The PCB remains tight-lipped about the nature of charges laid against senior players and the procedure followed in punishing them

Osman Samiuddin11-Mar-2010A day after carrying out the most comprehensive player cull in Pakistan cricket in recent memory, the PCB remains tight-lipped about the nature of charges laid against senior players and the procedure followed in punishing them.Seven senior players were punished by the board following an inquiry committee report into a disastrous tour of Australia. Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Shoaib Malik were handed bans, while the Akmal brothers and Shahid Afridi were handed fines.But concerns have been raised about the legal process followed in handing out the punishments and the lack of information on the charges. Calls have been made to make the complete report of the inquiry committee public but the board is unwilling to do so.

Ijaz Butt, speaking to the BBC

On coach Waqar Younis’ limited options
We have no dearth of players, young ones, up and coming and under consideration. We will, as normal, be announcing 15 players, as required by the ICC and keep five players on standby. He won’t be handicapped.
On Rana Naved-ul-Hasan’s ban
He should have asked the committee, he had long sessions with the committee. It told him what was wrong. This is not something we want to [do] to create alarm among other players. It was something that was confidentially taken up with him. Without any charges, we are not taking any [player] out of the side. There are definitely positive charges.
On Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan
When one was captain he threw the other out, when the other was the captain he threw the other man out in spite of the fact that they would have been selected. Things of that sort. This is only one instance I am quoting to you. The committee also reported in detail that this is the effect [on the team]. But we haven’t fined these two gentlemen on anything. For the [World] Twenty20, they will not be considered

“It is a confidential report and not one for public consumption,” Ijaz Butt, chairman PCB, told Cricinfo. “If a certain level of people ask we will give them, but essentially this is a confidential report.”Butt insisted, however, that the committee – the composition of which has also been criticised – had carried out its objectives fairly. “We have given everyone a fair hearing,” he said. “The committee has spoken to many people, almost all of those concerned, we have collected evidence, everything has been done properly and all of it is documented and is available. It was a very thorough and comprehensive report. We have given details in the press release.”Butt was unwilling to comment on individual charges, such as the one-year ban on Naved, who had no previous disciplinary transgressions, or the nature of charges against Younis, Yousuf and Malik. Because of the lack of details, there remain concerns that the punishments are of an arbitrary and inconsistent nature. But the board says the players were punished not under the code of conduct that governs central contracts, but under the “inherent powers” of the board.”The punishments are not given under the central contracts code of conduct,” Taffazul Rizvi, the board’s legal advisor and a member of the six-man inquiry committee, told Cricinfo. “These are under the inherent powers of the PCB. The disciplinary policy of the board applies to all players who play for Pakistan, not just those on central contracts and that’s what has taken effect here.”The players can appeal against the punishments, Rizvi confirmed, though he clarified that is not a right the board gives, but an intrinsic right of the punished in any matter. “That is their fundamental right, it isn’t the board’s to give.” None of the players has yet issued a public response.Those who have criticised the PCB have also asked why no action has been taken against the board hierarchy or whether any will. Butt’s response was only that “some action has already been taken.”

Daniel Vettori is in danger of missing Saturday’s second ODI against Australia with a nagging neck injury

