KARACHI: Pakistan will not appeal against the five-year bans imposed on Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer for corruption, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt said on Saturday. "The PCB does not have the jurisdiction to challenge the bans on these three players because this is a matter directly between the players and the International Cricket Council (ICC) anti-corruption tribunal," Butt said. An ICC tribunal found the trio guilty of spot-fixing on Saturday by arranging for the delivery of deliberate no-balls in the fourth test against England last August. Former ICC president Ehsan Mani criticised the PCB for its handling of the issue. "I think the PCB failed to handle this issue properly and didn't bother to guide the players at all. While the bans were neccessary to discourage corruption in cricket I think Ijaz Butt also morally should resign immediately," Mani said. Former Test captain, Moin Khan said it was a shameful da

Banned: Salman Butt has been banned for 10 years for spot-fixing, but five years of his sentence have been suspended Photo: REUTERS By Scyld Berry 9:25PM GMT 05 Feb 2011 Scyld's Twitter Comments Even if their sentences are not reduced on appeal by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Mohammad Amir will only be 23, Mohammad Asif 32, and Salman Butt 31 when those sentences expire in September 2015 provided they keep their noses clean in the meantime. So there is hope for them: hope that they can return to the international cricket field, although as a pace bowler and the oldest of the three, Asif has much less of a chance than the other two. It may well be that in this sentencing the influence of Justice Albie Sachs is at work. Having been maimed by a bomb planted by the operatives of Apartheid South Africa, he has been subsequently renowned for his quality of mercy. But the unofficial impression given by the International Cricket Council after the Doha verdict was

At first glance, Zaheer Khan doesn't come across as a study in contradiction. He does not lack the belligerence of a faster bowler, has riled opposition teams often enough and has a tendency to get under the skin of any batsman found wanting qualities acceptable and expected in any premier pacer. Like many others of his breed, he has lived with injuries, suffered for them, nursed them and overcome them. Yet probe deeper and none of these qualities explain his sudden metamorphosis into one of the world's premier wicket-takers around 2006-07, almost six years into a stop-start international career dotted with disappointments and murmurs about attitude. The reaffirmation of Zaheer the phenomenon at Trent Bridge a performance from which he has never looked back in spite of more injuries and his easing into the role of responsible bowling spearhead, master planner and expert craftsman all rolled into one has been one of Indian cricket's greatest success stories. Ironically

PAKISTAN'S shamed skipper Salman Butt has been clobbered with a 10-YEAR ban from cricket. Butt and team-mates Mohammed Amir and Mohammed Asif were today found guilty of spot-fixing charges at an ICC anti-corruption hearing in Qatar. Asif and Amir were handed bans of seven years and five years for their parts in the cricket scandal. The trio were caught arranging to bowl no-balls for fixer Mazher Majeed in last summer's Test series in England. Majeed was arrested for conspiring to defraud bookies after he demanded 150,000 from undercover journalists for access to his betting scam. Butt's 10-year ban includes five years suspended meaning he will be out of the game until at least 2016. Asif was handed a seven-year ban, two of which are suspended, while Amir recevied a straight five-year ban. The three stars are also facing criminal charges in the UK after the Crown Prosecution Service announced yesterday that they will investigate. Advertisement

Down and out: Eoin Morgan a possible doubt for the World Cup Photo: GETTY IMAGES By Telegraph staff and agencies 2:25PM GMT 05 Feb 2011 Comments The Ireland-born player has suffered a fracture of the distal phalanx in the middle finger of his left hand, and will return to the UK to see a specialist. He could now be a doubt for the World Cup, depending on the medical assessment given. Morgan first noticed the problem during the fourth ODI against Australia in Adelaide put the problem got progressively worse and the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed that an X-ray had shown a fracture. Morgan's injury is the latest in a series of problems that have affected England's limited-overs squad. Worst hit has been the bowling division with Graeme Swann (knee/back), Tim Bresnan (calf), Ajmal Shahzad (hamstring), Chris Tremlett (side strain) and all-rounder Paul Collingwood (back) all having flown home early. Paceman Stuart Broad has also been sidelined for the e

