Tag Archives: frontier

World Twenty20 minnows Afghanistan target England upset

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War-ravaged minnows Afghanistan target upset over England in World Twenty20

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UPDATED:

08:54 GMT, 18 September 2012

Rising from the ruins of war to
challenge the world's cricketing establishment, Afghanistan's rag-tag
team hope to inspire the conflict-ravaged nation with a strong showing
at the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka.

Afghanistan take on the might of
India in their first group match in Colombo on Wednesday, having
qualified for their second successive T20 World Cup.

Feeling the pressure: Afghanistan captain Nawroz Mangal

Feeling the pressure: Afghanistan captain Nawroz Mangal

The team's success against the odds, with many of its players born during the 1979-1989 Soviet occupation and knowing little of peace in their home nation, has drawn legions of Afghan youth to take up the game in recent years, according to captain Nawroz Mangal.

Mangal said some 70,000 youngsters had started playing cricket after his team's breakthrough qualification for the 2010 T20 World Cup in West Indies.

'Right now it is more than 500,000,' Mangal said, referring to the country's cricket-playing population.

'After participating in this World Cup, if we do better I expect 30 to 40 percent of the population to start playing cricket.'

Mangal led the team to a 51-run victory against a Sri Lanka 'A' team on Saturday, with vice captain Mohammad Nabi scoring a 22-ball half-century with five sixes and wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Shahzad compiling a similarly quickfire 48.

Born in a refugee camp in the Pakistani frontier city of Peshawar, all rounder Nabi started playing cricket aged 10.

'I played a lot of school cricket there as well as street cricket and everywhere with a tennis ball in Peshawar,' 27-year-old Nabi said.

He made his first-class debut with the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 2007, having caught former England captain Mike Gatting's eye by scoring a century against the team during a tour of India.

Confident: Afghanistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad

Confident: Afghanistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad

'There is a lot of improvement in Afghanistan cricket,' said Nabi, who played a leading role in securing the national team's berth at the 2010 T20 World Cup.

'Everyone likes cricket. There are a lot of fans now. We will try hard in this tournament to do something for our nation and we want to win one match and go to the Super Eight (round).'

Despite lacking basic infrastructure and having to play international matches in neighboring Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, the team are feeling the burden of expectation from hopeful home fans, according to wicketkeeper Shahzad.

'The people want us to win everything in the World Cup, because people can't understand cricket,' said Shahzad, who plays for Nangarhar Cricket Club in the eastern city of Jalalabad, where one of the country's two main cricket grounds is located.

Afghanistan were eliminated from the 2010 tournament in the first round after losing both of their group matches to India and South Africa.

They face another uphill battle to break into the 'Super Eight' second round in Sri Lanka, with defending champions England the third member of their Group A. Afghanistan face England on Friday.

Shahzad said their team had worked out the weaknesses in both their of the both opponents.

'England struggle a little bit against spinners. India have a very good batting line up, but they don't have a good bowling (attack),' he said. 'India every time go for part-time bowlers.'

With violence at its worst levels since US-backed forces ousted the Islamist Taliban in 2001, Afghanistan skipper Mangal said he hoped his team could help bring stability to the war-torn country.

'This would be a positive sign to bring the youth into sports instead of them having wrong influences,' he said.

'I would say this could be a positive step towards bring peace to the country as well.'

Andrew Strauss in trouble if England flop again

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Another England flop in second Test against Sri Lanka and captain Strauss is in trouble

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UPDATED:

22:16 GMT, 1 April 2012

England did their best on Sunday to
insist Tuesday's second Test is 'just another match' but the stakes
could barely be higher for a once all-conquering team suddenly in
desperate need of a win.

Defeat and another batting failure
for Andrew Strauss at the historic P Sara Oval here would have immense
repercussions for an England side who were supposed to conquer their
final frontier this winter but instead are close to being back to square
one.

Testing time: Strauss is in need of a score but he looked good in the nets

Testing time: Strauss is in need of a score but he looked good in the nets

Testing time: Strauss is in need of a score but he looked good in the nets

If Sri Lanka win or even draw at the ground where their very first Test was staged against Keith Fletcher's England 30 years ago then England's hard-earned world No 1 status will have gone and serious questions will be asked of Strauss's longevity as leader.

