Pakistan are expected to raise the issue of their continued snub from the Champions League Twenty20 at the ICC annual meeting later this month in Hong Kong

Osman Samiuddin21-Jun-2011Pakistan are expected to raise the issue of their continued snub from the Champions League Twenty20 at the ICC annual meeting later this month in Hong Kong. The Champions League unveiled its schedule and a new format for this year’s tournament on Monday, a ten-team tournament to be held in India in September and October, preceded by a six-team qualifying stage.This season sees the return of teams from England for the qualifying stages, but as expected no team from Pakistan has been invited. That leaves them as the only major Test nation without representation in the tournament; Bangladesh are the only other full member without a team in the mix. The ICC has also proposed an annual window in the next FTP – from 2012 to 2020 – to accommodate the Champions League.Officially the PCB chose not to respond to the snub, but one official said that the issue would not be left alone. “We plan to have full scale discussions during the ICC AGM later this month about our exclusion,” he told ESPNcricinfo. The board has, according to the official, already raised the issue “indirectly” with other boards, as well as the ICC.They have not yet, however, been in contact with the three boards that run the event, those of India, Australia and South Africa. “The response from the Indian side is very cold and we have not discussed this with CA or CSA because the BCCI calls the shots and it is no use discussing it with others,” the official said. An official from the Champions League was contacted but no response was forthcoming.The muted public response is in a way indicative of Pakistan’s confused approach to one of the game’s most lucrative tournaments. A team from Pakistan – the then champions Sialkot Stallions – was invited to the inaugural edition of the tournament at the end of 2008, but that was postponed after the Mumbai terror attacks in November that year. The fall-out of those attacks was a deteriorating political relationship between India and Pakistan, and a cricketing one between the BCCI and PCB. The invitation was withdrawn for the 2009 event.Last year, the PCB chairman Ijaz Butt first said Pakistan would be open to sending a team to the second tournament, before ruling out that possibility less than two weeks later and then finally denying, two months later, that he had ruled out participation and expressing his disappointment.The snub comes days before Pakistan’s own, new domestic T20 tournament gets underway in Faisalabad (from June 24). The tournament is a new addition to the domestic calendar, cashing in on the immense popularity of the format in Pakistan and in particular its own T20 tournament over the last few years. This version is a kind of champions league itself, open only to the top eight domestic sides (according to their standings in the main T20 tournament earlier in the season).Despite a recent dip in form, Pakistan is counted among the top Twenty20 sides in the world, having won the world title in 2009, finished runners-up in 2007 and only been denied a final spot in 2010 after a freakish innings from Michael Hussey.This also means that the ICC AGM will be a particularly significant one for Pakistan. In addition to the issue over the exclusion from the Champions League, the matter of the PCB’s legal notice to the ICC over governance will fall under the spotlight, as well as the board’s objection to the proposed changes to the presidential appointment system.

Australia’s selectors agree that communications between the national panel and the players it chooses, for national contracts and teams, are not what they should be.

