Kaneria hires lawyers for ECB hearing

KARACHI: Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria said Monday he has hired a legal team for an English cricket board disciplinary hearing over a spot-fixing case that sent his former Essex team-mate to prison.

Mervyn Westfield was jailed for four months in February after admitting that he accepted money to under-perform during a Pro40 match between Essex and Durham in 2009.

The 23-year-old seamer named Kaneria -- arrested with him in 2010 but released without charge -- as the link between bookmakers and players.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said last week that Westfield and Kaneria would face a disciplinary hearing in May.

"Kaneria has hired three lawyers, two from the UK and one from Pakistan to represent him before the England and Wales Cricket Board," said a statement from the player's lawyer Farogh Naseem.

Naseem said Kaneria, who took 276 international wickets in 61 Tests and 18 one-day games for Pakistan, denied the allegations.

"Kaneria pleads not guilty to the charges... and also objects to any sanction being inflicted on him," the lawyer said.

Kaneria's legal team have asked the ECB to delay the hearing until at least May 10 to give them time to study a 400-page evidence bundle.

In February, London's Old Bailey court was told Westfield was paid nearly $10,000 to bowl so that a specific number of runs would be chalked up in the first over of a match between Durham and Essex in September 2009.

The 31-year-old Kaneria faces a life ban from the game if found guilty at the hearing, where a number of Essex players are expected to give evidence.

He has not played for Pakistan since the Nottingham Test against England in August 2010 -- the same tour that saw the infamous spot-fixing episode in the Lord's Test, which led to then-captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer being jailed on corruption charges.

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Cricket: Chanderpaul ton puts Windies in charge

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Veteran batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit his 25th Test century as West Indies piled-up 449 for nine declared to take a firm grip on the first Test against Australia on Sunday.

At stumps on the second day at Kensington Oval, Australia had reached 44 without loss in reply with openers Ed Cowan on 27 and David Warner also unbeaten on 13.

Chanderpaul batted for 386 minutes for his unbeaten 103, becoming the leading run scorer in Tests at the Kensington Oval while skipper Darren Sammy thrilled the crowd with a quickfire 41.
In the morning, Australia took the new ball as soon as it became available but it didn't seem to provide any more movement than the old one.

Skipper Michael Clarke had a gully and a short backward point in place to Darren Bravo and the plan worked when he played a tentative shot to the slower pace of Shane Watson, the ball going straight to Mike Hussey in the gully.

Bravo's slow trudge off the field showed his clear disappointment after his innings of 51 had been brought to an end.

Narsingh Deonarine was playing his first Test for two years but, again, Australia had a clear plan. They served him up with the odd short ball and their preparation paid off.

On 22, he was caught in two minds to a shorter delivery from Ryan Harris and as he turned away, the ball came off the edge and went high to wicket-keeper Matthew Wade who took his second catch.

After lunch, Carlton Baugh had moved on to 22 when he started off for an impossible single after Chanderpaul had turned the ball to square leg.

But Harris swooped and his direct hit dismissed the West Indies keeper.

This brought in Sammy and the West Indian captain was intent on attack.

He had only been at the crease a few minutes when he smashed Nathan Lyon for three boundaries in four balls.

He then ducked into a Watson delivery and needed several minutes of attention.

Next ball, still not fully recovered from the blow, Sammy powered the ball back over Watson's head for six.

Both teams were showing aggression and the next few overs thrilled the crowd as the Australians goaded Sammy who hit back with another four and two more enormous sixes.

In the end, another short of a length ball from Ben Hilfenhaus saw him play uppishly to Cowan at square leg.

The West Indian skipper had hit 41 off just 36 balls; Chanderpaul only scored eight in their 53-run partnership.

Chanderpaul survived a close DRS decision on 85, the only one of the innings, when Lyon thought he'd trapped him lbw.

Two balls later Lyon had his first wicket when skipper Clarke took a sharp catch at first slip but it was Kemar Roach on 16 that gave the chance.

With Chanderpaul on 95, Fidel Edwards threw away his wicket when he holed out a David Warner long hop to Mike Hussey.

Fortunately for the veteran West Indian, Devendra Bishoo was good enough to put on 28 for the next wicket to allow Chanderpaul to celebrate another
century.

West Indies are aiming for their first Test win against Australia for nine years and for a first series win over the visitors in 19 years.

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Mumbai Indians to take on Deccan Chargers today

The match would start at 7.30 in the evening (Pakistan Time).
Rajasthan Royals and Pune Warriors with four points each are on the top of the table.Pakistan’s first sports channel Geo Super is televising all the matches of the event live.

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Yuvraj reaches Delhi after cancer treatment in US

NEW DELHI: Yuvraj Singh, who left a nation worried and praying after he was diagnosed with a rare germ-cell cancer, reached Delhi on Monday morning after undergoing successful treatment in the US since January.

Yuvi, the World Cup player of the tournament, arrived home from London. The 30-year-old, who underwent treatment in Indianapolis, was discharged from the hospital last month. He then stopped over in London for a few days as he was advised not to head home straightaway because there still was some fear of infection if he mingled with too many people.

The star cricketer tweeted before boarding his flight home, “Finally the day has come! I am going home tomorrow! Can’t wait, excited to see my friends and family…see you India!! Mera bharat mahan!”

The player, who went through trying moments and faced the kind of loneliness cancer can bring upon people, found support from millions of Indian fans as well as fellow cricketers — both Indian and foreign. He was visited in Indianapolis by Anil Kumble, while multiple Tour de France winner, Lance Armstrong, who has been a big inspiration for Yuvi, sent a message of encouragement. Sachin Tendulkar also met him.

Yuvraj will address a media conference on Wednesday along with his doctor, a senior oncologist in the city, to talk about how he came through the toughest phase in his life. However, he is still some time away from picking up his heavy bat again.

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Chanderpaul takes Windies to 291 for five at lunch

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul batted throughout the morning session to make an unbeaten 58 as West Indies reached 291 for five at lunch on the second day of the first Test against Australia.

When rain had ended play early on the first day on Saturday, there were only seven more overs until the new ball and Australia took it straight away but it didn't seem to provide any more movement than the old one.

Darren Bravo, in Ryan Harris' third over, crashed two shots through the covers to the boundary.

His innings was a mixture of stubborn defence and booming off-side strikes and that approach was almost his undoing in the 92nd over.

Michael Clarke had a gully and a short backward point in place but the thick edge off a Peter Siddle delivery eluded both of them. Next ball a finer edge went through third slip position with only two in place.

But the plan finally paid off when Bravo played a similar but more tentative shot to the slower pace of Shane Watson, the ball going straight to Mike Hussey in the gully.

Bravo had faced 123 balls for his 51 and his slow trudge off the Kensington Oval field showed his clear disappointment.

Narsingh Deonarine, playing his first Test for two years in place of Marlon Samuels who is playing in the IPL, was the top scorer in the domestic four-day competition despite failing to score a century.

Australia had a clear plan to serve him up with the odd short ball and, again, their preparation paid off.

On 22 he was caught in two minds to a shorter delivery from Harris and as he turned away, the ball came off the edge and went high to wicket-keeper Matthew Wade who took his second catch.

It proved to be the best over of the morning as Harris then had Carlton Baugh edging the second ball he faced through a vacant third slip and next ball Ricky Ponting, diving to his right, just failed to hold on to the toughest chance offered so far

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West Indies win toss, bowl against Australia

GROS ISLET, Saint Lucia: The West Indies won the toss and chose to bowl in their fifth and final one-day international against Australia here on Sunday.

The home side lead the five-match series 2-1 and are bidding for a first series win over the Australians in 17 years.

Australia won the first ODI by 64 runs before West Indies won by five wickets in a rain-affected second match.

That win ended the West Indies' miserable run of 15 defeats in 16 one-dayers against Australia.

The third ODI ended in a thrilling tie, but Kieron Pollard crashed a blistering century to set up a 42-run win for the Windies in the fourth match.

Both sides were unchanged for the final ODI.

Teams

West Indies: Johnson Charles, Adrian Barath, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Carlton Baugh (wk), Darren Sammy (captain), Sunil Narine, Kemar Roach

Australia: Shane Watson (captain), David Warner, Matthew Wade (wk), George Bailey, Michael Hussey, David Hussey, Peter Forrest, Clint McKay, Xavier Doherty, Brett Lee, Ben Hilfenhaus

Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SL) and Peter Nero (WI), TV umpire: Shavir Tarapore (IND)

Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)

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Pune beat Punjab to record second successive win

PUNE: Pune Warriors defeated Kings XI Punjab by 22 runs in the eighth match of the fifth Indian Premier League here at the Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium on Sunday.

Chasing 167 to win, Kings XI Punjab were restricted by Pune Warriors to 144-8 in 20 overs.

