Asif admits spending tough time in London jail

LONDON: Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Asif said he was 'surprised' when he was found guilty by the jury at Southwark Crown Court after the spot fixing trial in November last year, after which he was sent to prison alongside fellow players Salman Butt and Muhammad Amir.
In his exclusive interview to Geo News and Jang Group of Newspapers after his release from Canterbury Prison in Kent on Thursday, the former world number two Test fast bowler expressed his joy at being released and not being deported to Pakistan, vowing that he was determined to clear his name and be back on the field again. “I couldn’t believe that I was found guilty by the jury,” said the ace cricketer who vehemently denies any part in the spot-fixing that rocked the world of cricket.
Accompanied by Ravi Sukul of Balham Chambers, who is dealing with Asif’s criminal conviction appeal in the UK, and Savita Sukul of SJS Solicitors, who argued successfully against Asif’s deportation to Pakistan and is in conduct of the International Cricket council ban, Asif expressed his resolve that his legal team will look into any “legal errors” in his case and will attempt to redress the legal mistakes. Asif said he will not speak about any matter which will prejudice his upcoming appeals and would prefer his legal team to deal with such matters. “I am hopeful that I will come out of the problem that I found myself in unwittingly.”
At the Southwark Crown Court former Test captain Salman Butt, 27, was jailed for two and a half years for his role as the "orchestrator" of a plot to bowl deliberate no-balls in the2010 Lord's Test against England; Mohammad Amir, 19, who had been tipped to become one of the all-time great fast bowlers, was given six-month sentence.
Mazhar Majeed, 36, the London-based sports agent at the heart of the fixing scandal, was jailed for two years and eight months.
Asif said he was able to serve half a12-month sentence for his part in the spot-fixing scam by keeping himself busy in the gym and by regularly playing football and badminton.
Simple, easy going and professional, Asif continues to plead that he had nothing to do with the spot-fixing scam and he found himself caught with the fellow players only by association.
“Thanks to Almighty Allah. I am out from the prison. I am really happy, I have seen very hard time,” said the genius bowler.
Asif saw his release as a landmark step as he begins a new battle to clear his name. He thanked his fans and well-wishers for standing by him in the time of trials and tribulations. “I am so happy I have fans who are still supporting me in this way, through social media. I am in touch with them. They wanted to see me on the ground playing again.”
Looking relaxed, jolly and in super-fit shape, Muhammad Asif described how difficult in the beginning it was at the prison, which is reserved for foreign national criminals, who are normally deported soon after the completion of their sentencing.
The ace cricketer didn’t play much cricket in the prison because there were not many Cricket-supporting facilities but concentrated on staying fit by playing badminton and football. “These 6 months were difficult. Canterbury has a lot of foreign national prisoners but it has lots of gym and supporting facilities. We got ourselves busy and the time passed. We played football and badminton and used gym regularly. I trained regularly and I am in good shape now. The staff in the Canterbury were very supportive.”
Asif paid tribute to his family for supporting him and having faith in him, especially his father Hassan Deen, who has defiantly defended his son, and his loyal wife. “My family has been brilliant. No other family can defend the way they did it. My father has provided crucial support to me at a very difficult time. They took charge of a very difficult situation and all is fine. When in prison, I remained in touch with my family and my legal team.”
Answering a question on how he plans to regain his once glorious skill and ability to play the first class cricket, Asif remarked: “A fish will never forget how to swim. A bowler doesn’t forget how to bowl well. I have maintained fitness and I will try my best to keep up with this level of fitness. I am thankful to all those who have prayed for me. I would like to be back in the ground playing and I hope my fans will soon see me back. I would like my fans and well-wishers to continue praying for me,” said Asif with confidence.
Asif said the credit for successfully convincing the Home Office to let him stay in the United Kingdom and launch the appeals went to his legal team. “The support offered by my legal team was brilliant. They made me feel comfortable when I was in prison. I would wish to have many dedicated supporters like this. Times good and bad pass but I have been able to recognise who is with me and who is not."

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Mumbai record sensational one-run win over Pune

PUNE: Mumbai Indians restricted Pune Warriors to 119-6 in 20 overs to record a sensational one-run victory in a low-scoring match of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2012) here at the Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium on Thursday.
Chasing 121, Pune needed four runs off the final ball of the innings but could manage only two runs.
Mithun Manhas top scored with an unbeaten 42 while no other batsman could make any significant contribution.
For Mumbai, captain Harbhajan Singh and Sri Lankan fast bowler Lasith Malinga claimed two wickets each for 18 and 25, respectively.
Earlier, Mumbai Indians batted first after winning the toss and could make 120 runs for the loss of nine wickets in the allotted 20 overs.
Star batsman Sachin Tendulkar was the highest scorer with 34, followed by 25 by New Zealand’s James Franklin and 18 not out by Dinesh Karthik.
For Pune Warriors, seamers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ashish Nehra took two wickets each for nine and 19, respectively.
Geo Super, Pakistan’s first sports tv channel, showed this low-scoring thrilling match live from Pune.

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Gayle open to Windies return after snubbing Somerset

LONDON: Flamboyant opener Chris Gayle has scrapped his deal with English county Somerset to make himself available for West Indies after ending his year-long dispute with the cricket board.

Gayle has not been part of the West Indies team since his attack on the board in a radio interview in April last year and was not picked in the Test squad for the three-match series against England starting next month.

The 32-year-old left-hander, currently playing for the Bangalore franchise of the Indian Premier League (IPL), is now eyeing a place in the three one-dayers and a Twenty20 international that follow the England Tests.

"I have written to Somerset CC and advised them that I will not be honouring the commitment I made to them when I signed a contract with them for the 2012 Friends Provident Championship," Gayle said in a statement.

"I have now satisfied all of the requests of the WICB (West Indies Cricket Board) and their selection panel... and to whom I reiterated previous assurances given to the board regarding my availability.

"So that there is no doubt, I confirmed to the selectors that I was available for West Indies duty in all forms of cricket, immediately following the conclusion of my contractual obligations to my IPL franchise, Royal Challengers Bangalore." (Reuters)

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Asif’s father says release ends pain

SHEIKHUPURA: The father of former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Asif said his son's release from prison Thursday had brought an end to six months of pain for his family and backed the paceman to return to the game.
Asif, 29, was freed from jail in Britain after serving half of a 12-month sentence over a spot-fixing scandal and was taken by his friend Mohammad Haroon to his house in suburban London.
In the Pakistani village of Machikay, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the eastern city of Lahore, Asif's family voiced relief at his release.
"I have spent these six months in pain but I am sure that it's over now," his father Hasan Deen, a farmer, told AFP. "I have not talked to him for seven months but I am happy that his difficult days are over."
Pakistan's captain for the infamous Lord's Test, Salman Butt, is still serving a 30-month term while bowler Mohammad Aamer was released in February this year after completing half of his six months in a youth prison.
"My son is a lion and lived as a lion even in the jail. He has not played for two years but I am sure that if he comes on the field he will shock everyone with his bowling," said Deen, busy supervising the wheat crop on his fields.
Asif's lawyer Ravi Sukul said Asif had begun an appeal against his criminal conviction and will soon proceed with an appeal against his seven-year ICC ban in the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Asif's brother Ashraf said the whole village was eagerly anticipating his return and insisted he was an innocent party in the scandal.
"We strongly believe that Asif didn't do anything wrong, because he was so good at cricket that he was trapped by some people," said Ashraf. "I am sure that he will play again."
Deen said he felt no anger towards his son despite his involvement in one of the most shameful episodes in the history of Pakistani cricket.
"I am not angry with him, why should I be? He will be welcomed back home and if he wants to play cricket I will not stop him," said Deen

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No ticket to Ryder in New Zealand squad for Windies

WELLINGTON: Troubled batsman Jesse Ryder was omitted Thursday from New Zealand's 15-man Test squad to tour the West Indies, with South Africa-born paceman Neil Wagner one of two new faces in the line-up.
Despite some strong performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Ryder remains on the outer with New Zealand selectors after a string of alcohol-fuelled incidents, most recently after a one-dayer in Napier in March.
The 27-year-old, who has also fought a well-publicised battle with his weight, took a break from the game after the Napier indiscretion, then set off
for India to play in the IPL with a clinical psychologist in tow.
The therapy appears to have paid off, with Ryder averaging a respectable 32 for the Pune Warriors to stand 17th on the overall IPL runs tally.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) did not address Ryder's absence in a statement announcing the squad, but chief executive David White spelled out the selectors' position last week, saying a recall was "a fair way" off.
"He needs to do a lot of work on a lot of things like fitness, attitude and be exemplary off the park," White said.
Wagner and leg-spinner Tarun Nethula were the only uncapped players in the squad for two Tests against the West Indies, the first in Antigua starting July 25 and the second in Kingston from August 2.
Wagner was rushed straight into the squad after meeting residential eligibility criteria following his move from South Africa in 2008.
National selection manager Kim Littlejohn said the 26-year-old was an exciting prospect who had performed well in the domestic competition and earned an opportunity at Test level.
Wagner joins another South Africa native, Kruger van Wyk, in the New Zealand Test squad after he made his debut for the Black Caps against the touring Proteas in March.
The West Indies trip will be coach John Wright's last tour in charge after he announced earlier this week he was resigning following tensions with NZC's
director of cricket John Buchanan.
The Test series will follow five one-dayers in the West Indies, plus two Twenty20 internationals, which will be played in the US state of Florida on June 30 and July 1.
New Zealand's 15-man Test squad for the tour of the West Indies starting in July:
Ross Taylor (captain), Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, Daniel Flynn, Mark Gillespie, Martin Guptill, Chris Martin, Brendon McCullum, Tarun Nethula, Kruger van Wyk, Daniel Vettori, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson.

