Siddle strikes with Tendulkar, Gambhir wickets

ADELAIDE: Australian paceman Peter Siddle rocked India's hopes of avoiding the follow-on with the big wickets of Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir on the third day of the fourth Adelaide Test on Thursday.

Siddle had Tendulkar and Gambhir dismissed to brilliant diving catches behind the wicket in the space of 10 balls to have the beleaguered tourists again under pressure.

Spinner Nathan Lyon followed up with the wicket of misfiring V.V.S. Laxman for 18 shortly before lunch to have the Australians bowling at India's lower order.

At lunch, India, chasing Australia's 604 for seven declared, were 122 for five and needing 283 more runs to avoid the follow-on, with Virat Kohli on 21 and Wriddhiman Saha on five.

Tendulkar again missed out on his 100th international century when he was dismissed for 25 inside the opening hour.

Siddle struck with the second ball of his fifth over enticing an edge off Tendulkar's bat for a diving Ricky Ponting to scoop it up low down at second slip.

Gambhir was out in Siddle's next over when he was unable to keep down a lifting delivery and was caught off the shoulder of his bat by a diving Mike Hussey at gully for 34.

The wholehearted Siddle had captured two huge wickets in 10 balls to seize the initiative for Australia. It was the third time in the series Siddle claimed Tendulkar's wicket and he had figures of 3-29 off seven overs at lunch.

Laxman's miserable series continued when he edged a bouncier Lyon delivery into the gloves of Brad Haddin. In seven innings in the series Laxman has scored just 120 runs at 17.14.

The Indians are facing a 4-0 series wipeout in the final Test after heavy losses in the opening three Tests. (AFP)

Pakistan record 10-wkt win over England in first Test

DUBAI: Pakistan defeated number one ranked England by ten wickets within three days to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match Test series here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Needing just 15 runs to win, openers Mohammad Hafeez and Taufiq Umar completed the historic win in the fourth over of the innings.

Earlier, Pakistan bowlers again performed excellently to dismiss England for 160.

Pakistan 96 runs ahead of England with 3 wkts in hand

DUBAI: Pakistan succeeded in gaining a lead of 96 runs over England in the first innings but lost seven wickets in the process when the play ended on the second day of the opening Test match of the three-match series here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Adnan Akmal remained not out on 24 as Pakistan were 288 runs for seven at stumps.

Openers Mohammad Hafeez (88) and Taufiq Umar (58) along with their captain Misbah-ul-Haq (52) scored half-centuries while veteran batsman Younis Khan made 37, Asad Shafiq scored 16, Azhar Ali could make just one and Abdul Rehman was dismissed for four off the last ball of the day.

Hafeez missed a century by just 12 runs playing an attractive innings during his resolute 114-run opening stand with Taufiq to help Pakistan overhaul England's first innings total of 192 on a slow turning pitch.

For England, pacers James Anderson and Stuart Broad, and spinner Graeme Swann claimed two wickets each while Jonathan Trott also got a wicket.

Aamer set to be released on Feb 9

LONDON: Convicted fast bowler Muhammad Aamer is set to be released from the young offenders institute in Weymouth next month, on completion of half of the jail term he was awarded by a court.

Arsalan Abbasi, Aamer’s friend and a legal guarantor in the UK, said the bowler would be released from Her Majesty's Prison Portland, Dorset, England, on February 9, at the half leg of his six months jail term and added that he would complete part of his remaining sentence on licence at a London address.

“Aamer will be allowed to stay in London for about three weeks and then he will leave for Pakistan,” Abbasi told The News, emphasising: “He (Aamer) will not be deported to Pakistan.”

Aamer’s lawyers and the UK Border Agency have reached an agreement that he would leave the UK on his own and that there would be no immigration restrictions on him if he ever wanted to return to the country, Abbasi added.

A probation officer from the Prison Services visited the particular address--belonging to a close friend of Aamer--two weeks ago and cleared it for the cricketer to stay on condition of keeping in touch with the services.

