SORRY IS HARDEST WORD FOR BUTT

Ijaz Butt last night withdrew his match-fixing comments about the England cricket team. But crucially he failed to apologise for his claim that "the talk in bookies circles is that several England players took enormous sums of money to lose the third one dayer".

The Pakistan Cricket Board chairman can be thankful his ECB counterpart Giles Clarke allowed him to save face by not using the words "sorry" or "apologise" in his statement.

Butt had specifically been asked to apologise or face legal action, but instead a withdrawal has been accepted - even though angry England players may have expected more. His statement said: "I wish personally and on behalf of the Pakistan Cricket Board to withdraw the comments I made.

"It is regrettable that there was a misunderstanding arising from my comments. "I never intended to question the behaviour and integrity of the England players, nor the ECB, nor to suggest that any of them were involved in any corrupt practices.

Pak, S Africa to play match for flood victims

A charity match to raise funds for the flood victims of the Pakistan has been added to next month’s schedule for the country’s UAE-based cricket series against South Africa. The Pakistan and South African national sides will face each other nine times between Tuesday, October 26, and Wednesday, November 24 in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The schedule begins with two T20 games that will be played in the capital’s Zayed Sports City, and the proceeds from it will go towards flood relief efforts.

Organisers have not yet specified which match will become the fundraiser. The Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, Ijaz Butt, said: “I would like to thank the Emirates Cricket Board for once again making their world-class stadiums and facilities available to us for the upcoming series.”“The UAE has become a home away from home for the Pakistan team and I would especially like to extend my appreciation to Cricket South Africa for playing a match for the benefit of the millions of flood victims in Pakistan.”

Vettori on guard against complacency

Skipper Daniel Vettori has warned against complacency as the Black Caps headed to Bangladesh today for a five-match one-day cricket series that has next year's World Cup as backdrop. New Zealand scored an easy 3-0 sweep when the two sides met in New Zealand in February, but Vettori said the Tigers would be a "completely different" proposition on the own soil.

He pointed to the limited-overs series that Bangladesh hosted on their return home against England. While Bangladesh again went down 3-0, "they pushed them hard the whole series", he said. "If we go over there expecting to walk over them like we did here, we'll be in for a bit of fright.

"But if we respect them and hopefully play to our potential, then we should beat them."While victory was the primary aim for the series, which begins next Tuesday, the secondary target was to get players familiar with conditions in Bangladesh, which will co-host the World Cup next February and March.

Two of the quarterfinals will be staged at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, where all five matches of the upcoming series will take place.

"We're going to play games over there during the World Cup and probably important games," Vettori said.

"We want guys to feel pretty familiar, so when we turn up there on a short stay, World Cup time, they will know what to expect."

The tour marks the return to the Black Caps of Vettori, Brendon McCullum and Jesse Ryder, who all missed the tri-nations tournament in Sri Lanka in July in which India also featured.

Vettori and McCullum took time off for family reasons, while Ryder was out with an elbow injury.

Overall, the 15-man squad selected for Bangladesh has a greenish tinge to it.

There is one new cap in fast bowler Hamish Bennett, while six other players have each played fewer than 10 one-day internationals.

Vettori admitted that Bennett's selection was a bit of a gamble, but it was also a case of giving him the opportunity to show how he could perform at that level.

He said the 23-year-old Cantabrian had the ability to bowl in the mid-140kmh range, which was something the Blacks Caps didn't always have at their disposal.

"Andy McKay has really stepped up as well, so we are trying to produce a group of guys who can bowl a bit quicker and see if they can succeed in sub-continent conditions looking towards the World Cup."

Vettori said he felt refreshed after his break, which coincided with the birth of his second child.

"It's the longest time in my career that I've had away from cricket and it's been nice to be at home with my family and get reacquainted with everyone," he said

"I feel great and I'm looking forward to playing cricket again."

The tour begins with two matches against the Bangladesh Cricket Board 11 in Dhaka on Friday and Sunday.

The BCB 11 is skippered by top order batsman Mohammad Ashraful, a former national skipper who was left out of the ODI squad.

Pakistan corruption scandal timeline

Police confiscate the trio's mobile phones after allegations in The News of the World that they had arranged for deliberate no-balls to be bowled in the fourth test against England at Lord's. Their agent, 35-year-old Mazhar Majeed, is arrested and released on bail.

Aug. 30 - Pakistan slump to the heaviest defeat in their test history, losing the series 3-1. Manager Yawar Saeed says the one-day series, involving two Twenty20 matches and five one-day internationals, will go ahead. Aug. 31 - Customs officials arrest Majeed and two others in a separate investigation. The three are released on bail.