Strauss looked good in the nets on Sunday, sweeping regularly and productively, but then he has looked in decent nick all winter without coming close to that elusive century that would remove any doubts about his right to carry on for at least this summer.

This is a similar situation to the one Strauss found himself in four years ago when he approached the second innings of the final Test against New Zealand in Napier needing a big score to save his career.

He had been dropped for the tour of Sri Lanka that preceded it and found life in New Zealand very tough until, just when he needed it most, he made a glorious return to form with the most important century of his life.

Strauss has rarely looked back since. Until now.

Backing his captain: Jonathan Trott

Backing his captain: Jonathan Trott

It is not accurate to say that he is again batting for his future now, not least because he retains the full support of Andy Flower, Hugh Morris and the ECB and every member of his team, including heir apparent Alastair Cook.

There is not a single player who does not respect Strauss as a leader of immense stature and integrity who has taken them to the top of the world.

'I don't think this is any more important a game for Andrew Strauss than any other,' insisted Jonathan Trott, the one batsman to do his job properly in the first Test defeat at Galle, after his extended net on Sunday.

'He is our captain and that's the way it is. I don't think we see a situation where he's not our leader.

'Everyone has their ups and downs in cricket and you can look at when Alastair Cook struggled before scoring all those runs on an Ashes tour. Cricket can be cruel but that little bit of luck will soon come Andrew's way and everyone will then be very happy for him.'

Yet it is the doubts that may build in Strauss's own mind that will threaten the long-term future of one of the most successful captains in England's history if he and his team fail again now.

The first problem that England face is one of their more tricky selection posers, complicated by the return home injured of Stuart Broad, whose control and penetration alongside Jimmy Anderson has allowed England to field just two seamers all winter.

Gamble: Steve Finn has not had much experience

Gamble: Steve Finn has not had much experience

Steven Finn, much improved and unlucky not to have played more Tests, is the natural replacement for Broad, but his lack of experience and, at times, control increase the sense of a gamble that his inclusion in a two-seamer, two-spinner attack would represent.

Tim Bresnan is a strong candidate to join Anderson and Finn, not least because England have won each of the 10 Tests he has played in and that sense of the Yorkshireman being a lucky charm is just what England need now after four straight Test defeats.

Needs to find form: Matt Prior

Needs to find form: Matt Prior

My preference would be to leave out Samit Patel, while assuring him that it is no reflection on his debut in Galle, and play both Finn and Bresnan in a proper five-man attack, backing a top six which would again include Matt Prior finally to come good.

Yes, there has been little wrong with England's bowling from a fourman attack all winter and the batting has been the problem.

However, in a must-win game England need every attacking resource at their disposal and Bresnan is perfectly capable of batting at seven.

England are more likely to just bring Finn in for Broad or, if the bit of bounce that seemed to be in the P Sara wicket on Sunday remains, add Bresnan too but leave out Monty Panesar instead of Patel.

No option is ideal but a difficult call has to be made.

Whatever England do at this intimate little ground the onus will be on the under-performing batsmen to get it right, starting with Strauss winning the toss and then going out to prove that his game really is not in decline.

An awful lot may depend on it.

TV: Tuesday, Sky Sports 1, 5am (match starts 5.30am).

Justin Rose wins WGC-Cadillac Championship in Miami

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Rose wins WGC-Cadillac Championship after dramatic final day in Miami

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UPDATED:

00:23 GMT, 12 March 2012

The WGC-Cadillac Championship was the final frontier as far as European golf was concerned. It was the most prestigious title in the game that a European had yet to win, but Justin Rose put that right on a truly dramatic afternoon at Doral to claim the biggest victory of his career.

While Tiger Woods was crying out in pain – he would eventually withdraw after 12 holes to throw his Masters participation into doubt – Rose was in full cry. So was Rory McIlroy, while third round leader Bubba Watson was his usual colourful self.

