Circket is life

Pakistan Beat Australia By 3 Wickets

2010-07-24T15:52:00.002+05:00

Pakistan was left tantalisingly close to ending its 15-year winless streak against Australia at stumps on the third day of the second and final Test at Headingley.Pakistan ended the third day on 3 for 140 - just 40 short of a victory target of 180 that would end a record run of 13 straight Test defeats by Australia stretching back to 1995.But despite Headingley being bathed in bright sunshine, the umpires took the players off at the scheduled close.Pakistan left-handed opener Imran Farhat, dropped on 4, made 67.Azhar Ali was 47 not out and Umar Akmal was on 2 as Pakistan opted not to request an extra half-hour play.Left-arm quick Doug Bollinger gave Pakistan a nasty jolt by taking two wickets for no runs in seven balls to remove both Farhat and fellow left-hander Umar Amin.It was a reminder to Pakistan, bowled out for 139, chasing a victory target of 176 in Sydney in January, of what can happen against Australia.However, Ali - in only his second Test - helped Farhat put on 110 for the second wicket as Pakistan's top order at last produced a significant partnership when it was most needed.The 28-year-old Farhat faced 95 balls with nine boundaries before he was yorked by Bollinger who then had Umar Amin caught behind for nought.Farhat told reporters Amin's exit ended any hopes Pakistan had of claiming an extra half hour in which to force victory."If Umar Amin had stayed in we would have stayed out for 30 minutes so it was a good decision by the management to come back in the morning because there's not going to be as much pressure," Farhat said.As for any bad memories of Sydney, he added: "We didn't think about that. We've forgotten that. The management and all the players said 'that's in the past'. The atmosphere is very positive."Australia's Steven Smith, who made a Test-best 77 earlier in the day, said his side had not given up hope."We'll see how it goes in the morning. We've got to believe in ourselves. Hopefully, we can get a few wickets and put a bit of pressure on."Pakistan were 0 for 18 when first slip Shane Watson dropped Farhat off Bollinger despite getting both hands to the ball.But Australia did remove in-form batsman Salman Butt, in his first match as Pakistan captain, when the left-handed opener, on 13, edged Ben Hilfenhaus to Michael Clarke at second slip.But captain Ricky Ponting was let down by his bowlers - Mitchell Johnson in particular, whose spray-gun accuracy continued to disappoint.Watson, who claimed a Test best 6 for 33 in Pakistan's first innings, allowed 10 runs off his fourth over, including two leg-glanced boundaries by Farhat to ill-directed balls outside leg stump.Smith battles
That Australia set Pakistan as many as they did was thanks mainly to Smith's dashing 77 in only his second Test.He was last man out in an Australia total of 349 - a vast improvement on its humbling first innings 88 - having come in when its lead was only 47..

Bangladesh claim early wicket after making 238

2009-07-11T19:28:00.002+06:00

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

2009-07-09T10:43:00.001+06:00

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

2009-07-07T19:02:00.003+06:00

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

2009-07-07T18:58:00.003+06:00

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

2009-07-07T18:54:00.003+06:00

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

2009-07-06T14:53:00.003+06:00

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

2009-07-06T14:45:00.001+06:00

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

2009-07-04T21:10:00.002+06:00

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

2009-07-03T20:52:00.003+06:00

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

2009-07-03T20:32:00.004+06:00

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

2009-07-03T20:28:00.001+06:00

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

2009-07-01T18:04:00.002+06:00

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

2009-07-01T18:00:00.001+06:00

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

2009-07-01T17:52:00.002+06:00

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

2009-06-29T01:20:00.002+06:00

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

2009-06-29T00:56:00.002+06:00

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

2009-06-22T11:59:00.002+06:00

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Pakistan The Champion of Twenty20 World Cup

2009-06-22T11:40:00.003+06:00

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

2009-04-18T13:44:00.002+06:00

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

2009-04-18T13:41:00.001+06:00

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

2009-04-18T13:38:00.002+06:00

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

2009-04-16T14:49:00.000+06:00

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

2009-04-16T14:44:00.003+06:00

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

2009-04-16T14:38:00.001+06:00

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

2009-04-16T14:28:00.003+06:00

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

2009-04-15T12:37:00.001+06:00

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

2009-04-15T12:28:00.002+06:00

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

2009-04-15T12:22:00.001+06:00

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

2009-04-12T11:09:00.005+05:00

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:

2009-04-12T11:04:00.002+05:00

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

2009-04-11T16:41:00.002+05:00

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

2009-04-11T16:34:00.003+05:00

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.

2009-01-02T23:04:00.002+05:00

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..

Cricket should be free from politics-Yousuf

2008-12-28T19:17:00.002+05:00

Karachi:Pakistan`s banned batsman,Muhammad Yousuf is very Disappointed after India cancelled its Pakistan tour after the Mumbai terror attacks, Yousuf, who has been banned after joining the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL), said nothing really can match the excitement and euphoria that surround an Indo-Pak contest.He said that Sports and politics should be kept apart and cricket would be poorer without Indo-Pak contests."I just think both countries need to keep sports and politics apart. I would hope they would soon start working on resuming sporting ties and allowing bilateral cricket matches, because the cricket world needs to have Indo-Pak contests," Yousuf said.Yousuf also refused to buy the argument that an Indo-Australian series has now replaced an Indo-Pak contest as the most intense cricketing battle."Tell me was there a bigger series then when India toured Pakistan in 2004? Cricket does not get bigger than that," he argued.

Noting India's recent string of extraordinary performances, Yousuf said as a player, he saw playing India at present as a big challenge. "Playing India has always been a high point for me," said the right-hander.Yousuf, however, was happy that Sri Lanka has finally agreed to come and play a full series here."It will be a close contest against them and Pakistan should win as it has a very good team with good performers. But negating the wicket taking abilities of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis will be the key to the outcome of the series," Yousuf said.

India will not tour Pakistan, says former Pakistan Cricket Board boss

2008-09-27T10:38:00.002+06:00

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A former head of the Pakistan Cricket Board says he expects India to pull out of next year's tour due to security concerns."I don't think India will come because the (security) conditions are not good for international cricket (in Pakistan)," Tauqir Zia said Friday on private Geo Television."It will be a big setback for Pakistan cricket, but they should be prepared for this."India is scheduled to tour Pakistan from Jan. 4 for three Tests and five one-day internationals.Zia also said he doubts that Pakistan will host the already postponed Champions Trophy limited-overs tournament next year."What (is there) to talk about the Champions Trophy? I doubt even India will come," he said.Rawalpindi - which was ruled out as a Champions Trophy venue this year for security reasons - was named as the host of one of the Tests and a one-day international against India.A powerful bomb blast left 53 dead and hundreds injured Saturday at the Marriott Hotel in the capital Islamabad, which is adjacent to Rawalpindi.The PCB has admitted that the itinerary for the India tour was finalized before the blast at the Marriott, where teams normally stay during international matches. The Indian team stayed at the Marriott Hotel during its previous visit to Pakistan in 2004.Top international teams have avoided touring Pakistan this year with Australia postponing its scheduled visit until 2009.The International Cricket Council postponed the biennial Champions Trophy until Sept.-Oct. 2009 after England, New Zealand, South Africa and defending champion Australia refused to participate due to security concerns.Pakistan has not played a Test match this year, but has invited the West Indies for two Tests in November - shortly after both teams play three one-day internationals at Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. The West Indies has not confirmed it will play the Test matches against Pakistan. .

Younis Khan will shine at South Australia:

2008-09-19T05:15:00.002+06:00

Pakistan`s 30-year-old batsman Younis Khan will leave early next month to play for South Australia in their domestic season.Younis khan has decided to leave the domestic Twenty20 championship beginning on October 4 in Lahore and is doubtful for the international Twenty20 event in Toronto which also features Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Canada. "Younis has taken clearance from the board before he signed his contract with South Australia," Zakir Khan, director of cricket operations for the Pakistan board said."He is due to leave soon. But he has to make himself available for national duty when he is required," Zakir Khan said.Younis will be the only top player missing from the Twenty20 domestic championship which will feature all the Pakistan players including fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar who has been given permission to play by

Norman Arendse-resigns as president of South African cricket

2008-09-18T04:43:00.003+06:00

CAPE TOWN, Wahabuddin khan Report: The president of Cricket South Africa resigned Wednesday, citing tensions over his efforts to reach out to black players and fans 14 years after the end of apartheid.Norman Arendse announced his resignation to reporters in Cape Town, the South African Press Association reported. His three year term was to have ended in 2010.Arendse said CSA's 11 local affiliates were split over backing his efforts to ensure the sport reflected South Africa's racial reality.Arendse also cited differences with Cricket South Africa chief executive Gerald Majola. Majola said he received news of the resignation with "surprise and regret."

Shoaib Akhter to pay Rs.7 million as fine-PCB.

2008-09-18T04:24:00.001+06:00

Wahabuddin khan
Shoaib Akhtar has to pay Rs.7 million (approx US$105,000) as fine just to be allowed to play for Pakistan.The PCB slapped Shoaib Akhter, 33, with the fine last month after he criticised the PCB over its failure to award him a central contract. He was initially banned by the PCB for five years, but the sentence had been reduced to 18 months by an appellate tribunal in June."Legally speaking the Lahore High Court upheld the fine and suspended the ban so if he wants to play for Pakistan and in Pakistan, Akhtar will have to pay the fine," PCB legal adviser Taffazul Hussain Rizvi told ."We have whole heartedly accepted the court's suspension of the ban and we want Shoaib to pay the fine as per the court directives," said Rizvi.Shoaib was left out of Islamabad's squad for the upcoming National Twenty20 tournament and will not be considered for next month's four-nation Twenty20 tournament in Canada if he does not participate in the tournament, to be played from October 4-8.

Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar will play in RBS Twenty20 ?

2008-09-16T21:56:00.001+06:00

Wahabuddin Report- The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) Twenty20 National Cricket Championship is starting at different centers – Gaddafi Stadium, LCCA ground and Bagh-i-Jinnah – here from October 4. The fourth five-day domestic event is sponsored by RBS, formerly ABN Amro Bank. The Twenty20 trophy was unveiled during a glittering ceremony at the Pearl Continental Hotel on Monday. The RBS and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials, the captains of the participating teams, the members of the PCB governing board and former Pakistan captain and RBS ambassador Ramiz Raja were present on the occasion.The tournament will be participated by thirteen regional teams who have been divided into four pools. Lahore and Karachi will field two teams each. Top team from each group will play the semi-finals and the winners of the semi-finals will fight for the coveted trophy. The prize money of the tournament has been enhanced and now the winning team will get Rs 25,00,000 while the runners-up will pocket Rs 10,00,000.Naghmi said the tournament would serve as a warm up for the Pakistan team that would take part in a Twenty20 international tournament in Toronto next month. “Only those players, who will be playing this domestic tournament, will be considered for selection for Canada event.” When his attention was drawn to the fact that express bowler Shoaib Akhtar was not in any team, he said slight changes could be made in a team and at the time of selection based on the need of any specialised player.

Australian cricket officials have double standards-Pakistan

2008-09-16T21:28:00.002+06:00

KARACHI (Wahabuddin khn) - Pakistan Cricket officials have accused their Australian counterparts of double standards after they confirmed that Australia's test tour to India would go ahead despite a series bomb blasts in New Delhi at the weekend."It just shows the double standards of the Australians. They couldn't accept our assurances they would be provided top security to play in Pakistan," PCB chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi said."But they have accepted Indian assurances and are willing to play in India which has also seen a series of bomb blasts in recent
months at major cricket venues. Australia, in fact, would be playing a test in Delhi," Naghmi added.Australia postponed their test tour to Pakistan earlier this year insisting they were concerned with the safety and security of their layers.They were also among the four countries to express security concerns about playing the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, leading to its postponement last month by the International Cricket Council.Naghmi said Pakistan had always provided state-level security for touring teams and had been saying no country or city could declare itself safe from terrorist attacks."So why is Pakistan so different from India we want to know? In a way, we are glad they are going to India we hope they will now fulfil their commitment of touring Pakistan next April," Naghmi said.

