Is Ajmal a chucker?

The gods have spoken: he is not. The ICC have declared Saeed Ajmal can continue to play cricket after deciding his action is legal.

They don't want to sound like pushovers though, having just cleared Johan Botha, so they're making it clear that they're going to keep one eye on the guy:

"It is important to emphasise that no bowler is ever 'cleared' as it is impossible to predict how a player might deliver the ball in the future."

A good point, but that's half the difficulty of declaring an action legal anyway.

And I believe my tongue is firmly in cheek when I say he doesn't have an arm deformity either.

No Crap On The Ashes

The umpire referral system won't be in place for the Ashes series. I breathe a sigh of relief at the thought that the one thing which has spoiled a good few Test series in the past year won't interfere with the single most important series of an Aussie or English player's life.

But the system will come into play from October this year, no doubt going on to undergo a few changes as the matches go by and it becomes clear how best the idea can be implemented without screwing up games.

Don't expect Haroon Logat not to go around waxing bullshit though:

"It reduced the number of incorrect decisions and also cut down on instances of player dissent."

Perhaps the first, but largely in cases where it could have gone either way, and as for player dissent, is standing your ground after every lbw call and insisting on taking it to the 3rd umpire not an example of "player dissent". I'll be damned. I must have seen batsmen oppose some of the most horrendously out decisions in the history of the game, but it's not dissent, it's WIELDING THE POWER GRANTED TO YOU BY THE ICC.

Lovely.

In other news, the fine for slow pay has doubled. Maybe I do like the ICC after all.

The Future Of Switch-Hitting And Umpire Referrals

Is in the hands of the ICC committee. Over two days, they're going to delve into the nitty gritty of cricket and come out with the answers to some all-important questions, including the meaning of life, which is 42 if you don't already know.

The umpire referral system seems to be the main focus but they will also discuss the possibility of imposing a maximum weight for bats, day-night Tests and switch-hitting. The last time KP tried this, he got out. It was glorious. After the first few times he tried it, back in the days, he told Nasser Hussain he'd been practising the shot for ages before he'd actually tried it in an actual game, that there was a "method to my madness." Not against Daniel Vettori, unfortunately. Someone needs to mail him a tape of that delivery, it was the highlight of the game.

Some of the questions the committee will be considering:

- Was the number of overall incorrect umpiring decisions reduced?
- Was there an undue negative influence on the pace of the game?
- Was it fair to ask the players to request a referral?
- What was the effect on the umpires and was the authority of the on-field officials unduly compromised?

Yes, yes, maybe and yes.

Even some of the yes answers don't have positive effects on the game. There is a way to involve technology in this game, and I believe it rests in the players not protesting every out decision and doubting the judgement of umpires. Instead, the use of perhaps more communication between the third umpire and the on-field umpires would be a better option.

We'll see. Meanwhile, KP is busy perfecting that switch-hit of his. But there's one person in the world who could play it better than he does.

"Me. BOO!"

Ijaz Butt & PCB go crazy

Their words, not mine:

But at a press conference at the board's HQ in Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, flanked by senior officials and legal advisors, he said that the manner in which the ICC decision was taken was "legally flawed...unfair and discriminatory" and that Pakistan intended to fight for its right as co-host.

"Fight for its right as a co-host". They're not just protesting the supposed unfairness of the decision, they want their co-host status back.

What bullshit. There's basically only place I stand on this issue and it isn't hard to guess. I'm sure they wouldn't be making this rather outlandish claim if, say, a Sri Lankan player had died in Lahore. It could have happened, and it was the sacrifices of some brave Pakistani men who saved them. Sacrifices, you see. Real sacrifices of their lives.

Which is why this angers me even more. Forget for a moment that you're supposedly being discriminated against, that the ICC is out to get you, and consider the simple fact of the matter that you are honestly asking the world's best cricketers to come round to your place a few years after some of their own were attacked, and when you don't seem to have put into place any real security measures to counteract possible terrorist attacks in the future.

Get your shit together and then we'll talk. Achettup says it all.

