Gambhir ‘nervous as a novice’ after shock recall
India top court slams BCCI for failing to comply with reforms
KOLKATA, Sept 28, (Agencies): Veteran Indian opener Gautam Gambhir will look to roll back the years following his shock recall for the second Test against New Zealand starting Friday after more than two years in the wilderness.
After taking a 1-0 lead earlier this week in the opening match of the three-Test series in Kanpur, India can both clinch the series and seal their return to the top of the world rankings at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.
In picking Gambhir, who turns 35 in a fortnight, the selectors have gone for a man who has vast experience of India’s largest venue as skipper of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Gambhir, who is 13th on the list of all-time Indian run-scorers in Tests, is guaranteed a place in the starting XI after being called up in place of the injured Lokesh Rahul for the remainder of the series.
The aggressive left-hander, who made his name as half of an explosive opening partnership with the now retired Virender Sehwag, played the last of his 56 Tests on India’s tour of England in the summer of 2014.
But after averaging over 70 in the recent Duleep Trophy domestic championship, he has been given a surprise opportunity and they believe in their abilities and that shows on the field. So we do take an advantage in the second game, but we’re taking nothing for granted,” he said.
The visitors had their moments in the first Test and, at one stage, appeared set for a significant first innings lead after skipper Kane Williamson and Tom Latham put together a 124-run partnership.
But after being 159-1, they slumped to 262 all out, with their last five wickets falling for just seven runs.
“We want to be better, and if we are that goes a long way to us being more consistent throughout the five days and ultimately winning,” said Williamson.
After Mark Craig was ruled out of the series with a side strain, the Black Caps could turn to Jeetan Patel, who has also been called up after a three-year absence, as a like-for-like replacement.
The Black Caps though would be concerned about opener Martin Guptill’s double failure in the first Test, which extended the right-handed batsman’s recent miserable run of form.
India are only one point behind Pakistan in the rankings and so a series victory would guarantee that they reclaim the top spot given that their arch rivals are tied up in an ODI series against the West Indies.
India: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Gautam Gambhir, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Jeetan Patel, Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, BJ Watling (wicketkeeper), Henry Nicholls, Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, Jimmy Neesham, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner
India’s top court slammed the country’s powerful cricket board on Wednesday for failing to comply with stipulated reforms following corruption scandals, saying its officials were “behaving like lords”.
The Supreme Court instructed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to “fall in line” with a retired judge’s proposals for sweeping changes to the cash-rich organisation’s structure and way of working.
Former chief justice Rajendra Mal Lodha and his panel told the court that the BCCI’s heads should be replaced as they were dragging their heels on the reforms, adding that a string of emails to officials had gone unanswered.
The BCCI, one of the most powerful organisations in world sport, has insisted it is not “running away” from implementing the reforms after scandals including accusations of corruption and match-fixing in the glitzy Indian Premier League.
The court in New Delhi ordered the BCCI to comply with the recommendations, adding that the organisation was not above the law, the Press Trust of India news agency said.
“If the BCCI thinks that they are a law unto themselves, then they are wrong. They have to comply with the directions of the court,” the bench of judges headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur said.
“You (BCCI) are behaving like lords. Fall in line otherwise we will make you fall in line.”
In this Sept 23, 2003 photo, former Australian Rules footballer and Test cricketer Max Walker demonstrates his trademark bowling action in the Long Room at the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) in Melbourne, Australia. Cricket Australia on Sept 28, said Walker died after a battle with cancer.
He was 68. (AP)
The Lodha panel, appointed by the Supreme Court, proposed changes to the BCCI in January to be introduced within six months.
The reforms, most of which the court accepted, include new operating and governance rules that bar ministers and bureaucrats from holding BCCI posts, along with age and tenure restrictions for top officials.
Former Australia fast bowler Max Walker has died after a two-year battle against skin cancer, Cricket Australia said on Wednesday. He was 68.
A medium-fast bowler used as first change behind Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson, Walker played 34 tests between 1972 and 1977 and captured 138 wickets at an average of 27.47.
He took six five-wicket hauls and had best bowling figures of 8-143 against England in Melbourne in 1975.
“Max was an outstanding cricketer who played an important role in the emergence of successful Australian cricket teams in the 1970s,” Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said in a statement.
“It was a golden era of test cricket under the captaincy of Ian and Greg Chappell, and Max’s medium-fast bowling and his unmistakeable bowling action were a feature of those teams.
“The cricket world will be deeply saddened to hear of Max’s sudden passing.”
Walker also played 17 one-day internationals for Australia, with his final game against New Zealand in 1981.
He was among the group of breakaway players who defected to Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket in 1977, a move that fundamentally changed international cricket before the players were reinstated in 1979.
Known as ‘Tangles’ for his unorthodox delivery stride, Walker had trained as an architect and also played top level Australian Rules football before he committed to cricket.
He moved into the commentary box after he retired and was a sought-after public speaker. He was also a prolific writer and penned numerous comedic books.
“He was a great character, with a big smile and positive approach to life,” Sutherland added.
“He will be sadly missed.” Stanikzai hailed his bowlers for their brilliant effort. “This match, the credit goes to the team. Nabi and Rashid bowled really well,” he said. “The ball reversed in the end, but Najib did it for us.” Earlier, Bangladesh could only pass the 200-run mark owing to an unbeaten 45 runs of Mosaddek, who shared 43 runs with Rubel Hossain in the last wicket pair.
Put into bat first, Bangladesh, who were looking for their 100th ODI win and to wrap-up the series after winning Sunday’s first match by a narrow seven runs, made a cautious start with the opening pair fetching 45 runs.
Mirwais Ashraf, who claimed 2-23, removed both the openers Tamim Iqbal (20) and Soumya Sarkar (20) before Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad revived the innings, adding 61 runs for the third wicket.
Afghan spinners took control of the proceedings once Naveen-ul-Haq bowled Mahmudullah for 25.
Rahim, who scored 38, soon followed Mahmudullah attempting his favourite slow-sweep as Naveen-ul Haq took the catch at deep square leg off leg-spinner Shah.
Nabi trapped Shakib Al Hasan leg-before for 17 before Rashid worked out the lower order.
Bangladesh captain Mortaza lamented their poor batting. “(Our) batting wasn’t up to the mark. The wicket was on the slow side, and after getting 20-30 runs, somebody should have made a good score,” he said.
will face the second-string ahead of their four-Test series in England next year, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced Wednesday.
Later in the season, the will have a trio of three-day games against county sides before the start of their three-Test series against England.
In July, the ECB confirmed the major international fixtures for both the South Africa and West Indies tours, with England also staging the 2017 Champions Trophy tournament featuring the world’s top eight oneday nations.
Wednesday’s statement filled in the gaps in the tour schedules and ECB chief executive said: “We’re very pleased to have agreed such a comprehensive touring programme for 2017 -- a schedule which will provide fans with even more opportunities to see two international teams in action at county grounds; and help our Lions players test themselves against high quality opposition in both red and white-ball cricket.
“With this country also hosting the ICC Champions Trophy and the ICC Women’s World Cup next season, 2017 promises to be a hugely exciting summer of cricket -- and a strong platform to promote our sport to an even wider and more diverse audience.”
South Africa A will also visit England in 2017 for a tour culminating in a ‘Test’ against the Lions in Canterbury in June.