Graham Ford could be on the verge of a return to the Sri Lanka coaching job. Ford, who was Sri Lanka coach from January 2012 to January 2014, is currently with Surrey

George Dobell25-Jun-20151:40

Who is Graham Ford?

Graham Ford could be on the verge of a return to the Sri Lanka coaching job. Ford, who was Sri Lanka coach from January 2012 to January 2014, is currently with Surrey, but is believed to have responded positively to the approach from Sri Lanka Cricket.Ford, who is in his second season as coach of Surrey, is believed to be the preferred choice of Kumar Sangakkara, who joined Surrey as overseas player this season largely as a result of Ford’s presence. Sangakkara was expected to finish his career after the first Test against India, although may now prefer a potential farewell in Colombo.While Ford has expressed some interest in the role, he also wants the security of a long-term contract to take him up to the 2019 World Cup. He remains nervous about the volatile nature of Sri Lankan cricket politics and would like a deal that protects him.The contract of the current Sri Lanka coach, Marvan Atapattu, ends next year, but ESPNcricinfo understands there is an exit clause in September. While he is highly regarded as a technical coach, he is not quite so well respected as a man manager and, at a time with the team in transition, that is a skill highly valued by the board. Under Ford, Sri Lanka were runners-up at the 2012 World T20 – losing to West Indies in the final.Surrey had no knowledge of the approach when ESPNcricinfo first approached them for comment.

Rahul Dravid, Rajasthan Royals’ team mentor, has said he respects the Justice Lodha Panel’s decision to suspend Royals and Chennai Super Kings’ owners for two years, but felt the court’s decision was a massive blow to the prospects of the younger players

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jul-20153:19

‘People at bottom of pyramid get affected the most’ – Dravid

Rahul Dravid, Rajasthan Royals’ team mentor, has said he respects the Justice Lodha Panel’s decision to suspend Royals and Chennai Super Kings’ owners for two years, but felt the court’s decision was a massive blow to the prospects of the younger players in the two teams.Dravid, who is currently the coach of the India A team, was speaking at a press conference in Chennai ahead of India A’s four-day match against South Africa A. While he refused to get drawn into the specifics of Lodha’s verdict, Dravid said the entire episode would affect “everyone involved with Indian cricket”.”I don’t want to make firm judgments on people, but it’s disappointing that the actions of one or two can have an impact on so many,” Dravid said. “Not only me, but generally in a situation like this, the people at the bottom of the pyramid are the ones who are most affected.”The top players and coaches always find stuff to do afterwards. It’s not difficult for top players to be picked by other franchises. However, the young players who don’t easily get an opportunity, they miss out. I feel disappointed for them, but we respect the decision the court has taken. In my opinion, not everyone at Rajasthan Royals or Chennai Super Kings are bad. There are lots of very, very good people.”When asked if his association with Royals would forever be a blot on his career, Dravid diplomatically insisted it was “for the people to decide”, but said had he been aware of any wrongdoing in the team, he would have “dealt with it”.”At the end of the day, I see my role as a mentor and as a coach of a team. People need to decide if the actions of shareholders or owners can be linked to coaches or mentors. I don’t want to try and defend myself. I only wish I had known that the three players were doing something suspicious, as I would have dealt with it,” he said.”People know what spot-fixing is. It’s difficult to know, even if in same team, if people are involved in spot-fixing. If I were to doubt every single wide or four, I would lose all my love and interest in the game. Any team I coach, I don’t go into it suspecting people everytime they get hit for a four. I had absolutely no clue, and I’ve spoken to the Mudgal commission about that. What people do in their private lives, I personally feel it’s difficult for mentors and coaches to know what decisions they are making.”

Josh Hazlewood is out of the fifth Ashes Test and the coach Darren Lehmann has been moved to explain why

