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South Africa’s domestic match-fixing scandal could move into the courtroom after CSA confirmed it had sent the information in its possession to the South African Police Services. An update given at a CSA board meeting in Johannesburg on Friday stated that the matter was reported last year to the relevant police crime unit who will “deal with the criminal aspects of the investigation”.When contacted previously by ESPNcricinfo, brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, the spokesperson for the directorate for priority crime investigations, said the police were “aware that there is an investigation going on but we have not received anything”. Mulaudzi was unavailable for comment on Friday but another police source confirmed the department had still not received any information.The priority crime investigation department would be the first port of call for a complaint to be laid but the case, if taken up, would be handled by specialised corruption unit, the Hawks. Match-fixing is a crime in South Africa under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Law.Gulam Bodi is the only player CSA has sanctioned so far. He was banned for 20 years (five suspended) on Monday. CSA said it believed it had caught Bodi in the “planning phase” and no matches were actually fixed. It would not comment on other aspects of the ongoing investigation.However, ESPNcricinfo has learned that two former Test cricketers and at least one other international have admitted to failing to report offers to fix matches in the ongoing South African investigation. They are expected to learn their fate in the next week. One of those players told ESPNcricinfo he believed that by refusing the offer and co-operating with the investigation, he has cleared his name.”I spent five to six hours with the investigator explaining what happened. I knew about what Gulam [Bodi] was doing and he made me an offer but I declined,” he said. “Now it’s about waiting for the investigation to be finalised and then to see what’s going to happen. There are about 12 or 13 other guys in the same position.”Despite several sources, who asked to remain anonymous, suggesting stakeholders within South African cricket are unhappy with the way the investigation is being handled because they fear a cover-up, CSA president Chris Nenzani said the board have given the investigation a stamp of approval.”The board is satisfied with the progress that has been made so far and with the lengthy ban that was imposed on Mr Bodi,” Nenzani said. “We will strongly uphold our stance of zero tolerance on any corruption matter. The internal investigation under the CSA Anti-Corruption Code continues and we are confident that our experienced investigative team will leave no stone unturned.”At the same time, the board supported a request by CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat to hold a comprehensive review of the Ram Slam – the tournament tainted by the scandal – with a “a view to expanding its cricket and commercial values”. The 20-over competition has tried for several years to obtain the profile of some of its counterparts such as the Big Bash or Caribbean Premier League but the timing of the tournament, which often clashes with the national team’s schedule, and the weakening rand are among the obstacles to its success.It may face another roadblock after title sponsor Ram, a courier company, told News 24 they are awaiting the outcome of the match-fixing scandal before renewing their association with CSA. “We are hopeful that CSA is taking every measure to comprehensively investigate the allegations and enforce a ‘Zero Tolerance’ approach. However no one ever wants their brand associated with any dishonest activities and we are seriously considering the outcome of the matter before renewing our sponsorship,” Alan Da Costa said.

