All posts by csb10.top

England fans have an unexpected last-gasp chance to see Nasser Hussain’s side take on Sri Lanka in this summer’s opening NatWest Series One-Day International at Trent Bridge.Around 200 pre-booked tickets for the floodlit match on Thursday 27 June have become available and will now be placed on general sale.Said Notts CCC Sales and Marketing Manager Lisa Pursehouse: “England’s recent Test series victory has once again sparked interest in the national team.”With the opening ODI at Trent Bridge virtually sold out, it appeared theopportunity of seeing the Sri Lankans in Nottingham this summer had gone.”But we now have nearly 200 of the best seats in the house in the middle tier of the Radcliffe Road Stand up for grabs and they will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.”The tickets are priced at £47 each, and are available by phoning the Trent Bridge Ticket Office on 0115 982 3000.

Sir Paul Condon, the Head of ICC’s Anti Corruption Unit, expressed his gratitude to the PCB upon assisting him in carrying out his duties. Speaking at a press conference at a local hotel, Sir Paul said, “I am delighted by the support rendered by the PCB Chairman and every other concerned person with regard to my working”. He had separately met the PCB Chairman, Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum of the Lahore High Court and others.Sir Paul’s speech while lacking in substance was profuse in furthering what he has already laid down in his report and recommendations issued last Wednesday.He vowed to reduce the bane of match fixing by the 2003 World Cup, saying, “I cannot guarantee to completely eliminate corruption from the great game of cricket, I can, however, assure that it would be reduced to a minimum by the next World Cup”.After giving details of the personnel attached to the ACU, including three former investigators from British police, a security manager and a computer expert, Sir Paul, a former police commissioner himself, went on to reveal that he had at first refused to take up this particular job. However, he only accepted the task after seeking a number of assurances from the ICC.These assurances include the sincerity and earnestness of the cricket world in rooting out corruption, independence in carrying out his duties, and provision of the above-mentioned full-time colleagues.Refraining from divulging the names of individual cricketers involved in corruption, as it could be detrimental to the legal aspects of the process, Sir Paul claimed, “sadly, there still are a number of players whose involvement in shady activities can’t be denied and we are sincerely hoping to cleanse the game of such names”.Calling the players marring the reputation of cricket by their dishonest activities as cowards, Sir Paul Condon discussed in depth, the different ways and means through which a match could be fixed, ranging from the toss to underperformance in batting, bowling and fielding. Other means include corrupting groundsmen, umpires and others.Discussing the role of Cricket Boards, Sir Paul lauded their collective efforts against corruption and went on say, “the Qayyum Report in Pakistan and King Commission’s Report in South Africa are some of the efforts by individual Boards, which has also helped me a great deal in my investigations”.Stressing that the ICC is to discuss his recommendations in its June meeting, Sir Paul stated that his report was just a preliminary step and that, “apart from interviewing various individuals, his Unit has to visit India to look into alleged links between match fixing and organized crime”.He also showed intentions of investigating the allegations by Chris Lewis, a former England pacer, against a number of players. The investigation of match fixing relating to the ICC Trophy held in Dacca in 1998 is also on the cards. He declined to comment on investigations on specific players, matches or series because he felt that his inquiries may be compromised.In the end, Sir Paul Condon commended the efforts of journalists around the world, who through their investigative reporting set the course for further probing of the matter.Identifying the personnel indulging in match fixing as greedy and opportunistic, he also praised all those cricketers who had opposed all temptations to indulge in corrupt practices. He stated he would like to come back to Pakistan again and praised the cooperation and support he received on this first visit.

