Watson to open in South Africa - Clarke..Must Watch

Australia in South Africa 2011-12

Australia's captain Michael Clarke is adamant his deputy Shane Watson will open the batting in the Test series against South Africa, despite Watson's concession that his role in the team is changing.

Having bowled plenty of important overs for Australia in Sri Lanka, and seen his batting returns diminished as an indirect result, Watson is again toying with the concept of moving down the order, as he plays exclusively as a batsman for New South Wales in the Twenty20 Champions League in India.

However, Clarke has no intention of messing further with the balance of a batting order that underwent significant change in Sri Lanka, where Shaun Marsh staked a strong enough claim for the No.3 spot to push Ricky Ponting and Clarke himself down to Nos.4 and 5.

"My mind hasn't changed since Sri Lanka," Clarke said. "Right now I think he's best for the team opening the batting and that's certainly where he'll bat in South Africa."

Prior to the upheaval wrought by the Argus review, Watson and Phillip Hughes had been identified by the national selectors as Australia's preferred opening pair from now until the next Ashes series. Simon Katich was acrimoniously dumped in the process.

Hughes settled speculation about his place with a fine century in the third Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo, and can now look forward to South Africa, where he first made his name as an unorthodox but destructive international opening batsman in 2009.

"When we left Sri Lanka he was excited he made some runs at the end of that tour and got another hundred for Australia which is fantastic," Clarke said. "He knows he's had some success over there, so I think he's pretty excited to get over there and bat in those conditions again."

Hughes' success on that tour was emblematic of Australia's unexpected 2-1 series victory over the South Africans, and those memories will now be fused with the confidence derived from a committed, organised and thorough team display in Sri Lanka.

"I think we can take a lot of confidence out of it, but we went there planning and hoping to win the series, whether it be the one-day game or the Test series," Clarke said. "So we weren't shocked but we knew it took a lot of hard work.

"That's probably what it did more than anything else, it showed us how hard it is to win in those tough conditions and I'm certain South Africa is going to be the same, a really tough test to have success over there.

"We won't be slackening off, if anything we're going to be working harder. We're trying to get better every day, so there's certainly no room for taking things for granted."

Australia's batsmen face the challenge of adjusting back up to the higher bounce to be found on the veld, after a succession of low wickets on the subcontinent, both in Sri Lanka and during the Champions League. To this end, Clarke and others will make the most of the next two weeks before departure ahead of the ODI series that precedes the Tests. Cameron White's T20 team will depart on Saturday.

"It's as big a challenge no doubt, conditions are a lot different," Clarke said. "I've had the opportunity to look at Sri Lanka and look at the pros and cons, the areas we need to improve, and that's really important for me over the next week to make sure planning with Troy Cooley and the other coaches, that we are trying to improve a few of those areas.

"But South Africa are going to be tough, their own conditions, I think the wickets will probably suit us a bit more, our own fast bowlers I know are looking forward to getting over there and seeing a bit more pace and bounce than there was in Sri Lanka. But it's going to be a really tough tour.

"I think the advantage we have for the guys that are home can now prepare in Australian conditions, which are very similar to South African conditions. The next week or so that'll be my plan, to do as much batting as I can, whether it be the SCG on outdoor wickets or indoor nets with the bowling machine, and hopefully that'll hold us in good stead."

 

Administrator Cam Battersby dies at 76...Must watch

Australia news....

Cam Battersby,Cam Battersby, the former Australian team manager and chairman of Queensland Cricket, has died at the age of 76. Battersby was the team manager on Australia's historic tour of South Africa in 1994, the first time in nearly 30 years that an Australia team had toured there. He also managed tours of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India and New Zealand. A board member of the then Australian Cricket Board from 1987 to 2002, Battersby was also the chairman of Queensland Cricket from 1993 to 2000. A doctor, Battersby was in 2000 awarded the a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his services to medicine, especially in education and research into liver transplants, and for his services to cricket administration. "Cam was a stickler for detail, a composed figure who thought deeply about issues and acted in the best interests of cricket during his lengthy time in office," the Queensland Cricket chairman Jim Holding said. "He had a soft spot for the game in India and Sri Lanka, and kept close ties with friends in both countries." the former Australian team manager and chairman of Queensland Cricket, has died at the age of 76.

