Star-studded welcome for Corporate Trophy

Fresh from a much-needed break of nearly two months, India's leading cricketers will begin another packed season with the Corporate Trophy, the BCCI's new showpiece domestic one-day tournament - with Rs 1 crore (US$204,272) for the winners - starting on Tuesday.

The Indian board has invited 12 corporate teams to take part in the eight-day tournament, which will see most of the Indian team - with Sachin Tendulkar a prominent exception - play for their employers across four venues. There are two teams from Air India, which has seven members of the Indian team on its rolls including MS Dhoni, the captain.

On the face of it, the corporate trophy is a high-profile season starter that will help ease top cricketers back into 50-over mode ahead of the one-day tri-series in Sri Lanka -which starts for the Indians on September 11 - and the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa later in the month. The BCCI has staked big money on this - the runners-up get Rs 50 lakh (US$102,109) - claiming that the tournament's prime objective is to promote employment opportunities for domestic cricketers in India's corporate houses.

But the real significance of the tournament possibly lies elsewhere - in its design to kill off another tournament. It was conceived in January, just four months before the Indian board announced its amnesty offer for ICL cricketers. ICL players have since admitted privately that after the corporate tournament was announced they received calls from their employers asking them to wind up their association with the unofficial league. "And then, as we were wondering how we could possibly return to the official fold, came the BCCI's amnesty offer," a leading Indian ICL player said.

As it turned out, the corporate trophy was, in fact, the first nail in the ICL's coffin; the unofficial Twenty20 league cancelled its March programme and that finally led to an exodus of players back into official cricket. At the same time, the BCCI has ensured that the corporate trophy, despite a glittering launch last week, will not cut into the IPL's glamour either in format or content; no foreign players here, and no high-octane promotional campaigns, just the prize money and two major venues in Bangalore and Mohali with Visakhapatnam and Dharamsala hosting the other matches.

Besides, the preliminary rounds don't make for close contests, if the stronger teams play to full strength. Air India (Blue) and ONGC are the clear favourites in Groups A and B. ONGC, led by Gautam Gambhir, have a bowling attack that could represent India on a lean day: Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel and Amit Mishra. Air India (Blue) feature Harbhajan Singh, Dhoni, RP Singh, VVS Laxman and Mohammad Kaif.

Groups C and D are more evenly placed. In Group C, Indian Oil, with Wasim Jaffer and Rohit Sharma being their big draws, could be challenged by Tata Sports Club, who have Rohan Gavaskar, Ajit Agarkar and Ramesh Powar in their ranks. But it's Group D where the real competition is at, with Air India (Red) holding a slight edge over India Cements, who have Rahul Dravid, S Badrinath, L Balaji and Sudeep Tyagi in their line-up.
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Dhoni, Harbhajan gear up for Corporate Trophy

Chandigarh: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh arrived here on Monday to represent the 'Air India Blue' team in the Corporate Cup that begins here on Tuesday.

Leading international and domestic players will be seen in action in the eight-day tournament that will be held at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) stadium at Mohali.

"Everything is well placed and we are looking forward to some good matches at the PCA ground. The weather, though, is a matter of concern. It is raining heavily for the last two days, due to which we had to cancel the practice sessions," Sushil Kapoor, spokesperson of PCA, told IANS on Monday."We have properly covered the pitch and the ground area," he added.

The weatherman, however, has predicted rainfall Tuesday.

"There is a strong possibility of heavy rain in the region on tomorrow. This rainfall will continue for the next three-four days," said Chatar Singh Malik, director of meteorological centre, Chandigarh.

This is for the first time that Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) is organising an inter-corporate cricket tournament. This tournament has been sponsored by Sahara (real estate) and the prize money for the winning team is Rs 1 crore.

A total of 12 teams are participating in the tournament but only three teams- Air India Blue, Indian Revenue and ITC-will play at the PCA stadium.

On the sale of tickets, Kapoor said, "The response has been lukewarm so far. I think people are not aware about the arrival of star players like Dhoni, Harbhajan and R.P. Singh. But we are expecting the sale of tickets to pick up from tomorrow."

The PCA stadium has got four matches of the tournament, including second semi-final match on September 6.

All the 50-over matches will be a day-night affair.

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Knight Riders to wrap up coach screening

Kolkata: With speculation growing over who will take over as coach of their IPL team, Kolkata Knight Riders will have the last phase of screening the prospective coaches in Mumbai on Sunday.

Tipped to be back as captain for IPL III, Sourav Ganguly will join the team think-tank - owners Shah Rukh Khan and Jay Mehta - in Mumbai and the trio would 'interview' former India coach John Wright, former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram and former India batsman Praveen Amre.

Recently the name of Sandeep Patil, who was with the rebel Indian Cricket League and switched sides availing the Board's amnesty offer, too has cropped up in the long list of Knight Riders' probable coaches.
But as of now, Wright and Akram are the only high profile candidates in fray.

The duo are known for their closeness to Ganguly, though the New Zealander is unlikely to get the post as he does not have any experience of coaching a Twenty20 side.

As for Akram, who has Twenty20 experience with Hampshire, may not take up the post on a full-time basis as it would clash with his commentary assignments.

If the Pakistani great is roped in, there would be a different role similar to that of a consultant that would not demand a full-time availability, according to a source.
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Gambhir honoured with Arjuna Award

Gautam Gambhir's prolific run of form since the start of 2008 has earned him a national honour from the President of India, Pratibha Patil. Gambhir on Saturday became the 41st cricketer to be felicitated with the Arjuna Award, instituted in 1961 by the Indian government to recognise outstanding achievement in national sport.

Since the start of last year, Gambhir has averaged 75.19 in Tests with five centuries - he has scored six in all since his debut in November 2004 - and seven fifties. Two of those hundreds came against Australia in the home series towards the end of 2008, which India won 2-0. He followed that up with two centuries in India's 1-0 Test series win in New Zealand and played a critical role in drawing the second Test in Napier after India followed on. In 41 ODIs during the same time span, Gambhir averaged 44.31, scoring four centuries and nine fifties.

Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Virender Sehwag are among the other cricketers to have received this honour. Gambhir is the first cricketer to receive this award in three years; Anjum Chopra, the Indian batsman, who represents the women's team was the last recipient of this honour.
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England's Rashid puts his faith in Mushtaq magic

Adil Rashid hailed the influence of Mushtaq Ahmed as he prepared to face Australia in the upcoming Twenty20 and one-day series.

Yorkshire leg-spinner Rashid, 21, is regarded as one of English cricket's brightest prospects.

Rashid made his international debut during June's World Twenty20 in England, taking three wickets in four matches at an average of just over 31 apiece.

He is now set to feature Sunday in the first of two Twenty20s against Australia here at Old Trafford and Rashid said working with the former Pakistan leg-break bowler Mushtaq Ahmed, now the England spin bowling coach after several successful seasons with county side Sussex, had been a big factor in his development.

"Mushtaq Ahmed has been a good to help to me in that as a spin bowling coach," Rashid told reporters at Old Trafford here on Sunday.

"I learnt about how to bowl to different batsmen, field placing, what pace to bowl and how to set a batsman up."

Reflecting on his World Twenty20 experience, Rashid said: "I learnt quite a bit playing with the likes of KP (KP) Kevin Pietersen, all these big names and obviously from (England coach) Andy Flower.

"There's a bit of nerves at the start but once you bowl your first over, you settle down, feel a bit more relaxed and it was quite good.

"I think I play the game with more enjoyment, more excitement and enthusiasm. I am a more confident player now," said Rashid.

Rashid, included in England's squad for both the upcoming seven-match one-day series against Australia and the Champions Trophy in South Africa, comes into this pair of Twenty20s in superb form.

In his last two County Championship matches, Rashid has made a hundred and bagged five wickets in an innings, scoring 157 not out and taking five for 97 against Lancashire at Headingley before following that up with an unbeaten 117 and five for 41 in the victory away to Hampshire at Basingstoke.

"It hasn't gone too bad for me, the last couple of Championship games," Rashid said.

"I got back into some form with the bat against Hampshire. I felt quite good. At the beginning of the season I was a bit up and down but as the season's gone on I've got a bit more confidence."

Rashid is the first specialist leg-spinner to make it into the England set-up since Chris Schofield played two Tests against Zimbabwe nine years ago.

Leg-spinners have rarely thrived for England but both Andrew Flintoff, who retired from Test cricket following England's Ashes series win earlier this month, and Australia great Shane Warne, have predicted great things for Rashid, the first Yorkshire-born Asian player to represent the county.

"For them to say that means quite a lot to me but I've still got a long way to go," said Rashid, in the running to be a member of England's Test squads for their forthcoming tours of South Africa and Bangladesh.

"I would be delighted to be part of the Test squad but I've still got to work hard in the nets and put performances in and see what happens."

And while Rashid, who made his full one-day international debut in the three-run win away to Ireland in Belfast on Thursday, enjoyed the Ashes as much as any England fan, he said now was the time to focus on the task at hand.

"It was a very good Ashes series for us. All the lads are delighted and confident, it's one of the biggest things to win. But that's in the past now and we've got to look forward to these series and the Champions Trophy."
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Sreesanth sizzles for Warwickshire

London: India discard S Sreesanth put Warwickshire on a strong platform, capturing four Yorkshire wickets for 36 runs to reduce them to 100 for 7 at close on the second day in the four-day tournament.

