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Mohammad Yousuf, the Pakistan batsman, has said that he’s still passionate about playing cricket and would relish the chance to play Test cricket again

Umar Farooq26-Apr-2012Mohammad Yousuf, the Pakistan batsman, has said that he’s still passionate about playing cricket and would relish the chance to play Test cricket again. He took a fitness test under Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore on Tuesday in a bid to stage a comeback to international cricket.Yousuf, 37, last played a Test in 2010, when Pakistan took on England in the controversial Lord’s Test that was marred by spot-fixing. Yousuf has not featured in international or domestic tournaments in more than nine months due to personal reasons. “I never lost my passion for cricket,” Yousuf told ESPNcricinfo. “There were certain commitments in my life that got higher priority for a while, but now I am hungry to play.”He made his debut 14 years ago and has played 90 Tests (scoring 7530 runs at an average of 52.29) and 288 ODIs (scoring 9720 at 41.71). He says he wants to focus only on Test cricket in the future. “I am least concerned about ODIs. My focus [right now] is Test cricket, I want to play it. My basics are right and I have lots of experience under my belt.”Yousuf, whose career has been plagued by controversy in the past, was banned by the PCB twice in 2010. First, for his poor performance on a winless tour of Australia and then for differences with Younis Khan, which the PCB said was a bad influence on the team. “I don’t want to live in past, people learn from mistakes. I have always tried to do my best, but sometimes things go wrong,” he said. “I can’t change the past, but I can only hope to revive my career.”With younger players like Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq now featuring regularly in the side, some feel Yousuf will find it difficult to break into the team again. “I am not against new blood being inducted in the side – it’s good,” Yousuf said. “No one plays forever, but I still have cricket left [in me] and I have a role to play.”Pakistan are slated to tour Sri Lanka soon after the IPL to play two Twenty20s, five ODIs and three Tests. PCB’s chief selector Iqbal Qasim said that the board would discuss Yousuf’s future during their next meeting in May. “He is training and that’s what all players must do, but that doesn’t mean he will be selected in the team,” Qasim said. “If a coach is interested in a player he must convince the selection committee [first].”

The Sri Lankan Cricketers’ Association (SLCA) has contacted the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) seeking assistance over the delay in the cricketers’ salaries for series following the World Cup this year

Kanishkaa Balachandran30-Nov-2011The Sri Lankan Cricketers’ Association (SLCA) has contacted the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) seeking assistance over the delay in the cricketers’ salaries for series following the World Cup this year.Sri Lanka have played three series since the end of the World Cup in April and the players are still awaiting payment, including match fees and contract payments. Tim May, the FICA chief executive, stated in a release that the association had been contacted to ensure the payments were made as soon as possible.”We are aware that Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is undergoing some cash flow difficulties at present as it awaits its final payment from the ICC for World Cup hosting fees,” May said. “But SLCA and FICA will be looking at possible ways of ensuring the monies owed by the ICC, which are due to be paid in late December 2011 or January 2012, are released with urgency, and on condition it is used to pay the players forthwith.”SLC is expecting to receive payments from the ICC to the tune of US$4.3million for co-hosting the World Cup.May also expressed concern that the long wait for payments could lure players towards lucrative options such as playing in global Twenty20 tournaments, at the expense of playing for the country. “With the IPL and other Twenty20 competitions emerging as a realistic alternative to international cricket for players, the SLC urgently needs to address this situation with its players,” May said.”The players have been incredibly patient to date and continued to play in the interests of their country, but this is now reaching a critical point.”The ICC is expected to disburse payments only after they complete the World Cup audit. “This is a matter for SLC, not for the ICC. In terms of standard policy, the final payments due from the World Cup is only paid on completion of the audits, which is expected to be signed off at the next ICC Board meeting,” an ICC spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo.An SLC official said the board is aware of these concerns and that steps are being taken to ensure the situation is under control. “The sports ministry is making arrangements to resolve this issue,” the source told ESPNcricinfo. “The players will be paid very soon. They need not worry.”SLC has been in a financial crisis in recent months following the construction of new stadiums in Hambantota and Pallekele, and the renovation of the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo for the World Cup.Upali Dharmadasa, the chairman of SLC’s interim committee, was critical of the previous administration for spending expansively on those stadiums. All three were handed over to the military earlier this month because the board was struggling to maintain them. The World Cup had left SLC in debt to the tune of $23 million and the board had to ask for a grant from the Sri Lanka government.The payments crisis has coincided with team’s plunge in form – since August, they have failed to beat Australia at home and Pakistan in the UAE. The team heads to South Africa next month for three Tests and five ODIs.

