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Shreyas Iyer and Ankit Bawne helped India A recover from a precarious position in their chase of 270 but their efforts eventually fell short

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Oct-2017Shreyas Iyer fell ten short of a ninth List-A hundred•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

A sensational hundred from Glenn Phillips took New Zealand A to 269 for 6, but his efforts were so well matched by half-centuries from India A’s Shreyas Iyer and Ankit Bawne that the second unofficial ODI between the two teams in Visakhapatnam ended in a tie.Such a dramatic finish had seemed rather unlikely considering that at one point, India A were 84 for 5. Scott Kuggeleijn (3 for 56) and Todd Astle (4 for 22) had run through the top order to have New Zealand A dreaming about their first victory on the tour. But Iyer, the captain, and Bawne, coming in at No. 7, strung together a partnership of 126 runs in only 104 balls to enliven the game.With 60 needed off the last 10 overs, however, Astle and Kuggeleijn combined to dismiss Iyer for 90 off 73 balls and then claimed three further wickets to set up a tantalising situation – 11 runs to get, six balls to go, one wicket in hand. Bawne, though, was still batting, and together with Siddharth Kaul, was able to bring India A level with New Zealand A in a rain-hit game.The weather in Visakhapatnam had forced this game, which was originally scheduled to be played on October 8, down to a 42-overs-a-side contest. And Phillips, coming in at No. 3, began dominating it with an array of shots. He racked up 15 fours and four sixes at a strike-rate of 107, a timely innings considering the New Zealand management had said six players from the A team would be brought on board for the limited-overs series against India starting on October 22.

Luis Reece left his mark on his former county with a T20 best unbeaten 97 from 55 balls as Derbyshire beat Lancashire by 35 runs in the NatWest Blast game at Derby

ECB Reporters Network25-Jul-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Luis Reece made his best score in T20 of 97 not out•Getty Images

Luis Reece left his mark on his former county with a T20 best unbeaten 97 from 55 balls as Derbyshire beat Lancashire by 35 runs in the NatWest Blast game at Derby.Reece hit 10 fours and four sixes and with Daryn Smit who made 42 from 20 balls added 77 in seven overs to take Derbyshire to an imposing 211 for 5. Liam Livingstone threatened to chase that down by smashing five sixes in an 18-ball 44 and Karl Brown made 41 but the Derbyshire bowlers hit back to end a run of two defeats in the North Group as Lancashire finished well short on 176 for 9.The visitors had elected to bowl first but Reece struck the ball cleanly from the start, driving Ryan McLaren straight for six and pulling him for four as 59 came from the first five overs.Reece dispatched Jordan Clark over the midwicket boundary and drove Matt Parkinson for a third six before Stephen Parry removed the dangerous Wayne Madsen who missed a reverse sweep in the ninth over.Derbyshire were well placed at 103 for 3 at the halfway point of the innings and although Gary Wilson was stumped charging at Parry, Reece drove Parkinson for his fourth six after reaching 50 from 26 balls. Arron Lilley also had Alex Hughes stumped in the 14th over but Lancashire’s bowlers could not exert any sustained pressure and Smit joined Reece to take Derbyshire past 200.Both batsmen improvised well with Smit plundering three consecutive fours from Junaid Khan as 62 came from the last six overs to leave Lancashire facing a tough chase under the lights.Livingstone moved into overdrive from the off, pulling and cutting Matt Henry for three sixes and two fours in the second over which cost 26 and he clubbed Hardus Viljoen over the ropes at midwicket from the last ball of the third.Imran Tahir was driven for a fifth six but Madsen’s offspin ended the onslaught when Livingstone skied a drive to long on where Hughes took a well judged catch. Brown picked up the baton by pulling Madsen and Tahir for sixes before he played on to Matt Critchley and the legspinner Derbyshire hopes soaring in his next over when Jos Butler failed to clear long off.Dane Vilas was run out when he was stranded at the same end as Lilley who kept Lancashire believing by driving Tahir for six but after Steven Croft drilled the South African high over the long-off boundary, Henry returned to york him.When Lilley drove Ben Cotton to cover in the next over, Lancashire were fading fast and Derbyshire comfortably closed out the game.

علق إسماعيل يوسف، لاعب ومدرب الزمالك السابق، على رحيل البرتغالي جوزيه جوميز، عن تدريب القلعة البيضاء بشكل مفاجئ خلال الأيام الماضية.

وكان جوميز أخطر إدارة الزمالك بالرحيل قبل نهاية عقده، من أجل أن يتولى تدريب فريق الفتح السعودي.

