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Sri Lanka acting assistant coach Ruwan Kalpage has handed in his letter of resignation to SLC, the board confirmed, after Kalpage is understood to have received an offer to become Bangladesh fielding coach under Chandika Hathurusingha. Sri Lanka’s national spin bowling coach Piyal Wijetunge is also set to join the Bangladesh staff in a similar capacity, and has handed in his resignation letter to SLC as well.There is still a possibility either one or both of them could be persuaded to remain within the Sri Lanka set-up, but that decision will be made by the SLC executive committee on Tuesday, CEO Ashley de Silva said. “The ExCo will acknowledge that the letters have been received, and they might decide whether to give some sort of offer to these coaches, if they want them to stay,” he said.Both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have experienced change within their coaching structures over the past few months, with Sri Lanka seemingly losing its top coaches, while Bangladesh puts together a new coaching unit under Hathurusingha.Kalpage had been fielding coach under Graham Ford, Paul Farbrace and now under acting head coach Marvan Atapattu, but now finds the board has advertised his position, which suggests the board has been unsatisfied with his work in the team. The fielding coach job is one of the three vacancies in the Sri Lanka set-up at present. Atapattu’s job is also in limbo, as is Darshan Weerasinghe’s position as the team trainer.SLC has largely been encouraging of Wijetunge’s work, but like Sri Lanka A trainer Mario Villavarayan, Wijetunge has been offered a substantially higher salary by the BCB. In March, head coach Farbrace had also been lured away from Sri Lanka by a better salary in England, though the opportunity to work with the national team of his birth-nation had also been among the motives for Farbrace’s departure.Kalpage is expected to remain with the Sri Lanka team until the end of Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka, which begins on Wednesday. SLC had hoped Wijetunge would work closely with Sachithra Senanayake in order to remedy his action as he had done once before in 2011. But given the uncertainty around Wijetunge’s position, head of coaching Jerome Jayaratne has instead been assigned to assist Senanayake, as the spinner undergoes a remedial course in Australia this month.Sri Lanka have a two-and-a-half month break from international cricket, following the end of the Pakistan ODI series on August 30, in which the board may firm up its new coaching set-up. If Atapattu is not chosen as head coach, Sri Lanka will have its eighth head coach – either temporary or permanent – in four years.

Press Association02-Jun-2014
ScorecardScott Borthwick celebrates his maiden double-century with feeling•Getty Images

Scott Borthwick’s maiden double century left Durham in charge of their Championship clash with Division One leaders Middlesex. Borthwick’s career-best 216 had helped the reigning champions to a total of 568 for 9 declared, and they took full advantage as they reduced the visitors to 69 for 4 before rain intervened on day two at Chester-le-Street.Debutant John Hastings tempted compatriot Chris Rogers to play on with just seven runs on the board, and it was then that Mark Wood took over, accounting for both Sam Robson, who had earlier survived to lbw appeals, and Dawid Malan.By the time Ben Stokes had Neil Dexter caught by Michael Richardson, his second fine take at third slip, the visitors had been reduced to 45 for 4. Only five balls were bowled after tea as Middlesex found themselves 499 adrift of the home side’s first innings total and 350 shy of the follow-on figure at stumps.Earlier, Durham had added just 11 to their overnight scored of 411 for 4 when Wood offered Joe Denly a simply chance at short midwicket off Tim Murtagh. Paul Collingwood followed him back into the pavilion for a quick-fire 36 at 493 for 6.Borthwick brought up his 200 with a fine glance for two off Ravi Patel but the 24-year-old, who had resumed on 164, finally succumbed when he skied a ball from Toby Roland-Jones to Malan as the home side stepped up a gear in the search for quick runs. He did so having batted for five minutes short of seven hours, facing 305 balls and scoring 25 fours and a six to become the first Englishman to complete a double ton for Durham at the Riverside Ground.Phil Mustard and Hastings, who scored an unbeaten 38 off 25 balls, added 48 for the ninth wicket before Murtagh took a steepling catch at mid-on to see off the former for 18 and prompt the declaration. Roland-Jones was the only bowler to emerge with any real credit with a return of 5 for 103 from his 25.1 overs.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Figueirense vai a parada da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro em função da Copa América com o ânimo lá em cima. Precisando da vitória em casa contra o Botafogo-SP para seguir próximo da parte alta da tabela, os comandados de Hemerson Maria fizeram seu papel e, agora, o Furacão do Estreito é o quinto colocado com 13 pontos, dois a menos que a Ponte, primeira ocupante do G4.

