Gambhir and Uthappa have matured – Dhoni

Young and fearless: Robin Uthappa has impressed with his daring attitude © Getty Images

Mahendra Singh Dhoni said the Twenty20 victory over Australia would give his team momentum as they prepare to take on Pakistan in a one-day and Test series starting next month.”This victory, as well as the last ODI victory, will give us a lot of confidence. International cricket is more about confidence than technique,” Dhoni said after India beat Australia in the one-off Twenty20 International at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.”Gautam (Gambhir) and Robin (Uthappa) have matured and played aggressively,” he said while praising his side for coming out with a fearless outlook. “They are aggressive but at times they may fail trying for shots and they may be criticised for playing rash shots but that’s how it is.”The virgin pitch used for the game helped the spinners; Harbhajan Singh and Murali Kartik did not disappoint despite having to bowl in tough situations. “Kartik was preferred over Joginder because of conditions,” Dhoni said. “In India, we have to generally sacrifice the fourth seamer for second spinner. Today we batted well and bowled well but fielding was not good because of the bumpy ground. Everyone responded well to responsibilities given to them and that is why we won.”Dhoni’s counterpart, Ricky Ponting, felt his team did not get enough runs on the board. “We fell short by 15 runs. We gave away too many extras – 23 extras means four extra overs. We did it the other night also and we need to buck up,” he said. “Harabhan and Kartik bowled well. Gambhir batted well. We would like to play more matches against the new generation Indian players.”

Windies make strong reply to Pakistan's 357

Day 2
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Jerome Taylor began West Indies’ fightback on the second day with a five-wicket haul © AFP

An outstanding spell of new-ball bowling and a resolute opening partnership changed the complexion of the Multan Test, putting West Indies in a comfortable position at the end of the second day. Jerome Taylor’s fiery five-for – his second in Tests – loosened Pakistan’s grip on the game before Chris Gayle and Daren Ganga, with a methodical 151-run partnership, consolidated the advantage.Pakistan didn’t look like the side that dominated the proceedings yesterday. A combination of Taylor’s fizz and Corey Collymore’s metronomic accuracy felled them from a commanding 263 for 4 to 357 all out. They didn’t have much joy on the field either with Gayle and Ganga blunting the new-ball pairing before frustrating the rest. Combining for their fifth century partnership, they cashed in on a belter of a pitch to become the first pair of West Indies openers to go past hundred in Pakistan.Both began uncertainly – three of Gayle’s four fours flew off the edge – but settled upon a sturdy foundation once they saw off the new ball. Umar Gul and Shahid Nazir, the matchwinners in the first Test at Lahore, had their moments but with the pitch easing out and both batsmen resolutely biding time, West Indies were in control.Danish Kaneria gained appreciable spin, nearly bowling Ganga behind the legs on one occasion, but the slow nature of the turn allowed the batsmen enough time to adjust their strokes. The faster men lost their bite once the ball got older and the introduction of Mohammad Hafeez, bowling his generous long-hops, didn’t help matters. Having plodded to his half-century in 101 deliveries, Gayle opened out emphatically towards the end of the day. Ganga maintained a steady rate but his ability to put away the loose balls allowed him to tick along just fine.It was a partnership in keeping with the methodical theme of the day after the bowlers had executed their plans splendidly this morning. Brimming with energy, Taylor exploited the life on the pitch. He ensured the line was outside, and sometimes wide, of off stump; he varied his length sensibly; and, most importantly, steamed in hard and hit the deck regularly.At the other end was the untiring Collymore, pounding in 15 overs on the trot, and finally, after what seemed an age, being rewarded for his efforts. He found the nick several times and endured a couple of grassed chances – by Runako Morton at gully and Dwayne Bravo at third slip – but hardly wavered in accuracy.Both bowlers realised that Pakistan would try and attack – which any team would’ve done when perched so comfortably – and used the conditions to their advantage. The tenth ball of the day, when Shoaib Malik edged a legcutter from Collymore, should have produced a wicket but Morton put down a sharp low catch. It didn’t take too long for the breakthrough to arrive: Taylor struck in the next over, squaring up Inzamam-ul-Haq with a good-length delivery outside off and inducing a healthy edge to the wicketkeeper.Having received the reprieve on 20, Malik decided to make the most of his luck and smashed four more fours. His luck finally ran out on 42 when Bravo, at third slip, dived right in front of Brian Lara at second and pulled off a sensational one-handed catch. Kamran Akmal chose the breezy route, falling after a 12-ball 17, but Abdul Razzaq chose to stagnate. His adhesive methods yielded just 16 in 89 balls and he didn’t show any intent to step up the rate, even when he was partnered by tailenders. He made no attempt to farm the strike and preferred to stonewall rather than shift gear. That he scored two fours at a time when Pakistan would have given anything to accelerate didn’t help matters.

