JOHN HOWARDS APPOINTMENT AS ICC CHIEF REJECTED

The ICC has demanded another vice-presidency candidate after John Howard's nomination was rejected by its executive board in Singapore. A move which began with members from six countries signalling their intention to block the appointment on Tuesday turned into an official rejection of Australia's former prime minister today.




The ICC confirmed the decision this afternoon following an executive meeting that was supposed to formalise Howard's election. No vote was taken and Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket were asked to re-nominate a candidate by August 31.



The ICC said in a statement: "Following lengthy consideration it was recognised that the nomination put forward by Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket did not have sufficient support within the ICC board."



Cricket Australia's chairman Jack Clarke and his New Zealand Cricket counterpart Alan Isaac said in a joint statement they were "deeply disappointed" after supplying "the best possible candidate". "We jointly nominated Mr Howard as he possesses significant leadership and administrative skills," they said. "We believe cricket needs to continue to seek excellence and dispassionate independence in the game's global governance.



"We were delighted that the most senior world figure ever considered for this role agreed to accept the nomination. We remain convinced it is reasonable for his nomination to be supported by the ICC executive board and we are deeply disappointed by the position taken."



Initial rumblings from Zimbabwe and South Africa in April became an all-conquering alliance when India signed up along with their subcontinent neighbours this week. It leaves the ICC without a deputy to be paraded alongside India's Sharad Pawar when he takes over the presidency from David Morgan this week.



The position taken by the six board members on Tuesday night was believed to be an attempt to force Howard to withdraw his nomination before the meeting. Howard remained in the race but lost the one-man raffle at the Raffles convention centre, ending the 70-year-old's cricket administration career before it was allowed to begin.



Seven votes were required to seal the deal but Australia, New Zealand and England were the only supporters of Howard before the meeting among the game's 10 major countries. The six members signed a letter on Tuesday effectively stopping the appointment, but Zimbabwe, the most strident back-room protestor of Howard's nomination, was not one of them.



During Howard's 11-year term as prime minister he was critical of Robert Mugabe's regime and was responsible for banning the team from touring the country in 2007. Howard visited Zimbabwe cricket officials last week in an unsuccessful effort to smooth relations with the board. Once India turned from Howard there was no chance of him gaining enough support, with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh believed to have sided with their all-powerful neighbour.



Howard was the joint nomination of Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket for the role as part of the rotational system employed by the ICC. Under the regulations, Howard would have assumed the presidency in 2012 after Pawar's two-year term.



While the two countries have remained committed to Howard, his selection was complicated by New Zealand's wish to choose Sir John Anderson, its long-term respected administrator. An independent committee was charged with breaking the deadlock and once Howard emerged as the winner the boards were publicly united. However, the delay provided fuel for the opponents to question whether New Zealand had been out-muscled by Australia.



Confirmation of Howard's role - he was nominated in March - was expected in April, but Zimbabwe raised their concerns through South African officials outside an ICC meeting in Dubai. The issue dragged on and Clarke and his chief executive James Sutherland were still lobbying for support over the past couple of days.

CRICKET NEW: Did AMIR used cell phone during the match?

PAKISTAN cricket team without controversy is like snake without venom :). the first match of Asia cup has put one more pakistani cricket player under cnontroversy when the TV showed M. Amir which looked like he was talking on a cell phone with his helmet on and waiting for his turn to bat. It seemed like he was using cell phone and was talking to someone with his helmet on. At that moment, he was the next man to bat. All this issue brought up the controversy.

Anyhow the ICC and PCB has clarified over this issue and denied that Amir was using cell phone rather they said he was talking to his team-mates.

Pakistani TV channels picked up on footage from the game which showed Mohammad Aamer sitting in the dressing room balcony with a helmet on, with one hand to his right ear, speaking to someone while waiting to bat. The channels implied that he was talking on a cell phone, an act in contravention of existing ICC anti-corruption rules which don't allow players to take phones into the dressing room.



The PCB emphatically denied this was the case, saying that Aamer was talking generally to the team about the situation of the match. In a statement, the board said that the manager Yawar Saeed "has confirmed to us that the rumors...are totally false and unfounded. Cell phones are not allowed under ICC & PCB rules, and as such are always collected by the security manager from every member of the squad except the manager.



"Aamer was next to go in for batting and he was sitting next to team manager along with the other members of the team in the viewing area. They were all talking about the match situation and Aamer had his hand on his helmet which has been interpreted out of context."



The ICC confirmed that the ACSU had investigated the incident and come to a similar conclusion. "The ACSU has thoroughly investigated the alleged breach...including speaking to the relevant people involved, and is satisfied that there is no evidence of Mohammad Aamer making use of a mobile phone while sitting in the dressing room yesterday (June 15) during the match against Sri Lanka at Dambulla," the ICC said.



"Although the very short video clips that are publicly available could mislead viewers into thinking he was holding on to a cell phone and speaking to someone, upon closer scrutiny the fact emerges that Mohammad was actually holding on to the front grill of his helmet, adjusting it, and at the same time making a comment to his team manager, Yawar Saeed, seated to his immediate left."



