ICC Champions Trophy 2009

Pakistan determined to get Champions Trophy 2009 - Cricket

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:34:00 +0000

Following Pakistan’s emphatic win against India on Saturday evening, skipper Younis Khan declared that the “Champions Trophy is ours and his country deserves it most”.

“This Trophy was originally scheduled to be held in Pakistan. We were the real hosts. My nation wants it back and we are ready to give our hundred percent to get it back for the country,” Younis told reporters.

He said another factor that has added to their hunger was that they had never reached the final of the Champions Trophy. “We have never reached the final and I think it is a good opportunity to go on to win the prestigious title. It is a good chance and we are only three games away from winning it. Our country needs a few more titles like this Trophy.”

He praised Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Yousuf for their sensible game in the middle. “We owe the victory to both of them. Their innings have given us tremendous boost. They stuck to their job well and that turned out to be real difference.”

Younis said it was a good toss to win on a wicket that suited stroke-play. “I knew it very well that anything around 300 would provide a good opportunity for Pakistan to wrap up the match. Even a score of 270 would have been a fighting one. If you look at the records under lights on this ground such targets have not been chased.”

The captain, however, was unhappy with his team’s fielding display. “When I got Gautam run out, I felt pain in my finger. Fielding with a broken finger is always difficult but I knew the team needs me and my inclusion would help boost the player’s morale.”

He admitted that India had their chances in the match. “Gautam Gambhir was playing brilliantly and when (Suresh) Raina was playing with Raul Dravid, things were getting dangerous.”

He also praised Dravid’s innings, saying his efforts were focussed on staying at the crease. “We are very lucky that he got run out. I was getting the feeling that if he continues to bat like he was he could take the game away from us.”

To a question about Umar Gulís inability to bowl on the Centurion pitch, he said: “Had he bowled brilliantly, India could not have made even 200. It was his off day mainly because the wicket was not suited to a bowler who pitches short.”

Younis said that though Aamir bowled well he became too excited. “Sometimes in these big matches you tend to get a bit too excited. That is why there were a few no-balls and wides. When I was very young, whenever I played against India, Australia or England I wanted to do something extra all the time. That is why sometimes you cross the boundary.”

Champions Trophy Cricket 2009 - India must win to stay

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:32:00 +0000

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Team India captain, has decided to “gamble” with five specialist bowlers in the must-win Champions Trophy match against Australia on Monday.

While Australia beat the West Indies in their opener on Saturday, India were defeated by Pakistan in their first match. Should India lose, in Centurion, a first-round exit would get scripted.

That would be disastrous for the International Cricket Council, too, which is running the tournament. From gate receipts to TV viewership, everything drops if the Indians crash out.

“We’ve got to win, otherwise we’ll have to pack our bags and return home... A number of bowlers had an off day yesterday... The fast bowlers aren’t looking confident ... Five specialists is a gamble, but I’ll be taking it,” Dhoni said on Sunday.

He reasoned, with justification, that fielding five bowlers wouldn’t necessarily add much pressure on the batsmen. “If one plays four specialists and they don’t do the job (of restricting) then, in any case, there will be plenty of pressure...”

Asked just how would the fast bowlers be able to lift their confidence overnight, Dhoni replied: “They’re good bowlers ... They’ve delivered in the past ... It’s a do or die situation and, in that scenario, the intensity goes up...”

He clarified that Sachin Tendulkar didn’t have a shoulder injury, as such, but wasn’t being used as a part-time bowler because the team needed him “more as a batsman” and he wasn’t bowling enough at nets.

Dhoni, thankfully, appeared his usual self during the optional nets at the Old Edwardian’s Sports Club. Despite the optional bit, everybody, except Harbhajan Singh, turned up.

“I agree I’d been a bit low last night (after being defeated by Pakistan), but I’m okay now,” he told The Telegraph.

Earlier, while talking to the media in general, Dhoni said: “After a loss, it’s tough on a captain ... He’s got to be thinking all the time, the bowlers to use, the fields to set ... Options ... It gets draining, but I love challenges and I’m up for this one.”

Where challenges go, Australia, fresh from the 6-1 win in England, will be providing a real big one.

The last time that India and Australia played each other in a 50-over match was a year-and-a-half ago, in the tri-series finals. Dhoni and Co. won the best-of-three affair 2-0, but the captain isn’t counting on that for much.

“It’s a positive that we won the last time the teams had met, but I don’t go by history... That was a long time ago,” Dhoni pointed out.

