Never term coaches as Indian or overseas - Bangar

Sanjay Bangar, the India assistant coach, has said that it is unfair to categorise the coach as Indian or overseas, and that what matters instead is the competence of the man in the job.

"It should never be termed as an Indian or an overseas coach," Bangar told ESPNcricinfo in an interview to be published on Thursday. "We need to get over such things. You need to be competent enough. You need to be challenging your own benchmark on a regular basis. Cricket is evolving and any person in that capacity (coach) needs to constantly evolve, try and improve and bring fresh ideas."

Bangar, along with B Arun and R Sridhar, was rushed to England by the BCCI in August to assist Duncan Fletcher for the ODI leg of India's tour after the 1-3 Test series loss. Despite the abruptness of the BCCI call, Bangar, the 41-year old former India opener, said he was far from being "overwhelmed" at the job. "I just look at the job as one level ahead, as a responsibility. It is again about trying build relationships, trying to earn respect, trying to earn the trust of the people you work with. It takes time."

Bangar, who retired from first-class cricket in January 2013, was handpicked by Ravi Shastri, the team director during the England ODI series, because he felt that an Indian could serve the team better. "It all boils down to individuals," Bangar said. "How badly one wants to make a mark that probably drives the kind of work he eventually does."

When he received a call from the board, Bangar was putting in place plans for Kings XI Punjab's campaign in the Champions League T20 as only the second Indian head coach of an IPL franchise after Lalchant Rajput at Mumbai Indians in 2008. Discarded as not fit for T20 as a player as recently as 2009, Bangar excelled as coach when his tactics and open approach helped Kings XI to make their maiden IPL final, where they lost to Kolkata Knight Riders, the same franchise that had sent Bangar back home five years ago.

Bangar spoke in the interview about how he relied on the experience of Virender Sehwag, who he said was instrumental in keeping the Kings XI dressing room competitive. Sehwag, 35, has been out of the India side for more than a year, but according to Bangar, he still carried the same imposing presence as a batsman with which he had built his career. "His overall personality and the way he conducted himself without any sort of inflated self-importance had a tremendous impact on the entire group. Not just the uncapped Indian players, but even among the overseas players."

Bangar was optimistic about Sehwag still being able to make an international comeback. "By the way he has played his cricket (in the IPL) he has made a case for himself. The hundred he got in the qualifier (122 off 58 balls against Chennai Super Kings) was a special innings and everybody would agree to it."

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India support staff set for longer run

Sanjay Bangar, B Arun and R Sridhar are expected to remain part of India's coaching staff until the World Cup. The trio were part of a rejig of the backroom personnel after the 3-1 loss to England in the Tests. A decision regarding Ravi Shastri's role of team director and Duncan Fletcher's as head coach will be made at the BCCI's working committee meeting on September 26. The popular opinion among the BCCI top brass though is that it would be too risky to change the coach with barely four months left for the World Cup.

ESPNcricinfo understands that Bangar, Arun and Sridhar have been hinted that they were in line to continue as assistant coaches and fielding coach upon their return from England. As a result, the Andhra Cricket Association, which had appointed Sridhar as their head coach for the coming domestic season, have made alternate arrangements for their team's support staff. A formal call will be made during the working committee meeting, which will also discuss Shastri's report.

The three of them were praised by Shastri after India ended their tour of England with a 3-1 series win in the ODIs. "All three of them have done an excellent job in the short period they have been given," Shastri had told ESPNcricinfo.

This could mean that Trevor Penney and Joe Dawes, who were given a break as fielding and bowling coach respectively, might no longer stay part of the coaching staff. Their contracts, though, run until the end of the world cup and a decision to terminate them or use them in other roles would also be taken at the meeting. One of the options being considered is to use Dawes and Penney as coaches at the National Cricket Academy at Bangalore.

The BCCI top brass are keen to retain Shastri as team director for the world cup, however Shastri himself is undecided over whether he wants to enjoy the tournament from the dressing room or commentator's box.

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Bravo fined for verbally offending Bangladesh batsmen

Darren Bravo, the West Indies batsman, has been found guilty of a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for verbally offending the opposition batsmen during the fourth and final day's play in the second Test against Bangladesh in St Lucia.

Bravo was found to have breached Article 2.1.8 of the code, which relates to "…Where the facts of the alleged incident are not adequately or clearly covered by any of the above offences, conduct that either : (a) is contrary to the spirit of the game; or (b) brings the game into disrepute."

