Sri Lankan players unpaid since World Cup - reports

About 100 cricketers contracted to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), including national players, have not been paid their salaries since the 2011 World Cup, co-hosted by Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh, BBC Sinhala has reported.

There were also doubts over whether the SLC would be able to pay salaries in the next two months. "There is a truth in those media reports to a certain extent," SLC chairman Upali Dharmadasa was quoted as telling BBC Sinhala.

Dharmadasa said efforts were being made to pay the players as soon as the SLC received the remaining payments from the ICC for staging the World Cup. "The ICC still owes us $4-5 million," he said.

The board had revamped the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and built two new grounds in Pallekele and Hambantota for the tournament in February and March, and the capital expenditure incurred is reported to have left it in debt.

Powerplay tweaks and end of runners

Three's a crowd: there will be no more
runners allowed in international cricket

West Indies' tour of Bangladesh, which begins with a Twenty20 on October 11, will be the first international series under the ICC's revised playing conditions, which are effective from October 1. The amendments are only applicable to international cricket.

The ICC's cricket committee had made the recommendations after its meeting in London in May and they were passed by the executive board at the annual general meeting in Hong Kong in June.

Powerplays (ODIs only)
In a full ODI, the teams can take the bowling and batting Powerplays (five overs each) at the start of an over after 15 overs of an innings have been bowled. They must complete the Powerplays by the 40th over, which means the last block of fielding restrictions must begin in the 36th over. The first ten overs will comprise the mandatory Powerplay. This condition will not apply to innings reduced to fewer than 40 overs.

Under the previous playing conditions, teams were allowed to take the bowling and batting Powerplays at any time after the completion of the tenth over of the innings.

Runners (All formats)
A batsman will not be allowed a runner under any circumstances. The batsman can retire hurt and return to bat at a later stage in the innings.

Two new balls per innings (ODIs only)
Each fielding team will be given two new balls to be used in alternate overs, one at each end. The mandatory change of the ball after the 34th over of an innings will not take place anymore.

Obstructing the field (All formats)
If a fielding team appeals and the umpire feels the batsman has significantly changed his direction without probable cause, while running between the wickets, and obstructed an attempt to run him out, the umpire can give the batsman out for obstructing the field. It is not relevant whether a run out would have been affected or not. The on-field umpires are allowed to consult the third umpire in making the decision. The other circumstances in which a batsman can be out obstructing the field are still applicable.

Penalty time (All formats)
This amendment refers to the calculation of the time for which a player cannot bat or bowl because he or she was off the field.

If a player, who still has some unexpired penalty time remaining from a previous absence, is on the field when play is interrupted by bad weather, light or other reasons, the duration of the stoppage will be deducted from the remaining penalty time.

Bowler attempting to run out a non-striker before delivery (All formats)
Previously, the bowler could run out a non-striker backing up only if he did so before entering his delivery stride. This meant that as the bowler's back foot landed, the non-striker could move down the pitch before the bowler delivered the ball.

According to a new playing condition, 42.11, "The bowler is permitted, before releasing the ball and provided he has not completed his usual delivery swing, to attempt to run out the non-striker. Whether the attempt is successful or not, the ball shall not count as one of the over. If the bowler fails in an attempt to run out the non-striker, the umpire shall call and signal dead ball as soon as possible."

The umpires shall deem the bowler to have completed his delivery swing once his bowling arm passes the normal point of ball release.

Extra time to complete a match (Tests only)
According to clause 16.2.2 of the Test match playing conditions: "The umpires may decide to play 15 minutes (a minimum of four overs) extra time at the scheduled lunch or tea interval of any day if requested by either captain if, in the umpires' opinion, it would bring about a definite result in that session. If the umpires do not believe a result can be achieved no extra time shall be allowed.

"If it is decided to play such extra time, the whole period shall be played out even though the possibility of finishing the match may have disappeared before the full period has expired.

"Only the actual amount of playing time up to the maximum 15 minutes extra time by which play is extended on any day shall be deducted from the total number of hours of play remaining, and the following session of play shall be reduced by the amount of time by which play was previously extended under this clause."

Delay of lunch interval when nine wickets down (Tests only)
If a team is nine wickets down at the time of the lunch interval, the break will be delayed by a maximum of 30 minutes. Previously, only tea was delay-able, while lunch was taken even if a team was nine down.

Duration of interval between innings (ODIs only)
The minimum interval for an uninterrupted ODI match has been increased from 20 minutes to 30 minutes.

