ASIA CUP 2012

 

Asia Cup History

1984, UAE

The first edition of the Asia Cup, called the Rothmans Asia Cup and conceived in 1983 with the creation of the Asian Cricket Council, was held in Sharjah. The tournament was a round-robin tournament; India won the title on the back of a ten-wicket win over Sri Lanka and a 54-run win against Pakistan

1986, Sri Lanka

Now termed the John Player Gold Leaf Trophy, the second edition was held in Sri Lanka, the first such multi-nation tournament to be held there. The current champions India were not participate, Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup with a five-wicket against Pakistan after losing their first match to the against Pak. Arjuna Ranatunga was named Man of the Series.

1988, Bangladesh

Bangladesh hosted the Wills Asia Cup but failed to win any of its three games. Sri Lanka cruised into the final with three wins in a row but Finally India won again Asia Cup. Man-of-the-Series Navjot Sidhu's.

1990-91, India

India hosted the fourth edition and won it for the third time, defeating Sri Lanka in the final in Eden Garden, Kolkata Pakistan had pulled out of the tournament, which helped India's cause. Four wickets from Kapil Dev restricted Sri Lanka to 204 in the final, and a powerful middle order knocked off the runs in just 42.1 Overs.

1993, Pakistan Cancelled

1995, UAE

With the 1993 tournament cancelled due to political tensions, the official fifth edition returned to Sharjah after 11 years. India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan were tied on points after the preliminary round but the former two teams went in by virtue of a better run rate. For the third successive time India defeated Sri Lanka in the final. Led by a magnificent third-wicket stand of 175 off 184 balls by Sidhu and Mohammad Azharuddin, India cruised to an eight -wicket victory. This win took India's overall win tally to four, the most for the Asia Cup.

1997, Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka lifted the 1997 Pepsi Asia Cup by defeating India by eight wickets at home. Sri Lanka, having lifted the World Cup the year before, were a force to be reckoned with. The world champions made use of a slow surface to defeat Pakistan by 15 runs in the tournament opener, brushed aside India thanks to a brilliant Ranatunga century, and demolished Bangladesh courtesy Sanath Jayasuriya's 83-ball 108. Ranatunga and Jayasuriya starred in the final in Colombo as well, a triumph that followed their success in the Singer Akai Cup and Independence Cup in India earlier in the year.

2000, Bangladesh

Pakistan remained unbeaten all tournament and rightfully lifted the title for the first time. Bangladesh lost all their matches and India only beat the hosts. Pakistan were well-rounded; Bangladesh were thumped by 223 runs, Yousuf Youhana and Abdul Razzaq combined to down India by 44 runs, and Sri Lanka were beaten by seven wickets, with Youhana again the star. Come the final, at Dhaka's Bangabandhu National Stadium, and another all-round effort under lights earned Pakistan a 39-run win.

2004, Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka shrugged off an indifferent season with a 25-run win over India in Colombo in the finals, after losing just one match all tournament. Hong Kong and the UAE also participated but did little of note; Bangladesh beat Hong Kong by 116 runs to open up their account in the tournament history. Pakistan began well only to crash out due to an error in net run rate calculation and India came through despite a couple sluggish displays. But Sri Lanka once again proved dominant at home, defending a total of 228 with some tigerish fielding and top-class spin bowling from Jayasuriya and Upul Chandana.

2008, Pakistan

Sri Lanka beat in Indian again in finals at Karachi by 100 runs. Man of the match of final and Player of the series BAW Mendis (Sri Lanka) break Indian middle order claim 6/13 (8 overs). Sri Lankan batting star Sanath Jayasuriya make his 27th century after Indian get 4 Sri Lankan wicket just 66.

2010, Sri Lanka

Once again Sri Lanka take on India in Asia Cup Final. But this time seamers set up India's thumping title win at Dambulla. India beat host by 81-runs and lifts Asia Cup record 5th times. Ashish Nehra (4-40) proves to be the deadliest of three medium-pacers, repeatedly making the ball land on the seam, and regaining his special ability to get swing with back-of-a-length deliveries, taking three huge wickets for five runs. Man of the match of final Dinesh Karthik for top scorer of the match and Player of the series Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi. Pakistan does not reach in final but Afridi highest scorer and took three wickets as well.

2012, Bangladesh

The 2012 Asia Cup, the 11th edition of this tournament, will be held in Bangladesh. China was interested to host the Asia cup at Guangzhgou but it was decided by the Asian Cricket Council that Bangladesh will host the event. It will be the third time Bangladesh will host the event.

Asia Cup Championship Details (Since 1984)

Year	Host	Champion	Runner-Up
1984	UAE	India	Sri Lanka
1986	Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka	Pakistan
1988	Bangladesh	India	Sri Lanka
1990-91	India	India	Sri Lanka
1993	Pakistan (Cancelled)
1995	UAE	India	Sri Lanka
1997	Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka	India
2000	Bangladesh	Pakistan	Sri Lanka
2004	Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka	India
2008	Pakistan	Sri Lanka	India
2010	Sri Lanka	India	Sri Lanka
2012	Bangladesh	TBD	TBD

Schedule

Venues    :         Dhaka, Bangladesh

Dates      :         12th – 22nd March 

Teams     :         Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

Mon, Mar 12    Bangladesh v Pakistan
Tue, Mar 13      India v Sri Lanka
Thu, Mar 15     Pakistan v Sri Lanka
Fri, Mar 16       India v Bangladesh
Sun, Mar 18     India v Pakistan
Tue, Mar 20     Sri Lanka v Bangladesh
Thu, Mar 22    FINAL
Tittle Won       INDIA 05 

Tittle Won       SRILANKA 04
Tittle Won       PAKISTAN 01
Tittle Won      BANGLADESH 00

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A win for Spain on a day of rain

On a day of rain at Vagabonds, Spain secured their first win of the tournament, beating Germany when bad light finally brought an end to the match at 7.30pm In a match initially reduced to 43 overs, Germany won the toss and elected to bat first. A 45 ball half century from captain Steven Richards led them to a total of 122-6 from 28 overs before rain brought an end to their innings.After a lengthy rain delay, play resumed with Spain needing to chase 154 in 28 overs to secure their first win of the tournament.Spain initially seemed to be scoring at too slow a rate, but when bad light finally brought an end to the days play with seven wickets down, they needed to be at 124 and were on 129-7, winning by three wickets In the other Group A match at St John's between the Isle of Man and Italy, the weather prevented play from starting at all, and both teams received one point each.Tomorrow's final matches in Group A will see the Isle of Man take on Spain, with the hosts needing a win to reach the final. In the other match, Germany will play Gibraltar.Group B of the ICC European Under 19 Division Two championship saw both matches record a result with France and Israel beating Norway and Belgium respectively A delayed start at Cronkbourne reduced the match between France and Norway to 47 overs, and France quickly had the Norwegians on the back foot with captain Thomas Liddiard bowling well with three wickets to reduce Norway to 21-4.France let Norway back in a little though, conceding 21 runs in extras, and when rain brought an early end to their innings, Norway had scored 86-6 in 27 overs.After a lengthy rain delay, during which both teams entertained themselves by watching the England v India Test match on television, play got back underway at 5.30pm, with France needing 93 in 25 overs to win the match.Sensing the prospect of more rain in the air, France set about chasing down the target in rapid fashion. Usman Shahid scored 41 from 39 balls and William Smati scored 38 in 31 balls to secure a nine wicket win for France in their final group game.In the Israel v Belgium game at King William's College, play started late, but it was the only game not to see a reduction in overs.Put into bat by Belgium, Israel scored 195-9 from their 50 overs, Josh Evans leading the way with 65. Belgium experimented with their bowlers, using nine in all, but Waqas Shafiq was the pick of the bunch with 4-35.In reply, Robert Sehmi scored a battling 42, but no other batsman reached double figures and Belgium were bowled out for 124, Raphael Schachat taking 5-23 Group B concludes tomorrow with Denmark playing Israel and Belgium playing Norway.