Cricinfo staff05-Mar-2010Daniel Vettori is in danger of missing Saturday’s second ODI against Australia with a nagging neck injury. Vettori, who sat out the dramatic opening victory, was unable to bat or bowl at training in Auckland on Friday and is hoping the problem improves dramatically overnight.”I got through the fielding session well but I didn’t bat today so I’m just going to leave it until the last possible minute,” Vettori said after training. “I’ve had this injury for about 13 years. It flares up and down occasionally. I’m just hoping I wake up feeling good in the morning.”Nathan McCullum, the offspinner, is expected to come in for Vettori if he doesn’t make it, a move which would give Ross Taylor his second match in charge. New Zealand are already without Jacob Oram, who hurt his knee on Wednesday and is expected to be out for up to a month.The Chappell-Hadlee Series had a heated opening when Mitchell Johnson and Scott Styris bumped heads late in the first game. Johnson was fined 60% of his match fee and Styris had to pay 15% in an incident giving extra spice to the contests.”We’re going to make sure we try to play it in the right spirit of the game without crossing that line,” Vettori said. “A lot of people enjoy that intensity. We’ve just got to make sure it doesn’t go too far. It’s the responsibility of both teams and both captains to make sure it doesn’t happen.”Shane Watson said Ricky Ponting had spoken to the team about behavior. “It’s an important part because we want to make sure that we are competitive but we don’t step over the line,” Watson said. “Ricky had a chat to us after the game to let us know that there is a line and no matter what we can’t cross it.”So that’s just something that Ricky and the coaching and the support staff are always talking to us about. We can’t afford for anyone to get suspended or get fined because it’s not in the spirit of the game. People enjoy watching two guys in the battle. That’s what everyone loves to see.”

Ireland’s coach believes his side are wiser going in to the third edition of the ICC World Twenty20 than they were in last summer’s competition

Cricinfo staff26-Apr-2010Phil Simmons, Ireland’s coach, believes his side are wiser going in to the third edition of the ICC World Twenty20 than they were in last summer’s competition. For Ireland the trip back to Jamaica also allows them to recapture memories of their 2007 World Cup campaign when they famously beat Pakistan to progress to the Super Eights, and Simmons was hopeful they could pull off a few more upsets.”I think it’s easier to pull off a shock in Twenty20 because recovery time is less than in 50 overs,” said Simmons. “We have played that little bit more Twenty20 than we had going into the last World Cup – so we are slightly wiser about Twenty20 cricket. That has to be a good thing.”Ireland have maintained consistent performances in recent times despite a number of high profile retirements and injuries, having lost players of the ilk of Eoin Morgan and Ed Joyce to England, and with Boyd Rankin – who is also on England’s radar after being included in the ECB’s England Performance Programme – sidelined since January with a stress fracture to his right foot. Yet they have the likes of veteran Trent Johnston, who captained during the World Cup, and his successor William Porterfield, as well as players with county cricket experience.”It’s nice (for me) to be playing in the West Indies and for the players to be taking on England too,” Simmons said. “But this is the group we would have taken too; we are happy with that. From our point of view, it is about trying to improve our performance every time we take on teams at this level – and Twenty20 is no different. It is a format we are not experienced in, but we have to keep picking things up as we go and make sure we use them.”Ireland’s preparations ahead of the tournament have not been too successful. They won just one of six tour games, lost an ODI to West Indies, and won one of two warm-up Twenty20 matches. Against the backdrop of calls in certain quarters to push for Ireland’s Test status, Simmons did not feel there was added pressure on the team. “Yes, the pressure is on; but that is inevitable on these occasions,” he said. “The stakes are always high, whenever you are taking on these full member top teams with a chance to show you are improving. It’s not something we even think about. We just go out to play as well as we can and make sure we take our opportunities.”Ireland have been grouped with West Indies and England during the initial phase of the World Twenty20, which starts on April 30.

Stafanie Taylor and Anisa Mohammed frustrated Sri Lanka and ensured West Indies swept the three-match Twenty20 series