England dominate ICC Test team of the year

Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott were included in the ICC's
Test team of the year, but Ian Bell missed out

Five English cricketers were named in the ICC's Test team of the year, reflecting England's rise to the No. 1 spot, achieved during their 4-0 whitewash of India earlier this month. Two batsmen, Alastair Cook and Jonathon Trott, and three bowlers, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann and James Anderson, made the XI, but there was no place for Ian Bell despite his averaging 89.50 and making four hundreds during the qualifying period from August 11, 2010 to August 3, 2011.

Dale Steyn, the South Africa fast bowler, made the team for the fourth straight year, while Sachin Tendulkar was named to the team for the third consecutive year. Three South Africa batsmen, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis, plus Kumar Sangakkara, the former Sri Lanka captain, made up the rest of the XI, while India fast bowler Zaheer Khan was named 12th man. Sangakkara was named captain and wicketkeeper, though he no longer performs either role for Sri Lanka in Tests.

"While selecting the squad, the selectors didn't rely only on statistics only, but took into account all other factors like the opposition, pitch conditions, match situation etc," Clive Lloyd, the former West Indies captain and chairman of the ICC Awards selection panel, said in a release. "But when you have only 12 places to fill from a big group of world-class players, there will always be a few who will miss out. In the panel's expert opinion, it has selected the best team based on performances over the past 12 months."

The ICC also released the short-list for its annual awards and Tendulkar will have a chance to repeat as Cricketer of the Year award but will have to fend off challenges from Amla, and the England pair of Cook and Trott to do so. Tendulkar wasn't quite as prolific as last year, but still managed to score 973 runs in 10 Tests at an average of 64.86 and 513 runs from 11 ODIs at an average of 46.63.

Cook and Trott were also short-listed for the Test Player of the Year award alongside their team-mate Anderson, with Kallis the other nominee. Cook was in particularly inspired form in Tests, making 1302 runs from 12 games at an average of 76.58 with six centuries and four half-centuries. Trott was almost as good, accumulating 1042 runs from 12 Tests at an average of 65.12 with four centuries and three half-centuries. Anderson meanwhile was a handful with the ball, picking up 50 wickets in 11 Tests at an average of 25.48 and a strike-rate of 54.00.

Amla was nominated for the ODI Player of the Year award as well, along with Kumar Sangakkara, Australia allrounder Shane Watson and India opener Gautam Gambhir. Watson continued to excel in the 50-over game, making 955 runs in 19 matches at an average of 59.68 and a strike-rate of 111.17, while also chipping in with 15 wickets.

New Zealand's Tim Southee's five-wicket haul against Pakistan was up for the Twenty20 International Performance of the Year, alongside England's Tim Bresnan, Watson and South Africa batsman JP Duminy.

Test team of the year: (in batting order) Alastair Cook, Hashim Amla, Jonathan Trott, Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Dale Steyn, James Anderson, Zaheer Khan (12th man)

The short-lists

Cricketer of the Year: Hashim Amla, Alastair Cook, Sachin Tendulkar, Jonathan Trott

Test Player of the Year: James Anderson, Alastair Cook, Jacques Kallis, Jonathan Trott

ODI Player of the Year: Hashim Amla, Gautam Gambhir, Kumar Sangakkara, Shane Watson

Emerging Player of the Year: Azhar Ali, Devendra Bishoo, Darren Bravo, Wahab Riaz

Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year: Ryan ten Doeschate, Hamid Hassan, Kevin O'Brien, Paul Stirling

Twenty20 International Performance of the Year: Tim Bresnan 3-10 v Pakistan, JP Duminy 96* v Zimbabwe, Tim Southee 5-18 v Pakistan, Shane Watson 59 v England

Women's Cricketer of the Year: Charlotte Edwards (England), Lydia Greenway (England), Shelley Nitschke (Australia), Stafanie Taylor (West Indies)

Umpire of the Year: Aleem Dar, Steve Davis, Ian Gould, Simon Taufel

Spirit of Cricket: MS Dhoni for his recall of Ian Bell during the second Test match between England and India at Trent Bridge, July/August 2011, and Jacques Kallis for walking twice during the World Cup 2011 after clarifying with the opposition fielder if they had caught the ball cleanly

People's Choice Award: Hashim Amla, MS Dhoni, Chris Gayle, Kumar Sangakkara, Jonathan Trott

Members of the voting academy

Former players: Andy Bichel, Naimur Rahman, Aamir Sohail, Pat Symcox, Nasser Hussein, Russel Arnold, Robin Singh, Shane Bond, Grant Flower, Desmond Haynes, and John Davison (Associate Representative Cricketer)