Bipul Sharma top scored with 35 from 18 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes while Mandeep Singh and Abhishek Nayar made 24 each.

For Pune, leg-break bowler Rahul Sharma took two wickets for 34 runs.

Earlier, Pune scored 166 for six in 20 overs, thanks to West Indian Marlon Samuels (46) and Indian Robin Uthappa (40). Bothbatsmen struck two sixes each while Australian Steven Smith hit three sixes in his 12-ball 25.

Harmeet Singh claimed three for 24 for Punjab.

Geo Super telecast this match live from Pune.

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Rajasthan's second successive win as Kolkata beaten again

JAIPUR: Rajasthan Royals recorded their second successive victory defeating Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) who lost their second consecutive match in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League here at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Sunday.

Rajasthan Royals made 164 for five in the allotted 20 overs after they were put into bat by Kolkata captain Gautam Gambhir.

Their main scorers were Australia’s Brad Hodge (44) and Asok Menaria (40). Besides, their captain Rahul Dravid also made a significant contribution of 26 with two sixes and Owais Shah remained not out on 23.

For the KKR, Aussie fast bowler Brett Lee claimed two wickets for 29.

The KKR could not chase the target of 165 and were all out for 142 in exact 20 overs.

Manoj Tiwari top scored with 59 with seven fours, followed by Lee’s 25..

For Rajasthan, West Indies’ medium-pace bowler Kevon Cooper took three for 28.

Geo Super showed this match live from Jaipur.

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Strauss confident about his future as captain

COLOMBO: Andrew Strauss heads home from Asia confident his future as captain is secure after England ended a miserable run in Tests by beating Sri Lanka to draw the series and retain their number-one ranking.

The tourists eased to an eight-wicket win in the second and final Test at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo on Saturday to make amends for the 75-run loss in the first Test in Galle, which was their fourth straight Test defeat this year.

England's losses, including an embarrassing 3-0 whitewash at the hands of Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, had left them teetering on the brink of losing their top ranking.

The one blemish in the hard-fought series against Sri Lanka was Strauss's own batting form. He made just 114 runs in four innings at an average of 28.50.

The left-hander appeared to have found his rhythm when he hit 61 in the first innings of the second Test, but he fell for a duck in the first over of the second innings as England chased a modest target of 94.

Strauss has not added to his 19 Test centuries in 25 innings and has just one three-figure knock in his past 50 innings, raising questions about his future in the side.

But the skipper said he had never doubted himself or his leadership role.

"I never had any doubts about whether this was the time for me to go," the 35-year-old veteran of 94 Tests said, adding he was focused on his side performing well.

"I am very determined and committed to seeing us improve as a side. It's been an interesting week or two, but we as a side should not get carried away with whatever the issue of the day is.

"We have done that very well over the last couple of years, and obviously I needed to do it in this Test. We needed to do it as a team and I thought we did it well."

Strauss admitted England had been under pressure after their four consecutive defeats but was delighted the hard work had eventually paid off.

"We had to make sure we learnt the lessons from our defeats over the last four Test matches," he said.

"I saw a steely determination on everyone's part to make sure we finished the winter on a high and it was fantastic to be able to do that."

Off-spinner Graeme Swann's match haul of 10 wickets left England chasing just 94 to win, which they achieved easily despite slipping to 31-2 after the dismissals of Strauss and Jonathan Trott.

Alastair Cook remained unbeaten on 49 and Kevin Pietersen, who hit a century in the first innings, smashed 42 not out off just 28 balls, bringing up the win with a six off Tillakaratne Dilshan.

"They are horrible chases because everyone expects you to win," said Strauss. "It's almost like trying to sink a three-foot putt. You know it should go in but it doesn't always."

The number one ranking will remain on the line as England return to the comfort of home conditions for Tests against the West Indies and number-two ranked South Africa.

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Windies make solid start against Australia

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: A slow Kensington Oval pitch and three dropped catches helped the West Indies make a solid start against Australia on the opening day of the first Test on Saturday.

When rain curtailed the action, the home side were 179 for 3 with the backbone of the score being a century second-wicket partnership between Kraigg Brathwaite and Kirk Edwards.

Having won the toss, the West Indies' openers made a steady start and the initial breakthrough for Australia didn't come until the 18th over.

For his second spell, Ryan Harris had replaced Nathan Lyon at the Malcolm Marshall end and came around the wicket to Adrian Barath.

His third ball was a bouncer outside off stump that Barath, who had made 22, hit high in the air for Peter Siddle to get under at fine-leg.

Edwards joined Brathwaite and he started slowly but the score was steadily building with Brathwaite being fortunate to survive two tough chances that he offered.

In his third over, Siddle had him playing too early and, as his hand came off the bat, the ball looped back to the bowler who, despite getting his left hand down to the dropping ball, couldn't hold on.

Brathwaite moved on to 44 when Shane Watson induced an edge that went wide to Ricky Ponting's right at second slip.

He did well to reach the ball but he couldn't grasp it as the ball died on him.

It was Watson, himself, who then gave Edwards a life.

Siddle found the edge when the batsman had made 56 and the ball flew high above Watson's head at fourth slip and, despite getting both hands to the ball, he couldn't hang on.

It came at a time when Edwards had upped the tempo as he hit several boundaries and smashed Lyon over long-on for six.

As Michael Clarke looked for options he turned to part-time leg-break bowler David Warner.

When Edwards had reached 61 he smashed a return catch back at Warner who took it smartly.

It was his first international wicket and he was clearly delighted to have broken the 104-run second wicket partnership.

Siddle was probably the pick of a pace attack that had kept things tight all day and he was rewarded when Brathwaite played one loose shot too many.

He played at a ball slightly wide of the off stump and was caught behind for 57, an innings that had lasted over four hours and 199 balls.

It gave wicket-keeper Matthew Wade special cause for celebration as he had been presented with his baggy green before play and it was his first Test dismissal.

Steady rain arrived with 17 overs left in the day and with the light getting worse the umpires called an early end.

West Indies are aiming for their first Test win against Australia for nine years and for their first series win over the visitors in 19 years.

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IPL two matches today

MUMBAI: Two matches will be played in IPL 2012 season 5 today.

In the first match, which is to begin at 3.30 in the afternoon (Pakistan time), Kolkata Night Riders will take on Rajasthan Rifles.

Pune Warriors and Kings Eleven Punjab will lock horns at 7.30 in the night.

Pakistan’s first sports channel Geo Super will telecast both the matches live.

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Cricket: Windies make steady start in first Test

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: West Indies were 60 for one at lunch on the opening day of the first Test against Australia after winning the toss at Kensington Oval on Saturday.

The only breakthrough for Australia came in the 18th over with a change of tactics.

For his second spell, Ryan Harris had replaced Nathan Lyon at the Malcolm Marshall end and came around the wicket to opener Adrian Barath.

His third ball was a bouncer outside off stump that Barath hit high in the air for Peter Siddle to get under at fine-leg. It was a clear plan, well executed by Harris that Barath fell for having made 22.

Kraigg Brathwaite, who was on 24 at the break, batted through the morning but had a couple of moments of fortune.

In his third over, Siddle had him playing too early and, as his hand came off the bat, the ball looped back to the bowler who, despite getting his left hand down to the dropping ball, couldn't hold on to the chance.

He also hit a cut in the air through the gully area that didn't go to hand but prompted skipper Michael Clarke to have two players in that position for the rest of the morning.

Off-spinner Lyon was introduced into the attack in just the 12th over after the fast bowlers had found little response from a slow pitch where their footmarks were already very apparent.

Although he didn't have any initial success the signs are that he could play a big part in the match.

The West Indies brought Shivnarine Chanderpaul back into the side with Kieran Powell and Ravi Rampaul missing out from the squad of 13 that had been named.

In the absence of Brad Haddin, wicket-keeper Matthew Wade made his debut and he received his baggy green from Ricky Ponting, before the start of play.

James Pattinson was named as 12th man while vice-captain Shane Watson will bat at number three for the first time with David Warner and Ed Cowan opening the batting.

West Indies are aiming for their first Test win against Australia for nine years and for their first series win over the visitors in 19 years.

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West Indies make steady start against Australia

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: West Indies were 60 for one at lunch on the opening day of the first Test against Australia after winning the toss at Kensington Oval on Saturday.

The only breakthrough for Australia came in the 18th over with a change of tactics.

For his second spell, Ryan Harris had replaced Nathan Lyon at the Malcolm Marshall end and came around the wicket to opener Adrian Barath.

His third ball was a bouncer outside off stump that Barath hit high in the air for Peter Siddle to get under at fine-leg. It was a clear plan, well executed by Harris that Barath fell for having made 22.

Kraigg Brathwaite, who was on 24 at the break, batted through the morning but had a couple of moments of fortune.

In his third over, Siddle had him playing too early and, as his hand came off the bat, the ball looped back to the bowler who, despite getting his left hand down to the dropping ball, couldn't hold on to the chance.

