PCB chief wants Amir back in the squad after ban

 

Pakistan cricket chief Zaka Ashraf Friday backed the return of spot-fixing convict Mohammad Amir after he serves his five-year ban, saying he was a talented fast bowler who had been “trapped”.

 

“I want to see Aamer back but only after considering the legality of the case and only after he serves the ban,” Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Zaka Ashraf told reporters here.

 

Amir, 19, was released from a British prison on Wednesday after serving half of his six-month sentence for his part in the scandal during the Lord s Test between Pakistan and England in August 2010.

 

His teammates Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif are still in jail serving 30-month and 12-month sentences respectively handed down by a British court in November last year.

 

All three were found guilty of corruption and receiving illegal money.

 

The International Cricket Council (ICC) also banned the trio for violating the players  code of conduct, with Amir receiving the minimum five-year punishment.

 

Ashraf, who took over in October last year, said the PCB will rehabilitate the youngster.

 

“Definitely we will rehabilitate Amir through an education programme, he is a young Pakistani, he committed a mistake and it was a case of huge talent lost and once he serves the ban then he could come into the team,” said Ashraf.

 

Ashraf claimed Amir and the other two players had been trapped.

“Whatever has happend we are sad about that, not only me but also most of the Pakistani people are sad for this young boy who, with the other players, were trapped by the Majeed brothers,” said Ashraf of players s agent Mazhar Majeed and his brother Azhar.

 

Meanwhile, former Pakistan paceman and coach Waqar Younis has called for a reduction of the five-year cricket ban meted out to Amir.

 

Waqar, coach of the team at the time of the scandal, said ways to cut Aamer s ban should be considered given his age, talent and admission of guilt.

 

“I am not saying that he is an angel,” Waqar told reporters. “But if the ban reduction can be considered then they should do that, every law gives margin after someone completes his punishment.”

 

Family members said Amir will appeal the ICC ban in the Switzerland-based Court for Arbitration for Sports but experts believe he is unlikely to be successful after pleading guilty before the UK court.

 

Waqar said Amir should undergo rehabilitation.

 

“We must have sympathy with him because he is so young. His talent is missed by not only by me but also by the Pakistan team,” he said.

 

“I don t know whether he would be able to play or not, whether the people of Pakistan will accept him or not… we accept that the incident happened and Pakistan s name was tainted but I think other players will also learn from this,” said Waqar.

 

The former fast-bowler advised the talented youngster to maintain his “hunger” for the game while he awaits a verdict on his ban.

 

“Imran Khan said that he was better than Wasim Akram when he was 19,” said Waqar, referring to his former new-ball partner Wasim. “There was something special in him. He was very hungry for wickets and lethal.”
 

Third England test: Pakistan elect to bat first

TrendPK.com
DUBAI: Pakistan won toss and elected to bat first against spin-weary England in the third test being played in at Dubai Stadium.

Desperate England will make last-ditch effort to avoid the humiliation of a series whitewash against Pakistan in the third and final Test.

Andrew Strauss’s men, pulverised by Pakistan spinners Saeed Ajmal and Abdul Rehman, are also in danger of losing their world number one spot after a dismal 10-wicket defeat in Dubai and the 72-run capitulation in Abu Dhabi.

Pakistan have never inflicted a Test series whitewash on England, who topped the Test rankings in August last year with an unbeaten nine series sequence, but have seen 34 of their 40 wickets tumble on tour to Pakistan’s spinners.

Off-spinner Ajmal has led the destruction with 17 scalps while left-armer Rehman has claimed 12 wickets and Mohammad Hafeez five.

England need to win to guarantee their top spot on April 1 — the cut-off date for a $175,000 award to the side sitting at the top of the ICC Test championship table.

But their celebrated batting order has so far failed to answer the challenge laid down by Pakistan’s wily spinners.

Jonathan Trott (141 in four innings) tops their batting chart, while Andrew Strauss (68) and Alastair Cook (109) have failed to provide strong starts.

