Kaneria frustrated at court delays

KARACHI : Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria hit out Tuesday against another court-room delay putting back his bid to revive an international career embroiled in a spot-fixing scandal. A court on Tuesday again adjourned his appeal against the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) failure to clear him of fixing allegations. The new date set for the hearing in Sindh High Court in Karachi is October 20. Kaneria and fellow Essex bowler Mervyn Westfield were arrested last year on charges of spot-fixing during a Pro40 one-day match against Durham in 2009. Kaneria was later released without charge but Westfield faces criminal proceedings, prompting the PCB not to clear Kaneria for national selection. "I am frustrated at the delay which has kept me from playing," Kaneria said. "I don't know why the PCB is delaying the case.Kaneria said there was no proof against him."When there is no proof against me why is the PCB not clearing me? It's mental torture. Is it because I am from Karachi or because I have a different religion?" said Kaneria, only the second Hindu to play for Pakistan.PCB legal adviser Taffazul Rizvi said the board would now write to Britain's Crown Prosecution Service with Kaniera's consent to ask for details of the British investigation.Kaneria was arrested so there were allegations against him and the PCB wants the transcript or the tapes of the investigation," Rizvi said. Kaneria, who has chalked up 61 Tests and 18 one-days for Pakistan, has not played internationally since being dropped on tour in England last year. The court delay means Kaneria will not be able to feature in Pakistan's three-Test series against Sri Lanka next month to be played in the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan also play five one-day and a Twenty20 against Sri Lanka. Despite an international ban, Kaneria is allowed to play at home. He is leading a Karachi side in the ongoing Twenty20 tournament in Karachi.

Read More

Lahore Eagles qualify for T20 cup semi-final

KARACHI : Lahore Eagles defeated Quetta bears to claim their third consecutive win of the National T20 cup,Quetta bears won the toss and elected to bat first. The batsmen however failed to make a substantial score and were all out for 125 runs. Junaid Zia, Mustafa Iqbal and Saad Naseem claimed two wickets each.In reply Lahore Eagles openers Imran Farhat and Taufiq Umer got their team off to a flying start. Farhat scored 51 runs while Taufiq Umer completed his century. With their third consecutive win, Lahore Eagles has become the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of the T20 cup

Read More

Scotland gets most out of draw

Scotland's ICC Intercontinental Cup match against Namibia ended in a draw at the end of the four days of the contest at the Wanderers Cricket Ground in Windhoek in Namibia on Monday.On the final day, Scotland began first at its overnight score of 260 for four, finally declared at 296 for five in 87 overs. Scotland had an overall lead of 383 runs.Set to chase 384 runs, Namibia lost early wickets to slip to 99 for three. But thereafter Pikki Ya France (63 not out: 225b, 7x4) and Gerrie Snyman (88: 97b, 14x4, 3x6) added 110 runs for the fourth wicket to put the innings back on track.When stumps were finally drawn, Namibia ended at 218 for four in 74 overs.For Scotland, Majid Haq (2-53) and Richie Berrington (2-38) were the key wicket-takers.In the end, Scotland took 13 points from the game and Namibia pocketed seven

Read More

Guernsey snatches victory from the jaws of defeat to win Pepsi ICC WCL Division 6

Jeremy Frith named Player of the Tournament Channel Island goes 33rd in the world rankings while runners-up Malaysia go 34th ; Both travel to Singapore in February for Pepsi ICC WCL Div. 5 Kuwait beats Jersey in 3rd/4th play-off while Nigeria defeats Fiji in 5th/6th showdown Guernsey snatched victory from the jaws of defeat today to beat Malaysia and win Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 6 (WCL Div. 6) at Kinrara Oval in Kuala Lumpur. By virtue of reaching the final both teams have been promoted to WCL Div. 5 and will travel to Singapore in February.By winning the tournament, Guernsey has now climbed two places in the ICC Global Rankings to now occupy 33rd position while Malaysia occupy 34th place in the rankings. Guernsey did not lose a match throughout the entire week-long event held in Malaysia.Guernsey's Jeremy Frith earned his third Player of the Tournament award at the conclusion of the game while team-mate Tom Kimber was named Man of the Match. Frith previously won the honour in Pepsi ICC WCL Div. 7 in Guernsey and then again in Singapore after Pepsi ICC WCL Div. 6 both in 2009.Elsewhere, Kuwait defeated Jersey to win the third/fourth play-off while Nigeria claimed its only victory of the tournament when it beat Fiji the sides' fifth/sixth play-off at Bayeumas Oval.Under another sunny sky at Kinrara Oval, Malaysia took on Guernsey in the finals of Pepsi ICC WCL Div. 6 in Kuala Lumpur. The hosts winning the toss and electing to bat on home turf.The hosts took its time to score runs and had just reached the 50-mark when Guernsey all-rounder dismissed opener Faris Almas by re-arranging the 21-year-old's stumps in the process. Rakesh Madhavan and Ahmed Faiz did their best to steady things for the locals but captain Suhan Alagaratnam failed to put in a repeat performance from yesterday's game, the 25-year-old making just four runs before smashing the ball in the air to be caught at deep point.All-rounder Hammad Ullah Khan decided to step up to the plate, scoring 53 before being stumped off the bowling of GH Smit, the latter having a good day with the ball taking three wickets. Malaysia took its time to score runs in front of an enthusiastic bunch of supporters and by the time its 50 overs was completed had managed to just clear the 200 mark.As the clouds rolled in and fear of rain began to surface, Guernsey took to the field and made an abysmal start to proceeding with both Smit and Adam Martel departing for ducks, leaving the side reeling two down going into the third over. The arrival of stalwart Frith alongside Tim Ravenscroft should have steadied the innings but Almas had other plans and proceeded to run out the latter for 21 much to the delight of the home support. The top order proved to be disappointing in the afternoon heat, Frith departing not long after Ravenscroft and the side were soon five down with just 40 runs on the board and not even in the 10th over.Malaysia's trio of bowlers kept the opposition under pressure, Hassan Ghulam, Khan and Aminuddin Ramply continued to terrorise Guernsey's batting line-up while the side's quick actions in the field proved tough for the Channel Island side. The side promptly slumped to 65-7 before the 20th over had even begunBut all was not lose for Guernsey, a fight back from Tom Kimber and David Hooper saw the side push on the hosts with Hooper contributing some 45 runs before he was run-out while Kimber valiantly continued the side's push for victory alongside the side's tail-enders. Kimber's starred with the bat for the men in green to snatch victory for the side when he smashed his way to an un-beaten 82 off 92 balls in a patient innings by the 21-year-old right-handed batsman. He guided the side to victory with three balls to spare and clinch an ecstatic Guernsey team the title of Pepsi ICC WCL Division 6 Champions.Le Prevost said: "It feels simply brilliant to win today and to have been six or seven down and then see young Tom Kimber come out and guide us to victory with a fantastic knock of 82 not out."We've had two extremely tough games of cricket against Malaysia and it's been a fantastic week to have won every game and walk away as champions. I'm extremely proud of how the team has performed as a whole and I hope we can keep that momentum going for Division 5 in Singapore."Player of the Tournament, Frith commented: "It's obviously great to win another player of the tournament award but this week was very much a group effort and it is great to have won every game along the way and then to come out the end as champions too. I work with development of cricket in Guernsey and to see the likes of Tom Kimber, Jamie Nussbaumer, Tim Ravenscroft and David Hooper along with Ben Ferbrache come through this tournament and perform so well is pleasing."Malaysia captain, Suhan said: " It's been a great week of cricket in Malaysia and it's obviously disappointing to have lost the final but Guernsey played some great cricket and Tom Kimber should be congratulated for great knock."We need to work on our batting ahead of going to Singapore in February and we'll take each game as it comes but I'd definitely like a chance to beat Guernsey next year in Division 5.Meanwhile, in the third/fourth play-offs at Selangor Turf Club - Jersey had Kuwait steadily on the back-foot with two of the top order departing for just two runs each while captain Hisham Mizra's disappointing tournament continued when he retired hurt after scoring just eight runs.The lower order then proved to be the run-makers of the innings, with Muhammed Amin, Saad Qamar and Azmatullah all contributing substantially to the Kuwaitis final total, Saad adding 50 to the 212 that the side managed to make. Jersey's Anthony Hawkins-Kay once again proved to be the most successful the Channel Island's bowlers claiming three wickets.In reply, Jersey fell just eight runs short of the total, to miss out on third place position in the event despite some valiant batting once again from Corey Bisson and Peter Gough. The duo actually concluded the tournament as the third and fourth highest run-getters overall, just behind team-mate Dean Morrison and Guernsey's Frith.Kuwait Mohammed Naseer proved to be the man on target today claiming four wickets taking his total wicket-haul for the tournament to nine by the conclusion of today's game. By beating Jersey, Kuwait are now 35th in the world with the Jersey side one place beneath them.In the final play-off, for fifth/sixth position between Fiji and Nigeria, the Nigerian side posted a respectable total of 235 in its 50 overs with Ramit Gill and Sean Philips proving to be the stand-out batsman. Meanwhile Mohammad Khan and Tasheed Tawheed of Fiji picked up a trio of wickets each at the venue that was used for the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in 2008.In reply, Fiji managed just 133 runs despite a valiant effort by Josefa Dabea who made 46 not out for the side but the day belonged to Varun Behani who claimed three wickets for 30 runs and alongside the Nigerian bowling attacked secured the side its first and only victory of the tournament.Score in brief Final
1st/2nd play-off at Kinrara Oval
Malaysia 208-9, 50 overs (Ullah Khan 53, Shafiq 38, Smit 3-31)
Guernsey 211-8, 49.3 overs (Kimber 82 not out, Hooper 45; Ullah Khan 3-58)
Guernsey won by two wickets
3rd/4th play-off at Selangor Turf Club
Kuwait 212 all out, 44.5 overs (Bhatti 32, Amin 43, Saad 50, Azmattulah 44; Hawkins-Kay 3-52)
Jersey 204 all out, 49.5 overs (Bisson 59, Gough 54; Naseer 4-29)
Kuwait won by eight runs
5th/6th play-off at Bayeumas Oval
Nigeria 235-9, 50 overs (Gill 48, Philips 43; Tawheed 3-50, Khan 3-39)
Fiji 133 all out, 42.4 overs (Dabea 46; 3-30)
Nigeria won by 102 runs

