Brian Lara has elected to go on the backfoot and tender a written apology to the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) after hitting out at cricket authorities following India’s first series win in the Caribbean in 35 years.Lara forwarded a letter dated July 31 to Ken Gordon, the WICB president, acknowledging that he may have over-reacted in the comments he made during and after the final Test against India at Sabina Park.”I recognise that I broke the confidence placed in me as West Indies captain by my overreaction during and after the 4th Test against India and I apologise to all concerned”, Lara wrote. “I would also like to thank my team-mates for the progress we have made as a team over the last few months and I hope my unfortunate actions will not in any way deter our march towards further success.”Lara, in charge of the team for an unprecedented third time, threatened to quit after he claimed there was a month’s delay in informing him that he had been made a member of the West Indies selection committee. Lara, Test cricket’s leading runscorer, had been at loggerheads with the WICB over the selection policy and believed he was rebuffed in his efforts to get the players he wanted in the team.The WICB responded by appointing a committee headed by the president of the WICB, together with Sir Alister McIntyre, Clive Lloyd and Gregory Shillingford to investigate all matters relating to Lara’s statements and to take such action as they may consider appropriate after these matters were discussed with him. Gordon, in a letter to Lara, clearly felt that he should have handled the matter internally.
“Let me admit that I empathised with the rationale that you outlined during our conversation in support of additional pace against the Indians and the passion of your conviction that the series could have been won by three games to one”, Gordon wrote. “We need both conviction and passion to continue to build on what has been achieved.”But we also need to send a signal that a new start is being made. That we will resolve our differences internally and present a unified front to the cricketing world and that West Indies cricket is on the way up again. Your statement did not contribute to sending that message and that was unfortunate.”After India had won the last Test by 49 runs inside three days at Sabina Park, Lara said he might have to reconsider his position as captain. “I got an endorsement letter [from the WICB] a couple days ago saying that I was a selector since May 28,” he told reporters at the post match news conference on July 3. “I’ll revisit my decision to captain the West Indies team.”Lara said his reputation was at stake in light of his calls for certain players to be selected. “I was never given the team that I wanted,” he insisted.
Jagmohan Dalmiya, the Afro-Asian Cricket Cooperation Chairman, has announced that the first of the three-match Afro-Asian Cup between Asia XI and Africa XI will take place at Supersport Park, Centurion, in South Africa, on August 17. The second and third matches are scheduled to be held on August 20 and 21 at Durban.Dalmiya also said, in a report, that the matches, which have been given official status by the ICC, would be played under lights and would begin at midday. The proceeds from the series, which will involve top cricketers of the participating countries, will be used to develop cricket in Asia and Africa at all levels after meeting the tournament expenses.The selection panels for the two teams will comprise a representative from each of the participating nations. The Asia XI selection panel includes Majid Khan (Pakistan), Ravi Shastri (India) and Sidath Wettimuny (Sri Lanka). Bangladesh are yet to name their representative. Mike Proctor (South Africa), Psyche Nkala (Zimbabwe) and Tom Tikolo (Kenya) are the selectors for the African XI.The winners of the series will get US$100,000 in prize money. US$25,000 will go to the winners of each of the individual games, US$5000 for the Man of the Match and US$10,000 for the player of the series. Dalmiya added that talks were on with several media companies for the games to be telecasted live and that discussions with sponsors were yet to reach a final agreement
Everything fell into place for New Zealand on the final day of the second Test at Auckland. They registered their first victory over South Africa at home, and will now travel to Wellington with an excellent chance to win a series against them for the first time.Chris Martin picked up his second five-wicket haul of the match, Chris Cairns got to 200 Test wickets, and South Africa were bowled out for 349. Jacques Rudolph delighted with a few flowing drives on his way to an unbeaten 154, but New Zealand were left to chase a meagre 51. Stephen Fleming ensured a quick finish, blasting 31 off just 11 balls.The day began with South Africa still 22 behind, and Shaun Pollock did exactly what Mark Boucher had done last evening: needlessly poked at one that angled away, and edged to Fleming at first slip (290 for 7). Nicky Boje hung around for 56 minutes, while Rudolph unfurled a few silken drives at the other end. Boje has been a thorn in the flesh for New Zealand in the past, with two one-day hundreds, but Cairns forced him onto the back foot and managed to find the outside edge (327 for 8). With this, Cairns became the second New Zealander after Richard Hadlee to complete the double of 3000 runs and 200 wickets.Cairns then undid Nos. 10 and 11 with two well-disguised slower balls: Makhaya Ntini spanked one down square leg’s throat, while David Terbrugge patted another straight to short cover.