Sept. 1 - BoomBoom, official kit suppliers to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), announce they have suspended their commercial relationship with Amir and are reviewing their position with the board.

Sept. 2 - Saeed tells reporters before a warmup match against Somerset at Taunton that Butt, Amir and Asif will take no further part in the tour. The decision is welcomed by England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Giles Clarke.

The three players attend a meeting at the Pakistan High Commission in London. High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan tells reporters the trio had maintained their innocence but had asked the PCB to pull them out of the remainder of the tour because of the "mental torture" they had undergone.

Later in the day, the ICC release a statement saying the three players have been suspended under its anti-corruption code and face possible life bans.

Sept. 3 - The three are questioned separately by London police. ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat tells a news conference at Lord's that the sport faces its worst crisis since the 2000 match-fixing scandal which resulted in life bans for international captains Hansie Cronje (South Africa), Salim Malik (Pakistan) and Mohammad Azharuddin (India).

Sept. 4 - The News of the World quotes Pakistan opener Yasir Hameed as saying match-fixing was rife in the team. Hameed denies ever speaking to the Sunday tabloid. The newspaper also says a fourth, unidentified Pakistan player is being investigated.

Sept. 5 - Hameed attends a meeting at the Pakistan High Commission and afterward issues a statement saying he was duped into speaking to The News of the World.

Sept. 10 - Butt, Amir and Asif return home after agreeing to return to England if requested to help with the police investigation.

Sept. 14 - Police interview Pakistan pace bowler Wahab Riaz.

Sept. 18 - Lorgat issues a statement saying an investigation had been launched into the scoring pattern in Pakistan's innings in the third one-day international at the Oval on the previous day. Pakistan had won by 23 runs.

Sept. 20 - The ECB threaten legal action against PCB chairman Ijaz Butt after he suggests the England team had been bribed to lose at the Oval. Riaz and England batsman Jonathan Trott clash in the nets before play begins in the fourth one-day match at Lord's.

Sept. 23 - ECB say they will start immediate legal proceedings against Butt unless he gives a "full and unreserved apology" for his allegations.

Ijaz Butt, PCB asked to pay compensation to ECB

Dawn learnt on Friday that the ECB has not only demanded an unreserved apology but has also dictated the exact words that apology should comprise. Moreover, the apology will be from both the PCB chairman and the PCB, sources further said. The ECB also demanded from the PCB to pay the legal costs of the case and in addition pay a substantial sum in damages to each member of the England cricket team, personally.

Sources said the PCB chairman was certainly not expecting such harsh reaction from the ECB after he had tried clarifying the basis of his statement. Ijaz was reported as saying in the press that there was loud and high talk in the bookies’ circle that English players made lot of money for losing the third One-day International against Pakistan on Sept 17.

Soon after his statement, the ECB issued a protest statement against the PCB chairman, asking him to tender an apology.

The PCB chairman, however, preferred to clarify the matter his own way by saying that he had not accused the England players of throwing the game but that was what the bookies had been saying.

Ijaz’s clarification, however, was not accepted by the ECB and a legal notice was sent to the PCB on Thursday. The PCB has decided to respond to the legal notice through its England-based lawyers, Addleshaw Goddard.

Cricket: England snub for Flamorgan’s James Harris

GLAMORGAN’S James Harris has been snubbed for a place on England’s performance programme this winter. Harris took 63 wickets at an average of 20 last summer – the second highest by an England-qualified seamer – but has lost out to the surprise selections of Jade Dernbach (Surrey) and Maurice Chambers (Essex) – the latter taking only half of Harris’ haul. A 16-man squad will be based in Australia until the start of the third Test in Perth, putting those players in prime position for call-ups if senior squad members are injured.

At a time when Harris is in contract talks at Glamorgan – the Pontarddulais product has one year left on his current deal – this squad announcement could be bad news for the Welsh county. Harris has made no secret of his desire to win England honours and his omission might be seen as more fashionable counties once again getting preferential treatment. However, Harris could still yet win a place on the England Lions tour to the West Indies in the new year.

Glamorgan director of cricket Matthew Maynard recently said: “We need to keep James at the club.

“He has had a fantastic season and he has been our lead seam bowler.

“He will be an England player, but we want him to be a Glamorgan England player.”

Meanwhile, England’s chairman of selectors Geoff Miller has revealed that Monty Panesar’s success in reinventing himself at Sussex led to his inclusion in the Ashes squad.

Panesar and Chris Tremlett were named in an otherwise predictable 16-man party, led by Andrew Strauss, bound for Australia.

The 28-year-old Panesar made the last of his 39 Test appearances in the opening match of the 2009 Ashes before being dropped amid a significant loss of form.

