Tamim Iqbal, the Bangladesh opening batsman, has announced his intentions of top-scoring in every match he plays during the 2011 World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Feb-2011Tamim Iqbal, the Bangladesh opening batsman, has announced his intentions of top scoring in every match he plays during the 2011 World Cup, which starts on February 19.”I want to score my first century at Chittagong in the World Cup,” he told the . “I will try to be the highest scorer in every match in the upcoming World Cup.”Two of Tamim’s three ODI centuries have come at Mirpur, while his only away century was against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. He has only played two matches in Chittagong, and narrowly missed out on a century in his last match there, in December 2010, when he smashed 95 against Zimbabwe. He will have two opportunities during the World Cup, with Bangladesh playing group games against England and Netherlands on his home ground.After a successful first half of 2010, in which he scored an ODI century against England and two Test centuries against them at Lord’s and Old Trafford, Tamim underwent surgery on his wrist in September and had to miss Bangladesh’s 4-0 home ODI series win against New Zealand. He returned for the series against Zimbabwe and the 95 he scored in the fifth ODI won Bangladesh the series.Bangladesh had a team practice in Chittagong on Friday, and Tamim said he was putting in long hours in the nets. “All of us are enjoying the sessions and the environment is also good. Now I am mentally relaxed and am practicing batting for a long time in the nets,” Tamim said. “You will have good or bad days but we are all prepared to give our best. If we all do well, the team will gain from the tournament.”Bangladesh will play a warm-up match against Canada in Chittagong, on February 12, and then another against Pakistan on February 15, in Mirpur.In the 2006-07 World Cup, Bangladesh stunned India in the first round, with Tamim scoring a half-century. Junaid Siddique, the left-hand batsman, hadn’t yet made his international debut then, but he is expected to be Bangladesh’s No.3 during this year’s tournament, and is aware of how important their first fixture, against India in Mirpur on February 19, will be.”As Bangladesh will play the first match of the World Cup with India, we are trying to develop our performance,” Junaid said. “I hope we will achieve the right result for the country.”Junaid started his career as an opener, but has shifted down to the No. 3 spot in recent times. “Last one year I am playing at No. 3 and feeling comfortable in this position,” he said. “I think those who are openers can suit themselves to any position.” Junaid averages just 16.72 in ODIs he has played in as an opener, while at No. 3 his average is 33.57.

Round-up of the third day’s play in the third round of matches of the Faysal bank Pentangular Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Feb-2011A couple of late strikes gave Federal Areas the edge in their match against Punjab at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground as Punjab ended 139 runs behind with five wickets in hand. The match is headed for a draw, but there are still the points for a first-innings lead up for grabs. Federal Areas did not have the best start to the day as they only added 46 runs to their overnight score of 315 for 6. Punjab seamer Mohammad Khalil struck thrice to finish with figures of 5 for 100. Punjab then looked good in their response, reaching 198 for 3 thanks to half-centuries from Imran Farhat, Mohammad Ayub and Usman Salahuddin. But Ayub and Salahuddin were dismissed towards the end of the day, to give Federal Areas the advantage.Baluchistan secured the first-innings lead on the third day despite a spirited fightback by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Half-centuries from Adnan Raees and Khalid Usman helped Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa recover after they started the day at 81 for 4, and almost carried their team past Baluchistan’s first-innings score of 279, but seamer Abdur Rauf took the three quick wickets at the end and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa fell short by 13 runs. Baluchistan then went out and got to 145 for 3 in their second innings, putting them in a strong position – 158 ahead with seven wickets in hand – at stumps.

