Monday, May 16, 2011
ANDREW STRAUSS EXCITED TO PROVE HIMSELF IN TEST CRICKET
Andrew Strauss, who quit his One-Day International career last week, is determined to prove his abilities as England’s Test skipper.
"If anyone gets the impression I've stopped playing one-day cricket and am gradually winding down to the end of my career that's not the way I see it. I'm not done yet," said Strauss.
Strauss, who was appointed as England’s ODI captain in 2009, brought great improvement in the team’s performance, especially in the year 2010. Under his leadership, English won all of their ODIs last year.
In addition, they also clinched the Ashes series against Australia, at their own home soil, after a long period of 24 years. Ashes victory was the lively proof of Strauss’ captaincy in the Tests.
The veteran had not scored a Test match century at home since his 161 against Australia in July of 2009, at Lords. Since then, he has scored a century against Australia in November in Brisbane, during the first drawn Ashes Test.
The passionate Test skipper said that his upcoming series in India and Sri Lanka will be enough to reply to his critics.
The 34-year-old also revealed that he decided to quit ODIs in order to fully focus on the longer format of cricket, for as long as he could. He also added that he would get back to his full form in Test cricket, not only as a batsman but also as a captain.
Recently, the England Cricket Board (ECB) has brought about big changes in their cricket. The Board limited Strauss to Test captaincy, while appointing Alistair Cook as the ODI captain and Stuart Broad as the Twenty20 skipper.
The former ODI captain also hoped that Pietersen, who was left out of the Captaincy nominations, would be able to perform for England, especially since his hernia treatment is complete.
He also added that being left out of captaincy will entice Pietersen to shine and prove himself as a top class batsman.
KIRSTEN’S APPOINTMENT AS PROTEAS COACH NOT LIKELY TO BE A STRAIGHT FORWARD AFFAIR
Gary Kirsten, the former Indian cricket coach, is likely to be appointed as South Africa’s coach, however, his brother Peter Kirsten, thinks that both the parties will not be able to reach a unanimous agreement easily.Gary has put up certain terms and conditions that are hard to accept for Cricket South Africa (CSA).
Kirsten recently resigned from his post as coach of the Indian team. During his two-year tenure, he emboldened the Men in Blue to the extent that they stood World Champions, winning the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 on their home soil.
Before quitting his Indian job, Gary indicated that he would render his services for his home team.
Now, Gary and CSA are at standstill due to the tough conditions the legend has imposed.
Talking to the media, Peter said, “I think Gary is the number one choice. Cricket SA want it and the players want it. But will they give it to him on his terms?”
However, Peter has not revealed the terms which Gary wants to be catered for by CSA.
On the other hand, Gary wants to spend more time with his wife, Deborah, and two children. So he is reluctant to carry the hectic responsibilities of coaching the Proteas.
Moreover, Gary’s wife is expecting a child in this November.
South Africa’s last coach was Corrie van Zyl, who resigned after the World Cup to head CSA’s high-performance centre.
Gary’s appointment with the Proteas is being recommended by different political, sports and civil society circles in South Africa as they all consider him to be the best option.
The players and the board also want that, but Gary is still deliberating on the matter.
Team South Africa is in tatters. The skipper, Graeme Smith, resigned from captaincy and no new skipper is in sight yet. Moreover, the team has lost both financial and moral support after its lackluster World Cup campaign.
In these circumstances, Gary might not want to join the sinking boat without due consideration.
PCB GIVES CONTRACTS TO 20 WOMEN IN ORDER TO PROMOTE WOMEN CRICKET
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has granted contracts to 20 women cricketers in 4 categories, to promote and expand the net of women cricket in Pakistan and abroad alike. This landmark decision has been lauded by cricketing circles.
These contracts are bonuses for Women in Green, who have just won the quadrangular series in Sri Lanka. The series included Holland, Ireland, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Talking to the media, a board official told, “The board has selected five girls for the contracts in each category.”
The categories include A, B, C and D. The payment also varies with categories. The A category will get Rs 50, 000, B Rs 35, 000, C Rs 20, 000 and D Rs 10, 000 per month.
The current skipper of Pakistan Women Cricket Team, Sana Mir, says, “The decision to give contract will surely be a big step towards further improving our playing standards.”
Women cricket has always been a taboo in the bigoted society of Pakistan. It is staunchly condemned by some religious and political circles.