Daniel Brettig19-Aug-2015Josh Hazlewood is out of the fifth Investec Test and for the seventh time on this and the previous West Indies tour Peter Siddle’s claims appear likely to be ignored by the selectors, opening the way for Pat Cummins to resume his Test career.The coach Darren Lehmann has been moved to explain why Hazlewood will not be playing, but a cloud remains over how the most experienced seam bowler in the tour party has not been used even once on this trip, even as England have prepared a succession of green, seaming surfaces ideally suited to Siddle’s skills.Siddle was understood to be utterly bereft about his omission for the Trent Bridge Test, and confided to his former captain Ricky Ponting that he felt his last chance to play for Australia had gone. The pitch for the Oval Test looks likely to provide similar levels of assistance to the bowlers, but with the Ashes gone it is likely that Cummins will be chosen alongside Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc.The captain Michael Clarke said that Siddle remained in contention to play, and that at the age of 30 he should not be discarded as an Australian pace bowler. “Sidds is still working extremely hard and continues to get better,” Clarke said. “He’s played a few of the practice games and probably hasn’t got as many wickets as he would’ve liked.”But he’s certainly in contention for this Test match. He might’ve had a niggle after the tour game so the medical staff have tried to look after that. He bowled fine yesterday, I faced him in the nets and he bowled really well. Sidds is only 30 so I think he’s got plenty of time left in him, and he’s been a big part of the Australian Test team over a period of time.”Siddle has not played a Test since the first match of last summer in Adelaide when he bowled poorly while battling illness. Hazlewood has been preferred in each match since then, and Siddle was not awarded a Cricket Australia contract despite being chosen for this tour. The pitches in England seemed to create the ideal scenario for his inclusion as a consistent seam and swing bowler of much experience.Hazlewood, meanwhile, has struggled to maintain consistency, and Lehmann and the selection chairman Rod Marsh were seen in lengthy conversation with him in Northamptonshire. Lehmann said it had been decided that the least experienced member of the bowling attack needed rest before niggles became larger issues.”Josh has played six Tests since the West Indies tour and the last nine Tests for Australia, as well as playing an important part in the World Cup,” Lehmann said. “He has managed to get through this period without any major injury which is pleasing, though currently he does have some niggling problems that we would like to manage. As such, he was not considered for selection for the 5th Test.”On his return to Australia his niggles will be investigated further and he will work with our coaches, and our medical and fitness staff to have him prepared for the next series he is selected to play in.”Lehmann’s clarification leaves Cummins very much in line to play, resuming his Test career nearly four years after he made a memorable debut against South Africa in Johannesburg, taking the Man-of-the-Match award in a narrow victory on a helpful pitch for bowlers. According to Clarke, The Oval looks to be another such surface.”It still looks pretty green from the boundary so I imagine it will look even greener up close,” Clarke said. “It’s going to be another really tough Test match for the batters, but we just have to find a way to fight our backsides off, whether it goes two days or three days I’d just like us to be on the right side of that two or three days.”Mitchell Marsh has also firmed to return to the side ahead of his brother Shaun, after the latter was seen in deep conversation with Rod Marsh during Australia’s final training session.

The BCCI Special General Meeting, during which the board will elect a new president, has been scheduled for October 4 in Mumbai

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Sep-20152:45

Ugra: A half ‘yes’ from Manohar

The BCCI Special General Meeting, during which the board will elect a new president, has been scheduled for October 4 in Mumbai. Nominations for post of president, left vacant by the death of Jagmohan Dalmiya on September 20, have to be filed on October 3.Shashank Manohar has emerged the frontrunner for the position after receiving the support of Bharatiya Janata Party, the political outfit that runs the federal government in India and wields significant influence in BCCI matters. There are also indications from the board that Manohar is likely to be elected unanimously.According to a PTI report, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said on the sidelines of the South Africans’ tour game in Delhi: “Shashank Manohar is our consensus candidate.” Thakur did not specify who the group he was referring to was, though. He also said, “N Srinivasan can come and vote at the SGM.”Over the last week, there has been relentless speculation over the candidature with Sharad Pawar’s name doing the rounds at one point, after he was formally backed by N Srinivasan. The proposed alliance, however, fizzled out after some of Pawar’s allies in the West Zone remained opposed to any kind of arrangement with Srinivasan.The East Zone units, which were earlier keen on having their own candidate replace Dalmiya, have subsequently softened their stand.

