Pakistan restricted to 122-6 despite Afridi’s fifty

HAMBANTOTA : Pakistan failed again to make a sufficient score despite Shahid Afridi’s brilliant unbeaten half-century against Sri Lanka in the second Twenty20 International here at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Winning the toss, captain Mohammad Hafeez decided to bat first but his batsmen could not succeed to reach a respectable total and were restricted to 122 for six in the allotted 20 overs.
Allrounder Shahid Afridi remained not out on 52, made off 33 balls with the help of five fours and a six.
He and Shoaib Malik (27) added 68 runs –Pakistan’s highest fifth wicket partnership against Sri Lanka in this format of cricket.
Hafeez also scored a useful 24 whereas other batsmen could not make any significant contribution.
For Sri Lanka, paceman Nuwan Kulasekara and leg-spinner Kaushal Lokuarachchi claimed two wickets each for 13 and 31, respectively.
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene is not playing today and his deputy Angelo Mathews is leading the side.
Fast bowler Lasith Malinga has also been rested Thus, Chamara Kapudegedara and Isuru Udana replaced them
Pakistan made one change, replacing Umar Gul with Yasir Arafat.
Sri Lanka lead the two-match series 1-0 after winning the first game by 37 runs on Friday.

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Anderson out of third Test against the West Indies

LONDON : England left spearhead fast bowler James Anderson out of their 12-man squad announced Sunday for the third and final Test against the West Indies at Edgbaston starting on Thursday.
But the England selectors insisted the 29-year-old Lancashire star was being omitted to "overcome several minor injury niggles" rather than being rested on grounds of squad rotation.
Seam bowlers Steven Finn and Graham Onions, yet to feature in the series but included in 13-man squads ahead of five-wicket and nine-wicket wins at Lord's and Trent Bridge respectively that have given England an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the series, will compete to fill the place left vacant by Anderson's absence.
England 3rd Test squad
Andrew Strauss (captain), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Jonathan Bairstow, Matt Prior (wkt), Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Steven Finn, Graham Onions

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2nd T20I: Pakistan win toss, bat against Sri Lanka

HAMBANTOTA : Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez won the toss and elected to bat first against Sri Lanka in the second Twenty20 International here at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene is not playing today and his deputy Angelo Mathews is leading the side.
Fast bowler Lasith Malinga has also been rested Thus Chamara Kapudegedara and Isuru Udana replaced them
Pakistan made one change, replacing Umar Gul with Yasir Arafat.
Sri Lanka lead the two-match series 1-0 after winning the first game by 37 runs on Friday.
Teams:
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Khalid Latif, Shakeel Ansar, Yasir Arafat, Sohail Tanvir, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Sami.
Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews (captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Thisara Perera, Chamara Kapugedera, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Nuwan Kulasekera, Sachithra Senanayake, Isuru Udana.
Umpires: Ranmore Martinesz (SL) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SL), TV umpire: Asoka de Silva (SL)
Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)

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Gavaskar slams ICC over Indian rain-rule snub

NEW DELHI : Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has hit out at the International Cricket Council (ICC) for retaining the Duckworth/Lewis rule for rain-affected games despite an alternative suggested by an Indian engineer.
The game's world governing body on Friday said it would stick with the rule devised by Englishmen Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis, as it did not feel that any improvements could be offered in the method put forward by V. Jayadevan.
Gavaskar, writing in his column for the Times of India newspaper on Sunday, said the ICC should have at least given a trial to Jayadevan's system of calculating revised targets in limited-over matches.
"In all fairness ICC should have tried the Jayadevan method for a year, like they do with trial laws, and then decided," the former India captain said.
Jayadevan, an engineer from the south Indian state of Kerala, has spent a decade working on his so-called VJD system which has been used in Indian domestic matches since 2007 following a recommendation from Gavaskar himself.
The ICC's cricket committee, meeting in London, said it had considered Jayadevan's method in detail but found no evidence of any significant flaws in the D/L method, which was first introduced internationally in 1996.
Gavaskar also castigated the Indian media for failing to get behind Jayadevan. "Unfortunately the Indian media was busy with the IPL (Indian Premier League)," the former opener wrote.
In England, Jayadevan's challenge has been seen by some as another attempt by India, the game's superpower, to chip away at the influence of the former colonial power and inventor of the game.

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Five national players leave for Colombo today

LAHORE : Players of national cricket team will leave for Colombo from Lahore airport on Sunday for playing Test and One Day International series.
Captain Misbah ul Haq among five players will leave from Lahore to Colombo via Dubai. The players included Azhar Ali, Muhammad Sarfaraz, Umer Cheema and Abdur Razzaq.
One Day International series is scheduled to be started from June 7. All the national team players are hopeful to show their best performance.

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Ireland face Bangladesh in World Twenty20 warm-ups

LONDON: Ireland will begin their preparation for this year's ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka with a three-game series against Bangladesh in Belfast next month, it was announced Saturday.
"It's great news that we're taking on Bangladesh and the games will give us valuable preparation as we build towards the World Cup in Sri Lanka," Ireland coach Phil Simmons said in a Cricket Ireland statement.
"We played an exciting brand of cricket in winning the recent qualifying tournament in Dubai and we're now eighth in the world rankings in this format of the game," the former West Indies batsman added.
"In Paul Stirling we have one of the most exciting players in international cricket at present and I'm sure the Belfast public will relish the opportunity to watch him on home soil."
The matches, which form part of a nine-day Bangladesh tour, will be staged at Stormont on July 18, 20 and 21.
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan said: "We are always looking for tough challenges as professional cricketers and I am sure the tour of Ireland would test our skills and resolve. This will be wonderful preparation for both teams heading into the ICC World T20.
"Ireland are a very competitive side and in their conditions they will be formidable. However, we have a team that is brimming with confidence.
"We have proven match winners and some fresh faces who are tailor-made for the demands of T20 cricket. This promises to be an exciting contest."
Ireland have met Bangladesh just once before in the shortest format, when they were six-wicket winners during the 2009 World Twenty20.
Ireland have been drawn against Australia and West Indies at this year's World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, which starts in September

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Australia in strike threat: reports

SYDNEY: Australia's cricketers may go on strike ahead of next month's one-day tour of England over performance-related pay issues, reports said on Saturday.
Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) head Paul Marsh said there were contingency plans should a resolution not be agreed with Cricket Australia before July 1.
The Australian newspaper said players have examined a boycott of next month's one-day tour of England or the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka in September-October. "Relationships between players and management are heated and threatening to become as ugly as the stand-off surrounding the first player contract negotiations during Mark Taylor's captaincy (1994-1999)," the newspaper said.
"Cricket Australia is playing hardball in negotiations and has frozen all state and Big Bash (domestic T20) contract talks under the threat of Aus$50,000 ($48,400) fine until the new agreement is in place." The newspaper said players and state administrators have both raised the possibility of a boycott of next month's tour to England.
Marsh told the newspaper his members were preparing for the possibility of an industrial stand-off if there was no contract in place before the current one ends. "There's only 29 days of negotiations left to run, so of course we are preparing for the eventuality of not having a deal in place before the end of July," Marsh told The Australian.
"We are looking at all of our different options." The players and Cricket Australia were progressing towards an agreement on a controversial shift to performance-based pay when CA tabled a demand to change the definition of cricket revenue, it said. "The association considers that Aus$30 million cash grab and there is frustration that the bid was tabled late in negotiations," The Australian said.
"The players argue they are not asking for more money, but want to ensure they do not receive less at a time when the game is in reasonable financial health." The main sticking point in the negotiations has been the move to adjust the players' revenue share according to performance, it said.
"At the moment the players receive 26 percent of all cricket income but that would move to a sliding scale under a new deal," the newspaper said. "The pot from which the percentage is taken would shrink under the proposals."
Australia are scheduled to play England in five ODIs from June 29-July 10.

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Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in first T20

HAMBANTOTA : Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by 37 runs in the opening Twenty20 international in Hambantota on Friday.
Pakistan were bowled out for 95 after restricting Sri Lanka to 132-7, with pacemen Nuwan Kulasekera, Angelo Mathews and Lasith Malinga and debutant off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake each taking two wickets.
Opener Ahmed Shehzad top-scored for Pakistan with 36.
The second and final Twenty20 match will be played on Sunday.

