Tuesday 27 March 2012

Philander credits team for rapid growth

Standing less than six feet tall and with a short bustling run-up, Vernon Philander is not the prototypical fast bowler. But his accuracy, late movement away and surprising pace has catapulted him into the record books.

The 26-year-old, who made his debut against Australia last November, became the joint second fastest bowler to 50 test wickets on Monday when he bowled New Zealand's Doug Bracewell for a duck.

Philander finished with six for 81, which helped the Proteas bowl New Zealand out for 275, a deficit of 199 runs.

Philander's sixth five-wicket haul in just his seventh test matched that of England's Tom Richardson, who also achieved 50 wickets in the first innings of his seventh test, in 1896.

Australia's Charlie Turner holds the record having achieved his 50th wicket in his sixth test in 1888.

Philander played down his efforts, preferring instead to praise the entire bowling attack.

"Each wicket is important. It has come at a rapid pace, but I'll take it one pole at a time," Philander told reporters.

"Bowling form is like batting form. If things go for you, you make sure you keep doing it (and) that's what I'm doing.

"This attack gives me the freedom to do what I need to do. We've got guys who can keep it tight, they keep a hold on the game and give me the chance to strike all the time and to put my skill on show.

"It's a special squad and a special bowling unit that we have. It's all coming together."

Dale Styen was also a thorn in New Zealand's side, the fast bowler constantly testing their resolve outside off stump and saw two catches put down by JP Duminy and should have had another when Marchant de Lange totally misread a skied ball in the deep.

Morne Morkel also peppered New Zealand with short-pitched bowling off a length that contributed to the pressure.

"They're at you the whole time, it's a quality attack (and)there's no freebies out there," New Zealand batsman Daniel Flynn said.

"I think you'd find a lot of people would probably say they're the best seam bowling attack going around in world cricket at the moment.

"They all complement each other and they all come at you in their own different way, its hard to pick one out.

"Obviously Philander reaped the rewards but I think they complement each other and feed off each other."

Gayle signs agreement, but no clarity yet

Chris Gayle has signed an agreement with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), but there is still no clarity on the explosive opener's return to the national side.

The agreement was brokered by CARICOM. Apart from the agreement, Gayle has written a 'side--letter' to the WICB, its contents however were not disclosed.

"Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves (of St Vincent) provided a copy of Gayle's 'side letter'. The matter was discussed and the Board will respond to the Prime Minister shortly," a WICB release said.

Gayle and WICB have been at loggerheads since last year when the left--handed batsman criticised the Board and coach Ottis Gibson in an interview.

The Board had asked Gayle to retract his statement or apologise for his remarks.

It was reported earlier that Gayle would do so.

The 'Jamaica Gleaner' reported that the agreement, which was drafted by CARICOM in a bid to solve the impasse between the former captain and the Board, had been signed by the WICB a few weeks ago.

Gayle is contracted to represent Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL--V from April 4 to May 27 and Somerset in England's domestic Twenty20 tournament later in the summer.

New Zealand cricket captain breaks arm

A broken bone in his left forearm forced New Zealand captain Ross Taylor out of the final Test against South Africa.

Taylor was on 18 on Monday when he was struck by a rising ball from Morne Morkel and rushed to hospital.

"An x-ray confirmed that Ross Taylor has a fracture of the ulna bone of his left forearm," New Zealand Cricket's medical director Ian Murphy said.

It was unclear how long Taylor would be sidelined with Murphy saying the skipper would see an orthopaedic surgeon "to determine the best course of action and length of time out of the game".

Taylor is scheduled to play for the Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League starting next month, and New Zealand's next commitment after the South African series is a West Indies tour starting in late June.

After he was hit, Taylor attempted to continue and hit the next delivery from Dale Steyn for a single before saying he could not carry on and being taken to hospital.

Saturday 24 March 2012

Bangladesh played like Australia: Afridi

Pakistan's flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi paid rich tributes to Bangladesh, which lost by just two runs to his team in the Asia Cup finals, saying the minnows were as good as the mighty Australians in the clash.

"It seemed as if we were playing against Australia in the final. Bangladesh have matured a lot as a team and it felt good to win such a hard final," Afridi told reporters after reaching his hometown last night from Dhaka.

Mohammad Hafeez, Younis Khan, Saeed Ajmal, Sarfraz Ahmed and Asad Shafiq were the other members of the victorious Pakistan team to return from Dhaka.

Speaking loudly to make his voice audible to the media as hundreds of people gathered at the Karachi airport to give a warm welcome to their heroes, Afridi said Pakistan may have won the final but still needed to improve in many areas.

"We need improvement in some areas and we need to produce more players. I would urge the cricket authorities to lay lot of stress on our domestic cricket and implement a 10-year plan so that we can get maximum number of quality players," Afridi said.

The players were greeted by loud slogans and fans dancing to fast beats at the airport. Other members of the team will reach Lahore today.

Afridi said he was impressed by the performance put up by Bangladesh and felt the Bangladesh Premier League had helped them a lot.

"I think by holding the BPL they did well and their players fought hard. I think we also need to make our domestic cricket as competitive as possible. We can look at the examples of the IPL and BPL while counting the benefits of such events," Afridi said.

Afridi said he felt happy that whenever he produced good bowling spells, the team did well.

"It feels good that whenever I bowl well we tend to win matches. I was struggling before the final and I worked hard in the nets so I am happy I could perform in the final and win the man of the match award," he said.

Afridi said it was up to the selectors to decide if there was need for changes in the team for one-day internationals and Twenty20 matches.

"T20 cricket is a totally different format of the game but yes I think that when players like Ahmed Shahzad, Nasir Jamshed and others have done well they should be given chances in T20 cricket," he said.

Asked if he would be ready to captain the side again if the board offered him the job for ODIs and T20s, Afridi at first ignored the question and then walked away after thanking the media.