A round-up of the NCL 2015-16 matches that finished on October 13, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Oct-2015Khulna Division held off late resistance from Rangpur Division to win by 13 runs in their Tier-1 home game at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium.Set 200 to win, Rangpur slipped to 58 for 6 by the end of the third day. On the final day, wicketkeeper Dhiman Ghosh fought to get Rangpur close to the target but once he fell on the fourth morning for 56, it was all but over. Mehedi Hasan Miraz, adjudged player of the match, and Sanjit Saha, the offspinners from opposing sides, picked up their maiden ten-wicket hauls, while Khulna captain Abdur Razzak took eight wickets. Razzak and Miraz shared eight wickets in the second innings.Batting first, Khulna were bowled out for 211 runs, with Miraz top-scoring with 63. Suhrawadi Shuvo and Saha took four wickets each for the visitors. Rangpur, in their reply, eked out a nine-run lead, captain Nasir Hossain scoring 96 off 150, while Miraz took six wickets for 50 runs. Razzak picked up the other four wickets.Khulna were bowled out for 208 runs in their second innings, with Mahedi Hasan making 41 even as Saha accounted for seven of their batsmen.Dhaka Metropolis battled hard to beat Dhaka Division by three wickets in Fatullah, in another close encounter. Mahmudullah staved off an incisive spell from left-arm spinner Mosharraf Hossain with an unbeaten 45 as they successfully chased down 91 on the last day. Mosharraf finished with nine wickets in the game.Batting first, Dhaka Division were bowled out for 327 with Raqibul Hasan scoring 99, while Arafat Sunny, playing a first-class match after more than 18 months, took 6 for 96.Dhaka Metropolis replied strongly with opener Shamsur Rahman (138) slamming his first century of the season as they took a lead of 25 runs. Dhaka Division were then bowled out for 115 in their second innings, with offspinner Sharifullah taking four wickets and debutant pacer Shohidul Islam picking up 2 for 19 in 11 overs.Tamim Iqbal’s first domestic first-class hundred in nearly three years was the highlight of Chittagong Division‘s drawn Tier 2 game against Barisal Division at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong.Batting first the home side declared on 467 for 7 with Tamim making 137 and Tasamul Haque (107) reaching his seventh first-class hundred. Sohag Gazi took three wickets.Mohammad Saifuddin then ran out Shahriar Nafees and took three crucial wickets as Barisal were bowled out for 346 with fifties from Salman Hossain (51) and Al-Amin (72).Rain interrupted the game on a number of occasions with the fourth day starting at 2.15pm. Tamim and his brother Nafees Iqbal then batted out most of the afternoon as the game petered out to a draw.Sylhet Division batted out the final day to confirm a draw against Rajshahi Division at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra. Play was called off an hour early with Sylhet on 267 for 7 with captain Alok Kapali providing the backbone on the fourth day with 93.Batting first, Sylhet were bowled out for 328 with Imtiaz Hossain making his career-best 154, which was also his second consecutive hundred in the competition. Rajshahi’s left-arm spinner Sunzamul Islam took four wickets.Rajshahi took a lead of 52 runs with Farhad Hossain (145) reaching his ninth first-class hundred and Nazmul Hossain Shanto making 62. Sylhet’s left-arm spinner Rahatul Ferdous took his maiden five-for in first-class cricket. Rajshahi maintain their top position in Tier-2 with 30 points followed by Barisal who are on 21 points.

Tamil Nadu’s M Vijay is set to play his first competitive match since making 82 in India’s series-leveling victory over Sri Lanka in August

Amol Karhadkar14-Oct-2015Just when Tamil Nadu’s tailenders were getting a feel of the bat towards the end of their training session at the the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai’s business hub, M Vijay padded up to take guard for the second time in an hour.Vijay, seeking to return to match fitness after missing two of India’s three Tests in Sri Lanka due to a hamstring injury, defended balls from pacers for a while. Vijay’s defence, which has been the hallmark of his game during his resurgence as a Test opener over the last two years, was tight as ever.Tamil Nadu may be taking on Mumbai in one of the more high-profile clashes of the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy season, but more than the rivalry between the sides, the spotlight over the next four days will be on Vijay, with the Test series against South Africa starting in three weeks.Vijay may have emerged as the leaver in Tests over the last couple of years, but he started his prolonged training stint in an unusual manner. He first asked spinners and seamers to bowl onto his pads for a good 20 minutes. Then, the line changed to outside off stump. But Vijay hardly had any difficulties in judging it. He returned towards the end of the session to finish off with a string of defensive strokes.It was Vijay’s first serious net session since scoring 82 in Kumar Sangakkara’s farewell Test. His stint at the crease on Tuesday, hours after joining his team-mates in Mumbai, was all about expressing himself freely.”I am pretty excited to play this game because it has been a long gap,” Vijay said. “After the Sri Lanka tour, I did not get any game at all. I am really working hard on my fitness. I am looking forward for a positive result if I play all four days of this match and get some confidence going.”It will be music to the ears of his Tamil Nadu team-mates, as well as the national selectors if Vijay gets into his groove straightaway.
It will not be that way for the hosts, though.After earning a bonus point against Punjab at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai will be striving for consistency. They will be banking on the new-ball duo of Dhawal Kulkarni and Shardul Thakur to pull the brakes on Vijay early on.Six years ago, Vijay scored a breezy 154 against the same opponents. If he can produce a knock of similar quality over the next four days, it would be the most opportune manner for him to prove his fitness.

