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Michael Mason signed off his career with a dream finish to secure the Ford Trophy for Central Districts

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Feb-2012
Scorecard
File photo: Michael Mason had a dream finish to his career with bat and ball•AFPMichael Mason signed off his career with a dream finish to secure the Ford Trophy for Central Districts after it was seemingly headed towards defending champions Auckland in New Plymouth. A career-best 41 not out off 19 balls from Mason helped CD pull off a miraculous victory with one ball to spare.With 28 deliveries to go, CD looked out of the chase – they had only two wickets remaining, and needed 58 more. Mason, 37, didn’t give up – smashing 20 off the penultimate over from left-arm fast bowler Mitchell McClenaghan to leave CD needing only six off the final over. With Martin Kain (23 off 15) for company, Mason completed the win off the penultimate delivery.It completed a fairytale turnaround for CD, and a less pleasant one for McClenaghan, who had earlier put Auckland on course for victory with a three-wicket burst with the new ball. Instead of being a hero, that late costly over left him with figures of 10-0-80-3.CD recovered from the early McClenaghan blows due to half-centuries from opener Dean Robinson and wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk. Their dismissals within the space of 16 deliveries put Auckland in charge once more, before Tarun Nethula’s quickfire 43, a career-high, gave CD a slender chance. Mason and Kain did the rest.Mason had impressed with the ball earlier, with wickets at the start and end of the innings. Auckland’s batting revolved around a second successive century from Neal Parlane, who was only called into the first team last week as Auckland were missing several players due to international commitments. His 106 steadied the innings, before Colin Munro powered a quick half-century to set CD a stiff challenge, which they proved just good enough to meet.

A great win by CD and a awesome way for Mike Mason to finish his career. Have a gd night @TbagNethula well played too bro.

— Ross Taylor (@RossLTaylor) February 12, 2012

The rampant opening firm of Virender Sehwag and David Warner set up a comprehensive win for Delhi Daredevils despite an equally remarkable innings by Shaun Marsh

The Bulletin by Sidharth Monga23-Apr-2011 by 29 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsPace and bounce? Yes, please, said Sehwag and Warner•AFPDelhi finally feels like home for Delhi Daredevils. With players such as Virender Sehwag, David Warner and Morne Morkel in the side, they had been frustrated by lifeless home tracks that made stroke-play and pace bowling difficult. Before this game Sehwag demanded pace, and then in the company of Warner showed just why. They added 146 for the first wicket in 11.4 overs, an ideal platform for a comfortable win despite an equally remarkable innings by Shaun Marsh, and despite the continuing good luck of Kings XI Punjab’s openers who were both dropped on nought.With the ball coming on well on this green pitch, Warner and Sehwag let the bowlers feel their wrath. They were like beasts who had been uncaged after years of confinement, gorging on anything remotely loose. It is a scary thought to imagine what Sehwag would have managed had he not got out for 77 off 35, trying a fourth successive six off the fourth delivery of a David Hussey over. Sehwag even dived into his crease, one of the very few times he has committed that unbecoming act while batting, to bring up his half-century off 28 deliveries, one fewer that Warner took to reach his.Warner got to his landmark with a trademark pull deep into the stands, his second pulled six and third overall. Sehwag was on only 36 then. It takes some special hitting to dominate the strike and still not frustrate Sehwag. Warner managed that nicely. He began in earnest in the first over, pulling and cutting Praveen Kumar for fours. Ryan Harris managed to trouble him for a bit with the extra bounce, but Warner’s comeback was emphatic: a huge pull over midwicket to end Harris’ spell of 2-0-13-0 in a score of 35 for 0 after four overs.The floodgates had just begun to open then. Sehwag tucked into Praveen with three fours in the fifth over, Warner went down on a knee and lofted Shalabh Srivastava’s medium-pace over the sightscreen. The middle overs and spread fields mattered little as both batsmen moved to 59 each by the end of the 11th over. Enter Hussey, Punjab’s expensive signing, playing his first game this IPL. Sehwag showed his famous disdain for spin through sixes over long-on, cow corner and midwicket. A mis-hit off the fourth ball brought some decorum to the proceedings, with only 38 coming in the next 5.2 overs.That phase included Warner’s wicket for 77 off 48 balls. Temporary relief. Lull between storms. Harris came back to have his figures rearranged, ending with 48 off four to join two other colleagues with 40-plus aggregates to their names. Venugopal Rao and Naman Ojha took 47 off the last three overs to post the third-highest total in IPL history, and Delhi’s biggest.Morkel made a further show of why a pitch with bounce suits Delhi more. He got lift, he got movement, he got an edge second ball, one that was dropped by Ojha. However, Morkel’s first spell of three overs for 20, four of which came through a misfield and 10 off free hits, left Punjab an asking rate of 13.2. A period of superb hitting followed, but despite 57 coming off the next four overs, they were just about keeping up with the rate. A five-run over from James Hopes turned the pressure back on, forcing Gilchrist to slog debutant Varun Aaron and miss.Marsh batted beautifully for his 46-ball 95, fetched mainly through proper cricketing shots in an innings that deserved to be on the winning side. He, though, was swimming against the current, and the current won.

