Category Uncategorized

Sachin Tendulkar had his first jog this week in almost two months. It happened in Johannesburg that the world’s top batsman ran for only six minutes – but it was enough to lift his spirits on a tough road to recovery that he hopes will lead to greater success on South African fields.In seeking to find relief for a nagging foot injury that has laid him low since early in July, India’s “Little Master” – the only current cricketer considered good enough to be included in the late Sir Donald Bradman’s alltime best XI – came to South Africa where he has spent the past four days in the care of orthopaedic surgeon Dr Mark Ferguson at the Rosebank Centre for Sports Medicine in Johannesburg.Within a couple of days of his arrival, special orthotics were designed by Johannesburg podiatrist Frank Dubowitz and fitted into Tendulkar’s shoes to provide the correct support and cushioning. The critical area is the ball of his right foot which has not mended properly from a hairline fracture suffered while scoring a great match-winning century in a one-day international against West Indies in Harare.Unfortunately an X-ray taken at the time revealed no problem and Tendulkar was given the go-ahead to play in the final of the triangular tournament a few days later. As it turned out, this proved to be both the undoing of both the Indian team and their star player.Before returning home to Mumbai, Tendulkar – who currently averages 57.18 in Test cricket – spoke of his great desire to be fit in time for India’s tour of South Africa which starts in October.In an interview with Rodney Hartman, communications director of the 2003 Cricket World Cup, Tendulkar, scorer of 25 centuries in his 84 test matches, said: “I tried out the orthotics during a six-minute jog. The medical opinion is that I should get back into training very gradually and we are hoping for the best. Once I’m back home I will start with three or four-minute runs and then begin some net practices. I haven’t picked up a bat for the past seven weeks.”Tendulkar said his spirits had been raised with his visit to Johannesburg. “I know that injury is part and parcel of the game but it has been a bit disheartening knowing that the injury has not healed properly. I was very relieved to hear that I do not need surgery. I am now keeping my fingers crossed that I will be fit for the South African tour and I promise that I will be trying very hard to be ready.”South Africa is a lovely place to tour. The cricket played here is very tough.”India do not have a good record against South Africa but Tendulkar, their former captain, believes that a very promising young side will visit this country for three Tests and a series of limited overs internationals in October-November. “The average age of our team is 24 and all they need is the opportunity of playing more together and gaining more experience.”Tendulkar said South Africans should enjoy the batting of 22 year old Virender Shewag who, while opening the Indian innings in the absence of the injured superstar during this month’s triangular limted overs tournament in Sri Lanka, hit a whirlwind 100 in just 69 balls against New Zealand.Looking ahead a further 17 months, Tendulkar said his big goal was to play at the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. “It is a very, very big event and all the world’s players are looking forward to it and will be striving hard to be there. It is also the first World Cup of the century which makes it quite significant. South Africa has excellent facilities to host a World Cup. The atmosphere in your country will be very different and very special. I very much want to be a part of it.”

Darren Wates, the Western Australia allrounder who played 15 first-class games, has stepped down to concentrate on his job as a lawyer. Wates, 30, was a swing bowler and lower-order batsman who was a member of the state’s squad since making his debut in 1999-2000.”After several seasons of being in and out of the team I felt that the time was right for me to move on to the next part of my life and devote my full attention to my professional career,” Wates said. “I’ve been fortunate to have lined up alongside some of the best players to have ever played the game during my time with the Warriors and I have made many lifelong friendships.”Wates won a Best New Talent award in his first year on the domestic one-day scene and appeared in 50 matches. In the domestic first-class competition he had a high of 99 against South Australia and earned 35 wickets at 39.94.”Darren has played an important role on and off the field as a leader, and he has had a major impact on the Warriors’ success over the past decade,” the coach Tom Moody said. “He will be sorely missed by his team-mates and the coaching and support staff because of his cricketing qualities and the wisdom he offers to the entire playing group.”