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Trott and Anderson rise to second place in the world

England's Jonathan Trott and James Anderson have risen to second place in the Reliance ICC Test Rankings following their side's 196-run victory over India on Monday at Lord's Trott has climbed two places, above India's Sachin Tendulkar and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, to second spot in the batting rankings, after his innings of 70 and 22 in the 2000th Test in history which was the opening game of the four-match series.Anderson's seven-wicket haul in the match, including his 11th five-wicket Test haul of 5-65 in the second innings, has seen him overtake teammate Graeme Swann in the bowling rankings, with a new career best ranking rating.Kevin Pietersen, whose magnificent unbeaten double century earned him the Man of the Match Award, has returned to the top 20, climbing 14 places to joint 15th in the rankings alongside Rahul Dravid, who rose seven places following his unbeaten first innings hundred.The other centurion in the match, England wicket-keeper Matt Prior, has also achieved a new career-best rating, rising 10 places to 21st, and is now on the brink of entering the world's top twenty.Chris Tremlett's four wickets in the match have helped him to ninth place in the rankings, also achieving a new career best rating, while Stuart Broad climbs four places to join Harbhajan Singh, who falls four places, in joint 11th place. Board has also moved to fifth in the all-rounders ranking table India still has two bowlers in the top ten of the rankings, with Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma lying in fifth and seventh place respectively while in the batting top 10, along with Sachin Tendulkar, India have VVS Laxman in seventh while Virender Sehwag, who missed the Lord's Test through injury, has dropped to 10th

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Clarke aims to build on Australia's lead at top of table

Australia captain Michael Clarke has revealed that he is determined for his side to maintain its lead at the top of the Reliance ICC ODI Rankings table.

Following the annual update of the Reliance ICC ODI Championship, Australia has extended its lead at the top of the table to 12 points, with Sri Lanka and India leading the chasing pack Clarke said that his side is looking to maintain its position in the table and is already building towards The ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 which will be held in Australia and New Zealand."This Australian side is extremely proud to be ranked the number one one day side in the world. However, we realise there is some significant work to be done if this is to remain the case  said Clarke Being knocked out of the ICC Cricket World Cup at the quarter-final stage was very disappointing and our group has already started its planning to reclaim the title on our home shoresThis summer in Australia will be a great stepping stone towards this aim as we take on World Cup champions India and runners up Sri Lanka in a return of the tri-series competition throughout Australia The 50 over game proved itself an exciting and unpredictable format during the tournament on the ub-continent and we are looking forward to the fans supporting what we are sure will be another great event in 2015.The annual rankings update is carried out to ensure the Reliance ICC ODI Championship table continues to reflect recent form. As such, the new table only includes results from matches played after 1 August 2009, with older results from between 1 August 2008 - 31 July 2009 being discarded. Despite capturing the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, India falls one place to third in the updated rankings. This is due to the fact that in the 2008 09 rating year  now dropped, India won 17 ODIs and lost only five games, which was easily the best record during that period. In the same year Australia won 11 and lost 11 ODIs and so now Michael Clarke?s side are no longer penalised for that relatively poor year.In the past 12 months, India has lost nine ODIs, including its last two ODIs against eighth ranked West Indies and one in the group stages of the ICC Cricket World Cup, and has a win-loss ratio that is poorer than World Cup finalists Sri Lanka and quarter finalists Australia and South Africa. Note that the rankings give equal weight to all ODIs played over the year, with no extra points for performances in the ICC Cricket World Cup.The number one ranked side in the Reliance ICC ODI Championship on 1 April 2012 will receive US $175,000, while the second placed side will earn US $75,000

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Bell leads England into strong position against India

NOTTINGHAM: Ian Bell maiden Test hundred against India allied to a sporting reprieve saw England into a commanding lead on the third day of the second Test at Trent Bridge here on Sunday.England, in their second innings, were 441 for six at the close, giving them a lead of 374 runs.Bell made a superb 159 but only after being run out when on 137 to the last ball before tea.Having completed three runs with Eoin Morgan following a misfield by Praveen Kumar, he sprinted off the field believing the umpires had called time'.In fact the ball was still live'Morgan gestured to his partner to regain his ground and after calling in the third umpire, the on-field officials gave a stunned Bell out.England coach Andy Flower and captain Andrew Strauss went to the visitors dressing room at tea to ask India, whose coach is ex-England supremo Duncan Fletcher, if they wanted the appeal to stand.And minutes later India withdrew their appeal.Umpires Marais Erasmus of South Africa and Pakistan's Asad Rauf emerged after tea to boos from spectators, unaware the decision had been reversed, as did India before the jeers became cheers when Bell resumed his innings.Although Bell made only 22 more runs following the reversal of a decision which was quite correct, he added an additional 69 with Morgan in what turned out to be a fourth wicket partnership of 104.Bell's eventual 159 included 24 fours and was made in nearly five-and-a-half hours at the crease

He was finally out when his cut off part-time left-arm spinner Yuvraj Singh was caught by Venkatsai Laxman at slip.Left-hander Morgan went to a 60-ball fifty, featuring seven fours, with a straight six against off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.But the advent of the new ball, as it had done in India's first innings on Saturday, led to wickets with medium-pacer Praveen Kumar taking two for five runs in nine balls.Morgan was caught behind for 70 before Jonathan Trott, batting down the order after suffering a shoulder injury while fielding on Saturday, gloved a rising delivery to Rahul Dravid in the slips.England were 339 for six at that point, but wicketkeeper Matt Prior again proved a thorn in India's side with the bat, hooking fast bowler hanthakumaran Sreesanth for six on his way to an unbeaten 64. He received excellent support from Tim Bresnan 47 not out, in an unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 102. Ealrier, Bell had helped add 162 for the third wicket before Kevin Pietersen (63) was caught behind off Sreesanth by India captain and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.Bell, 84 not out at lunch and scoring briskly, went to 98 with a fluent cover-driven four off Kumar.Then a leg-glanced two off Sreesanth saw the 29-year-old Bell, batting at number three because of Warwickshire colleague Trott's injury, to his 15th hundred in 67 Tests and fourth this year.England resumed on 24 for onestill 43 runs behind despite Stuart Broad taking a hat-trick on Saturday on his way to Test-best figures of six for 46 on his Nottinghamshire home ground.India's first innings of 288 also saw Dravid make 117 his 34th Test century and second in as many matches after his 103 not out during England's 196-run first Test win at Lord's.England will replace India at the top of the ICC's Test Championship table if they win this four-match series 2-0 or better.