But Miller believes he has been revitalised by his move from Northamptonshire to Sussex, taking 52 first-class wickets for his new county this summer.

“Monty went away and developed his game because, obviously, he was having a bad time,” said Miller.

“We told him what he needed to do, he joined a new county and has produced the goods for them this year.

“He’s a quality spinner. He just needed to go away when he was having problems and resurrect his career, which he’s done.

“Monty’s developed as a person. There were times when you thought he wasn’t thinking for himself but that’s changed.

“He’s been given the onus at Sussex to set his fields, have conversations with the captain and coach and has developed as a player and person.

“He’s been to Australia before and did well there once he got into the side, so he’s used to the conditions.”

Miller insisted England had no hesitation in selecting Kevin Pietersen, who will begin a spell at former club KwaZulu Natal next month in an attempt to regain his form in time for the Ashes.

“We know what a great player Kevin is. He’s had a lull in form, but lots of great players have lulls in form,” said Miller.

“He wants to put that right and get some time in the middle. That was accepted and we’ve left him to it.

“When it comes to playing Australia, he’ll be up for the challenge.”

England will be bidding to win the Ashes in Australia for the first time since Mike Gatting’s class of 1987 and Miller believes the current team is just as strong.

“Yes I think this squad is as good as Gatting’s. It’s a solid squad with match-winners all the way down,” said Miller.

“If they all perform to potential, there’s no reason why we can’t retain the Ashes.”

England announced their squad for Australia on the same day Pakistan returned home following a controversial tour marred by claims of spot-fixing.

England and Wales Cricket Board managing director Hugh Morris hopes the Ashes will restore cricket’s reputation, though he confirmed that an apology is still being demanded from Pakistan board chairman Ijaz Butt for alleging that England’s players accepted a bribe to lose the third one-day international at The Brit Oval.

“As far as the players and management team are concerned, the series against Pakistan finished yesterday,” said Morris.

“All of our attention is now focused on going to Australia. In terms of the recent issues, we will be seeking a resolution to that.

“We were extremely disappointed by the totally unfounded allegations that were made and are expecting an apology.”

Andrew Strauss: We were absolutely determined to win against Pakistan

The relief Andrew Strauss felt was obvious. You could see it in his smile and hear it in his voice. The least-loved series has finally come to an end, England winning the final match by 121 runs. When the last wicket fell England celebrated as though they had won a major trophy, not a tinpot cup for yet another one-day series at the end of a long summer.

This match mattered, to the players and to the supporters who filled the Rose Bowl, their roars still echoing around the rafters long after the final ball had been bowled. When Strauss left his post-match press conference he was treated to an ovation from the fans waiting outside. After everything that has happened these last few weeks there was more than the series at stake last night. England were motivated by stronger fuel than the simple desire to win their sixth straight rubber. Asked by one mischievous journalist if he had had "nightmare visions" of Pakistan lifting the trophy, Strauss paused, chuckled and admitted that actually yes, he had. Typically it was the kind of question he would have been too diplomatic to answer.

Last night he made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. "We were absolutely determined to win this game," he said. "It was a huge game of cricket. We have been to some pretty unpleasant places as a team over the last few days and we showed a lot of unity and togetherness.

"We came out today determined to finish on a high. Having been 2-0 up in the series and being quite cosy and comfortable about things it was a bit of a shock to the system to suddenly be 2-2, especially given what went on over the last week."

Unity and togetherness. He used the phrase twice. Strauss thinks his team will be stronger for this experience, that their will has been tested and strengthened by what they have been through. "If this series has proved anything it is that unity and togetherness are absolutely crucial at all times. We will have gained a hell of a lot from what has gone on in the last few weeks in terms of bringing us closer together and fighting our corner and that can only stand us in good stead for Australia."

Australia. This time tomorrow all the talk will be of the Ashes. And while Strauss admitted that he and his team were "keen to move on from the series", he reiterated his message to the ICC that it cannot afford to sweep these issues under the carpet. "The ICC need to take a firm lead," he said. "It would be very easy to say the series is over, things will calm down and cricket will return to normal. If we do that we will have to contend with this again at some stage in the future."

The headlines and conversations will soon move on, but spot-fixing is not going to go away just because people stop paying so much attention to it. "This summer has clearly demonstrated that when there is a sniff of something in the air it devalues the whole game and no one wants to play cricket in those circumstances."

As for Shahid Afridi, he too seemed relieved that he would not have to face any more questions from the press. Not that he has been providing many answers. After last night's match he laughed off even the more serious inquiries of Sky's interviewers, insisting that the players were all friends, that Pakistan would be bound to be welcomed back to England in the future to play more neutral Tests and that his team had forgiven Jonathan Trott for his argument with Wahab Riaz in the nets at Lord's. That was more than the Pakistani fans have managed – Trott was viciously jeered and booed all night long, both in the field and at bat.

