Wasim not to be part of task team formed to improve domestic cricket

LAHORE : Former Pakistan cricket captain Wasim Akram has excused himself from being part of the task team formed to improve domestic cricket,

According to sources, the PCB has decided to form a task team to improve domestic cricket which will be headed by Intikhab Alam.

Sources further add that Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Moin Khan, Sarfaraz Nawaz and Iqbal Qasim will be part of the task team.

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Team performance improving day by day: Abdul Razzaq

LAHORE : Renowned cricket all-rounder Abdul Razzaq said the performance of the Pakistan cricket team is improving day by day and he can representative the national team for further three years.

Abdul Razzaq was talking with media here at the Allam Iqbal International Airport on the occasion of leaving for Australia where he will participate in their domestic cricket.

He said that the performance of the national team has improved and its series of victories will help a lot Pakistan in the forthcoming Malaysia Cup and the Twenty20 World Cup.

The all-rounder further said that he can play T20 and one-day cricket for two to three years more for Pakistan and during this period he will try his best to transform his experience to newcomers

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Team's winning performance is reaction to spot-fixing scandal: Misbah

ISLAMABAD : Pakistan cricket team captain Misbah-ul-Haq has said that the team's winning performance in the series against New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka is a reaction to the spot-fixing scandal which could have easily thrown them into disarray.

"I think the way we are performing, you can say what happened with Pakistan cricket, the boys have come out really strong and all wanted to do well. It's the reason behind that. The day controversies hit the team, I think the boys had it set in their mind that they will prove that they are a good cricket team and good players," espncricinfo.com quoted Misbah as saying.

However Pakistan wrapped up the first Test against Bangladesh, giving them their fifth win in their previous nine Tests - this one by an innings-and-184-run.

Misbah, who took over as captain in 2010 gave his team the credit after their latest triumph.

"I think if the team is doing well then credit goes to everyone, which also includes the captain," Misbah said.

"But the main thing is players are important in the team. If they are not performing, the captain can't do anything. For which I think the credit goes to every player. They are putting in their efforts and fulfilling their responsibilities. That's why the team is winning."

Misbah said the spark came from their series against South Africa last year, where Pakistan fought to draw both Tests.

"The confidence comes from the performances. When you are performing as a team game by game and you are performing well, the confidence is building. This is really helping us as a team. The series against South Africa in October last year was a big test for us. We played really strong against them in the two Test matches and at that time South Africa was one of the best Test sides.

"After that the team got the confidence as every player performed in that series which kept on building in every match after that," he concluded.

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Younus vaults into fifth position

Pakistan batting's mainstay Younus Khan has charged up the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen after his double-century set-up an innings and 184-run victory for Pakistan in the first Test against Bangladesh.

The 34-year-old, whose triple-century against Sri Lanka at Karachi in February 2009 had put him in number-one position, has moved up 11 places to claim fifth position behind Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, South Africa's Jacques Kallis and England duo, Alastair Cook and Ian Bell.

Mohammad Hafeez and Asad Shafiq, who also scored centuries in the Chittagong Test, have also made upward movements. Hafeez has gained 12 places and is now in 47th position, while Asad has moved up 20 places to claim 63rd spot.

Bangladesh's Nazimuddin, who scored 31 and 78 on his debut, has entered in 64th position.

Spinners Abdur Rehman and Elias Sunny have improved their rankings after good performances in the Chittagong Test. Abdur Rehman, who had figures of 3-9 and 4-88, has jumped 13 places to 22nd position while Sunny, who took 3-123 in Pakistan's only innings, has jumped 14 places to 53rd spot.

New Zealand's fast bowler Doug Bracewell's stellar performance in the Blackcaps' sensational seven-run victory in the Hobart Test has lifted him 50 places to 39th position. The 21-year-old Bracewell had figures of 3-20 and 6-40 which turned out to be the cornerstone of New Zealand's first Test victory in Australia in 26 years.

Bracewell is now New Zealand's third highest-ranked bowler after Daniel Vettori (seventh) and Chris Martin (up by one place to 16th).

The other notable bowlers from the Hobart Test obart to improve their rankings are Australia's new ball pair of James Pattinson and Peter Siddle.

Siddle, who won the ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year award at the LG ICC Awards in Johannesburg in 2009, has gained three places and is now in 13th position while Pattinson, a 21-year-old from Melbourne, has jumped 31 places to 41st position following his match figures 34.5-10-105-8.

The bowlers' list is headed by South Africa's Dale Steyn with England's James Anderson second and Morne Morkel of South Africa third.

Australia opener David Warner is the biggest mover in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen as his unbeaten century in Hobart has lifted him 131 places to 70th position. Warner, adjudged man of the match, carried his bat while scoring 123 runs that came off 170 balls and included14 fours.

The other batsmen to head in the right direction from the Hobart Test are all New Zealanders and include captain Ross Taylor, Dean Brownlie and Kane Williamson.

Taylor, who was New Zealand's top scorer in the second innings with 56, has gained two places and is now ranked 21st while Brownlie has moved up 12 places to 55th position after scores of 56 and 21. Williamson contributions of 19 and 34 have helped him move up six places to 68th spot.

Meanwhile, South Africa and Sri Lanka go head to head in the three-Test series at Centurion from Thursday with both the sides eyeing upward movements.

South Africa currently sits in third position on 116 ratings points, one behind India, while Sri Lanka is in fifth spot, 17 ratings points behind.

If South Africa wins the series by 2-0 or better, it could leapfrog India into second position, while Sri Lanka's victory by 1-0 or better might put it ahead of Australia in fourth position. The teams ranking on the Championship table will largely depend on how the Australia-India series pans out.

