Author: Zoli Xhola

The Professional Cricketers’ Association has completed a successful and ground-breaking anti-corruption education visit to South Africa.
Jason Ratcliffe, the PCA Assistant Chief Executive, was accompanied by Mervyn Westfield, the former Essex fast bowler, on the trip which included twelve sessions with players from franchises and provincial teams in Benoni, Johannesburg, Bloemfontein and Centurion.
Westfield was jailed for four months in 2012 for his involvement in spot-fixing in a one day match against Durham in September 2009 but has since played an important role in the PCA’s anti-corruption campaign. He has spoken about his experiences to first year professionals at two PCA Rookie Camps and accompanied PCA staff on pre-season visits to 18 current county squads.
“I do find it difficult doing this work. It drags back very bad memories on a number of levels, but I know it’s the right thing to do to protect the game and help young upcoming players to avoid the pitfalls out in South Africa,” Westfield said.
“It is also pretty gratifying when players ask questions and come up for a chat after the sessions.”
The PCA and England and Wales Cricket Board have led the fight against corruption in cricket and Ratcliffe hopes that the pioneering visit may lead to similar exchanges with other national governing bodies.
“The trip was very worthwhile, covering 12 teams, both Franchises and the provisional squads. The domestic game around the world is potentially at greater risk than the international game, with historically less emphasis placed on mandatory education,” he said.
“With new domestic leagues benefitting from world-wide television access, the risk becomes more acute. Cricket South Africa and South African Cricketers Association were terrific organisers and hosts and are clearly taking their responsibility seriously in this area. Thanks to them and their proactivity in making this trip happen.
“It is tough for Mervyn, but he recognises the benefits of protecting the integrity of the game at every level. We would be prepared to help ICC and any governing body moving forward where necessary.”

Kagiso Rabada has been named Newcomer of the Year at the 10th annual SA Sports Awards in Bloemfontein on Sunday.

Rabada holds the record for the best figures on debut – 6 for 16 against Bangladesh, including a hat-trick – and is widely believed as the next big thing in South African cricket. He has played all forms of the game and has been particularly impressive with his ability to bowl quick, full and accurate. Dale Steyn has said the 20-year old Rabada had more talent at that age than he did, and now CSA chairman Haroon Lorgat has chimed in with: “Kagiso Rabada is a standout talent and destined for greatness.”

The nominees for the SA Sports Awards had been chosen subject to a time frame from September 1 2014 to September 30 2015 and included AB de Villiers for the SA Sports Star of the Year award. Medium-pacer Shabnim Ismail was in the running for the corresponding award in the women’s category as well. All of which were a sign that South African cricket was in good hands, according to Lorgat.

“The success of our programmes is also reflected in the fact that we had several other finalist nominees including our World No. 1 Proteas Test team, the world’s best batsman, AB de Villiers, for the SA Sports Star of the Year, Shabnim Ismail in the SA Women’s Sports Star of the Year award, and Geoffrey Toyana as SA Coach of the Year.

“While Kagiso deservedly won his award the other nominees make us equally proud and deserve our congratulations for being recognised among the best in their respective categories.”

Former first-class cricketer Rushdie Magiet, who played 37 matches in a decade-long career, was one of four recipients of the inaugural Steve Tshwete Lifetime Achiever award. Magiet, 72, represented Western Province from 1971-72 to 1980-81 and took 109 wickets at an average of 13.63 and an economy of 1.83.

“I know Rushdi Magiet personally and he has indeed given a lifetime of service not only to cricket but also to social responsibility,” Lorgat said. “We are delighted that he has received this well merited award.”

Mervyn Westfield has flown to South Africa in an attempt to help to educate their cricketers about the dangers of corruption in cricket. The former Essex fast bowler was jailed for four months in 2012 for his involvement in spot-fixing in a limited-overs match against Durham in September 2009.

At that stage there was no formal anti-corruption education for county cricketers. But since he was released from prison, Westfield has played an important part in the Professional Cricketers’ Association’s (the players’ union) anti-corruption campaign, talking about his experiences to first-year professionals at two PCA Rookie Camps and accompanying PCA staff on pre-season visits to 18 current county squads.

Westfield will now talk about his experiences in South Africa on the six-day visit, organised in collaboration with Cricket South Africa, where he will be accompanied by Jason Ratcliffe, the PCA’s Assistant Chief Executive. Westfield will speak to players from 11 franchises and provincial teams in Benoni, Johannesburg, Bloemfontein, Pretoria and Centurion as well as academy players and youth coaches.

Westfield’s visit comes at a time when Cricket South Africa have launched an investigation after gathering intelligence that an international syndicate is attempting to corrupt their domestic cricket. The investigation is being led by CSA’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit which is being assisted by the International Cricket Council and could involve the South African Police Services.

Westfield, who is still only 27 years old, resumed playing club cricket with Frinton in Essex last year and helped them win promotion in his first season. He hasn’t played a first-team county game since 2009.

“We hope that the trip will reinforce the message that there is no place for corruption in cricket anywhere in the world,” Ratcliffe said. “And that the South African cricketers and coaches we present to will learn valuable lessons from Mervyn’s harrowing story and our approach to anti-corruption education under the auspices of the ECB.

“Both the England and Wales Cricket Board and PCA have led the way on player education to fight anti-corruption in recent years. Mervyn’s willingness to continue telling his first-hand story, Darren Stevens’ experiences in the Bangladesh Premier League, the work of the ECB’s ACCESS unit and the mandatory tutorials which players must complete before they are registered to play in England further reflect this pro-active approach.

“The recent news that Cricket South Africa is investigating possible attempts to corrupt their domestic cricket makes this visit very timely indeed.”

Cricket South Africa is carrying out an investigation after gathering intelligence that an international syndicate is attempting to corrupt domestic cricket in South Africa.

An investigation is being led by CSA’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit which is being assisted by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and could involve the South African Police Services (SAPS).