Who are the Champions


A failed batting unit, a moderate total on the board, bowlers striving
to get wickets, but failing, and still Pakistan managed to hold the
trophy aloft. Last night’s game proved that if you have the
determination, you succeed in achieving your goal no matter what comes
in between. A nail-biting encounter that was decided on the last ball
of the match saw both the teams, Pakistan & Bangladesh, fight for the
glory. In the end one had to win & one had to lose. And this time,
Pakistan wrote its name in the book of winners. All those who watched
the match (I’m sure everyone did) would agree when I say, that it
was one match during which you could not have left your seat even for
a second. There was action on every ball! This match saw everything-
run outs, some spectacular catches, Afridi’s SIX and the list goes
on and on..


Pakistan’s victory would not have been possible without the
noteworthy performances of some players. Sarfaraz Ahmed’s knock of
46 runs made it possible for the Pakistan team to set up a respectable
total. A vital role was played by the ‘man of the crowd’ Shahid
Afridi who not only used the bat but also the ball to steer his team
to the title. He scored 32 runs and took one wicket. And this list
would be incomplete without the mention of the ‘Hero of the last
over’ AIZAZ CHEEMA. This guy knows how to bowl under pressure
situations. Four runs were required by Bangladesh off the last
delivery, Bangladeshi batsman Shahadat Hossain was unable to connect
Cheema’s yorker & Misbah-ul-Haq and his boys were celebrating!


But then who can forget the tears of the Bangladeshi team? We have won
the trophy but Bangladesh has won millions of hearts. Bangladesh’s
awesome performance changed the course of what was expected to be a
not-so-exciting and one-sided affair. Kudos to Bangladesh! Not taking
anything from the winners here, yes you guys have proven once again
that if there is unity, victory will come at your doorstep
automatically. So, stay united, keep practicing, keep winning & keep
bringing laurels home! PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!

Thursday 22 March 2012

Pakistan snatch Asia Cup in sensational final

Pakistan recorded a dramatic two-run victory over Bangladesh in a sensational final to win the Asia Cup one-day tournament for second time here at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Thursday.

Earlier, they had become the Asia Cup champions in 2000.

It was looking that Bangladesh, playing the final for the first time in Asia Cup history, would win the title. They played extremely well – first restricting Pakistan to 236-9 in 50 overs with their accurate bowling and alert fielding and then batted with determination to reach very close to the winning target but lost the match just three runs short.

Chasing 237, the hosts needing nine runs in the last over, finished at 234-8 in 50 overs.

Their main scorers were allrounder Shakib Al Hasan (68) and opener Tamim Iqbal (60).

Tamim with Nazimuddin (16) provided a sound start making 68 for the first wicket and later Shakib and Nasir Hossain (28) added valuable 89 runs for the fourth wicket partnership.

For Pakistan, paceman Aizaz Cheema grabbed three wickets while fast bowler Umar Gul and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal each finished with two wickets.

Earlier, Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim won the toss and invited Pakistan to bat first, who set a moderate target of 237 runs for the hosts.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed top scored with an unbeaten 46, followed by Mohammad Hafeez (40), Shahid Afridi (32), Umar Akmal (30) and Hammad Azam (30) as no other batsmen could not enter into double figures.

Asia Cup final: Pakistan restricted to 236-9 by Tigers

Pakistan were restricted by Bangladesh to 236 runs for nine wickets in 50 overs in the final of the Asia Cup one-day tournament here at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Thursday.

After being put into bat by Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, who always liked to chase throughout the tournament, Pakistan could not bat impressively against accurate bowling and alert fielding from the hosts.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed top scored with an unbeaten 46, followed by Mohammad Hafeez (40), Shahid Afridi (32), Umar Akmal (30) and Hammad Azam (30) as no other batsmen could reached double figures.

Sunday 18 March 2012

West Indies end six-year losing streak to Australia

KINGSTOWN: West Indies clinched their first win in six years over Australia when they took the second one-dayer by five wickets on
Sunday.

In a match reduced to 40 overs a side because of rain, Australia struggled to 154 for nine with West Indies reaching their Duckworth-Lewis target of 158 with 10 balls remaining.

Kieron Pollard top-scored with 47, an innings which featured four huge
sixes.

Australia won the first game at the same Arnos Vale venue on Friday by 64 runs, their 15th win in their last 16 one-dayers against West Indies, a run stretching back to the 2006 Champions Trophy in India.

The final three games of the series take place in Saint Lucia on Tuesday, Friday and next Sunday.

Poor fielding lets Pakistan down against India

Pakistan were defeated by arch rivals India in a high-scoring encounter of the Asia Cup one-day tournament here at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Sunday.

Chasing a huge target of 330 runs, India started on a disastrous note when they lost Gautam Gambhir for nought on the second ball of the innings by off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez. But thanks to an extraordinary batting display by the latter batsmen who completed the six-wicket win with 13 balls to spare.

However, Pakistan are through to final as they are leading the points table with nine against eight by India with one match left which will be played between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on March 20.

India’s victory was owed very much to Virat Kohli who played a masterful innings of 183, his second hundred in the tournament.

During his 211-minute stay at the crease, he struck 22 fours and two sixes from 148 balls for his eleventh ODI century.

He was involved in two big partnerships: a133-run second wicket stand with Sachin Tendulakar (52) and then a 172-run third wicket with Rohit Sharma (68).

Tendulkar, who achieved a rare feat of a century of international centuries on Friday, completed his 96th ODI half-century with five fours and a six while Sharma hit five fours and a six in his 12th fifty in one-dayers.

Earlier, Pakistan openers Mohammad Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed hammered brilliant centuries to help Pakistan reach a formidable total of 329-6.

Batting first after captain Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss, both openers provided a solid start of 224 runs, their second century partnership for the first wicket in this tournament – just four runs short of Pakistan record set by Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Farhat against Zimbabwe at Harare last September.

Hafeez made 105 off 113 balls with nine fours and a six. This was his fourth ODI century while Nasir scored 112 from 104 balls with ten fours and a six for his maiden hundred in One-day International cricket.

Veteran batsman Younis Khan also batted well to hit 52 runs from 34 balls with six boundaries. This was his 47th half-century in one-day international career.

