Pakistan cricket needs young blood, says Wasim

Former Pakistan captain and legendry pacer Wasim Akram has said that Pakistan lost the second Test against Australia in Sydney because of scare of defeat and urged the selectors to induct new blood in the team. In an exclusive interview with Deutsche Welle Urdu Service, Wasim, before leaving for India, said that in order to win Test matches against powerful teams one needed special talent, skill, passion and mental fitness. The present Pakistan side lacks these traits. Unlike Twenty20 and one-dayers, Test cricket is like a long race,” he added.Wasim suggested that cricket authorities of the country should give chance to new players after consistent failure of the senior players. “When the seniors are creating problems for the team and getting out after making only few runs then why not include younger players as they will learn in a year and serve the country for at least two decades. And for this purpose, captain, cricket board and selectors must sit together, communicate and plan. But, unfortunately, I can’t see that happening.” Due to security problems and foreign teams’ refusal to play in Pakistan, Pakistan hosted only one complete Test match in the last 27 months and according to Wasim playing away from home and lack of Test cricket was also one of the reasons of Sydney debacle. “They have played very few Test matches especially on the home soil and that’s why players are short of confidence,” maintained Wasim, who claimed 916 wickets in both forms of the game.Defending skipper Mohammad Yousuf defensive moves on the decisive day of the Sydney Test, Wasim said no body was born a leader. “Yousuf is an inexperienced captain and made few mistakes. But he will learn art of captaincy in the long run.” Wasim said coaches Intikhab Alam, Waqar Younus and Aaqib Javed should have told Yousuf when he was getting too defensive and what mistakes he was making. About wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal lapses, Wasim said Kamran was a wonderful and talented cricketer. “Last year his wicketkeeping seemed to be improving but he had a bad day at Sydney. Hopefully, he will work hard more because Pakistan team needs players like Kamran.” Commenting on Pakistan’s domestic cricket structure, Wasim said Pakistan had experienced regional system that was not successful because one cannot have control over regions. “Even players were deprived of their money which perhaps goes to officials. On the other hand, departments groom players by giving them jobs and players are more relaxed. But over all its a tough call for the cricket board and requires a lot of time for introducing a new domestic system and no one has time for this in this country.” Wasim advised the PCB to hold day-night one-day and Twenty20 domestic matches to keep things going and attract people in stadiums. Wasim Akram urged both India and Pakistan to hold a Test series. “Indo-Pak Test series is imperative because these matches not only generate revenue but also interest on both sides of the border,” he concluded.

LAHORE:

Source :- Daily times.com.pk

Cricket World Cup 2011 trophy unveiled in Dhaka

The countdown for the 2011 Cricket World Cup has begun officially with the unveiling of the trophy at a ceremony in the Bangabandhu Conference Centre in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is hosting the tournament jointly with India and Sri Lanka.
Sharad Pawar, the chairman of the 2011 Cricket World Cup Central Organising Committee, formally handed over the trophy to the presidents of the relevant cricket boards: AHM Mustafa Kamal of Bangladesh; Shashank Manohar of India; and Somachandra de Silva of Sri Lanka.
International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive officer Haroon Lorgat was also present at the ceremony.
The tournament will begin on February 17, 2011, with Bangladesh hosting the opening ceremony.
India will host 29 matches of the 14-nation tournament at eight venues; Sri Lanka will host 12 matches at three venues; and Bangladesh will host eight games at two places.

DHAKA:

By ANI
Sunday, January 10, 2010 11:52 IST

Source :- dnaindia.com

Drop Sachin or keep Sourav? cricket selector's job : A Interview with Kiran More in IBN LIVE

Their decisions are more closely scrutinised than the PM’s cabinet
picks. Kiran More, former chairperson of India’s cricket selection committee, gives us a peek behind the scenes.

Forbes India: How strong is the pressure to prop the region from which the selector comes?
Kiran More: A lot. People from various associations call up and ask why their players have not been chosen; there is emotional pressure as you are the representative of a particular Zone. But your loyalty has to be for the Indian cricket team.
Forbes India: How big is the role of the captain during selection?
Kiran More: The captain plays an extremely vital role; it is he who has to be out in the field with the team. We make sure that we accommodate his views. But the selectors are the ones who spot the talent and have seen most of the players play, and therefore have a perspective that the captain cannot. We are responsible for making sure that there is a strong bench. So sometimes we have to put our foot down.
Forbes India: Do selectors pick players who put pressure in unconventional ways, bordering on foul play?
Kiran More: Players who have a slightly different character or an attitude do tend to have an edge. It is useful to have some one like Sreesanth, Harbhajan or Yuvraj in the team because of the kind of aggression that they have. Being nice is not always an asset. But this certainly cannot be the major reason that a player is chosen.
Forbes India: Did the selection committee ever consider dropping Sachin for poor form?
Kiran More: No. We have, especially in 2004-05, considered resting him to protect him from injury. He was at that time, passing through a bad health patch. But never for any other reason.
Forbes India: How much should a selector be paid if it has to become a truly independent job?
Kiran More: The job is demanding, takes a physical toll, with travel throughout the year. And the person has to have a strong character and a lot of people skills. I would say that Rs 40 lakh a year is a fair amount.
Forbes India: Typically, how many chances does a youngster have?
Eight to nine matches, which is a fair duration to judge performance.
Forbes India: Is international cricket experience necessary for selectors?
Kiran More: Not at all. A player with 15 to 20 years of Ranji Trophy matches is sufficiently skilled to spot a good, talented player.
Forbes India: Why did the selectors not back Sourav Ganguly in the feud with Greg Chappell?
Kiran More: There was no question of backing Greg Chappell. He had made some suggestions as he thought fit, but the selectors independently thought that it was time to drop Sourav for a number of reasons. Chappell had no right to decide who should or should not be selected.
Forbes India: Why did Rahul Dravid quit the captaincy just when it looked like he was going to be at that job for a few years?
Kiran More: That is a question that only Rahul can answer. He is a dear friend, but I can’t really speak on his behalf.
(Compiled by Divya Subramaniam)