Symonds in, Katich out

Andrew Symonds get another opportunity to make his mark as a Test player © Getty Images

Andrew Symonds, the Queensland allrounder, has been included in the Australian squad for the second Test against West Indies, while Simon Katich has been omitted. The only other change in the 12-man line-up is the inclusion of Brad Hodge, the middle-order batsman from Victoria.Symonds made his Test debut in March last year against Sri Lanka, but didn’t enjoy much success in the two matches he played, scoring just 53 runs in four innings and taking a solitary wicket. But his inclusion in the squad was necessitated by the shoulder injury to Shane Watson in the first Test at Brisbane. Watson had been marked out as the one to fill the allrounder’s slot, but his injury – which will keep him out for at least two months – offers an opportunity to Symonds, who has an excellent one-day record but has never got an extended run at the Test level. Symonds has also been in superb form this season, scoring 163 off 183 balls in Queensland’s Pura Cup match against South Australia last week.Commenting on his selection, Trevor Hohns, the chairman of selectors, said: “Symonds has been in red-hot form with the bat, and his medium pace and offspin adds a lot of options to the bowling attack. He thoroughly deserves his opportunity at Test level again.”Katich missed the cut after scoring two runs in his last three innings and Hohns indicated that a return to first-class cricket would be the best way for him to regain touch. “Simon’s form has not been what he expects of himself and we felt it was time to give someone else an opportunity,” he said. “Brad Hodge has been a very high-scoring player for Victoria for many years and we believe he can do that at Test level. We hope Simon scores plenty of runs at domestic level to give himself every opportunity to get back into the team.”Hodge gets his reward for his consistent performances at the first-class level for Victoria – in 166 matches, he averages 46 with 37 centuries. He has toured India, New Zealand and England but has not played a Test or ODI. The second Tests starts at Hobart on November 17.Australian squad
Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey, Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Brad Hodge, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Andrew Symonds, Brett Lee, Shane Warne, Nathan Bracken, Glenn McGrath, Stuart MacGill.

ICC accused of 'washing its hands' over Kenyan crisis

Malcolm Speed: stands accused of missing the point© Getty Images

Malcolm Speed, the ICC’s chief executive, has dismissed an appeal by the Coast Cricket Association over the controversial constitutional review currently being undertaken by the Kenya Cricket Association.Samir Inamdar, the CCA’s chairman, wrote a long letter to Speed last month highlighting concerns that the review was unconstitutional and designed to endorse the existing regime with a hand-picked membership. The current KCA board is in conflict with most of the country’s clubs who object to the way it is run, and the ongoing players’ strike showed the depth of feeling as most of their complaints were against the KCA.The CCA has since May this year been embroiled in a court battle with the KCA in which it alleges that the board has violated its own constitution.But Speed rejected Inamdar’s request, insisting that the review was the way ahead. Claiming that he did not see the court proceedings as an impediment to the review process, he went on to say that it was “vital that all stakeholders of cricket in Kenya maximise their input within the review via the written submission and visitation processes which the commission has duly put in place. We strongly encourage the CCA and all its clubs to actively participate in this regard.He concluded: “The ICC is sure that the CCA would share its desire for Kenya cricket to be a vibrant, progressive and all-inclusive entity and is also sure that you will do all that is possible to work towards achieving that end.”The letter was greeted with dismay by many within Kenyan cricket, who accused Speed of simply looking to brush the matter under the carpet and of ignoring the virtual civil war between the KCA board and the cricketing community.”Speed refers to the input of the stakeholders,” one said, “but he doesn’t care that the commission hasn’t made any real attempt to consult with most of them. Yet again the ICC appears to want to wash its hands of getting involved.”The exact state of the review is shrouded in mystery. After the initial media coverage, Cricinfo has not been able to find any clubs or groups of individuals who have actually been involved in the process. Even finding out who is on the review panel is far from straightforward. After making an initial announcement, a number of proxies were nominated which left many bemused.The ICC’s representative on the panel, Bob Merriman, who heads Cricket Australia, spent less than 24 hours in Nairobi at the start of the process and is understood to have been in Australia ever since. Sammy Obingo, the KCA’s general manager who was appointed at the insistence of the ICC in April this year, has been keeping a low profile as well, and is currently involved in a bid to become chairman of the Kenyan Football Federation.Repeated questions to the KCA requesting clarification have not been answered.