Battersby was the team manager on Australia's historic tour of South Africa in 1994, the first time in nearly 30 years that an Australia team had toured there. He also managed tours of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India and New Zealand.

A board member of the then Australian Cricket Board from 1987 to 2002, Battersby was also the chairman of Queensland Cricket from 1993 to 2000. A doctor, Battersby was in 2000 awarded the a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his services to medicine, especially in education and research into liver transplants, and for his services to cricket administration.

"Cam was a stickler for detail, a composed figure who thought deeply about issues and acted in the best interests of cricket during his lengthy time in office," the Queensland Cricket chairman Jim Holding said. "He had a soft spot for the game in India and Sri Lanka, and kept close ties with friends in both countries."

 

Zaheer's recovery slow but positive..Must watch

Zaheer Khan, the India fast bowler, has said his recovery from ankle surgery has been slow but positive so far, and that he has not set a time-frame for his return to international cricket.

"The first phase of my rehab programme went off pretty well," Zaheer told the media after receiving India's Arjuna Award from the country's sports minister in New Delhi. "I have started with the second phase of my rehab. I will soon be going to the National Cricket Academy. My progress has been slow but positive.

"To start bowling, I have to get back the full strength in my ankle. Then I might play a few club matches or first-class matches. I am taking one day at a time and not setting any targets."

Zaheer was originally diagnosed with a hamstring injury during India's first Test against England at Lord's in July this year, but was later ruled out of the remainder of the series with a right ankle impingement that required surgery followed by a 14-16 week period of rehabilitation. When asked whether he was eyeing India's tour of Australia later this year as a target for his return, Zaheer said he was simply taking it day by day.

"I have not decided on any date but I will be back very soon. It's frustrating not to play at the highest level. But you can only control [only] the 'controllables' and be patient."

Commenting on the India team for the home one-day series against England, Zaheer said he expects the dropped Harbhajan Singh to fight his way back into the squad. "Harbhajan has produced great performances for the country. I am sure that he will be back soon, as he is too good a player to be left out. He has a lot of fire in him and he is a strong character.

India's bowling attack struggled in England without Zaheer's leadership and ability, and he said knowing how much the team needs him spurs him on to perform better. "It always acts as a motivation when your team needs you. I don't think the over-dependence on me adds to any pressure, rather it feels good to go to sleep with this kind of expectation. Hopefully, I will be back soon to play that role again."

Amla to captain ODIs and T20s against Australia...must watch

Hashim Amla will make his international captaincy debut for South Africa in their upcoming T20 and ODI series against Australia. He replaces the injured AB de Villiers, who was named captain in both limited-overs formats in June. The series were due to be de Villiers' first as skipper but he was ruled out for between four and six weeks after breaking a finger while practicing with the Royal Challengers Bangalore during the Champions League.

Amla was chosen as de Villiers' vice-captain but there was speculation that he would not captain the side straight away, having never done the job before, and described himself as "more of a backroom guy." But the selectors have shown faith in their decisions and handed Amla the leadership role in both formats. Amla has only played three T20s for South Africa, but has plenty of experience in ODIs, having played 49 matches and is currently ranked the top batsman in the 50-over format.

de Villiers' absence also meant that South Africa had to search for a new wicketkeeper and have turned to an old favourite. Mark Boucher has been recalled to the ODI side having last played an ODI on South Africa's tour of West Indies in May last year. He was left out of the squad that took part in the World Cup earlier and had made public his desire to return to the limited-overs format of the game, insisting he has plenty of offer in that department. Heino Kuhn has been named wicketkeeper for the T20s while Morne van Wyk, who took part in the World Cup and can bat in the top five, has been excluded from both squads.

