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 December. Pakistan will be playing two Test matches, six One Day Internationals and three Twenty20 matches in the upcoming tour. The former coach has scored 8,832 runs in 124 Test matches and 7,381 runs in ODIs. The batting great will initially serve as consultant for New Zealand series and his term is likely to be extended to the World Cup in 2011 to be played in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

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 believes this will establish a solid platform for his team to build upon following a turbulent last four months.

Pakistan cricket was rocked by spot-fixing allegations which led to the suspensions of former Test captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer, leaving them to rebuild their system. The International Cricket Council directed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to take serious measures to curb corruption and disciplinary problems in their cricket or face crippling sanctions.

Alam said Pakistan cricket was progressing both on and off the field. "We have put in a lot of efforts and I think with a good result in the two-Test series and off-field measures we are progressing in a positive manner," the former captain and coach told AFP.

Alam said his players had also shown a positive attitude. "I am happy with the way the players performed and more importantly behaved off the field, because we gave everyone certain responsibility and I can confirm that all the players were up to the mark," said Alam, who praised new Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq.

"A lot of people had criticised Misbah's appointment as captain, but he projected himself very well, performed to his abililties and kept a good rapport with the players," he added.

Alam said wicket-keeper Zulqarnain Haider's fleeing from the team hotel was the only unfortunate incident of the tour. "Haider disappointed us and it was the only unfortunate incident of the tour but it was solely his fault, he should have told us and we were there to solve the problems," said Alam.

Haider fled the team hotel in Dubai to London on the day of the fifth and final one-day match on November 8, saying he had received threats from unknown people. Haider later announced his retirement from international cricket and applied for political asylum in Britain. The PCB suspended Haider's contract and formed a three-man committee to inquire into Haider's case.

"We have completed our report on Haider which we will hand over to the PCB in the next couple of days," said Alam who is a member of the committee. Alam said the players will assemble in Lahore on December 7 for a short training camp ahead of the tour of New Zealand where Pakistan play three Twenty20, two Tests and six one-day internationals.

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 points and now sits on 88 ratings points.

Even though South Africa is now just a point ahead of Sri Lanka, it cannot be overtaken by Kumar Sangakkara's side irrespective of how their series against the West Indies pans out. With the first Test at Galle already finishing in a draw, the maximum Sri Lanka can now achieve is a 2-0 series win which will not be enough to put it ahead of South Africa.

A 2-0 win will keep it on 115 ratings points while a 1-0 series win will mean it will fall to 113 ratings points, just one ahead of England which is currently playing against Australia in the first Ashes Test in Brisbane. However, if the series ends in a 0-0 draw, Sri Lanka could drop behind England and Australia in fifth position on 109 ratings points while the West Indies will jump to 85 ratings points.

In contrast, the West Indies will move ahead of New Zealand even if it loses the series 1-0, while a 2-0 series loss will mean it will stay in eighth position on 79 ratings points. In case of a series win, the West Indies will move ahead of Pakistan in sixth position. A 1-0 win will take it to 89 ratings points while a 2-0 win will put it on 91 ratings points.

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 one six and 16 fours in a 252-ball 135 not out for his 24th Test hundred to bolster the innings after three wickets fell for 34 runs on a new pitch on Tuesday's opening day. Sangakkara steadied the innings with a record 170-run stand for the fourth wicket with Thilan Samaraweera, who made a solid 80 before falling in the third over after lunch.

The stand was the best for the fourth wicket in Sri Lanka-West Indies Tests, surpassing the previous highest of 167 between Chris Gayle and Brendan Nash in the drawn first match of the ongoing three-match series in Galle. Wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene was unbeaten on 12 when tea was taken early due to rain. The West Indies, who bowled well in overcast conditions Tuesday, struggled for success as they could take just two wickets in the first two sessions.

Sangakkara and Samaraweera dominated the opening session with their exciting strokeplay, scoring runs comfortably against both pace and spin. The hosts did not lose a wicket in the morning, adding 115 to their overnight total of 84-3. Samaraweera looked set to reach his 13th Test century before falling in the afternoon, pulling seamer Dwayne Bravo straight to Shane Shillingford at fine leg after hitting one six and eight fours in his 170-ball knock. The West Indies got a second wicket in the afternoon with the new ball when paceman Kemar Roach had Angelo Mathews (25) caught behind, but not before the batsman had added 69 for the fifth wicket with his captain.

Sangakkara, who made 73 in Galle, completed his century when he drove Bravo through the covers for a single. He offered a chance on 118 when he attempted to pull Bravo, but wicket-keeper Carlton Baugh failed to hold on to the ball. Samaraweera, 26 overnight, played some handsome shots in the morning, straight-driving and then cutting Bravo for two successive fours before reaching his 25th Test half-century. The Sri Lankan skipper also batted confidently, once fluently driving Roach through the covers and then cutting firmly for two boundaries in an over. Sangakkara, 25 overnight, completed his half-century with an attacking shot, pulling seamer Darren Sammy for a four.

The West Indies needed a couple of early wickets to seize the initiative but none of their bowlers could keep pressure on Samaraweera and Sangakkara. Off-spinner Shillingford, reported for a suspected illegal bowling action after bagging five wickets in the previous Test, has so far conceded 73 runs in his 15 overs. Sangakkara used his feet well against spinners, once lofting Shillingford over long-on for a six and then hitting the spinner over mid-on for a four in the same over.

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 on Tuesday. Pakistan resumed on 317 for six, needing 385 to avoid the follow-on, and it was left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman who did the bulk of the work as he scored a career-best 41 not out.