The good news for India is that Michael Clarke is almost certain not to take the field. The Australia vice-captain developed soreness in his back at the fag end of the England tour and aggravated it on the journey here.

Clarke, in fact, hasn't trained since arriving in South Africa.

Meanwhile, according to well-placed sources, all-rounder Yusuf Pathan may make way for leggie Amit Mishra, with Praveen Kumar taking Rudra Pratap Singh’s place.

That Yusuf is on a shaky wicket became apparent when Dhoni conceded that the elder of the Pathan Brothers wasn’t being consistent in ODIs. “He’s got the talent, but hasn’t been consistent...”

Yuvraj Singh is out for Six weeks - Champions Trophy 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:20:00 +0000

India's Champions Trophy campaign has suffered a major setback even before it has started with Yuvraj Singh fracturing his finger during a practice session in Johannesburg. The injury will sideline him for six weeks and Virat Kohli will fly to South Africa as a replacement as soon as the formalities are completed.

Yuvraj injured his finger while fielding and did not take part in the net sessions that followed. He was attended to by the physio Nitin Patel before heading for a medical examination, which the fracture.

India were plagued with injuries going into the tournament. Virender Sehwag did not travel to South Africa due to a shoulder injury, while Gautam Gambhir, who did not feature in the team's only practice match against New Zealand, is nursing a groin strain.

India's tournament opener is against Pakistan on Saturday after which they will take on Australia and West Indies next week.

2009 ICC Champions Trophy Cricket Schedule

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:18:00 +0000

The ICC Champions Trophy 2009 is a 2nd biggest cricket tournament scheduled to take place in South Africa in September-October 2009. It will be the sixth mini world cricket series. The ICC Champions Trophy 2009 will be contested by 8 Test teams which have been 'seeded' and divided into two groups are A and B.

Group A - India, Pakistan, West Indies and Australia
Group B - South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and England

Sep-2009
Fri 18 07:30 GMT, 09:30 local	Warm-up - New Zealand v Warriors LC de Villiers Oval, Pretoria Warriors won by 2 wkts (with 1.1 ovr remaining)

Fri 18 12:30 GMT, 14:30 local	Warm-up - South Africa v West Indies Senwes Park, Potchefstroom South Africa won by 188 runs \| Scoreboard

Fri 18 12:30 GMT, 14:30 local	Warm-up - Sri Lanka v Pakistan Willowmoore Park, Benoni Pakistan won by 108-runs \| Scoreboard

Sun 20 07:30 GMT, 09:30 local	Warm-up - Sri Lanka v West Indies LC de Villiers Oval, Pretoria Sri Lanka won by 5-wickets (with 2.3 overs remaining) \| Scoreboard

Sun 20 12:30 GMT, 14:30 local	Warm-up - Pakistan v Warriors Willowmoore Park, Benoni Pakistan won by 6 wickets (with 3.1 ovrs remaining)

Sun 20 12:30 GMT, 14:30 local	Warm-up - India v New Zealand Senwes Park, Potchefstroom New Zealand won by 103-runs \| Scoreboard

Tue 22 12:30 GMT, 14:30 local	1st Match, Group B - South Africa v Sri Lanka SuperSport Park, Centurion Sri Lanka win by 55 runs (D/L Method) \| Scoreboard

Wed 23 12:30 GMT, 14:30 local	2nd Match - Pakistan v West Indies The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg \| Scoreboard

Thu 24 07:30 GMT, 09:30 local	3rd Match - South Africa v New Zealand SuperSport Park, Centurion \| Scoreboard

Fri 25 12:30 GMT, 14:30 local	4th Match, Group B - England v Sri Lanka The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Sat 26 07:30 GMT, 09:30 local	5th Match, Group A - Australia v West Indies The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Sat 26 12:30 GMT, 14:30 local	6th Match, Group A - India v Pakistan SuperSport Park, Centurion

Sun 27 07:30 GMT, 09:30 local	7th Match, Group B - New Zealand v Sri Lanka The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Sun 27 12:30 GMT, 14:30 local	8th Match, Group B - South Africa v England SuperSport Park, Centurion

Mon 28 12:30 GMT, 14:30 local	9th Match, Group A - India v Australia SuperSport Park, Centurion

Tue 29 12:30 GMT, 14:30 local	10th Match, Group B - England v New Zealand The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Wed 30 07:30 GMT, 09:30 local	11th Match, Group A - Pakistan v Australia SuperSport Park, Centurion

Wed 30 12:30 GMT, 14:30 local	12th Match, Group A - India v West Indies The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
Oct-2009
Fri 02 12:30 GMT, 14:30 local	1st Semi-Final - A1 v B2 SuperSport Park, Centurion

Sat 03 12:30 GMT, 14:30 local	2nd Semi-Final - B1 v A2 The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Mon 05 12:30 GMT, 14:30 local	Final - TBC v TBC SuperSport Park, Centurion

India help Pakistan for ICC Champions Trophy 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 12:30:00 +0000

Pakistan's chances of hosting the Champions Trophy next year improved Sunday after the Indian cricket board said it was willing to adjust its calendar for the sake of the crisis-hit tournament.

