" 2014 Most Dangerous year for Cricketers "

Source: Dunya News

Legendary Miandad among ICC’s expert columnists for World Cup

Karachi: Pakistan’s legendary former batsman Javed Miandad is among International Cricket Council (ICC)’s expert columnists for World Cup 2015.  

" Miandad The Legend "

Javed Miandad, who played for Pakistan in six world cups from 1975 and 1996, is perhaps unarguably the best batsman Pakistan has ever produced. He scored six fifties and played key role in Pakistan’s World Cup triumph in 1992.

Other ICC’s expert columnists include Aminul Islam (Bangladesh), Andy Bichel (Australia), AlistairCampbell (Zimbabwe), Paul Collingwood (England), Stephen Fleming (New Zealand), Trent Johnston (Ireland), Muttiah Muralidaran (Sri Lanka), Sir Vivian Richards (West Indies), Graeme Smith (South Africa) and Javagal Srinath (India).

Courtesy:- AryNews

Pakistani Boxer Amir Khan on Pakistani Visit

SA v WI, 2nd Test, 5th day

Test Drawn After Fifth day Wash Out

West Indies 275 for 9 (Brathwaite 106, Samuels 101, Morkel 4-69) drew with South Africa 417 for 8 dec (Elgar 121, du Plessis 103, Steyn 58)

The umpires inspected the outfield at hourly intervals between 10am and 1pm, but there was no improvement in its condition. Play was called off at 1.05pm. Kraigg Brathwaite was named Man of the Match for his innings of 106.

MS Dhoni Retires From TEST cricket

" Dhoni the Legend  "

 Melbourne: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has retired from test cricket "citing the strain of playing all formats," and Virat Kohli will lead the team in the fourth test against Australia in Sydney, the country's cricket board said on Tuesday.

The shock announcement came minutes after Dhoni faced reporters in the wake of India's draw in the third test against Australia in Melbourne, which conceded the four-match series 2-0 to the hosts.

Dhoni said nothing of his retirement plans during the post-match media conference at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the news was broken on the Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI's twitter feed.
His stewardship is likely to be hotly debated for months and years to come, having taken India's test team to the world number one ranking for a brief period, but also leading a team that would invariably fail to perform away from home soil.
 "One of India's greatest Test captains under whose leadership India became the No. 1 team in the test rankings, MS Dhoni, has decided to retire from Test cricket citing the strain of playing all formats of cricket," the board said. "BCCI, while respecting the decision of MS Dhoni to retire from Test cricket, wishes to thank him for his enormous contribution to Test cricket and the laurels that he has brought to India. Virat Kohli will be the captain of the Indian team for the fourth and final Test against Australia to be played in Sydney."

AUSTRALIA V INDIA, 3RD TEST "5TH DAY"

"Australia run out of time, but win series"

3rd Test: " India hold nerve to draw MCG Test against Australia"

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Ravichandran Ashwin frustrated Australia's push for victory on day five of the third test in Melbourne on Tuesday, but the draw was enough for the hosts to complete an emphatic 2-0 series win with a game in hand.

Full Score Card

Joining Dhoni at the wicket, No 8 batsman Ashwin was nearly caught behind on one by Shane Watson who dived across from first slip but put down a sharp one-handed chance.

Both batsmen survived a number of false shots but showed grit to play out the remaining overs.

Australia may ponder the wisdom of their relatively late declaration, having already constructed a lead of 326 runs by stumps on day four, but were in no mood to hurry proceedings with only a draw needed to make the Sydney test starting on January 6 a dead rubber.

