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Posts Tagged ‘Pakistan’
Sat, November 1, 2008 6:49 am By James Coolridge  Printer friendly version
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 The Caribbean batsman Brian Lara, who currently holds the record of maximum runs in test cricket, feels that it’s Ricky Ponting to hold the record now. For the past three years, the world was waiting for Sachin Tendulkar to break Lara’s record. But now Lara bats for Ponting, whom he foresees of rewriting the batting records in the near future. Lara justifies his feeling by quoting Ponting as a very special player who is consistent for the last 10 years. Ponting is seen to be scoring runs all the time. The faith in him became stronger after watching him hitting century in Bangalore in the latest Test against India. This is the 36th century in Ricky Ponting’s career.
Lara calls India a difficult place to score runs. He regrets of not scoring a century on Indian grounds. By this century, Ponting has taken an additional step towards the record. Brian Lara, the retired West Indies batting god, didn’t hide his feelings for Sachin Tendulkar. Lara is known to be close with Master Blaster. Lara feels that Sachin is a great player and a player should be judged for the performance, not for the wins.
Sachin Tendulkar is just 77 runs short of Lara’s world record. The 39-year-old Trinidadian said he is extremely happy to be among an elite group of cricketers, including Gavaskar, Border, and Sachin. While Lara is confident that Sachin will cross him in a few days but said that it is not sure how long he will be able to hold this record.
He recalls the innings at the Skydome in Canada between the Rest of the World and the then world champions Pakistan, where he played in partnership with Sachin. He remembers it as one of the best moments in his career. Lara even clarified that he is not a part of ICL, the rebel cricket anymore. He also will not be coming to India to attend the ICL series.
Tags : Cricket, India, Pakistan, Sachin Tendulkar, Australia, Brian Lara, West Indies, Ricky Ponting, Canada, ICL, career, Rest of the World
Wed, September 10, 2008 8:30 am By James Coolridge
 JOHANNESBURG – The South African cricket coach Mickey Arthur on Friday said a proposed limited-overs series with Pakistan will not take place offered a welcome break for his exhausted players.
“A lot of the senior players have played a helluva lot of cricket this year, and break is the need of the hour,” Arthur told a news conference.
“I’m sure the tri-series is not going to take place and, in retrospect, it’s a relief that the Champions Trophy was called off because we would have been back on a plane flying out on Sunday,” added Arthur here at the press conference.
Arthur and his squad had just returned from England after their two-month tour, where they claimed their first test series win in 43 years but lost the limited-overs series 4-0.
The coach said his players would be in no shape to take part in another limited-overs series.
“I can’t think of one player who was involved in both the test and one-day series in England who has not picked up a niggle.
Captain Graeme Smith’s is suffering with an elbow injury, Mark Boucher has a fractured finger, Morne Morkel a side strain and Dale Steyn is yet to recover from a niggling shoulder injury, Arthur said. All this make a break essential for the boys.
The Pakistan board have been in negotiations with Cricket South Africa to stage a one-day series in South Africa. Sri Lanka proposed was planned to be the other team. This month’s Champions Trophy in Pakistan got postponed due to security concerns.
Although England, under new captain Kevin Pietersen, ripped South Africa apart in the one-day series, Arthur was delighted with his side’s overall performance.
“I’m still immensely proud of the team,” he added. “It was a huge positive to win the test series that was really the be-all and end-all of our tour.
“We knew the one-dayers would be tough and I don’t think a really good England has got the credit they deserve.”
He said he noticed a change in the mood of the team ahead of the final test at the Oval, with South Africa already 2-0 up and assured of the series win.
Tags : Cricket, Champions Trophy, England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Graeme Smith, one dayers
Mon, September 8, 2008 5:17 pm By James Coolridge
 JOHANNESBURG – The South African cricket coach Mickey Arthur on Friday said a proposed limited-overs series with Pakistan will not take place offered a welcome break for his exhausted players.
“A lot of the senior players have played a helluva lot of cricket this year, and break is the need of the hour,” Arthur told a news conference.
“I’m sure the tri-series is not going to take place and, in retrospect, it’s a relief that the Champions Trophy was called off because we would have been back on a plane flying out on Sunday,” added Arthur here at the press conference.
Arthur and his squad had just returned from England after their two-month tour, where they claimed their first test series win in 43 years but lost the limited-overs series 4-0.
The coach said his players would be in no shape to take part in another limited-overs series.
“I can’t think of one player who was involved in both the test and one-day series in England who has not picked up a niggle.
