Year 2010 ends with cricket spot fixing

A brief glance on international cricket in the year of 2010

There were more thrilling sights in world cricket in the year 2010 than Pakistan’s Mohammad Amir bowling and there were few more controversial too.The teenage Pakistan left-arm quick's entrancing spell of swing bowling saw Australia dismissed for just 88 at Headingley in July. But Amir and new partner Mohammad Asif, together with Pakistan captain Salman Butt, soon found themselves facing 'spot-fixing' allegations.

Salman Butt was accused by British tabloid ‘The News of the World’ of orchestrating a betting scam that saw Amir and Asif bowl deliberate no-balls to effect a 'spot-fixing' coup.

The trio's future is set to be decided by an International Cricket Council (ICC) tribunal hearing in the Qatari capital of Doha in January 2011.

Pakistan had banned three former captains Younus Khan, Mohammad Yousuf and Shoaib Malik earlier in the year after a wretched tour of Australia where they failed to win a single match and Shahid Afridi was fined for an incredible ball-biting incident in Perth.

And in November wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider fled Dubai, where Pakistan was playing against South Africa, for London saying his life was under threat from 'Match fixers'.

On the field game, England won a first major one-day title by beating Australia in the final of the World Twenty20 tournament in the Caribbean.

Hopes of an Ashes series win in Australia looked realistic after England's innings and 71-run victory in the second Test in Adelaide.

That followed a draw in the series opener in Brisbane marked by a hat-trick by Peter Siddle of Australia.

But Australia leveled with a 267-run win in the 4th Test at Perth.

Nevertheless Australia, so recently the kings of Test cricket, had dropped to fourth in the ICC rankings as 2010 drew to a close.

The year ended with South Africa pressing hard to replace India as the world's leading Test side with an innings and 25 runs victory in the first Test at Centurion stadium.

The Proteas' Dale Steyn looked the one genuine fast bowler in the modern game whose record that would not look out of place alongside those of some all-time great fast bowlers while Jacques Kallis cemented his position as the world's leading all-rounder.

In meanwhile Sri Lanka off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, whose unorthodox action remained controversial even when 'cleared' by the ICC, bowed out with a record 800 Test wickets before retiring from the test matches.

New Zealand's 2010 were exemplified by an embarrassing 4-0 one-day series loss to minnows Bangladesh in October.

India's Sachin Tendulkar set yet more batting records by becoming the first man to score 200 in a one-day international and the first to 50 Test centuries.

Chris Gayle of west Indies became only the fourth batsman in history to make two Test scores of over 300 with an innings of 333 against Sri Lanka in Galle last month but this was a rare highlight for the West Indies in another struggling year.

England's Ashes-winning all-rounder Andrew Flintoff and New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond finally gave up their struggles with injury by retiring from all cricket while Australia quick Brett Lee quit Tests.

But the most notable retirement in 2010 was of South Africa's Makhaya Ntini, the first black African to represent his country, whose 13-year international career saw a fast bowler blessed with exceptional stamina more than justify his place on cricket grounds alone.

Split-innings matches were trialed in Australia, the ICC announced plans for a new Test championship and MCC experimented with a pink ball in a bid to probe the viability of day/night Tests.

It's a fair bet the pink ball would not have impressed Sir Alec Bedser, who died aged 91 in April.

Sachin Tendulkar creates history

Great Indian batsman, star Sachin Tendulkar has became the first player to hit 50 centuries in Test matches when he played a defiant innings on the fourth day of the first Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park.

Tendulkar, 37, reached the landmark 56 minutes after tea when he drove fast bowler Dale Steyn through the covers after batting for 258 minutes and facing 197 balls.

No other batsman has scored more than 39 Test centuries.

It was an almost flawless innings by the Indian batting maestro as he and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni made a valiant effort to save their team from an innings defeat.

When Sachin reached his century he and Dhoni had put on an unbeaten 160 runs  for the seventh wicket and were within 47 runs of making South Africa batting again.

Tendulkar, who has been playing international cricket for 21 years, has hit centuries against every other Test nation.

His tally is made up of 11 test hundreds against Australia, 9 against Sri Lanka, 7 against England, 6 against South Africa, 5 against Bangladesh, 4 against New zealand, 3 each against West Indies and Zimbabwe and 2 against Pakistan.

Cricket Match officials announced for ICC Cricket World Cup 2011

The cricket governing body has announce match officials for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. In addition to elite panel, six emerging umpires named in 18-man team of match officials.

Umpires Richard Kettleborough,Kumar Dharmasena, Bruce Oxenford, Nigel Llong, Amish Saheba and Shahvir Tarapore have been named to stand alongside the members of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires during the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, which begins in Dhaka on 19 February.

These 6 have been identified as emerging and talented match officials, who have already officiated at international level with experience of conditions in the Asian sub-continent and are now ready to umpire at cricket's flagship event.

The full list of umpires is: Billy Bowden, Aleem Dar, Steve Davis, Billy Doctrove, Marais Erasmus, Ian Gould, Daryl Harper, Tony Hill, Asad Rauf, Asoka de Silva, Simon Taufel, Rod Tucker (all from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires), Kumar Dharmasena, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Bruce Oxenford, Amish Saheba and Shahvir Tarapore (all from the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires).

The reserve umpire for the tournament has been named as Enamul Hoque-Moni, also from the international panel. He will officiate during the warm-up phase of the tournament and be available, if required, during the event proper.

The match referees for the event will be: Chris Broad, Jeff Crowe, Ranjan Madugalle, Roshan Mahanama and Andy Pycroft (all from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees).

