New Zealand players could miss first Test in England

New Zealand are headed towards fielding a second-string side in their first Test against England next year after their board couldn't convince the ECB to schedule the series at a time not coinciding with the IPL. It's a predicament not one of the parties could have helped. The New Zealand players earn more in one week of IPL than they do from their annual NZC contracts, which is why they are entitled to five weeks of IPL, which pays NZC 10% of the players' salary, effectively to make them available. However, NZC is also bound by the ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP), and ECB by its own commercial understanding with its partners.

Rough calculations, says NZC Players' Association chief Heath Mills, suggest New Zealand's IPL players will make it to England only on the eve of the first Test if they play their five weeks' allocation of IPL. Of the eight New Zealanders in the IPL, four are Test starters, and Nathan McCullum and James Franklin are not too far. Jesse Ryder has avoided a contract this year, and Scott Styris has retired. New Zealand fans are not quite holding their breath over the choice the players will make: the last time the players chose country over club, back in 2009, they made no guarantees of a similar decision in the future. Mills says he will be surprised if "most of the players didn't play the IPL".

That standoff back then led to the introduction of the five-weeks clause in future contracts, but NZC didn't guarantee them a clear window for the IPL every year, especially during years the team was due to tour England. "Our understanding was that the guys can take five weeks leave, and that NZC will endeavour to make sure there was no international cricket during that period," Mills said. "However, they did note that it may not be as easy to ensure our players could play the whole IPL when we toured England.

"They made a commitment to us that they will work with the ECB to try and get the dates of our English tour after the IPL if possible. Clearly those discussions haven't reached an outcome that New Zealand players or the players here were hoping. England don't want to move any cricket around the IPL. That's their right, and their choice. So we need to live with that."

"Living with that" will mean further devaluation of international cricket: New Zealand will be weak, England will not be tested properly, and the biggest losers perhaps will be the English public going to the Tests.

"As I do my maths at the moment, if the IPL starts on the 7th of April, as it typically does, then our guys will obviously have five weeks of the IPL, and they will then arrive on the eve of the first Test, which is scheduled for the 16th of May. Which means we will need to work this through with the NZC and the players concerned," Mills said. "If NZC feel that's not enough preparation, they may look to take other players to play that first Test match and have the IPL guys play the second Test. It's certainly unfortunate and far from ideal."

The biggest concern with the way things stand right now is that they affect smaller teams - the likes of New Zealand and West Indies - the most. The big four - India, Australia, England and South Africa - who actually dominate the decision making feel no tangible pinch from the clash between IPL and international cricket. Not least because they can afford to pay their cricketers enough to keep them away from outside lure.

"Our senior players are earning over a million dollars playing in the IPL," Mills said. "Effectively it comes to 200,000 dollars a week. So each week they are not at the IPL, they lose more than the initial contracts here in New Zealand, which I think other people don't realise. New Zealand players earn a couple of hundred thousand dollars a year whereas players from England, Australia and the bigger countries earn a couple of million dollars a year with the initial contract."

Mills said the cricket administrators needed to do more than just saying that Test cricket is the prime format. "I think from a holistic point of view this is not the answer for international cricket," he said. "Clearly if you haven't got your best players playing for your country, we can no longer say international cricket is the best playing the best. Because it isn't. The day the international cricket is not about best players against best players, we have a problem, and we need to discuss it. We need to find a better outcome."

An official window for IPL could be one solution, Mills said. But when suggested there might be no end to tournaments' asking for a window if a precedent is set, Mills said the IPL had a much bigger impact than even the Champions League Twenty20, which is owned by just India, Australia and South Africa and doesn't equate to the world game.

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No excuses for failed chase - Mohammad Hafeez

Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistan's new Twenty20 captain, has said there was no excuse for his team not chasing 132 in the first match against Sri Lanka, despite them returning to the international circuit after a two-month layoff. Hafeez made an encouraging start to his new role by restricting the hosts' strong batting line-up, but his first-ball duck was the start of Pakistan's slide.

After the defeat in his maiden game as captain, Hafeez was philosophical, admitting that Pakistan were beaten by a better team. He said the pitch was difficult to bat on, but didn't offer that as an excuse for his side crumbling to 95. He didn't attribute the loss to Pakistan's lack of match practice over the last couple of months either.

Pakistan had the upper hand at the start thanks to Sohail Tanvir's incisive new-ball spell and some poor shot selection. Sri Lanka were struggling 96 for 7 at one stage but Thisara Perera's late 32 converted a paltry score to a match-winning one.