Champion: Rose shows off his trophy

Champion: Rose shows off his trophy

Champion: Rose shows off his trophy

This season has already seen more than
its fair share of Sunday spills and thrills and here was another, as
Rose held his nerve and Watson held his head in his hands and reflected
on a terrible front nine that would ultimately prove fatal.

Watson had begun with a three shot lead over Rose and fellow American Keegan Bradley but that didn't survive an outward half where he didn't hit a single fairway. For three days he had torn this course apart but now it was getting its own back as he ran up three consecutive bogeys at one point.

His nervy play threw the tournament wide open and quick to seize his chance was Rose, who birdied two of his first five holes. When he birdied the 10th as well he was out in front on his own for the first time.

Dramatic day: Rose capitalised on Bubba Watson's nightmare

Dramatic day: Rose capitalised on Bubba Watson's nightmare

Another to smell blood was McIlroy who,
at eight shots back, was seemingly out of contention. But what's eight
shots when you're infused with genius An outward half of 33 was
followed by a birdie at the 10th and then a holed bunker shot for an
eagle three at the 12th. Now he was only one behind.

With Watson recovering his composure, it became a test of nerve for Rose. It was one he was passing faultlessly when he confidently birdied the 14th. But there was still the fearsome final hole to play and he ran up a bogey after pushing his drive and missing the green with his approach.

Still it looked like it would be good enough with Watson in the trees off the tee and needing a birdie to force a play-off. Watson's response was the shot of the hour, a marvellous blow that finished 10ft from the hole. The crowd whooped and hollered and Watson urged them to turn up the volume still more. But the putt stayed out and Rose had claimed his fourth U.S Tour victory in the space of 20 months.

On form: Rose has won four titles recently

On form: Rose has won four titles recently

Before the event had started he had
talked about how well he had been playing and how he had to remain
patient and wait his chance for a win. Now it has arrived just a month
shy of the first major of the season, and one he has led in the past
after the first, second and third rounds.

Rose is now 31 and getting better all the time. The enormous $1.4 million first prize was worth oodles of Ryder Cup points and he will surely be part of the European team now for the match at Medinah in September.

'It has certainly been an up and down career but sweet moments like this make it all worth it, when you can share one of the biggest trophies in the game with all your friends and family,' he said.

Happy days: Rose celebrates with caddie Mark Fulcher

Happy days: Rose celebrates with caddie Mark Fulcher

As for Rory, he was not too downhearted after settling for a 67 and third place. In his final event before the Masters, he had registered his 12th top five finish in his last 13 events and his reign as world number one has got off to a fine start.

Former world No 1 Luke Donald showed a bit of form himself as he shrugged off his slow start to the season with a tied sixth placing.

No European has won the Masters this century, with Jose Maria Olazabal's success in 1999 the last victory. That's looking like another frontier that could well be crossed in just three weeks from now.

England lose to Pakistan in whitewash

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England fail the big Test: Strauss and Co crumble 3-0 in tame bid to conquer final frontier

They have been beaten 5-0 by India in one-day cricket and now 3-0 by Pakistan in the ultimate form of the game they appeared to have mastered. No, it has not been the greatest few months for England.

It is no coincidence that both these series have been away against sub-continental teams because Asia remains the final frontier that Andrew Strauss and his team seem no nearer to conquering.

Geoff Boycott was muttering here on Monday about his batting average on the sub-continent — more than 50 — but the fact remains that in modern times England have been woeful in a part of the world that includes the United Arab Emirates because it is Pakistan’s adopted home and the wickets here are prepared with Pakistani soil.

World's best England failed to live up their billing as the No 1 Test side

World's best England failed to live up their billing as the No 1 Test side

It remains a depressing truth that England have floundered against every Asian team other than Bangladesh away ever since Nasser Hussain led them to victory against both Pakistan and Sri Lanka in one golden winter 11 years ago.

This time, though, it was supposed to be different. This time England were going to take another step towards securing their place in history by beating Pakistan in what was expected to be an attritional, high-scoring series. How wrong that prediction turned out to be.

England’s batsmen have been awful, their collective failure being all the more damaging because their bowlers were able to perform brilliantly in conditions that were supposed to be more alien and difficult for them than the batsmen.