The ACSU, as a practice, collect the mobile phones of all the players and officials before a game starts. Only the team's manager is allowed to have a phone inside the area

well what actually happened we dont know. Being rational, i think it is near to impossible that Amir would have been talking on cell phone. This will bre compeetely new thing for Amir ,as he has never faced this before. It will be a test of his character how he will handle these new challenges.

This is cricket new for you, where everything new thing in cricket is possible !

CRICKET NEW:ASIA CUP PREVIEW

Cricket fanatics will be witnessing another layout of competition between the Asian teams as Asia cup will get under way tomorrow! Pakistan, Srilanka, Bangladesh and India will be competing to get the honour of Asian champion!

Cricket new will talk about each team,

PAKISTAN

Pakistan is the team which will be under most pressure because they are under their new captain Shahid Afridi, and salman butt as a new vice captain! Pakistan team is full of controversies because the inclusion of Shoaib Akhtar and Shoaib malik gave an air to this controversy. Anyhow Pakistan is a balanced ODI side where we will see some new faces. New faces include umar amin and asad shafiq. With shoaib akhtar back in the team, Pakistan’s bowling will be their strength. The team is under new captain and it will be a new experience for youngsters to play with players like shoaib akhtar.

India

India is also a balanced OCI side; INDIA has to prove so much, especially the likes of dhoni. India also has some new faces like tiwary who will be making his debut (if played). Ashok dinda and R. Ashiwn are the other two new faces though they have made their debuts in Zimbabwe. It will be interesting to see how India goes.

Srilanka

Srilanka is the most balanced side of the tournament. Surprisingly they have dropped mendia for tactical reasons and jayasuria for his poor form. Don’t forget they were the two heroes of the previous Asia cup in 2008. Srilanka has the right mix of bowling and with the likes of sangakara, dilshan and sangakara, their batting strength adds up. Srilanka will be playing their first match against Pakistan, and I reckon srilanka will be the favourites for this match.

Bangladesh

You can’t call Bangladesh as minnows any more. They have a very talented and new side which can upset any team in the world on their day. Bangladesh will mostly be relying on their start opening batsman tamim iqbal. If tamim can give them a fiery start and GOD knows, may be Bangladesh can put the opposition under pressure.



This is cricket new for you where every new thing in cricket is possible!

CRICKET NEW:MATHEW HAYDEN JOINS CRICKET AUSTRALIA AS AN ADMINISTRATOR

Matthew Hayden will draw upon his IPL experiences to help navigate Cricket Australia through the uncharted waters of Twenty20 cricket as part of his newly-acquired role as board director. Hayden, who will replace the departing Allan Border on CA's board, insists he will bring a contemporary voice to the decision-making process as cricket's administrators attempt to strike a balance between the Twenty20 phenomenon and the more traditional forms of the game.




Hayden was a foundation member of the Chennai Super Kings, and has been a staunch advocate of both the IPL and the 20-over game in general. He will become the only member of the board with first-hand experience of the Twenty20 game as a player.



"The game is definitely at the coalface of anticipated change," Hayden told to the media. "What I can bring to the table is a real currency and a slightly more contemporary style of looking at the way cricket and the business of cricket is managed and maintained. Strategically it's really important to recognise that iconic series such as the Ashes can never be removed, and in fact need to be protected and maintained, throughout the cricketing landscape. At a time when the market is looking to find new ways to engage our sport I think it's also really important to go on a journey and go on a debate and recognise that we have got something very special in the creation of franchise cricket and the globalisation of those brands."



Jack Clarke, CA's chairman, was hopeful Hayden would make a significant contribution to the board. "He brings a combination of contemporary, elite playing experience in all major cricketing nations; additional understanding of player issues through his work on the board of the Australian Cricketer's Association, experience in the new Twenty20 phenomena as an IPL player, and a passion for development of Indigenous cricket," Clarke said.



"I congratulate Queensland Cricket on having the foresight and vision to appoint Matthew Hayden to the Cricket Australia Board so soon after his retirement from wearing the Baggy Green."



The move could improve relations between Cricket Australia and the players due to Hayden's recent involvement in the game and his role as an executive member of the Australian Cricketers' Association.



Besides the retiring Border, Mark Taylor and Wally Edwards are the other two former Test cricketers who are now Cricket Australia directors.

well this is cricket new for you, where everything in cricket is possible !

CRICKET NEW: ODI CRICKET IN NEW VERSION

CRICKET AUSTRALIA has decided enough is enough of long and boring 50 over matches. It's time to say good bye to ODIs.Cricket Australia board gave the green light to a trial of split-innings state games next summer. If the new format is successful, Cricket Australia will take the idea to the ICC as a plan to keep ODIs alive, meaning the 2015 World Cup could feature a split-innings format.




Although there has been no decision on how many overs each innings would be - four innings of either 20 or 25 overs are the most likely - CA will finalise their concept in the coming weeks. The first four rounds of the FR Cup will be played under the existing rules before the new format is introduced for the remaining six rounds, which will start in February.



