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The hearing into the Level 3 charge against England fast bowler James Anderson will be held on August 1 via videoconference, a day after the scheduled end of the third Test against India. The date was decided on by Gordon Lewis, the judicial commissioner, during Tuesday’s preliminary hearing, which was attended by representatives of Anderson, the ECB, the BCCI, legal counsel of both boards, and the ICC’s ethics and regulatory lawyer.At the end of the hearing on August 1, Lewis will have 48 hours to announce the verdict in writing. “If required, he will also decide on the sanctions to be imposed, date from when the suspension will be enforced and the process for right of appeal,” the ICC said in a release.If Lewis finds Anderson not guilty of the Level 3 charge, “then it remains open to him, at his discretion, to find the player or player support personnel guilty of an offence of a lower level than that with which he has been charged.”The ICC also confirmed that the hearing into the Level 2 charge against India allrounder Ravindra Jadeja will be conducted by the match referee David Boon. The date for Jadeja’s hearing has not yet been set.The incident involving Anderson and Jadeja is reported to have taken place as the players left the field for lunch on the second day of the Trent Bridge Test. India alleged Anderson abused and pushed Jadeja, while England alleged Jadeja turned and approached Anderson in a threatening manner.Anderson was charged under a Level 3 offence and, if guilty, he faces a ban between two and four Tests, or four and eight ODIs, whichever games are first. Jadeja was charged with a Level two offence, and if guilty he could be fined between 50-100% of the match fee and/or receive up to two suspension points. Two suspension points equates to a ban of one Test, or two ODIs.

Had honest discussion after first ODI – Bravo

Dwayne Bravo, the West Indies ODI captain, has said that the team had an “honest” discussion after the first one-dayer, and was pleased it had translated into a dominating performance in the second match. West Indies had collapsed to 34 for 5 chasing 218 in the first game, with Denesh Ramdin and Kieron Pollard bailing them out with an attacking 145-run sixth-wicket partnership.
“After the last game, there was some harsh days said in the dressing room amongst ourselves, there were honest discussions, and it is good to see that we had a better all-round performance,” Bravo said. “It shows that the team are growing in confidence and I am very happy how the batters bounced back. (Chris) Gayle is among the runs, Darren (Bravo) as well, Ramdin and Pollard, all chipped in.
“We want to get the balance right and let the players express themselves. In the past we were bit hesitant to be free, but Stuart Williams and the management team give the team the freedom to go out there and express themselves.”
While Bravo praised his bowlers who destroyed Bangladesh for 70 in 24.4 overs, he asked for improvement from the batsmen. “We lost our way in the middle, we could have got 280-290 but that’s what myself and the coach have to address.”

Sunil Narine does not think there is anything wrong with the Bangladesh batsmen and has said that West Indies are only taking advantage of home conditions.Narine said that he has tried to keep his spells as simple as possible, but tell that to the Bangladesh batsmen. Despite dominating him in Tests less than two years ago, they now find his deception unfathomable and are facing the danger of spending all of this tour trying to avoid getting tangled by him.His three-wicket burst in the middle of Bangladesh’s 248-run chase in the second ODI sucked the life out of their batsmen. Narine removed Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah in successive deliveries before picking up Sohag Gazi in his next over as the visitors were bowled out for just 70.”I don’t think I have done anything differently [than in the past],” Narine said. “Whatever I have been doing in the past 2-3 years that have given me success, I have tried to keep it simple as possible. You sometimes tend to try to do too many things and forget what was working for you.”When you’re on top of your game, it is important to do the basics properly and change only a few things, and move on from there. I didn’t get wickets in the first game but I think I bowled pretty well. I was just doing the basics again today.”In the 2012 Test series, Narine went wicketless in three out of four innings, and conceded 343 runs in two matches at an economy-rate of 4.36. Shakib Al Hasan apparently had come up with the plan to go after him from the start. That plan is possibly back in Dhaka right now, as Bangladesh have played Narine without much purpose.He, however, felt that West Indies were taking advantage of familiar conditions. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the Bangladesh batsmen. They are very capable. I think it is just our time to be on top of the game. We have had some rough times in Bangladesh where they have home advantage.”Now we have the home advantage. We are continuing what we are doing and trying to build momentum ahead of the Test matches. I wouldn’t think they are rusty. The wickets are not as flat as Bangladeshi wickets, it is more giving. Their bowlers have something to work with. You need to set a foundation and work on it.”

