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No appeal to reason is going to stop the speculation over Marlon Samuels’s phone conversation with Mukesh Kochar, an alleged bookie © Getty Images

Don’t rush to judgment on this Marlon Samuels issue, even if it seems everyone else is. Within three hours of the information being released by Nagpur police on Wednesday afternoon, Indian television news channels were already speculating that the 26-year-old Jamaican’s taped telephone conversations with an alleged bookmaker would not only spell the end of his career, but also prove very damaging for the entire West Indies effort as hosts of the upcoming World Cup.A journalist colleague from that country advised that his information suggested that other West Indian players on that short tour and one or two Indians are also implicated in what he fears is developing into a deepening scandal that will be very, very bad for West Indies cricket. At the other end of the reactionary scale, Samuels’s mother was pleading his innocence, stating emphatically that her son would never be involved in such nefarious activities as passing on confidential team information on the eve of a match to someone with known links to the gambling underworld.So is he guilty or not guilty? Come on, come on, we need an answer now! We’re coming up to deadline and we have to beat the competition! Careful analysis and investigation? We don’t have time for that! What you feel this is – the Geriatric Network!?It’s something like the fog of war. Unless you wait a while for things to clear up, it’s quite likely that guns could be pointed in the wrong direction. And, in any case, these are not the life-or-death circumstances of a real conflict, although in the modern cut-throat media environment, the prospect of a juicy scandal on the eve of a major international sporting event is even more newsworthy than a few dozen worthless lives being lost in the latest bombing in Baghdad.No appeal to reason is going to stop the speculation. That’s just the way of the world. In an environment where everything is either black or white and grey areas are frowned upon, it is quite likely that the majority of West Indians will rally to the defence of their fellow countryman, while at the same time questioning the integrity and intent of the law enforcement personnel in Nagpur. Conspiracy theories have already taken root, and even in this dry season, will flourish in the coming days.Across the “Kala Pani” to India, it would be equally understandable if the prevailing mood there is one of praise for the Nagpur police, who have displayed efficiency and competence in their investigations, so confounding the popular misconception of the Indian constabulary as a motley assortment of bumbling fools, an image fuelled and spread internationally for decades through the medium of Indian movies.Both sides will draw on supporting evidence. No West Indian cricketer has yet been implicated in any match-fixing or bribery-related enquiry.Speculation and investigation, yes. But, so far, no player from these territories has had to endure the humiliation of a Hansie Cronje, Mohammad Azharuddin or Salim Malik – all banned for life from the game for their roles in cricketing corruption.At the same time that the motives of the police are being questioned, it will be pointed out that even worse was said of investigators in Delhi when they first levelled match-fixing allegations at Cronje almost exactly seven years ago. In the white Afrikaaner heartland of Free State, the then South African captain’s home province, there were racist overtones to the disdainful dismissal of the accusations, only for the Indian police to be proven dead right.

If Samuels is found guilty of knowingly passing on team information prior to a match to a bookie, then he is deserving of whatever punishment stipulated in the ICC Code of Conduct. If he was naive or foolish or not thinking about what he was doing, he should still face some form of censure for such irresponsible behaviour

So this is a time to tread carefully, even if everyone is scrambling to be the first to break the latest news. Going on reports that appeared in print yesterday, the officer spearheading the investigation in Nagpur stated that Indian cricket authorities had been notified, although BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah said he was unaware of any such formal communication.Quite appropriately, officials in Jamaica and at the level of the West Indies Cricket Board are adopting a wait-and-see approach, advising that, to that time, they had not received any word from the BCCI or ICC, and therefore could not comment on media speculation.That speculation could be ridiculously inflammatory or inferred. The headline-grabbing soundbites from “experts” are obvious enough, but when an AFP report states that Samuels “gave away” 53 runs in his ten-over spell in Nagpur, even Inspector Jacques Clouseau can pick up the hint. That the Jamaican’s effort in an Indian innings of 338 was actually one of the more economical is a contextual fact that robs the inference of its punch, hence the reason for leaving it out.If Samuels is found guilty of knowingly passing on team information prior to a match to a bookie, then he is deserving of whatever punishment stipulated in the ICC Code of Conduct. If he was naive or foolish or not thinking about what he was doing (an apparently inherent occupational hazard with young people), he should still face some form of censure for such irresponsible behaviour.If, however, he is completely innocent, as claimed in the brief comments attributed to him, then he has nothing to worry about and the media can say what they want. He will be vindicated in the end.That end, however, may be some distance away, and it would be better for his sake if he and his minders (of which I’m sure there are many) just shut up, except when the official investigators come a-calling.

