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Match facts

May 1, 2009
Start time 3pm (11.00GMT)Pakistan need to provide more support to Shahid Afridi if they are to stay alive in the five-match series•Associated Press

Big Picture

Australia are one win away from wrapping up the series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, but not much talk has centred around the team’s on-field performance. Since the offspinner Saeed Ajmal was reported for a suspect action the sides have been under more intense focus than during the opening three matches.Ajmal was fined by the Pakistan Cricket Board for comments directed to Shane Watson and Younis Khan asked why Australia are involved in so many controversies when they face India and Pakistan. Michael Clarke maintained the series had been played in a good spirit.The talking points will shift to the middle during Friday’s fourth ODI in Abu Dhabi. Australia lead 2-1 in the five-match contest – Pakistan lost 10 for 76 in Monday’s defeat – as they finalise their preparations for the start of their engagements in England in June.

Form guide (last five ODIs, most recent first)

Pakistan LLWLL
Australia WWLWL

Watch out for

Shahid Afridi has been outstanding in the opening three fixtures and remains Australia’s biggest threat. His 10 victims at 10.70 have caused the most problems, but his 71 runs have also been a headache. The worry for Pakistan has been finding people to offer him significant assistance.He hasn’t been as effective as Afridi, but Nathan Hauritz has been a key performer for Australia. Since coming back into the one-day team in January he has 13 wickets in nine games and in this series has five at 18.60 along with an economy rate of 3.57. The prospect of more spinning surfaces in the remaining matches will lift his mood further.

Team news

Brett Lee is in town after joining the squad this week, but he won’t bowl on Friday and is unlikely to be picked until the Twenty20 to end the tour. The rotation of the attack is the main issue for the squad, with Stuart Clark keen for more work and Ben Hilfenhaus, Nathan Bracken, Ben Laughlin and Doug Bollinger also in the outfit.Australia (possible) 1 Brad Haddin (wk), 2 James Hopes, 3 Shane Watson, 4 Michael Clarke (capt), 5 Andrew Symonds, 6 Callum Ferguson, 7 David Hussey, 8 Nathan Hauritz, 9 Stuart Clark, 10 Nathan Bracken, 11 Doug Bollinger.Yasir Arafat replaced Shoaib Akhtar in the previous game, but with Pakistan needing to win to stay in touch Shoaib could be recalled to provide some firepower. Ajmal will be feeling vulnerable despite some encouraging returns.Pakistan (possible) 1 Salman Butt, 2 Ahmed Shehzad, 3 Younis Khan (capt), 4 Shoaib Malik, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq, 6 Shahid Afridi, 7 Kamran Akmal (wk), 8 Umar Gul, 9 Shoaib Akhtar, 10 Iftikhar Anjum, 11 Saeed Ajmal.

Pitch and conditions

The conditions in the UAE, with the low and spinning pitches, are unusual for the Australians, but the wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has been enjoying it. “The beauty about international cricket is you get the opportunity to play on so many different wickets,” he told AAP. “The wickets are a bit slower and lower than they are in Australia and they turn a bit more, but that’s the beauty of it, we’re playing in different conditions against a totally different side.” A similar surface is expected on Friday, when the temperature is predicted to range between 25 and 41C.

Stats and Trivia

• In a tough tournament for batsmen, James Hopes leads the run-list with 111, one ahead of Salman Butt
• Australia have not won a one-day series since sweeping aside Bangladesh in September
• Only three half-centuries have been scored in the series

Quotes

“You see a lot now in one-day games, teams consistently getting up near the 300, but as we’ve seen here all the games have been a contest and I think that’s all you’re after … It’s enjoyable sometimes to come and play on different wickets and have different plans in mind, to get 220 is a very good score in these sorts of conditions, so it’s been quite good.”
“We will learn a lot from this experience, by playing against the Australian team.”

