Controversy erupted during the third Test in Chennai, when it was alleged that John Lever was using Vaseline on the ball to help it swing. Tony Greig recalls the incident

09-Feb-2010.John Lever wearing his controversial gauze strips•Getty Images

My team was touring India, and as result of victories in Delhi and Kolkata we went into the third Test in Chennai, or Madras as it was known then, 2-0 up. And what’s more we were in a very positive frame of mind.As every one knows, Madras is an extremely hot place and it was no exception for this Test – it was very hot indeed. My two fast bowlers, John Lever and Bob Willis, both wore the hairstyles of the day, which were very long. Just after the lunch break on one of the days, I cannot remember exactly which one it was, the bowlers were complaining of salt in their eyes. Obviously, it was partially to do with sweating profusely and to do with the fact that their long hair was hanging on to the liquid and it was getting into their eyes.In his wisdom, our physiotherapist decided that he should do what marathon runners do, that is put some Vaseline-impregnated gauze into the eyebrows of the bowlers. By doing so, it would channel the sweat down the side of the eye, as opposed to allowing it to go into the eyes. Well, I can tell you that it was a very silly thing to do because under the laws of the game, if you introduce a foreign substance onto the ball it is clearly cheating.What happened was that John Lever had a habit of taking sweat from him brow, which is perfectly legitimate as long as it is only sweat. However, he did mix the Vaseline-impregnated gauze with some of the sweat on his brow, because he had this habit of going straight across his brow. So, purely by accident, he found himself with a slippery hand and, as a result of that, he decided to get rid of that gauze. He took it off his eyes and put it down at the base of the stumps in front of the umpire. This was picked up by the umpire, who recognised that it was a foreign substance, and of course that’s how it got out of control.There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this was an inadvertent mistake by our physiotherapist and that we weren’t, in any way, trying to pull the wool over Bishan Bedi and his team’s eyes. In fact, had we been doing that then why would Lever put the gauze down at the base of the stumps?So that’s basically what happened. Bishan Bedi was under a tremendous amount of pressure at that time because the team was 2-0 down, and after that Test match 3-0 down. There was plenty of speculation whether he would hang onto the captaincy. He was, I think, grasping at straws at that time. In any event, the explanation from Kenny Barrington and me, and indeed the response from Lord’s got behind my explanation that this was a mistake. I am quite happy to admit right now that it should never have happened, but it did, and there is nothing much we could do about it.

He believes the ECB in particular is still wearing their blinkers and that is important that England, at the grassroots level, embraces the opportunity to participate in international Twenty20 leagues with an eye on the next generation of players

Jamie Alter16-Feb-2010Cricket is historically slow at grasping the nettle but few countries have been able to resist the buzz of lucrative Twenty20 tournaments, and former England captain Michael Vaughan believes the format can only be good for Test cricket and, specifically, English cricket. While other cricket boards have embraced the lucrative Champions League Twenty20, the ECB has been keen to keep a lid on the excitement and is apparently in no mood to change its domestic calendar to accommodate the tournament this September.Vaughan, in Bangalore as part of the England Under-18 set-up, reiterated his view that embracing such Twenty20 tournaments could only be beneficial to English cricket.”I think the game’s moved. In a positive sense, it has gone forward. Test-match cricket is still the ultimate game, and the lads coming up all want to play for England in the Test arena,” he told Cricinfo. “But they realise that Twenty20 plays a big part in the county and international setup and of course with all the leagues coming up. They’ll all first and foremost want to play for England but they will be aware of the big leagues being set up and we need to find the right balance. We need to embrace Twenty20.”If you’re good enough to play one format you’re generally good enough to play all three, and players will want to develop their skills in all three, and that can only be good for English cricket. If you’re talking about back in county cricket, where players are already established, then yes, playing in Twenty20 tournaments gives the players much to gain from.”Vaughan recently criticised the ECB for its “arrogant” stance against the BCCI and its role in promoting the Champions League, writing in the that county players must play in such tournaments “to earn a few quid and get a massive buzz from playing in big grounds in front of decent crowds, something they never experience at home”.He believes the ECB in particular is still wearing blinkers and that is important that England, at the grassroots level, embraces the opportunity to participate in international Twenty20 leagues with an eye on the next generation of players. “It can only be good and you’ve got to start at an early stage,” he said. “Look at the lads touring here for this short trip. They need exposure, as do the players in county cricket, and nowadays that comes largely through Twenty20.”Twenty20 is positive because Test cricket needs to be looked at. We need good teams playing each other and playing attractive, aggressive cricket. The product has to be good. If we can produce a more exciting kind of Test cricket where you hit the ball harder and score faster that’s going to be more entertaining to watch, so in the long run Test cricket will gain from what Twenty20 has brought.”As a former international, Vaughan’s role with the U-18 squad is that of batting consultant, but his responsibilities also include sharing his experiences with the youngsters. More than just the technical aspects of the game, he hoped such visits to India would enhance the players’ minds and views and prepare them for the future.”I’ve played a number of Tests in the subcontinent, more over in Sri Lanka, and a lot of one-dayers, so I know how to talk to the lads,” he said. “It’s all about adapting to the conditions – the heat, the humidity, especially, and the pitches. Experiences like this – being away from home for two weeks for the first time – allows you get used to a different kind of lifestyle, food, and surfaces. Importantly they get to play a lot of spinners, with their varieties. Hopefully they can develop as players and as people and that’s good for them and for English cricket. We need that.”