Earlier, Warwickshire recovered from their early setback after losing four for 53 to score 320 in their first innings in the LV County Championship.

Warwickshire first innings: 320 (T R Ambrose 113, N M Carter 67 Kruis 3/68); Yorkshire 1st innings: 100 for 7 (GL Brophy not out 28; Sreesanth 4/36).

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India was against neutral venues: PCB

Karachi: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ejaz Butt on Friday said that the Indian cricket board squashed its attempts to relocate its share of World Cup games to neutral venues.

"The ICC (International Cricket Council) had no objections over the proposal to have our share of World Cup matches at neutral venues. Other participating teams were also okay with it but the Indians objected to it," Butt said.

The ICC Board in April decided that Pakistan could no longer host the 14 matches it was originally allocated because of the country's volatile internal security situation.

Pakistan had demanded that it be allowed to host its share of World Cup games in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The other three host countries pointed out to Pakistan that the World Cup had been allotted to the four nations and there was no way any of the matches could have been played in a neutral country.
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Kirsten warns of India threat at CT

Chennai: India will recover quickly from their early exit at the Twenty20 World Cup and are certain to mount a serious challenge at the Champions Trophy in South Africa next month, coach Gary Kirsten said.

India have recalled Rahul Dravid to the one-day team for the first time in almost two years to bolster their batting on pacy South African pitches at the September 22-October five Champions Trophy.

A young Indian batting unit struggled against short-pitched bowling in the Twenty20 World Cup in England in June. "We have had a good run right from the tour of Australia and there is great team spirit, though the World Twenty20 was a setback," the former South Africa opener told reporters after the national team's training camp in Bangalore on Thursday.

"We are very positive and all of us want to move on," Kirsten said.

India, who will also participate in a tri-series in Sri Lanka that featuring New Zealand from Sept. 8-14, have not lost a one-day series in the past year following a surprise tri-series victory in Australia last February.

"We take pride in our consistency over a long period. It is a quality team and the players are mentally fresh and look good physically too," Kirsten said.

"It is good to have Rahul Dravid back in the team. He adds massive value to the team," Kirsten said of the former captain, who is only the second Indian after Sachin Tendulkar to score over 10,000 runs in both Test and one-day forms.

Tendulkar has also returned after opting out of the one-day series in the West Indies, which the tourists won 2-1 last month, but explosive opener Virender Sehwag will miss both tournaments after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Ishant Sharma will spearhead the five-man pace attack in the absence of experienced left-armer Zaheer Khan, who has been ruled out of action until the end of the year after undergoing surgery on an injured shoulder.
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Ind and Aus favorites for CT: Intikhab Alam

Coach Intikhab Alam restrained from predicting Pakistan's prospects in the ICC Champions Trophy, but admitted that India and Australia are going to be the biggest threats for Younis Khan's men.

"I would not like to make any claim or prediction because there is nothing much to separate the eight teams taking part in the tournament," Alam said today.

"I can say this much we are perfectly capable of winning the title like we did the Twenty20 World Cup in England. But our first priority should simply be to focus on winning group matches and qualifying for the semi-final," he said.

Alam, who is also a former cricketer, pointed out that Pakistan has been handed a tough pool in the eight-nation tournament commencing in South Africa from September 22.

"India has a dangerous ODI side with a winning mentality and they have quality players as well. Australia is the world champion, but yes, losing the Ashes would surely have some impact on them during the tournament," he said.

Alam feels that Champions Trophy would be a difficult task for the Pakistan cricketers as well.

"They (supporters) always have too much expectations from the team and people tend to forget that other teams are also playing to win. But only what I can say is if we play to our full potential and have some luck, we are capable of winning the tournament," he said.

Alam felt that current squad was a balanced and strong one and the youngsters like Fawad Alam, Muhammad Aamer, Umar Akmal have to handle responsibilities to make the team play quality cricket.

He also defended the inclusion of pace bowler Mohammad Asif into the squad saying, "Critics who were saying his selection was premature after his 16 month lay-off from the sport, forgot he had a splendid record in South Africa.

"I think Asif's selection is perfect for the conditions in South Africa and he has always performed well there. His performance and form would be a key for us in the tournament."

He also caste aside the speculation that there is any row between skipper Younis Khan and him.

"There are some people spreading such rumours and trying to create discord in the team. I have good working relationship with Younis and we get along well. We understand each other's style of working and in the end we both want the team to do well. So where is the problem?" he asked.

Alam also pointed out that the Pakistan Cricket Board had clearly defined the areas of jurisdiction for the captain and coach. "So there is no reason for us to clash or have any differences," he said.

"Pakistani players would attend a 10-day conditioning camp from September 1-10 to prepare for the Champions Trophy and there would be no exception for anyone because of the month of fasting," Alam added.
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Hughes seeks Tendulkar's advice

Dumped Australian opening batsman Phillip Hughes is seeking a meeting with Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar as he attempts to resurrect his stalled Test career, reports said on Saturday.

The dashing 20-year-old went into the recent Ashes series against England as a rising star of the team, only to be dropped after the opening two Tests.

The unorthodox left-hander posted 36 in the drawn first Test in Cardiff and scores of four and 17 in England's victory at Lord's before his place was taken by all-rounder Shane Watson.

Hughes could have travelled home this week, but instead he stopped off in India to work on his game with his coach Neil D'Costa and catch up with Tendulkar.

He intends to fly to Mumbai on Monday and hopes to have dinner with Tendulkar.

"I'll chew his ear off," Hughes told The Australian newspaper.

"I've got questions about a lot of things that I want to ask him. I like getting around and talking to the guys who have been around for a long time.

"Sachin has been around and I've been watching him since I was a youngster.

"He hardly ever seemed to miss out, he always seems to be scoring runs and not just on one or two parks, he gets them everywhere. His consistency is so great and I still love watching him now."

Hughes will also get in some work on his batting technique with his coach D'Costa, who is in India to help out at the newly built cricket academy in Nagpur.

"The goal is to always get better," Hughes said. "I had always planned to catch up with Neil no matter what happened. I wanted to get in the nets with him and keep working on my game."

D'Costa, who also works with Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke, said batting was about mechanics.

"We aren't working on specifics, but one thing I know from working with kids, through adolescence and into their early adulthood, is that your technique does change and you need to keep addressing the biomechanics of it to understand how you are playing," D'Costa told the newspaper.

Hughes said his plans were to return to Australia, play in the Champions League for New South Wales and then start scoring runs at Sheffield Shield level in a bid to force his way back into the Test side.
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Focus shifts to short-pitched bowling

Friday at the Chinnaswamy Stadium was the machinery-oiling day. On the second day of their pre-season conditioning camp in Bangalore, India's ODI players went through a thorough welcome back after their seven-week break - their tired faces and panting bodies on a pleasant Bangalore day suggested as much. There was not much out of the ordinary - just a good old-fashioned workout on their physical strength, fielding, batting and bowling.

There was the familiar scene of Gary Kirsten, the coach, firing his tennis serves against the batsmen to sharpen their technique against short-pitched bowling. Last year, before the home series against Australia, and also in the camp leading into the New Zealand tour, Kirsten employed the exercise. He literally serves - from about 18 yards - a ball that looks like a tennis ball but harder. Only recently, in the World Twenty20, the batsmen were found wanting against the short stuff.

The ball either bounces awkwardly into the ribs or - if there is some slice put to it - swings away from a right-hand batsman prodigiously. Those sliced serves were not very frequent today. On an adjoining concrete track at the National Cricket Academy, Robin Singh, the fielding coach, waited with throwdowns, all rising into the ribs and higher. Today was also the first time in close to two years that Rahul Dravid trained with the Indian ODI team.

Kirsten had, before the start of this camp, spoken about short-pitched bowling: "In terms of our gameplans, our training, our structures, we try and cover every base that we need to make sure we give ourselves best chance of success. That might be one of it, but there might be a whole lot others."

That was the theme of the camp today, albeit with a slightly sharpened focus on the shorter stuff. Apart from that, there were two tracks that the batsmen batted on: one a spicy pitch that helped the net bowlers turn the ball a long way, and the other, a friendlier surface where the India bowlers bowled.

The nets, though, started in the afternoon, after a two-hour fielding-cum-fitness session in the morning, at the main ground. After warm-ups and football games, the team was divided into the groups of five as Kirsten, Robin and Paddy Upton, the mental conditioning coach, worked on various aspects of their fielding. The work on physical strength included games of badminton, which some of them played after finishing nets.

The camp will go on for two more days, during which the team may get away for a bonding session (there has been no official communication in that regard), before they disperse to play for their respective companies in the BCCI's Corporate Trophy.
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Fan sells shop, meets Dhoni to please girlfriend

Ranchi: Ever heard a fan selling his shop, the lone source of his income, just to be photographed with his idol, as per the wish of his girlfriend?

That is what 23-year-old Ravindra Kumar Saini of Uttar Pradesh did.

Hailing from Saharangpur in Uttar Pradesh, Saini sold his audio/video CD shop to fund his trip to Ranchi and stay here.He stayed here for 35 days, looking for an opportunity to shake hands with Dhoni and get photographed.

His cherished moments came Wednesday at the airport when Dhoni was leaving for Mumbai. Saini sprung a surprise as security personnel stood gaping. The Indian skipper however shook hands with him and lensmen clicked, promising to send the photograph to him.

