Slick Sussex claim Twenty20 Cup

Sussex secured the Twenty20 Cup for the first time as their spinners followed up a hard-hitting display from Dwayne Smith, who clubbed 59 off 26 balls, to complete a 63-run thrashing of Somerset. When Marcus Trescothick launched Somerset's pursuit of 173 the chase looked easy, but he fell for 33 and scoring became increasingly tough on a wearing surface.

The victory compensates handsomely for Sussex's Friends Provident Final defeat at the hands of Hampshire last month and they have also turned the tables on the curse of the first semi-finalists on Finals Day. Only on one previous occasion, in 2006, had the team winning the first semi gone on to claim the title. Sides have often found it difficult to lift themselves again after the downtime, but Sussex had no such problem.

Flintoff to play Ashes decider

The England & Wales Cricket Board are confident Andrew Flintoff will be available for the Ashes finale at The Oval following a positive diagnosis from his knee specialist, Andy Williams. With England facing a must-win encounter at The Oval next week following their humiliating defeat in Leeds, a return to match fitness for Flintoff - in what would be his final Test match appearance before retirement - looms as a massive boost to their prospects of regaining the Ashes.

Aamer and Naved earn Pakistan easy consolation win

A hostile Mohammad Aamer and an inconsistent-but-smart Naved-ul-Hasan meant Sri Lanka narrowly avoided their worst-ever ODI defeat at home. Naved earlier gave Pakistan's total a boost with hefty hitting in the final overs, after Pakistan had threatened to let half-centuries from Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq go to waste. Sri Lanka however, took the series having already won the first three matches.

This was also the 10th straight time that a side batting first won at the R Premadasa Stadium. It can't be ascertained if it was just the conditions, but the Pakistan pace bowlers were way better than their Sri Lankan counterparts. Aamer and Naved got more movement, and demonstrated better control and variation.

Pakistan aim to restore pride

Big Picture

The spark has rather disappeared from a tour that during the Test portion delivered a few non-fatal surprises for Sri Lanka, such as Fawad Alam's maiden century, Danish Kaneria's five, and Umar Gul's bursts of reverse. Sri Lanka were utterly dominant in the first three ODIs and their series win has been totally justified. There was no resistance from Pakistan until the fourth game, a dead rubber, in which Umar Akmal treated spectators to a most effortless maiden century and Iftikhar Anjum bounced back with five wickets in no time.

The wheels haven't quite come off for Pakistan, but the nuts have certainly been loosened and the main aim is to continue to regain some lost pride. Sunday's match represents another chance for Pakistan to turn around their short-term fortunes, yet the poor form of their senior players - Mohammad Yousuf and Misbah-ul-Haq in particular - may prompt the management to revert to youth. Intikhab Alam, Pakistan's coach, said the wonderful partnership between Umar and captain Younis Khan gave a lot of confidence to the team for the final ODI and the Twenty20.

Rampant Australia on course for huge win

Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus claimed five England wickets for 20 runs in the space of 44 balls in a thrilling final hour of the second day at Headingley, as Australia built on the batting efforts of Marcus North to surge towards a stunningly comprehensive Ashes-squaring victory. North's 110 from 206 balls, coupled with 93 from Michael Clarke and some spirited thwacking from the tail, converted Australia's overnight lead of 94 into a formidable first-innings advantage of 343 which paved the way for the dramas that followed - and had North himself held onto a sharp chance at third slip from the final ball of the day, Ricky Ponting would have had a case to claim the extra half-hour and push for an incredible two-day win

Instead, Australia will have to settle for a three-day finish, in a match that is proving as abjectly one-sided as any of England's Ashes humiliations of the past 20 years. The only remote challenge to Australia's dominance came while Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss were repelling the new ball in a first-wicket stand of 58 that spanned 22.4 overs. Hilfenhaus, however, zipped one back off the seam to slam into Strauss's back pad to expose England's flimsy middle-order, and sure enough, Australia surged through the opening.

ayawardene powers Sri Lanka to series win

The morning may have belonged to the Akmal brothers and Pakistan, but it was all Sri Lanka in the afternoon, with an imperious century from Mahela Jayawardene central to a commanding six-wicket victory which clinched the series with two games to spare. The pursuit of 289 was made to look like child's play as Jayawardene and Upul Tharanga put on 202 for the first wicket, and not even a brief wobble thereafter could stop Sri Lanka's inexorable progress. Jayawardene's 123, his first hundred since 2007, took only 108 balls, and even cramps failed to curtail the boundary barrage as the bowlers were treated with disdain.

Jayawardene's driving down the ground, and over cover, was majestic, and any shortness in length was ruthlessly punished by the most elegant of pull shots. But for a huge leg-before shout from Shahid Afridi which he survived - the umpire suspecting a bottom edge - Jayawardene made few mistakes, finding the boundaries with elan as the bowling started to fall apart. There was even a cheeky reverse-sweep for four off Saeed Ajmal, as he cruised to his century from only 91 balls.

Clarke and North put Australia safe

After a rain-affected draw at Edgbaston, in which England's push for victory fell as flat as the fifth day pitch, the question now stands: who takes the momentum into Headingley? The temptation is to give the nod to England given their 1-0 series advantage and flashes of brilliance between the spells of drizzle in Birmingham. But, on closer inspection, the matter may not be so clear-cut.

Australia will take tremendous confidence from their second-innings batting performance, in which three batsmen passed 50 and one, Michael Clarke, a stoic century in his 50th Test to limit England to just five wickets from 112 overs. Shane Watson's returns of 62 and 53 in his first Test as opener will prove particularly encouraging as will the final-day efforts of Michael Hussey (64) and Marcus North (96), both of whom were in need of a confidence boost.

The Australians will also be buoyed at the possibility that Mitchell Johnson's nightmare might just have been confined to the month of July. Johnson is clearly not back to his wrecking-ball ways from South Africa, but he did manage to make the necessary adjustments to his wrist position to allow him to rediscover the at-the-body line and subtley swing that has made him so effective in past series.

West Indies earn consolation win

Finally, West Indies won a game. Bangladesh imploded spectacularly at the top but they kept playing like millionaires to be restricted to a below-par 118, which West Indies overhauled without breaking a sweat.

The only concern in the chase was whether West Indies would collapse against spin and Bangladesh didn't wait long to find out. They started with a double-spin attack and Shakib Al Hasan claimed the wicket of Dale Richards first ball, but Devon Smith thwarted them with his aggressive batting.

Smith started with a slog-swept six off the offspinner Naeem Islam and followed it next ball with a skillful inside-out lofted drive over covers, before taking on Mahmudullah in the third over. Three pulls, one of them a six, helped him take 15 in that over and eased the pressure of the early wicket. Though Smith fell 50 short of the target, and West Indies lost a couple more cheaply towards the end, Travis Dowlin took over to lead the hosts past the line. Dowlin knew the required rate wasn't steep enough to warrant any risks and he played accordingly. He did hit four boundaries, with a lofted hit over extra cover off Mehrab Hossain jnr being the highlight, but took care not to play many flashy shots. The same couldn't be said about Bangladesh, though.

India will ask ICC to shun WADA

The Indian board (BCCI) will suggest to the ICC that it should walk out of the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) umbrella and opt for its own cricket-specific anti-doping code. The BCCI feels that this is the only possible solution to the deadlock over this issue after its players refused to abide by a clause in the WADA code that requires them to reveal information about their whereabouts three months in advance.

