Pakistan All Set To Make A Start

Match facts
September 23, 2012
Start time 1530 local (1000 GMT)
Big Picture
Pakistan, we've been expecting you. The team with the best World Twenty20 record is the last to open its campaign in Sri Lanka. Pakistan have World Twenty20 pedigree. In the first tournament in 2007, they were finalists, and so nearly champions. They won in 2009, and in 2010 they had one foot in the final before Michael Hussey blind-sided them.
They've been put in the toughest group in 2012, with New Zealand and Bangladesh, and will play their first game against the stronger of those teams. Win against New Zealand, and Pakistan are almost certain to make it to the Super Eights; lose, and they will face a must-win against Bangladesh.
The strength of Mohammad Hafeez's side is unquestionably its bowling. In Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul and Shahid Afridi, three bowlers of varied skills, Pakistan possess the highest wicket-takers in Twenty20 internationals. Any of those bowlers can turn a Twenty20 game single-handedly and a collective performance can be devastating. Their batting is less formidable; it can be hot or cold. In the two warm-ups for the World Twenty20, Pakistan chased 186 successfully against India but failed to achieve 112 against England. The challenge, as ever, will be for Pakistan to combine their enviable talent with discipline.
New Zealand go into this game with the opportunity to win Group D. Doing so will make their progress to the Super Eight independent of the result of the Pakistan-Bangladesh fixture. Their evisceration of Bangladesh by 59 runs on Friday was almost faultless. The key battle in that game was tipped to be between New Zealand's batsmen and Bangladesh's spinners. They took 117 off 12 overs from the slow men. A strong performance against a more formidable Pakistan will make people sit up and take notice of a team that isn't considered to be a strong contender for the 2012 title.
Form guide (completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan: LWWWL
New Zealand: WWLLL
Watch out for
The majority of New Zealand batsmen: Brendon McCullum, with his 123 off 58 balls, demolished Bangladesh single-handedly. So aggressive was his approach and so clinical his execution that there was almost no pressure on his team-mates. All they needed to do was give McCullum strike. It's unlikely that anyone will play as explosive an innings against Pakistan, so the contributions need to be more collective to reduce the reliance on McCullum and Ross Taylor.
Saeed and Shahid: In Ajmal and Afridi, not only do Pakistan possess the highest and third highest wicket-takers in this format, but also the third and fourth lowest economy-rates among bowlers who've played at least 20 Twenty20 internationals. Ajmal goes at 6.03 per over on average and Afridi 6.10. They strike and they stifle.
Team news
New Zealand may not make any changes to the XI that beat Bangladesh, but it is likely they will change their batting order. James Franklin, the left-handed allrounder, opened with Martin Guptill in the first game to combat Bangladesh's left-arm spin, but Rob Nicol could return to the top on Sunday.
New Zealand (probable): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Rob Nicol, 3 Brendon McCullum (wk), 4 Ross Taylor (capt), 5 Kane Williamson, 6 James Franklin, 7 Jacob Oram, 8 Daniel Vettori, 9 Nathan McCullum, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Kyle Mills.
The four players Pakistan are likely to leave out of their starting line-up are Asad Shafiq, Mohammad Sami, Raza Hasan and Yasir Arafat.
Pakistan (probable): 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Imran Nazir, 3 Nasir Jamshed, 4 Kamran Akmal (wk), 5 Umar Akmal, 6 Shoaib Malik, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Abdul Razzaq, 9 Sohail Tanvir, 10 Umar Gul, 11 Saeed Ajmal.
Pitch and conditions
The forecast is for some showers in Pallekele. It threatened to rain during the Bangladesh-New Zealand game as well but there were no interruptions. The spinners didn't get much turn either, with the ball coming on to the bat.
Stats and trivia
Pakistan played New Zealand in Pallekele during the 2011 World Cup and fed Ross Taylor a diet of full tosses and deliveries that were too straight. He scored 131 off 124 balls.
New Zealand and Pakistan have played eight Twenty20 internationals and the head-to-head record is 5-3 in Pakistan's favour. New Zealand's three wins, however, came in the last four matches.
In Twenty20 matches over the last 12 months, Afridi and Ajmal have economy-rates of less than six an over. Mohammad Hafeez and Sohail Tanvir conceded 5.82 and 5.94 on average during this period.

Pakistan to Face England In a Warm Up Game

Match Facts
Wednesday 19th September 2012.

Pakistan to face England in a warm up game. Earlier Pakistan defeated India by 5 wickets on Monday in RPS. England Defeated Australia by 6 wickets. According to the Geoff Boycott he thinks it will be a battle of Champions. Pakistan is expected to bring in Abdul Razzaq, Asad Shafiq and Raza Hassan. Though England is expected to go unchanged. Both teams collided last time in Dubai Sports city in February 2012 when England defeated Pakistan.

Pakistan Form
W W L W
England Form
W L W W

The Battle for t20 world supermacy begins today

Match Facts
September 17th 2pm G.M.T

The battle for the t20 Championship begins today when the hosts take on Zimbabwe. Srilanka and Zimbabwe have been head to head in 2 t20 matches and Srilanka has won both of em'.

Pitch Conditions
With heavy gusts expected in the afternoon and evening in Hambantota, some steadying adjustments will have to be made all round. Matches there have been low scoring, largely because the surface area of the field is larger than the MCG, but the boundary rope is being brought in for this tournament. The pitch is expected to have something in it for the seamers, so much so that Brendan Taylor said he does not expect much turn. Temperatures are expected to be warm, between 26 and 28 degrees Celsius, with up to 80% humidity but little chance of rain.

Match will be telecasted on Ptv Sports, Sky Sports 2, ESPN Star Cricket.......

Pakistan starts with a huge Morale Booster

Pakistan 186 for 5 (K Akmal 92*, Hafeez 38, Malik 37*) beat India 185 for 3 (Kohli 75*, Rohit 56, Ajmal 2-22) by five wickets

A day before the t20 world cup Pakistan has defeated India by 5 wickets in a crunch of a game. India won the toss and decided to bat first which proved to be a worthy decision. Pakistani bowlers went for a lot when they started the innings but they came back when they took wickets of Sehwag and Rohit Sharma. India ended their innings on 185 for 3 with Kohli finishing on an unbeaten 75*.

In response Pakistan's start wasn't the best of the starts you would have for a t20 game. Pakistan lost their first wicket at 30 runs when Imran Nazir played an uppish drive. Wickets column then soon changed to 2 when a misunderstanding between the wickets caused Nasir Jamshed his wicket. Hafeez was the next to go. He departed on 38. Afridi came in next but then departed on a second ball duck. The scoreboard read 84-4. Umar Akmal then went for 2 leaving Pakistan in despair at 91-5. It was then the Kamran Akmal show began. Malik along with Akmal provided resistance and Got Pakistan home with 5 balls to spare.
After the match Hafeez said "We knew if India could post that total, we knew we could get it if we worked hard. Kamran Akmal was exceptional. The experience of Malik was also the key. He supported Kamran really well. The bowlers tried hard, but things didn't work out for them today." Dhoni Said "We gave a few too may runs with the new ball, but apart from that it was a good game for all of us. It's a difficult choice [whether to pick an extra bowler]. I have part-timers who can be used, and we are a side that is comfortable playing seven batsmen." 
As per Paper Its Pakistan's first t20 win against India.
Pakistan will play their first match against New Zealand on September 23th.
While India will play their first against Afghanistan on September 19th.

