Bangladesh claim early wicket after making 238

West Indies' disciplined seam attack limited Bangladesh to 238 all out on the second day of the first cricket test at Arnos Vale.The visitors hit back late in the day as the home team reached17-1 in reply at the close.Bangladesh, resuming on 42-0 after a rain-curtailed opening day, stumbled against the pace of Kemar Roach (3-46) and TinoBest(2-58). The probing medium pacers Dave Bernard (2-30) and Darren Sammy (1-38) also supported well.No Bangladesh batsman managed to reach 40 and it was left to captain Mashrafe Mortaza, who hit a top score of 39, and fellow fastbowler Shahadat Hossain, with a career-best 33, to boost the total.Best struck in the day's second over as Tamim Iqbal (14) snicked an expansive drive to skipper Floyd Reifer at first slip at 45-1. Four runs later, his opening partner and fellow left-hander Imrul Kayes perished in unlucky circumstances.Imrul notched four boundaries in 33 off 66 balls before he was ruled leg before as he played no stroke to a Sammy delivery that struck him high and was heading past off stump.Junaid Siddique and Raqibul Hasan shared a stand of 30 for the third wicket before four wickets tumbled for 42 runs in the final 45minutes before lunch. Bernard accounted for Siddique and Raqibul, his maiden test wickets. Raqibul (14) edged a drive low to gully, while Siddique(27) miscued a pull straight to midwicket.Mohammad Ashraful, the most experienced of the visitors, followed soon afterward as Best struck in his first over of a second spell. Ashraful (6) drove at a full-length delivery and feathered a catch to wicketkeeper Chadwick Walton.All rounder Shakib-al-Hasan (17) perished just before the break, deflecting a catch to Dale Richards at gully to provide Roach with his first test wicket.Debutant Mahmudullah (9) fell to Roach as he sliced a drive to Omar Phillips in the gully. Bangladesh's lower order produced a rearguard after taking tea at149-7, with the last three wickets adding 89 runs. Mortaza, lucky to survive a caught behind appeal off Roach before he scored, batted with typical freedom. .

Pakistan's Cricketer Muhammad Yousuf at number 1 on return

Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf moved to the top of the official test rankings for batsmen this week after his first test since being recalled on quitting the unofficial Indian Cricket League.Yousuf struck 112 and 12 to give his side the upper hand against Sri Lanka before they dramatically collapsed to lose the opening test by 50 runs on the fourth day at Galle on Tuesday.Yousuf toppled countryman Younis Khan to move to the top of the rankings for the first time in his career, a statement from the International Cricket Council said on Wednesday.Yousuf, 2007 ICC cricketer of the year, was second when he was removed from the rankings early in 2009 because Pakistan had not played a test match since the qualifying date.(Reporting by Jano)

It was a great Victory : Sangakkara

GALLE: Kumar Sangakkara, leading Sri Lanka for the first time in a Test series, was delighted with the win, but said he was worried by the team's modest totals of 292 and 217 in the two innings."It was a great win by the side because, until today, Pakistan had outplayed us in the match," said Sangakkara."Rangana and Thushara were spot-on in their bowling. All credit to them for putting the ball in the right areas. It's nice when things work out."But honestly, we have a lot of thinking to do about our batting. We have to figure out our mindset, we need to be patient. There are no excuses. We have to perform every single time."

Team’s lack of Test cricket proved costly: Younis Khan

By Jano
GALLE: The stunned Pakistan captain Younis Khan said the team's lack of Test cricket -- just three Tests in the last 18 months -- had proved costly."I never thought we would lose this game because we needed only 97 runs today with eight wickets in hand," he said. "But Herath bowled so well and ensured we did not have any partnerships."I am not making excuses, but many of our boys have not played Test cricket for a long time, some not at all. It takes time to get used to it."I can't go out and play for them. They must learn to handle the pressure themselves."Younis, however, promised an improved showing in the remaining two Tests."Pakistan are always slow starters," he said. "No one gave us a chance in the World Twenty20 and we won the title. I am certain we will come back strongly in the series."Wish we had won this one because then we would have needed to win only one more to take the series. Now we must win both games. It will be tough, but not impossible."We have done it before, we can do it again."