Australia to coincider security after Delhi blast:

2008-09-16T03:56:00.001+06:00

( Wahabuddin khan) - Australian Cricket officials will review security arrangements in India ahead of their four-test tour following a series of bombings in New Delhi on Saturday.The five bombings, in and around crowded markets and streets in the capital, killed at least 20 people and injured at least 90 more, Indian police said.Australia are scheduled to play a four-test series in India, starting on Oct. 9 in Bangalore. The third match is scheduled for Delhi, starting on Oct. 29."It is standard practice to do an inspection before a tour but with this particular tragic incident overnight, we will be doing a highly intensive security assessment," CA public affairs manager Peter Young said.

West indies Ready for two-test series with pakistan:

2008-09-15T20:01:00.002+06:00

Wahabuddin khan report
WEST INDIES CRICKET BOARD will agree to Pakistan's request for a two-Test series in November only after receiving the approval of the players' association.Said WICB chief executive Donald Peters."The Pakistan Cricket Board made a formal request for West Indies to play two Test matches in November."We now have to wait for approval from the West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) and it has to be confirmed by the WICB before we can confirm the matches will take place."Peters indicated he was in favour of going ahead with the tour, but said the WIPA might make a decision only after appraising the security situation in the country."I am currently trying to fast-track that process so that we can get that done as quickly as possible and hopefully agree on the tour," he said.

Champions trophy-2009 will be hosted by Pakistan ?

2008-09-14T22:06:00.001+06:00

Karachi-Wahabuddin khan — Pakistan's chances of hosting the Champions Trophy -2009 improved Sunday after the Indian cricket board said that they are ready to adjust its calendar for the sake of the crisis-hit tournament.The Indian cricket board, which had objected to the event being held in October 2009 as it clashed with its one-day series with Australia, said it was open to "minor adjustments" if other boards involved were flexible as well."There is no question that all the boards would like the Champions Trophy to happen," board secretary Niranjan Shah said."We are willing to look at an adjustment by a few days if everyone else involved is equally flexible," he was quoted as saying by the Cricinfo website.The Indian board will also have to change the dates of the Champions Twenty20 League, a ulti-million dollar inter-club competition slated to be held from September 25-October 11 next year.The ICC said the event would take place in October 2009 with Pakistan remaining the first-choice venue pending a security assessment.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul win top ICC award

2008-09-13T22:45:00.002+06:00

Wahabuddin khan
West Indian Shivnarine Chanderpaul has been named the International Cricket Council Cricketer of the Year at the annual awards ceremony in Dubai.England women's captain Charlotte Edwards, who presided over 13 victories in an unbeaten home summer, pipped Claire Taylor to the women's award.In the emerging player category, Sri Lankan spin prodigy Ajantha Mendis was chosen ahead of England's Stuart Broad.England's Kevin Pietersen and Ryan Sidebottom made the World Test team.The emerging player had to be under 26 at the start of the period under review, 9 August 2007, and must not have played more than five Tests and/or 10 one-day matches by that time.Mendis has made an explosive start to his international career, taking 26 wickets in his first three Tests at an average of 18 and adding 20 scalps in eight one-day internationals at a cost of just 10.The 23-year-old said: "I am delighted to win the award. It is an honour to play for Sri Lanka and I hope to continue playing for my country for a long time to come."During the voting period, left-hander Chanderpaul played eight Test matches, scoring 819 runs at an average of 91.00, including three centuries and six fifties, all against the top seven teams in the world.

Pakistan invite West indies for Tests

2008-09-13T20:45:00.001+06:00

Wahabuddin report
Pakistan's Cricket Board has invited West Indies to play a two-Test series in Pakistan in November.It is another attempt by the board to fill their scheduling gap after the Champions Trophy was postponed.The PCB tried to organise a tour to South Africa, whose board rejected the offer of a one-day series.A planned one-day series against Sri Lanka later this month also looks to have fallen through because of a lack of interest from broadcasters.A PCB spokesman said earlier in the week that the proposed Sri Lanka series, containing five ODIs, was "very unlikely".Cricket South Africa had turned down Pakistan's offer, citing player fatigue following their long tour of England.The eight-team Champions Trophy was scheduled to take place in Pakistan from 12-28 September, but the International Cricket Council postponed the tournament until October 2009 because of security concerns.Pakistan have not played a Test match in 2008, and do not have another scheduled until January 2009, when they are due to host India."It is very difficult in today's hectic schedule to find a window when you postpone a tournament," PCB chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi told the Reuters news agency."But we have invited West Indies to come and play two Tests immediately after the one-day series they play against us in Abu Dhabi in November."The West Indies Cricket Board is yet to comment on the proposed tour.

Australia women's cricket bracing for ICC World Cup:

2008-09-11T21:00:00.001+06:00

By Wahabuddin khan- Members of the Australia women's cricket team have celebrated six months until its quest for the ICC Women's World Cup 2009 by taking to the Sydney Tower's Skywalk attraction, said an ICC press release on Sunday.With the ICC Women's World Cup starting on March 7 2009, Lisa Sthalekar, Leah Poulton and twins Kate and Alex Blackwell enjoyed Sydney's best view but it will be the summit of a different climb they set their sights on next year when they look to reach the pinnacle of the cricket world.Sthalekar said she is looking forward to the atmosphere around Sydney during the ICC Women's World Cup."We're really looking forward to playing in the tournament and showcasing to Australia and the rest of the world what women's cricket has to offer," she said."Visitors who come to Australia for the World Cup are guaranteed not only an unforgettable experience at he tournament, but the host cities as well."I can't wait to get out there and play in front of a home crowd. There is nothing better than the support from our Aussie fans."Australia will open its World Cup defence with a trans-Tasman clash against New Zealand on 8 March at North Sydney Oval before completing their Group A commitments with matches against South Africa and West Indies in Newcastle and Drummoyne.Providing they make it through their Group matches to the Super Sixes stage, Australia will play three more matches before the final and playoff matches.

T20 cricket hits new high with 900-million dollar TV deal

2008-09-11T20:37:00.001+06:00

Wahabuddin khan

NEW DELHI — Twenty20 cricket's brand value touches new heights on Thursday after pan-Asian ESPN-STAR network agreed to pay 900 million dollars for the proposed T20 Champions League.The network was awarded the global commercial rights of the inter-club tournament for the next 10 years with the inaugural event set to be played from December 3-10 at venues yet to be decided.The deal makes the tournament the highest valued cricket event on a per-game basis, according to a statement from the organisers that comprise the Australian, Indian and South African cricket boards.ESPN-STAR, owned jointly by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp and Walt Disney, were awarded the rights after bids were opened in Dubai late Wednesday on the sidelines of the International Cricket Council's annual awards night.ESPN-STAR, which also holds the rights for all ICC events including the World Cup, Champions Trophy and the T20 Worlds, said they were delighted to add the Champions League to their line-up.

Shoaib delayed by visa problem

2008-09-04T20:57:00.002+06:00

Shoaib Akhtar remains hopeful of linking up with Surrey despite being refused entry to the United Kingdom on Wednesday due to visa problems.The Pakistan fast bowler, 33, says he has now obtained the necessary paperwork and plans to arrive in London at the weekend."I had to come back (to Pakistan) because I did not have all the papers required," Shoaib was quoted as saying by cricketnirvana.com."I have a 10-year visitor's visa, but the authorities there required a work visa."I am hopeful of getting a work visa soon and hope to fly out to the UK on Saturday (September 6)."Surrey are currently bottom of LV County Championship Division One and recruited Shoaib for their final three games in a last-ditch attempt to avoid relegation.

Shoaib Akhtar to play county cricket for Surrey- Pakistan Cricket Board

2008-09-03T01:21:00.001+06:00

The Pakistan Cricket Board has cleared the way for Shoaib Akhtar to join Surrey despite having a history of objecting to its cricketers playing on the county circuit. However Shoaib, who has played little cricket for the last year and only recently overturned a ban from cricket, is hoping to gain fitness in order to press for a place in the national team."Shoaib has not played competitive cricket for months and he needs to regain match fitness," the PCB's chief operating officer, Shafqat Naghmi, said. "We believe a short county stint might help him in doing that. He requested a No Objection Certificate, which we have issued to him, and we have no problems if he wants to play county cricket."The former Somerset, Worcestershire and Durham player was recalled to the Pakistan team for the limited overs Champions Trophy before it was postponed. He hopes a spell at relegation-threatened Surrey will enhance his case for selection in Pakistan's Test side.The PCB recently refused players including Umar Gul and Ifthikar Rao permission to play for county clubs. "We had stopped our fast bowlers from playing for counties because such stints had affected their form and fitness," said Naghmi. "Mohammad Asif and Rana Naved-ul-Hassan both suffered major injuries while playing county cricket. But Shoaib's case is different. He hasn't played much cricket this year — a county stint could actually benefit him."The fast bowler could be available for Surrey as early as next week as the county, adrift at the bottom of Division One by 18 points with three matches to go, play a key game against Kent at Canterbury. But his debut may be hampered by league rules requiring overseas players to spend at least three weeks in England before playing.Shoaib, who has played 46 Tests for Pakistan, has had a career dogged by injury and controversy. Despite taking 178 Test wickets at an average of 25.69 and 219 ODI wickets in 138 games at 23.2, the bowler was banned by the PCB, which claimed he had tested positive for the steroid nandrolene. The ban was overturned on appeal.

Pakistan welcomes India next year

2008-09-02T23:31:00.001+06:00

Tuesday, 02 September , 2008, 20:44
Karachi: Pakistan cricket coach Geoff Lawson said Tuesday that his team is eagerly awaiting the home series against India, scheduled to get underway early next January.Starved of international cricket, Pakistan will be playing their first Test in almost 13 months when they host India for a three-match Test series. Pakistan's last Test was also against India in Bangalore in December 2007."The series against India is the most important assignment for our team," Lawson told reporters in Lahore. "We are all eagerly looking forward to it and I am confident that the team will be fully ready for the Indians," added the former Australian Test pacer, who took over as Pakistan coach last summer.Lawson said that the postponement of the Champions Trophy, which was to be held in Pakistan September 12-28, was a big blow for his team, but he was quick to add that Pakistan will overcome the setback and would focus on the future.

