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England’s Lions players will be hoping to make an impression on the selectors in their tour match against West Indies

Andrew McGlashan at Northampton09-May-2012

A week out from the first Test and West Indies’ squad is assembling piece-by-piece in England but it continues to be a difficult build-up for the tourists. England Lions, who they face in Northampton for their final warm-up match, managed outdoor training on Wednesday but, right on cue, as West Indies arrived at the ground the rain returned and they were forced to use the indoor school.Darren Sammy continued to shrug off the issues with a cool smile, but the forecast is not promising for the opening day of the Lions match and, although prospects are better towards the weekend, it seems inconceivable that West Indies will enter the Test series anything other than seriously underprepared. The situation was summed up when Sammy was asked about whether Fidel Edwards, whose back has caused some concerns but has been declared fit, was bowling at full pace. “We haven’t had a chance to find out,” was Sammy’s response.Providing the weather does clear up to allow a substantial amount of cricket this match should provide an intriguing contest between the tourists and the England fringe players vying for further recognition. Lions matches are unloved by the counties as they lose key players for important Championship games – Surrey, for example, are without Jade Dernbach and Stuart Meaker against Worcestershire this week – but they are a valuable stepping stone to the next level both in terms of acknowledging performance and also integrating players into the Team England bubble. Rarely, if ever now, does an England player reach Test level away from the Lions pathway.In the corresponding fixture a year ago, against the Sri Lankans at Derby, there was a clear head-to-head battle between Ravi Bopara and Eoin Morgan for the No. 6 spot, which the latter won with an aggressive 193. This time there are no glaring vacancies in the Test line-up for Lord’s if it is assumed that Bopara will, finally, get another chance at No. 6 – although Jonny Bairstow could further his claims with a strong display in Northampton – but there is so much cricket on the horizon that depth of resources is vital.Dernbach and Meaker are part of the deep bowling reserves available and Lancashire’s Simon Kerrigan is vying with Scott Borthwick as the young spinner to watch. Middle-order options are led by James Taylor, who will captain the Lions, Bairstow and Samit Patel, who remains the man in possession after the Sri Lanka tour but is unlikely to be in the first Test squad of the summer.However, this is not a Lions side based purely on youth. Nick Compton, still on course for 1000 runs before the end of May in a bowler-dominated start to the season, and Michael Carberry are 28 and 31 respectively and have been rewarded for consistent run-scoring. If one of England’s top three broke a finger between now and next Thursday it could well be one of those two who stepped into the breach. Further runs in this match will do no harm. For both, though, their chance (or, in Carberry’s case, second chance) will have to come soon otherwise the baton passes to the next generation.Ian Bell will also be on display having asked for a chance for further match practice after finding form for Warwickshire last week against Durham. Despite a difficult winter he is the one player from this team certain to be included when the Test squad is announced on Sunday morning. However, the players on the next rung of English batting need to keep breathing down the neck of the incumbents, something which has not quite happened in the same way as with the bowling attack, where England could field two high-quality units.With all the rain around it could be that the Lions play a full hand of quick bowlers, which would include Kent’s Matt Coles and Northamptonshire’s Jack Brooks on his home ground, and leave the spin bowling to Patel. Whichever combination is decided on it will provide a tough test for West Indies’ brittle top three, which is leaving huge pressure on Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Darren Bravo to provide a potent attack something to defend. For Adrian Barath, Kirk Edwards and Kieran Powell it will not come much tougher than May in England but West Indies can ill-afford to be three down early too often during the Test series. Before all that, however, the rain needs to stop.Edited by Alan Gardner

Rarely can two teams so closely positioned in the ICC rankings have entered a series with one side so overwhelmingly fancied to win

