Pakistan v England: Third ODI live scorecard

Posted on February 18, 2012 by adminsports

Pakistan v England: Follow the latest score from the third ODI in Dubai

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England are out to wrap up the series when they take on Pakistan in the third one-day international in Dubai today.

Leading 2-0, victory will hand them the series to make up for the whitewash in the Test matches.

Alastair Cook lost his first toss of the series, though, and England therefore found themselves beginning with ball rather than bat for the first time too.

Click HERE for the live score from Dubai

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Umar Akmal, Adnan Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Aizaz Cheema.

England: Alastair Cook (captain), Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott, Ravi Bopara, Eoin Morgan, Craig Kieswetter, Samit Patel, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Steven Finn and James Anderson.

Umpires: Aleem Dar, Pakistan, and Simon Taufel, Australia.

TV umpire: Kumar Dharmasena, Sri Lanka.

Match referee: Jeff Crowe, New Zealand.

Kevin Pietersen won"t let DRS ruin his career

Posted on February 18, 2012 by adminsports

I won't let DRS ruin my game, says defiant KP as clock ticks on ODI career

Kevin Pietersen has blamed the decision-review system for the run of woeful form that threatens his England one-day place at least, but vowed to conquer his biggest challenge.

Pietersen is enduring his worst spell since he exploded on to the international scene seven years ago and desperately needs runs during the rest of this tour, starting with Saturday’s third one-day international here in Dubai, if he is to have a future in 50-over cricket.

He says he is remodelling his technique to cope with technology that, on this tour at least, has overturned the tradition of batsmen receiving the benefit of the doubt.

Looking to improve: Kevin Pietersen has failed to impress as an opener

As a sandstorm raged in Dubai, Pietersen
addressed the storm created by his inability to cope with the spin of
Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman on this tour.

‘I’ve played a lot of cricket for England but this has been very hard,’
he said. ‘Batters have had to worry about the DRS, worry about the ball
hitting your pad and having to change technique to try to counter it.
The benefit of the doubt is certainly not with the batter now, which is
quite sad.’

Pietersen insists that even though he has appeared a distracted, almost
isolated, figure at times here he is relishing a battle he has to win,
even though he still has credit in the bank in Test cricket after
averaging close to 70 last year.

DRS woes: Pietersen is not a fan of lbw technology

‘We think it’s tragic that this is happening but I’m actually at a stage
of my career where it’s quite nice,’ he said. ‘It’s something for me to
really go hard at and try to perfect. I’ve been having real good
conversations with Andy Flower because we talk proper batting.

‘It’s not as simple as saying I’ve just got to use my bat rather than
pad because you have to check the line of the stumps. Batters now think
they have four or five stumps to try to defend. But it’s fun. It’s new
and I’m loving coming to training and learning this stuff. And it will
only really affect things in the sub-continent. In England, where the
ball bounces and comes on to the bat, it won’t be the same.

‘The wheel’s not in my favour at the moment. All batsmen need to get
runs, of course they do, but if you get them, you get them and if you
don’t, you don’t. That’s how I look at it now. I’m 100 per cent
confident that the wheel will turn again. Only a cricketer will
understand me when I say that I feel in very good form. I’m just not
getting the rub of the green and I’m working on something. It’s not a
complete remodelling of technique. It’s very simple. I’m going in at the
moment and if I can get to 20 I’m hoping it will be a case of “see you
later” for the bowlers.’

Frustration: Pietersen throws his bat in the air after being dismissed by Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal

Pietersen, who wants to open the batting in one-day cricket permanently,
says that umpire Simon Taufel, who has reservations about DRS, said
sorry for giving him out lbw to his old nemesis Rehman in the final
Test.

‘Simon came and apologised to me the next morning in Dubai. He asked me
if he was still on my Christmas card list and I said, “Don’t worry about
it, it’s fine”. He’s given a decision he wouldn’t have given before
Hawk-Eye and the benefit of the doubt has gone to the bowler. It
shouldn’t be umpire’s call when it’s just clipping the leg-stump. It
should be not out. I really think it’s very unfair.’