The New Zealand openers began their chase with a few streaky shots, as the South African bowlers attacked with a barrage of short balls. Mark Richardson was hit on a few occasions and was dismissed after making 10. He ducked a short one from Ntini, but the ricochet off the back of the bat went to Boje at gully (20 for 1). However, Fleming uncorked the champagne with six fours and it was fitting that he sealed the victory with a straight six.After all, it was Fleming who had inserted South Africa on the first morning, and watched Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs put together a first-wicket stand of 177. But New Zealand dominated every session after that, and Cairns and Jacob Oram were brutal in the final session on the third day. Martin’s two crucial spells, when he ripped through the South African middle order, turned the tide, and he will be expected to play a major role in seamer-friendly conditions at the Basin Reserve.For South Africa, Rudolph showed tremendous composure in the second innings while Jacques Kallis, Gibbs and Smith were all in good touch. But it was their bowling that let them down, and the game was surrendered on the run-filled third day.One moment in the final stages encapsulated South Africa’s helplessness in the match. Richardson defended one back back to the bowler and Pollock picked it up and threw it back instinctively. When Richardson got his pads in the way, Pollock let out a huge appeal for lbw. At least, he saw some humour at the end of it all.
Shane Warne and ACB chief executive James Sutherland will hold a mediaconference to discuss the leg-spinner’s availability for the ICC WorldCup.The conference will take place in Johannesburg at 9am local time (6pmAEDT), just before Australia’s opening World Cup match against Pakistan.Baggy Green will provide further details on the conference as theybecome available.
LONDON. There has been a lot of hue and cry about ‘mob rule’ in cricket, specifically related to the ongoing Triangular Series involving the contesting finalists, Pakistan and Australia and the bride’s maid, England, the host.None approved the unwarranted pitch invasions by over eager Pakistan supporters, and one and all were right in castigating their intrusions onto the field of play. But while each write-up and corresponding run-down of the errant was full of denouncements, none offered any worthwhile workable suggestion to stall such runs on the field in the future.Some did, like Christopher Martin Jenkins, who so wrote in the ‘The Times’ that dogs and horses should be let loose on the errant. Certainly an effective proposal yet one unthinkable in a civilised society, that serves as a role model to the world in behaviour and attitude. Not to mention what the horses would do to the turf.No, something else has to be done and the only hope one sees, is in the followers being ‘educated’ to the finer points of sports following. This education is not hard to come by. After all, the migrants, Asians or otherwise, do follow British traditions of line-up, waiting their turn, speaking in low tones and generally refraining from using vulgar or obscene language in public. And even in private, one to one interactions.Now, this all has been inculcated in the migrants through interaction, teachings and even sometimes through the threat and dread of punitive action. This can also be achieved in cricket grounds.But for that to happen, a concerted effort has to be made. And this relates to an appeal and approach to the migrants’ families, places of education and work. Here it should be brought to the notice of one and all that every society pays a very heavy price to provide sustainable conditions for its citizens to live comfortably and that a sports arena is as much as place in the society and as much one worth visiting and enjoying. Stressed must be the threat of them being denigrated and demeaned in their own social circles as ‘street brats’ and ‘scum of the earth’.This can be done, for while Pakistan’s next tour is years away, India and Sri Lanka are due in the coming year. This gives a lot of time to volunteers to go about educating the migrant supporters of the disgrace and harm they bring about on their countries’ of origin.This will certainly have a very salutary effect, and the writer has personal experience to support this.At the Trent Bridge, D/N encounter between Pakistan-Australia, the writer, accompanied by Kamran Abbasi of Wisden Monthly, went down to a vociferous, vibrant section of Pakistan supporters, teasing and taunting the stewards at the fence. The request to step back was heeded, though very reluctantly and accompanied by some very choice, unmentionable words but, obeyed it was. Encouraged, some other supporters joined in and that area was more or less cleared quickly.This is just an example. This was perhaps a stray on the spot initiative, but certainly indicative of being useful, if done properly in the future too. It is not difficult to communicate with these over-exuberant supporters who shout and ‘honk’ to vent away their pent up frustrations and emotions.Loudness is looked down upon in England and this, one feels, is another reason some of the Asian origin youth takes to howling and bawling. Conceded, they are part and parcel