PCB put to clear Afridi's NOC

The Pakistan Cricket Board and former captain Shahid Afridi appear on course on Tuesday for an out-of-court settlement after the suspended star met with the chairman.

Afridi went to Court after the PCB punish him for supposedly breach a code of conduct by announce his departure after he was deserted as one-day captain, and for leveling allegation against the Board.

It suspended his central contract and revokes all his no-objection certificates (NOCs), in effect permission slips to play abroad.

The PCB long-established that chairman Ijaz Butt and Afridi met in Islamabad. "At this stage the PCB will not make any further comments on the deliberations that have been taking place," it said.

One source privy to the meeting said administration officials had stepped in to arrange the talks and Afridi had agreed to withdraw his case, a second investigation of which is due on Thursday.

"Afridi met Butt in Islamabad for an hour," the source told AFP on situation of secrecy.

He added: "Afridi has promised to withdraw his case but is possible to appear before the punitive committee soon and as a result his NOCs will be revived."

Afridi was replace as one-day captain after publicly accusing Coach Waqar Younis of undue interfering in the selection process for the team's one-day series in the West Indies in April-May.

The PCB directed Afridi to come into view before a corrective committee on June 8, but Afridi went to Court last week, asking for his NOCs to be revived.

The Court adjourns the disciplinary committee, asking the PCB to file a detailed reply in court on June 16, but uphold the decision to revoke his NOCs.

As a result, Afridi has been barred from playing for Hampshire in the ongoing Twenty20 league in England and his contribution in next month's opening Sri Lankan Premier League is under threat.

Mud-slinging between the PCB and the cricket star has heaped discomfiture on the national sport just as a World Cup semi-final place in March oblique at a brighter future for the game which has been dogged by spot-fixing scandals.

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Gayle decided to meet WI Cricket Board officials

Chris Gayle's probability of making it to the West Indies squad for the Test series next to India brighten on Tuesday with the fashionable opener all set to meet the Board to clear the air.

Gayle's meeting with WICB officials, West Indies team management and the coaching staff could pave way for his collection in the Test series touching India starting at Sabina Park on June 20.

The 31-year-old left-hander was left out of the ODI squad after he raise quite a few issues during an interview to radio, as well as WICB's callous approach towards his revival from injury, the coaching style of West Indian coach Ottis Gibson and selection of Darren Sammy as captain.

The WICB later released a number of documents on their website which contradict Gayle's claims, following it up with a decision to bar the batsman from on behalf of the regional team until he clean up the issue with the Board.

West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) president Dinanath Ramnarine said he look forward to the meeting.

WICB president Dr Julian Hunte and chief administrative officer Ernest Hilaire have already reach for the meeting.

The Indian cricket team and the members of the home side also arrived in Jamaica on Tuesday via a chartered flight for the fifth and final ODI at Sabina Park here on Thursday.

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Dilshan lined out of third Test

Captain Tillakaratne Dilshan was ruled out of the third power Test at the Rose Bowl, where Sri Lanka will in its place be led by Kumar Sangakkara.

Dilshan was not capable to bat in the second innings of the second Test at Lord's, having broken his right thumb after two blow on it from England fast bowler Chris Tremlett.

He then sat out the three-day tour match next to Essex at Chelmsford, but only today have Sri Lanka established the opening batsman will not be fit in time to face England again on Thursday.

Team manager Anura Tennekoon said of Dilshan: "He absolutely won't be playing.
"The main reason we've kept him out of this Test match is that, had he played and got another blow while fielding on that thumb, he might have been out for the rest of the tour.

"So as a defensive measure, we have kept him out."

Former captain Sangakkara, who submissive from the role in Tests and limited-overs matches after this year's World Cup, has therefore been convinced to take the job on again.

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