"As a bowling unit we did well to restrict them to 132. Tanvir was brilliant with the new ball," Hafeez said. "This was a difficult pitch to bat on and we were hoping to restrict them to 110-120 after getting seven wickets. But in the end Perera made the difference. He took the game away from us."

Umar Gul, one of Pakistan's most effective slog-over bowlers, had a poor game, conceding 43 in four overs. "We also thought that on this pitch, had we batted first, we would have posted 140," Hafeez said. "But we did not finish well when we bowled. Umar Gul is usually our match-winner but today he wasn't able to do that job. Having said that, 132 was still chaseable but if your main batsmen fail then it's very difficult to win such games."

Pakistan were jolted early when Hafeez and debutant Shakeel Ansar were dismissed with the first two deliveries of the chase. The number of dot balls in the first half of the innings increased the pressure, as did Sri Lanka's effective fielding. Two experienced batsmen capable of changing the game, Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi, were sent back by terrific catching. Commenting on Pakistan's approach, Hafeez said there was no specific plan to be watchful after the loss of two wickets.

"There was no such instruction for the two batsmen [Ahmed Shehzad and Khalid Latif] to be defensive," Hafeez said. "They were trying hard and Angelo Mathews bowled a good spell. I think as a batsman it's up to him to decide how to approach the situation, how to build the innings."

Hafeez is leading an experimental Twenty20 side with a few new players, after Misbah-ul-Haq was dropped from the format. He backed the squad to come good ahead of the World Twenty20 in September. 

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'Playing cricket in India is always incredible'

The former Pakistan allrounder enjoyed his first taste of the IPL when he turned out for the Kings XI Punjab this year

Your first IPL is over. A good one for you even though your side, Kings XI Punjab, just fell short of the playoffs. How did you find it?
I'm pleased with my performance in my first IPL, but I have been playing good cricket for the last few years now, in England, New Zealand and Bangladesh. You're always learning as a player, and although I'm 37 now it doesn't mean you just stop all of a sudden. You're always finding stuff out about the game.

The experience has been brilliant, unbelievable. The atmosphere was great, and everywhere you go - home and away - you're playing in front of full houses. The crowd is always loud and the fans are very passionate. Playing cricket in India is always incredible as they love the game so much.

I see playing as a bit like being an actor. As an actor you want people to come and see your film and that's just what it's like as a cricketer. The more people that come, the more it inspires me to do better and better. The packed houses gave me energy, which I thrived on. I play best in that kind of environment.

Kings XI's performances picked up once you got into the country after missing the first five games with your visa problems. Do you think about how well the team might have done if you had joined the side that little bit earlier?
We could have made the playoffs, but saying we would have if I'd arrived earlier is just ifs and buts - you can't reflect on what might have been. It was frustrating to miss out on a few games and I was relieved when I took to the field in the first game. As a side we played some good cricket and I had a wonderful time playing under Gilly [Adam Gilchrist]. We all know what he can do on the field as he's been a terrific player for many years, but off the field he's a great human being too. He made it a happy team to be a part of and as a group we were very close, which helps when it comes to playing out on the field.

You ended up as one of the IPL's best allrounders, with 186 runs at an average of 23.25 and 14 wickets at 23.5. Your economy was under eight too. Your contract was for one year but are you hopeful of getting back out there in 2013?
[Laughs] Hopefully, yes. I signed a one-year contract and I think they might want to try and keep me. It depends when we can negotiate a deal but Kings XI have the first right to keep me in their squad. After having such a good tournament, people want me, and I want to go out there and play again as I loved every single minute of it. They seemed to love me too, and I enjoyed being a part of their side. Allrounders are so valuable to the balance of the team, so hopefully we can sort something out.

I'm at the age now where I want to be playing cricket. I would much prefer to play and show what I can do than go somewhere and get paid the money and not play any games.

	"I see playing as a bit like being an actor. As an actor you want people to come and see your film and that's just what it's like as a cricketer. The more people that come, the more it inspires me to do better and better"

Chris Gayle made headlines for his batting but you picked up his wicket when you played the Royal Challengers Bangalore. It's the toughest question of all: how do you stop him?
He's a remarkable player, and he's shown that, but I know how to dry up his runs. I've bowled against him in the Bangladesh Premier League and in the IPL, and he's hit me for just one four. It's not easy but I know his strengths and I know his weaknesses, and when I bowl to his weaknesses, I know I can win the battle.

