CRICKET TODAY

ICC announces schedule of ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2015

           Ireland was the winner of the 2013 event and will be aiming for a hat-trick of titles

14 sides to go head to head in Ireland and Scotland for six available places in ICC World Twenty20 India 2016; Opportunity for Ireland to complete a hat-trick of titles

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the schedule of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2015, which will be staged across eight Ireland and Scotland venues from 9 to 26 July.

The top six sides from the 18-day tournament during which 51 matches will be played, will join the 10 Full Members for the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016, which will be held from 11 March to 3 April 2016.

In the July tournament, Ireland will also aim to complete a hat-trick of titles after it won the March 2012 and November 2013 qualifiers, both times defeating Afghanistan in the final.

Afghanistan had taken the top honours in the February 2010 tournament, while Ireland and Netherlands shared the trophy in August 2009 in Belfast after the final was washed-out.

Both Ireland and Afghanistan are in different groups. Ireland is joined in Group A by Nepal, Hong Kong, Jersey Papua New Guinea (PNG), Namibia and United States of America (USA), while Pool B includes Canada, Netherlands, Scotland, Kenya, Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) apart from Afghanistan.

The inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa in 2007 was competed by Kenya and Scotland apart from the 10 Full Members, while Ireland, Netherlands and Scotland (replacing Zimbabwe) featured in the 2009 tournament in England. Ireland and Afghanistan filled in the two spots for the 2010 and 2012 events, before the ICC Board decided to increase the number of sides below the Test nations to six for the ICC World Twenty20 2014. The six sides that joined the 10 Full Members for the Bangladesh tournament were Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Ireland, Nepal, Netherlands and the UAE.

According to the format of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2015, the sides that top the two groups will automatically qualify for the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016, while the sides that finish second and third in each of the two groups will play cross-over matches with the two winners joining the table-toppers for the India tournament.

The losing sides of the two play-off matches will then play the fourth-placed sides from each of the two groups in cross-over matches with the winners completing the 16-team line-up for the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016.

The fifth-sixth and third-fourth position play-offs as well as the final will be played on the last three days of the tournament based on which these teams’ seeding/groupings for the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016 will be confirmed.

Malahide in Dublin and The Grange in Edinburgh will be the two broadcast venues. However, broadcast details of the ICC Word Twenty20 2015 will be announced closer to the start of the tournament.

Certain venue/matches will be ticketed and these details will be announced in due course.

The two groups are:
 

Group A	Group B
A1 – Ireland	B1 - Afghanistan
A2 – Nepal	B2 – UAE
A3 – Hong Kong	B3 – Netherlands
A4 – PNG	B4 – Scotland
A5 – Namibia	B5 – Canada
A6 – USA	B6 – Kenya
A7 – Jersey	B7 – Oman

The schedule is:

Warm-up matches

Mon, 6 July (1000-1310) – Nepal v Oman, Stormont, Belfast; PNG v Kenya, Bready, Co. Tyrone; Scotland v Namibia, The Grange, Edinburgh; Netherlands v Hong Kong, Myreside, Edinburgh
Mon, 6 July (1415-1725) – Ireland v UAE, Stormont, Belfast; USA v local side, Bready, Co. Tyrone; Canada v local side, The Grange, Edinburgh; Afghanistan v Jersey, Myreside, Edinburgh
Tue, 7 July (1000-1310) – Nepal v UAE, Stormont, Belfast; local team v PNG, Bready, Co. Tyrone; Scotland v Jersey, Goldenacre, Edinburgh; local team v Netherlands, New Williamfield, Stirling
Tue, 7 July (1415-1725) – Ireland v Oman, Stormont, Belfast; Kenya v USA, Bready, Co. Tyrone; Canada v Namibia, Goldenacre, Edinburgh; Afghanistan v Hong Kong, New Williamfield, Stirling

Tournament matches

Thurs, 9 July – Scotland v UAE, The Grange, Edinburgh (1000-1310); Netherlands v Afghanistan, The Grange, Edinburgh (1415-1725)

Fri, 10 July – Ireland v Namibia, Stormont, Belfast (1000-1310); Canada v Kenya, Myreside, Edinburgh (1000-1310); Nepal v USA, Stormont, Belfast (1415-1725); UAE v Afghanistan, The Grange, Edinburgh 1415-1725

Sat, 11 July – Hong Kong v Jersey, Bready, Co. Tyrone (1000-1310); Scotland v Netherlands, The Grange, Edinburgh (1000-1310); Kenya v Oman, Myreside, Edinburgh (1000-1310); Nepal v Namibia, Stormont, Belfast (1415-1725)

