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Stanford charged with fraud
ECB’s T20 league in jeopardy
Sandeep & Co suffer twin defeats
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England declare at 221
Which way will McCullum go?
Men in Blue in a new shade
Referral system is beneficial: Lorgat
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London, February 18 US regulators on Tuesday accused Texas magnate and top cricket promoter Allen Stanford of fraud in selling 9.2 billion dollars in securities by promising "improbable and unsubstantiated" returns," an AFP report said. ECB has suspended its ties with the Texas businessman and plans of an ambitious Twenty20 tournament are likely to be shelved. ECB chairman Giles Clarke is also under pressure to quit as he admitted the decision to bond the game so closely with Stanford was a mistake. "We had the best of intentions, so yes," Clarke said when asked whether he regretted forging close ties with the Texan. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a complaint in a Dallas court against Stanford and three of his companies, alleging that about $8 billion of so-called certificates of deposit were sold to investors by promising "improbable and unsubstantiated high interest rates." "We are alleging a fraud of shocking magnitude that has spread its tentacles throughout the world," said Rose Romero, regional director of the SEC's Fort Worth, Texas, office. With Stanford placed under a temporary restraining order and his assets frozen following a raid on his Houston company headquarters, English cricket is facing huge uncertainty over the quadrangular Twenty20 international tournament he was to have funded in each of the next three summers, the annual Stanford Series in Antigua and a county competition in which he was to have been involved, reports The Guardian. "Following the allegations, the England and Wales Cricket Board and the West Indies Cricket Board have suspended negotiations with Sir Allen Stanford and his financial corporation concerning a new sponsorship deal," the ECB said in a statement. If Stanford's financial support for cricket ended, it would have a big impact on the game in the Caribbean and England. Stanford bank-rolled a winner-take-all $20 million Twenty20 match in November between England and a West Indies all-star team in Antigua, the first of five planned annual games worth a total $100 million. The all-stars won on the richest payday in cricket, with each of the 11 players collecting $1 million. Remainder was split between reserve players, staff and national cricket bodies. In December, Stanford closed his cricket office in Antigua, disbanded his Twenty20 "Board of Legends" and terminated the contracts of West Indies cricket greats on it. "A lot of us felt it was a serious error of judgment by Giles Clarke to get involved with Stanford in the first place and events would seem to have vindicated that opinion," said Neil Davidson, the chairman of Leicestershire, who was a vocal opponent of Clarke's during his recent re-election campaign. "In any normal organisation the chairman's position would be untenable in these circumstances," he said. — IANS
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ECB’s T20 league in jeopardy
England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) may be forced to shelve its plans of a quadrangular Twenty20 League rivalling IPL after ending its association with Texan billionaire Allen Stanford, who is accused of fraud.
Stanford, who bankrolled the winner-takes-all Twenty20 Super Series featuring a West Indian All-Star team against England, is facing charges of fraud following a raid on his Houston company headquarters yesterday. ECB chief Giles Clarke said it was mistake to get associated with Stanford.
"We had the best of intentions, so yes," Clarke said when asked whether he regretted the ECB's alliance with the business tycoon. "There is now a strong possibility that the quadrangular Twenty20 tournament which had been due for Lord's in May and was expected to include Sri Lanka and Pakistan will now not take place. Clearly we are going to have to look at the matter with some rapidity," Clarke was quoted as saying by 'Sky News'. The ECB had been facing criticism ever since it aligned with Stanford and the current situation has invited more wrath particularly for Clarke. "In any normal organisation the chairman's position would be untenable in these circumstances," said Neil Davidson, the chairman of Leicestershire county, who had opposed Clarke's re-election.
A lot of us felt it was a serious error of judgment by Giles Clarke to get involved with Stanford in the first place and events would seem to have vindicated that opinion," he added. Lord Marland, the former Conservative party treasurer who backed out of standing against Clarke in the ECB elections after failing to find support among the counties, said, "The ECB has walked into the open arms of a man who has now been charged with fraud. What due diligence was carried out?" "The picture of Giles Clarke, David Collier (the ECB chief executive) and Allen Stanford standing behind all those dollars will haunt English cricket for a long time. In any other organisation, heads would roll." Clarke's re-election will be confirmed next week with all counties' endorsements due to come in on Monday. He said despite the end of the agreement with Stanford, the ECB remains financially sound. "Clearly it is unlikely those tournaments will be taking place but we've always considered them to be outside our normal budgetary processes," Clarke said.
