Mohsin hopes ended after Whatmore selection

LAHORE  :  Interim coach Mohsin Hassan Khan’s hopes of becoming the permanent Pakistan head coach ended after the unanimous selection of Australian Dav Whatmore by the coach selection committee on Wednesday.The committee will submit final list to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Zaka Ashraf for approval within a couple of days. Talking to media men here at the Gaddafi Stadium, Mohsin said that he want to serve Pakistan cricket in any capacity and will accept the PCB decision on head coach whatsoever it would be.
Mohsin has been retained as interim coach for the Pakistan home series against England to be played from January 17 in the United Arab Emirates and he will be relieved from his job after the conclusion of the series.  It is also learnt that Mohsin Hasan be offered a job at National Cricket Academy (NCA) and it will depend on him to accept the offer or otherwise.
Whatmore will reach Pakistan on January 14, after the departure of Pakistan cricket team to United Arab Emirates, to finalise his deal and salary package and also discuss his role in team’s selection. His tenure will be for two years.
Dav Whatmore will assume his office charge after the approval of his nomination by the PCB chief prior to start of Asia Cup to be held in Bangladesh from March 1-12.  “There will be no additional batting coach but head coach will also work as batting coach,” said Intikhab Alam, head of coach selection committee, during a formal chat with the journalists.
His job duration will be for two years and he will be given responsibility of preparing the Pakistan team for the 2015 World Cup to be hosted jointly by Australia and New Zealand. Whatmore nomination was opposed by the some senior players due to his strict attitude but the PCB committee nominated him due to his hard working and strict attitude.  Whatmore earlier in 2007 also applied for the Pakistan coaching job, after the demise of South African coach Bob Woolmer, but due to players’ pressure former PCB chief Nasm Asharf preferred Australian Jeff Lawson but later he was sacked by Ijaz Butt

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Coach-hunt: Six names sent to PCB chief, says Intikhab

LAHORE: Intikhab Alam, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board`s (PCB) coach-hunt committee, has confirmed that a list of six shortlisted candidates has been sent to the board’s chief in order to seek his views before calling approved names for interviews.
The committee had earlier shortlisted five candidates for the position of head-coach and a list was sent to the former PCB chairman Ijaz Butt. However, a change at the helm not only delayed the appointment but also forced the committee to send in a fresh list.
Former Sri Lanka and Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore, who resigned from his post at the Kolkata Knight Riders earlier this week, remains a front-runner to get the nod but Intikhab said that candidates will be called in for interviews after the approval of Zaka Ashraf.
Five positions, six candidates
“We held a meeting for the purpose of finding Pakistan’s new coach and we’ve finalised six candidates after going through the applications for various coaching positions of the national squad,” Intikhab told reporters in Lahore. “There will be separate coaches for the bowling, batting and fielding departments, along with a head coach and whoever is appointed will be given a two-year contract.”
The PCB has kept its faith in former chief selector Mohsin Khan since the resignation of Waqar Younis, who stepped down after the tour of Zimbabwe. Mohsin, so far, has lead Pakistan to clean sweeps of two tours – against Sri Lanka in the UAE and against Bangladesh last month.
Mohsin`s tenure was extended for the Test, One-Day International and Twenty20 series against England that commences from January 17 in the UAE.

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Khan relaxed over Pakistan coaching future

Interim team coach Mohsin Khan said Wednesday he will have no problem with the Pakistan Cricket Board if he does not get the role full time.

Khan has led Pakistan to series wins over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh since replacing Waqar Younis in October 2011 and is now preparing the team to face top-ranked test side England.

The 56-year-old has applied for the permanent position, but local media reports suggest Australian coach Dav Whatmore is the favorite to take over.

Whatmore resigned as coach of Indian Premier League team Kolkata Knight Riders last week and is expected to arrive in Pakistan later this month for discussions with PCB officials.

"I have no ego problems, whatever decision the PCB makes," Khan told a news conference.

A three-member committee appointed by the PCB finalized its recommendations on Wednesday, but the new coach is not expected to be named until after the series against England, beginning Jan. 17.

