"They've (Worcestershire) struggled in the second half of the season when he was supposed to be away with Pakistan (in stead of being banned for his bent arm). I don't want to sound like we're being bitter, but I do believe we should have gone up this year." Sorry Paul it does sound like you're a tad bitter, again!
03 October 2014
JD Birch in the news...
Ex-professional cricketer John Birch was told by a judge he made a "monumental mistake" when he grew 37 cannabis plants in his home.
The 59-year-old, a former manager at Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club, has been sentenced for producing the Class B drug and bypassing electricity.
Nottingham Crown Court heard Birch, of Commonside, Selston, bought £2,000 worth of equipment from a man, who he has not named, in a pub and grew the plants from seed.
Despite not being a cannabis user himself or claiming not to know anyone who sold cannabis, he grew the plants and intended to sell them.
Judge James Sampson gave the disgraced sports star a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, and 300 hours unpaid community work.
And he said: "John Birch, this is a sad day for a person who is distinguished in all other aspects of his life. You made a monumental mistake.
"I am prepared to accept you are 59, with no previous convictions, and were a professional cricketer and devoted your life to that sport, and people speak highly of you."
Birch had "played a leading role" in setting up the cannabis grow and extracted electricity, added the judge.
"You intended to sell it and were frank about that to police. After a trial, the sentence would have been three-and-a-half years.
"You are of positive good character.
"You entered a plea at the first opportunity and I give you credit for that."
The judge warned that if Birch re-offended he was at risk of going to prison.
"You can count yourself very lucky indeed given the prevalence of this particular crime in this county."
Birch's cannabis crop was discovered when police turned up with a search warrant at the house he had been living at for four weeks, in Eastwood.
They forced entry and discovered the cannabis growing in an upstairs bedroom, said prosecutor Martin Hurst.
Birch returned to the house during the police search and was arrested.
He later told officers he had grown the plants from seed.
Birch, wearing a suit and looking unshaven in court, only confirmed his name during the short sentencing hearing, and declined to comment to the Post afterwards.
His barrister, Steven Gosnell, handed references up to the judge.
Mr Gosnell did not expand on his mitigation when the judge indicated he would not be sending his client to prison.
Judge Sampson told him: "He's made a monumental mistake on an otherwise unblemished character and I pass the maximum custodial sentence." Nottingham Post
Saeed Ajmal banned this time!
09/09/14
After bio-mechanical testing Saeed Ajmal has been banned from bowling for having excessive inclination in arm during all of his deliveries by the Brisbane approved facility which on a previous occasion cleared Ajmal during testing recently.
The Pakistan board are pondering the decision and contemplating a response / appeal.
"The ICC has stopped me from bowling because my elbow is bending beyond the 15 degrees allowed and I know I can correct that," Ajmal said.
Other recent chuckers called to account:
Shane Shillingford (West Indies)
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Suspended in December 2013. Cleared to return in March
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Sachithra Senanayake (Sri Lanka)
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Suspended in July
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Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
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Suspended in July
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Prosper Utseya (Zimbabwe)
|
Reported in August
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Sohag Gazi (Bangladesh)
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Reported in August
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How many more times before....
Pakistan offspinner Saeed Ajmal has been reported for a suspect bowling action, following the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.Ajmal has 21 days to get himself tested bio mechanically.
Ajmal was at the centre of a controversy only in May this year when England's Stuart Broad appeared to question the legality of the spin bowler's action. According to Ajmal, a tweet from Broad had seemed to suggest that the action he used on the field was different from the one he employed while testing.
If independent match officials repeatedly believe Ajmal's action for "certain deliveries" is suspect, but when tested in a laboratory Ajmal manages to jump through all the hoops presented; perhaps those "certain deliveries" aren't being replicated in the laboratory - it is an obvious conclusion to draw to. It might not not be Saeed Ajmal's intention to deceive as his action might change when in stressful match situations rather than in a sterile laboratory. Perhaps testing should be done on recorded footage from the test matches from which Ajmal was cited rather than try to, or not to, replicate those deliveries.