Cricinfo has learnt that the BCCI will propose this solution, which was formulated after a series of discussions among senior Indian board officials over the last week, possibly as soon as the next meeting of the ICC's executive board in early October. The Indian board is confident of getting the support of other major national boards on the issue at the ICC level and expects its suggestion to be ratified.

Aggressive England open up victory chance

Most assumed England would take a series lead into Headingley, but only the truest of believers considered a 2-0 scoreline possible. In a match that has seen five-and-a-half sessions lost to rain, light and a water-logged outfield, England have somehow found enough time to exploit Australian frailties to the point where the most improbable of victories is now within view, albeit still some way off in the distance.

A 113-run first innings lead, reduced to 25 by stumps, and a positive weather forecast for Monday have provided England with a realistic chance to land a potential knockout blow in the series. It is difficult to imagine a besieged, unbalanced and out-of-sorts Australian side scrambling from the canvas if faced with a two-game deficit with two matches to play, and England will arrive at Edgbaston for the final day acutely aware that early wickets could prove the defining moment in reclaiming the Ashes after a two-year absence.

Yorkshire take low-scoring thriller

Low-scoring games can often be the best and Yorkshire squeezed to a two-wicket win against Durham at Headingley off the last ball in a match dominated by the bowlers. Deon Kruis scrambled the winning run after a crucial cameo by Tim Bresnan - overlooked for the ICC World Twenty20 - who was dropped by Mitchell Claydon when he lost the ball in the sun on the square-leg boundary. Chasing 117, the home side made a reasonable start as Andrew Gale and Anthony McGrath added 30 but then Durham made inroads. Michael Vaughan was run out backing up without facing and Ben Harmsion picked up two middle-order scalps. Durham had found batting equally tough, especially against Rana Naved who gave a superb display of death bowling as he conceded a total of three runs off the 16th and 18th overs.
Lancashire maintained their unbeaten record with a comfortable 38-run win against Derbyshire at Old Trafford. An opening stand of 75 in 40 balls between Paul Horton and Tom Smith set them on their way with Horton hitting 41 off 20 deliveries. The innings was finished off strongly by Steven Croft and Ashwell Prince as they added 51. Derbyshire were never in the hunt as the Lancashire attack made an early mark and Sajid Mahmood claimed a key breakthrough when he removed the middle and off stumps of Chris Rogers. Mahmood finished with a career-best 4 for 29 to continue his impressive form.

'Players may opt for Twenty20 leagues' - May

The rapid rise of Twenty20 leagues will soon force international players to choose between their countries and private franchise-based Twenty20 events, the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA), has warned. Tim May, FICA's chief executive, said "more and more players" have stated in surveys conducted by the association that they have "less of an attachment" to international cricket with the arrival of tournaments like the IPL.
In an interview to Cricinfo, May said the ICC and its members should rework their Future Tours Programme (FTP) - the current version lapses in 2012 - to reduce international fixtures and create windows for domestic events such as IPL, which involves international players.
"Simply, something must give or players will be faced to make a decision between representing their country and playing in franchise-type Twenty20 events," May said. "A healthy balance of optimising commercial revenues and player workload needs to be set by the ICC and its members in order for international cricket to retain its attractiveness to players. The more Twenty20 events that are programmed in any calendar year, the easier it will be for players to turn their back on international cricket.
"The trend that we observe, through our surveys of players, is that more and more players state that they have less an attachment to international cricket with the emergence of competitions such as IPL. More and more cricketers are frustrated with the clustered international calendar and the time that is being spent away from wives, families and friends."

Pakistan have grown stronger from final defeat- Alam

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam believes his team is now mentally equipped to handle any sort of situation and has grown stronger from the disappointment suffered two years ago in the inaugural World Twenty20 final, which they lost to arch-rivals India by just five runs.
"I was commentating when we lost and it was very disappointing," Alam said after the team's training session on Tuesday evening, ahead of the warm-up game against India at The Oval, which will be their final practice fixture before the tournament proper begins on Friday.
Alam hopes the players involved in that pulsating final two years ago, played in front of a sellout crowd at the Wanderers, have learnt from that episode and moved on. Back then Pakistan needed 54 from 24 balls with only three wickets in hand but Misbah-ul-Haq almost turned the game on its head with some sumptuous strokeplay. 13 were needed off the final over and Misbah punished the inexperienced Joginder Sharma with a huge six to an easy full toss. But on the third ball, trying to scoop it over fine leg, he miscued and was caught by Sreesanth.

Wanted: Success, for many reasons

Few sides really need to win - or do very well - the World Twenty20 as badly as Pakistan. Few sides will be as rusty as Pakistan. And few sides are as capable of them of pulling off something special, especially in this format.
Pakistan's travails on and off the field need no repeating. Suffice to say, on the field, they have lurched closer and closer to what was once thought to be unthinkable: a team you have no particular opinion about, a team that doesn't set any pulses racing. For Pakistan, that is a fate worse than defeat, or death. So a triumph here - a good run even - would be as significant a boost on the field as winning a battle against militants off it.
It won't be easy given their rustiness - nobody, not even Bangladesh, has played less international cricket since January 2007 than Pakistan. And they were the only country whose players weren't represented at the IPL; instead they warmed up with a conditioning camp and a hastily-arranged domestic Twenty20 tournament. But for Pakistan, Twenty20 is like finding yourself back in the galli you have played cricket in all your life. The angles, the run-stealing, the yorkers, the spin, the-poor-fielding-with-crucial-moments-of-quality, the big-hitting, clarity emerging only from chaos; as in South Africa two years ago, there is a natural familiarity and comfort with the format.

Nervy Sri Lanka overcame scare to seal win

Sri Lanka threatened to squander what appeared an easy chase against a charged-up Bangladesh attack, but came through by four wickets with two balls to spare at Trent Bridge. Mahela Jayawardene, with a classy 43, kept his cool after Sri Lanka's openers failed to ignite but it was left to Chamara Silva and Angelo Mathews to steady the nerves before a wide sealed the match.
Bangladesh fought hard, but their efforts weren't enough to prevent Sri Lanka a win that will be a wake-up call for them. Batting first on a good track Bangladesh's top order failed to fire due to a kamikaze approach and that put plenty of pressure on Raqibul Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim. Bangladesh crossed 150 thanks to their partnership but the bowlers allowed too many runs early in the piece, with Jayawardene playing a big role, and Sri Lanka overcame a few late hiccups to clinch a tense game.

Pietersen spares England's blushes

If England had intended to lay down a marker in their penultimate fixture before the start of the ICC World Twenty20, this was not it. They duly beat the part-timers of Scotland by six wickets with an over to spare, with Kevin Pietersen allaying any lingering concerns about his fitness with a sparky performance in the field and a matchwinning 53 from 39 balls. But either side of his efforts, England were as flat as the atmosphere on a balmy evening in Nottingham. They lacked penetration with the ball, and at times were numbingly naïve with the bat. But at least they avoided humiliation, and that for the moment will have to do.
England did manage to finish with something of a flourish - Pietersen flogged the final ball of the match for six to bring up his half-century, having added 49 in 5.4 overs with Eoin Morgan, whose former team-mates, Ireland, have not had this much trouble in seeing off the Scots in recent months. At first, Morgan wasn't required to do much more than hand the strike back to his partner, although as the winning post drew nearer, he unfurled a few of his trademark hurling strokes to finish on 23 not out from 17.