Sri Lanka’s itinerary for a three-match trip to Pakistan has been revised once again, at the request of the Sri Lankan cricket board.The three ODIs will now be played in Karachi and Lahore, with the port city hosting the first two ODIs back-to-back. “We have received a request from SLC for the change and it has been agreed upon,” Salim Altaf, chief operating officer PCB, told Cricinfo.In the new schedule, Sri Lanka arrive in Karachi as planned on January 18. Karachi’s National Stadium then hosts the first two ODIs on January 20 and 21. The third ODI will be played in Lahore on January 24 before the visitors return home a day later, to complete a quickfire week-long trip. Faisalabad – or Multan – thus miss out as a venue.Altaf gave no reason for the latest change but it is likely that the confirmation of a five-match ODI series between Sri Lanka and India has been factored in. The two agreed yesterday to India’s tour, which will include a Twenty20 international as well.Sri Lanka will return after the Indian series to play two Tests in Pakistan, likely to be towards the end of February.

At 2.31pm on a hot Mohali Friday, Sachin Tendulkar steered Peter Siddle towards the third-man boundary for three runs to break Brian Lara’s record for most Test runs. The record stood for nearly two years after Lara played his final Test and it was inevitable that Tendulkar would eventually break it. As the day progressed Tendulkar scored his 50th half-century and became the first player to cross the 12,000-run mark.The disappointingly small crowd, built largely of school kids, immediately got on its feet to salute the feat, and fireworks, which continued for three minutes, went off at the PCA Stadium. Tendulkar raised his bat in the air, took his helmet off, and looked up at the sky, as is his routine when he gets to a hundred. Almost all the Australians, wherever placed in the field, came to congratulate him. Ricky Ponting, the man most likely to challenge his status of being the top run-getter, was the first man to shake his hand. Sourav Ganguly, Tendulkar’s partner at the nonstriker’s end, reminded him that he was there when he scored his record 35th Test century.This also brought an end to the soap-opera-type frenzied anticipation for the record. Tendulkar was expected to overtake Lara in Sri Lanka recently, but he endured a poor series with the bat, scoring just 95 runs in three Tests. Then in the series-opener in Bangalore, during a fine match-saving effort in the second innings, it seemed he would get to the record, but he gifted his wicket when 15 short.Even today the anxiety around was palpable. During the time he got to 15, India lost two wickets in moving from 146 to 179 in 10.2 overs. While he scored at a fair rate, he didn’t get nearly as much strike during the period as he would have wanted. While he played 23 balls, VVS Laxman and Ganguly faced 19 each. It was fitting, in a way, that he achieved the record against Australia, a team he has tormented several times in the past.Coincidentally, Lara too achieved the world record against Australia, when he went past Allan Border’s tally of 11,174 runs during the Adelaide Test in 2005. They remain the only three players to cross the 11,000-run mark in Tests. Though it is uncertain how long Tendulkar will prolong his Test career – which has lasted 19 years – the two players who stand the best chance of beating his eventual tally are Rahul Dravid (10,302) and Ponting (10,239).

Umpire Asad Rauf will not be able to stand in the first Test between India andEngland in Chennai because of a delay in obtaining the correct visa toIndia.Pakistani and Indian nationals require city-specific visas to each other’scountries and Rauf had a valid visa for Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Bangalore.The first two were for the Tests and the third for a Champions League gamehe was to officiate.But following the terror attacks in Mumbai last week, the Test venues werechanged to Chennai and Mohali, cities for which Rauf had to get visasagain. “The Indian High Commission is shut for the next five days becauseof the weekend and the Eid holidays,” Rauf told Cricinfo.”So I will not be able to get the right visa for the first Test in time.There is still time for the second Test so I hope to be there for that.The BCCI has given instructions to the High Commission to provide theright visa as soon as the application is made.”The ICC has not yet made an official announcement on Rauf’s replacementfor the first Test.

