The Pakistan Cricket Board has exonerated Bob Woolmer for criticising the umpiring in Australia during Pakistan’s recent tour. Woolmer, who had said that “umpiring decisions went 29-5 against us”, was spared a potential ban or fine after the ICC handed over the matter to the PCB.”Woolmer was asked to give his comments and he told the PCB he was quoted out of context,” said Abbas Zaidi, the PCB spokesman, quoted by AFP. “So the matter looks to be over.”Woolmer was reported by the ICC earlier this month for violating the code of conduct. He was charged under Level 2.4 of the ICC Code, which deals with “public criticism of, or inappropriate comment on a match-related incident or match officials”.Pakistan lost both the VB Series finals to Australia, and Woolmer had also said that Australian players intimidated the umpires, thereby influencing their decisions. “I have great respect for the umpires,” Woolmer told AFP. “It’s a difficult job they do and at no stage have I criticised the umpires.”Woolmer, who played 19 Tests for England and also coached South Africa, took over as Pakistan coach in June last year.
The best part of Sourav Ganguly’s day lasted for a few minutes, first thing in the morning. He won the toss and put Australia in. But winning the toss against Australia is about as useful as using an umbrella to keep dry under the Niagara Falls. Australia rattled up 262 for 2, on a rain-interrupted first day in which Justin Langer clattered 115, and the closest thing to batting failure was Matthew Hayden’s breezy 37.Langer’s innings formed the backbone of a strong Australian score, both literally and figuratively. He was gritty, solid, no-frills and vitally important for the stability of the innings. Around him there were batsmen of greater panache and ability who played dreamy drives and powerful thumps. But no runs look better than the ones on the scoreboard. The way Langer paced his innings put the Indians on the back foot, and kept them there all day.To begin with, Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan bowled too full, floating the ball into just the right place for Langer and Hayden to drive. And drive they did, in contrasting styles. Hayden stood tall and bludgeoned, Langer punched and pushed, almost apologetically. Hayden’s booming drives pinged the advertising hoardings, while Langer’s shots trickled over the ropes, often with a ragged Indian fielder in tow.When Akash Chopra caught Langer smartly at short square leg off a Nehra no-ball, and the Indian fielders had to rein in their delight, it set the tone for the day. Lady luck turned her face away from the carnage. The ball beat the bat more than once, when Zaheer bent his back and produced a good spell, but did not result in an edge. The ball tricked the bat and hit pad more than once, but did not result in an lbw.But, as they say, you make your own luck. Australia kept their run rate hovering around the four mark with unwavering certainty. Hayden reached 37 from 52 balls before flashing a delivery from Zaheer into VVS Laxman’s lap in the slip cordon (73 for 1).India needed to tighten the screws at this stage. They had to slip in a few quiet overs and put pressure on Ricky Ponting, the new batsman. Ajit Agarkar achieved the exact opposite, with a string of half-volleys that Ponting pummelled back down the ground for boundaries. Ganguly, frustrated and sheepish in equal measure, removed Agarkar from the attack after a first spell of 5-1-40-0.
Since pace clearly did not work, Gangly turned to Harbhajan Singh, his lone spinner. Harbhajan, picked ahead of Anil Kumble for this Test, was welcomed to the attack with a savage Langer cut that raced to the point fence. Ponting, who was dismissed no fewer than five times by Harbhajan when Australia last toured India, made a bold statement by coming down the track and smashing Harbhajan into the stands over long-on.Spin and pace had both failed in the face of the Langer-Ponting combination, which added 89 runs for the second wicket. Almost against the run of play, Ponting (52) then dismissed himself, when he top-edged a pull to Parthiv Patel behind the stumps (162 for 2). Zaheer allowed himself a smile, having taken Ponting’s wicket with the unlikeliest of deliveries, a short one.Damien Martyn began his pleasurable stay at the crease with a tickle down to the fine-leg boundary. He waited on the ball, was in no hurry, and built his innings. With Australia scoring as quickly as they were, Martyn didn’t need to take any risks. Playing his natural game, treating the bowling on merit, Martyn helped himself to 36 runs. Langer, unbeaten on 115 (175 balls, 16 fours), was happy to walk off the field when Steve Bucknor offered him the light. Although only 62 overs were bowled in the day, Australia scored quickly enough, at 4.22 runs per over, to reach 262.The Indians were also happy to walk off, as that was perhaps the only way they were going to get any respite from this onslaught. Ganguly walked off just behind Langer, applauding him as he crossed over the ropes to a waiting Hayden. That might be just about the shape of things to come for the Indians in the gruelling weeks ahead.