The Indian board, which had objected to the event being held in October 2009 as it clashed with its one-day series with Australia, said it was open to "minor adjustments" if other boards involved were flexible as well.

"There is no question that all the boards would like the Champions Trophy to happen," board secretary Niranjan Shah said.

"We are willing to look at an adjustment by a few days if everyone else involved is equally flexible," he was quoted as saying by the Cricinfo website.

The Indian board will also have to change the dates of the Champions Twenty20 League, a multi-million dollar inter-club competition slated to be held from September 25-October 11 next year.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat is expected to visit member boards in a bid to get to them to shift their bilateral events to accommodate the Champions Trophy.

"It's a tough task for Lorgat, but he has emerged as someone who has the ability to build a consensus," ICC sources were quoted as saying by the website.

"He has two to three options to work on and if the boards relent on the dates, as some of them promised in Dubai last week, the dates of the tournament will be finalised next month."

The Champions Trophy, the second biggest tournament after the World Cup, was due to be held this month but was canceled due to security concerns in Pakistan.

The ICC said the event would take place in October 2009 with Pakistan remaining the first-choice venue pending a security assessment.

ICC Champions Trophy 2009 schedule still in trouble

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:56:00 +0000

The second edition of the Twenty20 Champions League will be held in September-October 2009, organisers said on Monday, dealing another blow to the crisis-ridden Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

The dates of the multi-million dollar event clash with the International Cricket Council's decision to hold the Champions Trophy one-day tournament in October 2009.

The Champions Trophy, the International Cricket Council's (ICC) second biggest tournament after the World Cup, was due to be held this month but was cancelled by the world body due to security concerns in Pakistan.

The ICC, while announcing the cancellation last month, said the event would take place in October 2009 with Pakistan remaining the first choice venue pending a security assessment.

India, Australia and South Africa set themselves on a collision course with the ICC on Monday by saying the next edition of inter-club T20 Champions League will be held from September 25-October 11, 2009.

With Australia due to tour India for seven one-day internationals from mid-October next year, the ICC faces tough negotiations to go through with the Champions Trophy on the allotted dates.

"The Board of Control for Cricket in India, Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa today announced the dates of the second edition of the Champions League Twenty20 from September 25th to October 11th, 2009," a joint release by the three boards said.

"The 2009 edition will feature 12 teams and will see 23 matches played. It is scheduled during the prime Indian festive season."

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat, in New Delhi to announce the nominees for the 2008 international awards, said the governing body will meet in Dubai on Thursday to discuss the calendar.

"A framework for the existing Future Tours Program (FTP) exists and we will work within this framework," Lorgat told reporters.

"I do not agree with the implication that the FTP is going out of control due to new events."

The inaugural eight-nation T20 Champions League, boasting a six-million-dollar purse, is due to take place from December 3-10 this year at a venue yet to be determined.

The event will be contested by the top two teams of the domestic T20 competitions in India, Australia and South Africa and one team each from England and Pakistan.

The tournament had been due to take place in September but was put back to December following objections from the ICC that it was being held too close to the now postponed Champions Trophy.

The recent boom in Twenty20 cricket, sparked by the lucrative Indian Premier League this year, has led to concern in some quarters about the future of traditional Test and one-day cricket.

Final decision on Champions Trophy venue in March 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:56:00 +0000

The ICC Executive Board will take a final decision on whether the Champions Trophy, which has been postponed till 2009, should remain in Pakistan or be relocated during a meeting in March next year.

Sources in the Pakistan Cricket Board have confirmed that March is the deadline for confirming the venue of the tournament which was to be held in Pakistan from September 12 but has been postponed due to the security concerns raised by some teams.

"The ICC is having a meeting on September 11 and 12 to decide the best dates for the tournament when it is held next year. But the final decision on whether it will remain in Pakistan will be taken in March," one source said.

He said in case some countries still refuse to play in Pakistan next year, the ICC will relocate it but Pakistan would get compensation of USD three million which is the hosting fees for the event.