Ricky Ponting wants quicks to rise to Ashes challenge

CARDIFF: Australia captain Ricky Ponting wants his inexperienced pace attack to make their mark in Ashes history after fast bowler Brett Lee was ruled out of the first Test against England.Lee was forced to withdraw less than 48 hours before Wednesday' series opener with England here at Sophia Gardens after damaging an abdominal muscle in his left side.Now the 32-year-old, who has taken 310 wickets in 76 Tests, could be out until at least the third match of the series at Edgbaston.His absence means Australia will go into Wednesday's match with an attack where no-one has yet bowled a ball in Test cricket in Britain.However, Australia know about life without Lee.Foot and ankle surgery after the 2008 Boxing Day Test loss to South Africa in Melbourne ruled him out of this year's return series in South Africa.But the likes of left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson helped inspire Australia to a 2-1 away series win and now Ponting is looking for more of the same."Reputations and legend are generally made out of these bigger series and there is no bigger series than an Ashes series to do that," Ponting told reporters here Monday."One good initiative we have had since we have been here is during every game day or training day, one or two guys have been telling us what an Ashes series means to them, and what it means to be a part of it."Hearing them say some of the things they have said makes me think they really want to forge their own identities and make an impact in this series."Lee was the pick of Australia's attack in taking six for 76 during last week's drawn warm-up match against the England Lions at Worcester.
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Jones 'desperate' to stay at Worcestershire

Simon Jones is an anxious man as he waits to find out his fate with Worcestershire. Jones is out of contract at the end of this season and despite a long list of injuries he has said he is "desperate" to stay with the county.Jones, who has been dogged by injury since he was forced to miss the final Test of the 2005 Ashes series, underwent surgery on his knee in April and at the time it was expected he would be able to play the second half of the summer. Then in June the results of scans delivered further bad news that Jones was out for the season.While Worcestershire said last month that the focus was on his recovery, Jones is desperate to be given more time to prove his worth. "I still haven't heard anything. The club have got to think about what they want to do and, whatever that is, there is nothing I can do about it," he said. "It is a bit of a waiting game which is a little bit frustrating."It is not a very nice situation to be in. You'd rather know one way or another but at the end of the day it is the club's decision and I've got to wait and see. At the end of the day I have just got to be patient and I hope it works in my favour because I am desperate to stay at Worcester. I love the changing room and the lads and everyone around it. I think it is a fantastic place to play." .

Langer defends Championship format

Somerset captain Justin Langer has protested against the ECB's proposed decision to cut the number of County Championship matches to accommodate the Champions League which will take place in September 2010. The ECB is facing a serious backlash from professional players over radical plans to reform domestic cricket and Langer has defended the current four-day format, saying it is "perfect"."I think they should stay with the 16 per county," he told the Bristol Evening Post. "The two divisions [with promotion and relegation] is excellent because there are no dead-rubber games. You have to play home and away in my opinion because that is the best way to play it and two divisions is excellent because every game has something on it."You want to be in the first division because that is where the best cricket, the esteem and the prize money is. If our blokes can perform at this level they will be close to being ready for international cricket. The way the four-day cricket is set up at the moment is perfect."A proposal by Alan Fordham, the ECB's head of cricket operations, includes several schemes such as reducing the number of Championship games from 16 to 12, and possibly splitting the tournament into three divisions. At the heart of the idea is the realisation that squeezing in two Twenty20 competitions from 2010 will mean an increasingly punishing schedule for county players. .

Pakistani bowlers dominate first day’s play

GALLE: Pakistan's new-look bowling attack dealt regular blows to get Sri Lanka all out for 292 runs on the opening day of the first cricket Test here on Saturday.The hosts were 104-3 at lunch and 194-5 after being sent in to bat by Pakistani captain Younus Khan on a wicket freshened up by early morning rain in this coastal town.Teenage fast bowler Mohammmad Aamir, seamer Abdul Rauf and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, all making Test debuts, responded to their skipper's gamble in brilliant fashion.Aamir claimed two wickets in his first three overs and Rauf chipped in with two more to leave the strong Sri Lankan batting tottering on the even-paced wicket at the Galle International Stadium.Left-handed opener Tharanga Paranavitana was Sri Lanka's saviour with 72, adding 75 for the third wicket with Mahela Jayawardene (30) and 43 for the fourth with Thilan Samaraweera (31).Later, debutant Angelo Mathews (42), Nuwan Kulasekara (38), Tillakaratne Dilshan (28) also made significant contributions to take their team to a respectable total of 292. Tail-ender Rangana Herath remained not out on 20.The 17-year-old Aamer, who was one of Pakistan's heroes in their triumphant World Twenty20 campaign in England last month, justified his Test debut at the expense of seasoned all-rounder Abdur Razzaq..