Sun, 12 July – Ireland v USA, Stormont, Belfast (1000-1310); PNG v Jersey, Bready, Co. Tyrone (1000-1310); UAE v Netherlands, The Grange, Edinburgh (1000-1310); Canada v Oman, New Williamfield, Stirling (1000-1310); Scotland v Afghanistan, The Grange, Edinburgh (1415-1725)

Mon, 13 July – Namibia v USA, Stormont, Belfast (1000-1310); Hong Kong v PNG, Bready, Co. Tyrone (1000-1310); Ireland v Nepal, Stormont, Belfast (1415-1725); Afghanistan v Kenya, New Williamfield, Stirling (1415-1725)

Tue, 14 July – Netherlands v Oman, Myreside, Edinburgh (1000-1310); UAE v Canada, New Williamfield, Stirling (1000-1310); Scotland v Kenya, The Grange, Edinburgh (1415-1725)

Wed, 15 July – Ireland v PNG, Stormont, Belfast (1000-1310); USA v Jersey, Bready, Co. Tyrone (1000-1310); Afghanistan v Oman, Goldenacre, Edinburgh (1000-1310); Nepal v Hong Kong, Stormont, Belfast (1415-1725); UAE v Kenya, Goldenacre, Edinburgh (1415-1725)

Thurs, 16 July – Scotland v Canada, Goldenacre, Edinburgh (1000-1310)

Fri, 17 July – Nepal v PNG, Malahide, Dublin (1000-1310); Namibia v Jersey, Clontarf (1000-1310); Netherlands v Canada, Goldenacre, Edinburgh (1000-1310); UAE v Oman, New Williamfield, Stirling (1000-1310); Ireland v Hong Kong, Malahide, Dublin (1415-1725)

Sat, 18 July – Nepal v Jersey, Malahide, Dublin (1000-1310); Scotland v Oman, Goldenacre, Edinburgh (1000-1310); Afghanistan v Canada, New Williamfield, Stirling (1000-1310); PNG v Namibia, Malahide, Dublin (1415-1725); Hong Kong v USA, Clontarf, Dublin (1415-1725); Netherlands v Kenya, Myreside, Edinburgh (1415-1725)

Sun, 19 July – Ireland v Jersey, Malahide, Dublin (1000-1310); PNG v USA, Malahide, Dublin (1415-1725); Hong Kong v Namibia, Clontarf, Dublin (1415-1725)

Tue, 21 July – Qualifying Play-Off 1 (A2 v B3), Malahide, Dublin (1000-1310); Qualifying Play-Off 2 (A3 v B2), Malahide, Dublin (1415-1725)

Thurs, 23 July - Qualifying Play-Off 3 (A4 v loser Qualifying Play-Off 1, Malahide, Dublin (1000-1310); Qualifying Play-Off 4 (B4 v loser Qualifying Play-Off 2, Malahide, Dublin (1415-1725)

Sat, 25 July – Semi-final (B1 v Winner Qualifying Play-off 1), Malahide, Dublin (1000-1310); fifth/sixth position play-off (winner play-off 3 v winner play-off 4), Clontarf, Dublin (1000-1310); Semi-final (A1 v Winner Qualifying Play-off 2), Malahide, Dublin (1415-1725)

Sun, 26 July – Third place play-off, Malahide, Dublin (1000-1310); Final, Malahide, Dublin (1415-1725

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Dhoni retires from Test cricket

MS Dhoni has retired from Test cricket with immediate effect following the drawn Test against Australia at the MCG. Virat Kohli will take over as India captain for the final Test of the series, which India has already lost, in Sydney.

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A Big Loss to Cricket World. Deepest condolences to family, friends and well wishers. RIP

=================================================================================Rohit Sharma registers highest individual ODI score

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India drops to sixth place in ICC Test rankings

India dropped to sixth place in the ICC Test rankings after Pakistan beat Australia in first test and took a 1-0 lead in the series against Australia.

“Pakistan’s victory in the Dubai Test has not only ensured that it will move ahead of India in fifth position irrespective of how the Abu Dhabi Test ends, it has dashed Australia hopes of regaining the number one Test ranking,” the ICC said in a statement.

To move ahead of South Africa, Australia needed to win both the Tests. Now, their best series result can be a 1-1 draw, which will keep them in second position, three points behind South Africa.

If Pakistan wins the second Test, they will leapfrog England and Sri Lanka to third position.

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MRF signs five-year agreement with the BCCI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)  has  signed  a five year agreement with MRF Pace Foundation  to train Emerging Indian  fast bowlers under the  guidance of the  former Australian pacer Glenn McGrath, Director of the Pace Foundation.

