Swann captures 100th victim in Pakistan test

LONDON: England off-spinner Graeme Swann captured his 100th test wicket on Thursday during a lengthy spell on the second day of the third test against Pakistan at the Oval.

Swann bowled unchanged throughout the second session to keep England in the match after they had been dismissed for 233 on Wednesday’s opening day. At tea he had taken three wickets in a Pakistan total of 215 for five.

Playing in his 23rd test, Swann dismissed captain Salman Butt (17) with his second ball of the day, nightwatchman Wahab Riaz (27) and Mohammad Yousuf (56).

Yousuf marked his return to the side with his accustomed elegance combined with the grit which has been missing from his team’s batting in this series.

He was ably supported by Riaz, who took five wickets in his debut test on Wednesday, and followed up by batting for three minutes short of two hours on

Flood sweeps through Amrijo-daro, enters Sehwan Sharif

Staff Report

DADU: Flood water has swept through the ancient Indus Valley city of Amrijo-daro located in Dadu District in Sindh, SAMAA reported on Thursday.

Amrijo-daro (pre-Harappa) is the site of a pre-Harappa fortified town which flourished from 3600 to 3300 BC.

Amrijo-daro Museum, which is believed to be more ancient than the famous city, Mohenjodaro, has been devastated by the deluge.

In addition, flood water has started causing damage to another historical city of Sehwan Sharif located in the Jamshoro District of Sindh.

In Jamshoro, several villages and surrounding kacha areas have come under water as thousands of people head to Kotri for safety.

It is being feared that the torrent could also affect Manjhand Tehsil of Jamshoro.

The flood continues to wreak havoc from Guddu Barrage to Sehwan Sharif.

Debutant Riaz sparks England collapses in 3rd test

LONDON: Pakistan debutant Wahab Riaz took three wickets as England slumped to 70 for five at lunch on the first day of the third Test at The Oval here on Wednesday.

The 25 left-arm quick already had two wickets when, shortly before lunch, he had Kevin Pietersen caught behind after the star batsman had made just six in more than an hour at the crease.

It was a fine delivery that nipped off the seam and induced an edge despite Pietersen shaping to leave the ball.

At lunch, Riaz had taken three wickets for 16 runs in seven overs.

Eoin Morgan was 17 not out and Matt Prior unbeaten on nought.

England, 2-0 up in the four-match series, saw captain Andrew Strauss win the toss but then lost several top-order batsmen on a placid pitch with overhead conditions offering some, but far from excessive, assistance for swing bowlers.

Mohammad Asif

Win would boost team confidence: Farhat

LEEDS: Pakistan opener Imran Farhat believes victory against Australia in the second Test today will provide his young team-mates with the perfect boost ahead of the upcoming series against England.

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Win would boost team confidence: Farhat

Iran studies building fusion reactor

TEHRAN: Iran’s nuclear agency announces it studying to construct an experimental nuclear fusion reactor, something no country has ever built.

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Iran studies building fusion reactor

ARY News transmissions restored

ISLAMABAD: The transmissions of ARY News have been restored after after outcry over shutting down of the transmissions of the news channel.

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ARY News transmissions restored

Pakistan overwhelm Australia in Leeds Test

LEEDS: Pakistan overwhelmed mighty Australia by three wickets to achieve historic victory at Headingley ground on Saturday.

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Pakistan overwhelm Australia in Leeds Test

Pakistan steal easy win over Northamptonshire

NORTHAMPTON: Pakistan completed preparations for next week”s two Twenty20 internationals against Australia at Edgbaston with a six-wicket win over Northamptonshire at Wantage Road here on Saturday.

Although Zimbabwe”s Elton Chigumbura made 58 not out and Alex Wakely 55, Northamptonshire”s total of 133 for three rarely looked like troubling a Pakistan side for whom off-spinner Saeed Ajmal took one for 15 in four overs.

In reply, Pakistan completed victory in the 16th over, thanks mainly to Shahzaib Hossain”s 64 and captain Shahid Afridi”s dashing 42 off 13 balls.

Australia beat Pakistan by three wickets in a thrilling World Twenty20 semi-final in Saint Lucia in May when the teams last met in international cricket”s shortest format.

