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Pakistani players match-fixing issue

Ijaz Butt dropped a bombshell on Friday by announcing that two Pakistani cricketers are involved in match-fixing.

But just hours after making that revelation at a press conference in Lahore, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman backtracked and clarified that the two players mentioned were not from the current lot.

“Match-fixing could be going on but it is hard to prove,” Butt said. “We have proof against two players but I cannot reveal the names of players involved in match-fixing,” he had added.

Butt also commented that the PCB has received concrete proof against the two cricketers over their involvement in match-fixing from the International Cricket Council (ICC).

However, the ICC distanced itself from the controversy with its spokesman making it clear that the ICC has not made any correspondence on match-fixing with the PCB.

“The ICC is unaware of the existence of any such reports.”

Butt’s comments stirred a hornet’s nest and there were multiple queries related to the match-fixing issue.

He was asked, point blank, that whether one of those cricketers was Kamran Akmal, the wicketkeeper-batsman. The PCB chief refrained from making any comments, saying that a PCB inquiry was under progress and he can’t say anything about it till the time he receives a report from the probe panel.

Cricinfo adds: Butt talked about two players against whom the ICC had provided the PCB with definitive proof that they had been involved in match-fixing, without specifying whether they were from the current squad or not. In spite of persistent queries he refused to provide further details.

One of the journalists, thinking the players were active ones, asked whether the board would take action against them. “You think we haven’t taken action against them?” Butt responded, the implication that the players were current ones, seemingly lost on him. “When we took action, the public accepted that and from my friends sitting around here, no one commented on it.”

Later, however, Butt categorically denied that the players and cases he was referring to were current ones. He said by bringing up the cases, 10-12 years old, he was merely trying to clarify how the ICC procedure on incidents of match-fixing works between the body and boards.

“I was telling them of the procedure the ICC has evolved about how such cases work,” Butt said. “I was telling them that proving match-fixing charges and allegations can be very difficult. One of our friends in Islamabad made allegations against Younis Khan without any proof and look how that has destroyed his career almost.

“If there is any match-fixing allegation you can ask the ICC about them and we did verbally. They communicated the two names to us and showed us incontrovertible proof of it. But I can confirm that the players are not from the current squad. The cases I am referring to are old ones and they didn’t happen under our administration.”

There remains no clarity on whether the present administration asked the ICC for proof — and thus what sparked the need for such a query — or whether this is an old report sent to a previous PCB administration.

The last nine months in Pakistan have witnessed persistent rumours of match-fixing. They first surfaced during Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka last year, where the team — or members of it — were allegedly seen in the company of suspected bookies who were in the same hotel, albeit inadvertently. Pakistan’s spectacular batting collapses, resulting in two Test losses from positions in which it looked difficult to lose, fuelled the speculation.

Then, after returning from a semifinal loss in the Champions Trophy in South Africa, Jamshed Dasti, a member of parliament and head of a committee on sports, levelled allegations against Younis Khan and his team, summoning them to a meeting in which Younis handed in his resignation.

Sachin Tendulkar breaks world record-Double century in ODI

GWALIOR, India -India's Sachin Tendulkar became the world's first batsman to smash a double-century in one-day internationals, achieving the feat against South Africa on Wednesday.

The 36-year-old was unbeaten on 200 in the last over.


Zimbabwean Charles Coventry (194 not out) and Pakistan's Saeed Anwar (194) were previously the joint-record holders for the highest individual score in one-dayers.

courtesy--AFP

Glance on Brett Lee cricket career

1976: Born on November 8 in Wollongong, New South Wales.

1999: December 26 - Makes his Test debut against India in Melbourne and takes five wickets in an innings.

2000: January 9 - One-day international debut against Pakistan in Brisbane.

March - Reported for an illegal action but later cleared.

2001: February - Undergoes elbow surgery for the first time and is ruled out for three months.

2003: Takes two wickets in Australia's 125-run win over India in the World Cup final at Johannesburg.