Five South Africans, two Australians and an American/Pakistani form an intriguing overseas contingent who will be taking their bow in the opening round of ECB Southern Electric Premier League 50-over matches on Saturday afternoon.Andover, Calmore Sports, Liphook & Ripsley, Portsmouth and South Wilts have recruited from South Africa.And Burridge to Atlanta Georgia, on the USA’s east coast for overseas support.But it’s odds-on that the two Aussies – Bashley’s Luke Ronchi, and BAT Sports bound Michael Watson – will make the biggest impact.Both are highly respected A-Grade batsmen in their respective Perth and Sydney competitions, and could have a significant influence on the Premier scene in the coming four months.Ronchi, 21, needs little or no introduction.He spent two previous summers with Bashley, in 1999 and 2000, scoring over 1,200 runs … as a highly rated teenager !Now he’s back after spending a year in Rod Marsh’s renowned Australian Cricket Academy and a run strewn winter back home in the demanding arena of Western Australia Pennant Grade competition.”He’s had a phenomenal winter playing for his club side Perth,” revealed former Hampshire opening batsman Paul Terry, who coaches rival WA club Melville. “Luke is one of the most talented batsman/wicketkeepers I have seen.”He has the lovely ability to time the ball sweetly in the mould of his mentor, Adam Gilchrist – and I don’t say that lightly.”He is a really fantastic timer of the ball for one so sleight of build and but for Gilchrist and Ryan Campbell being part of the WA scene, he would be playing Pura Cup (Sheffield Shield) cricket by now.”Terry watched Ronchi score 173 off his own Melville attack – an innings which catapulted the Perth prospect straight into the Western Australia side for a day-night game against Victoria at the WACA earlier this year.”He got a double hundred in a Sunday League game and ended up with over 750 runs in the A-Grade, which is no mean feat,” said Terry.The prospect of watching Ronchi bat alongside former Hampshire left-hander Andy Sexton has Bashley skipper Neil Taylor drooling.But Bashley’s ability to launch a challenge on champions BAT Sports could hinge on whether top 2001 wicket-taker Matt King is fit. King, who grabbed 35 wickets last season, is suffering from chest and rib injuries and doubtful for Saturday’s opener at Calmore.BAT swept to the championship on the strength of 11 successive wins during the second-half of last season.Michael Watson, a hard-hitting left-hander from the University of New South Wales Grade side, replaces team-mate Dave Carson as BAT’s overseas player. Teenager Damian Shirazi returned from a winter in NSW with rave reports about Watson’s batting prowess and expects the Sydney Customs man to be among the leading SPL run scorers this summer.BAT have bolstered their seam attack by recruiting Kirk Stewart, from Andover.Havant, the inaugural Premier League champions in 2000, have decided to run without any overseas support this summer. Their bowling armoury will be weakened by the departure of the economical Richard Lewis (who has been transferred in the banking world).But fitness instructor Bevis Moynhan has arrived from the Huddersfield League and Mackey Hobson from nearby Hambledon.Hampshire Under-19 captain Steve Snell, who has just joined the Lord’s groundstaff, will command a top six berth in a powerful Havant top-order.Off-spinning South African Gareth Tate is among five newcomers introduced to Andover by Roger Miller, who has succeeded Jerry Hayward as captain. Former Sussex and Middlesex opener Toby Radford has switched from relegated Hungerford, leg-spinning all-rounder Martin Docis joins from Cove, and wicket-keeper Lee Wateridge from Gosport.Richard Taylor, who exited BAT’s title tilt in a hurry last summer, will significantly strengthen Andover’s batting and medium-pace bowling divisions.South Wilts will boast an unusual but highly potent left-arm pace attack – Natal prospect Shane Adam sharing the new ball with Hampshire’s James Tomlinson, who has been creating a few wicket-taking waves in his first summer term at Cardiff UCCE.Adam has already represented Natal in South Africa’s 4-day SuperSport competition and is strongly tipped by Bemerton skipper Russell Rowe to be among the top wicket takers this summer.With all-rounder Paul Draper arriving from Calmore Sports and John Nash back from university, South Wilts could be a surprise packet in the SPL this term.Former SA Academy player Christoff Bothma, from the Free State, has joined Calmore Sports, whose strength has been seriously sapped by the departures of Martin Kellaway and now Draper in successive years.Another South African youngster Ryan Swan, from Johannesburg, has the unenviable prospect of filling the shoes of Stephen Cook at newly promoted Portsmouth.Cook, eldest son of Hampshire coach Jimmy, scored over 730 runs in Portsmouth’s Division 2 championship campaign last summer. Swan, who is coaching at Portsmouth Grammar School, played for Gauteng U19s this winter.Paul Dew and Pete Hayward are both expected to miss the first half of the season.Hampshire’s Lawrie Prittipaul is expected to play for Tony Middleton’s Academy XI – or Southsea, in the Hampshire League.Liphook & Ripsley, who narrowly avoided relegation last season, have recruited Cove’s Neil Randall and bring in Western Province Under-19 player Alistair Gray, from Cape Town.Hampshire YCs starlet Chris Wright remains at Liphook after turning down a possible move to Havant.Perhaps the most intriguing of the foreign imports is Moeen Cheema, who will be the first American/Pakistani to ever play in Hampshire recreational cricket when he dons the colours of Burridge in Saturday’s opener against Bashley (Rydal).A law graduate from Harvard University, Cheema is a right-arm pace bowler, who plays for Atlanta Gymkhana on America’s eastern seaboard.Bournemouth welcome back Richard Scott, the former Hampshire left-hander, as Director of Cricket.But with teenage wicketkeeping prospect Chris Park joining the Northants Academy and Peter Waite not returning from Western Australia, Bournemouth may lack strength in depth to push for the honours.

