Image dented by fixing revelations: Srinivasan

Cricket's controversial strongman says Lou Vincent's life-ban has battered the sport's image.

N. Srinivasan, the new chairman of cricket's world governing body, admitted Thursday the sport's image had taken a battering after disgraced New Zealand batsman Lou Vincent was banned for life for match-mixing.

MIND IT: My photo rights are with IPLT20.comCritics say Srinivasan's appointment last week as International Cricket Council chief has itself tarnished the game as he was forced to quit as head of India's board over a corruption inquiry involving his son-in-law.

But in an interview with India's NDTV network, Srinivasan reiterated that his conscience was clear while acknowledging the damage from recent revelations of match-fixing involving Vincent in five different countries.

"There have been these instances that have come to light. Naturally... any sport where it happens, there is a dent," he said.

"We are taking steps (on combating match-fixing) and I think the ICC is very pro-active on it."

Vincent, who was handed his ban earlier this week, told Thursday how his match-fixing boss had threatened him with a cricket bat after an attempt to rig a game backfired in a now defunct Indian Twenty20 tournament.

DELIBERATELY PLAYING BADLY

The Kiwi batsman has also admitted deliberately playing badly in matches in England, New Zealand, South Africa and Bangladesh.

But despite the apparent scope of corruption, Srinivasan said the ICC would strive to ensure that "there is no doubt about any single game played anywhere".

"I think that's the responsibility that we have and steps are being taken in that direction," he said.

Srinivasan's ICC appointment came only weeks after he was effectively forced by the Supreme Court from his post as president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) while allegations of illegal betting and spot-fixing involving his own son-in-law were probed.

Judges had called his refusal to quit of his own accord "nauseating" and the world players association FICA has said Srinivasan should not have been handed his new role until the corruption allegations surrounding the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 tournament remained unresolved.

Srinivasan said he could not comment on the investigation for legal reasons but added that "to my conscience, I have not done anything that will tarnish the game, bring disrepute or done anything wrong".

Pujara eases into Test mode

It might have been a low-intensity nearly-an-exhibition match against the 2nd XI of the second-worst team in county cricket this year but someone forgot to tell Cheteshwar Pujara

Indians 341 for 6 dec (Pujara 81, Binny 81*) lead Derbyshire 326 for 5 dec (Durston 95, Godleman 67*, Jadeja 2-27) by 15 runs 
Scorecard

Pujara cuts en route to 81.It might have been a low-intensity nearly-an-exhibition match against the 2nd XI of the second-worst team in county cricket this year, and the Indians might have spread their energies over the actual game, nets, gym and medical requirements, but someone forgot to tell Cheteshwar Pujara.

India's No. 3, and one of their two most important batsmen in the Tests, batted as if in a Test match, paying due respect to accurate deliveries before batting more freely as the innings progresses, scoring 81 to take the Indians to 341 for 6 in their 91 overs in response to Derbyshire's 326 for 5. Pujara retired himself out so others could get a hit; he is yet to be dismissed by a bowler on this tour after he retired-out for 57 against Leicestershire.

Pujara came in after the early fall of the openers, and hardly played an incorrect shot in his 131-ball stay, which included 13 fours. There were the drives in the V down the ground, one crunchy boundary through cover, wristy whips off the pad, and the powerful cut.

Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja and Stuart Binny managed to spend decent amounts of time at the wicket, with Kohli looking as tuned in as Pujara before edging one onto the stumps when trying to leave it. Dhoni, Jadeja and Binny scratched around a bit before looking comfortable.

Shikhar Dhawan and M Vijay scored 6 each of 26 balls, but you would not imagine the team management saw anything that would put Gautam Gambhir ahead of either of them. They did leave the ball well during their partnership before Vijay was ruled lbw against Mark Turner although he appeared to hold up his bat before he reluctantly walked off.

Dhawan was beaten twice outside off, going for the drive, before a poke finally took the edge, off the bowling of the accurate Ben Cotton, whose figures at one point read 11-5-8-2.

Kohli and Pujara will hope they are not walking out within the first hour come Trent Bridge, but they suggested they might be well equipped should that happen. Both built their innings solidly, getting their eye in before branching out. Pujara was the first one to show intent, getting off the mark with a straight-driven four. Kohli took 10 balls to open his account with a pushed single into covers, but soon picked up boundaries through an off drive and an on drive. Just before lunch, Pujara whipped one to leg to bring up fifty for the stand, which was dominated by Kohli's 32.

Kohli did not add much after lunch, and Dhoni surprised by pushing himself, Jadeja and Binny ahead of Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane. The three had not batted at Grace Road, either. Even as Pujara moved along serenely and solidly, Dhoni batted in an interesting fashion.

