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.

MCC to discuss Pietersen shot

The MCC will discuss England batsman Kevin Pietersen's spectacular switch-hitting, a tactic described as "revolutionary".

In England's one-day international win against New Zealand at the weekend, the right-handed Pietersen twice changed grips and switched to a left-hander's stance against Scott Styris, pulling both deliveries for six.

Some commentators said he had taken an unfair advantage because bowlers have to notify a batsman if they decide to bowl with the other arm.

A spokeswoman for the MCC, the custodian of cricket's laws, said Pietersen's revolutionary tactics would be discussed at the request of the ICC.

"Tomorrow our secretary Keith Bradshaw, our head of cricket John Stephenson and other committee members will be having a meeting and one of the things they are going to be discussing is Kevin Pietersen's shot as the MCC have been asked to look at it by the ICC," she said.

"The shot has generated quite a lot of interest but we won't be making any further comment until after that meeting on Tuesday."

Pietersen, who reverse-swept a six two years ago off Sri Lanka off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan using the conventional right-hander's grip, defended the innovation after his unbeaten 110 had set up a 114-run win over the Kiwis.

"Everybody wants brand new ideas, new inventions and new shots. That is a new shot played today and people should be saying it's a new way to go," the South African-born batsman said after the match.

"There are new things happening for cricket at the moment and people shouldn't be criticising it all the time."

Pietersen has also been outspoken in his defence of the breakaway Indian Premier League and the Twenty20 format, saying they are both good for the development of the game.

Shoaib Akhtar to file appeal

Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar will appeal again for a further reduction to his ban for indiscipline.

Shoaib, 32, had his five-year ban reduced to 18 months by a Pakistan Cricket Board appeals tribunal on Saturday.

"We feel the tribunal's decision is still harsh and minimizes Shoaib's chances of playing for Pakistan again," Akhtar's legal counsel, Abid Hasan Minto said.

"He is very keen to resume his career as soon as possible.

"But where we will file the appeal - in the high court or the tribunal itself - will only be known once we go through the full judgement copy of the tribunal."

Shoaib, who has played 46 Tests and 138 one-day internationals, was banned for five years by the PCB in April for several incidents of indiscipline and violating the conditions of a two-year probation.

Last year, the player was banned for 13 matches and fined 3.4 million rupees for striking team mate, Mohammad Asif with a bat in South Africa before the Twenty20 World Cup. He was sent home in disgrace.

We fought like champions: Ashraf

The atmosphere was jovial when Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik came in for the press conference after lifting the Kitply Cup and enjoying a short drive in Man-of-the-Tournament Salman Butt's newly acquired car on Saturday night.

Pakistan were criticised for their loss to MS Dhoni's men four nights ago and Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Nasim Ashraf had dashed off an e-mail asking for explanations.

Before he could be questioned, Malik raised his hand and said, "We used six bowlers and I bowled," as if what happened in the previous press conference was still fresh in his mind. Ashraf, witness to the remarkable turnaround, said, "There will be lot of awards. I am happy. It is an India-Pakistan match and that too a final. It is always a big thing. I am happy the team fought like champions."

“We went into the game with a plan," Ashraf said. "The beauty of the game was that the boys came from behind. I told them before the start that we must play according to plan, that we must give 200 per cent. I don't care about the results. I wanted Salman Butt to bat the 50 overs (he played for all but four overs before retiring due to cramps). There are very few in the world who can score a 100 like Younis Khan did under pressure. The fielding was superb." Ashraf spoke to the boys in the dressing room before they stepped out. "The players were very confident. They had to overcome the pounding they received in the previous game," said the PCB chief.

Younis thrives under pressure

Man-of-the-match Younis Khan said he always tried to perform in pressure situations. "This was a match that made a hero out of one," Younis, who made 108 from 99 balls, said. "I try to score all the time and enjoy the success. I was under pressure because I did not score at all in the previous two games. I got the opportunity and ended up as man-of-the-match. I always love to play a crucial role and help my team win."

Shame On Clarke And Cronies

Of the many extravagant claims made for Twenty20, I think my favourite is the one about it helping cricket crack America. David Lloyd mentions it in his column, for example.

I doubt it: Americans already have an exciting, fast-paced, brilliantly-marketed bat-and-ball game that takes about three hours. It is called baseball, and they seem to like it.