An ICC release stated that Bravo had been warned on several occasions not to approach and verbally offend the opposition batsmen and repeatedly failed to heed the umpires' instructions.

Bravo disputed the offence and a formal hearing was then conducted by match referee Roshan Mahanama, with the charge having initially been brought by on-field umpires Steve Davis, Richard Illingworth, third umpire Marais Erasmus and fourth umpire Peter Nero. Mahanama found Bravo guilty and issued a fine of 30% of his match fee.

"The umpires felt that the player's behaviour brought the game into disrepute and he was reminded of his responsibilities to extend respect at all times to both his opponent and to match officials," Mahanama said.

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Gale charged with racist abuse after 'Kolpak' outburst

Yorkshire's captain Andrew Gale has become the first county cricketer to be accused of a racism offence after he was charged on Wednesday by the ECB for a confrontation with Ashwell Prince in the Roses match which included a rejoinder to return to his own country, followed by a disparaging use of the term "Kolpak".

ESPNcricinfo revealed that the Kolpak term was part of the issue under investigation by the ECB hours after Gale was barred from collecting the Championship trophy on Yorkshire's behalf following their clinching of the title with victory against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

Now the Daily Telegraph has confirmed that the ECB intends to press ahead with the charge in defiance of Yorkshire's fury that their captain's reputation has been tainted.

The ECB's charge will be that Gale used abusive language with racist connotations when the case the governing body laid itself is heard by its own disciplinary committee.

Yorkshire are assembling a legal team to contest the charge, which has left relationships between the county and the ECB - historically, often shaky - at their lowest levels for years and soured celebrations of their first Championship title for 13 years

The hearing could take place next week with Gale anticipating a Level 3 charge.

Gale's outburst came against Prince, Lancashire's South African batsman, who qualifies to play domestic cricket by virtue of the Kolpak rule, on the third evening of the Roses match on September 3.

Gale had become increasingly incensed at OId Trafford by Prince's sledging and timewasting as Yorkshire pushed for victory. As tempers flared, Prince told Gale to get back to his fielding position, Gale's rejoinder to Prince was that he should get back to his own country and included a reference to Prince's Kolpak status. There was a dose of bad language on both sides.

The umpires brought a Level 2 charge and Gale was suspended for two matches but the ECB was not satisfied that the affair had been sternly enough dealt with.

Prince's immediate on-field gesticulations indicated that he viewed the outburst as having racist overtones, and as a Cape Coloured South African immersed in South Africa's apartheid history, his response was perhaps not altogether surprising.

Yorkshire will contend that there is no country, nor racial origin for Kolpaks - it is simply a descriptive term for those from many countries who are playing in county cricket because of reciprocal EU trade agreements.

The ECB itself has lobbied hard against Kolpak registrations, with some success, and some senior officials have not always referred to their presence in county cricket in a decorous manner. They, though, are not on trial.

The ECB, led by the chairman Giles Clarke, is adamant that its task is to uphold behavioural standards in the game and no right-thinking person would question that removing the scourge of racism from cricket is a noble aim. Whether Gale's outburst can be fairly regarded in that vein, and whether this is an appropriate occasion on which to make a stand on such a sensitive and important issue, will now be fought out by the lawyers.

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Libby emulates Taylor with debut ton

Nottinghamshire 310 for 3 (Libby 108, Taylor 101*, Hales 57) trail Sussex 391 by 81 runs
Scorecard

Centuries from Jake Libby and James Taylor helped Nottinghamshire close on 310 for 3 on the second day of their Championship match against Sussex at Trent Bridge. On his county debut Libby scored 108 from 262 balls, hitting 16 fours and sharing in a stand of 181 in 48 overs with Taylor, who ended the day on 101 not out.

Earlier, Sussex had come within nine runs of maximum batting points before being bowled out for 391. Resuming on 358 for 9, Ashar Zaidi had frustrated Nottinghamshire's bowlers during the first half hour of the day as he and Lewis Hatchett added a further 33 runs to the score. Zaidi was put down in the slips by Samit Patel, denying Luke Fletcher what would have been his 200th first-class wicket but then perished in the next over to Harry Gurney.

In reply, Libby opened the innings with Alex Hales and the two right-handers were both reprieved by Ed Joyce: Hales put down from the bowling of Chris Jordan and Libby, on 25, dropped off Steve Magoffin.

