RCB hope to make up for twin losses

“We have put the Chennai match behind. We have to forget the last match and move on to the next game. In this type (T20) of game, you win some and lose some,” RCB’s leading spin offie Muthaiah Muralitharan told reporters late Saturday.

Recalling that the previous match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Thursday was a close one on a good wicket, the Sri Lankan legendary bowler said though RCB scored well (205 runs), they lost the match in the last two overs when 43 runs were scored by CSK batters Albie Morkel and Dwayne Bravo.

“Unfortunately we lost the game in the last two overs as they (CSK) played very well. Our calculations went wrong. We thought we will pull it off but didn’t happen that way. It was a learning experience,” Muralitharan admitted before joining his team for practice in the nets at the adjacent national cricket academy’s grounds under flood lights for their third encounter on home turf.

Asserting that no team was going to win all the matches (16) and are bound to lose some at the league level, Muralitharan said which ever team will have the momentum, will qualify for a slot in top four matches.

After winning their first league match against Delhi Daredevils by 20 run April 7 here, the hosts lost to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 42 runs here April 10 and to CSK by five wickets at Chennai April 11.

Asked if the team has any special plan to beat Royals to reverse the fortunes, Muralitharan said they would give their best shot to get back to winning with the advantage of playing on the home pitch and in front of supporting fans.

“We have a set team with experienced and some young players. Don’t forget we were twice runners-up. Even in Champions Trophy. We have to go and perform to our potential to win as many matches as we can to make it to the qualifiers,” Muralitharan asserted.

Led by local lad Rahul Dravid, Royals will also look for an outright win after they lost two away games back-to-back against Mumbai Indians (MI) by 27 runs in Mumbai April 11 and against KKR by five wickets at Kolkata Friday after registering two consecutive wins at Jaipur over Kings XI Punjab by 31 runs April 6 and KKR by 22 runs April 8.

Nobody is unbeatable in IPL: Gilchrist

“They (KKR) are very tough opponents. We are very mindful of that. But I don't see any team who are unbeatable. Everyone on a given day can beat any other team,” said Gilchrist on the eve of their match against the Knight Riders to be played at the Eden Gardens Sunday.


“KKR have got big names. Every player can do a terrific job and so often in a T20 (match) it's the individual performance that can set a game up. They are all dangerous,” he said.

The Australian wicket keeper-batsman also expressed satisfaction over his team’s performance. “Our record is very similar to that of a lot of teams. Some have one and two, two-one or two-two win-loss record. We are really pleased with the way we are doing.”

“As far as our team environment is concerned, we are a terrific bunch of guys. We don't feel we have any super megastar who brings in any big ego. I'm not insinuating that anyone else has that. We are a very relaxed and enthusiastic group,” he said.

Gilchrist hoped that batsman Paul Valthaty will regain his form soon. The dasher last year had won the best individual performance award for his knock of 120 not out off 63 while chasing a score of 189 runs against Chennai Super Kings.


“Everyone has been in these situations in their career. We are just trying to keep backing him. We are just trying to encourage him, to keep relaxed. He is just got to trust in his abilities so that he does not lose his talent,” said he.


Gilchrist was also all praise for Punjab pacer Harmeet Singh.

England cricket stars batting for good causes

England wicket keeper Matt Prior and the team's wicket-keeping coach Bruce French would embark upon the 100 mile South Downs way on bicycles to raise money for Chestnut Tree House this week, which is a local charity.

The charity is also one of the recipients of Prior's Sussex benefit year, and his decision to give that extra effort has earned him plaudits among the cricket fraternity, The Mirror reports.

Next Sunday, the England coach Andy Flower will be doing his small piece alongside team psychologist Mark Bawden by running the London Marathon in support of three charities, each with a special connection to him.

Even England's legendary cricketer Sir Ian Botham is not staying behind, as he will be hitting the streets again in the name of beating blood cancer and raising money for Leukemia and Lymphoma Research.

Botham has been doing this for over 25 years and has raised both money and awareness beyond all measure for a disease that kills far fewer now than when he started.

ICC Executive Board to meet in Dubai

The major topics on the agenda are:

Independent Governance Review - Woolf Report

In April 2011, the ICC had adopted a new strategic plan which identified the need for an independent governance review as one of its key strategic initiatives to ‘build a bigger, better global game’.

In August 2011, after confirming the scope for the review, the ICC Board appointed Lord Woolf of Barnes and PricewaterhouseCoopers to conduct the review.

Following extensive engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, Lord Woolf and PwC presented at the last ICC Board meeting their 60 page report which contains 65 recommendations. The Board had agreed to study the report at this April meeting.

The report highlights four fundamental issues:

1. Ensuring good governance – an effective Board that provides strong leadership.

2. Ethical standards – essential for ICC to embed the highest ethical standards with Members expected to adopt similar standards.

3. The reform of Members’ rights – particularly removing the obligation to play Test cricket.

4. Increasing the resources of the ICC – a self-funded ICC that distributes surplus revenue on a needs basis in its role to promote and develop international cricket across all Members.

