A cricket fan in the city has scored over Sachin Tendulkar. But Sachin won't mind at all, because it's all for making the T20 version of cricket more popular. Both of them have come up with an idea to keep spectator interest in the shorter version of the game alive for a longer time. The fan came up with it earlier. Sachin had on September 4 suggested that T20 be made a two-innings game to jack up its popularity. On September 1, Kaustubh Savarkar, a cricket fan from Pune, had submitted a detailed proposal on almost the same lines to the International Cricket Council (ICC). Savarkar, who is finance manager with an MNC, had written to the ICC on September 1 and had got a reply on September 2 saying the proposal would be forwarded to the ICC operational committee. Savarkar, who has played cricket for his college team in Nanded, had in fact got the brainwave in February. He had prepared a detailed proposal and sent it to BCCI in March. "I got a reply but the officials told me to forward it through the local cricket association. I forwarded it to the Maharashtra Cricket Association. A senior BCCI official suggested me to send it to ICC instead. I sent it to the ICC on September 1 through e-mail and got reply that my proposal would be forwarded to the operational committee of the ICC and they would get back if required," Savarkar told Newsline. Savarkar's proposal is based on the idea of giving a "second chance" to the teams, while keeping the audience interest high. He has named the proposed format 2T20. "The logic is simple. Both teams will play 20 overs each in the two innings and whoever scores higher wins. This will be a mix of test, one-day and T20 formats," says Savarkar who has even made a provision of follow-on in this format if the team batting second in the first innings is not able to score more than 80 per cent runs of the first team. Savarkar said spectators would wait to see the complete match since the second innings holds the promise of a swing in fortune of the teams and that too the same day. "In one-day matches, sometimes audiences can predict the result after the first team bats or even after the toss. That won't be the case here," he said. Savarkar has also appealed to the ICC to have a minimum performance criteria and policy for the cricketers. He said he had been trying to contact Sachin to send the proposal to him too. "I have prepared the proposal purely as a fan and will be most happy to send it to Sachin as he has suggested the same thing," he added. Other tips for T20* If rain interrupts, the umpire will decide on the number of overs that will be equally divided between the teams.* Strategic time-outs, a maximum 2 per inning will be allowed* There will be a limit of 90 minutes per innings and any team failing to adhere to it will be penalised by reducing their batting overs in the next innings, but there will be no change in runs scored by the other team* In case of bad light, if only one inning is played, then the match will be abandoned. But for the match to yield result at least one innings per team needs to be completed.
Andrew Flintoff has admitted there is a chance he may never play at the highest level again after his latest knee surgery but is aiming for a comeback in February 2010. Flintoff underwent routine arthroscopy and micro-fracture to two small areas in his right knee a day after England regained the Ashes, and was expected to be on crutches for a minimum of six weeks.
"There is a possibility I may not play again," Flintoff told News of the World. "It's something I'm going to have to be prepared for in case the operation is not as successful as I hope. There will be a question mark in my mind about whether I have played my last game until I know how the operation has turned out. I'd be lying if I said it hadn't crossed my mind, but the success rate for an operation like this is pretty good. The bottom line is that if it doesn't work, there's nothing I can do about it."
Eurosport - Sun, 30 Aug 19:57:00 2009 The first Twenty20 international between England and Australia was abandoned at Old Trafford with the tourists in the ascendency before rain intervened. Cameron White made England pay for a dropped catch, hitting a dashing half-century to see Australia to 145 for four in the first of two Twenty20 matches in Manchester. Joe Denly, making his international bow in the shortest format, was the culprit, giving White (55) a second life on just 12. Home captain Paul Collingwood won the toss and opted to bowl, making the most of murky conditions himself to return two for 20. Shane Watson was first out for 10, lofting a short, sharp Stuart Broad delivery to Ravi Bopara at mid-wicket. With 43 off the six-over powerplay, England turned to all-rounders Collingwood and Luke Wright, with a risky single off the latter bringing up the Australia 50. Collingwood soon removed David Warner for 33, trapping him leg before with a ball that gripped off the surface, before picking up a second wicket in three balls. This time David Hussey was the batsman, following his century against Scotland with a two-ball duck as Matt Prior stumped him charging down the wicket. Denly's drop at backward point came next, James Anderson the unlucky bowler. White brought up the 100 with a mighty six into the stands off Broad and there was six more for White as he hit Graeme Swann high over mid-on followed by a third maximum off Ryan Sidebottom to bring up his 50. Broad returned to account for White, who lifted to Collingwood at cover, with Wright dropping the simplest of catches off the penultimate delivery to gift Adam Voges (nine not out) a life as it began to rain. England's reply was further delayed due to the weather before the returning Brett Lee (pictured) dismissed Denly for a golden duck in his first over. Ravi Bopara departed for one run, edging behind tamely to Watson at first slip off the bowling of Mitchell Johnson. With Australia buoyant, the rain intervened yet again to leave England languishing on 4-2 as the match was finally abandoned.Australia on top as rain intervenes