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Moon sighted; 1st Ramazan on Tuesday

KARACHI: The moon for the holy month of Ramazan has been sighted and the fasting will begin from Tuesday,The official announcement will be made shortly by the Chairman Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman. Tommoro First Roza In Ramazan ul mubbarakh
Sehr-o-Iftar Timing / Ramadan Calendar 2011 / Ramadan TimeTable 2011Insh'Allah Ta'la 1st Roza in Ramadan 2011 will Start from 2 August 2011

R Sehr - Iftaar
1 3:48 - 7:16
2 3:49 - 7:15
3 3:50 - 7:14
4 3:51 - 7:14
5 3:52 - 7:13
6 3:53 - 7:12
7 3:54 - 7:11
8 3:55 - 7:10
9 3:56 - 7:09
10 3:57 - 7:08
11 3:58 - 7:06
12 3:59 - 7:05
13 4:00 - 7:04
14 4:01 - 7:03
15 4:02 - 7:02
16 4:04 - 7:01
17 4:05 - 7:00
18 4:06 - 6:59
19 4:07 - 6:57
20 4:07 - 6:56
21 4:08 - 6:55
22 4:09 - 6:54
23 4:10 - 6:52
24 4:11 - 6:51
25 4:12 - 6:50
26 4:13 - 6:49
27 4:14 - 6:47
28 4:15 - 6:46
29 4:16 - 6:45
30 4:17 - 6:43

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Bell tolls for India as England edge ahead

NOTTINGHAM: Ian Bell was in sight of a century after guiding England into the lead against India in the second Test at Trent Bridge here on Sunday.England were 130 for two in their second innings at lunch on the third day 63 runs in front as they looked to go 2-0 up in this four-match series.Bell, showing great fluency, timing and panache, was 84 not out, after being promoted to number three following an injury to Warwickshire colleague Jonathan Trott. Kevin Pietersen was unbeaten on 20.The third wicket duo had shared a stand so far worth 73 after England captain Andrew Strauss was the only batsman dismissed in the session. England resumed on 24 for one, still 43 runs behind despite Stuart Broad taking a hat-trick Saturday on his way to Test-best figures of six for 46 on his Nottinghamshire home ground. India's first innings of 288 also saw Rahul Dravid make 117 his 34th Test century and second in as many matches after his 103 not out during England's 196-run first Test win at Lord's.Strauss was six not out and Bell nine not out after Trott was unable to bat at first-wicket down because of a shoulder injury suffered while fielding on Saturday.England started positively Sunday with Bell forcing Shanthakumaran Sreesanth for four and later driving him down the ground.In between those shots, left-hander Strauss off-drove Praveen Kumar for a well-struck boundary.But a partnership of 51 ended when Strauss was induced into pushing outside off-stump by Sreesanth and edged to India captain and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.Strauss's exit for 16 left England 57 for two.Dhoni brought on occasional left-arm spinner Yuvraj Singh, once branded a "pie-chucker" by Pietersen, who resisted the temptation to hit out against his old antagonist.Bell completed a 73-ball fifty, featuring 10 fours, with boundaries off fast bowler Ishant Sharma, a leg-glance followed by a flick through a vacant square-leg.Harbhajan Singh was introduced into the attack only for Bell to sweep his fourth ball to the fine-leg rope before a back foot force for four against the off-spinner took him into the 80s.Meanwhile a responsible Pietersen took 52 balls for his first boundary a sweep off Harbhajan

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Hat-trick hero Broad revels in return to form

NOTTINGHAM: England seamer Stuart Broad said his "confidence was back" after taking a hat-trick against India in the second Test at Trent Bridge here on Saturday.The 25-year-old fast-medium bowler wreaked havoc with the new ball, having India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni caught in the slips, trapping Harbhajan Singh lbw and then clean bowling Praveen Kumar to become only the 12th England bowler in 134 years of Test cricket to take a hat-trick.He was also the first bowler to achieve the feat against India and the first to do so in a Test at Trent Bridge, the 25-year-old fast-medium bowler's Nottinghamshire home ground.Broad saw his treble propel him to Test-best figures of six for 46 -- a return that included a stunning spell of five for no wicket in 16 balls.The final victim in Test cricket's previous hat-trick, achieved by Australia fast bowler Peter Siddle against England in Brisbane in November, Broad had earlier claimed the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar, caught at first slip by Andrew Strauss for 16.That meant Tendulkar was again left searching for an unprecedented 100th international hundred.But India still built a lead thanks to Rahul Dravid, whose 117 was his second century in as many Tests after his 103 not out at Lord's.The advent of the new ball, taken by England as soon as it was available with India on 258 for four, turned the tide with the tourists losing their last six wickets for 21 runs. "We knew that new-ball period would be a huge hour for us," Broad said. "Strauss asked as at tea if we could raise our intensity during that hour to put some pressure on the Indian batsman. "Fortunately there was some swing and the edges came our way. We've got ourselves back in this game.As for his hat-trick, Broad said: "It was something that hasn't particularly sunk in. "I think it's my third but we are going back to Oakham Schools Under-15s for the last one. It was a nice feeling but it won't mean much if we don't go on and win this Test," Broad, the son of former England opener Chris, said.Broad's haul came after he top-scored in England's first innings 221 with 64 batting at No 9."The confidence is back," said Broad. "I don't think I bowled particularly badly at the start of the year, I just didn't have much luck.Venkatsai Laxman, the 'other' member of India's celebrated batting trio, made a useful 54 on Saturday. England though were convinced Laxman was caught behind for 27 and asked for Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf's not out decision to be reviewed.But the Hotspot technology in use this series detected no edge.Former England captain Michael Vaughan, on social networking site Twitter, then asked: "Has Vaseline on the outside edge of the bat saved Laxman's day?" amidst concerns the substance can 'fool' Hotspot.However, Broad said: "I think it's just HotSpot, we've found the really faint edges don't show up. It's just one of those."I actually had a cheeky feel of his edge when the ball went past, but there was no Vaseline or anything on there.England closed on 24 for one in their second innings, still 43 runs behind, and Broad added: "It will be a massive day tomorrow. We need to bat big and one guy needs to get a big hundred then we are right in the game because bowling last on that wicket could be an advantage for us.