Broad wants to perform better

LONDON: Stuart Broad, as befits the son of former England opener Chris, has always looked a cricketer of the highest pedigree.An Ashes series against Australia starting next week will be the perfect opportunity for potential to be translated into consistent achievement with both bat and ball.After 17 Tests, Broad averages 31.35 with the bat which gives a hint of the ability good judges predict will make him into a Test class all-rounder.But his 46 wickets have cost an expensive 37.95 runs each and it is in this area the selectors will expect a marked improvement as England strive to regain the Ashes surrendered so tamely in Australia two years ago.

Windies and India to play 3rd ODI today

GROS ISLET, St. Lucia: The third One-day International between the West Indies and India will be played here today.The four-match series is level 1-1, after India won the high-scoring opening match by 20 runs last Friday at Sabina Park in Jamaica, and West Indies rebounded with a thumping eight-wicket victory two days later at the same venue.However, victory in the third ODI will bring to the winners an unbeaten lead in the series.India are expected to bring Abhishek Nayer in place of Ravindra Jadeja while the West Indies have decided to make no change in their team for the final two matches.The final match of the 4-ODI series will be played on July 5.

Muralitharan out of Pakistan Test

Sri Lanka spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan will miss what is expected to be an emotional return to test cricket against Pakistan this weekend, officials said Friday.A knee injury has ruled 'Murali' out of Saturday's game at Sri Lanka's Galle International Stadium, the first Test between the two teams since a militant attack in Lahore, Pakistan, left eight people dead.The two teams, however, recently contested the finals of the World Twenty20 in England. Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets."Murali has picked up a knee injury and has been asked to rest for a while," team manager Brendon Kuruppu told foreign news agency.His place in the first of the three tests will be taken by either orthodox left-arm spinner Rangana Herath or rookie slow bowler Suraj Randiv Kaluhalmulla, a Sri Lanka Cricket official said.

ICC considering to reduce Test matches to 4 days

By Jano
NEW DELHI: ICC president David Morgan said that it is being considered to reduce Test Matches to four days while the suggestion of day-night Test has been welcomed.Morgan said in an interview to an Indian magazine that to save the popularity and image of Test cricket various experiments, including the suggestion of four-day Test, are being considered.The ICC president said that many changes may be made in Test cricket format during one year.He said that the suggestion of day and night Test is being praised at a large extent. However, it is being tried that special cricket balls would have to be made to facilitate night Tests in white clothing.Morgan said that it is being looked very closely at ball manufacturing design that replicates a red ball, maybe an orange ball to avoid any problem for players in presence of white clothing.

Shoaib needs to get fit for a comeback: Sarfaraz

By Jano
KARACHI: Former Pakistan Test pacer Sarfraz Nawaz says pacer Shoaib Akhtar needs to get fit if he wants to make it to the Pakistan squad in future.Talking to PPI, Sarfraz said that the problem with Shoaib was his fitness and if he gets in good shape he would make it to the Pakistan squad again.Shoaib was overlooked for the World T20 Championship because of skin problem and now he has been ignored for the Sri Lankan series because of his fitness.Critics see Shoaib's future as bleak since other pacers - Umar Gul and Mohammad Aamer - managed to deliver during Pakistan's campaign in the recently-concluded World T20 championship and there is hardly any place for Shoaib in the team now.However, Sarfraz said that more bowlers should be made available for the team in order to create competition among them.Sarfraz criticised Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for not deciding the future of pacer Mohammad Asif. "They should take the decision about Mohammad Asif. He has been stranded," concluded Sarfraz.

Sri Lanka tighten security for Pakistan series

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has stepped up security for Pakistan team and slapped new restrictions at match venues, officials said Wednesday.Fireworks, musical bands, glass bottles, tin cans, sharp objects, laser pointers and mirrors have all been banned from the grounds where the matches are to be played."Other than national flags of Sri Lanka and Pakistan, no banners, posters and discriminating slogans will be allowed," Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said.The first of the three Tests begins on July 4, followed by five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 game.
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Michael Vaughan tipped to announce retirement

