Saeed Ajmal to deliver for Adelaide Strikers

Pakistan's No. 1 spinner Saeed Ajmal has signed with the Adelaide Strikers for the Twenty20 Big Bash League. He will be available for the Strikers' first match, against the Perth Scorchers, and may then return for the latter stages of the tournament.

Ajmal's signature represents a significant addition to the Strikers and the BBL, his spinning variations having teased and confused batsmen the world over in recent times, not least those of Australia.
"I am really excited about playing for the Adelaide Strikers and really happy that I will get the chance to show my talent in the BBL," Ajmal said.
"I am very keen to meet up with the rest of the boys soon and play my best in the games that I am available, with the hope that Adelaide make the final stages and I can return to help win the competition."
The Strikers coach Darren Berry said he was delighted to have signed Ajmal, the latest example of his policy of using spin as an attacking weapon on dry surfaces at Adelaide Oval.
"We know what this guy is capable of, having seen him run through both the Australian and English batsmen a couple of months ago, so to have him on board is a great result for the Strikers," Berry said.
Adelaide have also signed the South Australia wicketkeeper Tim Ludeman and the Queensland legspinner Cameron Boyce.

All-round Henriques sinks Chennai

A blistering stand of 75 between Moises Henriques and Steve Smith towards the end of the innings was the difference, as Sydney Sixers' 185 was enough to keep out Chennai Super Kings in a high-scoring contest at the Wanderers. Henriques made telling blows on the field as well, as his three middle-order wickets derailed Super Kings' chase just as the asking rate started reducing. Suresh Raina threatened with an attacking half-century, but the lack of support at the other end hurt Super Kings' chances.

Shane Watson gave the Sixers a rousing start after they were put in to bat, and Chennai's spinners hit back with wickets, but none of the bowlers were spared once the Smith-Henriques pair came together.

Shane Watson's 46 laid the foundation for a strong total © Associated Press

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Watson was harsh on anything short, and he made R Ashwin and Jadeja pay by cracking sixes over the on side. Only a run-out could have ended Watson's stay and he fell in that manner four short of a fifty. He attempted a risky second run but wasn't quick enough for Ben Hilfenhaus' fiery throw from deep cover, which hit the stumps on the half volley.

The spinners pulled things back for Chennai after Watson's departure. R Ashwin struck twice in an over, removing Brad Haddin and Nic Maddinson as they tried to push the scoring. It wasn't the worst thing to happen to the Sixers, though, as it brought Smith and Henriques together. The pair began by bashing two boundaries down the ground off the part-time leg spin of Faf du Plessis and from that point on, an above-par score looked possible. The bowlers hemorrhaged 61 off the last four overs, which included eight fours and three sixes. Bollinger and Hilfenhaus, who were held back for the final overs, came in for some stick as the pair of Smith and Hilfenhaus muscled boundaries and played some cheeky ramp shots to exploit the infield.

Super Kings got off to a circumspect start, limping to 7 for 1 after three overs. Du Plessis gave the chase a push with a flurry of boundaries through the off side, charging the fast bowlers to unsettle their rhythm, in particular Pat Cummins. Cummins had the last laugh, though, when du Plessis advanced down the track to launch a straight six but couldn't clear long-on.

Sixers captain Brad Haddin risked introducing his spinners when Suresh Raina walked in. Raina targeted his favourite cow-corner region against the left-arm spin of Steve O'Keefe and was also alert to put away the length offerings from the seamers. The bowlers didn't exploit Raina's weakness against the short ball and with every Raina boundary, the game was Sixers' to lose.

Like they had done with the bat, the Henriques-Smith pairing proved decisive, this time in the field. Raina aimed for the long-on boundary off Henriques' medium pace, but Smith took a well-judged catch at the edge of the rope. Henriques struck two balls later with MS Dhoni's wicket and that had all but sealed the game for Sixers, with 44 needed off the last three overs.

Professional Lions outclass Mumbai Indians

A calm and collected Neil McKenzie, and a young and fearless Quinton de Kock added 123 for the third wicket to take Lions to a comprehensive win, their second over the superstar-filled Mumbai Indians.

It was a scrappy ungainly match until McKenzie and de Kock came together. Sachin Tendulkar (16 off 24) and Rohit Sharma struggled for momentum, Champions League debutant Mitchell Johnson was promoted to No. 4 for a 29-ball 30 that frustrated the others into playing low-percentage shots, extras and edges helped Mumbai Indians to a fighting total, and then the Lions openers matched the Mumbai batsmen in the go-slow.

Sachin Tendulkar was bowled after a scratchy 16 off 24 © Associated Press

Lions had seen three teams before them win the toss and choose to chase because South African grounds are difficult to defend. All three had failed. Alviro Petersen, though, showed no signs of second thoughts before asking Mumbai to bat. Perhaps he knew something about Mumbai batsmen. Six of them reached double figures, but only three of them went at more than 103.44 per 100 balls.

Clearly the Mumbai batsmen didn't fancy the pace and bounce of Dirk Nannes, Sohail Tanvir and Chris Morris, who bowled 12 overs for 90 runs and four wickets between them. And those figures hardly do them justice.

Their biggest test, though, was Dwayne Smith's charmed 26 off 19. Good shots and edges existed in equal measure in Smith's effort. It seemed to almost infuriate the Lions bowlers, especially Morris who began to bowl wides while trying too hard. However, he got his own back by trapping Smith in front. It might have been 45 for 1 in the fifth over then, but Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma were about to stall the innings.