The sorriest part of it is that suspicious minds have become commonplace.

Last night's match sparked predictable speculation. Pakistan raced to 63 in under 13 overs, then scored 72 runs in the next 24 – rather than credit England's bowling, some pundits and members of the public privately preferred to question Pakistan's motivation. And understandably so. No one is sure what to believe any more.

Pakistan-England Cricket Scandal Continues After Players Fight

England batsman Jonathan Trott and Pakistan cricketer Wahab Riaz needed to be pulled apart by England's Graham Gooch after the pair grabbed each other's throats and threw cricket equipment at one another during the warm-up for the two sides' fourth, one-day international.

Apparently Trott was heard saying to Riaz – one of the five players on the Pakistan team to be under investigation – “How much money are you going to make from the bookies?

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said: "When Riaz was returning after warming up, Trott called him a 'match-fixer' and that he was harming Test cricket and hit his face with the pad.

"It could have been a police case, because it is crime to hit someone. But we showed a big heart and did not press for it."

David Collier, chief executive of the ECB (England & Wales Cricket Board) commented: "We are very fortunate that we have the experience of a neutral man in (match referee) Jeff Crowe, who dealt with it immediately. It is a closed matter.

"I think feelings have been high in the last 24 hours. We don't hide behind that, though. We admit that feelings were strong, so that is bound to spill over."

Following the investigations into five of the Pakistan cricketers being allegedly involved in match-fixing, Ijaz Butt – chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board – made “unsubstantiated” claims that members of the England team also were involved in recent match-fixing. This has deeply angered the England team, which commented in a statement:

"The team deplores and rejects unreservedly the suggestion that any England cricketer was involved in manipulating the outcome, or any individual element, of the third ODI at The Oval between England and Pakistan last week.

"The players fully understand their responsibilities as representatives of their country, and would not countenance giving less than 100 per cent in any match they play."

England captain, Andrew Strauss, said: "We refute these allegations completely and will be working closely with the ECB to explore all legal options open to us."

Pakistan match-fixing claims: Lord's remains genteel as crisis rumbles on

According to the anthropologist Kate Fox, our typical reaction to offensive behaviour extends no further than "frowns and glares accompanied by heavy sighs, pointed coughs, tutting and muttering".

Fox could have found more evidence to support her thesis at Lord's on Monday. The English members of a 20,000-strong crowd remained scrupulously polite – on the surface, at least – while privately bemoaning the fact that cricket had been taken over by renegades and shysters. "You just can't believe what you see on the field any more," said Jonathan, 27, from Essex. So why did he come to the game then? "Well, I bought the ticket in May, and Lord's is always a nice day out. Plus, the sun's shining.

One MCC member, who declined to be named, put up a passionate defence of the Pakistanis' rights. "I feel very sorry for them," he said. "Imagine you are a young talented guy, and there's half a village depending on the money you bring in. I deplore these so-called 'stings' – they're just entrapment by another name."

Lord's is not renowned for its revolutionary sentiments. Even so, it was still a surprise to see the pavilion crowded with egg-and-bacon ties. That meant some 3,000 MCC members had turned out to watch this discredited match – because they just felt like a day at the match. If this is what cricket in crisis looks like, the sport must be healthier than we thought.

The spectators in the Mound Stand could barely hear above the choruses of "Pakistan! Zindabad!" (Long live Pakistan). Ijaz Butt's sabre-rattling counter-attack drew a mixed response from the lime-green quarter. "The ICC shouldn't have come out with all those accusations," said Muhammad Amir, 22, who just happens to share a name with the man at the centre of the spot-fixing scandal. "I think he [Butt] did the right thing – he stood up for our country."

Khan Juna, 57, took a less combative stance. "We are embarrassed by that statement – you can't just come out with those sorts of allegations without evidence. The ICC have to get a grip on this whole business, otherwise the World Cup is going to be a disaster."

Forget the World Cup for a minute – what about tomorrow's final match at the Rose Bowl? Lord's may be a genteel outpost of British reserve, but the atmosphere in the shires can turn decidedly lively for these day-night matches. From the ECB to the Pakistani players, everyone will be relieved when this tour is finally over.

Afridi rubbishes spot-fixing allegations in third ODI

Pakistan's ODI captain Shahid Afridi has rubbished allegations of spot fixing following his side's 23-run victory in the third one-dayer against England at the Oval. The match had come under the scanner following claims by British tabloid 'The Sun' that bookies knew details of Pakistan's innings even before Friday's third one-dayer began. The ICC in a statement said that investigation is warranted as information about a certain scoring pattern appeared to be "correct".