Andrew Hudson, the convenor of selectors, doesn't believe the one-day squad needs to be tampered with much, despite the disappointing World Cup campaign where South Africa crashed out in the quarter-finals. Boucher's inclusion will beef up the middle order along with David Miller, who replaces Colin Ingram. There are plenty of options in the bowling department, with all three spinners who did duty in the World Cup being retained, but no space for Albie Morkel who is only in the T20 squad.

"We will probably go in with seven batsmen, including Boucher at No. 7, and we have kept all our bowling options that worked well at the World Cup," Hudson said. "We will be able to go in with four specialist bowlers plus the back-up of Kallis, JP Duminy and Faf du Plessis."

The only new cap is in the T20 squad which includes Cobras opening batsman Richard Levi. He has had an impressive run of form domestically and scored 43 off 27 balls in the team's Champions League opener against New South Wales. With the mix of youth and experience in the T20 squad Jacques Kallis and Dale Steyn are being rested.

Both are taking part in the ongoing Champions League, and have enjoyed five months away from cricket since the end of the IPL, but Hudson said leaving them out was part of CSA's rotation policy. Imran Tahir, who burst onto the international scene at the World Cup, and took 17 wickets in 16 matches at an average of 16.88 for Hampshire in the English Friends Life t20 domestic tournament, has not been included in the T20 squad.

"With the ICC World Twenty20 less than a year away we need to keep a solid core of experience around the side," Hudson said. "At the same time we want to give younger players a run as well and this certainly applies in the case of Richard Levi and David Miller. We don't have a lot of T20 International matches before the ICC event so it is important that we give the likes of Levi, Miller and Colin Ingram an extended run."

Graeme Smith, who stepped down as T20 captain in August last year and ODI captain after the World Cup, and batted for the first time in a competitive match after having knee surgery for the first time on Saturday, has been named in both squads.

South Africa's series against Australia starts with a T20 on October 13 in Cape Town and that will be followed by another T20 in Johannesburg then three ODIs. The two-Test series starts on November 7 and the Test squad will be announced after three more rounds of SuperSport Series matches.

ODI squad Hashim Amla, Johan Botha, Mark Boucher, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Jacques Kallis, David Miller, Morne Morkel , Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Graeme Smith, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe

T20 squad Hashim Amla, Johan Botha, JP Duminy, Colin Ingram, Heino Kuhn, Richard Levi, David Miller, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell , Robin Peterson, Graeme Smith, Rusty Theron, Lonwabo Tsotsobe

Royal Challengers v Somerset, CLT20 2011-2012, Bangalore

Gayle leads RCB to massive win

Royal Challengers Bangalore 206 for 6 (Gayle 86) beat Somerset 155 for 6 (Trego 58, Arvind 2-23, Vettori 2-25) by 51 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

"Chris Gayle" played the sort of innings only he can to give Royal Challengers Bangalore the sort of win they desperately needed to keep their Champions League Twenty20 campaign alive. Gayle's assault ensured the margin of victory - 51 runs - was the largest of the tournament, and not only did it earn the Royal Challengers their first points but also dragged their previously negative net run-rate ahead of that of three other teams in Group B.

The Royal Challengers now need only to win their remaining game, against South Australia, by a reasonable margin to make the semi-finals. Despite the severity of today's defeat, though, Somerset also need only to win their last group game against Warriors to progress.

After defeats in their first two matches, the Royal Challengers were the only team without points, and Daniel Vettori lost the toss on a ground where teams prefer to chase. The trace of dismay in Vettori when Alfonso Thomas asked the Royal Challengers to bat, however, had disappeared long before they finished with the tournament's highest total - 206. It would have disappeared when Gayle was hitting eight of RCB's 14 sixes, on his way to 86 off 46 balls.

Somerset had their chances early in the match - two of them were difficult - to prevent this suffering but they didn't take them. Gayle was dropped in the second over, two balls after he had hit his first four to get off the mark. He miscued a loft off Steve Kirby over extra cover but Jos Buttler couldn't run back quickly enough. In Kirby's next over - the fourth off the innings - Gayle survived two run-out attempts off the same ball, both at the same end. He was on 8 at the time.