””” Brief Scores ”””

Australia 530 (Chris Rogers 57, Shane Watson 52, Steven Smith 192, Ryan Harris 74, Brad Haddin 55; Umesh Yadav 3 for 130, Mohammed Shami 4 for 138, Ravichandran Ashwin 3 for 134) and 318 for 9 decl. (David Warner 40, Chris Rogers 69, Shaun Marsh 99; Ravichandran Ashwin 2 for 75, Mohammed Shami 2 for 92, Ishant Sharma 2 for 49, Umesh Yadav 2 for 89) drew with India 465 (Murali Vijay 68, Virat Kohli 169, Ajinkya Rahane 147; Ryan Harris 4 for 70, Mitchell Johnson 3 for 135, Nathan Lyon 2 for 108) and 174 for 6 (Virat Kohli 54, Ajinkya Rahane 48; Ryan Harris 2 for 30, Mitchell Johnson 2 for 38, Josh Hazlewood 2 for 40).

New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets to win first Test

New Zealand v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Christchurch, 4th day December 29, 2014 

"New Zealand complete best ever Test year "

New Zealand 441 (McCullum 195, Neesham 85) and 107 for 2 beat Sri Lanka 138 (Boult 3-25, Wagner 3-60) and 407 (Karunaratne 152, Boult 4-100, Southee 4-91) by eight wickets.
CHRISTCHURCH: Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor calmly guided New Zealand to an eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka after tea on the fourth day of the first test at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Monday.
Williamson was on 31, while Taylor was 39 not out as the home side made 107-2 having suffered some uneasy moments with Tom Latham (17) and Hamish Rutherford (10) dismissed as they chased down their victory target of 105 runs.
Sri Lanka had been bowled out for 407 in their second innings in an extended first session before lunch after Tim Southee had taken three quick wickets in the first hour of play.
The second match of the two-test series is at Wellington’s Basin Reserve from Jan. 3-7. (Reuters)
Credits to : ARYNews

Only Mohammad Hafeez to go to India for unofficial testing

LAHORE – December 27, 2014: A meeting was held here today at the Gaddafi Stadium between Chairman PCB Mr. Shaharyar Khan, Chairman Executive Committee Mr. Najam Sethi , COO PCB Mr. Subhan Ahmad, Chief Selector Mr. Moin Khan, Mohammad Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq and Saeed Ajmal.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided on Saturday to send only one of its two suspended off-spinners, Mohammad Hafeez, to India next week for unofficial testing of his bowling action, while Saeed Ajmal will stay in Pakistan.

Former Test spinners Saqlain Mushtaq and Mushtaq Ahmed, who have worked with Hafeez, agreed that the off-spinner should now be tested at an ICC-accredited laboratory in Chennai, before going to the world's governing body for official testing.

Ajmal will continue to work on his remodelled bowling action with Saqlain and a bio-mechanist at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

Ajmal was suspended in September by the ICC while Hafeez was banned from bowling in international cricket earlier this month after his action was found to be illegal during the first Test against New Zealand.

Time is fast running out for Ajmal to get into Pakistan's World Cup squad which is due to be named by January 7. The PCB believes the off-spinner needs more time to bowl within the allowed elbow extension of 15 degrees.

Ajmal has been unofficially tested three times at the ICC-accredited laboratory at Loughborough University in England since being suspended, but is yet to bowl within the allowed parameters.

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan said on Friday that if the 37-year-old Ajmal undergoes official ICC testing - and his bowling action is found illegal - the off-spinner faces a ban of two years, which means the end of his international career.

"The PCB fully supports Ajmal in his attempt to regularise his action and to return to cricket as Pakistan's top performer in the future," the board said in a statement on Saturday.

Wasim Akram became a father for a third time

Former left-arm pacer Wasim Akram became a father for a third time on Sunday as he and his wife Australia Shaniera Akram welcomed a baby girl.
The news was announced by Akram’s manager in a Facebook post early on Sunday.

@wasimakramlive and I are taking suggestions for baby names.Please share with us your favourite name for baby Akram!
Having married Shaniera last August, Akram had told Hindustan Times earlier in December that he was excited to become a father again.
“I think I’ll enjoy fatherhood more this time around; when my sons were born, I was travelling a lot for cricket.”
I think Pink “@iamShaniera: Not long now! Baby #Pink OR baby #Blue?? #BabyOnTheWay #babyAkram.