Key batsmen Kevin Pietersen (17 in four innings), Ian Bell (36) and Eoin Morgan (41) have also struggled to cope with the slower ball as England lost the first Test in three days and the second in four.

The tourists will resist the temptation of replacing Morgan with Ravi Bopara whose last Test innings was a 44 not out, against India at The Oval.

Speaking after the Abu Dhabi defeat Strauss said his chastened team needed to bounce back after two dismal performances.

“Pakistan have thoroughly deserved their victory in the series,” he said.

We’ve been below where we want to be and we need to come back and bounce back strongly from this.

“As a batting unit we have to hold our hands up and say we haven’t been good enough, it’s been pretty apparent, we need to be better than that,” said Strauss, whose last hundred came 30 months ago.

The defeats have left no doubt about England’s vulnerability to the slow ball on subcontinental wickets, a weakness they will need to address before tours to Sri Lanka and India later in the year.

“If you take the point of view, which I think you’ve got to, that you learn as much from your defeats as you do from your victories then I think we’ve learned some valuable lessons going forward,” Strauss said.

“It’s not easy in these conditions, in these circumstances but we’re good enough players to be able to adjust to the conditions we’ve encountered.”

Under Strauss’ stewardship England have won only twice on the subcontinent — both times against minnows Bangladesh.

Pakistan are chasing the whitewash as they look to climb the Test rankings and captain Misbah-ul Haq has vowed his team will be going for the jugular in Dubai.

“We will try our level best to do the same we did in the first two Tests, we have the best team up against us so they can come back in the series, but what is in our control we will do,” said Misbah, who has not lost a series since taking over in October 2010.

“We need to to do our hundred percent and be focused for good cricket.”

The Dubai Stadium pitch, which provided help to spinners from the first day of the opening Test, is likely to continue its assistance to slow bowlers.

Pakistan may consider replacing left-arm seamer Junaid Khan with Wahab Riaz, who has been part of the squad without taking the field.

Test squads:

Pakistan (from): Misbah-ul Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Taufiq Umar, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Adnan Akmal, Umar Gul, Junaid Khan, Aizaz Cheema, Wahab Riaz, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman

England (from): Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Graham Onions, James Anderson, Steven Finn, Steve Davies, Monty Panesar, Ravi Bopara

Umpires: Simon Taufel (AUS) and Steve Davis (AUS) TV umpire: Shahvir Tarapore (IND) Match referee: Jeff Crowe (IND). TrendPK/ AGENCIES

IOC steps up fight against illegal betting

 

Governments, law enforcement agencies and betting operators have promised to work more closely together to fight illegal betting and corruption in sports.

 

The International Olympic Committee held a summit meeting Thursday of sports federation leaders and representatives of the United Nations, European Union and international police agency Interpol.

 

IOC director general Christophe De Kepper says “there was a consensus around the table that sporting fraud should be a criminal offense.”

 

He says there is a shared “urgency” to improve cooperation between police and justice departments.
 

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Ghotki: kid abducted for Rs20m recovered

There are signs of torture on the body of the child.

Sukkur DIG said that the victim Abdullah had been abducted three months ago when he was playing outside his home.

 

The accused were demanding Rs 20 million for ransom. The culprits were so mean that they had been torturing the kid to pressurise his parents for payment of ransom.

 

After abduction, the innocent kid was detained in the area of Kutchy, Bando from where police recovered him after an operation.

The accused have been arrested with their arms.

Police officer said that further raids are being conducted to arrest the actual accused.
 

Judicial Commission to judge PIC drugs: Rana Mashhud

After the PML-N session in Circuit House in Multan, while talking to the media, the Deputy Speaker PA Rana Mashhud said that the expired medicines would be determined by the judicial commission.

He said that there is no respect and prestige for the people who had left the party for their vested interests.

Provincial Minister Ch Abdul Ghafoor said that the federal government has issued licences to non-technical people, adding that the federal government is responsible for casualties caused by expired medicines.

Tens of thousands of people are likely to participate in the gathering to be held on January 17 in Multan, he said.
 