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India 288 all out against England

NOTTINGHAM: India were dismissed for 288 in reply to England's first innings 221, a lead of 67 runs, on the second day of the second Test at Trent Bridge here on Saturday.Stuart Broad took a hat-trick on his way to Test-best figures of six for 46 on his Nottinghamshire home ground while India's Rahul Dravid top-scored with 117 his second century in successive Tests.England lead the four-match series 1-0

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Dravid holds firm as Tendulkar eyes history

NOTTINGHAM: Rahul Dravid led India's revival against England in the second Test at Trent Bridge here on Saturday.India were 117 for two in reply to England's first innings 221, a deficit of 104 runs, at lunch on the second day as they looked to level the four-match series at 1-1.Dravid was 44 not out and Sachin Tendulkar, bidding to become the first batsman to score 100 international hundreds, 14 not out. Earlier Dravid and Venkatsai Laxman (54) kept England at bay with a second-wicket stand of 93 after coming together at nought for one after India lost opener Abhinav Mukund to the first ball of their reply on Friday.India resumed with Dravid, second behind Tendulkar in the all-time list of Test run-makers, seven not out and Laxman 13 not out.The experienced duo took the attack to England's seamers with four boundaries in as many balls. Laxman cover-drove James Anderson to the rope and Dravid, who scored a first innings century during England's 196-run first Test win at Lord's, clipped Stuart Broad legside.Then Laxman, in a superb piece of timing, guided Broad behind point for four with no more than a defensive push.England were convinced they had Laxman, on 27, caught behind off Anderson and asked for a referral after Asad Rauf rejected their raucous appeals. But the replay technology in use this series detected no edge umpire's decision was upheld.England captain Andrew Strauss was unable to bowl Graeme Swann as the off-spinner was off the field with a hand injury suffered when batting Friday.Meanwhile Laxman completed a 104-ball fifty when he cover-drove Tim Bresnan, in for the injured Chris Tremlett, for the 10th boundary of his innings.But Laxman was undone soon afterwards by a lifting Bresnan delivery he could only fend to wicketkeeper Matt Prior to leave India 93 for two.His exit brought in Tendulkar, who walked out to a standing ovation from all around the ground. Tendulkar, dismissed for 34 and 12 when hampered by a viral infection during England's at Lord's, got off the mark with a superb back-foot cover-driven four against occasional medium-pacer Jonathan Trott.England will replace India at the top of the ICC's Test Championship table if they win this series 2-0 or better.

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Nottingham Test: India to start the day at 24 for one

NOTTINGHAM: Now it is up to the Indian batsmen to rise to the occasion, as the bowlers giving their hundred percent did their job well. The Indians will go to bat today at 24 for one loss. The first day of Nottingham Trent Bridge went to the Indian bowlers, as none of the first-eight England batsmen could make a formidable partnership against them, resulting in the fall of 8 wickets for a paltry 124 runs.And then coming from behind Stewart Broad batting responsibly did a fine job for somewhat rescuing his team from a total collapse by scoring substantial 64 runs, enabling his team to make 221 all out.Praveen Kumar, Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma took three wickets each.India in reply at the end of the play had scored 24 for one loss. VVS Laxman at 13 and Rahul Dravid at 7 remained not out. India needs 197 more runs to wipe out the England’s lead

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Broad rescues England from total collapse

NOTTINGHAM: Stuart Broad again proved a thorn in India's side with the bat as he rescued England from total collapse on the first day of the second Test at Trent Bridge here on Friday.England collapsed to 88 for six after losing the toss in overcast, swing-friendly, conditions.But Broad, batting at number nine on his Nottinghamshire home ground, top-scored with 64 in a total of 221.India at stumps were 24 for one in reply, a deficit of 197 runs, as they looked to level this four-match series at 1-1 after losing the first Test at Lord's by 196 runs. Rahul Dravid, who made an unbeaten century at Lord's, was seven not out and Venkatsai Laxman 13 not out after India lost opener Abhinav Mukund to the first ball of their innings when he pushed at James Anderson and was caught in the gully by Kevin Pietersen.Earlier, India's pace trio of Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, recalled in place of the injured Zaheer Khan, all took three wickets apiece.England captain Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell were the only other batsmen apart from Broad to make more than 30.The hosts came into this match knowing they would replace India at the top of the ICC's Test rankings if they won this 2-0 or better.But during the last decade India have either won or squared several series after losing the first Test.And although they were without left-arm quick Zaheer due to the hamstring injury that had forced him off the field early on at Lord's, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni opted to field after winning the toss.Sharma made the breakthrough when he had Alastair Cook lbw for two before Sreesanth had Jonathan Trott, on four, caught by second slip Laxman.Pietersen, who made 202 not out at Lord's, survived a huge lbw shout from Kumar on 17.Kumar, risking disciplinary action, angrily questioned South African umpire Marais Erasmus's decision -- there are no lbw reviews this series because of Indian objections to ball-tracking technology -- at the end of the over before being pulled away by Harbhajan Singh.England, 69 for two at lunch, lost six wickets for 55 runs in the second session with Kumar striking twice in four balls.Five balls after lunch, Pietersen, on 29, was squared up by Sreesanth and nicked to third slip Suresh Raina.Swing bowler Kumar rocked England with a Test-best five for 106 at Lord's and, on Friday, the medium-pacer dismissed Strauss when a full-blooded drive was well-held by Raina.That same over saw 85 for four become 85 for five when Kumar's outswinger to Eoin Morgan had the left-hander lbw for nought.att Prior had frustrated India with an unbeaten century after England had collapsed to 62 for five in their second innings at Lord's.But on Friday he made just one before edging Sreesanth to first slip Dravid.Bell was dropped on 22 by Dravid but he got himself out when he flat-footedly cut at Sharma and was caught behind by wicketkeeper Dhoni.Broad and Nottinghamshire team-mate Graeme Swann hit out during an entertaining stand of 73 in just 70 balls.But their ninth-wicket partnership ended when Swann, who needed an X-ray as a result, gloved a rising delivery from Kumar to Mukund on 28.Left-handed batsman Broad, who made an unbeaten 74 in the second innings at Lord's, on-drove Kumar for his seventh four to complete a 56-ball fifty featuring seven fours before he was last man out when he holed out to off-spinner Harbhajan.