A round-up of the Ram Slam T20 matches played on November 22, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Nov-2015Four tight overs and a quickfire 23 from Kieron Pollard helped Cobras get over the line for a four-wicket win against Knights at Paarl. The result left Knights rooted to the bottom of the table, without a win in six, and kept Cobras on course for a top-three finish.Richard Levi helped get the chase off to a solid start with 36 off 23 balls before becoming one of two wickets in an over for Dillon du Preez. Justin Ontong was less fluent in scoring 40 from 42, with two boundaries, and when he fell, Cobras lost 3 for 19 in three overs to briefly give Knights hope. Pollard, however, was unfazed and hit his compatriot Andre Russell for six and four in the 19th to ensure Cobras would get home.Knights’ total of 140 for 7 was based around several useful contributions but lacked a significant flourish. Theunis de Bruyn top-scored with 45 from 44 balls, adding 51 for the fourth wicket with Russell, but both fell in the same over just as Knights were looking to kick on. Dane Paterson and Rory Kleinveldt picked up two wickets apiece as Cobras kept the target within range.Lions prevailed over Dolphins in a relatively low scoring game at the Wanderers in Johannesburg to register their third win of the tournament.Playing a stellar role with the ball that helped them defend 145 for 6 was Dwaine Pretorius, the pacer, who took 4 for 22 as Dolphins were restricted to 139 for 7. If Pretorius was the hero with the ball, that Lions posted what would be a match-winning total was courtesy Alviro Petersen, who hit four fours and a six in his unbeaten 41-ball 60. The next best came from Devon Conway, who stroked 38.Dolphins started their chase well, with Morne van Wyk (20) and Vaughan van Jaarsveld (42) putting together a 45-run opening stand in just 5.3 overs. Despite two quick strikes after that, David Miller (37) ensured they were well on their way to pocket two points. But Pretorius put the brakes on the scoring by dismissing Cody Chetty, Miller and Dwayne Bravo in the space of two overs to turn the game around. Phangiso, the left-arm spinner, also chipped in with two wickets.Dolpins have now failed to win in four games. Although they remain in second place, they lead the Cobras by just two points, having played a game more.

Cricket Australia’s security officials will sit in on a security briefing for ICC officials in Dhaka, on December 28 and 29, in view of the upcoming Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh

Mohammad Isam27-Dec-2015Cricket Australia’s security officials will sit in on a security briefing for ICC officials in Dhaka, on December 28 and 29, in view of the Under-19 World Cup that is scheduled to begin in Bangladesh on January 27. CA have not raised any specific concerns in public yet concerning its junior team’s participation in the tournament; the Australian security officials’ visit could be seen as a precautionary step, given the senior team’s tour to Bangladesh was cancelled in October due to security seasons.CA’s head of security Sean Carroll, who had visited Dhaka in September after the Australian government had issued security alerts for their citizens in Bangladesh, will arrive in Dhaka on Monday. Following that visit, CA had eventually cancelled their tour to Bangladesh due to the increased security risk. In November, Cricket South Africa had also cancelled their women’s team’s tour to Bangladesh.The ICC held meetings in Dhaka in November and December regarding security measures being taken for the U-19 World Cup, which is to be held in eight venues in Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet and Cox’s Bazar.An ICC spokesman said the briefings on December 28 and 29 would be a follow up to those previous meetings. “The ICC and the BCB are working together to ensure complete safety and security of the event. In relation to this, and as follow up to the meetings held in November and December, the CA and ICC security officials are visiting Dhaka and receive security briefings on Monday and Tuesday,” the spokesman said.BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said that a visit similar to CA’s was recently made by the security representative of two other boards, so he sees this as a routine visit. He also said that CA will be directing all its communication towards the ICC, who is the tournament organiser. “Reg [Dickason] came during the last ICC visit, possibly for England and New Zealand,” Chowdhury told ESPNcricinfo. “One part of a board’s inspection team is security. So CA can send anyone as a routine matter.”We don’t directly communicate with the participating boards. They have to communicate with the host [the ICC]. If it was a bilateral series, only then the communication is between the two boards.”Chowdhury reaffirmed that the BCB has made plans to provide the highest security levels for the participants. “As the host nation, our concentration is on making the event successful. The level of security offered for this particular U-19 event is unprecedented. There hasn’t been such measures taken for an U-19 tournament in the past and I doubt if it will be done in the future.”

Jason Roy sat out England’s net practice in Bloemfontein due to a back spasm and will undergo a fitness test ahead of the first ODI with South Africa on Wednesday

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Feb-2016Jason Roy sat out England’s net practice in Bloemfontein due to a back spasm and will undergo a fitness test ahead of the first ODI with South Africa on Wednesday.Roy suffered the injury during the warm-up but England expect him to be able to bat during Tuesday’s session in order to prove his fitness. His absence would break up the opening partnership he has established with Alex Hales and possibly lead to Moeen Ali returning at the top of the order.The Surrey batsman has previously spoken about using the tour to build confidence ahead of the World T20 in India next month. Roy scored his maiden ODI hundred in the UAE last year and has been part of an England side that has won five limited-overs series out of six.