From then on chances were few and far between as Hales passed 1000 first class runs for the season, although 78 of them had come during his one-match loan to Worcestershire earlier in the campaign. Hales advanced to 57 but was then beaten by a Magoffin delivery that nipped back and clipped his off stump. Michael Lumb followed swiftly, edging behind without scoring.

Libby advanced to his 50 from 119 balls, with eight fours and showed great temperament throughout. Alert enough to punish a tiring attack, he played his shots all around the wicket and had the ideal partner in Taylor, who could appreciate what was at stake for the youngster.

Libby's hundred came just before the second new ball was due, running Chris Nash to the third man boundary to become only the 11th Nottinghamshire player to score a ton on his debut - and the first since Taylor, who was quick to congratulate his batting partner. A couple of overs later Libby was gone for 108, departing to a standing ovation after being bowled by Hatchett.

Taylor had enough time left in the day to reach his first Championship century of the season, his own hundred coming from 146 balls with 12 fours.

Libby was proud of his century and pleased he could share the occasion with his family. "The whole day has been crazy, it's just been surreal," he said. "I was very nervous in the nineties and obviously to get it away past point for the hundred was a great moment. Both parents were in the crowd and it's obviously a great moment for them. I'm just chuffed with how it has gone."

Sussex opener Nash is hoping his side can get some more wickets on Wednesday. He said: "I always enjoy coming here but it's been a very tough day. You really have to work hard for your wickets out there - it's a very good pitch to bat on."

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Match swings after Roy resistance

Surrey 181 and 279 (Roy 81, Footitt 3-62, Wainwright 3-62) lead Derbyshire 210 (Madsen 63, Meaker 4-39, Linley 4-79) by 250 runs
Scorecard

Jason Roy hit an aggressive 81 from 86 balls to lead a dramatic Surrey counterattack on the second day of their Championship Division Two match against Derbyshire at The Oval.

Roy's thrilling strokeplay either side of tea transformed a contest which seemed to be Derbyshire's for the taking when they had reduced Surrey to 114 for 5 in their second innings after earlier reaching 210 themselves for a 29-run first innings lead. But with Arun Harinath supporting him solidly with 42, in a sixth wicket stand worth 122, Roy quickly took control on a pitch on which 25 wickets had tumbled in a day and a half.

Surrey, bowled out for 279 just before stumps, have set Derbyshire 251 for victory on day three - and that is by no means a straightforward task. Beautiful late summer sunshine, however, seemed to draw some of the sting from a well-grassed surface and Roy swept to a 61-ball fifty to become the sixth Division Two batsman to pass 1000 Championship runs for the season.

When Harinath fell, edging behind off left-arm spinner David Wainwright, it was a 10th catch in the match for 18-year-old debutant Harvey Hosein, equalling a Derbyshire wicketkeeping record held jointly by Bob Taylor, who performed the feat in 1963, and Harry Elliott, in 1935. Hosein then claimed that Derbyshire record all to himself by snapping up Gareth Batty's edge off Mark Footitt.

Harinath's dismissal, in the 65th over, was followed five balls later by that of Roy, who marked the recall of Footitt by pulling the fast bowler's third delivery back straight to Alex Hughes at deep square-leg.

Earlier, Roy had taken 10 runs from the last over before tea, bowled by Footitt, and after the interval two fours in succession through the covers off Hughes signalled his intention to press the accelerator. Ben Cotton's fast-medium and Wes Durston's offspin then felt the full force of Roy's swashbuckling strokeplay and Derbyshire's batsmen will have to play well to reach their win target on a pitch that still has something in it for seamers and spinners alike.

Derbyshire's first innings, which resumed on 164 for 5 in reply to Surrey's initial 181, lasted only another 80 minutes as Wayne Madsen, ninth out for 63, saw his lower order crumble against pace trio Jade Dernbach, Stuart Meaker and Tim Linley.

Hosein, driving with no foot movement, edged behind off Dernbach for four to the fourth ball of the day and Wayne White was bowled by Linley for 6. Wainwright nicked Dernbach to first slip on 1 and after Madsen had reached 1000 first-class runs for the season, he edged Meaker to keeper Gary Wilson. Cotton, after a few lusty blows, was held by Steven Davies at third slip to give Meaker figures of 4 for 39.