NEW DELHI: Sachin Tendulkar says Anil Kumble is the greatest bowler he has played with, finds Rahul Dravid's technique and concentration excellent and VVS Laxman the most wristy, while Sourav Ganguly is one who figured out his game well. Tendulkar, who has closely seen all the four who formed the Fab Five of the Indian team not long ago, elaborated on the the style and substance of the four players. "From the manner in which Rahul and Sourav had batted in their debut Test match, it was quite evident that they were there to stay." Tendulkar said in a book titled 'SACH,' by Gautam Bhattacharya. "Rahul's forte was excellent technique and he loved to occupy the crease for long hours. Rahul concentrated extremely well -- I mean, still concentrates very well. Sourav was somebody who figured out his game well enough. He knew which bowler to hit and which one to defend. Sourav liked scoring runs in boundaries. He was a boundary hitter. "Laxman depe

New Delhi: India middle-order batman Yuvraj Singh on Friday revealed that he almost thought of quitting international cricket when he was dropped from both the Test and ODI teams last year. Yuvraj said it was the toughest phase in his 10-year-long career and his parents helped him overcome that lean period. "It was tough time for me. I think that was the toughest period for me in last 10 years. There was time when I asked myself do I want to continue. Seriously I thought do I want to play anymore or not. There was lot of negativity around me," he said. "Everytime I hit the field, I was getting injured. That time was really bad for me. I just came out of it with the help of few good friends, my strong father and mother. Some amount of self motivation and hard training," said Yuvraj. The 29-year-o

MUMBAI: Rizvi Springfield made it a hat-trick of titles after routing Anjuman Islam in the final of the Giles Shield Cricket Tournament at the Vengsarkar Academy grounds, Oval Maidan on Friday. The Bandra school proved to strong for their opponents on the final day as they were handed a mammoth defeat by an inning and 201 runs.

AUCKLAND: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi won the toss and elected to bowl first in the final one-day international against New Zealand at Eden Park on Saturday. With the series in the bag for Pakistan, the dead rubber gives them a chance to rest leading players Misbah-ul-Haq and Wahab Riaz to give Asad Shafiq and Sohail Tanvir more game time ahead of the World Cup, starting this month. For New Zealand, it is a face-saving exercise after winning the first game by nine wickets and then being convincingly beaten in the past three matches after the second game was washed out. After losing the fifth game in Hamilton on Thursday, to give Pakistan an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the series, the New Zealand players spent 90 minutes locked away in a soul-searching session. All-rounder Jacob Oram said some "home truths" were laid out as the players evaluated why they had won only one of their past 16 games. "There was a lot said and that's going to stay within the changin

Waiting: Pakistan cricketers Mohammad Amir (left), Salman Butt (right) and Mohammad Asif will learn in Qatar on Saturday the verdict of an ICC inquiry into spot-fixing Photo: GETTY IMAGES By Scyld Berry, in Doha 8:14PM GMT 04 Feb 2011 Scyld's Twitter There, on the 12th floor of the Qatar Finance Centre, the ICC tribunal of three judges is expected to hear an application by the lawyers representing former captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir to defer their verdict. The application could be dismissed; if so, the players will be given the verdict then, after discussions with all parties, their penalties if guilty. Outside the cylindrical and dark-glass skyscraper, the Gulf is shallow, but the waters in which the three Pakistan players find themselves are deep. And they became deeper on Friday when the Crown Prosecution Service announced that it would be pressing criminal charges against the three players, along with the agent, Mazher Majeed, in mid-

