India wins test series against NZ

Staff Report

NAGPUR: India has won the test match in Nagpur against New Zealand by an innings and 198 runs; the host team won the three test match series by 1-0.

New Zealand resumed its innings at 24 runs for the loss of 1 wicket today and the whole team was out on a small total of 175. None of the batsmen faced Indian spinners confidently. Harbhajan Singh and Ishant Sharma took 3 wickets each, while Ojha and Suresh Raina took 2 wickets respectively.

Rahul Dravid was declared Man of the Match for his match winning innings of 191 runs. Trend Pk

Ton-up Latif leads Pakistan to mauling of China

GUANGZHOU: Pakistan captain Khalid Latif smashed the first century of the Asian Games cricket tournament as the favourites crushed China by 128 runs to reach the semi-finals.

The 24-year-old opener on Monday hit an unbeaten 103 in 69 balls which featured eight fours and five sixes as Pakistan made 183-1 off their 20 overs with Sharieel Khan making 46.

It was China’s second successive defeat in the tournament, having lost to Malaysia by 89 runs, and ended their brief, first flirtation with international cricket.

China never recovered from their precarious position of 11-4 when they started their reply while five of their batsmen were bowled as they failed to cope with Pakistan pace and direction.

Only Li Jian reached double figures, making 14 with three confident fours.

Raza Hassan took 3-10 while Aizaz Cheema finished with figures of 3-15 for

Sindh flood victims protest for the food, aid money

Staff Report

SUKKUR: The flood victims of Sindh have staged protests for the aid money, food and basic facilities. They demanded for a quick disbursement of the aid cash while blocking Sukkur-Rohri highway with burning tyres.

Aaccording to details, hundreds of baton hoisting flood affected protesters closed many importance roads by staging sit-in on the roads including Shalimar, Stadium Chowk, City By-pass, Ghanta Ghar and Minara Road.

The angry protesters torched tyres on the roads and hurled stones at the shops and vehicles to express their impatience over delay of aid money’s disbursement.

The traders of the city turned irritated on the violent protests and attitude of the flood victims; they demanded to shift them out side the city to avoid future violent protests of the flood victims.

At the other side, at the Site area relief camp of

Afridi facing tough task in boosting Pakistan

CARDIFF: Pakistan one-day captain Shahid Afridi admitted he had a job on his hands to raise the morale of his scandal-hit side after they were bowled out for just 89 by England in a thumping Twenty20 loss.

Pakistan were dismissed for their lowest Twenty20 score in 40 matches at this level at Sophia Gardens here on Tuesday as England won by six wickets to wrap up a 2-0 series win with a mammoth 36 balls to spare.

World Twenty20 champions England, who completed a 3-1 Test series win over Pakistan last month, will now look for fresh success when the teams meet in the first of five one-day internationals at Chester-le-Street, northeast England, on Friday.

“We were very bad, inexperienced and immature from my side and from all the batsmen,” Afridi told reporters. “I think we played very bad cricket.

“It will be a big challenge to compete in the one-dayers,

Batsmen’ll take some time for adjustment: Salman Butt

NOTTINGHAM: Pakistan captain Salman Butt said that English conditions are not easy for batsmen and they would take some time for adjustment.

Talking with Geo News from Nottingham, Salman Butt said that this is a wrong impression that he has a pressure of captaincy which affects his batting.

Salman Butt has made 424 runs in his last five Test matches with the help of a hundred three half-centuries.

Regarding Danish Kaneria’s omission, he said that the leg-spinner taking 261 Test wickets was not in rhythm and was released for regaining form by playing for his county Sussex.

Butt asked those criticizing his batsmen’s performance to tell if there was any fifty-run opening partnership scored against Pakistan in England.

The Pakistan captain said that the young side needs people’s support and no criticism.

He said that fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer have fulfilled the team’s expectations.

Pakistan sniff Test victory vs Kangaroos

HEADINGLAY: For the first time in 15 years, Pakistan is in touching distance of victory against Australia in a Test match. Last time Pakistan won against Australia was back in 1995.

Now, it seems Pakistan will create history at Headingley. Pakistan can eye victory after a meaningful third day in the Leeds Test. A second wicket stand of 110 put Pakistan on track for a historic victory. But one can never underestimate the Aussies, especially keep in mind the way they came back and won the Sydney Test.

Like the first two days, day 3 was also very chaotic and full of fluctuation. Australian showed determination and grit but it seems that they were out of luck this time. Pakistan lost their last 13 Tests against Australia, including the recent fiasco at Sydney in which Australia grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat.

