Sana Mir hopes for better performance

LAHORE: Captain of the Pakistan Women’s cricket team, Sana Mir expressed hope that the team would perform well during West Indies tour, Geo News reported.
A 14 member squad would depart for the Caribbean from Karachi tonight. Sana Mir while speaking to reporters in Lahore said the series will not be easy and that two changes had been made in the team.The women’s cricket team will play four one day international and four T20s against the West Indies.

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After giving his bestst performance in the World Cup he is coming back to home and receiving a warm welcum from public and by Government of Pakistan.

Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar, who gave cent percent performance in cricket World Cup 2011, came back home today and had recieved a warm welcome bu the public on the Allama Iqbal International Airport."I am proud to represent Pakistan in the final of the cricket’s mega event was played between India and Sri Lanka.”said ny ALeem Dar talking with the Media Reporters.He has been awarded by the "Pride of Performance award" by the Government of Pakistan.He thanked to the Government of Pakistan and Government of Punjab for awrding him with this award.Dar while talking on tthe performance of Pakistani team in the recent World Cup said that they perform well and their overall performance was Satisfactory.And due to three,four wrong decisions taken by them had met them with the defeat in Semi_final.He said defending champion Australia and hot favourite South Africa were failed to reach in the semi-final while Pakistan qualified but unfortunately was defeated by India.It is of real proud and of worth mentioning here that not a single decision taken by Aleem Dar withdrawn through UDRS, an umpire referral system.Dar said UDRS is a good system and the systems would help to improve the performance of the umpires.

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Myopic India architects of their own downfall

MUMBAI: England steamrolled India with a consistent and ruthless display in the recently concluded 4-0 series whitewash but the tourists' meek surrender of the number one test ranking was primarily their own doing.Occupants of the top slot since December 2009, India added the 50-over World Cup in April this year to signal their intention of dominating the game like the West Indies and Australia had done so in the recent past.However, England's utter dominance in a quartet of lopsided test victories proved that India's fortress was built on flimsy foundations.India's much-vaunted batting line-up failed to fire, their bowlers bled runs without success and the standard of their fielding would have embarrassed any club side."Indian cricket has become the laughing stock of the world game and while that might not seem to matter to a board that generates 70 percent of the sport's global income and has in its locker-room the World Cup trophy, no less, ridicule tends to be a corrosive disease," cricket analyst Andrew Miller wrote.Many believe the seeds of destruction were sown by the Indian cricket board, which compiled a lucrative but punishing schedule that ensured most of the players were either exhausted or injured by the time they set foot on English soil.India's World Cup victory in April was preceded by a South Africa tour and less than a week after lifting one-day cricket's biggest trophy in Mumbai, skipper MS Dhoni and his men were honouring their Indian Premier League (IPL) obligations in the cash-rich Twenty20 league.A short tour of the West Indies followed before they arrived in England just in time for a practice game ahead of the four-match series against a battle-hardened and hungry England side.Ajit Wadekar, who led India to their first series victory in England 40 years ago, insists the players should have skipped the IPL tournament."Tell me which English player participated in the IPL? None of them," Wadekar said.We could not even enjoy our World Cup win properly. The IPL started immediately. It was too much and it's telling on the players.Wadekar's point was driven home by the dismal experiences of three key players before and during the England series.Openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, and pace spearhead Zaheer Khan either picked up or aggravated existing injuries during the 51-day IPL tournament and subsequently skipped the trip to the Caribbean.On top of that, a fresh injury to Gambhir compounded India's crisis and the tourists were only once able to start a test with their regular opening partnership, tinkering with the batting order in the other three matches.Sehwag was unavailable for the first two matches as he recovered from shoulder surgery and after being rushed into action for the third test at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, was dismissed for first-ball ducks in both innings.Zaheer lasted just one test, bowling 13 1/2 overs in the first innings of the opening match at Lord's, before a hamstring injury ended his tour.India's lack of planning, the hallmark of any team that wants to dominate the game, was also cruelly exposed.Devoid of a reserve opener in the squad, Rahul Dravid, India's only batsman to offer resistance, was promoted to the top of the order to face England's fired-up seamers with the new ball.Selectors also sprang a surprise when they called up left-arm seamer RP Singh as Zaheer's replacement, despite not playing a test match since April 2008.They also recalled Dravid for the subsequent limited-overs series after an absence of two years in another decision that smacked of poor planning and desperation.RETIREMENTS DUE As Dhoni pointed out after losing his first series as captain, cracks had appeared throughout India's much-vaunted batting line-up.While the team urgently needs to identify and groom a third opener, the lower-middle order position vacated by former captain Sourav Ganguly when he retired in 2008 has also proved difficult to fill.Yuvraj Singh, who brings immense value in the shorter formats, has not been able to cement his place in the test side and Suresh Raina's inadequate technique does not make him an automatic choice either.Adding to that dilemma, batting stalwarts Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Vangipurappu Laxman are all on the wrong side of their thirties and phasing them out will be the biggest challenge for India, where cricket towers over all other sports."That's a phase I think every country has to cope with. It's like a cycle," Wadekar said, referring to the crisis Australia faced after the retirement of players like Matthew Hayden, Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne."Here, nobody bothers about it and there is no planning at all. We have to plan our future properly. This is where we should do a little bit of rotation and get more youngsters.Former wicketkeeper and chairman of selectors Kiran More echoed those views.Test cricket is the biggest concern area. Test cricket makes a huge difference for the young and fringe players. I think we haven't developed one test player in the last few years," More said."You have to promote young players, give them opportunities and carry them on the tours. That's how you develop a player."You have to carry AN extra couple of fast bowlers on the tour. Pakistan during Imran Khan's time used to carry 17-18 players on the tour."Imran used to carry extra fast bowlers who could bowl in the nets and gain the experience of the conditions. That has not happened... there have been so many changes. It is not helping the players and they are not gaining any confidence.

