Injured Zaheer to miss Irani Cup

Zaheer Khan was omitted from the Mumbai squad for the Irani Cup clash against Rest of India slated to begin from the 6th of February at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai due to a calf injury he sustained at the beginning of the month. "Zaheer is not yet fit and it seems he would need at least three weeks to regain fitness," quoted Mumbai Cricket Association's secretary Nitin Dalal. The injury casts a shadow on Zaheer's availability for the initial part of the Test series against Australia, which gets underway from the 22nd of February at Chennai.

Meanwhile, Mumbai have drafted in Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma in the squad in place of Nikhil Patil Jr. amd Sushant Marathe for the Irani Cup.

Mumbai squad: Ajit Agarkar(captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Wasim Jaffer, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Dhaval Kulkarni, Kaustubh Pawar, Abhishek Nayar, Hiken Shah, Aditya Tare, Ankit Chavan, Javed Khan, Shardul Thakur and Vishal Dabholkar.

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54274/injured-zaheer-to-miss-irani-cup

Make Stephen Fleming the coach: Warne

Shane Warne has revealed his plan to put Australian cricket back on track. In Part 1 of a detailed document released on his website, the legendary spin bowler makes a number of recommendations, among which is the suggestion to make the former New Zealand captain, Stephen Fleming as the coach of the Australian national cricket team, raising quite a few eyebrows across the cricketing fraternity back home because of the Trans-Tasman rivalry. "I believe he brings a lot to the table, a calmness, an intelligent understanding of the game and a very good cricket brain. He's a good communicator too as well as a good leader of men," writes Warne. He further stated that Fleming was the best opposition captain he played against. 

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54270/make-stephen-fleming-the-coach-warne

Dhoni named in India Cements squad

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been named in the India Cements squad for the BCCI Corporate Trophy which will be played from February 1-8. Interestingly, Dhoni had asked for a break and was not named in the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup, which will be played from February 6 to 10. 

Dhoni's name is the last in the list of players, and it is not clear yet whether he will take part in the tournament. 

India Cements are the owners of IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings of which Dhoni has been the captain since 2008 and incidentally BCCI president N Srinivasan is the MD cum vice-chairman of the company. 

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54268/dhoni-named-in-india-cements-squad

Jayasuriya named Sri Lanka's chairman of selectors

Former Sri Lanka cricketer turned politician Sanath Jayasuriya was appointed chairman of selectors in a new-look five-member committee named by sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage on Monday. 

Jayasuriya, 43, is joined by 1996 World Cup winning team mate Pramodya Wickramasinghe. Former Sri Lanka players Hemantha Wickramaratne, Eric Upashantha and Chaminda Mendis were the other selectors appointed. 

Wickramaratne is the only surviving member of the previous committee headed by Ashantha de Mel whose extended term ends on Jan. 31. 

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54257/jayasuriya-named-sri-lankas-chairman-of-selectors

Mumbai annihilate Saurashtra to lift 40th Title

Mumbai added another Ranji Trophy to their already huge collection by walloping Saurashtra by an innings and 125 runs. Dhawal Kulkarni once again starred with the ball picking up 5 wickets while Ajit Agarkar too came good with 4 wickets to his name. Saurashtra wrapped up the Mumbai innings in the morning session but their batsmen could not even last the day as Ajit Agarkar and Dhawal Kulkarni wreaked havoc to end the game in under 3 days. 

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54254/mumbai-annihilate-saurashtra-to-lift-40th-title

Cricket teaches you to be humble: Dravid

It's not very often that cricket, considered to be a religion in India, and literature come together on the same platform, but when it happens it's bound to create magic and that is exactly what happened once Rahul Dravid took to the stage in the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival.

One of the finest ever batsmen produced by India, Rahul Dravid closed a celebrated international career with more than 25,000 runs. Speaking on the sidelines of the Literature Fest, Dravid said that the game teaches one to be humble. "Cricket teaches you to be humble. You fail more than you succeed in the game," Dravid told a packed audience at the Diggi Palace on Saturday.

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54240/cricket-teaches-you-to-be-humble-dravid

John Wright named head coach of MI

Former Indian coach, John Wright has been appointed as the head coach of Mumbai based franchise, Mumbai Indians ahead of the upcoming 6th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Wright had a successful spell as the coach of the Indian national team having been at the helm for a period between 2000 and 2005. He later on became the coach of his home nation, New Zealand from Decemebr 2010 to July 2012.

"During his time in India, John was instrumental in India's rise up in the international table including finishing finalist in the 2003 World Cup. In the relatively brief period he had been in charge of the Black Caps, the Kiwis improved upon its performance reaching the semi-finals of the last World Cup," a release from Mumbai Indians said.