Pakistan Vs India Warm Up Match (Match Summary)

Gul and Ajmal deny England at the death

 Pakistan 144 for 6 (Malik 39, Swann 3-13) beat England 136 for 6 (Bopara 39, Gul 3-18) by 8 runs

For the first time since Pakistan and England locked horns in the United Arab Emirates, the atmosphere came alive. The advent of Twenty20 attracted a raucous crowd under Dubai Cricket Stadium's ring of fire and such was the delight at the outcome that Pakistan might almost have imagined they were at home.

As the clock ticked around towards 11.30pm local time, Pakistan squeezed to an eight-run victory, recovering their self-belief after a 4-0 caning in the ODI series with an excellent bowling display in defence of a competitive but far from daunting total. Umar Gul, who began the night with a maiden, was back to his best, Mohammad Hafeez burst with competitive edge and Saeed Ajmal's penultimate over was masterful. England needed 18 off the last over, from Junaid Khan, who had been the weak link in Pakistan's attack, but they never came close. 

Pakistan's captain, Misbah-ul-Haq, had termed this series a "decider" after his side had pulled off a clean sweep in the Tests and England had responded in kind in the ODIs. There was plenty to play for and one of the most passionate cricket crowds Dubai has ever witnessed galvanised Pakistan.

Kevin Pietersen excelled with the bat for England, a batsman convinced that he is heading for the IPL with his superstar status reconfirmed, his 33 from 21 balls beginning with a calculated assault on Junaid and ending unluckily when he pulled Shahid Afridi and picked out the only fielder within many a mile, Asad Shafiq, at deep forward square. For the rest of England's batsmen it was a struggle, a succession of scrambled ones and twos.

Craig Kieswetter backed away so far to the leg side that he could not reach a delivery from Hafeez even though it bowled him leg stump. Ravi Bopara's 39 from 32 balls kept England in contention, but it was a gruelling affair, his sweep shot malfunctioning so often that he will be able to count the bruises.

Jos Buttler was out to his signature shot, shovelling Gul over his left shoulder but picking out Ajmal at short fine leg. When Samit Patel fell lbw to Gul first ball, at 121 for 6, England needed 24 from 16 balls, but they failed to hit a single boundary in the last six overs.

Stuart Broad, England's third captain in 17 days, inserted Pakistan, perhaps sensing their batsmen were low on confidence, but Awais Zia's debut had been eagerly awaited and he did not disappoint, playing with wanton aggression before he was undone by a slower ball from Steven Finn.

Zia has already been called "Young Boom Boom", and such is the reputation in Pakistan of the original "Boom Boom", Shahid Afridi, that accolades of that kind are not given lightly. The name might stick. He is a slim, lightly moustached 25-year-old and displayed a sharp eye and an appetite for swinging from the hip.

Pakistan need an injection of youthful ambition into their Twenty20 team, especially at a time when they need to proclaim they can renew despite being precluded from playing internationals at home because of fears of terrorist attacks.

Finn had looked all but unplayable in the ODI series, but Zia deposited the second ball he faced over midwicket and, in Finn's next over, top-edged a murderous pull for six. He will be loved for his freewheeling style. Finn, though, gave him a send-off - a tyro himself, transformed into a bit of a grump. Finn had a bad night, his four overs costing 39.

It was a late start in Dubai - 8pm, not too far short of the time when Graeme Swann begins to wonder where his cat is. He responded with his best T20I figures, 3 for 13 as his off-spin removed Hafeez, Afridi and Umar Akmal in the space of eight balls - and he began with the run out of Asad Shafiq for good measure.

It was left to the two old salts of a Pakistan side with only two players under 30 to organise a recovery from 73 for five. Misbah and Shoaib Malik staged a sixth-wicket partnership of 71 in 9.2 overs, only halted on the final ball of the innings when Shoaib fell to a brilliant diving catch in the deep by Jonathan Bairstow.

Swann, not one of the most natural athletes in the England side, has had a modest time in the field throughout England's stay in the UAE. Another blemish came when a slower ball from Dernbach should have accounted for Shafiq, but was dropped by Swann over his shoulder at mid-off.

Swann then ran out Shafiq , breaking the wicket with his elbows after the wicketkeeper, Craig Kieswetter, had gathered a loose ball sharply at short square leg. His mood lifted, he dismantled the Pakistan top order. Hafeez slog-swept to deep midwicket, then "Boom Boom Senior" fell for seven when he clipped Swann tamely to short midwicket. The most headstrong dismissal of all was that of Umar who was out before scoring as he planted his third ball into the hands of the diving Dernbach at long off.

Sixes in the hands of Zia smack of youthful confidence; when Misbah and Shoaib cleared the ropes it felt like needs-must, a calculated show of aggression once a full risk assessment had been carried out. Shoaib slugged Samit Patel over long-on, Misbah put him over long-off. Thanks to some magical bowling later in the night, they judged their requirements perfectly.

Pietersen century wraps up series for England

England 226 for 1 (Pietersen 111*, Cook 80) beat Pakistan 222 all out (Afridi 51, Finn 3-24) by nine wickets
Scorecard

	Kevin Pietersen made 111 not out, his first ODI century in 37 innings © Getty Images Enlarge

Kevin Pietersen was captain of England when he struck his last hundred in a one-day international. It sounds so long ago that it might have belonged to a different world. In some ways it did.

As the England coach left Cuttack that night he could hardly have imagined what lay in wait. A major terrorist attack on Mumbai was already underway and was about to force the postponement of England's tour of India. After England returned for a Test series played under heavy security, his relationship with the coach Peter Moores broke down irrevocably and both men lost their jobs.

It is a history that has played heavily upon him. Pietersen toyed for a while, nobody quite knows how seriously, with abandoning one-day cricket as his star began to wane. It has taken three years, three months and 37 ODIs to draw a line and when he walked down the pitch in his audacious style of old, and flicked Aizaz Cheema through the leg side, the intervening years seemed more aptly summed up not by his routine kneel and punch of the air as a slightly rueful raise of the eyebrows.

It is no longer Pietersen's one-day side now but Alastair Cook's, and it was perhaps appropriate that his batting renaissance contributed to Cook's achievement in leading England to a rare one-day series victory in Asia. England now hold an unassailable 3-0 lead with one match to play and a nine-wicket victory with 12.4 overs remaining, fashioned by an opening stand between Cook and Pietersen of 170, could hardly have been more emphatic. Whitewashed in the Test series against Pakistan, they will now be bent upon returning the favour in the final match in the same stadium on Tuesday.

