No mercy for ICL rebels, asserts PCB

KARACHI: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Nasim Ashraf has ruled out the possibility of giving a general amnesty to players who were banned for participating in the Indian Cricket League (ICL).

“Well it is something that can be discussed by our governing body members and they have the authority to take a decision on this. But I must emphasise that the players knew what they were doing and the consequences of playing in the ICL when they signed their contracts, he said when asked whether the players would be pardoned.

Ashraf said the decision to ban the players was not unilateral and was agreed upon in an ICC meeting.

“I don’t know why this impression is being given that only the PCB has taken this decision. The fact is this was a policy decision discussed by all member boards of the ICC and also agreed upon. So we have done nothing new or unilateral,” he explained.

Pakistani Test discards Imran Farhat, Shabbir Ahmed, Abdul Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood and former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq appeared in the ICL in its inaugural edition last month.

And on returning home they were told by their departments that the board has instructed them not to select them as they had appeared in an unauthorised foreign league.

Ashraf said the players were aware of the problems they could face when they signed up to play in a event which is not recognised by the ICC or any of its member boards.

“We have nothing personal against these players. They can go and play in the ICL and earn good money. But when they were available we tried to talk sense into them and they didn’t listen. The PCB as a governing body of the sport in Pakistan has to follow certain regulations,” he said.

Chanderpaul and Powell put West Indies on top

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa – A disciplined century from Shivnarine Chanderpaul and an incisive spell by fast bowler Daren Powell put West Indies on top on the second day of the first test against South Africa on Thursday.

Chanderpaul became the third player after West Indian Everton Weekes and Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower to score half-centuries in seven consecutive test innings with 104 in his team’s first innings 408. The left-hander faced 253 balls and hit 12 boundaries in an innings lasting more than six hours.

Powell followed up with three for 40 as South Africa stumbled to 122 for five at the close.

“It’s great to be up there with those names,” Chanderpaul told a news conference. “When you get an opportunity to get in, you want to make a big score. That’s something I’ve been working on for the past couple of years.”

After West Indies resumed on 281-4, fast bowler Makhaya Ntini struck in the seventh over of the day when he found the leading edge of Dwayne Bravo’s bat.

The ball looped up on the off-side where Ntini and Herschelle Gibbs, who was fielding in the gully, collided.

Ntini took the catch to dismiss Bravo for 12. Neither Gibbs nor Ntini were injured.

In Ntini’s next over, a superb away swinger took the outside edge of Denesh Ramdin’s bat and he was caught by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher for one.

Chanderpaul and Daren Sammy consolidated with a partnership of 57 that was ended after lunch when AB de Villiers swooped from the covers to run out Sammy for 38. Chanderpaul was the ninth man out when fast bowler Andre Nel hit the top of his off stump.

POWELL STRIKES

Nel ended the innings three balls later by having Fidel Edwards caught by Ashwell Prince in the gully for a duck.

Powell struck when Gibbs was caught behind without scoring by wicketkeeper Ramdin with the fifth ball of South Africa’s reply.

Jerome Taylor claimed his first wicket when Graeme Smith was trapped in front for 28.

Twelve balls later South Africa slipped to 53-3 after Jacques Kallis attempted to leave a delivery from Taylor and was smartly caught by Bravo at third slip for nought.

Hashim Amla played over a full toss from Powell and was bowled for 29 before Prince and AB de Villiers stood firm in a stand of 33.

Powell ended the partnership when Prince, who scored 20, drove at a wide delivery and was caught by Runako Morton at second slip.

“The bowlers fought back nicely this morning to take the last six wickets for 127 runs,” Prince said. “Obviously, the batting didn’t go according to plan.

“There were a few soft dismissals, including myself. A few guys got starts into the 20s, and I’m sure the others will feel as disappointed as I do at the moment.

“Chanderpaul was very patient, and if he didn’t come at us we didn’t feel we had a chance of dismissing him early.