CSA, as is the case with all the other international cricket Boards, is a signatory to the “Keep Cricket Clean” vision of the ICC which envisages the provision of a co-ordinated and effective world-wide capability to protect all cricket played under its auspices.

“This is a timely reminder that we can never drop our guard in protecting the integrity of the game at every level,” commented CSA Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat. “We have an effective partnership with the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) to ensure that all our players, support staff and administrators are well educated about the nefarious activities of corrupt people and are aware of the consequences of falling victim to any shady approaches.

“Our attitude to corruption will always be one of zero tolerance and we are confident that we have the necessary structures in place to effectively deal with any corrupt activity.”

Mr. Lorgat emphasized that CSA has the most up to date Anti-corruption Code which requires all players and support staff to report any approaches or any knowledge of corrupt activity.

“We will relentlessly pursue under our Code and the law of the land any persons we believe to be involved in corrupting the game and, with assistance from the Police, we will also seek criminal prosecution,” added Mr. Lorgat.

As is the standard practice with the ICC, neither CSA nor the ICC will make any further comment in respect of ongoing investigations.

Cricket South Africa has announced with regret the postponement of the Momentum Women’s National Team’s tour to Bangladesh which had been rescheduled to start later this week. This became necessary as South Africa will not be able to field a full squad.

“This is most unfortunate as a number of our players are unavailable to tour because of personal security concerns, work or the end of year study and exams at this time of year”, commented CSA CEO, Haroon Lorgat.

CSA is currently working with the Bangladesh Cricket Board to reschedule the tour.

Cricket South Africa today announced another bumper programme of home international matches for the 2016/17 season during which fans can look forward to the Proteas taking on New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka and Ireland.

With the past August month having proved successful in hosting international cricket, the 2016/17 season will again make an early start with two Sunfoil Test matches against New Zealand in the second half of August 2016. This will be followed by a five-match Momentum ODI Series against Australia from the end of September to the middle of October 2016. This series will be preceded by the visit of Ireland who will play one ODI each against the Proteas and Australia.

Sri Lanka will be the guests of CSA for the traditional December 2016 to January 2017 part of the season and will oppose the Proteas in three Sunfoil Test matches, five Momentum ODIs and three KFC T20 International matches.

In between the visits by Australia and Sri Lanka the Castle Lager Proteas will go ‘down under’ for a Test series against Australia and, after the Sri Lankan tour, they will visit New Zealand for a full tour in February and March.

“We are looking forward to yet another full international season with Test matches starting in August against New Zealand,” commented CSA Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat.

“Playing against New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and Sri Lanka in one season will test the winning ways of our Proteas and it will also provide our fans with the opportunity to watch the Proteas in action at home in five Sunfoil Test matches, 11 Momentum ODIs and three KFC T20 International matches.

“Test cricket will remain the main focus for our world No. 1 ranked team and I am pleased the ICC has increased the total Test rankings prize money to $US 1,8-million.

“Our team will no doubt have a keen eye on ODI cricket too as the major ICC event in 2017 is the ICC Champions Trophy to be played in England in mid-2017. By announcing the fixtures early we are creating time for our most loyal fans to make their holiday plans to follow the team,” concluded Mr. Lorgat.

Warren Deutrom, CEO of Cricket Ireland, welcomed the opportunity to play ODIs against two of the games powerhouses in South Africa and Australia.

“Cricket Ireland is most grateful to Cricket South Africa and Cricket Australia for giving us this opportunity,” he commented. “These matches are precisely what John Bracewell was referring to when he said we need more matches, more regularly, against the best players, in overseas conditions. The recent series played by Ireland and Afghanistan in Zimbabwe plus our ODIs against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in 2016, and now these matches, show that the 12-team ODI structure is beginning to bear fruit. Long may that continue.”

SOUTH AFRICA’S HOME INTERNATIONAL FIXTURE LIST 2016/17

New Zealand Tour 2016

August 19-23: 1st Sunfoil Test match, Sahara Stadium Kingsmead
August 27-31, 2nd Sunfoil Test match, SuperSport Park

Ireland Tour 2016

September 25: Momentum ODI vs. South Africa, Day, Sahara Park Willowmoore
September 27: ODI vs. Australia, Day, Sahara Park Willowmoore

Australia Tour 2016

September 30, 1st Momentum ODI, D/N, SuperSport Park
October 2, 2nd Momentum ODI, Day, Bidvest Wanderers Stadium
October 5, 3rd Momentum ODI, D/N, Sahara Stadium Kingsmead
October 9, 4th Momentum ODI, Day, St. George’s Park
October 12, 5th Momentum ODI, D/N, PPC Newlands

Sri Lanka Tour 2016/17

December 8-10, Three-Day Tour match, SA Invitation XI, Senwes Park
December 15-19, 1st Sunfoil Test match, Bidvest Wanderers Stadium
December 26-30, 2nd Sunfoil Test match, St. George’s Park
January 2-6, 3rd Sunfoil Test match, PPC Newlands
January 10, 1st KFC T20 International, D/N, PPC Newlands
January 13, 2nd KFC T20 International, D/N, SuperSport Park
January 15, 3rd KFC T20 International, Day, Bidvest Wanderers Stadium
January 20, 1st Momentum ODI, D/N, Sahara Stadium Kingsmead
January 22, 2nd Momentum ODI, Day, St. George’s Park
January 27, 3rd Momentum ODI, D/N, PPC Newlands
January 29, 4th Momentum ODI, Day, Bidvest Wanderers Stadium
February 3, 5th Momentum ODI, D/N, SuperSport Park
CSA will in due course announce the Proteas tour to Australia during November 2016 for the Test series.

Alviro Petersen’s fourth hundred in as many innings set up Lions’ 184-run win over Knights in Potchefstroom.

The margin of victory meant Lions pocketed the bonus point to lift themselves into the third spot at the halfway mark in the competition.

Petersen, who made a 128-ball 134, found support from Neil McKenzie (56), Dwaine Pretorious (50 off 22 balls) and Stephen Cook (42) as Lions posted an imposing 317 for 6 in 50 overs after being sent in to bat. The Knights’ chase fizzled out early as they lost their top five inside 100 runs, with the side eventually bowled out for 133 in 34.5 overs.