The recommendations are summarised into five main areas:

· Role of the ICC

· The ICC Board

· Ethics

· Membership, Board structure and Committees

· Funding

ICC Vice-President (2012-2014) nomination

The ICC has received the joint nomination of Mustafa Kamal from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as the next ICC Vice-President and who will succeed Mr Alan Isaac as the ICC President in 2014.

Following a Board resolution to change the constitution to split the role of ICC President and Chairman of the Board, this nomination is yet to be considered by the Board.

The Board will also receive an update on progress made to replace Haroon Lorgat who vacates the position of Chief Executive at the end of the Annual Conference in June 2012. The executive recruitment firm, Egon Zehnder International, is presently conducting a search for a suitable candidate.

Twenty20 strategy and other CEC recommendations for Board consideration

Following constructive discussions at the March meeting of the Chief Executive’s Committee (CEC), the ICC Board will also discuss and contribute towards enhancing the strategy for Twenty20 cricket in developing the game and managing volume.

The CEC has recommended that the ICC World T20 should remain a joint men’s and women’s event and should be increased to 16 men’s teams from 2014 onwards.

In addition, CEC also recommended that -

· the maximum number of T20s allowed in the year in which the ICC World Twenty20 is played should be increased by three (twelve to fifteen per Full Member);

· Associate and Affiliate Members should consider submitting a proposal to stage an ICC WT20 event in a key developing market;

· the current ranking systems be retained in their current form and are fit for the purposes of qualification to ICC events and promotion/relegation;

· a preliminary/high level independent evaluation of participation in multi-sport events be undertaken and that the invitation to take part in the Commonwealth Games to be held on the Gold Coast in Australia in April 2018 be explored;

· a framework for the recognition of various types of disability cricket be developed.

Schedule of ICC events 2015 to 2023

The ICC has already commenced with planning for the new rights cycle post 2015 and a key prerequisite of this is to determine the ICC events that will be staged. The Board will consider the events to be hosted in this new rights cycle.

Other agenda items include update reports on the implementation of Anti-Corruption Codes at domestic level; the ICC World Test Championship and the promotion of all three formats of international cricket; the ICC Development Programme Strategy, which was supported by the CEC at its last meeting; and approval of the ICC’s audited Annual Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2011.

The ICC Board consists of the president or chairman from each of the 10 Full Members plus three Associate Member representatives. Also present at ICC Board meetings is the ICC President, who chairs proceedings, the ICC Chief Executive and the ICC Vice-President, as well as by invitation, the ICC Principal Advisor.

Sharad Pawar ICC President

Alan Isaac ICC Vice-President

Haroon Lorgat ICC Chief Executive

Zaka Ashraf Pakistan

Dr Willie Basson South Africa

Peter Chingoka Zimbabwe

Giles Clarke England and Wales

Wally Edwards Australia

Dr Julian Hunte West Indies

Mustafa Kamal Bangladesh

Imran Khwaja Associate Member Representative

Nuski Mohamed Sri Lanka (alternate for Upali Dharmadasa)

Chris Moller New Zealand
Keith Oliver Associate Member Representative

Neil Speight Associate Member Representative

Narayanaswami Srinivasan India

We got players to beat any team: Dravid

“We believe that we got players who can beat any team on a given day. We have a team, which can win us matches as we have shown in the first two games when we had beaten stronger teams like Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Kings XI Punjab,” Dravid told reporters late Saturday on the eve of a crucial league match with RCB on his home ground.

Admitting that the Royals could not sustain the winning momentum in the two home-away games, Dravid said though the team lost in the previous two matches against Mumbai Indians in Mumbai by 27 runs April 11 and against KKR by five wickets in Kolkata late Friday, they were quite close games.

“It is not that we have been completely outclassed. We know we are a tough team to play at home. We haven’t had a great record away. We want to keep improving and do better in every game we will play though we have quite a young squad,” Dravid said.

Asserting Royals had lot of potential to surprise other teams however strong, Dravid said it was exciting to work with a lot of young players and be as much competitive in the tournament to start winning home-away games too.

“I think we were quite competitive in the last two games though they were close and would have gone either way. Hopefully, we will start winning away games hereafter,” Dravid noted.

Observing that it was honour to play in Bangalore and on the ground he grew up playing cricket, Dravid said it would be exciting to play in front of the home crowd against a host team.

“I am luck to play in Bangalore. It is great to play here as I had grown up playing here. Though am playing for another team, am sure I will continue to get the same support from the home crowd as I had over the years when I played for the country, the legendary batsman, who retired from Tests last month, recalled.

Asked if he was following in the footsteps of the legendary Aussie Shane Warne, who captained Royals in the first four IPL series till last year, to enable the team win the trophy for the second time after bagging it for the first time in the opening series in 2008,

Dravid said to lead the team was not a rocket science as he believed in keeping things as simple as possible.

“We give our boys freedom to play and express their views. That's what I noticed with Warnie last year. This is a bit of the same this year. We don't over-complicate things by holding long meetings and practice sessions. What we do is to play with intensity and have a lot of fun at the same time. I have been pleased with the boys’ performance,” he pointed out.