Tuesday 21 February 2012

PCB & Spot Fixing Cases

The newly appointed chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Zaka Ashraf has landed himself in the first controversy that led the ruling body ICC to take him head on, on a very sensitive issue of talented yet reportedly suspected all-rounder Wahab Riaz’s inclusion in Pakistan team for the series against England.

The controversy arose from a statement of Chairman PCB Zaka Ashraf claiming Wahab Riaz was recalled in Pakistan team for the forthcoming series against England after ICC apparently gave the clearance that it had no proof of Wahab Raiz’s involvement in spot fixing.
This statement from Chairman PCB, prompted ICC to issue the following statement ” The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday denied an alleged statement made by the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board that the fast bowler Wahab Riaz was selected in the Pakistan squad for the series against England after clearance from the game’s governing body.

In a statement, ICC Chief Executive Mr Haroon Lorgat said: “I have said before and reiterate that the ICC has no part to play in the selection of any team. It remains the absolute right of a Member Board to decide which player it wishes to include in a squad or select in its team for any match.”

Mr Lorgat further added: “Only if a player has been charged and/or provisionally suspended by the ICC and/or banned by an independent tribunal, will he will not be cleared for selection. In all other circumstances, it is the Member Board’s absolute right to select players.”

This statement from ICC puts PCB in an embarrassing situation and it had to come out with a statement from it’s spokesman Nadeem Sarwar saying that,” The factual position is that in pursuing its zero tolerance policy towards corruption, PCB as a precautionary measure approached ICC’s anti corruption Unit regarding any such information on Wahab Riaz.

The ball is now in ICC’s court again if PCB has sought any information from ICC’s Anti Corruption and Security Unit on Wahab Riaz or not. The new chairman PCB Zaka Ashraf, it seems, is following the foot steps of the former Chairman Ejaz Butt by publicly involving ICC in sensitive matters like spot fixing. One hopes that Mr. Zaka is well advised by his aides, that Mr. Ejaz Butt was perhaps not. One may recall, it was Ejaz Butt who, in a media conference had dropped a bomb shell by saying that ICC had provided match fixing proof against two players to PCB.

It may be recalled that during Pakistan team’s tour to England in 2010, Wahab Riaz was shown wearing a jacked handed by bookie Mazhar Majeed containing money. Moreover, Wahab Raiaz’s and Kamran Akmal’s name was mentioned time and again during the criminal proceedings in spot fixing case in London that led to the jail terms for Salman Butt, Muhammad Asif, Muhammad Amir and Mazhar Majeed.

This was for this reason according to PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf that Wahab Riaz was kept out of Pakistan team for about 7 months and now he has been included in Pakistan team against England for a series to be played in UAE.

Well if this is the case, then PCB should come out clean on Kamran Akmal whether has also sought information about Kamran from ICC or not? Similarly, leg spinner Danish Kanaria has also been a victim of PCB’s rigid policy and has not been cleared for selection. The PCB has not yet come out with concrete evidence against Kanaria.

In order to avoid controversies and confusions, Mr. Zaka Ashraf should carry out clean and transparent policy . If ICC had not indicated any thing to PCB about Wahab Riaz, why was he kept out of Pakistan team for 7 months and why Kamran Akmal and Danish Kanaria are still out of Pakistan team. If ICC had not conveyed any thing to PCB , why did PCB chose to seek information from ICC Anti Corruption and Security Unit?.


The appropriate way for PCB to deal the Wahab Riaz issue would have been or would be to carry out detailed investigation and grill Wahab Riaz that what the whole money filled jacket wearing incident was all about?. Had PCB done this, there would have been no need for PCB Chairman to seek information or clearance from ICC’s ACSU who in turn wasted no time to refute the PCB chairman’s statement referred above.

Now since PCB is setting up its own vigilance committee, it should thoroughly investigate the matter of other reported suspects of Pakistan team before it is too late. For this purpose, the PCB should also investigate and get to the roots of a reported telephonic conversation between the acting chief selector Muhammad Ilyas and the then CEO Salim Altaf who have named a few players allegedly involved in Match Fixing. This reported conversation is available on Youtube but first credibility of the conversation has to be established.

The Chairman PCB should get a detailed factual briefing from his office that who are the alleged suspects and what proofs are available against them. PCB should investigate them transparently and punish or acquit them on the basis of the investigation and not on the basis of suspicion.

What is surprising is that Chairman Zaka Ashraf, a few weeks back, in a reported media talk said that he will reveal Wahab Riaz and Kamran Akmal the reasons of their non selection in Pakistan cricket team and now it’s shocking how Wahab Riaz is back for England series. The PCB Chairman was also quoted by some media reports that some thing fishy was there in Wahab Riaz and Kamran Akmal cases. There may not be some concrete and hard evidence against some players but at times, the circumstantial evidence is so strong that some kinds of precautionary measures have to be taken. If Wahab Riaz, Danish Kanaria and for that matter Kamran Akmal are in same boat in terms of no proof from the relevant quarters, then they should also be considered for selection otherwise the factual reasons for their ouster from the team may should be made public so that these players can take legal course of action if they so desire.

One can not claim that corruption from the sport can be fully eradicated but keen vigilance and constant education about the menace can help minimize it.

Why do we need a Coach?

After the resignation of Waqar Younis, PCB is now in trouble whether to choose a foreign coach or a local one for the team. PCB made a dedicated committee based on former Pakistani captains Intikhab Alamm, Zaheer Abbas and former Test wicketkeeper Col (retd) Naushad Ali without analyzing if they need a coach at this level and time?

If yes, than that means there are serious problems in cricket structure on the domestic level. When a player is chosen for an international team out of 16 curore population, it means you have surely selected the best, and what we expect from is that he gives his best and not learn cricket while staying in the team.

It’s a great idea to hire a foreign coach but not for international team. There should a proper coach from the ground level not only to help them improve their cricket-skills but also to teach them how to maintain discipline, how to interact with media, how to respect you seniors and moreover how to maintain one’s health and fitness. It should be a sure thing that when players come to international team from the domestic level they are well aware of rules and regulation.

