Pakistan's Mohammad Aamer warned over clash with Ricky Ponting

The Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Aamer was warned about his conduct after clashing with the Australia captain Ricky Ponting on the first day of the Lord's Test yesterday. Aamer was spoken to by the match referee Chris Broad at the close of play after he had collided with Ponting as he celebrated dismissing the Tasmanian for 26.

"Aamer is a young, exciting, talented player full of enthusiasm for this great sport and that is to be celebrated and nurtured," said Broad. "But there are a few things he still has to learn in relation to how to conduct himself on the field of play.

"I told him that when he takes a wicket, he should celebrate with his team-mates rather than getting himself into the personal space of the outgoing batsman. It's a spirit of cricket issue.

"It has happened twice now so we as a playing control team thought it would be sensible for me to have a word with him. He accepted it graciously and undertook to avoid a repeat occurrence. As far as we are concerned the issue is now closed."

Ponting appeared to jut out an elbow as he made contact with Aamer but neither on-field umpire felt the incident warranted any formal action under the ICC Code of Conduct. The umpires Rudi Koertzen and Ian Gould spoke to the Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi at the time and then advised Broad to have a word with Aamer.

Test recall for Malinga

The 26-year-old has been included in a 16-man squad for the three-Test series which starts in Galle on July 18. Malinga, who last played in a Test in November 2007, has been limited to one-day competition over the last two years due to struggles with injury.

Fellow pace bowler Dilhara Fernando also earns a recall into the Test squad but spinner Ajantha Mendis has been left out by the selectors.Instead, 32-year-old slow left-arm orthodox Rangana Herath has been included to compliment the retiring Muttiah Muralitharan and off-spinner Suraj Randiv.

Muralitharan will bring the curtain down on his career in the longest form of the game after the contest in Galle and although Mendis has been labelled as his heir apparent, there is no place in the squad for the 25-year-old.

Sri Lanka's set-up boasts seven specialist batsmen, including 20-year-old Lahiru Thirimanne, who will be hoping for a Test debut. Four seamers are included alongside Muralitharan, Herath and Randiv while all-rounder Angelo Mathews is also expected to be a part of the bowling attack.

The two sides will be competing in their third Test series in three years, with Sri Lanka winning at home in 2008 before India claimed the return series last year. After the first clash in Galle, the series will move on to Colombo where the second and third Tests will be played.

Pakistan have put infighting behind them, says captain Shahid Afridi

Pakistan have solved their disciplinary problems and head into todays first Test against Australia as a united force confident of victory, said the new Pakistan captain, Shahid Afridi. The 30-year-old Afridi came out of a four-year Test retirement to pick up the pieces after Pakistan's dismal tour of Australia this year ended in bitter recriminations.

The two previous captains, Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan, were both banned indefinitely for alleged infighting as part of widespread punishments dished out by the Pakistan Cricket Board following the 3-0 Test series whitewash, plus defeats in all six limited-overs internationals.

The PCB later overturned the suspensions handed down to Shoaib Malik and to Younus, who was not selected for the tour of England, while Yousuf retired in protest. Afridi was a controversial replacement as captain, given he has not played Test cricket since 2006 and he received a two-match ICC ban for biting the ball during a one-day international in Perth.

But the 30-year-old believes he has ironed out the unrest and he is confident nothing will derail Pakistan as they enter back-to-back Test series against Australia and England.

"The guys are united," Afridi said today. "I am trying to keep the guys as close as I can. I take them for dinner and the communication problem is not there now.

"We sit together and chat to each other. If they have any problems they can come to me and the coach and share them. It is a difficult job, especially with the different cultures and the different cities but I respect these guys and whatever their problems are I listen and talk to the management.

"They are feeling good playing with my captaincy. I am trying to be a good man-manager."

Pakistan have lost 12 consecutive Test matches to Australia, dating back to 1999, but Afridi believes there has never been a better time to beat the world Test champions.

Australia's captain, Ricky Ponting, confirmed that the wicketkeeper Tim Paine and spinner Steve Smith will both make their Test debuts at Lord's.

Pakistan warmed up for the Tests with two Twenty20 wins over Australia and Afridi said: "Winning in any form of the game keeps morale high. We are confident.

"They don't have the same players like [Shane] Warne, [Glenn] McGrath and [Matthew] Hayden. It is a totally different team. This is a time you can take these guys."

