ICC clears Kamran Akmal for selection

Pakistan: Espncricinfo Nov 17

Kamran Akmal has been told by the ICC that he is clear to seek Pakistan selection. Kamran, Pakistan's first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman, has not played since the one-day series against England in September. He wasn't selected for the current series against South Africa, ostensibly because he wasn't fit when the squad was announced; he had undergone an appendicitis operation days before the announcement. But clouds of suspicion, the fall-out of the spot-fixing scandal, have swirled around his non-selection.

Kamran has recovered and has been playing domestic cricket for his employers National Bank of Pakistan. Tellingly, however, the selectors chose to call up his brother, Adnan Akmal, as the wicketkeeper when Zulqarnain Haider fled to England from Dubai halfway during the series against South Africa.

The PCB has not made any statement on why Kamran was left out, though his particularly poor performance with the gloves - especially in Tests - suggests his exclusion might have been on form alone. But in the absence of any clear communication, Kamran, a vital part of Pakistan's limited-overs set-up where he doubles as a hard-hitting opener, was compelled to contact the ICC midway during the South Africa one-day series. ESPNcricinfo understands that Kamran broadly asked whether he was facing any charges linked to spot-fixing that might be blocking his selection. He was informed soon after by the world's governing body that he wasn't and that he is clear for selection.

Kamran was one of two Pakistan players - the other was Salman Butt - sent notices by the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACSU) after the Nottingham Test against England this summer. The notices sought information about events related to the 2010 World Twenty20 held in the Caribbean in May. It is not yet clear whether Kamran's enquiry and the ICC's response are linked to these notices.

Since the spot-fixing scandal, the PCB has begun implementing a rash of measures designed to eliminate corrupt influences from the game in Pakistan. As part of an unofficial confidence-building measure, the board will send a list of probables for the 2011 World Cup to the ACSU to be vetted before the pool of 30 is announced on November 30.

Additionally, the board's newly formed integrity committee will also clear players for selection. Danish Kaneria, who was embroiled but eventually cleared in a separate spot-fixing case with his county Essex in the summer, was not cleared by the committee to join the Test side in the UAE. Kaneria, Pakistan's leading spin wicket-taker, was originally selected in the squad, but was prevented from travelling by the board at the very last minute. No official reason has been provided for his exclusion.

IPL player auctions on January 8, 9

The IPL player auction for the 2011 season will be held on January 8 and 9 in Mumbai, the league's governing council has announced. The tournament itself will feature eight teams, playing 60 matches, and run from April 8 to May 22.

Key IPL dates November 27, 2010 - Kochi franchise deadline January 8,9, 2011 - Player auction for IPL 2011 April 7, 2011 - Opening ceremony April 8, 2011 - First match May 22, 2011 - Final

The tournament, which begins a week after the World Cup ends, will involve each of the eight sides playing playing 14 games, adding up to 56 matches, the same as in previous IPL editions. The top two from the league rounds will then contest a play-off match, with the winner qualifying for the "Grand Final." The teams that finish third and fourth in the league stage will contest the other play-off, and the winner of that game will play the defeated team from the first play-off to decide the second finalist.

The auction is likely to be on the scale of the first one, held in 2008, with teams starting largely from scratch, and will be held under rules framed in September. One difference will be the absence of "icon" players - originally, five franchises had one player each named as its icon. The auction was initially to have been held this month but uncertainty over the composition of the tournament - with two franchises expelled and a third, Kochi, in limbo - forced a postponement.

The governing council, which met in Mumbai on Wednesday, was expected to have discussed the status of the Kochi franchise but Rajiv Shukla, a BCCI vice-president and council member, said it did not figure. He did, however, reiterate that the 2011 season would have eight participating teams.

Kochi have until November 27 to reply to the IPL's notice asking it to set its house in order; if, as seems likely, the franchise owners decide to call it quits, the IPL will start the auction process for a replacement team. With a majority of the current franchises in the southern half of the country, any new franchise is likely to be from the north - Ahmedabad being the front-runner.