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Sri Lanka win 5th ODI to reduce Aussie lead to 3-2

COLOMBO: Fast bowler Lasith Malinga took a record third hat-trick as Sri Lanka secured a consolation four-wicket victory over Australia in the fifth and final one-day international on Monday.
Malinga removed Mitchell Johnson, John Hastings and Xavier Doherty to become the first bowler to take three hat-tricks in one-dayers as Sri Lanka dismissed Australia for 211 before achieving the target with three overs to spare.Paceman James Pattinson and left-arm spinner Doherty bagged two wickets each for Australia, who clinched the series 3-2.Australia, who had an unbeatable 3-1 lead before the match, were comfortably placed at 210-5 before losing their last five wickets for just one run, with Malinga doing the maximum damage to finish with 3-35 off eight overs.Malinga, known for bowling accurate yorkers with a slinging action, had earlier taken hat-tricks in two World Cups -- against South Africa in 2007 and Kenya in 2011.Sri Lanka's batsmen stuttered to 33-3 at the start of their innings with Pattinson taking two wickets in his opening spell, but Mahela Jayawardene (71) and Chamara Silva (63) put on 111 for the fourth wicket to prop up the innings.Silva, who hit one six and eight fours in his 71-ball knock, was dismissed just before rain stopped play but Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews (26) ensured win when the game resumed with a 51-run stand for the fifth wicket.Malinga was earlier superbly supported by unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis (3-49) and seamer Shaminda Eranga (2-45)Opener Shane Watson top-scored for Australia with an 84-ball 56, which contained one six and six fours. Skipper Michael Clarke (47), David Hussey (46) and Ricky Ponting (31) were the other main scorers.Australia lost opener Shaun Marsh in the second over after being put in to bat, but Watson steadied the innings with two useful stands.Watson added 67 for the second wicket with Ponting and 56 for the next with Clarke before falling in the 28th over, caught at deep mid-wicket off Mendis.Clarke looked set to complete his third half-century of the series before being caught behind off Eranga.

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Malinga's hat-trick restricts Australia

COLOMBO: Lasith Malinga grabbed a record third hat-trick as Sri Lanka restricted Australia to 211 in the fifth and final one-day international on Monday.The paceman dismissed Mitchell Johnson, John Hastings and Xavier Doherty in his eighth over to become the first bowler to take three hat-tricks in one-dayers and keep alive his team's hopes of posting a consolation win.Australia, who have an unbeatable 3-1 lead, were comfortably placed at 210-5 before losing their last five wickets for just one run, with Malinga doing the maximum damage to finish with 3-35 off eight overs.Malinga was superbly supported by unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis (3-49) and seamer Shaminda Eranga (2-45).Opener Shane Watson top-scored for Australia with an 84-ball 56, which contained one six and six fours. Skipper Michael Clarke (47), David Hussey (46) and Ricky Ponting (31) were the other main scorers.Australia lost opener Shaun Marsh in the second over after being put in to bat in the day-night match, but Watson steadied the innings with two useful stands.Watson added 67 for the second wicket with Ponting and 56 for the next with Clarke before falling in the 28th over, caught at deep mid-wicket off Mendis.Clarke looked set to complete his third half-century of the series before being caught behind off Eranga.Australia made two changes from the side that won the previous match by five wickets on Saturday, bringing in pacemen Hastings and James Pattinson in place of Brett Lee and Doug Bollinger who were rested.Sri Lanka replaced seamer Nuwan Kulasekara with Jeevan Mendis.