"We know that this man was staying in Ranchi for quite some time. He approached us to meet Dhoni. He fulfilled his dream meeting Dhoni at the airport," Animesh Kumar, a friend of the Dhonis, said.
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Rohit and Raina dismiss short-ball worries

Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina, two of the young Indian batsmen who were troubled by bouncers during India's underwhelming World Twenty20 campaign in June, have said they are comfortable facing the short ball.

India were among the favourites for the tournament held in England, but their highly rated batting line-up came unstuck against a barrage of bouncers, losing all three matches in the Super Eights stage.

Rohit flopped when used as a makeshift opener, dismissed attempting the pull in the crucial games against West Indies and England, after a great run in the IPL. "The pull is my favourite shot. You can't judge us based on a couple of matches," he said at the sidelines of a promotional event in Bangalore. "In fact, I was doing well in South Africa (in the IPL) against the short ball. I know we didn't do well in the World T20, but that happens."

Another batsman who came into the tournament with a burgeoning reputation only to fall flat was Raina, who has also said that too much shouldn't be read into the defeats.

"It is unfair to judge based on our performance in a couple of games," he said. "Both Rohit and I have handled short balls well in the past and we have hit them out of the ground as well. World T20 was a bad experience, but if you have any doubts about my handling of the short ball, you will get the answer soon."

Raina missed the short tour of the Caribbean after the World Twenty20 due to a thumb injury but has recovered and is in the one-day squad for the upcoming tri-series in Sri Lanka. Rohit was in the depleted side that played West Indies, but made only 15 runs in three innings and has been dropped. Like Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan, he is also recuperating from a shoulder injury, and has targeted an early return to the international stage.

"It's very disappointing to lose your place in the side, but these things happen in cricket," he said. "There are many senior cricketers who have advised me to come out of that feeling quickly. There is a lot of domestic cricket lined up and I will work hard to come back into the national side. My immediate task is to get fit and there are a lots of things to work upon."
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Nannes to play for Delhi in the CL

Australian Dirk Nannes will represent Delhi Daredevils in the inaugural Champions League Twenty20, a move that would cost the Indian Premier League side USD 200,000.

Of the nine cricketers eligible to play for multiple teams, only Nannes was nominated in the preliminary squads of both the Daredevils and Victorian Bushrangers.

"Dirk Nannes, who was nominated by both the Delhi Daredevils and the Victorian Bushrangers, has informed Champions League Twenty20 that he will play for his 'away' team, the Delhi Daredevils, rather than his 'home' team, the Victorian Bushrangers," Dean Kino, a CLT20 Governing Council Member, said in a statement.

"As a result, Delhi is required to pay USD 200,000 compensation to Victoria according to regulations. The other players who were eligible for multiple teams will compete for their 'home' teams in the tournament, while Dwayne Smith who was considered an 'away' player for both Deccan and Sussex, will represent his English team," Keno said.

Besides Nannes and Smith, other cricketers who faced the loyalty dilemma were Nathan Bracken (NSW Blues, Royal Challengers Bangalore), Brendon McCullum (Otago Bolts, NSW Blues), David Warner (NSW Blues, Delhi Daredevils), Cameron White (Victorian Bushrangers, Royal Challengers Bangalore), Andrew McDonald (Victorian Bushrangers, Delhi Daredevils), Herschelle Gibbs (Cape Cobras, Deccan Chargers) and Farveez Maharoof (Wayamba, Delhi Daredevils).

Young Indian leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, who represents Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League, will be turning out for Sussex Sharks in the USD 6 million prize money event commencing at Hyderabad on October 8.

Chawla has been named in the preliminary squad of the English county outfit for the tournament concluding on October 23.

After the 12 teams submitted their preliminary squads for the October 8-23 event, the organisers said of the 234 players nominated, 110 have played international cricket.

"The announcement of the preliminary squads ensures the first Champions League Twenty20 will be a true contest between the best of the best. A congregation of the world's best players, playing for the world's best domestic teams, vying for the ultimate prize to be crowned Champions - we could not have asked for anything more," Chairman of the CLT20 Governing Council Lalit Modi said.

"The calibre of players named by the competing teams is extraordinary. We have World Cup champions, both in 50-over and Twenty20 cricket, international captains, legends of the game and some of the world's top-ranked players," he added.

Teams now have until September 7 to trim their squads to 15 ahead of the tournament.

Illustrating the quality of the world-class squads that have been named, New South Wales Blues and the Delhi Daredevils will each be capable of playing a team wholly comprising of international players.

Wayamba, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Victorian Bushrangers meanwhile have 10 internationals each in their ranks.

The other teams have equally impressive line-ups.

Trinidad & Tobago and Sussex feature nine players with international experience, while the Cape Cobras and Deccan Chargers have eight, Otago has seven and the Diamond Eagles and Somerset have four apiece.
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I'm worried about team, not coach: Ganguly

Kolkata: The selection of the coach for Kolkata Knight Riders seems to be hotting up with more and more candidates entering the fray, Pakistan cricket legend Wasim Akram being the latest addition.

Just a day after his name was thrown in for the post of KKR coach, Wasim Akram has said that he is keen to give it a shot.

The former Pakistan captain said he was scheduled to meet Shah Rukh Khan on Sunday to discuss the assignment.

"It requires a lot of patience and that is something I have acquired over a period of time. I have played alongside Sourav Ganguly and Chris Gayle. I will be able to pass on some skills and techniques with the on-field experience I have," Akram told ESPN.

The man in the centre of it all, Sourav Ganguly spoke of his rapport with some of the men shortlisted for the job and his other roles on the sidelines.

Sourav Ganguly: "The KKR people have taken interview of lot of coaches. We have got some more to go on the next Sunday after which Shah Rukh and Joy will decide who the new coach is. There are definitely some big names and hopefully, we will get the right person."

CNN-IBN: Wasim Akram has also joined the race apart from John Wright and Pravin Amre. Are you looking for a blend of foreign and Indian coaches?

Sourav Ganguly: "I am not too worried about the coaches. I am really worried about the team, what team we put on the park. I am spending a lot of time trying to get that right."

CNN-IBN: John Wright and you had a very good time when he was the coach and you were the captain of the Indian team. So now, how are you looking forward to it?

Sourav Ganguly: "Well, let him get first selected. Let us not jump the gun. Obviously, I had a great relationship with John. He is a great man. He's worked superbly with me as India's coach."

CNN-IBN: Did you suggest Wasim Akram's name?

Sourav Ganguly: "I have a good relationship with Wasim and, with other people as well. Shah Rukh and Wasim had a chat. Wasim is a great bowler. I know him very well. So, he will be fine."

CNN-IBN: You have been selected as the chairman of the Cricket Development Committee of the CAB. What sort of developments are you looking forward to?

Sourav Ganguly: "I have made a plan and hopefully, I will get them implemented. Implementation is more important. You can develop a whole lot of things but as long as you don't implement them, it gets nothing. So once I get the official confirmation, I will try and implement them."

CNN-IBN: How are you looking forward to IPL-III?

Sourav Ganguly: "We will just go and play. Past has got nothing to do."

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Murali joins Victoria to play Oz T20 games

Melbourne: Muttiah Muralitharan, the leading wicket taker in international cricket, is to join Victoria for the upcoming Australian domestic Twenty20 competition.

Cricket Victoria chief executive Tony Dodemaide announced the signing Wednesday, saying the Sri Lankan spin great would join West Indies allrounder Dwayne Bravo as the Bushrangers' international players for the interstate T20 league.

"Murali is without peer in terms of current spinners in world cricket and a true legend of the game," Dodemaide said in a statement. "He holds records for the most wickets in both Test and one-day cricket and has an impressive record in Twenty20s as well, capable of match-turning spells and conceding less than 6 runs an over on average - a remarkable performance in this frenetic new format."

Victoria was also home to Australia's leading spinner Shane Warne who retired from Test cricket in 2006-07 as the leading wicket taker with 708 dismissals — a mark Muralitharan passed in December, 2007.

Muralitharan, who was no-balled for chucking at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2005, and had regularly been subjected to barracking by Australian fans, was eager to experience being a crowd favorite at the 100,000-capacity ground.

"What a thrill it will be to play in front of a 'home' crowd at the mighty MCG," he said in a statement. "It's an exciting prospect and a great honor, and I look forward to playing my part in the Bushrangers' team and hopefully entertaining Victorian and Australian fans."

The trophy for the Australia-Sri Lanka Test series is named after both of the great spin bowlers, something Muralitharan noted ahead of the signing.

"Shane Warne and I share the honour of having a trophy that bears our names, and I'm delighted to be following in his footsteps as a Victorian spinner."

Australia's six state teams are each allowed two international players for the Dec. 28-Jan. 23 T20 competition. The two finalists in the competition qualify for the Champions League, which features the leading T20 provincial teams from around the world.

Victoria and New South Wales qualified for the inaugural Champions League, which will be held in India in October.

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Vettori reaches landmark with 300-wicket in Test cricket

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori has become only the eighth player and the second from New Zealand to achieve 300 wickets and 3000 runs in Test cricket. Vettori took his 300th wicket in the afternoon session on day one of the second Test against Sri Lanka, at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo.

