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Javed Miandad has said he will consider becoming the permanent batting coach of Pakistan, after their tour of the West Indies is completed

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Apr-2011Javed Miandad has said he will consider becoming the batting coach of Pakistan, after their tour of the West Indies is completed. Miandad, however, will not travel with the team to the West Indies, but will work with the batsmen before their departure, as he did for Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand last year.”I had detailed meetings with Mr. [Ijaz] Butt and [Shahid] Afridi, but I told them that I could not travel with the team to the West Indies,” Miandad told . “I think the tour of West Indies is not a tough one. After this tour I might consider taking up the [batting] coaching assignment.”It was on the request of Pakistan captain Afridi and chairman of the Pakistan board Butt that Miandad, who has had three stints as Pakistan head coach, agreed to work with the team’s batsmen before the upcoming tour. The tour begins on April 18, and comprises a one-off Twenty20 game, five one-dayers and three Tests. The tour ends on May 24, after which Pakistan will travel to Ireland to play a one-day series.As far as what his role would be as batting coach, if he were to take the job full-time, Miandad said it would be mostly restricted to advising batsmen on pitches and bowlers rather than looking to make drastic changes to their techniques.”I believe that once a batsman is selected for the national team you can’t change his technique,” he said. “You can only teach him the finer points of the game, like how to handle various bowlers on different pitches.”Batting was a concern for Pakistan during their World Cup, during which they failed in two chases, against New Zealand in the group stages and India in the semi-finals. None of the Pakistan batsmen managed to score a century during the tournament, and none of them were in the top 20 run-scorers either.Pakistan have included five uncapped players in their squad for the West Indies tour: right-hand batsman Usman Salahuddin, allrounder Hammad Azam, fast bowlers Junaid Khan and Sadaf Hussain, and wicketkeeper Mohammad Salman. Miandad said the changes were positive moves.”It’s the right time to look ahead for the future and start preparing for the next World Cup. We have to look for players who could be there in 2015 and, if they have potential, we should start giving them proper chances.”

ESPNcricinfo’s preview of the first ODI between West Indies and Pakistan in Gros Inlet, St Lucia

The Preview by Daniel Brettig22-Apr-2011

Match Facts

April 23, Gros Islet, St Lucia
Start time 0930am (1330 GMT)Lendl Simmons. Does he look much like Chris Gayle to you?•AFP

The Big Picture

Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Kieron Pollard, Umar Gul, Younis Khan, Kamran Akmal. The list of players missing from West Indies’ home ODI series against Pakistan, for all manner of reasons, is long. It’s been a somewhat incongruent start to the tour for Pakistan, who have enjoyed the far smoother preparation, having planned to rest Gul and Younis ahead of the subsequent Test series, while also cutting ties with the iron-gloved Kamran. The only kind of disquiet was created by the captain Shahid Afridi’s change of heart over making the trip to the Caribbean.Gayle has of course been at the centre of a perfect storm surrounding his non-selection and subsequent flight to the IPL, where the in-demand Pollard had already chosen to play ahead of national duties. Dwayne Bravo will join them when the Test matches start, painting an altogether unhealthy picture of West Indies unity, or lack thereof.However, a strong victory in the opening Twenty20 match suggested that Darren Sammy’s side is not entirely without hope, and will fancy their chances of overturning an ugly World Cup quarter-final loss to Pakistan in Mirpur, 31 days ago. Notable too is the return of Marlon Samuels for his first ODI since being banned for inappropriate dealings with an illegal bookmaker. It is nearly a year since Samuels became eligible to return.

Form guide

(most recent first)West Indies WWLLLPakistan LWWWL

Watch out for…

Lendl Simmons showed plenty of vim at the top of the order for West Indies in the Twenty20 prelude to this match, and will need to keep that up in the absence of Gayle. The circumstances of Gayle’s departure indicate that he might not be back, so Simmons has the chance to make the opening spot his own.Umar Akmal will also be hoping to raise his game in this series. A joy to behold at the batting crease, Umar must continue to grow and mature in the knowledge that the likes of Misbah-ul-Haq and the absent Younis are ageing all the time.