Pakistan’s resolve to not change a winning XI will undergo a stiff test ahead of the quarter-final against West Indies in Dhaka

Osman Samiuddin in Mirpur22-Mar-2011Pakistan’s resolve to not change a winning XI will undergo a stiff test ahead of the quarter-final against West Indies in Dhaka on Wednesday. Pakistan, who won five out of six games to top Group A, were fairly settled – by their standards – through that run. Only after five failures did they tweak the opening combination and injuries apart, Shoaib Akhtar represents the only other unforced change in personnel.But with the possibility of as many as four left-handers in the West Indies top five – if Shivnarine Chanderpaul returns to shore up a middle order prone to collapse – Pakistan will consider the option of using Saeed Ajmal to off-set that.The decision will not be an easy one. If Ajmal does play, he is likely to do so in place of Abdur Rehman. The left-arm spinner has played a quiet but significant role in Pakistan’s campaign so far, opening the bowling in two of their last three games; though he has only three wickets in five games, he has been crucial in stifling opposition run-rates. Additionally, Pakistan feel safer in the knowledge that Rehman is useful – no more – with the bat and a capable, energetic fielder.Afridi, as he has done all along, spoke of the need to not change the XI that beat Australia. “I’m very happy with my winning combination at this stage,” he said. “You can’t make changes if you can help it for a game like this. We have an offspinner in Mohammad Hafeez so let’s see. We’ll decide this evening once we’ve seen the conditions and the pitch.”Privately, however, the team management has acknowledged that Ajmal is under consideration, though the decision will be taken after a team meeting on Tuesday evening. Ajmal has been a peripheral figure so far in Pakistan’s campaign, playing only in the game against Canada in which Rehman sat out with a leg injury. He bowled well enough in the game, picking up a wicket, though not perhaps well enough to change a situation which has seen him gradually lose the top spinner’s slot over the last six months or so.Which of these three will play Wednesday’s quarter-final?•AFP

Several sides have used off-spin to open against the West Indies top order through the tournament and with success. Chris Gayle, who is likely to be back tomorrow, fell to Johan Botha in the first over of the game against the West Indies. England used Graeme Swann in the game at Chennai and though he didn’t strike early, the success he eventually had, along with James Tredwell, in the game makes the case for Ajmal stronger. R Ashwin opened for India in the last game the West Indies played and he struck early as well.Whatever the line-up ultimately – and that would be the only likely change – Pakistan will go into the game with some confidence after the streak-breaking win against Australia in Colombo. The team arrived in Dhaka early Monday evening and had their first and only practice session at the Shere Bangla Stadium before the game, on Tuesday.”To win a game against a side like Australia before the quarter-final is a big achievement,” Afridi said. “The dressing-room atmosphere is very positive and very good. It was a great win. We really worked hard before this tournament and I don’t think in my 14-year career we’ve ever worked as hard. Definitely, the expectation is greater now. We are feeling more confident.”Even though the West Indies lost their last two group games and haven’t beaten a top side in an ODI since June 2009, Afridi was aware of the threat some of the relatively newer faces may pose. “These young guys are doing a great job. They have performed well, their bowling is good and that is why they are in the quarter-final. They have a very good unit, so we’re not taking any team lightly especially at this stage.”A win on Wednesday would lead to a first World Cup semi-final since 1999, but the fifth straight ICC event – including the World Twenty20 – in which they’ve made the last four. “Before this World Cup I said I see my team in the semi-final and I want to see them there. My team is capable of doing that.”

Warwickshire have been penalised eight points after an ECB Pitch Panel deemed the pitch at Edgbaston for the Championship match against Worcestershire to be “poor.”

George Dobell at Edgbaston13-May-2011
Scorecard
Vikram Solanki was struck on the back of the head after ducking into a bouncer from Boyd Rankin•PA Photos