Plays of the day from Bangladesh v England, 2nd Test, Dhaka, 5th day

Andrew Miller in Dhaka24-Mar-2010Innings of the day
Shakib Al Hasan was 22 not out overnight, with a nightwatchman for company, four second-innings wickets still intact, and a slender lead of 94 on which to build. He knew full well that, after a series in which his batting had fallen a touch short of his recent high standards, today was the day to make his presence known to the opposition. And how superbly he responded to the match situation, first in partnership with Shafiul Islam, and then as a soloist while the tail loitered alongside him. A second Test century was the only just reward, but alas on 96, his adrenalin got the better of him.Anticlimax of the day
Shakib’s rush through the nineties was exhilarating to watch, as he took on James Tredwell with a series of slamming sweeps. With a horizontal bat and perfect power and timing, he picked off two fours and a two in the space of five balls, to move to 96 for the third time in his career. But then, from the final ball of the same over, Tredwell tossed it up, and Shakib – fatally – opted for a straight-bladed charge. Instead of dragging the ball through midwicket, he tried to seal the century in style with a six over long-off, but Matt Prior gathered and whipped off the bails. As had been the case with Tim Bresnan on the fourth day, a rush of blood ended a fine performance.Fielder of the day
After dropping the easiest catch of his life on Tuesday, Jonathan Trott came within an elbow of making spectacular amends during Bangladesh’s spirited morning performance. On 54, Shakib climbed into a pull off Stuart Broad, and sent the shot spinning down towards deep square leg where Trott, sprinting round from midwicket, dived and grabbed with his outstretched left hand. For a split-second he had it, but the impact on the turf jolted the ball loose from his grasp. One over later, however, he finally got it right, as Shafiul Islam top-edged a sweep, and Trott this time swallowed the chance on the edge of the rope. It was the hardest easy catch he will ever take, and his face was a picture of fear and relief as he tugged at his England badge to indicate his heart palpitations.Decision of the day
Trott could hardly stay out of the limelight as the match built towards its climax. After his excitement in the field, he was called upon to launch the run-chase, which he did with a decent turn of speed as he moved along to 19 from 30 balls. But then, however, Alastair Cook pushed a single into the covers, where Jahurul Islam slid and threw with impressive speed. A run-out appeal was referred to the TV umpire, Nadir Shah, who had only one angle from which to work. In one frame, Trott was out of his crease with the bails yet to drop, in the next he was home and the stumps were broken. Ordinarily, the benefit of the doubt would have gone to the batsman, but given the events of the past few days, Bangladesh deserved a break.Last word of the day
Alastair Cook has had a match that he’ll want to forget, particularly that horrible second morning when Bangladesh’s tail made a mockery of his field placings. But as he prepares to hand the captaincy back to Andrew Strauss, at least he can say that he took it upon himself to sort out his own mess. A fluent and focussed 109 not out was his final contribution of the tour. It was his second century of the series and, while the pressure evaporated once the result became inevitable, it nevertheless confirmed the strength of his character. Lesser players would have let the pressures of the past few days undermine their natural game. Cook just compartmentalised, and gone on with the business of run-scoring.