Former Pakistan captain Aamer Sohail has accused the PCB for making an out-of-court settlement with ICC. Sohail accused Pakistan Crciket Board chairman Ejaz Butt of mishandling the dispute over the 2011 World Cup hosting rights. "We haven't gained anything special" "I don't think we have gained anything special in terms of money or prestige in the out-of-court settlement with the ICC," said Sohail, who recently resigned as the director of National Cricket Academy. "The match hosting fees, profit shares and participation fees are money, which ICC has to pay anyway. So at the end of the day what we have really got just a meager amount against the gate money and hospitality boxes sales for our share of 14 matches," Sohail said. "If we had pushed and pressurised the ICC by going ahead with our legal action we would have got more from the ICC against the real earning avenues for our share of 14 matches that are now being hosted by other three hosts of the World Cup," Sohail said. The former opener, who has not spoken to the media since resigning on July 21, feels that Butt did another mistake by pushing Abu Dhabi and Dubai as possible neutral venues for the World Cup matches without even signing any deal with them. "I think, it would have been appropriate to launch a full scale diplomatic and cricket offensive to convince the ICC to give us more time to put into place a security mechanism for the World Cup acceptable to all teams. After all the security situation in the major cities is already rapidly improving in Pakistan," Sohail said. Sohail said by floating the idea of neutral venues, PCB chief basically gave out the message to ICC and other so-hosts that security would not improve in Pakistan before the World Cup in 2011. "If one lawyer was saying Pakistan didn't have a strong case in processing its legal action then we should have consulted other legal experts," Sohail said. "But I don't think even the ICC and other host countries of the World Cup would have liked the prospect of a legal conflict hanging over the preparations for the World Cup and we should have thought about that," he added
Beware the referral system Cricket's reliance on off-field help in the decision-making process is part of the problem. The game needs better umpires, not more technology August 30, 2009 With the referral system about to be introduced into Test cricket on a full-time basis, there are no signs that the standard of international umpiring is improving. If anything, it's going the other way. There are some real howlers being made; not mistakes, anybody can make those, but bad umpiring decisions. Borderline decisions are part of the game, and either way they are accepted by players. However, when a left-arm over the wicket bowler isn't swinging the ball back into a right-hand batsman and an umpire awards an lbw from a length delivery, that's a bad decision. The fact that the umpire is even contemplating a decision in favour of the bowler means he has a tenuous understanding of the lbw law; that's a mistake. For umpires to make such mistakes I'm wondering if they are being influenced by some of the gimmicks used on television. Hawk-Eye's predictive path has the ball hitting the stumps a high percentage of the time. Anybody who has watched a net session where a bowler is operating with three stumps and no batsman and landing on a good length will tell you the ball rarely disturbs the furniture. This is particularly so on pitches where there's a bit of bounce. There are some lbw appeals where you know immediately the umpire shouldn't be giving them out, but the ball is shown on television to be clipping the outside edge of the stumps. Does this tend to influence the on-field umpire's decision-making? The ICC needs to be wary of the referral system. What is sometimes called "technology" actually involves a human hand; it may add to the viewer's entertainment, but it should not be used to decide the fate of a batsman in Test cricket. It would be ironic if umpires, in the name of fairness, aren't allowed to stand in Tests where their country is playing, but a behind-the-scenes-operator who has a "home side" involved in the match has a say in the decision-making process. Also, will these behind-the-scenes- operators be subject to the same corruption regulations that apply to players and officials? If they're not, they should be. It's time to concentrate on ways to improve the standard of umpiring rather than harbour the misguided belief that the use of more "technology" is going to enhance the officiating. The reliance on off-field help in the decision-making process is part of the problem rather than being the solution. One solution could be to ensure the best umpires are standing wherever possible. It's ludicrous that Simon Taufel, who has been judged the best international umpire for the last five years, can't participate in an Ashes series or stand in a Test on his home ground in Sydney. In the early part of his umpiring career former England allrounder Peter Willey was regarded very highly by the players but he didn't want to be away from home regularly, so he wasn't included on the international panel. He should have at least been umpiring Tests in England. In my experience, if there's a really good umpire standing it has a positive influence on his partner. As captain in the Caribbean in 1972-73 I perceived there could be trouble looming in the Guyana Test, so I told the officials we would accept any other umpire as long as Douglas Sang Hue was standing. Sang Hue was one of the best umpires I played under and a man of great integrity, and I had no doubt the match would be played in the right spirit while he was on the field. Utilising "technology" that involves a human hand in the umpiring process could have an adverse affect on the balance between bat and ball. As former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding commented during the recent Oval Test; "Get ready for two-day Tests if they use the predictive path of Hawk-Eye in the referral system." Holding is correct. In the last decade there has been a tendency towards flatter Test pitches, supposedly in order to avoid early finishes. With the introduction of the referral system, curators will have their work cut out prolonging matches.The problem with technology in cricket is, it involves a human hand Utilising "technology" that involves a human hand in the umpiring process could have an adverse affect on the balance between bat and ball
