Cricket Boss

West Indies captain Gayle ready to sting India

2009-06-20T08:47:00.000-07:00

London: West Indian captain Chris Gayle is not losing heart after the semi-final loss in the World Twenty20 and has vowed to bounce back in the upcoming one-day series against India.
Chris Gayle in action against Sri Lanka at the Oval. © AFPThe West Indies exited from the tournament on Friday after a stinging 57-run defeat by Sri Lanka at the Oval, but Gayle said he was proud that his team had reached the semi-finals.
"Of course we are disappointed because we too wanted to be in the final, but that does not take anything away from the way the team has played through this tournament.
"I am proud of the boys, they put everything into it. We backed ourselves and came this far. It is a great learning experience for the younger players in the team.
"If they learn the lessons quickly we should be able to capitalise in home conditions when the World Twenty20 is held in the Caribbean next year."
Gayle hoped West Indian fans were happy at the team's performance in the tournament after it was routed 2-0 in the preceding bilateral Test series against England.
"Fans are very hard to please," said Gayle. "They only want victory everytime. I just want to say tough luck to the fans. But I hope they will keep supporting us and stop cursing.
"I say to my fans that we will fly like a butterfly and sting like a bee, we'll be back. What can I do about it? Ask Muhammad Ali!"
Dilshan (L) plays a shot against West Indies. © AFPThe West Indies were outplayed on Friday after Tillakaratne Dilshan's unbeaten 96 in Sri Lanka's 158-5 was followed by an astonishing first over from rising fast bowler Angelo Mathews.
Mathews claimed three wickets in five balls as the Windies slipped to 1-3 and were shot out for 101 despite Gayle carrying his bat for an unbeaten 63.
"The three wickets in the first over set us back and we could not overcome that as we kept losing wickets regularly," said Gayle.
"You need partnerships in any form of the game, but this is especially true of Twenty20 cricket.
"All credit to Dilshan for the way he batted. I thought we had a good start to keep them down in the first six overs and Dilshan was their only batsman among the runs.
"He just did not give us a chance and helped set a decent total for Sri Lanka."
Gayle said he looked forward to the four one-day matches against India in the Caribbean starting later this month.
"We will get back home for a few days and start another series soon," the West Indian captain said.
"India may not have made the semi-finals here and we did, but we start from scratch and have to do all the hard work again.
"India is always a good one-day team, so it is bound to be a tough series."
Asked whether he will put his money on Sri Lanka or Pakistan in Sunday's final, Gayle quipped: "I am broke, maan!"
"But we can't ask for a better final. We have two quality teams and so it should be a quality final."

3 wickets in first over!

2009-06-20T08:40:00.001-07:00

Chasing a victory target of 159 runs West Indies' hopes of making it to the final were blown away as early as in the first over of their innings as Angelo Mathews hit the timber thrice to dismiss Xavier Marshall, Lendl Simmons and Dwayne Bravo.
West Indies thus provided the first instance of a side losing three wickets in their first over in Twenty20 internationals.

Sangakkara hails 'pioneer' Dilshan

2009-06-20T08:37:00.000-07:00

London: Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara hailed Tillekaratne Dilshan as a "pioneer" on Friday after the opener hit an unbeaten 96 to lead his side past West Indies and into the World Twenty20 final.
Sangakkara hailed Dilshan as a "pioneer". © AFPSri Lanka cruised to a comfortable 57-run win at the Oval and will now take on Pakistan in the final at Lord's on Sunday.
"I have run out of superlatives for Dilshan. He is a pioneer stroke-maker in Twenty20," said Sangakkara.
"The best thing is that he understands his role and has become very responsible and mature. He has finally understood how good he is."
Dilshan's knock was the centrepiece of Sri Lanka's 158 for five with his 57-ball innings, which featured two sixes and 12 fours, the equal third-best in Twenty20 international history.
Fellow opener Sanath Jayasuriya (24) and Angelo Mathews (12 not out) were the only other Sri Lankan batsmen to reach double figures.
Mathews then took three wickets in the first over of the West Indies reply and the Caribbean side never recovered as they finished on 101 all out with captain Chris Gayle carrying his bat for 63 not out.
"It's Mathews's first major international tour and you can't ask for much more than three wickets in the first over," added Sangakkara.
"To get three top order batsmen out is a great start. We have a great bowling attack, they are all thinking cricketers.
"Now we will take this confidence into the final against Pakistan. We'll concentrate on getting our basics right, we'll be responsible and execute our game plan."
Dilshan said he was learning all the time in the international arena.
"I got the start I wanted. I've been in good form in the last six months in the IPL and in international cricket," said the opener, who was named man of the match.
Gayle said the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow after his bowlers had limited the flamboyant Sri Lankans to 158-5.
"I'm very disappointed. I thought batting was our strength," said Gayle.
"Dilshan took the game away from us. But we have struggled to get a start and get runs on the board.
"We'll come back as a better unit and learn things from this."

Afridi wants Pakistan to be third time lucky

2009-06-20T08:36:00.000-07:00

London: Shahid Afridi is desperate not to end up on the losing side for the third time in a row when he turns out for Pakistan in the World Twenty20 final at Lord's on Sunday.
Shahid Afridi, seen here during the semi-final against South Africa at Trent Bridge. © AFPAfridi still remembers the the hurt he felt as a teenager 10 years ago when his team was mauled by Steve Waugh's all-conquering Australia in the World Cup final at the same venue in 1999.
The pain returned two years ago when India won the inaugural World Twenty20 title with a five-run win over Pakistan the final in Johannesburg, even though Afridi was named the most valuable player of the tournament.
The powerful all-rounder, 29, says he will not tolerate another failure.
"We have to win this one," said Afridi after leading Pakistan into the final with an attacking half-century and two top-order wickets in one over in the semi-final against South Africa at Trent Bridge on Thursday.
"I want to do it on my own if I could. This is our best chance to make up for the disappointment of the past," he said.
Afridi is desperate not to end up on the losing side for the third time in a row. © AFPAfridi's 34-ball 51 against South Africa was his first half-century in 29 innings for Pakistan in any form of cricket. The one prior to that was 17 innings ago against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi in 2007.
It's to the credit of Pakistani selectors and the team management that they chose to persist with the mercurial cricketer, and Afridi repaid that faith on Thursday.
"I am grateful to the captain (Younus Khan) for backing me all the way," he said.
"He told me before the game against South Africa that I should play my own game and not worry about anything.
"He also told me that I was a senior player and needed to take responsibility. I had not done well as a batsman for a long time, but I knew the team was relying on me to deliver.
"I could not let them down. I don't want to let them down again."
Afridi is the prodigal cricketer who does the unexpected and is never to be underestimated.
He made his international debut as a leg-spinner in a one-day match against Kenya at Nairobi in 1996 and ended up scoring the fastest ever century off 37 balls in that game.
Afridi has a strike-rate of 110.91 from 276 one-dayers and is a good enough Test batsman to average 37.40 in 26 matches with a best of 156 against India.
Bowling leg-spin, Afridi has claimed 47 Test and 252 one-day wickets, making him one of the most seasoned all-rounders in the game.
Afridi's value, however, lies in turning the game around -- and winning it -- on his own and Pakistan will be hoping he does it again on Sunday.
Neither Pakistan or he can afford to be unlucky a third time.

