New Zealand name squad for World Cup

 Updated at: 1125 PST,  Wednesday, January 19, 2011
 WELLINGTON: New Zealand cricket chiefs backed their struggling one-day team to reverse a dramatic form slump, avoiding wholesale changes in the World Cup squad named on Wednesday.

Chief selector Mark Greatbatch said the Black Caps had a point to prove after losing their past 11 one-day internationals, including series whitewashes against Bangladesh and India.

"We have kept faith with the bulk of the team which played the five-match ODI series in India and believe that, despite recent one-day form, the squad is very capable," he said.

"(They) owe it to themselves and the New Zealand fans to put in a huge performance at the World Cup."

Cricket's showpiece event in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka runs from February 19 to April 2.

Greatbatch said the squad, captained by Daniel Vettori, had an experienced core, with six players who helped New Zealand reach the semi-finals for the fifth time at the last World Cup in 2007.

All-rounder Luke Woodcock, 28, is the only uncapped ODI player in the squad, securing his berth with his strong domestic form for Wellington.

"He has a good head on his shoulders and his selection provides the option of playing three spinners, which could be useful in the subcontinent," Greatbatch said.

Injury-prone all-rounder Jacob Oram was also named, with Greatbatch saying his domestic performances after returning from a stint on the sidelines made the fitness gamble worthwhile.

Greatbatch singled out Jamie How as a batsman who needed to improve after failing against India but said his ability to provide wicketkeeping back-up to Brendon McCullum had helped sway selectors.

"Some might think he's a bit lucky after the last few innings in India but over the last 15 months he's actually performed in the limited forms of the game at various levels," he said.

Bowler Daryl Tuffey was the highest-profile omission from the squad.

New Zealand's 15-man World Cup squad: Daniel Vettori (captain), Hamish Bennett, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Jamie How, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, Luke Woodcock.

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Younis falls as 2nd Test reaches climax

 Updated at: 0932 PST,  Wednesday, January 19, 2011
WELLINGTON: Younis Khan was dismissed in the final over before tea to leave the second test between Pakistan and New Zealand finely balanced on the last day on
Wednesday.

The tourists were 160 for four at tea and need a further 114 runs in the final session to win the two-test series 2-0, having won the first match in Hamilton by 10 wickets.

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq was on 37, having helped Younis (81) grind his way to a 22nd Test half century, to recover Pakistan's run chase after they had slumped to 42 for
three in the first session at a sun-drenched Basin Reserve.

Misbah, who had been batting for almost four hours and faced 122 deliveries, and Younis looked to have given up any pretence of chasing down the target between tea and lunch before they slowly began to increase the scoring rate.

The capture of the wicket of Younis, caught by Reece Young off Tim Southee, however, has given New Zealand the sniff of victory if they can strike early after tea.

The previous two days' final sessions have seen six wickets fall on each day.

New Zealand had made the perfect start when Taufeeq Umar was trapped in front by Southee for a duck on the first ball of the second over of the day, leaving the visitors at 4-1.

Martin then trapped Azhar Ali lbw for 10, then had Hafeez (32) caught by Ross Taylor at first slip in successive overs to leave Pakistan in trouble at 42 for three. Martin now has 199 Test wickets.

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Pakistan retain Afridi as ODI captain for NZ tour

Updated at: 0846 PST,  Tuesday, January 18, 2011Pakistan on Wednesday retained flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi as captain while controversial wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal was also recalled for the upcoming six-match ODI series against New Zealand starting January 22 in Wellington.The national selection committee met in Lahore today and announced a 16-member squad with no real surprises except the return of Akmal, who was recently cleared by the PCB for selection.Akmal was one of the three cricketers reportedly asked by the PCB to submit details of bank accounts and assets from the last three years to the integrity committee, probing charges of spot-fixing which led to the suspensions of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer.

Misbah-ul-Haq, who led Pakistan in the two-Test series against New Zealand, will be Afridi's deputy. Experienced batsman Mohammad Yousuf, who was included in the preliminary World Cup squad last week, has been left out for the series.

Former captain Shoaib Malik and Fawad Alam were also overlooked.

"It is a great feeling to be back in the national squad and my target is to impress the selectors with my performances and book a place in the final World Cup squad," Akmal said.

The keeper has not been selected since the tour of England which ended in September last year and was marred by spot-fixing controversy.

Akmal said it was great to be back in the national squad.

