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A round-up of the third round matches of the National Cricket League

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Nov-2012Khulna Division crushed Chittagong Division by 299 runs in Bogra to complete their third win in as many National Cricket League matches. Abdur Razzak’s 9 for 84 in the first innings, which was also the best bowling figures in Bangladesh first-class cricket, put Khulna right on top before Anamul Haque’s hundred ensured a massive second-innings target for Chittagong.Their eventual final-innings total was only 153 with offspinner Nizamuddin picking up a five-wicket haul while Razzak added four to make it 13 for the match. With the bat it was four-half centuries from Imrul Kayes, Tushar Imran, Ziaur Rahman and Dolar Mahmud that took Khulna to 416 in the first innings, before Razzak almost single-handedly bowled out Chittagong for 307. The 109-run lead was boosted by another 343 as Anamul blasted 127 with ten boundaries and three sixes. Aftab Ahmed’s 52 and captain Nafees Iqbal’s 45 provided the only resistance for Chittagong in the second innings, as just four batsmen reached double-figures.Four-time defending champions Rajshahi Division picked up their first win in the tournament when they beat hosts Rangpur Divisionby 224 runs in Rangpur. Batting first, Rajshahi made only 232 runs, despite Maisuqur Rahman’s century, but they still managed to take a 61-run first-innings lead.Left-arm spinner Sanjamul Islam picked up three wickets while Shafiul Islam, Farhad Reza and Saqlain Sajib took two each. Farhad’s unbeaten century then gave Rajshahi a lead of 358 runs, after they declared their second innings on 297 for 9. Left-arm seamer Sajidul Islam finished with eight wickets for Rangpur, who missed the services of Naeem Islam badly.Rangpur were bowled out for just 134 runs in the second innings with Sajib taking four wickets and Shafiul finishing with three as Rajshahi picked up seven points from the game.Sylhet Division also registered their first win by beating Dhaka Division by 10 wickets at home. After sending in Dhaka to bat first, Sylhet’s three-man pace attack bowled out the visitors for 84, with the experienced Tapash Baisya taking 6 for 37.Alok Kapali and Rajin Saleh then shared a 240-run stand for the fourth wicket, both scoring centuries as Sylhet piled on 390 runs in their first innings. Dhaka’s fightback in the second innings only amounted to a lead of a single run. It took Imtiaz Hossain just one blow off Nazmul Islam’s left-arm spin to complete the victory and a handy ten points.

Khulna Division 3 3 0 0 0 0 19 Sylhet Division 3 1 0 0 2 0 15 Dhaka Metropolis 3 1 0 0 2 0 14 Rajshahi Division 3 1 1 0 1 0 11 Dhaka Division 3 1 1 0 1 0 7 Chittagong Division 3 0 1 0 2 0 5 Barisal Division 3 0 2 0 1 0 3 Rangpur Division 3 0 2 0 1 0 2

With India and Pakistan set to face-off in a bilateral series for the first time in five years, Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore is excited

