A look back at the first third of 2010: Pakistan’s disastrous tour of Australia, Tendulkar’s double-hundred, the IPL’s fall and more
Compiled by Siddhartha Talya24-Dec-2010January
1 Jerome Taylor, the West Indies fast bowler, is freed after being arrested for assault in a bar in Kingston.2 Ninety-seven players, including 26 Pakistanis, among them Shahid Afridi and several who had previously participated in the ICL, make themselves eligible for the IPL. However, not a single Pakistan player is bought by the franchises at the auction. This in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in November and the subsequent deterioration in diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan. Later in the month the PCB rules out the participation of Pakistan players in the IPL and revokes the no-objection certificates it had initially granted to them.6 Australia complete a thrilling 36-run win over Pakistan in the second Test in Sydney to take the series. Michael Hussey makes a match-turning 134 and Nathan Hauritz takes five wickets in Pakistan’s pursuit of 176.14 Mumbai beat Karnataka by six runs in a thrilling finale in the Ranji Trophy in Mysore. Ajit Agarkar stars with 5 for 81 in the second innings, bowling out Karnataka in their chase of 337.15 Kumar Sangakkara is named captain of Kings XI Punjab for the third edition of the IPL, replacing Yuvraj Singh.18 Australia thrash Pakistan by 235 runs in Hobart to win the Test series 3-0; it’s their 12th consecutive Test win over Pakistan.20 Karen Rolton, the former Australia women’s captain, retires from international cricket. She played a record 141 one-day internationals, scored 4814 runs and was involved in two World Cup triumphs.The IPL signs a deal with Google to telecast matches from the third edition of the tournament live on Youtube.22 Betty Wilson, often referred to as Australia’s female Bradman, dies at the age of 88. In an era where there was little women’s cricket, from 1948 to 1958, she averaged 57.48 with the bat and 11.80 bowling offspinners in 11 Tests.26 Mickey Arthur resigns as South Africa coach following a breakdown in his relationship with captain Graeme Smith. Corrie van Zyl is appointed his replacement. Arthur’s tenure began in 2005. A day later, South Africa’s selection panel is sacked by the board.30 Australia win the Under-19 World Cup, beating Pakistan by 25 runs in Lincoln. Seamer Josh Hazlewood stars with 4 for 30, and Kane Richardson top-scores with a run-a-ball 44.Former New Zealand opener Mark Greatbatch is named coach of the national team following the resignation of Andy Moles in October 2009.31 Pakistan are beaten 5-0 in the ODI series in Australia, part of a winless tour during which they were also beaten 3-0 in the Tests. The final ODI, in Perth, is in the headlines for an incident of ball-biting by Shahid Afridi, for which he is banned for two Twenty20 internationals. An immediate casualty of Pakistan’s disastrous performance is the PCB’s chief selector, Iqbal Qasim, who resigns.February
2 Former West Indies seamer Ottis Gibson is named coach of the West Indies team, to fill the post left vacant by the sacking of John Dyson in 2009.Rashid Latif, the former Pakistan wicketkeeper, and the Karachi city government join hands to launch the Karachi Champions League, a Twenty20 tournament featuring the leading clubs in the city.4 Misbah-ul-Haq leads Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited to victory in the final of the Pentangular Cup, one of Pakistan’s first-class tournaments.The Delhi High Court reinforces its previous decision of barring the ICL from suing the BCCI in the British courts.5 Gul Hameed Bhatti, a leading sports journalist, editor and cricket statistician from Pakistan, dies after a prolonged illness, at the age of 63.English umpire Mark Benson confirms his retirement from the ICC Elite Panel after being reportedly upset with several incidents involving the UDRS. He cites ill health as the reason.Les Burdett, the long-serving Adelaide Oval groundsman, retires after being in the job for 32 years.6 The biggest chase in first-class history, as Yusuf Pathan blasts an unbeaten 210 to seal a thrilling three-wicket win for West Zone, who scale down 541 to win the Duleep Trophy.9 South Africa inflict an innings defeat on India in Nagpur. Hashim Amla stars with an unbeaten 253 and Dale Steyn grabs a seven-for in the first innings. They take a 1-0 lead in the series.10 The BCCI loses its appeal against the 12-month ban imposed by the ICC on the Ferozshah Kotla ground in Delhi in the aftermath of the abandonment of an India-Sri Lanka ODI due to a “dangerous” and “unfit” pitch.11 New Zealand sweep the three-match ODI series at home against Bangladesh with a three-wicket win in Christchurch.Brett Lee called it quits from Test cricket in February•Getty ImagesThe ANZ Stadium in Sydney, the main venue for the 2000 Olympics, is cleared for international cricket.12 The final IPL squads for the 2010 season are named. Several former ICL players are picked by the various franchises.The International Olympic Committee votes to have the ICC approved, boosting the chances of Twenty20 cricket being included in the 2020 Olympics.13 Ravindra Jadeja, the India allrounder, is ruled out of the IPL after being caught out of contract. He is penalised for trying to