“Maybe our guys were a bit impatient, wanting to play a few too many shots.”

Aus in complete command at tea

Australia went to tea at 248 for five, 395 runs ahead and firmly in control of the Test match on Day 3 of the Boxing Day test. Michael Clarke scored his fifty and was unbeaten on 52 on the break, while wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist was on 1.

Just as it seemed Australia were upping the ante, Andrew Symonds departed leg before to Zaheer Khan for 44. Symonds took the attack to the Indian bowling, smashing them all around the MCG. Zaheer bowled it full from round the stumps and the ball hurried onto Symonds. There was heavy incoming reverse swing and the batsman got his pad in the way before the bat came down. Incidentally, Zaheer cleaned up Symonds when he was early in the innings, but it came off a no-ball. Australia were 243 for 5 when Symonds fell.

India picked up their fourth wicket of the morning when RP Singh removed the set batsman, Michael Hussey. Singh bowled it full and outside the off-stump, across the left-hander. There was a hint of reverse swing and Hussey flashed hard at the ball without getting behind the line, thereby taking a thick edge, which Tendulkar pouched smartly at first slip. Hussey went for 36, with Australia at 161/4.

Phil Jaques was the third wicket to fall to a soft dismissal, immediately after lunch as he tried to force a drive to one that was tossed up and had a subtle change in pace. Jaques was dismissed immediately after reaching his fifty. Australia were 139/3 when Jaques went.

Australia finished the morning session of Day 3 in the Boxing Day Test, in complete command of proceedings, at 135 for two gaining a lead of 282 runs over India. Phil Jaques was unbeaten on 49, while his partner Michael Hussey was on 29.

Jaques continued from where he left off in the first innings, keeping it simple and busy. He had an ideal partner in Hussey who rotated the strike at every opportunity. He looked tentative against spin, but once he graduated into his innings – the confidence was getting better and the fluency flowing back.

India’s mission on Day 3 was clear – take wickets and restrict Australia to a bare minimum. It didn’t look like happening for a long time, till about the 11th over of the innings when Harbhajan Singh picked up opener Matthew Hayden for 47. Hayden came down the track going for an audacious shot, only to hole out to Sourav Ganguly at long-off.

And then one brought two, when they yet again removed Ricky Ponting for cheap. Harbhajan turned one into the right hander from outside the off-stump, and Ponting obliged the bowler by opening the face of the bat to guide it down into the hands of the waiting Dravid at slip. Australia were 89/2 at that stage, having lost Hayden just six runs earlier.

Aussies have the bowlers to take Indian wickets: Ponting

MELBOURNE — Skipper Ricky Ponting is certain the Australian bowling attack still pack a punch in the post-Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath era and will prove it against India in the Boxing Day Test.

Pace spearhead Brett Lee shoulders a heavy responsibility leading an inexperienced bowling attack at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but Ponting said there is more variety in the current crop.

This will be the first major examination for Australia’s bowlers since the retirement earlier this year of leg-spinner Warne (708 wickets) and paceman McGrath (563), who are in Test cricket’s all-time top four.

Ponting and selectors want more time to analyse a MCG wicket, which has had its preparation hampered by rain over the past week.

With conditions likely to favour fast bowling on the first morning, Australia must decide between using a four-prong pace attack for the first time in almost 16 years, or going in with wrist-spinner Brad Hogg and three quicks.

Left-armer Mitchell Johnson and tearaway Shaun Tait will battle for the third pace spot if Hogg plays.

Regardless of which attack Australia get as they chase a 15th successive Test victory, Ponting said he was confident it would be more dangerous and boast more variety than the ones which struggled to bowl India out in the corresponding home series four years ago, when McGrath was injured and Warne was suspended.

Ponting said spearhead Brett Lee was in career-best form, after a man-of-the-series performance against Sri Lanka last month, Stuart Clark’s record was among the best in the world and Johnson had been impressive.