Head of the committee Intikhab Alam said he received around 30 applications for the posts of Pakistan head coach, batting coach, bowling coach and fielding coach.

"I can only tell you that whoever is appointed as head coach will also be the batting coach," Alam told reporters, without revealing the names of the shortlisted candidates.

The committee will send its recommendations to the PCB chairman in a couple of days after which Alam said candidates will be called for interviews.

"We have also recommended that the Pakistan team should have a set of coaches for a two-year term," Alam said.

Khan was chief selector when Waqar resigned.

"I am ready to help Pakistan cricket in whichever capacity the PCB wants it," Khan said. "My services are always available to the Pakistan Cricket Board because whatever I am today it is because of Pakistan."

After victories in test, ODI and Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Khan's Pakistan team faces a much stiffer test against England.

"The balance of the England team is very good," Khan said. "Their pace attack, their spin attack, their batting order is very good."

Fast bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad and spinner Graeme Swann are rated among the top five test bowlers, while Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen are in the batting top 10.

Khan believes Pakistan has enough bowling resources to challenge England's batsmen.

"I can say it proudly that Saeed Ajmal is probably the best offspinner in the world," Khan said.

Ajmal was the leading wicket-taker in test cricket in 2011 with 50 and could be effective on the slow wickets of Dubai and Abu Dhabi ? where the three test matches will be held.

"Then we also have fast bowler Umar Gul and (Mohammad) Hafeez who plays important role with his offspin in test matches," Khan added.

"I think it will be a combination of pace attack and spin attack from both sides and the pressure will be on batsmen of both teams."

Pakistan leaves for Dubai on Jan. 9 after a four-day training camp in Lahore.

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Australia declare after Clarke's triple century

Michael Clarke scored only the 25th triple century in test cricket before declaring Australia's first innings at 659 for four, a lead of 468, on the third day of the second test against India on Thursday.

The Australia captain was 329 not out, the fourth highest score by an Australian and 14th highest by any batsman, when he called an end to the innings just after Mike Hussey reached 150.

India's second innnings got off to a poor start and the tourists lost opener Virender Sehwag for four, reaching tea on 53 for one to add to their first innings of 191.

Clarke had brought up the 300 shortly after lunch, flicking the ball through midwicket off the bowling of Ishant Sharma for the 37th four of his majestic innings to become the 21st cricketer to reach the milestone.

The 30-year-old whipped off his helmet to acknowledge a standing ovation from the crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground and pointed his bat towards his team mates in the home dressing room.

Clarke faced 478 balls and batted for 10 hours and 17 minutes when he waved Hussey off the pitch to another huge ovation from the crowd, keen to leave enough time to bowl India out.

Hussey and his captain had put on 334 for the fifth wicket, eclipsing the previous highest partnership for Australia against India of 288, which Clarke set with Ricky Ponting on Wednesday.

India's batsmen face a Herculean task to rescue the test and keep alive their hopes of winning a first series in Australia but got off to a poor start when Sehwag fell to Ben Hilfenhaus with just 18 runs on the board.

The big paceman swung a delivery across the opener, who slashed it towards David Warner at point and the Australian dived to his left for an athletic two-handed catch.

The embattled Gautam Gambhir, who had raced to 39, and Rahul Dravid, who had made seven, were to resume after the break.

Clarke started the day on 251 and hit a single to mid off on the fourth ball of the morning to edge ahead of England's Wally Hammond for the third highest score in 100 tests at the SCG.

Understandably tired after batting through Wednesday, Clarke took his time to find his batting rhythm but never looked troubled as Hussey kept the scoreboard ticking over at the other end.

A swept four off spinner Ravi Ashwin allowed him to pass Brian Lara's 277 and take second place on the list of top scores at the ground behind Tip Foster, who scored his 278 in 1902-3.

He passed the Englishman's mark to a huge roar from the crowd with a cover drive for four off Sharma 10 minutes before lunch.

Hussey had started the day on 55 and played superbly to reach his 16th test century with a single to third man, a vindication for a player in his mid-thirties with his place in the side under pressure after a poor run of form.