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England reduced to 124-8 at tea by India

NOTTINGHAM: India's seamers reduced England to 124 for eight at tea on the first day of the second Test at Trent Bridge here on Friday as they looked to level the series.India, albeit in helpful, overcast conditions, took six wickets for 55 runs in 24 overs after lunch as they ripped through England's top order.Stuart Broad (six not out) and Graeme Swann (nought not out) were unbeaten on their Nottinghamshire home ground.England, 69 for two at lunch, lost four wickets for 15 runs in a dramatic slump at the start of the second session, with Praveen Kumar striking twice in four balls.Five balls after lunch, Kevin Pietersen, on 29, was squared up by fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, in for the injured Zaheer Khan, and third slip Suresh Raina held the edge to leave England 73 for three. Kumar had rocked England with his command of swing while taking a Test-best five for 106 in the hosts' 196-run series-opening victory at Lord's.The medium-pacer had England captain Andrew Strauss, who'd 'got in', out for 32, when the left-hander's full-blooded drive flew to Raina, who held an excellent catch.And that same over saw 85 for four become 85 for five when a full-length outswinger to left-hander Eoin Morgan pitched in line and had the former Ireland international lbw for nought.Matt Prior had frustrated India with an unbeaten century after England had collapsed to 62 for five in their second innings at Lord's.But on Friday he managed just one before, playing at a ball from Sreesanth that left him, the wicketkeeper nicked straight to Rahul Dravid at first slip.England, in the face of some high-class swing and seam bowling, had lost three wickets for three runs in 23 balls to be 88 for six.Tim Bresnan, replacing injured fast bowler Chris Tremlett, was undone on 11 by a ball from Ishant Sharma that nipped away.Ian Bell, the last of England's frontline batsmen, was dropped on 22 by Dravid but he got himself out for 31 when he flat-footedly cut at Sharma and was caught behind by India captain and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.England came into this match knowing they would replace India at the top of the ICC's Test rankings if they won this four-match series 2-0 or better.But during the last decade India have fought back to either win or square series after losing the first Test. And although they were without left-arm quick Zaheer due to the hamstring injury that had cut short his participation at Lord's, Dhoni fielded first.Sharma made the breakthrough when he had Alastair Cook lbw for two.Sreesanth struck with his fourth ball when Jonathan Trott, on four, drove at an outswinger and edged to Venkatsai Laxman at second slip.Pietersen, who made a man-of-the-match winning 202 not out at Lord's, survived a huge lbw shout from Kumar on 17, after walking across his stumps. Kumar, risking disciplinary action, angrily questioned South African umpire Marais Erasmus's decision -- there are no lbw reviews this series because of Indian objections to ball-tracking technology at the end of the over before being pulled away by team-mate Harbhajan Singh

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England lose two early wickets after put into bat by India

NOTTINGHAM: India removed Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott cheaply as England reached lunch on 69 for two on the first day of the second test at Trent Bridge on Friday Captain Andrew Strauss was 29 not out and Kevin Pietersen unbeaten on 26 after runs were difficult to find in cloudy conditions which often produced prodigious swing.Cook was lbw to Ishant Sharma for two, though television replays suggested the ball may have gone over the stumps, while Trott was caught for four at second slip in Shanthakumaran Sreesanth's first over. England, who lead the four-match encounter 1-0 after winning the first test at Lord's, are seeking a sixth straight series victory. Strauss, on two, survived an appeal for lbw by Praveen Kumar when replays showed the ball may have pitched just outside leg stump. Pietersen injected some urgency, getting off the mark with a quick single off his first ball and later pulling Sreesanth through mid-wicket from two consecutive deliveries. When he was on 17, Pietersen was fortunate as he played across a straight ball from Kumar. He was hit on the pads and received the benefit of the doubt from South African umpire Marais Erasmus. At the end of the over an angry Kumar remonstrated with Erasmus and had to be dragged away by team mate Harbhajan Singh. Kumar could receive a caution from the match referee for his conduct.

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Third Round of U-16 PCB- PEPSI Cricket Stars Program

Lahore July 22, 2011: First Phase of PCB-PEPSI Cricket Stars Program for U-16 players has started from 10th July 2011. This is the Second Edition of the program which is being conducted by PCB in collaboration with PEPSI International.
The Trials for the Third round talent hunt activities of this nationwide talent hunt program for young and upcoming players will be held in 5 districts of Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
2 days open trials at each of the below mentioned districts would be held under the supervision of regional Head Coaches and NCA Talent Hunt Officers, which will be followed by the age verification process to be conducted by NCA medical panel
Players born on or after September 1, 1995 are eligible to appear for trials.  Original Form B of NADRA is required for age verification and no other document in this regard would be accepted.
Players clearing the age verification process will be shortlisted for final trials to be held at a later date at respective regional headquarters.
The Schedule of trails for 3rd round activities of the First Phase is attached:
PEPSI-PCB STARS PROGRAM FOR U-16S

S#	Districts	Region	Dates	Venue
1	Abbottabad, Haripur	Abbottabad	26-27 July, 2011	Abbottabad Stadium
2	Mansehra, Batgram, Kohistan, Chitral	Abbottabad	26-27 July, 2011	Hazara university ground
3	Noshki	Quetta	26-27 July, 2011	Noshki Cricket stadium
4	Gujranwala, Hhafizabad &Mandi Bahauddin	Sialkot	26-27 July 2011	Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot
5	Faisalabad, Gora, Toba Tek Singh & Jhang	Faisalabad	26-27 July 2011	Iqbal stadium, Faisalabad

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Pakistan Team Announced for Zimbabwe Tour

S#	Districts
1	Muhammad Hafeez
2	Taufeeq Umar
3	Imran Farhat
4	Azhar Ali
5	Younas khan
6	Misbah ul Haq     Captain
7	Asad Shafiq
8	Umar Akmal
9	Rameez Raja
10	Adnan Akmal       WK
11	Saeed Ajmal
12	Yasir Shah
13	Sohail Tanvir
14	Sohail Khan
15	Junaid Khan
16	Aizaz Cheema
Standbys
1	Sarfraz Ahmad     WK
2	Khurram Manzoor
3	Sharjeel Khan
4	Muhammad Talha
5	Hammad Azam
6	Shoaib Malik   ( Subject to clearance from integrity Committee PCB)

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PCB announces Five Provincial Academies for Under-19 players

Lahore July 20, 2011: PCB announces Five Provincial Academies for Under-19 players to be held in Abbottabad, Islamabad, Multan, Hyderabad and Karachi. A four-week U-19 Provincial Academies programme will start from 25th July – 20th August 2011 under Game Development Department at 5 different venues. Following are the venues of these academies with their respective regions:

	U-19 Players Regions	Academy Venue
1	Abbottabad, Sialkot & Peshawar	Abbottabad Cricket Ground
2	Islamabad & Rawalpindi	Diamond Cricket Ground
3	Lahore & Faisalabad	Multan Stadium, Multan
4	Hyderabad & Multan	Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad
5	Karachi & Quetta	National Stadium, Karachi

The players have been selected by National Selection Committee in consultation with Director Game Development and Regional Association Heads to undergo the above mentioned Provincial Academy Program:
The Names are as follows:

	Regions	Academy Venue
Kamran, Rana Waseem, S. Samiur Rehman, Hasnain Khalid, Khushdil Shah, Khalid Kail, Riazul Amin, Kamran, Fawad Anjum, Ehtisham Sultan, Safiullah, Usman Shinwari, Babar Bakhtiar	Abbottabad	Abbottabad Cricket Ground, Abbottabad
Mohammad Imran, Salman Shinwari, Ubaidullah Ibrahim, Musa Khan, Aimal Khan, Mehran Ibrahim, Jalal Bukhari, Mattiullah Abubakar Butt, Adnan	Peshawar
Mohammad Imran, Salman Shinwari, Ubaidullah Ibrahim, Musa Khan, Aimal Khan, Mehran Ibrahim, Jalal Bukhari, Mattiullah Abubakar Butt, Adnan Sikhu, Luqman Butt, Mukhtar Ahmad, Adeel Malik, Fayyaz Butt, Mohammad Azhar	Sialkot
Abdul Wasay, Ali Nadeem, Sarmad Bhatti, Wajid Ali, Abdul Wajid, Junaid Ashraf, Sohail Ahmad, Adeel Irshad, Shahid Ilyas, Naqqash Basharat	Islamabad	Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad
Adnan Mehmood, Mohammand Nawaz, Tayyab Riaz, Umair Azam, Umer Waheed, Kaleem Sana, Mohammad Atlas, Tayyab Abbas, Shujah Haider, Talha Qureshi	Rawalpindi
Babar Azam, Hussain Talat, Junaid Ali, Sami Aslam, Umar Siddiq, Abdul Matin, Asfand Mehran, Salman Ali, Usman Qadir, Zafar Gohar, Mohammad Waheed, Shoaib Akram, Waad ur Rehman, Rohail Ali, Ali Mustafa	Lahore	Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan
Moazzam Hayat, Mohammad Zubair, Waqas Ahmad, Waqas Wasif, Zeeshanullah, Munir Ahmed, Mohammad Farman, Hamad Faisal	Faisalabad
Mir Darya Khan, Usman Ali, Sarang Bhutto, Haaris Khaanzada, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammad Raheel, Babar Khan, Mohammad Javed, Riaz Ahmad, Mohammad Yousaf, Nazeer, Usama, Zafar, Moizul Haq, Iqrar Ali, Mohsin Khan	Hyderabad	Niaz Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad
Ahad Raza, Zain Abbas, Mohammad Rameez, Maqbool Ahmad, Shahzad Ali, Ali Raza, Mustansar Hussain, Kumail Abbas	Multan
Ahmer Bin Nasir, Ahsan Ali, Faizan Khan, Faraz Ali, Junaid Ali, Faisal Tahir, Fawad Khan, Wasim Akhtar, Arif Khan, Abdullah Shah, Daniyal Mansoor, Israr ul Haq, Saad Ali, Wasim Ahmad, Maroof Aziz, Mir Hamza, Qamar Iqbal, Imran Dad Khan	Karachi	National Cricket Stadium, Karachi
Abdul Rehman, Abid Ali, Ahmed Shah, Naushad Irshad, Sharafuddin, Shabbir Ali	Quetta

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England lose two early wickets after put into bat by India

NOTTINGHAM: India removed Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott cheaply as England reached lunch on 69 for two on the first day of the second test at Trent Bridge on Friday Captain Andrew Strauss was 29 not out and Kevin Pietersen unbeaten on 26 after runs were difficult to find in cloudy conditions which often produced prodigious swing. Cook was lbw to Ishant Sharma for two, though television replays suggested the ball may have gone over the stumps, while Trott was caught for four at second slip in Shanthakumaran Sreesanth's first over. England, who lead the four-match encounter 1-0 after winning the first test at Lord's, are seeking a sixth straight series victory. Strauss, on two, survived an appeal for lbw by Praveen Kumar when replays showed the ball may have pitched just outside leg stump. Pietersen injected some urgency, getting off the mark with a quick single off his first ball and later pulling Sreesanth through mid-wicket from two consecutive deliveries. hen he was on 17, Pietersen was fortunate as he played across a straight ball from Kumar. He was hit on the pads and received the benefit of the doubt from South African umpire Marais Erasmus. At the end of the over an angry Kumar remonstrated with Erasmus and had to be dragged away by team mate Harbhajan Singh.Kumar could receive a caution from the match referee for his conduct.

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India win toss, put England into bat in 2nd Test

NOTTINGHAM: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to field against England in the second Test at Trent Bridge here on Friday.England, 1-0 up in the four-match series, made one change to the side that won the first Test by 196 runs at Lord's on Monday.Yorkshire seamer Tim Bresnan replaced fast bowler Chris Tremlett, who was ruled out with a hamstring problem.This is Bresnan's eighth Test match and first since he featured in the climax of England's 3-1 Ashes series win against Australia in Sydney in January.That meant there was no place in the side for fast bowler Steven Finn after the Middlesex paceman received a late call-up into the squad Thursday.India were forced into making two changes.Fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth came in for left-arm quick Zaheer Khan, who had not recovered after breaking down early at Lord's with a hamstring problem.India also had to rejig their batting order after opener Gautam Gambhir, hit on the elbow fielding at short leg at Lord's, was deemed unfit.Yuvraj Singh took his place with Rahul Dravid, as he did in the second innings at Lord's, set to open the innings alongside Abhinav Mukund.India's Sachin Tendulkar came into this match still needing one more century to become the first batsman to score a hundred international hundreds after making 34 and 12 at Lord's.Tendulkar's 51 hundreds in Tests and 48 in one-day internationals are both world records. England will replace India at the top of the ICC's World Test Championship if they win this series by 2-0 or better.TeamsEngland: Andrew Strauss (captain), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior (wk), Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson India: Abhinav Mukund, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Venkatsai Laxman, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain/wk), Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Ishant Sharma Umpires: Asad Rauf (PAK) and Marais Erasmus (SA), TV umpire: Billy Bowden (NZ)Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle  SL

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India will come back harder, says Strauss

England captain Andrew Strauss is aware that India tend to come back harder after a loss, and said they cannot take the visitors for granted in the second Test beginning here Friday.India won here at Trent Bridge four years ago to secure a series win, and Strauss is wary of another repeat like that.They are going to come back harder at us. Their records speak for itself.. We nearly missed out on a win at Lord's four years ago and they beat us convincingly here,' said Strauss on the eve of the second Test.'They would try to prove to the world they are better than they were last week, and I am sure they would be. Four years ago, India never let us come back in the match here. They batted exceptionally well and showed a competitive spirit. They showed they were not in England to make numbers. We have learnt our lessons.'England posted a 196-run victory at Lord's in the first Test, courtesy an outstanding bowling performance. Strauss said maintaining pressure with the ball will be crucial to their chances in this match as well.'The key is to bowl accurate and if there is something in the wicket, then to bowl them out cheaply. If there is no help, we will look to contain the batsmen. Batsmen score freely when bowlers don't bowl well. If batsmen want to break the shackles, they need to take risks.'On the fitness of speedster Chris Tremlett, Strauss said: 'He (Tremlett) has a hamstring niggle but he should be fine. We would wait till early tomorrow morning for his availability.'Bresnan hasn't let anyone down. He was outstanding in Australia and he is getting better and better. In a way, he is very unfortunate not to be playing. I am sure he will do a good job if Tremlett is not able to recovers in time.England were in serious trouble in second innings with their top five batsmen departing for 62 runs. Strauss called on his team to be more consistent in the remaining matches.'Getting to that situation wasn't ideal. We let India come back in the match and dropped a few catches at crucial junctures. This is something we must change,' Strauss said.'However, we are well prepared for another good performance. We did it in Australia and have been doing that in the last 18 months.