Pietersen, who believes that Rehman in particular will be nowhere near
as effective away from sub-continental conditions, insists he has a
fatalistic approach to the remainder of his England career and the
criticism he attracts. ‘What will be will be. I have absolutely no
interest in criticism these days. I used to. But now people can say what
they want because my skin is very, very thick.

Practice makes perfect: Pietersen during an England nets session

‘Fitness and form are two huge things in a sportsman’s life and at the
moment I’m very fit. As soon as form catches fitness we’ll have much
better press conferences.’

The rest of this tour will go a long way to defining the next chapter of the eventful Kevin Pietersen story.

Pakistan v England: Second ODI live scorecard

Posted on February 15, 2012 by adminsports

Pakistan v England: Follow the latest score from the second ODI in Abu Dhabi

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England return to the Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi looking for more of the same after beating Pakistan by 130 runs in the ODI series opener on Monday.

Alastair Cook hit a career-best 137 before Steven Finn ripped into the Pakistan top order as England laid down an early marker in the four-match series.

England won the toss and chose to bat.

CLICK HERE FOR THE MATCH SCORECARD

Pakistan
Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq
(capt), Umar Akmal (wk), Shahid Afridi, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Saeed
Ajmal, Aizaz Cheema

England
Alastair Cook (capt), Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott, Ravi Bopara,
Eoin Morgan, Craig Kieswetter (wk), Samit Patel, Stuart Broad, Graeme
Swann, James Anderson, Steven Finn

Cricket: Lions fail to bite in Abu Dhabi

Posted on February 11, 2012 by adminsports

Lions fail to bite in bizarre warm-up for Ajmal in Abu Dhabi

England found the perfect solution to their batting problems on Friday — they faced up to English bowling.

The result was a damp squib of a one-day warm-up match as England coasted to a contrived victory over their own second-string Lions side which will mean little when they again come up against Pakistan and Saeed Ajmal on Monday.

While Pakistan took part in a proper one-day international under lights against Afghanistan in front of a packed crowd in Sharjah, the next generation of England players were being exposed here by their seniors.

Back in the runs: Kevin Pietersen looked in better form on Friday

Not exactly a case of daylight robbery, but it was odd that England did not take the chance to replicate conditions they will face in their four-match day-night series.

England bowled first at the early start time of 9.15am, when there was moisture in the surface and zip off the pitch, but it was disappointing to see emerging talents like Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, James Vince and Alex Hales failing to make any sort of impact.

There has been nothing wrong with England’s bowling throughout this chastening tour and Steven Finn and Jade Dernbach, two seamers who played no part in the Test series, took six Lions wickets between them on a helpful Sheik Zayed Stadium pitch where Tim Bresnan managed five overs on his return from injury.

So poor was the effort of a Lions team coming off the back of a successful tour of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka that they could muster only 96 all out, albeit 24 more than England scored when last here.

That was such a paltry target for an England team in desperate need of time in the middle that the management abandoned their policy of playing ‘proper’ warm-up games and set themselves the challenge of 230 in 50 overs.

Turning his arm over: Samit Patel bowls in Abu Dhabi on Friday

Even that was a sign of fragile English confidence because they should have tried to reach in excess of 300 to give themselves a real taste of what will be in store against Pakistan.

Instead, their need to make sure they recorded a victory, any victory, was betrayed by their very English 50-over chase, one the seniors completed by seven wickets with 25 balls remaining.

It was encouraging to see Kevin Pietersen responding to his new one-day opener’s role by playing authoritatively for his brisk 41, even though the Lions tried to fox him by opening the bowling with a left-arm spinner in Danny Briggs.

Alastair Cook, a success in his new role as one-day captain last summer, was efficient in his 68 off 91 balls, Ravi Bopara came in at No 4, hitting 36 off 45 and Jonathan Trott did what he always does in batting at his own pace to lead England home with an unbeaten 75.

