PCB announces new policy regarding managers

“Yes, it was a fault at the PCB end that it has not adopted any clear policy in allowing the players to hire their agents/managers. But now the deficiency has been removed by binding the players in this regard,” PCB chairman Ijaz Butt said in a press conference.

The players’ agent Mazhar Majeed, the central character in a nasty spot-fixing saga in England involving Pakistan players, has been allegedly found involved in the scam as a bookie.

“The same Mazhar Majeed was also the agent of Inzamam-ul-Haq and he has been working with the players since long time,” the chairman said.

But when asked if the Pakistan team management and the PCB officials were not aware about Mazhar’s activities, he said ironically nothing was done in the past in this regard but now steps had been taken to ensure the boys would be put under vigilant control.

Later, the PCB also issued a press release which says: Procedure for Registration & Clearance of Player Agent/ Manager.

“The Following procedure is to be followed by all players wishing to engage agents/ managers. No Pakistani cricketer who is selected for any squad for local and international teams will be allowed to engage any agent/manager without the prior written approval of the PCB. Failure to comply with these instructions will result in the player being declared ineligible for selection in any of the domestic and international cricketing events under the control of PCB.”

The procedure is as follows:

1.The agent/manager wishing to get clearance should apply in writing to the PCB giving details of players they wish to represent, the scope of representation, terms of contract with players, and their own background data to the PCB for approval.

2. PCB will forward this information to the concerned High Commissioner/Ambassador of Pakistan in the country to which the agent belongs for their checking and approval. Only after receipt of this approval, PCB will accord a go-ahead to the agent/player. In case of agent/manager based in Pakistan, local law enforcement authority will provide clearance of the said agent/manager

Cricket-England romp to victory over dismal Pakistan

Pakistan could not cope with either a barrage of short-pitched bowling from the England pacemen or the slow bowling of Graeme Swann and Michael Yardy.

Umar Akmal hit Swann for two straight sixes into the sightscreen but was bowled for 17 when the England off-spinner kept his nerve and floated up another tempting delivery. Yardy was again economical, conceding 10 runs from his four overs.

An early wicket to Shoaib Akhtar and a brilliant run-out by Umar Akmal who hit the stumps at the bowler's end to account for Craig Kieswetter for 16 temporarily lifted Pakistan's morale.

But Paul Collingwood, who led England to victory in the Twenty20 World Cup in the Caribbean this year, scored 21 from 25 deliveries and Eion Morgan made 18 not out from 14 balls.

Pakistan are playing without test captain Salman Butt and pace bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif who have been suspended from all cricket by the International Cricket Council under its anti-corruption code after an investigation into incidents in the fourth test at Lord's.

Shahid Afridi issues apology on behalf of Pakistan's scandal-hit trio

Pakistan's one-day captain, Shahid Afridi, has issued a remarkable public apology on behalf of the three players at the centre of cricket's betting scandal. "I think it is very bad news," he said. "On behalf of these players – I know they are not in this series – but on behalf of these boys I want to say sorry to all cricket lovers and all the cricketing nations."

Afridi was at pains to distance himself from those implicated in the betting scandal – the Test captain, Salman Butt, and the fast bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif – as he arrived at nets ahead of Pakistan's Twenty20 game against England in Cardiff today.

He made no attempt to proclaim that they were innocent until proven guilty and he also stressed that he had no anger about the investigation into the players. "No," was his emphatic response.

Afridi also revealed that the Pakistan agent involved in the affair has travelled regularly with the team. "This guy has been travelling with the guys in the West Indies and in Australia," he said. "I saw him on the tours. I didn't know anything about this."

The players are undergoing an investigation by the Metropolitan police and the International Cricket Council have charged them under cricket's code of conduct.

Afridi guaranteed that the two Twenty20s and five ODIs would go ahead whatever further revelations might appear in newspapers.