Tillakaratne Dilshan, Gayle's opening partner, was also let off. He initiated the acceleration by scooping Peter Trego over short fine leg, but when he tried to repeat it next ball, he didn't connect as well. Kirby, who had to run back from the circle, dived and pushed the ball towards the boundary. Dilshan then charged to blaze through cover, the third consecutive four, and also slogged over the long-on boundary to take 19 off the third over.

Gayle had thumped the ball to the boundary every now and then but his start was relatively sedate: only 29 came off his first 25 balls. By that time, Roelof van der Merwe had bowled Dilshan round his legs and Virat Kohli had begun striking the ball splendidly on a true pitch and a quick outfield. Kohli lofted Murali Kartik's left-arm spin for a four through extra cover and a six over long-off to take Bangalore to 87 for 1 after 10 overs.

A few minutes later, Gayle had teleported to 53 off 31 balls, bringing up his half-century with a leg glance off Trego to the boundary. He plundered George Dockrell's left-arm spin to get there, launching three sixes in the 11th over, over midwicket, long-on and the sightscreen. He celebrated his fifty by sending Trego over the sightscreen and dismissed Kartik over midwicket and square leg as well. Gayle moved to 86 as early as the 17th over with another six over long-on off Trego and a century seemed imminent. It wasn't to be, though, for Thomas induced a top edge off a pull that was held by Arul Suppiah at deep midwicket.

Useful contributions from Mayank Agarwal and Arun Karthik - who replaced Mohammad Kaif for this match and hit a six in the final over - took the Royal Challengers past 200.

Even though Somerset were faced with the most daunting chase of the competition, Trego was not about to give up. He had been hit for 50 runs in three overs and he wanted to return the punishment. Trego and Craig Kieswetter gave the innings a powerful start, adding 42 in 4.1 overs before Kieswetter was dismissed. He had charged to attack Vettori and edged to the wicketkeeper Karthik.

van der Merwe entered and dispatched his second ball, from Vettori, into the stands at midwicket. The third, he skied straight up in the air and Karthik held his second catch.

Somerset were not done yet though. Trego took charge of the chase and in the tenth over, bowled by Gayle, he ransacked 22 out of 24 runs, hitting two sixes and two fours. Somerset went past 100 in that over, earlier than the Royal Challengers had. Trego went past 50, by cutting Vettori for four, off his 31st delivery, just as quick as Gayle.

Trego, however, had little support from his team-mates and, as wickets fell at one end, the asking-rate soared to 16 by the end of the 15th over. When it touched 19 for the first time, Trego lashed at Raju Bhatkal and skied a catch to Vettori at mid-off. Somerset's chase was over.

Innings Dot balls 4s 6s Powerplay 16-20 overs NB/Wides Royal Challengers Bangalore 47 14 14 51/1 51/4 0/7 Somerset 59 13 6 54/2 28/2 2/8

 

Pakistan vS Sri Lanka 2011-12...

Mohsin Khan appointed interim coach..

"Mohsin Khan", Pakistan's chief selector, will serve as the team's interim coach for the series against Sri Lanka beginning later this month. Mohsin steps in to fill the vacancy created by Waqar Younis' departure after the tour of Zimbabwe as the PCB is in the process of appointing a full-time coach. Ijaz Ahmed will be the team's assistant coach.

The PCB committee tasked with finding the new head coach had shortlisted five names for the position out of a list of thirty-seven applicants. Twelve foreign and 25 local coaches had applied for the job. Those in contention for the top job reportedly include Dean Jones, Dermot Reeve and Aaqib Javed. The committee hadn't finalised on a candidate, though, in time to take over before the Test, ODI and Twenty20 matches against Sri Lanka in the UAE.

