Spot fixing trial: Indian offered Pakistanis $1m to throw Test

LONDON : A shadowy Indian contact offered the agent of several Pakistan cricketers $1 million to ensure they threw a Test match against England, a London court heard Tuesday.The jury in the trial of former Pakistan captain Salman Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif saw video footage of meetings between the players' agent Mazhar Majeed and undercover News of the World reporter Mazher Mahmood.The former investigations editor for Rupert Murdoch's now-defunct tabloid was posing as an Indian frontman for a Far East gambling syndicate.In an August 21 meeting in Majeed's house in south London, the reporter recorded the agent on the telephone with the unidentified man in India, discussing deliberately throwing the Test match between England and Pakistan at The Oval, which was under way at the time, Southwark Crown Court was told.Referring to the number of Pakistan players under his wing, Majeed was heard saying it was "not a problem" to fix the match result, as "you know how many I've got, you know that they do it.Majeed called his Indian contact and told him: "You know what we spoke about last night, what offer can you give me for today's game? Tell me, just give me a figure now, we haven't got long.There's a possibility, I'm just telling you that now, they're talking at least 1.2 -- at least. In dollars."The prosecution alleged that Majeed and the mysterious contact were floating the possibility of Pakistan deliberately losing the game.Majeed said: "Boss, you know how many I've got, you know that they do it. So of course that's not a problem. But you just give me the figure and I'm going to get back to you. We haven't got much time. One million, yeah The Indian contact replied: "I give you one (million dollars). One I give you, but has to be a definite game score.After the call, Majeed told the reporter: "There's big, big money in results, I tell you, you can see that.In the event, Pakistan beat England by four wickets to secure a memorable Test victory.The court heard that Majeed previously told the journalist that Pakistan were trying to win the match at The Oval because the players wanted Butt to remain as Test captain.Prosecutors allege Butt and Asif agreed for no-balls to be bowled as part of a spot-fixing scam.The two players have pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, and conspiracy to cheat at gambling.Majeed and young Pakistan bowler Mohammad Aamer have also been charged with the same offences but are not standing trial alongside Butt and Asif.Mahmood gave evidence from behind a screen after the judge banned descriptions of his appearance because his security could be compromised. He could be seen by the judge and the jury

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Ponting happy to drop down batting order

PERTH : Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting says he is happy to drop down the Test batting order to accommodate Shaun Marsh at No. 3.The 36-year-old, who has scored 12,487 runs in 154 Tests, has long come in to bat at first drop but slotted in as No. 4 during the second Test against Sri Lanka last month in which Marsh scored 141 at No.3 on his debut.Marsh followed it up with scores of 81 and 18 in the third Test when again batting at No.3.Test skipper Michael Clarke sees Marsh as a long-term fixture in the role and Ponting said he had no complaints."It was a long-term plan of Michael's to have Shaun move to No. 3 and me move to No. 4 and Michael (Clarke) move to five and (Mike) Hussey to six,Ponting told reporters."So that wasn't just ... a one-off for that game (in Sri Lanka)."When I first came into the Australian side, batting at six was hard. Waiting that amount of time to bat for me was something that was very foreign to me," he added."But three to four I don't think is as big a change as three to six."Ponting is playing for Tasmania in their Sheffield Shield clash with Western Australia at the WACA Ground in Perth starting Tuesday, ahead of Australia's Test tour of South Africa next month.

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Cricket Australia slams “outlandish” allegations

SYDNEY : Cricket Australia on Tuesday said it was not aware of any evidence implicating Australian players in match-fixing and slammed the credibility of the man who made the claims in a London court.The details emerged as Mazher Mahmood, the former investigations editor for Rupert Murdoch's now-defunct News of the World tabloid, gave evidence at the trial of ex-Pakistan cricket captain Salman Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif.In recordings played to Southwark Crown Court, an agent, Mazhar Majeed, alleged that Australians, as well as some of the biggest names in Pakistani cricket, were prepared to fix parts of matches.We were very surprised to hear the report this morning,said Cricket Australia (CA) General Manager of Public Affairs Peter Young."We are aware that some very outlandish claims have been made by a person of very dubious repute and they've apparently been replayed to the court.He said CA was conscious of respecting the judicial process and not saying anything that might compromise the trial, but denied ever seeing any proof of match-fixing by Australian players."What we can say is that we are not aware of any evidence," he said."Our long-standing formal view for well over a decade has been that any credible evidence needs to be pursued and investigated with vigour by the International Cricket Council, and that is our position today."During the trial, a video secretly filmed in a car was played showing the agent and Mahmood posing as an Indian frontman for a gambling syndicate -- meeting during the first day of Pakistan's Test against England on August 18 last year.In it, Majeed alleged that Australian players would fix "brackets", a set period of a match on which punters bet."The Australians, they are the biggest. They have 10 brackets a game," he said.Arranging a "bracket" could cost between #50,000 and #80,000, he said.For a result, Twenty20 is about #400,000 and Test matches, depending on the situation, is about #1 million," he added.Young said CA would be talking with the International Cricket Council on Tuesday "to understand any advice they might have We do note that the ICC has had an anti-corruption expert scrutinising every single ball that we've bowled and every single ball that we've faced for well over a decade," he added."There has been no suggestion of any concerns about Australian cricket.

