Williamson ton crushes Cobras

Northern Knights 206 for 5 (Williamson 101*, Devcich 67) beat Cobras 44 for 2 by 33 runs (D/L method)
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

In most Twenty20 matches, the brevity of the format allows teams a chance to mount a comeback even if the scorecard makes for grim reading. This did not seem like one of those matches. Kane Williamson showed off his increasing proficiency in the format with a maiden T20 century to lead Northern Knights to their highest score, and Trent Boult and Tim Southee underlined their customary threat with the new ball to leave Cobras on the mat. By the time the rain came down in the eighth over of the chase, the asking rate was nearing 13 and saved Cobras from what was shaping to be an hour of minimising the margin of defeat.

At the start of the year, Williamson was not seen as someone who could play Twenty20s. Everything about him seemed old-school, from the manner in which he batted - lacking the glamorous mega hits the fans and the format loves - to the way in which he celebrated his centuries - with a mild wave of the bat. He hadn't played a single game in the format in all of 2013.

In 2014, though, he has been immense in Twenty20s, averaging over 40, striking at 137, and almost doubling his aggregate in the format. In Raipur, he showed how versatile his game is. His first 15 runs all came behind the wicket as he used the pace of the bowlers. He picked off four successive twos in the fourth over, nudging the ball in the gaps and running hard to signal a shift in momentum after a tight start from Cobras bowlers.

There had been plenty of close calls for both him and opening partner Anton Devcich early on: in the first over itself, there was a mix-up and Williamson was nearly run-out; in the second, there was an unintentional four for him to third man as he was late in leaving the ball; in the third, Devcich just beat the throw from point; in the fourth, a Williamson top edge flew for six over fine leg; in the fifth, Devcich was reprieved at short fine leg by Justin Kemp, who hurt his hand attempting a low catch.

Williamson and Devcich capitalised on that fortune to build a 140-run stand at more than 10 an over. Williamson was superb at placing the ball behind the stumps, and used the inside-out chip to good effect, while Devcich unveiled a series of sweeps and reverse-sweeps. The acceleration came in the middle of the innings, with 74 runs arriving in a five-over spell - there was also a 37-ball sequence in which there was only one dot delivery. The next scoreless ball was in the 14th over when Devcich was run out.

Daniel Flynn followed for a duck, but BJ Watling kept the frenetic pace up with a 20-ball cameo in which he feasted on Kemp. Williamson was muscling the ball around by this stage, including a powerful hit to cow corner for six off Rory Kleinveldt.

Charl Langeveldt, who hasn't played a competitive game in nearly a year, delivered several yorkers to stifle the runs and for a brief while it seemed as though Williamson might struggle to reach his hundred. He got there in grand style, though, with a stunning shot that sailed over cover for six even though he was flopping over towards the leg side. That also took Knights beyond 200, to a score that looked beyond Cobras' reach.

A full-strength Cobras line-up would have had Dale Steyn, Sunil Narine and the Ram Slam's most successive bowler, Beuran Hendricks. Instead, a severely weakened Cobras were taken apart by a team that had already played three matches at the same venue.

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Tridents out to show they belong

Match facts

Saturday, September 20, 2014
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)

Big Picture

Compare the overseas contingent for the two sides, and it seems like a massive mismatch is lined up: Kings XI Punjab can call on top-drawer international talent in Glenn Maxwell, George Bailey, Thisara Perera, David Miller and - later in the tournament - Mitchell Johnson, while Barbados Tridents have the less luminous talents of Sri Lankan opening batsman Dilshan Munaweera, allrounder Jeevan Mendis, Zimbabwe's Elton Chigumbura, New Zealand allrounder James Franklin and South Africa's Neil McKenzie.

To make matters worse, Tridents are missing their captain and Twenty20 superstar Kieron Pollard, the vastly experienced Shoaib Malik and allrounder Dwayne Smith - their three best batsmen in the Caribbean Premier League this season.