So savour, for a moment, the fact that Stuart Broad now has claim to be rated the best seamer in the world and rejoice in the return of Monty Panesar as a formidable Test performer, particularly in the age of the spin-friendly decision-review system.

Yet that’s where the good news ends. It beggars belief that batsmen of the calibre of Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell and Eoin Morgan should score just 200 runs between them in a three-Test series at a combined average of 11.11.

Whitewash: Pakistan celebrate their emphatic win over England

Whitewash: Pakistan celebrate their emphatic win over England

Pietersen and Bell should survive the cut on past triumphs but Morgan must surely miss out when England name their Test squad to face Sri Lanka next month.

England resumed on 36 without loss on Monday morning but capitulated — once again — to 252 all out and defeat by 71 runs.

Bell, chronically out of form against the hosts’ spin attack, this time spooned a catch to cover point off the pace of Umar Gul. His meek surrender for 10 came after Strauss, Jonathan Trott, Pietersen and Alastair Cook (in that order) perished to Pakistan’s spin twins, Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman.Only wicketkeeper-batsman Matt Prior — with an unbeaten 49 —posed any resistance in the middle order.

Strauss, whose ambitions of leading England in two more Ashes series are in the balance after this embarrassing clean sweep, said: ‘I haven’t been involved in a series where so many of our batsmen have had such a hard time. So we’ve all got some questions to answer and a bit of soul-searching to do. I’ve got great faith in our batsmen and think they are some of the best in the world but we cannot dismiss this simply as an aberration because we would not be doing ourselves any justice.

Blame game: Ian Bell struggled throughout the series

Blame game: Ian Bell struggled throughout the series

‘No-one has a right to play for England but it’s important we let the dust settle. We will have a full debrief and I’m sure in a week or so things will become clearer but we are not in the business of chopping and changing.’

Strauss was right to say that the first morning of the series, when England lost five wickets, set the tone but they had their chances to make up for that and win here. They should have easily chased 145 to win the second Test in Abu Dhabi and should never have let Pakistan off the hook after having them 44 for seven and 99 all out in the first innings here. The fact Pakistan could win from there is the biggest indictment on England’s incompetence.

This game, which completed only the seventh Test clean sweep against England, was lost when the tourists scored only 141 in their first innings, not when they made a reasonable stab at chasing 324 to win on Monday.

It is no time to scream ‘send them home’. There are a number of promising young English cricketers but none of them appears ready for Test cricket just yet. I would drop Morgan from the Test squad, bring Tim Bresnan back and see Prior promoted to six.

But I would also have Ravi Bopara in the squad and promote Samit Patel as long as Andy Flower is satisfied that he really has bought into the values and fitness of Team England.

Tormentor in chief: Saeed Ajmal

Tormentor in chief: Saeed Ajmal

That will become clear on Tuesday when England name their one-day party to play what might be another chastening series against a Pakistan side who will bombard them with up to 40 overs of spin in each 50-over game.

Flower believes that England’s two-month break before Christmas may have been to blame for this debacle but there is so much cricket ahead of them in the next two years that it was a necessity to rest while they could.

‘I don’t think we were ready and I shoulder the blame because it was my decision to give them that time off,’ said Flower.

‘It won’t happen again. During that rest time our team and support staff were being lauded while Pakistan were working hard at their game and beating international opposition.’

Now Pakistan have claimed the biggest scalp of all and, amid the England inquests, it would be wrong not to give them enormous credit for what they have achieved under captain Misbah-ul-Haq.

Amid the rubble of the spot-fixing scandal and the fact they must live out of a suitcase as they cannot play at home has come a formidable, united team, with Ajmal brilliant in taking 24 wickets to become man of the series.

Now is not the time to wallow in England’s misfortune — they will lose their No 1 ranking if South Africa beat New Zealand 3-0 next month — nor cast aspersions on Ajmal’s action. It is a time to say well done to Pakistan for what Misbah called ‘a dream come true’. It is a thoroughly deserved, significant triumph for a troubled nation.

