Pak Cricket

Monday, 26 March 2012

Ashraf: Amir ban 'too harsh'

Misbah-ul-Haq and PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf

Philander milestone leaves New Zealand struggling

WELLINGTON: South African pace sensation Vernon Philander became the fastest man in 116 years to reach 50 Test wickets on Monday as New Zealand struggled to stay alive in the third Test.

Philander, 26, reached the milestone in only his seventh Test as New Zealand folded for 275 in their first innings in reply to South Africa’s 474-9 declared, avoiding the follow-on by just a single run.

At stumps on the fourth day, South Africa, who hold a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series, were 75 without loss in their second innings, leading by 274 runs with one day remaining.

First innings centurion Alviro Petersen is not out 38 with captain Graeme Smith on 34 as the tourists look to bat New Zealand out of contention.

New Zealand’s fading hopes of levelling the series received a severe setback when captain Ross Taylor was hit on the left forearm by paceman Morne Morkel.

He was taken to hospital where an x-ray confirmed a broken bone and team management said he was unlikely to take any further part in the game.

With the senior batsman out of action, Philander made the most of the short route to the New Zealand tail, finishing with six for 81 and tightening South Africa’s grip on the Test.

New Zealand were 160-3 with Taylor on 18 when he was hit. They made it to 219-3 before they lost another wicket but slumped from 263-5 to 263-8, leaving tailenders Mark Gillespie and Chris Martin needing to add 12 runs to avoid the follow-on.

The home side resumed in the morning at 65-0 with openers Daniel Flynn and Martin Guptill fighting their way to 86 and seeing off hostile bowling from Dale Steyn and Morkel before Philander started the damage.

Flynn, in the unfamiliar role of opener and playing his first Test in two years, went for 45, nicking a ball in Philander’s first over of the day to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.

Brendon McCullum had two lives on his way to 31, including being dropped at point by JP Duminy off Steyn.

Duminy had earlier spilled two edges from Guptill, off Steyn’s bowling, when fielding in the gully. Guptill went on to make 59 before he was trapped lbw by Philander in the last over before lunch.

When Taylor was taken to hospital and diligence was required by New Zealand, Dean Brownlie and Kane Williamson made cautious progress in a 59-run stand until the new ball arrived and Brownlie top-edged Philander, dismissed for 29.

New Zealand went to tea at 231-4 and the innings collapsed soon after play resumed.

After Steyn claimed Williamson for 39, Philander came back to remove Daniel Vettori (30) and Doug Bracewell (0). Marchant de Lange picked up the wicket of Kruger van Wyk (7).

Two lusty fours from Gillespie ensured South Africa would have to bat again before he became Philander’s sixth victim, caught by AB de Villiers for 10.

Petersen and Smith were untroubled, taking South Africa through to stumps, with a declaration expected on the final morning.

ACC dismisses Bangladesh Asia Cup appeal

KARACHI: Cricket’s governing body in Asia on Monday rejected a complaint from Bangladesh that one of their batsman was obstructed by a Pakistani bowler in their recent Asia Cup final defeat.

The complaint was rejected on the grounds that it was not reported by on-field umpires, an official said.

Ashraful Huq, chief executive of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), said Bangladesh officially complained about the last over of the final, which Bangladesh narrowly lost.

“We had received Bangladesh’s complaint but since the incident was not reported by the on-field umpires nothing can be done,” Ashraful told AFP from Kuala Lumpur.

Bangladesh had appealed to the ACC to review the final over, accusing Pakistani paceman Aizaz Cheema of deliberately blocking batsman Mahmudullah Riyad from taking a second run.

Pakistan beat Bangladesh by two runs to lift the four-nation Asia Cup after a thrilling final on Thursday.

The Pakistan Cricket Board had expressed disappointment over Bangladesh’s complaint, calling it an “after thought” after defeat.

