South Africa bat against Bangladesh

Updated at: 0810 PST,  Saturday, March 19, 2011

DHAKA: South Africa captain Graeme Smith won the toss and elected to bat in the World Cup Group B match against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium on Saturday.Bangladesh, who need a win to qualify for the quarter-finals, replaced left-arm spinner Suhrawadi Shuvo with off-break bowler Naeem Islam from the side that beat the Netherlands in Chittagong.South Africa, already through to the last eight, rested fast bowlers Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel and brought in left-arm seamers Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Wayne Parnell in their place.Leg-spinner Imran Tahir, fully recovered from a thumb injury, joined Johan Botha and Robin Petersen in a rare three-man spin attack.Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Shahriar Nafees,Mushfiqur Rahim, Naeem Islam, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Abdur Razzak, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam.South Africa: Graeme Smith (capt), Hashim Amla, Johan Botha, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Jacques Kallis, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Imran Tahir, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Morne van Wyk.Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK) and Daryl Harper (AUS)TV umpire: Rod Tucker (AUS)Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)Pitch conditions: A slow wicket where the ball does not come on to the bat, but it has provided equal opportunities for fast bowlers and spinners.

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Dernbach confirmed as Shazad’s replacement

Updated at: 2121 PST,  Friday, March 18, 2011

The ICC has confirmed the Event Technical Committee of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 has approved Jade Dernbach as a replacement player for the injured Ajmal Shahzad in the England squad for the tournament.The confirmation was conveyed to the England and Wales Cricket Board on behalf of the committee on Friday. Shahzad suffered a hamstring injury in a training session in the build-up to his side’s Group B match against the West Indies in Chennai.Any injury-based replacement requires a written submission to the event technical committee along with a diagnosis from a medical practitioner as to the extent of the injury. Once replaced, a player may not return to the squad save as an approved subsequent replacement for another injured player. Shahzad becomes the fourth player to be replaced in England’s squad – although Eoin Morgan subsequently returned as a replacement for the injured Kevin Pietersen. Dernbach, a right-arm medium-fast bowler with Surrey, was in England’s original 30-man squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 but failed to make the final 15 and has been touring the Caribbean with England Lions.As with all players in the tournament, the eligibility of a replacement player is subject to approval by the ICC before that player can be officially added to the squad.The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 consists of David Richardson (ICC, chairman), Prof. Ratnakar Shetty (Tournament Director), Campbell Jamieson (IDI representative), Anil Kumble (host nominee), David Lloyd (independent nomination) and Sanjay Manjrekar (independent nomination).

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Sri Lanka spin Kiwis out to go on top

Updated at: 2121 PST,  Friday, March 18, 2011

MUMBAI: Spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis mesmerized New Zealand batsmen to bowl them out for 153 runs in 35 overs as Sri Lanka recorded a 112-run victory in their last match of the World Cup Group A here at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday...............

.Muralitharan captured four for 25 and Mendis claimed two for 24 to bundle the Black Caps out to take Sri Lanka to the top of the group with nine points but their final position will be determined only after Saturday's match between Australia and Pakistan.New Zealand stand-in captain Ross Taylor top-scored with 33 whereas no other Kiwi batsmen could make more than 20.Earlier, captain Kumar Sangakkara hit a brilliant century to help Sri Lanka set a modest target of 266 runs for New Zealand after electing to bat first.They made 265 for nine in their 50 overs with the help of a 145-run partnership for the third wicket between Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, which pulled the team out of early trouble.Sangakkara made 111 off 128 balls with twelve fours and two sixes while Jayawardene hit 66 with six boundaries.

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We'd like to finish top of the table: Ponting