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Sri Lanka 132-7 against Pakistan in opening T20

HAMBANTOTA : Sri Lanka scored 132-7 after electing to bat against Pakistan in the opening Twenty20 international in Hambantota on Friday.
Thisara Perera top-scored for Sri Lanka with a 16-ball 32 not out, while paceman Sohail Tanvir bagged three wickets for Pakistan

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Sri Lanka elect to bat against Pakistan in first T20

HAMBANTOTA: Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene elected to bat after winning the toss against Pakistan in the opening Twenty20 international in Hambantota on Friday.
Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Nuwan Kulasekera, Sachithra Senanayake, Lasith Malinga.
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez (capt), Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Khalid Latif, Shakeel Ansar, Sohail Tanvir, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Mohammad Sami.
The second and final Twenty20 match will be played on Sunday.

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Bangladesh name squad for Zimbabwe T20 series

DHAKA: Bangladesh on Thursday named a 15-man squad for an unofficial Twenty20 series against South Africa and Zimbabwe to be played in Harare in June.
The series is part of the teams' preparation for the World Twenty20 tournament to be held in Sri Lanka in September-October.
Bangladesh Twenty20 squad:
Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Mohammad Mahmudullah, Tamim Iqbal, Junaid Siddique, Anamul Haque, Mohammad Ashraful, Shakib Al Hasan, Nasir Hossain, Abdur Razzak, Elias Sunny, Mashrafe Mortaza, Farhad Reza, Nazmul Hossain, Ziaur Rahman, Abul Hasan.

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Sri Lanka and Pakistan clash ahead of world T20

HAMBANTOTA : Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka and Pakistan will test each other's strengths ahead of the World Twenty20 tournament later this year when they clash in a two-match series starting on Friday.
The Twenty20 games in southern Hambantota on Friday and Sunday are a prelude to the fourth edition of the world event that will be played in Sri Lanka in September-October.
"With the World T20 coming up in a few months, this series against Pakistan is very important for us," Sri Lanka's veteran captain Mahela Jayawardene said on Thursday.
"We're using these two games to find the right combination so we will mix and match. We need to make a statement in this series."
The absence of Pakistani players from the Indian Premier League (IPL) could give Sri Lanka the initial advantage at the start of the tour that also includes five one-day internationals and three Test matches.
Several Sri Lankan stars like Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Lasith Malinga played in the cash-rich Twenty20 event in India that ended last Sunday.
But the Pakistanis, who won the World Twenty20 title in England in 2009, have been kept out of the IPL after the inaugural edition in 2008 reportedly over security fears.
Pakistan played their last Twenty20 international in February when they lost a three-match series 2-1 to England in the United Arab Emirates, and they then played in the one-day Asia Cup in Bangladesh in March.
All-rounder Mohammad Hafeez, who replaced Misbah-ul-Haq as Twenty20 captain, said his team was prepared to face the challenge of tackling Sri Lanka in their own backyard.
"Sri Lanka are always a tough opponent, especially at home, but we are well-prepared despite not having played international cricket recently," said Hafeez.
"The boys have worked really hard on their game in the last few weeks and are confident of doing well."
The rivals have played seven Twenty20 internationals so far, with Pakistan winning five and Sri Lanka two.
Sri Lanka (from): Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekera, Sachithra Senanayake, Lasith Malinga, Chamara Kapugedera, Upul Tharanga, Isuru Udana.
Pakistan (from): Mohammad Hafeez (captain), Khalid Latif, Ahmed Shehzad, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Shakeel Ansar, Shahid Afridi, Yasir Arafat, Umar Gul, Sohail Tanveer, Saeed Ajmal, Raza Hasan, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Sami, Hammad Azam.

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Kevin Pietersen retires from ODI, T20 cricket

LONDON: English cricketer Kevin Pietersen is retiring from limited-overs cricket with immediate effect.
The announcement was made by the England and Wales Cricket Board on Thursday. The England and Surrey batsmen will still be available for Test matches.
The 31 year old has played 127 ODIs and 36 international T20s for England, making his international debut in 2004 against Zimbabwe in Harare. Pietersen has scored 4184 runs at an average of 42 in one-day internationals and averages 38 in international T20 cricket.

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Mazhar Majeed, Mervyn Westfield lose appeals

LONDON : A sports agent and a cricketer lost their Court of Appeal challenges against match-fixing convictions on Thursday.
Mazhar Majeed, 36, from Croydon, south London, and former Essex player Mervyn Westfield - the first county cricketer in England to be prosecuted for spot-fixing - were jailed in separate cases.
Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge and two other judges in London, who had been urged to overturn their convictions, rejected their appeals.
Dismissing the challenges, Lord Judge stressed that for the health and survival of cricket as a truly competitive sport, corruption "must be eradicated".
Both appeals were heard together on May 24 as they raised the same point of law.
The men pleaded guilty following pre-trial argument and rulings, but their conviction challenges centred on the correct interpretation of gambling and betting legislation.
Majeed was sentenced in November to two years and eight months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to make corrupt payments.
Westfield, now 24, from Chelmsford, Essex, was sentenced to four months in prison at the Old Bailey in February and has since been released.
He pleaded guilty to one count of accepting or obtaining a corrupt payment to bowl in a way that would allow the scoring of runs.
He was accused of being paid GBP6,000 to bowl so that a specific number of runs would be chalked up in the first over of a match between Durham and Essex in September 2009.
As well as the jail sentence, Westfield was the subject of a confiscation order for GBP6,000.
In the case involving Majeed, three Pakistan cricketers also received custodial sentences at London's Southwark Crown Court over a scandal that rocked world sport.
Ex-Test captain Salman Butt was jailed for two-and--half years for his role as the "orchestrator" of a plot to bowl deliberate no-balls in the 2010 Lord's Test against England.
Mohammad Asif, the former world number two Test bowler, was sentenced to 12 months. Mohammad Amir, who had been tipped to become one of the all-time great fast bowlers, was sentenced to six months.

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Windies' Roach returns home

LEICESTER : Fast bowler Kemar Roach has been ruled out of the remainder of the West Indies' tour of the United Kingdom team West Indies Cricket Board sources said Wednesday.
Roach has been sidelined with shin muscle soreness and will return home to Barbados to allow this to heal before starting a bowling programme again.
West Indies team physiotherapist C.J. Clark said Roach's workload has led to muscle soreness due to the repeated strain of bowling at high velocities.
"Kemar has been carrying this soreness for the last two matches, and in view of our upcoming schedule, we would like him to have the time to recover and prevent the onset of more serious injury," said Clark.
"It is always important to balance workload with the body's ability to repair, and I think it judicious to protect Kemar at this time."
West Indies later announced they have drafted in spinner Sunil Narine, to date uncapped at Test level.
The 24-year-old Narine has bagged 14 wickets in eight one-dayers and also tasted Indian Premier League success with Kolkata Knight Riders.
Roach has been West Indies' most effective bowler in the two Tests played in England, taking eight wickets at 34.25 apiece.
But he did not travel with the rest of the squad on Wednesday to Leicester, where West Indies face Leicestershire in a two-day, tour match at Grace Road, starting on Saturday. Instead, he returned to the UK capital of London and departed for home.
West Indies coach Ottis Gibson said Roach was a major loss, but the decision was taken in the best interest of the fast bowler.
"We still have an awful lot of cricket to play this year and we did not want to risk losing as valuable a player as Kemar for a long period," said Gibson.
"He has been outstanding with the ball for us so far this year and we are all gutted by his departure."
"Kemar made a lot of improvements, after enduring a tough time last year, and gave us some World-class performances during the Digicel 2012 Series against Australia and here in England."
West Indies trail 0-2 against England in the Test series, but Gibson indicated Tino Best and Fidel Edwards were chomping at the bit to play, and felt the two fast bowlers were more than enough firepower on the ground to replace Roach.
"We believe that a very excited Tino and a fit-again Fidel will be able to provide us with the spark that we will miss from Roach's absence," said Gibson.
"We still have an awful lot for which to play in the final Test, and Tino and Fidel can give us the cutting edge to our bowling if they play."
Best is yet to play a match on tour. He arrived as an injury replacement for Shannon Gabriel, who made his debut in the first Test at Lord's, but subsequently returned home with a back injury.
Edwards played in the first Test, but was sidelined for the second Test, which ended on Monday at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.

