Cricket Fast

AUSTRALIA IN INDIA (2012/2013)

2013-02-21T22:51:00.002-08:00

Cricket Australia's chief executive James Sutherland has said the second Test in Hyderabad next week is not in doubt at this stage, despite bombs in the city killing at least 12 people on Thursday night. The twin blasts came on the eve of the first Test between Australia and India in Chennai, and the teams are due to travel to Hyderabad on Wednesday ahead of the second Test. The bombs hit the Dilsukhnagar region of Hyderabad about ten minutes apart and were labelled "a dastardly attack" by India's prime minister Manmohan Singh. Sutherland, who is in Chennai, said on Friday morning that he had spoken to a BCCI official on Thursday night and the two organisations would work together to assess the security situation. "It is sad news overnight," Sutherland said. "From our perspective the focus around the team is very much on this Test in Chennai, everyone is very comfortable here in terms of the security arrangements in place. The players are focused on what they have ahead of them. "We will take advice from relevant authorities and work with the BCCI and others here to make assessments around Hyderabad, but at the same time plans have been in place for a long time and at this stage I wouldn't be calling into question things going ahead in Hyderabad as planned." Australia's team manager Gavin Dovey spoke to the players and kept them up to date with developments, but Sutherland said they wanted to ensure they could remain focused on the Chennai Test. "We don't hold anything back from the players, they know where everything is at," Sutherland said. "But at the same time they have expressed a desire to be focused and minimise this so that they can focus on cricket this week. "We will work together with the players and the players' association on these sorts of issues. There is a high level of confidence among the group that the management will work through that. We will communicate openly and make assessments ... As far as I'm concerned we're playing the second Test match in Hyderabad next week." Sutherland said Cricket Australia had great confidence in the BCCI's ability to deal with security issues on a day-to-day basis. Shortly before departing for the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Australia's captain Michael Clarke said his players were happy to be guided by the team's security experts. "From the team's point of view, our focus is wholly and solely on the field because we've got people off the field who are experts in what is going on, we'll be advised by them," Clarke said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with all the people of Hyderabad who have been affected."

India in South africa 2010/2011

2010-12-13T11:18:00.000-08:00

Smith and Amla cleared for first Test
Monday 13-December-2010 11:54
Amla and Smith - fit for opening Test.

Proteas captain Graeme Smith and batsman Hashim Amla have been cleared to play for South Africa in the three-Test series against India starting at SuperSport Park on Thursday."Graeme's hand is good. Doctors have cleared him and he's ready to go," coach Corrie van Zyl said on Monday.
"He's confident and looking forward to this week's preparation. We just hope that we can get out there and prepare.
"Hashim seems to be fine and started his preparations last week."
The ring finger on Smith's left hand was broken while batting in the first ODI against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in November.
Amla was struck on the left wrist while fielding in the last day of the second Test against Pakistan.
Looking ahead to the game, Van Zyl said that he would be stupid to underestimate the Indian bowling attack even though they would be playing in less familiar conditions.

There has been much hype about the pace and bounce of the wickets in South Africa and how this will favour the South African seamers rather than the Indian bowling attack.
"We're not going to give them turning tracks here. That's not going to happen, but we would be stupid to underestimate the Indian bowlers," he said.
"We're going to play on wickets which are going to benefit our style of play, but it is one thing playing on them, it's another thing executing."
India are ranked number one on the ICC's test rankings, but have not yet won a test series in South Africa.
Much is expected from players like Sachin Tendulkar, who will be seeking his 50th test century on this tour; Rahul Dravid, who boasts a test average of 53,31; and the aggressive Virender Sehwag, who averages 54,71.

Van Zyl said the South Africans are not focusing on these stars.
"It's an excellent Indian team which comes to our shores, but as far as individuals are concerned, if you're talking about a very good Indian team, then you can't single out individuals.
"They're not number one because of one individual, they're number one because they're a very good unit.
"If we're going to look at one or two individuals we're going to miss the boat here.
"We're making sure that we're not focused on one individual. We're preparing for the whole Indian team," he said.
Pre-match preparations for the first Test have been marred by wet weather, which has made it difficult to practice outdoors.
"We put in place specific plans for all the players who weren't involved in the MTN finals to work with their franchise coaches," said Van Zyl.
"The idea was that we wanted to have a week off after the Pakistan series to refresh, but at the same time also be ready for the practice week.
"Yesterday we got together and did the planning session and obviously we wanted to start working today, but it's not happening the way we wanted it to happen [because of the weather]."
He said some members of the Indian team arrived last week and had been practising in Cape Town to familiarise themselves with the local conditions.

Ashes: Andy Flower guarded on Chris Tremlett inclusion

2010-12-13T11:11:00.000-08:00

Third Ashes Test: Australia v England
Venue: Perth Dates: 16-20 December Start time: 0230 GMT
Coverage: Listen live on Test Match Special on BBC 5 live sports extra, Radio 4 LW & online; highlights (UK only) and day's review on the TMS podcast; live text commentary on BBC Sport website; live on Sky Sports 1; highlights on ITV4

England coach Andy Flower has decided which of his three reserve seam bowlers will replace the injured Stuart Broad.
Rumours sweeping Perth suggest Surrey paceman Chris Tremlett will get the nod ahead of Yorkshire pair Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad for the third Test.
But following the tour match against Victoria, when the trio took only one wicket between them, Flower is refusing to confirm he has gone for Tremlett.
He said: "You can't put words in my mouth. It's pretty clear in our minds."
With Thursday's match moving swiftly into focus, Flower added: "We've got two days prep, and we'll tell our squad what the XI is the day before the game."
With Broad out of the rest of the series with an abdominal injury and his new-ball partner James Anderson tired from two long flights after a brief trip back to England to be present at the birth of his second child, England's bowling attack is under the spotlight for the first time in the tour.
The players' families have also arrived here in Perth, as agreed with team management, and Flower concedes that there are new challenges to be dealt with as a result.

Tamim's effort Bangladesh to series win

2010-12-13T11:07:00.000-08:00

Tamim Iqbal's explosive 95 blew away Zimbabwe on a slow Chittagong pitch on which the visitors had limped to 188 for 6, giving Bangladesh a six-wicket victory and a sixth-consecutive series win over Zimbabwe. On a track where the rest of the batsmen managed ten boundaries, Tamim clattered seven sixes and five fours after starting cautiously and surviving some anxious moments. Despite three of the top five batsmen contributing 13 runs between them, and Junaid Siddique taking 105 deliveries to reach a half-century, Tamim's charge allowed Bangladesh to canter to victory as they took the series 3-1.

