PCB will remove ban on Shoaib: sources

Shoaib Akhtar is likely to get a reprieve from the five-year ban handed to him, according to sources.
“The ban is likely to be lifted on June 4. Shoaib will most likely be asked only to pay the penalty for hitting out at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and its chairman Dr. Naseem Ashraf,” said Zaheed Bashir, a former marketing director of the cricket Board.
“It will not be a huge sum that Shoaib will be asked to deposit in the board treasury but it will only be a small portion of the sum he would have earned from playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL),” Bashir told Cricketnext.com.
The Appellate Tribunal comprising Aftab Farukh as chairman with Haseeb Ahsan and Salman Taseer as the members are set to meet on June 4 for the final verdict.
It was, however, still not known whether Shoaib Akhtar would be made a member of the Pakistan touring party for the tri-nation series in Bangladesh next month.
"He is still not 100 % fit (it was proved in the recent IPL matches in India) and we may not wait till June 4 to announce the team," a selector said.

Two matches to be played in IPL T20 today

Two matches would be played in Indian Premier League (IPL) today.

First match would be played between Rajashtan Royals and Chennai Super Kings. The match will start at 3:30 pm Pakistan Standard Time.

In the second match, Delhi Daredevils would face Mumbai Indians. This match will start at 7:30 pm Pakistan Standard Time.

Rajasthan Royals leading points table with 18 points with Chennai Super stands at second place with 14 points.

Tendulkar’s Mumbai Indians secured 12 points whereas Sehwag’s Delhi Daredevils have 13 points.

Haddin Will Improve The Standard Of Wicketkeeping For Australia: Ian Chappell

Former Australian skipper Ian Chappell believes that Brad Haddin will prove to be a better wicketkeeper than retired Adam Gilchrist and will improve the standard of keeping.

Haddin became the 400th Test player for Australia as he made his debut against West Indies at Jamaica.

"I think Haddin will improve the standard of wicketkeeping from what we have seen from Gilchrist in the last couple of years, because there is no doubt that (Gilchrist's) wicketkeeping form was heading south and heading south fairly quickly," Chappell was quoted as saying in the Courier Mail.

"I think if Haddin tries to be himself, he will be fine and Australia won't miss the Adam Gilchrist of the last couple of seasons anywhere near as much as people think.

"Haddin has improved his glovework a hell of a lot. He is also a damn good batsman. Obviously he is not as brilliant as Gilchrist, but Gilchrist's brilliance was quite spasmodic in the last couple of seasons," Chappell added.

Australia takes lead behind Symonds' 70

An unbeaten 70 by Andrew Symonds and three cheap wickets from Stuart Clark helped Australia retain the edge against West Indies at the close of day two of the opening Test.

Australia, overnight 301 for four, was bowled out for 431 a half hour before tea.

Symonds led the visitors on day two with a 115-ball knock that started patiently and finished aggressively, and included eight fours and two sixes.

West Indies replied with 115 for three with Clark's accuracy rewarded with three for 18 from eight probing overs.

The experienced Shivnarine Chanderpaul (25 not out) and Runako Morton (23 not out) shared an unbeaten stand of 47 to boost the home team in the early evening at Sabina Park.

West Indies, through Fidel Edwards' five-wicket haul and the persevering medium pace of Darren Sammy, pegged back Australia in the first two sessions.

Australia began the day confidently as Brad Hodge, 53 overnight, added three crunching boundaries. But Edwards quickly dented the momentum when he induced an edged cut and wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin claimed a fine, one-handed catch.

Hodge's 67 included eight fours and a six off 122 balls.

Mitchell Johnson compiled 22 off 53 balls before he chipped a catch to mid-on to provide Sammy with his first wicket midway through the morning session.

The 24-year-old Sammy, in only his fourth Test, completed a good morning for West Indies when he added Brad Haddin's wicket as Australia lunched at 372 for seven.

The new Aussie wicketkeeper, on debut, under-edged a pull after compiling 11 off 35 balls.

Edwards returned after the break to trap Brett Lee (4) leg before and Australia slipped to 399 for nine when Daren Powell claimed Clark (3) to a lofted catch to mid-on.

Symonds then changed tempo and swatted Sammy for 16 in one over, moving to his half century with a six over long-on that Ramnaresh Sarwan just failed to haul in.

Symonds and last man Stuart MacGill frustrated West Indies in a stand of 32 before Edwards uprooted MacGill's middle stump to claim five for 104, his sixth five-wicket haul in Tests.

"I thought I bowled most of my balls in the right areas and that's what the coach has been asking for," Edwards said.

West Indies openers Devon Smith and Brenton Parchment confidently added 47 for the first wicket either side of tea to energize a bank holiday crowd of close to 7,000.

But Clark turned the match in a miserly spell from the George Headley Stand end.

Smith batted fluently for 32 off 53 balls before he deflected a defensive stroke back onto his stumps.

Clark soon added the key wicket of captain Sarwan (7), who sliced a cut behind to Haddin.

Parchment, after facing 60 deliveries for 9, followed in Clark's next over. Haddin again claimed a clear edge as the batsman pushed forward.

Morton and Chanderpaul revived the home team from the peril of 68 for three, growing in confidence once Clark's spell ended.

But Morton did enjoy a slice of luck as umpire Aleem Dar denied a confident caught behind appeal off Johnson just before the end.

England Check New Zealand's Progress With Wickets

England's bowlers worked their side back into the match after New Zealand dominated the early exchanges of day one of the second Test at Old Trafford. Bad light ended play for the day shortly after tea with New Zealand on 202 for four, Ross Taylor unbeaten on 67.

