Pakistan's female umpire breaks new ground in UK

KARACHI: Former cricketer Shah Parveen Kausar became the first woman from Pakistan to umpire a competitive game in England.

Kausar stood as a field umpire in the in the Saddleworth and District Cricket League game between Shaw and Friamere Second XI at Holebottom Clough.

‘Shah did very well. She was very competent in everything she did and I think she enjoyed herself,’ experienced league official Peter Lilley and Shah's partner in the game said while talking to Oldham Evening Chronicle.

‘She didn’t just stand at square leg, she did a full job.

‘The players were a bit surprised, but they were very courteous towards her and there was no bad language — not even directed at me which was unusual!’

The 50-year-old Kausar has umpired both men’s and women’s games in Pakistan. She is expected to umpire a full season in England next year.

‘Thanks to Kausar’s achievements, more women will be encouraged to increase their involvement with Cricket,’ a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) statement said Wednesday.

‘Kausar’s achievements are especially noteworthy as she is making great strides in an area previously dominated by men and is a great advertisement for equality in Pakistani sports. Furthermore, Kausar’s achievement will help provide encouragement to other women to break similar ground in cricket,’ the statement said.

Yousuf, Raqeeb predict return of international cricket to Pakistan

HOBART: Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf and team manager Abdul Raqeeb predicted on Thursday international cricket will most probably be played in their country again within a year.

Raqeeb, speaking to reporters here after the side’s arrival at the completion of the New Zealand tour, was asked when international cricket would return to the country dogged by security concerns.

‘Things are improving in the country [Pakistan] and hopefully, most probably within the next year or so the teams will start coming to Pakistan,’ Raqeeb told reporters at the team’s news conference.

Raqeeb added the situation in Pakistan was such that the national side can’t play a home series.

‘But at least the cricket is on. Isn’t it? That’s the main thing, domestic cricket we are playing and that’s a good thing,’ he said. ‘Whether we are playing at home or abroad, at least, we are playing cricket.’

Yousuf then added to the manager’s response, saying: ‘If people want to play, why not come [to Pakistan]?’

‘It’s a good answer, I think,’ Raqeeb said.

Yousuf said: ‘Whenever you come [to Pakistan] you will be welcome.’

The International Cricket Council (ICC) this week said security remained the biggest problem facing world cricket. ICC President David Morgan said the attack on Sri Lankan team’s bus in Lahore in March had ‘changed the landscape’.

That attack, which also saw shots fired at a coach carrying the umpires and the match referee, led to the suspension of international cricket in Pakistan.

Since then the ongoing concerns about the safety of Pakistan as a venue for international sport, led the ICC to redistribute its scheduled 14 matches at the 2011 World Cup among Asian co-hosts India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, Yousuf was confident of Pakistan’s bowling attack putting them into winning positions in the upcoming three-Test series against Australia.

He highlighted his team’s bowling as the main strength.

‘Our bowlers are capable of taking 20 wickets but we need to improve our batting and fielding,’ Yousuf stressed. ‘I think we’ve got good spinners, the best spinners in the world, and fast bowling also.’

Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, who took seven wickets in the side’s last Test against New Zealand, will lead Pakistan’s spinning department while paceman Mohammad Sami’s recall to the Test side for the Australian tour will bolster the fast bowling ranks.

Sami was requested to help ease the burden on the team’s fast bowlers in what is expected to be a demanding tour. He will supplement an attack featuring Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamir and Abdur Rauf.

Raqeeb said Sami, 28, had been playing well in domestic cricket. ‘That’s why the selectors have decided to send him,’ Raqeeb said.

‘Not only is he performing well, he is an experienced one. He has played a lot of Test cricket and we know it’s a mental game also, it’s not only talent that counts; it’s experience also and he is a very experienced bowler.

‘That’s why the selectors along with the captain decided to call him up.’

The Australian tour is a chance for Sami to revive his career. The right-armer played the last of his 33 Tests against India at Bangalore in December 2007 before he was sidelined for poor form.
—Agencies

Sri Lanka’s Muralitharan out of India one-dayers

NEW DELHI: Sri Lanka’s world bowling record holder Muttiah Muralitharan will miss the rest of the one-day series in India due to a finger injury, a team official said on Wednesday.

Muralitharan, 37, sat out Tuesday’s first one-dayer in Rajkot in which the tourists almost chased down India’s 414-7 before being restricted to 411-8 in the high-scoring thriller, AFP reported.

The off-spinner will return home later on Wednesday and will not take part in the remaining four games, team manager Brendon Kuruppu told reporters.

‘We have decided to rest Murali from the one-day series to allow him to recover fully and be available for future tournaments,’ Kuruppu said.