He doesn't try and hit every single ball. He picks the ones he wants to go for. He doesn't go from ball one, like some of the other batsmen.

How about solving one of the IPL's other mysteries - picking Sunil Narine. You didn't get to face him but what did you make of his performance for the Kolkata Knight Riders?
I don't think anyone can argue that he's a terrific talent. On a turning wicket he's basically unplayable. I stood behind the nets and watched him and I couldn't pick him at all. He can turn the ball both ways. I'm looking forward to seeing him in international cricket. There's no doubt that he is some kind of special talent who can go a long way in the game. It will be interesting to see how he goes. Some people might think he will fade out like Ajantha Mendis, but I think he might be different.

You went over to the IPL as an Englishman but there were relatively few of you out there. Owais Shah and Kevin Pietersen were the exceptions. Do you think more will follow as time goes by?
It's a tough one. It'd be nice to see more English players out there but that might not happen because of the international schedule, which is a shame. KP was amazing out in India. He made a stunning hundred, but he's been playing good cricket for a while now for England. The fans love him too.

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Trent Bridge to host first Test of 2013 Ashes

England will begin their 2013 defence of the Asheswith back-to-back Tests at Trent Bridge and Lord's in July, while Australia will play a first Test at Durham's Chester-le-Street ground in the fourth match of the series. The ECB has announced the schedules for Australia's tour next year, as well as the visit of New Zealand earlier in the summer and the itinerary for the ICC Champions Trophy.

The ECB has also confirmed that Lord's will host the first New Zealand Test in 2013, instead of Cardiff. Lord's had previously stepped in to host West Indies last month, after Glamorgan were late in making payments for the Cardiff Test between England and Sri Lanka in 2011.

The 2013 series between England and Australia will kick off a run of 15 Ashes Tests within a two-year period. The third match will see Test cricket return to Old Trafford for the first time since 2010, while the series will conclude at the traditional venue of the The Oval.

David Collier, the ECB's chief executive, said: "The prospect of England defending the Ashes on home soil, the world's top eight teams competing in the ICC Champions Trophy, and a full programme of 50-over and T20 international cricket will provide rich pickings for cricket fans next summer.

"Last season's international programme attracted a record aggregate attendance of more than 850,000 spectators and we would urge all fans to purchase their international tickets early for 2013 to avoid missing out on what promises to be a memorable summer."

The next Ashes in Australia will take place immediately after in 2013-14 - meaning the two teams will effectively play ten Tests in a row - to avoid a clash with the 2015 World Cup, which will be held in Australia. England are then expected to host the Ashes again in 2015, before the series reverts back to its usual four-year cycle.

Australia will begin their preparations next summer with two four-day games, against Somerset and Worcestershire, and they will play Sussex in a three-day match at Hove between the second and third Tests. An ODI against Scotland in Edinburgh has also been scheduled ahead of the one-day series with England.

Several grounds that missed out on hosting Ashes Tests in 2013 have been awarded limited-overs fixtures, which will take place after the Test series. Hampshire's West End stadium will be the venue for a T20I and the fifth ODI, Edgbaston will host the third ODI and Cardiff the fourth. Cardiff, which had been due to host a 2013 Test between England and New Zealand, has instead been named as one of the three venues for the Champions Trophy.

"Wales has earned an outstanding reputation for its ability to deliver world-class sporting events and we are delighted that Cardiff will be used as a host venue for the ICC Champions Trophy and stage a semi-final," Collier said. "Cardiff was originally scheduled to stage next summer's first Test match against New Zealand and following further discussions between ECB, Glamorgan and MCC, this match will now be played at Lord's. We are grateful to both parties for their co-operation in this matter."

An ODI between Ireland and England at the redeveloped Malahide Cricket Club ground has also been announced for September 2013.

2013 Australia tour of England and Ashes schedule

June 26-29, four-day game v Somerset Taunton
July 2-5, four-day game v Worcestershire New Road
July 10-14, first Test Trent Bridge
July 18-22, second Test Lord's
July 26-28, three-day game v Sussex Hove
August 1-5, third Test Old Trafford
August 9-13, fourth Test Chester-le-Street
August 16-17, two-day game v Northamptonshire* Northampton*
August 21-25, fifth Test The Oval
August 29, first T20 international (D/N) West End
August 31, second T20 international Chester-le-Street
September 3, ODI Scotland v Australia Edinburgh
September 6, first ODI Headingley
September 8, second ODI Old Trafford
September 11, third ODI (D/N) Edgbaston
September 14, fourth ODI Cardiff
September 16, fifth ODI (D/N) West End

* If Northamptonshire reach the Friends Life t20 final, England Lions will host Australia at Northampton in a two-day fixture on August 16-17

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Two bouncers an over likely in ODIs

The ICC's cricket committee has recommended the number of bouncers permitted in an ODI over be increased to two. They also concluded the bowling powerplay be removed and the number of fielders permitted outside the 30-yard circle reduced from five to four.

