Mathews fireworks prompt Australia rethink

PERTH: Australia will revisit their bowling plan for Angelo Mathews after the powerful Sri Lankan almost engineered another remarkable comeback win for his side at the WACA Ground on Friday.

Mathews, who famously combined with Lasith Malinga for a 132-run ninth-wicket stand to help Sri Lanka beat Australia in Melbourne in November 2010, threatened to perform similar heroics on Friday, before falling just six runs short of the victory target.

Number seven Mathews and number 11 Dhammika Prasad came together with 52 runs required, chasing a victory target of 232.

The pair still needed 18 off the last over to snatch victory, which became just eight off four balls when Mathews hit Mitchell Starc’s first two balls for four and six.

But with six needed off two balls, Mathews was caught on the boundary trying to hit the winning runs, ending his innings on 64 from 76 balls.

Australia skipper Michael Clarke said his side needed to find a way to curb the right-hander’s clean hitting.

“He continues to make runs against us. He is that type of player and if he gets past 20 he is unstoppable. He strikes the ball as clean as anybody,” Clarke said.

“We need to keep working on our plans to him and probably be a bit more disciplined early to him to try to get him out for less than 20 more often, because he is a very good striker of the ball.”

Mathews averages 41.50 in one-dayers against Australia, well above his career average of 33.45, and he said he was not surprised by news the Australians would place more focus on his wicket in future matches.

“They have a idea of me, so I have to think a bit ahead,” he said.

The 24-year-old said memories of his MCG heroics were in his mind late in the chase.

“We were almost there. The MCG game was at the back of my mind, but unfortunately we couldn’t pull it through,” he said.

Mathews, who also claimed two wickets with the ball in the Australian innings, said he would welcome any opportunity to bat further up the order in future one-day internationals.

“Obviously yes, but the team needs me finishing off the game,” he said when asked if he would like a promotion in the batting order. AGENCIES

Two Lahore fires cause loss worth millions of rupees

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LAHORE: Goods worth millions of rupees were gutted in two incidents of fire during the last 24 hours in the city. Also, four people sustained burns injuries in the two incidents.

A blaze incident occurred in a plaza housing shops of electronics products located at Hall Road, where goods worth millions of rupees were torched by the sudden fire after engulfing two shops.

The relief teams contained the fire on time.

Another fire, caused by short circuit, broke out in a business center located on Gulberg’s main thoroughfare. Fire has been brought under control; but, at least two floors of the plaza are completely burned down with goods of millions of rupees gutted.

According to traders, the commercial center was furnished with considerable firefighting system; but, the fast-paced blaze stormed the plaza in no time. TrendPK

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SHC’s three judges take oath

KARACHI: Three judges of Sindh High Court (SHC) took oath after they have been made permanent judges, TrendPK reports Saturday.

Chief Justice of Sindh High Court (SHC), Justice Musheer Alam administered oath to Justice Muhammed Ali Mazhar, Justice Muhammed Tasneem and Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi.

The oath taking ceremony took place at the court’s Committee Room. The SHC judges, Bar representatives and senior lawyers attended the ceremony. TrendPK

NZealand beat Zimbabwe in Twenty20 in first T20

AUCLAND: Martin Guptill continued his rich vein of form against Zimbabwe as he scored 91 not out to help New Zealand beat the visitors by seven wickets at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday in the first of their two Twenty20 internationals.   

Guptill, who scored 232 runs in the three one-day internationals at an average of 77, blasted five boundaries and six sixes as New Zealand made 160 for three off 16.5 overs after Zimbabwe had scored a credible 159 for eight from 20 overs.   

 Kane Williamson (48) combined with Guptill in a 137-run partnership after Kyle Jarvis had taken two wickets in the second over to put New Zealand under some pressure for the first time on their tour.   

 Jarvis had been belted for two boundaries off his first two balls but then bounced back to bowl Rob Nicol with his third delivery of the over.    

Jarvis then bowled a wide before having Brendon McCullum caught off the fourth legitimate delivery for a duck. He finished the eventful over by bowling another wide, conceding a single and then a dot ball.   