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Wasim, Waqar, Ijaz and Moin involved in match-fixing: Majeed

LONDON : A sports agent accused of taking bribes to fix matches said Pakistan's best known former players were involved in betting scams and that Australian cricketers were "the biggest" culprits, a London court heard on Monday. Agent Mazhar Majeed, 36, told an undercover journalist match-fixing had been going on "for centuries" and named celebrated former Pakistan fast-bowlers Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis as alleged participants, the court heard. Prosecutors allege that Majeed conspired with Pakistan's former Test captain Salman Butt, 27, and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif, 28, and Mohammad Amir, 19, to fix parts of the Lord's Test between England and Pakistan last August.Butt and Asif, who are standing trial, deny conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments. The jury at Southwark Crown Court was played covert recordings of meetings between the agent and former News of the World journalist Mazher Mahmood, who was posing as a rich Indian businessman organising a proposed cricket tournament in the United Arab Emirates. Majeed met Mahmood at a west London restaurant on Aug. 18 last year the first day of Pakistan's Oval Test against England and, after the meal, discussed match-fixing in the undercover reporter's car, the court was told."It's been happening for centuries. It's been happening for years. Wasim, Waqar, Ijaz Ahmed, Moin Khan they all did it, Majeed said. (REUTERS)

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Tests fix cost £1mn, says agent in spot-fixing trial

LONDON : A British sports agent representing two Pakistani cricketers accused of a betting scam told an undercover reporter that Test matches could be thrown for £1 million, a court in London heard on Monday.The claim emerged as the former investigations editor for Rupert Murdoch's now-defunct News of the World tabloid, Mazher Mahmood, gave evidence at the trial of ex-Pakistan cricket captain Salman Butt and bowler Mohammad Asif.The jury heard an audio recording of the two cricketers' agent Mazhar Majeed talking to the reporter during a secretly recorded conversation in a car, and outlining the prices for different forms of fixing."There is massive, massive money in this," Majeed was heard to say in the recording played to Southwark Crown Court.Majeed said that for a "bracket" -- where bets are made on incidents during a certain period of play -- the cost could be between £50,000 and £80,000 ($78,000 and $125,000)"For a result, Twenty20 is about £400,000 and Test matches, depending on the situation, is about £1 million."He said that he was dealing with a contact in India, adding: "Indian bookmakers, think of how many millions are bet on these games.Mahmood gave evidence behind a screen after the judge made an order banning publication of descriptions of his appearance or sketches because the journalist has argued his security could be compromised.Butt and Asif plead not guilty to charges of conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, and conspiracy to cheat at gambling.Prosecutors said at the opening of the trial last week that the pair had agreed to bowl no-balls as part of a spot-fixing scam.Young Pakistan bowler Mohammad Aamer and Majeed have also been charged with the same offences but are not standing trial alongside Butt and Asif. The judge has told the jury there is "nothing sinister" in their absence.

