Warne ready to wave goodbye to Test record

Test cricket's top wicket-taker Shane Warne said Sunday he will have no regrets when rival spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan overtakes him at the top of the charts.Murali is currently on Sri Lanka's tour of Australia and is just nine short of breaking Warne's record 708 Test wickets."Good luck to Murali, the record doesn't really worry me," said Warne, who has retired from Test cricket but is in Hong Kong playing quickfire six-a-side cricket."It has been nice to hold the record for three or four years. I always played my style of cricket and the wickets were nice, but it is more about the spirit in which you play the game."I'd like to think I have been an entertainer in the 16 years or so I've been playing. I hope my legacy is that I've never given up, have always been competitive, and that people have enjoyed that. So the record is not the most important thing.""But," Warne added, "hopefully the Aussie batsmen can still make it a little bit hard for him."Murali, 35, and Warne, 38, both started their Test careers in 1992, but the Sri Lankan has only played in 113 matches, compared with the Australian's 145.In a coup for the Hong Kong Sixes, both the third and fourth all-time Test wicket-takers are also playing in the tournament -- Anil Kumble (566) and Glenn McGrath (563).Warne declined to respond to rumours he will play in either of the two rival money-spinning Twenty20 leagues being planned in India, but said more Sixes cricket would help promote the sport."It would be really good if we had a couple more weekends like this one," he said. "A Sixes event in a place like Dubai would be great to spread the word of cricket."The tournament, first held in 1992, produces frenetic cricket in which teams bat for only five overs each innings and every fielder has to bowl, apart from the wicketkeeper.It has a strong record of attracting the game's biggest names, with Viv Richards, Sachin Tendulkar and Andrew Flintoff all appearing in past years.And here is the rest of it.

Controversial pathology report on cricket coach Woolmer criticised

Controversial government pathologist Ere Sheshiah was criticized for not following usual global practices on the 10th day of an inquest into the death of former Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer.Monday's pressure came from from Jermaine Spence, the attorney representing the International Cricket Council, who questioned why anyone should accept his findings of wrongdoing in Woolmer's death.Sheshiah performed the post-mortem on Woolmer, who was pronounced dead at the University of the West Indies hospital on March 18, hours after he was found unconscious in his Jamaica hotel room.Woolmer was discovered a day after Pakistan was knocked out of the cricket World Cup in embarrassing style by minnows Ireland.Sheshiah was criticized for not following international practice in the post-mortem by reviewing pathologists Lorna Martin of South Africa, Nathaniel Cary of Britain and Michael Pallanen of Canada, who studied video and photos.Sheshiah, who was the only person with access to the body, said under questioning that there are times when one can divert from global practice to satisfy themselves."The person who examines the bone can say whether it's broken or not, not somebody who analyzes a photo," he said.That led to lengthy questioning by Spence, who attacked the doctor's credibility, saying his findings were unreliable and wondering how anyone could accept his findings when he said the hyoid bone was fractured when it was not."I have already told the court of my opinion, so I am not deviating," Sheshiah replied.Sheshaiah originally had said Woolmer's hyoid bone was fractured, which indicated the former England player was strangled.But when given the X-ray in court last week, he admitted he made a mistake, then insisted the hyoid bone in a 58-year-old man don't have to be broken to prove that he was strangled.Sheshiah told the court last week regarding the cause of death that, "My final opinion is it was asphyxia, associated with cypermethrin poisoning."When police said they were treating the former England player's death as murder after Sheshiah's report, it sparked speculation that the case could be linked to corruption in international cricket.In June, however, Jamaican authorities said they were no longer treating the death as homicide.The inquest, presided over by coroner Patrick Murphy and 11 jurors, is expected to end on November 9. Testimony continues on Tuesday.

South Africa bat first against Pakistan

LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - South Africa won the toss and decided to bat in the fifth and final one-day international against Pakistan at Gaddafi stadium on Monday.South Africa retained the same team but Pakistan made several changes, with bowler Shoaib Akhtar returning to the side after serving a 13-match ban.Akhtar has appeared in just one test and four one-dayers in the last 20 months due to fitness and discipline problems.Pakistan also brought back pacer Sohail Tanvir and opener Imran Nazir. Together with Akhtar, they replaced Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul and Yasir Hameed.This is the fifth time Pakistan has changed its opening combination in the series which is tied at two all.

Teams:South Africa: Graeme Smith (capt), Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Albie Morkel, Johan Botha, Makhaya Ntini, Jean-Paul Duminy. Andre Nel. 12th man Justin Kemp.Pakistan: Shoaib Malik (capt), Imran Nazir, Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Misbah-ul Haq, Shoaib Akhtar, Rao Iftikhar, Sohail Tanvir, Abdul Rehman, 12th man Salman Butt.Umpires: Billy Bowden (New Zealand) and Nadeem Ghouri (Pakistan)
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Shane Warne gets his way over shorter working day

The ECB has bowed to pressure from Shane Warne in his column in The Times — and other players — by announcing a drastic reduction in the number of overs bowled in the LV County Championship. From next season, the minimum overs in a day will be 96 rather than 104, bringing the county game much closer to the quota of 90 overs a day in Test cricket. The change will no doubt be justified on that criterion, ignoring that Test cricketers once played well in excess of 100 overs a day without a murmur. From 2008, there will be three two-hour sessions on all four days of matches that go the distance, starting at 11am and finishing at 6pm. Hitherto, these were the scheduled hours for the final day only, but “overtime” on the first three days has become the norm and because most Test days also overrun their scheduled course, with all manner of excuses being made for the shortfall and fines for slow over-rates gradually becoming a rarity, the county game will likely become less productive, too, in respect of the overs bowled.
Captains deliberating over field placements and bowling changes — with Warne, of Hampshire, among the most fastidious — are probably the main reasons for the slower rate. Others are bowlers posing after runs have been scored off them or a wicket has been narrowly missed, but batsmen play their part, too, fiddling with equipment, calling for a drink or meeting in mid-pitch for a conference with their partners. Fashions in the game change and those that apply in televised international cricket simply filter down through the various levels. It is a safe bet that, on the village green, far fewer overs are bowled on Saturday afternoons than was once the case.