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IPL: Punjab win after tough fight by Bangalore

BANGALORE: A six by Pyush Chawla off pen-ultimate ball of the innings made Kings XI Punjab emerge victorious after Royal Challengers Bangalore gave a tough fight in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday.
Chasing 159 to win, Punjab were looking set to achieve victory with ease as they needed only 12 runs in 12 balls but they found it very difficult after losing three quick wickets.
However, they managed 163 for six in 19.5 overs to reach the third spot on points table.
The main scorers were Nitin Saini (50 from 36 balls with five fours), Australian David Hussey (45 from 29 balls with four sixes and two fours) and Mandeep Singh 43(from 30 balls with six fours and a six).
Australia’s fast-medium bowler Andrew McDonald took two wickets for 25 runs.
Earlier, Royal Challengers Bangalore were sent into bat by Kings XI Punjab captain Hussey and restricted to 158-5 in the allotted 20 overs.
West Indies’star batsman Chris Gayle top scored with 71 off 42 balls. He hit four sixes and six fours adding 119 runs for the second wicket partnership with Virat Kohli, who contributed 45 with three fours and two sixes.
Pakistan allrounder Azhar Mahmood captured three wickets for 20 runs.

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Daley breaks into the top five women's all-rounders' list

West Indies' Shanel Daley has broken into the top five women's all-rounders' list in the Reliance ICC Women's ODI Rankings which were released at the conclusion of the three-match ODI series between West Indies and Sri Lanka women. The West Indies women won the series 2-1.

Daley, who entered in the series in eighth position, has jumped four places to fourth position after finishing as the leading run-getter with 150 runs which was backed up by six wickets at an average of 14 per wicket.

Her 150 runs, which included two half-centuries, gave her a jump of 14 places in the batters' table and has put her just outside the top 20 in 22nd position while her performance with the ball has given her a ranking of 11th (up by two places).

Other players to head in the right direction include West Indies batter and captain Merissa Aguilleira in 12th position (up by five places), and bowlers Anisa Mohammed in sixth spot (up by one place) and Shakera Selman in 17th position (up by four places).

Chamani Seneviratna inspired Sri Lanka to a one-wicket victory in the second ODI when she scored 36 and bagged 3-27. The right-hander finished the series in 54th batting (up by 12 places), 18th bowling (up by one place) and 21st all-rounders' spots (up by six places).

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West Indies Women win first T20I against Sri Lanka Women

Shanel Daley continued her strong all round performance to help West Indies Women win the first T20I against Sri Lanka Women in Barbados on Tuesday. The 23-year-old left-hander struck a career-best 48 off 28 balls to help steer her side to 127 for 7 off the twenty overs. Returning with the ball, Daley was one of five wicket takers for her side.

West Indies Women, led by Stafanie Taylor, won the toss and elected to bat. Openers Taylor and Juliana Nero got the team off to a steady start, until Taylor was caught and bowled by ChamaniSeneviratne on 13. This brought big hitters DeandraDottin and then Daley to the crease. In her 28-ball 48, Daley struck four fours and one six.

ShashikalaSiriwardena was the leading wicket taker for Sri Lanka, taking two wickets for 12 runs.

Sri Lanka Women replied with 104-8 off their 20 overs.Opener PrasadaniWeerakkodi scored a measured 29 off 41 balls, before being run out by Daly. ShashikalaSiriwardena showed off her all round capabilities, hitting 33 off 24 balls, including three fours and one six.

The best bowlers for West Indies Women were Anisa Mohammed and Stafanie Taylor, who each took two wickets. West Indies Women won by 23 runs, and take a 1-0 series lead. The Player of the Match award went to Shanel Daley (West Indies).

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Asif to be released tomorrow, saved from Pakistan deportation

LONDON: Pakistan's former fast bowler Mohammad Asif will walk free tomorrow morning (Thursday) from Britain's Canterbury Prison after completing his one-year sentence for alleged spot-fixing during the 2010 Lord's Test match against England, Geo News can exclusively reveal.
Savita Sukul of the SJS Solicitors - Asif's lawyer in charge of his immigration matters and his appeal against the International Cricket Council (ICC) ban - succeeded in finally convincing the Home Office through competent representations on Tuesday afternoon that Asif should not be deported to Pakistan and should be admitted to bail in his own right.
It can be revealed that Muhammad Asif has been allowed by the Home Office to remain in the UK not only to pursue his appeal against the spot-fixing convictions but as a result of his lawful rights to reside in the UK until his appeal is completed against his conviction as those convictions are not final until they have been sanctioned by the highest court in the land.
Asif's Barrister Ravi Sukul, who is dealing with the conviction appeal told Geo News in an exclusive interview: "In a matter of hours, Asif will bed released and I am proud to say that. His release from the Canterbury Prison is imminent. We look forward to seeing him. He will assist us with his fight to restore what was once a brilliant reputation that he had."
It can also be disclosed that Asif will stay with his friend Muhammad Haroon, Asif's friend and Britain's first Asian level-4 cricket coach who is based in Peterborough.
Ravi Sukul explained that the grounds that supported Asif's bail application were prepared and submitted by his solicitor Savita Sukul. Those grounds argued that the former ICC top Ranking test fast bowler is a man of international popularity who should be allowed freedom and the authorities should have no fear of him absconding or not attending the court. "It's on common sense basis. Those fears should not be engaged by the prosecution or by the police. There is nothing in his record that could indicate that that will not abide by the court's directions. These representations persuaded the Home Office to make a decision that Asif will be a free man once he leaves the doors of the Canterbury prison," said ravi Sukul, a well-known criminal barrister.
Speaking about the next phase of the battle to help his client clear his name, Ravi said that he will now perfect the grounds of appeal against the conviction under English law. "I need to convince three Judges sitting in the Court of Appeal that Asif's convictions are unsafe. I can continue my efforts to do that now in a meaningful way as I will have Asif next to me, assisting me with several technical aspects of the appeal. Hopefully the judges sitting in that court may allow the appeal and quash his convictions."
Ravi believed that certain procedures may not have been applied during the trial to Asif's benefit which could have persuaded the jury to come to a different conclusion. It's the absence of those matters that has made me come to the conclusion that this trial may been a travesty of justice. The Court of Appeal may hear evidence which was not put before the jury."
Ravi said Asif is the kind of man who bowls no ball more regularly than other pace bowlers because of the type of bowler that he is. This is a mathematical fact. He was expected to bowl two no balls at Lords on mathematics principles, which is exactly what he did.
There is other evidence that could be admitted which explain the full dynamics of fast bowling, and the legitimate reasons why a bowler would innocently overstep the bowling crease"
He said Amir's guilty plea "could have" affected the decision on Asif depending on how the jury considered Amir's guilty. The legal significance of that plea is that Amir admitted he had conspired with other people. It may be that the jury linked Amir with Asif during their deliberations.
Upon hearing the news that he has been granted bail in the UK, said Ravi, some semblance of natural emotion came to Asif. "He was thankful. He has been in prison since November and was expected to be put in the Home office custody and the news that he will be a free man to walk the streets and be with his friends is indeed a pleasant news for him, his family and his supporters to whom he expressed his thanks."