The bowlers will be categories into Elite and Probables category and the training will be imparted in batches. 

ELITE – Elite includes included those pace bowlers who have been selected by the BCCI to play official matches at different levels. There will a maximum of 10 trainees per camp and the duration of the training will be of two weeks. The selected pace bowlers can attend the camp during all three visits of Glenn McGrath in a year between – Jan-Feb; June-July and August - September. The first such training camp has begun on September 1, 2014.

PROBABLES – This category will include upcoming pace bowlers who have been shortlisted by the National Selectors. There will be a total of 20 probables, all of whom will undergo training for a period of 30 days. These 20 trainees will be split into two groups (ten each) and attend the camp in May-Jun and July- August.

Mr. K M Mammen, Chairman and Managing Director, MRF Limited, said, “For the last 27 years, the MRF Pace Foundation has worked with a single minded focus of producing pace bowlers for India. Everything we have done at the Pace Foundation, in terms of the tie-ups we have entered into, the infrastructure we have invested in, the staff we have trained, has been planned with this single objective in mind. We are extremely proud of what we have achieved so far. 17 of our trainees have played for the country, taking over 2,000 international wickets. Today, we are proud to announce the official partnership between the BCCI and MRF Pace Foundation to train pace bowlers for India. This new agreement will help us work together even more effectively to produce great results.”

“This is a great moment. The association between the BCCI and the MRF Pace Foundation will hugely benefit Indian cricket in the long run,” Shivlal Yadav, Interim President, BCCI, said. 

BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel  said : “The BCCI is pleased to initiate this partnership with the MRF Pace Foundation, an institution where several outstanding pace bowlers have honed their skills over the past three decades. These individuals have done the country proud with their achievements in all forms of the game. We are confident that this partnership between the BCCI and the MRF Pace Foundation will help produce many more quick bowlers, who will bring glory to India, in the years to come,”

“It has been a wonderful couple of years for me at the MRF Pace Foundation. I now eagerly look forward to working with India’s best at the foundation. Our facilities compare favourably with the best in the world and I am eagerly looking forward to this challenge.” said, MRF Pace Foundation Director, Glenn McGrath.

The bowlers selected  to train at the MRF Pace Foundation include Varun Aaron, Rahul Shukla, Ishwar Pandey, Ashok Dinda, Veer Pratap Singh, Deepak Chahar, Nathu Singh, Ankit Rajput, Anureet Singh, Shardul Thakur, and CV Milind.

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India Ranked No 1 in ICC ODI side

World champion India has been confirmed as the number-one ranked side in the ICC ODI Team Rankings following Zimbabwe’s three wickets victory over Australia in a triangular series match in Harare on Sunday.

India had joined Australia on top of the table after winning the third ODI in Nottingham on 30 August at 114 ratings points, but took sole possession at the coveted number-one spot after Zimbabwe recorded its first victory over Australia in 31 years. This result meant Australia has dropped three ratings points and has slipped behind South Africa and Sri Lanka into fourth position on 111 ratings points.

South Africa, following its victories over Australia and Zimbabwe, is sitting in second spot on 113 ratings points, while Sri Lanka also has 111 ratings points but is ranked above Australia in third position by a fraction of a point.

With five ODIs to be played this week, there is potential for further changes at the top of the table, depending how these matches pan out.
For world champion India to finish as the number-one ranked side, it needs to win the remaining two matches against England and then hope Australia beats South Africa either on 2 September or 6 September (if both the sides clash in the final). In this scenario, India will be on 115 ratings points, followed by South Africa, Australia and Sri Lanka (depending on the outcome of the remaining matches in the triangular series).

South Africa, which also leads the ICC Test Team Championship, can move to the top of the table if it wins its remaining two league matches as well as the potential final against Australia. If South Africa makes this happens and India also wins its last two matches, then South Africa and India will be on 115 ratings points each but South Africa will be ranked above India when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.

Australia may have slipped to fourth position but it too can finish the series in number-one position if England beats India in one of the two matches and Australia defeats South Africa on 2 September and then again in the final on 6 September. In this scenario, Australia will end up on 114 ratings points, followed by India in second position, and Sri Lanka and South Africa in third and fourth spots, respectively.

ICC ODI Team Rankings (as on 31 August, after Zimbabwe-Australia ODI)

Rank	Team	Rating
1	India	114
2	South Africa	113
3	Sri Lanka	111
4	Australia	111
5	England	106
6	Pakistan	100
7	New Zealand	98
8	West Indies	96
9	Bangladesh	69
10	Zimbabwe	58
11	Afghanistan	42
12	Ireland	33

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Raina , time to fight back character

In a interview with BCCI.TV, Raina sounded positive and confident as he is excited to lift the team with the bat, ball and his mirth.