of a culture that emphasises quietness and serenity, yet it is in their genes to be loud and showy. Their forefathers may have been more ‘British’ than them, for different reasons in different conditions.Their elders were struggling, unsure persons, making a new life in a new land and that too, in a new culture. However, this present lot are sons of the soil and with equal rights. I believe it is this legal equality that is one reason for their boisterous, belligerent behaviour. And, here is where that suggested education would help. It must be brought to their notice and forced on them again and again: equality means contesting performance in given situations for better rewards.Equality does not mean taking turns in being boisterous at the cost of being a teasing pest for others. Equality must be shown to them as emerging moments of worthwhile vocations and comforts of life that the locals enjoy due disciplined hard work and consistent values of life. This has to be ingrained in them; this has to be taught that if they think they are the equals of the locals, then they should be as disciplined and consistent as they are on a cricket field.It is certainly ‘not cricket’ the way they invade the ground in a match. If they are all that keen on running, they should enlist in the London Marathon and run to their heart’s content
Leeds United midfielder Tyler Roberts’ future at the club could be in doubt as they look to improve on him this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.
The Lowdown: Roberts struggles to impress
The Whites have endured a season to forget in the Premier League, with Marcelo Bielsa losing his job and relegation still more than a possibility.
Roberts is one individual who has struggled to find a good run of form, scoring just once in 23 league appearances despite his attack-minded nature as a player.
Bielsa called him ‘very important’ and handed him 107 of his 108 Leeds appearances, but despite his fondness for the player there was speculation surrounding the Welshman leaving Leeds in the January transfer window.
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The Latest: Journalist makes fresh claim
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Jesse Marsch may look to make an upgrade on Roberts this summer:
“You do get the feeling that his position is one of those that will be targeted in the summer to be strengthened.”
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The Verdict: Time to be sold?
While Roberts is still only 23 years of age, there is a feeling that he isn’t good enough for Leeds moving forward, particularly in terms of being a regular starter.
His record of nine goals in 108 Whites appearances is far from prolific and Marsch may feel he could bring in reinforcements that will provide more cutting edge.
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Someone like rumoured Leeds target Brenden Aaronson could be perfect, with the American netting 12 times in 60 games for RB Salzburg in a similar role, bringing a level of midfield guile and end product that Roberts simply fails to.
In other news, one journalist has dropped a big Andrea Radrizzani claim. Read more here.
Football’s truism – money alone can’t buy you a winning team – found its echo in cricket as the Mumbai Indians, the IPL’s most expensive franchise, lost their third consecutive game in a row to find themselves one place above the bottom of the table. They were outplayed by Kings XI Punjab, who secured their first win of the tournament with a fine team performance studded by some moments of individual brilliance.For all of that, this match had lots for the purist too, as it showed Test skills can be used to great effect in cricket’s newest format. Kumar Sangakkara used classical shots in his innings, while Piyush Chawla bowled attacking legspin to rattle the Mumbai batsmen and concede just 16 runs off four overs.At the toss, Harbhajan Singh explained the decision to field first by saying his side preferred chasing. But their pursuit of a competitive, though not impossible, target was crippled by wickets falling at regular intervals – six of them between the ninth and fifteenth overs – as the line-up, once again lacking Sachin Tendulkar, came up against some inspired Punjab bowling.Leading the line was Brett Lee, who conceded nine runs off his four overs as he mixed scorching pace with athleticism and exuberance to dismiss the Mumbai openers. After going past the 150kph-mark in his first over, he took a brilliant return catch in the next to remove Sanath Jayasuriya before running out Luke Ronchi off the following ball with a fluid diving throw even as the batsman chased after him a yard behind.More athleticism was on display as Yuvraj Singh plucked out a blinding one-handed catch by stretching to left at covers to dismiss Shaun Pollock.At the other end of the spectrum was the teenager Chawla, all twirls and swirls as he bowled Dwayne Bravo and Saurabh Tiwary with deliveries that stayed straight. His figures at the end read two for 16 runs off four, incredible for a spinner in Twenty20.The most consistent display of class and grace came earlier in the day, from Sangakkara. Though he missed getting a hundred, Sangakkara managed to overtake Brendon McCullum as the tournament’s