Cricket News 3rd June

[NoToRi0uS]

Pakistan player contracts
PCB may revert to experience-based contracts
In what appears to be a climbdown of sorts, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering introducing a central contracts system once again linked to the seniority of players.
A senior board official told Cricinfo that a number of different models were being examined and would be presented at the next ad-hoc committee meeting on June 17. The options include giving weight to seniority and using a similar grade system to the one that was in use under the previous administration, where greater experience equalled greater reward.
This seems to be a contradiction of the board's earlier plans, outlined in the immediate aftermath of Pakistan's World Cup exit, when chairman Nasim Ashraf said that all existing central contracts stood suspended and new ones would be performance-based only.
Shafqat Naghmi, chief operating officer, told Cricinfo, "We are looking at various models and options and considering an ABC graded system. One model is where the player's pay will be based on a 20% weightage to seniority, 40% to last year's performances based on a ranking system, 20% to discipline and 20% to fitness. But as far as discipline and fitness go, it might be unfair to include it this year as a proper system has to be put in place first to measure discipline and fitness."
Naghmi confirmed that basic match fees for all players, regardless of experience, will remain the same (though an increase on previous years according to Ashraf) and only the actual monthly retainer is likely to vary. Other options include doing away with gradations of players based on seniority altogether but it appears unlikely that the model will be approved.
A group of senior players met the board yesterday to discuss the options available, Naghmi revealing that they were keen for the old system to be put in place again. "Any new model can potentially be more lucrative for players. We are going to introduce for example, fielding-based incentives, where players will be rewarded for fielding achievements like run-outs."
Once a system has been approved by the ad-hoc committee, the contracts will be handed out to 20 players from July 1.


Indian cricket
Dravid recommended for Khel Ratna
Rahul Dravid, the Indian captain, has been recommended for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, India's highest award for sports. Dravid was recommended for the award last year as well but lost out to Pankaj Advani, the billiards player.
Yuvraj Singh, the middle-order batsman, and Anjum Chopra, the former women's team captain, were recommended for Arjuna awards. Incidentally, Yuvraj was also recommended for the same award last year.
Sachin Tendulkar is the only cricketer to have received the Khel Ratna to date. It is awarded for spectacular and outstanding performance in sport and carries a cash award of Rs 5 lakh. The Arjuna award is given for consistent performances in the last three years and has a cash award of Rs 3 lakh.


Habibul Bashar replaced in both forms
Ashraful named Bangladesh captain

Mohammad Ashraful has been named Bangladesh's new captain in both forms of the game. He replaces Habibul Bashar who stood down as one-day captain following the series against India, but had indicated his wish to remain in charge of the Test side. However, the board have decided on a clean break and, at 22, Ashraful becomes the second youngest international captain behind Prosper Utseya.
Ashraful's first assignment will be a three-Test and three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, later this month, and he'll also lead the side at the Twenty20 World Championships, in South Africa, during September. Mashrafe Mortaza, Bangladesh's leading pace bowler who also enjoyed success with the bat against India, has been named as Ashraful's vice-captain.
Ashraful's coach on the tour of Sri Lanka will be Shaun Williams, the Australian who has been in charge of the successful Under-19 side, following Dav Whatmore's departure after the India series. The board plan to name Whatmore's long-term successor following the series in Sri Lanka.
"With his [Ashraful's] captaincy, Bangladesh cricket enters a new era," said a BCB spokesman. "The board is confident Ashraful will lead by example and take the country's cricket to a new height. He is a talented batsman and has all the abilities to be a very good leader."
Despite Test and ODI averages of 24 and 21 respectively Ashraful is one of Bangladesh's key players. He hit the headlines in 2001 by becoming the youngest Test century-maker and was Bangladesh's leading run-scorer during the World Cup in West Indies. Against South Africa he hit an 83-ball 87, which was central to the team's memorable Super Eight victory.
However, his finest moment came at Cardiff, in 2005, when he hit 100 to guide Bangladesh towards a famous victory over Australia in the Natwest Series. But each time his game has appeared ready to move to the next level his inconsistency, and impetuosity, has reared its head. Now he has the added responsibility of having to lead by example.


Intercontinental Cup 2007-08
Scotland wait for Zimbabwe move
Scotland are waiting for ICC developments over Zimbabwe's possible inclusion in the Intercontinental Cup before deciding what stance to take over a potential visit to the country.
The ICC Cricket Committee recently recommended that Zimbabwe play more four-day matches to enhance their chances of a return to the Test scene and earmarked the Associate competition as a route they could take.
However, that would throw up the issue of more teams needing to tour the country because, if Zimbabwe were handed the same rights as the Associate countries, they would be permitted to play every second match on home soil.
Roddy Smith, the Scotland chief executive, told The Scotsman: "It would not be an issue for me, it would be an issue for our board, in consultation with the Scottish Executive and the Foreign Office. It's all hypothetical at this stage but if it became a reality, we would have to look at it and make a decision based on all the relevant factors at the time."
However, he added that it was unlikely Zimbabwe would join because the Associates are already stretched with the amount of cricket they play. "If the ICC wanted us to play another match that would involved foreign travel, we would have to find the time and money to do it," he said. "Also, we wouldn't make any money out of playing Zimbabwe. So it wouldn't be a commercially attractive proposition for us."
Zimbabwe have been suspended from Tests since September 2005 although they have continued to play ODIs. However, their performances during the World Cup - where they tied with Ireland and lost to Pakistan and West Indies - highlighted ongoing concerns about their ability.
Last month Australia's proposed tour of Zimbabwe was called off after intervention from the government.