Updated at: 2008 PST,  Friday, March 18, 2011
 COLOMBO: Ricky Ponting said Australia were proud of their unbeaten World Cup run, but warned the defending champions were facing their first big challenge against Pakistan on Saturday."We are very proud of our record in World Cups, there's no doubt about that," said Ponting of Australia's unbeaten 34-match streak which started after their 10-run defeat against Pakistan at Leeds in 1999.Since then Australia have won three World Cups, the last two under Ponting, who has yet to lose a match as captain."Whether it's World Cups or the Champions Trophy, Australian players get really excited to be part of them. I've been lucky over the years to play in a lot of good teams."But tomorrow is another good challenge for us. We don't talk about what's happened in the past as far as how many games we've won or the fact that we haven't lost a game."Now it's all about making sure we are prepared for the next game and the next challenge against Pakistan who have played well so far. We are going to make sure that we start to put our print on the tournament."Australia and Pakistan have already qualified from a Group A which Ponting described as "boring because there is nothing happeining"."We'd like to finish top of the table which means we want to win the game on Saturday. That's what we are setting out to do, we are setting out to play our best game."If we win and that means we finish on top, great; if we don't win the game we will finish somewhere else and I'm not concerned about that either. To win a World Cup you have to beat the best team - it's as simple as that."Australia have nine points from five matches with Pakistan on eight, also from five matches."I think we will be negligent if we try to single one (Pakistan) player out," said Ponting."They have got a number of match-winning players... Afridi and Umar Gul are the two guys who've probably been their standout players."Gul took three wickets in Pakistan's last win over Zimbabwe, while Afridi is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 16."Afridi tends to control the middle of their bowling particularly well, he doesn't go for a lot of runs either. He builds pressure and is a world class bowler, so hopefully our skills hold against him," added Ponting."As a team we really feel that the tournament is kicking off now. We've had our games along the way and the big game here against Sri Lanka which was washed out unfortunately.We're excited to play against Pakistan."I think we will get a better feel at the end of the game just where we are and how well we are placed in this World Cup. I think it's a good challenge for us."

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Sangakkara steers Sri Lanka to 265-9 against Kiwis

Updated at: 1813 PST,  Friday, March 18, 2011

MUMBAI: Captain Kumar Sangakkara hit a brilliant century to help Sri Lanka to set a modest target of 266 runs for New Zealand in their last match of the World Cup Group B here at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday.Winning the toss, Sri Lanka batted first and made 265 for nine in their 50 overs with the help of a 145-run partnership for the third wicket between Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, which pulled the team out of early trouble.Sangakkara made 111 off 128 balls with twelve fours and two sixes while Jayawardene hit 66 with six boundaries.The two teams have already made it to the quarter-finals and the result of this game will determine their final Group A positions.Sri Lanka lost opener Upul Tharanga early when he was run out in the third over. He backed up too far and Tim Southee (3-63) managed to get his hand to a straight drive from Tillakaratne Dilshan before the ball rolled on to hit the stumps.Dilshan followed his partner to the pavilion soon, lobbing a simple catch to Jacob Oram off Southee while trying to go for an ambitious shot on the leg side, plunging Sri Lanka to 19-2.Jayawardene got embroiled in a controversy early in his innings as he tried to play a defensive shot in the 24th over against off-spinner Nathan McCullum but ended up chipping the ball back to the bowler.McCullum dived and managed to get his right hand under the ball to cap what looked like a stunning effort.But even as McCullum broke into a celebration, TV umpire Amish Saheba was called in and he ruled it not out.A furious McCullum and Kiwi skipper Ross Taylor angrily protested the decision with on-field umpire Asad Rauf.Jayawardene, then on 26, hit six fours in a dour 90-ball innings before being adjudged trapped leg before off Southee, a decision he asked to be reviewed but in vain.Sangakkara played a captain's innings, racing to his 11th century and completing 9,000 ODI runs in the proces, the fourth Sri Lanka player to the mark.This was Sangakkara's first three-figure score in 63 innings, having gone without a ton since June 2008.He was bowled by McCullum in the 42nd over after facing 128 balls and hitting 12 fours and two sixes.Angelo Mathews provided the late impetus to the innings with an unbeaten 41 off 35 balls.

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Ireland beat Netherlands in high scoring match