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No N Zealand contract for troubled Ryder

WELLINGTON : Troubled New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder's international career is in doubt after cricket organisers said he would not receive a central contract for the coming season.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said no contract for the 2012-13 season was offered to Ryder, who has been involved in a string of alcohol-fuelled incidents, after discussion with his management and the players' association.
Ryder announced he was taking a break from cricket in March, when he was dropped from the Black Caps after becoming involved in a row in a Napier pub, with his manager saying he needed time to sort out personal issues.
The 27-year-old was not selected for New Zealand's tour of the West Indies in March but did travel to India to play with the Pune Warriors in the IPL.
NZC chief executive David White said Ryder wanted to work on personal goals without the pressure that accompanied being a contracted player.
"All of the evidence shows that Jesse is on the right track, both on and off the field, but we're aware that there are still steps to be made," he said in a statement late Wednesday.
"While cricket remains an important part of his life, it is his health and well-being that need to be the primary focus."
An NZC spokesman said Ryder was still available for selection even without a central contract.
Black Caps vice-captain Brendon McCullum said he believed the big-hitting batsman would eventually return to international cricket as a better player.
"He's got a tremendous amount of talent and everyone wants him back on the park," he told RadioSport.
"He's just got a couple of blemishes he's got to iron out. I'm sure if he can do that then New Zealand Cricket and Jesse are both going to benefit from it."

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IPL winner Wasim Akram hopes for Indo-Pak thaw

Wasim Akram : was upbeat about growing signs that India and Pakistan are to resume cricketing ties.Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf is in India negotiating a revival of matches after watching the Indian Premier League (IPL) final.India has also allowed the Sialkot Stallions to take part in October s Champions League, the first such participation by a Pakistani team since 2008.Wasim, who as bowling coach helped Kolkata Knight Riders win their maiden IPL title on Sunday, said there were signs of a thaw."I acted as an ambassador for Pakistan as everyone knows me and during my stay I have seen that people want Indo-Pak cricket to start and for me the invitation for Sialkot is the first step," Wasim said.Pakistani players featured in the inaugural IPL in 2008 and Sialkot was due to participate in the first Champions League the same year, until the Mumbai attacks saw cricket ties suspended.Wasim, 45, expressed his hope that the doors to the IPL will open for Pakistani cricketers next year."Pakistani players Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Umar Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez are popular in India and Indian fans have realised they can add to the charm of the league," said Wasim, who played 104 Tests and 352 one-day internationals for Pakistan.Wasim added that India not playing Pakistan was a great setback for the millions of spectators in both countries."I am a great advocate of Indo-Pak cricket and I hope all the issues between the two countries are solved so that millions of fans are not deprived of such entertaining cricket," said Wasim, who led Pakistan on the tour of India in 1999.Turning to Pakistan s imminent tour to Sri Lanka, Wasim said: "Pakistan has done well in the past year and although it will be tough playing Sri Lanka on their home grounds I am sure this Pakistan team will do well."Pakistan play two Twenty20, five one-dayers and three Tests on the tour of Sri Lanka, with the first Twenty20 taking place in Hambantota on Friday.

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No link between moisture and swing bowling

AJMAL : Researchers from Britain and New Zealand reviewed scientific literature on the subject.The widely-held belief that moisture in the air during humid conditions helps make a cricket ball swing has been clean bowled in a scientific study.Swing bowling when a delivery curves sideways in mid-air -- has long been regarded as one of the game s dark arts, not only deceiving hapless batsmen but also puzzling cricket-loving scientists.Researchers from Britain s Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Auckland in New Zealand reviewed scientific literature on the subject and conducted their own tests to try to get to the bottom of the mystery.From the earliest studies of the phenomenon in the 1950s to the "seminal review of sports ball dynamics" by NASA scientist Rabindra Mehta in 1985, they found humidity was consistently cited as a crucial factor in achieving swing.The researchers tested the theory using 3D laser scanners in an atmospheric chamber to measure the effect different humidity levels had on deliveries using balls which had been "aged" to simulate match conditions.While altitude and the age of the ball both increased swing, the scientists did not discover any link between moisture levels in the air and sideways movement of the ball."This study shows that there is no direct or indirect manner in which humidity can significantly affect the ability of the bowler to make the ball swing," they concluded in research published in the online journal Procedia Engineering this week."It is therefore logical to conclude that humidity may not have the significant influence on swing bowling that is widely assumed."Instead, the researchers put forward their own theory that cloud cover provided the ideal environment for swing bowling because it reduced turbulence in the air caused by heating from sunlight.They said such still conditions meant the air surrounding the ball during the delivery was less likely to be disturbed, making it easier to produce the "asymmetrical" flight needed for swing bowling.
"What is clear is that the scientific community should turn their attention away from the question of humidity and focus their efforts to test the cloud cover hypothesis," they said.

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Hafeez: Pakistan fully fit ready to face Sri Lanka

Pakistan : are fully prepared for Sri Lanka tour, says Skipper Hafeez.
Pakistan arrived in Sri Lanka on Monday ahead of a two-T20, five-ODI, three-Test series, and Hafeez said his lads were looking forward to getting their competitive edge back against their sub-continental counterparts.


Hafeez said ahead of the seven-week tour: "We all know that Sri Lanka is always good on their own soil and we are looking forward to a very tough series.


"We have experience playing them in the recent past and had good success against them. I personally feel the boys have worked really hard in the last one and a half months.


"Although we were not playing any international cricket (recently) some of the guys were doing their own training and the PCB arranged some matches for us to get match practice."


Pakistan coach Whatmore added: "Although Pakistan is unable to play any international matches at home due to the security concerns in their country, they managed to practice together before coming to Sri Lanka.


"We had a pretty decent two weeks camp before we came here finishing up with some practices that were attended by conservatively 15,000 people who were starved of cricket and they just loved them.
"The advantage a country like Sri Lanka has, apart from IPL of course, is they are all centralised in one spot. In our case a lot of the boys are spread out.


"There are a lot of weeks of build-up before we come together for a camp. From that point of view you can t be in all the places at once taken in good faith that they are working and the boys have. But the two weeks was very good at the other end."


Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene was looking forward to the challenge, and said they would be using the series to prepare for the World T20 on home soil in September.


He said: "If you take their performances in the last six months they have performed well in all three formats. To play them in our conditions is a good challenge.


"One-day cricket is important to us and also the T20 because in another 3-4 months we have the World T20 so the T20 matches against Pakistan and the two we will play against India in July are extremely important to us."


The first T20 is on Friday 1 June in Hambantota, and the final Test starts at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on 8 July.

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Kolkata erupts as IPL heroes return home

KOLKATA: Police used bamboo sticks to beat back huge crowds thronging the streets of Kolkata on Tuesday as the city's victorious Indian Premier League (IPL) team received a raucous welcome home.
Gautam Gambhir, captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders, led celebrations as the players took an open-top bus tour through a sea of frenzied fans to the team's home ground at the Eden Gardens stadium.
Crowd barriers were pushed aside and streams of people broke through police cordons, as officers struggled to prevent the stadium from becoming dangerously congested for the free-entry event.
Officials said 60,000 people were in the packed venue, with another 30,000 locked outside.
The Knight Riders' victory on Sunday was their first success in the IPL, an annual Twenty20 tournament which pulls in huge audiences across India with its blend of hard-hitting cricket and Bollywood-style entertainment.
"It was a dream victory. They have made us proud," said Partha Tripathi, 50, a manager at the United Commercial Bank who took the day off work to enjoy the party.
"I want to be a witness to the epic celebration that the team deserves," he said as he lined up to enter Eden Gardens.
Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal state, of which Kolkata is the capital, met the players and posed with the golden IPL trophy that the team won with just two balls to spare in the final.
Shah Rukh Khan, leading Bollywood actor and the enthusiastic co-owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders, added celebrity glamour to the occasion as confetti was fired into the air.
"We have been waiting for this day so long," he told crowds. "Thank you Kolkata. Thank you West Bengal on behalf of every member of the team. Only Kolkata will rule."
Accompanied by loud music and dancing, the team completed a lap of honour in the stadium to complete the celebrations.