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Wisden to launch Indian edition

LONDON : Cricket bible Wisden is to launch a separate Indian edition, its publishers revealed on Monday.Cricket in India is booming and Wisden India will focus on all areas of the Indian game from Test matches through to domestic cricket and has set itself the aim of becoming the independent voice of cricket in the home of the reigning world champions."The chance to marry Wisden's age-old strengths with the 21st century home of the game was too good to ignore," added Wisden editor Lawrence Booth.The first edition will launch in October 2012 with the pool of writers expected to include some of the great Indian players as well as respected journalists.Founded in 1864, Wisden has been published every year since and is recognised around the world as the definitive record of the game.Bloomsbury sells about 40,000 editions of Wisden each year, but the potential in the Indian sub-continent is 50 times that, said director Richard Charkin.As well as the book, he also sees huge scope in the mobile phone and internet market, where it will provide commentary and opinions online. A new Wisden India Hall of Fame is to be set up to recognise the greats of the game.Bloomsbury have signed a long-term licensing agreement with sports marketing group FidelisWorld for Wisden India, with the deal also covering Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and North America, which has a large Indian ex-pat market.

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Gayle absence haunts Windies' Bangladesh tour

DHAKA : The glaring absence of Chris Gayle stood out as the West Indies prepared to open their Bangladesh tour with a Twenty20 international in Dhaka on Tuesday.The explosive left-hander was omitted for the tour, which also includes three one-dayers and two Tests, following a breakdown in his relationship with the West Indies Cricket Board following the World Cup earlier this year.As his compatriots warmed up in Bangladesh, Gayle emerged as the second highest scorer in the Twenty20 Champions League in India with 257 runs in six matches for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.Gayle, 32, has played 91 Tests, 228 one-dayers and 20 Twenty20 matches for the West Indies and has two triple-centuries in Test cricket to his name.But coach Ottis Gibson played down the absence of both the star batsman and leading all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, preferring to bank on his young players to deliver in Bangladesh."Do we need our senior players? I think we need everybody who is committed to us," Gibson had said at the start of the tour."Some people will think we need them. We are building a team and, of course, we need senior players that are committed to mix with the youngsters."The youngsters have taken the opportunity and done very well for us. As we are looking at the future, we will build a team around the younger guys.Bravo, who was also not considered for selection despite being fit, turned out for the Chennai Super Kings in the Champions League which ended in Chennai on Sunday.Marlon Samuels made up for their absence with an unbeaten 102 off 56 balls to help the tourists trounce the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI by 75 runs in a Twenty20 warm-up on Sunday.The West Indies piled up 195-3 in their 20 overs and restricted the home team to 120-6 to record a comprehensive win.Darren Sammy's men return to the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Dhaka where they dismissed Bangladesh for 58 in a World Cup game in March on way to a nine-wicket romp.Wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim will begin his reign as Bangladesh's new captain with Tuesday's Twenty20 clash, with all-rounder Mohammad Mahmudullah as his deputy.Rahim replaces leading all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who was sacked last month after a disastrous tour of Zimbabwe where Bangladesh lost both the Test and one-day series.

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Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf appointed new PCB chairman

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has appointed Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf as the new chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Prior to his appointment Ashraf was serving as the president of the Zarai Taraqiati Bank.

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UAE registers 15-run win over Afghanistan

United Arab Emirates registered a 15 run win over Afghanistan in the first game in the two-match 50-over Associate and Affiliate League encounter on Monday at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.In a day-night match, UAE batted first and was bowled out for 198 in 44.3 overs. The key contributors to the UAE score initially was opener Faizan Asif (36) and one-drop Shaiman Anwar (42).Shaiman added crucial 79 runs for the third wicket with skipper Khurram Khan (53: 48b, 5x4, 1x6). UAE reached 131 for two in the 24th over, and looked set for a big score.But a collapse followed as the rest of the innings faltered in the face of some disciplined bowling by Karim Sadiq (3-32) and Dawlat Zadran (3-24).UAE could not post a big score but it still had something to defend.In its reply, Afghanistan lost early wickets and quickly slipped to 34 for three. It required a 59 run fifth wicket stand between Mohammad Nabi (39) and Gulbodin Naib (43) to revive the chase. But it was not to be.The lower-order offered a brief resistance when Hamid Hassan swung his bat for a brisk 22. But all that was too little too late. Wickets kept falling at regular intervals and eventually UAE ran home winners.Sharif Asadullak (2-19), Ahmed Raza (2-33), skipper Khurram Khan (4-25) and Arshad Ali (2-39) shared the wickets amongst themselves.The second and final game between the two sides will be played on Wednesday, also at Sharjah and will again be a day-night fixture.