Updated at: 1655 PST,  Friday, March 18, 2011

KOLKATA: Ireland defeated the Netherlands by six wickets with 14 balls to spare in a high scoring match in the World Cup Group B here at the Eden Gardens on Friday Chasing a tough target of 307 runs, Ireland cruised to win in 47.4 overs for the loss of four wickets after Paul Stirling smashed an explosive century.The 20-year-old opener gave a superb exhibition of hitting, cracking two sixes and 14 fours in his 72-ball 101 as Ireland chased a stiff 307-run target with 14 balls to spare at Eden Gardens.Stirling also upstaged the Netherlands' Ryan ten Doeschate, who scored 106 for his second World Cup hundred. South African AB de Villiers and India's Sachin Tendulkar are the only other batsmen to have made two centuries in this tournament.Ireland and the Netherlands were already out of contention for a place in the quarter-finals, but Ireland had the satisfaction of posting two victories in the tournament while the Netherlands remained winless.The Dutch recorded their highest total at the tournament but failed to keep pressure on the Irish openers William Porterfield (68) and Stirling, who delighted a few thousand spectators with an exciting exhibition of strokeplay.Their 177-run stand was Ireland's best for the first wicket in one-day internationals, surpassing the 118 between the same pair against Bangladesh in Belfast last year.Man-of-the-match Stirling was more aggressive than Porterfield, racing to his half-century off just 25 balls and then taking 45 more deliveries to complete his second one-day hundred.The Dutch had to wait until the 27th over to break the stand when off-spinner Tom Cooper had Porterfield caught behind.Stirling fell in the next over, caught by Alexei Kervezee at deep mid-wicket off left-arm spinner Pieter Seelaar.All the other batsmen chipped in, with Niall O'Brien hitting 57 not out, Ed Joyce scoring 28 and Gary Wilson 27. Kevin O'Brien finished on 15 not out.Earlier, the Dutch were struggling at 53-3 after being put in to bat, but ten Doeschate came to his team's rescue with his third one-day hundred. He hit one six and 13 fours in his 108-ball knock.Four batsmen were run out off successive balls in the last over, but the Netherlands had crossed the 300-mark at that stage, thanks to ten Doeschate, Borren (84) and opener Wesley Barresi (44).Ten Doeschate, who made 119 against England, put on 121 runs for the fifth wicket with Borren.Ten Doeschate was also involved in another useful stand, putting on 60 for the fourth wicket with Barresi, who played some handsome shots during his brisk knock after overcoming a painful blow to the head.Barresi, who retired in the second over after being hit on the back of his head by a throw returned to bat after the fall of the third wicket.

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Shoaib Akhtar made decision on right time: Afridi

Updated at: 1611 PST,  Friday, March 18, 2011

COLOMBO: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi says Shoaib Akhtar's announcement that he will retire from international cricket after the World Cup will not affect the team when they play Australia on Saturday.Akhtar Thursday announced he will quit after the World Cup, ending a colourful and controversial 14-year career amid criticism his decision was ill-timed coming midway through the tournament.Afridi, though, disagreed with the criticism, levelled by former Pakistani players."He (Akhtar) has taken a right decision. He could have announced it after the World Cup, but I don't think the timing is wrong and it won't affect our team," Afridi said on Friday.Afridi denied reports in Pakistani media that Akhtar had a serious spat with wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal, who dropped two crucial chances off the paceman during the team's 110-run defeat against New Zealand.Those chances allowed Ross Taylor to notch a career-best 131 at Pallekele stadium, with the New Zealand batsmen smashing off 28 off Akhtar's last over."There was nothing serious between them, there is no breaking news in it," said Afridi of the tiff, which ended in a $2,000 dollar fine for Akhtar."Akhtar was never upset, he is enjoying the World Cup," said Afridi, who refused to confirm whether Akhtar will be part of the eleven against Australia, though he is unlikely to play. "We have a settled combination and if we need we can play him in the remaining matches."Afridi praised Akhtar for his match-winning performances in the course of his career."Akhtar has won us many games, many series and now he has taken a decision after considering his fitness, so it's his own decision and it's a good decision," said Afridi.And the skipper justified the selection of the paceman for the World Cup."We selected him in the squad because he can get reverse swing going and he worked really hard to get a place in the squad," said Afridi.Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka have already qualified for the quarter-finals from Group A.

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Sri Lanka bat against New Zealand

Updated at: 1340 PST,  Friday, March 18, 2011

MUMBAI: Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and elected to bat in their last Group A World Cup match against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday.The two teams have already qualified for the quarter-finals.New Zealand were without injured captain Daniel Vettori (knee) and Kyle Mills (leg) for the tie which will decide group positions.Sri Lanka brought in unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis in place of Thisara Perera.Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Mahela Jayawardene, Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan.New Zealand: Ross Taylor (capt), Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, James Franklin, Scott Styris, Nathan McCullum, Tim Southee, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Kane Williamson, Hamish Bennett.Umpires: Richard Kettleborough (ENG) and Asad Rauf (PAK)TV umpire: Amish Saheba (IND)
Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)Pitch conditions: The match is the second of the World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium, which hosts the final on April 2. It is a flat wicket that has been unused for the past two years due to renovation of the stadium but usually favours batsmen.