Andrew Strauss: No England player is safe from axe

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Strauss fires warning to under-performing England stars: None of you are safe from axe

This is no dead rubber. This is the Test in which England not only
have to fight to preserve the No 1 status they worked so hard to achieve
but also one where the Test futures of their batsmen may be in the
balance.

The stakes are high. It may be a little extreme to say the likes of
Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell are playing for their
places in the third Test but there is no question that England
cannot afford to let their ordeal by spin drag on beyond this ill-fated
tour.

Plenty to ponder: The England team are staring down a 3-0 whitewash

Plenty to ponder: The England team are staring down a 3-0 whitewash

To lose one series in subcontinental conditions may be unfortunate but if England also crash in Sri Lanka and India this year then that will be downright careless for a team who aspire to be one of the best there has been.

England simply must find a way of conquering their final frontier and if their big guns again look clueless against Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman here, then Strauss is acutely aware that questions will be asked before the squad to tour Sri Lanka next month is finalised.

'Clearly we can't keep on underperforming for ever so all of us have a responsibility on our shoulders to improve our games,' said Strauss.

Final preparations: The England squad have been put through their paces in Dubai ahead of the start of the third Test

Final preparations: The England squad have been put through their paces in Dubai ahead of the start of the third Test

Final preparations: The England squad have been put through their paces in Dubai ahead of the start of the third Test

'I've always been a strong believer that no-one is guaranteed their
place in the England side and the environment only works properly if
there is pressure on you. So we've all got to work pretty hard over the
next five days.'

It was a stark admission from an England captain who knows that the
enormous amount of credit he has in the bank will disappear if he not
only struggles for runs but also presides over a losing team.

There is nothing that anyone who follows England would like more
than a first Test century from Strauss since the first Ashes Test in
Brisbane in a winning cause at the Dubai International Stadium. England
have changed their training methods over the last three days in an
attempt to finally find a way of combating bowling that has rendered
three of their most prolific batsmen impotent and raised doubts over the
Test quality of a fourth in Eoin Morgan.

It really should be possible for batsmen of the calibre of Strauss,
Pietersen and Bell to work out a method to counter Ajmal but they need
to do it quickly to avoid one of the worst series results in English
cricket history.

A clean sweep by Pakistan would undermine much of the good work done by Strauss and Andy Flower.

'One of the things you always do after losing in that fashion is try
to take a step back and look at things,' said Strauss of the ignominy
of their collapse to 72 all out in the second Test.

'There are some areas we have resolved to work on and we have changed our net sessions to try to do that.

Crushed: Pakistan have been worthy victors over the world No 1 Test team

Crushed: Pakistan have been worthy victors over the world No 1 Test team

Crushed: Pakistan have been worthy victors over the world No 1 Test team

'It has allowed people to focus individually on what they need to
do. We're not talking massive changes of technique, just people being
clear in their game-plans. It's important we are pro-active rather than
just reactive against this type of bowling.

'In the space of three or four days you're not going to completely
achieve all you want to do but I'm very hopeful that you'll see people a
lot clearer in how they're looking to play. That's a good starting
point. You can't disappear into a hole.'

Strauss believes England set the tone for their series defeat when
they lost five wickets in the very first session of this series here in
Dubai, but he was also right to say that much of what they have done, in
the bowling at least, has been of the highest quality.

This stadium favoured seam when England were last here but Misbahul-
Haq, the Pakistan captain, feels this wicket will be flatter than the
one for the first Test and it seems inconceivable that England will
leave out Monty Panesar for an additional seamer after the way he bowled
in Abu Dhabi.

The most likely change remained Ravi Bopara coming in for the
mentally shot Morgan. 'This Test is important because it potentially
gives us momentum going into the one-day series and the Sri Lanka tour,'
added Strauss. 'We desperately want to avoid losing 3-0 and we
desperately want to show that we're better than we've shown so far in
this series.

'There's a feeling that we can and should do that and we're in a better place than we were a couple of days ago.'

Now they have to stay there for the next five days.

Andrew Strauss and his men know winning in Asia is the final frontier

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Tough Trek ahead but Strauss' men know winning in Asia is the final frontier

It was easy to imagine Andrew Strauss taking to the Starship Enterprise and booming out his best Captain Picard impression on Monday as he talked of England embarking on their final frontier.