By lunch Surrey had lost both Rory Burns,caught at third slip driving loosely and Vikram Solanki, edging behind, to Cotton and - after the interval - Davies, Zafar Ansari and Wilson all got in without being able to go on. Davies, on 22, was bowled by medium-pacer Hughes and Ansari's dogged two-hour 35 ended when Hosein accepted another edge. When Wilson chopped on against Wainwright, for 16, Surrey were at a low ebb, but Roy and Harinath came to the rescue.

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Borthwick, Collingwood punish Northants

Durham 362 for 8 (Borthwick 136, Collingwood 101, Wagner 4-95) v Northamptonshire
Scorecard

Centuries by Scott Borthwick and Paul Collingwood helped Durham to 362 for 8 at Chester-le-Street after an opening-day washout. Bad light ended play 10 overs prematurely, but 181 runs were added in the afternoon session as relegated Northants threatened to fall apart.

After reducing Durham to 110 for 4 they allowed Borthwick and Collingwood to put on 67 in the next 10 overs and they went on to add 187 in 41. Both batsmen are in prime form, with Borthwick scoring 176 in last week's win at Lord's, where Collingwood made two half-centuries to follow his hundred at home to Nottinghamshire the previous week.

The bowlers gave them some easy pickings in the afternoon, when there were also several examples of shoddy fielding. With acting captain James Middlebrook giving himself only seven overs, Northampton's over rate read minus three. But the seamers kept running in enthusiastically and tightened up as the cloud cover increased and the ball began to swing.

After Northamptonshire had chosen to bowl, Keaton Jennings pushed forward and edged Neil Wagner to first slip. It was Jennings' third successive duck and it would have also been his third successive golden duck had he not been dropped first ball at Lord's.

Wagner also had Ben Stokes caught by Andrew Hall at slip for 13 but the New Zealand Test left-armer conceded runs at six an over until he was brought back late in the day. The new ball was due, but he swung the old one in to have Collingwood lbw, then had Chris Rushworth caught behind to finish with 4 for 95.

Borthwick reached 1000 Championship runs on 19 as he and Mark Stoneman put on 40 for the second wicket before the opener fell lbw to Azharullah. Michael Richardson took 13 balls to get off the mark and made only 11 before he was beaten by a ball from Hall which swung past the outside edge to hit off stump.

Once Borthwick and Collingwood had made their flying start, the only subsequent chance they gave Northamptonshire came when Borthwick was dropped on 82, a regulation shin-high chance to wicketkeeper Ben Duckett off one of Maurice Chambers' better deliveries. Borthwick slowed up either side of being dropped, but on 97 he eased Azharullah through backward point. He was always going to run three, but was handed four when Chambers, who had run round from third man, dived over the ball.

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Tamim's wicket was key - Ramdin

West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin said that changing Suleiman Benn's end during the Tamim Iqbal-Mominul Haque third-wicket partnership was what swung the St Lucia Test his way. As soon as Benn had Tamim caught off a top edge, the home side took the next seven wickets in 18.5 overs to win by 296 runs.

Bangladesh were reeling at 48 for 2 when Tamim and Mominul consolidated to add 110 runs for the third wicket. They played out a session without getting out, only their second such period during the Test series. They survived a Darren Bravo drop when Mominul edged one to him at first slip with his score on 29.

After both had reached their slowest fifties in Test cricket, Ramdin asked Benn to change ends and bowl with the wind blowing from the on-side. Tamim gave Shannon Gabriel a catch after which came the collapse.

"We were trying to keep the run-rate down and try to create the opportunity but we didn't take that chance," Ramdin said. "We also tried to switch the bowlers around, and make them hit [Suleiman] Benn against the breeze. He [Tamim Iqbal] tried that and it came off for us."

Ramdin, however, felt that wickets in hand on the final day could have led to an open game. "It was a very good batting pitch, still," he said. "Going into the fifth day, it could have gone either way with wickets in hand. But it becomes very difficult for a new guy coming into bat here and get a start."

He praised the contributions of Man of the Match Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Man of the Series Kraigg Brathwaite, although there were times when the pair tested their captain's patience with their diligence. But Chanderpaul was not dismissed once in the series while Brathwaite scored his first double-hundred in an aggregate of 324 runs at an average of 108.

"Those two stood out throughout the series for us," Ramdin said. "Kraigg's double-century and Shiv didn't get out in the series. They batted and batted, and took the opposition out of the game. India is going to be a very big series for us, and I am sure we will come good there."

