Spot-fixing case: new controversy revealed

Harbhajan, McCullum hit tons in second Test

HYDERABAD: New Zealand opener Brendon McCullum struck a superb 124 not out to defy India on the fourth day of the second Test on Monday.

McCullum, 29, hit 11 fours and three sixes in his 177-ball knock as the visitors reached 237-4 at close in reply to India's first-innings 472, built around a record century by tailender Harbhajan Singh.

New Zealand, who made 350 in their first essay, lead by 115 runs with six wickets in hand.

Kane Williamson (12) was the other not out batsman at the crease when stumps were called for the day.

McCullum dominated India's bowlers, hitting paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth for a six over long-off and a four off the next ball before racing to his sixth Test century with another boundary.

He added 125 runs with Tim McIntosh to register New Zealand's first century-stand for the opening wicket in six years.

McIntosh was caught on 49 by substitute fielder Cheteshwar Pujara off left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha. However, TV replays suggested the ball had rebounded off the pads.

He hit six fours and a six in his 126-ball innings.

Ojha picked his second wicket when he had Martin Guptill caught behind the stumps for 18 while Sreesanth sent back Ross Taylor (seven) with a delivery that uprooted the off-stump.

Jesse Ryder (20) appeared in good touch but his innings was cut short by part-timer Suresh Raina shortly before the close.

Earlier, Harbhajan hammered an unbeaten 111 off 114 balls to become the first number eight batsman in the world to score centuries in successive Tests.

Harbhajan had notched up his maiden Test hundred last week to help India salvage a draw in the opener against the Kiwis in Ahmedabad.

His feat surpasses the record of New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori, who scored 140 and 99 batting at number eight in back-to-back Tests last year.

Sreesanth too defied the New Zealand attack for close to two hours before being trapped leg before wicket off Vettori. He made 24 off 71 balls with three fours and shared 105 runs with Harbhajan for the last wicket.

It was Harbhajan who lighted up the proceedings in the morning session, lofting Vettori for a straight six and following it up with another off Tim Southee (3-119) that landed in the stands.

Vettori picked his 19th five-wicket haul in Tests and finished as the most successful New Zealand bowler with figures of 5-135.

Pakistan may be involved in T20 World Cup match spot fixing

KARACHI: The Anti-Corruption Unit of the International Cricket council (ICC) is investigating a match spot-fixing scandal in the Twenty20 World Cup played this year in the West Indies.

Sources told Geo News that the ICC Anti-corruption Unit is probing the involvement of one or two Pakistan players in a match spot-fixing during the tournament. The match was played between Pakistan and South Africa on May 10, 2010. In the match Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first. There are reports of alleged spot-fixing in the first 10 overs of the match.

The sources further informed that under investigation players in this scandal had planned for alleged spot-fixing through mobile phones. The numbers on which contacts were made are of England, West Indies and Dubai series.

The sources told that the ICC’s Anti-corruption Unit has interrogated two Pakistani players in this regard, and players had accepted that these numbers belong to them

More details regarding the match and the players involved in spot-fixing are expected in next 24 hours.

Younis helps Pakistan draw 1st Test against South Africa

 DUBAI: Younis Khan capped his return to Test cricket with a brilliant unbeaten century to help Pakistan draw the first Test against South Africa on the fifth and final day on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old right-hander -- playing his first Test since July 2009 because of an indefinite ban and differences with fellow players -- finished with 131 not out to take Pakistan to 343-3 in the first-ever Test at the Dubai Stadium.

Younis's 17th Test hundred thwarted South Africa's pace-cum-spin attack as they managed just one wicket in the three sessions to leave the fate of the two-Test series on the second match, starting in Abu Dhabi from November 20.

Younis was ably supported by Misbah-ul-Haq -- leading Pakistan in a Test for the first time -- who scored an unbeaten 76 during an unbroken fourth wicket stand of 186, a new record in all Pakistan-South Africa Tests.

The previous best of 119 was between Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla at Johannesburg in 2007.

With scant assistance from the pitch, South Africa also fell short on fielding as they dropped three crucial catches, two off Younis and one off Misbah hurting their chances of a win.

Younis brought up his 17th Test century with a towering six off spinner Johan Botha three overs before the tea break, his third against South Africa, as he continued to frustrate the bowlers who got no support from the fifth day pitch.

Younis, who hit four sixes and nine boundaries during his 230-ball knock, also added 82 runs for the third wicket with Azhar Ali who fell after making a sedate 63.

