Continuing the test series between India and Sri Lanka, the 3rd test will be aired Live on Ten Sports India. 

The second Sri Lanka vs India Test match schedules are as follows:
August 8th
10:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. - Day 1 Session 1
12:55 p.m. - 2:55 p.m. - Day 1 Session 2
3:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. - Day 1 Session 3

The rest of the days, from 9th August to 12th August, follow a very similar timing.

India’s tour has started miserably and unless they can lift themselves in all three departments of the game, they will find it difficult to win the series.

Only VVS Laxman managed to score a fifty while four of Sri Lanka’s top six crossed the three-figure mark. India’s bowlers had to be content with six wickets as Muralitharan and Mendis picked up wickets in heaps. The fielding and catching wasn’t up to the mark either.

But Gautam Gambhir has shrugged off the defeat as a one-off and says the Indian team is positive despite the thrashing at Colombo. He also emphasised the need to bat more patiently against Sri Lanka’s spin twins.

Sri Lanka captain Jayawardene is expecting a good fightback from the Indians. “I am sure they are very disappointed after the first Test, but we know how good they are. They will definitely come very strong at us and we have to be prepared for that,” Jayawardene told reporters. Jayawardene, who has scored 9 centuries at SSC has an enviable record at Galle too, averaging 99.21 in 12 tests.

The second Sri Lanka vs India Test match schedules are as follows:
July 31st.
10:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. - Day 1 Session 1
12:55 p.m. - 2:55 p.m. - Day 1 Session 2
3:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. - Day 1 Session 3

The rest of the days, from 1st August to 4th August, follow a very similar timing.

Tim Southee took 4 wickets as New Zealand bowled England out for 160 to win the third one-day cricket international by 22 runs, tying the 5-match series at 1-1. The 19-year-old’s haul at Bristol’s County Ground included 3 dismissals in 2 overs to reduce the home team to 64-6, then he trapped captain Paul Collingwood leg before wicket. The Black Caps earlier made 182 all out. New Zealand is aiming to finish its tour on a high after previously suffering a 2-0 defeat in the Test series and losing a Twenty20 international. It was frustrated in its attempt to tie the series in the second one-day match on June 18 after the umpires took the players off with the Black Caps short of batting the minimum 20 overs. England won the opening game by 114 runs. Kyle Mills made New Zealand’s early breakthrough in the England reply, with Luke Wright edging to Scott Styris at second slip in the opening over, then Grant Elliott held a catch to dismiss Kevin Pietersen. Elliott, who had top-scored for the visitor with 56 as he helped it recover from 75-6, also finished with 2 wickets. Daniel Vettori and Styris were the other wicket-takers. Collingwood led England with 34, Graeme Swann made 29, and Ravi Bopara scored 27. England’s pace attack of Stuart Broad, James Anderson and Chris Tremlett had made early inroads today before Elliott and Mills, 47 from 40 balls, lifted the Black Caps. Anderson took 3 wickets, but went for 61 runs, while Broad allowed only 14 runs from his 10 overs, collecting 2 dismissals.

Just two weeks after the Triseries tournament at Bangladesh, Pakistan hosts the Asia Cup 2008. Six teams are expected to take part in the tournament, including Bangladesh, India, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the UAE. This will be the first Asia Cup hosted by Pakistan; previously political tensions between India and Pakistan did not permit Pakistan to host the event.

Here’s the complete TV schedule for the Asia cup on ESPN India and Star Cricket.

ESPN will broadcast the Group A matches played at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. The matches begin at 3:20 p.m. 

24th June: Bangladesh vs UAE
25th June: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh
26th June: Sri Lanka vs UAE

Star Sports on the other hand will be much more comprehensive. There will be a 1 hour preview of the match at 2:30 p.m., followed by the game at 3:30 p.m. There will also be a 1 hour match review after the match at 11:30 p.m. The Group B matches will be played at National Stadium, Karachi, Pakistan

24th June: Pakistan vs Hong Kong
25th June: India vs Hong Kong
26th June: Pakistan vs India 

The other six matches - to be played from 28th June to 4th July - will be decided later on depending on the points earned by each team. And you can count on us to keep you posted on those results. 

England batsman Kevin Pietersen’s reverse-handed shot that took New Zealand by surprise two days ago was cleared by cricket’s rule-making body today. In his match-winning innings of 110 not out, Pietersen launched New Zealand medium-pacer Scott Styris for two sixes after switching his stance from right- to left-handed at the last moment. His performance ignited a debate about the shot, which had already come under scrutiny from the International Cricket Council at a meeting in Dubai in May.

“The MCC believes that the switch-hit stroke is exciting for the game of cricket,” Marylebone Cricket Club, the sport’s rule-making body, said in a statement. “It conforms to the Laws of Cricket and will not be legislated against.” The MCC ruling said the shot was legitimate because it did not give an unfair advantage to batsmen, and said it was a risky tactic that “offers bowlers a good chance of taking a wicket.”