Chanderpaul, who reached his 30th Test century earlier in the day and is now four short of Brian Lara's 34, said that his mantra was to tell himself to remain at the crease when the day ends and come back to bat the next day.

"I obviously feel great, winning the Test match was the most important thing," Chanderpaul said. "It was our aim from the beginning, get as much as we can from the first innings and see where we go. As a batter, you can't think about getting out. You have to think about coming to bat the next day. I was trying to maintain that and hopefully I can carry on wherever I go."

But it was all doom and gloom for Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, who was left picking up the pieces after a second Test series loss. He conceded that the team had not found out a way to avoid a collapse during crucial periods in a match.

"It has been a problem in the last couple of years," Mushfiqur said. "We haven't worked it out yet. It is all sorts of mental and skill-related things. Sometimes it is skills, sometimes it is mental. We need to be tough. Because this is Test cricket, we need to be tough for the whole session, not one or two hours.

"I think Tamim, Mominul, Mahmudullah, Al-Amin played well, as did Taijul. But we need to improve a lot as a group. We have a home series coming up against Zimbabwe which will be a tough one so all the boys will get a break and let's see how it goes."

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Dhoni glad to have Bravo back

After Chennai Super Kings were knocked out of the IPL earlier this year, MS Dhoni had highlighted the injury to West Indies allrounder Dwayne Bravo as one of the main reasons for the campaign ending early.

Bravo had been the leading wicket-taker in the 2013 IPL but could play only one game in the 2014 season before being sidelined by a shoulder problem. One of the five players retained by Super Kings ahead of this year's player auction, Bravo is back with squad for the Champions League.

"We missed Dwayne Bravo during the IPL. He got injured," MS Dhoni said. "That really affected the strength, combination and stability of the side. It is good to have him (Bravo) back."

Two days ahead of the start of Super Kings' CLT20 campaign in Hyderabad, Dhoni talked about how little time there was for the squad to prepare for this tournament. "We don't get 10 days before the start of the tournament. It is usually pretty fast. Especially the fact, most of the Indian cricketers, they are part of the ODI squad and they are coming from England, which means [they] will be arriving here late.

"In my case, I just came here (Hyderabad) today. So, you don't get the same amount of time with the team. As I said, it has its own challenge. Still it is good. We get enough time to get together. The two months of IPL, the time, we spend that really helps us. It becomes like a refresher course, where you get together and start getting your acts together."

While the IPL has been a blockbuster hit over the years, attendances and the following of the CLT20 have lagged well behind, but Dhoni defended the tournament. "The idea of Champions League T20 is brilliant. But also, it becomes difficult to indulge the Indian crowds at the same level if you compare to IPL. Because, if two teams from abroad are playing, you won't get the same kind of crowd, may be when two Indian teams are playing, the interest of crowd grows. This is a challenge."

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Parvez Rasool tells of flood horror

Parvez Rasool, the India offspinner, has spoken of the hardship he and his family have endured during the on-going floods in his home state of Jammu & Kashmir. He said his home in the Anantnag district had been flooded and they had been without proper communication for about ten days.

The northern Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir has suffered extensive damage to life and property since the beginning of September because several rivers were in spate due to torrential rainfall. "For the last 11 days, I was literally cut off from society as none of the telephones or cell-phones were working," Rasool told PTI. "It was a helpless situation for me and my family. We were staying on the first floor as the ground floor was filled with floodwater.

"The situation was terrible but it's better in Anantnag right now. I am planning to come to Srinagar within next two days. I haven't been able to contact my Jammu & Kashmir Ranji team-mates.

"In fact, a local NGO over here did tremendous work as they reached out to people with food, essential medicine and clothes. We also received help from the NGO as we were stuck inside our house.

"After watching them work for three to four days, I also joined the relief workers and did my bit in helping them. I am only 25, but people, who are of my grandfather's age said they have not seen anything like this [flood] in their lifetime. There were times when we were taking water from the overhead tanks and boiling everything as there is a chance of infection.

"I only hope that by next week things change for the better as the people from the economically backward sections are the ones who have been suffering a lot. You feel pained watching their plight.

Rasool said he hoped to resume cricket practice as soon as possible. "It's never happened that I have missed training for two weeks. I have to get back to training."

The Indian domestic season begins with the Vijay Hazare one-day competition on November 7.

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