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Pietersen exits IPL as Clarke makes debut

NEW DELHI: England batting star Kevin Pietersen flew home on Wednesday after a highly successful stint in the Indian Premier League as Australia captain Michael Clarke made his debut in the Twenty20 tournament.
Pietersen, who left midway through the league to prepare for England's home series against the West Indies, scored 305 runs at an average of 61.00 in his first season with the Delhi Daredevils.
He played eight matches for the top-of-the table side, featuring a brilliant innings of 103 not out off 64 balls against the Deccan Chargers on April 19.
Pietersen, who had in the past played for Royal Challengers Bangalore, will miss the last six league matches.
"Sad day leaving India today," the England star tweeted. "Will be back soon. Special thanks to Delhi Daredevils. And another thank you to the people of India.
Clarke, who had shunned the four previous editions of the cash-rich tournament, signed up with the Pune Warriors this year for an undisclosed amount to play after Australia's recent tour of the West Indies.
The Australian skipper shrugged off jetleg after the long journey from the Caribbean to strike 41 off 31 balls on Tuesday night, but could not prevent Pune from suffering a 13-run loss at the hands of bottom-placed Deccan Chargers in Cuttack.
Clarke has six more league games to help Pune, led by former India captain Sourav Ganguly, finish among the top four in the nine-team competition and qualify for the play-offs.
Pune, owned by the Sahara group, are currently lying seventh in the table with four wins and six defeats.
"Clarke is a class act and it's great to have him with us," said Ganguly, whose international career featured many fierce, competitive clashes with the Australians.

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Deccan beat Pune to record second win in IPL

CUTTACK: Deccan Chargers defeated Pune Warriors by 13 runs to achieve their second victory from their nine matches in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL-2012) here at the Barabati Stadium on Tuesday.
Chasing a difficult target of 187, Pune Warriors could make 173 for five in the allotted 20 overs.
Their main scorers were Australian Steven Smith (47 not out), captain Sourav Ganguly (45) and Australia’s Michael Clarke (41).
Clarke, fresh from the tour of the West Indies where he led Australia in a 2-0 series win, was playing his first match in the IPL tournament.
Earlier, Deccan Chargers piled up a big total of 186 runs for the loss of four wickets in 20 overs after their captain Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and decided to bat first.
Leading from the front, Sri Lankan Sangakkara top scored with 82 from 52 balls with ten fours and two sixes whereas Australian Cameron White made 74 off 45 balls with four boundaries and as many sixes.
Both added 157 – a new IPL record for the third wicket partnership, eclipsing 152 runs between M Vijay and Albie Morkel for Chennai Super Kings against Rajasthan Royals at Chennai in 2010.

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Cricket: Coach backs Ponting for Ashes

SYDNEY: Australia coach Mickey Arthur Tuesday backed veteran batsman Ricky Ponting to be a key figure in next year's Ashes series in England, saying the former skipper was "not going anywhere".

Australia are fresh from a successful 2-0 tour of the West Indies but Michael Clarke's men have no further Tests until their home series against South Africa in November.

Ponting was dumped from Australia's one-day international squad in February, meaning he will not be playing much cricket in the lead-up to South Africa.

But Arthur moved to quash speculation that the 37-year-old champion run-maker could be leaving the team.

"I know there was a lot of media pressure and talk around Ricky, but Ricky's not going anywhere," Arthur said on his return from the West Indies.

"We hope Ricky's scoring enough runs to go to the Ashes in England.

"Ricky is definitely no way considering retiring, I wouldn't have thought from my conversations with him, and he'll be fit and ready to go against South Africa."

Ponting has played 165 Tests over 17 years and is Australia's all-time top run-maker, but his position has come under scrutiny.

Despite tough conditions in the West Indies, he helped put Australia in a commanding position in the third and final Test but his highest score on the tour was just 57.

That innings ended in bizarre fashion when he ducked under a Kemar Roach bouncer but left his bat sticking up like a periscope, only for the ball to hit it and fling a catch to Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

"I feel sorry for the bloke because he has been batting beautifully and again it will give ammunition to some bloody journalist back home," his partner at the crease Ed Cowan said after the match.

Arthur said difficult conditions and unlucky circumstances affected Ponting's run total of 146 over the three Tests in the West Indies at an average of 24.33.

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Delhi down Rajasthan to consolidate position in IPL

JAIPUR: Delhi Daredevils easily defeated Rajasthan Royals by six wickets with 28 balls remaining in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League.
The second match on Tuesday was played here at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
Delhi Daredevils reached the target with ease in 15.2 overs after restricting Rajasthan Royals to 141-6 in the allotted 20 overs, due to accurate bowling by left-arm spinner Pawan Negi who bagged four wickets for 18 runs.
Captain Virender Sehwag hit another half-century as he scored 73 from 38 balls with twelve fours and a six while Kevin Pietersen of England made 36.
Both batsmen added 96 runs for the second wicket stand after Delhi lost Mahela Jayawardene for no score at the board.
Brad Hogg took two wickets for Rajasthan.
Earlier, captain Rahul Dravid (57) and Ajinkya Rahane (42) provided a solid start of 71 runs but other batsmen could not utilize the opening stand in their team’s favour.from Jaipur.

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Cricket: New Zealand coach Wright to resign

WELLINGTON: New Zealand coach John Wright will step down from the national side in August after rejecting an offer to extend his contract, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive David White said Tuesday.

In a move White described as "disappointing", he said Wright will leave the Black Caps after the upcoming tour of the West Indies.

"John has been an outstanding servant for cricket in New Zealand over a long time and it is disappointing to lose someone of his calibre," White said in a statement.

"We were keen to see him continue his head coach role, however understand and respect his decision to look for another challenge."

A gritty former opening batsman and one-time India coach, Wright took over a Black Caps outfit in disarray and guided them to the semi-finals of last year's World Cup, as well as a rare Test win over Australia in Hobart.

The statement gave no reason for Wright's departure, although he has reportedly had a tense relationship with Australian John Buchanan, who was appointed NZC's director of cricket in April last year.

"I appreciate the offer to extend my contract but after much consideration I feel it's the right time to move on and look at other opportunities," Wright said in the statement.

No immediate replacement was announced.

"We are keen to fill this critical role as soon as possible but are conscious that we need to take the time to find the right candidate who can take us through to the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup," White said.

New Zealand will tour the West Indies in July and early August.

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Tendulkar 'MP' says cricket comes first

NEW DELHI: Batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar said Tuesday he was "honoured" to be nominated to India's parliament but stressed that cricket would remain his priority as long as he keeps playing.
Last week, Tendulkar was offered one of the 12 seats in the upper house of parliament that are reserved for those who have distinguished themselves in various fields such as the arts, sciences or social services.
"When you get nominated because of your contribution in your field, it's an honour. I was excited to be nominated," Tendulkar, 39, told a televised press function in Pune in western India. "I don't think I will stop (playing) cricket and go straight into politics. I will keep playing cricket. Cricket is my life and will always be," he added.
Tendulkar has not formally accepted his nomination, but such honours are rarely handed out without the prior agreement of the nominee. It is unclear exactly when Tendulkar might take up his seat.
The "Little Master's" nomination had raised many eyebrows across India, with some questioning how the publicly apolitical cricketer could balance his sporting commitments with his duties as an MP.
Tendulkar has played more Tests (188) and one-day internationals (463) than any other player since his debut in 1989. He is the highest run-getter in both forms of the game and last month became the first batsman to complete 100 international centuries -- 51 in Tests and 49 in one-dayers.

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IPL: Kolkata beat Chennai by five wickets

CHENNAI: Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Chennai Super Kings by five wickets with two balls remaining in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL-2012) here at the M A Chidambaram Stadium on Monday.
Chasing 140, Kolkata lost five wickets to reach the winning target in 19.4 overs to reach the second place on the points table with 14 points – just one point behind Delhi Daredevils.
Captain Gautam Gambhir top scored with 63 while South Africa’s star allrounder Jacques Kallis made 26 after taking two wickets for 21.
Earlier, Chennai Super Kings captain Mahinder Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first.
However, they were restricted to 139 runs for five wickets in the allotted 20 overs.
Their main scorers were Suresh Raina (44) and Dhoni (34 not out).

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England extend overseas qualifying period to seven years

LONDON: England, who regularly include several overseas-born cricketers in their test team, have extended the qualifying period for players from four to seven years. Players who start living in England or Wales after their 18th birthday will now need to complete a residence period of seven consecutive years, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement on Monday.

However the ECB also said it could reduce qualification to four years, at its own discretion, for players from countries who are not full members of the International Cricket Council.

Cricketers who start living in England and Wales before their 18th birthday need only serve a four-year residency.

Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott, Matt Prior and captain Andrew Strauss, who were all born in South Africa, featured in England's second-test victory over Sri Lanka in Colombo at the start of April.

Pietersen, 31, was involved in the most high-profile switch of international allegiance.

He decided to quit South Africa at the start of his career in protest at a racial-quota system he felt was hindering his prospects.

