Australian newspapers lose defamation appeal against Chris Gayle

Gayle also appealed the size of his payout, seeking an increase.

An Australian media group on Tuesday lost an appeal against an AUD 300,000 ($211,000) defamation payout to West Indies cricket star Chris Gayle after claiming he exposed his genitals to a masseuse.

Gayle was accused by former media group Fairfax, which at the time was publisher of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, of exposing his penis and indecently propositioning the woman in a dressing room during the 2015 World Cup in Sydney.

Gayle vigorously denied the allegations, claiming the journalists behind the series of stories published in the newspapers in 2016 were out to “destroy him”.

He won the defamation case in October last year after jurors found Fairfax was motivated by malice and had failed to establish a defence of truth.

The publisher appealed the case arguing it did not receive a fair trial and the judge should have discharged the jury after Gayle’s barrister attacked the credibility of the massage therapist.

Gayle also appealed the size of his payout, seeking an increase.

A New South Wales court dismissed both appeals.

Gayle caused a stir in Australia in 2016 prior to the Fairfax stories being published when he attempted to flirt with a presenter on live TV, asking her out for a drink and telling her: “Don’t blush, baby.”

After winning his court case last year, he tried to spark a bidding war for a tell-all interview, promising that “when I break this down to y’all it will be like a movie”.

“Biding (sic) starts at $300K for this interview! So much to say & I will” he tweeted to his then 3.75 million followers.

Fairfax newspapers are now owned by commercial broadcaster Nine Entertainment, which purchased the media company last year.

Business Standard

Cricket’s ‘Big Three’ still dominating the game both on and off the field

India, Australia and England have not only dominated the game but also have been able to strike lucrative domestic broadcasting deals.

Business Standard : They may have each had some slip-ups along the way, but it is perhaps no surprise that cricket’s three wealthiest nations — England, India and Australia — are in the semi-finals of the World Cup.

The tournament, which will generate some 400 million pounds ($500 million) in broadcast revenues alone, is key in funding the International Cricket Council‘s work in developing the sport.

Yet most of the money still finds its way to cricket’s richest countries.

In the 2016-23 broadcasting cycle, of which the 2019 and 2023 World Cup are the key events, some 93 “associate” or junior cricket nations stand to receive 175 million pounds from the ICC, whereas India will get 320 million pounds alone.

While the ‘Big Three’ are able to strike lucrative domestic broadcasting deals as well, teams based in poorer local economies such as South Africa and the West Indies are struggling to compete.

They face the constant threat of players quitting international cricket to pursue more lucrative careers in one of the numerous Twenty20 franchise competitions that have sprung up following the huge success of the Indian Premier League.

When promising South Africa fast bowler Duanne Olivier announced he was halting his Proteas career to join English county side Yorkshire, it prompted West Indies captain Jason Holder to call in February for the ICC to introduce a minimum wage for international cricket.

– ‘Biggest issue’ –

South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, speaking last week before his side ended their World Cup campaign in the group stage, said: “Looking at the one-day side, your players that will move on from the Proteas would potentially move on to the T20 circuit.

“That will become the biggest issue for us to try and stay away from for all players. And that’s including myself.” New Zealand, the fourth-placed qualifier for the semi-finals, were quicker than most to adapt the realities of the modern game by allowing top players to feature in the IPL, although they were helped by the lack of a clash with their domestic season.

M S Dhoni did right by taking time for ‘top-rated’ knock against WI: Jasprit Bumrah

Dhoni’s rate of scoring has been a topic of debate in the ongoing showpiece.

India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah feels Mahendra Singh Dhoni played a “top-rated” knock in the World Cup clash against the West Indies and did the right thing by taking his time in the middle.

Dhoni’s rate of scoring has been a topic of debate in the ongoing showpiece. On Thursday, the former skipper scored 56 off 61 balls, exploding in the last over, to help India post a winning 268-run total on the board against the Caribbeans.

“The innings that he played is the kind which is very under-rated. Sometimes you might feel that he is batting slow but sometimes it is important that he takes time, which he did,” Jasprit Bumrah said on ‘bcci.tv’.

“He absorbs the pressure and takes the game deep. It was top-rated innings and got us to 268, which was a good total on this pitch.

He knew there were pinch-hitters coming later so he could take his time. Youngsters can learn a lot from this knock,” he added.

