Cricket

[Moin91]

Wasim wants fresh faces in selection committee

Wednesday, June 10, 2009
LONDON: Wasim Akram is sick and tired of seeing retired old men at the helm of Pakistan cricket. The legendary fast bowler is convinced that its time the younger generation is allowed to come forward in a bid to bring the sport back on track in the country, writes Khalid Hussain.

The former Pakistan captain believes that the change of guard could start with the appointment of a "youngish" chief selector in place of Abdul Qadir, who has recently resigned from the position.

"What Pakistan need is the involvement of younger men, people in their thirties or forties who have played cricket in the modern era because they are the ones who will have the capability of make things right for the game," Akram told 'The News' at Lord's on Tuesday.

Without criticising Qadir, Akram said that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should appoint a chief selector from his (Akram's) age bracket.

"It's important for Pakistan cricket that the chief selector is a younger guy, who has extensive knowledge of modern day cricket. He should be fully aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the local cricketers with complete knowledge of players from rival teams.

"Selecting a balanced team is no child's play and only a good professional can do the job," he stressed.

It is rumoured that former Pakistan captain Aamer Sohail is likely to take over as chief selector.

Akram also suggested that players like Moin Khan, who are actively involved in domestic cricket, can be ideal candidates for the job. Akram, however, ruled himself out of taking the job because of his commitments as a television commentator but offered his services as an advisor.

"I'm always ready to do my bit for Pakistan cricket," he said. "People say that I'm never around to help our cricketers. But the problem is that the people running our cricket never ask for my help. I can't force myself on them."

Akram, who played 104 Tests and 356 One-day Internationals before retiring in 2003, said that the PCB doesn't have to appoint a paid chief selector. "In fact it will be better to have a chief selector, who already has a job because such a person will perform the job without being under pressure.

"A paid official will always be worrying about retaining his job and at that times that can be a handicap."

The former Test pacer had picked Pakistan as his favourite team to win the World Twenty20 title but is disappointed at the way Younis Khan's men have performed so far in the tournament.

"I'm actually quite surprised at the way Pakistan have played here so far," said Akram. "I mean, they had an easy group and should have reached the Super Eights without many problems."

Pakistan were facing an early elimination from the World Twenty20 after crashing to a big defeat against hosts England on Sunday at The Oval.

Wasim wants fresh faces in selection committee

 

[MZUBAIR]

I think Captain should also be changed.
Any opinion for Captain

 

[mhacsan]

pakistan now groups up with Ireland, newzeland, srilanka at group stages, not quite sure of fourth team. and pakistan playing their next game against srilanka on the 12th

 

[SummerWine]

Don't rely on Bopara for the Ashes - Warne | Cricket News | The Ashes - England v Australia 2009 | Cricinfo.com

Don't rely on Bopara for the Ashes - Warne

June 19, 2009


Ravi Bopara was in form against the West Indies © Getty Images


Three Test centuries in a row from Ravi Bopara did not impress Shane Warne, who doesn't think the allrounder is good enough for the international arena. Bopara starred against West Indies in his previous three matches, including two hundreds at No. 3, but Warne doubts his temperament.

"Bopara is a good first-class cricketer, but he is not an international cricketer,'' Warne told the Daily Mirror. "I think he's got all the talent in the world, but I just don't think he's got the temperament.

"He can be put off his game too easily and he's too worried about how he looks. Let's hope England aren't relying on Bopara [for the Ashes] because they could be in trouble.''

Warne said Kevin Pietersen, who has been struggling with an Achilles problem, and the captain Andrew Strauss would be the keys to an England success. "Paul Collingwood can be good, but he has to be batting with someone like Kevin Pietersen to bring the best out of him,'' Warne said. "For England to succeed they will have to bat around Pietersen and the captain.''

Australia are preparing for their first tour game in Sussex on Wednesday, which will be followed by a match against England Lions in Worcester. The first Test is in Cardiff on July 8.