Soon after completing the qualification process, Pietersen made his test debut in the series victory over Australia in 2005 that helped England regain the Ashes after an 18-year wait.

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IPL: Chennai and Kolkata clash today

CHENNAI: Chennai Super Kings will face Kolkata Night Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL-2012) today
The match will start in the afternoon at 3.30 P.M (Pakistan Time).
Delhi Daredevils top the list with 14 points to its credit, while Kolkata Night Riders with 11 points and Mumbai Indians with 9 points trailing behind.
Geo Super is televising all the matches of this event live

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Pakistan’s Sri Lanka tour itinerary announced

COLOMBO: Pakistan will tour Sri Lanka next month for three Tests, five one-day internationals and two Twenty20 games, Sri Lanka Cricket said on Monday.

The Pakistanis will kick off the six-week tour with two Twenty20 matches in the southern port town of Hambantota on June 1 and June 3.

The first two one-day internationals will be played in Pallekele on June 7 and June 9, followed by the remaining three at the Premadasa stadium in Colombo on June 13, 16 and 18.

The three back-to-back Tests will be held in Galle (June 22-26), the Sinhalese sports club in Colombo (June 30-July 4) and Pallekele (July 8-12).

Pakistan last toured Sri Lanka in 2009 where they lost the Test series 2-0. The two sides met in the United Arab Emirates last year where Pakistan won both the Test and one-day series and also clinched the lone Twenty20 international.

Tour itinerary: June 1: First Twenty20 international, Hambantota, June 3: Second Twenty20 international, Hambantota, June 7: First one-dayer, Pallekele June 9: Second one-dayer, Pallekele June 13: Third one-dayer, Colombo, June 16: Fourth one-dayer, Colombo June 18: Fifth one-dayer, Colombo June 22-26: First Test, Galle, June 30-July 4: Second Test, Colombo, July 8-12: Third Test, Pallekele.

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IPL: Chennai and Kolkata clash today

CHENNAI: Chennai Super Kings will face Kolkata Night Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL-2012) today, Geo News reported.

The match will start in the afternoon at 3.30 P.M (Pakistan Time).

Delhi Daredevils top the list with 14 points to its credit, while Kolkata Night Riders with 11 points and Mumbai Indians with 9 points trailing behind.

Geo Super is televising all the matches of this event live.

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IPL: Mumbai beat Deccan in low-scoring match

MUMBAI: Mumbai Indians defeated Deccan Chargers by five wickets in a low-scoring match in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League here at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.

Now, Mumbai Indians went to third position with ten points whereas Deccan Chargers remained on bottom of the points table.

Deccan Chargers were bowled out for 100 in 18.4 overs after Mumbai captain Harbhajan Singh won the toss and put them into bat.

Sri Lankan fast bowler Lasith Malinga was the main destroyer who captured four wickets for 16 runs while off-spinner Harbhajan and left-arm fast-medium bowler from New Zealand claimed two wickets each for 13 and 18, respectively.

Shikhar Dhawan (29) and South African Jean-Paul Duminy (25) were the main scorers for Deccan.

Then, Mumbai achieved the easy target of 101 in 18.1 overs losing five wickets as Rohit Sharma top scored with 42.

South African fast bowler Dale Steyn took two wickets for 10 runs.

Geo Super televised this match live from Mumbai.

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Delhi snatch one-run thrilling win against Rajasthan

DELHI: Delhi Daredevils recorded a thrilling one-run victory against Rajasthan Royals in a nail-biting finish in the Indian Premier League season – V here at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium on Sunday.

Needing 12 runs to win in the final over with eight wickets in hand and Ajinkya Rahane on 75, Rajasthan could not make it against some intelligent bowling from Umesh Yadav and finished at 151-3 in 20 overs.

Rahane remained not out on 84 as he hit nine fours and a six in his 63-ball innings. He along with his captain Rahul Dravid (40) made 99 runs for the first wicket partnership.

Earlier, Delhi scored 152 for six in the allotted 20 overs after their captain Virender Sehwag won the toss and opened the innings.

He led from the front and smashed 63 off 39 balls with eight fours and two sixes. He was followed by Yogesh Nagar (27) and new Zealand’s Ross Taylor (25).

Sehwag and Taylor added 80 runs for the third wicket stand.

For Rajasthan, pacemen Pankaj Singh and Amit Singh claimed two wickets each.

Geo Super, Pakistan’s first sports tv channel showed this match live from Delhi.

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IPL: Two matches today

DELHI: Two matches will be played in the Indian Premier League (IPL-2012) today, Geo News reported.

Delhi Daredevils and Rajasthan Royals will lock horn in the first match, which will start in the afternoon at 3.30 P.M. (Pakistan Time).

In the second match Mumbai Indians will be facing Deccan Chargers. This will start in the night at 7.30 P.M. (Pakistan Time).

Delhi Daredevils with 12 points to its credit stand on the top, while Kolkata Night Riders with 11 points trailing behind.

Geo Super is televising all matches of this event live.

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IPL: Kolkata outplay Bangalore by 47 runs

KOLKATA: Kolkata Knight Riders crushed Royal Challenger Bangalore by 47 runs in the season five of the Indian Premier League here at the Eden Gardens on Saturday.

The Knight Riders amassed 190 runs for the loss of four wickets in the allotted 20 overs after captain Gautam Gambhir won the toss.

Gambhir leading from the front smashed 93 from 51 balls with five sixes and nine fours whereas New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum made 43 with eight boundaries and South Africa’s Jacques Kallis scored 41 in 27 balls with three sixes and a four.

For the Royal Challengers, R Vinay Kumar took two wickets for 31 runs.

In reply, Bangalore could make 143 for six despite a blazing innings by West Indies’ Chris Gayle who struck six sixes and seven fours in his 58-ball 86.

Kallis claimed two wickets for 31 runs for Kolkata.

Geo Super showed this high-scoring match live from the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

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IPL: Clarke looks to make IPL impact under Ganguly

ROSEAU, Dominica: Michael Clarke headed for his first stint in the Indian Premier League on Friday, insisting that he was looking forward to playing under former India skipper Sourav Ganguly.

Clarke masterminded Australia's 2-0 Test series win in the West Indies, taking his record as national team captain since succeeding Ricky Ponting last year to nine wins, three draws and two defeats.

But at the Pune Warriors, he will have to play under Ganguly whose international career featured a number of fierce, competitive clashes with the Australians.

"I think that Sourav's always been a nice guy. I've always got along with him well and I look forward to playing under him," said Clarke, after Australia beat West Indies by 75 runs in the third and final Test.

"It seems like he's doing a really good job as captain-coach over there and I've spoken to a couple of the boys and they seem to be really happy about how things are so for me it's an eye-opener."

Clarke will have to reacquaint himself with the Twenty20 cricket in India having already quit the shorter international form of the game to concentrate on his Test and ODI career with Australia.

"I've never been to the IPL. I've said for a long time that when the opportunity comes up and I feel that it's right for me that I'd love to get over there and have a crack and see what it's like," he said. (AFP)

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IPL: Punjab beat Chennai in nail-biting finish

CHENNAI: Kings XI Punjab beat Chennai Super Kings by seven runs in a thrilling match in the season five of the Indian Premier League here at the M A Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk on Saturday.

Chasing 157, Chennai could manage 149 runs for the loss of eight wickets in 20 overs.

Dwayne Bravo of the West Indies made 30, Faf du Plessis of South Africa scored 29 and Subramaniam Badrinath hit 25 as only two other batsmen could get into double figures.

Pakistan-born English county all-rounder Azhar Mahmood captured three wickets for 25 runs and India’s leg-break bowler Piyush Chawla claimed two for 20 for Punjab.

Earlier, Kings XI Punjab made 156 for eight in the allotted 20 overs after their captain David Hussey won the toss.

Mandeep Singh top scored with 56, followed by Shaun Marsh of Australia who made 32. Both openers provided a good start of 68 but later no other batsman could get into double figures except South Africa’s David Miller (19) and Azhar Mahmood (18).

For Chennai, Albie Morkel of South Africa got three wickets for 29 and Bravo took two for 28.

Pakistan’s premier sports tv channel Geo Super televised this interesting match live from Chennai

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Delhi still on top crushing Mumbai by 37 runs

DELHI: Delhi Daredevils defeated Mumbai Indians by 37 runs to remain on top of points table in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League here at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium on Friday.

Chasing an improbable target of 208, Mumbai were restricted to 170 runs for nine wickets in the allotted 20 overs.

Main scorers were Ambati Rayudu (62 off 39 balls with three sixes and five fours) and Dinesh Karthik (40 off 28 balls with seven fours).

Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem, and pace bowlers Umesh Yadav and Irfan Pathan got two wickets each for Delhi.

