MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 SPORTS Two-division Tests and One-Day League on ICC agenda LONDON: One of the biggest shake-ups Twenty20 events such as the Indian would play in a league system where the revised arrangements the 50-over tured so that the sport’s three biggest in cricket history could take place when Premier League, where they can earn there was promotion and relegation. Champions Trophy would be scrapped nations-Australia, England and India- the sport’s global governing body con- more money in less time than by playing Each team in the top tier would play as the new league, which could act as a were given an even greater grip on the venes in Edinburgh today. Tests, officials are keen to give the long- every other side home or away in a two- qualifier for the World Cup, would give game’s finances and levers of power. Radical plans for the creation of two format game greater “context”. year cycle. Matches and series would ODIs all the ‘context’ they needed. Indeed the new set-up meant the ‘Big divisions in Test cricket and a one-day This, they believe, would make it each be given a set number of points- There are also proposals for the pop- Three’ had more ICC revenue than the international league will be on the agen- more attractive to broadcasters and so the exact figures are still to be decided- ular World Twenty20, won in April by the other 102 members combined. da of the International Cricket Council’s help generate greater revenues. to determine the standings. At the end West Indies when they beat England in a However, ever since Manohar week-long annual meeting in the of the cycle, the bottom team would be thrilling last-over finish in Kolkata, to replaced Narayanaswami Srinivasan as Scottish capital. Since Australia and ‘MEANINGFUL CRICKET’ relegated, with the team on top the new revert to being staged once every two president of the Board of Control for England played the first Test in 1877, “We are looking at competition struc- world Test champions. years. According to a report by the ESPN Cricket in India and chairman of the ICC international matches have largely been tures across all three formats (Tests, ODIs Series such as the Ashes could still Cricinfo website, this could raise an extra last year, there has been an unravelling matters for the two countries concerned and Twenty20),” ICC chief executive take place even if England and Australia $400-500 million in every eight-year of the ‘Big Three’ scheme. Manohar and the same has generally been true of David Richardson told AFP at the launch were in different divisions, as countries cycle. Such funds could help bankroll insisted the ICC chairman be independ- ODIs outside of tournaments such as the of the 2017 Champions Trophy earlier would be allowed to schedule extra Test cricket, which can now struggles to ent, rather than also serving as a nation- World Cup. The ICC has introduced this month. “We want to find ways of matches. Similar considerations are attract spectators outside of major series al representative, and quit his BCCI post. weighted Test rankings but the compli- playing slightly less cricket but more behind plans to introduce a 13-team ODI such as the Ashes. It is perhaps no coin- “I don’t agree with the three major coun- cated formula has failed to capture the meaningful cricket.” league which, as with the new Test struc- cidence that plans for the restructuring tries’ bullying the ICC,” he said in imagination of cricket fans and the Richardson is behind a scheme that ture would begin in 2019. The set-up of Test cricket have gained greater impe- November. “You cannot make the poor wider sporting public. would see the creation of seven teams in could also see countries such as Ireland, tus while Shashank Manohar has been poorer and the rich richer, only because With many top players increasingly Division One and five, including two long the leading Associate ICC nation, ICC chairman. you have the clout. The ICC runs cricket tempted by offers to play in domestic new Test nations, in Division Two. They finally get a crack at Test cricket. Under Two years ago, the ICC was restruc- throughout the world.”