Apesar da posição também confortável na tabela do Bota, vice-líder com 16 unidades e com melhor saldo que o Londrina, o time de Ribeirão Preto viu outra equipe paulista, o Bragantino, se garantir na liderança da competição com seu revés.

DE PÉ EM PÉ

O Figueira exercia bem o seu papel de equipe mandante no quesito de ser mais atuante em troca de passes e domínio territorial que, feitos de maneira eficiente, renderam o primeiro grande momento de perigo a meta de Darley. Depois de rápida movimentação, Fellipe Mateus teve espaço para dominar e, próximo a meia-lua, bater forte para uma defesa importante do arqueiro paulista mandando pela linha de fundo.
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PESOU A EFICIÊNCIA

Os mandantes seguiam muito mais rápidos e insinuantes do que o inverso nos momentos que tinham a posse e, usando a velocidade do ataque mais jovem com a experiência de Rafael Marques, o Furacão do Estreito inaugurou o marcador em Florianópolis. Depois de Willian Popp apostar corrida e ganhar da zaga paulista, o cruzamento rasteiro foi no pé de Rafa que só tocou para as redes.

CABIA MAIS

Antes do intervalo, o ritmo de jogo dos catarinenses ainda deixava o time visitante claramente perdido na marcação e sem conseguir preencher os espaços para evitar novos lances de perigo. Com isso, Tony bateu de fora e viu Darley precisar se esticar todo para nova defesa em dois tempos enquanto Popp recebeu cruzamento de Betinho, limpou o cenário e bateu colocado, carimbando a trave esquerda.

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MUDANÇA DE CENÁRIO

A volta para o tempo complementar apresentou um jogo totalmente diferente do que foi o amplo domínio do Alvinegro catarinense. Isso porque, também sendo ágil na sua movimentação, o antes pouco efetivo Botafogo-SP passou a ser perigoso e, depois de Henan levar muito perigo em cabeçada onde o goleiro Denis não saiu do lugar, aos 15 minutos um cruzamento dividido pelo atacante do Bota sobrou para Rafael Costa que fuzilou a meta adversária para fazer 1 a 1.

PARELHO

O time anfitrião não esmoreceu mediante a igualdade, mas passou a encontrar muito mais dificuldades em conseguir não só furar a naquele momento arrumada marcação do time de Ribeirão Preto, mas de conter o ímpeto da equipe que passou a usar os contra-ataques como melhor forma de incomodar.

Nessa batida, Rafael Costa teve chance de fazer o segundo além de Marlon Freitas em chute de média distância, ambas as oportunidades contando com excelentes intervenções feitas por Denis.

SOLUÇÃO PELO ALTO

Sem conseguir infiltrações na base da bola no chão como na etapa inicial, foi na jogada aérea que o Figueira voltou a liderar o marcador com o zagueiro Ruan Renato aparecendo bem em cobrança de escanteio. Na batida vinda do lado esquerdo feita por Tony, o camisa 3 testou no canto e, mesmo sem a bola ir muito forte, foi suficiente para balançar as redes de Darley.