— PTI |
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Sandeep & Co suffer twin defeats
Brisbane, February 18 The Sandeep Singh-led side, which had gone down 3-5 to the Australian Development Squad last night, lost 2-5 today for their second straight defeat at the hands of a squad coached by Ric Charlesworth. The home side scored through Hotchkis Daniel (14th), Geoffrey Cock (18th), Liam de Young (21st), Jason Wilson (53rd) and Mark Patterson (61st min) while Shivendra Singh (10th) and Sandeep (46th) reduced the margin for India. India took the lead in today’s match at the State Hockey Centre when Shivendra deflected Sandeep's shot past goalkeeper George
Bazeley. The lead did not last long as Australia equalised four minutes later when Daniel beat Baljit Singh under the post after he was set up by midfielder Jonathan Charlesworth. Cock edged the Australian side ahead following a goalmouth melee and they further consolidated their lead when skipper Young collected a pass from Patterson to put them up 3-1. India managed to pull one back after the break when Sandeep sounded the board, flicking a penalty corner past goalkeeper
Bazeley. Much to India's dismay, Wilson and Patterson went on to sound the boards and complete the rout. Earlier, the Indian hockey team suffered their first defeat on their Australia-New Zealand tour when they went down 3-5 against Australian Development squad at the State Hockey Centre here, last night. India, who trailed 1-3 at half time, scored through skipper Sandeep Singh (16th minute), V Raghunath (37th) and Tushar Khandekar (64th) in the rain-marred match. The Aussies scored through Jason Wilson (10th), Nick Budgeon (22nd min), Joel Carrol (27th), Liam de Young (52nd) and Mark Patterson (66th). India had registered comprehensive victories against Queensland-New South Wales combine in the first two matches. The third match of the tour had a delayed start due to rain and was played under Australia went up in the 10th minute when Jonathon Charlesworth intercepted a loose pass from Indian midfielder Prabodh Tirkey to set up striker Jason Wilson, who shot past goalkeeper Baljit Singh. India levelled the score six minutes later when Ignace Tirkey stole the ball from the rival skipper Liam de Young and sent a relay pass to Tushar Khandekar through armyman SV Sunil.
— PTI |
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St. John’s, February 18 Earlier, offspinner Graeme Swann grabbed 5-57 as England claimed a big first-innings lead and kept firmly on top. Swann, playing his third Test, helped dismiss the home team for 285 in reply to the visitor's first innings of 566-9 declared at Antigua Recreation Ground on Tuesday. Andrew Flintoff collected 3-47. When England reached stumps on 31-1 in its second innings, it had stretched its advantage to 312 runs. Scoreboard England (first innings): (for 9, declared) 566 West Indies (1st Innings): Gayle c Anderson b Harmison 30 Smith b Swann 38 Powell c Collingwood b Swann 22 Sarwan c Flintoff b Swann 94 Hinds c Prior b Flintoff 27 Chanderpaul c Prior b Broad 1 Nash c Collingwood b Flintoff 18 Ramdin c and b Swann 0 J. Taylor c and b Flintoff 19 Benn lbw b Swann 0 Edwards not out 1 Extras (b-17, lb-5, w-2, nb-11) 35 Total (all out in 89.2 overs) 285 FoW: 1-45, 2-109, 3-130, 4-200, 5-201, 6-251, 7-251, 8-278, 9-279. Bowling: Anderson 19-1-55-0, Flintoff 14.2-3-47-3, Harmison 12-3-44-1, Broad 14-4-24-1, Swann 24-7-57-5, Pietersen 2-0-14-0, Collingwood 4-0-22-0. England (2nd Innings): Strauss c Smith b Edwards 14 Cook c Smith b Hinds 58 Anderson c Ramdin b Powell 20 Shah b Powell 14 Pietersen c Ramdin b Benn 32 Collingwood b Hinds 34 Prior not out 15 Broad run out 1 Flintoff c Hinds b Benn 0 Harmison not out 7 Extras: (b-12, lb-3, w-5, nb-6) 26 Total (eight wickets declared; 50 overs) 221 FoW: 1-23 2-69 3-97 4-145 5-189 6-195 7-201 8-206. Bowling: Edwards 9-1-36-1, Taylor 9-2-34-0, Powell 7-0-33-2, Benn 14-1-58-2, Hinds 11-1-45-2. — AP
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Durban, February 18 Following statements by Aussie captain, Ricky Ponting, and former Aussie coach John Buchanan that South Africa start favourites at home, Proteas Coach Mickey Arthur said he was least concerned about what the visitors were saying. The two sides will play three Tests, two Twenty20 games, and five one-day internationals over the next two months. "Our focus is to ensure we play good cricket," said Arthur, who guided South Africa to triumphs in both Test and one-day series during their recent tour to Australia. "We're concentrating on our own game. That is one of the reasons that we achieved success in recent times. People underestimated our good performances against Bangladesh last year, but we were very happy because we knew we had played good cricket. We will not change this approach," he added. When Ponting arrived with his team on Monday, he said the Proteas would be the overwhelming favourites on home soil. — PTI
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Which way will McCullum go?