Misbah, who was also on a Test comeback after being dropped from the team for the six-Test tour of England earlier this year, hit eight fours and a six during his 185-ball knock.

Younis's innings highlighted the importance of his position in a fragile Pakistan batting line-up, exposed during team's 3-1 defeat against England on the tour ended in September.

With his effort Pakistan achieved their best total in the fourth innings of a Test, beating 341-9 they made against the West Indies at Port of Spain in 1988.

Resuming at 109-2, Pakistan had pinned their hopes on Younis, who also hit a brilliant 130 against South Africa to help Pakistan draw a Test in Lahore three years ago, and Ali.

Ali was bowled by spinner Paul Harris before lunch after hitting seven boundaries during his dour 150-ball knock.

Pakistan had a lucky escape in the fourth over of the day when Younis, on 16, edged paceman Dale Steyn, but wicket-keeper Mark Boucher failed to hold a regulation catch towards his right.

Younis also had luck at 73 when Kallis failed to hold a difficult chance in the slips, also off Steyn.

Misbah was also lucky when Hashim Amla dropped a bat-pad edge off Johan Botha at short-leg when the batsman had made eight -- chances which helped Pakistan avert defeat.

Pakistan fight to save first Test against Proteas

DUBAI: Pakistan fought to save the first Test against South Africa after being set a world-record chase following magnificent centuries from Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla on the fourth day on Monday.

Pakistan finished the fourth day at 109-2 with Azhar Ali on 37 not out and Younis Khan unbeaten on 11, still needing to bat out 90 overs on Tuesday for a draw or score a challenging 342 on a deteriorating Dubai Stadium pitch.

Set 451 to win, Pakistan lost openers Mohammad Hafeez (34) and Taufiq Umer (22) after both gave their team a confident 41-run start.

The best run-chase in all Tests is 418-7, achieved by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2003, while Pakistan's successful target chase stands at 315-9, also against Aussies, at Karachi in 1994.

Pakistan can take heart from the fact they held South Africa to a draw in Lahore three years ago by scoring 316-4, but on a disheartening note they have never scored 400 runs in the fourth innings of a Test.

Earlier, Kallis made 135 and Amla 118 as Pakistan, left a bowler short after paceman Wahab Riaz's injury on the first day, toiled hard against the two right-handed batsmen before Graeme Smith declared the second innings at 318-2.

Amla and Kallis put on 242 runs for an unbroken third-wicket stand -- a new record against Pakistan, beating the 207-run stand Kallis put on with Graeme Smith in Lahore three years ago.

Kallis was the more aggressive of the two as he hit eight boundaries and four towering sixes -- three of those off spinner Saeed Ajmal and one off left-armer Abdul Rehman -- during his attractive 218-ball knock.

Amla, the most improved batsman at international level this year, notched ten boundaries during his 225-ball stay at the crease.

It was Amla who reached the three figure mark first.

The bearded 26-year-old hit Gul through point to reach 97, then took a couple and in the next Rehman over reached his 11th Test hundred with a single. He hit nine boundaries and took 190 balls to reach three figures, his fourth this year.

In the next over Kallis completed his 36th Test century off 185 balls which included seven boundaries and two sixes.

Resuming at 139-2, South Africa continued to build their lead through Amla and Kallis as Pakistan's bowlers failed to fully test the batsmen.

Amla was the first to reach his half-century, pushing paceman Gul for a single to reach the landmark. He hit five boundaries for his 16th Test half-century.

Kallis, who hit Ajmal for six off the first ball he faced in the day, also completed his second half-century of the match -- the 55th of his career -- with a single off spinner Abdul Rehman.

The second Test starts in Abu Dhabi from November 20.

Pakistan in struggle after Amla, Kallis tons

 DUBAI: Pakistan were left with it all to do in the first Test against South Africa after Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla hit sparkling unbeaten hundreds on the fourth day at the Dubai Stadium on Monday.

Pakistan, set a daunting 451-run target, were 26 without loss after South Africa declared their second innings at 318-2, an hour and 20 minutes after lunch with Kallis and Amla punishing the hapless bowling on a slow turning pitch.

Opener Mohammad Hafeez was 21 and Taufiq Umer on five at the break.

Earlier, Kallis made 135 and Amla 118 as Pakistan, a bowler short after paceman Wahab Riaz's injury on the first day, toiled hard against the two right-handed batsmen.