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England complete 4-0 whitewash against India

LONDON: England sealed a 4-0 series rout of India with an innings and eight-run victory at The Oval here on Monday as Sachin Tendulkar fell just short of an unprecedented 100th international hundred.India, who needed 291 runs to make the hosts bat again, frustrated England during a fourth-wicket partnership of 144 between Tendulkar, who made 91, and Amit Mishra.But when Mishra was out for a Test-best 84, it was the start of a collapse that saw India lose seven wickets for 21 runs on the way to 283 all out. Off-spinner Graeme Swann, at last presented with a pitch taking turn this series, did the bulk of the damage with six for 106 to the delight of the majority of a sell-out 23,500 crowd It was the first time England had swept a four-match series since a 4-0 home whitewash of the West Indies in 2004.India resumed on Monday's fifth and final day on 129 for three, still 162 runs shy of England's first innings 591 for six declared featuring Ian Bell's Test-best 235 and Kevin Pietersen's 175.Tendulkar was 25 not out and Mishra eight not out.England, who'd replaced India at the top of the ICC's Test Championship table with an innings and 242 run victory at Edgbaston last time out, endured a wicketless morning session.But Tendulkar, whose previous best score this series was 56 in the second Test at Trent Bridge, should have been out for 70 when Alastair Cook at short leg dropped a bat-pad catch off Swann.There was further frustration for Swann and England when Tendulkar was dropped by Prior on 85.But Swann made the breakthrough an increasingly anxious England wanted when Mishra, playing for turn that never came, was bowled, having easily surpassed his previous Test-best of 50 against Bangladesh in Chittagong last year.It was another fine effort with the bat by Mishra who made 43 in a first innings 300 featuring Rahul Dravid's 146 not out after taking no wickets for a hugely expensive 170 runs with his leg-spinners.Tendulkar though seemed set to complete his ton of tons. But nine runs short the 38-year-old was lbw to seamer Tim Bresnan.Australian umpire Rod Tucker took his time before raising his finger, with replays indicating the ball would have just clipped the top of leg stump.Tendulkar, walked off to a standing ovation after his best score of the series, topping his 57 in the second Test at Trent Bridge.He batted for nearly four hours, facing 172 balls with 11 fours.Wickets then tumbled in quick succession, with Suresh Raina lbw to Swann to complete a 42-ball pair before India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni drove loosely at Stuart Broad, armed with the new ball and was well caught by Swann in the slips for three.RP Singh was caught behind for a duck off Broad.Swann then had Gautam Gambhir caught in the gully before ending the match by bowling last man Shanthakumaran Sreesanth

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Sachin, Mishra struggle to save India from defeat

LONDON: Sachin Tendulkar made his highest score of the series and closed in on an unprecedented 100th international hundred as India fought hard to deny England a 4-0 whitewash on the final day of the fourth Test at The Oval here on Monday.India, following-on, didn't lose a wicket in the whole of Monday's first session and at lunch on the fifth day they were 216 for three -- just 75 runs short of making England bat again.Tendulkar was 72 not out, having faced 142 balls with nine fours, and nightwatchman Amit Mishra a Test-best 57 not out.India, whose fourth-wicket duo had so far put on 98, now had some hope of holding out for a draw under blue skies and on a still-good pitch in ideal sunny batting conditions. However, Tendulkar should have been out for 70 when he inside-edged off-spinner Graeme Swann onto his pad only for Alastair Cook to drop the sharp chance at short leg.India resumed Monday on 129 for three, still 162 runs adrift of England's first innings 591 for six declared that featured Ian Bell's Test-best 235 and Kevin Pietersen's 175.England, who'd replaced India at the top of the ICC's Test Championship table with an innings and 242 run victory at Edgbaston last time out, needed seven more wickets to complete a first 4-0 whitewash since a home rout of the West Indies seven years ago.Tendulkar was 25 not out and Mishra eight not out.Mishra, who made 43 in an India first innings where Rahul Dravid's 146 not out accounted for nearly half a total of 300, took the attack to England.He overcame an early blow on the thigh from James Anderson to sweep Swann for four as England's bowlers, in front of a sell-out crowd, struggled.England captain Andrew Strauss brought on medium-pacer Ravi Bopara in a bid to break the stand.But Tendulkar, whose previous best score this series was 56 in the second Test at Trent Bridge, cover-drove and late cut Bopara for two fours.It all left England regretting a bizarre incident on Sunday when wicketkeeper Matt Prior failed to appeal for a stumping against Tendulkar when the 'Little Master' had made just 34.Shortly before lunch, Mishra completed his second Test half-century, following exactly 50 against Bangladesh in Chittagong last year, when he guided Tim Bresnan for two to third man to reach the landmark in 103 balls with six fours.

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Sri Lanka win toss, put Aussies in to bat in final ODI

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan elected to field after winning the toss against Australia in the fifth and final one-day international on Monday.Australia, who have already gained an unbeatable 3-1 lead, have brought in pacemen John Hastings and James Pattinson in place of Brett Lee and Doug Bollinger.Sri Lanka have replaced seamer Nuwan Kulasekara with Jeevan Mendis in the only change from the side that lost the previous match by five wickets on Saturday.Australia: Michael Clarke (captain), Shaun Marsh, Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, David Hussey, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, John Hastings, Xavier Doherty, James Pattinson.Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan (captain), Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Chamara Silva, Angelo Mathews, Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis, Jeevan Mendis, Shaminda Eranga, Seekkuge Prasanna.

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Will Tendulkar be able to hit the 100th century in Oval test?

