In a bid to form a strong bowling attack, Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf has turned to specialist fast and spin bowlers of yesteryears to find out young and budding talent for the future of national cricket team, sportsencounter.com has learnt.

Former Test fast bowler Sarfraz Nawaz has reportedly said that chairman PCB Zaka Ashraf has given him the task to find genuine fast bowlers from all over the country.

In the second phase of his mission to find impressive bowlers, Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf has now handed former legendary leg-spin bowler Abdul Qadir the job to find and nourish world class spinners in the country.

Abdul Qadir will start his mission next month from Peshawar to Karachi.

“Yes, Zaka Ashraf has given his go-ahead for this task, and hopefully I will start my journey in next month. I and Sarfraz gave this idea to chairman and he immediately was in favor of this idea” Abdul Qadir told this scribe.

Abdul Qadir, who is of the firm belief that leg spinners are the match-winners, is still standing on his statement but said he would not be focusing only to find leggies and has this task to bring off-spinners to the fore as well.

“Actually I am a spinner, so being leg or off spinner matters the least. I will find just talented spinners either leg breaker or off breaker, but it’s my wish that cricket board must work on leg spin department and I will find some leg spinners and will recommend PCB that they allow them to stay in the National Cricket Academy (NCA) where they would get polish for international and domestic cricket” Abdul Qadir said.

Pakistan ended runners-up after falling to the home team Malaysia by 2-1 in the final of the tournament where most of the youngsters proved their mettle and caught the eyes of the PHF officials.

While talking with the media persons in his office, Asif Bajwa, who came back from Kuala Lumpur last night, praised performance of Pakistan Junior Hockey Team and showed full confidence on players and the team management.

The junior team has also qualified for the coming Junior World Cup 2013, which is really an achievement, he added.

He said that as a part of training programme, the junior team will play 4-Nation Tournament being held in China in the month of August 2012 and 7-Nation Tournament to be played in Malaysia in the month of November 2012.

After Junior Super League in the month of December 2012 or January 2013, the PHF intends to organise a 4-Nation Junior Hockey Tournament in Pakistan.

The junior hockey team will visit five European countries for a training tour in the months of May and June 2013.

Asif Bajwa said that after participation in 21st Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament from 24th May to 3rd June, the team will undertake a training tour of Europe and will play two matches against German hockey team in Cologne, one match against Belgian hockey team and one match against Dutch hockey team.

After European tour a 16-member team for the London Olympic 2012 will be announced. This team will go to London on 11th July for pre-Olympic training at Cannock Hockey Club Birmingham for 10 days.

The team will also play matches against Belgium, New Zealand or Argentina, Belgium match is confirmed and efforts are being made to have second match out of the two nations.

PHF Disciplinary Committee who have had a session with those national players who took part in an unsanctioned event, i.e. World Hockey Series (WHS), will submit the recommendations to PHF by next week.

The players have not only violated the PHF Constitution but also ignored the Directives of FIH.

The Committee has asked the players to submit their agreements along with the record of first payment received by them.

As per the FIH Bye-Laws, any player who signed contract after 31st March 2011, a one-year ban can be imposed.

According to the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) spokesman, Pakistan came close to scoring in the 13th minute after Faisal Iqbal crossed from the right side, but Saddam Hussain fumbled and failed to tap the ball into an open net. It was, however, Pakistan who was still dominating proceedings at the midfield. The stronger of the two sides physically, Pakistan relied on counter-attacks with their long clearances. Around the halfway stage, Vietnam found an opening but Vietnam’ sticker’s header off a corner hit the horizontal. There was a chance for Pakistan in the second half but they could not capitalize.

The draw against Vietnam has made the situation difficult for the Greenshirts as they opened their account with one point and now will need a win against hosts Palestine in their last game on May 18 to qualify for the semifinals. However, if Pakistan notches off a draw against Palestine, then they will fight for a slot in the top four as the best second placed team, which looks difficult considering the fact that Palestine are fielding their senior team and will also have home advantage. Palestine is in stronger position as they only need a draw to make it to the last four, having beaten Vietnam 2-0 in their first match.