On the pitch conditions, the Royals skipper said the Chinnaswamy stadium had a good wicket with a fair sprinkling of grass albeit a few cracks on it.

“As (Lakshmipathy) Balaji of KKR got four wickets here (against RCB April 10), the track has something for seamers though spinners like (Muthaiah) Muralitharan and (Daniel) Vettori were able to take wickets as they are quality bowlers.

Pune defeat CSK in a thriller

The much-hyped encounter between two of India's best captains had every ingredient in it to be billed as one of the best games in this season of the cash rich league.

Chasing 156 for victory, Sourav Ganguly's Pune Warriors reached the winning runs by losing only three wickets and in just 19.2 overs.

Needing 10 to win from the last over of the game, Smith hit back to back boundary and a six to give the side their third victory in four matches they have played this season.

Smith scored 44 runs from 22 deliveries, hitting four boundaries and three sixes in the match.

New Zealand's opener J Ryder proved once again that why he can be so dangerous in T20 format as he hit a match winning knock of 73 runs from 56 deliveries.

Ryder hit seven boundaries and a six in the match.

R Uthappa (10) and S Ganguly (16) were run out at crucial junctures of the game, making the Pune Warriors score card stand at 65 runs for the loss of two wickets at the end of 8.2 overs.

M Samuels (8) failed to perform with his willow on Saturday.

Smith and Ryder added 66 runs in the fourth wicket partnership that helped the home side clinch a crucial win against the two-time IPL champions.


Earlier, CSK had scored scored 155 runs for the loss of five wickets in their quota of 20 overs.

R Jadeja (44), MS Dhoni (26), F du Plessis (43) made some handsome contributions with the willows.

R Sharma remained the top of the Pune bowlers as he picked up two wickets by giving away only 16 runs.

J Ryder of Pune Warriors was named the 'Man of the Match' at the end of the game.

Chanderpaul moves to fifth in Test rankings

His rise comes on the heels of his unbeaten 103 in the opening Test against Australia at the Kensington Oval.


It was his 25th Test century, surpassing legendary captain Sir Vivian Richards (24) and moving to within one of the incomparable Sir Garry Sobers.

Chanderpaul is now also just 188 runs away from becoming the second West Indies batsman to reach 10,000 Test runs, behind the outstanding Brian Lara, who finished with 11,953 runs.

Meanwhile, the left-handed Darren Bravo, who scored 51 in the first innings and 32 in the second, has remained 21st in the rankings despite reaching a career-best ratings points of 695.

At the top, Australia captain Michael Clarke fell two places to allow South African AB de Villiers to take sole possession of the number one spot.

In the bowling rankings, captain and medium pacer Darren Sammy has jumped four places to 22nd, to become the highest ranked West Indies bowler after taking three wickets in consistent spells in the last Test.

South African speedster Dale Steyn leads an unchanged top five.

Spot fixing convict Mohammad Asif to be released in first week of May: Lawyer

Asif's lawyer Ravi Sukul said they were waiting for release orders, adding that final date of his release has not yet received, The News reports.

He also said they would approach the court if Asif was deported from England.

He added that Asif had already pleaded not guilty in the British and International Arbitrary Court.

The ICC had banned Asif from participating in all forms of cricket for seven years over his alleged involvement in the spot-fixing scam during the 2010 Lord's Test against England.

Asif was also handed a one- year prison sentence by London's Southwark Crown Court over the scandal.

He is currently lodged at Her Majesty's Canterbury prison, a category C jail, which specialises in housing foreign criminals convicted in Britain.

Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar calls for consistent use of technology in cricket

In an exclusive interview with PakPassion.net, Dar claimed consistent use of technology in cricket would make the task easier for umpires.

When asked whether he was in favor of the Decision Review System (DRS), Dar said: "Definitely. I'm strongly in favour of the DRS and I think it's very helpful to umpires sometimes."

"Some umpires do find it uncomfortable having to reverse a decision that they have made in front of thousands at the ground and millions on television. But umpires are human they will make mistakes too. One incorrect decision can change the whole scenario of a match and that's why I am in favour of the DRS," he added.

"However there has to be consistency though with the technology that is made available. In the recent Sri Lanka versus England series the hotspot technology was not being used. To have the use of consistent elements of technology at each match would make it easier for players, spectators and umpires alike. DRS ensures that most decisions can be corrected," he said.

When Dar was quizzed about his viewpoint whether the hotspot technology should be used in every cricket series, he replied: "Yes absolutely. That technology is being made available in series in Australia and England and it's definitely benefiting the decision making process."

"Also the super slow motion cameras - this type of technology definitely helps the umpires. If all this technology was available in every series then it would bring about consistency to the DRS process," he added.

Hilfenhaus, Harris get career-best ratings

Man of the Match Harris, who took three for 31 in the West Indies second innings, jumps five places to 16th in the rankings with his highest-ever ratings points of 614. Hilfenhaus, who not only took four for 27 in the West Indies second innings but also scored the match-winning run, climbs three places to eighth with 751 ratings points.