But it might not be all one-way traffic. McKenzie knows a thing or two about beating fancied IPL teams in the Champions League, having made deft half-centuries in 2010 and 2012 to help South Africa's Lions franchise defeat Mumbai Indians. They also have a solid pace attack, which includes Ravi Rampaul and Jason Holder, both of whom have plenty of experience of playing in Twenty20s in Indian conditions.

That attack will be severely tested though against a batting line-up that is arguably the best in the IPL. On Thursday, Kings XI gave another demonstration of their batting might - even ducks for Virender Sehwag and Miller didn't prevent a barrage of big blows that took them to victory with plenty of deliveries to spare. Can Tridents stop the batting machine?

Form guide

Kings XI Punjab WLWLW (most recent first, completed matches only)
Barbados Tridents WWWLW

Watch out for

Kings XI were missing Johnson and Sandeep Sharma due to injuries in their first game, but instead of the experienced L Balaji or the highly-rated domestic allrounder Rishi Dhawan, they picked Railways' Anureet Singh. He showed it was a good move too, getting the new ball to swerve round and then producing a burst of leg-stump yorkers towards the death to stem the runs.

In a squad filled with players lacking international experience, Ravi Rampaul - the leading wicket-taker in the CPL - will have a major role to play. Ben Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger rattled the Kings XI top order on Thursday with the new ball, something Rampaul will have to repeat, given the depth of the Kings XI batting.

Stats and trivia

• When it comes to six-hitting in Twenty20s, Virender Sehwag and James Franklin have almost exactly the same record - Sehwag (133 sixes in 140 innings), Franklin (132 sixes in 139 innings)
• Only Essex (8) have hit more Twenty20 centuries than Kings XI (7)

Quotes

"We are not intimidated. We are a good unit. We didn't win the CPL by luck. We played good cricket throughout and if we can continue that momentum in the Champions League, I think we are going to have a good chance of reaching very far."
Barbados Tridents captain Rayad Emrit

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Prince did not consider Gale outburst 'racial slur'

Ashwell Prince has said that Andrew Gale's tirade in which he called him a f****** Kolpak did not cross his mind during the heat of the argument as a racial slur.

Gale has been since charged by the ECB with racist abuse - the first occasion this charge has been levelled in English domestic cricket.

Prince was speaking to the South African internet-based radio station Ballz Radio, his first comments since the incident which led to Gale facing an ECB disciplinary charge.

"I took offence at the way he spoke to me. To be quite honest, I didn't stand there and think that might be a racial slur," he said. "The guy walked towards me and had a go and I defended myself. The ECB feel it has racial connotations and it's up to them to do whatever they want to do."

The ECB's escalation of Gale's charge to a full disciplinary hearing has created much debate on whether the Kolpak term - a reference to the EU legislation named after the Slovakian handball player, Maros Kolpak, which allows certain overseas players to be classed as locals - can be termed a racial phrase or purely a technical term.

The rest of Gale's uncouth exchange, in which he is believed to have told Prince to "f** o** back to your own country", will also come under ECB scrutiny. Prince's comment that he did not perceive racial abuse was in answer to a direct question about the Kolpak term - but he did not level allegations against any other part of Gale's verbal assault.

Prince was more intent on insisting that he did not start the confrontation and, although he admitted he was trying to waste time towards the end of the third day of the Roses match at Old Trafford, he dismissed it as common practice.

"I don't think I've come across anyone in my 270-odd first-class matches who has abused a fielder for moving from backward point to silly point, so to suggest I sparked off this incident is laughable," he said.

"I didn't say anything. I was stood in the middle of the pitch as it was coming to cut-off time, they were bowling two spinners and wanted to bowl as many overs as possible. Obviously, the experienced player I am, I was stood in the middle of the pitch tying up my thigh pad and taking as long as possible to make sure there would only be one more over.

"He's taken offence to this - it's a ploy of timewasting, I'll admit this but everyone who has ever played the game as done it, it's nothing new - and he's come from backward point to silly point, walking in my direction, and hurled a whole lot of abuse at me. Those who know me and those who have played against me know I will not tolerate that type of thing. I defended myself and whatever was said, was said."