Daniel Brettig17-Jun-2011Australia’s selectors agree that communications between the national panel and the players it chooses, for national contracts and teams, are not what they should be.In the aftermath of the Simon Katich episode, the selectors have refused to comment publicly again until the chairman Andrew Hilditch names the squads for the tour of Sri Lanka in July. But last month Greg Chappell told ESPNcricinfo that the lines of inquiry to the selectors, and their feedback to players, could be improved.”I think it’s in a good place. Can it be in a better place? Probably,” Chappell said in a feature interview. “You’re always looking to improve those relations, and particularly the communications. Most players like to know where they stand.”Some of the more established perhaps feel pretty confident and comfortable with where they’re at, but there might be players on the fringe of the team or just new to the surroundings who probably need a bit more comfort and discussion about the position, the role and all the expectations.”The players are always saying they’d like open and honest appraisals of where they’re at. Trying to achieve that is a constant exercise, but receiving bad news is never easy, delivering bad news is never easy. The chairman of selectors is the one who has to deliver that news and it isn’t always well received, obviously.”Chappell also noted that the selection process had not changed much at all in the time between his first stint as a selector that ended in 1988 and the present day, even though the game around it had changed irrevocably.”It’s very different in that we have professional first-class cricket now as opposed to the 80s, when I was originally involved,” he said. “Being a full-time selector obviously makes it different. There’s a few more layers in the system these days, and my role on the national selection panel has a very large youth component to it.”I am full-time and I am working with people in the states and the Centre of Excellence. There’s a bit more depth to it and a bit more day-to-day responsibility than just turning up to selection meetings and picking teams. But the process hasn’t changed that much.”Australian cricket’s structure for the 2011-12 season is being changed significantly again by the expansion of the Twenty20 competition and its eight newly-manufactured teams. Chappell admitted that T20 did run the risk of diverting focus from the development of the national team.”Yes, it can (divert focus). I think Twenty20 is good; the changes to the Big Bash League have the potential to be very positive for Australian cricket. Dealing with the challenges that it presents will be important at many levels – at a state level and at the national level,” Chappell said. “Being an employee of CA, and a member of the NSP, I have a focus on Australian cricket.”There’s no doubt that the money available with Big Bash leading into the Champions League means that the franchises, the states as owners of the franchises, have some focus in that area, which just means that all our other competitions and how they are run… the focus on those competitions is going to be even more important than in the past.”

Tillakaratne Dilshan has been retained as Sri Lanka captain for the home series against Australia

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jul-2011Tillakaratne Dilshan has been retained as Sri Lanka captain for the home series against Australia beginning in August. Sri Lanka Cricket named a pool of 20 players in contention for spots in the ODI and Twenty20 squads, and left out Thilina Kandamby, who was vice-captain in the ODIs in England. Dilshan had led Sri Lanka on the tour of England in the wake of Kumar Sangakarra’s decision to resign after the 2011 World Cup.Dilhara Fernando, who picked up an injury in the third Test at the Rose Bowl and subsequently missed the ODI series in England, was also left out, but the pool included the rest of the 50-overs squad. Offspinner Sachithra Senanayake was the only uncapped player in the pool.Sri Lanka are scheduled to play five ODIs and two Twenty20 internationals against Australia, as well as three Tests. The series begins with a T20I on August 6.Sri Lanka pool: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar Sangakkara, Angelo Mathews, Chamara Kapugedera, Jeevan Mendis, Chamara Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Dimuth Karunaratne, Thisara Perera, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Kulasekera, Isuru Udana, Suraj Randiv, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath, Malinga Bandara, Sachithra Senanayake

Northamptonshire are poised to take another big stride towards promotion after
bowling Derbyshire to the brink of defeat on the third day of the County
Championship Division Two match at Chesterfield

20-Aug-2011
Scorecard
Northamptonshire’s departing pace bowler David Lucas helped the county move closer to promotion as the Division Two leaders completed a 165-run victory over Derbyshire in the County Championship match at Chesterfield.Lucas took 4 for 75 in one of his last games for Northamptonshire before he joins Worcestershire next season to wrap up a sixth championship victory and a 21-point haul. James Middlebrook followed his second-innings unbeaten century by taking the last wicket to fall to end with 3 for 78.The result almost certainly puts paid to Derbyshire’s hopes of promotion but the home side can still round off a much-improved season by claiming third place. They continued to show fight on the fourth morning at Queen’s Park despite being in a hopeless position at the start of play on 289 for eight, 205 runs away from a highly unlikely victory.Conditions were good for batting and Jon Clare and Tony Palladino dug in for eight overs to frustrate the visitors who had tried to wrap up the game by claiming an extra half an hour the previous evening.Northamptonshire opened with the pace of Lucas from the Pavilion End and Middlebrook’s spin from the Lake End of the lovely tree-ringed ground and both batsmen took advantage of attacking fields to take the home side past 300.They had added 57 in 15 overs when Palladino missed a drive at Lucas and was bowled for 28 which came off 57 balls and contained three fours. It was now just a question of whether Clare could get to his half-century and Mark Footitt survived long enough to see him to a well-deserved 50.Clare nudged Middlebrook for the single that brought up his half-century which came off 78 balls and included nine fours but the game ended in the same over when Footitt pulled the spinner into the hands of Kyle Coetzer at deep midwicket.It completed a deserved victory for Northamptonshire, who now have 195 points and are firm favourites to win promotion to Division One.