I must say that before hiring a new coach for the International team, we have to look at the history of coaches for Pakistani team, which clearly shows that none stayed with us for more than 3 years

· Sept 1998: Legendary former captain Javed Miandad takes over from Haroon Rasheed, a former middle-order batsman.

· April 1999: Miandad resigns after falling out with senior players and is replaced by former captain Mushtaq Mohammad for the 1999 World Cup.

· Aug 1999: Mushtaq sacked after the World Cup. Wasim Raja, a former allrounder, steps in.
· Nov 1999: English-born Richard Pybus becomes Pakistan’s first foreign coach.

· Dec 1999: Intikhab Alam takes over after Pybus is axed following Pakistan’s 3-0 rout in a Test series in Australia.

· Mar 2000: Miandad replaces Intikhab after Pakistan lost home series to Sri Lanka.

· April 2001: Miandad sacked after Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand and is replaced by Pybus.

· Sept 2001: Pybus refuses to come to Pakistan for security reasons after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States and Mudassar Nazar takes over.

· Sept 2002: Mudassar summoned home midway through ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka and Pybus returns for a third stint.

· March 2003: Pybus says he does not want to stay on after Pakistan were knocked out in the first round of the World Cup held in South Africa. Miandad returns as coach.

· June 2004: Miandad sacked after Pakistan lost one-day and Test series against Indiaat home.

· July 2004: Former England batsman Bob Woolmer takes over.

· March 2007: Woolmer dies in his Jamaica hotel room hours after Pakistan crash out in the first round of the World Cup in the West Indies.

· July 2007: Lawson appointed as coach.

· October 2008: Lawson sacked over poor results. Intikhab Alam appointed for three-day series against the West Indies in Abu Dhabi.
This I suppose is self-explanatory. What do you think?

On a Sad Note

They say that the team that learns from its mistakes is the one that is the true champion. Sadly, the English team emerged as champions during the 1st two matches of the one day series against a Pakistani side that has disappointed the nation as well as themselves. Be it the decision of playing Umar Akmal down the order and as a wicket-keeper, sending Shahid Afridi at a time when all battle was lost, introducing Saeed Ajmal when the English batsmen had settled, playing a side that looked strong on paper instead of on the field and not giving their 100 percent, Misbah ul Haq and his men disheartened the entire community following them.


So what should Pakistan do to level the series against England? First of all, win the toss and bat first in natural light. Secondly, they should act smart and play with the minds of their opponents by shuffling the batting order, even if that means dropping Younis Khan for Asad Shafiq. Younis Khan may have a good record but like Mohammad Hafeez, he needs a jump start so that he can perform. Mohammad Hafeez seems shaky at the top, so he can be adjusted at number 3 or 4, and Asad Shafiq can open with Imran Farhat who is batting slow to keep his place in the squad.


The team should go for a regular wicket keeper in Adnan Akmal, one who takes catches instead of providing lifeline to the opponents. Umar Akmal should play as a batsman only and bat higher in the order. Same can be said for Shahid Afridi, because the two score quick runs, something the team needs. Abdur Rehman should come in at number 11 because the way he batted in the last match was one of the major reasons why we lost. He my have bowled well but the plot was lost because of his crazy innings of 1 run off 12 balls!


As for the bowlers, Umar Gul and Aizaz Cheema need to practice their yorkers because they hardly bowl the delivery, making batsmen play them with ease. Wahab Riaz should have been a better choice but it seems he is not ready to make a return to the international arena. Junaid Khan can be given a chance if the captain wants to win the series, but to accommodate him, he would either have to drop a batsman who isn’t scoring or a bowler who needs to understand his importance in the side. Inept all-rounder Shoaib Malik should ‘still’ stay out of the side because if he makes a return, the team will lose its fighting spirit, and surrender.


The green shirts played like lions in the Test series against England but failed to transfer their form in limited overs, and are on the verge of losing their first series in seven attempts as well as their 5th position to England in the ICC ranking. They should play with their heart out otherwise the heart of its followers will forget their recent success and criticize them for returning to its old ways!

Monday 20 February 2012

ICC deny clearing Pakistan spinner Kaneria

The International Cricket Council Monday denied it had cleared Pakistan's Danish Kaneria to play, after he was implicated in a spot-fixing trial that saw a former English county cricket jailed for four months.

Prosecutors in the case, which culminated last week, told the Central 
Criminal Court in London that ex-Essex paceman Mervyn Westfield had been lured into the illegal scam after an approach by Kaneria.

The leg spinner denies the claim and has said the ICC had cleared him to play, as had the England and Wales Cricket Board and Pakistan Cricket Board.

But the ICC said in a statement that all three governing bodies "can 
categorically deny that such a clearance certificate was ever issued".

"The PCB stated that, following the Westfield judgment, Kaneria will again be called to appear before the Integrity Committee to explain his position," it added.

His clearance was "pending" and the player had been asked to provide copies of the tapes of his police interview in Britain, it added.

Westfield was jailed for taking 6,000 pounds ($9,200) for deliberately 
bowling badly in Essex's 40-over match against Durham in September 2009. 

He pleaded guilty to the charge in January and was sentenced on Friday.

Ponting to play on in Tests after ODI dumping

Former skipper Ricky Ponting said Tuesday he intended to continue playing Test cricket for Australia despite his dumping from the one-day team.

Ponting said he had been told by selectors that he did not fit into their future plans for the one-day team, but he was not retiring from Test cricket.

"I still have what it takes to be a dominant player," Ponting told a press conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

"I still don't see a finish line for my cricket career. The passion for international cricket has not died for me at all.

"I don't expect to play one-day cricket for Australia anymore."

World Cup winner Ponting was Monday dropped from Australia's one-day team after a dismal run of form in the tri-series against India and Sri Lanka.

Chief selector John Inverarity said Ponting, the second all-time leading run-scorer in ODIs, had been dumped because of a lack of form after just 18 runs in five tri-series knocks.