Simon Katich will return to the Test team as an opener after Matthew Hayden was ruled out of Thursday’s match against West Indies with a heel injury. The move was expected as Hayden, who was so sore he did not have a fitness test, has struggled with the problem over the early stages of the tour, but it further disrupts Australia’s batting plans.Brad Hodge will come in and bat at No. 5 in place of Michael Clarke, the tour vice-captain, and the wicketkeeper Brad Haddin becomes the country’s 400th Test player. Hodge, who averages 58.42, was flown in from India as a shadow player and a day before he was due to leave will appear in his sixth Test.The last time Katich was part of the Australian squad he was a one-day opener, but he has spent most of his time batting three or four with New South Wales in the Pura Cup. His previous Test was during the West Indies series in Australia in 2005.Phil Jaques now has a greater role following the withdrawal of Hayden and he will open with Katich in a repeat of the combination used during the tour match against a Jamaica XI over the weekend. They put on 95 in the first innings and 23 in the second, and Australia will be looking for similar starts at Sabina Park.The bowling line-up also has a fresh face with Stuart MacGill coming back after wrist surgery. Brett Lee leads the attack, which includes Stuart Clark and Mitchell Johnson.Despite the changes to Australia’s team in the short and medium term, Dwayne Bravo, the West Indies vice-captain, is not expecting an easier ride. “They have an inexperienced attack compared to the normal Australian team, but they are very good players and we have to give respect to them,” he said. “We’re not going to take them lightly because they have lost five or six key players over the last year or so. We know how good a team they are. They still have world-class players in their set-up.”West Indies are without Chris Gayle, who has a groin injury, and the suspended Marlon Samuels. “It’s difficult at the beginning of an important series such as this one to have our captain out and also losing Marlon,” he said. “There is an opportunity for other players like Devon Smith, Brenton Parchment, Ryan Hinds and Runako Morton, who are the guys who have been in and out of the team.”Bravo arrived in Jamaica from the Indian Premier League on Tuesday after a chartered plane was arranged by Mukesh Ambani, the Mumbai Indians owner. He is not worried about swapping from Twenty20 games to Tests in less than a week.”I don’t see it as a problem,” he said. “I am mentally prepared for it and I know what I have to do to get out of [Twenty20 mode]. I am not the only one coming out of a Twenty20 tournament.”