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam has said the preparatory camp – where the team was in isolation – for the Test series against Sri Lanka in isolation served its purpose. The camp was held at a ground 30 km from Karachi on the advice of Younis Khan, the Pakistan captain.”The idea was to get the 22 players together, eat together, spend some quality time with each other and analyse the day’s activities,” Alam told reporters on Thursday. “Younis Khan is a very positive man and he gets involved himself with the players.”Some players were shy so we put pennies in their mouth so that they could speak their heart out. It was not a long camp but we achieved a lot in four days, an understanding was developed.”Alam said he was also encouraged by Shoaib Malik’s attitude following his removal from captaincy. “I am very happy with how Shoaib is behaving,” he said. “He is very cooperative with the captain, giving him full support and also mixing with his other teammates. I went to him and told him ‘Well done, this is the way, nobody can remain captain forever’.”Alam had submitted a report to the PCB recommending Malik be replaced as captain, following Pakistan’s2-1 ODI series defeat against Sri Lanka at home. He also made a mention of Kamran Akmal’s poor run, both with the bat and the gloves, though he was subsequently retained in the 15-man squad for the first Test. “It was just to put the message across to him,” Alam said. “At times we have to realize and tell the person that there are other players in the pipeline and you have to pull your socks up.”Pakistan play their first Test in over 14 months, and have experienced a serious dearth of cricket in the country owing to security reasons but Alam was confident his team would pull up fine. “Unfortunately we didn’t play a Test last year, but we have motivated our players and I feel it’s a great opportunity for our players to prove themselves.”

Six of Bermuda’s cricketers will go to Australia later this month for a six-week intensive training programme at the Sports Gateway Academy in Brisbane as the country prepares to qualify for the 2011 World Cup.The group, which is likely to include spinners, Rodney Trott and Tamauri Tucker, opener Oronde Bascome, and possibly the captain Irving Romaine, will be announced in the coming weeks. The likes of Stephen Outerbridge, Jekon Edness and Stefan Kelly were unable to make the trip since they would he going to university in the UK.”It will be a chance to improve their performances in a different environment, a different system,” Bermuda coach Gus Logie told the . “Australia have proven, beyond a doubt, to be at the top of the game in terms of facilities, coaching, lifestyle, mental approach and discipline.”I think they have an attitude that says ‘excellence is the only way to go’. If we can send six guys and they can get that attitude for six weeks in Australia and bring it back here and it rubs off on six more then it will have been worth it.”The Bermuda players will be training along with young cricketers from Pakistan, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Scotland and playing matches against local sides.”We have a pretty busy schedule right up to the qualifying tournament and we need to make sure our core group is active,” Logie said. “Quite a few of them are going back to school but those that aren’t need to be training regularly in the right environment.”Bermuda’s next international assignment is defending the ICC America’s Championship in Florida in November.

Glamorgan have appointed Jamie Dalrymple as their new captain, succeeding David Hemp who was released at the end of the summer.”It is a great honour to be given the opportunity to captain a club with enormous enthusiasm and potential and such passionate supporters,” Dalrymple said. He joined Glamorgan from Middlesex at the start of 2008, signing a three-year deal, and led the side twice during the summer.”Jamie was signed to Glamorgan due to his experience and strong character which are both key qualities for a captain,” Matthew Maynard, Glamorgan’s cricket manager, said. “Having given Jamie the opportunity to lead the team in Southend during the season, it became overwhelmingly clear that he was the obvious choice for captain should Hemp not continue at the club.””I am absolutely delighted that Jamie has taken up the opportunity to captain the team,” Paul Russell, Glamorgan’s chairman, said. “Jamie is a great asset to Glamorgan and personally I am hugely optimistic about the experience and leadership qualities he will bring to us.”

Nikita Miller, the Jamaica left-arm spinner, had written off his chances of an international call-up for the series against Australia after he was not required for the Tests or the first three ODIs. Miller was one of three new players called into the squad for the final two games in St Kitts and is likely to make his international debut either on Friday or on Sunday.The leading wicket-taker in West Indies’ domestic first-class competition this season, Miller was discussed as a possible Test spinner during the three-match series. However, Amit Jaggernauth was preferred in the opening encounter and Sulieman Benn took the role for the third Test and the first three ODIs, before he was axed for the final matches.”I wasn’t really expecting it for the rest of the series, it came as a surprise but all in all I’m happy,” Miller said of his call-up. “I was looking out for it [earlier] because I had a good season so I always kept my mind in tune for that call so that I won’t be surprised. I was disappointed [not to be called up sooner] but now that I got the chance I have to take it with both hands.”Miller, 26, starred in the Carib Beer Challenge final when he picked up five wickets in each innings to help Jamaica to a nine-wicket win over Trinidad and Tobago. He has played little cricket since early May, when he faced Australia in a tour match, but he remains confident he can quickly find his line and length.”I was preparing for the local one day series [in Jamaica], I’ve been doing a bit of practice at the club I play for, Melbourne,” Miller said. “I have to believe in my skills, I’ve been able to do well at the regional level and all I have to do is believe in myself, I know I can do a good job. I’m pretty happy. I don’t think my bowling can fall off in a month or so.”West Indies have already lost the five-match series but they will be aiming to avoid a whitewash in the remaining two matches. Along with Miller, the uncapped Shawn Findlay and Kemar Roach will be hoping to make their first one-day international appearances.

