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Dubai-based TV channel Ten Sports and Pakistani sports channel Geo Super bagged the television rights for Pakistan’s upcoming series against South Africa and Sri Lanka, in the UAE, respectively

Umar Farooq06-Sep-2013Dubai-based TV channel Ten Sports and Pakistani sports channel Geo Super bagged the television rights for Pakistan’s upcoming series against South Africa and Sri Lanka, in the UAE, respectively. The values of the deals have been kept confidential by the PCB, but the board said they are “higher” than the previous contract. Both the broadcasters will cover the production cost as well as that of the technology used for the DRS on their own.”The PCB will not be announcing the rights-fee amounts finalised for these tours,” a PCB spokesman said. “The offers, however, are significantly higher than the values that PCB had received for these series under the previous media rights contract.”Ten claimed a series of two Tests, five ODIs and two T20s, while Geo will be televising three Tests, five ODIs and two T20s along with the one-off T20 between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan’s previous five-year deal with Ten concluded in July, with the PCB contemplating series-by-series deals while the caretaker board set-up, led by Najam Sethi, is in charge; the interim setup of the PCB affected the chances of securing a long-term deal, with Sethi’s powers limited and reduced to a day-to-day basis.Geo, apart from the international series, holds the TV rights for domestic cricket in Pakistan until October this year. The channel, which televised the feed of 2011 World Cup matches, is said to have run into financial difficulties with previous broadcast deals to show world events. The PCB, in order to counter financial defaulting, has asked the broadcaster for a full bank guarantee before the series.The deal with Geo is understood to be questionable, with Sethi involved in a case of conflict of interest as he is a key employee of Geo TV Network. He is Pakistan’s senior-most journalist and an anchor of Geo News’ popular political programme . The PCB however defended the process, saying it was fully transparent.”Two bidders participated in the bidding process,” the spokesman said. “The financial bids of both were evaluated in accordance with the terms of the invitation to tender. As a result of this process, the offer from Ten Sports for South Africa series, being the highest, and the offer of Geo for the Sri Lanka series, also being the highest, was recommended by the bids committee to the board of governors of the PCB for approval. This approval has since been received [and] the media rights for the two tours have accordingly been awarded, and this transparent tender process has been concluded.”The bidding process was conducted by former ICC President Ehsan Mani, who apart from being the advisor was the bids committee head, along with another independent member, retired justice Shabbar Raza Rizvi.The broadcasting deal is one of the major sources of income for the PCB. The previous TV deal, worth approximately USD 140 million suffered a hefty loss of USD 80 million following the cancelation of two bilateral series against India. While the PCB refused to reveal the value of the short-term deals, ESPNcricinfo understands the value of two series would negatively affect the long-term deal next year.

Rory Hamilton-Brown returned from a month’s compassionate leave as Surrey won a tight game against Nottinghamshire

Jeremy Culley at Trent Bridge01-Aug-2012
ScorecardRory Hamilton-Brown made his return for Surrey after a month on compassionate leave•Getty Images

