Ponting Call Afridi A Greedy Person

Sydney Ricky Ponting The Former Australian Captain Said Afridi Decision Of leaving International Arena is Very Good Decision For World Cricket And Pakistani Cricket the Former Australian Captain Also Said Afridi Was a very mean Cricketer And Person He only knows how to play for money and his own respect he never played for his country or team he was very much greedy for money i dint know...

Pak manager urges warm team relations

Karachi: Pakistan cricket team manager Intikhab Alam on Monday expressed satisfaction over his team's ODI series victory over Ireland but stressed on a need for good relationship between the players and team management on tours. A fallout between players or between players and management hurts the team and affects their performance, as has been seen so often. © AFP Insisting that...

Butt reacts cautiously to Afridi's retirement

Lahore: The Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Ijaz Butt has reacted cautiously to the flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi's announcement that he didn't want to play under the current board set-up. PCB chairman Ijaz Butt said that if Shahid Afridi had decided to retire from all international cricket, it was his personal decision. © AFP "It is his personal decision to...

Strauss savours 'bonus' win despite Anderson absence

England's decision to field just four specialist bowlers against Sri Lanka provoked plenty of comment but they needed only three to pull off a win in what captain Andrew Strauss said was "one of the most extraordinary cricket matches any of us have played in". Sri Lanka were skittles put for just 82 inside 25 overs on the fifth and final day of the first Test at Sophia Gardens on Monday as England...

Opportunity for fringe players - Raina

The tour of the West Indies will be a test for India's stand-in captain Suresh Raina and new coach Duncan Fletcher © AFP The absence of several senior players for the upcoming tour of the West Indies provides an ideal platform for fringe players to shine on the international stage, Suresh Raina, India's captain for the limited-overs leg...

Spin hard and believe, says Warne

Terry Jenner's death has left a vast gap in Australian cricket's knowledge about slow bowling . Belief, technique, and above all else, spin. Shane Warne encapsulated the desired legacy of Terry Jenner by saying that all Australia slow bowlers had to be implored to 'rev' the ball as hard as they could, and to a build a career from that most basic of tenets....

Afridi's defiance big challenge for Butt

Karachi: Shahid Afridi's stunning retirement to protest his sacking as Pakistan's ODI captain could be the toughest test of PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt's tenure so far, but he is unlikely to go back on his decision. Although PCB gave no official reason for sacking Shahid Afridi as the captain, the word is that a report was sought from the manager after reported differences between Afridi and...

England on course to reclaim second spot in ICC Test rating

Dubai: England's stunning victory against Sri Lanka in the first Test in Cardiff has kept them on course to reclaim second position on the ICC Test Championship table for the first time in more than three years. = The first Test between England and Sri Lanka in Cardiff saw players from both the sides go up the ICC Player Rankings for their performances. © AFP Although the Test...

PCB suspends Afridi contract

The PCB has responded to Shahid Afridi's retirement by suspending his central contract and putting together a showcause notice detailing several breaches of the code of conduct, which he will be expected to respond to within a week.The announcement of retirement to a TV channel, the board said in a press release, is in itself a breach of the code. "By announcing his retirement in the...

Dejected Afridi quits international cricket

Karachi: Flamboyant Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has announced to quit international cricket in protest of his removal from the captaincy of the national one-day team and said he will not consider to return till the present board under the chairmanship of Ijaz Butt is in place. Shahid Afridi has said that till the present Pakistan cricket board under the chairmanship of Butt is in...

Dernbach gets England call for 2nd Test

Cardiff: Uncapped Surrey seamer Jade Dernbach was called up into a 12-man England squad on Tuesday for the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's starting on Friday after James Anderson was forced out with injury. Jade Dernbach has been called up into a 12-man England squad for the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's after James Anderson was forced out with injury. © AFP Anderson...

PCB clears partial dues to Haider

Lahore: The PCB has released a partial amount of outstanding to controversial wicketkeeper, Zulqarnain Haider, who faces a grilling from the board's disciplinary committee for embarrassing Pakistan cricket last year. The PCB had withheld all payments to Zulqarnain Haider and cancelled his central contract after he fled the team hotel in Dubai during the one-day series against South Africa...

Dilshan promises to keep calm

Cardiff: Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan said there was no point in reading the riot act after a stunning collapse to 82 all out saw his side lose the first Test against England. Sri Lanka's trio of experienced batsmen - Kumar Sangakkara, Thilan Samaraweera and Mahela Jaywardene - managed just 29 runs between them in the second innings. © AFP A rain-affected match appeared...

Dilshan stunned after Eng's surprise win

London: Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan was at a loss to explain his side's slump to 82 all out that handed England a stunning innings victory in the first Test on Monday. Sri Lanka were bowled for a paltry 82 runs in their second innings, their their lowest total in England to date. © AFP This first of a three-match series appeared to be meandering towards a rain-affected...

Butt to complete tenure despite flak: sources

Lahore: Despite all the criticism heaped on Ijaz Butt for his decision to remove Shahid Afridi as captain of the ODI team, there is no possibility of his being sacked as Chairman of the Pakistan cricket Board in the near future. Ever since he assumed office in October 2008, PCB chairman Ijaz Butt has changed the Test and ODI captains at least 11 times. © AFP Well-placed sources...

