Pakistan cricket captain Misbah- ul- Haq has dispelled claims that the match conditions in the United Arab Emirates will benefit his side in a major way in the forthcoming series against England.
“Six successive defeats abroad, the imminent departure of three giants, the crumbling of the Test team: Indian cricket faces its most existential interrogation since the match-fixing scandal. But all it seems to bother with is Sachin Tendulkar’s 100th international century. Strange priority,” writes Ashok Malik in the Pioneer. Ever in denial, there are those in India who say MS Dhoni’s team is paying for the pressure of awaiting Tendulkar’s 100th. The pressure, if any, should be on him. Why should it bother the rest of the team, all 10 of…
Franklyn Najjumba put the skids under the Kenyans
Pakistan finished day two of their second Test against Bangladesh on 87 for one, leaving the match in Mirpur evenly poised. A superb innings of 144 from Shakib Al Hasan – his best first-class score …
at the Gaddafi Stadium . Chasing 191, WAPDA looked to have the match in hand at 113 for 1 but reckoned without Mohammad Aslam and Fahad Masood. Aslam, a left-arm spinner removed Asif Khan for 51 to …
Also: why Test cricket is like The Wire. And is Phillip Hughes really made out of a chunk of Ayers Rock? Andy Zaltzman discusses these and other thrilling topics (among them: why he is an eternal Chemplast and Napoleon Einstein fan) with Daniel Norcross of Test Match Sofa Download the podcast here (mp3, 25MB, right-click to save)….
Ajit Agarkar: the man whose shrine can be found in one C Martin household
Sri Lankan batsman Dinesh Chandimal has been fined 10% of his match fee for showing dissent at the umpire's decision during the one-off Twenty20 against Pakistan on Friday. The Pakistan opening …
Aakash Chopra slams the Karnail Sigh Stadium – Railways’ Ranji Trophy venue in Delhi – on Yahoo! Cricket. He criticises everything from the pitch to the lack of sufficient groundstaff to the fried snacks served to the players. The problem, he explains, is that Railways and Services do not receive the annual allowance the BCCI gives other teams. On the morning of the match, the wicket-keeper pulls out his helmet from the first over (even for the fast bowlers) knowing well that a lot of balls would stay dangerously low…
CHENNAI: England captain Andrew Strauss has won the toss and elected to bat in their crucial match against the West Indies in the World Cup Group B here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday. Weary England could see their exhausting five-month global road trip end today in a do-or-die World Cup showdown against the Windies. Victory will keep England’’s hopes of making the quarter-finals alive but defeat will send their opponents, as well as India and Bangladesh, into the last eight. England have endured a rollercoaster campaign. They defeated the Netherlands and South Africa, lost to Bangladesh and Ireland and tied with India. They know that even a win on Thursday may not be enough if other results on Saturday and Sunday work conspire against them. Their problems have been compounded by illness suffered by Strauss, key spinner Graeme Swann and fast bowler Ajmal Shahzad. The form of Ashes spearhead Jimmy Anderson, whose four wickets have cost 282 runs at an average of more than 70 apiece, is another distraction. Strauss said he hoped the make-or-break nature of Thursday’’s contest would see England raise their game. West Indies captain Darren Sammy hopes to make the most of coach Ottis Gibson’’s inside knowledge of England. Gibson spent more than two years as England’’s bowling coach before taking charge of the West Indies in January 2010. West Indies have been bolstered for this match by the return of dynamic opening batsman Chris Gayle, who missed their 44-run win against Ireland last time out with an abdominal strain. Unlike Group B, where only South Africa have so far assured qualification, all four qualifying spots in Group have been wrapped up by Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.