Earlier, sent into bat by Mumbai Indians captain Harbhajan Singh, Delhi Daredevils piled up a massive total of 207 for the loss of five wickets in 20 overs.

This was the second highest total by any team in the tournament after 208-5 by Chennai Super Kings against Royal Challengers Bangalore some two weeks ago.

Captain Virender Sehwag smashed 73 from 39 balls hitting four sixes and eight fours – his third successive fifty - and later was declared the Man-of-the-Match.

Mahela Jayawardene of Sri Lanka and Kevin Pietersen of England also hit half-centuries – Jayawardene made 55 with eight fours and Pietersen scored an unbeaten 26 ball-50 with three sixes and six fours.

For Mumbai, left-arm spinner Robin Peterson of South Africa claimed three wickets for 37 while Sri Lankan fast bowler Lasith Malinga took two for 31.

Geo Super showed this match live from Delhi.

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No plan to change Misbah: Ashraf

Lahore: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf Saturday said he had no plans of changing Misbah ul Haq as the captain of the national team.

We did not decide about the selection of the captain, he told the local media when quizzed.

Ashraf also stressed that Pakistan is a safe country for hosting international cricket and promised to provide a head-of-state like security for visiting countries.

His comments came ahead of the announcement of the squad for the Sri Lankan tour.

Earlier, Younus Khan had reportedly expressed a desire to lead the team if the board offered him the job, while coach Dav Whatmore had backed Shoaib Malik as the Twenty20 skipper after monitoring his captaincy skills during the recently-concluded National Twenty20 Cup.

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Clarke keeps lid on great Aussie expectations

ROSEAU: Michael Clarke celebrated a year in charge of Australia with a 75-run victory over West Indies in the third and final Test, but insisted his team is far from the finished article.

Since succeeding Ricky Ponting as skipper, Clarke has built an impressive record with nine wins, three draws and just two defeats in 14 Tests.

"A lot more grey hairs, but I've really enjoyed it," said Clarke, after Australia wrapped-up their Caribbean series 2-0.

"I've been very lucky to have some other great leaders around me, wonderful support staff who have played a part in me having success. And the captain is only as good as his stock.

"Come our next tour to England, the one-day series, we'll be looking to continue to play some really good cricket and keep Australian cricket in the right direction."

Clarke has been through the mill during his time in charge, with a series of great highs and embarrassing lows.

He led Australia to an impressive 4-0 home win over India, scoring 626 runs at an average of 125.20.

He also became only the third player after Don Bradman and Wally Hammond to have made a triple century and a double century in the same series.

But he also saw his team bowled out for just 47 by South Africa in Cape Town, before squaring the series in Johannesburg just days later.

Then came the shock defeat to New Zealand in Hobart in December last year.

Those ups and downs have forced Clarke not to get too carried away by making predictions over what the future may hold for Australia.

"Cape Town showed us how quickly things can change for the worse and then to be able to pull off a win in Jo'burg -- and we're talking about a very strong Test team in their own back yard -- so to be able to level that series was a great learning curve for us.

"And we continue to learn, especially, from those two games, Cape Town and Hobart.

"I still think we're a way off the number one spot. We have a lot of improvement to become the number one team. It's not just about one series or one summer. It's about consistency over a period of time."

Australia's South African coach Mickey Arthur praised the contributions of Matthew Wade, who made a maiden Test century here and spinner Nathan Lyon, who was his team's leading wicket-taker in the series with 13.

Ed Cowan also won plaudits from Arthur after the opener made a battling 55 in the first innings of the final Test.

"It's been excellent for the development of a lot of players who haven't played out of Australia before. I'm thinking of the likes of Matthew Wade, Ed Cowan, Nathan Lyon," said Arthur.

"I think we've played solid cricket, we've had a lot of young players that are playing in these conditions for the first time and I think they all go back to Australia better players.

"We go back to Australia with a lot of answers as to where we're going as a squad and I'm very, very happy that we're just creating depth within our structures because with the amount of cricket we play these days there's going to be injuries and we've got guys that are going to be match-hardened and ready to step up to the plate.

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Wasim Akram has always been my inspiration: Zia

Islamabad: Upcoming left hand pace bowler Zia ul Haq names  legendary Wasim Akram as the hero he looks up to in his bid to become a top rated cricketer.

Since his first class debut on October 2010 at the age of 15, Zia has turned heads in the cricket world and the media despite his young career. His debut season saw him take 10 wickets in 4 matches at just under 29 apiece.
His journey into first class cricket was uncertain due to strong competition and his illustrious involvement with the Pakistan Under -19 set up.
However, his chance came when he impressed PIA with his performance at the National One Day Cup first division last year, taking 13 wickets in 7 matches at an economy rate of just under 4.5. The opposing team’s batsmen are wary even of his slow wickets, said his team mates.
“Wasim Akram has always been my inspiration, I just loved watching him bowl. I only watched him when he was at the tail end of his illustrious career but the collection of videos and DVDs of his bowling have always been an inspiration to me,” Zia told Pakpassion.net.
Zia was so in awe of the great cricketer that he dared not approach Akram when he visited once at a PIA practice session.
“He was chatting to some of the other players but I was just too shy to speak with him. Hopefully at some point in the future I will see him again and this time I am determined to speak with him and get some advice regarding my bowling.”
Zia is presently based in the National Cricket Academy in Lahore, receiving one-on-one guidance from some of the best coaches on his bowling as well as his physical conditioning.

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Domestic cricket: A job well done

The domestic Super Eight Twenty20 Cup 2011-12 was a star studded affair featuring almost all the familiar faces from the national team. The tournament lived up to its reputation and provided for some awe-inspiring and thrilling cricket. Sialkot Stallions remained unbeaten throughout the tournament and emerged as the deserving winners under the leadership of Shoaib Malik. The tournament was important in the sense that it was held ahead of the Fourth T20 World Championship scheduled to be held in September. It was keenly watched by the selectors as well as Dav Whatmore—the newly appointed coach of Pakistan. They must have taken note of some of the exciting youngsters who displayed their prowess in the shortest format of the game. One hopes that the T20 team selected for the World Championship is a combination of specialists who have the ability to tackle the best in the world. It must be kept in mind that majority of the competing players will be coming almost straight from the two-month grind of Indian Premiere League (IPL) and hence will already be in T20 groove. The tournament featured some great individual performances. Openers Imran Nazir and Khalid Latif showed that they still have the consistency and the firepower to excel in this particular format of the game. Stallions’ left-handed middle-order batsman Haris Sohail was also a star performer and impressed with his ability to dominate the bowling while keeping his orthodox style intact In addition, batsmen like Ahmed Shehzad, Shahzaib Hasan, Umar Akmal, Asad Shafiq, Taufeeq Umar and Iftikhar Ahmed also showed their brilliance in patches. Stallions’ wicket-keeper-batsman Shakeel Ansar struck the only century of the tournament which took his team to the final. He, along with Peshawar Panthers’ keeper Gauhar Ali, impressed with athleticism behind the stumps. Shoaib Malik’s fluent half-century in the final and his five-wicket haul against the same opposition in an earlier round match made it evident that he is still the best all-rounder on the domestic circuit. On the bowling front, it was an excellent tournament for the slow left-armers. Stallions’ Raza Hasan was the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 12 wickets. The last over bowled by him in the final was probably the difference between the two sides.
His four wickets in that over not only stalled the Dolphins’ progress but also prevented the in-form Khalid Latif from getting the strike. Other slow left-arm bowlers who impressed during the tournament were Raza Ali Dar of Lahore Lions, Mustafa Iqbal of Lahore Eagles, Faraz Ahmed of Karachi Dolphins, not to forget the veteran Abdul Rehman who was simply impossible to get away. Off-spinner Adnan Rasool also bowled with guile and took wickets at vital stages to prevent the opposing batsmen from scoring freely. Among the fast bowlers, young pacemen Zia-ul-Haq of Lahore Lions, Emmad Ali of Lahore Eagles and Anwar Ali of Karachi Eagles bowled with hostility. Umar Gul—captaining his native Peshawar Panthers—bowled his heart out but was unable to take his team past the semi-final stage; however, his incisive opening spell against the fancied Lions was one of the highlights of this tournament Some of the biggest disappointments of the tournament included spin wizard Saeed Ajmal, young guns Umar Amin and Rameez Raja Jr and the experienced fast bowling quartet of Mohammad Sami, Tanvir Ahmed, Wahab Riaz and Sohail Tanvir. Saeed was highly ineffective and was taken apart by the Lahore Lions batting powerhouse. Umar Amin was the cornerstone of Rawalpindi Rams’ batting during last year’s Super Eights and this year’s T20 National Championship. He had been the nucleus around which the team’s batting revolved and impressed with his ability to pace the innings; unfortunately, he was an abject failure this time around Rameez’s explosive batting during the previous two T20 tournaments earned him a place in Pakistan’s T20 team against Zimbabwe last year; however, he also appeared off colour throughout this championship. Despite their experience, Sami, Tanvir, Sohail and Wahab were unable to make regular inroads during the tournament and even failed to stem the flow of runs at crucial junctures of the tournament. Sohail—who had emerged as one of the most intelligent captains last year—failed miserably in motivating his talented team. Abdul Razzaq’s bowling also witnessed a sharp decline. Shahid Afridi, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez and Fawad Alam were conspicuous by their absence It was heartwarming to see packed houses at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on almost all the days. Although it is still too early to invite foreign teams to Pakistan but the public enthusiasm definitely proved that regional domestic cricket—if marketed properly—has the potential to generate fan following.
The one negative of the tournament was the live television commentary. At times, it was painful to hear the experts harping endlessly about the new chairman of the PCB and his initiatives. The non-stop mantra had reached a point where the proceedings on the ground almost seemed to have become irrelevant to the commentary panel. Perhaps it is time for the media bosses to introduce some rules and regulations that can govern the quality and ethics of live commentary.