Rohit went at a run a ball, and Tendulkar at one point was 3 off 10 balls. Left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso found this the perfect time to turn the screws tighter, and finally got Tendulkar when he missed with a heave-ho. Harbhajan Singh sprung a surprise by sending Johnson in at No. 4, but that hardly seem to perturb Lions.

Phangiso and Zander de Bruyn hurried through with a few quiet overs. The pressure duly resulted in wickets, but Dinesh Karthik provided Mumbai 19 quick runs off nine balls. Mumbai seemed to have carried that momentum with them. Johnson and Lasith Malinga gave nothing away at the start, and Gulam Bodi and Petersen threatened to undo Tendulkar and Johnson's work with the bat.

McKenzie joined de Kock at 37 for 2 in the seventh over, and began with a reverse-sweep for four first ball. De Kock had already slog-swept two sixes. Even as the asking rate went as high as 10.66 for the last six overs. McKenzie, 26 off 24, and de Kock, 30 off 21, were in by then. Now was the time to launch.

Wrong. It was time to caress, McKenzie style. He hit Pollard over midwicket, watched the third man come up to accommodate a deep midwicket, and then steered a full delivery fine of that short third man. This was lovely touch play. It continued with two pulled boundaries off Dhawal Kulkarni, chosen ahead of the seasoned Munaf Patel.

The best, however, was reserved for the captain Harbhajan Singh, as if he had not had a bad day already with his tactics. McKenzie swept him either side of square leg, then wide of deep midwicket, and then past point for fours to kill the game in the 17th over. The finishing touch was that de Kock, too, reached a fifty.

Daredevils too pacy for Knight Riders

What prompted Gautam Gambhir and Kolkata Knight Riders to bat second, under the lights, in South Africa, is unclear. And the plan clearly did not come off; it went horribly wrong on a track that had unreliable bounce, which the Delhi Daredevils' four-man pace attack used wisely after 60 overs were played out on the pitch. The Knight Riders were not only outplayed by 52 runs, five of their batsmen got struck, including the team's batting mainstay Jacques Kallis. Their top-order had an outing they'd do well to forget.

Daredevils' pace-attack cut through Knight Riders' line-up with ease © AFP

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Out of 168 day-night limited-overs internationals in the country, only 27 teams have won the game after deciding to bat second. At the SuperSport Park, only one team has won in ODI cricket while none have done so in Twenty20 internationals. And against an attack that includes the towering Morne Morkel, the Knight Riders were swimming against the tide willfully. The uneven bounce confused them further and by the time the first ten balls of their innings were done, Daredevils had done enough damage.

It started with the captain Gautam Gambhir, when Irfan Pathan removed him for a duck off the third ball, having the left-hander chip one to mid-on. Off his sixth ball, he brought one back into the other opener, Manvinder Bisla, who was trapped leg-before. Irfan had one of those better evenings, when he looked like bringing the ball back whenever he pleased. It got worse for the Knight Riders when Brendon McCullum cut one to Chand at point off Morne Morkel's first ball, the seventh of the innings, for a duck.

Jacques Kallis was the next man to walk off when Morkel rapped him on the fingers of his right hand while trying to fend off an awkward delivery. He had to retire hurt and did not come back to bat, but X-rays revealed that there was no fracture. The very next ball struck the next batsman, Irfan, on his arm, as he attempted to leave a rising delivery. At the end of the fifth over, he was put out of misery when Daredevil's first-change bowler Umesh Yadav had him deflect one back at the stumps. By this time the ball started keeping low too. Manoj Tiwary and Rajat Bhatia added 47 for the fifth wicket but it was only a face-saving exercise.

Irfan, Morkel and Yadav took two wickets each and Ajit Agarkar got one; except for the left-arm swing bowler, the other three struck the batsmen and kept them pinned on the backfoot.

Daredevils too were in trouble when they batted, but the recovery was prompt. The 63-run fourth-wicket stand between Unmukt Chand and Ross Taylor put them in a strong position, especially after a 30-run 17th over from L Balaji.

Chand played some attractive shots to start off his innings and survived a chance on 14 at midwicket, where Tiwary dropped a skier. He cracked two sixes and two more boundaries to finish on a 27-ball 40. It ended when he completely missed an off-break from Sunil Narine. The versatile spinner took three wickets while Brett Lee and Kallis bowled well too. But it would be the costly overs from Balaji that they could pinpoint for conceding more than the average score at the venue.

Following Daredevils' resounding win, Pietersen will be off to London to meet with England team director Andy Flower on Sunday. He is likely to be back in time for Daredevils' second game, on Friday in Durban, against Auckland Aces.

Where are the 'Champions' in Champions League?

Let's not bemoan that cricket is not simply cricket anymore because it has been taken over by side shows. We've known that for a while and secretly a lot of us like it because it is, even if it is just a little, fun. Who doesn't like a bit of dancing in between regular life? In the middle of all the fun, we could forget about the real issues that surround a tournament like this.eaders and fireworks. So, in other words, a lot.

On face value, it is very difficult to take the Champions League T20 seriously.

It is not, as its name suggests, a competition of winners. After all, the second, third and fourth placed teams in a league of nine are participating along with the runners-up of some tournaments and victors of others.

Beyond the format, there are other oddities. The opening concert will be headlined by a person who calls himself DJ Earworm, a mash up artist. For those who don't know that does not involve potatoes but mixing of sounds to form what the Billboard 100 charts say is very popular music. What that has to do with cricket is as much as cheerl

The economic law of supply and demand has been enough to steer the course of the Champions League © AFP

The imbalanced nature of the competition is its greatest flaw. With four IPL teams, two South African franchises and two Australian gaining automatic entry into the event, the rest are right to feel a little left out. Of the remaining Full Member countries, two - Zimbabwe and Bangladesh - were not even invited to qualify while the other five were give two spots to fight over. Even those were not evenly handed out as England were allowed two teams in qualifying while Pakistan, New Zealand and Sri Lanka were only permitted one each.