The umpire selection panel consists of David Richardson (ICC General Manager - Cricket), Ranjan Madugalle (ICC Chief Match Referee), David Lloyd (former player, coach, umpire and now television commentator) and Srinivas Venkataraghavan (former elite panel umpire).

Ways to “Get Out” In Cricket for a Batsman

Most common ways to get out as follows:

1. Bowled:-If a bowler manages to get a ball through and knock off the bails (The two wooden bits resting on the top of the Stumps) it is called Bowled.

2. Stumped:- When a batsman comes down the crease to hit the ball, and if he misses the ball there is a chance of getting out by stumping with the ball by the wicket keeper.

3. Leg Before Wicket (LBW):- When a batsman obstructs the ball from hitting the stumps with any part of his body (Usually Pads) other than bat. It is called LBW and the decision is taken by the umpire after the appeal by the bowler.

4. Caught:-Being Caught is most common way of getting out for a batsman. A batsman is out caught when a fielder catches the ball directly off the bat, before it has hit the ground.

5. Run Out:- When a batsman is going for runs between the wickets, but fall short of the batting crease when the stumps are broken by the fielding team.

Uncommon ways of getting out in the game of cricket as follows:

6. Handling The Ball:-When a batsman tries to obstruct the ball with his hand he can be got out. They can only knock the ball from rolling back on to the stumps with pads, feet or bat.

7. Timed Out:-When a batsman got out and if the next batsman fails to reach within 3 minutes, the umpire can give him/her out. This is the rarest form of getting out in type of cricket.

8. Hit The Ball Twice (Double Hit):-When a batsman hit twice a ball while playing a shot. This kind of dismissal is very rare and the batsman can go out only if the second hit is deliberate.

9. Hit Wicket:-This dismissal happens when a batsman himself knocks their stumps over while playing a shot or when leaving a delivery.

10. Obstructing The Field:-The umpire can give a batsman out if he feels the batsman has got in the way of a fielder who is about to take a catch or attempt a run out.

Cricket Grounds-Cricket Pitch

Cricket grounds are varying in size. Most of the Cricket Grounds on which official matches played measure about 137 meters wide and 150 meters long.
The wickets are 22 yards (20.12 meters) apart in the centre of the field.
They stand opposite and parallel to each other.
Pitch is the area between the wickets.

The bails are 43/8 inches (11.1 centimeters long) and rest in grooves on the tops of the stumps. The bails do not rise more than 1/2 inch (13 millimeters) above the stumps.
Each wicket measures 9 inches (22.9) centimeters wide.
The stumps of each wicket are close enough together so the ball cannot pass between any 2 of them.
The tops of the stumps stand 28 inches (71.1 centimeters) above the ground.

White lines made by chalk or lime mark certain boundaries called creases.
A line called the bowling crease is drawn through the stumps of each wicket. It is 8 feet 8 inches (2.64 meters) long, with the middle stump of the wicket at its centre.
A line called the popping crease is marked 4 feet (1.22) meters in front of the bowling crease. The popping crease extends at least 6 feet (1.83 meters) on either side of the centre of the wicket but is considered to be unlimited in length.
Lines called return creases are marked from each end of the bowling crease. The return creases extend forward to the popping crease and back at least 4 feet (1.22 meters) behind the bowling crease. However, the return creases are considered to be unlimited in length. The bowler must deliver the ball with some part of the front foot behind the popping crease.
The back foot must be between the return creases

Types of Ground Pitches
In general there are six different types of cricket pitches:- 

THE FAIR WICKET
Allow both spin and seam bowlers to achieve a degree of movement, but at even pace and height.

THE SPORTING WICKET
Generally results from a period of drought with dry, hard soil under the grass. Fast bowling can be lethal on this wicket.
 
THE GOOD WICKET
Good for scoring runs as neither the spin nor seam bowlers are able to make the ball bounce unexpectedly.

THE GREEN WICKET
Is generally created by a moist atmosphere, and is usually well-grassed. This wicket allows medium to fast seam bowling, sometimes in contradiction to the swing.

THE ROUGH WICKET
It does not give batsman a fair chance as the ball does not bounce truly.

THE CRUMBLING WICKET
Also results from dry weather and lack of grass to bind it. Spinners and medium-paced cutters do well under such circumstances.

Venues of Ashes series 2010-11

FIRST TEST — Gabba, Brisbane, November 25-29

Australia is relishing getting its first crack at England in the five-Test Ashes series at Brisbane’s Woolloongabba (Gabba), a ground where the home team has not lost to England in 24 years.

The Gabba has been the nemesis of touring English teams drawing only once in their last five visits down under while the Australians have set up their home Ashes series with some heavy morale-deflating victories in the opening Test.

Often regarded as the premier cricket wicket in the country, the Gabbais a haven for fast bowlers who can move the ball off the pitch in the sultry conditions.

SECOND TEST — Adelaide Oval, December 3-7

If England can come away from Brisbane without losing it may fancy its chances at the picturesque Adelaide Oval, where it has won eight of 29 Ashes Tests (five drawn) with a victory there four tours ago in 1995.

Adelaide, the home ground of the immortal Don Bradman where his influence still looms large, has a reputation as a flat batting wicket and the rock-hard pitch scuffing up the ball can be conducive to reverse swing, which works in the England bowlers’ favour.

The square leg boundaries are the shortest but it is possible to run four. Spinners are more likely to take wickets in Adelaide.

THIRD TEST — WACA Ground, Perth, December 16-20

The series swings to the other side of the vast continent and Perth’s WACA ground for the third match in the series, finishing just days before Christmas.