Australia v India, 3rd Test, 3rd day

"India 462-8 at stumps on day 3 chasing Australia’s 530"

" Kohli Un beatable 169Runs "

No reason to respect Johnson - Kohli

India were 462 for eight wickets at the close of day three of the third test in Melbourne on Sunday, in reply to Australia’s first innings total of 530.
India: 462-8 (M. Vijay 68, V. Kohli 169, A. Rahane 147; R. Harris 4-69) v Australia: 530 (C. Rogers 57, S. Watson 52, B. Haddin 55, R. Harris 74, S. Smith 192; Mohammed Shami 4-138, U. Yadav 3-130, R. Ashwin 3-134)

Ajmal withdrawn from World Cup 2015 Squad

Ajmal withdrawn from World Cup 2015 Squad

KARACHI: Suspended off-spinner Saeed Ajmal was withdrawn from Pakistan’s World Cup squad on Saturday after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided he needed more time to remodel his bowling action.

According to the PCB chairman Shahryar Khan, Ajmal took the decision to pull out from World Cup contention himself.
The 37-year-old was suspended from all international cricket after his bowling action was found illegal in a bio-mechanical test in September.Under the ICC rules all bowlers are allowed to flex their elbow by 15 degrees but Ajmal’s tests revealed his elbow flexed by 43 degree.

Pakistan also faces race against time to get all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez cleared after his action was reported as suspect last month.
He was subsequently suspended earlier this month.
A PCB meeting on Saturday decided Hafeez will proceed to Chennai, India to have an unofficial test while Ajmal will do more remodelling work in Lahore.
“The PCB committee discussed the future course of action to be adopted with regard to Ajmal and Hafeez and agreed that in the case of Ajmal, further remedial work should continue in collaboration with Saqlain and a bio mechanist in Lahore,” a PCB release said.

All 14 teams have to announce their final 15-man squad by January 7 next year.

“The group was informed that significant progress had been made by Ajmal who is now working on completing his ‘mileage’ with the remodelled action which shall soon be accomplished,” said PCB.
The PCB fully supports Ajmal in his attempt to regularize his action and to return to cricket as Pakistan’s top performer in the future, the release added.
“It was noted that Saqlain and Mushtaq Ahmed (Pakistan’s spin bowling coach) have both worked with Hafeez and his action should now be unofficially tested in Chennai next week,” said the PCB.
Hafeez's action was found to be illegal earlier this month. He played as a specialist batsman in the ODI series against New Zealand in the UAE. 

Australia v India, 3rd Test, 2nd day

India were 108 for one wicket at the close of day two of the third test in Melbourne on Saturday, in reply to Australia’s first innings total of 530.

Smith Hits 192 Runs in 3rd Test Against India 2014

India 1 for 108 (Vijay 55*) trail Australia 530 (Smith 192, Harris 74, Rogers 57, Haddin 55, Watson 52) by 422 runs.

 On Christmas Eve, it was pointed out in a local newspaper that for all Steven Smiths 'recent achievements he had yet to conquer the MCG. Not once had he passed 50 in a Test match at Australian cricket's colosseum.

On a day of blue skies, a raucous crowd of 51,566, and some dreadful Indian fielding and bowling, Smith put that particular matter to rest. His 192 was a masterpiece of light and shade, determination and dominance, pace and patience. Smith was happy to play a minor role in no fewer than three significant partnerships on the second day, but in showing when to stick and when to twist he guided his side to 530.  