 

[SummerWine]

[

"He can be put off his game too easily and he's too worried about how he looks. Let's hope England aren't relying on Bopara [for the Ashes] because they could be in trouble.''

He is too worried about how he looks.......

 

[Moin91]

Yousuf, Razzaq return to Pakistan squad for SL

Tuesday, June 23, 2009
KARACHI: World Twenty20 champions Pakistan on Monday unveiled the 15-man squad to tour Sri Lanka next week, including in the line-up pardoned rebel Indian league players Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq.

Both Razzaq and Yousuf risked their international careers when they played in the Indian Cricket League (ICL), which is not recognised by the International Cricket Council or the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) banned all 23 players who joined the ICL, but in February this year the Sindh high court suspended the bans on all but two ICL players, paving their way to return to Pakistan’s squad.

Inzamam-ul-Haq and Saqlain Mushtaq, who are now retired, did not appeal against the ban.“Yousuf and Razzaq snapped their ties with the ICL so we have cleared them to play for Pakistan and have included in the squad,” a PCB release said.

Razzaq was the first ICL player to return to international cricket after he replaced injured all-rounder Yasir Arafat and appeared in the World Twenty20, which ended on Sunday with Pakistan lifting the T20 Cricket World Cup.

They beat Sri Lanka at Lord’s in London, and will now play three Tests, five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 match on the Sri Lanka tour.Yousuf, 34, was declared the best Test batsman in 2007 after scoring a world record 1,788 runs in the previous calendar year.

Yousuf and Razzaq joined the ICL after being left out of the team which finished runners-up in the inaugural World Twenty20 held in South Africa two years ago.“I am happy to be named in the squad,” Yousuf told AFP. “I have not played a Test since December 2007 (against India at Bangalore) so it will be tough to stage a comeback but I will try to do my best.”

All-rounder Shahid Afridi, declared man-of-the-match in Pakistan’s semifinal and final win in the World Twenty20, will skip the Test leg of the Sri Lanka tour but will be available for the limited over matches.

Injury-prone paceman Shoaib Akhtar, who missed the World Twenty20 due to groin problems, was also not considered for selection for the Sri Lanka tour.Also axed from the squad was paceman Sohail Tanvir, part of Pakistan’s winning team on Sunday.

Rookie 17-year-old paceman Mohammad Aamir, easily the find for Pakistan in their World Twenty20 win, will supplement the attack along with the more experienced Umar Gul and Razzaq.

Also returning to the squad is paceman Abdur Rauf, who played four one-day matches last year but was never selected for the Tests.Pakistan starts the current tour on June 29 with a three-day side match in Colombo. The first Test starts at Galle from July 4.

The other two Tests will be played in Colombo (July 12-16 and July 20-24) followed by one-day series and the Twenty20 match.

Squad: Younis Khan (captain), Misbah-ul-Haq (vice-captain), Salman Butt, Khurrum Manzoor, Mohammad Yousuf, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Aamir, Danish Kaneria, Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rauf, Faisal Iqbal, Fawad Alam.

Yousuf, Razzaq return to Pakistan squad for SL

 

[Al-zakir]

Ashraful axed, Mashrafe named captain



Tue, Jun 23rd, 2009 12:02 pm BdST
Dhaka, June 23 (bdnews24.com)— The Bangladesh Cricket Board on Tuesday sacked captain Mohammad Ashraful and replaced him with his deputy Mashrafe Bin Mortaza as they announced a 15-strong national cricket team for the upcoming tour of the West Indies and Zimbabwe.

The BCB decided to relieve Ashraful of his captaincy duties to allow him to focus on his batting. He had been saying that he had no plans to quit the captaincy after the disastrous World Twenty20 campaign in England.

Shakib Al Hasan, the world's No.1 allrounder in ODIs, has been named the vice-captain, the BCB announced in a press conference.

Ashraful, who took over from Habibul Bashar after the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, was supposed to lead the side in the July-August West Indies tour as per the decision of the board on Feb 7.

The move came just six days before the Tigers are to leave for the Caribbean islands on June 29.

