Australian media call for selectors' heads

Australian media called for the country's cricket chiefs to resign and urged wholesale reform of the game after a woeful showing which saw England retain the Ashes in the fourth Test. Ricky Ponting's side crashed to a humiliating innings and 157-run defeat in Melbourne on Thursday, allowing holders England to retain the Ashes in Australia for the first time in more than 20 years."You're all fired!" declared the front page of Sydney's Daily Telegraph tabloid, featuring shots of Ponting, vice-captain...

Australian cricketers fall from gods to bedraggled larrikins

Andrew Strauss takes his England cricket team from Melbourne to Sydney for the final, celebratory chapter of their enthralling Ashes campaign assured but not smug in the assumption that opponents...

Sohail Tanvir to Join Pak Squad in New Zealand

Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to send all rounder Sohail Tanvir to join the Pakistan Squad in New Zealand. Tanvir had initially been selected for the National Squads for T20 and Test matches against New Zealand for the ongoing series however he could not get fitness clearance for the T20matches.According to Sohail Tanvir, he had no pain, discomfort anywhere in the body. However he was having stiffness in his lower back and legs during the last concluded camp for which he was treated appropriately....

Eden Park views vary

Eden Park's changed configuration for cricket has resulted in a different dynamic for bowlers, and for captains in field settings. New Zealand captain in Boxing Day's Twenty20 match, won by his side by five wickets over Pakistan, Ross Taylor said the boundaries were much bigger square of the wicket and they rated with some of the bigger grounds in world cricket in those areas.'If we erred we erred on the shorter side and we hoped if they were going to hit sixes they were going to hit them over the...

South Africa bowls first in second Test

South Africa won the toss and chose to bowl first in the second test against India on Sunday on a pitch expected to suit fast bowlers early on. Proteas captain Graeme Smith opted to give his pace attack first use of a green wicket at Kingsmead, which has lots of grass cover after rain during the week leading up to the match. The pitch is expected to be fast and bouncy in overcast conditions on the first day in Durban.South Africa retained the same team that won the first match of the three—test...

World Cup 2011: Impotent Pakistan bowling attack

Imran Khan is one man whose views on cricket fans all across the globe are regarded very highly. He was recently asked about Pakistan’s chances in the upcoming world cup. He said Pakistan’s chances...

The Year in Review: Cricket

How weirdly appropriate that judgment on Mohammad Aamer and his Pakistan team-mates Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif will be passed in Doha in January. The agony of the teenager was, after all, played...

ICC rejects Butt's application for delay in hearing

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected suspended Pakistan cricketer Salman Butt's application to delay the hearing into the spot-fixing allegations against him and two other cricketers from his country.Thus, the hearing will take place as scheduled from January 6-11 in Doha. Butt along with pace duo of Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer were suspended by the ICC when allegation of spot-fixing surfaced against them during the Lord's Test against England in September. Michael Beloff,...

Sachin five short of Indian record!

Sachin Tendulkar has the world eating out of his hands after recording his 50th Test century. By next year, he will surely achieve another monumental feat by completing a century of centuries in international cricket. (He has 46 in ODIs right now). In that journey, he will have the fervent support of his followers who will be hoping for a three-figure score everytime he takes guard in a Test or One-dayers. Statisticians and the hard-to-please critics will point out to one peak that is yet to be...

Sachin still remains an ambassador of cricket

Sachin Tendulkar made his Test debut at 16 and played 20 of his first 21 Tests on foreign soil. If his 50 Test hundreds lends a new dimension to his stature as a grown-up, the above piece of information gives an idea why he was referred to as a Boy Wonder.Sachin averaged 38 in those 21 Tests with four hundreds and five half-centuries. And the tours included Pakistan, New Zealand, England, Australia and South Africa. If there ever was a single statistic indicating a players promise, it was this.What...

Cricket: Pakistan 'here to play clean'

Pakistan are looking forward on their New Zealand tour; it's eyes front, no glancing over their shoulders. Manager Intikhab Alam and coach Waqar Younis stressed the desire to play strong, competitive cricket on their tour, which includes three T20s, two tests and six ODIs. But hovering like a dark cloud in the corner of the press conference room yesterday was the spectre of spot fixing, allegations against several Pakistani players in the last few months which has thrown a harsh light on...

New Zealand Cricket begins review of India debacle

The Test and ODI thrashing at the hands of India has prompted New Zealand Cricket to start a review of the team’s performance but the body has ruled out sacking captain Daniel Vettori. NZC chief executive...

