Jury sees no-ball footage and phone records

The alleged spot-fixing trial, involving Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif at Southwark Crown Court, has entered another operative phase with the first witness, the ICC’s chief investigator Ravi Sawani, being called. Before this the jury was shown video footage of the now infamous no-balls during the Lord’s Test last year and also records of phone and text conversations.Aftab Jafferjee QC, for the prosecution, resumed his opening address from the previous afternoon and went on to detail an alleged corrupt relationship between then Test captain Butt and his agent Mazhar Majeed. He finished off details of meetings, phone conversations and text messages surrounding The Oval Test against England last year, before moving on to details of the Lord’s Test.The jury was shown a replay of Mohammad Amir’s no-ball from the first delivery of the third over before the proceedings were interrupted for lunch, and two more alleged pre-planned no-balls by Asif and Amir after the break. All sets of legal representatives had agreed previously that sound and commentary would not be played, presumably so as not to influence the jury’s conclusion of the footage.Butt and Asif are facing charges of conspiracy to cheat, and conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, following that Lord’s Test in August last year when they allegedly conspired with Majeed, teenage fast bowler Amir and other people unknown to bowl pre-determined no-balls. Butt and Asif deny the charges.They were exposed by the now defunct British tabloid the in an undercover sting operation. Majeed was filmed revealing when no-balls would be delivered by the bowlers. That footage from secret cameras was also played to the jury on Thursday morning.After lunch the undercover journalist Mazhar Mahmood, otherwise known as ‘the fake Sheikh’ from the time he snared former England football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, was to give his evidence. But because Jafferjee did not complete his opening until 15.28, there was no time for Mahmood and Ravi Sawani, the ICC’s senior consultant in anti-corruption and security matters, was last to appear. Mahmood is now expected to appear on Monday as the case is adjourned until then.Butt and Asif again sat through the proceedings in the dock, with Asif accompanied by Mr Khan from the national database of interpreters, while Butt sat two seats down from his former team-mate, wearing a brown velvet jacket, jeans and Adidas trainers.An interesting aspect of the morning’s account centred around conversations between Mahmood, referred to in court as ‘the journalist’ to avoid confusion with Majeed, and Majeed himself. Jafferjee told how Mahmood was expecting no-balls to be delivered that had been promised him as proof that would appease his fictitious backers in the Far East.But Majeed said they could not be delivered on the third day as coach Waqar Younis had held a team meeting and ordered his bowlers to cut down on the extras after 32 had been allowed on the second day – six wides and five no-balls. Instead, the prosecution went on to explain, an alternative plan was hatched whereby Butt would bat out a maiden. That did not happen in the event.Of further interest was the heavy phone and text traffic between Butt, Majeed and Amir leading up to the Lord’s Test – Asif less so. In fact, Majeed called Amir at 1.27am at his hotel while he was sleeping, the morning before the match was due to begin, after having collected £140,000 from Mahmood for the promise of three pre-determined no-balls and future fixing, the jury heard.All stories of phone and text traffic were substantiated with official records from phone companies that proved the dialogue between the various parties. Jafferjee then told how Amir messaged Majeed at 6.24am on the morning of the Lord’s Test and said ‘this is my friend’s number in Pakistan, when you’re done send them a message’.Amir then made repeated calls to a number in Pakistan. Majeed later that morning made a call to a regular Indian number he had often phoned. The prosecution had already told of how Majeed boasted his betting contacts were in India.But while the jury had been swamped with so much information and evidence of alleged corrupt dealings between the defendants, Jafferjee was clear in what he wanted them to remember the most. And that was the phone traffic between all four alleged conspirators on the evening before the third no-ball was delivered.The sequence in Jafferjee’s address that best supports this sentiment was the evening after a weather-affected first day at Lord’s. The bet was for three pre-determined no-balls but bad light ended play for the day before the third no-ball could be bowled, the jury heard.A series of “frenetic activity” on the phone between all four then takes place within a couple of hours of the match being called off for the day.”It is an irresistible inference, say the prosecution, that between these four men, what is being sorted out is that third no-ball,” Jafferjee told the court. “How will that now take place? The credibility staked – as well as money exchanged – is high. An arrangement for the next day is still not finalised.”Why do we say that? Because when the journalist calls Majeed, it is plain that things are not finalised. More texts have to follow between them. Furthermore, that triangulation of calls has to be repeated, involving the three players and Majeed,” which phone records in the hands of the jury apparently exhibit.The prosecution also detailed the monies found in the players’ rooms and on Majeed – whose wife had £500 of marked £50 notes from the found in her purse and a further £2,500 was found in his Aston Martin car.Butt had the most cash in his room at the Regents Park Marriott Hotel when it was raided by police on the Saturday night of the Test – after Mahmood had alerted the police of his investigation. That cash included various currencies and totalled more than double the amount of cash that could be explained for through daily expenses – players received £114 a day in England, while Butt pocked a £250 weekly bonus for being captain.Much of the money was found in a locked suitcase that Butt said belonged to his wife and for which he did not have the key. When it was opened they found a “large” amount of currency – some of which was in envelopes and some not. In total the stash included £14,003 in one spot, and £15,999 in various denominations in envelopes. There was also US$12,617, 24,300 of UAE dirhams, AUS$710, 26,015 Pakistani rupees, $350 Canadian, 440 South African rand – as well as four mobile phones.Meanwhile, Sawani was in front of the jury for just over half an hour. His responses, while not very specific as to the case itself, will have left the the jury more familiar with the vast sums of money involved in the illegal cricket betting industry.”One single legal betting company could generate £40 million for a one-day international,” Sawani told the court, “For an India-Pakistan one-day international in Mumbai, you can have as much as $200 million bet in the illegal betting market in Mumbai and then (additionally) there are the cities around India, the UK, the South East (Asia) and Dubai.”Sawani told of the sinister underworld that exists in the illegal betting industry and said that accounts are settled the day after a bet is made and that there are no defaulters because “mafias are the enforcers”.The trial continues.

