BCCI mulls ending CSA's stake in Champions League T20

Whatever happens between the BCCI and CSA, the South African teams' participation in the Champions League T20 is unlikely to be affected © Getty Images  Enlarge

Relations between the boards of India and South Africa are believed to have suffered a setback following the appointment of Haroon Lorgat as the chief executive of Cricket South Africa, ESPNcricinfo understands. At stake for CSA is its partnership in the lucrative Champions League Twenty20, and the hosting of a full series against India later this year.

The BCCI's concerns over Lorgat's appointment - formally announced on July 20 - were raised at a Champions League T20 meeting earlier this week, it is understood. The meeting in London, attended by representatives of BCCI, Cricket Australia and CSA, was not a pleasant one - one source said it got "very uncomfortable". The BCCI said it hadn't ruled out ending the CLT20 association with CSA, which like CA holds a stake, although South African teams' participation was to continue regardless.

When CSA announced Lorgat's appointment last week, it said it had been under BCCI pressure to do otherwise. Having gone ahead regardless, CSA and Lorgat said they hoped they could iron out their issues with the BCCI.

"We went to India and talked to the president of the BCCI and they raised their concerns about Haroon [Lorgat]," Chris Nenzani, the CSA president, said at that time. "We told them, 'We will not undermine your concerns but we will have to take decision based on the interests of CSA.' We have a long history of friendship and a good relationship with the BCCI, and we value that relationship. We have no reason to believe this appointment will jeopardise the relationship in any way."

Early rushes suggest CSA might have underestimated the BCCI's ire, which is believed to stem from Lorgat's promotion of DRS and his insistence on the implementation of the findings of the Woolf Report during his time as ICC chief executive.

CSA's next plan of action is to wait for a report on the meeting, which Naasei Appiah, the CSA CFO and its acting CEO in the London meeting, is preparing. It then hopes that Lorgat can salvage the relationship.

The BCCI's working committee, meanwhile, will meet on Sunday, and is expected to finalise its requirements regarding the schedule of India's tour of South Africa. Jagmohan Dalmiya, the acting president of the BCCI, told ESPNcricinfo that the board hadn't sent an alternative itinerary over to CSA yet, and was expected to do so only after the Sunday meeting.

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16:10

Babar takes Pakistan home off last ball

Pakistan 158 for 8 (Amin 47, Afridi 46) beat West Indies 152 for 7 (Pollard 49*, Babar 3-23, Hafeez 2-4) by two wicketsScorecard and ball-by-ball details

	Zulfiqar Babar, 34, had a dream debut for Pakistan © WICB Media  Enlarge

You get a chance to play international cricket at 34, becoming the second-oldest debutant for your country. You are hit for six second ball. What do you do? You dismiss three key batsmen for just 23 runs. You are then called on to finish the game. With the bat. Understandably, you are tied down. But with six needed off six, you loft over extra cover for four. You think you have more than pulled your weight as a debutant. You have, but it is not over yet. It comes down to the last ball. One run needed. Everyone is in the circle. No sweat. You go big over mid-off, so big that you clear the rope. Zulfiqar Babar, welcome to international cricket.

It should not have come down to the last ball the wayShahid Afridi sensibly steered the chase from 86 for 5. After that became 116 for 6, he did it with the tail for company. He made 46 off 27, but barring the 27th delivery, he hardly hit a desperate, reckless stroke. With eight needed off 11 though, he tried to seal it with a straight six, and mishit to long-on.

West Indies sensed a chance. Babar played out a few dots. Despite that early boundary in the last over, Saeed Ajmal was run out off the fifth with the scores tied, before Babar roared one final time.

The way they bowled and fielded, West Indies were lucky to have taken it down to the last ball. Shannon Gabriel took three wickets, but he crumbled under pressure each time he was called upon to deliver.Umar Amin, who played a blinder on T20 debut, took three fours off Gabriel's first over, with a flick and two pulls.

