Pakistan appoint Younis vice captain for India tour

LAHORE, Pakistan (AFP) — Pakistan appointed Younis Khan as deputy to captain Shoaib Malik for the tour of India starting later this week.Younis replaces opener Salman Butt, who lost his place in the final eleven because of poor batting form. Butt did not play in any of the five-match one-day series against South Africa which ended in tourists' 3-2 win on Monday.The 29-year-old Younis refused to lead Pakistan when he was offered the captaincy following Inzamam-ul Haq's resignation in March this year. He cited personal reasons for not accepting the role.

Inzamam resigned following Pakistan's first-round exit from the World Cup held in the Caribbean earlier this year.Younis accepted the vice captaincy role after meeting with the PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf last week. He has led Pakistan in two Tests, winning one and losing the other.Younis has also led Pakistan in six one-day internationals.Pakistan fly out to India on Thursday to play five one-day internationals and three Tests. The first one-day will be played at Guwahati on Monday..

Adams blasts Auckland home

Andre Adams' brutal 82 not out gave Auckland the ideal precursor to its domestic campaign with a two-wicket warm-up win over Wellington.Set 238 for victory after Luke Woodcock (104) and Lee Edwards' (44 not out) defiant 10th wicket stand of 138 was finally ended by Kyle Mills to wrap up Wellington's innings on 258, Adams slammed seven sixes and five fours in a breath-taking 66-ball knock following a collapse by Auckland's middle order.Captain Richard Jones completed a strong performance by scoring 92 at the top of the order after he top scored with 54 in the first innings, and when he and opening partner Tim McIntosh (22) put on 72 for the first wicket,Auckland seemed well on its way to victory.However, a slump to 143-6 left an uphill battle before Adams came to the crease, adding 53 with Mills before he and Lance Shaw nursed their side across the line.James Franklin showed promising form in taking 2-17 and showed he is ready for the Black Caps' ODI tour to South Africa in late November. Rookie paceman Edwards backed up his effort with the bat in taking 2-40.In the other match played at New Zealand Cricket headquarters in Lincoln, Otago's clash with Canterbury petered out to a draw as 10 half-centuries were scored on a batting haven at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval.

Otago took the opportunity to spend some valuable time at the crease after Canterbury had replied with 359-8 to its first innings total of 313. Neil Broom, Greg Todd and Nathan McCullum were the main benefactors as the Cantabrians toiled away on a benign wicket.McCullum notched 107, his first century at domestic level, while Broom scored his second fifty of the match with 63 and Todd, a stand-in captain while Craig Cumming is on Test duty in South Africa, put together a classy 86.Todd Astle took his second three-wicket bag in snaring 3-95 in combination with fellow spinner Iain Robertson, who took 2-31 off 14 economical overs.
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Cook shrugs off Fletcher storm

England batsman Alastair Cook insists he is not interested in any of the sensational revelations in former head coach Duncan Fletcher's new book.Fletcher, who was succeeded by Peter Moores in May, claimed in 'Behind the Shades', which has been serialised by a national newspaper, that Andrew Flintoff had once been too drunk to take part in a fielding session during last winter's disastrous tour of Australia.The then-skipper went on to embark on another alcohol-fuelled escapade during the World Cup in the Caribbean - news of which did immediately reach the public domain - and Fletcher used his book to pronounce himself 'let down' by the all-rounder.But Cook insisted the only headlines he wanted to read about Flintoff were ones announcing his comeback from the ankle injury that has forced him to miss the forthcoming tour of Sri Lanka."I haven't read it but obviously I have heard about it. To be honest, I'm really not that interested in Duncan Fletcher's book. It is just a book isn't it? We are not bothered about what people are writing," he told PA Sport."What is in the book is in the past and we have moved on. Everyone is entitled to their opinions but personally I am not bothered what he has written now because we are under Peter Moores."

"It doesn't affect the squad as a whole and we are more worried about how we are going to play against Sri Lanka in two weeks' time."Of the Australian drinking allegations, he added: "I wasn't there at the time because I wasn't in that one-day series so it is hard for me to comment when I don't know the facts.""All I know is when I was playing under Freddie for England, he was my leader. He gave everything for England and I just wish him successful rehab on that ankle.""It's his third time, which must be tough, but we hope he gets back as soon as possible because a fully-fit, firing Freddie Flintoff is what we need for English cricket."Cook was speaking at an off-road demonstration event held by Volkswagen, who have supplied England players with 4x4 Toureg models.Cook's Essex team-mate Ravi Bopara, also part of the England touring party having made his mark in one-day internationals and Twenty20 fixtures, crashed one of the cars on farmland at Longfield near the famous Brands Hatch motor racing circuit in Kent.The 22-year-old suffered minor injuries to his right arm after the vehicle he was driving flipped over while turning, with broken glass then having to be removed from a wound on his wrist.

An air ambulance was mobilised at one point but it was quickly established that Bopara did not require hospital treatment."I'm fine. I wouldn't even call it a cut. It's more of a graze - I usually get worse cuts and bruises diving around the outfield," he said."I'm not sure how it happened. We were burning it down a hill and hit a bump at the end. But they are such good cars we hardly felt a thing."

