All posts by csb10.top

Keen to find a solution to the injury problems which had become such a huge issue for their team last season, the Pakistan board is looking for a full-time physiotherapist for the players.Apart from looking after the fitness of the cricketers during the busy months, he will also be expected to draw up a training schedule for the players during the off season and prepare a diet chart for them. He will report directly to the PCB chief executive – or the manager during tours – and will receive an attractive remuneration package.The board’s search for a physiotherapist comes in the wake of serious concerns being raised about the fitness levels of the players following Pakistan’s defeat in the Tests and the one-day series against India. The tendency of their fast bowlers to break down was particularly worrying: Shoaib Akhtar missed a crucial part of the final Test due to injury, while Umar Gul, Shabbir Ahmed and Abdul Razzaq were all unavailable during various times in the series.The move to hire a physiotherapist is also the latest in a series of decisions taken by the Pakistan board to make their set-up a more professional one: Greg Chappell, Daryl Foster and Barry Richards have all been hired as consultants to help budding players at the National Cricket Academy, and also to advice the senior team.

ScorecardAfter a day of fluctuating fortunes for each side, the match ended up poised just about evenly at the end of the second day of England Under-19’s first Test against Bangladesh at Headingley. After Luke Wright rescued England to 269 with an accomplished 78, Bangladesh closed at 126 for 4, with a lead of 87.The remainder of England’s innings was a stop-start affair, with handy stands interspersed with mini-collapses. First Ravi Bopara and James Hildreth added another 50 runs in the morning with Bopara reaching his half-century. However, then Nadif Chowdhury, the left-arm spinner, struck four times in quick succession to peg back England’s progress.Hildreth was the first to go, caught by Dhiman Ghosh for 27, then Samit Patel was also caught for a nine-ball duck. Bopara went shortly after for 59, and Tom New didn’t last long, becoming Chowdhury’s fifth victim of the innings for nought. England had lost four wickets for only three runs and Bangladesh had the momentum.Mark Lawson was shortly caught and bowled by Enamul Haque jnr for 3, but Wright and Adam Harrison resuscitated the innings and gave England a lead with a stand of 114. Wright, from Leicestershire, scored 78, including 15 fours. Harrison, on the other hand, was more watchful, grounding out 33 from 103 balls. In keeping with the nature of the innings, though, after Harrison was finally dislodged, the remaining two wickets did not add any more runs, with last man David Stiff run out for nought.England had a slender lead of 39, and Simon Cusden struck early on with the scalp of Shahriar Nafees, lbw for 3. Nafis Iqbal raced to 44 before Stiff had him caught by Patel, and Bopara removed Shamsur Rahman for a handy 23. Patel then trapped Mushfiqur Rahim leg-before for 1 towards the close, but Aftab Ahmed kept his cool to be 45 not out at the end of play with the match finely balanced going into tomorrow.

Mohammad Kaif doesn’t hide his disappointment at being dropped from the Indian side for the first Test match against Pakistan. However, his job, he says, is to keep scoring runs which will feed him the confidence that is required when the big call comes. On his being dropped from the first Test
I am a little disappointed to be honest. Since I made a comeback in the Test matches, I’ve done reasonably well. I have been hitting the ball well and I was feeling confident. But these things happen and the selectors know what they are doing. But I keep the smile on my face.On what the focus will be during the tour game
I don’t think I’ve to prove much in this game as my domestic form has been quite okay, but all the games are important. And as the captain I know how to set an example for the boys as we’ve a young bunch of players, who are all looking forward to prove themselves.On how his young team would set a challenge for the visitors in the tour-opener
As a captain I’m happy that all the young guys have done well on the domestic circuit and as I said they are eager to prove their worth. Since it’s just a three-day affair I don’t see a result. But we won’t be taking this just like a practice match and will make things difficult for Pakistan.On how a player adjusts while playing at a high altitude
Players are used to playing at different places and they don’t find much of a difference. It’s just a case of mental adjustment. Players from the north are used to such conditions and the rest, too, travel across a lot, so it doesn’t affect the players.On whether there should be separate Test and ODI teams
Personally, the kind of confidence I gained facing the Australian bowlers was immense. It relieved a lot of pressure as I was making a combeback after a long gap. About fielding two separate teams, I don’t want to comment on that. But my job is only to keep scoring runs, which is my main goal.