Vettori, playing his 94th test, secured the two wickets he required when dismissing struggling opener Tharanga Paranavitana – who edged the bowler's second ball of the day to Ross Taylor in the slips, and then removing opposing skipper Kumar Sangakkara - who attempted a sweep from outside the off stump but succeeded only in lofting the ball straight to Jacob Oram at mid-wicket.

Vettori, 30, now joins the company of cricketing greats Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, fellow Kiwi Richard Hadlee, Imran Khan, Shane Warne, Shaun Pollock and Chaminda Vaas as the only players to achieve the double of 300 wickets and 3000 runs.

New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive Justin Vaughan - who was at the SSC ground to watch Vettori's success - congratulated the captain on an outstanding achievement. "This is a huge honour for Dan - he can be rightfully proud of his record as a preeminent Test cricketer," said Vaughan. "He is recognised as one of the most skilful left arm spinners on the international stage during recent times, and has proven himself as a resourceful batsman many times over.”

"Dan is also an exceptional leader and one of the most intelligent and considered captains in the game. To have achieved to the standard of players of the calibre of Pollock, Botham and Khan, for example, speaks volumes for Dan's ability with both ball and bat.” he added.

"It's also an honour for New Zealand to be the only country with two players in that illustrious club."

Vettori – who made his debut at the age of 18 in 1997, picked up his first test wicket of former England captain Nasser Hussain, caught by Bryan Young while his career highlights include a match analysis of 12 for 149 against Australia at Eden Park in March 2000.

His best bowling innings to date is a haul of 7 for 87 against Australia at Auckland in March 2000 - a match in which also he took his top match figures of 12 for 149. He has achieved 18 five-wicket innings, and three 10-wicket match returns. His current Test bowling average is 33.52.

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Pakistan wary of wounded Australians

KARACHI (Reuters) - Pakistan are bracing themselves for an Australia backlash at next month's Champions Trophy in South Africa after Ricky Ponting's side lost the Ashes series to England.

Pakistan are drawn in the same group as defending champions Australia and Pakistan captain Younis Khan fears that could spell trouble for his team.

"It would be foolish to rule out Australia from the title run in the Champions Trophy," Younis told Reuters on Tuesday.

"They have some wonderful back up talent and they are strong contenders for the title."

Younis, who spent the last season playing in Australia's Sheffield Shield competition, said his first-hand experience in Australia's first-class competition convinced him the Ashes loss was a temporary failure.

"Their bowling lacked experience for English conditions. But they have lots of talent," he said.

"(They have) a very good captain and the moment they sit down and plan out their future they will comeback strongly."

Pakistan, who were originally chosen to host this year's Champions Trophy before it was moved to South Africa for security reasons, have a poor record in the event, failing to make the final in six attempts.

They are drawn in a tough pool with Australia, West Indies and India but are feeling confident of beating their great rivals after winning this year's Twenty20 World Cup title in England.

The only time Pakistan have defeated India in any of the ICC's three major events, the World Cup, Champions Trophy and Twenty20 World Cup, was at the 2004 Champions Trophy and Younis is hoping for a repeat in South Africa.

"The fact that we have only beaten them once in ICC events is at the back of our minds," he said.

"We want to put the record straight in this Champions trophy."
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There won't be a 1-team domination: Dravid

The one-team domination in Test cricket has ended with Australia's decline, feels veteran Indian batsman Rahul Dravid, who foresees the number one spot changing hands every few months between India, Sri Lanka and South Africa.

"I don't think you'll see one team dominating like Australia did, at least not in the immediate future," Dravid said.

"There are three or four teams that are evenly matched and you could see the number one spot change hands a few times in the next couple of years," the 36-year-old, who makes a comeback to the Indian One-day side after two years, added.

Asked whether India would also face the transitional crisis that the Australians are battling once the likes of Sachin Tendulkar retire, Dravid said it would boil down to how well the Indian pace bowling attack shapes up.

"We've got a great blend of experienced cricketers, and promising talent coming through. We've done really well over the past couple of years and if we can keep a core group of fast bowlers fit enough to support the spinners then we have as good a chance as anyone," he told 'The Guardian'.

"When Australia dominated, it was the bowling of McGrath and Warne that was the key and I believe that England won Ashes series because they had the more balanced bowling attack. We certainly have that balance, and so do Sri Lanka and South Africa. I think the bowling strength will determine which team gets to top," he added.

On his assessment of the Ashes that England won 2-1, Dravid said the series never looked one-sided and could have gone either way.

"I always expected it to be close, and it was. But England won the moments that mattered, and over the course of the five Tests, I'd say that they just about edged it," he said.

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Salman Khan hoping to buy an IPL franchise

Salman Khan could become the latest Bollywood superstar to join the Indian Premier League bandwagon with the actor today expressing his interest in bidding for a franchise for the 2011 edition of the cash-rich event.

Salman met IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi today and discussed the procedure to buy a team for the 2011 edition which will see the addition of two more franchises.

Modi disclosed that Salman was in discussion with him on this matter for the last few months but they had a formal meeting only now.

"We were having a discussion for last few months but this is our first official meeting," Modi said.

Modi said, although it was too early to say anything but he felt the actor was a "serious buyer".

"He was interested to know what it takes to own a team, what's the process, when it will be initiated and what's the timeline for it. I think he is a serious buyer," Modi said.

Asked if he was interested in any particular existing team or a new team, Modi said "it's for a new team".

IPL is set to introduce two new teams in the 2011 season and the franchise may "cost over USD 200-300 million".

At present, Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla (Kolkata Knight Riders), Preity Zinta (King's XI Punjab) and Shilpa Shetty (Rajasthan Royals) are associated with the high-profile Twenty20 cricket tournament.

Modi also disclosed that he had a long list of celebrities interested in buying a team in the IPL.

"We have large number of people interested in it with over 20 celebrities asking to become franchisees, although I don't want to name them," he said.

Modi also admitted that having a film star added to the glitter of the event.

"It does add to the spark (of the event)," he said.

Modi said the IPL organising committee will inform all the prospective buyers once it begins the bidding process.
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Ashes review: England

After the Ashes are done and dusted it is now time for the post-mortems and the reviews to follow. In this final installment of a two part series, Srivathsa gives his take on the English side's performance over the last 5 matches.

Andrew Strauss - 474 runs at 52.66 in 9 innings

The rock of Gibraltar at the top of the order for England, Strauss was the batsman that the Aussies loved to dismiss early on. He played with an assurance and exuded monk-like calmness at the crease. Setting the tone for a huge first innings score at Lord's with a measured innings of 161, Strauss was impeccable in his judgment of line and length and once he got in, it was a huge task to get him out. He has sorted out his technical shortcomings and emerged a stronger batsman. His importance was further underscored by the fact that when he failed in Headingley, England lost by an innings. As for his captaincy, Strauss' decisions- like giving Onions the first over at Edgbaston or his preference to allow Stuart Broad a go after lunch at the Oval- paid off handsomely. He never looked flustered or fazed by the situation and exuded a tremendous amount of confidence. Strauss also had the better of Ponting in the captaincy stakes. It can safely be said that he was a huge factor in England regaining the Ashes.

Verdict - Top class. Could not have done better, either with the bat or with the captaincy. He looks suited to lead England for many more years

Alastair Cook - 222 runs at 24.66 in 9 innings

Apart from his swashbuckling innings of 95 at Lord's, Cook did little of note in the remainder of the series. He was quite vulnerable to the moving ball and struggled when the ball was pitched up. Cook has a tendency of playing across his front pad and he sparred at deliveries outside the off-stump - which meant that he was dismissed LBW or caught in the slips cordon frequently. He was unable to concentrate for longer periods and as only 2 scores of more than fifty against the old enemy in 10 Ashes Tests testify, he has failed to live upto expectations. He remains a fine close catcher though, as he took some vital catches in the series.

Verdict - Poor. He can certainly play much better than the runs to his name would suggest. Needs to be on guard as some young opening talents are pressing for a spot

Ian Bell - 140 runs at 28 in 5 innings

The 'Shermanator' as he has been named by Shane Warne, Ian Bell remains the biggest enigma of English cricket in recent years. He started off the series with a lucky fifty at Edgbaston after being called up to the side in place of an injured Pietersen. Then he promptly failed at Headingley, giving rise to further doubts about his temperament. He was pushed to number 3 at the OVal and after surviving a torrid spell from Johnson, he made a fine 72 to set up England's win. Bell likes to score heavily when someone else takes the initiative and still lacks the capability to take hold of the match by the scruff of the neck. He found it hard to negotiate the short pitched stuff from Johnson and at times looked flimsy and ill-equipped to handle serious pace.

Verdict - Average. Continues to disappoint and thrill in equal measure. Still has a long way to go to cement his position in the side

Paul Collingwood - 250 at 27.77 in 9 innings

The battler in the English middle order, Collingwood played one of the best innings of his life when he gritted his way to a match-saving 74 at Cardiff. That innings should have been a harbinger of things to come, instead it led to a massive downward slide as he failed to make a mark in the remainder of the series. He lost his nerve for battle as he poked at balls - resulting in catches behind the wicket. Collingwood had trouble facing Hilfenhaus and his nemesis Stuart Clark returned at Headingley to further dent his morale. By the end of the series, he looked very shaky and was easy prey for the Aussies. His lack of runs played on his mind as he dropped a dolly of Mike Hussey at the Oval and was way short of his usually high fielding standards.