"The ICC member countries have basically decided to wait and see if the situation changes in Pakistan in the next six months and if this happens then the Champions Trophy would remain with us," the source said.

The ICC has also asked its member countries to send in suggestions for making slight changes in the Future Tours Program to accommodate new dates for the eight-nation tournament.

"There will be some changes in the FTP as the Champions Trophy where ever it is held will take three weeks for which all teams must be available," the source said.

He confirmed that the ICC Executive Board teleconference in which it was decided to postpone the Champions Trophy some members had pushed for the ICC to announce a new venue the same day.

"But we and India threatened to boycott the event if any hasty decision was made after which it was decided to adopt a wait and see policy until next march.

"The Indian team's tour to Pakistan from early January will be used to make assessments about the security situation in Pakistan," he stated.

Australia's schedule raises fresh problem for 2009 Champions Trophy

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:41:00 +0000

While Pakistanis simmer following the ICC's decision to postpone the Champions Trophy, Australia, one of the five nations who forced the switch, are already providing an obstacle for the 2009 event. While there are only two engagements listed for October 2009 on the ICC's future tours programme, one is the major clash between Australia and India and it will need to be altered for the global tournament to occur.

The one-day contest is currently scheduled for seven matches, which will take up most of the month, and Australia will have to squeeze any extra duties in between the end of their four-month Ashes campaign and the start of the home season against Pakistan in November. Australia's final match in England is a one-day fixture on September 20 and there are some in the set-up who are already wondering how to cram it in.

ICC Champions Trophy postponed till 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 13:15:00 +0000

Next month's Champions Trophy in Pakistan has been postponed, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Sunday.

"The ICC Board today agreed unanimously to postpone the ICC Champions Trophy...until October 2009," the world governing body said in a statement. "Pakistan will retain the right to host the tournament but it was agreed that if other members continued to express reservations over issues of safety and security then the ICC Board would have the right to decide about the tournament's location," the statement added.

The decision followed a teleconference of the ICC's executive board. South Africa pulled out of the eight-nation tournament scheduled from Sept. 12-28 on Friday despite assurances from an ICC task force that acceptable security arrangements were in place.

England, Australia and New Zealand had also expressed their concerns about security after a series of suicide bombings. On Thursday, 67 people were killed in a suicide bombing outside a defence industry complex 30 kms northwest of Islamabad.

ICC president David Morgan said in the statement: "There was complete support and sympathy for the Pakistan Cricket Board and the situation it finds itself in, which is not of its making. "However, there was also a realisation that, under the current circumstances, some of the teams due to compete in the ICC Champions Trophy had reservations about touring there which could not be removed.

"In those circumstances it was considered prudent to postpone the event to October 2009, a time when we all hope conditions may be more acceptable for all the competing teams."

Sri Lanka ready to host Champions Trophy 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 04:38:00 +0000

With the ICC finding it tough to convince apprehensive cricketers on touring Pakistan for next month’s Champions Trophy, Sri Lanka on Friday said in Colombo that it was ready to hold the tournament even at a short notice.

“We are ready to hold the Champions Trophy as we are the alternative venue for the tournament,” Sri Lanka Cricket Chief Executive Duleep Mendis said.

SLC officials feel that all the grounds are in good condition as the Indian cricket tour is currently on in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, a meeting took place on Wednesday at the ICC’s offices in Dubai to discuss the preparations for the Champions Trophy.

Saouth Africa Boycott ICC Champions Trophy 08 in Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 04:32:00 +0000

South Africa yesterday paved the way for a mass boycott of next month's Champions Trophy in Pakistan when it announced it was pulling out of the little-loved tournament on security grounds.

The International Cricket Council board is expected to make a final decision on the venue tomorrow but the South African position - shared by England, Australia and New Zealand - leaves two realistic alternatives: host the competition elsewhere, which would anger both Pakistan and India, or cancel it altogether.

A spokesman for the South African team explained that the decision had been based on a mixture of government advice and players' concern, while Norman Arendse, the president of Cricket South Africa, called on the ICC to "reschedule the tournament as soon as possible". With West Indies yesterday appearing to side with the sceptics, the odds on the tournament not taking place have increased.

The South African announcement comes only three days after the chief executive of the Australian Professional Cricketers' Association, Paul Marsh, said he felt Pakistan was unsafe to tour, and security sources confirmed yesterday that the situation in the troubled republic had deteriorated in the last two weeks. Marsh's English counterpart at the Professional Cricketers' Association, Sean Morris, added: "We're all in the same boat. Where [South Africa's decision] leaves the Champions Trophy is hard to tell."