Yuvraj Singh is expected to travel to London tomorrow to show his injured left hand to a specialist

Nagraj Gollapudi at Trent Bridge02-Aug-2011Yuvraj Singh is expected to travel to London tomorrow to show his injured left hand to a specialist. Yuvraj was hit on his left hand, trying to defend a short-pitched delivery from Tim Bresnan in the second session of play on Monday. Yuvraj was at the receiving end of quite a few short balls from the pair of Bresnan and Stuart Broad and he never could thwart them convincingly.After India lost the second Test by a demoralising 319 runs yesterday, Yuvraj went to a hospital in neighbouring Derby. Based on the scans a decision was taken to show him to a hand specialist in London. Meanwhile Harbhajan Singh, who was suffering from stomach injury also went to the same hospital on Tuesday morning and is reportedly fit.Yuvraj, who scored a resolute 62 in the first innings in the heavy defeat in the second Test, was never allowed to settle down on Monday as Andrew Strauss set attacking fields to supplement the fiery pace and lengths of his fast bowlers. India were an abysmal 37 for 4 when Yuvraj came to the crease. With only MS Dhoni left among the specialists, India needed stability from the Sachin Tendulkar-Yuvraj combination. The accuracy and the fierceness of the England fast bowlers, however, nipped such aspirations in the bud.Bresnan banged in Yuvraj’s eleventh delivery short of a length, and it climbed fast towards the batsman’s neck but he skipped and tried to tap the ball safely towards the leg side. The ball hit him on the index finger of the left hand and Yuvraj threw the bat away, immediately wincing in pain.A few overs later Strauss placed Alastair Cook in an area that could best be described as silly slip, yards away from Yuvraj’s off stump. Bresnan this time came up with a spitting bouncer which Yuvraj tried fending in an awkward fashion only to loop a catch to Cook.It is unclear if Yuvraj will be back to join the rest of the team in Northampton where the Indians play a two-day tour match starting this Friday. India would be hoping Yuvraj is fit for selection ahead of the third Test that begins at Edgbaston on August 10.

Sharjah will host its first Test in nine years this November, since Pakistan and Sri Lanka have reached an agreement to play the last of their three Test-matches in the UAE at the venue

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Aug-2011Sharjah will host its first Test in nine years this November, after Pakistan and Sri Lanka reached an agreement to play the last of their three Tests in the UAE at the venue. The Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium has hosted more ODIs than any other ground but has not had any international cricket between top teams since 2003.With international stadiums being built in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, it had looked unlikely that Sharjah would make a return as a venue for big matches. However, the Emirates Cricket Board has now said there will be a Test there starting November 3.”We’ve finally confirmed that Pakistan will play a Test in Sharjah,” Dilawar Mani, chief of the Emirates board, told the . “We offered Sharjah at the very beginning – apart from Dubai and Abu Dhabi – but it was necessary for both sides to agree to play in Sharjah. We’re now delighted to know that it has happened.”The other two venues for the Pakistan-Sri Lanka Test series are the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi and the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, which hosted their debut Tests during the Pakistan-South Africa series in November 2010.Sharjah was once a popular venue for neutral ODIs and tri-series and has hosted 200 one-day internationals, 24 of those between India and Pakistan. However, the venue received a blow when India, who had played 72 one-dayers in Sharjah, stopped playing there. The ground hosted its debut Test in 2002, but after 2003 did not have any international cricket till it was named as Afghanistan’s home ground in 2010, and hosted two ODIs between them and Canada.The stadium had disintegrated in the absence of top-flight cricket but is now being brought back up to top standard. “The renovation work is in full swing and we hope to be ready by November 3,” Mazhar Khan, the stadium administrator, said. “The venue was very keen to host a fixture during the two series that Pakistan will be playing [in the UAE]. After all, Sharjah has many Pakistani and Sri Lankan followers who will now be able to watch their teams.”Sri Lanka will play three Tests, five ODIs and a Twenty20 international against Pakistan from October 18 onwards in the UAE.