Eddie Leie, the legspinner who was recently part of the T20I series in India, returned figures of 5 for 30, while Pretorious also contributed with the ball with three scalps.

Warriors beat Cobras by five wickets in Cape Town to cement their second spot in the points standings. Sisanda Magala, the pacer, picked five wickets to restrict Cobras to 250 for 9. That they got there was courtesy a 98-ball 77 from captain Justin Ontong.

Warriors were driven by Colin Ingram, who top-scored with 77 to help the team march ahead of the asking rate. Although they lost two quick wickets to leave the team at 174 for 5, the momentum provided by Ingram helped them prevail. Christiaan Jonker (44 not out) and Colin Ackermann (35 not out) shared an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 79 to see the Warriors home with seven balls to spare

The Unlimited Titans will welcome Albie Morkel and Marchant de Lange back from international duty as they return to the scene of their greatest recent triumph on Friday.

Morkel’s brilliant 134 not out turned the Momentum One-Day Cup final on its head last season, and so his return is timely as the Titans visit PPC Newlands to take on the Cape Cobras in a repeat of that fixture.

What’s more, the 34-year-old should be high on confidence after earning a recall to South Africa’s Twenty20 squad, for whom he took 3 for 12 as the Proteas beat India in the second T20 International match to clinch the series.

With no points on the board and tough away fixtures against the Cobras and Lions this weekend, the Titans already face a tough battle but are not yet feeling the pressure.

“We’ve started each season with a loss and managed to pull it back, so hopefully we can have more of the same,” said coach, Rob Walter.

Asked how much confidence his side could take from winning the final at Newlands last season, he said: “I guess some, although not too much – this is a new season and you start all over again. It gives us a good memory to reflect on if anything, but we’re still going to have to go out and play well to beat the Cobras.”

Paul Adams’ side are also yet to get off the mark in the competition after they were well beaten by the bizhub Highveld Lions last weekend, but won’t be making any harsh decisions with regards to selection.

“We’re looking to go with the same squad,” coach, Paul Adams, said. “I think it’s important that you give players confidence and also give them a review of their game and see if they can pick it up from there.”

The Cobras will wait to see whether Andrew Puttick is available after the opener came down with a mouth infection this week, and have added Keegan Petersen to their squad as cover.

Adams expects to have new recruit Wayne Parnell back to full fitness by next week, but Beuran Hendricks faces a longer spell on the sideline.

MS Dhoni reminded his critics of precisely why he is India’s most valuable limited overs player with a Man of the Match performance to square the ODI Freedom Series against the Castle Lager Proteas at 1-1 with a 22-run victory in the second of five matches at Indore on Wednesday.

India, having won the toss and not having been helped by the catastrophic run out of Virat Kohli, looked dead and buried when they collapsed to 125/6 after 30 overs. But the one wicket of value they still had in hand was that of Dhoni, who rallied his bowlers around him and personally made sure that India batted out their 50 overs by turning down singles in the last 3 overs of the innings rather than let his No. 11 on strike.

He nevertheless compiled an unbeaten 92 (86 balls, 7 fours and 4 sixes) and, as his counterpart, AB de Villiers, had done in the first ODI, finished the innings with a defiant six.

He then handled his bowling attack superbly to defend a total of 247 which looked well short of par. He gave an early indication of his tactics when he brought his two specialist spin bowlers, Harbhajan Singh and Axar Patel, into the attack after only 5 overs.

Nevertheless the Proteas looked to have a 2-0 series lead in the bag after two good partnerships up front – 40 for the first wicket between Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock and 82 for the third between Faf du Plessis and JP Duminy. When Duminy was dismissed, coming in No. 4 ahead of De Villiers, who suffered a lower back strain, the target was only 114 runs in 26 overs with 7 wickets in hand.

As De Villiers admitted afterwards that the Proteas had put up a poor batting performance although they were not helped when their last remaining specialist batsman, Farhaan Behardien, got out in an unfortunate manner.

After that it was left to the bowlers to get the Proteas over the line and, although they came up short, there was at least evidence that Kagiso Rabada has the potential to develop into a bowling all-rounder. He was the last man standing at the end and again impressed with his calmness and maturity in a pressure situation, not to mention the quality of some of his strokes.

Du Plessis (51 off 56 balls, 6 fours) was the top scorer for the Proteas while Steyn (3/49) was the pick of their attack.

The third ODI will be played at Rajkot on Sunday (10h00 CAT).

THE Nashua Cape Cobras picked up their third bonus-point victory in four Momentum One-Day Cup matches as they beat the Chevrolet Knights by 73 runs at Newlands on Wednesday.

 
After a trio of half-centuries guided the hosts to a total of 285 for five, the Knights were bowled out for 212 in 45.5 overs to give the Cobras a nine-point gap at the top of the standings after just four matches of the competition.
It was another Cobras performance notable for its control, with the top order setting a platform after captain Justin Ontong had won the toss and elected to bat, so that the middle order could cash in during the last 15 overs.
Opener Andrew Puttick (55) passed a fitness test and went past 50 for his fourth consecutive innings, while Richard Levi (25), Omphile Ramela (25) and Stiaan van Zyl (22) all chipped in.