Amin then took Samuel Badree apart on a turning pitch. Never giving the ball a chance to spin, he repeatedly stepped out to loft Badree down the ground. When the bowler dropped it short, Amin pulled. When he overpitched, Amin drove. Even as Amin was toying with West Indies, the hosts were striking at the other end.

The Pakistan top order fell to miscalculated hits, but Amin's brilliance meant the asking-rate was always under control. That still didn't stop Amin from walking out to Samuels and getting stumped to make it 86 for 5.

Afridi took over now, striking Samuels first ball for six over long-off and drilling the third to the extra cover rope. Thereafter, he settled down into cruise mode, rotating the strike, picking the odd boundary and also lofting Sunil Narine to become the first man to reach 400 international sixes. He did everything right except the stroke on the ball he got out to, but then, it was to be the debutant's day in the end.

Babar, and the other Pakistan spinners, had shocked West Indies initially on the turner but the hosts recovered and then took apart the fast bowlers to post a challenging total. Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollardcame together at 42 for 4 and put on 56 before Darren Sammy cracked 30 off 14. Pakistan's slow bowlers did their job, taking 5 for 74 in 14 overs but the fast bowlers, missing the yorkers too often, disappeared for 1 for 73 in six. Mohammad Hafeez, who opened the bowling and dismissed the openers, gave himself just two overs.

Babar squared up and bowled Lendl Simmons with his fourth delivery and in his next over, found himself in the way of a powerful hit from Samuels, but managed to hold on. Samuels had been cutting Mohammad Irfan for boundaries amid all the wickets.

Bravo and Pollard, although not always in control, rotated the strike, a refreshing thing coming from a West Indies pair. Bravo was quick to hit with the turn through the off side, and Pollard made sure he put away the rare half-volleys for boundaries. Sammy went after the fast bowlers as he and Pollard looted 53 in four overs. As Sammy said after the game, 152 should have been defended on that pitch, but Babar was to have the perfect debut.

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16:08

Audition for India's next-in-line

Match facts

Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Start time 0900 local (0700 GMT)

	The series will also test Virat Kohli's captaincy, in MS Dhoni's absence for the whole tour © AFP  Enlarge

Big Picture

Zimbabwe and India were regular sparring partners in the mid to late nineties, but India have only visited the country thrice since 2000 and haven't invited the Zimbabweans over since 2002. For the hosts, the upcoming series could well be the marquee cricketing event of the year, and India also have their reasons to make the most out of this trip.

The presence of five potential one-day international debutants suggests that India are keen to try out a couple of new options, particularly with the ball, and the series will also allow Virat Kohli to add to his CV as the heir to the captaincy after mixed results at the helm in the Caribbean. These five games may not be entirely indicative of the future of the Indian team, but they will offer some enlightening clues.

They'll also serve as an early audition for an event of far greater consequence to India: their trip to South Africa at the end of the year. India's preparations for that tour also include a visit by the A side to South Africa in August. Despite the modesty of the opposition there's ample reason for the visitors to take these games seriously.

For their own part, Zimbabwe will be happy with the chance to test themselves against quality opponents, and also ease some financial pressures with the tour likely to turn a profit thanks to the lucrative television rights deals that India bring with them. Indeed, after the paucity of international fixtures last year, Zimbabwe are proving a far more popular destination in 2013 with Pakistan and Sri Lanka both visiting before the end of the year.

The Zimbabweans also won't have forgotten India's last tour in 2010, when an inexperienced touring group battled to compete with either the hosts or Sri Lanka in the tri-series and failed to make the final. Zimbabwe's squad has been training together for more than two months to prepare for these ODIs, and it's possible that they could register a rare win against elite opposition in one or two of the matches. The series opener could well be their best chance to do that.

Form guide

(most recent first, last five completed games)
India WWWLL
Zimbabwe WWLLL

In the spotlight

It's hard to believe it's taken this long for Cheteshwar Pujara to force his way into ODI contention for India, considering his eye-catching short format statistics - he averages 56.97 in List A cricket, with eight hundreds. Pujara has taken to Test cricket with instinctual ease, and if he moves as naturally into ODIs, his presence in the middle order could add significantly to Zimbabwe's worries.

