Bopara replaces injured Trott in England squad for 3rd test

LONDON: Ravi Bopara has replaced the injured Jonathan Trott in England's squad for the third test against India starting on Wednesday at Edgbaston.Trott, who injured his shoulder while fielding in the second test, was still undergoing rehabilitation, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement on Saturday.Right-handed batsman Bopara, 26, has played 10 test matches, the last coming against Australia in August 2009.  The 13-man squad also included medium pacer Steven Finn as cover for Chris Tremlett, who missed the second test with back spasms."Chris Tremlett is recovering well from the back spasms and, although we are expecting him to be fully fit ahead of Wednesday, we felt it was prudent to include an extra seam bowler at this stage, meaning Steven Finn comes into the squad," national selector Geoff Miller said.England currently lead the four-match series 2-0 against number one-ranked test side India.Squad: Andrew Strauss (captain), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Steven Finn, Eoin Morgan, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Graeme Swann and Chris Tremlett.AGENCIES

Read More

Vishvakarma spins Nepal to win over Ireland

Afghanistan, Nepal, PNG, Scotland and USA registered wins on the seventh day of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Derry.On a day when rains affected all but one game, plenty of action was witnessed as the jostling for the final six spots to qualify for the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup to be held next year in Australia heated up.Hosts Ireland featured in another last over finish, this time against Nepal at the Bready Cricket Club. Nepal batted first and was restricted to 187 for seven in 46 overs as rains forced reduction in the number of overs. Ireland skipper George Dockrell picked up 3-15 even as Sagar Pun made 50 off 100 balls with three boundaries and a six.In the chase, the home team lost early wickets, but Dockrell (55: 86b, 3x4) and Adam Coughlan (48:86b, 1x4) added 107 runs for the fifth wicket.Once the partnership was broken, the chase fell apart. Nepal?s left-arm spinner Rahul Vishvakarma picked up four wickets in the final over to bowl out Ireland for 175 and earned his side a 10-run win.Dockrell?s all-round effort earned him the Man of the Match award, but the skipper was a disappointed man: ?We bowled well to restrict them, but they got a few runs towards the end which helped them a lot. The match was in the balance and we seemed to be getting close. But we lost wickets towards the end. We still have two more games to end the tournament well.At Eglinton Cricket Club, yet another captain led from the front, this time of PNG, Christopher Kent in the only match of the day not to be affected by rain. But Kent had plenty to cheer about as he single-handedly batted his side to a four-wicket win over Canada. Canada led by the youngest player at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, Nitish Kumar (150: 126b, 14x4, 3x6) posted 261 for nine in 50 overs. The target was a stiff one, but Kent batted well to end unbeaten at 166 off 131 balls with 21 boundaries and two sixes. Kent anchored the innings well as the others offered him good support to help PNG overhaul the score in 49.4 overs with four wickets to spare. relieved Kent won the Man of the Match award: ?There was not too much pressure. I was just thinking of playing every ball on its merit. I wanted to bat right through the innings. Two more good days and our dream could well be true.?Scotland continued to roll out another good performance in the tournament, this time against Namibia at the Bready 2 ground. Scotland batted first and posted 180 for nine in a contest reduced to 43-overs-a-side.Namibia kept pace for a while, but was finally bowled out for 140 in 39.5 overs to hand Scotland a 40-run win. Ross McLean earned Man of the Match award for his handy 35 and a spell of 3-12: ?We should have got a few more runs. It looked close for a while. But we dried up the runs and the asking rate kept rising. They lost wickets at regular intervals. It is a credit to the team that we have been playing well. The focus of the team is to take one match at a time.?After waiting for a major part of the day for the skies to clear up, Afghanistan produced one of its most impressive performances of the tournament at the Limavady Cricket Club.In a match reduced to 24-overs-a-side, Kenya posted 154 for five in 24 overs thanks to Rahul Vishram who top-scored with 59 off 40 balls with five boundaries and two sixes.Afghanistan had one eye on its own run-rate and the possibility of late showers as it knocked off the runs in just 18.4 overs with nine wickets to spare. The stars of the win were Javed Ahmadi (86 n.o.: 51b, 6x4, 5x6) and Hashmatullah Shaidi (63 n.o.: 58b, 7x4) who shared an unbeaten 138 run stand for the second wicet.Ahmadi?s whirlwind knock won him the Man of the Match award. The opener was only too glad to have played a part in the team?s win: ?I was keeping an eye out for the Duckworth-Lewis par score. We had to be ahead of the rate at all times. Once we were ahead at the end of the five overs, I just played normal cricket and we got home. I will always play according to the requirement of the side.?USA got the better of Vanuatu at the Drummond Cricket Club. Vanuatu batted first and posted 128 for eight in 32 overs. Jelany Chilia with 29 was the top-scorer for Vanuatu. In its chase, USA was being powered home by Steven Taylor (33 n.o.) and skipper Greg Sewdial (27 n.o.) when played was halted by rains.

USA was declared winners by the Duckworth-Lewis Method as it was ahead of Vanuatu at that stage by 42 runs.Taylor was named Man of the Match yet again in the tournament. The swashbuckling opener was happy to have played a part in the team's win: ?In the last three games I had not done well. I was glad to have made a contribution to the side's win again. The side is gelling well now and we are looking good as a combination right now.?Score summaries (Day Seven):At Bready Cricket Club: Nepal U19 187 for seven, 46 overs (Pun 50, Vishvakarma 38; Dockrell 3-15, Getkate 2-14) Ireland U19 175 all out, 46 overs (Dockrell 55, Coughlan 48; Vishvakarma 4-28, A Karn 2-25) Nepal U19 won by 12 runs At Eglinton Cricket Club: Canada U19 261 for nine, 50 overs (Pathan 35, Shah 39, Kumar 150; Amini 2-28, Bau 2-35, Vanua 2-45) PNG U19 264 for six, 49.4 overs (Kent 166 n.o.; Aulakh 2-36) PNG U19 won by four wicketsAt Bready 2: Scotland U19 180 for nine, 43 overs (McLean 35, Cross 33, Coleman 30; S Baard 4-28, van Vuuren 3-22 Namibia U19 140 all out, 39.5 overs (Myburgh 43, P Groenewald 28; McLean 3-12, Bailwal 2-13, Page 2-33 Scotland U19 won by 40 runsAt Limavady Cricket Club: Kenya U19 154 for five, 24 overs (Vishram 59, J Ochieng 30; Shirzai 2-33) Afghanistan U19 155 for 1, 18.4 overs (Ahmadi 86, Shaidi 63) Afghanistan U19 won by nine wicketsAt Drummond Cricket Club: Vanuatu U19 128 for eight, 32 overs (Chilia 29, Tari 23 n.o.; Shahid 2-16) USA U19 118 for two, 22 overs (Taylor 33 n.o., Sewdial 28 n.o.) USA U19 won by 42 runs (via Duckworth-Lewis Method)