How did you spend your time after the Bangladesh ODI series?

I practiced in Delhi, Noida on a turf wicket and played a few matches in rainy conditions. I went to the Lucknow sports college where I stayed in the boarding school as a kid and practiced there a lot. For the last 10 days or so, I was in Mumbai working at the BKC (Bandra Kurla Complex) indoor facilities. I feel good going into this series and having done well here before there is a level of confidence as well.

Did you have a session or two with Sachin Tendulkar at the BKC?

He came there to play badminton and since Arjun practiced in the nets there, Sachin paaji came to give him some tips. I went up to him and asked how should go about things in England. I had a lot of conversations with him mainly on the mental side of things. I also worked with (Pravin) Amre sir there at the BKC on various aspects of my batting.

What preparations did you do keeping in mind the English conditions? Did you practise against the moving ball?

I played a lot with a taped tennis ball to simulate the movement. We have two long practice sessions here at the Lord’s and then a warm-up match against Middlesex. Then we go to Bristol and have two more practice sessions there. We have enough time until the first ODI to get into the groove and settle down in these conditions. 

How is it for you guys to join the team that is smarting from the Test series defeat?

The team is going through a difficult phase right now and it is time for us to show character. It can be difficult sometimes to move on from such defeat but you have to fight your way out of it when you’re playing at the international level. The new players will bring freshness in the squad which will help the guys who have been here for the Tests regain the positivity. They are striving to learn from their mistakes and we will add fresh spirit.

As the senior most player to join the team for the ODIs, do you take it upon yourself to bring positivity and exuberance in the camp?

Yes. I always try to maintain the cheerfulness in the team, on and off the field. I am the first person to run to the bowler or fielder when a wicket falls. Small things like running to the bowler at fine leg or third man to fetch his sweater can make a huge difference in the team’s atmosphere. It is contagious – when one player starts doing it, another follows, and before you know the whole team is pumping with energy and high spirits. This energy takes time to build – sometimes four overs, at times 10 overs. To create that atmosphere someone has to take a lead and make that extra effort. Everyone is either thinking about their own batting or bowling. But I have learned from my coach that these small things can add a lot of value to the team. Mahi (MS Dhoni) always says that when someone makes a brilliant stop or takes a good catch, go and pat him on the back. That shows how involved you are in the game. If I just stand there minding my own business, everyone will just go through the motions. But if I go and pat someone, he will come and do the same when I do something good. That creates a positive aura around in the field, makes you feel lighter and lifts everyone around. That is something that’s in my hands and something I have been doing for the last 10 years.

You have been very open about your desire to bat higher up the order in the ODIs. In recent times, have the difference between batting at 4 and 6 reduced?

The roles have become a lot similar since the two new ball rule has come. That means I will get a more or less new ball to face. In that way the ODI skills have become much more similar to Test skills. The good thing now is that even when batting at 6, I don’t have to bat with tailenders or protect them because this lower order can really bat. Another important aspect of batting at that position is the powerplay overs. It has been a tricky area. Often teams lose wickets in heaps trying to hit everything out. We have been trying to read it over the years and planned as to how to go about that phase. It is very important to have at least one set batsman during the batting powerplay. He needs to carry the score forward while allowing the man at the other end to get in.

How seriously are you taking your bowling, given your role as a part time off spinner?

I know I will be called upon to bowl 4-5 or even more overs and I am prepared for it. The good thing is that I have been bowling regularly in the ODIs. I know that my role with the ball is mainly to contain the runs and I always try to stick to it. But I saw during the Test series that the odd ball was dong a bit from the roughs. I am looking forward to contributing with the ball.

You spent a bit of time with Sourav Ganguly. What did you work on with him?

I had a chat with him on batting. Being a leftie he guided me on things like arm position and other subtle technical things. However, most of it was about the mental makeup when batting in England. 

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ICC Women’s Championship all set for exciting start

The inaugural edition of the ICC Women’s Championship starts tomorrow (Thursday) and the opening round sees Australia host Pakistan and England take on India in the multi-year, bilateral qualifying competition to the pinnacle event in women’s cricket, the ICC Women’s World Cup England 2017. On 21 August, reigning World Cup champion Australia will face Pakistan in a three One-Day International (ODI) series in Brisbane, while three-time winner England will play host to India for its three-match series at Scarborough and Lord’s. The hosts of the Australian-Pakistan and England-India series will livestream matches via their respective websites.
 
The concept, proposed by the ICC Women’s Committee and approved by the ICC Board in the January 2014 meeting, is aimed at creating more extensive and meaningful bilateral playing programme for women’s cricket.  Other competing countries include New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies.
 
The tournament structure will see each team will play each other in one home or away series that will include three ODIs over a two and a half year period. As such, each side is guaranteed at least 21 ODIs over the tournament period. Two points will be awarded for a win, while points will be shared in case of a tie or a no-result. At the conclusion of the seven rounds, the top four sides will gain automatic qualification to the ICC Women’s World Cup England 2017, while the bottom four sides will get a final chance of qualification through the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in 2017. 
 
Looking ahead to the start of the series, Australia captain Meg Lanning said: “We can’t wait to kick off our campaign towards the ICC Women’s World Cup England 2017 when we take on Pakistan this month as part of the ICC Women’s Championship. 
“As the reigning champions, we feel honoured that our first ODI will mark the official launch of the inaugural Championship.”
 
Lanning, who led her side to victory in this year’s ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2014, added: “The structure of the new Championship has provided us with a great opportunity to face a world-class team in Pakistan on home soil in a bilateral series. We have enjoyed some competitive matches against Pakistan in recent ICC events and I have no doubt that this series will be just as exciting.”
 
The 22-year-old skipper sits in fourth place in the Reliance ICC Women’s Player Rankings for ODI Batters list, which also includes three other Australians – ICC Women’s World Cup 2013 player of the final, Jessica Cameron (seventh), Alex Blackwell (ninth), and all-rounder Ellyse Perry (17th) – inside the top 20 list. Pakistan’s highest-ranked batter is Bismah Maroof in 15^th position.
 
The top-ranked Australia bowlers in the Reliance ICC Women’s Player Rankings for ODI Bowlers are Erin Osborne (sixth) and Perry (seventh), while in the Pakistan camp, captain Sana Mir is in 10^th place.
 
Speaking ahead of Thursday’s opener at Peter Burge Oval, Pakistan captain Sana Mir added: “This is our first bilateral series against Australia. Before this series, we have only played them in ICC Women’s World Cups. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to express our potential as cricketers; achieving our targets against the world champions will be pretty good.”
 
England and India will meet in Scarborough in the first ODI on Thursday. They will then play in Scarborough on 23^rd August before facing each other in the third ODI at Lord’s on 26^th August. England captain Charlotte Edwards is excited to be leading her team in one of the first fixtures of the new tournament.
 
“As players, the new ICC Women’s Championship is a fantastic concept,” she said, adding: “It gives us real structure leading into the ICC Women’s World Cup in England in 2017, and makes every ODI series that we play between now and then significant.  Whenever I step out to play for England I want to win, but now more than ever before, every result really does matter. 
 
“I cannot wait to lead the England women’s team against India in our first round of matches in the ICC Women’s Championship this summer.”
 
Edwards is currently ranked seventh in the batter rankings and is one of four England batters in the top 20 who are expected to appear in the first round fixtures, with Sarah Taylor (second), Lydia Greenway (11^th) and Heather Knight (14^th) also anticipated to appear.
 
The England bowling attack will be led by veterans Katherine Brunt and Jenny Gunn, who are currently in second and fourth places, respectively.  Other England bowlers inside the top 20 are Holly Colvin (ninth), Danielle Hazell (15^th) and Laura Marsh (19^th).
 
Looking ahead of the start of the ICC Women’s Championship, India captain Mithali Raj, who leads the women’s ODI batting rankings, said: “The India team and management is really excited to be playing in this inaugural competition and we are extremely focused and determined to kick off the series well in Scarborough.
 
“It is a new and exciting development for women’s cricket and it is great that the ICC is supporting a stronger structure for the game leading into the ICC Women’s World Cup England 2017.
 
“Historically, England has been an outstanding team in ODI cricket and they will be tough opponents on home soil. They have some excellent players and we know about their strength in depth. But we have a young and enthusiastic team and our players will take a lot of confidence from our win in last week’s Test match. If we can go up another level and look to improve the key areas of the game, then I know that we can be competitive.”
 
For India, Harmanpreet Kaur in sixth position is the other batter inside the top 10, while Jhulan Goswami (third) is the highest-ranked bowler.
 
In September, West Indies will host New Zealand for their three-ODI series, while Sri Lanka will host South Africa in October.
 