New Zealand win over England by six-wickets(+photos)

2008-02-09T17:25:00.000+05:00

WELLINGTON — In a stunning came back of form, New Zealand thrashed England in their opening one-day cricket international by six wickets and with 20 overs to spare at Westpac Stadium here.The win came just days after England outplayed New Zealand in all departments in two Twenty20 matches.Given an extra 30 overs, New Zealand lost the toss but from then on won everything in a morale-boosting performance.England, opting to bat first, were all out for 130 in the 50th over and New Zealand knocked off the target with the loss of four wickets in 30 overs.Bolstered by the return of captain Daniel Vettori and Jacob Oram, New Zealand showed no sign of the fragility evident when they spent the two shorter matches firmly on the back foot."We understood that we had to respond today and put in a good performance and whether we won or not was beside the point. But we came out and won, and won well, and it's a very happy dressing room." Vettori said."If we got up towards 200 runs it would have been a defendable total. New Zealand bowled well and fielded exceptionally well."New Zealand started on Saturday by keeping England openers Alastair Cook and Phil Mustard pinned down -- the first boundary from Mustard came only in the seventh over -- and the run rate seldom rose above three.After Chris Martin made the initial breakthrough bowling Cook for 11 in the 10th over, the wickets fell at regular intervals.
Martin bowled Ian bell for five, Oram bowled dangerman Kevin Pietersen for six and Scott Styris bowled Mustard for 31 to have England at four for 67 by the 22nd over.England didn't help their cause with three run-outs before off-spinner Jeetan Patel cleaned up the tail to finish with two for 14 while Martin and Styris both took two for 22.While the England batsmen played as if the slow pitch held demons, Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum played three overs with caution and then launched into the run chase.A six from Ryder and a four from McCullum lifted New Zealand to 18 without loss and they never dropped below four runs an over after that.By the 12th over Ryder and McCullum had taken New Zealand passed 50 and hit seven boundaries, as many as England scored in their entire innings."Whenever you chase a small total if you can get your 50 pretty quickly you take away all the elements of worrying about chasing it down," Vettori said."I think they did a really good job and it sets us up for the rest of the series."Ryder survived a chance on 21 when dropped by Graeme Swann at midwicket and added another 10 runs before being caught by substitute Luke Wright off the bowling of Stuart Broad for 31.McCullum also got a second chance, dropped by a diving Mustard when on 27 and went on to make 42, at a run a ball, before giving Broad his second wicket when Mustard made amends by taking a fine legside catch.New Zealand were then two for 83 in the 19th over and well in control as Jamie How and Ross Taylor stepped up the pace.How was eventually dismissed for 28, with New Zealand nine runs short of victory and it was left to Taylor, not out 24, and Peter Fulton on one to take New Zealand across the line.The second game in the five-match series is in Hamilton on Tuesday.

SHOAIB AKHTAR-Doing well against Australia would be a motivation:

2008-02-09T17:16:00.000+05:00

LAHORE,Pakistan`s fast bowler Shoaib akhtar who has played 46 Tests and 138 one-day internationals,had who has taken 178 Test and 219 ODI wickets,said I want to play against Australia. I am making full preparations for the series against Australians as it is not an easy series,” he opined. Akhtar said doing well against Australia would be a motivation. “Australia are world number one team and the way Indians have done well against them, I am sure that we can also do well against them.” Pakistan hosts Australia in March-April this year.pan class="fullpost">Akhtar also showed interest in signing on for an Indian film, raising doubts over his cricket future. Akhtar, however, denied he was leaving the sport to join Bollywood. “I want to play cricket and just showing a little interest in films doesn’t mean I am leaving the game. Regarding acting in movies, Akhtar said that he had five to six offers of acting in films but he would not sign any film. “I would do films after retirement from cricket,” he concluded.

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE FINAL TO BE HELD AT MUMBAI

2008-02-09T16:45:00.000+05:00

Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)-promoted Indian Premier League T20 competition will open with a match between the Bangalore and Kolkata regions at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, on April 18.The semifinal finals (May 30 & 31) and the final (June 1) will be played at Mumbai. In all, 10 matches will be held in Mumbai — seven home league matches apart from the semifinals and final.
IPL sources said that Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), which won the Mumbai region for $111.9 million for 10 years, had a major say in choosing the venue of the three knock-out matches. The franchise bid document had made it explicit that the highest bidder will have the prerogative to choose the venue for the final weekend matches of the league.“It’s up to the eight franchisees to decide on the team name and they will announce it after receiving the approval from the IPL governing council. They have been given the guidelines document,” said Lalit Modi, Chairman and Commissioner, IPL and vice-president, BCCI.“We have finalised the umpires and match referee panel. It will be a mix of ICC and Indian officials. The ICC anti-corruption and security and anti-doping arrangements have all been finalised,” said Modi.

Australia`s Pakistan tour limited to four cities:

2008-02-07T00:47:00.000+05:00

KARACHI - The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to limit Australia's tour, which is under threat due to security concerns, to four venues, an official said on Wednesday.The proposed March-April tour will take place in Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad.A senior PCB official said other venues, including Peshawar, Sheikhupura and Hyderabad, were not proposed due to organisational and financial aspects, while Rawalpindi stadium was being renovated."We want them to play at the big venues where matches can be organised smoothly and there is a bigger financial turnover," Zakir Khan, director of cricket operations said..Australia are scheduled to play three tests, five one-day internationals and twenty20 match on their first tour of Pakistan for 10 years but there have been concerns over the trip due to escalating violence in the country, including the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto in December.

shoaib malik marraige controversiy:

2008-02-06T23:55:00.000+05:00

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistan cricket team captain Shoaib Malik on Tuesday threatened to sue an Indian family for alleging he married their daughter in a ceremony conducted over the telephone five years ago.A family in the Indian city of Hyderabad last week claimed the marriage took place in June 2002 after a two-month courtship with witnesses on both sides.The Times of India quoted Mohammed Ahmed Siddiqui, the father of the woman, Ayesha, as saying Malik should acknowledge the marriage took place and divorce his daughter. He also threatened legal action.Speaking at a news conference, the Pakistani captain denied such a ceremony took place."I can claim with authority that no 'nikkah' (Muslim marriage ceremony) has ever been performed (by me) with a girl having a name of Ayesha," Malik said."This is an accusation against me, and I will take legal action, both in India and in Pakistan," he said.Malik's brother-in-law, Imran Zafar, acknowledged that the 26-year-old cricketer had been talking on the telephone and chatting on the Internet with a girl named Ayesha since 2001. They had also exchanged photographs via e-mail."He (Malik) developed a friendship with her, but there was no marriage ceremony ever performed," Zafar said.Zafar said he went to meet with the family in 2004, but never had the chance to meet Ayesha."They told me that the girl had gone to Saudi Arabia," he said.Then in 2005, Zafar said they learned that a teacher in Saudi Arabia was claiming to be Malik's wife.When they investigated and obtained a photo of the teacher, they found she wasn't the woman Malik had been talking with, he said."From then on, Malik had no contact with that girl," Zafar said.Zafar said he plans to travel to India to see how he can file a legal suit against the Siddiquis.
Malik became Pakistan's cricket captain last year after the team's disastrous performance in the World Cup..

Cricket goes to Bollywood

2008-02-05T06:32:00.000+05:00

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has become one of the richest sports bodies in the world, its annual income exceeding the turnover of a large number of private companies.IT IS raining money on Indian cricket. The Board of Control for Cricket in India, the governing body of the game, will rake in over 50 billion rupees over the next three years from the domestic Twenty20 cricket league alone.The rights to regional teams for the Indian Premier League (IPL) were recently auctioned to a group of industrialists and film stars.

The country’s richest industrialist, Mukesh Ambani of the Reliance Group of Industries; the reigning Khan of Bollywood, Shah Rukh; and top liquor manufacturer Vijay Mallya were among the successful bidders for regional IPL franchises.Ambani bid the highest amount of 4.41 billion rupees for Mumbai. Mallya got hometown Bangalore for 4.4 billion rupees, and Shah Rukh with former actress Juhi Chawla bagged Calcutta for 2.96 billion rupees.There was another Bollywood winner in actress Preity Zinta who with industrialist boyfriend Ness Wadia won Mohali (Punjab) for three billion rupees . Chennai went to a cement manufacturer, while Hyderabad was bagged by a local newspaper group. A construction company won the right to the Delhi team.

Pakistan`s great victory against Zimbabwe:

2008-02-02T18:24:00.000+05:00

SHEIKHUPURA, Pakistan —Fifth one-day International, 187-3 beat Zimbabwe 181 by seven wicketsYounis Khan's half century upstaged Zimbabwe by seven wickets in the fifth and final limited overs international to blank the tourists 5-0 in the one-day series.Younis smashed a 51-ball 63 and added 97 runs with debutant Khurram Manzoor (50) for the second wicket to help the home team overhaul a modest target of 182 with 19 overs to spare at Sheikhupura Stadium.Two young debutants -- pacemen Abdur Rauf (3-45) and Wahab Riaz (2-19) -- earlier bowled with fire to knock Zimbabwe out for 181 in 45.4 overs.Pakistan's convincing win enthralled a crowd of 20,000 who braved the chilly weather in open stands to witness the first match at the venue for 10 years.The home team were never in trouble in their run-chase, even after losing opener Nasir Jamshed (19) in the seventh over as Younis and Manzoor made it child's play against Zimbabwe's bowling.Younis hit eight boundaries and a six before being caught at mid-on by stand-in captain Hamilton Masakadza off left-arm spinner Ray Price.
Manzoor, who hit six boundaries off 74 balls, was bowled by Price an over later but Misbah-ul Haq (31 not out) and Fawad Alam (14 not out) saw off the runs without facing any problems.Earlier, Pakistan once again bowled with discipline to put the tourists in trouble right from the start.Rauf had opener Masakadza (five) in the fifth over before returning for his second spell to dismiss Gary Brent (seven) and Chris Mpofu (nought) to lead Pakistan's new-look bowling attack.Pakistan, leading 4-0 in the five-match series, made five changes from the line-up of their previous match -- bringing back experienced batsman Younis and awarding one-day debuts to Riaz, Rauf, Rizwan Ahmed and Manzoor.Zimbabwe, still without captain Prosper Utseya and frontline paceman Tawanda Mupariwa, remained unchanged.Opener Vusi Sibanda (18) was run out before left-arm fast bowler Riaz took over, dismissing Tatenda Taibu (six) and Sean Williams (19), while Shoaib Malik trapped Chamu Chibhabha (one) leg-before as the tourists struggled to 67-5.A sixth wicket stand of 85 between Brendon Taylor (49) and Elton Chigumbura (34) gave some respectability to their total.Taylor hit five boundaries during his 79-ball knock before he was bowled by Malik.Chigumbura hit two boundaries off 57 balls before being stumped by Sarfraz Ahmed off left-arm spinner Fawad Alam.Pakistan then wrapped up the tail in quick time to set up the whitewash.
The home team won the first match in Karachi by 104 runs, followed by victories at Hyderabad (five wickets), Multan (37 runs) and Faisalabad (seven wickets).

Australia Beats India in Twenty20 Cricket

2008-02-02T01:13:00.000+05:00

Australia's cricket team has beaten India by nine wickets in a Twenty20 International match in Melbourne, Australia.After bowling India out for only 74 runs -- the second lowest total ever in a Twenty20 match -- Australia scored 75-1 in 11.2 overs. Irfan Pathan was India's top scorer with only 26 runs before being caught out.Michael Clarke was unbeaten on 37, and Brad Hodge was on 10. Adam Gilchrist scored 25 from 22 balls for the home side, in a match played in front of more than 84,000 fans.The victory was Australia's first in three Twenty20 matches against India. The two teams start a limited-overs triangular series that includes Sri Lanka Sunday when Australia faces India in Brisbane.

Nothing more important than playing for Pakistan:SHOaiB AKHTAR

2008-02-02T01:07:00.000+05:00

Karachi :Pakistan`s fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar's sudden appearance in the national team's practice session at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore.Shoaib has remained out of public view since returning home from India and even the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials said the pacer had not tried to contact them even after being dropped from the central contracts list and the home series against Zimbabwe.Despite being ignored for the home one-day series against Zimbabwe on fitness grounds and dropped from the central contracts list, express bowler Shoaib Akhtar declared nothing was more important to him than playing for his country."I have no problems if they don't give me a contract. I don't need one to play for Pakistan. Playing for my country is a far bigger honour than anything else and I don't just play for money," he told reporters. Shoaib has finally came out of his self-imposed hibernation and showed up for a training session at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Shoaib categorically denied signing a contract to act in any Indian film and insisted playing for Pakistan was his biggest goal and honour."When I have not signed anything why are they making a big issue of it. Someone spoke to me and that is all. As an individual I can consider many things but cricket remains my top priority," he said.