India shot down Test championship - WICB chief Ajay S Shankar Julian Hunte, the West Indies board president, has said that the Indian cricket board shot down a proposal mooted by the ICC to organise Test cricket around the four-year Test championship cycle. Hunte's revelation - the first official disclosure by an ICC board member following reports that the Test championship plan had faded - came in his report at the annual general meeting of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) this month. "Initially, the ICC attempted to change the structure of the FTP beginning from 2012 in which international cricket would have more content and would play more as a Super League with a 4-year structure resulting in a World Cricket Championship [but this] failed when the BCCI rejected that proposal," Hunte said. "This meant a return to the old practice of full members agreeing to a schedule of tours, which in effect places the power in the hands of the four biggest commercially valued members." Hunte does not mention who those four are, but it is common knowledge that the boards of India, England, Australia and South Africa enjoy a dominating presence in the ICC boardroom. India earns a bulk of its revenue from TV rights and hence is not keen on a championship model that would lead to the setting up of a common broadcast cash pot. It has, consequently, successfully pushed for the existing model, where members arrive at bilateral agreements with the danger of those at the bottom of the table being marginalised. The post-2012 FTP is currently being finalised by the ICC, and Hunte said that the WICB "will seek to ensure that it is not disadvantaged" in the new schedule. Hunte also claimed, in a section of the report that deals with IPL, that some ICC full members remain suspicious of the motives of private promoters in the game, and concluded by saying that world cricket is at the crossroads and much depends on decisions that will be taken by the ICC. Hunte's report deals extensively with the WICB's dispute with its players that forced West Indies to name a second-string squad for the series against Bangladesh and the forthcoming Champions Trophy. But those comments are on expected and previously stated lines and Hunte blames the players for choosing not to represent the team and showing the "highest form of disregard and disdain for West Indies cricket". What is surprising, though, is that the document, which is essentially a report on West Indies cricket, contains significant comments on the FTP and IPL. He lists a set of concerns related to the rise of Twenty20 cricket while also admitting that players have "embraced" the BCCI's IPL with its auctions and high-profile owners. "The emergence of private promoters in cricket has been much debated and some Full Member countries retain their inherent suspicion of the real objectives of such promoters. The ICC has drawn the line in relation to other leagues such the as ICL, which are not recognised by their home boards. Conversely, decision-making at the ICC affecting the IPL is often seemingly under the influence of some Full Members. The WICB remains convinced that Full Members should in some way benefit financially from the IPL and expect to see a general tightening up with respect to the issuance of Non-Objection Certificates. With many challenges to be faced and overcome, the future of world cricket is now at the crossroads and much depends on the decisions which will have to be taken by ICC in the near future." Hunte's concerns about the IPL are not surprising given that one of the roadblocks in the dispute between the West Indies board and players is the question of participation in the IPL. Many of the West Indies players, including Chris Gayle, had wanted to be part of this year's IPL but were forced to fly to England midway to take part in a Test series that they claimed was arranged without obtaining prior consent from their association. The IPL - which comes under the BCCI - has since clarified that players who have retired and even those not on central contracts with their national boards need to get a two-year NOC from their boards to be eligible for the IPL. The Champions League Twenty20, of which the BCCI is a founding partner, has also invited Trinidad and Tobago, the West Indies' domestic toppers in the format, to participate in the tournament starting October 8 with total prize money of $6 million and a guaranteed fee of $500,000, apart from an unspecified payment for the respective national boards.Julian Hunte also claimed that some ICC full members remain suspicious of the motives of private promoters in the game
Troubled Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar's career is as good as over, bowling great Wasim Akram said on Monday. "I don't think he has got a chance unless and until some miracles happen," former Pakistan skipper Akram told reporters at a private cricket function in the Indian capital. Injury-prone Akhtar was left out of the squad for the five-match one-day series in Sri Lanka starting this week as well as the Champions Trophy probables, raising doubts about the future of the former spearhead. "Even though it depends on the captain and selectors, I think Shoaib has fallen out with the selectors and the cricket board itself," Akram said. Akhtar, the quickest bowler in world cricket at one time, has taken 178 test wickets and 223 ODI wickets but his career has been plagued by fitness issues, disciplinary problems and controversies. "This cricket board still supported him and he went to Abu Dhabi and played two of the five games (against Australia) before getting injured again. We all saw that," he said. Akhtar, 33, was ordered by his cricket board (PCB) to explain himself after he said on a television interview that he had considered suing the PCB for releasing his medical report when he was ruled out of the squad in May for the World Twenty20. "I think Pakistan's bowling unit is doing well and they have to look ahead and think about the future," said Akram. "They have to back the youngsters who will do the job for them... I don't know where you can place Shoaib Akhtar in the current picture of Pakistan cricket."