The new auction rules governing player retention, which have been criticised by the franchises, allow a team to keep up to four players but at a steep price.The first player retained will cost a team $1.8 million against the salary cap of $9 million, regardless of the amount the player is actually paid. The second player will cost $1.3 million, the third $900,000 and the fourth $500,000.

Asian Games: Indian men beat Bangladesh 9-0

Guangzhou Nov 17: India pummelled Bangladesh 9-0 in their second group B match of men's hockey at the Asian Games here Wednesday.

Sandeep Singh converted four penalty corners, Tushar Khandekar slotted two goals, while Shivendra Singh, Raj Pal Singh and Dharamvir Singh scored one each. India were leading 3-0 in the breather.

India had defeated Hong Kong 7-0 in their first match. They will take on Pakistan in their next match Saturday.

India's Jasvant lost a close fight against Indonesian Yulius Fernado 5:6 to bow out of the men's 74 kg taekwondo event at the Asian Games here Wednesday.

I missed coach Chertkov, but got over it: Ashish Kumar

Guangzhou, Nov 16 (PTI)

Bronze medalist Ashish Kumar

After Ashish Kumar opened a new chapter for India in gymnastics by clinching the country's first ever medal in this sport -- a bronze, in the Asian Games here today, the youngster said he missed the presence of his coach Vladimir Chertkov. But the gymnast added that he was determined not to make it lose his focus. "On the day he (Chertkov) left I was hugely disappointed and was quite unhappy. But I had to get out of it, otherwise I would not have won a medal," said the 19-year-old after bagging the third spot in the men's floor exercise routine today. Ashish , who came to national limelight during last month's Commonwealth Games by winning a vault silver and bronze in floor, tallied 14.925 points to take the bronze in a bitterly fought contest, in which China's Zhang Chenglong and Korea's Kim Soo Myun tied for the gold with identical 15.400 points.

Ashish said he is now targeting an Olympic medal in 2012 at London by improving his ranking. "Now, confidence is there to go for an Olympic medal. But I am currently ranked 32nd. So, next year I would participate in a number of World Cups to improve that," he said, adding he dedicated his medal to the entire team of coaches who have worked with him. "I am very happy because it is the first gymnastics medal in the history of Indian gymnastics (at the Asian Games)," the Allahabad-born railway employee, added. Ashish's performance is even more praiseworthy considering that the team's foreign coach Chertkov deserted it before the commencement of the Games and returned to India after he was miffed with the contingent authorities over being denied permission to be in the opening ceremony march past on November 12.

Ashish said he did not have the time to practice for this tough world class event which had China, Korea and Japan in the fray. "It was very tough for me because I did not have much time to practice for the Asian Games. We have just had the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. And it is very tough with China and Korea (in fray)," said Ashish. "I started in 1994 when I was four years old. Now I am 19. It's a great experience. I won silver (on vault) and bronze (in floor) at the Commonwealth Games and now I have another bronze at the Asian Games." Team's coach Ashok Mishra, who is with Ashish since January 2009 in a succession of camps to prepare the gymnasts for this year's CWG, said that the competition was very close and the gymnast did not feel the absence of Chertkov. "It (Chertkov's leaving) has not made a difference. He trained under a foreign coach as a child. We have trained the gymnasts for almost two years in a succession of camps which has paid dividends," he said. Among those who were pushed out of the medal bracket in the floor apparatus were China's Feng Zhe who finished with 14.900 points, Hishashi Mizutori of Japan (14.825), Yoo Won Chul (Korea, 14.275), who got a penalty of 0.3, Uzbek Masharipov Otabek (14.000) and Ryotaka Deguchi (Japan, 13.425).

Gold medal winner Zhong Chenglong is the world horizontal bar champion while the man who tied for the No 1 spot, Korean Kim Soo Myun, was a member of his country's team that won a bronze in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and his pet event is floor.