Published on Sat, Jan 09, 2010 at 14:44, Updated on Sat, Jan 09, 2010 at 18:41 in Sports section

Source :-Ibnlive.in.com

Pakistan dropped test over $5000

BRAD Haddin's mentor Steve Rixon revealed how he offered to help coach besieged Pakistan gloveman Kamran Akmal - but he was rejected because the Pakistan Cricket Board refused to pay a $5000 fee.
As the deflated tourists sent an SOS for deputy wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed, The Sunday Telegraph has learned former Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson was so concerned about Akmal's technical flaws he contacted Rixon in 2008.
Rixon, a former Test gloveman, agreed in principle to help Akmal, only to be knocked back when the PCB insisted it would not meet his asking price.
Lawson said the decision had returned to haunt Pakistan, who crashed to a second Test defeat last Wednesday after Akmal endured a nightmare behind the stumps by dropping four second-innings catches. "I would have absolutely helped him," said Rixon, who played 13 Tests and is renowned as one of world cricket's finest wicketkeeping coaches.
"Henry (Lawson) actually rang me when he was the Pakistan coach, trying to get me to work with Akmal. But it didn't eventuate because the board was counting their pennies. At the time, I had ICL (Indian Cricket League) commitments in India, I wasn't far away and there was a window of opportunity for me to help Kamran, which I was more than happy to do.
"Look at the two keepers (Haddin and Akmal) and their performances in that (Sydney) Test and it was the difference. Brad was great and if Kamran takes one of those four dropped catches, it's all over, Pakistan win the Test.
"I wasn't asking for much, it was petty, but for whatever reason the PCB didn't want a bar of it. They deserve everything they get."
A veteran of 48 Tests, Akmal is in danger of being axed for this week's third Test in Hobart, with Sarfraz, his deputy on last month's tour of New Zealand, summoned from Pakistan.
It has also emerged former Pakistan gloveman Rashid Latif advised the PCB last year to stand down Akmal for six months to improve his weight and keeping skills. But Lawson saw danger signs well before then.
After Akmal struggled for confidence following a series against India in November 2007, Lawson phoned Rixon. He says he was left bitterly disappointed when his request for coaching assistance was scuppered by Pakistan cricket's governing body.
"I asked the PCB to get Steve on board but they wouldn't come up with the money," recalls Lawson, who was sacked as coach last year. BRAD Haddin's mentor Steve Rixon revealed how he offered to help coach besieged Pakistan gloveman Kamran Akmal - but he was rejected because the Pakistan Cricket Board refused to pay a $5000 fee.
As the deflated tourists sent an SOS for deputy wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed, The Sunday Telegraph has learned former Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson was so concerned about Akmal's technical flaws he contacted Rixon in 2008.
Rixon, a former Test gloveman, agreed in principle to help Akmal, only to be knocked back when the PCB insisted it would not meet his asking price.
Lawson said the decision had returned to haunt Pakistan, who crashed to a second Test defeat last Wednesday after Akmal endured a nightmare behind the stumps by dropping four second-innings catches. "I would have absolutely helped him," said Rixon, who played 13 Tests and is renowned as one of world cricket's finest wicketkeeping coaches.
"Henry (Lawson) actually rang me when he was the Pakistan coach, trying to get me to work with Akmal. But it didn't eventuate because the board was counting their pennies. At the time, I had ICL (Indian Cricket League) commitments in India, I wasn't far away and there was a window of opportunity for me to help Kamran, which I was more than happy to do.
"Look at the two keepers (Haddin and Akmal) and their performances in that (Sydney) Test and it was the difference. Brad was great and if Kamran takes one of those four dropped catches, it's all over, Pakistan win the Test.
"I wasn't asking for much, it was petty, but for whatever reason the PCB didn't want a bar of it. They deserve everything they get."
A veteran of 48 Tests, Akmal is in danger of being axed for this week's third Test in Hobart, with Sarfraz, his deputy on last month's tour of New Zealand, summoned from Pakistan.
It has also emerged former Pakistan gloveman Rashid Latif advised the PCB last year to stand down Akmal for six months to improve his weight and keeping skills. But Lawson saw danger signs well before then.
After Akmal struggled for confidence following a series against India in November 2007, Lawson phoned Rixon. He says he was left bitterly disappointed when his request for coaching assistance was scuppered by Pakistan cricket's governing body.
"I asked the PCB to get Steve on board but they wouldn't come up with the money," recalls Lawson, who was sacked as coach last year.
By Peter Badel
From: The Sunday Telegraph
January 09, 2010 11:23PM
Source :- The daily telegraph