Sri Lanka’s board president Jayantha Dharmadasa has followed up SLC’s publicly stated objection to resolutions for vast changes to cricket’s global revenue sharing and governance by openly questioning the legality of the proposal and the manner of its cre

Daniel Brettig06-Feb-2014

Sri Lanka’s board president Jayantha Dharmadasa has followed up SLC’s publicly stated objection to resolutions for vast changes to cricket’s global revenue sharing and governance by openly questioning the legality of the proposal and the manner of its creation in a letter to the ICC.The correspondence, obtained by ESPNcricinfo, was sent to the ICC’s head of legal affairs Iain Higgins on February 5, after a special meeting of the Sri Lanka board’s stakeholders voted unanimously against the revised proposals presented to the ICC directors. It outlines numerous serious queries about the manner in which the resolutions have been brought to the board table. They are due to be voted on at a meeting of all Full Members in Singapore on Saturday.Sri Lanka, Pakistan and South Africa have each raised formal objections to the proposals, with CSA previously describing them as “fundamentally flawed”. Dharmadasa has taken a similar tack in his letter, outlining how the draft proposal and subsequent resolutions had contravened the ICC’s own constitution.Specific targets include the notion of a “contribution cost” running contrary to the provision for equal revenue stipulated by the ICC’s constitution. More than once, Dharmadasa asks whether the ICC is comfortable and confident that the process by which the many changes have arisen is in line with the governing body’s regulations, while raising the matter of whether board members had been granted sufficient time to review the sweeping changes that will result from the proposal.”Sri Lanka Cricket has received legal advice from its Legal Advisory Committee to the effect that these purported ‘Resolutions’ are in fact not valid resolutions in law,” Dharmadasa wrote. “Pursuant to your invitation for us to contact you in the event of us having issue with the same, we write to seek clarification from you, as Head of Legal of the ICC.”In any event, as Head of Legal of the ICC, you are duty bound to ensure that any Purported Resolutions that are placed before the Members are done in accord with the constitutional documents of the ICC, and we would in that context request that you furnish us with the clarifications requested below as a matter of extreme urgency.”A major strand of the letter raises the matter of whether or not the new revenue model, based upon a “contribution” calculation defies the ICC constitution’s expectation of equal sharing of revenue from ICC events. This element of the proposal was critical to India’s agreement to it, after the BCCI repeatedly refused to sign the existing Members Participation Agreement (MPA) for the next television rights period on the basis that it was entitled to a greater share.The letter states that the ICC’s Memorandum of Association features “entrenched provisions” around the distribution of funds to members. These declare that 75% of surplus revenue must be distributed equally among the Full Members, and “the costs payable by the Council out of its revenues shall be allocated as to 75% thereof equally among the Full Members”.Under the proposal, this distribution model would be replaced by a “contribution costs” model in which each nation is granted a percentage of revenue based upon numerous factors including on-field results, historical contribution to the game and off-field revenue-raising power. This calculation happens to place India, England and Australia, the three countries who devised the proposal, in the top three positions of entitlement.Dharmadasa’s objection is based upon the fact that this model is in contravention of the ICC’s own constitution. He also noted that the proposed “Test Cricket Fund” designed to help the other seven nations to stage Test matches in circumstances when they might be expected to lose money was similarly flawed.Other matters covered by the letter include the implementation of the ExCo board with three permanent members from India, England and Australia, and the matter of a new FTP agreed upon by a series of bilateral arrangements, rather than the overarching ICC blueprint that currently exists. Dharmadasa raised the question of what was to become of existing deals struck between member nations under the terms of the FTP.”The purported Resolutions seek to impose wide changes to the FTP, essentially by doing away with the current FTP Scheme and permitting the individual Boards to contract with each other,” Dharmadasa wrote. “You would be aware that contracts that have already been entered into by individual Members on the basis of the existing ICC Executive Board approved FTP, including Sponsorship Contracts and Broadcasting Contracts for which such Members have committed and already received monies.”We seek confirmation that you have considered the legality of this, and have advised the ICC of its potential liability to indemnify any Members that may be caused loss and damage in this regard.”N Srinivasan, the president of the BCCI, and Wally Edwards, the chairman of Cricket Australia, have both defended the proposals, stating that they are designed to end an era of considerable dysfunction at ICC level while also providing better incentives for each cricket-playing nation to improve themselves, rather than relying on the ICC’s distributions to stay afloat.

Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal has admitted his team may have misread conditions in Dubai after their three-wicket loss to Pakistan in the first Twenty20. Chandimal had said his team should have aimed to score 150 batting first at the toss, but after the match he suggested the pitch played better than he had anticipated, and a score closer to 160 should have been their goal. Sri Lanka made 145 for 5.”In the last year this pitch has been really slow, but this time the ball was coming nicely on to the bat. I think we were about 10-15 runs short as a batting side. After that, our bowlers didn’t bowl in the right areas and we gave away some 10-20 runs. Our fielding was also below par. That’s why I think we lost the game.”Chandimal lost the toss but had intended to bat first, believing dew would be less of an impediment to the side bowling second than it proved to be.”After about 10 overs, the dew factor came into play. Then our spinners couldn’t grip the ball. At that time, we couldn’t bowl really well, and also the ball came onto the bat really well after 10 overs. The dew factor also contributed to us losing the game.”We came to the ground on the previous night to check the dew, but last night there was no dew. We had a game plan, which was to bat first because they have some good bowlers, and we wanted to put the runs on the board and put pressure on them. In the end Shahid Afridi played a good cameo role. His innings was the turning point.”Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez had anticipated the dew, and he lauded his bowlers’ for restricting Sri Lanka to a manageable score. Sri Lanka could not score at more than 6.5 runs an over for much of their innings, as Afridi and Saeed Ajmal pinned them down during the middle overs, with regular wickets slowing their progress.”We were expecting the same total,” Hafeez said. “We were thinking if we can restrict them under 150 or 140, we would have a good chance because we’ve got a good batting unit, and also allrounders like Shahid Afridi, Bilawal Bhatti and Sohail Tanvir can give us more strength in our lower order. Once we restricted them to the 140s, we knew we could do it. We were very confident we could chase it. The way Shahid Afridi finished the game was pleasing to see.”The victory was largely scripted by Pakistan’s more experienced players, but 24-year-old opener, Sharjeel Khan, made a promising 34, though bowlers Bilawal Bhatti and Usman Khan had less successful outings. Hafeez suggested inexperienced players would be trialled again in the next match, with a view to playing them in the World Twenty20 in March.”The mega-event is about to come, so that’s why we tried some of the new guys – Bilawal Bhatti, Sohaib Maqsood and Sharjeel Khan. We are planning for the World Twenty20, and what we wanted was for seniors and juniors to play together. Going into the mega-event, the juniors will get a little bit of feel of international cricket, and they are performing very well and showing great character. At the same time the seniors are playing their role. We are happy with the momentum we are getting.”

Dale Steyn has laid down a challenge to the rest of South Africa’s bowlers ahead of their next major limited-overs assignment at the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh

Firdose Moonda10-Nov-2013

Dale Steyn has laid down a challenge to the rest of South Africa’s bowlers ahead of their next major limited-overs assignment at the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh: if you’re better than me, you can have my place, otherwise you will have to “pull me out of this team.”Steyn wants to play at the tournament next March, even though he has not been a regular in the shortest format and has committed to playing all seven of South Africa’s matches before then in the hope of establishing himself.”I want to form part of this puzzle. I want to get my piece solidly in there so people can find a way to bowl around me or we can bowl with each other,” he said. “I want to play all the Twenty20s. The T20 World Cup is just around the corner and I want to play that.”Since his T20 debut in 2007, Steyn has appeared in 29 of the 49 matches South Africa have played, including all four World T20s. While Steyn would appear an automatic choice for 2014, he has not played in South Africa’s last seven T20s due to workload management but has expressed his desire for that to change.He wants to turn out in the T20s against Pakistan in the UAE, the two in the return series at home and three against Australia to ensure he is ready for the big event. “[Shorter formats] are not as hectic on the body and it’s a lot of fun. You want to play cricket because it’s fun. Test matches are really hard, but I find ODIs and T20s a lot of fun. It just keeps me going,” he said.Steyn spent the early years of his career injury free but has since struggled with a range of niggles including hamstring, groin and side strains. In order to ensure he is ready to take his place in the Test line-up, he has been allowed rest from shorter formats of the game. It is thought he will prioritise Tests going forward but Steyn indicated he does not want to become a one-trick pony just yet.”I feel young; I’m 30 but AB looks older than me,” he joked. “I’ll just play for as long as I can. There’s some fantastic players that are coming up. Marchant de Lange is bowling really quickly. He is a guy we can look to in the future. And Wayne Parnell, he got Man of the Match in the first game [against Pakistan].”Our cupboard of fast bowlers is great and if there’s somebody better than me and they take my place, I’m happy to step aside and let them play. I want this team to do well. But while I’m fit and firing you’re going to have to pull me out of this team.”While Steyn’s determination to be part of the XI is brazen, he is far less adamant about where he should fit in. With pace and swing his main weapons, Steyn is always the pundits choice to open the bowling but in the third ODI against Pakistan he was used at first change with the Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe sharing the first duties. He was handed the new ball in the fourth match and bowled four wicket-less overs before being taken off and saved for later.When AB de Villiers brought him back, Steyn bowled another two overs without success but struck in his third spell and finished Pakistan off in his fourth. De Villiers said he is learning to use Steyn when he wants an impact player and Steyn confirmed he to fit in wherever is required.”I enjoy opening the bowling; it’s always great to set the tone. And the players also enjoy it when it’s buzzing and the ball is flying and things are happening for you as a bowler. But we’ve got guys who can do that,” he said, taking the spotlight off himself.”Morne Morkel is really quick and Lopsy’s [Tsotsobe] record speaks for himself – he may not be 145kph but at one time he was rated the No.1 bowler in the world. There’s no point in taking the ball away from those guys. Opening the bowling is about setting the tone, I believe. You want guys to come out and make a statement with the ball.”Steyn makes statements whether or not he is bowling. He was seen having words with Mohammad Hafeez, a man he has dismissed eight times in seven Tests and who is regarded as his bunny, during the fourth ODI. He was seen celebrating other bowlers’ success as warmly as he did his own. He was seen pumped up at every dismissal, punching the air and roaring in delight.And although he is now the other side of 30 he has no plans to change his approach. “I’m always fired up, that’s just how I play,” he said. “There’s no point not being fired up – I’m a fast bowler.”

Saeed Ajmal has received an official reprimand after pleading guilty to a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct, on the third day of the Dubai Test against South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Oct-2013Saeed Ajmal, the Pakistan offspinner, has received an official reprimand for his celebrations following the wicket of Morne Morkel on the third day of the second Test in Dubai. The celebrations were considered insulting towards the umpires.The incident in question occurred in the 162nd over of South Africa’s innings, when Ajmal appealed for a catch against Morne Morkel, but was turned down by umpire Ian Gould. Pakistan had no reviews left. Morkel was dismissed off Ajmal’s next delivery, caught at first slip by Younis Khan, but the bowler celebrated continued appealing animatedly.Ajmal was charged with breaching Article 2.1.4 of the ICC Code of Conduct which relates to “using language or a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting during an International Match”.The offspinner admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee David Boon.

Zimbabwe had their moments where they stretched Pakistan with a confident start in their chase of 162, but tackling the spinners in the middle overs was always going to be the bigger proposition

The Report by Kanishkaa Balachandran23-Aug-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShahid Afridi made an impact with bat and ball, scoring 23 and taking three wickets•AFP

