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Journalism of Courage
LONDON, January 10: Pakistan leg-spinner Shahid Afridi and Bangladesh’s Naimur Rahman and Mohammad Rafique have been reported to the International Cricket Council (ICC) for suspect bowling actions.
In a statement the ICC said Afridi had been reported by match referee Barry Jarman during the one-day international series against England in October.
Bangladesh captain and off-spinner Rahman and left-arm spinner Rafique were questioned by umpires Steve Bucknor and David Shepherd during their team’s inaugural Test against India in Dhaka in November. Video tapes of the bowlers’ actions have been sent to the ICC, the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Bangaladesh Cricket Board.
Rameez to persuade Boycott
Islamabad: Pakistan Cricket Board has entrusted its advisory council member Rameez Raja with the task of persuading former England opener Geoffrey Boycott to coach at its cricket academy for a limited period for a lesser fee than demanded by him.
The news quoted ‘reliable sources’ as saying Raja, a former Pakistan captain, was in constant touch with Boycott to work out the modalities of his Lahore visit and a final agreement was expected by tomorrow.
Boycott has reportedly agreed to coach youngsters at Pakistan’s national cricket academy for 15 days next month for which he has demanded a daily fees of 3,000 pounds while PCB has offered 2,000 pounds.
There was also a slight problem over the dates. Though PCB announced that Boycott’s visit would start on February 15, the ex-England opening batsman has reportedly informed Raja that the dates might have to be changed owing to his prior commitments, the daily said.
‘‘There is no doubt that he (Boycott) will undertake his coaching assignment in Pakistan. The only problem is that he’s still demanding 3,000 pounds per day, but Rameez has convinced him to bring down the figure to 2,700 pounds,’’ the paper quoted another source as saying.
PCB agrees to revised Sharjah schedule
DUBAI: Pakistan Cricket Board has agreed to the revised tri-nation Sharjah cricket tournament schedule in April which was altered to enable India to conclude its matches against visiting Australian team. “We have received a written confirmation from the PCB director Brigadier Munnawar Ahmed Rana,†the CBFS chief executive Zahid Noorani was quoted as saying by media today.
According to the new schedule, the matches involving Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka will be held from April 8 to April 20. Noorani said the Sri Lankans have also agreed in principle to the new dates but the organisers, the Cricketers’ Benefit Fund Series (CBFS) is yet to get a written confirmation. Noorani said he hoped to get the written confirmation from Colombo today as it was a holiday in Sri Lanka yesterday.