2005: August 8 - Was at the non-striker's end when Australia suffered a heartbreaking two-run defeat in the memorable second Ashes Test at Edgbaston. England went on to win the series 2-1 and reclaim the Ashes for the first time in two decades.

November - Claims his Test best figures of five for 30 against West Indies in Brisbane.

2006: November - Named in the ICC Test and ODI Team of the Year.

2007: February - Undergoes ankle surgery which rules him out of the World Cup in the Caribbean.

2008: February 26 - Wins Alan Border Medal as Australia's best player in all forms of the game during the past year.

June 29 - Takes his 300th ODI wicket against West Indies at St George's to become just the second Australian to achieve the feat.

August - Rules himself out of the ODI series with Bangladesh following the break up of his marriage.

October - Surpasses Craig McDermott's 291 Test wickets to become Australia's fourth-highest wicket taker of all-time.

November - Takes his 300th Test wicket against New Zealand in Brisbane.

2009: January - Ruled out of series against South Africa and undergoes surgery on his left ankle.

July - Suffers side strain injury in final warm-up match ahead of the Ashes and does not play in the series despite being fit for the fourth Test at Headingley.

December 3 - Has surgery on his troublesome elbow injury.

2010:

February 24 - Announces his retirement from Test cricket.

IPL in USA?

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is exploring the possibility of broadening its horizons by staging games like the Champions League Twenty20 in the United States as early as next year.

IPL chairman Lalit Modi held talks here Thursday with the CEO of USA Cricket, Donald Lockerbie, to discuss bringing the IPL to North America and also to look at allowing top American cricketers to play in the IPL.

The IPL wants the league’s franchisee teams to begin playing in America as early as 2011.

Modi, in an interview on the IPL’s official website, said: “The IPL has established itself as a truly global sporting league with its fans spanning the globe.

“The North American continent has emerged as the second largest market in terms of revenue and viewership for Indian cricket. Our meeting with the team from USA Cricket was very encouraging and we are confident of taking the IPL to the USA in the near future. “I have no doubt that....cricket will soon become a popular sport in the USA.”

Catching tips

Everyone's heard the phrase: 'Catches win matches'. And you found out whoever told you that phrase whether it be your coach or your Dad, were right. Cricket is about scoring runs and taking wickets, that's how you win. So what's the most common way batsmen get out? Caught. If you drop em you don't win - that's pretty much it.

So in my next cricket tips blog I'm going to cover the basics on catching.
There's two different types of catches - outfield and infield catches. The only main difference is that outfield catches are higher and require some distance to be covered, whereas infield catches are flatter, faster and require little/any movement at all. However, there is a similarity between catches and that is the positioning of the hands (the most important body part involved in taking a catch - good idea not to forget that). Here are some things to remember:

1. Relax - Keep your hands 'soft'. This will help in preventing the ball caning the palms of your hands which normally result in some sort of excruciating pain and a dropped catch.

2. Give - Give with the ball. As the ball enters your hands it isn't a good idea to just leave your hands where the ball is going to land - this also means pain and a dropped catch. What you want to do is to reduce the amount of force the ball has on your palms, so by bringing the arms towards the body during the catch, you aren't going to feel the full force of a flying cricket ball.

3. Fingers - One of the basic principles of catching. For low catches below the chest, the fingers are pointing down when in its cupped position, whereas the fingers should point up for those catches above the chest.

4. EYES ON THE BALL! Coping one to the face isn't something nobody enjoys. Enough said.

Tips for Cricket Captain

Like all team sports, the captain is responsible for the function of their side both on and off the field. In cricket, the captain plays a very active role in the 'playing' of the game - their decisions on the field can directly affect the outcome of the innings, thus bad decisions will lead to disaster and good ones will often lead to victory. Cricket captains, whether it be Ricky Ponting or your local club side usually have the most experienced and extensive knowledge about the game, as decisions must be made on the spot according to particular circumstances in the game. For instance, the captain must be able to determine when a field change is required, or to be able to set the right field for the particular batsman on strike. Also, the captain plays an active in selecting bowlers and the batting order of the innings - which again is another integral facet in the game of cricket.