Lancashire have announced that 39 year-old left-handed batsman Neil Fairbrother has signed a new contract that will keep him playing for the club for at least one more season.Fairbrother made his debut for Lancashire in 1982. He was capped in 1985 and, two years later, made the first of his ten Tests for England. However, it was as a one-day player that he made his international mark with 75 appearances, the last of which came in the 1999 World Cup against India at Edgbaston. He averaged a shade under 40 in one-day internationals.Last season he scored his 20,000th first-class run, and can boast an average of over 40 at this level. In 1990 he scored 366 against Surrey at the Oval – the third highest score ever in championship cricket. He was appointed captain of Lancashire for the 1992 season, but resigned from the post in 1993.Mike Watkinson, the cricket manager at Old Trafford said: "I enjoyed being a team-mate of Neil’s for many years and I am looking forward to him making many more significant contributions to the side next summer."Fairbrother, who was named after his mother’s favourite cricketer Neil Harvey, commented: "I am enjoying my cricket as much as ever and am looking forward tremendously to working with the new cricket management team under Mike Watkinson."
It’s a sure sign of experience developing in any cricket side when the milestones begin to tumble with more regularity.That is the case for the New Zealand team which is emerging well and truly from the development phase it has been in for the last four or five years.Yesterday’s eight wicket win over Zimbabwe to complete a 2-0 sweep of the home team was the latest cause for changes in the statistic books.Stephen Fleming’s claim to being New Zealand’s most successful Test captain is unchallenged. Not only has he surpassed Geoff Howarth’s record of 11 Test wins, Fleming has done it in one less Test.His job has been a little harder than Howarth’s as he has also had to mould a team.That hasn’t always been easy for a player who is younger than many under his leadership and while attempting to look after his own batting. Now he has the record secured, and who knows where it will end, he has some batting problems to attend to.But there was also credit in becoming the first team to beat Zimbabwe in a home clean sweep. Given the nature of some of the opposition Zimbabwe has faced in the past that is not a bad record. Even considering the loss of Murray Goodwin and Neil Johnson, the job still had to be done.And Guy Whittall and Heath Streak ensured some moments of concern for the tourists. But again, the developing experience in the side was reflected in the patience exhibited in getting through to the third new ball of the second innings.New Zealand’s containing effort was the more memorable given Chris Cairns’ injury, the absence of Daniel Vettori and the first serious bowling undertaken by Dion Nash on his road to recovery.The only blot on the win had to be the incidents involving wicket-keeper Adam Parore and Nash with Whittall at various stages of his innings. These seemed to be the only Kiwi reactions of a negative nature reflecting the pressure the Kiwi were under.Whittall especially tested the Kiwi bowlers and his innings must rank among the finest solitary innings in the quest to avoid defeat, if not in all Test history, then certainly in Zimbabwe’s brief time on the world stage.His penchant for attack is well known to the New Zealanders, who saw his double century on their last visit to Zimbabwe, while those who erred even slightly off line in this match were reminded of his ability.Streak’s was a fine captain’s innings and if nothing else he has set the tone for Zimbabwe’s climb off the bottom of the international rankings.New Zealand, upon reflection, has been tradesmanlike in its approach to success on the tour. It laid the foundations in its two warm up games and then it built on them to take two wins.Considering that most of the New Zealanders had the winter off and didn’t take up playing duties in England or the Netherlands this year, it is an even more outstanding performance.And, by virtue of their fighting recovery, the Zimbabweans have helped ensure the return contest in Wellington, starting on Boxing Day will be of more than passing interest.For New Zealand now though, there is attention to one-day matters. This is the next area of the game demanding attention with New Zealand’s success ratio lengthening too much on the loss side.With the three-game series with Zimbabwe, a fourth game at the International Cricket Council Knockout tournament in Kenya and six one-dayers in South Africa, there is the chance to pay some serious attention to this aspect of the game.