Warwickshire have been penalised eight points after an ECB Pitch Panel deemed the pitch at Edgbaston for the Championship match against Worcestershire to be “poor.”The panel, chaired by former Sussex and England seamer Tony Pigott, cited “excessive uneven bounce” as the main problem. Warwickshire could have been penalised 24 points had the panel found the pitch to be ‘unfit.’With Vikram Solanki taken to hospital after sustaining a fearful blow on the head and numerous other stoppages as batsmen took painful blows on the body, this game has been reduced to a farcical state by a pitch unsuited to professional cricket.Some will argue that conditions are not that bad. And it’s true, no doubt, that there were far more testing tracks in the days of uncovered pitches and helmetless batsmen. It may also be true that the techniques of modern batsmen are not what they once were. But make no mistake: this is an unusually poor pitch; certainly the worst that this writer has witnessed. The sight of a ball taking off from a length and clearing the wicket-keepers’ head by ten feet, as has happened here, is very rare.How has this happened? Well, the pitch was far too dry at the start. As a result, there were cracks in the surface that have widened as the match progressed. Any ball hitting them could rear or scuttle without any apparent pattern. Just about every batsman has sustained a blow at some stage and it is only due to good fortune and the excellence of modern protective equipment, that no-one has suffered a serious injury.Warwickshire had various factors to use in mitigation. They have just installed, on the insistence of the ECB, a new drainage system and new sand-based outfield to speed the drying process. They have also just built an enormous new stand. All these things, they argue, have changed conditions at the ground and altered the drying process. As a result, the groundstaff have misjudged the amount of watering required and the allowed the pitch to become too dry.Lessons will have been learned. There’s no reason to suggest there should be a problem by the time the Test against India begins here in August.That, Warwickshire say, is quite different to a director of cricket requesting a bowler-friendly track to aid his side. They also point out that there have been many games with lower scores and many games finishing in fewer overs.The shame of the pitch debacle is that it will detract attention from a quite outstanding debut from Chris Metters. Only one of Metters’ six wickets – the one he took from his first ball of the third day – was due to the poor wicket (Alan Richardson was powerless to withdraw his bat from one that spat and took the edge), with the other five the result of an immaculate line and length and a probing style that will bring him many more victims. He already has the best Championship innings analysis in the history of a Warwickshire man making his first-class debut. And, when he bowls in the second innings, he will be on a hat-trick.Perhaps, however, the pitch problem might highlight the excellence of Mohammad Yousuf’s contribution. He has been quite outstanding in this game. Yes, this Worcestershire attack is modest, but on this pitch, his first innings century and his second innings of 68 were almost unbelievably high scores.This game will be remembered more, however, for the sight of a highly-skilled, highly-experienced batsman clutching his head after ducking into a short-ball from Boyd Rankin. In truth, Solanki did not play the delivery terribly well, turning his head on the ball, and taking the blow just below the ear in an area unprotected by his helmet. The ball may well not have misbehaved, either, but Solanki was, understandably, reluctant to trust the capricious pitch and failed to commit to the shot he might have played in other circumstances. Thankfully, X-rays showed no serious injury and Solanki returned to the ground in the evening. He should be able to bat on the final day.Meanwhile Naqaash Tahir claimed three for eight in eight overs to suggest Worcestershire will get nowhere near their target of 328 to win. Tahir saw one take off and catch the edge of the helpless James Cameron’s bat, before Matt Pardoe was beaten by one that kept low and Alexei Kervezee was punished for planting his front foot by one that swung back into him. Had rain not robbed almost a session from the day, the match might well have finished on the third day. As it is, they resume on day four needing another 292 to win.Earlier Warwickshire declined to enforce the follow-on after Metters struck with the first delivery of the day. Instead, they extended their advantage to 327, with Yousuf again producing a masterclass of batsmanship.He had some fortune, however. No batsman, not Sobers or Bradman or Tendulkar, could have played the delivery that spat from a length and took the shoulder of Jonathan Trott’s bat, or indeed, the one that reared and took the edge of Varun Chopra’s bat to give Damien Wright his 400th first-class victim.Yousuf was simply fortunate enough not to receive such a ball. He did, however, take a horrid blow in the chest from one that nipped back, while Rikki Clarke fell to a tentative prod two balls after receiving one that cut back sharply and struck him in the body. Ian Bell prodded a return catch after receiving one that stopped on him.Trott, it should be noted, has now had four Championship innings and received three unplayable balls and a poor umpiring decision. Not perfect preparation for a Test series, is it?Ominously for Warwickshire, the Pitch Liaison Officers were ordered to take a stricter approach this year. But, it is worth noting that the umpires did not report this pitch. Instead, the ECB acted on the enquiry of a newspaper journalist covering the game and sent the PLOs as a consequence. Quite why the umpires didn’t report some concerns about the surface is hard to say.It’s believed to be more than 20 years since a Test ground was penalised for a sub-standard first-class pitch (Trent Bridge were penalised 25 points in 1989). It’s not the sort of history the new Edgbaston wanted to make.