Team news

West Indies expressed the desire to try a younger side against Pakistan in this series, but their manner of doing so caused all kinds of ructions surrounding the future of Gayle and Sarwan. Samuels, older and wiser, is back in the team, while Simmons will have the task of replacing Gayle at the top of the order. Pakistan have also plumped for youth, though in the case of Younis and Gul theirs is only a temporary absence. Hammad Azam is the man charged with replacing Abdul Razzaq as the allrounder.West Indies (possible): 1 Devon Smith, 2 Lendl Simmons, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Marlon Samuels, 5 Kirk Edwards, 6 Dwayne Bravo, 7 Carlton Baugh (wk), 8 Darren Sammy (capt), 9 Devendra Bishoo, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Ravi RampaulPakistan (possible): 1 Taufeeq Umar, 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Asad Shafiq, 4 Misbah-ul-Haq, 5 Umar Akmal, 6 Hammad Azam, 7 Mohammad Salman (wk), 8 Shahid Afridi (capt), 9 Wahab Riaz, 10 Tanvir Ahmed, 11 Saeed Ajmal.

Pitch and conditions

The St Lucia surface lost pace noticeably over the course of the Twenty20 match that opened the tour, meaning more of the same can be expected in the first ODI – Ajmal and Bishoo take note.

Stats and trivia

• West Indies have not beaten Pakistan in a bilateral ODI series since a 2-0 success in Pakistan over three matches in November 1991 – the second match was tied.
• Pakistan won the only two matches between the two nations to be played in St Lucia, by 40 and 22 runs during the 2005 series won 3-0 by the visitors.
• West Indies’ short-term batting coach Desmond Haynes has made the most runs in limited-overs matches between the two countries, racking up 2390 at 41.92 in 65 matches, though his strike-rate of 60.86 now appears a little dated.
• Samuels’ last ODI appearance was also in St Lucia, against Sri Lanka in April 2008. He finished 3 not out as the match was wiped out by rain.

Quotes

“I have served West Indies for many years, but I was disrespected a lot, and I have been playing under a lot of pressure. I can’t sleep properly. I need to get this off my chest. I want everybody to print what I said, I want to clear the air and I want them to ease up. WICB… back up offa my back.”
“I had decided to skip the tour because I wanted to take a break from the game, but some former players and my family and friends told me to change my decision at this crucial time for Pakistan cricket.”

England’s bowlers hit back on the first day in Cardiff after Sri Lanka had set a solid base through their openers Tillakaratne Dilshan and Tharanga Paranavitana

The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan26-May-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJames Anderson appeals for the caught-behind of Kumar Sangakkara•Getty Images