It is unlikely those connected with Surrey will remember this season for anything positive but this was their most decisive step yet in recovering from the death of Tom Maynard.Their victory at Trent Bridge on a turning pitch was doubly special, firstly as it enabled them to leapfrog hosts Nottinghamshire and go top of their Clydesdale Bank 40 group. But, more importantly, it marked the return of their captain Rory Hamilton-Brown to the team after a month on compassionate leave following the death of his flatmate and close friend.On the field, Surrey owed a lot to Matthew Spriegel, whose controlled spell of 2 for 21 in eight overs and innings of 47 in testing conditions set up his team’s victory.The surface, so conducive to slow bowling neither Surrey quick Stuart Meaker or Notts’ Jake Ball bowled a single ball, appeared difficult to bat on but the hosts’ meagre score of 149 only briefly looked competitive before late hitting from Spriegel and Gareth Batty handed Surrey victory with 23 balls to spare.Hamilton-Brown did not assume the captaincy on his return but his colleagues made a superb start after stand-in skipper Batty won the toss and opted to open the bowling with two spinners. Spriegel and Murali Kartik both achieved considerable turn and the former made early inroads, getting Michael Lumb to chop on in the fifth over and Riki Wessels to pick out Jason Roy at midwicket.The pressure exerted by Spriegel benefitted Dernbach. The England bowler served up some filthy early fare, which Alex Hales flayed away square of the wicket, but then snared two cheap wickets.Samit Patel top-edged an attempted hook and Hales carved a short, wide ball to Zander de Bruyn at point to leave Notts floundering on 52 for 4. They were perhaps too eager to break free from the stranglehold achieved by Surrey’s four spin bowlers, but Adam Voges and Chris Read showed no such impatience.They added 67 in 17 overs for the fifth wicket but their good work was undone when both fell in quick succession. Voges nicked a superb delivery from Kartik to slip before Read picked out Spriegel in the deep to hand Zafar Ansari a wicket.Notts then collapsed, Batty claiming two deserved wickets and Dernbach bowling Luke Fletcher – returning after a three-month absence – with a slower ball after Graeme White had been run out.If a script appeared to have already been written, Harry Gurney swiftly tore it up. Hamilton-Brown, opening for Surrey, nicked off in the left-arm seamer’s first over for 2. Gurney, who like James Taylor joined Nottinghamshire from Leicestershire in the winter, then ousted Roy first ball with a vicious delivery that the Surrey No. 3 fended to White at point.Gurney was unlucky not to claim a third victim in the tenth over, Hales granting Gary Wilson a reprieve by shelling a tough slip chance.Surrey were recovering steadily but suffered a setback when opener Steve Davies skied one to Voges when he looked set on 35. Wilson then charged White, who was spinning the ball a long way, and was stumped to ensure Hales’ error was not too costly.Pressure was building on Surrey but Spriegel provided welcome relief by heaving a four and six to the vacant midwicket boundary off successive Steven Mullaney deliveries. His partner de Bruyn remained bogged down and tamely clipped a half-volley from Mullaney to Voges. Surrey’s chase began to look challenging but Spriegel took the initiative and twice smashed White over the top before being caught on the square-leg boundary.After that wicket White inexplicably overstepped and Ansari hit the free-hit for four. Batty then hit Patel for two boundaries – one a maximum – before Ansari won it with a six off White.

India A gained the upper hand in the second unofficial Test against West Indies A in St Vincent, after their bowlers restricted the hosts to 212 for 8 on the opening day

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jun-2012
Scorecard
Kraigg Brathwaite made a defiant, unbeaten 66•West Indies Cricket

India A gained the upper hand in the second unofficial Test against West Indies A in St Vincent, after their bowlers restricted the hosts to 212 for 8 on the opening day. India were in a good position to bowl West Indies out for under 200 but a lower-order resistance, and Kraigg Brathwaite, who batted out the day to finish on an unbeaten 66, ensured that didn’t happen.West Indies, who chose to bat, lost opener Justin Guillen early. Donovan Pagon followed soon, bowled by legspinner Rahul Sharma. But Brathwaite held firm and added 48 with Nkrumah Bonner for the third wicket. Unfortunately for West Indies, the middle-order batsmen, despite getting starts were unable to push on. Bonner fell for 25, Jonathan Carter was dismissed for 19 and Kyle Corbin departed for 13. When Devon Thomas was trapped in front by Rohit Sharma, West Indies were in trouble at 130 for 6.Brathwaite, however, was defiant and received good support from Jason Holder, who made 20 in a 34-run stand. Veerasammy Permaul did better, scoring a quick 36 before being cleaned up by Ashok Dinda. Permaul and Brathwaite took West Indies past 200, with the opener unbeaten at stumps, having faced 292 balls.For India, Shami Ahmed, Ashok Dinda and Rohit Sharma picked up two wickets each.

George Bailey, the Australia captain, has praised his bowlers for their work at the death in keeping West Indies to 150 in the first Twenty20 in St Lucia