Michael Vaughan, the man who led England to more Test victories than any other captain, is expected to announce his retirement from international cricket next week, according to reports in the English media.His final match could prove to be Yorkshire's Twenty20 Cup fixture against Derbyshire at Headingley on Sunday.Vaughan has struggled with injuries to his right knee which kept him out of cricket for over a year between November 2005 and May 2007. In January, he withdrew from the IPL auction to concentrate on getting back into the Test side in time for the Ashes, but still lost out on a place in the 16-man pre-Ashes squad.Vaughan, 34, captained England in 51 of his 82 Tests, and won a record 26 of these, including most famously the two matches that enabled England to regain the Ashes in 2005. But he hasn't played international cricket since stepping down from the captaincy during the home series against South Africa last year,and this season he has made only 159 runs at 19.88 for Yorkshire. The last time he scored a century in a competitive match was for Yorkshire in a 50-over game against Surrey in Abu Dhabi this March.Aside from the growing acceptance that he will never play international cricket again, not least since Ravi Bopara burst onto the scene at the beginning of the season to nail down the No. 3 slot, Vaughan is believed to be wary of hampering the opportunities of young talent at Yorkshire - among them Jonathan Bairstow, the 19-year-old son of the former England wicketkeeper, David, who made his debut this season."If Vaughan really is packing it in I can understand his decision, though it's a sad day for all of us who played in 2005," Steve Harmison told The Mail on Sunday. "He was a great leader on the field. He knew how to get the best out of me, by telling me I was the best bowler in the world. Maybe he was lying, maybe it was kidology but he knew how to press the buttons and we all wanted to play for him."Vaughan scored three centuries out of a tally of 633 runs in the 2002-03 Ashes that preceded his 2005 triumph, and was one of the few English cricketers whom Australia hold in the highest regard. "I was slightly shocked about Vaughan not getting the inclusion [in the current Ashes squad]," said Brett Lee last week, "more so from what he's done against us in the past, he's got the utmost respect from all our players."If, as expected, he does call it quits this week, the timing of Vaughan's retirement will serve to spare the current Ashes team endless speculation about his chances of a recall, should early results against Australia go against them. One of his finest achievements as captain was to shield the side against panic in 2005, after a heavy defeat in the first Test at Lord's. The same side was retained for each of the first four matches of the series.Vaughan is highly likely to remain close to the action this summer, however, as he is sure to be welcomed straight into the Sky commentary box, alongside his former team-mates and fellow England captains, Mike Atherton and Nasser Hussain, and his most formidable Ashes foe, Shane Warne..

Cricket-Skipper Dhoni claws India to modest total

By Jano
A patient 95 from skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni rescued India as they recovered from 82-8 to make a total of 188 against West Indies in the second one-day international on Sunday.West Indies seamer Ravi Rampaul responded perfectly to his recall by delivering a spell of 4-37 as India's top order crumbled.But Dhoni, playing a true captain's innings, put on a 101 partnership with tailender Rudra Pratap Singh (23 from 75 balls) to give his side something to bowl at.Wicketkeeper Denish Ramdin claimed five catches and Dwayne Bravo ended with figures of 3-26 from nine overs.Rampaul and Jerome Taylor (3-35) produced a devastating opening spell to have India reeling at seven for three.Yuvraj Singh, a century-maker in Friday's first ODI won by India, struck a sprightly 35 from 33 balls but his departure when caught behind by Ramdin off Taylor prompted a second slump.The shiny surface which had clearly been watered, offered more to the bowlers than on Friday when 658 runs were scored.Taylor found swing, Rampaul movement and Bravo lift as West Indies produced an excellent bowling performance
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The Celebiration After The Great Victory Of Pakistan

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Pakistan The Champion of Twenty20 World Cup