The gloom that has been descending on the beleaguered competition in recent weeks has extended to Pakistan, where the national board's chief operating officer, Shafqat Naghmi, said: "We are deeply disappointed and, when a decision was to be made on Sunday, we think South Africa made a hasty choice. Now it's up to the ICC to take a decision but I would say South Africa's refusal will hurt the event."

England will not make an official announcement until after tomorrow but it is inconceivable that the ICC can stage the tournament without the world's eight strongest teams, not least because of the disquiet that would be felt by the competition broadcasters ESPN Star Sports. An ICC spokesman was non-committal, saying: "We are aware of South Africa's decision but we will comment only after discussing various aspects of the issue during the ICC board teleconference on Sunday."

However it is understood that the game's governing body will discuss a venue switch today. Sri Lanka is the official stand-by host but South Africa are willing to step in at the last minute too, with the Wanderers ground in Johannesburg and Newlands in Cape Town both primed.

Even so the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Niranjan Shah, expressed his country's continued support for its neighbour. "We are firmly behind Pakistan," he said. "If Pakistan says the country is safe to play in and the tournament can be held on schedule, they have our support. But I can't say what the BCCI stance would be should the tournament be cancelled or moved."
Since the ICC remains beholden to the whims of its constituent members it is likely that India's influence on the Pakistanis will now be crucial. The two countries have already threatened to boycott the Champions Trophy if it is staged outside Pakistan. But since the ICC's security task force has already failed in its attempts to allay the western nations' worries, the tournament's future could depend on India's willingness to appear as if it has lost the power struggle and lobby the Pakistanis for a change of venue.

The Indians may not be disappointed if the Champions Trophy fails to take place. Since they lifted the World Twenty20 in South Africa a year ago, the focus of world cricket's powerhouse has shifted from the 50-over game to 20-over cricket, with the emphasis on non-international cricket.

They have already had to move the money-spinning eight-team Champions League, which includes Middlesex, from September to December because of ICC concern over its proximity to the Champions Trophy. Cancellation may do little to discourage India's plans for Twenty20. The future of more than one competition could be at stake tomorrow.

Pakistan's last try to save Champions Trophy 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:50:00 +0000

Pakistan on Wednesday invited wavering foreign teams to inspect security arrangements for the Champions Trophy in a last-ditch bid to keep next month's tournament from being shifted or cancelled.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) was due to hold a meeting in Dubai later Wednesday which could decide the fate of the September 12-28 event after reports that defending champions Australia were set to boycott it.

England, New Zealand and South Africa have also expressed concerns over security for the biennial competition following a wave of suicide bombings and political instability in nuclear-armed Pakistan.

"We will resist any attempt to shift the event and today's meeting will be crucial," Pakistan Cricket Board chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi told AFP by telephone from Dubai.

"In order to save the event we have invited reluctant countries to come and see for themselves the practical implementation of the security plan."

The ICC, which has repeatedly declared Pakistan as a safe venue for the event but has also indicated that it could be shifted to Sri Lanka, is expected to take a final decision at the meeting starting Wednesday.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat claimed on Tuesday in London that safety and security was "satisfactory" after a meeting with officials from the England and Wales Cricket Board.

An ICC team including general manager David Richardson visited New Zealand and Australia last week.
But in a major development overnight, Australian newspapers reported that the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) had advised its players not to travel to Pakistan.

"The ACA has discussed the situation with its executive and our position is we can't recommend to our players they should tour Pakistan for the Champions Trophy," chief executive Paul Marsh was quoted as saying by The Australian.

The PCB's Naghmi said the board had offered the reluctant countries the chance to see their security arrangements.

"We invited them to see a practical demonstration of the security during two exhibition matches for which we gave dates of 22-30 August but we have not received any reply," Naghmi said.

"We are still pressing for that to happen so that doubts can be removed."

An ICC team is also visiting Pakistan to see arrangements for the Trophy. An ICC spokesman said he did not know of Australian players planning a boycott.

"We have read about the ACA's decision in the media and not heard anything officially from Cricket Australia and until we do we are not in a position to make any comment," an ICC spokesman said here.

The ECB was due to decide about the team's participation later on Wednesday.

The ICC last week decided to confine the tournament to two venues -- Lahore and Karachi -- dropping Rawalpindi where security could not be assessed as the city did not host any Asia Cup matches in June-July this year.