He had curbed his natural attacking instincts after Imrul Kayes fell to the fourth delivery of the chase, before opening up with a pull over square leg off Chris Mpofu in the seventh over. Mpofu's next over was an example of how the chase progressed - in sporadic spurts amid fortuitous let-offs. Tamim went for his favourite heave down the ground off the first delivery, but got an inside-edge that went just past the stumps for a boundary. The third delivery was lifted cleanly over long-off for six, before Mpofu made a mess of a straightforward chance as Tamim chipped a slower one in the air.

Tamim continued to take his chances, treating the spinners with disdain and repeatedly targeting the area between deep midwicket and long-off. He also played-and-missed in between, highlighting the slow nature of the pitch though it had quickened up a touch compared to when Zimbabwe were batting. Flicks and drives just cleared the infield, but what stood out in Tamim's effort was the urgency with which he approached the modest target, in stark contrast to Zimbabwe's batsmen who had crawled at around two an over for more than half their innings.

Siddique's effort was far scratchier as he struggled to find the gaps. But Tamim's briskness at the other end meant he could get away with working the ball around. Elton Chigumbura rotated his bowlers but it didn't have any effect on Tamim, who reached his half-century in the 20th over off 61 balls. Zimbabwe didn't help themselves as Tamim was left off once again, Tatenda Taibu failing to catch the bottom-edge off Ray Price. Tamim responded by moving from 50 to 95 in 34 deliveries, smashing five more sixes before falling while attempting yet another six, holing out to Graeme Cremer who took a diving catch running in from the deep midwicket boundary. By then, however, Bangladesh needed only 50 off 21 overs.

Taibu and Craig Ervine had earlier put on Zimbabwe's highest partnership of the series but their progress was painfully slow, before a late charge in the batting Powerplay took the visitors to 188 on a surface that didn't turn much. Only nine boundaries were hit - six of them in the final six overs - partly because of the low and slow nature of the surface and the damp outfield, but largely due to the lack of intent Zimbabwe displayed.

The first boundary came in the 24th over when Taibu stepped out and lifted Naeem Islam over mid-off. The batsmen showed more purpose after that and the duo had added 95 before Ervine fell, going for another reverse-sweep and getting a top edge that Mushfiqur Rahim gobbled up. Taibu, who made his first half-century of the series, continued to hustle between the wickets. From 137 for 4 after 44 overs, Zimbabwe took 42 off the batting Powerplay, using the lofted shot over the infield to good effect.

Zimbabwe's downward spiral had continued in the morning after Chigumbura opted to bat, and their confused state was typified by some mindless running. Bangladesh usually rely on their spinners to contain the runs but today their quicks, Mashrafe Mortaza and Shafiul Islam, did that job by being on target right from the start.

Zimbabwe helped Bangladesh with repeated attempts at self-destruction, the first of which came as early as the first legitimate delivery of the match, also the first free-hit of the series. Brendan Taylor pushed a full swinging delivery to extra cover and rushed more than halfway down the pitch before he glanced at Hamilton Masakadza, who was rightly rooted at the non-striker's end. Suhrawadi Shuvo had already swooped down on the ball, and waited for an instant before aiming at the striker's stumps and scoring a direct hit.

Mortaza deserved some rewards for his efforts, and soon trapped Masakadza and Dabengwa leg-before. Zimbabwe had slipped to 21 for 3, and the 11th over was already on. They never really recovered after that, and Tamim's blistering knock in his first series after wrist surgery shut them out completely.

Monty Panesar and Chris Tremlett in England Ashes squad

2010-09-23T07:38:00.000-07:00

In an England 16 with few surprises the 11 men who played in the last Test at Lord's against Pakistan are retained.

They are joined by Sussex spinner Panesar, Surrey fast bowler Tremlett with another Surrey man, Steven Davies, taking the reserve wicketkeeping spot.

Fit-again Warwickshire batsman Ian Bell and Yorkshire seamer Tim Bresnan make up the party to defend the Ashes.

While there will be celebrations for them, others are sure to harbour some disappointment that their efforts have been overlooked.

Among them is Ajmal Shahzad, a rapidly improving fast bowler who made his Test debut at Old Trafford in May against Bangladesh. He did little wrong there, and also impressed in his four one-day appearances for England.

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England ready for Ashes - Collingwood
National selector Geoff Miller said: "He was disappointed, obviously. We felt there were a couple of areas to develop on that he wasn't quite right on."

Shahzad's Yorkshire colleague Adil Rashid, 22, is also unlucky following some excellent domestic form throughout the year across all competitions. The leg-spinner's performances were good enough for him to finish second in the Professional Cricketers' Association rankings.

Kent supporters, meanwhile, were hoping James Tredwell might have been selected ahead of either Panesar or Rashid. Instead, Tredwell joins Shahzad among 16 players named in the performance squad, a back-up group who will also be in Australia during the winter.

Rashid and Ravi Bopara are notable absentees from the cohort of supplementary players, with 19-year-old Durham all-rounder Ben Stokes one of the more interesting inclusions.

Alongside the announcement of the two squads, England also revealed the 11 players on central contracts for a year as of 1 October, and for the first time that list features Jonathan Trott and Steven Finn.

It's the million-pound question but yes, I do think that if they all perform to potential there's no reason why we can't retain those Ashes

National selector Geoff Miller
With Ian Bell keeping his contract, Eoin Morgan is the only player of the team who featured in England's last Test not to get a central contract.

Morgan, England's highest rated one-day player, is one of six players with incremental contracts. Bresnan, Bopara, Luke Wright and Michael Yardy join him among those players whose performances automatically trigger the award of a full contract if they make enough appearances for the England team.

The Ashes holders will play five Tests, starting in Brisbane on 25 November.
At 6ft 7ins, Tremlett's ability to generate steep bounce from a length makes the former Hampshire star suited to Australian wickets.

That, along with his 48 County Championship wickets in his first season for Surrey, has brought the player who took 13 wickets in three Tests against India in 2007 recognition from Miller.