The allegations, however, have left Afridi shocked. "I thought we played hard cricket and tried our level best to win the match. I just see these new allegations as an attempt to put pressure on the team," Afridi was quoted as saying on Geo TV.

"It is very unfortunate because the players have been under pressure since the Lords Test and the one-day series is still wide open," the flamboyant skipper said.

The Pakistan skipper has, however, called for exemplary punishment if anyone is found guilty, but only on the basis of concrete proofs and the evidence should be made public.

The latest allegations come on the heels of Scotland Yard's investigations into the three Pakistani players' -- Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif -- alleged involvement in spot fixing during the Lord's Test last month.

The three accused players are presently in Pakistan, serving ICC's suspension.

The win at the Oval has given Pakistan a chance to win the one-day series, provided they win the next two games.

"Our job right now is to focus on the remaining two matches and that is what I have told the players. The board will handle the rest," Afridi said.

The skipper had some good news for Pakistani fans as wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has recovered from the finger injury he suffered during the third one-dayer and will be available for the next match on Sunday.

Pakistan cricket team face fresh spot-fixing investigation

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has launched an investigation into yesterday's one-day international between England and Pakistan following allegations that a scoring pattern in Pakistan's innings was prearranged.

The ICC said the investigation was based on information received from the Sun newspaper. The ICC chief executive, Haroon Lorgat, said: "A source informed the Sun newspaper that a certain scoring pattern would emerge during certain stages of the match and, broadly speaking, that information appeared to be correct.

The investigation follows an earlier scandal on the tour, when a players' agent allegedly received money for organising players to bowl no-balls at prearranged times so as to fix spot-betting markets.

Pakistan won the match by 23 runs. It was the third of the one-day series.

The Sun claimed it had passed on the information to the ICC before yesterday's match at The Oval began after receiving details of calls between a Dubai-based match-fixer and a Delhi bookie.

"Cricket chiefs then watched as Pakistan's score mirrored the target that bookies had been told in advance by a fixer," the newspaper said.

The Sun's report said ICC officials began their investigation before Pakistan's innings had ended, and that "it is not thought that the overall result was fixed, only scoring rates in parts of Pakistan's innings".

The ICC said it would work with Sun staff and sources to "ensure full truth surrounding this match is ascertained".

A Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman, Nadeem Sarwar, said: "The ICC has already issued it's statement and we don't think it is appropriate for us to comment at this stage."

The Pakistan team have been dogged by fixing claims throughout the tour. The earlier no-ball fixing allegations resulted in the ICC suspending Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir while a fourth Pakistan player, Wahab Riaz, was questioned by Scotland Yard last Tuesday.

The suspended cricketers had replied to the notices of the ICC, but the game's governing body has yet to set a date for a hearing. That initial fixing controversy had triggered calls from some quarters for the remainder of the tour to be called off.

England v Pakistan: England hoping to regain centre stage at Oval

With Andrew Flintoff's retirement joining the ongoing corruption enquiries and the county championship finale at the top of the agenda, England's ninth match of the summer against an under-strength Pakistan side is in danger of feeling like a sideshow.

But Surrey say they have sold virtually every one of their 23,000 tickets, so the atmosphere in Kennington should be lively enough – if a little chilly given the 1pm start."It is a bit frustrating what's happened to the back end of this summer," Graeme Swann said on Thursday, in a tactful allusion to the spot-fixing scandal. "But if we can get a nice boozy crowd in here, doing the Mexican wave as normal, then hopefully we can focus on the cricket again.

It has been a successful, if arduous, summer for the England side, who have already disposed of Bangladesh in Tests and one-dayers, Australia in one-dayers and Pakistan in Tests and Twenty20s. They hold a 2-0 lead in this 50-over series with three matches left to play. "Pakistan have shown a hell of a lot of fight in the last two games," Swann said. "Especially in the last one, where we aided them somewhat with our schoolboy fielding display. To chase down 295 at Headingley was a good test."

Diplomatic blames PCB over match-fix laws

Leading English language daily Dawn reported on Thursday that High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan wrote a letter of complaint to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also patron of the PCB. Hasan said in a two-page letter that the PCB officials “kept the diplomats unaware about the laws of ICC relating to alleged match-fixing.

“The PCB management has not guided the High Commission at any point,” Hasan wrote. The ICC suspended Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir over match fixing allegations while fourth player Wahab Riaz was questioned by Scotland Yard on Tuesday. The London police also interrogated Butt, Asif and Amir earlier this month, but did not press any criminal charges against them.