ICC Champions Trophy 2008 may relocate to Sri Lanka

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 04:22:00 +0000

The venue for the Champions Trophy could possibly be shifted to Sri Lanka from Pakistan due to the reservations of the four nations - Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and England, said the General Manager of International Cricket Council (ICC), David Richardson.
"The ICC Task Force needs to report back to the ICC, they need to take on the advice that they're picking up, not only from feedback they're getting from Australia, but also from New Zealand and England and South Africa and other parts of the world," Richardson was quoted as saying by ANI.

According to The News, the ICC met New Zealand representatives on Thursday to discuss the security of the Champions Trophy, but Kiwi players expressed concerns. Now ICC is also set to meet South African and English officials.

Richardson told Friday's meeting that their advice was that the event would be safe but he also said that shifting the tournament to Sri Lanka was an option if four leading teams refused to play in Pakistan.

England may skip ICC Champions Trophy 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 03:52:00 +0000

Pakistan was yesterday confirmed as the tournament’s venue, after an acrimonious two-hour teleconference of the International Cricket Council. Yet a series of security reports have suggested that the teams’ safety cannot be guaranteed. Australia and New Zealand have already expressed their concerns, and yesterday the England and Wales Cricket Board indicated that they would not be putting pressure on their top players to attend.

In the worst-case scenario, in which England’s cricketers walk out on the tournament en masse, the ECB could decide against sending a team at all. However, this would be a bold call, leaving them open to a £5 million fine from the ICC.

Always a turbulent state, Pakistan has become even more unstable since the government launched a campaign against Taliban strong-holds in the North-West Frontier Province. Intelligence agencies have reported threats of reprisals in the main cities where the Champions Trophy will be held in September.

An inspection at the recent Asia Cup in Pakistan found major security failings. Cars were allowed to drive freely into stadiums, roads were not cleared for team coaches, and women were not searched because of a lack of “modesty tents”.

The ICC have set up a task force to manage the security issues, and yet another report is due to land on Aug 10. But it seems they have already accepted that the Champions Trophy will be a second-rate tournament.

“Many of the world’s leading players did not participate in the ICC World Twenty20, for one reason or another,” ICC president David Morgan said yesterday. “Yet it was still a huge success.”

ICC Champions Trophy stays in Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:53:00 +0000

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to keep the September Champions Trophy in Pakistan despite security concerns, the Pakistan Cricket Board said on Thursday.

The decision was taken by the ICC's executive board following a teleconference after England, Australia and New Zealand led calls for a switch over player safety.

"The ICC has decided to appoint a special task force which will visit Pakistan and ensure that all the security requirements and recommendations made by the ICC security consultants are implemented for the tournament," PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf told a news conference.

The tournament is scheduled to be held from September 11-28.

Probables Pakistan squad for ICC Champions Trophy

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:54:00 +0000

The Pakistani squad includes: Shoaib Malik (Captain), Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Nasir Jamshaid, Azhar Ali, Misbah-ul-Haq (V. Captain), Khalid Latif, Salman Butt, Younis Khan, Bazid Khan, Fawad Alam, Masood Amjad, Shoaib Akhtar, Rao Iftikhar, Abdur Rauf, Anwar Ali, Muhammad Amir, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saeed Ajmal, Kamran Akmal, Ahmed Shehzad, Yasir Hameed, Wahab Riaz, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Yasir, Sohail Khan, Mansoor Amjad, Umer Gul and Khurram Manzoor.

ICC Champions Trophy Venue decision on Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:50:00 +0000

The International Cricket Council (ICC) will decide on Thursday whether or not to move the September Champions Trophy out of Pakistan over safety issues, a spokesman for the governing body said.

England, Australia and New Zealand have voiced concerns after some of their players raised the issue of travelling to Pakistan.

Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi are scheduled to stage the Champions Trophy games.

Pakistan hosting ICC Champions Trophy 2008 still in cloud !

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 03:58:00 +0000

England is among four countries who have told the International Cricket Council that they cannot guarantee to field full-strength sides in the Champions Trophy if it goes ahead in Pakistan in September. Despite the warning, a switch still looks an outside bet. The ICC board will make a decision in the next 72 hours and there is no indication that the seven out of 10 nations required to vote for an emergency change of venue are about to materialise.

A security briefing in Dubai yesterday, attended by the England and Wales Cricket Board's chief executive, David Collier, failed to dispel doubts. England, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand all warned that a Pakistan tournament risked player withdrawals. All have commissioned independent safety reports, which they have yet to present to the players.

So far the disquiet expressed by a few players - including Australia's Andrew Symonds and New Zealand's Brendon McCullum and Jacob Oram - has not deepened into signs of outright rebellion.

