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Broad’s refusal to walk shows Spirit of Cricket is well and truly dead
Advantage England as Aussies lose six wkts in epic chase
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Cricketers have brought disrepute to game: Bedi
Sacked Arthur 'to sue Cricket Australia'
Els, Jeev miss cut as Doak leads the way in Scotland
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Broad’s refusal to walk shows Spirit of Cricket is well and truly dead
Broad doesn’t do anything that might be seen as a concession to an opponent and today he stood mute and mocking in the face of Australian claims that he should walk from the crease. If cricket hadn’t long lost any sense that it was the game of manners and superior sportsmanship, he would certainly have done that when he sent a delivery from the spinner-cum-batting sensation Ashton Agar off the face of his bat against the thigh of wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and into the hands of Aussie skipper and first slip Michael Clarke. He was out, completely and demonstrably, and he knew it as well as any of his outraged opponents. He also knew that the Australians had frittered away their DRS chances with some half-baked challenges and he could stand there, defiant and unbowed and unashamed, just as long as he liked. For years cricketers attempted to bamboozle umpires with appeal after appeal in hectoring pressure and cheap opportunism – and sometimes it worked. The decision review system was introduced to ease some of the worst of the problem and so was an airy charter known optimistically as the Spirit of Cricket. Stuff you, mate
Broad showed us the spirit of modern cricket vividly enough in last night’s flashpoint, one which might well colour the rest of a series which was supposed to feature not tonight’s raw animosity and edgy attrition, but a series of formal English victories. Broad’s spirit of cricket could be encapsulated easily enough in the classic Aussie phrase, “Stuff you, mate.” The Nottingham player’s apologists were quick to say if the positions of the antagonists had been reversed the moral outrage of Clarke would have been something much more pragmatic. Increasing the Australian ire, no doubt, was their feeling that after two brilliantly combative days – and one when they appeared to have gone a step further into a potentially winning position – the English were on the point of completing an impressive recovery. They had threatened to do this from the start of the day when captain Alastair Cook and chief batting power Kevin Pieterson began, in their hugely different ways, to build on their second-innings score of 80 for 2. That left them a mere 15 runs ahead after the extraordinary pyrotechnics of Australia’s teenaged No 11 but Pietersen began to accumulate boundaries in a steady rhythm. Cook was mostly becalmed but this was Test cricket, after all, and as long as Pietersen was periodically finding the gaps he too was helping to secure his team’s position. Unfortunately, Pietersen’s concentration – which is something that tends to breed supreme confidence only on his most serene days – collapsed when paceman James Pattinson delivered a full-length delivery. Pieterson played on and when soon after Cook nudged the emerging Agar into the slips the Australians were once again filled with self-belief. It developed still further when the first-day hero, Peter Siddle, got a shortish delivery to sit up more sharply than expected and saw Matt Prior miscue it into the hands of Ed Cowan at midwicket. Once again the Australians were suggesting they might confound the widespread belief that they were perhaps the weakest squad in Ashes history. The prospect filled them with an instinct to fight which has been rarely visible, at least outside of a late-night Birmingham bar, since they arrived in the late English spring. It was one that might just have delivered a crushing advantage but for the unfolding defiance – and some would say cynicism – of Broad and the extremely good influence of his batting companion, Ian Bell. Bell, for all he has a batting average well into the mid-forties, which is the kind of mark hit by those who have made themselves at home in Test cricket, has been less than a keynote influence recently. He has the class, of course, but not always the competitive vigour. Today, though, he was the man who delivered the most important contribution on a day which England knew might well prove utterly decisive. In the end it wasn’t quite that but, with Bell just short of a century, and Broad in need of three runs for a 50 which, if it happens, may prove not all that much more contentious than the bodyline series, England plainly have the game within their grasp today. With a lead of 261, England can contemplate a position of some sharp advantage on a wearing pitch to be exploited by James Anderson and Graeme Swann. So far, it has been a superbly balanced engagement but there was a moment before Broad’s flat refusal to conform to an old cricket principle when he was also close to declaring that finally a break in the balance of power had arrived.