BCCI amnesty for 79 players

The BCCI has granted amnesty to 79 ICL players, 11 former players and 11 officials, dealing a potentially crippling blow to the unofficial league. The players include Hemang Badani, Dinesh Mongia and Deep Dasgupta while the former players include Sandeep Patil, EAS Prasanna, Madan Lal and Ajit Wadekar.
The players (click here for the full list) have been declared eligible for domestic cricket in India, which will be good news for the teams that suffered most from the ban - Bengal, Punjab and Hyderabad - but their participation in the IPL has not yet been formalised.
The ICL is now left with five Indian players from its original pool of 84 but there has been no official confirmation on the status of the league's 53 remaining foreign signings. ICL officials said "some of the foreign players" have left, and there have been individual confirmations from players such as Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq and, on Tuesday, South Africa's Justin Kemp.
However, India's former captain Kapil Dev, who is the chariman of the ICL's Executive Board, has not terminated his contract, nor has former wicketkeeper Kiran More.
Himanshu Mody, the ICL's business head, dismissed suggestions that the league was winding up. "The world has been saying this about the ICL time and again, and every time we come out stronger," he told Cricinfo.

Bhoys join Martinez race

Swansea City have confirmed that Celtic have made an official approach for Roberto Martinez. The Bhoys are looking for a successor to Gordon Strachan, who resigned last month, and are keen to talk to the Spaniard. Celtic's chief executive Peter Lawwell is reported to have told Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins of his interest in Martinez on Friday. Martinez is also believed to be high on the list of Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan's preferences if Steve Bruce decides to take on the managerial vacancy at Sunderland. Reading and Real Sociedad have also been linked with Martinez, who guided the Swans to mid-table respectability in the Championship in the campaign just ended.

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Trent offered Accies extension

Hamilton Academical have offered a new one-year contract to Australian defender Trent McClenahan. The 24-year-old joined the Accies in the early weeks of the season just ended and impressed throughout, despite being troubled by a hernia problem which has required surgery. First-team coach Stuart Taylor told the Hamilton Advertiser: "Trent has been offered a new deal and I hope he takes it. He came in and did very well for the club last season. "Trent thoroughly enjoyed it, he was very happy here and with his position, but obviously he wanted to get his injury cleared up because, in the last few games, he was in a lot of pain and discomfort. "How he got through that I don't know, but he was a huge success for us."

Trio leave promoted Clarets

Burnley boss Owen Coyle has released three players after guiding the club into the Premier League. Steve Jones, Gabor Kiraly and Alan Mahon, who were all out of contract at Turf Moor, have not been offered new contracts but Graham Alexander, Adam Kay and Alex MacDonald have been handed the opportunity to extend their stay with the club. Thirty-seven-year-old Alexander has been offered a new one-year deal while teenagers MacDonald and Kay have been handed two and one-year deals respectively. The three players who have been released were all on the periphery of the first-team squad in the campaign just ended.

Ronaldo down after final loss

Cristiano Ronaldo claimed 'everything went wrong' as Manchester United lost the Champions League Final 2-0 to Barcelona. United had started brightly in the Rome but never recovered from falling a goal behind after ten minutes and Ronaldo blamed a combination of below-par performances and questionable tactics. "I cannot explain," said the world and European player of the year, who was eclipsed on the night by a host of Barca players including Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta. "We, the players, were not well, the tactics were not good... everything went wrong. "We have to give credit to Barcelona, but they were a bit lucky to be here because Chelsea did not deserve to lose and no-one has mentioned that. "I have to congratulate Barcelona. They were better, but football is just like this - only the winners get talked about." Meanwhile, Ronaldo admitted the defeat at the Stadio Olimpico 12 months on from winning the Champions League in Moscow was the biggest disappointment of his career. "We were always confident before the game but unfortunately we couldn't do it," added the Portugal international. "This is one of the biggest disappointments of my career."

Nogues gutted by Betis drop

Real Betis coach Jose Maria Nogues believes that his club have been hard done by, after they were relegated from the Primera Liga on the final day of the season. A 1-1 draw with Real Valladolid proved not to be enough for Betis, with both Osasuna and Sporting Gijon winning to avoid the drop. Nogues admitted: "It's been a very sad as, once again, football has been unfair to us. "We deserved to win comfortably, but fate has been capricious with us. "It's a real shame because I don't think we deserve it. Nobody thought we would go down, it's caught us all by surprise. "The changing room was deeply depressed, we've gone weeks now where the football has gone against us. "It was unthinkable, but chance is like that. It's been a very tough blow. "For its history, fans and for many things, Betis have to return to their place in this division which they should never have lost."

Mazzarri confims Samp exit

Sampdoria coach Walter Mazzarri has confirmed that he has left the club following the end of the Serie A season. The 47-year-old had been in charge of Samp for two seasons, having made his name during spells with Livorno and Reggina. Mazzarri said after the 2-2 draw at Palermo: "Today I concluded my relationship with Sampdoria by mutual consent. "Tomorrow the matter will be made official with a press release from the club and from that moment I will start deciding on my future. "The decision was made in full unity with the club."

Milner replaces injured Carrick

Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick will miss England's World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Andorra due to a foot injury. Carrick has been replaced in Fabio Capello's squad by Aston Villa's James Milner. The 27-year-old had earlier spoken of his desire to build on a fine season with United to ensure his place in England's squad should they reach next summer's World Cup finals in South Africa. He told The People: "I'd say this has been my best season since I came to United, definitely. Moving to United has improved my game no end. "It's great to be back in the England squad. I never let it affect me or my game when I wasn't being picked, even though I love playing for my country. "The World Cup next year will be a massive thing to be part of and it would be great if I made the squad. "I just want to keep improving and hopefully that will be enough to keep me in the picture for England."

Milan admit Kaka could follow Ancelotti out of the San Siro this summer

AC Milan admitted last night that Kaka could follow Carlo Ancelotti out of the San Siro exit door this summer. General manager Adriano Galliani's statement is sure to alert England's top clubs, although Real Madrid are favourites to land the 27-year-old Brazil forward.Alexandre Pato, 19, has also attracted interest and Galliani said: 'If we continue like this, we will become a small league. We have had requests for Kaka and Pato from two of Europe's biggest clubs and we will try and resist them.

BEIJING (AFP) — Chinese football has been languishing in the doldrums for years but under new coach Gao Hongbo the national side could be turning a co

Sir Alex Ferguson pinpointed the absence of Darren Fletcher as a major reason for Manchester United's Champions League Final defeat to Barcelona. Fletcher missed the 2-0 defeat in Rome through suspension following a red card in the semi-final second leg against Arsenal and Ferguson claimed his side missed the Scotland international's midfield energy. United were out-run and out-passed in the centre of the pitch and failed to find anything like their top form on a disappointing night. Speaking about Fletcher's absence, Ferguson said: "I thought before the game it may have been a problem. "I knew it might count against us because he is a big-game player and he was a big loss for us.

New hope for Chinese football?

BEIJING (AFP) — Chinese football has been languishing in the doldrums for years but under new coach Gao Hongbo the national side could be turning a corner, if recent results are anything to go by.
Gao, at 43 China's youngest ever coach, got his reign off to a promising start with a 1-1 draw against an under-strength Germany last Friday, and followed it up with a battling 1-0 victory over Iran on Monday evening.
But Gao, who was appointed last month after managing club teams in Beijing, Guangzhou and Singapore, is not getting carried away.
"One-nil doesn't mean we are better than them," he told reporters following the game in Qinhuangdao, in which striker Gao Lin scored the winner just before half-time.
"After this match we have gained some good experience, it is useful when we meet another team from west Asia.
"This China team is young and we have lots of work to do before we can reach our goal. I hope I can lead this team on the right path as soon as possible," he added.
A former national striker, Gao is China's seventh coach since 2000 and took over after the side failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup and then made an embarrassingly early exit from the Olympics on home turf.
They have since slumped to 97th in the FIFA world rankings -- sandwiched between Qatar and Sierra Leone -- and have qualified for the World Cup just once, in 2002.

