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

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

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

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:

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

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

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

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

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:

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:

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."