Younis Khan, the Pakistan vice-captain, has said that India could regret the decision to drop Rahul Dravid for the first two ODIs because senior members performed the vital role of easing pressure on the youngsters in tense situations.”We don’t have too many seniors in the Pakistani team. [Mohammad] Yousuf and I are perhaps the only oldies,” Younis told . “You always need seniors because, when put under pressure, the youngsters may lose it. So when you have players like Sachin [Tendulkar], [Rahul] Dravid and [Sourav] Ganguly in the side, who have handled pressure several times, it only helps the youngsters.”If you drop a player like Sachin then you need to have somebody who can achieve at least 75% of what he has done. Take the Australians for instance; they don’t drop somebody before they have a replacement ready.”India and Pakistan have played each other in 22 one-day internationals since 2004 and know each other well. Younis said that his team was not targeting specific individuals since India had a cluster of match-winners in Tendulkar, Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Robin Uthappa.Younis has plundered the Indian bowling in Tests and averages 106 in 11 innings with four hundreds and three fifties. In ODIs, however, Younis’s record against India isn’t so flash. He averages just below 30 in 22 matches and his average in India is only 16 in five ODIs. Younis, however, was confident of making significant contributions to his team.”I have always performed well against India,” Younis said. “Even when I’m not in form, I strike form. I am sure I will do well this time around as well.”One Pakistan batsman who desperately needs runs is the man Younis replaced as the team’s vice-captain. Salman Butt was dropped from the team for all the ODIs against South Africa and was stripped of the vice-captaincy for the tour of India.”I would not say that it [vice-captiancy] was putting pressure on me but I think somebody who has been in the team for a long time is better for the job. In the meantime, I can just focus on getting good results with the bat and improve myself. The seniors can make plans and strategies and we would just follow them.”Butt warmed up for the one-day series by scoring 83 against Delhi and his excellent ODI record against India – all three of his one-day centuries have come against them – could count in his favour when Pakistan decide on their XI for the first ODI in Guwhati on November 5.

Abdur Rehman, Habib Bank Limited’s (HBL) left-arm spinner withdrawn from the Test squad for the series against West Indies, and Sajid Shah, the right-arm fast bowler, shared eight wickets between them to dismiss Pakistan Customs for a modest 194 on the first day of their final round of the Patron’s Trophy Cricket Championship match at the National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex Stadium.Rehman, 26, got 5 for 54 in 26 overs while Sajid took 3 for 35 runs in 17 overs as Habib Bank put Customs in to bat. Usman Arshad batted for four hours and scored a defiant 60 that included six fours and tail-ender Rizwan Akbar got 38 off 87 balls in with three fours and a six.By close of play on the first day Habib Bank were 30 for no loss, Taufeeq Umar on 19 and Rafatullah Mohmand on 9.Habib Bank have already qualified for the Quadrangular Stage of the tournament, that starts on December 5, after collecting the full 27 points from their first three matches. Customs with only three points to their credit are not in contention.Attock Group scraped a rather poor score of 79 for 3 on a rain-shortened first day of their Patron’s Trophy match against Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) at the United Bank Limited Sports Complex in Karachi.Manzoor Ali Qureshi, making his debut with Attock Group, did well opening with an unbeaten 55 in his maiden first-class innings.ZTBL need to at least gain the first innings lead points from this match, if they intend to join Habib Bank from Pool A in the tournament’s Quadrangular Stage, starting December 5.If they lose to Attock Group, placed at the bottom of the table, they’ll be tied on 18 points with defending champions National Bank, but will lose out on the qualification as they have a lower net run-rate.

Scorecard

Half-centuries by Mohammad Ashraful and Aftab Ahmed helped the Bangladeshis salvage a draw against a Sri Lanka Cricket Development XI in a three-day practice match at the Colombo Colts grounds. This was Bangladesh’s only warm-up game before the first Test against Sri Lanka, which starts at the Premadasa Stadium on September 12.Dismissed for a disappointing 195 in their first innings, the Bangladeshis scored 273 for6 in their second innings before the match was called off after two mandatory overs. The Sri Lanka Cricket Development XI made 412 in their first innings.However, at one stage of the morning session a draw looked quite unlikely when Bangladesh slumped from their overnight total of 31 for 1 to 92 for 4. But Ashraful andAhmed took up the challenge and on a pitch which turned out to be a perfectbatting strip, helped restore Bangladesh’s pride. The pair came together 14 minutes before the lunch break and were not parted until 21 minutes before tea when Ashraful, in sight of a century, lost his cool and was stumped attempting to hit part time bowler Kandamby over the top. Ashraful showed great reserves of concentration, batting for two minutes under three hours for a well-compiled 87 off 150 balls. He hit a six and 11 fours.With the 19-year-old Ahmed, who made a well-struck 67, Ashraful added 123 for thefifth wicket in 108 minutes. Ahmed, who reached his half-century in grand style witha pulled six over midwicket, also hit seven fours in his 123-ball knock. Thilan Samaraweera, the SLC Development XI captain, tried as many as eight bowlers to try and dislodge the pair, and although Ahmed was dismissed soon after tea, Tushar Imran and Khaled Mashud, theformer captain and wicket-keeper, batted out time, occupying the crease for 52 minutesto frustrate the local team’s effort of pulling off a victory.Ashraful said after the match that he was pleased to get runs after a lean trot in the one-day series. “Even though we were 92 for 4 I was confident that as long as I was at the wicket wecould still draw the match. Although I don’t put pressure on myself when I go out tobat, I know that the team expects a lot from me. I thought to myself if I can get runs in England, why not here. After all I scored my maiden Test century in Sri Lanka.” It was at the SSC grounds four years ago that Ashraful, then only 17, had scored a century on Test debut, in the process becoming the youngest to achieve the feat in the history of the game.Habibul Bashar, the Bangladesh captain, said it was encouraging that his side scored runs in tough conditions. “It was good to see the guys respond very well and bat under pressure especially when things got tough. We need some runs from the top order. What I want from themis not 30s, 40s and 50s but big centuries.”