Read More

Zaheer needs surgery, to miss rest of tour

Indian seamer Zaheer Khan needs surgery for ankle and hamstring problems and has been ruled out for the remainder of the England series, the BCCI said on Sunday.Left-arm paceman Rudra Pratap Singh will replace Zaheer for the remaining two tests, a Twenty20 and five one-day internationals.Zaheer, 32, would need up to four months to fully recover, the BCCI said in a statement.The left-arm paceman, who missed India's full tour of West Indies due to the ankle problem, had to leave the field on the first day of the series at Lord's and subsequently missed the second test at Trent Bridge."Zaheer Khan is suffering from a recurrent right hamstring strain and a right ankle impingement," BCCI secretary N. Srinivasan said. "He will require a surgery for his ankle, followed by intensive rehabilitation for both the ankle and hamstring."He will need at least 14-16 weeks to recover completely."India's leading seamer had been named in the squad for the limited overs series but was ruled out after only managing to bowl three overs in a tour game against Northamptonshire.Replacement RP Singh has not played for India in any form of cricket since September 2009, with his last test match being against South Africa in April 2008."The all-India senior selection committee has picked RP Singh as his replacement in the Indian squads for the test series, and the T20 international and ODI series," Srinivasan said. "RP Singh will join the team at the earliest."India have been grappling with injuries during the tour and missed their top opening batsman Virender Sehwag in both tests because of a shoulder injury.Sehwag's regular opening partner, Gautam Gambhir, missed the second test with a bruised arm which forcing a batting order reshuffle.Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and batsman Yuvraj Singh have also been ruled out for the rest of the tour after suffering injuries during the second test at Trent Bridge.Left-hander Yuvraj fractured his index finger after he was hit by a short-pitched delivery from England seamer Tim Bresnan while Harbhajan suffered an abdominal muscle strain in the same match.India, the ODI world champions, trail England 2-0 with two more tests left in the four-match series.

Read More

Taylor declares for Zimbabwe, sets target of 375

HARARE: Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor declared at the tea break Sunday, setting Bangladesh a target of 375 runs to win the one-off Test at Harare Sports Club here on Sunday.Taylor declared just after he scored his maiden Test century, an undefeated 105 which included nine fours and proved to be a real game of two halves -- he needed 117 balls to achieve his half century and another 53 balls to reach the 100 mark.After a steady partnership with former skipper Tatenda Taibu, who struck 59, Taylor's innings has put the hosts within sight of making a winning return to test cricket after an enforced six year absence.Zimbabwe, opening the day on 92-4, closed their innings on 291-5, a lead over Bangladesh of 374. From a precarious position at the start of the day, Zimbabwe lost only one wicket in two sessions, enabling Taylor to take this rather bold decision.Taibu's contribution was immense in the circumstances and Craig Ervine also came good with 35 not out, which probably saved his place in the team.Shakib Al Hassan persisted with spin in the main through the day but they were getting little turn and bounce. The wicket has remained in good condition for a fourth day.Zimbabwe's previous declaration was in 2005, also against Bangladesh at Harare by Taibu, who on that day scored 153, his best in Tests.

Read More

Dilshan boosts Sri Lanka with maiden T20 ton

PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan hit a maiden Twenty20 century to help Sri Lanka post a challenging 198-3 in the opening match against Australia on Saturday.The Sri Lankan captain scored a 57-ball 104 not out, smashing five sixes and 12 fours in a superb display of hard and clean hitting in the day-night match at the Pallekele International Stadium.Dilshan needed 16 runs to complete his hundred in the last over bowled by paceman Mitchell Johnson, but struck two sixes and as many fours. His second fifty came off just 16 deliveries.The Sri Lankan captain and Jeevan Mendis (29 not out off 19 balls) plundered 104 runs in the last 7.3 overs to help their team set a stiff target.Dilshan, who also added 52 for the third wicket with Kumar Sangakkara (30), went for big shots after 15 overs, hitting four boundaries in an over from seamer John Hastings and then two sixes and as many fours off Shane Watson.Sangakkara was batting confidently before driving Watson straight to skipper Cameron White at mid-wicket. He hit four boundaries in his 22-ball knock.Fast bowlers Brett Lee, Johnson and Watson each took one wicket.The second and final Twenty20 game will be played at the same venue on Monday

Read More

Zimbabwe looking for win on return to Test cricket

HARARE: Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor and former skipper Tatenda Taibu gave the hosts a great chance of making a winning return to Test cricket after an enforced six- year absence here on Sunday against Bangladesh.Taylor and Taibu put on an unbeaten fifth wicket partnership of 96 to leave them on 188-4 at lunch - an overall lead of 271.Taylor, unbeaten on 46, and Taibu, who recorded his 10th half century in Test cricket and is 53 not out had lifted the hosts from a precarious looking 92-4 overnight to a much healthier position on the fourth day.Taylor looked well set for his second half century of the match, having scored 71 in the first innings, as Bangladesh's spinners failed to test the batsmen.

