WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2016 SPORTS Test players must provide excitement: Kohli KOLKATA: India must play exciting Test later this season. Kohli said players need- not in Test cricket?” The comments come as third Test between India and New Zealand decide on this matter-whether they will cricket to entertain the crowds, skipper ed to interact with the crowd during Test cricket struggles to find an audience in was thrown into doubt Tuesday, with a row host matches or not, in what condition Virat Kohli said after defeating New Tests, in a similar fashion to the high- the Twenty20 era, prompting last year’s raging between the Indian board and a they will host, with or without money.” But Zealand, amid waning interest in the energy, limited-overs games. “You saw introduction of day-night Tests played under Supreme Court-appointed panel charged former chief justice Rajendra Lodha, who game’s longest form. India regained the how engaged the crowd was, they like to lights with a pink ball in Australia. with its reform. heads the panel, said banks had been top spot in the world rankings in Tests and see exciting cricket, and we have to pro- Former cricket greats including Shane The Board of Control for Cricket in India directed to halt “large” payments not “rou- sealed the three-match series against New vide it,” Kohli said after winning the sec- Warne and some cricket board chiefs have (BCCI) said it was unclear if the match tine” ones, meaning matches could still go Zealand with a comprehensive 178-run ond match in Kolkata to take an unassail- also flagged slashing the format from five would go ahead on Saturday after it said ahead. “There is absolutely no prohibition,” victory in Kolkata on Monday. able 2-0 lead in the series. to four days. But controversial plans to cre- the panel had ordered banks to block pay- Lodha told local media. The panel issued The series against the Black Caps “You have to interact with them, you ate a two-tier Test system have been ments to its state associations. the order following weeks of frustration marks the start of a packed programme of have to make sure they are a part of the scrapped by cricket’s world governing “This is a very unfortunate situation for over the BCCI’s decision to ignore several of international cricket for India who also whole thing. You feed off their energy. It body after India’s powerful board led a the BCCI,” BCCI president Anurag Thakur its reforms that were recommended follow- host England, Bangladesh and Australia happens so much in limited overs, so why backlash. Kohli’s comments came as the told reporters. “State unions will need to ing corruption scandals last year. — AFP DHAKA: England cricketer Jos Buttler plays a shot during the warm-up cricket match between BCB XI and England at The Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah, Dhaka yesterday. — AFP England begins Bangladesh tour with four-wicket victory DHAKA: Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali scored half- and four sixes in his 64-ball innings, polished off aftermath of July’s deadly terror attack on a centuries as England began their tour of proceedings by striking a boundary off the first Dhaka cafe. Even then, England’s one-day captain Bangladesh yesterday with a comfortable four- ball of the 47th over. The uncapped Ebadat Eoin Morgan and opening batsman Alex Hales wicket victory against a strong line-up picked by Hossain was the pick of the Bangladeshi bowlers, have opted out of the trip. the host board. Skipper Buttler scored an unbeat- taking 2-26. Brief Scores: BCB XI 309-9 in 50 overs “It remains unclear whether a similar level of en 80 while Ali added a quickfire 70 off 51 balls as ( Imrul Kayes 121, Mushfiqur Rahim 51, C. Woakes security will be provided for the Bangladesh England reached 313 for 6 in 46.1 overs, having 3-52) and England 313-6 in 46.1 overs ( J. Buttler Premier League, which will involve a number of restricted a Bangladesh Court Board (BCB) XI to 80 not out, Moeen Ali 70). teams playing at different venues around the 309 for 9 in the 50-over match. Meanwhile, the Professional Cricketers’ country,” Leatherdale said yesterday. “The politi- Opener Imrul Kayes scored 121 off 91 balls for Association (PCA) wants English players to snub cal and security landscape in Bangladesh is the hosts while Bangladesh’s Test captain the 2016 Bangladesh Premier League over securi- volatile and needs to be constantly monitored in Mushfiqur Rahim, who was a late call-up, made ty fears. PCA chief executive David Leatherdale the lead-up to the event. 