“I’m very confident in the attack that we’ve got, that it’s going to be good enough to take 20 wickets in every Test we play this summer, so I couldn’t ask for anything more,” Ponting told a match-eve press conference on Tuesday.

Ponting said even with McGrath and Warne and their combined 1271 wickets now gone, Australia had the bowlers to trouble India’s star batsmen.

“(Lee) is a wicket-taking bowler (but) for different reasons (than) Shane was,” he said. “That’s what Tait is as well.

“If Tait happens to play in this game he’s exactly like that, he’s a guy who can break a game open in a couple of overs.”

“So the wicket-taking options we lost with McGrath and Warne, we’ve just gained other guys in different roles to do that for us,” he added.

Lee (247 wickets in 61 Tests) has looked impressive this southern summer, but Tait (5 wickets in two Tests), Clark (54 wickets in 11 Tests), Johnson (8 wickets in two Tests) and Hogg (9 wickets in four Tests) have only played 19 Tests between them.

Ponting said it was important that Australia learned from prior mistakes to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and not bowl too short and over-attack India’s experienced batsmen.

“There’s a terrific feel around the group,” he said. “It’s Boxing Day, we’re going to have a big crowd. It’s a great place to play Test cricket and India are a great opponent.

“So put all that together and you can pretty much assure that Australia are going to be on song when we take the field tomorrow.

“Looking back at last year’s Ashes series against England, that was as well prepared as I’ve ever seen any cricket team for any series that I’ve been a part of and, right at the moment, we’ve got a really similar sort of feel around the group.”

Melbourne Cricket Club officials expect a first-day crowd of about 75,000, which would be better than the start of the 2005 Test against South Africa, although would not match last year’s 89,155 Ashes sell-out against England.

Australia still pack punch, says Ponting

Ricky Ponting remains unsure what attack he will have in the first cricket Test against India but believes Australia still pack their punch post Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath.

Australia won’t name their final XI until Wednesday morning because the captain and selectors wanted extra time to analyse an MCG wicket which has had its preparation hampered by rain the past week.

Ponting said the wicket still looked damp on Tuesday morning, but sunshine in the afternoon and forecast good weather on Wednesday will help it dry for the series opener.

Still, with conditions likely to favour fast bowling in the morning, Australia must decide between using an all-pace attack for the first time in almost 16 years, and picking spinner Brad Hogg and three quicks.

Young speedsters Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait will battle for the third spot if Hogg plays.

The decision is an intriguing one given Johnson’s impressive start to Test cricket the variety of his left-arm swing, while Tait’s pace and knack of ripping through opposition sides makes him dangerous.

Good weather is forecast throughout the match, but Ponting expected Wednesday’s early pace-friendly conditions to make the selectors’ decision a tough one.

“You’ve just got to try to get the conditions right with the players you’ve got available,” he said.

“If it looks like it’s going to be pretty damp in the morning then we’ve got a tough decision to make.”

It could also make for a tough call for Ponting should he win the toss, as he famously came in for heavily criticism in England in 2005, when he inserted Michael Vaughan’s side at Edgbaston.

England won that Test and later regained the Ashes.

Regardless of which attack Australia get as they seek a 15th successive victory, Ponting was confident it would be more dangerous and boast more variety than the outfits which struggled to bowl India out four years ago, when McGrath was injured and Warne was suspended.

Ponting said spearhead Brett Lee was in career-best form, after a man of the series performance against Sri Lanka last month, Stuart Clark’s record (54 wickets from 11 matches) was among the best in the world and Johnson had been impressive.

“I’m very confident in the attack that we’ve got, that it’s going to be good enough to take 20 wickets in every Test we play this summer, so I couldn’t ask for anything more,” Ponting said.

Ponting said even with McGrath and Warne and their combined 1271 wickets retired, Australia had the bowlers to land big blows on India’s star batsmen.

“(Lee) is a wicket-taking bowler and for different reasons to Shane was,” he said.

“That’s what Tait is as well.