	India train ahead of their first ODI against Zimbabwe

Where Pujara's statistics immediately and obviously mark him out as a successful batsman, Sikandar Raza's don't, at first glance, suggest a rare talent. But his laidback, friendly attitude belies a fierce dedication to the game, and Raza has earned his place in this team. He averaged 52.40 in the List A season leading to his debut against Bangladesh in May, but his results during that tour were modest and he'll be keen to make an impact.

Team news

Zimbabwe are picking from a fully-fit 17-man squad, and coach Andy Waller confirmed that Ray Price is, in fact, in the group, but it's unlikely he'll play in the opening match. The host's nets session on Monday also suggested a settled top six, but there are nine bowlers bottlenecking into four slots down the order. A balanced attack seems the most sensible option, and Tinotenda Mutombodzi looked the best of the spinners during training.

Zimbabwe (likely): 1 Vusi Sibanda, 2 Sikandar Raza, 3 Hamilton Masakadza, 4 Brendan Taylor (capt & wk), 5 Malcolm Waller, 6 Sean Williams, 7 Elton Chigumbura, 8 Prosper Utseya, 9 Tinotenda Mutombodzi, 10 Kyle Jarvis, 11 Brian Vitori

Like Zimbabwe, India's scope for experimentation - at least in the series opener - is in their bowling group. Amit Mishra's experience will be valuable to the young attack, while the combination of Vinay Kumar and Jaydev Unadkat would add variety. The most open position is that vacated by R Ashwin at No. 8, and offspinning allrounder Parvez Rasool could be in line to become the first player from India's Kashmir valley to represent the national side.

India (likely): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Suresh Raina, 6 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Parvez Rasool , 9 Amit Mishra, 10 Vinay Kumar, 11 Jaydev Unadkat

Pitch and conditions

Winters in Zimbabwe are cold and dry and usually the pitches reflect this, favouring spin over seam and playing a little on the slow side. The track for Wednesday's game has been very well watered, however, and the groundstaff have left some grass on it to negate the potential for drying and crumbling. New ball bowlers may well profit in the first hour, with the games due to start somewhat early at 9am, but the wicket should have the pace to allow for shot-making.

Stats and trivia

• Despite some notable successes, such as at the 1999 World Cup, Zimbabwe have only beaten India in 10 out of the 51 ODIs they've played against them since 1983.
• The first obstacle for Zimbabwe's bowlers in a daunting Indian batting line-up will be the opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, who average 57.72 in partnership and have put together three century stands.
• Of Zimbabwe's current batsmen, captain Brendan Taylor has by far the best record against India in ODIs, with 184 runs at 46 against them in four games.

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00:50

Pattinson ruled out of Ashes series

James Pattinson's Ashes series in England is over © Getty Images  Enlarge

James Pattinson has been ruled out of the remainder of the Investec Ashes series in England after being diagnosed with a stress fracture of the lower back.

Pattinson reported "hip and back soreness" after the final day of the second Test at Lord's and subsequent scans, which he underwent in London on Monday, showed the early signs of a stress fracture.

He will travel with the squad to Sussex and then on to Manchester before returning home to Australia. His place was likely to have come under scrutiny ahead of the Old Trafford Test after two disappointing performances at Trent Bridge and Lord's, where he has taken seven wickets at 43.85.

This is the latest injury setback in Pattinson's career following a rib injury he picked up against South Africa last year and a foot problem he sustained against India the during the 2011-12 season.

Cricket Australia team doctor Peter Brukner said: "We had some scans done today in London that have identified an early stage low back stress fracture. Unfortunately he will not take any further part in this Test series and will commence a rehabilitation program with the aim to have him back for the Australian summer."

Pat Howard, the Cricket Australia team performance manager, added: "While we are obviously disappointed for James, the selectors have five bowlers fit and ready to perform in England, providing them with many options.

"It is also important to note that several players have been performing for Australia A and are available to be called up at any stage if the NSP required them. We've been well planned to have as many bowlers fit and available in the lead-up to this important series and while this set-back for James is disappointing, we are confident we have good fast bowling depth."