Govt drops petrol bomb, piles up miseries

 

As announced earlier, the prices of petroleum products have been increased with effect from Feb 01. OGRS notification reads that the price of petrol has been increased by Rs 5.37 taking the per litre price to a whopping Rs 94.91.

 

The hike in petrol prices would have a domino effect on the prices of all other commodities, making the life of a common man even miserable.

 

Hi-Octane price has been raised by Rs 6.29, kerosene Rs 2.78 and light diesel price has been increased by Rs 3.43 per litre

 

According to OGRA notification, after the hike petrol would be sold for Rs 94.91 per litre, Hi-Octane Rs 118 per litre, kerosene Rs 92.2 per litre and light diesel Rs 90.21 per litre.

 

The PML-N has decided to protest in the National Assembly against the increase in petroleum prices.

Bell hopes to bat big for England in 3rd test

 

And he wants to do so after featuring in two humbling test defeats against Pakistan.

 

Bell has scores of 0, 4, 29, 3 in the four innings and has fallen to star offspinner Saeed Ajmal three times. Ajmal s 10-wicket haul lifted Pakistan to 10-wicket win in the first test before he added seven more in Pakistan s convincing 72-run victory at Abu Dhabi last week.

 

Pakistan will be looking for its first ever clean sweep against England when the third test begins on Friday.

 

“I m desperate as ever to get some big runs in this last test,” Bell said.

 

“We are all preparing and training as hard as possible to make sure we get it right in the third (test).”

 

Bell will be fighting with teammates Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan to keep their places in the playing XI after all three combined for only 94 runs in the two tests.

 

It was not only Ajmal who made England look vulnerable against spinners. Left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman s 6-25 shot out Andrew Strauss  team for a poor 72 at Abu Dhabi

 

England s lowest ever total in a test against Pakistan. ”Look, it s been really tough,” Bell said. “We know over here and especially in the subcontinent the hardest part is starting your innings.

 

“Generally things get a little bit easier the longer you are there, unfortunately I ve got some balls early in my innings that have got me out.”

 

Both Ajmal and Rehman have grabbed 29 wickets. Add in the five by offspinner Mohammad Hafeez and England has lost 34 of 40 wickets to slow bowlers in the series.

 

“When you re playing quality spin, it s important to stay there for a period of time,” Bell said.

 

“You lose two to three wickets in periods and then you go quite flat, that s what we ve been caught into.

 

“I think we found it particularly hard to start our innings. Unfortunately none of us in this series have got past those first 20-25 deliveries.”

 

England has not won a test series against any of the big three Asian teams India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka  in the subcontinent for a decade. It has failed miserably in subcontinent-like conditions in this Gulf country after Pakistan was forced to choose offshore venues for  home  series due to security concerns back home.

 

“If you look at English cricket history we ve never played great cricket in the subcontinent,” Bell said.

 

“We ve started to play very well everywhere else in the world and this is the last little bit of hurdle that we need to get over.

 

“We are working hard as ever, we are looking at areas that we can improve mentally and technically. There s no doubt, we are all hungry enough.”

 

England will have two more chances to remove its subcontinent jinx this year playing against Sri Lanka and India. Bell felt it was high time he and the batsmen showed progress against spinners on turning tracks and support their bowlers. ”There s a lot of cricket in the subcontinent coming up and if you want to stay No. 1 in the world then we have to improve and get some runs because our bowlers have been fantastic out here taking 20 wickets so its up to the batting unit to give them support.”

 

Head of UK press regulator says change needed

 

Press Complaints Commission chief David Hunt told Britain s media ethics inquiry Tuesday that the media needs to regain public trust, but this should not be done through a “press regulation act.”

 

The judge-led inquiry was set up in the wake of a scandal about illegal phone hacking by Rupert Murdoch s now-defunct News of the World.

 

Victims of tabloid intrusion have described the complaints commission which newspapers join voluntarily
as a toothless organization.

