July 2023 - News Digest

Find all the news bytes that you may have otherwise missed.

July 1

Hasaranga cops fine, one demerit point

The ICC have pulled up Sri Lanka player Wanindu Hasaranga for for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the World Cup Qualifier match against Netherlands on Friday. He's also been handed demerit point; it was his second offence in a 24-month period, taking his number of demerit points to two.

"The incident occurred after Hasaranga was dismissed, when on return to the pavilion, he hit the boundary skirtings with his bat in an aggressive manner," the ICC said in a media release. "Hasaranga admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Shaid Wadvalla of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing."

Kumara ruled out of World Cup Qualifiers

Sri Lanka pacer Lahiru Kumara, who sustained a side strain suffered in Friday's match against the Netherlands, has been ruled out of the qualifiers in Zimbabwe. He's been replaced in the squad by Sahan Arachchige, who is a left-hand batter and right-arm off-spin bowler.

Allan Border battling Parkinson's disease

Legendary Australia captain Allan Border has revealed that he is battling Parkinson's disease, a progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement.

The 67-year-old Border, the first player to get to 11,000 runs in Test cricket, revealed that he was diagnosed with the disease in 2016. "I walked into the neurosurgeon's and he said straight up, 'I'm sorry to tell you but you've got Parkinson's'," Border told Newscorp. "'Just the way you walked in. Your arms straight down by your side, hanging not swinging.' He could just tell."

"I'm a pretty private person and I didn't want people to feel sorry for me sort of thing. Whether people care you don't know. But I know there'll come a day when people will notice."

"I get the feeling I'm a hell of a lot better off than most. At the moment I'm not scared, not about the immediate future anyway. I'm 68. If I make 80, that'll be a miracle. I've got a doctor friend and I said if I make 80, that'll be a miracle, and he said, 'That will be a miracle.'"

Border played 156 Tests for Australia, 93 of them as captain. He finished with a stellar batting average of 50.56. He also featured in a further 273 ODI games and led Australia to their first World Cup triumph in 1987.

Bascombe appointed CWI Director

Miles Bascombe is all set to take over as the Director of Cricket West Indies (CWI) from Jimmy Adams, effective August 1. Bascombe, who had earlier served as a national selector from 2019-21, has been appointed for a three-year period. He had also been serving as a technical director for Windwards Island Cricket in recent times. Adams took charge as CWI Director back in 2017 and is leaving after a lengthy six-year tenure. CEO of CWI, Johnny Grave, was effusive in his praise of the incoming Director and appeared upbeat about the vision Bascambe would bring to West Indies cricket.