The result is a main event that just does not seem fair. If the marketing says the competition will be played between champions, why are so many absent?

The answer lies where so many other answers do: in money. When a novel concept like the CLT20 was mooted, its intentions must have been to play a real league of champions. The boards of India, South Africa and Australia quickly realised the only way they could make money out of it would be if more Indian teams were involved to appeal to larger Indian audience, who the advertisers pay to target.

That economic law of supply and demand was enough to steer the course of the entire tournament. Because more Indian teams need to be involved, fewer other teams can participate to avoid the event becoming much longer. Because South Africa and Australia are shareholders, they needed to see some benefit other than having a stake in it, so they get two teams. Because everyone else is not part of the administration of the tournament, they get what's left over.

Surely then some concoction of a tournament name like the 'Ind-SA-Aus T20 with invited guests' would be more appropriate and more honest. It would settle the question about who really owns the competition, who benefits from it and who dictates terms. It would be a private event and no-one would have any right to complain about it.

Such a neat solution is not possible though, because the ICC endorses the CLT20 in its current form. Why else would they permit a window for it in every year on the FTP? No other multi-team tournament that is not a World Cup (even the Champions Trophy is at an end) and certainly no other domestic event has this right. The game's governing body has rubber stamped the CLT20 and that would give it little reason to alter its composition in future.

Perhaps ICC involvement could make a difference in future, if it assumes some governing rights over the CLT20. Take UEFA's Champions League, which the CLT20 is often compared with, as an example. First of all, note that the top three leagues in Europe are allowed to enter four teams into the event, while some of the other countries are not even given a spot, so even the footballing equivalent is skewed.

	Surely then some concoction of a tournament name like the 'Ind-SA-Aus T20 with invited guests' would be more appropriate and more honest. It would be a private event and no-one would have any right to complain about it.

The difference is that the system used in European Football is based on rankings, not ownership of an event. UEFA use a footballing coefficient to determine which leagues are placed where on the rankings system. The coefficient takes into account how the clubs from each country have performed in previous Champions Leagues, so those who have done better in the past have more spots in the future.

A system like that would ensure that Trinidad and Tobago are rewarded for reaching the 2009 final and could even see a team like the Sialkot Stallions get some recognition for holding the world record for the most consecutive wins in the 20-overs format. It would mean that money does not control the entire organisation of the event, as it does now.

Even moving the tournament to South Africa was, to some extent, driven by money. A Pakistan team could probably not have toured India with the current tensions, and religious festivals across the country would have made it difficult to host at certain venues. Instead, South Africa, default hosts for everything from the African Nations' Cup that was due to be held in Libya to a Champions Trophy once destined for Pakistan, were asked to step in so money that would be made from this year's CLT20 is not lost.

CSA itself will not make much more money from the event. They will receive the same shareholding as usual and will have to pay the hosting fees to stadiums out of that cash. It could result in them getting less money. Additional income will stem from hotel, airline and restaurant revenue as a large number of people descend on the country for the showpiece.

Make no mistake that it will be a showpiece. Despite the administrative issues, the tournament remains a home to some of the world's best players. Almost every big-name player, be it in the 20-overs format or not, is participating. World T20 Man-of-the-Series Shane Watson will turn out for Sydney, Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard will play for their respective IPL sides, exciting prospects like Chris Morris of the Lions, Gary Ballance of Yorkshire and Shahbaz Nadeem of Delhi will be able to make names for themselves.

But even on the playing side, there is an strangeness. The player whose name is almost permanently aligned to a T20 competition, Chris Gayle, is absent. Gayle has played in every 20-overs competition besides New Zealand's and England's (he played for Worcestershire but not in the shortest format). Remarkably, none of the teams he represented made it to the main draw of the tournament.

Gayle was due to play for Uva Next in the SLPL but had to withdraw because of injury, meaning even if they had got past the qualifiers, he would not have been in their squad. His absence is so extraordinary that Mahela Jayawardene, who will captain Delhi, was even able to crack a joke about it. "Obviously Chris has set standards and he will be missed," he said. "But he has to lift his game and try and bring one of his teams to CLT20 next year."

Now that is something to take pretty seriously indeed

Sohail fifty leads Sialkot home

It was a match of no consequence for either team, but Sialkot Stallions will leave South African shores with greater confidence, having put in an all-round performance against the English domestic champions. Two individual performances from youngsters on either side stood out - Haris Sohail's unbeaten 63 the highlight, as it was a match-winning knock. Glenn Maxwell scored a counter-attacking 42 when his team, Hampshire, needed runs, but a score of 143 wasn't imposing enough for Sialkot.

Haris Sohail's unbeaten 63 made the difference © AFP  Enlarge

A combined bowling effort by Sialkot kept Hampshire to that score, well short of what Trinidad and Tobago had managed earlier in the day, with only 31 runs scored in the last five overs. Hampshire lost early wickets in search of quick runs, scratched around for the first ten overs, surged in the middle overs thanks to an entertaining cameo from Maxwell but lost their way after his dismissal. It was a pitch that offered something for the spinners and seamers. Sarfraz Ahmed, the tall left-arm seamer with an unusual action, got a few to bounce off a good length to pose questions for the openers. Shoaib Malik got turn and bounce and those that skidded through weren't easy to put away either.

Hampshire would have ideally liked one from the top order to bat through for the majority of the overs, but regular strikes stalled their progress. The run-outs didn't help - they lost two of their top order off direct hits. Hampshire had only managed 59 off the first ten overs and it was up to their overseas picks to give the innings a push.