Australia won the first test by 112 runs in Melbourne last week.

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Virat Kohli fined for ICC Code of Conduct breach

India batsman Virat Kohli has been fined 50 per cent of his match fee after being found guilty of breaching the ICC's Code of Conduct during the second day's play in the second cricket Test against Australia in Sydney.

Kohli was charged with a Level 2 offence under article 2.2.8 of the code which relates to "Using language or gesture(s) that is seriously obscene, seriously offensive or of a seriously insulting nature to another Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other third person during an International Match".

"Kohli pleaded guilty to the charge and apologised for his action. As such, under the provisions of the code, I determined the matter as there was no requirement for a full hearing," said Mr Ranjan Madugalle of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees.

The charge was brought by on-field umpires Marais Erasmus and Ian Gould, both from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, third umpire Bruce Oxenford from the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires, and fourth umpire Gerard Abood.

All Level 2 breaches carry a minimum penalty of a fine equivalent to 50 per cent of a player's match fee up to a maximum penalty of a suspension for two ODIs or two T20Is or one Test.

The ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel can be found by clicking here.

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Siddle and Herath achieve career-best rankings

Australia fast bowler Peter Siddle and Sri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath have achieved career-best rankings in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers after good performances in the Melbourne and Durban Tests, respectively which finished on Thursday.

Siddle, who took three for 63 and three for 42 in Australia's 122-run victory over India, has jumped five places to seventh position where he is joined by Herath who has claimed six spots after recording match figures of nine for 128 which turned out to be the cornerstone of Sri Lanka's 208-run victory over South Africa.

Australia fast bowlers Ben Hilfenhaus and James Pattinson, and Sri Lanka seamer Chanaka Welegedara have also moved in the right direction.

Hilfenhaus, who took five for 75 and two for 39, has gained seven spots in the rankings and now sits just outside the top 20 in 22nd position, man of the match Pattinson has been rewarded for match figures of six for 108 with a jump of five places which puts him in 31st spot while Welegedara has moved from 35th to 29th position after match figures of five for 85.

There is something to cheer for India fast bowler Umesh Yadav and South Africa's debutant Marchant de Lange.

Yadav has moved up five places to 42nd spot after figures of three for 106 and four for 70 while de Lange has entered in 51st position after figures of seven for 81 and one for 45.

The bowling list is still headed by South Africa's Dale Steyn.

There is plenty of reshuffle in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen.

Jacques Kallis' first pair in an illustrious 149-Test career means he has slipped from second to fourth where he is joined by India's iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar who has gained two places after scores of 73 and 32.

Other batsmen inside the top 50 and making upward movements include Hashim Amla (up by three to seventh), Thilan Samaraweera (up by three to 13th), Mike Hussey (up by one to 16th), Virender Sehwag (up by one to 18th), Ricky Ponting (up by seven to 24th), Tillekeratne Dilshan (up by one to 33rd) and Prasanna Jayawardena (up by one to 48th).

Sri Lanka's middle-order batsman Dinesh Chandimal and Australia opener Ed Cowan have entered in 54th and 61st positions, respectively after making impressive debuts.

The batting list is headed by Kumar Sangakkara who became the eighth Sri Lanka batsman to score a zero and century in the same Test. Other Sri Lanka batsmen to achieve the rare distinction include Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda de Silva, Hashan Tillekeratne, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardena and Prasanna Jayawardena.

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New Zealand announces 14-player squad for Rose Bowl Series

New Zealand Cricket today announced a 14-player squad for the upcoming Rose Bowl Series in Australia.



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Suzie Bates (c)	Otago Sparks
Amy Satterthwaite (vc)	Canterbury Magicians
Kate Broadmore	Central Hinds
Rachel Candy	Canterbury Magicians
Lucy Doolan	Wellington Blaze
Maddy Green	Auckland Hearts
Frances Mackay	Canterbury Magicians
Katey Martin	Otago Sparks
Sara McGlashan	Central Hinds
Morna Nielsen	Northern Spirit
Katie Perkins	Auckland Hearts
Liz Perry	Wellington Blaze
Lea Tahuhu	Canterbury Magicians
Sian Ruck	Wellington Blaze

The squad features ten players who competed in the 2011 Quadrangular series in England with Rachel Candy and Morna Nielsen recalled while Maddy Green and Katie Perkins are yet to be capped.