Tim Bresnan, the Yorkshire allrounder, has been called into England’s squad for their ODI against Scotland, at the Grange, on Monday to cover for injury problems to Ryan Sidebottom and Chris Tremlett.Sidebottom has a hip problem and hasn’t travelled to Edinburgh with the team and has been ruled out of the Twenty20 against South Africa, at Chester-le-Street, on Wednesday. He will undergo fitness tests at the National Academy in Loughborough with a view to his participation in the one-day series which starts at Headingley next Friday.Sidebottom has been struggling with injuries through the second half of the season. He missed the Headingley Test against South Africa with a back problem and didn’t look fit when he returned at Edgbaston before being left out at The Oval.However, England coach Peter Moores isn’t concerned about Sidebottom’s long-term fitness. “Physically he’s in a better shape than he was 12 months ago, but he has had a lot of workload and he’s bowled a lot of overs in the Test matches,” he told the . “We rested him for the last Test and it’s given him a bit more of a window to get fully recharged. He’s had a bit of groin pain and neck pain, which they are hopeful of getting cleared up so he is available for the next period to come.”Tremlett has a heel injury and although he has remained with the squad he is doubtful to face Scotland, which has earned Bresnan his recall.Bresnan played four ODIs and one Twenty20 international during 2006, but took just two wickets against Sri Lanka. However has impressed with a consistent county season. He has scored 442 runs in the Championship at 36.83 and taken 40 wickets at 26.42, while earlier in the season he took 18 wickets at 18.05 in the Friends Provident Trophy.England will also be without former one-day captain Paul Collingwood for the match against Scotland as he continues to serve the four-match ban he collected for a slow over-rate against New Zealand. Samit Patel, the Nottinghamshire allrounder, could be in line for a debut after hitting 60 for England Lions against the South Africans on Saturday.

Write to: John Ward ([email protected])