England has only won once in 11 Tests in Perth when Bob Willis and John Lever bowled Mike Brearley’s tourists to a 166-run victory 32 years ago.

The WACA wicket, once famed as the paciest in Australia, has lost his venom in recent years and India and South Africa have beaten Australia at the WACA in two of the last three years. The famed ‘Fremantle Doctor’ blows in most afternoons making it back-breaking work for medium-pacers.

FOURTH TEST — Melbourne Cricket Ground, December 26-30

The fourth Boxing Day Test at the cavernous Melbourne Cricket Ground will be an unforgettable experience for the England players as they are expected to play before a near capacity 100,000 first-day crowd.

One of the special days on Australia’s annual sporting calendar, the MCG on Boxing Day truly resonates as the home of Australian cricket.

England won a famous victory here in 1998 with Dean Headley taking 6-60 in the second innings as the tourists won by just 12 nail-biting runs. South Africa beat Australia in the 2008 Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

FIFTH TEST — Sydney Cricket Ground, January 3-7

The series winds up at the famous Sydney Cricket Ground where England won the corresponding 2003 Test with Andy Caddick claiming 7-94 after Michael Vaughan had amassed 183 in the second innings.

The SCG has a reputation as spin-friendly opening up the possibilities for Australia’s Nathan Hauritz and England’s Graeme Swann.

If England can get to the final Test still in contention to retain the Ashes it will be encouraged that overall England teams have won 21 times at the SCG in 53 Tests. Ricky Ponting has scored five centuries and six half-centuries in 15 SCG Tests.

Cricket Clips - Best Wickets Dismissales Clips

Best Bowling-Wicket Dismissals.

Shane Warne's Magic Wickets

Waseem Akram the King of Swing

PR Singh in Action

Shoaib Akhter - The Speedy got outs

Curtly Ambrose - A Bull

Zulqarnain Haider controversy

Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider, who reached London yesterday in mysterious way has announced, in a telephonic talk with TV chennel today, his retirement from international cricket.

Zulqarnain Haider quit international cricket on Tuesday saying he feared for his safety after being ordered to cooperate with match-fixers during the recent one-day series with South Africa.

He said that he is writing to the Pakistan Cricket Board in this regard.

He said that he was receiving threats from an unknown person and thus he decided to leave Dubai immediately and went to London where he is seeking an asylum.

Zulqarnain, 24, who said he had fled the team hotel before the start of the fifth one-dayer on Monday in Dubai and reached London hours later, he told that he felt unable to continue in the Pakistan team after being approached by a person who asked him to fix the fourth and fifth one-dayers.

"I have decided it is best for me to retire from international cricket since my family and I are constantly getting threats," he said.

"It is best for me to step down because I can't play in these circumstances. But I would like to continue to play domestic cricket."

Zulqarnain, who scored an unbeaten 19 and hit the winning runs in the fourth one-dayer on Friday, left the team hotel hours before the fifth one-day match eventually won by South Africa who took the series 3-2.

He landed in London hours after leaving Dubai and spent almost four hours locked in discussions with immigration authorities before finally emerging from Heathrow airport.

"I was told to cooperate or I would face lot of problems," Zulqarnain said.

"This person approached me while I had gone out of the hotel for dinner. He told me cooperate with us and you can make a lot of money.

"He said, 'If you don't cooperate you will no longer be part of the team and we can make life very difficult for you'."

Zulqarnain said he had not yet decided whether to seek political asylum in Britain.

"I have not thought about this, I don't even have enough money to hire a lawyer, my only concern now is the security of my family in Lahore," he said.

Zulqarnain, who has played just one test and four ODIs, said he had gone to London because he felt safe there and knew that in Britain the law protected those in the right.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Monday the player had not informed them he was planning to leave the hotel nor had he told them the reason for his sudden decision.

"I was not confident enough to speak to the team management about it because I didn't want to get my other team mates into trouble," Zulqarnain said.

Cricketers Nicknames

English Cricketer's Nicknames

Marcus Trescothick = Banger (Loves eating sausages apparently)
Andrew Flintoff = Freddie (After Freddie Flintstone the cartoon character)
Derek Randall = Arkle (Reflects his speed when fielding)
Michael Vaughan = Vaughny and Virgil (Thunderbirds)

Robert Russell = Jack (Excellent wicketkeeper/ batsman for Gloucestershire and England. Also an excellent painter)
Ashley Giles = King of Spain (Ashley ordered several coffee mugs to be made to sell to raise money in his testimonial year. Apparently they were to have read ' The King of Spin' . They didn't and the rest is history as they say)
Phil Tufnell = The Cat (Phil liked taking naps)
Graham Dilley was known as Picca
Ian Botham = Beefy
Graham Gooch of course was Zap (Emilio Zapata moustache)
Chris Old was known as Chilli
Paul Collingwood = Nice Ginger
W.G. Grace = the Doctor
Keith Fletcher = The Gnome of Essex
Kevin Pietersen = K.P
Derek Underwood = Deadly

Australian Cricketer's Nicknames:

Mark Waugh was known as Afghanistan since he was often the forgotten Waugh; also he was known as Audi after he got 4 ducks in a row which was recorded in the scorebook as 0000.