National Selector Manager Kim Littlejohn said: "The squad has been picked on the back of a hard fought domestic competition. It's encouraging to see the experienced players perform well and a new crop of players put their hand up.

"Top order batsman Maddy Green has been on the radar for some time and deserves her chance after impressing for the Auckland Hearts in the Action Cricket Twenty20 competition where she has hit 150 runs at an average of 37.50.

"Katie Perkins also demanded a spot in the squad with strong performances in the domestic competition. In seven Twenty20 innings Perkins has hit 126 runs and only been dismissed once. Her batting along with her world-class fielding has played a major part in the success of the Hearts this season.

"Weight of numbers also led to the recall of all-rounders Rachel Candy and Morna Nielsen who have been consistent performers this summer.

White Ferns coach Gary Stead said: "It's an exciting time for the White Ferns with new era about to get underway.

"The upcoming series is an opportunity for new captain Suzie Bates to stamp her make on the side and set the tone for how we are going to move forward.

"We are aware that we did not perform well in our last few matches and need to improve across the board if we are to overcome a strong Australian side."

Rose Bowl Schedule in Australia:
http://www.blackcaps.co.nz/schedule/rose-bowl-in-australia/51/series.aspx

20/01/2012 - 1st Twenty 20 International, North Sydney Oval, Sydney

21/01/2012 - 2nd Twenty 20 International, North Sydney Oval, Sydney

22/01/2012 - 3rd Twenty 20 International, North Sydney Oval, Sydney

25/01/2012 - 1st One-Day International, Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG)

27/01/2012 - 2nd One-Day International, Blacktown International Sportspark, Sydney

29/01/2012 - 3rd One-Day International, Blacktown International Sportspark, Sydney

* 1/02/2012 - 4th Twenty 20 International, Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney

* 3/02/2012 - 5th Twenty 20 International, Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)

* Double header with Australia v India men's Twenty20 International

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Pakistan names Under-19 squad for SA tour

The Pakistan Cricket Board's National Selection Committee on Monday named a 15-man Under-19 squad for the upcoming South Africa tour.

The Pakistan Under-19 team will participate in a triangular series also featuring Zimbabwe and hosts South Africa. The triangular series will run from 5 January to 22 January.

After the triangular series, Pakistan will also play three One-Day Internationals against South Africa on 25,27 and 29 January, 2012.


Squad:

1. Sami Aslam

2. Babar Azam  (captain)

3. Syed Faraz Ali

4. Umer Waheed (vice-captain)

5. Shahan Akram

6. Syed Saad Ali

7. Adnan Mahmood

8. Muhammad Irfan

9. Shahid Ilyas

10. Ehsan Adil

11. Azizullah

12. Zia ul Haq

13. Fawad Khan

14. Usman Qadir

16. Saifullah Bangash W/K

Reserves:

1. Imam ul Haq

2. Salman Afridi  (wicket-keeper)

3. Mir Hamza

4. Muhammad Nawaz

5. Ghazanfar Abbas

6. Muhammad Farman

Team Management

1. Haroon Rasheed	Team Manager
2. Sabih Azhar	Coach
3. Dr. Sohail Saleem	Doctor cum physiotherapist
4. Yasir Malik	Trainer
5.Usman Hashmi	Analyst

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Strauss eager to conquer Asia 'frontier'

LONDON: England captain Andrew Strauss believes only by succeeding away to Pakistan and Sri Lanka will his side convince the whole of world cricket they deserve their number one Test ranking.

Last year England completed a 3-1 Ashes series win in Australia, all their victories coming by innings margins, before returning home to depose India from the summit of the International Cricket Council's Test standings in a crushing 4-0 whitewash.