Brydon Coverdale28-Mar-2012George Bailey, the Australia captain, has praised his bowlers for their work at the death in keeping West Indies to 150 in the first Twenty20 in St Lucia. Australia comfortably overhauled the target with eight wickets and nearly two overs to spare, and it was a fine performance considering Kieron Pollard scored a 20-ball half-century that was the fastest ever by a West Indian in a T20 international.West Indies scored only 16 runs from their last three overs as Shane Watson and Brett Lee found just the right length to keep Pollard and his colleagues quiet. That was a pleasant change for the Australians, who in the past few couple of months have often struggled to contain teams in the later stages of innings, especially in ODIs.”It was pretty polished,” Bailey said of the all-round effort. “[The bowling was pleasing] particularly given how we finished a couple of games in the one-dayers. For the guys to have responded to that, learnt what they have, come up with plans and then execute them, I think that’s really pleasing and we’ll take a lot of confidence out of that.”It was nothing too radical. We talked about a few different plans and a few different lines and a few different options. The only thing I really wanted to do today was to give myself options at the back end, in case they were going really, really hard. Then we weren’t locked in to bowling particular bowlers. Having so many bowlers in the team that was the beauty of the options I had.”Bailey said Australia’s all-round performance was close to their best of the tour so far, and it was the second win for Bailey from three matches since taking over as captain. The loss of David Warner in the first over of the innings created a few nerves in the Australian dressing room, but the way Watson and Michael Hussey batted, the target never looked big enough.”You’re never sure. The key is always going to be early partnerships for us and early wickets for them,” Bailey said. “Losing one in the first over always puts you on edge a little bit. But I think the class of Shane and Huss, they just suit each other perfectly. Watto clears the pickets and Huss just pierces the gaps so beautifully.”Watson was named Man of the Match for his 69 and 1 for 16 from four overs, and he made a clear difference to the balance of the side having missed Bailey’s first two games as captain through injury. Bailey said quality allrounders were a godsend for any T20 captain.”It’s gold to have any allrounder in your team and [especially] to have one of the quality of Watto, who can hold his own in the team as a batter or a bowler,” he said. “He’s so, so important to our team and it was nice for him to free himself today. His last two overs were particularly good at the death and then the clinical way he batted and the strength of clearing that fence.”

Jos Buttler struck a superb 109-ball century to rescue Somerset on the second day of their County Championship match against Sussex at Taunton

03-Aug-2011
Scorecard
Jos Buttler struck a superb 109-ball century to rescue Somerset on the second day of their County Championship match against Sussex at Taunton. Buttler smashed four sixes and 11 fours to transform the match after title-chasing Somerset had slumped to 93 for 7 in reply to Sussex’s 245, Monty Panesar claiming five wickets in the morning session for the visitors.Buttler made exactly 100 and shared an eighth-wicket stand of 142 with Alfonso Thomas, who battled away for nearly three hours to make 42. Murali Kartik also added 34 at number 10 before Somerset were bowled out for 286 to earn a first innings advantage of 41.By the close Sussex had made 94 for 4 in their second innings to lead by just 53, losing the cream of their batting in Chris Nash, Luke Wells, Ed Joyce and Murray Goodwin. For them it was a day of missed opportunity.Somerset began it on 36 for 1 and progressed to 51 before night-watchman Steve Kirby was caught at second slip off a turning delivery from Panesar. Opener Arul Suppiah quickly followed, also caught in the slips off Wayne Parnell for 14, and Panesar sent back Chris Jones and James Hildreth for ducks as Somerset slid to 54 for 5.That brought Buttler to the crease. He and Nick Compton added 39 before Compton top-edged an attempted sweep off Panesar and fell for 16 to a simple catch by Goodwin at mid-wicket. Peter Trego went first ball to a bat and pad catch at short leg and Panesar had figures of 5 for 26 from 11 overs. Sussex appeared to be exerting a vice-like grip and even when Somerset got to lunch on 124 for 7 they were in deep trouble.Buttler had already deposited a delivery from Panesar into the River Tone and lifted him over mid-wicket for another maximum, and in the afternoon session he grew further in confidence.While Buttler attacked, Thomas dug in to give the youngster valuable support and they helped take the score up to 235 before Buttler played on to a ball from James Anyon, the centurion departing to a standing ovation and sporting pats on the back from several Sussex players.Thomas had faced 154 balls and struck six boundaries and a six when he was caught by Nash at short-leg off bat and pad to give Ollie Rayner his second wicket. By then Somerset had secured a second batting point, something which seemed inconceivable before lunch.The home side’s bowlers then maintained the momentum, Kartik striking twice and Kirby and Thomas once each as Sussex went from 69 for 1 to 87 for 4.