طالع | جوميز: تركت 40 مليون مشجع لـ الزمالك من أجل الفتح.. وأنا الطرف الذي يفسخ العقود دائمًا

وقال يوسف خلال تصريحات عبر قناة “إم بي سي مصر 2” لبرنامج “الكورة مع فايق”: “جوميز كان منذ فترة لا يعمل، سيرة ذاتية لم تليق بالزمالك، وبعدما عمل مع الفريق، استطاع أن يكبر اسمه”.

وأضاف: “جوميز من حقه دفع الشرط الجزائي والرحيل عن الزمالك، هو ليس ابن من أبناء القلعة البيضاء، ونادي الزمالك كبير ومجلس الإدارة حسنًا فعل وتعاقد مع مدير فني أكبر وهو السويسري كريستيان جروس”.

وواصل: “أتمنى له التوفيق ولكن لم يعجبني ما قاله، عملت لمدة 13 سنة مع نادي الزمالك ولكن لم أعمل بعقود لأن الزمالك بيتي، نادي الزمالك لا يأكل أموال على أحد، شرف كبير أننا نعمل في نادي الزمالك”.

وأكمل: “لا أحد يلوم أحمد مجدي أنه قرر الرحيل مع جوميز ولكن اللوم عليه تصريحه الذي قاله إنه لا يشعر بأمان”.

طالع | “لم أبيع النادي”.. أحمد مجدي يكشف سبب موافقته على الرحيل مع جوميز عن الزمالك

وأتم: “أعجبني نادي الزمالك أنه ذهب للتعاقد مع مدير فني أجنبي”.

A century stand from Yorkshire’s newly minted opening partnership began the long climb in pursuit of Surrey’s first-innings 592

Alan Gardner at The Kia Oval13-Sep-20171:36

The latest shifts of fortune encapsulated in our Specsavers Championship round-up

An autumnal chill blew through The Oval, even as the sun shone and the pitch played true. There are things still to be decided in the Championship but they will be decided in their own good time. As Somerset’s rally continued in the west country, Yorkshire fans may have begun to study the table in a little more detail – though they could take some solace from a century stand from their newly minted opening partnership as they began the long climb in pursuit of Surrey’s first-innings 592.It was May 2012 when Yorkshire last began an innings without one of Adam Lyth or Alex Lees taking guard (Joe Root and Joe Sayers, for the record). With Lees having dropped down to No. 3 in Yorkshire’s last outing and Lyth absent here due to the birth of his daughter, Tom Kohler-Cadmore was given the chance to step in alongside the experienced Australian Shaun Marsh. He duly compiled his first Championship half-century for Yorkshire since moving from Worcestershire in mid-summer.Kohler-Cadmore has already built a reputation as a buccaneering white-ball batsman but this was a different kind of test, one centring on how hard he could concentrate rather than how hard he can hit. Yorkshire must mount a substantial response if they are to avoid being dropped into the bottom two at the end of this round (Uxbridge’s poor drainage may also help in that regard) and a partnership of 162 between Kohler-Cadmore and Marsh provided something to keep out the cold.Although this was Kohler-Cadmore’s first innings as an opener in first-class cricket, it is a position he views himself as ready to fill. His only regret was in not being able to go out again and continue in the morning, after “slashing at a wide one” and being caught at point five overs from the close. “It’s something that I want to do and I’ve been lucky enough to get the opportunity this week, with Adam having his baby girl,” he said. “So it was nice to get the nod and put a good stand on with Shaun.”I think a lot of people look at your red-ball stuff because they see white ball as kind of, well, the way I play, you come off or not. Whereas red ball, you have to really work hard, you can’t go out and try and hit every ball for four – though I’d like to. It’s about building your innings and setting up the game, which for us was getting to the close with as few wickets down as possible.”With England’s national selector, James Whitaker, watching on, it was a timely display of patience and technique from Kohler-Cadmore. There are a plethora of England squads to pick these days, including the Lions and Performance Programme, and Whitaker may have made a note in his black book. He would doubtless have enjoyed the performance of another young England candidate in the morning, too, as Ben Foakes recorded his first Championship hundred of the season.Kumar Sangakkara returned to inflict more pain•Getty Images