As comebacks go, Pakistan's turnaround from World Twenty20 whipping-boys to champions was as utterly unexpected as it was stirring to the soul. Phoenixes might want to consult copyright lawyers, soap opera scriptwriters think about upping their game.Battered by England by 48 runs at The Oval a fortnight earlier, comprehensively outplayed by Sri Lanka at this same venue nine days ago, Pakistan looked goners - disorganised in the field, toothless in attack and radars uncalibrated at the crease.That they could be raising the sport's newest trophy at the home of cricket, with thousands of their green-shirted supporters cavorting in the late afternoon sunshine, seemed scarcely believable.Oh we of little faith. We've been here before, of course. Pakistan's previous global triumph, the 1992 World Cup win, was pulled off in similar circumstances.Back then it was Imran Khan's famous talk of "cornered tigers" that inspired them to victory after just one win in their first four matches. This time skipper Younus Khan spoke of WWE wrestling. Enjoy yourself, was the message. Have some fun.And boy did they have some fun, no one more so than Shahid Afridi. Boom-Boom blew away South Africa in the semi-finals and did another demolition job in the final - 1-20 off his four overs, 54 not out off 40 balls to steer his side home with eight balls to spare.Pakistan celebrate their World Twenty20 winWhat made it special was the serious stuff that provided a backdrop to it all. Pakistani cricket has endured a dreadful few years, from the ball-tampering row which dominated their last trip to English shores to the untimely death of coach Bob Woolmer at the last World Cup. Just 110 days ago the attack by gunmen on Sri Lanka's team bus in Lahore threatened to make them outcasts of the international game.That they are now at the celebrating centre of it all is something that should give even neutral cricket fans a sense of pleasure.Two years ago in Johannesburg, Pakistan seemed to have the World Twenty20 trophy in their grasp, only for India to snatch it away at the death. Not this time. From the moment Mohammad Aamir dismissed the tournament's top scorer, Tillakaratne Dilshan, for a five-ball duck, Sri Lanka were wobbling. Abdul Razzaq's three wickets in 13 balls wiped out the middle order, and while Kumar Sangakkara's captain's knock of 62 not out gave the pre-match favourites hope, 138 always looked gettable on a pitch devoid of demons.It was fitting that Afridi was the man to dash the winning run. Here is a man capable of matching Imran's one-day deeds, of inspiring the same sort of fanatical devotion among his cricket-loving countrymen.For once, Sri Lanka's M&Ms melted away in the Lord's heat. Mendis, the most economical bowler in the tournament, went for 34 from his four overs; Muralitharan and Malinga could do nothing to halt the flow of runs.Umar Gul, the Waqar Younis of his generation, didn't need to have his greatest game. His 13 overall wickets were enough to top the bowling tables, an exact repeat of his deeds two years before. Just behind him was Saeed Ajmal, a spinner so inventive he bowls doosras as a stock ball.As both spectacle and commercial proposition, this World T20 was a success from almost-start to finish.PAKISTAN ZINDABAD :).

India Sends Its Cricket Riches to South Africa

Less than two decades after the end of its long isolation because of apartheid, South Africa has become the place to be for fans of international sports.Next year, it will stage soccer’s World Cup. This year, it is host to a tour by the British and Irish Lions rugby team, the game’s biggest event other than a World Cup. This weekend, the Cricket World Cup qualifiers come to their conclusion, while South Africa has recently seen a head-to-head contest for the de facto world championship of the sport as its team failed to displace Australia from the top of the International Cricket Council’s rankings.All of these are scheduled events, planned well in advance. But the bonus comes over the next few weeks as South Africa stages the 2009 edition of cricket’s Indian Premier League, which starts on Saturday in Cape Town.

IPL to impose fine up to $360,000 for slow over-rates

Heavy fines ranging from USD 20,000 to USD 360,000 await captains and teams which fail to bowl their 20 overs inside stipulated time during the Indian Premier League starting in Cape Town on SaturdayEach team will get 80 minutes to bowl its 20 overs with breaks of seven and a half minutes each after every 10 overs in the matches that will last for three hours and 15 minutes.Failure to complete the overs in time at first would invite a USD 20,000 fine for the captain, the 'Beeld' newspaper reported, quoting IPL chairman Lalit Modi.A second transgression would lead to a USD 220,000 fine for the entire team, while a third offence will mean a USD 360,000 fine and a one-match suspension for the captain.The IPL starts at Newlands on Friday with Chennai Super Kings taking on Mumbai Indians, followed by a clash between Bangalore Royal Challengers and defending champions Rajasthan Royals..

Zimbabwe must upgrade structure to make test return

Zimbabwe can nurture hopes of a return to the test arena by upgrading its domestic structure and introducing a more competitive first-class league, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Friday.A task force headed by ICC director Dr Julian Hunte, formed last year to help restore Zimbabwe to the test fold, has now submitted a report to cricket's governing body."The report presented a series of recommendations on how best to assist Zimbabwe to improve its performances so as to allow its return to the test arena as soon as appropriate," an ICC statement said after the first day of a two-day board meeting.Domestic structures needed to be upgraded and a longer and more competitive first-class league introduced, added the report.It also said a sustainable return was only possible when teams in Zimbabwe had satisfied reasonable performance criteria in first-class and other multi-day matches.In addition, the report said there needed to be an ongoing partnership between Zimbabwe Cricket and the ICC member services department to track the former's performance against the plan.Zimbabwe Cricket has accepted the recommendations and agreed to work with the sport's governing body to ensure they are processed, said the ICC statement.The troubled African nation has not played tests since January 2006 after the team were left depleted following disputes between senior players and the administration..