Pakistan discusses two World Cup options

Pakistan has put forward two options as it strives to retrieve what benefits it still can from the 2011 World Cup. In a meeting with Sri Lanka board counterparts, Ijaz Butt, the Pakistan board chairman, suggested a swap for World Cups or for the subcontinent boards to jointly ask the ICC to allow Pakistan to present alternate solutions.
The first option - swapping the 2011 World Cup, which is to be jointly hosted now by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, for the 2015 edition to be held in Australia and New Zealand - was put forth by former ICC president Ehsan Mani, who is advising the PCB on the World Cup. The ICC had stripped Pakistan of its rights to co-host the 2011 World Cup following the terrorist attack in Lahore when gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan team bus. The PCB responded by serving a legal notice to the ICC for its decision to move the World Cup headquarters from Lahore to Mumbai.
DS de Silva, the SLC chairman, said he would stand by any decision made at the ICC meeting in Dubai though he would discuss the PCB's options with the rest of the interim committee members and get back to the PCB accordingly. The SLC will also wait for feedback from India and Bangladesh, with whom Butt will also meet on this diplomatic tour before taking a final decision on the World Cup options.
Butt put forward the same argument that forms the basis of the PCB's legal notice to the ICC; that the uncertain security situation in the entire subcontinent, following the terror attacks in Mumbai and Lahore, poor political relations between India and Pakistan and the slow pace of preparations for the World Cup indicated the subcontinent was not prepared to host the tournament in another two years. It is believed that this is option is unlikely to win backing among the co-hosts.
In the event of that option failing, Pakistan wants the Asian bloc to ask the ICC to provide them with an opportunity to provide alternate solutions on their internal security problems. This may, as some in the PCB have already suggested, mean shifting Pakistan's matches to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The ICC has not ruled out the option, saying only that Pakistan had yet to make such a proposal.
Butt also argued that Pakistan should be allowed to retain the right to have the central secretariat of the World Cup because it was on this premise that the PCB agreed to host a lesser number of matches than it did in the 1996 World Cup.

Pakistan's pace battery raring to go

Pakistan's bowling attack for the ICC World Twenty20 could provide some anxious moments to opposition batsmen with the addition of the country's newest fast bowling sensation Mohammad Aamer to its pace battery. The attack already includes Umar Gul, the leading wicket-taker at the last World Twenty20.
Gul said he wanted to do better than last time and would attack the batsmen right from the first ball. "We have a balanced attack and if we bowl to a tight line and length, then we can get teams out or restrict them to gettable totals."
Gul said he preferred bowling first change since more swing could be obtained. "It's the ideal time to not only stop the flow of runs but to take wickets. We came so close to winning the title in 2007 but it was bad luck. This time round we want to finish it without a blemish. The title, nothing less, is the aim."
Aamer, a 17-year old left-arm fast bowler from Rawalpindi, has said he wants to emulate his idol Wasim Akram's success in the 1992 World Cup when he plays in the World Twenty20.
"I want fairytale success, and will do my best for it," Aamer said.
Aamer, a protégé of Akram who had called for his selection to the national side in July last year, was born only two weeks after Akram's feats at the 1992 World Cup but said he had watched videos of his idol and that attracted him to cricket. "I was never interested in joining the army. I was attracted by cricket and by Wasim Akram," he said. In his maiden first-class season, Aamer took 56 wickets in 10 matches for Rawalpindi. He also picked up 15 wickets in List A games and was picked for the Bangladesh tour which was postponed. Along with Mohammad Talha, Aamer is regarded as Pakistan's latest pace sensation.
Shakil Shaikh, the official who spotted Aamer, said his swing and pace was handy. "Aamer's strong point is that he can judge a batsman after a few deliveries and then plan his deliveries," Shaikh said.
Akram has tipped him to be a revelation in the World Twenty20. "I have watched him more than once and he's impressive with over 140kmh speed and can swing the ball both ways."

Clark gives up on Gloucestershire stint

Stuart Clark's plans for a pre-Ashes stint with Gloucestershire have been dashed after delays in obtaining a UK visa. Clark had hoped to play two four-day matches for Gloucestershire in a bid to boost his fitness ahead of the Ashes, but will now head to Cricket Australia's centre of excellence for extra training sessions.
Clark created a major stir earlier in the summer when he signed a short-term contract with Kent. That deal was scuppered when the fast bowler was called into the Australian squad for the limited-overs series against Pakistan in the UAE, but a subsequent opportunity to play county cricket arose when Gloucestershire's James Franklin was chosen in New Zealand's World Twenty20 squad.
But those plans were also terminated after Clark on Monday informed Gloucestershire of the visa delay. He will now enter the Ashes series having played no first-class cricket since undergoing elbow surgery in December.
"This didn't have anything to do with [the ECB] not wanting me there, it's just that the visa is taking too long," Clark told Cricinfo. "It would have been preferable to play a few county games, so in that sense it's a bit disappointing. But it's not to be, so I'll just head up to the centre of excellence to get a bit more bowling in."
Gloucestershire's chief executive, Tom Richardson, admitted last month that he was risking a club versus country row in trying to bring Clark to Bristol. "You wrestle with your conscience on these things but we want to win things," he told BBC Radio. "Yes we want England to win the Ashes too, but we have to focus on getting a really good cricketer in here. If he didn't come to us he'd go to someone else."
Richardson was less bullish when discussing the Clark situation on Monday. "Fundamentally we have said all along that we would cross that bridge if we came to it, but now we have not come to it, it is all a lot of hot air," he told Cricinfo.
Clark is due to join the Australian squad in England on June 17. The ECB offered no comment on his change of plan.

What's changed on Cricinfo

So what should I say? Welcome to the new Cricinfo? But that will be a misrepresentation. In most ways it is still the site we have all known, and as many of you have pointed out in response to my earlier piece, why do we need a new Cricinfo? Let me repeat a word that I used in the other piece: this is Cricinfo renewed. It's a step, a significant one, forward.
Change is often unsettling. We trust the old ways because there is evidence that they work, and there is no evidence yet that the new ones will. We are already feeling wistful about the old site, so we know how some of you feel. As Nietzsche said, love is more afraid of change than destruction. But to that, let's add this one from the Buddha: Everything changes; without change, nothing remains.
Change for the sake of change is indulgence, but mostly, it is the only thing inevitable in life. Finally, success and failure, happiness and misery, come down to how we manage change. We derive our confidence about this redesign from one central truth: our singular focus throughout this process has been to enhance your experience of the site.
Take a look the homepage. The most important thing about it is that it is a celebration of content. There is more of it, and it is organised better. Earlier, we had all our editorial content stacked up in a single central panel. The structure gave us no other options. As we kept adding new features and sections, they kept piling up, the page grew longer, and there came a point when we could add no more.
The starting point of this redesign was the navigation. In some ways, the left-hand navigation bar was easy for us to manage: we could do pretty much anything with it. All we had to do was to add a new item to the menu whenever we needed to. But it was sub-optimal from the usability point of view; you needed to scroll to see it in its entirety. And, equally importantly, it ate up vital homepage space. By moving it to the top, we have achieved two of our prime objectives. We have given you a cleaner, more logical and intuitive navigation. And we have freed up space to showcase content.
On the face of it, the navigation is smaller. But it packs in much more. The hierarchical design contains a second, and sometimes a third, level that takes you deeper into the site with a single click. For regular users who have their preferred sections, it's a great tool. For example, if you like the My Favourite Cricket Story, point your mouse at Features, go down to The Short Stuff, and then click on My Favourite Cricket story.
To help further, we have added a Quick Links strip, just below the navigation, to highlight the major current events in cricket.
Below it, the content is organised in a richer yet simpler fashion. The big stories of the day take centre stage, in a distinctive panel that also houses the video player. Concerns that the video player might slow the site down are unfounded, because the video starts playing only when you click on the relevant tab. The space vacated by the navigation is taken up by a wider lead photograph, which enhances the visual appeal of the page.