Captain Graeme Smith’s is suffering with an elbow injury, Mark Boucher has a fractured finger, Morne Morkel a side strain and Dale Steyn is yet to recover from a niggling shoulder injury, Arthur said. All this make a break essential for the boys.
The Pakistan board have been in negotiations with Cricket South Africa to stage a one-day series in South Africa. Sri Lanka proposed was planned to be the other team. This month’s Champions Trophy in Pakistan got postponed due to security concerns.
Although England, under new captain Kevin Pietersen, ripped South Africa apart in the one-day series, Arthur was delighted with his side’s overall performance.
“I’m still immensely proud of the team,” he added. “It was a huge positive to win the test series that was really the be-all and end-all of our tour.
“We knew the one-dayers would be tough and I don’t think a really good England has got the credit they deserve.”
He said he noticed a change in the mood of the team ahead of the final test at the Oval, with South Africa already 2-0 up and assured of the series win.
Tags : Cricket, Champions Trophy, England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Graeme Smith, one dayers
Sat, August 23, 2008 10:44 am By James Coolridge
 Karachi, Sep 6: Pakistan’s embattled coach Geoff Lawson has made it clear that there exist no job insecurity following the quitting of Pakistan Cricket Chairman Nasim Ashraf, who was the biggest supporter of the former Aussie Test pacer.
Lawson said here on Saturday he overlooked several lucrative positions in Australia to become Pakistan coach and can go back to some other important job back home any time he likes.
‘I have no insecurity,’ said the former Aussie fast bowler in Karachi. He took over as Pakistan coach last summer following the death of Englishman Bob Woolmer during the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies.
There have been reports that Lawson is expected to face the axe along with several other people occupying key positions in the cricket establishment once a new PCB chairman is appointed later this month.
Traditionally it is seen that a new PCB chief brings in new set of officials after asking the previous officials to quit or face the axe.
Lawson does not enjoy much experience as an international coach and was handpicked by the former PCB chief ahead of his vastly accomplished compatriot Dav Whatmore.
During his 14-month stint so far, Lawson’s biggest achievement is reaching the final of the inaugural World Twenty20 Championship in South Africa last September. Under him, Pakistan have played two Test series - against South Africa at home and against India in India, but lost both.
Critics have always raised voices against Lawson calling him a weak coach and the Aussie’s fractious relations with the national selectors and the Pakistani media has not helped his cause much. But Lawson is not a worried man.
“I had several lucrative options in Australia but accepted to be Pakistan’s coach because it was a big challenge for me. And I will continue to focus on my task which is to make Pakistan the world’s best team.”
Lawson said that if the new PCB feels he is not fit for the post, he will happily go back to Australia and take up some other assignment. Lawson lamented the fact that foreign cricketers believe that Pakistan is an unsafe destination for them.
“I live in Lahore and move around in the city like a normal person, going shopping and to restaurants. I don’t feel unsafe,” said Lawson. Lawson travelled to Australia and New Zealand last month to convince the players there that they would be completely safe in Pakistan during the Champions Trophy.
But the players were not convinced and later the ICC was forced to postpone the ICC Champions Trophy. Thanks to the security fears.
‘It was unfortunate. The players were convinced that Pakistan was unsafe because they see this country through the eyes of the Western media and believe it’s a dangerous place,’ says Larson.
Tags : World Cup, PCB, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, tests, Australia, Geoff LAwson, Nasim Ashraf, pace bowler, West Indies, Dav Whatmore
Thu, August 21, 2008 10:39 am By James Coolridge
 The controversial Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar left for India from Lahore on Saturday. He is on his way to participate in a television show, while insisting that his main priority was to play couple of end season matches for English county side Surrey.
“I am going to India for a day to fulfil a commitment to take part in a television show and after that I will fly out to England to join Surrey,” said Akhtar. He was talking to the reporters at the airport.
Akhtar, who went to London to play for Surrey, had to return home two days back from Heathrow airport after immigration officials did not allow him entry as his work permit and visa documents were not complete. “Everything is now in order and I will join Surrey by Sunday,” said Akthar.
The Pakistan fast bowler also made it clear that he was keen to play for the county side as he wanted to test his form and fitness in some first class games.
“My eventual aim is to play for Pakistan and I feel Surrey offers me the best opportunity to prove my fitness. I am keen to prove myself to the selector and resume my Pakistan career,” he stated.
The pacer had presently filed a writ petition in the Lahore High Court against a 18-month ban and seven million rupees fine imposed on him by the appellate tribunal of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
The tribunal on appealhad decided to reduce Akhtar’s five-year ban imposed by the PCB disciplinary committee in March to 18 months but added the fine.