Dwayne Smith to lead West Indies A in T20s

Dwayne Smith, the West Indies allrounder, has been named captain of the West Indies A Twenty20 Team that will take on Bangladesh A in two games in St Lucia.Smith has played 10 Tests, 77 ODIs and 10 T20Is for West Indies, but his last Test came in 2006 and his last ODI in 2010. He opened the innings for West Indies in their last T20I at The Oval on September 25, when they beat England by 25 runs. He was not included in the West India A four-day squad that is currently playing two unofficial Tests against Bangladesh A.The 13-man squad includes three players who have never played for the West Indies senior team: legspinner Samuel Badree, who impressed in the Champions League T20, left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul who was part of the four-day squad, and batsman Jason Mohammed, who was named the Player of the Tournament and awarded the Richie Richardson Trophy for most outstanding batsman in the recently concluded Regional Super50 Tournament.Garey Mathurin, who starred in that game at The Oval, taking took 3 for 9 in on debut, joins Badree and Permaul as the three specialist spinners in the squad. T20 specialists, allrounder Christopher Barnwell and left-arm seamer Krishmar Santokie have also been included, as has allrounder Carlos Brathwaite, who is a member of the West Indies A four-day squad.Meanwhile batsman Shamarh Brooks has been added to the West Indies A four-day squad as the replacement for Dwayne Bravo, who injured his ankle and was forced to miss the series. Brooks is a graduate of the Sagicor High Performance Centre and has played in 16 first-class matches for Barbados. He is also a former West Indies Under-19 captain.Squad: Dwayne Smith (capt), Samuel Badree, Christopher Barnwell, Miles Bascombe, Nkrumah Bonner, Carlos Brathwaite, Johnson Charles, Jason Mohammed, Garey Mathurin, Nelon Pascal, Veerasammy Permaul, Krishmar Santokie, Devon Thomas (wk)

Bradley Cachopa sets up Auckland victory

Auckland beat Northern Districts by six wickets at Mount Maunganui thanks to 91 from Bradley Cachopa. His 117-ball innings set up Auckland’s chase. The captain Gareth Hopkins, who made 25 not out, shared an unbeaten stand of 62 with Zimbabwean Colin de Grandhomme, 38 not out, to guide his side home with two overs to spare. Northern Districts had been bowled out for 241 thanks to 3 for 35 from Andre Adams. They had been 4 for 2, with Brad Wilson and James Marshall both out first ball, but Hamish Marshall made a 110-ball 83 to guide his side to a competitive total.Wellington had made 205 for 8 from 46 overs against Central Districts before rain prevented any further play in Napier. Michael Pollard made 114 not out from 137 balls before the weather struck.Not a ball was bowled between Canterbury and Otago due to the poor weather in Rangiora.