‘Murali injured his ring and middle fingers on his right hand during the Mumbai Test earlier this month and is going back home.’

Muralitharan, whose 792 Test and 512 one-day wickets are world records, will be replaced by two off-spinners, Muthumudalige Pushpakumara and Suraj Randiv, for the rest of the series.

The duo will join the squad ahead of Friday’s second match in Nagpur, Kuruppu said.

Sri Lanka lost the Test series against India 2-0 and both teams won a Twenty20 international each ahead of the one-dayers.

Sri Lanka are due to play a tri-series with India and Bangladesh in Dhaka from January 4-13.

Morgan predicts day-night Tests ‘within two years’

LONDON: International Cricket Council (ICC) president David Morgan said on Wednesday he would be ‘surprised if we don’t see day/night Test cricket within the next two years.’

While attendances for Test match cricket in England remain strong, crowds for five-day cricket in other leading nations have been in decline for several years.

As part of plans to boost Test match crowds around the world, the ICC has been looking at staging five-day games in a day/night format — something that currently happens only for one-dayers and Twenty20 internationals.

The ICC is also looking into creating a World Test Championship although Morgan, speaking at a meeting of the Indian Journalists’ Association at the Oval here on Wednesday, shied away from the term and stressed the need for Tests to have ‘context.’

Morgan, a former chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), said: ‘I’d be surprised if we don’t see day/night Test cricket within the next two years, surprised and disappointed.

‘In terms of each Test match having a context beyond bilateral series, real progress could be made soon,’ he added, saying there might be a ‘climax’ although he didn’t say how this would be achieved.

‘We want to ensure Test match cricket is as popular around world as it is in this country (England). The ECB have little trouble in selling out the first four days of a Test.’

Day/night matches were pioneered in Australia in the late 1970s during the ‘rebel’ World Series Cricket contests bankrolled by media businessman Kerry Packer when ‘Super Tests,’ with players wearing coloured clothing and using a white, rather than a traditional red, ball.

‘If you look at a country like Australia with big stadia and very hot conditions, Australia is made for day/night Test cricket,’ Morgan, who explained ICC wanted Tests played in as ‘close to white as possible,’ said.

‘Eighteen months ago, I wouldn’t have been overly enthusiastic, thinking of the tradition and the records,’ the Welshman added.

‘But the way Test match cricket has changed over 130-odd years, I see (day-nighters) as a very good reason for bringing the crowds out.

‘At ICC, we regard Test cricket as the pinnacle of the game. It’s the form of the game cricketers seek to play.

‘It is interesting Test cricket has endured and I am sure it is going to continue to thrive. The ICC has recognised that in some countries Test match cricket is not that popular in terms of people paying at the gate.

‘It needs to be a competitive event and it needs pitches that provide a good balance between bat and ball,’ added Morgan following some recent ‘run-fests’ on batsman-friendly surfaces that many critics claim have harmed Test cricket.

‘All 10 full member boards aree switched on to improving Test match cricket and attendances at Test matches.

‘That includes the ECB because if Test match cricket were to wither around the world, it would cause a problem here.

‘Day/night cricket is less important in England and Wales because the grounds, which are relatively small sell-out. It’s more important in countries with large stadia and hot conditions.’

India’s rise to number one in the world Test rankings has appeared to prompt a change of heart among administrators at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), cricket’s most financially powerful national governing body.

They had been planning to change their scheduled three-Test home series against South Africa in February into a five-match one-day campaign.

But now plans are being mooted for a two-Test series, with three one-dayers, although traditionalists argue a Test contest between such strong nations ought to feature at least three matches.

‘I do believe the efforts of the BCCI to re-arrange the programme so that there might be a two-Test series, this is an interesting shift by the BCCI,’Morgan said.

Karachi Whites whip NBP in QA Trophy match

KARACHI: Karachi Whites completed a thoroughly-deserved innings and 87-run victory after National Bank were dismissed for 201 in their second innings on the last day of the 10th-round Group ‘A’ match in the RBS Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship at the NBP Sports Complex here on Saturday.

Resuming at 184-8, National Bank could just 17 runs before losing their final wicket.

Mansoor Amjad, who was batting on 70 at draw of stumps on Friday, was last out for 85 (221 balls, 10 fours and one six), falling to Zohaib Shera to give the debutant hat-trick man figures of 4-49 in 20.4 overs.

Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) were denied win by a fighting century from Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC)’s opener Asif Zakir at the KRL Stadium in Rawalpindi.

Asif batted defiantly to score 109, an innings that featured 18 fours and one six, as SSGC reached 315 in their second innings after starting at 96-2.