"Score Card From Sky Sports "

"Indian need Better Partner Ship if he wants to live alive in this test match "

Australia v India, 3rd Test, Melbourne, 1st day

"Captaincy fitting Smith well - Rogers"

 "Smith plays a shot during Boxing Day Test"

Australia 5 for 259 (Smith 72*, Rogers 57, Watson 52) vs India

From bashing big scores to firing back a few choice words at sledging opponents, the captaincy is fitting Australia's Steven Smith well, according to opening batsman Chris Rogers. Smith compiled a watchful half-century to see Australia to stumps at 259-5 on day one of the third test against India on Friday, continuing a stellar run of form for the baby-faced batsman nicknamed 'Smudge'.
Unbeaten twice in the series-opening test in Adelaide with scores of 162 and 52, Smith struck a match-winning 133 in Brisbane standing in for injured captain Michael Clarke to drive Australia to a 2-0 series lead.

Unbeaten on 72 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the 25-year-old is in the box seat to helpAustralia seal the four-match series a game early.

"There's definitely an echelon of batsmen at the moment who seem to be above and beyond," Rogers, who scored 57 for his third successive half-century of the series, told reporters.

"Davey (Warner) to a certain extent and now Smudger (Smith).

"It's phenomenal to watch and great to be a part of. (Smith) is just growing day by day and it's scary to think how good he can be.

"Someone threw a ball back at him today and he had the confidence to say a few words back at him so it looks as if he knows he belongs and he knows he's one of the better players in the world at the moment."

Dhawan went from 100% to 50% when he dropped Watson's edge from Shami 10 minutes before the lunch interval, taking three bites at the ball before guiding it to ground. This reprieve, and a few other misfields, left Rogers and Watson to amble to lunch in happier circumstances than they might have imagined when Warner was dismissed.
A boundary to Watson from the final ball of the second over after lunch seemed to herald more free-scoring, but it was in fact the last such scoring shot for more than 16 overs. Australian progress was stymied by Shami and, particularly, Ashwin, who used his height and variations in pace to good effect.
Rogers went to his 50, as did Watson, but neither would go on. A Shami delivery of teasing line and in-between length found Rogers' outside edge on 57, and in the following over Watson swept across a straight ball from Ashwin and was lbw.
Understandably, Smith and Marsh took their time to avert further loss, but as tea loomed both had found something approaching a decent batting rhythm. Smith opened up the final session by sallying forth to deposit Ashwin into the long-off seats, but lost Marsh when he snicked Shami, firm-footed, through to Dhoni.

Australia v India, 3rd Test, 2014

All Eyes on Watson

India tour of Australia: Australia Vs India 3rdTest Live Scores at Melbourne, Dec 26-30, 2014. 

"Match scheduled to begin at 10:30 local time (00:00 GMT)
Series: India tour of Australia 2014
Match Teams: Australia Vs India
Match Time: 5:30 AM IST, 00:00 GMT
 Match Venue: Played at Melbourne Cricket Ground"

Australia will be playing the 3rd Test match against India and will look to win the 3rd Test against India to make it 3-0 and win the Test Series. They won the 2nd Test against India. It was easy win and will to continue in 3rd Test as well.

 Team news 
Alongside the debutant Joe Burns, Ryan Harris is also set to return in place of Mitchell Starc. David Warner has shrugged off a badly bruised thumb and has also been spotted reviving his leg breaks in the nets. Shaun Marsh is also fine after a knock in training.
Australia:-
                 (probable) 1 Chris Rogers, 2 David Warner, 3 Shane Watson, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Shaun Marsh, 6 Joe Burns, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Ryan Harris, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Nathan Lyon.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is fit again and KL Rahul and Suresh Raina are pushing hard, but India look likely to retain the attack. 
India:- 

          (probable) 1 M Vijay, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Rohit Sharma, 7 MS Dhoni (capt,wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar/Varun Aaron, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Ishant Sharma.

Clarke recovery as expected

" Michael Clarke hopeful of playing ICC World Cup 2015 "

Aussie Captain Clark "Getty Images"

Australian captain Michael Clarke eased fears Wednesday his career may by over, saying he is recovering well from surgery on a torn hamstring.

The 33-year-old set alarm bells ringing with a stark warning the injury sustained during the first Test against India at Adelaide could cut short his stellar cricketing life.  But in an upbeat column for Sydney’s Daily Telegraph Clarke gave a positive assessment a week after the operation.