Malik, Kamran denied permission to play in Bangladesh

Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and former captain Shoaib Malik have been denied permission by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to play league cricket in Bangladesh. Following their exclusion from...

Cricket in Pakistan is in a 'mess', so is the country: Imran Khan

Pakistan cricket is facing its biggest crisis so far, and the team stands little chance of winning the 2011 World Cup without fast bowlers Mohammad Aamir and Mohammad Asif, former captain Imran Khan has said. "Cricket in Pakistan faces its biggest crisis and so does the country," the Daily Times quoted Imran, who was in New Delhi to promote the World Cup, as saying to reporters."Sadly, the patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board is the president (of the country) and the less I say of him, the better,"...

Pakistan women’s cricket team honoured

The Pakistan women’s cricket team, who won a gold medal at the recently concluded 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China were given a vibrant reception by the Royal Palm Golf and Country Club here on...

I don’t want the team to mess up this time: Afridi

Pakistan’s ODI skipper Shahid Afridi endorsed former captain Wasim Akram’s views that the PCB must announce the World Cup squad or at least make a short-list of players as soon as possible. “We need to start working soon with the bunch of players who make the World Cup, as it is a very important tournament and I don’t want the team to mess up this time,” Afridi said. Pakistan were eliminated in the first round of the last two World Cups, in 2003 and 2007. In a bid to overcome his recent run...

Cricket-What Australian media are saying about the Ashes

Rain may disrupt play but Australia still need 137 runs to make England bat again with their last two recognised batsmen, Michael Hussey and Marcus North, already at the crease. Here is a sample of the Australian media's reaction to the state of play. "Supporters are not sanguine. It's been a long time since as many of them spent as much time scanning the heavens or examining meteorology reports online. Better than anything else, that summed up the state of play. Australia is down and almost...

Pakistan want China to host cricket matches on its behalf as neutral site

Next time India chooses to wield the willow at Pakistan, it may be called upon to play on Chinese soil. At least, this is what the Pakistan Cricket Board wants to happen, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Friday within days of China hosting a cricket match at the Guangzhou Asian Games. Javed Miandad , former Pakistan captain, has presented a written report to the PCB suggesting China be made a "neutral venue" for international cricket matches . The idea is to counter moves by some...

Pakistan unhappy with cricket's FTP

Pakistan's cricket chiefs are unhappy with the International Cricket Council's Future Tours Programme (FTP) because their team hasn't been given enough matches against top sides like India, Australia and England. According to reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has expressed its concerns after coming to know that its team will mostly be playing against lower-ranked teams in the next FTP. The PCB believes that Pakistan is regarded among the major Test-playing nations and should get a fair...

Miandad appointed batting consultant

The Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to appoint former captain and Director General Pakistan Cricket Board Javed Miandad as batting consultant for the series against New Zealand. According to sources, the offer has not yet been communicated to Mianad who is currently in China. Miandad, who has serves coach of Pakistan team on three occasions, will now serve as batting consultant but not as full time coach. Miandad will be accompanying the team in its tour of New Zealand in the third week of...

Alam sees progress for Pakistan cricket

Manager Intikhab Alam on Thursday expressed confidence that Pakistan cricket was heading in the right direction after drawing the two-Test series against South Africa. Both Tests were drawn and Alam...

South Africa retains second spot in ICC Test ranking despite draws against Pak

Second-ranked South Africa and sixth-placed Pakistan have moved in different directions in the ICC Test Championship table after their two-Test series ended with both games drawn. South Africa had entered the series leading Pakistan by 36 ratings points, but the Proteas' failure to win the series means that it has dropped points. Following drawn Tests in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, South Africa has now slipped from 119 ratings points to 116 ratings points, while Pakistan has gained five ratings...

Sangakkara bolsters S.Lanka in W.Indies cricket Test

Kumar Sangakkara completed an impressive century to help Sri Lanka post 294-5 in their first innings at tea on the second day of the second Test against the West Indies on Wednesday. The skipper hit...

Determined Pakistan tailenders pass follow-on

Determined resistance by the Pakistan tailenders took them to 412 for eight and past the follow-on mark at lunch on the fourth day of the second test against South Africa at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium...

Pakistan's Tanvir makes flying start to test cricket

Pakistan fast bowler Tanvir Ahmed made a flying start to international cricket by reducing South Africa to 114 for three at lunch on the first day of the second test on Saturday. Tanvir, at 31 the...