Sri Lanka’s openers, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Tharanga Paranavitana, gave their team a solid start to the first Test in Cardiff before England’s bowlers hit back on a truncated day. The pair added 93 for the first wicket after play was delayed until mid-afternoon by regular showers, but Dilshan couldn’t build on his half-century and Kumar Sangakkara also departed in somewhat controversial circumstances when the DRS became involved.Graeme Swann provided the first breakthrough and James Anderson was in the middle of a testing spell when England appealed for a Sangakkara edge behind but Aleem Dar turned down the shout and Andrew Strauss was quick to use the DRS. The decision rested on a combination of a noise and a faint mark halfway up the bat as the ball scooted past the edge. Rod Tucker, the third umpire, relayed that information and Dar overturned his decision.Sri Lanka’s opening partnership was their best in England, a place where touring sides often struggle against the new ball especially at this time of the year. They were also unfortunate that the dry, warm start to the summer ended on cue for the first day, but one of the main bonuses of Sri Lanka’s successful warm-up period was the form of the top two. Dilshan and Paranavitana both hit hundreds against Middlesex and England Lions in stands worth 209 and 200. In that sense, England did well to separate them for 93. A solid start here was vital, too, because Sri Lanka have a lengthy tail after opting for a five-man attack which, after a late change of heart, included two spinners.Strauss hadn’t been unhappy to lose the toss, especially when another shower meant an awkward 70-minute session before tea, but it soon became clear there wasn’t going to be a huge amount of help for the quick bowlers. There wasn’t much early swing for Anderson and Stuart Broad bowled too short, reinforcing the feeling he is short of rhythm after just two Championship matches for Nottinghamshire and his injury-hit winter.As was to be expected there were the occasional alarms for the openers but they judged well what to leave and what to play to build the frustrations for the bowlers. Against his natural instincts Dilshan was restrained in the 16 overs before tea except for a flash against Anderson and a strong cut off Broad as he passed 4000 Test runs. Paranavitana was impressively solid and alert to the quick singles although was on the receiving end of two big appeals from England.The first was for a catch down the leg side which always sounded more like pad, but the second got Anderson excited as Paranavitana was squared up and the ball taken at first slip. Billy Doctrove was proved right, though, as the ball had flicked the batsman’s hip and Strauss had been wise to keep the DRS up his sleeve. The England captain is becoming a good judge of when to use the system. However, Paranavitana was never flustered and adjusted impressively for a man playing his first Test outside the subcontinent.After tea Dilshan came out playing more shots although England’s bowlers did find the edges of both batsmen without anything reaching the slips. Chris Tremlett produced a probing spell that began to build some pressure and one delivery reared past Dilshan’s edge even though he was largely negated by a slow pitch.Swann had been brought on in the 27th over and while he couldn’t produce a first-over strike he was in the action in his fourth. At the start of the over Dilshan reached fifty from 92 balls, but three balls later dragged into his stumps as he tried to force through the off side. England sensed their chance for a late push and Anderson’s short battle with Sangakkara promised more for the series ahead.Paranavitana remained firm during the closing overs and brought up a hard-working and hugely valuable fifty from 145 balls when he cut Tremlett for his fifth boundary. With Mahela Jayawardene for company plenty of hard work remains for England’s bowlers.

More than two-thirds of players polled in a recent survey believe the BCCI has an unfair influence on decision-making within the ICC

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jun-2011More than two-thirds of players polled in a recent survey believe the BCCI has an unfair influence on decision-making within the ICC. The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) has renewed its calls for a review of the game’s governance after releasing the results of its 2011 player survey, which also revealed strong support for the decision review system and 50-over cricket.Despite overwhelming approval for how this year’s World Cup was run, the findings were not all positive for the ICC. Of the 45 players polled, only 6% believed that decisions at ICC board level were made “in the best interests of cricket”, while 49% felt decisions were made according to “party lines or best interests of the country that they are representing”. The remaining players were “unsure”.When asked if ICC decision-making was influenced unfairly by the power of the BCCI, 69% said ‘yes’, while 31% answered “don’t know”. None of the respondents gave a definitive ‘no’. Despite those concerns, 63% said they had confidence in the ICC’s ability to govern international cricket, although the FICA chief executive Tim May said the findings raised important issues, with 46% saying the structure and composition of the ICC executive board should be reviewed.”Players have highlighted that the governance of the game is a serious issue,” May said. “FICA have continually advocated for a review of the game’s governance. Its present structure is outdated, full of conflicts, cronyism and far from best practice. FICA does believe though that the ICC day-to-day management has improved considerably and are unfairly tarnished as a result of decisions of the ICC Chief Executive and Board Committees.”The call for a review of the game’s governance is not new. FICA have been pushing for change for several years, and the former ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed this year said he would be in favour of an independent commission running the game, although he also said the idea that countries always voted in geographical blocs was, based on his time at the organisation, not accurate.The FICA survey did reveal some good news for the ICC, with 94% of players rating the recent World Cup as “good” or above, compared to only 11% giving the 2007 tournament that level of support. However, the event is still too long, according to 74% of those surveyed, while 72% backed the decision to reduce the number of teams in the next World Cup to 10, and 91% felt the Associate nations should have a chance to qualify.The majority (82%) of players said the DRS made for better decision-making from umpires at the World Cup, and 97% thought the DRS should be compulsory in all Test matches. Notably, FICA is not affiliated with players from India – the BCCI being the major opponent of the DRS – or from Pakistan or Zimbabwe.The survey also showed:

• 32% of players would retire prematurely from international cricket to play exclusively in the IPL and similar Twenty20 tournaments
• 40% said that given the magnitude of salaries being offered by the IPL, they could envisage a day where they would rank their obligations to IPL and other T20 events ahead of obligations to their home boards
• 94% believed that superior salaries offered by the IPL would motivate younger players to hone their skills principally to T20
• 40% said their board schedules too much international cricket
• Only 24% of players favour a change in the format of ODIs
• 39% believe boards schedule too many ODIs, reducing the public’s interest in the format

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Mustafa Kamal has revealed that it was South Africa’s stand that swung the ICC presidency rotation system issue in Bangladesh’s favour during the annual conference in Hong Kong last week

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jul-2011Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Mustafa Kamal has revealed that it was South Africa’s stand that swung the ICC presidency rotation issue during the annual conference in Hong Kong last week. South Africa, defying the line set by India and others, provided unexpected and late support to Bangladesh and Pakistan to convince the ICC executive board to delay any decision over replacing the existing setup with an open candidature method.Under the current system Pakistan and Bangladesh are next in line to nominate the ICC president and vice-president once Alan Isaac of New Zealand ends his term as ICC chief in 2014. The two countries were also helped by Sri Lanka, who stuck to the stand it had taken during the “circular resolution” by the executive board on May 31 seeking an amendment in the ICC constitution over the appointment procedure of its president.”I went in with only one supporter [Pakistan],” Kamal said during a press conference at the BCB headquarters on Sunday. “Sri Lanka didn’t vote from the first instance but while I was defending my case, South Africa came to my support. They were the fourth vote that really helped to bring it in our favour.”South Africa’s stand convinced the ICC’s executive board to not take the matter to the ICC full council, which could have ratified the move if eight Full Members and 38 of the 50 Members had voted in favour.Between now and its next meeting in October, the executive board will discuss the matter and it will once again be brought to vote if necessary. By then the Governance Review Committee would have completed its look at all related matters – including the possibility of appointing independent directors.Kamal also said that during their discussion this October, the ICC would only amend the rotation system and not end it. “In October, certain clauses will be amended so that bottlenecks – like the John Howard situation – can be tackled. But in no way will the rotation be scrapped.”The grouse in the local media was whether Bangladesh let go of the presidency too easily but Kamal clarified that he did not “sell the country” as was suggested, but did it only to buy time. “I also read that we have sold out to a certain board but that is not the case,” he said. “I wouldn’t have fought if I had given up the place already. I always maintained that I voted giving the condition that the rotation must not be scrapped until the cycle ends.”Apart from Kamal’s clarification that he did indeed vote in favour initially, he also confirmed that it wasn’t done to bargain with the Indian board but as a measure to bring the ICC presidency, ultimately, to Bangladesh. “When the resolution via circular came up, it didn’t sit well with me. It was a strategic move to vote in favour at first,” he explained.Kamal was also asked why he didn’t discuss the matter with the board. One director (Dewan Shafiul Arefin) confirmed to Dhaka-based Daily Star that nothing was talked about but Kamal said that the “resolution via circular” wasn’t the end of the story. “Why didn’t I discuss it with my board? Well there wasn’t much time and I also knew that it would be discussed in Hong Kong.”

Lonwabo Tsotsobe is working on his fitness as he strives to retain his place in the national team