Umar Farooq14-Dec-2012With India and Pakistan set to face-off in a bilateral series for the first time in five years, Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore is excited. On the opening day of Pakistan’s preparatory camp in Lahore, he said he is ‘very keen to play the series’ and take on the challenge of playing India in India.”India v Pakistan in India is not going to be an easy one, particularly with the added interest of the neighbours playing each other [for the first time in a while],” Whatmore said at the Gaddafi Stadium. “But it’s fantastic. I can tell you players from both sides respect each other, we are fellow professionals. We understand the pressures that exist but sadly there are a number other people who build it up as something different … But that’s the way it is. We are very keen to play our neighbours and we are looking forward to it very much.”The series, which begins with a Twenty20 in Bangalore on December 25, will be the first bilateral series between the two sides since Pakistan toured India in late 2007. They have since met in multinational tournaments, but bilateral ties between the two were put on hold following the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai. India had withdrawn from their planned tour of Pakistan in 2009 and, after the attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore that stalled international cricket in Pakistan, have not agreed to play a series at a neutral venue as has been the case with all Pakistan’s ‘home’ series.”It’s a privilege to be involved in series like this,” Whatmore said. “I’ve been involved in the odd match at ICC events and Asian Cricket Council events, but this will be first time we’ll play more that two or three times in a small series.”It will be an experience, particularly playing in India, where the fans are also very keen to come out and have a look and support their team.”Saeed Ajmal will be Pakistan’s trump card, Whatmore said. “We will pick our group of bowlers depending on the conditions. You can’t do that until you’ve had a look [at the conditions]. We feel we’ve enough boys in the group to satisfy the requirements of any conditions. But Saeed Ajmal will always remain a trump card for us, he will always remain a threat [for the opposition].”Despite India’s struggles during the ongoing England Test series, Whatmore refused to be complacent. “England are playing very well at the moment and India have a big job to square the series. But one Test series [results] doesn’t necessarily mean that they are weak, we all know how good they have been over many years. I wouldn’t read much into that.”Fifteen players of the 22 who will travel to India for the two* Twenty20s and three ODIs attended the inaugural day of the camp; Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Anwar Ali, Mohammad Hafeez and Misbah-ul-Haq were absent due to various reasons.*02.13GMT, December 15: The article had said ‘three Twenty20s’. This has been corrected.

The number of Australian players in line to play in the IPL suggests only few have elected longer-term international goals over the upfront riches

Daniel Brettig24-Jan-2013David Warner is in. Michael Clarke and Matthew Wade probably are also. Not only will Shane Watson be there, he will be there bowling. Ryan Harris will be there trying to remind the world that he still can bowl. James Pattinson is headed there too. Michael Hussey will be there to remind Australian cricket of what it is missing. But Mitchell Starc will be a notable absentee.When Australian cricketers talk of the IPL being a personal choice, they are completely correct. But the number of potential Ashes tourists likely to be spending their six-week designated rest period traipsing up and down India in the months before the Ashes in England suggests that only a few have elected to choose longer-term international goals over the up-front riches to be offered on the subcontinent.The IPL’s place in the calendar is not in dispute, nor is the tournament’s desire for Australian cricketers. Nevertheless, no matter who ends up playing at the tournament and who does not, they will be a six-week period in which national selector John Inverarity, team-performance manager Pat Howard and coach Mickey Arthur will be a little more nervous about their players than usual.The ways in which the tournament may cause harm are a matter for conjecture, but it is worth noting that not once in Australia’s three mid-year visits to England following the start of IPL in 2008 – two ODI tours in 2010 and 2012 and the Ashes in 2009 – have the tourists emerged with a winning series. The only success in that time was a 6-1 win in the ODIs that followed the 2009 Tests, though in recent times post-Test series limited overs affairs have invariably run contrary to the dominant script.Last year’s matches were miserable in the extreme, and the effect of playing T20 on the subcontinent before embarking upon weightier contests in conditions that could not be more different is likely to take a toll.Starc’s call to avoid the tournament was reached only after plenty of considered thought. Given his successes for the Sydney Sixers and also Australia’s T20 team, 22-year-old Starc was in line for a hefty Indian pay day if he had chosen to submit himself for the auction on February 3 in Chennai. Instead he will use that time to have the rest and pre-season training that Inverarity has recently emphasised. It looks a wise choice.”I thought about it long and hard and had a chat with a few people and just figured that I’ve had a pretty big 18 months and I feel that my body just needs that time,” Starc said. “The six weeks just to have a couple of weeks off, build myself back up in the gym, get some bowling under the belt and be raring to go if the chance comes to go to England.”My focus is playing for Australia and IPL can wait. For me playing for Australia has always been the dream and I’ve got a chance to do that now. We’ve got a big 12 months coming and personally I’d rather take those six weeks to get myself ready for the winter over in England if I get the chance to go over there and for the summer back home. I made the decision to go over to England last year to work on my game [with Yorkshire], and this year it’s the smart option to take the six weeks to recuperate and get my body right and strong to go.”Starc has been held up by Inverarity and Howard as an example of how a young bowler can successfully be pushed up from a first-class apprenticeship into regular national duty via his judicious use on selected tours. They will be grateful that his thinking has extended to skipping the IPL.”It’s all a personal choice, just my decision not to go,” Starc said. “I spoke to a few people, my manager, my girlfriend, a few people close to me and that was my decision. I’ve been going for 18 months straight now, pretty happy with how my body’s going, and I’ve learned a lot in terms of my cricket.”Wade, meanwhile, has recently returned to the Australia team following a post-Test break, and said his journey to the IPL was conditional on two things. First, he must be picked up in the auction, and second, he will have to decide how his body had stood up to the demands of keeping wickets over a rigorous Test series in India in the weeks before the event.”If I get picked up and my body’s 100% I’ll play,” he said. “If I’m not 100% I’ll definitely pull out of the IPL to get myself up for the Australian tours coming up, which will be Champions Trophy or Ashes … if I feel good and like it’s not going to harm me then I will play.”