No doubt the rules will be bent to accommodate the PCB - again.
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Bowling without Broad, England wouldn't have expected to turn the Indians over in just 43 overs, but they did just that. India showing the spine of a jellyfish lost 9 wickets in the last session of day 3 when digging-in to stumps could well have been enough to save the game as the weather forecast is so poor for the next day or so.
Mitchell McClenaghan has got himself into hot water.l
McClenaghan was reported by umpires Martin Saggers and Steve O’Shaughnessy during Worcestershire’s Royal London One-Day Cup match against Northants Steelbacks on 29th July 2014 for a Level 1 breach of the code (showing dissent at an umpire’s decision by word or action).
The penalty for this offence is a reprimand. This penalty will remain on his record for a period of two years and the accumulation of nine or more penalty points in any two year period will result in an automatic suspension.
Kane Williamson who is likely to feature in the NWT20 Blast fixture on Friday; Vikings v Outlaws, has been banned from bowling in International cricket, after being reported for having an illegal action in the Trinidad test in June and following bio-mechanical testing at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Williamson says that he will do whatever it takes to correct his faulty action.
Since June, New Zealander Williamson has continued to bowl his occasional off spinners for Yorkshire.
But I understand the ban does extend to County Cricket.
Sticking to their guns, the selectors have shown faith with the calamitous eleven from Lord's, only replacing the ship-jumping wicket keeper with Jos Buttler and allowing Simon Kerrigan passage home. The third Test starts on Sunday at theArmitage Shanks Bowl Southampton's Rose Bowl.
...................................................................................................
Michael Vaughan -."... remove Cook"
G Boycott - "Only Alastair Cook, his wife and family want him to remain as captain - nobody else. He's being stubborn and it's going to take six wild stallions to drag him out of that job. It's not about Alastair's feelings; it's about the England cricket team. He sees it as a sign of weakness to give it up. It's not - it's a sign of strength. He thinks it's all going to come right when he scores some runs. It's not."
Matt Prior - "I'm taking a break from England..." A need to sort out some injuries.
Alastair Cook -" I'm staying where I am all summer.."
Kevin Pietersen - "I'll come back"
With the selection panel standing by their man Cook and Prior jumping before he's pushed, changes are to happen after the latest batting fiasco by the England test eleven. A fear of the short pitch ball was the downfall of much of the post lunch drama as batsman after batsman reacted without using their brain to a bouncer from Ishant; hooking, pulling or ducking to set traps. Vaughan called it "pathetic"; it probably wasn't as good as that!
So after Prior will be the next to go?
Chris Jordan has been talked up to be coming in at the expense of Ben Stokes.
Stuart Broad might possibly be rested and replaced with Chris Woakes using the pre-series talk of rotation of bowlers to save faces. Broady, as he has been with Notts at times, has overly used his own short ball and rarely pitched the ball up, even when the situation screamed that that was what he and Anderson should be doing..
Ian Bell is the major problem at the top of the order after Cook; scoring runs at will in the LV= with Warwickshire but unable make the step-up at Test level this term. Any replacement would be fraught with the same risk but at least they should be brimming with confidence.
A situation made for James Taylor pundits might say but Notts observers will tell you that he's no where near his best this season and lucky to be in the Notts XI at all - hopefully a spell with the Lions (should they select him) might suit him giving a chance to one of the prolific scorers (this week) from the second eleven.
Jos Buttler will be installed as wicket keeper in spite of his inexperience keeping for long periods.
As they are not going to drop Cook, perhaps a similar approach to that adopted by Notts with Alex Hales is the way forward - drop him down the order for a couple of games, swap Cook and Root in the order (it's only 2 x 2 letters on the scorecard).