“If Tait happens to play in this game he’s exactly like that, he’s a guy who can break a game open in a couple of overs.

“So the wicket-taking options we lost with McGrath and Warne, we’ve just gained other guys in different roles to do that for us.”

Ponting said it was important Australia learned from prior mistakes to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and not bowl too short and over-attack India’s bats.

Only a handful of Australians took part in Tuesday’s training session before Christmas lunch, but all Indian players trained to make up for their limited preparation.

The Melbourne Cricket Club expects a first-day crowd of 75,000.

Australia: Ricky Ponting (capt), Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Phil Jaques, Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, Andrew Symonds, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Tait (12th man to be named).

India (from): Anil Kumble (capt), Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthik, Zaheer Khan, VVS Laxman, Irfan Pathan, Virender Sehwag, Ishant Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Pankaj Singh, RP Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Sachin Tendulkar.

Give us a break, Tendulkar tells cricket bosses

MELBOURNE, Australia: India batsman Sachin Tendulkar called Saturday for cricket administrators to cut international fixtures and prevent players burning out.

Tendulkar, who is making his final tour to Australia with India, said the workload of international players was too demanding and administrators need to schedule longer breaks in the season.

“We can have more cricket, but it’s equally important to have a little more gap in between the tours,” Tendulkar said.

“So you kind of get some time to unwind yourself and spend some time with family, assess what happened the last test series and work on certain things and then come to Australia very well (prepared).

“But that is how the calendar has become and we can’t do much about it. We just have to get on with it.”

Tendulkar, 34, has played 142 tests and 407 one-day internationals in 16 countries during his 18-year international career, said the toll on players’ was overwhelming.

“We started our season in May and it’s been quite some time,” he said.

Tendulkar is confident India can beat Australia in their four test series starting on Boxing Day despite the hosts’ imposing home record.

Australia has not lost a home series since 1992-93, although India did draw its last test series in Australia four years ago.

“It would be the most important tour if we can pull it off,” he said.

“Beating Australia is obviously the ultimate thing because the way they have played for so many years makes it a special tour.

“Having come here four times, it would be a wonderful occasion.

“As far as I am concerned we are ready and we would like to go out there and put on a good show.”

India will go into the first test at Melbourne on Wednesday with a severely limited preparation after their three-day match against Victoria state was disrupted by rain. Only 48 overs were bowled over three days.

Keep spinners out of T20, say Australian players

Melbourne: The Australian Cricketers Association has found out from a survey of player attitudes towards Twenty20 cricket that if quality spinners have to be preserved then they should not be thrown into the shortest and the trendiest form of the game, the Australian media reports.

A report in The Age says while the super-abbreviated format has gained credibility even among traditionalists, there is a strong view among Australian players that it threatens to destroy budding spin bowlers.

Harbhajan might have to sit out: Dhoni

Among players contracted to Cricket Australia, 64 per cent said Twenty20 diminishes spin bowling skills. “Anecdotally players believe T20 encourages negative bowling and as such is counter-productive to the development of spinners,” the study found.

That argument was wholeheartedly endorsed last night by spin bowling mentor Terry Jenner, the day after chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said he was disappointed in the development of young South Australian pair Dan Cullen and Cullen Bailey, who are contracted to Cricket Australia but have been unable to nail their spots with the state side let alone press for national selection.

Jenner refused to discuss Hilditch’s remarks, but the man who coached Shane Warne throughout his exceptional career has consistently argued that young spinners take time to mature to the point where they can defend themselves in the first-class arena, and that limited-overs cricket is their enemy.

“There is no place for a developing spin bowler in Twenty20 cricket,” Jenner said. “In my view, you might as well bowl Michael Clarke and all those (part-time) guys in those forms of the game because the outcomes are pretty much the same.’’

“I watched (Indian off-spinner) Harbhajan Singh in the Twenty20 final and I reckon he bowled 90km/h plus from wide of the crease. He was effective, but picture a developing spinner trying to do that and he would be lessening his capacity to improve.”

