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 Justin Vaughan said the 0-5 ODI loss after a 0-1 Test defeat to India within weeks of an embarrassing one-day whitewash against Bangladesh has led to concern about the team’s progress just a couple of months before the World Cup.

But Vaughan dismissed suggestions that the inspirational Vettori, who has been leading the team since 2007 and even doubled up as coach for a brief period, would lose captaincy because of the twin debacles. “I wouldn’t have thought so,” Vaughan told ‘New Zealand Herald’ “We need to go through a proper review and talk about what options there are to help the side improve, but I’d be hard pressed to believe the captaincy would be one of those issues,” he said.

Vaughan is planning discussions with team manager Dave Currie, Vettori, batting coach and selector Mark Greatbatch and performance director Roger Mortimer.

Vaughan said although changes would be made to the team if necessary but given that the World Cup is not too far away, too much tinkering could backfire.

“If we can see a clear case for that (making changes) then it’s something we would have to consider. But it is getting pretty late in the piece,” Vaughan said.

“The danger is obviously that significant change could sometimes be extremely unsettling. It doesn’t mean to say you can’t do it, but you need to go in with your eyes open,” he added.

One of the options being considered is to offer a bigger role to former India coach John Wright, who is currently looking after the NZC’s High Performance program.

“There may have been some discussion on the benefit of him spending some time over there but then we realised it was pretty short notice so it didn’t go any further,” Vaughan said.

“But tapping into Wrighty’s knowledge should have been obvious. I understand people’s desire to see him attached to the Black Caps because the New Zealand public loves John, he’s had a proven international record and the Black Caps aren’t travelling very well at the moment.

“But we are comfortable with the process we went with around the appointment of Mark and the way the team is operating with Roger and the others,” he added.

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 Pakistan’s squad for the tour of New Zealand after the PCB’s Integrity Committee did not “give them clearance”, Akmal and Malik’s requests for no-objection certificates to the board for playing in Bangladesh have also been rejected. “I was very keen to go and play in the Bangladesh league but the board has told us to just focus on playing in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in domestic cricket,” Kamran was quoted as saying on Saturday. “I had got a good offer and wanted to go and play there but unfortunately the clearance has not come.

Both had questioned the PCB for leaving them out of the team touring New Zealand. Kamran had been cleared for selection by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after he had written to them asking if he was under investigation for any corruption. Along with Salman Butt, who has been provisionally suspended by the ICC for his alleged involvement in the spot-fixing controversy, Akmal was sent a notice by the ICC during the tour of England in August seeking information about events related to the 2010 World Twenty20 held in the Caribbean in May.

Last month, a Pakistan news channel aired footage featuring alleged bookmaker Mazhar Majeed claiming Kamran was among seven players obeying his orders during matches. Kamran admitted Majeed was his marketing agent but denied that he had been involved in any wrongdoing. Kamran was also dropped following the Sydney Test earlier in the year for his poor wicketkeeping and again during the tour of England in August for the second Test. Malik, like Kamran, has been in good form in the domestic first-class tournament but hasn’t found a place in the national team since August this year.

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," the cricketer-turned-politician added. He acknowledged that Pakistan cricket was in a "mess", as the key Pakistani bowlers- Asif and Aamir- were presently under suspension by the International Cricket Council (ICC) over allegations of spot-fixing in the fourth Test against England this year.

"We are in a mess. We have the talent but we want to know the verdict on Asif and Aamir. "They are arguably the best opening pair of bowlers...I have seen both Wasim Akram and Aamir, and I can tell you Aamir is ahead of what Wasim was at this age...Without those two, our bowling is not potent," said Imran, whose charismatic captaincy was crucial in securing Pakistan's only World Cup triumph in 1992.

He, however, backed Pakistan's One-day International captain Shahid Afridi to "pull off something out of the ordinary" in the mega event. "Pakistan's ODI captain Shahid Afridi is someone, probably the only one, who can pull off something out of the ordinary. Pakistan have their back against wall," Imran said.

"Afridi is unpredictable. If he can hit a purple patch - in one-dayers you need just two quality batsmen to hit a purple patch and rest can rally around. "Pakistan are very unpredictable but it's not the best of time," he added.

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 Wednesday. The Royal Palm Club management, represented by Colonel (r) Jamil Khalid, Ayaz Bajwa and Faisal Umer, presented special souvenirs to the celebrated cricket team members as a token of their appreciation for winning an international laurel and making the country proud. The Royal Palm Club pursues with ardour, fondness and fervour promotion of sports activity such as golf, cricket, football, tennis, swimming, squash and fitness with ample facilities for coaching and very talented youngsters will soon be making an appearance on the national sports scene. For most of the time the team members were surrounded by ardent cricket loving children and the girls did an excellent job in aspiring them. Very soon they will be playing a cricket match at the Royal Palm Club.