Media: Greg Buckle (Australia), Abdul Majid Bhatti (Pakistan), Azad Majumdar (Bangladesh), Kevin McCallum (South Africa), Stephen Brenkley (England), Chris Dhambarage (Sri Lanka), Ayaz Memon (India), Tony Becca (West Indies), Bryan Waddle (New Zealand), John Ward (Zimbabwe) and KR Nayer (Associate Representative)

Elite panel of ICC referees representative: Chris Broad

Elite panel of ICC umpires representative: Aleem Dar

Chairman of ICC cricket committee: Clive Lloyd

ICC to discuss DRS and end of rotation policy

Dubai: The usage of controversial Decision Review System in all Test and ODI matches and the proposal to end the rotational policy in the appointment of ICC presidents post 2015 will top the agenda in the annual conference of the world body beginning on Sunday in Hong Kong.

The ICC said the usage of the DRS in Test matches, ODI and Twenty20 series, has got unanimous approval from its Cricket Committee. © AFP

The five-day annual conference, which is expected to be a stormy affair, will begin with the meeting of ICC Chief Executives' Committee (June 26 & 27) followed by ICC Executive Board (June 28 & 29) and Full Council (June 30).
The ICC said the usage of the DRS in Test matches, ODI and Twenty20 series, has got unanimous approval from its Cricket Committee of which former Indian captain Ravi Shastri is a member.
"While acknowledging the broadcast contracts that currently exist, the ICC Cricket Committee was unanimous in its recommendation that DRS should be used in all Test matches and also unanimously recommended that DRS should be used in ODI and T20I series with each side allowed one unsuccessful review per innings," the ICC said in a statement.
"The suggestions were made following detailed technical analysis and supported by what the committee agreed was a successful application during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011," it said.
Another controversial topic in the agenda would the proposal to bring in a constitutional amendment to end the rotational policy in the appointment of ICC president once the term of Sharad Pawar's successor Alan Issac (New Zealand) is over in 2015.
The move is likely to face vehement opposition from Pakistan and Bangladesh. Under the existing policy, the two countries are to present their nominees for the post of ICC president and vice-president.
"The Full Council will also consider a further constitutional change to the process for the nomination and election of the ICC President. Under the new proposal, the Executive Board will decide the process and term of office from time to time, subject to certain qualifying criteria," the ICC statement said.
"This would remove the current rotational system of nomination and the fixed term of appointment as set out in the ICC Articles of Association," it said.
The ICC will also revisit its earlier decision to restrict 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand to only 10 Full Members, following protests from Associate Members and former cricketers. It said a Test play-off for the top four teams has been approved to take place in England in 2013.
"At its meeting in Mumbai on 4 April 2011, after having previously agreed a 10-team ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, the ICC Executive Board agreed that the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 would comprise of 10 ICC Full Members. The Board also confirmed its decision taken in October 2010 that ICC World Twenty20 should be a 16-team event and that promotion and relegation would be introduced from 2019.
"These decisions were part of the package of strategic restructuring of bilateral cricket and ICC events aimed at providing greater context and content for international cricket. As part of this, a Test play-off for the top four teams was also approved to take place in England in 2013.
"Following decisions and responding to representations from various quarters, ICC President Sharad Pawar will ask the ICC Executive Board to revisit its decision to restrict the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 to the 10 Full Members."
Other important matters to be taken up first by the CEC before going to ICC Board include a study by Cricket Committee into day/night Test matches and amendments on the current code of conduct regulations to allow suspension of a captain after two offences for slow over-rate breaches.
The CEC will consider the recommendations of the Cricket Committee to use two balls in each ODI innings -- one from each end. The step is aimed at improving the balance between bat and ball and to give 50-over cricket a distinct identity.
"Currently the ball is replaced after 34 overs. It also recommended that teams should only be allowed to take the batting and bowling powerplays between overs 16 and 40," the ICC said.
"The committee also suggested that trials of the following playing conditions be conducted in domestic cricket before being considered for international cricket -- removal of the restriction on the maximum number of overs each bowler could deliver; no compulsory close-catchers; a maximum of four fielders outside the 30-yard fielding circle during non-powerplay overs; the number of bouncers that can be delivered per over to be increased from one to two."
The CEC will seek to confirm and recommend the Future Tours Programme to ICC Executive Board for its consideration.
The Full Council of the ICC will consider another constitutional amendment aimed at ensuring free elections of Member boards and avoiding undue government interference in the administration of cricket, in line with the regulations of other major sporting bodies.
The ICC Executive Board and CEC will receive a detailed post-event report on the successful staging of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. Although the event was universally regarded as a success and one of the best cricket events in history, the report will highlight shortcomings around ticketing and stadia construction.
The report acknowledged the high standard of cricket and praises the excellent pitches and outfields. It also noted that the three host countries now have a legacy of excellent cricket facilities following the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.
The ICC Board will also consider recommendations from the CEC, the ICC Security Task Force on introducing mandatory safety and security regulations and a final report from the Pakistan Task Team.