I was in Ohio this week, where I saw the Cincinnati Reds play the St Louis Cardinals. Always working for you, dear reader, I conducted a straw poll of possible interest in Twenty20 cricket. Support ranged from none to none whatsoever. Test match, ODI, Twenty20: to Americans, it's all men called Nigel drinking tea, and fair play to them. They have their ways, we have ours.

So what does Sir Allen Stanford want for his money? Presumably not just a chance to shake hands with Sir Ian Botham and get Giles Clarke to kiss him on the bee-hind.

Given the frankly mediocre fare on offer, $20million to watch two also-ran sides take part in an exhibition match seems daft. What if All-Stars / England are skittled out for 80-odd and the opponents knock the runs off in 40 minutes? It'll be a pathetic joke. Some braying twerp in your office might get into it for a bit while sixes are being smashed, but there will always be more exciting spectacles for the thicko than cricket in the long run. It won't take many wash-outs to scare off the floating voter.

Stanford is clearly not an idiot: he's paying massively over the odds for something in the short-term, which means he must have big plans for getting his dough back, and then some, in the longer term. How this will come to pass is as yet unclear, but it looks pretty much that the ECB will be doing whatever it is that he wants them to do.

He has said that he finds Test cricket "boring". But to him and all the other apologists for the 20 over game, here's the breakdown: Test cricket IS cricket. The one-day stuff is a childish sideshow with a fraction of the depth, interest, history and drama.

And the money. That is all extremely boring, really. I honestly couldn't care less what Paul Collingwood earns, or anyone else. I care about his batting. His double century at Adelaide was one of the most enjoyable things I have ever watched, in sport and indeed any other arena of human achievement. Not necessarily for the balls he hit, but for its sheer bloody-mindedness and for the shared joy of seeing a decent bloke rise from competent water carrier to being on top of the world. I hope, very much as it happens, that the feeling he had when he passed 200 will stay with him forever. I hope he wouldn't swap it for a million pounds. What would you rather be remembered for: an Ashes double ton against the great Warne and McGrath, or having a massive kitchen extension put in?

It's nice for Colly that he is going to make a wedge from Twenty 20, and good luck to him. But already there are rumblings of "what about me?" from players who have been good servants but are not in the frame to make the XI - and dark hints from various players that "this is the future" and Test cricket could go to the wall as everyone gets his nose in the trough, choosing Twenty 20 over their country.

There is more to life than money, and one of those things is sport. I strongly suspect the player who does forgo international honours for Twenty 20 will be sorry later. And we, the lovers of the real sport, should bloody well make them think twice, by giving them grief where possible and by boycotting Twenty 20 if it comes to that.

And if the sport on offer is this sort of Mickey Mouse effort the England vs All Stars could well be, then sooner or later, the public as a whole are going to see it for what it is: a bit of fun but totally inferior to Test cricket. Anyone who thinks otherwise is, in sporting terms, a cretin, and shame on Giles Clarke for giving them the keys to the castle.

Barbados Test set for tense finish

West Indies benefitted from fielding lapses by Australia as they chased a Test record target of 475 in Barbados.

The home side reached 235-3 at the end of day four in the third Test, with Shivnarine Chanderpaul (27) and Dwayne Bravo (30) the not out pair.

Australia had earlier declared on 439-5 after opener Simon Katich finally fell to spinner Sulieman Benn for 157.

But the tourists dropped three catches as Xavier Marshall launched the West Indies run-chase with a stylish 85.

The 22-year-old Jamaican punished Australia for dropping two early chances as he hit 12 fours and a six to reach his highest Test score.

And he had a maiden century in his sights when he became newcomer Beau Casson's first victim in Test cricket as short-leg Phil Jaques picked up a bat-pad catch.

Chanderpaul and Bravo stood firm, however, adding 54 in the final session to keep their side's hopes of reaching the remote target alive, and thus sharing the series 1-1.

Bravo appeared fortunate, however, when a Brett Lee delivery appeared to touch his glove on the way through to the keeper, only for umpire Mark Benson to reject the appeal.

At the start of play, the sole question was how big a lead Australia captain Ricky Ponting wanted before calling a halt to their second innings.

The declaration did not in fact come until after the lunch interval, by which time they had added 109 to their overnight 330-3 for the loss of Katich and Andrew Symonds.

