Shah eyes Test recall

Owais Shah will not give up hope on a Test recall after finally establishing himself in England's one-day side.

Middlesex batsman Shah has won just one more cap since a stunning 88 on his Test baptism, the victory over India in Mumbai in 2006.

The 29-year-old spent a frustrating 2007/08 winter carrying the drinks around Sri Lanka and New Zealand, after losing out initially to Ravi Bopara and then Andrew Strauss in the selection equation.

But, having shown his worth to the limited-over side with a scintillating 49 in the crushing victory over New Zealand in Sunday's NatWest Series opener, he anticipates another chance in five-day cricket.

Of his winter omission, Shah said: "It was very tough, of course it was, I was desperate to play Test cricket but it is the way the sport goes.

"People perform, get on a roll and sometimes you just have to wait your turn. How long you wait, I don't know, you just have to keep on waiting.

"Michael Hussey didn't get a chance until he was 32 or something, and he was one of the best batters in the country in Australia - I just have to wait and grab my opportunity.

"I am a bit up and down really. Sometimes I worry, sometimes I think I will get an opportunity. It varies. But deep down I get a feeling I will get another opportunity, so there is still hope."

Although there have been some downs in the past calendar year, England have begun to win series under Paul Collingwood's limited-overs captaincy.

Back-to-back successes over India and Sri Lanka at the end of the 2007 summer were followed by defeat in New Zealand but they have begun the home campaign against the Black Caps in the ascendancy.

With the ICC Champions Trophy and inaugural Twenty20 World Cup both on the agenda in the next 12 months, the team appear on course to make a better fist than their previous few tournaments.

Shah Continued: "Fifteen to 20 months ago the England one-day team was not winning as much but over the last eight or nine months we have won a fair bit - it is great to be involved."

Shah's power hitting at the Riverside, which occupied just 25 deliveries, meant he overshadowed the irrepressible Kevin Pietersen for half-an-hour at the end of England's 307 for five.

And it came with a classical approach rather than the switch hitting of his fifth-wicket partner.

"It was a wonderful innings by Kev, to get the right balance between orthodox and very unorthodox," Shah added.

"There were some unbelievable shots. He is just a freak. I will leave that all to him, I don't know if I could do that. I just try to play with a straight bat."

Second XI comeback for Flintoff

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff returns to action for Lancashire second XI at Alderley Edge on Tuesday.

Flintoff, 30, has not played a competitive match since suffering a side strain against Durham on 9 May.

He will play against the Durham seconds primarily as a batsman and it is unclear whether he will bowl.

Having missed the Test and one-day series against New Zealand, Flintoff's next England target is the first Test against South Africa on 10 July.

With participation in Lancashire's Twenty20 group matches unlikely, Flintoff's last chance of playing in a first-class fixture before the Lord's Test will be the Championship match at Sussex on 29 June.

Lancashire boss Mike Watkinson gave an insight into Flintoff's recovery regime.

He said: "You see him on the exercise bike and the treadmill, where he seems to have been a permanent feature.

"He's worked very hard at that and is very committed.

"He's started his batting programme, which goes alongside his bowling, so he can get back in top form as soon as possible."

Aussie victory secures series win

Australia secured a 2-0 series victory after an 87-run success against West Indies in the third Test in Barbados.

The Windies began the final day with seven wickets left, needing another 240 to reach a 475 target, which would have beaten their own record of 418 in 2003.

For a while the dream was on as Dwayne Bravo hit four sixes in his 69 to take them within 173 for no further loss.

But he and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (50) fell in consecutive overs and 22 overs later the innings ended on 387.

Left-arm wrist spinner Beau Casson claimed 3-86 on his debut, while fast bowlers Stuart Clark (3-58) and Brett Lee (2-109) were equally impressive.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting reserved special praise for Simon Katich and Phil Jaques, but praised the hosts for their gritty performance.