NEW DELHI: Statistics indicate that Anil Kumble is the greatest spinner India has produced. But in his autobiography, Standing My Ground, former Australia opening batsman Mathew Hayden prefers Harbhajan Singh in his All Stars playing XI. "I have gone for the man who caused me the most trouble at the crease. He was an into-the-wicket spinner, using the sharp revolutions he put on the ball to get bite off the wicket and cause problems. His doosra was a priceless weapon," writes Hayden, explaining why he selects Harbhajan as the second spinner of his team alongside Muthiah Muralitharan, and ahead of Anil Kumble, Daniel Vettori and Saqlain Mushtaq. "Harbhajan brought an intensity and controversy to the contest that put bums on seats. There was a real 'game on' feel to anything he was involved with. He could be impetuous at times and he could make you feel impetuous. But I'd still pick Harbhajan for his super skills." Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid and

RANCHI: Sachin Tendulkar's mere presence in the dressing room is enough to lift the morale of the players, feels India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Dhoni also urged the other players in the team to perform and take the pressure off the champion batsman. "When Sachin is with the team, the morale of the players is very high. But it is not right to put pressure on him. All the players should perform and take the pressure off him," said Dhoni. The India skipper reiterated that the team would like to win the forthcoming World Cup for Tendulkar, who will, in all probability, be playing for the last time in cricket's biggest event. "Team India wants to give (this) World Cup to Sachin as a gift," he said during the inauguration of the T20 Jharkhand Premier League (JPL) on Friday. In a lighter vein, Dhoni said that he wants the 37-year-old Tendulkar to play in a few more World Cups. "God willing, Sachin can play in another three or four World Cups. If

In the spotlight: Salman Butt (right), Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif Photo: GETTY IMAGES 12:40PM GMT 04 Feb 2011 Aug 28, 2010: The News of the World accuses Pakistani players Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif of involvement in 'spot-fixing' activities during the fourth Test against England at Lord's. Agent Mazhar Majeed is arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers. Sept 2: The International Cricket Council suspends the trio after charging them under various offences of the Council's Anti-Corruption Code. Pakistan's High Commissioner to the UK claims players are victims of a "set-up". Sept 22 : PCB chairman Ijaz Butt accuses England players of also fixing a match - the third ODI at the Oval - remarks which provoke a furious response from England players who demand a public apology. Oct 13 : ICC close enquiry claims about third ODI. Butt claims his allegations were 'misrepresented'. Oct 31: An appeal

KARACHI: Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Yousuf's decision to play in the Bangladesh Cricket League has irked the Pakistani selectors, who feel instead of venturing abroad the former captains' focus should have been on the ongoing domestic season to earn their place back in the national team. Sources close to the selectors said they were surprised by the players' move at time when they should have been fighting hard to regain their place in the Pakistan team after being ignored for the upcoming World Cup. Malik was not cleared for selection by the integrity committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board while Yousuf was ignored for the ongoing New Zealand tour and for the World Cup because of suspected fitness problems. "Why think about going to Bangladesh in the first place when the domestic season is on and any performance will count for both the players in their bid to make a comeback in the national team," one source closed to the selectors said. The source said th

D-Day: Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir will find out whether they will be prosecuted when verdict into 'match-fixing' scandal is delivered Photo: GETTY IMAGES By Telegraph staff and agencies 8:02AM GMT 04 Feb 2011 Senior lawyers at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have been considering evidence that the men conspired to defraud bookmakers for several months. A fourth man, businessman Mazhar Majeed, could also be charged over allegations he accepted 150,000 to fix the actions of players during a Test match against England at Lord's in August last year. Captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir have all been interviewed under caution by Metropolitan Police officers. Majeed was arrested. Butt, Asif and Amir were provisionally suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) last year. The three players deny the charges brought by the ICC under their anti-corruption code. A fifth man, player Wahab Riaz, was also interviewed under cau

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is expected to retain all-rounder Shahid Afridi as captain for the World Cup. A Pakistan Cricket Board source, who could not give his name because the decision was not yet official, told The Associated Press that chairman Ijaz Butt has chosen to keep Afridi as captain for February 19-April 2 World Cup. A formal announcement was likely to be made later on Friday. Pakistan was the only country among the 14 World Cup participants which did not name its captain when announcing its 15-man squad. The hard-hitting Afridi had led Pakistan to a series victory in the ongoing one-day series against New Zealand.

Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir will learn today if they are to face prosecution over claims that they accepted cash bribes to fix matches.Senior lawyers at the Crown Prosecution Service have been considering evidence that the Pakistan players conspired to defraud bookmakers. A fourth man, the businessman Mazhar Majeed, could also be charged over allegations that he accepted 150,000 to fix the actions of players by asking them to deliberately bowl no-balls during a Test match against England at Lord's.Butt, then captain of Pakistan, Asif and Amir have all been interviewed under caution by Metropolitan Police officers. Majeed was arrested. Another player, Wahab Riaz, was also interviewed under caution but it is not known why he will not be included in the announcement today.In the furore after the corruption allegations surfaced in the News of the World newspaper, Butt, Asif and Amir were provisionally suspended by the International Cricket Council pending a h

PAUL COLLINGWOOD is the latest casualty of Englands injury-riddled end to their Australian tour.Colly suffered a back spasm while batting in the two-wicket defeat in Sydney and has been ruled out of Sundays final match of the series in Perth.With the series already lost England trail 5-1 he was allowed to fly home as his wife is about to give birth. The 34-year-old is expected to recover by the time England leave for the World Cup on February 12.Englands bowlers have been hardest hit with Ajmal Shahzad (hamstring) and Chris Tremlett (side) going home yesterday to join Graeme Swann (back) and Tim Bresnan (calf) on the sidelines.With Stuart Broad recovering from a stomach injury, most of Englands World Cup attack is on the physios table. Follow Daily Mirror cricket correspondent Dean Wilson on Twitter at CricketMirror

New Delhi: Virender Sehwag is not concerned of the injuries and dip in form to some of India`s key players ahead of World Cup and feels that his side are primed to win the title in front of the home crowd. Sehwag himself is coming out of a shoulder injury, Gautam Gambhir is recuperating from a hand injury while Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina are struggling for form. But the dashing opener contended that every cricketer goes through the rough patch at some point of time. "I am not worried with all these (injuries and slump in form to some players). Sometimes you perform well and sometimes you don`t. I was not performing well in 2006-07 but my time came in 2008, 2009 and 2010. I performed well and scored runs in both one-dayers and Tests. These things happen in every players`s career. I am not concerned," he said.

Collywobbles: Paul Collingwood pulls up in pain during game six of the Australia v England One Day Internationals Photo: GETTY IMAGES By Simon Briggs 5:34PM GMT 03 Feb 2011 Simon's Twitter Comments Its not just the fact that seven 50-over internationals, plus two Twenty20s, have been packed into 26 days. Its also the constant cycle of flying and changing hotel beds every three days. Collingwood is the second man, after Graeme Swann, to be forced back to England by a back spasm. Then there are the hamstring and side injuries that have already eliminated Ajmal Shahzad and Chris Tremlett from the squad, plus Tim Bresnans torn calf. As we approach Sundays seventh and final one-day international at the Waca, both teams have lost six members of their starting line-up to injuries or niggles at some point along the road. Little wonder, then, that Australia have decided to protect their most valuable assets captain Michael Clarke and star all-rounder Shane Watson by

MUMBAI: Sourav Ganguly's chances of playing in IPL 4 have hit a roadblock with three franchises -- Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians and the Rajasthan Royals -- objecting to Team Kochi's belated move to sign up the southpaw, who went unsold at the players' auction last month. After Team Kochi owners realized well after the auction that they needed a quality Indian batsman, they had formally sought BCCI's permission to buy Ganguly at his base price of $400,000. The BCCI, in turn, had written to all the franchises to file their objections, if any, in this regard by Thursday night. Even though under IPL rules players who remain unsold at auction cannot be bought otherwise, the BCCI was willing to make an exception only for the three Indian capped players -- Ganguly, VRV Singh and Wasim Jaffer--who found no takers during the two-day auction. RCB, MI and RR have pointed to this very rule while filing their objections, which stymies Ganguly's aspiratio