Katich was caught at cover, having batted for more than eight hours in total, and Benn earned further reward for some accurate bowling when Symonds departed after an equally loose stroke which as taken by Chanderpaul.

Left-arm spinner Benn finished with 3-154 from 47 overs of hard work, but he could not separate Michael Clarke (48) and Brad Haddin (45) who put on 79 for the sixth wicket before Ponting called them in.

West Indies were forced to make a change at the top of the order for the start of their reply, with Sewnarine Chattergoon unable to bat after twisting his ankle in the field.

Marshall moved up from his first innings position of number four, having gone in first in the previous match in Antigua.

He should have gone on one, only for Katich to floor a catch at third slip off fast bowler Lee, who was unlucky again when Casson failed to hold a chance offered by Gayle at mid-off.

Stuart Clark was the next bowler to suffer when keeper Haddin was unable to hang onto an edge from Marshall's bat when he was on 22.

It was Clark, however, who finally achieved the breakthrough as Gayle mis-timed a pull and spooned a catch to Lee at mid-on, departing for 21.

Australia had to wait 20 overs for their next success as Marshall added 95 with Ramnaresh Sarwan, with Marshall escaping again as an edge flew through the slip cordon off Mitchell Johnson.

But the introduction of Michael Clarke did the trick for Australia as Sarwan played down the wrong line to an arm-ball which drifted in from outside off stump and he was adjudged leg-before for 43.

Marshall followed nine overs later, and although West Indies avoided further damage, Australia will start the final day as clear favourites to wrap up a win.

Pietersen Dismisses Criticism

Kevin Pietersen has dismissed criticism of his left-handed sixes as "ridiculous" after helping England romp to a 114-run victory over New Zealand in the NatWest Series opener.

The Hampshire batsman won the man of the match award at Chester-le-Street for hitting a brilliant, unbeaten 110 off 112 balls to help England record a challenging total of 307 for five before the tourists were dismissed for a lowly 193 in reply.

It was a breathtaking display from Pietersen, but most of the attention during his innings was centred on two left-handed shots for six off Scott Styris where he reversed his grip and stance.

The whole ground was stunned at the power he produced with each shot, which he had previously played at Edgbaston against Muttiah Muralitharan two years ago.

But those shots prompted criticism from some commentators, who claimed they were unfair on bowlers who have to declare which hand they are going to bowl with.

It brought an indignant response from Pietersen, who said: "It's ridiculous, it's absolutely stupid.

"Reverse sweeps have been part of the game since however long and I'm just fortunate enough that I can hit it a bit further. I don't understand that because everyone wants new ideas and inventions so this is a new shot.

"Nobody has seen that before and that's a new shot played today and people should be saying it's the new way to go, not criticising everything that happens on a daily basis.

"There's new things happening to cricket at the moment and people are criticising all the time. There should just be positives about all the stuff that's happening."

Pietersen revealed the two stunning shots were the results of hours of perfecting them in the nets, adding: "It's something I practise, it's something I visualise, I go through routines in the nets.

"I spend some time playing it in the nets and it's just an option. Against Muralitharan it was a boundary option and the boundary on the legside was miles away here so I thought the other boundary was the way forward.

"There was only one man out there and there are generally three out on the legside and I just thought that if I got it, I got it and if I don't, I don't. We were in a position where we were trying to push the accelerator and it worked for me today."

Captain Paul Collingwood, whose 64 was his first half-century in any cricket this season and was at the other end when Pietersen hit the two shots, joked: "To be honest I covered my eyes as soon as he turned his body around - I feel as if I've been batting left-handed for the last month as it is!

"He did actually come up the wicket and tell me he'd been thinking about doing it in bed last night so the visualisation was there anyway!"

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori was also in awe at Pietersen's talent, but claimed bowlers should be allowed to bowl the ball either side of the wicket and not be called for a wide just to level up the playing field.

At present any delivery which goes down the legside in one-day cricket is called for a wide, but there is a potential conflict about identifying them if batsmen are to reverse their stance.

"That's part of cricket and it's amazing to see and I think it's really good for the game that batsmen have the skill to do that," said Vettori.

"The only thing I would say about it is that if you're going to bat left-handed then I think to even it up for the bowlers you should have both sides of the wide line.

"That would bring your skill into play and the wicketkeeper's skill into play, if a batsman wants to change then it should be fair for both ball and batsmen.