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Results of the ICC Executive Board meeting in Dubai

The ICC Executive Board held its fourth and final scheduled meeting of the year at the ICC headquarters in Dubai yesterday and among the decisions they made were:
Independent Governance Review
The ICC Executive Board received a progress report from Lord Woolf of Barnes in his role as chairman of the Independent Governance Review panel. Lord Woolf, who is supported by PricewaterhouseCoopers and advised by Judge Mudgal of India, praised the Board for embracing the concept of an independent review.Lord Woolf said: 'Organisations, whether global companies or international sports bodies, need to take necessary steps to ensure that their house is in order otherwise they would be extremely vulnerable. I think in cricket people recognize that they have to face the challenges and will be prepared to take the decisions that will allow them to function effectively.The independent governance review was identified as one of the most important initiatives in the new Strategic Plan 2011-2015 that was adopted by the Board in April 2011. The scope of the review is wide and includes:* Clarifying the role and structure of the ICC and its committees to ensure that strategic goals are met effectively and that decision-making is made in the best interests of the game. This would include consideration of independent committee members and directors
* The ICC President nomination and election process
* The Member categories and criteria for membership
* The effectiveness of the regulatory environment
* The Constitutional framework and documents to ensure they are 'fit for purpose'
* Making recommendations to ensure that the ICC enjoys a reputation as a well governed and leading global sporting organisation.
Sharad Pawar, the ICC President, said: 'Lord Woolf is a very eminent member of the judiciary in the United Kingdom and he has a clear picture of what is required of him and his support team. He was very open and frank with the Board and that was appreciated. Lord Woolf has made a positive start to his work and while acknowledging that cricket has already achieved many great things, he noted that there were challenges and important decisions to make to ensure that we continue to succeed in the future.'"I am also pleased that the Board has agreed to make the report public after it has met with Lord Woolf in February 2012.'PwC and Lord Woolf will continue their review and discussions with stakeholders and even though the time frame is tight they hope to report to the ICC Executive Board at their first meeting in 2012. Until the work is completed the ICC will not be in a position to make any comments.
ICC global event 2013
The ICC Executive Board confirmed their preference to host an ICC Test Championship in 2013 but recognized the significant commercial challenge in trying to replace the Champions Trophy. Without the support and consent of the ICC's broadcast partner, ESPN Star Sports, the financial implications on the Members and the development of the game would be significant.Haroon Lorgat, the ICC Chief Executive, said: 'It would be unfortunate if the Test Championship is delayed to 2017 but the board needs to balance several objectives.'
Decision Review System

Following recent experiences and the resultant concern about the effectiveness of Hotspot, the ICC Executive Board decided to revert to its previous position to allow the participating nations to decide bi-laterally whether they wished to use the DRS. The ICC Executive Board however, supported the use of technology and its continued development and were encouraged by certain Members who were willing to use and work towards improving the technology.

Haroon Lorgat said: 'Although the DRS improves correct umpire decisions by around five per cent and corrects any blatant errors, there are some who are not convinced by its reliability. We will continue to work with interested parties to improve the system while permitting the participating teams to decide whether they wish to use it or not.'The Executive Board also confirmed that DRS would be used in all ICC global events.
ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Qualifying system
The Board approved the new Associates and Affiliates qualifying system that would determine four teams to join the ten Full Members in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.
The top two teams in the current eight team Associates and Affiliates ODI 50-over League played until October 2013 will progress automatically to the World Cup while the remaining six teams will join four other teams from the World Cricket League (i.e. teams placed 3rd and 4th in Division 2 and teams placed 1st and 2nd in Division 3) in a ten team qualifying event. The two finalists from this qualifying event will progress to the World Cup.
ICC Vice Presidency Nomination
In accordance with the current constitutional requirements of the ICC, the ICC Executive Board asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to submit their nomination for the ICC Vice Presidency 2012-14
The ICC Board consists of the chairman or president from each of the 10 Full Members plus three Associate Member representatives. Also present at ICC Board meetings is the ICC President, who chairs proceedings, the ICC Chief Executive and the ICC Vice-President, as well as, by invitation of the President, the ICC Principal Advisor.