Miller said: "We feel that Chris Tremlett's inclusion will add a real threat of pace and bounce to our bowling attack given the conditions in Australia. Chris will be vying for a place in the final team."

606: DEBATE
Every time I've seen Tremlett play, either for Surrey, or for England, he's been excellent

Silk
Panesar is another to have benefited from a move to a new county, with 52 wickets for Sussex. His 39 Test appearances include the eight-wicket match haul he achieved on his Ashes debut in Perth, in the 2006-07 Ashes in which England were whitewashed 5-0.

Miller said of the former Northants slow left-armer: "Monty deserves his opportunity to assume the role as England's second spinner behind Graeme Swann.

"Monty has gone away and worked on his bowling since his last England appearance and he continues to be an attacking threat with the ball in his hand."

Even if Swann is fit and able to reproduce the form that has led to his position on the shortlist for ICC world cricketer of the year, Panesar may be considered for the spin-friendly final Test in Sydney.

The selection of Davies ahead of Somerset's Craig Kieswetter comes after some strong performances from the left-hander when opening the batting with Andrew Strauss in England's one-day side.

"His glovework and batting have continued to reach new levels," said Miller.

There is, meanwhile, no surprise that out-of-form batsman Kevin Pietersen, omitted from England's limited-overs series returns to duty.

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Broad confident of England victory
By the time England arrive in Australia ahead of three warm-up matches in early November, Pietersen would have hoped to return to form in a stint with South African side Kwa-Zulu Natal Dolphins in October.

The series will feature the usual five Tests, starting at the Gabba in Brisbane before moving on to Adelaide for the second Test and then Perth for the third.

England travel to Melbourne for the traditional Boxing Day Test and Sydney for the final match, which starts a day later than normal on 3 January.

Australia play two Tests and three one-dayers in India before fine-tuning their own Ashes squad.

After the Ashes series, England and Australia will meet in two Twenty20 internationals and seven one-dayers, leading into the 2011 World Cup on the subcontinent.

England's full 2010/11 Ashes itinerary

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England Ashes Test squad:
Andrew Strauss (captain, Middlesex), Alastair Cook (vice-captain, Essex), James Anderson (Lancashire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Steven Davies (wk, Surrey), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Monty Panesar (Sussex), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Matt Prior (wk, Sussex), Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), Chris Tremlett (Surrey), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire).

England performance programme squad:
Jimmy Adams (Hampshire), Jonny Bairstow (wk, Yorkshire), Danny Briggs (Hampshire), Michael Carberry (Hampshire), Maurice Chambers (Essex), Jade Dernbach (Surrey), Andrew Gale (Yorkshire), James Hildreth (Somerset), Craig Kieswetter (wk, Somerset), Adam Lyth (Yorkshire), Liam Plunkett (Durham), Ajmal Shahzad (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), James Taylor (Leicestershire), James Tredwell (Kent), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).

England central contracts:
Strauss, Anderson, Bell, Broad, Collingwood, Cook, Finn, Pietersen, Prior, Swann, Trott.

Incremental contracts:
Ravi Bopara (Essex), Bresnan, Morgan, Luke Wright (Sussex), Michael Yardy (Sussex).

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see also
Finn can cope with Ashes sledging
21 Sep 10 | England
Pietersen to play in South Africa
09 Sep 10 | England
Surgery rules Onions out of Ashes
02 Sep 10 | England
England are vulnerable - Ponting
26 Aug 10 | Australia
Ashes tickets go on general sale
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England have Ashes edge - Warne
07 Jul 10 | Australia
Full Ashes tour schedule revealed
04 Feb 10 | England
Victorious England regain Ashes
23 Aug 09 | England
Aussies complete Ashes whitewash
05 Jan 07 | England

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related bbc links:

England will name their squad for the 2010-11 Ashes series in Australia at 1430 BST on Thursday at The Oval

2010-09-22T08:50:00.000-07:00

sep 22,
इंग्लैंडले अब आउनी Ashes Test 2010/2011 को लगी बिहीबार नया खेलाडीहरुको लिस्ट तयार पार्नी भएको छ!

ECB wants apology from Ijaz Butt

2010-09-22T03:32:00.000-07:00

20 sep , 2010
ECB ले हिजो गरेको जारी बिगप्तिमा पाकिस्तानी क्रिकेट बोर्डका सचिब इजाज़ बटलाई पब्लिकको अगाड़ी माफ़ी मागनाको लगी अनुरोध गरेको छ
हामी हरु ले माफ़ीको आशमा बसिराखेको छउ ,एसो नभएमा हामी संग अर्को आप्शन छ.भने ecb chief exucative david ले.

Black Caps smash Ireland

2008-07-02T23:18:00.000-07:00

Brendon McCullum and James Marshall scored maiden one-day international cricket centuries in style today as New Zealand smash Ireland by a record margin in Aberdeen.
McCullum made up for a few quiet ODIs against England with 166 off 135 balls and Marshall 161 off 141 as the Black Caps won by 290 runs in their first match of a triangular series involving Scotland as well.
Both had 11 fours and McCullum 10 sixes and Marshall four against a weakened Irish attack at Mannofield Park in Aberdeen.
New Zealand scored 402 for two in their 50 overs while Ireland managed just 112.
The opening stand of 274 between McCullum and Marshall was only 12 runs short of the world record set by Upul Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya of Sri Lanka against England two years ago and the fifth-highest ODI partnership.
Ireland, already depleted by players opting to stay with their counties and a host of others unavailable, were struck by another late injury blow when allrounder Alex Cusack withdrew with a broken finger.

