Bats should be 'clean': Hot Spot man

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Hot Spot inventor John Brennan has spoken out about the accusations that were made earlier this week. Source:Supplied

HOT Spot inventor Warren Brennan claims that protective coating on the edge of cricket bats diminishes the ability of the technology to pick up nicks from batsmen.

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Brennan wants this coating removed from the edges of bats so Hot Spot can have the greatest chance of working properly.

"During the current Ashes series, the DRS (decision review system) has been highly controversial, with Hot Spot in the eye of the storm", Brennan said.

"Our technology has been criticized for fine edges that have gone undetected. More than anyone else, BBG Sports wanted to know why.

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"Following the Manchester Test match earlier this week, BBG Sports analysed contentious Hot Spot decisions from the Ashes series and decided to purchase several of the latest generation of cricket bats to undertake thorough testing.

"BBG Sports observed that the majority of bats had some form of protective coating that would wrap around onto the edges of the bat. Strangely enough, this protective coating would cover only half of the edge of the bat and not the entire edge of the bat.

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"BBG Sports believed this could cause the front-edge of the bat to have a different thermal signature than the back-¬edge of the bat."

Testing over the past three days has, in the opinion of BBG Sports, provided conclusive findings.

"The type and thickness of the protective coating unquestionably affects the thermal signature of the Hot Spot system," Brennan said.
 
The International Cricket Council was advised earlier this week on these initial findings and has committed to further testing over the coming weeks.
 
"BBG Sports believes that in order to achieve optimum Hot Spot results then the removal of protective coating from bat edges needs to occur.
 
"This will allow for the best thermal signatures between cricket balls and natural timber cricket bats."
 
Umpires appeared to lose confidence in Hot Spot during this series, giving or upholding in some cases contentious decisions even though there was no evidence from the technology that the player had hit the ball.
 
There was no suggestion that any player was using the coating to deliberately try and beat Hot Spot.
 
Almost all players use coatings to protect modern soft pressed bats that can easily break up.

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Courts may settle Milford saga

Canberra Raiders star Anthony Milford alone on the field. Source: Ray Strange / News Limited

THE Anthony Milford contract saga took a dramatic twist on Saturday with the teenage star's agent revealing he will take legal action against the Raiders if they refuse to release him the final year of his contract.

The Sunday Telegraph can lift the lid on the mysterious release clause penned into the live wire fullback's contract with Milford's agent Sam Ayoub opening up on the fight to reunite his client with his sick father.

Milford, 19, has formally requested a release to return to Brisbane to be closer to his father who underwent a triple by-pass last year.

The Raiders have denied the release, claiming Milford is bound to serve out the final year of his deal.

"The clause says the Raiders will look favourably on any request for a release should his father's health deteriorate," Ayoub said.

"And so far they haven't looked on it favourably at all simply because he has turned into a better player than they expected. The clause is there and they should not have put it in if they had no intention of honouring it."

Ayoub said his client was desperate to return to Brisbane and accused the Raiders of "bullying" his client.

Ayoub said he would consider taking on the Raiders in court should they not grant Milford a release and allow him to strike a deal with Broncos.

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A twist in Broncos stand-off

Peter Wallace of the Broncos runs with the ball. Source: Tony Feder / Getty Images

PETER Wallace is seeking compensation from the Broncos to resurrect his NRL career as the fallout between the halfback and the club's hierarchy intensifies.

Ahead of Brisbane's clash against the Dragons on Sunday at Suncorp Stadium, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal Wallace's manager wants financial aid to help the shunned playmaker secure a future in the NRL.

Relations between the two parties have soured in the past three weeks after the former NSW Origin halfback was advised he would not be an integral part of Brisbane's plans for 2014.

Wallace is privately fuming, believing he was denied a release by the Broncos in May after his manager Allan Gainey fielded a $1.5 million offer from his former club the Panthers.