Read More

Dravid recalled to Indian ODI/T20 squad against England

NEW DELHI: Rahul Dravid was Saturday recalled to the Indian squad for next month's one-day series against England, but the injured Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh were left out.Middle-order batsman Dravid played his last one-dayer in September 2009, but got the selectors' nod following his impressive performances in the ongoing four-Test series in England.The 38-year-old, who has scored 10,765 runs in 339 one-day internationals including 12 centuries, is the most successful Indian batsman on the tour with two hundreds in the opening two Tests.India will play a one-off Twenty20 match against England at Old Trafford on August 31 before the five-match one-day series starts at Chester-le-Street on September 3.Off-spinner Harbhajan (abdominal strain) and all-rounder Yuvraj (finger injury) were not part of the limited-overs squad, to be led by World Cup-winning captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The duo have already been ruled out of the remaining two Tests of the four-match series due to injuries, suffered during the second Test at Trent Bridge.The Indian cricket board on Wednesday said in a statement that Yuvraj's injury could take around four weeks to mend, while Harbhajan was likely to recover in three weeks' time.They were replaced by left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha and middle-order batsman Virat Kohli. India currently trail 2-0 in the Test series.Middle-order batsman Rohit Sharma, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, paceman Vinay Kumar and wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel, who are not part of the Test squad, returned for one-dayers.India twenty20 and one-day squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag (vice-capt), Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Zaheer Khan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, Ishant Sharma, Vinay Kumar, Amit Mishra, Parthiv Patel.

Read More

Plan to read Indian cricket captain Dhoni’s mind

NEW DELHI: Consecutive success is the feature of a best leader, which leader makes use of his which qualities that ensures him successes; an Indian organization has vowed reading the mind of Indian cricket team captain MS Dhoni in this context.Institute of Management in the Indian eastern state Jharkhand has chosen Indian cricket team captain Dhoni’s mind for study. Neuro-management director said that Dhoni under pressure excels displaying his best talents and keeping cool. This is all because of his mental training, which on comprehending could be applied to the new players, he said.For this purpose, Dhoni would be made to sit before the computer, different movies would be shown to him and his mind would be read for which an invitation has been sent to him, said the neuro-management director.

Read More

Bangladesh hold steady against Zimbabwean attack

HARARE: Bangladesh battled their way to 200-5 in their first innings against Zimbabwe in a one-off Test at Harare Sports Club at lunch on Saturday.This left them still 170 runs adrift of the hosts first innings total on Zimbabwe's return to the test arena after a six year enforced absence.Honours were even in the first session. Bangladesh added 98 to their overnight score of 102-3, but for the loss of two more wickets.Mahmudullah didn't last long as on 13 he was caught at square leg by Tino Mawoyo off Brian Vitori, to give the test debutant his third wicket.Mohammad Ashraful resumed on 34 and took his score to 73 - his eighth Test half-century - before edging to wicketkeeper and former captain Tatenda Taibu off Elton Chigumbura after spending four hours and 18 minutes at the crease.However, the hosts attack were unable to make any further inroads into the tourists batting order as Shakib Al-Haasan repelled their best efforts and was unbeaten on 40 at the break.

Read More

Australia, Sri Lanka to play first T20

PALLEKELE: The first match of the T20 series between Australia and Sri Lanka will be played today (Saturday). This is the first time a T20 match is being played at Pallekele and it is expected that the fast wicket will assist the bowlers.Australia will be captained by Cameron White who took over as skipper following the retirement of Michael Clarke from T20 cricket.Australia is on a losing streak in T20 matches and has lost in its last four outings.

Read More

A 4-0 whitewash against India is possible: Swann

England spinner Graeme Swann feels a 4-0 whitewash is possible in the Test series against World No.1 India.'I'd like to think that it's possible to win 4-0. A lot of things have to go in our favour, but if they do, it'll be a nice thing to aim for. We're the only team who can win it 4-0,' Swann was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph.'The way we've played in the first two games, they've not been perfect performances and we've still won them very well. If we can iron out those areas and do everything else right, we're going to be a very difficult team to beat,' he said.Asked about his unimpressive form in the series, Swann said: 'It's easy to make the excuse that I was hit on the hand. But I just had one of those days. I got out of bed the wrong side that morning. Rahul Dravid has played me very well this series. But I don't think they needed to play me particularly well at Trent Bridge, I bowled so badly.With turning tracks expected at Edgbaston and the Oval, Swann declared himself fully fit after an X-ray on his left hand.'I'm looking forward to Edgbaston, because it did turn a little bit last year,' Swann said. 'Hopefully it will spin, because then you turn up to the ground in the morning knowing you're going to play a more active role. Turning up knowing you are a bit-part player does not always fit well with someone who likes to be the centre of attention.Recalling farcical run out of Ian Bell, who was later recalled by the Indian team, Swann said: 'It was a very strange atmosphere. Belly had taken off his pads. He thought he was out. Then rumours came upstairs that they were talking about whether to ask him back in. So people were saying 'put your pads on', and someone else was saying 'no, don't bother'. It was bizarre, really.'But what happened in the end was the right thing. India could have upheld the appeal, but it would have put a very bitter taste on the series. We don't want it descending into the sort of scenes we had at the end of last year. We really didn't like the Pakistan team by the end of the series, and they didn't like us. But so far this year, the atmosphere between the two teams has been exceptional,' he said.