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 of inconsistent form with both bat and ball, Afridi is also spending a lot of time in the nets these days. “Yes, I am worried about my form for the past one year and I am personally not satisfied with the way I have batted or bowled for the national team,” Afridi said.

Afridi, who will lead Pakistan in the coming one-day series in New Zealand, and is also tipped to captain the side in the world cup, said he was more concerned about his form because of the upcoming extravaganza.

“It has not been an easy year for anyone of us and I think these constant scandals and controversies have affected us. They certainly affected my form and performances,” he said.

“No matter what you say but these things do affect you and the team. And then the added responsibility of leading the team also affected my own performances,” Afridi stated. The all-rounder said that he is concentrating and working hard on his batting and bowling.

“The best thing to get out of a bad run is to go back to the basics and keep practising. I am doing that because, being the captain, I know how important it is for me to perform consistently with bat and ball,” he said.

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 out" - Peter Roebuck, the Age. "Aussies showed a lot of character today !!! Well done boys ... Tomorrow = Draw...." - Shane Warne, Twitter.

"Burn the bails. Australia showed fight and grit and determination but the truth of the matter is that England can still retain the urn before Christmas ... Forget the weather. It can never be relied upon. There are confidence problems, form issues, batting dramas, bowling concerns, fielding woes and selection troubles for Australia. Apart from that, all is well," Will Swanton, Daily Telegraph.

"The pressure on Australia is immense but it is also building up on England. They have gone for two decades without winning a test in Australia.

"History is a ball and chain they must somehow discard, but they are having trouble cutting the cord. Andrew Strauss' decision to bat on yesterday morning was a sign of a conservative heart." - Robert Craddock, Herald Sun.

"The modern version of The Invincibles, who won a record 16 successive tests under Steve Waugh's captaincy then did it again with Ponting as skipper, have become The Terribles. Just like in the mid 80s, suddenly smirking Poms are trotting out that tired old line: can't bat, can't bowl, can't field." - Malcolm Conn, The Australian.

"Anychance (sic) the Aussie press can say how well England are playing rather than how bad the Aussies are please... Cheers" - former England captain Michael Vaughan, Twitter.

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 cricketing countries including India, who refuse to play in Pakistan on the ground that it posed a security risk. "We should take immediate and solid steps to decide this issue soon before the time passes away," Miandad, PCB director and Pakistan's cricket ambassador to China, was quoted as saying in the letter.

Islamabad is also expected to support China's bid for hosting the 2012 Asian Cup in Guangzhou when the issue comes up for discussion at a meeting in Dhaka on December 12.

Syed Ashraful Haq, chief executive of the Asian Cricket Council recently told a cricket website that the Chinese Cricket Association had "expressed its interest" in hosting the 2012 Asia Cup. "If our ACC board agrees, China will have its first full-fledged, major international tournament," Haq said.

Pakistan which was earlier made co-host of World Cup 2011, lost hosting rights after the 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team and refusal from teams in other nations to visit the country.

In his letter, Miandad praised China saying cricket has a bright future in the country. He suggested that Pakistan should help China to establish cricket infrastructure and new stadia. He also suggested sending a group of former players as a coaching team to China to train the Chinese youth.

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 share of matches against the top teams.

Meanwhile, the ICC Chief Executives' Committee (CEC) met at their headquarters in Dubai and made significant progress towards finalising the FTP Test and ODI league schedules and began the process of drawing up rules, regulations and a points system for the leagues.

According to an ICC media release Wednesday, the CEC agreed to reconstitute its working group comprising David Collier (England and Wales Cricket Board), Nishantha Ranatunga (Sri Lanka Cricket), N. Srinivasan (Board of Control for Cricket in India), James Sutherland (Cricket Australia) and David Richardson (ICC General Manager-Cricket) to consider the rules, regulations and points system for the new Test and ODI leagues.

The working group, which previously made recommendations on the leagues and ICC global event calendar, will be bolstered by the presence of top statistician and ICC Cricket Committee member David Kendix. The group will report back in January 2011.

'With the ODI league commencing immediately after the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the ICC Board will need to confirm the rules and regulations at its February 2001 meeting. There was noticeable excitement during the CEC meeting when we realised the interest which these leagues will create,' ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said.

With the ICC Board having already approved the use of the Decision Review System (DRS) in the Cricket World Cup in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the CEC agreed to afford members the opportunity to use the DRS in bilateral One-Day Internationals prior to the World Cup.