Maxwell was harsh on the pull, connecting a few off the seamers and sending the ball several rows over the on side. He picked Naved-ul-Hasan for consecutive sixes in an over which yielded 16, and added 56 with Shahid Afridi. However, Sialkot pulled things back with a quiet over by the seamer Bilawal Bhatti, whose skiddy pace kept Maxwell in check. Hampshire were 113 for 4 after 16 overs and in the search for quick runs, both Maxwell and Afridi fell off successive balls off Umaid Asif. The lower order though failed to push the score past 150.

The Sialkot top order didn't look at ease against the Hampshire seamers, limping to 26 for 2 after the Powerplay. A couple of pressure-relieving boundaries by Sohail off the left-armer Chris Wood put Sialkot on the path to stability. It helped to have the experienced Malik at the other end as they calmly pushed the singles in between. Sialkot were 62 for 3 after ten overs, just three ahead of Hampshire's at the same stage.

Malik showed some aggressive intent, charging the left-arm spinner Liam Dawson and launching him for a six and four off consecutive deliveries. Crucially, Sialkot didn't let themselves get bogged down with a boundary drought - the pair ensured they picked up at least one boundary per over on an average. From the 11th to the start of the 18th over, when they were separated, they picked up ten boundaries. It also hurt Hampshire that their most experienced bowler, Afridi, couldn't effect the breakthroughs or stem the flow of runs. Sohail pounced on anything short and wide from Afridi, and by the time the spinner picked up a wicket - that of Malik - Sialkot were well on course needing 20 off 17. Malik's 96-run association with Sohail had all but sealed the game. It was a pity though that the tournament format didn't allow Sialkot to build on the momentum.

Mahmood blasts Auckland through, Hampshire out

Azhar Mahmood produced a remarkable all-round performance to send Auckland through to the main draw of the Champions League. His unbeaten 55 blazed Auckland's trail to a target his 5 for 24 had ensured was paltry. Their second victory wrapped up Pool 1, with Hampshire and Sialkot now unable to qualify.
Despite their schedule in the qualifying tournament lasting two days, Auckland had spent two weeks in South Africa and their preparations proved worthwhile as they became the first New Zealand team to make the main draw of the Champions League.

Auckland won both their qualifying matches to claim a place in the main draw of the Champions League © Getty Images  Enlarge

Mahmood benefitted from bowling and batting at the right time. With the ball in the first innings, he was able to use a pitch that began a touch sticky to induce five loose shots, but the surface was more conducive to clean hitting in the second innings. Mahmood slammed four sixes in his 31-ball knock and became the fifth player to score fifty and take five wickets in a Twenty20.

His performance handed Auckland a second victory at a canter. The target was largely conquered before Mahmood's innings in a Powerplay where Auckland scored 50 for 1. Hampshire by contrast had limped to 29 for 3 in their first six overs. The difference was that Hampshire bowled too full. Martin Guptill and Lou Vincent filled their boots; Vincent disappointed to slap the final ball of the sixth over to extra cover, and Guptill hung his head after swinging Shahid Afridi to long on, both following entertaining innings.

But Azhar Mahmood ensured Auckland did not just meander to the target. He lifted Chris Wood over the leg side for his first six in the eighth over, and added further maximums with a slog sweep off Afridi and a heave over long-on and slap over extra cover against Liam Dawson - the second of which found the swimming pool.

The match was a major anti-climax for Hampshire. In 2010, they announced a grand deal with Rajasthan to form a global franchise with clubs from other countries, setting up a travelling circus of money-spinning tournaments. But all that materialised of that deal was Hampshire becoming the "Royals," in line with the Indian franchise.

On the back of that deal, Hampshire would have expected to be performing on a world stage sooner than the 2012 Champions League. This was their first appearance in the competition but their active participation lasted just 34.3 overs.

Auckland's comfortable victory against Sialkot presented them with a chance to confirm their passage into the main draw of the tournament and they did so with a second chase that was set up by another miserly display with the ball.

The seamers again enjoyed the surface after Gareth Hopkins had won another toss. It was slower that Wanderers and at first offered tennis-ball style bounce. As such, timing was difficult for the batsman. Clean hitting in the first innings was at a premium and the method of dismissals demonstrated their struggles.

James Vince managed to time one six into the stands but his second attempt found mid-on from high on the bat; Jimmy Adams drove loosely outside off and edged behind; and Shahid Afridi - at No. 4 despite his very poor recent form - Sean Ervine and Glenn Maxwell all perished to catches in the deep. The damage was 77 for 5 in the 14th over.

Hampshire's debut rather flashed them by and it took Michael Carberry to prevent total disaster. Carberry's timing was horrendous for the majority of his 65-ball innings but he stuck it out and made a half-century that put something on the board for Hampshire. He took nine runs off Kyle Mills' opening over - three more than Mills conceded in four overs against Sialkot - with a gloved hook that went for six encapsulating the batsmen's struggles on a slightly underprepared wicket.

Carberry tried to lay a platform but batting didn't get easier. He was alone though in hanging around and working the bowling to accumulate a score. Slogging as the entire middle order did was a waste of time. Carberry managed some acceleration with two boundaries in Andre Adams' final over and two more as Michael Bates closed the innings.

He fell trying to swing Mahmood over long-on and it was he that profited most from the errant strokes of much of the Hampshire order, returning 5 for 24 - his best figures in a Twenty20. The wickets of Vince and Adams came in his first over; four balls of his second were enough to lure Afridi into a slog. His final over saw Liam Dawson backing away and slapping to extra cover and Dimitri Mascarenhas carving a full ball to deep cover point. He could have have had a six-for but spilled a catch running back from his final delivery.