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54245/john-wright-named-head-coach-of-mi

We can turn things around: James Tredwell

England can still stage a turnaround in the one-day series against India despite being on the backfoot, according to spinner James Tredwell who said the team will go into the must-win game trying to draw inspiration from their first game which the visitors won comfortably.

"Obviously, the two defeats are in the back of our minds but I think if you look forward to the result too quickly, then you take your eye off the process.

"I guess we are just going into the game trying to execute our skills as best as we can and if we do that and perform like we did in the first game, there is every chance we can turn them over," Tredwell said at the pre-match press conference here on Tuesday.

"We have a point to prove, absolutely. We spoke about it. It can be quite easy in this part of the world that if you get on a bad trot, you can let your heads drop and we can't allow that to creep in," he said.

Tredwell said the team played well in the first game in Rajkot and will draw positives from that match rather than think about the poor performances.

Pujara, Rohit will not be released for Ranji final: BCCI

Saurashtra's Cheteshwar Pujara and Mumbai's Rohit Sharma will not be released by the Indian team management for the Ranji Trophy final between the two teams, starting January 26, at the Wankhede Stadium.

Amidst reports that the two key batsmen from either side will be released, a senior BCCI office-bearer categorically denied any such development.

"Neither among the trio of Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravindra Jadeja and Rohit Sharma will be released for the Ranji Trophy final. They will be with the Indian team for the fourth and fifth One-dayers at Mohali and Dharamsala, respectively," a senior BCCI official clarified to the PTI on Monday.

"We have never released players for domestic matches during a one-day series. It is only during Test series that we follow the rule of releasing at least three reserve players so that they can get serious match time," the official stated.

Kumble to be chief mentor of MI

Former India captain and mentor of Royal Challengers Bangalore, Anil Kumble, was on Monday appointed chief mentor of Mumbai Indians.

Kumble made it clear in a statement that his company, Tenvic Sports will be working closely with the Mumbai Indians. Commenting on his appointment, Kumble said, "In my discussion with Reliance [ Get Quote ] Group Management, I find that they have a great and compelling vision for sports in this country, which aligns with my venture Tenvic Sports' aspirations in making 'sports' as the main catalyst of youth development.

"Mumbai Indians is a very competitive team in the IPL with high-profile players and committed owners. It's my honour to join the Mumbai Indians as chief mentor and to align our joint interest in making sports as an important agenda in youth development. I look forward to the new assignment," he said, in a statement.

Mumbai Indians' owner Nita Ambani said, "In Anil Kumble we have a new Chief Mentor who has extensive cricketing knowledge not only as a player of international stature but also as an able administrator. He is one of India's leading sporting icons and we have great pleasure in having him on board."

Pacers may get assistance in cold Mohali conditions

With cold conditions persisting in the northern region for the past several days, fast bowlers are likely to get assistance in the last two ODIs between India and England at Mohali and Dharamsala. It rained heavily in Mohali and other parts of Punjab in the last few days and though the weather has been dry since yesterday, the temperature has dropped slightly and there is chill in the air.

The officials at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA), which is hosting the January 23 ODI in Mohali, were working with all modern equipments at their disposal to give finishing touches to the ground after the heavy downpour. Both the teams, who arrived here today by an afternoon flight, will have their practice sessions tomorrow starting with England in the afternoon followed by the Indians in the evening. A PCA official said they are hoping the weather remains clear, but also seem confident of preparing the ground in case there are further rains.

"We have the best drainage system and modern equipment at our disposal to dry out things in minimum possible time in case of more rains. But we hope that weather holds good and there is plenty of sunshine during the next three days," the official said.

De Villiers suspended for two ODIs for slow over rate

South Africa captain AB de Villiers has been suspended for two ODIs while his teammates have been fined 100 per cent of their match fees for maintaining a slow over rate during their one-wicket defeat against New Zealand in the first ODI in Paarl.

David Boon of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees imposed the suspension after the Proteas were ruled to be six overs short of their target at the end of the match on Saturday when time allowances were taken into consideration.

De Villiers pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction so there was no need for a formal hearing.

In accordance with Article 2.5.2 and Appendix 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which deals with serious over rate offences, the captain receives two suspension points while the players are fined 10 per cent of their match fees for each of the first two overs short and 20 per cent for every additional over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.

Jadeja is a perfect bowling all-rounder: Dhoni

Ravindra Jadeja's exploits with the bat and the ball have received praise from the Indian skipper, MS Dhoni, who has hailed the southpaw's recent performances and termed him as the perfect bowling all-rounder. Dhoni went onto add that Jadeja was the answer to the elusive bowling all-rounder India had been looking for for quite a while now and the only other option they had in the recent past was Irfan Pathan.