Hussain prepared to give up Test captaincy

With the clamour for Michael Vaughan to take over the reins of the Test side getting louder and louder, Nasser Hussain admitted that he would consider handing over the leadership duties to Vaughan. In an interview published in the News of the World, Hussain stated that he wanted to step down while England were still winning.”The captaincy is not something I’m going to hang on to. If the selectors ring me tomorrow and say ‘We think Vaughanie’s ready’, that’s fine with me,” Hussain said. “No-one is more pleased than me that Vaughan has done well. I don’t want to hand over after four-and-a-half years and see everything go downhill. I would like to hand over a winning team. Michael is being eased in nicely. Soon, he’ll get the whole lot and he will be raring to go.”Believe me, the time is not far away. Whether it’s two months or a bit longer, someone else will wear the captain’s armband and I have no problem with that. But, at the moment, England are scoring runs, taking wickets, winning Tests and one-dayers with young players that are coming through.”It is better for me to choose the moment than the selectors. It’s all about timing. I’ll know that moment. As Mike Brearley said, when you wake up and you’re no longer England captain, it will hurt.”Hussain, however, said that he wanted to continue till the tour of West Indies next year. “Whatever happens, I’d like to tour the Caribbean this winter. I’m batting well at the moment and my form for England has been good over the past couple of years.”Turning his sights to the more immediate job at hand, Hussain emphasised the need for England to maintain their dominance over South Africa. “South Africa are there for the taking. They are down and we must nail them.”

Pakistan junior team confident of beating Sri Lankans

The junior Pakistan and Sri Lanka sides lock horns againWednesday in the second one-dayer at the Rawalpindi CricketStadium.After a convincing nine-wicket victory in Karachi over thetouring side in the opening match of the five-game series,the Pakistan camp is confident of scoring another win overtheir rivals as both sides prepare for next year’s JuniorWorld Cup in New Zealand.Pakistan coach Haroon Rasheed told Dawn that conditions inRawalpindi were a lot different than what they were inKarachi. “The wicket is grassy and the fast bowlers shouldplay an important part in tomorrow’s game.” He added thatthe dew factor also had to be kept in mind.The home players had nets for more than three hours Tuesdayand Haroon said that all the boys were in good shape. “Wewill go into the match with a positive attitude and we arenot complacent one bit.”The Sri Lankan manager Bandula Warnapura after watching thepitch also held similar views. “If the pitch remains(grassy) as it is by tomorrow, it is going to help theseamers.”He said that his team had lost the first match because fiveof his batsmen were run out. “That we still scored 198 runsshows that our batting is good and I am positive the batsmenwill put up an improved show tomorrow.”Warnapaura also expressed surprise over western mediareports about security concerns in Pakistan in the wake ofthe war in Afghanistan. “I don’t see any security problemshere and would even advise the other foreign teams thatPakistan is a safe place to play cricket.”Earlier, New Zealand had refused to tour Pakistan for a Testseries following the events of September 11 in the UnitedStates. Also, a tour by the West Indies next year is indoubt.

Williams set to return as teams scrap for lead

Match facts

Tuesday, 20 October
Start time 9.30am local (0730 GMT)Elton Chigumbura averages 20.97 from 12 innings since his last ODI century, against India in July•Associated Press