Gale was charged with a Level 2 offence under the ECB's code of conduct by the two umpires standing in the match - Steve O'Shaughnessy and Steven Garratt - and immediately banned for two games under the totting-up procedure. The charge was subsequently escalated by the ECB to a Level 3/4 offence with Gale informed he was accused of using racist and abusive language.

Lancashire have remained silent on the affair.

Gale's hearing is now likely to take place in early October rather than next week due to a clash with the final week of the Championship which would have impacted the availability of key witnesses. Prince will therefore be available for Lancashire's final match of the Championship season in which they face a relegation-decider against Middlesex.

After being banned for the rest of the season, Gale was not allowed to be involved in the official presentation of the Championship trophy at Trent Bridge after Yorkshire beat Nottinghamshire after the ECB felt "it would not be appropriate" with the disciplinary process ongoing.

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BCCI's disciplinary committee to discuss RCA issue

The BCCI's disciplinary committee will meet in Mumbai on Saturday to assess the Rajasthan Cricket Association's reply to the show-cause notice it was issued by the Indian board following its suspension on May 6. Representatives of the RCA will also attend the meeting as special invitees.

The RCA was suspended by the BCCI after former IPL chairman Lalit Modi, who was expelled by the BCCI last year for "committing acts of serious misconduct and indiscipline", was elected the state association's president. The BCCI suspended it for allowing a banned individual to be a part of its affairs, and, later, omitted the various teams representing Rajasthan from its domestic programme for the upcoming season. That left the players anxious and confused as to what their future holds.

This meeting might clear up some of that confusion. It will be the first time BCCI and RCA officials sit together at the same table since the RCA was suspended.

The BCCI's disciplinary committee includes sidelined BCCI president N Srinivasan, interim board chief Shivlal Yadav and vice-president Rajiv Shukla. Srinivasan, who has been sidelined by the Supreme Court of India while the investigation into the alleged corruption in IPL 2013 is ongoing, will not be a part of the meeting, but BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel will be present. The RCA will be represented by Modi's trusted lieutenants, deputy president Mehmood Abdi and secretary Sumendra Tiwary.

The meeting is being held a couple of days before the BCCI and the RCA are due to hand in responses to the appeal filed on behalf of 75 cricketers affected by the issue, in the Rajasthan High Court, asking that the players not be allowed to suffer because of the administrative stalemate. However, ESPNcricinfo understands that only the RCA's reply to the BCCI's show-cause notice will be discussed, and not the appeal.

The disciplinary committee meeting has been convened as per the BCCI regulations. According to the BCCI rulebook, within six months of the suspension of an individual or a member, a future course of action in the matter should be decided upon. Accordingly, the disciplinary committee will discuss the matter in detail on Saturday and forward its recommendation to the BCCI's working committee, which will meet in Chennai on September 26.

The issue is far more complex than it appears. The BCCI expelled Modi in September 2013 based on a special disciplinary committee's findings. The RCA, which was then headed by CP Joshi, had voted in favour of Modi's expulsion. The expulsion had meant Modi could not be a part of any official cricket activities conducted by BCCI and its members.

However, since the RCA is governed by the Rajasthan Sports Act, Modi could not only represent the Nagaur district in the RCA elections, but was also elected as the association's president. Subsequently, the BCCI - as per its rules - had to suspend the RCA.

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Sussex complete Nottinghamshire's demise

Sussex 391 (Nash 178) and 406 for 6 dec (Joyce 149, Nash 85, Wells 79) beat Nottinghamshire 413 (Taylor 126, Libby 108, Hales 57, Magoffin 4-72, Hatchett 4-99) and 193 (Taylor 46, Magoffin 4-51) by 191
Scorecard

Sussex picked up their sixth win of the LV= County Championship season with a 191-run triumph over Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

Chasing a victory target of 385 from a minimum of 75 overs, the home side were bowled out for 193 in 60.3 overs. Steve Magoffin claimed 4 for 51, to take eight wickets in the match, with three wickets apiece to Chris Jordan and Ashar Zaidi.