negotiate terms with another franchise.Afghanistan qualify for the ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean with a four-wicket win over UAE in the qualifiers in Dubai. Ireland thrash Netherlands to seal their place. Afghanistan beat Ireland in the final.18 India retain their place at the top of the ICC Test rankings with a thrilling win on the final day against South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Hashim Amla makes yet another century but Harbhajan Singh’s five-for takes India home.The IPL tweaks its time out rule, allowing each team to call for a two-and-a-half minute break during the course of their innings.New Zealand beat Bangladesh in Hamilton by 121 runs to win the one-match series. Shakib Al Hasan stars for Bangladesh with 87 and 100, while Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill strike centuries for the hosts.Australia win the ODI series against West Indies, beating them 4-0. They complete an unbeaten summer not long after.20 The Sharjah Cricket Stadium is named Afghanistan’s “home ground” for ODI and first-class cricket.Alan Butcher, the former England batsman and father of former international Mark Butcher, is appointed Zimbabwe’s coach, replacing Walter Chawaguta.21 Kane Williamson helps Northern Districts to their second one-day title in a row. They beat Auckland by 21 runs.23 Brett Lee quits Tests in a bid to prolong his limited-overs career. He finishes with 310 wickets from 76 Tests.Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited win the RBS Twenty20 Cup in Pakistan, beating Sialkot Stallions by 132 runs in the final.MCC Women embark on a historic first tour of the West Indies.24 Sachin Tendulkar becomes the first batsman to score a double-century in ODIs. He smashes 200 in 147 balls against South Africa in Gwalior, and it helps India win the ODI series.25 The PCB chairman Ijaz Butt rules out the participation of any Pakistan team in the Champions League in reaction to the IPL auctions, where no Pakistan player was bought.The morning after the double•Getty ImagesMarch
1 Jamaica win the Caribbean Regional Four-Day Competition, the domestic first-class tournament, beating Trinidad and Tobago by an innings and 72 runs in the final.2 John Howard, the former Australia prime minister, is nominated by the boards of Australia and New Zealand as their candidate for the post of ICC president.Mohsin Khan is appointed Pakistan’s chief selector, following the resignation of Iqbal Qasim in the aftermath of Pakistan’s winless tour of Australia.3 Waqar Younis signs on as Pakistan coach, replacing Intikhab Alam. Waqar is Pakistan’s third coach in four years.4 ITV wins the broadcast rights for coverage in the UK of the 2010 version of the IPL, marking cricket’s return to free-to-air television in the country.7 Sialkot Stallions beat Faisalabad Wolves to win the RBS Twenty20 Cup, Pakistan’s domestic Twenty20 competition.10 In the wake of Pakistan’s disastrous tour of Australia, seven players are punished by the PCB, following an inquiry into the team’s performance. Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf are banned indefinitely for reasons of “indiscipline”, Shoaib Malik and Naved-ul-Hasan are handed one-year bans, Shahid Afridi and the Akmal brothers are fined and placed on a six-month probation.11 Bangladesh batsman Raqibul Hasan retires from international cricket on the eve of the first Test between Bangladesh and England in Chittagong, reportedly out of anger due to his exclusion from the preliminary squad for the World Twenty20 and the ODI series against England. However, he is recalled in June.Australia beat New Zealand by six wickets (D-L method) in the fourth ODI in Auckland to secure the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy.12 A dispute regarding news coverage by TV channels of the 2010 IPL is resolved. The News Broadcasters’ Association calls off its boycott of the tournament after it had protested “arbitrary” guidelines and contentious clauses regarding footage. The third edition of the IPL begins in Kolkata, with the hosts Kolkata Knight Riders beating Deccan Chargers by 11 runs.West Indies beat Zimbabwe in an ODI series at home, their first series win in nine attempts.15 New Zealand pull out of a tour of Zimbabwe scheduled for June, with NZC saying the situation in the country hasn’t improved enough to warrant a visit by the team.16 Graeme Swann grabs his maiden ten-wicket match haul in Tests to help England beat Bangladesh by 181 runs and take a 1-0 lead in Chittagong.21 Pune and Kochi are unveiled as the IPL’s two new franchises. Sahara Group buys the Pune franchise for US$370 million, while a consortium of five companies called Rendezvous Sports World bids US$333.33 million for Kochi. The total value of the two exceeds that of the original eight franchises combined.22 Habibul Bashar, the former Bangladesh captain, retires from all forms of cricket. He played 50 Tests for his team, including their inaugural Test in 2000, and captained them to the Super Eights the 2007 World Cup.23 Phillip Hughes and Ryan Harris star in Australia’s ten-wicket win over New Zealand in the first Test in Wellington.The salary cap for the next IPL auction is raised to US$7 million.24 A century from captain Alastair Cook seals a 2-0 Test series win for England over Bangladesh