But given the task ahead, it was hardly the test England needed.

Meanwhile, in a proper game of cricket…

Looking good: Younis Khan on his way to a half century (above) and Pakistan supporters celebrate in Sharjah (below)

Looking good: Younis Khan on his way to a half century (above) and Pakistan supporters celebrate in Sharjah (below)

Pakistan fans

Worcestershire re-sign Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal

Posted on February 9, 2012 by adminsports

Not you again! County batsmen set for torrid summer as Pakistan spinner Ajmal re-signs

Worcestershire have re-signed England's Test destroyer, Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal, for part of the 2012 season, the county have confirmed.

Ajmal is linking up with Worcestershire as their second overseas player for the Friends Life T20 campaign.

He will join forces with Australian Test batsman, Phil Hughes, who is with Worcestershire for the entire 2012 season.

England's destroyer: Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal (left)

Ajmal spent the second half of last season at New Road and helped the Royals to avoid instant relegation from Division One of the LV County Championship after being promoted for the first time.

He also picked up 16 T20 wickets at an average of just over 11 runs apiece and is currently ranked the second best T20 bowler in the ICC world rankings.

Ajmal has showed his potency in the New Year by taking 24 wickets in Pakistan's 3-0 whitewash victory over Andrew Strauss's side in Dubai. This included career best Test figures of 7-55 in the opening game of the series.

Game for a laugh: Ajmal (left) shares a joke with coach Mohsin Khan in Sharjah

Worcestershire director of Cricket, Steve Rhodes, said: 'Saeed showed last summer when playing for us what a quality bowler he is.

'His recent performances against England only serve to back this up.

'We are delighted that he has agreed to return to New Road for a second time.'

Ajmal said: 'I really enjoyed my time at New Road in 2011 and look forward to returning this summer to help inspire the club to Twenty20 success.'

The 33-year-old verbally agreed to return to Worcestershire after talks before and after Christmas and has now put pen to paper.

England v Pakistan, third Test, day three, Dubai

Posted on February 5, 2012 by adminsports

LIVE: England v Pakistan – day three of the third Test in Dubai as it happens

Stay up to date with all the action on
day three of the third Test between England and Pakistan with Sportsmail's
unrivalled team. We'll deliver over-by-over coverage as the action
unfolds at the Dubai International Stadium while our brilliant team of
writers will update with their insights from the ground.

England v Pakistan: Essentials

England: Andrew Strauss (c), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior (w), Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Monty Panesar.

1st innings: 141

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal (w), Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Aizaz Cheema.

1st innings: 99

Umpires: Simon Taufel and Steve Davis

Click here for a full scorecard

86th over: Pakistan 227-2 (Azhar 80, Younus 115)

That'll be three maidens in a row… neither seamer is looking particularly threatening and both batsmen seem comfortable getting their eyes in again.

85th over: Pakistan 227-2 (Azhar 80, Younus 115)

Anderson bottom-edges trying to shoulder arms to Anderson and picks up a single to third man. This pitch looks pretty docile, even with the new ball. Maiden.

84th over: Pakistan 226-2 (Azhar 79, Younus 115)

Broad manages to get Younus to flirt with a couple outside off but the centurion avoids the nick. Nice shape away from the right-hander from Broad who bowls a tidy maiden.

83rd over: Pakistan 226-2 (Azhar 79, Younus 115)

It's Jimmy Anderson to open the bowling for England… Azhar picks up where he left off yesterday with a watchful couple of leaves and blocks before flicking Jimmy in front of square for two. Azhar then knocks another two through midwicket off the last ball of the over. Not much movement for Anderson.