A balanced batsman who plays normally in limited-overs cricket, Dhoni somehow feels the need to walk down the pitch when he has his whites on in order to counter the movement. Here he did that to almost every delivery until he had the medium-pacers bowling short, which he could pull and hook. It remains to be seen if this is going to be Dhoni's game plan against quicker and more-skilled Test bowlers, with stakes raised.

Four runs short of his fifty, Dhoni gave left-arm spinner David Wainwright the charge, was deceived, and bowled. Jadeja came in, and should have been dismissed immediately when he opened the face to a shortish delivery to give the slips catching practice. Chesney Hughes, though, dropped him, and was witness to a few powerful cut shots and a few mistimed lofts as Jadeja helped himself to 45.

Binny, who had come in to replace Jadeja, got hit on the pads a few times, looked to be playing with his hands too hard early in the innings, but displayed a few attractive shots once he settled down. He remained unbeaten on 81 off 111 deliveries, hitting two sixes and nine fours.

The playing conditions decided upon in the match dictate both the sides declare their first innings after a day's play each, and split the third day down the middle. It makes the third day interesting because the Indians get to bowl again, and we get to see if Mohammad Shami has recovered from his calf strain to be able to get some overs into his legs.

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Shastri wants India to 'go for' Cook

Ravi Shastri has called on India to make Alastair Cook's life 'as tough as they can' during the Test series.

Ravi Shastri has said that India should relish the difficult situation England find themselves in heading into the Investec series with their captain, Alastair Cook, under increasing pressure due to a combination of his poor form and further defeats for the team.Target Cook, says Shastri

Cook has not scored a Test hundred for 24 innings and England will enter the five-match India series, which starts at Trent Bridge next Wednesday, on the back of a 1-0 loss to Sri Lanka. He has faced a barrage of criticism - not least from Shane Warne - and there is now a very vocal debate about whether he should continue as captain.

Shastri, never afraid to back India, wants the visitors to "go for" Cook at the earliest opportunity to try and prevent him gaining a foothold against a side he averages 55.26 when facing.

"If you have the leader under pressure always go for him. You need to get stuck in. You have to make the game as tough as you can," Shastri said at the series launch. "As an India player they will want this debate to continue."

He drew comparisons with India's 1986 tour of England - where they secured the second of their three series victories in country - which began with David Gower under scrutiny as captain; he was then sacked after defeat in the opening Test at Lord's. "With David Gower, all we said was don't let him get runs in the first Test and let the pressure build. He lost the captaincy, India won the series," Shastri said.

He believes that England need to decide whether they want to make the most of Cook as a batsman, saying he "is not a natural captain".

"Cook is mentally very tough. He'll break all records for England," he said. "The question is do you want a captain in Cook who is not playing freely or do you want Cook playing freely as a batsman? That is what happened to Sachin Tendulkar. As captain he felt the pressure was getting to his batting and it was taken away."

Cook's team-mates remain convinced that the captaincy and his lack of runs do not go hand-in-hand although Stuart Broad acknowledged that when a player is struggling for form, light at the end of the tunnel can be difficult to see.

"I don't think the captaincy will cause him too much pressure over a long period of time," Broad said. "When you aren't scoring runs or taking wickets you expect a certain amount of flak, and that won't change until he scores a hundred. Cooky knows that. Winning Tests will help with his captaincy, but even if we are winning and he's not scoring hundreds he'll still be getting a certain amount of stick. He's honest. He's just a score away. But when you are in that hole it does seem a long way away."

When asked if he would be keen for the Test leadership - should the captaincy be taken away from Cook or he decided to give up the role - Broad was reticent and said it was a job better suited to a batsman.

"As a fast bowler I think captaincy is tough in the longer format. I think Test captaincy is more suited to batsmen who can admire the game, get a feel for game and I certainly think Cooky is the right man for the job now."

One of the main criticisms levelled at Cook during the Headingley Test against Sri Lanka was his use of Moeen Ali, especially on the fourth day as Angelo Mathews and Rangana Herath extended their match-winning partnership. Despite removing Kumar Sangakkara and Lahiru Thirimanne on the third evening, Moeen was not given a bowl at Herath - the No. 9 and another left hander - until the partnership was well established and Broad appeared to suggest more faith should be shown in the offspinner.

"I think Mo gets good revs on the ball and will gain a lot of confidence from the hundred [in England's second innings]. We have to throw him ball and let him go. He showed what he can do with the Sangakkara and Thirimanne wickets, that was Swann-like. He has a huge amount of talent.

"In the Sri Lanka series, the Lord's pitch had nothing in it for the spinner, so I can understand him not bowling many overs there but maybe he could have bowled more at Headingley. I think we'll see him bowl more and more during the summer."