Cricinfo staff25-Apr-2010
Scorecard
Sri Lanka will be sick of Stafanie Taylor, Shanel Daley and Anisa Mohammed after their tour of the Caribbean is over. For the third consecutive game, the West Indies trio frustrated Sri Lanka and ensured West Indies swept the three-match Twenty20 series. Sri Lanka had done well to keep West Indies to 112, out of which Taylor made a match-winning 59, but their inability to cope with Mohammed’s teasing offspin saw them slump to a 28-run loss at St Mary’s Park.Taylor, who in the previous two games had hit half-centuries, was again to the fore in testing circumstances. Sripali Weerakkody, bowling right-arm medium with the new ball, struck in the first over and then again to snap a brisk 40-run stand between Taylor and Juliana Nero. When Deandra Dottin edged Weerakoddy behind for 6, West Indies were 55 for 3 and Taylor had to reassess the situation. Shashikala Siriwardene, bowling her tidy offspin, and the left-armer Suwini de Alwis struck as well to keep the pressure up on the hosts. Taylor’s 59 off 50 balls was the highest score after Nero’s 24 and no other batsman crossed 6. Taylor was last out off the penultimate ball of the West Indies innings.As it turned out, she had again done enough with the bat. Sri Lanka’s chase got off to a good start with Dedunu Silva and Chamari Atapattu adding 40 in 5.5 overs, but Silva’s run-out for 13 off the last ball of the sixth over changed the complexion. Daley, who had been impressive in the first game with 3 for 13 off her quota, induced false strokes in consecutive overs to have Atapattu (27) and Inoka Galagedara stumped. From here the chase completely fell apart at the seams and like West Indies middle and lower order has succumbed, so did Sri Lanka’s. Only one other batsman reached double-figures and Mohammed accounted for the last four wickets in another outstanding spell of 4 for 8 from 3.3 overs.

The WICB president Julien Hunte dedicated the Sagicor West Indies Cricket High Performance Centre to fans “who are longing for the glorious past of West Indies cricket to return”

Cricinfo staff08-Jun-2010WICB president Julien Hunte outlined a comprehensive plan for the resuscitation of West Indies cricket at the opening of the Sagicor West Indies Cricket High Performance Centre in Barbados on Sunday. While dedicating the centre to fans “who are longing for the glorious past of West Indies cricket to return,” Hunte said it was not an isolated move but part of a “four-pronged focus of the board” to revive West Indies cricket and respond to the loss of pride, dignity and standards in Caribbean cricket over the past 15 years.The four “prongs” the board is focusing on are strengthening the institutional framework, generating resources, developing cricketing excellence, and improving operations. The full text of the board’s plan, as laid out by Hunte, is below:

Enhancing the institutional capacity of the WICB: We accepted that management has been ineffective in meeting the demands of a modern day sports governing body. A management audit was undertaken previously and with the assistance of a human resource consultant and the Human Resource Committee formulated a comprehensive organizational redesigning plan. The plan will be implemented from July 1 2010 and will include a new structure with each employee given a new job description and appropriate placement. Changes will take place in staffing, including the creation of posts with responsibilities for player relations, sponsorship management and event management, and the appointment of new personnel to strengthen our department responsible for cricket operations.In addition, we are about to undertake the development of an action plan that outlines our response to the changes in the international landscape and the implications for the future of cricket in the region. This will be a seminal action plan that will shape the future model for the administration and financing of cricket in the region. It is expected to cover all the critical areas of cricket.We are also committed to examining ways in which we can improve the governance and administration of the affairs of the board and other committees to ensure, among other things, accountability and transparency.I must also make mention of the West Indies Cricket Board’s recognition of the need to build effective and meaningful relationships with all stakeholders of the game. It means that we must engage in a dialogue that presents to us an understanding of the expectations of stakeholders but likewise expresses our views on the roles and responsibilities of the WICB. This will be a delicate yet necessary process in paving the way for a successful future.The board is hoping to return West Indies cricket to its glory days•AllSportUK