5.57am: Good morning all and welcome to Sportsmail's live coverage of the third day of the third test between England and Pakistan in Dubai. Can England break this fine partnership between Younus Khan and Azhar Ali and reignite their dwindling hopes of a face-saving win

Down and out Another Test match is slowly slipping from England's grasp

England v Pakistan, day four, second Test, Abu Dhabi

Posted on January 28, 2012 by adminsports

LIVE: England v Pakistan – the action on day four of the second Test in Abu Dhabi

Stay up to date with all the action on
day four of the second Test between England and Pakistan with
Sportsmail's unrivalled team. We'll deliver over-by-over coverage as the
action unfolds at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi while our brilliant team of writers
will update with their insights from the ground. Email your thoughts to joe.ridge@dailymail.co.uk or tweet @joeridge87

England v Pakistan – the essentials

England:
Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian
Bell, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Jimmy
Anderson, Monty Panesar.

1st innings: 327

Pakistan:
Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq,
Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid
Khan.

1st innings: 257

Umpires: Bruce Oxenford and Steve Davis

Click here for the latest scorecard

67th over: Pakistan 130-4 (Azhar 51, Shafiq 35)

Broad continues his spell…

66th over: Pakistan 130-4 (Azhar 51, Shafiq 35)

Panesar comes into the attack… he was outstanding yesterday. In other news, Jonathan Trott is off the field feeling ill and Steven Finn is on in place of him. Azhar works a single to midwicket. Close! Beautiful bowling from Panesar who beats Shafiq's outside edge, one from the over.

65th over: Pakistan 129-4 (Azhar 50, Shafiq 35)

Broad into his second over of the day. Shafiq dangerously mistimes a drive on the up but it falls short of Pietersen at short extra cover. Tight bowling from Broad who has conceded just 17 runs from his 13 overs. Maiden.

64th over: Pakistan 129-4 (Azhar 50, Shafiq 35)

Lots of turn for Swann but Azhar is able to work him to square leg for two to bring up his 50. Half a chance for Cook at short leg as Azhar hits it against his shin.

63rd over: Pakistan 127-4 (Azhar 48, Shafiq 35)

Stuart Broad is given the ball by Strauss. No wickets yet for him in this innings but he was very economical on day three… Shafiq is 26 by the way in case you were wondering, his partner in the middle is the same age and these two are seen as the future of Pakistani batting… they need to be the present here today though. It's very foggy out there, no movement for Broad though. One from the over.

62nd over: Pakistan 126-4 (Azhar 47, Shafiq 35)

England open up with the spin of Swann and Azhar works him to leg for a single off the day's first ball. Birthday boy Shafiq rather uncomfortably sees off the rest of the over.

Packed house: Day three was the busiest of the series so far

5.58am: The players are out in the middle, it's very overcast out in Abu Dhabi… here we go.

5.54am: Excitement building now… All the talk is that there is a bit of moisture around and it's a fine morning to bowl. Let's hope that's true and Anderson and Broad can get some joy, there was nothing in this wicket for them yesterday with the spinners claiming all of the wickets so far.

5.45am: So, Pakistan lead by 55 runs as it stands with six second inning wickets left. What lead do you think England need to restrict the hosts to to ensure that they level the series Email or tweet your thoughts…

5.35am: Before play gets underway at 6.00am GMT why not read the insights from our team of writers out in the UAE… Chief cricket correspondent Paul Newman – who will be sending his views from the Sheikh Zayed stadium throughout today's proceedings – writes his report on day three here. Martin Samuel writes from what was a rare full house in the UAE yesterday here. Nasser Hussain states the case for Stuart Broad being England's main man here. And David Lloyd gives his alternative views on another day in the desert here.

5.30am: Good morning all and welcome to our live coverage of the fourth day of this fascinating Test between England and Pakistan in Abu Dhabi. The match has ebbed and flowed over the last three days but it is the tourists who currently find themselves in the driving seat. That being said, Pakistan youngsters Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq have put on an impressive 50 partnership to leave the outcome of the match far from a certainty. England will be hoping to break that partnership and clear up the Pakistani tail as quickly as possible today to leave themselves a gettable run chase on what has proved to be a brilliant Test match wicket.