The Big Picture

The last time Afghanistan came to Zimbabwe, in 2014, a four-match one-day series was shared 2-2, and indications are that this series could shape up in a similar manner. Afghanistan gave a far better account of themselves in their 58-run victory in the second match, which should give them a renewed sense of belief.Despite the defeat, the morale in Zimbabwe’s squad is still good and there are no panic stations yet. Just a handful of fringe players turned up for an optional net session on Monday as many of the Zimbabweans chose to recharge their batteries, which is fine so long as that translates to energy and enthusiasm on the field. Afghanistan, meanwhile, are buzzing after their win, and Zimbabwe need to match their passion with an aggressive, dominant style of their own.In these sorts of situations, teams often turn to their captain to lead the way. But the problem for Zimbabwe is that their captain is struggling with his own form. Elton Chigumbura is no longer really an allrounder, having bowled just once in his last ten international outings. Of greater concern is his batting, given he has scored just 221 runs at an average of 20.09 in in 12 innings since his unbeaten century against India in July.That is not so far below his career average that it suggests a complete bottoming out of his form, but more worrying is his strike rate. Apart from one innings against Pakistan, Chigumbura has not been middling the ball; he had a strike rate of 59.34 in the third ODI against Ireland, and failed to score a single boundary in his 54-ball 25 against Afghanistan on Sunday. It was an innings that was somewhat dictated by circumstance, and one sensed that Chigumbura failed to execute a Dhoni-style late assault. The sooner Chigumbura gets his strut and swagger back, the better for him and his team.International football at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo on Sunday clashed directly with the cricket, resulting in a lower than normal turnout for a weekend match in this cricket-starved city, and mid-week games are never that well attended, so Zimbabwe are going to have to raise themselves without massive support from the stands.

Form Guide (Last five completed matches, most recent first)

Zimbabwe LWLWW
Afghanistan WLLLL

In the spotlight

Luke Jongwe is one of Zimbabwe’s brightest young finds. Though he had an off day with the ball on Sunday, he has achieved his best returns for Zimbabwe with both bat and ball in this series, taking 3 for 16 in the first game and attempting a fightback with his exuberant 33-ball 46 in the second. As Chigumbura’s role with the ball fades, Zimbabwe are on the look-out for an allrounder and Jongwe appears the most likely candidate.Before Mohammad Nabi’s maiden effort on Sunday, no other Afghanistan batsman had hit an ODI hundred this year. That is partly due to the paucity of their international engagements, but it is also indicative of the way their batsmen tend to play, slipping naturally into a mode of all-out attack. Nabi is no different, and his six towering sixes on Sunday are a testament to that, but his innings also showed what a galvanising effect one long innings can have on the rest of the team. He has set an example for the rest of the top order to follow.

Team news

Sean Williams spent the Sunday lunch break receiving throwdowns from batting coach Andrew Waller, under the supervision of Dav Whatmore, and on Monday morning, he passed a fitness test. It seems natural that Williams will slot right back into Zimbabwe’s XI to strengthen the batting. But what is less clear is who will miss out when he comes back. Tendai Chisoro has not done much wrong in the two games he has played, so it may be offspinner John Nyumbu who makes way.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Chamu Chibhabha, 2 Richmond Mutumbami (wk), 3 Craig Ervine, 4 Elton Chigumbura (capt), 5 Sean Williams, 6 Sikandar Raza, 7 Tino Mutombodzi, 8 Luke Jongwe, 9 Tendai Chisoro, 10 Wellington Masakadza, 11 Tinashe Panyangara.After their sterling performance in the second game, Afghanistan’s XI sure ain’t broke, so there’s no real reason to fix it. The form of middle-order batsman Nawroz Mangal on this tour will, however, soon become a concern.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Noor Ali Zadran, 2 Mohammad Shahzad (wk), 3 Mohammad Nabi, 4 Asghar Stanikzai (capt), 5 Nawroz Mangal, 6 Samiullah Shenwari, 7 Najibullah Zadran, 8 Amir Hamza, 9 Rashid Khan, 10 Dawlat Zadran, 11 Aftab Alam.

Pitch and conditions

Tuesday is expected to be hot and sunny, though there may be some cloud cover. The fresh pitch in use for the third match should retain its typical Queens Sports Club character, and the best time for batting will be between late-morning and mid-afternoon, with a hint of early movement for the seamers and a touch more grip for the spinners in the afternoon. There was also definite reverse swing for Afghanistan late on Sunday afternoon. Generally, though, it should be a good strip to bat on.

Stats and trivia

  • Afghanistan’s victory batting first bucks the trend at Queens Sports Club. In 63 ODIs at the venue, 37 have been won by the side fielding first, with only 23 won by the side batting first. There has also been a tie, while two games ended as a no-result.
  • Aftab Alam has the best record at the venue for an Afghanistan bowler. He has picked up seven wickets at 20.42 and has an economy rate of 4.66 in the four matches he has played here.
  • Elton Chigumbura needs 90 more runs to become the sixth Zimbabwean to score 4000 or more runs in ODIs.

Quotes

“I thank my coach and captain for giving me a chance at No. 3. It was a good decision for me and for my team.” revels in the batting promotion that lead to his first hundred in ODIs.”When I got to the wicket I said to Elton ‘I’m just going to hang around a bit and see how it goes from there.'”What apparently said to his captain before clubbing seven fours and a six in his blazing knock.