Pakistan Customs suffered their eighth loss in nine matches as Wapda beat them by four wickets at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad despite a lionhearted bowling performance from Zeeshan Nadir who took all six Wapda’s second innings to finish with match figures of 11-164.

Meanwhile, Karachi Blues’ bid for seventh win in nine matches was thwarted by dogged resistance from Quetta’s Shoaib Khan and Arun Lal as the reached safety at 407-6 after resuming the day at 93-2 in pursuit of a daunting 495-run target at the National Stadium.

However, by taking three first-innings points Karachi Blues made sure of qualifying for the Dec 20-24 final as Group ‘B’ winners.

The highlights of the last day were Shoaib’s undefeated 111 off 138 balls with 15 fours and one six and Arun Lal’s career-best knock of 98.

Shoaib, who didn’t open the innings, came with Quetta facing defeat at 183-5, but together with Arun (166 balls, 15 fours) put on mach-saving partnership of 224 before Arun departed.

Sialkot, as expected, cantered to a crushing nine-wicket victory against hosts Hyderabad at the Niaz Stadium.

The outgoing champions took Hyderabad’s last three wickets for the addition of only 18 runs after the home team resumed at 291-7. Paceman Faisal Rasheed claimed 5-66.

The match between Rawalpindi and Abbottabad at Islamabad’s National Ground ended in a draw after Naved Malik struck an undefeated 116 (175 balls, 14 boundaries) as Rawalpindi declared their second innings at 238-7.

Abbottabad’s left-arm strike bowler Junaid Khan returned match haul of 10-198. Abbottabad lost four wickets for 52 runs when the game finished.

Our Sports Reporter adds from Lahore: Peshawar ended their Group ‘B’ campaign on a winning note by handing Lahore Ravi a 51-run defeat at the LCCA Ground.

The Ravians failed to reach a gettable target of 229 and were all out for 177 in the second innings with paceman Imran Khan taking 5-66 in 15.2 overs.

Naved Yasin became the first batsman in the ongoing championship to reach the magic figures of 1,000 runs as Multan drew their match against Islamabad at the Multan Cricket Ground.

Naved, who made 24 in Multan’s second innings of 332-4 declared, reached the coveted landmark when his score reached 19. Rameez Alam hit an unbeaten 119 (218 balls, 10 fours and one six) for the home side.

Slow left-armer Nauman Alvi grabbed 5-42 to help PIA defeat Lahore Shalimar by nine wickets in the Group ‘A’ fixture at the Gaddafi Stadium. Lahore Shalimar, despite fighting knocks from Abid Ali (71 not out) and Usman Malik (74) were dismissed for 225 in the second innings.

PIA skipper Yasir Hameed then hit an unbeaten 51 to guide his team to victory.

Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL)’s slim hopes of reaching the final ended in disappointment as Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) gained three points for taking lead on the first innings in the drawn match in Gujranwala.

The result of this game automatically ensured Group ‘A’ leaders Habib Bank’s spot in the final against Karachi Blues.

India deploys heavy security for Sri Lanka ODI

RAJKOT, India: The first of five limited-overs internationals between India and Sri Lanka will be played under tight security this week with almost 1,500 police deployed to ensure player safety.

‘We have deployed 1,500 policemen including three companies of SRP (State Reserve Police ),’ Deputy Commissioner of Police Mayank Chavda was quoted as saying by Press Trust of India on Sunday.

‘About 100 policemen have been deployed at the hotel for the players security.’

The first one-dayer will be played at Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Ground on Tuesday after India last month w2on the three-test series 2-0. India and Sri Lanka shared the two-match Twenty20 series 1-1.

At the western city of Rajkot, police be stationed at the venue as well as the Imperial Hotel, where the two teams will stay for three days, PTI reported. Police have also carried out searches in other hotels throughout the city and launched 24-hour patrols.

Spectators will pass through metal detectors at the ground’s entries, while some 20 closed circuit cameras have been installed to watch the stands.

Last month marked the first anniversary of a terror attack in the Indian city of Mumbai that left more than 170 people dead and prompted England to pull out of the last two matches of a limited-overs series.

The four other one-dayers between India and Sri Lanka will be played at Cuttack, Vishakhapatnam, Calcutta and New Delhi.

England bowlers turn down IPL offers

LONDON: England fast bowlers Stuart Broad and James Anderson will not play in next year’s Indian Premier League, British media revealed on Monday.

The seamers were in line for exciting opportunities in the cash-laden climes of the IPL but will instead turn their full attention to their international careers.

Andrew Flintoff injured his knee while playing in the IPL last year while Kevin Pietersen had to deny claims he aggravated an Achilles injury while training with Bangalore Royal Challengers.

