Pakistan's Cricket News

[S_O_C_O_M]

Will cricket survive in Pakistan after being deprived the privilege of not hosting matches, following terrorist attacks on Sri Lankan team​

Following the 3rd March 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore, Pakistani cricket has taken a turn for the worse. The attack by armed militants not only injured six players, but killed half a dozen policemen. Cricket in Pakistan has not been the same, with teams like Australia refusing to travel to Pakistan. The International Cricket Council was forced to suspend international matches in Pakistan and had to strip Pakistan of hosting rights for the 2011 World Cup.

Former ICC President, David Morgan said in a press conference how their number one priority was to provide an environment where tournaments could be held without the threat of attacks and it was not possible in Pakistan at the moment. “It is a regrettable decision (but) our number one priority is to create certainty and...deliver a safe, secure and successful event.”

The ICC stressed on the security situation in Pakistan and said it was highly unlikely for Pakistan to resume hosting events until 2011. The World Cup secretariat is also set to be moved out of Pakistan to another location, which will be decided by the organizing committee later. The 16 matches that were to be held in Pakistan will now be co-hosted by India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

This comes as no surprise as Pakistan’s position has been uncertain for a while; India joined Australia in cancelling a tour last year and in January, the Champions Trophy was shifted elsewhere. The Lahore attack is still on everyone’s mind and one of its consequences has been to isolate and alienate Pakistan from international cricket. This decision of the ICC has been taken well by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Javed Miandad, a former Pakistani cricketer expressed his concern over the matter, “Pakistan cricket is going through bad times and unfortunately the support and understanding we expect from the ICC and other countries is not forthcoming. There was still time left for the tournament and the board was willing to do everything to keep the World Cup matches and host them safely.” Chairman of the PCB, Ijaz Butt was however more understanding. While expressing his regret, he admitted that after the March 3 attack in Lahore nobody wanted to play in Pakistan.

The attack itself was discussed and arrangements for better security were said to be made. It was decided that Lord Condon, chairman of the ICC’s Anti Corruption and Security force would lead a team, including Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat and Directors, Jack Clarke and Shashank Manohar, to review future security arrangements in international matches. The review conducted would assess whether the current security protocols employed were sufficient or not and suggestions on how they could be improved.

There is no argument that this has isolated Pakistan as a cricketing nation and will be a setback, especially after claims from the PCB that improvements in the security arrangements had been made. The PCB has expressed its discontent over the matter but denied recent rumours that it had considered boycotting the World Cup. The PCB is still somewhat hopeful in trying to convince the ICC to let Pakistan host matches at neutral venues, but talks are still in progress. However, the PCB should think about what is more important, hosting the World Cup or the safety of the participants.

Cricket Update: Will cricket survive in Pakistan after being deprived the privilege of not hosting matches, following terrorist attacks on Sri Lankan team | Bettor.com

 

[S_O_C_O_M]

The Lord’s Cricket Ground​

Lord’s Cricket Ground is undoubtedly the most important cricket ground, also referred to as the “Home of Cricket”, since it was founded in 1787. Named after founder Thomas Lord, Lord’s is situated in St John’s Wood, London. It is home to Middlesex County Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board, the European Cricket Council and the International Cricket Council, but is owned by the Marylebone Cricket Club. Lord’s has played an important part in promoting cricket in Britain and the international stage, hosting Test matches, One Day Internationals and other historic fixtures. It also boasts the world famous MCC Museum.

The current Lord’s Cricket Ground is the last of three grounds established by the MCC between 1787 and 1814. The first ground is now called the Lord’s Old Ground and the second is now Lord’s Middle Ground. The Lord’s has nine stands, which can hold about 32,000 spectators. But already plans have been drawn up for redevelopment of the ground, which aims to increase the capacity by another 1000 and add an ice rink to the list of other facilities available. A fund raising baseball game was held in Lord’s and recently there have been plans about hosting Major League Baseball games. Tennis and archery among other sports have been played, but never football or rugby.