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Tahir turns to Qadir ahead of England tour

South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir has returned to his native Pakistan to seek tips from old tutor Abdul Qadir in a bid to exploit England's weakness against spin when the teams meet in July.

Tahir, who developed as a spinner in Pakistan before qualifying to play for South Africa last year, arrived last week and trained with Pakistan legend Qadir on Tuesday.

"I will try my best to learn more and more from the master," said Tahir, 33.

"Whatever leg-spin I bowl was taught to me by Qadir who in his day was a master spinner and a role model for youngsters."

Qadir, 56, who was revered as a great leg-spinner during the 70s and 80s, predicted Tahir could play a lead role for South Africa, whose attack is dominated by pace.

"I have told him how to bowl differently," Qadir told AFP. "Tahir is very talented and since he is my old student I agreed to help him when he contacted me last month."

"If conditions in England remain dry and there is less rain then I am sure Tahir will be very handy against England," added Qadir, who took 236 wickets in 67 Tests for Pakistan

South Africa will play three Tests, five one-days and three Twenty20s on their tour of England. The first Test begins at The Oval on July 19.

Tahir will hope that South Africa can follow Pakistan's example when his team confronts England.

England, world number one Test team, were routed 3-0 by Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates earlier this year, with off-spinner Saeed Ajmal taking 24 wickets and left-armer Abdul Rehman finishing with 19.

Tahir refused to compare himself to Ajmal or Rehman, saying he had his own style which he hoped would prove successful.

"What Ajmal and Rehman have achieved is great," said Tahir. "I have my own skill and I will try my level best to get wickets for my team and I am learning to control my delivery which is a bit faster than the normal leg-breaks."

Tahir said England's batsmen would be tough opponents but his experience of English conditions would be useful. Over the past eight years, Tahir has played for four different English counties.

"England's batsmen will be different on their grounds, but I have experience of English conditions which would be handy," said Tahir, who has 18 wickets in seven Tests as well as 14 in five one-dayers.

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Cricket Kenya awards new contracts

Cricket Kenya has agreed National Squad contracts with 20 players for 2012/13.

The National Selection panel chaired by Alpesh Vadher made recommendations to the Cricket Kenya Board which were unanimously accepted and all 20 players have accepted their new agreements.

Chief Executive Tom Sears said: 'Cricket Kenya is delighted to announce that 20 players have agreed National contracts. We have great faith in the players selected, they are a young squad and will need time to reach their full potential, but they have an enormous amount of ability and given time there is no reason why this squad can't start producing the results we all hope to see.

'The process of renewing the contracts has been extremely simple this year which has been refreshing, I would commend the players for choosing to represent themselves as opposed to being influenced by third parties, and on the way they have conducted themselves throughout the process. All discussions have been very open and constructive which bodes well for the future.'

The 20 players contracted are as follows:

Ragheb Aga

Duncan Allan

James Ngoche

Shem Ngoche

Alex Obanda

Collins Obuya

Nehemiah Odhiambo

Nelson Odhiambo

Irfan Karim

Ibrahim Akello

Alfred Luseno

Peter Kituku

Dominic Wesonga

Morris Ouma

Lucas Oluoch

Elijah Otieno

Rakep Patel

Hiren Varaiya

Seren Waters

Emmanuel Bundi

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Resurgent Pakistan eye Sri Lanka scalp

Pakistan are hoping to build on their impressive record over the past year when they take the field during the full tour of Sri Lanka starting later this week.

"The task here is to win, but the longer goal is to take Pakistan high up in the rankings in all three formats," Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore said at the series launch in Colombo on Monday night.

"It's a simple statement, but it requires a lot of work," he said ahead of the seven-week tour which comprises three Tests, five one-day internationals and two Twenty20 games.

The Pakistanis have come a long way since the spot-fixing scandal in England in 2010 led to unprecedented jail terms for Test captain Salman Butt and premier fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer.

The talented but often unpredictable national team have shown consistent winning form over the last 12 months despite being unable to play at home due to security concerns since an attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in 2009.

Pakistan have won seven of their last nine Test matches, including a 3-0 whitewash of top-ranked England in the United Arab Emirates earlier this year.

Their record in limited-overs cricket has been equally impressive, winning 16 of their last 22 one-day games, topped by the Asia Cup title triumph in Bangladesh in March.

The two Twenty20 games in southern Hambantota on Friday and Sunday provide both teams with a useful build-up for the World Twenty20 tournament to be held in Sri Lanka in September-October.

The Sri Lankans have had an inconsistent year in which they managed just two wins in 14 Tests with six defeats, and lost 21 of their last 35 one-day internationals.

Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene praised Pakistan's recent record and saw a good challenge ahead for his home team.

"If you take their performances in the last six months, they have performed really well in all three formats," he said. "To play them in our conditions is a good challenge."

Australian Whatmore, a former Sri Lankan coach who guided Arjuna Ranatunga's men to the World Cup title in 1996, said Pakistan were ready for what would be a tough tour on the field.

"Although Pakistan is unable to play any international matches at home due to the security concerns, they managed to practice together before coming to Sri Lanka," the coach said.

"We had a pretty decent two-week camp before we came here."

Whatmore insisted his insider's knowledge of Sri Lankan cricket would not give Pakistan any advantage.

"It was a long time ago when I finished with Sri Lanka and a lot of water has passed under the bridge," he said. "I maintain some friendships which are always good but the task here is to win."

Pakistan's new Twenty20 captain Mohammad Hafeez said victory over Sri Lanka in all three formats in the United Arab Emirates last year had boosted his team's morale.

"We all know Sri Lanka are always good on their own soil, but we have had good success against them in the UAE," said Hafeez, who will be vice-captain to Misbah-ul-Haq in the Tests and the one-dayers.

Sri Lanka's chairman of selectors, Ashantha de Mel, said his team needed to be wary of Pakistan's leading spinners Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman, who will play a key role in the Test and one-day series.

"It is the Pakistani spinners we need to be careful of," he said. "Ajmal and Rehman are of a different class compared to our spinners. Only Rangana Herath comes anywhere close to them."

Tour schedule:

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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Resurgent Pakistan eye Sri Lanka scalp

COLOMBO: Pakistan are hoping to build on their impressive record over the past year when they take the field during the full tour of Sri Lanka starting later this week.
"The task here is to win, but the longer goal is to take Pakistan high up in the rankings in all three formats," Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore said at the series launch in Colombo on Monday night. "It's a simple statement, but it requires a lot of work," he said ahead of the seven-week tour which comprises three Tests, five one-day internationals and two Twenty20 games.
The talented but often unpredictable national team have shown consistent winning form over the last 12 months despite being unable to play at home due to security concerns. Pakistan have won seven of their last nine Test matches, including a 3-0 whitewash of top-ranked England in the United Arab Emirates earlier this year.
Their record in limited-overs cricket has been equally impressive, winning 16 of their last 22 one-day games, topped by the Asia Cup title triumph in Bangladesh in March. The two Twenty20 games in southern Hambantota on Friday and Sunday provide both teams with a useful build-up for the World Twenty20 tournament to be held in Sri Lanka in September-October.
The Sri Lankans have had an inconsistent year in which they managed just two wins in 14 Tests with six defeats, and lost 21 of their last 35 one-day internationals.
Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene praised Pakistan's recent record and saw a good challenge ahead for his home team. "If you take their performances in the last six months, they have performed really well in all three formats," he said. "To play them in our conditions is a good challenge."
Australian Whatmore, a former Sri Lankan coach who guided Arjuna Ranatunga's men to the World Cup title in 1996, said Pakistan were ready for what would be a tough tour on the field. "Although Pakistan is unable to play any international matches at home due to the security concerns, they managed to practice together before coming to Sri Lanka," the coach said.
"We had a pretty decent two-week camp before we came here." Whatmore insisted his insider's knowledge of Sri Lankan cricket would not give Pakistan any advantage. "It was a long time ago when I finished with Sri Lanka and a lot of water has passed under the bridge," he said. "I maintain some friendships which are always good but the task here is to win."
Pakistan's new Twenty20 captain Mohammad Hafeez said victory over Sri Lanka in all three formats in the United Arab Emirates last year had boosted his team's morale. "We all know Sri Lanka are always good on their own soil and we look forward to a very tough series," said Hafeez, who will be vice-captain to Misbah-ul-Haq in the Tests and the one-dayers.
"But we have had experience playing them in the recent past and had good success against them in the UAE."
Tour schedule: 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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Police lathicharge KKR fans in Kolkata

KOLKATA: Indian Premier League (IPL) champion Kolkata Knight Riders's victory celebrations at the Eden Gardens turned ugly when several fans who failed to enter the venue started shouting slogans and broke through the barricades, forcing the police to use force and lathicharge the crowd.
The fans near Gate No. 3 of Eden Gardens tried to enter the stadium to get a glimpse of the KKR players, but due to the packed venue failed to do so. Soon afterwards the fans started to turn violent and pulled down the barricades resulting in police action. But there has been no report of any person getting injured in the lathicharge.
Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appealed to the police to let those waiting outside to enter the Eden Gardens even though the stadium had more than 1 lakh people inside.
On Monday, Mamata had announced that she would felicitate the KKR team in Kolkata and added that the entry to the Eden Gardens for the celebrations would be free

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ICC Cricket Committee to meet at Lord's on Wednesday and Thursday

The ICC Cricket :  Committee will hold its annual meeting at Lord's Cricket Ground in London on 30 and 31 May.