Ton-up Younis helps Pakistan foil South Africa

Dubai,Nov 16 (AFP)

Younis Khan takes the applause after his match-saving innings

Younis Khan capped his return to Test cricket with a brilliant unbeaten century to help Pakistan draw the first Test against South Africa on the fifth and final day today. The 32-year-old right-hander -- playing his first Test since July 2009 because of an indefinite ban and differences with fellow players -- finished with 131 not out to take Pakistan to 343-3 in the first-ever Test at the Dubai Stadium. Younis's 17th Test hundred thwarted South Africa's pace-cum-spin attack as they managed just one wicket in the three sessions to leave the fate of the two-Test series on the second match, starting in Abu Dhabi from November 20.

Younis was ably supported by Misbah-ul-Haq -- leading Pakistan in a Test for the first time -- who scored an unbeaten 76 during an unbroken fourth wicket stand of 186, a new record in all Pakistan-South Africa Tests. The previous best of 119 was between Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla at Johannesburg in 2007. With scant assistance from the pitch, South Africa also fell short on fielding as they dropped three crucial catches, two off Younis and one off Misbah hurting their chances of a win. Younis brought up his 17th Test century with a towering six off spinner Johan Botha three overs before the tea break, his third against South Africa, as he continued to frustrate the bowlers who got no support from the fifth day pitch.

Younis, who hit four sixes and nine boundaries during his 230-ball knock, also added 82 runs for the third wicket with Azhar Ali who fell after making a sedate 63. Misbah, who was also on a Test comeback after being dropped from the team for the six-Test tour of England earlier this year, hit eight fours and a six during his 185-ball knock. Younis's innings highlighted the importance of his position in a fragile Pakistan batting line-up, exposed during team's 3-1 defeat against England on the tour ended in September. With his effort Pakistan achieved their best total in the fourth innings of a Test, beating 341-9 they made against the West Indies at Port of Spain in 1988. Resuming at 109-2, Pakistan had pinned their hopes on Younis, who also hit a brilliant 130 against South Africa to help Pakistan draw a Test in Lahore three years ago, and Ali. Ali was bowled by spinner Paul Harris before lunch after hitting seven boundaries during his dour 150-ball knock.

Pakistan had a lucky escape in the fourth over of the day when Younis, on 16, edged paceman Dale Steyn, but wicket-keeper Mark Boucher failed to hold a regulation catch towards his right. Younis also had luck at 73 when Kallis failed to hold a difficult chance in the slips, also off Steyn. Misbah was also lucky when Hashim Amla dropped a bat-pad edge off Johan Botha at short-leg when the batsman had made eight -- chances which helped Pakistan avert defeat.

Gayle puts Windies on top with 333

Chris Gayle celebrates after reaching his triple-century

Galle, Nov 16 (AFP): Chris Gayle became the first West Indies batsman to hammer a triple-century in an away Test, putting Sri Lanka under pressure in the opening Test today. The former captain made a career-best 333 as the West Indies posted a massive 580-9 declared in their first innings on the second day at the Galle International Stadium. Sri Lanka were 54-1 in reply at stumps, with debutant West Indies paceman Andre Russell dismissing Tillakaratne Dilshan with his second delivery in Test cricket. Skipper Kumar Sangakkara (33) and Tharanga Paranavitana (10) were the not-out batsmen at the close. Gayle, 31, also became only the fourth batsman to score two triple-centuries in Tests after Australian Don Bradman, India's Virender Sehwag and West Indies' Brian Lara.

The left-handed opener was instrumental in frustrating Sri Lanka for a second successive day with his superb knock, adding 86 for the third wicket with Shivnarine Chanderpaul (32) and 167 for the next with Brendan Nash (64). Gayle, whose previous Test-best was 317 against South Africa at home in 2005, smashed nine sixes and 34 fours in his marathon 437-ball knock. Batting with a runner due to cramp after achieving his career-best score, Gayle also helped the West Indies post their highest Test total against Sri Lanka, surpassing 477-9 declared in St Lucia in 2003. Gayle batted for more than five sessions before falling in the evening, bowled by unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis. Sri Lanka's players shook hands with the batsman when he walked back to the dressing-room.