Hampshire’s Academy side have taken a significant step towards achieving "gold" status in the ECB Southern Electric Premier League’s Division 1 next season.They ended Lymington’s six-match winning spurt by nicking a two-wicket win over the New Forest club on the Rose Bowl Nursery ground to enhance their position as Division 2 leaders.It was largely due to an undefeated 64 by Chris Benham, who complimented an earlier all-round bowling performance of some promise, that the Young Hawks achieved their goal.Three-wicket medium-pace duo James Manning and David Wheeler, both members of Hampshire’s Under-17 side, and leg spinner Ian Hilsum caught the eye as Lymington were restricted to 178-9 in 50 overs.But it was Benham, who has produced a series of sound batting performances after coming down from Loughborough UCCE, who lifted Hampshire from a worrying 56-4 and through a late order collapse to seal victory with seven balls of the match to spare.Over 200 regular first team Hampshire supporters, disenchanted with their side’s performance against Lancashire, at least had something to cheer as they lined the grassy Nursery ground banks to watch Tony Middleton’s youngsters in the field."The great thing about our bowling was the way the young guys, Manning and Wheeler performed."It was a good wicket which gripped a bit. If you hit the seam, it always had a chance of doing something," Middleton said.The Academy’s accurate bowling – which wasn’t worthy of the 20 wides conceded – certainly kept the normally free-flowing Lymington batsmen in their shells.By the 25-over halfway drinks point, Lymington had reached 89-3, with Aaron Heal (23) following Glyn Treagus and Danny Peacock back into the pavilion.Hilsum (2-31), whose direct-throw ran out Peacock, proved particularly difficult to get away after the new-ball pair had finished their initial stints.Having got Heal with his second delivery, the former Ventnor leggie tied down both Ben Craft (46) and Matt Molloy (28), who took Lymington on to 113 before the youngster was `yorked’ by the returning Wheeler, who finished with 3-24 off 11 overs.Once Craft hoisted a high return catch to Manning (3-41), Lymington’s innings lost any kind of thrust – the final ten overs yielding a mere 32 runs for the loss of four more wickets.When Iain Brunnschweiler (24) and Martin Bushell eased the Young Hawks to 42-0, it appeared Lymington’s 178-9 might be overhauled with some comfort.But Lymington came fighting back, with the Academy losing three wickets for just two runs at one point – two of them to balding seamer Trevor Phillips (2-26), who at one stage bowled 24 consecutive deliveries without conceding a run."We came back very well, showing a lot of character," praised captain Peacock, who provided Dave Coles with one of three victims by luring Bushell out of his crease.From 56-4 Benham, with a series of crisp cover and straight drives, and Wheeler reasserted Hampshire’s grip on proceedings with the 75-run partnership which was to decide the match.Wheeler, the hugely promising teenage New Milton all-rounder, twice flicked sixes off his legs over the fence and way on to the golf course fairway.It appeared as the duo might carry the Hawks home, but when the Australian Heal trapped Wheeler leg before, the county hopefuls wobbled alarmingly.Three wickets went down for 15 runs as the Academy slipped to 146-7.But Lymington were unable to shift Benham, whose growing maturity and support from Hilsum proved essential – and an eventual Hampshire match winner."The good thing is that we’ve been winning a few close games lately," said Middleton, after an anxious finale to the game."Chris batted really well, as he has done all season. I’m very pleased with him."The Young Hawks’ win sets up an intriguing tussle at second-placed Easton & Martyr Worthy next week.Easton effectively ended United Services title prospects with a thumping 118-run victory at Burnaby Road.

Manicaland made Matabeleland toil for two sessions at Mutare Sports Clubyesterday afternoon after winning the toss and batting in favourableconditions. Having hit 269 for three it’s impossible to envisage a way theycan lose the game, but coming in on four successive first-class defeats itwould still take courage to put meaningful money on them. Matabeleland hasyet to win a game themselves this season so this result will decide the footof the table.The first session was lost because overnight rain caused a wet patch on oneof the bowlers’ delivery creases. Despite the recent acquisition ofTest-size covers, ground staff tipped water onto the playing area whilstremoving them before start of play. To speed things up a burning barbecuehalf-drum was positioned above the patch and left to smolder for two hours.Manicaland owe their strong position to a splendid unbeaten 137 from captainNeil Ferreira. It was his highest first-class score to date, his third ofthe season and the sixth of his career. Offering only one chance on 88, hiscontrol was total — being particularly severe off the back foot through thecovers. Even before the innings he was talking of a possible move nextseason to Harare to further his prospects. His record and commitmentcontinue to be ignored by the selectors– even at A team level. As withcricket all over the world, to get noticed you need to play in the capitalcity. It’s ironic that senior players like Alistair Campbell, Andy Flowerand Paul Strang have moved away from Harare this season to rediscoverteam-values and spirit in Manicaland.After an opening stand of 126 with 16-year-old schoolboy Tino Mawoyo (37),Ferreira was joined by Leon Soma who blitzed a smoking 52-ball 75. His styleof controlled mayhem is a psychological crusher from number three. `Pommie’Mbangwa – recently back from Zimbabwe’s tour of India — was launched forconsecutive overs of 18 and 15.Missing Heath Streak — required on the family farm during the biggestcrisis to face the Zimbabwe farming community — the Matabeleland attacklacked the firepower to overcome a benign pitch. Opening bowler MattTownshend – son of team-manager and ex national off-spinner `Dobbo’ – wasthe best – mixing up in-swingers and slow balls — but even he could notovercome the conditions. With half-an-hour being added to the second dayManicaland will look to score quickly and declare by tea to give themselvesa chance of bowling the opposition out twice.