With a superbly crafted maiden first-class century, opening batsman Greg Mail has left the door open for an outright victory for New South Wales after three days ofthe Pura Cup match against Tasmania here at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Mail’s ascent to a score of 176 was the defining individual performance of the third day andhas left only Tasmania’s ten second innings wickets standing between the home team and success.Albeit that it was compiled on a pitch that still remains well in favour of the batsmen, Mail’s stout innings compelled him to ally enormous powers of concentration withhis neat, compact technique. But, over more than eight hours at the crease, he performed the job brilliantly to pilot his team to a first innings score of 530 and a lead of161 runs. The Tasmanians made their way to a mark of 0/33 by stumps but will need to bat well throughout tomorrow’s play to avert defeat.If maximum points are to be secured, though, then the Blues will need to display considerably more imagination in the field and with the ball than either side has doneto this stage of the match. Again today, the weather was gloomy and the outlook equally so for the bowlers. Because not only was the batting sound but the pitch wason the docile side again at best.Resuming with his score at 87, Mail was not necessarily the only batsman who looked in command. In fact, for much of the early part of the day, it was young tyroMichael Clarke (41) who stole the show with the series of accomplished off side drives that he added to his solidity in defence.After a watchful start, Mail capped a dogged and resolute innings by reaching the landmark of three figures for the first time at this level forty-eight minutes into theday. His was a painstaking knock – it took him 309 minutes and 268 deliveries to reach his hundred – but wonderfully effective against an attack that battled to breachhis defences throughout.”I haven’t batted for eight hours before; it was certainly my longest innings,” said Mail after play.A university student in the third year of a physiotherapy course, Mail believed that the task of resisting the Tigers’ attack for eight hours was possibly more difficult thanexams he undertook earlier in the week. He stated that his concentration levels certainly “came and went a bit” during his vigil.”There were periods where I felt I was concentrating pretty well and then it sort of waned for a few overs. But I managed not to get myself out in those times,” he said.He enjoyed a life at 108 when second slip fieldsman Michael DiVenuto was unable to grasp a hot chance to his right from the bowling of paceman Shane Jurgensen(4/113). He also played and missed occasionally outside the line of off stump, especially in the period which followed the Tasmanians’ decision to take the second newball after eighty-six overs. Otherwise, he was formidable in defence, patient in waiting for bad balls, and discreet in his selection of strokes.It was not long after Mail surpassed his previous best first-class score of 97 that the Tasmanian bowlers seemed to become resigned to their fate. Captain Jamie Coxpersisted with his pacemen and seamers in the main but it wasn’t until after sweeping showers had forced a sixty-six minute interruption on either side of lunch thatwickets finally arrived. To make the predicament worse, dashing batsmen Shane Lee (25), Brad Haddin (56) and Don Nash (22) were literally in full swing andbuilding on an already imposing lead by the time that spinners Daniel Marsh (1/104) and Shannon Tubb (0/70) were introduced.Of the Tasmanian bowlers, only Jurgensen and Shane Watson (2/63) were genuinely impressive. On his first-class debut for Tasmania, Jurgensen overcame hisnervous start of yesterday to produce two fine afternoon spells in which he beat the bat consistently. Four wickets, including the prize scalp of Mail with a lovely offcutter through the gate, were due reward for his accuracy and wholehearted approach. Watson, who continues to add to the fine early reputation that he is establishingfor himself, also battled away vigilantly with his sharp medium pace. Otherwise, it was another mostly unflattering exhibition, although Mail did pay tribute to Tubb, revealing that the youngster’s variety had made him difficult to counter.New South Wales captain Lee strangely opted not to effect a declaration as things transpired. This guaranteed that the last half hour of his team’s display with the batseemed to do little more than simply reduce the time available to it to lay waste to the Tasmanian second innings. The Tigers’ openers, Cox (16*) and Dene Hills(15*), underlined the point that they may have been left with too few overs to face, safely negotiating the fourteen that they were required to see out at the end of theday.Nonetheless, needing as they do another 128 runs to even wipe out their deficit, matters will still not be straightforward for the visitors on the final morning. They willneed particularly to guard against any form of collapse to match the one that scuttled their first innings yesterday morning. In hindsight, it was that crash that cruelledtheir victory aspirations in this contest; another might well dash any hopes of a draw.