Under-19 World Cup 2008,

2008-07-02T23:10:00.000-07:00

Nepal u-19 beat Namibia u-19 by 3 runs

A patient half-century from Mahesh Chhetri, some tidy medium-pace bowling and a whole lot of nerve from young Gyanendra Malla snatched Nepal a three-run victory from a tricky situation in Penang. Defending a total of 164, Nepal had done well to chip away at Namibia's batting order but at 142 for 7 in the 42nd over it appeared they were running out of options. That is when left-arm medium-pacer Raj Shrestha dismissed top-scorer Louis van der Westhuizen for 65 and set into motion a tense next seven overs.
Taking a gamble on 17-year-old Malla, who had never bowled in his first-class career, Nepal's captain Paras Khadka got it spot on. In the 45th over Malla had Pikky Ya France edging behind, and then bowled Morne Engelbrecht for 7 with the last ball of the 49th over to finish a tense contest. Nepal's grip had been administered by a tight start with the ball, tightened through slow left-arm spinner Rahul Vishwakarma's economical 2 for 23 and finally it was Malla who stole the show.
Earlier Chhetri,Nepal's wicketkeeping-opener, played a lone hand in his side's total of 164 against a disciplined Namibian bowling attack. Having won the toss, Nepal's batsmen could only manage small partnerships as Namibia kept it tight. Chhetri held up one end sensibly but his team-mates, unsure as to what route to take, failed to offer anything substantial. Westhuizen, with his left-arm spin, bowled an economical 10-2-17-2 and was well backed up by his bowling partners. Unfortunately for Namibia, the same was not the case when Westhuizen was batting.

Southafrica u-19 beat papua new guinea u-19

Papua New Guinea elected to bat against South Africa at the Kinrara Oval and were dismissed for 125 in 45 overs, a total that was easily overhauled in 15.1 overs with seven wickets in hand.
PNG's was a better effort than their tournament opener against India, where they managed 85, but the top order's inability to bat out long periods of time continues to be a major issue. South Africa's captain, Wayne Parnell, continued his fine tournament with ten economical overs of left-arm seam that netted him 3 for 19 and his opening partner Matthew Arnold took 3 for 27. PNG struggled from the start and only Tanti Heni (35) and Colin Amini (31) got runs. Johnathan Vandiar was given his first bowl of the tournament and bagged 4 for 27 with his legbreaks.
Needing to beat PNG handsomely to boost their chances of progressing to the Super League quarter-finals, South Africa wasted wasted little time in getting the required runs. Pieter Malan put aside two consecutive ducks to score a breezy 56 from 46 balls, and put on 73 with JJ Smuts (36 from 29). Jacobus Pienaar was not as lucky, dancing down the track and being bowled for a third consecutive 0 in row. Though they scored at 8.43 an over South Africa are still behind West Indies by a net run-rate of 1.509.

Ponting fined for dissent

2008-07-02T23:03:00.000-07:00

Australia tour of WestIndies

Ricky Ponting's 300th one-day international produced an Australian win but it ended on a slightly sour note for him personally after he was fined for showing dissent at an umpire's decision. Ponting pleaded not guilty to the charge but was docked 30% of his match fee after the match referee Roshan Mahanama found him guilty.
The incident took place during the 23rd over of West Indies' chase when the Australians believed they had Patrick Browne caught behind off the bowling of Michael Clarke. There was a noise as the ball went through to the wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi but replays appeared to suggest it came off the batsman's back leg.
Ponting and his team-mates were already celebrating before they finally looked around at the umpire Norman Malcolm, who turned down the appeal much to Australia's amazement. Ponting moved from his position and apeared to make a comment to Malcolm after the decision was made, leading to a charge being laid by the umpires.
"Although the player pleaded not guilty, after scrutinising the video footage and taking into consideration the evidence submitted by the umpires, I found that his actions were in breach of ICC's Code of Conduct and decided to fine him 30% of his match fee," Mahanama said.

Smith sets out England challenge

2008-07-02T22:58:00.000-07:00

South Africa in England 2008

The last time Graeme Smith toured England with the South African team, in 2003, he had only recently graduated from being a teenage star to the captain of the side. And despite an amazing start to the series in which he scored double centuries in the first two Tests, England still managed to fight back and secure a 2-2 series draw.
This time, Smith is a grizzled veteran of a captain, although still only 27, and is determined to play his cards right and ensure South Africa claim their first series win in England since 1965.
"I have wonderful personal memories from that tour, but the team is a lot more settled now," he said hours before leaving Johannesburg for England. "I put on a very strong outward persona, but there were a lot of nerves inside my stomach. Hopefully I'm a lot more grown up now and we can go a step further."
One potential ace up their sleeve for South Africa will be the presence of Shaun Pollock in England, who will be commentating on TV for the series, having also turned out for Durham in the Twenty20 Cup. Coach Mickey Arthur confirmed that a phone call had already been made to Smith's predecessor as captain.
"We've already chatted to Polly and he said he will be free to give us advice. We will bring him in and maybe he can help at a few net sessions," Arthur said.
Smith believes South Africa's other ace is a bowling attack that will feature last season's phenomenon, fast bowler Dale Steyn. "I think our attack as a whole has huge potential, the most variety we've had and they can adapt to any situation, but I'm not going to put too much pressure on any individuals," Smith said.

Few touring captains have made as dramatic an entry into England as Smith, who scored 277 at Edgbaston in the first Test of the 2003 series before following it with 259 at Lord's, and he is confident he will have shaken off a hamstring tear by the time this series starts at Lord's on July 10
Smith picked up the injury in the semi-finals of the Indian Premier League, playing for the eventual winners Rajasthan Royals, but he said he had already begun fitness work to ensure he is not too much of a cart-horse in England.

Pakistan's greatest victory over India

2008-07-02T22:50:00.000-07:00

Pakistan had no business winning today and that too chasing 300-plus; perhaps this is precisely why they won. They have been poor in this tournament thus far, their bowling without sting, their batting uncertain. The future of at least one from captain and coach has been on the line.
The latter has been intent on making matters worse for himself. The former pulled out at the last minute, in typically tragi-comic circumstances after a rare public announcement yesterday had confirmed his place in the playing XI; not that he has been particularly inspirational. But it was in the air yesterday at Pakistan's practice, this vague feeling that something might happen, even with this depleted side. Nobody could really articulate it, but it hung in the air.
It is a well-worn cliché, but Imran Khan was on to something when he spoke of cornered tigers. This is not quite the same stage but Pakistan's position in the tournament is as perilous. Their progress is still in other hands: if India wins against Sri Lanka tomorrow, Pakistan are out. However, if India loses, Pakistan will go through to the final if they beat Bangladesh.