 

In a witness statement, Hunt says the existing structure “is not viable” and should be replaced by a body with powers to impose sanctions on newspapers that breach ethical guidelines.–AP
 

Misbah shines to lead Pakistan from darkness

NEW DELHI: Following the Pakistan cricket team has often been a veritable health hazard for their supporters, pledging allegiance to a supremely talented but highly fractious bunch that would veer from the sublime to the ridiculous in the blink of an eye.

Even at the start of this decade, the team functioned more like a secret society where any newcomer would struggle to breathe in a dressing room polluted by air thick with suspicion.

Not so long ago, local media would report stories about senior players holding clandestine meetings at a former captain’s residence to take an oath to betray the incumbent.

A former coach would call the players “mentally retarded” and a captain would blame poor fielding on team mates busy ogling girls in the outfield.

Of course, any players named denied the allegations.

Even for such a disjointed side, the 2010 spot-fixing scandal would mark a new low, culminating with the imprisonment of the then captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif for agreeing to bowl deliberate no-balls in the Lord’s test against England.

Less than a year-and-a-half on and Pakistan have not only survived the crisis but emerged stronger under Misbah-ul-Haq’s understated captaincy, reveling in consistency and shrugging off their notorious unpredictability.

Misbah and his men have clearly banished the nightmares of their previous meeting with England to take an unassailable 2-0 lead against the same opponent in a ‘home’ series in the UAE and are eyeing a clean sweep.

The latest success follows their series victories over New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka in a highly rewarding 2011 when they won six of the 10 tests, losing just one.

“After the spot-fixing scandal the players discussed things and we unanimously agreed that we need to just do well,” Misbah recently told the Geo News channel.

“I am happy that we have been playing with lot of focus, dedication and discipline. The players have lots of faith in each other and their abilities to perform under pressure.”

Forced to host teams in the Gulf due to security concerns, Pakistan have achieved a great deal under the quiet stewardship of a 37-year-old captain who is unlike any of his predecessors.

Misbah does not warrant comparison with either Inzamam-ul-Haq or Younus Khan as a batsman, lacks Shahid Afridi’s flamboyance and is not as articulate as Butt at presentation ceremonies.

WELL-KNIT UNIT

However, shoehorned into captaincy after Butt’s ignominious exit, Misbah has achieved what most others could not.

He has won eight of the 12 tests he has been in charge of the team and is yet to lose a series as skipper.

More importantly, Pakistan finally look like a well-knit unit of honest triers who have complete faith in their phlegmatic leader and his single-minded pursuit of victory.

“It’s better to win by playing defensively, instead of losing by playing aggressively,” Misbah said before the start of the series against England.

This safety-first approach is hardly a surprise, coming from a man whose fatal scoop shot in the final of the 2007 Twenty20 World Cup allowed arch-rivals India to walk away with the trophy.

Misbah may not have secured his place among Pakistan’s great captains yet but in the first two tests against world number one ranked England, he has shown tactical acumen and flexibility to get the best out of his team mates.

In absence of Asif and Amir, Umar Gul is relishing leading an inexperienced pace attack while spin twins Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman have ruthlessly exposed the technical deficiencies of the English batsmen.

The second test in Abu Dhabi was a proof of the team’s never-say-die attitude and Misbah’s excellent captaincy.

With England chasing a meagre 145-run victory target, Misbah opened with Mohammad Hafeez’s gentle off-breaks and withdrew Gul after just three overs so that he could unleash the Ajmal-Rehman dynamic duo on the tentative batsmen.

Vindicating his decision completely, the spin trio shared all 10 wickets, shooting out England for 72 in just over 36 overs for a memorable series-clinching victory.

For their volatile fans, it was a heart-warming display of the team’s collective grit and many would believe Misbah applied some of the management lessons he learnt as a degree student in Lahore.

It is this steady progress that convinced coach Mohsin Khan that Pakistan, currently ranked fifth, can become the top test playing nation.

“I think this team has the capacity to become the world’s best team,” he said in Abu Dhabi.

“Our target should be to gradually come in the top three in both tests and one-day cricket, and then gradually go to world number one.”

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