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Netherlands pile up 306 against Ireland

Updated at: 1300 PST,  Friday, March 18, 2011

KOLKATA: Ryan ten Doeschate cracked a second World Cup century as the Netherlands recovered from early setbacks to post a challenging 306 against Ireland in their Group B match of the World Cup here at the Eden Gardens on Friday.The Dutch were struggling at 53-3 after being put in to bat, but the South Africa-born ten Doeschate helped his side record their highest total of the tournament with 106 in 108 balls, with one six and 13 fours.Their previous highest total was 292-6 against England However, this was for the second time in the World Cup history that the Netherlands made 300 or more runs in a match after their 314-4 against Namibia in 2003.Ten Doeschate, who also hammered 119 against England, became the third batsman to score two hundreds in this World Cup after South African AB de Villiers and India's Sachin Tendulkar.Four batsmen were run out off successive balls in the last over, but the Netherlands were in a strong position at that stage.Middle-order batsman ten Doeschate put on 121 runs for the fifth wicket with skipper Peter Borren, who scored an attractive 84 off 82 balls with 10 fours.Ten Doeschate was also involved in another useful stand, putting on 60 for the fourth wicket with opener Wesley Barresi, who made a brisk 44 after overcoming a painful blow to the head.Ireland, the most impressive of the non-Test-playing nations at the World Cup, were a bowler short when left-arm spinner George Dockrell dislocated his right shoulder while fielding off his own bowling in his fourth over.The spinner went to hospital for a check-up but it was not immediately known whether he would take any further part in the match, said an International Cricket Council (ICC) official.Both sides are out of contention for a place in the quarter-finals, with Ireland having earned just two points and the Netherlands none after five matches each before this game. This is the final match for both teams.Barresi, who retired in the second over after being hit on the back of his head by a throw, played some attacking shots when he returned to bat after the fall of the third wicket.He smashed the first six of the match when he pulled paceman Boyd Rankin over square-leg and then slog-swept spinner Paul Stirling over mid-wicket for another six.

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Ireland elect to field v Netherlands

Updated at: 0835 PST,  Friday, March 18, 2011

KOLKATA: Ireland captain William Porterfield won the toss and elected to field against Netherlands in a World Cup Group B match on Friday.Both teams are playing their last match at the event as they have no chances of reaching the quarter-finals.(Reuters)

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Dramatic win keeps England’s World Cup hopes alive

Updated at: 2143 PST,  Thursday, March 17, 2011

CHENNAI: England kept their World Cup hopes alive with a dramatic 18-run win over the West Indies in a Group B day-night match here at the MA MA Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday Chasing 244, the West Indies were in sight of a certain victory needing 22 runs from 52 balls. They were 222 for six after a stand of 72 between Ramnaresh Sarwan (31) and all-rounder Andre Russell (49) rescued them from the depths of 150 for six.But they lost their final four wickets for three runs to finish on 225 all out in 44.4 overs, with Sulieman Benn the last man dismissed when he was run out by Jonathan Trott's throw to wicketkeeper Matt Prior with more than five overs left Off-spinners James Tredwell and Graeme Swann took seven wickets between them. England now need Bangladesh to lose to South Africa on Saturday. If Bangladesh win, England can still go through if India beat West Indies on Sunday in the final match of Group B.However, a West Indies win would see them into the last eight.Russell, caught on 39 at long-on by Trott only to be awarded a six after the diving fielder just glanced the boundary marker, saw his 46-ball innings end when he was lbw to World Cup debutant Tredwell.The spinner was named man-of-the-match for his four for 48 to spark the climatic slump.England then saw Sarwan turn Swann (three for 36) straight to Ian Bell at short leg.Two balls later Kemar Roach was caught by a diving Chris Tremlett off Swann to leave West Indies 223 for nine. West Indies had seen fit-again opener Chris Gayle (43) make a typically rapid start as their fifty came up inside five overs.But Tredwell took his first one-day international wicket when, fifth ball, he had Gayle, pushing half-forward, lbw to end a 21-ball innings featuring a six and eight fours. Tredwell, in only his fourth ODI, then had Devon Smith stumped by wicketkeeper Prior as he took two wickets for nine runs in eight balls.Tredwell then had Darren Bravo edging to England captain Andrew Strauss at first slip.Sammy struck several sixes off Tredwell before playing onto Ravi Bopara for 41 off 29 balls.And when Devon Thomas also played on to Bopara, West Indies were 118 for five.Swann had the big-hitting Kieron Pollard plumb lbw for 24, despite a desperate review, and West Indies were six down.Earlier, Luke Wright kept England's hopes alive with 44 after they'd slumped to 134 for five. Trott (47) was the only other England batsman who made more than Strauss's 31 in an innings where debutant leg-spinner Davendra Bishoo took three wickets and Russell claimed four.