George Dobell in Abu Dhabi12-Feb-2012

Rarely can two teams so closely positioned in the ICC rankings have entered a series with one side so overwhelmingly fancied to win. Pakistan, fifth in the ICC ODI rankings, are expected to thrash England, sixth in the ODI rankings, in the four-match series that begins in Abu Dhabi on Monday. Some are already predicting a whitewash.It is not hard to understand why. While Pakistan have won their last six ODI series, their last seven ODIs and 13 of their last 14, England have lost their last five. Indeed, England have won only five of their last 20 ODIs played outside the UK and, since December 12, 2005, England have won just 12 of 38 ODIs in Asia. Four of those victories came against Bangladesh and the Netherlands. Indeed, since 1987 – yes, 1987 – and excluding games against Bangladesh, England have won just one two-nation limited-overs series in Asia. Several of England’s squad – Steven Finn among them – were not even born at the time.Furthermore, Pakistan whitewashed England 3-0 in the recently concluded Test series. England’s batting was woefully fragile against spin and it is anticipated that Pakistan will play a maximum of two seamers. It is possible they may even play five spinners. From an England perspective, such statistics do not justify much optimism.Scratch beneath the surface of those statistics, however, and the picture is not so clear. Not quite so clear, anyway. England have actually won nine of their last 12 ODI series, including the last one against Pakistan. In the 2011 English season, they defeated both World Cup finalists – India and Sri Lanka – and, until the 5-0 thrashing they took in India, they seemed to be on a gentle upward curve.Perhaps they may not prove quite the pushover some are predicting.In many ways, Alastair Cook offers a microcosm of England’s reputation. Cook, England’s 50-over captain since their almost ritual humiliation at the 2011 World Cup, has received a great deal of criticism in recent times. A plethora of former players – the likes of Ian Botham, Mike Atherton and Dermot Reeve – have questioned not just his captaincy ability, but his right to a place in the side as a batsman. For evidence they cite Cook’s ODI career-strike rate of 78.98, which is low for an opening batsman in this era, and his sometimes ponderous Test batting.Again, the more recent statistics tell a slightly different story. In the home series against India and Sri Lanka, Cook scored 467 runs at a strike-rate of 95.89 and an average of 58.37. By any standards, those are impressive statistics. Even in India, where he averaged just 26.60, his strike-rate was 84.71. It means that, since he was appointed captain, his batting average is 46.15 and his strike-rate is 93.16.Cook, like England, have had one bad series. The encounter with Pakistan may allow clearer conclusions to be drawn.One man who will not be helping England, in the first match at least, is Jos Buttler, the 21-year-old Somerset batsman. He had been pencilled in for a place in England’s middle order but will not be available for selection as his hand injury has not healed sufficiently. The injury will be monitored over the next day or two before a decision is made whether Buttler should be sent home.Pakistan’s team is unlikely to differ too much from that which defeated Afghanistan on Friday night. It is possible Wahab Riaz could be dropped for another spinner, probably Abdur Rehman, or that Shoaib Malik will make way. Either way, it is likely that spin will be introduced very early – possibly from the start. Mohammad Hafeez, Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal will form a formidable trio at the very least.One of Pakistan’s strengths is the presence of three decent allrounders in their side. Afridi’s batting may not be the force it once was, but he is still a dangerous player capable of turning a game with bat or ball within a few overs. Hafeez, too, provides bowling depth, while Umar Akmal, by no means the finished article as a wicketkeeper, is a very fine batsman to find himself as low as No. 7 in the order.Perhaps there is just one, small concern for Pakistan. While their current squad looks ideally suited to conditions in the UAE, it may prove less well balanced in Australasia, where the 2015 World Cup will be contested. Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s captain, said it was “too early to think about the 2015 World Cup” and that it was better for the team “to concentrate day by day. We have to bring in some youngsters for long-term planning, but we are doing it day by day.”Misbah said the use of two new balls – one from each end – should minimise the affect of dew, but did warn against over confidence from his players. “Sometimes confidence is harmful for the team,” he said. “We have to guard that.” Over confidence, at least, should not be a problem for England.England’s policy is somewhat puzzling. They talk of fresh faces and building for the 2015 but their side in this game will be strikingly similar to the ones that have played over the last year or so. It is just in a slightly different order. Indeed, had Eoin Morgan and Stuart Broad not missed the series in India due to injury, England’s side would be identical.If England do lose, they may also have cause to reflect on their preparation for this series. The standard of net bowling has been well below the required standard while, for reasons that remain unclear, their warm-up game against England Lions was a day time encounter despite the fact that the series will be contested under lights. As a consequence, England are unsure how dew could affect conditions.While Cook said that England had “tried” to stage the warm-up game under lights, he complained that England “don’t have control over the wicket and groundsman and stuff.” The ground authorities and PCB insisted both sides had “agreed on the schedule mutually… well in advance.” A spokesman commented: “If there had been a wish from ECB for a day-night fixture it would have been addressed.”Cook, at least, took encouragement from necessity. “The one-day game dictates you have to be more positive,” Cook said. “We’re not going to have men around the bat all the time so it changes your mentality as a batter. It frees you up and we’ve got a good record against Pakistan.”To listen to some pundits, you would think that England’s best hope in this series is to avoid humiliation. Cricket would not be nearly such an absorbing game, however, if it was predictable.

