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Middlesex have decided against bringing Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh on board for their Twenty20 Cup campaign, despite having a signed contract from him, after failing to receive written approval from the BCCI

Cricinfo staff22-Mar-2010Middlesex have decided against bringing Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh on board for their Twenty20 Cup campaign, despite having a signed contract from him, after failing to receive written approval from the BCCI. The decision to drop Yuvraj from this summer’s plans was made after it was clear that the batsman’s international commitments would make him unavailable for the majority of the tournament.”We had received a signed contract from Yuvraj confirming that he was playing for us, we had received full approval from his agent as to the terms of our agreement with Yuvraj, we had received full approval from a prominent member of the BCCI as to Yuvraj’s signing,” Vinny Codrington, Middlesex’s chief executive, wrote on the county’s website. “And we had even agreed what squad number he would be sporting for the Panthers this year and what name he would be wearing on his back.”However, the county then received notification from the Indian board about the Asia Cup, scheduled to be held in June, as well as a training camp ahead of the tournament. It also learnt, through the media, of a tri-series involving India, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe between May 28 and June 13 in Zimbabwe.”Calls to the BCCI to seek clarification on this point have proved fruitless, however we have since been advised that Yuvraj will be required to represent India in this tournament … leading to us make the decision to notify Yuvraj Singh’s representatives that we will not be pursuing our interest in bringing him to Lord’s,” Codrington added.Middlesex have already recruited former Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist as their other specialist Twenty20 overseas player for the season.

The former Australia opener has confirmed his brother passed away earlier this year

ESPNcricinfo staff28-May-2024Former Australia batter Joe Burns has revealed a tribute to his brother who passed away earlier this year as he embarks on a new chapter to his career by playing for Italy.Burns, 34, was dropped by Queensland last season and did not earn a place on their 2024-25 contract list. In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Burns went public about the death of his brother, which occurred in February, alongside an image of his Italy shirt bearing the number 85 which was his brother’s in club cricket.”This isn’t just a number and this isn’t just a jersey. This is for the people who I know will be looking down proudly from above,” he wrote.”In February of this year my brother sadly passed away. 85 was his number in the last team he played (and his birth year) for the mighty Northern Federals in sub-districts.”The days, weeks and months since my brother’s death have been the toughest I could ever imagine. I’m not too proud to admit that it’s been a daily battle that I often lose.”While a part of my soul feels like it will always be missing, I know this shirt will carry on his spirit and give me strength.”It’s the hours playing as kids and connection with him that taught me to love this game.” Burns qualifies for Italy through his mother’s heritage and is now set to feature in the sub regional qualifiers as part of the pathway to the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup. Italy are grouped with France, Isle of Man, Luxembourg and Turkey in group one with matches to take place between June 9-16 in Rome.”I often reflect on the bravery and commitment it must have taken my Grandparents when they left Italy to start a new life in Australia,” he wrote. “They found a way to make it work through adversity and this has always given me solace through life’s lessons. I’m so proud to represent Italy on our path to the 2026 World Cup.”Burns was averaging 37.16 in the Sheffield Shield when he was dropped by Queensland – in what overall was a challenging season for batters – but is now without any professional deals in Australia with his Melbourne Stars contract having also expired.In 23 Tests he made four centuries, averaging 36.97, with his last appearance coming against India in late 2020.

Players have not been paid their monthly retainers or even match fees, despite the season having started on August 30

Umar Farooq14-Dec-2022Nearly 200 of Pakistan’s domestic cricketers are still awaiting payments for participating in a domestic season that is less than a month from its conclusion. ESPNcricinfo understands that 192 players who have taken part in a number of domestic tournaments – including the National T20 Cup and the Quaid-e-Azam trophy – have not been paid their monthly retainers or even match fees, despite the season having started on August 30. Thus far, players have only been paid their daily expenses.Several players as well as sources within the PCB confirmed a delay in the distribution of the payments, which is understood to be a result of the volume of cricket this season at home; that includes a brand new tournament in the Pakistan Junior League which diverted much administrative energy towards its staging.Related