NEW DELHI: Much more will be at stake on Saturday than just three careers when lawyer Michael Beloff reads the verdict of an independent anti-corruption tribunal in Doha on cheating allegations facing three Pakistan cricketers. The three-member tribunal heard the case against Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif last month for more than 45 hours spread over six days, poring over oral and written testimonies, watching video recordings and listening to tapes and forensic submissions. The cricketers face career-threatening bans if they are found guilty of so-called 'spot-fixing' during Pakistan's test series in England last year. All three have consistently denied wrongdoing. A British Sunday newspaper report alleged that they had taken bribes to arrange for deliberate no-balls to be delivered at pre-agreed times in the fourth test at Lord's for the benefit of gamblers. Saturday will be the judgment day at the Qatari capital and many cricket observers see

Raring to go: Liam Plunkett feels he is ready for final one-dayer Photo: PA By Telegraph staff 9:26AM GMT 03 Feb 2011 Comments Plunkett was given an emergency call-up this week as England 's injury crisis struck hard to deplete their bowling stocks. The Durham right-armer was with the England Lions in St Kitts in the Caribbean when he received his call to make the arduous journey to Perth for Sunday's final game of a series, which England trail 5-1. "I went from St Kitts to Miami and then Miami to Heathrow. I was there for 10 hours so I had a sleep there and then went to Singapore and here," Plunkett said. "It was actually my sleep-in day when found out. I was going to sleep until 10 o'clock and then go to the gym and then I got the call from (ECB performance director) Dave Parson that I was on the next flight out. "But I've been here two nights now. I've had plenty of time to rest and slept on the plane thanks to some sleeping

AUCKLAND: Pakistan won their first one-day series since November 2008 when they beat New Zealand by 41 runs in the fifth game of their six-match series at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Thursday. Scorecard The victory, courtesy of Ahmed Shehzad's 115 and a polished bowling performance gave Pakistan an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series, with only the final match to be played at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday. Pakistan made a below-par 268 for nine, but New Zealand wasted a golden opportunity to level the series with only Martin Guptill (65) and stand-in captain Ross Taylor (69) posting any scores of substance in their 227 all out in 46.5 overs. The hosts had looked well set to push for victory when Taylor was batting with James Franklin in the 42nd over, but when Taylor, who had survived a confident leg before appeal by Shahid Afridi, was given out in the same over their run chase disappeared. New Zealand have now lost 14 of their last 15 completed one-day internationals

Hamilton: Ahmed Shehzad posted his maiden one-day international century to guide Pakistan to 268 for 9, batting first in today`s fifth one-day international against New Zealand. Shehzad took 115 from 104 balls, sharing partnerships of 53 with Kamran Akmal, 47 with Younis Khan and 77 with Misbah ul-Haq to steer Pakistan to competitive total after being sent in by New Zealand`s acting captain Ross Taylor. Regular New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori missed the game with a hamstring strain. Pakistan lead the six-match series 2-1 after winning the third and fourth matches. New Zealand won the first and the second was abandoned due to rain.

AUCKLAND: Ahmed Shehzad notched his first one-day international century to help Pakistan reach 268 for nine in the fifth match against New Zealand at Seddon Park, Hamilton on Thursday. Scorecard Shehzad brought up his century in 101 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes, as the visitors set a challenging target for New Zealand to chase in order to save the six-match series. Pakistan hold a 2-1 lead with the final game in Auckland on Saturday. The 19-year-old was eventually caught in the deep by James Franklin off Scott Styris for 115 in the 38th over. New Zealand's bowlers had varied their pace and length to restrict the free-scoring Pakistani batsmen in the final few overs and the visitors would be disappointed not to have scored more runs. New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori did not play after he sustained a hamstring injury in the fourth match in Napier on Tuesday. Jesse Ryder, who missed the game at McLean Park with a finger injury, returned to the side.