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James Anderson lauds England's performance at Lord's

England pace spearhead James Anderson says on this week's ICC Cricket World audio show that his team's confidence to bowl India out in the first Test at Lord's was the key for the 196-run win in the 2000th Test in history.Anderson, who picked up 5 for 65 in the second innings to script England's win in the Lord's Test, was thrilled with the perfect team performance."It was a great game for us. KP getting a double hundred, Matt Prior getting a hundred. It was a matter of patience for us in an attempt to get ten wickets. We had confidence that we could bowl them out. They have fantastic batters, a world class line-up who could quite easily bat through the day. That's why the patience was key," says Anderson.England's pace bowling group was in top shape in the first Test with Stuart Broad and Chris Tremlett complementing Anderson's effort very well."We discuss all the time on where to bowl to which batsmen. Those two (Broad and Tremlett) speak a lot among each other because they are a lot different to me. Graeme Swann was fantastic as well," recounts Anderson.The performance in the first Test at Lord's helped Anderson leapfrog to second position on the Reliance ICC Rankings for Test bowlers. Despite his match-winning performance in the first Test, Anderson is careful not to underestimate India's ability to bounce back."If you look at their team sheet, it is a daunting line-up. They had the misfortune of Zaheer Khan pulling up early on, but they will come back strong. But hopefully we can continue the good work in the next three games," says Anderson  Former India captain Ravi Shastri also shares his thoughts on the first Test at Lord's. Shastri believes that India was always behind in the Test once Zaheer Khan injured his hamstring on the first day.Once India lost Zaheer on first day it was difficult for India. England were very professional. James Anderson picked up five wickets and they did well overall," says Shastri.In Virender Sehwag's absence, Shastri believes it is important for captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni to play the role of an impact player."Dhoni tries to play differently in Test matches. His USP is in being an impact player. That's his great strength. He should continue playing that role much like (Adam) Gilchrist did for Australia. With Sehwag not being there, Dhoni needs to be that impact player down the order," says Shastri.Looking ahead to the second Test at Trent Bridge, Shastri opines that it is time for India to play fast-medium swing bowler Sreesanth."India needs to find a good replacement for Zaheer. It is risky to play Zaheer in the second Test. It has to be Munaf or Sreesanth. It swings a lot at Trent Bridge, so it might be Sreesanth who might come in there," says Shastri.Ireland's Under 19 captain George Dockrell looks back on his experience of playing in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. Dockrell will be seen in action in the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier which got underway on Thursday."It was brilliant to play on such a big stage against the top players and bowl to best batsmen in the world. It was a great experience and I learnt a lot from it. When we went into the World Cup, we knew that we could beat any side in the world," recalls Dockrell.

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England eye repeat as India sweat on Zaheer

England will look for more of the same against India in the second Test at Trent Bridge starting here on Friday. They thrashed the tourists by 196 runs on Monday, with James Anderson taking five for 65 in front of a full house at Lord's in the 2,000th Test of all-time.England, who will replace India at the top of the ICC's Test table if they win this four-match series 2-0 or better, had things pretty much their own way at Lord's, with Kevin Pietersen making a double century, Matt Prior a reviving second innings hundred and Stuart Broad returning to his best bowling form.And even when dropped catches or contentious lbw decisions, for which there are no reviews this series because of Indian objections to ball-tracking technology, went against England, it made little difference."We know we're playing really, really good cricket at the moment," said Anderson. "Everyone's chipping in -- and if we need someone to step up, generally someone is. We're trying to improve each day, as individuals and as a team. If we can do that, we know we can do great things.Anderson, often a beneficiary of the swing friendly conditions on offer at Trent Bridge, has dismissed Sachin Tendulkar six times in seven Tests, including lbw for 12 in the second innings at Lord's to leave the India great stranded on 99 international hundreds."When you get him out you know it's a key dismissal, so we know we've got to be on top of our game to do that," Anderson said. England had a huge break at Lord's when Zaheer Khan broke down early with a hamstring injury and then didn't bowl at all in the second innings. An India spokesman said Wednesday that Zaheer's fitness was "improving considerably".But if the left-arm quick, who four years ago at Trent Bridge took nine wickets in what turned out to be a series-clinching win, is ruled out, India will have to decide between erratic fast bowler Shanthakurman Sreesanth and the steadier Munaf Patel"Ishant (Sharma) has been doing really well -- he was the man of the series in the West Indies -- and Praveen Kumar has taken five wickets (at Lord's)," said India batsman Abhinav Mukund. "Sreesanth is waiting in the wings as well, so it's not that we have a depleted attack. It's just that when you lose a fast bowler during a game it's a completely different scenario.England have a doubt over fast bowler Chris Tremlett, unable to train on Wednesday because of a tight hamstring. If Tremlett is sidelined, fellow Ashes-winner Tim Bresnan will be recalled.Rahul Dravid was the only member of India's celebrated top order to make a century at Lord's but the likes of Tendulkar and Venkatsai Laxman will be keen to post a significant score.So too will 21-year-old left-hander Mukund, opening while Virender Sehwag recovers from a shoulder injury. Sehwag has an unrivalled ability to attack the new ball whereas Mukund, who made 49 and 12 at Lord's, is a far more orthodox opener."I don't want to replace Sehwag or play like he does, because it's not possible," Mukund said. "I just want to go out and play how I know. If it comes off it will help the team." And he insisted India were well-capable of demonstrating the resilience that had taken them to the summit of Test cricket during the rest of this series. "Being the world number one, the India team has conquered a lot of challenges on the way here. "We've come here to take up this challenge, and will definitely give it a good fight.

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Australia: Big Bash T20 League launched with captain announcement

Cricket Australia held a launching ceremony for its much hyped Twenty20 Big Bash League.Dance anthems blared, Mojito glasses clinked and complimentary KFC was in plentiful supply as Australian cricket grasped for a semblance of edginess at the launch of the Twenty20 Big Bash League.Held at Carriageworks, a venue in Sydney s inner west that is more synonymous with hip-hop festivals and art exhibitions, the event brought together a vast array of cricketers, sponsors, media and various other hangers-on.Amid the mess, noise and a humdrum DJ set by a minor Australian celebrity, Erin McNaught, there was room for pondering about what it all meant. Cricket Australia are relentlessly hopeful about building the game s audience and revenue streams.The all eight franchises unveiled their captains and uniforms for the new competition.The captains for each franchise are: Adelaide Strikers – Michael Klinger Brisbane Heat – James Hopes Hobart Hurricanes – Tim Paine Melbourne Renegades – Andrew McDonald Melbourne Stars - Cameron White Perth Scorchers – Marcus North Sydney Sixers – Brad Haddin Sydney Thunder – David Warne The inaugural competition will begin on December 16 with a clash between the Sydney Sixers and the Brisbane Heat at the SCG, which will almost certainly feature some batting pyrotechnics from boom Heat signing, former Australian opener Matthew Hayden.This is the first of 28 matches until the regular games finish on January 19 as the Melbourne Stars play the Adelaide Strikers at the MCG.Two games that will be highlights, however, will occur in early January as the competition lights up through two local derbies as the Stars and Renegades face off at the MCG on January 7 before the Sixers and Thunder play the following day at ANZ Stadium.The semi finals will take place on January 21 (first v fourth) and January 22 (second v third) before the very first KFC T20 Big Bash League final will occur on January 28.