India's WT20 squad carried many injured players

2009-06-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

New Delhi: Barely a few days after India's shock exit from the ICC World Twenty20, the BCCI was on Friday left grappling with a fresh controversy when it came to light that many key players, including captain M S Dhoni, were selected in the England-bound squad despite carrying injuries.
The team physio Nitin Patel had cast a doubt at the fitness levels of as many as five key players in his report to the BCCI before the tournament but all of them were included in the squad.
According to reports, the physio's report had mentioned that captain Dhoni, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, R P Singh and Zaheer Khan had injuries which needed treatment.
But despite getting the report before the selection committee meeting, the BCCI decided to select the players in the squad hoping that they would regain full fitness by the time the tournament got underway in England.
The BCCI sought to downplay the physio's report and said it was a "routine report" and the injuries sustained by the players were really minor in nature to warrant an omission from the team.
"It is a routine report which is given before every tour to assess the fitness of the players. Too much importance should not be attached to the report", BCCI's Media and Finance Committee Chairman Rajiv Shukla said.

Sri Lanka sail into World T20 finals

2009-06-20T08:34:00.001-07:00

Special sporting occasions call for special talent and skills. On the Friday night, Sri Lanka had both.
Dilshan's 96 not out was the centrepiece of Sri Lanka's 158. © AFPOpener Tilakaratne Dilshan batted like a champion and scored a blistering unbeaten 96, the highest individual score of the 2009 WT20 tournament. Later, medium-pacer Angelo Matthews (3-16) bowled a magnificent spell to send West Indies reeling at three for 1. In the very first over of West Indies’s run-chase, he struck thrice, uprooting the stumps on each occasion, soon after Chris Gayle pinched a single.
West Indies captain Gayle stood helplessly at one end, as the team crumbled around him. He played a responsible knock but failed to find a single partner to take the attack to the Lankan camp. The abject failure of other batsmen is reflected in the fact that 10 other batsmen contributed only 27 runs, with Ramdin’s 9 being the second highest score.
Chasing 159, West Indies were shot out for 101 with Gayle remaining unbeaten on 63. The 11 extras was the only double figure after Gayle’s score in the West Indian scorecard. For Sri Lanka, Ajantha Mendis continued his fine rhythm, foxing the inexperienced West Indian batsmen with his variations, finishing with figures of 3-29.
Darren Sammy and Jerome Taylor kept things quiet, restricting Sri Lanka to 12-0 after 3 overs. However, the fourth over was the turnaround when Dilshan played a couple of ‘trademark’ shots to get Lankan innings off the block. Taylor was at the receiving end.
Dilshan continued to blaze away at one end but his partner, the usually flamboyant Sanath Jayasuriya, struggled for his 24 runs off 37 balls before attempting a paddle sweep to a Dwayne Bravo delivery only to find Jerome Taylor at fine-leg.
Mathews's astonishing first over treble strike left Windies in tatters. © AFPDilshan played his shots at one end while wickets continued to tumble at the other. Captain Kumar Sangakkara (0) and Mahela Jayawardene (2) were out in quick succession but a few lusty blows from Angelo Matthews (12 runs off 4 balls) towards the end of the innings propelled Lanka to 158. Dilshan’s breathtaking knock of 96 was studded with 12 boundaries and 2 sixes.
Gayle, who has perhaps under-bowled himself all through the tournament, decided to bowl the last over of the Lankan innings and he paid the price. Matthews and Dilshan picked up 18 runs off the last over and thus Lanka carried forward the momentum into their bowling performance.
Chasing 159 was always going to be a tough ask for the West Indies but rarely would they have lost a game if Gayle had batted till the 18th over of a run-chase. Sri Lankan fans would relish thoroughly as their heroes reached the finals of a World Cup for the first time since the 2007 encounter against Australia.
West Indies rookies Xavier Marshall and Lendl Simmons showed signs of potential during the earlier stages of the tournament but the pressure of a big game got the better of the two. Both lost their stumps; two balls later Bravo did the same.
Isuru Udana Thilakaratne(L) kept things tight up front. © AFPNeeding 105 runs off the last 10 overs with Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan did not sound like all that arduous a proposition for the West Indies, especially considering the fast outfield and the quality of strikers in the middle. However, Sri Lanka reminded West Indies of its quality bowling – with the three ‘Ms’ – who turned up to play, yet again.
Sarwan received a fresh lease of life when Mendis dropped a sitter off Malinga in the 11th over but his luck ran out soon after when he holed out to Matthews at long-on off Muralitharan in the very next over. Sarwan’s wicket was the last nail in the coffin.
It was a clinical display by Lanka all the way through.
Now, it’s time for the hundreds and thousands of Asians in London to get all ready for a potential humdinger between the two nations from the sub-continent. It is going to be Sri Lanka versus Pakistan at Lord’s on Sunday. The World T20 title will again remain in the sub-continent.