Squads
 
Australia (from): Meg Lanning (captain), Kristen Beams, Alex Blackwell, Nicole Bolton, Jess Cameron, Sarah Coyte, Rene Farrell, Alyssa Healy (wkt), Julie Hunter, Jess Jonassen, Erin Osborne, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt
 
Pakistan (from): Sana Mir (captain), Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Asmavia Iqbal Khokhar, Bismah Maroof, Javeria Khan, Maham Tariq, Marina Iqbal, Nain Abidi, Nida Dar, Qanita Jalil, Sadia Yousaf, Sania Khan, Sidra Nawaz (wkt)
 
England (from): Charlotte Edwards (captain), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kathryn Cross, Lydia Greenway, Jenny Gunn, Danielle Hazell, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Sonia Odedra, Natalie Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor (wkt), Lauren Winfield
 
India (from): Mithali Raj (captain), Ekta Bisht, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Jhulan Goswami, Karuna Jain (wkt), Thurush Kamini, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Nagarajan Niranjana, Shikha Pandey, Swagatika Rath, Poonam Raut, Shubhlakshmi Sharma, Vellaswamy Vanitha, Sushma Verma, Poonam Yadav.

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Shastri named director of Cricket for England ODIs

The BCCI have made changes in the Indian support staff for the One Day International (ODI) series against England, which begins on August 25 after the humiliating defeat in Investec Test series. The BCCI has appointed Former India captain Ravi Shastri as the director of cricket. Ravi Shastri will be the overall in- charge of cricket affairs of the Indian Team.

According to BCCI press release, Fletcher will continue in his role as the head coach, both Dawes and Penny, bowling and fielding coaches respectively, have been given a break from the one-day series. Ravi Shastri has been appointed as the director of cricket and will "oversee and guide the Indian cricket team".

BCCI said: "In their continuing efforts to re-energise the support to the team, the BCCI has given a break to the bowling coach Mr Joe Dawes and the fielding coach, Mr Trevor Penny for the one day series and appointed Mr Sanjay Bangar, former Indian all rounder and former India fast bowler Mr Bharat Arun as the Asst. coaches of the team. Mr R.Sridhar will join the support team as the fielding coach for the one day series."

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Dhoni and team India fined by ICC for Slow over rate at oval Test

The ICC has imposed fine on Team India for slow over-rate during the fifth and final Test against England at The Oval.

“Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s side was ruled to be three overs short of its target at the end of the match when time allowances were taken into consideration”, an ICC statement read.

“In accordance with ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel regulations governing minor over-rate offences, players are fined 10 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount.

Dhoni being  fined 60-per-cent of his match fee while his players received 30-per-cent fines.

Dhoni  will  receive a one match ban if he is found guilty of one more minor over-rate offence in Tests over the next 12 months as per the provisions of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel.

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England thrashed India by an Innings and 244 runs in last test and clinched the Trophy

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England welcomes ICC World Cup

The most coveted prize in cricket, the World Cup trophy is scheduled to arrive at Lord`s on Sunday and it will be welcomed by England ODI vice-captain Eoin Morgan along with representatives of ECB, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the ICC.

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 will start  on February 14, with England taking on host Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

With only 180 days remaining  for the  opening matches, Morgan said: "The focus will be on 50-over cricket between now and the ICC Cricket World Cup once this Test match against India is over. There will be real competition for places in the England set-up and I know that playing in an ICC Cricket World Cup is special. It is the ICC`s pinnacle event and it is an event that really captures the imagination of the entire cricketing world.

"The fact that the World Cup trophy is now here at Lord`s and will tour England and Wales in the next few weeks will help raise not only profile but also excitement around the ICC Cricket World Cup."

"Everyone in the England camp is hugely excited about the prospect of competing in Australia and New Zealand in what is two hugely challenging environments against the very best players in world cricket," said Morgan, who, having played 78 ODIs for England to date, is aiming to appear in his third ICC World Cup.

Morgan will be joined in welcoming the trophy by Steve Elworthy, the ECB`s Managing Director of Global Events, Derek Brewer, Chief Executive & Secretary of MCC and, Nick Pink, Regional Development Manager - ICC Europe at the Grace Gates.

Elworthy, who played in the ICC Cricket World Cup 1999 when it was last held in England, is looking forward to hosting the trophy at Lord`s: "The last time the ICC Cricket World Cup came to Lord`s was at the end of the 2010 season as a part of the build-up towards the 2011 tournament in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

"It proved incredibly popular with all the visitors to the ground and I am sure that will be the case again especially the spectators at the Middlesex game against India here at Lord`s on Friday."

"For everyone in England and Wales, the trophy tour will not only add to the awareness of the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2015 but also mark the build-up to the next round of ICC global events to be held on these shores the ICC Champions Trophy and the ICC Women`s World Cup, both in 2017, and, of course, the ICC Cricket World Cup itself in 2019."