Sharad Pawar	ICC President
Alan Isaac	ICC Vice-President
Haroon Lorgat	ICC Chief Executive
Ijaz Butt	Pakistan
Peter Chingoka	Zimbabwe
Giles Clarke	England and Wales
Jack Clarke	Australia
Upali Dharmadasa	Sri Lanka
Dr Julian Hunte	West Indies
Mustafa Kamal	Bangladesh
Imran Khwaja	Associate Member Representative
Dr Mtutuzeli Nyoka	South Africa
Keith Oliver	Associate Member Representative
N Srinivasan	India
Neil Speight	Associate Member Representative
Dr Justin Vaughan	New Zealand (alternate for Chris Moller)
In attendance
Inderjit Bindra	ICC Principal Advisor
Apologies
Chris Moller	New Zealand

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How Swann conquered cricket

England off-spinner Graeme Swann has said that what makes him so proud is that he has remained true to his joking Jack-the-Lad character, even if it meant upsetting people along the way.Swann, whose explosive new autobiography The Breaks Are Off is being serialised in Sun Sport this week, has given us an exclusive and revealing interview.He talks about his mistakes, his refusal to compromise, the thrill of playing for his country and what really makes cricket's comedian laugh.Swann admitted: "I always think I've laughed my way through my whole career and had nothing but good times. But, looking back for this book, I realise I've had a few years when things were awful."I've never been someone to live life on an even keel. I'm fairly up and down - that's the way it should be, it's much more exciting like that. I don't see any point not experiencing life's highs and lows," he adds He also says that it was a shame that England did not celebrate The Ashes in 2009 as it did in 2005."I still think it was a big shame we didn't celebrate hard. Instead, we played a damp-squib match in Ireland. It was almost as though people were saying, 'We can't possibly celebrate again because last time Freddie got drunk and Hoggy p****d in a plant pot'Swann said that he always tries to look on the bright side and openly laugh at things."So, I can look back at missed opportunities, oversleeping for the bus on tour, taking the p*** out of Nasser Hussain too often. It makes me laugh out loud because they've shaped who I am and you learn from your mistakes," said Swann.He adds: "I'd hate to sit here now having kowtowed to people and brown-nosed. I don't think I could ever be honest with myself. When I'm bouncing my grandson on my knee and telling him about when I played, he'll look at me and say, 'Grandad, you did some stupid things'. And I'll reply, 'Yes, I did. Let me tell you about them'.Swann first toured with England to South Africa in 1999-2000 but, by his own admission, he was a cheeky upstart and not good enough for international cricket.The following years brought frustration and misery and, famously, former Northamptonshire director of cricket Kepler Wessels banning his team-mates from laughing at his jokes. It was not until he moved to Nottinghamshire in 2005 that his career began to perk up."I feel I've been true to my character and I've been very lucky. I play up to the joker tag, I've cultivated it over the years. It's the perfect release of pressure," the England cricketer says."My wife Sara tells me, 'God, you're just like my dad. You say the same jokes over and over'."I won't change. I'm going to be one of those embarrassing dads when our little lad Wilf brings home a girl - and keep telling the same jokes. I like people who are willing to laugh at themselves. I guess it comes from my upbringing, although my brother Alec is the exact opposite," says Swann.

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Zulqarnain lashes out at Afridi, Shoaib

LAHORE: Pakistan’s controversial stumper Zulqarnain Haider’s return to first-class cricket has been marked with controversy after he lashed out at some seniors including former captain Shahid Afridi and retired pacer Shoaib Akhtar for their comments on Pakistan cricket and PCB.Haider, who has been playing in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, took a dig at Afridi and Akhtar, criticising them for giving statements after they retired from the national team.“Now that they are retired and out of contention they are giving critical statements about Pakistan cricket, the board and our cricket culture. Why say all this now? Why not when they were playing” said Haider“I just feel that once you have played for so long for your country and retired, you should be careful while giving such statements,” he added.Haider took more pot shots at both Afridi and Akhtar, stating that unlike his seniors, he took a stand when he was playing for Pakistan and was at the beginning of his career.“I gambled everything including my career. I am not like Afridi or Akhtar who are criticising the system now and everything else about Pakistan cricket after being done with their careers,” he said.Reacting to Zulqarnain’s statements, the PCB said: “Players are not encouraged to give statements other than on their own performances and the match. I think the match and team officials have had a word with Zulqarnain over his statements,” a board official said.—Agencies

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Siraj Durrani for M Ali Shah as new chairman PCB

Minister Local Government Agha Siraj Durrani has demanded that Dr.Syed Mohammad Ali Shah should be made Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) considering his tremendous services for promotion and development of sports in the Country.