The earliest, if not the first match played at Lord’s Cricket Club was in 1814, between Marylebone Cricket Club and Hertfordshire. Lord’s hosts Middlesex home and home Twenty20 matches and the MCC matches. Traditionally Lord’s hosts the first Test of the summer and two one day Internationals. The finals of the National Village Cricket Competition, The Friends Provident Trophy and the MCC Universities Challenge tournament are also held at Lord’s. Two of the Twenty20 Cups matches are also held at Lord’s, though they are not the final match of the tournament.

Each year more than 30 matches are held at Lord’s which attract over 28,000 people a day. So far, over a hundred Test matches have gone underway at Lord’s, the first one in 1884, which England won. Australia’s first win came four years later, in 1888. The other cricketing nations debuted at Lord’s much later on; South Africa played their first match in 1907, West Indies in 1928, New Zealand in 1931, followed by India a year later in 1932. Pakistan’s first match was in 1954, Sri Lanka in 1984 and Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in 2000 and 2005 respectively.

The latest match to be held at Lord’s will be the Pakistan-Australia Test series on 13th July this year. Even though, Lord’s is said to be Pakistan’s “home” ground in the series against Australia, a request for the provision of a turning track was refused. The curators refused the request by the Pakistan team, “Pakistan coach Waqar Younis wanted a pitch that would support the spinners and also be conducive for batting but the curators at the Lord's have flatly refused to entertain his request”, a source revealed. The curators claimed that even the England captain or team management could tell them what kind of a track they wanted.

The Lord?s Cricket Ground | Bettor.com

 

[S_O_C_O_M]

Pakistan's tour to England: Pakistan vs. Australia T20 Preview​

The battle between two of the most fierce cricket teams in the world is all set to kick start today in the cricket fields of England, as Pakistan takes on the Australians at Birmingham in the first of two T20 matches.

The last time these two teams met in a T20 encounter was in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup in 2010 where Pakistan dominated for 37 over’s of the game but lost the match in the last 3 overs. Michael Hussey played one of the best innings of his life and brought Australia back from the jaws of defeat to win the match.

The match saw a total of almost 400 runs being scored and it was one of the greatest display of cricket from both sides as Australia needing 18 runs from the last over, finished the game with one ball left in the innings as Saeed Ajmal became a victim of the inform Hussey.

The Pakistanis have not forgotten that defeat and thus would be looking to settle their scores in today’s match as they look to regain their winning streak as well as get revenge for their humiliating tour of Australia earlier in the year.

Today’s match will mark the start of Pakistan’s summer tour of England as they take on the Australians in two T20 matches followed by a two match test series. That will be followed by their series against hosts England.

By looking at the recent performances, Australia is coming into the game after losing their one-day series against England. However they have won the final two games in an impressive manner.

Pakistan on the other hand comes in with their failed Asia Cup 2010 campaign. However, they played some good competitive cricket in that series and ended it on a high note as they managed to literally thrash Bangladesh in the last match.

To Pakistan’s advantage, they are the only team in the world of cricket which can boast of an entertaining mix of talented players comprising of Shahid Afridi along with the Rawalpindi Express, who has returned to international cricket after a long time.

For Australia, Shaun Tait will be the key player as he has been instrumental in bringing the Australians back into their winning form after they lost three consecutive games to England.

For Pakistan, the young and ever improving Umar Akmal will most likely be the key player as he has been the main backbone along with Salman Butt in the batting line up.

In Umar’s last meeting with the Australians, he scored an unbeaten 56runs taking up only 35 balls.

Pakistan also enjoy the luxury of having two of the leading wicket takers in T20 cricket in the shape of Umar Gul and Shahid Afridi, both of whom will be representing their side in this tour.

In terms of total T20 matches played between the two teams, Pakistan and Australia have faced each other on 5 occasions out of which Pakistan has emerged victorious on two occasions while the Australians have won the other three.

Thus Pakistan, who is coming in with a string of losses against their mighty yellow opponents, is well aware that Australia has a habit of winning.

Afridi is expected to continue with his ‘boom boom’ form and his batsmen, who comprise of the talented Akmal brothers, along with the experience and class of Shoaib Malik and Abdul Razzaq, can continue to deliver as they have been doing so far in their warm-up games against the county sides.

Pakistan's tour to England: Pakistan vs. Australia T20 Preview | Bettor.com

 

[EagleEyes]

Post in proper forum and people will be interested.

Thanks.