Deepika Shines at yuvraj's Birthday Party

2007-12-16T02:06:00.000+05:00

Actress Deepika Padukone was the centre of attention at the birthday party of cricketer Yuvraj Singh.
Yuvi threw a party for family and friends at Mumbai’s J W Marriott Hotel. While many senior members of the Indian cricket team were absent, the bash did see the presence of Yuvi’s close friend Zaheer Khan, who, like Yuvi, is also known to have several friends in the film industry.But one person who set many heads turning was Deepika Padukone, who has previously admitted to being “friends” with some cricketers.The Om Shanti Om actress looked dazzling at the party and mingled with guests without any air of a celebrity.Eyewitnesses say the body language between Deepika and Yuvi suggested that there was indeed something brewing between them.At the party, Yuvi particularly seemed to be in a mood to celebrate after proving his detractors wrong about him being suited to the five-day format of cricket.One person who was conspicuous by his absence at the party was Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Malik retains captain of Pakistan team:

2007-12-15T08:14:00.000+05:00

KARACHI - Shoaib Malik is to retain the Pakistan`s captain until the end of next year despite the series defeat against India, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf said on Thursday.
"We will stick to our decision to name him as captain for the year (2008). We will give him our full backing and we feel he can mature into a good captain in time," Ashraf told reporters.The 25-year-old Malik's captaincy and own form have come under the microscope after Pakistan's one-day and test series defeats at home to South Africa and then the disappointing showing in India.Malik led Pakistan in the one-day series in India, which the hosts won 3-2, and the first test in New Delhi which India won by six wickets before going on to complete a 1-0 series triumph.Vice-captain Younis Khan was the captain for the last two tests as Malik was ruled out with an ankle injury.Ashraf said the board had made Malik the captain this year keeping in mind the future of Pakistan cricket."He is young and he will learn from his mistakes. Overall the team's performance in India lacked focus," he said.Ashraf said Pakistan's Australian coach, Geoff Lawson, had been asked to give a detailed report on Pakistan's first test series loss in India since the 1979-80 rubber.

India near cricket Test series win over Pakistan

2007-12-12T13:16:00.000+05:00

Misbah-ul-Haq relished India's attack with a second successive century to boost Pakistan's hopes of forcing a draw in the third and final Test here on Tuesday.The middle-order batsman followed his second-Test 161 with a brilliant 133 not out as Pakistan warded off a threat of follow-on to post 537 in their first innings in reply to India's 626.India were strongly placed to clinch their first Test series against Pakistan at home since 1980 after reaching 131-2 in their second innings at stumps on the penultimate day for an overall lead of 220.The hosts lead 1-0 in the series, with the final Test heading for a draw.India lost openers Gautam Gambhir (three) and Wasim Jaffer (18) before former captains Sourav Ganguly (63 not out) and Rahul Dravid (35 not out) steadied the innings with an unfinished 105-run stand for the third wicket.Ganguly, who smashed a maiden Test double-hundred in the first innings, raced to his half-century off 57 balls with a six off leg-spinner Danish Kaneria and nine fours.The hosts needed a couple of early wickets in the morning to raise victory hopes after Pakistan had resumed at 369-5, but had to wait for two sessions to wrap up the innings on a track where the ball sometimes kept low."Our first target was to avoid the follow-on and we did that. If India set a target then we will go after it. The pitch surprises me as the odd ball keeps low, but it's getting better and better," said Pakistan's coach Geoff Lawson."I think this needs to be a five-Test series. It's little unsatisfactory to have three Tests because it's tough to come back after losing the first. India and Pakistan deserve a five-match series."India also earned a dubious distinction of conceding a record 76 extras in a Test innings, surpassing the previous highest of 71 by the West Indies against Pakistan at Georgetown in 1988.

The sundries were the third-highest contributor in the innings after Misbah and stand-in captain Younis Khan (80).Misbah, who had played just seven Tests before this series since his debut in 2001, was Pakistan's find of the tour as he remained a thorn in India's flesh with scores of 82, 45, 161 not out, six and 133 not out in five innings.The 33-year-old played a key role in two useful partnerships to thwart India, adding 144 for the sixth wicket with wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal (65) and 93 for the next with debutant Yasir Arafat (44)."It surprises me that he (Misbah) has not played much, but he has been outstanding in this series. It needs an unplayable ball to get him out. He concentrates hard and has shown he is a world-class player," said Lawson.India's 19-year-old seamer Ishant Sharma, playing only his second Test, claimed the last four wickets to finish with 5-118, but Pakistan had already saved a follow-on at that stage.Needing 427 to make India bat again, Pakistan achieved their objective in the second hour of the morning during the Misbah-Akmal partnership.There was no stopping Misbah, who continued to frustrate the Indian attack with a solid defence and a flawless shot-selection. He hit 17 fours in his 322-ball knock.It was the second successive time Misbah and Akmal helped their team avoid the follow-on, having already done so in the drawn second Test in Kolkata with resolute centuries.With the pitch offering little help to seamers and spinners, India found wickets hard to come by as they got just one in the morning.Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was the lone wicket-taker in the morning, when he had Akmal stumped by Dinesh Karthik.Akmal executed some handsome shots and added 33 to his overnight score of 32. He hit 12 fours in his eighth half-century.India 1st innings 626 (S. Ganguly 239, Y. Singh 169, I. Pathan 102; Y. Arafat 5-161, D. Kaneria 3-168)Pakistan 1st innings (overnight 369-5):

Fall of wickets: 1-59 (Hameed), 2-149 (Butt), 3-221 (Younis), 4-227 (Yousuf), 5-288 (Iqbal), 6-432 (Akmal), 7-525 (Arafat), 8-527 (Sami), 9-529 (Akhtar).

Pakistan pacer Asif recovering after surgery

2007-12-12T13:09:00.000+05:00

Pakistani pacer Mohammad Asif has undergone successful keyhole surgery in Australia to fix a chronic elbow problem that forced him to miss the ongoing series in India.A Pakistan cricket Board official said the surgery was carried out by a well known Australian specialist in Sydney on Monday."The initial reports are that it was not a major operation and it has been successful," Shafqat Naghmi, chief operating officer, told Reuters on Tuesday."But Asif could recover up to three months before he resumes playing cricket," he said, adding that a specialist would soon determine how long the full rehabilitation period will be."We fear he would require to rest for three months, which means he is certainly out of next month's home series against Zimbabwe," he said.Naghmi said Asif would also face a race against time to be 100 percent fit for the home series against Australia tentatively scheduled for March 9.The Australians are due to send a delegation to Pakistan in January after general elections to assess the security situation ahead of their tour, which includes three tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match.Asif has this year had to sit out four one-day games against South Africa and was ruled out of the Indian tour.And here is the rest of it.

UPDATE 1-Cricket-India gain upper hand after Younis's 80

2007-12-10T15:02:00.000+05:00

BANGALORE, India, Dec 10 (Reuters) - India grabbed two more wickets in the second session to wrest the initiative at tea after Younis Khan struck a masterly 80 for Pakistan on day three of the third and final test on Monday.Younis, stand-in captain for injured Shoaib Malik, shared in two fruitful partnerships after the visitors resumed at 86 for one on a placid pitch.But Younis's dismissal along with the experienced Mohammad Yousuf (24) in subsequent overs saw Pakistan, seeking to level the series, reduced to 265 for four with 162 more needed to avoid the follow-on.In-form Misbah-ul-Haq and Faisal Iqbal were at the crease on 17 and 14 respectively at tea.Saurav Ganguly and Irfan Pathan blasted their maiden double hundred and century respectively on Sunday after Yuvraj Singh smashed 169 to help hosts India post an imposing first-innings total of 626.India are 1-0 up in the series after winning the opening test by six wickets in New Delhi.Resuming at seven, Younis took his overnight second-wicket stand with Salman Butt (68) to 90 and then shared in an entertaining stand of 72 with Yousuf for the next wicket Left-handed Butt fell half an hour before lunch when he edged Ganguly, bowling gentle medium-pace, behind.

Younis, who scored a century in the drawn second test in Kolkata, batted with controlled aggression for his 20th fifty.The Indian attack looked largely ineffective barring two inspired spells by the tall seamer Ishant Sharma.Younis, who hit 12 fours in his 156-ball essay, combated India's experienced spin duo of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh with ease, despite having a minimum two men in catching positions.He was bowled by off-spinner Harbhajan trying to reverse sweep, a stroke that had fetched him a couple of boundaries earlier.Yousuf fell in the same over in which he had a verbal duel with home skipper Kumble standing at gully. He drove at an away -going delivery from left-arm pacer Irfan Pathan for Yuvraj Singh to take a low catch.

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"Younis Khan" hits fifty to lead Pakistan fightback

2007-12-10T14:58:00.000+05:00

BANGALORE, India, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Younis Khan struck a masterly half century to steer Pakistan to a confident 180 for two at lunch on the third day of the third and final test against India on Monday.Younis, stand-in captain for injured Shoaib Malik, hit 62 and took his overnight second-wicket stand with Salman Butt (68) to 90 after the visitors resumed at 86 for one.Mohammad Yousuf (6) was at the wicket with Younis at lunch break.Saurav Ganguly and Irfan Pathan blasted their maiden double hundred and century respectively on Sunday after Yuvraj Singh smashed 169 to help hosts India post an imposing first-innings total of 626.India are 1-0 up in the series after winning the opening test by six wickets in New Delhi.Resuming at seven, Younis, who scored a century in the drawn second test in Kolkata, batted with controlled aggression for his 20th fifty.

The visitors still need 247 runs to avoid the follow-on.Younis and Butt, 50 overnight, drove left-armer Pathan freely for boundaries before Ganguly, bowling gentle medium-pace, struck half an hour before the break to dismiss left-handed Butt, who edged behind. The Indian attack looked largely ineffective on a placid pitch barring an inspired opening spell by the tall seamer Ishant Sharma, who got the ball to move and troubled Butt.Younis, who hit 10 fours, reverse swept off-spinner Harbhajan for a boundary and used his full reach to combat experienced leg spinner Anil Kumble.Yousuf looked tentative early but settled down quickly to dourly defend against the spinners, who operated with a minimum of two men in catching positions..

We have a game plan "Younis"

2007-12-10T13:31:00.000+05:00

Bangalore: Many Indian dailies here have published news that Younis Khan had expressed his reluctance to lead the team in the Bangalore Test in place of the injured Shoaib Malek.What happened was that the reporters who published that news had checked with Ehsan Malek, the Pakistan team manager about it.Although he had categorically denied the rumour on Thursday night, the reporters went ahead and published that Khan was a reluctant captain.Some even stated that Mohammad Yousuf was also reluctant to lead the team and that there is rift in the team over selection of the replacement."I am the vice captain and I will lead the team. I was never the vice captain before and I was requested to take up the job for this series. This is a big series so I thought I needed to do it," Khan said. However, he did clarify that he does not want captaincy on a long term basis.A candid Khan then went on to say: "Whenever I have been given captaincy I have been running away from it. If you captain the team in an India-Pakistan series, your life is bound to get spoiled. You are judged on your performance. It is really tough captaining in an India-Pakistan series."

When asked whether it was his team's best chance to equal the series with many of the Indian players injured, Khan said: "We have a game plan for this match."We will play according to it. It does not matter who is playing or not. In Kolkata we proved that we can fight. Here we want to show that we can win."To a query whether his team was under pressure having to win here to save the series, Khan said: "Pressure is bound to be there in all international matches. It will be double in an India-Pakistan match. It all depends on how we handle the pressures and apply ourselves," he believes. .