Read More

Lahore Eagles record second successive win in T20 Cup

KARACHI : Three wickets off first three balls in the final over of the match by fast bowler Junaid Zia sealed a 15-run victory for Lahore Eagles against Abbottabad Falcons in the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup here at the National Stadium on Monday night.Chasing 151, Abbottabad Falcons were collapsed for 135 runs in 19.3 overs as six of their batsmen could not get into double figures and two of them including captain Younis Khan got out for a duck.Only opener Yasir Hameed, who had hit a century against Quetta Bears previous day, resisted to score 44 runs from as many balls while Yasir Shah contributed 28.For Lahore Eagles, Junaid, Taufiq Umar and Mustafa Iqbal claimed two wickets each for nine, 16 and 24 runs, respectively.Earlier, Abbottabad Falcons scored 150 runs for four wickets in the allotted 20 overs after captain Taufiq Umar won the toss and decided to bat first. Openers Imran Farhat and Taufiq Umar provided a fine start, making 87 runs in ten overs.Imran made 43 runs from 31 balls with four boundaries and a six while Taufiq scored 35 off 36 balls with three fours.Hamza Paracha was unbeaten on 28 while Azhar Ali hit 21 with a six.For Abbottabad Falcons, Wajid Ali claimed two wickets while Junaid Khan and Khalid Usman took a wicket each

Read More

Lahore Eagles record second successive win in T20 Cup

KARACHI : Three wickets off first three balls in the final over of the match by fast bowler Junaid Zia sealed a 15-run victory for Lahore Eagles against Abbottabad Falcons in the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup here at the National Stadium on Monday night.Chasing 151, Abbottabad Falcons were collapsed for 135 runs in 19.3 overs as six of their batsmen could not get into double figures and two of them including captain Younis Khan got out for a duck.Only opener Yasir Hameed, who had hit a century against Quetta Bears previous day, resisted to score 44 runs from as many balls while Yasir Shah contributed 28.For Lahore Eagles, Junaid, Taufiq Umar and Mustafa Iqbal claimed two wickets each for nine, 16 and 24 runs, respectively.Earlier, Abbottabad Falcons scored 150 runs for four wickets in the allotted 20 overs after captain Taufiq Umar won the toss and decided to bat first. Openers Imran Farhat and Taufiq Umar provided a fine start, making 87 runs in ten overs.Imran made 43 runs from 31 balls with four boundaries and a six while Taufiq scored 35 off 36 balls with three fours.Hamza Paracha was unbeaten on 28 while Azhar Ali hit 21 with a six.For Abbottabad Falcons, Wajid Ali claimed two wickets while Junaid Khan and Khalid Usman took a wicket each

Read More

Abbottabad Falcons restrict Lahore Eagles to 150-4

KARACHI : Lahore Eagles were restricted by Abbottabad Falcons to 150 runs for four wickets in the allotted 20 overs in the last match on second day of the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup here at the National Stadium on Monday.Winning the toss, captain Taufiq Umar decided to bat first but Lahore Eagles could not make any big score despite losing only four wickets despite a fine opening stand of 87 runs in ten overs from Imran Farhat and Taufiq Umar himself. Imran made 43 runs from 31 balls with four boundaries and a six while Taufiq scored 35 off 36 balls with three fours.Hamza Paracha was unbeaten on 28 while Azhar Ali hit 21 with a six.For Abbottabad Falcons, Wajid Ali claimed two wickets while Junaid Khan and Khalid Usman took a wicket each

Read More

Karachi Zebras defeat Quetta Bears by 44 runs

KARACHI : Karachi Zebras, after having a two-run shock defeat from Lahore Eagles last night, came back today with an easy 44-run victory against Quetta Bears on second day of the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup here at the National Stadium Monday. They set a target of 173 runs for Quetta Bears who failed to chase and were all out for 128 in 18.3 overs.Karachi Zebras skipper and experienced spinner Danish Kaneria grabbed three wickets for 23 while Uzair-ul-Haq and Azam Hussain claimed two wickets each.Main scorers for Quetta Bears were Abid Ali (26), Fareed-ud-Din (24) and Mir Wais (21).Earlier, Karachi Zebras made 172 runs for five wickets in the allotted 20 overs after Danish Kaneria won the toss and elected to bat.Opener Khurram Manzoor was the top scorer with 62 from 52 balls, hitting six fours and a six. He was later declared man-of-the-match.Other main scorers were Anwar Ali (32), Rameez Aziz (24) and Akbar-ur-Rehman (23 not out).

Read More

Lahore Eagles’ 2-run win shocks Karachi Zebras

KARACHI : Lahore Eagles shocked Karachi Zebras by two runs in a thrilling encounter.Batting first, Lahore Eagles scored 143 for the loss of six wickets. Ali Azmat top-scored an unbeaten 36 off 37 balls with one boundary and one six.Skipper Taufeeq Umer contributed 33 with three boundaries and test opener Imran Farhat made a quick 27 in 21 deliveries striking five boundaries.Taufeeq and Imran gave Lahore Eagler a rapid start of 43 in the first five overs. Captain Danish Kaneria grabbed two wickets for 26 runs.Karachi Zebras were set to win the match after a solid 96 runs third wicket stand etween Hasan Raza and Faisal Raza. However after their departure, Karachi lost the way.Man of the match Hasan hit four boundaries in his 49 in 54 balls and Faisal's 47 was laced five hits to the boundaries. Anwar Ali hoisted a six in his six ball cameo of 14.Karachi Zebras needed ten runs in the final over but they could manage just eight runs. Off-break bowler Saad Nasim took two wickets for 32 runs in fours

Read More

Windies stun England with 25-run win

LONDON : Spinner Garey Mathurin enjoyed a memorable debut as he inspired the West Indies to a surprise 25-run win over England in the second Twenty20 international at the Oval on Sunday. The 28-year-old left-armer from St Lucia took 3-9 in his four overs as England crumbled in pursuit of the West Indies' total of 113-5 and were bowled out for 88, their lowest total in a Twenty20 international. On a turning pitch, Mathurin opened the attack and bowled Craig Kieswetter, Ravi Bopara and Jonny Bairstow in quick succession to give the tourists a stranglehold on the game.Ben Stokes hit some big shots in making 31 but was trapped in front by leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo and in a much-improved West Indies fielding performance Samit Patel was run out by a direct hit from Bishoo. Joss Buttler and Scott Borthwick were both run out and with them went England's last hopes of a successful run chase and when Jade Dernbach was last man out he was the fourth run out victim of the innings. This was England's first defeat in any form of the game since July 3, when they lost the third one-day international against Sri Lanka at Lord's.The win was also sweet revenge for the West Indies who were crushed by 10 wickets in Friday's first game as the two-match series ended 1-1 Samit Patel took 2-22 as the West Indies were kept to 113, a total that did look big enough until their spinners came into action.After their defeat on Friday the tourists were hoping to post a bigger total but their depleted batting line-up was kept in check by England's slower bowlers who were shrewdly rotated by Swann.The West Indies, who were put in by England, struggled to get the bowling away and Marlon Samuels was the only batsman to make more than 30, hitting 35 not out. The tourists struggled to get the English bowling away and by the end of the 14th over they had just 62 on the board and at one point went 43 balls without hitting a boundary. Chris Barnwell tried to accelerate but when he attempted to hit Patel over the top he fell to a stunning catch by Alex Hales.Patel opened the bowling and had Miles Bascombe plumb leg before whilst Johnson Charles and Dwayne Smith got themselves in but failed to go on and convert their starts into significant scores. Smith was caught in front by Dernbach and Charles was bowled by a googly from young leg spinner Borthwick. Borthwick then pulled off a smart catch in the deep off Ravi Bopara to get rid of skipper Darren Sammy as he was trying to increase the run rate. Samuels and Andre Russell managed a few big blows in the last two overs which were to prove significant in the end with Friday's bowling hero Bopara going for 36 in his four overs.