"I am looking forward to the series," he said.

The selectors and board have lifted a big burden off Afridi whose captaincy for the World Cup is also under scrutiny but gets another chance to show his credentials as player and captain in New Zealand.

Experienced fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul will be supported by three other pacers Wahab Riaz, Tanvir Ahmed and Sohail Tanvir.

The one-day series in New Zealand will be Pakistan's last international outing before the World Cup in the subcontinent to be jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from February 19 to April 2.

Squad: Shahid Afridi (Capt), Muhammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Tanvir Ahmed, Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz, Abdul Rehman and Saeed Ajmal.

Read more at: http://cricket.ndtv.com/storypage.aspx?id=SPOEN20110166516&nid=78976&keyword=News&cp

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Donald appointed New Zealand bowling coach

 Updated at: 0846 PST,  Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Former South African paceman Allan Donald has been appointed as New Zealand's bowling coach on a short-term contract until the end of the World Cup, officials said Tuesday.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan said Donald's experience would be a positive for the Black Caps, whose support staff have been revamped since John Wright was appointed head coach in December.

"I know he is really looking forward to the challenge of returning to international cricket and working with the Black Caps," Vaughan said.

The 44-year-old recently finished a stint as head coach of Zimbabwe domestic side the Mountaineers and has previously worked with English county side Warwickshire and the England national side as bowling coach.

Vaughan said Donald, who took 330 Test wickets for South Africa, would join the squad in Wellington this week ahead of Saturday's first one-day international against Pakistan.

He will remain with the Black Caps through the six-match series and the World Cup, to be played in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka from February 19 to April 2.

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Australia unveil next month's World Cup squad

 Updated at: 0846 PST,  Tuesday, January 18, 2011
SYDNEY — Defending champions Australia unveiled their squad for next month's World Cup, banking on the fitness of a pair of injury-prone pacemen and elder statesmen Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey.
Veteran Brett Lee and enigmatic short-form specialist Shaun Tait were both included in the 15-man squad for the tournament in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, which they are trying to win for the fourth successive time.
Ponting was named as skipper, but is still recovering from a broken finger, while Hussey made the squad but is a major doubt after a severe hamstring tear in the six-wicket win over England at the MCG on Sunday.
Hussey is expected to be sidelined for at last six weeks, with Australia's first game on February 21, and chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch conceded he was a doubt for the showpiece event.
"It is a severe injury and we will make a decision closer to departure date," Hilditch said on Tuesday.
Players can be replaced before the tournament.
By selecting Lee and Tait, as well as erratic duo Mitchell Johnson and Doug Bollinger, Australia will rely heavily on their pace bowlers to be at their best.
Lee performed well in Australia's win over England on Sunday, but the 34-year-old and Tait are both on the comeback trail after serious elbow injuries.
Sunday's game was Lee's first one-day international for Australia since October 2009 and he missed the 2007 World Cup triumph due to injury.
Tait, who played in the 2007 final but mainly plays Twenty20 cricket these days, was ruled out of Sunday's game with a back problem.
The 27-year-old has only played three ODIs since February 2009, but taken eight wickets in those three matches.
Hilditch said the squad was perfectly balanced.
"One of the major decisions to be made in this squad was ensuring the balance was right in the squad to provide the best cover for all positions in the event of injury, illness or form issues that may arise," Hilditch said.
"It includes the experience of Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Brett Lee, and also some young talent like Steve Smith.
"Shaun Tait, Shane Watson, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson and Brad Haddin were all also part of the victorious 2007 ICC cricket World Cup squad that went unbeaten in the Caribbean, so there is plenty of character in this group of Australian cricketers."
The shock selection was Victorian all-rounder John Hastings, who has played just two one-day internationals, while David Hussey, Mike's younger brother, also made the squad.
Tasmanian wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Paine, touted by many as a future Australian captain, is part of the 15.
Left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty, who played on Sunday, was overlooked in favour of the returning Nathan Hauritz, who was ignored for the entire Ashes series but has been in top form in domestic first-class cricket this season.
Victorian paceman Peter Siddle was not included, despite being one of the better Ashes performers for Australia with ball and bat.
Squad: Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Doug Bollinger, Brad Haddin, John Hastings, Nathan Hauritz, David Hussey, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Tim Paine, Steve Smith, Shaun Tait, Shane Watson, Cameron White.

