INSHA ALLAH WE HOPE PAK WINS ASIA CUP 2010
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Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Tamim Iqbal produced another fine batting performance to launch Bangladesh's innings © Getty Images
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Players/Officials: Ian Bell | Ajmal Shahzad | Shakib Al Hasan | Tamim Iqbal
Matches: England v Bangladesh at Manchester
Series/Tournaments: Bangladesh tour of England, Ireland and Scotland
Teams: Bangladesh | England
England finished an incredible second day at Old Trafford in a commanding position, and could yet enforce the follow-on on Sunday morning after bundling Bangladesh out for 216, a deficit of 203. But not for the first time this summer, and presumably not for the last either, they discovered that their once meek opponents have developed a punch that can leave even the most Tyson-esque heavyweights stunned. That wallop's name is Tamim Iqbal, and for the second time in consecutive innings he produced an innings of rare audacity that swiped the headlines and stole the hearts of even the most partisan England supporters.
Tamim made 108 from 114 balls, with 11 fours and a straight six off Graeme Swann, to file away alongside his 100-ball 103 at Lord's last week. It was his sixth score of fifty or more in seven Test innings against England, and his third hundred in five internationals against them, after he announced himself to their bowlers with a wonderful 125 in the first ODI in Dhaka three months ago. And in keeping with each and every one of his performances to date, England were clueless against his onslaughts, and relied eventually on the hurricane blowing itself out, as it did in the 34th over of the innings with a anticlimactic snick to the keeper off James Anderson.
With Tamim, however, went Bangladesh's momentum and much of their spirit. No doubt it will return at an unexpected moment later in the game, but having hurtled along to 126 without loss while the doughty Imrul Kayes was at the crease, to lose 10 for 90 by the close was a dereliction of duty. Nevertheless with Swann rediscovering his form after a barren first Test (and another frustrating first spell prior to a switch to the Stretford End), and Ajmal Shahzad ripping through the lower-order in an exciting late spell of reverse-swing bowling, England did at least earn their overnight advantage with some pizzazz of their own.
All the same, it was hard to overlook the rise and rise of Tamim, who has now - in a measure of his own brilliance and the shortcomings of his team-mates - leapt into second-place on the list of Bangladesh all-time Test centurions, ahead of Habibul Bashar on three, and just behind Mohammad Ashraful, who never looked like adding to his current tally of five as he chopped a loose cut to gully to give Shahzad the first of his three scalps.
England's bowlers treated Tamim with caution from the very start of his innings, which is ironic seeing as he displayed next to none in return. With concerns about his prowess on the cut and pull, Anderson opted to cramp him for room from around the wicket, but the only real effect was to rule out the prospect of an early lbw. Steven Finn's extra height was of little concern either, and with Kayes all but strokeless alongside him, it wasn't until he reached the nervous nineties that Tamim ditched the see-ball-hit-ball method that had served him so well and resorted to out-and-out madness.
At Lord's last week, Tamim hurtled through the nineties in a single over against Tim Bresnan, and now it was clear to see why. With a series of ugly heaves and swats, he betrayed his nerves in a manner that Kevin Pietersen has tended to do in the past, and had he not under-edged a mow at Swann through fine leg, he might well have been stumped for 95. Instead, one ball later, he toe-ended a gleeful cut through point for four, and punched the air in triumph once again.
But slowly but surely, England overcame their reticence and responded with a furious volley of blows that, by the close, had left Bangladesh backed onto the ropes and awaiting their fate. The key to the turnaround was Swann, who claimed all five of his wickets in a 12-over spell following a frustrated first foray from the Brian Statham End, in which he failed to locate either the length or the right pace to trouble Bangladesh's batsmen, and was looking like being shown up by his Bangladeshi opposite number, Shakib Al Hasan, who had himself claimed 5 for 121 to wrap up England's first innings, including one of the balls of the year to dislodge Ian Bell for 128.
Swann's first wicket was that of Junaid Siddique, whom he had tormented from round the wicket and eventually removed via a thin edge to Prior, and he followed up three overs later by bowling Jahurul Islam through the gate for 5, a classic offspinner's dismissal. Tamim then fell with the score still on 169, and from that moment on, the innings was on its knees. Shakib never settled, and thrashed a sharp edge to Anderson at slip, whereupon Shahzad - whose initial foray had been six uneventful overs for 35 - claimed three in three overs to justify his selection and showcase his flat-wicket credentials.
Ashraful was Shahzad's first victim, as he flapped a cut at a zippy outswinger, before Mahmudullah and Shafiul Islam were cleaned up by excellent full-length stump-rattlers. Swann then had Mushfiqur Rahim nicking off to Anderson at slip once again, before bagging the No. 11 Shahadat Hossain for a second-ball duck. As England left the field with their morale restored, Strauss was left to sleep on the follow-on decision. Judging by the state of the wicket, and the Tamim factor, he will probably be tempted to bat on.