"Craig McMillan hit me for a massive reverse-sweep six so that's the biggest I've seen but these were cricket slogs, they were very impressive shots - that's why people come and watch a guy like Kevin Pietersen play because he can produce that type of performance."

The two sides now travel to Birmingham for the second game in the five-match series on Wednesday with Collingwood delighted at his side's performance having previously won the only Twenty20 International by nine wickets on Friday.

"It was another great performance," he added.

"To play like we did in the Twenty20 on Friday and go out and do the same breeds confidence.

"They're two great wins but we've only gone 1-0 up so we're not going to get too carried away. There were some great individual performances today but overall it was a great team performance."

Shoaib Considers Options

Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has not ruled out making a further appeal against the ban imposed on him by the Pakistan Cricket Board despite seeing his original suspension reduced.

The 32-year-old was handed a five-year ban by the PCB in April for disciplinary reasons, but a three-member tribunal reduced that to 18 months on Saturday following an appeal by the bowler.

The ban means Shoaib, who has not played a match for his country this year, will miss both the Asia Cup and the Champions Trophy. Both tournaments will be hosted by Pakistan later this year.

And the player, who was also fined seven million rupees, admitted he was unhappy with the verdict.

"I am disappointed with the tribunal's decision," he said.

"I want to play for my country again. This is like giving someone half life.

"We will decide on the next step once my lawyer gets a full copy of the verdict."

However, PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf said Shoaib would not have the right to appeal again.

Speaking on Pakistani television, Ashraf said: "Shoaib Akhtar cannot appeal against the verdict. He can only counsel the court against the verdict."

Shoaib had already been serving a two-year ban for hitting fellow paceman Mohammad Asif in a dressing room altercation just before the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.

The five-year ban was then imposed after Shoaib had publicly criticised the PCB's allocation of central contracts to players earlier this year. Shoaib's own contract had been downgraded.

However, the tribunal had temporarily lifted the ban to allow Shoaib to participate in the Indian Premier League, where he had a brief stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders.

And Kolkata chief executive officer, Joy Bhattacharya, was unconcerned about the latest announcement despite the possibility of losing the player next season.

"He was released for a month in the last IPL," Bhattacharya said. "There is still 10 months to go for the next edition.

"A lot can happen between now and then. There is no point talking about it now."

The Kolkata Knight Riders paid $425,000 for Shoaib, who has a three-year contract with them.

Pietersen leads England to victory

Kevin Pietersen's inventive 110 not out, which included two unorthodox left-handed sixes, helped steer England to a 114-run win over New Zealand in the first one-day international at Chester-le-Street.

England took the lead in the five-match series in Durham after the Kiwis, replying to England's 307 for five, failed to threaten their target and were all out for 193.

Brendon McCullum topscored with 36 while Paul Collingwood took four for 15.

New Zealand were unable to halt their losing streak after they were beaten 2-0 in the Test series and went down by nine wickets in Friday's Twenty20 international.

"We said we wanted to back up what we did in the Twenty20 match so we are really chuffed with that," England's Luke Wright told Sky.

"We feel like we have got a good set of lads together and everyone is doing well at the moment."

New Zealand's task was made all the more difficult after a fourth-wicket partnership of 136 between Pietersen and skipper Collingwood, who struck a run-a-ball 64. Owais Shah added a skilful 49 from just 25 balls, including three sixes.

England's top-ranked batsman Pietersen faced 112 balls and struck eight fours and three sixes in compiling his sixth one-day international century and first since the World Cup last April.

The sixes he struck off medium-pace bowler Scott Styris created the greatest talking point.

In the 39th over, the right-handed Pietersen played what appeared to be a reverse sweep over cover for six but he had actually changed his grip and effectively played a conventional sweep as a left-hander.

Styris stood and admired. He repeated the shot for another six but this time over long-off.

A more conventional straight drive for four next over registered the 100 partnership with Collingwood, who looked a more relaxed batsman than he had appeared in the Test series when his place had been called into question.

Ian Bell (46) continued the momentum from his 60 not out on Friday by striking Kyle Mills for 10 runs from the first three legitimate balls of the match, including two boundaries.

The New Zealand innings faltered once Stuart Broad had dangerman McCullum caught at cover off an uppish square cut, in his first over. Broad had the remarkable figures of two for 11 from his first seven overs.