Cook's only regret will be that he narrowly failed to become the first England batsman to make hundreds in three consecutive ODIs. He had reached 80 when he pushed gently forward at the off-spin of Saeed Ajmal and gave Adnan Akmal a faint catch. Cook had again been in unruffled form, his cut shot more to the fore than it had been in Abu Dhabi on a quicker batting surface, but his exit cleared the way for Pietersen to claim the limelight.

This has been an opening partnership assembled partly through adversity as Pietersen looked forward to a few sighters against the fast bowlers after a traumatic Test series against Pakistan's spinners. It now looks bedded in and that coud spell trouble for Craig Kieswetter, whose keeping has been patchy - he dropped Umar on 28 off Broad - and whose range is too limited to convince as a No. 6 in Asia.

Pietersen's habitual pre-match claim that he was in "fantastic" form was backed up by adventurous footwork and flowing strokeplay. He passed 4,000 runs in ODIs in spectacular fashion as he danced down the pitch to strike the offspin of Mohammad Hafeez over the sightscreen for six.

He was dropped on 45 when a fierce, flat pull against Aizaz Cheema smacked into the body of the onrushing Azhar Ali at deep square. That apart, his most awkward moments came against the Akmal brothers. Adnan, who had replaced his brother Umar behind the stumps, ill-advisedly tried to run Pietersen out after he had tapped the ball back to him, and apologised. Umar tried to run him out more legimately only for the ball to ricochet off the stumps and career away for five overthrows. 

A sandstorm had disrupted the practice day and when the Kaus - meaning "bow" in Arabic - a vigorous south-westerly off the desert, cleared in the nick of time it revealed the same flaky Pakistan top order. They lost three wickets in 15 balls to slump to 50 for 4 before Umar, his lips daubed in luminous green sun cream, and the ageing swinger Shahid Afridi, who needs no war paint to convey his belligerence, summoned half-centuries to keep Pakistan in the match.

Umar's last two dismissals have taken Samit Patel's fielding reputation to new heights. In Abu Dhabi and Dubai, on off side and leg side, he has flung himself to the ground to hold an excellent catch. He knows that his fitness remains borderline - if you enquire innocently about the weather there is every chance he will reply "chicken and salad", and guiltily wipe the trace of an imaginary beef burger from his lips - but he is a decent cricketer and should be seriously considered to bat No. 6 for England in the Sri Lanka Test series.

Afridi was at his most restrained: that is he gambolled along at only a run a ball. He began in haywire fashion but then played responsibly, a straight six off Graeme Swann's offspin his most emphatic moment. Like Umar, he fell soon after reaching his half-century, bowled by James Anderson as he whipped to leg.

For the third successive match, Finn pronounced himself as fine a young fast bowler as anyone in the world. He took two wickets with the new ball, bowling straight and finding steep bounce at close to 90mph. He finished with 3 for 24, taking his series' tally to 11 wickets at 8.36 runs each.

Pakistan had won 13 ODIs out of 14 going into this series and had also whitewashed England 3-0 in the Test series, but such statistics seemed from another age. The loss of Imran Farhat, caught at the wicket as he struggled to cope with Finn's hostility, seemed a blip. But Stuart Broad caused Azhar Ali to flirt with one outside off stump, Mohammad Hafeez was lbw to an inducker from Finn and Misbah-ul-Haq dangled his bat at Broad to edge to first slip.

Broad conceded 16 from his first over, his mood not enhanced by a no-ball that prevented him from dismissing Azhar to a catch by Eoin Morgan at gully. His interrogation of the umpire Aleem Dar was borne out of frustration, but it looked disrespectful. Broad does not need sand stinging his face to become a bit irascible; a ball in his hands normally does the trick.

Shafiq's first run would have brought his downfall if Pietersen's flat throw had hit the target and he did not learn his lesson. He was unsettled by Swann's lbw appeal as the ball ran into the legside and had to dive back into the crease as Cook threw the ball to the wicketkeeper, Kieswetter, but the third umpire, Kumar Dharmasena, ruled that his bat was not grounded behind the line. It summed up Pakistan's day.

PCB issues showcause to Miandad

Javed Miandad, the former Pakistan captain, has been issued a showcause notice by the PCB for criticising the board's policies in a newspaper interview.

Miandad, who is currently the director-general of the PCB, apart from being a member of the governing board, had said he was "disappointed" with the functioning of the board as well as the lack of authority vested in him.

"While closely watching the functioning of the PCB, I am disappointed and feel that 90% decisions [taken by the board] are wrong, and are spoiling the sport in the country," Miandad told Dawn on Wednesday. "I am not part of the PCB planning only because I require power and freedom to work, since I have given 35 years to Pakistan cricket and earned a good name.

"People around the world regard my services as a cricketer but the PCB doesn't want to give me authority to improve [Pakistan] cricket.

"I have already brought this matter to the notice of PCB patron, President Asif Ali Zardari. Soon I will meet him again to apprise him of the poor condition of cricket in Pakistan. I will request him to either take necessary steps [to improve cricketing matters] or allow me to leave the DG post."

This is not the first time Miandad has been critical of the Pakistan board. In February last year he wrote a letter to president Zardari, criticising the appointment of Ijaz Butt as the board chairman. In January 2009 Miandad had resigned as director-general of the PCB over differences concerning the exact scope of his work. 

A month later, Butt and Miandad had traded allegations over Miandad's resignation at a senate hearing on the decline of Pakistan cricket. The chairman had alleged that Miandad had demanded more money, interfered with matters concerning selection, and was an incapable administrator. Miandad had said at the time that the scope of his role in the contract letter was significantly reduced from what he had initially discussed with the chairman. Though Miandad was reinstated as the director general in March that year, his relationship with Butt has been frosty since.

Miandad, who has been the coach of the national team on three occasions in the past, was not included in the recently formed committee to appoint a new coach for the national team, after Waqar Younis' decision to quit as national head coach after the ongoing Zimbabwe tour. In April, Miandad turned down the role of Pakistan's batting coach due to personal reasons.

Miandad has been asked to submit his reply within seven days. 

Exclusive article by

Saad Mahmood Ali

Contact- rated_billy@live.com

India need to sweat the small stuff

India needs an enquiry into the defeat, not an inquisition, and it is not a difficult enquiry to conduct. Many journalists and former cricketers have done it already, and while some are admittedly more thoughtful than others, certain truths have emerged.

However, the basis of a successful enquiry is intent and subsequent action; and Indian cricket has traditionally been good at neither. Action assumes accountability, and that is a dreadful word for many.

I have often said that you become what you choose to become. Should there be a BCCI enquiry, it must begin with a fundamental question: what do we seek to be? If the idea is to be a profitable entity, the BCCI already is. If, however, the idea is to be the best cricket team in the world, then you must have the people and the structure that can take you there. Otherwise India will flirt with No. 1 but never own that position.