T20 success brings joy in embattled Pakistan

2009-06-20T08:28:00.000-07:00

Karachi: Pakistanis rejoiced Friday as their cricket team beat South Africa and booked a place in the World Twenty20 final, bringing rare joy in a nation used to sombre news of bomb blasts and Taliban violence.
A Pakistani supporter after his team's victory at Trent Bridge on June 18. Pakistanis rejoiced Friday as their cricket team beat South Africa and booked a place in the World Twenty20 final, bringing rare joy in a nation used to sombre news of bomb blasts and Taliban violence. © AFP
"We are delighted," Zaboor Khan, an electrician, told the private Geo TV station from outside the home of squad captain Younus Khan in Mardan town.
"Just a week ago we lost so many people in a bomb blast in Peshawar and we were not watching matches. But this win has given us a new joy -- we needed this in a state of despair."
A wave of Taliban-linked violence has killed about 1,995 people in Pakistan during two years of insurgency, and the unrest has also battered Pakistan's reputation as an international cricket venue.
Foreign teams were already nervous about touring the South Asian nation, and then in March this year gunmen launched a fierce attack on the visiting Sri Lankan team as they travelled to a match in the eastern city Lahore.
Eight people were killed and seven Sri Lankan players and their assistant coach injured, casting serious doubts on the future of cricket in the country.
The attacks forced the International Cricket Council to strip Pakistan of their share of World Cup 2011 matches, but Pakistanis are hoping that their World Twenty20 run of luck will bring redemption.
"No doubt the team has given us endless joy by progressing to the final. We have had very little reason to rejoice recently, but this is surely an occasion to be happy," former captain Rashid Latif told AFP on Friday.
"I think the Pakistan team's progress is divine help to answer to all those who have isolated our country," he added.
Younus himself said last week: "We have no international cricket so if we reach the semi-final or win the tournament, the nation will stand up for us. I need a cup for people of Pakistan."
Pakistan, who finished runners-up to India in the inaugural World Twenty20 two years ago, upstaged South Africa by seven runs in a gripping semi-final at Trent Bridge, with Shahid Afridi sparkling with both bat and ball.
Afridi hit an aggressive 51 from 34 balls and then grabbed 2-16 with his leg-spin as Pakistan successfully defended 149-4 to restrict the Proteas to 142-5 -- leaving millions of fans in a frenzy late into the night.
Pakistan will on Sunday meet the winners of Friday's second semi-final between Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
Convincing teams to return to Pakistan when Taliban-linked bomb blasts and other attacks appear to be rising will be no easy task, however.
Earlier this year, India refused permission for their team to tour Pakistan after the attacks last year in Mumbai strained relations between the countries.
As if the isolation was not enough, Pakistan cricket has been regularly hit by controversies over doping, sackings and discipline problems.
Two of Pakistan's frontline paceman -- Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif -- tested positive for banned steroids in 2006. Akhtar was banned for two years and Asif for one year, although the bans were overturned on appeal.
Pakistan sacked their Australian coach Geoff Lawson last October soon after a change in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) set up.
Last week, Pakistan's chairman of selectors Abdul Qadir resigned, citing interference in his work from the PCB, captain Younus and coach Intikhab Alam.
But despite the controversies, cricket fans remain in a celebratory mood.
"Pakistan's win over South Africa has changed despair into joy," said accountant Kashif Ahmed, who stayed up all night in his office in the southern port city Karachi to watch the match.

Tufnell goes Aussie 'sledging' with Ashes anthem song

2009-06-20T08:22:00.000-07:00

London, June 20 (ANI): As cricket fever sweeps England, Marmite and Phil Tufnell have got together to give the Aussies a sound verbal thrashing with their new cricket anthem The Ashes Song.hil and the Wooden Urns' comic song aims to sledge the Aussies and cheer the England players on to victory this summer.
Throughout the song Tuffers and his Wooden Urns holler their undying support for Straussy, Flintoff and the rest of the England players, SKY News reports.
At the same time the Aussies get a good panning through a range of cheeky sledges including a line about Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
Set to the tune of the classic song Two Little Boys, made famous by Rolf Harris, the song is now available for download from iTunes.
It costs just 79 pence and all profits from the single will be donated to the charity Cricket for Change.
To complement the single, Tuffers - plus some well known 'guest artists' have released a comic and patriotic music video.
Tuffers said: "What better way to show our support for the England lads this summer than by singing our support from the terraces.
"Having been sledged by the Aussies many, many times myself I am delighted that Marmite has enabled me to finally get my revenge with this belter of a tune, whilst also being able to show my love for the England team and support Cricket for Change, a charity very close to my heart." (ANI)

Cricket billionaire Stanford charged with 21 criminal offences in 'Ponzi' scam

2009-06-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

London, June 20 (ANI): US authorities have charged Texas billionaire businessman and alleged fraudster, Sir Allen Stanford, with 21 criminal offences.he cricket entrepreneur has been charged with seven counts of wire fraud, ten counts of mail fraud and conspiracy to launder money.
Stanford appeared in a federal court in Richmond, Virginia, and was denied bail. He will now be transferred to Houston, Texas, for a detention hearing and to face criminal charges relating to an alleged fraud worth billions.
He had earlier handed himself in to the FBI in Fredericksburg, Virginia where he had been staying with his girlfriend, SKY News reported.
Announcing the charges, Kevin Perkins, assistant director at the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, said: "Economic crime schemes such as those alleged here today are unfortunately all too commonplace. These crimes strike at the heart of our economy and our quality of life."
In a written statement, Stanford's lawyer, Dick DeGuerin, said his client was "confident that a fair jury would find him not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing."
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has previously charged Standford in a separate civil case.
The 59-year-old is accused of fraudulently selling eight billion dollars in certificates of deposit from his own Stanford International Bank based in his adopted home of Antigua.
Regulators in the US claim he and his firms lied to investors about their money being safe, when it was actually funding a so-called Ponzi scheme.
He made huge investments in sport and transformed cricket in the West Indies with his financial input.
Last summer, he invited England's top cricketers to play in a lucrative game in Antigua, where the winning team members scooped one million dollar each.
But the England and Wales Cricket Board severed all connections with him after he was charged with the multi-billion-dollar fraud. (ANI)

Hauritz relishing attacking a dancing Pietersen on a spinning track

2009-06-20T08:20:00.000-07:00

Sydney, June 20 (ANI): Australia's only specialist spinner for Ashes series, Nathan Hauritz, is thinking of England's batsmen, and how they might treat him.
He ponders what Kevin Pietersen and other England players could have in store for him, and is a bit excited about it.
"I expect all of them to target me pretty heavily. I would, if I was facing me. If I get the opportunity to bowl, especially to Kevin, he will look to attack and dominate me whenever he can. It's always a good challenge when they do that. If the wicket is turning, it will be good fun. If it's not turning, it will be really tough work," Hauritz says.
Unlike many of the Australian spinners who have preceded him, Hauritz is not an extrovert. He thinks of himself as a regular guy who enjoys a beer after a game and whose only vice is playing Xbox, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
"I definitely have been keeping a close eye on Graeme because I think we're pretty similar bowlers. He's not a massive turner of the ball, either, and just watching how he bowls in these conditions, I think it's going to be a pretty good battle if we go up against each other," he said.
Hauritz has proved to be the most reliable of the five spinners tried since Stuart MacGill retired in the West Indies a year ago, if not the most dangerous.
Although he still has a boyish look about him, and has played only four Tests, he speaks with the self-knowledge of a man in his second incarnation as an international cricketer
. (ANI)

Shane Bond's international comeback likely against India in August

2009-06-20T08:19:00.001-07:00

Wellington
, June 19 (ANI): Kiwi pacer Shane Bond is eying the New Zealand
A tour to India in August to make his International comeback, as his exile from national team ends in that month.
Bond was effectively banned from representing the national side when he joined the Indian Cricket League in 2007. Now, back in the selection frame after severing ties with the ICL, Bond is training in Christchurch, the NZPA reports.
Bond, 34, has expressed his desire to play all forms of the game for New Zealand, including tests, the format he blamed as the catalyst for many of the injuries that have blighted his sporadic 17-test career.
A bowler of Bond's stature might have expected to be included straightaway into the test team against Sri Lanka twice in August, but he and New Zealand Cricket selection convenor Glenn Turner felt the India tour was a more realistic goal.
The intention is for Bond, form and fitness willing, to join the limited overs squad in Sri Lanka in September for five ODIs and two Twenty20 matches.
"I love test cricket - it's the pinnacle - and it would be nice to have another chance to play," said Bond, adding he did not expect to stroll straight back into the side.
Obviously, he would be welcomed with open arms, but Turner pointed out that Bond had not played four-day cricket in New Zealand since 2006-07.
"He's obviously had a rethink, now we have to see if the body will stand up to it. Time will tell. If he can produce the goods, that's great," he said.
Bond, who last played one-day cricket for New Zealand at the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, said he was not as consistently fast as a decade ago, but was still clocking around the 140-kilometre/hour mark.