Zimbabwe to dominate ICC's Dubai discussion

2008-07-02T22:45:00.000-07:00

In the next few days, big-time cricket will run the gamut of emotions from A to Z. And then there is Zimbabwe.
There has always been Zimbabwe. It has haunted the game for the past five years, but this time it is different. This time it could split the game asunder, or perhaps just as bad, leave it as a laughing stock.
At the annual gathering of the International Cricket Council in one of Dubai's grand hotels this week, the country that has never been very good at cricket but has commanded a place at its high table for a quarter of a century will dominate proceedings.
There are other matters of gravity to attend to for a game apparently awash with cash yet paradoxically also in a state of crisis. But they will all be informed and affected by what - if anything - the ICC's board decide to do about Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe, the parlous state of test cricket everywhere but England, the vexed problem of players appearing in breakaway leagues, the concern about the takeover of Twenty20, are all to play for this week. The ICC is here to save the game, no less.
There is some wriggle room but not much and it may come down to who blinks first between England and India, and who the rest of the big 10 countries decide to support. At worst, there could be a schism in the world game.
A week ago, it had seemed straightforward. After a sudden rush of meetings and statements in a period of barely 48 hours, the ICC was destined to act decisively.

Aussie Hayden fit to face India

2008-01-22T23:34:00.000-08:00

Australia opener Matthew Hayden will be fit for the fourth and final Test against India, in Adelaide, after recovering from a hamstring injury.

Hayden scored centuries in each of the first two Tests, both won by Australia, but a hamstring injury forced him out of the third-Test defeat.
"Obviously Matt coming back into the side will make a big difference," said Hayden's opening partner Phil Jaques.
"He's got lots of experience and is a great guy to have in the team."
Hayden had not missed a Test since 2000 until he was forced to sit out the match in Perth.
His absence was sorely felt as India claimed a 72-run win to halt Australia's bid for a record 17th consecutive Test win.
His replacement, debutant Chris Rogers, made just four and 15, while Jaques, who has only played seven Tests, contributed just eight and 16.
"My mindset didn't change much not having Matt there but obviously having him there will give the whole side a boost," said Jaques.
"Every Test we play, we get a better understanding of running between the wickets and how each other plays. It's definitely good to have a regular guy there."
Australia struggled against India's seam bowlers during the first innings in Perth but Jaques insisted Australia would deal with them better at the Adelaide Oval.
"They bowled with some very good discipline and they batted pretty well, but I think if we're honest we didn't play the way that we can play, we all know that, particularly in the batting department," Jaques said.
"We'll be looking at our top order to fire and I'm sure we'll have a better effort this time."

McKenzie set for S Africa return

2008-01-01T22:55:00.000-08:00

Second Test, Cape Town: South Africa v West Indies

South Africa's Neil McKenzie

looks set to play his first Test

in three and a half years after

being called into the squad to face

West Indies in Cape Town.

Batsman McKenzie, 32, is expected to replace Herschelle Gibbs, whose poor form continued in the surprise defeat in Port Elizabeth.
Either McKenzie or AB de Villiers could open alongside captain Graeme Smith.
"There is no panic but we have decided to strengthen our top order batting," said coach Mickey Arthur.
West Indies won their first Test since May 2005 and their first ever in South Africa with a landmark 128-run victory in Port Elizabeth on Sunday.
They face a tough task if they are to mount a comeback in the three-Test series.
Gibbs, who bagged a pair in the opening match, has not scored a Test century since January 2005, although he hit a one-day ton against New Zealand earlier this month.
McKenzie played in 41 Tests between 2000 and 2004 but scored only two centuries and compiled a mediocre average of 33.24.
He has been one of the top scorers in domestic cricket and played a starring role in South Africa A wins over the New Zealand and West Indian touring teams this season.

Australia Vs India

2008-01-01T22:38:00.000-08:00

Australia aim to tie Test record

Australia captain Ricky Ponting

has fired his

side up for the second Test against India

by talking about the prospect of a

record-equalling win.

Victory in Sydney would see the hosts match Steve Waugh's side of 1999-2001 in winning 16 successive Tests.
"I did mention it to the team this morning," Ponting admitted on the eve of the clash.
"I'm sure there will be a bit more excitement if we happen to win this Test," the batsman added.
Australia go into the second match of the four-Test series as overwhelming favourites after crushing India by 337 runs in Melbourne last week.
An Aussie attack with just 98 Test caps between them, bowled India - whose top order boast a combined 472 Test appearances - out for under 200 twice.

South Africa v West Indies, 1st Test, Port Elizabeth,

2007-12-30T23:28:00.000-08:00

West Indies seal a historic victory

For South Africa, it was a shock defeat, their first at home to West Indies. For the second time in the match, the top order collapsed without a trace - the first four wickets went down with just 45 on the board. Jacques Kallis revived the run-chase with a flawless 85 and added 112 with AB de Villiers to give them a chance, but once he was at the receiving end of an unfortunate decision, the result was never in doubt.
The blows that made the difference were delivered within the first ten overs of the run-chase. The last time West Indies won an overseas Test against meaningful opposition - against England, in June 2000 - Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh were the new-ball operators, but Fidel Edwards and Daren Powell turned in the sort of display that even those legends would have been proud of.
Powell and Edwards began in superb fashion. They raced in, consistently clocking around 140 kph, and tested the batsmen with pace, swing and bounce. Powell kept it mostly on a good length around off, and attempted to beat the batsmen by swing and seam, while Edwards varied his length cleverly, either bowling it full, or attacking the body with well-directed short balls. One such delivery accounted for Graeme Smith, who tried to fend off a snorter, and could only glove it for Daren Ganga to take a diving catch at short leg.
By then South Africa had already lost two wickets: if Smith had a poor game with the bat, his opening partner had a nightmare. For the second time, Herschelle Gibbs was done in by Powell without scoring - this time, he shouldered arms to one which came in with the angle and was crashing towards off stump. It was his second pair in Test cricket - both of which have come in his last ten Tests - and his extended poor run suggests South Africa will have serious questions to answer before the next match. Hashim Amla, coming off successive hundreds in his previous two Tests, failed to negotiate Edwards' pace and swing, and when Smith fell soon after, South Africa were reeling at 20 for 3. It got even worse immediately after lunch, when Ashwell Prince failed to come up with the answers to Jerome Taylor's probing off-stump line.
South Africa's best batsman, though, was still around, and he batted like one. The footwork was precise, the defensive technique was immaculate, and the strokeplay was fabulous. Three glorious fours just before lunch - a cover drive, an on-drive, and a square cut, all off Taylor - were ominous signs for West Indies, and the break only made Kallis' concentration stronger. The on-drives were a feature of his innings, but he also cut and pulled powerfully. Powell tested him midway through the afternoon session with a fiery spell peppered with plenty of short stuff, but Kallis negotiated it all with scarcely a hiccup.
de Villiers, meanwhile, continued from where he had left off in the first innings, driving strongly square on the off side. Not only did the pair get plenty, they also did so quickly, scoring at more than three-and-a-half an over. Gayle even tried a few overs of spin, but nothing worked till Edwards banged in a short ball that Kallis tried to hook. The ball missed bat and glove, took his shoulder, looped to Denesh Ramdin who dived, held on to the catch, and then threw the ball in the air in sheer delight. Umpire Russel Tiffin agreed with the appeal, but replays indicated Kallis was hard done by.
Once Kallis fell, the rest was easy. Mark Boucher fell to the pull shot for the second time in the match, Paul Harris chopped one on to his stumps, and de Villiers holed out to mid-on. Dale Steyn and Andre Nel prolonged the innings with an entertaining 67-run partnership, but that was only delaying the inevitable. The end finally came when Makhaya Ntini spooned a top-edge to Powell. The celebrations were fairly low-key, which perhaps suggests West Indies are looking for much bigger rewards from this tour. The three-match Test series is, after all, only one game old.