Read More

Sialkot Stallions defeat Hyderabad Hawks

KARACHI : Sialkot Stallions defeated Hyderabad Hawks in the National T20 Cup, The batting line up of the Hawks collapsed and the team only managed to score 96-8. Sarfaraz Ahmed claimed four wickets while Raza Hassan bagged three for Sialkot.The Stallions chased down the target in 17 overs and former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik scored a half century.In other matches being played today, Karachi Zebras will face Quetta Bears and Lahore Eagles will face Abbottabad Falcons.All matches of the tournament are being telecast live on Geo Super.

Read More

PCB must frame strategy for Sri Lanka tour

ISLAMABAD : Pakistan cricket team is back after a very successful Zimbabwe tour where they outclassed the hosts in every format of the game, Test, ODIs and T20s, it was in fact a significant achievement and every countrymen must feel proud of this, but this is all past now well done team Pakistan you have done the wonders.
Now team must focus on the next assignment which is against Sri Lanka as they will give a run for their money to green shirts. If we closely look at the Zimbabwe series, then we all get close to a conclusion that over all this series victory was largely possible through some individual performances, specially this series belongs to one man, M Hafeez, who has gone from strength to strength and shown all-round performance and turns the tables on Zimbabwe and enabled Pakistan to win specially the ODI series and the two T20s.A new Hafeez is born in this particular series and has managed to get rid of the tag of inconsistent performer, a serious allegation and a question mark on his abilities, to a great extant with his superb al round consistent performances.This series also point out the flaws in Misbah's captaincy, with his defensive approach that could have easily cost Pakistan the Test series against Zimbabwe. If the PCB wants to continue with Misbah as captain then he has to change his approach and must adopt an aggressive strategy for the upcoming series against Sri Lankans. Mistakes like this will not go unpunished against an experienced Lankan side. They will be roaring to go against Pakistan as they have a point to prove.Bowling always remained as Pakistan's main weapon, but in Zimbabwe the tourists struggled to make impact. It’s true that Aizaz Cheema, the debutant managed to take eight wickets in the match, but he looks out of sorts and at this age, 32, it will be difficult for him to perform on regular basis. Sri Lanka, England or other top sides will certainly pose grave threat to this weak Pakistani bowling.PCB top brass must now adopt a more realistic approach to focus on the present and the future of cricket, when no international team is willing to come to Pakistan sighting so-called security concerns then there is no need of wasting national wealth on appointment of a foreign coach. PCB has a luxury in appointing a coach if they look closely around they will find the likes of little master Hanif Muhammad, Javed Miandad, Zaheer Abbas and if the PCB wants to go for a young and energetic person then they can easily go for Rawalpindi Rams coach Sabih Azhar, who has proved his Mattel by guiding different sides to victory stands.If the PCB continue to waste time on finding a foreign coach then the players will suffer but it will also give a very negative message to local coaches that the management doesn't recognize their services and they are not capable enough to coach or manage the national side. One thing is sure Pakistan cricket team will not have an easy ride against the Sri Lanka side, luck doesn't always favours it can run out any time, and the time is not far away, Sri Lanka side can provide the right kind of shock which is required to awake PCB high command from the deep slumber.

Read More

Emirates on board as Pakistan cricket sponsor

KARACHI : Emirates Airlines has announced a sponsorship deal for domestic cricket in Pakistan in alliance with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), it was announced here on Thursday.“The airline – an ICC Official Partner – has a long history of supporting cricket both at global and grassroots level – and is set to strengthen its commitment to the sport by sponsoring a number of tournaments, including the National T20 Cup 2011, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2011-12, Pentangular Cricket Cup 2011-12, One-Day Cricket Cup 2011-12 and Super 8 T20 Cricket Cup 2012, it said in a statement.“The sponsorship marks Emirates most significant foray into mainstream sports in Pakistan and will include development opportunities for talented youngsters.“Although we are proud of our involvement in cricket around the world, with prestigious partnerships such as the ICC which gives the airline sponsorship rights to all its major tournaments, including the ICC Cricket World Cup – contributing to the growth of the sports at a grassroots level is particularly satisfying for us,“ said Badr Abbas, Vice President Pakistan & Afghanistan.“To be associated with a sports which the people of Pakistan follow with great passion allows us to create closer ties with them and demonstrates our on-going support for the growth of cricket. Domestic cricket has produced many world-class players and we hope that through this sponsorship, Emirates will play a role in the continued success of the sports,” he said.

Read More

Pakistani cricket caught out as dictator remains on strike Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/pakistani-cricket-caught-out-as-dictator-remains-on-strike-20110925-1krl3.html#ixzz1Z0OtwPEI

Libya's despot is proving difficult to dismiss at the stadium named after him.THE statues cast in gold in his image have been torn down in Tripoli and the paintings of his likeness defaced. But the name Muammar Gaddafi still stands proudly atop one monument Libya's rebels will find it difficult to lay their hands on.In 1974, a young Colonel Gaddafi, then only five years into his despotic rule of Libya, spoke at the second Islamic Summit Conference in Lahore, Pakistan. In a typically bellicose and lengthy address, he offered his support for Pakistan's controversial pursuit of nuclear weapons, describing the country as ''the Fort of Islam In the spirit of the bonhomie his speech inspired, Pakistan's then Prime Minister, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, renamed the Lahore Cricket Stadium the Muammar Gaddafi Cricket Stadium, despite the dictator's indifference to the game.Throughout Gaddafi's increasingly brutal career since, his name has stood.The morally delicate dilemma for the world's cricketers of walking out onto the Muammar Gaddafi Stadium ground is unlikely to arise any time soon. Pakistan hasn't hosted an international match since 2009, when the visiting Sri Lankan team was attacked by armed militants at a nearby roundabout.But regardless of cricket's future in Pakistan, there is a growing movement to have Gaddafi's name torn down from the largest stadium in the land."We have tolerated this ridiculous name now for about 37 years," Farooq Tirmizi wrote on the webpage of the Express Tribune newspaper."As we watch the scenes of horrific violence visited by the madman upon the Libyan people, let us at least do them the courtesy of removing their tormentor's name from our biggest stadium.Online, support is growing for the stadium to be renamed. One name suggested is that of Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar, this month named the International Cricket Council's umpire of the year for the third successive season.Others in Pakistan would like to see the ground renamed after the country's first cricket captain, Abdul Hafeez Kardar, while others still would like to see the return of the simple Lahore Cricket Ground.Writing in the influential Dawn newspaper, Saad Shafqat said there was no place for an memorial for Gaddafi."Lahore's great Test centre is no ordinary stadium. It is a travesty for it to carry the name that it does. It is the headquarters of the Pakistan Cricket Board, which makes it not just the spiritual but also the official home of Pakistan cricket.

Read More

Pakistan cricket has something to rejoice

After a long spell of despair caused by conflicts and controversies, Pakistan cricket has at least two events to rejoice. Firstly, the great honour brought to Pakistan by a highly competent, honest and respected cricket personality called Aleem Dar and secondly the team’s success against Zimbabwe. For his excellent performance as an ICC umpire, Aleem deserves a bouquet studded with diamonds and rubies for becoming the world champion in the field of umpiring three times in a row. He won the rare award by delivering 100 percent accurate results in ODIs and Twenty20s and 98 percent in Test matches during the last one year.During the World Cup 2011 Aleem delivered 15 decisions all of them proving correct when challenged. This was because he relied on his own ability rather than technology. It indicates how much confidence he had on his knowledge of the game, ability and the sense of judgment. The awards were given in an ICC function held in London, surprisingly not attended by India although its team was there playing a series against England. They were perhaps not pleased by the honour bestowed upon Aleem.Unanimously voted by all cricket captains and members of the selection panel Aleem defeated strong competitors like Ian Gould and five time winner Simon Taufel. The sparkling honour brought to Pakistan by Aleem is the second great event to find a place in the annals of Pakistan cricket after Imran Khan’s triumph in the 1992 World Cup.The second event, not apparently as great, is Pakistan’s clean sweep over Zimbabwe in their recently concluded tour. By defeating the hosts in the series comprising one Test, three ODIs and two Twenty20 internationals, Pakistan achieved a 100 percent result. Win against Zimbabwe, being the bottom team in the ICC ranking the victory, is nothing much to boast about but still it is an achievement to boost the morale of the upcoming young players who played an active role in defeating the hosts. Although Misbahul Haq led the team with all the proficiency, Muhammad Hafeez emerged as an all-rounder heading for super stardom. As for the seniors, Younus Khan performed well because the Zimbabwe bowlers were not capable of posing any threat to him. Imran Farhat was a combination of success and failure while Shoaib Malik was a complete flop I hope the PCB selection committee members take some lessons from it. Cricket is a game in which the players must remain constantly in touch with the game. Unfortunately, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has the bad habit of discarding the players on one pretext or the other rendering them out of practice for the game. The selection committee must also realise that a successful team must be a practical combination of youth and experience and avoid stuffing the team with too many youngsters. Apart from the good result, the Zimbabwe’s tour has been a good experience for our team’s future endeavours especially the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, which commences in the UAE on October 18. Sri Lanka being one of the top teams of the world, we must select a strong combination and prepare them well for the tough fight.Coming to other cricket affairs, with the end of Zimbabwe’s tour coach Waqar Younis has said goodbye to cricket necessitating the appointment of a new coach. The PCB having received lot of nominations for the job both from home as well as abroad, a meeting is likely to be held soon to discuss the problem. I am glad the security problem has rendered the appointment of a foreign coach to a lower priority. Let us hope a highly competent Pakistan batsman is appointed on the all important job on which hinges the proficiency of players and success of the team. Claiming that 90 percent of the decisions taken by the PCB chairman were wrong, former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad acting as director general of the board fell out with the boss and left the matter to be decided by President Asif Zardari in his capacity as patron-in-chief of the PCB. Same was the position of Shahid Afridi who continued to harbour the ambition of still playing for Pakistan. Both of them attended a meeting called by the President in Karachi. According to press reports both the players were given ‘no lift’ by the President while Ijaz Butt’s versions were held supreme. This indicates a positive chance of Ijaz’s extension on the job after October 8, the day his tenure as chairman PCB ends. Another spell of bad luck, sorrow and gloom and conflicts and controversies for Pakistan’s cricket