Tom Maynard’s maiden first-class century against former club Glamorgan and a
burst of 3 for 34 from Stuart Meaker strengthened put Surrey in a strong
position on day two of their County Championship Division Two clash in Cardiff

21-Apr-2011Stumps
Scorecard
Tom Maynard’s maiden first-class century against former club Glamorgan and a
burst of 3 for 34 from Stuart Meaker strengthened put Surrey in a strong
position on day two of their County Championship Division Two clash in Cardiff.As well as Maynard scoring 123, Zander de Bruyn moved from 109 not out
overnight to make 172 and Chris Schofield fell just one short of a century.Those contributions, and an unbeaten half-century by Gareth Batty, allowed
Surrey to declare at tea on 575 for 7. Needing 426 to avoid the follow-on
Glamorgan slumped to 95 for 4 by the close.Resuming on 286 for 4 overnight, Maynard and de Bruyn went on to beat the
record fifth-wicket stand for Surrey against Glamorgan. That was 183, held by
Andrew Sandham and Robert Gregory – at the old Cardiff Arms Park ground in
1928.De Bruyn was the dominant partner as a watchful Maynard only added six runs in
the opening hour. Maynard, who had been caught off a no-ball on 36 on the first evening, was given another life on 73 when wicketkeeper Mark Wallace missed a stumping
chance.But De Bruyn was in fine form as he brought up his 150 in 272 balls in just
over six hours with 21 fours and two sixes.The South African also surpassed his previous highest county score of 161 for
Worcestershire in 2005. He was eventually dismissed for 172 off 311 balls when
he holed out to Graham Wagg at long-on off Robert Croft. It ended a partnership
of 216 in 61 overs.Maynard brought up his 100 four minutes before lunch with a cover drive for
four off Dean Cosker and celebrated by punching the air and acknowledging his
father Matthew, who was another part of the Glamorgan exodus this winter.The hundred was achieved in 190 balls with 10 fours and a six. After lunch
Maynard was stumped by Wallace off Cosker. Schofield, who brought up his 50 in 69 balls, and Batty, who was dropped on
nine at slip by skipper Alviro Petersen, added 133 in just 24 overs.Glamorgan had not been very efficient in the field and Will Bragg just failed
to cling on to a difficult chance running from long leg when Schofield was on
83.Schofield was eventually dismissed for 99 when he was run out in bizarre
circumstances in the final over before tea by Wallace. It ended a seventh-wicket
stand of 133 runs in 24 overs.Glamorgan lost both openers, Petersen and Gareth Rees, as they were reduced to
80 for two and more poor batting saw Bragg and Michael Powell also perish leg
before.

There will be a preliminary hearing in July in the Crown Prosecution Services’ case against the three Pakistan players banned for spot-fixing and player-agent Mazhar Majeed

ESPNcricinfo staff24-May-2011There will be a preliminary hearing in July in the Crown Prosecution Services’ case against the three Pakistan players banned for spot-fixing – Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt, and player-agent Mazhar Majeed. During a hearing on May 20, which none of the four attended, the Southwark Crown Court in London decided the trial would be held from October 4. But the judge in the case, James Sanders, has ruled that all four will have to appear for a preliminary hearing in July in person or via video conferencing.The players and the agent are facing charges of conspiracy to cheat, and conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, following the Lord’s Test last August in which they allegedly conspired to bowl pre-determined no-balls. The four appeared at a hearing on March 17 – at the City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court, which set the date and jurisdiction for the May 20 hearing – and were granted unconditional bail at the time; Majeed, who is a citizen of the UK, was told to surrender his passport.The three players have already been found guilty of spot-fixing by the ICC. Butt was banned for 10 years, Asif for seven and Amir for five. They are now facing criminal charges under Britain’s Prevention of Corruption Act 1906, which has a penalty of up to seven years imprisonment for accepting corrupt payments. They also face charges of cheating under the Gambling Act 2005, which has a penalty of up to two years imprisonment.The foursome was charged after being questioned by Scotland Yard detectives over the alleged scandal in the Test at Lord’s last August, following accusations by the tabloid newspaper.