However, it is more than 10 years since England last won Test series in the subcontinent, with Nasser Hussain leading the team to 1-0 and 2-1 win victories away to Pakistan (2000/01) and Sri Lanka (2001) respectively.

But their upcoming tours offer a chance to improve that record, even though their three Tests against Misbah-ul-Haq's improving Pakistan will be played in the United Arab Emirates.

Conditions, for a series taking place in the Middle East because no major matches have been staged in Pakistan since gunmen attacked Sri Lanka's team bus in Lahore in March 2009, are though set to mirror those in the subcontinent.

"If you want to be regarded all round the world as the best side in the world, then you've got to win in all conditions," said Strauss, speaking at the team's Heathrow Airport hotel here on Monday ahead of their departure.

"England cricket teams' record in the sub-continent has been patchy," the opening batsman added.

"I think it's a really good time for us to have a lot of sub-continental cricket because we've done well over the last two years or so and this is a kind of new frontier for us, to win and hopefully win consistently in the subcontinent.

"It's just what we need as a side but we are not under-estimating the size of the challenge," said Strauss, whose team also face home Tests involving the West Indies and South Africa in a packed 2012 schedule culminating with four Tests in India -- where England last won a series in 1984/85.

Pakistan have been successful in their temporary home since Misbah took over as Test captain from Salman Butt, jailed by a British court in November along with fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer after the trio were found guilty of spot-fixing by conspiring to deliberately bowl no-balls during the 2010 Lord's Test against England.

Under Misbah they have won Tests against Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, with Pakistan starting to show a degree of consistency unusual for a side routinely labelled 'unpredictable'.

And in Saeed Ajmal they have one of the best spinners around.

"They are probably one of the form teams in world cricket at the moment," Strauss said.

"They seem to have a production line of good quality bowlers and Saeed Ajmal in particular has done well in those conditions.

"They have got a good balance to their side and they are playing some good, smart, cricket at the moment."

The upcoming series will be the first between England and Pakistan since the spot-fixing scandal.

But the 34-year-old Strauss insisted: "I think the spot-fixing stuff is something we are desperately keen to move on from. What's happened before is water under the bridge.

"I hope both sides can play in the right spirit and produce an entertaining and exciting Test match series."

One concern for England is the batting form of their captain, who in 2011 averaged under 29 in eight Tests with no hundreds. That contrasted with the Middlesex left-hander's career Test average of 41.98.

Strauss, who insisted he felt refreshed after an unusually long break (England haven't played a Test since August), admitted: "Last summer, I probably didn't play quite as well as I'd have liked.

"But form ebbs and flows a bit in Test cricket. I'm very keen to perform well and lead from the front."

England have two warm-up matches, the first starting on Saturday, before the first Test gets underway in Dubai on January 17.


England squad for a three-Test series:
England
Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior (wkt), Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Tim Bresnan, Chris Tremlett, James Anderson, Steven Finn, Steven Davies (wkt), Monty Panesar, Ravi Bopara

Itinerary
Jan 03: England arrive
Jan 07-09: ICC Combined XI v England XI, Dubai
Jan 11-13: PCB XI v England XI, Dubai
Jan 17-21: 1ST TEST, PAKISTAN v ENGLAND, Dubai
Jan 25-29: 2ND TEST, PAKISTAN v ENGLAND, Abu Dhabi
Feb 03-07: 3RD TEST, PAKISTAN v ENGLAND, Dubai
Feb 10: England XI v England Lions, Abu Dhabi
Feb 13: 1ST ODI, PAKISTAN v ENGLAND, Abu Dhabi
Feb 15: 2ND ODI, PAKISTAN v ENGLAND, Abu Dhabi
Feb 18: 3RD ODI, PAKISTAN v ENGLAND, Dubai
Feb 21: 4TH ODI, PAKISTAN v ENGLAND, Dubai
Feb 23: 1ST T20, PAKISTAN v ENGLAND, Dubai
Feb 25: 2ND T20, PAKISTAN v ENGLAND, Dubai
Feb 27: 3RD T20, PAKISTAN v ENGLAND, Abu Dhabi

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