Pietersen thrilled by Ashes talent pool

Kevin Pietersen is confident that England's Ashes hopes hinge not just on stars like himself and Andrew Flintoff following the emergence of several strong new players. Neither Pietersen nor Flintoff was available for the recent one-day series against West Indies, which England won convincingly, and Pietersen believes the same balance will be present in the Ashes squad.
"England are not relying on one or two players," Pietersen said. "If you look at Australia during their good times, if [Matthew] Hayden didn't perform, [Adam] Gilchrist did, and the best thing about what's happening now is that if I fail like I did when I got a first-baller at Lord's, we still got a decent total."
Ravi Bopara has been a revelation in England's top order this year, having scored centuries in all three of his Tests against West Indies. Pietersen said it was fantastic to have an in-form Bopara in the squad ahead of the Ashes.
"I've actually been quite annoyed when people have said the likes of Ravi are my rivals to counter the Australians," he said. "I am with Ravi all day every day, I love the bloke, his confidence, the way he plays without fear, the way he talks about things and the way he doesn't worry.
"I love his approach and it's something a lot of the players can learn from. [Stuart] Broad has been exceptional, Matty Prior is somebody who has improved so much as well and James Anderson produced a brilliant display at Durham the other day."
Pietersen's lead-in to the Ashes includes the ICC World Twenty20 and he said his fitness was not in doubt for the event despite his recent Achilles tendon injury. Pietersen will be keen to rectify his Twenty20 reputation - he said during the 2007 tournament he had played silly shots for a silly game - and he has no doubt of the importance of the event these days.
"We are playing here to win a World Cup," he said. "We have never won a world tournament so this is of the utmost importance. But I think a lot of us are behind the Indian players and the South Africans because we haven't played as much."

Blain walks out on Scotland on eve of tournament

John Blain, the Scotland seamer, has left the squad four days before the start of the ICC World Twenty20 after a serious falling out with captain Gavin Hamilton.
The official ICC release stated Blain had left for "personal reasons" and although this isn't an injury withdrawal the technical committee have allowed Scotland to draft in Calum MacLeod as a replacement.
"After a practice match on Saturday there was a team meeting and some harsh words were said," Roddy Smith, the Cricket Scotland chief executive, told Reuters. "John then decided he wanted to leave the squad. The replacement definitely wasn't made on medical grounds. The ICC obviously didn't want us to go into the tournament with only 14 players in our squad instead of 15."
Blain's departure is the latest in a string of depressing developments for Scotland over the past few months. They entered the ICC World Cup Qualifiers, held in South Africa in April, as one of the favourites and certainly one of the fittest teams on show, but failed to qualify for the 2011 event. They only retained their one-day international status by the skin of their teeth, too, in a disappointing overall performance which included a 42-run defeat to Afghanistan.
Much of the criticism at the team's effort in South Africa was aimed at the captain, Ryan Watson, whose own batting form has slipped with worrying speed in the last two years. Under pressure, Watson quit and handed the reins over to Gavin Hamilton, but at 34-years-old, his appointment smacks of filling the team with short-term ballast rather than looking to the future. Nevertheless, Hamilton remains the side's most consistent batsman, without whom they almost certainly wouldn't have retained their ODI status.
Furthermore, with no World Cup place in 2011, Scotland lost the ICC's US$150,000 bounty to prepare for the tournament, and five weeks ago Lloyds TSB pulled their sponsorship of the team, ending a seven-year partnership.

BCCI never asked for Champions League window - Modi

IPL chairman Lalit Modi has said the BCCI never asked the ICC to create a window for both the IPL and the Champions League. "We have never propagated that we should be part of the Future Tours Programme [FTP] for the IPL or the Champions League because I think there is a natural window for these two events," he said in London. "We never asked for one and we are never going to ask for one."
His statement comes in the wake of ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat's contradiction to Modi's earlier claims that the Champions League had been slotted into the FTP.
Modi clarified his original statement which was made on the IPL website recently, saying "there was a miscommunication as far as I'm concerned." He also said the BCCI had worked with the ICC to slot the Champions League this year and all Test-playing nations were part of that solution in terms of creating space for the tournament.
Happy at the success of the second edition of the IPL, which had to be moved at the last minute to South Africa, Modi said he was confident that various members of the ICC would sit together to find space for the events like the IPL and Champions League, which already have strong support the players and their unions. "Going forward we will be working along with members and work out a solution in the new FTP which is in discussion," he said.

Why Australia, Sri Lanka and West Indies are in one group

The 12 teams competing in this year's World Twenty20 are the nine Full-Member countries and three Associates who made it to England through the qualifying tournament, which was held in Belfast. They have been divided into four groups of three each based on their seeding, which depended on their standings in the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007 (for the teams that took part in it). Since India were champions they were seeded first, their opponents in the final, Pakistan, were ranked second, while the losing semi-finalists Australia and New Zealand were seeded third and fourth. The top four seeds were then put in four different groups for this year's tournament.
The best among the rest, South Africa, were seeded fifth and put in the same group, D, as the team seeded fourth -New Zealand - while Sri Lanka and England, the 6th and 7th seed, were placed in groups C and B. Had West Indies at least finished eighth in 2007, there would not have been a 'group of death' this year. But they did not even win a single game, losing to Bangladesh because of an inspired innings from Mohammad Ashraful, and were seeded 11 and placed in Group C. Bangladesh, who qualified for the Super Eights in 2007 but didn't win a game in that round, were eighth and put in India's group.
Group A - India (1), Bangladesh (8), Ireland (9) Group B - Pakistan (2), England (7). Netherlands (10) Group C - Australia (3), Sri Lanka (6) West Indies (11) Group D - New Zealand (4), South Africa (5), Scotland (12)
Each team will play the other in its group during the preliminary round and the top two will qualify for the Super Eights. What this means is that either Bangladesh or Ireland, or both, are assured of a place in the second stage, while one of Australia, Sri Lanka and West Indies will crash out after round one, leading to the possibility of another group of death in the next World Twenty20, in the Caribbean in 2010.
If two teams in a group have equal points at the end of the first round, the one with more wins will be placed higher. If they have equal points and the same number of wins, a likely scenario, then the team with the higher net run-rate will be ranked higher. Should net run-rate also fail to separate the sides, then the one with the higher number of wickets taken per balls bowled in the group stage in which results were achieved, will be preferred. And if the teams remain in a deadlock, then the winner of the group match between the sides will prevail. If all of the aforementioned tie-breakers fail, the teams will be separated by drawing lots.
And should the weather in England wreck all the three matches of a particular group, the top two seeded teams in the group will progress. No points, however, will be carried forward from the group stage into the Super Eights.
The Super Eights
The teams in the Super Eight will be designated as A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 C2, D1, D2 depending on which group they qualified from. If the top two seeds from a group qualify, they will be seeded 1 and 2 respectively for the Super Eight regardless of which team actually finished first and second in a group during the first round. For example, if Bangladesh are first and India are second in Group A, Bangladesh will still be A2 while India will remain A1 for the Super Eight because India were seeded 1 while Bangladesh were 8. However, if the third seeded team in the group knocks out a higher seed, it will take the place of the knocked-out opponent. For example, if Bangladesh and Ireland qualify from Group A, then Ireland will be A1 for the Super Eight stage. If India and Ireland qualify, then Ireland will be A2.
During the Super Eight, the teams will be split into two groups of four - A1, B2, C1 and D2 are in the first group, while A2, B1, C2 and D1 are in the second. Each team will play the others in its pool with the top two from each group qualifying for the semi-finals. If teams are tied on points in a Super Eight group then the same parameters which were used to break a tie in the preliminary stage will be used, the difference being that only the Super Eight matches will be taken into consideration for most wins, net run-rate etc.
If all of the matches of a Super Eight group are ruined by rain, the teams will be ranked on basis of most points, most wins, net run-rate during the group stage and the top two will go through. If the teams still cannot be separated the semi-finalists will be picked based on the original seeding for the tournament.
A one-over eliminator, or Super Over, will be used to break a tie in a semi-final, if one should occur. However, if weather prevents the Super Over from taking place after a tie, the team which progresses to the final will be determined by looking at who has the most wins, better net run-rate, higher number of wickets per balls, the only difference being that this time both group and Super Eight matches will be taken into consideration.
The final, however, has no such provisions. If the final is tied, the match will be decided by a one-over eliminator. If the eliminator cannot take place because of bad weather, then the two finalists will be declared joint winners.