Mahmood copped a fine at the end of the match. He was reprimanded, and fined US$1000, for breaching the tournament's code of behaviour after dismissing Dawson. Mahmood pleaded guilty to a code relating to, "pointing or gesturing towards the pavilion in an aggressive manner by a bowler or other member of the fielding side upon the dismissal of a batsman."

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Pakistan could boycott ICC awards over Ajmal omission

PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf has reopened the debate surrounding Saeed Ajmal's exclusion from the ICC awards shortlists by hinting that Pakistan's players could boycott the awards function, to be held in Colombo on September 15, as a "robust protest". The ICC, responding to the PCB's protest on Monday, had ruled out a rethink and the matter seemed to have ended there.

Zaka Ashraf: "If anyone else has more wickets than Ajmal, then we are ready to withdraw our concern" © AFP

However, Ashraf's comments, made during an interview to ESPNcricinfo, suggest the issue is still alive for Pakistan. "We are facing a lot of pressure from the public and from our former players to push for his inclusion," Ashraf said. "I think the ICC should check whether the independent jury is coming up with the best name and they should not give away the due right of any player in the world.

"If anyone else has more wickets than Ajmal, then we are ready to withdraw our concern and instead we will support their pick. But this isn't reflecting well of the ICC and they should rectify it.

"Meanwhile we probably have to give a second thought to even boycott the function as a robust protest."

Ajmal was in the longlist for the award this year but missed out when an independent 32-member jury, that included former Pakistan captain Aamer Sohail and Pakistan journalist Majid Bhatti nominated Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara, South Africa fast bowler Vernon Philander, Australia captain Michael Clarke and South Africa opener Hashim Amla for Test Cricketer of the Year.

Ajmal, 34, took 72 Test wickets between August 4, 2011 and August 6, 2012 - the qualifying period for the award - including 24 at 14.70 as Pakistan swept aside England, the then No. 1 side in the world, 3-0 in January. He has climbed to No. 3 in the ICC Test bowling rankings and is the highest ranked spinner.

After the PCB lodged the protest, the ICC refused to reconsider Ajmal's case, saying it had no authority to change the results of the academy. The process was monitored by the independent auditor Ernst & Young, and the longlist was prepared by a five-member Selection Panel headed by Clive Lloyd and included Clare Connor (England), Tom Moody (Australia), Carl Hooper (West Indies) and Marvan Atapattu (Sri Lanka).

Sangakkara leads ICC awards race

South Africa's Hashim Amla and Vernon Philander, Australia's Michael Clarke and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara are in the running for the ICC Cricket of the Year award for 2011-12. The ICC announced the shortlists for the annual awards on Thursday, and the winners will be announced at a function ahead of the World Twenty20, on September 15, in Colombo.

ICC Cricketer of the Year nominees' stats Hashim Amla: 915 runs at 65.35 with three hundreds in ten Tests, 419 runs at 52.37 with one hundred in eight ODIs Michael Clarke: 1355 runs at 58.91 with five hundreds in 14 Tests, 759 runs at 50.60 with one hundred in 19 ODIs Kumar Sangakkara: 1444 runs at 60.16 with five hundreds in 14 Tests, 1457 runs at 42.85 with three hundreds in 37 ODIs Vernon Philander: 56 wickets at 16.57 with six five-fors in nine Tests

The four cricketers have also been nominated for ICC Test Cricketer of the Year, while Lasith Malinga, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli join Sangakkara as the contenders for ODI Cricketer of the year.

The nominees were picked off the ICC's longlists, via voting by an academy of 32 people consisting of former players, members of the media, and representatives of the ICC's panel of umpires and match referees. The players were picked based on their performance between August 4, 2011, and August 6, 2012.

The Twenty20 Performance of the Year shortlist includes Tillakaratne Dilshan (for his century against Australia last August), Ajantha Mendis (for his six-for against Australia during the same series), Chris Gayle (for his unbeaten 85 against New Zealand in Florida) and Richard Levi (for his ton against New Zealand, the fastest century in international T20s).

West Indies' Stafanie Taylor and England's Sarah Taylor are most prominent on the women's shortlists, nominated for both Women's ODI Cricket of the Year and Women's T20I Cricketer of the Year.

List of nominees

ICC Cricketer of the Year: Hashim Amla, Michael Clarke, Vernon Philander, Kumar Sangakkara
ICC Test Cricketer of the Year: Hashim Amla, Michael Clarke, Vernon Philander, Kumar Sangakkara
ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year: MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Lasith Malinga, Kumar Sangakkara
ICC T20I Performance of the Year: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chris Gayle, Richard Levi, Ajantha Mendis
ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year: Lydia Greenway (Eng), Anisa Mohammed (WI), Sarah Taylor (Eng), Stafanie Taylor (WI)
ICC Women's T20I Cricketer of the Year: Alyssa Healy (Aus), Lisa Sthalekar (Aus), Sarah Taylor (Eng), Stafanie Taylor (WI)
ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year: Doug Bracewell, Dinesh Chandimal, Sunil Narine, James Pattinson
ICC Associate and Affiliate Cricketer of the Year: Kevin O'Brien, George Dockrell, Ed Joyce, Paul Stirling (all four Ireland), Dawlat Zadran (Afg)
ICC Umpire of the Year: Billy Bowden, Aleem Dar, Kumar Dharmasena, Richard Kettleborough, Simon Taufel, Rodney Tucker
ICC Spirit of Cricket: Mohammad Hafeez, Jacques Kallis, Daniel Vettori, AB de Villiers
People's Choice Award: James Anderson, Jacques Kallis, Vernon Philander, Kumar Sangakkara, Sachin Tendulkar

Mohammad Hafeez

'Captaincy is leadership, not age'

Pakistan's new Twenty20 captain looks forward to the challenge of leading his side in Sri Lanka, and talks about what he hopes to bring to the role

How did your team-mates come to call you "professor"?
They started calling me "professor" as a joke because I give a lot of feedback, and it was Ramiz [Raja] bhai who spread it in the media. My family and friends call me Chanda [moon].

