have been found guilty of their part in a "spot-fixing" scam after a trial at Southwark Crown Court.

Former captain Butt, 27, and fast bowler Asif, 28, were both found guilty of conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments.

They plotted to deliberately bowl no-balls during a Lord's Test match against England last summer.

Another bowler, Mohammad Amir, admitted the charges prior to the trial.

The guilty pleas by the bowler, who was 18 when the scam took place, could not be reported before.

The jury was not told of these pleas.

BBC sport news correspondent James Pearce says all three are facing the prospect of jail terms.

The conspiracy theories are once again being aired here.

"The West just wants to destroy the image of Pakistan," says Zahim, a cricket fan eating at a restaurant outside Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium.

"We need to get to the real truth."

In the coming days many others, including some in the media, will say they too feel Pakistani cricketers have been unfairly victimised.

But when pushed, most will acknowledge that some of their former heroes must have been engaged in corruption.

"This involvement in betting has blackened Pakistan's name," Najam, another fan, tells me.

"They also put the whole nation through the shock. They must be punished and punished severely."

Conspiracy to accept corrupt payments carries a maximum prison term of seven years.

Our correspondent also says the case "raises serious questions about the integrity of Test cricket".

A statement was read out by Amir's lawyer at the start of the trial, before any evidence had been heard.

He said: "Mohammad Amir accepts full responsibility for deliberately bowling two no-balls and, in due course, you will hear how this vulnerable 18-year-old boy was subjected to extreme pressure from those on whom he should have been able to rely.

"He recognises the damage his actions have caused Pakistan cricket."

Spot-betting involves gamblers staking money on the minutiae of sporting encounters such as the exact timing of the first throw-in during a football match or, as in this case, when a no-ball will be bowled.

After deliberating for nearly 17 hours, the jury unanimously convicted Butt and Asif of conspiracy to cheat.

Our correspondent said Butt's wife, Gul Hassan, had given birth to a baby boy one hour before he was found guilty.

The BBC's Aleem Maqbool, in Lahore, said the story was leading the national news in Pakistan and the four-week trial had been closely followed in the country.

The judge, Mr Justice Cooke, extended bail for Butt and Asif until sentencing later this week.'Rampant corruption'

They were charged after a tabloid newspaper alleged they took bribes to bowl deliberate no-balls.

The court heard the players, along with fast bowler Amir, conspired with UK-based sports agent Mazhar Majeed, 36, to fix parts of the Lord's Test last August.

Three intentional no-balls were delivered during the match between Pakistan and England from 26 to 29 August last year.

Prosecutors said Butt and Asif had been motivated by greed to "contaminate" a match watched by millions of people and "betray" their team, the Pakistan Cricket Board and the sport itself.

Aftab Jafferjee QC, for the prosecution, said the case "revealed a depressing tale of rampant corruption at the heart of international cricket".

Following the verdicts, Haroon Lorgat - chief executive of the International Cricket Council, the sport's governing body - issued a statement.

In it, he said: "We hope that this verdict is seen as a further warning to any individual who might, for whatever reason, be tempted to engage in corrupt activity within our sport."

He added that the ICC had a zero-tolerance attitude towards corruption and would use everything within its power to ensure that any suggestion of corrupt activity within cricket was "comprehensively investigated and, where appropriate, robustly prosecuted".

Sally Walsh, of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said the players had "brought shame on the cricket world" through their actions and "jeopardised the faith and admiration of cricket fans the world over".

She said their actions "went against everything expected of someone in their position and they failed to take into account their fans of all ages and nationalities when deciding to abandon the values of sportsmanship so unconditionally".

The senior lawyer added: "The jury has decided, after hearing all of the evidence, that what happened at the crease that day was criminal in the true sense of the word."

DCS Matt Horne, of the Metropolitan Police, said what had happened was "cheating, pure and simple".

"I think we all look forward to sport being played in its truest spirit as we go forward with these types of issues," he added.

DCS Horne also acknowledged the investigative journalism that led to the trial.

Mazher Mahmood, the former News of the World journalist who uncovered the betting scam, said: "It is a sad day for cricket but a good day for investigative journalism."

He said he hoped cricketing authorities would take the opportunity to tackle illegal gambling in the sport and do everything in their power to regain the cricket fans.

Meanwhile, former Pakistan cricket captain Asif Iqbal told BBC 5Live it was a "sad day for cricket" and said the case would send out a "huge message".

Angus Fraser, a former England fast bowler, said it could be a "watershed" for the game.

"It shows young cricketers that there is a consequence to their behaviour. In the past players have been banned and then they have come back," he told BBC 5Live.

"The International Cricket Council has got to support the players, see these signs and help them out of predicaments, but also see (that) if players do commit these offences they are punished severely."


Friday, 21 October 2011

Dhoni Questions England Attitude

I
ndia captain Mahendra Dhoni questioned England's attitude following his team's five-wicket win in the third one-day international that secured the series.

Some England players were warned about behaviour in Monday's second match but the aggression continued in Mohali.

"A bit of chit-chat is fine, that makes the game interesting," Dhoni said.

"You don't always want a friendly series, as long as things don't get too personal but I think they should change the plan for the next two games."

Dhoni also intimated that England had been arguing amongst themselves during their latest defeat, which ended skipper Alastair Cook's unbeaten run of three one-day series victories

"It's very important to be nice to your fellow team-mates," Dhoni said. "There were lots of gestures flowing around in the field when it comes to the England side.

"When you are under pressure, most of the individuals will definitely commit mistakes.

"These are the things that really shape the character of the side. I think their strategy is not working. That's what's happening right now."

England arrived in India full of optimism having comprehensively beaten Dhoni's team in all forms of the game on home soil during the summer.

However, familiar difficulties with sub-continental conditions ensured they remain without a one-day series victory in India since 1984.

"It's not only about 'giving it' to the opposition. You have to be fair," Dhoni said of the English team's conduct.

"If our players are saying something to the opposition - which happens at times - I don't want them to get really personal or say things that are not within the guidelines."


Tuesday, 18 October 2011

Shahid Afridi Out of Retirement


Shahid Afridi says he has come out of international retirement and will be available for selection for Pakistan's one-day team.

Afridi retired in May in protest at the Pakistan Cricket Board, following a public row with coach Waqar Younis.

Younis has since quit his role and Ijaz Butt has been replaced as board chairman by Zaka Ashraf.

"I didn't as such retire, I only said I wouldn't play under the previous board," said Afridi.

"I had problems with the previous board and team management and I had made it clear they didn't allow me to enjoy my cricket for Pakistan.

My only desire is to play for Pakistan again and I welcome the new chairman of the board and am confident he will improve things in Pakistan cricketShahid Afridi

"Now that the board and team management set-ups are changed I am ready to play for my country and available for selection. I feel I still have a few years of cricket left in me."

Afridi, who led his team to the 2011 World Cup semi-finals, added: "My only desire is to play for Pakistan again and I welcome the new chairman of the board and am confident he will improve things in Pakistan cricket."

Afridi, who has played in 27 tests and 325 one-day matches, has had a controversial career and was banned and fined twice by the International Cricket Council.

Pakistan take on Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi in the first match of the Test series, starting on Tuesday.