6 more killed in Karachi firing incidents

At least 6 people were killed in Karachi firing incidents on Friday and death toll in the 6 days of killings reached 86.
Unidentified persons killed 45-year-old Allah Nawaz in Gulshan Tauheed area of North Karachi. In Joharabad area, firing left 26-year-old Arsalan while an unidentified person was killed in Suhrab Goth area. Whereas, 30-year-old Kamran was killed near Chorangi area.

Kamran Lashari removed from post of Sindh Chief Secy

Due to delay in approval from the Presidency and the PM House, notification for appointment of CDAs former chairman Kamran Lashari as Sindh Chief Secretary (CS) has not been issued.
According to sources, summary for his removal from the post has been sent to the PM. Final notification will be issued in this regard after the approval of the President. It is suggested in the summary to remove Kamaran Lashari under departmental inquiry and Lashari will report back to Establishment Division. Appointment of Kamran Lashari and Adnan Khawaja was made same day. According to sources, Lashari was backed by the Presidency while Adnan had PMs support.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Supreme Court expressed severe dismay and dissatisfaction over Lasharis appointment. The court had also directed action against CDA former chairman Kamran Lashari for allowing the illegal constructions within three months but the government instead of taking any action against Lashari appointed him as Sindh Chief Secretary.

President Zardari, Cameron hold talks today

LONDON: David Cameron is set to confront President Asif Ali Zardari in tense talks Friday over the British PM’s terror allegations against Pakistan.

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President Zardari, Cameron hold talks today

Pakistan, England second Test today

BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan has dropped wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and brought in uncapped Zulqarnain Haider in his place for the second Test, while spinner Saeed Ajmal replaces Danish Kaneria.

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Pakistan, England second Test today

Pakistan lose 3 for 15 chasing huge 435 runs

NOTTINGHAM: Matt Prior”s unbeaten century left England well placed for victory inside four days in the first Test against Pakistan at Trent Bridge on Saturday.

Pakistan, at stumps on the third day, had collapsed to 15 for three – still needing a further 420 runs for what would be a new world record fourth innings victory total of 435.

The most any side has ever made in the fourth innings to win a Test is the 418 for seven scored by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2003.

Pakistan”s equivalent record is the 315 for nine they scored against Australia at Karachi in 1994.

Prior”s 102 not out was the major contribution to an England second innings total of 262 for nine declared, made after he came in at 72 for five.

Stuart Broad, on his Nottinghamshire home ground, then had Pakistan captain Salman Butt, flashing outside off-stump, well caught by Paul Collingwood at third slip.

Two balls later, Broad had Azhar Ali lbw for nought and by stumps had taken two wickets for 14 runs in three overs.

Ali, who hadn”t asked for a referral when he might have done in the first innings, requested one under the Decision Review System (DRS) but replays upheld New Zealand umpire Tony Hill”s decision.

Umar Amin was then lbw for one to James Anderson as Pakistan suffered their latest top-order collapse, losing three wickets for one run in seven balls.

Earlier, wicketkeeper Prior was some distance from a century on 63 when last man Steven Finn came to the crease.

But Finn showed a fine defensive technique and good temperament to hold an end up for 50 minutes on his way to nine not out in a last-wicket stand of 49.

Prior hoisted leg-spinner Danish Kaneria for two sixes in three balls but also took a single off the first ball of an over seven times with Finn at the other end.

But Prior”s faith in Finn was rewarded when he late cut-off spinner Shoaib Malik for three to complete a third hundred in his 32nd Test and first against Pakistan, with both his previous centuries against the West Indies.

England captain Andrew Strauss then declared with Prior having faced 136 balls with two sixes and seven fours in over three hours at the crease.

Earlier Umar Gul ensured Pakistan avoided the follow-on with a Test-best 65 not out, and then took three wickets for seven runs in 21 balls.

The only downside to an otherwise fine day for England was Kevin Pietersen”s dismissal for 22 – the 21st Test innings in a row where the star batsman had failed to score a century.

England, 49 for two at lunch, were 66 for four soon afterwards.

Pietersen got an inside edge off seamer Gul and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal held a superb one-handed catch after diving to his left.

However, next ball Collingwood cut flat-footedly and Kamran Akmal dropped a catch that would not have carried to first slip despite getting both gloves on the ball.