Division One

Points Table
Tight bowling by Essex’s Danish Kaneria, and an innings of 88 by Will Jefferson allowed Essex through to a 12-run win over Hampshire, and the National League title. Jefferson aside, there was little of much substance from the rest of Essex’s innings, with both Grant and Andy Flower falling for single-figures. John Crawley got Hampshire off to an excellent start – he and Nic Pothas put on 95 for the first wicket. But wickets tumbled at regular intervals, and Danish Kaneria stemmed the flow of runs to take 4 for 26 from 9 overs to seal a win for Essex.Northamptonshire overcame a stuttering run-chase to beat Nottinghamshire by four wickets, with five balls to spare. Nottinghamshire failed to bat out their 40 overs, falling to 207 all out thanks to a five wicket-haul from Damien Wright. Chris Read top-scored with 45 from 50 balls, but Nottinghamshire’s eventual score of 207 was never likely to trouble Northamtonshire. A partnership of 83 between Usman Afzaal and Martin Love set them up nicely, but wickets continued to fall and Love was dismissed for 59 by Younis Khan, one of three wickets for the Pakistani. Despite losing their sixth wicket, Riki Wessels and Ben Phillips saw the home-side through by four wickets.

Division Two

Points TableA brilliant, destructive innings of 88 by Ian Blackwell saw Somerset through to a comfortable five-wicket victory over Surrey. Surrey’s innings started promisingly, with a 65 from James Benning and a pair of forties from Jon Batty and Mark Butcher. Arul Suppiah took three wickets with his left-arm spin, but Surrey ended with a useful score of 237 for 7. In reply, losing Matthew Wood for a duck and both John Francis and Arul Suppiah cheaply. This brought Blackwell to the crease, who smashed 88 from just 53 balls. Combined with James Hildreth, whose unbeaten innings of 75 was equally excellent, albeit less destructive, the pair took Somerset home by five wickets, with more than five overs to spare.A hundred partnership between Ant Botha and Graeme Welch was the catalyst for Derbyshire who defeated Yorkshire at Scarborough. Yorkshire set Derbyshire 220 to win, but only Michael Lumb, with 69, and Joe Sayers with 41 made significant contributions. Derbyshire, too, struggled early on in their reply, with Deon Kruis taking two quick wickets to reduce the visitors to 85 for 4. When Luke Sutton was run out for 27, Derbyshire still needed 102 to win, and did so comfortably thanks to Welch and Botha, both of whom hit half centuries.Durham easily defeated Scotland by 93 runs through a professional all round performance. Gordon Muchall and Gareth Breese were the key run-makers, Muchall’s 79 including eight fours and a six. Ryan Watson took 4 for 36 then provided the only real resistance to Durham’s attack with an impressive 86. Breese, Brad Williams and Liam Plunkett took two wickets each.

Michael Bevan, the former Australian batsman, remains uncertain about his future with Tasmania following a dispute over his role for the state side.The Tasmanian Cricket Association discussed Bevan’s contract as it neared the end of his two-year term and instructed the 35-year-old to either focus more on coaching, drop the responsibility entirely, or take a pay-cut.Speaking to ABC Radio, Bevan was adamant that full-time coaching was not an option. “I think realistically that scenario won’t happen,” he said. “It would mean I’d be down in Tasmania for 12 months and I wouldn’t be willing to bring my family down here.” Bevan’s wife and children still reside in Sydney.David Johnston, the TCA’s chief executive, denied rumours of a stand-off. “We’ve been talking to him right through this season,” he said. “We’ve put an offer to his management and he’s considering it.”Since moving from NSW to Tasmania two seasons ago, Bevan has picked up the Pura Cup Player of the Year award for his record 1464 runs and eight centuries last season. Ricky Ponting, who is still serving as Tasmania’s official captain, was diplomatic on the issue. “Look, I’m not sure what they’re thinking as far as his coaching role, but certainly as a player [he’s worth retaining],” he said.

Brad Hodge, the Australian-born batsman, has been named as the new captain of Leicestershire. He takes over from Phil DeFreitas, who stepped down on Monday after 20 months in the role. Leicestershire have also named Darren Maddy, who made his debut for Leics 10 years ago, as the new vice-captain. Hodge, 29, has been in terrific form this season, averaging 64 in the County Championship and just under 50 in the National League."We are delighted that Brad has agreed to take on the captaincy," said James Whitaker, Leicestershire director of cricket. "As vice captain he is the natural successor to Daffy, and I am confident his knowledge, experience and enthusiasm will help us in our quest to get to where we want to be. I am excited about working with Brad.""I am also pleased that Darren, who has excelled as captain of the side on a number of occasions already, will now become official vice captain," he added. "He has been at the club for a long time and been a dedicated professional."