Simon Katich, the Australia opening batsman, has broken his silence over not receiving a central contract, telling the that he has not been treated fairly

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jun-2011Simon Katich, the Australia opening batsman, has broken his silence over not receiving a central contract, telling the that he has not been treated fairly. Katich believes he was judged solely on his performances in his last four Tests, which he played despite being injured, and not on his overall form since returning to the side in 2008.Since his comeback, Katich has made 2928 runs at 50.48 and has been not only Australia’s most reliable batsman but among the most bankable in the world. In that time only Alastair Cook has scored more runs.”Do I think I have been treated fairly? Not at all, not at all,” Katich said. “From my point of view I have had to play through injuries in the last four Test matches, two with a broken thumb and two with a torn achilles. I didn’t want to play Test cricket like that although I know that is what they have judged me on.”In India they kept telling me it was a bruised thumb and I could hardly hold the bat but they kept telling me it was bruised so I thought ‘Well I can’t not play Test cricket if it’s a bruise’.”Katich revealed that his recovery program began the night after the Adelaide Ashes Test ended. A fellow player offered him a beer at the airport but Katich turned him down, saying, “No thanks mate. Recovery starts now.”He has been undergoing rehabilitation since then and it was at the SCG on Tuesday that he received the phone call from Andrew Hilditch about being left out of the list of contracted players.”I was in the middle of a fitness test, saw the phone ringing and saw who it was and thought ‘Damn, I better answer this’,” Katich said. “I knew full well what it was, I didn’t want him to have the luxury of leaving a message, so I grabbed it. It’s funny, I have been treated like this before by them. I have been down this path a number of times.”I spoke my mind, I certainly didn’t hold back. There was no shirking the issue, but there was nothing said that was personal, it was just about the decision. I vented my spleen about the decision and explained why. There was no name-calling or anything like that.”Katich believes he still has much more to give Australia and that if he didn’t, there was no way he would have undergone such a rigorous rehabilitation program.”Put it this way I don’t think I would have wasted our physio and our fitness trainers’ time over the past six months or my time doing this rehab every second day for the sake of it. That is not how I operate. It’s not just my time, it is the staff’s time as well and I am always respectful of that.”Up to Tuesday I had done three weeks’ training ahead of the rest of the squad starting and I did that because I wanted to be ready and firing in Sri Lanka.”Katich is scheduled to hold a press conference on June 10 to announce his future plans.

Alana King takes four wickets as struggling Essex slump to another defeat

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay30-Jul-2025A brilliant century from Lancashire and England’s Emma Lamb helped her side ease to their latest Metro Bank One Day Cup victory by 138 runs over struggling Essex at the beautiful surroundings of Sedbergh.Lamb hit a career best 142 and shared a mammoth opening partnership of 162 with Eve Jones (71) as the Red Rose racked up a total of 306 for 4 off their 50 overs after being put into bat by Essex skipper Grace Scrivens.As for Essex there were few highlights with only Jodi Grewcock’s half-century to take back with them on the long journey home from the South Lakelands.Lamb and Jones have proved a hugely effective opening pair this season with three century partnerships before this game and their fourth never really looked in doubt from the moment they began to stroke Essex’s Kate Coppack and Eve Gray around Sedburgh’s lush outfield.44 runs came off the first powerplay but it was after the introduction of Esmae McGregor and Abtaha Maqsood that the openers really got going with the former going for 25 off her four overs.The century partnership was reached in the 20th over with Jones bringing up he half-century soon after with the landmarks coming regularly thereafter with the opening pair reaching 150 in the 30th over.The long-awaited breakthrough for Essex eventually came when Jones mistimed a drive to Coppack off Sophie Smale but the disruption did little to put off Lamb who brought up her century with a huge six off a waist high full toss from the expensive Maqsood.By the time Lamb was out in the 42nd over most of the damage had been done with her superb knock ending off 109 balls with 15 fours and two sixes.Fi Morris quickly followed for five to a caught and bowled from Scrivens but Lancashire powered on through to the end of their innings with some energetic running from Seren Smale and skipper Ellie Threlkeld putting on 38 for the fourth wicket in just under six overs with Smale’s run out in the penultimate over scant consolation for a tired looking Essex.The early departure of opener Scrivens, who edged Mahika Gaur behind for two in the third over, ensured Essex were on the back foot from the off and in truth Lancashire never allowed their innings to gain any momentum.Cordelia Griffith edged Gace Potts’ first delivery to keeper Threlkeld for 13 and Smale, who had battled well for 38, holed out to mid off and a grateful Potts to give Alana King her first wicket.When King bowled Australian Maddie Penna for 15 it looked like the game was up with the visitors 100-4 and over 200 runs still required with the task getting even tricker when Jo Gardner was brilliantly caught by Kate Cross at mid off for eight off left arm spinner Sophie Morris.Meanwhile the stubborn Grewcock was providing the only solace for Essex as she reached her half-century from 54 balls but that would prove as good as it got as she departed hooking a Gaur slower ball straight to Morris for 52.Gaur suddenly found herself on a hat-trick when Amara Carr hit her first ball straight up in the air to Alisa Lister to leave Essex 142-7 and all hope all but gone.Coppack was run out for two and although Gray hit a flurry of fours that was pretty much it with King picking up a third wicket when MacGregor was stumped for one and then repeating the trick the very next ball when Maqsood departed the same way to leave Lancashire challenging at the top of the table going into the break for The Hundred.