The committee's recommendations will be ratified by the ICC Board in in Kuala Lumpur later this month, if they are incorporated into ODI playing conditions the mandatory Powerplay of 10 overs at the start of each innings will remain but only one period of five overs will now be nominated as a Powerplay, to be taken by the batting side and completed by the 40th over.

The changes are designed to "improve the balance between bat and ball and to create an identity for ODIs distinct from the Test and Twenty20 formats", an ICC release stated.

The committee decided there had been little impact from two five-over Powerplays being taken between the 16th and 40th overs, but did think using two new balls from each end had proven successful - both measures were recommended at last year's meeting.

"The changes will help enhance what is still an exceptionally popular form of the game," David Richardson, ICC General Manager of Cricket, said. "The committee was mindful of the need to avoid continual changes but was determined to complete the process initiated last year to enhance the format. It is now confident that these recommendations for ODI cricket, which showed its popularity during the 2011 World Cup will help create an even more attractive spectacle as we approach the World Cup in 2015."

Other recommendations of the committee, chaired by former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, were that the Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method of calculating scores in rain-affected matches should remain. An Indian mathematician, V Jayadevan, had proposed his system - the VJD method - replace D/L but the committee unanimously agreed there was no evidence of any significant flaws in the D/L method nor that any improvements could be offered by the VJD method.

In addition, to improve over-rates, it was recommended that drinks should not be brought onto the field other than at official drinks breaks and players should always assume a not-out decision following a review and be ready to immediately resume play after the decision is made

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Perera, Mathews fashion massive win in low-scorer

Sri Lanka threw their wickets away through reckless shots, conceded 17 runs through wides and about 10 through misfields, but thanks to the Josephian Mafia - a moniker Thisara Perera and Angelo Mathews have earned from the school they shared - still won by a whopping 37 runs. It was an unremarkable night of cricket with most of the wickets owing neither to the bowling nor the pitch, but many will argue it's a trait that can be attributed to Twenty20 cricket in general because of the devaluation of a wicket.

Perera and Mathews, though, stood out. Perera first scored a two-a-ball 32 to give Sri Lanka a fighting chance from 89 for 7. Mathews then bowled a testing spell of outswing for eight runs and two wickets. The two came together when Perera flew at third man to catch Shoaib Malik off the bowling of Mathews. Perera and Mathews were the highlight of the night, which featured a lot of inexplicable cricket otherwise.

At the top of the innings, having won the toss, three Sri Lankan batsmen used to Twenty20 cricket of late in the IPL, got themselves out in Sohail Tanvir's first three overs. Jayawardene got a leading edge before judging the pace of the pitch, Dilshan picked out fine leg, and Sangakkara dragged a full and wide delivery on. On another day all three could have gone for boundaries, and the bowler and the pitch would have had just as much to do with it.

The remaining batsmen struggled to find balance between rebuilding and keeping the rate up. Both Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews survived run-out chances before slogging and connecting with thin air.

Thirty-three-year-old debutant wicketkeeper Shakeel Ansar then missed a chance to stump Lahiru Thirimanne. The batsman proceeded to add 22 to his eight then. Ansar made a comeback, though, when he broke 24-run partnership between Thirimanne and another debutant Kaushal Lokuarachchi with a direct flick. Thirimanne followed it up with a reverse-sweep straight down short-third man's throat. At 89 for 7 in the 17th over, Sri Lanka threatened to not even bat out their allocation.

Perera, though, turned the momentum a little with some clean hitting. Most of it came off the bowling of Umar Gul, whose last two overs went for 30. Still, going into the break, Pakistan were the favourites. Only for two balls. Two inexplicable deliveries when first-time captain Mohammad Hafeez and Ansar indulged in a spot-the-point-fielder contest. Nuwan Kulasekara laughed his way to two wickets with short and wide deliveries. Last checked, Hafeez and Ansar were watching replays and arguing as to who found Dilshan better.