Tim May, chief executive of the international players' union, Fica, was invited to the meeting and said: "We made them aware of players' concerns." Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, said: "If it was up to the player representatives they would prefer not to be in Pakistan. They have got concerns because no guarantees, as far as safety and security are concerned, can be given. We can do everything in our power to secure and safeguard officials but we can never issue guarantees."

The report provided by ICC security consultants had limitations. It examined only Karachi's feasibility and concluded that it would require the same high level of security as the Asia Cup final earlier this month - when the Pakistan president, Pervez Musharraf, was present. The report also limited its analysis to the safety of players and officials, not that of the media or spectators.

British foreign office advice talks of "a heightened threat to Westerners" in all cities on the itinerary and advises: "You should avoid any public locations known to be frequented by expatriates and foreigners in these cities at this time."

Sri Lanka is the official tournament reserve. England, which is playing down its chances, and South Africa have also been unofficially sounded out

South Africa's Probables for ICC Champions Trophy 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:41:00 +0000

Cricket South Africa (CSA) named the provisional squad of 30 players for the ICC Champions Trophy tournament to be played in September 08.

Yusuf Abdullah, Hashim Amla, Goolam Bodi, Loots Bosman, Johan Botha, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Paul Harris, Jacques Kallis, Rory Kleinveldt, Johann Louw, Ethy Mbhalati, Neil McKenzie, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Justi n Ontong, Robin Peterson, Alviro Petersen, Vernon Philander, Ashwell Prince, Graeme Smith, Dale Steyn, Alfonso Thomas, Thandi Tshabalala, Morne van Wyk, and Monde Zondeki.

ICC calls emergency meeting to review Champions Trophy 2008 security

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:40:00 +0000

Unhappy with the tardy implementation of security blueprint for the Champions Trophy by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the International Cricket Council (ICC) has called for an emergency meeting in Dubai on Sunday.

Reliable sources said that the ICC has called the meeting following reservations expressed by its security consultants on the security arrangements for the mega event in September though Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) described it as just a scheduled meeting to take stock of security measures being implemented so far.

"The ICC security consultants are not happy with the implementation of the security plan for the tournament ... That is the main reason why this meeting has been called," a wellplaced sources said.

The source also said that Pakistan has been tardy in implementing the security plans chalked out for the Champions Trophy.

"Even for the Asia Cup, it was on the recommendation of these ICC security consultants that private experts were hired to go and constantly monitor the Asia Cup to see if their recommendations were implemented properly," said the source.

PCB Chief Operating Officer Shafqat Naghmi, however, denied that it was emergency meeting and there was no threat on Pakistan hosting the mega tournament.

"It is not an emergency meeting ... it's a scheduled one and we remain confident that the Champions Trophy will not be relocated to any other country," Naghmi said.

"Basically the meeting has been convened to review the security arrangements we made for the Asia Cup and it will also go through the reports of the ICC security consultants who monitored the Asia Cup," he added.

Naghmi also said he was not concerned with reports of England having jumped into the fray as alternate venue if the Champions Trophy is relocated from Pakistan.

"Look we are not bothered by what is being reported in the media. We know that the ICC has not indicated to us that the tournament would not be held in Pakistan and, secondly, the ICC secretariat in Lahore is also working as per schedule and making all preparations for the event," Naghmi added.

England may host ICC Champions Trophy 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:36:00 +0000

Ahead of the International Cricket Council's meeting to decide on the security arrangements for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, England are now being tipped to be the stand-by hosts for the event.

Although the first report on the security by ICC's agents confirmed Pakistan's status as safe, many countries have cast their doubts and are apprehensive of touring the strife-torn nation.
The Australian has learnt that South Africa, who were initially thought to be the back-up venue, may not be able to host the event on such a short notice (Champions Trophy scheduled from September 11-28) as it will be in the beginning of their cricketing season. England on the other hand are currently hosting South Africa for a full Test and One-day series and have begun preparations for next year's Twenty20 World Championships.

The eight Test-playing countries, who will participate in the competition, will meet with the ICC board on Sunday in Dubai.

Even though the recently concluded Asia Cup, played between six countries, went incident-free, bomb blasts in Islamabad and Karachi have caused some concern among the ICC.

Pakistan are likely to get backing from the rest of the sub-continent which includes India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, but players from Australia and England have already put forth their fears, saying they are unlikely to tour the country.

Pakistan will host ICC Champions Trophy 2008 !