Ashraful, who also hailed from Bangladesh, said the International Cricket Council (ICC) had also turned down the complaint.

“It could have happened then and there, in the final but since umpires and match-referee did not take any action then, so the matter is closed,” said Ashraful.

“I think the Bangladesh team played so well in the whole tournament, beating India and Sri Lanka — World Cup 2011 finalists — was no mean achievement and although they lost the final, the Bangladesh team won millions of hearts.”

Sunday, 25 March 2012

Super Eight T20 Cup roars into action today

But hardly three days on, a number of national cricketers will change gears to rub shoulders with some of the best talent when the Faysal Bank Super Eight T20 Cup roars into action at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

After the huge success of the inaugural edition of the competition at Faisalabad last June/July, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) expects a similar response from the cricket-starved folks of Rawalpindi and of course neighbouring Islamabad, who are expected to throng into the refurbished arena in large numbers, especially with Rawalpindi Rams taking the field as the reigning champions.

The Sohail Tanvir-led Rams were the unlikeliest of winners in the final against favourites Karachi Dolphins that required the use of the Super Over to determine the ultimate champions after both teams were levelled in terms of runs at the end of the actual match. Emerging spinner Raza-ul-Hasan was the hero that night as he out-thought Dolphins opener Shahzaib Hasan with three consecutive dot deliveries in the one-over eliminator.

The people of Faisalabad and its adjoining areas enthusiastically crammed the Iqbal Stadium for eight evenings despite the event — in which the top eight finishers of the 13-team previous national T20 qualified — had notable absentees such as Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan who were all committed to play in England at the time.

Also missing was Faisalabad’s favourite son Saeed Ajmal whose engagement with English county Worcestershire overlapped in the same period.

But this time, the PCB has shown much-needed commonsense in organising the tournament at such a time to guarantee all star names are available.

The significance of this planning is crucial for Pakistan itself with the fourth edition of the ICC World Twenty20 Championship barely six months away.

The competition for places in the Sri Lanka-bound squad this September is very much wide open.

Therefore, the competing players of the eight teams will be more than anxious to impress the Iqbal Qasim-led national selection committee during the coming week.

Dav Whatmore, who began his tenure as the Pakistan coach on a winning note at the Asia Cup, is also expected to keep a close eye because the 15 matches offer him and the selectors definitely their last opportunity to settle on the pool of probables for the camp to be set up for the
World Twenty20.

With clouds of uncertainty hanging over an ageing Misbah-ul-Haq as regards to his future as the Pakistan captain in limited-overs cricket, particularly in the shortest format of the game, the forthcoming tournament becomes more zesty with the soon-to-be-38-year-old’s potential successor taking shape with the likes of Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik heading that list as they prepare to lead Karachi Dolphins and Sialkot Stallions, respectively.

The Malik-led Stallions are obvious favourites at T20 level with six of the eight national titles annexed by them. The Dolphins, who beat the Stallions in the Faisalabad Super Eight semi-finals, on the other hand have been the biggest underachievers in this form despite possessing a host of brilliant individuals under Afridi’s leadership.

Other contenders for the title are Lahore Lions, led by Kamran Akmal, and Faisalabad Wolves, who are skippered by Misbah and have Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez in a strong squad.

Teams missing from the inaugural tournament are Hyderabad Hawks, Islamabad Leopards and Multan Tigers with Karachi Zebras, Peshawar Panthers and Lahore Eagles taking their places on virtue of finishing above in the National Twenty20 held in Karachi last
September.

The only teams yet to make the Super Eight are Abbottabad Rhinos and Quetta Bears.

Meanwhile, the success of the Bangladesh T20 Premier League — in which a fair number of Pakistani cricketers were instant hit with the local teams and the fans there — has given the PCB plenty to think about as far as starting a similar league of its own.

The lack of international cricket in Pakistan for the past three years has certainly deprived the diehards of watching their favourite stars on home soil.

