Cricket News

India's T20 line-up issue

2015-10-08T21:37:00.001+05:00

It is one of their great strengths to be able to take the same foundation into every format, but in the shortest, it just might also be a weaknes
In Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina, India have arguably three of the best T20 batsmen going around today, yet the team has many a problem. And MS Dhoni's lack of form is not the biggest of those problems. India simply don't have batsmen who dovetail to form a good
T20 side. Or at least such is their reputation going by the way the XI is being selected.

Rohit, Kohli and Raina play for different franchises in IPL cricket. That is something they hardly do in longer formats, given they play very little domestic cricket. Which means almost all the 50-over and first-class cricket India's best batsmen play, they play alongside each other, as a team. It just so happens the best batsmen of this Indian T20 international team are used to playing the same or similar roles for their own franchises, where they all have T20 specialist hitters following them. Trouble is, those specialist lower-middle-order batsmen are mostly foreigners. And India can't play those foreigners.

Except for Raina to an extent, none of these three is a specialist hitter from ball one. They all prefer to face a few balls before they begin bashing. We have Rohit, Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane, whose best station is at the top of the innings. Then we have Kohli and Raina, who are ideally suited to No. 3. There are no Nos. 4, 5 or 6. Dhoni is just coming to terms with the fact that a lot of T20 batting is just a slog from ball one.
Ambati Rayudu gets picked because Rahane is considered as somebody who can hit either the new ball or the old one on quick pitches. Captain one match, water boy the next. Yet there isn't much between the stats of Rahane and the men he loses out to. Rahane strikes at 118 per 100 balls in T20 cricket. It is only slightly behind Dhawan's 120, who gets preferred presumably because of the need for a left-right combination. Rayudu is considered to be the bigger six-hitter. Yet his T20 strike rate is only 123, and the only three T20 international innings Rayudu has played have been two ducks and one innings where Dhoni farmed the strike.

If India do go ahead and ask Rohit to make the sacrifice of moving down to accommodate Rahane and provide big-hitting ability in the middle order, there is a serious threat of Rahane and Dhawan getting stuck at the top. One solution could be to push Kohli to the top, where he has played in the IPL. It could give Raina his best position in the order, but there is still one spot that goes to either Rayudu or one out of Dhawan and Rahane.

And that's assuming Dhoni's place in the XI goes unquestioned. He has never hit a fifty in T20 internationals, continues to be stubborn in that he wants to bat for only a certain number of deliveries (even if that means rearranging the batting order around him), and has now admitted his thoughtful batting might not be working in this format.
It is a little easier to plan against Indian batsmen than against others. There is no jack-in-the-box here, playing not to the merit of the ball, opening up the whole field through reverse sweeps and switch hits. It is one of India's great strengths to be able to take the same foundation into every format; Dhoni doesn't see that as a gaping hole.

"Our team, if you see, most of our batsmen play quite the same in T20 and 50-over format," Dhoni said after India lost the T20 series to South Africa. "That's what their strength is. All of a sudden we can't ask them to play the kind of game that is not their strength. I feel they have been doing well. Consistently we have been giving par scores to the bowlers. At times we have chased scores that are really big. Not to forget the last time Australia played an ODI series in India we had to chase 350 twice. Our strength is playing proper cricketing shot. I feel it is quite good, the way the batsmen have responded. On and off we see this kind of performances."

India hardly play T20 internationals between the World T20s, which is possibly why the reference points tend to be ODIs. Now India have a few matches before the World T20 to figure out if they need to partially move away from their set ways and look at a Deepak Hooda or a Gurkeerat Mann, or have Dhoni bat like, say, Kieron Pollard. Because when the Indian spinners are not effective the "par scores" that the old-fashioned ways have been giving them prove to be not enough.

India hope to rescue pride after series loss

2015-10-07T21:29:00.000+05:00

A demonstrate whose credits have officially rolled has go to the greatest theater around the local area and Eden Gardens could be pardoned for supposing it has gotten a crude arrangement. This is the main match the venue will have on South Africa's marathon visit, and its outcome will have no effect on the arrangement.

The trophy is as of now in the guests' hands and the sting was taken out of the challenge when
group inconvenience as a container tossing
occurrence interfered with the second match in Cuttack. By then, be that as it may, South Africa's prevalence was affirmed. They had skittled India out for their most minimal T20 absolute at home and their second-least generally speaking, and were well on their approach to pursuing down the objective. In any event, Kolkata can seek after a superior execution from the home side.