Amla and Kallis put on 242 runs for an unbroken third-wicket stand -- a new record against Pakistan, beating the 207-run stand Kallis put on with Graeme Smith in Lahore three years ago.

Kallis was more aggressive of the two as he hit eight boundaries and four towering sixes -- three of those off spinner Saeed Ajmal and one off left-armer Abdul Rehman -- during his attractive 218-ball knock.

Amla, the most improved batsman at the international level this year, notched ten boundaries during his 225-ball stay at the crease.

It was Amla who reached the three figure mark first.

The bearded 26-year-old hit Gul through point to reach 97, then took a couple and in the next Rehman over reached his 11th Test hundred with a single.

He hit nine boundaries and took 190 balls to reach three figures, his fourth this year.

Next over, Kallis also completed his 36th Test century off 185 balls which included seven boundaries and two sixes.

Resuming at 139-2, South Africa continued to build their lead through Amla and Kallis as none of the Pakistani bowlers could create any problems for the batsmen.

Amla was the first to reach his half-century, pushing paceman Gul for a single to reach the landmark. He hit five boundaries for his 16th Test half-century.

Kallis, who hit Ajmal for six off the first ball he faced in the day, also completed his second half-century of the match -- the 55th of his career -- with a single off spinner Abdul Rehman.

He then cut loose, hitting Ajmal for two boundaries and a six over long-off in one over as South Africa reached 239-2 at lunch.

Pakistan into semis with crushing win over China

 GUANGZHOU, China: Pakistan reached the Asian Games women's cricket semi-finals on Monday with a nine-wicket rout of China which left the hosts needing to win their last group game to stay alive.

China, who had opened their campaign with a 55-run win over Malaysia, were restricted to just 60-4 when they batted first on Monday with Pakistan cruising to victory in the 13th over.

Huang Zhou and Zhang Mei, with 14 runs each, were China's top scorers against a tight, well-disciplined Pakistan attack.

Javeria Wadood (27 not out) and Nida Rashid (27) put on 60 for the first wicket for Pakistan with Wadood hitting her fourth boundary to bring up victory.

Despite the defeat, Huang revelled in striking a six, a rare achievement in the women's game.

"This was the first six of the Asian Games, but one of our batters did it in India before this tournament," said the opener.

Pakistan bowler Asmavia Khokhar praised her team's fielding which put a brake on the Chinese hopes of setting a big total to chase.

"We protected the boundaries well so they couldn't get too many fours," she said. "They had to settle for just ones and twos."

Pakistan now have two wins in two matches in Group A following their eight-wicket victory over Thailand.

Later Monday, Japan tackle Bangladesh in Group B in a match-up of two sides who won their opening games.

South Africa take control against Pakistan in 1st Test

 DUBAI: South Africa held the upper hand in the first Test against Pakistan after paceman Morne Morkel grabbed five wickets and off-spinner Johan Botha took three on the third day at the Dubai Stadium on Sunday.

South Africa reached 139-2 at stumps to increase their overall lead to 271 with eight wickets in hand and a deteriorating pitch which is likely to take spin and have low bounce as the game progresses.

Hashim Amla, with 44, and Jacques Kallis, on 32, were unbeaten at stumps after Morkel (5-54) and Botha (3-61) helped South Africa wrap up Pakistan's first innings on 248, gaining an overall lead of 132.

Kallis and Amla strengthened South Africa's position during their unfinished 63-run stand for the third wicket to pile pressure on their rivals.

South Africa got off to another confident start of 47 before Graeme Smith (34) and Alviro Petersen (26) fell victim to questionable umpiring decisions by Sri Lankan umpire Asoka de Silva.

Petersen fell in the last over before tea, adjudged leg-before to left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman, while Smith was given leg-before when he tried to sweep against Saeed Ajmal's off-spin, but television replays showed the ball missing the off-stump.

Smith, who made 100 in the first innings, also became the second highest scorer for South Africa in all Test cricket, when on 20 he overhauled former opener Gary Kirten's tally of 7289 (101 Tests).

Smith, playing his 87th Test, is behind Kallis who has scored 11199 in 141 Tests before his second knock in this match.

In the morning session South Africa staged a remarkable fightback.

Morkel, who registered his third five-wicket haul in his 27th Test, built on Botha's three wickets in the first session, removing Azhar Ali (56), Rehman (one), Wahab Riaz (five) and Saeed Ajmal (two) with the second new ball.