William Porterfield, the Ireland captain, hopes his team’s three-week tour to Jamaica will set them up for an impressive display at the World Twenty20

Cricinfo staff03-Apr-2010William Porterfield, the Ireland captain, hopes his team’s three-week tour to Jamaica will set them up for an impressive display at the World Twenty20. The squad arrived over the weekend to take part in the Jamaica Cricket Festival with involves a West Indies team, Canada as well as the hosts.Ireland have been grouped with West Indies and England during the initial phase of the World Twenty20, which starts on April 30, so this tournament will allow them an advanced look at a few of the West Indian players they will come up against.”Our main focus is to use this tournament to help in our build-up to the ICC Twenty20 World Cup and we are looking to getting some good cricket under our belt and getting into the winning mentality,” said Porterfield. “This is a good tough tournament and we are really looking forward to it.”Trent Johnston, Ireland’s opening bowler, will be a key figure at the World Twenty20 and admitted it will be good to get a few matches under his belt after a period of down time since the qualifiers in Dubai.”It’s been snowing for a couple of days [in Ireland] so a lot of our preparations have been indoors; gym work and that sort of thing,” said Johnston. “We have been on sort of a break for about five weeks or so since the end of the qualifiers for the ICC Twenty20 World Cup, so we are probably a little bit rusty, but nothing that a few training sessions or a good three-day game won’t iron out.”As a senior player, I’d like to lead from the front,” he added. “Wherever experience or a cool head is needed, I’d like to get in and benefit the team as best as I can. Hopefully it will go well and we will get our preparation right heading into the ICC World Twenty20.”For Ireland the trip back to Jamaica also allows them to recapture memories of their 2007 World Cup campaign when they famously beat Pakistan to progress to the Super Eights. During their time on the island three years ago the Irish supporters became a focal point of a tournament that wasn’t often renowned for its crowds.”It feels pretty good to be back here in Jamaica, we have a lot of good memories from here and now we’re looking forward to the cricket,” said Porterfield. “The supporters were definitely one of the real highlights of the last time that we were here with the crowds and the atmosphere that they create so we are looking forward to playing in front if them.”When it comes to the World Twenty20 itself Ireland will be able to tap into the local knowledge of their coach Phil Simmons and Porterfield will also be relying on him for information about the players they will face in the next few weeks.”We don’t know a lot about the Jamaican team and so we will be relying on coach Phil in that area…we’ll take it as it comes and adapt once the tournament starts,” he said.

Jagmohan Dalmiya, the Cricket Association of Bengal president, has asked the BCCI for clarifications on several issues regarding distribution of revenues from the IPL and Champions League Twenty20