 
Although there was a slight wobble when Ontong was caught at slip for two and Van Zyl played on off the bowling of Dillon du Preez, leaving the Cobras 148 for five in the 37th over, Man of the Match Dane Vilas and Sybrand Engelbrecht quickly found their feet and began to score freely.
The pair truly cut loose in the final five overs, when they added 83 runs to take their partnership to an unbroken 137, with Vilas finishing unbeaten on 77 and Engelbrecht on 68.
The Knights reply got off to a bright start, with openers Gerhardt Abrahams and Reeza Hendricks putting on 59 in the opening powerplay, and Abrahams going on to score just his second List A fifty.
However, the 24-year-old’s wicket was bought by the canny Robin Peterson, who continued to toss the ball up after being hit for a six and duly had Abrahams caught on the boundary for 62.
Engelbrecht and Vilas combined once again to run out a well-set Rudi Second, before a three-wicket burst in the batting powerplay effectively put paid to the Knights’ hopes.
Once Pite van Biljon had been dismissed for 49 by Mthokozisi Shezi, the only target for the Knights was 228, which would have denied the Cobras a bonus point.
They failed to get there, as Shezi wrapped up the innings to record figures of 4 for 38

A sharp performance from South Africa Women’s pacers, combined with a fifty from opener Trisha Chetty gave the team a 2-1 series win in the fourth and final ODI of the series against Sri Lanka Women in Colombo. Sri Lanka were dismissed for 137 after they were put in to bat and South Africa chased the total down with five wickets in hand, and more than 15 overs to spare.

Sri Lanka were rocked early when medium-pacer Shabnim Ismail took the first two wickets in her consecutive overs, and the hosts were 18 for 3 after losing three wickets for eight runs. Opener Chamari Atapattu resisted with a 71-ball 26 but didn’t get any company from the top and middle order, which managed only 18 runs without her, and the score read 76 for 6 when she became Marizanne Kapp’s first wicket. No. 7 Eshani Lokusuriyage revived the innings by scoring 46, which included two sixes, and finished as the highest run-scorer of the series. The tail also provided a bit of opposition, before they were bowled out for 137. Ismail finished with 2 for 15, including three maidens, from her seven overs and topped the wicket-takers list with 11 in the series. Kapp had figures of 2 for 17 from 6.4 overs.

South Africa got a solid start with four fours in the second over, two each from Chetty and Lizelle Lee. Maduri Samuddika broke the opening stand in the sixth over and also removed debutant Andrie Steyn four overs later. Left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera gave the visitors two more jolts when she dismissed Mignon du Preez and Kapp for low double-digit scores. South Africa were now 90 for 4 in the 21st over. With only 48 runs left, Chetty nearly saw them through with her eighth ODI fifty. In the 35th over, Dane van Niekerk smashed a four and a six within three deliveries to seal the win.

This year’s fifth LG People’s Choice Award sees five players from five different countries nominated to win the only award voted for by the public at the annual LG ICC Awards.

The quintet of players nominated for the award are England women’s captain Charlotte Edwards, Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson, India fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews and South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn.

 Fans will have the opportunity to decide the winner by voting for their favourite player either via www.lgiccawards.com or via Twitter using the hashtag #lgiccawards.

Voting for the LG People’s Choice Award is now open and will close at midnight (UAE time) on Thursday, 30 October. The winner, as well as the ICC Test and ODI Teams of the Year and the short-list for the remaining LG ICC Awards 2014 will be announced on Wednesday 5 November 2014 at a press conference at the ICC Headquarters in Dubai. ICC Chief Executive David Richardson and ICC Cricket Committee Chairman Anil Kumble will attend the press conference, which will start at 1030.

The short-list was nominated by an elite panel of cricket experts, which is headed by ICC Cricket Committee Chairman and former India captain Anil Kumble. Other members of the panel are Jonathan Agnew, a former England international and now a respected broadcaster/journalist, ex-Sri Lanka opener Russel Arnold, former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, and Betty Timmer, former Chair of the ICC Women’s Committee.

The five players were selected by the panel using the criteria set out by LG and the ICC, which required that the nominees have displayed attributes regarded by LG as being in line with its corporate qualities, such as innovation, dynamism, strength in decision-making, performing well under pressure and executing a plan to distinction.

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said: “The support of the fans is vital for the game and particularly valued by the players – hence, the significance of the LG People’s Choice award. The overwhelming number of cricket fans who participate to select the winner of this award has made it one of the most prestigious awards in the ICC calendar.

“None of the deserving nominees have won this award before and this year’s fan favourite will join the exclusive company of previous winners, Sachin Tendulkar (2010), Kumar Sangakkara (2011 and 2012) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (2013).”

Tom Harrison, a former Derbyshire allrounder and currently a senior figure at sports marketing company IMG, is the surprising choice as the new chief executive of the ECB to replace David Collier.

Harrison, 42, had a brief first-class career in 1995 – playing in a team that included Dominic Cork, Phil DeFreitas, Devon Malcolm and Daryll Cullinan – before moving into the business world where he worked with the ECB for three years including as head of marketing. He then worked for ESPN Star Sports in Singapore until 2011 before his current position with IMG as a senior vice-president where he is heavily involved in TV rights negotiations, which will be a key part of his new job.

He has never held a position as high as chief executive but has been preferred ahead of the widely tipped Richard Gould, the Surrey chief executive, who was believed to be the favoured choice of chairman Giles Clarke.

“As a lifelong cricket fan, I feel extremely honoured and privileged to have been offered this opportunity to lead the ECB as its new chief executive officer,” Harrison said. “I am a passionate supporter of the game across all formats, at all levels and I am genuinely excited by the substantial opportunities that the game has moving forward in this country.”

Clarke said the interview panel had been impressed with Harrison’s “energy, passion for the game and his positive, bold, creative and ambitious vision for the future of cricket in England and Wales”.

Harrison’s recent role in the TV rights business will be brought to the fore early in his ECB tenure as the board’s current deal with BSkyB runs until 2017, although there is the option for two more years. There is likely to be greater competition for rights in the next round of bidding with the presence of the aggressive BT Sport, who have made a big play for Premier League rights and are keen to expand into the cricket market.

The ECB may reconsider how its rights are packaged. At the moment all live rights are bundled into one deal – only home international highlights are separate and reside with Channel 5 in the UK – but they could look to offer Twenty20 as a separate package while the issue of no live cricket on free-to-air television, which has been the case since 2005, remains a significant debate.

Colin Graves, the deputy chairman and chairman of the commercial committee, said: “Tom’s commercial experience of working on some of the biggest sponsorship and broadcast deals completed in sport, means that he is exceptionally well qualified to help to drive more revenue into the whole game whilst his excellent network in Asia and at the ICC will be critically important as we look to continue to play a central role in the growth of the game internationally in the years ahead.”