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Windies bowl England out for 243

Updated at: 1747 PST,  Thursday, March 17, 2011

CHENNAI: West Indies bowled England out for 243 in 48.4 overs in a World Cup Group B match here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday Fast bowler Andre Russell bagged four wickets for 49 runs and leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo claimed three for 34 on his one-day international debut while pacer Kemar Roach took two wickets.Luke Wright kept England's World Cup hopes alive by hitting 44 runs against the West Indies on his tournament debutWright, in at 134 for five, made a key contribution to England's 243 all out. Jonathan Trott (47) was the only other batsman who managed more than 40 after Andrew Strauss won the toss and batted.Wright and fellow World Cup debutant James Tredwell shared a seventh-wicket stand of 41 after England had slumped to 151 for six.  Trott, belying his reputation as a steady accumulator, made a blistering start after Russell bowled Matt Prior. Strauss fell for 31 when he top-edged a pull off Russell and the fit-again Chris Gayle, running around from midwicket, held a fine catch.Bishoo, only at the World Cup as an injury replacement for all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, dismissed Trott when he closed the face too early and chipped a simple catch to Gayle at mid-wicket.England then saw their fourth and fifth wickets fall on 134.Fast bowler Kemar Roach knocked back Ian Bell's off-stump and Bishoo had left-hander Eoin Morgan gloving an attempted reverse-sweep to wicketkeeper Devon Thomas.Wright, after Tredwell was run out, exited when he holed out off Bishoo.England have to win this match in order to have a shot at reaching the quarter-finals -- and even then other results would have to go their way.Defeat would spell the end of their World Cup and ensure the West Indies and co-hosts India and Bangladesh join South Africa in the knockout stages.

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Shoaib Akhtar announces to quit

Updated at: 1307 PST,  Thursday, March 17, 2011
COLOMBO: Pakistan's maverick paceman Shoaib Akhtar, whose colourful career has been a heady mix of on-field brilliance and off-field controversy, has announced to quit international cricket after the World Cup.

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England win toss, bat against West Indies

Updated at: 1339 PST,  Thursday, March 17, 2011

CHENNAI: England captain Andrew Strauss has won the toss and elected to bat in their crucial match against the West Indies in the World Cup Group B here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday.Weary England could see their exhausting five-month global road trip end today in a do-or-die World Cup showdown against the Windies.Victory will keep England's hopes of making the quarter-finals alive but defeat will send their opponents, as well as India and Bangladesh, into the last eight.England have endured a rollercoaster campaign.They defeated the Netherlands and South Africa, lost to Bangladesh and Ireland and tied with India.They know that even a win on Thursday may not be enough if other results on Saturday and Sunday work conspire against them.Their problems have been compounded by illness suffered by Strauss, key spinner Graeme Swann and fast bowler Ajmal Shahzad.The form of Ashes spearhead Jimmy Anderson, whose four wickets have cost 282 runs at an average of more than 70 apiece, is another distraction.Strauss said he hoped the make-or-break nature of Thursday's contest would see England raise their game.West Indies captain Darren Sammy hopes to make the most of coach Ottis Gibson's inside knowledge of England.Gibson spent more than two years as England's bowling coach before taking charge of the West Indies in January 2010.West Indies have been bolstered for this match by the return of dynamic opening batsman Chris Gayle, who missed their 44-run win against Ireland last time out with an abdominal strain.Unlike Group B, where only South Africa have so far assured qualification, all four qualifying spots in Group have been wrapped up by Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

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Shoaib Akhtar career timeline