"Jadeja is definitely someone who is giving us that balance. In that way, Jadeja is the perfect person to have. We have been struggling with the bowling all-rounder. Irfan is the only one that we have got. Before the new rules were introduced, we used to rely on Yuvraj Singh Images and other part timers to get over with the 10 overs. But with the new rule, Yuvi will need a bit more time to settle down as a bowler," stated Dhoni.

However the Indian captain did not want to put undue batting pressure on Jadeja and expected the Indian top order to perform. "He can bat a bit, but at the same time, we don't want to expose him too much right now. The top-order needs to perform and he bats at No 7 for us. We have seen glimpses of him and he can really take on the bowlers. It does not matter if you're a quickie or a spinner," said Dhoni.

Indian team retained for last 2 ODIs

The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced that it has decided to not alter the Indian team for the final 2 ODIs against England. The Indians made a strong comeback in the series after a narrow loss in the first ODI by winning the next 2 ODIs by handsome margins and the Indian board stuck to the winning combination.

The 4th and the 5th ODIs will be held at Mohali and Dharamshala respectively.

Team for 4th and 5th ODI: MS Dhoni(c/wk), Gautam Gambhir, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma, B Kumar, Ashoke Dinda, Shami Ahmed.

India vs England, 3rd ODI, Ranchi

India have won the toss and elected to field

The wicket was expected to produce a lot of runs, but the bowlers kept things tight and never let the batsmen run away with the advantage. They picked wickets at regular intervals, Jadeja produced a few brilliant deliveries and was well supported by Ashwin too. Joe Root was the only flash in the pan for England, he looked steady until he fell for a false shot.

Virat Kohli, the man unbeaten on 77, takes the backseat as the duo walk out. Dhoni waves to the crowd that goes louder and louder. This is India's biggest win against England in terms of balls remaining (131). That is an indicator of how thoroughly dominant the Indians were today. The bowlers started it all off after Dhoni chose to bowl. They combined splendidly to restrict England to just 155.

India 157/3 (28.1 Overs)

England 155 (42.2 Overs)

India won by 7 wkts

Virat Kohli is the Man of the Match for his unbeaten 77.

Pakistan must show mettle in SA: Misbah

Pakistan need to "stand up and be counted" against South Africa's pace attack in their series with the world's top-ranked test nation starting next month, captain Misbah-ul-Haq said on Friday.

"This series is one of the biggest challenges of my captaincy tenure but I am confident that we can pose a serious threat to South Africa," Misbah told Reuters.

The 16-member Pakistan squad leave on Sunday for a two-month tour that begins with a three-test series from Feb 1. Pakistan are touring South Africa for the first time since 2007.

"The coming series is very important for Pakistan cricket because we have mostly played our cricket in South Asia or the UAE since 2010," Misbah added.

"The last few years have been a big challenge for Pakistan cricket and the players have come through well most of the time. But this is a tour where we have to play our best cricket."

No test playing nation has visited Pakistan since March, 2009 when militants attacked the Sri Lankan team in Lahore.

England can learn a lesson from India: Morgan

Eoin Morgan believes that England have it in them to wrest the initiative away from the hosts when they gear up to face the MS Dhoni led side in the 3rd ODI at Ranchi on Saturday, 19th of January.

Morgan, who missed the previous ODI series tour in 2011 with a shoulder injury insisted that his team can learn from past experiences. Th series is tied at 1-1 with England drawing first blood at Rajkot and India returning the compliments with a thumping win at Kochi. Both matches were played in front of a raucous crowd, a common feature in any Indian stadiums.

"The only blip we have had since Alastair (Cook) took over as captain was the last trip we had here and we learnt a lot of lessons from that," he said.

"When we were here last we went away from our principles of taking the emotion out of the game and concentrating on what we do best, concentrating on us as a team and our strengths and not getting distracted by other things."

Injury scare for Dhoni ahead of Ranchi ODI

India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Friday survived an injury scare when a rising delivery hit his right thumb during the team's practice session on the eve of the third one-dayer against England here.

However, the team management said he was fit and there was no danger to Dhoni, who is all set to lead Team India at his home ground amidst the local fans, who are eagerly waiting to see the city's favourite son in action on Saturday.

"He is perfectly alright. He does not even need to have an X-ray, scan or anything. There is no danger at all," Satish, Indian team manager (logistics), told reporters here on Friday.

At the nets, Dhoni even bowled and batted for about 10 minutes before being hit by a rising delivery from Indian bowling coach Joe Dawes.

The skipper did not bat again after being hit at the nets and was seen applying ice packs and watching the proceedings from the dressing room balcony.

Kirsten keen to change South Africa's one-day luck

Gary Kirsten has proved to be a coach with a golden touch, firstly with India and now with South Africa.

He took India to number one in Test cricket and they won the 2011 World Cup in his last assignment with the world's most populous cricket nation.