Earlier, as Sussex batted on until 20 minutes before lunch, Ed Joyce, who had been undefeated on 115 overnight, fell for 149 after sharing a stand of 60 with Luke Wells, who scored 79. Luke Fletcher, on his 26th birthday, was the pick of the Nottinghamshire attack, taking 3 for 66, to add his first-innings haul of 3 for 67.

Alex Hales and Jake Libby negotiated a tricky three-over spell before lunch as Nottinghamshire embarked on their pursuit, but both fell soon afterwards. Hales was snapped up at slip by Jordan, off Magoffin, who then had Libby caught one-handed by Chris Nash at short leg.

Michael Lumb was also caught by Jordan - a stunning reflex effort, at the second attempt, from Zaidi's second ball of the innings. Riki Wessels was yorked by Jordan, who then had James Taylor caught down the leg side for 46, eight runs away from reaching 1,000 in the Championship this year.

Samit Patel scored seven from 40 deliveries before becoming Magoffin's third victim, aided by another Jordan catch in the slips.

Zaidi, bowling a 20-over spell which was broken only by the tea interval, turned a ball sharply to knock back Chris Read's off stump and then trapped Luke Wood lbw. Jordan finished the match off by bowling Harry Gurney, to seal the win with 9.3 overs to spare.

Sussex had added a further 162 runs during the morning session, declaring just before lunch. Luke Wright showed his intentions by pulling Gurney into the midwicket seats before driving Fletcher straight to mid-on.

Joyce was caught at deep midwicket from the bowling of Gary Keedy, having faced 159 balls, hitting 17 fours and three sixes. Wells, who faced 13 deliveries before getting off the mark, then went up a gear, playing shots all around the wicket as he galloped to his 50 from 48 balls and had hit three sixes and 13 fours by the time he hit Patel to Fletcher at long-off. Ben Brown also cleared the ropes and was unbeaten on 38 at the time of the declaration.

Nottinghamshire's season comes to an end with them occupying third place on 206 points - but they could be overtaken by Durham, Somerset and Sussex, who all have a game in hand on the Trent Bridge side.

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Smith resists as Hampshire stumble to draw

Kent 507 (Bell-Drummond 153, Northeast 128, Billings 92, Coles 4-84) drew with Hampshire 351 (Ervine 121, Vince 70, Tredwell 4-102) and 248 for 9 (Smith 142*, Riley 4-36, Tredwell 4-110)
Scorecard

Hampshire are safely over the penultimate fence but dragged their hind legs through it. They just about avoided disaster against Kent via Will Smith's splendid rearguard century and now take a 10-point cushion into the final week over the fast-finishing Essex.

Hampshire were striding to promotion like Crisp to the 1973 Grand National with thumping victories over Kent at Canterbury and Leicestershire last week. But they were outplayed here and Essex are coming with another late surge, whittling down a 44-point deficit at the start of the month, and are looking to get up near the line like Red Rum in '73.

Hampshire's task remains straightforward. Any kind of victory at Glamorgan next week will see them promoted. But if Hampshire only draw, Essex will be guaranteed to pip them if they take 23 points against Worcestershire. If Essex draw at Chelmsford, Hampshire will need four points at Cardiff to guarantee promotion.

The margin for error at Glamorgan would have been far less without Sean Ervine, whose day three century produced three batting points that were wholly unexpected, and Will Smith batting through the final day to secure a draw.

"Over the last couple of days you've seen two of the best hundreds you're likely to see in the county game," Hampshire captain Jimmy Adams said. "The five points could be crucial, they might not matter, but in terms of the team showing resilience we've shown to be a tough team to beat this year. It's nice going into the last game with something riding on it."

Smith's century, his second in the Championship this season, capped a fine week where he also passed 1000 runs in a season for the first time and signed a new three-year contract with Hampshire. Crucially, he delivered five extra points for his side to give them a buffer for next week.

"I was due an innings like that," Smith said. "It was very very tricky. But over the years I've developed a method where I think I'm okay at staying in and gradually I've found a way to score as well. Given the situation, concentration wise and knowing what it means to the club to get those extra points it's got to be right up there as my best hundred."