Mahela Jayawardene could not hide his frustration at seeing Sri Lanka’s match against Australia fail to resume due a wet outfield

Daniel Brettig at the SCG20-Jan-2013When word filtered through that the fourth ODI at the SCG had been abandoned, it was not only the crowd of 22,521 who were intent on expressing their annoyance at the outcome. Sri Lanka’s captain, Mahela Jayawardene, could not hide his frustration at seeing the match fail to resume in circumstances that heavily favoured his side, having beaten far worse conditions against New Zealand in Pallekele only three months ago.Jayawardene said his team would write formally to the ICC match referee, Javagal Srinath, seeking an explanation for an inconsistency in rulings from one series to the next. Srinath had explained that play would not resume because he and the umpires Paul Reiffel and Marais Erasmus felt conditions were unfair, whereas in Sri Lanka the match referee, Andy Pycroft, had said play would only be stopped if deemed unsafe.This robbed Sri Lanka of an ideal chance to finish the series off, having bowled superbly to restrict Australia to 9 for 222, and Jayawardene expressed surprise that a ground as rich in history and facilities as the SCG could not get the game re-started.Conditions for calling off play

3.5.3 Suspension of play for adverse conditions of ground, weather or light
If at any time the umpires together agree that the conditions of ground, weather or light are so bad that there is obvious and foreseeable risk to the safety of any player or umpire, so that it would be unreasonable or dangerous for play to take place, then they shall immediately suspend play, or not allow play to commence or to restart. The decision as to whether conditions are so bad as to warrant such action is one for the umpires alone to make.
The fact that the grass and the ball are wet and slippery does not warrant the ground conditions being regarded as unreasonable or dangerous. If the umpires consider the ground is so wet or slippery as to deprive the bowler of a reasonable foothold, the fielders of the power of free movement, or the batsmen of the ability to play their strokes or to run between the wickets, then these conditions shall be regarded as so bad that it would be unreasonable for play to take place.