SYDNEY: Australia captain Michael Clarke and all-rounder Shane Watson will miss the final one-day match against England in Perth on Sunday to get some rest before the World Cup, Cricket Australia said on Thursday. Australia have already won the seven-match series against England and hold a 5-1 lead after their two wicket win in the sixth game in Sydney on Wednesday. All-rounder Steve Smith will also miss the match after he sustained a hip injury in Sydney. Adam Voges, another all-rounder, and off-spinner Jason Krezja would join the Australia team in Perth for the match and series vice captain Cameron White would lead the side in Clarke's absence, chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said. Smith, who bowls leg-spin, joins left arm spinner Xavier Doherty (back) and Nathan Hauritz (dislocated shoulder) as the third slow bowler injured during the series against England. Hauritz and Smith were named in Australia's World Cup squad. Australia's regular captain Ricky

Among the less infernal ditties accompanying the one-day circus every step of the way is: "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands." During the interval of the sixth (and, praise be, penultimate) match of the series yesterday, England might have hummed a few bars to themselves.Jonathan Trott, as in-form throughout this entire tour as it is possible to be without being Don Bradman, had made a wonderfully composed 137 in a commanding England total of 333 for 6. Only three times in the history of limited-overs cricket had a higher target been attained and never at the Sydney Cricket Ground had any chasing team made more than 269 to win. Had there been any stray passing bags, England's second victory of the series might have been in it.By the end of Australia's pursuit 49 overs and two balls later, all England might have wanted to do with their hands was put their heads in them. Somehow, they contrived to lose for the fifth time in the series. Australi

NAGPUR: Punya Nagari recorded a thumping 127-run win over Pancan in the UCN T20 inter-media cricket tournament at Central Railway ground, Ajni, on Wednesday. In another match, Lokmat defeated Deshonnati by 38 runs. Brief scores: Lokmat: 160 in 19.5 overs (Gitesh Wanjari 35*, Sharad Mishra 29; Manish 3-21, Shahagir Sheikh 2-29) beat Deshonnati: 121 in 17.1 overs (Shahagir Sheikh 46; Sachin Rahangdale 3-20, Nitin Patariya 3-19) by 38 runs. Punya Nagri: 273-5 in 20 overs (Sunil Thavkar 78, Vaibhav Sonwane 57, Pankaj Pande 38; Avishkar Deshmukh 1-45) beat Pancan: 146-5 in 20 overs (Avishkar Deshmukh 59, Ravikant Sane 47; Umesh Tekade 1-20, Pankaj Pande 1-24, Manoj Zariya 1-10) by 127 runs. Man-of-the-match: Sunil Thavkar.

MUMBAI: There's this thing about Kapil Dev. Just when you start thinking he's clueless about the conversation going around him, he comes up with a comment so forthright that he leaves you thinking about what he just said. On Wednesday afternoon, when six former World Cup-winning captains gathered at a promotional event in south Mumbai to speak about the upcoming quadrennial event, a similar thing happened. "Why Sachin?" he thundered, when asked how important this World Cup was for Sachin Tendulkar. "It's an insult to everybody else if you keep asking about Sachin all the time. Winning the World Cup is as important to the rest of the team as it is to Sachin, to you and me and the billions who want India to do well. It's not about Sachin alone." Until then, it had seemed like Kapil was busy soaking in what his contemporaries - Clive Lloyd, Allan Border, Imran Khan, Arjuna Ranatunga and Steve Waugh - had just said. At that moment though, he

LONDON: England fast bowlers Ajmal Shahzad and Chris Tremlett are flying back from Australia after being injured in the one-day series. Shahzad needs treatment on a hamstring problem and Tremlett has a side strain, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on its website (www.ecb.co.uk) on Wednesday. The 25-year-old Shahzad has been picked in the squad for the World Cup starting this month while Tremlett, 29, is viewed as cover for the 50-over tournament. Spinner Graeme Swann (back injury) and all-rounder Tim Bresnan (calf problem) flew back from Australia last week. Shahzad and Tremlett were sidelined on Wednesday when Australia went 5-1 up in the seven-match one-day series, reaching a target of 334 to beat England by two wickets in Sydney.