‘I’m not there to be liked by players. I’m there to get results’ © Getty Images

Kevin Curran, Zimbabwe’s coach, has said that he does not feel the rift which emerged between him and the players during the recently-concluded strike will be an issue as Zimbabwe prepare for a five-ODI series against Kenya at the end of the month.In an exclusive interview with the Zimbabwe Independent, Curran said the rift was largely caused by his strict disciplinarian approach. “Where that comes across is that I have strong work ethics, and there are players who did not like that,” he said. “The likes of Duncan Fletcher are like that. We have to do it the way the best cricket nations in the world do it. If any of the players do not want to put up with these ethics, there is no place for them in Zimbabwe cricket.”I’m not there to be liked by players. I’m there to get results. But anyhow I do not think that that will still be an issue. I’m the one who helped them to sort out their contract problems. They owe me something. I have helped to incentivise the players. If they play well, they will earn more money.””We have a plan for Kenya. If we stick to that, there is no ways we can lose to them again. The bottom line is that we need to prove ourselves. There is also the series involving Kenya, Bangladesh and us coming up. We need to measure ourselves against these sides.”Curran also explained that he had a good relationship with the new interim board. “They have listened to us and we have listened to them,” he told the paper. “They have left the cricket matters to the cricket brains like me and Andy Pycroft [the Zimbabwe A coach]. As long as they do that, there is no problem. There seem to be trust between us and them.”Curran also revealed that he had been given the task of trying to persuade some of the players who had walked away from Zimbabwe cricket lately to return. “I have spoken to a few of them.. There are a few factors to consider, such as the Kolpak agreement. Under the Kolpak, players who have contracts elsewhere cannot play for us. We are going to ask the ICC to give us a special dispensation.”The one area where there remained some confusion, however, was that of selection. While Curran maintained that all players who had signed contracts were eligible, that seemed to clash with the views of Bruce Makovah, the head of selection. Makovah was the man responsible for the recent shambles in Mashonaland when he banned the six major clubs and picked a dire provincial side which did not contain players from any of those sides. He told the Independent that anyone picked had to play in the “official system” which seems to contradict Curran’s view.”There is an official system and people will be selected from that system,” Makovah said. “We now have selection based on value, not on popularity. We will not prejudice anyone. If you prove your value you will get selected.”

Fidel Edwards benefitted from the West Indies academy, but others might not get the chance© Getty Images

As if West Indies cricket is not beset by enough sponsorship problems already, there is now growing concern for the future of the Grenada-based West Indies Cricket Academy, which has been instrumental in developing the careers of such players as Ryan Hinds, Carlton Baugh, and Fidel Edwards, but now faces closure because of a funding shortfall.Last year the multinational oil giants, Shell, decided to terminate their sponsorship of the academy, which is based at the St George’s University in South-West Grenada. The academy had been regarded as one of the few remaining success stories in West Indian cricket, with an annual three-month programme that was designed to produce a more rounded cricketer in terms of technique, fitness, personal development (including literacy, media and money management) and mental skills.Now, however, the programme is in strife, and the Academy co-ordinator, Rudi Webster, is at a loss as to whether it has a future at all. "We have got a contract with the [West Indies] board until the end of 2005,” Webster said in an interview with CMC Sport, "but … we haven’t had anything in writing from them whether the Academy is going to continue or not."Webster, a former team manager and psychologist with the senior squad, told the Trinidad Express that his team was ready to take the next batch of students. "I hope some time soon, somebody will take up a pen and paper or send us some correspondence saying that the Academy is on or the Academy is off. We are prepared to start if they want to continue, if they don’t want to continue we are happy with that too."