Still, the onus will be on England's quicks to do the bulk of the work, which is likely to be an onerous task with five Tests spread over just seven weeks. There has been a suggestion that England's pacemen could be rotated but Broad, who has to manage his ongoing knee problem, prefers another option.

"It's the worst phonecall you can get, that you aren't playing the next game for England," he said. "If India score 400-500 each time the bowlers will be knackered so the ball is in our court. If we bowl them out cheaply we can keep playing."

All eyes, though, will still be on Cook.

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'Ishant should step up and lead attack' - Zaheer

Zaheer Khan wants Ishant Sharma to take over from him as the leader of India's fast-bowling group.

Zaheer Khan wants Ishant Sharma to take over from him as the leader of India's fast-bowling group. Ishant, according to Zaheer, has enough experience to be able to guide his fast-bowling colleagues during India's five-Test series in England. Of the six frontline seam bowlers in India's squad, Ishant is the only one who has toured England before. Zaheer, who has been part of three England Test tours, missed out on selection with a side strain.

Ishant Sharma (R) during a training session in Leicester."It is Ishant who has played the most number of matches and he has been around for a while," Zaheer told ESPNcricinfo. "It is time he steps into that role. For Bhuvi [Bhuvneshwar Kumar] and [Mohammed] Shami, it is their first (England) tour so they will look to Ishant and [bowling coach] Joe Dawes for inputs to perform in those conditions."

Despite having played 55 Test matches, Ishant hasn't really shown signs that he could be looked at as the bowling captain. He has only played four Tests in England, during India's 2011 tour, during which he took 11 wickets. Incidentally, it was Praveen Kumar who led the attack - after an injured Zaheer limped out of the tour after just 13 overs in the first Test - and finished the series as India's best bowler, with 13 wickets in three Tests.

Ishant was India's best bowler in the two-Test series in New Zealand earlier this year, with 15 wickets at an average of 25.13, and bowled diligently during the South Africa tour before that. Zaheer, though, was present on both tours to mentor Ishant and Shami.

Zaheer was impressed with Shami, who he said possessed "very good pace" and complemented the rest of India's seam attack very well. "I was also impressed by someone like Mohammed Shami, who was able to perform the pace bowler's role very nicely," Zaheer said. "For a successful bowling unit you require a good fast bowler with very good pace and Shami has that. And that helped me cope with my workload. You do need a balanced bowling attack. You can't have bowlers with similar styles. It was a perfect combination we had, I felt. Ishant, being a very tall guy, adds that extra bounce on helpful pitches. If conditions are suitable for swing, I come in and also bring the experience."

Shami was once again the pick of the bowlers in the Indians' first warm-up match, a three-day game against Leicestershire that finished in a draw. Although Shami remained wicketless, he hurried the batsmen with his speed and movement and was able to make use of the overcast conditions much better than his senior partner Ishant. Ishant started with a no-ball - he finished with an embarrassing count of seven in just nine overs - and was constantly riled by Indian fans from the sidelines.

Zaheer pointed out that a long series always provide the potential to settle in, and it would help India's fast bowlers to play as many matches as possible. "If you hit a good rhythm a series like this is the best thing that can happen to a bowler," he said. "Play as much as possible. It is important to get the confidence of bowling in those conditions and the two practice matches are crucial for the bowling unit to get used to the conditions and hit the ball in the right areas."

Zaheer said he would dearly miss being part of the Test series, having been part of three England tours in the past and played a key role in winning the 2007 series with 18 wickets. During the New Zealand tour, Zaheer said, the team management had told him to stay prepared for the England tour and manage his workload accordingly. He suffered a side strain during the IPL, however, and is still four weeks from being able to bowl again.

"That was the whole plan (playing in England)," Zaheer said. "I have been working towards this tour for the last year. I was focusing on Test matches. Even through the IPL my routines were working towards the England tour. Considering all that it was disappointing to miss out. I just hope that Indian team does well on English soil."

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Dravid joins Indian team as mentor for England tour

The batting great with a steller record in England takes his first step towards coaching India.

Former India captain Rahul Dravid has been appointed in a mentoring role to the team in the run-up to their five-Test series in England. Dravid will have a few sessions with the players before the series begins on July 9. He is expected to join the team latest by Monday.

Rahul Dravid in action during the 2011 England tour.The move was initiated by the team management, according to BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel. "It was the coach (Duncan Fletcher) who approached us on behalf of the team and said it would be good to have Rahul with his vast experience spend some time with the boys ahead of the series," Patel told ESPNcricinfo. "We immediately requested Rahul and he readily agreed."

This will be the first time Dravid, who has been mentoring IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals after retiring from international cricket in 2012, will be associated in such a capacity with the national team.