Much credit is also due to No. 11 James Tomlinson, who held out gamely for Ervine in the first innings and Smith on the fourth evening. In total he ate up 69 deliveries in the match. Hampshire were also helped by the morning session on the final day being washed out in an electrical blaze.

Saving the game looked as straightforward as building a hotel on an empty piece of land with no planning restrictions with Hampshire only three down with 36 overs left in the day. But just as the collapse of the contractors stalled the hotel project at the Ageas Bowl, six wickets falling in 10.1 overs, including three in 13 balls straight after tea, held up Hampshire's promotion push.

Kent's two offspinners, Adam Riley and James Tredwell, shared eight scalps as the wicket began to crumble. When James Vince had slashed Calum Haggett to first slip - third man out, brilliantly caught by Darren Stevens - there was no hint of a problem. But the wicket began to turn.

Tom Alsop became the first of four lbw victims playing back to Riley, who then twice turned deliveries past the outside edge of Sean Ervine as signs of concern grew. In the first over after tea, Riley beat Ervine's inside edge to earn another lbw. There was no second rescue act. Matt Coles also got a good stride down the wicket but that still did not deter Nigel Cowley giving him out lbw.

Imran Tahir blasted Tredwell over long-on for six but, next delivery, Tredwell turned one past Tahir's forward grope and bowled him. Over 20 overs remained but once again Tomlinson held firm and Smith extended the lead to a safe distance. Kent captain Rob Key offered his hand with 10 overs left in the day.

Smith had little trouble against the spinners, getting well forward - particularly to Riley who bowls a little quicker than Tredwell - and right back to ride the turn. Unbeaten on 66 overnight after steadily seeing Hampshire through a potentially tricky third evening, he tucked and nudged his way to what he described as up there with his best centuries.

From early on in this match it was apparent Hampshire's final home match of the season would feature no promotion party - chairman Rod Bransgrove was away on business anyway - but the Ageas Bowl season still ended with an exciting day.

There is much about Hampshire on the field that can be likened to the hotel still being built at the Northern End of the Ageas Bowl. Eastleigh Borough Council have not quite had to step in to pay Jimmy Adams' wages or Imran Tahir's business class flight but like the hotel, the date of when Hampshire's Championship side are going to be back competing with the best in the country continues to be pushed back.

Both could be next spring, the latest completion date for the hotel and when Hampshire will begin their first campaign in Division One since 2011 should they gain the required points next week.

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Rogers lifts Middlesex from the brink

Somerset 523 for 9 dec (Hildreth 182, Trego 91, Kieswetter 69, Overton 63, Abell 50) drew with Middlesex 223 (Morgan 82, Roland-Jones 77) and 328 for 4 dec (Rogers 203*, Denly 60)
Scorecard

If Middlesex do avoid relegation - and they really should now - they will owe it largely to Chris Rogers.

It was Rogers who contributed a double-century at Lord's in April to help his side chase down 472 to beat Yorkshire. It was Rogers who hit a century in the win over Northamptonshire. And it was Rogers who batted for seven-and-a-half hours here to register a second double-century this season and salvage his side a draw that all but ensures Middlesex of safety this season.

We should probably no longer be surprised when Rogers plays innings like this. A career that started at the WACA in 1998 - he made his debut in a tour match for Western Australia against England - has now brought 70 first-class centuries (the same amount as Shivnarine Chanderpaul) and 11 double-centuries. This innings also took his career average above 50. Only Murray Goodwin, with 71, has more centuries of those still playing and he has announced his retirement.

Most impressively, Rogers seems to deliver most, for Middlesex at least, when his side require it most. Here, had he failed, Middlesex's unpredictable middle-order would have been exposed and they faced going into the last match of the season with a fragile lead over Lancashire. As it is, they have a cushion of 19 points. They are all but safe.

Rogers is not an especially attractive player. He does not empty bars or thrill spectators. Balls are, generally, steered or pushed or nudged or punished. They are rarely ramped or thrashed.