During the sentence hearing at the Southwark Crown Court of the spot-fixing trial, no recommendation for deportation of Aamer was made but this scribe has learnt that if a sentence is less than 12 months, the judge usually leaves it to the UK Border Agency (UKBA) to recommend deportation or otherwise.

In the case of Aamer, he will be leaving the country on his own accord at the completion of his agreed time period. A legal expert told The News that after the UK sentencing of Aamer is over, he still has a few years of ban from the International Cricket Council (ICC) but once that’s over he should have no restrictions on his trade and he can play in the UK again if he is selected by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

“I can't see him being refused a visa to the UK or anywhere else,” said the legal expert. After being sentenced to six months’ detention on November 3 last year with fellow players Salman Butt and Muhammad Asif, the young bowling genius was first sent to Feltham Young Offenders Institution and then, within three days, to the Prison Portland.

A source told The News that Aamer spent his time at the youth hostel, playing different sports, attended education classes, exercised regularly at the gym. He was allowed free access to internet and library and also worked for a charity. He was even allowed to go to the local town centre on his own regularly with a strict return curfew.

India seek breakthrough series win in Australia

SYDNEY: India are desperate to bury their unwanted tag of being poor travellers as they bid to win their first series in Australia starting on Monday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The Indians, ranked second in Test cricket, two places above Australia, have failed to win a series Down Under in nine previous tours over 64 years but face a home team in the throes of a painful transition.

India will be playing their first away Test series since losing all four matches in England in July-August in a whitewash that cost M.S. Dhoni's men their number one ranking.

India have developed an unwelcome reputation as poor travellers and a win in the four-Test series against Michael Clarke's Australians represents a career-defining goal for many of the team's ageing stars.

Sachin Tendulkar, bidding for his 100th international century, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag and V.V.S. Laxman are all unlikely to get the opportunity again in their cricket careers and are motivated to succeed.

The Boxing Day Test is one for the purists with the rarity of Test cricket's three greatest runscorers -- Tendulkar (15,183), Dravid (13,094) and Australia's Ricky Ponting (12,656) -- all featuring in the same match.

Dravid, turning 39 next month and padding up for his fourth series in Australia, has had one of his best years, scoring 1,067 runs and five centuries.

While India are top heavy with batting experience, it will come down to the ability of front-line bowlers Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma to bowl out Australia for India to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy they have held since 2008.

Australian bowling legends Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath have needled the Indians this week, saying India will struggle if Zaheer and Sharma are not fully fit for the gruelling series.

But the Australians are nowhere near as formidable as they once were and this month crashed to a humiliating defeat to lowly New Zealand in Hobart.

Australia have a new skipper, a new coach and a revamped selection panel following their traumatic 3-1 Ashes home series defeat to England last January and are very much a work in progress.

Skipper Michael Clarke, who has taken over from Ponting, has won just three of his eight Tests in charge and is entrusted along with incoming coach South African Mickey Arthur with rebuilding the Australian team.

Ponting, who turned 37 this month, and Mike Hussey, 36, are still there to help guide a new batch of rookie batsmen into the Test arena -- David Warner, (two Tests), Ed Cowan (0), Shaun Marsh (three) and Dan Christian (0).

Australia named an extended 13-man squad for the Melbourne opener amid fitness doubts over Marsh (back), with opener Cowan poised for his Test debut after four centuries this season, including 109 for a Chairman's XI against India.