But until such normal services resume, the fans here need to turn their attention to domestic cricket and intense rivalry unfolds.

Those who wish to come to the ground will be charged either Rs50 or 100 at the turnstile for the particular day depending on the enclosures they would like to watch from.

Each day there will be two matches of the same pool played.

The semi-finals take place on next Saturday and the final the following evening.

There is lot of incentive for the players on offer in the shape of generous prize-money put up by the title sponsor in the richest domestic event, while matching that of the first tournament.

The champions will be worthy recipients of a whooping Rs2.5 million and the runners-up taking home Rs1 million.

In addition, there are other incentives, including prizes for the most sixes, most fours, most wickets and most catches as well as other individual awards

Whatmore praises Pakistan’s progress

Pakistan beat Bangladesh in a thrilling final by two runs in Dhaka on Thursday, lifting the Asia Cup for the second time.

It was Whatmore’s first assignment since taking over earlier this month.

The former Australian batsman – who guided Sri Lanka to the World Cup title in 1996 – said his team had been consistent and competitive in all matches.

“It would have been the icing on the cake to have beaten India and go on to win the cup. We made some mistakes but were in the game late in the second 50-over block,” Whatmore told AFP.

“It was just one of those games that makes you analyse more.”

India’s Virat Kohli smashed a career-best 183 to help India chase down a daunting 330-run target but India failed to make it to the final.

Whatmore, who also helped Bangladesh reach the latter stages of the 2007 World Cup held in the Caribbean, praised the Asia Cup hosts.

“Bangladesh had a really good Asia Cup. On the evidence of this tournament, everyone would agree they have improved. They need to be consistent now,” he said.

Whatmore backed Misbah-ul-Haq after the Pakistan captain came under pressure over the team’s 4-0 whitewash against England in a one-day series last month.

“I wasn’t aware Misbah was under pressure prior to the Asia Cup. He has some wonderful qualities as a captain and contributed well to our overall performance,” said Whatmore, who played seven Tests for Australia.

Pakistan’s next assignment is a tour of Sri Lanka starting in May before taking on Australia in a five-match one-day series later in the year.

Tendulkar does not rule out playing in 2015 World Cup

“Whatever lies ahead is in God’s hands. I can only try. I just want to enjoy the game and I don’t want to set targets,” Tendulkar told reporters on Sunday at a function to celebrate his 100th international century.

Since his 1989 debut against Pakistan, Tendulkar has amassed nearly 34,000 international runs and claimed his 100th century against Bangladesh this month to cement his place as statistically the greatest batsman.

His contemporaries Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid have already quit international cricket but Tendulkar said he was not sure he had played his last World Cup.

“I was asked a similar question in 2007 and I could not say then whether I would play in the 2011 World Cup,” Tendulkar said after cracking a smile.

“Possibly, I am in the same situation now. I don’t know the answer. I just want people to continue with their good wishes and prayers for me. It means a lot to me.”

PERSONAL DECISION

The master batsman took a swipe at critics who said he should have retired from the one-day format of the game sooner.

“Nobody decided the timing of the start of my career. I will decide when I need to retire,” he said.

“My dream was to play for my country and play to the best of my ability. I feel I should continue while I am passionate about the game.

“The day I realise that my passion is going down or my commitment is going down, I should start thinking about my retirement.

“I feel those who say: ‘You should retire at the top’, are selfish because when you are at the top, you should keep serving the country instead of retiring.”

India won the World Cup at home last April after a gap of 28 years and will defend their title when the next edition is held in New Zealand and Australia in early 2015.

Tendulkar, who has scored more than 15,000 runs in tests and a further 18,000 in ODIs, said the greatest compliment he had received in his career was when Don Bradman included him in his all-time test XI.

“My dream was to be regarded as one of the top players of all time,” he said. “I think I have got myself into that league.

“I don’t play for records and I don’t know if my record will be broken and when. I only hope it is an Indian batsman who does it.”