Zimbabwe had their moments where they stretched Pakistan with a confident start in their chase of 162, but tackling the spinners in the middle overs was always going to be the bigger proposition. Pakistan’s spin trio – led by Shahid Afridi – put the stranglehold on the scoring with regular wickets and the hosts found the target rapidly slipping away from them. Once the required rate neared an improbable 12, the final passage of play turned tepid.In both innings, Pakistan found the going tough in the first half of the innings but clawed back in the second. Ahmed Shehzad weathered a sluggish start with a solid half-century that set the base for Shahid Afridi to play his natural game and push Pakistan to a competitive score. The Pakistan seamers struggled to contain the openers, but following a few quiet overs of spin, the momentum shifted. Brendan Taylor was looking to play himself into some form, after a poor series against India, and he didn’t have the time or an attacking partner at the other end to help his side reclaim the edge.After being put in to bat, Pakistan lost their first three wickets inside nine overs, all off questionable shots. Tendai Chatara accounted for the first two, and his second wicket to get rid of Mohammed Hafeez was made possible thanks to a brilliant reflex catch by Taylor. That catch was a good example of Zimbabwe’s fielding in the early part of Pakistan’s innings, but they couldn’t put enough pressure on Pakistan in the second half.Pakistan progressed to a less-than-satisfactory 57 for 3 after ten overs, but the turning point in the innings came in the 12th over. It was Elton Chigumbura’s first and he leaked 17, which included a pulled six by the debutant Sohaib Maqsood and two swept boundaries by Shehzad past short fine leg. Pakistan ensured they maintained that momentum till the end of the innings, picking 75 runs off six beginning from the 12th.Maqsood looked promising in a stand of 55 with Shehzad, pouncing on anything short from the seamers. After pulling Chigumbura over deep square leg, he tried to clear the straight boundary the following ball but was done in by an impressive running catch by Vusi Sibanda.Shehzad’s knock was vital in giving Pakistan a base to build on, which was crucial given the under par scores from the rest of the top order. He managed only one boundary in the first ten overs and began to open up in the company of the confident Maqsood. He was caught on the edge of the long-on boundary for 70, attempting a second six. Afridi, sent in at No.6, made a cameo 23 to give the bowlers a solid score to defend.Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza helped Zimbabwe race to 35 off five overs – at the same stage Pakistan had already lost two wickets. Taylor said at the toss that Zimbabwe were more comfortable chasing, and the openers certainly gave the impression. Sibanda didn’t look too troubled by Mohammad Irfan’s pace and lift, improvising by arching his back to steer the ball wide of the fielders on the off side.Saeed Ajmal was brought on in the sixth over as damage control. Captain Hafeez reverted to his seamers and Anwar Ali struck in the first over of his second spell when he trapped Hamilton Masakadza lbw attempting to pull a ball that wasn’t short enough. A set Sibanda lost his leg stump to Afridi, staying back to a flat, quicker delivery. Sean Williams was trapped lbw on the sweep, but didn’t appear satisfied with the decision.What Taylor needed was a form partner and the team management probably erred by not promoting Elton Chigumbura. Chigumbura performed better than some of the specialists in the one-dayers against India and when he walked in today Zimbabwe needed in excess of 17 an over. Timycen Maruma, who came in ahead of him, faced 13 balls for ten runs, at a time when Zimbabwe were desperate for a massive surge. The spinners held sway and the margin of victory was a comfortable 25 runs.

Worcestershire’s Joe Leach scored his maiden first-class hundred to hold up Gloucestershire’s victory charge at Cheltenham

19-Jul-2013
ScorecardJoe Leach continued to defy the Gloucestershire attack•Getty Images