South Africa’s sports ministry will establish a committee to look into CSA’s handling of the bonus dispute

Firdose Moonda16-Oct-2011South Africa’s sports ministry will establish a committee to look into Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) handling of the bonus dispute. The issue was thought to be closed yesterday after former president Mtutuzeli Nyoka was removed by a vote of no-confidence, supposedly ending a 16-month long spat with chief executive Gerald Majola.However, the government has decided to intervene after CSA chose not to make public the findings of the forensic audit into bonus payments conducted by KPMG, and ignored subsequent legal advice by advocate Azhar Bham. The ministry called Nyoka’s removal a “decisive action of the board,” but is displeased with CSA’s overall handling of the saga.”Nothing has been resolved,” Fikile Mbalula, the sports minister, told reporters in Johannesburg. “Our cricket is diminishing, we don’t have sponsors, we don’t have a program of action in terms of what needs to be done, all because of a board of people who differ among themselves. We are intervening.”Mbalula said the ministry would act in accordance with the Sports and Recreation Act to appoint a committee under a retired judge, whose name has yet to be announced. The terms of reference will be announced next week and he hopes the matter will be concluded “before Christmas.” He said the ministry is choosing to intervene because they feel they have given CSA “a chance to resolve their issues within a reasonable period of time.”The differences pertain to the payment of R4.7 million (US$ 671.428) in bonuses to 40 CSA staff members, including Majola, for hosting the 2009 IPL and Champions Trophy. However, those payments were not authorised through CSA’s remunerations committee (REMCO) and were picked up as irregularities. Nyoka had repeatedly pushed for an external audit and had already lost one vote of no-confidence and had to win a court battle to be reinstated.KPMG were eventually tasked with looking into CSA’s financial affairs and found that Majola may have breached the Companies’ Act on four counts. They recommended legal advice which resulted in a severe reprimand for Majola. However, the spat between Majola and Nyoka had not cooled, as Nyoka struggled to gain access to various documents. Nyoka was then removed for a second time on Saturday, with CSA claiming he had breached media protocol and the Companies’ Act by taking his honorarium in advance.Although the KMPG report and Bham opinion have not been released to the public, Mbalula said he has viewed both documents. “Bham endorsed the fact that sections 234 and 235 of the Companies’ Act were breached by Majola and this constitutes serious contraventions of the Act. CSA has possibly not applied its mind properly to the relative seriousness of the findings,” he said. Another advocate, Paul Pretorius, also presented opinion to CSA, which concurred with Bham’s findings. Mbalula indicated that the ministry did not feel CSA took the advice seriously enough, both in their own internal inquiry under acting president AK Khan and when presented with outside, expert opinion.”That commission never came with its recommendations that there are irregularities of payment of bonuses,” he said. “KPMG says there are irregularities, the board goes and takes another decision.” He also implied that the personal spat between Majola and Nyoka may have played its part in the board’s thought processes.”It’s quite interesting that the board can decide to dismiss somebody [Nyoka] but they can’t take action on allegations of corruption. It can take a decision about somebody who is challenging its own decision, run to provinces but it can’t act to protect good governance within its own body. It just says that people should be reprimanded.”