Pakistan win second ODI against Ireland

Pakistan completed a 2-0 one-day international series win over Ireland in Belfast with victory by five wickets at Stormont on Monday that rounded off eight months on the road. Pakistan beat Ireland by five wickets in the second one-day international at Stormont to take the two-match series 2-0. © AFP Pakistan, set a target of 239, won with eight balls to spare thanks mainly to half-centuries...

Tremlett, Swann bowl Eng to thrilling win

Chris Tremlett inspired England to a sensational victory as they defied the elements to beat Sri Lanka by an innings and 14 runs in the first Test at Sophia Gardens on Monday. Chris Tremlett inspired England to a sensational victory as they defied the elements to beat Sri Lanka by an innings and 14 runs in the first Test. © AFP Sri Lanka were skittled out for just 82 in their second...

Zimbabwe plan cricket arena at Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is set to be the location of the country's third Test cricket ground. If local authority approval is obtained, which Zimbabwe Cricket expects, it will be within sight of the mile long Falls with its 100 metres deep chasm straddling the Zambezi River. Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is set to be the location of the country's third Test cricket ground. If local authority...

Delhi pacer Amit Bhandari retires

New Delhi: Former Delhi pacer Amit Bhandari announced his retirement from first-class cricket on Monday. Bhandari, who will soon be turning 33, played two ODIs for India taking five wickets. © AFP Bhandari, who will soon be turning 33, played two ODIs for India taking five wickets. The lanky Bhandari, however, spearheaded the Delhi and North Zone attack for over a decade claiming...

SL confirm Tharanga failed dope test

Opening batsman Upul Tharanga has become the first Sri Lankan international to fail a dope test after a random check during the cricket World Cup 2011, the country's sports ministry said on Monday. Upul Tharanga failed a random doping test during the Cricket World Cup, the country's sports ministry said. © AFP The left-handed player was informed by the International Cricket Council (ICC)...

Latif seeks more cricket in Afghanistan

Afghanistan coach Rashid Latif on Monday urged the nascent cricketing nation to develop more sporting infrastructure so that players can improve more quickly by playing at home. Afghanistan coach Rashid Latif urged the nascent cricketing nation to develop more sporting infrastructure so that players can improve more quickly by playing at home. © AFP "It is important that Afghan players...

Wade replaces Lynn for Australia 'A' tour

Wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade will replace injured Chris Lynn in the Australia A one-day squad for the tour to Zimbabwe in June and July, Cricket Australia said. Wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade will replace injured Chris Lynn in the Australia A one-day squad for the tour to Zimbabwe in June and July, according to Cricket Australia. © AFP Lynn will require finger surgery later...

Never got this sort of respect in Windies: Gayle

He came, saw and all but conquered the IPL but Chris Gayle, the face of this T20 season, is hurt that he is rarely treated with the warmth that he has been shown in India. The Jamaican, who bludgeoned the opposition into submission and literally carried the Royal Challengers Bangalore into Saturday's final against the Chennai Super Kings, was caught up in an ugly row with the West Indies Cricket...

Will look to carry IPL momentum into WI Test series: Vijay

Basking in the glory of Chennai Super Kings' second successive IPL triumph, the team's batting hero in the finals, Murali Vijay, said he would now aim to carry his fine form into India's Test series against the West Indies next month. Vijay's 52-ball 95 was the cornerstone of Chennai Super Kings's mammoth total of 205 in the IPL finals which the Royal Challengers Bangalore failed to chase and...

Gayle left out of T20, first two ODIs against India

Antigua: At odds with the West Indies Cricket Board, explosive batsman Chris Gayle was, on Monday, left out of the squads announced for the lone Twenty20 and the first two one-dayers against India starting June 4. Due to his differences with the WICB, Chris Gayle, who set fire in this year's IPL by becoming the top-scorer of the tournament, has been left out of the ODIs and the T20 matches...

Waqar salutes Pak as Afridi fall-out looms

Belfast: Pakistan coach Waqar Younis praised his team for a "wonderful job" after they shrugged off the cold to complete a 2-0 one-day international series away to Ireland at Stormont. Pakistan coach Waqar Younis has good talent under him but the retirement of Shahid Afridi could hurt the squad. © AFP A much-improved batting performance by the home team gave Pakistan a victory target...

Shahid Afridi quits international cricket

Shahid Afridi, Pakistan's captain at the 2011 World Cup, is reported by Geo TV in Pakistan to have announced his retirement from the international game. Afridi, 31, had quit Test cricket last year after leading Pakistan to defeat in the first Test in England, but remained an integral part of the limited-overs sides, which he continued to lead until the recent tour of the West Indies. He...

England claim stunning innings win

England 496 for 5 dec (Trott 203, Cook 133, Bell 103*) beat Sri Lanka 400 (P Jayawardene 112, Paranavitana 66, Anderson 3-66, Swann 3-78) and 82 (Swann 4-16, Tremlett 4-40) by an innings and 14 runs Graeme Swann and Chris Tremlett bowled England to an extraordinary innings-and-14-run victory as Sri Lanka collapsed in a barely believable 24.4 overs on the final day in Cardiff. The pair...