Premier Division OneAndover 181-6 (M Miller 81, R Miller 43, Hayward 24, Jenkins 4-43)
Burridge 182-1 (Jackson 91, Cunningham 59)BAT Sports 204-7 (Sharizi 63, Kenway 62, Banks 31, King 3-41)
Bashley (Rydal) 182 (Thurgood 46, Neal 38, Goldstraw 3-19)Liphook & Ripsley 136-8 (Berry 34, Tyler 29, J Wilson 3-18)
Bournemouth 137-3 (Swarbrick 68)Hungerford 101 (Radford 29, Hindley 4-22)
Havant 102-3 (Carson 40)Match postponed : Calmore Sports v South WiltsPremier Division TwoOld Tauntonians & Romsey 193 (Forward 43, Stothart 36, Rapley 27, Shotton 4-51, Turner 3-28)
Hambledon 146 (Norris 39,Burdekin 28, Wood 5-32)Lymington 268-8 (Trestrail 60, Craft 58, Clemow 33, Young 31, Griffiths 25, Oldcorn 4-49)
Old Basing 103 (Summers 39, Quantock 23, Smith 5-21, Phillips 3-15).Matches postponed : Cove v Sparsholt, Trojans v Easton & Martyr Worthy, United Services v Portsmouth.Premier Division ThreeWaterlooville 103 (Baumann 27, Shephard 20, Ballinger 7-19)
Alton 107-7 (M Heffernan 33, Rudder 4-19)Bashley (Rydal) II 141 (N Sexton 51, S Latimore 42)
Gosport Borough 84 (Grierson 3-10)Portsmouth II 185-9 (Ali Mohamed 49, Moon 29, Limb 28, Smith 5-50)
United Services II 107 (Norwood 21, Nolan 3-16, Limb 3-16).Matches postponed : Hook & Newnham Basics v Rowledge, Leckford v St Cross Symondians, Lymington II v Havant II, New Milton v Purbrook, Paultons v Hursley Park, Winchester KS v Flamingos.

Australian cricket will have its first female board member in 107 years – and a much wider business knowledge base – following the announcement of a trio of corporate heavy-hitters to join Cricket Australia as the governing body’s first fully independent directors.Jacquie Hey, the former managing director of Ericsson Australia and New Zealand, the Rio Tinto managing director David Peever and the former Colorado Group chief executive Kevin Roberts were approved as candidates at a CA board meeting in Melbourne on Friday, with their appointments expected to be made official at the annual general meeting on October 25.Wally Edwards, the CA chairman, had made it clear that he wanted three board directors who came from beyond the regular spheres of cricket, a description that each candidate fits although Roberts did play first-class cricket for New South Wales. They were chosen ahead of a field that initially numbered about 100, and included the former Test captain Mark Taylor.”They all bring a close interest in and knowledge of cricket,” Edwards said, “combined with significant experience and success at very senior corporate levels dealing with a wide range of diverse contemporary business challenges relevant to cricket, plus understanding and experience working with different cultures which is important to us as we strive to ensure cricket is a sport for all Australians of all backgrounds.”Most importantly, they offer us independent, expert insight from outside the day-to-day cricket world – we were focussed on finding three high-calibre candidates completely independent of cricket.”Hey’s appointment is most noteworthy. In addition to her time with Ericsson Australia, she has also held MD roles with Ericsson in the UK, Ireland and Saudi Arabia. She is currently a non-Executive Director with Bendigo & Adelaide Bank, and SBS.Peever has been the managing director Australia for the mining giant Rio Tinto since 2009, while he is also a Business Council of Australia councillor and Economic Policy and Competitiveness Committee Chairman, Vice Chairman of the Minerals Council of Australia.Roberts played 23 first-class matches for the Blues and also made 18 domestic limited overs appearances, scoring one century in each format. He has since gone on to become a non-Executive Director of Netball Australia and was formerly the Colorado Group/Fusion Retail CEO and the adidas Pacific Managing Director.