Verdict - Inconsistent. As age continues to catch up with him and with young batsmen breathing down his neck, he is under pressure to retain his position

Jonathan Trott - 160 runs at 80 in 2 innings

He was considered a risky choice for the Oval in his debut Test, but he made everyone eat humble pie with a solid century in the second innings. He played well in the first dig too, before he was unlucky to be run-out. He resembles a modern day 'Steve Waugh'- minus the Aussie's shortcomings against the short ball- as he plays much like the great battler used to. He never looked out of place or out of depth and rarely looked flustered. Trott grabbed his opportunity with both hands and made it count big time.

Verdict - Brilliant. A top class pick, if ever there was one. Could play for a long time if the English media does not go overboard about him

Andrew Flintoff - 200 runs at 33.33 in 7 innings, 8 wickets at 52.12 in 7 innings

The talisman of the English side, Flintoff came into the series with serious doubts about his knee. He somehow managed to play in 4 of the 5 matches and was a constant threat to the Aussies. He was irresistible at Lord's on the final morning as he tore through the Aussies with some of the best fast bowling seen in recent times. The knee injury kept him out of Headingley but he came back for a final hurrah at the Oval. Though he did not do much with either bat or ball, he produced the game-breaking moment of the match when he ran-out Ponting with a bullet like throw. That act was his final stamp on a mixed career as he ended it on a high. He produced a high quality innings of 74 at Edgbaston, but apart from that never shone with the bat. He never could touch the stratospheric heights of 2005, but the Flintoff of 2009, albeit on a pin-cushion of a knee was still a sight to behold. Flintoff had the crowd on the edge whenever he came out to bat or ran in to bowl. Nobody knows better than him how to milk the crowd as many Kodak poses would testify.

Verdict - Pretty good. When he was on song, he was too hot to handle. World cricket will surely miss super Fred. A true people's champion

Matt Prior - 261 at 32.62 in 9 innings, 11 catches and a stumping in 8 innings

Prior was selected on the basis that he was the best batsman among all the wicket-keepers in the country and he did no harm to that reputation by playing some crucial cameos at Lord's and Birmingham. His innings of 61 in the 2nd essay at Lord's was a momentum-changing one as he came in when the innings was crawling at a snail's pace. More than his batting, it was his keeping that caught everyone's eye as he conceded far less byes (44 compared to Haddin's 76 in the series). Kept superbly throughout the series and his quick silver stumping off North at the Oval topped off the summer for him. Prior's work with wicket-keeping coach Bruce French has paid rich dividends and he only can get better from here.

Verdict - Brilliant. Was one of the major performers for England and is now the undisputed number 1 keeper

Stuart Broad - 234 runs at 29.95 in 9 innings, 18 wickets at 30.22 in 8 innings

He was quite anonymous with the ball in the first three matches as he looked out of depth and confused. He did not know whether he wanted to be a line and length bowler or a swing bowler as he continuously bowled without purpose. When the conditions did not favor him, he was listless and was in severe danger of losing his place at Headingley, yet he was picked and regained his mojo with a 6 wicket haul and then he produced arguably the spell of the series as he skittled Australia out for 160 to spark England's bid to regain the Ashes. As for his batting, he swatted the ball with gay abandon. His late order exploits helped England seize some crucial momentum. He was not willing to back down from a fight as well as he exchanged fiery words with Mitchell Johnson at Birmingham. As the series progressed, his confidence soared as well.

Verdict - An up and down series. Finished the series on a high and is expected to be the next Flintoff which could place a huge burden on him

Graeme Swann - 249 runs at 35.57 in 8 innings, 14 wickets at 40.5 in 8 innings

Swann finished as the 4th highest run-getter for England in the series, which is a huge surprise to many, but not to him as he displayed rare determination to slam some crucial runs at the fag end of the innings. He batted far better than a number 9 batsman and attacked at every given opportunity with the willow. His innings of 62 at Leeds provided the Headingley crowd some cheer as England were heading towards a humiliating defeat. He courageously faced a barrage of short pitched stuff from Siddle at Cardiff and took some painstaking blows to his body enroute to a match saving innings of 31. He disappointed as a spinner in the 1st Test, but came into his own with a match winning haul of 8/158 at the Oval. On occasions he was guilty of bowling too flat and trying too hard in the final innings of a match- a case in point being the match at Edgbaston. The 'Joker' of the team, Swann continues to make waves.

Verdict - Very good. Finally bowled England to victory at the Oval after threatening to do so throughout. Continues to be the leading finger spinner in the country

James Anderson - 99 runs at 16.5 in 8 innings, 12 wickets at 45.16 in 8 innings

When in full flow and when the conditions suit his swing bowling, Anderson is near unplayable as he proved at Lord's in the 1st innings. But when the pitch flattened out and the ball became old, he was guilty of not pitching it up - which is his biggest strength - and his mind drifted at times as well. He was way below his best at Headingley as he tweaked his hamstring while batting. Anderson was the spearhead of the attack and he fell some way short of fulfill that responsibility. With the bat, he was one half of the famous pair who rescued England at Cardiff with a last wicket rearguard effort, but he finally managed a duck in his 55th innings at Test level when he was trapped in front by Hilfenhaus at the Oval.

Verdict - Average. Fell short of the huge expectation placed on him as a spearhead, but still is the first name on the bowling front to be on the teamsheet

Steve Harmison - 31 runs at 31 in 3 innings, 5 wickets at 33.40 in 3 innings

Big 'Harmy', as he is affectionately called by his team-mates, is the eternal enigma that no one has understood so far. After he bounced out Phil Hughes in a tour game at Worcester, he was expected to play at Cardiff, but the selectors thought otherwise and resisted picking him until Headingley even as he picked up loads of wickets for Durham in the county championship. Once unleashed at Headingley, he bowled some menacing spells coupled with some of the worst that he can conjure up. It left a further question mark over his place at the Oval, although his favourable record there helped him retain his spot. And the real Harmison stood up as he finished off the Aussie 2nd innings after lurking harmlessly all through the match. He did not get enough chances to show his tail-end skills with the bat.

Verdict - Neutral. Expect the unexpected from Steve Harmison and that holds true all the time. He might have played his last Test at the Oval as he considers retirement.

Graham Onions - 19 runs at 9.5 in 4 innings, 10 wickets at 30.3 in 5 innings

The perfect English seamer, Onions was the darling of the media for his tasty name. He bowled quite splendidly whenever he got a chance to play and was desperately unlucky to miss out at the Oval. Onions took 2 in 2 balls to start the slide at Edgbaston and never gave anything away by constantly attacking the stumps. Like Broad, he needs the conditions to help him just a bit and his main challenge will come when he is faced with sub-continental type wickets. He also was the subject of much media attention due to singer Lily Allen's perceived interest in him as she regularly asked on Twitter whether Onions was married.

Verdict - Good. He did well in the opportunities he got and has already booked his slot as the 3rd seamer in the side

Ravinder Bopara - 105 at 15 in 7 innings

He came to the Ashes series high on form and confidence after slamming three consecutive hundreds against the Windies. Then Shane Warne decided to do his bit for Australia by saying that Bopara is too cocky and does not have the temperament to succeed at Test level. That proved to be a masterstroke as he crumbled under the relentless swing bowling of Hilfenhaus. That comment by Warne looked to have been haunting him all through as he floundered for the first 4 matches before being dropped for the Oval Test. He could not sort out Hilfenhaus as he fell to him on 5 occasions. Bopara's technique seemed to take a beating as he fished at balls and also succumbed to the one that shaped back into him. After the Headingley Test, he went back and made a double hundred for Essex, but that failed to win him a place for the final Test.

Verdict - A huge disappointment. He remains a fine talent though, and with some runs at the domestic level, he could return with a bang. He will also be better off after the Ashes experience

Kevin Pietersen - 153 at 38.25 in 4 innings

What can one say about a man who polarises opinion in England like no other. Pietersen came to the Ashes looking to further cement his status as an unbelievable talent, but left midway after hobbling out with an Achilles injury. Even when he played in those 2 Test matches he gave critics enough ammunition to corner him by playing one of the daftest shots in recent memory at Cardiff. He looked far from the world beating KP that everyone had become accustomed to as he struggled to find any semblance of form in the 2 games that he played. Even so, it speaks volumes about the man's aura that the Aussies were relieved when it was announced that he would not take part for the remainder of the Ashes series.

Verdict - Neutral. There is no doubt that he is England's premier batsman and few can dominate a match like he can. He is also a thorough professional

Monty Panesar - 11 runs in 2 innings, 1 wicket at 115 in one inning

Panesar's contribution of 7* of 35 deliveries in the second dig at Cardiff was the single biggest factor in England regaining the Ashes- if Panesar had got out, the series would have been 2-2 after the Oval Test. No one expected Monty to hang on for so long, but he achieved the improbable. Even though he did not play any further part in the series it was enough for him to leave a lasting impact. His heroic effort at Cardiff should not mask the fact that he his bowling has plummetted to abysmal levels, which meant that when England had the option to pick 2 spinners at the Oval, their lack of confidence in him led to his omission.

Verdict - Poor with the ball but attained cult like status after his batting effort at Cardiff. He needs to improve drastically to reclaim his spinner's slot in the team
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Akram keen to coach Knight Riders

New Delhi: Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram expressed his keenness to coach the Kolkata Knight Riders and said he was scheduled to meet the IPL franchise owner Shah Rukh Khan on Sunday to discuss the assignment.