Ricky Ponting welcomes return of star players

Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has welcomed the return of some of his star players following the team''s 3-1 defeat in the one-day series in South Africa."We have sort of been stretched quite a bit in the last eight or 12 months with our bowling in both forms of the game, with Brett Lee not being around, and Stuie Clark not being around, Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle being rested from this (one-day) tour. It''s good that we''ve got a couple of the more experienced guys coming back into our group in the next little bit. They''ll add a lot of class and a lot of experience back to our bowling group again," The Herald Sun quoted Ponting, as saying.Ponting conceded the home side had "outplayed us in every facet of the game" and thoroughly deserved the prized top ranking."They have got a very good team. They are at their absolute full strength at the moment. We''ve played this series here with about half of our regular team. There have been glimpses of some good stuff in the last two games that we''ve played. But glimpses of good cricket is not good enough to win against a very good South African side," he said.South Africa''s series victory means Graeme Smith''s side now claim the ODI No. 1 ranking..

Harbhajan promises exciting fare at IPL

NEW DELHI: Harbhajan Singh has always wanted to slam the bowlers. He has long nurtured a dream of scoring a breezy Test century, a sensational stroke-filled show in a limited-over match, or best, swing a match with his bat in Twenty20 cricket.He is a bowler who would “love to be acknowledged as a batsman” worthy of making priceless runs when they matter. Most of his batting aspirations are visible at the ‘nets.’So, when he promises some explosive stuff at the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) in South Africa, Harbhajan needs to be taken ‘seriously.’He rightly opined on Wednesday that every player assumes a level of “explosive batting” in Twenty20 but added that “I am no less” even as he promised some exciting fare. His aggregate thus far from four T20 international innings is 30 runs.That he has no regard for batsmen is well known. The sight of a batsman stirs him into raising his game and Harbhajan, with 330 Test wickets to his credit, said that he would like to play the role of a match-winner with greater “consistency” now.“I want to win more and more matches and I am all charged up for the IPL,” he said.He had missed the inaugural edition of the IPL following the slapping incident with S. Sreesanth.“I don’t like to be reminded of that incident time and again. It is a closed chapter. There is no animosity between us,” said Harbhajan, who signed a deal for licensing his brand name at a function, here on Wednesday.Licence India would now ‘sell’ Harbhajan as a brand ambassador for setting up restaurants, sportswear and cricket academies.The 29-year-old off-spinner typically dismissed the multiple-captain theory of John Buchanan.True, the noted Australian coach’s theory was yet to be implemented, but it had not stopped reactions from all possible quarters.“I don’t care if they employ 11 captains. I wish them luck,” said Harbhajan, known to mock at anything that emanates from an Australian.On not being able to receive the Padma Shri award at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday, Harbhajan pleaded, “I had some important family commitments.”.

IPL chairman Modi receives death threat

Nicholls and Steyn, the South African security agency acting on behalf of the Indian Premier League, has confirmed it took "the necessary precautions" following reports of a death threat to Lalit Modi, the IPL's highly influential chairman and commissioner. The threat is alleged to have come from criminals in the Indian underworld thought to be unhappy at the effect the decision to move the tournament from India to South Africa has had on their illegal betting operations. "We are aware of it and we have taken the necessary precautions," Bob Nicholls, joint head of the agency, told Cricinfo. "I'm not going into any details on that."
Modi was equally tight-lipped, saying only: "I don't want to say anything on this issue." The news threatened to detract from a hectic build-up in Cape Town, where the tournament starts on Saturday and follows concerns about staging a match in the city on the day of the South African general elections – Wednesday 22 April – as well as the high levels of crime in the country. Mumbai police have been aware of the threat since March, and have stepped up surveillance at Modi's home in the Indian capital..