Massiah left out of USA's probables list

Steve Massiah, the USA captain who was arrested by federal authorities in November, is not among the 29 players invited for a selection camp ahead of the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier in the UAE. Former USA player Mark Johnson has been named head coach, while former Pakistan Test player Asif Mujtaba, who resides in Texas, is assistant coach.The camp will be held in Florida between January 19 and 22 after which a 14-man squad will be selected for the qualifier from March 13 to 24.Massiah was arrested on November 22 and is accused of defrauding banks and mortgage companies by allegedly falsifying mortgage loan applications to make borrowers appear more creditworthy to financial institutions. The charges carry a maximum of 20 years in prison. Massiah’s passport was confiscated and sources claim his lawyer is currently engaged in negotiations for a plea bargain.The most likely choice to replace Massiah as captain is Sushil Nadkarni, USA’s highest run-scorer since his debut in August 2006. Nadkarni, 35, was USA’s vice-captain at the ICC Americas Division One Twenty20 tournament in Florida last July and led the team with 149 runs in five innings. The other contenders for the captaincy are Orlando Baker and Usman Shuja.Only five players on the list were part of USA’s squad at the World Twenty20 Qualifier in 2010, when they pulled off a six-wicket upset victory over Scotland before losing to Ireland and Afghanistan. Apart from Baker, Nadkarni and Shuja, the other two players who were part of the squad at the previous qualifier were fast bowler Imran Awan and wicketkeeper-batsman Carl Wright. Awan, 32, has not represented USA since a poor showing at the ICC World Cricket League Division Five in Nepal in 2010, and is considered a long shot for a recall.Wright, 34, last played for USA at the ICC World Cricket League Division Three in January 2011, where he had an inconsistent showing – 82 and 43 in his first two innings followed by 2, 1, 0 and 4. He was dropped for the ICC Americas Division One Twenty20. However, Wright played a crucial role for USA at the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier in 2010. He was Man of the Match in the win over Scotland, scoring 62 off 57 balls to lead a successful chase, and was USA’s highest scorer at the tournament, with 92 runs in three innings.Four players who played for USA at the 2011 ICC Under-19 World Cup Qualifier in Ireland were invited to the camp – wicketkeeper Steven Taylor and fast bowlers Mital Patel, Hammad Shahid and Salman Ahmad. Taylor, 18, scored 455 runs in Ireland – the second most – and has an excellent chance of being picked. He made his debut with the senior team at the age of 16 against Jamaica in 2010 and was one of six wicketkeepers invited to the camp.Former West Indies Test spinner Neil McGarrell, 39, was also included but was unavailable according to a source. McGarrell was originally in USA’s squad for their tour to Hong Kong last year but the ICC ruled he was ineligible to play for them. Aditya Thyagarajan, USA’s highest scorer in 2010, also received an invite to the camp but had to withdraw due to work obligations. Thyagarajan has not played for USA since dislocating his right knee in a freak injury against Denmark in Hong Kong.USA is in Group B at the qualifier along with Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Namibia, Oman, Scotland and Uganda. Their first match is on March 13 against Uganda in Sharjah.Probables: Salman Ahmad, Quasen Alfred, Imran Awan, Orlando Baker, Adil Bhatti, Ryan Corns, Akeem Dodson (wk), Bhim George, Muhammad Ghous, Adrian Gordon, Elmore Hutchinson, Naseer Jamali, Asif Khan, Ashhar Mehdi (wk), Aditya Mishra, Nauman Mustafa (wk), Sushil Nadkarni, Japen Patel, Mital Patel, Abhimanyu Rajp, Gowkaran Roopnarine (wk), Saqib Saleem, Samarth Shah, Hammad Shahid, Usman Shuja, Timothy Surujbally, Steven Taylor (wk), Ravi Timbawala, Carl Wright (wk).

Giles Clarke warns against internet piracy

Giles Clarke, the chairman of the ECB, has revealed that as many as 700 unauthorised websites providing illegal streams of cricket matches have been closed down, and has warned that they are “the biggest danger” facing the game.Clarke made his remarks on Test Match Special after the ECB confirmed a new six-year deal with the BBC to provide live radio coverage of England’s home internationals. The agreement, which covers all forms of the game, will run from 2014 until 2019.The ECB is also thought to be close to agreeing a new television contract with Sky. The current £300 million, four-year deal expires at the end of 2013 and it is regarded within the ECB as essential to the survival of the 18-county professional circuit.Clarke said he was concerned by unauthorised websites providing illegal streams not only because they undermined rights deals but also on the grounds that they affected the fight against corrupt betting activities.”We all have to be very vigilant,” he said. “There are a huge number of pirate websites streaming cricket on the internet taken from television broadcasts. We and our broadcasters closed down 700 during last summer’s series against India. It’s an extremely complex procedure, but it can be done and it has to be done.”That is the biggest danger to cricket, because they take money out of the game without commercial benefit to us. They are being used by the bookmakers as well. The problem of pirate-site streaming is very big for sport.”

Batsmen set up Warriors' first win

After three consecutive losses, Warriors finally opened their account in the tournament with a comfortable 36-run win in Benoni against Impi, who slid to their sixth-successive defeat. The Warriors were bolstered by the return of Colin Ingram from the South African Twenty20 squad in New Zealand, and the batsman made an unbeaten 42 to finish the innings after Ashwell Prince scored 63 as opener. Prince departed in the 15th over, hitting five fours and two sixes in his knock. Ingram and Craig Thyssen, whose unbeaten 49 came off 24 balls, took the score to 182 for 2. In reply, Impi could only manage 146, but it was enough to deny Warriors a bonus point. Their top order failed to convert starts against an experienced bowling attack comprising Makhaya Ntini and Nicky Boje.The match between Knights and Titans at Bloemfontein was abandoned without a ball bowled.

Coles hits maiden ton as Kent punish Yorkshire

ScorecardMatt Coles hits out on the way to his maiden first-class century•Getty Images

Kent’s all-rounder Matt Coles may have been sent on a strength and conditioning course by England this winter to develop his potential as a seamer but James Whitaker, one of the three national selectors, will also report back from Headingley on his batting potential after witnessing his maiden first-class century.Not 22 until next month, Coles teamed up with England’s Potential Performance squad in Sri Lanka this winter before being added to the Lions squad as cover following Stuart Meaker’s withdrawal with a back injury in the hope that by being stronger and fitter he would become a regular wicket-taker for Kent.Those attending the opening championship match of the summer at Headingley are yet to see whether that has had an effect on his bowling fortunes, but it has certainly given him power and aggression with a bat in his hand as records tumbled on the second day of thematch.Yorkshire’s cause was not helped by the loss of seamer Richard Pyrah, who was limited to only three overs in the morning session before going to hospital where it was confirmed he has broken his left ring finger and is likely to be out for several weeks.Jason Gillespie, Yorkshire’s coach, dismissed suggestions that the intense cold played a part. “He’s a very good fielder and dives and makes stops all the times, so I think this is just a freak accident. It’s a real shame for him.”Despite Pyrah’s absence, full credit should still go to Coles, who arrived at the crease with Kent, who resumed on 345 for five, in danger of failing to reach 400 and transformed their fortunes with an 111-ball century which included eight fours and three sixes and shared a county record ninth wicket stand of with Mark Davies. It took Kent to a declared total of 537 for nine, their highest ever in Yorkshire, and strengthened their position in the game.”I’d like to think I can bat after today,” Coles said. “It’s been there or thereabouts but after a hit like that hopefully I can nail that down and be a genuine all-rounder rather than just a bowler that bats a bit and gives it a whack. After today I will hopefully step up and take the all-rounder role and keep going from here and score a few more hundreds over the course of the summer.”Kent were threatening to throw away their good work on the opening day with Ajmal Shahzad claiming two wickets during an explosive early burst from the Kirkstall Lane end and then Adil Rashid, Yorkshire’s leg-spinner, claimed another as Kent lost three wickets inside thefirst 15 overs.Coles was aggressive from the start, reaching his half-century in only 47 balls, and with Davies’ experience guiding him through from the other end, he capitalised on Yorkshire’s attack losing their focus at times. He was not without good fortune with Ryan Sidebottom dropping him at backward square leg on 56 and failing to hold a swirling chance at mid-off on on 69.Davies fell shortly after reaching his half-century, edging Anthony McGrath to slip, leaving Coles potentially stranded on 95 when last man Charlie Shreck walked out to join him. He drove Rashid straight to Andrew Gale, Yorkshire’s captain, on the cover boundary who somehowspilled the regulation catch with Coles admitting: “my heart was in my mouth.”He took no more chances with the next delivery and reverse swept Rashid for six to bring up his century and prompt the declaration. There was only enough time for nine overs to be bowled before tea, which Yorkshire survived without any further setback, before rain and bad light caused a premature end to the day’s play.

Barrow buoys Somerset but Durham cling on

ScorecardDurham avenged last season’s CB40 semi-final defeat at Taunton with a 14-run win against injury-hit Somerset at Chester-le-Street. It looked like being a stroll for Durham, but former England Under-19 batsman Alex Barrow marked his debut in the competition by playing some audacious strokes to score 72.Somerset needed 76 in 9.3 overs when Barrow was joined on 147 for 8 by George Dockrell, but they had reduced the target down to 18 off eight balls when Barrow skied a catch on the leg side. In the final over Dockrell was caught at long-off and Somerset were all out for 208.Graham Onions was pulled out of Durham’s team following his inclusion in England’s 13-man squad for the first Test against the West Indies and his replacement, Jamie Harrison, took two wickets in his first seven balls. The 21-year-old left-arm seamer marked his debut by having Craig Kieswetter and Peter Trego lbw on the front foot.Chasing Durham’s 222 for 9, Somerset rallied from 24 for 3 through a stand of 57 between Arul Suppiah and Craig Meschede, which was ended by Liam Plunkett’s first ball of the season. It was short and wide but Suppiah cracked it fiercely to Will Smith, who leapt to take the catch above his head at backward point.After working on his action over the winter in an attempt to restore his accuracy, Plunkett has been playing in the second XI. In his second over Craig Meschede also chased a wide one and sliced to Gareth Breese at deep gully and Plunkett went on to finish with 4 for 33.Jamie Overton took 4 for 42 for Somerset, although he did bowl four of his side’s 10 wides. His last two victims were caught at long-on by his twin, Craig.Craig Meschede dismissed Paul Collingwood, who had pulled two sixes over a short boundary on his way to 13 when he went down the pitch in the ninth over and skied to deep mid-on. Durham recovered from 43 for 3 through Gordon Muchall and Will Smith putting on 124 in 24 overs.Muchall dominated, scoring 75 off 87 balls with six fours and a six, while Smith struggled to find his timing and survived two sharp chances in scoring 18 off the first 41 balls he faced. But he showed the value of patience as things suddenly clicked and he hit two sixes in accelerating to 55 off 66 balls.

Kolkata earn hard-fought points

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsGautam Gambhir held the first half of the chase together•AFP

The Deccan Chargers bowlers strived to earn their side a maiden victory in this season of the IPL but, even on a slow pitch that turned, they did not have enough runs to defend. The upshot was a fifth consecutive defeat for the home side while Kolkata Knight Riders drew level with the other top teams in the tournament with their fourth win. The finish, however, was far more tense and hard fought than was expected after Chargers had been limited to only 126.For the briefest of periods, Chargers looked like posting a stronger total. And then, though wickets did not fall in a heap, the scoring-rate began to splutter and the innings stuttered. The odd boundary would be followed by periods of low productivity, depriving Chargers of all momentum. The Knight Riders’ chase followed a similar pattern – at no stage did the batsmen consistently dominate the bowling. However, they kept the situation under control by staying abreast with the asking-rate, ensuring the pressure did not get too intense to handle.While Gautam Gambhir and Jacques Kallis were steering the chase, Knight Riders were in control. Then Gambhir mis-hit Anand Rajan to mid-off, leaving his team on 64 for 3 in 9.5 overs. Yusuf Pathan clouted one six off the spinner Ankit Sharma before trying to slog the next ball and getting bowled. Kallis, however, stayed calm and in the company of Manoj Tiwary took Knight Riders slowly but steadily towards their target.Things came to a head when Kumar Sangakkara brought back Dale Steyn for his final over, with 26 to defend off 24 balls. Kallis drove hard at the first ball, and edged past the keeper for four. The second, he edged to the keeper. Steyn, now pumped, bowled with hostility at Debabrata Das. He then got into a minor confrontation with Tiwary, who came towards the bowler to exchange words after playing to mid-off, and then had to scramble back as Kumar Sangakkara threw at the stumps but missed.The pressure built up in the 18th over – Knight Riders scored only 3 off four balls – and 17 were needed from 14 deliveries. Then Das lofted Veer Pratap Singh towards long-on, where Rajan ran in but misjudged the catch, costing his side a wicket and two runs. Chargers, whose coach Darren Lehmann had said they fielded like 14-year olds earlier in the week, had fluffed their last chance.The start in Cuttack had been delayed by a little more than an hour because of rain, but no overs were lost. Before the interruption, however, both captains had got what they wanted at the toss, with Sangakkara saying he would have batted after Gambhir chose to bowl. Sangakkara did not go on to have a good day, losing his middle stump to L Balaji after a scratchy 12 off 15 balls.Shikhar Dhawan, on the other hand, was spunky at the start. In the third over, he heaved Yusuf, who had opened the bowling with his offspin, over wide long-on for six. Little did Chargers know that it would be the innings’ only six, until Steyn hit one in the 20th over. Dhawan also pulled and drove Brett Lee powerfully for four, gathering five boundaries in his first 22 balls. Little did Dhawan know he would not hit another one in his next 28.Chargers had made 30 for 0 after four overs when the slowdown began, with Sunil Narine and Balaji operating with discipline. After Sangakkara fell, Dhawan and Parthiv Patel batted without dominating the bowling. Parthiv was eventually run out in the 12th over, but even Cameron White, who replaced Daniel Christian for this game, could not improve Chargers’ situation. He fell slogging Lee to deep square leg; Lee’s last two overs, the 15th and 17th, yielded only four runs.Dhawan had anchored the innings but he too was going nowhere, and his struggle ended when he mis-hit a full toss from Rajat Bhatia to deep midwicket. He was gone for a run-a-ball 50. He would say later that the pitch was hard to bat on. Knight Riders also found batting tough, but they were tough enough to get over the line.

Gayle formally recalled to West Indies squad

Chris Gayle’s 15-month international exile is over after he was formally recalled to the West Indies ODI squad for the forthcoming series against England, starting in Southampton on June 16.In keeping with the fractious and drawn out nature of the dispute that kept Gayle out of the team, his recall was confirmed after a meeting of more political than selection nature in St Vincent. Gayle and the West Indies Players’ Association chief executive*, Michael Hall, spoke with an array of political and cricket figures including the island’s prime minister Ralph Gonsalves, Antigua and Barbuda prime minister Baldwin Spencer, WICB president Julian Hunte, WICB director Elson Crick and the WICB’s legal officer Alanna Medford.The meeting, devised to smooth over any “residual matters” between Gayle and the WICB, was followed by the announcement of the squad for the limited-overs segment of the England tour, with Gayle returning to the ranks for the first time since the 2011 World Cup.

West Indies’ ODI squad

Chris Gayle, Johnson Charles, Lendl Simmons, Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Darren Sammy (capt), Dwayne Smith, Andre Russell, Tino Best, Fidel Edwards, Ravi Rampaul, Sunil Narine

“Directors of the West Indies Cricket Board recently met by teleconference and are pleased that consistent with his previous commitment Mr Chris Gayle has made himself available for selection to the West Indies team,” a WICB statement had said of the meeting. “The board believes that Mr Gayle’s stated commitment to West Indies cricket will be an asset to the team and looks forward to his contributions in that regard.”Gayle’s recall was first mooted during West Indies’ earlier home series against Australia, when he met with WICB officials to repair a relationship that had deteriorated around the emergence of Twenty20 and the rise of the Indian Premier League. It then dissolved entirely when the former captain criticised the coach Ottis Gibson and the WICB during a radio interview last year.In England the mood for Gayle’s return has gathered strength, pushed along by the words of Kevin Pietersen, who said it would be “brilliant for the game” if he was recalled, while the former West Indies fast bowler and widely respected commentator Michael Holding effectively challenged the WICB to stop delaying Gayle’s rehabilitation as an international player.Lendl Simmons is the other notable recall to the ODI team after he missed the home matches against Australia. Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell also return to the team for limited-overs matches after completing their IPL duties.*15:44 GMT, June 5: The article had qualified Michael Hall as Chris Gayle’s agent. This has been changed.

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