NEW DELHI: With just a fortnight to go for the World Cup to get underway, Indian pacer Praveen Kumar remains under an injury cloud, to keep BCCI anxious on his availability. Indications are that Kumar is yet to fully recover from the elbow injury he sustained during practice before the ODI series in South Africa last month. The BCCI has all along maintained that he would be fully fit before the World Cup. No official was, however, willing to give an update on his injury status. Kumar is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore and had on Tuesday said that the rehab programme was on right track. "I am feeling pretty good now. The rehab programme is on the right track and hopefully I will strike a good rhythm before the tournament starts", he said. India can ill-afford to go into the mega event with an injury cloud over one of its squad members as key players Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir have suffered inj

England captain Andrew Strauss was hugely disappointed by his team's defeat after they put themselves in a strong position in the sixth one-day international against Australia. England piled up 333 for six in 50 overs, their record score against the hosts in Australia, with a century for Jonathan Trott. Related articles Australia reach massive total to topple England England forced to turn to last bowlers standing Search the news archive for more stories But they then allowed the home side to make a rapid start and edge over the winning line, with Paul Collingwood unfit to bowl after suffering a back spasm while batting. A two-wicket defeat left England trailing 5-1 in the series, with one match remaining for the tourists to salvage some pride. Asked whether the match was a bittersweet experience for England, Strauss told Sky Sports: "Just bitter I think. "We had a very good batting performance, Jonathan Trott played outstandingly well and was well

NEW DELHI: As Sachin Tendulkar gears up to play probably his last World Cup, the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Indian cricket team is desperate to make it a special one for him by gifting the champion batsman the trophy which has eluded the side for 28 years. In his two-decade long illustrious career, during which he has featured in five World Cups since 1992, Tendulkar has virtually every batting record under his belt but a world title is the only trophy which is missing from his cupboard. And Dhoni said his team will do whatever it takes to make it a memorable tournament for Tendulkar, who is approaching 38. "We all love him (Tendulkar) a lot. Most probably it is his last World Cup although we all want him to play many more World Cups. But practically speaking it seems impossible," Dhoni told reporters during a promotional event. "So, that (the World Cup trophy) can be the biggest gift from the team to him," he said. "We believe in each others' talen

AUCKLAND: New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori and Jesse Ryder are injury concerns for their side's must-win fifth one-day international against Pakistan in Hamilton on Thursday. Vettori suffered a hamstring injury in the two-wicket loss in Napier on Tuesday that gave Pakistan a 2-1 lead in the series, while Ryder was a late withdrawal from that match after he suffered a bruised finger at the weekend. "We'd be pretty hopeful about Jesse," coach John Wright told reporters in Hamilton on Wednesday. "I'm not quite so sure about Dan, I think it's just general stiffness but we'll have to have a look. "He's probably more uncertain but we've got a physio who is very experienced so we'll act on the expert's advice." New Zealand's entire World Cup squad are in Hamilton so they should be able to cope with late decisions on Vettori and Ryder, though the hosts had hoped to field their strongest line up for the final two matche

NAPIER: New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori has issued a scathing critique of his side's top order, describing their performance as "unacceptable" in their latest defeat by Pakistan. Pakistan lead the six-match series 2-1, with one game washed out, after winning the third encounter by two wickets with an over to spare on Tuesday. In a series being used to fine-tune for the World Cup, New Zealand have gone downhill since romping to a nine-wicket win in the first game, and the second was washed out. Pakistan won the third match by a commanding 43 runs and were just as dominant in Napier. On a McLean Park pitch tailor-made for batting, and which Vettori rated as worth at least 300 an innings, New Zealand struggled to 262-7 thanks largely to a salvage mission by the middle and tail batsmen. Pakistan knocked off the target with an over to spare to take a psychological edge going into the fifth match at Hamilton on Thursday. "Being five for 80 at McLean Park, I don