Steve Waugh, as Tugga or Drobe.
Don Bradman = The Don
Glen McGrath = pigeon
Ritchie Benaud = Diamonds
Shane Warne = Warney, Hollywood, The Sheikh of Tweak
Ricky Ponting = Punter

The Aussie Twenty20 team took to the field against England in January 2007 with their nicknames on the back of their shirts. Thus we learn:

Michael Clarke = Clarkey. Yet another unimaginative one
Matthew Hayden = Haydos. Not the most imaginative choice
Ricky Ponting = Punter. He likes a bet, especially on the horses and the dogs
Mike Hussey = Huss. His name would be his nickname if his nickname was his name. Get it?
Adam Gilchrist = Church. Because the last syllable of his surname is "Christ"
Andrew Symonds = Roy. His dad's choice, after Roy of the Rovers.
Cameron White = Bear. Apparently because he is believed to resemble the Bundaberg Rum Bear, a polar bear used to advertise an Australian spirit
Nathan Bracken = Andy G. He looks like Andrew Gunsberg, host of reality show Australian Idol
Ben Hilfenhaus = Hilfy. It's easier to say than Hilfenhaus
Brad Hogg = George. Brad is his middle name - George is his first
Shane Harwood = Stickers. Because of his liking for tattoos.

Pakistan Cricketer's Nicknames

Wasim Akram = Prince of Pakistan, Sultan of Swing
Saqlain Mushtaq = Saqi, Professor (wears glasses and outsmarts the batsman)
Shahid Afridi = Boom Boom
Inzamam ul Haq = Aloo (potato)
Shoaib Akhtar = Rawalpindi Express (Fastest bowler in the world born in Rawalpindi)

Indian Cricketer's Nicknames

Sachin Tendulkar = Little Master
Rahul Dravid = The Wall (Difficult to bowl at or get out)
Harbhajan Singh =The Turbanator, Bhajji (by team-mates)
Saurav Ganguly = Maharaj, Prince of Calcutta, Dada, Bengali Tiger
Anil Kumble = Jumbo

West Indian Cricketer's Nicknames

Brian Lara = The Prince
Joel Garner = Big Bird
Clive Lloyd = Super Cat

South African Cricketer's Nicknames

Allan Donald = White Lightning (Extremely fast bowler)
Shaun Pollock = Polly
Graeme Pollock = The Little Dog
Lance Klusener = Zulu
Peter Pollock = The Big Dog

Sri Lankan Cricketer's Nicknames

Muttiah Muralitharan =The Smiling Assassin, Murali

Cricket Umpires' Nicknames

Harold Bird = Dickie Bird
Steve Bucknor = Slow Death
Brent Bowden = Billy

How to Reverse Swing a Cricket Ball

How to Reverse Swing a Cricket Ball:

In the game of cricket, when  ball gets old and worn out, it will get heavier on one side than the other due to wear and tear from hitting. This inequality of weight will cause ball to turn in the opposite direction that it typically would on a swing in the air, throwing off the batsman.

 
Instructions:

1- Find a cricket ball that has one dull side and one shiny side.

2- Hold the cricket ball with the seam of the ball. Keep the shiny side on the right if you want the ball to move away from a right-handed baseman and the shiny side on the left if you want to move the ball in. Keep the seam as vertical and straight.

3-Bend the wrist while holding the cricket ball downward so that the part of the ball that is closest to your body is positioned facing approximately 30 degrees downward.

4-Keep your head and hand at the shoulder at approximately a 50 to 60 degree angle. Your bowling hand should remain angled as you bowl and keep your hand as far away from your head as you can.

5-Pitch the ball up high and as fast as you can. The ball needs to be thrown at 80 miles an hour or so to make this swing work.

6- Make sure that the ball goes between your body and the stumps (the vertical posts) when you follow through on this swing.

Tips & Warnings

*While playing the game, try to wear your ball on one side more than the other and keep the shiny side as shiny as possible to create a ball that will work with this swing. Shine the ball on your leg on the shiny side of the ball as you play.

*Test the ball to see if you can use it for a reverse swing by throwing it straight. If it swings a bit toward the shiny side of the ball than you can use it for this swing.

*Practice this swing until you can get it right before using it in the game.

*Let the ball wear naturally. Don't tamper with the ball with knives and other things to speed the process. Ball tampering is illegal in the game and could get you banned.

Misbah ul Haq the best cricket brain in Pakistan: Geoff Lawson

Former Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson believes Misbah-ul-Haq has the “best cricket brain” in Pakistan and is well-placed to handle the Test captaincy, surprisingly handed to the 36-year-old last week.

Misbah ul Haq was thought to be out of national reckoning when he wasn’t picked for the Asia Cup or the tour to England earlier this year. But a disastrous sequence of captaincy appointments left the board, in their own words, with little choice.

Geoff Lawson is well-placed having been coach during Misbah’s return to international cricket 3 years ago during the 2007 World T20, a tournament which he nearly won for Pakistan.

That sparked the most productive phase of his career and it was in Lawson’s time, between 2007 and 2008, that he established himself in the middle order; in 5 Tests under Lawson, he averaged 78 with two hundreds and a fifty; he averaged 41 in 28 ODIs, and over 67 in the ten Twenty20s Pakistan played with Lawson in charge.

“He definitely has the best cricket brain and intellect in Pakistan cricket,” Lawson said. “He has a statesman-like demeanor which so many Pakistan captains have lacked and he handles adversity analytically not emotionally. He knows how to get the best out of players and he is a winner, note his outstanding domestic record as a leader.

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Muhammad Asif Wedding

Pakistan paceman Mohammad Asif celebrated his wedding to childhood friend Sana Hilal in Lahore on Thursday.

Asif, who is being investigated by British police in a major spot-fixing scandal, officially tied the knot in March but the celebrations were held in the capital of Punjab after Asif’s return from England last month.