For Pakistan, a first-innings lead of 206 proved insufficient to secure victory in Sydney, as their batsmen collapsed in typical fashion. This time, it seems the Sydney disaster has Pakistan battling themselves as well as the Australians.

Australia displayed their usual never-say-die-approach through bat and bowl. First it was Steven Smith, who made 77 with the bat at a critical juncture and took the Australian lead from 44 to a defendable 180.

Then it was Doug Bollinger, who sent the Pakistanis back at the end of the third day with an uneasy feeling when he claimed two wickets in quick succession. Bollinger took the scalp of hard-working Imran Farhat as Pakistan ended the day on 140 for 3.

Apparently, Pakistan”s dressing room was full of anxiety at the close of the day because when the umpires offered the light, it was Australia”s skipper, Ricky Ponting, who decided to remain in the middle. Hoping to be allowed to exploit the extra half-hour as Australia achieved a certain momentum with two quick wickets from Bollinger. It seemed as if the Australian captain felt more confident than his counterpart. Pakistan”s batsmen Azhar and Umar Akmal were weary of the circumstances as they became extremely defensive in the closing minutes of the day.

But, still Pakistan has the advantage and can easily wrap things up without any problems. Pakistan also showed their class but in bits and pieces as they exposed Australian fragilities.

First, it was young pacer, Mohammad Aamer, who using his pace and swing sent three Australian batsmen to the pavilion within the first hour. Then, it was a stand between Azhar and Farhat, who batted with full discipline as they took their team to a secure position.

Aamer once again claimed the wicket of Australian captain Ricky Ponting as he found it difficult to cope with the bowling of speedster. Ricky Ponting made 66. Shane Watson, who devastated Pakistan’s batting line-up in first innings on the second day, repeatedly drifted the ball into the batsmen’s legs. Meanwhile, the poor run of Mitchell Johnson continued as he went nine wicket-less overs for 39.

The frustration of impending defeat will not play down the fact that it was a productive day for the Aussies at Headingley. They have found a remarkable new talent in the form of 21-year-old leg spinning all-rounder Steven Smith. Smith was at the centre of the game when he produced a remarkable innings during the afternoon session. He attacked Pakistan’s heavyweight bowlers with breathtaking audacity. While he was on his path to his career-best 77 from 100 balls, Australia finally found the solutions of their spin problem.

Pakistan will be starting the fourth day with hopes of their first victory in 15 years and 14 Tests against Australia. But, with memories of Sydney Test still fresh in their minds, one can never underestimate the resolution of the Aussies and unpredictability of the Pakistanis. It will be a battle of wits between Pakistan’s batsmen and the Australian bowlers. If Pakistan wins the match, it will be a perfect start for incumbent captain Salman Butt.

Pak, SA to clash today sans good batsmen

ST. LUCIA: Two of the brightest sides of last year”s tournament have been two of the bigger disappointments this time. And yet, a win for either here could still see them through to the semi-finals, depending on what happens in the game between England and New Zealand.

One of the team will end its Twenty20 sojourn today in case of defeat with Proteas on better foothold than Pakistan which need more ifs to make it to the semis.

Both the teams last clashed in the Cup last year; but, now this time with a huge difference as the team is led by Shahid Afridi who has lost form in batting and bowling both.

South Africa”s batsmen have scored only one half-century between them through the tournament: predictably, it came from the bat of Jacques Kallis.

Widely thought to be out of place in this format before the tournament, Salman Butt is the tournament”s second-highest run-getter with 189, behind Mahela Jayawardene (before the West Indies-India and Australia-Sri Lanka games on May 9)

Pakistan do not require a mathematical miracle to get through. A win here, and an England win over New Zealand, remarkably, might guarantee them a spot in the semis, given that Pakistan”s net run-rate is superior to both New Zealand and South Africa. For Graeme Smith”s men to go through, a win coupled with an English win, will be enough.

In any case, South Africa have been strangely inconsistent, a malaise that stretches beyond just this tournament and format to last year. In the Caribbean they”ve relied heavily on their pace duo of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel and both have been hot and cold; in particular, the latter”s no-ball problems are beginning to hurt. Little errors have crept in, the kind of untidiness you do not expect from them; catches have been dropped, edges have gone through slips, fumbles here and there. Their batting has been consistently weak.

