Vaughan has Twenty20 concerns

Champions League plans

Vaughan has Twenty20 concerns

June 8, 2008

	Michael Vaughan: 'There's a lot of money at stake for both players and counties and authorities' © Getty Images

Michael Vaughan has voiced his concerns that the proposed Twenty20 Champions League could be detrimental to first-class cricket.

On Saturday, an outline of the tournament was released by the ECB and there will be 15 matches played over 10 days in either the Middle East or India. Only the participants from England have yet to be decided, with the two finalists from the Twenty20 Cup earning the right to play for US$5million.

That level of prize money dwarfs domestic cricket; the winners of the County Championship currently receive £100,000 for a tournament that takes five months and 18 matches to complete.

"It is exciting, it certainly puts a lot more pressure on the county Twenty20 starting on Wednesday," said Vaughan. "My only fear is that it will become the ultimate competition, because it's such a carrot at the end of the summer and counties might start developing the Twenty20 team as the ultimate importance, rather than developing the four-day team. That's my only concern.

"There's a lot of money at stake for both players and counties and authorities, but I just hope by doing these kind of events, that the ultimate [county] team is not the Twenty20 team, but the four-day team and the 50-over team because that's where you get your ultimate test."

England's one-day squad have been made available for the opening round of Twenty20 matches, but will then be absent for the rest of the qualifiers. Vaughan, however, will be available for Yorkshire and has stated his aim of wanting to play more domestic Twenty20.

Gibbs doubtful over international future

South Africa in England 2008

Gibbs doubtful over international future

June 8, 2008

	Is it time? Herschelle Gibbs is considering his future at the highest level © Getty Images

Herschelle Gibbs has indicated he is contemplating his South Africa career after being left out of the Test squad for the tour of England.

"I've got some decisions to make in the next few weeks whether to carry on at international level," Gibbs told the BBC. "I'm not in the squad and I'm not sure if I'll get back into the one-day team either."

Gibbs last played a Test in January against West Indies but did not feature in the Test teams that recently toured Bangladesh and India. However, he did play in the ODI series in Bangladesh. "I've spoken to the coach and he said I'm first reserve for South Africa in case anyone gets injured. So we'll have to wait and see. But I've been dying for a proper go at an English cricket county for the last few years so maybe me coming to Glamorgan has happened at a good time."

Gibbs will play for Glamorgan in the Twenty20 Cup, which starts on June 11, but said he could stay on for the season as a Kolpak player. "Maybe my appearance for Glamorgan in the Twenty20 Cup could be a sign of things to come."

He replaces Jason Gillespie as Glamorgan's overseas player for the tournament. However, Gibbs hasn't done too well in Twenty20s recently, scoring 103 runs in six matches for the Cape Cobras, and was one of the disappointments of the Indian Premier League, managing just 167 in nine matches for the bottom-finishers Deccan Chargers.

The 34-year-old Gibbs is expected to play a key role at Glamorgan, given the young profile of the squad. "I love Twenty20 cricket and it has certainly set the cricket world alight," he said. "I know Glamorgan's squad is quite inexperienced so I hope my knowledge can rub off on everyone. "

South Africa, who have not yet named their squad for the limited-overs fixtures in England, begin the tour with a game against Somerset on June 29. The four Test-series runs from July 10 to August 11, with a Twenty20 international on August 20 followed by a five-match ODI series.

Countries win out over cash?

Champions League

Countries win out over cash?

June 8, 2008

	Shaun Marsh would have represented qualifiers Western Australia in the Champions League even if Kings XI Punjab had qualified © Getty Images

Michael Hussey and Albie Morkel, who represented Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, will turn out for Western Australia and the Titans in the Champions League, scheduled to be held in September this year, according to an agreement reached among the national boards before the IPL was formalised.

It is learnt that the English and Australian boards secured a commitment from the BCCI that the internationals players participating in the IPL would play for domestic teams of their home countries in the event of a clash of interests in the Champions League. The agreement was verbal, though, and it is understood the contracts signed by the international players have no clause pertaining to the Champions League. The ECB, Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa were among those who had endorsed the IPL before its inception.

However, the situation remains unclear since James Sutherland, Cricket Australia's chief executive, has said that it's likely that IPL teams will get to retain the services of foreign players. This means that Hussey could yet turn out against his state side.

"It [whether players need to play for their IPL side or their state side] is something we need to work out as we determine the regulations, but there is probably a high likelihood that where an IPL team wants those players they will be cleared to play for those IPL teams," Sutherland said in Melbourne. "We need to work out what the terms or conditions are on that release [regarding conflicts of loyalty]."

But Hussey could miss out on the tournament since Sutherland said it was unlikely that players in Australia's Test squad will take part in the inaugural edition of the tournament, since it will precede their tour to India.

