Despite England securing their first Test victory on Australian soil since 2011, Australia have already retained the Ashes by winning the first three Tests to take an unassailable 3-1 lead.
The Perth Stadium pitch that saw Australia complete a thumping eight-wicket Ashes win inside two days over England has earned the ICC's (ICC) highest rating.
The pitch used for the India vs South Africa first Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in November has received a "satisfactory" rating from International Cricket Council.
Six Indians, including match referee Javagal Srinath, on Thursday found a place in the ICC's 31-strong Playing Control Team for next month's World Twenty20, which will also feature women match officials for the first time. "The strong Playing Control Team includes all the seven and 12 members of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees and Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, respectively, as well as 10 members of the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires and two members of the ICC Associate and Affiliate Panel of International Umpires," the ICC said in a statement. Srinath will be the referee in the March 8 tournament- opener between Zimbabwe and Hong Kong in Nagpur. He will lead the Playing Control Team, which also includes Aleem Dar and Ian Gould as on-field umpires, Marais Erasmus as TV umpire and Richard Illingworth as fourth umpire. The umpires' panel for the March 8 to April 3 tournament includes two female umpires -- New Zealand's Kathleen Cross and Claire Polosak of Australia. The two were also involved in the ICC Women's World Twenty20 Qualifier in Thailand.
Despite the threat of a pull-out over the fiasco involving match-referee Andy Pycroft, it is understood that PCB is trying to work out a respectable solution by which Pycroft doesn't officiate in their matches.
Essex all-rounder Noah Thain became the first injury substitute in county cricket, replacing injured captain Tom Westley in a match against Hampshire.
Pakistan withdrew its pullout threat and showed up for a crucial Asia Cup game against the UAE in Dubai on Wednesday but not before causing an one-hour delay.
mulling action for multiple violations and misconduct
The Board of Control for Cricket in India president Shashank Manohar on Wednesday said that the BCCI will abide by the International Cricket Council's decision of rating Nagpur pitch as 'poor' but at the same time termed the inference on the nature of the wicket being a 'subjective decision' by ICC match referee Jeff Crowe.
Despite Pakistan deciding to boycott their group stage T20 World Cup clash against India on February 15, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sources have said that that the Men in Blue will travel to Sri Lanka for the match as per ICC protocol and wait for the match referee to call off the match.
Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi was fined 15% of his match fee and given a demerit point for breaching the ICC Code during the T20 clash against South Africa.
Veteran Afghan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi has been fined 15 percent of his match fees for disobeying the umpire's decision during his team's loss to South Africa.
Meanwhile, Pakistan team management has decided not to interact with media ahead of the Super4 contest.
Chris Broad alleged that then BCCI president Sourav Ganguly tried to pressure him into decisions.
The ICC has rated Chennai's M A Chidambaram Stadium pitch, used for India's Test match against Bangladesh in September, as 'very good'
Arshdeep Singh fielded the ball on his follow-through and threw it aggressively and inappropriately, hitting batter Daryl Mitchell's on the pads as he tried to take evasive action.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday defended its media manager filming a meeting between match referee Andy Pycroft and team officials ahead of their Asia Cup game against the UAE, maintaining that the action was within ICC protocols.
T20I skipper Suryakumar's hearing following PCB complaint done in presence of match-referee, board representatives: ICC sources
ICC have announced the list of officials for the Super 8s, starting with New Zealand-Pakistan duel in Group 2 on Saturday, February 21.
Pycroft's decision has not been seen by ICC as a breach of any code of conduct, but as an action he was authorised to take in his remit as a match official deputed to manage the game.
The Pakistan Cricket Board claimed that match referee Andy Pycroft apologised to its national team for prohibiting the handshake between Indian and Pakistani players.
Just-retired ICC match referee David Boon says ball tampering and security issues were the biggest challenges that he found "confronting" during his 14-year tenure in the position.
'He is a permanent fixture when it comes to the Indian team. He has been match referee 90 times in India's matches.'
The troika of Claire Polosak, Jacqueline Williams and Sue Redfern are set to officiate in their third women's World Cup event, the ICC said, adding that Lauren Agenbag and Kim Cotton will be at their second such event.
The incident occurred after teammate Karim Janat declined a run opportunity during the final over of Afghanistan's innings.
Kumar Dharmasena will do fourth umpire's duty.
The ICC on Wednesday announced the line-up of match officials for the upcoming U-19 men's World Cup with umpire KNA Padmanabhan and match referee Narayanan Kutty being the two Indian representatives.
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has backed match referee Andy Pycroft amid Pakistan's criticism in the post-match handshake controversy, saying the Zimbabwean official is not a "school teacher" and was only doing his job to avoid an unnecessary spectacle.
New Zealand's Chris Gaffaney and England's Richard Illingworth have been appointed as on-field umpires for the Champions Trophy semi-final between India and Australia in Dubai on Tuesday.
During the toss for the first Test, Shastri couldn't resist a cheeky nod to those events while introducing Pycroft.
Pakistan on Sunday announced a boycott of its high-profile men's T20 World Cup group league match against India, a move that is likely to have repercussions, even as the government cleared the national team's participation in the rest of the global event, starting February 7.
India have been fined 10 per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate against South Africa in the second ODI in Raipur.
PCB files complaint against India pacer Arshdeep Singh
Pakistan batting star Babar Azam was fined 10 per cent of his match fee and handed a demerit point for hitting the stumps with his bat after being dismissed in the third ODI against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi.
England's Chris Broad was on Wednesday named match referee for India's one-day series against Sri Lanka, starting later this month. South Africa's Brian Jerling has been named the on-field umpire. Jerling will stand in all the five matches along with local appointments, the ICC said in a statement. The five-match series between India and Sri Lanka gets underway in Dambulla on January 28.
India fined for slow over-rate in Women's World Cup clash against Australia
Stokes' comments on the over rate came after both England and New Zealand were fined three points each from their World Test Championships tally
The pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad which hosted the ODI World Cup final between India and Australia on November 19 has been rated "average" by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The ICC has suspended Sri Lanka captain Wanindu Hasaranga for two matches and docked a fine of 15 per cent on the match fee of Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz for breaching its Code of Conduct during the third T20I in Dambulla.
BCCI AGM: Kohli, Rohit's contracts, payments for women in domestic cricket to be discussed