Namibia kept Scotland to 268 for 7 on the first day of their Intercontinental Cup match in Windhoek, despite a century by opener Ryan Flannigan

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Sep-2011
Scorecard
Kyle Coetzer scored 62 and added 113 for the third wicket with Ryan Flannigan•ICC/Helge Schutz

Namibia had Scotland at 268 for 7 at the end of the first day of their Intercontinental Cup match in Windhoek, despite a century by opener Ryan Flannigan.Choosing to bowl, Namibia got rid of Majid Haq and Preston Mommsen cheaply, but Flannigan proved difficult to dislodge. He was supported by Kyle Coetzer, and the pair put on 113 for the third wicket. Flannigan completed his maiden first-class century, but succumbed to Pikky la France soon after.Josh Davey and Richie Berrington showed brief promise, before Namibia’s opening bowlers, Kola Burger and Christi Viljoen, picked up three quick wickets before stumps to ensure honours were shared.

Hampshire and Warwickshire’s relegation and promotion hopes still remain in the balance after an arduous second day’s play in their County Championship Division One clash at the Rose Bowl

13-Sep-2011
Scorecard
Shivnarine Chanderpaul ground Hampshire down with 171•AFP

Hampshire and Warwickshire’s relegation and promotion hopes still remain in the balance after an arduous second day’s play in their County Championship Division One clash at the Rose Bowl.Hampshire’s slim hopes of surviving in the top division of English first-class cricket are now dependent on them claiming maximum batting points and forcing an unlikely win over high-flying Warwickshire after fellow basement battlers Worcestershire gained a solitary batting bonus point in their clash with Durham.Title-chasing Warwickshire, meanwhile, for whom a win would guarantee the championship, will now have one eye on the progress of top-of-the-table rivals Lancashire, who could yet pip them to the title if they can defeat Somerset and Warwickshire fail to see off their hosts.Away from the calculations at both ends of the table, on the pitch at the Rose Bowl on the second day, Warwickshire, resuming on 296 for 3, went past 300 to gain their third batting point. However, they lost their fourth wicket soon after, when skipper Jim Troughton nicked Dimitri Mascarenhas behind to keeper Michael Bates with the score on 303.Bates was again in the action when young seamer Chris Wood drew an edge from keeper Tim Ambrose to leave the Bears on 345 for 5. And Wood struck again just 12 runs later, when he forced former England man Rikki Clarke to play on for just 8.But while Hampshire launched a spirited fightback, overseas star Shivnarine Chanderpaul remained an immovable object at the other end, moving serenely and unhurriedly to his 150, thanks to three sixes and a staggering 20 fours. A short but heavy downpour after lunch briefly threatened to leave both sides stymied, but play finally resumed just after 2.30pm, after which Chanderpaul was finally dismissed, falling lbw to Liam Dawson for 171.That brought Chris Metters to the crease with allrounder Chris Woakes and the pair formed a frustrating partnership, which led the Bears from 409 for 7 to 478 for 8 when Woakes finally fell for a brisk 62 from 99 balls, caught by Jimmy Adams off young spinner Danny Briggs. The last two wickets fell quickly, Metters falling to Wood, after the paceman had helped to run out on-loan quick Chris Wright, to close the visitors’ innings on 493.Hampshire, knowing they must score at least 344 to avoid the follow-on and even more if they are to bag the win they need – began in fine form, opener Adams and Dawson moving without alarm to their half-century partnership inside 17 overs, before finally closing the day on 57 without loss.

