ABU DHABI, UAE – The England cricket team again snatched defeat from the brink of victory when the batting collapsed to 72 all out in the second test against Pakistan, 28 January. It looked like England had a good chance of leveling the series when Monty Panesar celebrated his return to the team by taking six for 66. However, the English batsmen failed to cope with the Pakistani spinners Abdur Rehman (six for 25) and Saeed Ajmal (three for 22.) The England position at the top of the test rankings is looking increasingly suspect.
Links to other sites: Yahoo Cricket, Guardian, Hindustani Times
LONDON, ENGLAND – The three dethroned heroes of Pakistan’s cricket team, Salman Butt, age 30, Mohammad Asif, 28, and Mohammad Amir, 19, were handed prison sentences and fines by a London court Thursday. Butt and Asif, who were found guilty of conspiracy to defraud and accept corrupt money earlier this week have been handed sentences of 30 and 12 months respectively. Amir was given a six-month sentence.
All three were suspended from the sport for five years by the ICC, the International Cricket Council, in February 2011. All are appealing their bans.
Mazhar Majeed, the agent who was behind the betting scam pleaded guilty and was given two sentences of 32 and 8 months, to run concurrently.
The judge in London also ordered the men to pay fines: Butt £30,937, Amir £9,389 and Asif £8,120. It’s not clear what fines Majeed will have to pay. The judge pointed out that he appears to have kept most of the money for himself.
The judge, in his sentencing remarks, notes that the name of the sport used to mean “fair dealing on the sporting field”. He reprimanded them in the name of the Pakistan team’s fans, saying “In Pakistan, where cricket is the national sport, the ordinary follower of the national team feels betrayed by your activities, as do your fellow countrymen in this country. You Butt, Asif and Amir have let down all your supporters and all followers of the game.”
Links to other sites: BBC, CBC Canada (AP), India Today, Jakarta Globe
LONDON, ENGLAND – The world of cricket has been bowled over by the conviction of two of its top players for spot fixing, or technically, of conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt money. A third player pleaded guilty, information that was made public only once the jury’s decision was in.
The trial, concluded 1 November in London, arose from a Test Match at Lords in the summer of 2011, where Pakistan played England. “Spot fixing” in this case involved the three in agreeing to exact times to bowl no-balls; spot betting is laying odds on such precise details in a match.
The three are all Pakistan team members: Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir. The first two were found guilty in court Tuesday and the third, who was only 18 and one of the rising stars in the cricket world last summer, pleaded guilty before the trial. The convictions are reportedly the first under Britain’s Gambling Act, in force since 2005.
The Times of India reports that the ICC, cricket’s international body, is investigating other matches. “It is suspected that spot-fixing took place in other matches of the tour and that more players could come under scrutiny.”
The three face up to seven years in prison. Sentencing will be next week.
Butt’s wife gave birth to a baby one hour before the conviction was announced.
Links to other sites: BBC, Daily Jang, Pakistan, ICC statement, Times of India, Nation, Pakistan
LONDON, ENGLAND – Graeme Swann wrapped up the final day of the fourth test by taking six wickets at the Oval Monday 22 August. England won by an innings and eight runs to take one of the most one-sided series of recent years. England moved into top place in the test rankings while India slipped back from first to third, behind South Africa.
Sachin Tendulkar just missed out on making his when hundredth century when he fell lbw to Tim Bresnan for 91. The morning session went India’s way with Tendulkar and Amit Mishra holding out for their first session of the series in which no wickets were lost. After that the wickets tumbled, with the final six wickets falling for 23 runs.
Links to other sites: Times of India, Guardian
International sports, World Cup cricket
Mumbai, India(GenevaLunch) - Go put on a slow cooking curry to give your home the right ambiance, turn on the television to the right channel (Sky Sports 1 for me) and prepare for the battle of the little masters. (Many pubs will also be showing the match.) Sachin Tendulkar will be hoping to win the World Cup for India in his home state: the greatest batsman since Don Bradman is also just one away from a record hundred hundreds in international cricket.
In the Sri Lankan camp the record wicket taker is battling through injury to play his last international game. Muttiah Muralitharan, who holds the record for the most wickets taken in both Test and one day internationals, will be retiring after the match.
Each side is also packed with other potential match winners with both bat and ball. For a taste of how important the game is, check the links below!