The Sydney Sixers and Cricket Australia are eager to play a Big Bash League match on Christmas Eve, as soon as the competition’s sixth edition later this year.This season, the Sixers hosted a record pre-Christmas crowd of 20,072 at the SCG for their inaugural “Christmas Bash” against Hobart Hurricanes on the afternoon of December 20, the last Sunday before Christmas. After the game, as many as 3,000 fans stayed on the outfield to sing Christmas carols.The Sixers are keen to lock in the last Sunday afternoon before Christmas for the “Christmas Bash” as one of the BBL’s “traditional” events, like New Year’s Eve in Adelaide and the Melbourne derbies on the first two Saturdays of January, which have so far enjoyed record crowds in BBL05.Christmas Eve falls on a Saturday in 2016, but the Sixers are keen to host the fixture on that date, so long as it could be scheduled not to clash with the traditional Carols in the Domain, which tends to attract 100,000 people to sing carols in the city. In 2017, the possibility becomes even more appealing, as Christmas Eve falls on the Sixers’ favoured Sunday. The BBL has never hosted fixtures on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.”I looked at what we did this year [on December 20] and did wonder whether it had a bit more potential,” Anthony Everard, the head of the BBL, told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s something that we’re considering, but we’d have to get the market and the game right, and package it up in a way that it is really appealing for families at Christmas time.”Any Christmas Eve fixture would start at 4pm, and Dominic Redmond, general manager at the Sixers, is looking into how it could work for the team. “We have certainly thought about it,” Redmond said. “We had a great success this year with the Christmas Bash theme, and the fact that the [SCG] Trust allowed punters on to the ground afterwards for carols was a first for us and we got fantastic feedback from members and fans.”From our perspective, I always like to build on something we started and I would see no reason why we wouldn’t try to do something on Christmas Eve. We put a lot of effort into [2015], trying to make it really feel like it was a part of Christmas, rather than competing with Christmas.”The drive for “icon events” and the creation of tradition is born of a belief that, at a busy time of year, consistency of scheduling will make it easier for families and fans to plan to attend. “The idea of this tradition,” Redmond said, “like the Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests, is to create a destination, a reason for going and a diary entry for us. Consistency of fixtures creates a pattern of behaviour, and all things are pointing in a positive direction for the Christmas Bash, and we’re looking to build on that further.”Discussions have also been held about holding a fixture on Christmas Day, and Redmond is not worried about the BBL encroaching on the Christmas period. “It’s funny because it will impinge on family time,” he said, “but it’s also a great opportunity to get together with family and do something. We see what happens with people on Bondi Beach on Christmas, people in Sydney like to get out and enjoy the holiday.”This year there was a two-day break in the BBL (with action returning in Perth on Boxing Day), and the CA chief executive James Sutherland agreed he was alive to the possibilities of more holiday-season cricket. “It’s an interesting one. I did hear some of the commentary around it just in the last few days and I’ve got to say, it hadn’t actually occurred to me before,” Sutherland told ABC Grandstand. “But sitting back on Christmas night, having had the great night’s entertainment we’d had in the previous week or so, it’s something that I guess will be on the drawing board.”Everard explained further about how Christmas Day BBL could work, saying that the concern of players would be at the heart of any decision made. “There is no reason why their families couldn’t be flown in and treated to a fantastic Christmas lunch or dinner depending on the time of the game, and make it a big celebration with all of them,” he said. “We could align with a charity, whether that’s with kids or homeless people, or anyone without a family to spend Christmas with. We could then invite other families down and just make it a really special event and invite people to bring gifts [for those without families].”There is, however, awareness of overkill. “We certainly wouldn’t want to interfere with those traditions that already exist,” Everard said. “But whether or not there’s an opportunity for the BBL to become part of the Christmas tradition and actually enhance that experience, that would be the aspiration.”

Port Qasim Authority battle back for drawPeshawar seamer Taj Wali became the first bowler for 20 years to take four wickets in four balls in Pakistan’s domestic first-class competition. Wali blew through Port Qasim Authority’s top order on the first day at the Arbab Niaz Stadium, although his feat could not prevent the match from ending in a draw. It was the fifth instance of someone taking four wickets in consecutive deliveries, the last being Ali Gauhar in 1995.Wali struck in his ninth over, removing Test opener Khurram Manzoor, followed by Faraz Ali, Khalid Latif and Daniyal Ahsan. That reduced Port Qasim Authority to 50 for 4 and they were eventually dismissed for 107 but, after Peshawar racked up 490 for 4 declared, the visitors batted their way to safety in the second innings. Wali, who had 5 for 30 in the first innings, finished with match figures of 8 for 181.Left-armer Wali, 24, is not noted for his pace but can move the ball off the seam and averages 25.01 after making his first-class debut in 2011. A Peshawar local, he represented the inter-district Under-19s but did not reach the national side at that level. Wali was an inconsistent performer at regional level but finished the previous season as Peshawar’s leading seamer with 43 wickets at 22.11.Gul soars with nine-for in HBL winAt the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground, Umar Gul marked his return to form with a nine-wicket haul and a fifty to destroy Lahore Whites in the space of three days. Gul was dropped after Pakistan’s ODI series defeat in Bangladesh earlier this year and has missed a major chunk of international cricket since 2013 over fitness and form. He underwent knee surgery but has since struggled to find his rhythm.Gul took 7 for 32 from 11.1 overs in Lahore Whites’ first inning to show his form and later bowled 20 overs in three lengthy spells, picking up two more wickets as Habib Bank Limited won by an innings, to make it a telling statement on his fitness as well. “I am feeling confident at the moment,” Gul said. “I spoke to selectors in Rawalpindi and told them that I don’t want to come back in one particular format but I am available for all three formats of cricket. My comeback had been delayed due to a nose injury otherwise I could have returned earlier. But now I have no fitness concerns.”Junaid search for form goes onJunaid Khan, on the other hand, continues to struggle for form. He remained wicketless in the first innings at Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot and finished with match figures of 22-3-91-1 against the inexperienced Federally Administered Tribal Areas team. Junaid last played for Pakistan in Colombo earlier this year and remained on the bench throughout the Test series with England in the UAE, before being released ahead of the third and final match in Sharjah.Junaid’s problems began in October 2014 when he suffered a serious knee injury that forced him to miss series against Australia and New Zealand. He recovered to be named in the squad for the one-dayers in New Zealand ahead of the World Cup, but had a fall while training at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore and was subsequently ruled out of the World Cup too. Junaid has had the leanest patch of his career since his return but was recently named captain of Pakistan A for next month’s T20 series against England Lions in the UAE.Misbah keeps eye in with SNGPLAt Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s Test captain who intended to retire after the England series, gave another clear indication that he is looking to extend his career by turning out for his domestic team SNGPL. Misbah never misses an opportunity to play for SNGPL if not on national duty but the last time he featured for them was at the start of 2014, after Pakistan’s series against Sri Lanka. He made 30 and 58 from 40 balls in the draw with Lahore Blues.If the India series does not happen next month, as expected, he will only have domestic cricket to keep him in form ahead of Pakistan’s next Test commitment, which is still seven months away, in England next year. Misbah has signed up for the Bangladesh Premier League and will miss the upcoming rounds of the Quaid-e-Azam trophy due to his T20 engagement. He has also been linked with playing county cricket in England ahead of Pakistan’s tour.