Firdose Moonda19-Jul-2011Lonwabo Tsotsobe, South Africa left-arm seamer, is a man of few words. His interviews are over in a few minutes, his answers are succinct, he doesn’t mind awkward silences. It’s impossible to tell anything about his personality from the way he speaks. The only way to find out about Tsotsobe is by watching his actions.When CSA decided to participate in Nelson Mandela Day for the second time, Tsotsobe contacted his employers and volunteered his time to join them. It was a task he took very seriously. He painted the clubhouse at the Alexandra Cricket Club, together with Ashwell Prince, as though it was his own home. The pair covered more than half of the structure with accurate broad brush strokes and were careful and delicate around corners. Tsotsobe was particularly precise, concentrating on the areas around the windows with great accuracy.Exactness is something Tsotsobe has been praised for, with many saying it is the chief reason that he takes wickets. While not an express paceman and not known for a great deal of swing, it’s controlled variation that has made Tsotsobe’s first full season in international cricket a success. He played in 12 ODIs and took 24 wickets and emerged as potential third seamer in Tests, where he took seven wickets in three matches against India. Among Tsotsobe’s wickets were the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, MS Dhoni and VVS Laxman.”Just because I got some big names out doesn’t mean that I should get big headed about it,” Tsotsobe told ESPNcricinfo. And he hasn’t. Very little affects Tsotsobe, and success certainly hasn’t. Although he has ticked the season off as an achievement, he acknowledges that there’s a lot of work to be done before next summer.”I was fit last season but I was not where I wanted to be,” Tsotosbe said. “I want to push myself even harder.” It’s something he will have to do to continue being a certainty in the national team. With Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel established as the strike pair and Imran Tahir a near certainty, its unclear what role Tsotsobe will fill going forward. As a third seamer, he operated as a hybrid between a wicket-taker and a holding bowler, but with Tahir’s inclusion he may have to do more of the latter, which will require exemplary fitness. “It doesn’t really matter what I do, as long as I commit to it 100%,” he said.Tsotsobe, like many of his team-mates, will begin pre-season training soon. He said he will put extra focus on “gymwork”, to make sure he is in peak condition by the time the season starts. He has spent the almost four-month long break taking time out from the game, except for a brief stint with English county Essex. It wasn’t something he wanted to talk about and when asked about his time there he simply shook his head, gave a wry smile, emphatically crossed his arms and then carried on painting the wall. The actions did the talking again.In the month he was there, he showed nothing more than glimpses of the form he displayed during the season. He was expensive and largely unprofitable, and was even dropped to the second XI. It may have been a combination of unhappiness, fatigue and temporary loss of form. “I always practise like I play because then I’ll know how to execute what the captain wants in match situations,” he said. “When you work on death bowling, for example, you have to practice your yorkers, slower ball and cutters.”It’s those types of deliveries that Tsotsobe excels at, because they require subtle variations and manipulations. The ability to adapt is going to prove crucial in his game in the coming season because he could be required to perform different roles in the team, depending on the situation. He also knows his spot is precarious, with the talent that’s existing in the squad and those who are bubbling under. “There are youngsters coming through and pushing hard, guys like Rusty [Theron],” he said.Even though that pressure is building and will no doubt continue as the clock to the summer winds down, it’s not enough to have Tsotsobe too stressed. He spoke about his competition with the usual few words, a casual one shoulder shrug and a glint of confidence in his eye. Then, he returned to finishing his task at the clubhouse. Gerald Majola, CSA chief executive, looked on proudly. “Lopsy actually called us and asked if he could be part of Nelson Mandela Day and help out,” Majola said. Had he not, no one would have known about Tsotsobe’s charitable heart.

Ireland Women recovered from their loss to Netherlands Women yesterday, to register a comprehensive 90-run win against Scotland Women in the Women’s European Championship at Kampong, Utrecht

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Aug-2011
Scorecard
Kim Garth starred as Ireland bounced back from their loss to the Netherlands•ICC/CricketEurope

Ireland Women recovered from their loss to Netherlands Women yesterday, to register a comprehensive 90-run win against Scotland Women in the Women’s European Championship at Kampong, Utrecht. The win was fashioned by an all-round performance by Kim Garth and an aggressive 85 by captain Isobel Joyce.Ireland were in trouble after being asked to bat, losing their openers within the first four overs with only eight on the board. But Joyce – the sister of England and Ireland men’s player Ed Joyce – steadied the innings by stringing together partnerships with Laura Delany, Laura Boylan and Garth before being stumped for what is her best ODI score. Garth then guided the lower order, pushing Ireland to a competitive 241 for 6.None of the Scotland batsmen could really get going in the chase, as the target was reduced to 214 off 39 overs due to rain. Even Kari Anderson, who top-scored, could not move along quickly enough, her unbeaten 43 coming off 97 balls. The innings was wrecked by four run-outs, two of which involved Garth. Garth also picked up opener Catherine Smaill in a miserly spell in which she conceded 12 runs off seven overs.Scotland play Netherlands tomorrow at the same venue.