While Strauss would not exactly be boldly going where no man has gone before if he led England to victories this year in away Test series against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India, he set foot on an airbus to Dubai knowing that 2012 represents the last great examination of his side.

England may be top of the Test rankings but Strauss, looking fit and relaxed after an extended break from international cricket, is aware that traditionally they have struggled in the subcontinental-type conditions that await them in the United Arab Emirates. Add the spice of England facing Pakistan for the first time since the series that led to custodial sentences for three cricketers, and the first assignment of a year that will define Strauss’s captaincy – just as much as two Ashes victories – represents a Star Trek-type mission.

Enterprise pays off: Strauss (left) celebrates with his victorious England team after last summer's series victory over India confirmed them as the No 1 Test team

Enterprise pays off: Strauss (left) celebrates with his victorious England team after last summer's series victory over India confirmed them as the No 1 Test team

Perhaps it was the sight of actress Gillian Anderson, Miss Havisham herself, wandering around the Heathrow hotel on Monday that persuaded Strauss to come over all theatrical.

‘Our record in the subcontinent has been patchy and it’s a good time for us to have a lot of subcontinental-type cricket because this is a new frontier for us,’ said captain Strauss. ‘We want to win and win consistently in Asia. It’s a stiff challenge and we’re aware you have to have different skills if you want to do well out there.

‘This is just what we need as a side but we are not under-estimating the challenge.’

It might be harsh to question England’s No 1 status after all they have achieved in the last three years, but they really will be the undisputed best if they triumph over three Tests against Pakistan in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, two in Sri Lanka in March and April and four in India next autumn – not to mention the home series against South Africa this summer. Strauss has a testing year ahead.

Captain marvel: Strauss talks to the press at Heathrow

Captain marvel: Strauss talks to the press at Heathrow

‘That’s an interesting question,’ he said when asked whether England need to win in Asia, where so many of his predecessors have failed, to become the true No 1. ‘If you want to be regarded as the best then you have to win in all conditions, but the rankings are there for a reason, and to get to No 1 you need consistency.

‘I’m very keen to move away from the rankings. I don’t think it’s something we have to focus on a huge amount at the moment. I’m very conscious of concentrating on short-term goals and it would be wrong for us not to see these tours as a way of pushing forward as a group.

‘We have some long-term goals but they’re irrelevant unless you can achieve your short-term ones. Even when becoming No 1 was a big goal it was very much in the background while you focus on each series. Nothing changes in that respect.’

That is something of a departure from England’s recent mantra of aiming to create a legacy with a sustained era of success, but it is just as well that Strauss will not look beyond facing a Pakistan side galvanised under the captaincy of Misbah-ul-Haq.

Stellar year: 2011 began with England winning the Ashes

Stellar year: 2011 began with England winning the Ashes

The ‘hosts’ have been successful in their temporary UAE home, winning three and drawing two Test series since Misbah succeeded the disgraced Salman Butt. But it remains to be seen whether he can be the uniting force his country needs.

The presence in Pakistan’s squad for the first Test on January 17 of Wahab Riaz, in particular, and Umar Akmal and Imran Farhat – all named in Southwark Crown Court during the spot-fixing trial – means that Misbah’s diplomatic skills may be tested to the limit.

England's last wins on the subcontinent

v Pakistan (2000-01) – Won three-match series 2-1. Captain: Nasser Hussain.

v Sri Lanka (2001) – Won three-match series 1-0. Captain: Hussain.

v India (1984-85) – Won five-match series 2-1. Captain: David Gower.

‘We all recognise it’s time to move on from what happened last time,’ insisted Strauss. ‘Pakistan have been playing a lot of good cricket and that will be a challenge for us in those conditions. I hope both sides can really go and play the game in the right spirit. If we both approach it the right way it should be good for relations between the teams but also for world cricket in general.’

Stuart Broad, Chris Tremlett and Tim Bresnan are all considered fully fit after injuries, but Graham Onions also travelled on Monday as cover in case any of the trio struggle in the two three-day warm-ups, the first of which starts in Dubai on Saturday.

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