In the first innings, Kamran Akmal had missed a chance to stump Collingwood on 48.

Collingwood went on to make 82 and share an England fifth-wicket record stand against Pakistan of 219 with Eoin Morgan.

But that Kamran Akmal”s luck was turning was clear when Gul had Collingwood lbw for one.

Morgan”s first innings 130, his maiden Test century, put England in a strong position, but the left-hander was run out for 17 second time around after a mix-up with Prior.

Before lunch, England lost Strauss for a third ball nought.

He edged left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer to second slip where Umar Akmal fumbled the chance and then, flailing away, knocked the ball up and Umar”s brother Kamran reacted well to complete a diving catch.

Gul”s spirited innings ensured England would have to bat again.

The highlights were when he casually pulled fast bowler Finn for two sixes in as many balls.

Swing bowler Anderson, who took five wickets on his 28th birthday on Friday, finished with five for 54 in 22 overs.

Pakistan lose 3 for 15 chasing huge 435 runs

NOTTINGHAM: Matt Prior”s unbeaten century left England well placed for victory inside four days in the first Test against Pakistan at Trent Bridge on Saturday.

Pakistan, at stumps on the third day, had collapsed to 15 for three – still needing a further 420 runs for what would be a new world record fourth innings victory total of 435.

The most any side has ever made in the fourth innings to win a Test is the 418 for seven scored by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2003.

Pakistan”s equivalent record is the 315 for nine they scored against Australia at Karachi in 1994.

Prior”s 102 not out was the major contribution to an England second innings total of 262 for nine declared, made after he came in at 72 for five.

Stuart Broad, on his Nottinghamshire home ground, then had Pakistan captain Salman Butt, flashing outside off-stump, well caught by Paul Collingwood at third slip.

Two balls later, Broad had Azhar Ali lbw for nought and by stumps had taken two wickets for 14 runs in three overs.

Ali, who hadn”t asked for a referral when he might have done in the first innings, requested one under the Decision Review System (DRS) but replays upheld New Zealand umpire Tony Hill”s decision.

Umar Amin was then lbw for one to James Anderson as Pakistan suffered their latest top-order collapse, losing three wickets for one run in seven balls.

Earlier, wicketkeeper Prior was some distance from a century on 63 when last man Steven Finn came to the crease.

But Finn showed a fine defensive technique and good temperament to hold an end up for 50 minutes on his way to nine not out in a last-wicket stand of 49.

Prior hoisted leg-spinner Danish Kaneria for two sixes in three balls but also took a single off the first ball of an over seven times with Finn at the other end.

But Prior”s faith in Finn was rewarded when he late cut-off spinner Shoaib Malik for three to complete a third hundred in his 32nd Test and first against Pakistan, with both his previous centuries against the West Indies.

England captain Andrew Strauss then declared with Prior having faced 136 balls with two sixes and seven fours in over three hours at the crease.

Earlier Umar Gul ensured Pakistan avoided the follow-on with a Test-best 65 not out, and then took three wickets for seven runs in 21 balls.

The only downside to an otherwise fine day for England was Kevin Pietersen”s dismissal for 22 – the 21st Test innings in a row where the star batsman had failed to score a century.

England, 49 for two at lunch, were 66 for four soon afterwards.

Pietersen got an inside edge off seamer Gul and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal held a superb one-handed catch after diving to his left.

However, next ball Collingwood cut flat-footedly and Kamran Akmal dropped a catch that would not have carried to first slip despite getting both gloves on the ball.

In the first innings, Kamran Akmal had missed a chance to stump Collingwood on 48.

Collingwood went on to make 82 and share an England fifth-wicket record stand against Pakistan of 219 with Eoin Morgan.

But that Kamran Akmal”s luck was turning was clear when Gul had Collingwood lbw for one.

Morgan”s first innings 130, his maiden Test century, put England in a strong position, but the left-hander was run out for 17 second time around after a mix-up with Prior.

Before lunch, England lost Strauss for a third ball nought.

He edged left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer to second slip where Umar Akmal fumbled the chance and then, flailing away, knocked the ball up and Umar”s brother Kamran reacted well to complete a diving catch.

Gul”s spirited innings ensured England would have to bat again.