Foakes has been tipped as the likely understudy for Jonny Bairstow in England’s Ashes party and, with a first-class average above 40, he could also provide competition for a batting spot. A princely straight drive in the morning welcomed Tim Bresnan into the attack and he went on to complete a century that was both unobtrusive – a good quality for a wicketkeeper – and fluent, slipstreaming the outgoing great, Kumar Sangakkara, as Surrey piled up the runs.Being unobtrusive is more straightforward when Sangakkara is batting at the other end, of course. This was the seventh hundred of what is to be his final first-class season, as he popped back in from a few weeks at the Caribbean Premier League (where he was the second-leading scorer) to resume filling his Championship boots.For Surrey, the summer of Sanga has been both richly rewarding and slightly underwhelming. When they beat Warwickshire by an innings in the first round of the Championship (Sangakkara contributing a modest 71), Surrey were touted as potential champions. They have not won a four-day game since.That is reflective of Surrey’s bowling, more than anything else. Their two leading wicket-takers – Tom Curran (away with England) and Mark Footitt (who left in mid-season for Notts) – are not playing here and, as this match has so far showed, The Oval can produce surfaces that swiftly reduces an attack to a defence. This will be their tenth draw if they cannot convert scoreboard pressure into the currency of 20 wickets.Sangakkara, in his final first-class season, has done everything possible to leave Surrey fans wanting more. Yorkshire will probably be pleased to see the back of him, however. In three innings against them this season, Sangakkara has made scores of 121, 180 not out and 164. Those innings have come while facing three different coloured projectiles: pink, white and red. Yorkshire do not like to hand over candy so readily.His stand with Foakes yielded 258 as Yorkshire’s bowling creaked – at least until Jack Brooks produced some welcome zip during a four-wicket spell. That and the youthful promise of Kohler-Cadmore’s 78 just about kept the visitors from seizing up.It is barely 12 months since Yorkshire were battling out for a third title in succession, a three-way tug-of-war that also featured Middlesex and Somerset. Those three teams are now locked in a battle to avoid joining Warwickshire (most likely) in relegation to Division Two. Winter is coming for someone.

The Hyderabad captain was involved in an argument with the umpires following his side’s match against Karnataka in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy earlier this month, after their target had been revised mid-innings

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jan-2018

Hyderabad captain Ambati Rayudu has been suspended for the two games in the Vijay Hazare 50-overs tournament after he was found to be guilty of breaching the BCCI code of conduct during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.Rayudu was involved in an argument with the umpires during the Hyderabad-Karnataka match earlier this month after two runs were added to Karnataka’s total at the end of their innings due to a revised boundary call. With Hyderabad eventually falling two runs short in their chase, the team, under Rayudu, stayed back in the middle and urged the umpires to commence the Super Over. Their contention was that they were batting with the target of 204 in mind, before two more runs were added to revise it to 206. The ensuing agreement about the Super Over delayed the start of the next game between Kerala and Andhra. That match was eventually shortened to 13-overs-a side due to the delay.Since Rayudu admitted to the charge levelled by the on-field umpires Abhijit Deshmukh, Ulhas Vithalrao Gandhe and third umpire Anil Dandekar, and accepted the sanction, there was no need for a formal hearing. He had said at the time that his intention wasn’t to delay the start of the next game. “There was some confusion in the middle at the start of our innings,” Rayudu had told reporters after the match. “What I went and told the umpire was ‘sir you cannot change the score, we are batting for 204 as our target’. That is exactly what I told him and he told me ‘we’ll see it at the end, let the match start’. [Karnataka captain] Vinay Kumar had stopped for nine minutes before the second innings. They had no business to stop the match once the target was declared. Then what we said was we were playing for 204, and that was my exact words.”At the end, we went and asked to start the Super Over. That is exactly our point of contention. We never even thought of stopping the second match. That has got nothing to do with us. We were saying that our match was not complete, we still have to play the Super Over. That is exactly why we went to the middle, we were actually going to warm-up then.”The BCCI is also looking into the role of the Hyderabad team manager in the incident.Rayudu has faced code-of-conduct issues previously. In the 2012 edition of the IPL, he was fined 100% of his match fee for using abusive, obscene language towards Harshal Patel of Royal Challengers Bangalore. He was also involved in a tiff with Mumbai Indians team-mate Harbhajan Singh in 2016.