Centuries to Matthew Elliott and Brad Hodge guided Victoria to an eight wicket victory over Queensland in the ING Cup match tonight at the Gabba.The Bushrangers were set 236 runs by Queensland, thanks to some late big hitting by Bulls wicketkeeper Wade Seccombe and off-spinner Nathan Hauritz.The Victorian innings, which started 45 minutes late because of rain, began badly when Jonathan Moss was out for a duck when he was caught by Shane Jurgenson at short mid on off the bowling of Joe Dawes.But Elliott smashed 117 while Hodge hit 107 to put on 221 and shatter Victoria’s previous all wicket limited over record of 194 which Elliott set with Graeme Vimpani against NSW in the 1999-2000 seasonElliott’s century was his sixth domestic one-day hundred and he hit 13 fours and a six which went under the ING sign, narrowly missing out on $50,000 in prize money, during his 116 ball stay.Hodge made his fifth domestic one day century, belting 15 fours during his 123 ball tenure at the crease.The win erases memories of the Bushrangers loss to NSW last week while Queensland will lick its wounds and ready itself to play Victoria in the Pura Cup match at the Gabba from Sunday.Queensland were fortunate to make 235 after being 6-164 with 12 overs remaining.Hauritz joined Seccombe at the crease for a face-saving unbeaten 71-run stand, which included 44 runs off the last 3.2 overs.In an action-pack final ten overs Seccombe hit an unbeaten 50, which included four dropped catches off debutante Allan Wise, while Hauritz pulled his hamstring while taking off for a quick run.But it did not hamper the 22-year-old off spinner who hit 39 off 34 balls with the aid of a runner, in an innings which included two sixes.Hauritz, who was part of the victorious Australian 2003 World Cup squad, will be out for at least the next couple of weeks.Wise ended with 2-34 but had to watch Seccombe survive at five when Elliott dropped him at at short mid-off and later Victorian captain Cameron White spilled a chance at short cover when he was on 25.In Wise’s final over, White again dropped Seccombe at 27 in the same position and a few balls later Shane Harwood fumbled on the boundary.With rain threatening Queensland captain Martin Love won the toss and the Bulls opened with 25-year-old Daniel Payne and veteran Stuart Law.They set a cracking pace and their 50 partnership came off 69 balls with Law passing his 2,000 run in one-day domestic matches in the fourth over.But it was part-time Victorian bowler Moss, who took 3-52 for the match, which prevented the deluge of runs.In a three-over period Moss took 3-11 with Payne (22), Law (55) and Clinton Perren (5) falling victim to his gentle medium pacers.

Avishka Gunawardene and Ian Daniel shared an opening partnership of 106 before rain washed out the final session’s play on the second day of the first four-day unofficial Test between Sri Lanka ‘A’ and the touring Kenyans at the Sara Stadium. Sri Lanka ‘A,’ replying to Kenya’s first innings of 292, had scored 122 for one by the close of play.Play is scheduled to commence half an hour early at 10 a.m. and end half anhour late at 6 p.m., but how many overs can be got in will largely depend on the state of the weather.Sri Lanka ‘A’ trail Kenya by 170 runs in the first innings with eight wickets and two days remaining. Gunawardene’s powerful half-century and Daniel’s patient knock of 48 in three hours were the high points of the rain-restricted second day.The chunky left-hander played in a manner that only he can, going after thebowling from the outset. He played and missed several times and was droppedbehind the wicket on 19 by wicket-keeper Kennedy Otieno, who took off to hisleft but could not hold onto a thick edge. Martin Suji was the unlucky bowler on that occasion.But luck continued to favour the brave, and Gunawardene went on to complete ahalf-century off 92 balls in 138 minutes with the aid of eight fours. But on 57, he departed, edging a catch to Otieno off the spin of skipper MauriceOdumbe, who had brought himself on in the 33rd over as the seventh bowler in anattempt to separate the opening pair. Gunawardene’s innings of 57 comprised nine fours and lasted 153 minutes, by which time he had brought his side’s total to 106 with Daniel.The right-handed Daniel, in contrast, played a largely passive role, content to take his time over his half-century. The rain interruption found him two runs shy of achieving that objective.When stumps were drawn for the day, Daniel was unbeaten on 48, having faced128 balls and in that period struck eight fours. Partnering him was MichaelVandort on six.Earlier in the day, the last two Kenyan wickets offered hardly any resistance, adding just 10 runs to their overnight total of 282 for eight. Kaushalya Weeraratne had Otieno Suji caught at mid-off by Upul Chandana for a well-made 32 off 99 balls (three fours).Ruchira Perera, the left-arm pace bowler, finished off the innings by forcing last man Lameck Onyango to edge a catch to wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene for five, leaving Mohammad Sheikh unbeaten on 10. Sheikh and Suji had added 26 for the ninth wicket.Perera, who looked the most impressive of the three seamers on display during the Kenyan innings, finished with four wickets for 70 in 20.5 overs.

