12 Established 1961 Sports Thursday, November 30, 2017 New Zealand trip Stokes suspicion in Australia All-rounder declines to comment on cricket WELLINGTON: Ben Stokes’s arrival in New Zealand Ashes after beating England in the opener in Brisbane WORLD CLASS CRICKETER on a “private” trip has been viewed with suspicion in on Monday. The second Test starts in Adelaide on The news of Stokes’s arrival Down Under was neighbouring Australia, where pundits smelled a plot to Saturday. encouraging to his fellow England all-rounder Chris recall the exiled cricketer to England’s Ashes squad. England distanced itself from Stokes’s return to the Woakes, however. “Ben’s a world class cricketer and New Zealand-born Stokes was omitted from England’s country of his birth, with the ECB saying on Tuesday he’d make any team in the world better so it’d be silly of touring party following his arrest on suspicion of caus- that it was a “private” trip to see his parents and organ- us to not open it up for him to come into the squad,” he ing actual bodily harm in an incident outside a Bristol ised outside of its auspices. However, British media told BBC radio. Canterbury coach Gary Stead told nightclub in September. reported that the ECB had given Stokes a “no objection Australian radio the province’s board would meet to He remains suspended by the England and Wales certificate” as early as last week to allow him to play in discuss Stokes yestersday but there was no guarantee cricket board (ECB), pending the result of a police New Zealand. the 26-year-old would play. investigation. Stokes ECB director of crick- “Ultimately, if our board says ‘no’, it won’t happen,” greeted his parents after et Andrew Strauss he told RSN927. “From my point of view I think if you touching down at offered no update on get someone like that then let’s do it.” New Zealand Christchurch airport yes- Stokes during a media coach Mike Hesson, who has been preparing his team terday but batted away Private trip briefing on Monday, for the home series against West Indies, also welcomed questions from a media prompting accusations of the prospect of Stokes turning out for Canterbury. throng about his hopes viewed dimly a cover-up from former “From a cricket point of view he’s a world class play- of a quick Ashes recall. Australia opener Michael er and would add a lot of talent to the competition,” he He also stayed silent in Australia Slater. told local media. “If it improves the standard of the on a possible plan to “Of course (Strauss) competition, which I’m sure it will, then great.” play for Canterbury after knew that Ben Stokes But former New Zealand cricketer and Canterbury the provincial side was going to Canterbury stalwart Peter Fulton struck a note of dissent, compar- revealed on Tuesday it to play,” the Channel ing Stokes’s situation with Ken McClure, a local player had been in talks with Nine pundit told Sky who voluntarily stood down last week after pleading him about a possible short-term deal. “Working on my Sports Radio. “Of course he knew because he was guilty to an assault charge during a pre-season trip. golf swing,” Stokes quipped, when asked by a reporter going to give a tick. He might as well come and join the “You’ve obviously got someone else, a young BIRMINGHAM: File photo taken on August 19, 2017 about bringing cricket gear with him. England squad now. Canterbury player, who’s been dealing with some- shows England’s Ben Stokes preparing to bowl during “Just looking forward to seeing mum and dad,” he “If you’re allowing him to play cricket, you’re allow- thing similar,” Fulton told local media. “It’s not any- play on day 3 of the first Test cricket match between said. “Just catch up with everyone I haven’t seen in a ing him to play cricket. They have the power and obvi- thing Canterbury would ideally like to be associated England and the West Indies at Edgbaston. — AFP long time.” Australia hold a 1-0 lead in the five-test ously it tells us the stance they’re taking with him.” with.” —Reuters pay 520 million rupees ($8 million) within 60 days. this self-imposed restriction of not organising, sanc- India cricket board Sony Pictures Networks has held the rights since tioning, approving or supporting another T20 cricket the IPL started in 2008. But in a major coup, Rupert event that will be competing with IPL, is connected to Murdoch’s Star India channel in September bought the interest of cricket,” the competition commission Windies target fined $8 million by the rights for 2018-22 for $2.55 billion-a 150 percent said however. The commission said that “in the