Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan allrounder, has said that he is keen to emulate Andrew Flintoff and play a crucial role in the Test series against England.Afridi made his Test debut in 1998 but has not yet cemented his spot in the Test side. “Flintoff has made great contributions for England. I am hoping to match his feats in this series,” Afridi told BBC Sport. “Flintoff is someone who has made impressive progress with bat and ball and is now a certain selection in England Test and one-day squads. I want to be like him. I have played just 19 Tests all these years and it does not satisfy me as a professional.”Salman Butt is the only regular opener in the 16-member squad for the first Test against England and Afridi or Shoaib Malik may be asked to open with him. “I feel more relaxed at that position [down the order],” said Afridi. “But if my team needs me to open and there is a crisis of openers then I have no choice but to say yes.”Bob Woolmer, Pakistan’s coach, said that choosing the 11 was going to prove difficult. “The selection is going to be a nightmare for us as we have too many options available. We now have to sit down and work out the best possible combination.”Woolmer also said that he would like to see pitches that are conducive to spin for the Tests. “I hope it [the pitch] takes sharp turn because there is no batsman who can play sharp turn comfortably – especially against the wrist-spinners.”

The clean sweep by the Sharad Pawar group has left several people wondering what the future may hold. The manner in which Pawar and his team won, overwhelmingly and with support from members of all zones, has meant that they are in a strong position to get stuck into the tasks on hand and get cracking, addressing issues that need urgent looking at.Pawar has listed the development of infrastructure, the deployment of funds currently being held in bank accounts, the appointment of a media committee, and professionalisation of the board as the broad areas that his team will be looking to work on in the near future. But, there are several things that need attention, and his team will be forced to sort them out.Television rightsThe Board of Control for Cricket in India has incurred serious losses in the recent past thanks to the impasse regarding television rights. What began as a fight between ESPN-Star Sports and Zee TV and graduated into Jagmohan Dalmiya and the likes of N Srinivasan playing favourites with one company or the other has ended in a slew of court cases. The matter is unresolved and the temporary arrangement of Doordarshan being given the rights on a series to series basis has cost the board plenty. It’s no secret that Dalmiya wanted ESPN-Star Sports to bag the rights. Some people suggest that Pawar will blindly do the opposite. This seems unlikely, and yet the matter needs to be resolved as soon as the court cases surrounding it are resolved.Team SponsorThe Indian team’s longstanding contract with Sahara has already expired. Because of the turmoil and uncertainty prevailing thanks to the board elections, no long-term sponsor was sought, and Sahara continue to sponsor the team – till the Sri Lanka series. But this ad-hoc arrangement cannot go on for long, for a chunk of the players’ payments come from the money they are paid to wear the sponsor’s logo on their playing shirts. In the long run, the players will lose out if a stable sponsor is not found, if Sahara fail to enter into a long-term contract.Constitutional reformIt has suited Jagmohan Dalmiya and his group to keep the board’s constitution as it is, with all its anamolies and loopholes. No-one was more adept at exploiting the board’s constitution to manipulate conditions better than Dalmiya. But the Pawar group, keen on securing their position in the board, have made it clear that they aim to resolve the outstanding issues with the constitution, especially those relevant to election procedures. The Pawar group will work quickly to straighten out these issues, taking off from the recommendations made by TS Krishna Murthy, the court-appointed observer for the last elections.Players contractsIndia’s players received central contracts for the first time last year. Now the time has come to take a look at how the process went, make the necessary changes, and hand out contracts to a fresh list of cricketers. The board president, chairman of selectors, secretary and coach and have to sit down and finalise the list of cricketers who would get contracts, in the relevant categories.From the outside, it is tough to say how Pawar will go about handling these issues. In the Mumbai Cricket Association Pawar has stayed as far away as possible from specific technical aspects of the game. He has put people in key places to handle these things, and formed committees to handle the matters of day-to-day governance. Whether he will be able to do the same at the national level, all the while being pulled in different directions by his troops, remains to be seen.