James Pattinson and Peter Siddle will lead the bowling attack with 21-year-old Pattinson taking 14 wickets in his first two Tests against the Kiwis this season, including two five-wicket innings hauls. (AFP)

First Test: Pakistan's strong grip, 132 runs without loss

Stack gang ... first Test of the disastrous first balrzbytsmynun responsible toga and the Pakistanbatting has strengthened their grip on the match.Zahoor Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, ctagangbeing played in Pakistan at the end of the first Test match everyday kyphly Bangladesh 135 runsnorth without damage 132 made​​, thus Pakistanteam just three behind and just ten wicketsremaining. Mohammad Hafeez 74 aurtufyq Age53 runs not out. That the Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq after winning the toss Bangladesh battinginvited, bangla country team beginning with thedifficulties faced looks and test dbyu the NazimUddin and Nasser Hussain than any batsmanPakistan balrz Admits Kazumi krsamna could,and the whole team 135 runs was out riding.Nasser Hussain and Nazim Uddin 41 weresignificant with 31 runs. and Pakistan by SaeedAjmal Rahman for three awards, while Umar Guland Cheema two wickets.

Pakistan defeat Korea by 6-2

AUCKLAND: National hockey team claimed their first victory of Champions trophy, beating Korea 6-2 in first game of day four on Auckland's North Shore on Thursday.

In the secondary pool, a late flurry of goals sealed the win for Pakistan.

With the scores locked at 2-2 through most of the second half, the Koreans crumbled completely late in the match, leaking four goals in the last 10 minutes. 

Tendulkar century once again failed to make 100, out of 94 runs

     Mumbai:(batkhela.tk) The Little Master Sachin Tendulkaronce again failed to make the 100th century.Uynkhdy Mumbai between India and West Indiescricket being played in the fourth day of the thirdtest was expected that Tendulkar will make his100th century, but this time they faced the failurescore of 94 on the Ram Powell, when he handsthe ball slip SIMI were out in the mud. Tendulkar'shundred th century that the large-scale gamblinghuatha thought.

Defiant Asif changes defence team for appeal

(BATKHELA.TK)LONDON: Cricketer Muhammad Asif has changed his legal defence team to launch an appeal against his conviction and sentence, this significant development has been disclosed by a credible source to The News/Geo.

Asif was given a 12 months prison sentence whilst ex-captain Salman Butt was jailed for 30 months, and Mohammed Amir received a six month term for their participation in a plot to bowl deliberate no-balls in a Test match against England. Butt and Amir have appealed against their sentences but not their convictions. Their appeal will be heard on Wednesday, tomorrow.

During his testimony, sports agent Majeed, who has been jailed for 32 months for orchestrating the scam, claimed to have paid paid Asif £65,000, Butt £10,000 and Amir £2,500.

The source has said that Muhammad Asif decided to change his defence team for “personal reasons”. The fast bowler remains most defiant that he has not committed any offence and certainly has not brought the game into disrepute. The police raided the team hotel in August last year. They did not find any money that was supplied by the News of the World journalist on Asif’s person or in his belongings. Intense investigations did not reveal even a trace of the tainted money linked to Asif. Such money was found on Amir and Butt.

The source told The News that Asif has already spoken to his new legal team and a meeting was held at Canterbury prison where he is in custody with Salman Butt. Asif’s appeal hearing will be delayed by a short period by reason of the change of his legal representatives.

If the appeal against his conviction is successful, the player would be a free man. The UKBA may take steps to detain him for immigration reasons. If such steps are taken The News understands that the same would be opposed vigourously.

The grounds of Asif’s appeal are being formulated at the time of the publication of this article. Such grounds could include the argument that the Judge may have fallen into error in some of the rulings he made during the trial.

The News has learnt that UK visas held by Muhammaad Asif and Salman Butt have expired.

Technically, they both could face deportation to Pakistan at the completion of their prison term. Any such application The News has learnt would be met with formidable legal arguments from Asif’s representatives.

India eye Test series win against Windies

(batkhela-movies) KOLKATA: India strengthened their chances of winning the second Test and the series despite the West Indies' improved batting show after a first-innings collapse on the third day on Wednesday.

The West Indies, dismissed for 153 in their first innings in reply to India's mammoth 631-7 declared, did better in their second innings to reach 195-3 at stumps at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

The tourists, who lost the opening Test of the three-match series by five wickets in New Delhi, face a stiff task to save the match as they still trail by 283 runs with seven wickets in hand.