"I told the boys don't read the newspapers tomorrow, just focus on cricket. I know the Pakistan people are very upset. We all love cricket. As I team all we can do is to play good, aggressive cricket and maybe when we go back home maybe the things will settle down.

"It is a big challenge for me as a captain but I think we are all ready and focused. Myself and the coach have already told the boys: 'Don't talk about this issue, we are here to play cricket.'"

Collingwood delighted with easy win

World champions England did their best to put cricket's week of crisis behind them as they returned to the Twenty20 format with a five-wicket victory over Pakistan.

Captain Paul Collingwood was delighted with a "100%" performance which owed much to an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 67 between Eoin Morgan and Michael Yardy, to aid the recovery from a mid-innings wobble in reply to 126 for four at the SWALEC Stadium.

"I'm absolutely delighted," said Collingwood. "Our strategies seem to be working in the Twenty20 form of the game. It has been a tough week. But the guys focused 100% on their cricket, and we enjoyed our win.

He added: "We got our teeth right into it. The bowlers were absolutely fantastic again. We had a little hiccup with the bat, but 'Morgs' and 'Yards' put together a superb partnership."

It is almost four months since England beat the world for the first time in an International Cricket Council tournament, with victory over Australia in the Barbados final.

They were up against significant, if perhaps still distracted, opponents in Pakistan - who have had to contend with the ICC suspension and charging of three of their initially-selected players following newspaper allegations of a plot to bowl no-balls to order in an attempt to defraud illegal bookmakers during the Lord's Test.

A follow-up report in Sunday morning's News of the World claims a fourth Pakistani - unnamed for "legal reasons" - is being investigated by the ICC's anti-corruption unit (ACSU) on suspicion of match-fixing. In those circumstances, it was a relief perhaps for Pakistan to simply take the field again in an international fixture.

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said: "At one time, it looked like we were going to win this game. But the way Morgan and Yardy played, they did very well."

Even so, Afridi believes his own team did themselves justice - especially after the disruptions of the past week.

He added: "The way my boys played, I am very happy. We missed some opportunities, like catches and run-outs. So next time I hope we will avail these opportunities. In this kind of cricket, fielding is a main weapon if you want to win."

Match Fixing Scandal: Tainted Pak Trio Will Meet Scotland Yard Today

Pakistan's tainted trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir will on Wednesday face another round of questioning from the Scotland Yard for their alleged involvement in the 'spot-fixing' scandal that has rocked international cricket even as England's Players' body demanded their ouster from the Twenty20 and ODI series here.

The trio, which has been implicated in the scandal after a sting operation by a British tabloid, is set to be quizzed by the Scotland Yard for the second time but they are not in danger of being arrested, a Pakistan Cricket Board official said.

Their meeting with Pakistan High Commission officials here has, however, been postponed to Thursday. ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat will meet PCB chief Ijaz Butt as scheduled in London today to discuss the scandal that has plunged the game into a crisis.

The trio will now miss Pakistan's practice match against Somerset starting tomorrow as that will clash with their meeting with PCB and High Commission officials at the High Commission here."The trio of captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif had been due to meet PCB chairman Ijaz Butt and the country's High Commissioner in London today. But it has emerged that the talks have been put back and now clash with the team's next fixture, which gets underway tomorrow," 'Sky News' reported. (Video Special: Pak match-fixing scandal)

Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed had yesterday said that the three would only face a PCB internal inquiry at the High Commission in London but it has now emerged that they will be questioned by Scotland Yard. (Watch: Did Pakistan fix these matches? | Pak players caught on tape)

He said no player has been charged as yet nor any case registered against them and they are available for the forthcoming Twenty20 and one-day series.

"As it stands now, the players have only been questioned by Scotland Yard. No one has been charged neither has Scotland Yard found any incriminating evidence against any player," a PCB official said.

"We have hired a barrister to assist the players and will be present when they meet with Scotland Yard detectives today. The questioning is part of routine investigation but all the players who are being questioned are available for selection and play in the coming series," he added.