But the Broncos have hit back at the Wallace camp, claiming the halfback was asked if he wanted out of Red Hill - an offer the 27-year-old is alleged to have rejected.

Amid the claims and counterclaims, the certainty is Wallace will not be Brisbane's halfback next year, leaving Gainey scrambling to find his client a new home.

Wallace is prepared to honour his Broncos deal, which expires at the end of next year, but Gainey believes Brisbane should provide a subsidy to enable him to play regular first grade elsewhere in 2014.

"No one has any money left for next year, so what do you do?" Gainey said.

"I just want to know if another opportunity comes up, what are the Broncos prepared to contribute? It would be nice to know what the Broncos are prepared to pay because it might make it easier for Pete to find a new club. 

"At no stage have the Broncos said this is what we are prepared to put in if you can find something for him."

Broncos coach Anthony Griffin and operations chief Andrew Gee declined to comment yesterday.

But it is understood Brisbane hierarchy are satisfied with their handling of the Wallace affair after revelations of Penrith's big-money offer first surfaced in May.

On May 20, Wallace was summoned to a meeting with Griffin at his Red Hill office.

The coach reportedly asked Wallace if he wanted a release to join the Panthers. The halfback is understood to have pledged his faith to the club, claiming he was settled in Brisbane, with his partner having just given birth to their first child.

Asked about the meeting, Gainey said: "I don't know what Pete said. I'm not privy to conversations he had directly with the coach. I wasn't there."

The Panthers subsequently withdrew their offer. That was in round 11. Eight weeks later, after a loss to Cronulla on July 12, Wallace was relegated to the bench, with Ben Hunt handed his No. 7 jumper for the clash with the Cowboys.

It was at that time Griffin informed Wallace and halves partner Scott Prince they were unlikely to play at NRL level for the club next season.

Gainey finds it hard to comprehend how Brisbane's appraisal of Wallace, who has played 134 games for the club, could have shifted so dramatically in eight weeks.

He claims the club's interest in excitement machines Ben Barba and Anthony Milford, who are both tipped to join the Broncos in 2014, was the catalyst for Wallace's demise.

"What upset Pete was that he was told to his face by Anthony Griffin, 'If you stay here, you will only be playing Queensland Cup'," Gainey says. 

"No-one deserves that sort of treatment ... surely you can handle men better than that." 

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Dally M bombshell: Carney fave

Todd Carney holds up his medal after being named Dally M Medal winner as Player of the Year. Source: Mark Evans / News Limited

A MONTH ago, Todd Carney was ruing his omission from the NSW State of Origin team.

Now the Cronulla Sharks playmaker has surged into shock favouritism to snare his second Dally M player of the year award.

The combination of injuries to early favourites, Souths pair Greg Inglis and John Sutton, and a renewed enthusiasm following his Origin disappointment, has catapulted Carney to the top of the betting board for the prestigious medal.

Carney has been installed as the $2.75 favourite to win the award by Tabcorp's corporate betting arm, Luxbet, while surprisingly the odds on Inglis, the player many expected would break the Rabbitohs' 33-year Dally M drought this year, have blown out to $34.

Sutton is rated a $29 chance while North Queensland skipper Johnathan Thurston is second favourite at $4.

Carney was on 12 points, four points behind leader, Melbourne's Cooper Cronk, when voting went behind closed doors after Round 16.

Inglis was equal-second on 15, with Newcastle's Jarrod Mullen and Sutton.

But three, possibly four, man of the match performances from Carney in his past six matches has many believing the Sharks five-eighth has recaptured the form that saw him claim the gong in 2010 when he inspired the Roosters to the grand final.

They include former premiership winning halfback Brett Kimmorley.

"Given his form, you'd have to think Carney would be leading comfortably," Kimmorley said."He's been outstanding. The biggest strength of his game when he won the Dally M previously was his running game.

"He's running a lot straighter and on the back of the momentum that the Sharkies create, you find him posing a lot of questions.

