Mehrab Hossain banned for a year

Mehrab Hossain, the only Bangladeshi to score a one-day international century, has been banned from domestic and international cricket for a year, after dishonouring the terms of his contract. He compounded his action by failing to appear at a Bangladesh Cricket Board hearing.

Mehrab had reportedly agreed to represent the drug manufacturer, Acme Laboratories, in the inaugural Corporate Cricket League competition, and had even accepted a 15,000 taka advance ($254.24). But he was subsequently approached by GrameenPhone, Bangladesh's largest mobile phone provider and current sponsors of the national team.

"I went through all the papers submitted by Acme, including a voucher of Tk 15,000 paid to Mehrab, and found no reason to doubt their claim," said Khondokar Jamiluddin, the chairman of the CCL committee. "The board acted on the organising committee's recommendation." A senior BCB official added: "We have decided to bar him for a year as he failed to appear before the BCB for a hearing on the Acme allegation."

Mehrab, 25, averaged 13.38 with the bat in nine Test appearances, and has also played in 18 ODIs. His last Test appearance was against South Africa in Dhaka in May 2003.