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 Updated at: 0846 PST,  Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Sources in the PCB told The Sports Encounter that currently there are two schools of thought in the PCB after a report from team manager national cricket team Waqar Younis, which is quite critical of Afridi’s performance as skipper and player in the team.Shahid Afridi

There are chances that Mohsin Hasan Khan-led selection panel of the PCB may keep Afridi as skipper but a great performance by Misbah-ul-Haq as Test captain has turned him into a strong contender for the ODIs captaincy as well.

Chief Selector Mohsin Hassan Khan will announce the 15-player squad for the ICC flagship event.
Sources further told TSE correspondent that the team will include Shahid Afridi (C), Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal, Misbah–ul-Haq, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Shoaib Akhtar, Younus Khan, Asad Shafiq, Wahab Riaz, and Sohail Tanvir.

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India name 15-man squad for World Cup

 Updated at: 1548 PST,  Monday, January 18, 2011
NEW DELHI: India on Monday selected a tried and trusted combination for the cricket World Cup despite injury worries over key players, including batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar.

Tendulkar, 37, the world's leading Test and one-day batsman, pulled out of the ongoing tour of South Africa after suffering a hamstring strain during the second one-dayer in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Tendulkar's absence for the remaining three one-dayers further depleted India, who are already missing the injured trio of Virender Sehwag (shoulder), Gautam Gambhir (elbow) and Praveen Kumar (elbow).

But all four were named in a 15-man squad for the World Cup, which opens on February 19 with India playing the first match against co-hosts Bangladesh in Dhaka.

Tendulkar, who has a record 17,629 runs from 444 one-day internationals with 46 centuries, has played just four one-dayers over the past 12 months to preserve himself for Test cricket.

The selectors banked on players who have taken India to second place behind Australia in the official one-day rankings, ahead of Sri Lanka, South Africa and England.

The eight batsmen in the squad include wicketkeeper-captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and the hard-hitting Yusuf Pathan, but there was no place for Rohit Sharma.

The only surprise choice was 22-year-old leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, who played the last of his 21 one-dayers more than two years ago, in July 2008.

Chawla, who has claimed 28 one-day wickets, will be joined by two off-spinners Harbhajan Singh and Ravichandran Ashwin, in a three-man spin department.

The squad includes four seam bowlers in Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Praveen Kumar and Munaf Patel.

Srikkanth, who was a member of India's only World Cup-winning squad in 1983, was confident the current players would put up a good performance.

India's World Cup squad:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag (vice-captain), Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Ravichandran Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel.
Coach: Gary Kirsten (SA)

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Rehman double strike slows New Zealand

 Updated at: 0927 PST,  Tuesday, January 18, 2011
WELLINGTON: Left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman struck twice in the afternoon session as Pakistan slowed New Zealand's bid to build a big lead on the fourth day of the second Test on Tuesday

New Zealand went into the break at 181-3 in their second innings, with Ross Taylor on 4 and Jesse Ryder on 11, giving the Black Caps a 161-run lead.

Rehman broke a 120-run opening stand between Brendon McCullum (64) and Martin Guptill (73), with Pakistan claiming three wickets for 46 as the Black Caps chased quick runs to force a result to level the two-Test series.

The spinner tempted McCullum to try to drive him out of the ground shortly after lunch, with the batsman mistiming his shot and sending the ball to Tanvir Ahmed at long off.

He later trapped Guptill lbw to lift his figures to two for 65 off 25 overs.

It was the first time a New Zealand opening stand has reached 50 in the series.

It was also only the second time since 2004 that a Black Caps' opening pair has made 100, an encouraging sign for coach John Wright as he seeks to improve New Zealand's brittle top order following his appointment in December.

Tanvir Ahmed also claimed his first wicket of the innings as Pakistan bounced back from a frustrating morning session when Kane Williamson (15) edged to wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal on 15.

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New Zealand 181 for three at tea

Updated at: 0731 PST,  Tuesday, January 18, 2011
 WELLINGTON: New Zealand were 181 for three at tea on the fourth day of the second Test against Pakistan at the Basin Reserve on Tuesday.

Ross Taylor was on 4 and Jesse Ryder 11 in the second innings, with New Zealand leading Pakistan by 161 runs.

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New Zealand 106 without loss at lunch

 Updated at: 0500 PST,  Tuesday, January 18, 2011
WELLINGTON: New Zealand were 106 without loss at lunch on the fourth day of the second Test against Pakistan at the Basin Reserve on Tuesday.