Brook pledges to temper approach after playing 'shocking shots'

Harry Brook has pledged to temper his approach against Australia after a frantic start to the Ashes, after Joe Root warned Australia that Brook is a “generational player” who “is going to deliver at some point” in the series.Brook, who is on his first Ashes tour, made 52, 0, 31 and 15 in the first two Tests of the series and acknowledged that two of his dismissals – caught behind driving at a back-of-a-length ball in the second innings in Perth, and edging a booming drive to second slip off Mitchell Starc in the first innings in Brisbane – have been the result of “shocking shots”.Related

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Thirty-two Tests into his England career, Brook averages 55.05 with a rollicking strike rate of 87.36 and has thrived when counter-attacking from No. 5. But his approach has bordered on recklessness in this series, not least when facing Starc in the twilight at the Gabba, and he recognised that he might have to “rein it in a little bit” against Australia’s “highly-skilled” attack.”It hasn’t been an ideal series,” Brook said on Monday, after England trained at Adelaide Oval. “Sometimes, I’ve got to rein it in a little bit: learn when to absorb the pressure a little bit more, and realise when the opportunity arises to put the pressure back on them. I feel like I haven’t done that as well as I usually do. I just haven’t identified those situations well enough.”Most of the time when I’ve been overly aggressive is when we’ve lost early wickets and I’ve tried to counter-punch and put them back under pressure. I tried to do that in Perth in the first innings: I played quite nicely and gloved down the leg side.”I try to read situations as well as possible, and then it all depends on my execution. And so far [in this series], my execution hasn’t been as good as it has been at the start of my career.”Brook is inactive on social media and said that he has not seen or read any of the criticism that he has received during this series, which has largely focused on those two dismissals. But he has reflected on both shots and acknowledged that he would have been better served by playing differently.Guess Joe Root isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but he has been England’s top-scorer this Ashes•Getty Images

“They were shocking shots,” Brook said. “I’ll admit that every day of the week, especially that one in Perth: it was nearly a bouncer and I tried to drive it. It was just bad batting. The one in Brisbane, I’ve tried to hit for six.”That’s what I mean when I try to say that I need to rein it in a little bit. I can almost just take that and hit it for one and get down the other end. Whoever else is in with me at the other end can just get on strike and just keep trying to rotate.”But I’ll be the first person to stand up and say that they were bad shots. I don’t regret them, but if I was there again, I would try and play it slightly differently.”Much of Brook’s success in his first innings of the series came when using his feet to charge Australia’s fast bowlers, a gameplan which was neutralised by Alex Carey standing up to the stumps in Brisbane. But he hinted that he would again look to disrupt Australia’s “highly-skilled” attack in Adelaide this week.”You can’t take this bowling attack lightly: they very rarely miss,” Brook said. “You’ve got to try and create your own bad balls. Doing that might be me running down; it might be me changing my guard or whatever. Look, they don’t miss often and you’ve got to tip your hat to them sometimes. They’ve bowled really well in this series.”Root, meanwhile, gave a strong endorsement of his Yorkshire and England team-mate, comparing him to Kevin Pietersen and backing him to achieve “something very special” in the final three Tests of the series.”He can kill teams with a whisper,” Root told the podcast. “Harry Brook is a generational player, and he is going to deliver at some point in this series. You watch out. He is a match-winner. If he gets himself in and set at some point in this series, he’s going to go and do something very special for us.”It’s a bit like Pietersen. He does things that other players can’t do. That’s the reason why he averages 55, and why he’s done so many special things in his short career until now: because of his mind, and the way that he reads the game.”Brook, England’s vice-captain, also said that the team’s mid-series break in Noosa had allowed them to “refresh” ahead of the third Test and escape the pressure of an Ashes tour. “We tried to stay away from cricket as much as possible. We just wanted to go there and have a good time,” he said.”We had a belting time, and it probably came at the right time when we’re two-nil down. I know most people won’t think that, but to get away from the game and try to refresh as much as possible after a tough start to the series, hopefully that can help us leading into this game.”