The former tearaway said he has received a call from Shah Rukh's secretary, inviting him for a "chat" to discuss a coaching assignment with the Knight Riders on August 30.

"Sunday, I will be there for sure and I am keen. I am ready. Check me out," said Akram, who has emerged as a strong contender for the job.
"I have never done formal coaching before. It is a different skill and is honed over a period of time. It requires a lot of patience and that is something I have acquired over a period of time. I came to Delhi to teach bowling skills to youngsters and that was a good experience. So it's worth giving the KKR job a shot," he told Mobile ESPN.

Asked if was aware that he was vying with the likes of John Wright and Richard Pybus to replace John Buchanan, Akram said he was confident about passing on his valuable experience to players.

"I have played 20 years of international cricket. I have played alongside Sourav Ganguly and Chris Gayle. I will be able to pass on some skills and techniques with the on-field experience I have. That's me," he said.

Interestingly, former Kiwi captain and ex-India coach Wright is meeting Shah Rukh on the same day as Akram to explore options for the high-profile job.

"I will tell him what I am capable of. The rest is his call. He will surely do my homework. It's great that a non-cricketing man is taking so much interest. He's a smart guy," Akram said.

On who should captain the KKR, Akram's choice was clear.

"Ultimately, the management should decide who should lead the side, but according to me, (Sourav) Ganguly is the man. He has been India's best skipper and is the senior-most member of the side, who can command the respect of the team," said Akram.
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Harbhajan for more Tests to keep format alive

Indian offspinner Harbhajan Singh has suggested that the best way of keeping Test cricket healthy is to play more Test matches. Citing the example of England's exciting victory to regain the Ashes, Harbhajan said the longer form of the game is alive and kicking and there's no need for any radical moves like playing night Tests.

"If you look at the Ashes, every day had such large crowds in the stadiums, [as much] as you would see for a Twenty20 game," Harbhajan said. "I think you should keep all the three formats, but increase the number of Test matches." He added that he would like to play 12-15 Tests per year.

Unlike the Ashes, which was a sellout at all five venues, the response to Tests on the subcontinent, including India, has been lukewarm. One recent and prominent example was Sourav Ganguly's farewell Test in Nagpur during the 2008 home series against Australia, which was witnessed by only a few thousand despite the huge popularity of the former India captain. Harbhajan, who was the second-highest wicket-taker in Tests last year, said the administrators need to market Test cricket creatively to enliven the fans' enthusiasm.

"The spectators may not like Test cricket that much but as a cricketer I want to play more Test matches. It is just you need to bring a lot of people into the stadium by creating that kind of buzz in the market," Harbhajan said. As a solution, suggested recently by Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan said it would be good to offer free entry to students on weekends.

"If Sachin Tendulkar plays a Ranji Trophy match a 25,000-strong crowd turns up. So if you plan properly then certainly we will draw people back to the stadium to watch Test cricket," Harbhajan said. "I have seen whenever we play in Chennai or Bangalore we get the same crowd as we would get for a one-day match."
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Khan plotting demolition of India

KARACHI, 25 AUG: Pakistan captain Younis Khan (in photo) says he has a “burning ambition” to set the record straight against India by defeating them in the Champions Trophy beginning in South Africa next month.
Since the International Cricket Council launched the 50-over World Cup in 1975 and other global events subsequently, Pakistan have only once defeated India in these big-time events when they won at Birmingham in the 2004 Champions Trophy. “The fact that we lost twice to India in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in 2007 and then also in that World Cup match in 2003 in South Africa still hurts,” Younis said.
“India are a very good one-day side but it is my burning ambition to set the record straight against them and defeat them this time in the Champions Trophy in South Africa this time,” he said.
Cricket ties between the two countries have remained suspended since the terror attacks in Mumbai last November with India cancelling a scheduled Test tour of Pakistan in January this year. “It would be a big moment when we play India in the Champions Trophy pool match at the Centurion on 26 September as we have not played against each other for a while now,” Younis said.
“It will not be easy but we have some extra incentive to beat India given our track record in South Africa,” he added.
Younis refused to dismiss defending champions Australia in spite of their recent Ashes series defeat in England. “It would be foolish to rule out Australia just because they have lost the Ashes. They have a strong domestic structure and this ensures they have good back -up talent. It is a matter of time before they settle down and stage a strong fightback,” he said. Younis said he had a lot of respect for Australia and said although they had lost the Ashes they were capable of doing well in the Champions Trophy under an experienced captain like Ricky Ponting.
“You can never rule out teams like Australia or South Africa. They come back strongly because they stick to their basic plans very well and they have back -up plans as well all the time.”
The Pakistan captain said his team were capable of winning the Champions Trophy as they had a good combination of players and Mohammad Asif's selection would add depth to the team's bowling attack. “But he (Asif) has not played for a long time and we will not be putting too much pressure on him. We are not going to South Africa with high expectations from him. He will require time to settle down in international cricket again.”
Khan today said he was under no threat of losing his captaincy after the recent series defeat in Sri Lanka. Nor does he feel threatened by the elevation of Shahid Afridi as his vice-captain for the Champions Trophy. “I have never run after captaincy. It was offered to me a number of times in the past and I didn't accept it because of various reasons. This time I accepted the captaincy because I felt I could do something good for the team,” Younis said. “But the captaincy has never been a big issue with me and my job is only to try to get the best performances out of the team and ensure they give good results,” he said.
The media has carried reports in past few days that the appointment of Afridi as vice-captain has come about as the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, Mr Ijaz Butt, is not very happy with Younis's performance as captain.
The media also speculated that Mr Butt might soon promote Afridi as the new captain for one-day matches as well. But Younis said he was not bothered by such reports.
“The way cricket is run in Pakistan is funny. When we won the Twenty20 World Cup everyone was praising my captaincy. We had one bad series in Sri Lanka and the guns are turned towards me.”
Younis also said he had no issues at all with Afridi being promoted as vice-captain.
“This is not a threat for me at all. Because we have a good equation and we worked closely in the Twenty20 World Cup. As far as the appointment of vice-captain or team officials is concerned I have no issues with the board.” Younis also said he wanted the national conditioning camp to be held in two phases before the Champions Trophy.
“The first phase will be held from 1 to 4 September and we will focus purely on physical training. We will then take a break and then have another four to five days' training camp purely for batting and bowling before we leave on 17 September from Karachi for South Africa,” he said. Younis said because of the holy month of Ramzan the schedule of the conditioning camps had to be changed as the players needed a break to spend time with their families. “But I will definitely ask the Pakistan Cricket Board to have these camps at small centres and not at Lahore and Karachi, where they are too many distractions for the players.” He said the players would have counselling sessions with a sports psychologist in these camps.
'Not a gamble'
The Pakistan coach, Mr Intikhab Alam, has described Mohammad Asif's selection for the Champions Trophy as a step in the positive direction. The comment came after former Test players had described Asif's selection as a big gamble because the dope-tainted pace bowler has not played cricket for the past 16 months.
“No I don't think Asif's selection is a gamble because he is in good shape and working hard to be 100 per cent fit for the big tournament,” Mr Alam said. “I think Asif's presence in the team will lend experience and sharpness to the bowling attack, especially on South African pitches where pace bowlers usually have a good time. And don't forget Asif has a good record in South Africa,” he said.
Asif will complete a 12-month ban for a doping offence on 22 September, the day the Champions trophy begins in South Africa. Mr Alam said Asif remained a match-winner as, on his day, he could create trouble for the best of teams.
He also supported the decision to appoint Afridi vice-captain, insisting it was a reward for his recent good showing. “Shahid is one of the most active, energetic and motivated performers in the side and his appointment will be a positive move for other players,” Mr Alam said.
Referring to reports that senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf might skip the conditioning camps because of Ramazan and his preaching tours, Mr Alam said, so far, Yousuf had conveyed no such request to him or the captain.
Journalists demand apology
The Sports Journalists Association of Lahore has demanded an apology from former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq for misbehaving with the media after inviting them to a Press conference at his residence.
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I was right to turn down IPL: Broad

At 23 years old, being proficient with both bat and ball, and being no slouch in the field, Stuart Broad was looking at a potentially lucrative Indian Premier League contract, but he declined to put himself up for auction, preferring instead to take those three weeks off so that he would be in shape for the Ashes.

Ironically, now Broad has been tipped to rake in £2million in commercial deals on the back of his performances in the series victory over Australia.

"The reason I didn't go was to focus on the Ashes and that really worked out for me," said Broad, who set up England's fifth Test win with a five-wicket haul at the Oval.

"I managed to play in all five Tests and make useful contributions to us winning so that decision was certainly worthwhile.

"The IPL will sometime in my career help me develop as a Twenty20 cricketer, it's a great competition and a great spectacle.

"But it all depends on how I and my body are feeling, and if anyone wants me.

"To be honest I haven't looked any further than packing my bags for Belfast, so I don't know what will happen in the next year."

It was a remarkable turn-around for Broad, who was perceived as the weakest link in the England bowling attack until the fifth Test.

"I never think about that sort of stuff too much, it's out of my hands," Broad insisted.

"I wasn't happy with how I was bowling, I wasn't hitting the lengths I wanted consistently.