Haryana were in command of their Ranji Trophy North Zone clash againstServices at the Air Force Station ground in Delhi after the latterbegan their first innings disastrously in reply to their opponents’tally of 389. Services lost three wickets without a run on the boardbut recovered to 84/4 by stumps.After Haryana resumed on the second day at 234/3, Ishan Ganda, on 83overnight, completed his century in the morning. His fourth wicketstand with Rajesh Puri had reached 120 when he was stumped by wicketkeeper Sarabjit Singh off medium pacer Sudhakar Ghag for 122 (282balls, 16 fours). Puri fell eleven short of the three figure mark,being sixth out, in identical fashion as Ganda, for 89 (142 balls, 14fours). When Ghag removed Ajay Ratra to terminate the innings, he tookhis tally of scalps to seven in a marathon 50.1 overs at a cost of 122runs.Haryana opening bowlers Vineet Jain and Feroze Ghyas scattered theServices top order as D Sehrawar, HK Bhaskar and Sarabjit Singh wereall back in the dressing room off the sixth, seventh and eighth ballsof the innings. Ghyas took his third scalp by taking out M Reddy at 33but skipper Sanjay Verma (40) and KK Dixit (25) prevented any furthersetbacks, restoring a semblance of order at 84/4.

Gabby Agbonlahor thinks that Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch may now lose Raphinha after some footage emerged from Thorp Arch.

The Lowdown: Raphinha greets Marsch

After Marsch was confirmed as the successor to Marcelo Bielsa following the Whites’ 4-0 loss at home to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League over the weekend, Raphinha was spotted warmly embracing him on his first day at Thorp Arch in a video released earlier this week.

Unfortunately for Marsch, the Brazil international has been strongly linked with a move away from Elland Road this summer, and with them lurking just above the relegation zone, it is hard to envisage him staying.

Agbonlahor certainly doesn’t think that footage is reason to believe the Brazil star will stay, as he dropped some worrying comments for the Elland Road faithful.

The Latest: Agbonlahor reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, the former Aston Villa and England striker, who features regularly as a pundit on talkSPORT, still thinks that Raphinha will go in he summer, even if Marsch is now in charge:

“Raphinha is gone no matter what.

“You could bring in Pep Guardiola and he would still go.

“He is a regular in the Brazil squad now he will want to be playing regularly in the big boy competitions like his Brazil teammates.

“He’s been disrespected by Bielsa recently. Leaving him on the bench, bringing him off at half-time. He’s your best player, you shouldn’t be doing that.

“If I’m Raphinha, I’m 100 per cent looking to leave in the summer.”

The Verdict: Inevitable

Unfortunately for both Marsch and the Peacocks fans, it is inevitable that Raphinha will leave, probably this summer.

A player of his quality will not want to be fighting down the bottom of the top flight, and in a World Cup year, he may want to be performing for a team at a higher level, in order to guarantee his place on the plane to Qatar.

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As per WhoScored, Raphinha currently ranks as their best player in the division so far this season, and his total of nine goals is far more than any of his teammates have managed.

He also averages more shots, key passes and dribbles per game than any other LUFC player, and is clearly the standout in the side.

Nonetheless, at 25 years of age, the winger has another big move left in his career, and that could well be taken this summer.