Zaheer Abbas keen to head Pakistan Cricket Board

Criticising incumbent Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt for his poor administrative policies, former captain Zaheer Abbas has expressed his desire to head the PCB if he was asked to do so. Abbas said when Butt took over as PCB chairman two years back, he personally had high expectations from him but the veteran administrator turned out to be a big "disappointment". "He (Butt) has disappointed in many ways. There are calls for changes and if anyone does approach me to head the board...

ICC's suspension is injustice: Amir

Forced to stay out of cricket for quite some time now because of spot-fixing allegations, tainted Pakistan pacer Muhammad Amir has described the ICC's suspension as a grave "injustice". "Suspending...

Cricketer Zulqarnain Haider, Pakistan's wicketkeeper, flees to London

Cricket was plunged into fresh turmoil today as a leading Pakistan player fled his team's hotel in Dubai and flew to London, claiming he had received death threats after scoring the winning runs in...

Zulqarnain goes missing in Dubai

DUBAI: Pakistani cricket team wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider went missing from hotel room in Dubai, Geo News reported Monday.The wicketkeeper Haider is missing from his hotel room since 6am this morning.Sources...

One of the best cricket catches ever

One of the best cricket catches ever .. Must See Vi...

Pakistan take on Proteas in fourth ODI today

If it is Friday it has to be Pakistan. This is the slogan that Pakistan supporters used to shout during the Sharjah Cricket Stadium international matches. Very often Pakistan had emerged triumphant on a Friday, backed by the vociferous support from their fans. Will history repeat in Dubai Sports City International Cricket Stadium on Friday (today) and help Pakistan level the series against South Africa? The last two matches ended in nail-biting finishes transforming the series into a keenly...

Cricket-Sehwag half century gives India flying start

Virender Sehwag raced to an unbeaten half century to help India get off to a flying start in the first test of the three-match series against New Zealand at the Sardar Patel Stadium on Thursday. After captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni had won the toss and opted to bat, Sehwag reached the interval on 87 from just 84 balls to guide the hosts to 127 for one at lunch, with the loss of opener Gautam Gambhir the only blemish of the morning. At the break, Rahul Dravid (12) had shared in an unbeaten partnership...

Cricket-South Africa hold nerve to clinch tense win

South Africa held their nerve to clinch a thrilling two-run victory over Pakistan in a chaotic and error strewn finish to the third one-day international at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. Defending a modest total of just 228 for nine, built almost exclusively around an unbeaten century from opener Hashim Amla, South African seamers Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Juan Theron only just managed to defend 34 runs in the final four overs. Pakistan came up short despite an unbeaten 59...

Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir accuse ICC of 'conspiracy against Pakistan'

Butt and Amir are suspended indefinitely while the ICC mounts its investigation into alleged spot-fixing during the fourth Test against England at Lord’s unearthed by the News of the World. Michael...

Razzaq raises the roof

Abdul Razzaq played one of greatest ODI innings when he dragged Pakistan back from the dead to an incredible one-wicket victory with one ball to spare against a bewildered Proteas here at the Sheikh...

Buy tickets for Cricket World Cup 2011 online

The tickets for ICC Cricket World cup 2011 are available online. The first phase of tickets for the 2011 World Cup in, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh is on and are available on Kyazoonga ICC's online ticket partner for the world cup.In the phase I, you can buy the tickets of Group matches. The price range is different with the lowest being 20 cents. However, the tickets for semi-finals and finals of the World cup are not on sale. You can sign up for the for the alert to get notified when they become available.The...

SA set for Pakistan sweep?

Cape Town - Urgently needed, but seemingly still a few weeks away … some “super-league” opposition for the Proteas. Thank goodness for India’s full tour of South Africa, in December and January, for...

Pakistan crumble to Proteas

Left-hander Ingram shared a third-wicket stand of 66 with JP Duminy (41) that helped the Proteas reach their target of 120 with ease. The duo had come together with their side in a spot of bother at...

Heat on Proteas in desert

The temperatures all week are expected to be over 35C, with high humidity. The first two tour matches are Twenty20 games, with the second on Wednesday. These are followed by two one-day internationals...

Pakistan 'SPOT-FIXING' Timeline

News breaks of a cricket corruption story in the following day's News of the World. The newspaper allegations centre on the timing of no-balls delivered during the fourth Test between England and Pakistan, which at this stage is still ongoing. August 29: A 35-year-old man is arrested in connection with police inquiries into allegations of 'spot-fixing' to defraud illegal bookmakers, as reported by the News of the World. Police later confirm that cricket agent Mazhar Majeed has been bailed...