None of what transpired could have been predicted while Bell and Matt Prior were adding 153 for England's sixth wicket in a serene morning session, to haul their side from a precarious overnight position of 275 for 5. After their spirited display on the first day, Bangladesh's grip on the contest was being loosened, it seemed, finger by finger. But then, with 15 minutes to go until lunch, Shakib bowled Bell with an absolute beauty that gripped and turned to ping the top of his off stump.
It was a delivery that brought to mind Shane Warne's nailing of Mike Gatting on this same ground 17 years ago. While the turn was nowhere near as prodigious, the ball nevertheless drifted from off to leg before biting the turf and beating a bamboozled outside edge. Shakib's reaction, however, was to stand stock-still and ponder. He doubtless recognised that his own men would have to take on the same conditions before long. Indeed they did, but not before Tamim had made a minefield look like a motorway.
Andrew Miller is UK editor of Cricinfo.
Feeds: Andrew Miller
LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board’s one-man appellate tribunal here Saturday has lifted an indefinite ban on former captain Younis Khan. It also quashed the fine on current captain Shahid Afridi and reduced the fine on Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal.
After hearing the appeal by Younis Khan against his indefinite ban here at the National Cricket Academy, Justice retired Irfan Qadir told media that accepting the appeal he has lifted the ban.
Younis was one of seven players who were banned or fined in March this year.
The penalties came after an inquiry committee investigated on and off-field problems during team's tours to the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand and Australia between November and February.
Younis and another former captain Mohammad Yousuf were handed indefinite bans over "infighting in the team which let the team down."
Younis's lawyer Ahmed Malik Qayyum said he was delighted with the outcome of the appeal.
The former captain was named in a preliminary squad of 35, subject to his clearance from the arbitrator, but was not selected in the 15-man Asia Cup squad announced on Thursday.
He is, however, likely to be considered for team's tour of England to be announced later.
Pakistan take part in the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka from June 15-24. They will then play two Twenty20 and two Tests against Australia before playing hosts England in four Tests, five one-day and two Twenty20 -- all in England.
The arbitrator last week lifted Shoaib Malik's one-year ban and reduced his two million rupees fine to half.
The arbitrator also quashed the fine on current captain Shahid Afridi and reduced the fine on Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal.
Afridi was fined on charges of ball-tampering in a one-day match against Australia, while the Akmal brothers were punished for discipline violations.
Another former captain Yousuf, banned for an indefinite period, did not appeal, while all-rounder Rana Naved-ul-Hasan's appeal against a one-year ban and fine of 24,000 dollars will be heard on June 19.
Shahid Afridi (captain), Salman Butt (vice-captain), Imran
Farhat, Shahzeb Hasan, Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal,
Shoaib Malik, Asad Shafiq, Umar Amin, Abdul Razzaq,
Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamir, Shoaib Akhtar, Saeed
Ajmal, Abdul Rehman. Reserves: Mohammad Irfan, Fawad
Alam, Athar Ali, Zulfiqar Babar.
LAHORE :–
Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and all-rounder Shoaib Malik refused to give fitness test in front of the probing eyes of media here on Wednesday raising questions about the level of their fitness.
The two players came to the National Cricket Academy to make their case for their selection in the team for the Asia Cup and the England tour but the presence of media irked the two and they refused to undergo fitness test raising doubts about their fitness.
Even the Pakistan Cricket Board was trying to justify the selection of the controversy-prone fast bowler and the all-rounder by supporting their stance.
Upon their refusal to give fitness test in front of media, the PCB also directed the media to leave the academy. The selection of both the players for the Asia Cup depends upon fitness test.
However, the fitness test of both the players was held later and reports said that Akhtar bowled 12 overs to show his rhythm while Malik also gave his test. The fitness test report will be revealed before the selection committee and the chairman will be the sole authority.
But reports said that the officials monitoring the fitness of the players were satisfied about their fitness and that means they have passed the first hurdle for their selection.
Chairman PCB Ijaz Butt, Chief Selector Mohsin Khan, Captain Shahid Afridi and Chief Coach Waqar Younis monitored the players performance.
The selection committee will be meeting today (Thursday) and after consultation with the captain and the coach, they will announce the team with the consent of the chairman. Talking to journalists, chief selector Mohsin Khan said that the selection committee members also watched the fitness test of the players and they will announce the team after discussing with the coach and the captain and the final list will be presented to the chairman for approval. He further said that the likely chance is that the team will be announced for the Asia Cup and the team for the England tour will be named later.
Lahore:
Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi wants three to four young players to be included in the 15-member squad for the Asia Cup starting in Sri Lanka from June 15.