Ricky Ponting's already sent his letter to the ICC:

"If you give it back to Pakistan I am not going to play, mate. What a load of crap, I'm sure everyone agrees with me especially Pup he's a good fella even though he always copies me when I back out of things like the IPL. I backed out first he just copied me."

Right you are, Ricky.

Coming to eat you.

Ireland for Test cricket

I didn't mention it before and now I'll just talk about it briefly.

Ireland want to be considered for Test status. They think they've proven themselves in all formats of the game and the ICC should consider this. Their managers have come out with comments saying Ireland should play a test match against Bangladesh or Zimbabwe and prove their worth.

Maybe becoming a Test nation is the next place for Ireland to go.

Go Boyd Rankin. I just needed to work that in there.

Pakistan protest World Cup

You know, not being allowed to host its share of 14 matches for the 2011 World Cup, etc. They've lodged an appeal with the ICC about it. But it's a far more level-headed protest than you'd think, even if the result will obviously be the same. Pakistan just wanted the ICC to wait 6 months before coming to a decision about this.

They've even decided to pick out faults in each of the other hosts countries regarding security fears:

"India shifted their cricket league to South Africa over security fears.
"We could not tour Bangladesh because there were security fears in March.
"The situation in Sri Lanka was not good either, so from the PCB chairman Ijaz Butt (to) our director general Javed Miandad, everyone has said that ICC must reconsider the decision."

I'm not sure how any of that weighs up next to a direct terrorist attack on cricketers, but okay.

It's also necessary to point out that part of the reason for the IPL's shift to SA was because people were wary about touring the subcontinent following the Lahore attacks. It's a bit rich to use this in your defence.

I understand that last year's Mumbai terror attacks and a general sense of unrest is also to blame for the IPL's shift, not to mention the lack of security for the IPL due to general elections, but the attacks on Sri Lankan players in Pakistan were part of it.

Needless to say, I doubt the ICC is going to reverse their decision. I'm not sure that's what Pakistan even want. What is the goal behind lodging an appeal? That the ICC say "Alright, we'll wait 6 months" and end up cancelling it anyway? It's a bit hazy.

ICL wants Official Status

Looks like Subhash Chandra wants in on some of the fun the IPL has having. Being deemed a rebel group is getting old and he wants more prestige. He wants his league to have the same official status as the IPL.

The ICC's executive board is meeting with the ICL but I'll go bald overnight sooner than they'll grant this request. What use is an International Cricket Council when it's effectively controlled by one country?

However, the ICL is prepared to take this matter to court if need be. They really want official status, apparently. Not just that, but the ICC have been given a deadline to put things in action. After June 1, if the ICL is not "official", this shit is going straight downtown to the judicial system:

“We have made our pitch and it is up to ICC to make a call . Status quo will mean that we will exercise the legal option."

Shane Warne has an idea for the ICC

Stop scheduling matches during the IPL, apparently:

"If the ICC had any common sense, they would create a window for the IPL. No international cricket should be played in June. The IPL could then be cut to four weeks, which would allow all international players to play in it … the BCCI and the ICC would then compensate all the unions with some money for allowing their players to play in the IPL."

Very elaborate. Wonder how long he's been chewing on this one. Darn ICC and their lack of common sense!

Albie's "drugs"

So when I was submitting my new fan mail to AB, I ended up seeing his latest video. It's of Hashim Amla's birthday celebration, which is nothing more than a cake, really. Anyway, the players are all filling out ICC anti-doping policy forms. Amla's birthday cake also says "hash" on it, so that's a little ironic.

Point is, Albie's in the video and he and AB have some sort of interesting conversation about drugs which I'm interested in hearing. Problem is, they're speaking in Afrikaans because they're bastards and they knew I'd want to know what what going on. So if there's anyone who actually understands the conversation, please comment and share the details. Help out a non-Afrikaans speaker. Cheers.

Funnily enough, Albie actually says something more along the lines of "dhrrugs".

"Something something DHRRUGS!"

ICC Champions Trophy dates in SA

The dates for the ICC Champions Trophy later this year have been confirmed as bring from September 24 to October 5. Wanderers and Centurion will likely be the host venues.