BBC radio quoted Broad, who also turned down an India stint last year, as saying that his ‘number one priority’ was to represent his country.

Napier test hangs in the balance

NAPIER: New Zealand grabbed a wicket late on the fourth day of the third and final test against Pakistan to give them a sniff of a win at Napier.

Earlier, four half-centuries from Pakistan's top order ensured the 120 run deficit that they were up against starting the day was wiped off.

Imran Farhat added 67 to his first-innings score of 117 with Salman Butt (66) before falling to the seemingly harmless deliveries of Martin Guptill.

Guptill, who opened the bowling to allow fast bowler Chris Martin to change ends, struck with his third ball of the day, inducing a nothing-of-a-shot from Butt before he could add anything to his overnight score.

Resuming the day at 128-0, Pakistan were all of a sudden 146-2, Farhat also falling to a bemused Guptill. ‘We just needed to fill in an over because Chris wanted to come from the other end ... I got a wicket so I kept going,’ he said speaking to the New Zealand Press Association. ‘I'm not sure, I'd like to say I've done them in the air but it's probably not the case,’ he sheepishly added.

Mohammad Yousuf then joined Faisal Iqbal, who was again thrust up the order to take the number three spot. Iqbal looked like a man not sure of his footing and with too much going on in his head. However, Yousuf's presence managed to create a sense of calm and the two added 128 in 52 overs. Yousuf's inning was typically relaxed. His balance and composure was a stark contrast to Iqbal's nervy innings of 67 which was ended by a wide Chris Martin delivery that was edged to the slips.

Umar Akmal arrived on the scene looking like he had had two dynamites for breakfast. He got off the mark with a flicked six over long on off Daryl Tuffey and continued his dashing display to an unbeaten 48.

Yousuf, who looked impenetrable all day, fell 11 runs short of his 25th Test century as the ‘home’ side ended a rain interrupted day four in Napier on 347-4, 99 runs in front.

Akmal was joined at the crease by Misbah-ul-Haq who was batting on four at stumps.

Martin Guptill (2-28) was New Zealand's unlikeliest pick among the bowlers. But his supposed 'wizardry' ought to be credited to Daniel Vettori, who along with Mahendra Singh Dhoni of India is probably the finest captain playing the game today. Vettori's little experiments with the bowling changes were a lesson for Mohammad Yousuf to not bowl his four men down to the ground.

The third test remains evenly poised with the possibility of a Kiwi or a Pakistani win open along with the prospect of a thrilling draw.

SCOREBOARD AT STUMPS

Pakistan (347-4)
First innings 223

New Zealand
First innings 471

Pakistan
Second innings (overnight 128-0)
I Farhat c and b Guptill 61
S Butt c and b Guptill 66
F Iqbal c Taylor b Martin 67
M Yousuf c McCullum b O'Brien 89
U Akmal not out 48
Misbah-ul-Haq not out 4

Extras (3b, 2lb, 2nb, 5pen) 12
Total (for 4 wkts, 141 overs) 347

Fall: 128 (Butt), 146 (Farhat), 274 (Iqbal), 333 (Yousuf).

Bowling: C Martin 24-5-55-1, T Southee 23-5-54-0 (1nb), I O'Brien 28-4-85-1, D Tuffey 16-0-55-0 (1nb), D Vettori 39-16-60-0, M Guptill 11-2-28-2.

Pakistan 128-0 vs Kiwis at stumps

NAPIER: Pakistan openers Imran Farhat and Salman Butt compiled a century partnership to haul their side back towards parity in the decisive third Test in Napier.

New Zealand had opened up a first-innings lead of 248 as captain Daniel Vettori's century and a Test-best 80 not out from Daryl Tuffey saw them to 471 despite Danish Kaneria's seven-wicket haul.

But Farhat, who had fought a lone vigil with 117 not out in Pakistan's first-innings collapse to 223 all out, was 55 not out at the close with Butt unbeaten on 66 as the tourists reached 128 without loss.

Vettori and Tuffey had pushed on in the morning session, the former resuming on 100 and quickly hitting his stride with two boundaries in the third over of the day, bowled by Umar Gul.

Tuffey survived some early nerves and was dropped by Gul but brought up the 50 partnership when he cut Kaneria for four.

Vettori clipped Mohammad Asif to the boundary to bring up the 400 but escaped a strong lbw appeal - Pakistan unable to call for a review having used up their allocation the previous day - before falling to Umar Akmal's stunning catch in the following over.

Tim Southee followed third ball before Tuffey brought up his maiden Test half-century - in 88 balls - with a four through the covers off Asif, and then hoisted Kaneria into the stands for six for a second time.