The others didn't find fluency at all as Pakistan confounded all by not sending Umar Akmal in before No. 6. Ahmed Shehzad played a long innings, but his strike-rate of under 100 could have worked if other batsmen had hung around. Mathews got Khalid Latif and Malik, and at 46 for 4 in the 10th over, Akmal felt obliged to hit out. Except it's not easy when Malinga is bowling. A top edge ended it for Akmal, and it was all over bar Shahid Afridi.

That lasted two deliveries as Afridi heaved at offspinner Sachitra Senanayake, and edged him to third man. The formalities were finished soon, with Perera fittingly taking the last wicket

Sri Lanka 132 for 7 (Perera 32*, Tanvir 3-12) beat Pakistan 95 (Mathews 2-8, Malinga 2-12, Kulasekara 2-13) by 37 runs

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Hosts pin hopes on batting stars

Low-key start to high-profile series with well-practiced Pakistan holding a slender advantage

Till recently, Pakistan's full tour of Sri Lanka for a series of two Twenty20s, five ODIs and three Tests existed only in the ICC's Future Tours Programme. The schedule was formally approved by the PCB a month ago and whatever build-up that existed was lost in the frenzy of the IPL. Despite its perfect positioning - the IPL is over, those from the two sides in question are free of other commitments and Sri Lanka is the venue for the World Twenty20 - the pre-series hype that usually accompanies a contest between two high-profile teams as Sri Lanka and Pakistan is missing.

One reason could be the fact that the tour gets underway in far-flung Hambantota, the country's newest cricketing venue; at the cricket board office in Colombo, though, there is little or no activity at the ticket counter.

For Pakistan, international cricket's nomads, it's another series away from home. Deprived of IPL activity, the lead-up to this tour for them consisted of a two-week camp in Lahore under hot conditions sure to test them in Sri Lanka. Fans showed up in thousands to watch a series of practice games between the best limited-overs players in the country. Nothing can substitute international action at home, but this is the best their fans can get.

Only a select number of Sri Lankan players, on the other hand, have had the benefit of rigorous Twenty20 match practice. Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Lasith Malinga have been particularly busy in the IPL, while the others have been keeping busy training at home. Dinesh Chandimal, who failed to get a game with Rajasthan Royals, was released midway to join a training camp at home. A few more weeks in the dugout could have been detrimental to the fledgling star's development. Fitness is paramount in June's punishing cricketing conditions and it's an area both teams will have to address.

The series begins with Twenty20s in Hambantota, which from Pakistan's perspective will be more than just a preparation for the World Twenty20. The series marks the start of a fresh experiment with the captaincy, to see if Mohammad Hafeez has it in him to emulate Younis Khan's achievement in the 2009 World Twenty20. The sudden change in leadership may appear surprising but isn't seismic. A phased change of guard was a necessity given that Misbah-ul-Haq is 38. His own dogged batting style and experience created a sense of stability rarely seen in various Pakistan teams over the last 20 years. He may be the antithesis to some of his mercurial predecessors but his popularity has survived the initial doubts - as reinforced by the popular Twitter hashtag 'TeamMisbah.'

When teams are on a high, one issue that is sometimes ignored - with often catastrophic effects - is succession planning. Misbah wisely decided to step down as T20 captain, though he still harbours intentions of playing the format. His dropping altogether from the T20 squad would have stung him and his followers but his successor is cut from roughly the same cloth. The erudite Hafeez, known to his team-mates as Professor, has been Pakistan's most improved cricketer over the last two years. Given the respect he may have earned in that period, captaincy seemed inevitable. Like Misbah, he too has suffered being a discard, only to rediscover his game and skills when given another chance. Pakistan's immediate success in the format, at least, depends on how fast they embrace this change.

Sri Lanka are not making drastic changes yet, sticking to the same group that performed creditably in Australia though they limped out exhausted in the Asia Cup. A potential banana peel for the hosts in preparation for the World Twenty20 is the lack of match practice in this format as a unit. They're playing after a six-month layoff, with only three games planned in the lead-up to September. The planned Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) will serve as a warm-up but Jayawardene is confident the games are sufficient practice.

What Jayawardene could do with is better support. Sangakkara endured a tepid IPL by his standards and Tillakaratne Dilshan wasn't good enough to command a regular spot in the XI (10 games) unlike Jayawardene (16). The trio firing in unison will be key to trumping the best spin attack in the world. England managed to negate the group of Saeed Ajmal, Hafeez and Afridi with such consummate ease in the one-dayers in UAE that it surprised everyone, including themselves. Sri Lanka may not be as spin-heavy, but the emergence of seam-bowling allrounders in Thisara Perera and Angelo Mathews gives Jayawardene more options.