The Pakistan High Commission has also asked the Scotland Yard to provide it with a preliminary report on the investigations.

The investigations are still on but England's Professional Cricketers Association wants the three to be dropped immediately so that the remaining tour does not become a "sideshow" to the murky scandal.

Nominations for ICC Awards 2010

ICC has made the nominations for this year's ICC cricket award for different categories. Players like Amla, Sehwag, Dhoni, Tendulkar, Bollinger are nominated for the top categories. The nomination is made by a panel chaired by Clive Lloyd also includes former international players Angus Fraser, Matthew Hayden, Ravi Shastri and Duncan Fletcher.

The nominees for different categories are:

Cricketer of the Year: Hashim Amla (SA), Doug Bollinger (Aus), Michael Clarke (Aus), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Ind), Ryan Harris (Aus), Mitchell Johnson (Aus), Jacques Kallis (SA), Morne Morkel (SA), Ricky Ponting (Aus), Kumar Sangakkara (SL), Virender Sehwag (Ind), Dale Steyn (SA), Sachin Tendulkar (Ind), Daniel Vettori (NZ), AB de Villiers (SA), Shane Watson (Aus)

Test Player of the Year: Hashim Amla (SA), James Anderson (Eng), Mohammad Asif (Pak), Doug Bollinger (Aus), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Ind), Tamim Iqbal (BD), Mahela Jayawardene (SL), Jacques Kallis (SA), Simon Katich (Aus). Kumar Sangakkara (SL), Thilan Samaraweera (SL), Virender Sehwag (Ind), Dale Steyn (SA), Graeme Swann (Eng), Sachin Tendulkar (Ind), Shane Watson (Aus)

ODI Player of the Year: Hashim Amla (SA), Doug Bollinger (Aus), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Ind), Tillekeratne Dilshan (SL), Ryan Harris (Aus), Michael Hussey (Aus), Jacques Kallis (SA), Ricky Ponting (Aus), Virender Sehwag (Ind), Sachin Tendulkar (Ind), AB de Villiers (SA), Daniel Vettori (NZ), Shane Watson (Aus), Cameron White (Aus)

Emerging Player of the Year: Mohammad Amir (Pak), Umar Akmal (Pak), Tim Bresnan (Eng), Steven Finn (Eng), Shafiul Islam (BD), Ravindra Jadeja (Ind), Virat Kohli (Ind), Angelo Mathews (SL), Eoin Morgan (Eng), Pragyan Ojha (Ind), Tim Paine (Aus), Wayne Parnell (SA), Kemar Roach (WI), Steven Smith (Aus), Paul Stirling (Ire), David Warner (Aus)

Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year: Ashish Bagai (Can), Richie Berrington (Scot), Muddassar Bukhari (Scot), Tom Cooper (Neth), Ryan ten Doeschate (Neth), Trent Johnston (Ire), Kevin O'Brien (Ire), Mohammad Shahzad (Afg), Samiullah Shenwari (Afg), Paul Stirling (Ire)

Twenty20 International Performance of the Year: Suleiman Benn (WI)- 4-2-6-4 v Zimbabwe, Port of Spain, 28 Feb 2010; Deandra Dottin (WI Women) - 112 not out (45b, 7x4, 9x6) v South Africa Women, Basseterra, 5 May 2010; Chris Gayle (WI) - 98 (66b, 5x4, 7x6) v India, Bridgetown, 9 May 2010; Michael Hussey (Aus) - 60 not out (24b, 3x4, 5x6) v Pakistan, St Lucia, 14 May 2010; Mahela Jayawardene (SL) - 100 (64b, 10x4 4x6) v Zimbabwe, Guyana, 3 May 2010; Mahela Jayawardene (SL) - 98 not out (56b 9x4, 4x6) v West Indies, Bridgetown, 7 May 2010; Nuwan Kulasekera (SL) - 3-1-4-3 v New Zealand, Lauderhill, 23 May 2010; Ryan McLaren (Aus) - 3-0-19-5 v West Indies, North Stand, 19 May 2010; Brendon McMcllum (NZ) - 116 not out (56b, 12x4, 8x6) v Australia, Christchurch, 28 Feb 2010; Eoin Morgan (Eng) - 85 not out (45b, 7x4, 5x6) v South Africa, Johannesburg, 13 Nov 2009; Nehemiah Odhiambo (Zim) - 4-0-20-5 v Scotland, Nairobi, 4 Feb 2010; Ellyse Perry (Aus Women) - 4-0-18-3 v New Zealand Women, Barbados, 16 May 2010; Suresh Raina (Ind) - 101 (60b, 9x4, 5x6) v South Africa, St Lucia, 2 May 2010; Darren Sammy (WI) - 3.5-0-26-5 v Zimbabwe, Port of Spain, 28 Feb 2010