Traditionally Indian cricket has placed skill on a pedestal and attitude by the wayside. That seems to me to be the subcontinental way of doing things - even Bangladesh exhibit it. And so our part of the world tends to throw up people who can do some brilliant things but don't care too much about doing the smaller, more routine things. We are a batting country, then maybe a bowling country, and hardly, if ever, a fielding or fitness-driven one. You see, the newspapers and television channels don't report on fielding and fitness, and in any case those two aren't switches that can be flicked on for results. Attitude then becomes an individual pursuit not an institutional trait. A Dravid or a Tendulkar or a Kumble are products of individual values, and so they are willing to do the small things that allow them to become great.

In England, the team who did the small things better won. When you spend time on the small things, you are actually practising excellence. At key moments in the series India were a bowler or a batsman short, not because a truck had knocked them over but because they weren't fit. And it didn't matter to those selecting them that the players weren't fit. Both at Lord's and in Nottingham, India had the opportunity to win but didn't have a bowler when it mattered. Zaheer Khan shouldn't have been on the tour; his shape was a testament to that. Neither should Virender Sehwag or RP Singh have been on it.

The new England make some things non-negotiable, as the old Australia and the old West Indies did. Fitness is one of those. As an Indian player told me, fitness isn't about being able to get onto the park but about coming back after tea to bowl a solid six-over spell. To do that you must be strong and in rhythm, and to be strong and in rhythm you have to have trained and played.

In days gone by, English cricket sent players burdened by county workload to play Test matches. Predictably they didn't last, they weren't strong enough. But when Stuart Broad was bowling poorly against Sri Lanka he was sent off to play a four-day game for Nottinghamshire and told he had to bowl a lot and bowl a certain way. Instead of bowling short, as he was doing, he had to pitch it up and swing it. Knowledge alone wasn't enough, he had to bowl enough balls, which he did for his county. By the time he came to Lord's he was ready with a change in style. England could do that because they manage his workload. When Chris Tremlett had a niggle, he was left out, because England didn't want to be down to three bowlers. Somebody was taking tough decisions.

Indeed, England's renaissance is built around identifying a problem and doing what it takes to rectify it. They had fitness issues; now they have a state-of-the-art academy at Loughborough that monitors cricketers and requires them to submit themselves to tests at regular intervals. They have a fast-bowling coach with the power to summon bowlers from the pavilion if they aren't warming up before the start of play. And they chose not to pick their best spin-bowling allrounder, Samit Patel, because he disregarded instructions and wasn't fit enough. These messages travel.

India can do it too but not in the cozy democracy that exists today. If India's cricket establishment asks itself hard questions, and accepts the answers, India's climb back to the top could be quicker and their stay there more permanent. 

Exclusive Article By Saad Mahmood (Cricket Laffandar)

Contact: rated_billy@live.com

England hunt whitewash, India need pride

Match Facts

August 18-22, The Oval
Start time 11.00 (1000GMT)

The Big Picture

England celebrated reaching No. 1 in the world with a good night in Birmingham on Sunday but it was soon back to the day job and, four days later, they already face the first test of their new status. The 'dead rubber syndrome' is always a risk when a team has scaled such heights to secure a major goal and Andrew Strauss will be desperate that nothing takes the gloss off the achievements of the last month.

In truth it will take a lot to remove the after-glow of three commanding performances, but this England team are never satisfied. They'll see this final Test at The Oval as a chance to lay down another marker with a show of hunger and desire. Even the great Australian sides under Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh had issues with keeping intensity high when a series was decided. England benefited with a number of one-off Test victories and won't want to offer India a similar opportunity.

It's difficult to see India bouncing back to save face over the next five days. They have been so far off the pace that this is a series they'll want to consign to history as quickly as possible. That, though, will be easier said than done with the fall-out well under way back at home and serious questions being asked of the team. Some of those questions are more sensible than others, but a number of players will be heading back with damaged reputations.

The much-vaunted batting line-up have one more chance to live up to their billing having not reached 300 in the series. The wait goes on for Sachin Tendulkar's 100th hundred, while Gautam Gambhir has disappointed and VVS Laxman hasn't made the most of some decent form. Then there's the challenge of taking 20 wickets. The pace bowlers have all had their moments but, collectively, have not been able to sustain pressure on England.

Praveen Kumar has been a tireless workhorse and Ishant Sharma has kept running in, but they have suffered from not having an economical spinner to tie up an end. If Oval history is anything to go by they could be in for more hard toil.

Form guide

(Most recent first)

England WWWDD
India LLLDD

Watch out for...

It's been a mark of how dominant England's quick bowlers have been that Graeme Swann has been able to get away with his least productive Test series. He bowled nicely at Lord's but conditions haven't been in his favour and he struggled after being hit on the left hand at Trent Bridge, and it would complete the series perfectly if he could play a key role here. It would also quieten talk that he has a weakness against batsmen who attack him - like Mike Hussey did during the Ashes - and with a winter of cricket in the Middle East and subcontinent England will want their premier spinner at the top of his game again.

Sachin Tendulkar has been given a standing ovation every time he has walked to the crease and on most occasions when he's walked back. The problem has been that on none of those occasions as he had a hundred to his name. Even taking into account Tendulkar's lack of match practice before this series - not so much preparation time as he spent hours training at Lord's - and the strength of England's attack a top-score of 56 is still a major surprise. Credit for that goes mainly to the bowlers, especially James Anderson and Stuart Broad, but as India crumbled in the second innings at Edgbaston Tendulkar eased to 40 before being run-out backing up. The series needs a Tendulkar special.

Team news

With Jonathan Trott and Chris Tremlett again ruled out the only question mark surrounds James Anderson's fitness. He came through a net session on Wednesday and the talk was positive from the England camp. Steven Finn and Graham Onions remain on standby should he be ruled out. Ravi Bopara, meanwhile, keeps his spot at No. 6 but pressure is growing on him to secure a place on the winter tour.

England (probable) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Ian Bell, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Ravi Bopara, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Graeme Swann, 11 James Anderson

Praveen Kumar took a nasty blow on the thumb at Edgbaston and India were unsure about his fitness during training on Wednesday although he bowled a lengthy spell. RP Singh, who impressed on the 2007 tour, could come into the line-up, and he might play even if Praveen is fit with Sreesanth under pressure. A twin-spin attack including Pragyan Ojha is an outside chance, but Ojha could also pressure Amit Mishra. Meanwhile, Suresh Raina has been sorted out by the England bowlers but may retain his place ahead of Virat Kohli.

India (possible) 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Gautam Gambhir, 3 Rahul Dravid, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 VVS Laxman, 6 Suresh Raina, 7 MS Dhoni (c) (wk), 8 Amit Mishra, 9 Praveen Kumar/RP Singh, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Sreesanth

Pitch and conditions

A typical Oval pitch is expected (not the crumbling-type surface produced for the 2009 Ashes) which should mean a chance for the batsmen to dominate, something only England's have done so far in this series. There is a chance of some rain on Thursday but the weather is due to clear up after that until a chance of showers later in the weekend.