This he said in a Book Launching Ceremony of Biography of Dr.S.M.A.Shah held in local hotel here in Karachi where he was the Chief Guest.He further stated that for the last 16 years the Chairmanship of P.C.B. could not been awarded to any person belonging from Sindh, therefore now the sports circle feels that Chairmanship of P.C.B. for the further tenure should be given to Sindh Province for which Dr.Shah is the most deserving person He assured that his full cooperation will continue with Dr.S.M.A.Shah in any matter. SirajDurrani described that he also talked to President Asif Ali Zardari who the Patron in Chief of PCB and recommended Dr.Shah’s name for the Chairmanship while Governor Sindh also endorsed my recommendations.Dr.Muhammad Ali Shah has said that if he is given a chance to serve as Chairman of PCB he will try his level best to run the board in a transparent manners and Inshallah time will come that international cricket in Pakistan will restore.He said that “I have so far worked with sincerity and honesty therefore I don’t think that there will be any problem for him is he is assigned as chairman PCB

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Sialkot shock HBL, Wapda trounce Abbottabad

KARACHI : Sialkot turned the tables on the Younis Khan-led Habib Bank side by pulling off a stunning 59-run win over defending champions in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship Division I match at the Jinnah Stadium on Sunday.The bankers, chasing a relatively modest target of 198, were all out for 128 in their second innings on the last day of the four-day game. Slow left-armer Nabeel Malik (4-27) and paceman Prince Abbas (3-41) shared the bowling honours.Habib Bank were at full strength for the first-class season’s opening round with Younis, Taufiq Umar, Imran Farhat, Asad Shafiq, Abdul Rehman and Umar Gul  all of whom are due to travel with the Pakistan side to the UAE next week for the Test series against Sri Lanka  playing in this fixture.But the star players failed when it mattered with Younis getting a first-ball duck on Sunday. Imran was the top-scorer with 29, while Taufiq scored five, Asad 10, Umar Gul six and Rehman an unbeaten 2.Earlier, Test leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, currently embroiled in a legal battle with the PCB, grabbed 6-24 as Sialkot, who collected full nine points, were bowled out for 83 in their second innings.Wapda completed a resounding 10-wicket victory after bowling out Abbottabad for 125 in the second innings of their game at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.Kamran Akmal became the third batsman to score a century in National Bank’s second innings in the drawn tie against Rawalpindi at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Kamran, the NBP skipper, made a stroke-filled 139 off 157 balls with 18 fours and six in his team’s total of 482-8 declared.Umar Amin and Fawad Alam, the overnight pair, were the other three-figure men for the NBP side. Umar didn’t add to his Saturday’s tally of 131, while fellow left-hander Fawad got just one run before he was out for 142.The rain-hit clash between Islamabad and PIA also ended in a tame draw with the national carrier grabbing three points for taking lead on the first innings.Scores and results on Sunday (final day of four) At Abbottabad Cricket Stadium: Wapda beat Abbottabad by 10 wickets.ABBOTTABAD 259 in 104 overs (Khalid Usman 56 not out, Rameez Ahmed 56, Riaz Kail 42; Zulfiqar Babar 4-71, Sarfraz Ahmed 3-52, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan 3-79) and 125 in 53.3 overs (Zulfiqar Babar 4-30, M. Imran Khan 3-58); WAPDA 325 in 73.4 overs (Ali Azmat 105, Riffatullah Mohmand 70, Sarfraz Ahmed 63; Mohammad Naeem 4-68, Junaid Khan 4-101) and 61-0 in 14.4 overs.At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot: Sialkot beat Habib Bank by 59 runs.SIALKOT 397 in 140.5 overs (M. Ayub Dogar 186 not out, Mohammad Yasin 89, Mobin Mughal 47; Kamran Hussain 6-105, Danish Kaneria 3-108) and 83 in 39.2 overs (Danish Kaneria 6-24, Abdul Rehman 3-24); HABIB BANK 293 in 75.3 overs (Imran Farhat 105, Younis Khan 52) and 128 in 48.4 overs (Nabeel Malik 4-27, Prince Abbas 3-41).At Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium: Match drawn.NATIONAL BANK 153 in 57.1 overs (Fawad Alam 51; Nasir Malik 7-42) and 482-8 declared in 124 overs (Fawad Alam 142, Kamran Akmal 139, Umar Amin 131; Nasir Malik 3-135); RAWALPINDI 348 in 106.1 overs (Mohammad Rameez 74, Usman Saeed 56, Muzammil Nizam 40; Mohammad Talha 4-91, Umaid Asif 3-53) and 52-1 in 13 overs.At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: Match drawn.PIA 423-5 declared in 108.2 overs (Agha Sabir 171, Shoaib Khan 101 not out) and 157-3 declared in 27 overs (Kamran Sajid 47; ISLAMABAD 281 in 81.5 overs (Afaq Raheem 137, Naeem Anjum 58; Anwar Ali 5-65, Aizaz Cheema 3-77) and 99-1 in 31 overs (Umair Khan 50 not out

 | Quad e Azam Trophy |

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Butt's term expires but no successor in sight