Read More

Zimbabwe get upper hand against Bangladesh

HARARE: A second Test century from Hamilton Masakadza and the late dismissal of dangerous Bangladesh batsman Shahriar Nafeez gave Zimbabwe the upper hand on the second day of their one-off Test at the Harare Sports Club on Friday.Zimbabwe, who had been 264 for two overnight, were all out for 370 in their first innings before Bangladesh replied with a 107-3 at stumps to leave them 263 in arrears at the close of play with seven wickets remaining.Masakadza (104) clawed his way to a second Test century 10 years after his first -- as he put on 142 for the third wicket with skipper Brendan Taylor, who made 71.It was Taylor's fourth Test half century, but once he was out, Zimbabwe lost their remaining seven wickets for just 66 runs.Bangladesh started their fightback by snatching four wickets in the 30 minutes before lunch. After capturing both Masakadza and Taylor with a double breakthrough, seamer Robiul Islam had changed the tone of the game with Craig Ervine (six) and Elton Chigumbura (five) were bundled out in short order as lunchtime approached.After the break Brian Vitori, Kyle Jarvis, Raymond Price and Christopher Mpofu were all quickly disposed of with only former skipper Tatenda Taibu, with 23, offering real resistance. Rubel Hossain and captain Shakib Al Hassan took three wickets each.In reply, Bangladesh lost both openers by the time they had reached 36.Left-armer Brian Vitori marked his Test debut by dismissing Imrul Kayes (four) and and flamboyant Tamim Iqbal (15).Shahriar Nafeez and Mohammad Ashraful (34 not out) then launched a Bangladesh recovery, putting on 66 for the third wicket before Nafeez was bowled by off-spinner Price off his legs for 50 as the shadows lengthened. It was his fifth Test half-century and he hit six fours.

Read More

Bangladesh struggling against Zimbabwe

HARARE: Debutant Brian Vitori claimed two quick wickets to turn the tide back in Zimbabwe's favour at tea on the second day of their one-off Test match against Bangladesh at Harare Sports Club.After starting the day looking comfortable on 264 for two in their first innings, Zimbabwe lost eight wickets in quick succession around lunch.They were 326 for six at the lunch break, and were eventually all out for 370 in mid-afternoon.However, Bangladesh lost two early wickets of their own to slip to 38 for two just before the tea break.
Both openers, Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes, were caught off the bowling of Vitori after scoring only 15 and four runs respectively, leaving the tourists still 334 runs behind their hosts with eight wickets remaining. Earlier, in Zimbabwe's first Test after six years in exile, Hamilton Masakadza scored 104, his second Test century.He resumed after ending day one on 88 not out, and toiled for his runs before completing his century in 235 balls.His hundred included eight fours and one six and was his first ton since his debut against the West Indies on the same ground 10 years ago.Shortly after he fell to a catch at first slip by Imral Keyes when trying to drive Rabiul Islam for 104 to end a partnership of 142 for the third wicket with Brendan Taylor.Vusi Sibanda made 78 while Taylor, in an unusually subdued mood, made his fourth Test half-century before being dismissed for 71. Shakib Al Hasan and Rubel Hossain took three wickets apiece for Bangladesh.

Read More

Bangladesh hit back after Mazakadze century

HARARE: Hamilton Mazakadze completed his second Test century but Bangladesh struck back with four wickets on the second morning to turn the tide in their one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club here Friday.From an overnight 264 for the loss of only two wickets and looking set for a big score, the home side struggled for runs against a Bangladesh attack that found a better line than on the opening day.With runs at a premium, Zimbabwe could only manage a further 62 in the two hours to reach 326 for six at the lunch break. The star of the morning for Zimbabwe, playing their first Test after six years in exile, was Mazakadza.Resuming on 88, he toiled for his runs but finally went through to his century off 235 balls. It included eight fours and one six and was his first ton since his debut against the West Indies on the same ground 10 years ago.Shortly after he fell to a catch at first slip by Imral Keyes when trying to drive Rabiul Islam for 104 to end a partnership of 142 for the third wicket with Brendan Taylor.That was the signal for a collapse that saw four wickets going down for 22 runs in last half-hour of the session.Craig Ervine scored only six and Elton Chigumbura made five before falling victim to spinners Shakib Al Hassan and Rubel Hossain. In between Taylor notched up his fourth half-century in Test cricket before trying to cut Islam and nicking to wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim for 71.Raymond Price, the beginning of the tail, will resume after lunch with Tatenda Taibu, who is on three with the likely target 400 suddenly appearing a long way off

Read More

Zimbabwe’s impressive batting on Test return

HARARE: Zimbabwe marked their return from a six-year exile by racking up an impressive 264 for two against Bangladesh on the first day of a one-off Test at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday All four of Zimbabwe's top batsmen made runs with Hamilton Masakadza finishing the day unbeaten on 88 with seven fours and a six as he closes in on a second Test century. Masakadza made his first century 10 years ago on his debut at the age of 17, scoring 119 against West Indies on this same ground.New skipper Brendan Taylor was also undefeated on Thursday, having made a steady 40 off 108 balls.Debutant opener Tinotenda Mawoyo made 43 while Vusi Sibanda smashed 78, with seven fours and one six, as the two put on 102 for the first wicket.After losing the toss, and being put into bat on a greenish wicket by Bangladesh captain Shakib al Hassan, Zimbabwe constructed a foundation for what could be a winning score. Zimbabwe's batsmen mixed caution with aggression, allowing few chances especially after a scare in the second over of the day when Sibanda was very nearly run out. Bangladesh, already defeated by a Zimbabwe X1 in a three-day tour match at the weekend, looked shell-shocked by the day's end.Only 21-year-old medium-pacer Rubel Hossain got wickets and finished with two for 58 off 18 overs. Mawoyo was the first to fall, caught by Mahmudullah at deep backward point with Sibanda the second to go, midway through the afternoon session, when he edged a short ball to wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim.Despite the return of Test cricket, the match only attracted fewer than 1,000 people.But the performance of the Zimbabwe had International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat feeling optimistic over the team's future in the five-day game

Read More

Zimbabwe consolidate flying start against Bangladesh

HARARE: Zimbabwe continued their domination of Bangladesh at Harare Sports Club here Thursday on their return to Test cricket after a six year absence.At tea they had moved from 102-1 at lunch to 191-2 and were looking extremely comfortable against an attack that was lacking lustre.Vusi Sibanda scored 78, including a six and seven fours, before being caught behind by Mushfiqur Rahim off Rubel Hossain, the only wicket-taker of the day so far.This brought in new captain Brendan Taylor to join Hamilton Masakadza who was on 56 at the break with two sixes against his name. Taylor made a cautious five runs.Masakadza scored a century (119) against West Indies on his Test debut at the age of 17 in 2001. He lost form last year and was left out of Zimbabwe's World Cup squad but was showing a return to style and power.Bangladesh were struggling to make any inroads as Zimbabwe's batsmen looked secure.Sibanda was dropped at 60 but it was a sharp opportunity.Although greenish, the wicket was offering little by way of lateral movement to the seamers. Shakib al Hassan won the toss and put Zimbabwe in to bat in a decision that failed to have the desired result for the tourists.