SECURITY CONCERNS?I read with ‘concern’ the article that was headed “Security concerns and rain cloud Harare Test”, that was submitted onto the net on 8 November 2002. Please allow me to air my views on this article.My name is Doug Gendall, ex-Zimbabwean, now residing in Auckland, New Zealand. I worked for a Security Company in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and for the final two years of my employ there, was contracted out by the Zimbabwe Cricket Union to head the Security for visiting Test-playing nations to Zimbabwe. I have covered Security for teams such as England, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Australia, India, Bangladesh and South Africa.My job was to co-ordinate the security arrangements whilst these teams were within the borders of Zimbabwe, and also report to the Zimbabwe Cricket Union if I felt that the team in question was under ‘threat’ whilst there.Of all the teams I had the pleasure of dealing with, this never happened ONCE. All teams arrived in the country, played their cricket and left, not unhappy, but with sincere memories of such a wonderful country. I was in a position where I was being passed comments directly from the players, and never once was there a ‘wicked word’ uttered about the country they were in.Regarding the article, and the fact that a particular comment was raised about ’30 guards ringing the field’, totally surprised me. What is 30 guards? For the one-day internationals that I dealt with when the Aussies were in Zimbabwe, I had 65 day-shift guards on duty at Queens Cricket ground in Bulawayo. What was the end result? – “A safe place to be whilst one enjoys a good day’s cricket.”Peter Chingoka, President of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, is quite correct in his comments regarding security. Peter Chingoka’s job is Cricket, and Security’s job is security.Before a Test-playing nation arrives, meetings have already taken place with regard to Security. Most of these meetings are held with management of the actual cricket ground itself. Meetings are actually held on the pitch itself so areas of concern can be picked up physically, as opposed to looking at a diagram in a board room. I have been present in very many of these meetings, and the management of the various sports clubs looked to me for advice and I duly gave it to them. It was then decided on the number of guards that would be deployed on the day of the match.The Security Guards on duty are not there to counter-attack an aerial invasion of foreign forces into the country; no, they are simply there to protect the people watching the game from unruly elements, such as bag snatchers, drunkards and your general ‘lets look for trouble’ man/woman. When I was heading the Security for the teams that visited Zimbabwe, I had security guards placed in positions that I knew would be effective: at the main gates, by the changing rooms, on the perimeter fences, in the car parks and, most of all, on the ring of the pitch itself. In fact, had I had my own way, I would have had 130 guards on the ring of the pitch, not 30. These guards on the ring of the pitch are there for several reasons.They are there to avoid pitch invasions; they are there to (try to) prevent people from throwing missiles onto the pitch with the aim of hitting an outfielder. They are there during the lunch breaks to prevent people from entering the crease area to vandalize it. The security guard on the ring of the pitch has a vital job of work to do, and it is through his long hours that he endures in the sun and the rain that enables the paying public to enjoy a day’s cricket.Yes, the last thing Zimbabwe needs is a breach of security just months away from the World Cup. What would it look like if there was a 2000-strong pitch invasion in Harare at the end of the First Test? What would the ZCU look like if a visiting team reported that their kit had been stolen from their changing rooms?This is all part of security. I believe it has nothing to do with the unfortunate economical climate in Zimbabwe; if it has, it plays a small part, but the majority responsibility of security at the ground itself is, naturally, to protect the players, to protect the public, and let all the thousand of supporters enjoy their outing, knowing that security is in place to look after them.I have been in the continual presence of the likes of Tendulkar, Lara and Pollock and many more of the ‘big guns’ of world cricket, and never once was a negative comment passed onto me about Zimbabwe. In fact, a lot of them actually told me that they ‘would love to return for a holiday.’One more comment, please. If something goes missing at the cricket ground during a match, who is blamed? – the police or security? If there is a problem to be solved, who is called? – police or security? In both instances, it is always security.Peter Chingoka was quite correct in what he said. In fact, on a lighter note, Peter Chingoka’s lovely wife was once questioned by one of my security guards as to why she was trying to enter the VIP area at Harare Sports Club. Because she had no identity on her, my guards refused her entry. This is proper and correct security. She was eventually ‘rescued’ by someone who knew her.Having guards at a cricket ground does not imply that they are there on ‘red alert’. They are there to look after the people, even YOU.Visit my little website for some of the more interesting aspects of my life with the rich and famous, as in the legends of world cricket: www.dougendall.cjb.net.Thank you for taking time to read this letter. I had to clear my mind of this article that was released. Feel free to respond to my email, I would like to hear them, feel free to show this e mail to Peter Chingoka himself, or any member of the Zimbabwe cricket team. They will confirm who I am, and also confirm the long hours I spent with the visiting teams ensuring their safety whilst in beautiful Zimbabwe.Doug Gendall (Auckland, New Zealand)

FIRST TEST TEAMI’ve just seen the First Test squad and noticed that Travis Friend isn’t in there, so what’s the story there? Also a bit of a surprise to see Blessing Mahwire in there.I just read the latest issue of the Zimbabwe weekly cricket magazine online and just wanted to know how do you get all your interviews with the players? Is it you that does these interviews with them or someone else? Being in your line of work I guess you’ve met most of the Zimbabwean cricketers.Adam Pfeiffer (Australia)

Reply: Travis picked up a leg strain so may not have been fit, but he has not been in the best bowling form this season. Yes, I do all interviews myself; ZCO is unfortunately a one-man show now, so everything is my own work unless otherwise credited!

SELFISH PLAYERS

I couldn’t agree more with your criticism of Jacques Kallis. I cannot understand how a player can be happy with any score he makes which is a result of cheating. Any victory achieved by such methods is a dubious one to say the least.It is good to see someone speaking out against such practice as it is something about which I feel very strongly. Just how good is a player who averages are achieved by ‘dishonest’ play?Your view on this subject will be read by a lot of people… that can be no bad thing… though it will probably be dismissed as old-fashioned by those who don’t agree.Beverly Treml (England)