Updated at: 1234 PST,  Thursday, March 17, 2011

COLOMBO: Shoaib Akhtar's career timeline after the Pakistan pace bowler on Thursday announced his retirement from international cricket after the World Cup.1996 Removed from the team for the Sahara Cup against India in Canada on grounds of indiscipline.1997 Akhtar makes his Test debut against the West Indies in November at his home ground in Rawalpindi, taking two wickets.February 1999 Akhtar dismisses Indian greats Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid off successive deliveries in the Calcutta Test, which Pakistan win to lift the Asian Test championship. Earns nickname of "Rawalpindi Express"December 1999 Akhtar's action called for the first time, but the International Cricket Council (ICC) allows him to carry as only his bouncer causes concerns.March 2000 Banned for one ODI and fined for reaching team hotel late in Pakistan2001 Akhtar's action called for second time after taking five wickets in New Zealand.November 2001 Action called for third time in Sharjah, after which Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) carries out examination at University of Western Australia which concludes his action is result of "unique physical characteristics" which form basis of him being cleared to continue.November 2002 Reprimanded for ball-tampering and banned for one ODI after throwing water bottle at a spectator in Zimbabwe.May 2003 Banned for two ODIs and fined 75 percent of match fee for ball-tampering during a tri-series in Sri Lank March 2003 Akhtar bowled at 100mph in Pakistan's match against England at Cape Town, becoming the first bowler in the history of the game to break the 100mph barrier.October 2003 Banned for one Test and two ODIs for abusing Paul Adams in the first Test against South Africa, after taking eight wickets in the match to help Pakistan win. In second Test against New Zealand, helps Pakistan win with seven-wicket burst (11 in the match).March 2004 Akhtar accused of feigning injury after Pakistan lost Test series to archrivals India 2-1. October 2006 Akhtar and Mohammad Asif test positive for banned steroid nandrolone. Akhtar banned for two years and Asif for one year, bans which were lifted on appeal.September 2007 Akhtar hits Asif with a bat, two days before the World Twenty20 in South Africa. A month later the PCB fine and ban him for 13 one-day matches January 2008 Excluded from list of central contracts. A fuming Akhtar criticises the PCB. A disciplinary committee bans him for five years. Punishment reduced to 18 months on appeal, but fine imposed May 2009 PCB drop him from World Twenty20 squad. January 2011 Selected in Pakistan's World Cup squad, despite coach Waqar Younis saying he is not 100 percent fit.March 2011 Akhtar announces he will retire after the World Cup.

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Pakistan challenge excites Ponting

Updated at: 0900 PST,  Thursday, March 17, 2011

BANGALORE: Australia captain Ricky Ponting said he was looking forward to the champions being tested by Pakistan in their final group match of the World Cup.Australia already through to the quarter-finals, and bidding for a fourth straight title, made it 34 games unbeaten at the World Cup with a seven-wicket thrashing of Canada on Wednesday to go top of Group A.Now Ponting's men tackle a typically mercurial Pakistan in Colombo on Saturday."It's always a great challenge playing against Pakistan because, as everybody knows, you're just never really sure what they're going to turn up and do on the day," he said."They can be a very, very good side one day and, as we saw against New Zealand, they can be very, very ordinary the next. They have that sort of unpredictability about them"The last game they played in Colombo was against Sri Lanka and they upset them there so they'll know the conditions pretty well and, by the looks of things, they'll play the conditions there pretty well."After restricting Canada to 211 on Wednesday, Australia raced to 212 for three with more than 15 overs to spare thanks to a first-wicket stand of 183 between Shane Watson (94) and Brad Haddin (88).But non-Test nation Canada gave Pakistan and Australia's opponents in the knockout stages hope when after winning the toss, they plundered the fastest team fifty of the tournament, off just 29 balls.Teenage opener Hiral Patel defied Australia's pace trio of Shaun Tait, Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson with a dashing 54, with his half-century coming off just 37 balls with three sixes and five fours.Ponting, however, was happy with the smooth conclusion of the match."I guess it's probably not ideal that we haven't been pushed right to the wire with many of the games that we've played," said Ponting, whose side are now the only unbeaten team at this World Cup."But I'm pretty confident in the players that no matter who we play in this tournament from here on, we'll be hard to beat."He did admit that Australia's new-ball bowling was a concern."Against better teams and deeper batting orders, we have to make sure we don't let teams get off to that sort of start," he said. "If you look at someone like (India's Virender) Sehwag, he plays similar to the way that guy (Patel) played and if we let him get off to a start like that in a big game, it will be a lot harder to peg them back."Ponting, who praised 19-year-old Patel for being "savage on us" and hitting "some amazing shots", lost his temper after taking a catch when, having seen Steven Smith nearly collide with him, he angrily threw the ball to the ground."We both actually called for it at exactly the same time, which was why there was some confusion around," Ponting explained."It wasn't a great reaction I guess. But it certainly wasn't designed to try to inspire the team or anything like that, or to make Steven look in any way in the wrong place or make him look silly."If it looked bad, then I apologise for it."