He also hit a cut in the air through the gully area that didn't go to hand but prompted skipper Michael Clarke to have two players in that position for the rest of the morning.

Off-spinner Lyon was introduced into the attack in just the 12th over after the fast bowlers had found little response from a slow pitch where their footmarks were already very apparent.

Although he didn't have any initial success the signs are that he could play a big part in the match.

The West Indies brought Shivnarine Chanderpaul back into the side with Kieran Powell and Ravi Rampaul missing out from the squad of 13 that had been named.

In the absence of Brad Haddin, wicket-keeper Matthew Wade made his debut and he received his baggy green from Ricky Ponting, before the start of play.

James Pattinson was named as 12th man while vice-captain Shane Watson will bat at number three for the first time with David Warner and Ed Cowan opening the batting.

West Indies are aiming for their first Test win against Australia for nine years and for their first series win over the visitors in 19 years.

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Jadeja helps Chennai outplay Deccan by 74 runs

Visakhapatnam: Ravindra Jadeja’s impressive allround performance guided Chennai Super Kings to defeat Deccan Chargers by 74 runs in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League here at the Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

First he top scored with a breezy 48 from 29 balls and later he displayed the best bowling performance grabbing five wickets for just 16 runs to demolish Deccan batting lineup.

He struck three sixes and as many fours while Dwayne Bravo hit an unbeaten 43 off 18 balls with five sixes and Faf du Plessis made 39 off 25 balls with four sixes and a four.

Chennai Super Kings amassed 183 for six in the allotted 20 overs and then bowled out Deccan Chargers for 119 runs in 17.1 overs.

Main scorers were captain Cameron White (23), Shikhar Dhawan (21) and Parthiv Patel (20).

Geo Super showed this match live from the venue.

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Steely determination saw us through, says Strauss

COLOMBO: Captain Andrew Strauss felt Saturday's eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the second and final test had given his team the boost needed to perform well in England in the summer.

The victory meant England drew the series 1-1 and retained their hold as the world's top-ranked test team.

"It's nice we won this test match and it's nice we are heading into the English summer with a little bit of confidence and I am absolutely certain we are going to play well in

England," said Strauss.

"Having lost four test matches in a row you are not thinking of No. 1 in the world you are thinking about making sure we win the next one," he told reporters.

"We all know that number one ranking has never been in the forefront of our minds. If you do focus on it too much you take your eyes off the ball.

"We worked exceptionally hard and huge credit to Andy Flower (head coach) and Graham Gooch (batting coach) in particular. They've been constantly doing everything they could to help us.

"For a while we have been looking good in the nets and it's a case of taking that into the middle which is always easier said than done.

"I saw a kind of steely determination on everyone's part to make sure we finished the winter on a high and it was fantastic we were able to do that."

The captain picked out paceman James Anderson, chief wicket-taker Graeme Swann and Kevin Pietersen, whose first innings century put England in command.

"It is demoralising for the opposition team to see KP in full flight," he said. "It was an outstanding innings and obviously gave us the impetus and momentum to go on and win the game."

Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene said: "We were playing against a strong team and even though they were in trouble, I thought KP came and changed the game." (Reuters)

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Cricket: West Indies win toss, elect to bat

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: West Indies won the toss and chose to bat against Australia in the first Test match of the series at Kensington Oval on Saturday.

In the absence of Brad Haddin, wicket-keeper Matthew Wade makes his debut and he received his baggy green, handed over by Ricky Ponting, before the start of play.

It was the 428th to be presented to an Australian.

The West Indies brought Shivnarine Chanderpaul back into the side with Kieran Powell, who played in West Indies' last Test match in India being left out.

Ravi Rampaul, who has only recently recovered from a bout of dengue fever and also a shoulder problem, was the other player to miss out from the squad of thirteen that had been named.

Australia left out James Pattinson from their three man pace attack while Nathan Lyon continues as their front-line spinner. Vice-captain Shane Watson will bat at number three for the first time with David Warner and Ed Cowan opening the batting.

West Indies are aiming for their first Test win against Australia for 9 years and for their first series win over the visitors in 19 years.

Australia want to at least hold on to the Frank Worrell trophy and to take another step back towards the summit of the ICC Test rankings where they currently rank fourth with the same number of points, 111, as India while the West Indies, currently in 7th spot have set themselves a more modest initial aim of 5th.

Teams:

West Indies: Darren Sammy (captain), Adrian Barath, Kraigg Brathwaite, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Kirk Edwards, Darren Bravo, Narsingh Deonarine, Carlton Baugh, Fidel Edwards, Devendra Bishoo, Kemar Roach

Australia: Michael Clarke (captain), David Warner, Ed Cowan, Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Matthew Wade, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus, Nathan Lyon.

Umpires: Ian Gould (ENG), Tony Hill (NZ), Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZ)

Third umpire: Marais Erasmus (SA)

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IPL: De Villiers inspires Bangalore to beat Delhi

BANGALORE: Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Delhi Daredevils by 20 runs in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday.

After being put into bat by Delhi captain Virender Sehwag, Bangalore made 157 for eight in the allotted 20 overs mainly due to a sensible innings by South African batsman AB de Villiers.

He made an unbeaten 64 off 42 balls with six fours and two sixes while the other notable contribution was made by Australian Andrew McDonald who scored 30 from 19 balls with four boundaries and two sixers.

For Delhi, New Zealand fast-medium bowler Doug Bracewell captured three wickets for 32 runs and Australia’s fast bowler Morne Morkel claimed two for 30.

Delhi Daredevils, chasing 158 to win, were restricted to 137-7 in 20 overs due to intelligent bowling by great off-spinner from Sri Lanka Muttiah Muralitharan who bagged three wickets for 25 runs.

Delhi’s main scorers were Naman Ojha (33), Australia’s Aaron Finch (25) and Irfan Pathan (24).

The match was telecast live by Geo Super.

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England win second Sri Lanka Test

COLOMBO: England defeated Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the second and final Test in Colombo on Saturday to level the series 1-1 and retain their number one Test ranking.

The tourists bowled out Sri Lanka for 278 in their second innings and then chased down the victory target of 94 in the post-lunch session on the fifth day at the P. Sara Oval.

Off-spinner Graeme Swann claimed six wickets in the innings to finish with a match haul of 10.

It was England's first win in five Tests on their Asian sojourn this year after being blanked 3-0 by Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates and losing the first Test of this series in Galle.

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10-wicket Swann brings England close to win

COLOMBO: England faced a modest target of 94 to win the second Test against Sri Lanka after they dismissed the hosts for 278 in their second innings just before lunch on the fifth day on Saturday.

Off-spinner Graeme Swann picked up six wickets in the innings to finish with a match-haul of 10.

England, who lost the first Test in Galle, need a win to level the two-match series and retain their number one ranking.

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Dinda destroys Mumbai as Pune begin on winning note

MUMBAI: Paceman Ashok Dinda bowled excellently well to help Pune Warriors upset Mumbai Indians by 28 runs in the third match of the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament here at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday.

This was the first defeat for Mumbai Indians, who had won the opening match of the tournament on Wednesday.

Chasing an easy target of 130, they were restricted to 101-9 in the allotted 20 overs due to intelligent bowling by Dinda, who grabbed four for 17, and left-arm spinner Murali Karthik (2-14).

James Franklin of New Zealand and Dinesh Karthik of India top scored with 32 each whereas captain Harbhajan Singh (16) was the only other batsman to get into double figures.

Earlier, Pune made 129 for nine in 20 overs after Mumbai captain Harbhajan put them into bat.

Their main scorers were Australia’s Steven Smith (39) and India’s Robin Uthappa (36) while for Mumbai, pace bowlers Lasith Malinga of Sri Lanka and Munaf Patel of India claimed two wickets each for 16 and 26, respectively.

All the matches of the IPL tournament are being telecast live by Geo Super

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Rahane's 98 runs help Rajasthan win

JAIPUR: Ajinkya Rahane's 98 runs off 66 deliveries along with deadly bowling Kevon Cooper (4/26) helped Rajasthan Royals to a comfortable win in their opening match of 12th Indian Premiere League against King XI Punjab.

Batting first, Rajasthan posted 191 for four and the Kings XI Punjab were restricted to 160 for nine in reply.

Chasing a stiff target of 192, Kings XI Punjab could only manage 160 for the loss of nine wickets in their stipulated 20 overs.

Kings XI Punjab had a dismal start to their run chase as they lost Adam Gilchrist, Paul Valthaty, Shaun Marsh and Abhishek Nayar in quick time against Rajasthan Royals.

Medium pacer Kevon Cooper cleaned up Piyush Chawla in his final over of the innings to pick up his fourth wicket. Copper finished with the figures of 4/26 in his quota of four overs.