India have a great deal of work to do before the World T20 however MS Dhoni does not appear to be freezing. He comprehends his batsmen need to assume more liability and his bowlers need to indicate more activity. They ought to need no more inspiration than rescuing pride, particularly as South Africa will be looking at a decisive victory. Despite the fact that it would be simple for South Africa to switch off, looking for a couple of days break in front of the ODIs, the offer of a whitewash against India in India does not just identify with an ascent up the rankings but at the same time is the ideal planning in front of the World T20. Anticipate that them will emerge ready to take care of business.

England beat by Pakistan in second ODI

2010-09-14T18:52:00.001+05:00

England beat by Pakistan second ODI Headingley, Leeds, England and lead the 5 matches ODI series by 2-0. First Pakistan won the toss & elected to bat Pakistan made good score in 50 overs. Top scorer form Pakistan is Kamran Akmal score 74 runs in 72 balls, Pick up blower from England is Stuart Broad 10 overs given away 81 runs he is expansive but he took 4 wickets Pakistan made 294/6. England chasing a good total both opener made nice start Andrew
Strauss score 124 runs in 134 balls. He is top
scorer from England and Jonathan Trott play good inning he score 53 from 71 balls, England won by 4 wickets with 3 balls remaining.

Men of the match is Andrew Strauss (England)

PAKISTAN: 294/8 in 50 Over Run Rate: 5.88 (1^st Innings)

Batting

K Akmal

lbw b Collingwood

M Hafeez

b Swann

M Yousuf

c Davies b Broad

A Shafiq

c Bopara b Broad

U Akmal

c Davies b Broad

S Afridi

c Strauss b Anderson

F Alam

not out

U Gul

b Bresnan

S Ajmal

c Strauss b Broad

S Akhtar

not out

M Irfan

Extras (lb 12, w 5) Total: 17

Pakistan Total Score: 294/8 in 50 Over Run Rate: 5.88

Fall of Wickets: 1-122 (Akmal) 2-137 (Hafeez) 3-211 (Yousuf) 4-246 (Shafiq) 5-258 (Akmal) 6-278 (Afridi) 7-284 (Gul) 8-289 (Ajmal)

Bowling

Tim Bresnan

James Anderson

Stuart Broad

Michael Yardy

Graeme Swann

Paul Collingwood

ENGLAND: 295/6 in 49.3 Over Run Rate: 5.96 (2^nd Innings)

Batting

A Strauss

lbw b Ajmal

126

134

S Davies

c K Akmal b Akhtar

J Trott

run out (Akhtar)

P Collingwood

c sub b Afridi

E Morgan

c Hafeez b Gul

R Bopara

c Hafeez b Ajmal

M Yardy

not out

T Bresnan

not out

G Swann

S Broad

J Anderson

Extras (lb 3, w 13) Total: 16

England Total Score: 295/6 in 49.3 Over Run Rate: 5.96

1-43 (Davies) 2-189 (Trott) 3-220 (Collingwood) 4-248 (Strauss) 5-260 (Morgan) 6-282 (Bopara)

Bowling

Shoaib Akhtar

Mohammad Irfan

Umar Gul

9.3

Saeed Ajmal

Shahid Afridi

Mohammad Hafeez

Match Summery
Toss Pakistan won, chose to bat
Series England led the 5-match series 2-0
Player of the match Andrew Strauss (England)
Umpires: Doctrove (West Indies) and Llong
TV umpire: Gould
Match referee: JJ Crowe (New Zealand)
Reserve umpire: Kettleborough

Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in the second ODI

2009-01-23T18:57:00.024+05:00

Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in the second ODI of the 3 match ODI series by 129 runs to level it 1-1. It was a strong batting performance by Sri Lanka who got to 290 with Dilshan top scorer 76, he was well supported by Kandamby 59 who got to his maiden ODI 50 and Kapugedera who got a valuable 44 at the end of the innings Sri Lanka Socre 290. Pakistan started so bad losing three early wickets
with the score at 17 but and Pakistani skipper Malik scored 54 and Salman Butt 62 once Malik and Butt both got out with the score at 125 the rest of the batsmen failed to make an impact and could not survive the blolling attack of Sri Lanka finaly Pakistan out for 161.

Dilshan is the Man of the Match for his top score 76 off 82 balls.