But, aged 37 and with a career's worth of experience behind him, he knows his limitations, he revels in the contest and he has a concentration span that could out stare the moon. His main skill - survival and occupation of the crease - remains an essential part of the longer-forms of the game and, as he explains it, he has made a virtue of his limitations.

"I'm not as fluent or as talented as other players in many respects," Rogers admitted. "So I have to rely on other things.

"Decision making is one of those things and probably intelligence is another. And just the willingness to fight: I probably play my best innings when up against it. I was coming off three bad scores here and was starting to feel the heat a little bit.

"This was an important result for us. The thing we have always prided ourselves on is being hard to beat, but we've almost lost that a little bit. If we hadn't got anything out of this game, we would have gone to Manchester with everything wide open. We couldn't afford a loss. This changes things a bit.

"We almost hit rock bottom on day two. There was a lot of criticism flying around and, as a captain, I was throwing some of it at the players. But to do that, you have to stand up yourself. So that's something I can be proud for us.

"It was great to be the guy who once again stands up for Middlesex. I'm very proud to play for this club. I love playing for Middlesex and it would be nice to play at least one more season for them."

With such skills, and such knowledge of English conditions, you would have thought him an almost certain selection in Australia's Ashes squad in 2015. But there is much cricket to be played before then and Rogers' age - he is 37 - may count against him.

Nor are Middlesex guaranteed to wait for him. "I know Middlesex are under pressure to look for a player," he said. "As those available are few and far between. It will be interesting to see what happens."

Rogers highlighted the loss of allrounder Gareth Berg - who has missed most of the season due to a career- threatening injury - as a key factor in Middlesex's struggles this season and also credited the first-innings partnership between Eoin Morgan and Toby Roland-Jones as the turning point of this match. "Without their stand, Somerset would have been fresh to attack us in the second innings," he said. "Things could have been very different."

Rogers was assisted by a pitch that, by the end, had lost whatever life and pace it ever had. With Somerset's bowlers obliged to remain in the field for more than 200 overs in succession, it was not surprising that the attack lost its string.

Perhaps, if Jack Leach were able to find a bit more pace on his spin, perhaps if Alfonso Thomas had made better use of the second new ball, perhaps if Peter Trego had enjoyed just a bit of luck - he beat the edge several times - things might have been different. In truth, though, this was a painfully slow wicket by the end and Rogers, in such circumstances, presents a significant challenge.

It was heartening, though, to see Craig Overton produce a small but wonderful spell in mid-afternoon that briefly threatened to bring the match to life. After winning a fortuitous leg before appeal against Joe Denly, who may well count himself unfortunate having justified his return to the team with just his third half-century of the season, he unleashed a fearsome bouncer that appeared to disconcert Morgan and, a few balls later, he left a straight one that hit his off stump.

It all means that Somerset will finish mid-table. While that represents a slight improvement on last season, it has also brought a sinking realisation that the club's best chance of winning that elusive maiden Championship title has probably gone for now. They had their best chance between 2009 and 2012.

Those were golden years for the club. While they did not win the trophies their performances warranted, they went close often, they entertained regularly and they produced a couple of players who may play big role in the future of the England side. Next season will see them start a new phase. They will certainly have a new director of cricket and quite possibly other changes in the club's hierarchy.

The old pavilion will also have gone. The likes of Sammy Woods, WG Grace, Don Bradman, Viv Richards and Ian Botham all emerged from the wooden building that has looked over this ground since 1882. And it offered the finest view of cricket in England, too.

But the new Somerset has, quite rightly, ambitions. It wants on-field success - something of a rarity through much of Somerset's history - and it wants to host international cricket. A rather charming ceremony after the close of play saw present and former players share their memories of the building and explain the need for the redevelopment. It was, perhaps, rather strange that there was no mention of the departing director of cricket, Dave Nosworthy.

The new man faces a tough challenge. He has some good young players, but he also has a level of expectation that will take time to satisfy.