Brendon McCullum was on 58 and Martin Guptill on 38 at the break after adding 97 to New Zealand's overnight total in the second innings.

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Pakistan all out for 376

 Updated at: 0920 PST,  Monday, January 17, 2011
WELLINGTON: Pakistan were all out for 376 runs in the 27th over after tea to take a first innings lead of 20 against New Zealand on the third day of the second Test at the Basin Reserve on Monday.

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq made 99 and Chris Martin took four for 91.

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Pakistan all out for 376

WELLINGTON: Pakistan were all out for 376 runs in the 27th over after tea to take a first innings lead of 20 against New Zealand on the third day of the second Test at the Basin Reserve on Monday.

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq made 99 and Chris Martin took four for 91.

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Pakistan on top despite Vettori strike

 Updated at: 0906 PST,  Monday, January 17, 2011
WELLINGTON: Captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan combined for a 142-run stand to put Pakistan in a commanding position against New Zealand at tea on the third day of the second Test Monday.

New Zealand needed a poor umpiring decision to break the partnership with the last ball before tea, when Jesse Ryder caught Younis at short leg off a Daniel Vettori delivery that TV replays showed missed the bat.

Khan, whose 73 included 10 boundaries, departed shaking his head, the latest to fall in a spate of umpiring decisions in the two-Test series that replays have shown to be questionable.

However, there is no provision in the match rules for the captains to appeal to the third official.

Pakistan, looking to overhaul New Zealand's first innings 356, will take some comfort in the progress Younis and Misbah made after Azhar Ali (67) added only five to his overnight total.

After that breakthrough from Black Caps' paceman Chris Martin, the frustrated New Zealand bowlers toiled for little reward on a flat track at Wellington's Basin Reserve.

Making his fifth Test half century in five innings, Misbah offered no chances as he went into the tea break on 70.

Forecasters predict bad weather will threaten play on Tuesday and Wednesday, meaning a big total could secure the two-Test series for Pakistan after the tourists easily wrapped up the first Test inside three days.

Vettori's late strike gave him figures of two for 75 from 34 overs.

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Pakistan steady after early wicket

 Updated at: 0725 PST,  Monday, January 17, 2011

WELLINGTON: Captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan took Pakistan to 209 for three after New Zealand's Chris Martin made an early breakthrough on the third day of the second Test Monday. The pair came together after Azhar Ali (67) added only five to his overnight total, falling to a short-pitched Martin delivery that nicked the toe of his bat to provide Ross Taylor with a simple catch at deep extra cover. With Younis Khan also fresh at the crease after New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori dismissed Taufeeq Umar with the last ball of the previous day's play, the Black Caps mixed up their bowling attack in the search for more wickets. But the skipper and Younis rarely looked troubled in fine conditions on a flat track at Wellington's Basin Reserve, which offers the tourists the chance to comfortably overhaul New Zealand's first innings total of 356. Younis took the initiative in the 65-run partnership, hitting five boundaries in the fourth-wicket stand. Misbah, eyeing a fifth consecutive Test half century, was more conservative, content to occupy the crease and attack any loose balls. Forecasters predict bad weather will threaten play on Tuesday and Wednesday, meaning a big total could secure the two-Test series for Pakistan after the tourists easily wrapped up the first Test inside three days. Martin's wicket gave him figures of one for 47 from 18 overs.

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Pakistan consolidate to 134-2 in reply to NZ's 356

 Updated at: 1112 PST,  Sunday, January 16, 2011
WELLINGTON: Taufeeq Umar and Azhar Ali both stroked patient half centuries after the loss of an early wicket to guide Pakistan to 134 for two in reply to New Zealand's 356 at the end of play on the second day of the second Test at the Basin Reserve on Sunday.

Taufeeq blotted his copybook when he was dismissed on the last ball of the day, caught in close by Martin Guptill off Daniel Vettori for 70.

Azhar was not out 62 after he and Taufeeq had combined for a 132-run partnership following the early loss of Mohammad Hafeez for one, when he was given out caught by wicketkeeper Reece Young off Tim Southee to leave Pakistan reeling at 2-1.

Hafeez was unlucky to be given out as replays raised doubts as to whether he had hit the ball.

Taufeeq, however, was the beneficiary of not having the umpire review system in use during the series when he prodded forward to a sharply turning Vettori delivery and Young took a backhanded catch after juggling the ball four times.