Sourav Ganguly and Shane Warne have been fined 10% of their match fees, while Pratap Kumar, the on-field umpire, has been suspended for a game following the catch controversy during Thursday’s IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals. Ganguly asked Kumar to refer a decision to the third umpire after he wasn’t convinced about a take by Rajasthan’s Graeme Smith at the deep-midwicket boundary.Asad Rauf, the third umpire, ruled in favour of the batsman after replays weren’t entirely conclusive. In his post-match comments, Warne, the Rajasthan captain, hit out at Ganguly’s behaviour and condemned his attitude towards the IPL’s spirit of cricket agreement.Farokh Engineer, the match referee, ruled that Ganguly’s act of asking the umpire to refer a decision constituted a level 1 offence according to the ICC’s code of conduct. Warne was found guilty of violating section 1.7 of the code, which deals with “public criticism of, or inappropriate comment on, a match-related incident or official”.Engineer also found there was no reason for Kumar to accede to the plea to refer the decision, and ruled him out for a game. Kumar is the second umpire to be suspended in the IPL. Amiesh Saheba was dropped for two matches following his comments about Sreesanth’s behaviour to the tabloid newspaper.

Players who took part in the unofficial Indian Cricket League (ICL) will not be allowed to represent Pakistan internationally or play domestically, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced.Though the players – including Taufeeq Umar, Imran Farhat and Shabbir Ahmed – were banned when they signed up with the ICL last year, the board’s governing committee was reconsidering their cases. But it has now reaffirmed its earlier stance, though Nasim Ashraf, PCB chairman, kept the door open for a possible return.”These players will not represent Pakistan internationally or in domestic cricket,” Ashraf said. “We have to protect Pakistan cricket. There are reports that recruiting agents from ICL are looking for more players, possibly a team from Pakistan, and that will harm cricket here.”Ashraf reasoned that opportunities – and financial rewards – were growing for players in Pakistan and so there was little need for anyone to join the ICL. “We have given all players in 13 regional teams a monthly contract, to take away financial worries. We are giving young players retainers, others on the fringes are also making money.”We are doing everything we can to make sure that all players benefit more and more financially within the country. Players can earn good money here so they have to decide: do they want the ICL or Pakistan?”The players had initially filed a petition in the Lahore High Court against the decision to ban them, though the case was swiftly dismissed. There remains a possibility that legal action will be considered once again though Ashraf hinted a way out of the situation.”If the players do not play in the ICL any more and make that clear, then certainly they can appeal against the decision and we will consider it again.”The board, meanwhile, postponed a decision on whether or not players will be allowed to take up contracts in county cricket. Concern had been expressed recently about the effect county cricket was having on several Pakistan bowlers, some of whom picked up injuries during their stint and missed international duty as a result.”We discussed the pros and cons of county cricket,” said Ashraf. “They pick up good experience, but can also burn out, or pick up injuries like Mohammad Asif did. But we will take a final decision after our next meeting in March.”The committee wants to first see a detailed presentation on the effects of the county season on a player, including financial issues such as how much a player loses out on if he doesn’t play and whether there should be compensation.”