“We played New Zealand three months ago and the interpretation we got in that series was quite different to what we got today,” Jayawardene said. “We played in Pallekele with a lot of rain and during the World Cup as well. I think we need to find a bit more consistency, so that’s something we’ll probably write and put across to them [the ICC] and see how we can go about it. At the SCG, I would assume that a ground of this magnitude you should be able to get a game in. Maybe they should do what we do back home and cover the entire ground.”I think we can write to the match referee because the interpretation we got three months ago in the New Zealand series was something totally different. It was deemed that we’d only stop play if it was dangerous, not unfair, but today the interpretation was different. I accept that, it comes from the match referee and the umpires so I’m happy to take that on board, but it was two interpretations we got within a three-month period.”Australia’s captain, Michael Clarke, had chosen to bat first upon winning the toss but Jayawardene, mindful of rain on the horizon and also the hosts’ struggles against the swinging, seaming ball in the past two matches, had always set his mind on sending his opponents in.”When we started today I was going to bowl,” he said. “Purely because of the weather that was going to be around today, so we were going to bowl first thinking that if it comes to Duckworth-Lewis we would have a better idea of what we needed chasing, and our guys bowled brilliantly up front.”With the rain coming in and the equation it would probably have been a much easier chase, but I guess we just need to put this behind us and look forward to the next game. We’ve played some really good cricket and it’s just a little disappointment, but we can take a lot out of the last three games, how we’ve come back into the series and controlled things.”For his part, Clarke indicated his own surprise at the game not resuming, saying that he had seen matches played at the SCG where far more rain had drenched the ground. The curator, Tom Parker, had indicated that the delay was caused by light rain that sat on the surface rather than sinking in, while a lack of any breeze made evaporation more of a challenge.”I think this ground is known for its drainage,” Clarke said. “I’ve played a number of games here where it’s held a lot more water than that and we’ve managed to get back on and play games of cricket. I think the hardest thing was the water didn’t really sink in, it sat on top, there was no sun around and no wind.”Sri Lanka would’ve loved to get back on there as the game got shorter. It was probably going to suit them a lot more. But we certainly wanted to play as well to give ourselves a chance to win the series. Unfortunately we can’t win the series now, we can only level it.”

Martin Guptill has been ruled out of the remainder of the England series due to a thumb injury

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-2013Martin Guptill, the New Zealand batsman, has been ruled out of the remainder of the England series due to a thumb injury. Guptill needs surgery to repair the ligament damage he suffered on his left thumb earlier in the series. He will be replaced by Otago’s Hamish Rutherford, who made his debut earlier this week, in the one-day squad.Guptill has been a regular at the top of the order for several years across all formats, and his injury will further weaken an already fragile Test batting line-up in the three matches coming up against England.He played a key role in New Zealand’s win in the first one-dayer on Sunday, when he batted on one leg after a hamstring injury to help complete a narrow victory.The New Zealand team physiotherapist, Paul Close, said that Guptill could have continued to play in the short term despite the thumb injury, but decided to push for the operation early. “We felt it was best to get Martin right for the tour to England in May and June,” Close said, “so the next couple of months were seen as the best window to have the surgery.”The one-day series is tied 1-1 with the final match on Saturday. The first of the three Tests in the series starts on March 6th in Dunedin.

Ravindra Jadeja was pleased to dismiss Australia captain Michael Clarke for the fourth time in the series

Sharda Ugra15-Mar-2013In his five innings in India on this tour, Michael Clarke has been dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja four times. His scores in those dismissals have gone from 130 to 91, 16 to a first-ball duck in Mohali.It is, in any batsman-bowler combination, the beginning of the ‘bunny’ syndrome. When Jadeja was asked if he was trying to make Australia’s best batsman his bunny, he laughed, ” (That’s what’s happening at the moment).”Three times, Clarke has been beaten by the ball turning away from the face of his bat. In Chennai, he charged out and ended up miscuing one to long-off. In Hyderabad, he defended with poise only to find the ball whizzing past his eyeline and knocking the top of off. In Mohali, Clarke walked in at a time loaded with significance. Australia have faced a few hairy days – four players were axed from the Test due to disciplinary reasons, the side’s best opening partnership of the tour had just been broken and Clarke had moved himself two spots up the order to come in at No. 3.Off his first ball, Clarke once again charged out to Jadeja. Then he watched mortified as the ball spun past the bat and headed into Dhoni’s gloves for a simple stumping. Australia could only stutter through the rest of the day. Jadeja said of his nemesis status against Clarke: “It’s not that I only want to get him out. But luckily when I’m bowling he’s coming to bat.” He said getting Clarke four times “feels good” because Australia are heavily dependent on his form. “So it’s very important to get him out as soon as possible.”The failure to take a wicket in the first session did not affect India’s morale, Jadeja said, because they had tried to keep the runs down – Australia scored 109 in 35 overs. “We were waiting to get a wicket or two. We wanted to bowl where we had planned. We knew that if we gave them too many runs, they’d be able to score more comfortably. In the first session, we didn’t give too many runs; we didn’t get wickets, but that we covered in the last two sessions.”Jadeja said India’s chances of getting a result from this Test depend on how the first half of the third day’s play would go. “We’ll try to get the three wickets early tomorrow, and then bat well and see the situation over the next two days.”The Mohali pitch, Jadeja said, didn’t turn as much it had on day one in Hyderabad or Chennai. “It was a good wicket for the first day, good for batting too.”