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:47:00 +0000

The International Cricket Council (ICC) security consultant M/s Nicholls Steyn & Associates is believed to have given a "green signal" to host ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

According to a well-placed sources in Dubai, the second report sent to the ICC and a further presentation of the said report scheduled to be held in person by their one of the directors Mr. Bob Nicholls in Dubai next week is not likely to suggest that the country is unsafe for hosting the Champions Trophy in September.

The security company has cleared all three venues (Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi) in Pakistan for hosting the ICC's Champions Trophy, however the final decision rests with the ICC.Interestingly, this report has been prepared after the recent bomb-blasts in Islamabad and Karachi earlier this month.

The report prepared by another consultant Reg Dickason, employed by three nations-Australia, New Zealand and England was not known. However, the ICC will finally decide in consultation with all cricket boards about finally awarding the Champions Trophy to a safer venue.

If the Champions Trophy is finally awarded to Pakistan, the security consultants may be asked to continue to monitor the situation in Pakistan

Australia in dillemma whether to join ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:44:00 +0000

With Australia, England and New Zealand threatening to pull out, clouds loom over Pakistan's chance of hosting the ICC Champions Trophy. Even as Andrew Symonds and Ricky Ponting contemplate to boycott the tour, the young ones are raring to play in Pakistan.

The pressure is clearly on ICC's top brass and with time fast running out, the game's governing body has to come out on a final decision on whether Pakistan will host the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. But the trouble-torn nation's chances of hosting the biennial tournament took a beating after its capital Islamabad was rocked by a blast on the day of the Asia Cup final.

Leading the tirade against playing in Pakistan are key players from the tournament's defending Champions who earlier in 2008 cancelled their tour of the country for fears of security. Once again it's Aussie all rounder Andrew Symonds who has expressed concerns about players' safety in Pakistan.

He said, "My feelings haven't changed a great deal. I don't mind the odd game of cricket for Australia, but it is only a game at the end of the day, and putting yourself in a position where you're not safe, to me is ridiculous."

Backing Symonds' claim is Ricky Ponting and his deputy who have indicated that players are uneasy over touring Pakistan. The duo though have left it to the game's administrators to take a final call on the issue.

Ponting said, "Few players are still uneasy over tourning Pakistan next month. However a lot will depend on the decision made by Cricket Australia, the Australian Cricketers' Association and the International Cricket Council after getting reports from secutiry experts."

But even as the ICC awaits the final security report from Cricket Australia officials, the spilt in the Aussie camp is out in the open as a divided Aussie squad grapples over participating at the prestgious tournament starting this September. While senior pros are swaying towards a boycott, the younger Aussies are raring to go and grab every opportunity to donn the Aussie colours.

After scripting a phenomenal comeback, the injury-prone Shane Watson is determined of making the most of any oppurtunity to play for his country, even if its require travelling anywhere. He said, "I will go anywhere, play anywhere. I just want to play for my country. I have worked so hard for playing, I have had many ups and downs over an year with niggling injuries. So now I will do anything to play for my country so wherever we have to go."

Echoing Watson's feelings is rookie Aussie off spinner Nathan Hauritz who is part of their 30-member probables squad and is willing to tour Pakistan. Nathan said, "You can go to a number of places in this world that are dangerous. But at the end of the day it's not my call.I am sure Cricket Australia will do everything they can to make sure it's safe for us."

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat had recently emphasised that players security will not be compromised with, but the different voices from the Aussie camp will provide some a relief to Pakistan's cricket administration.

England squad for ICC Chamions Trophy 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:25:00 +0000

England Probable:

Paul Collingwood (Captain), Tim Ambrose (wkt), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Michael Carberry, Alastair Cook, Andrew Flintoff, Simon Jones, Ed Joyce, Robert Key, Sajid Mahmood, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Phil Mustard (wkt), Graham Onions, Monty Panesar, Samit Patel, Darren Pattinson, Kevin Pietersen, Liam Plunkett, Matt Prior (wkt), Owais Shah, Ryan Sidebottom, Andrew Strauss, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Chris Tremlett and Luke Wright.

Probable Australia Squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Tutu420) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:24:00 +0000

Australia Probable:

Ricky Ponting (Captain), Adam Gilchrist (vice-captain-wicket-keeper), Travis Birt, Doug Bollinger, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Michael Clarke, Mark Cosgrove, Dan Cullen, Brett Dorey, Brad Haddin, Matthew Hayden, Ben Hilfenhaus, Brad Hodge, Brad Hogg, James Hopes, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Phil Jaques, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Mick Lewis, Glenn McGrath, Shaun Marsh, Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds, Shaun Tait, Shane Watson and Cameron White.