A round-up of the second day’s play in the third round of Division One Quaid-e-Azam Trophy matches in 2011-12

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Oct-2011The astonishing turnaround in the tone of action at the Jinnah Stadium seemed to imply an overnight pitch-swap. After a chaotic first day yielded 192 for 17, the second unveiled in an unrecognisably rambunctious fashion as 387 runs were scored for the loss of seven wickets. Three of those belonged to the Sialkot tail that subsided to Sohail Tanvir (6 for 19), to leave Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited with a 24-run lead despite the side having folded for 121. ZTBL’s second innings progressed along very different lines thanks to Sharjeel Khan, who smashed a mind-boggling 205 off 186 balls, studded with 33 fours and five sixes. Shahid Yousuf and the usually belligerent Imran Nazir were reduced to sideshows, but their half-centuries were equally important in driving ZTBL to an imposing lead of 385 with six wickets standing.Habib Bank Limited made a strong comeback to finish the second day 190 runs ahead of Rawalpindi‘s first-innings score at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. No. 3 batsman Bilal Shafayat was at the heart of HBL’s turnaround, after they were shot out by Sadaf Hussain’s nine-wicket haul on the opening day. Shafayat was unbeaten on 97 and, supported by Shan Masood’s 58 and Ahmed Shehzad’s 45, pushed HBL to a strong 237 for 2 by stumps. Sadaf struck both second-innings blows to account for 11 out of a possible 12 wickets so far in the game. Earlier, Fahad Masood and Sarmad Ansar shared nine wickets to bowl out Rawalpindi for 161, giving them a first-innings lead of only 47.Saad Altaf’s five-wicket haul helped State Bank of Pakistan bowl Islamabad out for 276, but the hosts were in control by stumps at the Diamond Club Ground, after reducing SBP to 166 for 7. Afaq Raheem, who was unbeaten on 89 overnight, duly completed his century before becoming Altaf’s fourth victim. Shehzad Azam contributed a doughty 25 to guide Islamabad past 250 before Altaf got rid of No. 11 Nasrullah Khan to complete his five-for. Azam and Nasrullah then dismantled SBP’s top order to reduce them to 49 for 4. Captain Kashif Siddiq scored a battling half-century to spark a fightback with the lower order, but SBP were still 110 runs behind at close of play.Faisalabad launched a confident reply at the Iqbal Stadium after Pakistan International Airlines (PIA)‘s middle order led them to an imposing 396 in the first innings. PIA lost their last four wickets for only 44 runs on the second morning, as new-ball bowler Abdur Rauf ran through the tail to finish with 5 for 93. An obdurate Farrukh Shehzad led Faisalabad’s response, moving to an unbeaten 76 off 195 balls by stumps. Shahid Siddiq, Asif Hussain and the unbeaten Zeeshan Butt all contributed scores in the 30s to push Faisalabad to 192 for 2.National Bank of Pakistan’s (NBP) and Abbottabad scrapped for the ascendancy through the second day at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, to leave the game delicately poised. Resuming at 37 for 1 after having dismissed Abbottabad for 222 on the opening day, NBP ran into an inspired Ahmed Jamal (6 for 55) to succumb for 187, despite Umar Amin’s 70. Abbottabad’s openers, led by a free-stroking 53 from Fawad Khan, extended the lead into three-figures with an 84-run stand before losing five wickets for the addition of just 27 runs to give SBP an opening.Karachi Blues were in a spot of bother against Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) at the National Stadium, finishing the second day 91 runs ahead in the second innings, but with only five wickets remaining. A series of starts from the WAPDA middle order meant they went past 200, despite only one batsman – Ali Azmat (51) – managing a half-century. Sohail Khan’s four-wicket haul kept them down to 219, giving them a 75-run first-innings lead. Shahzaib Hasan (71) led Karachi Blues’ reply, but frequent incisions at the other end meant WAPDA held the aces at the end of play.

Pakistan’s regional cricket associations have proposed that they been given a stronger voice in the PCB and larger role in developing the sport at the grass-root level