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The delay is also said to be partly because of administrative issues arising from the approval by the PCB’s Board of Governors of an increment in its domestic players’ monthly retainers and match fees. Nevertheless, for an administration headed by a former cricketer in Ramiz Raja, the excessive delay has caused unnecessary hardships for a vast majority of domestic cricketers who rely solely on cricket to make a living. This delay in payment also comes at a time in which the Pakistan economy is in deep turmoil, the value of the rupee plummeting and soaring inflation that, in November, was above 20%.In 2019, the PCB revamped the domestic structure, abolishing traditional regional and department teams and narrowing down the national pipeline into six associations representing all six provinces in the country. Before that, a significant amount of domestic cricketers were on contracts with departments they played for such as Sui Gas Northern Pipelines (SNGPL) or Habib Bank (HBL). The remaining regional players were paid by the PCB. In the new model, the entire cost of close to Rs 2 billion is borne by the PCB.Players’ domestic contacts normally span August to July but PCB only awarded the contracts mid-season in November this year. And players, ESPNcricinfo understands, only received their contracts in the first week of December after the completion of the Quaid-e-Azam trophy. Nearly 80% of players have signed the contracts and returned them and are hoping to get paid this monthAll 33 centrally contracted national players have been paid their retainers regularly, though match fees are paid in blocks after the series or tournament they participate in. Earlier this year, national cricketers did push back against the standard practice of the PCB to offer contracts and push players to sign it immediately, without consultation. A group of players did reach out to their own lawyers for advice before signing the contracts just before the tour to Netherlands. But, after extensive discussions, the PCB agreed to amend several clauses and contracts were signed.Historically, the PCB hasn’t formally negotiated with players on contracts, and players have rarely disputed any clauses, beyond ensuring satisfactory annual pay rises. But the current crop of players is increasingly aware of their commercial value and how that should be represented in a contract. Similarly, domestic contracts are usually signed by players without much discussion.Several players confirmed that the PCB has promised it will start distributing the National T20 Cup match fee this week, followed by the Quaid-e-Azam trophy. However, retainer payments will only be cleared by next month.The PCB had offered players contacts across five categories. Fifteen players will be in category A+, 35 in category A, 48 in category B, 70 in category C and 24 in category D. As per the new financial model, a player who played in the QeA Trophy receives a match fee of PKR 100,000. Those playing the white-ball tournaments – the Pakistan Cup and the National T20 – now earn PKR 60,000 per game. The non-playing members of a squad get PKR 40,000 and PKR 20,000 per match in red and white-ball cricket respectively.

The T20I double-headers and the three women’s ODIs have also been advanced by a day

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Aug-2021Rawalpindi will host the England men’s and women’s teams for the two T20I double-headers and the three women’s ODIs, instead of Karachi. The two double-headers have been advanced by a day, from October 14 and 15 to 13 and 14, and the women’s ODIs will be played on October 17, 19 and 21, instead of 18, 20 and 22. It will be the first time the England men’s team will tour Pakistan in 16 years.The two visiting sides will arrive in Islamabad on October 9. While the men’s squad will leave for Dubai on October 15 for the T20 World Cup, the women will stay back for the ODIs.The PCB said in a release the matches were rescheduled “due to operational and logistical reasons”. The PCB is yet to announce the timings for the matches.”We are delighted to welcome both the England men’s team for what will be their first tour to Pakistan since 2005, and the England women’s team, who will be touring Pakistan for the first time,” PCB chief executive Wasim Khan said. “Both are additional tours with England men’s side scheduled to return to Pakistan in the last quarter of 2022 for white-ball and ICC World Test Championship fixtures.”England’s men’s squad was originally scheduled to visit Pakistan in January but the two boards could not find space in a crowded itinerary, and moved the T20Is to October as part of the T20 World Cup preparations.The two teams are grouped separately in the T20 World Cup, England in Group 1 and Pakistan in Group 2.

NZC exploring ways to ensure there is no reduction in workforce or pay cuts

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-2020The COVID-19 pandemic has forced New Zealand Cricket to cancel the national women’s tour of Sri Lanka scheduled for later this month, while the long men’s team tour of Ireland, Scotland, the Netherlands and the West Indies in June-July appears “most unlikely”.”Clearly, this situation is extremely disappointing for everyone involved in sport,” David White, NZC’s chief executive, said. “Given the bigger picture, and the terrible toll COVID-19 is taking worldwide, we need to look after not only our own people but the greater community good. Cricket in New Zealand has been fortunate in that we were very much at the end of our home summer programme when this crisis struck.”There are also obvious question marks over the men’s tour of Bangladesh and their ‘A’ tour of India in August, but White said that it was too early to comment on them.In measures to prevent a downsizing of the workforce and to ensure there are no pay cuts, NZC is also applying for the government wage-subsidy scheme. This helps support employers adversely affected by the pandemic so that they continue paying their staff during the lockdown.”With the lockdown now in full force, we’re mindful of the difficulties facing our cricket community,” White said. “Our current focus is very much on ensuring the future sustainability of cricket in New Zealand.”NZC to adopt four-day working weekNZC staff and management have agreed to exhaust their leave entitlements over the remainder of the financial year ending July 31 by switching to a four-day working week.”We take our duty of care as an employer seriously and, at this juncture, want to avoid any changes to our employee headcount or remuneration levels,” White said. “However, we’ll continue to closely monitor the effects on the wider cricket family.”NZC plans to be work closely with the stakeholders over the next few months to explore various feasible scenarios for the upcoming season. White said, “Although the future is uncertain, we’re determined to be well-prepared for whatever opportunities arise.”