"Mashrafee has been announced the captain and Shakib Al Hasan his deputy for the Bangladesh national cricket team for the upcoming series against the West Indies and Zimbabwe," the BCB Media and Communications Committee chairman Mohammed Jalal Yunus said at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

"We believe we have picked the ideal person as the captain. Apart from his obvious match-winning ability Mashrafe is a proven fighter and has the experience.

"He can inspire and motivate the team. This is a new challenge for him and we know that he loves challenges."

Yunus continued: "We hope both of them will perform and will take Bangladesh cricket forward in the future."

"The decision to replace him (Ashraful) was taken with the intention of relieving the burden on[him] to allow him to play his natural game.

"We all know his quality and what he is capable of as a batsman. We are confident that without the burden of captaincy his batting would flourish and he would contribute more to the team."

"The board wants to sincerely thank Mohammad Ashraful for his contribution as captain," added Yunus.

Chief selector Rafiqul Alam almost retained the same Test squad that played against Sri Lanka at home early this year.

However, there were two new faces -- pacer Rubel Hossain who has played ODIs and uncapped wicketkeeper Shahagir Hossain.

"Shahagir has been on our book for the last four years and his performance in academy, Bangladesh A team and domestic competitions is notable.

"He is also a good batsman," Alam said.

"A second wicketkeeper is needed in the long tour in the West Indies and Zimbabwe and we think Shahagir is the right person to do this job."

Left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak was not considered for his long absence in the longer matches and Enamul Haq Junior was picked for both Tests against the West Indians following good performance against the Maharastra Cricket Association at home.

However, the axe fell on spinning all-rounder Naeem Islam, who was on the squad against Sri Lanka. Mahmudullah Riad was recalled for the Test squad.

Bangladesh will start the tour taking on West Indies A in the lone three-day warm-up match (July 3-5) at Kensington Oval, Barbados before facing Chris Gayle's men in the first of two Tests from July 9 at Arnos Vale, St Vincent.

The second Test will be held at Grenada on July 17-21.

The visitors will also play a warm-up one-day match against UWI Vice Chancellor's XI on July 24 while the three ODIs are scheduled for July 26, 28 and 31.

The lone Twenty20 match will be held on August 2 at Warner Park, St Kitts.

Downward curve

Ashraful led Bangladesh in 62 games-- in 13 Tests, 38 ODIs and 11 Twenty20s -- guided the team to eight ODI wins, including one each against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, and two Twenty20 internationals.

In the Test, Bangladesh lost 12 out of 13 and the lone draw was against New Zealand in the rain-hit Chittagong Test.

His notable contribution as captain was guiding his side to the Super Eights of the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa in 2007. Despite that, Bangladesh won only two out of 11 games.

Ashraful had scored 542 runs in 13 Tests with average of 22.58 and 896 runs. He averages 25.60 in 38 ODIs.

The 25-year-old batsman had scored just 189 runs in 11 Twenty20 with an average of 17.18.

SQUAD

Masrafe Bin Mortaza, Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Zunaed Siddique, Roqibul Hassan, Mohammad Ashraful, Kazi Shahadat Hossain, Syed Rasel, Mahmud Ullah, Rubel Hossain, Mehrab Hossain Jr., Imrul Kayes, Mahbubul Alam, Enamul Haque Jr. and Gazi Shahagir Hossain.

Ashraful axed, Mashrafe named captain :: Sport :: bdnews24.com ::

 

[SummerWine]

Ashraful axed, Mashrafe named captain

Zakir bhae you think its a good idea to sack a Ashraful?

 

[SummerWine]

ICC World Twenty20 review

The best fun imaginable

Despite cricket's myriad problems, the ICC managed to stage a near-perfect event - a tournament that was fun but not frivolous

Andrew Miller

June 23, 2009

If the aim of any form of entertainment is to leave the audience wanting more, then the World Twenty20 that concluded amid such emotion at Lord's on Sunday afternoon was a success of the sort that ICC fixtures so often fail to serve up. In an era of crowded schedules and uncompetitive blue-riband events, here was an eye-opener - two weeks of the best fun imaginable, served up in thrillingly digestible portions, in front of packed crowds and rapt TV audiences. Soberingly, if this was the 50-over World Cup, the public would have long since tuned out, and we'd still have five weeks and 20 matches to go.