Left-arm spinner Ankeet Chavan picked up two wickets for Rajasthan. Siddharth Trivedi gave breakthrough to Rajasthan team as he dismissed David Hussey (13). Kings XI Punjab were tottering at 112 for 5 after 14 overs.

Kevon Cooper triple strike gave denting blow to Rajasthan Royals' run-chase as he picked up his third wicket when he dismissed Abhishek Nayar. Cooper dismissed Shaun Marsh (7) for his second wicket.

Seamer Amit Singh gave Rajasthan first breakthrough as he got rid of Adam Gilchrist, who scored a quickfire 18-ball 27 with the help of three fours and one six.

Rajasthan lost their second wicket in the form of Paul Valthaty who managed just 13 runs. Kevon Copper sent Valthaty back to pavillion.

Earlier, Ajinkya Rahane scored a blistering 98 to power Rajasthan Royals to a mammoth 191 for four against Kings XI Punjab in their opening match of the Indian Premier League season five in Jaipur on Friday.

Rahane turned out to be the cynosure of all eyes at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, scoring his 98 runs off just 66 balls with the help of 16 boundaries and a lone six.

Just when was set for the first century of IPL 5, Rahane was bowled by James Faulkner (2/41) in the final over of the innings two runs short of the magical three-figure mark.

Put into bat, captain Rahul Dravid ()28 off 24) and Rahane gave a flying start to Rajasthan's innings, sharing 77 runs for the opening stand that came off just 57 balls.

After a quiet first over, Rahane broke the shackles with two consecutive boundaries off Faulkner in the next.

Rahane then clobbered Praveen Kumar for four fours to pick up 16 runs of the bowler's second over.

Dravid, on the other hand, played sensibly with ones and twos but hit boundaries when opportunities came his way.

After toiling hard for 9.3 overs, Kings XI finally managed to get the breakthrough when Dravid was dismissed by Harmeet Singh (1/23), caught by Faulkner at the cover boundary as he tried to slap one over the in-field.

Rahane soon brought up his fifty in style off just 37 balls, hitting Piyush Chawla (1/33) straight over his head in the 10th over.

The visitors, however, tasted another success in the same over when Ashok Maneria was castled by Chawla for a duck.

But the two quick dismissals had no effect on Rahane, who went about his business in style, and struck two boundaries and a six to pick up 16 runs from Paul Valthaty's only over.

Rahane was in ominous mood today as he played delightful strokes on all sides of the wicket and did not spare a single Kings XI bowler.

Chawla once again came under Rahane's fury when the right-hander smashed the leg-spinner for three consecutive fours in the 17th over.

Brad Hodge also played his part with a 16-ball 21-run knock before he was bowled by Faulkner.

Owais Shah (14 not out off 8) and West Indian Kevon Cooper (11 not out off 3) also played little cameos towards the end.

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Kaneria 'unaware' of ECB corruption hearing

KARACHI: Former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria said Friday he was in the dark about a disciplinary hearing in Britain over corruption that led to the jailing of an English county player.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Thursday that the

leg-spinner and his former Essex teammate Mervyn Westfield would face a hearing next month.

Westfield was jailed for four months in February after admitting that he

accepted money to under-perform during a Pro40 match between Essex and Durham

in 2009.

The 23-year-old seamer named Kaneria -- arrested in 2010 but released

without charge -- as the link between the bookmaker and the players.

Kaneria, who has not played for Pakistan since the Nottingham Test against

England in August 2010, said he had not been informed about the hearing.

"I just got to know about a disciplinary hearing from the media," Kaneria

told AFP.

"Once I get the official letter from the ECB then only I will consult with

my lawyer and decide how to go about it."

Kaneria faces a worldwide ban from the game if found guilty by the hearing,

where a number of Essex players are expected to give evidence.

The 31-year-old, who played 61 Tests and 18 one-day for Pakistan, is now

involved in first-class cricket in Pakistan. He led Sindh in the Pentangular

Cup first-class tournament and also played in the Super Eight Twenty20 event

earlier this year.

In February this year, the International Cricket Council, the ECB and Pakistan Cricket Board dismissed Kaneria's claims that he had been cleared in the spot-fixing scandal

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Swann leads England charge against Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: Off-spinner Graeme Swann grabbed four wickets to leave a rejuvenated England on the brink of a series-levelling win in the second and final Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Friday.

Sri Lanka, trailing by 185 runs on the first innings, ended the fourth day's play at 218-6 in their second knock, a lead of 33 runs with only four wickets in hand on a wearing P. Sara Oval pitch.

Skipper Mahela Jayawardene stood in England's way with an unbeaten 55, showing the form that has already fetched him two centuries in the series, including one in the first innings.

England, who lost the first Test in Galle, will return for the final day's play on Saturday looking to polish off the rest of the Sri Lankan batting quickly.

Andrew Strauss' men need a win to draw the series and retain their number one Test ranking.

The tourists were hoping for a swift closure when Swann grabbed the key wickets of Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara in the post-lunch session.

But Thilan Samaraweera (47) and Jayawardene kept the England attack at bay -- even for nine overs with the second new ball -- during a 90-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

Swann, coming on two overs before stumps, bowled Samaraweera with his first delivery and Suraj Randiv with the third to pin Sri Lanka against the ropes.

If England do the unlikely and fail to win, they will rue a dropped catch off Jayawardene by Tim Bresnan at mid-on off Samit Patel when the batsman was on 20 and the hosts were still 46 runs behind.

Dilshan was unfortunate to be given out, caught in the slips off Swann as TV replays proved inconclusive whether the ball had gone off the bat.

Third umpire Rod Tucker reviewed Dilshan's challenge for more than five minutes before upholding on-field official Bruce Oxenford's decision to give the batsman out.

Dilshan, who earlier in the day had been fined 10 percent of his match fee for excessive appealing in England's first innings, walked off clearly unhappy with the decision.

Sri Lankan coach Graham Ford immediately went up to match referee Javagal Srinath to ask why the benefit of doubt had not been given to the batsman, as is the norm in cricket.

The infra-red Hot Spot technology, which could have determined an edge, is not being used for the series.

Dilshan, who made 35, has now gone 21 innings without a Test century since plundering 193 against England at Lord's in June last year.

Later in the same over, Swann appealed for leg-before against Sangakkara, which Oxenford turned down. This time it was England's turn to lose the review even though the ball clipped the off-bail.

But Sangakkara did not last long as he edged Swann to wicket-keeper Matt Prior after making 21, with Sri Lanka still 61 runs in arrears.

The left-hander, who had been dismissed first ball in two of the three previous innings, finished the series with a dismal average of 8.75.

Lahiru Thirimanne (11) and nightwatchman Dhammika Prasad (34), who saw off one over on Thursday evening, put on 23 for the first wicket when Sri Lanka resumed at 4-0.

Prasad, a tailender who averaged 19.20 in his previous nine Tests, survived two dropped catches to defy England for 87 minutes and even helped himself to five boundaries, but it was mostly downhill for Sri Lanka after that.

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England miss chances in final S. Lanka Test

COLOMBO: Resolute batting by Sri Lanka and at least three missed chances in the field thwarted England on the fourth day of the second Test in Colombo on Friday.

Sri Lanka, trailing by 185 runs, lost the openers as they took their second innings total from the overnight 4-0 to 84 for two by lunch on the slow wicket at the P. Sara Oval.

Tillakaratne Dilshan was unbeaten on 25 and Kumar Sangakkara was on eight, with the hosts still 101 runs behind with eight wickets in hand.

Sangakkara, who was dismissed first ball in two of the three previous innings in the series, was lucky not to be run out on five when he nearly collided mid-pitch with Dilshan.

England, beaten by 75 runs in the first Test in Galle, need a win to level the short two-match series and retain their world number one Test ranking.

Lahiru Thirimanne and nightwatchman Dhammika Prasad, who saw off the lone over on Thursday evening, put on 23 for the first wicket before James Anderson struck the first blow.

Left-handed Thirimanne failed to take advantage of a missed stumping off Graeme Swann and edged Anderson to Andrew Strauss at first slip after making 11.

Prasad, a tailender who averaged 19.20 in his previous nine Tests, defied the England attack for 87 minutes and even helped himself to five boundaries.

He finally fell for 34 when an ambitious hook shot off Steven Finn landed safely in the hands of Tim Bresnan at deep square-leg.

Prasad was dropped twice in one Swann over, as wicket-keeper Matt Prior failed to glove a thick edge and Finn floored a waist-high catch at mid-off.

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Delhi win by 8 wickets against Kolkata

KOLKATA: Dehli Daredevils beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 8 wickets with 5 balls remaining in T20 match of the 12th Indian Premier League here on Friday.

A 12-over-a-side game kicked off after rain delayed the game for two-and a half hours.

Irfan struck three sixes and two boundaries to help Delhi reach 100 with five balls to spare and make a winning start to their IPL V campaign.