New Zealand were so far behind the required run rate that England could even afford some fielding errors, as Wright and Collingwood each missed run out opportunities, though Collingwood's direct hit did earlier account for James Marshall.

Pietersen leads England to victory

Kevin Pietersen's inventive 110 not out, which included two unorthodox left-handed sixes, helped steer England to a 114-run win over New Zealand in the first one-day international at Chester-le-Street.

England took the lead in the five-match series in Durham after the Kiwis, replying to England's 307 for five, failed to threaten their target and were all out for 193.

Brendon McCullum topscored with 36 while Paul Collingwood took four for 15.

New Zealand were unable to halt their losing streak after they were beaten 2-0 in the Test series and went down by nine wickets in Friday's Twenty20 international.

"We said we wanted to back up what we did in the Twenty20 match so we are really chuffed with that," England's Luke Wright told Sky.

"We feel like we have got a good set of lads together and everyone is doing well at the moment."

New Zealand's task was made all the more difficult after a fourth-wicket partnership of 136 between Pietersen and skipper Collingwood, who struck a run-a-ball 64. Owais Shah added a skilful 49 from just 25 balls, including three sixes.

England's top-ranked batsman Pietersen faced 112 balls and struck eight fours and three sixes in compiling his sixth one-day international century and first since the World Cup last April.

The sixes he struck off medium-pace bowler Scott Styris created the greatest talking point.

In the 39th over, the right-handed Pietersen played what appeared to be a reverse sweep over cover for six but he had actually changed his grip and effectively played a conventional sweep as a left-hander.

Styris stood and admired. He repeated the shot for another six but this time over long-off.

A more conventional straight drive for four next over registered the 100 partnership with Collingwood, who looked a more relaxed batsman than he had appeared in the Test series when his place had been called into question.

Ian Bell (46) continued the momentum from his 60 not out on Friday by striking Kyle Mills for 10 runs from the first three legitimate balls of the match, including two boundaries.

The New Zealand innings faltered once Stuart Broad had dangerman McCullum caught at cover off an uppish square cut, in his first over. Broad had the remarkable figures of two for 11 from his first seven overs.

New Zealand were so far behind the required run rate that England could even afford some fielding errors, as Wright and Collingwood each missed run out opportunities, though Collingwood's direct hit did earlier account for James Marshall.

Pakistan Clinch Tri-Series

Pakistan defeated India by 25 runs in a thrilling final of the Tri-Series to avenge their earlier 140-run loss to the same opponents in some style.

Younus Khan struck a majestic 108 off just 99 deliveries and Salman Butt added 129 before he was forced to retire hurt as Pakistan piled on 315 for three after winning the toss.

India battled back with half-centuries from skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh, but fine bowling from Umar Gul at the death saw Pakistan home.

India lost opener Virender Sehwag early and then lost wickets at regular intervals to be bowled out for 290 in 48.2 overs.

Sehwag had given India blistering starts in their two previous matches in the tournament, but he was dismissed for just two when a leading edge off the bowling of Sohail Tanvir flew to skipper Shoaib Malik at mid-off.

India, however, bravely took up the run chase. Gautam Gambhir smashed 40 off only 33 deliveries, while Rohit Sharma (24), Yusuf Pathan (25) and Suresh Raina (24) failed to convert on good starts.

Yuvraj kept India in contention despite the fall of wickets, powering to a half-century. His 56 came off just 59 deliveries and it helped India consolidate.

Yuvraj's dismissal, however, heralded the end even as Dhoni fought valiantly on.

The Indian skipper reached his 50 by lofting Tanvir for a six and driving the bowler for a couple of runs. He was the last man dismissed, for 64, attempting to hit Shahid Afridi over the top.

Gul claimed four wickets for 57 from nine overs.

Earlier, Younus, who was run out without facing a ball against Bangladesh and out first ball against India earlier in the series, walked in after another failure from Kamran Akmal threatened to give India the advantage.

Akmal, who was at the receiving end of severe criticism from Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Nasim Ashraf following the 140-run defeat against India in Pakistan's previous match, laboured to 15 runs before edging Irfan Pathan to Dhoni.

His dismissal left Pakistan in danger of succumbing early, but Younus changed all of that. He began with a boundary off the first ball he faced and quickly eased the pressure by taking the attack to the Indian bowlers.