New Zealand v Bangladesh, 3rd ODI, Queenstown

2007-12-30T23:18:00.000-08:00

Vettori and McCullum thrash Bangladesh

The last day of the year was a memorable one for Daniel Vettori, who won another toss, grabbed five easy wickets to become New Zealand's highest limited-overs wicket-taker, and basked in his first series victory since taking over the captaincy after the World Cup.
Rain was expected but the weather held up in sunny Queenstown, New Zealand's "Vegas by the Lake", and Vettori played all his cards right to spin Bangladesh out for just 93, a total overhauled by Brendon McCullum's murderous 29-ball 80 before the local caterers burned lunch. Against the backdrop of the scenic Remarkables hill range, Bangladesh were simply annihilated, a 3-0 sweep was completed, and the hosts went into the New Year in a festive mood ahead of a busy season.
Before this game Mohammad Ashraful, Bangladesh's captain, demanded his side improve from an "unacceptable" performance in the second match, but it appeared no one was listening. Vettori's good luck at the toss continued and he had little hesitation in giving his bowlers a crack at a struggling Bangladeshi top order, whose penchant for driving on the up had them in knots. They got away with it in Napier, to an extent, but struggled in seam-friendly conditions where the ball didn't come onto the ball all that easily.
Kyle Mills' good series continued as he bowled Junaid Siddique in the third over, going for an expansive drive and inside-edging back onto his stumps. Mills and every seamer included bowled accurately and asked plenty of questions of the batsmen. Michael Mason, sporting a bit of hair dye in his first game since the World Cup, picked up an out-of-sorts Tamim Iqbal in his second over, the 16th. Struggling to time the ball off the square, Tamim saw some width and poked at it, but was smartly snapped at slip by Scott Styris, diving to his left. His laborious 13 from 56 deliveries summed up Bangladesh's predicament.
Ashraful began to take some risks, giving himself room to carve boundaries through and over point but trying to pull Mason into Lake Wakatipu was neatly picked up by Jacob Oram just inside the ropes at deep backward square. Oram was soon into action with the ball as well, picking up Tushar Imran. An extra bit of bounce did it for Tushar, pushing forward and getting a thick outside edge to McCullum; that made it 46 for 4 after 19 overs.
Vettori held himself back until after the 25-over mark but didn't waste any time leveling himself with Chris Harris on 203 one-day wickets for his country. Aftab Ahmed failed to curb his enthusiasm and a tame sweep went nowhere but into square leg's waiting palms. But the one to cherish came three deliveries later, as Shakib al Hasan went to cut but dragged onto his stumps, taking Vettori to the top of the list.
The field required batsmen to play the ball late, with soft hands, but the Bangladeshis were eager to flash hard. There were no demons in the track but the batsmen, struggling to get the timing they wanted, were unsuccessful in working the ball square of the pitch. Vettori varied his flight, stuck in two slips and bowled as if it was a Test match. The lack of confidence from the batsmen was evident from the start but this was a whole new low as some reckless shot selection continued. Vettori took the pace off the ball, got it to bounce and spit, and Bangladesh folded for a paltry total in 37.5 overs. Vettori's five-wicket bag also made him the highest one-day wicket-taker of the year, with 42.

Can India end Australia's golden run?

2007-12-23T21:41:00.000-08:00

The quest for 17_Ian chappell

The big difference between the Indian line-up and others that have toured Australia lately is that the Indians know how to make big scores. They have the skill and the experience to battle through the tough periods they will undoubtedly face

In 2001 India stopped Steve Waugh's record-setting team dead in their tracks at 16 successive Test wins. On that occasion Sourav Ganguly's team delivered the knockout blow, a punch the Australians didn't see coming.

Now Anil Kumble's side, with a star-studded and experienced batting line-up, is the only thing standing between Ricky Ponting's team and that much-sought-after record. Ponting's side is on 14 successive wins, but the Australian attack has a big adjustment to make in order to achieve victory in the first two Test matches.

They have been feasting on a New Zealand top order that is closer to first-class than international standard and will now have to raise their sights against the potentially powerful Indian batting line-up. In good form the Indian batting order, even with an opening dilemma, as they have at present, is more like world class, and will provide a stiff test for the Brett Lee-led Australian attack.

India has two choices as opening partner for Wasim Jaffer: the technically correct and run-hungry Rahul Dravid or the flamboyant flayer, Virender Sehwag. It would be a gamble to pick Sehwag but his attacking instincts, if successful, could provide India with the perfect start and the Australian bowlers with more headaches than a New Year's day brunch party.

Sri Lanka v England, 3rd Test, Galle, 5th day

2007-12-23T21:32:00.000-08:00

Rain denies Sri Lanka's victory charge

Sri Lanka were denied victory in Galle when a second torrential downpour ended the final Test with England tottering on 251 for 6 although Alastair Cook's 118, his seventh Test century, helped keep Sri Lanka at bay. However, when he was removed after the first interruption England's tail was left with a task that would surely have been beyond them, especially against Muttiah Muralitharan who had triggered an earlier dramatic collapse of three wickets in four balls before lunch.