—AFP Rain has final say as Hales goes from hero to zero BRISTOL: England were left 1-0 up with two to play after rain meant the third one-day interna- tional in their five-match series against Sri Lanka ended in a no result at Bristol yesterday. Chasing a target of 249 for victory, England were 16 for one off four overs when rain stopped play. A minimum of 20 overs needed to be bowled in the second innings for a result to be declared under the Duckworth/Lewis method for rain-affected matches. But the players were still off the field when the umpires abandoned the match at 5:30pm local time (1630 GMT). On Friday, Sri Lanka had 34.1 overs in the field without any success as England won the second ODI at Edgbaston by 10 wickets to go 1-0 up in the five-match series after Tuesday’s tie at Trent NEW DELHI: In this photograph taken on April 28, 2016, Indian sprinter Dutee Chand Bridge. At Edgbaston, England openers Jason takes part in the women’s 100 metres during the 20th Federation Cup National Roy (112 not out) and Alex Hales (133 not out) Senior Athletics Championship in New Delhi. Indian sprinter Dutee Chand has quali- both posted their ODI best scores in an unbro- fied for the women’s 100 metres at the Rio Olympics less than a year after she was ken stand of 256. cleared to race following a landmark ruling on so-called gender tests. — AFP It was a very different story for Hales at the County Ground on Sunday when he fell for nought off the first ball he faced when caught India’s Chand qualifies for behind chasing a wide delivery from Suranga Rio 100m after gender ruling Lakmal. WOAKES’ FINE FIGURES NEW DELHI: Indian sprinter Dutee Chand in 11.24 seconds. “I am really happy to Earlier, Chris Woakes and Liam Plunkett both has qualified for the women’s 100 metres at have qualified for the Olympics. It has been took three wickets apiece as Sri Lanka were held the Rio Olympics less than a year after she a tough year for me. My hard work and that to 248 for nine after England captain Eoin was cleared to race following a landmark of my coach has paid off,” Chand was quot- Morgan won the toss. ruling on so-called gender tests. The 20- ed as saying by the Press Trust of India. All-rounder Woakes had fine figures of three year-old said she was now determined to “I will continue to work hard and hope for 34 in his maximum 10 overs, including two work hard to bring home an elusive medal to bring a medal for the country,” added wickets with his last two balls, after fast bowler for India in August after what she described Chand, one of seven children born to Plunkett made early inroads on his way to three as a “tough year”. Chand was diagnosed weavers in rural India. Chand becomes for 46. Three Sri Lanka batsmen-Dinesh with hyperandrogenism-a condition that only the second Indian woman ever to Chandimal (62), captain Angelo Mathews (56) produces high testosterone levels-that qualify for the prestigious 100m event after and Kusal Mendis (53) — all made fifties. meant she fell foul of International the country’s former sprint star PT Usha But the trio all fell going for big legside shots, Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) made the cut at the 1980 Moscow with Sri Lanka’s total looking well below par. rules on gender. Olympics. England had a wicket just five balls into But the Court of Arbitration for Sport The IAAF introduced the gender-testing Sunday’s match when Danushka Gunathilaka (CAS) suspended the controversial regula- rule after a controversy over the treatment played on to left-arm quick David Willey when tion in 2015 for two years, allowing Chand of South African runner Caster Semenya, trying to leave the ball. to compete again. Chand, who missed the who also had excessive testosterone levels, Kusal Perera fell for nine when he got a top Commonwealth and Asian Games due to but whose ban was lifted following an edge off Plunkett and wicket-keeper Jos Buttler BRISTOL: Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Chandimal plays a shot during the Royal London One Day the ban, had challenged the IAAF rule, investigation. Semenya, who won a silver held a skyer. International Series against England at the County Ground in Bristol, England, yesterday.— AP which she said did not take into account medal at the London Olympics, has also First-change Plunkett had now taken a wicket athletes who were “born this way”. qualified for Rio. with his second ball on Sunday after striking Chand clocked 11.30 seconds in the The CAS last year asked the IAAF to pro- with this third delivery on Friday. SCOREBOARD women’s 100m heats at a meet in vide scientific evidence that enhanced Mendis pulled all-rounder Chris Jordan, Kazakhstan on Saturday, breaking her own testosterone levels led to improved per- recalled in place of off-spinner Moeen Ali, for four and six off successive deliveries. Scoreboard at close of play in the third One Day International between England and Sri Lanka yesterday in Bristol, national record and beating the Olympic formances in hyperandrogenic athletes.