Sobers calls for 'drastic action'

Sir Garfield Sobers: ‘Players have to start thinking about the game as a team game and go out there and try and play the best for their team and forget self performances’ © Getty Images

It’s time for “something very drastic” to be done to West Indies cricket, to get it back on track. The strong words came yesterday from Barbados’ sole living National Hero, iconic cricketing allrounder Sir Garfield Sobers.After participating in the opening ceremony of the National Heroes Gallery and Museum of Parliament, Sir Garry spoke to The Nation about the beleagured team and its lacklustre performance in recent years.Admonishing the team, he said change was vital. “They have to start thinking of West Indies cricket and start concentrating on how they are going to get it back to where it used to be,” he charged. Although he recognised “it’s not going to be easy”, he chided the players about their attitudes.”Players have to start thinking about the game as a team game and go out there and try and play the best for their team and forget self performances,” Sir Garry emphasised. He also reminded players of the fans and for whom they were playing. “Cricket in the West Indies is very important to the people in the West Indies, even if the players don’t think it’s important to them.”Offering a solution for the team’s poor showing recently, he said: “Getting the players they think have passed involved is key. A lot of the young [players] think players like myself, Sir Everton Weekes and Wes Hall have passed and have nothing to pass on, but that is where they are wrong.”He underscored the wealth of experience the icons have and suggested tapping into that unused resource. “I think we have more to pass on. We’ve been through it, we know what it’s like, we know how to build a team and what a team needs to win.”Although disappointed with the current state of affairs of cricket in the region, Sir Garry was hopeful. “I think it will come around to that. The past will come around to the present.”

Hair banned from officiating in internationals

Hair’s fate has been confirmed © Getty Images

Darrell Hair, the Australian umpire who accused Pakistan of ball tamperingduring the Oval Test in August against England this summer, has beenbanned from umpiring in internationals. The announcement was made by PercySonn, the ICC president, at a press conference in Mumbai at the end of atwo-day ICC meeting.”The board has discussed this matter with great sincerity,” said Sonn,”and gave lots of attention to it and they’ve come to the conclusion thatthey’ve lost confidence in Mr Hair. They’ve given instructions to themanagement to discuss Mr Hair’s future with him. I think we owe Mr Hairthe courtesy of allowing his future to be discussed by him with ourmanagement before we go anywhere further in the matter. He shall not beallowed to officiate in any future international games until the end ofthis contract.”However, both Malcom Speed, the CEO of the ICC, and Sonn made it clearthat there was “no issue” about the result of The Oval Test. “With regardto compensation, there is a claim by the ECB against the PCB. That isunresolved. It may end up being referred to the ICC disputes resolutioncommittee but at this stage there’s been no request for that to happen.”Both also confirmed that the future of Billy Doctrove, the other umpireinvolved the Oval drama, was secure adding, “The executive board didn’tdiscuss Doctrove”.It was widely rumoured yesterday that Hair’s future was in doubt, when areliable source at the ICC leaked the news to a TV station in India. “TheAsian bloc comprising India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh tabled amotion at the meeting that Hair be taken off the panel,” the source said.”The motion was put to vote and was passed by a 7-3 majority. The fourAsian nations plus South Africa, Zimbabwe and the West Indies votedagainst Hair. England, Australia and New Zealand wanted him to continue.”Pressure from the four-nation Asian bloc has seemingly forced the ICC’shand and Hair will no longer be permitted to officiate in internationalsinvolving any full member side. Speed revealed that he’d spoken to Hairlast night, after the decision was taken and added that they will make aneffort to protect Hair’s interests. “I’ve said a number of times thatI hope we can find a way for Darrell to umpire,” he said. “The board hasresolved that they don’t wish Darrell Hair is appointed to umpireinternational matches. I spoke to Darrell yesterday after the decision wasmade. I told him about it and he was very disappointed. David Richardson,who is the ICC General Manager of Cricket, and myself will speak toDarrell over the next few days and talk about what it means to him.”ICC has a number of lawyers on staff, who are well aware of our legalposition,” he continued when asked if the ICC had considered the legalrecourse that Hair might consider. “It’s correct that Hair is contractedtill March 2008. But we need a little time to discuss the matter with him,to protect whatever interests he has.”Speed also made it clear that this wasn’t a decision taken at the spur ofthe moment, confirming that the board had considered the issue in detail.”The ICC board – which consists of 13 representatives from the membercountries – was presented with a very detailed paper that rain into 15-20page. The board certainly had a lot of information before it started itsprocedure yesterday. They had two hours of discussion on the issue. As itwas reported the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had lodged a formal chargeunder the ICC code of conduct. That was also considered by the board. Thiswas no knee-jerk reaction. The board had a good deal of information infront of it as is the case of any decision on the board.”

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