The captain must know when to attack or defend, and set appropriate fields or send in an appropriate batsman for the given situation. For example, a captain may send in a powerful hitter ahead of a more conventional batsman in order to increase the run rate. Also, he/she must be able simultaneously perform at a high level consistently, whilst also monitoring the progess of the team and opposition and make changes accordingly.

Some basic decisions a captain may make include:
a) Setting a defensive field: This sees the fieldsmen spread out on the field, with the majority positioned around the boundary in order to stop batsmen who are hitting the ball powerfully. This is usually the case when trying to restrict as many runs as possible; or when a batsman has been in for a long period of time and is timing the ball perfectly; or a designated hitter is sent in to bolster the run rate of the batting side.

b) Setting an attacking field: This sees the field come close to batsman, basically encircling him/her in order to create pressure and to force mistakes. This ploy is often used on batsmen who are struggling to score or have just come in to bat.

c) Sending in a nightwatchman: A nightwatchman is a lower-order batsman who is deliberately sent in late in the day in order to protect a top-order batsman from being dismissed before the end of play. A perfect example of a successful nightwatchman would be Jason Gillespie. Nightwatchmen are usually told to defend and normally have very solid defensive techniques. This may backfire the following day if the nightwatchman remains in, as the run rate will fall due to the lack of runs, or if the nightwatchman is dismissed before the end of day's play.

d) Sending in a 'pinch-hitter': Here, the captain sends in a powerful hitter in order to score quick runs. This usually occurs at the end of an innings in order to 'pinch' extra runs by hitting fours or sixes.

e) Declaring: A captain may decide to declare an innings (end an innings) before all batsmen are dismissed in order to achieve a result in the game. This typically occurs when a side has amassed a comfortable amount of runs, and continuing to bat will only give less time to bowl the chasing side out.

To add to this, the captain must also complete a captain's regular duties, such as sustaining team discipline and ensuring player's are mentally ready for performance.

So as you can see, cricket is not merely hitting a ball with a bat, it is a game of thought and intuition. The captain is one person who can influence whether or not a team will win or lose a cricket match - so the better the cricket mind, the better the captain and the better the side.

Batting Tips-Calling

Being run out is probably one of the worst ways you can be dismissed - why? It's because the fielding team has just scored a free wicket by just doing what they're supposed to be doing... stopping the ball. Run outs can be easily avoided - that is why they're annoying, especially when you're on the receiving end of a shocking call, or a non-existent one.

With cricket being a team game, it's no surprise that teamwork is an essential facet in winning matches. Not only is team work fundamental in the field, it is also definitely a massive factor when you're out there with one other team member with the bat. If you've got a batsman at the other end who either: a) Doesn't call whether to run or not properly or b) Doesn't call at all (so you just see him/her ran at you in silence) you're definitely asking for it. And if you're one of those batsmen yourself, I'm not surprised if every one else hates batting with you.

So for all you mutes or confused callers out there, here are the essentials:
1) Call loudly - there's no point calling a run when you're saying it as if the guy/girl at the other end has a sound amplification device stuck to his/her head. Make sure they can hear it. The best way is to almost yell.

2) The three calls - There's also no point in going into a deep conversation when calling a run. It's either 'Yes', 'No' or 'Wait'. Nothing else. And when you say 'yes' you go, and when you say 'no' there's no use running down to the other end. That's why there's 'wait'. This is used to let the other batsman know that there might be a run possible and to be ready to go if for instance, the ball pierces a small hole in the field. Then either a 'yes' or 'no' decision can be made. The batsman who strikes the ball normally calls this one as he/she knows how well they have struck it as soon as the ball leaves the bat.

3) Who calls when? - Two basic rules. If the ball ends up behind the batsman facing, the non-striker calls the run. If the ball ends up in front of the striking batsman, then most likely they will make the better call. Simple.