LONDON: The fourth and the last test match between India and England has entered into a decisive phase, while England needs only seven wickets for the whitewash.The visiting team today will resume its second inning at 129 runs for 3 wickets, while England needs only 7 wickets for winning the fourth consecutive match and the series by 4-0.On the other hand, Indian team has to score 162 more runs for averting the innings defeat, while Sachin Tendulkar is on the crease at 35 being assisted by Amit Mishra at 8.England is already leading the series by 3-0

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England on brink of India whitewash

LONDON: England finally saw off Rahul Dravid as they closed in on a 4-0 series rout of India at The Oval here on Sunday.Dravid batted for more than seven hours in the fourth Test before England finally found a way to break 'The Wall'.But India, following-on, were 129 for three at the close of the fourth day, still 162 runs behind England's first innings 591 for six declared built upon Ian Bell's Test-best 235 and Kevin Pietersen's 175.Sachin Tendulkar, bidding for an unprecedented 100th international century, was 25 not out and nightwatchman Amit Mishra eight not out.England though needed just seven more wickets on Monday's final day to complete a 4-0 clean sweep for the first time since a home whitewash of the West Indies in 2004.India resumed Sunday in the desperate position of 103 for five.Dravid was 57 not out and India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni five not out.But Dhoni, who never looked settled, was out for 17 when he pushed tentatively at a James Anderson outswinger and was caught behindravid, responsible for all three India centuries this series, sped through the 90s with three fours in four balls from off-spinner Graeme Swann, a sweep and a late cut preceding his elegant advance down the pitch to create a half-volley he clipped through mid-wicket A late cut two off Tim Bresnan then saw Dravid to his hundred. Dravid's century was the second time this series he'd made a hundred while opening in the absence of regular opener Gautam Gambhir.He had previously made 117, when Gambhir missed the second Test at Trent Bridge with an elbow injury, following his 103 not out at Lord's.Dravid's 35th Test century took him in front of hero Sunil Gavaskar's mark of 34 and fourth in the all-time list behind Tendulkar (51), South Africa's Jacques Kallis (40) and Australia's Ricky Ponting (39).India started the second session on 218 for six, with Dravid 109 not out and Mishra, who'd driven Swann for six off the last ball before lunch, 38 not out.However, Mishra added just five more runs before he was brilliantly caught by a diving Bell at an unusually positioned short backward square leg off a pull against Bresnan.The new ball did for Gambhir, who'd suffered concussion while fielding on Friday, when he fended at Stuart Broad and was caught by Pietersen at gully.Bresnan struck twice in three balls as India were bowled out for 300 -- the first time they'd made the score this series. Dravid had contributed nearly 50 percent thanks to a masterful 146 not out in 266 balls with 20 fours. He was only the third Indian after Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag to carry his bat in a Test innings but India were still 92 adrift of avoiding the follow-on.The selfless Dravid kept his pads on but his resistance ended controversially when, on 13, he turned Swann to Alastair Cook at short leg.Umpire Rod Tucker said not out but England asked for a review and Tucker's fellow Australian Steve Davis gave Dravid out, although replays indicated the ball may have gone to Cook straight off the pad. The India great, in what could be his last Test in England, walked off to a standing ovation from a capacity 23,500 crowd.Sehwag made a typically dashing 33 before he was bowled between bat and pad by Swann -- a classic off-spinner's dismissal.And England had one more wicket before stumps when Venkatsai Laxman, who has had a wretched series, was bowled for 24 by a superb Anderson delivery that angled in and uprooted his off-stump.

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Nicola Browne announced her retirement from international cricket

Nicola Browne White Ferns all-rounder Nicola Browne has today announced her retirement from international cricket, ending a nine year career.The 27 year-old retires after playing two Tests, 108 One Day Internationals and 34 Twenty20s after making her debuting in an ODI against Australia in Adelaide in February 2002.Browne's 33 wickets in Twenty20 cricket is the most by a New Zealander and her 77 one-day scalps put her third on the list behind Aimee Watkins (92) and Catherine Campbell (78). She departs as the fifth best international bowler and fourth best all-rounder on the ICC rankings.Browne is also the current holder of the Phyl Blackler Cup for the bowler whose performances in women's cricket have been the most meritorious and was named player of the tournament at the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in 2010.She will continue to play for the Northern Spirit in the Action Cricket Cup and Action Cricket Twenty20 domestic competitions.Reflecting on her international career Browne said he was honoured to represent New Zealand and is proud of what she has achieved."It was a tough decision but I feel that it's the right time to step away. When I look back I feel that I've achieved a lot of what I set out to do and have a lot of fond memories."I am still passionate about cricket and keen to stay involved. My focus will be on helping and supporting others to achieve their goals and dreams and doing my part to continue to grow the women's game in New Zealand.White Ferns coach Gary Stead paid tribute to Browne's outstanding career for the White Ferns.Nicola has been an important member of the White Ferns for a long period of time and I take this opportunity to congratulate her on the way she represented her country."She developed into one of the best bowlers in women's cricket and is an excellent role model for the other players. She is an extremely dedicated and professional athlete and that showed in the way she went about preparing and playing the game."Nicola is very highly thought of and very well respected by her team mates and her contribution will be missed. We wish her every success in the future."