Links to other sites: Times of India, Guardian
The Globe & Mail in Canada puts it best: “If you do business in South Asia, well, don’t expect anyone to take your calls, unless you’re ringing to share invective on the shocking performance of India’s spinners.”
Forget about world crises, making money or sorting out family problems, for today is a cricket day. India versus Pakistan, to be precise, playing Wednesday in a match that has brought both countries to a halt. The G&M notes that Sri Lanka is nearly shut for business as well, since the winner of today’s match will face Sri Lanka Saturday in the cricket World Cup finals.
Everyone who counts is at the match (likely to last several hours), including the two countries’ prime ministers, who last met for any length of time over Pakistan’s alleged involvement in the Mumbai bombings in 2008.
The match is taking place near the border between the two countries, in India’s Punjab.
The match: details are headline news, as the match unfolds, but if you don’t follow cricket you might find it hard going to discover who is ahead and why: Times of India and The Jang, Pakistan.
International sports, cricket
Doha, Qatar, (GenevaLunch)- The Anti-Corruption Tribunal of the International Cricket Council (ICC) handed out long bans to the three Pakistani players involved in spot-fixing during the 2010 Tests against England, 5 February. Captain Salman Butt was banned for 10 years, five of which are suspended. Mohammad Asif for seven years, two suspended, and Mohammad Amir for five years.
The charges include deliberately bowling “no-balls,” the equivalent of foot faults, and allowing “maiden overs” in which the batsman does not score any runs.
The cheating was linked to a massive betting scam, uncovered by UK tabloid The News of the World. Some cricketers have said the trio should have been banned for life but there is also some sympathy for 18-year-old fast bowler Mohammad Amir, who looked one of the best young players before the scandal broke.
The trio, along with agent Mazhar Majeed are also likely to face criminal charges of corruption.
Links to other sites: Yahoo Cricket, Times of India, Telegraph
International sports, Australian Open tennis, cricket
Melbourne, Australia (GenevaLunch) – Scotland’s star failed in his attempt to win the first British Grand Slam title for 75 years, since the glory days of Fred Perry. To make matters worse for British sports fans, England lost the fifth cricket one day match to lose the series to the Australians 4-1, Sunday 30 January.
Tennis: Novak Djokovic destroyed Andy Murray in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 to take his second Aussie Open, as well as his second Grand Slam, with a fine display of aggressive tennis combined with dogged defence when it was needed. Murray never got his game going against his close friend and rival. In 2010 he lost in similar fashion to Roger Federer.
Links to other sites: Guardian, Australian Open, The Age
Bangladesh will face Pakistan on the 16th Asian Games women’s final 19 November.
China, the host country, was defeated by Bangladesh 17 November on a nine-wicket, while Pakistan defeated Japan, also on nine wickets, 16 November.
Links to other sites: Malaysia Star, official website of the 16th Asian Games
International sports, cricket
Cardiff, Wales (GenevaLunch) - England beat Pakistan by five wickets in the first of the Twenty20 matches. Pakistan were held to 126 runs as Graeme Swann gave a master class of off-spin bowling. England started quickly but then lost wickets to reach 62 for 5 before Eoin Morgan and Michael Yardy put together a 67 run partnership to win the match by five wickets with 17 balls left.
The News of the World had earlier released more details of the betting scam they revealed the previous week. They report that captain Salman Butt was found to have at least £10,000 in cash when his rooms were searched by police investigating a betting fraud. The alleged fixer, Mazhar Majeed, was also suspected of trying to open Swiss bank accounts for some of the players.
The brouhaha in the world of cricket over possible match fixing appears to be spilling over into the cinema world, with an Indian film producer saying he may not be able to use Mohammed Asif, one of three players named in the unfolding spot fixing scandal. Asif is scheduled to play a Pakistani cricket coach who travels to India to teach, reports Samaa TV in Pakistan.
On the second day of the Asia Cup India defeated Bangladesh during a hard-fought opener. The 16 June game was won by 6 wickets by India and with 19.2 overs to spare.
Score: Bangladesh 167 in 34.5 overs.