O’Rourke took four wickets, while Santner and Bracewell got two each, just days before teams meet in Champions Trophy opener

Deivarayan Muthu14-Feb-2025Despite injuries to Lockie Ferguson, Ben Sears, Matt Henry and Rachin Ravindra, New Zealand clinched the tri-series title in Karachi and sounded out a warning to the hosts, five days before they meet again in the Champions Trophy opener at the same venue. In the absence of the senior quicks, Will O’Rourke stepped up admirably with a four-wicket haul, while the spinners, led by Mitchell Santner, straightjacketed Pakistan in the middle overs, limiting them to 242.The batters then completed the demolition job on a two-paced surface, chasing the target with 28 balls and five wickets to spare. After Devon Conway and Kane Williamson set the platform with a 71-run partnership for the second wicket, Daryl Mitchell launched from there in the middle overs, befuddling Pakistan’s spinners with his variety of sweeps, including the reverse. He struck up an 87-run stand with Tom Latham, which highlighted New Zealand’s dominance in the middle overs, before Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips sealed the deal.It was Phillips who had kicked off the tri-series with an unbeaten 106 off 74 balls, his maiden ODI century, against Pakistan, before Williamson reminded the world of his genius with an unbeaten century of his own in New Zealand’s second game of the tri-series against South Africa. Having bagged ducks in those two games – and also against Sri Lanka in Auckland last month – Latham made a timely return to form, and re-established himself as New Zealand’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter with his 56 off 64 balls.Related

• Sears out of Champions Trophy with hamstring tear; Duffy brought in

• Stats – Babar joins Amla as fastest to 6000 ODI runs

Latham had benefitted from multiple reprieves – he was dropped by Shaheen Shah Afridi off his own bowling on 15, and then by Saud Shakeel at square leg on 29. Earlier, when he was on 13, legspinner Abrar Ahmed pinged him on his pad and wasn’t given out lbw. Pakistan missed a trick by not going for a review, with ball-tracking indicating that it had pitched in line and would have crashed into the stumps.Abrar, Pakistan’s specialist spinner, lacked penetration, and was taken for 67 in his ten overs. In stark contrast, New Zealand’s premier spinner Santner was unhittable, coming away with his most economical ten-over spell in ODI cricket. Forty of his 60 balls were dots as Santner varied his pace from the mid-70s kph range to mid-90s kph with remarkable control. Bracewell also kept things tight, finishing with 2 for 38 in his ten overs.The first powerplay was a portent for Pakistan’s go-slow. The hosts played out 48 dots in the powerplay, in which they managed 48 for 2, and failed to hit a high tempo through the innings. After taking a sequence of short balls away from Fakhar Zaman with his sharp angle from over the wicket, including two off-side wides, O’Rourke brought a fuller one back into the opener and had him chipping a catch to square leg for 10 off 15 balls.Babar Azam then brought the Karachi crowd alive when he laced Jacob Duffy through the covers for four, and became the joint fastest to 6000 ODI runs in his 123rd innings, alongside Hashim Amla. Nathan Smith, the seam-bowling allrounder, though spoiled the party when he had Babar spooning a return catch for 29 off 34 balls in his first over.Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan needed 13 balls to get off the mark, and then four more balls to find the boundary. Salman Agha was more fluent at the other end, wedging the ball into the gaps as the pair forged an 88-run partnership for the fourth wicket.Will O’Rourke claimed career-best ODI figures of 4 for 43•Getty Images

