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The way we played the first test we can take a lot of positives. In the second test, we bowled them out in one innings and that is quite a positive sign. – Mushfiqur Rahim
Warne blames captains for leg-spin decline
SyDNEy Six years since he quit international cricket with 1 000 wickets to his name and a reputation for reviving a moribund craft, Shane Warne is concerned about the current lack of high-class leg-spinners in cricket. Five slow bowlers feature in the top 10 test bowlers' list but none are leg-spinners, who seem to be being overshadowed by their leftarm and off-spinning cousins. Warne blamed the defensive mindset of captains as the primary reason for the decline of the craft he mastered and glamorised in his illustrious 15year-old career. "Without trying to be arrogant about it, it's hard," the 43-year-old Australian told reporters on Thursday. "That's why we are not seeing a lot of leg-spinners around the world. It's difficult in this age of cricket. So much Twenty20 and so much relying on economy rate." Warne said what made it tough was the attitude of the captains even at junior level, which is in stark contrast with the skippers he and his contemporary Indian legspinner Anil Kumble bowled under.
PCb signs mOu with afghanistan board LAHORE STAFF REPORT
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding with Afghanistan Cricket Board for the development of Afghanistan’s cricket. The Scope of assistance by PCB to ACB includes Game Education Programs (including Level-1 and Level-2 coaching courses, skill and performance analyst, basic umpiring courses as well as preliminary and basic curator/groundsman courses) plan/organize and implement Players Development Programsinclusive of two High Performance Camps for Emerging Players at NCA (one each year) for a duration of four weeks per camp which will include around five matches against the NCA’s Emerging Players Team. These programs will also aim to improve skills in technical, tactical, mental and physical areas. In addition to this, the PCB shall also arrange lectures/ practical activities that include life skills, doping, anti-corruption and various codes of conduct. “The PCB has always supported and helped the ACB with regards to cricket’s development there since the 1990s. Actually it is Pakistan’s support that has Afghanistan cricket make rapid strides amongst the ICC’s affiliate member nations, taking it to the verge of enhanced status to associate member,” said the PCB Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmad “With the PCB’s continued support, Afghanistan has the potential to go places. And this would be good not just in terms of spreading the game in Afghanistan but promoting peace and harmony there by bringing the people closer”, he said . The ACB CEO Noor Muhammad acknowledged that the PCB’s support has been of utmost importance to Afghanistan’s cricket. “The MOU that we have just signed shall take Afghanistan Cricket’s development on a fast track. Our cricketers, coaches and umpires shall be able to make use of PCB’s excellent facilities and various education programmes. Our boys will get the opportunity to hone their skills in high-calibre competitions. “I am indeed obliged to the PCB for this kind and voluminous support”, said ACB CEO Noor Muhammad.
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saturday, 23 March, 2013
india in command on tricky pitch NEW DELHI
SCOREBOARD
AgENCIES
A
AgENCIES
16
USTRALIA survived an allout India onslaught in the afternoon to reach the relative safety of stumps on 231 for eight on the first day of the fourth and final test in Delhi on Friday. When the players retired for the night, Peter Siddle was on a 125-ball 47 - his highest test score - and James Pattinson had 11. The pair's unbeaten 42-run partnership came in 17 overs, and followed an equally dogged eighth-wicket stand of 53 (in 26 overs) between Siddle and Steven Smith, before the latter became Ravichandran Ashwin's fourth victim, caught at short leg for 46. The hosts took the second new ball in the 93rd over - having sustained a brutally intense over rate throughout the day - but the two quicks, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ishant Sharma could not make the breakthrough in the final 20 minutes of the day's play. Earlier, India fought back with five wickets in the afternoon as Australia wobbled on 153 for seven at tea. Smith was unbeaten on 25, having faced 104 deliveries, and Siddle had five, as the visitors buckled under relentless pressure from India. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were the destroyers, as first Ashwin bamboozled Ed Cowan, tossing it up outside leg, but Cowan missed the sweep and was bowled around his legs for 38. Jadeja struck soon after, fooling Shane Watson by a shorter delivery to which he charged down the track, but it turned sharply and he was left stranded when Mahendra Singh Dhoni whipped off the bails. Watson made only 17. Matthew Wade did not last long, caught by Murali Vijay at silly point off Ashwin for two, but could feel a touch aggrieved as there was no bat involved. Having dispatched Pragyan Ojha for a