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Bell and Pietersen enjoy spectacular rise

Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen have benefitted from good formEngland's Ian Bell has moved into the top five of the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen for the first time in his career following his double-hundred in the fourth and final match of the series against India at the Oval.As England claimed the title of number-one Test side in the world with a 4-0 series victory, several of its players have made their own moves up the players' ladder with Bell the most notable. The Warwickshire batsman scored 235 and in the process gains four positions to move level with team-mate Alistair Cook in third.Kevin Pietersen's 175 in the same match is enough for him to return to the top 10 as he moves up five places to eighth spot. England can now boast six bowlers in the top 20 and four batsmen in the top 10.As he has done so well of late, India's Rahul Dravid fought hard against the otherwise rampant England bowlers and while his 146 not out in the first innings was not enough to save the match for his team, it did earn him four places on the log and a position at number 10.

The news is not so positive for most of his team-mates, however, with Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni all losing ground in a list that has South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis at the top and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara second.And the knock-on effect of India's failures with the bat has been that England's bowlers have reaped the reward. Three of the top five bowlers represent England as Graeme Swann gains two places to third position with James Anderson in second and Stuart Broad in fifth.

Tim Bresnan moves up five places to 11th overall as South Africa's Dale Steyn leads the way.There is no change in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test all-rounders as Kallis still sets the standard and England's Stuart Broad lies second

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Australia geared up for spin test in Sri Lanka: Clarke

Australia captain Michael Clarke believes fending off the challenge posed by Sri Lanka's spinners will be the key to winning the three-Test series starting next week.The series, which opens at a traditionally spin-friendly venue in Galle on August 31, will be Clarke's first as Test captain since taking over from Ricky Ponting after the World Cup.Clarke said a 3-2 success in the one-day series against the hosts would stand his side in good stead going into the Test matches."I think it's been really good to get some cricket under the belt in these conditions," Clarke said after his team's four-wicket defeat in the fifth and final one-dayer in Colombo on Monday night."Looking at the result, I would imagine that the wickets are going to turn throughout the series and we are going to be facing a lot of spin. We need to be prepared for that."We have to be at our best as a batting group. We are fortunate we've got a lot of experience in our batting group but we have to make some big scores."Sri Lanka will be without match-winning fast bowler Lasith Malinga for the Test series, but Clarke said the hosts still had the bowling resources to test his batsmen.Malinga, who became the first bowler to take three hat-tricks in one-day internationals, has already quit Tests in a bid to prolong his career in limited-overs cricket."I think a few of the boys are happy we don't face him (Malinga) in the Test series," said Clarke, who was named man of the one-day series for scoring 242 runs in the five matches.Man-of-the-match Malinga dismissed Mitchell Johnson, John Hastings and Xavier Doherty off successive balls to spark a dramatic collapse which saw Australia lose their last five wickets for just one run.Australia were bowled out for 211 before Sri Lanka achieved the target with three overs to spare."I'm sure Sri Lanka are going to have a good attack in the conditions we're playing in. I'd be surprised if they don't play two spinners at least," said Clarke.Sri Lanka are likely to field unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath in the Tests.Australia will play a three-day practice match against a Sri Lanka Board XI in Colombo from Thursday before the Test series.

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David Boon prepares for his first series as elite panelist

David Boon gets ready for his new role

David Boon will make his debut as a member of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees when he travels to Zimbabwe early next week to officiate in the series between Zimbabwe and Pakistan.Mr Boon, who played 107 Tests and 181 ODIs for Australia, replaced compatriot Alan Hurst in the elite panel who retired on 9 July after the fifth and last ODI between England and Sri Lanka in Manchester after joining the panel in April 2004 Mr Boon will lead the playing control team in the one-off Test that gets underway in Bulawayo on Thursday 1 September. The Test match, which will be supervised by Rod Tucker and Ian Gould, will be followed up by three ODIs which will be umpired by Mr Gould along with local appointments, and two T20Is.Reacting to these appointments, Mr Boon said: "I am really looking forward to visiting Zimbabwe for my first assignment as an elite panelist. I am very fortunate to have been close to cricket all my life and I am sure this phase in my new cricketing life will be as enjoyable as the other experiences."I also can't wait and make my debut as an ICC official at the highest level in a country where I visited as a young player for an Australian under-25 side and on another occasion as captain of Tasmania.
Note: David Boon (50) enjoyed an international career spanning from 1984 to 1996. In that time, he played 107 Tests and 181 ODIs for Australia. In the longest format of the game, he scored 7,422 runs, including 21 centuries and 32 half-centuries while he hit 5,964 runs with five centuries and 37 half-centuries in limited-overs internationals.Mr Boon made his first-class debut for Tasmania in 1978-79 at the age of 17 and retired from all levels of cricket at the end of the 1999 English County Championship season with Durham but not before he had scored 23,413 first-class runs at an average of 44.00 with 68 centuries and 114 half-centuries.After retiring from international cricket, Mr Boon moved to cricket administration and worked as General Manager - Cricket at Cricket Tasmania and also served as an Australia national selector.