Generating the resources for the financing of West Indies Cricket : Critical for the implementation of any development plans and managing the operations of the board is the availability of resources. In January, the board engaged a marketing consultant to assist management in formulating proposals which could be presented to the market and commencing the efforts to build a commercial department that can adequately raise the resources required. The immediate result was the production of a publication titled “Transforming West Indies Cricket”.This document has served as the basis for frank interaction and discussion with potential sponsors for long term relationships. We are excited by the reaction to the document and our proposals, although we recognise that there is a lot of confidence building which has to take place to overcome past failures and disappointments.The board will soon make a major announcement on the arrangements for the broadcast of the Caribbean Twenty20 which will be held in July. For the first time our regional cricket will receive global coverage and I am certain that this will start a process of breaking down barriers to secure further sponsorships.Cricket Development : If there is no product to sell then there can be no commercial programme to implement. There are four critical activities under consideration with our cricket development:1. We need to get our senior team more competitive. The Board immediately sought to employ the best cricket coach to lead the development of our teams and coaches. We are proud to have engaged Mr. Ottis Gibson and look forward to his continued efforts to change the mode of the team and the positive results this should soon bring. We are totally committed to making the resources available to make the team more competitive.2. We need to prepare the players on the fringes of international selection through the reactivation of the “A” Team programmes. We have all seen the immediate success of this action in the short time since it has been implemented. While we are committed to the extension of the first-class season that will be implemented as soon as it is affordable, we believe that this action is of greater priority.3. We need to prepare our next generation of international cricketers, those between 19-23 years. This is the reason we are here tonight – the establishment of the most advanced training programme in the region.4. The implementation of a talent development programme which, together with the Scotia Bank Kiddy Cricket Programme as our talent identification programme, will provide WICB with a clear player development pathway for 7-11 year-olds; 12-15 year-olds and 17-19 year olds. Accordingly, in the next few weeks the WICB will announce a US$ 2 million grass roots and community coaching programme that will provide opportunities and a pathway for young people from the streets and community playing fields to Kensington Oval, Lords, Eden Gardens and the Wanderers.Cricket Operations: This has been undoubtedly a major area of repeated failures and shortcomings. In addition, to the strengthening of our implementation capacity, the Board has introduced an injury management system that will incorporate every player from regional teams to the international team registering every medical condition, injury and rehabilitation programme. The system will offer a real-time, interactive and user-friendly resource that will manage the injuries and avoid the present situation of incoherence which exists. The system is already being implemented at the level of the senior team.

The purpose of the centre is to help bridge the gap between youth cricket and international cricket. To that end, 15 young cricketers between the ages of 19 and 27 have been selected to spend three months at the centre, where they will be exposed to state-of-the-art training facilities, coaching techniques, equipment, education and sports science.Players selected for the high performance centre: Shamarh Brooks, Jason Holder, Shane Dowrich, Kyle Corbin, Kevin McClean, Brandon Bess, Ravindra Chandrika, Veerasammy Permaul, Nkrumah Bonner, Andre Creary, Kieran Powell, Devon Thomas, Shannon Gabriel, Keron Cottoy, Delorn Johnson.Management Team: Toby Radford (Director and head coach), Andre Coley (Assistant coach), William Bourne (Spin specialist coach), Shannon Lashley (Strength and conditioning coach), Courtney Browne (Wicketkeeping coach), Roddy Estwick (Fast bowling coach) Simon Grayson (Performance coach), Jacqueline King-Mowatt (Physiotherapist), Jessica Reid (Administrative assistant).

If Sunday’s third match at Old Trafford follows the pattern of the series so far, then England will back themselves to claim an unassailable 3-0 lead with two games to come

The Preview by Andrew Miller26-Jun-2010

Match facts

Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen have a lot to smile about as the mid-point of the series approaches•Getty Images

June 27, 2010, Old Trafford
Start time 10.45am (9.45GMT)