What sort of feedback?
I actually get involved in planning the team. I do a lot of calculations and assessments about the team and its position, and I'm blunt about sharing it.

You were recently appointed Pakistan's Twenty20 captain. What does it mean to you?
Representing Pakistan at the national level is a big honour, for which I have a high regard, and being a captain of the side is the highest level you achieve as a cricketer. It's a privilege and I am thankful to the PCB for honouring me and trusting me. As a player I have earned a lot of respect. Now it's time to gain more respect as a captain.

As a player you own your performance, but as a captain you are responsible for the whole team's performance. You have to be on your toes all the time. For me it means a lot as it's about respect, and now it's important for me to get results in the field.

What is your philosophy for leading Pakistan? How are you going to follow on from Misbah-ul-Haq? 
Every captain has his own ideas and approach in executing plans. I too have plans; there is no set pattern and formulae captains follow. My idea might be a little different, but whatever it is will be with the consensus of the team management.

The basics are to give all players the required confidence, as I believe no player can give you 100% until he isn't given the confidence he needs. I know each selected player is talented and has a role to play. I will create a comfortable atmosphere where every player will feel confident. The rest is my responsibility, to get the best out of these boys in the field.

Players generally have to face a lot of criticism for bad performances, and as captain there is added pressure
Pakistan is a cricket-loving country and people get too emotional, mainly because the expectations are very high. I think there is a need to understand the sport and its components. It's a game in which you can't maintain a straight winning graph because you can't have the same day every day.

Criticism is good and healthy if it has logic, and critics should understand that no sportsman in the world can guarantee a victory on every day he plays. In our country people only expect the best, but sometimes you play extraordinarily and sometimes plans won't work.

What would you have done if you weren't a cricketer?
I could have been an engineer. I did my FSC [higher secondary] from Sargodha College and always wanted to be an engineer, but instead I got involved in cricket and opted to do a Bachelor of Arts.

You weren't able to hold down your place in the national side in your first seven years. What have you done differently since?
You can't succeed until you learn from your mistakes. There are good and bad experiences, and this process never ends. You shouldn't lose hope, and I strongly believe you can achieve anything through hard work. There is always a right time for everything. I agree that in those seven years I wasn't able to make an impact but I worked hard to come back.

Do you agree that captaincy is best given to players after 30, when they are more mature?
I don't agree. It's not about your age, it's about leadership qualities. Any player who understands cricket, has ideas, and good man-management skills, can be a captain. Also, it's not important that every good player can be a captain because the qualities vary from player to player.

How confident are you about captaining the side? 
This is not the first time I am going to lead a side. I have been captaining at the regional level, departmental level, and the Pakistan A team, though it's different at this level. But then I know most of the players and have been playing with them over the years. I am optimistic about my captaincy and aim to become a better player and contribute in winning games. I understand I have additional responsibilities. I have to maintain a balance.

Are you satisfied with the squad selected for the two Twenty20s in Sri Lanka?
You always require the best line-up to play and the balance of the XI is important. Yes, I have been given a good combination. The best part of the team is that each player is talented and has a well-defined role. That will reduce my effort to redefine their role. We have a set combination and only need minor adjustments depending on the conditions.

Players like Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Umar Gul and Umar Akmal are my best men in the side, who have been performing well for years in the format. This will only help me.

What does Twenty20 cricket mean to you? 
To be very honest, I am a big fan of Test cricket. It has a grace that attracts me. I really enjoy playing it because it requires a great deal of skill. I feel privileged to play this format because it lets you feel you are at the top of your profession.

Twenty20 cricket is entertainment, with more commercial values. It's short and fast and pulls in the crowds. I enjoy playing it. It keeps you on your toes; you have to be quick and move with the flow. You have to keep switching your plans, as the game changes with every ball.

What do you expect from Sri Lanka?
Both teams will be facing tough competition. We will be wary about the fact that Sri Lanka are always tough in their home conditions, but they are not invincible. We have a good record against them in recent times. They might have experienced players, who must be warmed up after playing in the IPL, but we have kept ourselves in perfect shape too, training and practising hard in hot conditions for the last month.

You are 31. You started playing international cricket about ten years back. How long do you want to play?
I don't want to make a precise statement here but I can tell you I will walk away when I'm no longer useful. I understand every player has to go one day, but I am currently enjoying playing cricket and have maintained a good fitness level. I haven't given a thought to how long I will play but I will continue till my form and fitness favour me.

You made a statement recently that the IPL was a missed opportunity for Pakistan players.
I was comparing the Pakistan team to the rest of the world. Most of the players, including those from Sri Lanka, played in the IPL under intense scenarios, which is good from a practising point of view.

Yes, there is an opportunity because once you go there you become a better professional. And the more cricket you play, the more your chances of improving. I never meant to say I miss it generally, but at the end we had to play matches here as part of practice ahead of the Sri Lanka series.

Enough of the inconsistency and hypocrisy: Close the Sharma and Parnell Case

The following is the unedited version of a post that went up at The Pitch today.