Jacques Kallis is in danger of missing the home one-day series against Australia next month following the return of a serious elbow injury. Kallis had scans on the problem today and the team’s medical staff are expected to make the decision on Wednesday to send him home.The injury, which forced him out of the first Test at Perth before Christmas, flared in the nets in Brisbane on Monday and was worse this morning so he was ruled out of the 94-run loss to Sri Lanka. “It doesn’t look good,” Graeme Smith, the captain, said. “It looks like he’ll be going home, but I’ll wait for the medical staff to make that announcement.”Kallis is in doubt for the six-match one-day tournament starting in February and he is likely to be protected for the three Tests against Australia after the limited-overs series. “Jacques looks a bit more serious and he could be out for a decent period, but we are not too sure,” Smith said.The team’s injury crisis got worse over the past week with Charl Langeveldt suffering a groin problem that has put him in danger of joining Andre Nel and Makhaya Ntini back in South Africa. Ntini was being considered to rejoin the touring party after passing a fitness test for his knee-hamstring complaint, but Dale Steyn was preferred to give Ntini more time to prepare for the Australia series.However, Smith hoped Langeveldt would be fit for Friday’s match against Australia in Melbourne. “The biggest disruption we have got is getting people fit,” he said. “It’s a big irritation and every day there is more injury and disruption.”The withdrawal of Kallis forced South Africa to enter today’s match with only five bowlers, forcing Smith to back his batsmen to chase after he won the toss andfielded. However, his plan was upset by a poor start as Kumar Sangakkara and Jehan Mubarak posted quick half-centuries against an inexperienced attack and Sri Lanka reached 6 for 282.”Our basics didn’t work for us today,” Smith said. “We weren’t right with the bat, the ball or in the field.” Two poor run-outs of Herchelle Gibbs and Jacques Rudolph effectively finished South Africa’s push and gave Sri Lanka their third win in the past 13 matches.”The last game in Melbourne [Sri Lanka lost by 116 runs to Australia] was not close to our best,” Marvan Atapattu, the captain, said. “Today was about the best we can play.”

Scorecard
Points Table

Mark Cosgrove and Darren Lehmann continued their excellent form to power South Australia to a convincing seven-wicket win over Victoria at Adelaide.After losing the toss and fielding first, Shaun Tait blasted out four batsman, with Cullen Bailey grabbing three wickets, as South Australia restricted Victoria to 222 from 47.5 overs. This represented somewhat of a recovery having been reduced to 6 for 115 in the 30th over. Andrew McDonald (47) and Adam Crosthwaite (43) both struck breezy innings before Tait mopped up the tail.In reply, Shane Deitz fell early for 11 and Greg Blewett was bowled by McDonald for 19, but Lehmann and Cosgrove steadied the ship with an excellent partnership of 82. Cosgrove, in prime form, smashed ten fours in his 90-ball 89, while Lehmann sped to an unbeaten 80 from 70 deliveries to help South Australia gain the vital bonus point. This win puts them in second place behind leaders New South Wales.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) took a realistic step towards winning their first ever Patrons Trophy Cricket Championship as they defeated Habib Bank by an emphatic 104-run margin on the final day of their third and final round Quadrangular Stage match at the Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) Stadium at Rawalpindi.Bazid Khan, the stand-in captain, made the expected decision of declaring PIA’s second innings at their overnight score 315 for 7, leaving Habib Bank 297 to get on the final day. In response, Habib Bank’s batsmen proceeded at a reckless pace and were all-out for 192 in 44.5 overs. Najaf Shah, the left-arm fast bowler, captured 5 for 40 to finish with a match haul of 9 for 100. It was the 21-year-old Najaf’s first five-wicket haul of the season, taking his tally of wickets in 11 first-class matches to 39 at 24.02 runs apiece. He was ably supported by Imran Tahir, the legspinner, who got 3 for 57.Habib Bank lost half their side with only 88 on the board. Due to some useful batting in the middle-order by Kamran Hussain (46) and Farhan Adil, who followed his first innings 76 with 35 runs off 38 balls with six fours, Habib Bank lifted their eventual total. It still fell far behind the win target, however.As PIA surrendered a slender 19-run first-innings lead to Habib Bank, they gained only six points instead of the full nine for the victory. However, this took their tally to 15 points after the completion of their three matches from the previous total of nine. This puts National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) in a must-win situation, in the other match being played at the Sheikhupura Stadium, against Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL). NBP have nine points and they must collect another nine if they intend to win the Patron’s Trophy title.Although PIA have been Pakistan’s national cricket champions on six occasions — having won the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy title, the Patron’s Trophy has somehow eluded them for the last 33 years. Habib Bank, on the other hand, have claimed this championship on a record seven occasions. Last season, they shared the trophy with PIA after the final was rained-off. NBP have been winners of this tournament on five occasions.Needing to win their crucial third and final round match at the Sheikhupura Stadium outright, National Bank of Pakistan NBP) replied strongly to Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL)’s first-innings 317.By the close of play, NBP had reached 223 for 4 and are now only 95 short of obtaining a lead over PTCL. But just a first-innings advantage won’t be enough for them to clinch the season’s Patrons Trophy title. After PIA’s victory over Habib Bank in Rawalpindi yesterday, NBP need to add another nine points to their previous total of nine to get ahead of PIA. PIA, who have never won the Patron’s Trophy in the competition’s 33-year history since it was launched back in 1972-73, now have 15 points to their credit. Even a draw with three points here would not help NBP’s cause.PTCL resumed at their overnight 214 for 6 and flourished further to take their eventual tally to 317. Asim Kamal, not currently required for the Test series against India, took his seventh-wicket stand with Tahir Mughal to 127before falling five runs short of what would have been his ninth first-class hundred. He batted for four hours 20 minutes, faced 169 balls and hit 12 fours and a six. Tahir continued on to 58 off 128 balls in eight minutes short of three hours and sent seven hits to the ropes and one over them. For NBP, the fast bowling pair of Yasir Arafat and Wasim Khan captured four wickets each.After the fall of an early wicket, NBP prospered through a 90-run second-wicket partnership. Imran Nazir, the Pakistan discard, hit 76 off a mere 55 deliveries with nine fours and a six, while i n contrast Mansoor Amjad faced 132 balls for his 62 with seven fours. Shahid Yousuf then joined Mansoor to add 80 for the third wicket, contributing 49 from 68 balls with seven fours and a six.The match in Sheikhupura was earlier to have been held in Multan, to begin on Friday, but it was shifted for a Sunday start because floodlights are being installed at the Multan Cricket Stadium prior to the one-day International between Pakistan and India there next month.