Stats and trivia

• Sachin Tendulkar is in danger of enduring one of the worst series in his career. Currently, his average of 26.50 is his fourth lowest in series of three or more Tests.
• Even if England win this Test and take the series 4-0 they will lose their No. 1 ranking if South Africa win all their five Tests against Australia and Sri Lanka before Christmas
• Tim Bresnan is aiming to make it 10 Test victories from 10 matches played

For a full stats preview click here

Quotes

"We're desperate to finish the summer on a high. The work ethic over the last couple of days has been good and encouraging and I'd be very disappointed if we took our foot off the gas."
Andrew Strauss knows that it's hard work that has brought England this far, and will push his team to end the Test series on a triumphant note

"We will stick to our game plan and hopefully it'll reflect in our performance. This is a sport, we go through tough times. It's challenges that make life interesting."
MS Dhoni remains typically philosophical ahead of the final match of what has been a very challenging tour for India
 
Exclusive  Match Stats by Saad Mahmood Ali (Cricket Laffandar)

Malik, Kaneria meet PCB integrity committee again

Shoaib Malik's and Danish Kaneria's long drawn-out battle to gain clearance from the PCB continued on Monday when they appeared before its integrity committee again. A spokesman for the PCB said the decision on whether the two players - who last played for Pakistan during the England tour last year - can play for the national team is still pending.

"Both Malik and Kaneria appeared before the committee but the committee has taken no decision," Nadeem Sawrar, a PCB spokesman, told AFP.

Malik, Kaneria and Kamran Akmal appeared before the integrity committee in January before the selection of Pakistan's World Cup squad, and while Kamran was included Kaneria and Malik were not cleared for selection.

Kaneria was questioned by police in England last year, in relation to an investigation believed to centre around a Pro40 Essex win against Durham and spot-betting on wides and no-balls during the match, but was not charged. He has since produced a letter from his former county Essex clearing him of wrongdoing, but the PCB was not satisfied with it, and Kaneria has taken the PCB to court over his non-clearance.

Malik, meanwhile, received a boost when he was named as a reserve player in Pakistan's squad for their upcoming tour of Zimbabwe, but Mohsin Khan, the chief selector, said it was subject to his clearance from the board. Malik has reportedly not been able to satisfy the integrity committee about the legitimacy of a sum of money in his bank account. He, however, said he has given the committee all the information needed.

"I have given to the committee whatever I was asked to submit and it's up to them to clear me," Malik said. "If I am included in the team, then I am sure I will give a good performance as I believe I have a lot to offer to Pakistan cricket." 

Shoaib Malik says he has given the integrity committee all it asked for © AFP

Series on the line for struggling Sri Lanka

Match facts

August 16, Hambantota
Start time 14:30 (9:00 GMT, 19:00 EST)

Big Picture

The series is less than a week old, but it will be decided by Tuesday night if Australia continue their winning form after comfortably taking the first two matches. The eight-wicket victory in Hambantota on Sunday was almost a carbon copy of the opening win in Pallekele: Sri Lanka won the toss and batted poorly, failing to see out their overs, and then couldn't build any pressure on Australia in the chase. They must find their batting mojo if they are to keep the series alive heading in to the Colombo, where the final two matches will be played.

Sri Lanka's problem has been finding the right tempo. In the opening game, they went too hard and in the second match they were too cautious. Perhaps it will be third time lucky. Kumar Sangakkara looked solid in making a half-century on Sunday but he needs support from the three other key members of the top order: the openers Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga, and the No. 4 Mahela Jayawardene. Maybe when Ajantha Mendis, Lasith Malinga and company have a decent target to defend they can impart some pressure on Australia's batsmen.

For the visitors, all has gone swimmingly, apart from Brad Haddin's struggle for form at the top of the order. Wickets have come from Doug Bollinger, Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee, and the spinners have done their job of keeping things tight. Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke have all been in the runs, and overall the side has been much more switched on than Sri Lanka. The question is, how will they fare if Sri Lanka find their spark?

Form guide

(Most recent first)
Sri Lanka LLWLL
Australia WWWWW

In the spotlight

A couple of former captains, Ricky Ponting and Kumar Sangakkara, have already posted half-centuries in this series, but Sri Lanka need some runs from another ex-skipper. Mahela Jayawardene hasn't looked at his best in the first two games, flashing at a wide ball from Mitchell Johnson and edging behind in the first, and top-edged a sweep in the second. But he is a class act, and it was only a few months ago that he scored a century in a World Cup final. A strong innings from Jayawardene would go a long way to getting Sri Lanka back into the series.

Everything has gone right for Michael Clarke so far in this series. In fact, ever since he took over the captaincy full time. He's led Australia to five wins from five games and his leadership in the field has been confident and well thought-out. The initial signs are positive for the post-Ponting era. Most importantly, he has been scoring runs and now has a pair of half-centuries in Sri Lanka to add to his 101 in Bangladesh in his first match in charge. As a steady presence in the middle order, he'll be an important player throughout the rest of the tour.

Team news

Suraj Randiv made way for Rangana Herath in the second match, but Herath had no impact with the ball and could be back on the sidelines for the third game. The batting is Sri Lanka's major concern, so they need to decide whether to stick with the existing line-up or bring in Chamara Silva, perhaps at the expense of Dinesh Chandimal or Jeevan Mendis.

Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Dinesh Chandimal / Chamara Silva, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Jeevan Mendis, 8 Suraj Randiv, 9 Nuwan Kulasekara, 10 Ajantha Mendis, 11 Lasith Malinga.

Australia's line-up has worked well in the first two matches, and there is no reason to make any changes while the series remains alive. Steven Smith hasn't batted and has barely been required to bowl, but the Australians like his versatility and the energy he brings in the field, so he is expected retain his position.

Australia (probable) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Brad Haddin (wk), 3 Ricky Ponting, 4 Michael Clarke (capt), 5 Michael Hussey, 6 David Hussey, 7 Steven Smith, 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Xavier Doherty, 11 Doug Bollinger.

Pitch and conditions

The Hambantota pitch was slow and low, and didn't have much grass on it, and was described by Clarke as a good wicket for batting. The players will be hoping the wind has died down by Tuesday, after Sunday's match was played in extremely breezy conditions.

Stats and trivia

• Mahela Jayawardene will become the seventh man to play 350 one-day internationals
• Australia have now won 23 of the 29 ODIs they have played under Michael Clarke's captaincy
• So far in the series, Sri Lanka have lost 20 wickets, while Australia have lost five

Quotes

"We have to work on the batting ... work hard, come back strong."
Tillakaratne Dilshan knows exactly where Sri Lanka's problem lies.

"There's still a long way to go but these first two games have been very impressive both with the ball and with the bat."
Michael Clarke has been pleased with how Australia have started the series.