51 to ensure the the BCB XI posted a competitive believes the absence of any details on security “The latest advice from the Foreign and score at Dhaka’s Fatullah Stadium. measures to be put in place for the tournament Commonwealth Office is that there is a height- The BCB had appeared on course for a much means it would be wise for players to stay at ened risk of further terrorist attacks against west- higher total but only managed 49 runs in their home. Samit Patel, Ravi Bopara, Tymal Mills, Rikki erners - and visitors to the country should remain last 10 overs as England’s seamers took six wick- Wessels, Josh Cobb and Richard Gleeson are vigilant, monitor local and social media and fol- ets. Chris Woakes picked up three wickets for 52 among the England-qualified players who were low any specific advice from local security author- runs while David Willey and Ben Stokes grabbed in line to join the latest edition of the BPL, which ities to avoid certain areas. two apiece. Openers Jason Roy and James Vince starts in November. Leatherdale has also taken “In those circumstances the PCA is advising its gave England a positive start by putting on 72 for account of current Foreign and Commonwealth members not to travel to Bangladesh to play in the first wicket but the innings then lost momen- Office information. the BPL. “However, those who do decide to travel tum. Ali joined Buttler at the crease after the fifth England’s Test and one-day international tour as individuals do so at their own risk - and, as in wicket fell with the score on 170 and the duo of Bangladesh received the go-ahead only after a previous years, will be required to sign a dis- gradually regained control and stitched together fact-finding mission by the national team’s securi- FATULLAH: BCB XI cricketer Ebadat Hossain (R) celebrates the dismissal of England crick- claimer to that effect before they receive a No a 139-run partnership. Ali was dismissed as the ty expert Reg Dickason, accompanied by eter Jason Roy during the warm-up cricket match between England and Bangladesh Objection Certificate from the England and Wales scores were level but Buttler, who hit three fours Leatherdale, concluded it should do so, in the Cricket Board XI at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah yesterday. — AFP Cricket Board.” — AFP Pakistan coach targets top four India board accounts ABU DHABI: Pakistan’s head coach Mickey have won the series so back off because we Arthur Monday set his team’s goal at attaining have got so many more goals as a one-day top four position in the one-day rankings as unit to achieve and to be amongst the top four not frozen, says panel they target another whitewash over the West is one of them,” said Arthur, also a former Indies. Leading the three-match one-day South African and Australia coach. NEW DELHI: A panel appointed by the telephone yesterday and did not reply to international series 2-0, Pakistan looks But for Athur it’s a work in progress, as Supreme Court to asses the operations of messages left by Reuters. favourite to win the third and final match in Pakistan slumped to ninth after losing to India’s cricket board (BCCI) has confirmed Yesterday, the Indian Express newspaper Abu Dhabi. They beat an off-colour West Bangladesh and England twice since the 2015 it blocked it from making two payments quoted an unnamed board official as saying Indies by 111 and 59 runs respectively in the World Cup. “We have to continuously push the from its bank accounts but says it is other- that the BCCI’s accounts had been frozen players as a group. We will keep hammering wise free to use its funds for “routine and that the rest of the New Zealand series them so they keep getting better. “We have to make sure to keep ticking off expenditure”. would have to be scrapped. Karun Nair our goals that we set for ourselves and only Following local media reports that quot- “How can we function, how can we hold then will we be comfortable that we can be ed unnamed BCCI officials as saying they any games now?” the official said. “Who will Nair in India get into the top, not eight, but in the top four might have to cancel the ongoing series make the payment? Freezing a bank and then sustain that so we have a lot of work against New Zealand, former chief justice account is no joke. An international team is squad after to do to get there.” RM Lodha said yesterday the board’s here, and there is so much at stake.” Arthur was specifically pleased with accounts had not been frozen. A New Zealand Cricket spokesman said Dhawan ruled out Pakistan reducing the percentage of dot balls The panel, headed by Lodha, ordered they had heard nothing from the BCCI.