PTI

Sachin, Kallis at the top in ICC ratings

Dubai: India's Sachin Tendulkar and South Africa's Jacques Kallis remained jointly on top Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen. Both Tendulkar and Kallis have garnered 883 points each.

Both Tendulkar and Kallis have garnered 883 points each. © AFP

Kallis also maintained his top spot in the list of leading all-rounders in Test cricket.
India's Virender Sehwag and VVS Laxman also held on to their sixth and eighth place respectively. Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara dropped one place to be at fourth in the current list released by the ICC.
In the list of bowlers, speedsters Zaheer Khan and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh maintained their fifth and seventh position respectively. Dale Steyn is way ahead on top with 899 points with England off-spinner Graeme Swann being a distant second.
Meanwhile, the drawn Test against Sri Lanka at the Lord's means England will not now be able to displace South Africa as the No 2 team in Test matches behind India.
The best series result England can now achieve is 2-0 which will put them alongside South Africa on 117 ratings points but it will be ranked behind the Proteas when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.

PTI

India's Yogendra Pal Singh appointed ICC Anti-Corruption chief

Dubai: The ICC on Wednesday appointed India's Yogendra Pal Singh, a former joint-director with the Central Bureau of Investigation, as the head of its Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU).

"We are fortunate to have a person of YP's outstanding credentials and experience to take over and I am sure he will continue the good work of ACSU," ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said. © AFP

Singh, 55, takes over from another Indian Ravi Sawani, who is retiring after holding the post since November 2007.
Sawani will, however, be involved with the ACSU as a consultant so that his extensive knowledge and experience are available to the world cricket's governing body, an ICC statement said.
The Delhi-based Singh, an Indian Police Service officer, comes to the new role with 30 years of experience, including stints in the CBI.
In CBI, as joint-director in charge of anti-corruption, he was involved in investigations of corrupt practices, particularly in Mumbai and New Delhi.
Alongside the chairman of the ACSU, Ronnie Flanagan, Singh will lead the work of the ACSU to ensure the game of cricket remains on top of the issues of corruption and security within the sport, the ICC statement read.
"First of all I would like to pay tribute to the work of Ravi Sawani. He has been outstanding in the role and instrumental in ensuring the ICC has retained a zero-tolerance approach and is at the forefront of fighting corruption in sport.
"We are fortunate to have a person of YP's outstanding credentials and experience to take over and I am sure he will continue the good work of ACSU," ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said in the statement.
"As recent events have shown, the menace of corruption in sport is real but with the measures we have established over the years the public can be confident that we will make certain the integrity of the sport is maintained. YP will bring with him a fresh outlook," Lorgat added.

PTI

Dharmasena, Kettleborough inducted in Elite Panel of Umpires

Sri Lanka’s Kumar Dharmasena and Richard Kettleborough of England were, on Wednesday, promoted to the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires for the year 2011-2012 following an annual review.

Kumar Dharmasena made his international umpiring debut in 2009 and has since officiated in two Tests, 25 ODIs and three T20Is. © AFP

According to a media release issued by ICC, the two match officials, who have been serving on the International Panel of ICC Umpires, will replace Australian Daryl Harper, whose existing contract expires in July, and the controversial Asoka de Silva of Sri Lanka.
“Their promotions are a result of hard work and impressive performances and will act as an inspiration to other umpires,” David Richardson, ICC’s General Manager — Cricket and Convener of selection panel, was quoted as saying by the release.
Dharmasena, 40, made his international umpiring debut in 2009 and has since officiated in two Tests, 25 ODIs and three T20Is.
As a cricketer, he played 31 Tests and 141 ODIs for Sri Lanka from 1993 to 2004 and scalped 69 and 138 wickets, respectively.
The Colombo-born former off-spinner is also a member of Sri Lanka’s World Cup-winning side in 1996.
“I am honoured and delighted to have been selected. To umpire alongside the most respected names in this noble profession and be included on the elite panel is something I wanted to achieve ever since I started umpiring.
“My next target is to continue to work hard, make good decisions and justify my inclusion,” Dharmasena said after his selection in the elite panel of umpires.
Kettleborough youngest on list
Kettleborough, meanwhile, has now become the youngest umpire on the panel by virtue of the promotion.
The Yorkshireman played 33 first-class matches from 1994 to 1999 for Middlesex and Yorkshire in the English County Championship before he was included in the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) panel of umpires in 2006.
Kettleborough made his international umpiring debut when he stood in a T20 international between England and Australia at Old Trafford in 2009. Till date, he has officiated in two Tests, 16 ODIs and two T20Is.
Like Dharmasena, Kettleborough was also in the panel of 18 umpires for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.
“I am delighted to have been chosen for the elite panel and I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead,” the Englishman said.
The ICC Umpires Selection Panel consists of Richardson, ICC chief match referee Ranjan Madugalle, ex-England player, coach and former first-class umpire David Lloyd and former India captain and international umpire S Venkataraghavan.
Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires (2011-12): Billy Bowden, Aleem Dar, Steve Davis, Kumar Dharmasena, Billy Doctrove, Marais Erasmus, Ian Gould, Tony Hill, Richard Kettleborough, Asad Rauf, Simon Taufel, Rod Tucker.