Pakistan fast bowling great Wasim Akram, in Delhi on a two-week trip as a bowling variation and strategy coach at a new pace academy, admits that he lacks the patience to work full-time. At the same time, he has a lot of patience while speaking on a subject that is close to his heart. In an interview with The Indian Express on Monday, Akram spoke at length about the nuances of pace bowling, how mastering swing is harder than reverse swing, and on how bowlers, of late, have become lazy. Excerpts: There's a raging debate on Twenty20 eventually pushing out ODIs, and Test cricket losing spectator appeal. Do you endorse these views? and#149; I think ODIs will be phased out. The power plays have somewhat stretched the interest levels but even then, the middle overs are a bit boring from the spectator's aspect. Having quit the game, and watching from outside, I realise how boring it can be to watch a one-day match. I get bored even commentating during a one-dayer. However, I can't understand the fuss behind protecting Test cricket. You don't need anyone to save Test cricket. The format is still revered by cricketers, and if you provide good tracks, people will watch it. I watched the Ashes, one match went so close and other was such a fascinating win. Contests like these will take care of Test cricket. Do you think having different types of balls add to the challenge in Test cricket, or are you in favour of standardising balls? and#149; I am totally against standardisation of the ball in Test cricket, and the ICC's obsession with the Kookaburra. Using different types of balls is more like utilising home advantage. I remember the time we were playing the West Indies at home and Imran Khan told the curators to roll the wicket only on the two sides and leave the patch in between. The West Indies quicks used to hit that back-of-the-length spot and because the soil was loose in the middle, the ball never took off and our batsmen were protected. Similarly, when we came to India in 1990, we were told they would use only SG Test balls. We were curious to know about the SG ball, so we ordered a pack of balls from India and began practising. We realised it could reverse very well and it was a challenge to learn the nuances of bowling with that ball. I would want India to retain the SG balls, and let Duke and Kookaburra ball survive on their own turf. Don't you think the use of technology has blunted the bowlers' minds, that they have stopped developing and exploring? and#149; I think bowlers nowadays are being pure lazy and are happy with whatever they are being given on a platter. They don't want to be called greats, they are happy just being international cricketers. The use of technology is good but it shouldn't stop the bowler from using his own mind. I remember Waqar and I used to hit the nets and try out various deliveries. We used to exchange our ball if one had been successful in getting reverse swing and then try again. We used to bowl with the wind, then switch to bowling against the wind. Bowlers nowadays don't want to experiment and work hard. Over the past few years, I have only seen Zaheer Khan do the hard work. He put in a lot of work at Worcester and learnt some tricks. He's the only guy in the Indian team who can move the ball in and out. There's a lot of emphasis on a perfect side-on bowling action in India. Does an unorthodox bowling style have a place in today's cricket? and#149; I agree that there's a lot more emphasis on the perfect action for the fast bowler, the typical side-on action. But in today's cricket, one has to be different from the conventional to stand out and succeed. Malinga succeeded because he was different, batsmen have a hard time picking his deliveries. Similarly, Dilshan played the scoop shot and has scored so many runs. One has to encourage unorthodoxy in these changing times, look more towards effectiveness. I am against changing the basic action (to what's considered correct) just for the sake of looking good. Why has reverse swing become an obsession with bowlers? Do you feel conventional swing is losing its charm? and#149; It's probably because reverse swing looks more dramatic. (Allan) Donald has asked to legalise ball-tampering so that the bowlers can get reverse swing. But if any bowler wants to master the art of reverse swing, he will eventually do it if he spends time at the nets. Honestly, one of the reasons why reverse swing is becoming an obsession is because swinging the new ball is more difficult than bowling reverse swing. I learnt to swing the ball only when I was 28-29. I figured out that the wrist plays an important role and used to run in with two different wrist positions to get the ball to swing.
Harmison, 30, is said to be tired of the treadmill and will apparently also quit one-day international cricket and Twenty20 internationals. Harmison follows best friend all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, who has already announced retirement from Test cricket post Ashes and will concentrate on playing for Durham rather than England, Daily Mirror reports. Though Harmison has 221 Test wickets, which puts him 11th on England's all-time list, he has been selected for only four of the last 20 Tests due to his increasingly indifferent form at the highest level. He remains in England's Ashes plans, however, and is almost certain to be included in a 13-man squad, to be announced Sunday, for the third Test at Edgbaston.London, July 25 (IANS) England fast bowler Steve Harmison will retire from Test cricket after the ongoing Ashes series.