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Shoaib Akhtar to quit after World Cup

Updated at: 1000 PST,  Thursday, March 17, 2011

COLOMBO: Pakistan's maverick paceman Shoaib Akhtar, whose colourful career has been a heady mix of on-field brilliance and off-field controversy, will quit international cricket after the World Cup."Yes, I will quit international cricket after the World Cup" the 35-year-old said."I have taken this decision after much thought. Pakistan's last match in this World Cup will also be my last. I hope that will be the final on April 2."Akhtar made up his mind after Pakistan's 110-run defeat against New Zealand, in which he went for 70 runs in his nine overs. He was rested for the match against Zimbabwe on Monday and was thought to be an unlikely starter for Saturday's last Group A match against Australia.Akhtar, who made his international debut in 1997, took 178 wickets in 46 Tests, the last of which was against India at Bangalore in 2007. He is three wickets short of 250 in 163 one-day internationals and has taken 19 wickets in 15 Twenty20 internationals.Pakistan squad members hugged him in the dressing room on Thursday before captain Shahid Afridi embraced him as the players entered the R. Premadasa stadium in Colombo for practice.Akhtar, known as the Rawalpindi Express during his tear away days as one of Test cricket's most feared if unpredictable talents, once cracked the 100mph barrier at the 2003 World Cup.At this World Cup, which was always likely to be his swansong, Akhtar looked neat and tidy with figures of 0-10 and 2-42 against Kenya and Sri Lanka respectively.He missed the win over Canada but was then smashed all over the park at Pallekele against New Zealand, with figures of 1-70, before being dropped for the game with Zimbabwe.His career will always be remembered for a series of fitness problems, discipline violations as well as a doping offence that put the brakes on achieving his true potential.Most recently he was fined $2,000 for breaching discipline after the defeat to New Zealand.Team manager Intikhab Alam confirmed the fine, which was levied after an on-field spat with wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal, who missed two chances off his bowling Akhtar and the now banned Mohammad Asif failed drugs tests in 2006 and were suspended for two years and one year respectively, both of which were lifted on appeal.Fitness problems forced him to miss the 2007 World Cup while he was fined heavily and banned for 13 ODIs after he hit Asif with a bat two days before the 2007 World Twenty20 in South Africa.In 2008 he was banned for five years after publicly criticising the Pakistan Cricket Board following his exclusion from the list of centrally contracted players.The ban was reduced to 18 months by a tribunal, which levied a fine of 7.0 million Pakistani rupees ($105,000 at the time). His appeal against the ban is still pending. (AFP)

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Cricket WC: Now or never for Eng Cup dream

Updated at: 0930 PST,  Thursday, March 17, 2011

NEW DELHI: Weary England could see their exhausting five-month global road trip end on Thursday when they tackle a resurgent West Indies in a do-or-die World Cup showdown.Victory will keep England's hopes of making the quarter-finals alive but defeat will send their opponents, as well as India and Bangladesh, into the last eight.England captain Andrew Strauss dismissed the effects of fatigue on a squad which has been on the road virtually non-stop since October's departure for their successful Ashes campaign."Fatigue is the last thing on our minds," Strauss insisted ahead of the match in Chennai. "We know what the prize is and we are determined to make the most of our opportunity." England have endured a rollercoaster campaign. They defeated the Netherlands and South Africa, lost to Bangladesh and Ireland and tied with India. They know that even a win on Thursday may not be enough if other results on Saturday and Sunday work conspire against them. Their problems have been compounded by illness suffered by Strauss, key spinner Graeme Swann and fast bowler Ajmal Shahzad. The form of Ashes spearhead Jimmy Anderson, whose four wickets have cost 282 runs at an average of more than 70 apiece, is another distraction.Strauss said he hoped the make-or-break nature of Thursday's contest would see England raise their game. "We have done well in big matches over the last couple of years. The equation is very simple and this isn't a time to go into our shells -- we have to go out there and take the West Indies on." West Indies captain Darren Sammy hopes to make the most of coach Ottis Gibson's inside knowledge of England. Gibson spent more than two years as England's bowling coach before taking charge of the West Indies in January 2010. "He has a lot of information and has worked in a successful English team," said Sammy. "Obviously we've been analysing the opposition. We'll be looking to go out and exploit the weaknesses."It's a good time to play England," added Sammy. "They've been on the road for a long time. Apparently, they've been home for four days in five months. In order for them to stay, they've got to win or maybe some of them will want to go home to their families.West Indies have been bolstered for this match by the return of dynamic opening batsman Chris Gayle, who missed their 44-run win against Ireland last time out with an abdominal strain Unlike Group B, where only South Africa have so far assured qualification, all four qualifying spots in Group have been wrapped up by Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.Australia captain Ricky Ponting said he was looking forward to the champions being tested by Pakistan in their final group match in Colombo on Saturday. Australia, bidding for a fourth straight title, made it 34 games unbeaten at the World Cup with a seven-wicket thrashing of Canada in Bangalore on Wednesday.(AFP)