ICL on the agenda for BCCI's Working Committee
Senior players join contract talks
The pressing issue of player contracts will be discussed on June 11 in Bangalore, a day before the Indian board's working committee meeting. A two-member panel, comprising of Shashank Manohar, the BCCI vice president, and N Srinivasan, the treasurer, will hold talks with a few senior players before India leave for their tour of Ireland and England.
Srinivasan and Manohar were appointed last month to study the contentious contracts issue and arrive at an amicable solution after the players expressed reservations about the board's new policy on contracts. Following India's early exit from the World Cup the annual retainer fee was reduced to Rs 5 lakh [US$ 12,300 approx] per player irrespective of his seniority, a massive reduction from the last contracts which had graded payments of Rs 50 lakh, Rs 35 lakh and Rs. 20 lakh. However, the board proposed bonuses for every win, and an additional amount for series victories, in a performance-related scheme.
Among other issues, Shah added that the working committee will also discuss the Indian Cricket League (ICL), launched by the Zee Network. While it is largely perceived as a breakaway league to provoke the BCCI, top officials of the ICL, including former Australian Test player Dean Jones, have insisted that they are not trying to compete with the BCCI.
The date for the selection meeting to name the Indian squads for the England tour haven't been decided yet, but Shah confirmed it would be held in Bangalore. Originally scheduled for June 12, it had to be postponed as it clashed with the committee meeting.


Refers to treatment meted out to Muralitharan
Aussie crowds embarrass Moody

Tom Moody, the former coach of the Sri Lankan team, has said that he was embarrassed by the derogatory reaction and negative attention directed towards Muttiah Muralitharan by Australian crowds. Muralitharan's unorthodox bowling action has come under massive scrutiny in Australia, where he has been no-balled for a suspect action on two tours. The treatment meted out to by the crowds in reaction to these on-field episodes prompted him to boycott Sri Lanka's 2004 tour to Australia. John Howard, the Australian prime minister, joined the clamour by labelling Muralitharan a "chucker".
"As an Australian when I have been with the Sri Lankan team in Australia, or playing against them in the World Cup, it's the only situation we find in the whole of the cricketing world where we have this disgraceful slant on a cricketer," Moody told The Australian
newspaper.
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Fast bowler trains at MRF Pace Foundation
Pathan confident of making international comeback
Irfan Pathan, the fast bowler who has been out of the Indian team since January, believes that he has regained his rhythm and is confident of making a comeback to international cricket.
Pathan was training at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai for six days and said that he had made some technical changes to his bowling. "I am back to my usual bowling rhythm," Pathan told PTI. "You see the light in my face. I am happy to come back to the Academy to take corrective measures."
He felt he had lost the rhythm during India's tour of Pakistan in 2005-06 and taking advice from too many experts did not help.
"It took just two seconds for Sekar [the chief coach at the Academy] to tell me where I am going wrong. He worked on a few technical aspects of my bowling. From last Monday, I have been trying to make amends. I have been bowling with old, semi-old and new balls at the nets here.
"Sekar will never have nice words but he is clear about what he says. Today, he told me that he was satisfied. I had to work hard to get back to the team by proving myself in the domestic circuit. I am oozing with confidence to play competitive cricket after my stint here."
Pathan last played a Test in the West Indies in June 2006 and did not play a single match during India's 2007 World Cup campaign .

Selection meeting likely to be put off by a day
BCCI working committee to meet on June 12
The Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) Working Committee is to meet on June 12 to discuss various issues. The meeting is expected to discuss and rafity the decisions taken at the Technical Committee meeting of the board, scheduled for June 4 in Bangalore. "The Working Committee will meet on June 12 in Delhi," said Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary, from Rajkot. The meeting of the national selection committee, fixed for the same day at Bangalore, is likely to be put off by a day. The selection committee will pick the team for the forthcoming tours of Ireland, Scotland and England.
Importantly, the Working Committee is expected to ratify the decision taken by the Coach Selection Committee, who are also due to meet on June 4 in Bangalore. However, Prof. Ratnakar Shetty, the BCCI's chief administrative officer, said the agenda for the meeting had not yet been fixed.
The seven-member committee to appoint a new coach, is headed by Sharad Pawar, the BCCI president, and includes three former India captains - S Venkataraghavan, Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri.
This would be the first meeting of the Working Committee since it last met in Mumbai in April to review India's dismal performance in the World Cup.