PCB clears Akhtar

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Friday cleared maverick paceman Shoaib Akhtar of indiscipline and suspended a 5,000-dollar fine, while warning him to stay out of trouble for six weeks.

The fast bowler had been fined 100,000 rupees (1,650 dollars) for leaving a training camp in Karachi earlier this month without informing manager Talat Ali, and 200,000 rupees for snubbing a subsequent hearing.

Ali said that after a fresh inquiry ordered earlier this week the paceman had been cleared.

"Akhtar has been exonerated after a warning as he explained that the entire incident was the result of miscommunication," said Ali.

Akhtar had appealed against the fine on the grounds that he was not given advance notice of the hearing, having only been told after the fine was imposed, PCB officials said.

The 32-year-old fast bowler also pleaded that he had told captain Shoaib Malik that he was leaving the camp. Malik agreed but said he had informed the paceman to also tell Ali, they said.

"Ali conducted the fresh inquiry after which it has been decided to suspend the fine for the next six weeks and in case of another breach the bowler will be fined 100,000 rupees," PCB spokesman Ahsan Malik told.

An appellate committee had on Monday ordered a fresh inquiry into the alleged breach of discipline by the bowler.

Akhtar said the PCB's decision would put him in the right frame of mind to play.

"The episode had disturbed me no end. Now I can focus on my game and play my part in the Twenty20 World Cup," said Akhtar.

Razzaq quits in protest

All-rounder Abdul Razzaq announced his retirement from international cricket Monday, saying he had taken his decision in protest at his omission from the Pakistan national team.

"I have taken this decision under protest because I am mentally disturbed over the treatment meted out by the selectors who dropped me like a new player," Razzaq told a private television channel from London.

"I will see the response of the selectors and the Pakistan Cricket Board before reviewing my decision because this is taken under protest."

Razzaq, who was in England to sign a short contract with Worcestershire county on Monday, was dropped from Pakistan's 15-man squad for next month's inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.

The selectors said Razzaq and senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf would be rested -- a reason Razzaq said he believed was a pretext for him being dropped from the side.

"I was hurt when they dropped me, and on form and fitness and on my record as an international player, I deserved the benefit" of being treated as a senior player, said Razzaq.

Razzaq missed the World Cup in the Caribbean earlier this year because of a knee injury.

He has scored 1,146 runs and took 100 wickets in 46 Tests. He made 4,465 runs and took 240 wickets in 231 one-day internationals in a career which began in 1995.

Razzaq's lacklustre performance in his last 15 one-day internationals -- scoring just 173 at 10.73 with 12 wickets at 39 runs each -- led to his axing from the team.

Chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed dismissed suggestions that Razzaq had been elbowed out of international cricket.

"There was no victimisation. The team for the Twenty20 World Cup was picked purely on merit and the best players were selected," said Ahmed.

"Razzaq's omission does not mean an end to his international career and we hope he would reconsider his decision."

Razzaq, who is among eight Pakistani players offered lucrative contracts by a breakaway Indian league, said his decision was not linked to rebel cricket.

"I have not signed any deal with the Indian league but if I get the same treatment from my own people, I might be forced to join the league, but my decision to retire has nothing to do with the Indian league," he said.

Former captain Inzamamul Haq leads the pack who are considering signing with the multi-million-dollar Indian league being bankrolled by that country's largest media group, which owns the Zee television channel.

Others set to join the league are opener Imran Farhat, Yousuf and Moin Khan.

Pacemen Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif turned down initial approaches.

Razzaq, who also did not sign a central contract with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), said he had received no word from the sport's governing body since he was dropped.

"No official from the PCB has contacted me. I am still waiting for any official to talk to me but no one has yet bothered," he said.

Worcestershire signed Razzaq as a replacement overseas player for the remainder of the 2007 season following the return of Phil Jaques and Doug Bollinger to Australia for their 'A' team tour of Pakistan.

Razzaq arrived in Worcester on Sunday and was to join the squad for training Monday before the team travel to Canterbury for the county championship match against Kent, which starts Tuesday.

The all-rounder previously played English county cricket for Middlesex in 2002 and 2003.

"It has been very difficult to find quality replacement overseas players because of the forthcoming Twenty20 Cup World Championships and Abdul's availability has come at just the right time," said Worcestershire chief executive Mark Newton.

"He will certainly give us the quality and experience we need during the last few weeks of the season, particularly in the Pro40 competition.

"We have received clearance from the Pakistan Cricket Board but still need to complete the registration procedures with the ECB."

Shoaib Akhtar appeals against fine for misconduct

Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has appealed against the penalties imposed on him for indiscipline last week by the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Akhtar was fined $5,000 for two breaches of the players' code of conduct. He left a training camp in Karachi earlier this month without informing the team management.

He was also docked 1.5 points from the total of 20 points available to the players for discipline in their central contracts.

"We have got an appeal from Shoaib in which he wants the penalties imposed on him reviewed again," PCB chief executive Shafqat Naghmi told Reuters on Monday.

"He says he had informed the team captain about his departure for Lahore because of a stiff neck. But he has admitted to not getting permission from the team manager as required in the rules."

Pakistan cricketers reject offers from new Indian league

Pakistan cricketers Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Asif have turned down offers to play in the unofficial Indian Cricket League Twenty20 series.

The three told Reuters on Saturday that playing for Pakistan was far more important for them and they had not been tempted by offers made by the ICL organizers.

"I got a very good offer but in the end I was not tempted as I have a few more years to give to Pakistan cricket which is far more important for me as a player," Akhtar said.

Indian and Pakistan cricket boards have threatened to ban players who decide to play in the league which is not recognised by the International Cricket Council.

The league organisers have signed up recently retired West Indies skipper Brian Lara and also hope to lure Australians Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne out of retirement.

"I can't let my people down and disappoint them. I have just started my career for Pakistan and I enjoy the feeling of performing for my country. Nothing, not even money, can match that," Asif said.

PCB completes dope tests

The Pakistan Cricket Board completed its out-of-competition dope tests on 26 leading players, including Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, almost a week before naming the final 15-man squad for September’s Twenty20 World Championship.
Sohail Salim, the PCB’s medical officer, said urine samples had been collected from all players featuring in the Karachi-leg of the training camp. The samples will be sent to a WADA-accredited laboratory in Malaysia.
‘All the samples have been collected and we hope to get the results of the tests in about a week’s time,’ Salim told the News.
Four players from the probables haven’t yet given samples as they are currently playing county cricket in England, though Salim said a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) representative will collect their samples on behalf of the board soon.
Results of the tests will be available with the board before the national selectors name the final squad on August 6, thus avoiding the situation that arose during the Champions Trophy last year when Shoaib and Asif were included in the squad only to pull out a day before the first match because their positive results came late. This is the third time that the board has opted for out-of-competition dope tests on the country’s leading players in less than a year.
The tests weren’t without controversy as it emerged later that the board may not have adhered strictly to WADA regulations during its testing, despite claims that its policy was now fully WADA-compliant.
Doubts were raised in a radio report because samples from some of the players were taken on Monday evening while others were asked to be available for the procedure on Tuesday. The WADA code says that an athlete must present himself for testing within one hour after being notified in writing.
The code reads: ‘The players have a maximum of one hour to present themselves at the Doping Control Room for testing. During this time, they will be free to attend any post-match commitments, such as a presentation or press conference, but they will always be accompanied (albeit discreetly) by Sampling Officers, including inside the dressing rooms. All Team Managers and the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit are aware of these protocols.’
Dr Danish Zaheer, a WADA accredited officer told Voice of America that if the one-hour notice protocol has been done away with, WADA can challenge the collection of players’ samples.