Bridgetown (Barbados), July 25 (IANS) The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Saturday said they will stick to the original 30-man squad for the Champions Trophy despite the availability of their frontline players following a truce between the board and the players association. West Indies' top players had refused to play in the just concluded two-Test series against Bangladesh in a dispute with the WICB over pay and contract issues. Skipper Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith are among the star players who will be missing the action in Champions Trophy. The bulk of the squad comprises the players who contested the Bangladesh series, and the West Indies selectors have also drafted in several other players with little experience to complete the list. 'The executive committee of the WICB wishes to confirm the initial squad of 30 players announced earlier this month for the ICC's Champions Trophy in South Africa,' a board statement said. 'This squad was chosen from among those players who declared themselves available for selection for the tournament within the deadline date for finalisation of the 30.' Fast bowler Fidel Edwards, recently axed pacer Daren Powell, and Devon Smith were the only top tier players to be named in the provisional squad. Edwards was unavailable for the Bangladesh series through injury while Powell was dropped after England's tour of the Caribbean earlier this year. The Champions Trophy is scheduled for South Africa Sep 22-Oct 5. Squad: Ryan Austin, Christopher Barnwell, David Bernard, Tino Best, Royston Crandon, Romel Currency, Travis Dowlin, Fidel Edwards, Rayad Emrit, Andre Fletcher, Ryan Hinds, Leon Johnson, Anthony Martin, Kevin McClean, Nikita Miller, Nelon Pascal, Brenton Parchment, Omar Phillips, Daren Powell, Kieran Powell, Floyd Reifer, Dale Richards, Kemar Roach, Darren Sammy, Shane Shillingford, Devon Smith, Kevin Stoute, Devon Thomas, Gavin Tonge, Chadwick Walton.
Alex Brown July 24, 2009 Kevin Pietersen's participation in the IPL will come under further scrutiny after it emerged his Achilles injury deteriorated while on duty with the Royal Challengers Bangalore. According to Evan Speechly, Bangalore's assistant coach and physiotherapist, Pietersen experienced pain in his right Achilles while jogging along Durban's beachfront during the IPL. He has experienced ongoing problems in ensuing series against West Indies and Australia, and this week underwent surgery that will sideline him from the final three Tests of the Ashes series. "He woke up one morning and decided to go for a run along the beachfront in Durban," Speechly told Cricinfo. "It was after that he felt the twinge.' The ECB, who dispatched senior medical officers Simon Timson and Nick Pierce to South Africa to monitor their IPL-contracted players, outlined a revised training plan for Pietersen, the Bangalore captain, which the franchise's medical staff strictly enforced. An ECB spokesperson yesterday described as "blatantly untrue" suggestions Pietersen had been ordered to refrain from running during his stint with Bangalore. "Pietersen reported to Loughborough before he flew out to South Africa and was passed fit to join up with Bangalore," the spokesman said. "ECB medical staff sent Bangalore a fitness programme and at no stage did Kevin Pietersen do anything to contradict that and at no stage was he told not to go running. "Kevin Pietersen is the most diligent and responsible of trainers and prides himself on his physical fitness and preparation for playing cricket. The ECB medical staff hold him as one of the best examples of a player who does everything within his power to achieve maximum fitness to play cricket." Player participation in the IPL has been a sensitive topic in England since Andrew Flintoff damaged his knee playing for Chennai Super Kings; an injury that ruled out of the Test and one-day series against West Indies as well as the ICC World Twenty20. The issue also flared in Australia when Matthew Hayden, another Chennai-contracted player, damaged his Achilles during the inaugural IPL season in 2008, and missed the ensuing tour of the Caribbean. Hayden's Achilles eventually recovered, but the same could not be said of his international career. The veteran opener averaged just 23.93 in nine Tests after returning from the injury and, despite harbouring ambitions to play through to the end of this Ashes series, announced his retirement in January. Despite the obvious setback, Hayden did not believe the IPL posed an undue health risk to players. "It was unfortunate," Hayden told Cricinfo during the 2009 IPL. "I picked up that injury doing a running session because I wanted to be spot on for that West Indies tour. I came back [from the IPL] on a real high, not realising how bad the injury was. It didn't feel all that serious, and I wasn't expecting to miss any games let alone an entire Test series, so it wasn't until later that I realised what I was actually dealing with. But I don't look back on [the inaugural IPL] as a negative. If anything I found that really reinvigorated me and revived my enthusiasm, because you could feel you were a part of taking cricket to another level." Meanwhile, Sean Morris, the chief executive of the Professional Cricketers' Association, warned the ECB against persecuting nationally-contracted players who sought to pursue opportunities in lucrative domestic Twenty20 leagues. Morris said that the crammed international schedule was already pushing players, including Flintoff, towards early international retirements and into the seductive embrace of tournaments such as the IPL. "I can see the day of the freelance cricketer with players turning down England contracts," Morris told theTelegraph. "That's the way the market will go and it's very dangerous. Andrew Flintoff has already made the choice to concentrate on one-day cricket and others will make similar decisions earlier and earlier in their careers. That does not bode well for the ECB, the PCA or anybody. We all want the best players to appear in Test cricket. "I've seen the ICC's Future Tours Programme from 2012-2020. It's unbelievable. The players won't be able to do it. England will need two squads picked on a rotation basis. Fast bowlers in particular are going to be broken. Players will be drained mentally as well as physically."The injury that ruled Kevin Pietersen out of three Ashes Tests was aggravated during the IPL