Read More

Pakistan can get to the top of world rankings: Waqar

Waqar Younis, who quit as Pakistan cricket coach last week, says the squad he managed is highly capable of taking the country to the top of the world rankings.Lahore-based Pakistani cricketers and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials gave Waqar a farewell Friday night at the National Cricket Academy, hours before the former captain left for Sydney, reports the Express Tribune.Waqar, who had said the Zimbabwe tour would be his last, citing personal and health reasons for quitting, was with the team for a little over a year.'It's not like I won't be coming back to Pakistan as this is my own country,' said Waqar before departing from Lahore airport.'I am leaving for personal reasons, but once things improve, I will definitely give coming back a thought. In the meantime, it was a good experience with the PCB as well as the players. Coaching Pakistan was an experience altogether which went well.Waqar who decided to step down before his contract ended in December, is said to be suffering from a liver ailment for which his Sydney doctors have advised him long-term treatment under their direct supervision.Despite severe criticism by former captain Shahid Afridi, Waqar termed his tenure successful as he facilitated the creation of a team that is gelling well.'I am leaving the team as a unit and I hope they remain that way. They are capable of giving Sri Lanka a tough time. And with the spirit in the team that I have seen, I am optimistic of good results.'Former Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam praised Waqar for his services.'I have worked with him in various capacities and found him a true professional,' said Alam.'Apart from his wonderful cricketing career, he has now done an excellent job with the team as a coach and obviously his resignation is a setback to our plans.''His performance was outstanding,' said PCB chairman Ijaz Butt. 'I can understand the reasons for his wanting to leave and I hope he is able to resolve all his issues. He's welcome to come back and serve Pakistan cricket any time.

Read More

Swann backs Bopara to become a fine England all-rounder

England spinner Graeme Swann has backed Ravi Bopara to become a fine all-rounder.Bopara took four wickets for 10 runs against the West Indies and it were England's best bowling figures in a T20 international. England won by 10 wickets after Craig Kieswetter and Alex Hales led England to achieve the modest target of 125.'Bopara was unplayable. He has good control these days and is developing into a fine all-rounder,' Swann, England's stand-in Twenty20 captain, was quoted as saying by BBC.'He never looked like going for any runs out there - he was phenomenal.'Swann was delighted to get off to a winning start as a captain.'I enjoyed every moment of today,' said Swann. 'It was a dream start as captain. I asked the boys to give everything and they did that, I was delighted with the way everybody performed.' Bopara revealed that he was delighted but embarrassed at delivering record figures of 4-10.'It feels quite embarrassing that I have the best figures when you've got the incredible bowlers we have in our team,' he said.'But I'm very proud to be a part of this team. We've got a very tough series coming up in India, which will test us.'The way we've played this summer in England has been exceptional. To beat Sri Lanka and India - the two teams that contested the World Cup final - on our own turf is an unbelievable thing

Read More

Guernsey snatches victory from the jaws of defeat to win Pepsi ICC WCL Division 6

Jeremy Frith named Player of the Tournament Channel Island goes 33rd in the world rankings while runners-up Malaysia go 34th ; Both travel to Singapore in February for Pepsi ICC WCL Div. 5Kuwait beats Jersey in 3rd/4th play-off while Nigeria defeats Fiji in 5th/6th showdown Guernsey snatched victory from the jaws of defeat today to beat Malaysia and win Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 6 (WCL Div. 6) at Kinrara Oval in Kuala Lumpur. By virtue of reaching the final both teams have been promoted to WCL Div. 5 and will travel to Singapore in February.By winning the tournament, Guernsey has now climbed two places in the ICC Global Rankings to now occupy 33rd position while Malaysia occupy 34th place in the rankings. Guernsey did not lose a match throughout the entire week-long event held in Malaysia.Guernsey's Jeremy Frith earned his third Player of the Tournament award at the conclusion of the game while team-mate Tom Kimber was named Man of the Match. Frith previously won the honour in Pepsi ICC WCL Div. 7 in Guernsey and then again in Singapore after Pepsi ICC WCL Div. 6 both in 2009.Elsewhere, Kuwait defeated Jersey to win the third/fourth play-off while Nigeria claimed its only victory of the tournament when it beat Fiji the sides' fifth/sixth play-off at Bayeumas Oval.Under another sunny sky at Kinrara Oval, Malaysia took on Guernsey in the finals of Pepsi ICC WCL Div. 6 in Kuala Lumpur. The hosts winning the toss and electing to bat on home turf.The hosts took its time to score runs and had just reached the 50-mark when Guernsey all-rounder dismissed opener Faris Almas by re-arranging the 21-year-old's stumps in the process. Rakesh Madhavan and Ahmed Faiz did their best to steady things for the locals but captain Suhan Alagaratnam failed to put in a repeat performance from yesterday's game, the 25-year-old making just four runs before smashing the ball in the air to be caught at deep point.All-rounder Hammad Ullah Khan decided to step up to the plate, scoring 53 before being stumped off the bowling of GH Smit, the latter having a good day with the ball taking three wickets. Malaysia took its time to score runs in front of an enthusiastic bunch of supporters and by the time its 50 overs was completed had managed to just clear the 200 mark.As the clouds rolled in and fear of rain began to surface, Guernsey took to the field and made an abysmal start to proceeding with both Smit and Adam Martel departing for ducks, leaving the side reeling two down going into the third over. The arrival of stalwart Frith alongside Tim Ravenscroft should have steadied the innings but Almas had other plans and proceeded to run out the latter for 21 much to the delight of the home support. The top order proved to be disappointing in the afternoon heat, Frith departing not long after Ravenscroft and the side were soon five down with just 40 runs on the board and not even in the 10th over.Malaysia's trio of bowlers kept the opposition under pressure, Hassan Ghulam, Khan and Aminuddin Ramply continued to terrorise Guernsey's batting line-up while the side's quick actions in the field proved tough for the Channel Island side. The side promptly slumped to 65-7 before the 20th over had even begun