Tuesday 7 February 2012

The Heroes who Made History Possible!

The 6th of February will always be remembered as the golden day in Pakistan’s cricket history. Not only did the Men in Green achieved the impossible by claiming a whitewash over England, they also tamed the English media that had called them chuckers, thrown ball tampering allegations at them as well as termed them spot-fixers during their last tour of the country.


This was the first time that Pakistan played like a winning unit in many years. Many of those who follow the game religiously had written off Misbah ul Haq and his men ahead of the series, and this scribe was one of them. I publicly apologize to the Pakistan cricket team for underestimating them, but aren’t they the best when cornered? Yes they are, and their unpredictable nature was one of the biggest factors that helped them tame the best in the world!


Both the batsmen and the bowlers gave more than their 100% and the credit of the success goes to the captain, Misbah ul Haq who remained calm even in tense situations. The batsmen displayed patience and presence of mind, due to which the batting clicked throughout the series, to the disappointment of the English team and media. Out of the 6 scores of over 250 runs in an innings, Pakistan dominated the chart with 4, including the 365 all out in the final innings of the series. The 338 runs in the first test were also the highlight of Pakistan’s first win in the series, whereas England’s 327 at Abu Dhabi was not enough to save the match.


Pakistan’s Azhar Ali was the only batsman in the series who scored more than 200 runs. In fact, he not only scored 251 runs in 5 innings at an average of 50, he also posted the highest score of the series – 157 in the third Test. Younis Khan followed with 193 runs, 127 of which came in the last match of the series. He may have scored just one score of more than 50 runs, but Mohammad Hafeez came third in the batsmen’s list with 190 runs, followed by the skipper Misbah ul Haq at 180 and youngster Asad Shafiq with 167 runs. Batting proved to be the main difference between both the sides as the top English batsman – Jonathan Trott – came on the list of most runs at number 6 with 161 runs, behind 5 Pakistanis.


Similarly, Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman dominated the bowling chart with 24 and 19 wickets respectively, followed by Monty Panesar with 14 scalps. While Ajmal remained the only bowler to take 10 wickets in the series, the left-arm spinners Rehman and Panesar shared two five-wicket hauls to finish at second and third position. Saeed Ajmal’s 7/55 at Dubai was the best bowling performance from either side, followed by Rehman’s 6/25 and Panesar’s 6/62 at Abu Dhabi.


The Test series is now over and will be followed by a one-dayer against Afghanistan and 4 one dayers and 3 Twenty20 internationals against England. It remains to be seen whether the selectors retain successful players like Azhar Ali for the limited overs or try youngsters against the reigning T20 World Champions. Whatever they decide, Pakistan will have the upper hand because they had outclassed, outsmarted and outwitted the world’s best side with determination, dedication and unity!

Saturday 28 January 2012

Time for changes for India

It was a mere formality, and early on Day 5, Australia hammered in the final nail into the wreckage that has been India's performances abroad since the tour of England. Out of that wreckage, change must come if India want better results.

The rumours of an impending retirement announcement turned out to be unfounded, but only so far as there was no announcement. The decision might well have been taken by at least Dravid and Laxman that Adelaide was their last Test match. If it is, then there is no more to be said, except accord a warm reception and farewell when the announcement is officially made and thank them for such sterling service to Indian cricket. If it is not though, then it makes matters more interesting.

For a start, both Dravid and Laxman have had an extremely poor series while batting. Tendulkar has been relatively better, but on an absolute scale, his numbers aren't really great either. It is worth noting though, that India will not play Test cricket away from home for a considerable period. And in the last Test series that was played at home - against West Indies immediately before the Australia tour - the two batsmen who had the highest averages and run aggregates were, you guessed it, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid.

That, however, doesn't mean the right way forward is to continue to play with the same team since all of India's cricket is in familiar conditions now.

All three stalwarts are in the twilight of their careers and it's better if they go at a time when there is enough space for the ones who will replace them to grow into Test cricket. This is the perennial problem that any country faces when it is blessed with a clutch of great players. Because the players are so good, they last beyond the ordinary playing spans of lesser players. Consequently, the generation of players that comes next has to sit on the fringes during their best years, and there is then, an inevitable downturn in fortunes while the transition happens.

The downturn has already happened for team India and the time to begin the transition, is therefore now. In England, India didn't have their strongest eleven for a match for any Test (thought that still doesn't mean a team should be blanked 4-0 by such huge margins), but in Australia the best possible team was sent and still returned with four equally huge defeats. It's therefore clear enough that change is needed.

It's not a question of whether the new generation will fill the shoes of the three stalwarts as well as the three themselves did. They might not, but then again, they might too. When Ganguly, Dravid and Laxman made their debuts in 1996 nobody could have predicted that they would help Indian cricket rise to such great heights. Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and the rest therefore deserve the chance to try and emulate the men they grew up watching.

And by 'emulate' they must emulate everything. When India won zilch abroad for decades, these men didn't sit back and say, 'Let them come to India, we'll beat them on turners'. They set themselves the goal of making India a force abroad, and to a large extent, they succeeded. And so, while it is the right time for the stalwarts to walk into the sunset, the way they played their cricket, and what they brought to Indian cricket must not be forgotten. They might be going, their legacy should stay.

Pakistan demand respect from cricket world Abu Dhabi

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq on Sunday said he hoped his team's series win over test cricket's number one side England will earn them respect from the cricketing world after a turbulent period which tarnished their image.

Dogged by off-the-field problems like failed dope tests and lack of discipline, Pakistan cricket hit the lowest ebb on their 2010 tour of England when three of their top players were caught in a spot-fixing scandal.

The then Test captain Salman Butt and pacemen Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer were banned for conniving over the bowlers deliberately bowling no-balls during the Lord's Test against England, and getting paid for that by agent Mazhar Majeed.

Last November all three and Majeed were sentenced to prison terms by an English court.

But since the scandal, Pakistan have fared well both on and off the field under an astute captain Misbah.
Pakistan beat England by 72 runs in the second Test to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, their fourth series win on the trot and eighth win in 14 Tests under Misbah, who took over two months after the scandal.