Hasan consulted with the three cricketers in London and handled media scrutiny after British tabloid the News of the World revealed footage of an agent allegedly accepting money to organize the players to bowl deliberate no-balls at prearranged times to fix spot betting markets.

The High Commissioner said the management of the PCB stayed away from the trouble “while the way forward was none other than a diplomatic solution, which worked and resolved the matter to a large extent.”

Test cricket is still exciting: Sehwag

Test cricket may be losing popularity with Twenty20 catching the imagination of the younger generation, but swashbuckling opener Virender Sehwag says the longer version of the game has never been more exciting than it is today.

"There used to be so many draws in Test matches that would keep the crowds away but things have changed. We are getting more and more results in Test cricket and even a target of 350 can be chased in a day in a Test match.Cricket has not changed. A few innovations have come to make it more attractive. The approach has changed in some ways. Once a total of 200 was considered a winning one in One-day cricket. Not any more," Sehwag said on the changing trends in cricket.

Sehwag released a book 'Hamare Kaptan… Nayudu Se Dhoni tak…' penned by Surya Prakash Chaturvedi at a function held at the Indian Islamic Cultural centre on Tuesday.

"It is nice to see that books are being written on our past heroes. It will help the current generation to know about our former greats. I will certainly read and share the information with my team-mates," Sehwag said.

The book gives an insight on all the captains who have led India and Sehwag acknowledged there was need to preserve the history of the game.

"Such books record the happenings for posterity and I am glad to be a part of it. There are some names that I have not heard but then that's because we did not have access to information on former cricketers when we were growing up. Books like this will help us understand our cricketing past better. We would certainly want to know how our former captains led the teams, what were their tactics, how they batted, bowled."Sehwag congratulated wrestler Sushil Kumar on winning gold at the World Championship.

"It is a fantastic achievement. He also comes from Najafgarh and that makes it all the more memorable for me. We all should feel proud of him. His akhara was close to my house."Sehwag wished success to the Commonwealth Games. "It is a great opportunity for everyone. I am sure the Games will be a great success. We all must support the Games."

Strauss shines to secure thrilling victory for England – and cricket

This tour is in serious danger of giving cricket a good name. On a gorgeous late summer's day and a perfect pitch, a combination achieving the not inconsiderable feat of making Headingley look a picture, England and Pakistan shared 589 runs in the second one-day international.

England won by four wickets with three balls to spare, a reckless scrambled single finally putting them 2-0 up in the NatWest Series. There are three matches left, the first of which is at The Oval on Friday and suddenly everybody is feeling much better about proceedings.

For a few relaxing hours it was possible to forget the allegations of match rigging that have besmirched the game in the past fortnight. A full house, whose loyalties were evenly divided, wallowed in good, old-fashioned, high scoring one-day cricket.

The result demonstrated two important points. First, Pakistan, for all that has bedevilled them these past few days, have not given up the ghost. They might be left wondering now what they have to do to win but, despite having three players suspended and a fourth about to be questioned by police as part of their inquiries into match-fixing, they played a rousing part in a redemptive match. Unfortunately, their bowling lacks any depth and their 7ft 1ins seamer, Mohammad Irfan, stunningly awful in the field, is in danger of becoming a novelty act.

Secondly, England, who fielded as sloppily as they have done for more than a year, are now an extremely tough team to beat. They have moved up to second in the world one-day rankings and their aspiration to be number one, once a pipe dream as crazy as breaking the bank at Monte Carlo, looks to be based on sober reality.

The essential component in England's successful pursuit of the 295 runs they needed to win was provided by their captain, Andrew Strauss, who made his fifth one-day international century. It is the height of fashion to question Strauss's place in the one-day side and indeed a panel of former internationals, during a televised discussion during the break between innings yesterday, dropped him from their projected XI for the World Cup next year.

Presumably, Strauss has more things to do while preparing to bat than listen to this kind of fanciful claptrap (it is not going to happen and nor should it) but he supplied the perfect riposte. Not that the innings itself was quite impeccable, for he was dropped on 23, had a lucky escape on 38 when replays showed that he had gloved a ball behind from which wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal took a stunning catch down the leg side, and might easily have played on when he was 71.

Shahid Afridi, Pakistan's captain who remains surprisingly optimistic, agreed that it was time for the decision review system in one-day cricket.

But Strauss's greatest asset as a batsman is his unflappability (well, that and his lethal cut stroke). He merely continued along the course he had plotted, sharing a crucial partnership of 146 from 159 balls with Jonathan Trott for the second wicket.

It seemed that they might well see England home after the loss of Steve Davies who played a bristling innings. But Trott, who was beginning to play a little more assertively after a stodgy beginning was run out rather gormlessly leaving his crease contemplating a single that was never there.