Win against South Africa in ICC T20, a ray of sunshine for troubled Pak citizens

2009-06-20T08:17:00.000-07:00

Lahore, June 19 (ANI): At last cricket fans across Pakistan had something to cheer about, as their team defeated South Africa by seven runs in the semi-final of the ICC Twenty 20 World Championship on Thursday.
Cricket fans across the country watched their cricket heroes tame the Proteas to march into the final of the tournament.
People in many cities such as Hyderabad, Lahore, Multan, and Karachi had gathered in huge numbers infront of huge TV screens installed especially for the match, and burst into jubilation after their team's win.
Pakistan's win brought happiness on people's faces, who have been facing a tough time due to the restive political situation in the country, and the expanding terror threat.
The win against a strong team like South Africa comes as a shot in the arm for Pakistan cricket, as the country has become the pariah of world cricket after being shunned by foreign teams due to security concerns.
The deteriorating security condition also forced the International Cricket Council (ICC) to strip Pakistan of the hosting rights of the Champions Trophy and the 2011 World Cup.
Meanwhile, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has congratulated the national cricket team for their win, and reaching the final of the mega-event.
In a statement released by the Presidency, Zardari commended the team for their brilliant performance and expressed happiness over the win, The News reported.

Hanif backs Pak to storm into ICC T20 final by defeating South Africa

2009-06-20T07:43:00.002-07:00

Karachi, June 18 (ANI): As Pakistan prepares to take on South Africa in the first semi- final of the ICC Twenty20 World Championship at Tent Bridge later today, legendary batsman Hanif Mohammad has backed Pakistan to storm into the final of the tournament by defeating the Proteas.
Commending new opener, Shahzaib Hasan, for his hard hitting at the top of the order, Mohammad said Pakistan has the potential to beat South Africa and qualify for the final of World T20 Championship.
"They have been playing well and I think they can beat South Africa. They are in good form so expectations are high. Pakistan now also has a good opener Shahzaib Hasan," Mohammad said.
He said any score near 170-180 would be a challenging total, and added that Pakistan has the bowling line-up which could easily defend that score.
"Bowlers and fielders must perform up to the mark. A total of 170 or 180 is a wining total. That could be easily defended," The Nation quoted Mohammad, as saying.
Referring to the pessible ball tampering remarks made by New Zealand captain, Daniel Vettori, after Umar Gul's brilliant display of swing bowling which helped Pakistan win the crucial match against the Kiwis and send them packing out of the tournament, Mohammad said Australians and New Zealanders always cast aspersions on bowlers who perform well against them.
"Gul has been bowling well and New Zealand team was unable to pick his bowling. So they allege him of ball tempering. Saeed Ajmal was also accused for suspect bowling action by Australians in the same manner. It is their tactic to bring a bowler into pressure," he said. (ANI)

Proteas star Gibbs says will unveil two new shots in semi-finals

2009-06-20T07:43:00.001-07:00

London, June 18 (ANI): South African cricket team coach Mickey Arthur has said that opener Herschelle Gibbs will unveil two new shots in the final stages of the World Twenty20.
"Herschelle is working furiously on different shots which he hasn't unveiled yet. He doesn't want to be upstaged by Dilshan," The Sun quoted Arthur, as saying.
Meanwhile, Pakistan skipper Younis Khan has called on his batsmen to match the form of his bowling attack today.
He said: "Against New Zealand and Ireland, we fell short by 20 to 25 runs. The batsmen have to support the bowlers if we are to win this cup." (ANI)

Edgbaston may host 'home' Test in next years' Pakistan-Australia series

2009-06-20T07:41:00.000-07:00

Nottingham
, June 18 (ANI): Pakistan could host Australia for a 'home' Test match in Edgbaston next summer, as the Warwickshire County Cricket Club
has shown much interest in staging one of the Test matches of the relocated Test series.
According to the sources, Edgbaston has emerged as the second possible venue after Old Trafford for Pakistan's 'home' Test series against Australia, and there is a big possibility that both the countries would play each other there if the two cricket
board's confirms their plans to play the series in England.
The Chief Executive of the Warwickshire County Cricket Club, Colin Povey, said that he is eager to see two world class cricket teams fighting it out in Birmingham.
"We would certainly be keen to give a helping hand if we can. We always get a good crowd for Pakistan games here. If the games are offered, then we would certainly be interested in making a bid for them," The News quoted Povey, as saying.
Australia was scheduled to visit Pakistan to play in a one-day and Test series, but the tour was cancelled due to the deteriorating security conditions in Pakistan.
The one-day series was later rescheduled to the UAE, but no decision could be taken for the Tests.
Cricket authorities in England are interested in hosting the Test series in the country, as they feel they could earn a good profit due to a sizeable Asian population in the country.

Steve Waugh pained to hear about Australian attacks on Indians

2009-06-20T07:38:00.002-07:00

New Delhi, June 17 (ANI): Former Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh has said that he was disappointed about the recent chain of attacks on Indian students in Australia.
Waugh, who met Home Minister P. Chidambaram in New Delhi on Tuesday, called the incidents as 'unfortunate'.
"It's very unfortunate and I don't like to see or no Australian likes to see that happening. I am a parent myself, I have got three young kids and the safety of your children is the most important thing to yourself and I can understand why the emotions are running so high. We as Australians are very disappointed about what's happening. We don't expect that to happen in our country and we try to make sure that won't happen again," he said.
There have been a string of attacks in Melbourne during the past few days, which Australian authorities insist have been crime-related.
Indian students believe that the attacks were acts of racism and warned of "curry bashings" in Australia, where foreign students more than 12 billion dollars contribute. (ANI)

PCB appoints Bari as interim chief selector

2009-06-20T07:38:00.001-07:00

Lahore, June 17 (ANI): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed Wasim Bari as interim chief selector in place of Abdul Qadir.
Bari, who is currently the director of the PCB's human resource department, has served as the chairman of the selection committee on three previous ocassions, The Daily Times reports.
"Bari has been appointed as interim chairman of selectors to pick a team for Pakistan's tour of Sri Lanka. Captain Younis Khan, coach Intikhab Alam and vice-captain Misbahul Haq will be the interim members of the committee for the Sri Lanka tour only," a PCB spokesperson said.
The final decision regarding the selection of the team would, however, be taken by PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt, the spokesperson added.
Abdul Qadir had resigned from the post last Friday following a rift with Butt over the selection of Pakistan's 'A' squad for their tour of Australia.
Qadir had also charged that he was not given enough room in selection procedures.
"If guys like Yawar and Intikhab are handling these things, interfering, then why have selectors?" he said.
Qadir had also said that he would have dropped both Shoaib Malik and captain Younis Khan from the team, as he had spotted a clash between then during the Dubai one day international series against Australia.
He had also charged the PCB Governing Board member Shakeel Sheikh of ruining the PCB.
"Sheikh is the cancer of the cricket, he should be kept at arm's length from cricket," Qadir said.