And Pakistan's resurgence, Misbah feels should earn them respect.

"I think the whole world should acknowledge and accept that Pakistan cricket is coming up, the way our players are performing and they should accept it. Such (negative) things can happen anywhere and we must forget them," said Misbah.

Misbah, 37, stressed his team will build further on the success against England.

"We have put everything behind us," said Misbah, who has led from the front hitting 12 fifties as captain.

"I think whichever team is doing well it should be accepted, our team deserves that and with the self confidence we have, we can do better."
Coach Mohsin Khan, who rather unluckily will be replaced by former Australian batsman Dav Whamore after the series, said these are good days to relish after the bad times.

"I definitely agree with Misbah, we deserve more respect for the performances we have put together," said Khan, a former opener.

"Pakistan cricket has suffered badly in the last two years but the management and the team has done well to transform it."

Khan said the impressive win over England will only improve Pakistan's image.

"A win over the world's top team is the best thing Pakistan could have achieved," said Khan, who was appointed interim coach after Waqar Younis quit the post in September last year.
Former captain Ramiz Raja said Pakistan have earned respect.

"I think they have earned respect," said Raja, now a widely travelled cricket commentator. "They deserve a lot of praise for the manner in which they have beaten the world's best side, its no mean achievement."

Raja said the whole nation -- embroiled in terrorism, corruption and bad governance -- can take a lead from the cricket team.

"I think the whole nation can take the lead from the sequence of the team's wins. The team has shown more wisdom, sincerity and hard work which people in Pakistan should match in all walks of lives," said Raja.

"No praise is enough for this team which has lifted its image and the way they have beaten the world's best team like toddlers is a great achievement," said Raja.

Pakistan demolish England by 72 runs to win series

Pakistan recorded a stunning 72-run victory against top-ranked England within four days of the five-day second Test match here at the Sheikh Zayad Stadium on Saturday.

Pakistan also took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. This was Pakistan’s seventh Test series win against England.

Pakistan won the first Test in Dubai by ten wickets. The third Test will also be played in Dubai from February 3.

This is England's first series defeat after being unbeaten in their previous nine since their loss to the West Indies in early 2009 -- a sequence which saw them rise to world number one in the Test rankings in August last year.

Chasing an easy target of 145 runs to win, England were bundled out for a mere 72, their lowest ever total in a Test innings against Pakistan.

Left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman grabbed six wickets for 25 runs in his career best bowling while off-spinner Saeed Ajmal claimed three for 22.

Rehman was ably assisted by off-spinners Saeed Ajmal (3-22) and Mohammad 
Hafeez (1-11) in a match which saw spinners dominate from the first day.

England lost their top four batsmen in the space of just 37 balls after an extra cautious start on a difficult pitch.

England captain Andrew Strauss topscored with 32 before he became one of Rehman's victims during his maiden five-wicket haul.

In the penultimate over before tea, Rehman trapped Kevin Pietersen (one) and two balls later bowled Eoin Morgan (nought) to raise hopes of an unlikely win for Pakistan.

Sensing they could only upset their rivals through early wickets, Pakistan opened the bowling with off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez who responded well by catching Alastair Cook (seven) off his own bowling after England had edged cautiously to 21 by the 15th over.

Bell, promoted to number three after Jonathan Trott was unwell, was all at sea against master spinner Saeed Ajmal and his tentative push went through his legs to hit the stumps. He made only three.

Pietersen, who has been woefully out of form making just 16 runs in the series, managed one more before Rehman trapped him and in the same over had the equally out of form Morgan bowled to dent England's hopes of a victory.

Rehman then accounted for Trott (one) and Stuart Broad (nought) in the same over to leave England 7-68.

Ajmal dismissed Graeme Swann (nought) and Matt Prior (18) to complete his 100 Test wickets in his 19th match before Anderson was caught off Rehman to give Pakistan a sensational win.

England's previous lowest against Pakistan was 130 -- made on two occasions at The Oval in 1954 and Lahore in 1987.

Earlier, Pakistan lost their last six wickets with the addition of 89 runs after resuming at 125-4, with all hopes pinned on Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq.

Rehman's effort overshadowed Monty Panesar's 6-62, in his first Test for 30 months, which finished Pakistan's second innings at 214 in the morning.

Panesar took three of those wickets to finish with his eighth five-wicket haul in Tests.

Azhar Ali (68) and Asad Shafiq (43) added 88 for the fifth wicket before Panesar struck.

But England's decision to take the second new ball as soon as it was due paid rich dividends as Anderson removed the dangerman Ali with a sharp rising delivery which caught the edge and was caught behind by Prior.

Broad then had Adnan Akmal (13) caught by Strauss in the slips off an ambitious drive in the next over as Pakistan wilted.

Rehman (10) and Ajmal (17) added an invaluable 36 for the eighth wicket before Panesar wrapped up the innings by taking the last two wickets.

Wednesday 25 January 2012

India fight back against Australia’s huge score in final Test

Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke both hit masterful double centuries to drive Australia to 604 for seven declared before their bowlers reduced India to 61 for two at the end of second day of the fourth Test on Wednesday.

Sachin Tendulkar, who had made 12 not out, and Gautam Gambhir, unbeaten on 30, were at the crease at stumps after the in-form Australian pace attack dismissed stand-in India captain Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid.

Clarke, who made 210, and his predecessor as Australia captain Ponting, who scored 221, batted through the morning session for a record fourth-wicket stand of 386 at a sweltering
Adelaide Oval.

They were separated two balls after lunch when Clarke was bowled by Umesh Yadav and three more wickets fell before tea as the Australian batsmen went for their shots on a good batting wicket.

Perhaps mindful that England declared on 551-6 at the Adelaide Oval in 2006 and still lost the Test, Clarke waited until the scored passed 600 after seven overs of the final
session before calling time on the Australian first innings.

Paceman Peter Siddle struck in the first ball of his first over to remove Sehwag caught and bowled for 18 after the opener got the bottom of his bat onto a full toss.