Australia's one-day record under Michael Clarke is very strong © Associated Press

 Exclusive Match facts by Saad Mahmood

Cook's epic sets up victory push

As in Brisbane nine months ago this was a day for the record books with Alastair Cook to the fore. However, the landmark of a triple hundred eluded him when he fell for 294 as England built up a monumental lead of 486 at Edgbaston. Cook and Eoin Morgan, who made his second Test hundred, added 222 for the fourth wicket on another day of complete England dominance before they were given the perfect finish by removing Virender Sehwag for a king pair.

Most of the day became filled with various milestones for Cook and by tea he was in the top 10 of all-time scores for England, within touching distance of joining his mentor, Graham Gooch, in the 300-club. But, trying to drive through the off side - a rare show of aggression during a display of remorseless accumulation - he picked out deep point and, instead, joined another select band of those who reached the 290s.

That list includes Sehwag - who, of course, also has triple hundreds - but in this match he hasn't been able to score a single run. Cook's dismissal prompted the declaration and Sehwag was back in the pavilion to the second ball of the innings when he played a booming drive at James Anderson which flew to first slip. England could also have removed Gautam Gambhir before the close when Graeme Swann had an lbw turned down that was hitting middle and leg. Swann will have a big say on Saturday.

Sehwag clearly wasn't ready for this Test, physically or mentally, but even for someone so renowned for shelving the coaching manual his shot-selection didn't given him much of a chance. Cook's method of batting could not be more removed from Sehwag. He has expanded his game in recent months, but in Test cricket still enjoys playing at his own pace. Cook scored seven boundaries during the day and cheers that greeted his later fours may have included a hint of irony about them. Yet even those who wished for something a touch more flamboyant can't help but marvel at Cook's powers of concentration and remorselessness. There was an era when England cried out for batsmen who could score huge totals and now they have a top-order full of them, with Cook leading the way.

        Before lunch he registered his double hundred from 378 balls and soon moved past his previous best of 235 at Brisbane in November. And the milestones kept on coming. When he went to 247 it gave him the second-highest score by an England batsman against India, with only Gooch ahead of him with 333, and Cook's 250 - which came from 485 balls - was the first such score for England since that 1990 epic by Gooch.

Alongside Cook's personal landmarks it was also a day for England to set some high points with the final total their third-highest and their best in non-timeless Tests. England's progress wasn't always scintillating but they were content to grind India down with two days still available. The innings was also halted twice for poor light, the first occasion when the floodlights couldn't be turned on due to a power failure at the ground.


As they had yesterday, England wanted to wear down the bowlers for later acceleration and that came as Tim Bresnan played some shots during a crisp half-century in a 97-run stand alongside Cook. It was a slightly improved display from the Indians as there were a few more dives in the outfield while bowlers put in some hard yards.

The main partnership, and the one that built on the previous day's gains, was between Cook and Morgan. With a deep-set field more akin to the middle overs of a one-day game it was a perfect situation for Morgan to help himself to a Test hundred. He had to be watchful against Praveen Kumar and Ishant Sharma, but was given plenty of spin to milk around.

His century arrived from 188 balls and he was soon using his feet to loft Suresh Raina down the ground. Morgan, though, hadn't wasted the two lives he was given on the second day and following two scores in the 70s this season it will have settled any debate about his position in the line-up for the foreseeable future. If he'd stayed in the middle England's rate would have increased, but attempting an inside-out drive he picked out Sehwag at cover - fortunately, given the standard of India's catching, he didn't have to move far to hold on.

It meant Ravi Bopara, on his return to Test cricket, came in at 596 for 4 with little to gain and, almost inevitably having watched the 69-over stand that preceded him, he didn't manage a long stay. He opened his account with a back-cut to third man but was trapped lbw by Amit Mishra when a delivery straightened and would have hit middle. It was due recognition for Mishra who had bowled with more verve and found considerable turn, although that was probably of more interest to Swann.

Mishra claimed his third success when Matt Prior top-edged a sweep that was well caught by Sachin Tendulkar who made good ground running from deep square leg. Wickets, though, were irrelevant; it was just a matter of Cook's progress and how many England wanted to lead by.

Bresnan provided useful impetus just as things were threatening to stall and his stay included a mighty six over midwicket off Ishant. Cook would have dearly wanted those six runs for himself, but it was about the only thing that didn't quite go to script. India have a huge challenge to even take this match to the final day.

Taylor ton puts hosts in charge

Tea Zimbabwe 291 for 5 dec (Taylor 105*, Ervine 35*) & 370 lead Bangladesh 287 by 374 runs

Zimbabwe batted themselves into a commanding position after two sessions of patient, hard work, and declared at tea. The fifth-wicket pair of Brendan Taylor and Tatenda Taibu negotiated a morning session that was, at times, barren before Taylor and Craig Ervine upped the ante against a Bangladesh attack determined to slow the game down in an effort to minimise the damage.

On the whole, the Bangladesh bowlers lacked penetration and presented almost no threat to the batsmen. Although Rubel Hossain started off generating good pace and the spinners worked to squeeze Zimbabwe with attacking field settings, they were unable to make any breakthroughs in the first session. The new ball also didn't provide Bangladesh with a tool to attack and it was in fact Zimbabwe's batsmen who were the more aggressive once it was introduced. Once again, Bangladesh simply allowed far too many scoring shots and have ended up leaving themselves a massive task with the bat.

Hossain looked dangerous when he started the day's play, especially when he was able to bowl full and move the ball in. After five overs without creating the early breakthrough Bangladesh needed though, Shakib al Hasan took him off, replacing him with Abdur Razzak. With spin from both ends, Tatenda Taibu was allowed to become the architect of Zimbabwe's strike rotation.

His confidence against spin and footwork that would make a ballerina proud, helped Taibu boss the Bangladesh bowlers and score all around the wicket, sweeping and driving with equal distinction. He brought up a feisty half-century with a typical jig down the track and single to mid off. Taylor, whose feet have never been quite as good as Taibu's, played a watchful knock from the other side, maintaining the cautious approach he had employed in the first innings.

With the left-arm spinners losing motivation, runs came easily for the Zimbabwe batsmen who threaded the ball through the gaps and ran well between the wickets, in addition to punishing anything wayward that came their way. Shakib bowled a particularly poor line later in his ten-over spell, veering too much on the leg side, and after conceding five boundaries in three overs took himself off and brought Mahmudullah on.

Together with Razzak, he squeezed the batsmen who managed to score just nine runs in the ten overs before lunch. Taylor and Taibu could have succumbed to frustration in that period but played a strong defensive game to take Zimbabwe into the break in a commanding position.

The second session started in a similarly cautious fashion, with Bangladesh ambling to their fielding positions and moving around the park slowly, trying to kill off any momentum in the match. They bowled just 12 overs in the first hour after lunch, compared to the 17.3 they managed in the first hour of the morning session.

Shafiul Islam was used for the first time in the day and bowled a line wide of off stump, while varying his lengths. Taylor picked him well and reached his fifty off Shafiul, after working him to long leg. Five slow overs were completed before Taibu decided it was time to accelerate and in his first attempt at taking Shafiul on, with a smashing drive, was caught at deep extra cover. Taibu perished in the cause but Taylor and Craig Ervine were able to grow the lead, as they upped the run-rate and took the fight to the bowlers.