in Dhaka.25 Ron Hamence, who played three Tests in 1947 and 1948 and was part of Don Bradman’s undefeated Ashes squad in 1948, dies in Adelaide at the age of 94.Rilee Rossouw hits the fastest triple-century in South African domestic cricket, making 319 off 291 balls for Eagles against Titans. He brings up his 300 in 276 balls.29 Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf retires from international cricket, but does not rule out a comeback. His announcement comes following an indefinite ban imposed on him by the PCB. It’s not long before he returns.The English domestic season gets underway with MCC taking on Durham in Abu Dhabi. The match is played under lights, with a pink ball.30 The BCCI revokes No Objection Certificates granted to contracted Indian players who had signed up to play county cricket in 2010, including Virender Sehwag.Lalit Modi: Brought down by scandal•Indian Premier League31 Mitchell Johnson seals a 2-0 sweep for Australia, achieving his second ten-wicket match haul to help beat New Zealand by 176 runs in Hamilton.April
Northern Districts beat Central Districts to win the Plunket Shield, New Zealand’s domestic first-class tournament.On the South African domestic circuit, the Cape Cobras win the SuperSport series.4 Alec Bedser, the Surrey and England fast bowler, dies at the age of 91. In his 21-year playing span, Bedser picked up 1924 first-class wickets at 20.41, including 236 for England in 51 Tests.7 A resolution is reached in a dispute involving Shoaib Malik, who admits he had filed for divorce from a woman he’d married seven years ago. Her family subsequently decide to withdraw the police complaint filed against him. It paves the way for Malik’s marriage to Indian tennis star Sania Mirza.9 Sanath Jayasuriya becomes a parliamentarian, winning a seat for the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by President Mahinda Rajapakse.11 Four months before allegations of spot-fixing mar the Lord’s Test and Pakistan’s tour of England, two Essex players are confirmed to be under investigation for alleged “match irregularities” in county cricket. The two players questioned are Danish Kaneria and Mervyn Westfield.12 The ICC rules out creating a separate window for the IPL and other domestic events in the Future Tours Programme, despite calls to do so in order to ensure such events don’t clash with players’ international commitments.13 A tweet by Lalit Modi plunges the IPL into controversy and a crisis, as he reveals the ownership patterns of the Kochi franchise. It will eventually lead to his downfall, and present Indian cricket with its biggest challenge since the match-fixing crisis. Modi’s revelations on Twitter irk the owners of the Kochi franchise, who believe his move is a breach of faith, and take up the issue with the BCCI. The IPL, offices of its franchisees and its TV right-holders, Multi-Screen Media and World Sports Group are subsequently investigated by the tax authorities. In April, the BCCI suspends Modi, for “alleged acts of individual misdemeanours”, effectively ending his three-year reign as IPL chairman.Shashi Tharoor, a Minister of State in the Indian government, a Member of Parliament, and a driving force behind the Kochi bid, denies any conflict of interest when a woman “he knows well” is revealed to be one of the franchise’s shareholders. Tharoor later quits as Minister of State for External Affairs over allegations of having a conflict of interest with regards to Kochi’s IPL bid.15 Udaya Wickramasinghe, a former Sri Lankan international umpire, dies at the age of 70.16 Canada pull out as hosts of the Under-19 World Cup in 2012, admitting they wouldn’t be able to supply the required number of venues for the event.17 A veteran of New Zealand’s first Test win, Tony MacGibbon, dies aged 85.More worries for the IPL when there are two low-intensity explosions outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, injuring eight people. An unexploded bomb is found as well. Security concerns eventually lead to the IPL semi-finals being moved out of Bangalore to Mumbai.Former Surrey batsman Mike Hooper dies of cancer at the age of 62.The ICC announces a hike in the World Cup prize money, with the winner set to receive more than US$4 million from a total pool of US$10 million, double that of the 2007 World Cup.The IPL has a new champion when with Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni lead Chennai Super Kings to a 22-run win over Mumbai in the final.26 Chirayu Amin, an industrialist and the head of the Baroda Cricket Association, is named the interim IPL chairman. The charges against Lalit Modi, which resulted in his suspension, are elaborated by the BCCI in a press conference after the governing council meeting. The allegations involve irregularities in franchise bids, and in the allotment of television rights and internet rights.29 The ICC approves the return of Antigua’s Viv Richards Stadium as an international host after it had been suspended from hosting international cricket when an unfit outfield led to the cancellation of a Test between England and West Indies in 2009.30 The ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean kicks off. New Zealand edge Sri Lanka in a thriller in Providence. In the other game, Darren Sammy seals a comfortable win for the hosts over Ireland.