In March this year, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar had said that Dravid should take over as India coach, but the latter had declined the suggestion citing lack of time.

"Rahul Dravid is one man who is enormously respected and was a successful captain, having won series in West Indies and England," Gavaskar had said. "When he speaks, the Indian players, some of whom are superstars, listen to him as they know how much preparation went into his game."

"I am happy that he (Gavaskar) said I am capable of doing the job," Dravid had said. "But the job requires a lot of time, almost 11 months a year. I have just retired and at the moment because of time constraints, I have to decline."

Dravid was India's best batsman on their previous tour of England in 2011, his three centuries the only bright spot in a 0-4 rout. In all, six of Dravid's 36 Test hundreds came in England, where he made 1376 runs in 13 Tests at an average of 68.80. He also had a successful stint with county side Kent in 2000, scoring 1221 runs in 16 matches at 55.50 with two centuries.
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Ton-up Angus Robson pummels India

Tour match — Experienced seamer Ishant Sharma saw 41 runs scored off his first four wicketless overs, a spell that included six no-balls.

AFP – 10 hours ago

Dhoni (R) walks past Greg Smith (L) and Angus Robson in Leicester.

LEICESTER - A week after his older brother Sam made his maiden Test hundred for England against Sri Lanka, Angus Robson showed centuries run in the family by reaching three figures for Leicestershire against India on Saturday.

India's bowlers were given the run-around by Robson (126) and Greg Smith (101) in a second-wicket stand of 221 before both retired at tea, that took Leicestershire to 349 for five before a draw was agreed on the final day of three at Grace Road.

The one consolation for India was that if ever there was game to get the rust out of the system, this was probably it, as they had already declared on 333 for four on the first day of the opening game of their tour before rain washed out the second.

Experienced seamer Ishant Sharma, set to be a key member of India's attack in the upcoming five-Test series with England, saw 41 runs scored off his first four wicketless overs, a spell that included six no-balls.

The 22-year-old Angus Robson, watched by his Australia-born father and English-born mother Rosamunde, as was Sam at Headingley, gave his parents a fresh reason to be glad they didn't go home to Sydney after their older son's
disappointing Test debut at Lord's.

The Leicestershire opener was quickly into his work with all of his 11 boundaries in a run-a-ball 50 coming off Bhuvneshwar Kumar with the new ball.

He carried on in similar fashion to race to a hundred in just 102 balls with 20 fours.

'SPECIAL DAY'

But the only downside for the Robson clan was that Angus was denied a maiden first-class hundred for Leicestershire when India stripped the match of its status by opting to use all 18 members of their squad, while only batting 11.

"It's been a pretty special day really," said Robson. "Mum and dad were both here all day. It's funny how it works out -- two Saturdays in a row, they've seen us both get hundreds.

"They're thrilled to bits... and I couldn't be happier."

As to whether Sam would pick his brains about India's bowlers ahead of next month's first Test in Nottingham, Angus said: "I think he'll call me ... and might ask me a few things.

"I'm not sure I'm the man to tell him, but maybe I've seen something that can help."

Reflecting on the quickfire start to his innings, Robson said: "I've tried to add a few more shots to my game, and each time I seem to have scored a bit quicker.

"In a way, I'm a natural opener. But I like to get out of the blocks early...Thankfully it came off."

Robson also tried to put his innings in context by saying: "It is just a warm-up game for them (India), so they're still feeling their way into conditions and will probably be better for the run -- and I'm sure they'll keep improving.

"But it was obviously a great thrill to get runs against a Test attack."

India did manage an early wicket when Pankaj Singh, the pick of the seven seamers in their Test squad who all bowled Saturday, had Robson's opening partner Matthew Boyce brilliantly caught one-handed and above his head by third slip Ajinkya Rahane.

Smith, though, enured there was no respite for India's bowlers, completing a run-a-ball century with successive straight sixes off Ravindra Jadeja.

Both batsmen retired at tea but Dan Redfern (58) helped keep the runs coming before he was caught off Sharma at mid-wicket.

India's bowlers will look for an improved performance in their second and final warm-up fixture against Derbyshire before the first Test at Trent Bridge starting on July 9.

Srinivasan under fire from Aussie media

The ICC's inaugural chairman came under fire from Australian media over allegations of corruption.

Indian powerbroker N. Srinivasan's appointment as the ICC's inaugural chairman came under fire from Australian media Friday over allegations of corruption as cricket officials insisted no wrongdoing had been proved.

In the line of fire: N SrinivasanSrinivasan was anointed despite being suspended by India's Supreme Court as his country's top cricket official after being named in a damning report into corruption allegations in the Indian Premier League.

The Age newspaper said the sport had made a fool of itself.