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

A solid batting effort from New Zealand had West Indies against the wall on the second day at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. Stephen Fleming grabbed the bowling by the scruff of the neck to hit a fluent 97, Peter Fulton stroked his maiden Test fifty and Nathan Astle held firm after a minor collapse as New Zealand gathered a healthy 143-run lead.Fleming was the perfect senior partner in a 165-run stand for the third wicket with Fulton and played as authoritative an innings as it can get. He had come to the crease with New Zealand on 3 for 2 and provided the much-needed damage control from the word go, cutting Ian Bradshaw through point for boundaries in four successive overs. Fluent in the arc between cover-point and gully, he took a particular liking to Bradshaw’s inconsistency. A half-volley outside off was caressed through covers, a long-hop was dismissed over square leg for six, and two full-pitched deliveries were eased between the bowler and mid-on as Fleming announced his intentions. It was just what New Zealand needed and Fleming could not have timed his counter-attack better.Elegant to the point of appearing lazy, Fleming was at the top of his game today, crunching drives off the back foot or whipping anything full on the legs through square. After lunch, he refused to get bogged down by Chris Gayle’s tight spell and slapped a four past gully and a chip past mid-on to keep himself ticking. He was helped by the return of Bradshaw and got himself to two more boundaries square of the wicket for good measure. Fleming went into the nineties for the first time at the Basin Reserve with the shot of the day – a perfect straight drive for four off Fidel Edwards – and eased a four through his favorite region to get to 97. But he fell short of the landmark when he slashed at Dwayne Bravo and was caught at wide third man two deliveries later. However, his innings had put New Zealand firmly on top, .Fulton played very well for his 75 and his contribution to the stand was priceless. Essentially a square-on player, he was allowed room to free his arms and this is where he grew in confidence. A stunning lofted drive over long-off for maximum off Gayle took him into the forties, and in the bowler’s next over he repeated the shot on the other side of the pitch to get to his maiden Test fifty. Technique is essential to any innings, and Fulton impressed in his ability to get right behind the ball and work around the basics. A third six brought up the New Zealand lead before tea.

He fell first ball after the break as, in a momentary lapse of concentration, he was rooted to the crease and edged Daren Powell to the `keeper. Powell then removed Scott Styris and Brendon McCullum – brilliantly taken by an air-borne Denesh Ramdin – but a gem of a partnership between Astle and Daniel Vettori flattened the opposition once again. At ease against pace and spin, Astle was quick to punish anything short and helped himself to another fifty. His 86-run stand with Vettori, who cantered to 42 before falling to Edwards just before stumps, ensured that the hard work done by Fleming and Fulton did not go to waste.The post-tea spell aside, the bowling was pedestrian for most of the day, and West Indies only enjoyed wickets in two bursts. Having nabbed Hamish Marshall and Jamie How with full, swinging deliveries in a frenetic opening burst, both new-ball bowlers turned to half-track mode and their threat was quickly negated. Bradshaw was wayward, Edwards was energetic but testing only in patches, while Rawl Lewis, bowling his legspinners in a Test for the first time since 1998, was workmanlike. Powell, with 3 for 69, was the most successful bowler. Fifteen no-balls didn’t help, and the fielding left a lot to be desired. Catches went down with regularity – mid-off, fine leg and second slip each spilt straightforward chances – and both veteran and rookie made sure to cash in on these lapses in the first two sessions.From start to finish, West Indies were made to toil. Play had began a half-hour early to make up for lost time on a rain-interrupted first day, and Kyle Mills did not need long to send them packing for 192. Taking a leaf from yesterday’s hero James Franklin, Mills kept the ball up to the batsmen and forced Powell and Edwards to drive loosely. His two swift strikes gave New Zealand a good start to the day before Fleming, Fulton and Astle ground West Indies into further submission and treated the supportive Wellington crowd to a batting special.How they were out
West Indies
Daren Powell c How b Mills16 (186 for 9)
Fidel Edwards c Fleming b Mills 0 (192 for 10)
New Zealand
Hamish Marshall c Chanderpaul b Bradshaw 3 (3 for 1)
Jamie How b Edwards 0 (3 for 2)
Stephen Fleming c Bravo b Edwards 97 (168 for 3)
Peter Fulton c Ramdin b Powell 75 (207 for 4)
Scott Styris c Morton b Powell 8 (219 for 5)
Brendon McCullum c Ramdin b Powell 23 (246 for 6)
Daniel Vettori c Chanderpaul b Edwards 42 (332 for 7)

Jimmy Maher, the Queensland captain, will be in England during Australia’s winter after Glamorgan supporters provided the money for his return. The county did not plan to have an overseas player due to the cost of its ground redevelopment at Sophia Gardens, but the fans stepped in to help sign Maher, who played in Wales in 2001 and 2003.”We made no secret of our intention to run without them this summer,” Mike Fatkin, Glamorgan’s chief executive, said. “Thanks to offers of financial support from several of our strongest supporters, including a significant contribution from Dr James Hull, we’ve been able to review that policy and recruit Jimmy.”Maher said he was grateful for the opportunity and intended to make a big contribution on the field. He will link up the county in the middle of May.