Ireland qualify for Cricket World Cup 2011

Ireland beat the Netherlands by six wickets in Pretoria on Wednesday to clinch a second consecutive appearance at the World Cup.The Dutch were all out for 222 at LC de Villiers Oval and captain William Porterfield made 78 and Eoin Morgan 76 as the Irish reached 226-4 with 5.3 overs to spare.Victory moved the Irish to the top of the 2011 World Cup Qualifier Super 8 table with 10 points and beneath them the other seven contenders still have a mathematical chance of filling the three remaining places.United Arab Emirates pulled off a shock five-wicket win over Canada, minnows Afghanistan defeated Scotland by 42 runs and Namibia hammered Kenya by 201 runs on a day when the bottom three countries triumphed.
Canada remain best placed with eight points, Kenya, Netherlands and UAE have six each and Namibia, Afghanistan and Scotland four apiece entering the final round of matches on Friday.With just two points separating six teams, net run rate could come into play before it is known which three countries accompany Ireland to Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka for the ODI showpiece.Opener Alexei Kervezee was the only Dutch batsman to trouble the Irish attack, scoring 77 off 112 balls during a knock spiced with two sixes and six fours.Alex Cusack took three Dutch wickets for 26 runs in six overs and Boyd Rankin also claimed three while conceding 48 runs in 10 overs. Peter Connell (two), Regan West and Trent Johnston were the other Irish wicket takers.Opener Porterfield scored his runs off 105 balls before being run out by Tom de Grooth and Morgan sped to his total off 62 balls, including four sixes and five fours.With the teams tied on 222, Kevin O'Brien struck the winning four and sealed a return to the World Cup for Ireland, who shocked top-tier nations Bangladesh and Pakistan at the last tournament in 2007..

Modi blames PCB for absence of Pak players in IPL

NEW DELHI: Chairman Indian Premier League (IPL) Lalit Modi on Tuesday said that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was responsible for non-participation of Pakistani players in the second season of the league.Modi said that he had made it clear to the PCB that Pakistan players will have to get NOC from their government. But the board replied it would not be possible due to which Pakistani players could not take part in the IPL.Modi further said that he regretted the absence of Pakistani players from the league, but the reason was not to submit NOC before deadline.

Gibbs ton sets up SA series win over Aussies

Herschelle Gibbs made an emotional return to form as he hit a century which set up a series win for South Africa in the fourth one-day international at St George's Park on Monday.South Africa won by 61 runs to take a winning 3-1 lead in the five-match series. It was South Africa's third successive one-day series triumph against Australia and ensured they would retain their world number one ranking in one-day cricket.Gibbs hit 110 as South Africa made 317 for six after being sent in to bat on a slow pitch.Australia made a good start in reply, with Brad Haddin (78) and Michael Clarke (50) putting on 129 for the first wicket. But their innings lost momentum against the slow bowling of Roelof van der Merwe (three for 46) and Johan Botha (one for 48).Fast bowler Dale Steyn took four for 44 to wreck the bottom half of the Australian innings as the tourists were bowled out for 256.Gibbs and AB de Villiers (84) put on 136 off 123 balls for South Africa's third wicket in a partnership filled with sparkling strokes and audacious running between wickets.When he reached his 21st one-day international century Gibbs acknowledged the crowd then sank to his haunches and appeared to wipe tears from his eyes.Ponting's decision to send South Africa in to bat in a must-win game for Australia was influenced by a good record for teams batting second on the small Port Elizabeth ground, including a successful chase by Australia, who were set to make 327 in 2001/02.Australia had won four out of five previous matches against South Africa at the ground.Haddin raced to a half-century off 41 balls as he and Clarke gave Australia an ideal start.Haddin appeared to target Johan Botha, the off-spinner who has bowled economically in two series against Australia, hitting two sixes in Botha's first over, which cost 14 runs.Botha was taken off and was hit for another six by Haddin when he returned four overs later. But in trying to hit another ball out of the ground he lofted a catch to long-on.Van der Merwe took the next three wickets with his left-arm spin as the required rate climbed rapidly.Ponting hit four boundaries off Steyn in the first over of a batting power play in the 41st over but hit the last ball to midwicket to be out for 53, effectively ending his team's hopes..

Younis urges Pakistan to be positive vs Australia

DUBAI (Reuters) - Pakistan skipper Younis Khan wants his players to stay positive and cash in on being fresher than Australia in their five-match one-day series in the United Arab Emirates from April 22.Pakistan have been forced to play their home series in Dubai and Abu Dhabi with security concerns at home heightened after gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore on March 3.Pakistan did not play any home test last year as teams refused to tour due to safety fears and have not played international cricket since six Sri Lankan players were injured in the ambush while being driven to the stadium for the third day of the second test."It was really tough for the Sri Lankans," Younis told reporters on Tuesday. "They are still suffering from the trauma. We're also shocked because our bus was just 500 metres behind them. This is tragic for cricket and tragic for sports."Australia will arrive in the UAE having lost the one-day series to South Africa.Hosts South Africa lead 3-1 in the series with the final game to be played on Friday.Skipper Ricky Ponting, batsman Mike Hussey and in-form paceman Mitchell Johnson have also been rested to give them a deserved break..