"Even if, as Srinivasan says, he is proven to have done nothing wrong, the fact that other members of the ICC endorsed him for the chairmanship hardly inspires confidence in their collective desire to stamp out corruption from the sport," its cricket writer Chloe Saltau said.

"Srinivasan's very presence at the Melbourne conference as the ICC's newly inaugurated chairman was a fresh attack on cricket's credibility."

The Australian broadsheet said there was little member nations could do to stop him taking charge of the International Cricket Council at its annual conference this week.

"While member nations were uncomfortable with Srinivasan taking over the world game while battling corruption allegations at home, they received legal advice there was nothing to stop him and no country was willing to risk the Indian powerbroker's wrath," the newspaper's Peter Lalor wrote.

He said Srinivasan, Cricket Australia chairmen Wally Edwards and English cricket chief Giles Clarke met during the Perth Test between Australia and England this year "to sign off details of a coup in which the three grabbed control of the ICC through the chairmanship and a new executive committee which they dominate".

"As part of the move, a former equal distribution of cricket revenue was changed to give India the greatest share. England and Australia also benefited financially," he said.

Under the ICC's new structure, an ICC executive committee has been formed chaired by Edwards, with Clarke heading up the finance and commercial affairs arm.

'Allegations we know nothing about'

New Zealand Cricket director Martin Snedden said if a problem arose over the investigations into Srinivasan down the track then the ICC would deal with it then.

"(They are) allegations that we know nothing about made by people that are highly incentivised to get rid Srinivasan," he told New Zealand radio Friday.

"The (Indian Supreme) court has said that they're untested and no inference is to be taken from the fact that they've asked for them to be investigated.

"But in three or four months time, that investigation will be complete, the results will be given to the court, they'll be made public. If, at that point, there is a problem, then the ICC can deal with it then."

Sneddon said while his election was a "huge about-turn", overall it provided the international cricket community with more certainty.

"Having India inside the camp is a huge about-turn from where it's been throughout the time I've been involved in the ICC," he said.

"India's been an outlier, they've caused all sorts of havoc and uncertainty from time to time and it's made it extremely difficult for other countries -- New Zealand's been on the receiving end of that, so have a number of other countries.

"As a result of what these (big three) countries have done, yes, they've used their collective advantage in some ways, but at the same time, what they are doing is providing the overall international cricket community with a lot more certainty."

Newspapers also queried Srinivasan's assertion on Thursday that India had not threatened to walk out of the ICC unless it received a greater share of the global game's revenues.

"Australia and England have said, privately and publicly, that they had to appease India to stop them from breaking away and taking their lucrative tours with them," The Age said.

"Srinivasan baldly denied that India had dreamt of such a power play, placing him in direct contradiction with Cricket Australia chairman Wally Edwards, who was in the room at his press conference, and one of his own colleagues."

India on top despite Dhawan injury scare

Tour Match — The visitors cruised to 333 for four at stumps on the first day of the opening match of their tour of England against Leicestershire.

Dhawan receives treatment after being hit at Grace Road in Leicester.

LEICESTER - Shikhar Dhawan was hit on the arm but did not suffer major damage as India cruised to 333 for four at stumps on the first day of the opening match of their tour of England against Leicestershire at Grace Road on Thursday.

Test opener Dhawan retired hurt for 60 after being struck by a short ball from left-arm seamer Atif Sheikh. However, team management subsequently confirmed it was not a serious injury.

Dhawan was one of several batsmen who cut short their innings to give team-mates a chance of time in the middle with Gautam Gambhir (54) and Cheteshwar Pujara (57) also making fifties.

The match lost its first-class status after Leicestershire agreed to India's request to play as many of their 18-man squad as they wished.

However, the tourists -- coached by former England boss Duncan Fletcher -- will only bat 11.

Leicestershire, right at the bottom of the two-division County Championship table and without a win in nine matches this season, fielded a second-string team.

Nevertheless they still nearly dismissed Dhawan for a duck when, after India won the toss on a green-tinged pitch, the first over of the match saw Dan Redfern unable to hold a head-high chance at third slip off the bowling of Anthony Ireland.

Dhawan went on to complete a 79-ball fifty, including 10 fours.

India lost their first wicket on 46 when Murali Vijay edged a swinging Ireland delivery to gully.

Dhawan got to fifty shortly before lunch but went off early in the second session when a Sheikh bouncer that didn't climb as much as he expected hit him near the elbow.

Gambhir got to his half-century in 95 balls before retiring to allow fellow top-order batsman Virat Kohli some time in the middle.

Kohli fell when he drove loosely at Shiv Thakor and was bowled for 29.

Pujara then called time on his own innings, with Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma seeing India through to stumps.