In less than two years with South Africa he has seen the country of his birth become entrenched as the best in the world in Tests. Now there is the challenge of forging a dominant one-day team.

"We would like to perform at a higher level than we have in one-day cricket," Kirsten said as he looked ahead to a three-match series against New Zealand, starting in Paarl on Saturday.

"We've been okay but we haven't been outstanding."

Being "okay" is not good enough for Kirsten.

"We believe that we are capable of being a unit that can really perform at one-day level," he said.

Clarke defends rotation policy

Michael Clarke has come out in defense of the much criticized 'rotation policy' of Australia implemented throughout the summer. The Australian team management has rotated its players for the entirety of the season, resting the ones with minor niggles. Clarke, who himself was rested for the first two ODIs against Sri Lanka nursing his hamstring, felt that such a policy worked in the country's favour as Australia had an equally talented reserve bench.

"There's a lot that is spoken about within the group that people outside the group probably aren't aware of," Clarke told a few reporters in Brisbane. "We've probably seen some cases throughout the past 12 months where guys have not been 100% fit or had little niggles that probably haven't been communicated as well as they needed to be to the media, and in essence to the public. The Perth Test match was a great example. Call it resting Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus but the facts were they just weren't fit enough to perform at their best. The two guys who we brought in for Siddle and Hilfenhaus (John Hastings and Mitchell Johnson), we were confident that they could do a better job at 100% than those guys at 70 or 80%," added Clarke.

No Pakistan players for BPL

Bangladesh cricket chiefs said Wednesday that Pakistan had refused to release any of its players for a Twenty20 competition which begins this week after a planned bilateral series had to be scrapped.

Pakistan had been due to host Bangladesh for a Twenty20 game and a 50-over match in Lahore this month in what would have been its first home internationals since a deadly attack on the Sri Lankan team bus nearly four years ago.

But the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) cancelled the tour, saying Pakistan was not safe for its players.

According to a BCB spokesman, Pakistan has now responded by preventing any of its stars from competing in the Bangladesh Premier League which begins Thursday.

"The chief executive officer of PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) called our CEO today and informed him that they won't allow Pakistani players to play in the BPL until we send our team to their country," spokesman Jalal Yunus told AFP.

"We've now decided to host the event without Pakistani players," he said, adding the BPL's seven franchises would now find replacements for the 26 Pakistani players they bought in the auction last month.

The move represents a major blow for the second edition of the BPL since Pakistani cricketers have a big following in Bangladesh.

Dhoni admits that he misread the pitch

Following their crushing 127 run victory over England in the second ODI at Kochi, Indian skipper MS Dhoni conceded that he did not have the firepower that whitewashed England 5-0 in the previous two series. India had whitewashed England in the 2008 and 2011 ODI series at home but Dhoni said his side would not be that dominant now as they lacked firepower in bowling and the top batsmen were struggling.

Talking to reporters at the post match press conference, Dhoni said, "It has happened in the past, but it does not mean it will happen in this series also. We have our own things to worry about. During the last series, we played well as a batting unit and our bowlers were more experienced. Both the bowlers and the batsmen what to do in the powerplays and death overs, how to use the new balls."

Dhoni went onto add that the bowling department lacks the firepower of the previous attacks and the top order is also struggling for runs. He reiterated that the team will have to solve the problem of batsmen failing to convert starts into big totals if they have win matches consistently.

"This has been a problem area. If three or four batsmen make 50, then it is important that at least one or two of them go on to make at least 75. This ensures that when the new batsmen come after them after the loss of quick wickets, then they will not feel the pressure."

Dhoni's big hitting cost us the game: Cook

England skipper Alastair Cook attributed his team's loss to the poor bowling performance at the death overs which saw England giving away 108 runs in the last 10 overs. He conceded that England were outplayed by the Indians on the field and lamented over not capitalising the good start given by his bowlers. He pointed out that that 240-250 was gettable on this wicket.

"The ball spun a little more in the second innings, but you cannot use that as an excuse. We were out skilled and outplayed today. We had a chance in the first 10 overs to get three or four wickets but we did no quite do that. Finn bowled well but full credit to India for putting us under pressure," he said.

Cook also admitted that MS Dhoni's big hits at the death overs made all the difference. "It is a very tough proposition when you have got people like MS Dhoni batting in the death overs. You get exposed when you don't quite get the skills right," he told reporters during the after-match press conference.

India posted a competitive 285 thanks to Dhoni's 72 and Ravindra Jadeja's 61. The bowlers then did a wonderful job and skittled out the visitors for a paltry 158 in just 36 overs to level the five-match series 1-1. Cook praised Dhoni's big-hitting prowess and said his late-order surge changed the complexion of the match. "He is probably the best player in the world in those situations, in these conditions."