Jenner believes Twenty20 in England, where it was first played at domestic level, has inhibited the development of spin bowlers in that country. “If we are looking for Test cricketers we are not going to find them in Twenty20 and, dare I say this, we’re not going to find them in 50-over cricket either,” he said.

Yeareneder 2007

“Someone who spins the ball should not be encouraged to take away his spin to try and bowl four overs and go for less than 50. They may as well roll out a bowling machine.”

In general, state and national players believe Twenty20 enhances skill development, with spin bowling the exception. Interestingly, state-contracted players were less inclined to think that Twenty20 was damaging for young tweakers.

Australia’s premier one-day spinner, Brad Hogg, has not played a Twenty20 international since last summer, while other teams have persevered with spinners.

New Zealand skipper and left-arm finger spinner Daniel Vettori, for instance, thinks there is a place for spin bowling in the shortest form of the game. In fact, he believes they will flourish. “If you look at the (Twenty20) World Cup, spinners were some of the most successful bowlers. And every time I have watched a game or played in a game spinners held quite a bit of control not only over wicket-taking but over run-rate,” Vettori said.

“I think they are going to be a more and more important part of it. We’re playing two, we even played two at the WACA (Ground). We realise how important it (spin) is and I think other teams are seeing it around the world as well.”

50-overs game gone: Warne

SHANE WARNE believes the days of 50-over cricket are numbered as the Twenty20 game alters the way the sport is played and watched over the world.

The former Australia bowling star, who retired from international cricket at the start of the year, wants one-day internationals shortened to 40 overs per side _ a form of cricket that has proven successful at domestic level in England.

Warne’s views come at a time when public interest in 50-over cricket seems to be waning.

This year’s World Cup in the Caribbean was poorly attended, while crowd numbers for the Chappell-Hadlee series _ held in Adelaide, Sydney and Hobart and won on Thursday by Australia _ were down.

“Twenty20 is how minor nations, the likes of Canada and Holland, can improve and promote the game,” Warne said.

“One thing I believe is that 50-overs is gone. I believe Twenty20 should be one form of the game, keep that to a minimum and keep it special because it is so entertaining.

“Just as long as administrators don’t get greedy. But I believe 50-overs competition should now be 40 overs, so we have a 40-over competition, Twenty20 and Test cricket.

“Experiencing Pro40 in England, it’s like two Twenty20 games. The way society is, everybody wants everything fast. Pro40, there is still skill involved.

“Is it cricket? Is it entertainment? It ticks all the boxes. It also saves you about an hour and a half of the game.

“You can start Pro40 at 4pm and be finished at 10pm. That’s good. You can have a day game as well, starting at 10am and finish at 4pm, and have two games a day.”

Although Warne fears for the future of 50-over cricket, he believes Test cricket is in good health and should not be tinkered with.

“Everything is very good, don’t change it, don’t touch it. Test cricket is for tradition,” said Warne, who claimed 708 Test wickets to be second on the all-time list behind Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralidaran.

Team India ready to take on favourite rival Australia

THE INDIA-PAKISTAN series is over now. India won both the One-day and Test series against Pakistan at home after more than two decades. This is being said that India and Pakistan are playing each other at short intervals and the frequent matches are abating the passion and intensity of Indo-Pak battle in ground. During the recent series, the response was different and people treated it as ‘just another series’. One can say that this is the result of excessive cricket played between these two ‘rival’ teams. There could be some more reasons for the same. However, I do feel that the ‘focus’ on the rival has been shifted now and for India, Australia has become bigger rival team than Pakistan.

Indians feel more excitement if Team India defeats Australia anywhere in any tournament and series. Even the cricket analysts have felt the real intensity in the last two series, India-Australia series followed by India-Pakistan series. We were more passionate about defeating Australian team even by using ‘war of words’, aggression (both on and off the field) and great intensity level as well. Australian batsman Mathew Hayden once said that he loved the silence prevailed in the stadium after hitting the boundary or winning against India in India. He also said that now India has replaced England as his favourite opposition. People still remember Sreesanth and Symonds episode happened in the India-Australia series.