Women's Cricketer of the Year: Suzie Bates (NZ), Nicola Browne (NZ), Katherine Brunt (Eng), Sophie Devine (NZ), Jhulan Goswami (Ind), Lydia Greenway (Eng), Sarah McGlashan (NZ), Shelley Nitschke (Aus), Ellyse Perry (Aus), Laura Poulton (Aus) Mithali Raj (Ind), Gouher Sultana (Ind), Stafanie Taylor (WI)

Umpire of the Year: Billy Bowden, Aleem Dar, Steve Davis, Asoke de Silva, Billy Doctrove, Marais Erasmus, Ian Gould, Tony Hill, Daryl Harper, Rudi Koertzen, Asad Rauf, Simon Taufel, Rod Tucker.

Pakistan debutant keeps England at bay

Debutant Zulqarnain Haider kept England at bay with a superb 88 as Pakistan at last restored some pride in the second Test at Edgbaston on Sunday. Pakistan at the close of the third day, were 9-291 a lead of 112 and with an outside chance of pulling off what would be an astounding victory.

They would have been in an even better position, but England off-spinner Graeme Swann removed Zulqarnain shortly before stumps on his way to a Test-best haul of 6-60 runs in 36 overs - 20 of them maidens.Pakistan had been dismissed for just 72 -- their lowest total against England - in the first innings, a woeful performance which made Sunday's fightback even more astonishing.

Zulqarnain and Saeed Ajmal put on 115 for the eighth wicket, with the recalled off-spinner making exactly 50 to give him Test-bests with both bat and ball this match after he took 5-82 in England's first innings 251. Ajmal fell shortly before the close caught at slip by Paul Collingwood to end a gutsy 79-ball innings featuring seven fours.

Zulqarnain, who but for the Decision Review System (DRS) would have been out for a king pair, fell when he miscued a drive off Swann to England captain Andrew Strauss at mid-off.

The 24-year-old batted for four-and-a-half hours, facing 200 balls and struck 15 boundaries.

At the close, Swann had surpassed his previous best of five for 54 against South Africa at Durban in 2009 and taken five or more wickets eight times in his 22 Tests.

Umar Gul, batting with a runner after suffering a hamstring injury on Saturday, was nine not out, having smashed the last ball of the day from paceman Stuart Broad for four,and Mohammad Asif 13 not out.

Zulqarnain, in for the dropped Kamran Akmal, had come in at 5-82.

At that stage, Pakistan needing 97 more runs just to avoid an innings defeat that would have left them 2-0 down in this four-match series after their crushing 354-run reverse in the first Test at Trent Bridge last week.

Zulqarnain received sound support from fast bowler Mohammad Aamer (16), who again demonstrated an excellent defensive technique, in a seventh-wicket stand of 52 spanning more than two hours.

England saw off Aamer in the fourth over with the new ball when Broad had him caught at first slip by Strauss.

Zulqarnain went to fifty when he clipped fast bowler Steven Finn through midwicket for a boundary that also meant England would have to bat again as Pakistan finally erased a first innings deficit of 179.