Over-rate penalties will be doubled next season to one point for each over not bowled, but this is the thin end of the wedge and there will be no going back in the foreseeable future. Spectators who remember the game as it was will feel short-changed up to a point, but it is equally true that they see far more runs scored per over than they once did, the consequence of more powerful bats, shorter boundaries, a generally more adventurous approach from batsmen, the reluctance of captains to use a third man and, perhaps, bowling that is prepared to buy wickets rather than work for them through remorseless accuracy. Over-rates have declined inexorably, but run-scoring has compensated, despite a mixed history. In 1948, the Australia touring team famously made 721 all out on the first day from the 129 overs bowled in six hours by Essex: a rollicking rate all round. But the pace of the game has always been dictated by the character of the players. England, for example, needed 106 overs of the first day of the Georgetown Test against West Indies in 1953-54 to make 153 for two because Len Hutton waited for the second day to reach his hundred. By contrast, in the scintillating Lord’s Test of 1930, 505.4 overs were bowled in a little less than four days while 1,601 runs were scored. Despite totals of 425, 729 and 375 in the first three innings of the match (England, Australia, England), the scoring rate was only 3.1 runs an over, no more than an average rate now. Yet 126 overs were bowled in a day in that Bradman-dominated match, 30 more than have now been ordained for county cricket. In a series of adjustments, the ECB also decided to abandon the experiment in the 2007 Friends Provident Trophy that allowed three referrals to the third umpire in televised matches. They could hardly have done otherwise after the unwritten agreement between players and umpires more or less to ignore the idea. No decision was overturned and the umpires were spared embarrassment, but the experiment was invalid, which is a pity. An ECB statement said: “Subsequent to results from other referral trials, ECB should actively work with broadcasters and other parties towards technology and systems that will assist in increasing the number of correct decisions.”

The use of floodlights in the county championship is also to be discontinued. There were occasions last season when lights were turned on only for play to be suspended subsequently. “Floodlights and a red ball simply don’t work,” a statement added. On weather-interrupted days in the championship next season, a maximum of 30 minutes of time lost during the day’s play can be made up, except on the last day. No time will be carried forward from previous days. In the one-day competitions, penalties for inadequate pitches have been doubled to two points for a “poor” pitch and four points for one that is ruled “unfit”. If penalties cannot be applied in the season they are incurred, they are to be carried forward. Times of change across the board Other decisions— Further trials of an open microphone system with umpires to be conducted in the Friends Provident Trophy (FPT). — Playing conditions to confirm that once the batsman has indicated what shot he is going to play (ie, the reverse sweep), fielders should be allowed to change position as they see fit. A submission to be made to MCC for consideration within Law. — “Dead” LV County Championship matches should be allowed to finish (with the consent of both captains) at the start of the last hour regardless of the number of overs remaining to be bowled. — The white ball should be replaced automatically in FPT matches at the end of the 34th over. Any loss of the replacement ball would come from the normal box of spares. No such ball change is recommended in NatWest Pro40. — Powerplays in the FPT to be adopted as per ICC playing conditions. In NatWest Pro40, fielding restrictions to remain at the first 15 overs. ECB to raise with ICC whether the positioning of fielders within 15 yards in front of the batsman fulfils the intent of the regulation. — Guidelines for wides to be marked in all domestic one-day cricket as per international matches. — The Most Wins tiebreaker should be removed in the Twenty20 Cup. The tiebreaker that analyses the points gained in matches between teams that finish on equal points to be reintroduced instead in all one-day competitions. — The reserve day in knockout rounds in the FPT to be used in the same way as in the Twenty20 Cup. Twenty overs to constitute a match in knockout FPT games. — ECB Cricket Department to investigate the use of coloured gloves and armguards. — If a county plays a match at a neutral venue (with particular reference to another County HQ), any resulting pitch penalty is applied to the “home” team and not to the county hosting the match.
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Thick-skinned Murali has bigger fish to fry

Controversial Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan says he will not be too concerned about anticipated heckling from the crowd during next month's two-Test series against Australia.Cricket Australia is expected to increase security at the Test matches in Brisbane and Hobart, with the first Test getting under way at the Gabba next Thursday.Muralitharan's often questioned bowling action has been cleared by the International Cricket Council but he says he still expects no-ball calls from some people in the crowd."I can't change anybody's opinion, they can say whatever they [want to] say," said Muralitharan, currently playing for Sri Lanka in a warm-up match against a Cricket Australia Chairman's XI in Adelaide.Muralitharan needs just nine more wickets to overtake Shane Warne's world record Test tally of 708, but he says the milestone is not in his focus.He says he is more concerned with beating Australia as this will be Sri Lanka's best chance to do it.Australia will be without retired trio Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer and Muralitharan says several veterans in his team are highly motivated to win an away series against Australia before they retire.

"Nine wickets is not in my mind because I want to try to win a match for Sri Lanka," hesaid."This is the best chance because you won't see in a few years time Sanath (Jayasuriya) playing or Marvan Attapattu or me, or so many others playing."Australia captain Ricky Pointing has appealed against racial taunting of the Sri Lankans following the treatment Andrew Symonds received during the recent one-day series in India.However he has questioned the level of security which surrounded Muralitharan when he arrived in Australia last week.Muralitharan was escorted through Adelaide airport by Australian Federal Police upon his arrival on Wednesday and Ponting says it was an overreaction."I must admit I couldn't understand that the other day," he said."I saw some armed guards getting with him when he arrived in Adelaide and that sort of thing - I don't think it's quite that bad."There'll be a few jibes from the crowd at different times but that's what you expect when you play. There's nothing different when we go anywhere around the world.".