But all was not lose for Guernsey, a fight back from Tom Kimber and David Hooper saw the side push on the hosts with Hooper contributing some 45 runs before he was run-out while Kimber valiantly continued the side's push for victory alongside the side's tail-enders. Kimber's starred with the bat for the men in green to snatch victory for the side when he smashed his way to an un-beaten 82 off 92 balls in a patient innings by the 21-year-old right-handed batsman. He guided the side to victory with three balls to spare and clinch an ecstatic Guernsey team the title of Pepsi ICC WCL Division 6 Champions.Le Prevost said: "It feels simply brilliant to win today and to have been six or seven down and then see young Tom Kimber come out and guide us to victory with a fantastic knock of 82 not out."We've had two extremely tough games of cricket against Malaysia and it's been a fantastic week to have won every game and walk away as champions. I'm extremely proud of how the team has performed as a whole and I hope we can keep that momentum going for Division 5 in Singapore."Player of the Tournament, Frith commented: "It's obviously great to win another player of the tournament award but this week was very much a group effort and it is great to have won every game along the way and then to come out the end as champions too. I work with development of cricket in Guernsey and to see the likes of Tom Kimber, Jamie Nussbaumer, Tim Ravenscroft and David Hooper along with Ben Ferbrache come through this tournament and perform so well is pleasing."Malaysia captain, Suhan said: " It's been a great week of cricket in Malaysia and it's obviously disappointing to have lost the final but Guernsey played some great cricket and Tom Kimber should be congratulated for great knock "We need to work on our batting ahead of going to Singapore in February and we'll take each game as it comes but I'd definitely like a chance to beat Guernsey next year in Division 5."Meanwhile, in the third/fourth play-offs at Selangor Turf Club - Jersey had Kuwait steadily on the back-foot with two of the top order departing for just two runs each while captain Hisham Mizra's disappointing tournament continued when he retired hurt after scoring just eight runs.The lower order then proved to be the run-makers of the innings, with Muhammed Amin, Saad Qamar and Azmatullah all contributing substantially to the Kuwaitis final total, Saad adding 50 to the 212 that the side managed to make. Jersey's Anthony Hawkins-Kay once again proved to be the most successful the Channel Island's bowlers claiming three wickets.In reply, Jersey fell just eight runs short of the total, to miss out on third place position in the event despite some valiant batting once again from Corey Bisson and Peter Gough. The duo actually concluded the tournament as the third and fourth highest run-getters overall, just behind team-mate Dean Morrison and Guernsey's Frith.Kuwait Mohammed Naseer proved to be the man on target today claiming four wickets taking his total wicket-haul for the tournament to nine by the conclusion of today's game. By beating Jersey, Kuwait are now 35th in the world with the Jersey side one place beneath them.In the final play-off, for fifth/sixth position between Fiji and Nigeria, the Nigerian side posted a respectable total of 235 in its 50 overs with Ramit Gill and Sean Philips proving to be the stand-out batsman. Meanwhile Mohammad Khan and Tasheed Tawheed of Fiji picked up a trio of wickets each at the venue that was used for the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in 2008.In reply, Fiji managed just 133 runs despite a valiant effort by Josefa Dabea who made 46 not out for the side but the day belonged to Varun Behani who claimed three wickets for 30 runs and alongside the Nigerian bowling attacked secured the side its first and only victory of the tournament.
Score in brief Final
1st/2nd play-off at Kinrara Oval
Malaysia 208-9, 50 overs (Ullah Khan 53, Shafiq 38, Smit 3-31)
Guernsey 211-8, 49.3 overs (Kimber 82 not out, Hooper 45; Ullah Khan 3-58)
Guernsey won by two wickets
3rd/4th play-off at Selangor Turf Club
Kuwait 212 all out, 44.5 overs (Bhatti 32, Amin 43, Saad 50, Azmattulah 44; Hawkins-Kay 3-52)
Jersey 204 all out, 49.5 overs (Bisson 59, Gough 54; Naseer 4-29)
Kuwait won by eight runs
5th/6th play-off at Bayeumas Oval
Nigeria 235-9, 50 overs (Gill 48, Philips 43; Tawheed 3-50, Khan 3-39)
Fiji 133 all out, 42.4 overs (Dabea 46; 3-30)
Nigeria won by 102 runs

Read More

Lahore Lions crush Hyderabad Hawks by 82 runs

KARACHI : Lahore Lions defeated Hyderabad Hawks by 82 runs in the second match of the Faisal Bank National Twenty20 Cup 2011 being played here at the National Stadium on Sunday.Chasing an improbable target of 195, Hyderabad Hawks were bundled out for 112 runs in 18.4 overs. All their batsmen except four failed to get into double-figures.The main scorers were Sharjeel Khan (30), Faisal Athar (23) and Azeem Ghumman (20)For Lahore Lions, slow left-arm spinner Raza Ali Dar and left-arm fast-medium bowler Wahab Riaz claimed two wickets for nine and 19 runs, respectively.Earlier, openers Ahmed Shehzad and Kamran Akmal guided Lahore Lions to set a difficult target of 195 runs for Hyderabad Hawks. After being put into bat by Hyderabad Hawks captain Azeem Ghumman, Lahore Lions piled up a big total of 194 runs for the loss of five wickets in the allotted 20 overs.Ahmed Shehzad and Kamran Akmal provided a solid start of 116 runs in 12 overs on the basis of which other batsmen easily took the score to 194.Both openers hit half-centuries as Ahmed made 72 off 50 balls with nine boundaries and Kamran scored 62 from 41 deliveries with seven fours and a six.Kamran’s younger brother Umar was unbeaten on 33.Off-break bowler Nasir Owais took three wickets for Hyderabad Hawks.

Read More

Lahore Eagles win toss, bat against Karachi Zebras

KARACHI : Lahore Eagles captain Taufiq Umar won the toss and elected to bat against Karachi Zebras in the third and the last match of the opening day in the Faisal Bank National Twenty20 Cup 2011 being played here at the National Stadium on Sunday.Teams:Karachi Zebras: Khurram Manzoor, Rameez Aziz, Akbar-ur-Rehman, Hasan Raza, Faisal Iqbal, Anwar Ali, Danish Kaneria (captain), Farhan Iqbal (wk), Azam Hussain, Uzair-ul-Haq, Atif Maqbool.Lahore Eagles: Taufiq Umar (captain), Imran Farhat, Azhar Ali, Hamza Paracha, Kamran Sajjad, Adnan Akmal (wk), Saad Nasim, Junaid Zia, Emmad Ali, Ali Azmat, Mustafa Iqbal.

Read More

Lahore set 195-run target for Hyderabad

KARACHI : Openers Ahmed Shehzad and Kamran Akmal guided Lahore Lions to set a difficult target of 195 runs for Hyderabad Hawks in the second match of the Faisal Bank National Twenty20 Cup 2011 being played here at the National Stadium on Sunday.After being put into bat by Hyderabad Hawks captain Azeem Ghumman, Lahore Lions piled up a big total of 194 runs for the loss of five wickets in the allotted 20 overs.Ahmed Shehzad and Kamran Akmal provided a solid start of 116 runs in 12 overs on the basis of which other batsmen easily took the score to 194.Both openers hit half-centuries as Ahmed made 72 off 50 balls with nine boundaries and Kamran scored 62 from 41 deliveries with seven fours and a six.Kamran’s younger brother Umar was unbeaten on 33.Off-break bowler Nasir Owais took three wickets for Hyderabad Hawks.

Read More

Hyderabad Hawks win toss, put Lahore Lions into bat

KARACHI : Hyderabad Hawks captain Azeem Ghumman won the toss and elected to field against Lahore Lions in the second match of the Faisal Bank National Twenty20 Cup 2011 here at the National Stadium on Sunday.Teams:Lahore Lions: Ahmed Shehzad, Kamran Akmal (wk), Nasir Jamshed, Abdul Razzaq (captain), Umar Akmal, Riaz Ali Dar, Wahab Riaz, Aizaz Cheema, Imran Ali, Tanzeel Altaf, Adnan Rasool.Hyderabad Hawks: Azeem Ghumman (captain, wk), Sharjeel Khan, Faisal Athar, Aqeel Anjum, Rizwan Ahmed, Lal Kumar, Mir Ali, Zahid Mahmood, Nauman Ali, Ghulam Yasin, Nasir Awais.

Read More

Yasir’s ton seals big win for Abbottabad in T20 opener

KARACHI : Yasir Hameed’s magnificent century sealed a big victory of 72 runs for Abbottabad Falcons against Quetta Bears in the opening match of the Faisal Bank National Twenty20 Cup 2011 here at the National Stadium on Sunday.Put into bat by Quetta Bears captain Bismillah Khan, Abbottabad Falcons made 190 runs for only two wickets in the allotted 20 overs with the help of a century by opener Yasir and a half-century by Adnan Raees.Opener Yasir scored 101 and Adnan made 51 and both remained not out.In reply, Quetta Bears could not chase the huge target of 191 and made only 118 runs for the loss of eight wickets.Fast bowler Junaid Khan captured three wickets for 24 and Khalid Usman claimed two for 10 for Abbottabad Falcons.

Read More

National T20 Championship begins today

KARACHI : Karachi Dolphins hope to get sixth time lucky as they begin as hot favourites for the title at the Faysal bank T20 Championship which explodes into action here at the National Stadium from Sunday.The Dolphins have played and lost five domestic T20 finals and have never annexed the title but the heartening fact for their fans is that their team is one of the most balanced outfits in the tournament and has a solid chance of finally winning the crown.Led by the charismatic Shahid Afridi, the star-studded Dolphins have received a pre-tournament boost as they will now be playing on home turf after the event was recently moved here from Lahore because of a dengue outbreak in the Punjab.They have been placed in a rather easy group 'D' with Peshawar Panthers and Islamabad Leopards. One expects them to have an easy sailing at least till the knock-out stage Their main rivals are Sialkot Stallions and Lahore Lions but Dolphins' good luck is that the two of their biggest rivals are in the same group, which means that one of the big two will not be able to go beyond group stages.But perhaps more importantly, it will be the support of home crowd and the advantage of playing in their own backyard that can help them to finally reign supreme in the event.Meanwhile, the tournament can be lit up by the unknown Afghan Cheetas, who are taking part in the event for first time in history.Though, they are not bringing some of their main players to the event but history beckons that the Afghans can prove to be tough nut to crack in shortest format of the game. They have been placed with current champions Rawalpindi Rams, former winners Faislabad Wolves and a dangerous Multan Tigers' outfit in Group 'B', in what certainly seems to be a 'group of death'. But Cheetas' can turn out to be the surprise package of the event.Test leg-spinner Danish Kaneria will be leading Karachi Zebras in the tournament and they will play the last match on Sunday against bitter rivals Lahore Eagles. The crowd can expect to see some fireworks when these two take on each under floodlights. The other teams to join them in Group 'A' are lowly Abbottabad Falcons and Quetta Bear.Meanwhile, five-time champions Sialkot stallions, the most successful side of Pakistan's T20 history, have been drawn with Lahore Lions and Hyderabad Hawks.Hawks can prove to be a nightmare for these two giants, as they have become a strong team in recent times and can cause a few upsets.Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali is expected to be the chief guest at the opening ceremony of the tournament today.Today's matches: Abbottabad Falcons vs Quetta Bears (12pm), Lahore Lions vs Hyderabad Hawks (4pm) and Karachi Zebras vs Lahore Eagles (8pm).

