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Pakistan will not appeal against corruption bans

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...

Pakistan spot-fixing trial: these sentences provide almost no deterrent to the match-fixers

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 ...

Zaheer Khan: Man for all seasons

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...

Salman Butt banned from cricket for 10 years, while Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Amir banned for seven and five years

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

Australia v England: Eoin Morgan ruled out of final one-day international because of finger injury

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...

Tendulkar is all praise for his 'Fab' teammates

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...

Thought of quitting last year, says Yuvraj!

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...

Hat-trick for Rizvi Springfield

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.

Pakistan bowl first against New Zealand

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...

Judgment day for suspended trio in Pakistan spot-fixing inquiry as conspiracy theories are dispelled

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-...

Hayden names Bhajji ahead of Kumble in All Stars XI

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...

Pakistan's Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir consider seeking delay in ICC spot-fixing verdict

'Sachin's presence lifts team's morale'

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...

Pakistan spot-fixing: timeline of the scandal

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 ...

Malik, Yousuf's Bangladesh venture irks Pakistani selectors

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...

Pakistan spot-fixing trial: Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir to learn fate

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...

Afridi set to captain Pak at World Cup

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.

Day of reckoning for Pakistan trio

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 adds to growing list of England crocks

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

Sehwag feels India primed to win World Cup!

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. ...