The Bulletin by Dileep Premachandran July 24, 2009 Pakistan 299 and 425 for 9 dec drew with Sri Lanka 233 and 391 for 4 (Sangakkara 130*, Mathews 64*) In the end, neither team wanted it badly enough. Sri Lanka couldn't quite summon up the courage for one final dash, and Pakistan spent much of the afternoon merely going through the motions. When play was called off with the 15 mandatory overs to be bowled, Sri Lanka were 101 short of the 492-run target, and Pakistan had toiled all day for just one wicket. Kumar Sangakkara's 19th Test century was the story of the day, but even his performance was overshadowed by an utterly placid pitch. After 21 wickets fell in the opening two days, the bowlers on both sides could manage just 12 in the next nine sessions. When Angelo Mathews struck a couple of boundaries soon after reaching his half-century after tea, there was the prospect of a Twenty20-like thrash in the final hour, but ultimately Sri Lanka decided to settle for the 2-0 series win. With Sri Lanka resuming from their overnight 183 for 3, Pakistan would have fancied their chances of pulling off a consolation victory. But with Sangakkara remorselessly grinding the bowling into the SSC dust, and Thilan Samaraweera contributing a classy 73 to a partnership of 122, Younis Khan was left to forlornly shuffle a tiring bowling pack. As he showed in Hobart not so long ago, Sangakkara is capable of dazzling counter-attacks in pressure situations. This, on a day when survival rather than urgency was the priority, was all rearguard and little flair, with occupation of the crease the main mantra. The odd languid drive through the covers, or the precise sweep to the spinners would occasionally reveal some intent, but by and large, circumspection was the name of the game. With Mathews showing only brief glimpses of his shotmaking potential, the run-rate slowed quite a bit after Samaraweera's dismissal soon after lunch. He had been afflicted with cramp, and was then struck a glancing blow on the helmet by Mohammad Aamer before a doosra from Saeed Ajmal was nicked behind. Apart from a brain-fade where he nearly handled the ball after digging out a yorker from Younis, Samaraweera had constantly challenged the bowlers, never allowing them to settle into a rhythm. Danish Kaneria, the scourge of Sri Lanka's first innings, was attacked and only Ajmal managed to exercise any real control. Younis was also badly let down by Umar Gul, who struggled with no-balls and served up dross with the second new-ball. Each mistake was pounced on by Samaraweera, whose classical drives invoked another age. Pakistan still had a slight edge, but with no Flintoff-like talisman to turn to, Younis' brow became increasingly furrowed as the afternoon wore on. Sangakkara's smile only grew wider. Dileep Premachandran is an associate editor at Cricinfo
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were outPakistan spent much of the afternoon merely going through the motions, toiling all day for just one wicket Prime Numbers
Alex Brown July 24, 2009 Kevin Pietersen's participation in the IPL will come under further scrutiny after it emerged his Achilles injury deteriorated while on duty with the Royal Challengers Bangalore. According to Evan Speechly, Bangalore's assistant coach and physiotherapist, Pietersen aggravated his right Achilles while jogging along Durban's beachfront and returned to England for the home series against West Indies experiencing increased discomfort. Pietersen reported for IPL duty with a pre-existing Achilles problem, sustained during England's ill-fated tour of the Caribbean. The ECB, who dispatched senior medical officers Simon Timson and Nick Pierce to South Africa to monitor their IPL-contracted players, outlined a revised training plan for Pietersen, the Bangalore captain, which the franchise's medical staff strictly enforced. That plan included a restriction on Pietersen running at training, but it emerged that the batsman, enthused at the apparent progress of the injury, opted to go for a jog along the boardwalk of Durban, his hometown, of his own accord. He reported pain upon returning to the hotel, and struggled through ensuing series against West Indies and Australia. He has since undergone surgery to alleviate the effects of chronic tendinopathy, and will miss the last three Tests of the Ashes series. "We knew there was a problem there and we monitored it very carefully," Speechly told Cricinfo. "I think he was just feeling so good about it that he got a bit carried away and tried to run on it too soon. He woke up one morning and decided to go for a run along the beachfront in Durban. It flared up again after that. He returned slightly the worse for wear because of that. "He came to us in great shape. The England Cricket Board sent us his whole medical history. We were informed he had a problem with the Achilles. We monitored him throughout and placed him on a special exercise program. It was very strict what he could and could not do. We didn't train all that much, but he was