CS Nayudu, the great cricketer of the Holkar era and younger brother of India’s first Test captain CK Nayudu, passed away at a hospital in Indore early Friday morning. The 88-year-old Nayudu was ailing for some time. He leaves behind two sons and two daughters.Born on April 18, 1914 at Nagpur, Cottari Subbanna Nayudu or ‘CS’ as he was known, made his Test debut at the relatively young age of 19 years and 262 days againt England at Calcutta. He went on play 11 Tests in all (four against Australia and seven against England) scoring 147 runs at 9.18 while also claiming two wickets at 179.5. He was, though, a much better players than his record suggests.In Ranji Trophy, he played for Central India, Baroda, Holkar, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in 56 matches, scoring 2575 runs at 30.29 and claiming 295 wickets at 23.47 by bowling his right-arm leg breaks and googlies. In 1944-45, he bowled 156.5 six-ball overs for Holkar against Mumbai which remains a record for the highest number of overs in a first-class match to date.His cremation will take place in the evening. The Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association officials and the cricketing fraternity of Madhya Pradesh have condoled his death.

For the second time running, Australia fashioned an emphatic 9-wicket victory with 30 overs to spare to leave Pakistan wondering how far they have to improve not just to win (that thought must have been farthest from their minds) but to make a fist of it.The only thing that went right for Waqar Younis, the much-beleaguered Pakistan skipper these days, in this dress rehearsal of the final on Saturday was the toss. When he elected to bat first this time round, he must have expected that his batsmen would redeem themselves after a most pathetic display the other day. They capitulated as badly, putting together just 117 before bowing out. What is worse, they seemed to have learnt nothing from their impulsive and indiscreet batting in the previous game against the Aussies.Pakistan was below strength, and their combinations and balance rather lopsided, and Australia were as clinically efficient as they normally are. But it really was Pakistan’s lack of application which made the Aussies look really formidable. That they were the best team in the world was never in dispute; that the second-best with pretensions of upstaging them would be exposed so thoroughly again was shocking.Adam Gilchrist (15, 14 balls, 3 fours) and Mathew Hayden (unbeaten 59, 49 balls, 9 fours) started off in a typical aggressive fashion. The intention obviously was to further rub in Pakistan’s inadequacy by finishing the match as quickly as possible. Having taken fours off three fours of Younis, Gilchrist failed to read a slower one and played him on. That was the only success to come Pakistan’s way. Ricky Ponting immediately pulled Younis to square-leg boundary and then Abdul Razzaq (pressed into service early as Shoaib Akhtar walked off the field with a pulled hip muscle in his second over) to the point fence for four and then a majestic six at mid-wicket.In glorious form, Hayden at the other end kept taking fours from Waqar, Razzaq and Azhar to march to the quickest 50 of the tournament, of just 41 deliveries while Ponting didn’t return after the lunch break, opting to rest himself after he found some discomfort in one leg. But there was nothing to worry. Damien Martyn made 20, with the help of 4 fours, the last of these off Azhar Mahmood in the covers sealing the win.Pakistan for its part had been bowled out of the game with the three frontline Aussie pacemen between them getting nine wickets. While Jason Gillespie and Glenn McGrath made early inroads, a four-wicket burst from Brett Lee, later adjudged Man of the Match, made even a semblance of a fightback impossible. Though Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis made a last ditch effort, which took the Pakistan total into three figures, but the resistance was eventually sniffed out, the innings folding for 117, in 32.3 overs.But more than the lethalness of the Aussie pace trio, it was the laden-footed, reckless Pakistani batting which brought doom on itself. With the two best partnerships of the innings coming from the eighth and ninth wicket, lack of responsibility and commitment of the upper order was so conspicuous.Imran Nazir (7, off 23 balls), inducted in place of Wasim Akram opting out with a niggling leg injury, was caught low in the covers by Martyn off Gillespie. Then McGrath dealt a double blow in the 11th over, and it started the procession. Driving him on the back foot away from his body, Shoaib Malik gave Ponting the first of three catches at second slip. In good form of late, Younis Khan tried to essay a forcing stroke too early, his cut ending in Gilchrist’s gloves. Three for 24 was soon four for 33 as Lee got Saeed Anwar (22, 39 balls, 3 fours) in his first over. Anwar had only just started finding the gaps and hit McGrath, Gillespie and Lee for three exquisite fours. Lee bounced back next ball with a rising delivery, inducing the top edge which Warne grabbed with joy.That was the start of a purple patch for Lee, as he got a wicket in each of his first three overs. Azhar Mahmood hit him for a four through mid-wicket, but over-confidence did him in as he drove one straight into Ponting’s hands. Razzaq came in at Azhar’s fall, but was clean bowled before scoring, playing an apalling shot off Warne. A squared-up Afridi too was dismissed, Ponting taking his third catch. At seven for 48 in the 18th over, Pakistan were down and out.Rashid Latif and Misbah tried to put a partnership together, with the latter clouting two sixes to Warne at long-on. Rashid swept well for a four off Warne and got another boundary by guiding Lee over the top of slips. But Lee prevailed as Rashid drove one uppishly and Martyn brought off another good catch in the covers.Misbah (39, off 49 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes) continued to play well, adding 44 in 60 balls for the ninth wicket with Younis. This retrieved the situation somewhat, but it was never going to be enough. Misbah, having gloriously driven Lee and Gillespie for fours in the covers, perished while trying to guide the latter for four a second time through the slips. That gave Gilchrist the world record for most catches in ODIs, 195 to Ian Healy’s previous-best, 194. Younis (24 off 36 balls, 2 fours, 1 six) having clouted Warne for six over mid-wicket and driving and pulling Lee for fours at covers and mid-wicket was bowled by McGrath to bring the innings to a close.