In the batting rankings Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who scored a first innings 103, has moved up three places to fifth while Darren Bravo, with 51 in the first innings and 32 in the second, has attained a career-best ratings points of 695 but remains 21st in the batting rankings.

South Africa’s AB de Villiers now stands alone as the number one ranked batsman after Australia’s captain Michael Clarke dropped two ranking spots to third and his predecessor, Ricky Ponting, also fell by three spots to 19th.

Reliance ICC Test Rankings (after Bridgetown Test)

Batsmen (top 30)

Rank (+/-) Player Team Pts Ave HS Rating
1 ( - ) AB de Villiers SA 821! 49.16 821 v NZ at Wellington 2012
2 (+1) Jacques Kallis SA 819 56.78 935 v NZ at Centurion 2007
3 (-2) Michael Clarke Aus 809 49.48 855 v Eng at Headingley 2009
4 ( - ) Younus Khan Pak 797 52.44 880 v SL at Lahore 2009
5 (+3) S.Chanderpaul WI 785 49.61 901 v NZ at Napier 2008
6 (-1) Kumar Sangakkara SL 779 54.86 938 v Eng at Kandy 2007
7 (-1) Alastair Cook Eng 777 48.69 836 v Ind at Edgbaston 2011
8 (-1) Thilan Samaraweera SL 772 52.84 775 v SA at Cape Town 2012
9 ( - ) Hashim Amla SA 763 46.98 842 v Ind at Kolkata 2010
10 ( - ) Ross Taylor NZ 761 43.52 775 v Pak at Wellington 2009
11 ( - ) Graeme Smith SA 753 49.64 843 v Eng at Johannesburg 2010
12= ( - ) Sachin Tendulkar Ind 749 55.44 898 v Zim at Nagpur 2002
( - ) Azhar Ali Pak 749*! 43.17 749 v Eng at Dubai 2012
14 ( - ) Jonathan Trott Eng 744 52.70 856 v SL at Cardiff 2011
15 ( - ) Misbah-ul-Haq Pak 741 45.27 771 v Eng at Abu Dhabi 2012
16 (+1) Mahela Jayawardena SL 731 51.17 883 v Ind at Ahmedabad 2009
17 (+1) Kevin Pietersen Eng 728 49.28 909 v WI at Headingley 2007
18 ( - ) Mike Hussey Aus 722 50.62 921 v WI at Kingston 2008
19 (-3) Ricky Ponting Aus 705 53.08 942 v Eng at Adelaide 2006
20 ( - ) Ian Bell Eng 702 46.49 822 v Ind at The Oval 2011
21 ( - ) Darren Bravo WI 695*! 51.58 695 v Aus at Bridgetown 2012
22 ( - ) VVS Laxman Ind 662 45.97 781 v WI at Dominica 2011
23 ( - ) Brendon McCullum NZ 651 36.53 673 v Pak at Hamilton 2011
24 ( - ) Matt Prior Eng 647 43.09 693 v Pak at Dubai 2012
25 ( - ) Virender Sehwag Ind 644 50.79 866 v SL at Galle 2010
26 ( - ) Tamim Iqbal Ban 622 38.00 707 v Eng at Old Trafford 2010
27 ( - ) Shane Watson Aus 606 38.37 729 v Eng at Perth 2010
28 ( - ) Shakib Al Hasan Ban 596 ! 34.68 596 v Pak at Mirpur 2011
29 ( - ) Andrew Strauss Eng 594 41.01 769 v SA at Johannesburg 2005
30 ( - ) Angelo Mathews SL 586*! 40.63 586 v Eng at Colombo (PSS) 2012

Bowlers (top 20)

Rank (+/-) Player Team Pts Ave HS Rating
1 ( - ) Dale Steyn SA 886 23.18 902 v SL at Centurion 2011
2 ( - ) Saeed Ajmal Pak 835 ! 26.70 835 v Eng at Dubai 2012
3 ( - ) James Anderson Eng 798 30.16 813 v Ind at Edgbaston 2011
4 ( - ) Graeme Swann Eng 779 27.97 858 v Pak at Lord's 2010
5 ( - ) Rangana Herath SL 769 ! 32.09 769 v Eng at Colombo (PSS) 2012
6 (+1) Vernon Philander SA 764*! 14.15 764 v NZ at Wellington 2012
7 (-1) Peter Siddle Aus 755 29.27 768 v Ind at Adelaide 2012
8 (+3) Ben Hilfenhaus Aus 751*! 28.33 751 v WI at Bridgetown 2012
9 (-1) Stuart Broad Eng 749 31.25 777 v Pak at Dubai 2012
10 (-1) Abdur Rehman Pak 739*! 27.37 739 v Eng at Dubai 2012
11 (-1) Morne Morkel SA 733 30.03 776 v Aus at Cape Town 2011
12 ( - ) Zaheer Khan Ind 697 31.78 752 v SA at Durban 2010
13 ( - ) Shakib Al Hasan Ban 678* 31.33 680 v WI at Mirpur 2011
14 ( - ) Chris Martin NZ 651 33.59 669 v SA at Hamilton 2012
15 ( - ) Umar Gul Pak 642 ! 32.47 642 v Eng at Dubai 2012
16 (+5) Ryan Harris Aus 614*! 22.63 614 v WI at Bridgetown 2012
17 (-1) Daniel Vettori NZ 611 34.16 681 v Aus at Auckland 2000
18 (-1) Tim Bresnan Eng 600* 24.16 623 v Ind at The Oval 2011
19 (-1) Shane Watson Aus 591* 28.36 633 v SA at Cape Town 2011
20 (-1) Mitchell Johnson Aus 577 31.29 825 v Eng at Cardiff 2009

