Cook worried by fixing row
Wellington: England captain Alastair Cook revealed his growing concern regarding the prevalence of spot-fixing within cricket on Monday, as fresh evidence of corruption came to light. “You know the tell-tale signs,” Cook said in an interview with the london Evening Standard published on Monday. But you can always do more, can’t you, if it is still going on nowIJ It is a worry,” the opening batsman added. Cook played in the controversial lord’s Test of 2011 which led to three Pakistan players -- Salman Butt, Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Aamer -- being banned and jailed for their roles in a spot-fixing scam. “I’ve been involved already in a high-profile game which has been changed by (corrupt practices), and it cheapens the sport. Clearly, there are more and more cases that seem to be coming up now. “It makes you incredibly worried. I know from how I play the game, you’re trying to protect the values, the traditions and history of the game -- and play it in the right way. “I’ve never been exposed to it personally and I don’t know how deep it goes, but it’s obviously a very serious situation. People have said it’s the tip of the iceberg — and if that’s the case and more and more comes out, it will damage the sport.”
England want more Hales heroics london:
England will hope history repeats itself when they begin their international programme against Sri lanka with a lone Twenty20 international at The Oval on Tuesday. One of the few highlights for England during a recent tour programme that saw them surrender the Ashes 5-0 came in March when Alex Hales’ stunning 116 not out off just 64 balls saw them beat eventual champions Sri lanka at the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh. England eventually bowed out of that tournament with a humiliating 45-run loss to the Netherlands while even Hales’s astonishing innings -- the first century in a Twenty20 international by an England batsman -- has threatened to become something of a millstone around the 25-year-old’s neck. Tradition still holds sway in England, the longer the game the more respect it is accorded. That’s why many England fans regard Tuesday’s match and the five one-day internationals that follow as a ‘warm-up’ for the more ‘serious’ business of the two Test series with Sri lanka. Hales, who has found himself on loan at Worcestershire from Nottinghamshire this season after averaging just 13.94 in County Championship cricket last term, would love to prove he's more than just a Twenty20 specialist. "I feel as though I've got the rest of the package too," the powerful right-hander said Sunday. "I feel if they gave me the chance in 50 overs this summer I would be ready for it. "I've seen a lot of Sri lanka and I feel I would be ready for the chance if it came along."
Gautam fined for showing dissent
Hyderabad: Kolkata Knight Riders captain Gautam Gambhir was on Monday fined 15 per cent of his match fee for showing dissent at an umpire’s decision in his side’s IPl match against Sunrisers Hyderabad here. “In the Pepsi IPl match in Hyderabad last evening, Gautam Gambhir of Kolkata Knight Riders was fined 15 per cent of his match fee for showing dissent at the umpire’s decision,” the IPl said in a statement. “Mr. Gambhir admitted to the level 1 offence (Article 2.1.3) and accepted the sanction. For level 1 breaches of the IPl Code of Conduct, the Match Referee’s decision is final and binding,” the statement read.