Normal service has been resumed for Kevin Pietersen. After the longest and most frustrating lean spell of his international career, he crashed back to form on the first day at Napier with his 11th Test century, a superb innings of 129 from 208 balls. The circumstances of the knock, however, were not quite as he had envisaged. In his mind’s eye, he would have been leading England on a run-spree, en route to a memorable series win. In reality, his was a backs-to-the-wall effort that saved his side from humiliation, but not as yet from defeat.Nothing demonstrated Pietersen’s mindset better than the celebration of his century. The shot he brought it up with was streaky, a thick edge through gully off Chris Martin, but the reaction was low-key in the extreme. A puff of the cheeks and a modest wave to all corners of the ground. England were 170 for 6 at the time, and Pietersen rightly said that the match situation, rather than his personal fortune, was foremost in his mind.”I didn’t have it in me to go prance, and jump around like a cake,” he said. “I knew I had to stick in there. It was a really important time for us, and I was working in tens, and trying to get a partnership going. I’m sure if we had been two-down, and in a whole lot better position, I’d have been more extravagant. But my head just wasn’t in that space.”His head hasn’t been in that space for quite some time. Pietersen hadn’t managed even a half-century in his previous ten innings of the winter, and even for a man with his levels of self-assurance, the pressure was beginning to tell. Not least at the start of today’s innings. “At 4 for 3, there was me thinking, ‘crikey, I’ve got to get a score here even more’,” said Pietersen. “It’s been a tough time, but to be honest with you, that’s the cycle of life, these things happen. Hopefully I’ve come through it and I can continue scoring. At the end of the day. I’m pretty happy with 11 hundreds in 30 games.”When he did end the drought, the first person he picked out with his bat-waving was his wife, Jessica, who he acknowledged for her role in maintaining his morale. She had originally intended to fly home on March 12 for a wedding, but remained out in New Zealand for the final two Tests of the series. “She knew I wasn’t in as happy a place as I could have been, and she stayed on,” said Pietersen. “It’s great, I love having family around. I hate being away from home.”He’ll be rather happier with his travels now, regardless of the match situation. “I’m not a robot, I’ve got to go through a patch where I don’t score for a while,” he said. “Hopefully that patch is finished now and the cricket gods are smiling. How fun would life be if everything was hunky dory all the time. I like to fight and be challenged, and I’ve worked harder on this trip than I have done any stage [of my career], because I’ve really strived for success. The cycle of life says the harder you work you’re going to be rewarded.”Pietersen picked out Ricky Ponting, who managed one score in excess of 25 in the recent VB Series, as an example of a cricketer who’s enduring a rough trot that cannot last. “I’ve been playing well in the five Tests leading up to this, and I’ve got a 30 or 40 in every single match. If that’s your bad patch it’s not all bad,” said Pietersen. “It’s frustrating because I’ve let a load of people down who come and watch all the time, and I like to entertain, play good innings, and keep people going.”At 4 for 3, entertainment wasn’t the first thought that crossed Pietersen’s mind, and yet, as he demonstrated so memorably with his incredible 158 in the 2005 Ashes, match-saving and crowd-pleasing needn’t be mutually exclusive. “There was pressure, definitely,” said Pietersen. “But I reminded myself of that big day [at The Oval] in 2005. There was more pressure on that day than there has been on an England team in a long time. And I played okay that day. I just walked out to bat backing myself, because for two nets sessions leading into this game, I’ve played well.”Steve Waugh always said back yourself, because preparation is what you look after,” said Pietersen. “I can’t work any harder, and I’ll continue to work as hard as I have done. It’s how you work through your bad patches that make you a better person. When I got to fifty today, I really wanted to make it count.”

Mark Ramprakash has said he has sympathy for the player who picked the seam during a match against Nottinghamshire in the early stages of last season.The player, who refused to own up and whose identity has yet to be revealed despite an internal enquiry, cost Surrey eight points – ultimately sending the county down to the second division.”I have a lot of sympathy for the person who did it because it was naivety,” Ramprakash told the BBC. “Whoever it was did it for the right reasons.”During the game at The Oval, Nottinghamshire had amassed an enormous total of 692 for 7 declared, with the captain Stephen Fleming making 238. Ramprakash, captaining Surrey in Mark Butcher’s absence, takes up the story:”We were bowling, Notts were about 200-0, the umpires came over and said: ‘Look we feel this ball doesn’t look right and we feel something is wrong with the quarter-seam.'”This time they said we are not happy with this, somebody has obviously tampered with the ball. I had never come across someone picking the quarter-seam before.”Obviously somebody was trying to gain an advantage for Surrey and quite rightly we were penalised and punished. To this day we don’t know who did it, and of course people say those were the eight points that cost us and ensured we were relegated.”