Second ODI Pakistan v West Indies in Abu Dhabi

2008-11-15T11:52:00.002+05:00

Second ODI play between Pakistan v West Indies in Abu Dhabi ends in a exiting match Pakistan beat West Indies by 24 runs.
Pakistan win the toss and elected to bat first openers made not a good start for the Pakistan both openers early out scored board is only 7 runs But Khan and Misbah made good partnership Khan scored 34 runs form 42, Misbah scored 52 runs form 88 balls, Pakistan
astragal write throw the inng. Akmal and Tavir play good inng Akmal scored 45 runs form 54 balls, and Tanvir Scored 26 runs form 20 balls unfortunately he run out. After 49.5 over Pakistan Scored 232 runs All Out.

In the West Indies bowling point of view Taylor bowl 9 overs given away 38 runs and took 3 wickets , Powell bowl 8 overs given away 50 runs he is expansive but he took 3 wickets, Baker bowl 10 overs given away 35 runs take 1 wicket.

West Indies chasing a decant total both opener out on dock Sarwan and Chanderpaul develop a good partnership Sarwan scored 45 runs form 64 balls, Chanderpaul scored 107 runs form 149 balls. After this no body can scored for West Indies only 4 batsmen in to double figure. Finally West Indies All Out on 208 Pakistan Won by 24 runs.

Pakistani bowling is very good Tanvir bowl 9 overs given away 32 runs and took 2 wickets, Gul bowl 9.5 overs given away 44 runs took 3 wickets
Afridi bowl 10 overs given away 42 runs take 1 wicket

Tanvir is men of the match for 26 runs scored and took 3 wickets.

First ODI Pakistan v West Indies in Abu Dhabi

2008-11-13T14:09:00.002+05:00

First ODI play between Pakistan v West Indies in Abu Dhabi ends in a exiting match Pakistan beat West Indies by 4 wickets

West Indies win the toss and elected to bat first openers made good start for the West Indies Gayle scored 113 runs form 106 balls included 5 six and 11 fours , Sarwan scored 55 runs form 58 balls , Chanderpaul scored 36 runs form 33,
Marshall Scored 26 runs form 22 balls. After 50 over West Indes Scored 294 runs lost of 9 wickets.

In the Pakistani bowling point of view Tanvir bowl 10 overs given away 42 runs and took 3 wickets , Gul bowl 10 overs given away 66 runs he is expansive but he took 3 wickets Malik bowl 10 overs given away 43 runs take 1 wicket.

Pakistan chasing a big total opener made a slow start Salman But scored 24 runs form 53 balls.

But other side new opener Manzoor play good inng he scored 69 runs form 89 balls Y Khan scored 56 runs form 62 balls, S Malik scored 56 runs form 62 balls. In the final our Pakistan need 17 runs from 6 balls Akmal scored 24 runs just 9 balls face he hit 2 sixes in the last our bowler is a Taylor. Pakistan won the match 4 wickets 1 one ball reaming.

Gayle is men of the match for 113 runs scored and good 47 and 49 inng overs bold.

Mohammad Asif asked the PCB to help him

2008-11-11T11:05:00.000+05:00

Banned fast bowler Mohammad Asif has asked the Pakistan Cricket Board to help him resume his international career.

"Asif has written a letter to the (PCB) chairman and wants the cricket board to cooperate with him so that he could start playing international cricket," PCB's new Chief Operating Officer Salim Altaf told reporters on Monday.

The PCB banned the right-arm fast bowler from playing international and national cricket after he tested positive for the banned substance nandrolone in the Indian Premier League in May.

Nasir Jamshed back to Pakistan

2008-11-09T19:41:00.000+05:00

Young opener Khurrum Manzoor replaced Nasir Jamshed in the Pakistan squad that left on Sunday for Abu Dhabi to play three one-day matches against the West Indies.

Jamshed declared himself unfit for the tour hours before the team's departure as he had a high fever, having recently suffered a bout of malaria.

England Cricket team in India

2008-11-09T19:37:00.002+05:00

English cricket team expects an exciting and challenging seven match one-day series against India. England cricket team arrived in Mumbai on Thursday and attended their first practice session in Brabourne stadium.
England will be playing their first one-day match in Rajkot on November 14. It is also scheduled to play two tests in Ahmedabad and Mumbai in December.
Addressing a news conference in Mumbai, England’’s pace bowler Stuart Broad said that the upcoming series would be challenging for him as this is his first tour to India.
We have been playing good cricket recently with a four nil against South Africa and if we continue the way we are playing our cricket then it will certainly be an exciting series to play and an exciting series to watch, said Broad.

