Mismanagement mars entry tests for ASI posts in Lahore

LAHORE: Mismanagement was quite evident in Lahore, where thousands of candidates had to face the scorching heat to sit in entry tests for the vacant posts of assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs).

Written tests were conducted across the province for vacant posts of ASIs in Punjab police.

Some 15, 000 candidates turned to University of Engineering Technology (UET) to appear in the tests for 32 seats of Lahore Division.

Due to mismanagement, the test started late by one and half an hour.

Candidates complained that insufficient arrangements were made for the tests. They said that they had no access to water while a number of candidates had to sit under the scorching sun.

Collingwood, England’s ‘Blue Collar’ man

SYDNEY: Paul Collingwood earned a reputation as a flinty ‘blue collar’ competitor and an outstanding fielder in his 68 Tests for England.

Collingwood, who announced his retirement from Test cricket during the final Sydney Test on Thursday, was an integral part of England’s Ashes series victories in 2009 and in the current contest in Australia.

Collingwood, 34, will remain as England’s Twenty20 captain and play in the one-day team at next month’s World Cup on the sub-continent.

He played in the last Test of the 2005 home series as Michael Vaughan’s team won back the Ashes and played in all five Tests of the 2009 and 2010/11 series. He also was in all five Tests on the 2006/07 Down Under, which Australia won 5-0.

S.Africa’s cricket captain Kallis praises Pakistan

ABU DHABI: Stand-in South African captain Jacques Kallis said Pakistan deserved the credit for drawing the two-Test series on Wednesday.

“We put Pakistan under pressure in both the Tests, but Pakistan performed well and their cricket is looking positive,” said Kallis after the second Test ended in a draw, leaving the two-match series at 0-0.

The first Test also ended in stalemate in Dubai last week.

Set a daunting 354-run target in 82 overs, Pakistan were pegged back by South Africa with three wickets soon after lunch before Misbah-ul-Haq (58 not out) and Azhar Ali (28 not out) took them to safety.

Kallis said Pakistan — hit by spot-fixing scandal since their tour of England two months ago — showed a lot of guts.

“You have to give credit to Pakistan, under severe pressure they put big performances and showed that they have the determination

Shillingford, Roach boost Windies in S.Lanka Test

GALLE: Inexperienced Shane Shillingford and Kemar Roach shared seven wickets to help the West Indies gain a big lead in the opening Test against Sri Lanka on Thursday.

Off-spinner Shillingford finished with 4-123, his maiden four-wicket haul in four Tests, and paceman Roach took 3-75 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 378 in their first innings in reply to the West Indies’ 580-9 declared.

Following on, Sri Lanka batted steadily in their second innings to reach 89 for no loss at stumps to keep alive their hopes of salvaging a draw.

Tharanga Paranavitana and Tillakaratne Dilshan were unbeaten on 44 each before rain stopped play, with 22 overs remaining in the day.

Shillingford and Roach, who had a combined experience of just 10 Tests before this match, did not allow the hosts to build a big stand as the West Indies enforced the follow-on against any team

Rain dampens Pakistan’s series-levelling hopes

LONDON: Pakistan saw off Andrew Strauss but missed a glaring chance to dismiss the England captain’s opening partner, Alastair Cook, before rain played its part to wash out the remaining first day of the fourth and final Test at Lord’s.

England were 39 for one after rain had earlier washed out the entire morning session before bad light then stopped the match in only the 13th over. Cook, dropped on one, was 10 not out and Jonathan Trott was unbeaten on eight with England 2-1 up in this series after Pakistan’s four-wicket win across London at The Oval last week.

It was no surprise when Pakistan captain Salman Butt opted to field first after winning the toss in the kind of overcast conditions that have troubled batsmen from both sides all series. But poor catching, that has hampered Pakistan throughout this series, saw their 18th dropped effort in four Tests – a

India 95-0 in reply to Sri Lanka’s huge 642-4

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene revelled on their favourite hunting ground to send India chasing leather in the second cricket Test on Tuesday.

Sangakkara hit 219, his seventh double-century, and Jayawardene made 174 as Sri Lanka declared at 642-4 on the second day at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC).

India, who trail 1-0 in the three-match series, replied confidently with 95 for no loss by stumps, but still face a long haul to reach 443 and avoid the embarrassment of following on for the second game in a row.