After a first-day washout, Usman Afzaal made up for lost time with an unbeaten 83, as Northampton reached the close on 257 for 5 against Lancashire in the first division of the Frizzell County Championship. Elsewhere, rain had a major say in a full programme of National League matches, as Messrs Duckworth and Lewis brought out their abaci in six of the seven matches – the seventh, Scotland’s match against Nottinghamshire, was beyond salvation.Glamorgan did more than enough in the time available to extend their lead at the top of the first division, as Surrey were plunged deeper into trouble with a nine-wicket defeat at Cardiff – they have now lost five of their seven matches, with one no-result. In the second division, there were wins for the top-of-the-table Yorkshire and Middlesex, while Durham kept up their promotion challenge with an emphatic victory at Taunton.

Frizzell County Championship Division One

Scorecard
Day 1: No play due to rain
Day 2 report: Lancashire frustrated by dour Afzaal The Daily Telegraph

National League Division One

Scorecard
Whirlwind Croft makes Surrey heads spin – The GuardianKent 140 for 2 (Smith 81) beat Warwickshire 233 for 9 (Wagh 83) by 10 runs at Beckenham (D/L method)
Scorecard
Smith makes full use of Kent’s Key absence – The Times

National League Division Two

Derbyshire 215 for 8 (Moss 104) beat Worcestershire 159 for 9 by 18 runs at Derby (D/L method)
Scorecard
Moss century gives Scorpions overseas aid – The TimesMiddlesex 187 for 4 (Weekes 90) beat Leicestershire 205 (Cook 6-37) by six wickets at Leicester (D/L method)
Scorecard
Cook serves up six of the best – The TimesNottinghamshire 205 for 8 (Pietersen 51) v Scotland at Edinburgh – match abandoned
Scorecard
Saltires left frustrated – The Daily TelegraphDurham 278 for 4 (Pratt 67) beat Somerset 210 for 9 (Francis 75) by 16 runs at Taunton (D/L method)
Scorecard
Dynamos have power in reserve – The TimesYorkshire 119 for 2 (Gale 46) beat Sussex 118 by eight wickets at Arundel
Scorecard
Yorkshire get winning buzz – The Daily Telegraph

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, Apr.1, WICB: Daren Ganga has been named to lead a CaribBeer XI against the visiting Australians in their three-day, tour opener atthe Everest Cricket Club in Georgetown, starting on Saturday.Ganga is one of only three Test players named in the final 11. The other twoare fast bowlers Marlon Black and Adam Sanford.Sylvester Joseph, who played a handful of limited-overs matches for WestIndies, is the only other international player in the side.Squad: Daren Ganga (captain), Devon Smith, Dwayne Bravo, Aneil Kanhai,Sylvester Joseph, Narsingh Deonarine, Carlton Baugh, Jr., Omari Banks, DaveMohammed, Marlon Black, Adam Sanford; Reserve players: Travis Dowlin (12thman), Rayon Griffith (13th man).The management team will be named later.