Akhtar has not yet deposited the fine despite a legal notice sent to him by the PCB, making it clear he can’t be considered for selection in the national side unless he pays the fine.
The sources close to Akthar said he had stalled the fine issue as Pakistan had no immediate international commitments and he was confident that the Lahore High Court will start hearing his case this month and hopefully deliver a positive judgement. The court has meanwhile suspended the 18-month ban while admitting the petition for hearing two months ago.
Tags : PCB, England, Fitness, India, Pakistan, tests, Lahore, Shoaib Akhtar, Surrey, Heathrow, immigration
Sun, August 17, 2008 7:20 am By James Coolridge
 Former India cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly will soon be seen in action in front of the camera in a one-hour twenty minute-long docu-feature that will showcase the ace cricketer’s journey from childhood.
Christened as The Warrior Prince, the docu-feature is being produced and directed by Mitali Ghosal, a sports journalist-turned-filmmaker. Ghosal got struck upon the idea of making the docu-feature on Ganguly after seeing his first century at the Eden Gardens in this year’s Pakistan’s tour of India.
“It will be a documentary-cum-feature… In the sense, it will not only feature Ganguly’s cricketing highs and lows with the facts and figures, but it will also include his personal life, with inputs from his wife (Dona), brother (Snehashish), father (Chandidas) and also friends,” says Ghosal when asked about the project. .
“Many things in Ganguly’s life are still unknown… How he became a cricketer… and a left-hander…” The docu-feature will show such small but interesting things. Like an incident in that famous England tour in 1996 when Ganguly made debut Test century. Ganguly was very upset over the statement by then skipper Mohammed Azharuddin who asked the left hander: ‘Have you done your shopping in England?” said Ghosal.
To be released in English and Bengali, the film will have small interviews of Azharuddin, Rahul Dravid, Harbhajan Singh and Arjuna Ranatunga, among others, sharing their experiences with Ganguly.
“Sachin Tendulkar and Steve Waugh have already given their consent for the small interviews. The suitable timings of these legends are getting fixed fr the documentary. We are also thinking of approaching Ricky Ponting and Brett Lee during their tour beginning October.
“We have already shot a few during the Sri Lanka tour. Now we are looking for some old footages of Ganguly…may be the Ranji days,” Ghosal added. The film is expected to get released in December this year
Tags : Cricket, England, India, Pakistan, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Dona Ganguly, Lords, camera, Eden Gardens
Thu, August 14, 2008 1:04 pm By James Coolridge
ICC has recruited Geoff Lawson, the Pakistan coach, to try and ensure that the best players turn up to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, to be held in September in Lahore and Karachi.
 Lawson, who has been a convincing international teams to play in Pakistan, left for Australia in the early hours of the morning. He will also visit New Zealand and will address concerns of the two countries whose players have been most anxious over Pakistan visit.
“The ICC made the request about ten days ago,” Mansoor Suhail, a PCB spokesman, told Cricinfo. “He has been living here and he is Australian so it is a good thing. Lawson will go meet players and tell them what it is like here.”
Haroon Lorgat, chief executive ICC, called the Lawson move had been a spontaneous one. “Geoff Lawson offered to join us. He lives in Lahore so he has a better sense of what is transpiring in Pakistan. He has decided to join us and go and talk to those players, member boards and convey his confidence to those people. It wasn’t an invitation from the task force, it was just some people discussing it personally and thought it might be worthwhile him going.”
The trip will be funded by the ICC’s task force, which is currently involved in the assessment of venues and security arrangements in Pakistan ahead of the tournament. “It is a very logical thing to do,” Suhail said. “They are funding the trip and hopefully it will assuage the concerns of leading players and convince them to come here.” Haroon Lorgat, the ICC president, added that the task force would visit Australia, New Zealand and England in an attempt to convince the players to tour Pakistan.
The task force has taken considerable input from Lawson as well as David Dwyer, the team trainer and another Australian, during their time in Lahore. Lawson had recently showed his delight publically over the positive voices coming from Australia and New Zealand. This was after umpire Simon Taufel statement expressing his willingness to tour and Ian Chappell, the former Australian captain’s remarks supporting the games in Pakistan.
Following the ICC board’s decision last month to go ahead with the tournament in Pakistan, players’ associations in Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa had raised concerns over the security situation. They even had raised a warning of a possible boycott. Similar doubts were echoed by international captains Graeme Smith, Kevin Pietersen and Ricky Ponting. Pietersen, even demanded a decision from the ECB on the gameplan in Pakistan. On Monday, Daniel Vettori had demanded New Zealand Cricket to take a final call on touring.