Pakistan were suddenly lifted. Paul Collingwood, lacking rhythm again towards the end of the season, gifted his wicket and when Strauss was out for 126 scored from 134 balls, lbw sweeping at Saeed Ajmal, 47 runs were still needed from 34 deliveries.

However, England had enough left because they bat a long way down. Numbers five, six, seven and eight all reached double figures and at the end both Mike Yardy and Tim Bresnan struck boundaries when they were most needed.

On this sort of surface, custom designed for one-day cricket, England were always likely to be chasing around 300. Pakistan might have appeared in disarray but they were not about to miss out on the chance of batting on a surface where the ball came on to the bat and hardly moved off the straight.

If there was a defect it was that none of the batsmen went on to play the substantial innings that might have taken their total into unassailable realms. However, Kamran Akmal delighted the supporters with 74 from 72 balls, his hitting clean and decisive.

The ground fielding was far from the standard England have set. "We were a shambles," said Strauss. "It was one of those days when a couple were missed early and everyone started getting a bit edgy."

Jimmy Anderson bowled with admirable cleverness and control, Graeme Swann matched him, and although Stuart Broad had the most expensive four-wicket haul in one-day history those wickets at the end were probably significant. The most important part of the day by far was that spectators departed with a smile.

PCB announces new policy regarding managers

“Yes, it was a fault at the PCB end that it has not adopted any clear policy in allowing the players to hire their agents/managers. But now the deficiency has been removed by binding the players in this regard,” PCB chairman Ijaz Butt said in a press conference.

The players’ agent Mazhar Majeed, the central character in a nasty spot-fixing saga in England involving Pakistan players, has been allegedly found involved in the scam as a bookie.

“The same Mazhar Majeed was also the agent of Inzamam-ul-Haq and he has been working with the players since long time,” the chairman said.

But when asked if the Pakistan team management and the PCB officials were not aware about Mazhar’s activities, he said ironically nothing was done in the past in this regard but now steps had been taken to ensure the boys would be put under vigilant control.

Later, the PCB also issued a press release which says: Procedure for Registration & Clearance of Player Agent/ Manager.

“The Following procedure is to be followed by all players wishing to engage agents/ managers. No Pakistani cricketer who is selected for any squad for local and international teams will be allowed to engage any agent/manager without the prior written approval of the PCB. Failure to comply with these instructions will result in the player being declared ineligible for selection in any of the domestic and international cricketing events under the control of PCB.”

The procedure is as follows:

1.The agent/manager wishing to get clearance should apply in writing to the PCB giving details of players they wish to represent, the scope of representation, terms of contract with players, and their own background data to the PCB for approval.

2. PCB will forward this information to the concerned High Commissioner/Ambassador of Pakistan in the country to which the agent belongs for their checking and approval. Only after receipt of this approval, PCB will accord a go-ahead to the agent/player. In case of agent/manager based in Pakistan, local law enforcement authority will provide clearance of the said agent/manager

Cricket-England romp to victory over dismal Pakistan

Pakistan could not cope with either a barrage of short-pitched bowling from the England pacemen or the slow bowling of Graeme Swann and Michael Yardy.

Umar Akmal hit Swann for two straight sixes into the sightscreen but was bowled for 17 when the England off-spinner kept his nerve and floated up another tempting delivery. Yardy was again economical, conceding 10 runs from his four overs.

An early wicket to Shoaib Akhtar and a brilliant run-out by Umar Akmal who hit the stumps at the bowler's end to account for Craig Kieswetter for 16 temporarily lifted Pakistan's morale.

But Paul Collingwood, who led England to victory in the Twenty20 World Cup in the Caribbean this year, scored 21 from 25 deliveries and Eion Morgan made 18 not out from 14 balls.

Pakistan are playing without test captain Salman Butt and pace bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif who have been suspended from all cricket by the International Cricket Council under its anti-corruption code after an investigation into incidents in the fourth test at Lord's.

Shahid Afridi issues apology on behalf of Pakistan's scandal-hit trio

Pakistan's one-day captain, Shahid Afridi, has issued a remarkable public apology on behalf of the three players at the centre of cricket's betting scandal. "I think it is very bad news," he said. "On behalf of these players – I know they are not in this series – but on behalf of these boys I want to say sorry to all cricket lovers and all the cricketing nations."

Afridi was at pains to distance himself from those implicated in the betting scandal – the Test captain, Salman Butt, and the fast bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif – as he arrived at nets ahead of Pakistan's Twenty20 game against England in Cardiff today.

He made no attempt to proclaim that they were innocent until proven guilty and he also stressed that he had no anger about the investigation into the players. "No," was his emphatic response.