It seemed Pakistan, the defending champions, had the game all but won only for Michael Hussey”s unbeaten 60 to seal victory for an Australia side who subsequently lost to England in the final.

Pietersen doubtful for Bangladesh series

LONDON: England batsman Kevin Pietersen is likely to miss the upcoming one-day series against Bangladesh because of a thigh injury suffered against Australia at Lord”s here on Saturday.

Pietersen, batting with a runner, was out for nought, after injuring himself while fielding as England lost the fifth and final one-dayer against Australia by 42 runs, although they still claimed a 3-2 series win over their old rivals.

England are due to name their squad for the three-match series with Bangladesh on Sunday before taking on the Tigers at Trent Bridge on Thursday.

And England captain Andrew Strauss played down the chances of Pietersen — who has now gone 16 ODI innings without a fifty — playing against Bangladesh by saying: “There”s a bit of a tear there. It”s probably unlikely he”s going to be fit but we”ll have to see.”

Hot-shot Villa leads Spain into semi-finals

JOHANNESBURG: David Villa scored the only goal as European champions Spain beat Paraguay 1-0 at Ellis Park on Saturday to set up a World Cup semi-final against Germany.

Villa, who now has five goals in the tournament, struck the winner seven minutes from the end of what had been a disjointed quarter-final performance from the fancied Spaniards in a game that saw both goalkeepers save second-half penalties.

Germany, who lost to Spain in the Euro 2008 final, had earlier thumped Argentina 4-0 in Cape Town.

“We didn”t play well mainly because we didn”t get enough of the ball,” said Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque.

“We are now amongst the four best teams in the world. Our next opponents are Germany who are the best team at the moment.”

Spain”s Cesc Fabregas, who came on for the out-of-form Fernando Torres in the second half, admitted the semi-final will require a step-up in class.

“It feels good to be in the semi-finals, but we know it”ll mean nothing if we don”t reach the final,” he said.

“We watched Germany beat Argentina and they played very well. They are one of the best teams in this tournament. We will have to play our very best to be able to beat them.”

Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino said his side paid the price for not taking the opportunities which came their way.

“We had chances but didn”t take them. But never mind. I congratulate my players for their progress at the World Cup,” he said.

Paraguay made a good start to the match and created two chances in the first 10 minutes.

Jonathan Santana shot too close to goalkeeper Iker Casillas from 20 yards and then Cristian Riveros failed to hit the target with a header from Victor Caceres”s pinpoint cross.

Spain were out of sorts with even Barcelona playmaker Xavi uncharacteristically wasteful with his passing.

However, he finally brought a spark to the European champions” play when he hit a dipping volley from 25 yards just over the bar.

Four minutes from the break Paraguay had the ball in the net as Nelson Valdez latched onto a long ball and slotted home into the bottom corner but his strike was ruled out for offside.

Liverpool forward Torres remained an isolated figure up front and it was not surprising that Spain coach Vicente del Bosque replaced him with Fabregas. The game burst into life around the hour mark.

Paraguay had a golden opportunity to take the lead on 59 minutes when Gerard Pique was penalised for hauling down Oscar Cardozo in the box.

But Cardozo missed the resulting penalty with Spain captain Casillas guessing the right way to make the save.

Spain then went straight up the other end and Antolin Alcaraz was adjudged to have tripped new Barcelona signing Villa in the area.

Xabi Alonso stepped up to bury the penalty but was ordered to retake it as Spanish players had encroached.

Second time around he changed sides but Justo Villar then guessed right and saved before Sergio Ramos”s follow up was blocked on the line.

Spain, though, felt they should have had another penalty immediately as Fabregas tumbled under Villar”s dive.

Villar then parried a curling effort from Andres Iniesta before del Bosque threw on a forward Pedro for defensive midfielder Alonso as he went searching for the win.

Spain finally got the breakthrough on 83 minutes after a typically swift passing move through the heart of Paraguay”s defence.

Iniesta laid the ball to Pedro on the right and although his shot came back off the far post, it fell kindly to Villa whose own curled effort nestled in the net after coming off the woodwork.

In a frantic finale Casillas dived at the feet of Roque Santa Cruz to prevent an equaliser while Villar then stopped Villa from making the game safe.

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