Umar Farooq12-Nov-2011Pakistan’s regional cricket associations have proposed that they been given a stronger voice in the PCB and larger role in developing the sport at the grass-root level.The PCB’s governing board comprises 15 members, nine of who are directly appointed by the patron, the president of Pakistan, while the other six require the patron’s approval. There are only five elected representatives from regional associations on the governing board and they have a smaller role than members appointed directly by the patron.The heads of ten regional associations met with the PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf on November 10 and discussed the issues affecting them – lack of infrastructure at the grass-root level and financial constraints.”I find him [Ashraf] a keen personality who is trying to understand the system,” Wisal Muhammad Durrani, the president of the Peshawar cricket association, told ESPNcricinfo. “He isn’t from a cricketing background but looked very enthusiastic. I only wish that whatever was promised in the meeting should be implemented for the betterment of cricket.”At its annual conference in June, the ICC had given its member boards two years to become democratised and free from government and political interference in a bid to improve governance within the game. Pakistan’s regional associations are welcoming this move because it will empower them.”Regional associations, which are the primary production house for cricketers, need to be empowered for the betterment of cricket instead of having their rights snubbed,” a regional association head said. “We are serving as nurseries for developing talent and all of us are doing our job as honorary. We need a system and obviously the system needs us.”Another regional head said, “We are coming up through a process of election but for some reason regions aren’t given the importance they deserve. The idea is to have an elected body from bottom to top – a requirement by the ICC as well, which isn’t a unfair call at all.”The ICC’s Pakistan Task Team (PTT) had also recommended changes to the way cricket was run in the country, including the way the PCB functions. It also called for the regional associations to be given more authority.While the associations are being run democratically, the level of competency could be raised. The associations, however, said the PCB needed to help them improve. “Each one of the association heads is well educated and competent enough to handle cricketing matters,” Khawaja Nadeem Ahmed, the Lahore City Cricket Association head, said. “I think it’s about the confidence and helping the regions to rise – a practice that never was practiced. It’s a wrong perception about regions and their low capacity. All of them have good reputations.”

A round-up of the third day of the ninth round of Division Two in the Quaid-E-Azam Trophy 2011-12

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Dec-2011Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited have finished the group stage with eight wins out of nine matches, after beating United Bank Limited at the Jinnah Stadium. SNGPL now have an extra day’s rest before their December 8-12 final against Peshawar, who are playing Quetta in the final round of matches. SNGPL’s new-ball pair of Asad Ali and Bilawal Bhatti took six wickets between them to bowl United Bank Limited out for 301 in their second innings and set up an eight-wicket victory. Most of the work had been done on the first two days over which SNGPL had established a 266-run first-innings lead. United Bank lost wickets steadily on the third day and were 138 for 6 before Kashif Bhatti’s 88 and Zafar Ali’s 52 helped them get past the 300 mark. It was merely enough to set SNGPL a 36-run target, which they reached in five overs.Peshawar are also on course for a win ahead of the final. They need six more wickets to beat Quetta, who finished the third day on 47 for 4 chasing 407 at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar. Mohammad Fayyaz’s 178 ensured Peshawar got to 212 for 8 declared in their second innings, leaving Quetta with a massive target. Fayazz’s innings came off 247 balls and included 31 fours and a six. Twenty-year-old legspinner Shahzaib Ahmed took 6 for 90, giving him ten wickets in the match, but it is likely to come in a losing cause. Quetta’s top order crumbled to left-arm quick Waqar Ahmed in the 16 overs they had to face at the end of the day and it will now take a remarkable turnaround for them to get anything out of the game.Four wickets from left-arm spinner Nayyer Abbas, and unbeaten half-centuries from Saeed Anwar junior and Zain Abbas helped Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) win a low-scoring match against Lahore Ravi at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground by ten wickets. The win was a convincing one in the end as Anwar and Zain Abbas chased down a target of 132 in just 18.4 overs without losing a wicket. Anwar hit nine fours and a six in reaching 63 not out off 56 balls while Zain Abbas had 12 fours and a six in his 69 off 57 balls. Nayyer has set up the win by helping bowl Lahore Ravi out for 175 in their second innings.Karachi Whites need five more wickets to beat Lahore Shalimar at the National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex in Karachi despite a bizarre decision from Karachi not to enforce the follow-on and then declare four overs into their second innings. Three wickets from seamer Tabish Khan helped Karachi bowl Lahore Shalimar out for 178, giving Karachi a 373-run first-innings lead. However, their captain Akbar-ur-Rehman did not enforce the follow-on, though his bowlers had only been in the field for 68 overs. Even more strangely, he let his batsmen bat just four overs, in which they reached 21 for 1, before declaring and leaving Lahore Shalimar 395 to chase in a day and around 25 overs. Lahore Shalimar then crumbled to 78 for 5 and look on course for a seventh loss of the season.A century from Naved Yasin offered some resistance but Hyderabad are still favourites to beat Multan at the Bahawal Stadium in Bahawalpur. Yasin’s 122 and Faisal Elahi’s 52 were two of only three double-digit scores in Multan’s first innings, in which they were bowled out for 249. Left-arm spinner Imran Chandio took 5 for 76 as Multan gave Hyderabad a 251-run lead. Hyderabad enforced the follow-on and reduced Multan to 37 for 3 by the end of the day.