Big picture

Anyone who questions the relevance of this isolated five-match ODI series should have been present at Cardiff on Thursday to witness the darkening of Ricky Ponting’s features when it was put to him by a fellow Australian that England are on the verge of claiming bragging rights in all three formats of international cricket. His response was abrupt and prickly, and betrayed the frustration he feels after two contests that were significantly more one-sided than their eventual four-wicket margins suggested.If Sunday’s third match at Old Trafford follows the pattern of the series so far, then England will back themselves to claim an unassailable 3-0 lead with two games to come, and will have gone a long, long way towards wiping the memory of their 6-1 reversal in September last year. And while Ponting rightly inferred that such an achievement hardly matches the trio of World Cups and back-to-back Champions Trophy titles that his men have racked up over the past decade, he is clearly concerned by the extent to which his team’s standards have slipped in the past week. It is the price you pay for sustained magnificence.Paul Collingwood, who became England’s leading run-maker in ODI history on Thursday, has found himself talking the sort of talk that no English ODI team in living memory has felt sufficiently confident to put into words. “It’s not arrogance,” he declared. “We are the better side at the moment,” and it’s hard to disagree with that assessment. A bullish batting line-up has men for all occasions, not least Eoin Morgan’s finishing skills, while the bowlers who thrived at the World Twenty20 have taken the urgency of the shortened format, and learned to adapt their tactics on the hoof.

Form guide (last five completed matches)

England WWWWW

Australia LLWLW

Watch out for…

Until Friday, Shaun Tait was plying his trade for Glamorgan in the FP t20, but now he’s right back into the thick of the Aussie squad, and given the threadbare nature of their attack, it would be no surprise to see him pitched straight in at Old Trafford, especially given the pitch’s pacy reputation in recent years. Tait is regarded as the ultimate short, sharp shock. His searing speed and penchant for the yorker have made him a fixture in Twenty20 cricket, although his last fifty-over game came in February 2009.After two years of finding his feet, Luke Wright is coming into his own as an international cricketer. His belligerent batting is still arguably a place too high at No. 6 in the order, but an uncomplicated approach is no bad thing in a side that’s brimming with confidence. His bowling, on the other hand, has been a revelation in recent weeks. An up-and-at-’em run-up, and a tight and aggressive line has proven extremely hard to dominate, and he has a belief in his own abilities that transcends any skill or subtlety. He, more than anyone else, epitomises the positive approach of this new-look England team.

Team news

No changes are anticipated to Australia’s top six, who have acquitted themselves well without quite kicking on to the impregnable totals needed against England’s powerful line-up. Their bowlers, however, have been on a bit of a merry-go-round, with three changes after the first match, and further alterations now required following Hauritz’s withdrawal. Steven Smith, who removed Kevin Pietersen in his first over of the series, will have an important role to play with his legspin.Australia (possible) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Tim Paine (wk), 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Cameron White, 6 Michael Hussey, 7 James Hopes, 8 Steven Smith, 9 Shaun Tait, 10 Clint McKay, 11 Doug Bollinger.No need to tinker for England, and no likelihood that they will do so either, especially seeing as Ryan Sidebottom and Ian Bell were released to play for their counties on Friday.England (probable) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Craig Kieswetter (wk), 3 Kevin Pietersen, 4 Paul Collingwood, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Michael Yardy, 7 Luke Wright, 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James Anderson.

Pitch and conditions

Old Trafford didn’t quite live up to expectations during the recent Test against Bangladesh, but there’s enough life in the surface for all the quicks to enjoy themselves, and for the spinners to obtain that extra bounce that makes the difference to their impact. The weather is expected to be glorious once again, so it’s another win-toss-and-bat scenario.

Stats and Trivia

• England have now won seven ODIs in a row, their best performance in 50-over cricket since 1997-98, when they beat Australia 3-0 in the Texaco Trophy, before Adam Hollioake’s men stormed the desert in Sharjah. What happened next, however, didn’t make for such pleasant reading …
• There have been 37 ODIs at Old Trafford, dating back to 1972, but England’s recent record on the ground is indifferent. Though they won their most recent fixture, against India in 2007, their only other victory since 1996 came against Zimbabwe in 2000.
• At Cardiff, Paul Collingwood became England’s leading run-maker in ODI history, surpassing Alec Stewart’s tally of 4677, and finishing the match on 4693. That figure, however, places him a lowly 62nd on the all-time list.