Dravid was bowled for the sixth time in seven innings in the series in the next over, deceived by a Ben Hilfenhaus delivery that struck the Indian on his elbow and hit the stumps.

Already 3-0 down in the series after three emphatic defeats, India had laboured in the field as Clarke and Ponting ruthlessly, and often stylishly, drove home their advantage.

Resuming at 335-3, they passed their own record partnership for Australia against India of 288, which they set in the Sydney test, inside the first hour.

The next mark to fall was the all-time record partnership for the Adelaide Oval, which came when they exceeded the 341 that Eddie Barlow and Graeme Pollock shared in 1964.

Clarke brought up his second double century of the series after his unbeaten 329 in the Sydney Test just before lunch with two runs through mid-wicket, celebrating with his ritual kiss of the insignia on his helmet.

The 30-year-old took 361 minutes and 255 balls to reach the milestone with another imperious display, which included 25 fours and one six.

Ponting was not far behind but was forced to wait nervously over the lunch break for his second double century against India at Adelaide after the 242 he hit in a losing cause in 2003-04.

The sixth double century of his career finally came courtesy of a trademark pull to midwicket for his 21st four in the 459-minute, 357-ball innings and the celebration left no doubt what it meant to the Tasmanian.

Clarke had already departed after being bowled between bat and pad by paceman Umesh Yadav, the first wicket to fall in more than three full sessions.

The stand was two runs short of the Australian record for a fourth-wicket partnership set by Donald Bradman and Bill Ponsford when they made 388 at Headingly in 1934.

Mike Hussey, who had waited six hours and 20 minutes to bat, made a quickfire 25 from 33 balls before a brilliant Gambhir throw ran him out.

Ponting followed soon afterwards when another pull off Zaheer Khan found a leaping Tendulkar on the mid-wicket boundary.

Spinner Ravi Ashwin's carrom ball accounted for Peter Siddle (2) to give wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, standing in for banned India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, his first test catch.

Brad Haddin, who hit a six to open his account, had made 42 not out and shared a 71-run partnership with Ryan Harris (35 not out) when Clarke called them back to the dressing room.

Pakistan steady after losing openers

Pakistan were 61 runs for two wickets at lunch on the opening day of the second Test against England here at the Sheikh Zayad Stadium on Wednesday.

Batsmen at the crease were Azhar Ali (13) and Younis Khan (6).

After captain Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and decided to bat, Pakistan openers Mohammad Hafeez and Taufiq Umar succeeded again to record a fifty-plus opening wicket partnership.

However, left-handed batsman Taufiq made exit on 16 when Paksitan reached 51 and ten runs later other opener Hafeez also departed for 31.

Tuesday 24 January 2012

Misbah, Strauss expect heavy workload for bowlers

Rival captains Misbah-ul Haq and Andrew Strauss expect tough work for bowlers on a batting-friendly pitch at Abu Dhabi Stadium where the second Test starts on Wednesday.

The two Tests played here were drawn with three double hundreds and two centuries, and the last one saw Pakistan letting Sri Lanka off by dropping seven catches in the second innings. Pakistan also drew with South Africa here.

But despite that Pakistan have edge with off-spinner Saeed Ajmal in good form, having taken a career-best 7-55 during his 10-wicket haul which helped his team win the first Test by 10 wickets in Dubai inside three days.

"Ajmal got 10 wickets which created so much pressure on England so I think that is really an edge for us but at the same time I think the nature of the pitch here will make it tough to get 20 wickets," said Misbah on Tuesday.

Misbah urged the bowlers to stick to discipline and basics.

"I think you have to come out hard and just bowl a disciplined line and bowl according to the weakness of the batsmen, and just try to exploit the conditions but I think it will be really really tough to get wickets here," said Misbah.

Misbah said his team was ready for a backlash from England, who have not lost a Test series since January 2009.

"There is no doubt that England, being the world number one team, will try their 100 percent best and stage a strong comeback. We are ready for them," said Misbah, who has not lost a series since taking over as captain in October 2010.

Pakistan were likely to retain the winning combination, but if the pitch seems to offer initial pace they could replace paceman Aizaz Cheema with left-armer Junaid Khan.

England will wait on the fitness of paceman Chris Tremlett who has a sore back.

England captain Andrew Strauss agreed that the pitch looked good for batting.

"At the moment it looks a very good wicket, there's no doubt about that. We are expecting it to be very good wicket for batting," said Strauss, whose team has not lost two Tests in a row since beaten by South Africa in July 2008.

England have also managed to win just three times after going down 1-0 in a three-match series.

And Strauss realised it would be a tough challenge.

"It's a big challenge for us and one I personally really looking forward to. We clearly let ourselves down at Dubai, we got to hold up our hands and say there are no excuses for that," said Strauss who will open with Alastair Cook in their 100th innings.

About his own batting form which saw him dismissed for 19 and six in the first Test, Strauss said he hopes to overcome the slump.

"It's obviously disappointing and certainly not getting runs in the last game was disappointing for me but having been around the Test match scene for a while now I know form ebbs and flows and one innings can completely change both your perspective and others' perspective in how well you're playing.

"I do think I've been hitting the ball well and hopefully that means there's a nice recipe in place to go on and get a big score," said Strauss, who has scored only one hundred in the last 30 months, at Brisbane in 2010.

When asked whether Ajmal's bowling action, questioned by various quarters after the Dubai Test, could threaten the sense of harmony between the two teams, Strauss said: "Maybe, but you're not going to hear any discussion about it from us.

"It's not an issue for us, it's not something we're concerned about, we're far more concerned about coming onto the pitch and winning this game."

The third and final Test will be played in Dubai from February 3 to 7. Both teams will also play four one-day and three Twenty20 internationals.

Jayawardene named captain after Dilshan quits

Tillakaratne Dilshan resigned as Sri Lanka's cricket captain in all three forms of the game on Monday following the team's disastrous tour of South Africa, officials said.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) named former captain Mahela Jayawardene -- who led
the side to the World Cup final in 2007 -- as skipper for next month's triangular one-day series in Australia, also featuring India.