The 27-year-old was one of three Pakistani players provisionally suspended by the International Cricket Council after a British tabloid claimed no-balls were delivered to order during last month's Lord's Test against England.

The ICC is expected to form a commission to hear the case after Scotland Yard completes an investigation.

“I hope marriage will be the turning point in my career and change my life in a positive way,” Asif was quoted as saying by local television channels.

Several team-mates, including Test cricketers Mohammad Hafeez and Misbah-ul-Haq were reportedly present at the wedding festivities.

“Asif is very relaxed and is hopeful that he will be cleared of any spot-fixing charges. He hopes that his wedding will bring luck for him,” said a family friend, who did not want to be named.

Since his debut in 2005, Asif's career has been dogged by controversy.

He twice failed dope tests and twice tested positive for a banned steroid.

In 2006, he was banned for one year – a punishment overturned on appeal.

But when he tested positive again in the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) season in 2008, his appeal against a one-year ban failed.

He was then arrested at Dubai airport for possessing a banned drug while returning from the IPL.

He was detained for 19 days and deported after police found the quantity of the banned drug “insufficient” to pursue a case.

Further scandal came when actress and model Veena Malik claimed he owed her huge amounts of money.

She also alleged that Asif was involved in match-fixing and was said to have handed evidence to the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit earlier this month.

Source: Dawn.com

MCC brings Changes in cricket rules

The Marylebone Cricket Club has changed a few cricket rules which will take effect from October 1, 2010. Some of these new rules include empowering the umpires with more decision-making capabilities around bad light and the fielders being not allowed to start from beyond the boundary. 

So far, in Test match cricket, the umpires would offer the light to the batsmen in case they deemed it unfit for play. Usually, it was done if the bowlers were dangerous to face – that is the pace bowlers. However, the rules have now been tweaked to ensure that the batsmen do not get an unfair advantage by taking the light when they desire and continuing to bat at the same level of light when it is going to be an advantage to them.

The play will now be called off only when the conditions will be deemed a “dangerous or unreasonable” with the players not being allowed to go off the field when the floodlights were being switched on. It usually takes 5-10 minutes for all the lights to start coming on and another 10 for them to take full effect.

The MCC has also said that the fielders will be allowed to catch the ball at the boundary, throw it up in the air, go outside the playing arena, regain their balance and come back inside and catch it. However, the MCC has said that the fielders will not be allowed to start off from outside the playing arena when the bowler has started his run-up.

Amongst some of the other laws introduced, a batsman running on the track will be afforded one warning before his team gets penalised five runs. Earlier, batsmen were given two warnings. The same rule will be applicable for the fielders as well.

There has also been a change to a law that was probably the most interesting one. The MCC has mandated that the bowlers will not be allowed to practice with the ball used in the game by bowling to the fielders. The MCC has said that this constitutes time-wasting apart from damaging the ball.

Author: Daniel Smith

Cricket Corruption and Future of Pakistan Cricket

Cricket is a beautiful game and very commercialized too, a lot of money involved in it, recent match fixing and spot fixing allegations over some Pakistan cricket team members are very questionable, dangerous and alarming for the future of the cricket, in my opinion PCB is fully responsible for current cricket corruption, officials knows every thing but they was silent and took the matter easy, if they punish cricketer in the past in legal way the situation would not be worst like this.

• Current PCB chairman Ejaz Butt is not fit for this position and not knowledgeable about cricket, he is mentally retired and just posses the seat through political appointment by President Zardari.

• Selectors taking political and financial pressure to select the cricketers with personal likes and dislikes also.

• Potential Cricketers ignored by selectors, no merit criteria for selection, for example Asim Kamal who have excellent records in domestic cricket but he is being ignored, Azeem Ghuman, Abdul Rehman, Imran Nazir, Danish Kaneria, must be inn.

• Current Team should be change except Afridi and Saeed Ajmal, Mr Kamran Akmal should leave and Zulqarnain Haider must be inn.

Pakistan cricket is in very vulnerable serious crisis, if PCB and Government not take bold action, ICC could be ban Pakistan Cricket team which would be more shameful for Pakistan nation.

Pakistani Cricketers are involved in spot fixing - Yasir Hameed said

Pakistani Cricketers are involved in spot fixing each match nowadays - Yasir Hameed comments.This sensation remark made by the Pakistani opener Yasir Hameed who said that his team mates Salman ButtSalman Butt ,Mohammad AsifMohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir is fixing matches almost each matches.Even he was also offered 10k pound to fix the match but he did not take that.

Younis Khan accuses British Newspaper of defamation

Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan served a legal notice on British newspaper The Daily Telegraph for linking him with a spot-fixing scam involving seven national team players.

The Pakistani cricketers are being investigated by British police over a newspaper sting in which a bookmaker was allegedly paid to get the team to bowl no-balls during the fourth Test against England at Lord’s which Pakistan lost Sunday.

The Telegraph apparently linked Younis, who ended his captaincy last year after a players’ revolt against him, to the bookmaker Mazhar Majeed at the centre of the allegations.

“We have sent a legal notice to the Telegraph for linking Younis with the accused bookmaker Mazhar Majeed as his (Younis’) marketing agent in a recent newspaper article,” Younis’s lawyer Ahmed Qayyum told AFP.

“Younis was never linked or had any contract with Majeed.” He said he had also forced several websites to remove similar allegations.

Qayyum said he had demanded that the Telegraph retract its story and pay compensation of 10,000 pounds (15,400 dollars) to his client, which would go to a charity helping victims of Pakistan’s floods.