Australia will stick by the same team that played in the drawn two-day game against Derbyshire last week. Ponting confirmed Michael Clarke will continue batting at four – with Mike Hussey coming in at five – right the way through to the Ashes series against England later this year.

Clarke has batted at four just seven times in his 60-Test career and averages only 16.67 in the position, compared with 56 when he comes in at five.

But Ponting said: "I think his game's very well suited higher up the order against the newer ball, more than Hussey's is at the moment. He has been our most consistent player and that is in all conditions around the world.

"He has developed his game over the last couple of years and when guys are playing that well they need to be batting as soon as possible. That is why he has moved up a spot and that is the way it will be, not only for this series but right through the Ashes as well."

Australia were beaten by England at Lord's last year in the second Test of the 2009 Ashes series.

Ponting believes they return to the home of cricket stronger for it and he hopes that experience rubs off on Paine and Smith in particular. "The guys that have been here and done it before will hopefully be better for the experience of last time," he said.

"We will be talking to the young guys about the enormity of the game. There is already enough pressure on them to be worrying about where they are playing and who they are playing in front of. "Playing your first Test is always a special occasion. It is something I have never forgotten 140-odd Test matches later."

Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni shows off his bride

The Indian cricket captain was acclaimed throughout the country for winning the first ICC Twenty20 World Cup trophy in 2007. News of his marriage generated headlines at the weekend.

The media on Wednesday was full of speculation as to where his reception would be and who would be invited. In the event Dhoni and his bride cropped up in Ranchi, in the state of Jharkhand, where he lives.

Dhoni married Sakshi, a 21-year-old management student, on Sunday night in a private ceremony attended by only about 50 people in the city of Dehradun.

His close friends and fellow cricketers Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra, RP Singh, Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma all attended amid heavy security.

"Dhoni was really relaxed and having a good time. The couple look very good together and we heard murmurs from girls present at the event that their hearts are broken.

All smiles as Shahid Afridi leads Pakistan to Twenty20 series victory against Australia

Pakistan were a team at each other’s throats until recently making the MCC’s decision to sponsor their series against Australia under the Spirit of Cricket banner almost the ultimate cricketing definition of irony. But after two successive one-sided Twenty20 wins over Australia it is smiles all round for this eclectic bunch of cricketers who appear unified under the captaincy of Shahid Afridi. Afridi is a hyperactive bundle of energy and perhaps it maybe it takes a maverick to lead a team capable of implosion at any moment.

Winning helps to lift the mood and these two performances at Edgbaston have given impetus for a long tour of England. It has also allowed England a glimpse of what they are about to experience and they will be wary - Mohammad Aamer, a 20-year-old left-arm fast bowler in the mould of Wasim Akram, and Umar Gul are two special talents.

Michael Clarke, the Australia captain, said his team had to bat than the night before, but for the second successive match they were bowled out and their highest individual score in this series was only 34. They consistently failed to put together partnerships and the only six they managed last night was by the number 10.

Clarke’s inability to slog poses a problem for Australia and last night they attempted to solve it by moving him up the order to open. He did play one cross batted shot, a pulled four off Shoaib Akhtar, and struck six boundaries in 17 balls but played on trying to cut Aamer.

Clarke had enjoyed tucking into Shoaib, whose travails of the night before continued and after his first six balls last night he had a wretched record of conceding 108 runs in eight overs of twenty20 cricket.

But Shoaib is a proud man and his second spell seemed to galvanise him. He ran in with arms pumping and reached speeds of upto 95mph to prove there may yet be life in his career.

The Australian run chase expired in the middle overs as Afridi and Saeed Ajmal tightened the scoring. Mike Hussey offered a brief glimmer for his team with 26 off 14 balls but was out lbw playing a reverse paddle to a full ball from Gul and despite Dirk Nannes thumping the innings’ only six in the final over Australia were well beaten by the time Tait was the last man out.

Chasing 163 was always a tough ask under greying skies against quick bowlers and Pakistan’s victory was based around handy contributions from the Akmal brothers, Umar and Kamran. But it was Afridi who appropriately hit the biggest shot of the night thumping Tait into the scaffolding at the pavilion end and he appears to be building some useful momentum.