Fabio Paratici has only been in his sporting director role at Tottenham Hotspur for approaching on nine months but some of his early decision-making in the transfer market has been questionable, to say the least.
The Italian supremo arrived in north London with plenty of promise, having held a similar role for 11 years at Serie A giants and perennial winners Juventus, where he was responsible for many encouraging signings – notably ranging from the likes of Paul Pogba and Andrea Pirlo on free transfers to the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid.
He got straight into business at Hotspur Way, bringing in Cristian Romero and Pierluigi Gollini on loan from fellow Italian outfit Atalanta, signing Emerson Royal from Barcelona, snatching promising gems up in Bryan Gil and Pape Matar Sarr, and sealing a deadline day swoop for Bianconeri duo Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski in January.
What is most damning is the fact that one of those names has already departed the club on loan after being found out in the Premier League as not being up to scratch – yet.
Whilst another player has been one of the more disappointing signings of recent times, that being Emerson, who cost a whopping £26m – a figure that reportedly raised eyebrows from the Nou Camp.
During the winter transfer window, manager Antonio Conte appeared desperate to sign a new right wing-back despite the Brazilian’s arrival in the summer, which only goes to show just how poor he’s been.
The Times reported that the Italian head coach was unconvinced by Emerson’s potential and ability to play an attacking wide role, whilst also doing his defensive duties.
Adama Traore was targeted but he returned to his boyhood club, Barca, instead. His former Wolverhampton Wanderers teammate has even usurped him in the pecking order in recent outings, too.
17 of the 23-year-old’s 20 appearances in the Premier League have been starts and Conte’s worries are ever so justified when delving into his figures.
Despite averaging 75 minutes per outing, the £25m-rated dynamo has managed only one assist, has made only one key chance per game and has only accurately delivered 25% of his crosses, as per SofaScore.
Meanwhile, defensively, he’s not been that much better. His positional awareness is some of the worst we’ve seen in recent times, often being caught napping or completely away from where he’s supposed to be. Tuesday night was another cold reminder of that as Middlesbrough bagged in extra time.
Such performances have seen him slammed as “terrible” and “horrendous” by Noel Whelan and Jonathan Woodgate, respectively.
From 20 appearances, the former Real Betis star has been part of only three clean sheets and only wins possession back 0.2 times per game, on top of him being dribbled past 1.1 per match, meaning the opposition often gets past him with relative ease.
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Emerson has also lost possession a whopping 254 times over the course of the season at an average of 12.7 per outing, via SofaScore. That is surely why Conte is concerned by the right wing-back position.
The 23-year-old is thought to be on wages of around £62k-per-week at Spurs, so that combined with his dire-looking £26m fee means the club have already blown nearly £28m on a struggling star that the manager doesn’t even want.
On the above evidence, it’s hard to argue a case against Emerson being an absolute disasterclass of a transfer from Paratici.