Number 10 batsman Tanvir Ahmed, who took six wickets on debut in the South Africa innings of 584 for nine declared, weighed in with 30 not out in an unbeaten ninth-wicket stand of 59 with Rehman. Pakistan made the worst possible start to the day when captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who had scored 77 and was the batsman his team were most relying on, fell to the first ball of the day, trying to drive a Dale Steyn in-swinger and being trapped lbw.

Umar Gul scored a useful 21 before left-arm spinner Paul Harris won a marginal lbw decision to leave Pakistan on 353 for eight. Misbah's overnight partner Rehman enjoyed some early luck, but batted through the session, taking Pakistan to the follow-on mark by hammering Harris for six over long-on.

Tanvir played some magnificent swashbuckling drives, collecting six fours off 40 balls as Pakistan kept the scoreboard ticking over despite the early setback and the pressure of the situation. Steyn had taken four for 98 in 29 overs and Harris three for 97 in 43 overs.The first test in Dubai was drawn, with Pakistan scoring 343 for three in the fourth innings to save the game.

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 oldest quick bowler to make his debut for Pakistan, took three for 28 in seven overs as South Africa crashed to 33 for three after being sent in to bat. Jacques Kallis, who raced to 57 not out off just 65 balls, and AB de Villiers (33 not out) had steadied South Africa's innings with an unbeaten fourth-wicket stand of 81 at the break.

Kallis was surprisingly aggressive, hitting nine fours and two sixes, as Pakistan's bowlers began to look more and more off-colour the longer the session went on. Alviro Petersen (2) played a loose drive in the second over, edging Tanvir's third delivery in test cricket to Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq at first slip. Tanvir was more fortunate with his second wicket, Hashim Amla harshly given out caught behind by wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal for four when a delivery jagged back into his thigh.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith had struggled to 10 before a flat-footed poke at a Tanvir delivery that nipped away from the bat gave Akmal his second catch. Television replays suggested De Villiers was fortunate to be given not out on seven when it seemed he had edged Mohammad Sami to Akmal.

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 I will accept it as a challenge since Pakistan cricket has given me a lot," Abbas said on Wednesday. Lamenting the state of affairs in Pakistan cricket, the former Test captain said that it was unfortunate to witness ICC and its member boards' lack of confidence in PCB.

"The situation we find ourselves now is because the ICC is taking all decisions by itself regarding Pakistani players. The PCB needs to take damage control steps like improving communication with other boards to restore confidence," Abbas said. He said it would have been an ideal for the PCB to utilise the ongoing Pakistan-South Africa series in the UAE to invite the heads of different boards for every match as a diplomatic measure.

"No one likes criticism and that is also the case with the PCB. At times criticism from former players and media may be a bit harsh but it is also true that criticism only comes when there is something wrong somewhere," Abbas said. He pointed out that due to poor administration, Pakistan cricket had reached a stage where the selectors have to take clearance from the ICC to finalise their preliminary World Cup squad.

"It is clear that the PCB and its selectors have to seek clearance from the ICC for the World Cup players," he noted. Zaheer also said that a lot of injustice had been done meted upon former captain Younus Khan, who made a strong comeback to the national team with a hundred in the first Test at Dubai on Tuesday.

"Lot of injustice was done with Younus but I am glad he has replied with his bat like a world class player by making a hundred," he said. He said that he had no doubt Pakistan had lot of talent but the recent scandals and controversies had hurt it badly.

"No matter what anyone might say but it is a fact that when they are so many controversies going around, when there is indiscipline and poor administration it will affect the players mentally and they will never be able to give their 100 per cent on the field," Abbas added.

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 us without showing any worthwhile evidence and then retaining that suspension is injustice," Amir told the Duniya news channel.

Amir, alongwith, former Test captain Salman Butt and pace colleague Muhammad Asif was provisionally suspended by the ICC on September 2 after the News of the World tabloid carried a report that alleged bookie Mazhar Majeed had bribed them to spot-fix in the fourth Test against England at Lord's. The trio then appealed with the ICC against their suspensions with Asif later withdrawing his appeal. Butt and Aamir appeared before a one-man appellate tribunal in Dubai last month which dismissed their appeals. Amir said that the experience of appearing before the appellate tribunal had been a hugely disappointing one.

"No evidence was shown to us. Our lawyers gave strong arguments in favour of lifting the suspensions, but they (ICC) ignored it," he said. Amir claimed that under ICC's anti-corruption regulations if the game's governing body fails to produce any evidence against the trio by next month then their suspensions would be removed automatically.

The 19-year-old left-arm pacer said it was frustrating wait for the trio as it had been more than two months since the ICC had enforced the suspension on them but till now failed to set a date for the full hearing.

Interestingly, sources in the Pakistan Cricket Board said today that the ICC had finally constituted a three-member tribunal that would hold the full hearing into the allegations against the players between January 3 to 11 next year. Amir also claimed that the video footage of the players with Majeed proved nothing and could not be considered as an evidence.

He also claimed that Scotland Yard in its initial two reports given to the Crown Prosecutor's Office in London had not been able to produce any substantial evidence and had now submitted a third file.vAmir also felt that the PCB after supporting the players initially had gone on the backfoot. He expressed confidence that the trio would be cleared before the 2011 World Cup in the the sub-continent.

"Missing the World Cup would be a disaster for someone like me. But I know I am innocent and my conscience is clear and my lawyers are also working hard on my case. "The ICC has to decide before the World Cup on our case. That is why I feel I will be able to play in the tournament," Amir said. The promising pacer said that even though he did not play a single competitive game since the suspension, he was carrying out his individual training on daily basis. "I want to be ready when the time comes for my comeback," Amir said.

"I have had a lot of good things to see in my cricketing career. Now I am going through this bad phase but one has to cope with both situations and I am doing that. I am just grateful that my family and friends are supporting me a lot," he added.