"Halfway through the Edgbaston Test I sat down with Ottis Gibson and talked about why I wasn't hitting lengths.

"Maybe I was trying to do too many things, searching for wickets too much.

"When you do that against world-class players they just pick you off and that was happening to me.

"I just tried to get into the mindset I had at Leicestershire when I first started playing the game. I used to think of nothing but trying to hit the top of off-stump.

"I just cleared my mind, got some clarity in my role and that helped me.

"I have searched for wickets too much at times and that is an easy trap to fall into when you are not getting wickets.

"You do start to question yourself and that's when you start going for runs."

Even though he is now being seen as the potential replacement for Andrew Flintoff, Broad wants to emulate his role model Glenn McGrath.

The young pacer said it would be an achievement if he could do half of what Flintoff has done in his career but he is more inclined to emulate Australian pace legend McGrath, who has 560 Test wickets to his name.

"McGrath has always been a role model for me ever since I was a really young lad. What did he do? He just banged out a length at the top of off stump and ran it back into off stump and his record speaks for itself.

"If I could be half as good as Glenn McGrath, that would be fantastic," Broad said.

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Akram, Wright in race for KKR coaching job

Kolkata: Former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram has thrown in his hat to coach the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL) three next year.

The legendary all-rounder will meet the owner of the team and film star Shahrukh Khan along with another another candidate for the post and former Indian coach John Wright at the end of this week, according to CNN-IBN

Earlier, Englishmen Richard Pybus and Dermot Reeve were interviewed by Khan himself in his Bandra residence on Sunday and were tipped to secure the high-profile job of being the new coach of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

However, with Akram throwing in his hat and Wright yet to be interviewed by the KKR team management, the race for the coveted post seems to be wide open.

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Sri Lanka name Champions Trophy squad

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Tuesday announced a 15-strong squad for the International Cricket Council's Champions Trophy to be played in South Africa from September 22-October 5.

Sri Lanka's squad:
Kumar Sangakkara (captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Kapugedara, Angelo Mathews, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dhammika Prasad, Lasith Malinga, Thilina Kandamby.

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India favourites in tri-series

Press Trust of India
NEW DELHI, 24 AUG: India will sorely miss Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan in next month's tri-series in Sri Lanka but the presence of match-winners and the balance of the team still make them the tournament favourites, said Harbhajan Singh. Meeting reporters after unveiling the Compaq Cup 2009, which will be given to the winner of the tri-series, also featuring New Zealand, Harbhajan conceded it would not be easy to replace Sehwag and Zaheer but said the team could still pull it off.
“Sehwag is a key player. Any team in the world would miss a player like him. But now that he would not be playing, we would have to do well without him,” Harbhajan said.
He said the return of veterans Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid would offset Sehwag's loss.
“We are a strong team and it's a balanced side. Besides, we have a number of match-winning players in our ranks. We have the youngsters and then you have experienced players like Dravid, Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh. If we play to our potential, we would return with this lovely trophy,” he said after unveiling world's first digital
sports trophy.
Like Sehwag, Zaheer too underwent shoulder surgery which ruled him out of the tri-series and the subsequent Champions Trophy but Harbhajan seemed to have faith also in the other Indian pace bowlers. Asked if he felt Australia had missed Andrew Symonds, he said: “See, Symonds, as long as he was part of the team, did well for Australia. He is a very, very good player. But I think more than Symonds or even (Adam) Gilchrist, Australia sorely missed Warne and McGrath,” he said.
Harbhajan said the Oval had offered enough turn and Australia made a mistake by leaving out off-spinner Nathan Hauritz. “There will be a lot of pressure on me as I am the most experienced bowler in the team. But I love responsibilities and there is nothing better than performing well when there is pressure on you. My job will be to motivate the other bowlers and get the best out of them,” Harbhajan told a sports website. Given that Ishant Sharma and RP Singh found the going tough in the West Indies on India’s previous tour of the islands, Harbhajan is aware it would help if the duo returned to form as early as possible.
"A good performance in the tri-series will help us a great deal in the Champions Trophy. Our bowlers have to put up their best in Sri Lanka and perform, keeping in mind the Champions Trophy,” Harbhajan said. His spinning partner will be Amit Mishra. Mishra, who has supplanted Pragyan Ojha in the squad, has not played one-day cricket since 2003. But Harbhajan was unfazed, saying: “Amit is an experienced bowler which will help us in the tri-series. His performances in Tests have been
impressive."
Players’ revolt may end
The players' revolt Sehwag has led against the Delhi and District Cricket Association may end soon as the DDCA president, Mr Arun Jaitely, has promised to redress their grievances. Mr Jaitely met Sehwag today to discuss the unrest which had rocked the DDCA. Sehwag, along with Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma, have not been attending Delhi's pre-season training camp for the Ranji Trophy tournament. Gambhir and Sharma rejoined the camp today after Mr Jaitely's assurances. Sources said Mr Jaitely had told Sehwag the players' complaints against the DDCA's sports committee would be considered. The Indian opener is likely to meet Mr Jaitely tomorrow again.
Sehwag has been leading the revolt alleging corruption and nepotism in Delhi's selection system. His charges were endorsed by the DDCA vice-president and selection committee chairman, Mr Chetan Chauhan.

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How Australian media took Ashes defeat

As England celebrated, the Australian media’s inquest began, with black humour, bitter self-reproach, a few excuses and (mostly grudging) congratulations the order of the day. Tom Dart samples the day-after mood Down Under
For Australian cricket fans the 2009 Ashes is a series best forgotten. Emphatically beaten by the Poms, the Aussie team has sunk to its lowest ever Test ranking. We lost at Lord’s for the first time in 75 years and, worst of all, we have nothing to brag about for another two years.

Mitchell Bingemann The Australian

In the wake of Australia’s humbling at the Oval, someone — I think it was my wife — told me to get a grip. Ashes cricket is not life or death.

I beg to differ. It’s more important.

As a cricket tragic who risked his health and marriage by watching nearly every ball of the five-match Test series from England, the realisation that the Ashes are lost is devastating.

I couldn’t feel this miserable if I had swine flu. For the next week or two there will be no jokes about English weather, warm beer or notoriously poor hygiene standards.

We could complain all we like about the questionable decisions from the so-called neutral umpires that the Aussies copped.

We could blame selectors for not picking the right teams. (Hint: on a spinning pitch, pick a spinner.) We could also accuse the Poms of “doctoring” the pitch for the final Test.

But patriotic fervour aside, any fair dinkum Aussie has to admit (as hard as it is) that England were the better side.

As tough as it was watching Ricky Ponting’s men collapse again and lose the Ashes in the early hours of yesterday morning, it will be much worse having to watch and listen to the English celebrate because I doubt there are worse winners in sport.

Ray Thomas The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)

Leading psychologist Peter Terry said Australians were experiencing all the symptoms of grief that are more usually associated with the death of a loved one.

“It’s not an insignificant impact if they lose the Ashes cricket series to England,” Professor Terry said. “It takes a bit of swallowing.”

Black armbands, finger-pointing, casting blame and bitchy back-stabbing were the orders of the day yesterday as the nation threw the Ashes to the wind.

Kelly Ryan Herald Sun

The balance of the touring squad was questionable and the Australians then failed to select in-form players best suited to the conditions in each Test. Similar mistakes contributed to the 2005 defeat. Of course, Australia has recently lost several great players and could not expect to win for ever. Yet, on paper, Australia still fielded the stronger side in this series and lost, falling to an unprecedented fourth in the Test rankings. The loss of the Ashes for the second time in four years is more than a hiccup. Australia must take stock, on and off the field.

Leading article The Age

Beep beep. The text messages started a millisecond after Michael Hussey’s prod to short leg disappeared in Alastair Cook’s hands.

When you logged on the email inbox was full. The Pommy bloke at work swaggered straight up to your desk with that cat-who-got-the-fish grin.

Suddenly, English friends that for all but a brief period in 2005 feigned indifference to cricket — “We’re only interested in soccer, mate” — and instead bored you stupid with their Premier League obsession are claiming to be Geoff Boycott’s love children.
Richard Hinds The Age

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Ashes review: Australia

After the Ashes are done and dusted it is now time for the post-mortems and the reviews to follow. In a two part series, Srivathsa gives his take on both the sides performances over the last 5 matches.

Australia:

Simon Katich-341 runs at 42.62 in 8 innings

One of the six players to have featured in that morale sapping defeat in 2005, Katich, was the solid obdurate opener expected to shepherd the Aussie top order. He has an unconventional style of play that includes the use of a lot of bottom hand, but he used it to good effect producing some crucial starts at the top of the order. He was brilliant at Cardiff with a well constructed 122, albeit on a wicket that helped the batsmen, but failed at Lord's in the second innings when his side needed him to provide a good start in chase of a huge total. He got starts in both the innings at the Oval, but failed to capitalise on either one, as he fell to Graeme Swann on both occasions. He is still developing as a player and struggled to pick Swann. Has a glaring weakness against spinners - especially finger spinners as he lunges at the ball instead of smothering it. His bowling was not utilised properly by Ponting and he got limited chances to roll his arm over.

Verdict - Pretty good overall, but could have done more at crucial junctures in the series.