A wide range of issues will be discussed during the two day meeting including Twenty20 strategy, the annual review of the Decision Review System (DRS) and the format of ODI cricket.

The committee is chaired by former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd and is administered by David Richardson, ICC General Manager - Cricket. It includes representatives of all stakeholders in the modern game, including players, coaches, match officials, the media, the law-makers (MCC) and statisticians.

The committee's remit is to discuss and consult on cricket-playing matters and to formulate recommendations to the Chief Executives' Committee and the ICC Board for approval. The next meetings of those committees are set for Kuala Lumpur during the ICC's annual conference week, from 24-28 June.

Among the items for consideration by the ICC Cricket Committee are:

Twenty20 Strategy

The ICC Cricket Committee will continue the important strategic discussions which are ongoing and have previously been held at the ICC Board and Chief Executive's Committee (CEC). Members of the Cricket Committee will be able to add their views in refining a long-term strategy intended to protect the appeal of Twenty20 as well as to ensure the viability of all three formats of the game.

The ICC Cricket Committee will consider:

· The role of Twenty20 cricket in the growth of the game in the developing cricket world

· The volume of Twenty20 cricket (relative to the volume of the other formats) to be played at bi-lateral Full Member level

· Global Twenty20 ICC event(s);

· The proliferation of domestic leagues (involving foreign players and, in some cases, private ownership) and the consequent impact on international cricket

The ICC Board and CEC have already agreed that the ICC World Twenty20 will remain a joint men's and women's event and will be increased from 12 to 16 men's teams from 2014 onwards.

Format of ODI cricket

At last year's ICC Cricket Committee meeting two changes to the ODI format were introduced. Teams were compelled to take the batting and bowling Powerplays between the 16th and 40th overs and were required to use two new balls, one from each end.

At the same time, Members were encouraged to continue trialling the following innovations at domestic level:

· Increasing the maximum number of overs each bowler could deliver

· No compulsory close catchers

· A maximum of four fielders outside the 30 yard circle during non-Powerplay overs

· Increasing the number of short pitched deliveries (above shoulder height) that can be delivered per over from one to two.

These changes and suggested trial innovations are aimed at making the 50-over game a more attacking one, both from a batting and bowling perspective, especially during the middle overs. It is also aimed at improving the balance between bat and ball and to create an identity for ODIs distinct from the Test and Twenty20 formats.

The ICC Cricket Committee will consider the impact of the rule changes and the outcome of these trials and whether any other changes should be introduced to further enhance the format at international level.

Day/Night Test match cricket

The ICC Cricket Committee will receive reports of the ongoing trials and consider reports involving the development and feasibility of using different colour balls in multi-day formats in day/night conditions.

Illegal bowling actions

The ICC Cricket Committee will receive an update on the research project, commissioned by ICC, with the assistance of MCC, aimed at developing wearable technology that can be used to monitor bowling actions by providing real time feedback to the athlete, coach and umpires during training/match environments.

A prototype sensor has been developed capable of producing data that would indicate whether or not the bowler's elbow is being straightened during the delivery swing. The next phase of the project will involve the further development of the sensors and the validation of the data produced.

Switch hit and reverse sweep shots

In May 2009, the ICC Cricket Committee endorsed an MCC view that the switch-hit was an exciting shot which offered the bowlers a good chance of taking a wicket and thus one which should remain a legitimate part of the game. With the more frequent and skillful use of the switch hit, the Committee will be asked to again consider the matter from the perspective of retaining a fair balance between bat and ball.

Decision Review System (DRS)

The committee will carry out its annual review of the Decision Review System. The Committee will, inter alia, consider actual results, the reliability of the technologies used and the extent of improvements thereto, the appropriateness of the current DRS LBW protocols and, specifically, the impact thereof on the game (balance between bat and ball).

Other items on the agenda include:

· Reports on umpire performances and player behaviour

· Pace of play and the use of substitute fielders

· Consideration of the VJD system as a method for the calculation of target scores in reduced limited overs matches.

The ICC Cricket Committee comprises:

Chairman - Clive Lloyd (former West Indies captain)

Ex-Officio (two) - Sharad Pawar (ICC President) and Haroon Lorgat (ICC Chief Executive)

Past players (two) - Ian Bishop (former West Indies fast bowler) and Mark Taylor (former Australia captain)

Representatives of current players (two) - Kumar Sangakkara (to send written comments due to his playing commitments) and Tim May (ex-Australia off-spinner, ICC Cricket World Cup winner in 1987 and now Chief Executive of FICA)

Full Member team coach representative (one) - Gary Kirsten (South Africa coach)

Women's representative (one) - Clare Connor (former England women's team captain who represented her country in 16 Tests and 93 ODIs, current chair of the ICC Women's Committee)

Member Board representative (one) - David White (NZC Chief Executive)

Associate representative (one) - Trent Johnston (Former Ireland captain and current player)

Media (one) - Ravi Shastri (former India captain and a respected commentator)

Umpires' representative (one) - Steve Davis (member of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires)

Referees' representative (one) - Ranjan Madugalle (ICC chief match referee and former Sri Lanka captain)

MCC representative (one) - John Stephenson (MCC Head of Cricket MCC and a former England Test and first class cricketer. MCC is the guardian of the laws of cricket)

Statistician (one) - David Kendix (a statistician/scorer and the man responsible for the creation and development of the Reliance ICC Rankings; nominated by the ICC to sit on the committee)

Media arrangements:

A media conference will be held at the conclusion of the ICC Cricket Committee meeting. The conference will take place no earlier than 1500 on Thursday 31 May and will be held in the Thomas Lord Suite at Lord's Cricket ground.

Broadcasters wishing to bring OB vans should be advised there is no parking at Lord's due to Middlesex playing Sussex on Thursday. For any specific requests please contact MCC Filming and Photography Manager Clare Skinner on +447960 863 826. Media intending to cover the media conference are requested to show some sort of a press ID, like ECB media pass or NUJ card upon arrival at the Grace Gates.

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Pakistan ready to play India anywhere: PCB chief

CHENNAI: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf in an interview to ‘Times of India’ said that Pakistan was willing to play India anywhere including on their home turf.
According to the Indian paper, Ashraf who was in Chennai to attend the IPL final is expected to meet BCCI officials in an effort to renew cricketing ties between the two countries.
Relations took a turn towards the positive when the BCCI allowed the Sialkot Stallions to take part in the Champions League to be held in India in October. When asked about Pakistani players being selected in the IPL, Ashraf replied that would be discussed with the BCCI and there would be some serious breaking news soon.
Ashraf added that he had a zero tolerance policy for corruption in cricket and Pakistan was trying to move ahead from the spot-fixing saga. The PCB chairman when commenting on Mohammed Amir said the young cricketer was trapped and the cricket board wanted him to come back.