Harrison is due to take up his position in mid-January.

Albie Morkel will miss at least the first third of the South African domestic season after undergoing ankle surgery. Morkel tore ligaments in his ankle during the Titans pre-season tour in August and is targeting a December comeback.

The Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) has today announced the appointment of Alistair Nicholson as Chief Executive Officer.

Nicholson becomes the third ACA CEO, following the departure of former CEO Paul Marsh in May.

As a professional sportsman Nicholson played 110 Australian Football League (AFL) games for the Melbourne Football Club from 1997 to 2006, including the 2000 Grand Final.

During his time as a player Nicholson sat on the AFL Players’ Association Executive, becoming involved in the Collective Bargaining negotiations and education program development.

Following his football career he has worked most recently at consultancy company Gemba Group as Head of Strategy, where he has developed an extensive understanding of the business of sport through working with the major codes in Australia across a broad range of strategic planning, commercialisation and participation issues.

ACA President Greg Dyer said, “I’m proud to announce that Alistair Nicholson will be joining the ACA as CEO, following a comprehensive, nation-wide search.

“A unanimous decision was reached by the selection committee, which consisted of ACA Executive members Neil Maxwell, Lisa Sthalekar, Shane Watson and myself.

“His exposure to the issues faced by athletes during his time with the AFLPA, combined with his roles at Gemba make him a great choice for the position.”

Australian all-rounder and ACA Executive Member Shane Watson said, “We’re thrilled to welcome Alistair on board. In addition to his background in sport from a business and strategic viewpoint, Alistair has an impressive understanding of issues from a player’s perspective, which I’m sure will resonate with current players as well as the broader ACA membership.

“I know the players will look forward to working with him and continuing the ACA’s history of strong and passionate representation, and providing us with a vital collective voice in the game.”

Speaking about his appointment, Alistair Nicholson said, “I’m honoured and humbled to be given the opportunity to represent the ACA members. I am passionate about the range of issues facing players and motivated by the desire to ensure access to world leading services, including supporting players to prepare themselves for their post sporting life.

“The ACA is a terrific organisation and has achieved a large amount in a relatively short period. The current partnership approach provides a strong basis to build upon and I look forward to working with all stakeholders to grow the game of cricket in an increasingly sophisticated sporting environment, both in Australia and overseas.”

Alistair possesses a Bachelor of Commerce (University of Melbourne) and a Bachelor of Arts (Monash University).

Nicholson will commence his role with the ACA on Monday 27th October.

Faf du Plessis of South Africa has stormed up the Reliance ICC ODI Player Rankings following a stellar performance in Harare in which he scored 464 runs and played a leading role in his side’s victory in the triangular series.

Du Plessis hit three centuries and a half-century for which he has been rewarded with a jump of 33 places that has put him just outside the top 10 in 11^th position. The middle-order batsman had arrived in Zimbabwe in 54^th position on 519 ratings points but returned home in 11^th position on 701 ratings points. These are his career-best ranking and ratings, to date.

Du Plessis is the fourth South Africa batsman to feature inside the top 11 with captain AB de Villiers regaining the number-one position from team-mate Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock slipping two places to ninth.

Amla had entered the triangular series leading de Villiers by one ratings point. He dropped 22 ratings points after scoring 172 runs, which handed the top spot back to de Villiers who retained his pre-series ratings points of 869 following his series total of 215 runs with a century and a half-century.

Australia’s Aaron Finch, who finished the series as the second leading run-getter with 250 runs, has gained 18 places and has moved to a career-high 34^th spot while Finch’s partner, Phil Hughes, has moved up 24 places to 47^th after scoring 161 runs in his comeback series.

The tournament has also helped Zimbabwe’s players to improve their rankings.

Off-spinner Prosper Utseya and fast bowler Tendai Chatara have leaped 10 and 14 places to reach 34^th and 56^th positions, respectively. Utseya was the third leading wicket-taker of the tournament behind Dale Steyn and Nathan Lyon.

Steyn’s 10 wickets for 212 runs in the tournament have seen him move up one spot to number three in the ICC Players Rankings for ODI Bowlers.

South Africa’s spin duo of Imran Tahir and Aaron Phangiso have also achieved career-best rankings. Tahir has moved up 10 places to 26^th position while Phangiso has gained 28 spots and he is now in 68^th spot.

Faf du Plessis has expressed his desire to cash in on his current purple patch with the Castle Lager Proteas ODI squad in Zimbabwe. Du Plessis has scored 401 runs at an average of 66 in six ODI’s on the current tour, and has been the standout performer in testing conditions.

“I’ve said before that my job is to score hundreds,” he said to the media after the Proteas’ 62-run loss to Australia on Tuesday. “I ticked that box but getting a hundred and crossing your team over the line is much sweeter. “Even when I was scoring I always felt like it was too far away because we kept on losing wickets.”

“I’m hitting the ball nicely, but I feel I can still improve quite a bit,” he added. “I’m enjoying the number three role, I think it suits me a lot better than it did at number six. What is really important for me is to get big runs when you are in some sort of form. It (form) can change really quickly, I need to make sure I keep putting in big runs for the team.”

Du Plessis lamented the lack of partnerships in the middle order, which failed to fire once again.

“The way the wickets play here is the reason for that,” he said of the middle-order collapse. “The ball gets slower so it’s difficult when you come in as a new batter to score runs.

“It’s definitely the toughest time of the innings to bat. In saying that, you need to make sure that when you get a partnership going you extend it as long as possible. That was the difference with our performance in the previous match. AB and I had a good partnership, unfortunately 30 or 40 run partnerships are not going to win you the game.”

Du Plessis feels Mitchell Marsh’s blitz at the end of Australia’s innings was the difference between the sides.

“I think if we pin point an area where we probably lost the game it was when Mitchell Marsh fired at the end of the innings,” he said. “Their innings was set up to reach 240 or 250 and we had a brilliant bowling performance until then. He played fantastic cricket shots, but we as a bowling unit will be disappointed that we allowed him to score so many sixes.”

