We have a game plan "Younis"

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

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

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:

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:

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:

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:

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

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:

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)

* 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.