After this match, India make the short journey to Derby for another three-day warm-up fixture before remaining in the Midlands for the first of a five-Test series against England at Nottingham's Trent Bridge starting on July 9.

'India performing on the big stage will be good for women's cricket'

Former England bowler Isa Guha talks about the support women's cricket needs from national boards, being a role model to Asians in the UK, and the tough decision she made to quit the game early

What are the most pressing issues in women's cricket at the moment?

At the age of seven to ten there's a real opportunity for young girls to be able to mix with the boysThe main concern is that some countries will fall behind while others progress at a fast rate. In recent times, we've seen a huge amount of growth in women's cricket and, at global events, Sri Lanka, West Indies and South Africa are holding their own against the consistently stronger sides. However, with England going professional, which is an unbelievable feat in itself, other countries will have to follow if they are to keep up. That means more support from respective governing bodies. Currently, Australia are probably the closest to England when it comes to professionalism. There is also support for West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka and New Zealand but not to the same extent that the ECB supports their women's team.

If the BCCI are serious about their women's team performing on the biggest stage then improvements are necessary and that doesn't just include player remuneration. Rounded infrastructure support with regards to coaching, medical and physio accessibility, facilities and competitive fixtures will also be important.

What should administrators do to increase viewership for women's cricket across formats?

I think T20 cricket has become the flagship spectacle for women's cricket. For the last six years, the semis and finals of the global tournaments have been played on the same day as the men. It draws in the crowds and people who wouldn't necessarily watch women's cricket. These days there is greater depth in players with the ability to hit the big sixes, bowl bouncers or other variations as well as some dynamic fielding. You may be treated to all these skills in T20 cricket over the course of three hours, whereas during a Test it is spaced out.

Don't get me wrong. The most recent women's Test in Perth. It has to be one of the best matches I've ever seen, yet there was hardly anyone watching. There was no TV coverage either, although I was covering it for BBC/ABC radio. There is a Catch-22 situation where people don't want to advertise unless they've got people coming to games, but you're not going to attract big crowds unless you market them properly.

In England last year, the ECB held a standalone T20 at Chelmsford between England and Australia and it was a packed house. Essex Cricket did a really good job of marketing it and I think boards around the world could follow.

Will getting girls playing with boys from a younger age, at school and club level, help? 

I think so. Certainly between seven to ten there's a real opportunity for young girls to mix with boys. It's only when boys reach the age of 12-13 where strength takes over. I'd even say that girls' skill levels are better at seven to ten, because they listen more at that age. Many England girls have grown up playing men's cricket and trained in county men's academies, so they've faced 70-80 mph bowling. So when it comes to the women's game you have a 75mph bowler who's not as tall and not getting as much bounce, you feel more assured.

Was it easy to find a women's team to be a part of when you were young?

At the start there weren't any girls teams around or my family wasn't aware of any, so my dad formed a girls team at High Wycombe Cricket Club, alongside another parent, Bob Lester, who has sadly passed away now. It was a really fun team to be a part of. I also joined Gerrards Cross women. Through that I was selected for age-group county cricket and eventually I was introduced to a Premier League team called Ridgeway, which then became Reading Ridgeway. That was my first taste of playing with international or former international cricketers so I was gaining experience from quite a young age. I think I joined them when I was 11.

Should women be playing with men more often at the higher levels as well? 

England Women regularly play against Under-15 and U-17 county men's sides, which is great for the girls to take them out of their comfort zones. It's important to find a balance, though, because the way in which women's cricket is played is still very different. In men's cricket you are playing on the back foot more than the front and you are bowling different lengths to men than you do to women.

How sustainable are Tests in women's cricket, considering the growth of T20s for men and women?

I actually thought that women's Tests were going to die out because it was only England and Australia that wanted to play, coupled with the fact that T20 was bringing more viewership and money to the game. However, the introduction of the multi-format bilateral series based on a points system has taken a step towards saving women's Test cricket. I think it should be used for future series between other countries too.

What more should be done for the viewers or fans to say, that women's cricket is as entertaining as men's?

Shorter boundaries. I also think we need to see the best players playing against each other. India have really slipped in terms of the way they are competing at global events. They have so much talent in their side yet they are not performing. Now if someone could take them by the scruff of their neck and transform them into a world-beating side, it would be significant because women's cricket needs India performing on the big stage.

The men's calendar is packed through the year. Won't it be tough to get broadcasters or sponsors for women's cricket?