Nagraj Gollapudi03-May-2010Jagmohan Dalmiya, the Cricket Association of Bengal president, has asked the BCCI for clarifications on several issues regarding distribution of revenues from the IPL and Champions League Twenty20. The most significant instance relates to compensation following the cancellation of the 2008 Champions League Twenty20 – Dalmiya has said Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, the two Indian entrants in the tournament, appear to have been “overpaid a sum of Rs 36.8 crores” [approximately $8 million] after the tournament was cancelled in December 2008, in the aftermath of the Mumbai terrorist attacks.Dalmiya, a former BCCI president, says his point of concern was that the money, which should have been distributed among the BCCI’s member associations, appears to have been shared by two IPL franchises instead.In his five-page dossier, a copy of which is with Cricinfo, handed over to the BCCI following a verbal submission at Sunday’s working committee meeting, Dalmiya lists out how the two franchises – one owned by N Srinivasan, the board secretary, and the other by a group of investors, including Lalit Modi’s brother-in-law – appeared to have been compensated for the cancelled tournament. The BCCI was entitled to pay Rs 10.2 crore [approximately $2.3 million] to the two teams, the same amount that it had released – as stated in the BCCI’s annual report – to the boards of Australia and South Africa for distribution among their teams.However, he says, the BCCI itself sanctioned Rs 20.8 crores [$4.6 million] for Chennai and Rajasthan, while Rs 26.2 crores [$5.9 million] was paid separately by the IPL governing council, according to the minutes of its meeting on August 11, 2009.Dalmiya felt “at the most a sum of Rs 5.1 crores could be paid to each of the two franchises – provided they could provide evidence of the loss suffered – which was evidently not provided to the Working Committee.” His note pointed out that it was never mandatory for the board to pay any compensation in case of cancellation of the Champions League. “There was no contractual obligation of BCCI to pay any monies to the Franchisees on account of cancellation of CLT-20.” This fact, he said, was suppressed from the working committee.Cricinfo had reported the bailout for the two IPL franchises last year. At the time Modi, confirming the news, said part of the payment had already been released to the two franchises. None of the other six participating teams had at the time been paid any compensation by the other national boards. The cancellation of the tournament cost each team a guaranteed participation fee of $500,000 and a share of the total prize money of $6 million, apart from potential sponsorship revenue.Dalmiya’s note, and his assertion that it was based on the BCCI’s annual report and accounts for 2008-09, will raise further questions over the role of senior BCCI officials who also served on the IPL and would have been party to such high-level decisions.

Shane Bond has said there is a danger of Test cricket losing fast bowlers unless boards and team managements rest their quick men periodically

Cricinfo staff11-May-2010New Zealand quick bowler Shane Bond has said there is a danger of losing more fast bowlers from Test cricket unless boards and team managements rest them periodically.”Bowlers are almost going to be like pitchers, where you play a game and sit out the next, because of the amount of cricket played these days,” Bond told Cricinfo. “I worry that fast bowlers are going to withdraw from Test cricket early to play limited-overs cricket.”New Zealand’s often-injured pace spearhead, who retired from Test cricket last year, said Australia were possibly the only team in a position to give their fast bowlers a break. “They win more than they lose. They seem to rotate bowlers even during series and still win. People tend to forget they are resting and rotating and giving guys a week off here and there. A lot of the other teams, because they are struggling to win 50-50, are just playing their best team all the time, and they suffer when there are injuries.Bond turned out for Kolkata Knight Riders in the recent IPL and is now on show in the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean. He tipped the short format to develop as a showcase for fast bowlers. “You are not risking injury [in Twenty20] like you would when bowling eight- to nine-over spells, which sometimes can be dangerous.”Bond said his laziness as a teenager was to blame for the repeated breakdowns for which he became notorious over an all-too-short Test career. “The thing that hurt me the most was, I was really lazy in my late teens. Because of that, I got a lot of back problems. So I missed a lot of years from 17 to 23. I never had a good base for bowling. I just lacked it.”I went away from cricket, and then I am back and all of a sudden bowling proper fast. I went from a little bit of cricket to international cricket, where I am bowling fast. That catch-up was too much. The difference in intensity at domestic and international levels is massive and people don’t appreciate how big it is.”He ruled out a return to Tests but said younger bowlers could continue in the format as long as they managed their comebacks from injuries wisely. “I still see it now when I play with guys who are injured and they want to be back for a game that is, say, six weeks down the line. You’ve just got to come back when you are fully fit. Too many people – and I have made the mistake in the past – sometimes rush back to make a tour or a series even when they are not a 100% fit. You are better off taking it step by step.”Bond said the decision to quit Tests had been hard for him because he had badly wanted to get to 150 wickets in the format. “When I came back against Pakistan, I felt I had the opportunity once again to achieve those goals, and then, bang, I got injured. It was demoralising.”Test cricket is about getting people out and that’s what I do: I got people out. A lot of goals I wanted to achieve were built around Test cricket, but I am also a realist. I realised every time I played four- or five-day cricket, I broke if I played few games on the bounce. It is just the way I played: I find it difficult to hold back. I just go hard. It hurt me.”