Links to: Hindustan Times, Asia Cup Cricket 2010
International sports, cricket
Kensington Oval, Barbados (GenevaLunch) - Chris Gayle smashed away India’s hopes of Twenty20 World Cup glory with a magnificent 98 in 66 balls, including seven sixes, 9 May. The West Indies ended with 169 for six. India never really got going and lost by 14 runs.
Australia thrashed Sri Lanka by 81 runs.
Links to other sites: Times of India, BBC, Guardian
International sports, cricket
Bridgetown, Barbados (GenevaLunch) - Australia humiliated the Indian stars in a one-sided game at Bridgetown, 7 May. The Australian opening batsmen rushed to a century in the first 10 overs of their Twenty20 match. Ajay Jadeja was hit for six successive sixes, the first three by Shane Watson and the others a few overs later by David Warner. The Australian assault slowed down after Watson was caught for 72 but the total still reached 186. India’s batsmen failed spectacularly against the opening fast bowlers, reaching 23 for four before Rohit Sharma, with 79 not out, added a bit of respectability to the final score of 135 which left them 49 runs short.
In the other game the home team was also undone by an awesome display of power batting, this time by Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene.
Beausejour Stadium, St Lucia (GenevaLunch) – India beat newcomers Afghanistan by seven wickets in their first match of the Twenty20 World Cup. In the next game, against South Africa, they set up a huge total of 186 for five with a century by Suresh Raina. The South Africans could never keep up with the run rate with a slow outfield, and they eventually lost by 14 runs. New Zealand beat Sri Lanka with Jesse Ryder scoring 42 from 27 balls for the Black Caps.
Australia did even better when they batted against Pakistan, scoring 191 thanks to 81 by opening batsman Shane Watson. Pakistan could only manage 157 all out in reply.
Links to other sites: Cricket Twenty20, Guardian, Yahoo Cricket
Update 22:42 Mumbai, India (GenevaLunch) - The Chennai Super Kings, winners of the Indian Premier League (IPL) had barely collected the trophy before the IPL was hit by scandal: the world of cricket woke up Monday to news that the head of the IPL (Indian Premier League), Lalit Modi, has been suspended by the Indian Board of Control on Cricket (BCCI), on charges of money laundering. The IPL is reputed to be the world’s wealthiest cricket tournament. It was created in 2008 and made a splash by giving the world a shorter cricket match, but it also quickly rose to become the darling of investors in India – then almost as quickly nose-dived just weeks ago when the financial crisis took a toll.
Modi’s use of Twitter to accuse a government official, suspicions about investors, calls of nepotism and more are part of a rapidly growing scandal that looks likely to pull in politicians, film and sports stars and business leaders in India.
Baroda Cricket Association President Chirayu Amin has been named interim president.
Links to other sites: CNN, Cricket Next, Times of India, The Telegraph, Calcutta
Islamabad, Pakistan (GenevaLunch) - Two former captains of the Pakistan cricket team, Younus Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, have been banned indefinitely from playing on the team after they put in a series of poor performances that officials blame on a feud. An investigating committee recommended to the Pakistan Cricket Board that the two be banned and the Board, citing the “dismal tour of Australia 2009-10″, has accepted their recommendation.
During a December to Frebruary 2010 tour the team lost a Test series 3-0, the one-day matches 5-0 and the only Twenty20 match they played.
Gwalior, India (GenevaLunch) – Sachin Tendulkar became the first batsman to score a double century in a one-day international (ODI) when he hit 200 not out against South Africa. He took 147 balls to reach his total, hitting 25 fours and three sixes in a faultless display of finesse and power. India posted a massive 401 for 3 in their fifty overs, with captain MS Dhoni hitting 68 not out in just 35 balls and Dinesh Karthik getting 79. Tendulkar, commonly known as “the litttle master,” also holds the records for the most runs and centuries scored in both Test and one-day internationals.
South Africa replied with 248 all out, with AB de Villiers unbeaten on 114.
Links to other sites: cricket.yahoo, Times of India
Johannesburg, South Africa (GenevaLunch) - The South African fast bowlers, led by Morne Morkel, ripped through the English batting to allow the South Africans to win the the fourth and final Test by an inning and 75 runs Sunday 17 January. Morkel took three wickets in six balls in a devastating spell that destroyed England’s middle order. He finished the innings with four for 59 and also took a catch to dismiss Paul Collingwood, the only batsman to offer any resistance, for 71. England were all out for 169. Earlier in the game they complained about the operation of the system of referring umpiring decisions to television replay, as they thought South African captain Graeme Smith should have been given out. The series ended even with one Test each and two draws.