“We must be decisive against corruption. I am prepared to leave my job but I will not turn a blind eye to it. If you have done well, you must get a bonus, but it can’t be done against corporate governance.”

Mbalula also said he received telephone calls on Saturday evening from influential people asking him not to intervene. “I got calls last night from people saying, ‘What are you going to say, get out of it, don’t be involved,'” he said. “But I was in the police, nobody can touch me. I am not going to be threatened.”Known for his heavy handed discipline, Mbalula said that arguments that bonuses have been paid in this way at CSA for years, did not sway him. “If a minister in the past ignored that they were paying bonuses irregularly, two wrongs don’t make a right,” he said. “I can’t ignore it now.” Insiders claimed that the reason CSA paid bonuses without the approval or knowledge of their remunerations committee was because of precedents set in both the 2003 World Cup and the 2007 World T20.”What are we going to say to the next federation that gobbles money?” Mbalula asked. “We must be decisive against corruption. I am prepared to leave my job but I will not turn a blind eye to it. If you have done well, you must get a bonus, but it can’t be done against corporate governance. Corporate governance means the board must meet and decide.”He asked for sponsors to “hold their breath” and be patient while the issue is sorted out. CSA have not been able to secure backers with for the T20 series against Australia, do not have ODI or Test event sponsors and two of the three domestic competitions are without sponsors. Corporates have said they do not want to associate with the body until a line has been drawn under the ongoing scandal.CSA may have thought that the line was drawn with the ousting of their biggest critic, Nyoka, and the appointment of Khan, but they appear to have been wrong. Mbalula refrained from lauding Khan’s appointment, saying that it would not be appropriate in the current context “You only congratulate somebody who has been elected in a democratic process not out of crisis.”CSA has stated it will cooperate fully with the ministry’s investigation into the board’s handling of the independent audit. “I can promise the Minister our full co-operation,” Khan said in a statement. “We will be studying his full statement once we have received it and I look forward to discussing the matter further with the Minister when we meet this afternoon.”

John Buchanan has said accountability was the main reason behind introducing a selection structure that gives the head coach the final say in picking a squad

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jun-2011John Buchanan, the New Zealand director of cricket, has singled out the need for accountability as the main reason behind introducing a selection structure in the country that gives the head coach the final say in picking a squad. Buchanan, in a significant decision in his new role with New Zealand Cricket (NZC), dismantled the national selection panel, placing the responsibility of picking teams with the head coach along with a national selection manager – both posts are currently occupied by John Wright and in a caretaker capacity by Mark Greatbatch respectively – with the former taking the final call.”The role of the coach needs to be elevated in terms of its authority around a group of people or a squad,” Buchanan told Harsha Bhogle on ESPNcricinfo’s audio show. “The team manager will have a significant role in that side as well, as indeed the captain. It’s still, in a sense, not far removed from what existing cricket structures are, but the coach will be the one with the final say in most matters.”In terms of selection it is designed to reduce the amount of noise around the squad – there can be so many people who can impact the way the team operates. So, we’ll be appointing a national selection manager and that person’s role is to design a system and process that enables the best choice of squads to be delivered to a head coach. The national coach and the national selection manager will pick the squad for a home or overseas series, and it’s then ultimately up to the head coach who chooses the final side.”Most cricket boards have a multi-member selection panel, of which the coach is, in several cases, a part. Buchanan said the latest move, which leaves the coach with more decision-making powers, was an attempt to determine accountability for a team’s performance. “That’s a reasonable reflection on professional sport and professional cricket these days. The person who is definitely made accountable for how sides perform is the coach,” he said. “One of the responsibilities that go with that accountability is obviously selection. So, I want to make sure that the coach remains accountable for team performance.”Such a structure – which will apply to New Zealand’s men’s, women’s and Under-19 national teams – wouldn’t undermine the role of a captain, according to Buchanan. “A captain and coach have to have a very close relationship, and supporting that is the national selection manager working very closely with a coach and therefore the captain. In terms of picking squads, the national selection manager will be silly not to be consulting with coach and captain.”But was it a risk leaving so much authority in the hands of one person? “That is again a possibility, but hopefully we’ll get the right people to occupy those respective roles and that’s the same as any organisation.’A captain and coach have to have a very close relationship.’•Getty Images”That’s important with a coach, captain and a national selection manager that we’ll be appointing in the next month or so.”Another of Buchanan’s initiatives has been to conduct surveys among players, who’ve also been asked for their inputs on the leadership capabilities of potential captains like Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum, though he clarified that it wasn’t a vote. “Our player reviews cover a range of things and one of those, at the moment is leadership, or broadly a leadership culture, and how individual players perceive that to be in the current set-up.”One of the important elements of a leadership culture is the role the captain plays, and we’re taking the views of players about how they’ve experienced that culture and the leaders within it. That is part of our information to decide who’ll be the new captain.”Buchanan admitted he was “excited” about doing something “pretty special” by bringing these changes. “Whether we can grasp those, and whether we’re good enough to do the job is something we’ll know in two to three years’ time.”