The hosts added just five runs after lunch as Iain O'Brien was neatly stumped by Kamran Akmal for 19, having put on 62 with Tuffey.

That left the latter reliant on Chris Martin - Test average 2.30 - to see him through to a century.

And the improbable - arguably unfeasible - did not happen as Martin contrived to be dropped by Misbah-ul-Haq on the way to a four-ball duck, the 28th time he has been dismissed for nought in a Test innings.

The routine lbw - Martin grasping hopelessly down the wrong line - meant Kaneria ended with figures of seven for 168.

Farhat glanced the second ball of Pakistan's second innings from Martin to the fine leg boundary as he made a confident start, though he was fortunate when an edge fell just short of wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum.

Butt, meanwhile, got off the mark first ball with a two and started his innings responsibly, breaking the shackles only when overpitched deliveries gave him license to do so.

He began to prey on the short ball as his confidence grew, cracking three boundaries in quick succession from back-of-a-length deliveries.

Farhat brought up the 50 stand with his fourth boundary and, shortly afterwards, McCullum fumbled a ball onto the fielders' helmet to concede a five-run penalty.

Both batsmen settled down to play for tea, with Butt 34 not out at the interval and his partner just two runs behind.

Farhat suddenly produced a slog-sweep for six in the fourth over of the evening session and survived a half-hearted stumping appeal shortly afterwards when replays suggested he was in danger.

He settled into a run of singles and dot balls thereafter, breaking cover only to slice a loose drive at O'Brien through the gully for four.

Butt played sedately until he edged a slower ball from Tuffey between slip and gully to the fence and savagely pulled the same bowler for another boundary two overs later.

He reached 50 from 126 balls and soon hit O'Brien for back-to-back fours before playing out time until the close.

Farhat, meanwhile, edged O'Brien just short of Ross Taylor at slip, but recovered to heave Martin Guptill back over his head for a one-bounce four to end a scoreless stretch of 23 balls after reaching a 134-ball half-century.

The pair's dogged work means Pakistan will resume 120 runs behind, with all their wickets intact and two fascinating days in prospect.

Pakistan bat to save Napier test

NAPIER: Pakistan's bid to take a New Zealand win out of the equation in the third and final test at Napier seemed to be heading in the right direction on the third day when they accumulated 128-0 after bowling the Kiwis out for 471. Traling by another 120 runs, however, the Pakistanis will be up against the odds on a pitch that seems to be slowing considerably.

A wearing pitch might offer the only opportunity of a series win for either side, meaning Daniel Vettori and Danish Kaneria will hold the cards on the fourth and the final days.

But before Kaneria can have another crack at the Kiwis, the Pakistani openers Imran Farhat, 55 off 169, and Salman Butt 66 off 169, who have so far resisted any outside-the-off temptations, will need to bat out a large chunk of the overs tomorrow.

It was a surprising reprisal by the Pakistani openers. Butt, a candidate for the slippers, seems to have found his balance and Farhat is keeping it minimal by playing with a straight bat at all times.

They, perhaps, took a cue from Daniel Vettori, 134 from 186, and Daryl Tuffey, 80* from 123, who showed batsmen in both camps how a little bit of application, can reap so much of a reward. The managements of both the side should ideally sit down and have 'joint batting exercises,’ in the same vein as the joint military exercises, and figure this thing out because both seem to have the same problems. Individual efforts on both sides have carried the batting in this series but it is obvious individuals alone do not win matches against sides like Australia, India or even South Africa for that matter.

The 87-run seventh wicket partnership between Vettori and Tuffey was broken by Danish Kaneria. And as expected, it came through a moment of individual brilliance. Umar Akmal, already a firecracker with the bat, pulled off an acrobatic grab at extra cover to end Vettori's innings and break the unlikely stand. Tuffey, who was dropped by Umar Gul on 32, continued his march and stood and watched from the other end as the tail was brushed aside. But it wasn't without incident. Iian O'Brien was dropped on eight, and Chris Martin a ball before he registered his 28th test duck.

Danish Kaneria was amongst the wickets again, finishing with 7 for 168 from 53 overs.

The seamers were listless with Mohammad Aamer not having fully recovered from his upset stomach and Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul failing to get any bite out of a flat track. One wonders why, with the presence of Abdur Rauf, Umar Gul is still being preferred in tests. Clearly, Gul was retained in the side, despite his slump in recent months, for his pace and ability to get wickets with the old ball. He has neither been fast nor has he bowled full enough to trouble the batsmen with his reverse swing. Rauf, possessing the ability to extract awkward bounce from a length would have been a better choice.