The highlights were when he casually pulled fast bowler Finn for two sixes in as many balls.

Swing bowler Anderson, who took five wickets on his 28th birthday on Friday, finished with five for 54 in 22 overs.

Morgan leads England recovery against Pakistan

NOTTINGHAM: Eoin Morgan led England to 190 for four at tea after Pakistan took two wickets in quick succession on the first day of the first Test at Trent Bridge here on Thursday.

England, who won the toss, were in trouble at 118 for four shortly after lunch, with Kevin Pietersen out for nine in his first match since injuring his thigh in a one-day international against Australia at Lord”s on July 3.

But former Ireland left-hander Morgan hit back with 44 not out featuring nine boundaries and together with Paul Collingwood (27 not out) had so far shared an unbroken stand of 72.

In a series where the Decision Review System (DRS) was being used in England for the first time, Pakistan wasted both their two permitted unsuccessful challenges on appeals by Mohammad Asif for lbw and caught behind against Pietersen on one and five.

But Asif then bowled Pietersen, leaving a gap between bat and pad, off the inside edge.

England”s other South Africa-born batsman, Jonathan Trott, had added just three to his lunchtime 35 when he padded up to an inswinger from Aamer.

Trott, succcessful with a previous referral, asked for New Zealand umpire Tony Hill”s lbw verdict to be reviewed.

But replays suggested the ball was clipping the top of the stumps and Trott was out, with England 118 for four.

And there was a fresh flashpoint when wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal appealed for a catch against Morgan, on five, off the bowling of left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Aamer.

But even before the third umpire ruled in Morgan”s favour, crowd jeers were ringing round Trent Bridge as replays on the giant screen showed the ball had clearly bounced into Kamran Akmal”s gloves.

It took Collingwood 30 balls to score his first four but then two came in as many Umar Gul deliveries, courtesy of a couple of square cuts.

Morgan then cover-drove and glanced off-spinner Shoaib Malik for fours.

Both batsmen cashed in against Pakistan”s slow bowlers and Morgan made it six boundaries for England in 12 deliveries with a trademark reverse sweep off leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.

Before lunch Aamer, who took seven wickets in Pakistan”s dramatic three-wicket second Test win over Australia at Headingley last week, had Alastair Cook caught at first slip and had England captain Andrew Strauss caught behind for 45.

Earlier, Strauss had a huge reprieve when, on 15, he edged an outswinger from the 18-year-old Aamer only for Kamran Akmal to drop the routine chance.

Cook struggled in overcast conditions similar to those in which Pakistan bowled Australia out for just 88 in the first innings at Headingley and on eight edged Aamer to first slip Imran Farhat.

Trott then became the first batsman to use DRS in England when, on 13, he given out, lbw to Kaneria, by de Silva. As replays showed Trott had got an inside edge, de Silva reversed his original verdict.

But Aamer did have Strauss, playing loosely outside off-stump, eventually caught behind by Kamran Akmal to end a second-wicket stand of 51.

Pakistan players wore black armbands in memory of the 152 people killed in after an airplane crashed near the capital city of Islamabad on Wednesday.

Salman Butt to lead Pakistan

LONDON: Opnening batsman Salman Butt has been selected as Captain for the rest of the England series, while wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal will be his vice captain, Geo News reported.

This was decided in a meeting chaired by PCB boss Ejaz Butt here today.

Captain Shahid Afridi in a surprisingly announcement said he will retire from Test cricket after the second neutral Test against Australia in Leeds.

Kamran dismisses match fixing charges

KARACHI: Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has dismissed allegations of having links with bookmakers and that he deliberately under-performed on the tour of Australia at the start of this year.

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Kamran dismisses match fixing charges

Australia into World Twenty20 final

GROS ISLET, Saint Lucia: Australia reached the World Twenty20 final after beating defending champions Pakistan by three wickets at the Beausejour Stadium here on Friday.

They will now play England, who beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the first semi-final here on Thursday, in Sunday”s final at Barbados”s Kensington Oval.

Brief scores
Pakistan 191-6, 20 overs (U Akmal 56 no; K Akmal 50)
Australia 197-7, 19.5 overs (M Hussey 60 no; M Aamer 3-35)

Result: Australia won by three wickets.

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