Kyle McCallan, the Ireland allrounder, who retired in December last year after a 13-year career, has been awarded the MBE

Cricinfo staff12-Jun-2010Kyle McCallan, the Ireland allrounder, who retired in December last year after a 13-year career, has been awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire).McCallan played 226 matches, captaining in a record 54 games. He captured 256 wickets with his offspinners, third on the all-time list behind Dermott Montieth and Jimmy Boucher. He’s also scored 3616 runs at 23.33, again No.3 in the list of highest run-getters from his country behind Stephen Warke and Ivan Anderson. McCallan was part of the Ireland team that reached the Super Eights of the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies after beating Pakistan in the preliminary stage.”It’s a great honour for me personally, but also my wife and parents. I was privileged to have worn the Irish jersey for over 13 years, and I had some fantastic experiences. I’ve been fortunate to have made some wonderful friends through cricket, and have memories which I’ll cherish. It was quite
simply a golden age for Irish cricket,” McCallan said.Ireland team manager Roy Torrens, who himself was honoured in the
Queen’s Birthday List in 2009, said: “I cannot think of another person who is more deserving of the award. He was a magnificent ambassador for
Irish cricket, both on and off the field. I’m delighted for him and
his family circle – they were wonderful supporters for him
throughout his Irish career, and I know just how proud they must feel.”Cricket Ireland Chairman David Williams added: “The award of the MBE to Kyle McCallan is a well deserved honour for one of our most distinguished cricketers. Kyle McCallan served Irish cricket in an exemplary fashion during his 13 year career, and was a perfect role model to both his team-mates and supporters of cricket in Ireland. It’s a great honour for both him and Irish cricket.”

Jamaica have named Tamar Lambert their captain ahead of Chris Gayle for the Caribbean T20 starting July 22

Cricinfo staff15-Jul-2010Jamaica have named Tamar Lambert their captain ahead of Chris Gayle for the Caribbean T20 starting July 22. Lambert has been part of the Jamaica squad for seven years, averages 30.36 with the bat in 55 first-class matches and has led Jamaica to three consecutive regional four-day titles. Gayle is part of the squad of 15, which also includes internationals such as Marlon Samuels, Wavell Hinds, Nikita Miller, David Bernard and wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh.”Everything has gone very well so far. We are getting everything in place. When we reach Barbados we mean business,” Lambert said. “We have been working really hard. The 14 players have been selected now and our physical trainer has been putting us through our paces.”We have a few games this weekend and we will try to get everything ready so when we get to Barbados we will be in good stead. We are focussed on doing very well and ultimately winning. We will take it step by step, game by game.”Lambert banked on his batsmen to deliver. “It is always good to have Marlon in the team. He has been training very hard to get back into the team and with his experience in the middle-order it will help to strengthen the batting.”We have some very experienced players in the team and everyone will have a part to play if we are to do well in the Caribbean T20. We need a good contribution from everyone. I believed we have a balanced team and a good all-round team. Andre Russell did well with West Indies A team in England and we know what a player like Chris (Gayle) is capable of. He has done it at the international level many times and we will certainly benefit from his experience in our team unit.”The winner of the tournament qualifies for the Champions League to be held in South Africa in September. “It would be extremely nice to win and move on to the Champions League, but first the focus of everyone must be on the Caribbean T20. If we want to make it to South Africa we have to first take care of business in the region,” Lambert said. “When we look at the teams in our zone, Trinidad and Tobago have done well in this version of the game. We will be planning well for all the teams. The focus will be on the Leewards in the first game and after that we will move on to the other opponents as the matches come up.”Soon after the squad was announced, Jamaica’s chairman of selectors, former offspinner, Nehemiah Perry resigned. While there was speculation that the resignation was a result of Perry being upset over the captaincy handed to Lambert over Gayle, Courtney Francis, the Jamaica Cricket Association’s cricket operations officer denied any controversy. “That is my understanding [that there is no controversy],” Francis said. “I went out to the practice session today and had a little chat with the coach (Junior Bennett) and he told me there was no animosity in the camp and I’m comfortable with that.”Jamaica squad: Tamar Lambert (capt), Nikita Miller, Danza Hyatt, Marlon Samuels, Xavier Marshall, Chris Gayle, Brenton Parchment, Wavell Hinds, David Bernard, Odean Brown, Krishmar Santokie, Andrew Richardson, Andre Russell, Carlton Baugh (wk), Junior Bennett (coach)

The Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) is set to introduce a pension scheme for former Ranji Trophy players of the region

Cricinfo staff11-Aug-2010The Nagpur-based Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA), one of the oldest cricket bodies in India, is set to introduce a pension scheme for former Ranji Trophy players of the region.The pension amount would be Rs 5000 per month and the VCA would bear a financial burden of approximately Rs 50 lakh per annum, according to a report in . “The modalities of the scheme will be worked out shortly by an empowered executive committee and the cut-off date has been fixed as March 31, 2004,” VCA president Sudhir Dabir said.”However, a section of players who had initially played for Vidarbha and later moved to Indian Railways will be excluded from the scheme,” VCA’s media manager Rajan Nair, who is also a former Ranji allrounder and currently in the BCCI media committee, said.Similarly, those players who are drawing pension from the BCCI will not be eligible for the VCA pension scheme, as they are already receiving an amount of Rs 10,000 per month.According to Dabir, there were about 268 former Ranji players who had represented Vidarbha in various zonal and national level tournaments but looking at the criteria and the cut off date, only 94 would be eligible for pension.”As per the plan, we are involving all those senior members of the VCA who came forward with the proposal in the process to finalise the modalities of the scheme,” Dabir said, adding that it should be finalised within two months.The proposal to introduce the scheme was approved at the annual general body meeting of VCA held recently.

A two-paced hundred from Moeen Ali and a blistering half-century from Gareth Andrew enabled Worcestershire to register their first Clydesdale Bank 40 victory of the season by 178 runs against Glamorgan at New Road

22-Aug-2010

ScorecardA two-paced hundred from Moeen Ali and a blistering half-century from Gareth Andrew enabled Worcestershire to register their first Clydesdale Bank 40 victory of the season by 178 runs against Glamorgan at New Road. After seven consecutive defeats, Worcestershire finally broke their duck by piling up 296 for 5 and then dismissing the under-strength Welsh team for
118.In a remarkable change of tempo, Moeen made 46 in an opening stand of 105 in 22 overs with Vikram Solanki, but then hammered 75 out of 106 in 11.1 overs with Alexei Kervezee. The left-hander’s second 50 came off only 19 balls and there was more stick to come for Glamorgan when Andrew reached an unbeaten 66 from 22 balls. The former Somerset allrounder hit 24 off the final over, including two sixes and two fours, leaving the unfortunate Chris Ashling with figures of none for 80.Worcestershire’s much-improved performance suggested they benefited from a practice session in the middle on Saturday. Although the exercise was curtailed by rain, the top-order batsmen were challenged to replicate different match situations. When it came to the real thing, Moeen seemed to be out of touch, playing and missing regularly before driving his first boundary off the 22nd ball he faced.However, once one shot had gone off the middle of the bat the runs flowed, although it was Solanki who set the quicker pace with five fours and a six in his 51 until he drove Dean Cosker to Tom Maynard at long off. That was the signal for Moeen to crack on with one of the best innings on the ground this season. His hundred arrived from 94 balls and when he hoisted
another catch to Maynard at long on, he had made 121 from 105 deliveries.The wicket went to Nick James, the former Warwickshire spin bowler’s first in the 40-over league this season, and two balls later he had another when Shakib Al Hasan gave the easiest of return chances. Kervezee then went for 37, caught at long on off Cosker, but Andrew waded into the bowling with six fours and five sixes as Worcestershire added 75 off the last five overs.In contrast Glamorgan lost half their side before they had as many runs on the board. Mark Cosgrove was caught at slip in Matt Mason’s eight-over spell of 3 for 38 and acting captain Mark Wallace was top scorer with 29 before falling to Shakib, who picked up 4 for 32.