Wellington, February 18 The Twenty20 League will comprise leading domestic teams from throughout the world.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has not yet been invited to the tournament. But it is understood chief executive Justin Vaughan is hopeful of getting the green light before its domestic twenty20 final on March 1. Otago are at the top of the competition points table and are a leading contender to claim the State twenty20 title and progress to India in October. McCullum's Indian Premier League team, the Kolkata Knight Riders, are also strong contenders to make the Champions League. They were semifinalists in the inaugural IPL last year and need to finish in the top two at this year's tournament in April to qualify for the Champions League. If Otago and Kolkata both book spots in the coming months it will provide McCullum with three options, after he qualified to play for New South Wales when he played in the Australian domestic twenty20 final last month. McCullum's situation isn't unique, with other New Zealand players Jacob Oram, Scott Styris, Daniel Vettori, Ross Taylor, Kyle Mills and Jesse Ryder also facing the possibility of being torn between New Zealand and IPL teams. NZC discussed the possible dilemma in Christchurch on Monday but it was decided not to make a firm call on the matter, or at least release their thoughts publicly, until the possible headache did actually arise. Otago Cricket boss Ross Dykes suggested until New Zealand had received an invitation to the tournament it was a ''non-story''. ''It is a matter of crossing
the bridge if we come to it. We did not want to go around in circles discussing something which might not eventuate,'' Dykes
said.
— UNI
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Mumbai, February 18 The Indian cricket board's official kit sponsor Nike unveiled the new jersey here with Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan, Gautam Gambhir, Ishant Sharma and Rohit Sharma. The new kit was developed after extensive research by designers and has been put through rigorous tests at the Nike Sports Research Laboratory. “Nike’s new ODI kit, with its technology features and bolder colours, is testament to this change in this great sport in our country. We wish our teams' greater success in the coming seasons,” said Indian cricket board secretary N. Srinivasan. The current kit will be the team's alternate dress. — IANS
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Referral system is beneficial: Lorgat
Mumbai, February 18 "The referral system, which Tendulkar experienced first-hand during India's 1-2 Test series defeat to Sri Lanka last year, has improved the rate of giving correct decisions," Lorgat said here last night at a media conference. "The idea is to give sufficient help (to the umpires) to get the decisions correct. We have seen that the correct decisions' percentage has gone up from 94 to 98 per cent with this system in place," the ICC official, who was here for announcing a tie-up with internet firm Yahoo India, said. "Anyway the ICC's Cricket Committee would decide on the matter in May when it meets and put forward their proposal to the Executive Board in June," Lorgat added. Tendulkar was not impressed with the system and had openly expressed his feelings. "When I was there in Sri Lanka last time, I did not like the Umpires Referral "I still prefer the hot-spot system to identify the contact between the ball and bat. The LBW decisions are not convincing enough as the Hawk Eye gives a 22-yard view which the new referral system does not agree with. As to whether the ball would have hit the stumps or not," Tendulkar said. His India teammate Harbhajan Singh had sung a different tune on the same day by saying that the system should be extended to the one-dayers as well. "The umpire referral system is good for the game, which is aimed at making the game more fair as both batsmen and bowler can refer any controversial decision for its correction," Harbhajan had said in Jalandhar about the rule which the ICC is trialling in Test matches since last
year. — PTI |
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Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm
Chandigarh, February 18 As many as 12 rally vehicles in the Extreme Category got stuck for an hour in a marshy land at river-bed drive section around 40-45 kms from Shahpur, near Jaipur. With the temperature as low as 3°C, the rescuers’ legs sank knee deep into the However, by lending a helping hand to each other, and some quick rescue support, the participants pulled out their vehicles and joined the race. Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm is the first-ever night rally drive in India. As per the first day’s update, Sunny Sidhu of Team Godwin from Amritsar in a Maruti Suzuki Gypsy was leading the race. Car number 12, a Maruti Suzuki Gypsy driven by Sanketh Shanbagh of Team Thunderbolt, faced a setback when he met with a minor accident. However, the team quickly pulled up together and continued towards Bikaner. After yesterday’s flag-off ceremony, 180 participants had started off from Delhi. It remains to be seen how the participants tackle the unexpected twists, turns and thrills on their way to conquer the sand dunes of Jaisalmer tomorrow. From the dunes of Rajasthan, the six-day long Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm rally will gradually venture into the uncharted areas of the Kutch region of Gujarat along the scenic Arabian Sea coastline, before culminating at Udaipur.
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London, February 18
Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm
