Australian newspapers lose defamation appeal against Chris Gayle

Gayle also appealed the size of his payout, seeking an increase.

An Australian media group on Tuesday lost an appeal against an AUD 300,000 ($211,000) defamation payout to West Indies cricket star Chris Gayle after claiming he exposed his genitals to a masseuse.

Gayle was accused by former media group Fairfax, which at the time was publisher of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, of exposing his penis and indecently propositioning the woman in a dressing room during the 2015 World Cup in Sydney.

Gayle vigorously denied the allegations, claiming the journalists behind the series of stories published in the newspapers in 2016 were out to "destroy him".

He won the defamation case in October last year after jurors found Fairfax was motivated by malice and had failed to establish a defence of truth.

The publisher appealed the case arguing it did not receive a fair trial and the judge should have discharged the jury after Gayle's barrister attacked the credibility of the massage therapist.

Gayle also appealed the size of his payout, seeking an increase.

A New South Wales court dismissed both appeals.

Gayle caused a stir in Australia in 2016 prior to the Fairfax stories being published when he attempted to flirt with a presenter on live TV, asking her out for a drink and telling her: "Don't blush, baby."

After winning his court case last year, he tried to spark a bidding war for a tell-all interview, promising that "when I break this down to y'all it will be like a movie".

"Biding (sic) starts at $300K for this interview! So much to say & I will" he tweeted to his then 3.75 million followers.

Fairfax newspapers are now owned by commercial broadcaster Nine Entertainment, which purchased the media company last year.

Business Standard

Cricket's 'Big Three' still dominating the game both on and off the field

India, Australia and England have not only dominated the game but also have been able to strike lucrative domestic broadcasting deals.

Business Standard : They may have each had some slip-ups along the way, but it is perhaps no surprise that cricket's three wealthiest nations -- England, India and Australia -- are in the semi-finals of the World Cup.

The tournament, which will generate some 400 million pounds ($500 million) in broadcast revenues alone, is key in funding the International Cricket Council's work in developing the sport.

Yet most of the money still finds its way to cricket's richest countries.

In the 2016-23 broadcasting cycle, of which the 2019 and 2023 World Cup are the key events, some 93 "associate" or junior cricket nations stand to receive 175 million pounds from the ICC, whereas India will get 320 million pounds alone.

While the 'Big Three' are able to strike lucrative domestic broadcasting deals as well, teams based in poorer local economies such as South Africa and the West Indies are struggling to compete.

They face the constant threat of players quitting international cricket to pursue more lucrative careers in one of the numerous Twenty20 franchise competitions that have sprung up following the huge success of the Indian Premier League.

When promising South Africa fast bowler Duanne Olivier announced he was halting his Proteas career to join English county side Yorkshire, it prompted West Indies captain Jason Holder to call in February for the ICC to introduce a minimum wage for international cricket.

- 'Biggest issue' -

South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, speaking last week before his side ended their World Cup campaign in the group stage, said: "Looking at the one-day side, your players that will move on from the Proteas would potentially move on to the T20 circuit.

"That will become the biggest issue for us to try and stay away from for all players. And that's including myself." New Zealand, the fourth-placed qualifier for the semi-finals, were quicker than most to adapt the realities of the modern game by allowing top players to feature in the IPL, although they were helped by the lack of a clash with their domestic season.

M S Dhoni did right by taking time for 'top-rated' knock against WI: Jasprit Bumrah

Dhoni's rate of scoring has been a topic of debate in the ongoing showpiece.

India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah feels Mahendra Singh Dhoni played a "top-rated" knock in the World Cup clash against the West Indies and did the right thing by taking his time in the middle.

Dhoni's rate of scoring has been a topic of debate in the ongoing showpiece. On Thursday, the former skipper scored 56 off 61 balls, exploding in the last over, to help India post a winning 268-run total on the board against the Caribbeans.

"The innings that he played is the kind which is very under-rated. Sometimes you might feel that he is batting slow but sometimes it is important that he takes time, which he did," Jasprit Bumrah said on 'bcci.tv'.

"He absorbs the pressure and takes the game deep. It was top-rated innings and got us to 268, which was a good total on this pitch.

He knew there were pinch-hitters coming later so he could take his time. Youngsters can learn a lot from this knock," he added.

Speaking of his own performance, the world No.1 ODI bowler reflected on the two-wicket haul which could well have been a hat-trick.

"While bowling the hat-trick ball I was hoping the batsman (Kemar Roach) would expect a fast yorker. So, I thought I would bowl a slower one. I executed it as well but he managed to stop it.

But I am glad I could execute what I planned," he said referring to the 27th over delivery.

India will next face England on Sunday in Birmingham.

Busienss Standard

ICC World Cup 2019: Rishabh Pant flies to England as back up for Dhawan

Rishabh Pant's omission from the original squad had become a topic of heated debates given his stupendous form in the past one year.

Young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant was Wednesday brought in as cover for the injured Shikhar Dhawan in India's World Cup squad.

Pant, whose omission from the original squad became a topic of heated debates given his stupendous form in the past one year, will reach here Wednesday.

His arrival will be a day before India's game against New Zealand and he won't be considered a replacement till the time the team management takes a final call on Dhawan's availability for the rest of the tournament.

ALSO READ: Injured Shikhar Dhawan under observation, will remain in England: BCCI

"Rishabh Pant is being flown in from India as cover at the request of the team management," a senior BCCI official currently in England told PTI.

The 21-year-old is one of the most exciting players to have emerged in Indian cricket. He impressed with Test hundreds during the tours of England and Australia earlier and was in fine form during the IPL last month.

Several former players such as Sunil Gavaskar advocated for his inclusion in the squad if Dhawan fails to recover quickly enough for India. Dhawan has been ruled out of three matches due to a hairline fracture on his left thumb which he sustained during his match-winning hundred in the clash against Australia on Sunday.

"...Dhawan is presently under the observation of the BCCI medical team. The team management has decided that Dhawan will continue to be in England and his progress will be monitored," the Indian team said in a statement on Wednesday night.

"Dhawan sustained an injury on the back of his left hand in the region between the index finger and thumb...," it added.

Business Standard

ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: Why India are best placed to win the trophy

India, currently ranked second in ICC team ODI rankings, dominate ICC player rankings with two batsmen and three bowlers among top 10; also, number 1 batsman and number 1 bowler are both from India.

The much-awaited International Cricket Council (ICC) tournament, the men’s cricket World Cup 2019 (50-over) is scheduled to kick-start from May 30. The cricket world cup (CWC), hosted by England and Wales this time, will see 10 teams playing 47 league matches. Four teams would advance to the knockout stage where two semifinals will be played. The winners of the semis will meet in the final to decide the world champion.

Days before the start of the 12th edition of CWC, we look at the ICC rankings for batsmen, bowlers and all-rounders, and estimate which teams will have the advantage going into the World Cup.

Check World Cup schedule here

According to the latest ICC batsmen ranking, India, New Zealand and South Africa have two players each in top 10 list, while England, Australia, Pakistan and West Indies have a player each. The India cricket team seems to have an advantage in the batting department, with the top two batsmen in the ICC rankings from the country — Virat Kohli (ranked first) and opener Rohit Sharma (second). New Zealand’s Ross Taylor is ranked third, while the only England player among top 10 is Joe Root (ranked 6th).

However, if we were to widen the list from top 10 to top 20, England would find three of its other frontline batsmen making the list — Eoin Morgan (ranked 19th), Jos Butter (14th) and Jonny Bairstow (17th). By comparison, apart from Kohli and Sharma, India have only one player in top 20 — Shikhar Dhawan (13th).

Talking of Australia, which recently returned to winning ways after a team overhaul, have only their skipper, Aaron Finch, in top 10 (ranked ninth). The only other Australian in top 20 is Finch’s opening partner Usman Khawaja (18th). At least three participating teams — Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan — have no representation in ICC’s top 10 batsmen list.

Bowlers

Indians appear to be dominating the ICC rankings in the bowling department, too, with Jasprit Bumrah ranked first, Kuldeep Yadav seventh and Yuzvendra Chahal (eighth) in top 10. Afghanistan have two bowlers on the top 10 list — Rashid Khan (third) after Mujeeb Ur Rahman (ninth). New Zealand have Trent Boult (second) in top 10, while South Africa, regarded the best bowling unit in ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, have two players — Imran Tahir (fourth) and Kasigo Rabada (fifth). Australia have only Pat Cummins (sixth) in the list of top 10, while World Cup favorites England have Adil Rashid (ranked 10th). Again, three participating nations — Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan — have none of their players in the ICC list of top bowlers.

Sultans of swing and spin: Top 10 bowlers to look for in ICC World Cup 2019

From Bumrah to Rabada, these top 10 bowlers will hold the key to their respective teams' success on the pacey and bouncy tracks of England and Wales in ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.

Business Standard : The biggest international 50-over cricket tournament, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, is set to kick off from May 30 in England and Wales, where bowlers would look to have a gala time on pacey and bouncy tracks, considered ideal for testing batsmen’s mettle.

At stake is the dream of every player — the World Cup — and the 10 participating teams would look for an early attack with their bowling arsenal.

It would not be surprising if Pakistan, known to bring the best breed of pacers to the world stage, were to find themselves lacking this time in the midst of some fresh talent coming from other countries.

If the India squad boasts the supremely talented Jasprit Bumrah, Aussies have Adam Zampa, and South Africa Kasigo Rabada. In the spin department, considered the backbone of every bowling attack in today’s cricket, would have an even bigger role this time — the onus to trick batsmen and choke the run flow will be on them.

Let us look at some of the bowlers who could prove lethal in ICC Cricket World Cup 2019:

Jasprit Bumrah, India

The man with the golden arm is currently the number 1 bowler in ICC one-day international (ODI) rankings. This right-arm fast-medium bowler has emerged as one of the most trusted death-over bowlers for his point-precision bowling skills, and he has mastered the art deftly. A yorker specialist, Bumrah has ended India's years-long wait for a quality death-overs bowler. His recent Indian Premier League (IPL) outing bears testament to the skills of this young bowler. This time, batsmen will be wary of the threat he poses while playing his first World Cup.

Hasan Ali, Pakistan

A 24-year-old medium-fast bowler from Pakistan, Hasan seems an outlier in the present Pakistani bowling attack: He is known to tighten the noose around batsmen with tricky bowling and variation rather than relying solely on pace and swing. Hasan will be a key player for Pakistan and remain at the forefront of their bowling attack.

Rashid Khan, Afghanistan

This young bowler is known for his quick googlies and sudden flippers that deceive the batsmen in business. The 123 wickets he has picked in his 57 matches so far clearly show how difficult it would be for batsmen to survive his attack in ICC World Cup 2019.

Who will win ICC World Cup 2019? Check out who the punters are betting on

Bookies expect the Indian captain, Virat Kohli to emerge as the tournament's top run scorer.

With less than a fortnight remaining before the 12th edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup gets underway in England and Wales, the squads for all the 10 participating teams have been announced and the race to predict the winner is gathering steam.

Most online betting websites expect host England to win the tournament. Ladbrokes, for instance, pegs the odds of an England win at 15/8, followed by India (at 3/1) and then defending champions Australia (at 9/2). Simply put, 15/8 is the fraction the bookie is willing to multiply your stake by.

Mathematically, 15/8 implies 15 divided by 8, or the fraction 1.875. So if you bet on England with the odds currently placed at 15/8, the amount you bet will be multiplied by 15 and then divided by 8. The winnings, on this case, will be the result of the above-mentioned fraction plus the amount you originally bet.

For example, bid money Rs 50,000. Odds: 15/8. If you win, the total amount you get will be:

(Rs 50,000 x 15)/8 + Rs 50,000 = Rs 1,43,750

Remember, most websites do charge a small commission on the winnings as well.

Ireland, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan are placed at the bottom of the pyramid with the odds for winning placed at 1000/1, 1000/1 and 100/1, respectively.

Another online betting site, Betway, also expects England to win the ICC World Cup (odds at 3.25), followed by India (odds at 3.75) and Australia (odds at 4.5). It, however, places Sri Lanka (51), Afghanistan and Bangladesh at the bottom of the winners pyramid with odds of 81.

And the prediction does have a solid reasoning. England skipper Eoin Morgan will have the company of Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy, Jos Buttler and Joe Root in the batting department - and all of them have been in good touch.

As regards India, Virat Kohli will lead the side and will to play a crucial role in the batting line-up along with Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and MS Dhoni, who is a seasoned wicket-keeper and a true 'game finisher'.

Business Standard

Sundaram Ravi only Indian among 22 match officials named for World Cup

Madugalle, the most experienced match referee, will be officiating in his sixth World Cup, while it will be the fourth for Broad and Crowe.

Business Standard : Three World Cup winners and one Indian umpire in Sundaram Ravi were Friday named among the 22 match officials for the league stage of the mega event beginning on May 30 in the United Kingdom.

Sixteen umpires and six match referees have been finalised for the 48-match tournament, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced.

Sundaram Ravi once again will be the only Indian officiating in the tournament.

He had recently received a barrage of criticism, including from India captain Virat Kohli, for failing to spot a no-ball from Sri Lanka pacer Lasith Malinga in an IPL game last month.

The opening match between hosts England and South Africa at The Oval will see three World Cup winners officiating.

David Boon will be the match referee, Kumar Dharmasena one of the two on-field umpires and Paul Reiffel the third umpire.

Bruce Oxenford will be the other on-field umpire and Joel Wilson the fourth official for the match.

Boon was a member of the Allan Border-led Australia side that won their first title in 1987, Dharmasena was part of Arjuna Ranatunga's champion team of 1996 and Reiffel was a World Cup winner for Australia under Steve Waugh in 1999.

Others officiating during the tournament will be: Chris Broad, Jeff Crowe, Andy Pycroft, Ranjan Madugalle, Richie Richardson (all match referees); Aleem Dar, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaffaney, Ian Gould, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Ruchira Palliyaguruge, Rod Tucker, Michael Gough, Paul Wilson and Ravi (all umpires).

"It is a tough job with the eyes of the cricketing world on every decision, but this group of 22 is the very best from around the world who will rise to the occasion. I wish them all the very best," said Adrian Griffith, ICC Senior Manager umpires and referees.

Madugalle, the most experienced match referee, will be officiating in his sixth World Cup, while it will be the fourth for Broad and Crowe.

Umpire Dar will be officiating in his fifth World Cup and it will be the fourth and last for Gould, who has announced his retirement after the tournament.

Gould, 61, who was England's wicketkeeper in the 1983 World Cup, has officiated in 74 Tests, 135 ODIs and 37 T20Is.

World Cup: Nice guy, finish first! selectors' veiled advice to Rishabh Pant

Chief selector MSK Prasad said 'Pant was almost there' but finishing matches was the important point where they felt 33-year-old Karthik had an advantage over 21-year-old Rishabh Pant.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on April 15 announced the 15-member national squad for the ICC World Cup 2019 to be held from May 30 in England and Wales.

There were 4-5 slots up for grab as it was evident that remaining seats would go to known names.

ALSO READ: India's 15-player World Cup 2019 squad announced: Check who's in, who's out

Till recently, Rishabh Pant had all in his favour and he was seen as a potential batsman to end India's no. 4 conundrum.

But the selectors had some other plans, they wanted a player who could provide more dimensions (bat, bowl and field) or could finish the matches.

Pant is a new weapon in India's batting arsenal and in a short span he has earned the trust and praise of veteran to active players.

Chairman of selectors, MSK Prasad said, "We all (agreed) that either Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik will come in if Mahi (MS Dhoni) is injured. If it's a crucial match, wicket-keeping is also important. That's the reason we went with Dinesh Karthik. Otherwise, Pant was almost there."

But he later added that finishing the matches was the important factor where 33-year-old Karthik had an advantage over 21-year-old Rishabh Pant.

“That is exactly what we discussed. I’m saying one of the wicketkeepers will make it only if MS is injured. Under pressure, we have seen Karthik finishing matches,” he said.

However, BCCI on April 17 named Rishabh Pant, veteran batsman Ambati Rayudu and young pacer Navdeep Saini as standbys for the tournament.

In January 2019, Pant was named the ICC Emerging Player of the Year at the 2018 ICC Awards. Recently he was given level A contract by the BCCI.

In December 2015, he was named in India's squad for the 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. He made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut for India in January 2017. A year later, he made his Test debut in August 2018, and just two months later, his One Day International (ODI) debut in October 2018.

Business Standard

ICC welcome to take global events out of India: BCCI official on tax issue

Another BCCI official added that while the ICC claims to have an inclusive approach, it looks at every possible opportunity to hurt India's interest.

Business Standard : The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in the recent ICC quarterly meeting was told by the world body to get tax exemption for conducting future global events like the 2021 T20 World Cup and 2023 ODI World Cup. If BCCI fails to get the exemption, it will have to bear the tax liability in hosting the showpiece events. But the move has not gone down well with certain sections within the board.

Speaking to IANS, a senior BCCI official said that the ICC was free to move the tournament out of India if it felt that was the way forward as matters related to tax needed the government's approval and external pressure would not help.

"We will abide by what the Tax Department and the Ministry decides on this. We would love for the World Cup to take place here, but if the ICC wants to play hard ball, they must be ready for everything.

"If they want to take the ICC tournament out of India, it's fine. Let BCCI then take the revenue out of the ICC and see who loses more.

"Those in-charge of administration are trying to take policy decisions without jurisdiction to do so. The ICC will find it difficult to hold the BCCI to those decisions since a lot of these decisions do not have the approval of the board," the official pointed.

Another BCCI official added that while the ICC claims to have an inclusive approach, it looks at every possible opportunity to hurt India's interest.

"It was found earlier that the ICC had a different contract with different member boards. For example, Cricket Australia was only required to make best endeavours to get tax exemption while the BCCI was required to ensure tax exemption.

"See, this is a result of a situation where the present BCCI is found wanting. The CoA bigwig wants to show that he is in control of things and whenever that happens, the democratic functioning of an organisation is the first casualty.

"There is no way that the BCCI should agree to this. The ICC cannot on the one hand say that they aim to have an inclusive approach and on the other hand look at every possible opportunity to hurt India's interest," the official signed off.

ICC World Cup 2019: BCCI can't block Pakistan from competing, says Official

Amid the spiralling speculation, the CoA, comprising Chairman Vinod Rai and former women's captain Diana Edulji, will be meeting in Delhi on Friday.

Business Standard : The Committee of Administrators (CoA) and the BCCI have not prepared any note seeking a ban on Pakistan at the upcoming World Cup and even if such a move is made, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is bound to reject it.

The Pulwama terror attack, that claimed the lives of over 40 CRPF personnel, has escalated the diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan, the reverberations of which are also being felt in the sporting arena.

Already, Pakistani shooters couldn't make the World Cup in Delhi, starting Saturday, after not getting visas. And there is a demand for India to boycott its June 16 World Cup 2019 clash against the neighbours and the matter is likely to come up on the sidelines of the ICC meetings between February 27 to March 2 in Dubai.

"There is absolutely no constitutional or contractual way this could happen. the ICC constitution allows members the right to participate in ICC events as long as they've qualified," a BCCI official told PTI.

Amid the spiralling speculation, the CoA, comprising Chairman Vinod Rai and former women's captain Diana Edulji, will be meeting in Delhi on Friday to discuss the issue of multiple bodies claiming representation of Uttarakhand. But the Pakistan conundrum is likely to cast a shadow on what was to be a routine meet.

"We will discuss all possible options tomorrow and do what is best for the country," Edulji told PTI.

A top BCCI source said even if a note is sent and the ICC agrees to put it out in front of member boards for a vote, India is unlikely to find any support from other nations.

"In case India writes to ICC for Pakistan's removal, then we have to build consensus first to move a resolution at it's Annual Board Meeting in April. We no longer enjoy majority in the ICC board right now. If this goes for floor Test we are certain to lose," he said.

"Not only that, serious doubts will emerge on our chances to host 2021 Champions Trophy and 2023 World Cup," he added.

The call to boycott Pakistan has been made by some prominent voices such as senior off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and former captain and Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Sourav Ganguly.

Among the current players, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and pacer Mohammed Shami have called for decisive action to deal with terror strikes carried out by Pakistan-based terror groups.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: Is it coming home to England this time?

With 100 days until the 2019 World Cup gets underway, might it be the year that England lift the global game's premier limited-overs trophy at long last?

Business Standard : With 100 days until the 2019 World Cup gets underway, might it be the year that England lift the global game's premier limited-overs trophy at long last? England -- the pioneers of one-day cricket as a professional sport -- have taken part in every World Cup since staging the inaugural men's event in 1975.

But all they have to show for their efforts are runners-up medals from the 1979, 1987 and 1992 finals.

Test cricket has long been the priority for everyone in English cricket, be they players, fans or administrators.

That changed, however, after another World Cup group-stage exit at the 2015 edition in Australia and New Zealand was sealed with a woeful loss to Bangladesh.

Then England and Wales Cricket Board supremo Andrew Strauss decreed that white-ball cricket would no longer be the "poor relation", with the former England captain sacking head coach Peter Moores and bringing in Australian Trevor Bayliss specifically to turn round the team's limited-overs form.

The transformation has been remarkable with a newly-liberated England twice setting new records for the highest ODI totals -- their 444 for three against Pakistan at Trent Bridge in 2016 a prelude to last year's colossal 481 for six at the same ground.

England, captained in 50-over cricket by former Ireland batsman Eoin Morgan, with the side featuring Test skipper Joe Root and the hard-hitting talents of Jason Roy, Alex Hales and Jos Buttler, now sit atop the ODI world rankings heading into their upcoming five-match series away to the West Indies.

'Now is the time'

"We can say we were the best ODI side to play for England... but without a trophy, it will be difficult to say that," said all-rounder Moeen Ali, looking to help England's men win just their second major global event following the 2010 World Twenty20 in the Caribbean.

"We have come close and we feel now is the time."

"We don't feel we have to win it, it's more 'this is the time to win it'. We are an amazing side but we know this year is massive for us," added Moeen, with England, as was the case in 1975, playing host to a World Cup and an Ashes series in the same season.

But unlike that first eight-team edition 43 years ago, which featured two then non-Test sides in East Africa and the long since elevated Sri Lanka, this year's event will be a 10-team affair contested solely by Test nations.