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monday, 21 February, 2012
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Never lied about my fitness: Razzaq LAhOrE Staff RepoRt
Breaking his silence soon after claims emerged that he misled officials regarding his fitness, Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq said he clarified his position to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf. According to reports, the PCB is considering taking disciplinary action against Razzaq after he told the selection committee that he was not fit enough to bowl in the One-Day International (ODI) series against England and, instead, took part in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). In an interview, the selection committee chairman Mohammad Illyas expressed surprise to see the
majestic messi hits four as Barca rout valencia
all-rounder bowl his overs in ‘rhythm'. However, Razzaq, who is representing Duronto Rajshahi in the Twenty20 tournament, said that he did not lie to anyone. “I didn't mislead anyone,” Razzaq was quoted by sources from Dhaka. “I met the PCB chairman before the BPL started and I made it crystal clear that I cannot bowl 10 overs in an ODI because of a shoulder injury. “I explained to him that I can only bowl three or four overs. If anyone is following the BPL, they'll know that I have bowled only around 10 overs in the last five matches.” Razzaq added that he was on constant medication and felt that it would be unfair to play in the ODIs being less than 100 per cent fit. “I'm only able to bowl these few overs after taking pain-killing injec-
tions and medicines. I couldn't even take part in the practice session [on Sunday].” The all-rounder felt there was still a long way to go before he could attain full fitness. “I can play Twenty20s but for ODIs, I feel I am only 50 per cent fit.” Razzaq was also unsure of being fit for the Asia Cup that kicks off in the second week of March but added that he will update the PCB over his fitness. However, the allrounder, who has played 265 ODIs and 46 Tests, was dejected at the uncertainty over his selection in the team. “People know that I rejected many lucrative offers since my preference was the national team. The authorities should instill their confidence in players. Uncertainty in selection has definitely hampered my performance.”
DuBAI afp
Australia open U-19 WC title defence against England
MADrID afp
Lionel Messi hit four goals to inspire Barcelona to a 5-1 victory over Valencia on Sunday, but the champions still remain 10 points behind leaders Real Madrid. Messi, playing his 200th game for the club, took his league goals tally to 27 for the season and 42 in all competitions although third-placed Valencia had stunned the Spanish and European champions by taking a shock early lead. "The most important thing was that the team played like we did against Bayer Leverkuson in the Champions League in midweek when we won 3-1," said Messi after his Camp Nou masterclass. "There are lots of crucial challenges ahead and it's necessary to keep going like this." Barca coach Pep Guardiola saluted his team and insisted that they do not deserve to be so far off the pace in the title chase. "With the football we have played we don't deserve to be so far behind but our challenge now is to keep the title race open and that is down to us," he said. "We need to compete for the next three months just like we have done in this match. "We are lucky to have such a generation of players. It's a privilege to work with such fantastic lads. They are a credit to the sport." The pressure was on the Catalan side after defeat last weekend away to Osasuna and they got off to a poor start with Pablo Piatti giving Valencia the lead after nine minutes. Martin Montoya, in the side with Dani Alves suspended, and Gerard Pique left Piatti unmarked and keeper Victor Valdes came and failed to reach a Sofiane Feghouli cross allowing the diminutive striker to tuck the ball in. The home fans were becoming restless but Messi responded once again when his side needed him most with two goals in five minutes. Adil Rami failed to clear a cross and Messi coolly finished from a tight angle. The Argentine then got ahead of the Valencia defence to meet an Eric Abidal cross and while the keeper Diego Alves saved his initial shot, he was able to sweep in the rebound. Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas were both denied by Alves while the former Arsenal player then hit the woodwork with an acrobatic effort. The home side continued to push forward after the break with Alves stopping a Messi header with a wonderful save and Fabregas badly miscued before Messi gave Barca a cushion by firing in a rebound after another Alves block. Messi completed his hat-trick with 15 minutes to go and then notched up his 42nd goal of the season after running clear of the defence and clipping the ball over the keeper. With the Valencia defence in disarray substitute Xavi Hernandez lobbed the ball over the keeper for the fifth in injury time. Despite the rout, Barca are still struggling to retain their title after Real Madrid had swept past Racing Santander 4-0 on Saturday.
ICC deny clearing Pakistan spinner Kaneria The International Cricket Council Monday denied it had cleared Pakistan's Danish Kaneria to play, after he was implicated in a spot-fixing trial that saw a former English county cricket jailed for four months. Prosecutors in the case, which culminated last week, told the Central Criminal Court in London that ex-Essex paceman Mervyn Westfield had been lured into the illegal scam after an approach by Kaneria. The leg spinner denies the claim and has said the ICC had cleared him to play, as had the England and Wales Cricket Board and Pakistan Cricket Board. But the ICC said in a statement that all three governing bodies "can categorically deny that such a clearance certificate was ever issued". "The PCB stated that, following the Westfield judgment, Kaneria will again be called to appear before the Integrity Committee to explain his position," it added. His clearance was "pending" and the player had been asked to provide copies of the tapes of his police interview in Britain, it added. Westfield was jailed for taking 6,000 pounds ($9,200) for deliberately bowling badly in Essex's 40-over match against Durham in Sept 2009. He pleaded guilty to the charge in January and was sentenced on Friday.