Mendis, who bowled Gayle and new skipper Darren Sammy with successive balls, finished with 6-169 for his third haul of five or more wickets in a Test innings as the West Indies lost their last six wickets for 21 runs in a late collapse. Gayle's memorable moment came when he fluently drove Mendis through the covers for a four to reach his triple-century. He then raised his helmet and bat and sat on the pitch in celebration. He was fortunate to survive on 287 when he was caught by Sangakkara at short extra cover while fending off a rising delivery off seamer Dammika Prasad, but it was ruled a no-ball. Gayle started walking back to the pavilion before being stopped by non-striker Nash. The decision was referred to the TV umpire before on-field umpire ruled it a no-ball. Sri Lanka managed to contain runs, but found wickets hard to come by as they could dismiss just one batsman in the first two sessions.

Gayle, who batted aggressively on Monday to score 219 off 247 balls, played cautiously in the morning and added just 36 to his overnight score with the help of three fours. The West Indies added 67 to their overnight total of 362-2 for the loss of one wicket in the morning. Chanderpaul fell soon after becoming the world's 10th batsman and the second West Indian after Lara (11,953) to complete 9,000 Test runs during his 104-ball knock. He was caught by Mahela Jayawardene at first slip while attempting to cut off-spinner Suraj Randiv, adding only 12 to his overnight score 20. But there was no respite for Sri Lanka as vice-captain Nash gave valuable support to Gayle with a solid knock, hitting five fours in his seventh Test half-century.

Don't want to pressurise Bhajji with 'all-rounder' tag: Dhoni

Hyderabad, Nov 16 (PTI)

India spinner Harbhajan Singh might have struck back-to-back hundred in the last two Tests against New Zealand but captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni today said he doesn't want to put pressure on the spinner by calling him an all-rounder. "Bhajji is still a specialist bowler, who can bat. I don't want to give him a tag of an all-rounder and put pressure on him," said Dhoni at the post-match presentation after the second Test ended in a draw here at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium. "But his batting surely gives us a cushion of having five bowlers in the team.

It is good sign for our batting department," he added. Harbhajan Singh, who saved the first Test at Ahmedabad against New Zealand by scoring a crucial hundred in the second innings, besides a half-century in the first essay, continued his fabulous run with the bat in the second Test as well. During the Hyderabad Test here, Harbhajan came up with a fine 111 not out in the first innings to give India a healthy lead against the Black Caps. India had a great chance of winning this Test as New Zealand started the final day only 115 runs ahead with six wickets in hand but the hosts failed to take early wickets and conceded the advantage.

Dhoni admitted that the Indian bowlers failed to create pressure on the kiwi batting line-up but said Zaheer's loss also left them with fewer bowling option. "It was important to get early wickets and create panic in the opposition camp. We did manage to do that also but then we lost Zaheer (Khan), who got injured and it became difficult to play with three bowlers. I would say, bowlers did a good job," he said. On a perfect batting strip, India could not take their chances even as Brendon McCullum's career-best 225 helped Kiwis set up an improbable 327-run target for India in the final session after the visitors declared at 448-8. "There was bit of a grass on the first day and by the fifth day it grew and made batting easier," said Dhoni.

However, Man-of-the Match McCullum was happy with his batting irrespective of the track. "I had a good start and I would like to try and build on it. So far, I am throughly enjoying my the opening slot in Tests," said McCullum. McCullum was promoted as opener for the first time in his Test career in this series, and he lived up to the expectations by countering both the pace and spin attacks with ease during his maiden double-ton.

McCullum was also all praise for Kane Williamson, with whom he shared a valuable 124-run stand for the fifth wicket that saw New Zealand cruise through the opening session. "Kane took all the pressure off and played aggressive brand of cricket. He has been outstanding in the last two Test matches," said McCullum. Skipper Vettori also heaped praise on the batters. "I am extremely pleased with the top-order batting. It has taken away the pressure from us. Today, McCullum and Williamson set up the rest of the day for us," said Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori.

The two teams now head to the final Test in Nagpur and India would be desperate for a victory to avoid being held at home by their lesser-ranked opponents. "The wicket at Nagpur assess the bowlers and specially the spinners. So, I am hoping to get a result in the last match," said Dhoni. Vettori said, "It is a one-off Test now and we would be putting our best foot forward."