India vs England, 2nd ODI, Kochi

India have won the toss and elected to bat

India have scored 108 runs in the last 10 overs and that's all thanks to Jadeja and MS Dhoni. India seemed to be heading towards 240/250 at one stage but a blazing partnership of 96 off 60 balls between RJ and Dhoni has given them a bonus of 30 odd runs.

Ravindra Jadeja had a day to remember. He contributed with bat, ball and on the field to help India to a big win. The England chase never really got going. Bhuvaneshwar Kumar was the star early on. His 10 over spell right at the top ensured that England were always on the backfoot. On a track that was aiding the spinners, his spell of 3/30 was worth its weight in gold. Kevin Pietersen was the only batsman who looked in any sort of comfort but after his dismissal the Indian spinners got stuck in and never let the pressure off.

England 158-all out (36.0 Overs)

India 285/6 (50.0 Overs)

India won by 127 runs

Ravindra Jadeja is the Man of the Match for his all-round efforts.

Kiwis capitulate on 'tour from Hell'

The Black Caps' latest humiliation on their "tour from Hell" to South Africa shows the team is rudderless and has been woefully outclassed, New Zealand media said Tuesday.

"A mismatch of epic proportions" was the Christchurch Press's take on New Zealand's capitulation in the second and final Test in Port Elizabeth, where the hosts enjoyed a thumping innings victory.

Former national coach David Trist said New Zealand's players "will need counselling in some cases" after a similarly lopsided score in the opening Test, where the Black Caps managed only 45 runs in their first innings.

"It's been the tour from Hell, in more ways than one," Trist told Radio New Zealand. "Nothing has gone right really. It's been a wake-up call for New Zealand cricket."

Don't blame the bowlers: Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir has lent his support to the under-fire Indian bowling unit and said that it is the collective responsibility of the team to achieve a favourable result and the onus should not only lie with the bowlers. India had conceded an unforgiving 38 runs in the last two overs in the first ODI at Rajkot and that came to haunt them in a nail biting finish at the newly constructed stadium.

Gambhir however felt that it would be incorrect to blame the bowlers for the loss. "Only bowlers don't win the match for you. All the 11 players that get on to the field have to do it for you. Whenever the batsmen don't do well, bowlers cover up for them and vice versa. I don't believe in blaming one area of the game. I think the bowlers are putting in all the hard work, and the way they won the match for us against Pakistan in Delhi was commendable," said Gambhir.

Gilbert stands down as NSW cricket chief

David Gilbert resigned on Monday after 11 years as the chief executive of New South Wales Cricket, following recent criticism of his performance in the role by veteran paceman Brett Lee.

Former Test fast bowler Gilbert, 52, said the time was right for him to step down and that his decision had not been influenced by the "recent commentary".

"After 11 successful years, I am now at the point where I am ready to take on a new challenge," Gilbert said in a statement.

"This is not a sudden decision -- it is something I have been contemplating over the past 12 months. As far as recent commentary is concerned, it comes with the job and I've never shied away from it.

India-Aus Test series schedule revised

The match-schedule of the AIRTEL series for the BORDER-GAVASKAR Trophy, to be played in February-March 2013, has been revised. As per the new programme, the first game of the four-Test series between India and Australia will now be played at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, from 22 February 2013 to 26 February 2013. The venue has staged some unforgettable encounters between the two nations, including the 'Tie' in September 1986.

The teams will then move to Hyderabad for the second Test, from 2 March 2013 to 6 March 2013. The action will subsequently shift to the north.

Mohali will host the third Test from 14 March 2013 to 18 March, and Delhi the fourth, from 22 March 2013 to 26 March 2013. Delhi's Ferozeshah Kotla Ground was the venue where the teams first played for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, in October 1996.

The revised schedule of the Test matches is as follows:

AIRTEL SERIES FOR THE BORDER-GAVASKAR TROPHY

First Test - M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai - 22 February 2013 to 26 February 2013

Second Test - Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad - 2 March 2013 to 6 March 2013

Third Test - PCA Stadium, Mohali - 14 March 2013 to 18 March 2013

Fourth Test - Ferozeshah Kotla Ground, Delhi - 22 March 2013 to 26 March 2013

Gibbs and I lied at Cronje probe: Williams

Former South African fast bowler, Henry Williams has re-opened the Pandora's Box of Troubles and made startling revelations with regards the infamous match fixing probe involving the late and former Proteas skipper Hansie Cronje. Williams has stated that he and teammate Herschelle Gibbs had lied before the Kings Commission which was probing the issue at the time. He confessed that the two of them had given false testimonies to the Kings Commission back in 2000 in a planned effort to corner Cronje.