Read More

Akhtar cancels Mumbai launching ceremony of autobiography

MUMBAI : Shoaib Akhtar has cancelled the launching ceremony of his autobiography ‘Controversially Yours’ in Mumbai. According to reports in the Indian media, the launching ceremony was scheduled for Sunday.The autobiography has lived up to its title as Shoaib has criticised several former cricketers including Indian batsmen Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Earlier the autobiography was launched in New Delhi and the ceremony was attended by Pakistan High Commissioner to India Shahid Malik.During that ceremony the former fast bowler said that people should read his autobiography first to "understand his remarks" about Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, and added that they are "world class cricketers".

Read More

Faisal Bank National T20 Cup begins tomorrow

KARACHI : The Faisal Bank National Twenty20 Cricket Cup will begin tomorrow with the match between Abbottabad Falcons and Quetta BearsThe tournament will continue for eight days and three matches will be played daily during from September 25 to October 2. Only the top teams from each group will move into the semifinals.All the matches will be played here at the National Stadium and will be telecast live on Geo Super. In all, 14 teams are taking part in the event, which has been divided into following four groups:
Group A: Karachi Zebras, Lahore Lions, Abbottabad Falcons and Quetta Bears
Group B: Rawalpindi Rams, Multan Tigers, Faisalabad Wolves and Afghan Cheetas
Group C: Sialkot Stallions, Lahore Lions and Hyderabad Hawks
Group D: Karachi Dolphins, Islamabad Leopards and Peshawar Panthers

Schedule
Sep. 25: Abbottabad Falcons vs Quetta Bears (Afternoon), Lahore Lions vs Hyderabad Hawks (4pm), Lahore Eagles vs Karachi Zebras (8pm)
Sep. 26: Sialkot Stallions vs Hyderabad Hawks (Afternoon), Karachi Zebras vs Quetta Bears (4pm), Lahore Eagles vs Abbottabad Falcons (8pm)
Sep. 27: Lahore Eagles vs Quetta Bears (Afternoon), Karachi Zebras vs Abbottabad (4pm), Lahore Lions vs Sialkot Stallions (8pm)
Sep. 28: Islamabad Leopards vs Peshawar Panthers (Afternoon), Faisalabad Wolves vs Multan Tigers (4pm), Rawalpindi Rams vs Afghan Cheetas (8pm)
Sep. 29: Rawalpindi Rams vs Multan Tigers (Afternoon), Faisalabad Wolves vs Afghan Cheetas (4pm), Karachi Dolphins vs Islamabad Leopards (8pm)
Sep. 30: Multan Tigers vs Afghan Cheetas (Afternoon), Rawalpindi Rams vs Faisalaabad Wolves (4pm), Karachi Dolphins vs Peshawar Panthers (8pm)
Semifinals
Oct. 01: 1st semifinal (4pm) between winner of Group A vs winner of Group C,
2nd semifinal (8pm) among winner of Group B and winner of Group D
Oct. 02: Final (7pm).The Faysal Bank T20 Cup was earlier scheduled to be played in Lahore but later it was shifted from Lahore to Karachi, as ordered by the President of Pakistan, because Lahore has been hit hard by a dengue outbreak.

Read More

Shoaib Akhtar destroyed his own career: Akram

MUMBAI : Former Pakistan captain Waseem Akram said that Shoaib Akhtar was trying to gain cheap publicity by making accusations in his autobiography.Akram dismissed Akhtar’s claims of making Sachin Tendulkar uncomfortable with his pace in the Faisalabad Test in 2006 and also rejected some of the other allegations he has made in the book titled 'Controversially Yours'. Akram said Shoaib, who was a controversial figure all through his playing career, was just trying to sell his book with tall claims and also rejected allegations that he tried to destroy the pacer's career. "He knows, I know and the world knows that he was himself responsible for destroying his career” Akram said

Read More

England crush hapless Windies by 10 wickets

LONDON : Ravi Bopara produced England's best ever Twenty20 bowling performance to set up a crushing 10-wicket win over the West Indies in the first game of a two-match series at the Oval on Friday. The Essex all-rounder took 4-10 with his medium pace, eclipsing the previous best mark of 4-22 jointly held by Paul Collingwood and Jade Dernbach, as the tourists slipped from 52-0 to 125 all out. World champions England then cruised to victory, with 28 balls to spare, Alex Hales making 62 not out and Craig Kieswetter unbeaten on 58.England captain Graeme Swann claimed several of his players have made a case for inclusion in the squad for next year's Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka."We can take a lot of credit for the way we approached this game. We are trying to take these two games very seriously with the World Cup coming up and this has a gone a long way to confirming one or two players into that squad if not into the final 11, he said. The West Indies got off to a flying start but the introduction of the slower bowlers -- Samit Patel (2-23), Swann (1-30) and Bopara -- stalled the run rate and a rash of wickets saw the tourists collapse from 97-2 to a below par total. But their captain Darren Sammy did not seem to heed the lessons of his side's innings and didn't introduce his slower bowlers until the eighth over.By then England were 66 without loss and had the game under control. Hales, who made a second ball duck in his only previous international against India, passed 50 from 36 balls and Kieswetter did the same shortly afterwards taking 41 deliveries and England passed 100 in the 12th over on their way to a convincing win.It had seemed a different story when West Indies had been put in by Swann. They raced past 50 in 35 balls with Dwayne Smith helping himself to 20 off one over from Tim Bresnan before the spinners arrived and put the brakes on the scoring rate.With one over of the batting powerplay left Swann opted to give Patel a bowl, rather than having an over himself, and was rewarded with the wicket of Smith who was bowled for 33 by a ball that turned past his outside edge and hit off stump.Johnson Charles made 33 and Danza Hyatt 26, but the rest of the West Indies batsmen failed to make double figures.

Read More

Shoaib Akhtar’s ‘Controversially Yours’ released

NEW DELHI : Former Test cricketer Shoaib Akhtar’s autobiography ‘Controversially Yours’ whihc has already sparked much controversy has been released in India, Geo News reported Saturday.The book was launched in New Delhi hotel and the ceremony was attended by Pakistan High Commissioner to India Shahid Malik.The former fast bowler said that people should read his autobiography first to "understand his remarks" about Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, and added that they are "world class cricketers"."I am not here to clarify anything... but facts in my book have been presented in a rather strange manner by the media here," Akhtar said responding to queries about his remarks on Tendulkar and Dravid.Akhtar said that he respects Shah Rukh Khan but alleged that he was cheated by former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi and former PCB chairman Naseem Ashraf.The bowler admitted to ball tampering and feels it should be legalised.

Read More

Pakistan shocked at Tiger Pataudi's death

KARACHI : Pakistanis on Friday paid tribute to former Indian captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, saying the death of the charismatic player left a void in the cricket world.Pataudi, nicknamed "The Tiger" for his superb fielding, who died Thursday aged 70, was equally popular across the border for his grace and charismatic character.He played 46 Tests between 1961 and 1975, scoring 2,793 runs at an average of 34.91 with six centuries despite losing his right eye in a car accident in England.Former Pakistan captain and a contemporary of Pataudi, Hanif Mohammad said the news came as a shock."I recently watched him on television and he looked great, but the sudden news of his death is a shock to me," said Mohammad, nicknamed "Little Master" for his batting in 1950s and 60s.Mohammad said he didn't play against Pataudi as India-Pakistan ties were stalled during that period but they were team-mates in a World XI."When Pataudi started his career, we didn't have Indo-Pak ties but we got a chance to play in a World XI and I found him a great human being, a charismatic character and a genuine cricket buff," Mohammad reminisced.Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan, a cousin of Pataudi, said his death was a great loss for the game.Pataudi was a great ambassador of Indian cricket and was a very genuine cricket lover, his death will leave a great void for the family and for the cricket world," said Khan.Pataudi became India's youngest captain at the age of 21 during a tour of the West Indies in 1962 when the then skipper Nari Contractor was injured after being hit on the head by a bouncer from Charlie Griffith.He led India in 40 of his 46 Tests, winning nine and securing the country's first series win abroad on the 1967-68 tour of New Zealand.Former PCB chief executive Arif Abbasi remembered Pataudi as a "great friend.""I have lost a great and a very close friend," said Abbasi. "He had a great vision of the game and his demise is not only a great loss for Indian cricket but also for international cricket as well.Pataudi is survived by his actress wife Sharmila Tagore, whom he married in 1969, two daughters and a son, Saif Ali Khan, who is a popular Bollywood actor.

Read More

Tendulkar refuses to comment on Shoaib’s autobiography

MUMBAI : Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar has refused to comment on statements made about him in Shoaib Akhtar’s new autobiography,Akhtar in his autobiography said that Tendulkar was intimidated by him and he was not a match winning player. Akhtar added that Rahul Dravid was a better player than Tendulkar. Akhtar while speaking to an Indian news channel in Mumbai said that he had no personal problem with Tendulkar who had contributed immensely to cricket.

