Welcome to the Bullring, don't get comfortable

On the Highveld, the cricket is rarely dull © Getty Images Let’s get this out of the way: Johannesburg is not Durban or Cape Town. There is no seaside holiday feel, no mountain as a muse, no accidental tourists. Jo’burg is hard work in every way. It’s where the country’s money is made, where the hussle is, and if you believe the locals, where the energy is electric. It’s the…

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Former South Africa cricketer charged with matchfixing

The eve of the Johannesburg Test has been overshadowed by another match-fixing story © AFP A former South African national player has been charged with corruption involving match-fixing, ESPNcricinfo has learned. The player, who has yet to be named, is understood to be the same “intermediary” who was the subject of a CSA press release in December, following attempts to influence results in South Africa’s domestic competition, the Ram Slam…

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Uncontracted players still eligible for selection – WICB

The WICB has said that Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy are eligible for World T20 selection, provided they meet the selection panel’s criteria © ICC Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine and Darren Sammy will be eligible for selection for upcoming tournaments, including the World Twenty20, despite not being given annual retainer contracts by the West Indies Cricket Board. The only condition the WICB…

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Pace to the fore as South Africa seek series leveller

Match facts January 14-18, 2015Start time 10.30am local (0830 GMT) Hardus Viljoen could make his Test debut © Getty Images Big Picture After the hectic festive period, everyone has had a chance to take stock over the past week following two Test matches that have provided much intrigue and many talking points. England hold the advantage at 1-0, but South Africa finished the Newlands Test in much better shape than…

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Hathurusingha, Whatmore aim to build settled combinations

Chandika Hathurusingha: “We have settled line-up in ODI cricket but in T20s I don’t think we have our combination or gameplan understood.” © BCB Chandika Hathurusingha and Dav Whatmore, the head coaches of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, have said that the four-match T20 series between the two sides will give them a chance to try out new combinations. With the Asia Cup T20 looming and a World T20 to follow, Bangladesh…

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Burns replaces retired Bodenham on umpires list

The England and Wales Cricket Board today announced the appointment of the former Warwickshire and Somerset player Michael Burns to the First Class Umpires’ Full List for 2016. He has been added to the Full List following the recent retirement of Martin Bodenham who was appointed to the First Class List in 2009 following a distinguished career as a football referee. He remains the only individual to have officiated across…

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Lehmann last-ball six seals Strikers' win

Adelaide Strikers 4 for 146 (Ludeman 57*, Milenko 3-25) beat Hobart Hurricanes 143 (Paine 45, Neser 3-26) by six wicketsScorecard and ball-by-ball details One-ball hero: Jake Lehmann hit a six when the Adelaide Strikers needed four © Cricket Australia/Getty Images It seemed an almost unfair task. Adelaide Strikers batsman Jake Lehmann had not faced a delivery in the entire BBL but needed to hit a four off his first ball…

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Pranav Dhanawade Felicitated by Maharashtra Cricket Association For 1009-Run Feat

Pranav Dhanawade will receive a Rs 10,000 per month scholarship from the Maharashtra Cricket Association for five years. © Reuters Mumbai: Pranav Dhanawade, who smashed a mind-boggling unbeaten 1,009 in an inter-school game, was on Wednesday felicitated by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) here. (Pranav Dhanawade – Son of an Auto Driver Who Crossed the 1000 Barrier) The 15-year-old Kalyan boy from the KC Gandhi school, his coach Mobin Sheikh…

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Indian Premier League: No Discussion on Lodha Panel Recommendations in Teams' Workshop

The 2016 Indian Premier League will start from April 9. Mumbai Indians are the defending champions. © BCCI Mumbai: Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Rajeev Shukla on Wednesday said that all the eight franchises have been asked to make efforts towards making the League more spectator-friendly and promised that the ninth edition would be “bigger and better”. (Indian Premier League Franchise Workshop Shifted From Jammu and Kashmir to Mumbai) An…

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De Villiers unsure of long-term future

AB de Villiers issued a stark warning about the sport’s priorities © Getty Images AB de Villiers has refused to commit his long-term future to Test cricket despite being named South Africa’s stand-in captain and has warned that leading players will leave international cricket behind unless there are significant changes within the game. De Villiers, who was reported to be considering early retirement at the start of the England series…

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