ICC releases corruption findings for outside UK only

Cricket`s governing body on Wednesday released its findings from a corruption investigation which resulted in three Pakistan players being banned at the weekend for five years.

The document detailing an independent tribunal`s deliberations was not available in Britain because of forthcoming criminal charges faced there by former captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Amir
The trio are accused of fixing parts of matches in a Test match against England last August.

An International Cricket Council (ICC) statement quoted chief Haroon Lorgat saying: "It is the ICC`s intention to be as transparent an organisation as is feasible and to publish all its reports and findings for the benefit of stakeholders."

Can Yusuf change India's game at No. 7?

The Pathan household at Baroda no longer lives in the gloom surrounding Irfan's ouster from Team India as the elder son Yusuf has taken charge and is ready to slog it out for India in the World Cup.

The new year has brought only good news for them. While the family got richer by around Rs. 18 crore by way of the brothers' IPL signings, Yusuf got the nod in India's 15-man World Cup squad.
Now that he is in the team, the 'Baroda marauder' has taken on the mantle at that crucial No. 7 spot that has for long been the Achilles' heel for Team India.

While No. 7 is many different things to many different people - seven Wonders, seven Seas, seven continents, seven swaras in Indian music - it remains a pivotal batting position in the game of cricket.

The player who comes in at this number can be seen as a real game changer. He is the one who makes a difference of that crucial 20-30 runs in the slog overs and if wickets fall early, he has to carry the team to bat out the complete quota of 50 overs.

Less than a fortnight is left to the start of the most-awaited ICC event - the World Cup - that No. 7 can be crucial for all the teams. So let's take a look at a few classy players who bat at this position and how they can turn a match on its head.

Decision to ban trio will act as deterrent: ICC

The International Cricket Council on Sunday asserted that the ban imposed on the tainted Pakistani trio in the spot-fixing scandal were based on solid proof and hoped it would act as deterrent for those who dare to tarnish the image of the game in future.

Commending the decision to hand lengthy bans to Salman Butt, Mohd. Asif and Mohd. Amir, ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat said that corruption in cricket will not be tolerated and the independent tribunal sent down a strong message through its decision in Doha yesterday.

“I am satisfied that the proceedings are now over and we respect the findings of the independent tribunal. The members of this tribunal are extremely experienced and have considered the matter at great length after hearing detailed submissions from all parties,” Lorgat said in a statement.

Ryder scores century as New Zealand post 311

Jesse Ryder flicked, stroked and bludgeoned his way to his second one-day international century to anchor New Zealand`s 311 for seven in the sixth and final match against Pakistan at Eden Park on Saturday.

Scott Styris and Nathan McCullum also scored half centuries to give New Zealand`s bowlers a chance to defend on a good batting wicket with short boundaries.

Ryder, who was struggling with a leg injury and needed a runner for the latter part of his innings, blazed his way to his first 50 runs off 34 balls before the Pakistani bowlers restricted New Zealand through the middle overs.

The 26-year-old Ryder still managed to bring up his century off 82 balls with a flick off his hip to fine leg for his seventh boundary. He also smashed six sixes into the stands.

IPL shuts door on Ganguly, bans Pandey for 4 matches

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly will not be part of IPL-4 starting on April 8 and Karnataka batsman Manish Pandey cannot play the first four matches for his new franchise Sahara Pune Warriors for breaching player guidelines, the league`s Governing Council said on Friday.

IPL`s Governing Council stalled what could have been a back-door entry for Ganguly after he was left unsold at the players` auction in Bangalore at a base price of USD

Based on the views from Franchisees, IPL Governing Council decided not to make available the unsold Indian Players from the auction," said a release from Cricket Board`s secretary N Srinivasan who is a member of the GC as an office bearer of the Board.

Players can be thrown out of WC ICC

The International Cricket Council has cracked the whip on players indulging knowingly or unknowingly in ambush marketing, by threatening to throw them out of the World Cup starting in Dhaka on February 19.

"Any squad member that knowingly or unknowingly breaches the squad terms may face sanctions ranging from financial penalties through to being excluded from continued participation in the event," ICC's legal head David Becker said in a memo to all international players and cricket boards regarding guidelines for endorsements and commercials around the World Cup.

Interestingly, the memo went out on October 26 last year, but the Indian players seem to have just woken up to this threat, with four of them - including Sachin Tendulkar - having sought a meeting apparently to discuss the matter with BCCI president Shashank Manohar here on Friday.

Tendulkar, with teammates Ashish Nehra, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh in tow, met the BCCI chief ahead of the Indian Premier League's Governing Council meeting, it was learnt.

An IPL franchise source told PTI that the meeting was sought by the players because the restrictions imposed by ICC on brand endorsements would begin seven days prior to the start of the World Cup and end only when a team goes out.

"At all times squad members may not allow their name, likeness or image to be used by any third party in any advertising or endorsement (or for any commercial purpose) in such a way that gives rise to a direct or implied association with the event (the World Cup)," said Becker in his memo.

"During the period of seven days prior to the first match of the event and the departure date of the team, squad members may not allow their name, likeness or image to be used by any third party in any advertising or endorsement (or for any other commercial purpose) wearing team kit, team uniform or practise kit (or anyother clothing confusingly similar thereto)," the ICC memo to players said.

"Squad members may not display the branding, marks or insignia of any third party (apart from an approved kit manufacturer, team Sponsor or team logo) while on the field of play," the memo said.

But the ICC has allowed squad members to appear in an advertisement or an endorsement during the mega-event if they wear cricket whites or "any other casual formal or leisure wear", provided they don't appear in the national colours of their team and there is no direct association with the World Cup or usage of logos of the ICC or the tournament.