ICC to review referral system

Calcutta: The umpire referral system will be up for review in the International Cricket Council (ICC) cricket committee’s annual meeting at Lord's on Monday and Tuesday which among others, will also discuss the feasibility of day/night Test cricket and ways to improve over-rates.

The meeting, to be chaired for the first time by ex-West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, who replaced former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, will also consider whether there should be a maximum weight of bats at the international level and the effect of double-sided bats and switch-hits on the game.

Gill charge

New Delhi: The sports minister, M.S. Gill said on Saturday that the mobile phone based contest in the Indian Premier League (IPL) may increase the possibilities of betting in cricket.

In a strongly worded statement the minister said the contest was openly encouragingly gambling and betting. Gill said it was the duty of the BCCI to protect the future of the game.

Fleming view

Kimberley: The Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming has rejected John Buchanan’s suggestion of increasing the number of overseas players in the playing eleven, saying that the IPL is not a global competition and is meant to promote Indian players.

“The more you increase the role of the overseas players, the more you diminish the role of Indians. I don’t think that’s quite right,” he said.

Qadir ire

Karachi: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief selector Abdul Qadir said on Saturday that the one-day International series lose against Australia was a huge disappointment and has warned that the non-performers in the team would no longer be tolerated.

BCB offer

Dhaka: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has offered amnesty to 14 cricketers who played in the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL), asking them to scrap contracts by June 15 to have their bans withdrawn, an official said on Saturday.

Bengal coach

Calcutta: It’s now official that Bengal coach Utpal Chatterjee will not be retained this season. The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) joint secretary Arun Mitra hinted on Saturday that they were in search of a coach for the senior Bengal team.

“We are in search of a new coach. We have few options in our minds,” Mitra said.

He, however, declined to comment on technical director Mohinder Amarnath’s future saying his one-year contract was still not over.