Flintoff not in Duncan Fletcher's good books

Unless amnesty is declared between Andrew Flintoff and the England and Wales Cricket Board, it is unlikely that Flintoff will ever captain his country again. That will be one result of the revelations in a new book by Duncan Fletcher that the all-rounder's drinking on the Ashes tour to Australia last winter was out of control.Double act: Duncan Fletcher and Andrew Flintoff in happier times Fletcher, England's coach until last April, famously stripped Flintoff of the vice-captaincy following late-night drinking in St Lucia during the World Cup. But in his book Behind The Shades, due to be published on Nov 5, Fletcher reveals that Flintoff, the acting captain in Australia, was so hung-over from a drinking binge in Sydney in February that the team practice before a crucial one-day international against Australia had to be cut short.Ironically, England went on to win that game in the Commonwealth Bank series, the first in a four-match winning sequence under Flintoff that saw them unexpectedly lift the trophy.It seems that the incident, on what was a vexing and unhappy tour for him after the team's 5-0 pummelling in the Ashes, was not a one-off either. In an interview with a national newspaper, who have bought the serialisation rights for the book, Fletcher teasingly refers to "other things that I could have put in that would really have hurt people".

Drinking and cricket have long been easy bedfellows – too easy some would say. But what was tolerated in Ian Botham's pomp, where night-long sessions on cheap brandy in India were followed by swashbuckling centuries the next day, just does not wash now.Lucrative television and sponsorship deals have demanded new levels of behaviour from players, which is probably why Giles Clarke, the new ECB chairman, has insisted on a strict new code of behaviour.An iconoclast, Clarke has stated that all disciplinary matters, usually the remit of the coach until the Schofield Report spread the responsibility to include the ECB's new managing director of cricket, Hugh Morris, will now be taken very seriously indeed."Today's international stars can find fame and fortune playing for England," said Clarke during his induction speech last month. "But with that comes responsibility and accountability." That tough stance certainly does not bode well for any captaincy ambitions Flintoff may still harbour.Flintoff, who denies he has a drink problem, has distanced himself from any further revelations the book might have in store. Following a third operation on his troublesome left ankle last month he is spending seven weeks in the United States – a trip that is part holiday, part rehab.So far, any retort from the players' perspective has come from his best friend and team-mate Stephen Harmison, another target in Fletcher's cross-hairs.

"It's disappointing for these comments to be made," Harmison said yesterday. "Fred tried his heart out and could not have done more for the cause in Australia. But in this cruel world there is always someone who wants to knock and have a go and I find that sad."We must focus on the 2009 Ashes and not hark back to what happened 12 months ago, and that is especially true of Fred. He has got a massive amount to do to get back to the player he once was and the last thing he needs is to have to deal in ancient history."While many will dismiss Fletcher's criticisms of Flintoff as the revenge of an embittered man, the coach must also share in the blame. As the most powerful man in English cricket as well as the most mistrustful (his fellow selectors only found out about Flintoff's drinking escapades weeks later), he should have come down on Flintoff hard when he first erred.He certainly had the power to do so, but not it seems, the courage. As the book will reveal, his decision to do nothing was not based on giving Flintoff a second chance (or even a third one by then), but to deny the press, most of whom he loathed, a story.That reveals a man with a weaker will and worse judgment than Flintoff showed when drowning his sorrows in the first place.
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Test cricket not on Katich's radar

Simon Katich does not believe he is a serious contender for the Australian Test side, despite smashing a triple century for New South Wales against Queensland at the SCG yesterday.Katich blazed 306 to become the first batsman to post a triple century at the ground since Don Bradman's 452 not out in 1930.The whispers that Katich was a bolter for the Test side following the retirement of Justin Langer have now become murmurs, but the 32-year-old is not getting his hopes up."Not really, no not at all, because obviously the team is so settled," he said."Obviously they played so well in the last 12 months, so [I've] not even had a thought about that."Katich says it is an innings he will always cherish."I don't think I could have hit the ball much better than that, it was a very good wicket to bat on, a pretty good outfield and a short boundary one side so I certainly couldn't complain," he said.

Australia one-day spinner Brad Hogg is another who is not getting his hopes up of strutting onto the Gabba for the first Test against Sri Lanka next Thursday.Hogg is competing with Stuart MacGill to replace Shane Warne and had done his chances no harm, taking five wickets so far for Western Australia in its four-day match against Victoria at the MCG.Hogg is keen to impress the national selectors but is not getting ahead of himself."I'd love to play more Test cricket obviously, but I can't control that and it's up to the selectors to pick who they want to pick," he said.
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Cricket: Four-wicket Ntini guides South Africa to victory