Younus and Butt, who received a reprieve when Sharma split a difficult catch at cover with the opener on 19, quickly upped the scoring rate as they put on 205 runs for the second wicket.

Younus, the more attacking of the two, was particularly severe on the spinners.

Piyush Chawla, India's leading wicket-taker along with Praveen in the series, came in for harsh treatment conceding 85 runs in his 10 overs.

Butt's innings was just as severe. Three sixes and a dozen boundaries studded an innings which he had begun cautiously.

Misbah-ul-Haq (33 off 21 deliveries) chipped in with another cameo as Pakistan raced past the 300-run mark.

Laser eye surgery helps Jaques to ton

Australia opening batsman Phil Jaques scored his first Test century on foreign soil on Saturday and credited laser eye surgery with improving his performance at the crease.

Jaques, who scored 108 against West Indies on the third day of the third Test, had played with contact lenses in the past but before heading out to the Caribbean he turned to the experts to correct his vision.

"I decided to bite the bullet and go for the laser eye," he said.

"The guys at the Eye Institute sorted me out. It was really good.

"I`ve found that in the field the high balls were heaps better and as for batting I`ve got a lot more time and I don`t have to worry about the contacts. It`s a big relief. It`s pretty much changed my life," he added.

Jaques and Simon Katich put on 223 for the opening wicket -- the second best in an Australia second innings -- and Jaques said they had taken advantage of an improved batting surface.

"I think today was probably the best day to bat. I think the pace wasn`t quite as evident in the wicket as the first day. I think the bounce was probably a little more consistent as well. "It will be interesting to see how the next two days pan out. It definitely spun a bit more towards the end of play, watching it from up top. Hopefully our quick bowlers can get the early wickets and the spinners can finish it off," he said.

Australia lead by 365 runs overall with two days of the Test remaining.

The tourists are 1-0 up in the three Test series.

18 month-ban, Rs 7 million-fine awarded to Shoaib Akhtar

Shoaib Akhtar had his five-year ban for indiscipline reduced to 18 months by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday.

Shoaib was also fined seven million rupees by a PCB appeals tribunal.

"The tribunal has taken the decision with a clear conscience and under no pressure from either the board or anyone else," tribunal head Justice Aftab Farrukh told a news conference, adding that the three-member tribunal unanimously felt the original punishment was too harsh.

Shoaib was banned for five years by the PCB in April for several incidents of indiscipline and violating the conditions of a two-year probation.

His lawyer Abid Hasan Minto said the player had the right to pursue an appeal against the 18-month ban.

"But we will take a decision after going through the long and detailed order of the tribunal," Minto said.

Kevin Pietersen fears for 50-over game

England batsman Kevin Pietersen thinks the growing presence of Twenty20 cricket is threatening the future of the 50-over one-day game.

"In a couple of years (50-over cricket) will probably be something of the past," he told BBC Sport.

The 27-year-old also said the Twenty20 format was improving longer forms of the game by speeding them up.
"You're going to get Test matches ending in three-and-a-half or four days and guys scoring 400 in one-dayers."

South African-born Pietersen, whose 42 runs helped England beat New Zealand by nine wickets in a Twenty20 international at Old Trafford on Friday, was unequivocal when asked whether the 50-over version of the one-day game was being threatened.

"For sure. The way that cricket is going now, Twenty20 is definitely here to stay," he said, before referring to the impact made by Sir Allen Stanford creation of a £50m, winner-takes-all annual series between England and a 'Super Stars' team in Antigua.

"With the finances and the funding [from Sir Allen Stanford], the exposure that got around the world, and the media frenzy that will take us to Antigua is going to be absolutely incredible.

"I definitely think the longer form of one-day cricket will, in a couple of years, probably be something of the past."

Sceptics fear the rising growth and popularity could spell the end of Test match and four-day county cricket, but Pietersen feels the longest form of the sport is safe from any threat.

"We [as cricketers] are entertainers," he said. "Everybody, I think if you asked them, would rather watch Twenty20 cricket.

"But Test match cricket will always be there because that's where you make your name.

"Everybody remembers your Test stats and not too many people remember your one-day stats."

The Hampshire player also spoke about the impact that huge sums of investment - most notably Stanford's - are having upon cricket.

"If there is one sport that can conquer America, and that market, it is Twenty20 fixtures," he said.

"That's where we want to take cricket. Everybody who loves the sport must surely want it to be a worldwide game."