Mohsin was appointed chief selector in March 2010 and was also involved in the PCB's fast-track coaching program at National Cricket Academy, where he coached batsmen. Colonel Naushad Ali will take charge as associate manager for the Sri Lanka series and the tour of Bangladesh. He will function as manager for the Tests against Sri Lanka, though, in the absence of Naveed Akram Cheema, who will take over as manager for the limited-overs leg. . Cheema, a PCB governing board member and also the managing director of WAPDA, was appointed manger for the Zimbabwe series, replacing Intikhab Alam.

The Pakistan squad will assemble in Lahore for a pre-series camp between November 10 and 13.

 

Spot-fixing controversy...must watch

Spot-fixing trial set to begin

Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif begin their trial at a criminal court in London on Tuesday, more than a year on from the spot-fixing allegations that engulfed the cricket world during Pakistan's troubled tour of England.

The former Pakistan Test captain Butt, 27 on Friday, and fast bowler Asif, 28, will appear at Southwark Crown Court with the possibility of a custodial sentence awaiting them if deemed guilty. Both players are pleading not guilty. Reporting restrictions are in place on this event.

The players are facing charges of conspiracy to cheat, and conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, following the Lord's Test in August last year when they allegedly conspired to bowl pre-determined no-balls.

Butt and Asif, along with teenage fast bowler Mohammad Amir, were exposed by the now defunct British tabloid the News of the World in an undercover sting operation. Their former agent Mazher Majeed was recorded by a secret camera, saying when no-balls would be delivered by the bowlers.

The fact the case is being heard at a crown court shows the seriousness of the allegations facing the defendants, with crown court being the more senior of the criminal courts.

One of the complexities of this trial surrounds its high-profile nature. Because the issue was so well reported globally at the time, after it was revealed in the News of the World, it is likely to be difficult to find a jury that has not in some way heard of the case or information about it and therefore inherited some amount of bias.

A re-trial could therefore occur, though how any future jury would also have no previous knowledge of the story is also difficult to quantify.

The players have already been punished by the ICC after a disciplinary hearing in Doha, Qatar. There, the three players were each banned from the sport for at least five years. Butt received a further suspended five-year ban and Asif was handed a further two-year suspended sanction.

All three players have filed appeals against their bans at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The Pakistan team has admirably set about recovering from a controversy that shocked the sport, after the key players were suspended. Asif, the right-arm swing bowler, and left-armer Amir quickly became one of the most potent new-ball attacks in world cricket. Butt, meanwhile, was a respected opening batsman and was seen as an articulate, diplomatic captain by the British media on that tour last year, prior to the allegations.

The most important aspect at stake during the trial is for cricket as a whole and its integrity, honesty and transparency, according to sports lawyer Max Eppel of McFadden's LLP, who has worked on cases involving cricket and football among others.

"The most important thing for any fan of sports is to know the teams are going out there on a level playing field," he said. "If there is any hint of corruption, the sport could be destroyed. Ultimately, any kind of hype about a criminal court trial is bad publicity for a sport, but if there are good things to come out of it, it is that the sport will get a chance to see any ramifications there are for ever getting involved in this sort of stuff."

 

Shoaib Malik targets Test return..must watch

Shoaib Malik, the former Pakistan captain, has said he is targeting a return to Test cricket, starting with the series against Sri Lanka in the UAE. Malik was speaking after his unbeaten 88 off 49 balls gave Sialkot a commanding victory over Lahore at the National Stadium in Karachi, and with it a place in the final of the Faysal Bank Twenty20 Cup.

"I am targeting Test cricket. Once you hit [form] in the format you certainly [improve] your chances to be successful in other formats as well," Malik told reporters. "Test cricket is the real form of cricket and I am more concerned about it."

Malik, who has played 32 Tests, has been at his best against Sri Lanka in the past. He averages 59.75 from nine Tests, far above his career average of 33.45, and both his Test centuries have come against them. He was recalled to the national team by the PCB during the recent tour of Zimbabwe after being cleared by the board's integrity comittee, more than a year following Pakistan's controversy-filled tour of England.

"I don't know what selectors have decided for me but I am optimistic," Malik said. "I was actually feeling rusty during the Zimbabwe tour but after playing the domestic Twenty20 I feel I've regained my touch."