BBL ‘great experience’ – Rashid

Adil Rashid was one of the stars of the BBL, having been left out of the Test leg of England’s tour, and he has returned to international duty with confidence high.
Rashid, who took 3 for 55 in England’s warm-up win in Kimberley, is likely to be be a key player for England at the World T20 and he backed the ECB’s decision to prioritise his white-ball development above a spell carrying drinks for the Test side.
“It went well personally for me,” he said of his trip Down Under. “It was a chance to play against different players in different conditions in what is probably now one of the biggest competitions in cricket, after the IPL. It was a great experience to play in front of 40-50,000 people.
“It was a good decision to go out there, playing in a big competition as opposed to being here and maybe not getting any match practice.”

South Africa, meanwhile, have added allrounder David Wiese to their squad as injury cover. Albie Morkel had been due to join the squad but also suffered a back spasm playing for Titans in the Momentum One-Day Cup, ruling him out of the first two ODIs.An MRI scan showed some damage to the vertebrae in his lower back but Morkel could still be involved later in the series.”I think I have been playing some of the best cricket of my life in the last year and a half,” Morkel said. “If you cannot accept setbacks like these, remain positive and move on, the sporting world will be a dark place.”South Africa will also be without Kyle Abbott for the first two matches, in Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth, as he continues to recover from a hamstring strain suffered during the fourth Test against England. Marchant de Lange was called into the squad as pace-bowling cover on Sunday, with South Africa looking to manage the workloads of Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada.Wiese and de Lange formed part of the South Africa A attack dismantled by England in Kimberley at the weekend – taking 2 for 73 and 2 for 69 respectively – but JP Duminy denied that the hosts were below strength. South Africa go into the one-day series having beaten India 3-2 in India last year, following a 2-1 home win over New Zealand.”I don’t think we’re weakened. I think the replacements are good enough to stand in for those players,” Duminy said. “It’s not an interruption in any way for us. We know what’s needed as a squad and it’s important for us to stay unified as a team, no matter who the personnel are.”The confidence from the one-day cricket point of view has been pretty good… We’ve won our last two series. But we know this is a tough challenge that faces us, and that England have also been playing really well in this format.”

Western Australia’s Piepa Cleary has been suspended for six months by Cricket Australia for placing bets on the day-night Test in Adelaide last November

Daniel Brettig04-Feb-2016A second Australian women’s cricketer has been caught out betting on the game this summer, with Western Australia’s Piepa Cleary suspended for six months by Cricket Australia for placing bets on the day-night Test in Adelaide last November.Cleary, 19, placed six bets totalling $15.50 on various elements of the match between Australia and New Zealand, and like the previous transgressor, Angela Reakes, has been handed a suspended two-year ban.However, in this case, the CA head of integrity Iain Roy chose to activate the first six months of that ban due to several “aggravating circumstances” including the fact that Cleary had made the bets two months after being present at a face-to-face anti-corruption training session from CA head of security Sean Carroll.”We continue to remind all elite cricketers and officials that betting on any form of cricket is strictly prohibited,” Roy said. “It is outlined in the anti-corruption education that we deliver annually, and is written into our anti-corruption code.”Piepa has heard this message many times through the anti-corruption education sessions that we deliver and accepts that in placing the bets she exercised poor judgement. Bets totalling $15.50 might seem small but it doesn’t matter.”We take a zero-tolerance approach to any form of gambling on cricket by players in order to protect the integrity of the game. It has been made very clear that if Piepa breaches the code in any way again, she will receive a significantly lengthier suspension.”Christina Matthews, chief executive of the Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA), expressed her disappointment at Cleary’s actions. “We are naturally disappointed that one of our players has been involved in an incident such as this,” she said. “Cricket in this country is held in high regard for its integrity and it is important for the future of the sport that remains the case. The WACA understands and supports the sanctions that have been handed down in this instance.”Piepa will have to work hard to regain some respect from this incident, but she remains an important member of WA cricket and has taken responsibility for her actions.”CA has 16 official betting partners, all of which have signed up to “assist CA in its ongoing management of the integrity of CA competitions, by agreeing to information sharing and other integrity requirements specified by CA”.Like Reakes, Cleary will now be compelled to form part of CA’s anti-corruption player education programmes in the future, as an example of how not to behave.