Pity Warne's class is lost to Australia

EVERYONE thought the last word had been written about Shane Warne, the great competitor, the old rogue.But there he was, larger than life, fitter than usual, wheeling away in the nets, encouraging his players, calling out "drop and run" and towards the end of a long net session in baking sunshine, urging them to keep going.Rajasthan Royals, his team, has made its base camp in Cape Town and under the ageing leg-spinner's stewardship was preparing for a few friendlies and then the start of the IPL season on Saturday. The Royals are the surprise title holders and determined to defy the odds a second time. And Warne is their brain and their heartbeat. The previous night he had told the players to be unselfish, for its own sake and because "no one takes any notice of losing sides.

Shoaib Akhtar:Pakistan can Easily beat Australia:

LAHORE: Pakistan’s world renowned fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar said that by defeating Australia in UAE, Pakistan can prove themselves the best team in the world.Shoaib Akhtar said that the Pakistan Cricket Board has reposed its confidence in him and he would make all out efforts to get Pakistan win the series against Australia.Talking with media in Lahore, Shoaib Akhtar said that the Pakistan-Australia ODI series would be a difficult series because grounds in Dubai are above sand. This is why the board has decided to take the team to Dubai early enabling the players to adjust themselves to the conditions.Shoaib Akhtar further said that the absence of star Australian players would make a difference but despite this fact their batting line-up is very strong and if Pakistanis bowl well then Australia can be defeated.

Younis predicts clean sweep for Pakistan

Lahore: Pakistan captain Younus Khan has said that his team would beat Australia 5-0 in the forthcoming one day international series in the UAE.Talking to reporters at the Gaddafi Stadium here, Khan, while replying to a question said: "No doubt it will be 5-0, but in favour of Pakistan."He admitted that Pakistan has not played much international cricket in recent times, and it could affect its performance in the series.Khan, however, said his team was capable of handing out surprises."Remember how Pakistan defeated England in 2005, which came here after beating Australia in the Ashes series," The Dawn quoted Khan, as saying.When enquired about Shoaib Akhtar’s slack performance in the ongoing training camp, he said it was not the right platform to judge a player like his caliber."One should watch Akhtar in the match as that was the real platform to examine the performance of a player," Khan added.Replying to a question about suggesting Akhtar about his role in the team, Khan said: "Who am I to give him advice, he is not a child and knows very well what the team expects from him.""Shoaib is also duty bound to play for the country and the team and not for himself. I feel no difference between Shoaib Akhtar and upcoming Ahmad Shahzad as far as performance of a player is concerned," he added.Khan said he would have liked to perform against a full strength Australian team.Australia has rested their three top players Ricky Ponting, M Hussey and Mitchell Johnson for the five match series..

ICC watching Fast Bowler Shoaib Akhtar

Shoaib Akhtar (in AFP photo) can be targeted by the International Cricket Council if it opts for random dope tests during a one-day series between Pakistan and Australia starting in Dubai on 22 April. According to the media reports today, some cricketers featuring in the series can be asked to undergo the tests. Shoaib tested positive for nandrolone during the 2006 Champions Trophy in India. He has been mostly out of international action since then owing either to injury or suspension. He made a stunning comeback to the Pakistan team for the series against the Aussies after a series of fitness tests. The reports suggested he might find himself in trouble.

Shoaib Malik's tenure extended as captain.

Shoaib Malik's tenure is extended as captain of Pakistan`s cricket team.Pakistan cricket board confirms.Malik's style of captaincy has been criticised by several former players including ex-captains Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and even Intikhab Alam prior to his appointment as coach of the team.His reign began with a string of losses but improved performances and better relations with Alam and his team-mates has paved the way for him to remain in charge and Ijaz Butt,chairman Pakistan Cricket Board ,said: "Shoaib Malik will remain as the Pakistan captain as long as he continues to deliver."He added: "I believe that he has done a good job in recent times." Where as Pakistan's newly appointed chief selector Abdul Qadir has a strong opinion, and often misfires something which is either totally against the policies of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) or unacceptable in the local culture.Qadir has strongly opposed the idea of retaining Shoaib Malik as captain for both Tests and one-day cricket, saying he respects PCB chairman Ijaz Butt's view, but still feel that there should be separate captains for Tests and ODIs..