India v/s pakistan,Banglor test, first day-India 365-3

2007-12-08T18:41:00.000+05:00

BANGALORE, Chinnaswamy Stadium- Saurav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh struck historical centuries. A record fifth wicket partnership of 300 runs to help India overcome a poor start and reach 365 for five at the close of the opening day of the third and final test against Pakistan on Saturday.Ganguly and Yuvraj surpassed the previous best stand for the fifth wicket against Pakistan, of 200 between Ravi Shastri and Sandeep Patil at Faisalabad in 1984-85.Great Ganguly was unbeaten on 125 and Yuvraj hit a career-best 169 before he was caught by Faisal Iqbal off Mohammad Sami. The Punjab batsman slammed 28 boundaries and a six off 203 balls.They help the hosts recover from 61 for four after choosing to bat. Yuvraj completed his third Test century when he cover drove Yasir Arafat for his 18th boundary after facing 137 balls. Earlier in the over he had stylishly square cut the bowler to the third man fence.Pakistani debutant Yasir Arafat grabbed three early wickets to give the visitors, who trail the three-match series 1-0, a great start in seaming conditions.Pakistan spearhead Shoaib Akhtar was at his hostile best and struck Rahul Dravid (19) on his shoulder with a delivery that lifted sharply.But Shoaib left the field during the second session for a scan after complaining of back pain. A Pakistan team spokesman said the injury-prone bowler was expected to take the field on Sunday. Mohammad Sami provided an early breakthrough when he had a Gautam Gambhir edge behind for five for his first wicket in the series.All-rounder Arafat, dismissed Dravid, opener Wasim Jaffer (17) and Vangipurappu Laxman (5) in an impressive display of seam bowling.Arafat then dismissed Jaffer in the next over when the second test double centurion shouldered arms to a delivery that cut back sharply and was trapped in front.Laxman was then dismissed when he played a low delivery from Arafat onto his stumps.The visitors were unable to add to their success, however, as in-form Ganguly and Yuvaj, player of the series of the preceding one-dayers, took control after settling in.

-Cricket-In form Misbah almost turned his back on game

2007-12-08T13:40:00.000+05:00

Misbah-ul-Haq, who has ignited his Pakistan career in recent months, said he almost turned his back on the game at the age of 23 in favour of a business career.He studied for his MBA in business management and only started playing top-level cricket at 24."Before my first-class debut I was in two minds about which way to go but I chose cricket because of my love and passion for the game," the 33-year-old Misbah told Reuters."Even after two years of choosing cricket though I thought I might have chosen wrong. But in 1999 my fortunes changed, I made my first-class debut and two years later was playing against New Zealand on my test debut."Ever since I have not had any thoughts in my mind apart from playing cricket. I'm now really happy."Misbah was a fringe player for Pakistan three months ago but a successful Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa and a maiden test century against India in Calcutta this week have boosted his credentials.He scored 161 not out at Eden Gardens as Pakistan replied to India's intimidating total of 616 for six declared.Misbah's partnership of 207 with Kamran Akmal earned a draw which means Pakistan can level the series if they win the third and final test which starts here on Saturday

England v/s Sri Lanka -Muralitharan Bowls Sri Lanka To Victory:

2007-12-05T18:19:00.000+05:00

Kandy, Wednesday December 5, 05:05 PM: Sri Lanka beat England by 88 runs on the fifth and final day of the first Test on Wednesday.Ian Bell top-scored with 74, as England chasing 350 to win were bowled out for 261.England fell to an agonising defeat as Sri Lanka secured an 88-run victory with only 25 minutes of play left in a dramatic first Test in Kandy.Both Prior and Bell played exceptionally well. Prior's 63, off 147 balls, was certainly one of his finest innings in an England shirt. He appeared accomplished and at ease throughout, defending well and occasionally striding out to strike a cover drive. Struck on the head by a bouncer from Dilhara Fernando, he batted on seemingly unflustered. Tellingly when he reached his fifty his runs had been divided equally between the leg- and off- sides.And then everything changed. Muralitharan took the new ball off Malinga and produced a spell of 5-2-5-3. Having been held at bay throughout the day, this was the true mark of one of history's greatest bowlers, able to produce a match-winning spell at the crucial moment, turning the new ball like a top on an unhelpful surface.Prior was undone by a doosra that spun past his bat and clipped off stump. Bell was bowled in the next over by an off-spinner, and Ryan Sidebottom fell in the over after that, unluckily given out lbw despite a palpable inside edge. From 248 for six, England were now 253 for nine and the game was over.England looked to have lost the match much earlier than that, defeat never seeming more imminent than when Paul Collingwood slapped a catch off Fernando to Kumar Sangakkara at short extra cover. That left England 90 for five in just the 20th over of the day.

Adam Gilchrist `s snatched ball back:

2007-12-05T06:52:00.000+05:00

John-a cricket lover who snatched Adam Gilchrist's record-making cricket ball has given it back.
Melbourne midwife John decided to return the ball -- which Gilchrist last month smashed out of Hobart's Bellerive Oval to become the first batsman to achieve 100 Test sixes -- for the good of the game.He met Cricket Australia officials last night.span class="fullpost">They plan to exhibit the ball in cricket museums.Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young said John had asked for nothing in return, despite Gilchrist's offer of a signed bat."He is very happy to give it back unconditionally," Mr Young said."He is very comfortable with the idea that the ball will go on public display as something the public will enjoy."On November 17, John chased Gilchrist's ball out of the ground, retrieving it about 200m from the stadium.He had been in hiding since the Herald Sun published a picture showing him running outside the ground clutching the ball.Gilchrist and Cricket Australia had publicly appealed for him to return the $100 item.The ball may tour cricket museums over summer and has been deemed so important it may even have a place in the Long Room at Lord's."John said he had always dreamed of owning a Test cricket ball ... but just didn't like the thought of being responsible for an empty exhibition case.''

Muralitharan `s world record 709th Test wicket:

2007-12-04T05:35:00.000+05:00

Sri Lanka off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan took his 709th test wicket on Monday to move to the top of the all-time list above Australian Shane Warne.Muralitharan bowled England's Paul Collingwood for 45 shortly before lunch on the third day of the first test, sparking wild celebrations in Kandy.England kept Muralitharan at bay during his first spell of the morning but he struck immediately in his second, bowling Collingwood from around the wicket.The wicket, greeted with fireworks from Sri Lankan supporters, completed Muralitharan's 61st five-wicket haul in tests.Muralitharan had previously held the world record after surpassing West Indian fast bowler Courtney Walsh (519 wickets) in 2004, but he was subsequently overtaken by Warne after suffering a shoulder injury that year.Muralitharan holds other bowling records in test cricket including the most five-wicket (61) and ten-wicket hauls (20).The 35-year-old is renowned for extracting prodigious turn from his unique rubber-wristed bowling action.Muralitharan has also developed a special delivery called a "doosra" that spins in the opposite direction to his usual off spinner.

Sri Lanka's Jayasuriya to retire from Test cricket:

2007-12-04T05:27:00.000+05:00

Sri Lanka batsman Sanath Jayasuriya said he would be retiring from Test cricket after the series opener against England in Kandy."This is the best opportunity for me to retire from Test cricket," Jayasuriya told Sky Sports News. "I decided that this is my last one."
The 38-year-old, who was dismissed for 78 on Monday in his 110th test, has scored 14 centuries since making his debut against New Zealand in Hamilton in 1991.He said he would continue to play one-day cricket. He has made 403 appearances for Sri Lanka in the limited-overs game.He was a member of Sri Lanka's World Cup winning team in 1995, and is the only player in the world to score over 12,000 runs and take over 300 wickets in the 50-over format.

Shoaib Akhtar is offered for Bollywood movie

2007-12-04T05:09:00.000+05:00

Pakistani star fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is offered from Bollywood to actin the movie. The star is considering the proposal."I have a piece of news for you. I have got an offer from Bollywood," Akhtar disclosed to media persons Kolkata on Sunday.Akhtar said the producer and director would meet him with the script during the December 8-12 third Test against India in Bangalore."I will decide whether to work with them once I listen to the script," said the Pakistan fast bowler.Akhtar said he has watched the two recent Bollywood releases - Sanjay Leela Bhansali 's Saawariya and the Shah Rukh Khan starrer Om Shanti Om .I have also heard about the movie Chak De India , he said.Shoaib Akhtar has some serious business lined up in Bangalore. The Pakistan paceman, having watched Aaja Nachle this weekend, was floored by the sensational return of Madhuri Dixit to the silver screen and is now all set to seriously enter Indian cinema.
Having completely recovered from a bout of chest infection and fever, Akhtar admitted that he was in a bad shape when the Kolkata Test started. “Honestly, I didn’t know how I bowled my first two deliveries. I was completely blank and felt dizzy. I didn’t even know where I pitched the ball and who I was bowling to. I couldn’t sight the batsman because my head was badly in a spin.”

INDIA V/s PAKISTAN-2nd test- pak loose half of the vickets:

2007-12-02T12:57:00.000+05:00

Sunday, December 02, 2007 12.30 pm (pak time).
Pakistan was 203 for five Pakistan need 413 more runs to win ,on day three of the second Test at Eden Gardens on Sunday..Pakistan need 263 more runs to avoid the follow-on.Earlier, India chipped in with regular wickets to put Pakistan on the mat at lunch on the third day of the second cricket Test on Sunday.Resuming at 50 for loss of one wicket, the visitors failed to negotiate the Indian spin duo of Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble to lose four wickets and reach 154 for 5 in their first innings at the Eden Gardens.Off spinner Habhajan Singh snared in-form batsmen Salman Butt (42) and Mohammad Yousuf (6) while Kumble foxed Faisal Iqbal as Pakistan still needed 263 runs to avoid the ignominy of
follow on.In between, pacer Munaf Patel got the prized wicket of stand-in skipper Younis Khan (43), who needlessly chased an away going delivery to gift a simple catch to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.Misbah was playing at59(89) and Akmal at 25(68).

ICC Illegal Bowling Actions Reporting Process(AN ARTICLE)

2007-12-01T00:00:00.000+05:00

* ICC umpires and/or the match referee will report a bowler considered to have a suspect bowling action at the end of a Test or One day International. Umpires will retain the right to ‘call’ a bowler during a game, at their discretion. A report will initially be based on observations reached with the naked eye. The use of slow motion match footage will only be used to reinforce this initial impression. * The bowler’s team manager and the ICC will be notified of the report within 24 hours.

* Within a further period of 24 hours, a public statement will be issued by the match referee, confirming the reporting.

* The bowler’s Board will be notified by the ICC and copies of the relevant match footage supplied.

* Within a period of 21 days, the bowler will be required to work with an independent member of the ICC’s Human Movement Specialist panel. This will include the filming of his action under laboratory conditions and using latest technology opto-reflective techniques.

* The Human Movement Specialist’s report will confirm if the bowler’s action exceeds the permitted 15 degrees of straightening, or if he has been cleared to continue playing.

* If the action is found to be legal, the bowler can immediately resume his career, although the clearance does not constitute any form of exemption against being reported in future
If the report finds that the bowler’s action exceeds 15 degrees of straightening, he will be immediately suspended from international cricket. There are then two options available to him:
* To carry out remedial action to rectify his action to meet the ICC standard, or
* To contest the decision within 14 days and seek a hearing of the ICC Bowling Review Group (BRG) to make a final decision
* A BRG hearing will be held within 21 days and the outcome will decide to either uphold the decision of the expert report and suspend the bowler, or alternatively overturn the decision and clear the player to resume his international career

The ICC Bowling Review Group will consist of the following:
* A member of the ICC Code of Conduct Commission, chairman
* A current ICC Match Referee
* A former international player
* A former international umpire
* A member of the ICC panel of Human Movement Specialists
* ICC General Manager – Cricket, as an ex-officio member
A second report within the space of two years proving an illegal action would see the bowler suspended from all international cricket for a minimum period of 12 months.