Ryan Sidebottom took two quick wickets before lunch and England took two wickets shortly after as the balance of the match shifted back towards the home side. New Zealand then saw both Daniel Flynn and Jacob Oram hit on the head by James Anderson, Flynn having to retire hurt, missing some teeth, Oram gaining four leg byes to third man.

Openers Jamie How, who registered a 75-ball half-century, and Aaron Redmond (28) cashed in on some wayward bowling early on from Anderson, bringing up a half-century partnership inside the first hour, forcing England captain Michael Vaughan to turn to spinner Monty Panesar after nine overs.

Both batsmen looked very comfortable and took on Panesar, Redmond lifting him over his head for four and How sweeping powerfully for the same result. Stuart Broad applied a little more control when he replaced Ryan Sidebottom, England's most economical bowler but England's performance in the first hour was poor.

After a drinks break, and perhaps some stern words from Vaughan, things changed markedly. Sidebottom's return, coupled with a good spell from Broad put some pressure back on New Zealand and England got their first wicket when Redmond left a delivery which clipped his off-stump.

Sidebottom's second wicket swiftly followed when James Marshall was trapped in front for a duck.

After lunch, Anderson found his line and had How caught by Tim Ambrose for a classy 64 as England fought back. Brendon McCullum (11) looked keen to continue his aggressive strokeplay that got him 97 at Lord's, hitting Panesar for a four through point and then a six over midwicket.

His attacking mindset proved to be his downfall as later in the over, he edged a flighted delivery with Paul Collingwood taking a sharp catch at slip after the ball flicked off Ambrose's gloves.

Flynn was dealt a nasty blow by a pumped up Anderson in front of his home ground, and had to leave with Oram once again called to the crease after an injury. At Lord's, he hit a century, here he was predictably targeted by more short balls and Vaughan had no hesitation in bringing Sidebottom back.

The same approach had little impact on Ross Taylor, a man transformed from Lord's, who smashed Anderson for six in authoritative style. Two flashing cuts off of Anderson took him to a fourth Test fifty but his innings was also peppered with equally eye-catching straight drives.

Oram struggled before tea but afterwards twice cover drove Panesar to the boundary before play was interrupted due to bad light with New Zealand having just passed 200.

New Zealand made one change to their Lord's line up, Iain O'Brien replacing Tim Southee who has struggled with a stomach upset while England are unchanged for the fourth game in a row.

The first match at Lord's was badly affected by rain and bad light and was drawn.

England: Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss, Michael Vaughan (captain), Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwod, Ian Bell, Tim Ambrose (wicket-keeper), Stuart Broad, Ryan Sidebottom, Monty Panesar, James Anderson

New Zealand: Aaron Redmond, Jamie How, James Marshall, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Flynn, Jacob Oram, Daniel Vettori, Kyle Mills, Iain O'Brien, Chris Martin

Younus Khan To Play For Western Australia In Pura Cup

Pakistan batsman Younus Khan is set to play for Western Australia in next season's Pura Cup and is to become only the fourth Pakistani to play in the competition.

Younis has been allowed to play for Western Australia in the coming season as we think it will give him a chance to play in a high-level competition and it will further improve his batting," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Nasim Ashraf confirmed.

"Younis is a great player and that is why he was approached and we have no objection to him playing for an Australian side when our national team is not playing," he added.

Younus, 30, follows compatriots Majid Khan, Imran Khan and Sadiq Mohammed in playing in Australia's domestic first-class tournament, won last year by New South Wales.

Younus is currently part of the Rajasthan Royals' squad in the Indian Premier League although he has yet to play a match.

Marsh & Sangakkara Partnership Too Much For Chargers

Half-centuries from Shaun Marsh and Kumar Sangakkara paved the way for the Kings XI Punjab to beat the Deccan Chargers by six wickets in a high-scoring 48th game of the Indian Premier League in Mohali.

The Deccan Chargers posted 175 for four as they finally showed what they could do before the Kings XI made it to 178 for four in the final over.

Slow and steady was how Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs took to the Kings XI Punjab bowlers at the start of the innings, but later accelerated after getting their eye in thanks to some big hitting from the two openers and a superb cameo role from Rohit Sharma.

Yuvraj Singh’s side slowed the run rate down with some tight spin bowling during the middle overs, but Sharma showed why he was one of the stand out players of the tournament as he moved up to third in the DLF maximum six hitting competition.

The talented Sharma’s fifty came from just 26 balls and included four sixes as he seemed to time everything from the moment he came to the wicket.

Earlier, Gilchrist had hit a calm 50 for his standards and Gibbs finally showed what he could do as he blazed three sixes during his brisk 44.

The pick of the Kings XI Punjab bowlers was off-spinner Ramesh Powar who took one for 20 and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth who bowled well for his one for 29 and was on the whole unlucky.

The Kings XI also enjoyed a swift start courtesy of openers Shaun Marsh (60) and Kumar Sangakkara (51) who added 84 runs in just 46 balls.

The pair shared five sixes before Rohit Sharma had Sangakkara caught by Chamara Silva. Yuvraj Singh (17) and Luke Pomersbach (13) entertained with cameos and when Marsh was also out, caught by Gibbs off of Scott Styris, the Deccan Chargers thought they were back in the match.

Not so, as Mahela Jayawardene (14 not out) and Piyush Chawla (16 not out) smashed sixes off of Styris before Chawla hit the winning runs with a boundary in the final over.