The Indian channels are constantly filling with previous games. Star Sports have got four channels so there's always room to cover games, and in England there is plenty of space too. Certainly in India I know the viewership for World T20 was still better than any English Premier League football match. There is definitely a market for women and it just needs the support and people to actually realise that it is a viable product. Ten to 12 years ago you wouldn't want to watch women's cricket because the skill levels weren't there. Since then, it has improved substantially, the girls are fitter and stronger than ever, you've got maybe five or six players in a team now that can hit sixes and there are two or three bowlers who bowl in excess of 70 mph, alongside spinners who have several variations.

Do you support the idea of men getting more prize money than women for the same events, like the World T20?

It's something that we have learned to accept over the years. We have to be realistic as men's cricket has historically brought the spectators and money to the game. I don't think the girls are far off but until they can bring the crowds in on their own, equal pay won't happen. However, there is a real disparity between the pay, so it probably could be evened out slightly. In spite of that, this is the most the girls have ever received before so it is nice to see that it is gradually improving.

You played a lot of other sports while growing up. Do you think cricket has done enough compared to other sports to encourage women, or is it lagging behind?

In England, there was a real culture shift in perception of women's sport after that Olympics. Jess Ennis, Chrissie Ohuruogu, Vicky Pendleton and Laura Trott, to name a few, have acted as female role models in England. The government is also making a big push, and the media are now covering more women's sports. During the Women's World T20 the girls were on the front and back covers of leading newspapers. Sky and BBC are also getting behind women's cricket. Former and current international players are also taking the game more seriously, which speaks volumes for the direction women's cricket is heading in.

Compared to when you started playing, in 2002, how much sexism do you still see in the game?

Still a little bit. I used to get really frustrated, but then I kind of accepted that it is a male-dominated sport and you are constantly trying to prove yourself. I definitely think there's been a culture shift in the last couple of years and I think that comes from guys who are role models for youngsters, like international players and commentators.

The Women's International Cricket League may be played in Singapore. What immediate benefits will it bring for women's cricket?

Having been involved with the IPL over the last few years, I thought it would be a great idea to have a women's IPL. Shaun Martyn and Lisa Sthalekar have taken it on board full time making it their sole aim to get it off the ground. It was a shame to hear that the ECB and CA will not be supporting the tournament. However, these governing bodies have made great strides themselves to support the women's game. I'm not entirely sure what the ICC stance is but I think if the WICL is to go ahead then it will be important to gain their backing.

Do you think Asian women in the UK face greater challenges than men in making it to the top in cricket?

Yes. I was fortunate that my parents were unbelievably supportive of me. I don't know if a lot of Asian females in England receive the same sort of support. I just think it's a lot tougher with the traditional mentalities of Asian families who say it is much better to focus on your studies. However, the opportunities for the girls to become professional might change that mindset and the general perception of women in sport.

Do you see yourself as a role model for younger Asians?

I never used to. But the message I always try and get across is that it is possible to do both. I went to university and I still played cricket for England and actually quite a lot of the girls in the team have done the same. If I can act as a role model for young Asian women then that's great. I want to encourage young Asian girls to get involved in cricket because there are so many opportunities through playing. I feel very fortunate.

Talking about your own career, the England team won the World Cup, the World T20 and three Ashes in that time. How did England transform into this strong side?

It wasn't overnight. In 2005 we lost in the World Cup semi-finals to Australia but the belief was there that we could actually beat them. Then in that summer we were 2-0 down in the one-day series against Australia. We went to Stratford and we knew we had to win. We ended up putting 200 on the board, which was pretty much unheard of for the England team against Australia. And we narrowly won - the first time we had beaten Australia in ten years. That gave us the momentum to win the Ashes back after 42 years. In breaking their stranglehold we finally justified our belief that the number one spot was within our reach.

The introduction of lottery funding from 2002 meant more of us could spend more time training; strengthening conditioning coaches at the English Institute of Sport meant that we were the fittest we had ever been. When I first started we had John Harmer coaching us and he introduced a lot of biomechanics skills. Then we had Richard Bates, who introduced a lot of tactical awareness. Then Mark Lane, who allowed us to play with a lot of freedom - he'd encourage us to bowl the slower ball, and go out and play with no fear when we were batting. He made us ruthless too.

In 2008 when we were 2-1 up in the one-day series in Australia, we had the opportunity to win the series, yet we lost that final game. In the dressing room everyone was still quite upbeat but I remember Mark Lane saying we had missed a massive opportunity to win in Australia and that we should be disappointed more than anything. He was completely right. Then we went to New Zealand and did exactly that, winning 3-1.

That was the beginning of an 11-game winning streak prior to hitting the World Cup so we were peaking at the right time. Even in the final, we had a bit of a batting collapse, but the two cool and calm heads of Nicky Shaw and Holly Colvin saw us over the line. It really was a tournament where everyone performed at different times and I'll treasure those memories forever, because it wasn't just the two weeks, it was a period of seven years to get to that point.