Usha Uthup sings in the honour of visiting Pakistani team:

2007-11-30T18:54:00.000+05:00

30-nov-2007-Kolkata-Usha Uthup was singing in honour of the visiting Pakistani team and journalists, Uthup, best known for her 'Ramba ho, ho, ho...' song of the 1980s film 'Armaan', said: 'I strongly believe that music and cricket can bridge the gap between our two nations. But music wins in the end because in cricket you still fight on the field.'The interesting moment of Thursday's function came when Uthup invited Pakistani journalist Shahid Hashmi to the stage and sang a popular duet - 'Pyaar karna bhi zaroori hai' from the film 'Vaardat' - with him.'This is a great combination. You have seen many partnerships but this is perhaps the best one - an Indian singer and a Pakistani journalist in a dosti duet,' said Usha.
'It was a great honour for me to share the microphone with one of the best singers of India. It was a nice experience,' Hashmi said.And before singing 'Yeh dosti hum nahi torenge' from 'Sholay', Usha said: 'This song is especially for our Pakistani guests. I believe the people of the two countries are still the same.'

Shoaib Akhter`s bowling action-Indians not easy !

2007-11-30T18:29:00.000+05:00

Indian batesman complain against Pakistan’s express fast bowler Shoaib Akhter`s bowling action.This has increased the problem of Pakistani cricket team,already facing severe fitness problems.Indian batesman criticised the akhters bowling action at new Dehli test.indian batesman said that shoaib akhter has performed,some time, illegal bowling action.Specifically the ball whic hresulted the Rahul dravid out was illegal.The Indian camp is quite convinced that the ball that clocked 150kmph and cut back sharply could not have been legal.The secretary indian cricket board (BCCI),Mr.Naranjan shah has reacted carefully.He said international cricket board should consider the actions of the controvercial players.

Wasim Jaffer's bat sparkled brightest-1st day 2nd test: (+photos)

2007-11-30T17:23:00.000+05:00

November 30, 2007-Kolkata:Wasim Jaffer hit a sparkling unbeaten century to take India to a healthy position on the 1st day of the 2nd Test at the Eden Gardens -Kolkata.
Jaffer scored up his fifth Test century and had faced 163 balls during the first two sessions of play. He got 23 boundaries adding 136 for the second wicket with Rahul Dravid (50).Dravid struck seven fours during his half-century before he was scalped by leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.Initially, India lost opener Dinesh Karthik early on after electing to bat. Sohail Tanveer inflicted the early jolt in the second over as Karthik failed for the third consecutive time in the series. But Jaffer and Dravid denied Pakistan any further success as the duo held the fort for the home side.At tea, India`s score was 206-2 with Jaffer unbeaten on 124 and Sachin Tendulkar giving him company on 26.
Tanvir, his initial success notwithstanding, was made to look more like a rookie by Jaffer than he has looked at any stage of his international initiation. And as Sachin Tendulkar helped up the pace nearer tea, with a swift fifty partnership, Kaneria's raggedness encapsulated that of his side's. Pakistan had their share of problems: Shoaib looked pretty unfit and struggled to complete his overs, Sami started off promisingly but drifted away and Tanvir, for some reason, kept feeding Jaffer on that middle and leg line. Younis Khan, the captain - Malik is injured and is not in the team - even turned to Yasir Hameed's leg spin and made Tanvir bowl left-arm spin but were thwarted by some fine batting from Jaffer and Tendulkar. Finally, Kaneria broke through with a googly to dismiss Tendulkar but Pakistan lacked intensity and had run of ideas as the day wore on. Finally,India decide to call it off for the day due to bad light.They werw at 352-3 (Jaffer 192*, Tendulkar 82, Ganguly 17*)
Indian team: Anil Kumble (captain), Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthik, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, V.V.S. Laxman, Mahendra Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan and Munaf Patel.
Pakistan team: Younis Khan (captain), Yasir Hameed, Salman Butt, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Faisal Iqbal, Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Sami and Danish Kaneria.
Umpires: Rudi Koertzen, South Africa, and Billy Doctrove, West Indies.
Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle, Sri Lanka.
TV Umpire: Amish Saheba, India.

On "1996" tour, Gary Kirsten hated India

2007-11-29T23:38:00.000+05:00

NEW DELHI: Quiz question: Which South African cricketer wrote the following words for a journal in his 1996-97 India tour dairy: "62 days in a country where westernised living conditions are regarded a luxury is no task for the faint-hearted."Answer: Gary Kirsten.
In fact, his tour diary indicates that the former opening batsman had problems with almost every aspect of the Indian condition: food, socializing, travelling.The tour diary was published in the December 1996-January 1997 issue of SA Cricket Action. Kirsten also wrote that "to spread cricket to all corners of India, we played in what could politely be classed as one-horse towns, places with more cows on the street than cars."For the record, the South Africans played one-day games in Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Faridabad, Rajkot, Guwahati and Mumbai. The Tests were played at Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Kanpur."I'll never forget arriving in Rajkot — laughter broke out in the bus when we were told we had reached our hotel, yet there didn't seem to be one in sight. It was actually above another building... A sense of humour is a necessity on this tour," wrote Kirsten. One wonders how the present BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah, who hails from Rajkot, would react to that.Kirsten, who has been offered a two-year term with a package similar to Greg Chappell's, had also cribbed about the unavailability of direct flights to a playing destination..

"Bob Woolmer" Inquest Fails to Determine How Cricket Coach Died

2007-11-29T23:31:00.000+05:00

Nov. 29 (Mr.Khan News) -- A Jamaican coroner's inquest into the death of Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer at the World Cup in March failed to determine what killed him, the sport's governing body said.An 11-member jury, which heard testimony from more than 50 witnesses over five weeks in Kingston, returned an open verdict yesterday after finding insufficient evidence of a criminal act or death by natural causes.Woolmer was found unconscious in his Kingston hotel room on March 18, a day after Pakistan exited the World Cup in an upset loss to Ireland. The inquest was opened after Jamaican police said in June that the 58-year-old Briton died of natural causes, reversing its initial assessment that he was murdered.``It is important to note that, following an exhaustive police investigation, no credible evidence has been produced to prove that there was any foul play connected to Bob's death,'' the International Cricket Council said in a statement.

Four days after Woolmer's death, police began a homicide investigation following a local pathologist's assessment that he'd been strangled. Police examined closed-circuit TV pictures, quizzed Pakistan players and other hotel guests and hired cricket anti-corruption officers to investigate whether his death was linked to match-fixing.``It should also be noted that extensive investigations by the Jamaica Constabulary Force and the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit found no evidence of match-fixing or corruption of any kind related in this case,'' the Dubai-based ICC added.During earlier testimony in the coroner's inquest, which began Oct. 16, Jamaican pathologist Ere Sheshiah said Woolmer died of pesticide poisoning and asphyxia, Agence-France Presse said. Pathologists from the U.K., Canada and South Africa concluded that Woolmer died from natural causes, most likely heart disease, the ICC said.Woolmer, a former England batsman, suffered from diabetes and had put on weight since taking the Pakistan job in 2004. Blood, vomit and diarrhea were found on the walls and floor of his hotel bedroom and bathroom, Mark Shields, Jamaica's deputy police commissioner, said at the start of the investigation. .

Buoyant "England" win "Sri Lanka" tour cricket match

2007-11-28T12:45:00.000+05:00

COLOMBO (Mr.Khan News) — Michael Vaughan's England celebrated a morale-boosting win ahead of the Test series against Sri Lanka as the gloom lifted around the injury-hit tourists on Tuesday.England, preparing for Saturday's first Test in Kandy, surpassed a victory target of 246 for the loss of five wickets in the last session of a three-day practice match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI here.Left-handed opener Alastair Cook led the charge with 58 and Kevin Pietersen made 59 on a slow track at the Nondescript Cricket Club where England were dismissed for 134 in the first innings.The victory was set up the previous evening by Yorkshire paceman Matthew Hoggard, who grabbed five wickets including three in one over to send the hosts crashing to 81 all out.Wicket-keeper Matthew Prior clinched the win with two consecutive boundaries off Jehan Mubarak to remain unbeaten with 27 alongside Owais Shah (33 not out).

England had further reason to smile as fast bowler James Anderson recovered from a bruised ankle that forced him off the field on the second day and looks certain to play in the first of three back-to-back Tests.However, strike bowler Steve Harmison is likely to miss the Kandy Test even though scans on a troublesome back at a local hospital on Tuesday morning showed no serious injury.Harmison, 29, who suffered back spasms on Sunday, was a late entrant to the touring squad after proving his fitness playing first-class cricket in South Africa following a hernia surgery.Vaughan said later his team was ready to take on Sri Lanka in the Test series."It's always difficult in this part of the world, so this was a good game of cricket for us to win," the England captain said. "We feel we are in good spirits going into the first Test.

"How much of an impact this result has on the Tests remains to be seen. But yesterday we were looking like losing, so to come through and win shows a lot of character, which is a good sign for the team."The SLC XI added four runs to their overnight total of 77-8 before being all out for 81 with Kaushal Lokuarachchi unable to bat due to a hand injury.Vaughan and Cook put on 50 for the first wicket before the England captain, who made 28, mis-hit a ball from part-time bowler Mubarak to Tillekeratne Dilshan at point.Ian Bell, looking to step up the scoring, top-edged a drive off Dilshan to long-on as England slipped to 74-2.Pietersen and Cook put on 65 either side of the lunch interval before both departed in quick succession.Cook, England's man in form with 63 in the tour opener and 35 in the first innings here, hit six boundaries before he was trapped leg-before by Mubarak.Pietersen smashed five fours and a six when he edged an intended cut off another part-time bowler Chamara Kapugedara to wicket-keeper Kaushal Silva.The home side missed the leg-breaks of Lokuarachchi, the lone specialist spinner in the team who dislocated his right index finger while attempting a return catch off Bopara on Monday.England leave for Kandy on Wednesday morning for three days of hard training before the first Test..

Cricket "Zimbabwe" to tour "Pakistan" next year after elections

2007-11-28T12:42:00.000+05:00

KARACHI, Nov 27 (Mr.Khan News) - Zimbabwe will tour Pakistan after the host country's general elections on Jan. 8 to play five one-day internationals, a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official said on Tuesday.The official told Reuters that at the request of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, which has had its test status suspended since 2005, the team would play a four-day and three-day game before the one-day series."They want their players to get exposure in the longer duration of the game as they are not playing tests at the moment," the official said.The one-day internationals will be stagedin Karachi, Hyderabad, Multan, Faisalabad and Sheikhupura.

The official said the itinerary for the Australian team's tour to Pakistan in March-April next year would be completed after a visit by a delegation of Cricket Australia following the elections.The Australian Cricketers' Association have said they are worried about security arrangements in Pakistan because of the political upheaval since the introduction of emergency rule.Australia are due to arrive in Pakistan on March 10 to play three tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 international."We are not worried because their tour is still some months away and by that time the elections would have been held and things would have settled down politically," the PCB official said. .