Alastair Cook believes his side’s bowling attack put in a great effort to keep the pressure on New Zealand throughout the match

Andrew McGlashan18-Mar-2013Whenever England travel to the subcontinent, or know they will encounter a flat pitch, they talk about ‘finding a way’ to take 20 wickets. Perhaps, even if only subconsciously, they did not expect to have to use such a philosophy on this tour of New Zealand but they would do well to delve back into their memory banks ahead of the final Test in Auckland.Whether you want to term it presumption or not, it was expected that England’s bowling attack, especially the quicks, would dominate this series. That was not being arrogant or disrespectful, it was a judgement based on form and rankings. The fact they have not managed to blow New Zealand away – far from it in Dunedin – is credit to the home side.There was a glimpse in the first-innings in Wellington of when this England attack, missing Graeme Swann from their first-choice combination, performs at its optimum; three high-class quick bowlers relentlessly running in, with the spinner maintaining the pressure at the other end. Would England have been closer to victory with Swann? Most likely, but Monty Panesar, with a little more luck and maybe a tad more patience, could have had more than his one wicket.It is vital to make use of the new ball, which Stuart Broad did superbly late in New Zealand’s first innings, and England also pride themselves on making the old ball reverse. There was a spell of that, too, from James Anderson during a classy burst to Brendon McCullum and BJ Watling when he had the ball under his complete control.”I think it was outstanding in that first innings to bowl New Zealand out for 250. On that wicket, that was a great effort,” Alastair Cook said. “The guys were back to their best, putting New Zealand under a lot of pressure and not letting them get away from us.”That is one of our hallmarks. Although Jimmy didn’t get the wickets, he bowled 30 overs into that wind, pretty much – an outstanding effort. It was great to see Broady back in the wickets, and bowling as well as I think he has done.”Still, it has not been easy for the bowlers and is unlikely to become any more so in the final Test. Lessons learned from the subcontinent travels of recent years – and how they dominated in Australia during 2010-11 – will need to be remembered for them to take 20 wickets at Eden Park. They are also in a similar position to New Zealand last week, coming off the back for a lengthy spell in the field, although the final-day washout will have allowed them to begin their recovery.”Clearly, I don’t think we really wanted to enforce the follow-on, when you’ve bowled 90 overs on a good wicket and put the effort in – with four bowlers – that the lads had,” Cook said. “But the circumstance with the weather – we knew it was pretty accurate, when it’s so close – we thought we’d have 80 overs to bowl them out. That was a chance to win the game, and our only chance really. We asked a lot of the bowlers to do that, and unfortunately didn’t quite create enough chances.”The bowler who appeared to feel the workload most was Anderson who needed some treatment for a stiff back during the second innings although it did not prevent him of running in. Despite being the senior bowler, Anderson did most of work into the wind and Cook was keen to emphasise the commitment.”They’re just niggles, a bit of wear and tear from bowling 30 overs – and as he keeps reminding me, only seven with the wind,” he said. “Stuff like that goes unnoticed. When you’re watching on TV, you don’t feel how strong the wind is. But you only have to stand at slip, thinking he’s got to run into that – and he never really complained, not on the pitch anyway.”