Earlier, Morne Morkel scalped three wickets for 18 runs, while Umesh Yadav and Roelof van der Merwe bagged two wickets apiece to restrict the Knight Riders to 97 for nine after they were put into bat following a two-and-half hours rain delay.

Chasing the small total, Aaron Finch (30 from 27 balls) and Virender Sehwag (20 off 13) gave the Daredevils a solid start putting on 49 for the opening wicket.

The duo did not seem to be in any trouble against the Knight Riders attack as Finch made the bulk of the scoring during the partnership, while Sehwag was content in rotating the strike.

But two quick wickets, after Kallis gave the breakthrough in the form of Finch, brought the crowd back on its feet with the match tentalisingly poised as Daredevils nedded 41 runs off 28 balls to win.

But Irfan and Glenn Maxwell (3 not out) had other ideas as the Indian southpaw paced his innings beautifully to complete a clinical chase.

As the asking rate began to rise with 35 needed from 20 balls, Irfan hit Kallis over long on for a six to bring relief for the visitors.

In the next over, Irfan smashed Marchant de Lange for two sixes to make the chase a routine affair for Delhi.

It was the battle of Yusuf versus Irfan in the very next over, as the younger brother lifted one over extra cover boundary to make the equation two runs from the last over.

Earlier, the Daredevils came up with a fine bowling display to restrict Knight Riders to 97 for nine.

Put into bat after a two-and-half hours of rain delay, the Knight Riders batsmen struggled to get off the blocks against Delhi's bowling attack led by South African speedster Morkel.

Indian pace sensation Yadav and Van der Merwe also did fine jobs at the other end, picking up two wickets apiece.

Laxmi Ratan Shukla top-scored for the home team with a 17-ball 26, which was studded with two sixes and a lone boundary. He resurrected Kolkata's innings after they were reduced to 54 for five in 6.4 overs.

On a day when their star batsmen including skipper Gautam Gambhir (16), Jacques Kallis (4) and Yusuf (0) flopped, Bengal youngster Debabrata Das impressed with a quickfire 18 from nine balls that included a huge six off Morkel.

The Knight Riders found themselves in alien conditions even at home as the Delhi pace duo of Morkel and Yadav rattled their batting line-up after Van der Merwe gave the visitors their first breakthrough.

Van der Merwe, who shared the new ball with Irfan, gave Delhi the breakthrough in his very first over when he cut short a dangerous-looking Brendon McCullum's (9) stay, trapping him plumb in front of the wicket.

There after Morkel and Yadav reduced Kolkata to 31 for four by the fourth over.

The South African pacer rattled his compatriot Kallis' middle stump with a toe-crushing yorker and followed it up with Manoj Tiwary's wicket in similar fashion in the very next ball.

Yadav then took the prize scalp of Yusuf for a duck to reduce the Knight Riders to 31 for four.

In dire need of a partnership, Debabrata broke the shackles with two sixes - first off Maxwell and then Morkel.

He made his intentions clear hitting the South African speedster over the long on boundary, but his fine innings came to an end because of a misunderstanding with Shukla.

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COLOMBO: Kevin Pietersen shrugged off a switch-hit controversy to smash an explosive 151 off 165 balls as England took charge of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Thursday. The flamboyant Pietersen plundered 16 boundaries and six sixes in his 20th Test century as the tourists piled up 460 in their first innings before being all out just before stumps on the third day. Sri Lanka, trailing by 185 runs, were 4-0 from one over in their second knock at close with Lahiru Thirimanne and Dhammika Prasad at the crease. England, who lost the first Test in Galle by 75 runs, have two days to force a series-levelling win on the wearing P. Sara Oval wicket and retain their number one ranking. Pietersen was warned twice by the on-field umpires before the tea break for changing his stance to make a switch hit -- a right-hander playing a shot with a left-hander's grip. The warning from officials Bruce Oxenford and Asad Rauf came after bowler Tillakaratne Dilshan had to stop twice in his run-up as Pietersen turned around in his stance. The laws of the game state the switch hit is legal, but a batsman cannot change stance before the bowler has delivered the ball. Match referee Javagal Srinath of India said a third offence by any of the England batsmen in the innings would have resulted in five penalty runs being awarded to Sri Lanka. The incident marred an otherwise profitable day for the tourists, who finally came good with the bat after losing four Tests in a row in Asia this year -- the 3-0 rout by Pakistan and the Galle defeat. But England may feel that they ought to have punished the hosts more. Alastair Cook hit 94 and Jonathan Trott followed his 112 at Galle with 64, the pair sharing a second-wicket stand of 91 after skipper Andrew Strauss made 61 on Wednesday. Pietersen reached his hundred in the same over he was warned, executing a reverse sweep for two, and celebrated the landmark by pulling the next ball from Dilshan for a boundary. He had given England the lead with his third six, a straight drive off Suraj Randiv, which also brought up his half-century. The South African-born batsman had earlier smashed two fours and a six off three consecutive deliveries from Randiv, and also hammered Dilshan high over long-off. Pietersen, who put on 94 for the fourth wicket with Ian Bell (18), was dismissed in the final session when he was leg-before to Rangana Herath as he tried to sweep the left-arm spinner. Cook fell six short of his 20th century for the second time in four Tests when he edged off-spinner Dilshan to skipper Mahela Jayawardene at first slip. The 27-year-old had also fallen for 94 in the second Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in January, when he was leg-before to another off-spinner, Saeed Ajmal. Trott added just two runs to his lunch score of 62 when he edged a sharp turning delivery from Herath to give an easy catch to Jayawardene in the slips.

LONDON: Mervyn Westfield and Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria are to face an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) hearing over the corrupt activities that led to the English seamer's imprisonment.

In February, the 23-year-old Westfield became the first county cricketer in England to be prosecuted for spot-fixing and was jailed for four months.

Westfield was convicted on one count of accepting or obtaining a corrupt payment to bowl in a way that would allow the scoring of runs.

In February, London's Old Bailey was told Westfield was paid #6,000 ($9,585) to bowl so that a specific number of runs would be chalked up in the first over of a match between Durham and Essex in September 2009.

It was claimed Westfield was "targeted" by Essex team-mate Kaneria, whom the court was told set up the deal.

Kaneria, who has always pleaded his innocence, had earlier been released without charge by police.

An ECB statement issued Thursday said: "Mervyn Westfield and Danish Kaneria have been notified that an ECB disciplinary panel hearing will take place at which charges will be heard relating to their alleged breaches of the ECB's anti-corruption directives.

"The charges relate to the corrupt activities which led to Mervyn Westfield's criminal conviction in February.

"The chairman of the ECB's Cricket Discipline Commission, Gerard Elias QC, will chair the hearing.

"The ECB will be making no further comment whilst these proceedings are on-going."

A board spokesman said a date and venue for the hearing had yet to decided.

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Pietersen puts England on top

COLOMBO: Kevin Pietersen shrugged off a switch-hit controversy to smash an explosive 151 off 165 balls as England took charge of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Thursday.

The flamboyant Pietersen plundered 16 boundaries and six sixes in his 20th Test century as the tourists piled up 460 in their first innings before being all out just before stumps on the third day.

Sri Lanka, trailing by 185 runs, were 4-0 from one over in their second knock at close with Lahiru Thirimanne and Dhammika Prasad at the crease.

England, who lost the first Test in Galle by 75 runs, have two days to force a series-levelling win on the wearing P. Sara Oval wicket and retain their number one ranking.

Pietersen was warned twice by the on-field umpires before the tea break for changing his stance to make a switch hit -- a right-hander playing a shot with a left-hander's grip.

The warning from officials Bruce Oxenford and Asad Rauf came after bowler Tillakaratne Dilshan had to stop twice in his run-up as Pietersen turned around in his stance.

The laws of the game state the switch hit is legal, but a batsman cannot change stance before the bowler has delivered the ball.

Match referee Javagal Srinath of India said a third offence by any of the England batsmen in the innings would have resulted in five penalty runs being awarded to Sri Lanka.

The incident marred an otherwise profitable day for the tourists, who finally came good with the bat after losing four Tests in a row in Asia this year -- the 3-0 rout by Pakistan and the Galle defeat.

But England may feel that they ought to have punished the hosts more.

Alastair Cook hit 94 and Jonathan Trott followed his 112 at Galle with 64, the pair sharing a second-wicket stand of 91 after skipper Andrew Strauss made 61 on Wednesday.

Pietersen reached his hundred in the same over he was warned, executing a reverse sweep for two, and celebrated the landmark by pulling the next ball from Dilshan for a boundary.

He had given England the lead with his third six, a straight drive off Suraj Randiv, which also brought up his half-century.

The South African-born batsman had earlier smashed two fours and a six off three consecutive deliveries from Randiv, and also hammered Dilshan high over long-off.