“The biggest thing for me is getting back on the field for the World Cup,” he said of the tournament that starts in Australia and New Zealand in mid-February.

“I have been told by medical staff that I am in as good a condition as I can be a week after undergoing the surgery,” added Clarke, who also carries a chronic back problem.

“There is no swelling and no pain when I walk. I can’t wait to begin stage two of the rehab process which involves starting to run again.”

He offered strong support to fellow veterans Brad Haddin, Shane Watson and Chris Rogers who have come under pressure for weak performances since the start of the four-Test series against India this month.

“It’s crucial to have experienced guys like these in a team when you’re bringing through youngsters,” Clarke said.

With Australia leading India 2-0 ahead of the third Test in Melbourne on Friday, he also backed them for the 2015 Ashes squad to face England.

“Personally, I hope all three of them are on the plane to England for next year’s Ashes series,” he said.

“They bring so much more to the table than just their batting.”

Clarke also backed his under-fire veterans Chris Rogers, Shane Watson and Brad Haddin, who have all battled recent batting slumps, and said their experience would be invaluable as Australia look to defend the Ashes next year in England.

"Personally, I hope all three of them are on the plane to England for next year's Ashes series," Clarke added. "They bring so much more to the table than just their batting.

India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2014 "Highlights"

Asia Cup 2014

One of Shahid Afridi Remarkable inning.

India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2014 YadaainAsia Cup 2014

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Sri Lanka begin WCup tune-up in NZ

Sri Lanka will open hostilities against the Black Caps in their first tour of New Zealand for eight years on Friday, looking to acclimatise to local conditions for the upcoming World Cup.

The tour features two test matches, the first beginning in Christchurch on Boxing Day, but the emphasis is squarely on the 50-over game, with seven one-dayers as a warm-up to the February-March tournament co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

Sri Lanka are buoyant after humiliating England 5-2 in a one-day series, a result that contributed to Alastair Cook's sacking as limited overs captain, and notching test and one-day series wins over Pakistan in August.

But skipper Angelo Mathews said he expected a tough match against the New Zealanders, particularly since Mahela Jayawardene will be missing from the test line-up after retiring from the long form of the game to concentrate on a World Cup swansong.

"We're playing without Mahela for the first time in about 18 years and that's going to be a challenge for us," Mathews said.

"But there's pressure on all of us anyway, this is going to be a challenging series. Playing against New Zealand in New Zealand is going to be tough. They've been playing really good cricket in the recent past."

Sri Lanka will be without left-arm spinner Rangana Herath for the opening test after he strained a hamstring against England.

Only two of Mathews' test team, Kumar Sangakkara and Prasanna Jayawardene, have experienced New Zealand's seam-friendly wickets before, so Mathews said it was important to adjust.

"Getting used to the conditions will be key for us," he said.

"We've been playing a lot of cricket in the sub-continent over the last six months or so, so we really need to make the most of our practice sessions and try and adapt to these conditions as best we can."

Sri Lanka, who won the 1996 World Cup and were runners up in 2007 and 2011, are fourth in the ODI rankings and fifth in the test standings, with New Zealand placed sixth and seventh respectively,.

New Zealand, who recently drew a test series and their ODI series with Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, will be out to make a statement in front of their home fans ahead of the World Cup.

The Blacks Caps under Brendon McCullum's aggressive leadership have shown they can compete with the best and they are desperate to build some momentum leading into the World Cup.

Afridi to quit ODIs after World Cup 2015

Shahid Afridi to Retire From ODIs After World Cup 2015.

"Pakistan hero set for Australian swansong in early 2015"

Shahid Afridi

Pakistani veteran all-rounder Shahid Afridi made his ODI debut in 1996 and has played 389 matches till date.

Dashing Pakistani allrounder Shahid Afridi announced Sunday he would retire from one-day cricket after next year's ICC Cricket World Cup but continue to play Twenty20 until 2016.