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Samuels defies England in second Test

NOTTINGHAM: Marlon Samuels resisted England's attack once more in the second Test to give the West Indies the merest glimmer of hope at Trent Bridge here on Monday.
The West Indies were 141 for eight at lunch on the fourth day -- a lead of just 83 runs.
But considering they'd resumed on 61 for six this represented something of a recovery, although England were still on course for a victory that would give them an unbeatable 2-0 lead in this three-match series after a five-wicket win at Lord's.
Samuels, who made 117 in the first innings, was 52 not out, his fifty coming in 130 balls with eight boundaries.
Shane Shillingford was unbeaten on nought.
Both Samuels and West Indies captain Darren Sammy, who each made hundreds during a seventh-wicket stand of 204 in the first innings, were unbeaten at the start of Monday's play.
Samuels was 13 not out and Sammy nought not out.
They made a positive start, with Samuels clipping Tim Bresnan for a boundary off his pads while Sammy drove him through extra-cover for four.
Samuels, who'd been involved in some fiery verbal jousts with James Anderson, later square-drove the Lancashire paceman for another stylish boundary.
And the Jamaican took West Indies to 100 by fluently driving an over-pitched Stuart Broad delivery through the covers for an even better four.
Sammy too went for his shots, slamming Bresnan for a boundary behind point.
But Bresnan had Sammy lbw -- his fourth leg before wicket of the innings -- for 25.
Sammy reviewed the decision and replays showed the ball, which hit him on the back leg, would have just clipped the top of the stumps.
As Aleem Dar had already given Sammy out, the Pakistani umpire's call was upheld and West Indies were now 110 for seven after their two best batsmen of the match had only added 49 this time around.
Kemar Roach struck several fours before he was lbw to Anderson for 14 although England had to review umpire Asad Rauf's original not out decision before West Indies were 139 for eight.
England captain Andrew Strauss, occasionally setting defensive fields with just the one slip, equally curiously opted against using Graeme Swann's off-spin before lunch.

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England vs W. Indies: Strauss unbeaten on 125

TRENT BRIDGE: England edged forward to 340-6 at lunch on day three of the second test, still trailing West Indies by 30 runs with four first innings wickets remaining.
England captain Andrew Strauss is unbeaten on 125, with 20 fours from 268 balls, and Tim Bresnan is 4 not out at Trent Bridge.
Starting the day on 259-2, England lost four wickets during Sunday's morning session.
Ravi Rampaul, who has 3-61, trapped Kevin Pietersen lbw for 80 and Kemar Roach (2-71) removed Ian Bell and Jonny Bairstow.
West Indies captain Darren Sammy also bowled Matt Prior for 16.

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I apologise for my misbehaviour at MCA: SRK

CHENNAI: An ecstatic Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shah Rukh Khan today apologised for his misbehaviour with the Mumbai Cricket Association officials at the Wankhede Stadium after a match against Mumbai Indians.
Surrounded by his wife and daughter and other kids, the Bollywood superstar said, "I want to apologise to the kids for my misbehaviour at MCA. I apologise to all who saw me differently. I shouldn’t have behaved in that manner. But today my team has won, so I guess, all you fans should forgive me. We have won at last."
He praised each and every player. "I am proud of Gautam and the boys. We made a video of families of all our players and saw Manvinder Bisla`s parents speaking about their son. They must be very proud and so am I. I want to tell the people of the Bengal, that now this team belongs to you."

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Pakistan cricket squad leaves for Sri Lanka

LAHORE: Pakistan cricket team left for Sri Lanka via Dubai on late Sunday night
The squad included Muhamamd Hafeez, Shahid Afridi, Umer Akmal, Ahmed Shahzad, Hammad Azam, Haris Sohail, Khalid Lateef, Muhammad Sami, Nasir Jamshed, Raza Hassan, Saeed Ajmal, Shakeel, Shoaib Malik, Tanveer Sohail, Yasir and Umer Gul.
Pakistan will play five one-day, three Test and two T20 matches in Sri Lanka from June 01 to July 12, 2012.

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Kolkata become IPL champions for first time

CHENNAI: Kolkata Knight Riders defeated defending champions Chennai Super Kings by five wickets with two balls to spare to win become the Indian Premier League champions for the first time.here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk.on Sunday.
Chasing a big target of 191 runs, the Knight Riders achieved their victory in 19.4 overs after a hard contest in the final of the fifth IPL tournament.
Opener Manvinder Bisla top scored with 89 after Kolkata lost their captain Gautam Gambhir for two. He smashed five sixes and eight fours in his 48-ball innings.
He was followed by South African allrounder Jacques Kallis, who made 69 from 49 balls with seven fours and a six.
For Chennai, Australian pacer Ben Hilfenhaus claimed two wickets for 25
Earlier, Chennai Super Kings captain Mahinder Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first.
His team piled up 190 for only three wickets in the allotted 20 overs with Suresh Raina (73) and Michael Hussey (54) and Murali Vijay (42) being the main scorers.
Pakistan’s premier sports tv channel Geo Super showed all the matches of this tournament including the final live from the venues in India.

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England eye series win as Windies slump again

NOTTINGHAM: West Indies' latest top-order collapse left England on the brink of a series-clinching victory in the second Test at Trent Bridge here on Sunday.
The tourists had slumped to 61 for six in their second innings at stumps on the third day.
That gave them a lead of just three runs after England had made a first innings 428 featuring captain Andrew Strauss's second hundred in as many Tests.
Marlon Samuels (13 not out) and West Indies captain Darren Sammy (nought not out), who both made hundreds in the first innings, were together at the close.
Earlier in this match they'd shared a stand of 204 but it was now going to take something special, with two days left, to prevent world number ones
England, who won the first Test at Lord's by five wickets, from going 2-0 up in this three-match series.
James Anderson removed both West Indies openers in a spell of two wickets for three runs in eight balls while fellow seamer Tim Bresnan followed up with three for nine in 26.
Anderson bowled Kieran Powell for one after the left-hander inside-edged a drive onto his stumps and then had Adrian Barath lbw for seven.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul, officially the world's best batsman, walked out at number four instead of his usual number five slot when the tourists were forced into a rejig as regular number three Kirk Edwards was suffering with 'flu.
So far this series, Chanderpaul had come to the crease at 86 for three, 36 for three and 42 for three.
But having batted for over 10 hours in total at Lord's and spent more than two hours compiling 46 in the first innings of this match, Chanderpaul batted for just 24 minutes on Sunday.
The left-hander had made a mere 11 when his renowned concentration faltered as he fell into a hooking trap, top-edging Stuart Broad's bouncer to Jonathan Trott at long leg.
And when Darren Bravo, who took Edwards's spot at three, was lbw to Bresnan the desperate review showed the ball hitting middle stump -- West Indies were 45 for four and still 13 runs adrift of making England bat again.
They avoided the embarrassment of an innings defeat when Samuels clipped Bresnan for a boundary through mid-wicket.
But in the space of three balls Bresnan had Ramdin and Edwards lbw, the latter out for nought.
England resumed Sunday on 259 for two in reply to West Indies' first innings 370. Strauss was 102 not out and Kevin Pietersen 72 not out.
It was left-handed opener Strauss's second century of the series after he ended an 18-month wait for a Test ton with 122 at Lord's.
But whenever he'd been previously been not out overnight on a Test hundred, Strauss had never added more than six runs.
It was Pietersen though who was unable to press on Sunday when he was lbw to Ravi Rampaul's inswinger for 80, ending a third-wicket partnership of 144.
Fast bowler Rampaul, who missed the first Test with a neck injury, led the attack well with three for 75 in 32 overs.
The West Indies then saw fast bowler Kemar Roach take two for six in 16 balls with the new ball to reduce England to 308 for five, removing Ian Bell and Jonathan Bairstow, who struggled against anything pitched short.
Strauss found runs hard to come by Sunday, managing just 39 in 98 balls, and he was eventually caught behind off the medium-pace of Sammy.
He batted for more than seven hours in total, facing 303 balls with 22 fours.
England were still behind when Strauss was out at 363 for seven.
But West Indies, who bowled well, then had to suffer a frustrating eighth-wicket stand of 53 between Bresnan (39 not out) and Broad (25).
Part-time spinner Samuels ended the innings with two wickets for one run in nine balls.