Links to other sites: yahoo cricket, The Guardian.
Newlands, Capetown, South Africa (GenevaLunch) - The English bowlers made a dramatic start to the second day of the third Test against South Africa when the last four South African wickets fell in16 balls. Graham Onions took the most important wicket when he dismissed Jacques Kallis for 108 with his first ball. James Anderson took the next three to end with five for 63. South Africa ended on 291.
The South African bowlers quickly struck back, dismissing Andrew Strauss, Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen in the opening session.
Pakistan ended the second day of the Melbourne Test well on top. After dismissing Australia for 127 they ended on 331 for nine.
Links to other sites: Yahoo cricket, BBC, Times
Durban, South Africa (GenevaLunch) - The England captain showed a previously unseen side to his game when he scored 50 runs in only 49 balls in reply to South Africa’s score of 343 all out in the second test at Durban. The home team made that many largely thanks to the late assault on Graeme Swann’s bowling by Dale Steyn. England ended the second day on 103 for one.
The main interest of the day was focused on the system of referring umpiring decisions to television replay: this led to Mark Boucher being given out lbw to Swann after the umpire’s “not out” was reversed.
Centurion Park, Pretoria, South Africa (GenevaLunch) – England just held on to claim a draw in the first test between England and South Africa. The middle order batting collapsed after Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott, both South African-born but playing for England, seemed to have made the game safe. As it turned out Paul Collingwood and Graham Onions had to survive the last few overs in a nail-biting finish. The final scores were South Africa 418 and 301 for 7, England 356 and 228 for 9.
Links to other sites: Guardian, Yahoo cricket.
Port Elizabeth, South Africa (GenevaLunch) - James Anderson took five wickets for only 23 runs as South Africa crumbled to 119 all out in the third One Day International in Port Elizabeth. Jonathan Trott lead the English batting with 52 not out to allow the visitors a comfortable seven wicket victory. Engkand now lead 2-1 with one more game to play.
Links to other sites: BBC, Cricket365
Lords, a name that in the world of cricket means something akin to the holy ground, as the sport’s “most famous ground” according to the Times, UK, is considering selling its name. It becomes the latest major traditional sport venue in Britain to consider selling naming rights to a major sponsor. Wembley Stadium and Twickenham considering doing the same, in rugby. Lords cricket grounds are part of a major redevelopment project in London, England.
Johannesburg, South Africa (GenevaLunch) – New Zealand beat Pakistan by five wickets in their semi-final to set up a contest with Australia for the ICC champions trophy. Pakistan’s batsmen never really got going and only reached their modest total of 233 for nine, thanks to a half century by Umar Akmal and a late flourish by the tail enders.
South Africa (GenevaLunch) – The English batsmen put on a rare display as they beat South Africa in the ICC Champions Trophy. Andrew Strauss won the toss and decided to bat but lost the opening batsmen quickly. Owais Shah (98) and Paul Collingwood (82) then gradually took control and Eoin Morgan added 67 in just 34 balls. England reached an impressive 323 for 8: the second highest score in the tournament’s history.
Riverside Stadium, Durham, England (GenevaLunch) - England at last won a one-day international, but still lost the series against Australia by an embarrassing 1-6. The Australians were bowled out for a mediocre 176 runs with Graeme Swann taking 5 for 28.
The Oval, London (GenevaLunch) – England managed to avoid their tendency of seizing defeat from the jaws of victory by beating Australia by 197 runs in the deciding Test at the Oval to win the Ashes.
The Oval, London (GenevaLunch) - England are the firm favourites to win the final Test and regain the Ashes. They batted steadily, with the innings held together by South African-born captain Andrew Strauss and South African-born debut batsman Jonathan Trott, filling in for the injured South African born Kevin Pietersen.
The Oval, London, England (GenevaLunch) – England were in control at the end of an incredible second day of the final Test of the Ashes series in which 15 wickets fell. They started the day on 307 for 8 and extended the score to 332, which looked a little below par at the time. Australia then made a solid start, reaching a somewhat fortunate 61 without loss despite the deteriorating wicket, which is being criticized in the Australian media.