Lee, Watson closer to fitness

Australia have not tasted success in a Twenty20 fixture for four months so any victory, even in a practice match against Bangladesh, will not be sneezed at. But as encouraging as the batting segment of their 38-run win at Trent Bridge was, by far the more important development for Australia was the performance of Shane Watson and Brett Lee; a duo whose recovery from injury could go far to determining the tourists' fortunes in World Twenty20 and Ashes campaigns this summer.
Watson was again withheld from bowling duties, but remains hopeful of fulfilling his all-round ambitions in the World Twenty20 proper. His batting, however, was from the very top shelf and provided further evidence that, after several unconvincing auditions, Australia have found the limited-overs opener they have sought since the retirements of Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist.
Watson continued his sparkling touch from the recent series against Pakistan, hitting firmly through the line en route to a brisk 52 off 23 deliveries. His 100-run opening stand with Brad Haddin provided Australia with the platform from which to post an intimidating 219 for 6 in what was comfortably their best Twenty20 performance of the year. With the back and groin injuries that have blighted his 2009 campaign seemingly behind him, Watson is hopeful of reaching full fitness in the next fortnight.
"That's the plan," Watson said, when asked whether he would be available to bowl in Australia's World Twenty20 opener against West Indies. "It's just building up over this week to be right to go for the first game. It was great to be able to get out and have a run around today and continue that confidence building.
"I've been very excited to be able to get back over here and be a part of the Twenty20 and the Ashes squad as well. It's a really exciting time for myself and I'm really enjoying my time over here. To get a few runs in the first game is a nice little confidence booster."

Taylor and Vettori star in New Zealand win

New Zealand's unbeaten record against India in Twenty20s continued today by beating the world champions by nine runs in their warm-up outing at Lord's. Several New Zealand batsmen chipped in with aggressive contributions to post an imposing total which their bowlers, led by the reliable Daniel Vettori, defended tenaciously against a powerful Indian batting line-up.

Neville returns to England fold

Gary Neville has been handed a surprise recall to the England squad for next month's World Cup double-header against Kazakhstan and Andorra. The 34-year-old Manchester United captain, who has started just 13 Premier League games this season, could now become the most-capped England full-back of all-time. Neville's international career had appeared over after 20 months in the wilderness, but he will now equal Kenny Sansom's full-back record of 86 caps should he feature in either game. Elsewhere, West Ham United's Robert Green and Paul Robinson of Blackburn Rovers are likely to fight it out for the number one jersey. Fellow goalkeepers David James and Ben Foster have been ruled out of the games with shoulder and thumb injuries respectively. Head coach Fabio Capello has also recalled fit-again Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe, while there is also a place for Shaun Wright-Phillips despite fears that the Manchester City winger would miss out with a knee problem. England squad for World Cup qualifying matches against Kazakhstan and Andorra: Carson (West Brom), Green (West Ham), Robinson (Blackburn); Bridge (Man City), A Cole (Chelsea), Ferdinand (Man Utd), Johnson (Portsmouth), Lescott (Everton), Neville (Man Utd), Terry (Chelsea), Upson (West Ham); Barry (Aston Villa), Beckham, Carrick (Man Utd), Gerrard (Liverpool), Lampard (Chelsea), Walcott (Arsenal), Wright-Phillips (Man City), Young (Aston Villa); C Cole (West Ham), Crouch (Portsmouth), Defoe (Tottenham), Heskey (Aston Villa), Rooney (Man Utd).

Injury rules out Wright-Phillips

Manchester City's Shaun Wright-Phillips is the latest player to be ruled out of England's forthcoming World Cup qualifiers through injury. The midfielder will miss the double-header with Kazakhstan and Andorra in June after being told he requires surgery on a knee problem. Wright-Phillips has sat out City's last six games with an ankle injury and will join the likes of David James, Ben Foster and Stewart Downing in missing out on selection for Fabio Capello's next squad. "Shaun trained earlier this week but he got a reaction," revealed City boss Mark Hughes. "Now he'll have to see a specialist. "He isn't going to be available at the weekend and he may well have a wash-out of his knee in the close-season that would enable him to be fit for the start of pre-season training. "He's worked really hard trying to get fit but this problem needs to be addressed and we must look at it." Meanwhile, Hughes has tipped defender Nedum Onuoha for a first call-up to the full England squad on the back of a solid season. "Nedum has had a great season," he added. "It's virtually been his first season free of injury but he's always been a young player with huge potential. "If he was to get selected it would be a great reward for an excellent year. We all hope he does."

Ferguson unsure of future

kericFormer captain Barry Ferguson does not know whether he will still be a Rangers player next season. Ferguson, 31, was fined and stripped of the captaincy following a breach of discipline while on Scotland duty earlier in the season, but has returned to club action in recent weeks and helped the Gers to a 1-0 Scottish Cup Final win over Falkirk. However, Ferguson claims he is in the dark over whether he will begin next season at Ibrox. "What happens next? I'm going to go away and enjoy a holiday with my family," he said. "If that is the end at least I've come back with my head held high. I made a mistake. I can't turn back the clock. "I didn't think I would get the chance to play again, but I've come back in the last three games."

Striker seeks City extension

Star striker Ross McCormack is looking to extend his contract with Cardiff City following a fine first season at Ninian Park. The 22-year-old Scotland international netted 23 goals in 44 appearances for the Bluebirds, helping the club come within a whisker of reaching the Championship play-offs. McCormack told the South Wales Echo: "I'm speaking to them just now about putting another two years on my deal, which will mean a four-year contract. "We're trying to iron out a few things and we will see what happens. "I'm still only 22, so I've got a lot of time to move on up the divisions and go to as high a level as I can. "However, everyone in my shoes will be the same, if they get the chance to go to the Premier League, they would snap at it."