Brit Indian village cricketer does more than a Sober's, hits 39 off single over

2009-06-20T07:36:00.000-07:00

London, June 17 (ANI): Amateur Indian-origin cricketer Abhijit Kale emulated legendary West Indian Gary Sobers this weekend by hitting six sixes in an over.
He stunned his teammates by taking 39 runs of one nine-ball over of bowler Damion Grosscel in a weekend league. Thirty-six of those runs were hits out of the ground, reports The Mirror.
Abhijit, 34, from Mumbai, was playing for Kent League Division 3 team Linden Park against Catford Wanderers.
The Tunbridge Wells-based side made 247, with Abhijit 152 not out, then they bowled out Catford for 134.
Skipper Stuart Clarke said: "We asked the bowler to pose for a photo after but he wasn't having it."
World record scorer off one over is Jonathan Hughes who whacked 42 for North Leeds in 2005.
The first man to hit six sixes off an over in first-class cricket was West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers.
He was playing for Notts in 1968 with Glamorgan bowler Malcolm Nash the victim.

India loses to South Africa, Dhoni blames poor form for defeat

2009-06-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

London, June 17: Team India failed to chase down a South African target of 131 runs on Tuesday night.India's defeat meant that they have lost all their Super 8-matches in the second Twenty20 World Cup.
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said the poor form of key batsmen, including himself, resulted in the team's morale-shattering defeat against South Africa in the Twenty20 World Cup.
"I don't think condition was the issue here. Form of some of the players, including me, was the major factor (behind the defeat," a dejected Dhoni said after the match.
"We played with six frontline batsmen and the seventh is an all-rounder. When three of them don't click in a match like this, it becomes really very hard. Throughout the tournament
I think we bowled well, wherever we played but we lacked a few things when it comes with the batting," he added.
"Batting wise we were really not up to the mark and unfortunately, throughout the tournament it happened. When we come back in nine months time, hopefully we will be a better prepared side," Dhoni said, referring to the next Twenty20 World Cup.
In a clear sign that his popularity has taken a beating after India's disastrous show in the tournament, Dhoni was booed after the match.
Asked about the crowd support, Dhoni said,"The kind of support we get when we play in England. But we have to win games, else we will get booed at the end of the game."
Dhoni was not ready to believe that the Indian team had turned bad overnight and felt they just could not click on those particular days.
"In this format, it's not about what kind of side you are but what you do on that particular day. in all three department. It's a game where you have to be there throughout the 40 overs," Dhoni explained.
His South African counterpart Graeme Smith was happy with the way his team defended a modest total.
"It was a good total. It wasn't a great wicket and the way we defended was great. It showed how far we have come in thinking and the options we have," Smith said.
"The slow bowlers bowled really well. They did a great job today and were well supported in the field. We are excited for the semi-finals. We have adapted to every surface we have played. We will play Pakistan on Thursday and we are very excited," Smith said.
Teammate AB de Villiers, who was adjudged Man of the Match for his brisk half-century, said it was not easy scoring on Trent Bridge's sluggish track.
"I don't think it was the fanciest knock of my life. The trick is to be solid in the first 20 balls and then you can start expressing yourself. It was important to take singles and twos. Later on in t innings, you can look for the big shots," he said.

Brendon McCullum doubtful for Sri Lanka match

2009-06-16T04:11:00.001-07:00

Brendon McCullum may miss New Zealand's final ICC World Twenty20 second round match against Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge on Tuesday after breaking a finger and tearing a ligament in his left hand.

Captain Daniel Vettori told a news conference on Monday that New Zealand's leading one-day batsman would be assessed before the game after colliding with team mate Neil Broom in the field against Pakistan on Saturday.

New Zealand must win to advance to the semi-finals.

"It's unfortunate for us," Vettori said. "Brendon did it on the last ball of the game against Pakistan. He's going to have an injection today and we're going to see how he goes.

"It's another injury that we desperately didn't need. But we're still hoping he can play tomorrow and we're hoping Ross Taylor will be fit as well."

Middle-order batsman Taylor, another key member of the Kiwi side, injured a hamstring in the group match against South Africa and missed the Super Eight matches against Ireland and Pakistan.

Vettori made his first appearance of the tournament against Pakistan after a shoulder injury while batsman Jesse Ryder will miss the remainder of the competition because of a groin infection.

The New Zealand skipper said if neither McCullum or Taylor was fit Neil Broom would probably play with Martin Guptill moving up to opener.

"It's not ideal for us. Our strength is in our top four, and potentially three (Ryder, Taylor and McCullum) of those top four may not play one of our most important games," he said.

Vettori confirmed his team had told match officials on Saturday they were concerned about possible ball tampering after Umar Gul obtained significant reverse swing while capturing five wickets for six runs.

"It's important to note the position we were in when Gul came on in the 12th over. We were well and truly behind the game and Pakistan were dominating and would probably have carried on to win," Vettori said.

"(But) the amount of reverse swing that we saw was new to us and therefore we raised a couple of concerns with the on-field umpires and the match referee.

"They relayed back to us that they had no issues at all with the state of the ball and we accepted that and move on to the important game against Sri Lanka."

Srinath blames Dhoni for India's exit

2009-06-16T04:09:00.000-07:00

Former India fast bowler Javagal Srinath blamed skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's poor handling of the media as the main reason behind the defending champions' early exit from the ICC World Twenty20.

Srinath believes it was Dhoni's poor response to the media on his deputy Virender Sehwag's injury that unsettled his team.

Sehwag was included in the squad but did not play a single game because of a shoulder injury, prompting media speculation of a rift - something which clearly irked Dhoni.

'I think the row between Dhoni and the media was unnecessary and I hope Dhoni manages the fallout of the early exit better,' Srinath was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph.

'This team has been fantastic in the last couple of years and they should have won this tournament for sure.'

Srinath is baffled with India's performance as after all they were prepared well for the tournament.

