Australia reclaim top Test ranking
Sydney: Australia have reclaimed the number one Test ranking for the first time in five years following their Ashes whitewash of England and a series defeat of South Africa. Australia also remain the top-rated one day international side in the latest official rankings from the International Cricket Council. It is the first time since December 2008 that Australia have been ranked number one in Tests and ODIs at the same time. They last held the top Test ranking in August 2009, when they were displaced after losing the Ashes 2-1 to England. Darren Lehmann’s Australians nudged out South Africa, who had held the top Test spot since August 2012. Australia gained eight ratings points to move up from 115 to 123 points to be equal with South Africa, who dropped from 127, but Australia moved ahead by a fraction of a point. England are currently third, ahead of Pakistan and India. (AFP)
Gooch removed as England batting coach
LONDON: Graham Gooch has been sacked as England’s batting coach with immediate effect, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Thursday, as the fallout from the Ashes drubbing continued. The former England captain joined the team as a consultant batting coach in late 2009 before taking up a fulltime role in early 2012. His departure was announced two weeks after Peter Moores returned as England coach in place of Andy Flower, who resigned following the whitewash Down Under in January. “After discussions with (captain) Alastair Cook, he informed me that he was in favour of change,” Gooch, 60, said in an ECB statement. “Although this was sad news, I respect his, and new coach Peter Moores, right to implement this change of direction.” A veteran of 118 Tests in which he scored 8,900 runs, Gooch said Cook was still the best man to lead England despite presiding over the 5-0 Ashes rout. “Alastair is the right man to captain England. He commands respect and will always put his body on the line for his country,” he said. (Reuters)
Billy Bowden returns to elite umpire panel
Dubai: The ICC on Thursday announced the Emirates Elite Panel of umpires for 2014-2015, commencing from July 1, following the annual review and selection process. The only change to the panel from last year is the return of Billy Bowden, who has replaced Tony Hill. Hill had stepped down from the elite panel earlier this year to take up the role as New Zealand Cricket (NZC) umpire coach. Bowden previously served on the elite panel from 2003-2013 and has umpired in 76 Tests, 189 ODIs and 21 T20Is. The Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires for 2014-2015: Aleem Dar, Billy Bowden, Kumar Dharmasena, Steve Davis, Marais Erasmus, Ian Gould, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Bruce Oxenford, Paul Reiffel and Rod Tucker. (PTI)
Sania, Cara reach Portugal Open semis, Somdev knocked out
Oeiras (Portugal): Sania Mirza and doubles partner Cara Black marched into the semifinals of the Portugal Open while Somdev Devvarman went down against top seed Tomas Berdych in the men’s singles second round here on Thursday. Continuing their good form, the top-seeded pair of Sania and Cara chalked out a 6-3, 6-4 win over Silvia Soler-Espinosa and Shuai Zhang. The Indo-Zimbabwean team defeated the Spanish-Chinese pair in one hour and nine minutes at the clay court event. They will fight it out against the third-seeded American pair of Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond for a place in the final. Sania has partnered both Huber and Raymond in the past. In the men’s singles, Somdev could not do much to match Berdych’s class, losing 6-3, 6-2 in the round of 16. The 102-ranked Indian had beaten 64th-ranked Australian Matthew Ebden in the opening round on Tuesday. It was Somdev’s first victory after five straight first-round defeats in the last three months. Also on Thursday, Divij Sharan and partner P Raja lost 6-2, 6-2 to top seeds Pablo Cuevas and David Marrero. (PTI)