Read More

Australia’s Marsh appointed Sri Lanka coach

COLOMBO : Former Australian opener Geoff Marsh will take over as head coach of the Sri Lankan team on a two-year contract, the country's cricket board (SLC) said on Friday. "With his vast coaching and playing experience at the highest levels, Sri Lanka Cricket is confident that he would be an ideal choice for the post of Sri Lanka national team headcoach," the board said in a statement. Marsh, who will begin his new job on Sept. 27, was part of Australia's 1987 World Cup-winning team and also coached them to the 1999 trophy. The 52-year-old also served as a selector before taking charge of Zimbabwe, a post he quit in 2004. Sri Lanka have been without a regular coach since Trevor Bayliss departed after guiding the team to the final of the 2011 World Cup in April. Australian Stuart Law stepped in as interim coach for the tour of England while retired Sri Lanka bowler Rumesh Ratnayake coached the team during the home series against Australia.

Read More

Moin Khan and Tauqeer Zia defend Akram

KARACHI : In his new autobiography ‘Controversially Yours’ former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has accused Waseem Akram of trying to ruin his career.Moin Khan who was teammates with both cricketers while speaking to said Akram was an inspirational figure in Pakistan and internationally. “This sort of accusation should not be levelled against him” Moin added. Tauqeer Zia the former PCB Chairman said that if these allegations were true than Akram would have ended Akhtar’s career before 2003. “In my opinion Akhtar is creating controversy to sell his book” said Zia who according to the biography supported Akhtar when he was having problems with Waseem Akram.

Read More

New Zealand squad for Zimbabwe tour

WELLINGTON: New Zealand squad for tour of Zimbabwe beginning on October 15:New Zealand Test squad: Ross Taylor (captain), Doug Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, Martin Guptill, Jesse Ryder, Chris Martin, Brendon McCullum, Andy McKay, Kyle Mills, Jeetan Patel, Tim Southee, Daniel Vettori, Kane Williamson, B.J. Watling, Reece Young. ODI/T20 squad:Ross Taylor (captain), Graeme Aldridge, Doug Bracewell, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Andy McKay, Kyle Mills, Rob Nicol, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, B.J. Watling, Kane Williamson, Luke Woodcock.

Read More

Jersey stumbles to beat Nigeria

Jersey stumbled to victory over Nigeria today in Kuala Lumpur in Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 6 (WCL Div. 6). The fixture was a re-play of the round three game that the sides had been forced to abandon on Tuesday due to adverse weather conditions.The toss for the game took place on schedule, with Jersey choosing to field, but as soon as captain Peter Gough had made his decision the weather took a turn for the worse and the rain clouds blew in, leading to a delayed start and the match being reduced to 40 overs Endurance Ofem's men have not been performing well with the bat this tournament and the side needed a good start and a decent total on the board but Jersey's bowling attack had other ambitions.James Faudemer, Anthony Hawkins-Kay and Ben Stevens proved to once again be the men to deliver for Jersey. Faudemer's slow left-arm spin was the downfall of the Nigerians today, the 20-year-old claiming four wickets, including those of key top order batsmen Varun Behani, Oluwaseun Odeku and player-coach Sean Philips.Hawkins-Kay showed his speed once again this time to dismiss opener Ademola Onikoyi for just two runs and in-form batsman Olejide Bejide, the latter departing for a duck.It was an unfortunate innings for the African side who managed just 110 in 32 overs but all was not lost for the side as a quick turnaround saw Nigeria back on the field ahead of the lunch break and claiming three wickets before food was served.Jersey captain Gough was promoted to opening the batting alongside Ed Farley, the latter departing for a duck after facing just three balls. Gough managed just six runs before he was dismissed by Joshua Ogunlola, the medium-pacer tempting the 26-year-old to edging the ball to Nigeria wicketkeeper Onikoyi. Saheed Akolade then dismissed Ben Stevens, clean bowling the 19-year-old and four overs later Akolade sent Ben Silva packing after the 33-year-old was caught by some nifty fielding from Ramit Gill.It was then up to Dean Morrison and Corey Bisson to steady the ship for the Channel Island side but not for long as Bisson departed after being caught by Behani off the bowling of off-break bowler Olakejan Awolowo.Things went from bad to worse for the side as two batsman departed in quick succession both to Philips and it then became the task of Morrison to lead the side, along with Alex Cooke to its second win of the tournament.Morrison finished with 59 not out and was happy to see another win on the baord: "I normally open the batting but today Peter Gough opened instead as I came in at number six today. We lost early wickets, including two before the break which wasn't great and it was up to me and Corey Bisson to steady the ship and we put on a 52 run partnership before he departed."It was then about batting through to make sure we reached the target, even if it was with only an over or so to spare," said Morrison. "Like I said, I normally open, but back when I played in Australia I used to come in down the order so when I came in today at six I knew what I had to do which was that to help the tail bat through. We had to keep trying for the win and I kept saying to the guys that came in to join me it was all about keeping going and getting victory."It's definitely taken the heat off us to have another win, although we can't be complacent we have to win tomorrow to keep ourselves in with a chance in this tournament," added Morrison.He did admit Nigeria did challenge the side: "I think early on we bowled too many wides to Nigeria, we shouldn't have let them get more than 80 or 90 but I have to say since we last played them, in our rained-off game, their bowling attack has improved. They made our batsmen commit to shots but putting the ball it the right areas and it paid off for them in the first innings, they are a very competitive side.Tomorrow's fixtures will see Malaysia plays Guernsey at Kinrara Oval, Jersey takes on Fiji at Selgangor Turf Club while Nigeria faces up to Kuwait at Bayeumas Oval.Score in brief for Round 3 re-playAt Bayeumas (Match reduced to 40 overs due to rain-delayed start)Nigeria 110 all out, 32 overs (Behani 25; Faudemer 4-25, Hawkins-Kay 3-27, Stevens 3-12)Jersey 111-7, 38.4 overs (Morrison 59 not out; Akolade 3-22)
Jersey won by three wickets
Pepsi ICC WCL Division 6 Points Table

Team	P	W	L	T	N/R	Pts	NRR	For	Against
Malaysia	4	3	1	0	0	6	+1.163	565/135.3	451/150
Guernsey	3	3	0	0	0	6	+0.86	742/150	613/150
Jersey	4	2	2	0	0	4	+0.007	680/172.4	682/173.3
Kuwait	4	2	2	0	0	4	-0.248	569/130.5	616/134
Fiji	4	1	3	0	0	2	-0.708	663/179	714/161.5
Nigeria	3	0	3	0	0	0	-1.249	351/119.0	494/117.4

Read More

Hussey helps Australia return to fourth position in Reliance ICC Test Ranking

Michael Hussey's heroics in Australia's 1-0 series victory over Sri Lanka has not only helped him return to the top 10 of the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen but has allowed his side to swap places with Sri Lanka in the Reliance ICC Test Championship table.Australia, who started the series at number-five position, has moved into fourth position and now leads Sri Lanka by one ratings point, while trailing third-ranked India by 13 ratings points.However, Michael Clarke's side will need to put in consistent performances in its upcoming matches against South Africa, New Zealand and India if it wishes to challenge the leading teams in the Test rankings which is currently headed by England.Mike Hussey's 463 runs in the series, including two centuries, have seen him rise to sixth position in the batting rankings, rising five places.Kumar Sangakkara's series aggregate of 223 runs, including two half-centuries, has enabled him to join the England pair of Alastair Cook and Ian Bell in second position.Sri Lanka's left-arm spinner Rangana Herath's excellent bowling displays, which saw him claim 16 wickets in the series, has also helped him achieve a career-best ranking to date. He has jumped six places to 10th position.For information relating to the latest