Ali fought a lone battle, hitting five boundaries during his defiant 172-ball knock.

Botha had dismissed Younis Khan (35), skipper Misbah-ul-Haq (nine) and Umar Akmal (four) in 38 balls to derail Pakistan who resumed the day at 144-2.

South Africa piled on the pressure with five close-in fielders to keep the batsmen in check and the tactic paid off as Botha induced Younis to drive uppishly towards short mid-wicket, where AB de Villiers pulled off a diving catch.

Younis, playing his first Test since July last year because of a disciplinary ban, hit three boundaries.

Misbah, leading Pakistan for the first time, also fell victim to close-in fielding when a Botha delivery turned sharply and the ensuing edge was picked off by a diving Amla at short-leg.

Umar played a reckless shot trying to loft Botha over long-off but got a leading edge towards point where Steyn took a simple catch before Morkel destroyed the tail-end.

The second Test starts in Abu Dhabi from November 20.

Proteas dismiss Pakistan for 248, gain 132-run lead

 DUBAI: South Africa progressed steadily to increase their lead after paceman Morne Morkel took a five-wicket haul against Pakistan on the third day of the first Test here on Sunday.

South Africa reached 47-1 in their second innings at tea, having an overall lead of 179 after Morkel dismissed Pakistan for 248 with a sustained spell of fast bowling during which he took four wickets for ten runs in seven overs.

Graeme Smith, who hit 100 in the first innings, was unbeaten on 20 as Alviro Petersen fell leg-before to spinner Abdul Rehman for 26 in the last over before the break.

The 26-year-old Morkel, who registered his third five-wicket haul in his 27th Test, helped South Africa take the last five Pakistani wickets in the space of 34 runs after they were 214-5 at lunch.

Morkel, who built on off-spinner Johan Botha's three wicket haul in the first session, fired with the second new-ball, removing Azhar Ali (56), Rehman (one), Wahab Riaz (five) and Saeed Ajmal (two) to finish with 5-54.

His effort gave South Africa, who made 380 in the first innings, a lead of 132.

Ali fought a lone battle, hitting five boundaries during his defiant 172-ball knock.

Earlier, Botha dismissed Younis Khan (35), skipper Misbah-ul-Haq (nine) and Umar Akmal (four) in 38 balls to derail Pakistan who resumed the day at 144-2.

South Africa piled on the pressure with five close-in fielders to keep the batsmen in check and the tactic paid off as Botha induced Younis to drive uppishly towards short mid-wicket, where AB de Villiers pulled off a diving catch.

Younis, playing his first Test since July last year because of a disciplinary ban, hit three boundaries.

Misbah, leading Pakistan for the first time, also fell victim to close-in fielding when a Botha delivery turned sharply and the ensuing edge was picked off by a diving Hashim Amla at short-leg.

Umar played a reckless shot trying to loft Botha over long-off but got a leading edge towards point where Steyn took a simple catch before Morkel destroyed the tail-end.

UK police may recall Pak trio

 LONDON: A British newspaper has claimed that Scotland Yard police may recall Pakistani trio in UK who have been suspended from International cricket due to spot-fixing allegations, Geo News reported late Saturday.

In a report of newspaper, it is claimed that allegedly involved in match and spot-fixing scandal, the Pakistani trio – left handed batsman Salman Butt, rising star and fast bowler Mohammed Aamir and calm pacer Mohammed Asif – back in UK on account of investigation process.

According to report, police handed over the investigation report of players to prosecution.

Gul sparks South Africa collapse in Dubai Test

 DUBAI: Paceman Umar Gul produced an inspired spell of bowling as South Africa collapsed to 365 for nine at lunch on the second day of the first test against Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

During the morning session Gul served up a spell of 3-19 off 8.3 overs as the Proteas suffered a middle-order collapse that saw them lose seven wickets for the addition of just 56 runs.

Gul maintained an excellent line just outside the off stump while he extracted just enough seam movement to trouble the batsmen as he ended the session with figures of 3-92.

Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal chipped in with a wicket while left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman claimed two wickets towards the end of the session as the Proteas threw away the advantage that they had built up on the first day.

Pakistan's performance in the field was made all the more remarkable by the fact that left-arm swing bowler Wahab Riaz was unable to bowl after picking up a side strain on the
opening day.

The Proteas, after resuming on 311-3, lost nightwatchman Paul Harris early, caught at second slip off the bowling of Gul for a duck.