PCB loses Aaqib to UAe LAhOrE Staff RepoRt
BRISBAne: Sri Lanka's Angelo mathews (L), Australians David Warner (2nd-L) and Ryan Harris (R) and India's virat Kohli (2nd-R), sit on stage during the announcement of the tournament schedule and format of the ICC U19 2012 Cricket World Cup (CWC), at the gabba Stadium. afP LAhOrE
A
Staff RepoRt
USTRALIA will aim to match Pakistan’s achievement when it launches the defence of its ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup title against traditional rival and former champion England at the Tony Ireland Stadium in Townsville on the opening day of the 16-day tournament on Saturday (August 11). This will be one of the 10 matches from the Tony Ireland Stadium, along with two quarter-finals, two semi-finals and the final on Sunday (August 26), which will be televised live by ESPN Star Sports, ICC’s global broadcast partners. Together with Australia and England, also in action in Townsville on the opening day will be Zimbabwe and Papua New Guinea (PNG) who will face each other at Endeavour Park 1, while four Asian rivals will go head to head in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast with Sri
Lanka meeting Bangladesh at the Allan Border Field and Pakistan taking on Afghanistan at the John Blanck Oval. Australia is the most successful team in the history of the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup, having won the title thrice – in 1988, 2002 and 2010. However, Pakistan is the only side which has won backto-back titles when it won the top laurels in 2004 and 2006 in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, respectively. With the ninth edition of the tournament taking place in its backyard and the fact that its previous victories came in familiar conditions at home in the inaugural edition in 1988 and New Zealand in 2002 and 2010, it will be a great opportunity for the home side to equal Pakistan’s feat. Apart from Australia, Pakistan and England (1998), India is the other side to have reached the zenith of glory at this level when Mohammad Kaif and Virat Kohli put their hands on the glittering trophy in Sri Lanka and Malaysia in 2000 and 2008, respectively. ICC Chief
Executive Haroon Lorgat said: “We now value the significance of the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup more than before and it is fitting that it returns to the origin of its birth nearly 25 years later as a much bigger tournament. “In 1988 the event was staged as part of the Australian Bicentenary celebrations and it is now one of our focal tournaments providing the best young cricketers in the world with an opportunity to test their skills. “Australia will be a testing yet great location for all ambitious cricketers wishing to groom their skills as they look to be world class players by the time of our flagship ICC Cricket World Cup in 2015. “I am pleased with our broadcast partner who also recognizes the value of this tournament and will televise live no less than 10 matches. In addition to the live coverage, the players will also receive anti-doping, anti-corruption and media education during the event which will allow the young cricketers to prepare themselves for the future.”
The Pakistan Cricket Board has failed to convince the national team's bowling coach Aaqib Javed against accepting a stint with the United Arab Emirates team. A senior PCB official was quoted as saying on Sunday that the PCB had spoken to Aaqib about his plans to resign as bowling coach and accept the position of head coach with the UAE team. “We spoke to him and tried to convince him that he should carry on working with the board at the National Cricket Academy and with the Pakistan team. But he made it clear that his decision to join the UAE team was influenced by family pressure,” the official said. He said Aaqib had explained that while he remained committed to Pakistan cricket but his family felt moving to Dubai at this time was the right decision. “He and his family are looking to set up home in Dubai where they feel they have better options and a better life style.” The PCB official said Aaqib had made it clear that he was not influenced by the financial aspects of the offer from the Emirates Cricket Board. “At the end of the year, he will approximately end up making the same money that he gets from the board if one takes into consideration the bonuses and other incentives given to him,” the official said. Aaqib, a former fast bowler, is considered a top coach in Pakistan cricket and has been working with the national team. He has also coached the Pakistan junior and A teams with successful results. The PCB saw him as ideal to work with Australian Dav Whatmore who will take charge of the team after the series against England ends in the UAE later this month.
England in hunt for a whitewash Comment S.PErVEZ QAISEr
DUBAI: england's captain Alastair Cook plays a shot during a training session at the Dubai International Stadium. afP
The fourth and final match of the series between Pakistan and England will be played at Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday (February 21). This day/night match will start at 16.00 hours (PST). This will be the 72nd match between the two teams in limited-overs international cricket and second at this ground. England have won 41 and lost 28 in 71 previous encounters between the two sides. The remaining two matches ended with out a result. England defeated Pakistan by nine wickets in the third match of the series two days ago. After three consecutive wins, England looks for a whitewash particularly in the back-
drop of the fact that they received the same faith in the Test series against Pakistan. They will now be bent upon returning the favour in the final match. It was England's biggest win over Pakistan in limited-overs international cricket. Pakistan have won four and lost five in the nine previous matches played at this ground. They beat Sri Lanka twice and South Africa, Australia once each while lost twice to South Africa and once each to Australia, England and Sri Lanka. Pakistan had won 13 one day internationals out of 14 going into this series and had also whitewashed England 3-0 in the Test series, but such statistics seemed from another age. England have won eight and Pakistan two in last 10 one day international played between the two teams.
Last 10 matches between 2 teams Date Venue Result 08-09-2006 Nottingham England beat Pakistan by 8 wickets 10-09-2006 Birmingham England beat Pakistan by 3 wickets 10-09-2010 Chester-le-Street England beat Pakistan by 24 runs 12-09-2010 Leeds England beat Pakistan by 4 wickets 17-09-2010 The Oval Pakistan beat England by 23 runs 20-09-2010 Lord's Pakistan beat England by 38 runs 22-09-2010 Southampton England beat Pakistan by 121 runs 13-02-2012 Abu Dhabi England beat Pakistan by 130 runs 15-02-2012 Abu Dhabi England beat Pakistan by 20 runs 18-02-2012 Dubai England beat Pakistan by 9 wickets