What were the low points of your career?

In 2005 we had just beaten Australia and we went to India and ended up being whitewashed. So after such a high, we ran into a huge low. Also, I found it hard coping with pressure of being the No. 1 bowler. It was just a tag but I really let it affect me. I felt the pressure of expectations every time I went out to bowl and when things didn't go to plan I would get quite frustrated. It followed a real purple patch in my career including the Bowral Test match and successive games after that. I tried to rediscover those moments every time I went out to bowl and when it didn't happen I would try even harder. It also coincided with me not knowing what I was doing with my life. I was 26, it was 2009, we had won everything, and I didn't know whether to carry on or whether to stop after achieving so much and moving on to a proper career. There were other low points but it is how you cope with those situations that make you a better cricketer.

How difficult was it to manage a career like that along with education?

It was tough but I would never change it. It was always important for me to have something else to do. There are some girls who surround themselves with cricket and they absolutely love it but I needed to escape it every now and then. The reason I chose to do the PhD was because it allowed me to obviously prioritise my cricket but then in my own time I could focus on my studies.

How big a role did it play in your early retirement?

I wouldn't say that that was my main reason for retiring. I had already been thinking about retiring in 2009. I knew that I wanted to better myself as a cricketer so I carried on from 2010 to 2012. It was during this time that I started to find myself yo-yoing in and out of the squad. I captained the academy side against the England team. Although I was excited about the prospect of leading these young and talented cricketers through the system I didn't like feeling disconnected from the core England group so it made me strive to get back in.

We had just won the 2011 Quadrangular Series. Six months before, I had started to have problems with my back. At the end of the tournament I thought, "Is this the right time to leave the game, or can I actually keep going another couple of years?" The next goal was the World Cup 2013. I said I want to be a part of a consistent force of dominance for England.

So I went to India and spent six weeks there. I trained at the CCFC [Calcutta Cricket & Football Club] and in Pune at the Global Cricket School. That was a wonderful experience and by the end of that trip I felt the best I've ever felt bowling. I came back and went straight to New Zealand on an England tour where I didn't feature in the T20s. I was obviously knocking on the door for a place in the team before it came to the ODIs but I was not selected. Obviously I was upset and usually my instinct and motivation would take over to do everything possible to get back into the side, but this time it was different. I felt really good with my cricket, the girls were unbeaten in the series, and there were lots of talented youngster coming through. Georgia Elwiss was given the opportunity ahead of me in the ODIs and I was OK with that. I accepted that this was the nature of sport and it was testament to how well the girls were playing. I just felt I couldn't give any more physically and mentally.

Was that a tough decision, with less than a year to go for the World Cup?

It was very tough but that's another reason why I thought it was a good time to go. It gave England an opportunity to bring someone else in and give them an opportunity ahead of the World Cup. The hardest thing for me was telling Charlotte Edwards. I remember the conversation we had and I just broke down in tears because I didn't want to let her down, I didn't want to let the team down either. It was hard telling my parents as well and I think they struggled knowing they couldn't be out there with me. I look back at it now and I think that it was a good decision to make. Little did I realise but the constant pressure of wanting to be better was all-consuming and it was making me unhappy. Since retirement I've been able to experience many things that I neglected whilst playing. I'm also very thankful for the opportunities that cricket has brought me and I am excited by the future.
ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

N Srinivasan confirmed as ICC chairman

N Srinivasan has been confirmed as the ICC's first chairman after constitutional changes to the governing body were passed at the annual conference in Melbourne on Thursday.

N Srinivasan has been confirmed as the ICC's first chairman after constitutional changes to the governing body were passed at the annual conference in Melbourne on Thursday.

Smooth passage of the changes devised by the "Big Three" of India, England and Australia had been expected after a set of broad resolutions were approved by Full Member nations earlier this year.

Make way for the IndianSrinivasan had been barred from his role as BCCI president due to an India Supreme court investigation into IPL corruption but had spent the preceding two days, with Australia's Wally Edwards and England's Giles Clarke, explaining the new landscape to delegates, including Associate and Affiliate members.

"It is an honour to be confirmed as the Chairman of the International Cricket Council," said Mr Srinivasan, adding: "I will leave no stone unturned in trying to strengthen the pillars and foundations of our sport, both on and off the field. I want to ensure that cricket retains and grows its popularity, and that the ICC plays a leading role in this global growth.

"I want to see more strong teams in international cricket. For this to be achieved, we all need to work hard to develop local talent in our countries. Naturally, there will be more support to those who first show they can help themselves.

"The ICC is a Members' organisation and the pathway is now there for any Member to play Test cricket or in the major ICC events if it performs well enough over a sustained period of time."

ESPN Sports Media Ltd.