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Maybe the authorities don’t like me: Razzaq

Pakistan’s star all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has turned to England, after failing to appeal to the selection committee at home.
Razzaq will represent Leicestershire in the team’s Twenty20 campaign next month, but has not ruled out playing for the country.
“I’ll definitely love to make a return to the team like any other national cricketer,” the 32-year-old said.
Razzaq, who has played 265 One-Day Internationals (ODI) and 46 Tests for Pakistan, cited that a lack of interest at the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) end had left him sidelined since the series against Sri Lanka. The ongoing fitness tests conducted by Dav Whatmore in Lahore also bore no fruit for him.
“I keep getting overlooked, maybe the authorities don’t like me,” Razzaq said in an interview, expressing his disappointment.
Razzaq was involved in a controversy for participating in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) earlier this year.
According to then chief selector Mohammad Illyas, the all-rounder cited a shoulder injury for his unavailability in the ODI series against England in UAE, but later went on to play in the BPL and even bowled full-throttle at times.
Razzaq on the other hand, claimed that he communicated to the official that he was unable to deliver a full quota of 10 overs due to the shoulder pain

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Captaincy not out of the question for Younis

Captaining the national cricket team again is not out of the question for senior Pakistan batsman Younis Khan even after his unceremonious exit from the post in 2009.Leading the national team has been an honour and if the board has any offer I will consider it,” said the 34-year-old cricketer, while conceding that he was not after the title and had no issues playing under any other captain.
Khan led Pakistan to the 2009 World Twenty20 title as well as the Champions Trophy semifinal later that year, but resigned after the home series against New Zealand in the UAE, claiming he was not getting support from his team members.
Since then, he has declined offers to lead the side, telling the authorities that he wanted to focus on his batting.
Sources close to Khan said he is not interested in the captaincy anymore, despite his public announcement.
“He is a sensitive soul and after what happened in 2009 and the way some players went against him, he has definitely ruled out taking on the responsibility of leading the team again,” a source said.
Although his future as captain remains uncertain, Khan who has played 76 Tests, made it clear that he had no intention of retiring from the game soon.
“I plan to touch the 100 Test mark before I think of retiring,” he said

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Chanderpaul says 10,000 runs due to hard graft

ROSEAU: Shivnarine Chanderpaul, only the 10th player in history to make 10,000 Test runs, believes hard graft and long hours in the nets propelled him to his landmark.
The 37-year-old became only the second West Indian to reach the magic figure when he went to 14 in his side's second innings in the ongoing third and final Test against Australia at Windsor Park.
Playing in his 140th Test, the veteran went on to make a typically patient 69 off 122 balls -- his 58th Test half-century -- before he was dismissed by Australian skipper Michael Clarke off the last ball of Thursday's play.
The only other West Indies batsman to reach the 10,000-run milestone was Brian Lara, who ended his career with 11,953 runs.
"I have been batting well and spending a lot of time at the crease and to reach 10,000 Test runs is something special for me," said Chanderpaul, who made his debut in 1994 and now averages over 50.
"It was one of the goals I set myself and I believe I have reaped the reward for the hard work I put in. When I go to bat, I know I have a job to do for the team and the people of the West Indies."
Chanderpaul has been his country's standout batsman in the three-match series against Australia, making 103 not out in the first Test in Barbados followed by 94 in Trinidad. He also made 68 in the first innings of the ongoing match.
He has 25 Test hundreds and 58 half-centuries with his highest Test score of 203 not out coming against South Africa nine years ago in Guyana.
Teammate Darren Bravo, who shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 110 with Chanderpaul which kept West Indies in the game on Thursday, paid tribute to the veteran.
"He puts his heart and soul into the way he practices. Shiv's a guy who will bat first at practice and then be the last to leave the nets," said Bravo.
"The way he goes about an innings is special, he plays the ball on its merits and his concentration level is very good."
Australia coach Mickey Arthur admitted he was relieved to see the end of Chanderpaul, the last major barrier to the tourists, who had set the West Indies a 370-run target, winning the final Test.
The home side will resume on Friday on 173 for five and with virtually no hope of avoiding losing the three-match series 2-0.
Arthur believes the dogged Chanderpaul was always destined to make Test runs.
"I saw him when he was very young. He toured South Africa and he looked a very, very good player then," said the coach.
"In my last series that I had with South Africa as coach against the West Indies I think Shiv got a hundred in every first innings.
"You can't help but admire the application and desire to keep scoring runs. You've got to marvel at that -- a fantastic achievement." AGENCIES

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Deccan stun Pune to record first win in IPL

PUNE: Deccan Chargers defeated Pune Warriors by 18 runs to achieve their first victory in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League here at the Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium on Thursday.

The Chargers who never won any match prior to this now finally recorded their maiden win after five successive losses in the tournament.

Chasing 178, the Warriors could reach 159-7 in the allotted 20 overs.

Their main scorers were Robin Uthappa (29), Steven Smith (26), captain Sourav Ganguly (23), Mithun Manhas (22 not out) and Manish Pandey (21).

For Deccan, Ashish Reddy and Rusty Theron claimed two wickets each.

Earlier, Deccan made 177 for four in 20 overs batting first after their captain Kumar Sangakkara won the toss.

Cameron White of Australia top scored with 78, scored off 46 balls as he smashed six fours and five sixes.

Geo Super, Pakistan’s first sports tv channel, televised this match live from Pune.

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Australia set 370-run target for West Indies

ROSEAU, Dominica: Australia dismissed opener Adrian Barath for nought as West Indies suffered a miserable start to their pursuit of 370 to win the third and final Test at Windsor Park on Thursday.

After Australia had been bowled out for 259 in their second innings to set West Indies the sixth highest run chase in Test history, the home side failed to get through the seven overs to lunch unscathed.

Barath clipped a Ben Hilfenhaus delivery off his legs into the air and Ed Cowan dived to his right to take a fine catch in the third over.

Only two runs were scored before lunch with Kraigg Brathwaite ending his run of three consecutive scoreless innings.

Australia, who have already wrapped up the series, started the day on 200 for six and looking determined to keep the scoreboard ticking despite the difficulty of scoring on the slow track.

Mike Hussey had taken his score to 32 when off-spinner Shane Shillingford found the edge and skipper Darren Sammy took a neat catch around ankle height at first slip.

Mitchell Starc decided that the aerial route was the best option against Shillingford.

The ball seemed to be either beating the edge or flying in the air off the bat towards the boundary as the pair duelled.

When Narsingh Deonarine came on, Ryan Harris tried to slog his second ball but it took the top edge and went high in the air where Carlton Baugh took it easily in his gloves with the batsman on nine.

Hilfenhaus, on six, then received a brute of a delivery from Shillingford that took a big bounce off the wicket and hit the splice of the bat.

Brathwaite, at silly point, snared an excellent one-handed catch.

Just as Kemar Roach achieved in the last Test in Trinidad, Shillingford was able to celebrate a 10-wicket haul in the match, becoming the the first West Indian spinner to achieve the feat since Lance Gibbs in 1966.

Roach then came on for his first bowl of the day and, coming around the wicket, beat Starc's bat and clipped the bails after the tail-ender had made 21

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Indian legend Tendulkar offered political role

NEW DELHI: India's prime minister has put forward batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar for membership of the upper house of parliament, reports said on Thursday.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has written a letter to the president recommending the cricketer be nominated to the Rajya Sabha, an India news channel quoted sources as saying.