Can India be the new king in cricket

2008-11-06T22:51:00.000+05:00

Ian Chappell believes that India will take over Australia's mantle as the best Test cricket nation for years to come.

The Indians are set to win the series against Australia, who have found it hard to replace their retired greats such as Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath.

India themselves have seen some quality players recently retire such as Anil Kumble, but they do have some promising players coming through the ranks.

Aus vs Ind final Test no Gambhir or Clark

2008-11-06T10:25:00.001+05:00

India has respected the International Cricket Council's (ICC) suspension of star opening batsman Gautam Gambhir, naming Murali Vijay for the final Test against Australia in Nagpur.

Australian off spinner Jason Krejza will make his Test debut, but it is Stuart Clark who has been replaced and not Victorian all-rounder Cameron White as the tourists look for more breakthroughs with a tandem spin combination.

Pakistan cricket board banned Yousuf

2008-11-06T09:31:00.000+05:00

Pakistan batsman Mohammed Yousuf was banned from playing for the country after he announced his re-alignment with the Indian Cricket League in New Delhi. The Pakistan Cricket Board not only banned Yousuf but also decided to demand money they claim to have spent on his legal fight with the ICL. “Our policy is clear since the ICL is not recognised by the International Cricket Council and its member boards. We also do not recognise it or allow any player to take part in it,” Zakir Khan, the PCB director said.

Cricket-Bangladesh's Razzak reported for suspect bowling action

2008-10-30T18:15:00.001+06:00

Bangladesh spinner Abdur Razzak has been reported for a suspect bowling action after the drawn second test against New Zealand, the International Cricket Council said on Thursday.

Umpires Daryl Harper and Asoka de Silva said they had concerns over the left-arm spinner's faster ball and decided it was appropriate that the delivery be scrutinised further after monitoring it during the two-test series won 1-0 by New Zealand.

Razzak is required to submit an independent analysis of his action by a member of the ICC's panel of human movement specialists under the authority's bowling review and can continue to play until the study in done.

Razzak will be suspended from bowling that particular delivery in international cricket with immediate effect if found to have been bowling with an illegal action.

If his action itself is proved suspect during the analysis, he faces a ban and will have to undertake remedial measures.

The 26-year-old has taken seven wickets in five test matches and has claimed 110 victims in 79 one-day internationals.

Ambani Denies Interest in Bidding for IPL Cricket Franchise

2008-10-29T19:58:00.000+06:00

India's second-richest man, Anil Ambani, denied a claim from Indian Premier League Chairman Lalit Modi that he may bid for a franchise in the Twenty20 cricket competition.

``We categorically deny any interest as claimed by Mr. Lalit Modi,'' an Ambani spokesman said in an e-mailed statement today.

Modi said in an interview in London on Oct. 24. that Ambani ``is very interested and we will add one more team next year.''

Pakistan And West Indies not play Tests Abu Dhabi

2008-10-29T19:49:00.001+06:00

The proposed Test series between West Indies and Pakistan, Planned originally for Abu Dhabi in November, will not be going ahead, after West Indies cited problems in their schedule. The decision leaves Pakistan with no Test cricket this year, despite repeated efforts by the board in the recent months to slot them in.

"The West Indies board have informed us that they cannot go ahead with the series," Salim Altaf, the Pakistan Cricket Board's director-general, told Cricinfo.

Had it gone ahead, the two-Test series would have taken place after the three ODIs between the two countries at the same venue in mid-November. The short amount of time left between now and then, however, turned out to be a hurdle.

"Their board said there wasn't enough time for them to negotiate touring terms for players with the WIPA (West Indies Player Association)," Altaf said. "They also have to go to New Zealand soon after, so the schedule would have been a bit hectic for them."

England gets back controversial win over Pakistan

2008-10-28T17:46:00.001+06:00

Hair's call, made alongside West Indian umpire Billy Doctrove, was disowned by the International Cricket Council (ICC), who amended the result to a draw at a meeting of member nations in July this year.

But the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), responsible for the laws of the game since they were first drawn up in 1788, concluded at a meeting of its world cricket committee in Delhi this week that the original result - a forfeit after Pakistan's players refused to return to the field after being accused by Hair of ball tampering - should stand.

The committee comprises a range of current and former international players, including Steve Waugh, Shaun Pollock, Mike Atherton and Indian captain Anil Kumble.