AND in other news, 0 duels won, 0 tackles made: Conte’s £91k-p/w disaster must never play for Spurs again after Boro catastrophe…
South Africa overcame the stout resistance of Marlon Samuels, who made his second Test century, to wrap up a comfortable innings-and-100-run victory on the third day at Durban. In doing so, they came from behind to complete a 2-1 series win after their surprise loss in the first Test at Port Elizabeth. On a flat and true surface, it was the raw pace of Dale Steyn that proved the difference on the day. He took 4 for 0 in 15 deliveries with the second new ball to complete his seventh five-wicket haul in 18 Tests, after a fourth-wicket stand of 144 between Samuels and Dwayne Bravo had threatened to carry the match into a fourth day.Steyn’s success was entirely appropriate on the day that South Africa’s champion seamer, Shaun Pollock, finally handed over the reins after an outstanding 12-year career. Pollock’s final day of Test cricket began with the second-ball wicket of Runako Morton, but thereafter he was comfortably negotiated by a West Indian middle order that put their desperate match situation out of mind, and knuckled down to fight for survival. Thanks to Samuels’s 190-ball innings, and a series-best 75 from the stand-in captain, Bravo, West Indies completed their tour as they had begun it, with pride.Their prognosis at the start of the day had not been encouraging, however. Their series prospects had been in tatters ever since they were bowled out for 139 on the first morning of the match, and when they shed three wickets in an ill-disciplined first session, there was a fear that the match could be all over by tea, especially seeing as their leading batsman, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, was laid low by ‘flu.But Samuels and Bravo displayed the maturity that has been an enduring feature of what has to be recorded as an encouraging tour for West Indies. Despite heavy defeats at both Cape Town and now Durban, each match has been marked by the sort of character in adversity that might not previously have been expected of the side. Both men counterattacked gamely as the true nature of the wicket became apparent, and as a lead that had once stood at 417 was whittled down to less than 200, South Africa’s frustrations were laid bare.Samuels was instrumental in West Indies’ surprise win at Port Elizabeth, where he made twin scores of 94 and 40. This time he went one better, and finally ended a run of five-and-a-half years between Test hundreds. His last three-figure score came against India at Kolkata in October 2002, which explained his undemonstrative celebrations when he drilled Jacques Kallis down the ground for four to end what must have felt like an interminable wait.Samuels’ innings contained distinct changes of tempo. He began with a flourish during that carefree first session, when West Indies seemed to be in a hurry to administer the last rites themselves. But then he eased back in partnership with Bravo to drive the South Africa bowlers – in particular, Andre Nel – to distraction. He offered a clear chance to Kallis at second slip on 41, as he became entrenched in sight of his half-century, but then celebrated the milestone with a flurry of six fours in nine balls, including two streaky edges over and through the slips off Nel.Bravo at the other end produced an extremely classy innings. He has endured a disappointing tour as a batsman, with just 47 runs in the first five innings of the series. But he unfurled his full calypso range from the moment he strode to the crease, slamming 11 fours in bringing up his half-century from 67 balls. He offered one tough return chance to Nel’s right on 8, but showed his flair with a series of crunching back-foot drives and a sumptuous clump down the ground off the soon-to-be-retired Pollock.But, having batted all the way through the afternoon session with scarcely an alarm, the tea break did for Bravo’s concentration. Six balls after the resumption, he played across the line to a Steyn offcutter that wasn’t slipping as far down leg as he had imagined, and was sent on his way for 75. That brought Denesh Ramdin to the crease, and though he produced an attractive 25 from 38 balls, the manner of his departure was disappointing. He wafted flat-footedly at a short wide delivery from Nel, and Boucher took the catch with glee.At 273 for 5, the end was nigh, but Steyn’s coup de grace was spectacular. He is in the midst of a golden season, and proved it with an unplayable delivery to Samuels that pitched on off, held its line and clattered into the top of the stump. His celebration was wild to the point of over-exuberance, although Samuels was rightly given a fine ovation as he left the field. It had taken the ball of the match to dislodge him.There was no stopping Steyn now. In his next over, he squared up Darren Sammy with another 90mph legcutter that took the leading edge and flew straight back to the bowler, and three balls later Daren Powell lost his off stump to a similarly tailender-wrecking delivery. Though Jerome Taylor applied a late gloss with three smeared fours off Ntini, Steyn returned to wrap up the match, rattling the stumps once again with a fast, full and straight delivery to Fidel Edwards. On the day that Pollock stepped down from the team, his successor showed just how ready he is to lead the line.