Tendulkar, who turned 39 this week, was in New Delhi to play an Indian Premier League match for the Mumbai Indians against the Delhi Daredevils at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium on Friday.

Earlier on Thursday, Tendulkar and his wife had called on ruling Congress party president Sonia Gandhi at her residence -- a meeting described as a "courtesy visit" by the local media.

The vast majority of the 250 seats in the upper house of India's parliament are filled by members elected by the legislatures in their home states.

But 12 seats lie in the favour of the president and are normally awarded to people who have excelled in such fields as the arts, science and sport.

Tendulkar's name is among four that the government has recommended to the president to fill seats currently lying vacant, the Press Trust of India news agency said.

Tendulkar made his international debut in 1989 and has played more Tests (188) and one-day internationals (463) than any other player.

He is the highest run-getter in both forms of the game and last month became the first batsman to complete 100 international centuries -- 51 in Tests and 49 in one-dayers.

Reports of his Rajya Sabha nomination are likely to spark fresh speculation about his immediate future, although Tendulkar himself has dismissed talk of retirement anytime soon.

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IPL: Switch-hitter Peterson does a Pietersen

NEW DELHI: Unheralded South African Robin Peterson became an overnight sensation in the Indian Premier League after leading Mumbai Indians to victory with a stunning batting display.

Peterson, 32, adopted the switch-hit made famous by his former countryman Kevin Pietersen after his team needed 32 off the last two overs against Kings XI Punjab on Wednesday night.

The left-hander, who said he had not even practised the shot, switch-hit the first two deliveries of the penultimate over from leg-spinner Piyush Chawla for boundaries and then pulled the third for a six.

The over produced 27 runs as batting partner Ambati Rayadu smashed the last two balls for sixes, leaving Mumbai Indians needing just five runs off the final over.

Victory was achieved with one ball to spare with Rayadu making an unbeaten 34 off 17 balls and Peterson, better known as a left-arm spinner, returning with 16 from seven balls.

Peterson, whose highest score in six Tests, 55 one-dayers and nine Twenty20 games for South Africa is 61, said he had never played the switch-hit before Wednesday night's game.

"The switch-hit was played by instinct," he said. "I had not practised them. But I am happy my innings helped the team win. It is nice to get over the line in such close games."

It was Peterson's first game for Mumbai Indians, who secured his services for a relatively modest $100,000 this season, but kept him on the bench for the first six matches.

Batting superstar and Mumbai Indians team-mate Sachin Tendulkar was delighted by the power-hitting at the end.

"The 19th over changed everything for us," Tendulkar tweeted. "It is definitely one of the most exciting overs I have seen in my life.

"Some extraordinary innovative hitting by Robin (and) unbelievably strong finish by Rayudu."

Pietersen, the South Africa-born England batsman, has been using the innovative shot for Delhi Daredevils in the Twenty20 tournament. (

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Deccan to face Pune in IPL today

PUNE: Deccan Chargers will arrive in Pune buoyed by the fact that they have finally got their first point of the tournament, courtesy the washout against Kolkata Knight Riders on Tuesday.

A couple of wins, however improbable it may seem after five successive losses, is all that it takes to lift a team. Pune Warriors, on the other hand, have four wins and they have nicked points off strong units such as Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. Playing at their home ground, they wouldn't want to lose points to bottom-placed Chargers.

Geo Super will show this match live from Pune at 7-30 pm today.

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West Indies fight back against Aussies

ROSEAU, Dominica: West Indies grabbed the wicket of David Warner just before lunch to finish off a good morning for them here at Windsor Park on Wednesday on the third day of the third and final Test between West Indies and Australia.

The tourists hold a lead of 128 runs over the hosts after they had earlier bowled the West Indies out for 218 in their first innings - a typically stubborn innings of 68 by veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul limiting the damage.

However, the Australians are in a strong position as they only need a draw to take the series having won the opening Test.

West Indies had been 165 for eight overnight with Chanderpaul and Ravi Rampaul having already put on 45 for ninth wicket.

They took their partnership to 66 before Nathan Lyon broke through. Rampaul came down the wicket but got a thick outside edge and the ball flew up to Warner at point.

The visitors took the new ball after 83.1 overs and in the end it was Chanderpaul that fell.

Mitchell Starc was bringing the ball back in off the seam and one finally got past the obstinate West Indian's bat and struck him on the pad and he was judged lbw.

Chanderpaul had faced 164 balls for his 68 as he once again top scored.

He is also the highest scorer in the series with 277 runs at an average of 92.33. He has managed to face up to the Australian's bowling for more than twice as many balls as any of his team mates.

Kemar Roach played his part too. He provided stubborn resistance to frustrate the Australians and ended up not out having played his third longest Test innings in facing 65 balls for his nine runs.

It left Australia to face a tricky five overs before lunch and the West Indies got the breakthrough that they would have wanted.

Warner had already struck Rampaul for two boundaries. However, in the last over before the interval he drove loosely at a Roach delivery and edged to the only fielder in the slip cordon, Chanderpaul.

The next ball almost brought a second wicket. Shane Watson played the delivery out towards mid-wicket and non-striker Ed Cowan anticipated a single.

Watson didn't move from his crease and Cowan had to scamper back. A direct hit might have caught him short of the mark but he survived.

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Mumbai snatch 4-wkt win from Punjab

MOHALI: Mumbai Indians defeated Kings XI Punjab by four wickets when Ambati Rayudu smashed a boundary off penultimate ball from Azhar Mahmood in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League here at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium on Wednesday.

Chasing a modest target of 169, Mumbai Indians completed the stunning victory in 19.5 overs with an unbeaten 14-ball 36-run seventh wicket stand between Rayudu and Robin Pietersen.

Rayudu remained not out on 34,hitting two sixes and as many fours in 17 balls while South Africa’s Pietersen scored an unbeaten 16 off seven balls with two fours and a six.

However, Mumbai’s top scorer was Rohit Sharma who blasted a fifty in 30 balls with three sixes and three fours whereas star batsman Sachin Tendulkar contributed 34.

For Punjab, Parvinder Awana took three and Pakistan’s Azhar Mahmood claimed two wickets.

Earlier, Kings XI Punjab made 168 for three in the allotted 20 overs after their captain David Hussey decided to bat first.

He was also the top scorer, hitting 68 from 40 balls with four sixes and as many fours. He was supported by South Africa’s David Miller who made an unbeaten 34 off 17 balls with a four and three sixes.

Both added 89 runs in just 7.1 overs for an unbeaten fourth wicket partnership.

Geo Super showed this interesting match live from Mohali, Chandigarh.

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South Africa decline Bangladesh tour

JOHANNESBURG: Cricket South Africa has declined an invitation to play limited-overs and Twenty20 internationals in Bangladesh next month.

"Unfortunately there are too many practical obstacles that prevent us from accepting this commitment," CSA chief executive Jacques Faul said.

"At the moment most of our senior Proteas are spread around the world ... and those who are at home are undergoing rehabilitation from injuries picked up during the past season.

"We also have to bear in mind that the Proteas squad has a hectic schedule ahead." South Africa tours England and Australia either side of the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in September.

The South African Cricketers' Association said the request from Bangladesh came too late. "Unfortunately this request has come through very late in the day by which stage most of the senior players had committed themselves to professional contracts abroad and it would be unfair to ask them to renege on them," SACA chief executive Tony Irish said.

"The Proteas team management and players have also put their plans in place in the build-up to their tour of England and it would be impossible to change them at this stage." South Africa's tour to England starts in July.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has been trying to line up international matches since being forced last week to postpone a two-match tour of Pakistan when the country's High Court ordered it be delayed because of security concerns.

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IPL: Kolkata-Deccan match abandoned due to rain

KOLKATA: The second match to be played between Kolkata Knight Riders and Deccan Chargers here at the Eden Gardens was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rain on Tuesday.

Both teams were awarded one point each after the umpires called off the match.

In the wake of this decision, Deccan Chargers who never won any match after six matches in the tournament are not pointless anymore.

Kolkata Knight Riders are second in the league with nine points behind Delhi Daredevils who are on top of the table with ten points.

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Wade's maiden century frustrates Windies

ROSEAU, Dominica: Matthew Wade's maiden test century guided Australia to a respectable first innings total of 328 all out here at lunch on the second day of the third and final Test with the West Indies.

Wade's innings of 106 rescued Australia from a perilous looking overnight score of 212-7 - they had been 169-7 at one point on the opening day - and gives them a great chance of avoiding defeat here and securing the result that will give them the series.