"He looks fresh and happy, too, which at this time last year, he was probably the worst he ever felt in his career. He's not coming out of Origin deflated.

"He would've sat back and watched the series without any pressure and then he goes out and picks up points while the guys that did play Origin have come back a little flat.

"Cooper Cronk and Cam Smith weren't great in the month after Origin and now Inglis is injured."

Repaying the faith shown by Sharks coach Shane Flanagan, Carney has also stepped up in the absence of club captain Paul Gallen, who missed six weeks through injury.

"He's taken a leadership role with Gal missing and he's realised that he's a senior member there," State of Origin coach Laurie Daley said. "Like all the good players in the competition, he knows that if he can play well he can have a say in the result of the match. He's certainly done that, which has left the race wide open."

Manly's Daly Cherry-Evans and Canterbury pivot Josh Reynolds also have the potential to make a late charge for the Dally M Medal, which will be awarded in grand final week for the first time this year.

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Lie detectors can stop fixing: Waugh

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Steve Waugh wants to rid cricket from the scourge of match-fixing. Source:AAP

FORMER Australian captain Steve Waugh wants lie detector tests introduced to help solve international cricket's integrity crisis.

Waugh, who retired from Test cricket in 2004, wants polygraphs used to eradicate gambling and match-fixing, which he said were the greatest issues facing the sport.

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Waugh, 48, has used his place on the Marylebone Cricket Club's World Cricket Committee to push anti-corruption measures.

And he's even gone to the point of sitting a test to prove its validity.

"This is the most serious issue facing the game. We can't dismiss it this lightly," Waugh writes in his new book, The Meaning of Luck.

"If a player hasn't done anything wrong, he won't be afraid.

"If he's been accused, he will have an avenue to help clear his name."

Waugh met polygraph expert and behavioural specialist Steve van Aperen to sit the test.

"Maybe it could break open cases, if the lie detector itself or the mere threat of its use led to dishonest players confessing because they sensed a net was closing in on them," Waugh said.

"At the very least, it might stop people saying to me, 'How many games did you play in that were fixed or you thought weren't 100 per cent authentic?'."

Waugh said he was sick of "cynics second-guessing every dropped catch, poor shot, wide delivery".

He said cricket must act to avoid the confidence crises engulfing other sports, such as cycling.

Waugh highlighted the susceptibility of developing Twenty20 tournaments as a potential weak spot.

He said there were "opportunities" for corrupt bookmakers, "especially in second-tier tournaments such as domestic T20 competitions and other events away from the prying eyes of global media and more stringent match officials".

But he said it was imperative that cricket acts.

"I believe we must explore every avenue available that might help diminish and then end the scourge," Waugh said.

"A solution will be very costly. It will require courageous people to oversee its implementation, (but) it must be done."

THE Meaning Of Luck is available at all Big W stores and selected Woolworths stores from August 14. RRP $22. Log on to stevewaughbooks.com.au for more information.

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Live: fourth Ashes Test, day two

Chris Rogers was lucky to survive this chance, which was put down by Graeme Swann. Source: AP

AFTER a brilliant day in the field, can Australia's batsmen keep the momentum going as the fourth Ashes Test heads into day two?

Find out, and get all the best reaction, analysis and social media chat in our live and interactive blog.

Join the conversation by leaving a comment in the blog below, or let us know what you think by getting in touch on Twitter, @FoxCricketLive.

If using the comment box in the blog, you can just enter a name where it says 'Display Name', or you can log in using one of your social media accounts. Get involved now!

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Rogers stays strong as Aussies battle

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Chris Rogers saved Australia from a complete collapse on day two at Chester-le-Street. Source:Getty Images

VETERAN Chris Rogers and his former opening partner Shane Watson were attempting to resurrect the Australian innings after Stuart Broad cut a swathe through top order on the second day of the fourth Ashes Test.