Dilshan, 35, took up the captaincy on a series-to-series basis after Kumar Sangakkara stepped down following Sri Lanka's defeat in the 2011 World Cup final against India.

Sri Lanka lost both the Test and one-day series in South Africa, though they recovered a measure of pride with victory in the final two limited-overs games, the last on Sunday.

Under Dilshan, Sri Lanka lost Test and one-day series against England, Australia, Pakistan and South Africa.

While Dilshan's own batting form suffered during his reign, he led the team to a historic Test win in Durban this year -- Sri Lanka's first on South African soil.

There was no immediate comment from Dilshan, who has so far scored 4,662 runs in 77 Tests and 5,896 runs in 224 one-day internationals.

His replacement is part of an ongoing shake-up after the national team's recent poor run abroad against South Africa and Pakistan.

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage last week named a four-member selection panel headed by Asantha de Mel, a former national player, and gave them one year to put the team in order.

Australian coach Geoff Marsh and team manager Anura Tennakoon are also tipped to be replaced, local media reported over the weekend. Marsh was appointed in September 2011 for two years.

Former South Africa coach Graham Ford is due in the island on Tuesday to replace Marsh, the state-run Daily News said Monday.

Sri Lanka recall Maharoof for Aussie tri-series

Sri Lanka's cricket selectors on Monday recalled Farveez Maharoof and Chanaka Welegedera for next month's triangular one-day series in Australia.

The four-man selection panel led by former player Asantha de Mel also named batsman Mahela Jayawardene as the new captain to replace Tillakaratne Dilshan, who quit on Monday.

All-rounder Maharoof and paceman Welegedera each played his last one-dayer in 2010.

Angelo Mathews was retained as vice-captain for the series, also featuring India.

Squad: Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Angelo Mathews (vice-capt), Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisira Perera, Farveez Maharoof, Rangana Herath, Sachithra Senanayaka, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekera, Chanaka Welegedera, Dhammika Prasad.

Ponting third batsman to reach 13,000 Test runs

Ricky Ponting passed 13,000 Test runs Tuesday as he shared in a big partnership with Michael Clarke to put Australia in a strong position on the opening day of the fourth Test against India.

Ponting, the third all-time highest Test runscorer behind Indians Sachin Tendulkar (15,432) and Rahul Dravid (13,262), batted throughout the middle session with Clarke to recover the home side after the loss of three morning wickets.

At tea, Australia were 214 for three after winning the toss with Ponting unbeaten on 91 and Clarke on 71.

India, looking to restore some pride after drubbings in the first three Tests, were thwarted by the pair's unbroken 130-run stand for the fourth wicket on a flat batting strip.

Clarke, who scored an unbeaten 329 in the second Sydney Test earlier this month, had a life on 50 when Dravid put down a low chance off Ishant Sharma.

Ponting, Clarke tons as Australia plunder India

Australia were 335 for three at the close after winning the toss on the opening day of the fourth and final Test against India at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.

Ricky Ponting was not out 137 with skipper Michael Clarke on 140.

Resurgent Ricky Ponting posted his 41st Test century and skipper Michael Clarke his second ton of the series as Australia plundered India in the final Test.

Ponting passed 13,000 Test runs with his second hundred in three innings while Clarke raised his 19th Test ton following his unbeaten triple century in Sydney.

The experienced pair shared in a ground record fourth wicket partnership to have the tourists on the rack as relentless Australia sought to ram home a 4-0 series whitewash.

India, who relinquished their top Test ranking when they were crushed 4-0 in England last year, face their eighth consecutive away defeat if they cannot prevent another Australian victory this week.

Ponting and Clarke combined in another domineering partnership with an unbroken 251 runs after their 288 stand in the second Sydney Test over the New Year and batted through the last two sessions.

At the close on a sweltering opening day, Australia after winning the toss were 335 for three with Ponting unbeaten on 137 off 254 balls and Clarke 140 off 188 balls.

'BD cricket team to visit Pak in April'

 Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf said on Tuesday that Bangladesh government has allowed cricket team to visit Pakistan in April.

A security team will come here to assess the security arrangements prior the team’s arrival. 

If Bangladesh cricket team visits Pakistan, then this would be a landmark achievement that a foreign team is touring the country after the Sri Lankan team was attacked three years back.

Monday 23 January 2012

Bailey to lead Australia in T20s against India

Uncapped George Bailey was Monday named skipper of a revamped Australian squad for next month's Twenty20 internationals against India as selectors looked towards September's T20 world cup.

Bailey replaces Cameron White, who has been dropped from the 14-man squad, while veteran spinner Brad Hogg returns to international cricket just weeks short of his 41st birthday.

Chief selector John Inverarity said Australia's T20 team, currently ranked fifth in the world, needed changes.

"The panel has been discussing this T20 squad for about six weeks and has unanimously decided on the squad, the captain and the vice-captain," he said.

"The selectors consider this to be a very well-balanced T20 squad and look forward to the team acquitting itself very well."

Inverarity said with this in mind the selectors had chosen Bailey to lead the new-look team.

"The panel unanimously favoured George Bailey as captain of the T20 team," he said.

"George is a very good T20 player with a sound record. He is widely respected and regarded as an outstanding captain, having had sustained success in this role."

Inverarity said selectors were looking to the new leadership of coach Mickey Arthur, Bailey and opening batsman David Warner to drive the T20 team.

The squad contains experienced bowlers Brett Lee and Hogg, while Shane Watson was not considered for selection as he regains full match fitness after recent injuries.

Australia take on India in T20 internationals at Sydney Olympic Park on February 1 and at the Melbourne Cricket Ground two days later.

The ICC World Twenty20 takes place in Sri Lanka, starting in September.

Australia - George Bailey (captain), David Warner (vice-capt), Travis Birt, Dan Christian, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Brad Hogg, David Hussey, Brett Lee, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Clint McKay, Matthew Wade.