Not everything will change, though. Marcus Trescothick insists he is "enjoying it all as much as I did when I was 21" and promises to be around "for another few years yet." He has become as recognisable as part of this club as the tower of St James' Church and the view of the Quantocks. And while some may suggest that, aged 38, his time is coming to an end, he remains, by a distance, his side's leading run-scorer in the Championship season.

Rogers, Trescothick and the old pavilion at Taunton... they don't build them like that anymore.

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Petition filed on behalf of 75 Rajasthan players

A writ petition on behalf of 75 players representing the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) has been filed in the Rajasthan High Court in Jaipur on Tuesday. The appeal, the latest development in the administrative standoff between the BCCI and the RCA which has resulted in Rajasthan teams being omitted from this season's domestic programme, indicated that the players were suffering "only for one reason, which is the grudge between BCCI and RCA". It stated that the players were not being allowed to participate in any of the national tournaments being organised by the BCCI, and basically asked that the players be allowed to play.

The appeal was signed by players from various teams (Under-19, Under-23, Ranji players and women cricketers). It was filed on behalf of "Nikhil Doru and others" by Jaipur-based advocate Sachin Mehta, and argued by senior advocate Sudhir Gupta. Doru, 35, is a wicketkeeper-batsman who last played for Rajasthan in 2009 Ranji Trophy.

Justice MN Bhandari, hearing the matter, issued notices to the BCCI and the RCA, seeking responses from both within a week.

Incidentally, even if Mehta claimed that he independently approached the court on behalf of the players, indirectly he was representing the RCA based on recent events. Last week, the players were told to report to the RCA office in Jaipur even as many of them were playing the Colvin Shield inter-district tournament. About 50 players, including Ranji cricketers and various age-group ones, gathered at the RCA office. It is understood that senior RCA officials addressed the gathering and read out a draft petition that they said would be filed and submitted in the court.

It is understood that the RCA officials told the players they would be appealing to the court on behalf of the players, that they should be kept out of the issue as it was between RCA and the BCCI. The draft appeal was read out by a RCA official without being handed to the players.

Although it was not made obligatory for them to sign the document, the players said they were confused. Some signed, but it is understood that four senior players - Vineet Saxena, Pankaj Singh, Dishant Yagnik and Ashok Menaria - opted out along with a few others.

Various players whom ESPNcricinfo spoke with expressed helplessness and being caught in this muddle. An unnamed player said that he was reluctant to sign because he was not "sure of the consequences". He said the players were not accustomed to legal issues. He also pointed that being the "sole bread winner" of his family, he did not want to take an unknown route, which he feared could prove fatal in the long run. "I did not think it would be wise of me to fall into this," the player said.

Another Ranji player said he decided to sign because "we are just cricketers", who could not say no. According to him, he and his team-mates did not have a choice but "stick to the RCA". He said that the RCA did not force them, but they had "no choice". "Or do we?" he asked.

That is a pertinent question. The players find themselves in a tight corner, where they have to just trust the RCA. The only other party that can help, the BCCI, has only reacted form a distance. The BCCI's ad-hoc committee, appointed to oversee the game in the disputed states, has not addressed the players. Sanjay Patel, the BCCI secretary, had said that an umbrella team comprising teams from two disputed states (Bihar and Uttarakhand) could feature in the domestic season, but he pointed that that was only an option.

Such vague responses do not help the Rajasthan players, who are anxious and verging on desperate. "We are totally stressed out mentally, because we do not know what our future will be. We don't know what to do - whether to look for another state to play for as a professional or to just stay put," a player said.

As far as on-field activities are concerned, the RCA had carried out the process of organising trials and tournaments preceding the domestic season, as is routine. Now, the players are playing the Colvin Shield, which started September 10 and will go on till September 30.

The saga dates back to Lalit Modi, the former IPL chairman who was banned by the BCCI for "committing acts of serious misconduct and indiscipline", being declared the RCA president in May. Minutes after he was declared president, the BCCI suspended the RCA for allowing a banned individual to be a part of its affairs. Later, the BCCI omitted RCA from its domestic programme for the upcoming season.

With inputs from Amol Karhadkar

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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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