Source:The News

Pakistan Match Fixing-Spot Fixing Scandal-Amir to undergo rehabilitation says Atherton.

Mike Atherton, the former England captain, wants Pakistan’s Mohammad Amir to undergo rehabilitation instead of getting punished if charges of playing a role in a ‘spot-fixing’ scandal are proven against the young fast bowler.

“Admittedly, if these allegations are proven accurate, to reprieve Amir at the expense of anyone else involved would be arbitrary and, in a sense, unfair. It would give succour to those who argue — rightly — that the events of the past few days are a direct consequence of a failure to act on the excesses of the past. Yet that would be to ignore the obvious: that Amir is a potent symbol right now, of what was, what is and what might be,” wrote Atherton in his column in The Times on Tuesday.

“He should not be punished as an example to the rest, as everyone seems to suggest, rather he should be made aware of the issues, educated, rehabilitate and held up as an example of what can be achieved.

“Amir’s rehabilitation should be at the heart of the cleansing of Pakistan cricket. The brilliant young bowler is not the cause of the problem but the most tragic consequence of it,” stressed Atherton, now working as Times’ chief cricket correspondent.

Amir, 18, hogged the limelight during the best part of the four-Test series against England with his deadly swing bowling that he deliver with a big, youthful smile.

But the lanky pacer is now facing the prospects of a life ban after being accused of bowling a deliberate no-ball during the Lord’s Test last week. His new-ball partner Mohammad Asif is also accused of a similar crime while Test captain Salman Butt and his deputy Kamran Akmal are also under investigation for having links with match-fixers.

Most critics believe that if found guilty, all the players, including the young Amir, should be given exemplary punishment. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has also promised prompt and decisive action against anybody found guilty of wrongdoing.

But Atherton argues that Amir might be a victim rather than one of the villains of the story.

“Now think of Salman Butt and the nature of authority in Pakistan itself. When a slip catch disappeared through the cordon at the Brit Insurance Oval, Butt walked towards them and gave them a very public dressing-down. An England captain might have got a flea in his ear had he done the same; in Pakistan you don’t flout authority. Could an 18-year-old resist the wishes of his elders, his superiors,” he questioned.

Source: The News

Cricket Fielding Tips

When fielding during cricket there are many things to think about and consider depending on where you are fielding. This brief article will look at a few essential cricket fielding tips which you can incorporate into your game to improve your fielding.

Where ever you are fielding you should always be on the balls of your feet so you can react and change direction quickly. If you are caught flat footed you'll be slower off the mark and potentially give away more runs.

Try to anticipate where ball will go; you can do this by carefully watching the batters shape and movements. This may be a little difficult at first but after a bit of practise will become second nature and you'll react much quicker to any shots coming your way and field better as a result.

When you are fielding close to the boundary and have to throw from the deep, try to aim your throw just above the keepers head and the ball should drop nicely in to his gloves, provided you have a relatively strong throwing arm.

When catching close to the wicket, such as in the slips, gulley or short leg, make sure you stance is correct with your feet shoulder width apart or slightly wider. Spread your weight evenly across both feet, resting lightly on the balls of your feet, with your knees flexed. Keep your hands together, close to the ground with your fingers pointing down. Keep your head up with your eyes level and stay alert.

When catching the ball in close, watch the ball all the way into your hands, allowing the ball to come to you; don't try to snatch at it. 'Give' with the ball as you catch, cushioning the impact. When catching in the deep, try and catch the ball at eye level and cushion the ball into your chest.

The ball can come to you at any time so it is really important you stay alert and awake so you can stop that vital run or take a match winning catch.

These are just a few cricket fielding tips that you can incorporate into you game; there are many more cricket fielding tips for specific aspects of fielding. However these are the general cricket fielding tips I've found to be the most useful.

Cricket Batting Tips-Foot Work

When batting in cricket it is essential to have excellent footwork. As good foot work is the basis for achieving excellence in cricket and is the foundation for good batting technique.

Foot work is absolutely necessary as all successful strokes start with effective batting footwork.

If you watch great cricketers like Brian Lara, Michael Vaughn, Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar, all of these amazing batsmen have outstanding footwork, often when these types of cricket players don't perform it is simply due to lack of footwork.

Good footwork allows you to time the ball well and place the ball in gaps. It gets you in the optimum position to hit the ball, so you can hit it where you want and with ease.

If you have been struggling to play a particular shot for some reason it could be due to poor footwork causing bad timing and body positioning.

With faster bowlers it is even more essential to have excellent fast and precise footwork, so that you can get into a balanced position, in-line with the ball, so you can play the ball with control.

Getting quickly into position through footwork therefore is very important.

The more you practice your footwork against both fast and slow bowlers the easier you will gradually find it. Many players do what we call trigger movements just before the bowler releases the ball, this helps get the feet moving into position and into line much quicker and easier, especially against faster bowlers.

Next time you watch a game of cricket on TV watch the batsmen's feet really closely as the bowler is about to deliver you'll see these small 'trigger movements'; small foot movements, which help the batsmen get in position and inline early.

As a batsman it is absolutely necessary to develop your foot work and foot movement, as all excellent strokes start with effective and efficient footwork.

Pakistan’s 10 lowest Test Cricket Totals

Pakistan’s 10 lowest Test Cricket Totals

Total Opposition Year

53 Runs against Australia in 2002

59 Runs against Australia in 2002

62 Runs against Australia in 1981

72 Runs against Australia in 2004

77 Runs against West Indies in 1986

80 Runs against England in 2010

87 Runs against England in 1954

90 Runs against England in 1954

90 Runs against Sri Lanka in 2009

92 Runs against South Africa in 1997

Muttiah Muralitharan 800 Test Wickets

Muttiah Muralitharan 800 Test Wickets record:
Name of the great player of cricket Muttiah Muralitharan will be remembered in the pages of history due to 800 wickets record next to Indian cricket team.

