Sport 32
Ashburton Guardian
Friday, December 15, 2017
www.guardianonline.co.nz
In brief
■ CRICKET
Fixers target Ashes The International Cricket Council has launched an investigation into spot fixing allegations targeting the third Ashes test between Australia and England in Perth, which started yesterday. The Sun newspaper has published purported evidence of bookmakers offering to sell details of rigged periods of play for betting purposes. Alex Marshall, the ICC’s head of anti-corruption, said the council had received all of the material in The Sun’s investigation. “We take the allegations extremely seriously and they will be investigated by the ICC AntiCorruption Unit working with anti-corruption colleagues from member countries,” said Marshall. “From my initial assessment of the material, there is no evidence, either from The Sun or via our own intelligence, to suggest the current test match has been corrupted. “At this stage of the investigation, there is no indication that any players in this test have been in contact with the alleged fixers. “The allegations are wide ranging and relate to various forms of cricket in several countries, including T20 tournaments. “We will look closely at all the information as part of our investigation,” said Marshall. During a video secretly recorded by The Sun, information on fixes are heard to be worth around $A200,000. “Before match, I will tell you this over, this runs and then you have to put all the bets on that over,” a man, who the newspaper claims is a bookmaker, says in purportedly undercover video footage. There is also mention of fixing “four to five” Big Bash League matches. One of the bookies alleged they were working with a fixer
within Australian cricket known as The Silent Man and claimed a fix attempt was due during the middle of the Ashes series. According to the report, one bookie claimed corrupt players
would “signal” to spotters in the crowd when the fix was on. “The allegations raised by media outlets are of serious concern. “Cricket Australia takes a zerotolerance approach against anybody trying to bring the game into disrepute,” Cricket Australia
said. “Cricket Australia will cooperate fully with any ICC AntiCorruption Unit (ACU) investigation. Australian cricket has a long-standing, proactive approach to sports integrity management.
“CA works closely with the ICC ACU on all international fixtures played in Australia. “Players are able to report any suspicions they have on a confidential basis and in the past there has been a strong Australian player culture to do so.” The ICC appointed Alex Mar-
shall, who served in the UK police for 37 years, earlier this year as the head of their ACU. Three international captains have reported illicit approaches in the past two months. As opposed to the most recent high-profile news report of fixing in cricket, the 2010 no-ball sting involving several Pakistan players, there are no names, games or specific details in the report or footage posted by The Sun. The ICC banned three players – Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir – following a News of the World investigation that detailed how Asif and Amir would bowl no-balls at certain points of a test. The Sun has posted footage in which two men also discuss how they claim to distort elements of Twenty20 cricket games in Australia and India. “You want to see something magic in the Big Bash? Big Bash we can do, winning and loss, some matches – some news, we got some confirmed news,” one man says in the clip, claiming he has connections with Australia, South Africa and Pakistan players. “In Big Bash we will get four to five matches confirmed news.” The individual claims he can arrange games to follow “scripts” that cover run-rate and wickets – and that corrupt players would signal the fix is on by using subtle gestures, such as changing their batting gloves or aborting their bowling run-up, and that individuals at the ground would relay this information to bookmakers. During the video information on fixes are heard to be worth around $A200,000. “We take all allegations of corruption seriously and welcome The Sun’s offer to share this information,” the ICC is quoted as saying. - NZME
Santner ‘work in progress’ says Hesson By DaviD Leggat Mike Hesson likes what he’s seeing from allrounder Mitchell Santner, but admits it is still “a work in progress’’. Lefthander Santner is a young man of talent but he’s yet to produce the real breakthrough performance. In 17 tests, he has scored 535 runs at 25.47, just twice reaching 50 in 21 innings; his 34 wickets have come 37.05 each. In his nine tests in New Zealand he has taken 13 wickets and averages 25 with the bat. Taking wickets in New Zealand historically tends to be hard going for spinners. The pitches are rarely conducive before the final day. There are a pile of lessons to absorb while mastering the craft.