All-rounders (top five)

Rank (+/-) Player Team Pts HS Rating

1 ( - ) Shakib Al Hasan Ban 404 /*! 404 v Pak at Mirpur 2011
2 ( - ) Jacques Kallis SA 385 616 v Pak at Durban 2002
3 ( - ) Stuart Broad Eng 365 382 v Pak at Abu Dhabi 2012
4 ( - ) Shane Watson Aus 358 /* 394 v SA at Johannesburg 2011
5 ( - ) Daniel Vettori NZ 349 412 v Pak at Napier 2009

*indicates provisional rating; a batsman qualifies for a full rating after playing 40 Test innings; a bowler qualifies for a full rating when he reaches 100 Test wickets.
!indicates career-highest rating

Azhar Mahmood gets Indian visa

Kings XI Punjab skipper Adam Gilchrist confirmed the news on Friday and said: "I have just been told that he has received a visa."

Gilchrist told reporters that Mahmood is likely to join the IPL side soon.

Mahmood, who is now a British citizen, was picked up by Kings XI Punjab during this year's players' auction.

37-year-old Mahmood has played 21 Test matches and 143 One Day Internationals (ODI) for Pakistan.

Mahmood will be the only former Pakistani player to play in this season of the IPL if he finally joins Kings XI Punjab.

Pak batsman Azhar Ali keen to play in all three cricket formats

"If given a chance I will definitely try to perform well in the twenty over and fifty over formats too", quoted Ali, as saying.

Ali admitted that the match conditions in the United Arab Emirates would be beneficial to Pakistan in the upcoming series.

"We have a slight edge over England when it comes to the conditions, but the England team is also preparing very hard for the series and will be very well prepared too when the matches begin," Ali said.

Ali has so far featured regularly in Tests as a batsman at the number 3 spot, and scored 12 half centuries and one century at an average of 42.

"I bat in accordance with my own style, I don't try to do things at the crease that are not my strengths, but the importance of my batting at the number three position adds more responsibility to my role," Ali said

Gavaskar blasts Team India ethic of skipping practice sessions for sightseeing

Gavaskar blasted India's work ethic following the innings and 68-run defeat in the second Test at Sydney.

"Christmas is big in Australia and it's understandable for Australian players taking off after first Test, but what were our players doing? Why were not they doing practice? Have they gone there for sightseeing or to play cricket?" Fox News quoted Gavaskar, as saying.

"The first Test ended on the fourth day and it's OK if they took off on the fifth day but why don't they do practice after that? I don't know what is the attitude of the players.
While on tour they should practice, practice and practice to have in proper frame of mind to be competitive. Why nobody is asking questions? These questions should be asked," he added.

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni stressed that his side have got sufficient practice for the Test, and has advised them to switch to recreational activities to help them de- stress.

"You don't want to over-do it. There may be a few individuals who want to spend a bit more time on the field but I feel it's always important to switch off in cricket," Dhoni said.

"It helps you de-stress a bit and helps you to come back in a positive state of mind. I feel that rather than spending more and more time on the field practicing, we need to spend some time off the field in recreational activities and get some time off," he added

Conditions in UAE will favour Pakistan: Misbah

Talking to media Saturday after the conclusion of the team's week-long training session in eastern city Lahore, Misbah said Pakistan would have an advantage in the series against England, ranked No.1. The two teams will also play four ODIs and three Twenty20s after the Test series.

"We know the conditions in the UAE as we have played a lot of cricket there so we have become used to the venues so that will definitely be an advantage for us," Misbah said.

While replying to the criticism over his defensive style of batting and captaincy Misbah defended his strategy and said: "It is better to win by playing defensively, instead of losing by playing aggressively. It's all about the situation; what you are required to do or not do."

Talking about the conditions in the UAE, Misbah said that it would be challenging for both teams because taking wickets and scoring runs are difficult in slow pitches.

Pakistan's 14-member besides officials and team staff will leave for the UAE Monday and Pakistan will play its first Test match against England Jan 17 in Dubai.

Pakistani team officials and captain also hoped that they would go for the game while forgetting the 2010 tragedy of spot fixing allegation on Pakistani players during their visit to England.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has already given specific and strict instructions to the players to focus only the game and avoid any kind of controversy during the series against English team.