Indian team leg spinner player Anil Kumble said that “it is masterly achievement in life” on Muttiah Muralitharan 800 wickets cricket record. It was his last match against India. After that, the great players were going to take retirement Test Cricket.

But he will stay alive in One Day International (ODI) cricket matches and continue plays in career. He was born in the centre city of Sri Lanka named city Kandy which is very beautiful and specially designed for truism business.

Everyone will be proud of their success, give him plenty. Congratulations from all of us, we want Muttiah Muralitharan do something different in one-day international cricket.

Cricket Video-Top Ten Weird Dismissals

Cricket Video-Top Ten Weird Dismissals

MS Dhoni got Married with Sakshi Singh Rawat

An Indian cricketer and the current captain of the Indian team, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (MS Dhoni) married Sakshi Rawat at a private ceremony in Dehradun on Sunday, 4th July. M S Dhoni is considered the luckiest and best captain as of now with so many winning matches and series in his list of experience. MS Dhoni is a 28-year-old Current Indian Cricket Team and Sakshi Rawat is a 23-year-old hotel management  student.

On 3rd July, Saturday, MS Dhoni got engaged to his 2 year lover Sakshi Singh Rawat and on Sunday they got married at Dehradoon’s Vishranti resort 7PM IST. Vishrant Resort is about 20 km far from Dehradun. At the wedding, Dhoni’s cricketer friends Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra, RP Singh, Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma were present. This marriage and engagement was kept unfold and was performed in front of tight security and in Privacy.

Currently, the Indian skipper is enjoying a rare break from international cricket. MS Dhoni will be next seen in action through a three-Test series against Sri Lanka which is scheduled to begin from July 18 at Galle.

No ICC Cricket event for Pakistan until 2015

Pakistan Cricket remains in isolation as an international cricket venue with the ICC deciding not to allot any event to the trouble-torn country until 2015.

The ICC yesterday announced its events and host countries until 2015 and Pakistan does not feature in the list at all although the ICC has awarded the next two World Twenty20 Cups to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in 2012 and 2014.

Sources in the Pakistan Cricket Board said Chairman Ijaz Butt had shown interest that Pakistan should be given at least one ICC event after 2012 but the ICC members didn’t respond positively.

“The 2013 Champions Trophy was on the minds of the PCB but apparently nothing has happened to convince the ICC that international teams can resume touring Pakistan by next year or in 2012,” the source said.

MCC calls for Day-Night Test Matches

The MCC World Cricket Committee fears for the future of Test cricket unless action is taken quickly to promote the traditional format and has called for the immediate introduction of day/night matches to boost the game in countries where attendances are low.

The committee, which concluded a two-day meeting at Lord’s on Friday and consists of a host of former players, reiterated its call for a Test Championship to bring context to the five-day game, but believes recent testing with pink balls means that floodlit Tests can start as soon as possible.

“We should not delay in presenting day-night Test cricket as an option for those Test-playing countries that are struggling to attract an audience,” John Stephenson, the MCC assistant secretary, said. “We say this form of the game is viable now. We proved it in Abu Dhabi with the four-day game under lights.

Cricket Cartoons

Cricket News Update

 Flintoff back training with Lancashire

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff returned to training with Lancashire here on Monday as his long awaited cricket comeback moved a step closer to reality. Flintoff has had two knee operations since helping England to victory in the final Test of last year’s Ashes series win over Australia and has yet to make it back onto the field. Flintoff though plans to return and fight for his England place in the limited-overs formats. “The next few weeks are about getting into some sort of shape to play,” Flintoff said. “I’ve not played for nine or ten months now. I’ve just got to get fit, get back on the field and take it from there.”

CA chases ICC votes for Howard

Cricket Australia (CA) officials are still lobbying to gain enough support to install John Howard as the ICC’s vice-president in Singapore over the next two days. The appointment of Howard is supposed to be a formality but it has become increasingly uncertain following complaints raised by Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Howard’s vice-presidency will be a key issue at the ICC’s executive board meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday, which occurs before the elevation of India’s Sharad Pawar to the top job. James Sutherland, CA’s chief executive, and the chairman Jack Clarke are in Singapore for various talks this week and are attempting to secure the seven votes required for Howard to get the deputy’s role.

Umar Akmal demolishes Kent attack

Cricketer Umar Akmal continued his golden form when he hit a scintillating century to lift Pakistan on the opening day of their warm-up match against Kent at St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury.

The young master blaster, who opened Pakistan’s marathon tour of England with a match-winning fifty in a Twenty20 match against MCC at Lord’s on Sunday, was in full flow on his way to glorious 153 to take Pakistan to 360 in their first innings. Later, Kent played out a solitary Umar Gul over and were 2-0 at stumps.

On a day when most of his other teammates flopped with the bat, Umar was in his element hitting 17 fours and five sixers in his 188-ball knock that took him 266 minutes.

Pakistan lost their top six batters for just 180 before Umar dominated a 111-run stand for the seventh wicket with tail-ender Abdur Rehman (30). Umar Gul then hit an unbeaten 30 to take Pakistan to a respectable total. Other main run-getters for the tourists were Kamran Akmal (28), Shoaib Malik (27), Salman Butt (26) and Fawad Alam (20). Skipper Shahid Afridi fell for a duck.