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Zaheer Khan out of India team for second Test

NOTTINGHAM: Inida fast bowler Zaheer Khan has been ruled out of today's second Test against England at Trent Bridge with a hamstring injury.Left-arm quick Zaheer broke down in the first Test at Lord's, which India lost by 196 runs, after taking two for 18 runs in 13.3 first innings overs and didn't bowl again in the match.The 32-year-old was instrumental in India's seven-wicket win in the corresponding Trent Bridge Test against England four years ago, taking nine for 134 runs in the match.Now his place is set to go to either fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth or seamer Munaf Patel.Wicketkeeper-batsman Dhoni, who refused to divulge the identity of Zaheer's replacement at Trent Bridge, said he hoped India's spearhead would be fit in time for the third Test, starting at Edgbaston on August 10.India also have a doubt over opening batsman Gautam Gambhir, who suffered an elbow injury when hit fielding at short leg at Lord's.If he were ruled out Rahul Dravid, as happened in the second innings at Lord's, would be promoted to open the innings with Yuvraj Singh in line to take Gambhir's place in the team.Meanwhile, Steven Finn has been called up to England's squad because of injury doubts over fellow pace bowler Chris Tremlett.Tremlett tested his hamstring 'niggle' for a second time in England's net session and captain Andrew Strauss is optimistic he will play

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South Africa’s Parnell converts to Islam

JOHANNESBURG: Wayne Parnell, the South Africa left-arm seamer, has announced that he has converted to Islam.Parnell confirmed in a statement on Thursday that he converted to Islamic faith in January this year and is considering to change his name to Waleed, which means 'Newborn Son'.Parnell confirmed that he will "continue to respect the team's endorsement of alcoholic beverages." South Africa's Test team is sponsored by Castle Lager, a local beer. Hashim Amla, also of Muslim faith, does not wear the beer logo on his playing kit after making a special arrangement with CSA because of his religious beliefs.Proteas team manager Mohamed Moosajee, himself a Muslim, said Parnell's Muslim teammates Hashim Amla and Imran Tahir had not influenced his decision to convert from Christianity.Supporting Moosajee's denial of influence by Amla, the players said he had never attempted to convert them to his religion, although they had all been very impressed by the discipline and strict adherence that Amla showed to his religion, by refusing to participate in celebrations with them that involved liquor, staying steadfast in his daily prayers even while on tour, and refusing to wear the kit sponsored by South African beer brand Castle Lager.

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Pak squad announced for Zimbabwe tour

LAHORE: Pakistani selectors Thursday announced a 16-man squad for next month's tour of Zimbabwe, where they play one Test, three one-day internationals and two Twenty20 matches.Misbah-ul-Haq will lead the squad in all three formats of the game.Squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Taufiq Umar, Imran Farhat, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Rameez Raja Junior, Adnan Akmal, Saeed Ajmal, Yasir Shah, Sohail Tanveer, Sohail Khan, Junaid Khan, Aizaz Cheema.

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Flower bemoans lack of ICC ‘leadership’ on DRS

LONDON: England coach Andy Flower on Wednesday accused the International Cricket Council (ICC) of lacking leadership over its failure to issue clear rules about the use of the Decision Review System (DRS).Under existing rules, either side in a series can veto the use of the DRS to determine lbw decisions, something India has elected to do in its ongoing series against England, who defeated the tourists at Lord’s on Monday.However the lack of the DRS during the first Test has cast the spotlight on umpiring in the game, with Billy Bowden twice denying Stuart Broad plumb lbw decisions which would have snared Sachin Tendulkar and Suresh Raina.Asked if he was concerned about the possibility of trouble in the remainder of the series Flower admitted: “Yes, I am actually. We almost saw it happen in this Test match.“It would have been wrong if the outcome of the game had been seriously affected by a couple of those decisions and it was quite right that, luckily, we did continue to create chances. It’s unsatisfactory the way it is, there is no doubt about that.” Flower pointed the finger at ICC chiefs for allowing the current situation to arise, where DRS is used in some Test series but not in others.

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PCB Selection Committee meeting tomorrow at Lahore

LAHORE: A meeting of the national selection committee will be held here tomorrow to discuss the names of players for the tour of Zimbabwe and central contract.Sources said that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has called the meeting of the national selection committee in Lahore and it may be continued for two days.The names of the players for the tour of Zimbabwe will be finalized in the meeting.Some new players including Rameez Raja Junior and Sohail Khan, are likely to be included in the squad.As the central contracts of the players have expired on June 30, a new list of the players in this regard will be prepared in the meeting.The names will be announced after the list is approved by the chairman PCB.

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Trott and Anderson up to second in ICC rankings

LONDON: England's Jonathan Trott and James Anderson have risen to second place in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings respectively after their side's 196-run win over India at Lord's.Trott has climbed two places, above India's Sachin Tendulkar and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, to second spot in the batting rankings, after innings of 70 and 22 during the 2000th Test in history, which was also the opening game of a four-match series. Anderson's seven-wicket haul in the match, including his 11th five-wicket Test return of five for 65 in the second innings, saw him overtake team-mate Graeme Swann in the bowling rankings.Meanwhile, England fast bowler Chris Tremlett went into ninth place on the back of his four wickets at Lord's.India still have two bowlers in the top ten, with Zaheer Khan -- who suffered a hamstring injury at Lord's -- and Ishant Sharma lying in fifth and seventh place respectively.As well as Tendulkar, India have Venkatsai Laxman (seventh) and Virender Sehwag (tenth) in the batting top 10 although Sehwag was left hanging on to his place among the elite after missing the Lord's Test with a shoulder injury.Tendulkar, who needs one more century to become the first batsman to score a 100 international hundreds, dropped down to fourth place after scores of 34 and 12 at Lord's.The South Africa pair of Jacques Kallis and Dale Steyn remained top of the batting and bowling rankings respectively

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PCB chairman refuses to speak to media

LAHORE: Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Ijaz Butt arrived in the country after four weeks but refused to speak to the media upon his arrival, A large number of media personnel were present at the Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore to ask the PCB chairman questions about his foreign tour but when Ijaz Butt saw them, he changed his course and headed towards the parking lot. When members of the media followed him, Butt said he could not answer any questions because he is tired after travelling. Ijaz Butt was returning to the country after attending the ICC conference in Hong Kong and taking part in the ceremonies of the 2000th test match between England and India at Lords

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