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We’ve no fear playing in India: Afridi

Updated at: 1957 PST,  Wednesday, March 16, 2011

COLOMBO: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi denied on Wednesday that he feared playing a World Cup quarter-final in India, insisting a potential clash between the two neighbours can help ease strained relations."I have never said anything along the lines that we don't want to go to India. I never said that," said Afridi, hitting back at media reports that Pakistan wants to avoid playing their last-eight game in India."We are here to play the World Cup, so wherever we have to play we will go and we have no fears over going to India," said Afridi of the possibility of a mouth-watering quarter-final against their South Asian rivals at Ahmedabad."I think a cricket match has always brought the people of both countries together and has the capacity to improve the relations between the two," said Afridi.The relationship between the nuclear rivals has been at breaking point since the terrorist attacks on Mumbai in 2008, which New Delhi blamed on extremists based in Pakistan.Those attacks also forced India to stall bi-lateral cricket series with Pakistan, although both countries played against each other in the Champions Trophy in South Africa in 2009.Afridi said he and his team-mates have always enjoyed playing cricket in India."I have always enjoyed cricket in India, never enjoyed anywhere more than in India, I get maximum enjoyment there," said Afridi, whose first Test century came at Chennai in 1999.He also hit one-day cricket's fourth fastest century off just 45 balls, against India at Kanpur in 2005.Pakistan have eight points from their five matches and could top Group A if they beat defending champions Australia in their last match on Saturday.Afridi says his team fear no opposition."The kind of cricket we are playing we fear no venue and no opposition, so India in India, and Australia in the last group match are no problems," said Afridi, who played down threats from extremists groups in India."What ever is the response, we will get to know it when we go there because we will be going there after a long time," said Afridi."We have played in India in worse situations," added Afridi, referring to Pakistan's tour in 1999 where Hindu militants dug up the pitch in New Delhi."For both teams, the pressure is always there and whoever handles the pressure wins the match. But before that we have an important match against Australia and I think we have the capacity to beat them," said Afridi.

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Canada restricted to 211 after impressive batting

Updated at: 1742 PST,  Wednesday, March 16, 2011

BANGALORE: Aussie bowlers restricted Canada to 211 runs all out in 45.4 overs after the minnows’ top-order batsmen fought bravely in their World Cup Group A match here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday.The 19-year-old opener, Hiral Patel, faced Aussie pacers boldly, blasting a career-best 54 after Canada captain Ashish Bagai won the toss.But Brett Lee took four for 46 as the North Americans were bowled out with 26 balls to spare.Canada, unable to reach the last eight, were well-placed at 150 for two but Australia, already through to the quarter-finals and unbeaten in 33 matches at the World Cup since 1999, then took five wickets for 19 runs.The 19-year-old Patel square cut Lee for two fours before thumping express quick Shaun Tait high over extra cover for six.Canada had promoted 40-year-old off-spinner John Davison, playing his last match before international retirement, to open the innings.Davison looked good making 14 before fast bowler Lee out-thought him with a slow bouncer the batsman could only feather to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin as he attempted a hook.The undaunted Patel took Canada to the fastest fifty of any team this tournament -- in 29 balls -- when he miscued a six off Mitchell Johnson high over third man.But Patel, whose highest score in 13 previous one-day internationals was 43, made no mistake in hooking a Lee bouncer for six.Patel completed his personal fifty in just 37 balls, including three sixes and five fours.However, his blistering innings ended when he slashed medium-pacer Shane Watson to Johnson at third man, leaving Canada 82-2 in the 12th over.Zubin Surkari and Bagai kept Australia at bay with a stand of 68 until the captain, on 39, edged a cut off Tait to Haddin.Jimmy Hansra gifted off-spinner Jason Krejza only his third wicket of the tournament when he holed out to long-on and Surkari (34), one ball after being hit on the hip by a Tait full toss, was bowled by the speedster.

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