Guptill, who was dropped on the boundary on 20, and Williamson, however, set about ticking off the runs with Guptill the aggressor while Williamson kept rotating the strike and ensured New Zealand achieved the total with 19 balls to spare.    

The visitors had finally displayed some of the batting talent that has been hinted at with Hamilton Masakadza blasting three boundaries and three sixes to top score with 53 off 36 balls.    

Elton Chigumbura also cleared the fence four times and hit three boundaries as he scored 48 from 24 deliveries at the end of the Zimbabwe innings.   

Left-arm seamer Michael Bates, who bowled Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor in his first over, grabbed two wickets in the 20th over to finish with innings best figures of three for 31.   

Zimbabwe’s tour concludes after the second Twenty20 international at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Feb. 14. AGENCIES

Stable Pakistan in US interest: Munter

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KARACHI: U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter Saturday said the stable Pakistan is in interest of the USA.

Addressing a ceremony at Expo Center, he said his country will extend every possible succor to Pakistan in the agricultural sector. TrendPK

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Imran accuses PPP, PML-N of massive corruption in 4 years

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KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan Saturday said all the politicians are involved in the ongoing corruption spree which has claimed billions of rupees to the national exchequer in four years.

Talking to media at Karachi airport, he said corruption to the tune of Rs.8500 billion took place in four years and taxes were stolen, adding all coalition partners of the government are equal stakeholders in this corruption.

Meantime, former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani should act upon the ruling of Supreme Court (SC). TrendPK

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Buena Vista musician declines to go to Grammys

HAVANA: A top Cuban musician from the Buena Vista Social Club has declined to go to the United States to attend the upcoming Grammy Awards ceremony, website Cubasi reported.

In an interview with the website on Friday Eliades Ochoa said he had received a US visa but would stay home instead.

“I prefer to play here in Cuba, in front of my people, rather than go to the Grammys,” said Ochoa, 65. “I said it even before the visa came: I prefer to remain in Cuba and play for my people.”

He did not specify whether he himself had applied for the visa.

Ochoa’s album “Afrocubusmo,” which represents a mixture of traditional Cuban and African music, was nominated for a Grammy award.

“The nomination itself was an award for us,” the musician said. “It was a recognition of Cuban traditional music, of our roots. And if we win a Grammy, so much the better.”

Ochoa is currently on a concert tour promoting his new album, “A Bolero for You,” with performances scheduled in Havana and Varadero.

The Grammys ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on Sunday. AGENCIES

Tension prevails in Rawalpindi after firing incident

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RAWALPINDI: Tension prevailed at Adiala Road of the city after exchange of fire between two rival groups, TrendPK reported on Saturday.

Eye witnesses told media that some people, both from rival groups started firing on each other from top of buildings.

The road was closed for traffic after the incident and nearby markets were also closed.

One laborer became hurt in the incident that was taken to a hospital for treatment. TrendPK

Doctors’ protest continues on 6th day

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KARACHI: Doctors on Saturday continued their protest against non-payment of salaries for the sixth consecutive day.

Sindh health minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed assured them that their problems will be solved soon but the doctors continued their hunger strike and protest.

A large number of doctors and medics from Institute of Heart Diseases, carrying placards and banners, rallied in the city areas causing severe traffic jam in the area for many hours.

The OPD closure has caused serious problems for patients arriving for the treatment as no government authority have so far assured release of the doctors’ payments. TrendPK

Only ZA Bhutto brought revolution: PM Gilani

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JARANWALA: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said that the only politician who brought revolution in Pakistan is Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, TrendPK reported on Saturday.

Many politicians talk about revolution but ZA Bhutto was the only political leader who made it happened, he said.

Addressing a public rally in Jaranwala, PM Gilani said that Muhtarma Benazir Bhutto struggled for the freedom of the media and judiciary and we, also, will have been serving the people as per Muhtarma’s manifesto either we remain in power or not.

The prime minister said that we proud our PPP workers and the massive progress which have been made in our regime is not carried out in previous regimes.

The PPP workers have never been sold and frightened, he said.

PPP is the only party that has rendered so many sacrifices, the premier said. TrendPK

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