With the period of bidding for the items in this months unique Junior Sabres fund raising auction half way through the website has received several enquiries regarding the bids that have been made for some of the items.In response to these requests, and to perhaps even encourage some more bids and raise additional funds for the Junior Sabres the highest bid received so far for each of the items is listed below.Don’t miss out – send in your bids todayLot 1 – A pair of Marcus Trescothick’s Sunday League pads – £20Lot 2- Somerset C.C.C. team cricket bag, black with Somerset team logo – £25Lot 3- A pair of Robert Turner’s Sunday League wicket keeping pads – £15Lot 4 -A pair of Graham Rose’s Sunday League pads – large – £40Lot 5 – A pair of Steffan Jones’s training shoes – grey / yellow (Size 11) – £25Lot 6 – 2002 players woollen team jumper with current sponsors name. This is a brand new jumper still in its wrapper with all of the badges and logos and is large size. – £15Lot 7 – A pair of Pete Trego’s Sunday League pads – £10Lot 8 – The pair of pads, from which a pad was made to support Marcus Trescothick’s thumb injury during the vital Cheltenham & Gloucester Quarter Final at Taunton. – £15Lot 9 – MIke Burns Gunn and Moore bat that he used during the 2002 season and in the C and G Final at Lord’s. – £40Please remember all items are genuine and in years to come will become serious collectors items and every penny raised from the auction will go to the Junior Sabres:-To take part in the auction please E-mail your bid to [email protected] stating your name and address, the lot number and the amount that you wish to bid.Don’t miss out on an item that you will never have the chance to purchase again- send in your bids today.