KARACHI: A constitutional crisis has developed in Pakistan cricket after the government failed to notify the appointment of a new PCB chairman despite the completion of incumbent Ijaz Butt's three-year term.Legal experts, former PCB chairmen and ex-players voiced concern over the fact that Butt was still continuing to function as Chairman despite the expiry of his term on Saturday."To be honest under the existing board constitution Ijaz Butt is no longer authorized to represent Pakistan at any forum including the ICC meeting," former PCB chairman and career diplomat, Shaharyar Khan said.Butt left for Dubai the day his term expired with the presidency not issuing any notification about whether he would continue or someone in the board would be acting chairman until a new head was appointed.Under the constitution, the president - in this case Asif Zardari - appoints the chairman of the board in his capacity as chief patron of cricket.Shaharyar Khan said that Butt should not have gone to attend the ICC meeting as constitutionally he was no longer chairman."He should have avoided it because from what I have studied about the constitution he is no longer authorized to represent or sign any document on behalf of Pakistan cricket," Khan said.He noted that there was always a possibility that with the PCB and ICC relations not very warm someone at the executive board might raise the issue of whether Butt could attend the executive board meeting."It would have been better if someone else from the board had represented Pakistan at the meeting.""I think if the presidency didn't issue a fresh notification Butt should have stepped down himself," Khan added.A former legal advisor of the board, Shaan Gul also claimed that the constitution didn't allow the chief patron to give Butt a short extension."The government can't give him a extension for say five or six months or even a year if they want him to continue they will have to give him a fresh three year term," Gul said.Farhatullah Babar, the spokesman for the president made it clear that Butt was carrying on working as chairman with the approval of the president."The chief patron appoints the chairman and since we are considering extension of term for Butt he can continue to work with government approval," Babar said.Sources said while Butt was himself interested in continuing as chairman and was using all his connections and political connections to get a proper extension, they were other names under consideration by the presidency which could take a decision by Monday."Former Test captain Majid Khan is a front runner and others like Zaheer Abbas and Zaka Ashraf the head of a state owned bank, ZTBL, is also under consideration," one source close to the presidency said.Majid who has also served as chief executive of the board is nowadays leading retired life having also served as controller sports in the state owned Pakistan television corporation.

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New NZ captain Taylor plans to 'lead from the front'

Ross Taylor, who has returned from an "awesome" break, has said he plans to 'score runs and lead from the front' as New Zealand captain.In June, Taylor was named New Zealand's 27th test captain, succeeding Daniel Vettori. Then came his wedding to long-time partner Victoria.For the first time since his New Zealand debut in 2006, he went cold turkey on cricket for a month."It was strange to have a break, but it was awesome. I haven't had that since I've been a professional cricketer so I made the most of it, after seeing the schedule for the next two and a half years. It's pretty full on,Stuff.co.nz quoted Taylor, as saying.Now it is back to work, but the firsts will continue: Taylor's first tour of Zimbabwe, and first as skipper in all formats.First and foremost is to score runs and lead from the front, and get to know the players a bit better and what makes them tick. And seeing how they go under pressure," the new skipper said."We are a talented bunch but that only gets you so far. If we show a bit of fight when things aren't going so well I'm sure that will go a long way," Taylor stated."At the World Cup we played with a lot of passion and that seemed to bring the best out of most of the team," he added.