The IPL franchises are set to release several high-profile players ahead of the 2013 season, to meet the October 31 deadline for finalising the players they would like to retain ahead of the trading window and player auction. Mumbai Indians captain Harbhajan Singh and Kings XI Punjab’s Stuart Broad could be on that list. Johan Botha, the South African offspinner who was bought by Rajasthan Royals for $950,000 in 2011, was one of the big names released.The trading window, when the names of the released players will have to be made public opens on November 19, but they can only be bought during the auction in 2013.Harbhajan had led Mumbai Indians during the 2012 IPL and two Champions League Twenty20 editions – including their victorious campaign in 2011 – and though the franchise officially denied the news, a source told ESPNcricinfo that Harbhajan could be “released first and then bid for during the player auction”.Apart from Botha, Royals also let go of former England captain Paul Collingwood ($250,000), Sri Lanka batsman Dinesh Chandimal ($50,000) and the young Australian fast bowler Alister McDermott, who had joined the franchise as a replacement player last season. In all, the Royals released 15 names and the strength of their present squad is 16.According to the franchise, a big reason for Botha’s release was that he did not feature consistently in the fifth IPL. “We had to rationalise the costs,” a Royals official said. “A lot is going to change after the 2013 season so we are gearing up for that and are having a re-look at the structure and the composition of the team.”Royals decided to retain two other replacement players they had recruited last season: West Indies leg spinner Sameul Badree and England batsman Owais Shah.England’s Twenty20 captain, Broad, has not yet played an IPL game and that wait could be extended. Broad was bought by Kings XI ahead of IPL 2011 but missed both subsequent seasons. A franchise official said the decision to offload Broad was primarily because he would be on England duty for most of IPL 2013.Besides Broad, Kings XI released six more cricketers, including Abhishek Nayar and Ramesh Powar. Nayar, who was bought for $800,000 at the 2011 auction, was considered “overpriced”. Australia’s Nathan Rimmington and James Faulkner and the Himachal Pradesh duo of Paras Dogra and Vikramjeet Malik were also let go by Kings XI.Kings XI will now have nine slots vacant ahead of the trading window and player auction, since Abhinav Bali and Shalabh Srivastava were suspended till May 15 due to their alleged misdeeds during a TV sting operation.Pune Warriors, whose captain in 2011, Sourav Ganguly, announced his decision to withdraw from the next IPL, is set to release five more cricketers, with New Zealand’s Jesse Ryder being the most prominent. Though all the names could not be confirmed, it was learnt that Warriors will release three overseas players, including Ryder, and two domestic players, including Sachin Rana.Kolkata Knight Riders, who had one of the smallest squads with 26 players in 2012, released four players. Jayadev Unadkat, the left-arm seamer from Saurashtra, was left out because the team management thought they were under utilising him. “We have three Indian medium-pacers in L Balaji, Pradeep Sangwan and Shami Ahmed. Last year Jaydev did not get a game and we felt he might get a chance somewhere else,” a Knight Riders official said.Chiraj Jaani (Saurashtra), Iresh Saxena (Bengal) and Sanju Samson (Kerala) were the three other domestic players released by Knight Riders.Some of the franchises questioned the timing of the October 31 deadline. “If you are asking to me take a decision, this should have happened after the trading window because then the franchises could have had the chance of trading them instead of releasing them,” a franchise official said.Another official from a different franchise agreed with the view, saying he had told his bosses that it was better to wait for the window to open. “I feel I can retain the players now and trade when the window opens. This deadline only offers some franchises whose squad strength is a little too big and an opportunity to have a re-look. I think all the franchises would look at reducing a certain amount (of players) and then look forward to the trading window.”However, all the franchises were not on the same page. “It’s a double-edged sword and we would prefer such a deadline before the trading window since it allows to get rid of a player if we just do not want him,” an official said. “No franchise can be sure whether they would be able to trade a player whom they wish to, and if they cannot they will have to retain him. This deadline helps us in avoiding it.”