Munaf Patel, the Indian fast bowler, has far more serious concerns than a sore ankle with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) openly questioning his integrity. Munaf,who was injured after the second one-dayer in South Africa took no furtherpart in the series until the final Test, where he was obviously well belowpeak fitness, and bowled at less than full capacity.Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary, said that he had summoned JohnGloster, the physiotherapist of the Indian team, to the offices of theboard in Mumbai on Monday for a full debriefing on what exactly happenedwith Munaf, but backed the team management and the physio to the hilt. “Ihad yesterday summoned John Gloster to get a report from him on MunafPatel. According to his report Gloster said they had taken all the fitnesstests necessary and felt that he was totally fit. I think Rahul [Dravid] and theother members of the team management must also have been convinced ofMunaf’s fitness before taking him in the eleven. Certain injuries are suchthat the physio may believe that the player will recover any time. Whetherthe player has that same confidence or not is something else. The playersshould be honest with themselves, there’s no point blaming the physio.”In a more damning statement, Shah, speaking for the BCCI, laid the blamesquarely at Munaf. “Then we were surprised, when Dr Anant Joshiconducted tests, and Munaf complained about pain. Joshi then advised acouple of weeks’ rest,” he said. “Here I am a little concerned about theplayer himself. The player himself should be honest enough about his ownfitness. The last 5% has to come from the player. The doctor cannot sayhow much pain you are experiencing. Many players can play even with a biginjury but some players cannot play even with a small injury. The honestyof the player – at least in the case of Munaf Patel – is in question.”During the series Munaf’s fitness was being monitored and there was thehope from Gloster that Munaf would recover any day,” revealed Shah, who isbelieved to have been in favour of a move to send Munaf home along withIrfan Pathan. “That prolonged his stay and the board went with it. Butafter seeing his performance in the third Test the board is worried.”When asked if there were larger concerns, as Sachin Tendulkar too lookedoff colour in the third Test, and has subsequently pulled out of Mumbai’sfinal Ranji Trophy match against Maharashtra, Shah was more careful.”That’s a small thing, the hamstring problem,” Shah said. “He will be fit soon.Tendukar is a responsible player.”Shah did not think it was fair to blame Munaf for the loss in the final Test and consequently the series. “You can’t say that any one player cost the match or the series,” he said, while adding,”even one player not putting in full effort will hamper the team’s chances of winning.”At the same time, Shah dismissed the suggestion that this situation hadarisen as a result of friction between himself and Dilip Vengsarkar, thechairman of selectors. “It was not friction. I said what the board feels,but we don’t interfere in the matter of team selection,” said Shah, whohad earlier said that it was the board’s prerogative to send a player backfrom a tour whenever they felt it appropriate. Vengsarkar had publiclydisagreed, saying a player would only be sent back in case of injury.”That is for Vengsarkar and the team management to decide. Whether to sendsomeone home or not is for the selection committee to decide. [Virender] Sehwag’sfailure was such that maybe he should have been replaced by somebodyelse.”Interestingly, Dr Joshi, the board’s consulting orthopaedic doctor, hasnot spared Munaf either after examining him. “Clinically he has fullrange of ankle motion, good joint stability, and no appreciable swelling.His ankle seems to be normal as compared to the non-injured side,” wroteDr. Joshi in his report to the board. “The X-ray did not reveal anysignificant pathology. Going through his medical record in South Africa Ifind that the treatment given to him has been top class. It appears thatMunaf continues to be apprehensive about the injury, more psychologicalthan physical. He needs to overcome this problem himself. I have suggestedrest and continued physiotherapy over the next 2-3 weeks before he can bere-evaluated and start playing domestic cricket.”Munaf has been ruled out of the first two one-day internationals against West Indies at home starting January 21.