Shane Watson-240 runs at 48.00 in 5 innings

Pitchforked into the opening slot for the third Test after the omission of Phil Hughes, Shane Watson shone as an opener with 3 consecutive fifties at Edgbaston and Headingley. Like his opening partner Katich, he too got starts in both the innings at the Oval, but fell at the wrong time from an Aussie viewpoint. He was authoritative with his stroke play when he got in, but was repeatedly found wanting by the ball that darted back into him and was out LBW in 4 of the 5 innings he played in the series. Stuart Broad and Graham Onions exploited this weakness by bowling straight and trapping him in front. The irony was that having been picked as a bowling all-rounder, he rarely got an opportunity to display his bowling skills.

Verdict - Did well considering his sudden elevation to the opener's slot. Needs to work on some technical shortcomings to ensure longevity at the Test level.

Ricky Ponting-385 runs at 48.12 in 8 innings

One of the best batsmen of his generation, Ponting came into the series wanting to erase the glaring blemish in his record - the Ashes loss of 2005. Unfortunately, that failed to materialise. He played a high quality innings of 150 at Cardiff to set the tone for his side, and after that knock, everyone believed that this was Ponting's Ashes with the bat, but he tapered off - failing until the 1st innings at Headingley. At the Oval, he looked in sublime form in what could well be his last innings on English soil in an Ashes Test match, but Freddie Flintoff chose that moment and occasion to leave a lasting stamp in his final Test match, and Ponting was on his way back to the pavilion.He flourished when the ball was not swinging and struggled when it was. As a captain, he was at times thoughtless, and his glaring omission of Hauritz at the Oval further eroded his status as a decision maker.

Verdict - Pretty average series by his own high standards. Was left wanting in the captaincy stakes too.

Mike Hussey-276 runs at 34.50 in 8 innings

Hussey saved his Test career in the 2nd innings at the Oval, playing what was perhaps his finest innings. That knock showed how much of a fighter Hussey is as he brought all his qualities (determination, doggedness and grit) to the fore. Until that innings, Hussey was a shadow of the batsman who averaged 80 in his first 20 Test matches. He did not know where his next run would come from as he shouldered arms to deliveries that he should have been playing. Was under severe pressure throughout the series and looked very nervous and fidgety at the crease. The English team viewed him as the most vulnerable and exploited it to the hilt.

Verdict - Poor series and one which could have ended his Test career if not for the innings of 121 at the Oval

Michael Clarke-448 runs at 64.00 in 8 innings

Without a shadow of a doubt, the batsman of the series from either side. He came off age with some stunning performances in the first four matches of the series. Almost took Australia to victory with a chanceless innings at Lord's. He never looked out of place nor was he ever found wanting when his side needed him - except in the final Test when he flopped twice to make England's job easier. He is one of the best players of spin in the world and it was a delight to watch him take on Swann and emerge victorious. The form player and a bedrock in the Australian middle order.

Verdict - Brilliant. The 'Pup' has now grown in stature to become the 'Bulldog' and it will not be long before he assumes the mantle as the Australian skipper in all the three versions of the game

Marcus North-367 at 52.42 in 8 innings

He was the third highest run-getter for the Aussies in the series, yet he had some innings that he would like to forget in a hurry. He played a horrendous shot to get out at the Oval in the 2nd innings at a time when he was expected to support Hussey. He got runs at Cardiff and Headingley when the sun was out and the ball stopped swinging. His technique requires some tinkering as he shuffles in an ungainly fashion at the crease. He was unlucky on a few occasions with some marginal umpiring decisions going against him, but when he did get in, he made it count as a couple of hundreds to his name would testify. Bowled quite well at the Oval extracting appreciable turn and at times some bounce as well. He could develop into a good part-time spinner in the future.

Verdict -An up and down series. No immediate threat to his place in the side as Australia lack a high quality reserve at Number 6

Brad Haddin-278 runs at 46.33 in 6 innings

He batted quite splendidly to bring up his maiden Ashes ton in the 1st innings at Cardiff. His broken finger just before the start of play at Edgbaston then ruled him out of the match. He came back to play the final two matches of the series without impressing with the bat, playing one shot too many and holing out at the Oval in the 2nd innings to hasten his side's demise. With the gloves, he was quite untidy as he struggled to cope with the slope at Lord's. Gave away a lot of byes and looked quite clumsy at times.

Verdict-An average series. If he continues to slip up, there are people like Manou and Tim Paine waiting in the wings to take over

Mitchell Johnson-105 runs at 17.5 in 6 innings, 20 wickets at 32.55 in 9 innings

The biggest disappointment of the series for Australia, he came with a huge reputation and left with his confidence ripped apart. Apart from a few threatening spells at Headingley, he was listless with the ball all series. spraying it all over the place and at times looking like a man desperately wanting to be somewhere else. His scatter-gun approach helped England race to 195/0 in a huge momentum changing opening stand at Lord's. It should surprise him that in spite of bowling so poorly he managed to take 20 wickets - which was as much due the English batsmen's inability as it was due to his bowling. His lack of bowling form ate away at his mental fortitude as he failed to shine with the bat as well. After his duck at the Oval he cut a forlorn figure as he trudged back to the pavilion.

Verdict - Mediocre. To go from being proclaimed as the next big thing before the series to getting close to being dropped takes some doing

Nathan Hauritz-45 runs at 22.5 in 3 innings, 10 wickets at 32.5 in 5 innings

Hauritz came into the Ashes series with a huge burden on his shoulders - that of filling in Shane Warne's mighty boots. To his credit he performed admirably. He out-bowled both Swann and Panesar at Cardiff, justifying his selection. And in a truly brave effort at Lord's he hurt his hand but continued to play through the pain. He was omitted for the last two matches as Australia went in with an all seam attack, and his omission at the Oval became the single biggest talking point after Australia lost the Ashes on a dry wicket. He batted with pluck and determination whenever he got an opportunity.

Verdict -A good series, considering the pressure he was under. He could have been quite a handful on the Oval wicket. Still remains the number 1 spinner in the team

Peter Siddle-91 runs at 18.2 in 6 innings, 20 wickets at 30.8 in 9 innings

Siddle was the pantomime villain whom the English crowds hated for his fierce swagger. He looked out of his depth and confused in the first 3 matches of the series until he burst into life with a 5 wicket haul at Headingley. Initially, he either bowled too short or too full and was easy meat for the English batsmen. When the conditions did not favour him, he did not quite know what to do, and seemed to be searching for the magic ball that would get batsmen out. He improved considerably in the last 2 matches to finish with 20 wickets. With the bat, he was a stodgy customer and looked quite capable of handling the willow. Never gifted his wicket away and stuck it out till the end.

Verdict -A mixed series. Some sharp spells, coupled with hugely inconsistent ones made him an unreliable performer. Still good enough to be the 3rd seamer

Ben Hilfenhaus-40 runs at 20 in 6 innings, 22 wickets at 27.45 in 9 innings

Hilfenhaus came into the Ashes series knowing that only an injury to one of the pre-series first choice seamers would grant him a place in the eleven. That is exactly what happened when Brett Lee injured himself in the tour game at Worcester and Hilfenhaus was drafted in. He grabbed the opportunity with both hands and emerged as the leading wicket taker of the series. He swung the new Duke cherry at a fair pace and troubled all the batsmen. He was Ponting's go-to man whenever he needed a wicket and he delivered most of the time. He had Ravi Bopara completely sorted, dismissing him 5 times and bringing his international playing days to a mid-career halt. The Tasmanian brick layer also has a huge heart as he bowled long spells without showing signs of fatigue. Batted quite stoutly for a Number 11 and frustrated the English bowlers at times.

Verdict - Outstanding. From being considered the 4th or 5th seamer before the Ashes, he is now the top one by a long way.

Stuart Clark-38 runs at 12.66 in 3 innings, 4 wickets at 44 in 4 innings

He failed to force his way into the side for the first three games and when he finally did get a chance at Headingley, he made an immediate impact by picking up 3 wickets to setup Australia's victory. After that performance, everyone questioned his non-inclusion in the earlier part of the series, but he was pillaged by Broad and Swann in the second innings and failed to justify his inclusion at the Oval with some poor bowling. He has lost a yard of pace as well. In favourable conditions, he was probing, but when the conditions didn't suit him, he found it hard to contain batsmen, let alone pick up wickets. Slogged his way to 32 at Headingley and did little thereafter with the bat.

Verdict -Average series. Might have to force his way back into the side with some strong domestic performances

Phil Hughes-57 runs at 19 in 3 innings

Like Mitchell Johnson, Hughes came into the Ashes high on confidence after plundering runs against South Africa and also for Middlesex in the warm up to the series. But it was all one huge bubble which suddenly burst - first when Steve Harmison bounced him out twice at Worcester in a tour game and then when the English seamers relentlessly exploited his weakness against the short ball. He has a dodgy technique where he stays leg-sideish of the ball and attempts to flay it on the off side leaving him susceptible to the rising delivery. He never looked comfortable at the crease and was found wanting, before being dropped after the Lord's Test.

Verdict -Poor. An eye opener for this young man and a reminder that Test cricket can be a cruel game. Needs to fight his way back into the opener's slot

Graham Manou-21 runs at 13 in 2 innings

Called up as a last minute replacement for the injured Brad Haddin, Manou kept quite superbly at Edgbaston. He looked a far more accomplished keeper than Haddin and his glovework was exemplary. Did not do much with the bat as he failed to show he has the technique to succeed at this level.

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