ICC ruling to end presidential appointment of PCB chairman

KARACHI: Pakistan cricket will not challenge the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) directive to member boards to free themselves from government interference within two years.The ICC annual conference upheld a constitutional amendment last week to provide for the principle of free elections and the independence of member boards.In Pakistan, the president is the chief patron of the board (PCB) and directly appoints the chairman.“We have no intention of challenging the ICC ruling as it was approved by the general council in Hong Kong last week,” PCB Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmad told Reuters.The PCB would soon meet with government officials to inform them about the ICC ruling.“Once our chairman, Ijaz Butt, returns home later this month he will brief the chief patron on the changed scenario,” Ahmad added.The ICC has given members a maximum of two years to reorganise their boards or face sanctions.Ahmad said that after consulting legal advisors and meeting government official the PCB would start working on making the necessary amendments in its constitution to bring it in line with ICC requirements.“It will take a few months but we also want to ensure this  process is completed without a hitch,” he added.Last month, PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt called for an end to political interference in the board’s row with former captain Shahid Afridi, saying it was damaging the sport.

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Court summons PCB on Kaneria case

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday summoned cricket authorities to explain why they have not cleared leg-spinner Danish Kaneria to play after he was released without charge in a spot-fixing case.Kaneria and fellow Essex bowler Mervyn Westfield were arrested last year on charges of spot-fixing during a Pro40 match against Durham in 2009. Kaneria was later released without being charged but Westfield faces criminal proceedings.Kaneria featured in Pakistan's Test series against England last year but has not been
selected since for international matches because he has not been formally cleared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).His lawyer Farogh Naseem told that the PCB has been summoned to appear in court on July 26, after the 30-year-old went to court last week in a bid to revive his international career."I have given every document to the PCB but they are not clearing me. I have committed no crime and that's why Essex police and my county have cleared me in that spot-fixing case," Kaneria had told."My priority is to play for Pakistan but I don't know for what crime I am being punished by the PCB. Every time they announce a squad and every time they give contracts to players, they say Kaneria is not cleared."The wily leg-spinner has taken 261 wickets in 61 Tests, besides taking 15 in 18 one-day internationals.The PCB was forced to form an integrity committee by the International Cricket Council after a separate spot-fixing case in England last year ended in lengthy bans for Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer.

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Cook’s ton helps England reach 246-7 against SL

LONDON: England captain Alastair Cook's career-best century kept Sri Lanka at bay in the third one-day international (ODI) at Lord's here on Sunday.But with no other England batsman making more than Kevin Pietersen's 41, the hosts were still held to 246 for seven.England's total would have been considerably worse had not Cook been reprieved on 15 when Mahela Jayawardene dropped a regulation slip catch As it was Cook, also dropped by Thilina Kandamby at third man on 103, went on to make 119. He shared stands of 72, with Ian Bell (30), and 75, with Tim Bresnan (26) for the fifth and sixth wickets respectively after England had collapsed to 85 for four.Cook was on course to become only the second batsman, after fellow England left-handed opener Nick Knight, to bat through a full 50-over ODI innings when he was run out attempting a bye by Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara.In all he faced 143 balls with 13 fours -- not the most rapid run-rate but hugely valuable in the context of the match.This was only Cook's second century in 29 ODI innings and his highest, surpassing the 102 made against India at Southampton in 2007.The 26-year-old who in Sri Lanka's 69-run series levelling win at Headingley on Friday won the toss and fielded because England would "quite fancy chasing" only to see the tourists pile up 309, opted to bat first at Lord's.Cook, belying his reputation as a slow scorer, forced Angelo Mathews off the backfoot for four in the first over.It was the only over Mathews, struggling with a knee injury, bowled.Cook should have been out when he edged Nuwan Kulasekara only for the normally reliable Jayawardene to drop the two-handed chance. Pietersen, looking in excellent touch, dominated a third wicket stand of 49, of which Cook's share was just seven, before leg-spinner Jeevan Mendis checked England's recovery with two wickets. First he induced Pietersen, who faced just 43 balls, to sky a sweep to deep square leg where Suraj Randiv held a well-judged catch and Mendis then had left-hander Eoin Morgan lbw for four.

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3rd ODI: England win toss, bat against Sri Lanka

LONDON: England captain Alastair Cook won the toss and elected to bat against Sri Lanka in the third one-day international at Lord's here on Sunday. Both sides were unchanged from the second one-day international at Headingley on Friday which Sri Lanka won by 69 runs to level the five-match series at 1-1 after Cook won the toss and fielded. Teams England: Craig Kieswetter (wk), Alastair Cook (captain), Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Eoin Morgan, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Jade DernbachSri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan (captain), Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Thilina Kandamby, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Jeevan Mendis, Nuwan Kulasekera, Suranga Lakmal, Suraj Randiv, Lasith MalingaUmpires: Billy Bowden (NZ) and Nigel Llong (ENG), Third umpire: Richard Illingworth (ENG)

Match referee: Alan Hurst (AUS)

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Bravo overshadows Sharma to earn West Indies draw

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Another incisive spell from Ishant Sharma was upstaged by resilient West Indies batting led by Darren Bravo as India had to settle for a draw in the second Test on Saturday.Man-of-the-match Sharma captured four for 53, finishing with match figures of 10 for 98, as the West Indies, chasing 281 for victory, ended on 202 for seven in their second innings when bad light stopped play.India's hopes of a historic series-clinching victory were almost derailed as Darren Bravo, whose 73 was the top score, and Carlton Baugh Jr, not out on 46, added 69 for the seventh wicket.But rain, which had dogged the Test over the first four days, returned to ruin an exciting finish just when it appeared that India were on the back foot.The result meant that India held on to a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, after they won the first Test by 63 runs at Sabina Park in Jamaica.The rain came at the right moment for India and interrupted the West Indies' flow, stopping play for half an hour with the hosts needing 102 from the final 18.3 overs, after Baugh and Bravo started to blossom.Sharma had Bravo caught behind, his 174-ball innings containing eight boundaries, and then added to Sammy's batting woes when he trapped him lbw for a duck in his final over.After Sharma's next delivery to Ravi Rampaul, umpires Asad Rauf of Pakistan and Ian Gould of England ushered the players off the field.India will now look to clinch the series when the final Test opens on Wednesday at Windsor Park in Dominica.Their bid for victory had hit a snag before tea, when Bravo and fellow left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul navigated West Indies to 108 for three.India had the hosts wobbling on 55 for three, but Bravo and Chanderpaul put on 54 for the fourth wicket either side of the break to stem the fall of wickets.Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh moved to within two scalps of 400 Test wickets when he dubiously trapped Chanderpaul lbw for 12 shortly after tea.Ball-tracking TV replays suggested that the batsman might have been very unfortunate.India continued to hunt for victory, but Baugh came to the crease and batted sensibly, seeming to turn the tide in the West Indies' favour before the rain stopped him and Bravo in their tracks.Before lunch, Sharma and Praveen Kumar left West Indies shaky on 51 for two.Sharma made the breakthrough when he had opener Lendl Simmons caught at first slip for 14, edging a loose drive, and Kumar had Ramnaresh Sarwan caught at second slip for eight, top-edging a cut, leaving West Indies 27 for two.After lunch, Sharma removed opener Adrian Barath in the first 10 minutes, caught at third slip for 27, but West Indies showed some fight with the bat for the first time.Earlier, V.V.S. Laxman had been dismissed for 87  following on from his 85 in the first innings as India moved to 269 for six in their second innings before declaring just over an hour into the morning.

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