"This game has gone pretty much to plan for us but the West Indies have got a lot of positives out of the game as well," he said. "The way they attacked the run chase in the second innings I thought showed a lot of heart and a lot of character.

"Simon Katich has been terrific for us at the top of the order and Phil Jaques bounced back to form in this game.

"All the guys that have come into the side can hold their heads up high and say that they've done a really good job for the team over the last few weeks."

Chanderpaul and Bravo made a tentative start to the day's play, adding a cautious 33 runs in the first hour.

Bravo eventually claimed his 50 off 113 balls before his fine innings, which included five fours and four sixes, came to an end when he was caught at short-leg by Jaques.

Chanderpaul, who notched a landmark 8,000 runs for the Windies when he reached 49, was next to go when the 33-year-old was out lbw off Clark.

It was a vital breakthrough for the Aussies, and the first time the tourists had dismissed the left-hander since the first Test.
Denesh Ramdin (8) and Jerome Taylor (31) added 42 to the total but when Clark claimed Ramdin's wicket the hosts soon subsided.

Taylor was caught by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin off the bowling of Mitchell Johnson, Sewnarine Chattergoon (13) was dismissed by Lee before Suliemann Benn (13) was caught at cover off Casson's bowling.

Lee then finished off the match with his 18th wicket of the series as Daren Powell edged to Haddin.

West Indies captain Chris Gayle admitted that his side would have needed to remain at the crease all day to have stood a chance of winning.

"We knew it wasn't going to be easy. Someone would have had to get a big hundred which we didn't get," said Gayle.

"If we batted out the day we knew we would have got the runs but that didn't happen."

PCB gears up to showcase Pakistan as safe venue

Pakistan Cricket Board is bracing itself for two weeks of hectic activity which would give it a chance to show that despite previous security concerns the country is safe for hosting major international tournaments.

Pakistan will host the Asia Cup for the first time from June 24 to July 6 and has invited senior delegates of some 22 countries to attend special ceremonies including a seminar on cricket and the silver jubilee celebrations of the Asian Cricket Council here.

Karachi will also host the Castrol Annual Cricket Awards either on June 27 or 28, which senior players including Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly are expected to attend.

The trio, however, is not in the Indian squad for the Asia Cup due to different reasons.

Before the Asia Cup, the ICC will also launch the 2008 Champions Trophy with the logo unveiling ceremony on June 18 in Lahore with ICC`s acting chief executive Dave Richardson holding a press conference in the city. Pakistan will host the champions trophy from September 11 in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi and the PCB would be keeping its fingers crossed that it does not have to shift the matches from Rawalpindi to some other venue as construction work at the stadium there is stated to be progressing slowly.

An ICC delegation would also visit Rawalpindi to see how the construction work is progressing and if the venue would meet the tournament deadline.

"It is after a long time that Pakistan is playing host to such high profile international cricket events and we are leaving no stone unturned to use these opportunities to project ourselves and the country in a positive and friendly manner," a senior official of the board told reporters.

"We will have the cream of the ICC and Asian Cricket Council members in Pakistan for both events and we want to ensure everything goes smoothly," he added.

Not surprisingly the board has been in constant touch with the interior ministry and police and security agencies to have state level security arrangements for all the events including the matches of the Asia Cup.

While the Sri Lankans and Bangladesh teams would arrive in Lahore for the tournament, India reaches Karachi on the June 22.

Lankans to restrict Sachin from breaking Lara`s record

Sri Lankans would love to restrict master blaster Sachin Tendulkar from breaking Brian Lara`s world record in the forthcoming three Test series to be held in Sri Lanka, country`s captain Mahela Jayawardane, said.

"Sachin is mere 171 runs behind Lara`s aggregate of 11,953 runs and is expected to set the new mark during India`s three Test series in Sri Lanka in July-August 2008.

"I would be happy to curtail Sachin with 170 runs in six innings to be played in our country," Jayawardane said at Sri Lankan airlines press meet which roped in Sri Lankan cricketers to promote the various tourists destination of that country.