Darren Bravo was unbeaten on 38 with the help of three sixes and Shivnarine Chanderpaul on 21 not out.Opener Adrian Barath (62) and Kirk Edwards (60) defied the Indian attack with a 93-run stand for the second wicket after the early dismissal of Kraigg Brathwaite (nine), who was caught behind off paceman Umesh Yadav.

Barath and Edwards played some attractive shots before fast bowler Ishant Sharma broke the stand immediately after the tea-break when he had Barath caught by Venkatsai Laxman, who held a low catch to his left at first slip.

Barath hit 10 fours in his third Test half-century.

Sharma struck again when he removed Edwards, trapped leg-before after hitting one six and six fours in his second Test half-century.

India gained the big advantage through their bowlers in the morning session as the West Indies could add just 119 runs in 36 overs after resuming at 34-2, with left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha finishing with 4-64.Yadav, who took one wicket on Tuesday, struck twice in the morning to finish with 3-23 in only his second Test match, while off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bagged 2-49.

The West Indies' batsmen failed to apply themselves in the first innings on a pitch offering turn and bounce to spinners, with Bravo top-scoring with 30.Ashwin and Ojha did the early damage when they took one wicket each before Yadav jolted the West Indies by removing Bravo and Marlon Samuels (25) in successive overs.Ojha got a wicket in the fifth over of the day when he trapped Edwards (16) leg-before for his 50th Test victim in 13 matches after the batsman had added only four runs to his overnight score of 12.

Ashwin, who got married a day before the Test started, captured a big wicket in his opening over when he removed in-form Chanderpaul, who was also trapped leg-before.

Chanderpaul, who scored 118 and 47 in the opening Test, was able to contribute just four runs this time.

Bravo and Samuels played some attacking shots during their 46-run stand for the fifth wicket before falling in the space of seven runs to leave their team struggling at 99-6.

Skipper Darren Sammy tried to counter-attack but did not last long, caught behind off Ojha immediately after smashing the spinner for a straight six. He hit one six and two fours in his 14-ball 18.Ojha finished the innings when he trapped Fidel Edwards leg-before for 16. (AFP)

Australia all out for 47 in bizarre Newlands Test

(batkhela-movies)CAPE TOWN: Australia crumbled to 47 all out in their second innings of the extraordinary first Test against South Africa on Thursday. 

The lowest Test total ever was 26 by New Zealand against England in 1955 while Australia's lowest was 36 against England in 1902. 

A last-wicket stand from Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon avoided Australia beating those unwanted records.

Hosts South Africa had earlier been bowled out for 96 on a remarkable day two and a reasonable-looking wicket after the tourists had made 284 in their first innings with captain Michael Clarke scoring 151.

All four innings will take place on the same day with Australia leading by 235 and with a decent chance of winning the first match of the two-test series despite their woeful second innings effort.(Reuters)

Pakistani cricketers, British Queen on the recommendation of the Minister of Justice may forgive