LAHORE, Pakistan - Fast bowler Makhaya Ntini sliced through the Pakistan top order with a four-wicket haul as South Africa survived a late Shahid Afridi charge to record a 45-run victory in the first limited-overs cricket international.A. B. de Villiers (103) and Herschelle Gibbs (102) powered South Africa to a challenging total of 294-5 and then Ntini (4-69) took four wickets in his five overs before Pakistan was dismissed for 249 in 46.3 overs.Hard-hitting batsman Shahid Afridi (47 off 26 balls) and No. 9 rookie Sohail Tanvir (26) added a brisk 43 off 25 balls but their effort came a bit too late to stop South Africa taking 1-0 lead in the five-match series.Ntini exposed Pakistan's weakness against short deliveries with Shoaib Malik (18), Younis Khan (12) and Mohammad Hafeez (6) all falling into the trap. Imran Nazir (16) hit three well timed boundaries before Justin Kemp took a smart reflex catch at short cover as Pakistan slumped to 55-4.To-scorer Mohammad Yousuf (53) hit a fighting half century and shared the highest partnership of the innings when he put on 60 runs with Kamran Akmal (35) before Jacques Kallis got rid of both batsmen in his successive overs.Earlier, a second string Pakistan pace attack failed to restrict South Africa after captain Graeme Smith won the toss and elected to bat.De Villiers made an unbeaten 103 off 95 balls while Gibbs scored 102 from 128 deliveries as Pakistan's attack struggled without injured fast bowler Mohammad Asif.De Villiers was ruthless in the latter part of his innings when he hit two sixes and two fours in debutant left-arm fast bowler Tanvir's one over.He completed his century in the 49th over as South Africa hit 77 runs in the last 10 overs. De Villiers hit nine fours and three sixes in his unbeaten century.De Villiers and Gibbs shared a 137-run third wicket stand off 157 deliveries before a tired-looking Gibbs was run out in the 43rd over when he attempted a second run.

Gibbs hit 11 fours and a six in scoring his career's 18th hundred.Gibbs laid a platform with Smith (34) on a perfect one-day batting wicket where Pakistan bowlers struggled to get quick breakthroughs. They put on 85 runs off 88 balls before Smith was run out in a mix-up as Gibbs refused to go for a second run.Pakistan had to rely on its back-up pace bowlers after Asif was ruled out due to elbow injury that he incurred during the second test against South Africa last week.Tanvir was named for his one-day international in Asif's absence. His unorthodox bowling action that troubled batsmen in last month's World Twenty20 event in South Africa, could not make much impact on Thursday.Player of the test series Kallis (8) lobbed an easy return catch before Gibbs and De Villiers took charge to setup a strong total.The second game of the five-match series will be played in Lahore on Saturday. Faisalabad (Oct. 23) will host the third match while the remaining two matches will be hosted at Multan (Oct 26) and Karachi (Oct. 29).

Three Pakistan players join Indian board's new league

Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik and team mates Younis Khan and Mohammad Asif have signed up for the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL), organisers said on Thursday.New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum has also joined, taking to 29 the number of foreign players who have committed to the lucrative Twenty20 event which starts in April.The 44-day tournament will feature eight franchises, the IPL said in a statement, with each squad containing 16 players.The $3 million (1.46 million pound) IPL was launched by the Indian cricket board in September, with support from other national boards to counter an unofficial version planned next month.Those already signed up include international captains Graeme Smith of South Africa and Mahela Jayawardene of Sri Lanka and Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf.

Three Pakistan players join Indian board's new league

Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik and team mates Younis Khan and Mohammad Asif have signed up for the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL), organisers said on Thursday.New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum has also joined, taking to 29 the number of foreign players who have committed to the lucrative Twenty20 event which starts in April.The 44-day tournament will feature eight franchises, the IPL said in a statement, with each squad containing 16 players.The $3 million (1.46 million pound) IPL was launched by the Indian cricket board in September, with support from other national boards to counter an unofficial version planned next month.Those already signed up include international captains Graeme Smith of South Africa and Mahela Jayawardene of Sri Lanka and Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf.
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Indian cricket fans accused of racist abuse

Four Indian cricket fans are to face charges of racially abusing the Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds after allegedly taunting him with monkey gestures, police in Mumbai said yesterday.The four were ejected from Wednesday's one-day international (ODI), which India narrowly won, after officials showed police pictures of three men and one woman making racist gestures towards Symonds, who was the only black player in the Australian team.The fans were charged with "misbehaviour and harassment" and were freed on bail pending a court appearance.Australian newspapers also carried photographs of the Mumbai crowd, clearly showing spectators making offensive gestures.

The seven-match ODI series, which Australia won 4-2, was marred by allegations of racial comments aimed at the Australians.Symonds, who was the outstanding batsman of the series, had complained that fans in the western city of Vadodara earlier this month had been shouting monkey chants.The city's police chief claimed the supporters were praying to the Hindu monkey god, Hanuman.Symonds has also run the wrath of the Indian cricket crowds after heated exchanges with the bowlers Harbhajan Singh and Shantakumaran Sreesanth.Both Indian and Australian cricket officials were quick to condemn the Mumbai spectators yesterday."There is no place for racism in cricket either on or off the field," Sharad Pawar, India's top cricket official, and Creagh O'Connor, his Australian counterpart, said in a joint statement. "All cricket nations have to be on guard to ensure that the fun does not cross the boundary into unacceptable behaviour."Mukul Kesavan, one of India's best-known cricket writers, said he was surprised that Indian newspapers were not "exactly jumping to denounce" the racism."A cricketing crowd in India is a seething mass of diverse prejudices and a low-wattage racism is one of them. You did not see it with the West Indian cricketers because Indians always admired them a bit like Brazil and football. Symonds is seen as part of an abrasive, white team. But it is still deplorable racism.".

Cricket-Asif ruled out of first one-day international

Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Asif has been ruled out of the first one-day international against South Africa on Thursday due to an elbow injury, manager Talat Ali said on Wednesday."He is required to have more rest to regain full fitness," Ali told reporters.A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official said Asif could also be disciplined after signing a contract with English county Surrey for next season.The official said Asif had not received permission from the PCB.