not to run, only play in the nets, when we were. He was doing the eccentric exercise." Player participation in the IPL has been a sensitive topic in England since Andrew Flintoff damaged his knee playing for Chennai Super Kings; an injury that ruled out of the Test and one-day series against West Indies as well as the ICC World Twenty20. The issue also flared in Australia when Matthew Hayden, another Chennai-contracted player, damaged his Achilles during the inaugural IPL season in 2008, and missed the ensuing tour of the Caribbean. Hayden's Achilles eventually recovered, but the same could not be said of his international career. The veteran opener averaged just 23.93 in nine Tests after returning from the injury and, despite harbouring ambitions to play through to the end of this Ashes series, announced his retirement in January. Despite the obvious setback, Hayden did not believe the IPL posed an undue health risk to players. "It was unfortunate," Hayden told Cricinfo during the 2009 IPL. "I picked up that injury doing a running session because I wanted to be spot on for that West Indies tour. I came back [from the IPL] on a real high, not realising how bad the injury was. It didn't feel all that serious, and I wasn't expecting to miss any games let alone an entire Test series, so it wasn't until later that I realised what I was actually dealing with. But I don't look back on [the inaugural IPL] as a negative. If anything I found that really reinvigorated me and revived my enthusiasm, because you could feel you were a part of taking cricket to another level." Meanwhile, Sean Morris, the chief executive of the Professional Cricketers' Association, warned the ECB against persecuting nationally-contracted players who sought to pursue opportunities in lucrative domestic Twenty20 leagues. Morris said that the crammed international schedule was already pushing players, including Flintoff, towards early international retirements and into the seductive embrace of tournaments such as the IPL. "I can see the day of the freelance cricketer with players turning down England contracts," Morris told theTelegraph. "That's the way the market will go and it's very dangerous. Andrew Flintoff has already made the choice to concentrate on one-day cricket and others will make similar decisions earlier and earlier in their careers. That does not bode well for the ECB, the PCA or anybody. We all want the best players to appear in Test cricket. "I've seen the ICC's Future Tours Programme from 2012-2020. It's unbelievable. The players won't be able to do it. England will need two squads picked on a rotation basis. Fast bowlers in particular are going to be broken. Players will be drained mentally as well as physically."The injury that ruled Kevin Pietersen out of three Ashes Tests was aggravated during the IPL
Matt Prior signalled England's determination to learn from their mistakes by leading a ruthless drive towards a match-winning lead in the second Ashes Test England's wicketkeeper-batsman hit a superb 61 off only 42 balls and typified the desire to capitalise on their dominance over Australia having failed to do so earlier in the match. Prior's brilliant innings, which included nine boundaries, helped England progress into a daunting 521-run lead at the end of the third day at Lord's after reaching a commanding 311 for six. His rapid-fire contribution set the tone for a fast accumulation of runs to make amends from their disappointing first innings display, when they failed to build on a 196-run opening stand and were dismissed for 425. Already Australia know they must eclipse the world record total for a final innings to win a Test of 418 for seven recorded by West Indies against them in Antigua in 2002-3 if they are to overhaul England's lead in the final two days. They will also be aware they may need nearly 200 runs more than the highest successful winning final innings total at Lord's of 344 for one set by West Indies against England in 1984 to secure a shock victory. But a more realistic objective is to bat out the remaining two days of the Test and salvage a draw despite being dominated for the majority of the match - just as England did during the opening Test in Cardiff. Australia had begun the day looking for damage limitation having slumped to 156 for eight overnight and enjoyed frustrating England's attack for a further 14 overs with Nathan Hauritz and Peter Siddle forging a 44-run stand off 64 balls. Their resistance was broken by Durham seamer Graham Onions, who was contentiously preferred to county team-mate Steve Harmison, during a spell of two for nine in his three overs to leave Australia with a 210-run deficit. Given the option of enforcing the follow on, England captain Andrew Strauss chose to bat on in good conditions in an attempt to score quick runs, increase the pressure on Australia and set the tone of intent. That was certainly demonstrated during a blistering opening stand with Alastair Cook of 61 off only 85 balls which signalled England's intentions to score as many runs as possible in a short space of time. The vibrant stand was halted after lunch with off-spinner Hauritz continuing a theme for Cook in this series when he was given lbw playing across the line while Strauss fell in his next over when he drove at a delivery which turned out of the footmarks and was caught at slip. It brought together Ravi Bopara and Kevin Pietersen, two batsmen struggling for different reasons, and neither found their fluency during a 73-run partnership which looked fragile throughout its existence. Essex batsman Bopara has struggled for runs ever since the opposition changed from a steady diet of the West Indies to the more challenging Australians and never looked