This is for the first time that Pakistan is playing on the soil of Palestine. Palestine visited Pakistan last year and played one match each at Karachi and Lahore against the hosts’ side who were preparing for the Olympic qualifiers.

The competitions are being held under round robin system and a leading team from each group and the best second-placed side from the three groups will make it to the semifinals. The matches are being held at the Faisal Husseini Stadium, Alram, Nablus Municipal Stadium, Nablus, Majed Asad Stadium, Albireh, Alhussein Ben Ali Stadium, Hebron and Dura Stadium, Dura.

The hockey players and team management offered nawafils at the shrine followed by special prayers for the national team triumph.

On the occasion, head coach Akhtar Rasool said that in the past when Pakistan hockey team was ready to participate in any big event, all the players and officials used to visit the shrine of great saint Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh and they had firm beliefs in prayers. After doing so, mostly the national team used to return with victories and great achievements.

“We are nothing without the help of Allah Almighty so with the prayers, we beg honour for the country and pray for help in winning various events. Now it is our prayer to Allah Almighty that we may return with victory,” he added.

Khawaja Junaid said: “We get eternal peace while staying here at shrine. The nation should also pray for the hockey team’s triumph and I hope the team will not disappoint the nation.”

The probables have been asked to report to EZ joint secretary Hanif Muhammad on Saturday (May 19) at 9am along with two passport size photographs and copy of the National ID Card/B Form.

The probables of the two teams are: East Zone Blues: Fahadul Haq, Asif Ashfaq, M Yousaf, Ammar Tariq (wk), M Naeem, Naeem Arshad, Kamran Khalil, Yasir Ali Jr, Syed M Waqas, Imran Talib, Waseem Khan, Gul Khan, Isar Baig, Sher Baz Khan, Tanzil Altaf, Ijaz Ahmed, Abid Ali, Rana Adnan, M Ishtiaq, M Asif, Kamran Khan, Ali Zahid, Abdul Sattar, Shahbaz Nazir, Taimur Talib, Usman Malik, Muntazir Mehdi, Siddique Khan, Naemul Haq, Fahad Karim, Ahmed Abdullah and Asim Naz.

East Zone Whites: Inayat Saeed, Sabtain Sarwar, Ahmed Akram, Hassan Nasir, Ghulam Shabbir, Salman Ali, Yasir Ali, Zeeshan Shabbir, Sohaib Akram, Faisal Tanveer, Azam Rafiq (wk), Mustafa Miran, Hafiz M Umar, Hafiz M Usman, Khurram Humayan, Aqib Mehmood, Mudassar Hussain, Zafar Gohar, Hassain Alam, Shahid Khan, Farhan Asghar, Usman Pervaiz, Sameer Akram, Khan Wali, M Saeed, Abdul Waheed, Saleem Bashir, Ali Ahmed and M Mubashar.

The player, whose name has not been disclosed by the authorities, but our sources in Nairobi has identified him. He is an all-rounder and has been playing in the team for more than 12 years.

The source said exclusively, “We are expecting an ICC team this week to come in and question him further. Already he has had two sessions of questioning with the people”.

It can be revealed that this player played a great role in making cricket popular in Kenya. He was a ball boy at Gymkhana as a kid but once they let him play he never stopped amazing the officials and eventually fans in his country.

The all-rounder who has also played in India will be suspended, if found guilty.

It may be recalled here that Maurice Odumbe was the first Kenyan cricketer suspended from in August 2004 after being found guilty of receiving money from bookmakers. After serving five years of suspension he returned to competitive cricket at domestic level in August 2009, aged 40.

Odumbe has now been involved in fundraising for shelters for AIDS orphans, as well as presenting a weekly radio sports programme in Kenya. He has also been appearing in a number of television commercials. He may stand as a candidate for the National Democratic Development Union (NDDU) in the forthcoming Kenyan general election.

“Maurice Odumbe would like to form an East Africa star eleven to show case the talent we have in the three countries. He is keen to bring a team to India”, his friend, Zubair Mohammed said from Nairobi.