Speaking of his own performance, the world No.1 ODI bowler reflected on the two-wicket haul which could well have been a hat-trick.

“While bowling the hat-trick ball I was hoping the batsman (Kemar Roach) would expect a fast yorker. So, I thought I would bowl a slower one. I executed it as well but he managed to stop it.

But I am glad I could execute what I planned,” he said referring to the 27th over delivery.

India will next face England on Sunday in Birmingham.

Busienss Standard

ICC World Cup 2019: Rishabh Pant flies to England as back up for Dhawan

Rishabh Pant’s omission from the original squad had become a topic of heated debates given his stupendous form in the past one year.

Young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant was Wednesday brought in as cover for the injured Shikhar Dhawan in India’s World Cup squad.

Pant, whose omission from the original squad became a topic of heated debates given his stupendous form in the past one year, will reach here Wednesday.

His arrival will be a day before India’s game against New Zealand and he won’t be considered a replacement till the time the team management takes a final call on Dhawan’s availability for the rest of the tournament.

ALSO READ: Injured Shikhar Dhawan under observation, will remain in England: BCCI

“Rishabh Pant is being flown in from India as cover at the request of the team management,” a senior BCCI official currently in England told PTI.

The 21-year-old is one of the most exciting players to have emerged in Indian cricket. He impressed with Test hundreds during the tours of England and Australia earlier and was in fine form during the IPL last month.

Several former players such as Sunil Gavaskar advocated for his inclusion in the squad if Dhawan fails to recover quickly enough for India. Dhawan has been ruled out of three matches due to a hairline fracture on his left thumb which he sustained during his match-winning hundred in the clash against Australia on Sunday.

“…Dhawan is presently under the observation of the BCCI medical team. The team management has decided that Dhawan will continue to be in England and his progress will be monitored,” the Indian team said in a statement on Wednesday night.

“Dhawan sustained an injury on the back of his left hand in the region between the index finger and thumb…,” it added.

Business Standard

 

ICC CWC 19: A hopeful Kohli downplays top-order rout ahead of WC campaign

The top-order failed to fire in both the warm-up games with most experts suggesting that the batsmen are struggling to adapt to the English conditions.

Business Standard : “I am glad with what we got out of these two games,” said Virat Kohli after the second warm-up match against Bangladesh which his side won comfortably by 95 runs.

But was it really the case?

In the first practice match, the famed Indian batting line-up struggled before the pace and swing of New Zealand bowlers, especially Trent Boult who wreaked havoc and picked up four wickets on May 25 in challenging batting conditions at Southampton. Apart from Ravindra Jadeja, none of the Indian batsmen managed to stay for long at the crease and as a result the Men in Blue were bundled out for mere 179 inside 40 overs which the Black Caps chased down without any hiccups.

In the second match as well, the Indian top-order failed to perform as per expectations and didn’t seem to be in total control of their game. It was only K.L. Rahul and M.S. Dhoni, who managed to make the most of their batting as they scored brilliant hundreds to help India post a mammoth 360-run target, which it successfully defended against Bangladesh.

ICC World Cup 2019

Keeping aside those two knocks and the quickfire 46-ball 47 from Virat Kohli, it was again a case of conditions making the batsmen sweat.

ODI vice captain Rohit Sharma, who had scored just two runs against the Kiwis, managed 19 against the Bangladesh. He was seen struggling before the pace and swing of Boult, as well as that of Mustafizur Rahman.

Same was the case with Shikhar Dhawan who managed scores of 2 and 1 in both the warm-up matches. The much spoken about Vijay Shankar also managed just 2 on Tuesday as the Indian scoreboard read a scary 102/4 at one stage. But the 164-run partnership between Rahul (108) and Dhoni ensured that another embarrassing collapse was avoided.

However, Kohli doesn’t appear much bothered by the form of his ‘star openers’. “Shikhar and Rohit are quality players. They become stars in ICC events. I understand if guys don’t get going rightaway in this format, but I am glad with what we got out of these two games,” the skipper said on Tuesday.

When it comes to bowling, the Indian bowlers didn’t have much to defend against the Black Caps. But still, they put up a good show, especially Jasprit Bumrah who was magnificent with his line and length. He bowled at a brisk pace and returned with figures of 2/4 from the four overs he bowled.