Greg Blewett’s first-class future is hazy after he was dropped by South Australia for their crucial Pura Cup clash against Western Australia in Perth from Friday. The Redbacks, who experienced a nerve-wracking one-wicket ING Cup loss yesterday, need strong performances in their final two games to move from equal third into a finals position, and they will make their attempt without their second-most experienced batsman.Blewett, who played 46 Tests, has struggled this season with a thigh injury and has scored only 270 runs at 24.54 in seven games. He joins Ben Cameron and Cullen Bailey, the legspinner who was not expected to have impact at the WACA, on the casualty list.”I am obviously disappointed not to be selected, but understand the reasons why I was omitted,” Blewett said. “I am looking forward to getting back to club cricket and getting plenty of runs for Kensington.”Daniel Harris and Shane Deitz have been recalled after impressive grade performances and the selectors also had their 165-run partnership in last year’s corresponding fixture in mind when they made their choices. Western Australia, who selected an unchanged squad after their success against New South Wales, are level with South Australia and New South Wales on 20 points, four behind Victoria and eight adrift of Queensland.The Bulls have named the same squad for their top-of-the-table match with the Bushrangers in Melbourne starting on Thursday. An outright victory would almost certainly seal Queensland hosting rights for next month’s final after they defeated South Australia in Brisbane last week. Matthew Hayden and Shane Warne will play their final games of the domestic season before joining the Test squad in South Africa for the three-match series.Victoria have made three changes, including handing a state debut to the former New South Wales wicketkeeper Nathan Pilon. Brad Hodge and Jason Arnberger return from illness after missing the 120-run loss to Tasmania and they step in for Michael Klinger and Andrew McDonald.Pilon’s selection ahead of Adam Crosthwaite was the biggest surprise, but he was pleased with his elevation after two successful seasons with the Carlton club. “I’m thrilled with this opportunity and am really looking forward to Thursday’s game,” Pilon, who scored 111 and 33 in last week’s 2nd XI match against New South Wales, said. “My form’s been pretty solid, and will hopefully continue.”South Australia Shane Deitz, Cameron Borgas, Mark Cosgrove, Daniel Harris, Darren Lehmann (capt), Callum Ferguson, Graham Manou (wk), Mark Cleary, Jason Gillespie, Dan Cullen, Paul Rofe, Shaun Tait.Western Australia Justin Langer (capt), Marcus North, Chris Rogers, Shaun Marsh, Adam Voges, David Bandy, Luke Ronchi (wk), Beau Casson, Brett Dorey, Steve Magoffin, Ben Edmondson, Shawn Gillies.Queensland Jimmy Maher (capt), Matthew Hayden, Martin Love, Clinton Perren, James Hopes, Brendan Nash, Lachlan Stevens, Chris Hartley (wk), Andy Bichel, Ashley Noffke, Daniel Doran, Michael Kasprowicz.Victoria Jason Arnberger, Lloyd Mash, Brad Hodge, Nick Jewell, David Hussey, Jon Moss, Cameron White (capt), Nathan Pilon (wk), Shane Warne, Allan Wise, Gerard Denton, Shane Harwood.