— The Independent
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Advantage England as Aussies lose six wkts in epic chase
Nottingham,
July 13 But in a potentially decisive twist in the final hour, England removed captain Michael Clarke, Steven Smith and Phil Hughes in the space of 18 balls to reduce the tourists to 174-6 at the close, still 137 runs adrift of the finish line. England had earlier added 49 runs to their overnight total to post 375 all out, with Ian Bell completing his 18th Test century and Stuart Broad scoring 65. Watson shared a solid opening partnership of 84 with Chris Rogers to give the touring side a good start in their bid to score 311 runs for victory. But he perished immediately after the drinks break for 46, trapped lbw by a full-length delivery from Stuart Broad. Cowan fell to part-time spinner Joe Root just before the interval, leaving Rogers unbeaten on 50. Earlier, Ian Bell made 109 and Broad 65 before England were bowled out for 375 in their second innings. Bell and Broad, resuming on 326 for six, quickly reached the individual milestones their tenacious partnership deserved. Mitchell Starc got Australia's day off to a bad start with a wild beamer which went through first slip to the boundary and Broad slashed James Pattinson for four to get to fifty. Bell pushed Starc for a single to post his 18th test century, a marathon effort of intense concentration lasting more than six hours. Bell, often criticised for failing to deliver under pressure, leapt up and punched the air after completing his run before raising his bat to all sides of the ground. The seventh-wicket partnership of 138 ended when Broad edged Pattinson through to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin. The England fast bowler walked straight off to ironic cheers after the controversial incident on Friday when he edged Ashton Agar to slip and stayed at the wicket. — Reuters Score board Australia 280 England 215 & 375 Cook c Clarke b Agar 50 Root c Haddin b Starc 5 Trott lbw b Starc 0 Pietersen b Pattinson 64 Bell c Haddin b Starc 109 Bairstow c Haddin b Agar 15 Prior c Cowan b Siddle 31 Broad c Haddin b Pattinson 65 Swann c Clarke b Siddle 9 Finn not out 2 Anderson c Hughes b Siddle 0 Extras 25 Total (all out, 149.5 overs) 375 Fall of wickets: 1-11 2-11 3-121 4-131 5-174 6-218 7-356 8-371 9-375 Bowling Pattinson 34-8-101-2 Starc 32-7-81-3 Agar 35-9-82-2 Siddle 33.5-12-85-3 Watson 15-11-11-0 Australia IInd innings Watson lbw b Broad 46 Rogers c Bell b Anderson 52 Cowan c Trott b Root 14 Clarke c Prior b Broad 23 Smith lbw b Swann 17 Hughes lbw b Swann 0 Haddin not out 11 Agar not out 1 Extras 10 Total (6 wkts, 71 overs) 174 Fall of wickets 1-84 2-111 3-124 4-161 5-161 6-164 Bowling Anderson 17-4-44-1 Broad 16-5-34-2 Swann 28-5-64-2 Finn 8-3-17-0 Root 2-0-6-1
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Cricketers have brought disrepute to game: Bedi
“.. it is the players who have caused havoc in world cricket, if not Indian cricket," he said, speaking on 'Is Cricket facing credibility crisis?', organised by the Palkhivala Foundation. Observing that the game is directly linked with honesty, uprightness and integrity, he said, “For me, cricket is also linked with spirituality.” Recalling the 'bodyline' tactics of former English captain Douglas Jardine, who placed seven players behind the batsman, he said, “Here you can see that the players brought this and later this was not allowed.” “Ball tampering was brought in by players. They used bottle top, grease stuff and thereby took undue advantage. That's why the ball is given to umpires these days after a wicket is taken,” said Bedi. Making a sarcastic comment on 'doosra' delivery, he said, “What do you call another man in a woman's life, who has already got a husband. Doosra! Is it legal? Then how can 'doosra' be legal on the field?” Somebody has to bell the cat, you know,” he said. Blaming players for changing cricket's reputation for the worse, he said, “From the length of the pitch, weight of the ball to height of the stumps, nothing has changed. But change is in the producers, directors and actors of the game. The tamasha is that they come to be seen. It was not there earlier.” A known critic of the IPL, he said people want to believe IPL is entertainment. “I feel strongly that IPL is doing a lot of harm to the youth of the country. It makes the youth realise saturation point too soon,” Bedi said. Recalling his letters and discussions with Australian cricket legend Don Bradman, he said he referred to an interview of the Australian in a newspaper, where he had said he wanted to be remembered for his integrity. “A good cricketer is one good student of the game and a good administrator is one servant of the game and not a boss, because cricket is the boss,” he said on the recent spot fixing controversy, which shook the game for a couple of months. “But nothing has changed. There is nothing called stepping aside, stepping up and stepping down. There is a difference, you know," he said.