Quotes

“If that’s what you think, that’s fine. Have a look at our head-to-heads in Test cricket, one-day cricket and Twenty20 cricket and tell me who has the bragging rights.”

“It’s very encouraging, and we all feel like we are part of something that can grow, and grow, and grow.”

Andrew Strauss is enjoying the winning feeling that England are cultivating at the moment

Marcus Trescothick blasted 83 off 38 balls to lead Somerset to a 79-run Friends Provident t20 win over Middlesex at Taunton

04-Jul-2010

ScorecardMarcus Trescothick blasted 83 off 38 balls to lead Somerset to a 79-run Friends Provident t20 win over Middlesex at Taunton. A 7,000-strong crowd saw the former England opener smash 11 fours and four sixes as his side ran up 204 for 5 after losing the toss. James Hildreth hit 48 and there were two wickets each for Owais Shah and Tom Smith.In reply, Middlesex were never up with the required rate as their former player Murali Kartik claimed 3 for 37 to check their progress. Jackson Thompson top scored with 32 and the visitors slumped to 125 all out in 17.4 overs. Mark Turner returned 2 for 23 from four overs and Kieron Pollard 2 for 20 from 2.4.Somerset’s lively fielding was characterised by a brilliant running catch taken by Alfonso Thomas, racing in from long-on to dismiss Gareth Berg. Opener Thompson hit six fours in his 22-ball innings, while Shah offered brief hope with 26 off 15 deliveries before being stumped off Kartik, departing with an exchange of words with Somerset’s celebrating players.Earlier, Trescothick had clearly been intent on making up for lost time in a competition which had previously seen him average less than 18. His first scoring shot was a six over extra cover off the opening over sent down by Tim Murtagh. Further sixes followed off Pedro Collins, Smith and Shah as, after the early loss of Nick Compton, Trescothick and Hildreth added 108 in eight overs of sparkling strokeplay.Somerset were flying along at 11-an-over when Shah interrupted their progress by having Trescothick caught at deep square sweeping and Pollard taken at mid-on off a skier, having made only a single.Zander de Bruyn was bowled by left-arm spinner Smith and Hildreth followed having hit seven fours in a fluent 35-ball innings. Jos Buttler (22 not out) and Arul Suppiah (26 not out) saw Somerset past 200, but it was not as big a score as looked likely when Trescothick and Hildreth were in full flow.The result left Somerset with 14 points from 11 South Division games and still well positioned for a quarter-final place.

Ramnaresh Sarwan has been named Guyana captain for the Caribbean T20 tournament and will lead a squad that does not include Shivnarine Chanderpaul

Cricinfo staff14-Jul-2010Ramnaresh Sarwan has been named Guyana captain for the Caribbean T20 tournament and will lead a squad that does not include Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Sarwan, who missed the Test series against South Africa due to an injured hamstring, makes a return to competitive cricket in the competition starting July 22. The tournament comprises seven other teams from and the winner qualifies for the Champions League Twenty20 in September.Meanwhile, Darren Sammy, the Windward Islands captain, has said he’ll be banking on the team’s bowling as it prepares to compete in the same tournament.The Windwards team includes several players with international experience. Among them are openers Andre Fletcher and Devon Smith; pacer Nelon Pascal; off-spinner Shane Shillingford and leg-spinning all-rounder Rawl Lewis.”I don’t see why we can’t come out on top. Our strength is in our bowling and overall I would say the selectors have picked a very good all-round team,” Sammy said. Our batting will rely mainly on the experienced players – such as Smith, Fletcher, Lewis, Liam Sebastien, and myself. Most of the players in the team have the ability to bat and bowl so we have players who can contribute in two departments.”We have Shillingford, Sebastien, and Lewis who are very economical bowlers
and I know they will do very well for us. We also have a number of players
who are coming through, and I’m very satisfied with the squad assembled. I
am confident we can go to Barbados, qualify for the final four, and take it
from there.””We have seen over the years that teams are closer together in the Twenty20
format. Whoever plays the better cricket on the day will win. Our chances
are very good,” Sammy said.”The Champions League is a massive incentive. All the teams will fancy their chances and will be gunning to make it to South Africa in September. We saw what Trinidad and Tobago did for the region in India last year and that should be a form of motivation for all teams – to go out and represent on the world stage. In the Windwards camp we are very excited. We will take it one game at a time and enjoy every moment.”Guyana squad: Ramnaresh Sarwan (capt), Narsingh Deonarine, Travis Dowlin, Sewnarine Chattergooon, Lennox Cush, Christopher Barnwell, Davendra Bishoo, Derwin Christian, Esaun Crandon, Royston Crandon, Jonathan Foo, Assad
Fudadin, Steven Jacobs, Paul Wintz.Windward Islands squad: Darren Sammy (capt), Devon Smith, Andre Fletcher, Rawl Lewis, Liam Sebastien, Johnson Charles, Donwell Hector, Craig Emmanuel, Lindon Lawrence, Keddy Lesporis, Gairy Mathurin, Nelon Pascal, Shane Shillingford, Deighton Butler.