Party time as Pakistan end losing streak against Australia

Pakistan's band of travelling showmen made Edgbaston their home stage with a thrilling performance of fast bowling and big hitting that had a noisy crowd recreating the atmosphere of Lahore or Karachi. At times it felt as if the only members of the 13,000 crowd cheering Australia at this Twenty20 international were the 11 in yellow. Australians are used to getting the bird over here from English fans but last night it was.

Pakistanis revelling in their discomfort. You cannot blame them for enjoying the moment. This was the first time Pakistan had beaten Australia in 13 matches. With half of Edgbaston a building site – the Pavilion End has been levelled for a new development – the crowd did their best to bring down the rest with some ground-shaking noise.

This has been the summer of the vuvuzela and Edgbaston last night was filled with the noise of thousands of klaxons which rarely fell silent. There is no greater sight in cricket than a fast bowler running in and bowling inswinging yorkers and Umar Gul is one of the art's best practitioners. His late burst of wickets blew away Australia after Umar Akmal had made 64 off 31 balls to rescue a typical Pakistani innings that fulfilled the stereotype – brilliant if at times farcical.

The run out of Kamran Akmal, when set on 23, sparked a collapse as three wickets fell in six balls including that of Shahid Afridi, lbw missing a full toss.

But Umar has fast hands matched with power, bringing to mind a right-handed Eoin Morgan. His best shot was when he picked one of Mitchell Johnson's slower balls and was able to recalibrate in time to steer it low through backward square for four.

Johnson then stood perplexed as Umar defied the angle of a left-hander bowling to a right-hander and pulled him powerfully over midwicket for six as he reached fifty off only 21 balls, the fastest in Twenty20 by a Pakistani.

Michael Clarke needed a breakthrough and turned to Tait. His first ball was a snorter. Fast reverse swing spread Razzaq's stumps but in the next over he proved he has guile, dropping his pace by 25mph to beat Umar with a slower-ball yorker.

Tait was the clear winner of the battle with Shoaib Akhtar, whose first five balls went for four but who at least matched Tait for speed.

Australia were in control but Gul and Afridi made scoring hard in the middle period and frustration cost both David Warner and David Hussey their wickets. It was the chink of light Pakistan needed. Afridi took a stunner to dismiss Cameron White and Gul then let fly with his toe crushers to remove Mike Hussey and Tim Paine. Saeed Ajmal, the man Mike Hussey thumped into oblivion to win the World Twenty20 semi-final in the final over, brought it all to an end. The only downside for the Pakistanis was the claim that some of the Australians had been hit by plastic bottles thrown by over-exuberant fans.

Indian cricket captain ties the knot

The wedding, at Vishranti Resorts at Bidhauli, was a private affair attended by only close family and friends, the daily newspaper said. The Times said teammates Harbhajan Singh and Ashish Nehra were in attendance, as well as Indian cricket chief Shashank Manohar and Bollywood actor John Abraham.

Dhoni, 28, got engaged to Sakshi, 23, at a private ceremony on Saturday night, the newspaper said. The 28-year old wicket-keeper batsman has played 43 Tests, 166 ODIs and 25 T20s for India. Under his captaincy India became the number one Test side in the world and the number two ODI side.

Steyn and Botha have Windies on rack

The home team produced another inept batting display to reach the close of play with a 19-run lead and only three wickets left. The defiant Shivnarine Chanderpaul was 57 not out and Sulieman Benn was unbeaten on 4. Paceman Dale Steyn ripped through the top order with three wickets before spinner Johan Botha took three more.

Steyn removed openers Dale Richards (17) and Chris Gayle (10) and then dismissed Narsingh Deonarine for a first-ball duck. Steyn was earlier involved in a war of words with Benn and appeared to spit in his direction when the South African was dismissed.

Botha had Brendan Nash (12) caught at slip by Jacques Kallis after tea before claiming the wickets of Denesh Ramdin (1) and Shane Shillingford, who made 25 in 77 deliveries. Experienced left-hander Chanderpaul provided typically dogged resistance with a 156-ball knock that contained six fours.

Earlier, South Africa was bowled out for 346 after Ashwell Prince ground out an unbeaten 78 and AB de Villiers hit 73. Prince hit five fours in his painstaking 262-ball innings while De Villiers needed 189 deliveries. Benn was in sparkling form with the ball for West Indies, taking 6 for 81 in 46.4 overs.