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Training camp for cricket team starts tomorrow

The training camp of national cricket team is going to start from tomorrow in Qaddafi Stadium.Pakistan will play one T20, 5 ODIs and 3 test matches in the series against UAE. National team coach Mohsin Khan said in the brief camp it would be tried to improve the short comings of the players.However, he said that the success of Pakistani team is must if it focuses to the test series instead of T20 or one day matches

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Finn takes hat trick as England XI wins warm-up

Steven Finn claimed a late hat trick as England XI beat Hyderabad XI by 56 runs in a practice game.Pace bowler Steven Finn claimed a late hat trick Saturday as England XI beat Hyderabad XI by 56 runs in a practice game ahead of a limited overs series against India.Finn cleaned up the tail to finish with 4-28 as Hyderabad was bowled out for 163 in 36.5 overs in reply to England XI s 219 all out in 47.2 overs.Earlier, a lively spell by Hyderabad seamer Anwar Ahmed Khan (3-35) made the visitors struggle in the day-night game before Ravi Bopara (73) and Chris Woakes (46 not out) helped post a fighting total.Bopara struck three fours and a six during his 82-ball knock while Woakes struck four fours in his 59-ball innnings.Finn took the last three wickets in his eighth over, dismissing Amol Shinde, Kanishk Naidu and last man Khan.England XI plays another practice game against Hyderabad XI on Tuesday.The full England team faces India in the first one-day international on Friday in Hyderabad

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All three UAE cricket venues set to host all format matches for first time

ABU DHABI : All three international cricket venues in United Arab Emirates are set to witness best of action for the first time, with Pakistan hosting series against Sri Lanka & England in the country."Never before has a series been held in a neutral country where all international stadiums in the country will be used for Tests as well as One-day series. It is indeed going to be a great treat for UAE cricket fans," Emirates Cricket Board ECB administrator, Mazhar Khan said.Abu Dhabi Zayed Cricket Stadium, Dubai International Cricket Stadium & Sharjah Cricket Stadium will host ODIs and Test matches of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan England series & 16 nation Twenty20 World Cup Qualifiers. Sharjah stadium has staged maximum number of ODIs and also hosted Test matches in the past.Pakistan series against Sri Lanka will be held from mid-October to November end, England will play from January 7 till February 27 in the UAE. ECB Chief Executive Dilawar Mani hoped cricket series will provide a good opportunity to fans here to watch them in action

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India beats Sri Lanka to win U-19 quadrangular tourney

A disciplined bowling effort by India colts helped them beat Sri Lanka by five runs in a low-scoring final match of the Under-19 quadrangular one-day cricket tournament on Sunday.The Indian boys, who had topped the league stage, scored a modest 168 all out thanks to Akshdeep Nath's patient 55, who resurrected his side's innings from 37 for five in the 14th over after they were asked to bat.The bowlers then defended the small total by skittling out the Sri Lankans for 163 with 3.1 overs to spare at the YS Rajasekhara Reddy Cricket Stadium.Pacers Sandeep Sharma (4-23) and Rush Kalaria (3-34) shared the bulk of the spoils while left-arm spinner Vikas Mishra and off-spinner Baba Aparajith chipped in with a wicket apiece.Chasing 169 for a win, Sri Lanka made a disastrous start with opener Niroshan Dickwella falling to Sandeep in the third ball of their innings. Sandeep and Rush then ran through the Sri Lankan top-order as the visitors were reduced to 27 for five in the ninth over.Duleeka Thissakuttige and Lahiru Madushanka who top-scored with 63 then stitched a 75-run stand for the sixth wicket from 22.1 overs to take Sri Lanka closer to target before the former was out at team total of 102 for six in the 31st over.Another wicket fell in the form of Pulina Tharanga and Sri Lanka were reduced to 150 for eight soon after. The visitors had enough overs in their hands but they kept losing wickets.Sandeep polished off the tail by scalping the last two wickets -- that of Apila Aponso and Dilshan Dhanushka in the space of three balls as India won the summit clash and the tournament.Earlier, put into bat, India suffered a batting collapse as they slumped to 37 for five before Smit Patel (31) and Nath 55 revived the innings with a 67-run stand for the sixth wicket from 22.2 overs.Nath was out in the 46th over at the team score of 146 for eight. He hit five fours and a six from 82 balls he faced.The Indian top-order collapsed under tight Sri Lankan bowling as captain Unmukt Chand (14), Manan Vohra (2), Hanuman Vihari (15), Kumar Deobrat (2) and Baba Aparajith (0) were out cheaply.For Sri Lanka, Lahiru Madushanka took four wickets for 17 runs while Amila Aponso scalped two Indian batsmen.In the third place play-off on Sunday, West Indies beat Australia by 16 runs

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