Starting afresh tomorrow, New Zealand will be looking for a quick finish to the game for if it does drag on until the fifth day, it is most likely to end in a draw. Pakistan should also treat the fourth day as the final day and bat with a clear head.

The three test match series is currently tied at 1-1.

Scoreboard after day three of the third cricket test between New Zealand and Pakistan at McLean Park, Napier:

PAKISTAN

First innings 223

Second innings 128-0

NEW ZEALAND

First innings (overnight 346-6)

T McIntosh c K Akmal b Kaneria 74

BJ Watling c U Akmal b Asif 18

M Guptill lbw b Kaneria 13

R Taylor c Yousuf b Kaneria 21

D Flynn c K Akmal b Kaneria 5

D Vettori c U Akmal b Asif 134

B McCullum c Iqbal b Gul 89

D Tuffey not out 80

T Southee lbw b Kaneria 0

I O'Brien st K Akmal b Kaneria 19

C Martin lbw b Kaneria 0

Extras (8b, 4lb, 2w, 4nb) 18

Total (139 overs) 471

Fall: 60 (Watling), 82 (Guptill), 118 (Taylor), 136 (McIntosh), 145 (Flynn), 321 (McCullum), 408 (Vettori), 409 (Southee), 471 (O'Brien), 471 (Martin).

Bowling: M Aamer 22-6-74-0 (1nb, 1w), M Asif 31-10-103-2 (1w), U Gul 33-5-114-1 (3nb), D Kaneria 53-10-168-7.

PAKISTAN

Second innings

I Farhat not out 55

S Butt not out 66

Extras (1lb, 1nb, 5pen) 7

Total (for 0 wkt, 56 overs) 128

Bowling: C Martin 10-2-20-0, T Southee 10-2-25-0 (1nb), I O'Brien 10-0-32-0, D Tuffey 9-0-24-0, D Vettori 15-8-16-0, M Guptill 2-1-5-0.

Strauss, Pietersen lead England run feast

EAST LONDON: England captain Andrew Strauss cruised to a century and Kevin Pietersen played himself into form on the first day of the touring team's two-day match against a South African Invitation XI at Buffalo Park on Friday.

The England batsmen feasted on some unthreatening bowling as they piled up 317 for five in their final warm-up match before the first Test against South Africa starting in Centurion on Wednesday.

Strauss made exactly 100 off 161 balls before he was one of three batsmen who retired, while Pietersen hit 71 off 101 deliveries. Pietersen and Ian Bell were the only batsmen to be dismissed by bowlers.

Strauss and Alastair Cook put on 101 for the first wicket before Cook retired on 52. It was his second successive half-century after he made 81 in the first match between the two teams which ended on Thursday.

Jonathan Trott was the third batsman to retire after making a watchful 50 off 135 balls.

Although the bowling and a slow pitch were in contrast to what he is likely to encounter in the Test match, Pietersen played a confidence- building innings to register his first half-century since pulling out of the Ashes series against Australia in July because of an ankle injury which required surgery.

He hit 12 boundaries before he was caught at deep midwicket off the off-spinner Yaseen Vallie.

Medium-pacer Roy Adams conceded only 14 runs in 13 overs to be the pick of the Invitation team bowlers.

The Invitation team is drawn from South Africa's amateur provincial competition. -AFP

Farhat saves Pakistan’s blushes on O’Brien’s day

NAPIER: New Zealand were in control when play ended on the first day of the third and final Test match against Pakistan in Napier on Friday.

Pakistan were left reeling at 90-6 after captain Mohammad Yousuf won the toss and elected to bat first on a relatively flat pitch in the potentially series-deciding match.

Opener Salman Butt was the first wicket to fall for Pakistan when he was clean-bowled by Tim Southee in the fourth over of the innings. From then on, it was the Iain O’Brien swan-song show as he bowled a hostile spell of seam bowling, during which, he also crossed his regular pace barrier.

Faisal Iqbal, replacing an out-of-form Shoaib Malik, was O’Brien’s first victim when he directed a rising delivery to the slips after scoring six runs and leaving Pakistan at 39-2 in the eleventh over. Captain Yousuf, Umar Akmal and Misbah-ul-Haq soon followed Iqbal back to the pavilion without scoring a run – all victims to O’Brien’s accuracy and their own poor shot selection.

While wickets were tumbling unabated at one end, Pakistan’s out-of-sorts opener Imran Farhat held on to his wicket, utilizing what could be his last chance to cement a place for the playing eleven against Australia. He kept the scoreboard ticking at the other end, albeit not with the most free-flowing strokes.

Farhat was kept company for nearly an hour by wicket-keeper and vice-captain Kamran Akmal who, survived the O’Brien onslaught but was dismissed by Chris Martin as he went after a straightening delivery and was caught by Martin Guptill at cover point.