Ponting wants Tait return

Shaun Tait's successful NatWest Series rehabilitation is already raising the question of whether his body could withstand a return to Test, and specifically Ashes, cricket too. Ricky Ponting has had to manage the 27-year-old in two and even.

One-over spells since Tait was recalled for his first one-day internationals in 16 months - at Old Trafford and the The Oval.

That has not stopped the Australia captain acknowledging the temptation to try to persuade the injury-plagued fast bowler to consider Tests again, even though he has officially retired from first-class cricket.

"I will be talking to him about that, yeah," he told The Australian. "I'm sure a few of our boys will be having a whisper in his ear over the next few weeks. I'm sure a few of our boys will be having a whisper in his ear over the next few weeks."

Tait took three for 28 in Manchester, where England wrapped up the series with a third successive win despite a collapse of six wickets for 18, and then took one for 23 in London as Australia beat their hosts by 78 runs to stave off the threat of a 5-0 whitewash.

Australia coach Tim Nielsen was more equivocal on the subject, however, hinting Tait himself may be reluctant to be pressed back into five-day service. I don't know if he wants to - and he has been pretty honest and open about that as well," he said.

From a coaching or a preparation perspective, the only problem I have with that - unless the schedule works out really well for him - is he can have quite big gaps between games and does not get the volume of bowling he needs to keep on going. "But while he is fresh, he needs to train harder and find ways of training well in between games."

Ricky Ponting proves his appetite to remain Australia's top dog

There comes a time in every great player's career when the milestones crop up so frequently that instead of being proof of ability they begin to weigh heavily. Each one says: "How much more of this can you take? Why not just sit under the shade of this tree and rest a while?"

Ricky Ponting, youthful no longer at 35, has not been short of milestones in this series. There was the 3,000th ODI to start the NatWest Series at the Rose Bowl when he suggested deadpan that it felt like he had played in most of them.

Then today they came all at once: his 13,000th one-day run, with only Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya ahead of him, his 350th appearance and with it a world-record 219 as captain. It would be enough for lesser men to make backs ache and feet burst into blisters.

Instead, his heart burst into song. Ponting's 92 from 93 balls was an ideal retort to the suggestion that Australia, having lost the series, were in danger of a 5-0 whitewash and that his own appetite to lead Australia into next year's World Cup might diminish as a result. This was no angry riposte, driven by desperation. This was an innings of deliberation and exactitude, a reminder of his lasting prowess. He has averaged between 40 and 43 in ODIs for 10 years; there is absolutely no evidence of decline.

Post a strong first-innings total, Ponting had insisted all series, and early wickets would expose what he believes is an unbalanced England middle order, a proven batsman light with Luke Wright and Mike Yardy at No6 and No7. His masterful innings allowed him to test his theory. When England slumped to 90-4, it looked convincing. England will find solace in Yardy's first international fifty.

Ponting admitted that to go 3-0 down had been embarrassing: "We are not that far away but you don't need to be that far away in international cricket to be shown up. I thought the way we controlled the game was pretty good. It says a lot to be able to pick yourself up and do what we did today."

England's captain, Andrew Strauss, admitted: "Ponting and Clarke played really well in the middle period – the period we had done best in during the first three games. We tried seven bowlers, but we just couldn't stop them scoring. Today's performance just wasn't good enough."

It was apt that alongside Ponting in a stand of 155 in 26 overs, the foundation for Australia's victory, was Michael Clarke, who has already assumed the leadership in Twenty20 and who remains the heir presumptive in Tests and ODIs. Clarke also missed his hundred, stranded on 99 not out as Steven Smith's late flurry of boundaries happened to rob him of the strike.

"Pup" played well, England abandoning their tactic of browbeating him with Stuart Broad short balls, with Graeme Swann at short-leg, after a couple of overs. But the sense, on and off the field, is that Ponting remains top dog. Never at any stage was there a feeling of another captaincy in transition. Let Pup chase a few Twenty20 bones around the field; Top Dog has the red, raw meat of an Ashes series and a World Cup to contend with.

It might have turned out differently. His first aggressive shot was a mistimed pull off Broad over short mid-wicket, but he gathered himself immediately. Tim Bresnan was flicked expertly off his pads and caressed through the covers in successive balls. The next time Ponting drew attention to himself, driving the returning Bresnan to the cover boundary, he was past 50. A hundred for both would have been richly deserved.