The tempo of the tournament was light and inviting, but crucially the cricket did not lack gravitas in the slightest. This was not, as the naysayers feared it would be, a bastardised slog-fest in which the game's traditional values were sacrificed at the altar of commerce and expediency. Instead we were presented with arguably the most open and exhilarating competition since multi-team tournaments began, a contest in which the unpredictability of the results had less to do with the alleged random nature of Twenty20 cricket, but more to do with a magnificently fluctuating tussle between bat and ball.

The dog-eat-dog results still read like a Mexican stand-off. The Dutch humiliated the English, who in turn eliminated the reigning champions, India, after sending the eventual winners, Pakistan, to the absolute brink. Australia, serial world champions over 50 overs, failed to make it past the first round, while an apparently shambolic West Indies surged to the semis at the expense of the team that had been beating them for three months solid, England. Sri Lanka, invincible until the final, were given the hurry-up just once along the way, by the unfancied Irish - who also dumped their supposed seniors, Bangladesh, out at the first hurdle.


Cracking entertainment, but no less random than a game of roulette, you might imagine. But when it came down to the final analysis, it was no coincidence that the two sides that made it to Lord's were those with the best and most varied bowling attacks. By hosting the tournament on England's sporty mid-season wickets, the organisers ensured that only the classiest cricketers need apply. A glance at the lists of the top run-scorers and wicket-takers spells the story out to perfection - the cream was obliged to rise to the top by the standards of the competitors, and the viewing experience was all the richer for that fact.


Jacques Kallis, Chris Gayle, Kumar Sangakkara and Kevin Pietersen, to pick a random selection of batsmen from the top end of the run charts, all enjoyed tournaments that enhanced their formidable reputations. Likewise Dale Steyn, Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis and Umar Gul. This was a World Cup to savour - as unpredictable as the football version in 2002, but somehow more satisfying because of the pedigree of the performers that reached the knock-out stage. There were, quite literally, no Turkeys (or South Koreas) left standing by the end. The four semi-finalists - Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa and West Indies (aka Gayle) - were by common consent the best in show.


Equally pleasing for a very different reason was the early exit of the big three nations. India, England and Australia all had fortnights to forget, and so forget about them the rest of the world did. Without their megaphone presence, the tournament was spared the indignity of endless and unflattering references to the two events that bookended it - the IPL at one end, the Ashes at the other. Instead Lalit Modi went into hiding as his brainchild was blamed for causing burn-out, while the Aussies went to Leicester, from where they emitted scarcely a peep that could enable the British press to deflect attention from the matter at hand.

It really could not have worked out more perfectly. International cricket came into this fortnight with more problems than the administrators would care to address - Pakistan's pariah status being merely the most visible of the issues. The fortnight ended with the status of the minnow nations enhanced, as Ireland and Netherlands identified a form of the game which enables them to compete in spite of their unequal terms, and then, of course, there was the poignancy of the People's Final at Lord's, a moment when the point of the sport was reasserted after too many years of being ruled by the balance books.


Other endangered species emerged blinking into the daylight as well. The lost art of wicketkeeping was best showcased by James Foster, whose stumping of Yuvraj Singh in England's nailbiting victory at Lord's was quite possibly their individual highlight of the tournament. And then there was the ubiquitous success of the spinner - mystery spinners, offspinners, legspinners, non-spinners. Four of the tournament's top six wicket-takers were of the slow variety, and that didn't include England's own Adil Rashid, who could yet secure himself an Ashes berth on the strength of the character he showed in his four-over bursts. And what an endorsement of Twenty20's credentials that would be.