Mohammad Aamer then chipped in with a handy contribution of 23 runs as Farhat slogged Daniel Vettori on his way to his first Test century since November 2006. He struck 14 fours and a six (off Vettori) as he carried his bat on 117. He was also helped by Umar Gul (24) and Danish Kaneria (16) before Pakistan’s first innings ended at 223.

When New Zealand openers started their innings, they were tested by Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif but survived the impressive spells, an lbw decision that was overturned and a close run-out chance to end the day on 47/0 from 19 overs.

The Pakistani bowlers will have to make the most of the early-morning conditions tomorrow if they are to make a comeback in the match and not lose the series.

The three-match series is currently tied 1-1.

WI have good chance of beating Australia: Gayle

ADELAIDE: West Indies captain Chris Gayle has declared Australia are ‘very beatable’ ahead of the Perth Test and said their batting was not as strong as in recent years.

Gayle was the Man-of-the-Match in the draw at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday and his team will be aiming to level the series 1-1 when the third and final Test begins at the WACA Ground next Wednesday.

They are in that position because of an excellent performance in Adelaide, where they had a realistic chance on the final day of being the first West Indies side to win a Test in Australia since Courtney Walsh’s team in 1996-97.

Gayle said Ricky Ponting’s side of 2009-10 was very different to Australian teams he had faced in the past.

‘The Aussies still have a lot of quality players and they are still a strong unit, but I am sure they are very beatable,’ Gayle wrote in his column in Australia’s News Ltd papers on Thursday.

‘There is no doubt we really pushed them in Adelaide and had them under a lot of pressure for long periods of the second Test. It was a shame we couldn’t quite finish them off, but they do have quite a long batting line-up.

‘Having said that, Aussie sides I have played before have had much bigger and stronger batting line-ups. Their bowling attack is also not very experienced — Mitchell Johnson is a good bowler, but it might say something that he is easily their most seasoned quick.’

Gayle praised his own players for the character they displayed after a ‘terrible’ performance in losing the Gabba Test in three days.

He said every player stood up, including the young fast bowler Kemar Roach, who Ricky Ponting has already conceded will be tough to face on the WACA pitch.

‘Kemar Roach will be a huge handful with his pace on the bouncy pitch,’ Gayle wrote. ‘I think we will see something extraordinary from him. Trust me, he has some serious wheels. I really don’t like facing him in the nets – usually I have to tell him to slow things down so I can see the ball!

‘Ricky Ponting is a top-class and experienced player, but Kemar really ruffled him and hustled him with sheer pace in Adelaide. Kemar won’t back down against Ricky in Perth and will ask even more questions of the Aussie captain on a pitch I hear should be very quick and bouncy.’

West Indies are unlikely to make any changes to their side for the Perth Test following their impressive showing in Adelaide.

Australia are waiting to find out if Peter Siddle recovers from a hamstring strain, with his fellow Victorian fast bowler Clint McKay in line for a Test debut if Siddle does not prove his fitness.—Agencies

PAC to conduct scrutiny of 33 cricket grounds

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has constituted a four-member fact-finding committee to physically examine the thirty-three cricket grounds developed by the former Pakistan Cricket Board management, an official of the audit department told Dawn on Thursday.

‘The committee was formed following the Auditor-General of Pakistan’s raising an audit objection about the miserable conditions at most of these grounds developed during 2003-08 at a cost of Rs65 million,’ a senior official of the AGP said on condition of anonymity.

The fact-finding committee would be visiting Quetta and Karachi in the first leg while the officials in the second tour would be visiting the stadiums and grounds in Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi, Islamabad and few other cities.

‘Responsibilities will be fixed and if any official is found guilty of negligence the committee will be communicating the rules and regulations to the PAC,’ the official said.

The AGP, after another audit observation, said that a ground of Rani Bagh, Hyderabad, is being used for weddings and other commercial activities while several other grounds have been left totally abandoned.

The official said: ‘Rukan Abdullah Gardezi - senior joint secretary of the Ministry of Sports, Tahir Hanafi — senior joint secretary PAC, Gulzar Hasnain — director general federal audit and a senior PCB official have been named as members of the fact-finding committee.’

The AGP had conducted a special audit of the cricket board on the request of the Federal Sports Ministry.

The federal audit department has pointed out irregularities of around Rs500 million.

The officials at the PAC has raised serious concern over the audit report while the AGP officials informed the committee members that the PCB failed to provide them documents regarding several audit observations.

‘The PCB is being run like a shop,’ the director general of the federal audit told the committee members on Nov 21 as the AGP failed to acquire records of several issues during the audit of the cash-rich sports body.