Afridi also revealed that the Pakistan agent involved in the affair has travelled regularly with the team. "This guy has been travelling with the guys in the West Indies and in Australia," he said. "I saw him on the tours. I didn't know anything about this."

The players are undergoing an investigation by the Metropolitan police and the International Cricket Council have charged them under cricket's code of conduct.

Afridi guaranteed that the two Twenty20s and five ODIs would go ahead whatever further revelations might appear in newspapers.

"I told the boys don't read the newspapers tomorrow, just focus on cricket. I know the Pakistan people are very upset. We all love cricket. As I team all we can do is to play good, aggressive cricket and maybe when we go back home maybe the things will settle down.

"It is a big challenge for me as a captain but I think we are all ready and focused. Myself and the coach have already told the boys: 'Don't talk about this issue, we are here to play cricket.'"

Collingwood delighted with easy win

World champions England did their best to put cricket's week of crisis behind them as they returned to the Twenty20 format with a five-wicket victory over Pakistan.

Captain Paul Collingwood was delighted with a "100%" performance which owed much to an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 67 between Eoin Morgan and Michael Yardy, to aid the recovery from a mid-innings wobble in reply to 126 for four at the SWALEC Stadium.

"I'm absolutely delighted," said Collingwood. "Our strategies seem to be working in the Twenty20 form of the game. It has been a tough week. But the guys focused 100% on their cricket, and we enjoyed our win.

He added: "We got our teeth right into it. The bowlers were absolutely fantastic again. We had a little hiccup with the bat, but 'Morgs' and 'Yards' put together a superb partnership."

It is almost four months since England beat the world for the first time in an International Cricket Council tournament, with victory over Australia in the Barbados final.

They were up against significant, if perhaps still distracted, opponents in Pakistan - who have had to contend with the ICC suspension and charging of three of their initially-selected players following newspaper allegations of a plot to bowl no-balls to order in an attempt to defraud illegal bookmakers during the Lord's Test.

A follow-up report in Sunday morning's News of the World claims a fourth Pakistani - unnamed for "legal reasons" - is being investigated by the ICC's anti-corruption unit (ACSU) on suspicion of match-fixing. In those circumstances, it was a relief perhaps for Pakistan to simply take the field again in an international fixture.

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said: "At one time, it looked like we were going to win this game. But the way Morgan and Yardy played, they did very well."

Even so, Afridi believes his own team did themselves justice - especially after the disruptions of the past week.

He added: "The way my boys played, I am very happy. We missed some opportunities, like catches and run-outs. So next time I hope we will avail these opportunities. In this kind of cricket, fielding is a main weapon if you want to win."

Match Fixing Scandal: Tainted Pak Trio Will Meet Scotland Yard Today

Pakistan's tainted trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir will on Wednesday face another round of questioning from the Scotland Yard for their alleged involvement in the 'spot-fixing' scandal that has rocked international cricket even as England's Players' body demanded their ouster from the Twenty20 and ODI series here.

The trio, which has been implicated in the scandal after a sting operation by a British tabloid, is set to be quizzed by the Scotland Yard for the second time but they are not in danger of being arrested, a Pakistan Cricket Board official said.

Their meeting with Pakistan High Commission officials here has, however, been postponed to Thursday. ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat will meet PCB chief Ijaz Butt as scheduled in London today to discuss the scandal that has plunged the game into a crisis.

The trio will now miss Pakistan's practice match against Somerset starting tomorrow as that will clash with their meeting with PCB and High Commission officials at the High Commission here."The trio of captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif had been due to meet PCB chairman Ijaz Butt and the country's High Commissioner in London today. But it has emerged that the talks have been put back and now clash with the team's next fixture, which gets underway tomorrow," 'Sky News' reported. (Video Special: Pak match-fixing scandal)

Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed had yesterday said that the three would only face a PCB internal inquiry at the High Commission in London but it has now emerged that they will be questioned by Scotland Yard. (Watch: Did Pakistan fix these matches? | Pak players caught on tape)

He said no player has been charged as yet nor any case registered against them and they are available for the forthcoming Twenty20 and one-day series.

"As it stands now, the players have only been questioned by Scotland Yard. No one has been charged neither has Scotland Yard found any incriminating evidence against any player," a PCB official said.

"We have hired a barrister to assist the players and will be present when they meet with Scotland Yard detectives today. The questioning is part of routine investigation but all the players who are being questioned are available for selection and play in the coming series," he added.

The Pakistan High Commission has also asked the Scotland Yard to provide it with a preliminary report on the investigations.

The investigations are still on but England's Professional Cricketers Association wants the three to be dropped immediately so that the remaining tour does not become a "sideshow" to the murky scandal.