Various committees of the Asian Cricket Foundation (AFC) will meethere for three days from August 14 to discuss a number issuespertaining to the development of the game in the Asian region.The ACF meeting, which was earlier scheduled to be held at Kolkata onJuly 31 and August one, had been postponed to get adequate time to gothrough agenda and programme documents of the International CricketCouncil’s Development Committee which is scheduled to meet inAmsterdam on September 10 and 11.Giving details of the three-day conclave, AFC Chairman JagmohanDalmiya told PTI that the Development Committee will meet on August 14to discuss the implementation of the development plans for the Asianregion.The committee, chaired by former Sri Lankan captain Duleep Mendis,will also discuss various aspects of the detailed development plandrawn up by ACF and review the work done so far.Apart from Mendis, Mazhar Khan of United Arab Emirates, Anil Kalavarof Singapore, J Jaykumar Shah of Nepal and T Krishnaswamy of Malaysiaare the other members of the Development committee while Dalmiya willbe a special invitee.The ACF chairman said that the screening committee will meet on August15 to begin the process of finalising the development officers fromeach of the four Test playing nations in the Asian region.The screening committee will go through the credentials of all thenominees before finalising the panel of development officers. Thescreening committee, chaired by Dalmiya, comprises Lt Gen Tauqib Zia,Zakir Syed, Duleep Mendis and Ashraf-ul-Haq.The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has nominated fourformer Test players for the post of development officers. Nationalselectors Ashok Malhotra and Madan Lal, allrounder Roger Binny andleft handed batsman W V Raman were the four BCCI nominees.Pakistan and Sri Lanka had also sent their nominations for the post ofDevelopment Officers. While Pakistan has sent a list comprising formerskippers Mushtaq Mohammed and Zaheer Abbas and medium pacer IqbalSikander, Sri Lanka had recommended former cricketers Roy Dias, RumeshRatnayake and Brendon Kuruppu.Dalmiya said that the technical committee will meet on August 16 todiscuss the technical aspects of the programmes. The technicalcommittee comprises Sunil Gavaskar (India), Zaheer Abbas (Pakistan),Asantha De Mel (Sri Lanka) and Gazi Ashraf Hossain (Bangladesh).Dalmiya said that BCCI secretary J Y Lele has also been invited todiscuss certain matters regarding the forthcoming Asian TestChampionship.

A quickfire 96 by Stuart Binny helped Karnataka end the second day in a commanding position against Kerala in the South Zone Cooch Behar Trophy (under-19) match at the KRL ground in Ambalamugal on Sunday. Kerala were all out in their first innings for 151 in reply to Karnataka’s 204. In their second innings, Karnataka consolidated by scoring 217 for eight wickets.Karnataka commenced their second innings disastrously. DV Krishna (10) was the first to fall when he offered a catch to Vipin Lal in the sixth over. Wicketkeeper Uthappa started with a flourish hitting three boundaries but when 12 his stumps were shattered by John. His innings was brought to an end by NJ John. Chougule joined HTS Rao and the two took the score to 71. At this stage, Rao was trapped leg before by Sooraj.Binny now came in but he soon lost Chougule (16) to a catch by John off the bowling of Sooraj. Then Binny and his captain C Raghu (15) added 36 runs for the fifth wicket off 6.3 overs. Raghu then was caught by Kapil off Sujith. Binny who was batting with elan now had the support of Sachin (17). Binny did the bulk of the scoring and the partnership was worth 61 runs when a throw from Vipins found Sachin stranded. Binny however continued to play his strokes boldly and brought up the 200 for Karnataka. Five short of a century, he was missed by Nathani off Sujith. But one run later Nathani made amends to run Binny out. Binny who was seventh out at 204, played just 83 balls and had eight boundary hits.Earlier, resuming at 57 for 3, Kerala proceeded to 90 when they lost Antony (23) caught by Chougule off Raghu. Vipin Lal (24) also did not last long and he departed after being caught by Sachin off Raghu. Thereafter Kerala lost wickets at regular intervals. The wrecker in chief was Dharmichand (5 for 61) who ran through the lower order. Only Sujith (36) showed some defiance.

Confusion surrounds claims made by Swamibapa that they had been docked 80 points for refusing to fulfill fixtures in the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association’s Super League.The club claimed that they had written to the NPCA to request that some matches be postponed because they had seven players on duty with the international side, but that they had not had any response.However, Cricinfo has learned that all clubs were told at the start of the season that fixtures had to be honoured regardless of international call-ups and that Swamibapa officials were present when that was discussed.On August 4, Swamibapa wrote to the NPCA asking for the next day’s game against Sir Ali to be postponed as they were unable to raise a side because several of their squad were playing for Kenya. The league refused the request and the match did not take place.That week NPCA and Swamibapa officials met and the club was advised that no games could be rescheduled as the league would come to a standstill. Furthermore, the increasing number of international fixtures would mean the league became almost unworkable. That weekend Swamibapa fielded a side against Aga Khan and won.Despite there being no more communication between the club and the NPCA, Swamibapa failed to turn up for their next three matches.Contrary to media reports, they have not been docked any points for their no-shows, although their opponents were awarded walkovers in all the matches in which Swamibapa failed to appear.