After the tightest finish imaginable to the Benson and Hedges Cup semi-final at Old Trafford, emotions were running high. In the Warwickshire camp, with the prospect of a Lord’s final on June 22nd against Essex, there was jubilation. The home dressing room was an altogether more sombre place.Warwickshire’s Neil Smith, who played a vital role with bat and ball, might be coming up to his 35th birthday, but he had all the enthusiasm of a teenager as he reflected on an epic contest, won when Neil Carter swept the last ball for four.”What a game, really exciting. It swung both ways throughout – but we just did it in the end," said Smith. “We got the early wickets, but then they got a stand together. Then it was the same story through our innings as well. They bowled well, and we kept losing wickets at the wrong time.”But we bat right down. Neil opened on Sunday, and there he is batting number 11 here. But he proved he was up to it. We knew if we could get it down to 30 or so to win with five or six overs left we would be pretty close. In the end we were right, and Neil finished it off for us.”On the other side, Lancashire’s cricket manager, Mike Watkinson, had to accept different emotions. “It was one of those days where you think you have a good fighting chance, but a wicket here or a partnership on the other side keeps making one team and then the other the favourite.”You can’t start saying we lost it off the last ball any more than we lost it off the first. There was no difference between the teams really. It was neck and neck all the way.”They need three runs to win off the last ball. There is a very fine line in this game between success and failure. If he had bottom-edged it on to his boot we would have been jumping up and down. But he gets it down to fine leg for four, and for us it is the opposite emotion.”Watkinson would have liked his team to have had the opportunity to show their worth at Lord’s. “It would have been nice to have gone one stage further – but it is not to be. You cannot knock the character and fighting spirit of this team, and today was no exception.”There are some extremely disappointed people in that dressing room, but they will come back and play some good cricket in the games ahead,” he added.

In the latest round of Frizzell County Championship matches, Somerset hosted Warwickshire in the only Division One match of the day. The visitors, looking to climb into second place, are well set after the first day with Michael Burns (95) falling narrowly short of a century. Ian Blackwell was the star, clubbing his way to 110 off only 105 balls, including 16 fours and two sixes. Matthew Wood was trapped leg-before in the first over by New Zealander Shane Bond, but Somerset then played the bowlers with ease to end the day with 403 for nine. Graham Wagg claimed three for 62 for the Midlanders.Michael Di Venuto led by example to put Derbyshire in the driving seat against Division Two leaders Middlesex at Lord’s. Di Venuto scored an unbeaten 173 and was in outstanding form as he helped his side maintain their presence in the promotion run-in. His innings included 19 boundaries, but it was his running between the wickets that frustrated the fielding side. Australian pace bowler, Ashley Noffke, although expensive, claimed five wickets. The visitors finished on 375 for eight.Essex edged nearer to promotion after dismissing bottom-of-the-table Durham for just 259 at Colchester. Michael Gough scored a resilient 103 but couldn’t save the visitors from registering yet another low score. John Stephenson picked up two for 20 off 14 overs and Mark Ilott also claimed two as the hosts gained the upper hand. Essex lost three quick wickets in reply. Darren Robinson and Will Jefferson were both caught behind without a score to their name. Andy Flower soon followed when he edged Ian Hunter (two for 15) to Gough at slip. Essex, without six first-team regulars, have it all to do tomorrow after closing on 24 for three.At Trent Bridge, Gloucestershire found batting difficult as Nottinghamshire bowled with great conviction. Paul Franks (four for 33), and Stuart MacGill (three for 44) excelled as the visitors scored just 173 in their first innings. Ian Fisher made 57 with nine fours and one six, but the home side took full control early on. In reply the hosts were at one stage 76 for three, before the in-form Kevin Pietersen struck 12 fours in an unbeaten, 49-ball 60 before bad light stopped play with his side on 165-3, still eight runs behind.Carl Greenidge took five for 44 as Glamorgan slumped to 144 all out against second-from-bottom Northamptonshire at Northampton. Matthew Maynard was the only batsman to offer his side a lifeline, as he top scored with 43. In reply, the hosts took advantage of their opponents’ lacklustre performance. Richard White scored an eye-catching 80 (11 fours, two sixes) before he was bowled by Andrew Davies. At stumps Northants held a lead of 61 runs, on 205 for three.