Mohammad Amir’s legal counsel has requested the ICC’s three-man tribunal examining the charges of spot-fixing to take more time to study the case before announcing its verdict

Osman Samiuddin in Doha11-Jan-2011Mohammad Amir’s legal counsel has requested the ICC’s three-man tribunal examining the charges of spot-fixing to take more time to study the case before announcing its verdict. The closing statements of the six-day hearing were presented on Tuesday morning and while the verdict was expected later in the day, Amir’s laywer Shahid Karim was hoping for a deferment.”We have requested the judges to look at the case carefully and properly and with due consideration before they announce the verdict,” Karim told . “This is up to them, and if they have looked at it with thought and consideration, then after we finish they’ll tell us if the verdict is announced today or at a later date.”I am satisfied that the hearing has been very good and impartial, and I can say from our point of view at least we are hopeful. The onus is now on the judges.”Amir, who was alleged to have bowled no-balls to order in the Lord’s Test, was philosophical. “When the nation’s prayers are with you, you don’t feel so scared and there is hope. It’s been difficult to sleep over the last few nights but my eyes are open now and when good news comes I will hopefully be able to close them properly.”We are satisfied with how things have gone, and my family’s prayers are also with me. I’m feeling good and am hoping for some good news.”

Frank McAvennie has been left reacting to some exit news that he has now heard involving Newcastle United and Bruno Guimaraes.

The Lowdown: Real Madrid links with Bruno

As per Spanish news outlet AS, Real Madrid have identified the Brazilian as a transfer target for next year as they look to refresh their options in the centre of midfield.

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Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro are not getting any younger at 36, 32 and 30 years of age respectively, so it is not a surprise to see the La Liga champions looking in the midfield market.

The Latest: McAvennie reacts to Bruno latest

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie has now given his reaction to the news, as the 62-year-old claimed that it is ‘weird’ to see a Magpies player being linked with a move to Real Madrid.

The former Premier League striker said: “The boy Bruno is just brilliant.

“I remember thinking he was a defensive midfielder when Newcastle signed him but he’s scored himself a few goals as well which is great for him.

“He is brilliant to watch and it is weird to see a Newcastle player linked with Real Madrid.

“The way Newcastle are going, he will turn that down if an offer comes in because they will be right up there in a few years.

“If he helps to take Newcastle to the Champions League then he will be a legend.“

The Verdict: Keep him!

Bruno only arrived at St James’ Park in the January transfer window, but has already shown the level of quality that he possesses.

With four goals, one assist and three man-of-the-match awards already to his name in the Premier League, the Brazilian currently ranks as Newcastle’s third-best player, featuring highly among his team-mates in terms of average tackles, shots, dribbles, pass success and through balls per game (WhoScored).