Hesson clearly feels Santner can become a medium to long term No. 6 batsman, and likes his ability to keep runs to a minimum with the ball, so he’s performing a role even if the wickets aren’t tumbling. “Mitch is progressing nicely. “He’s averaging close to 30 in his last six tests, and was part of three very important partnerships in the West Indies series. It’s a really important job he does in that role.’’ Santner was the wingman to the imperious Colin de Grandhomme on his way to a 71-ball century at the Basin Reserve; then made valuable contributions with de Grandhomme again and centurymaker Ross Taylor at Hamilton. The idea that the New Zealand spinner should be able to run
Mitchell Santner through opposing batting lineups in this country is fanciful. Only three times in New Zealand’s 206 home test matches in 87 years has a spinner taken 10 or more wickets in a match – Daniel Vettori with 12 for 149
against Australia at Eden Park in 1999-2000; and 10 for 183 against Sri Lanka in Wellington in 200607; and John Bracewell with 10 for 106 in the celebrated seriesclinching win over Australia at Eden Park in 1986. Hesson pointed out Santner’s economy rate, and ability to keep an end tight, plays an important part in his job. “Spin bowlers in New Zealand don’t take a lot of wickets so they’ve got to do a slightly different role than they’d do in other parts of the world,’’ Hesson said. Santner’s most successful test, when he came closest to a notable allrounder contribution, was at Kanpur late last year, when he had a batting double of 32 and 71, and took five wickets in the match, all batsmen in India’s top six. - NZME
Less tests scheduled An increased diet of Twenty20 cricket and a reduction of the number of tests are features of the Black Caps proposed international schedule from 2019-2023. The Future Tours programme will see New Zealand play 28 tests over the four-year period, but none at home against Australia and England. It’s the joint lowest number of tests among major countries alongside Pakistan. The Black Caps would play 49 Twenty20 games and 45 ODIs, according to the proposal which is set to be signed off in February. - NZME
Anderson fires up England cricket spearhead Jimmy Anderson has resumed his slanging match with Steve Smith, saying Australia’s skipper was more interested in sledging than talking with his batting partner at Adelaide Oval. Anderson and Smith have been swapping barbs throughout the Ashes series, which resumed in Perth yesterday. England’s alltime leading wicket-taker claimed Australia were bullies before the second test, a word that shocked Smith given Anderson is “one of the biggest sledgers in the game ... to me in particular”. - NZME
Tough job for Bayliss The heat is on coach Trevor Bayliss as he attempts to improve England’s batting, bowling and behaviour this summer. Bayliss is one of the best cricket brains in the business. The Australian was hired by the England and Wales Cricket Board on the eve of the 2015 Ashes and helped the hosts to reclaim the urn. But pressure is starting to build and it’s unlikely to ease if they lose at the WACA. Much of the scrutiny has centred on a series of alcoholfuelled incidents. Bayliss has put his charges on notice that careers are at stake if anybody misbehaves – but some pundits wonder why he hadn’t taken control of the situation earlier. - AAP
Sharma’s double ton Rohit Sharma hit his third double hundred in ODI cricket yesterday as India beat Sri Lanka by 141 runs and levelled the three-match series at 1-1. Riding Sharma’s 208 not out, India scored 392-4 and later restricted Sri Lanka to 251-8. Angelo Mathews’ knock of 111 not out went in vain. Sharma hit 13 fours and 12 sixes off 153 balls. His 208 runs was the highest individual ODI score in Mohali, beating Virat Kohli’s 154 not out against New Zealand in 2016. - AP
De Grandhomme out Black Caps all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme has returned to Zimbabwe following the sudden passing of his father yesterday. De Grandhomme will be replaced in the ODI squad to face West Indies by Doug Bracewell. Black Caps selector Gavin Larsen said the team’s thoughts were with de Grandhomme. “This is obviously extremely sad news for Colin and his family and we’re all thinking of them at the moment,” said Larsen. “Right now the most important thing is that Colin is with his family.” There is currently no timeline for when de Grandhomme will rejoin the squad. The 31-year-old bludgeoned his way to his maiden test century in Wellington. - NZME