Pietersen, who put on 94 for the fourth wicket with Ian Bell (18), was dismissed in the final session when he was leg-before to Rangana Herath as he tried to sweep the left-arm spinner.

Cook fell six short of his 20th century for the second time in four Tests when he edged off-spinner Dilshan to skipper Mahela Jayawardene at first slip.

The 27-year-old had also fallen for 94 in the second Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in January, when he was leg-before to another off-spinner, Saeed Ajmal.

Trott added just two runs to his lunch score of 62 when he edged a sharp turning delivery from Herath to give an easy catch to Jayawardene in the slips.

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Pomersbach back in IPL after depression

NEW DELHI: Australian Luke Pomersbach says he is ready to deliver in the new Indian Premier League (IPL) season after winning his battle with depression.

The middle-order batsman, who has returned to play again for 2011 runners-up the Royal Challengers Bangalore, announced last year he was taking a break from cricket for his own well being.

Pomersbach said he was now "on top of things" after suffering a bout of depression and was determined to make the most of the Twenty20 tournament, which started Wednesday.

"When you play a lot of cricket, sometimes you need a bit of a break and need to start thinking about other things in the life," Pomersbach, 27, was quoted as saying in the Hindu newspaper on Thursday.

"There were a few things off the field that I needed to deal with and I have done that. I have seen a couple of specialists and I am right on top of things now. It was just a bit of a break and it freshened me up."

Pomersbach, who was once suspended by Western Australia after a drinking session, conceded he had made a few mistakes in the past.

"Some people deal with these problems better than others. Some people deal with them badly and make the wrong choices in life," said Pomersbach, who represented Australia in just one Twenty20 international.

"Unfortunately, I went down that path and made a few bad decisions. But I've learnt a lot from them and I suppose I've got that experience.

"You shouldn't even think about cricket when serious issues like that come up in your life. I suppose I've just got to get back to enjoying my game and look forward to my next game."

Pomersbach said the IPL was the best learning curve for players like him with little international experience.

"It's fantastic to be a part of this, particularly for someone who doesn't have much international experience. It is great to be around guys like Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers and Daniel Vettori," he said.

"Hopefully, an opportunity will arise during the tournament and I'm ready to grab it with both the hands."

Bangalore clash with Delhi Daredevils in their opening match on Saturday

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Cook, Trott consolidate for England

COLOMBO: Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott put on a 91-run stand as England closed in on Sri Lanka's first innings total of 275 in the second Test in Colombo on Thursday.

Left-hander Cook made 94 and Trott was unbeaten on 62 as the tourists moved to 239 for two by lunch on the second day, trailing by just 36 runs with eight wickets in hand at the P. Sara Oval.

Trott, the lone English batsman to shine in the first Test in Galle with a grim 112 in the second innings, continued his good form by slamming seven boundaries.

Kevin Pietersen was on 18, having added 26 for the third wicket with Trott.

England, who lost in Galle by 75 runs, need a win to level the short two-match series and retain their position as the world's top-ranked side.

Cook fell six short of his 20th century for the second time in four Tests when he edged off-spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan to skipper Mahela Jayawardene in the slips.

The 27-year-old had also fallen for 94 in the second Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in January when he was leg-before to another off-spinner, Saeed Ajmal.

Cook was on 84 when he attempted to reverse sweep Rangana Herath and the ball ballooned to Mahela Jayawardene in the slips, but umpire Asad Rauf turned down the loud appeal for a catch.

The Sri Lankans, confident that Cook had gloved the ball, asked for a review, but TV umpire Rod Tucker ruled in the batsman's favour since replays showed no clear evidence the ball had gone off the bat or glove.

The Hot Spot, or infra-red technology, which could have proved decisive in the appeal, is not being used for the series.

Trott did most of his scoring in the first hour, hitting three boundaries, as Cook preferred to grind it out on the slow pitch that made shot-making difficult.

Cook's two fours in one over from Suranga Lakmal brought up England's 200, and Trott reached his half-century with a glide to third man off Dhammika Prasad.

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Cricket: Aamer appears in anti-corruption video

LONDON: Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Aamer has appeared in an official video from the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit of the International Cricket Council warning players of the dangers of corruption.

The five minute video has been posted on the official ICC website.

Highly-rated 19-year-old left-arm paceman Aamer was released from a UK jail in February after serving half of a six-month sentence for his part in the spot-fixing scandal during the Lord’s Test between England and Pakistan in 2010.

His former teammates Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif are serving sentences of 30 and 12 months respectively, handed down by a British court in November, after the trio were found guilty of corruption and receiving illegal money.

The ICC also banned all three players, with Aamer receiving the minimum five-year punishment after he was found guilty of deliberately bowling no-balls as part of a plan orchestrated by Butt and agent Mazhar Majeed, also now serving a jail sentence.

Last month Aamer gave a broadcast interview in Urdu to ex-England captain Michael Atherton where he said former Pakistan skipper Butt had betrayed their friendship by luring him into the scandal.

However, in the ACSU video Aamer, speaking in clear English, made no specific references to other cricketers but instead issued a general warning.

“Prison is a bad place for everyone,” he said. “Don’t make the mistakes which I did. I was stupid I didn’t tell anybody because I didn’t have coverage…If someone comes to you go straight to team management and ICC team.” Aamer said his “life had been ruined “ in a couple of hours as a result of being put under pressure by senior players to deliberately bowl no-balls at Lord’s although he accepted his mistake.

“I always knew this was cheating at cricket but I was under pressure but I accept my mistake,” he added.

“When I was in ICC hearing, I knew I was totally embarrassed. I wanted to tell the truth but I didn’t have courage…When the police put me in handcuffs I was literally crying.” There is no suggestion Aamer’s participation in the ACSU video will lead to a reduction of his ban, which was imposed by an independent disciplinary tribunal.

But it can be seen as part of the “rehabilitation” that outgoing ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat has said the bowler should undertake while banned.

“I would prefer that the starting point should not be about whether we (ICC) could reduce the sentence,” Lorgat said last month.

“If Mohammad Aamer stands up and delivers a message of caution about this murky world, people are going to sit up and listen,” the South African added.

“That is one example of rehabilitation.

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Strauss, Cook fight back to lift England

Under-pressure skipper Andrew Strauss and fellow opener Alastair Cook hit gutsy half-centuries as England made a confident reply to Sri Lanka's 275 in the second Test in Colombo on Wednesday.

The left-handers compiled a 122-run partnership as England combated Sri Lanka's pace and spin attack to reach 154-1 by stumps on the second day at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo.

Strauss, under fire for his batting and leadership skills, roared back to form with 61, before he attempted to cut off-spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan and edged a catch to the wicket-keeper in the final session.

It was his best score on England's forgettable Asian sojourn so far this year, in which they were routed 3-0 by Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates before losing at Galle in the first Test.

Cook returned unbeaten on 77, but was fortunate to be still there after Lahiru Thirimanne floored a sharp chance at forward short-leg off Rangana Herath when the batsman was on 20.

Jonathan Trott was the other batsman at the crease, on 15, as the tourists trailed by just 121 runs on the first innings with nine wickets in hand.

England's batting finally prospered in a match they must win to level the series and retain their number one ranking. Even a draw will see Strauss' men slip to second spot behind South Africa.

Strauss showed no signs of strain after falling for 26 and 27 in the first Test, which Sri Lanka won by 75 runs to take the lead in the short two-match series.

But the England skipper's dismissal against the run of play left him without a century in 24 innings and just one three-figure knock in his last 49 innings.

Strauss hit four boundaries, his only false shot before his dismissal coming on 23 when he edged Herath, but the ball fell just short of Mahela Jayawardene in the slips.

The openers resisted the temptation to play the dangerous sweep shot till the 39th over, when Strauss swept a wide ball from Suraj Randiv for a single, underlining the captain's growing confidence.

As the batsmen pushed on, Cook was even emboldened to execute a reverse sweep off Herath which raced to the fence to bring up his 14th century partnership with Strauss. Cook has so far hit seven boundaries, while Trott, who scored a century at Galle, looked solid as he played out the day.

Sri Lanka added 37 runs to their overnight score of 238-6 before they were all out 30 minutes before lunch.

Randiv helped his overnight partner Angelo Mathews add 31 for the seventh wicket before he holed out to Kevin Pietersen at long-on attempting a big shot off off-spinner Graeme Swann.

Swann struck again in his next over when he beat Mathews in the air and had him caught at short mid-wicket. Mathews scored 57 in a four-hour vigil at the crease.

Tim Bresnan had Herath edging a catch to wicket-keeper Matt Prior, before Swann terminated the innings by bowling last man Suranga Lakmal.

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Debutant Zazai leads Afghanistan home

Debutant Afsar Zazai produced a masterful knock to earn Afghanistan a hard-fought three wicket win over Netherlands on the third day of the ICC Intercontinental Cup match at Sharjah.