The quick said he was fortunate to be working in concert with the rest of the NSW attack during his twin hat-tricks, and deflected the spotlight onto Josh Hazlewood for his six wickets on return from a side strain

Daniel Brettig13-Nov-2017Mitchell Starc believes he can bowl far better than he showed in taking a hat-trick in each innings for New South Wales against Western Australia, and pointed to Josh Hazlewood’s outstanding rhythm in the same match as the ideal counterpoint to the all-out pace he and Pat Cummins wish to deliver against England.The hat-trick double was the first time the feat had ever been achieved in a first-class match in Australia, and the first time by anyone around the world since 1978. However, Starc, who has a handsome record of dismantling the opposition tail with swerving yorkers delivered from around the wicket, said he was mainly fortunate to be working in concert with the rest of the attack, and singled out Hazlewood for his six-wicket return to the game after a side strain.”He was spot on, straight back into his Test form after one over of Shield cricket,” Starc said in Brisbane. “Credit to him, he’s a bloody genius of line and length, and it allows Pat and I who are more aggressive to come from the other end and really unleash and bowl as quick as we want and attack. He takes wickets his own way, line and length, and allows Pat and I to try to take wickets our way, attack the stumps and try and blast teams out and really intimidate. We complement each other really well and Jacko [Bird] is a bit like that role as well. We’ve got two of each and all have their different roles.”I think I was just used at the right times [for the hat-tricks]. I cleaned up the tail against WA so I put a couple of balls in the right area but Josh blasted out the top order and Patty bowled well through the middle as well. So I think we bowled really well as a group against WA, Nathan Lyon as well on a small ground. Personally, I’ve enjoyed having that time to let the body heal properly, then find some real good rhythm and form in the Sheffield Shield. Hopefully, it just builds up to that first Test.”Hazlewood, Starc, Cummins and Bird all bowled in the nets at Allan Border Field on Monday as the Shield game between New South Wales and Queensland took place. In assessing Australia’s likely approach for the Gabba Test, Starc emphasised the need to find the right length for the conditions, the better to challenge the outside edge of England’s top order.Mitchell Starc celebrates after bagging a three-for•Getty Images

“For us it’s just about getting our lengths right, it’s a great ground for the Australian team in terms of our record and bowlers and batters in the Australian setup play the Gabba conditions really well,” he said. “We haven’t seen the deck yet and we’ll assess that once the team come together and see the conditions.”But it’s a very good cricket wicket, bad bowling gets punished, patient batting is rewarded. We’ll see what we’ve got but the bowling group have adjusted to different conditions around Australia quite well. There’s been so much hype around it, the hype will get bigger and bigger as the week goes on and once the team gets announced and the squad come together on Saturday. Everyone will be raring to go and look to peak at training.”Reflecting on the history of Australia’s likely pace bowling attack for the Gabba, Starc said there was an opportunity for the group to do something “special” together in much the same way as Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle combined in 2013-14. “We’ve all grown up and come through the ranks together, Birdy’s obviously from NSW as well, playing for Tassie [Tasmania] at the moment, but we all know each other off the field as well and spend time around each other,” he said. “It’s no secret the fast bowlers are a tight unit. Hopefully, that holds us in good stead in this series.”We’re all still relatively young and got a few years ahead so hopefully we can play some really good cricket and do something special over the next few years.”It’s exciting for [Cummins] ahead of his first home Test match. He’s in a great spot, been bowling really well the last six to 12 months, he’s raring to go, he’s up and about the young fella, keeping us older guys down to earth, but it’s great to see him back, bowling fast and aggressive. Looking forward to seeing what he can do at the Gabba.”

An unconvincing South Africa survived a spirited Afghanistan chase to defend a 200-plus score and get their World Twenty20 campaign back on track

The Report by Firdose Moonda20-Mar-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details 4:07