It is, as Sangakkara said in the aftermath of the final, increasingly a bowler's game, and not just any old bowler either. Those with a yard of pace or a streak of nastiness found their niche at last, as Fidel Edwards and Ryan Sidebottom demonstrated in their tenderising of India's batsmen at Lord's, and Mohammad Aamer with his stunning first over of the final. Then there were the death-over specialists - Gul, Malinga and Wayne Parnell among them, men who could fire in yorkers at will and induce panic with their unhittable lengths.


The remarkable reduction in the number of sixes bears testament to Sangakkara's belief. There were 99 fewer than in the 2007 tournament, a drop of 37%, as the sloggers were crowded out of the competition by the ceaseless waves of attack. Inelegant thwackers, such as Andre Fletcher, Luke Wright and even David Warner all had tournaments to forget, while Tillakaratne Dilshan and his scoop shot soared into folklore precisely because his strategy met the needs of the hour. When Shahid Afridi produced the innings of his life in the final, he went 20 deliveries before risking his first boundary.


By the end of the tournament, even the women were attempting the scoop shot. Perhaps the most resounding endorsement of Twenty20 cricket as a spectacle came at The Oval in the second women's semi-final, when England's Claire Taylor and Beth Morgan paced a run-chase with such skill, precision and chutzpah that it was quite possibly the outstanding performance of the fortnight, and one which spoke volumes for the ubiquity of the format as well.


From the Netherlands on the opening night to the women on the closing afternoon, key aspects of the game that have been marginalised throughout cricket's long and often cliquey history claimed massive great chunks of the limelight. Looking back now, it is entirely appropriate that the opening ceremony had to be canned. Such sideshows were irrelevant because the cricket alone was the star.
Andrew Miller is UK editor of Cricinfo
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Another too good article from Andrew...

 

[Lockheed F-16]

Off the point, I want to know in regard to World Cup Twenty20 vs 50 Overs. We know World Cup ODI (50overs) is always starting in every four years duration, however, my question is why World Cup Twenty20 have to be EVERY YEAR already? Any ideas?

Since Pakistan won Championship, there will be another World Cup Twenty20 which is starting on April next year.

I think it should be played after two years, otherwise T20 WC loses its importance.

 

[Al-zakir]

Zakir bhae you think its a good idea to sack a Ashraful?

Let say his performance has not been satisfactory as a captain of the team. I think he isn't able to perform under pressure so therefore let him release from captaincy so that he can focus on batting only. We need a top order bats man to perform like Tamim or al Hasan.

On the flip side, Musraffe has been performing also seem more confident than Ashraf. So let see how he lead the team as we are counting on him.....

 

[SummerWine]

Off the point, I want to know in regard to World Cup Twenty20 vs 50 Overs. We know World Cup ODI (50overs) is always starting in every four years duration, however, my question is why World Cup Twenty20 have to be EVERY YEAR already? Any ideas?

Since Pakistan won Championship, there will be another World Cup Twenty20 which is starting on April next year.

Yes agreed with above gentlemen. It's really greedy.........but cricket has already changed so much...........its a big money making machine and IMO whenever something becoems so commercial, it gets driven by money....Now world champions will only be able to hold the trophy for 10 months or so.....importance of trophy might go down but I think the excitement will increase.

 

[Moin91]

Reverse Swing is an art: Umar

Wednesday, June 24, 2009
PESHAWAR: Fast Bowler Umar Gul on Tuesday said reverse swing is an art which the western cricketing countries did not develop therefore they always leveled allegations against the Asian bowlers who effectively utilised this art in their bowling.

Umar Gul who arrived at his hometown Peshawar where he was given warm welcome said that the Kiwis captain’s allegation about the ball tempering were baseless therefore he did not respond to them.

“I think the art of reverse swing is also God gifted which can be improved through practice. I watched Wasim Akram and Waqar’s bowling videos and developed this art through repeated practice,” Gul said. “Whenever an Asian bowler performs and uses the reverse swing the western cricketing countries raise the issue of ball tampering against them.

“Pakistani team management was there to respond to the New Zeeland’s captain remarks therefore I did not take it seriously,” Umar remarked in his exclusive interview with PPI at his residence in Peshawar after arriving from England.