Oram joins Indian Twenty20 league

South Africa all-rounder Shaun Pollock, his New Zealand counterpart Jacob Oram and Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar have signed up for the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 series, organisers said.Their inclusion takes to 25 the number of foreign players who have committed to the lucrative league due to start next April.Shoaib, who completes a 13-match ban after the first four one-day internationals against South Africa which start on Thursday, said he had signed up after getting clearance from the Pakistan Cricket Board."I will be available to play in the IPL only when I am not needed by Pakistan. That remains my top priority," he said."But my first hope is to tour India next month with Pakistan and play in the tests and one-dayers."The IPL, with $3 million prize money, was launched by the Indian cricket board in September with support from other national boards to counter an unofficial version planned from next month.The inaugural edition will feature eight teams to be bought by franchisees, with plans to double the field by 2010.Those already signed up include retired Australian bowling stalwarts Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath, New Zealand's Daniel Vettori and Stephen Fleming, Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene and Sanath Jayasuriya, South Africa's Graeme Smith and Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf.Yousuf had earlier been linked to the unofficial Indian Cricket League (ICL), which is now under pressure after the official version lured many top names in the game.Each IPL franchise would have a squad of sixteen, which would comprise local players, juniors, members of the Indian national squad and overseas professionals.

Inquest hears of blood, vomit in Woolmer death

A Jamaican chambermaid said on Tuesday she found a bloodied bed, an overturned chair and a smell like alcohol and vomit when she stumbled on former Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer's unconscious body in his Kingston hotel room earlier this year.Chambermaid Bernice Robinson, the first witness to testify as a long-awaited inquest opened into Woolmer's startling death during the Cricket World Cup, said his body lay blocking the bathroom door of room 374 at the Pegasus hotel, one of his feet stretched up to the wash basin."I started to look around the room, and I noticed that there was a chair that was overturned," she said."There was blood on the pillow and the bed. I continued looking around the room and didn't see him. And then I went into the bathroom. The door was closed, I knocked, got no response, then I tried to open the door but I couldn't open it as something was pressing against it."Robinson said she panicked and shouted, "Sir, sir, is everything OK?" before running for help. She recalled a smell "like vomit and alcohol mixed together" and saw vomit on the bathroom floor.Her discovery of Woolmer's unconscious body on March 18, a day after Pakistan crashed out of the World Cup following an ignominious defeat by underdogs Ireland, kicked off a maelstrom that gripped the international cricket world for months.Jamaican police initially said Woolmer was strangled and launched a murder investigation. That touched off frenzied media speculation that the former English international player, 58, might have been killed by a gambling syndicate or disgruntled Pakistani fans or players. But the Jamaican police delivered another shock in June by saying they had made a mistake about the murder claim and that pathologists from Canada, Britain and South Africa had found Woolmer died of natural causes.

Dr. Nathaniel Carey, a British pathologist who examined the autopsy report confirmed that view."Based on the photographs that I saw, and the histology results, I came to that conclusion," he said. "Mr. Woolmer had a heart condition and he had diabetes, plus he was found behind a door as if he had suffered an attack."However, the pathologist said it was possible someone had been with Woolmer around the time of his death."Would you agree with me there could have been a third party in Mr. Woolmer's room at the time of his death," Director of Public Prosecutions Kent Pantry asked Carey."Yes, there could have been," Carey replied.Coroner Patrick Murphy, who is presiding over the inquest, took careful notes during the testimony and told a jury of six women and five men the inquest would probably last until Nov. 9. He said it would be up to them to decide Woolmer's cause of death.

Ponting: Cricket is our Number One sport

No wonder cricketers love coming to Mumbai. Especially from abroad. They are gobbled up by corporates as their brand ambassadors. It was, not one, not two, but three such occasions in India's Commercial Capital on Monday evening.No sooner had the teams checked in at the team hotel than Australian captain Ricky Ponting was named brand ambassador of automotive products Valvoline Cummins Ltd. Both teams arrived late in the afternoon after their travel was delayed by a bird hit. The accident occurred 10 minutes after take-off from Nagpur. Five blades of one of the engines were damanged by the bird."I always love coming to Mumbai," Ponting said. "Whatever product I am associated with, either on and off the field, I am associated with the best," he said.There was only one cricket question asked at what was a business press conference. And it was related to the alleged racism remarks made by Andrew Symonds after the Vadodara ODI.

Asked why so much hue and cry was made on the Symonds issue, Ponting said: "I don't think Andrew Symonds has made a big deal of the racism remarks. It were the Indian journalists who made me aware of what happened. Andrew has dealt with it in the most sensible way. He did not run into anybody and tell what happened."Ponting also disagreed that cricket was not the number one sport in Australia. "Cricket is Australia's favourite and number one sport. It is certainly a big business in Australia, and with our success in the last 10 years, the game is spreading not just in Australia but all over the world."

Australian cricket team's plane returns to Nagpur

THE Australian cricket team was involved in a minor emergency yesterday when its plane was forced to return to Nagpur Airport after hitting several birds, believed to be eagles.The birds were sucked into both engines just after the 8.55am take-off.Ricky Ponting's men knew they were in a spot of bother after the plane's captain announced there was "some bad news"."We have hit a number of birds and this may have damaged an engine. We will need to return to Nagpur for maintenance," the pilot said.The Jet-Airways plane was carrying a full load en route to Mumbai, including both the Indian and Australian squads and touring media.Passengers were served breakfast as the plane sat on the tarmac for 30 minutes as attempts were made to repair the engine.The Australians eventually took to the skies at 1.30pm local time.It was another twist in an eventful tour for the Australians, with Andrew Symonds racially abused by spectators and players embroiled in sledging controversies.