At the end of their two-day meeting, chairman Tony Lewis declared the ICC had no power to change the result of the Oval Test.

"The ICC has no power under the laws of cricket to decide that results should be altered, whether it feels it 'inappropriate' or otherwise," Lewis said.

"The ICC's decision is wrong and sets a very dangerous precedent.

"Cricket is the worse for this decision."

Not long after the MCC's recommendation was announced, attention turned to Majid Khan, the former Pakistani captain, match referee and chief executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Majid said the committee's decision was unanimous, for it was simply a matter of law.

"The rule states that you can't overturn a decision. The result should stay as is," he said.

When asked what the reaction would be in Pakistan, Majid said: "We'll wait and see."

The original decision gave England victory and resulted in a suspension for Hair, who was reinstated after an employment tribunal hearing in October 2007.

Pakistan's then captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq, now playing in the rebel Indian Cricket League, was banned for four one-day internationals for bringing the game into disrepute, but his team was cleared of the initial ball-tampering allegations.

The subsequent ICC ruling meant England won the four-match series 2-0 instead of 3-0, and caused former West Indian fastbowler Michael Holding to resign from the game's governing body in disgust.

Lewis said that in the realm of natural justice, the Oval match would always be a forfeit, regardless of what the ICC now chose to do.

"As far as we're concerned there is no record of any other result (but a forfeit)," he said.

"We're not reversing the ICC result, we're just saying they had no place to do that.

"We, MCC, wrote the rules in 1788 ... legally, there is absolutely no way the ICC can change the laws of the game, which it did do."

Australia cricket down but not out, yet

2008-10-28T17:39:00.000+06:00

HOW long has it been since the public has had such little confidence in the Australian cricket team?

Ten years? 20 years? For the younger generation — never?

After last week’s massive loss in the second Test against India, the knives have come out for the Aussie team, almost as fast as Virender Sehwag’s flashing blade and as sharp as Zaheer Khan’s sledges.

The loss in Mohali has knocked the stuffing out of Australia’s aura of invincibility.

But it is going too far to suggest Australia is in free fall — one loss doesn’t mean a team that has dominated for so long is suddenly a rabble.

But it does raise a series of questions.

Do we have an attack capable of capturing 20 wickets in batting-friendly conditions?

Why, after the arrival of Shane Warne in 1992, are no quality spinners coming through the ranks?

What is it about India and its cricketers that gets under the Aussies’ skin?

Are Brett Lee and Mathew Hayden on borrowed time?

These questions are difficult to answer.

But the biggest concern that the mighty ship that bludgeoned and intimidated so many opponents has sunk is when you compare the current Test team with the side that dominated through Australia’s golden period.

There is no way Simon Katich (as hard as he tries) would replace Michael Slater or Mark Taylor; the same applies for Michael Clarke (Mark Waugh), Shane Watson (Steve Waugh), Brad Haddin (Ian Healy), Mitchell Johnson (Glenn McGrath), Cameron White (Warne) and Peter Siddle (Jason Gillespie).

Was Australian cricket ridiculously blessed circa-1998 or are we now scraping the bottom of the barrel?

A bit of both perhaps.

Of course the retirements of some of the biggest names in Australia’s cricketing history is always going to hurt — Warne, McGrath, Adam Gilchrist, Justin Langer and Damien Martyn have all departed in recent seasons — but no one would have expected the crash to be so severe.

But I’m not sure if the series in India is a true reflection of where Australian cricket is at.

Winning in India has, throughout our proud cricketing history, been the toughest of challenges, even when the Aussies were at their strongest.

So even a series loss shouldn’t mean Australia is no longer the No.1 cricketing nation.

But if the team starts struggling to win at home — this summer’s home series against South Africa will be a huge test — or losing to lesser likes such as the West Indies or New Zealand, then critics will be right in saying Australia’s era of dominance is officially over.

India is the epicentre of cricket: Greg Chappell

2008-10-26T13:41:00.001+06:00

Greg Chappell, now 60, avoided giving one-on-ones during his four-week stay in India as assistant coach of the Ricky Ponting-led squad. Before leaving for home, though, the former Team India coach (and one-time Australia captain) spoke to The Telegraph from his New Delhi hotel.

There were, of course, a couple of pre-conditions from the recently-appointed head coach at Cricket Australia’s Centre of Excellence in Brisbane: No questions on individuals and on the ongoing India-Australia series. Basically, the interview had to be on his new role.