"We should have three to four new players along with the seniors so that we can strike the right balance in the one-day side," Afridi said.
"I think the time is right to start grooming and giving exposure to some of our young lot because we also have to keep the 2011 World Cup in mind," Private Media Reports.
Reminded that the selectors have ignored young all-rounder Hammad Azam from the list of probables for the Asia Cup and the subsequent tour to England, Afridi said neither he nor coach Waqar had any hand in the selection of the T20 squad.
"The selectors had picked that squad but as a matter of policy myself and the coach want to give exposure to young players so that they can provide stable support and back up to the seniors in future," he said.
Afridi, however, refused to comment on al-rounder Shoaib Malik`s availability for the Asia Cup and England tour after the PCB appeals tribunal had lifted the one-year ban imposed on the former skipper.
"It is something that concerns the board. As far as I am concerned whoever is eligible for selection is an important player for me," he said.
KARACHI:
Iqbal Mohammad Ali, chairman of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Sports, on Tuesday slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for lifting a one-year ban on former captain Shoaib Malik, warning the Board to end double standards.
“The board should follow the same guidelines when dealing with the players. The same criteria should be followed with all the players and having separate policy with different players is not acceptable. PCB has relaxed the ban on Malik but Younis Khan and Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan have been treated harshly, which is very unfair,” Iqbal told reporters here. He said that former skipper Younis Khan is an asset of the country and they would try to get him into the team for the Asia Cup.
“I don’t know why they are delaying Younis’ case. They would be announcing squad for Asia Cup on June 3 and the camp would be starting on June 5, so there is little time. However, we will try our best to have Younis included in the squad for Asia Cup,” he added.
He further said that he is expecting big changes in the PCB top brass. “I am hoping that the PCB Patron in Chief President Asif Ali Zardari must have taken the notice of the absurd way the board has been managed. So I expect PCB would go through drastic changes soon.”
Former PCB CEO Arif Abbasi said that Pakistan found a capable skipper in Younis, however the board wasted him. “I don’t see anything inAfridi and there is nothing in him for which he may be appointed as a skipper. Younis was a good captain but the board failed to recognize his potential and wasted him,” Arif said.
Arif also criticised the board for lifting the ban on former skipper Shoaib Malik. He further said that the Standing committee on boards has no right to interfere in the board’s internal affairs since it is not even a PCB stakeholder.
Lalit Modi's reply to the second show-cause notice served on him by the BCCI - which was prompted by a letter from Giles Clarke, the ECB president - has said that Clarke's allegations were "motivated", given their "history of run-ins", and "not worthy of credence". His reply - a copy of which is with Cricinfo - also said that the board, knowing this background, should have backed him and sought his comment before issuing the notice.
The notice was issued to Modi on May 6, ten days after he was suspended from his position as IPL chairman. It followed an email sent by Clarke to BCCI president Shashank Manohar alleging activities by Modi that were "detrimental to Indian cricket, English cricket and world cricket at large." Both communications referred to a meeting Modi held on March 31 in Delhi with representatives of three English counties in which he is alleged to have discussed a parallel IPL in England and Wales.
In his reply, which runs to 24 pages and has five supporting documents, Modi has cited specific examples of his differences with Clarke which, he claims, began during the inaugural season of the IPL. "It is well known in informed cricketing circles that Mr. Clarke holds a personal grudge against me. This started as far back as 2008. Mr. Clarke came to India at the time of the IPL Season 1 and noticed that the IPL was a resounding success."
He has mentioned the ECB's brief relationship under Clarke with Allen Stanford, the Texan billionaire, which ended in early 2009 when the latter was charged with fraud. The contrast between that scenario and the IPL, which was "going from strength to strength", is offered as a reason for the animus.
Other examples cited include the ECB's decision to not accept the stakeholding offered to it for the Champions League; the IPL's decision to stage the second season in South Africa instead of England; the general scheduling of the IPL, whose later games clashed with the English domestic season and the scheduling of the 2010 Champions League; the IPL's insistence that its franchises be given the preference by players taking part in the Champions League; and the status of English players with the unofficial ICL.
Part of his reply dealt with the way the issue has been handled by the BCCI and he has some strong words for N Srinivasan, the board secretary, who sent him the notice. "The manner in which, on completely flimsy and frivolous grounds, a Show Cause Notice has been issued shows the prejudged, premeditated and biased mind set with which the Hon Secretary is working. The fact that Hon. Secretary had chosen to act on the basis of an email which was merely a perception of the sender with no confirmation or acknowledgement at any stage by me itself shows that the 2nd Show Cause Notice has been issued on flimsy and/or non-existent grounds."
He also repeated his request to Manohar and Srinivasan for them to step down from the probe against him and instead appoint an independent panel to adjudicate the matter.
Source:cricinfo
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