Back in 1990s, when two sisters, Shaiza Khan and Sharmeen Khan, presented the idea of a cricket team for women, many fingers of opposition and many voices of criticism were raised all around the country.
The clergy and the right-wing political parties opposed it and the Khan sisters were given life threats.
Having passed through many court cases and assembly resolutions, women were permitted to form a team. It was a great revolution in the patriarchal society like Pakistan.
The women cricket team first went for a three-match ODI series against New Zealand and Australia in 1997. However, the Green side lost all three matches.
At the end of the same year, the team appeared in the Women cricket World Cup that was held in India but again lost all the five tournament games.
After constant hard work, the team claimed the Asian Games T20 title last year.
Analysts suggest that the contracts will encourage the young girls to incline towards the game and adopt it as a full time profession.
The board also plans to hold some domestic competitions for women cricket teams. However, there are certain hiccups in this way as religious groups will not tolerate it.
Sri Lankan cricket team attacker arrested
One of the terrorists involved in the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team on March 3, 2009 has been apprehended in Dera Ghazi Khan.
Sources told The Express Tribune that police arrested Adnan Khosa for a bank robbery that took place on May 14 in Taunsa Sharif, a city in Dera Ghazi Khan district. Upon interrogation, Khosa confessed that he and his father, Qari Irshad, had been involved in the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore.
Khosa and his father had fled the country after the attack, according to sources, and had only recently returned from Dubai.
Soon after the attack, police had arrested a man named Zubair from Hotel Makhan, on the Indus Highway near Shah Saddar Din, another town in Dera Ghazi Khan. Zubair had mentioned an accomplice by the name of Adnan Khosa during his interrogation.
According to police sources, Zubair had even identified the town – Shah Fateh Hilal Azmat – where Khosa lived. It is unclear if law enforcement officials tried to arrest Khosa after receiving that information.
Police officials are denying the arrest took place. Tassaduq Hayat, the head of the Dera Ghazi Khan police said that no such arrest had been made.
The attacks on the Sri Lankan cricket team led to Pakistan losing its ability to host international matches as most teams refused to visit.
Khosa is not the first alleged militant from his small town. A suicide bomber who tried to blow up Islamabad Airport was a resident of Rasheedabad Colony, a neighbourhood adjacent to Khosa’s.
I was set up in betting, Akram Raza
Former test spinner, Akram Raza who was bailed out on Monday insisted that he was set up in a gang of bookmakers for taking illegal bets on Indian Premier League (IPL) matches. “I have nothing to do with the illegal betting in IPL and it was a set up just to get me there”, he told APP here on Monday after his release from jail when police raided a gang of bookmakers who were taking illegal bets in IPL matches at a local shopping plaza.
Akram, who played 9 tests and 49 one day internationals, said he went to the plaza to see some friends and as soon as he reached there police raided the office of his friend and arrested all of them on taking illegal bets.
Police arrested seven people from the place and recovered telephone sets, computers, televisions and a large amount of money.
“ It is a bad incident in which I have been involved through a planned move and at this stage my career as a national umpire is at stake and I will do everything to prove myself innocent”,said Akram who stands as umpire in domestic tournaments being organised by Pakistan Cricket Board.
“ For me it is really hard to go through such a situation but I am not guilty and I will be writing to PCB through my lawyer in a couple of days to explain my point of view and to prove my innocence”,he said.
Akram was one of the six Pakistani players fined in a match fixing inquiry conducted by Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum in 2000.
“ I have already gone through painful moments in my cricket career and now it is a fresh blow to my efforts to re-associate myself with cricket as umpire “,he said.
“ But one thing is clear as far as myself is concerned I have got nothing to do with the gang of bookmakers “,he added.
Police arrested seven people from the place and recovered telephone sets, computers, televisions and a large amount of money.
“ It is a bad incident in which I have been involved through a planned move and at this stage my career as a national umpire is at stake and I will do everything to prove myself innocent”,said Akram who stands as umpire in domestic tournaments being organised by Pakistan Cricket Board.
“ For me it is really hard to go through such a situation but I am not guilty and I will be writing to PCB through my lawyer in a couple of days to explain my point of view and to prove my innocence”,he said.
Akram was one of the six Pakistani players fined in a match fixing inquiry conducted by Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum in 2000.
“ I have already gone through painful moments in my cricket career and now it is a fresh blow to my efforts to re-associate myself with cricket as umpire “,he said.
“ But one thing is clear as far as myself is concerned I have got nothing to do with the gang of bookmakers “,he added.
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