Gul then produced a superb delivery, which nipped back off the seam to bowl AB de Villiers (5) through the gate, before the 26-year-old bowler trapped Ashwell Prince leg-before for one.

South Africa had slipped to 329-6 but if they hoped the end of Gul's spell would lessen the pressure on them they were to be disappointed as Rehman trapped Mark Boucher lbw before Ajmal picked up the important wicket of Jacques Kallis.

Kallis, who had added 20 runs to his overnight score of 53, edged a delivery through to keeper Adnan Akmal before Rehman bowled Johan Botha (10) with a turning delivery that clipped the top of the batsman's off stump.

Rehman went to the break with figures of 3-101.

Pak WC squad to need ICC clearance: ICC

 LAHORE: The announcement of the probables in squad for 2011 World Cup by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), will be subject to the clearance from ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, Geo News reported Saturday.

According to latest reports, the PCB sent the names of 40 to 45 cricketers to the ICC, which will give back to the PCB the names of at least 30 cricketers. The PCB will present these 30 players as probables for World Cup.

The ICC had given the PCB a 30-day deadline - which finishes today - at its last board meeting to implement a series of anti-corruption measures, working in conjunction with the Pakistan Task Team (PTT).

Two teleconferences between the PTT and the PCB since, however, have been enough to suggest that the PCB has taken the ICC's initial warning in the right spirit.

In the time since the warning, the PCB has considerably tightened up player code of conducts, appointed a full-time anti-corruption/security officer, set up an integrity committee and begun the process of the ICC's anti-corruption code of conduct within its domestic set-up.

The players' code of conduct, which they sign before going on any tour, now includes specific references to not making cricket or match-related statements on social network websites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Players have also been told to not register more than two SIMs for mobile phones in whichever country they are touring and each SIM must be registered with the touring management.

Curfew timings are also likely to be enforced more strictly; three players were fined during the Pakistan-South Africa ODI series in the UAE for returning to the hotel only minutes after the curfew time.

The new code of conduct was explained to the side in a detailed, interactive session given by the board's legal advisor Taffazul Rizvi before it left for the UAE.

During the session it was also stressed repeatedly that players must report any previous or future approaches by potentially suspicious characters to team management immediately.

At some point in the near future, the PCB's own anti-corruption code of conduct will come into implementation and will be applicable to all domestic and international cricket.

The documentation for the code, which mirrors that of the ICC, is almost ready though understandably it has to be tweaked to ensure it fits in with the law of the land.

The implementation, which will cover over 2000 first-class players, will take some more time.

The process of educating younger players working at the National Cricket Academy in Gaddafi Stadium on anti-corruption measures is also continuing.

Further unofficial confidence-building measures have come in the absence of Danish Kaneria and Kamran Akmal from the national side.

Both players have been under corruption clouds this summer; Kaneria has been cleared by Essex police in a spot-fixing investigation in county cricket and Akmal was sent a notice by the ACSU after the World T20 in May.

The board has said only that Kaneria wasn't given clearance to tour the UAE by the new Integrity committee.

Akmal, for official purposes, was unfit following an appendix operation before the South Africa series but has since been playing domestic cricket; tellingly, Zulqarnain Haider's sudden departure earlier this week resulted in a call-up not for Kamran, but his younger brother Adnan Akmal.

The ICC has denied having any say in these decisions, maintaining that they are internal matters of selection.

The two teleconferences held so far between the two sides are believed to have been healthy, productive ones.

Publicly, the ICC's thoughts reveal progress in Pakistan.

The first meeting with the PTT on October 23 resulted in the ICC giving a cautious nod of approval to the PCB's efforts.

By the second meeting, on November 7, the head of the PTT Giles Clarke and the ICC were more effusive in their praise.

The original warning, it is believed, was also prompted by the PCB's delay in recognising the original Pakistan Task Force, when it was set up in January 2009.

Then, a reluctant and suspicious board had only agreed to work with the force after the terror attacks on the Sri Lanka team in Lahore in March that year.

The intention this time was to ensure the PCB would be on-board as soon as possible, which now appears to have succeeded.

Talk of sanctions, in light of increasing cooperation between the PCB and the PTT, has thus receded.

The next teleconference is expected to be held on November 21, after which the PTT will eventually report to the ICC board on the measures Pakistan has taken, though that is not expected to happen until close to the 2011 World Cup.