The former South Africa coach Mickey Arthur would be an excellent mentor for Australia’s team if he chose to go for the job, according to the batsman Shaun Marsh

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Sep-2011The former South Africa coach Mickey Arthur would be an excellent mentor for Australia’s team if he chose to go for the job, according to the batsman Shaun Marsh. Australia are searching for a new head coach after Tim Nielsen resigned following the series win in Sri Lanka, and Arthur is considered one of the leading candidates.He was a well-respected coach of South Africa, guiding the team to an away series win over the Australians in 2008-09, before he took up his current position as coach of Western Australia. During his time with the Warriors, Arthur’s charges have included Marsh, who made an impressive start to his Test career in Sri Lanka this month.”He’s a fantastic coach. I’ve loved working with him at WA,” Marsh told AAP after returning to Perth on Wednesday. “He’s certainly helped my game out a lot and I’m sure if he put his hat in the ring, I’m sure he’d do a great job. He’s got a very good cricket brain. You can sit down and talk to him about cricket all day.”He communicates to his players very well. He’s just an all-round nice guy. He was a great international coach for South Africa. I couldn’t speak more highly of the guy. But I’m pretty sure that his main priority at the moment is WA cricket. He wants up to perform very well this summer.”Another candidate for the job is Steve Rixon, the former Australia Test wicketkeeper who is now the fielding coach in the national setup. And regardless of whether Rixon gets the job in the long-term, he should be the man to take the reins in an interim role for the upcoming tour of South Africa, according to the former Test batsman and commentator Greg Blewett.”Justin Langer is already in the system, as is Steve Rixon, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they go with Rixon,” Blewett said on . “He is a lot more experienced. He has coached New South Wales and in the UK, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets the job in the interim. If Langer gets it, he will do a great job. But I wouldn’t be surprised if they gave the job to Steve Rixon.”Australia’s squad members disbanded in Sri Lanka overnight, with some heading to the Champions League Twenty20 qualifiers in India, and others returning home. The first match on the tour of South Africa is a Twenty20 in Cape Town on October 13.ENDS

Rangers manager Gio van Bronckhorst offered Ibrox fans a glimpse into the future at Glasgow as he offered minutes to a host of young players at the weekend.

The Gers ran out 2-0 winners in their Premiership clash as Leon King, Alex Lowry, Charlie McCann and Adam Devine were all given an opportunity to feature.

They have all sufficiently impressed the Dutch head coach to be rewarded with a first-team call-up, and the next step will be to integrate them into the side on a regular basis, whether that comes next year or in the longer-term.

One of those players can end up following in the footsteps of Rangers’ most expensive ever departure. Nathan Patterson was sold to Everton for a club-record fee in January, and Van Bronckhorst can unearth the new Patterson in 19-year-old Devine.

Partick Thistle manager Ian McCall described the right-back as “highly rated”, and the youngster has also caught the eye of his managers in other loan spells.

Brechin boss Michael Paton praised the gem upon signing him on a temporary basis last year, saying: “Adam will be another great addition to the squad and he’s exactly what we’re looking for. He is athletic and can get up and down the park – I feel he can provide what we’re missing in that final third. He has great awareness and quality of crossing.

“Rangers feel he is on the same path as Nathan Paterson and have high hopes for him. Hopefully he can come here and hit the ground running and help us push towards where we want to go.”

This shows that the Light Blues already view Devine as a player with the potential to match what the Scotland international achieved at Ibrox and now Everton.

The teenager has showcased his potential for the Gers’ youth team throughout the campaign. He has registered an impressive five assists in nine Challenge Cup and UEFA Youth League outings for the B team, which shows off his attacking quality from right-back.

Devine also managed two assists in 11 games on loan at Brechin last term as he enjoyed a taste of regular first-team football in the second half of the season.

Along with the praise from his former managers and his involvement against Dundee United, these statistics suggest that the 19-year-old dynamo has a bright future ahead of him.

It is now up to Van Bronckhorst to provide the youngster with ample opportunities to prove that he can make the step up to playing regularly for Rangers so that he can develop into the next Patterson at Ibrox…

AND in other news, Ibrox sources: Van Bronckhorst set for imminent Rangers deal that’ll leave supporters delighted…

The Netherlands and Ireland Women’s teams have departed on a two-week tour to Sri Lanka as part of their preparations in the build-up to the Women’s World Cup Qualifier later this year