AuSTRALIA 1ST INNINgS Ejm Cowan b Ashwin 38 DA Warner c Kohli b Sharma 0 45 Pj Hughes b Sharma 17 SR Watson st Dhoni b jadeja 46 SPD Smith c Rahane b Ashwin mS Wade c vijay b Ashwin 2 gj maxwell c Sharma b jadeja 10 3 mg johnson b Ashwin 47 Pm Siddle not out 11 jL Pattinson not out DNB: Nm Lyon Extras (b 5, lb 7) 12 Total (8 wickets; 98 overs) 231 Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Warner, 1.4 ov); 2-71 (Hughes, 20 ov); 3106 (Cowan, 32 ov); 4-115 (Watson, 38.5 ov); 5-117 (Wade, 40.4 ov); 6-129 (maxwell, 46.2 ov); 7-136 (johnson, 53 ov); 8-189 (Smith, 81.2 ov) Bowling: Kumar 9-1-43-0, Sharma 14-3-35-2, Ashwin 30-1740-4, Ojha 23-6-67-0, jadeja 22-6-34-2 India: Am Rahane; m vijay; CA Pujara; SR Tendulkar; v Kohli; RA jadeja; mS Dhoni; R Ashwin; PP Ojha; B Kumar; I Sharma Toss: Australia elected to bat umpires: RA Kettleborough, Aleem Dar Third-umpire: S Ravi Referee: RS madugalle
six and four off successive deliveries, Glenn Maxwell then holed out to Jadeja, presenting an easy catch at mid-off for 10. Mitchell Johnson was the final wicket of the afternoon, when he did not picking Ashwin's
aussie coach stands by suspension decision
NEW DEHLI AgENCIES
Australia coach Mickey Arthur has no regrets over the decision to suspend four players for disciplinary issues during the current tour to India. The Australia team management caused a major stir last week when they told vice-captain Shane Watson, James Pattinson, Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Johnson they would not be considered for the third Test against India. The quartet were punished for failing to make a presentation on how the side could improve, but Arthur later revealed there were other ongoing issues within the squad that needed addressing as well, including being late for meetings and back-chat. Speaking ahead of the fourth Test against India, where Australia are attempting to avoid a 4-0 series whitewash, Arthur stood by the disciplinary action that was taken. And he also insisted he would do exactly the same if he had to do it all again. He told Radio Five Live: "Absolutely. I've reflected long and hard because it's been a really tough 12 days, probably the toughest of my coaching career, but at the end of the day if you asked me if I believe in
what I did and would I take that decision again, along with (captain) Michael (Clarke) and our team manager, then yes we would because we believe that that was exactly what was needed. "What we've got is a team of very very inexperienced but very talented and good young players and our leadership style had to change towards them. "We had to demand excellence. "We could sit and wallow in mediocrity and stay third or fourth in the world, or we could take a real paradigm shift in everything we did, put team first, be ruthless on the one percenters, be ruthless on team etiquette and basics, and we could give ourselves the best possible opportunity of winning the Ashes and getting back to number one in the world. "And I really believe in that and if we had to do it all over again I would certainly make the exactly same decision because I'm very passionate about where Australia cricket is at the minute." Asked whether the disciplinary action worked, Arthur said: "I've been very very impressed by the reaction of the players over the last 12 days." Following his suspension, Watson hinted he was considering his international future as he flew home to Australia to be at the birth of his child. However, the 31-year-old this week returned to the national fold with a "burning ambition" to continue his Test career, and in a remarkable reversal of fortunes for the all-rounder he could now captain Australia in Delhi. That is because Clarke is struggling with a back injury, although Australia will wait as long as possible before ruling him out. If Clarke's problem proves to be something serious, it will be major concern for Australia with back-toback Ashes series coming up against England later this year.
carrom ball and decided to leave it alone, only for his stumps to be knocked over. The visitors were in charge for the best part of the morning, reaching lunch on 94 for two, fighting hard on a tricky track, after winning
the toss and electing to bat. Cowan (27 not out) and Watson (16 not out) combined after Australia lost David Warner in the second over of the day for a duck, and Phil Hughes for 45. Warner chased a wide ball from Sharma to be caught by Virat Kohli at second slip, a ball he could easily have left alone. Hughes bided his time, capitalising on the frequent bad deliveries and playing with confidence on a wicket that will only get worse as the match progresses. He was especially hard on Kumar and India's best spinner, Ashwin, taking five fours off them in no time, before settling down somewhat. Sharma had the last say, though, first hitting Hughes with a steepler that reared up from slightly short of a length and crashed into the batsman's helmet. Three deliveries later, Sharma found the inside edge as Hughes - probably a tad rattled - defended tentatively only to steer the ball into his stumps.