Tags : ICC, England, Pakistan, Karachi, Australia, Geoff LAwson, NewZealand, security, Lahore, Daniel Vettori, Ian Chappel
Sat, July 5, 2008 11:03 am By James Coolridge
 Karachi: At last there is news for a warm smile. India ensures its berth in the final of STAR Asia Cup cricket. The sign of relief and joy reached Indian camps yesterday with India thrashing out Sri Lanka in the crucial semi finals in Karachi by six wickets. Chasing Sri Lanka’s 308 for eight in 50 overs, Dhoni and boys registered their shining victory in the at the National Stadium in Karachi in the 47th over of the crucial ‘must win to live’ bringing colours to the camp.
India scored 310 for four in 46.5 overs and with six points in its kitty, and has to face Sri Lanka again in the final here on July 6.
The victory was the necessity of time as nothing less could have helped India in reaching the finals. Virender Sehwag (42) and Gautam Gambhir (68) knocked brilliantly taking a partnership of 92 runs off 70m deliveries paving Indian victory in the “most watched match” of the week. Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni made a brave 67 runs in 62 balls making things easy for Indian side. Dhoni’s knock and 99 runs partnership with Suresh Raina (54) made things more complicated for the Sri Lankan side.
Dhoni, without a boundary for 36 deliveries, found pace slowly easing his solid frame and carted Sanath Jayasuriya into the stands. The winning runs came in from Yuvraj Singh (36 n.o.), who made brave attempts to take victory to the Indian side.
His cover drive off Kulasekara ensured India the final berth.
The Delhi duo Sehwag and Gambhir entertained the crowds in full swing with belligerent and aggressive attempts including Sehwag’s sixer off Kulasekara before a tame dismissal cut short his stay. Sehwag while trying to scoop Kulasekara ended up lobbing to short fine-leg. Gambhir at the same time continued his run hunt for a while more.
scoreboard
Sri Lanka: (for eight wkts. in 50 overs): 308.
India: G. Gambhir lbw Muralitharan 68, V. Sehwag c Fernando b Kulasekara 42, S. Raina (run out) 54, M.S. Dhoni b Muralitharan 67, Yuvraj (not out) 36, Rohit (not out) 22; Extras (lb-11, w-9, nb-1): 21; Total (for four wkts. in 46.5 overs): 310.
Fall of wickets: 1-92, 2-135, 3-234, 4-253.
Sri Lanka bowling: Fernando 9-0-52-0, Kulasekara 9.5-0-71-1, Thushara 8-0-67-0, Muralitharan 10-0-44-2, Weeraratne 5-0-36-0, Jayasuriya 3-0-19-0, Dilshan 2-0-10-0.
Tags : Cricket, India, Gautam Gambhir, Pakistan, M.S.Dhoni, Sri Lanka, Karachi, Asia cup, Virender Sehwag, suresh Raina, Sanath Jayasurya
Sat, June 28, 2008 12:51 pm By James Coolridge
 Karachi:
The young Indian batting ace Gautam Gambhir whole heartedly thanks Twenty20 and one-day cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for his success and outstanding performance in the recent matches. He recalls the modus operandi implemented by Dhoni to bring in an atmosphere of security and self-confidence among the team mates.
Gambhir lends a lot of credit to the captain who brought in a lot of confidence which he feels have improved his batting style. He was talking with reporters in Karachi on Thursday. “When you are secure in the team you enjoy your cricket and you are more confident,” he added. Gambhir also added that he gives no ears to the gossips regarding his style. “In the end of the day, it is the teammates and the performance that matters,” says the opening batsman.
For Gambhir, the ultimate dream remains to play test cricket and to ensure a permanent berth in the Indian cricket team. This Delhi batsman has worn pads for 14 tests and is a sure name for Twenty-20 and one-day matches in the recent times. He has so far opened the Indian side in 52 one-dayers and owns a score of excellent runs in his kitty. When asked about his experience in opening the Indian batting order with Virender Sehwag who is also his Delhi team mate, the left hander calls it awesome and excellent. Gambhir was accompanied by Yuvraj Singh on the occasion. Yuvraj called the victory against Pakistan a mixture of passion and will, which made it different. The win helps him in keep going ahead in career. But yes, he was mum on the question regarding the comparison between him and Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi. “While Afridi goes on hitting big consistently, I do it occasionally,” the answer from this laft hander was simply diplomatic.
Both the batting trump cards of Indian side called the Indian premium League a big event which provides a lot of opportunity for the young players. Gambhir calls the IPL a platform for the youngsters to display their talent.
Tags : Indian Premier League, India, Gautam Gambhir, Pakistan
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