Australian Cricketers Association worried about security in pakistan

2007-11-27T12:53:00.000+05:00

YDNEY (Reuters) - There is increasing concern among Australia's cricketers about their planned tour of Pakistan next year.The Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) said they were worried about security arrangements in Pakistan because of the political upheaval since the introduction of emergency rule.ACA president Darren Lehmann told reporters on Monday the tour should be cancelled, or moved to a neutral venue, if there was any risk to player safety."If there's any risk at all then I'm presuming the tour might not go ahead," Lehmann said."But if security say it's fine then we'll be going."Australia are due to tour Pakistan next March but Lehmann said the ACA and Cricket Australia were planning to visit the country in January to determine whether it was safe enough.Lehmann said they would present their findings to the players who would make the final decision."We put everything on the table for them and then it's a group decision from there," Lehmann said."Pretty much they're happy to go with the ACA and Cricket Australia what we recommend and that'll be a joint discussion along the way so if we say 'Look we think it's safe to go', they'll go."

India Survived A Top Order Collapse In Delhi Test:

2007-11-25T01:33:00.000+05:00

DEHLI,The first Test in Delhi is intriguingly poised after Pakistan closed day three 167 runs ahead of India at 212-5.Danish Kaneria took three wickets in 15 balls as Pakistan snared India's final four wickets for 14 to restrict the home side's first innings lead to 45.Salman Butt gave Pakistan an excellent start with 11 fours in his 67 but three wickets fell for 12 within eight overs.Misbah-ul-Haq, dropped on one, hit two sixes and shared an unbroken 51 with Kamran Akmal to add a further twist.On a fluctuating day of Test action, VVS Laxman had taken his seventh-wicket partnership with Anil Kumble to 54 before Kaneria made the breakthrough.The India captain edged a sharp leg-break to Younus Khan at first slip for 24.The 22-year-old Tanvir bowled Harbhajan Singh round his legs for one in the next over before Kaneria removed the last two batsmen Zaheer Khan (9) and Munaf Patel (0) with successive deliveries. Khan smashed Kaneria over long on for six but could only mis-hit the next flighted delivery to be caught by a running Shoaib Akhtar at mid off. Patel fell lbw first ball.Pacemen Shoaib and Tanvir had led Pakistan's fightback by triggering a top-order batting collapse on the second afternoon before Laxman added 115 runs for the sixth wicket with Mahendra Dhoni (57).Laxman, 33, who completed his 30th Test fifty, glided Shoaib through the slips for his only four in the morning before running out of partners.He hit eight fours in his 135-ball knock spanning over four hours but was left stranded on 72.Butt and Yasir Hameed calmly recorded the Pakistan 50 in the 16th over, before skipper Kumble and spin partner Harbhajan began to restrict the scoring slightly.

Kumble made the breakthrough in the 26th over when Hameed pushed forward to a full and fast delivery, the ball flew off the face of the bat and was brilliantly caught inches from the turf at silly point by Laxman.In the fourth over after tea, Younus was adjudged lbw by Simon Taufel when he was hit low on the pad pushing forward to Kumble.
That brought in the prolific Mohammad Yousuf who promptly hit two fours in reaching 10 from his first three balls.But when he was on 18, he succumbed to the first ball of Harbhajan's new spell when some extra turn caught his inside edge and gave the spinner a simple return catch.Less than four overs later Butt was back in the pavilion as well, when Kumble's googly deceived him and the edge was comfortably snaffled by Rahul Dravid at slip.

Pakistan were only 116 ahead when they lost their fifth wicket, skipper Shoaib Malik unluckily losing a solitary bail when he got a bottom edge via the pad.It might have been even worse had Wasim Jaffer taken a reasonably straightforward chance at short-leg given by Misbah off his irate captain when only a single had been added.Misbah then dispatched Harbhajan for two sixes in an over and with Akmal striking four fours in his 20, the sixth-wicket pair began to build the sort of target to give India's batsmen cause for concern as the increasingly fascinating encounter nears its conclusion.

Harbhajan pitches in for India win over Pakistan

2007-11-24T19:35:00.000+05:00

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh is confident of victory in the first test against Pakistan despite only two teams having successfully chased a fourth innings target of over 200 runs at the Ferozshah Kotla ground.Pakistan were 212 for five in their second innings at stumps on the third day, leading by 167 runs, after Harbhajan and leg spinner Anil Kumble caused a batting collapse on Saturday.Harbhajan, who took two for 51 and Kumble three for 55, said they succeeded despite the pitch playing better than the first two days when the ball often kept low.Pakistan were 231 all out in the first innings and India were dismissed for 276 in reply."We've a good chance, the wicket is playing better," Harbhajan told reporters. "I can't believe the match is being played on the same pitch.""Kumble has always done well here and once again he has brought the game back to us," he said.The Indian skipper, the third highest wicket taker in test history, took 10 Pakistan second innings wickets to achieve victory in 1999.
The 37-year-old has taken seven wickets so far in the game. Pakistan's Misbah-ul Haq followed his first innings 82 with 29 not out after being dropped on one, adding 51 runs for the unbroken sixth wicket with Kamran Akmal (21 not out)."If Wasim Jaffer had held the chance, maybe they would be seven, eight, nine even all out," Harbhajan said. "The pressure was such."Pakistan opener Salman Butt, who hit 67, said his team had still not averted defeat."If we get another 120-130 runs it would be safe for us," he said. "India have some good batsmen so we have to bowl well like we did in the first innings."The pitch is low and slow but none of the batsman got out because of that."

Security for Pak. cricket team reviewed

2007-11-24T19:23:00.000+05:00

New Delhi (PTI): Security for visiting Pakistani cricket team was on Saturday strengthened and a country-wide alert sounded by Union Home Ministry against terror strikes in the wake of an e-mail to a television channel threatening an attack on the team and a series of explosions.An alert was sounded following intelligence inputs suggesting that various sleeper cells of militants outfits like banned Harkat-ul-Jehadi Islamia (HuJI) and Lashker-e- Taiba (LeT) would be targeting some key installations in the country, official sources said.They said the security for the Pakistani cricket team, now playing a test match here, was further strengthened with more security personnel deployed at the hotels where they are staying.

The states and the Union territories have been asked to keep a strict vigil on their entry and exit points and deploy strengthen intelligence-gathering.The states have also been asked to ensure beefed-up security to the public transport system which could be the target of militants, the sources said.The email address -- guru_boys2000@yahoo.com -- was created on Friday and central security agencies were trying to trace it.Friday's email received from guru_alhindi@yahoo.fr had been generated on November 22, a day ahead of the blasts in Uttar Pradesh and the authorities were in touch with the service provider to give other details including the server from which the email identity was registered.

SHAH RUKH NOT IN CRICKET MATCH AGAIN-SHOAIB MALIK DISAPPOINTED-KAPIL DEV DEFENDED

2007-11-23T11:52:00.000+05:00

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has upset so much when Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) accused the actor of using the ongoing ODI series to promote his latest Hindi flick ‘Om Shanti Om’.He has vowed never to be a spectator at match involving the Indian team.Shoaib Malik's elder brother Imran Malik,at the Ferozeshah Kotla,watching the first Indo-Pak Test, said his whole family love Shahrukh a lot and Shoaib Malik was very disappointed to know that the great khan may not come to watch any match again."We often discuss cricketing matters at length and yesterday Shoaib was very disappointed after knowing about Shahrukh's statement," said Imran Malik." Shoaib Malik was of the view that if we can go and watch their films why cannot they watch our matches?" The cricket legend and former Indian captain Kapil Dev supported Shah Rukh Khan's presence at cricket matches, saying association of a celebrity like him would popularise the game. He added that Shah Rukh was a cricket fan and watched the fifth ODI between India and Pakistan because of his sheer craze for the sport."I think like any other cricket buff Shah Rukh took time off to watch a match and there was nothing wrong in it. If the Prime Minister of India comes to watch a match, it is a great thing for cricket," he said."Shah Rukh is known for his movies and acting and if he had a chat on his film, I don't think it was wrong," he said.Kapil said a star like Shah Rukh did not need to use a cricket match to make publicity for his movie."Shah Rukh is already a popular personality in the world through his films. Does he need cricket to popularise himself and his work?"

Cricket: England draw Sri Lanka tour opener

2007-11-23T11:42:00.001+05:00

England drew their first match of the Sri Lanka tour on Thursday after gaining useful batting practice at the Colombo Cricket Club.The tourists, replying to Sri Lanka Cricket XI's mammoth 500-5 piled over the first two days of the practice match, scored 315-6 on the final day before the game was called off.Opener Alastair Cook made 63, Ian Bell hit 49 and Paul Collingwood smashed a belligerent 52 off 69 balls before all three batsmen retired to give others a chance at the crease.England captain Michael Vaughan made 38 but star batsmen Kevin Pietersen was dismissed cheaply.Vaughan was trapped leg-before by leg-spinner Malinga Bandara, while Pietersen fended at a short ball from Nuwan Kulasekera and was caught at gully for four.It was England's first hit since the one-day tour of Sri Lanka a month ago when they recorded an impressive 3-2 win in the five-match series.The tourists get another chance to tune up for three back-to-back Tests starting in Kandy on Decemer 1 when they play a first-class match against the same opposition in Colombo from Sunday.The home team, comprising Sri Lanka's second-string, had batted for two days with opener Upul Tharanga making 112, 20-year-old Chamara Kapugedara 141 and Thilana Kandamby an unbeaten 107.The local spinners suffered as much on the dead wicket as their English counterparts Monty Panesar (1-117) and Graeme Swann (1-112).After the Kandy Test ends on December 5, the second Test will be played in Colombo from December 9-13 and the third in Galle from December 18-22.Brief scores:SLC XI 500-5 decl (U. Tharanga 112, M. Warnapura 48, C. Kapugedara 141, T. Kandamby 107 not out, K. Silva 54 not out, R. Sidebottom 1-46, S. Broad 1-41, M. Panesar 1-117, G. Swann 1-112)England: 315-6 (A. Cook 63 retired out, I. Bell 49 retired out, P. Collingwood 52 retired out, Owais Shah 38 retired out, R. Bopara 40 not out)

Shahrukh Khan And Deepika Padukones- guest appearance at 5th ODI:

2007-11-19T05:35:00.000+05:00

JAIPUR-Sunday, November 18: Although He have played a hockey coach role in Chak De India but cricket seems closer to the heart of Shahrukh Khan, who made a guest appearance in the fifth one day international,here.Attired in white shirt and black trousers and sporting a ponytail, the actor joined Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) President Lalit Modi to share his views on the match to anchor Rameez Raja. It's great to see the camaraderie between the players. They are talking to each other and enjoying the game, it feels good," the great khan said.He also took the opportunity to thank his fans for making Om Shanti Om a roaring success."Have you seen the movie yourself?" he asked Raja. When the Pakistani cricketer-turned-commentator replied in the negative, Shahrukh said, "Before theTest series starts, do find out time and watch it. And watch it with your family."Later, RCA spokesman Anant Vyas told that Shahrukh had arrived after being invited by Modi."He's a dear friend of Mr Modi and has arrived here on an invitation," he said. Once the interaction part was over, Shahrukh took his side in the VIP enclosure at the SouthBlock of the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.Shahrukh, along with Om Shanti Om co-star Deepika Padukone, who is often linked with Team India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, had also turned up to root for the team when the side took on Australia in Mumbai last month.Prior to that, Shahrukh also made a surprising visit to the press box at The Oval where India were playing the third and final Test against England.