The limited-overs contests aside, what would give Sri Lanka greater satisfaction is success in the Tests. The fallout of Muttiah Muralitharan's retirement remains - they have won just one Test since. Instances of fast bowlers breaking down have increased the burden on their lone quality spinner, Rangana Herath. They now have to rectify those problems against the toughest subcontinent opponents. When Pakistan last visited in 2009, two incredible collapses gave Sri Lanka the series after just two games. The foundations appear less shaky for Pakistan this time, as demonstrated in their 3-0 whitewash of England, achieved through patience at the crease and unrelenting pressure provided by a varied spin attack.

Current form gives Pakistan the edge but Sri Lanka can swing it their way if their batsmen make an early statement

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Ashraful recalled for Zimbabwe T20s

Former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful and opening batsman Junaid Siddique have been recalled for the unofficial Twenty20 tri-series against Zimbabwe and South Africa next month after reasonable performances in Bangladesh Premier League. They replaced Nazimuddin and Jahurul Islam, both of whom were in the top-order during the Asia Cup in March.

The Akram Khan-led selection panel also left out Shahadat Hossain and Imrul Kayes and included allrounders Farhad Reza and Ziaur Rahman. The selectors have also retained uncapped wicketkeeper-batsman Anamul Haque and fast bowler Abul Hasan, who replaced Shafiul Islam midway through the Asia Cup after Shafiul had hurt his shoulder.

This season, Ashraful and Junaid have batted like they used to in the early part of their careers in the Twenty20 format. Ashraful has the most runs in T20Is for Bangladesh and was the second highest scorer among country's batsmen in the BPL with 258 runs at a strike-rate of 112.66 including a fifty. Junaid scored 238 runs in the BPL and had been in good form in first-class cricket. He played his last T20I in August 2009 against West Indies.

"Junaid [Siddique] has a very good reputation as a Twenty20 player and most importantly, he played well in BPL and in the later part of the National Cricket League," Akram said.

"Ashraful also looked good in the domestic competition as he always does. It is also true that he cannot fulfill our expectations, but we want to keep faith in him because he is a very good option for Twenty20 cricket," he added.

Ashraful is currently playing for Blackheath Club in the Kent Premier League and will return to the country on June 8.

But many will closely follow how Ziaur steps up to the bigger stage in his first recall since being named in the provisional squad for the inaugural World Twenty20 five years ago. A 25-year-old allrounder, Ziaur's medium-pace bowling has been overshadowed by his big-hitting capabilities.

Ziaur tapered off during the intervening period but has had a much better season for Khulna, his first-class side, before making important top-order contributions for Chittagong Kings in the BPL. In the country's top one-day league, the Dhaka Premier League, Ziaur has been instrumental in Old DOHS Sports Club's stay at the top of the table with some quick runs during the Powerplays.

IN: Junaid Siddique, Mohammad Ashraful, Farhad Reza and Ziaur Rahman OUT: Imrul Kayes, Jahurul Islam, Nazimuddin, Shafiul Islam, Shahadat Hossain

Imrul Kayes could consider himself unlucky as he has had very few chances since being sidelined during the Asia Cup. He had made it into the squad after finding some form in domestic cricket but lost out to Nizamuddin as Tamim Iqbal's opening partner. Now Imrul, Nizamuddin and Jahurul have been cast aside.

"[Jahurul Islam] Omi is unlucky because as a back-up wicketkeeper-batsman [Anamul Haque] Bijoy impressed us the most. Bijoy has been in good touch and performed well in all levels of domestic cricket. He is a good prospect," Akram said. "On the other hand Imrul [Kayes] is a good opening batsman but he is suited for the 50-overs game."

It would be the first opportunity for skipper Mushfiqur Rahim and the team management, led by newly-appointed coach Richard Pybus, to assess resources in the Twenty20 format. Akram too sees this as the first of three opportunities to put together a balanced line-up for the ICC World Twenty20s in September.

"We have good opportunity to find out the right combination for the Twenty20 World Cup. We are scheduled to play in Zimbabwe, Trinidad & Tobago and Ireland and thought we are not in favour of making changes, we always want to recognise performances," Akram said.

Bangladesh arrive in Harare on June 13 and take on Zimbabwe in the first game of the tournament on June 17.