Pietersen, 27, known for his flamboyant stroke play, last played the shot in an international match against Sri Lanka in 2006 before stunning Styris with his display in England’s 114- run victory at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street, north- east England. “It’s important that we as players are innovative, and if this shot helps make cricket more exciting and entertaining for spectators then that has to be good for the sport,” Pietersen said in a statement.

The second of England’s five-game one-day series with New Zealand takes place in Birmingham and will be shown live on star cricket at 15.15 IST

With the county season less than a few hours away many sides are still trying to come to terms with the impact of the two Indian leagues which are threatening to change the face of England’s domestic cricket. Already a number of players have had their registrations rejected after taking part in the Indian Cricket League (ICL), while the official Indian Premier League (IPL) is sending the powers that be into a frenzy as they try to keep up with the pace of change. So far the IPL has had a limited impact on English cricket but it won’t stay that way for long. Dimitri Mascarenhas, the Hampshire allrounder, is the only English player to be involved in the first IPL after joining the Jaipur franchise following a deal made with his club. Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman, has said that England players will be welcome at future events and doesn’t want to clash with the domestic season.

Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman, has made it clear that he doesn’t see England’s top players taking part in the IPL but there is a danger that the situation could run away from the board. Andrew Flintoff would be high on the list of any franchise and it has already been reported that the he and Kevin Pietersen have attracted interested. However, Flintoff isn’t interested in any offers at this stage although hinted that it could be an option in the future but Lancashire chief executive, Jim Cumbes, has warned that the English game must act quickly in finding a way of keeping its leading players happy otherwise the IPL will become a greater threat. “At the moment the IPL is standing off English cricket but I cannot see them doing that indefinitely,” he said. “The Indian leagues will have a big impact on cricket here if counties do not move quickly to set up something here - that’s my view anyway.

While the Twenty20 cup 2008 wont be as glamorous as the IPL, It is still going to be a great watch as some of the best players in the game will be taking part. The tournament gets underway on the 17th of June 2008 and will be telecast on Star Cricket from 22.00 IST onwards

Australia won the third cricket Test against West Indies in Barbados by 87 runs to take the series 2-0 after the home team failed to achieve a record victory target. West Indies, set 475 to win at the Kensington Oval, was bowled out for 387 in its second innings. The highest score to win a Test match batting fourth was its 418-7 to defeat Australia in Antigua in May 2003. Top-ranked Australia completes a ninth straight Test series win. It took the opener in Jamaica by 95 runs, while the second match in Antigua was drawn.

West Indies, starting the final day on 235-3, frustrated Australia for most of the morning before Dwayne Bravo and Shivnarine Chanderpaul were dismissed in successive overs. Bravo was the first to go, caught by Phil Jaques at silly point for 69 off the bowling of Beau Casson to end a 122-run partnership. He’d struck three sixes off spin bowler Casson earlier in the session. Chanderpaul became the fourth West Indian to score 8,000 Test runs when he reached 49, though added only 1 more run before being trapped leg before wicket by Stuart Clark.

The home team then lost its remaining five wickets for 84 runs. Jerome Taylor hit a Test-best 31 in a 42-run partnership with Denesh Ramdin, while Sewnarine Chattergoon, playing with a runner because of an ankle injury, made 13. Brett Lee ended the match by claiming his second wicket of the innings when Daren Powell edged to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin. Clark was the pick of Australia’s bowlers with 3-58, while Casson, on his debut, took 3-86. Australia had yesterday declared on 439-5 in its second innings after Simon Katich’s Test-best 157.

West Indies needs another 240 runs to avoid a Test cricket series loss to Australia after benefiting from three dropped catches to reach 235-3 on day four of the final match in Barbados. Australia set the home team a record 475 runs to win at the Kensington Oval after Simon Katich’s Test-best 157 led the top- ranked Australians to 439-5 declared in their second innings. A victory for West Indies would tie the three-match contest and deny Australia a ninth straight Test series win. The highest score to win a Test match batting fourth was by West Indies in 2003 when it made 418-7 to defeat Australia in Antigua.

The Caribbean team’s run chase was aided by the Australian fielders. Xavier Marshall struck 85, his highest first-class score, after Katich at third slip, then wicketkeeper Brad Haddin both failed to hold chances. His fellow opener Chris Gayle was dropped by Beau Casson during his innings of 26. Ramnaresh Sarwan scored 43 in a 95-run second-wicket stand with Marshall before being trapped leg before wicket by Michael Clarke. Spin bowler Casson claimed his first Test wicket when he had Marshall caught by Phil Jacques.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul will resume on 27 tomorrow, with Dwayne Bravo 30 not out. Bravo survived an lbw appeal from a full-length Brett Lee delivery and an appeal for a catch behind. Sewnarine Chattergoon is unlikely to bat on the final day because of an ankle injury. Earlier, Katich added 9 runs to his overnight score before being caught by substitute fielder Darren Sammy on 157. Andrew Symonds made 2, while Clarke finished unbeaten on 48 and Haddin 45 not out.

