LONDON: Brendon McCullum has warned “one-day cricket is in danger” as an international format. The New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman believes Test cricket’’s traditions can withstand the rise of Twenty20 cricket, a form of the game in which he excels. But even though the International Cricket Council’’s premier tournament is the 50-overs-a-side World Cup, McCullum fears established one-day cricket may not survive the rise of Twenty20. “It’’s a dangerous time for the 50-over format,” McCullum told the April edition of the Wisden Cricketer magazine. “At the moment T20 cricket has captivated a lot of people. “Test cricket will always stay – there”re too many traditionalists, and it is considered the cream of the crop for most cricketers. “One-day cricket is in danger.” Following his 56-ball 116 against Australia in the recent T20 international in Christchurch, McCullum does though see some downsides in world cricket’’s shortest format. No doubt thinking of the example of New Zealand’’s Shane Bond and England’’s Andrew Flintoff, McCullum fears the impressive financial rewards on offer from Twenty20 cricket will deter already injury-hit fast bowlers from putting themselves through the greater physical demands of five-day Test matches if they can still earn good money for much less work. “The one concern I do have is that genuine fast bowlers around the world will look at the option of four-overs-a-game two or three times a week versus the hard graft of Test match and one-day cricket and decide that four overs is their lot,” McCullum said. “I”m talking about the 150-160 kph bowlers. That would be a shame, because I think there’’s something incredible about watching raw pace bowl a long spell in a Test.”
Written on March 25, 2010 | Posted in
Cricket,
International,
Sports
MANCHESTER: England quick James Anderson is still baffled as to the cause of his longstanding knee injury but expects to be in action again next week. The Lancashire paceman sat out England’’s recently concluded tour of Bangladesh after being advised rest and rehabilitation was the best way to cure a right knee problem that had troubled him throughout the preceding tour of South Africa. Anderson, who intends playing for Lancashire against Durham University next week ahead of the start of the English season proper, said that while the cause of his injury had still to be diagnosed, he now felt in good shape. “The knee is good; the rehab has been going well,” Anderson told Thursday’’s Manchester Evening News. “I had three weeks off when I got back from South Africa and have been gradually building up from there. I started bowling a couple of weeks ago and am bowling at about three-quarters pace at the moment.” Anderson added: “I don”t know exactly what the problem was. I went to see a surgeon in London, and he didn”t know what it was. “All the doctors I have seen didn”t have a clue, so we just spread a bit of cortisone around where I pointed at, where the pain was, and we left it for three weeks. “We injected it at the start of the tour of South Africa, and had three more injections on that trip,” he said. “It can be quite difficult to decipher what is a niggle and what can cause you problems – because as a bowler you are never really 100% fit. You always have a niggle or two. “This one started as a niggle and just got worse and worse. “The aim is to play against Durham Uni and then play it by ear. Lancashire have a few more warm-up games, but we will take it day by day and see how the knee pulls up.”
Written on March 25, 2010 | Posted in
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Sports
HONG KONG: China faces a diabetes epidemic, a new report warned Thursday, with rising obesity levels and an ageing population helping to trigger a major public health problem. The study published in The New England Journal of Medicine estimates that more than 92 million men and women are living with diabetes in China, or almost one in 10 adults in the world’’s largest population. “Our results indicate that diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the general adult population in China,” the report said, adding that most cases remained undiagnosed. “Given its large population, China may bear a higher diabetes-related burden than any other country.” The report said another 148.2 million were considered to be pre-diabetic, or showing early symptoms of developing diabetes, a condition that could lead to cardiovascular disease, China’’s leading cause of death. It said that effects associated with rapid pace of growth and change in the world’’s third largest economy were a factor. “The ageing of the population, urbanisation, nutritional changes, and decreasing levels of physical activity, with a consequent epidemic of obesity, have probably contributed to the rapid increase” in levels of diabetes in China, the report said. The study was based on a sample of more than 46,000 adults aged 20 years or older from 14 provinces and municipalities, which the authors said was representative of the entire population. The report said 9.7 percent of the adult population, accounting for more than 50 million men and 42 million women, lived with diabetes while pre-diabetes affected 15.5 percent, or 76 million men and 72 million women. It urged that “public health measures should be undertaken to mitigate the consequences of new cases of diabetes.”