Enough of the inconsistency and hypocrisy: Close the Sharma and Parnell Case
Rahul Sharma and Wayne Parnell have joined the list of cricketers that will soon be caught up in the sporting world’s hypocrisy and confusion when it comes to the D-word: drugs. If sentence will be passed on them, in all probability it will be done by those who are not averse to the occasional beer, wine, or whisky, and who in all certainty, start their days off with a liquid injection of caffeine. Some of them might, even in these enlightened times, puff on a cigarette or two. In short, a bunch of recreational drug users will pass judgment on a pair of recreational drug users. Perhaps, from the sidelines, an equally hypocritical and sanctimonious crowd will ask for harsher punishment. Meanwhile, that same contingent, punishers and callers-for-heads alike, will cheer when cricketers spray champagne over each other after a win and talk about the ‘big night’ and ‘sore heads’ that lie ahead. (Incidentally, are we any closer to figuring out the role that alcohol played in Tom Maynard’s death? Or is that to be brushed under the rug?)
By all accounts, Sharma and Parnell did what a pair of young men might do in a big city once the working day is done (in their case, after their commitments to their IPL team were done and dusted): they went out to party. Perhaps they smoked a joint; perhaps they just took a drag on one as it made the rounds. Perhaps, horrors!, they dropped a pill of Ecstasy, and even worse, danced to dubstep and techno, and would have stayed up all night, if the Mumbai Police, like killjoys the world over, hadn’t decided that rather than busting gang-lords, corrupt politicians and other sundry criminals, they would rather crash parties and harass a bunch of happily inebriated bad dancers.
From the back of the police wagon that carried them off to thethana that night, Sharma and Parnell might have glumly wondered why their buddies could drink beers in dressing rooms with opponents and be praised for doing so, while they would be forced to donate their bodily fluids as evidence of criminal wrongdoing. They would wonder why there exists a category of forbidden substances called ‘in-competition prohibited substances’ that includes marijuana, but not alcohol or tobacco. 
As professional sportsmen Sharma and Parnell should know what works for them and what doesn’t when it comes to ingesting substances that might adversely affect their on-field performances. Cannabis and ecstasy are not performance-enhancing drugs in any sense; their effect on performance-diminishment remains to be scientifically ascertained. (Vikram Rathour confesses to being surprised that Sharma tested positive as he “doesn’t even drink beer.” Perhaps Sharma is smarter than Rathour imagines; perhaps he knows the occasional joint will do him far less damage than the gallons of beer that our cricketing heroes of yesteryear were said to have consumed.)
If Sharma and Parnell had smoked a joint in the dressing room, they would deserve censure; under the present circumstances, when they are on their own time, and not in the workplace, their punishments should end with the hassles they have already been subjected to. Of course, it is entirely possible that their employers might fine them for a ‘public relations disaster.’ But these are only to be expected when stupid laws rule the land.
Sharma and Parnell’s worst mistake was to have run afoul of the hypocrisy and incoherence of drug laws the world over. They’ve suffered enough. Time to close the case.

Asha Bhonsle to invite Tendulkar to sing with her

Melody queen Asha Bhonsle will soon invite cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar to sing with her and she is confident that the master batsman will not say "no" to her.
Asha said to PTI: "As I have said earlier, I want to sing with Sachin. I have not spoken with him on this matter. He is so busy. He does not have time to do anything apart from cricket. But I have decided to invite him on dinner and formally make a proposal to sing with me. I am confident that he will fulfill my wish."
Bhonsle and Tendulkar recently met in Delhi for receiving the Padma honours. The legendary singer said Tendulkar has promised to visit her place for a typical Maharashtrian dinner.
"We all love Tendulkar so much. He is so soft spoken and her voice has that sweetness. He is so fond of music. I guess he is a good singer too." said the veteran singer. She also wants to sing again with Australian pacer Brett Lee with whom she had recorded a song in her album "Bhonsle and friends" in 2006. Lee was in India for Champions trophy tournament then. Apart from Lee, actors Sanjay Dutt and Urmila Matondkar also featured in that album.
"During a concert in Australia Lee especially came to meet me and I was overwhelmed by his gesture. He told me that he wants to sing with me again and he feels so proud about that album." said Asha.

Kings XI or Queens XI?

Hot gossip in Bollywood is that of Preity Zinta being on the verge of breaking up with long time partner Ness Wadia.
The cause for this is supposedly Preity's new found popularity amongst the cricketing fraternity. Preity was co-owner of the Kings XI Punjab team along with Ness Wadia and a few others. Also, her closer than comfort relationship with Kings XI skipper too has raised a few eyebrows. The fact that the team couldn't win the inaugural IPL has not gone down well with the businessman in Ness Wadia who feels his investment has taken a beating.
While they are known to have occasional little spats between their two contrasting personalities, the question is whether the fight has gone a step forward now.
Priety on her part is busy with her future projects which include a Jahnu Barua film and a world tour with the Bachchans. She said, "What rumours are you talking about? Which couple doesn't have its ups and downs? Ness and I are no exception. You don't go ahead and break-up just because you fight."
So then is the relationship going forward? She denied it saying she has no immediate plans for marriage "even my family is not concerned about my marriage. It's not happening in the near future."
Where does this leave Yuvraj? Rumour is that a teasing relation between team owner and team skipper was seen in flashes but that it was much to read into. Now its up to these two to talk about it and clear the air.