Australia was 4-148 at tea in reply to England's 238, with Rogers 71 and Watson 38, the pair having come together just after lunch with the tourists in deep trouble at 4-76.

Both Rogers and Watson survived chances. Rogers was dropped at second slip by Graeme Swann when on 49, and Tim Bresnan grassed a sharp caught and bowled from Watson when he was 5.

In difficult batting conditions, Rogers had also been lucky some anxious moments early in his innings.

The first reprieve came when Broad's LBW referral was overturned, the second when Rogers was given out caught behind, but Hot Spot showed the ball had hit his pad. However, to Broad's annoyance, the replay also showed Rogers would have been LBW if the umpire had given him out for that.

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Otherwise, against some devilish swing bowling under a cloudy sky, Rogers and Watson had repaired some of the early damage done by Broad who took Australia's first three wickets in a brilliant pre-lunch spell.

Broad bowled David Warner for three when the Australian opener attempted a cramped, defensive shot with an angled bat. Then, in his next over, Usman Khawaja was caught behind for a duck.

It was a particularly disappointing return from Warner, who had been elevated to his preferred position at the top of the order after batting at No.6 in the third Test.

Captain Michael Clarke, so often the saviour, was also caught by Prior, his swat at Broad's ball well outside off stump and uncharacteristic mistake by the Australian captain.
 
Rogers and Steve Smith took Australia to lunch. But, immediately, after the resumption, Smith was caught behind sparring at a ball from Bresnan he should have left alone.

Earlier, Australia had taken little time to complete the day's housekeeping, wrapping up the England innings without allowing them to add to their overnight score.

Jackson Bird got justified reward for his tight and probing bowling on the first day, when he bowled James Anderson for 16. Although not before hitting the England No.11 with a bouncer, and breaking his helmet.

Nathan Lyon finished with 4-42, having taken the top order wickets of Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell and Jonny Bairstow.

The off-spinner bowled well, but was also the beneficiary of some excellent work by the Australian seamers. Bird (2-58), Ryan Harris (2-70), Peter Siddle (1-41) and Shane Watson (1-21) all kept the England batsmen under constant pressure.

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Live: third Ashes Test, day three

Shane Watson laughs with Kevin Pietersen after a controversial LBW appeal. Source: Getty Images

AFTER two days of dominance with the bat, it's time for Australia to try ram home their advantage with the ball on day three of the third Ashes Test.

Stick with us to get all the best reaction and analysis from social media, as well as on the spot videos provided exclusively by Fox Sports.

Join the conversation by leaving a comment in the blog below, or let us know what you think by getting in touch on Twitter, @FoxCricketLive.

If using the comment box in the blog, you can just enter a name where it says 'Display Name', or you can log in using one of your social media accounts. Get involved now!

GET THE ULTIMATE MATCH COMPANION, FEATURING VIDEO OF EVERY WICKET AND BOUNDARY, BALL-BY-BALL COMMENTARY AND HAWKEYE, IN OUR ASHES MATCH CENTRE!

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Rockliff, Rich power Lions past Saints

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Fly ... Daniel Merrett spills what could have been a terrific mark. Source: Chris Hyde / Getty Images

LIONS great Jonathan Brown may have played his last game of AFL after suffering a serious foot injury in Brisbane's 31-point win over St Kilda on Saturday night.

Brown cut a forlorn figure as he was subbed out in the first quarter after tearing the plantar fascia in his left foot just 14 minutes into play at the Gabba.

The injury makes it near impossible for the Brisbane co-captain to play again this season, with just four rounds left.

Off-contract at the end of the year and already wary about to committing to a 15th season, Brown's future is now under a murky cloud.

It would be a sad way for the 31-year-old power forward's glittering career to end after 245 games, 573 goals, three premierships and two All-Australian selections.

"Hopefully it's not too bad,'' coach Michael Voss said at three-quarter time. "We'll assess it Monday.''