Wade finally fell to the impressive Dominican-born paceman Shane Shillingford, who went on to snaffle Ben Hilfenhaus and finish with a career best 6-119 and make it a memorable moment for being the first Dominican to play a test on his home island.

It could have been so different had not Kemar Roach dropped Wade off his own bowling in his third over of the morning when the batsman had yet to add to his overnight score of 22.

The hosts did strike next ball, though, as a sharp piece of fielding by Kraigg Brathwaite ran out Mitchell Starc for a test career best of 35. Starc was at fault as he was ambling back and carrying his bat rather than sliding it in for a third run.

Wade upped the tempo as he approached his maiden Test fifty and brought it up with a sweep shot that yielded two runs. This mark having been reached Wade went on the attack with the highlight consecutive sixes off Shillingford.

He took seven from the next over and brought up a wonderful century by driving Roach through the covers for four. It had taken 143 balls but the second fifty was struck in just 33 deliveries.

In Shillingford's next over, Wade went for another six over mid-wicket but another brilliant bit of fielding brought his downfall.

Darren Bravo took a catch just inside the rope but realised that his momentum was taking him over the boundary. He threw the ball up, gathered himself and returned to the field of play to hold on to the ball.

Wade and Hilfenhaus had added 102 runs for the eighth wicket in just 20 overs.

The batsmen had crossed as Bravo took the catch and two balls later Hilfenhaus was bowled as he tried a slog over mid-wicket for 19.

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IPL: Sehwag powers Delhi to 8-wkt win over Pune

PUNE: Captain Virender Sehwag led from the front to guide Delhi Daredevils to a comfortable eight wicket win with 24 balls to spare against Pune Warriors in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League here at the Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium on Tuesday.

This was interesting to note that only four wickets fell in the entire Twenty20 match which produced 294 runs.

Chasing 147, Sehwag opened the innings and blasted an unbeaten 87 from 48 balls to get an easy victory for Delhi in 16 overs.

He struck ten fours and three sixes and added 89 runs for the second wicket stand with Kevin Pietersen, who hit two sixes in his 27.

Earlier, Pune Warriors captain Sourav Ganguly won the toss and decided to bat first but lost two early wickets for only one run on the board.

However, Pune reached 146 for two in the allotted 20 overs due to an unbeaten second wicket 145-run partnership between Manish Pandey and Robin Uthappa.

Pandey remained not out on 80, scored off 56 balls, with the help of three sixes and seven fours while Uthappa made an unbeaten 60 with six boundaries.

Geo Super televised this match live from Pune for cricket lovers in Pakistan.

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Ponting answers critics with run landmark

ROSEAU: Australian veteran Ricky Ponting answered questions about his retirement in customary style as he became Test cricket's second-highest run-scorer in the third match against West Indies.

The 37-year-old, who has repeatedly faced down calls to quit, overtook Rahul Dravid's 13,288 by the narrowest of margins -- a single run -- when he was out for 23 on day one at Windsor Park, Roseau.

The former Australian captain, who compiled his 13,289 in 165 matches, now trails only India's Sachin Tendulkar in the all-time list. The "Little Master" is on 15,470.

"My love for the game and passion and desire to play and be successful hasn't changed," said Ponting on Sunday, the eve of the final Test, when asked if he was considering quitting. "Even when things were really tough a few months ago, all I wanted to do was try to give myself the best chance to be able to play well again.

"I felt I got there through the summer and I feel like I'm batting really well at the moment. I've still got a few things I want to achieve and a few games of cricket I want to be a part of and win for Australia. "As long as I feel I can play a role winning games of cricket for Australia I'll continue to do it. I'm enjoying it as much as ever and probably working harder than ever on my game."

Ponting had previously scored four, 14, seven and 41 in the three-Test series, renewing questions about his future.

The World Cup-winner was axed from Australia's one-day set-up in February, despite roaring back from a lean spell by averaging 108.80 in the 4-0 Test sweep of India. But he received backing from captain Michael Clarke, who said runs had been hard to come by on the Test tour which Australia lead 1-0.

"He's hitting the ball well, probably hasn't got that big score that he'd like but none of us have. Conditions haven't been great for making big hundreds," Clarke told www.cricinfo.com. "If you wanted to make runs here you had to bat for a hell of a long time, and need a bit of luck as well along the way.

"Ricky's one of the guys that has put the team above himself and sacrificed his wicket or tried to take the game forward because we've needed to, to try and help us win the game."

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PCB sends official communique to BCB

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board has not given up hope on getting Bangladesh to fulfil commitment of playing in the country and has termed the writ petition filed in the Dhaka High Court against the tour as devoid of merit and not in public interest.

The PCB issued a press release today in which it said that it has asked the Bangladesh Cricket Board to keep it updated and share details of any appeal filed against the writ petition in the High Court.

"After perusing the copy of the writ petition regarding Bangladesh tour of Pakistan, pending in Dhaka High Court Division, PCB sent an official communique to Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) asking it to submit copy of the court order and copy of the appeal (if any) filed by BCB against the stay order," the PCB spokesman said.

"After perusal of the writ by officials of PCB assisted by legal advisor, prima facie the writ petition is devoid of merits and has been filed against public interest which will be detrimental to the game of cricket," the release said.

The PCB spokesman reminded that the revival of international cricket in the country has been supported at various ICC forums.

"PCB is hopeful that BCB will leave no stone unturned to get the stay order vacated."

No foreign team has visited Pakistan because of security fears since March 2009 when militants attacked the Sri Lankan team here and killed six Pakistani policemen and a van driver. The militants also wounded five of the visiting players.

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Muhammad Yousuf out to revive career

LAHORE: Veteran Pakistan batsman Muhammad Yousuf took part in a fitness test on Tuesday to try to revive his international career, insisting he could still compete at the highest level.

The 37-year old played the last of his 90 Tests against England at Lord's in 2010 a match marred by the spot-fixing scandal involving three of his teammates.

He has not been considered for selection in the last two years because he has not played in domestic matches in Pakistan, but he took part in a workout led by new Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore on Tuesday.

"I have given a fitness test and now the result is in the hands of PCB," Yousuf told reporters outside the national academy here. "I am ready to play for my country and still have enough cricket left in me."

Yousuf rose from a poor background to become one of the most stylish batsmen Pakistan had ever produced, smashing 1,788 Test runs in 2006 a world record for a calendar year.

His career drifted after the PCB banned him for an indefinite period in March 2010 following the disastrous tour of Australia, which he captained.

The ban was overturned to allow Yousuf a comeback on the 2010 England tour, during which Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer were charged and eventually jailed for arranging deliberate no-balls for money.

Yousuf, who has played 288 one-day and three Twenty20 internationals, said he has been playing regular cricket and wanted to feature in the English county championship, though a deal with Leicestershire fell through.

Whatmore said the fitness of all Pakistani players will be assessed before next month's tour to Sri Lanka.

"The fitness test was designed to give everyone an idea where they stand now and after a prescription of work to re-test and see the improvement," he said.

Pakistan play two Twenty20s, five one-day internationals and three Tests on their tour of Sri Lanka from late May to mid-July. (AFP)

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Tendulkar turns 39, urged to carry on

NEW DELHI: Batting great Sachin Tendulkar turned 39 on Tuesday with an impassioned plea from his childhood coach to carry on playing cricket for India since he is "far from finished".

"All those murmurs about his retirement must stop, this is not the right time to go," said Ramakant Achrekar, 80, the man credited with the early training of the leading scorer in Test history.

"He must not retire now. He must go on playing and scoring runs for the country," the celebrated coach told the Hindustan Times.

Tendulkar made his international debut in 1989 and has played more Tests (188) and one-day internationals (463) than any player. He is the highest run-getter in both forms of the game and last month became the first batsman to complete 100 international centuries -- 51 in Tests and 49 in one-dayers.

But Tendulkar took more than a year to move from 99 to 100 hundreds -- against Bangladesh during the Asia Cup in Dhaka -- and many fans started to believe he needed to rethink his career, especially in one-dayers.

The Mumbai batsman has himself dismissed talk of retirement, saying it would be "selfish" for him to quit when he still had a lot to offer Indian cricket.

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IPL: Two matches today

PUNE: Two matches will be played in the Indian Premier League (IPL-2012) Tuesday, Geo News reported.

After being undone at their home stadium, Delhi Daredevils will look to avenge their defeat when they take on Pune Warriors in the return fixture of the IPL 5, played at the latter’s home, the Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, today, April 24, 2012.

This match will start in the afternoon at 3.30 P.M. (Pakistan Time).

In the other mach, Kolkata Night Riders will be facing Deccan Chargers. This match will be played in Kolkata in the night at 7.30 P.M (Pakistan Time).

Geo Super is televising all the matches of the event.

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