Sri Lankan cricketers in Bollywood movie

Sri Lanka's top cricketers got a taste of Bollywood stardom when they were filmed for an upcoming movie that features some of the best players in the world.Scenes for "Victory," a story of a small town boy who dreams of playing cricket for India, were shot in Colombo last week, with actor Harman Baweja playing against Sri Lanka's national team. Sri Lankan stars Kumar Sangakkara, Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya were among those filmed at one of Colombo's oldest cricket venues, the Oval.Also starring in the 10-million-dollar movie will be the Indian team, plus Australian paceman Brett Lee, England bowlers Sajid Mahmood and Simon Jones, and New Zealander Craig McMillan. "The film combines what Indians love best - cricket, music and Bollywood movies," Sri Lankan producer Chandran Rutnam, who handled the Colombo leg of the shooting, told AFP.Rutnam said Bollywood names such as Baweja and Amrita Rao play key roles in the movie, but the biggest draw would be 40 international cricketers from seven countries, who all play themselves.Sri Lankan paceman Dilhara Fernando said, "This was more difficult than actually playing cricket," after his first Bollywood experience. The plot centres around a father who dreams his young son (played by Baweja) will rise from a small village in Rajasthan to play cricket for India.Harman Baweja, told reporters, "Luckily, I've always been a cricket fan, but then I think every Indian is born loving cricket." Playing against some of the world's most famous cricketers was an intimidating experience, Baweja said. "It helps that they are all going easy on me," he admitted.Filming, which began in Sydney last December, also includes locations in India, England and Pakistan, Rutnam said. The film is intended to give a glimpse into backstage politics and the role that sponsors, selectors and managers play in the game, he said."Victory" is not Bollywood's first move into cricket. Lagaan was released to rapturous reviews in 2001 and was nominated for an Oscar for best foreign language film. In 2003, British-made film Wondrous Obliviontold the story of a young Jewish cricket fan growing up next door to West Indian immigrants in south London in 1960.For "Victory" director Ajitpal Mangat, meeting the stars of the game has been one of the highlights of the marathon shoot. "These are all guys I've sort of admired from afar - and then here's Murali (Muttiah Muralitharan) actually taking directions from me," Mangat said. The film is scheduled to have its premier in January in Bombay, followed by a release in Britain.

Shahid Afridi played a hideous shot to be bowled first ball, Sri Lanka v Pakistan, 1st semi-final, World Twenty20,

Kyle Mills sets up Auckland's crushing win

Sialkot Stallions entered their maiden Champions League T20 with an awe-inspiring domestic record. They had won Pakistan's Twenty20 competition seven out of nine times and possess a world-record winning streak of 25 matches. However, on a Wanderers pitch that bounced and seamed, they were undone by Auckland Aces' pace attack and their own desire to swing with abandon.
The predominant features of Sialkot's innings were batsmen playing and missing and an abundance of dot balls; their attempts at counter-attacking were short lived. Their batsmen cleared the Wanderers' boundaries ten times but managed to score only 130. It was the third-lowest total for an innings that contained ten sixes; the first two were chases in which the target was easily achieved.
The target was well below par and Auckland's openers, Martin Guptill and Lou Vincent, handled the bounce better than their counterparts did. The opening stand of 32 put the chase on course and the second-wicket stand of 51 between Guptill and Azhar Mahmood gave them an opportunity to win with a high net run-rate. They lost a couple of wickets in quick succession but New Zealand's domestic champions managed to get home with 17 balls to spare.
Gareth Hopkins, the Auckland captain, got what he wanted despite losing the toss, and Kyle Mills and Michael Bates made excellent use of the conditions. On a green-tinged pitch, the right and left-arm combination harried the Sialkot openers with short-of-a-length deliveries. After Imran Nazir was smacked painfully on the glove, Shakeel Ansar attempted a big hit in Bates' first over and holed out to mid-on. The No. 3 batsman Haris Sohail took 12 deliveries to get off the mark, before Nazir ended two consecutive maiden overs by pulling Bates over the fine-leg boundary.
There were 24 dot balls in the first five overs, after which Sialkot were 11 for 1. Mills' figures were 3-1-4-0. The sixth went for plenty. Mahmood's length was poor and Sohail hit him for two sixes in an over that cost Auckland 18. Both Sohail and Nazir, however, were caught at point attempting aggressive shots in successive overs, leaving Sialkot 30 for 3.
Shahid Yousuf was Sialkot's best chance at recovery and he hit Andre Adams, bowling extremely quick for a five-step run-up, for consecutive sixes in the ninth over. In the next, Yousuf took two fours off Colin Munro's only over. At the other end, however, Shoaib Malik was struggling, scoring only 3 off his first 11 deliveries.
Yousuf was reprieved twice off Ronnie Hira - Hopkins failed to collect and stump the batsmen - before the spinner took a catch off his own bowling to stunt the Sialkot recovery. Malik's innings ended via a catch at long-off and Sialkot slumped to 97 for 6 before the tail got stuck into Hira's final over, the 18th. Naved-ul-Hasan and Ali Khan took 21 runs off it. Mills, however, returned to clamp down on Sialkot once again. His last over went for only two runs and he finished with figures of 4-1-6-2.
Faced with a middling target, Auckland began the chase aggressively. Vincent charged, pulled and slashed to provide the early propulsion. He was beaten often as well, but managed 20 off 16 balls before being caught at third man on the cut. Guptill began at around run a ball and steered Auckland through the first half of the chase. His only six came in the tenth over, a 98 metre blow over long-on, and he was out in the next, pulling powerfully to the fielder on the midwicket boundary.
Then followed Auckland's most tentative phase, as Mahmood and Colin de Grandhomme were dismissed in the space of four balls by Sarfraz Ahmed, a left-arm bowler who delivers off the right foot but well after his front foot as landed. The asking-rate, however, was never an issue and Anaru Kitchen and Colin Munro hacked at the equation with a series of powerful blows to accelerate the finish.