In the space of a week, AB de Villiers has gone from captaining a team for the first time at any level, to winning an international series with two matches to spare

Firdose Moonda18-Jan-2012In the space of a week, AB de Villiers has gone from captaining a team for the first time at any level, to winning an international series with two matches to spare. He’d be forgiven for thinking leadership is one of the easiest things he has been asked to do. But he doesn’t.Of all the players in the South African side over the past year, de Villiers developed the most. From a rough and tumble, schoolboy-style youngster as recently as during the 2011 World Cup, he has become a reasoning, sensible man whom anyone would want to call their captain. He also showed the ability to motivate, guide, think creatively and strategise, which are essential qualities for a leader of men.”I am very proud of the boys. We took it one game at a time. I would like to think we will keep playing this kind of cricket,” de Villiers said after the victory in Bloemfontein, which gave South Africa a 3-0 lead in the series against Sri Lanka. “We showed a lot of maturity, and a lot of young guys that came in showed experience. We didn’t expect it to be 3-nil but we are very happy that it is.”South Africa managed to stay one step ahead of Sri Lanka even as the visitors took large strides towards improvement. The closest South Africa came to being caught was in Bloemfontein, but de Villiers lead the charge in a pressure situation to win despite wet weather. “The game was in the balance a little bit but I’m glad we got there in the end,” he said.One of South Africa’s successful tactics was the rotation of the No. 4 position between de Villiers, JP Duminy and Faf du Plessis. In the third ODI, du Plessis came up the order and made his highest ODI score, 72, and de Villiers said they would keep the position fluid. “I warned you guys that we are going to mix it up a little bit,” he joked. “I needed to bat down the order because it was important to get partnerships in the front.”du Plessis said he was “grateful” to get the opportunity to spend more time in the middle. “In the previous two games, I got two or three overs at the end so it was nice to go out and express myself.” He also expressed himself in the field, where he effected a run-out to dismiss Kumar Sangakkara and saved lots of runs at point.de Villiers also lauded a “much better” fielding effort by South Africa. Although they dropped four chances and missed five run-out opportunities, they caught four batsmen and ran out three others. de Villiers, however, said they had to improve and were not “a perfect team”.With the series won, de Villiers said the focus would be on “4-nil first” in Kimberley on Friday, because thoughts turn to a whitewash. It will also provide an opportunity to test new combinations, something South Africa started in Bloemfontein but can apply with more freedom in the remaining two fixtures.”We could have one or two bowlers coming in but the batting will stay more or less the same,” de Villiers said. South Africa had a new-look top three in Bloemfontein and de Villiers said they were likely to stick with that for the next two matches. “Colin [Ingram] deserves another chance at No. 3.”de Villiers also indicated that out-of-form batsman Graeme Smith would stay in the side, despite mounting criticism. Smith’s last ODI hundred was during the Champions Tophy in 2009 and he has managed only one half-century in his previous 15 matches. With Alviro Petersen in good form, talk is rife that Smith will dropped once Hashim Amla returns from paternity leave.”His [Smith’s] confidence is not very high at the moment but I am expecting runs very soon,” de Villiers said. “We know he is under pressure and we have to remember that no-one is invincible. Poor form is around the corner for all of us. But he is one of those big match players and he is old enough and experienced enough to know what to do. All we can do is support him.”Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe served South Africa well but two of them may make way for Vernon Philander and Wayne Parnell in the remaining games against Sri Lanka. Philander was brought into the squad after an injury to Rory Kleinveldt, but Parnell has been part of the group from the outset but has yet to get a look in.