South African Vernon Philander has been found guilty of ball tampering; scratching and rubbing the ball, altering its condition, during the current test in Galle against SL. The offence came to light after umpires (Bowden, Kettleborough, Llong) reviewed footage after the close of play on Friday.
Back in October, South African Faf du Plessis was also guilty of the same offence, being caught live on TV.
Ball tampering is a level 2 offence, whereas James Anderson is being charged by the Indians of a more serious level 3 offence, one that wasn't observed by persons present at the time (eg Trent Bridge stewards or any Nottinghamshire members in the pavilion) no recorded evidence exists to prove anything happened (there is, or was prior to the Test, CCTV in the hallway of the pavilion at Trent Bridge) and wasn't seen by match officials.
.JPG)
Fourth test Six fer Broad
A day after the ICC decided not to appeal their own decision; the original decision that neither Anderson nor Jadeja have any case to answer, James Anderson settles it again RA Jadeja LBW b Anderson 0.
India were 8/4 and the post lunch score represented something of a relative recovery at 93/6. India have been toiling on the rocks before in this series, only for the tail to wag and save the day, so England had a long way to go to end this innings .
However, Indian resistance fell away after Stuart Broad removed Dhoni (71) - India 152 all out
Stuart Broad 6/25
England over the remains of day 1, an abridged day 2 and part of day 3 amassed 367/9, Stuart Broad sent to hospital after the ball sneaked through the gap between grille and peak of his Shahzad style lid.However, Indian resistance fell away after Stuart Broad removed Dhoni (71) - India 152 all out
Stuart Broad 6/25
Bowling without Broad, England wouldn't have expected to turn the Indians over in just 43 overs, but they did just that. India showing the spine of a jellyfish lost 9 wickets in the last session of day 3 when digging-in to stumps could well have been enough to save the game as the weather forecast is so poor for the next day or so.
It's not over until India says it is
The BCCI is understood to have requested the ICC to appeal the verdict in the James Anderson-Ravindra Jadeja pushing case. Lack of video evidence and impartial testimony led to the judicial commissioner Gordon Lewis ruling that Anderson was not guilty of the Level 3 offence he was charged with by India during the course of the Trent Bridge Test.
As previously stated, the impartial Pavilion Stewards saw nothing.
India being like a dog with a bone, won't let it go until they've had a judgement from their own puppet judicial commissioner, no doubt. BCCI already control the ICC. Perhaps the Australian Commissioner Gordon wasn't impartial enough for them; watch-out for an Indian Bhat-man next.
05/08/14
Dig it up and start again
The much maligned, lifeless, slow, difficult to score on Trent Bridge Test wicket, the one adjoining the full of runs, bounce and carry wicket used in the T20 Q/F, will be relaid in the close-season following the ICC ruling: In reaching the verdict, which was made public today, the ICC observed that the pitch prepared for England's draw against India in last month's Investec Test did not provide a fair contest between bat and ball and was of an unacceptable standard. If they applied those same criteria to most pitches on the sub-continent, they'd all be screwed.
Storm in a tea cup
England's James Anderson and India's Ravindra Jadeja have been found not guilty of breaching the International Cricket Council code of conduct.
Both will be available for the fourth test at Old Trafford
Sacked
It is understood that second-team regular Oliver Robinson has been dismissed for an accumulation of offences which, while not deemed to be major in isolation, have obviously tested Yorkshire’s patience to breaking point.
Robinson, the son of England assistant coach Paul Farbrace’s partner Sandra, has played league cricket this summer primarily for Bradford League side Lightcliffe as well as occasionally for Kent club Sidcup.
A club statement read: “The Yorkshire County Cricket Club have announced that Oliver Robinson’s contract has been terminated with immediate effect due to a number of unprofessional actions. No further comment will be made.”
Naughty
Mitchell McClenaghan has got himself into hot water.l
McClenaghan was reported by umpires Martin Saggers and Steve O’Shaughnessy during Worcestershire’s Royal London One-Day Cup match against Northants Steelbacks on 29th July 2014 for a Level 1 breach of the code (showing dissent at an umpire’s decision by word or action).