Spinner Mark Lawson was the pick of the Kent bowlers, finishing with 4-93.

World's best ODI opening pair, ever!

Like dancing, in cricket - it takes two to tango. tangos after tangos, I mean partnerships after partnerships - batsman take their team to victory. without a tango/partner - no batsman can't singly win a cricket match for his team!

If a cricket team's best tango pair is at the top - the opening batsmen, even better.

Following is a story of greatest opening tango pair International cricket has so far witnessed. and I assure you - their record won't in breaking in coming 5 years at least!

Cast Sachin Tendulkar - Right hand mumbai maestro. Sourav Ganguly - Left hand Bangal tiger.

Team : India Innings : 176 (136 times opening) and counting! Total runs : 6609 Average : 49.32/innings when they open together. Century stands : 26 times over 100 and 29 times over 50 runs for the first wicket.

Note : 40 other times when Sachin-Sourav have batted together, but not as opening pair - aggregates 1668 runs. So, total runs made between these openers is 8277 with an average of almost 48!

Man of the match : 56 awards to Sachin Tendulkar (the most) and 31 for Sourav Ganguly (3rd most).

Highest : 258 (vs Kenya), 252 (vs SL), 244 (vs Namibia), 197 (vs Zimbabwe), 193 (vs South Africa), 175 (vs Australia).. thrice these two have won the match without being separated!

The first : time Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly opened for India, was at Bloemfontein - 23rd January 1997.. Sachin was himself the captain, and Ganguly was chosen as his partner because he batted lefthanded! Sachin made 0 that day-night match against South Africa, but Ganguly went on to impress with 40 off 64, and rest is history!

An adjustment : was made between Sachin-Sourav opening partnership cause Sourav Ganguly didn't believed in fast singles. Tendulkar did. Ganguly was guilty of eating up the over while in-form Tendulkar waited at the non-strikers end.. Thankfully, only 9 runouts have occurred between this best opening pair of one day International cricket.

The gift : of both Sachin & sourav was their hunger for centuries. 41 for Tendulkar & 22 for Ganguly proves that an opener must know how to carry his bat through the innings & not throw his wicket for half-centuries!

Rival opening pairs : Marvan Atapattu - Sanath Jayasuriya (5462 runs from 144 inns), Gorden Greenidge & Desmond Haynes (5206 runs from 144 inns), Mathew Hayden - Adam Gilchrist (5182 runs from 108 inns).

Sehwag factor : The right hander from Delhi forced his way into Openers slot for India, specially for his ability to smash boundaries during powerplays. Sometimes Sourav will move down the order, sometimes Sachin batted at number 3. In all, Sehwag opened 78 times with Tendulkar, 65 times with Sourav. Averaged 38 and 42 respectively.

Ganguly comeback : Greg Chappell (Team India coach from 2006 to 2007 world cup) believed that a captain should prove himself as a batsman or bowler. First - he enters the playing eleven, and then he captains the side.. Sourav Ganguly, was captaining Indian side very well, but his own batting form slumped! and that was when Chappell (and chief selector Kiran More) forced the Bengal lefthander out of the team.. 2 centuries in Ranji trophy & few struggling tours - Sourav made one of the most remarkable comebacks in history of International cricket!

Expecting many more : Don't expect them to field, but expect few cheeky wickets when they bowl.. and while batting - Team India oppositions better separate this asap!

Source:. itsonlycricket.com

Saeed Ajmal still ‘heartbroken’

Pakistan offspinner Saeed Ajmal has said the pain of losing the semifinal of the ICC World Twenty20 to Australia still lingers, having bowled the last over which conceded the game.

Pakistan were firm favourites with Australia needing 18 off the final over, but Michael Hussey bludgeoned Ajmal for three sixes and a four to hand his team a miraculous win, with a ball to spare.

“When Hussey hit the last six I was absolutely heartbroken, I am still heartbroken,” Ajmal told “It was a very emotional and difficult time for me. My teammates all came up to me and consoled me and told me not to worry, but I was very upset. The pain is there, when you lose a game of this magnitude it hurts really badly”.

Ajmal said he received overwhelming support from everyone involved.

“All of the squad, from the players to the coaches to the backroom staff have said to me that I wasn’t to blame for the defeat and they have all said that we played as a unit, we won matches as a unit and we all take responsibility as a unit for the defeat,” Ajmal said. “There is no question of anyone pointing the finger at any individuals”.

That Ajmal bowled the over was part of a plan, having succeeded in shutting South Africa out of the contest in their previous game. He said he wanted to fire in yorkers to keep Hussey in check, but things didn’t go according to script.

“The first delivery was perfect, it was what I had planned, it was a perfect yorker to Mitchell Johnson and it only went for a single,” he said.

“However, then the wind seemed to pick up and I was bowling into the wind which made me lose my line and length. I dragged the next delivery down and instead of bowling yorkers into the blockhole for the remaining deliveries as I tried to fire the ball in at the batsman, the deliveries ended up being quick and became length deliveries, which was what Hussey was hoping for. He was then able to get the elevation on the deliveries, instead of having to dig them out”.

Ajmal said the best way to shrug off the disappointment was to start bowling again. “The best way for me to get over this match is to start playing cricket again, get the ball in my hand and to start bowling again.

“Thankfully the Asia Cup is not far away and I am looking forward to playing in that tournament in Sri Lanka. I have faith in my ability and I am confident that I can bounce back after the match in St Lucia”.

Source: The News

Books on Cricket- Famous cricket books (title show)