Fergie cites Fletcher absence

Sir Alex Ferguson pinpointed the absence of Darren Fletcher as a major reason for Manchester United's Champions League Final defeat to Barcelona. Fletcher missed the 2-0 defeat in Rome through suspension following a red card in the semi-final second leg against Arsenal and Ferguson claimed his side missed the Scotland international's midfield energy. United were out-run and out-passed in the centre of the pitch and failed to find anything like their top form on a disappointing night. Speaking about Fletcher's absence, Ferguson said: "I thought before the game it may have been a problem. "I knew it might count against us because he is a big-game player and he was a big loss for us. "It's difficult to say how big - and they had players missing too - but it showed itself for us tonight." However, Ferguson conceded that United had been second best on the night to a rampant Barcelona side. "The simple reason we lost was possession," he added. "We didn't do anything with it. "The disappointment was the use of the ball when we got possession. You have to wait minutes to get it back off them. "We recognised beforehand there was their three central midfield players. It wasn't really Messi who was the problem. It was Iniesta and Xavi. They can keep the ball all night long. "You have to give credit to a very good Barcelona team. If they get in front of you they are very difficult to beat."

Cats offer honours Mancini

Roberto Mancini claims he is honoured to have been approached by Sunderland to fill their managerial vacancy. The Italian coach, who has been out of work for 10 months following his departure from Internazionale, has revealed he has been approached by the Black Cats to succeed Ricky Sbragia. Wigan Athletic boss Steve Bruce was believed to be the frontrunner for the Stadium of Light job. However, Mancini, who led Inter to three successive Serie A title before being dumped in favour of Jose Mourinho last summer, is clear that he has been offered the job. "I am honoured to have had an offer from Sunderland Football Club. It is a fantastic opportunity," he told Sky Italia. "It will be truly wonderful to lead such a prestigious and historic club in England after a year of sitting on the sidelines. "I feel I am ready to start again with immense enthusiasm."

Ancelotti ends Milan reign

Carlo Ancelotti is believed to be on the verge of becoming Chelsea's new manager after the Italian coach confirmed he has left AC Milan following the end of the Serie A season. Ancelotti, 49, revealed after Sunday's 2-0 victory over Fiorentina, which clinched an automatic Champions League qualifying place, that he had mutually agreed to terminate his contract one year early. "Today my beautiful Milan adventure has come to an end," he said. The former Parma and Juventus coach had guided the Rossoneri to one Serie A and two Champions League titles during seven-and-a-half years at the helm. But the Italian tactician had been strongly linked with the Chelsea job since interim manager Guus Hiddink revealed he would not be staying on at Stamford Bridge beyond the end of the season. Ancelotti refused to confirm whether an agreement was already in place to join Chelsea when speaking at a post-match press conference. "I can't say anything else official," he told Sky Italia. "I have not made any agreement with any other club." However, reports claim that he could now be officially confirmed as Chelsea's fourth manager in two seasons as early as the middle of next week.

Fabregas calls for Alonso deal

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has called on his club to try and strengthen their squad by making a move for Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso. Fabregas believes that his 27-year-old Spain team-mate would be an ideal addition to the Gunners' inexperienced squad. He said: "We have lost big players, but the manager knows what he is doing. The days of signing a new player aren't finished. "We need someone in the middle to make competition and make a difference, plus give us a new dimension. "I think that is all we need. The rest is perfect. "Xabi would be great, he's experienced and can score goals. I'm sure the manager is aware of that fact."

New Zealand unperturbed by indifferent build-up

New Zealand coach Andy Moles and national selector Glenn Turner have shrugged off the indifferent performances by most of their players who took part in the IPL.
"The nature of the beast which is the Twenty20 game is very hit and miss," Turner said. He added that even net practice at the IPL was better than "sitting at home in the winter doing nothing".
Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum found form towards the end of the IPL, and Daniel Vettori was his miserly self in his limited chances, but the rest of the New Zealand players - including Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder and Scott Styris - were totally out-of-sorts in South Africa.
New Zealand have had a better time of it after reaching England, posting a narrow win over Bangladesh and a more comfortable one over Ireland in the two warm-up matches so far.
"A lot of thought has gone into the preparation for this tournament and we hope that it will be rewarded," Moles said. "We have plenty of match-winners with bat and ball; it's a matter of them performing as consistently as possible. This is our strongest squad so there are no excuses."
New Zealand had reached the semi-finals of the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007, and are grouped with Scotland and South Africa this time. They still have a couple more warm-up games to fine-tune their preparations - against India on June 1 and against Australia the day after.

IPL's about quality cricket, not money - Sangakkara

I am a great believer that respect and stardom should be earned on performance rather than just personality. At the end of the day it doesn't matter what name you have; it's a dual between a ball and a bat. You are measured up in history at the end of the day on statistics.

We have "moved on" after Lahore - Sangakkara

Sangakkara said they had been alerted to the perceived security risks and players had been asked to keep the management informed of their movements. On Friday, he and Muralitharan were supposed to take part in a debate organised by the Oxford University Union but the visit was cancelled at the last minute as the organisers failed to put the required security arrangements in place.
"Our movements are a bit restricted at the moment but the security people have allowed us to keep our focus on the game," Sangakkara said.
Asked what the mood was like before the team boarded the bus for the first time after Lahore, Sangakkara said it was full of optimism and the usual banter. "Getting back together, going on a bus you know sometimes you look around and you feel how vulnerable you are in the bus if anyone wants to do any harm. At the same time it is great to get back on it as a team and play your first major tournament after Lahore. That feeling of togetherness, being through tough situations, and playing the game we love brings us a lot closer together."
Cricketers love routines and are superstitious when it comes to matters such as sitting on a particular seat. The Sri Lankans are no different. "Everyone just fell into their places. Lots of players have seats they are really fond of: Sanath [Jayasuriya] always sits on the right three to four rows from the front and Mahela [Jayawardene] likes to sit at the back. So the guys are back in their usual positions. Life is back to normal."

Australia prepare for main T20 event

Brad Haddin wants Australia to build confidence and rhythm during their two warm-ups for the World Twenty20, starting with a hit-out against Bangladesh on Monday. Haddin has led the team twice this year but hands over to Ricky Ponting for the two-week tournament that begins for Australia at The Oval on Saturday.
Despite the squad's traditional strength in the Test and one-day formats, the team is less certain in the shortest genre and it will be important to fine-tune against Bangladesh and New Zealand over the next two days. "The energy the guys have shown and enthusiasm has been quite good, so we're actually looking forward to getting our teeth into the game," Haddin told AAP.
"With these games you want to get out of it as an individual what you can so you go into the first world game with some confidence and a bit of rhythm under your belt. We haven't won this tournament before so we're pretty keen to make our mark ... it's obviously one piece of silverware we don't have."
Australia have lost three of their six Twenty20 games this year, but Haddin said the beauty of the format was there was "no real form guide". "Any team on a given day can make a mark in the competition because it only takes five overs to turn the game in your favour," he said. "There's no stand-out favourites, so I think it will be an enjoyable tournament and it will be very good viewing for the fans."

Buchanan talks coaching with England

The odds of John Buchanan joining the England coaching staff have shortened considerably after the former Australia coach met with ECB officials last week. Buchanan had previously held preliminary discussions with Hugh Morris, the ECB's managing director, regarding a consultancy position and has taken negotiations to the next level by holding talks with the entire England management team.
While pointing out that his conversations with the ECB were not Ashes-specific, Buchanan's defection would nonetheless provide England with a unique insider's view into the Australian squad ahead of the eagerly anticipated five-Test series. Buchanan guided the side for nine seasons, culminating in the 5-0 Ashes win in Australia in 2006-07.
"Nothing to report or confirm from my end, only that yes, I visited ECB officials on the way home from South Africa to continue discussions about whether or not there was a consultancy role for me within English cricket," Buchanan told Cricinfo. "Nothing decided as yet, and the Ashes was not part of our discussion."