They took three overs to get their eye in and then Taylor drove Shafiul through midwicket to take the lead past 300. Ervine had the freedom to play his shots and exacted a magnificent pull off Mahmudullah over midwicket and a sublime drive through the covers. The pair took on the fielders, putting pressure on them as they ran quickly and with self assurance.

Taylor came into his own as the session drew to a close, with a few classic drives. He reached his century with a sweep to backward square leg. As soon as it was hit, his arms were in the air and the group of fans who were chanting "one more, one more" for the two balls he faced on 99, applauded their captain's efforts with delight. 

Top order puts Zimbabwe in command

Zimbabwe's top four ensured that their return to Test cricket was impressive as they achieved a balance between aggression and caution. Hamilton Masakadza scored a fluent, unbeaten 88 after debutant Tino Mawoyo and Vusi Sibanda had put on a century first-wicket stand and laid a solid base for the rest to build on.


Bangladesh's bowlers were inconsistent throughout the day, struggled with their lines and lengths and gave the batsmen the luxury of choosing which deliveries to leave and which to play. As a unit, they posed little threat to the batsmen, with the seam bowlers and the left-arm spinners failing to be penetrative and losing motivation as a result.


Mawoyo had a few nerves at the start, which were exposed when he was almost run out in a moment of impulsion; but he settled soon after and showed remarkable poise and patience in his innings. His first runs came with a classy upper cut and a pair of delicious drives. Sibanda took a little longer to settle in but once he did, and was able to put his drive on display, he was almost unstoppable. The Zimbabwe openers were helped by the fact that Bangladesh's seamers failed to exploit the movement on offer early on.


Shafiul Islam bowled with discipline up front and maintained a challenging length but his new-ball partner Robiul Islam was often too short. The only wicket-taker of the innings, Rubel Hossain, got some movement but was unable to use it to claim any scalps, his two strikes coming from wayward shots rather than attacking bowling.


Bangladesh turned to spin in the 13th over with Shakib bringing himself on and getting a surprising amount of turn. Zimbabwe were wary of the threat of left-arm spin and handled him with caution, being careful not to go forward too much. They smothered the spin of both Shakib and Abdur Razzak and in so doing crafted a base from which to push on. By the time lunch was approaching, they had offered the bowlers no chances and only a lapse in concentration caused Mawoyo to chase a short and wide ball. When he was caught at deep backward point, he ended a partnership that, in some ways, mirrored the century first-wicket stand of Kevin Arnott and Grant Flower in Zimbabwe's first Test in 1992, the main difference being that Arnott and Flower took much longer to reach the hundred mark.


Bangladesh showed more intent after lunch, with two edges off the bat of Sibanda going the way of second slip, one put down and the other not carrying. They bowled with a little more zip for the first half an hour but as the Zimbabwe batsman got comfortable the bowlers were demoralised. Sibanda's driving was moving into fifth gear and Masakadza's strong defence and positive attack presented a combination that was too formidable for Bangladesh. The visitors finally captured another wicket midway through the second session when Sibanda hung his bat out to a short ball and got an edge through to Mushfiqur Rahim.


Masakadza was unruffled, illustrating why he is regarded as one of Zimbabwe's most-improved players. His innings was defined by his drives but he pulled with confidence and also worked the ball well on the leg side. With the ultra-cautious Brendan Taylor at the other end, Masakadza had the freedom to play his shots, which he did not abuse.


In his first innings as captain, Taylor was watchful. He slipped up only once, when he slashed hard and was almost caught behind but for the most part he was sedate and happy to play a supporting role. He and Masakadza did a fine job of accumulating runs by taking singles, helped by the poor effort from Bangladesh in the field.

Zimbabwe 264 for 2 (Masakadza 88*, Taylor 40* Hossain 2-58) v Bangladesh
Although the point region was well covered, and when the ball was hit there it usually found the fielder, runs were leaked in almost every other part of the field. Misfields were commonplace and as the shadows got longer general disinterest seemed to creep in. Balls that should have been chased with more eagerness were merely ambled after and ones that could have been saved were allowed to go through.


Bangladesh took the second new ball as soon as it was on offer but with conditions not as favourable as they were in the morning, they could hardly hope to make use of it. Shafiul had a confident shout for lbw against Taylor in his first over with the new ball but it was given not out. Replays showed that it could have gone over the stumps or down leg. Robiul was again inaccurate and all but wasted the new cherry as the Bangladesh bowlers dragged themselves through the final minutes of play, perhaps weighed down by the many things they will have to work on before the second day.

I went from hero to zero - Afridi

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has claimed that he was not part of the selection meetings for the final two one-dayers against West Indies in May earlier this year, despite being captain. A series of sharp comments made to the Pakistani media over the past couple of days seems to dispel any possibility of a reconciliation - speculation about which increased following the death of his father last month - with the cricket establishment.

On his return from the Caribbean, Afridi hinted at differences with coach Waqar Younis that sparked off a controversy leading to Afridi's removal as limited-overs captain and a legal battle with the Pakistan board.

Waqar's tour report of that series confirmed Afridi had walked out of a meeting over differences relating to selection. Pakistan lost the final two ODIs and PCB chief Ijaz Butt defended the decision to remove Afridi saying he wasn't "captaincy material" in an interview last month.

"I did not take part in the selection meeting on the eve of the last two matches," Afridi told reporters in Karachi on Monday. "The team was selected by coach Waqar Younis and Intikhab Alam and I had no input in the selection of the playing eleven.

"Everybody knows through the manager's report that I wasn't involved in selection because I walked away from the meeting. The chairman's comments were really disappointing because the remarks he made don't suit his stature. I was a hero for them after the World Cup and suddenly I became zero."

Afridi said his dispute with the PCB, which ended when he agreed to plead guilty of misconduct and paid a fine of 4.5 million rupees in exchange for permission to play domestic Twenty20 cricket in England, affected the team's momentum. "I made many plans for the team," Afridi said. "Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez and myself were involved in devising many strategies but it was ruined because of what happened afterwards."

Afridi, who retired "conditionally" from international cricket after his removal as captain, said he would not go back on his decision as long as the present regime of the PCB remained in power. "I cannot play with people who conspired against me and worked against the team, they have their personal interests paramount to them and they are only damaging the team.

"I have always maintained that playing for Pakistan is my priority, I would always prefer representing my country over any offer from anywhere in the world," he said.

Injured Yuvraj and Harbhajan out of Test series

Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh have been ruled out of the rest of the England Test series following injuries sustained during the second Test at Trent Bridge. A board statement said they would be out of action for four and three weeks, respectively - the final Test starts on August 18. Virat Kohli and Pragyan Ojha have been called up as their respective replacements ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston.