'I really believe the build-up and the way they played their warm-up games and the first two matches of the tournament was perfect,' he said.

'Since winning the tournament in 2007, this team hasn't done anything wrong in the last couple of years to suggest they would not win this one as well.'

'Considering their build-up here, I think they had everything going for them - the momentum and impetus was there. Perhaps the team got it all wrong with the batting strategy and the way they played the short ball,' he said.

West Indies win between the showers

2009-06-16T04:08:00.000-07:00

West Indies beat England by five wickets in a rain-reduced run-chase to reach the semi-finals at the expense of the hosts.

Ramnaresh Sarwan (19 not out off 9 balls) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (17 not out off 10 balls) saw their team home in an unbeaten partnership of 37 in 20 balls after England had reduced them to 45-5.

A second shower of the evening delayed the start of the West Indies innings as they looked to chase down an original target of 162.

Play eventually got underway again at 8.25pm with the batting team set a revised total of 80 off nine overs.

Chris Gayle cut the second legitimate ball from James Anderson for four but only one more run came off the over plus, off the last ball, the bonus of a wicket.

Andre Fletcher (0) top-edged a hook behind his head and James Foster only had to take a couple of steps back from his starting position to claim the catch.

Ryan Sidebottom's opening four balls were picked off by Gayle (15) to the tune of 10 runs but he then yorked the left-hander with a slower delivery to boost the home team's chances.

Stuart Broad became the third bowler to strike in his first over when Lendl Simmons sliced his first ball to Sidebottom at third man.

West Indies were 23-3 off the reduced three-over Powerplay, leaving West Indies to get another 57 off six overs.

Graeme Swann conceded just three from his first five balls but Kieron Pollard spoilt the over with a six over long-off.

Dwayne Bravo then drove another six at the start of Adil Rashid's as the match swung back towards West Indies.

Rashid then bowled Pollard (9) with a leg-break that pitched on leg-stump and hit middle to disturb the batting side's new-found dominance.

Swann and Foster then combined for the second successive evening - having removed India's key batsman Yuvraj Singh - to remove dangerman Bravo (18) when he dragged his foot outside the crease.

Anderson's second over - the seventh - produced 13 as the match again swung towards the batting side with 16 needed from the last 12 balls.

The experienced pair of Sarwan and Chanderpaul edged their side ever-closer to victory with 13 from Broad's penultimate over to leave just three required off the last six balls.

Sarwan ended the match with a boundary when he smashed a Sidebottom full-toss to extra-cover with four balls to spare.

England's 161-6 may have tested West Indies more in a full contest but the weather ultimately played its part on proceedings.

Pollard's first-over success was tempered by next man Kevin Pietersen, who ended the over with successive boundaries off his first two balls faced.

Jerome Taylor also suffered during his first over - the fifth of the innings - when 15 were taken, including three boundaries thumped back through the 'v'.

Fletcher then took a comfortable catch on the midwicket boundary to remove Pietersen for 31 off 19 balls, just when the second-wicket pair looked intent on taking the game away from the West Indies.

England reached the midway point at 83-2 and Owais Shah began the second half of their innings by picking up Taylor over backward square-leg for the first six of the innings.

Shah (18) looked in good touch but he then pulled Simmons to Fletcher who took a miraculous leaping catch at deep square-leg.

Bopara's 50 came up off 43 balls as England entered the last five overs on 116-3.

The young right-hander was then trapped leg by Gayle for 55 just as rain began to fall for the first time.

England had reached 129-4 when the downpour became sufficiently torrential to bring a halt to proceedings.

Play resumed 30 minutes after the players left the field, meaning no overs would be lost to the match.

Paul Collingwood fell in the first over back when he shuffled across his stumps to Bravo and was palpably leg before.

Foster (13) holed out to long-on in the final over as England failed to offer the acceleration to supplement their decent start.

Broad (10 not out off 2 balls) did at least find the boundary off the penultimate ball of the innings - the first since the second ball of the 11th over - and followed that up with a six over long-on to end England's effort on a high.

West Indies thus move on to the semi-finals but must wait for the result of South Africa's match against India to decide their final position in Group E.

Younus pays tribute to Woolmer after victory

2009-06-16T04:07:00.000-07:00

Pakistan captain Younus Khan dedicated his side's win over Ireland at the Oval to former coach Bob Woolmer.

Woolmer died just a few hours after watching his Pakistan side crash to defeat against the Irish in the 2007 World Cup.

Pakistan's 39-run victory may have gone some way to erasing the pain of that defeat in Jamaica but the far more tragic loss of their coach, who passed away back at the team's hotel, will never be forgotten.

"I dedicate a lot of my good matches to Bob Woolmer," said Younus, "he was an inspiring person for me because when I was in and out [of the team] around the time of 2004 he joined us and was like a fatherfigure for me and the whole team. We are still missing him and I think after winning the (Twenty20) World Cup I will dedicate that final game to Bob Woolmer."

Younus also revealed the knowledge gained from Woolmer during his successful period with the Asian nation is having a major influence on his captaincy style. The 31-year-old explained his decision to change the batting order for today's match - elevating Shahid Afridi (who struck a rapid 24) up the order - was inspired from his schooling by Woolmer.

"I learnt a lot of things from Bob Woolmer," said Younus "and he was flexible - especially in the batting order. My planning at that time [today] was that I need a couple of in-form batsmen for big games like the semi-final and final. This was a crucial game for run-rate so it's all about getting them a little bit of confidence - a player like Shahid Afridi has been good with the ball but he needs runs with the bat so it was an idea like that."

Pakistan must now await the outcome of the final Group F match - Sri Lanka v New Zealand - to decide their progress in the tournament.

Kirsten blames IPL for team's fatigue and niggles

2009-06-16T04:05:00.000-07:00

RENT BRIDGE (Nottingham): Indian coach Gary Kirsten had strong words to say about the Indian Premier League (IPL) and how it could have contributed in his team's fatigue and niggling injuries-factors which were responsible for his team's debacle in the ICC World Twenty20 here.

"A lot of our cricketers carried niggles in this tournament. We picked up niggles in the IPL and lost contact with them.

"India's schedule ahead of the next Twenty20-in the West Indies in nine months time-isn't going to be any different. If I'm still around, we would do some good planning and if need be, pull guys out of the IPL. We want when the real competition comes along, the people are ready for it."

The South Africa-born Indian coach also confessed his side was extremely tired ahead of the world's premier Twenty20 event.

"We were not as energetic as we were in New Zealand...we were relatively tired when we arrived here," Kirsten made a damning comment on the state of his team.

"We have been on the road since end of January. We were not sure if we should increase the training or give sufficient rest. In the end we gave them as much rest as we could so that they could be pumped up for important games.

"But then we had relatively easy games against Bangladesh and Ireland. We then came up against the West Indies and were found wanting. We realized how tough the battle could be against a high quality international side."