Glamorgan go into the final at the SWALEC Stadium as favourites to win but half-centuries from Thilan Samaraweera and Moeen Ali ensured Worcestershire would not lose by an innings.

19-Apr-2013Worcestershire 123 and 186 for 5 (Samaraweera 71*, Moeen 55) lead Glamorgan 295 by 14 runs
ScorecardGlamorgan go into the final day in Cardiff as favourites to win but half-centuries from Thilan Samaraweera and Moeen Ali ensured Worcestershire would not lose by an innings and by the close they had reached a lead of 14.Glamorgan’s most effective bowler was Will Bragg. His part-time medium pace accounted for Moeen and Alexei Kervezee in the space of four balls either side of tea as he recorded figures of 2 for 7.Glamorgan resumed the third day on 235 for 7, a first-innings lead of 112 with Jim Allenby (71) and Dean Cosker (8). The duo moved the score onto 244 before a light shower forced the players off the field. When they returned Allenby’s 212 minute vigil ended when he edged Gareth Andrew to Daryl Mitchell at second slip. Allenby made 78 from 162 balls.Michael Hogan was dismissed three balls later when a ball from Chris Russell trickled onto his stumps. The last wicket of Cosker and Mike Reed produced some entertainment as they put on 36 before Russell brought the innings to a close when he yorked Reed for 15 with Cosker unbeaten on 44 from 88 balls with five fours. Gareth Andrew was Worcestershire’s best bowler ending with figures of 4 for 79.Glamorgan struck in the first over of the Worcestershire second innings when Graham Wagg bowled Matt Pardoe for 0 shouldering arms before the visitors reached 5 for 1 at lunch, still 167 runs adrift of making Glamorgan bat again.Worcestershire had reached 50 for 1 before Jim Allenby made the breakthrough to remove skipper Daryl Mitchell with Bragg making a fine diving catch at midwicket. Moeen went on to make 55 with nine fours in a stay in the middle of two hours 39 minutes before perishing in the final over before tea. Moeen’s defiance ended when he chopped a ball from Bragg on to his stumps.From 97 for 3 at tea, Worcestershire lost another wicket three balls after the break when Kervezee went for a duck – the second victim of Bragg’s medium pace after he was caught at slip by Allenby. But Samaraweera and Michael Johnson ensured a lead as well as no more scares for Worcestershire, putting on 48 for the sixth wicket by the close.

Three Rajasthan Royals players, Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila – who were arrested and sent to police custody of their alleged involvement in corruption in the IPL – have been suspended by the BCCI