At the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Afghanistan resuming at its overnight score of 111 for 6 was battling against all odds.

Zazai (84 n.o.: 156b, 12x4, 1x6) added 76 runs for the seventh wicket with Mohammad Nabi (25) to revive the chase.

An 18-year-old, Zazai, then added a further 46 runs for the eighth wicket with Samiullah Shenwari as Netherlands struggled to make inroads.

For Netherlands, only Pieter Seelaar (3-60) created any impact with the ball.

Zazai's effort with the bat ensured that Afghanistan walked away with 14 points from the game, whereas Netherlands fetched just six.

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Mumbai’s easy 8-wkt win over Chennai in IPL opener

CHENNAI: Mumbai Indians recoded an easy eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings with 19 balls remaining in the opening Twenty20 match of the 12th Indian Premier League here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk on Wednesday.

Chasing an easy target of 113 runs, Mumbai completed the victory losing only two wickets in 16.5 overs.

Opener Richard Levi hit 50 from 35 balls with three sixes and six fours as his partner star Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar retired hurt after hitting 16 with a six and a four.

However, James Franklin (25) and Ambati Rayudu (18) cruised their team to victory.

Earlier, Mumbai Indians bowled out Chennai Super Kings for 112 in 19.5 overs after captain Harbhajan Singh winning the toss put them into bat.

Suraish Raina top scored with 36 as only three other batsmen could get into double figures.

Geo Super showed the opening match of the tournament live from Chennai.

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Cricket: Aamer appears in anti-corruption video

LONDON: Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Aamer has appeared in an official video from the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit of the International Cricket Council warning players of the dangers of corruption.

The five minute video has been posted on the official ICC website.

Highly-rated 19-year-old left-arm paceman Aamer was released from a UK jail in February after serving half of a six-month sentence for his part in the spot-fixing scandal during the Lord’s Test between England and Pakistan in 2010.

His former teammates Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif are serving sentences of 30 and 12 months respectively, handed down by a British court in November, after the trio were found guilty of corruption and receiving illegal money.

The ICC also banned all three players, with Aamer receiving the minimum five-year punishment after he was found guilty of deliberately bowling no-balls as part of a plan orchestrated by Butt and agent Mazhar Majeed, also now serving a jail sentence.

Last month Aamer gave a broadcast interview in Urdu to ex-England captain Michael Atherton where he said former Pakistan skipper Butt had betrayed their friendship by luring him into the scandal.

However, in the ACSU video Aamer, speaking in clear English, made no specific references to other cricketers but instead issued a general warning.

“Prison is a bad place for everyone,” he said. “Don’t make the mistakes which I did. I was stupid I didn’t tell anybody because I didn’t have coverage…If someone comes to you go straight to team management and ICC team.” Aamer said his “life had been ruined “ in a couple of hours as a result of being put under pressure by senior players to deliberately bowl no-balls at Lord’s although he accepted his mistake.

“I always knew this was cheating at cricket but I was under pressure but I accept my mistake,” he added.

“When I was in ICC hearing, I knew I was totally embarrassed. I wanted to tell the truth but I didn’t have courage…When the police put me in handcuffs I was literally crying.” There is no suggestion Aamer’s participation in the ACSU video will lead to a reduction of his ban, which was imposed by an independent disciplinary tribunal.

But it can be seen as part of the “rehabilitation” that outgoing ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat has said the bowler should undertake while banned.

“I would prefer that the starting point should not be about whether we (ICC) could reduce the sentence,” Lorgat said last month.

“If Mohammad Aamer stands up and delivers a message of caution about this murky world, people are going to sit up and listen,” the South African added.

“That is one example of rehabilitation.” (AFP)

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Lahore welcomes first foreign side since attacks

LAHORE: Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium opened its gates to a foreign team on Wednesday for the first time since a terror attack on the Sri Lankan team bus forced a halt to international cricket in Pakistan.

It was near the Gaddafi Stadium -- Pakistan's cricket headquarters -- that militants opened fire on the visiting Sri Lankans as they made their way to the ground for the third day of the second Test in March 2009.

Eight people were killed and seven touring players and their assistant coach were wounded. No internationals have been played in Pakistan since.

A British Universities side took on a Pakistan Cricket Board Under-19 XI at the Gaddafi on Wednesday, losing the 50-over match by a huge 302-run margin.

While the contest may have been one-sided, Pakistani officials hope the presence of an overseas side will encourage others to follow -- and ultimately lead to a return of international fixtures to the cricket-mad country.

"It's a great development that some foreign players, no matter University players, have played a cricket match at Gaddafi Stadium and it will give them a positive picture about Pakistan," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) director Intikhab Alam told AFP.

The attacks meant Pakistan also lost hosting rights for their World Cup matches last year, and the team have been forced to play their "home" matches at neutral venues, mostly in the United Arab Emirates.

The PCB is trying to convince international teams to return and has invited Bangladesh to play a limited-overs series later this month.

Earlier this month the Bangladesh Cricket Board sent a delegation to assess security for their team and said they were awaiting government clearance on the tour.

Alam said when the University players went back to Britain they would tell people about the situation in Pakistan.

"I am sure that when these boys go back home they will tell some positive things about Pakistan and not what is portrayed in the media," Alam said.

On the field the British Universities went down tamely as the PCB XI piled up a mammoth 388-2 in their 50 overs, with Sami Aslam notching an unbeaten 207

and Umar Waheed making 100 not out.

In reply, the Universities were bowled out for a paltry 86 in 27 overs with Brendon McKerchar top-scoring with 24. Usman Qadir and Mohammad Nawaz took four wickets apiece.

The Universities will play a second and final game of their tour here on Friday.

Despite the heavy defeat, McKerchar said he was happy to be playing in Pakistan.

"I have played cricket in many countries but this is my first time in this part of the world and I am delighted at that," he told Pakistan television.

"It's unfortunate what happened in Lahore three years ago, but Pakistani people love cricket and I am sure they will make sure such an incident doesn't take place again because cricket is very important for them."

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Cricket: Strauss, Cook fight back to lift England

COLOMBO: Under-pressure skipper Andrew Strauss and fellow opener Alastair Cook hit gutsy half-centuries as England made a confident reply to Sri Lanka's 275 in the second Test in Colombo on Wednesday.

The left-handers compiled a 122-run partnership as England combated Sri Lanka's pace and spin attack to reach 154-1 by stumps on the second day at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo.

Strauss, under fire for his batting and leadership skills, roared back to form with 61, before he attempted to cut off-spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan and edged a catch to the wicket-keeper in the final session.

It was his best score on England's forgettable Asian sojourn so far this year, in which they were routed 3-0 by Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates before losing at Galle in the first Test.

Cook returned unbeaten on 77, but was fortunate to be still there after Lahiru Thirimanne floored a sharp chance at forward short-leg off Rangana Herath when the batsman was on 20.

Jonathan Trott was the other batsman at the crease, on 15, as the tourists trailed by just 121 runs on the first innings with nine wickets in hand.

England's batting finally prospered in a match they must win to level the series and retain their number one ranking. Even a draw will see Strauss' men slip to second spot behind South Africa.

Strauss showed no signs of strain after falling for 26 and 27 in the first Test, which Sri Lanka won by 75 runs to take the lead in the short two-match series.

But the England skipper's dismissal against the run of play left him without a century in 24 innings and just one three-figure knock in his last 49 innings.

Strauss hit four boundaries, his only false shot before his dismissal coming on 23 when he edged Herath, but the ball fell just short of Mahela Jayawardene in the slips.

The openers resisted the temptation to play the dangerous sweep shot till the 39th over, when Strauss swept a wide ball from Suraj Randiv for a single, underlining the captain's growing confidence.

As the batsmen pushed on, Cook was even emboldened to execute a reverse sweep off Herath which raced to the fence to bring up his 14th century partnership with Strauss.

Cook has so far hit seven boundaries, while Trott, who scored a century at Galle, looked solid as he played out the day.

Sri Lanka added 37 runs to their overnight score of 238-6 before they were all out 30 minutes before lunch.

Randiv helped his overnight partner Angelo Mathews add 31 for the seventh wicket before he holed out to Kevin Pietersen at long-on attempting a big shot off off-spinner Graeme Swann.

Swann struck again in his next over when he beat Mathews in the air and had him caught at short mid-wicket. Mathews scored 57 in a four-hour vigil at the crease.

Tim Bresnan had Herath edging a catch to wicket-keeper Matt Prior, before Swann terminated the innings by bowling last man Suranga Lakmal.

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England keep Sri Lanka down to 275

COLOMBO: England began their chase of Sri Lanka's first-innings total of 275 by reaching 11 for no loss at lunch on the second day of the second Test in Colombo on Wednesday.