A round-up of the second day of the ninth round of Division Two in the Quaid-E-Azam Trophy 2011-12

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Dec-2011Mohammad Hasan hit his maiden first-class double-century, while Behram Khan hit a maiden hundred, to carry Karachi Whites to a mammoth 551 for 7, declared, against Lahore Shalimar at the National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex in Karachi. Both batsmen were at the crease, already past a hundred, when play resumed with Karachi Whites on 287 for 4. The opener, Behram, went on to make 175, while Hasan got to 251 at a healthy strike-rate of almost 79, before Karachi Whites declared. Lahore Shalimar had employed ten bowlers without much success, and then lost their openers cheaply to go to stumps on 58 for 2.Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) took a 44-run first-innings lead against Lahore Ravi at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. The visitors’ innings was built around cameos from most of the line-up, Yasir Arafat being the stand-out scorer with 78. The Lahore Ravi bowlers, too, mostly all contributed – Asif Ashfaq had the best figures, 4 for 50. The hosts then wiped out the deficit for the loss of one wicket, finishing the day on 55 for 1.Hyderabad put on a solid batting show to get to 500 for 7, declared, against Multan at the Bahawal Stadium in Bahawalpur. Their bowlers then knocked over three Multan wickets cheaply, to give their side complete control. Hyderabad’s total was driven by an unbeaten 200 from Rizwan Ahmed – his best first-class score – and knock of 133 from Lal Kumar.Peshawar’s bowlers knocked over Quetta for 145 in 46.3 overs, to give their team a 94-run lead at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar. Riaz Afridi caused most of the damage, taking 5 for 37, as none of the Quetta batsmen could manage more than Ata-ur-Rehman’s 45. Afridi was backed up by Afaq Ahmed and Waqar Ahmed, who took four wickets between them. Peshawar, on the back of an unbeaten 61 off 73 balls from opener Mohammad Fayyaz, extended their lead to 180 at stumps. They finished the day on 86 for 1.Driven by a quick century from captain Khurram Shehzad, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) took a 266-run first-innings lead against United Bank Limited at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot. Shehzad’s 122 came off 136 balls and included 24 fours. SNGPL’s charge to 393 at over four and a half runs an over was given an extra fillip by a knock of 97 from Ali Waqas. SNGPL’s bowlers consolidated their side’s position in the match by knocking over two wickets quickly in United Bank’s second innings, to leave them 45 for 2 at stumps on day two.

حقق اتحاد جدة لقب كأس السوبر السعودي بالفوز على حساب الفيحاء، بهدفين دون رد، من توقيع المهاجم المغربي عبد الرزاق حمد الله.

أحرز حمدالله هدف اتحاد جدة الأول في شباك الفيحاء، في الدقيقة الخامسة من عمر اللقاء.