Lahore (BATKHELA-MOVIES) now supports the three Pakistani cricketers have decided to send a team of legal experts. Authorities should be aware that the choice of Britain's Queen on the recommendation of the British Secretary for Justice may be pardoned However, very little is known about the Queen of England that he never used his power of sympathy. knsruytu the Secretary for Justice, a member of the Legislative Committee of the 71-year-old Kenneth Clarke, the minimum sentence in rape cases strong support to be effective in the case of Mohammad Amir 2 Mr. William White, former British Home Secretary Michael Howard Law and the killing criminals and smugglers have been forgiven. However, there are examples of previous amnesty in British legal history. May 2011 in Kenneth Clarke rypts less punishing on the differences, the BBC interviewed again come before such a match-fixing rap more serious offense for the Secretary Kenneth Mohammad Amir little about the effect may be because only 6 months of conviction, and the London Crown Court Justice Cook, Amir of the few sympathizers were. June 2010 appointment after his speech, Secretary of Justice Clark in prison less punishment approved and they warned said the prisoner 12 months less than usual to bring virtually impossible. Clarke, the British Lord Chancellor is also the theory that many cases confined to upgrade is not. his speech said that the British prisonersbe. This will ensure that they are not in jail. Britain's senior cabinet post of Secretary for Justice. Clark was the first deputy chairman of British American Tobacco. kubrtanuy May 12 the first year in office, appointed by Prime Minister David Cameron . In addition, Britain's recent history, some examples are such that the unity and absoluteness of the criminals amnesty given. For example, in August 2006 the first World War, the cowardice of the British soldiers sentenced to death, and consequently their shotforces allowed. British Ministry of Defence them died later forgiven. The July 1996 2 smugglers John Hose and Paul Benetti the then Home Secretary Michael Howard's recommendation was waived. The official information to provide me, but later their information unreliable to have them in 2008, 20 and 22 year sentence given. Third apology issue is interesting. in 1980 the then Home Secretary William White Law, the dyudkupr and Michael Mac mahn imperial powers used to obtain a pardon. Both were charged with murder and death due to weak evidence was found guilty by the court. Secretary William White criminals amnesty law for the above use their special powers what.

Cricket corruption case: Salman, Aamir Ali and sentenced to imprisonment and fines

   (batkhela-movies)London ... cricket corruption case to Judge Jermi Cook three players grace enters the prison and fined it. Justice Cook said the decision reflects the sense of 2 years, 8 months, Salman Butt two years, Mohammad Asif a year, while Mohammad Amir to 6 months imprisonment as well as Salman Butt 30 thousand 937 pauٴnd, Mohammad Asif 8 thousand 120 pauٴnd and Mohammad Amir 9 thousand 389 pauٴnd fine with the case the expenses paid offer. British law four years imprisonment For the trumpet sounds gzarny prison sentence in half. his closing remarks before the judge, Justice Cook said Majid aurmzhr help you with all the corruption damaged the credibility of cricket, cricket because of your actions. damage, the youth was considered a hero but you have kuduka nation, the game will always try to suspicion, for some pauٴndz nubalz wells and damaged Pakistan cricket, the only punishment is imprisonment . Justice Cook said that you are involved in many sty extension, the people of Pakistan love cricket, you have betrayed them. Justice Cook's appeal for forgiveness of Egypt Mohammad Amir Mohammad Khan, said the court substantial evidence not given, their purpose was greed and money, Aamir Khan has confessed his involvement in the conspiracy. He may have also violated the British law. concluding remarks, Justice Cook argued that reflects your pauٴndlyyy half million for fixing the spot, it is clear that you are involved in corruption hrsth, Mazhar Butt with Oval and Lords of the conspiracy, three nine Balls is just a show. He said Mazhar MajeedIndia and Dubai were in contact with mykrz book, he has acknowledged that it is very long, more of the money received Mazhar Majeed, Mazhar told journalists that they own half of this year are Justice Cook Mazhar Majeed was sentenced to a softening of the appeals also rejected and said Mazhar Majeed game business had made, Mazhar Majeed 2 years 8 months imprisonment Sanadi made. Justice Cook Salman Butt's appeal rejected The judge said Salman Butt said that your career Finished, Salman N-bit, 30-month prison sentence pronounced was. The Justice Cook said Amir damage responsible for Afridi. Justice Cook Mohammad Asif was sentenced to one year. They said about Mohammad Amir made a big nubalz, Amir bravely admitted the crime. Justice Cook told Aamir that you are less educated and from village relationship and our mind is. Justice Cook Mohammad Aamir 6 months imprisonment szasnayy. Justice Cook said that good behavior half remission of sentence may be. Mohammad Aamir their sentences, Youth aufyndrz Institute in gzaryn will.