Read More

Zimbabwe off to flying start on Test return

HARARE: Zimbabwe were 102 for one at lunch on the opening day of their one off Test against Bangladesh at Harare Sports Club here on Thursday Tinotenda Mawoyo and Vusi Sibanda got the hosts off to a flying start on their return to Test cricket after a six year absence. The only blip came in the last over of the session when Mawoyo, on his Test debut, fell to Rubel Hossain trying a cut and he was caught at deep point by Mahmududullah. He scored 43 with five boundaries and until this mistake he was never in trouble against a modest attack. Sibanda will continue after lunch on 50, his highest score in Tests. Zimbabwe can be well pleased with this performance, especially as it was achieved on a greenish wicket and after being put in by Shakib al Hassan after he won the toss. Neither opener made any mistakes before the dismissal of Mawoyo, except for a scare in the first few minutes when they escaped a narrow run out of Sibanda. Although this was Mawoyo's first Test innings and only Sibanda's fourth they had the look of seasoned batsmen at this level. Zimbabwe have a strong looking batting line-up to come and will be looking for a large opening total by the close of play. Bangladesh are desperate for breakthroughs in the next session, otherwise the match could appear to be slipping away from them.

Read More

ICC One Day Leaque

In October 2010, the ICC Board approved the recommendations from the ICC Chief Executives' Committee (CEC). These recommendations seek to give exciting content and context for international cricket within the Future Tours Programme after 2012 and also to consider future ICC events.In a series of recommendations, the ICC Board agreed that the should also consist of a One-Day International league, the first to run from April 2011 until April 2014, culminating in the crowning of an ODI league champion. This would run separate to the ICC Cricket World Cup.ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: "Restructuring international cricket is a significant strategic challenge and one that must be dealt with. We have now agreed in principle to exciting and far-reaching proposals to tackle this most important issue.Achieving balance and unanimous agreement is not easy but we have responded well to a strategic priority to restructure international cricket. The proposals, especially introducing more meaningful context, means we now have the potential to follow international cricket that is even more exciting.Further details of the one-day league, including a fixture list, will be announced in due course

Read More

ICC Test Championship

In October 2010, the ICC Board approved the recommendations from the ICC Chief Executives' Committee (CEC). These recommendations seek to give exciting content and context for international cricket within the Future Tours Programme after 2012 and also to consider future ICC events.The Board agreed that the should consist of a Test league to provide context for all Test matches and that the league would determine the top four teams to qualify for an ICC Test play-off.It also agreed that the play-off should be held once every four years to determine the Test champion team with a request to hold the first such play-off in 2013.ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: “Restructuring international cricket is a significant strategic challenge and one that must be dealt with. We have now agreed in principle to exciting and far-reaching proposals to tackle this most important issue.Achieving balance and unanimous agreement is not easy but we have responded well to a strategic priority to restructure international cricket. The proposals, especially introducing more meaningful context, means we now have the potential to follow international cricket that is even more exciting.

Read More

Top 10 All-Rounder -Test

                   BATSMAN-RATINGS  |  BOWLER-RATINGS  |  ALL-ROUNDER  |  ODI

 BATSMAN-RATINGS  |  BOWLER-RATINGS  |  ALL-ROUNDER  |  TEST

Top 10 All-Rounder -Test
ID	Rat.	Name	Career Best Rating
1	451	J.H. Kallis	616 v Pakistan, 26/12/2002
2	364	D.L. Vettori	412 v Pakistan, 11/12/2009
3	347	S.C.J. Broad	347 v India, 29/07/2011
4	338	Shakib Al Hasan	361 v England, 20/03/2010
5	315	S.R. Watson	321 v England, 16/12/2010
6	253	G.P. Swann	327 v Bangladesh, 12/03/2010
7	243	M.G. Johnson	384 v England, 08/07/2009
8	228	D.J.J. Bravo	295 v Australia, 12/06/2008
9	208	C.H. Gayle	282 v England, 04/02/2009
10	204	Harbhajan Singh	240 v West Indies, 20/06/2011

Read More

Bangladesh win toss, opt to field against Zimbabwe

HARARE: Bangladesh captain Shakib al Hassan won the toss and elected to field in the one off Test against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday.Zimbabwe are making their return to test cricket after a six year absence forced on them after their best players quit in a dispute in 2005.Teams Zimbabwe Brendan Taylor (capt), Hamilton Masakadza, Vusi Sibanda, Craif Ervine Elton Chigumbura, Tatenda Taibu, Kyle Jarvis, Tinotenda Mawoyo Raymond Price, Brian Vitori, Chris MpofuBangladesh Shakib al Hassan cap Tamim Iqbal Imrul Kayes Mohammad Ashraful Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim, Abdur Razzak, Shafiul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Shahriar Nafeez, Robiul IslamUmpires Kumar Dharmasina SRI Bruce Oxenford AUSTV umpire: Jeremiah Matibirir ZIM Match referee  Roshan Mahanama SRI