Australia’s season of change has continued with Phil Jaques, the New South Wales opener, picked to make his debut in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. Jaques will open instead of the injured Justin Langer after Trevor Hohns, the chairman of selectors, decided Michael Hussey would stay batting out of position at No. 5.Hohns said Jaques demanded selection when Langer was ruled out with a left hamstring injury. “His form has been outstanding for New South Wales over the past few seasons and he thoroughly deserves the opportunity,” Hohns said. “We have taken the option of selecting a specialist opener in Jaques, enabling us to stabilise the middle order where Hussey has been doing a great job.”Stuart Clark, the 12th man in Perth, was dropped to make way for Stuart MacGill and Andrew Symonds, who currently averages 12.62, has been given another chance to seal the allrounder’s berth. “MacGill’s inclusion allows the option of us playing two spinners if the conditions in Melbourne suit,” Hohns said.Jaques, who will be the third batting debutant in five Tests, showed fine timing when he scored his third ING Cup century in a row on Sunday, and he also has 400 Pura Cup runs at 50 this summer. Langer was rated a 50-50 chance by Errol Alcott, the team physiotherapist, of playing in the third Test at the SCG starting on January 2.Australia squad Matthew Hayden, Phil Jaques, Ricky Ponting (capt), Brad Hodge, Michael Hussey, Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken, Stuart MacGill, Glenn McGrath.
Boland 106 (Philander 4-15) and 316 (Davids 99, Clark58, de Stadler 5-61) beat Western Province 101 (Albertyn 3-24, Fourie3-16) and 263 (Albertyn 4-29) by 58 runsIt was a game of contrasts at Newlands in Cape Town as 20 wickets fell on the first day, 11 on day two and nine on day three as Western Province and Boland exchanged blows, with Boland emerging eventual victors by 58 runs.Both teams were bowled out on the first day – Boland for 106 and Province for 101. Vernon Philander took 4 for 15 and William Hantam claimed 3 for 16 for Province while Wallace Albertyn took 3 for 24 and Henri Fourie 3 for 16 for Boland.On the second day there was a dramatic change in the trend as Boland batted for most of the day, scoring 316 with Henry Davids stroking 99 and Jonathan Clark a career-best 58. Mark de Stadler took 5 for 61 and wrapped up the tail in an impressive final five-over spell.Province had to chase 322 to deny Boland only their second win ever in the local derby, but too many starts with no finishes cost Province dearly as five batsmen batted themselves into the 30s and then lost their wickets. Albertyn led from the front with 4 for 29 and Hillroy Paulse backed him up, taking 3 for 44, as Province were bowled out for 263.Eastern Province 185 (Potgieter 73, Holtzhauzen 4-60) and 140 (Potgieter 50*) drew with North West 131 (Carolus 5-61) and 177 for 9 (le Roux 103, Carolus 4-56)A rain-interrupted match ended in a tense traw after North West recovered from a diasterous position and nearly pulled off a victory.The first day at Sedgars Park in Potchefstroom produced 15 wickets, of which only five batsmen managed double figures. Eastern Province were bowled out for 185 with Ettienne Potgieter scoring a career-best 73 while the North West attack of Frikkie Holtzhauzen, Eugene Moleon and Friedel de Wet made full use of the conditions.After rain wiped out the next day, North West were bowled out for 131 in 50 overs on the third day. Deon Carolus was the destroyer-in-chief, taking 5 for 61 and helping Eastern Province to a lead of 54 runs.Eastern Province faired no better in their second innings with Potgieter again top-scoring with 50 not out in a total of 140, the lead now 194.North West started their second innings with a crippling collapse. Six wickets fell with 19 on the board and 36 overs had yet to be bowled. But a maiden hundred by Juan le Roux and 40 from Holtzhauzen turned the game around. Thando Bula played a giant’s innings as he and le Roux steered North West closer to victory, putting on 59 for the eighth wicket. But after le Roux’s fell for 103 his team closed shop to earn North West a commendable draw.