The penalty for this offence is a reprimand. This penalty will remain on his record for a period of two years and the accumulation of nine or more penalty points in any two year period will result in an automatic suspension.
Banned
Kane Williamson who is likely to feature in the NWT20 Blast fixture on Friday; Vikings v Outlaws, has been banned from bowling in International cricket, after being reported for having an illegal action in the Trinidad test in June and following bio-mechanical testing at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Williamson says that he will do whatever it takes to correct his faulty action.
Since June, New Zealander Williamson has continued to bowl his occasional off spinners for Yorkshire.
But I understand the ban does extend to County Cricket.
Test Fall-out continues
Wednesday:Sticking to their guns, the selectors have shown faith with the calamitous eleven from Lord's, only replacing the ship-jumping wicket keeper with Jos Buttler and allowing Simon Kerrigan passage home. The third Test starts on Sunday at the
...................................................................................................
Michael Vaughan -."... remove Cook"
G Boycott - "Only Alastair Cook, his wife and family want him to remain as captain - nobody else. He's being stubborn and it's going to take six wild stallions to drag him out of that job. It's not about Alastair's feelings; it's about the England cricket team. He sees it as a sign of weakness to give it up. It's not - it's a sign of strength. He thinks it's all going to come right when he scores some runs. It's not."
Matt Prior - "I'm taking a break from England..." A need to sort out some injuries.
Alastair Cook -" I'm staying where I am all summer.."
Kevin Pietersen - "I'll come back"
With the selection panel standing by their man Cook and Prior jumping before he's pushed, changes are to happen after the latest batting fiasco by the England test eleven. A fear of the short pitch ball was the downfall of much of the post lunch drama as batsman after batsman reacted without using their brain to a bouncer from Ishant; hooking, pulling or ducking to set traps. Vaughan called it "pathetic"; it probably wasn't as good as that!
So after Prior will be the next to go?
Chris Jordan has been talked up to be coming in at the expense of Ben Stokes.
Stuart Broad might possibly be rested and replaced with Chris Woakes using the pre-series talk of rotation of bowlers to save faces. Broady, as he has been with Notts at times, has overly used his own short ball and rarely pitched the ball up, even when the situation screamed that that was what he and Anderson should be doing..
Ian Bell is the major problem at the top of the order after Cook; scoring runs at will in the LV= with Warwickshire but unable make the step-up at Test level this term. Any replacement would be fraught with the same risk but at least they should be brimming with confidence.
A situation made for James Taylor pundits might say but Notts observers will tell you that he's no where near his best this season and lucky to be in the Notts XI at all - hopefully a spell with the Lions (should they select him) might suit him giving a chance to one of the prolific scorers (this week) from the second eleven.
Jos Buttler will be installed as wicket keeper in spite of his inexperience keeping for long periods.
As they are not going to drop Cook, perhaps a similar approach to that adopted by Notts with Alex Hales is the way forward - drop him down the order for a couple of games, swap Cook and Root in the order (it's only 2 x 2 letters on the scorecard).
Naughty Boys
South African Vernon Philander has been found guilty of ball tampering; scratching and rubbing the ball, altering its condition, during the current test in Galle against SL. The offence came to light after umpires (Bowden, Kettleborough, Llong) reviewed footage after the close of play on Friday.
Back in October, South African Faf du Plessis was also guilty of the same offence, being caught live on TV.
Ball tampering is a level 2 offence, whereas James Anderson is being charged by the Indians of a more serious level 3 offence, one that wasn't observed by persons present at the time (eg Trent Bridge stewards or any Nottinghamshire members in the pavilion) no recorded evidence exists to prove anything happened (there is, or was prior to the Test, CCTV in the hallway of the pavilion at Trent Bridge) and wasn't seen by match officials.
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