The Proteas play their last pool match of the series against Zimbabwe on Thursday.

South Africa and Australia will resume their fierce cricketing rivalry in the second match of the triangular series at the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday. Castle Lager Proteas captain, AB de Villiers, addressed the media on Tuesday afternoon, and says he expects the same high level of intensity that comes with clashes between the two teams.

“It was a hard fought series back in South Africa; there are no hard feelings,” De Villiers said of the sledging. “We don’t expect anything less when we play Australia or any of the top teams in the world, it’s always a tough series. Personally for myself as a batter, I don’t mind the sledging, I enjoy the challenge. Facing some of the best bowlers in the world is a huge privilege and I’m expecting to see more of that in this series.

“In the same breath we are also here to win,” he added. “We will do whatever it takes to win the series.”

De Villiers says his squad members have returned in a “good space” following a three-day break, with

everyone raring to go in the Proteas’ series opener.

“We have been here for three weeks already so I felt that a break would be a good way for the players to recharge their bodies and minds,” De Villiers said. “Some guys went back home to South Africa while others went on a bush safari which included a bit of fishing and game viewing. It was all in all a good break, the guys have come back hungry for success.”

Australia are ranked No.1 on the ICC Reliance ODI rankings, with the Proteas four points adrift in third place.

The Momentum Proteas women have completed their final camp ahead of their departure for England on Monday.

The team have been gathered at the Cricket South Africa (CSA) Centre of Excellence for one last three-day camp before their two, three-match Twenty20 series against England and Ireland from 1-10 September 2014.

“We’ve been preparing for this tour for the past three months,” head coach, Hilton Moreeng said. “The team have been involved in the CSA National Academy for the first time in history and this has served us well in helping our players prepare for all eventualities in England. We know that it’s going to be a tough tour but I’m backing our preparation and the team’s drive to see us through.”

South Africa have not toured England since 2008 and have lost all of their matches against the World’s number three side in their recent clashes, most recently, the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s World T20 earlier this year, but captain, Mignon du Preez says all that is behind them now.

“The past is is gone and we are looking forward to the future,” she commented. “England are definitely one of our toughest competitors and we have a lot of respect for them, but we are a completely different side from the one they face in the World T20. Being part of the National Academy has benefited us immensely and we are mentally stronger than we have ever been.

“I’m looking forward to a really competitive series against England and Ireland, in conditions that are foreign to us and putting all the lessons of the last three months to good use. The team are really amped to get going and are excited to show what we’ve got,” she concluded.

The team depart from OR Tambo International Airport on Monday night on Emirates flight EK 766 departing at 22:20.

South Africa’s professional cricketers and the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) today paid tribute to Jacques Kallis, who retired from international cricket on Wednesday.

Proteas Test captain, Hashim Amla, said “Jacques was a one in 50 years cricketer who had a huge influence on so many Proteas players over a twenty year period. I was privileged to have been one of those. You appreciate the magnitude of the cricketer not only when you look at his record but also when you play alongside him.”

SACA President, Robin Peterson, said “People were entertained by Jacques on the field and statistically he is the greatest South African cricketer ever. What we were able to see as players however was the man behind all the records. The aura in the change room, the calming influence on other players and the wonderfully subtle sense of humour, often in tight situations.”

“Most of us playing franchise cricket in South Africa aspire to playing for the Proteas and most have a player we want to be like,” said Stephen Cook, bizhub Highveld  Lions captain. “For so many striving young franchise cricketers that player was Jacques Kallis. He has inspired so many cricketers at many levels.”

Jacques Kallis was a professional cricketer from December 1995 to July 2014

JACQUES KALLIS today announced his retirement from all formats of international cricket.

“I realized in Sri Lanka that my dream of playing in a World Cup was a bridge too far,” said Kallis in a statement. “Ï just knew on that tour that I was done. The squad that was in Sri Lanka is an amazing one and I believe they have a good chance of bringing the trophy home in March.

“I would like to thank Cricket South Africa, the team, the team sponsors, my sponsors, the fans and all the people who have been involved in my career. It has been an amazing journey.

“I am not retiring from all cricket as I have a two-year contract with the Sydney Thunder and, if possible, to help the Kolkata Knight Riders defend the IPL title we won earlier this year.”

Cricket South Africa (CSA) Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat, commented: “South Africa has been blessed with one of the world’s greatest cricketing talents in Jacques Kallis. He is undeniably one of the greatest players ever to have graced our wonderful game and he has certainly been the Proteas standard-bearer of excellence for nearly two decades.

“He has played a huge part in making cricket a truly national sport of winners and, in doing so, contributed so much to the important process of nation building. He is a true professional and it has been an absolute privilege to have worked with him both as Convener of selectors and now as Chief Executive.

“To say that we will miss him on the playing field is stating the obvious. Each one of us from this day on will treasure the many fond memories of his awesome career.

“On behalf of CSA and all our stakeholders, I would like to sincerely thank Jacques for his huge contribution to the game of cricket and wish him only the best as he moves on from the international playing arena.”

Castle Lager Proteas batsman, Dean Elgar, says his past experience on the sub-continent, along with cricketing instincts, paved the way for his second Test century on the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Wednesday.  Elgar was the leading run-scorer of the series between Sri Lanka A and South Africa A here in 2010, and scored 431 runs, including two centuries, during the two unofficial Tests.

“The heat is quite a factor,” Elgar, who last played competitive cricket in April, admitted. “I have come from a cold South African winter and have been hit with a culture shock in 30 degree temperatures. I have had experience in Sri Lanka before so I knew what to expect from the conditions. Towards the end it did get quite tough, and to make it tougher their bowlers also gave us nothing. I had to find a way to get through it.”

The 27 year-old shared his fourth 100-plus partnership with Faf du Plessis, and says clear communication has been an important contributor towards their success together.