There may be doubts about Australian captain Steve Waugh telling South Africa's Herschelle Gibbs that he had dropped the World Cup when he let the former off in the 1999 edition. However, in the 2011 edition, it is undoubted that not just the catching, but the overall fielding too will play a huge role in deciding the fortunes of the respective sides, more than usual for sure. Each region that has hosted the World Cup has had its peculiarities but there remains no place as capable of producing tall scores as the sub-continent. The pitches are flat, commercial aspects ensure that short boundaries get further shortened, while the weather too is mostly unforgiving as far as the bowlers are concerned. Seen in that light, the odd-dropped catch, the inability to cut off the boundaries, the lack of anticipation within the circle, et al will prove more costly here than in say England or Australia. Those are places where bowlers stand a better chance and where they don't need t

Doubtful: Ajmal Shahzad has picked up a hamstring injury in Australia that puts in doubt his place in the England team for the forthcoming World Cup Photo: GETTY IMAGES By Telegraph staff and agencies 10:05AM GMT 01 Feb 2011 Shahzad underwent a scan in Sydney today which revealed a minor tear in his hamstring and while he will miss the final two games of the already-lost series, he is expected to be fit in time for the World Cup. The Yorkshireman will remain with the England squad in Australia to begin his rehabilitation but it is a further blow to Englands World Cup attack. Spinner Graeme Swann (back/knee) and Tim Bresnan (calf) were forced to leave the tour early last week while Stuart Broad is still recovering from the stomach injury he suffered during the Ashes. All four are expected to be fit in time for the start of the World Cup though, with Broad revealing yesterday that he was ahead of schedule in his return. Broad is hoping to make his return after two months ou

MELBOURNE: England called up fast bowler Liam Plunkett to its one-day squad on Tuesday after injuries to pacemen Chris Tremlett and Ajmal Shahzad. Plunkett, 25, was traveling to Perth from the West Indies - where he was a member of the second-tier England Lions squad - ahead of Sunday's seventh and final one-day match against Australia. Shahzad has been ruled out of the remainder of the one-day series against Australia due to a hamstring strain, England team management said. He will be sidelined for up to three weeks but is expected be fit in time for the start of the World Cup. Scans have also shown Tremlett has a side strain. He will stay with the squad for further assessment. "Liam Plunkett has been part of the England Performance Program and England Lions squad this winter, so we are confident that he will be ready to play a role for England should the need arise," England coach Andy Flower said. England plays Australia in the sixth ODI at Sydney on Friday,

England's depleted bowling attack has been handed a further blow after Ajmal Shahzad was ruled out of the remainder of the one-day international series against Australia with a hamstring injury. Scans today revealed that Shahzad had sustained a minor hamstring tear and while he will not play in the final two games of the already-lost series, he will remain with the squad in Australia to begin his rehabilitation ahead of the World Cup. Related articles Broad offers a shred of hope for World Cup England will face India in Bangalore Search the news archive for more stories Fellow quick Chris Tremlett will also miss tomorrow's sixth one-dayer in Sydney due to a side strain, although he will be reassessed in the coming days after scans revealed he had not sustained a tear. Shahzad pulled up lame while bowling during England's 51-run defeat in Brisbane on Sunday, which saw Australia take an unassailable 4-1 lead in the seven-game series. The Yorkshireman

WELLINGTON: Misbah-ul-haq overcame the loss of late wickets to keep his cool and guide Pakistan to a two-wicket victory over New Zealand in their fourth one-day international match in Napier on Tuesday. Scorecard Misbah, who has anchored Pakistan's batting throughout the tour of New Zealand, proved once again a thorn in the side of Daniel Vettori's team, scoring 93 not out as Pakistan finished on 264 for eight in 49 overs having chased down the host's 262 for seven. The Pakistan Test captain, who had been coasting to the victory target while batting with Younus Khan (42), was forced to take all the responsibility of getting his side home when Younus was run out in the 38th over. Umar Akmal then scratched around for 10 off 17 balls before he was well caught in the 43rd over by Nathan McCullum off Vettori, who trapped Shahid Afridi in front two balls later to give New Zealand a faint hope of running through the bowlers to win the match and take a 2-1 lead in the best