While focusing on cementing his place in the national side in all forms of cricket, Malik said regaining the captaincy wasnt a priority. "I am focusing on my form and captaincy is secondary for me."

Malik expected a tough series against Sri Lanka, who are coming off a 0-1 loss in their three-Test series against Australia at home. "They are a tough side to play," Malik said. "We need to chalk out special plans to take on Sri Lanka and must execute them accordingly. Otherwise you can't expect positive results."

The Pakistan selectors are currently in Karachi to pick the side for the Sri Lanka series. Pakistan will play three back-to-back Tests against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah in the UAE from October 18, and are scheduled to depart on October 15.

Pakistan v Sri Lanka / News

Umar Akmal dropped from Test squad

Umar Akmal has been dropped from the Pakistan Test squad for their series against Sri Lanka in the UAE starting later this month. Shoaib Malik, who was on Pakistan's tour of Zimbabwe after gaining clearance from the PCB, finds a place in the 15-man squad.

Several of the first-choice bowlers who were rested for the Zimbabwe tour return. Umar Gul and Wahab Riaz come back and are joined by Aizaz Cheema and Junaid Khan in the fast-bowling department, with no place for Sohail Tanvir or Tanvir Ahmed. Left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman is also back in the squad while Imran Farhat has been retained as a third opener along with Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar.

Umar Akmal has not scored a Test century since his hugely impressive debut in 2009. After a poor year in 2010, when he averaged just 24.33, he was left out of the XI for the two Tests in New Zealand. He returned to the side for the Tests in the West Indies, but after scoring just one Test half-century this year, and struggling to play long innings in ODIs as well, he has been left out of the Test squad.

"Umar is a talented cricketer but he was not justifying his place in Test cricket," Mohsin Khan, Pakistan's chief selector, said explaining the decision. "This was the reason our middle order was facing problems during the recent tour [of Zimbabwe]. He may be good in limited-over cricket but Tests and ODIs are contrasting games.

"In Tests, Umar is required to play long innings so we have advised him to play domestic cricket and learn to bat for long."

Umar Akmal's exclusion means Asad Shafiq and Shoaib Malik will be fighting for a middle-order spot. After a year out of the Pakistan setup, Malik gained clearance from the PCB's integrity committee just in time to go to Zimbabwe. He did not play the Test there and did not make an impact in the ODIs and Twenty20 internationals. He has been consistently performing on the domestic circuit, finishing as the second-highest run-getter in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Division One last season, with 799 runs at an average of 73.57. Shafiq, meanwhile, has struggled in Tests since getting half-centuries in each of his first two innings.

Malik's inclusion in the squad comes on the same day he led Sialkot to a win in the final of the Faysal Bank T20 Cup, after getting them there with an unbeaten 88 in the semi-final. Mohsin, though, said his Twenty20 performances were not a factor when deciding the Test squad. "Shoaib is not selected on the basis of the ongoing Twenty20 Cup but what inspired us was his fitness and the form he is currently in."

The other notable exclusion from the squad is Tanvir Ahmed, who has taken 16 wickets in the four Tests he has played since debuting against South Africa in November last year. He was not on the tour of Zimbabwe, though, and Cheema, who took eight wickets on debut in the Bulawayo Test and another eight wickets in the three-match one-day series, keeps his place.

Cheema was one of several fringe players given a chance on the Zimbabwe tour, but not all have retained their places. "There might be players dropped following the recent Zimbabwe tour but that was a chance taken on youngsters," Mohsin said. "We actually had to try new players and now we have a picture of who stands where."

Junaid Khan also made his Test debut in Bulawayo, and though he was not as successful as Cheema, he was selected, Mohsin said, because of his ability to bowl fast. "If Junaid was retained despite his unimpressive form it is because we need to have a genuine fast bowler."

The first of three Tests starts on October 18 in Abu Dhabi.

Squad: Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Imran Farhat, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-haq (capt), Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal (wk), Shoaib Malik, Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Aizaz Cheema, Wahab Raiz, Umar Gul, Junaid Khan