Squad: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), Mahmudullah (vice-capt), Tamim Iqbal, Junaid Siddique, Anamul Haque, Mohammad Ashraful, Shakib Al Hasan, Nasir Hossain, Abdur Razzak, Elias Sunny, Mashrafe Mortaza, Farhad Reza, Nazmul Hossain, Ziaur Rahman, Abul Hasa

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Narine replaces injured Roach

Kemar Roach has been ruled out of the remainder of West Indies' tour of England with a shin injury and Sunil Narine, the spinner who is uncapped at Test level, has been named as his replacement.

Narine has just finished competing in the IPL* where he enjoyed considerable success for the winners, Kolkata Knight Riders, with 24 wickets at 13.50 and an economy rate of 5.47 from 15 matches. On hearing the news, an elated Narine said that he wants to be mentally and physically prepared for the task.

"When I got the call for the Test series...words can't explain how I felt at that moment. The dream was always to play Test cricket and I'm halfway there," Narine said. "I did well in the West Indies and I did well in India, but the pitches and conditions in England are different, so as a bowler you have to take your time to get ready and prepared."

Narine has played eight ODIs and two Twenty20 internationals, while his first-class cricket he has 34 wickets from six matches at 11.88. Narine has caught the eye with a variety of deliveries to put him in the 'mystery' category of offspinner and was expected to be named in the squad for the one-day series against England.

Roach, who has been West Indies' stand-out pace bowler during the Test series, was diagnosed with the injury following the second Test at Trent Bridge which the visitors lost by nine wickets to give England the series. He has been carrying soreness during most of the tour - and has spent time off the field during both matches - and will now aim to be fit for the visit of New Zealand.

West Indies coach Ottis Gibson admitted Roach was a major loss but said the decision was taken with a long-term view in mind. "We still have an awful lot of cricket to play this year and we did not want to risk losing as valuable a player as Kemar for a long period," he said.

"He has been outstanding with the ball for us so far this year and we are all gutted by his departure. Kemar made a lot of improvements, after enduring a tough time last year, and gave us some world-class performances during the series against Australia and here in England."

C.J. Clark, the West Indies physiotherapist, added: "Kemar has been carrying this soreness for the last two matches and in view of our upcoming schedule, we would like him to have the time to recover and prevent the onset of a more serious injury. It is always important to balance workload with the body's ability to repair, and I think it judicious to protect Kemar at this time."

During the first two Tests Roach bowled 68 overs to take eight wickets at 34.25 although he bowled better than the average suggests. At Trent Bridge he roughed up Jonny Bairstow with a series of rapid bouncers before having him caught at mid-on off a leading edge. However, he also suffered major problems with no-balls and twice had Alastair Cook caught behind off illegal deliveries before recovering his rhythm on the third day.

Roach is the second West Indies pace bowler to leave the tour following Shannon Gabriel's withdrawal after making his debut at Lord's. Gabriel was replaced by Tino Best who arrived shortly before the second Test.

West Indies have a two-day tour match against Leicestershire, starting on Saturday, to prepare for the final Test at Edgbaston and Gibson said Best and Fidel Edwards, who played at Lord's, will have a chance to stake a claim for a recall.

"We believe that a very excited Tino and a fit-again Fidel will be able to provide us with the spark that we will miss from Roach's absence," he said. "We still have an awful lot for which to play in the final Test, and Tino and Fidel can give us the cutting edge to our bowling if they play."

* 06:30 GMT, May 31, 2012 The story has been edited to remove a reference that suggested Narine had opted to play in the IPL over concurrent international series

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Mohammad Amir meets the PCB

The PCB has held talks with banned fast bowlerMohammad Amir, as a prelude to his rehabilitation process following the spot-fixing scandal. Amir, who was released in February after serving half of his six-month custodial sentence in England for spot-fixing during the Lord's Test in 2010, had volunteered to meet the board.

"We have recently had two [meetings] with Amir during which he was debriefed and was asked some questions that we do not want to disclose to the media," the PCB's chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed told AFP."The debriefing was not part of the rehab, but we will soon discuss the matter with the ICC and start his rehabilitation."

Soon after his release, Amir had said that he would not request the ICC to reduce his ban, which runs until 2015. The ICC had advised him to undergo a rehabilitation programme and, recently, he appeared in an educational video on behalf of the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU).

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Champions League T20 could move to South Africa

The Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20), the most lucrative club cricket tournament in the world, could possibly be moved to South Africa. Cricket South Africa acting CEO Jacques Faul told ESPNcricinfo, "It could be a possibility [that SA will host] but we will only know later in June. There are problems with the IPL qualifiers venues for the CLT20 but there has been no final decision yet." Faul has returned from a CLT20 governing council meeting in India which was held in Chennai after the end of the IPL.