In 2011, Pakistan had an impressive record as they did not lose any of the Test series they played and qualified for the semi-finals of the World Cup in India.

Pakistan is scheduled to play three Test matches, four One-Day International and two Twenty20 matches against England

Injured Pattinson hopeful of return to ODI squad

The lanky seamer picked up the foot injury during the second Test at the SCG, where the hosts won by an innings and 68 runs.

"It's not as bad as first thought. I'll probably miss two Test matches and then I will probably look to play the One-dayers, so it's not all bad," Pattinson was quoted as saying by 'Fox Sports'.

Pattinson admitted that he was not hundred per cent fit during India's second innings because he had experienced similar pain in the foot before.

"I reported a bit of pain to (physiotherapist) Alex (Kountouris) during the second innings and it was just sort of getting worse and worse," he said.

"I have had a stress fracture in my foot before and I know the feeling, so I just reported that and said it felt similar. So he just got me to get a scan and it showed there was a hot spot," he added

Sachin, Dravid and VVS slip in ICC Test rankings; Clarke jumps to 8th

While batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar's inability to reach the elusive 100th international ton made him slip two places to the sixth position, Dravid falling four spots to 15th and Laxman slipping one place to the 18th spot.

Sehwag has fallen out of the top 20, in 22nd position, after conceding four places.

Meanwhile, after notching an unbeaten triple ton in the second Test against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Aussie skipper Michael Clarke has rocketed his way into the top 10 of the ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen for the first time in 15 months.

This is Clarke's best ranking since his eighth position which he had achieved after the Mohali Test against India in October 2010. The charismatic skipper has also become his side's highest-ranked batsman after leapfrogging veteran southpaw Michael Hussey.

While, Hussey has moved up four places to 12th position after scoring an unconquered 150, former captain Ricky Ponting, who was the third centurion in the SCG Test, has also gained a place and is now in 23rd spot.

The other batters who have improved their rankings are veteran Protea all-rounder Jacques Kallis and his teammates AB de Villiers and Alviro Petersen.

For Sri Lanka, Thilan Samaraweera is the only batsman to make an upward movement.

Meanwhile, in the ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers, Aussie pacer Ben Hilfenhaus has continued his impressive form and has broken into the top 20 for the maiden time in his career.

Hilfenhaus, who had figures of 3-51 and 5-106, has jumped 11 places to claim 11th position. The 28-year-old Tasmanian is just two ratings points behind 10th-ranked Daniel Vettori of New Zealand.

South Africa's Vernon Philander has also gained seven places to claim a career-best ranking of 21st after match figures of six for 100.

Meanwhile, after wrapping up its three-Test series against Sri Lanka on Friday with a crushing win in Cape Town, South Africa gained one ratings point, keeping it in the third position in the ICC Test Team Championship table.

Nevertheless, the good news for Graeme Smith's side is that it will will be ranked second when the Test Championship table is next updated after the Adelaide Test.

This is because India's successive defeats in Australia means the best Mahendra Singh Dhoni's side can now achieve is a two-all draw which will not be enough to keep it ahead of South Africa on the Championship table.

If the series in Australia ends in a draw, then India and South Africa will be locked at 117 ratings points but the Proteas will be ranked ahead of India when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.

However, if Australia makes a clean sweep of the series, then both sides will be locked at 111 ratings points, but India will still be ranked above Australia by a fraction of a point.

Meanwhile, in the ICC Player Rankings for Test all-rounders, Kallis has returned to second position, which he had conceded after a disappointing Durban Test.

Kallis backed up his double-century with second innings figures of three for 35 which have helped him sit just nine ratings points behind Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh - the man who ended his reign of three thousand, six hundred and ninety-six days at the top of the all-rounders' ranking by becoming the first Bangladesh player to score a century and take five wickets in the same innings of a Test against Pakistan last month.

Cricket Australia in no hurry to rush injured pacers for comeback

Cummins still cannot put the weight of his body through the foot he injured in South Africa and is running on a machine used by Sydney Swans footballers to reduce the load as he continues his slow recovery.

“The injury is healing slowly. It’s frustrating not to be playing. It’s going to take some time before I can get back out there, so I can’t put a date on it,” Cummins said.

Pattinson, who showed the first signs of a stress reaction in his foot towards the end of the second Test against India, wants to return for the one-day series against India and Sri Lanka but CA’s team performance manager, Pat Howard, suggested a comeback towards the end of that tournament was more realistic, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

He suffered a similar injury, to a different bone in the same foot, two years ago but medical staff believes early detection this time has saved him from a worse injury.

“We won’t rush him back. We’ll look to bring him back later in the [one-day] series depending on what players are available and where we are at that stage,” Howard said of Pattinson.

With three fast bowlers aged 21 or younger developing foot stress injuries - Josh Hazlewood also broke down last week - Howard said CA was gathering as much data as possible and initiated a review of its injury-management practices.