leading run-scorer – and he did it in style.For his first scoring shot, a drive through extra-cover for four, he transferred his weight perfectly from back to front foot and then arrested his follow-through halfway through the shot. Out of place in such a setting, perhaps, but no one was complaining.He used his wrists to great effect; to reach his fifty – off 23 balls – with a cut-glide to point and to flick to fine leg. And the purists would have been delighted when he was joined by Mahela Jayawardene, who thrilled with an equally wrist-driven flick for six to fine leg. Jayawardene, though, didn’t stay for long, and was caught for 12 trying to sweep fine. Yuvraj matched them in grace with a six driven over long-on. The biggest six of the innings, though, was hit by Lee – he lifted a fuller delivery off Dhawal Kulkarni in the final over high in the sky over long-off.But barring Sangakkara, no other Punjab batsman built an innings of consequence – the next highest score was 18. Yet, if you look at their shots, Punjab’s batsmen look like they can entertain and deliver on a good day. Mumbai, on the other hand, will be desperately hoping Sachin Tendulkar is fit for their next match against Deccan Chargers on Sunday.
Marcus Trescothick is one step closer to a return from the international wilderness after being named in England’s 30-man preliminary squad for the inaugural Twenty20 World Championships that take place in South Africa in September.Trescothick has not been considered for England since he withdrew from the Ashes tour last November with a recurrence of the stress-related illness that had forced him home from the India trip earlier in the year. But his momentum-seizing batting was sorely missed during England’s uninspiring World Cup campaign, and the temptation to include him in the final 15 on August 11 could be overwhelming.”As it stands nothing has been set in concrete, it’s just an opportunity for us to take our time,” Trescothick told BBC Sport. “I’m just enjoying my cricket here [at Somerset] and we’ll continue to see how it goes over the next couple of months. I can only judge between now and August 11 whether I’m fit to tour again and at this moment it’s given us an opportunity to say if I feel things have progessed we can maybe think about it.”England’s chairman of selectors, David Graveney, said: “Marcus Trescothick is a contracted player and was named in the England Performance squad earlier this summer. We have decided to name him in this provisional squad in order to give us more flexibility should it be decided that Marcus is ready to return to international cricket before the tournament takes place.”The Twenty20 World Championships could be the perfect way to ease Trescothick back into touring life – the trip lasts only a fortnight and while it is high-profile, the experimental nature of the format should take much of the pressure off the participants.”We are pleased that Marcus has made a successful return to county cricket this summer and he remains a world-class opening batsman but we will not be placing undue pressure on him to make a return to international cricket without first carefully considering all the issues involved,” said Graveney. “Ultimately, we will be guided by Marcus and the ECB medical staff as to his availability and I would anticipate that further discussions will take place with him before the squad is narrowed down.”Trescothick’s recall was advocated by many this week, including his friend and former Test team-mate, Ashley Giles. “If he is ready to return, which is the most important thing, then he has to be in our Twenty20 team,” said Giles. “I think it would be a good opportunity – if he felt he was getting close – to use it as a first step back into the England team. It will be a little more relaxed, it’s not a very long trip, so let’s get him in.”England’s selectors have cast their net wide at this stage of the deliberations, with several notable inclusions in the 30-man squad. The most remarkable is Chris Schofield, the Surrey legspinner who played two Tests for England in 2000 and was one of the first players to be awarded a central contract system. His career, however, went into freefall after that and three years ago he was released by Lancashire and faded into minor counties cricket.He fought and won an acrimonious legal battle against his former employers, but it wasn’t until Surrey offered him a one-year contract last summer that his career got back on track. This season he took 17 wickets in eight Twenty20 matches, although it was not enough to secure them Surrey a place in next month’s semi-finals.Darren Maddy is another man who hasn’t played internationals for seven years, although he has since made a name for himself as a Twenty20 specialist, while Paul Nixon is included as another wicketkeeping option alongside his successor in the one-day side, Matt Prior.There are two uncapped players in the 30-man squad – Sussex’s exciting allrounder, Luke Wright, who was this season’s top run-scorer in the Twenty20 Cup, and the Essex captain, Mark Pettini. There is no place, however, for Yorkshire’s captain, Darren Gough, nor Sajid Mahmood and Ed Joyce, who toured with England this winter but have since faded from view.Squad James Anderson (Lancashire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Ravi Bopara (Essex), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Leicestershire), Glen Chapple (Lancashire), Paul Collingwood (Durham) (captain), Alastair Cook (Essex), Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire), James Kirtley (Sussex), Jon Lewis (Gloucestershire), Mal Loye (Lancashire), Darren Maddy (Warwickshire), Dimitri Mascarenhas (Hampshire), Paul Nixon (Leicestershire), Monty Panesar (Northamptonshire), Mark Pettini (Essex), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Liam Plunkett (Durham), Matt Prior (Sussex), Chris Schofield (Surrey), Owais Shah (Middlesex), Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), Jeremy Snape (Leicestershire), Vikram Solanki (Worcestershire), Chris Tremlett (Hampshire), Marcus Trescothick (Somerset), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire), Luke Wright (Sussex), Michael Yardy (Sussex)
The West Indian resurgence which had started in the one-day series continued on the opening day of the first Test, as they restricted India to 235 for 9 in Antigua. Rahul Dravid won the toss, chose to bat, and then battled hard for a painstaking 49, but the rest of the batsmen fell to a combination of accurate seam and swing bowling and their own lack of confidence as West Indies finished the first day completely on top.Antigua has traditionally been a nightmare for the bowlers, but conditions at St John’s were far more even today – there was some seam movement and swing on offer throughout, and though the track lacked pace, there was enough bounce, sometimes inconsistent, to keep the bowlers in the game till stumps. The West Indian bowlers exploited the conditions superbly, consistently bowling in the channel outside off and forcing the batsmen to go after the ball.The two stars among the crop of bowlers were Dwayne Bravo and Corey Collymore. Bravo had been the talismanic figure for West Indies in the one-day series, and he returned to haunt the Indians with his gentle outswingers, picking up a rich haul of 4 for 37. He teased the batsmen with a line just outside off, forcing them to reach out to play their strokes, and reaped the rewards as the Indians took the bait and perished. Collymore had been relegated to third-seamer status, but made an impact as soon as he was brought into the attack, removing Virender Sehwag with his first ball. He extracted bounce and movement throughout the day, and thoroughly deserved his three wickets.For the Indians, it was another entirely forgettable batting display on a tour in which they have struggled to unravel the mystery of scoring runs in the West Indies. Apart from Wasim Jaffer, their top five all topped 20 but none of them managed a half-century. Six of the first seven dismissals were to catches behind the stumps, an indication of just how well West Indies’ outside-off-stump strategy worked.The strangulation started after Sehwag was sent on his way for a run-a-ball 36. Sehwag played a typically breezy knock, offering the bowlers a chance with a couple of streaky strokes but also injecting early momentum into the innings after Jaffer had fallen an early victim to Fidel Edwards. The first 50 of the innings came in just ten overs, but once Sehwag left, the run-flow reduced to a trickle.VVS Laxman, promoted to No.3 in the line-up, was secure in his 74-ball knock, letting plenty of deliveries go outside off, and even unfurling a gorgeous square-drive off Ian Bradshaw – easily the least impressive of the bowlers – to suggest that he was coming to terms with the pitch, before throwing away the good work with a loose stroke just before lunch.Yuvraj Singh was reprieved once by umpire Asad Rauf, who turned down an lbw appeal which should have been given, and by Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who dropped a sitter in the slips, but he capitalised on neither chance and was completely flummoxed – for the second time on this tour – by Dave Mohammed.The only batsman who showed a willingness to battle the conditions and the bowlers was, not surprisingly, Dravid. Unperturbed by the long runless periods, he knuckled down, playing out dot ball after dot ball, letting deliveries go by outside off, relying on nudges and nurdles to get his runs, and putting away only four balls to the fence. It was a show of immense patience, but even he fell a victim to the outside-off malaise, nibbling one to Lara just one short of 50. Replays showed that Collymore was lucky to get that wicket, though, for he had clearly overstepped by about six centimetres.Apart from Sehwag, the only other batsman who tried to force the pace was Mahendra Singh Dhoni, but for him too, success was brief – 19 runs off 27 balls, and then a waft and an edge to give Lara his 150th Test catch.Anil Kumble and Sreesanth held up the West Indian charge with a 47-run eighth-wicket stand – Sreesanth showed more than once that he could develop into a useful lower-order batsman, playing a couple of glorious back-foot punches and defending with a straight bat – but the second new ball broke the partnership. A missed chance in the deep by Mohammed meant that the innings wasn’t quite over, but a total of 235 for 9 should leave no-one in doubt about which team took the honours.