Written on March 25, 2010 | Posted in
Health,
International,
News
SAO PAULO: Ronaldinho’’s experience could have a calming effect on Brazil’’s youthful World Cup side if coach Dunga recalled the 30-year-old to the squad, Pele said. Three-times World Cup winner Pele said in an interview that he would pick Ronaldinho, who turned 30 on Sunday and has played at two finals, helping Brazil win their fifth title in 2002. The 69-year-old also said Lionel Messi needed a well-organised Argentina side in which to exhibit his brilliant Barcelona form, while England and Spain would be dangerous opponents at the June 11-July 11 tournament in South Africa. Pele praised Dunga’’s record but was concerned about a possible lack of World Cup experience among the players expected to be picked for the squad. “I think Brazil are on the right track but we have to be careful because the majority of the players have never played at a World Cup before, so there will be a lot of pressure and we must see how those players handle it,” Pele said. “If Ronaldinho keeps playing as he is now … I believe he would be a good component because he could help when the younger players feel the pressure.” Ronaldinho, who last played for Brazil last April, has been in good form for AC Milan this year but despite speculation about a return to the national team he appears out of Dunga’’s plans. Brazil and fellow favourites Spain could expect tough opposition from the likes of Argentina, despite their poor qualifying campaign. “Even (top) teams that are not in form like Argentina, who practically qualified in last place, we”ve got to respect them because they”re a country accustomed to playing the World Cup,” he said. “Another country that had not been doing well but who in this World Cup will be a difficult country to beat is England, who can take a very strong team (to South Africa). “They can reach the last four.” Pele identified Messi, Portugal’’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Robinho of Brazil as players with the potential to light up the World Cup. Messi, however, might be unable to reproduce the fantastic form he is showing at Spanish club Barcelona. “He’’s a great player, he’’s playing marvellously at Barcelona but when he goes to the national team he doesn”t play as well,” said Pele. “That is possibly because the national team doesn”t have the same group as Barcelona. “Then there’’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who’’s also a marvelous player, and Robinho, who has already improved quite a bit,” he added. Robinho, who has returned to Santos on loan from Manchester City, had a crowd-pleasing style while Brazil would also need Kaka to be in top form. “For the public, Robinho has a happier style that appeals to the fans,” he said. “Now, for the national team, it’’s very important that Kaka is in good shape.”
Written on March 24, 2010 | Posted in
Sports
DHAKA: England were set a target of 209 to win the second and final Test after bowling Bangladesh out for 285 in their second innings after lunch on the fifth day. Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan marked his 23rd birthday with a battling 96 before he was last man out, stumped off spinner James Tredwell four runs short of a century. The left-hander cracked 11 fours in his fifth half-century. England have a minimum of 54 overs to reach the target and sweep the series after winning the first Test in Chittagong by 181 runs. Bangladesh added 103 to their overnight total of 172-6 in the absorbing morning session, with Shakib doing the bulk of scoring. Debutant off-spinner Tredwell took three wickets and paceman Steven Finn one. Tredwell, sharing the second new ball with paceman Stuart Broad, struck in his first over when he had nightwatchman Shafiul Islam caught by Jonathan Trott at deep mid-wicket. Shafiul, who scored a half-century in the first innings, made 28 in a 63-run stand for the seventh wicket with his captain. Tredwell got another wicket when he had Naeem Islam caught by Kevin Pietersen at deep mid-on to reduce the hosts to 258-8.
Written on March 24, 2010 | Posted in
Sports
England earn a 2-0 series win over Bangladesh through the batting of Alastair Cook, with a 12th Test century, and Kevin Pietersen.
Written on March 24, 2010 | Posted in
News
DHAKA: Tamim Iqbal celebrated his birthday with an explosive 85 as Bangladesh posted 330-8 on the opening day of the second and final Test against Eng
Written on March 21, 2010 | Posted in
Sports
MUMBAI: England cricket star Kevin Pietersen may have been defending his teammates when he recently said in Bangladesh, “Test cricket is a ‘man’s game
Written on March 21, 2010 | Posted in
Cricket,
Sports
LONDON: The MCC, guardian of cricket’s treasured traditions, gaze into the future when England’s season curtain-raiser takes place this month not on t
Written on March 21, 2010 | Posted in
Cricket,
Sports
The current Champions trophy will be played between eight teams and each team is divided into two groups. India, Pakistan, Australia and West Indies are in Group A while South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and England are in group B. Each team will play with one another in their corresponding groups and the top [...]
Written on September 12, 2009 | Posted in
Cricket