He admitted that they had lied before the commission about accepting an offer of $15,000 from Cronje to under-perform in an ODI against India in Nagpur and stated that he had done so at the behest of his lawyers. "When we testified to our lawyers what the story really was, they came up with a threat that we could be prosecuted for doing something like this," Williams told the Sunday Times.

Ajmal sweeps Pakistan's inaugural cricket awards

Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal won all the bowling honours at Pakistan's inaugural cricket awards ceremony, after he was controversially left off the International Cricket Council's awards list.

Despite bagging 72 wickets in 12 Tests from August 2011 to August 2012, the 35-year-old was not included in any of the ICC shortlists when they were announced in September, sparking outrage in Pakistan at the perceived injustice.

Pakistan's protest over the omission went unheeded, but at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) awards Saturday night Ajmal was declared best Pakistan bowler for 2012 in all three formats -- Test, one-day and T20.

Ajmal, who helped Pakistan rout then world number one Test side England 3-0 in the United Arab Emirates early last year, also won the PCB's special prize for best bowler of the year.

Kochi would be a run feast: Sreesanth

Discarded Indian speedster, S Sreesanth has predicted that the second ODI between India and England to be played at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi, will be a run feast as the pitch is expected to be tailor-made for the batsmen and would not offer much assistance to the bowlers. Sreesanth stated that the encounter would be a "high scoring game as the pitch is a belter".

Being a local boy hailing from the state of Kerala, Sreesanth said, "It is going to be a batting wicket. You can be sure of a 300-plus score. The pitch has improved a lot." He further stated that he was back to peak fitness and very keen to make a comeback to the Indian Team.

ICC gives support to cricket-starved Pakistan

Cricket's governing body will continue to support Pakistan in its efforts to bring back the international game, but much depends on the security situation, an official said Saturday.

International cricket has been suspended in Pakistan since terrorists attacked the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009, leaving eight people dead and seven visiting players wounded.

It led foreign teams to shun tours to Pakistan due to security fears.

David Richardson, chief executive of the International Cricket Council (ICC) said Pakistan will continue to be supported.

"The ICC views Pakistan as a very important part of international cricket," Richardson told a media briefing in Lahore.

Starc out of ODI squad with calf injury

Paceman Mitchell Starc has calf muscle soreness and has withdrawn from Australia's one-day squad ahead of this weekend's second match against Sri Lanka, Cricket Australia said on Saturday.

South Australian quick Kane Richardson has been called up as cover for Sunday's ODI against Sri Lanka at the Adelaide Oval, after Starc picked up the injury during Australia's 107-run series opening win in Melbourne on Friday.

The left-armer took 1-25 off six overs, but his status for the remainder of the five-match ODI series remains uncertain.

The Australians are already without several fast bowlers due to injury, including Ben Hilfenhaus and Pat Cummins, although James Pattinson and Josh Hazlewood have returned from being sidelined.

Brett Lee queries Australia's rotation selection policy

Senior paceman Brett Lee on Saturday questioned Australia's contentious rotation selection policy after injury struck down fast bowler Mitchell Starc ahead of the second one-day international against Sri Lanka.

Starc's future in the five-match series is uncertain after he suffered calf soreness in Australia's 107-run thumping of the tourists in the ODI opener in Melbourne on Friday.

South Australia's inexperienced 21-year-old paceman Kane Richardson has been placed on standby in the squad but is expected to be 12th man for Sunday's one-dayer in Adelaide with Ben Cutting likely to make his debut.

With Starc out, Lee criticised the rotation policy, branding it confusing.

Leaking 38 runs in the last two overs cost us: Dhoni

Leaking 38 runs in the last two overs of England innings cost India dear in the first ODI, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni conceded in the brief media interaction, which ended abruptly after the Saurashtra Cricket Association authorities switched off power.

"Yes, we conceded a lot of runs in the last two overs. (However), we got a good start but did not have enough wickets in hand in the last ten overs to put pressure on them. Had I stayed on for two more overs things could have turned out differently," said Dhoni after his team's nine-run defeat.

The power was switched off by SCA officials to conduct the sound and laser show for the assembled crowd that stayed on after the conclusion of the prize distribution function.

Dhoni had answered a few questions before power was switched off, which prompted him to ask if he "can call it a day".

India vs England, 1st ODI, Rajkot

England have won the toss and elected to bat

Top effort from England's batsmen, but despite all the effort, I must say that this is just a bit more than a par score. The pitch (read road) is flat and a batsman's paradise. Bell and Cook gave England the platform early on, and although they lost some momentum in the middle, the likes of Pietersen, Morgan and later Samit Patel ensured that they went past 300.