Virender Sehwag was unbeaten on a typically aggressive 64 off 63 balls, while Murali Vijay was on 22.

Sangakkara and former captain Jayawardene continued the run-spree after opener Tharanga Paranavitana”s century on the first day on a lifeless wicket that afforded no help to the bowlers.

The senior duo, who compiled Test cricket”s highest partnership of 624 runs at the same venue against South Africa four years ago, put on 193 runs for the third wicket.

Sangakkara”s seventh double-century brought him level with Wally Hammond of England. Only Australian legend Don Bradman (12) and West Indian Brian Lara (nine) have more scores of 200 or more.

Jayawardene”s 10th three-figure knock at the SSC is the most by a batsman at a single ground, surpassing Bradman”s tally of nine at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Starting the day at 312-2, Sangakkara and Jayawardene added 65 runs from 14 overs in the first hour, easily seeing off the second new ball claimed late on Monday evening.

By lunch, Sri Lanka had hammered 145 runs in 29 overs in the morning session.

Sangakkara moved to 199 with four boundaries in one over from left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, and then reached 200 with an edged four to third man off Harbhajan Singh.

Sangakkara, who was on 214 at lunch, fell in the fourth over after the break when he edged a lazy drive off part-time spinner Virender Sehwag to lone slip Rahul Dravid.

The left-hander hit 29 boundaries during his seven-hour stay at the crease.

Jayawardene smashed 20 boundaries and a six in his 28th Test century before holing out to mid-wicket to give off-spinner Harbhajan his first success in the series.

Thilan Samaraweera remained unbeaten on 76, having put on 176 for the fourth wicket with Jayawardene.

Mushtaq Ahmed backs anti-terror campaign

LONDON: Former Pakistan international turned England spin-bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed is among a group of cricketers who have lent their support to the Not In My Game anti-terror campaign.

The aim is to encourage cricket fans around the world to make clear that incidents such as the one which saw the Sri Lanka team bus fired upon in Lahore in March last year, killing eight people and injuring seven Sri Lankan players and staff, have no place in sport.

That attack led to the effective suspension of international cricket in Pakistan and saw a ”home” series against Australia, which Pakistan ended with a three-wicket second Test win at Headingley last week, being played in England.

“Playing cricket has always been one of the most important things in my life,” Ahmed said in a statement issued Tuesday.

“This passion for the game is shared by millions of cricket fans at home and across the globe: a love of cricket unites us all, irrespective of where we”re from and whom we support,” the former leg-spinner, who also starred for Sussex in English county cricket, added.

Ahmed, reflecting on the Lahore attack, said: “Atrocities like these have a terrible impact on the game we love.

“It affects everyone and everything – players, fans and morale. That”s why I”m backing Not In My Game, a campaign which sends a clear message that terrorism will not be tolerated in cricket or any other sport.”

Paul Farbrace, the then Sri Lanka assistant coach who was injured in the Lahore attacks, said: “Having witnessed the attacks first hand and seen the shockwaves felt throughout the world, I am convinced of the need to gather international support in opposing acts of terror targeted at sport.”

The former Kent and Middlesex wicketkeeper added: “The Not In My Game campaign is all about pulling people from all communities together to send a clear message that we will not tolerate terrorism and I urge everyone to go online now and sign the pledge at www.notinmygame.com.”

Pakistan play the first of four Tests, two Twenty20 and five one-day internationals against England at Trent Bridge starting on Thursday.

Sudan says troops kill hundreds of Darfur rebels

KHARTOUM: The Sudanese army said it inflicted a series of defeats on Darfur’s most powerful rebel group, killing and capturing hundreds in a series of clashes over the past few days.

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Sudan says troops kill hundreds of Darfur rebels

Abbas: Israel must accept foreign border force

RAMALLAH, West Bank: The Palestinian president says he’ll go to direct peace talks if Israel accepts its 1967 frontier as a baseline for the borders of a Palestinian state.

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Abbas: Israel must accept foreign border force

Butt named captain for rest of England tour

ISLAMABAD: Opening batsman Salman Butt has been named Pakistan’s captain for the remaining Tests in England following Shahid Afridi’s surprising decision to retire from Tests after the defeat against Australia at Lord’s.

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Butt named captain for rest of England tour

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