Andrew Symonds drew inspiration from race controvers

Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds said the controversy over his racial abuse led him to an unbeaten century in the sixth one-dayer against India here.Symonds smashed 107 off just 88 balls to shape up Australia's series-clinching 18-run win and banish unpleasant memories of the previous game at Vadodara, where he is alleged to have been subjected to monkey chants."I drew on that for my innings today. It helped me get going," Symonds told reporters after the match.The 32-year-old hard-hitting batsman, the national team's only black player, also said he was disappointed by the reluctance of the authorities concerned to deal with the matter."I didn't mind when it happened. What disappointed me was that someone and somebody denied it happened. It's not in my hands, but for the powers to be, to deal with the matter," he said.The International Cricket Council has demanded an explanation from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the incident, but a board official denied receiving any communication"We have noted media reports of racist chanting during the India-Australia ODI in Vadodara on Thursday and also of racist abuse directed at South Africa players and team officials in Lahore," ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed said in a statement Sunday.

"In the light of those reports we have written to both the BCCI and the PCB (on Saturday) asking for their comments on the incidents," he said.However BCCI's secretary Niranjan Shah said they had not received any ICC letter and that it would be tough for anyone to prove that such an incident happened.Symonds meanwhile also used his newspaper column to attack some members of the Indian cricket team.Writing in the national stable of News Limited newspapers, Symonds said the Indians had become "cocky" after their win in the Twenty20 World Cup and the Australian team thought the reaction to that victory was "over the top"."Some of the things their players have been given and the way they are treated, it's like they are rock stars and princes," he wrote."It's been irritating because it's been in our face. We see them on television every day."Symonds said while he got on well with some of the Indian players, such as Sachin Tendulkar, others had needled the Australian team unnecessarily."There are a couple of them who seem to spark things," he said."(Shanthakumaran) Sreesanth and Harbhajan Singh are the ones we are clashing with most."The thing that annoys us the most is when they are going well, they will have a shot at you. But when they aren't going well they forget to shake hands at the end of the game."The teams now travel to Mumbai for the last game of the seven-match series which Australia have clinched 4-1.

Akhtar needs psychiatric help, says Pakistan cricket chief

Pakistan's cricket chief hit out at Shoaib Akhtar, saying the controversial paceman damaged the nation's cricket image and needed psychiatric counselling.Akhtar was banned Thursday for 13 international matches and fined 3.4 million rupees (56,000 dollars) primarily for hitting a teammate with a bat."Akhtar hurt Pakistan's image and got the maximum punishment. Some form of counselling from a psychiatrist is compulsory for him," Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Nasim Ashraf told reporters.The 32-year-old Akhtar has apologised for hitting Mohammad Asif with a bat after practice three days before the start of the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa last month.Pakistan team manager Talat Ali, who reported the incident to the PCB last month, had also recommended counselling for the troubled paceman whose ban dates back to the matches in the Twenty20 World Cup.

He will be available for the last of five one-day matches against South Africa to be played in Karachi on October 29.Ashraf said the ban and fine -- the biggest ever imposed on a cricketer at international level other than in match-fixing -- should set an example for all players."We have set an example as Akhtar has got the maximum possible punishment and he has accepted them. Akhtar has accepted his mistake and we hope that such a sad incident will not happen again," said Ashraf.But he said Akhtar must ensure such an incident never happens again."Akhtar will be under a probation of two years and in case of any further breach of code of conduct there will be grounds for a life ban and I hope Akhtar has learnt his lesson," said Ashraf.Akhtar and fellow paceman Asif were also involved in a doping scandal last year. They tested positive for nandrolone which resulted in a two-year ban on Akhtar and one year on Asif. The bans were overturned on appeal.

Pakistan will take time to replace Inzamam - Lawson

Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson believes it will take a long time for the team to mould a replacement for retired batsman and former skipper Inzaman-ul-Haq.The 37-year-old premier batsman finished his playing career in the drawn second test against South Africa on Friday, falling three runs short of becoming the country's highest scorer."It is not going to happen overnight," Lawson told reporters."It will take a year or two before we can find a replacement for Inzamam. He was a class player with experience which comes with time."The former Australia bowler added it would be unfair to expect any of the current crop of players to start matching Inzamam's batting exploits immediately."There are a couple of good players in line but they will take time to mature and establish themselves as Inzamam did himself," Lawson said.Inzamam retired after scoring 8,830 runs in tests and 11,739 in one-day internationals but by only accumulating 17 in his final two innings, the batsman was unable to pass Javed Miandad's record aggregate of 8,832.Miandad led the tributes for Inzamam on Saturday.

"I was expecting him to break my record. I would have been happy if he had done it, because I have had a teacher-student relationship with him," Miandad told Reuters. "Given his service to Pakistan cricket and the quality player that he was, he deserved the record. I enjoyed watching him bat."Miandad, who captained the side when Inzamam made his debut in 1992, said it was a sad reflection on the state of Pakistani cricket that it was not producing more players of his stature."We need to look at our system and ensure we groom more quality batsmen for a better future."Former captain, Wasim Akram said that Inzamam had retired at the right time."He was one of the best batsmen produced by Pakistan along with Miandad," Akram said."The number of runs he scored is testimony of his greatness. It was sad to see him go but every player has to take a bow someday."

Symonds ready to move on following racist abuse

Australia's Andrew Symonds says he is ready to move on after suffering racist abuse from spectators during Thursday's one-day international against India in Baroda.The big all-rounder was subjected to monkey noises while he was fielding."You have to be pretty thick-skinned to survive in the Australian dressing room, let alone out on the paddock," Symonds was quoted as saying in Australian newspapers on Sunday."I am a pretty liberal sort of bloke but racism is a big issue in world sport, not just cricket."It is a sensitive issue and guys have been made an example of in the past, but what do you do in this instance if it's coming from the crowd? Life goes on."Australia captain Ricky Ponting, meanwhile, has called for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to take action."I know the match referee knows about it, if the ICC gets it in the report they have to do something," he said. "Racism is unacceptable anywhere in the world, you don't expect it to happen when you step out on the field."We did not expect it and we do not expect it to happen again."Australia play India in the sixth one-day international in Nagpur on Sunday. The touring side lead the series 3-1.