By then, Australia's World Cup squad will have departed, so their preparations will not be affected. James Sutherland, the CA chief executive, said the innovation was intended as a way to retain all three formats of the game, with the middle portion of 50-over innings having become largely predictable.



"It provides a mechanism by which in the eyes of the consumer we can distinguish the one-day game a little bit more from the Twenty20 format of the game," Sutherland said. "There's no doubt that there's some feedback there that suggests that parts of the one-day game are a little bit predictable. That's certainly something that we are looking to address.



"One of the things that's come back as the feedback from fans and also from a television audience perspective is that by having a split innings, after the dinner break, no matter, you will get to see both teams bat in the evening. That is something that people who might be going to the game after work or coming home after work see as being a very significant plus for this format."



The popularity of Twenty20 cricket has left ODIs in a difficult position, somewhere between the dynamic shortest format and the traditional Test matches. England and South Africa have already reduced their one-day domestic competitions to 40 overs a side, in an effort to eliminate some of the less exciting middle overs.



The ICC has been searching for ways to keep 50-over cricket relevant, and next year's World Cup on the subcontinent could feasibly be the last one played in the existing format. Sutherland said it was hard to predict how one-day cricket would look by the time of the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.



"If you're suggesting that the current playing conditions that one-day international cricket is being played under today is going to be the same in 2015, then I would suggest that it's probably not the case," Sutherland said. "There's a question there about how radically the playing conditions may have developed or changed. I honestly don't know the answer to that but what we at Cricket Australia are looking to do is to find a landing spot with a new format.



"We have also been encouraged to innovate through the ICC cricket committee, who met not long ago. They were very, very encouraging of full members looking to explore innovations within the playing conditions and certainly that's been raised at chief executive committee level in recent times."



Cricket Australia will now move to finalise the details, although it seems certain that teams will resume their second innings from the point where their first innings concluded. Sutherland said feedback from fans had played a major role in the split-innings concept, which has also been trialled this year in England's county 2nd XI competition.



Now what will be the future of cricket in this new modern world? new and new formats are coming or atleast new and new ideas are coming to make this sport more entertainin. we will wait and see how does thise new ideas will work for the betterment of the cricket !

This is cricket new for you where every new thing is possible in cricket

CRICKET NEW:MCC VS PAKISTAN

MCC has announced that MCC team will play pakistan cricket team on 27th june, 2010 at lords

Sourav Ganguly will captain MCC team that includes Brian Lara against Pakistan .The match marks the start of Pakistan's tour of England, and is part of the MCC's sponsorship of the neutral series against Australia under the Spirit of Cricket banner.




It will be the first time the MCC will playa Twenty20 match at Lord's and the team also includes Chaminda Vass, who is currently playing for Northamptonshire, Ian Harvey and Victoria batsman Aiden Blizzard. Glenn Querl, an MCC Young Cricketer, who has played for the Unicorns in the CB40 this season is also included.



"MCC is delighted to welcome to Lord's a Pakistani side who have a proven track record in Twenty20 cricket," John Stephenson, MCC's head of cricket, said. "Shahid Afridi's men will face an exciting MCC team comprising world class performers and up-and-coming talent.



"Brian Lara is one of the finest batsmen to have ever played the game and Sourav Ganguly is a world-leading Twenty20 cricketer. The match will provide spectators with a fantastic opportunity to see wonderful cricket and great cricketers."



Pakistan's tour includes two Twenty20 internationals and two Tests against Australia before they face England in four Tests, two Twenty20s and five ODIs

This is cricket new for you where everything is possible in cricket !

NEW BLOOD NEEDED in the team -WAQAR

Waqar Younis said during a press conference along with Captain Shahid Afridi in Qadaffi stadium today that the time is right for the new blood to come into the team. We have selected some new faces for the Asia cup and these new comers are immensely talented and I expect them to perform well in the Asia cup.

He further said that his job is just related to the coaching, he is not concerned with the management issues but the damage caused to the Pakistan cricket due to the recent incidents that took place which were post Australian tour is incredible and nothing more has damaged our country’s cricket then the recent issues have. The issues could have been dealt better but unfortunately they were miss handled.





For me, the first thing is to maintain discipline in the team, it is important for me to maintain discipline. You must have seen the team work in the West Indies, but this is not the end, we need to work hard on this issue. Team unity is a key to success.



Waqar further said about Shoaib Akhtar, that we don’t want him to rush back, i know how difficult is it to make a comeback after 2,3 years, you need to start from the beginnings, i hope he performs well in Srilanka, but yeah we will not be putting pressure on him. He further said, every tour is important for me.



Shahid Afridi accompanied Waqar Younis in the press conference, he said the team is balanced, I am satisfied with team combination and there is one thing that is in our hands and that is the effort, we are making effort to make a mark.

He said, he has talked to shoaib akhtar that this is a new team, so you need to maintain discipline in the team, and he was very keen to behave good.

This is cricket new for you, where every new thing in cricket is possible !