It was hard on Sri Lanka, who deserved a 2-0 scoreline but have the consolation of a rise to third in the world rankings. England travel in the opposite direction, down to fifth from second, a position they have held for three years, although how much those standings really mean to the players is unclear. Despite the draw England can't take much pride from their performance, although Cook's hundred at least means they registered three figures once in the series.

The highlight of the final day of the series was Muralitharan's pre-lunch spell which sent England crashing from 200 for 2 to 200 for 5 in four balls. He hasn't quite been at his incisive best since capturing the world record three weeks ago in Kandy, but sparked into life with the prospect of a few week's rest. Sri Lanka's next commitments are not until the CB Series in February.

He had already made the first incision of the morning, removing Ian Bell with a delivery which kept wickedly low to hit off stump. Cook, who was dropped early in the day on 54, and Kevin Pietersen responded by adding 72, but Muralitharan was settling into a probing spell. Switching to around the wicket he put Pietersen in a tangle, unsure whether to use bat or pad. He eventually gained his reward when Pietersen carelessly clipped a half volley to Mahela Jayawardene at midwicket.

Pietersen did have time to pass 3000 runs in his 33rd Test, equalling the mark set by Herbert Sutcliffe, and he also reached 1000 for the year, but it was the first time he ended a series without at least a half century. England suffered in all three Tests from losing batsmen when they are well set and Pietersen's departure gave an opening to Sri Lanka. Two balls later Paul Collingwood was bamboozled and left stranded by a doosra as he tried to find the gap at midwicket and Prasanna Jayawardene produced a neat stumping.

Alastair Cook gave England some pre-Christmas cheer with a fighting 118 © Getty Images

Ravi Bopara completed a depressing pair, and a chastening first Test series, when his urgency to find a run ended his stay first ball. He edged Muralitharan to Jayawardene's right at slip and the Sri Lanka captain dived, collected the ball and in one motion returned to the wicketkeeper. Bopara had already taken a couple of strides down the pitch and couldn't turn in time. It was another example of the athleticism Sri Lanka have shown throughout the series, but Bopara's desperation came from a mind that has been scrambled by recent events.

In contrast, Cook's mind remained commendably focussed after watching from the non-striker's end and he maintained his composure to reach a century off 228 balls. He now has seven Test hundreds which puts him one behind Don Bradman and Sachin Tendulkar who had eight by the time they turned 23, and level with Javed Miandad. Cook's birthday is on Christmas Day. It was also England's first overseas Test hundred since Cook scored his second-innings century at Perth a little over a year ago.

Prasanna Jayawardene dropped a leg-glance off Lasith Malinga in the day's second over, a rare error for a wicketkeeper who has impressed during the series. Cook played Muralitharan with relative ease and combined with Matt Prior - who had ground to make up after three dropped catches - in a stand spanning 30 overs either side of the rain breaks.

The weather caught everyone by surprise by clearing as rapidly as it arrived meaning Sri Lanka had one more chance to push for victory. Muralitharan thought he had Prior twice, firstly with an lbw which Asad Rauf correctly ruled would have slipped past leg stump, then with an edge that dropped fractionally short of slip. Jayawardene claimed the catch and tensions were running high with him not impressed by England's time wasting.

Cook was dropped a second time from a flashing cut the wicketkeeper dives across Kumar Sangakkara, who could only get fingers to the ball at first slip; the reprieve was brief as he fell next ball when Chanaka Welegedara made once bounce outside off stump. Sri Lanka were sensing the kill, but rain began to fall again and this time there was no coming back as the ground was soaked within minutes.

However, after beginning the series on the back of a hammering by Australia and rumblings of discontent in the camp, Sri Lanka have shown that in their own conditions they are one of the most formidable opposition in the world

Youth team prepare to take on the world

2007-12-23T21:16:00.000-08:00

USA juniors prepare for tour of India

Banned from competing for the ICC Under-19 World Cup even after a 2007 season which earned them top honours in every international match they played, USA's junior cricketers are looking forward to making history with a tour of India. They will be the first representative US team to tour a major Test-playing nation in the history of North American cricket.

The US senior team, led by Steve Massiah and featuring some of the best young players, nearly managed to qualify for the World Cup before falling victim to bad luck and the weather. Now there is little hope that they will be able to play until the USA Cricket Association (USACA) is able to convince its own stakeholders as well as the ICC that it deserves another chance to do things right - and until that happens, USA's senior cricketers can only watch disconsolately from the sidelines.

Not so the USA juniors who are determined to forge ahead under their own steam in 2008 and beyond. They are going ahead with an ambitious agenda and have every intention of doing better than in 2007.

However, it doesn't come cheap. A four to six-week international tour could cost $100,000 for a fifteen-player squad in addition to the coach, manager and physio. A fully-fledged program of five or more tours each year could easily cost half a million dollars or more. The question is, who will pick up the tab?

For the upcoming India tour, the juniors have the support of a major sponsor: the Key Point Credit Union. It is located in the heart of Silicon Valley with branches throughout California. "Key Point's premier sponsorship of [our] tour, singling us out for [this kind of] major support, allows our players the opportunity to represent their native county in a game they love", said Hemant Buch, founder of the California Cricket Academy (CCA).

Buch said the success achieved by USA's juniors in 2007 did not come out of thin air. It was built on an annual program including world-class coaching, a very successful national tournament, and inter-club tournaments featuring the different formats to expose the youngsters to all the styles they might expect to encounter in international junior cricket. Such intensive junior set-ups exist in very few countries, although more and more are taking them up as interest in junior cricket grows worldwide.

Captain defends under-fire team

2007-12-23T20:50:00.000-08:00

Shoaib Malik, Pakistan's under-fire captain, has dismissed speculation that rifts are emerging in his side after losses to India and South Africa under his leadership. Malik, who was appointed captain after the World Cup, has been retained as leader until December 2008 by the Pakistan board, despite the poor start to his tenure.

Pakistan has been rife with talk that two camps have emerged in the team, one supporting Younis Khan's push for captaincy and the other behind the incumbent Malik. This was, Malik said however, just talk.