Sachin Tendulkar today left for London to undergo a surgery on his shoulder. Tendulkar, accompanied by his doctor wife Anjali, is expected to go under the surgeon’s knife on Monday.The operation, which will rule him out of action for at least two months, would be conducted by noted surgeon Dr. Andrew Wallace. Tendulkar was diagnosed with a posterior labrum tear of the right shoulder during the third cricket Test against England this week, subsequently ruling him out of the seven-match one-day series against Andrew Flintoff’s men which begins on March 28.Indian team’s physiotherapist John Gloster said Tendulkar had been experiencing problems in throwing since the Test series against Sri Lanka last December. The problem had aggravated of late, necessitating the surgery.Tendulkar, who holds the record for scoring the maximum number of centuries in Tests (35) and one-dayers (39), was earlier sidelined for six months after undergoing surgery for tennis elbow in May 2005. It was Dr. Wallace who had operated on Tendulkar’s tennis elbow. Tendulkar could also miss the early part of the tour of West Indies, starting on May 18, as it would take at least eight weeks for him to recuperate.

Sir Paul Getty’s XI 195 for 6 (Northeast 62*, Dennington 34; Muralitharan 2-16) beat Sri Lankans 179 (Jayawardena 33, Kulasekera 30*, Muralitharan 30, Magoffin 4-14, Gidman 3-30)The Sri Lankans lost their lowest-profile warm-up game, against Sir Paul Getty’s XI, by 16 runs. Amid such beautiful surroundings – even on a cold and grey May day – the cricket, for the last time on the tour, was almost of secondary importance.The headlines belonged to the youngest player in the match, 16-year-old Sam Northeast, a Harrow schoolboy who top scored for Getty’s XI with an unbeaten 62. Northeast has been getting a fair amount of attention – he scored 96 on his debut for Kent 2nd XI against Durham last summer – and on the evidence of this innings, it is not hard to see why. It was fitting that he played here as he was in the Harrow side that was on tour in Galle when the tsunami hit Sri Lanka in December 2004.The Wormsley pitch is usually one to break the hearts of any bowler, but so early in the season it was the batsmen who found the going harder. Northeast batted throughout the Getty innings, facing 143 balls in all, and keeping his head as other more familiar names – Graeme Hick (8) and Tatenda Taibu (16) – came and went in an innings of 195 for 6 from 50 overs.The Sri Lankans batting has failed to ignite so far, and once again they struggled, with Western Australia’s Steve Magoffin putting the skids under them with 4 for 14 and then William Gidman cashing in with three late wickets.

Shoaib Akhtar said he hoped to return to active cricket earlier than first feared and was keen to bowl on England’s seam-friendly pitches.Akhtar, who was already mourning the death of a close friend, received more bad news on Wednesday when an MRI scan of his injured ankle showed a fracture sustained last year had not healed.He was advised not to bowl for four to six weeks, which means he will miss the best part of Pakistan’s series against England which gets underway with the first Test at Lord’s in London from July 13.”It’s a bad week for me. First I lost a close friend and now got a bad news that my injury has not healed although I still feel no pain and can jog for hours,” Akhtar told AFP in an interview.”But a bad news for me is a good news for the English batsmen. I will do my best to recover in time to at least play two Tests,” said Akhtar, eyeing the third Test in Leeds for his return.Pakistan will play four Tests, a Twenty20 match and five one-day internationals on their tour of England.The 30-year-old fast bowler, plagued by various injuries during his eight-year career, underwent twin knee surgery in Australia in February after playing the third and final Test against India in January this year.It forced him to miss Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka in March-April. Akhtar said he played the Indian series against doctor’s advice.”I carried that ankle injury from the series against England but I continued to play. Even after the operations I was feeling well before I twisted the ankle earlier this month.”Pakistan’s English coach Bob Woolmer said the loss of Akhtar, who took 17 wickets to help his side beat England 2-0 when they toured last year, was a shame.”It is obviously very disappointing for us but we have coped without Akhtar in the recent past and will have to do so again on the England tour,” said Woolmer, referring to his absence on last year’s India and West Indies tours.Pakistan selectors are due to announce a 16-man squad on Thursday or Friday and will decide whether to field Akhtar in the latter part of the tour after another assessment on his injury.

Download MP3 (right click and select “save target as”)
Streaming Audio: Real :: WMASri Lanka saved some face on the first day of the Trent Bridge Test, with Chaminda Vaas helping them from 139 for 8 to 231. But England had reason to be pleased, as Jon Lewis took 3 for 68 on debut, bowling as well in the sun as he is known to do in overcast conditions. Andrew Miller, Cricinfo’s England editor, takes Ranjit Shinde through the day’s play. Listen in.Download MP3 (right click and select “save target as”)
Streaming Audio: Real :: WMA