Australia is said to be the most dominant as well as most arrogant team in the world. This is also being said that the Australian dominance in world cricket is actually killing the sport. The sports lover everywhere have been fed up of watching Australia winning every time in every tournament they play. Every other team just wants to outplay Australian team at any cost. India and Pakistan, both the Asian teams, defeated Australia in the Twenty-20 World Cup this September and gave the cricket fans in the subcontinent a pleasant surprise. Since then the rivalry between India and Australia has gone on the rise. The behaviour of the crowd during matches against Australia also came under scanner and Aussie fans have reportedly vowed to reciprocate the same to Indian team when they tour Down Under in December.

Now, the Indian team has reached Melbourne. Australian captain Ricky Ponting has already started the mental game by saying that Kumble will feel the pressure. Brett Lee has mentioned that the test series with India is at par with Ashes. Australian ex-coach Buchanan has given a blueprint ‘how to contain Sachin Tendulkar in the series. Sourav Ganguly has said that the team is capable to do well in Australia because this is perhaps the most experienced Indian team to play Down Under.

India had given Australia a run for their money during their previous tour in 2000 under the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly. India was the only team that drew the series against the world champion on their soil in past one decade. Australia will offer some very arduous and nerve wrenching cricket this summer for sure. The emotions are running high both in India as well as Australia both. Everyone is hoping that the series will not be one-sided and Team India will receive good support in Australia. India-Australia fight on ground will not be ‘just another series’. Lets’ hope India do well in Down Under. My best wishes to Team India.

Indian cricketers angry over $1.5m tax bouncer

INDIA’S cricket tour of Australia erupted in controversy last night as its players learned they would be slugged $1.5 million by the Australian Taxation Office.

Sources said the tax grab had angered India’s superstars, including Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly. Their match payments and tour fees are not taxed in India, where they are treated by financial authorities as amateurs.

The tax slug is further fuel for a potentially explosive series against Australia. The MCG is expected to be packed next Wednesday for the start of the Boxing Day Test.

Indian and Australian players clashed several times during a one-day series on the subcontinent in October, when all-rounder Andrew Symonds was labelled “monkey man” by the crowds.

India’s newfound confidence springs from its Twenty20 World Cup success this year. The Board of Cricket Control of India rewarded its stars with more than $2 million in bonuses.

Among other gifts, a Porsche 911 was handed to team hero Yuvraj Singh as a personal present from Vice-President Lalit Modi.  The Indians have not been taxed on previous tours. But a change in Australian laws since they were last here in 2003-04 has left the tourists flabbergasted.

Since July 2004, all sportspeople and entertainers who work in Australia have had to pay tax.

The BCCI tried to get an exemption, and is still investigating ways around the red tape. India’s media manager, Dr M.K. Shridhar, last night confirmed the BBCI was investigating the tax matter.

“This taxation issue is being handled by our office in Bombay,” he said. “We are taking the position of what our own tax consultants at the BCCI say.

“Cricket Australia is helping, and they will work together and come back to us with a solution. Then I am not very sure if it will still apply.”

India’s stars are treated like royalty at home, and are some of cricket’s wealthiest players. Tendulkar alone is said to be worth millions. The Indians are taxed only on sponsorship earnings in their home country.

In Australia, it is believed they will forfeit about $500,000 from the Test series, and $1 million from the one-day series and the one-off Twenty20 clash at the MCG, in tax.

Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young said the board’s memorandum of understanding meant the Indians had to follow Australian laws.

“When you are in Australia, the Australian tax law applies,” he said.

The tourists will play four Tests against Australia, beginning on Boxing Day at the MCG, a Twenty20 match, and up to 11 one-day internationals before heading home in March.