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Left-arm spinner Dave Mohammed had a dream debut, claiming figures of 5 for 8 to help dismiss St Lucia for 105, after which Trinidad and Tobago chased the target with ease to claim an eight-wicket win at the Stanford Cricket Ground. Incidentally, Mohammed’s were the best ever returns in Stanford 20/20 history.Chasing 106, openers Lendl Simmons and William Perkins gave Trinidad a blazing start, putting on 75 runs in 51 balls, before Perkins, who made 25, was caught by Cyrille Charles of offspinner Shervin Charles. Simmons failed to reach his half-century, when, after scoring 42 with four fours and a six, he was dismissed by seamer Xavier Gabriel. Daren Ganga and Kieron Pollard then knocked off the remaining runs to complete a facile win.Earlier, St Lucia’s openers Keddy Lesporis and Johnson Charles added 45 runs in eight overs before Charles was bowled by Richard Kelly. The second-wicket stand between Lesporis and Shervin Charles (17) fetched 35 runs, before Charles was caught by Mervyn Dillon of offspinner Sherwin Ganga.But the complexion of the match changed when Lesporis, who had kept up St Lucia’s scoring rate with a 40-ball 45 with three fours and a six, was caught by Samuel Badree of Mohammed, who was introduced in the 16th over. Mohammed then dismissed Mervin Wells to make it two wickets in succession. Medium-pacer Rayad Emrit claimed the wickets of Cyrille Charles and Sergio Fedee, while Mohammed had Alleyne Prospere caught by Sherwin Ganga before adding two more wickets to get his five-for. Not surprisingly, Mohammed went home richer by US$25,000 when he received the Man-of-the-Match award.

Babar Azam hit a maiden BBL half-century, and combined superbly with in-form Josh Philippe, as Sixers overwhelmed Thunder to claim the bragging rights in the Sydney Smash.Sixers produced a vintage performance on a very good batting surface, which notably contrasted to sluggish pitches often seen at Engie Stadium.Sixers have long dominated the crosstown rivalry, but entered the match under pressure after consecutive defeats to start the season. The spotlight was firmly on Babar, who made scores of just 2 and 9 in a tough initiation to his BBL career.Babar Azam made his first substantial score of the season•Getty Images

But Babar effectively anchored Sixers’ innings with 58 off 42 balls, and shared a 140-run second-wicket partnership with Philippe, who was dismissed in the final over for a 57-ball 96.Needing to complete a record chase on the ground, Thunder crashed to 17 for 3 after the early wickets of Matthew Gilkes, Sam Konstas and a returning David Warner, who batted at No. 3, having previously opened in all 23 innings in his BBL career.Konstas and Warner – who had missed Thunder’s opening loss to Hurricanes due to a side injury sustained while playing with his children – both made just 2. They also holed out in almost identical fashion to short deliveries from Jack Edwards, who starred with 5-26 from 4 overs.Sam Billings clubbed 51 off 28 balls and Shadab Khan made 41 but Thunder never threatened. While Sixers got their season back on track, Thunder – last season’s finalists – are winless from two games.After Warner elected to bowl, all eyes were on Babar, who had not been able to get through the powerplay in Sixers’ first two games. He played watchfully and focused on rotating the strike, to allow Dan Hughes to get Sixers rolling.Josh Philippe provided Sydney Sixers some impetus•Getty Images

While Hughes took the aerial route, Babar was orthodox and hit a gorgeous cover drive on his eighth delivery, in what to that point was clearly the best shot of his fledgling BBL career. Hughes dominated the scoring, making 21 of 29 runs in the powerplay, until his off stump was rattled by left-arm quick Reece Topley.Babar flicked nicely through deep backward square to reach double figures for the first time in the BBL. But he was overshadowed by Philippe, who accelerated once spinners Shadab and Tanveer Sangha entered the attack.Philippe showed why he has been Sixers’ standout batter, having entered the season with confidence after playing in the recent ODI and T20I series against India.He launched Sangha down the ground in the eighth over to register the first six of the innings – a contrast to the record 36 sixes that were hit 24 hours earlier in the astonishing Heat-Scorchers game.Philippe took a particular liking to Shadab, smashing him for two sixes. A third was all but certain, if not for a spectacular high-flying save at long-off from Konstas, who had initially caught the ball before throwing it back into the field of play.Babar got into the act by top-edging Daniel Sams to register his first six in the BBL as he followed Philippe in notching up a half-century. Babar had his sights set on batting through the innings, until falling in the 18th over, after being caught behind off the glove in an overturned decision.Sixers’ momentum fell away at the death. Philippe agonisingly missed out on a first BBL century after hitting straight to deep backward point, where Sams caught the ball centimetres from the grass.