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Pakistan recalls Shoaib Malik for Zimbabwe tour

Pakistan have recalled former captain and all-rounder Shoaib Malik to the squad for next month's tour of Zimbabwe, the PCB said on Sunday.Shoaib's inclusion comes after a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) integrity committee cleared him of any wrong doing last week after an investigation into his finances."Malik still has lots of cricket left in him and it is good to see him available to play for Pakistan again," head coach Waqar Younis told Reuters. Shoaib, 29, who has played 32 tests and 192 one-day internationals has not represented his country since a nine wicket loss in the second test against England in Birmingham a year ago.He captained Pakistan from 2007 to early 2009 before he was sacked after a home series loss to Sri LankaPakistan will play one Test, three One-Day Internationals and two Twenty20 matches against Zimbabwe.

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Shakib leads Bangladesh to face-saving win

Skipper Shakib Al Hasan led from the front with a fighting innings of 79 before picking up two wickets as Bangladesh defeated Zimbabwe by 93 runs to win the fifth and final ODI at Queens Sports Club on Sunday.


It was Bangladesh's second successive win, but Zimbabwe still claimed the series 3-2 to add to their victory in the one-off Test between the two nations.After being put in to bat, Bangladesh made 253 for six in their 50 overs before Zimbabwe, who lost captain Brendan Taylor for a duck in the second over, were skittled out for 160 with more than 11 overs to spare.Bangladesh had been 125 for five at one stage before Shakib, whose 79 came off 71 balls and featured five boundaries and a six, put on 109 for the sixth wicket with Mahmudullah who made 60.It was Shakib's 21st one-day century.Mahmudullah was undefeated at the end of the 50 overs with his runs coming off 67 deliveries with five boundaries and a six to match his captain in the big hitting.Mahmudullah went on to claim three wickets with his off-breaks for just 13 runs.Flamboyant opener Tamim Iqbal also confirmed his return to form with 45 but Mohammad Ashraful, brought back into the side, made only 15 while Imrul Kayes concluded a dismal tour with nine.The innings ended in worrying circumstances when Zimbabwe seamer Keegan Meth took a full blooded drive on the jaw when half-way down the wicket after bowling a high full toss.X-rays showed no fracture though he lost two teeth and another was chipped and his injury prevented him from batting.In Zimbabwe's reply, Taylor was caught behind for a duck off the first ball of the second over. It was his fourth failure after smashing a century in the first match.Vusi Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza dug deep and they put on 57 for the second wicket.But when they went, and the experienced Tatenda Taibu was lbw to Shakib, Zimbabwe were 73-4 and the game was effectively up.Malcolm Waller, after surviving a missed catch, went on to make a steady 51 off 78 balls, his second career ODI half century.But Elton Chigumbura, on whom so much rested, was caught for one and the Zimbabwe tail collapsed.Zimbabwe will face a tougher test next month when Pakistan arrive for one Test, three ODIs and two Twenty20s.

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Ken Barrington inducted into ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

Former England Test player Ken Barrington Former England batsman Ken Barrington was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in front of a large and appreciative international crowd during the tea interval of the fourth and final Test between England and India and The Oval, London today.The late Barrington's commemorative cap was received by two of his former England and Surrey team-mates John Edrich and Micky Stewart from ICC Director and the England and Wales Cricket Board Chairman Giles Clarke for his induction into the Hall of Fame*, a joint initiative between the ICC and the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA).Barrington was born in 1930 and is regarded as one of England's most stylish batsmen, in addition to being an occasional and useful legbreak bowler. He passed away on 14 March 1981 Born in Reading, Barrington played for Surrey throughout his career as well as representing England 82 times in Test matches accumulating an average of 58.67, scoring 20 Test centuries in the process.Barrington amassed 6806 Test runs and in English Test batting circles his career Test average is only surpassed by Eddie Paynter and another ICC Cricket Hall of Famer, Herbert Sutcliffe.Barrington's 256 in the fourth Test at Old Trafford in 1964 is the highest post-World War II century for England against Australia and he twice made centuries in four successive Tests. He was the first England batsman to make a hundred on all six of England's then traditional Test grounds – Old Trafford, Edgbaston, Headingley, Lord's, Trent Bridge and his home ground of The Oval The statistics paint a clear picture of just how good Barrington was in his day. Between 1953 and 1968 he scored 31,714 first-class runs at an average of 45.63 with 76 centuries. He had an untimely heart-attack at 37 and was forced into early retirement from the game to then take over later in life as England assistant team manager. Barrington passed away in 1981 whilst on tour with the England team in Barbados.Edrich said: "It is a great honour to be receiving Ken's cap on his behalf. He was a fantastic team-mate and a great man and is thoroughly deserving of this award and recognition he is receiving today from the ICC and FICA."Stewart added: "It is a great pleasure and honour to receive this cap on behalf of Ken, one of England's greatest batsmen and my mate for 30 years."*ICC Cricket Hall of Fame – inductees as of 19 August 2011 (64):