In other news, find out who Marsch has now brought in to work with him here!

From South Africa, to England…and back again © Getty Images

Warwickshire have released Vaughn van Jaarsveld, five months after he signed a two-year deal and pledged his allegiance to England.His relationship with Warwickshire became increasingly difficult when, earlier this month, it was reported that van Jaarsveld decided to return to South Africa and his club, Gauteng. According to the county, not only did he breach his contract but he also failed to speak to his superiors directly and Warwickshire’s directors were left to discuss the situation with their opposite numbers at Gauteng.”We are disappointed by the way Vaughn has conducted himself but once he returned to South Africa for the winter he clearly had a change of heart over his long term plans,” Colin Povey, Warwickshire’s chief executive said.”He will be missing out on a fantastic opportunity here with Warwickshire but we only want players who are fully committed to the [club’s] cause. Having agreed the appropriate compensation with Vaughn and Gauteng Cricket we will now move on.”Van Jaarsveld, one of South Africa’s brightest batting hopes, denied he was using English cricket to further his career when he signed with Warwickshire in June. “I’m here to qualify as an Englishman,” he said. “I’m going to be spending at least 210 days a year here and the aim is to play for England. I just want to play cricket at the highest level possible and there are more opportunities here.”This development is the latest to fuel the argument that there are too many Kolpak players in county cricket.

Scorecard

Ryan Austin bowled very tidily to pick up 6 for 86 © The Nation

Barbados gained a first-innings lead of 27, with Ryan Austin, the offbreak bowler, taking 6 for 86 as Leeward Islands were bowled out for 236 on day two of their second-round Carib series match at Crab Hill in Barbados.Resuming at their overnight score of 250 for 9, Barbados tail-enders Tino Best and Corey Collymore added only 13 more before Best was dismissed by Adam Sanford for 22.Austin dismissed both Leewards openers for 41 but then Steve Liburd and Sylvester Joseph added 85 for the third wicket. Liburd was the top-scorer of the Leewards innings with 55 before he was trapped leg-before by Dwayne Smith who ended with figures of 3 for 32 from his 12 overs. No other Leewards batsman got to even 40.The Barbados openers played out an over for one run before stumps were drawn.
Scorecard
Windward Islands managed to reduce Jamaica’s lead to 93 – losing four wickets in the process – and got to 196 on day two of their second-round Carib series match at the Beausejour Stadium in St Lucia.Once the Windward bowlers had dismissed the last four Jamaican batsmen for 58 their openers raced to 66 before Devon Smith was run out for 26. Heron Campbell, the other opener, made 48 before he got out lbw to Nikita Miller, Jamaica’s slow left-arm bowler. At stumps Darren Sammy was batting on 69 alongside Hyron Shallow on 27.
No play was possible on day two of the second-round Carib series match between Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana after heavy showers overnight as well as in the morning left the outfield of Guaracara Park waterlogged. The umpires called off play at 1.15 pm. Day one of the match was abandoned for the same reason.

Cricket may not actually be the new football afterall, but one man who knows a thing or two about the other game is Yorkshire’s new chief executive, Stewart Regan. He joins the county from the Football League, where he has been the director of the Championship division for the past two years.Regan, 41, will succeed Colin Graves in the role, with Graves continuing to serve on the board. His exact start date is yet to be confirmed, although the club say that they are hoping Regan will be in the job before the season begins.”We were looking for someone with a strong business background who could lead this club as we enter a new phase in its development,” explained the club’s chairman, Robin Smith. “Stewart’s extensive experience, both in corporate business and football, will be invaluable. I am delighted he has accepted the role.”Regan brings with him experience from the brewing industry; he is a former director of strategic planning for Coors Brewers, owner of the Carling and Worthington brands.”I am delighted and honoured to be joining one of the biggest names in the world of cricket at such an exciting time in the club’s history,” said Regan. “Yorkshire has a huge potential to grow on the back of its acquisition of the Headingley cricket ground, promotion to the First Division of the County Championship and the securing of a 15-year staging agreement to host Test Cricket in Yorkshire.”