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Apr-2011The Netherlands and Ireland Women’s teams have departed on a two-week tour to Sri Lanka as part of their preparations in the build-up to the Women’s World Cup Qualifier later this year. A five-day coaching programme from April 18 to 22 will be followed by an eight-day quadrangular series also involving Sri Lanka and Pakistan from April 23 to 29. All four teams will be based in Colombo during the tour.The training programme, in partnership with the ICC European Development Programme, replaces what was previously run as the ICC European Women’s Academy. It is to be managed by Philip Hudson, ICC Regional Performance Officer, and will involve a three-strong coaching team, including former England A players Simon Francis and Kelly Evenson, from ICC Europe supporting the Ireland and Netherlands Women’s teams and their national coaches.It will consist of centre wicket and net practices focused primarily on batting against spin; local cricketers will be acting as bowlers to aid both sets of players in acclimatising to sub-continent pitches and conditions. Developing the standard of fielding is also a key objective of the programme. Selected players will undertake a media training session to learn key skills in dealing with the media to prepare them for future regional and global cricket tournaments.”For Women’s cricket in Europe this is the biggest event that has ever taken place,” said ICC Regional Development Manager, Richard Holdsworth. “It will be a fantastic opportunity for all the players and management to compete against full member nations and sample Asian conditions in preparation for the end of the year.”The development of women’s cricket in Europe is improving each year, with healthy participation figures, this series is just evidence of what can be achieved with a lot of hard work.”Ireland National Women’s Coach Stephen Moreton was pleased that the team would be travelling to Sri Lanka to improve Ireland’s chances at the Women’s World Cup Qualifier. “It’s a massive benefit to our preparations, as we will be facing similar conditions in November, when it really counts,” said Moreton.Netherlands Captain Helmein Rambaldo suggested that successfully acclimatising to sub-continental conditions will be her team’s main aim for the trip. “By having the tour to Sri Lanka, we are firstly getting the opportunity to get used to conditions in Asia and by playing the teams ranked above us, it will be a good challenge to see where we are at the moment and what we still need to work on till the tournament in Bangladesh.”Ireland and Netherlands will both play three ODIs and three Twenty20s each in the series.Ireland Squad: Ciara Metcalfe, Clare Shillington, Amy Kenealy, Eimear Richardson, Rebecca Rolfe, Laura Delany, Shauna Kavanagh, Louise McCarthy, Kimberley Garth, Mary Waldron, Emma Flanagan, Laura Cullen, Aisling GillNetherlands squad: Helmien Rambaldo, Violet Wattenberg, Marloes Braat, Laura Brewer, Christine Erkelens, Evelien Gerrits, Carlos de Groot, Denise Hannema, Jolette Hartenhof, Esther de Lange, Esther Lanser, Mol Alarda, Marijn Nijman, Miranda Meier

Chris Martin, the New Zealand fast bowler, has become the first recipient of the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal, an honour given to the country’s best player of the year

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2011New Zealand Cricket Awards winners

Chris Martin – Sir Richard Hadlee Medal, player of the year

Brendon McCullum – Test Player of the Year (527 runs at 58.55)

Ross Taylor – ODI Player of the Year, (798 runs at 39.90)

Tim Southee – Twenty20 Player of the Year, (eight wickets at 12.12)

Sara McGlashan – Women’s Player of the Year

Sophie Devine – Women’s domestic Player of the year (Four fifties, 24 wickets)

Rob Nicol – Domestic Player of the year (top scorer in Twenty20 and one-day competitions)

Peter Ingram – Redpath Cup, best first-class batting (965 runs at 50.47)

Chris Martin – Winsor Cup, best first-class bowling (60 wickets at 25.60)

Neil Wagner – Fans’ Choice for outstanding individual performance (Taking five wickets in an over)

Simon Hickey – Young player of the year

Ces Renwick – Bert Sutcliffe Medal, for outstanding services to cricket

Nick Craig – Sir Jack Newman Award, outstanding junior cricket administrator

Chris Martin, the New Zealand fast bowler, has become the first recipient of the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal, an honour given to the country’s best player of the year. There was another gong for him at the New Zealand Cricket Awards in Auckland, winning the Winsor Cup for first-class bowling.Martin, 36, was also a finalist for the Test player of the year and a nominee for Fans’ Choice award for his devastating spell in Ahmedabad when he had India pinned at 15 for 5. He took 60 first-class wickets in the 2010-11 season, including 18 in Tests and 31 for Auckland.”Chris works very hard and has strongly led the BLACKCAPS and Aces bowling attack for this past season and the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal is well deserved,” NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan said.”There were a number of individuals who put their hand up for the supreme award but no one can deny that in the past 12 months Chris has been a stand-out performer in international and domestic First-Class cricket.”The other major winners in the revamped NZC awards were: Brendon McCullum as Test Player of the year, in a season where he took the gamble of becoming a specialist batsman in Tests, and moved up the order; new captain Ross Taylor as ODI Player of the year, in a season where he was the highest run-getter for New Zealand with 798; Tim Southee as outstanding player in Twenty20s, in a year where he took a five-for including a hat-trick against Pakistan which won him the ICC award for Best Twenty20 performance; Sara McGlashan as women’s Player of the Year.