Harper, de Silva removed from Elite Panel

	Asoka de Silva and Daryl Harper have been removed from the ICC's Elite Panel of umpires © AFP

Kumar Dharmasena and Richard Kettleborough have been promoted to the Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, replacing Daryl Harper and Asoka de Silva. Dharmasena and Kettleborough, who had been serving on the International Panel of ICC Umpires, were chosen by the ICC Umpires Selection Panel as part of their annual review and selection process.

Harper and de Silva, both of whom have controversial umpiring histories and, it would seem, particular troubles with the Decision Review System, have come in for some criticism over their decisions in recent times, in the light of which their demotions are hardly surprising.

Harper was one of the umpires to officiate on England's trip to the Caribbean during the trialling stages of the DRS in early 2009 and soon ran into strife. His problems came to a head during England's South Africa tour the following winter when, as third umpire, he failed to turn up the volume on his television set and thus incorrectly ruled Graeme Smith not out.

The embarrassing error led Andy Flower, the England coach, to make an official complaint to Roshan Mahanama, the ICC match referee, and a couple of months later Harper was left out of the World Twenty20 in West Indies, reportedly for "general performance reasons".

De Silva's most recent, and controversial, gaffe came during the World Cup in India when he gave Ireland's Gary Wilson out despite replays showing the batsman had offered a shot to a delivery that replays clearly indicated had hit him outside the line. The decision came in for some intense criticism, particularly from Ireland captain Will Porterfield, and it was decided that de Silva would not officiate in a couple of key group games that he was originally marked for. At the time, he was the only umpire among the 18 deployed whose success percentage in reviewed decisions was less than 50% during the tournament.

As it is the prerogative of the relevant home boards to nominate replacements on the international panel, de Silva could well move to fill the vacancy left by Dharmasena's promotion as the decision would rest with Sri Lanka Cricket. Harper's situation is a touch more uncertain. His existing contract expires in July and as it will be the England and Wales Cricket Board, rather than Cricket Australia, nominating a replacement for Kettleborough, Harper could well be out of a job.

At 38, Kettleborough is now the youngest umpire on the Elite panel. The Yorkshireman played 33 first-class matches from 1994 to 1999 for Middlesex and Yorkshire before he was included in the ECB panel of umpires in 2006. He made his international umpiring debut in the Twenty20 between England and Australia at Old Trafford in 2009 and to date has umpired in two Tests, 16 ODIs and two international Twenty20s. Like Dharmasena, Kettleborough was also in the panel of 18 umpires for the World Cup earlier this year.

The 40-year-old Dharmasena made his international umpiring debut in 2009 and has since umpired in two Tests, 25 ODIs and three T20Is. As a cricketer, he played 31 Tests and 141 ODIs for Sri Lanka between 1993 and 2004 and was part of Sri Lanka's World Cup-winning squad in 1996.

"I am honoured and delighted to have been selected," Dharmasena said. "To umpire alongside the most respected names in this noble profession and be included on the elite panel is something I wanted to achieve ever since I started umpiring. My next target is to continue to work hard, make good decisions and justify my inclusion."

"Their promotions are a result of hard work and impressive performances and will act as an inspiration to other umpires," added Dave Richardson, ICC's general manager - cricket and convener of selection panel.

Elite Panel of ICC Umpires: Billy Bowden, Aleem Dar, Steve Davis, Kumar Dharmasena, Billy Doctrove, Marais Erasmus, Ian Gould, Tony Hill, Richard Kettleborough, Asad Rauf, Simon Taufel, Rod Tucker