India will look back at the last two overs which went for 38 runs. Apart from that, there was nothing much to separate between the teams. Except Kohli, all the recognised batsmen got going and looked like playing a big knock while they were in the middle. Yuvraj and Raina played gorgeous strokes, but got out at crucial junctures. Dhoni got the crowd going with 4 sixes, but hit one straight to the fielder. Indeed that was the story of the innings as most of the batsmen gifted away their wickets. For England, it was off-spinner James Tredwell who was a revelation as he brought up his best ODI figures. Dernbach was costly, but picked up the big wicket of Dhoni.

India 316/9 (50.0 Overs)

England 325/4 (50.0 Overs)

England won by 9 runs

James Tredwell is the Man of the Match.

England have won their first ODI match against India on Indian soil in 7 years.

Former umpire Taufel to deliver Cowdrey Lecture

Australian Simon Taufel will this year become the first umpire to give the prestigious MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Friday.

The lecture began in 2001 in memory of former Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) president Colin Cowdrey, who played a key role in the 'Spirit of Cricket' being enshrined in the preamble of the Code of the Laws of Cricket in 2000.

The retired Taufel, who was voted the International Cricket Council's (ICC) umpire of the year between 2004 and 2008, will become the third non-player to deliver the lecture.

Saeed Ajmal unveils academy plan

Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal announced Thursday that he is setting up a cricket academy to find new talent and produce bowlers like himself to torment the world's best batsmen.

The 35-year-old is regarded as the best spinner in all three formats of the game, and was instrumental in Pakistan's rout of the world's then best Test team England in the United Arab Emirates last year.

He said the Saeed Ajmal International Cricket Academy, in the eastern Pakistani city of Faisalabad, will be free of charge to budding cricketers.

"I want to groom the enormous talent in the country and no fee will be charged in my academy because I don't want the players to suffer the ordeal I did in coming to this stage," Ajmal said at the launch.

Pakistan launches Twenty20 Super League

Pakistan announced Thursday that it would host a multinational Super League in March in hopes the Twenty20 competition can revive international cricket in the troubled country.

There has been no top-class international cricket in Pakistan since Islamist militants attacked the Sri Lankan team in March 2009, killing eight Pakistanis and wounding seven visiting players.

Foreign teams have shunned the country over security fears, leaving Pakistan to play its home series in England and the United Arab Emirates.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) plans to host a Twenty20 league on the lines of the glitzy, cash-rich Indian Premier League, which has featured more than 100 foreign players since its inception in 2008.

Don't think India facing shortage of good players: Sharad Pawar

Indian cricket is enduring one of its worst phases right now but former ICC and BCCI President Sharad Pawar feels the talent pool has never been wider even though it would take some time for the upcoming players to become world-class.

The Indian team succumbed to Test whitewashes against England and Australia before being humiliated at home by the former.

The team most recently lost 1-2 in a short ODI series against Pakistan and there are question marks about the way forward after retirements by Test greats such as Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman.

But Pawar feels the talent pool is huge enough even though youngsters such as Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja have not quite lived upto the promise.

Chanderpaul joins Derbyshire on two-year deal

West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, currently rated the world's number two Test batsman, has joined English county side Derbyshire on a two-year contract, the club have announced.

Chanderpaul has scored over 10,500 runs in 146 Tests at an average of 51.67 and has previously played for Durham, Lancashire and Warwickshire in the English County Championship.

As part of the deal, Derbyshire will have first option to keep the 38-year-old for a third season.

"I'm excited to be joining an ambitious club with a talented young side," Chanderpaul told the Derbyshire website.

'Passionate' Warne sorry for T20 bust-up

Warne was banned for one match and fined Aus$4,500 (US$4,700) over the row. But he expressed hope that "one little incident" wouldn't besmirch his reputation among cricket fans.

"I'd like to think of the 25 years I've been playing first-class cricket rather than just one game," he said.

"I'd like to think there's a lot of positive and good things I've done for Australian cricket and all that sort of stuff over the years.

"One little incident here or there (doesn't matter). I do apologise for my behaviour and I'm disappointed in my own reaction."

Warne claimed 708 Test wickets in a celebrated career but he has also courted controversy, notably when he was fined for accepting money from a bookmaker and when he was sent home from the 2003 World Cup for taking a banned diuretic.

Paul Harris to retire at the end of the season

South African left arm spinner Paul Harris has announced that he will hang up his boots at the end of the first class season, bringing to end a 14 year career.

The spinner has played in 37 Tests for the National team but has of late struggled to break in to the Proteas side, with Robin Petersen and Imran Tahir higher up in the pecking order.

Speaking about his decision, Harris said, "I will be retiring from cricket at the end of the 2012/13 season. I would like to thank the Titans franchise for all the opportunities that they have given me over the past 10 years. I have made many friends through cricket and I have had so many great experiences.