Wasim Jaffer c Ramdin b Edwards 1 (10 for 1) Virender Sehwag c Lara b Collymore 36 (51 for 2) VVS Laxman c Ramdin b Bravo 29 (72 for 3) Yuvraj Singh b Mohammed 23 (126 for 4) Mohammad Kaif c Ramdin b Bravo 13 (155 for 5) Mahendra Singh Dhoni c Lara b Collymore 19 (179 for 6) Rahul Dravid c Lara b Collymore 49 (180 for 7) Anil Kumble b Bravo 21 (227 for 8) VRV Singh c Sarwan b Bravo 2 (231 for 9) End-of-day interactive video highlights from the Test series are available for $9.95 to Cricinfo users in the USA and Canada.
The Cricket Club of India was buzzing with activity following the announcement that a Chennai court had held up the appointment of Ranbir Singh Mahendra and SK Nair, the new president and secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Raj Singh Dungarpur, a former Board president who was actively involved in the recent elections, told Wisden Cricinfo late on Friday evening: “It is a black day for Indian cricket. That it should have come during the platinum-jubilee celebration is tragic beyond description.”Dungarpur has been a vociferous critic of Jagmohan Dalmiya, the BCCI’s former president and new patron-in-chief, and went on: “Dalmiya and his coterie of supporters, who were tantamount to blind supporters, have left the board in a mess.”When asked why, then, Dungarpur had voted in favour of Dalmiya being appointed patron-in-chief, he explained: “I voted for him because I didn’t want to spoil the party. I felt he had worked hard enough to earn the position of patron.”But a patron is one who patronises, not one who organises,” he added. “The Maharaja of Patiala was a genuine patron. He brought Arthur Gilligan’s MCC team to India in 1926. CK Nayudu hit 11 sixes for the Hindus against them and India found a hero. Patiala brought Jack Ryder’s team to India soon after – that was the act of a patron.”The recent Board elections were fought in acrimonious circumstances, and Dungarpur has plenty to say on the subject. “Dalmiya, for the first time ever, realised he was up against it. His kingdom was rocked.” During the elections, representatives from Maharashtra and Rajasthan were barred from voting, following which Mahendra and Sharad Pawar had polled 15 votes each. Dalmiya then cast the deciding vote in Mahendra’s favour. Dungarpur claims: “Asking the representatives of Maharashtra and Rajasthan to leave the meeting was a death knell to the democracy of the board.”The way the television-rights issue was handled came in for particular criticism. “The way Dalmiya handled that was there for all to see. It is not a secret that the marketing committee voted 6-2 in favour of Zee, and that Dalmiya was one of the two who voted against. He has ignored all statutory requirements when it comes to convening meetings and has done things at the shortest notice. The BCCI traditions of 75 years have been thrown to the gates. And when it comes to the main management of cricket, pardon me for saying so, Mr Dalmiya knows very little.”And Dungarpur concluded: “When the great Sir Don Bradman was not indispensable to the Australian cricket team, why should Dalmiya be indispensable to the BCCI?”Inderjit Bindra, another former president known for his anti-Dalmiya stance, also had some strong words. “It’s a dark day, and one where those involved with running cricket in India, including me, should reflect about the manner in which we have been conducting ourselves in the recent past. No-one is bigger than the game itself.”