Umar Gul, who received tremendous reception from Pakistani nation, said that it was unbelievable for him and other teammates that the nation will give them such great respect and reception.

“Allah has helped Pakistani team in their game plan, the team management and bowling coach Aqib Javed told the players that like in World Cup of 1992 the guys must show the zeal to reach the wining stand and it happened when our team showed commitment,” Umar replied to query that what was the factor that pushed Pakistani team from the loosing stand to the World Cup Twenty20 champions.

Umar was optimistic about the performance of Pakistan team during the coming Sri Lankan tour and added that Pakistan team will perform well.

“Though Test cricket is totally a different ball game and the team will take some time to adjust itself with Sri Lankan conditions but we will try to adjust with the conditions very soon and will hopefully perform well,” he remarked.

He said he was unaware of the fact that he had made world record of the Twenty20 cricket by taking 5 wickets off 6 runs in three overs.

“When I came out of the ground, I came to know the fact that I have made a world record,” he said.

Umar Gul added that he is fit and will give his hundred percent during Pakistan’s upcoming tour to Sri Lanka and will try to come good on the expectations of Pakistani nation.

“Expectations are very high but we will try our level best to perform better in Sri Lanka,” he added.

Umar Gul said that the major complaint he received at his arrival to the village was load shedding as the people of his area were deprived of watching Pakistani cricket matches due to continuous load shedding.

“I will request the government and WAPDA to at least minimise the excessive load shedding in Nawan Kali,” he said.

His father Hajji Nader a simple tribesman was proud of his son’s performance saying all of it happened with the Grace of Allah, “I am a poor man and Allah helped my son who performed for Pakistan, I just prayed for him during the tournament,” he said.

Reverse Swing is an art: Umar

 

[SummerWine]

The Press Association: Blues target Afridi

Blues target Afridi

Pakistan World Twenty20 winner Shahid Afridi could sign a short-term deal with New South Wales ahead of the Australian domestic season.

The Blues are targeting the explosive all-rounder as the man to fill their overseas import position for the Big Bash tournament - Australia's domestic Twenty20 competition.

Afridi played a starring role in Pakistan's World Twenty20 success this month, scoring an unbeaten 54 from 40 balls in the eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the final at Lord's.

The 29-year-old is regarded as one of the most destructive players, with both bat and ball, in the shortest version of the game, although a NSW official admitted the state would also consider playing him in four-day cricket as well.

"He is clearly one of the world's best Twenty20 players, but also he would be a valuable addition to our dressing room, our young players would learn a lot from him," a NSW official told the Sydney Morning herald.

"We would certainly consider if he could be used for other formats."

States in Australia have been offered an extra $50,000 this year by Cricket Australia to lure overseas players in an attempt to try an increase the profile of the Big Bash tournament.

Earlier, Victoria announced they had signed West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo for the competition.

 

[MZUBAIR]

Angry Indian team winning first ODI against WI

India owed the win to a pulsating century from Yuvraj Singh (131 on 102 balls) at Sabina Park.

Yuvraj, perhaps still in 20-over mode after his side's Super Eights exit in England earlier this month, smashed 131 off 102 balls before perishing to Dwayne Bravo courtesy of a fine catch by wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin as India posted 339 for six.

The hosts made a decent fist of their reply, Shivnarine Chanderpaul top scoring with 63 from 59 balls, but none of their batsmen could stay at the crease long enough to see them home.

The second match of the four-game series takes place at the same venue on Sunday.

Teams
India: 1 Gautam Gambhir, 2 Dinesh Karthik, 3 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Rohit Sharma, 6 Yusuf Pathan, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Ishant Sharma, 10 RP Singh, 11 Ashish Nehra.

West Indies: 1 Chris Gayle (capt), 2 Runako Morton, 3 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Darren Bravo, 7 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 8 Jerome Taylor, 9 David Bernard, 10 Suleiman Benn, 11 Lionel Baker