Pakistan have struggled with most things, their batting line, the make-up of their attack and their fielding. Shahid Afridi”s form has gone, they”ve picked and dropped Mohammad Sami at the wrong moments, Abdul Razzaq has been used strangely, either opening the bowling or not bowling at all. Of their batsmen, only Salman Butt has been a success and he was least expected to be one.

Abdur Rehman made a fine comeback against New Zealand, picking up two cheap wickets in his first T20I for over two years. He has always been a successful limited-overs left-arm option and his return comes after one of his best domestic seasons. South Africa still struggle to score quickly against spin and Rehman”s position, amid the spin of Afridi and Saeed Ajmal, may well be crucial if the surface is given to spin.

Like India, Pakistan have also struggled against fast, short-pitched bowling, even in St Lucia, where Australia”s pace attack knocked them over. So Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn are likely to again be the central planks in their side”s plans to get through.

Pakistan are unlikely to tinker much with a line-up that did so well in the field against New Zealand. In fact, the right balance in their attack finally seems to have been struck, four games into the tournament.

With few batting replacements, Afridi will desperately hope one of his batsmen other than Butt can kick on, though dropping Mohammad Hafeez and bringing in Khalid Latif may be an option.

Though South Africa are still likelier to use pace to unsettle Pakistan”s batsmen, the nature of the pitch might warrant a return for Roelof van der Merwe, though he is wicketless thus far in the tournament. Their top order has struggled too, and whether or not the ageing, misfiring Herschelle Gibbs will continue to be persisted with is also open to question.

Pakistan (probable) 1 Salman Butt 2 Kamran Akmal (wk) 3 Mohammad Hafeez/Khalid Latif 4 Umar Akmal 5 Misbah-ul-Haq 6 Shahid Afridi (capt) 7 Abdul Razzaq 8 Mohammad Aamer 9 Mohammad Sami 10 Abdur Rehman 11 Saeed Ajmal

South Africa (probable) 1 Graeme Smith (capt) 2 Jacques Kallis 3 Loots Bosman/Herschelle Gibbs 4 AB de Villiers 5 JP Duminy 6 JA Morkel 7 MV Boucher (wk) 8 J Botha 9 Dale Steyn 10 Morne Morkel 11 Charl Langeveldt

T20 Will ‘Finish’ Pakistan Cricket: Mohammed Yousuf

MELBOURNE: Mohammad Yousuf has issued a stark warning to Pakistan cricket of the impending dangers of too much Twenty20 cricket, insisting that it is “necessary” that Pakistan plays as little of the format as possible.

Watch Live Cricket

Otherwise, the Pakistan captain believes, the format will “finish Pakistan’s cricket.”

Yousuf’s counsel comes in the wake of Pakistan’s defeat to Australia in the first Test in Melbourne, where their batsmen struggled on a placid pitch in a 170-run loss. Australia declared twice in the Test, but Pakistan were bowled out for 258 and 251 – the second after being 170-3. But his words come in a broader context: those totals continued a long run of sub-par performances by the batsmen in the Test arena; in 14 Test innings now, they have crossed 350 only twice.

They have struggled with their openers and their No.3 batsmen, and have been caught in a number of Test collapses through the year in Sri Lanka, New Zealand and now Australia. As in Melbourne, a number of batsmen have settled in, before getting themselves out. The failure, Yousuf believes, comes from Twenty20 cricket.”It used to happen before but now because of Twenty20 cricket no player knows how to stay at the wicket anymore,” Yousuf told Cricinfo. “Batsmen are finding it very difficult. I know the format has money, players get it and boards do but if Pakistan hypes up Twenty20 too much, Test and ODI cricket will really go down.”

Pakistan are the reigning world champions in the format, having won the World Twenty20 in a stirring display in June in England. They reached the final of the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007 and have the best win-loss ratio of all nations in the format. In Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq they have, arguably, the format’s sharpest game-changers.

They were also one of the first countries to adopt the format domestically, holding wildly successful events in Lahore and Karachi in 2005 and 2006, and the first three years of the tournament attracted what many believed to be the largest domestic crowds ever in Pakistan. Additionally, a number of their players had successful first seasons with the IPL; they weren’t allowed to participate in tournament’s second edition, but a number of them are very keen to be involved next season and over 12 players have applied for a place in the auction. Afridi, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Gul and Sohail Tanvir have all played, or are playing Twenty20 cricket, for Australian state sides as well.