Chairman PAC Chaudhry Nisar had directed the AGP officials, Ministry of Sports and the cricket board to revisit the audit report 2004-08 before sending the final report to the PCB.

‘The committee will be submitting its report within the given target of two months,’ the official said.

Waqar Younis named bowling, fielding coach: PCB

KARACHI: Pakistan have appointed former captain and renowned paceman Waqar Younis as a bowling and fielding coach for their tour of Australia starting later this month, an official said Wednesday.

‘Waqar has agreed to serve as fielding and bowling coach for the tour of Australia after we requested his services for the job,’ Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman Nadeem Sarwar told AFP.

Pakistan dropped about half a dozen catches in their first Test defeat against New Zealand at Dunedin last month. They also grassed three crucial catches in their series-levelling win at Wellington last week.

Pakistan play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international on the tour of Australia, starting December 26 in Melbourne.

Waqar, who has settled in Australia and works as a television commentator, left the bowling coach job in 2007 after a dispute with the former PCB leadership. He also blamed then-captain Inzamam-ul-Haq for his ouster.

During an illustrious career, Waqar took 373 wickets in 87 Tests and 416 in 262 one-day internationals. He also led Pakistan in the 2003 World Cup before retiring the next year.

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Four Pakistan players get IPL visa clearance

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) finally took a positive turn when on Thursday the Indian Home Ministry issued visa clearances for four cricketers.

Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Misbah-ul Haq and Kamran Akmal who already have existing contracts with IPL franchises, got approvals from the ministry this morning. Abdul Razzaq, reportedly in talks with the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, is yet to receive word from the concerned authorities.

Although the visa approval is a step in the right direction for Pakistan's IPL bid, the final decision as to whether the players will actually get to participate in the league rests in the hands of the league commissioner Lalit Modi.

Shoaib’s central contract not to be renewed: PCB

KARACHI: Embattled Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar’s career has been dealt another blow with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) deciding not to renew his central contract as he is neither playing for the national team nor competing in the domestic circuit.

PCB chairman Ijaz Butt said no fresh contract will be issued to the fast bowler, whose career has been marred by injury breakdowns, a dope scandal and disputes with the authorities.

Shoaib’s current contract expires at the end of this month.

The PCB chief said only those players are given contracts and monthly salaries who are playing for the country or competing at the domestic level. ‘Unfortunately in both cases, Shoaib has not played for a while now so from next month he will not be getting any salary from the board,’ he said.

Shoaib is placed in the category A of the central contracts, which allows him to draw a salary of Rs250,000 per month from the board.

The troubled bowler has kept a low profile since returning from England after undergoing a knee surgery two months ago. He also had a liposuction in Islamabad to remove excess fat from his body but has not spoken to the media or played any competitive cricket.

Shoaib has had a troubled time in the past two-three years and has played only a handful of matches for Pakistan. Ijaz said the fast bowler was given a central contract last time as he was active and the PCB wanted him to play regularly for the team provided he was fit and in form.

The enigmatic pacer played two one-day games against Sri Lanka in January at home and was then dropped because of poor form. Later, he also missed the two Tests against Sri Lanka in February-March due to fitness issues. He played four one-day matches against Australia in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. But after being selected for the World Twenty20, the PCB withdrew Shoaib from the squad after a medical panel of the board found he was suffering from a skin condition.

The fast bowler is still facing a case in the Lahore High Court, which has suspended an 18-month ban on him imposed by the PCB’s appellate tribunal in 2008.

The legal adviser of the PCB Tafazzul Rizvi said no fresh date has been set by the court for the next hearing so the issue continues to drag on. ‘When we get a fresh date for a hearing we will pursue this case further,’ he said.

Meanwhile, a source close to the mercurial bowler says that Shoaib has not been paid by the Board for the past 13 months.

‘Shoaib was surprised to read the statement of the PCB chairman about terminating his contract and stopping his monthly salary of Rs250,000 from next month,’ a source close to the fast bowler said. ‘Ijaz should first check facts and find out from his people in the board how many payments have been made to Shoaib since last year,’ he added.

He claimed that despite several reminders, Shaoib has not received any payments including his monthly retainer.

‘The board has not even paid him the match fees for six One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 match although he has repeatedly reminded the board to clear his dues,’ the source said.

He said a senior official of the board was responsible for not allowing any payments to Shoaib on the grounds that he had to first clear a fine of Rs7 million that was imposed on him by the appellate tribunal last year.

‘He has not received his monthly retainer, match fees, tour fees and share of logo sponsorship for last 13 months and the total amount is in excess of Rs10 million,’ the source said.—Agencies