Read More

Celebrating a unique century

ICC Umpires and Referees Manager Vince van der Bijl shares his personal memories of Norman Gordon, who will become the first Test Match player to reach his 100th birthday on Saturday. Norman's energy, generosity, humility and strength of character are his hallmarks, culminating in him being the first ever Test cricketer to reach the real century on Saturday.He and my father, Pieter, played in the South Africa-England 1938/9 Test series which finished with the drawn Timeless Test in Durban. These were the only Tests Norman and Dad played - after the war, Norman was considered a little old and Dad had been injured and could not play competitive cricket again. Norman shared with me the stories of that great series and with humour always related his 1 for 256 bowling performance in the Timeless Test whenever we met. I initially had to look up the scorecards to realize that he had taken 19 wickets in the previous four Tests, (that he never mentioned) which included two five wicket hauls - no mean feat in your first international outing. He was a fine bowler and the highest wicket taker in that series from either team with 20 wickets.He shared with me the joy of his two five-wicket hauls in his first two TestsHe was tireless in that series, and the conversation invariably went to the Time less Test A milestone for my father who scored 125 and 97He spoke about the endless bowling and that he was very relieved on the 8th day when rain washed out play, so that he could gather strength and have a day off!. However he was concerned as the wicket, which had at last had started to deteriorate with cracks appearing, was then rolled with the heavy roller to good effect and became as flat as a road! Batting became easier and the England side started to take control He played a crucial role in the "final" day when England needing 200 runs to win, and had to catch the train to Cape Town, so they would not miss the mail ship, need to be curtailed. In the first session he crucially kept the runs down and bowled yet again without luck. Rain at tea in the afternoon produced a drawn match I treasure my conversations with Norman as he would share stories of my father and their relationship in that series, in my Dad's heyday, long before I was born. Those memories are indelibly printed within me  a special gift that Norman has given me.Bless you Norman and thank you. Have a glorious day

Read More

Lord Woolf to chair Independent Governance Review of ICC

The Right Honourable Lord Woolf of Barnes has agreed to chair the Independent Governance Review of the ICC and he will be supported in his work by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the renowned global professional services firm.Lord Woolf is one of the most respected figures in the legal world having been the Lord Chief Justice in England and Wales until 2005. Before then, he was Master of the Rolls between 1996 and 2000, the second most senior judge in England and Wales. He was also the first Lord Chief Justice to be the President of the Courts in England and Wales and in addition to his work in the United Kingdom, he has been on the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong since 2003 as well as the President of the Qatar Financial Centre Civil and Commercial Court since 2007 The ICC had identified the need for an independent governance review as one of the key initiatives in its new strategic plan 2011-2015 and it will commence immediately with a scope that includes the following 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, dealing appropriately with any potential conflicts of interest. This would include consideration of independent committee members and directors

  The ICC President nomination and election process · The Membership categories and criteria for membership The effectiveness of the regulatory environment The Constitutional framework and documents to ensure they are 'fit for purpose A review of the ICC Code of Ethics and the process for dealing with investigations into corruption and breaches of ethics by the ICC Ethics Officer.Making recommendations to establish the ICC as a well governed and leading global sporting organisation Haroon Lorgat, the ICC Chief Executive, said: "We truly aspire to be a well managed and leading global governing body and we are privileged to have Lord Woolf leading this most important governance review.There can be no doubt that, in Lord Woolf, the ICC Board has appointed a personality with enormous experience and reputation and by adding in the capability of PwC, it shows how seriously we are taking this exercise."Lord Woolf added: "It is a privilege to be invited to undertake this important review that has implications for the whole sport of cricket. I intend to conduct the independent review in a thorough and transparent manner that will draw on experiences and good practices from within and outside cricket.I will seek to deliver a report across the wide brief that I have been set as soon as is practicable, noting - of course - the need for effective consultation and the consideration of various viewpoints before any recommendations can be finalised."The review will commence with immediate effect and Lord Woolf will be working with PwC to determine a timeframe for the delivery of his report and recommendations. There will be no further public comment from ICC, PwC or Lord Woolf at this time.

Read More

Getting to No.1 isn't enough for England: Swann

Off-spinner Graeme Swann says that getting the number one spot won't be enough for England, at least for the current group of players.We want to create a dynasty, a long-term era of success and to be remembered as one of the best England teams ever. Reaching No 1 in the world is not the end of the journey. It will be only the beginning. We are not there yet, of course, and our prime objective at the moment is making sure we are fully focused for the Third Test at Edgbaston next Wednesday," Swann writes in his column for the Sun."Yet, we make no bones about wanting to be the top team and the exciting thing is the guys who are performing right now will be around for many years The likes of Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad and Ian Bell - who all played brilliantly in our win at Trent Bridge are well under the age of 30. It gives England the chance to be a top-side for a long time to come," adds Swann."We want to lay the foundation for a prolonged period at the summit. People talk all the time about the Australian team of the 1990s and the West Indies team of the 80s. I want people in future to talk about the England team of the teenies - or whatever this decade is called!""I do know we have huge self-belief and an incredible team spirit. That is key - there might have been England teams with better individuals but not many play better as a team. Even when we're in trouble, one or two players usually bail us out, he said

Read More

Australia Tour To Srilanka 2011

::..T20 INTERNATIONAL MATCHES..::
Date	Day	MATCH	Venue
06 August 2011	Sat	Australia v Sri Lanka, 1st T20	Pallekele
08 August 2011	Mon	Australia v Sri Lanka, 2nd T20	Pallekele

..::ONE DAY INTERNATIONAL MATCHES::..
Date	Day	Match	Venue
10 August 2011	Wed	Australia v Sri Lanka, 1st ODI	Pallekele
14 August 2011	Sun	Australia v Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI	Hambantota
16 August 2011	Tue	Australia v Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI	Hambantota
20 August 2011	Sat	Australia v Sri Lanka, 4th ODI	Colombo, RPS
22 August 2011	Mon	Australia v Sri Lanka, 5th ODI	Colombo, RPS

::...::...TEST MATCHES...::...::
Date	Day	MATCH	Venue
31-4Aug Sep 2011	Sat	Australia v Sri Lanka, 1st TEST	Galle
8-12 Sep,2011	Tue	Australia v Sri Lanka, 2nd TEST	Pallekele
16-20Sep,2011	Fri	Australia v Sri Lanka, 3rd TEST	Colombo, SSC