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Cumming fills contract spot

Black Caps opening batsman Craig Cumming has been confirmed as the player to receive the national contract vacated by retired veteran Craig McMillan.The 32-year-old Otago captain was overlooked for fellow openers Michael Papps and Jamie How, along
with Mathew Sinclair - who was not named in either the Test or ODI squad - when New Zealand Cricket named their initial 20-man list, but McMillan's sudden departure left a gap and Cumming was the logical choice to fill it.He was named ahead of How to the Black Caps' Test tour of South Africa which kicks off next week, where he will make his eight Test appearance alongside seven ODI's.Black Caps general manager Lindsay Crocker said Cumming was a welcome addition to the national contract list after being unfortunate to miss out the first time around."Craig was one of the unlucky ones when the first 20 contractors were announced, so we are delighted to be able to include him at this time.".

Siddons targets Bangladesh Test improvement

DHAKA (AFP) — Bangladesh's new coach Jamie Siddons said his goal was to transform the team into a highly competitive unit in both Test and one-day cricket."I've got some visions for the team. Everything we do will be towards improving the team and see it gets better day by day," said the Australian, who signed a two-year contract late Tuesday.Siddons, 43, will formally take over the side on November 25, just a month before Bangladesh'sDHAKA (AFP) — Bangladesh's new coach Jamie Siddons said his goal was to transform the team into a highly competitive unit in both Test and one-day cricket."I've got some visions for the team. Everything we do will be towards improving the team and see it gets better day by day," said the Australian, who signed a two-year contract late Tuesday.Siddons, 43, will formally take over the side on November 25, just a month before Bangladesh's.

Samuels to face bookmaker inquiry

The West Indies Cricket Board is to investigate alleged links between their batsman Marlon Samuels and an Indian bookmaker earlier this year. This follows a statement from the International Cricket Council, whose anti-corruption officials found enough to suggest further investigation. The WICB has been asked to report back by 31 January 2008. Samuels is alleged to have passed team information to a bookmaker while the West Indies were on tour in India. An ICC statement said the investigation would focus on two sections of the Code of Conduct regulations. The first concerns the receipt by a player of "any money, benefit or other reward (whether financial or otherwise)" which could bring him the game of cricket into disrepute". If found guilty, Samuels would face a minimum suspension of two years and a maximum life ban plus unlimited fine. The second relates to "conduct which, in the opinion of the (ICC) Executive Board... is prejudicial to the interests of the game of cricket".

Penalties for this offence range from a minimum ban of one year and a maximum of five, plus an unlimited fine. Samuels, who denies any wrongdoing, was reportedly taped in conversation with the bookmaker on the eve of the opening one-day international between India and the West Indies in Nagpur on 21 January. But despite the allegations hanging over him, the 26-year-old was cleared to play in the World Cup and also toured England during the summer. The Jamaican made his international debut in 2000 and most recently played in the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa, when the West Indies lost both their matches.
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'It's bigger than the Ashes' - Lawson

Geoff Lawson, Pakistan's coach, believes the side "would have been better off" for their tour of India had they beaten South Africa in their recent home one-day series. "Five overs of bad cricket spoiled our good work in the series, but it gave us lessons which we need to learn and work hard on the India tour, which will be tough," he told AFP. "Having toured India on a number of occasions I know people follow an India-Pakistan match with extreme passion and at times it is a bit more than the sport, bigger than the Ashes, so I look forward to it." The tour begins with a five-match ODI series, beginning in Guwahati on November 5, and Lawson felt the team could learn from the disappointing loss at home. He also felt both Pakistan and India were on a learning curve, with the newcomers making their mark. "The exciting thing is that new stars are replacing the superstars in both the teams. There are a couple of exciting newcomers, so all in all it's good progress for both the teams," he said. "India have a balanced squad with a combination of good spinners and fast bowlers and Pakistan match them. I think a good bowling spell, a great innings or a few good catches can make the difference in the one-day series."

Lawson commended the captains of the two teams - Shoaib Malik and Mahendra Singh Dhoni - for their "fresh ideas" that could only boost their sides. "Both have brought their teams forward and are doing great work, performing well and both are learning as captains." Like Lawson, Malik felt his team needed to lift themselves. "I do not think we will go to India with any negative thoughts in our mind. Our players are capable of handling the pressure," Malik told PTI. "The Indian tour is going to be a challenging one as they are also rebuilding their team. But we have learnt a lot from the series against South Africa." Malik, whose team choked while chasing 234 in the series decider at Lahore, admitted they failed to press home the advantage. "Our finishing has to improve, that is for sure," he said. "We controlled 90% of the game against South Africa but in the 10% that really mattered we were not good enough." He refused to blame any of his players, however. "I know we tried hard but you have to give their bowlers some credit too. I will not tell any player to stop playing his natural game but, yes, we just need to be responsible at times. We will continue to play positively in India as well." Shoaib Akhtar's comeback was welcomed by both coach and captain. Akhtar took four wickets in his final ODI against South Africa, returning after serving a 13-match ban. "He is a big asset to the team when he is fully fit and he showed he is hungry for success by bowling very well despite making a comeback after such a long time," Malik said. "It is great to have Shoaib back for the Indian tour." Kamran Akmal, included in the ODI team despite his poor recent form behind the stumps, was backed by his captain. "Anyone can drop catches, even Jonty Rhodes dropped catches," Malik said. "But we know Akmal is a bit down and we need to sit down and talk to him and boost his confidence. We know he can be a key player for us in India." Pakistan will play a warm-up one-dayer against Delhi on November 2.

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