Catch the final day of the third test match between Australia and the West Indies live on Ten Sports today the 16th of June from 19.30 to 02.30 IST

Shoaib Akhtar’s five-year ban has been reduced to 18 months by the PCB-appointed appellate tribunal, but he will have to pay a fine of Rs 7 million (approx US$105,000). The Pakistan board had, on April 1, banned him on various disciplinary grounds.”The tribunal has taken the decision [to reduce Shoaib's ban] with a clear conscience and under no pressure from either the board or anyone else,” Justice (retd) Aftab Farrukh, the head of the three-man tribunal, said in Karachi, adding that it was an unanimous decision.

Explaining the tribunal’s verdict, Farrukh said: “We also took into consideration the past record of Shoaib and that he had publicly apologised for his behaviour and past deeds. He has promised to reform himself and we have also recommended to the board that he should be given proper counselling.”Another member of the tribunal, Naveed Chaudhry, was pushing for the complete removal of the ban, with the provision of higher fine, but was overruled. “I wanted him [Shoaib] to play but pay a hefty fine of 20 million, but the other two members thought otherwise.” The third member, former Test cricketer Haseeb Ashan, did not attend the meeting, but gave his consent over telephone. Meanwhile, Shoaib’s lawyer, Abid Hasan Minto, said that he may pursue a further appeal against the reduced ban. “We will take a decision after going through the long and detailed order of the tribunal.”

Is it right for Shoaib Akhtar to have got his ban reduced? Do leave a comment and let us know what you think.

Pakistan beat India by 25 runs to win the Bangladesh Tri Series. Though Dhoni and Yuvi tried valiantly, Malik’s boys were better.

The Pakistanis had a brilliant batting side with Younis Khan (108) and Salman Butt (129*) together making possible the high score of 315. With Akmal (15) and Butt opening for the Pakistani side, the Paks got off on a slow start. However, when Pathan got Akmal’s wicket, it brought out the formidable Younis Khan, who together with Butt, made for a seamless partnership of 200 runs in 191 balls. 

Salman Butt suddenly collapsed due to dehyderation and had to be taken out of the game with a high score of 129. read all »

Ancient history favours Pakistan, but more modern events give India the edge going into Saturday’s encounter. Pakistan have usually fared better in ODI finals between these traditional rivals, winning five of the seven tournaments where the two sides met in the title clash - but the last of those was in 1999. India have had the upper hand in recent matches, winning five of their last seven games and with their rampaging top-order firing, have steamrollered their way to the final. A victory on Saturday would add to Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s growing reputation as an ODI captain, having already tasted success at home against Pakistan and in the CB series in Australia.

On the other hand, Shoaib Malik is yet to win a ODI series against significant opposition since beating Sri Lanka last May. His side’s 12-game winning streak was emphatically snapped by a 140-run defeat in the league match against India, prompting a stinging and public rebuke from PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf. While this is a battle between arch-rivals, the frequency of matches between the two sides has taken the edge off this game. As Shahid Afridi said, “some of the jadoo (magic) has gone out of the atmosphere and build-up.” A win here, though, will be the perfect tonic ahead of the Asia Cup.

India: (probable) 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Gautam Gambhir, 3 Rohit Sharma, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Suresh Raina, 7 Yusuf Pathan, 8 Irfan Pathan, 9 Piyush Chawla, 10 Praveen Kumar, 11 Ishant Sharma

Pakistan: (probable) 1 Salman Butt, 2 Kamran Akmal (wk), 3 Younis Khan, 4 Mohammad Yousuf, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq, 6 Shoaib Malik (capt), 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Sohail Tanvir, 9, Umar Gul, 10 Wahab Riaz / Sohail Khan, 11 Iftikhar Anjum.

Catch the Kitply cup final live on Neo Cricket on Saturday the 14th of June at 14.30 IST.

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ESPN: Pakistan Cricket Board official Nadeem Akram returned to Pakistan on Wednesday after failing to secure the release of Mohammad Asif. The fast bowler was detained by customs officials at the Dubai International Airport on June 1 on suspicion of carrying drugs on his person.

“Akram has indeed returned home,” said PCB media manager Raza Rashid. “The attorney general in Dubai has not given us a time frame, so we are not sure when a decision would actually be made.”
A small quantity of a powder was found in Asif’s wallet and was sent to a laboratory for testing. The bowler also gave blood and urine tests, with the results of those yet to be divulged.

Akram, the director of human resources at the PCB, was immediately rushed to Dubai to oversee the case but has now left that responsibility to an official from the Pakistan embassy in the United Arab Emirates.

“An official from the Pakistan embassy in the United Arab Emirates will now oversee the case,” Akram told reporters in Dubai prior to his departure.

“We are still hopeful that he would be released. No charges have been laid so far.”
Shafqat Naghmi, the PCB’s chief operating officer, said Akram had to return to help Pakistan’s preparations for the Asia Cup.

Pakistan is set to host the six-nation cricket tournament (like there could be anything else!) from the 24th of June. Hopefully they will get their star player back by then.