He has scored 7870 ODI runs at an average of 23.49 and a strike-rate of 116.29. He has also taken 391 wickets, the sixth-most in ODIs, at 33.89 and an economy-rate of 4.62. Afridi had quit Tests in 2010 before leading Pakistan to the semi-finals of the 2011 World Cup.

The 34-year-old led Pakistan for the last three one-day internationals in the series which they lost 2-3 against New Zealand this month, after regular captain Misbah-ul Haq was ruled out due to injury.

He smashed a match-winning 61 in the first match and followed that up with 55 and 49.

"I will retire from one-day cricket after the World Cup," Afridi told a press conference.

"I wanted to leave on the peak. I think it's the right time to leave so that my place goes to a youngster and there are very talented players in Pakistan."

Australia and New Zealand will co-host the World Cup from February 14 to March 29.

The swashbuckling batsman hit the fastest one-day hundred off just 36 balls in only his second match, against Sri Lanka in Nairobi in 1996, a record which New Zealand's Corey Anderson broke earlier this year.

Afridi holds the record for most sixes in one-day internationals with 342, and is the only player to have hit more than 400 sixes across all three formats of the game.

He has hit 49 sixes in Twenty20 cricket and 52 before his retirement from Tests in 2010.

As a leg-break bowler he has 391 wickets in 389 one-day internationals. His tally of wickets in Twenty20 cricket stands at 81.

"I want to win the World Twenty20 in India in 2016 before quitting international cricket," said Afridi.

Afridi led Pakistan to the World Cup semi-final in 2011 before being removed after he fell out with then-Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt and coach Waqar Younis.

Australia vs India 2nd Test Day 4, Highlights

Australia vs India 2nd Test Day 4, Highlights.

Australia vs India 2nd Test Day 4, Highlights by PTVSports

Aussie captain Smith defies India with third unbeaten knock

Australia 505 (Smith 133, Johnson 88) and 6 for 130 (Rogers 55) beat India 408 (Vijay 144, Rahane 81) and 224 (Dhawan 81, Johnson 4-61) by four wickets

Picture @bbc.co.uk

Brisbane (Australia) – Steve Smith again proved the elusive wicket for India as the new captain fashioned an Australian fightback on day two of the second Test on Thursday.

Hazlewood's recovery from full-body cramps to prise out India on the second morning set-up the match, and the combined efforts of the new captain Steven Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Chris Rogers, Starc and Nathan Lyon ultimately allowed the hosts to overwhelm India by a greater margin than the first Test in Adelaide. For Smith it was a significant triumph, emerging victorious after a first day he described among the toughest he had ever endured, as either player or captain.

Left with 128 to chase down in a little more than a day and a session, Australia endured an early hiccup when David Warner was struck a sharp blow on the thumb in Umesh Yadav's first over. Warner struggled visibly to bat thereafter until he edged Ishant Sharma behind, though closer inspection in the dressing room suggested no fracture had been sustained. Nonetheless it demonstrated how difficult batting had become, and another 50 runs may have been enough for India.

Shane Watson skied an attempted hook at Ishant to be out for a duck, but an uncertain 2 for 25 at tea was added to quickly on resumption by a busy and businesslike Rogers, who knew from years of opening that such fourth-innings chases are best treated with decisive strokes to quickly tip the scoreboard in favour of the pursuers. A rattling 55 left Smith in the shade during their stand of 63, and when Rogers sliced Ishant into the cordon the target was in sight.

"The Indian team has been asking for the fresh net practice wickets several times for last two days which have not been provided," it said.

"Instead of that they have (been) asked to practice on worn out wickets which have uneven bounce.

"Because of that two of our batsmen got injured today."

But the practice wickets were not a problem for the Australians. Skipper Steve Smith said: "No, they were fine."

Ground curator Kev Mitchell said he had never had a complaint from a touring team in the past about net wickets.

"They mirror the exact state of the Test pitch in the middle," he said.