Though the itinerary is yet to be decided, it is expected to take place immediately after the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, which be held between September 11-28. "I think leading into the Test series which starts in the first week of October, I think it is unlikely any of our Test players are able to play," he said.

Western Australia and Victoria from Australia, Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings from the IPL along with the Dolphins and Titans from the Pro20 in South Africa have already qualified for the Champions League, and will be joined by the two finalists from the English Twenty20 Cup, which starts next week.

Hussey, who played in four matches for Chennai in the IPL before returning home to prepare for Australia's tour of the West Indies, scored 168 runs at a strike-rate of 168, including a 54-ball 116 in their opening game. However, he didn't play in a single KFC Twenty20 match for Western Australia, who lost to Victoria by 32 runs in the final.

Western Australia will also have the services of Shaun Marsh, one of heroes of the IPL, and Luke Pomersbach, both of whom appeared for the Kings XI Punjab. Tom Moody, the Western Australia coach, was also part of Punjab's set-up. Another player who will be available is Luke Ronchi, the Mumbai Indians' wicketkeeper-batsman who was recently called up to Australia's squad in the West Indies.

Victoria, the other Australian team to have qualified, will be up against Shane Warne, the local legend who inspired the victory march of the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. Victoria's victorious squad included three IPL players: David Hussey and Brad Hodge from the Kolkata Knight Riders, and captain Cameron White, who had a disastrous run with the Bangalore Royal Challengers. Greg Shipperd, their coach, had been in-charge of the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL.

Morkel, who played in 13 IPL games for Chennai with moderate success, was part of the core team of the Titans who won the Standard Bank Pro20, and scored a vital 17-ball 33 in the final against the Dolphins. The Titans will have in their ranks two more IPL players in AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn.

There could still be more potential clashes depending on which English teams qualify for the event, as aside from their one permitted overseas player, some counties field as many as six Kolpak players, mainly from South Africa.

Million-dollar Twenty20 Champions League announced

US$5 million on offer for the winners

Million-dollar Twenty20 Champions League announced

June 7, 2008

The inaugural Champions League tournament, involving the domestic Twenty20 finalists from England, Australia, South Africa and the IPL, will take place over a 10-day period in late September and early October with US$5 million on offer for the winners.

The fine detail is yet to be confirmed, but Cricket Australia are currently drawing up the regulations which will deal with the issues of Indian Cricket League players and potential conflicts for players involved with more than one team.

It is possible that the Indian board will be generous towards ICL players after the success of IPL. It was also agreed, verbally, between the boards that foreign players will turn out for their local teams in the tournament. That undertaking was sought by the England and Australia boards at a meeting in Singapore.

However, it has been confirmed the event will feature 15 matches over 10 days, and will take place in either the Middle East or India. Alongside the huge sum for the winners, there will be significant prize money for the teams finishing second, third and fourth.

Stuart Broad, the England quick bowler, is excited by the move. "It's certainly an incentive for domestic sides to take Twenty20 seriously which can only help the international team," he said after the third day's play against New Zealand. "I've always thought Championship cricket is the priority because it develops players for Test cricket and that's the ultimate. But this could change the emphasis."

Western Australia and Victoria from Australia, Rajasthan and Chennai from the IPL along with the Dolphins and Titans from the Pro20 in South Africa have already qualified. They will be joined by the two finalists from the English Twenty20 Cup, which starts next week.

Following meetings late last week between the ECB, represented by chairman Giles Clarke and chief executive David Collier, Cricket Australia's chairman Creagh O'Connor and chief executive James Sutherland, an agreement was reached yesterday between Clarke, IPL commissioner and BCCI representative Lalit Modi, and Cricket South Africa president Norman Arendse.

"We are extremely grateful to our great friends from Australia, India and South Africa for their hard work and determination to get this tournament off the ground," Clarke said. "The Twenty20 Cup will be even more fiercely contested this season in the knowledge that the two teams who reach the final will qualify for the Champions League and the chance to win US$5 million."

This event throws up a number of potential conflicts, not least involving an players linked to the unofficial ICL. Chris Read, Vikram Solanki, Stuart Law, Niall O'Brien and Paul Nixon all appeared in the ICL, and if their counties qualify their inclusion will be a major conflict with the Indian board.

The other issue that will occur is involving players who are contracted to more than one of the teams involved, for example Mike Hussey who played for Chennai in the IPL and is also from Western Australia. The clash could also happen with overseas players in county cricket, for example David Hussey, who plays for Nottinghamshire and Victoria.

Somerset chief executive Richard Gould admitted to Sky Sports News: "We've already had some discussions and we're basically looking to mirror what the IPL contracts are. It was first mooted at the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa and it's taken a while but now it's there, I think it's brilliant for club cricket. It gives it much more juice."