— PTI |
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Sacked Arthur 'to sue Cricket Australia'
The newspaper reported that Arthur had been offered a cash settlement by CA and that he received no notice of termination despite having a three-month notice clause in his contract. Arthur's comments at the time of his sacking gave no hint that he may be planning legal action. "If it wasn't good enough, so be it. I leave with a lot of professional pride and a lot of professional dignity." There was no comment from either Cricket Australia or Harmers Laywers when contacted. Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland admitted at the time that Arthur had "to some extent" been made a scapegoat for the team's failings. "To some extent, people will no doubt say Mickey Arthur is a scapegoat in this," Sutherland said. — Agencies |
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Trin Tin: Mateo crosses the line first
Britain's yellow jersey holder Chris Froome, of Team Sky, came over the finish line with the main peloton and his chief rivals just over seven minutes adrift. Froome did not come under attack during the undulating 191km ride from Saint-Pourcain-sur-Sioule to Lyon and still leads Dutchman Bauke Mollema (Belkin) by 2min 28sec and Spain's former two-time winner Alberto Contador (Saxo) by 2:45. A day after Froome lost 1:09 to both rivals, the overall contenders kept their powder dry ahead of Sunday's first summit finish at Mont
Ventoux. Froome's team chief Dave Brailsford said: "I think everybody has their mind on tomorrow already, looking forward to Mont Ventoux just as we are." Although Froome would love to win atop one of the race's legendary climbs, he said his priority is stretching his lead over his rivals. “I'm totally focused on the general classification, but of course it would be a dream to win at Mont Ventoux," said Froome, who won on the only previous summit finish of this edition at Ax-Trois-Domaines on stage eight. Ahead of the next chapter in the battle for the yellow jersey, the undulating profile of the 14th stage gave ideas to plenty of riders and teams. After a frenetic start, a group of 18 riders finally broke free and went on to build a maximum lead of 7 minutes.
— Agencies Classification Stage 14
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Els, Jeev miss cut as Doak leads the way in Scotland
Inverness, July 13 Former British Open champions Darren Clarke and Padraig Harrington and Scottish Open title holder Jeev Milkha Singh of India also missed the cut on 141. Scot Chris Doak, who has had only one top-10 finish on the European Tour, hit a second successive six-under 66 to take the halfway lead in his local event. World number eight Phil Mickelson was four strokes off the pace after returning a 70 for 136. Els sounded almost relieved to leave the Castle Stuart links course. “I thought I played quite well today but I had no idea on these greens so I am glad I am leaving to get on some other greens,” said Els. “I did not get the run of the course — it felt like it was against me — but I am playing nicely and gave myself a lot of opportunities. It’s not the first cut I’ve missed and it won’t be the last.” The 35-year-old Doak was one stroke ahead of American Peter Uihlein (66), Dane Joachim Hansen (65) and British pair Ross Fisher (65) and Matthew Southgate (64). “It’s absolutely phenomenal to shoot 66-66 in the first two days,” said the Scot. “You start the week thinking you want to go low but to actually do it is fantastic.”
— Reuters |
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Stuart Broad never had the diplomatic service as a career option and as the latest Ashes battle picked up some of its oldest aggressive tendencies in the sunlit evening of the third day of the first Test we were once again reminded why this was so.
Nottingham,
July 13
Chennai, July 13
Sydney, July 13
Lyon, July 13
