A proposal to introduce a new category of Melbourne Cricket Club membership, which would "shorten the waiting list," is on hold after members opposing the concept "called for a postal ballot of all 60,000 full members to resolve the issue." The proposal for a "provisional" membership was the "key agenda item" at Wednesday night's MCC annual meeting and "went close to being ticked off" after 70.49% of the full members in attendance voted in favor of the change (THE AGE, 8/13). ... Former cricketer Azhar Mahmood said that the Pakistan Cricket Board's plans on hosting its Twenty20 league in the UAE or Qatar "will have a damaging effect on cricket in Pakistan." Mahmood insisted it should "be held in the country even if the top players refused to come due to security concerns." He said, "I don't think hosting the league in Dubai is a good idea. That's going to kill cricket in Pakistan. If the tournament happens, it should happen in Pakistan" (PAKISTAN OBSERVER, 8/13). ... Cricketer Hiken Shah, who was suspended by the Board of Control for Cricket in India last month after having been "found guilty of making an 'inappropriate approach'" to Mumbai teammate Pravin Tambe, is not "willing to go down without a fight." On Wednesday, the Bombay High Court dismissed the Mumbai batsman's petition challenging his suspension, "asking him to approach the BCCI's disciplinary committee instead" (TIMES OF INDIA, 8/13).