ScorecardSteven Davies got Surrey’s chase off to a bright start•Getty Images

Surrey became the first side to make it to Finals Day and reached the last four for the first time since 2006 as they defeated Somerset at The Oval. A 4.15pm start limited the attendance to just 10,100, with Sky unwilling to put the game on their red button service. Surrey fans have a right to feel aggrieved by the scheduling but, now just two games away from a first piece of silverware since 2011’s Clydesdale Bank 40, it’s an easier pill to swallow.Through a mixture of good bowling and some indecisive strokes, Somerset stuttered to their 148, after winning the toss and asking Surrey to chase for only the second time in the competition. Craig Kieswetter carried his bat, but he faced only 51 of the 120 balls available.Kieswetter is often maligned for his inability to rotate the strike and, at times, he was guilty of trying to launch balls that deserved a bit more respect. But it would be extremely harsh for any criticism to be levelled at him today, especially given the struggles of his teammates. Fellow opener Chris Jones played out nine dot-balls during the Powerplay, while the middle order could only give their main man five balls in the final four overs. As if to make a point, Kieswetter took singles off all of them.His 70 contained all his trademarks, as he hit straight and big with his manufactured technique that looks so natural on days like these. Even someone of Chris Tremlett’s pace wasn’t safe, as Kieswetter planted him down the ground for six, before displaying some sharp footwork the very next ball to get inside of a ball just outside off stump, launching it over long-off for another maximum.After a post-Powerplay lull, it looked like Peter Trego would assist Kieswetter. But, after an attempted reverse-paddle to the first ball of the 14th over, he lost his off stump, much to the delight of the bowler, Gareth Batty, who let out a roar that would turn an Orc white. Trego took exception, removing his helmet to square up to Batty. Players and umpires separated the two, while the Surrey fielders backed up their captain to remind Trego of the direction in which he should be heading. Batty was kept well away from his confronter, and for good reason.The two were reunited at the end, once Batty had repeatedly punched the air with glee after John Lewis got a thick edge to third man from a full toss from Alfonso Thomas to seal a Surrey win. It was a lot less heated, but certainly not friendly.The required rate of 7.5-an-over didn’t challenge the hosts. Speaking after the match, magnum of champagne in hand, Vikram Solanki revealed that the plan was always to try and milk every run from the middle overs, before Yasir Arafat and Thomas returned at the death. George Dockrell had the misfortune of being the targeted bowler, with his overs going for 32, including back-to-back sixes from Solanki at the end of the 13th over that left Surrey needing 43 from 42 balls.Yet again, Jason Roy and Steven Davies started well, with 50 off the first six overs. Roy then fell to a magnificent catch by Jos Buttler – scurrying from the boundary at deep-midwicket to dive and intercept a ball over his right shoulder, before it could reach the boundary on the bounce. But even the removal of Davies could not stem the runs, as Solanki’s 38, along with contributions from Gary Wilson and Zander de Bruyn allowed the chase to be completed at a canter.They could even afford some slapstick, as Gary Wilson was run out trying to run on an overthrow, which cannoned off the stumps at the bowler’s end, with Zafar Ansari scrabbling to make his ground.For Somerset, there is no silver lining, another blow on the day they found out that Abdur Rehman will not be making his way to Taunton, having been selected in Pakistan’s squad for their tour of Zimbabwe. A fifth consecutive visit to Finals Day might not have eased their woes, but it certainly would have distracted them from them. Now, they have to consider some harsh realities.