Then Zulqarnain's off-driven four off Swann meant he'd made the highest individual score by a Pakistan batsman this series, surpassing Gul's 65 not out at Trent Bridge.

Swann had gone two whole innings without bowling, such had been the dominance of England's seamers.

He came on with Pakistan 53 for one -- the first time this series the tourists had reached fifty without losing at least six wickets.

Swann bowled Imran Farhat with only his third ball of the match, a superb delivery that pitched outside the left-hander's leg stump and clipped the top of off.

Broad thought he had Zulqarnain, on 18, caught behind but umpire Marais Erasmus was unmoved, with England unsuccessfully referring the South African's not out verdict.

Broad should have dismissed Aamer on one when the 18-year-old was yards out of his ground. But his throw to the bowler's end was way over Swann's head. He then hit Zulqarnain, on 22, with a petulant throw at the end of an over in an incident that could yet lead to Broad facing disciplinary action.

England v Pakistan - player ratings

Andrew Strauss Failed with the bat but that is the peril of facing new ball against such good bowlers. Iffy shot in first innings but got an unplayable delivery in the second. 6/10 Alastair Cook Struggling with technical issues against swinging ball. Tall men tend to struggle with balance and his footwork is a bit out of kilter 5.

Jonathan Trott Undone by a stinker that kept low and bowled him in the second innings but did show the application you need in Test cricket in both knocks. 5 Kevin Pietersen Lack of cricket obvious from the impatient way he approached both innings attempting to dominate without putting in the hard work first. 5

Paul Collingwood Classic dogged innings when England were trouble on first day. Did not contribute in the second innings. Brilliant slip catching throughout. 7 Eoin Morgan Proved he has the Test match technique and temperament with superb first innings hundred. Unlucky to be run out in second innings. 8

Matt Prior
Good counter-attacking century in second innings and showed he is England’s No  1 keeper. Solid performance with the gloves. 7

Graeme Swann
England’s passenger on his home ground through no fault of his own. Played a good cameo in second innings and took some excellent slip catches. 6

Stuart Broad
Bowled a touch loose in the first innings and the non-swing bowlers had to work harder for wickets. Managed some useful time at the crease. 7

James Anderson
Best Test performance for England. Unplayable in swinging conditions, confusing batsmen with ability to bowl inswing and outswing without change of action. 9

Steven Finn
Considerable height gives him bounce even on slow surfaces and Pakistan’s batsmen were unable to cope with his consistent line and length. 7

Pakistan

Salman Butt
Captaincy seems to be affecting his batting with two single-figure scores in the match but was not the only batsman to struggle with swinging ball. 5

Imran Farhat
Experienced player but looks completely out of his depth against England’s new ball bowlers and showed little appetite for application. 3

Azhar Ali
Doesn’t appear to know where his off-stump is. Out to a nervy prod in the first innings and crumbled under pressure in the second. 4

Umar Amin
Another greenhorn in the side. Undone by Finn’s bounce in the first innings and played around his front pad in second, missing an inswinger. 4

Umar Akmal
Has Twenty20 reputation but needs to remember that, in Test matches, there are days when you need to bat more than a few overs. 3

Shoaib Malik
Hung around in both innings but weakness outside off-stump was always going to bring about downfall. His bowling was not threatening. 5

Kamran Akmal
Has anyone had a worse Test? Bagged a pair, dropped two routine catches and missed an easy stumping off Collingwood. 2

Mohammad Aamer
Emerging as a real talent in world cricket. Clever bowler able to swing ball both ways and applied himself with the bat. The new Wasim Akram. 7

Umar Gul
Bowled too short and was punished in first innings but worked out his length in the second innings. Played some fabulous strokes to save follow-on. 6

Danish Kaneria
Woeful performance. Unable to build pressure thanks to too many full tosses and loose balls. Must expect to be dropped for Edgbaston Test. 3

Mohammad Asif
Almost matched Anderson but he lacks an inswinger. It will be interesting to see if his body can sustain him through four Tests in a month. 7