The performance of the Indian bowlers on their recent Test tour has given the visiting Sri Lankans a lot of confidence

Andrew McGlashan in Brisbane22-Jan-2019Sri Lanka’s bowlers have been urged to believe that they can replicate the success of India’s attack in Australia as they hunt a first Test victory in the country.The Indian bowlers, led by Jasprit Bumrah, were superb as a unit as they secured India’s maiden series victory – 2-1 – in Australia recently. Of particular note was their ability to find reverse swing in the 40-80-over bracket and therefore retain their wicket-taking threat throughout the life of the ball.Sri Lanka come with a far less heralded attack, led by Suranga Lakmal, but have the opportunity to take on a brittle Australia batting line-up that could feature two Test debutants in Kurtis Patterson and Will Pucovski and have other players being shuffled around.Sri Lanka bowling coach Rumesh Ratnayake said they had been studying India’s tactics closely as they prepared for the two-Test series, which includes a day-night Test at the Gabba and a maiden Test in Canberra, which will offer a variety of conditions.”It’s one of the major things we looked at, the areas which they had bowled,” Ratnayake said. “It’s just making the bowlers believe that whatever their bowlers can do and the other teams can do, we also can do. That belief is something we are trying to work on at the moment.ALSO READ: Sri Lanka’s best chance to win in Australia?“In batting and bowling, and even in the fielding, the Indians showed the world every place they go to is a home-from-home. I believe we can take that from the Indians. We came here with the motto to win a Test match – we are going to New Zealand, Australia and South Africa so we would love to win a Test match in a country and Australia is one of them.”Sri Lanka have lost Nuwan Pradeep to a hamstring injury. After Lakmal with 54 Test appearances, the next most-capped seamer is Lahiru Kumara with just 14, but he is generating some excitement and interest in Australia.”He’s an exuberant young boy,” Ratnayake said of the 21-year-old quick. “He’s quick in our terms and might be quick in your terms also, because he sometimes touches 148kph, but he hits it at a pace of 140 on a more regular basis. He’s young, he needs to learn a bit more, but when he’s on fire it’s some of the best spells I’ve seen out of Sri Lanka for a long time, especially in West Indies.”In that series against West Indies, Kumara took 17 wickets at 19.88 including six in the day-nighter in Barbados, which Sri Lanka won to share the series.A shared series on this tour, especially with a victory among the results, would make for significant success for Sri Lanka. A series win would be one of their more famous achievements.”I think it is certainly one of the better chances,” Ratnayake said. “A wounded Australia is a bit of a mystery in any sport really. We understand that and we know that when they are wounded they will be at their best.”

The England selector was hopeful that Ben Stokes’ spell in New Zealand would mean the allrounder was ready for a return to action should the possibility arise