Because of fatigue and niggles, India's problems against short-pitched deliveries thus got accentuated.

"If we could have executed our skills the way we wanted to, we could have won the game.

"(In Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina) we have two incredibly talented young cricketers for India-for one especially the going has been tough in this tournament.

"But I have no doubt he would come through and continue to make his mark. We have played short-pitched bowling in other conditions so that's something which is not new."

Kirsten believed the hurt of this tournament would actually make his side a better one-the first evidence of which could come in the final Super Eight game against South Africa.

"We are bitterly disappointed. We haven't done something people could be proud of. I saw 15 faces in the changing room and some of them were really hurt. We have come to expect good performances and so it hurt.

"MS then said where do we move from here. We need to be positive and pick ourselves up. We have to go and win tomorrow and give it everything."

Kirsten heaped praise on Dhoni, terming him as one of the most exceptional leaders he had seen in any walk of life.

"He is an extremely professional cricketer. He is one of the most exceptional leaders that I have seen in any walks of my life. He is able to separate the other things from his cricket and is extremely focussed.

"He is one of the greatest finishers in the game of cricket. We feel in high profile game he is the one who can close out game for us. We wanted to save Yuvraj, Dhoni and Pathan for the final 12 overs of the innings."

"In 50-overs game, he is one of the greatest finishers the game has seen. He is trying to do it in Twenty20 cricket as well. He also wants to balance it with his big hitting. His batting is improving, he is a fast learner and he would come good."

Indian team supporters single out Dhoni for Lords' debacle

2009-06-15T08:57:00.000-07:00

New Delhi, June 15 (ANI): Cricket fans across the nation have blamed team captain Mahandra Singh Dhoni for India's unceremonious exit from the Twenty20 World Cup.
England knocked out the defending champions on Sunday when they won the crucial match by 3 runs. India managed 150-5 from 20 overs in response to England's 153-7 at Lords in London.
Surprise winners two years ago, India were installed as one of the favourites to capture the title this time, but a three-run loss to England consigned the side to a second straight Super Eights defeat and with no chance of reaching the semi-finals.
Indian fans singled out Dhoni, hailed as a natural leader since captaining the team to victory in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa, as the villain.
Dhoni was blamed for shuffling the order and failing to shake off his own subdued batting form when a captain's innings was badly needed.
"This failure is because of Dhoni. He made two mistakes in the team yesterday, first he played Ravinder Jadeja instead of Pathan at 2 down, and he made no runs. In the last over 19 runs were required and Dhoni just managed to take either single or two runs," said Amit Kumar from New Delhi.
Cricket fans in Mumbai are echoing the similar sentiments.
"Yuvraj Singh should have come at the place of Ravinder Jadeja, then perhaps there could be some chance of winning the match," Ajit, a cricket fan.
England bowlers pegged the top order batsmen with incisive short-pitched bowling, successfully borrowing the tactic from West Indies in their earlier Super Eights upset of India.
Dhoni has enjoyed a smooth ride as test captain since the 2007 triumph but has come under scrutiny at this tournament after parading the entire team in an attempt to quash media reports of disharmony between him and deputy Virender Sehwag.

Dhoni says 'sorry'

2009-06-15T08:54:00.000-07:00

"We are sorry. We are more disappointed (than them) and we respect the emotions of our fans and the country. We gave our best and we say that with an open heart, we have nothing to hide," said Dhoni after his side had lost to England by a mere three-run margin.

Dhoni also admitted the six-hitting days of his yore have finally deserted him. "I am not consistently hitting sixes, I admit...and I'm working hard at it. But this game is just not about hitting sixes. But hopefully I would be back."

dhoni

2009-06-15T08:49:00.001-07:00

The bug of Lord's bites Dhoni and men

2009-06-15T08:41:00.000-07:00

LORD'S (London): The bug of Lord's hit defending champions India who crashed out of the ICC World Twenty20 by suffering a three-run loss to England in a Super Eight clash here on Sunday.
For the third successive occasion at Lord's, Indians came out the second best in the park. They had lost to New Zealand in the first warm-up game. Thereafter it was two successive defeat at the hands of West Indies and now England which shut the door on them in this tournament.
India were asked to chase 154 under lights but made a hash of the target despite a back-to-walls run sixth wicket stand between skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (30) and Yusuf Pathan (33).
India needed 19 runs from the final over, bowled by Ryan Sidebottom, but managed only 15, including a six by Yusuf Pathan and a final-ball boundary from Dhoni.
The damage to the Indian cause was done earlier in the day when it fielded badly and gave away too many extras in England innings.
Indians conceded at least 15-20 runs extra in the field and then gave away 16 extras which helped England's cause immensely.
Indians then batted horribly and nobody stayed on to give the side a fighting chance.
Gautam Gambhir (26) and Yuvraj Singh (17) departed at wrong moments for the defending champions while Rohit Sharma (9) and Suresh Raina (2) once again were disappointing failures.
England's tactics to bounce Indians with short-pitched deliveries worked wonderfully well. India's top order was distinctly uncomfortable and after two wickets fell by the fourth over, with 24 on the board, Indians were fighting a losing battle.
Yuvraj Singh slammed the first delivery he faced for a six and followed it up with another but was out to a smart stumping by James Foster off Graeme Swann after he had aimed an expensive drive against the off-spinner and momentarily lifted his back leg, allowing the stumper to do the rest.
Dhoni's tactics of allowing Ravinder Jadeja to come in at number four was also questionable as the left-hander faced 35 balls for his 25 runs and retarded the rate of slowing.
Earlier, England made a fighting 153 for 7 in their 20 overs thanks to Kevin Pietersen's 46 off 27 balls and shared a 71-run second wicket stand with Ravi Bopara (37 off 37 balls).
Dimitri Mascrenhas made an unbeaten 25 in the middle order which helped England reach a fighting total.
Harbhajan Singh took three for 30 from his four overs while Jadeja claimed two for 26 in his four overs.
However, Dhoni might have erred in letting Ishant Sharma bowl his four overs and allowing RP Singh only three overs.
RP Singh, playing his first game, was brilliant and took 1 for 13 from his three overs.