The following are excerpts

Q When do you actually start work as the Centre of Excellence’s head coach?

A Being in India for the first two Tests was part of the job... Part of my role is to understand, from time to time, the requirements of the national coach (Tim Nielsen) and the national team... Some planning has commenced for next year’s programme at the Centre of Excellence... The programme there runs from April to September.

Have you moved from Sydney to Brisbane?

No... It will be at some point next year, we’re working on that.

What made you take up this job?

It’s a challenge... Cricket in Australia is going through a rebuilding phase... Some stalwarts have retired, some others are probably close to the end of their careers... It’s an interesting period and I’ve got the opportunity to work with the next generation. It’s an exciting prospect too.

Having coached a national team (India), what adjustments will you be making in your new role?

Look, the emphasis may be slightly different, but the basics won’t change. Indeed, as with the India job or when I coached South Australia, I’m looking to add value. That’s why I’m there.

How many coaches will be working under you?

Quite a few... Also, a sports scientist and staff to look after the cricketers’ fitness.

The number of cricketers...

The core group will be 15, but at different times, there will be specialist camps for spinners or wicketkeepers or... The age group will be 19 and above... Those who form part of the core group could keep returning to the Centre of Excellence for top-up sessions.

Will the Pontings be using the facility?

Definitely... For pre-season and/or pre-tour camps... Also, we at the Centre of Excellence will be working closely with the national team whenever there’s a Test match in Brisbane, usually the first of the season. (After a pause) Such interaction will help the coaches understand the national team’s requirements better and will be a good learning experience.

Anything from your nearly two years with Team India that will come in handy?

Absolutely... That period was an invaluable experience in my development as a person and as a coach.

Will you, off and on, be travelling with the national team?

It’s possible, though not cast in stone.

Without going into specifics, how do you look back on the four weeks you spent with the Pontings in India?

Again, an invaluable experience... I got a close feel of Tim’s requirements, the requirements of the team... The chief selector, Andrew Hilditch, was also around... One could assess the cricketers better.

[Hilditch too has gone back and Merv Hughes is his replacement.]

The impression is that Australia’s bench strength isn’t all that hot...

Time will tell... And, to be honest, I don’t know everything about Australia’s bench strength... I’ll be having a better view, over the next four-five months, once I travel around the country and watch the first-class matches.

Anything about India that you missed and were happy to catch up with?

Look, I’ve enjoyed all my visits to India and enjoyed a majority of my experiences... My graph is a succession of experiences, really, most of them quite good... India, clearly, is the epicentre of cricket and the IPL has changed the sport’s landscape... The Twenty20 game and the IPL have given a new dimension and coaches will have to review their practices.

The final one: Despite being designated assistant coach, you were actually seen as a Super Coach. Any thoughts on that?

It’s the right of the people to think what they want... I haven’t been focusing on how others perceive my role... Have never done that… I’m just a coach and Tim and I went about our work in a professional way... I only focus on the job I’ve got to do.

Alam named as new Pakistan coach

2008-10-25T19:23:00.000+06:00

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) named former captain and manager Intikhab Alam as the new national cricket coach on Saturday, a day after Australian Geoff Lawson was sacked.

Alam will take the helm for Pakistan's upcoming series of three one-day internationals against the West Indies in November in the neutral venue of Abu Dhabi.

"We have appointed Intikhab as the coach as we found him to be the suitable candidate," PCB chairman Ijaz Butt told AFP. "He will accompany the team to Abu Dhabi for the one-day internationals against the West Indies."

The PCB sacked former Australian Test fast bowler Lawson on Friday after a string of poor results. He had spent just 15 months in the job, regarded as one of the toughest in world cricket.

The 66-year-old Alam has also been Pakistan coach and manager on several occasions, most notably during Pakistan's World Cup title win in 1992. Former captain and master batsman Javed Miandad was also a candidate for the post.

Butt said the length of Alam's contract was expected to be decided next week.

"We would like to appoint Alam for a two-year contract, but we have to get final approval from the members of the governing board," said Butt, who took over as chairman earlier this month.

Alam said he would try to do his best for Pakistan.

"It's a big responsibility," Alam told AFP.

"It is not an easy job and I have taken up this assignment as a big challenge," said Alam, who will abandon his contract with Punjab in India, where he was to take over this month.

Alam said discipline would be his top priority for the controversy-hit Pakistan side.