Jumping for joy: Monty Panesar picked up three wickets on day three

Nasser Hussain: Broad can drive England on to victory

Posted on January 28, 2012 by adminsports

Broad can drive England on to victory

Stuart Broad is becoming an absolutely fantastic cricketer.

I love the drive and dedication he
shows off the field, like going on a 2,000-calories-a-day diet while
England were in India so that he could prepare as thoroughly as possible
for this series after injury.

Scroll down for more

Growing in stature: Stuart Broad hits out

Then he went to South Africa and got
ready to bowl and when you compare that with, say, the way Steve
Harmison once turned up in Australia unprepared to bowl the first ball
of an Ashes series, you know you are dealing with a seriously
disciplined cricketer.

I would have loved to have had Broad in my England side when I was captain.

England v Pakistan, day three, second Test, Abu Dhabi

Posted on January 27, 2012 by adminsports

LIVE: England v Pakistan – the action on day three of the second Test in Abu Dhabi

Stay up to date with all the action on
day three of the second Test between England and Pakistan with
Sportsmail's unrivalled team. We'll deliver over-by-over coverage as the
action unfolds at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi while our brilliant team of writers
will update with their insights from the ground. Email your thoughts to joe.ridge@dailymail.co.uk or tweet @joeridge87

England v Pakistan – the essentials

England:
Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian
Bell, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Jimmy
Anderson, Monty Panesar.

Pakistan:
Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq,
Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid
Khan.

1st innings: 257

Umpires: Bruce Oxenford and Steve Davis

Click here for the latest scorecard

88th over: England 223-5 (Bell 17, Prior 3)

Half a chance for Rehman as Bell belts one back at him, but he did well to even get a finger on it. The ball races away for four. That's followed by another four as Bell cuts a short and wide one from Rehman.

87th over: England 215-5 (Bell 9, Prior 3)

Shot! Bell elegantly drives through the covers for three. What a terrible drop! Prior skies a sweep to Junaid Khan at fine leg who inexplicably fumbles an absolute dolly.

86th over: England 210-5 (Bell 5, Prior 2)

Abdur Rehman to Ian Bell… who paddles the left-arm spinner for one. Ooh! Plenty of turn for Rehman who beats Prior's outside edge. Prior responds with a sweep to square leg for two to get off the mark. Three from the over.

85th over: England 207-5 (Bell 4, Prior 0)

Here we go… Prior blocks the first ball of the day.

5.55am: Saeed Ajmal has one ball left to bowl in the 85th over to start the day. Prior is on strike facing his first ball – how England would love him to replicate his 70 not out score in the first innings of the first Test.

5.50am: Bit of a cliche this but the first hour really is crucial today. With the game so evenly poised either a cluster of wickets for Pakistan or a decent partnership for England could change the dynamic of the game.

5.35am: A late flurry of wickets for Pakistan in yesterday's evening session has left the match balanced on a knife-edge. England trail the hosts' first innings score by 50 runs with five wickets intact, but have two new batsmen at the crease in the form of Ian Bell and Matt Prior and face an attack buoyed by picking up the wicket of Eoin Morgan in the last over on day two.

5.30am: Good morning all and welcome to Sportsmail's live coverage of the third day of the second Test between England and Pakistan.

Nemesis: Ajmal took three wickets late on day two to swing the game Pakistan's way

Nasser Hussain: Full marks for turning to No 2

Posted on January 26, 2012 by adminsports

Full marks for turning to No 2

It was fascinating to be out in the middle five minutes before the toss on Wednesday to see Andy Flower walk up to Andrew Strauss and say, ‘Which way are you going to go’

The captain replied, ‘Two and two’, meaning that he wanted two seamers and two spinners in his side. It showed both how late England made their decision to pick Monty Panesar and that it was very much Strauss’s choice.

It was absolutely the right one. To be honest, if England hadn’t picked Panesar on this pitch they would never have picked him and Monty repaid the captain’s faith by bowling really well.

Late call: Andrew Strauss left his team selection until the last minute

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