“Faf and I get along really well,” he said. “And on the field we seem to get on even better. We have had some good batting partnerships together, we know what we are about and what makes us tick. Luckily we communicate quite well out there.”

Elgar gave credit to Sri Lanka’s bowlers, whom he feels expertly exploited their conditions with good variation and skill.  He feels the magical 400 mark is still within reach, especially with a bulked up lower-order still to feature.

“We would have loved to have been three down at stumps with the score we have,” he said. “There is still a lot of graft and we have batters in the shed. We have Quinny (de Kock), Koppe (Duminy), Vernon (Philander) and Dale (Steyn) to come, all these guys can score runs. We have to edge closer to that mark that we have spoken about. It’s going to be hard work, it’s going to be tougher tomorrow, especially with the wicket deteriorating.”

South Africa’s maiden ODI series win in Sri Lanka has helped it, as well as its players, to make upward movements in the latest Reliance ICC ODI Rankings, which were released on Sunday. South Africa won the third and final ODI by 82 runs and claimed the series 2-1.

South Africa had entered the three-match series in fifth position on 109 ratings points, and has now joined Sri Lanka on 111 ratings points but is ranked behind Sri Lanka, in fourth position, when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point. This gain of two ratings points means South Africa now trails number-one ranked Australia by four ratings points and second-ranked India by one rating point.

With the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 starting in Australia and New Zealand in seven months, only six ratings points separate the top five sides. with South Africa to play at least 17 ODIs before it opens its World Cup campaign against Zimbabwe in Hamilton on 15 February. While these matches will help South Africa to prepare for the mega event, they will also provide it with the chance to surge to the top of the ODI team rankings.

South Africa players have also benefitted from the series as most of the highest-ranking players have moved in the right direction.

In the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for ODI Batsmen, Hashim Amla is now sitting just behind his captain and number-one ranked AB de Villiers after finishing the series as the leading run-getter with 258 runs. Amla, who scored centuries in the opening two matches, has gained two places and now trails de Villiers by 17 ratings points.

De Villiers has been rewarded for his series aggregate of 212 runs by earning 13 ratings points which have given him a career-best rating of 885.

Quinton de Kock, who represented South Africa in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2012 in Townsville, has moved up two places to a career-best 11^th ranking following his series contribution of 159 runs that included a 128 in the last ODI in Hambantota.

David Miller is the other South Africa batsman to make gains in the latest rankings. The left-handed batsman has earned five places and is now sitting in 40^th position.

In the Reliance ICC Players Rankings for ODI Bowlers, fast bowler Ryan McLaren and wrist spinner Imran Tahir have achieved career-best rankings.

McLaren, who was the most successful bowler of the series with nine wickets, has broken into the top 10 in 10^th position after jumping 10 places. Tahir, who claimed six wickets, has rocketed 32 places to occupy 51^st spot.

JP Duminy 63^rd (up five places) and Vernon Philander 87^th (up six places) are the other South Africa bowlers to head in the right direction.

However, there was discouraging news for Duminy, Faf du Plessis and Jacques Kallis who have slipped in the batting charts. Duminy has fallen seven places to 29^th, Kallis has dropped four places to 40^th and du Plessis has slipped three places to 54^th.

In the bowling, both Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel have slipped to fourth and eighth, respectively, after conceding two places each.

For Sri Lanka, captain Angelo Mathews and Ajantha Mendis have made the most of the series.

Mathews’ 105 runs in three matches have helped him gain two places to put him in 22^nd spot, while Mendis’ seven wickets have allowed him to move up seven places to 32^nd position.

Lasith Malinga has moved up one place and is now in 21^st spot while Tillakaratne Dilshan has gained five places in the bowling table and is now in 67^th position

Sri Lanka and South Africa go head to head in the three-match ODI series in Colombo on Sunday, 6 July with the number-two position on the Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings up for grabs.

Sri Lanka is presently sitting in third position, just a fraction of a point behind India, while South Africa is on equal points with England but is ranked fifth when ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.

This means the side that wins the series is guaranteed to improve its ranking on the ODI table.

If Sri Lanka wins the series 2-1, it will claim sole possession of second position with 113 ratings points, while a 3-0 victory will put Sri Lanka on 114 ratings points. In both the scenarios, South Africa will retain its fifth position.

On the other side of the coin, a 2-1 win for South Africa will put both the sides on 111 ratings points each. But Sri Lanka will be ranked third while South Africa will be ranked fourth, two ratings points ahead of fifth-ranked England.

 However, if South Africa wins all the three matches of the series, then it will earn four ratings points to leapfrog India into second position, while Sri Lanka will slip to fourth position, just on ratings point ahead of England.

Meanwhile, South Africa captain AB de Villiers is holding on to the number-one position in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for ODI Batsmen. He is only four ratings points ahead of India’s second-ranked Virat Kohli. Because the gap is so small, de Villiers is expected to perform consistently in the series to avoid slipping behind the India batsman.

Hashim Amla (fourth), Kumar Sangakkara (fifth) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (seventh) and Quinton de Kock (13^th) feature inside the top 20.

Just outside the top 20 are JP Duminy (22^nd), Angelo Matthews (24^th), Mahela Jayawardena (34^th) and Jacques Kallis (36^th).

Dale Steyn is the highest-ranked bowler from either side in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for ODI Bowlers in second position.  He trails Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal by 45 points.

Bowlers outside the top 10 and likely to be seen in action during the series are Sachitra Senanayake (13^th), Rangana Herath (14^th), Ryan McLaren (20^th), Angelo Matthews (21^st), Lasith Malinga (22^nd), Nuwan Kulasekara (27^th), Suranga Lakmal (48^th), Wyane Parnell (52^nd) and Thisara Perera (56^th).

In the Reliance ICC ODI All-Rounders’ list, third-ranked Mathews trails number-one ranked Mohammad Hafeez by 46 ratings points. Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan is in third spot.