4) Running between wickets - Always make sure that you're facing the ball, whilst you are turning, and that you're taking a sneak peek at the ball when you're running. Also, there's no use keeping this information on the whereabouts of the ball to yourself, let your partner know how many runs that could be possible from the shot, and go from there. Try not to leave at full pace after turning, always have a quick look and assess the risk of the next run. If you've smacked the ball close to the boundary, there's no point in pondering over the second run when you know there's an easy three runs in it... just use your common sense.

Mohammad Asif life time banned for UAE visit

Pakistani paceman Mohammad Asif will not be able to play in the United Arab Emirates as its authorities have refused to revoke a travel ban on him, an official said Sunday.The 27-year-old Asif was deported from the United Arab Emirates after being detained at Dubai airport last June when a small quantity of opium was found in his possession.The fast bowler was detained for 19 days before the authorities deported him, saying the quantity of the banned drug was insignificant to make a court case.Asif was on his way from India after featuring in the first edition of the Indian Premier League, where he tested positive for a banned drug. That earned him a one-year ban from all cricket, which ended in September last year.Pakistan Cricket Board chief operating officer Wasim Bari confirmed a request was made to clear Asif.Pakistan will be playing England in two Twenty20 matches later this month and some other series are also lined up, “so we made a request with the UAE authorities but they turned it down as it’s not possible under their laws,” Bari told AFP. A similar request was also made last year and was also refused, said Bari.Pakistan has also invited South Africa for a Test and one-day series later in the year in the UAE, after South Africa refused to tour the troubled country in October-November this year due to security concerns.Asif has been Pakistan’s most successful bowler since his return. He took 19 wickets in the three-Test series in New Zealand and another 13 in as many Tests against Australia on the tour which ended on Friday.Bari said Asif would not be considered for the selection of the two Twenty20 matches, for which the team will be announced on Monday.

Afridi bites ball in bizarre twist-ball tempering

Pakistan’s stand-in captain captain Shahid Afridi bit the ball and ran his teeth along the seam in an extraordinary finale to Australia’s action-packed two-wicket victory at the WACA on Sunday night and was later banned for two Twenty20 Internationals after being found guilty of ball-tampering.

With the match hanging in the balance, Afridi’s brain snap was caught by TV cameras and was sanctioned by the ICC match referee Ranjun Madugalle for one of the more bizarre incidents to have been witnessed in international cricket.

Ball-tampering normally results from fingernails being run down the seam but Afridi, for reasons only he could explain, seemed intent on putting the entire ball in his mouth.

Afridi has already been in strife for ball tampering, suspended for one Test and two one-dayers in 2005.

“We’ve seen a few replays of it — I don’t know what to say,” Ponting said of Afridi’s incident. “I’ve never seen that before. I’m sure that will be dealt with. I really don’t know what to say about it.”

Afridi, leading Pakistan for the second time in an ODI, in the absence of Mohammad Yousuf, was caught on TV cameras apparently biting the ball on a couple of occasions. The incident was reported to the on-field umpires by the TV umpire and after a chat with Afridi, the umpires changed the ball immediately.

The allrounder is banned for two T20 games for ball-tampering
Afridi was called into a hearing with the Madugalle immediately after the match.

The punishment puts Pakistan into a quandary because Afridi is their Twenty20 captain and they end their tour of Australia with a Twenty20 in Melbourne on February 5. Yousuf, who captained Pakistan in Tests and ODIs, is not part of the Twenty20 squad and Younis Khan, who was captain before the tour of New Zealand which preceded this one, has retired from the format. Shoaib Malik, who was captain in all three formats this time last year, might be one of those in the running. Afridi will also now miss the first Twenty20 against England in Abu Dhabi in February.

“It’s unacceptable,” Intikhab Alam, the Pakistan coach, said. “It shouldn’t have happened but it happened and I feel sorry for him. Being a captain you should be above everything but unfortunately it’s happened.”