The stand, however, ended when O’Rourke returned to the attack and had Rizwan chopping on with a cross-seamer, which stopped on him, for 46 off 76 balls. After hitting hard lengths and the splice of batters with high pace and bounce in the early exchanges, O’Rourke proved that he could be just as effective with the older ball. Almost five overs later, Bracewell had Agha miscuing a reverse sweep to short third to leave Pakistan at 161 for 5 in the 37th over.Tayyab Tahir then gave the innings a leg-up with his 38 off 33 balls, but his innings was cut short by Duffy in the 42nd over. Tahir was the only batter in Pakistan’s top seven to strike at over 100. In the last eight overs, New Zealand conceded just four boundaries, keeping Pakistan to 242.The new ball did a lot more under lights, with Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi using the swing and seam movement on offer to apply pressure on Conway and Williamson. In the first powerplay during the chase, the broadcaster put up a graphic showing the average swing achieved during the two innings. New Zealand’s seamers had generated 1.5 degrees of swing, and Pakistan’s 2.4 degrees.The experienced pair of Conway and Williamson absorbed all of that pressure, and once the ball became older and softer, they picked away Pakistan’s spinners. Williamson carted Agha’s offspin over mid-off while Conway flayed Abrar and Khushdil Shah through the covers. When Williamson tried to pop Agha over the infield once again, he caused the ball to dip and turn to castle him for 34 off 49 balls. Conway then departed two short of his half-century, but the depth in skill in New Zealand’s middle order was too much to overcome for Pakistan.New Zealand will be strengthened further by the potential return of Ravindra and Ferguson for the Champions Trophy opener on Wednesday.

England spinner chooses to head north for new competition instead of stick with home county

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Sep-2024Durham have strengthened their women’s squad ahead of next year’s launch of the new county competition, by signing the England offspinning allrounder, Mady Villiers, on a three-year deal.Villiers has represented England on 20 occasions, most recently on their tour of Ireland where her death-over bowling all but snatched two victories from the jaws of defeat.In all, she has taken 221 white-ball wickets in her professional career, having already surpassed 2000 career runs with eight half-centuries, and she’s been an ever-present for Oval Invincibles in the Women’s Hundred, helping the side to claim consecutive titles in 2021 and 2022.Her move to Durham is a coup for the club, which is due to take over from the Headingley-based Northern Diamonds to become the North-East regional representatives in women’s domestic cricket, ahead of Yorkshire’s accession to Tier 1 in 2026.A product of the Essex pathway, Villiers has, however, opted against staying with her home county, who will also have Tier 1 status from 2025 as they take over from Sunrisers, who last week claimed victory in the final of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy. She will now be playing under the captaincy of her England team-mate, Hollie Armitage.”I’m really excited to be joining Durham ahead of the 2025 season,” Villiers said. “I was so impressed with the vision that the club and coaching staff have, and I knew it was definitely something that I wanted to be a part of.”It’s an incredibly talented group of players and I have always loved playing with Hollie as captain, so I’m confident making the move up north is the right one for me.”Having played in Essex for my whole career it was going to take a lot for me to leave, and I think that speaks volumes on how I feel about Durham and the potential we have as a collective. I can’t wait to get going and see where this team can go over the next few years.”Director of Cricket, Marcus North said: “We are thrilled to announce Mady has agreed to join Durham on a three-year deal. Our squad is coming together nicely and to be able to recruit an England international in Mady is huge for us and the region.”Mady has shown what a top performer she has been domesticity for several years for Sunrisers and the Oval Invincibles and we are now excited for her journey to continue with us in the North East.”Hopefully her move to Durham will see her thrive in the county as she looks to add more England caps to her name and further excel with bat and ball.”

He had played two first class matches for Maharashtra, and been the fitness trainer of senior and age-group teams

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Sep-2020Former Maharashtra Ranji player Shekhar Gawli has died after falling in a 250-feet-deep gorge in Maharashtra”s Nashik district, reported on Wednesday.Gawli, 45, played two first class matches for Maharashtra in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He had gone for trekking in the Western Ghat mountains of Igatpuri hill station in Nashik along with some of his friends on Tuesday evening.”His body was found at around 10am on Wednesday. The body will be handed over to the family members after post-mortem,” an official from the Igatpuri police station told PTI.Gawli was a right-hand batsman and a legspinner. He was currently the fitness trainer for the Maharashtra Under-23 team, and had been in the same role with the senior team the previous season. The Maharashtra Cricket Association secretary, Riyaz Bagwan, expressed his sadness at Gawli’s demise, particularly given that Gawli’s father had also died recently.”We at Maharashtra Cricket Association are saddened to hear the news about Shekhar,” Bagwan told . “His family was already going through a tough phase since Shekhar had lost his father just two weeks ago. He had brought in a lot of cricketing experience to our team with his efficient level of training and coaching.”