PAKISTAN BEAT INDIA IN 5TH ODI BY 31RUNS-INDIA WON THE SERIES:

2007-11-19T04:19:00.000+05:00

wahabuddin khan`s report
Pakistan won the best for the last as their batsmen piled up 306-6 and then bowled out India for 275 to win the fifth and final ODI in Jaipur on Sunday. Shoaib Malik and Mohd Yousuf struck fluent fifties to boost Pakistan's total, while India capitulated in front of the Pakistani bowlers led by Sohail Tanvir, who bagged four wickets. Batting first, Pakistan's new opening pair of Salman Butt and Imran Nazir settled quickly.when a slower Santh delivery prompted Nazir to slap a simple return catch, Pakistan were struggling on 77-3 in the 17th over.Then Yousuf and Malik came to the crease, and the experienced pair mixed the occasional boundary with a series of ones and twos to rebuild Pakistan's innings.Yousuf was twice lucky to remain at the crease, firstly when he was trapped in front by Yuvraj only for the appeals to be waved away by umpire Billy Doctrove, and then when his top-edged sweep fell between the fielders at square leg.But, he and Malik - who heaved two wonderful sixes over mid-wicket and six fours in an aggressive knock - had soon moved Pakistan to 245-3 with eight overs remaining.
Kartik returned to the attack to have Malik cleverly stumped, and Yousuf fell in similar fashion to Yuvraj two overs later, but Misbah-ul-haq (22) and Fawad Alam (31no) took up the baton.The pair put on 38 in 4.5 overs, sharing two sixes and three fours, and even after Misbah fell to a brilliant caught-and-bowled to Irfan Pathan, Alam saw Pakistan past 300.It was always going to be a tough total - despite the batsman-friendly surface in Jaipur - but Pakistan got off to a fabulous start with four wickets in the first 12 overs. Tanvir was the hosts' main tormentor, the seamer trapping Gautam Gambhir plumb in front in the fourth over, and inducing a rash swipe from Virender Sehwag in the 12th.

That came after the seamer had snared the precious wicket of Sachin Tendulkar, the Little Master edging to slip just as he looked like getting into his stride.Rao Iftikhar was the other early wicket-taker, Robin Uthappa falling to a simple catch at first slip two balls after he had been dropped by the same fielder, but Sharma and Yuvraj built something of a recovery.With the dewy conditions playing havoc with the spinners' grip and the seamers increasingly ineffectual under the lights, the pair milked the ones and twos in putting on 81.However, minutes after reaching his maiden half-century, Sharma fell for 52 when he dollied Malik to long-on - and Yuvraj followed suit when he was given out caught behind off Umar Gul on 50 despite the ball appearing to come off his shoulder.While Dhoni remained even the asking rate of over nine an over did not seem totally out of India's reach, but the wicket-keeper soon took one liberty too many when he skied Malik to mid-wicket.The hosts were never in the race thereafter and Malik took his third wicket with his off-spinners when Kumar holed out at mid-wicket, before Kartik skewed Iftikhar to backward point to end his enterprising knock of 16.Pathan (44 off 39 balls) produced some late fireworks, but he was left with far too much to do and home resistance was finally ended with a ball to spare when Tanvir clean bowled the left-hander to finish with figures of 9.5-0-53-4. Indian skipper Dhoni said the early strikes by Tanvir left his team struggling and praised Malik and Yousuf.
"Pakistan exploited the conditions," he said. "Our top order batsmen played the kind of shots they would not on a normal day."

2009-Twenty20- World Cup Groups announced

2007-11-17T20:35:00.000+05:00

Defending champions India were placed in an easy group A alongside Bangladesh and Zimbabwe for the 2009 ICC Twenty20 cricket World Championships in England.The grouping for the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup was decided in a two-day ICC board meeting, which concluded on Wednesday.The early decision on the matter was taken on the request of hosts England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), who want to proceed with the venue event bidding process which would allow match tickets to go on sale at the earliest.
Since not enough matches have been played in the shortest format of the game to allow viable official rankings, the board decided to group teams on the basis of their finishing positions in the inaugural edition of the championship this year.
ODI World Champions Australia have been placed in group C along with Sri Lanka and West Indies.

The Groups:

Group A: India, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe

Group B: Pakistan, England, Associate 1

Group C: Australia, Sri Lanka, West Indies

Group D: New Zealand, South Africa, Associate 2.

Shoaib Akhtar And Sanjay Dutt meeting ON Sunday:

2007-11-17T19:47:00.000+05:00

Sanjay Dutt who had a bitter experiences this year has added another admirer to his fan’s kit . It is none other than the Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akthar of Pakistan team .Yes it is said that Shoaib Akhtar is a very big fan of “Munnabhai” and watches all his films. It is also said that the Public relation executive of Shoaib Akhtar is making all arrangements to the meeting of Akhtar and Sanjay.It is said that Shoaib will meet the star inYerwada jail and the Rawalpindi express wants to give a special gift to Sanjay and also the million prayers offered for him by the Pakistanis . If all goes well than the speedster will be meeting Sanjay on Sunday and may be under whole media coverage . So let us hope that he gets the permission and than all can witness the meeting of controversial cricket child with one and only Munnabhai

Sri Lankan Bowler Maharoof To Miss England Cricket Series:

2007-11-17T18:51:00.000+05:00

HOBART, Australi — The beleaguered Sri Lankan tourists will be without seamer Farveez Maharoof for this month's home cricket series with England, skipper Mahela Jayawardene said Saturday.The former under-19 skipper suffered a left ankle injury while bowling on the opening day of the second Test here against Australia and sat out Saturday's second day's play.Jayawardene confirmed that the 23-year-old paceman will be out for up to five weeks and was definitely out of the series against England, which gets underway in Sri Lanka late this month.The Sri Lankans are under the pump against the rampant Australians, losing last week's first Brisbane Test by an innings and 40 runs and on the end of another massive Australian innings of 542 for five declared here on Saturday.Jayawardene had to make do with a threadbare strikeforce of just three bowlers and paid dearly.
Lasith Malinga finished with 1-156 off 35 overs, Dilhara Fernando 2-131 off 26 overs and Muttiah Muralitharan 1-140 from 46 overs."Farveez had a scan yesterday and he's got crush fracture in his ankle and it looks like he will be out of the England series," Jayawardene said Saturday."He'll be out for at least four to five weeks, it could be a bit more than that depending on how he will feel especially because he is a fast bowler and he needs to put his weight on that ankle."He'll be definitely out of the England Test series."

Australia's Gilchrist hits unprecedented 100th 6 in test cricket

2007-11-17T18:32:00.000+05:00

HOBART, Australia: Adam Gilchrist became the first batsman to hit 100 sixes in test cricket, belting a ball from one of the game's premier bowlers out of the ground in typically swashbuckling style.Now he wants the ball back to keep as a memento.Last seen, it was rolling down a street adjoining Bellerive Oval, with some children chasing it.The 36-year-old Australian vice-captain hit consecutive sixes against Muttiah Muralitharan over mid-wicket late Saturday in the second test against Sri Lanka, the second one going right out of the stadium to notch 6 No. 100."We haven't got the ball back which is a bit frustrating," Gilchrist said. "I'm not a massive collector of memorabilia but I think there's probably a few little bits and pieces every cricketer has stashed away that means something to them."
Unlike baseball, where home run balls can remain in the hands of fans and can be worth a lot of money to the person who catches it, the cricket ball is supposed to be returned to the field before the game continues.If a ball is genuinely lost, a replacement with similar wear and tear is selected by umpires. After a cricket ball has been used for 90 overs, it usually goes to the player who achieved a significant milestone with it."That's a unique little item and I'd love to get it back," Gilchrist said. "There aren't many things that you do in life that you're the only person ever to have done. With that in mind it would be nice to have the ball that notched that 100."

Gilchrist was unbeaten on 67, including three 6s and seven boundaries — when Australia captain Ricky Ponting declared the innings closed at 542 for five, giving Sri Lanka 12 overs to bat before bad light stopped play on day two.It was his 130th test innings — but first in 10 months — in a career spanning 92 matches. His first six in test cricket was at the same venue, when he helped steer Australia to a comeback win over Pakistan in 1999.Nobody else has come close to Gilchrist's rate of clearing the boundaries in the test arena.West Indies great Brian Lara hit 88 sixes in his 131-test career, one more than New Zealander Chris Cairns notched in 62 tests.Viv Richards, another West Indies great who earned the nickname "the Masters Blaster," hit 84 sixes in his 121 test matches in the 1970s and 80s.Earlier in the week, Gilchrist was voted Australia's greatest limited-overs player. He has hit 141 sixes in 275 limited-overs internationals and has a batting strike rate of 96.66 per hundred balls in the shorter format.Gilchrist said he had only really thought about the 100 milestone when he hit Lasith Malinga for sixes earlier in his innings on Saturday."I went 'oh, that's right — it's coming up'... it came into my mindset a bit," he said. "The sixes at the end were very natural free-flowing shots, not trying to bludgeon the ball over the rope."Despite his reputation for big hitting, Gilchrist said he usually finds he hits more sixes when he's concentrating on trying to bat properly and not just slog the ball.And he knows a good shot as soon as he sees it."There is a nano-second, just a moment in time when you are the only person in the whole world who knows that you've hit it right in the middle," he said.

This is Cricket: The Basics of Batting -video

2007-11-16T14:26:00.000+05:00

This is Cricket - Bowling covers the basics of bowling-video

Pakistan's Muhammed Asif to miss India test series:

2007-11-16T14:18:00.000+05:00

KARACHI - Pakistan pacer Mohammad Asif has failed to recover from an elbow injury and will miss the test series in India, the Pakistan Cricket Board said on Friday
"He is still struggling with his elbow injury and is going to be sent to Australia for a complete check-up and rehabilitation process," chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed told Reuters on Friday.
"He will leave in a week's time and hopefully he will be fit before our next important series. Asif's absence from the Indian tour has been a setback for the team."Pakistan and India play three test from November 22.Selectors have called up leg spinner Danish Kaneria, batsman Faisal Iqbal and fast bowler Mohammad Sami for the three tests.They will replace Imran Nazir, Fawad Alam, Rao Iftikhar and allrounder Shahid Afridi who were in the one-day squad and are due to return home after the fifth game on Sunday in Jaipur.India has an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series after winning the fourth match in Gwalior on Thursday.

Pakistan's Muhammed Yousuf asked to face hearing after ICL U-turn:

2007-11-16T14:11:00.000+05:00

MUMBAI- Pakistani batsman Mohammad Yousuf has been asked to face an arbitration hearing over his decision to pull out of a rebel Indian Twenty20 league.Yousuf had signed up with the lucrative Indian Cricket League (ICL), which has not been approved by national boards, but then changed his mind and joined the Indian Premier League(IPL).The IPL is the Indian board's multi-million dollar professional Twenty20 league launched to counter the rebel version.Yousuf has been asked to attend the hearing in Mumbai a day before Pakistan begin their first test against India in New Delhi on November 22.India's Essel Group, the promoters of the ICL, confirmed they had sent the batsman a legal notice for arbitration."We will not let him set a bad example," Ashish Kaul, executive vice president of the Essel Group, said on Friday.The inaugural tournament of the ICL will be played from November 30 to December 16. The league has attracted several big names including Brian Lara and Inzamam-ul-Haq."The Pakistan Cricket Board will be handling all these matters.

Cricketers At Gwalior Fort - photo gallery

2007-11-15T13:11:00.000+05:00

Pakistani and Indian cricketers enjoy during the visit to the historical Gwalior Fort on Wednesday,14th Nov, the eve of the fourth ODI of the series.

Shahrukh And Harbhajan Singh--A Pretty Event.

2007-11-15T12:45:00.000+05:00

Recently when Harbhajan Singh was at the event held in Lucknow to celebrate the Indian and Pakistani teams SRK did the jig with Dia Mirza and called up the leggie Harbhajan to do the same steps he did. However the spinner landed in a tangled web and said that he could not complete the intimate step of holding Dia and looking into her eyes.
What followed shocked and thrilled others as SRK said that he would play Dia’s role and Harbhajan was to play his. This ended with Harbhajan holding SRK and staring into his eyes like long time lovers. A pretty funny sight it was.