Upcoming Fixtures

Sri Lanka vs South Africa

6 July: 1^st ODI, R Premadasa, Colombo

 9 July: 2^nd ODI, Pallekele (D/N)

12 July, 3^rd ODI: Hambantota

Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings (as on 4 July, before the start of Sri Lanka- South Africa series)

Rank   Team                         Rating           

1           Australia                    115

2           India                          112

3           Sri Lanka                   112

4           England                      109

5           South Africa              109

6           Pakistan                     100

7           New Zealand               98

8           West Indies                 94

9           Bangladesh                  72

10         Zimbabwe                   61

11         Afghanistan                 34

12         Ireland                         33

Lou Vincent, the former New Zealand batsman, has been banned for life by the ECB after he admitted breaching the ECB’s anti-corruption regulations. Hours before the penalty was announced, Vincent released a statement saying that he was a cheat and that he had accepted money to under-perform.

Vincent is banned from “all forms of cricket” and prevented from “playing, coaching or participating in any form of cricket which is recognised or sanctioned by ECB, the ICC or any other National Cricket Federation.” The ECB said Vincent had pleaded guilty to 18 breaches of its anti-corruption code in reference to three matches: a Twenty20 match between Lancashire and Durham in June 2008, a Sussex v Lancashire Twenty20 match and a Sussex v Kent CB40 match both played at Hove in August 2011. During these matches, Vincent had committed 11 offences punishable by a life ban under ECB anti-corruption regulations.

The life ban on Vincent has also been extended to the Champions League T20. Vincent pleaded guilty to seven charges related to entering into agreements with bookmakers for financial gain and match-fixing in the 2012 CLT20 in South Africa. Vincent had played for the Auckland Aces in the CLT20 and the matches under scrutiny included those against Hampshire on October 10 and Kolkata Knight Riders on October 15. He was also charged with failing to report an approach from a bookmaker in the 2011 CLT20.

NZC chief executive David White said the organisation was, “appalled” by Vincent’s actions, “and supported the penalty handed down.”

The anti-corruption case around Vincent relating to county cricket had, ECB CEO David Collier said, “crossed different cricketing jurisdictions and required close collaboration and intelligence-sharing between both our own anti-corruption unit, other domestic boards and the ICC’s ACSU.” He described Vincent as “an individual who repeatedly sought to involve others in corrupt activity for his own personal gain has accepted that his conduct warrants a lifetime ban from cricket.” The terms of the ban, the ECB said, still “required the approval of the ECB’s independent Cricket Discipline Commission”.

Australia and New Zealand appear almost certain to play the first day-night Test with a pink ball next year, after discussions progressed between the two countries last week. Adelaide and Hobart are the two possible venues for the inaugural match, which is likely to take place in November 2015, despite some concerns arising from players after pink-ball trials in the Sheffield Shield last summer.

A further round of day-night Shield games will be played this season and New Zealand are also set to undertake their own trials, though not in first-class cricket, as the inexorable push towards a day-night Test continues. Although some Shield players had no problems with the pink ball, others reported trouble seeing the ball or its seam, and there were concerns about how quickly it softened and lost its swing.

All three matches lasted into the fourth day and Cricket Australia’s chief executive James Sutherland said the most encouraging aspect of the day-night trials was that the scores were consistent with the rest of the Shield season. However, he conceded that a pink ball was unlikely ever to behave exactly like a red ball and that “everyone is going to need to be accepting” of that.

“What we learnt from that last year is that there are no really obvious reasons why we shouldn’t be continuing to progress with our intent around day-night Test match,” Sutherland said. “We’re certainly very excited about the concept and we’re serious about really properly pushing ahead now.

“The pink ball, just like the white ball, doesn’t behave exactly the same as the red ball. But … the ball is the same for both teams. What we were pleased about was that in looking at the Shield results from this round that we played, the statistics in terms of runs and wickets were very much on par with average for the whole Shield season last year. There weren’t any rogue behaviours.

“I don’t think we’re ever going to get to a stage where everyone is completely satisfied or comfortable with it. If we go back 30-odd years in time when the first ever day-night one-day internationals were played, I’m sure there was that same level of trepidation that some stakeholders including players might have had about day-night one-day cricket and white balls.”

For Cricket Australia, the move is in part about maximising revenue. While the traditional Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests in Melbourne and Sydney would remain unaffected, CA wants to bring more fans through the gates outside of summer holiday periods. The idea is that spectators would be more likely to attend Tests if they could turn up after work and see most of the day’s play.

Then there is the major drawcard of boosting television audiences, as is already the case with the WACA Test, which attracts higher ratings because Perth’s time-zone means the Test airs in the eastern states in prime time. However, Sutherland was at pains to suggest that it was not simply a money-making exercise and that Test cricket’s health would be boosted by the move.

“Players are often quite concerned about changes in the way the game is played,” he said. “That creates an all-the-more-important reason for us to consult with them so they understand where we’re going and why it is.

“Whilst there may be some trepidation or concern about the pink ball and what impact it has on the game itself, I think it’s really important that we continue to keep the big picture in mind and understand that in certain parts of the world the game of Test cricket is not as strong as it once was. If there are things we can do to enhance Test cricket to make it more popular, then that needs to be our ultimate aim. The last thing we want is to see Test cricket withering on the vine.”

David White, the chief executive of New Zealand Cricket, said his discussions with Sutherland around the idea last week were positive and that NZC was keen to give day-night Test cricket a go. He said it was “critical” the pink ball behaved as closely as possible to the red ball, but that Test cricket had a history of adapting to suit the times.

“Since Test cricket was played in 1877 there have been significant changes, covered pitches, day limits, fielding restrictions, introduction of helmets, change of ball etc,” White said. “I think as administrators we must keep evolving, improving the game and improving it for our stakeholders. We’ve got to be mindful of change but keep an open mind.

“I’ve spoken to the players and we’ve said once the trial [in New Zealand] is over and if they’re satisfied we’ll put it to them. The consultation with the players is key, we’re very conscious of that.”

The ICC approved day-night Test cricket in 2012, leaving the finer points up to the participating boards. David Richardson, the ICC’s chief executive said he was pleased the concept appeared close to becoming a reality.