Shoaib eligible to play final one-dayer v Sout

Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar will be eligible to play in the fifth and final one-day international against South Africa on Oct. 29, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Friday.The board's disciplinary committee on Thursday imposed a 13-match ban and 3.4 million rupees ($56,000) fine on Shoaib for four misconduct charges, including hitting team mate Mohammad Asif with a bat before the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.Shafqat Naghmi, the PCB's chief operating officer, clarified that the ban period had started the day after the incident on Sept. 7 when team manager Talat Ali sent Shoaib home."Since his ban period started immediately it covers seven matches of the Twenty20 World Cup and also the two tests against South Africa," Naghmi told Reuters."This means he will have completed his 13-match ban by the fourth one-dayer and will be eligible for selection for the final game in Karachi," he said.Shoaib has played 43 tests and 133 one-dayers but has not taken part in any competitive cricket since he limped out of the second test against South Africa in January with a hamstring injury.The 32-year-old has played just one test and four one-dayers since February 2006 due to fitness and other problems.He was suspended for two years in 2006 after testing positive for the banned substance nandrolone but was later cleared of doping offences.

Pakistan's Butt fined for umpiring outburst

Pakistan's vice captain Salman Butt has been fined 50 percent of his match fee for his outburst against some of the umpiring decisions in the test series against South Africa.International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee Alan Hurst said Butt had been fined after being found guilty of public criticism and inappropriate comment on a match-related incident or match official.Butt criticised some umpiring decisions on Thursday during the second test, saying they had gone against Pakistan.

Symonds racially abused in India say Australian cricket officials Sayz:

Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds was racially abused with monkey chants during his side's one-day win over India in Vadodara, Cricket Australia said Friday.Cricket Australia said the national side's only black player complained about the noises made by some sections of the crowd as he fielded near the boundary during Thursday's victory.A Cricket Australia spokesman said the organisation would not be seeking further action over the incident."The matter will be left in the hands of the local authorities," he told AFP.The abuse was widely reported in Australian newspapers, with the Sydney Morning Herald saying the monkey chants were similar to those that have plagued European football for years.Sydney's Daily Telegraph said thousands of spectators were involved in the abuse, prompting ground authorities to flash the International Cricket Council's anti-racism code on the replay screen.The Australian newspaper quoted Baroda Cricket Association chief executive Makarand Waingankar as saying he was disappointed with the Vadodara crowd's behaviour."Like any cricket centre we cannot tolerate this sort of behaviour; racism should not exist in India," Waingankar said.Symonds has been involved in a running feud with Indian paceman Shantha Sreesanth during the tour of the subcontinent.The Indian series has been clouded by ill temper, stemming in part from discontent within the Australian camp at the way India's players celebrated their semi-final win over Australia in the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.

Cricket-Butt unhappy with decisions, bowling and fielding

Pakistan vice captain Salman Butt said poor umpiring decisions along with fielding lapses and lax bowling had led to his team's poor performance in the test series against South Africa.Pakistan are 305 runs behind after the third day and, batting last, face a tough task to save the second test after losing the first in Karachi by 160 runs."There have been some decisions where we have been unlucky like, I think, myself in the second innings of the Karachi test,' Butt told reporters on Wednesday."The third umpire gave me out when it was a bounce catch and Mohammad Yousuf yesterday I don't think he was out. When you lose your premier batsman like that, one decision can make a lot of difference to the team," he said.Yousuf, making a comeback to the Pakistan team, was given out leg before to Dale Steyn after scoring 25 runs and television replays showed the ball had hit him high on his knee roll.Butt also felt the spinners had not bowled well."The wickets were prepared for the spinners but they didn't get the South African batsmen out for low scores. We also had some fielding lapses. We have made mistakes and we accept that and we have to improve."Butt, who was made vice-captain after the World Cup, gave some credit to the visiting batsmen for playing spin well. "I don't want to take anything away from them. But our bowlers didn't bowl to their potential."The opener who scored 40 in Pakistan's total of 206 blamed the transition from one-day and Twenty20 cricket for the team's struggle."It's been a long layoff for us from test cricket and we have not played well."

Pakistan Cricket Board delaying decision of Shoaib case?

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) disciplinary committee last week completed hearing of Shoaib Akhtar’s misconduct case but is yet to announce its findings and the matter is prolonged unnecessarily creating speculations.The team manager Talat Ali banned him for five matches after his preliminary enquiry in South Africa ahead of the recently-concluded ICC World Twenty20 Cup which seemed that he had served his ban for not playing Twenty20 matches and had not been selected for two Test matches which is equal to four ODIs as per the ICC playing conditions.The lawyers of Shoaib Akhtar have been claiming the same that he has served the punishment and they have demanded that Shoaib should be included in the national squad or give an explanation that why he is not included in the team but they are yet to receive any response from the PCB. The PCB disciplinary committee comprising COO Shafqat Naghmi, DCO Zakir Khan and Director HR Nadeem Akram continued their mutual discussions to review Shoaib’s case but could not reach a conclusion. They are supposed to announce their decision today (Thursday).They seemed to have been facing a problem of any code at the domestic level to deal with such issues.

The ICC playing conditions do have a code of conduct to deal with the breaches of different levels but the incident is the internal affair of the PCB so they can’t implement the ICC code and have to stick with their own code as they have done earlier while dealing with the doping case involving Shoaib Akhtar and M Asif. Besides Shoaib-Asif spat, the committee is considering some other breaches by Shoaib Akhtar including media briefing without prior permission from the PCB. It is very likely that Shoaib could face some fine or ban under any other charges. But the cricket lovers are of the view that Shoaib should be included in the national team for the ODI series to strengthen the fast bowling department of the team. Meanwhile, Shoaib Akhtar has vowed to give his best to help Pakistan beat South Africa in the ODI series if given a chance. The committee should dispose of the issue as soon as possible to end the rumours.