Brisbane (8-10) did their best to keep their remote finals hopes alive by out-pointing the outgunned Saints 16.12 (108) to 11.11 (77) in a match they controlled throughout.

Tom Rockliff was a dominant presence with a match-high 39 disposals while ruckman Matthew Leuenberger also starred and Joel Patfull tormented Nick Riewoldt.

Down by four goals at halftime, the Saints made a third-quarter revival to get within 13 points just before the last change as Leigh Montagna and Nick Dal Santo came to the fore.

But the home side kicked clear in the final term with former Saint Matt Maguire relishing a move up forward to slot his first goal in seven years to the delight of the 19,856-strong crowd.

There was controversy before the first siren with Saints forward Ahmed Saad, only added as an emergency on Friday afternoon, named as a late inclusion.

Under investigation by the AFL after providing an irregular drug sample last month, Saad had two goals from his first two kicks but only had one more kick for the match.

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The 23-year old came in as an emergency after Trent Dennis-Lane was mysteriously scratched and then included in the Saints' final team when Jack Newnes was ruled out by illness.

Lions midfielder Daniel Rich kicked three 60m-plus goals in the first half in a fine response to his quiet game in last week's loss to Port Adelaide, while Brent Staker also finished with three majors in his 150th match.

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KP, Cook are England's 'odd couple'

Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen do just about everything differently. Source: Getty Images

IT TOOK just two deliveries during Kevin Pietersen's innings on day three to highlight why he and his captain, Alastair Cook, are England's odd couple.

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Pietersen was just 11 when he played an audacious pull shot off Mitchell Starc, dragging a short delivery angling away outside off stump from the left-armer through mid-wicket to the boundary.

The next ball was fuller and wider yet Pietersen went further back and across to slap it wide of mid-on for another boundary.

This was a shot only the very finest batsmen can play, picking the length up early and getting so quickly into position he appeared to be waiting for the ball before despatching it.

It was the most memorable shot of a morning session which was built largely around Cook blunting the Australians.

There is very little that is pretty about the way Cook bats but he is omnipresent so it came as a great surprise when, shortly before lunch, he tickled a ball from Mitchell Starc sliding down the leg side to be brilliantly caught by a diving Brad Haddin.

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Even so, Cook had soaked up almost four hours and 177 balls making 62, his highest score in what has been a personally disappointing but collectively imposing series.

No one playing in this Ashes series has spent more time obstinately defying bowlers during their careers than the tall left-hander.

Cook and Michael Clarke are both playing their 95th Test while Pietersen is in his 97th. They have more than 7500 runs each at similar averages ranging from 48 (Cook and Pietersen) to 52 (Clarke).

Yet Cook has faced 16,234 balls during his career, almost 3000 more than Clarke and over 4000 ahead of Pietersen.

This means the Essex boy has batted 667 more overs than the former South African or more than two full Tests.

Cook is cricket's equivalent of a hoarder. Only five other Englishmen have faced more deliveries during their career - Mike Atherton, Geoff Boycott, Graham Gooch, Alex Stewart and David Gower, and they all played many more Tests.

Too many times in the last Ashes series the Australians became sick of the sight of Cook.

He began during the first Test at the Gabba when he made an unbeaten 235 to force a draw during a Test which appeared to be charging headlong towards an Australian victory.

That 10 and a half hour epic changed the momentum of the series and propelled Cook from a battler in the eyes of the Australians to a world class performer. He kept performing, making 766 runs for the series at an average of 128 with three centuries.

By the time he had finished tormenting Australia, Cook had made more runs than any other countryman in an Ashes series apart from Wally Hammond more than 80 years earlier.

So his departure on day three at Old Trafford was a welcome relief for the Australians as they kept pushing for the victory they desperately need to keep alive any hope of regaining the Ashes.

Only a few days into this Test the memories of the Lord's debacle are fading quickly.

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