Brewer added: "Lord`s has a special affinity with the ICC Cricket World Cup staging the first three finals in 1975, 1979 and 1983- as well as the 1999 final. All those finals produced some really iconic images and special memories in the history of the ICC Cricket World Cup. On behalf of MCC it is an honour to welcome the trophy to England and Wales."

14 teams will be participating for the 11th edition of the World Cup, which includes the four qualifiers Afghanistan, Ireland, Scotland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Pink said: "The ICC Europe regional office is based at Lord`s and so this is a special moment for us all. ICC`s Associate Members from Europe are again well represented with Ireland and Scotland - where the trophy will travel to after leaving Cardiff - both reaching next years tournament through a global qualification pathway that culminated in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand earlier this year."

The World Cup trophy will travel to the following locations in the United Kingdom: Lord`s - MCC Museum, Edgbaston, Bristol , Cardiff – Scotland.

The trophy is going to arrive in the UK from Bangladesh, before which it had toured Sri Lanka, and its next stop will be Scotland. After visiting 13 countries over four months, the trophy will arrive in Melbourne on November 6.
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ICC Test Rankings: Ashwin is No 1 all-rounder

India's Ravichandran Ashwin became the No 1 Test all-rounder in ICC rankings.

Ashwin scored 40 and 46 not out at the Old Trafford though India lost the Test by an innings and 54 runs, but went wicket-less in his 14-over spell in England's first innings.

The Indian off-spinner, who now has 372 rating points, displaced South Africa's Vernon Philander (365) at the top of the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test all-rounders.

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Kumar Sangakkara No1 in latest ICC Test batsmen rankings

Sri Lankan veteran and batting start has regained the number-one Test batting spot in the  Reliance ICC player Ranking for test Batsmen. Sangakkara brought up his 10th double hundred in his career — a record that is second in the all-time list of double centurions, only second to Don Bradman’s 12.    

Sangakkara had first reached to the top of the batting charts in December 2007 when he replaced Ricky Ponting, while he last claimed the top spot in November 2012 in Galle before Australia’s Michael Clarke replaces him.

Sangakkara has now spent a total of 81 Tests and 671 days as the top-ranked Test batsman. ICC Hall of Famer Garry Sobers holds the record for the most Tests spent as number-one with 189 while Viv Richards is second with 179.

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India-Pakistan Test series to resume from Dec 2015

The International Cricket Council has confirmed that India and Pakistan will play a bilateral series in December 2015.

The two countries are scheduled to play six series during the eight-year future tours programme cycle between 2015 and 2023.

According to the provisional FTP cycle, India and Pakistan are scheduled to play 12 Tests, 30 ODIs and 11 Twenty20s spread over six series.

The first series in December 2015 is likely to be held in Pakistan, but could also be played in the United Arab Emirates, is expected to comprise two Tests, five ODIs and two T20s.

“There has been a proposal to resume bilateral cricket ties between India and Pakistan. As I understand, there has been an agreement that the two teams will play each other soon,” ICC chairman N Srinivasan told the Times of India.

The last bilateral series between the two countries was played in December 2012-January 2013 when Pakistan toured India for three ODIs and two T20s.

After the Mumbia terror attacks in 2008 and the subsequent attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, Pakistan and India have not played each other in Pakistan.

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  Cricket

Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on a roughly circular field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. Each team takes it in turn to bat, in which they attempt to accumulate as many runs as possible, while the other team fields, attempting to prevent the batting team scoring runs. Teams may bat once or twice each depending upon the format of the game. Each turn is known as an innings. The game progresses as one member of the fielding team known as the bowler delivers the ball to the batsman down the length of the pitch. The batsman then attempts to strike the ball with his bat so that the ball either reaches the boundary or travels far enough away from a fielder to enable him to run to the other end of the pitch and thus accumulate runs. Each batsman may continue batting until he is dismissed. Once ten batsmen from the batting side have been dismissed, the team is said to be all out and the two teams change roles. A person who plays cricket is called a cricketer.

The format of the game is categorized in three format i.e Twenty20, ODI’s and Test match. In professional cricket the length of a game ranges from 20 overs of six bowling deliveries per side to Test cricket played over five days. The Laws of Cricket are maintained by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) with additional Standard Playing Conditions for Test matches and One Day Internationals.

Cricket was first played in southern England in the 16th century. By the end of the 18th century, it had developed into the national sport of England. The expansion of the British Empire led to cricket being played overseas and by the mid-19th century the first international matches were being held. The ICC, the game's governing body, has 10 full members. The game is most popular in Australasia, England, the Indian subcontinent, the West Indies and Southern Africa.

All cricket playing nations are categorized into two categories as per ICC regulations i.e FULL MEMBERS and Top Associate and Affiliate Members.