Chappell: South Africa have a few bowling concerns

An unconvincing South Africa survived a spirited Afghanistan chase to defend a 200-plus score and get their World Twenty20 campaign back on track. In the absence of Dale Steyn, who was left out for tactical reasons, Chris Morris and Imran Tahir squeezed through the middle period to ensure AB de Villiers’ quickfire 64 was not in vain.Afghanistan’s second loss means their chances of progressing to the knockouts are all but over, but they have showed their promise. They kept up with the required run-rate for the first half of their innings and were ahead of where South Africa were at the same stage in their knock, but lost too many wickets to keep going. Afghanistan also did not have a 17th over like South Africa did; de Villiers took 29 runs off Rashid Khan, which ended up being the major difference between the two sides.In the end, South Africa will be relieved that they were able to defend their total, but disappointed that the margin of victory was not bigger. They tightened up on their discipline in the field but still gave away more extras than their opposition – six wides compared to two from Afghanistan – and did not show the kind of killer instinct that they will need later in the tournament.They also suffered an injury concern. JP Duminy left the field four balls into Afghanistan’s chase with a hamstring strain and was unable to take any further part in the match. Duminy has only just found form again and his availability will be important for the rest of the World T20.As the same venue where they posted 229 batting first on Friday night, South Africa chose to set a target again. Quinton de Kock picked up from where he left off two days ago and dominated the opening passages of play. De Kock faced all but one delivery in the first two overs and found the boundary five times. Hashim Amla may have wanted to catch up but after one four, gifted a catch to Asghar Stanikzai at mid-off.South Africa held de Villiers back and sent in Faf du Plessis at No.3. The strategy worked. Du Plessis took on the spin from Mohammad Nabi while de Kock continued to attack in the Powerplay. South Africa finished it on 66 for 1 and 60 of those runs came in boundaries.When the fielding restrictions were lifted, Rashid put the brakes on with the first boundary-less over of the innings, but du Plessis did not want things to slow down too much. He picked up the pace before being run-out and de Villiers was soon at the crease.Afghanistan were not under threat immediately while de Villiers settled in and de Kock nicked off. After conceding just 19 runs in three overs after the halfway stage of the South African innings, Afghanistan might have been hopeful of pulling South Africa even further back. But Duminy and de Villiers were wise to the need to accelerate and began to push for runs.De Villiers should have been caught for 27 when he offered Samiullah Shenwari a return catch but he could not hold on his follow through and Rashid suffered most. He was torn apart in his final over, when de Villiers went over midwicket and down the ground five times. The result? Six, four, six, six and six. South Africa’s total went meandering to mighty and 200-plus was within sight. It was up to David Miller to take them there after de Villiers was dismissed. Twenty runs off the final over ensured South Africa had a second straight 200-plus score.South Africa would have felt fairly safe with 209 on the board, especially as Afghanistan two previous scores over 210 were only achieved batting first, but Mohammad Shahzad threatened to gun down that total all by himself. He began fearlessly against Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Abbott and plundered 32 runs off the first two overs. His partner Noor Ali Zadran did not face a ball until the third over and then, it was only to return the strike to Shahzad.Morris was brought on in the fourth over and showed improvement from previous performances. He started by holding his length back but then steamed in with a delivery just under 150kph – full and straightening – which splayed Shahzad’s stumps.Asghar Stanikzai and was caught behind in Morris’ next over but Gulbadin Naib kept Afghanistan in it and targeted David Wiese, South Africa’s replacement for Steyn. Afghanistan reached 10 overs on 103 for 2, 11 runs ahead of where South Africa were at the same stage. Then, Gulbadin was caught behind, Noor Ali was stumped, and Afghanistan were wobbling, still needing 100 runs off eight overs. Their chase was over then and South Africa had the chance to drill home an advantage.Instead, they allowed Afghanistan to drag it out. Abbott and Morris got the yorker right more often than they did in previous matches and Rabada managed one at the end, but South Africa will not feel it was a complete performance by any means.

Rejuvenating the Edgbaston academy is a prime target as an old favourite returns to Birmingham

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Nov-2017

Graeme Welch is rejoining Warwickshire as bowling coach after losing out on the same role with England to Essex’s Chris Silverwood.Welch served as bowling coach at Edgbaston for four years from January 2010, during which time the club won the County Championship title in 2012 and the Clydesdale Bank 40 in 2010.He left the club in 2014 to take up a role as elite performance director at Derbyshire but when that did not work out he subsequently moved to Leicestershire as assistant coach in September 2016 only for them to finish bottom of Division Two in the Championship.Welch’s reputation as a bowling coach remains unblemished, however, and Warwickshire were quick to hail his return as the next step in a coaching reshuffle that saw Alan Richardson released from the role last month.Ashley Giles, sport director at Warwickshire, said: “Graeme Welch is an outstanding bowling coach who was part of an excellent coaching team that delivered trophies at Edgbaston.”In our view he is one of the very best bowling coaches in the game and it came as no surprise to us when he was recently connected with the position of England bowling coach.”We are delighted that he has chosen to return to Edgbaston where he will not only be responsible for getting the first team back to winning ways but also building a bowling academy equipped to develop a new generation of bowlers, from all backgrounds, capable of delivering continued success in all formats for Warwickshire and the Birmingham Bears.”Welch said: “I have enjoyed my time at Leicestershire, but the chance to return to Edgbaston was one I could not turn down. I have been lucky enough to be part of successful Bears teams in the past as both player and coach and am very excited by the challenge of building a bowling academy which will bring success to the club on a sustained basis.”Leicestershire responded quickly to fill the vacancy, appointing John Sadler, who initially rejoined them as Second XI Coach last winter before taking charge of first team affairs alongside Graeme Welch for the final three matches of the 2017 season. Sadler and Paul Nixon, Leicestershire’s new coach, played in the same Foxes side and were both key members of the team that in the early years had the most successful record in the country.