Andrew Strauss was unbeaten on four and Alastair Cook was on seven, the opening pair having safely negotiated two overs each from the new-ball pair of Suranga Lakmal and Dhammika Prasad.

England, whose 75-run defeat in the first Test in Galle followed a 3-0 rout by Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates earlier in the year, need a win to level the series and retain their number one Test ranking.

Strauss' men will slip to second spot behind South Africa otherwise.

Sri Lanka added 37 runs to their overnight score of 238-6 before they were all out 30 minutes before lunch.

Off-spinner Graeme Swann claimed three of the last four wickets to finish with 3-75 from 28.1 overs. Seamer James Anderson ended with the three wickets he took on the opening day.

Suraj Randiv helped his overnight partner Angelo Mathews add 31 for the seventh wicket before he holed out to Kevin Pietersen at long-on attempting a big shot off Swann.

Swann struck again in his next over when he beat Mathews in the air and had him caught at short mid-wicket. Mathews scored 57 in a four-hour vigil at the crease.

Tim Bresnan had Rangana Herath edging a catch to wicket-keeper Matt Prior, before Swann terminated the innings by bowling last man Lakmal.

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PCB's PPL initiative attracts companies

LAHORE: The launching of Pakistan Premier League (PPL) received a boost when four companies expressed interests in the project,

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been working on the proposal to launch an international Twenty20 league in Pakistan since 2007.

Director International PCB, Intikhab Alam told Geo News that 4-5 companies are interested in the PPL and we have invited them for a presentation next week to discuss modalities of the tournament.

'It could be held anytime after the T20 World Cup later this year.'

COO PCB Subhan Ahmed noted that the Board is very serious in organizing the league and working hard to attract huge investment.

Pakistan has been unable to host international cricket since March 2009, when Sri Lanka's was attacked while going towards stadium.

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Proteas captain Smith to miss IPL due to ankle surgery

CAPE TOWN: South Africa's Test captain Graeme Smith will miss the Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament that gets underway this week after undergoing ankle surgery on Tuesday.


A Cricket South Africa (CSA) statement said the opening batsman had his operation now to ensure he was fully fit for the tour to England in July.


"My ankle has been troubling me for some time," said Smith who is expected to be out of action for up to 10 weeks.


"I'm very disappointed to be missing out on the IPL this year. I was looking forward to my second season with Pune Warriors." (Reuters)

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Jayawardene rescues Sri Lanka again in 2nd Test

COLOMBO: Skipper Mahela Jayawardene cracked his second century in consecutive matches to pull Sri Lanka out of trouble in the second and final Test against England in Colombo on Tuesday.


Jayawardene followed his match-winning 180 in the first Test in Galle with a classy 105 after seamer James Anderson had reduced the hosts to 30 for three within the first hour at P. Sara Oval.


Thilan Samaraweera (54) added 124 for the fourth wicket with his captain as Sri Lanka recovered to post 238 for six by stumps on the opening day in a remarkable re-run of the Galle Test.


Sri Lanka had slumped to 15-3 in the first four overs of the match at Galle, before Jayawardene and Samaraweera rescued the hosts by putting on a half-century partnership.


A sell-out crowd of 5,000, mostly travelling English fans, applauded warmly when Jayawardene reached his 31st Test century with a single off left-arm spinner Samit Patel after tea.


The 34-year-old struck 11 fours and a six in his eighth hundred against England before he was trapped leg-before by off-spinner Graeme Swann with a sharp, turning delivery.


England, whose 75-run defeat at Galle followed a 3-0 rout by Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates earlier in the year, need a win to level the series and retain their number one ranking.


Andrew Strauss' men will slip to second spot behind South Africa if they lose or draw the match.


Jayawardene lost Samaraweera just before tea, leg-before to seamer Tim Bresnan, but there was no respite for the England bowlers who toiled gamely under the hot sun.


Angelo Mathews, returning to the side after missing the first Test with a calf injury, was unbeaten on 41 after adding 62 runs for the fifth wicket with his skipper.


Prasanna Jayawardene was caught behind off Steven Finn for seven, but Suraj Randiv saw out the day on five.


Anderson struck in his third over when he forced Tillakaratne Dilshan to edge a catch to wicket-keeper Matt Prior after the previous two balls had been driven for boundaries.


Kumar Sangakkara was dismissed first ball for the second match in a row when he was snapped up by Strauss in the slips, the England captain taking the catch at second attempt.


Jayawardene once again prevented a hat-trick, as he had done in Galle, and went on to master the England attack on a dry wicket that is expected to crumble in the later stages of the match.


Lahiru Thirimanne padded up to a straight ball from Anderson and was given out leg-before by umpire Bruce Oxenford, a decision upheld by the third umpire after the batsman asked for a review.


The tourists went in with a three-man seam attack, bringing in Bresnan and Finn to partner Anderson with the new ball. Spinner Monty Panesar was dropped, while Stuart Broad has flown home with a calf injury.


Sri Lanka made two changes from the side that won in Galle, as a fit-again Mathews and Dhammika Prasad returned in place of Dinesh Chandimal and Chanaka Welegedara.

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IPL opens with colourful ceremony at Chennai

CHENNAI: The fifth edition of the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament has started with a colourful opening ceremony here on Tuesday night.

A galaxy of film stars, including Amitabh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra and Kareena Kapoor, got ball rolling for the IPL event with a glittering opening ceremony which enthralled the audience.

The dazzling ceremony was also graced by American pop star Katy Perry and Bollywood star Salman Khan among other showbiz celebrities.

Pakistan's first sports channel Geo Super showed the ceremony live from Chennai and it will also telecast all the matches of the tournament live

The IPL features world stars playing for nine regional teams and the event will continue for 54 days.

The 76-match tournament from April 4 to May 27 has the nine teams playing each other on a home and away basis before a four-game play-off.

Pakistani players, who are usually a major draw in India, have been kept out of the tournament since the second edition, reportedly due to security fears.

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Jayawardene leads Sri Lanka's fightback

COLOMBO: Skipper Mahela Jayawardene hit an unbeaten 74 as Sri Lanka bounced back after a disastrous start in the second and final Test against England in Colombo on Tuesday.

Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera (54) put on 124 for the fourth wicket after James Anderson had struck early blows to reduce the hosts to 30-3 within the first hour at the P. Sara Oval.

Sri Lanka, electing to bat after winning the toss, recovered to post 155-4 by tea in a remarkable re-run of the start of the first Test in Galle, which the hosts won by 75 runs.

Sri Lanka had slumped to 15-3 in the first four overs of the match at Galle, before Jayawardene and Samaraweera rescued the hosts by putting on a half-century stand.

Jayawardene, who went on to hit a match-winning 180, looked good for another big knock as he went to tea with nine boundaries and a six against his name.

Samaraweera fell just before tea for 54, trapped leg-before by a sharp in-cutter from seamer Tim Bresnan.

Angelo Mathews, who returned to the side after missing the first Test with a calf injury, was unbeaten on one at the break.

England, whose defeat at Galle followed a 3-0 rout by Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates earlier in the year, need a win to draw the series and retain their number one ranking.

Andrew Strauss' men will slip to second spot behind South Africa if they lose or draw the match.

Anderson struck in his third over when he forced Tillakaratne Dilshan to edge a catch to wicket-keeper Matt Prior after the previous two balls had been driven for boundaries.

Kumar Sangakkara was dismissed first ball for the second match in a row when he was snapped up by Strauss in the slips, the England captain taking the catch at second attempt.

Lahiru Thirimanne padded up to a straight ball from Anderson and was given out leg-before by umpire Bruce Oxenford, a decision upheld by the third umpire after the batsman asked for a review.

The tourists went in with a three-man seam attack, bringing in Bresnan and Steven Finn to partner Anderson with the new ball. Spinner Monty Panesar was dropped, while Stuart Broad has flown home with a calf injury.

Sri Lanka made two changes from the side that won in Galle, as a fit-again Mathews and Dhammika Prasad returned in place of Dinesh Chandimal and Chanaka Welegedara.

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ICC World Twenty20 tickets go on global sale today

The global sale of tickets for the ICC World Twenty20 2012 Sri Lanka began at 9am GMT this morning with demand expected to be high for the first ICC World Twenty20 to be held in Asia.

A maximum of four tickets can be purchased by each person for the super eights, semi-finals and finals, and a maximum of six tickets per person for the rest of the matches. Online booking of tickets will be available by logging onto www.icc-cricket.com, and buyers must produce a receipt confirming their purchase to redeem their match ticket at the box office. Ticket collection will take place from 1 August 2012.

Tickets represent excellent value with prices starting at as little as US $0.25 for the single group games and the final itself has tickets ranging from only US $2.50 up to just US $45.

Attendance at the ICC Women's World Twenty20 during the group stages in Galle will be free of charge. The women's semi-finals and final will be played on the same day on the same ground as the men's and will be covered by the same ticket.

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