Mr. de Speville has advised governments and international organisations on various aspects of anti-corruption policy and practice. His services were sought by the ICC and in its report submitted to the game’s highest governing body earlier this year, he had warned about fixing in Twenty 20 and the IPL.

“It is sad to hear the news (about players’ suspension”, he said over telephone from London. In my report I did say that the players get more opportunity to fix the game in this format”.

“Whenever the players or their agents are cheating the authority should take the right disciplinary action and fans should not be deprived of the true cricket”, he added.

“The view of those consulted is that the arrival of international T20 cricket and the Indian Premier League has considerably increased the risk of match-fixing”, he said in its 33-page report. “Review of the ICC’s anticorruption arrangements and spot-fixing. By contractual arrangement the ICC provides services to the IPL. There is also no reason to suppose that the risk of corruption unconnected with betting will have diminished”, he added.

A former joint-director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), K. (Kollaikal) Madhavan was commissioner during the BCCI’s match-fixing inquiry.  He was appointed by the then president, Dr A.C.Muthiah, best remembered for his tough stand.

Madhavan, though, declined to speak at length, however, said, “I am aware about the recent claims but have not seen the footage fully. The BCCI should obtain the original sting operation video tape and send it to the experts. The BCCI should also take necessary remedial measures, if required”.

“The BCCI can only initiate the departmental action against the alleged players, because they (the players) are not government servants”, he added.

On the basis on Madhavan’s 162-page report the Indian cricket board had banned senior Indian players.

“The laws in Britain are different”, he said. Because of the different laws in Britain, the three Pakistani trio, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir were sent to jail for their role in spot-fixing claims.

Roger Federer, who not only grabbed back his world number two spot but also shrank his points difference with world number one Novak Djokovic, which he looks all set to capture.

Roger Federer looked in perfect shape and seemed to have grabbed his lost magical touch at the Madrid Open where he won his fourth title of the year thus equalizing Rafael Nadal’s 20 ATP Masters record but his voyage to end the year on top of the ATP Tour Rankings for a record sixth time doesn’t look like a walk in the park.

Despite touching 31, Roger Federer still seems energetic and is trying his best to dominate in the circuit and huge number of sports and tennis fans wants him back at number one spot yet again.

Despite winning his sixth Masters title on clay court and second of this year, the most important goal for Roger Federer still remains ending Grand Slam drought which in return can hand him back his lost world number one rank.

The one important thing that favors Roger Federer is that he will not have to defend coming tournaments (including remaining three Grand Slams) which means the pressure would be on Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic to stop the Swiss living legend.

Roger Federer and Rome Masters 2012

In Rome Masters, if Roger Federer wins and defending Champion Novak Djokovic suffers another loss in semifinal or before the last-four encounter then points difference will be reduced even further. This reduction in the gap can do wonders for Roger Federer, especially if he manages to win Wimbledon or French Open title. Roger Federer reached twice in Rome Masters Final (2003 and 2006) but has never won this one in his illustrious career.

World number three Rafael Nadal has an impressive record in Rome Masters as he was part of the final on six occasions in the last seven years here where he won the title five times.

Roger Federer and Last 8 Grand Slams

It will be tough for Roger Federer to play against Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in Grand Slams where world number two will have to prove himself as the real champion challenger.

After last 8 unsuccessful grand slams where Roger Federer could only make it to final once and that was in French Open last year. During the course he had to suffer unexpected defeats as well, which shows that he will have to play great tennis in five-set matches against the very best in the business.

Roger Federer, who struggled last year on clay and couldn’t win any title, has to keep his aggression for focused milestone, because not only Rafael Nadal and Novak djokovic but Juan Martin del Potro, Fernando Verdasco, Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfred Tsonga can also give him tough time.

Race for ATP Tour Rankings Top Spot

Race for world number one spot looks poised entering in interesting phase for the current top three players because all of them are in between 2000 points and number one spot is opened for anyone but it can be bit tough for Novak Djokovic because he will have to defend many titles ahead.

Roger Federer who has already won four titles this year is looking in ominous touch to keep his journey towards the world number one spot but he will add another four titles to his tally, including some Grand Slams, to achieve the mission.