وتسبب لاعب وسط اتحاد جدة طارق حامد في نيل لاعب الفيحاء عبد الرحمن السفري بطاقة حمراء بسبب تدخل قوي على اللاعب المصري في الدقيقة 25 من الشوط الأول من اللقاء.

وقرر حكم لقاء السوبر السعودي إلغاء هدف اللاعب البرازيلي رومارينيو في كأس السوبر السعودي في الدقيقة 39 من عمر اللقاء وذلك عقب اللجوء لتقنية الفيديو.

اقرأ أيضا..فيديو | عبد الرزاق حمد الله يسجل هدف اتحاد جدة الثاني أمام الفيحاء

وأكدت تقنية الفيديو تواجد الثنائي حمد الله ورومارينيو معًا في مصيدة التسلل، ليتم إلغاء الهدف لتظل النتيجة كما هي تفوق العميد بهدف دون رد أمام الفيحاء.

وأهدر لاعب وسط الاتحاد عبد الرحمن العبود ركلة جزاء في مواجهة الفيحاء في الدقيقة الثانية من الوقت المحتسب بدل الضائع للشوط الأول من نهائي السوبر السعودي لينتهي الشوط الأول بتقدم الاتحاد بهدف دون رد.

وفي الشوط الثاني وبرأسية من حمد الله في الدقيقة 48 سكنت شباك الفيحاء وضع اللاعب المغربي ثاني أهداف العميد في كأس السوبر السعودي.

ونجح الاتحاد في الحفاظ على شباكه نظيفة في نهائي السوبر السعودي هذا الموسم لينتهي اللقاء بالفوز 2-0 أمام الفيحاء ويتوج باللقب.

وكان الاتحاد فاز الخميس الماضي بنتيجة 3-1 أمام النصر في نصف النهائي، بينما تأهل الفيحاء للنهائي بتحقيق الفوز بهدف نظيف أمام الهلال. فيديو فوز اتحاد جدة أمام الفيحاء (2-0)

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsLasith Malinga celebrates his hat-trick•Associated Press

Lasith Malinga became the first man to take three one-day international hat-tricks as Sri Lanka secured a consolation victory in the final ODI in Colombo. Australia might have won the series 3-2 but with the first Test just over a week away, it was important for Sri Lanka to finish on a high, and they did that through Malinga with the ball, and then Mahela Jayawardene and Chamara Silva with the bat.Chasing 212, the hosts lost three early wickets but from then on were in cruise control either side of a rain delay. Jayawardene all but saw them home with a patient 71, before departing with 17 runs still to get when he skied a catch off Xavier Doherty. Silva batted superbly in his 63, but the victory was all down to Sri Lanka’s bowling performance, and specifically Malinga’s hat-trick and the tail-end collapse that he instigated.It could be argued that Malinga has taken four ODI hat-tricks, after his double hat-trick – four wickets in four balls – against South Africa at the 2007 World Cup. He picked up three in three deliveries against Kenya at this year’s World Cup, and it would have been a brave person to tip against him adding to his tally when Doherty walked out to face the hat-trick ball this time.Malinga began the sequence with a fast yorker that got through Mitchell Johnson’s defences and bowled him for 1, and followed up with a low full toss that rapped John Hastings on the pad. Doherty took guard, and must have anticipated another accurate yorker, which was indeed delivered, but he still couldn’t get bat on ball.Doherty’s middle stump was rattled, and so were Australia, who in the previous over – the 45th of the innings – had been cruising towards a competitive total, at 210 for 5. Eleven balls later, they had lost their remaining five wickets for the addition of only one more run. It was a remarkable collapse, with Ajantha Mendis taking a wicket either side of Malinga’s hat-trick.The rot started when David Hussey (46), who had just launched Mendis over the long-on fence for six, played back to the next delivery and was bowled for 46. The innings ended with Brad Haddin, on 8, driving a catch to mid-off, and neither the Australians nor the fans in the crowd could quite believe the rapid turnaround.