علّق جمال حمزة، نجم الزمالك السابق، على وضع نجم الفريق أحمد سيد زيزو ومفاوضات تجديد عقده، بالإضافة إلى غضب جماهير الأهلي وهتافهم ضد اللاعبين قبل مباراة شباب بلوزداد في دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

وقال جمال حمزة في تصريحات لبرنامج “لعبة والتانية”، عبر إذاعة “ميجا إف إم”: “أتمنى أن يُجدد زيزو مع الزمالك، لكن الوضع الحالي غير مُطمئن”.

وبسؤاله عن غضب جماهير الأهلي وهتافهم ضد اللاعبين قبل مباراة شباب بلوزداد بدوري أبطال إفريقيا، قال : “مشهد غير لطيف، لا أرى أن الوضع ومكاسب الأهلي والجهاز الفني واللاعبين والإدارة تحتاج هذا الكم من الهجوم، النقد أمر طبيعي، لكن للأسف نحن وصلنا لمرحلة من التجريح”.

طالع أيضًا | شادي محمد عن واقعة لاعبي الأهلي مع الجماهير: حُزنهم “مضاعف”.. ولن يقتنعوا بأي مبررات

وأضاف: “أرى إن العلاقة مع الجمهور تأثرت لأن الجمهور ظل فترة طويلة بعيدًا عن المدرجات، ولم يكن يفرغ شحنة الغضب، الآن ينتظرون المباريات لتفريغ تلك الشحنة، وهذا غير صحيح، لأن الفريق يحتاج إلى المساندة والدعم في المباريات وليس التجريح”.

واختتم: “أرى أن جمهور الأهلي زاد في رد فعله، خاصة أن الأهلي يسير بشكل جيد، وليس مطلوبًا من الفريق أن يفوز بأي بطولة يشارك فيها، لأن هذا ليس في كرة القدم، الطبيعي سواء الأهلي أو الزمالك عندما يشاركان في أي بطولة يُنافسان عليها، لكن لا أفهم من الذي زرع فكرة إن الفريق الأحمر لا بد أن يفوز بكل البطولات وإلا تحدث كارثة”.

يذكر، أن الأهلي فاز على شباب بلوزداد بسداسية مُقابل هدف، في المباراة التي جمعت الفريقين على ملعب استاد القاهرة، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة من دور المجموعات لدوري أبطال إفريقيا.

The former India captain, who is part of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators to oversee the BCCI, believes certain members of the board have not been pleased with the recent success of the women’s team

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Aug-2017

The BCCI is a “male chauvinist organisation” that continues to look down upon women’s cricket in India, according to former India captain Diana Edulji. Speaking at a private event, Edulji, who is part of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators that oversees the BCCI, also claimed that certain members within the board were not pleased by the impressive performances of the team at the recent Women’s World Cup in England.”I’ve always been a BCCI basher, right from the day women’s cricket came into the BCCI fold in 2006,” Edulji said, at an event organised by the Indian Express Group. “BCCI is a very male chauvinist organisation. They never wanted women to dictate terms or get into this thing. I was very vocal right from my playing days, from when I started. Even now, I would still say that it is not yet well accepted within BCCI that women’s cricket is doing well. It is very difficult for them (some BCCI members) to accept the fact that this team has done very well.””[In 2011], When Mr [N] Srinivasan became president, I would like to say that I went to congratulate him at the Wankhede Stadium. He said, ‘If I had my way, I wouldn’t let women’s cricket happen’.”India’s success at the Women’s World Cup, where they lost a tense final to England, will spur more interest and development in women’s cricket, according to the team’s batting sensation Harmanpreet Kaur, whose 171* in the semi-final against Australia propelled India into the final.”When I was young I would have to beg the girls to play with me so that we could form a team of 11 players. Eventually, I would have to gather girls who were good at other sports,” Harmanpreet said. “When I started, there wasn’t a single academy in Moga (Kaur’s hometown). My coach started one just for me. Now, there are three exclusively for women.”Kaur also expressed her enthusiasm for a women’s IPL in the near future, an idea that has been doing the rounds after India’s recent performances. “I hope we don’t end up saying many years later that ‘we also used to hit sixes during our time,'” she said. “So, I feel if IPL starts now, then it’s great.”