Mohammad Hafeez is known for his bigmouth attitude among his teammates and therefore he will get counseling by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to handle captaincy professionally, sources informed TheSportsEncounter.

Sources at the cricket board told this scribe on Tuesday that the top and senior PCB officials are well aware of the fact that Mohammad Hafeez doesn’t have enough respect among his teammates and he may face severe criticism from his senior members over his style of captaincy.

“Yes, it is right that PCB didn’t have enough options for captaincy. Hafeez, had sympathies of some of the board’s officials which helped him to get the job”, sources said adding, “Authorities knew he doesn’t have enough respect in teammates because of his bigmouth attitude and is prone to luring new controversies in the dressing room”.

A source who is with the national cricket team for a long time told this correspondent on condition of anonymity that Mohammad Hafeez always thinks that he is the genius one in the team and he often goes to the extent of coaching his teammates and sometimes he does meet bitter reactions.

Source further stated, “Mohammad Hafeez always treats his teammates as if he is their coach rather than a team member therefore players call him ‘Professor’”.

The source added that the Pakistan Cricket Board officials have appointed Mohammad Hafeez as Twenty20 captain but the appointment has come with a package of his bossy attitude therefore they have decided conducting some counseling sessions with the newly-installed skipper.

“Some of the board officials discussed their concerns with him in a formal chat” source claimed.

Pakistan Cricket Board is looking to have Mohammad Hafeez as captain for a longer period of time but at the same time the top authorities are concerned about his bigmouth attitude and fear that the all-rounder may lose captaincy sooner than they have planned if he doesn’t get rid of his negative habits.

“From what I have heard I am sure he would do his best for Bangladesh”, she said over telephone from England.

In fact, the 48-year-old Pybus was “advised” by Mrs. Barlow to apply for the job at Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

“Richard Pybus knew Eddie since South African days and they spent time together discussing cricket. I thought of him (Pybus) when I heard that Stuart Law had gone back to Australia. I always have Bangladesh’s interests at heart so I suggested he might like to apply but I believe he had already been approached”, she said.

“I told him how much Eddie and I had enjoyed being in Bangladesh and how delightful the cricket team were when we were there. I also said what a beautiful place Bangladesh was and how lucky we were to be there at the start of Bangladesh’s Test beginnings”.

Eddie Barlow was invited to become the national coach of Bangladesh in 1999 and helped put together the plans that enabled the country to achieve official Test status the following year.

“I always support Bangladesh when they play anyone but when they play South Africa I just hope for a good game”, she says.

“Sadly I have only been back once since Eddie and I left. I came when England were last out there and proudly waved my Bangladesh flag ! I hope to return again in the future. I do follow Bangladesh cricket when I can and also keep up with the many friends I have made via email and Facebook. I met various of the old players of Eddie’s day when I came to Bangladesh. Javed Omar Belim, Khaled Mahsud Pilot, Akram Khan, Habibul Bashar Sumon, and luckily because Monjural Islam was over from China I met him when I went to BKSP”, she further added.

A stand at Newlands Cricket Ground was to have been named after Barlow but due to opposition from some of the voting clubs it has been “put on hold”. “The fiasco of the naming of the stands at Newlands did not only affect Eddie. All the naming of the stands was put on hold and to this day I don’t really know the answer why”, she added.

In 2000 Barlow suffered a stroke in Bangladesh which put him initially in intensive care and then a wheelchair. “My husband loved his electric scooter which was provided for him by the PCA over here and really gave him his legs back. He could walk but only slowly so the scooter was ideal and the boys he coached would ring his bell when they had batted or bowled well !!”.

Barlow was forced to sell the wine farm in 2001 to pay for medical bills that his insurer refused to pay. “Selling the farm in SA was one of the worst times of our lives but as no one would employ him in SA we had to turn to our friends in Wales who said “Come, we need your expertise” and so he was coaching until he died which was lovely for him. The insurance company would not pay the medical bills until after it was too late for us to keep the farm”, she further added.

Mrs. Barlow met late South Africa and Pakistani coach, Bob Woolmer’s wife once. “I have only met Mrs. Woolmer once and briefly at the airport. I am not in touch with her thereafter”, she concluded.