"I would like to thank all the people who have helped me over my career. A special mention must go to Richard Pybus, who had the biggest coaching influence on my career. I am sure that I would not have played for South Africa if it had not been for him," he added.

Pakistan players given a warm reception at home

Pakistan star batsman Nasir Jamshed, who tormented the Indian bowlers in the just concluded series, has forgotten to carry his man-of-the-series trophy with him.

Jamshed, who scored back-to-back centuries in the first two one-dayers in the series, and the victorious Pakistan team was accorded a warm welcome on Monday.

"In the rush to get to the airport I forgot my trophy but the team management says I will get it soon," Jamshed said.

"But the welcome we have got today is really out of this world and it shows just how important it was for us to win this series for the people," the left-hander said.

Jamshed said the two centuries he had made in the series had given him lot of confidence and self belief.

"But I will be talking to Inzamam-ul-Haq and Saeed Anwar again to get tips from them on how to further improve my batting," the opener said.

Wasim Akram's inputs helped me: Junaid Khan

The most impressive among the Pakistani pacers who made life difficult for Indian batsmen, Junaid Khan revealed that the legendary Wasim Akram's inputs about the host batsmen's "weaknesses" helped him get eight wickets in the just-concluded three-match ODI series.

"I have been a bowler who has relied on bowling outswingers consistently at a good pace. It was Wasim bhai (Akram) who told me to develop the incoming delivery which would be my weapon against the Indian right-handers," the 23-year-old Junaid said before leaving for Lahore on Monday.

"It's very natural for left-arm fast bowlers to slant it across the right-handers. Once a guy like Virender Sehwag gauges the length of the away-going deliveries, you can be murdered. When I did my homework, I found out that Sehwag has a problem with the ball that comes in.

"I then started working hard on that incoming delivery with our chief bowling coach Mohammed Akram," said Junaid, who has played 8 Tests and 16 ODIs for Pakistan.

Warne banned, fined after ugly T20 bust-up

Australian spin legend Shane Warne was banned for one match and fined Aus$ 4,500 (US$4,700) on Monday after an ugly, foul-mouthed clash with West Indian batsman Marlon Samuels during a Twenty20 match in Melbourne.

The spin legend, captaining the Melbourne Stars against city rivals the Renegades in the domestic Big Bash tournament on Sunday, was furious that Samuels pulled back David Hussey when the batsman was turning for a second run.

And when Samuels was batting later in the game, Warne confronted the West Indian by swearing at him.

Sehwag out, Pujara in for England ODIs

India have retained the majority of the team that lost the series against Pakistan with the only change being Cheteshwar Pujara being preferred over experienced opener Virender Sehwag.

ODI Squad: MS Dhoni (capt, keeper), Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Ashoke Dinda, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shami Ahmed, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Chesteshwar Pujara, Amit Mishra.

May be I am still fit to play Test cricket: VVS Laxman

Five months have passed since VVS Laxman bid adieu to international cricket but the stylish batsman feels he is still fit enough to play in the Test format.

"May be (in) white (flannel)," the answer was predictable when Laxman, once the perennial trouble-shooter of the Indian cricket team, was asked about his preference.

At a time when the Indian batsmen are letting the team down on a regular basis, Laxman had a word of advice.

"It's just about converting starts into big scores. Whenever a set batsman converts his start into a big score and the others rally around him, you usually post a healthy total for bowlers to defend," he said.

Unaggressive approach cost India match: Ganguly

Former India captain, Sourav Ganguly has come down heavily on the Indian batsmen for their lack of aggression in the run chase against Pakistan in the 2nd ODI at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. India lost the match by a whopping 85 runs and with it the series and Ganguly blamed the Indian skipper's negative approach for the pathetic loss.

"The Pakistan spinners were exemplary, but what surprised me was the lack of intent to attack on part of the Indian batting. They should have played more positively. They came with the mindset that 250 is not a big score, so bat 50 overs and win," wrote Ganguly for a newspaper column.

"Though the Pakistan bowlers bowled better in this game than they have done at any other time in the series, it is important to play every ball on merit and the Indians just went into their shell. They looked like a batting unit short on confidence."

Gavaskar, Imran blame IPL for India's downfall

Two legends from across the border, Sunil Gavaskar and Imran Khan have blamed the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) for the pathetic showing and downfall of the Indian cricket team. The former Indian opener went on to question the loyalties of a few Indian players for whom he suggested playing for the country only came a poor second to their loyalty towards the lucrative IPL franchises.

"If you look at the events that took place immediately after the 2011 World Cup, you will know the guys who actually took their places for granted, those who did not make themselves available and preferred to play in the IPL and then go for surgeries," Gavaskar said.

"I think those are the guys who instead of looking at India were looking at contributing for their IPL franchises. If at all you need to take a rest, you need to take a rest from club matches," he added.