Keeping him should help the Magpies to bring in other quality players to Tyneside over the next few transfer windows.

In other news, find out which ‘special’ NUFC loanee shone on Saturday

Celtic can finally clinch the Premiership title tomorrow as Ange Postecoglou’s side make the trip to take on Dundee United for their latest league meeting.

The Bhoys’ previous game saw them come from 1-0 down to beat Hearts 4-1 at Parkhead on Saturday.

After the visitors took an early lead through Ellis Simms, Hoops duo Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda put the home side in front by half-time. In the second half, goals from Matt O’Riley and Giorgos Giakoumakis secured the three points for the title-chasing Bhoys.

Looking ahead to their next game, it seems as though the league leaders have been handed a big boost which could vastly improve their chances of sealing another victory, one which would confirm them as champions of Scotland.

What’s the news?

Speaking in his latest press conference ahead of Wednesday’s clash, Hoops manager Ange Postecoglou informed the media about his squad’s current fitness situation after their previous match.

He said: “Everyone’s okay after the weekend so we don’t expect any sort of change from the ones available.”

Taking this into account, it will surely please a lot of Celtic fans to hear that there have been no injury issues from the last game which could impact Wednesday’s showdown at Tannadice.

The three previous league meetings between Celtic and Dundee United this season have seen Postecoglou’s side take seven out of a possible nine points. Their first league clash back in September ended with a 1-1 draw, followed by two victories for the Bhoys in December and January.

The Tangerines are heading into tomorrow’s match in a mixed run of form, having won four, drawn seven and lost four of their 15 previous league games.

This shows how hard it could be for Celtic to know how exactly to approach this game. However, with the title in sight, the only thing that Postecoglou will want from his players is another win.

Looking back at their victory over Hearts, despite conceding an early goal, the Bhoys still managed to assert their dominance by ending the game with 64% possession and 21 shots at goal, with 12 on target.

Having no additional injury issues from the weekend will surely help the 56-year-old, who could count upon largely the same starting XI from last Saturday in order to preserve continuity and rhythm with the title in sight.

In other news: “Postecoglou knows”: Insider drops Lennoxtown claim, Celtic supporters will be elated

England’s one-day captain Alastair Cook has rubbished claims by Pakistan fast bowler Umar Gul that James Anderson and Stuart Broad were involved in ball tampering

Andrew McGlashan03-Oct-2011England’s one-day captain Alastair Cook has rubbished claims by Pakistan fast bowler Umar Gul that James Anderson and Stuart Broad were involved in ball tampering. Cook said if Gul did have any concerns he should have gone through the proper channels.Gul hit the headlines after giving an interview in Karachi, where he suggested he had seen examples of ball tampering and mentioned seeing Anderson and Broad using various techniques. However, he later tried to step back from controversy by saying he was only talking about the England pair in relation to natural wear that develops on a ball by throwing it across the outfield.”We certainly haven’t tampered with the ball and if he did have any complaints he should have gone to the ICC over that,” Cook said at Heathrow airport ahead of England’s departure for their one-day series in India. “I think he has almost said himself that it has been a bit of a mountain out of a molehill.”In a statement to Pakpassion.net, where Gul’s original comments first appeared, he clarified his remarks. “I was explaining that the ball gets scratched when it is thrown against the rough surface or hits the advertisement boards along the boundary rope. In this manner, I said, every bowler can be accused of doing it.”Gul made his earlier comments in an interview where he talked about the art of reverse swing and how various elements of ball tampering shouldn’t be included with the laws. “Leave cricket with its traditional ways rather than making changes that would take all the charm out of it,” he said.The recent change to using a separate ball from either end during one-day internationals, which will be implemented for the first time when Bangladesh play West Indies, could impact the role of reverse swing during 50-over matches. Under the previous regulations the ball was changed after 34 overs and the period shortly before the switch was when the fast bowlers would sometimes start to get the ball to reverse. However, with neither ball having no more than 25 overs of wear it will be harder for the natural deterioration to take place.