Worcestershire’s Joe Leach scored his maiden first-class hundred to hold up Gloucestershire’s victory charge at Cheltenham.Leach, who top-scored with an unbeaten 82 in the first innings, made 103 not out as Worcestershire reached 296 for eight at stumps on the third day to hold an overall lead of 152.Thilan Samaraweera also scored 63 for Worcestershire and his fifth-wicket stand of 109 with Leach did much to keep the visitors in contention, although Gloucestershire remain favourites to register their third win of the season. Will Gidman was the most successful of the Gloucestershire attack with 3 for 72, while on-loan left-arm spinner Tom Smith took 2 for 85.Worcestershire began the day on 31 for no wicket and an attritional morning session brought just 53 runs from 29 overs. Gloucestershire had to wait until the final half hour of the session to celebrate a wicket, and it came when Daryl Mitchell pushed forward to Smith and edged to Michael Klinger at slip.Smith, on loan to Gloucestershire from Middlesex, struck again four overs later when Moeen Ali gave a bat-pad catch to Hamish Marshall at short leg. Matt Pardoe’s obdurate innings of 39, from 168 balls, ended in the fifth over after lunch when he was caught behind by Gareth Roderick off Will Gidman.It became 102 for 4 when Alexei Kervezee was run out at the striker’s end by James Fuller’s throw from mid-off after being sent back by Samaraweera. Gloucestershire had to wait 27 overs for another wicket as Samaraweera and Leach put on 109 in largely untroubled fashion.Leach reached a fluent 53-ball half-century with a cover-driven boundary offspin bowler Miles Hammond, and Samaraweera reached his 121-ball fifty in the next over with a single off Smith.Gloucestershire took the second new ball immediately after tea and it was only four overs old when Will Gidman won a lbw verdict against Samaraweera, whose 134-ball innings had contained nine fours.Ben Cox departed soon after, caught down the legside by wicketkeeper Roderick off Craig Miles to depart for six, and Gareth Andrew went for 14 when he edged a drive off Will Gidman into the hands of Alex Gidman at first slip.Leach continued to bat impressively and he surpassed his previous best score – the 82 he made in the first innings – with a straight-driven boundary off Will Gidman.Shaaiq Choudhry helped Leach add 28 for the eighth wicket before he was bowled by Fuller for 10. Leach survived a head-high caught and bowled chance to Benny Howell on 91 and went on to reach his century with a cover-driven boundary off Smith from the second ball of the last over.

The ECB are continuing their efforts to persuade Mervyn Westfield to give evidence at Danish Kaneira’s appeal hearing into his life ban for the game for corruption.Officials from the ECB met Westfield and his legal representatives in London on Thursday afternoon with discussions continuing into the evening. A further round of meetings has been scheduled for Friday with no agreement having been reached.Westfield, whose evidence was crucial in the original hearing that found Kaneria guilty of corruption, has had no contact with the ECB for many months and has so far resisted all attempts to persuade him to appear at the appeal. While the ECB were successful in gaining a summons from the High Court compelling Westfield to attend the appeal hearing on April 22, doubts remain as to whether the court has any jurisdiction in this case.Westfield remains angry with the ECB and the PCA. He feels that the harshness of his penalty – he spent two months in prison and was banned from the first-class game for five years and the recreational game for three – does not reflect that he cooperated with the investigating authorities, pleaded guilty and gave evidence against Kaneria.The fact that he has agreed to meet the ECB suggests a deal could be imminent, however. Westfield is understood to desire a return to club cricket – he remains connected with Wanstead Cricket Club in the Essex League – and he could be offered a chance to partially revive his career if he cooperates. Westfield would be expected to earn several hundred pounds a week as a club professional.Kaneria, the Pakistan legspinner, was banned from the game for life and charged £100,000 in costs by an ECB panel in June 2012 for his part in the spot-fixing case involving Westfield.Kaneria had been found guilty of inducing his former Essex team-mate to underperform in a limited-overs game in 2009 and of bringing the game into disrepute. Westfield, who was jailed for his role in the case, gave evidence against Kaneria at the hearing.As all boards under the governance of the ICC have an agreement to mirror bans imposed in such circumstances, Kaneria’s ban has been effective worldwide.Kaneria’s appeal hearing was originally scheduled for December but, after the ECB was unable to gain Westfield’s cooperation, it was postponed until April. Without Westfield’s evidence, the ECB’s case against Kaneria is severely compromised. Kaneria’s lawyers are looking not just for his ban to be overturned – at 32, he harbours hopes of a reviving his international career – but they are also claiming “very substantial damages” from the ECB.Kaneria returned to the UK on Wednesday. His lawyers remain adamant that, without Westfield’s evidence, the ECB “has no case”.This is an updated version of the story first published on April 17