Ireland have made two changes to their squad for the two-match RSA series against Netherlands that begins on Monday

Cricinfo staff15-Aug-2010Ireland have made two changes to their squad for the two-match RSA series against Netherlands that begins on Monday after they comprehensively beat the same opposition in the Intercontinental Cup.Following Allan Eastwood’s successful debut in the win against Netherlands, where he took 4 for 62 in the second innings, he retained his place in the squad ahead of Craig Young who hasn’t recovered from a side strain. Elsewhere Andrew Poynter returns to the squad following the shoulder injury he picked up in the final of the World Cricket League last month in place of James Hall who will instead play for Ireland A in a three-day game against Hampshire which begins on Wednesday at the Rose Bowl.Ireland Squad: Trent Johnston (capt), Alex Cusack, George Dockrell, Andrew Poynter, John Mooney, Kevin O’Brien, Paul Stirling, Albert van der Merwe, Andrew White, Gary Wilson (wk), Allan Eastwood, Nigel Jones.

Betting in cricket and other sports should be legalised in India, a Delhi court has said

Cricinfo staff01-Sep-2010Betting in cricket and other sports should be legalised in India, a Delhi court has said, pointing out that the police have failed to curb illegal betting in the country. Legalising betting, the court said, would help the government keep track of the transfer of funds and even use the revenue generated for public welfare.”It does not need divine eyes to see that ‘satta’ in cricket and other games is reaching an alarming situation. The extent of money that it generated is diverted to clandestine and sinister objectives like drug trafficking and terrorist activities,” said additional sessions judge Dharmesh Sharma, of a Delhi trial court. “It is high time that our legislature seriously considers legalising the entire system of betting online or otherwise so that enough revenues can be generated to fund various infrastructural requirements for the common man and thus check the lucrative business in organised crime.”The judge cited a media report that claimed more than Rs. 20,000 crores (approximately US$4.27 billion) were pumped in by illegal betting syndicates during the IPL last year.”A little surfing on the internet would reveal that in Delhi alone there would be operating as many as 2,000-3,000 bookies at any given point of time when cricket matches or even other matches are played all over the world. This could not be done under the very nose of police without their knowledge,” the judge said.The court was also critical of the police for its laxity in trying to keep a check on the illegal business. “The half-hearted and lackadaisical approach of the police in nabbing the perpetrators of this organised crime on business leaves an irresistible impression that police is not only ill-equipped to deal with such cases but probably they have higher stake in continuance of the same under their patronage.”The court made its remarks while allowing an appeal by two people held guilty by a lower court for betting under the Delhi Police Gambling Act. It said there was not enough evidence to convict the two, who were prosecuted for organising betting on the 2007 World Cup match between Australia and South Africa.