Read More

Taylor To Captain England Lions Against Sri Lankans

Leicestershire batsman James Taylor will captain England Lions when they play Sri Lanka 'A' in a four-day game in Scarborough which begins on 2nd August.The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has named a 12-man squad for the match with Taylor captaining for the first time, although he has led Leicestershire with distinction this summer when offered the opportunity.Five players - Joe Root, Alex Hales, Scott Borthwick, Stuart Meaker and Jack Brooks have been called up to the Lions squad for the first time while there is a core of experience including Ravi Bopara, Steven Finn and Chris Woakes, who have all represented England."The England Lions series against Sri Lanka A is an important opportunity for those younger players to gain valuable experience against international opposition and push for further involvement in England programmes this winter," national selector Geoff Miller said."The series will also give players a chance to press for inclusion in the upcoming NatWest Series against India."All players will return to their counties on conclusion of the 4 day match ahead of the Friends Life t20 quarter finals and the one day squad will meet on 10 August ahead of first match on 12 August.England Lions four-day squad: James Taylor (captain), Jonathan Bairstow, Ravi Bopara, Danny Briggs, Jade Dernbach, Alex Hales, James Harris, Craig Kieswetter, Stuart Meaker, Samit Patel, Joe Root Engalnd Lions one-day squad: James Taylor (captain), Jonathan Bairstow, Ravi Bopara, Scott Borthwick, Danny Briggs, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, James Harris, Stuart Meaker, Chris Nash, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes

Read More

England To Tour India, Sri Lanka, UAE This Winter

The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has revealed that England will tour India, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates - where they will play Pakistan this winter.They will travel to India to play five One-Day Internationals and a Twenty20 International, they will play three Tests, four ODIs and three T20Is against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and Dubai before two Tests in Sri Lanka in March and April.The limited overs leg of the Sri Lanka tour will be held in late 2014 while the final itinerary for the series against Pakistan in the UAE has yet to be finalised.We are very pleased to have agreed an itinerary with BCCI for the forthcoming one-day series which includes matches in India's major cities and will suit the needs of both the England team and our travelling supporters," David Collier, chief executive of the ECB said."With India due to play a NatWest Series here in September, there is bound to be intesse interest in the return contest in India this October and we look forward to what should be a fascinating series of one-day encounters between the two teams The remainder of the winter programme will see England travel to UAE early in the New Year to play Pakistan in all three formats of the game followed by a short break in the UK before the team takes on Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series India v England

8th October: Warm-up game, Hyderabad

11th October: Warm-up game, Hyderabad

14th October: 1st ODI, Hyderabad

17th October: 2nd ODI, Delhi

20th October: 3rd ODI, Mohali

23rd October: 4th ODI, Mumbai

26th October: 5th ODI, Kolkata

29th October: T20I, Kolkata

Sri Lanka v England

26th-30th March 2012: 1st Test, Galle,

3rd-7th April: 2nd Test, Colombo

Read More

England-West Indies T20 Details Confirmed

The Kia Oval will host two Twenty20 Internationals between England and the West Indies on 23rd and 25th September, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) have confirmed.The matches will take place a week after the conclusion of India's tour of England and will bring down the curtain on England's international summer.Surrey are delighted with the extra two international matches they get to host and they are keen to encourage as many people as possible to come and watch England - the reigning world champions - take on the West Indies."Surrey CCC is really pleased to be able to host these games at the Kia Oval in what will be a colourful and exciting end to the international summer," Richard Gould, Surrey chief executive said."T20 cricket is very popular at the Kia Oval, as we have seen this year, with record breaking crowds coming to see the Surrey Lions."We want both games to be played in a friendly party atmosphere with a large turnout from local residents in Lambeth and London, which is why tickets have been priced from only £25, with U16 tickets on sale for £1.

Read More

Harbhajan And Yuvraj Out Of Final Two Tests

Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and left-hand batsman Yuvraj Singh have both been ruled out of the remainder of the Test series in England.

Harbhajan has suffered a stomach muscle tear and Yuvraj a fractured finger and have been replaced by left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha and right-hand batsman Virat Kohli respectively.Harbhajan bowled just 13.4 overs during the 319-run defeat at Trent Bridge that leaves India 2-0 down with two games to play after he suffered a grade one lower abdominal tear while Yuvraj fractured his finger when he was hit by Tim Bresnan.While Yuvraj Singh’s injury may take around 4 weeks to recover, Harbhajan Singh is likely to recover in 3 weeks’ time," a statement from the Indian board (BCCI) said The All-India Senior Selection Committee has picked Virat Kohli and Pragyan Ojha as their replacements. Both players will join the Indian team at the earliest.India's tour has been beset by injuries with Gautam Gambhir (elbow) and Zaheer Khan (hamstring) missing the Trent Bridge Test.Gambhir has been cleared to play at Edgbaston and Virender Sehwag, who missed the start of the tour following a shoulder operation, has recently joined up with his team-mates.Before the Test match, India will play Northamptonshire in a two-day game which begins on Friday, 5th August.