Western Australian Cricket Association Chairman Mr Charles Fear has reacted angrily to media claims that WACA CEO Mrs Kath White was asked to retire.Mr Fear said Mrs White foreshadowed her decision to retire two months ago.Mr Fear asked Mrs White to rethink her position but after much consideration Mrs White decided to retire and join her husband who will travel overseas next year on business.Mrs White made her final decision a month ago but was asked by Mr Fear to hold off on announcing her decision until after the Test match against Zimbabwe."Comments made in the media that suggest Mrs White has been asked to stand down from the CEO position are palpably incorrect," Mr Fear said."They are misguided and indeed mischievous.""Like any CEO doing their jobs properly, Mrs White has had to make some hard decisions, some of which may not have always been popular, but the WACA Executive Committee has wholly endorsed these decisions."Mr Brian Rakich, WACA President for the past five years and WACA Executive Member for nearly 30 years said the talk in the media was baseless."Kath enjoys the overwhelming support of the Executive Committee under no circumstances has she been asked to resign."Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said he was disappointed to hear of Mrs White’s retirement."I know Kath has been grappling with this over the last few months and it has been a difficult decision for her to make," he said."Not only has Kath made a significant contribution to the WACA over the last two years but she has enhanced the way Cricket Australia and state associations work together at management level."Some of WA cricket’s most influential cricket administrators were equally scathing in their criticism of the mischievous rumours and refute any suggestion that Mrs White was asked to retire.WACA Executive and I & I member Wally Edwards commended Mrs White for her service to WA cricket."Kath has done a fantastic job at the WACA, particularly in the Cricket Department and the work on the new Constitution and governance issues," said the former Test batsman."She has made an outstanding contribution. We knew of her impending decision to retire and the reasons for it over a month ago. To suggest that she has been asked to leave the WACA is ludicrous."Mr Edwards view was supported most strongly by Mr Bob Paulsen the current Chairman of the I & I committee."Kath White has performed her role as WACA CEO with distinction following many years of service to the Association on sub-committees and as the Association’s first female Executive Committee member," he said."In my view WACA Members and the cricket public should not be swayed by baseless media commentary that she has done anything more than make a private decision to retire."Chairman of the Cricket Council Mr Peter Murphy said that Mrs White had been the driver in the revamp of the Cricket Council."Kath took the Cricket Council into a new-world operation and ensured a more professional footing for the future," he said."There is now a clearer definition of roles between the Council and the staff and the council is operating very productively."WACA Members’ Representative and Chairman of the Business Development Sub-committee, Paul Sullivan, also confirmed his emphatic support for the work done by Mrs White."The qualities that Kath has brought to the WACA over the past few years have been many, including a clarity of purpose as to her role and a quiet resolve to achieve the Association’s goals," he said."More particularly, I have been struck by her integrity in all her dealings with others, including our members and staff, our sponsors, and the Executive."It seems rare, these days, for an organisation to arrange an orderly handover from an incumbent CEO to a new appointee and Kath’s decision to announce her intentions for next year at this time has greatly advantaged the WACA in that regard."Leading Perth Architect Mr James Christou, who worked closely with the WACA Executive and staff on the WACA’s 12 million dollar redevelopment expressed shock at the scurrilous rumours that had been circulated about Mrs White."Mrs White has done an absolutely fabulous job at the WACA. She has helped change the culture of the WACA. It is now positive and forward looking."Mr Gerry Ford of BGC Construction said that he had worked closely with Mrs White at the WACA and it was obvious to him that under Kath’s stewardship the WACA had leapt forward in achievement and attitude. He said that she would be sorely missed.