"No doubt Sachin is a great player and we have to admire Sachin`s achievement in the last 19 years," the Sri Lankan captain said.

"Sachin deserves to surpass Lara`s record, but breaking record won`t be a big deal for the great batsman, as it would not be in his mind," ace spinner Muttiah Muralitharan said.

The great spinner said, Twenty20 is a game of fitness and there can`t by any preplan for this short version of the game. While in Tests one waits and sees how the batsman reacts and
of course skill should be good.

All versions of cricket should survive, the spinner said.

Ponting happy to keep winning despite talk of decline of Australian cricket

Ricky Ponting admits that Australia are clearly in transition, but he emphasises that they continue to win Test matches and Test series which is very important.

Australia completed an 87-run victory in the third and final Test against West Indies on Monday at Kensington Oval.

West Indies, chasing 475 for victory, were dismissed for 387 in their second innings about 25 minutes before tea on the fifth and final day.

"I am proud anytime we win a Test because it's not an easy thing to do," Ponting told reporters.

"Winning a Test match is hard work. All the guys at the moment are sitting back there in the dressing room exhausted. It has been hard work this whole series, and winning these two Test matches.

"For Brad Haddin and Beau Casson, playing in a winning Test match team and series winning teams for the first time, it will be a step in the right direction for them.

"West Indies is a good place to play cricket, although we have not had the crowd we may have wanted, but all three Tests have been entertaining."

Australia won the three-Test series 2-0, after they also won the opening Test at Sabina Park in the Jamaica capital of Kingston by 95 runs.

The second Test at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in the Antigua villageof North Sound was drawn.

The Aussies have already retained the Frank Worrell Trophy - symbol of Test supremacy between the two sides - but they were pushed all the way by West Indies.

This many people is evidence that the era of their dominance of World cricket is ebbing away, following the retirement of several high-profile players, most notably Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, and Adam Gilchrist.

"I actually said when some of the more senior players moved on that I felt it was going to be one of the more exciting periods in my career to have some new, fresh faces around the team," Ponting said.

"I thought it was going to be exciting, and it has been, it has been great. I have enjoyed it. I have enjoyed having guys making their debuts and guys who have played a handful of Tests in the side because I feel I have a lot to offer to those guys by way of experience and know-how in certain situations in games.

"If I can go and say one thing to them that is going to help them out in situations in games, I feel that's my job. I am really enjoying it, and I do not think it is hindering me.

"I felt as good in this series as I have felt for a long time. . .It's a different time for the team, but we're winning games and this is something about which I am pretty happy."

Ponting noted that his side learned quite a lot from the series, particularly ahead of their next Test tour to India.

He indicated that some of the conditions in which the series was played were identical to the sub-continent, and it has taught his side the value of patience.

"There are lots of positives there for us, but we're probably not demolishing sides like we might have two years ago, but we are grinding teams down and winning Test matches, and we're doing it well.

"It's the style of play more than anything else. You have to accept that the game may go into the fifth day and you have to be patient. You have to grind an innings out, or in the middle of a bowling spell, not try to attack too much.

"When you attack too much, runs begin to flow, and the batting team gets momentum in the game, and it starts slipping away from you.

"That's one area I think we have improved in vastly over the last four or five years, and it's our knowledge about how to play in these types of conditions, we have learnt about how to play in them."

Australia now face West Indies in a Twenty20 International on Friday at the same venue before beginning a five-match One-day International series on Tuesday June 24.

Referrals set to be tested in Sri Lanka

A system of player referrals of on-field decisions to the television umpire will be tried out during India's three-Test series in Sri Lanka in July-August.

Each team can make three referrals per innings, other than "timed out", and successful appeals will not be counted as a chance.

The system - similar to that used in tennis - will allow players to question key decisions that umpires have not themselves referred.

The International Cricket Council executive board approved the plan in March for increased use of technology.

In recent years there have been complaints about excessive appealing by players being used as a tactic to unsettle officials.