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."