Television replays showed he had got a large inside edge on to his pad before Young took the catch. It was the sixth possible decision that could have been overturned by the review system.

New Zealand's innings had been boosted by captain Daniel Vettori's sixth Test century, which was brought up amongst some tense moments at the Basin Reserve.

Vettori resumed after lunch on 79 but accelerated his scoring rate when he lost Southee (one) in the first over after the break and had just Brent Arnel and Chris Martin to come.

The New Zealand captain was on 96 when Arnel was trapped in front for one by Umar Gul and tension rose as the crowd wondered if Vettori would achieve the milestone with Martin striding to the crease to face three deliveries.

Martin's lack of prowess with the bat has attained cult status in New Zealand -- he only scored his 100th Test run in his 60th Test and 87th innings last week, however he survived the three deliveries, even deflecting one to the boundary.

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ICC hopes for return of Pakistan tours

 Updated at: 2135 PST,  Saturday, January 15, 2011
KARACHI: Pakistan needs to convince international teams that it is safe to resume tours to the country, an official of the sport's global governing body told reporters on Friday.

Dave Richardson, the International Cricket Council's (ICC) general manager, said he hopes international cricket will soon return to Pakistan but acknowledged teams will only agree to tour if they are given reassurances over security.

International teams have not toured Pakistan since March 2009 when seven Sri Lankan players and their assistant coach were injured and eight Pakistanis killed when attackers opened fire and hurled grenades at their team bus in Lahore.

Pakistan blamed the assault on the Taliban, and the national side has since been forced to play its home series at neutral venues.

"We are extremely hopeful that international cricket will return to Pakistan as soon as possible," said Richardson.

"It's a security related issue where Pakistan has to convince teams in particular and the international community in general."

Richardson, who played 42 Tests and 122 one-day internationals for South Africa before taking the ICC post, is in Karachi to watch the final of Pakistan's premier first-class tournament - Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.

Pakistan had already been a virtual no-go zone for foreign teams since the September 11, 2001 attacks, which put the nuclear-armed country on the front line of the US-led invasion of Afghanistan and the war against Al-Qaeda.

When asked how far the ICC's Pakistan Task Team had got with a proposed World XI tour of Pakistan, Richardson said, "We have certainly not got to the stage where anyone has said that they want to tour Pakistan."

Richardson said a decision on any possible tour to Pakistan would be made by the country's cricket board. 

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Gul strikes early for Pakistan

 Updated at: 0609 PST,  Saturday, January 15, 2011
WELLINGTON: Umar Gul struck twice for Pakistan to leave New Zealand at 80 for two at lunch in blustery conditions on the first day of the second Test at the Basin Reserve Saturday.

If not for the vagaries of umpiring, and the absence of the umpire referral system for this Test, New Zealand could well be three down after winning the toss and electing to bat.

After being humiliated in the first Test, which was all over on the third day following New Zealand's second innings collapse, coach John Wright and captain Daniel Vettori called for a more disciplined approach.

But the match was only six balls old when Brendon McCullum was out for two, trapped lbw by Umar Gul when he failed to play a shot to a delivery that pitched outside the offstump and was clearly swinging in.

Although TV replays showed McCullum was unlucky, and the ball could have gone over the stumps, fortune favoured New Zealand in Gul's next over which Martin Guptill appeared to edge the ball to wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal.

With the wind blowing strongly, umpire Daryl Harper did not hear a nick and gave Guptill the benefit of the doubt.

But Harper was in no doubt at the start of Gul's seventh over when Kane Williamson was caught behind for 21 trying to fend off a rising ball off the back foot.

Guptill, who batted throughout the session, was not out 24 with Ross Taylor also unbeaten on 24.

Gul had figures of two for 21 off eight overs.

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Pakistan hold advantage in second Test against NZ

 Updated at: 2135 PST,  Saturday, January 15, 2011
WELLINGTON: Pakistan wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal took five catches as New Zealand's top order failed to capitalise on sound starts and battled to 246 for six at the close of play on the first day of the second Test at a windswept Basin Reserve on Saturday.

The hosts' wicketkeeper Reece Young, playing his second test match, was on 28 and captain Daniel Vettori on 38 having forged an unbroken 66-run partnership that ensured the visitors had not taken total control of the match.

Strong northerly winds, with gusts in excess of 80kph, played havoc with the Pakistani bowlers, who were forced on several occasions to pull out of their approach to the wicket
as they were blown off course.