The other pace options currently in England, who weren't selected at Lord's, are Mitchell Starc, Jackson Bird and James Faulkner. The fast bowlers currently on duty for Australia A in Zimbabwe and South Africa are Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Chadd Sayers, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Gurinder Sandhu.

Cummins, regularly billed as one of the brighest talents in Australian cricket, has played one Test and is being handled very carefully by Cricket Australia after he, too, suffered a number of injuries. Hazlewood, who has appeared in one ODI and one Twenty20, is another who has had fitness issues.

Sayers has played just 14 first-class matches but put his name in contention with an impressive 2012-13 season and showed eye-catching form when Australia A were in the UK ahead of the Ashes series. Coulter-Nile was part of Australia's squad for the recent Champions Trophy in England.

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00:49

T20 'chipping away' at Test skills - Gooch

Australia's top order has struggled to put runs on the board © Associated Press  Enlarge

Graham Gooch has spelled out something that no one at Cricket Australia is prepared to publicly say - Twenty20 is "chipping away" at the skills required of Test batsmen, and Gooch, England's batting coach, works every day to ensure his men are not eroded as Australia's have been.

In the aftermath of the Lord's Test, the England captain, Alastair Cook, spoke warmly of Gooch, a figure often derided in Australia for his travails during the 1989 Ashes series but an exemplar of diligence, patience and commitment to the art of run-making. Joe Root's pivotal 180 after Australia's batsmen had surrendered their first innings for a paltry 128 was a 21st century facsimile of many a Gooch innings, and the mentor said multiple formats had made it ever more difficult to foster such patience among young batsmen.

"There's three formats of the game now … the basis of Test cricket is that it's a hell of a long game, five times 90 overs is a long, long game," Gooch said. "So it's about skills in batting, about run-making, about the whole package of not only having the technical skills but having the attitude, the mental toughness, the discipline, and the concentration. Anyone can concentrate for 15-20 minutes, but to score Test hundreds you have to concentrate for a long period of time. Those skills I think worldwide are being chipped away at the edges by the amount of one-day cricket and T20 cricket.

"If you're a traditionalist and like Test cricket and think that's the pinnacle and the benchmark, you know you can see with the number of competitions that are popping up and the rewards that are available in terms of finance … the possibility of it chipping away at the edges of the traditional game, and that's the same for every country. You've got to work hard to try to keep your players on track and obviously try to educate them as well as you can on the skills and the mental skills that are necessary to bat long. It's a different type of skill."

While it is clear that at the present moment England are successfully developing batsmen of the requisite obstinacy and technical purity to survive for long periods, Gooch spoke of the need for eternal vigilance to ensure that the balance was not lost. He also mentioned the ability of the best players to differentiate between conditions, using the right "tools" for the variety of surfaces offered in England, Australia and the subcontinent.

	Graham Gooch's press conference

"Way after I finish this issue will still be alive and kicking," Gooch, who will turn 60 on Tuesday, said. "I'd hate to think that traditional skills get eroded and diluted because the specialist spinner, the specialist fast bowler, the skills of the batsmen are, for me, what make the game so great. Playing on a surface like here [Lord's], or the SCG or Brisbane or Perth where it bounces. A batsman to score runs needs different skills for different wickets, and as a batsman and run-maker you have different tools in the bag, but you don't take all the tools out every time you play."

As for the magnitude of England's victory, earning the hosts a 2-0 series lead that has only ever been overhauled once in the history of all Ashes contests, Gooch said some of his pupils would not fully appreciate it until later years. On the topic of Australia he was taciturn, but left ample room for the results to speak for themselves.

"I think we suffered quite a lot [in the past], I did manage to win the Ashes three times actually but I did suffer quite a lot," Gooch said. "I don't know how some of them would know the historical significance, some probably wouldn't. I think mainly they're interested in winning each match they come up against. Australia are giving it their best, it's not for me to comment on their performance, that's down to their management and their system. We try to get our players in the best possible condition to win."

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00:47