Shoaib wants PCB to take action against Afridi

Acrimony between suspended Shoaib Akhtar and “fasting” Shahid Afridi took another ugly turn when the controversial pacer demanded Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to take stern action against his charismatic team-mate for breaching code of conduct.Shoaib is under indefinite “suspension” following his physical assault on his newball partner Mohammad Asif in South Africa and verbal spat with Shahid Afridi. He also threatened to take the matter to courts in case PCB failed to take disciplinary action against Afridi for speaking while the matter was under scrutiny.The derailed “Rawalpindi Express” appeared before a three-member PCB along with Shahid Afridi on October 6 where he reportedly alleged that the incident in South Africa was blown out of proportion and blamed Afridi for leaking the news to the media.The allegation was vehemently denied by Afridi and he received support from Asif who in his testimony claimed that it was Afridi that rescued him from further injuries.“I do not want to enter into any argument with Shoaib on the issue. I have informed the enquiry committee the actual facts of the incident. Now it is up to the committee to announce the decision,” Afridi told Khaleej Times.Afridi also said that he forgiven Shoaib about his verbal outburst against him in the Holy month of Ramadhan and “I still have no ill-feelings against a team-mate of mine”.A final decision on Shoaib's future is likely to be decided soon after the return of PCB ad hoc chairman, Dr. Naseem Ashraf, currently in England to appear in the on-going legal battle launched by disgraced Australian umpire, Darrell Hair. The PCB chief is expected to return tomorrow.
Meanwhile, all indication points out that Shoaib is expected to be left out of Indian trip due to his poor disciplinary record and his inability to complete full overseas tour.

CRICKET: Pakistan falters after solid start to South Africa's 357

LAHORE, Pakistan - South Africa made a stunning comeback Tuesday to pin down Pakistan's explosive reply on the second day of the second test.The home team, trailing 1-0 in the two-match series, was 140-4 at stumps after South African tailenders hung in earlier in the day to post a respectable first innings score of 357.Inzamam-ul-Haq (10), playing in his farewell test, and Misbah-ul-Haq (10) were at the crease when bad light stopped play eight overs before scheduled close.Inzamam - who opted out of the first test that Pakistan lost by 160 runs last week - had an emotional arrival at the wicket. All 11 South African players lined up close to the wicket to applaud the 37-year-old former Pakistan captain."I think the boys had talked about this (guard of honour) in the dressing room, but when Inzy came out it was more like a spontaneous reaction from them," coach Mickey Arthur said."I am proud of the boys the way they welcomed Inzy," he added.Openers Kamran Akmal (52 off 64 balls) and Salman Butt (40 off 68 balls) made a spirited start of 90 runs off 124 balls before Pakistan lost three wickets in the space of nine runs.Butt top-edged lanky left-arm spinner Paul Harris and Smith took his second catch when he dived forward and hung onto Akmal's uppish drive in the covers.Andre Nel knocked back Younis Khan's (3) off-stump and Mohammad Yousuf (25), who missed the first test on fitness grounds, played across and was adjudged lbw, giving paceman Dale Steyn his 50th test wicket."We attacked a bit more with the new ball, but after that I think we have done the right things," Arthur said.Earlier, Mark Boucher made a resilient 54 and Harris scored a career test best of 46 to spoil Pakistan's attempt at restricting the visitors.The pair put together a crucial 88-run eighth wicket partnership and defied Pakistan bowlers for two hours and forty minutes on either side of the first two sessions.Paceman Umar Gul (3-103) got a much-needed breakthrough when Harris played a loose drive after lunch and spooned a catch to captain Shoaib Malik in the covers. Harris hit six boundaries in his 132-ball knock.Danish Kaneria (4-114) then clean bowled Steyn without scoring before Boucher completed his 26th test half century with a pulled six off of Gul.Boucher, who completed his patient half century in 3-1/2 hours, was the last man to go when he attempted a big shot off Kaneria and Abdul Rehman took a head high catch at the long on boundary.Boucher received solid support from No. 9 batsman Harris, who braved a bouncer from paceman Mohammad Asif that struck him on the ear.South Africa lost Nel in Gul's first over of the day before adding a run to its overnight score of 259-6. Gul bowled a short delivery and Nel gloved a simple catch to Misbah-ul-Haq close to the wicket.However, Boucher and Harris then took charge and defied not only Pakistan pacemen but also kept the two spinners - Kaneria and Rehman - at bay as South Africa progressed to 322-7 in the first session.

Cricket: Fleming will give Vettori space

Former New Zealand cricket captain Stephen Fleming says he will give Daniel Vettori space to develop his leadership - but won't hesitate to tell the new skipper when he thinks the left-arm spinner should bowl.Fleming, who yesterday joined the New Zealand squad preparing in Christchurch for a test series in South Africa, said Vettori's biggest dilemma as a specialist bowler may arise early on when making the call to bring himself in or out of the attack."It's up to Brendon McCullum and myself to give him the confidence or suggest maybe that a change is required," Fleming told The Press."That's probably the only time I would look to influence his captaincy, otherwise I would give him his space and let him work his magic."Fleming said a target now was to lift his test average into the mid-40s from an unsatisfactory high 30s."My test average should be up higher than 40 and that's something I want to achieve but I've never been a great goalsetter.

Shoaib keen on Twenty20

Shoaib Akhtar has asked the Pakistan Cricket Board to let him play in the new Twenty20 Indian Premier League.The 32-year-old fast bowler was at a disciplinary hearing into his clash with Mohammad Asif that saw him sent home from the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in South Africa last month.Shoaib, who should learn his fate next week, said: "I have got a written offer and I am keen to take part."