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England take 58-run lead against Windies

NOTTINGHAM: England captain Andrew Strauss made 141 before Tim Bresnan and Stuart Broad joined forces to give the hosts a first innings lead against the West Indies in the second Test here at Trent Bridge.
At tea on Sunday's third day, England were 428 all out in reply to West Indies' 370 -- a lead of 58 runs.
It was far less of an advantage than England would have wanted on a good batting pitch but far more than looked likely when Strauss was out with his side still behind on 363 for seven.
West Indies, who bowled well, had to suffer a frustrating eighth-wicket partnership of 53 in 92 balls between Bresnan and Broad before the latter miscued a sweep against spinner Shane Shillingford and was caught for 25.
Part-time spinner Marlon Samuels, who scored a century when West Indies batted, polished off the innings with two wickets for one run in nine balls.
Bresnan was 39 not out.
Fast bowler Ravi Rampaul led the tourists' attack with three wickets for 75 runs in 32 balls.
The West Indies took four wickets in Sunday's first session before captain Darren Sammy dismissed Strauss for his second hundred in as many matches, following the opener's 122 in a five-wicket first Test win at Lord's that gave England a 1-0 lead in this three-match series.
Strauss was 102 not out and Kevin Pietersen 72 not out at the start of Sunday's play.
But Pietersen had added just eight when he was lbw to Rampaul's inswinger.
Despite his challenge, Pietersen was out for 80, ending a third-wicket stand of 144.
The West Indies took the new ball as soon as possible with England 299 for three off 80 overs.
And it brought rewards with Kemar Roach, who'd sent down eight no-balls Saturday, getting back into his stride with two wickets for six runs in 16 balls to reduce England to 308 for five.
Fourth delivery with the new ball, Roach had Ian Bell aiming across the line, lbw for 22 although the tourists had to challenge umpire Aleem Dar's original not out verdict.
Jonathan Bairstow, in his second Test, never looked comfortable against the short ball and, trying to turn a rising Roach delivery legside, got a leading edge to mid-on and was caught by Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
This was the first time in Strauss's 21 Test hundreds -- one shy of the England record of 22 held jointly by Walter Hammond, Colin Cowdrey and Geoffrey Boycott -- the left-hander had added more than six runs when not out overnight on a century.
But the 35-year-old found runs hard to come by Sunday, managing just 39 in 98 balls including four boundaries.
He was eventually out when, trying to drive, he was caught behind off Sammy. Strauss batted for more than seven hours in total, facing 303 balls with 22 boundaries.

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Windies recover as England stall in second Test

NOTTINGHAM: West Indies fought back well to take four wickets on the third morning of the second Test at Trent Bridge here on Sunday as they checked England's progress .
At lunch, England were 340 for six in reply to West Indies' 370 -- still 30 runs behind after resuming on 259 for two in ideal, sunny, batting conditions.
England captain Andrew Strauss was 125 not out, having started the day unbeaten on 102 -- his second hundred in as many matches after his 123 in the five-wicket first Test win over the Windies at Lord's.
Tim Bresnan was unbeaten on four.
This was the first time in his 21 Test hundreds -- one shy of the England record of 22 held jointly by Walter Hammond, Colin Cowdrey and Geoffrey Boycott that Strauss had added more than six runs when not out overnight on a century.
But the fact he'd scored just 23 runs in the session was testament to the accuracy of West Indies' attack, with fast bowlers Ravi Rampaul and Kemar Roach doing the damage.
Kevin Pietersen had looked in excellent touch while making 72 on Saturday.
But he'd added just eight runs to his overnight score when he was leg before to a Rampaul inswinger.
Despite his challenge, Pietersen had to go for 80 to end a stand worth 144
At that stage, Rampaul had taken three for 43 and the rest of the attack none for 210.
The West Indies took the new ball as soon as possible with England 299 for
three off 80 overs.
And it brought rewards with Roach, who'd sent down eight no-balls Saturday, getting back into his stride with two wickets for six runs in 16 balls to reduce England to 308 for five.
Fourth delivery with the new ball, Roach had Ian Bell aiming across the line, lbw for 22 although the tourists had to challenge umpire Aleem Dar's original not out verdict.
Jonathan Bairstow, in just his second Test, never looked comfortable against the short ball and, trying to turn a rising Roach delivery legside, got a leading edge to mid-on and was caught by Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
West Indies captain Darren Sammy, who scored his maiden Test hundred on Saturday, then got in on the act when the medium-pacer bowled Matt Prior off the inside edge.

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Sourav Ganguly tips KKR to win IPL 5

KOLKATA: Rating Gautam Gambhir ahead of Mahendra Singh Dhoni as far as captaincy is concerned, former India skipper Sourav Ganguly on Saturday put his money on Kolkata Knight Riders to win the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League.
The Indian selectors might have lost faith in Gambhir who was removed from vice-captaincy ahead of the Asia Cup, but Ganguly named the Delhi opener as the skipper to lead his best XI also featuring Dhoni.
"Gautam Gambhir is the best captain of the IPL. I really liked the way he supported his players. He persisted with Yusuf Pathan as he delivered his best performance (for KKR) in two years," Ganguly said, referring to the allrounder's 21-ball 40 in their win over Delhi in the first qualifier.
The Dhoni-led Super Kings who play their third final in as many years may be the favourites on paper but Ganguly put both the teams at par and hoped the Knight Riders would win their first title in five years.
"I want to wish both the teams. But I want to see a new champion. I think KKR would win this time," he said.
"Gambhir would be equally confident on the field. They (KKR) are a pretty balanced side and have been consistent this season. They have the players to win matches."
Ganguly however said Gambhir would not have to prove the selectors anything.
"I don't think he would play with a mindset that he would have to prove something. The way they have performed this season is enough to inspire themselves for the big day tomorrow," Ganguly said.
The Bengal icon however said the core CSK players could be "role models" for any side.
"They have stuck to their side for five years with players like Dhoni, Vijay, Badrinath being the core of the side all these time. They can be a role model for any T20 side."
"I've always said Dhoni is unparallel in the short versions, though there would always be a question mark on him when it comes to Test cricket," Ganguly said.
The veteran said toss would play a crucial role at the Chepauk and also key would be the way Dhoni's men tackle mystery spinner Sunil Narine.
"Toss would be vital. I'm sure (Gautam) Gambhir would hope to win the toss and set a target. The whole game would change if Gambhir wins the toss.
"But at the same time, Chennai's 50 per cent job would be done if they manage to tackle Narine.
Ganguly's Best XI: Gautam Gambhir (c), Chris Gayle, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Cameron White, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Jacques Kallis, Sunil Narine, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Lasith Malinga; Stand-bye: Virender Sehwag; Coach: Stephen Fleming.

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IPL final today: Kolkata v Chennai

CHENNAI: Two-time defending champion Chennai Super Kings will start as the overwhelming favourite in the Indian Premier League final against Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday following two dominating performances in the playoffs that saw them seal a place in the final for the fourth time in five years.
Chennai packed off star-studded Mumbai Indians in the “Eliminator” - the equivalent of a quarterfinal - after just about scraping through to the four-team playoff. It then ran up the season’s highest total of 222-5 on Saturday to bat league topper Delhi Daredevils out of the contest in the second “Qualifier.”
Opener Murali Vijay hit 113 from 58 balls to help Chennai win by a huge margin of 86 runs at the Chidambaram Stadium.