IPL teams to get first pick on players - Modi

Indian Premier League

IPL teams to get first pick on players - Modi

June 8, 2008

	Chennai Super Kings have the option to keep Michael Hussey and pay a relieving fees to Western Australia, his home state © Getty Images

Franchises from the Indian Premier League will get first priority over players for the proposed Champions League, and any team that fields a cricketer from the unofficial Indian Cricket League will be automatically disqualified from the international Twenty20 competition, Lalit Modi, the chairman of IPL, has said.

However, Modi told Cricinfo that the Champions League was "still a long way away" and what has been agreed upon by various boards so far is "only an in-principle agreement" to host such an event. "The venues have not been decided, the dates are still open and we are trying to host the event this year," Modi said.

The England and Wales Cricket Board had on Saturday issued a press release which said that the ECB, Cricket Australia, the BCCI and Cricket South Africa had "reached an agreement for the staging of the inaugural Champions League this autumn" for a top prize of US$ 5 million. However, Modi said he would be able to provide a clear picture only after the BCCI's working committee discusses the issue during a meeting scheduled on June 22.

Asked about the Champions League's regulations, Modi, who is also a vice-president of the BCCI, said that "it had been clearly resolved earlier" that the IPL franchises would get priority over cricketers in their team. But the franchises will have to pay a "relieving fees" to the player's state team if both have qualified for the event, he said.

Elaborating on the case of Michael Hussey, who is caught between Western Australia and Chennai Super Kings for the Champions League, Modi said, "In the case of Michael Hussey, Chennai Super Kings has the option to keep him and pay a relieving fees to Western Australia. The option is with Super Kings."

However, players like David Hussey, whose IPL team, Kolkata Knight Riders, failed to qualify for the Champions League, will have to play for Victoria, he said. "In case of David Hussey, he has to play for his home team if his IPL team has not qualified. If his home team has qualified, which it has, then he plays for them. The county option is his third fall back," Modi said.

Modi also clarified that "any ICL player playing for any team automatically disqualifies that team from participating" in the Champions League. "No exceptions will be made under any circumstances," Modi said.

Currently, about 24 ICL players have been signed up to play for various English counties - the top two Twenty20 teams from England will join Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings from India, the Titans from Pretoria and KwaZulu Natal Dolphins representing South Africa and Western Australia and Victoria from Australia in the Champions League.

Pakistan crush hopless Bangladesh

Bangladesh v Pakistan, 1st match, Kitply Cup

Pakistan crush hapless Bangladesh

June 8, 2008

Pakistan 233 (Butt 70, Yousuf 59, Razzak 3-35, Kapali 3-49) beat Bangladesh 163 for 8 (Ashraful 56*, Afridi 3-19, Riaz 3-22) by 70 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

	Salman Butt's domination over Bangladesh continued with his fifth consecutive score of over 50 (file photo) © AFP

Pakistan opened the Kitply Cup with a comprehensive 70-run victory, their 12th straight win equalling the joint second-longest ODI streak. They had won all five in an ODI series against Bangladesh in Pakistan recently, and home advantage didn't make a difference as hosts Bangladesh once again could not match up against a tougher opponent.

After a series of short, sharp showers curtailed the match to a 40-over affair, half-centuries from Salman Butt and Mohammad Yousuf took Pakistan to a commanding 233. In reply, Bangladesh were rarely in the hunt - Wahab Riaz and Shahid Afridi took three wickets each as the hosts crawled to 163 for 8 in their allotted overs. Mohammad Ashraful made a fighting, unbeaten 56 but it came at too pedestrian a pace to be a serious threat.

Bangladesh were on the back foot right from the time Pakistan were put in by Ashraful in conditions which were expected to be more conducive to the bowling side. Butt continued his irrepressible form against the hosts, making his fifth consecutive score above fifty, while Yousuf played a classy, composed knock before Pakistan lost their way in the final ten overs.

The visitors got off to a steady start with Butt, who amassed 451 runs in the recent five-match ODI series, scoring the bulk of the runs. After a cagey beginning, he provided the innings impetus. Shahadat Hossain's short deliveries were tackled with a rasping cut and a mistimed pull, and after nearly holing out to cover, Butt confidently reeled off four boundaries in a short span, pushing the run-rate to nearly six.

The other opener Kamran Akmal was subdued until the ninth over, when he shuffled across the stumps and dispatched an off-stump delivery to midwicket for four. An imperious six over long-off followed and with Butt scoring freely at the other end, Pakistan raced to an ominous 69 for no loss after 11 overs.

Debutant Dolar Mahmud provided the first breakthrough as an Akmal flash, devoid of any footwork, took the outside-edge and wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim, making a comeback, took a sharp diving catch. It became 75 for 2 the next ball, as Younis Khan was run out thanks to an athletic effort from Raqibul Hasan at midwicket.