Mathew Sinclair, the Central Districts batsman who played 33 Tests for New Zealand, has announced his retirement from all cricket. Sinclair, 37, has been a fixture in the Central Districts side for 18 seasons and is the team’s all-time highest run-scorer, with more than 15,000 runs across all formats, and he remained a solid performer last summer, with 646 Plunket Shield runs at 40.37.He burst on to the Test cricket scene with 214 on debut against West Indies in Wellington in 1999-2000, still the highest score by a New Zealand Test debutant and the equal third-highest from all countries. However, despite posting another Test double-century against Pakistan less than two years later, Sinclair struggled to find consistency at international level.His 33 Tests were spread across 11 years and his last appearance for his country came against Australia in Hamilton in early 2010, when he was recalled for the first time in two years. Sinclair also played 54 one-day internationals and two Twenty20 internationals, as well as helping Central Districts win eight domestic trophies.”Having taken a few months since the end of last season to consider my options I have decided that the timing is right to call time on my playing career,” Sinclair said. “I have two young children and a wife who I want to spend more time with and the constant travel that the Stags endure each year makes that pretty tough.”I am also at the stage where I want to get into a career outside of cricket and unless you are in a position to totally devote yourself, it’s difficult to get the opportunities that I am after. There are some really talented younger batsmen coming through for CD, so I feel it’s the right time from the team’s perspective as well.”Central Districts has been good to me and I never really considered playing for anyone else. We have always played a positive style of game, and the quality of the people in the side meant that there was always a great team spirit. My first hundred for the Stags was really special as it helped win a game and proved that I could succeed at that level.”Watching Peter Ingram beat my record for the highest individual score for the Stags, Jamie How’s double hundred in a one day game and Michael Mason’s heroics with the bat to win the Ford Trophy two seasons ago are special moments that I will also cherish.”While it would have been nice to have played more for my country, I do look back on my time in the Black Caps with a lot of pride and satisfaction. Getting 214 on debut against the West Indies was a real highlight; especially as we went on to win the Test.”Sinclair will end his career with more first-class runs for a single association – 9148 – than any other player in New Zealand, as well as a record 27 first-class centuries for Central Districts. On four occasions he was the leading run scorer in the New Zealand first-class competition, in 1998-99, 2005-06, 2008-09 and 2011-12.”It’s hard to put into words the contribution that Mathew has made to Central Districts,” Hugh Henderson, the Central Districts chief executive, said. “In years to come his run scoring records will still stand and people will look back at him as an all-time great of the domestic game in this country.”It is remarkable that in a career of such length that Mathew never really had a poor season, he just kept scoring runs. It’s unlikely there will be another player like him in our history. On behalf of Central Districts we would like to thank him wholeheartedly for his contribution to the game and our association. We wish him all the best in the next stages of his career outside of cricket.”

The BCCI’s Anti-Corruption and Security (ACSU) chief Ravi Sawani has submitted his interim report on the alleged spot-fixing by Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila, the three Rajasthan Royals players who were arrested last month, to the board’s working committee. The working committee, which met in Delhi on Monday, decided to forward the sealed report to the board’s two-member disciplinary committee.Board president N Srinivasan, who is currently refraining from carrying out his duties as BCCI chief pending the probe into the alleged IPL corruption, will not participate in the disciplinary committee’s proceedings. That means what was originally a three-member committee has been reduced to a two-man panel, which will now examine the results of Sawani’s probe. After studying the report, the committee will issue a charge sheet to the players, which includes all the charges laid down by Sawani, and the three players will then have an opportunity to explain their stand.Though the working committee didn’t even open the sealed envelope of Sawani’s findings during the meeting, it discussed his recommendations with regards to player regulations during the IPL. Sawani, who was a special invitee at the meeting, suggested a stricter code of conduct for the players, ESPNcricinfo has learned. The committee also discussed restricting the number of sponsored events that the cricketers have to attend during the IPL.During the meeting, the working committee also appointed Mumbai Cricket Association president Ravi Savant as the BCCI’s treasurer. Savant replaces Ajay Shirke, who resigned the post in wake of IPL controversy. Earlier, Sanjay Patel had been named the board’s new secretary, in place of Sanjay Jagdale, who had also resigned.