Afridi, Umar Akmal given top PCB contracts

Shahid Afridi and Umar Akmal have been awarded category A contracts by the PCB for the calendar year 2012. Mohammad Sami, who had been picked in Pakistan's teams in all three formats for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka after being sidelined for two years, has not received a contract.Afridi had not figured in last year's list of central contracts as he was in the middle of a spat with the PCB then. Umar Akmal has been moved up...

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Shahid Afridi in the list of Best Professionals

Former captain of national cricket team and one of the top all-rounders of the world, Shahid Afridi’s name has been included in British International Biographical Centre’s list of 100 Top Professionals of 2012.Cambridge’s trusted-worthy Biographical Centre announces 100 topprofessionals in various fields every year. It also awards medals to these 100 top professionals. Expressing jubilation at receiving this prestigious...

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Samuels ton leads WI recovery,Samuels century turns the heat on England

For two sessions, West Indies, debilitated by the IPL, were routinely preyed upon by England. Six wickets down for 138 shortly before tea, their plight was there for all to see. Things were so bad, it was hard to be optimistic about the future for West Indies Test cricket. Then Marlon Samuels and Darren Sammy organised a recovery that made a mockery of what had gone before.The Trent Bridge pitch went flat and England, so...

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CSK storm into third straight final: Vijay century overpowers Delhi

The questions everyone was asking after the toss were: why is the virtually unknown offspinner Sunny Gupta making his IPL debut in Delhi Daredevils' biggest game of the season and why was purple cap holder Morne Morkel dropped? The questions resonated through the game and will haunt the Daredevils management for long, as one of the biggest tactical goof-ups in IPL history meant another season of dominance at the...

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PCB award Asia Cup winners

The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced cash awards for the players and support staff who were part of their successful Asia Cup campaign in Bangladesh in March. The board will award the players 400,000 Pakistan rupees (US$4300 approx) each, while the support staff will get Rs 200,000 apiece.Pakistan's Asia Cup victory came at the end of a very successful season for them, in which they drew a Test series in the West Indies and won the...

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Clarke foreshadows his retirement

Australia's captain Michael Clarke has foreshadowed his retirement from the game, saying he has no desire to play into his late 30s as Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey and others have done. Addressing a business conference in Adelaide, Clarke said he wished to have his impact on the game "in a short space of time" and then move on to other pursuits.Clarke, 31, has led Australia with distinction over his first year...

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New Zealand to name new coach by end of July

New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White has said that the board aims to find a replacement for head coach John Wright by the end of July. The board met in Auckland on Friday to discuss the process and timeline for recruiting Wright's successor."We want the best person for the job and will not limit our search for the right candidate,'' White said. "We are aiming to have the new head coach in place by the end of July but will not be drawn...

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West Indies must dig deep again

England were forced to work hard for their victory at Lord's but ultimately had too much depth for West Indies. The visitors showed the resourcefulness they displayed against Australia - especially on the fourth day with the bat - but too many familiar failings emerged at crucial times to allow England to wrestle back control.It may have been West Indies' best chance because now England have got a foothold in the series....

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Do Delhi have big-match temperament?

Virender Sehwag and Delhi Daredevils are in a familiar position. Like this year, they had utterly dominated the 2009 season, before their mighty batting line-up faltered in the semi-final, much like their flop against Kolkata Knight Riders on Tuesday. This time though, with the changed format, they get a second opportunity.One of Daredevils' puzzling decisions in the game against Knight Riders was to send in Ross Taylor...

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Kenyan player being investigated over World Cup 2011 game

The ICC is investigating claims of irregularities involving a Kenyan player during the match against Pakistan at Hambantota during the 2011 World Cup. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the ICC has also advised the Kenyan board not to engage the player concerned in any official capacity.Pakistan won the match by 205 runs after bowling out Kenya for 112. During the Pakistan innings Kenya's bowlers conceded 37 wides,...

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Cairman of the ECB Board which England's captain Andrew Strauss said found Kevin Pietersen's remarks unacceptable: Giles Clarke

Not for the first time, the England captain has been left discussing Twitter, which he knows is important but has no intention of joining Andrew Strauss has always given the impression that if cricket had not intervened, he could already have forged a successful career in the diplomatic service. His discretion was to the fore as he considered theTwitter imbroglio involving Kevin Pietersen that...

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Holding slams WICB for treatment of seniors

Michael Holding, the commentator and former West Indies fast bowler, has slammed the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) for its treatment of senior players, including Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwanand Jerome Taylor, none of whom is in the current Test squad in England.Gayle has made himself available for the one-day leg of the England tour but his selection will depend on a meeting with the WICB to mop up 'residual...

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