ESPNcricinfo staff16-May-2013Three Rajasthan Royals players – Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila, who were arrested for their alleged involvement in corruption in the IPL, have been suspended by the BCCI.The BCCI said the IPL Governing Council had met and decided to suspend the three players pending an inquiry. “As of now, the three players Ankeet Chavan, Ajit Chandila and Sreesanth stand suspended pending enquiry. All information required to bring the persons involved to book will be collected and strictest action will be taken, if found guilty,” a press release from the board said.Addressing the media, BCCI president N Srinivasan said he was shocked by the news but did not agree with the suggestion that the IPL had become untenable. He also said it was “truly sad” that this incident had occurred given that the BCCI had banned five domestic players last year for being caught in a sting operation.”We have an anti-corruption code, an anti-doping code. We have advised state units to take steps. But you see the people involved, they are Ranji players and one is a Test player, that is what is shocking,” Srinivasan said. “We acted the moment we got information the Delhi police had arrested the three players. Apparently an FIR [first information report] has been filed but we haven’t seen it. We have extended all co-operation to police and other agencies if they want any information from us.”When asked about the reports of several other players being involved, Srinivasan said the police had given the BCCI no such information yet. “As far as these three cricketers are concerned, keeping in mind natural justice has to be preserved, we will take action as per our rules and procedures. As for other cricketers we have no information from the police. If information comes to the BCCI, we will act immediately.”I am also equally sad, as all my colleagues are in the BCCI, that a player who played Tests for India is involved. But that does mean that the entire game is corrupt. I do not agree at all. I do not agree the IPL cannot continue. We will take all steps to root out this kind of corruption. To make a sweeping statement the IPL is untenable, I do not agree.”We thought when we made an example last year that the message was clear and people would not indulge in such things. It is truly sad. We will take whatever steps necessary for people to understand this is a serious matter and they can get into trouble.”When asked whether the players were more vulnerable to corruption during tournaments like the IPL, and whether the BCCI was doing enough policing, Srinivasan said the board would endeavour to do more. “We will examine what further regulation can be done. As far as player access, we have the same code as in international cricket. We will examine if we need to take more steps.”We have to examine and see objectively what else we can do, what further steps we can take, and how we can demonstrate that this sort of action doesn’t pay at all. There’s a lot of work for us to do.”ICC chief executive Dave Richardson said that the body would extend their full support to the investigation. “The ICC will provide full support to the BCCI and Delhi Police in this investigation. The BCCI’s decision to suspend its three cricketers on corruption charges is a clear indicator of the ICC and its Members’ zero-tolerance approach,” Richardson said in a media release. The ICC and its Members have collectively taken measures to tighten vigilance, strengthen our anti-corruption codes and increase player education programmes as well as offering strict penalties to those found guilty of illegal conduct.”As such, it is disappointing to see that despite the extensive education programmes delivered by the ICC and the BCCI, there still appears to be some players who remain vulnerable to temptations. We have always maintained that the real battle is against the unscrupulous individuals who are preying on the susceptible players.”YP Singh, head of ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) said that more players were reporting approaches to authorities, a sign that allowed for the “confidence to believe that the vast majority of players are playing the game in the right”.India’s Sports Ministry called for the IPL authorities to hand out punishments that would serve as deterrants if the players were found to be involved. “It is very unfortunate that Delhi Police have arrested some cricket players for their alleged role in the spot fixing in the ongoing IPL tournament,” the Ministry said in a statement. “The Minister of Sports, Shri Jitendra Singh has spoken to chairman of the IPL Shri Rajeev Shukla on the issue and impressed upon him to take urgent steps to put in place a mechanism to prevent such unethical activities and ensure clean sports in the country. The Minister also emphasised that strict action be taken against all those who are found guilty to serve as a deterrent to others.”After initially neglecting the concern raised by the ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit (ACSU) the BCCI officially allowed them to function in the IPL from 2010. In 2012, the BCCI set up its own anti-corruption unit, with former ACSU chief, Ravi Sawani in charge and his team has been present at various venues from this edition of the IPL. It is understood Sawani’s team had no role to play in the Royals’ players investigation, as it was an independent action by the Delhi police.

Nottinghamshire have signed New Zealand fast bowler Ian Butler ahead of their first Friends Life t20 match against Leicestershire

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2013Nottinghamshire have signed New Zealand fast bowler Ian Butler ahead of their first Friends Life t20 match against Leicestershire. Butler, currently part of the New Zealand squad involved in the two-match T20 series against England, will join the county side after the T20I at the Oval.”The Notts Outlaws squad looks very strong and I feel well prepared having played two twenty20 internationals this week,” Butler said. “There is a great tradition of New Zealand cricketers doing well with Nottinghamshire and I am really looking forward to playing at Trent Bridge.”Butler has played eight Tests, 26 ODIs and 18 T20Is for New Zealand and has taken 75 international wickets. He has previously represented Gloucestershire and Kent in T20s.”Ian has a good international pedigree and he was very effective bowling to England’s top order in Tuesday’s match,” Nottinghamshire director of cricket Mick Newell said. “We’re placing a heavy workload on Ajmal Shahzad, Luke Fletcher and Harry Gurney and this signing will improve our quality and depth.”Butler will only be available for the T20 matches as the format allows fielding two overseas players, David Hussey being Nottinghamshire’s other overseas player.