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Rahul Dravid to deliver Sir Donald Bradman Oration in Canberra

India's Rahul Dravid, Test cricket's second highest run scorer, will deliver the Sir Donald Bradman Oration at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra on Wednesday.

Dravid is the first Indian invited to deliver the Oration at the event which honours the career, contribution and memory of the world's greatest-ever cricketer, Sir Donald Bradman.

During his Oration, Dravid will speak on a wide range of issues, including:

• The strong link between India and Australia during the first World War
• What Don Bradman meant to India in the 1930s
• Cricket's place in India and India's place in world cricket
• The challenges for cricket, including scheduling and balancing the three formats of the game

Tonight's event will also include a tribute to a group of Australian servicemen who helped restore public morale, and cricket's place in the community, in the weeks following the final shots of World War II in Europe.

At the request of then Prime Minister John Curtin, a group of Aussie soldiers and airmen were pulled together to play a series of " Victory Tests" in England in May-August 1945. They took on Wally Hammond and Len Hutton's Englishmen in front of packed houses - 375,000 attended the five games - and held them to a 2-2 series draw.

Reg Ellis, the sole remaining survivor from the Combined Services team, will be a special guest of Cricket Australia tonight. Trained by Clarrie Grimmett before WWII, Ellis was a slow left arm bowler and was Australia's top wicket-taker in the Victory Tests.

Since 2000, the Sir Donald Bradman Oration has provided a platform for a prominent national or international figure to reflect on Sir Donald's career, and on cricket's place in their own lives and the life of their nation. Past orators have been former Prime Minister John Howard, General Peter Cosgrove, Sir Michael Parkinson, Richie Benaud, Alan Jones, Ricky Ponting, Greg Chappell and Sir Tim Rice.

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Intikhab: Pakistan is "very positive" about England series

Former Pakistan cricket captain, coach and team manager Intikhab Alam says the team is "very positive" about its chances against England in the upcoming Test, One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) series taking place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) next year.

Intikhab, who now works as the Pakistan Cricket Board's Director of Game Development and its Director of Cricket Operations (International), has been in the UAE this week to check on arrangements ahead of the tour.

And he said: "We are very positive. The way the team has gelled means morale is rocketing high but we have to make sure we keep playing that same way.

"England are the number one Test side in the world and so despite our recent successes (against Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh) they will be different kettle of fish.

"They will be a real test but we have enough talent to beat them. We have done it in the past and we can do it again."

Intikhab said he expected Pakistan's bowling would be the team's strength in the upcoming series that features three Tests, four ODIs and three T20Is, starting with the opening Test at Dubai Sports City which begins on 17 January.

"What we have to work on is our fielding and batting against better attacks like England," he said. "But we are fortunate to have a complete bowling attack with all the spin options - leg-spin, left-arm and off-spin - and we have good fast bowlers as well."

And Intikhab said the Pakistan players' familiarity with conditions in the UAE would also work in their favour.

"We've been playing back-to-back series but the players will have a fortnight's rest before they come back here to the UAE so they should be in good shape.

"The team is used to playing here in the UAE with matches in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and also Sharjah so we should have an advantage in that respect."

Intikhab checked out the facilities at Dubai Sports City and was impressed by what he saw.

"I wanted to check out the facilities at the (ICC) Global Cricket Academy," he said. "I think it's all very good and they have got all the necessary equipment, including different types of pitches," he said.

"There's the ProBatter simulator, where you can face any bowler you want. It makes sense and it's very good as it gives you the same atmosphere as you get facing that bowler for real. And there's a spin bowling machine - that's very interesting too.

"The facilities are top class (at the ICC Global Cricket Academy). They've worked very hard, provided all the facilities and you can't complain about anything," he added.

Please find attached photographs of Intikhab Alam's visit to the ICC Global Cricket Academy. The photographs are © Dubai Sports City and are available for free editorial use.

Bank Alfalah presents the Mobilink Jazz Cup - Pakistan v England. The itinerary for the series, which features matches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, can be found at http://www.pcb.com.pk/contents/pakistan-international-cricket-schedule.html

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Rivals bid to end poor runs

South Africa and Sri Lanka each begin the three-Test series at Centurion on Thursday aiming for a return to form.

The hosts have failed to win any of their last four Test series at home - losing to Australia before drawing with England, India and Australia - while Sri Lanka are seeking their first Test victory anywhere since July 2010.

That match against India coincided with the final appearance before retirement of legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who helped his team to victory over India in Galle.

Since then Sri Lanka have lost four and drawn 10 of their 14 Tests.

The tourists are at least boosted by the likely presence in their side of key batsman Kumar Sangakkara, who is recovering well after splitting the webbing on his right hand whilst fielding in a warm-up match.

Sri Lanka vice-captain Angelo Mathews acknowledges his team's batsmen are likely to face a hostile opposition bowling attack on a lively pitch, making Sangakkara's presence even more crucial.

Mathews said: "The main thing we need to adapt to is the bounce and the pace. The team is in a good mood but we need to show it out there on the field."

Sri Lanka's bowling options have been further limited by the withdrawal from the squad of pace man Nuwan Pradeep, who tore a hamstring over the weekend.

South Africa have no such injury concerns as they get ready to unleash a pace attack spearheaded by Dale Steyn on a wary opposition.

Teams

South Africa (probable): Graeme Smith (capt), AB de Villiers (vice-capt), Jacques Rudolph, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher (wkt), Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir

Sri Lanka (from): Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), Angelo Mathews (vice-capt), Tharanga Paranavitana, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Dinesh Chandimal, Kaushal Silva (wkt), Lahiru Thirimanne, Dimuth Karunaratne, Chanaka Welegedara, Dilhara Fernando, Thisara Perera, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath, Thilan Samaraweera

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