Vithushan Ehantharajah30-Nov-2017England selector Angus Fraser is hopeful of imminent clarity over Ben Stokes and his ongoing police investigation, but acknowledged that the situation is more important than purely having him play cricket again.On Wednesday, Avon and Somerset Police said Stokes’ case was being passed onto the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) as they sought charging advice. They also confirmed a 27-year-old suffered a fractured eye socket during the incident which took place on the evening of September 25.The news came soon after Stokes had touched down in New Zealand, having been granted No Objection Certificate by the ECB last Friday to play domestic cricket while he remains unavailable for England duty. On Thursday, Canterbury announced the signing of Stokes as their overseas player. His first game will likely be on December 3 against Otago in the Ford Trophy domestic 50-over competition.While the ECB were caught off-guard at how quickly Stokes cashed in his NOC, Fraser was hopeful regular cricket will ensure that, should the 26-year-old escape punishment, he will be fit for the current Ashes series, or the one-day internationals that commence mid-January.”The news this week, I wouldn’t say it’s taken everyone by surprise,” Fraser told ESPNcricinfo. “But people are coming to terms with what’s happening and are prepared for every eventuality: the police investigation and the results of the police action. Then it moves onto the ECB. I suppose the fact is, when everything falls into line, then Ben is in a position to be able to play cricket, whether it’s in the Ashes or the one-day series that follows.”Fraser was also keen to stress that the fact that England are in the midst of an Ashes series would not colour the judgement of selectors or others set to decide on Stokes’ future. “I think the most important thing is that the matter is dealt with correctly. We can all look at an Ashes series as extremely important, but the future health of the game is very important, too. The decisions that have to be made need to be the right ones not just for now but the for the game moving forward, too.”The CPS will now decide on whether a charge will be brought upon Stokes and what it would be. The process could take anywhere between a couple of weeks and six months as they will seek a number of clarifications, although is expected to be at the shorter end of that timescale. They may even ask for evidence to be resubmitted before determining whether to prosecute, which could mean a decision on whether to press charges may only be made well into 2018.Should the CPS opt not to bring charges then it will be down to the ECB’s own disciplinary committee to decide what action to take. Stokes has missed the two ODIs against the West Indies at the end of last summer, along with the first Test at Brisbane. It has been suggested that the ECB may backdate any punishment handed to Stokes – he will have missed at least two Test matches as well – potentially meaning an immediate return to international action once the charging decision is made.However, Fraser admitted both he and the ECB are still unaware as to what exactly took place that fateful night in Bristol. Much of the ECB’s deliberation will be a fact-finding mission.”You want to know the full story before you react,” he said. “That’s where the ECB are at: everybody wants to know what exactly went on. We’ve seen the footage, we’ve heard reports. But until we know what exactly has taken place, it’s hard to make those sorts of comments. Once we know all the information, I’ll be happy to give my feelings on it.”It has been a testing week for England. An ultimately tame and entirely friendly tete-a-tete between Cameron Bancroft and Jonny Bairstow on the squad’s first night in Australia, brought to light on the final day of the first Test, prompted England’s director of cricket Andrew Strauss to impose a midnight curfew.Naturally, coupled with Stokes’ indiscretion, the Australian media has taken the opportunity to round on England, questioning the culture and characters of those within squad. Middlesex pace bowler Toby-Roland Jones, who was set for a place in the Ashes squad after an impressive start to his Test career this summer before being ruled out by a stress fracture of the back, feels talk of drinking problems or deeper behavioural issues is wide of the mark.”A lot’s been written and maybe pushed the limits of what is reality, to be honest,” he said. “There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a drink in moderation, but the guys generally know where the line should be drawn. It’s a close dressing room and one that benefits from that on the pitch. The go on as a team, they exit as a team.”I guess you’re in these places in a professional capacity and there to perform. But a lot has been written about things, pushing it out to be a little bit worse than it is, let’s say.”Roland-Jones himself has stepped up his recovery from injury and spent the start of the week at the National Performance Centre in Loughborough. He is bowling again but, as of yet, is not putting a date on when he expects to be fully up to speed.

Mohammad Amir, Pakistan’s left-arm quick, has signed as overseas player for Essex for the first half of the 2017 season

George Dobell08-Nov-2016Mohammad Amir has signed as overseas player for Essex for the second half of the 2017 season.Amir, the Pakistan left-arm swing bowler, is expected to be available from the end of the Champions Trophy in mid-June. Essex hope he will help them adjust to life in Division One of the County Championship – they were promoted at the end of 2016 – and Amir, who married recently, now has family in the London area.Essex had been in particular need of pace-bowling reinforcements, after the retirements of Graham Napier – their leading wicket-taker in 2016 – and David Masters. The attack is likely to be led by Jamie Porter, 23, who has only played two full seasons of Championship cricket.Chris Silverwood, Essex coach, said: “We are thrilled that Mohammad has decided to join us for half of the 2017 campaign. He showed a real desire to be a part of the Club and the fact we have him for two competitions is a real bonus. He is still only young but has proved himself at International level already, so it is a real coup to get this signing completed.”Amir returned to Test cricket in England earlier this year, having served a five-year suspension for spot-fixing. He took 12 wickets in the series against England, but often bowled better than his final tally suggested, as he confirmed that his lengthy ban had not unduly undermined his potential.”I am very excited about becoming part of the Essex family,” Amir said. “Chris Silverwood and Ronnie Irani have both been very supportive over the summer. I’m hoping I can carry on Essex’s success this season and achieve more for the club in 2017.”