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Wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien’s unbeaten 137, aided by captain Trent Johnston’s 69, furthered Ireland’s advantage on the second day after their bowlers had dismissed United Arab Emirates for 228. Ireland, resuming on 46 for 1, finished on 366 for 7, a lead of 138.William Porterfield and Eoin Morgan made 25 and 47, before a 64-run stand between the O’Brien brothers – Niall and Kevin. Left-arm spinner Ahmed Raza bagged his second wicket for the match by dismissing Kevin for 33, but Niall O’Brien, who had made a nervous start, held fort against the UAE bowlers.The hosts must have a sensed the possibility of a fightback when Andre Botha and Alex Cusack departed in quick succession; Ireland were 203 for 6, still needing 25 to more to match UAE’s first-innings score.However, Johnston joined hands with Niall O’Brien, and the two not only put Ireland in the green, but seized the momentum with a record seventh-wicket stand of 163. Johnston needed only 95 balls for his 69, which included ten boundaries. O’ Brien’s 137 contained 20 fours, and his presence at the crease on the third morning will give Ireland the chance to further their lead before aiming to bowl out UAE for the second time in the match.The umpires signalled the close at the fall of Johnston’s wicket – stumped by Amjad Ali off Saqib Ali. For UAE, Zahid Shah, Saqib and Raza took two wickets apiece; Raza was the best of the lot: his 2 for 47 coming off 24 economical overs.”I’ve been a bit ill over the past day, but I’ve been on tablets and special drinks and I’ve managed to get through it to the end,” a delighted Niall O’Brien admitted. “I missed out on the game here last year when all the records were broken, so it’s great to score a hundred today.”

A report in today’s Times says that the MCC is planning to spend up to £200 million on redeveloping Lord’s over the next decade. Every stand, other than the listed 1890 pavilion, the new Grandstand and Mound Stand, would be replaced.Initial plans were costed at £100 million, but these have now been expanded to include rebuilding of the Warner Stand (1958), the Compton and Edrich Stands (1991), the Tavern (1967) and the Allen Stand (1935). The changes are likely to boost the capacity to between 38,000 and 39,000, still less than half of some of the biggest grounds in the world, but still by far the largest in England. Other changes could include an underground Real Tennis court, an academy, floodlights and a hotel.The report added that leading architects were being approached, though even after their appointments, obtaining planning consent would take at least a year.Funding for the project would be raised from debentures and possibly by building apartments on the northern perimeter at the far end of the Nursery Ground. That would probably signal the end of the Nursery, which has increasingly been eroded by a series of developments, as a cricket pitch.”We do not want to create a stadium,” David Batts, who is in charge of the redevelopment, told The Times. “We have to be mindful of how many people will be able to walk around the ground during a Test match to buy food and drink. The walkways can be congested already, so we have to work out how many boxes and bars we put into the stands to enable spectators to eat in the stands, which is particularly necessary for the short Twenty20 matches.”The plans are part of the MCC’s attempt to move forward, aware that there is pressure on the ECB to take one of its two annual Tests away and award it to another venue.

The MCC’s World Cricket Committee has proposed the creation of two three-week periods in the international calendar to accommodate sanctioned events such as the Indian Premier League.There is a concern that players may start preferring the riches on offer in India ahead of playing for their country because there are few gaps in the current schedule.”The committee accepts that there is a place for the IPL but that the introduction of this tournament has brought to the fore the issue of premature retirement from the international game,” read a statement today. “It is vital to ensure that there is a strategic, well-planned fixture list.”The committee proposes that the ICC identify windows in the cricket calendar to enable all forms of the game – Test, 50-over ODI and Twenty20 – to successfully co-exist. Furthermore, the committee hopes that all Member boards will work with ICC to work towards this goal.”Another recommendation was to trial day/night Tests in countries where the climate makes in feasible in order to boost attendances. “The committee recognises that there will be challenges to overcome with a proposed trial of Test match day/night cricket – such as dew, the colour of the ball and clothing used – but that efforts should be made to research and develop this option.”There was also a call to allow elite umpires to stand in matches involving their own country and that an effort should be made to ensure those umpires who don’t want to travel the world can still be used at the top level.The committee said that the minimum Test over-rate should 15-an-hour, calling the current average of 13.8 “acceptable, particularly for the paying public.”A warning on the importance of player conduct said it was vital that international cricketers set the best example, while the committee reiterated its support for the use of increased technology in decision making.