Butt, who had been rampant against the faster bowlers - racing to 48 off 43 balls - was tied down by Bangladesh's trio of spinners. Kapali, in particular, kept him quiet as his last 22 runs came in singles before hitting one straight to long-on. At the other end, Yousuf made a circumspect start against Razzak before upping his scoring-rate with a bunch of leg-side boundaries. The fours were interspersed with numerous risk-free drives for singles as he smoothly progressed to his 62nd ODI fifty.

Pakistan were poised for a massive total with the score on 178 for 3 after 30 overs. Kapali, however, dismissed both Yousuf and Shahid Afridi in an over as only 13 runs came off four overs. Misbah-ul-Haq's big-hitting fetched him 39 off 22 balls, but after he fell on the first ball of the 38th over, only six runs came off the final three overs as Pakistan collapsed dramatically from 229 for 6 to 233 all out.

The Pakistan new-ball bowlers, getting a hint of movement, consolidated the advantage their batsmen had provided by keeping the scoring-rate down. Just as Bangladesh thought the main threats, Sohail Tanvir and Umar Gul, had been seen off, Riaz struck with his second ball - Shahriar Nafees edging a full delivery to the wicketkeeper. Tamim Iqbal was foxed by a loopy delivery from Afridi - who was getting the legbreak to turn appreciably - as he tried to up the tempo.

Afridi has not been in the best of form with the bat but underscored his effectiveness as a bowler with a superb spell, finishing with 3 for 19. When he removed Mushfiqur in the 27th over, Bangladesh's slim hopes evaporated. Ashraful battled on but scored at an inexplicably slow pace even as the wickets tumbled and the asking-rate climbed alarmingly. With just one other batsman crossing 20, Bangladesh never mounted a serious challenge and dawdled along till the end of their quota of overs.

Given the short duration of the tournament, it's very tough for a team to recover from a slip-up, and the huge margin of defeat dents Bangladesh's net run-rate, making their route to the final even more arduous.

Sidebottom wraps up series victory

England v New Zealand, 3rd Test, Trent Bridge, 4th day

Sidebottom wraps up series victory

June 8, 2008

England 364 (Pietersen 115, Ambrose 67, Broad 64) beat New Zealand 123 (Anderson 7-43) and 232 (McCullum 71, Oram 50*, Sidebottom 6-67) by an innings and nine runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

	Ryan Sidebottom make swift work of New Zealand's lower order to wrap up the series for England © Getty Images

Given the fine line England have trodden between success and failure over the last few months, during their elongated head-to-head with New Zealand, they wrapped up the series with deceptive ease on the fourth day at Trent Bridge. Ryan Sidebottom, on his home ground, responded to a slightly below-par display on the previous two days with a six-wicket haul to seal an innings-and-nine-run victory after just an hour's play.

Sidebottom has been a frustrated, and often angry, participant during this Test as he watched James Anderson and Stuart Broad claim the bowling honours. He hasn't quite been at full pace - the back spasm on the first day may have played a part - but, with conditions better for batting than at any stage during the game, Sidebottom showed why he has taken on the mantle of England's premier bowler.

Gareth Hopkins fought hard on his debut in both innings, showing a better technique than many of the top order against the moving ball. But he was the first to depart when Sidebottom found his outside edge with one pushed across the batsman. In his next over, Sidebottom removed the last major obstacle to a swift finish for England, when Daniel Vettori lofted a skewed drive to Kevin Pietersen at point. From then on it was only a matter of time.

The lower-order showed little desire to hang around as they flayed at Sidebottom's probing line. Kyle Mills edged to Andrew Strauss at first slip, then Iain O'Brien was smartly taken by Paul Collingwood at second slip, diving sharply to his left. Collingwood's batting is in a slump, his bowling is hindered by a sore shoulder, but he can still catch.

Jacob Oram offered the lone resistance, finally coming out of his shell and showing what a threat he will be in the forthcoming one-dayers. Instead of ducking the short ball on a slow pitch he took it on, launching a couple of huge sixes over deep midwicket, once off Broad and then a repeat off Anderson.

He reached an entertaining half-century off 39 balls, but in the process exposed Chris Martin to four balls of Anderson's over. It took just one, a thick edge to second slip where Collingwood pouched another neat catch. Anderson deserved to wrap up the match, claiming his ninth wicket, after putting England in such a strong position with his memorable burst on Friday.

Anderson also helped spark England's resurgence in New Zealand, when he took a five-wicket haul in Wellington, as the team recovered from their embarrassments in Hamilton. The bowling attack was changed, freshened up by youth, and in four of the last five Tests they have responded for Michael Vaughan. There is a long way to go for this England team, and some tough questions still to answer, but they at least have the winning feeling to build on ahead of greater challenges.