Full Members :

All Full Members nationes have a right to play official Test matches,  automatically qualified to play ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals. West Indies cricket team does not represent one country instead an amalgamation of over 20 countries from the Caribbean. The English Cricket team represents both England and Wales.

Top Associate and Affiliate Members :

The nations under Top Associate and Affiliate Members are not  qualified to play Test Cricket. ICC grants One Day International status to its associate and affiliate members based on their success in the World Cricket League. The top six teams will be awarded One day international and Twenty20 International status, which will allow the associate and affiliate teams to be eligible to play the full members and play official ODI cricket.

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India squad for England ODIs and T20I announced

India will play five ODIs and one T20 International against England, starting  from 25 August 2014 to 7 September 2014.

The All-India Senior Selection Committee met at the Cricket Centre, Mumbai, earlier today, to pick the Indian team for the ODI series and T20 International.

BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel said, "Only Amit Mishra had been ruled out of selection since he is undergoing treatment and rehab following a back injury".

"Considering the World Cup, the management as well as the selectors have put more emphasis on selecting some of the youngsters like Sanju Samson, Mohit Sharma, Stuart Binny and Karn Sharma."

India squad for  ODI and T20
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Captain), Virat Kohli (Vice-Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Stuart Binny, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Umesh Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Sanju Samson, Karn Sharma.

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Anderson and Jadeja found not guilty

England's James Anderson and Ravindra Jadeja of India have been found not guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct.

After the hearing on the evidence and submissions from both sides the Judicial commissioner Gordan Lewis reached to his decision.

The ICC said "The Judicial Commissioner reached his decisions following a six-hour hearing, which took place via videoconference," the ICC said. "Witnesses, including some Indian and English players, provided evidence and were cross-examined by the respective legal counsels."

The ECB and Anderson were represented in the hearings by Nick De Marco while Adam Lewis QC represented Jadeja. The hearings were also attended by the two team managers, the ECB's managing director Paul Downton, the BCCI's Sundar Raman and MV Sridhar, the ICC's General Manager - Cricket, Geoff Allardice, and the ICC's Ethics and Regulatory lawyer, Sally Clark.

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Ishant sharma not fit for fourth test

During the post match presentation at the Ageas Bowl, the Indian captain confirm that Ishant will not be fit for the fourth test  August 7 at Old Trafford. He said "Definitely he won't be fit for the next game". "Never really had a discussion with our physio, but as of now he won't be available for the fourth Test match."

India lost the third test by 266-run, adding only 66 on fifth day for the loss of their last six wickets. Moeen Ali, the offspinning allrounder, picked up a six-wicket haul.

 Dhoni said India didn't bat with the right approach against Moeen. He also added : "I don't think we played good cricket over here but at the same time I think we played the fast bowlers well”.

Dhoni said. "Moeen I think he bowled well, but still we let him bowl well. It is very important to be positive against the spinner, especially when there is not much on offer. I think he bowled very good lines. If you keep defending one odd ball will turn because there is considerable amount of wear and tear on the wicket."

Dhoni said, the crucial phase in the match that India slipped up in when Moeen took two wickets in the first innings as well, when Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane lost their wickets going for aggressive shots

"There were quite a few soft dismissals, the phase where Rahane got out, a couple of other wickets that fell, that really had a big impact on the game. It was not only that half an hour, I think even last night, the last session really had a big impact on the game because we lost quite a few wickets, and quite a few of them were quite soft dismissals, and if we were in a good position last night, not losing those two or three wickets, definitely then you look at it in a different way."

Adding about the selection call, Dhoni said : "The reason was we never used the fifth bowler, so we thought maybe we'll be able to use the batsmen who can bowl a bit if needed," .

"We just bowled that fifth bowler for eight overs or ten overs so I thought with Shikhar Dhawan and Vijay and Rohit being around, we can use that fifth bowler.

"It is not only that, I think once we got in with the four specialist bowlers I still think we need to get a bit more patient on wickets like these where there's not plenty to offer for the fast bowlers. We have to be consistent with our lines and lengths, and be a bit boring at times, hit the fourth stump mark onsistently and ask the batsman to come and drive."

Responding to the question whether India had the resources to bounce back from the defeat, Dhoni said they did, provided they played more positively.

"Definitely, when it comes to the talent part yes. It will just be the mental approach, to be a bit more positive when it is in your areas, go ahead with your shot even if you get out playing that shot, back yourself because at the end of the day, what cricket really is is about the amount of runs you score and the wickets you take. You don't have to survive for long if you are scoring quickly."

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Marylebone Cricket Club v Rest of the World XI,Lord's

MCC XI 296 for 3 beat Rest of the World XI 293 for 7