"I will try to maintain discipline because no player is bigger than the game and discipline has been our problem, so that will be my top priority," said Alam, who played 47 Tests between 1959-75 and also led Pakistan in 17 Tests.

As a quality leg-spinner he took 125 wickets, his first coming on his first delivery in Test cricket against Australia in 1959.

PCB sacks Lawson

2008-10-25T19:17:00.001+06:00

Pakistan cricket took another twist on Friday when the authorities sacked Geoff Lawson as coach in an effort to improve the team’s sagging fortunes.

The Australian was shown the door over poor results, ending a 15-month tenure during which he fell out with national selectors and some senior players.

The 50-year-old former paceman was Pakistan’s third foreign coach after they hired South African Richard Pybus and former England batsman Bob Woolmer.

Pakistan Cricket Board’s chairman Ijaz Butt said “a foreign coach does not suit us”. “(Bob) Woolmer was a different person and he did his best, but Lawson did not produce any results so we had to make a change,” he said.

Lawson’s appointment was surprising as he was preferred over two other Australian coaches — Dav Whatmore and Richard Dunne — who both had made their marks at international level.

Although Pakistan finished runners-up to India in the Twenty20 World Cup held in South Africa — Lawson’s first assignment with the team — they lost both the one-day and Test series against South Africa and India.

Pakistan won both their home one-day series against weaker opponents Zimbabwe and Bangladesh and then lifted a tri-nation one-day series. But their failure to lift the Twenty20 Cup in Canada earlier this month appears to have been the final straw.

Court lifts life ban on Saleem Malik

2008-10-25T18:59:00.002+06:00

A Pakistan court has lifted the life ban imposed on Saleem Malik, the former Pakistan captain, for his involvement in match-fixing. Malik, 45, is now free to involve himself in cricketing activities and he spoke of plans to start a cricket academy.

"I have served cricket for 19 years and today I feel vindicated," Malik said outside a sessions court in Lahore on Thursday. ""I hope that talk of fixing never haunts cricket. Cricket is a pure game and is played by some nice and passionate players."

"Nothing can compensate the last eight years as I had to sever all contacts with cricket. But I am now definitely looking ahead to renewing my links with the game by starting my own cricket academy for youngsters and will soon begin the project."

The Pakistan Cricket Board banned Malik in 2000 after an inquiry commission led by Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum found him guilty of bribing Australian cricketers Shane Warne and Mark Waugh to lose the 1994-95 Karachi Test.

Warne and Waugh have always strenuously denied accepting money from him. Malik, who maintained his innocence, appealed the next year. After his appeal was rejected, he approached the Supreme Court which, on May 22, 2008, said the appeal should be heard at a lower court.

The case came before civil judge Malik Mohammad Altaf who was originally due to hear it last month but adjourned the hearing as he was unavailable.

The PCB said it would respect the ruling. "We will honour the decision of the sessions court and will not appeal against the ruling," its legal advisor Tafazzul Rizvi told AP. "The PCB did not impose the ban. We just implemented the recommendations of the inquiry tribunal."

Cricket-England appoint Mushtaq as spin coach

2008-10-24T20:54:00.000+06:00

Former Pakistan great Mushtaq Ahmed has been appointed by England as spin-bowling coach, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Thursday.

The 38-year-old, who has enjoyed a long stint in England with Sussex, will work with the test and one-day squads and also assist in the ECB's player development programmes.

One of his main tasks will be to get the most out of Monty Panesar who has taken more than 100 test wickets since he burst on to the scene in 2006 but struggled in the recent series against South Africa.

"It's critical that we nurture and develop the next generation of England spin bowlers using the expertise and knowledge of former players such as Mushtaq," the ECB's managing director Hugh Morris said.

"Spin has been integral to the success of the world's best cricket teams and we are keen to ensure that there is a constant flow of spin-bowling talent into the England set-up."

The ECB said Mushtaq would sever his links with the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League (ICL) which he had been expected to play in after retiring from first class cricket.

During his career Mushtaq played 52 tests for Pakistan, taking 185 wickets. He also took 161 wickets in his 144 one-day internationals for his country.

In 2003 he took 100 wickets for Sussex to help the county win the championship for the first time, a feat he also achieved in 2006 when Sussex again won the title.

West Indies offer to play Tests with Pakistan

2008-10-24T11:45:00.003+06:00

The West Indies have thrown Pakistan a lifeline, offering to play two Tests against the cricket starved team at a neutral venue next month, Pakistan's top cricket official said Thursday.