Read More

England to start ICC World Twenty20 title defence against qualifier

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the match schedule and unveiled the event logo of the ICC World Twenty20 2012, which will be staged in Sri Lanka from 18 September to 7 October.Reigning champion England will start its title defence at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo exactly one year from today, on 21 September, against one of the two qualifiers for the tournament. Stuart Broad's side will complete its opening group commitments two days later against 2007 champion India at the same venue.Australia, chasing the one global trophy to have eluded them, will go head-to-head with the other qualifier in Colombo on 19 September, part of a double-header that also features India and a qualifier.Sri Lanka, which lost to England in the semi-final of last year's tournament in the West Indies, will open its campaign against Zimbabwe under lights in Hambantota on the first day of the tournament (18 September) before taking on South Africa at the same venue on 22 September.If Sri Lanka reaches the Super Eight, it will then go on to play in Pallekele before moving to Colombo if it qualifies for the knock-out stage.Pakistan, which won the 2009 tournament in England, has been grouped with New Zealand and Bangladesh, and will play its matches in Pallekele on 23 and 25 September respectively. Pallekele will also host the New Zealand-Bangladesh match on 21 September.If everything goes according to pre-tournament seedings then Pakistan and India will lock horns in a Super Eight match in Colombo on Sunday 30 September.The group stages of the women's tournament will take place in Galle where host Sri Lanka will take on one of the tournament qualifiers on 26 September, the first day of women's matches. On the same date, last year's losing finalist New Zealand will meet the West Indies.Australia's women will start their push for back-to-back trophies against India on 27 September, the same day which will see 2009 winner England launch its campaign against the other qualifier.A total of 42 matches, including 27 men's and 15 women's matches, will be played over 20 days at four venues - R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Pallekele, Hambantota and Galle, with R Premadasa Stadium hosting the finals on Sunday 7 October.ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: "The ICC World Twenty20 is now a marquee event in Twenty20 cricket where nations challenge each other for the most coveted title in the shortest format of the game."The previous editions in South Africa, England and the West Indies have smartly established the ICC World Twenty20 as a major global event that is not only exciting and entertaining but embraces both men's and women's cricket."Nothing beats nation-versus-nation contests and when these battles take place in the newest, sharpest and quickest form of the game then you can feel the excitement in fans."We all know how passionate and loyal the Sri Lankan public is towards our Great Sport and we will ensure the tickets are affordable so that they can enjoy the event."Following the legacies and success of the recent ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, I am confident that the hosts, Sri Lanka, will deliver a world class event."I am happy that the men's and women's semi-finals and finals will once again be played on the same days at the same venues. Those match-days provide a great setting for both the men's and women's game and we remain committed to showcase women's cricket in this way, which is unique in the world of team sports.The tournament will include two teams qualifying from the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2012, which will be staged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 13-24 March 2012.Mr Lorgat added: "It will be exciting to see who eventually qualifies. In 2010, Afghanistan made history by qualifying to play on the global stage which was great reward for them and the development of the game."
"Modern Spin" - the event logo
The event logo - "Modern Spin" - was also unveiled by Mr Lorgat.Designed by Australian creative firm Witekite, the logo incorporates and amalgamates the rounded look of the Sinhalese Script. The letter "T" forms a player which leads into the "2" while the "0" incorporates a cricket ball.The colours of the logo, with strong reds and oranges, are seen in both nature and Sri Lankan culture and arts, with their presence in the logo giving them a cricket "spin". It has a natural sense of movement due to its fluid lines and forward angles.Mr Lorgat said: "I am delighted to reveal this colourful logo that reflects the culture of Sri Lanka. The event now has a formal identity and we will use it to promote this exciting and entertaining event."The logo will be used on an ongoing basis over the next 12 months and will feature on publicity and promotional material during the build-up to and throughout what will be the fourth ICC World Twenty20.
Sale of tickets and international tour and travel packages
Tickets are planned to go on sale to the public from 1 March 2012 and will be available via website and box office sales in Sri Lanka. The ICC and Sri Lanka Cricket will be appointing a company to manage the ticket sales process and will jointly determine a sales policy that will ensure equitable access to purchase tickets for local and overseas fans alike.Entry to the women's group stage matches in Galle will be open to the public at no charge. Entry to the women's semi-finals and final, which will be played before the men's corresponding matches in Colombo, will be on the same match ticket as the men's.The ICC tour and travel website www.icctravel.net which will go live on 1 October, will feature the details of all forthcoming ICC events and will be updated regularly with the contact details for all official travel agents. They will be the only outlets through which travel packages to ICC events will be legitimately available. In territories where an OTA (official travel agent) has not yet been appointed, consumers will be able to register their interest on the website and they will then be contacted by ICC Travel and advised to purchase their desired package.The ICC World Twenty20 2012 schedule of the matches and more information can be found by clicking here.The ICC World Twenty20 2012 event logo can be found here and can be downloaded for editorial use only.Click here to view the Groups and Fixtures of ICC World Twenty20 2012

Read More

Brad Haddin retires from international Twenty20

Australian wicket-keeper Brad Haddin today confirmed his retirement from international Twenty20 cricket to focus on Australian one-day and Test match cricket.Haddin played 25 matches for Australia at Twenty20 level, the last of these being against Sri Lanka in Kandy during the early stages of the current VB Tour.Haddin said a number of factors had contributed to his decision:"I thoroughly enjoy Twenty20 cricket and have taken great pride from playing all three forms of the game for Australia. However I feel the time is now right for me to concentrate on Test and ODI cricket."This decision has been made to prolong my effectiveness in these formats and provide me further time to prepare for the demands of ODI and Test cricket. I remain extremely determined to play cricket for Australia and believe this decision will help achieve this."I remain committed and very excited by my role as captain of the Sydney Sixers in the KFC Big Bash League and also with the Kolkata Night Riders in the Indian Premier League but look forward to the periods of downtime throughout the international season this decision will create.

Read More

Australia captain wants say on new coach

SYDNEY : Australian Test captain Michael Clarke has said he wants a say on who the new team coach will be but stopped short of nominating a candidate, as Steve Rixon emerged as a frontrunner.The team is looking for a new mentor after Tim Nielsen decided to step down rather than reapply for his job after the team secured a 1-0 Test series win over Sri Lanka in Colombo this week.Nielsen, 43, who held the job for four years, would have had to reapply for the expanded role of head coach, a post which is being created following recommendations made by the seven-month Argus Review of Australian cricket.With a tour of South Africa looming in less than a month, there is an urgent need to appoint at least an interim replacement.Reports said former New Zealand coach Rixon and former Australian Test batsman Justin Langer were in the running, at least for the interim position.Clarke emphasised the need for him to have a strong bond with the new coach."There's a lot of successful coaches around the world, and I think the priority, as the review has made very clear, is they are going to try and get the best person for the job," he said late Wednesday, on arriving back in Australia.I think Tim Nielsen has done an amazing job for Australia. He's been fantastic for me, not only as a captain, but as a player and he's certainly going to be missed. "But in regards to names I'm not going to get involved in that because to me it's irrelevant."Asked if he hoped to have some input into the decision, Clarke said: "I hope I will. I have a really good relationship with James Sutherland the (Cricket Australia) CEO and I'm pretty sure it is important the captain and coach have a strong bond."I would imagine I would have some sort of impact and I'll be communicating with James over however long, to try and work out who they think the best person for the role is."During Nielsen's tenure, Australia lost two Ashes series against England and failed to retain the limited-overs World Cup in April after winning it on the last three occasions Australian cricket is undergoing a transitional period following the retirement of greats like Shane Warne, Mathew Hayden, Glenn McGrath and Adam Gilchrist.The sweeping Argus Review was ordered by the Australian cricket board after the Test team's humiliating 3-1 Ashes series defeat at home to England this year.The announcement came after Clarke replaced Ricky Ponting as captain and led Australia to Test and one-day series wins in Sri Lanka on his first full tour at the helm.

Read More

Sri Lankan team for Pak series announced

COLOMBO : Sri Lanka on Wednesday left out seasoned batsman Thilan Samaraweera and unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis for next month's Test series against Pakistan.Samaraweera, who turns 35 on Thursday, has been one of Sri Lanka's most reliable batsmen in recent years with 4,683 runs, including 12 centuries, in 68 Tests at an average of 52.61.Mendis, 26, has claimed 62 wickets in 16 Tests with an unique bowling action where he appears to flick the ball from his fingers, making it turn sharply.Both players were part of the enlarged squad for the recent Test series against Australia, and while Mendis was ignored for all three matches, Samaraweera was dropped for the final game.The selectors kept faith in 13 members of the squad that lost 1-0 to Australia on Tuesday and added batsman Dinesh Chandimal, seamer Nuwan Pradeep and reserve wicket-keeper Kaushal Silva for the tour.The Pakistan series will be played in the United Arab Emirates with the first Test in Abu Dhabi from October 18 to 22, the second in Dubai from Oct 26 to 30 and the third in Sharjah from November 3 to 7.The Sri Lankam squad for the subsequent five one-day matches and a Twenty20 international will be named later.Sri Lanka's Test squad:Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), Angelo Mathews (vice-capt), Tharanga Paranavitana, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Prasanna Jayawardene, Dinesh Chandimal, Rangana Herath, Suraj Randiv, Chanaka Welegedara, Suranga Lakmal, Shaminda Eranga, Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Pradeep, Kaushal Silva

Read More

T20 event shifted to Karachi

KARACH I: National T20 event has been moved from Lahore to Karachi due to dengue epidemic in the Punjab,President Asif Zardari on Tuesday ordered the country's cricket authorities to shift the domestic T20. The idea to relocate the championship came up during a meeting between the president and sportsmen during a meeting Tuesday.Sources said that Zardari used his powers as PCB's chief patron to move the event from Lahore because of a dengue outbreak after Board chairman Ijaz Butt told him that the event cannot be relocated because of technical problems.T20 event will be held in Karachi from September 25 as scheduled

Read More

Top umpire Aleem Dar returns home

LAHORE : Pakistani and ICC's top umpire Aleem Dar returned home after clinching ICC award for the umpire of the year for the third consecutive year.A large crowd present at the Allama Iqbal International Airport accorded warm welcome to the Pakistani umpire.Talking to media at the airport, Dar said that he felt proud to be Pakistani. He further said that it was not his award but of Pakistan. He said that the central contract for umpires should also be introduced in the country.He said domestic cricket in Pakistan should be promoted so that new players and umpires would come to light.

Read More