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Strauss answers Sammy ton with unbeaten century

NOTTINGHAM- England captain Andrew Strauss struck his second hundred in as many matches to answer one earlier Saturday from West Indies skipper Darren Sammy in the second Test here at Trent Bridge.
At the close of the second day, England were 259 for two in reply to the tourists' first innings 370, which featured Sammy's 106 -- the all-rounder's maiden Test century.
England were 111 runs behind, with Strauss 102 not out and Kevin Pietersen, who had struck a six and 10 fours, unbeaten on 72.
They'd so far added an unbroken 136 for the third wicket as they both cashed in on an excellent batting pitch.
Strauss, who had gone 18 months without a Test hundred before scoring 122 in England's five-wicket series opening win at Lord's, his Middlesex home ground, posted his 21st century in 96 matches at this level on Saturday.
That meant the 37-year-old left-handed opener was now just one short of the England record of 22 Test tons held jointly by Walter Hammond, Colin Cowdrey and Geoffrey Boycott.
Alastair Cook, Strauss's opening partner, had twice been caught behind off Kemar Roach no-balls when, on 24, he edged paceman Ravi Rampaul to wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin.
But Strauss and Jonathan Trott, who got off the mark with a cover-driven four, took England through to 123 for one at tea with a brisk stand of 80.
But neither Trott nor England had added to their score when, on 35, he was lbw to a Rampaul delivery that cut back sharply
Trott called for a review but the umpire's decision was upheld.
Pietersen wasted little time in attacking Shane Shillingford, left out at Lord's, by going down the pitch to loft the first ball he received from the off-spinner for six over long-on.
England had their moments of good fortune -- Pietersen was lucky when, on 25, he saw an inside-edge off Rampaul just miss the stumps before going for four.
But the West Indies were discovering, as England's bowlers had before them, that there was precious little room for error on this pitch.
Rampaul, who missed the first Test with a neck injury, was the pick of the attack with two for 42 in 18 overs.
Strauss cut the medium-pace of opposing skipper Sammy for a four that took him into the 90s before a boundary off Shillingford through mid-wicket saw him to a 192-ball century with 18 fours.
West Indies resumed Saturday on 304 for six, having collapsed to 63 for four, with Marlon Samuels 107 not out and Sammy a then Test-best 88 not out.
Sammy went to 98 by slicing a drive off Stuart Broad over the slips and next ball had another lucky break when, aiming legside, he somehow got the ball through point for another boundary that took him to a century.
But the 28-year-old, playing his 26th Test, had produced plenty of 'proper' shots too in completing a 140 ball-hundred with a six and 16 fours.
However, both he and Samuels were out soon afterwards as Tim Bresnan, expensive on Friday, removed the century-makers in a spell of three wickets for 10 runs in 19 balls that saw him finish with four for 104 in 27 overs.
Sammy holed out on the hook to Pietersen at deep square leg to end a stand of 204 with Samuels that was a West Indies record for the seventh wicket against England, surpassing the 155 shared by Garry Sobers and Bernard Julien at Lord's in 1973.
Samuels, who'd added just 10 to his overnight score, exited for 117 when he edged Bresnan and James Anderson held a sharp catch in the gully.

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England 123-1 in reply to Windies’ 370 in second Test

NOTTINGHAM: England captain Andrew Strauss led England's reply after West Indies skipper Darren Sammy scored his maiden Test hundred on the second day of the second Test at Trent Bridge here on Saturday.

At tea, England were 123 for one -- a deficit of 247 runs after West Indies had made 370 in their first innings.

Strauss was 45 not out and Jonathan Trott 35 not out, with their unbroken second-wicket stand of 80 coming in just 101 balls.

Alastair Cook, Strauss's fellow left-handed opener, was the man out in the session, for 24, after twice being 'caught' behind off no-balls.

Fast bowler Kemar Roach repeatedly over-stepped -- his 10 overs had so far featured eight no-balls.

One of those was when Cook, whose 79 helped England to a five-wicket win at Lord's that gave England a 1-0 lead in this three-match series, was brilliantly caught one-handed by diving wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin for one.

However, Cook was recalled after umpire Aleem Dar used television technology to check for a no-ball he hadn't called on the field.

It was a similar story when the paceman, angling the ball had Cook, on 12, edging a regulation catch to Ramdin.

This time, however, Dar had signalled the no-ball himself.

But Cook wasn't able to make the most of his double reprieve.

Ravi Rampaul, who missed the first Test with a neck injury, produced an excellent rising delivery which Cook could only nick to the reliable Ramdin, who made no mistake as he 'caught' the Essex batsman for the third time.

Rampaul kept things tight in an opening spell of one for 28 in 11 overs.

But the pitch was still a good one on which to bat.

Strauss's back-foot force for four off Sammy brought up England's fifty while Trott got off the mark with a cover-driven boundary against the medium-pacer.

Eventually, with England 96 for one, Sammy brought on Shane Shillingford after the off-spinner had been left out at Lord's.

It wasn't long though before Trott was driving him for four while Strauss weighed in with a trademark squre-cut four off Sammy, whose pace meant he'd little margin for error on such a good surface.

West Indies resumed Saturday on 304 for six, having collapsed to 63 for four after their top-order's latest failure, with Marlon Samuels 107 not out and all-rounder Sammy a then Test-best 88 not out.

Sammy went to 98 by slicing a drive off Stuart Broad over the slips and next ball had another lucky break when, aiming legside, he somehow got the ball through point for another boundary that took him to a century.

But the 28-year-old, playing his 26th Test, had produced plenty of 'proper' shots too in completing a 140 ball-hundred with a six and 16 fours in just over three hours at the crease.

However, both he and Samuels were out soon afterwards as Tim Bresnan, expensive on Friday, removed the century-makers in a spell of three wickets for 10 runs in 19 balls that saw him finish with four for 104 in 27 overs.

Sammy was dismissed when he holed out on the hook to Kevin Pietersen at deep square leg.

His partnership of 204 with Samuels was a West Indies record for the seventh wicket against England, surpassing the 155 shared by Garry Sobers and Bernard Julien at Lord's in 1973.

And 340 for seven became 341 for eight when Samuels, who'd added just 10 to his overnight score, edged Bresnan and Anderson held a sharp catch in the gully. (

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PCB announces central contracts for players

KARACHI: Experienced duo Kamran Akmal and Abdul Razzaq missed out on central contracts on Saturday when the Pakistan Cricket Board announced a list of 21 players who will receive pay increases.

Players will get a 25 per cent increase in their monthly contract retainers and another 10 percent hike in their match fees.

"After three years we have increased the fees payable to the players which we hope will be a morale boost for them," PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf said in a statement.

"We have also given recognition to those players who have distinguished themselves with consistent performances in the domestic circuit. We have also recognised Under-19 players in the list and this will serve as a huge encouragement for them."

All-rounders Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik were given contracts but fast bowler Mohammad Sami was another surprise exclusion.

Sami was recently recalled to the national team for the tour of Sri Lanka and was picked for all three formats of the game.

Contracted players:
Category A: Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Umar Gul, Mohammad Hafeez, Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Rehman, Umar Akmal.
Category B: Shoaib Malik, Taufiq Umar, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Junaid Khan, Aizaz Cheema.
Category C: Sarfaraz Ahmed, Adnan Akmal, Hammad Azam, Wahab Riaz, Imran Farhat, Faisal Iqbal, Nasir Jamshed.
(Reuters)

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Sammy also hits ton as Windies make 370 against England

NOTTINGHAM: West Indies captain Darren Sammy scored his maiden Test century as the tourists kept England in the field for most of the second morning of the second Test at Trent Bridge here on Saturday.
The West Indies were eventually dismissed for 370, with Sammy making 106 and Marlon Samuels 117.
Their partnership of 204 was on a West Indies record for the seventh wicket against England, surpassing the 155 shared by Garry Sobers and Bernard Julien at Lord's in 1973.
England were eight without loss in reply at lunch.
Andrew Strauss, the England captain, was four not out and fellow left-hander Alastair Cook two not out.
But Cook had a reprieve when, on one, he was brilliantly caught one-handed by diving wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin off fast bowler Kemar Roach.
However Cook was called back after umpire Aleem Dar used television technology to check for a no-ball he hadn't called on the field.
Replays revealed Roach had over-stepped by a distance to the despair of the West Indies, battling to level this three-match series at 1-1 after losing the first Test at Lord's by five wickets.
West Indies resumed Saturday on 304 for six having collapsed to 63 for four and 136 for six after their top order's latest failure, with Samuels 107 not out and all-rounder Sammy a then Test-best 88 not out.
Sammy went into the 90s with an off-driven four off James Anderson.
But he sliced a drive off Stuart Broad over the slips to go to 98 and next delivery had another lucky break when, aiming legside, he got the back of the bat on the ball, which then sped past Ian Bell at point for a four that took him to his century.
The 28-year-old, playing his 26th Test, had completed his maiden hundred at this level in just over three hours, facing 140 balls with 16 fours and a six driven against off-spinner Graeme Swann on Friday.
However, both he and Samuels were out soon afterwards as Tim Bresnan, expensive on Friday, removed the century-makers in a spell of three wickets for 10 runs in 19 balls that saw him finish with four for 104 in 27 overs.
Sammy was eventually dismissed when he holed out on the hook to Kevin Pietersen at deep square leg.
And 340 for seven became 341 for eight when Samuels edged Bresnan and Anderson held a sharp catch in the gully.

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