CA keeps data on each bowler going back several years. Pattinson’s recent workload meant he was due to be rested for the second or third Test against India anyway, despite being one of Australia''s most dangerous bowlers

Akram fears another 0-4 drubbing for India

India are trailing 0-2 in the four-match Border-Gavasakar Trophy series after suffering massive losses in Melbourne and Sydney. The innings defeat at Sydney was India's sixth successive Test loss.

"Winning matters, but to win overseas is the real thing. India does well in their backyard but are found wanting when they play on foreign pitches. When I was playing, Pakistan had won in New Zealand, Australia, West Indies and England and that made us a top side," Akram was quoted as saying by espnstar.com.

Akram feels there is something seriously wrong in India's planning and execution.

"India are seriously looking out of sorts. There seems to be no planning in the team. Players are just looking like individuals and not gelling as a unit. This is surprising, considering the fact that almost the same team were world No. 1 just a few months back," he said.

Referring to India's humiliating loss in Sydney, Akram said: "India lost the plot on the second day itself. It was disheartening to see the fielders lose hope as the Aussie batsmen piled on the runs. The lack of coordination between players made me feel that India are going to field for another two days."

"The seniors were not talking with their young bowlers. It was only Sachin Tendulkar whom I saw chatting with Ishant Sharma. Such body language was very unlike Dhoni and company."

Akram said India failed to capitalise the opportunity when Australia were reduced to three for 37 in the first innings.

"Australia were three down for 37 on Day 2 and it was the opportune time for India to strike hard. But as soon as Ponting and Clarke took control, the complexion of the Indian attack changed for the worse in just six or seven overs. The shoulders drooped and the fielding became dull. So, the overall body language was very negative," he said.

Finally, a cricket reality show on Indian TV

The show is being launched in association with New Delhi-based Indraprastha All India Sports Foundation. Cricketers like Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Keerti Aazad and Piyush Chawla among others will be mentors on the show.

"There is a definite attraction for such a show on cricket. Our main target audience at UTV Bindass is the youth, who will be happy to see revered icons like Irfan Pathan mentoring young cricket enthusiasts on how to play professionally," Keith Alphonso, the channel's business head, told IANS over phone from Mumbai.

The basic concept of the show is to choose players, who have the talent but not the opportunity.

The markets in which "Cricket Champs" will hunt for the players will be Mumbai, Kolkata, New Delhi, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Chennai, Bangalore and Patna. It will also travel to other states - Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.

The cricketers will be chosen in two categories -- Under-16 and Under-22, and the on-ground hunt for the show will begin Jan 17, 2012, in the capital.

The selected candidates will be divided into eight teams.

The winner of "Cricket Champs" will win a cash prize of Rs.1 million, while the top 10 players will be given a chance to be coached by some renowned names in Indian cricket.

"Cricket is a religion in India. So after music and dance reality shows, it was time do a reality show on cricket. Like the 'Indian Idol', this is a version of 'cricket idol'," Rohini Rajdev, chairperson, Indraprastha All India Sports Foundation, told IANS.

"Through the show, we are not promising a place in the Indian cricket team. But it will prove to be a worthy platform where they can show their talent, learn new things and prove themselves," added Rajdev. 

Dravid's wicked off no ball fired up Peter Siddle

The Victorian’s extra efforts helped him get through Sachin Tendulkar’s defences, dismissing him for 73 just 11 runs later in India’s first innings.

Siddle also claimed Tendulkar’s wicket in second innings, caught at gully for 32.

“It’s just the emotion out on the field. It’s something that just happens,” Siddle, who boosted his career tally to 97 wickets at an average of 30.78 in 28 Tests, said today.

“I had the disappointment of the no-ball which caused me to get a bit fired-up and get into it. It has never spilled over too far. We know how far we can go. It’s nothing silly. It’s a good Test battle out on the field,” he said.

Siddle admitted that being in and out of the side had been tough. “With the disappointment of missing the first two Tests in Sri Lanka (in August-September), I knew I had to change a few things,” he said. 

Jesse Ryder faces fitness problem

Wright admitted all was not well with Ryder’s fitness, and New Zealand’s strength and conditioning coach, Chris Donaldson, and physiotherapist, Paul Close, were working overtime on a plan to help Ryder shed some weight. 

“We’ve worked hard with him, but obviously there’s an issue there and we’ve got to get to the bottom of it,” Wright told The Dominion Post.

The 27-year-old is currently recovering from a grade two right calf strain, suffered during an innocuous canter in the field for Wellington on Tuesday. 

It means up to a month on the sidelines, and was almost identical to the left calf strain he suffered while bowling in the lead-up to the November test in Zimbabwe. 

“We want to work with Jesse and get him fit and get him right. We’ll work out in the next few days how long that’s going to take,” said Wright. 

Wright said Ryder would have to prove his fitness in domestic cricket before being considered for selection. 

“He will have to play some cricket and show he can get through the rigours of a game,” he said.  

Misbah fears losing captaincy: Mohsin

"You have to understand that at his age, he worries about the fact that if he fails in one or two matches, the critics will be after him and he could be dropped," Mohsin was quoted as saying by the 'Express Tribune'.