The next five days could determine Ricky Ponting’s future but the decision over whether he stays as captain is ultimately out of his hands

Peter English at the WACA15-Dec-2010The next five days could determine Ricky Ponting’s future but the decision over whether he stays as captain is ultimately out of his hands. Australia have to prevent England from winning the third Test in Perth to retain any hope of regaining the Ashes and save Ponting from becoming Australia’s first three-time loser of the urn in 120 years.At a time of so many “what ifs” for the hosts, Ponting is trying not to peer towards the horizon, but that is impossible in his team’s current state. He is realistic enough to know that his future could be decided as soon as the end of this match.”Probably not a decision for me to make,” Ponting said when asked if he would still be captain if Australia lost the Ashes. “I don’t pick myself as captain so, look, in all honestly, I haven’t thought about that at all.”The decision’s completely out of my hands. At the end of the day, I’ll do my best to make sure we’re on a winning end this week and I’ll do my best as a player to make sure I score runs and lead the team the best way possible. Then the powers that be will make those decisions I guess at the end of the series, or after this Test match.”If Ponting was in peak batting form the questions over his future would hold less substance, but he has struggled to 70 runs in this series and has not had an impact on the campaign. Ponting is both the game’s most successful captain, with 47 wins in 75 matches, and the ruler of a unit that has lost most of its powers with the departure of key personnel over the past four years.Three new faces have come into the squad for this game and Ponting is in a situation where he can’t trust his bowling attack or rely on his batsmen for big runs. He remains the only great player in Australia’s side, but he will be 36 on Monday and is in a battle to hang on.There have been no hundreds in his last eight Tests and he will walk out at the WACA with the memories of receiving a tenderised left elbow from a Kemar Roach short ball in the game here last year. That bruise forced his first retired hurt and he has been struggling for sustained form and fluency ever since.After the innings defeat in Adelaide, Ponting had five days off and tried not to think about the series. Compartmentalisation is a key attribute for any leader, but there would be no way Ponting could have escaped from all the disruptions and criticism of himself and his team. He remains relaxed in public but is a man under extreme pressure.”I know a lot of our success revolves around how well our batting does at the top of the order and my input in the series so far hasn’t been what it’s needed to be for us to win games,” he said. “So purely and simply I need to stand up, I need to score runs and we need to play better cricket than we have in the last two Test matches.”Australia last lost a home Ashes series in the depressing summer of 1986-87 and this campaign is already evoking similar feelings among the home supporters. The bowlers have taken only 16 wickets in the opening two matches and England’s batsmen have dominated in gaining a 1-0 series advantage. One thing in Australia’s favour is that the green WACA pitch is looking like providing a result.”Obviously that has to be a positive one for us or it’s game, set and match,” he said. “We are priming ourselves to play our best game so far in the series and we know we have to do it by a long way if we want to win the game.”

Wasim Bari, former wicketkeeper and former chief operating officer of the board, has been appointed Director of Education and Training

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Dec-2010Wasim Bari, former wicketkeeper and former chief operating officer of the board, has been appointed Director of Education and Training, a post created within the PCB as part of their revised anti-corruption measures in the aftermath of the spot-fixing controversy.The ICC, last month, had praised the PCB for adopting the ICC’s recommendations to curb corruption. In response to an ultimatum issued by the ICC to conduct a thorough far-reaching review of “player-integrity issues” within a 30-day deadline, the PCB has revised its code of conduct for players, made it mandatory for players to have their agents approved, implemented education programmes for cricketers to create awareness about match-fixing and set up an Integrity Committee to look into matters of corruption and doping.Bari’s appointment represents a continuation of the PCB’s response. “Cricket is facing new challenges but as custodian of the game we are committed to fight for its integrity and survival,” Bari said. “Players need to be trained and educated on what problems they may face while playing at international level. Pakistan is among the first boards to start implementing these codes at the domestic level. I am hopeful that with the right kind of awareness we will be able to overcome this global issue of corruption in cricket.”Bari served as the PCB’s chief operating officer for more than a year, stepping down last month. He’s been replaced by Subhan Ahmed, an administrator who’s been part of the board since 1994.