Ross Taylor was the standout in the New Zealand innings, ending a barren run to notch his 11th Test half century, before he was dismissed for 78 just when it appeared his sixth
test century was on offer.

The 26-year-old's previous eight innings had brought a total of just 172 runs at an average of 21.5 with one score in excess of 50. Saturday's innings was his best test score since
he scored a century against Australia last year.

Taylor shared in a 68-run fifth-wicket partnership with James Franklin before both fell in short order in the final session.

Franklin had battled to 33 before he tickled an Abdul Rehman leg-side delivery to Akmal that broke the promising partnership and left New Zealand floundering at 166 for five.

Taylor followed with the score on 180 when he slashed at a full, wide delivery from Wahab Riaz, which was his first of a new spell, and Akmal took a diving catch to his right.

The pair had been forced to resurrect New Zealand's innings after an all too familiar mini-collapse had threatened to totally derail their innings after lunch.

New Zealand had been comfortably placed at 98 for two then Martin Guptill (29), who had left the majority of wide deliveries go through to Akmal, had a rash swipe at a wide
Tanvir Ahmed ball that only caught the edge of his bat to carry through to the wicketkeeper.

Jesse Ryder then followed when he nicked to Akmal on the next ball. It was Ryder's second successive golden duck after he was dismissed first ball in New Zealand's second innings in the 10-wicket loss in the first test in Hamilton.

Tanvir was unable to achieve the hat-trick, however, when Franklin kept out a full, swinging delivery and he and Taylor set about trying to rebuild the New Zealand innings.

New Zealand had chosen to bat after Vettori won the toss to make first use of a good pitch on a sun-drenched day.

The hosts, however, began disastrously with Brendon McCullum given out lbw to Umar Gul on the final ball of the first over for two.

Kane Williamson was the only other wicket to fall in the first session and had looked comfortable moving to 21 before he was caught by Akmal off Gul. 

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World Cup venues will be ready in time, says ICC chief

 Updated at: 1204 PST,  Saturday, January 15, 2011
MELBOURNE: The subcontinent will be ready in time to host the World Cup though five venues were still undergoing work, the International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat said on Saturday.

According to reports, the World Cup organisers have been racing against time to get the grounds ready for the Feb.19-April 2 tournament jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka and
Bangladesh.

"Five stadia are still to be completed but there are no alarm bells ringing and I'm sure they will be ready well before the World Cup," Lorgat told reporters.

Lorgat added that the Feb. 5 verdict on spot-fixing allegations against Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir would not tarnish the image of the
tournament.

"There's some time between when the verdict is released on the fifth of February. We were keen to have it well before the start of the World Cup," he said.

A British newspaper report had alleged that the trio had taken bribes to arrange for deliberate no-balls to be delivered at pre-agreed times in the fourth test against England at Lord's last year.

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Kiwis to bat first against Pakistan

 Updated at: 0301 PST,  Saturday, January 15, 2011
WELLINGTON: New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori won the toss and put his side into bat in the second Test against Pakistan Saturday, with the Black Caps seeking to square the two-match series.

The home side was thrashed inside three days by the tourists in the first Test and need to win in Wellington to draw the series.

They have made one change to their side, dropping out-of-form opener Tim McIntosh and bringing in left-arm swing bowler James Franklin.

"Sometimes if you can have that extra bowler in the likes of a Franklin then it allows Chris Martin or Tim Southee to be even more of a strike bowler," Vettori said.

The Pakistan side is unchanged and captain Misbah-ul-Haq said he would have elected to bowl first had he won the toss.

Vettori has described the Basin Reserve venue as the home of New Zealand cricket, but in recent years it has been anything but a fortress for Kiwi cricket.

They have lost three of their past four matches at the venue, while Pakistan have never tasted defeat in Wellington after drawing their first two matches in 1973 and 1985 and winning three Tests since then.

Fine weather is forecast for the opening day although Wellington's notorious gale-force winds are expected in the afternoon session.

New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (captain), Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder, Kane Williamson, Reece Young, Tim Southee, Brent Arnel, Chris Martin, James Franklin.

Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Tanvir Ahmed, Wahab Riaz; Umar Akmal (12th man).

Umpires: Daryl Harper (AUS), Rod Tucker (AUS)
Third umpire: Chris Gaffaney (NZL)
Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (SRI)

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