Pakistan have not played a single Test this year after Australia postponed their full tour in March over security fears in the wake of deadly suicide bombings and other unrest blamed on Islamic militants.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt said the two Tests to be played in Abu Dhabi would be in addition to the three one-day internationals which the two countries have already agreed from November 10-14.

"The West Indies have offered to play two Tests and we hope the proposal materialises and we find some sponsor for the Test matches," Butt, who took over as chairman earlier this month,

"It will give our players an ideal opportunity to play some international cricket after a long layoff," said Butt.

Pakistan's last Test was against India in December last year, and if the West Indies' offer falls through, Pakistan's next Test outing will also be against India in January next year.

Pakistan cricket has been badly hit by security fears, with other foreign teams refusing to tour the troubled country in the wake of the 9/11 attacks on US soil and the subsequent US-led invasion in neighbouring Afghanistan.

An eight-nation Champions Trophy was postponed after South Africa pulled out of the event which had been due to take place in September this year.

The International Cricket Council last week rescheduled the Trophy for September-October next year, but would closely assess security during Pakistan's home series against India early next year.

New Zealand's Oram ruled out for second test v Bangladesh

2008-10-24T11:38:00.002+06:00

New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram has been ruled out for the second and final test against Bangladesh starting on Saturday in Dhaka.

"He has got a back problem. He has been ruled out for the second test, (and) will fly home on Saturday," team manager Lindsay Crocker told Reuters.

"He will undergo several medical tests at home and only than we will be able the assess the situation."

Crocker said a member of the squad will take Oram's place.

Oram suffered back pain while bowling on Sunday and was rested before Bangladesh were all-out for 242 in the second innings of the first test. New Zealand lead the series 1-0 after their three-wicket win in Chittagong on Tuesday.

Middle order batsman Oram was out for a duck in the first innings and not out for eight in the second. The medium pacer ended 20-14-14-0 in the first innings and 8-2-19-0 in the second. (Reporting by Azad Majumder; Writing by Nizam Ahmed, editing by Alan Baldwin)

Klusener shows the serious side of ICL cricket series in India

2008-10-23T17:03:00.000+06:00

I am happy to report that my team, the Royal Bengal Tigers, have won three from three and we therefore head the log standings.

First up we played the dangerous Lahore Badshas led by former Pakistan captain, Inzamam ul-Haq, whose team we convincingly beat by eight wickets. Our new signing, New Zealander Hamish Marshall, was in good form scoring a brilliant 88 not out.

In our second match – against the Delhi Giants, another Kiwi and our captain Craig McMillan, led the way with a swashbuckling 69.

In our third match against the Mumbai Champs, we nearly came unstuck, with former Proteas ODI player Johan van der Wath in good nick with the bat. As coach, I am pretty happy with events so far, but it is early days and there is still plenty of cricket to come. The pitches are good and with the boundary rope being brought in this season, it has put a lot of pressure on the spinners.

This suits us, as we are not strong in this department as far as spin bowling is concerned, when conditions become especially difficult in the middle period of the innings, where batting and bowling under Indian conditions can be tough.

The cricket season in India is just about getting under way, and, after the monsoon rains the pitches become dry and dusty.

Unlike last season’s ICL series, all the teams are playing in each of our four venues, a week at a time.

It is a rather busy roadshow, with nine teams participating at one venue. It is great to see more corporate involvement and sponsorship of the ICL this season. All the grounds are up to international standard now in terms of making it a conducive environment for players, media and spectators. My travels take me to Delhi, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. Travel around India these days is fairly pleasant work and the pace of change and development, becomes more and more apparent every time I return to these parts.

Hyderabad has been particularly pleasant with a world-class golf resort available to us, where we can play as much golf and relax as we want to.

It is a hugely extravagant golfing venture and with many more to come, India will become a major golfing destination in time to come.

Further Tigers’ team news is that I have been very impressed with another former teammate, Lance Klusener. Remember him?

After a very successful county season with Northamptonshire where he topped the national batting averages, he is as fit as a fiddle and playing as well as I have ever seen him play.

He ran a brilliant bleep test, which is an athletics test done over 20 metres of continuous shuttles between two markers with the time between each shuttle becoming shorter.

It is murderous and designed to bring you to your knees. At the age of 37 he got to a brilliant level 13.

I am looking to him to produce some vintage Klusener stuff and to further convince me that South Africa could do with him to plug a hole or two in their limited-overs’ squads.