"That's why he, at times, tends to play it safe. But he has gained confidence as captain and I have been telling him to forget about these things and focus on doing what he’s best at: leading the team by example," he added.

Mohsin also lauded the 37-year-old Misbah's captaincy and said he has developed an ideal working relationship with him.

"Misbah's an intelligent and composed captain and communicates well with the players. He has also quickly picked up the confidence to push for victories. In the last Test against Bangladesh, both of us decided on the spur of moment that even if we get 10 overs, we will go for victory and not settle for a draw," he said.

The former opener also hit back at critics who have accused him of being an armchair coach, not being physically active and holding long team meetings to the frustration of the players.

"People need to understand that the job of a coach is to make his players mentally strong and just guide and discuss strategies with them. You can not teach anything more to people like Misbah or Younus Khan at this stage," he said. 

We have to play above our level of ability: Taufeeq

"England have been performing very well and have a strong combination. We saw last summer, when India toured England, just what a powerful team they have. This series will be very competitive and tough for us and if we have to beat them, we will have to play above our level of ability," Taufeeq was quoted as saying by the 'Express Tribune'.

Taufeeq expects bowlers to hold the key in the series, which will be played on batting-friendly tracks in the UAE, conditions that England are not very used to.

"A world-class bowler will perform well on any surface. England have a world-class bowling attack and they know how to bowl in the conditions they will encounter in the UAE. However, we have done well against South Africa and Sri Lanka there and we can give England a hard time too," he said.

Meanwhile, heaping praises on the captaincy of Misbahul Haq, the southpaw said the 37-year-old Misbah has been leading the side from the front since taking over the reins of the side.

"Misbah sets the right example for the rest of us to follow and the team's success is down to his efforts. His attitude is very professional and friendly, and all the boys feel very comfortable with him," Taufeeq said. 

A scream that reaped a score

By indulging in a spot of impromptu primal scream therapy following his Boxing Day dismissal in Melbourne, Michael Hussey betrayed the frustrations of a dire run of scores. Having yelled to the heavens for a little more good fortune as he marched off the field, Hussey duly received it in the second innings, making a pivotal 89 with the help of a dropped catch and an edge behind that was not detected by the umpires.

That performance, in a partnership of great value with Ricky Ponting, shored up Hussey's place in Australia's immediate plans, after a sequence of innings in which he had been getting out at all the wrong times. As perplexing for Hussey were the ways in which technology had conspired against him. InHobart he was lbw first ball on referral, then at the MCG he was given out for another golden duck without having recourse to refer due to India's reluctance to employ the DRS.

"I said something like 'give us a break'," Hussey said of his scream. "I just felt like I'd been preparing so well, I felt really good in my mind, I felt like I'd been hitting the ball really well in the last couple of months but I hadn't felt like I'd got any reward for the hard work that I'd been putting in. I was almost just yelling at the cricket gods really to give me a break here, you know? I probably got a bit of a break in the second innings so it's amazing how the game works."

The DRS shall remain a point of conjecture throughout the series, and Hussey maintained Australia's support of it, while offering some reservations about the veracity of ball-tracking technology.

"I'm a fan of the DRS just to give the umpires a helping hand there for one, but also just because we want to get more correct decisions in the match," he said. "I do still think that the technology can be improved, I'm not 100% convinced that there's complete accuracy with the tracking system of the ball. Which is, I believe, one of the reasons the Indians don't want to use it and that's fair enough.

"I'd have to say that I think the umpires did an outstanding job. They've got to make a decision within a split second on what they see and they don't have the benefit of doing the slow-mo replays, having the technology to make their decision. Generally speaking, the umpires down in Melbourne did a great job."

As fortunate as Hussey was at times in the second innings, he also made his own luck by pursuing runs purposefully and aggressively from a position where Australia might easily have been bowled out for their third score of less than 100 within 12 months. Hussey's first 20 balls, the subject of a dressing room placard urging focus at the start of an innings, reaped 23 runs, and India's grip on the second innings slackened greatly thereafter.

"I didn't come out with any pre-conceived idea," Hussey said. "I felt in really good touch in my own mind ... it's just a case of being able to get away with a bit of a start. I was lucky enough to get a ball on my pads to start with and just by getting away early it can sometimes give you that confidence and impetus to continue playing positively.

"They were attacking obviously, because they had us in a lot of trouble. That opened up scoring opportunities for us and enabled Ricky and I to get a little partnership together and quite a positive one. It was really tough. I think Ishant Sharma was bowling up around 150km/h and it's what Test cricket is all about."

From that base Australia built up to one of the team's most satisfying Test victories of 2011, causing Hussey's duties as leader of the team chant to be played out with particular gusto in the middle of the MCG some hours after the win was completed.

"A very, very satisfying innings and partnership with Ricky," Hussey said. "There's no greater feeling to come in with your team under pressure and to be able to get a partnership to where your team can win the match. When you do go on and win the match you can sit back and after that game and really remember such great feelings. That's where you get your respect from your peers, just going out and doing the business in a real pressure situation. Just a fantastic win by the boys."