Yuvraj fractured his left index finger on the fourth day at Trent Bridge while facing up to a bouncer from Tim Bresnan, and the injury is expected to take four weeks to heal. Bresnan banged in Yuvraj's eleventh delivery short of a length, and it climbed fast towards the batsman's neck but the ball hit him on the index finger of the left hand and Yuvraj threw the bat away immediately, wincing in pain. He continued batting, until he was dismissed by another disconcerting bouncer from Bresnan, and later went to a hospital in neighbouring Derby. Based on the scans a decision was taken to consult a specialist in London.

Harbhajan has a Grade I abdominal muscle strain, which limited his role as a bowler in the Test match to just 13.4 overs, increasing the workload on India's seam attack. He's also been in poor form, managing only two wickets in the first two Tests.

Ojha, who was set to join Surrey for the County Championship and the CB40 one-day competition, will now instead join the Indian side. Kohli was dropped from the Test side following patchy performances on his debut Test series in the West Indies, but Yuvraj's injury gives him a second opportunity.

Harbhajan's absence will allow Ojha to tussle with legspinner Amit Mishra, who was in the original squad, for the spinner's slot in Birmingham, unless India decide to play a four-seamer attack provided Zaheer Khan is fit. An all-pace attack, however, will be weighed against India's current problems with maintaining a proper over-rate.

The injury means that Harbhajan will have to wait until later in the year to play his 100th Test. He is currently on 98 and would have reached the landmark at The Oval, the venue of the final Test of the series.

India are also waiting to see what sort of fitness and form Virender Sehwag is in. He missed the first two Tests while recovering from shoulder surgery and, having landed in London on Wednesday, is expected to join the team in time for the tour game in Northamptonshire.

It is not yet clear whether Zaheer, who suffered a hamstring injury during the Lord's Test after bowling only 13.3 overs and missed Trent Bridge, will be fit to play at Edgbaston. Gautam Gambhir - another player who missed out at Trent Bridge following an injury picked up in the first Test - is also fit to play.

India play a two-day tour game against Northamptonshire on August 5 and 6, ahead of the third Test from August 10. India trail 0-2 in the four-match series.

Parnell announces conversion to Islam

Wayne Parnell, the South Africa left-arm seamer, has announced that he has converted to Islam. Parnell has not decided on a Muslim name yet and will still be known as Wayne Dillon.

"I converted to Islam in January 2011, after a period of personal study and reflection and it is a faith that I have always been interested in," Parnell said in a statement on Thursday. He also asked that the issue be treated with respect as he approaches his first period of fasting. "My faith choice is a matter which I would like to keep private."

Parnell confirmed that he will "continue to respect the team's endorsement of alcoholic beverages." South Africa's Test team is sponsored by Castle Lager, a local beer. Hashim Amla, also of Muslim faith, does not wear the beer logo on his playing kit after making a special arrangement with CSA because of his religious beliefs.

Parnell is currently playing cricket for English county Sussex.

England need nine wickets on final day

Ruthless England came down hard on wounded and battered India, first through Matt Prior's century and then through a probing 27 overs, to end up needing nine wickets on the final day. India, though, had fingernails dug in at the edge of the cliff. Forced to bat at Nos 2 and 3 respectively, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman were made to look ungainly, but they batted out 131 deliveries between them in the final session of the fourth day. Gautam Gambhir and Sachin Tendulkar were not available to bat in their usual positions because of injury and illness respectively.

Those tuned into the match would have known that the real game on the fourth day would begin some time in the final session, when England - effectively 193 for 0 at the start of the day - would declare to leave India four sessions to bat, give or take. The journey to that point proved fascinating though. Ishant Sharma, a rhythm bowler, found his groove against a surprisingly circumspect batting line-up, reducing England to 62 for 5 and incredibly bringing an Indian win into the faint edge of the frame.

Prior and Stuart Broad then introduced India to reality, all but ruling out their chances of winning with a 162-run seventh-wicket stand. Prior summed up the England team's attitude when he began attacking, scoring a century at a strike-rate of 85.83, although defensive fields meant he hit only five fours and a six. And Broad could do no wrong. After his unbeaten half-century, he took a wicket in the first over of a spell for the third time in this match, removing Abhinav Mukund, who once again looked solid before he sighted Broad.

Until Prior and Broad counterattacked, India did decently in the absence of the injured Zaheer Khan. It helped that England were in their shell at the start of the day even though the ball hardly swung then. During that period Praveen Kumar dismissed Alastair Cook for a rare single-digit score, and Andrew Strauss fell to his second ordinary sweep off Harbhajan Singh.

The next hour belonged to Ishant. No matter where this matches goes, the spell of 5-3-4-3 he bowled just before lunch will hold significance for the rest of the series. For starters he let Kevin Pietersen know that he was not be bullied. In the first innings, Pietersen had put Ishant completely off his line and length by walking across and towards him. Today Ishant welcomed him with a bouncer, got extra bounce and the glove. Then followed the two quintessential Ishant wickets. Ian Bell got one that left him against the angle, taking the edge. Two wickets in one over. Two overs later, Ishant got one to move in sharply to Jonathan Trott, against the slope, and hit the top of off. That ball would have got greats out.

Sixty-seven runs came in 26 overs before lunch, for the loss of five wickets. Post lunch, India weren't as aggressive. They didn't begin with Ishant, who had bowled 11 overs in the first session. When they reintroduced Ishant, he got Eoin Morgan with a short ball that did the batsman in for pace.

Prior, though, didn't inhabit the shell his team-mates had. Faced with his aggression, India backed off a bit. The fielders wilted. Prior exploited the in-and-out field well. Every time he got room he drove emphatically, anything straight was punished into the on side, and potentially the biggest blow was a meaty sweep into Gambhir's elbow at short leg, minutes before tea. The batsman had to go to the hospital for an x-ray, and came back just before stumps with news that there was no fracture.

Prior had broken India's spirit, though. Post tea, he and Broad went into Twenty20 mode, scoring 95 runs in 12 overs. Ishant's earlier resurgence now seemed just a minor blip. India took off their tired specialist bowlers, no longer making an effort to make England bat as long as possible. Dhoni brought himself on, making Dravid, due to open the innings in a matter of minutes, keep wicket.

That didn't seem to affect Dravid's concentration when he walked out after Prior's century heralded the declaration. The openers saw off eight overs, but Broad came on to dismiss Abhinav in a fashion similar to the first innings: played on.

Like with Abhinav, England tried a repeat dismissal with Laxman, keeping their fine leg square and bowling into his ribs. Laxman pulled two boundaries along the ground. England didn't have a first-innings dismissal for Dravid to go by. Still they did well enough to him. Chris Tremlett and Broad especially bowled superb outswingers. While the two applied themselves, there was some luck involved too, as there invariably is in such situations: they were beaten 15 times between them.

One Broad over summed up the kind of odds the two were fighting. The first ball swung away late, beating the outside edge. Dravid looked to cover the movement of the next ball, but this one came in and kicked to beat the inside edge. Dravid looked for the bounce, but the next one stayed low. The bat came down in time; it kept coming down in time until stumps.