comfortable during his innings of 27 spanning more than two hours at the crease. He was given a reprieve on nine when he edged Siddle straight to Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who put down a regulation chance, and on 19 pulled Mitchell Johnson from outside off-stump to Hauritz at mid-on but survived when third umpire Nigel Llong ruled the catch had not carried. His determined if not fluent knock ended when he pushed Hauritz to Simon Katich at short leg shortly after tea to end a painful partnership with Pietersen of 73 which included only six boundaries between them. Pietersen seemed to struggle more on fitness grounds than any question about his talent or temperament and noticeably limped throughout his innings, raising fresh concerns about his ability to last the course of the npower series following his long-standing Achilles problems. He fell six overs after Bopara with an inside edge off Siddle which flew to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin to set the stage for Prior's thrilling contribution to England's daunting lead. Aided by the swift and busy running between the wickets of Paul Collingwood, Prior looked at home from the start and dominated their 86-run stand off only 74 balls which threatened to visibly drained Australia's morale. Prior looked so composed at the crease he seemed certain to emulate his century on his Test debut at Lord's two years ago against West Indies, but called for a quick two after pushing Ben Hilfenhaus past point only to be defeated by a direct throw from the deep by Marcus North. His ovation as he walked back to the Pavillion merged with that given to Andrew Flintoff as he strode out for his final Test innings at Lord's, who responded to the occasion by hitting a quickfire 30 off 27 balls as England closed in on a declaration. Perhaps influenced by the deteriorating light, Strauss delayed the decision and had it taken out of his hands when rain halted play after Collingwood had edged Siddle behind with 10.4 overs remaining. England had added 181 runs in just 30.2 overs in the final session and set out their intent, but having been in similar positions against Sri Lanka (2006) and South Africa (2008) and failed to win they will know they still face a major battle before to secure a priceless Ashes lead.
Lockerbie outlines plans for US-style IPL July 17, 2009 There was a certain irony that on the day plans for a major Twenty20 tournament in the USA were announced, the USA Cricket Association's chief executive, Don Lockerbie, was at Lord's watching an Ashes Test, a format many seem to think is growing less relevant by the year. Lockerbie was in town to meet with leading administrators to advance his plan to make the USA a major cricketing destination. While he wants to build the USA into a leading cricketing power, he also believes Twenty20 cricket is a format made for the American audience. "I'd like to see a successful, world-class, best-players-in-the-game tournament, an invitational franchise league or something like that, in the near future," he said. "That would be the dream. It's too early to say what kind of format that would be, but we're putting out a tender for proposal." Will that, as has been rumoured, be another IPL? "The IPL as I look at it now is a remarkable, fantastic model to follow. Look at what it's been able to do. Our hat is off to Lalit [Modi] and the people behind this fantastic sports property. "So, of course, you want to look at it as a model to emulate, or as a model to partner with, or at least to come up with something that has its own fresh appeal. "The USA is a country that wants to see the superstars, and that's what we have to focus on. We have to invite them to come and play in the USA, and eventually we hope to develop our own superstars." The USA already has one major venue, in Florida, and Lockerbie said more are planned, either in new areas, such as Indianapolis, or by expanding existing facilities in California and New York. "The proof will be, is the USA ready to undertake these type of events? When the US was announced back in the late 1980s as the host for the 1994 [football] World Cup, the world laughed and said 'what are they going to do with our game'. And yet we still hold the record for the most tickets sold at a football World Cup. "Before the world laughs at the US taking on cricket, it's important to say we're going to do it well, we're going to do it smart, we're going to do it best and with the world's experts and put together a programme that will be successful." And he added that his plans were very much in tune with the ICC and would fit in with the existing international calendar. "We're going to make sure what we do has ICC backing. That's the promise we made when we did a presentation to the ICC in Dubai [in April]. "We made a commitment we will be a significant contributor to the world of cricket and a good partner. I don't see us as a competitor, I see as being a partner in something that will make sense to the game as it continues to evolve." Unlike many previous comets who have blazed into US cricket with bold ideas only to disappear without trace, Lockerbie has the professionalism and drive to make you think he really can pull off these plans. A highly-regarded sports organiser and event administrator, he was venue director at the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean and is well connected in not only the game but also the corporate world, something vital for the backing he seeks. Martin Williamson is executive editor of Cricinfo and managing editor of ESPN Digital Media in Europe, the Middle East and AfricaDon Lockerbie: 'We're going to do it well, we're going to do it smart, we're going to do it best' 