Collingwood calls for 'brave' campaign

England captains have been two-a-penny in the past few months, but if Paul Collingwood looked a little nervous as he faced the media on the eve of his return to the role, it was not because he has taken over a sinking ship in the manner of his immediate predecessors, Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen. Quite the opposite in fact.
For the first time in a long time, England have rediscovered that winning habit, and as the Ashes begin to loom, so too does the invidious nature of Collingwood's three-week tenancy. On his watch, England's precious momentum could conceivably be boosted by a glorious maiden triumph in a major global event. More likely, however, it stands to be dented by another ignominious failure to match the skills and chutzpah of the more established limited-overs nations.
Collingwood was at the helm in South Africa two years ago, when England's only victory in five attempts came against the underdogs of Zimbabwe. With Andrew Strauss stepping aside to let his harder-hitting colleagues take centre stage, Colly's back in the hot seat, and to judge by these early impressions, he's finding it hard to inject his words with the right measure of confidence.

'I've loved every minute of it'

It's been more than 48 hours since the Mumbai Indians lost to Shane Warne's Rajasthan Royals in Durban. Standing on the metal steps that lead up to the press-conference area at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth, Sachin Tendulkar is looking somewhere far away. His team have been all but eliminated from semi-final contention after a loss to the Chennai Super Kings, but it's the one that got away at Kingsmead that continues to haunt Tendulkar. "There's no way you should lose a game when you need just six to win with nine balls to go," he says, voice shot through with disbelief.
"We lost to the Kings XI by two runs as well. I can understand a team being bowled out for 85 when chasing 120, but to bat through the overs and not get the runs... that's inexcusable."
Like most of the greats, Tendulkar hates losing. And as the security guard watches nervously, he talks to me with an earnestness that is almost vehement. There's a perception that many players are on the IPL gravy train for the big-fat pay cheque; players who "shouldn't be here", as Ray Jennings put it in his wonderfully candid way. Tendulkar is not one of them. Some players prefer to walk out to Kylie Minogue's music. In his present mood, you sense that Tendulkar would opt for REM's "Everybody Hurts".
For Tendulkar, like for Glenn McGrath, who spent the entire second season of the IPL on the bench, winning is pretty much everything. This is, after all, the man who once admitted that he found it tough to let his son win when they played with a little bat and ball.
A week after our meeting in windy Port Elizabeth, I see him again. The mood isn't any better. Mumbai have been thrashed by Delhi Daredevils. A campaign that started promisingly with victory in the opening game at Newlands against the fancied Chennai lies in tatters. Five wins and eight defeats, seventh on the table.
At the press conference he bites down on some words, tries hard not to point fingers. But his disappointment is an open wound. Here for the money? You must be joking. As he prepares to leave the stadium and the 40-minute drive from Centurion to the team hotel in Sandton, we arrange to talk. Over the phone. I still have another game to watch, and Manish Pandey, a 19-year-old with a baby face, pounds out a heady century.
I slip unnoticed into the press-conference room and dial the number. It makes sense to ask Tendulkar about the IPL experience. After all, most of the South African contingent has grilled him about the way their nation has embraced the tournament. And when we first chatted, a fortnight into the competition, he had mentioned just how much of a strain the interminable travel was. "It's been very good but it was tough as well, especially to lose so many close games," he says after a small pause. "We should have won them, but we just didn't finish the job.

Success will cheer up Pakistan - Younis

Pakistan's captain, Younis Khan, is ready to turn England into his team's home away from home, and views success in the World Twenty20 as the best way to make his troubled nation smile again.
Since the atrocities outside the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore in March, in which eight security and transport personnel were killed in a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus, Pakistan's cricketers have been forced into exile. They were barred from competing in the IPL, and their only action since the attack was a low-key ODI series against Australia in the UAE.
Now, however, they are on the world stage in a big way, lining up alongside England and Netherlands in the group stage of a competition that, but for a moment's aberration from Misbah-ul-Haq against India in September 2007, they might well have won at the first attempt.
"It is special to be back on the world stage," Younis told reporters at Lord's. "Especially in Twenty20s, and especially in England. We are suffering from not playing regularly, and no-one is coming to Pakistan, but all the time in the last few months I have been talking to the boys, and telling them to do well [in this tournament]. There are a lot of media here, and [if we succeed] we'll be well on our way to our mission, so to speak. It's very important for us."
There has been much talk in recent weeks about overkill of the Twenty20 format, and burn-out of the game's star players, but such issues couldn't be less of a problem for Pakistan, who are desperate to get stuck into some meaningful cricket. "If you don't play regularly, you don't have that match fitness," said Younis. "But the beauty of international cricket is that it is changing all the time in different conditions, so we feel fresh and will do well in England, in'shallah."
Younis admitted his team's security for this tournament had been stepped up from previous visits to England, but added that such a situation had become common-place for Pakistan. Of greater importance was the opportunity that the visit provides his young players, especially with the prospect of a return to England next summer to play a Test series against Australia.
"Playing in England is everyone's dream," said Younis. "I have been over here for county cricket [with Yorkshire], and my first Test at Lord's was fantastic for me. Playing cricket in Pakistan would be better, but we have problems as everyone knows. England is the home of cricket, it will be good for our youngsters to learn to play in any conditions. Sometimes here it rains, sometimes it's hot, sometimes it's cold."
With that in mind, Younis said that his team's tactics would revolve around a more patient game that has sometimes been witnessed in Twenty20 cricket. "I have a couple of plans," he said. "T20 looks short, but it's not - 120 balls is enough. If you bat normally but with energy, especially in the middle order where you need good running between the wickets, [a score of] 180-190 is very easy.
"In English conditions the new ball does seam, so you need someone like Salman Butt who can play for 20 overs. But in the middle order, we have big hitters like Shahid Afridi and Misbah-ul-Haq, he's a top Twenty20 batsman. So we are not lacking in players."
Afridi's power-hitting game might have been designed with Twenty20 cricket in mind, but Younis was careful not to expect him to shred the opposition every innings. "Afridi was one of best players of the last tournament," he said. "As a captain I have a few good players, but the main thing is everyone respects him. He'll come in and though it's not possible to hit every ball for six, the expectation is there. He's always done a good job for me, and he'll do good for Pakistan."
Reflecting on the near-miss in 2007, Younis admitted that there had been a few players in tears at the end of the final in Johannesburg. When five runs were needed for victory, Misbah mistimed an attempted scoop over fine leg and lobbed a simple chance to Sreesanth on the edge of the circle. But he remained confident that his team could achieve at least a top-four finish this time, and maybe even go one better than two years ago.
"The finishing touches were not there in 2007," said Younis. "But it was fantastic to be a part of that team in the final. Some guys were crying at the end, but in T20 everything can change. My confidence is that I'll take this trophy to Pakistan, but if the plan works ins'hallah it'll be an achievement for us to finish in the top four.
"We have a lot of followers all the time in England, and a lot of cities here have Pakistanis and Indians," he said. "That's the main reason I'm happy to be in England. Our fans are fantastic back home, they are lovers of T20, and now it's dependent on us to prove ourselves. If we play good cricket it will be good for our nation. These days the whole nation is depressed, and only cricket [can lift it]. If we play good and win something, they will cheer. To finish in the top four, my nation will come again and start cheering."