Sehwag's shoulder injury rules him out of T20 World Cup

2009-06-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

London, June 9 (ANI): Indian opening batsman Virender Sehwag will not feature in ICC Twenty20 World Cup here, as he has a shoulder injury that requires surgery, sources said.
Sehwag skipped the opening match against Bangladesh including all the practice matches.
Indian skipper Dhoni has had to gamble with Rohit Sharma as Gautam Gambhir's opening partner.
Sharma is now likely to open for India. Further details are awaited. (ANI)

KP could miss Ashes because of Achilles injury

2009-06-14T06:53:00.001-07:00

London, June 14 (ANI): England batsman Kevin Pietersen could miss this year's Ashes series against Australia because of his Achilles heel injury.
According to a News of The World report, KP has been asked to take another spinal injection to ensure that he is fit for today's must-win Twenty20 World Cup clash with India at Lord's.
"I'm taking the best medical advice and I'm doing everything I can to face Australia but, occasionally, Achilles injuries do flare up. If that happens on the morning of a Test then I wouldn't be able to take part," the tabloid quoted KP, as saying.
He said: "I can promise you I am doing everything in my power to make sure I am OK. I've got one more injection I can have before I'm not allowed any more.
That would be a cortisone epidural into the spinal cord. The Achilles injury is a nerve problem related to the back but since I had the injection last Friday I have been fine. There is still pain in the heel but I'm doing the right thing to try to eliminate as much pain as I can."
"In order to fix an Achilles injury like this properly I probably do need two or three months out of the game," he added.
"Unfortunately, that's not going to happen. I'm a man who wants to play every game for England and as much as I can. As long as I can walk I will play," he said.
The injection into the nerve delivers a high dose of anti-inflammatory
and also anaesthetizes the area and allows swelling to subside. An injection into the spine would most likely be in order to deliver the cortisone into the sciatic nerve at the base of the back or reduce inflammation in the nerve groupings that form in that area and run down the back of the leg into the heel, including the Achilles area, News of The World reports. (ANI)

Team India to take on England at Lords on Sunday

2009-06-14T06:53:00.000-07:00

London, June 14 (ANI): Having tasted defeat at the hands of West Indies
on Friday, Team India will take on host England at the Lords' on Sunday to remain in the race for semi-finals of the ongoing Twenty20 World Cup tournament
.
The day-night Group E match begins 17:30 local time (16:30 GMT) at Lords.
Team India is playing as defending champions and has acquired popularity in the recent times for its resilience and powerful performances, especially in Twenty20 version of the tournament.
The Team India comprise-MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, G Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, RA Jadeja, KD Karthik, Z Khan, P Kumar, PP Ojha, IK Pathan, YK Pathan, SK Raina, I Sharma, RG Sharma, RP Singh.
In other match, the in-form Sri Lanka will meet minnows Ireland in a Group F Super Eight clash of the ICC World T20 Championships on Sunday.
Ireland needs a win, having lost to New Zealand, to stay alive in the tournament. (ANI)

Sri Lanka Eliminates Australia in World Twenty20 Cricket

2009-06-14T06:22:00.001-07:00

NOTTINGHAM, England — Sri Lanka sent Australia, one of cricket’s perennial powers, crashing out of the World Twenty20 on Monday at Trent Bridge.
The Australians, who have led the world rankings in five-day test matches for several years and have won the last three World Cups — played on a 50-overs per side basis — failed to come to terms with cricket’s newest, shortest format.
The loss to Sri Lanka, which reached its target of 160 to win with one six-ball over and six wickets to spare, followed Australia’s earlier one-sided defeat against the West Indies. It made Australia the third team to be eliminated following the qualifier Scotland and Bangladesh, which was beaten by Ireland, another qualifier, in the first match of the double-header.
The victory moved Sri Lanka and West Indies through to the round of eight, which begins Thursday. Ireland, India, South Africa, New Zealand and England also advanced. Netherlands will play Pakistan for the final berth.
It was Australia’s fifth consecutive defeat in the Twenty20 format. Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain, told The Associated Press, "I can’t tell you how disappointed I am that we’re not through. I couldn’t have been happier with what we did coming into the tournament."
The Australians were without all-rounder Andrew Symonds, who was sent home before the tournament after violating a contract clause forbidding his drinking in public. The clause had been inserted after a series of alcohol-related incidents.
Sri Lanka was playing its first international since its players were attacked by terrorists while on their way to a test match at Lahore, Pakistan, in March. The victory recalled perhaps the greatest moment in the nation’s cricket history, the defeat of Australia in the 1996 World Cup Final.
Its captain Kumar Sangakkara, leading it for the first time, attributed the win to:
“Sticking to the basics and sticking to the game plan," the Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara said when asked the keys to the victory. ”I think it’s just great to beat a side like Australia. You need to have 15 members of your squad and the management believing you can win. Then it’s just a case of doing your jobs and executing your game plan."
Sangakarra’s calm, controlled and superbly paced innings of 55 ensured that Sri Lanka would not waste the flying start given to it by Tillekeratne Dilshan, who opened with 53.
Australia’s spin bowlers, Michael Clarke and Nathan Hauritz, were able to slow Sri Lanka’s momentum in the mid-innings, but Sangakarra did not relinquish the lead. Jehan Mubarak sped Sri Lanka toward its target by twice striking Brett Lee, Australia’s fastest bowler, for sixes. The end was anti-climatic. With one run needed, the Australian quick bowler Mitchell Johnson bowled a leg-side delivery that was ruled a wide.
Australia failed to gain serious momentum when it batted, although a 21-run single-over onslaught by Johnson on Muttiah Muralitharan ensured it a competitive total of 159 for 9 from its 20 overs.
The most effective bowling came from Muralitharan’s apprentice, Ajantha Mendis, 24. Mendis, who had shrapnel removed from his head and back after the Lahore attacks, puzzled the Australians with his spinning variations. Ponting, one of three men he dismissed while conceding only 20 runs in his four overs, called him ‘a unique bowler.’
Ireland underlined its standing as the most consistently dangerous of cricket’s associate nations when it defeated Bangladesh by six wickets to advance to the Super Eight — matching its progress in the World Cup two years ago, when it beat Pakistan. After bowling well to restrict Bangladesh to 137 for 8 in its 20 overs — the Australian-born quick bowler Trent Johnson took three vital top-order wickets — Ireland was stroked to victory with 10 balls to spare by the O’Brien brothers. Niall O’Brien, a wicket-keeper who plays professionally in England for Northants, was Man of the Match for his 40 runs and a brilliant stumping of Bangladesh batsman Mahmadullah, while Kevin O’Brien struck the winning runs to complete a personal score of 39 not out.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni

2009-06-14T05:59:00.000-07:00

Full name:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Born:
7th July 1981, Ranchi, Bihar (now Jharkhand), India
Batting:
Right-hand batsman
Wicket-keeper
Teams:
India (Test: 2005/06-2008/09); India (ODI: 2004/05-2008/09); Asian Cricket Council XI (ODI: 2007); India (Int Twenty20: 2006/07-2009); India (Twenty20 World Cup: 2007/08-2009); Bihar (Main FC: 1999/00-2003/04); Jharkhand (Main FC: 2004/05); Bihar (Main ListA: 1999/00-2003/04); Jharkhand (Main ListA: 2004/05); Jharkhand (Main Twenty20: 2006/07); All teams
Lists of matches and more detailed statistics

cool pic's of ICC T20

2009-06-14T05:49:00.000-07:00