increase on the previous deal-confirming the league absence of any plausible explanation” it had found anti-trust panel as one of the world’s hottest sports properties. that the clause was intended to “enhance the com- Williamson, Taylor The anti-trust commission made an initial ruling mercial interest of the bidders of broadcasting rights” in 2013 that the BCCI’s deal with Sony was illegal and the revenues received by BCCI. In addition to to end 22-year NEW DELHI: India’s competition watchdog on yes- because of a clause which prevented the BCCI from the fine, the commission said the BCCI must not place terday fined the country’s powerful cricket governing allowing any other 20-over league to compete with any “blanket restriction” on the organisation of pro- body $8 million over a multi-billion dollar broadcast- the IPL. The cricket body won a court order forcing fessional leagues to rival the IPL. N Zealand drought ing deal for the Indian Premier League. The a review of the case. But the commission’s new rul- The BCCI made no immediate comment on the Competition Commission ruled that the Board of ing came to the same conclusion and ordered the fine. But the ruling is a new blow to the body that has WELLINGTON: The West Indies harbour hopes of Control for Cricket in India, the world’s wealthiest same fine. been managed by a panel appointed by the Supreme their first away win over New Zealand in 22 years as national cricket body, abused its position by agreeing The BCCI had pleaded that bidders for the televi- Court in 2016 to reform it. The BCCI has in recent the loss of Tim Southee and BJ Watling put pressure to broadcasters’ demands that it would not allow a sion deal had insisted on the no-competition clause. years been riven by infighting and allegations of on the Blacks Caps ahead of tomorrowy’s first Test in rival to the IPL. The commission ordered the BCCI to “BCCI has not provided any justification as to how shady dealings. —AFP Wellington. Without strike bowler Southee, and a lack of expe- rience among the New Zealand middle order batsmen, (having them) is theirs,” he told reporters West Indies captain Jason Holder sees the key to suc- in Adelaide late Tuesday ahead of the cess as the swift removal of senior batsmen Kane Aussie ‘adults’ second Test starting Saturday. Williamson and Ross Taylor. New Zealand are return- “We have faith in the blokes to do the ing to the Test arena after an eight-month break while don’t need right thing. They’re grown men, they’re the battle-hardened West Indies are coming off a 2-1 adults.” Former Australian captain and series loss to England, including a dramatic victory at selector Greg Chappell suggested cur- Headingley, and a 1-0 win over Zimbabwe. curfew: fews were ineffective. “If someone is “We’ve been on the road together for a while (and) determined to get out and do silly things we’re doing some good things but we need to be Lehmann they’re probably going to do it whether pushing the consistency button more to keep heading there’s a curfew or not,” he told in that upward direction,” Holder said. New Zealand ADELAIDE: Australian coach Darren Melbourne radio station SEN. have delayed making a decision on whether Lockie Lehmann says he can’t envisage ever “Curfews are pretty useless really. If Ferguson, with his extreme pace, or the consistent slapping a curfew on his players, who you treat people like adults, most of Matt Henry will replace the 57-Test new-ball bowler were “grown men”, after England opted them will behave like adults. Those who Southee, who will miss the Test due to the impending to ban their team being out after mid- don’t probably don’t last very long.” birth of his second child. night. The England decision followed England cricket chief Andrew Strauss Tom Blundell has already been confirmed to make Jonny Bairstow’s headbutt on Australian was cited by cricket.com.au on Tuesday his debut as wicketkeeper with Watling failing to opener Cameron Bancroft in a Perth bar as saying there was no drinking culture recover from a thigh injury. New Zealand coach Mike late last month, which only came to light in his team, but he imposed a midnight Hesson expects whoever wins the toss at the Basin over the weekend. curfew on the five-Test Ashes tour Reserve to bowl. It came with sensitivity within the regardless. In laying down the law after “Same as always,” he said when viewing a wicket England camp about off-field behaviour the Bairstow incident, he said his players that was greenish on Wednesday but expected to after the controversy surrounding sus- “need to be smarter”.