Read More

Karachi Ramazan night cricket galore

KARACHI: The fresh wave of violence has not deterred the youth of the metropolis from playing night cricket during Ramzan. Miscreants in the city have managed to throw trade and industry in disarray, but they have not dampened the sporting spirit of the youth.Night cricket matches are being played all across the city which has become a tradition during the holy month of Ramzan. National cricketers are also participating in the inaugural Ramzan Night Cricket Tournament at the Asghar Ali Shah Stadium which proves that fear can be overcome by sports.Member of the Sindh Assembly and tournament organizer, Dr.Muhammed Ali Shah said that cricket could play a vital role in bringing people of different nationalities together. The traditional rush at the stadium during the inaugural match of the tournament was lackluster, however the fans present at the stadium were hopeful that as time passed things would improve.Other night cricket tournaments have been arranged during the month of Ramzan, where participation of star cricketers will help draw in crowds, notwithstanding the mayhem in the city

Read More

1st CorporateT20 Night Tournament

1ST CORPORATE T20 NIGHT TOURNAMENT
Sr. No	Match			Day	Date	Time	Status	Venue	Result
1	PIA	vs	NBP	Sat	Aug,6, 2011	10:00 PM		DHA Sports Club Moin Khan
2	HBL	vs	Port Qasim	Sun	Aug,7, 2011	10:00 PM		DHA Sports Club Moin Khan
3	Omer Associates	vs	Sayid Paper Mills	Mon	Aug,8, 2011	10:00 PM		DHA Sports Club Moin Khan
4	WAPDA	vs	KESC	Tue	Aug,9, 2011	10:00 PM		DHA Sports Club Moin Khan
5	NBP	vs	Sayid Paper Mills	Wed	Aug.10, 2011	10:00 PM		DHA Sports Club Moin Khan
6	HBL	vs	KESC	Thu	Aug,11, 2011	10:00 PM		DHA Sports Club Moin Khan
7	PIA	vs	Sayid Paper Mills	Fri	Aug,12, 2011	10:00 PM		DHA Sports Club Moin Khan
8	WAPDA	vs	Port Qasim	Sat	Aug,13, 2011	10:00 PM		DHA Sports Club Moin Khan
9	NBP	vs	Omer Associates	Sun	Aug,14, 2011	10:00 PM		DHA Sports Club Moin Khan
10	HBL	vs	WAPDA	Mon	Aug,15, 2011	10:00 PM		DHA Sports Club Moin Khan
11	PIA	vs	Omer Associates	Tue	Aug,16, 2011	10:00 PM		DHA Sports Club Moin Khan
12	Port Qasim	vs	KESC	Wed	Aug.17, 2011	10:00 PM		DHA Sports Club Moin Khan
13	1st Semi-Final			Thu	Aug,18, 2011	10:00 PM		DHA Sports Club Moin Khan
14	2nd Semi-Final			Fri	Aug,19, 2011	10:00 PM		DHA Sports Club Moin Khan
15	FINAL			Sat	Aug,20, 2011	10:00 PM		DHA Sports Club Moin Khan

Read More

Hamid puts Afghanistan on top with devastating spell

A brilliant spell of fast bowling from Afghanistan’s Hamid Hassan ensured that there was a dramatic finish to the opening day's play of the ICC Intercontinental Cup match against Canada in Toronto.Replying to Afghanistan's 293 all out, Hamid destroyed Canada's top order with four wickets before the close of play, leaving him with impressive figures of 4-12 off just six overs.All top four of Canada's batting order were dismissed with Gunasekera, Patel, Gordon and Surkari all out before the end of play.Earlier in the day's play, the defending champions had recovered from 24-2 and 151-6 to record a respectable 293 all out.Samiullah Shenwari once again rescued Afghanistan's top order with an excellent display of middle-order batting, cracking 12 boundaries in his innings of 70. Mirwais Ashraf, with whom Samiullah added 74 for the seventh wicket, made an excellent 48, as Canada's attack shared the wickets around their four main bowlers

Read More

England's domination becoming almost predictable

Once a word used to deride England's cricketers, "predictable" is fast becoming a badge of honour that captain Andrew Strauss and his squad can wear with pride.Two crushing test victories over India, the second coming in a rush of wickets at Trent Bridge on Monday, have put England on the brink of the top ranking in the five-day format of the game and talk of "domination" is in the air.While there have been many false dawns, the momentous 2005 Ashes win over Australia being one of them, the riches available to Strauss and manager Andy Flower suggest the D word is not out of place.In fast bowlers James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Chris Tremlett and off-spinner Graeme Swann, England have an attack full of potency while Tim Bresnan showed in taking five wickets to skittle India for 158 that Strauss has the kind of back-up options that are the envy of the world.What India would have done for a bowler of Bresnan's quality as they toiled in the heat with the game slipping away from them on Sunday afternoon.Wicketkeeper Matt Prior has improved beyond measure with the gloves and his batting is now approaching the heights reached by great Australian Adam Gilchrist in the all-conquering sides captained by Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting.Although openers Strauss and Alastair Cook are struggling for runs, the batting order rarely collapses like a house of cards these days and the tailenders regularly score heavily.Bresnan and Broad contributed 209 runs to England's cause at Trent Bridge, a key factor in the 319-run victory which left the hosts 2-0 up and top-ranked India staring at a demoralising rout. COMMON CAUSE Kevin Pietersen has put his ego to one side and emerged as a batsman who can dig in for the common cause while Ian Bell, with a test average of 47, is world class.Comparisons with the swaggering Australian teams for whom victory was almost a pre-requisite are not misplaced, especially when considering the fringe players who have proved consistently that they can come in and feed off the confidence within the ranks.England have won seven of their last eight test series. That should soon become eight from nine and although matching the domination of Australia, who between 2000 and 2008 lost just two series, is unlikely, they certainly look like the team to be measured against for the forseeable future.It is all a far cry from the days of tortoise-like scoring rates followed by rapid collapses, scatter-gun bowling and sloppy fielding which drew scorn from Down Under.Shane Warne, once the tormentor of England's batsman, sees many similarities with the Australian sides he played in."When Australia were on top and dominating world cricket, the things we wanted to do were score fast, take the game away from the opposition and intimidate the tail," Warne wrote in the Daily Telegraph on Tuesday. "England are doing all those things and showing the qualities that will make them No. 1."Warne said there were no obvious weaknesses in England's squad and like Australia of old, someone would make runs or take wickets at the important moments."England are not carrying anyone," he said. "When you become No.1 side in the world it is all about depth.Former England captain Nasser Hussain heaped praise on Strauss's team. "There is just no weak link," he said. "They are the best England team I have ever seen. They are an amazing set of players I think England are now realising that they are embarking on what might become a very special journey.

Read More