"It hurts to end the year on a disappointing note with defeats in India. But there is no truth in rumours of differences within the team," he said. "The team has been playing as a unit and that is why we managed to draw the last two Tests in India. The seniors have been extending full co-operation and I am happy with my position as captain."

Malik pointed out that injuries to key players, particularly in the fast bowling department, cost Pakistan heavily through the tour. "It made a big difference to our performance because our bowling lacked bite. In the one-day series we fought hard and it was a close rubber. In the Delhi Test one bad session cost us the match.

South Africa A v West Indians, East London, 3rd day

2007-12-23T20:41:00.000-08:00

West Indians beaten inside three days

West Indies' confidence took a severe battering ahead of the Boxing Day Test against South Africa, as they were defeated inside three days by the host's A team in their only warm-up game in East London. The fragile West Indian batting order failed to bat through a day for the second time in the match, leaving South Africa A a feeble target of 37, which they achieved without losing a wicket.

The West Indians were dismissed in 65.1 overs in the first innings and lasted marginally longer in the second, scoring 214 off 78.3 overs. Monde Zondeki, who had taken 5 for 39 in the first innings, ripped through the top order once again, taking 3 for 61 before Johan Botha mopped up the tail with 4 for 20. The West Indians were facing a humiliating innings defeat at one stage; they were 118 for 6 before their captain Dwayne Bravo bailed them out by scoring 67 with assistance from Darren Sammy, who contributed 57.

The third day began with South Africa A on 351 for 7, sitting on a 158-run lead. Justin Ontong was unbeaten on 109 but he managed to add only 5 more runs to his score before running out of partners. Bravo converted his overnight 3 for 43 into a six-for by dismissing the tailenders in quick succession but the West Indians, facing a deficit of 178, were firmly on the back foot.

Their bad situation got worse when both openers - Daren Ganga and Devon Smith - fell in successive overs with the score on 5. They desperately needed a substantial innings from Shivnarine Chanderpaul - he has played several this year - after Runako Morton and Marlon Samuels fell cheaply. However, Zondeki induced an edge to the wicketkeeper, Morne van Wyk, to cut short Chanderpaul's innings to 9 off 43 balls. Bravo and Sammy then struck half-centuries and added 87 for the seventh wicket to take West Indies into the lead. But once Botha dismissed Bravo, he picked up the last three wickets within the space of four overs.

South Africa A made short work of their target and prevented the game from spilling over into the final day. van Wyk and Alviro Petersen knocked off 39 runs in nine overs to take the team to their second consecutive victory against a touring side. They had beaten New Zealand by 85 runs in November.

Scorecard
South Africa A 371 (Ontong 114*, van Wyk 89, Duminy 62, McKenzie 54, Bravo 6-51) and 39 for 0 beat West Indians 193 (Morton 54, Zondeki 5-39) and 214 (Bravo 67, Sammy 57, Botha 4-20) by 10 wickets

New Zealand Cricket XI v Bangladeshis, Twenty20, Hamiltion

2007-12-23T20:16:00.000-08:00

Bangladeshis pick up first tour win-

Bangladesh defeated a New Zealand Cricket (NZC) XI by four wickets in a day-night Twenty20 game in Hamilton to pick up their first win of the tour. After the Bangladeshi bowlers had restricted NZC XI to a modest 133, Farhad Reza's 17-ball 31 propelled the visitors to a win with three overs to spare.

Sent in, NZC XI had a slow start reaching 19 for 2 in 5.3 overs. They were propped up by James Marshall and Scott Styris who added 39 for the fifth wicket. Marshall top scored with an unbeaten 33, which included one six and a four. For the Bangladeshis, opening bowler Shahadat Hossain took 3 for 15 off his four overs.

The visitors' chase began poorly with the openers falling cheaply but the next five batsmen contributed with scores over 20 to ensure victory. Three run-outs had threatened to derail the Bangladeshis' reply, but Reza and Mehrab Hossain jnr added 47 for the sixth wicket to ease their side's concerns. Michael Mason was the most effective NZC XI bowler, conceding only 21 runs off his four overs.

After having lost two of their three previous games of the tour - with one match abandoned, the Bangladeshis will take some confidence from this win, which comes ahead of the first ODI against New Zealand on Wednesday.

The game was a charity match to help raise funds for people affected by Cyclone Sidr, which ripped through Bangladesh in November and killed more than 3000 people. The ICC also donated US$250,000 to the Bangladesh Relief Fund at the start of the match.

India looking to big four to blunt Aussie bowling

2007-12-23T20:01:00.000-08:00

SYDNEY- India will bank on their big batting four to notch up the runs and claim a historic first series win in Australia, starting with the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

India have won just four Tests in eight Australian tours, but pushed Steve Waugh's Australians all the way in the drawn 1-1 last series tour here in 2003-04.
Batting great Sachin Tendulkar believes India have their best chance of beating Australia on their home grounds for the first time
Tendulkar forms the most experienced middle-order quartet in world cricket with Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and V.V.S. Laxman, weighing in with 32,610 runs gleaned from a total of 442 Tests and with 87 centuries between them.
"I think it would be the most important tour (ever) if we can pull it off," Tendulkar told a pre-Test match press conference.
"Beating Australia is obviously the ultimate thing because of the way they have played for so many years, so it makes it a special tour."
"The Little Master," who ranks second to West Indian Brian Lara as the highest run-getter in Test history with 11,289 runs, is rated one of the greatest batsmen of all-time and was a favourite of late Australian cricket icon Don Bradman.
The Indians fancy their chances on the strength of their impressive recent away record -- Test series victories in the West Indies in 2006 after 35 years and then in England in 2007 after 21 years, under Rahul Dravid.
New skipper Anil Kumble recently led his side to a 1-0 win in the three-Test series against Pakistan, India's first success against their rivals at home since 1980.
But Australia ranks as the toughest challenge for all touring teams Down Under. Australia's last home series loss was 14 years ago to the West Indies 2-1 and they have been unbeaten in 26 subsequent home series.
Under Ricky Ponting, the Australians have won their last 14 consecutive Test matches and are the undisputed world champions at Test and one-day level.
It will be a supreme test for the Indians, starting with the showcase Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. But this time they do not have to contend with Australia's two bowling titans, Shane Warne (708 wickets) and Glenn McGrath (563 wickets), who retired from Test cricket earlier this year.