Sydney Barnes, Ken Barrington, Bishan Bedi, Alec Bedser, Richie Benaud, Allan Border, Ian Botham, Geoffrey Boycott, Donald Bradman, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Denis Compton, Colin Cowdrey, Kapil Dev, Joel Garner, Sunil Gavaskar, Lance Gibbs, Graham Gooch, David Gower, WG Grace, Tom Graveney, Gordon Greenidge, Clarrie Grimmett, Richard Hadlee, Walter Hammond, Neil Harvey, George Headley, Rachael Heyhoe-Flint, Jack Hobbs, Michael Holding, Leonard Hutton, Rohan Kanhai, Imran Khan, Alan Knott, Jim Laker, Harold Larwood, Dennis Lillee, Ray Lindwall, Clive Lloyd, Hanif Mohammad, Rodney Marsh, Malcolm Marshall, Peter May, Javed Miandad, Keith Miller, Bill O'Reilly, Graeme Pollock, Wilfred Rhodes, Barry Richards, Vivian Richards, Andy Roberts, Garfield Sobers, Brian Statham, Herbert Sutcliffe, Fred Trueman, Victor Trumper, Derek Underwood, Courtney Walsh, Steve Waugh, Wasim Akram, Clyde Walcott, Everton Weekes, Frank Woolley, Frank Worrell.

Four new inductees will be announced in September ahead of the LG ICC Awards 2011.

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Rambaldo leads Netherlands to European success

Helmien Rambaldo led the Netherlands to their first European Women's Championship, making an unbeaten 106 as her side achieved a comprehensive 94-run victory over Scotland in the final game of the tournament.It was Rambaldo's first international century, and it enabled the Dutch to reach a daunting 246 for three. Dropped at slip off Kathryn White before she had scored, she proceeded to bat throughout the innings, and faced a total of 132 deliveries, hitting five boundaries She was given great support by Carolien Salomons, who shared in a second-wicket partnership of 151 and contributed a solid 100-ball 71 before she was run out by a direct hit from point by Leigh Kasperek, who threw down the stumps at the non-striker's end as the Dutch batsmen attempted a quick single.A further run-out, this time by Samantha Haggo removed Esther Lanser, but then Carlijn de Groot helped Rambaldo add another 50 in the closing overs, the Dutch skipper reaching her century shortly before the end of the innings. White was the most economical of the Scottish attack, conceding 23 from her eight overs.The Dutch had set a target which always seemed likely to be beyond the Scottish batsmen, although Catherine Smaill and Fiona Urquhart gave them their best start of the week with an opening stand of 34.But then Lanser removed both openers, and although Kari Anderson and Kasperek added 75 for the third wicket, accurate Dutch bowling and defensive fields ensured that it took them 23 overs to do so. That meant that the Scots were steadily falling behind the required run rate.It was Evelien Gerrits, brought into the side for this final game, who broke the stalemate by bowling Anderson for a 72-ball 36, and when she added the scalp of the dangerous White in her next over it was the start of a rapid Scottish decline.Haggo batted positively but too briefly for 13, and then Kasperek, on 40, was a little unfortunate to see the ball roll into her stumps from a full-length delivery from Esther de Lange. Both wickets had fallen on 140, and there had been no addition to the score when Charlotte Bascombe fell to Laura Brouwers.113 for two had become 140 for seven, and worse was to follow for Scotland: Sahar Aslam was run out attempting an ambitious third run off a no ball  the Scots' tenth run-out in four matches – and almost immediately Priyanaz Chatterji became the eleventh.Abbi Aitken and Lorna Jack added eight for the last wicket, but then Jolet Hartenhof bowled the latter to finish the match and start the Dutch celebrations at their second European title of the week. Lanser finished with two for 28 from ten overs, and Gerrits with two for 24 from nine.Brief scores from today's matches:

Kampong CC: Netherlands 246-3, 50 overs (H Rambaldo 106*, C Salomons 71)

Scotland 152, 48.5 overs (L Kasparek 40, K Anderson 36) Netherlands won by 94 runs ICC European Women's Championship table

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Despite Dravid brilliance, England on brink of whitewash

Rahul Dravid scored his 35th ton in the first innings

England finally saw off Rahul Dravid as they closed in on a 4-0 series rout of India at The Oval here on Sunday.

Dravid batted for more than seven hours in the fourth Test before England finally found a way to break 'The Wall'.

But India, following-on, were 129 for three at the close of the fourth day, still 162 runs behind England's first innings 591 for six declared built upon Ian Bell's Test-best 235 and Kevin Pietersen's 175.

Sachin Tendulkar, bidding for an unprecedented 100th international century, was 35 not out and nightwatchman Amit Mishra eight not out.

England though needed just seven more wickets on Monday's final day to complete a 4-0 clean sweep for the first time since a home whitewash of the West Indies in 2004.

India resumed Sunday in the desperate position of 103 for five.

Dravid was 57 not out and India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni five not out.

But Dhoni, who never looked settled, was out for 17 when he pushed tentatively at a James Anderson outswinger and was caught behind.

Dravid, responsible for all three India centuries this series, sped through the 90s with three fours in four balls from off-spinner Graeme Swann, a sweep and a late cut preceding his elegant advance down the pitch to create a half-volley he clipped through mid-wicket A late cut two off Tim Bresnan then saw Dravid to his hundred.