Most Pakistanis are brought up on a diet of 20-over cricket at club and street level. That, Yousuf believes, has left much of the current crop unsuited to the longer, unique demands of Test cricket and even ODI cricket. “Both in Tests and ODIs we have problems,” Yousuf said. “We struggle to bat 50 overs. Against New Zealand we couldn’t make 212 in 50 overs. Everyone played shots and got out.”Twenty is easy for Pakistanis because they know how to hit, nobody knows how to defend. Until players do not play with discipline and play ball to ball and leave balls they are supposed to we will struggle in ODIs, let alone Tests. If you see a ball, hit it because you have to score. But if you are going to slog all the time what is the point?

I could have hit jumping out but unless you get a ball to hit what is the point? That is the point of Test cricket. It is necessary that Pakistanis, the media, the board, the fans realise that we play as little Twenty20 as possible.

“One domestic tournament is enough and a World Cup apart from that, but my belief is that you have to reduce Twenty20 heavily. They shouldn’t play it in club cricket – even there you play 20 overs, not 40-over matches. I only have 2-3 years left in my career but I worry Twenty20 will finish Pakistan’s cricket.””You look at England, South Africa and Australia. They give Test cricket and ODIs the attention they deserve,” Yousuf said. “Until we do the same, we will not progress. They also play Twenty20 but they do it in a controlled way. In our country we only want to play Twenty20 and no Tests. I think we have given up on Test cricket: either we look for the money or we look to revive Pakistan cricket.”

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T20 Will ‘Finish’ Pakistan Cricket: Mohammed Yousuf was first posted on December 31, 2009 at 12:27 pm.

Tiger Woods quits his event

Tiger Woods will not play in this week’s Chevron World Challenge, which he has hosted in Thousand Oaks, California, for the past nine years, because of injuries sustained in a car accident.

The American world number one, who has dominated news headlines since crashing his SUV outside his Florida home in the early hours of Friday (November 27) morning, said he would not attend “due to injuries sustained” in the accident.

The $5.75 million event, which has been won four times by Woods, starts Thursday with a strong field featuring 12 of the world’s top 20 players.

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Tiger Woods quits his event was first posted on December 2, 2009 at 8:25 am.

India Vs Sri Lanka, 3rd Test at Mumbai today

The third and final Test between India and Sri Lanka starts this morning at 9:30 AM IST at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. India cannot lose this 3-Test Series having drawn the first one at Ahmedabad and then clinching an innings win at Kanpur.

The pressure is very much on the Sri Lankans with the bowlers getting plenty of humiliation having taken for three consecutive big totals by the Indians. The batsmen are now feeling the heat as well having failed to counter India’s 600-plus total on a good batting track at Kanpur. Sri Lanka have dropped Ajantha Mendis after getting clobbered in the second Test and he just couldn’t hold onto any consistent lengths. The visitors are likely to bring in swing bowler Nuwan Kulasekara in place of him. ( Watch Live Cricket )

For Sri Lanka, the aging Muttiah Muralidaran will continue to be a big worry. The off spinner for once has been really struggling to bowl six good balls in an over. Like never before, Murali has been dropping the ball too short which has been failing him in sustaining any sort of pressure on the batsmen. The Lankans were delighted when left arm swing bowler Chanaka Welegedara shook the Indian top order on the first day morning of the Ahmedabad Test taking three wickets. But since that Test, the Indian batsmen have done their homework against him and know quite well which way the ball is swinging.

India will remain upbeat despite losing Gautam Gambhir in this Test. Gambhir’s replacement – Murali Vijay is a class of his own and should be able to deal with any kind of bowler. The hosts are surely going to retain the same XI except for Vijay in for Gambhir. India will be looking to do everything to prevent Sri Lanka from tasting their first ever test win in their country. India’s problem has been Zaheer Khan as the left armer had struggled with his rhythm. Zaheer has been bogged down by plenty of no-balls in the last test.

The pitch at the Brabourne Stadium is expected to be a sportive one. It will not be a cakewalk for the batsmen. There could be some nice carry and pace on this track to help both the pacers and spinners. Swing is expected to be the key factor in this Test Match because of the venue being very close to the sea. Evening time could see plenty of action for the pacers. Sri Lanka have Nuwan Kulasekara to take full advantage of the humid conditions while India have a better bowler in Sreesanth who has that brisk pace to complement his seam and swing bowling.

Live Scores along with Ball by Ball Commentary of this 3rd Test at Mumbai can be followed at www.cricketmove.com.

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India Vs Sri Lanka, 3rd Test at Mumbai today was first posted on December 2, 2009 at 8:32 am.

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