UMPIRE VENKAT

The ophthalmologists think Mr Venkat can’t see properly so they provide him with specs but now with day two’s shocking decision against AndyFlower he quickly needs the services of an ENT specialist as his ears don’t function properly now. He did similarly to Andy Flower in the series in 2000 between India and Zim, and what a turnaround that was in the outcome of the series.The world’s best batsman scored 540 runs in the two-Test series. He may have scored more but Venkat had other ideas. This year also he gave a shocker against Carlisle in the Nagpur Test. He may have earned the respect of millions by his umpiring but I’m sorry to write that though I’m an Indian I don’t have any respect for him.I know my words may sound harsh but when Umpire Robinson can accused so heavily why can’t he? The shocking decision by Venkat and Shoaib’s petulant behaviour were the two forgettable things on day two. But cricket is a great game and I’m so happy to write that what I remember most is the cute, innocent face of Taibu when he reached his 50.As for Mr Venkat, with today’s decision his aging body desperately needs best rest. I wish him all luck but only OFF THE FIELD.Dr Situ Phalswal (India)

CFX?Now first but not least why isn’t the academy team participating in the Logan Cup this time around? I feel that’s a negative move to exclude them. Second, who selects the ‘selectors’? Lastly have Neil & Murray cut all ties with Zim cricket?Anele Bango (Aberdeen, Scotland)Reply: 1) The Academy season begins in January, along with the Zimbabwe school year, so now that the Logan Cup is played throughout the season, September to April, it is no longer possible to play the same Academy team throughout. 2) The selectors are appointed by the ZCU Board. 3) Yes, neither Neil Johnson nor Murray Goodwin has any connections with Zimbabwe cricket any longer.

THE RIGHT TEAM?The First Test is just over and it’s yet another disappointing defeat. Not because the Zim team is weak, but it’s due to the quota system and the incompetence of the selectors. Only those players in good form should have been selected. Masakadza and Mahwire are good players, but Rennie and Vermeulen were in better form to open the batting. Masakadza is not an opener. I wonder when will the selectors open their eyes and give a chance to Vermeulen? Marillier, the best batsman of the Logan Cup, has not been selected yet – why?Sean Ervine would have been a better choice than Mahwire. For me Barney Rogers is the most promising player in the future and I hope the selectors will give him a chance to prove he is a good all-rounder, perhaps for the Second Test.Could you please give us in a future issue of ZCO the Under-14, Under-16 and Under-19 squads for the cricket weeks in South Africa next month? I would also like to invite other Zim cricket fans to share their views with me by email on the matches.Patrick Sepulveda (France) – Email: [email protected].

THE RIGHT TEAM?I would like to comment on the just ended first Test between Zimbabwe and Pakistan. I would like to query the criteria used by Selectors as to choosing the final 11. As we all know Pakistan has some talented batsmen. Who in their right mind would choose Mahwire to be bowling and actually becoming successful? We have the likes of Hondo, Matambanadzo, Travis Friend, to mention a few. So why bother send them send to Australia for training and not use them? Please wake up and start pulling your socks, because it’s you the selectors letting us down.Hamilton has failed and personally I feel he ain’t no opener. There is Gavin Rennie, a natural opener, then you give us Hamilton. He did well in his first Test but it doesn’t mean he is the best coz he ain’t. I can possibly say there are several openers that can be used – for instance, Grant, Rennie to mention a few. Then I don’t know why Whittall is playing because he has not been performing well. Please give us a quality team because we love the sport and the country.I would like to congratulate Taibu for playing the way he has because it needs a lot of confidence to bat the way he has. Well played the Flower brothers, Ebrahim, Henry, Blignaut and Price.Wallace Manyara (Zimbabwe)

BEST ZIMBABWE 14I am a young Zimbabwe cricket fan. In india I have my own cricket club, Sanjayfarm cricket club and cricket ground. After Tendulkar Zimbabwe is my favourite team. I have a keen interest in Zimbabwe cricket. From 1982 I know almost every cricketer’s name and records. From that I have made an all-time great Zimbabwe 14.1. A Campbell
2. N Johnson
3. M Goodwin
4. G Hick (vc)
5. A Flower (wk)
6. D Houghton
7. D Fletcher (c)
8. H Streak
9. K Curran
10. P Strang
11. J Traicos
12. G Flower
13. P Rawson
14. E Brandes
I hope you like my 14. Your Zimbabwe Cricket Online is vvs for me.Swetal Desai (India)