John Buchanan, the former Australia coach and now a consultant with the ECB, has said Kevin Pietersen could prove a “major problem” for England during the Ashes in Australia later in the year if he doesn’t regain his form

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Oct-2010John Buchanan, the former Australia coach who has accepted a consulting role with the ECB, has said Kevin Pietersen could prove a “major problem” for England during the Ashes in Australia later in the year if he doesn’t regain his form. He pointed to Pietersen’s recent outburst on Twitter, following his omission from England’s Twenty20 squad against Pakistan, and said it did not help the team’s unity.”He (Pietersen} is a quality player and he could be an incredible strength for them but, if he’s not scoring runs, he could become a major problem for the batting line-up and the entire team. Andy Flower has been trying to work on that,” Buchanan told the .Pietersen averaged 27.25 in four innings against Pakistan during the summer, and has gone for 26 innings without a century. He represented the Dolphins franchise in South Africa most recently, playing first-class cricket in preparation for the Ashes. That stint was preceded by an outburst on Twitter following his exclusion from England’s Twenty20 side, for which he was fined and subsequently apologised.”Pietersen hasn’t done himself or the team any favours with his recent Twittering,” Buchanan said. “Two of the things that will be tested in Australia are strength and unity and clearly he hasn’t understood his role within the team yet.”Despite his doubts about Pietersen, Buchanan – who is expected to take up his assignment when the Ashes squad lands in Australia next month – said he was optimistic about England’s chances in Australia and their potential to be the pre-eminent team in world cricket. “They seem to have a new mental toughness and they are more consistent, except for the odd glitch, which is mainly Pietersen,” Buchanan said. “They need to retain this united spirit and sense of purpose. England teams in the past would often be beaten before the Test started. They didn’t believe in themselves, even when they were ahead, but they are better at handling that now.”Australia were at the receiving end of a 2-0 defeat at the hands of India this month, with their batting crumbling in the second innings of each Test. Buchanan believed the Ashes could possibly be decided by the performance of the respective top orders. “The top four, Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen, will be England’s most important players. That is where the series will be decided. Whoever wins the battle of the top fours will win the series.”England were humiliated on their previous tour Down Under, losing all five Tests, and the role of England’s bowling coach, David Saker, was a critical factor said Buchanan. “The most critical member could be the bowling coach, David Saker, with his knowledge of Australian conditions, players and balls and his ability to bring them together as a solid unit. The England bowlers are all good players, so they should be able to adapt.”None of them has any experience of winning in Australia. Playing overseas is very different and they have yet to prove they can do it over a five-Test series in Australia. At some point doubts will start to creep into their heads and it is all about how they deal with them.”

Allrounder James Franklin has been called up to replace the injured Hamish Bennett for the remaining two Tests against India

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Nov-2010Allrounder James Franklin has been called up to replace the injured Hamish Bennett for the remaining two Tests against India. Bennett, who injured his groin while bowling on the first day of the Ahmedabad Test, will return to New Zealand for further testing and rehabilitation.Doubts about Jesse Ryder’s ability to bowl in the next game also factored into the selection of Franklin, as the New Zealand selectors wanted someone who could bat and bowl.”It’s an unfortunate injury for Hamish, which will see him miss the remainder of the Test series against India, Mark Greatbatch, the New Zealand coach said. “However, it does create another opportunity for James Franklin to come back into the Blackcaps squad.”Franklin showed good form with bat and ball in Zimbabwe, where he successfully led New Zealand A to a series win.”New Zealand A won two of the three unofficial Tests they played against Zimbabwe, with Franklin making 180 runs at an average of 60, with one century, and taking 10 wickets at an average of 17.2. Franklin hasn’t played Test cricket for over 18 months though. His last Test came, coincidentally, against India in Wellington in April 2009. Over 26 Tests, he has made 644 runs at an average of 21.46, and taken 80 wickets at 32.65, with a best of 6 for 119.Franklin will arrive in Hyderabad on November 10, two days before the start of the second Test.