Dravid's century was the second time this series he'd made a hundred while opening in the absence of regular opener Gautam Gambhir.

He had previously made 117, when Gambhir missed the second Test at Trent Bridge with an elbow injury, following his 103 not out at Lord's.

Dravid's 35th Test century took him in front of hero Sunil Gavaskar's mark of 34 and fourth in the all-time list behind Tendulkar (51), South Africa's Jacques Kallis (40) and Australia's Ricky Ponting (39).

India started the second session on 218 for six, with Dravid 109 not out and Mishra, who'd driven Swann for six off the last ball before lunch, 38 not out.

However, Mishra added just five more runs before he was brilliantly caught by a diving Bell at an unusually positioned short backward square leg off a pull against Bresnan.

The new ball did for Gambhir, who'd suffered concussion while fielding on Friday, when he fended at Stuart Broad and was caught by Pietersen at gully.

Bresnan struck twice in three balls as India were bowled out for 300 -- the first time they'd made the score this series.

Dravid had contributed nearly 50 percent thanks to a masterful 146 not out in 266 balls with 20 fours.

He was only the third Indian after Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag to carry his bat in a Test innings but India were still 92 adrift of avoiding the follow-on.

The selfless Dravid kept his pads on but his resistance ended controversially when, on 13, he turned Swann to Alastair Cook at short leg.

Umpire Rod Tucker said not out but England asked for a review and Tucker's fellow Australian Steve Davis gave Dravid out, although replays indicated the ball may have gone to Cook straight off the pad.

The India great, in what could be his last Test in England, walked off to a standing ovation from a capacity 23,500 crowd.

Sehwag made a typically dashing 33 before he was bowled between bat and pad by Swann -- a classic off-spinner's dismissal.

And England had one more wicket before stumps when VVS Laxman, who has had a wretched series, was bowled for 24 by a superb Anderson delivery that angled in and uprooted his off-stump.

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Cook vaults into third position after career-best knock

Alastair Cook slammed 294 in the third Test

Opener Alastair Cook has vaulted into a career-best third position in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen after a man of the match performance in the Edgbaston Test which turned out to be the cornerstone of England's victory by an innings and 242 runs over India in the third Test which finished on Saturday.

Cook, who has been nominated for the Cricketer of the Year and Test Player of the Year awards at the LG ICC Awards 2011, has claimed third position after rocketing eight places following a masterly 294 that came after 772 minutes of occupancy of the crease during which he received 545 balls off which 33 were converted into fours.

Cook took a jump of eight places after he was awarded 92 ratings points for a mammoth knock which not only gave him a career-best rating to date of 836 but has also put him just two ratings points behind Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara who currently occupies second position.

If Cook displays the same form he showed at Edgbaston in the fourth and last Test of the series, then he is all set to finish the series in second position. The 26-year-old left-hander had entered the series in fifth position but had slipped to 11th place after failures in the Lord's and Trent Bridge Tests in which he scored 12, 1, 2 and 5.

Cook is not the only England batsman who has moved in the right direction. Kevin Pietersen has gained two places and is now in 13th position after a score of 63, captain Andrew Strauss has earned one position and is now in 34th spot after a knock of 87 and Eoin Morgan has climbed 12 places to 52nd position after scoring his second Test century.

The news is not as encouraging for India's batsmen who, except for captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, have slipped in the latest rankings which were released on Sunday morning.

Dhoni has moved up four places and is now in 36th position after scores of 77 and 74 not out while Sachin Tendulkar is in fourth position (down by one place), VVS Laxman in 12th (down by three places), Rahul Dravid in 14th (down by three places), Virender Sehwag in 17th (down by seven places) and Gautam Gambhir in 30th (down by three places).

Tim Bresnan is the biggest mover in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers. The 26-year-old from Yorkshire has broken into the top 20 for the first time in his career after he jumped nine places to claim 16th position following figures of 4-62 and 1-19.

Stuart Broad, who had match figures of 6-81, has also moved up two places to fifth position where he has been joined by team-mate Graeme Swann who has slipped one place after managing only two wickets in the Test which was dominated by the fast bowlers and Cook.

James Anderson has strengthened his second position after he broke into the 800-point mark for the first time in his career after figures of 2-69 and 4-85.

The 29-year-old Lancastrian earned 13 ratings points for his Edgbaston efforts which means he now trails number-one ranked Dale Steyn of South Africa by 96 ratings points and leads third-ranked Morne Morkel by 52 ratings points.

Broad and Bresnan have also achieved career-best rankings in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test all-rounders which are led by South Africa's Jacques Kallis.

Broad has swapped places with Daniel Vettori while Bresnan has jumped four places to ninth position after he backed up his bowling figures of 5-81 with a breezy knock of 53 not out. His batting performance also earned him a career best ranking of 65th in the batting rankings. .

The Reliance ICC Player Rankings will now be updated after the fourth and last Test between England and India which starts at The Oval from Thursday.

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