PONTING TO JOIN AUSTRALIA COACHING STAFF IN ENGLAND

LONDON: Ricky Ponting will join the backroom staff of head coach Justin Langer during the team’s tour tour of England. Former Australia captain Ponting, one of the outstanding batsmen of his generation, was already due to be in Britain to commentate on the five-match one-day international series against 2019 World Cup hosts England that starts on June 13 and a subsequent T20. But the announcement by Cricket Australia will see Ponting joining forces with Langer, an old team-mate, again after the pair coached Australia’s T20 team against Sri Lanka on home soil in 2017. Ponting also assisted former head coach Darren Lehmann, who quit following the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, for the T20 tri-series against England and New Zealand earlier this year.

Cricket Australia chief Sutherland to stand down

SYDNEY: Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland announced on Wednesday he will stand down in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal that rattled the game. Sutherland, who has been chief executive for 17 of his 20 years with Cricket Australia, has given 12 months’ notice and will continue in his role until a suitable replacement is found. “After nearly 20 years at Cricket Australia, the time is right. I feel very comfortable that this is the right time for me and a good time for the game,” he said.

PCB clears Hafeez over suspect action comments

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided not to take action against all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez after the player clarified his recent comments about the International Cricket Council (ICC) protocols in the biomechanic procedure of testing the suspect bowling action. Two weeks after being cleared to bowl by the ICC for the third time following a remedial bowling action, the PCB had issued a showcase notice to Hafeez to appear before its three-member disciplinary committee to explain his position. Hafeez had expressed reservations over the rules the ICC set for the biomechanics test.