Faul is one of the members of the CLT20 governing council, replacing the previous CEO Gerald Majola, who is suspended pending disciplinary action. Following the governing council meeting, there has been no formal announcement of the 2012 CLT20 other than the two on Twitter by Sundar Raman, a member of the CLT20 technical committee. The first Tweet said Sialkot Stallions of Pakistan would be invited to take part in the IPL, the first time a Pakistani team would be competing in the event. The second said the dates for the tournament would only be released by the end of June.

ESPNcricinfo understands that talks of moving the CLT20 to South Africa were driven by several reasons, including the Indian monsoons and a five-day festival in the east of the country. Late last week, Times of Indiahad reported that the tournament would take place in India from October 10-28 over five venues: Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and New Delhi. Kolkata had lost out on hosting matches during the latter half of the tournament as the entire state of West Bengal would shut down for the Durga Puja holiday from October 20 to 25.

In the 2011 CLT20, a six-team qualifier leg was held for the first time with the fourth-place finisher from the IPL, the national T20 champions from New Zealand and West Indies, a team from Sri Lanka and two teams from England competing for three qualifying spots. The total prize money on offer was $6m with the winner earning $2.5m. The event was won by Mumbai Indians

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Pietersen retires from England one-day cricket

Kevin Pietersen has retired from all international limited overs cricket with immediate effect. He will remain available for consideration as a specialist Test match player only. The news comes four months before England defend their World T20 title in Sri Lanka.

"With the intensity of the international schedule and the increasing demands on my body, I think it is the right time to step aside and let the next generation of players come through to gain experience for the World Cup in 2015," Pietersen said. "I am immensely proud of my achievements in the one-day game but still wish to be considered for selection for England in Test cricket.

He has no plans to retire from the IPL, which will further increase tensions between IPL and international cricket and heighten the debate over whether a window is becoming increasingly necessaryto seek accommodation between the tournament and the international circuit.

Pietersen's decision ends protracted discussions about his England future, which he persistently denied, in which he envisaged a future playing Tests and t20 only.

This was prevented by the terms of ECB central contracts which state that any player who makes themselves unavailable for either format of one-day cricket is automatically ruled out of selection for both ODIs and T20s.

"For the record, were the selection criteria not in place, I would have readily played for England in the upcoming World Twenty20," Pietersen said.

The stipulation is seen as essential in protecting England's extensive Test summer in which 50-over cricket still plays a central part. England have just begun one of their busiest summers on record, a programme involving a summer of six Tests, 14 ODIs and four t20s.

An ECB statement said: "Pietersen, who discussed his position with the ECB during the recent Investec Test at Lord's, accepts that his current contract will continue to run through to September 2012 but that the contract will be downgraded to reflect the fact that he will only be selected for Test cricket for the remainder of his current contract.

"The terms of the central contract state that any player making himself unavailable for either of the one-day formats automatically rules himself out of consideration for both formats of the game as planning for both formats is closely linked.

"This is designed to reflect the importance of one-day international cricket which is a strategic priority as England look for improved performances in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy and the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup."

Pietersen, 31, has played 127 ODIs and 36 t20s for England, making his international debut in 2004 against Zimbabwe in Harare. He has scored 4,184 runs at an average of 41.84 in one-day internationals and averages 37.93 in international t20 cricket.

Hugh Morris, the managing director of England Cricket, said: "ECB is disappointed by the timing of Kevin's decision less than four months before we defend our ICC World Twenty20 title.

"Kevin is a world-class player and we would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his efforts and we look forward to his continued contributions towards the Test match side.

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The start of World Twenty20 preparations

The games against Pakistan, and the one against India, are the chance to zero in on our perfect Twenty20 squad

It's been a long season on the road for myself, having played a full season of the IPL. I knew it was going to be particularly long so in order to stay fit and alert, I have been trying to keep things simple, focus on my game and manage recoveries properly. Touch wood, things have been okay so far. I also make sure I do not push myself too hard. I don't see us getting any breaks real soon, at least till the next IPL.

There is a lot of Twenty20 cricket being played and over the years, I think our players have got a measure of it to a certain extent. But like any other format, it keeps evolving. People are coming up with new tactics so you need to keep ahead of everybody else. You can't make too many mistakes in the shorter versions.

Personally, Twenty20 has taken me back to the way I used to play. In that sense, the freedom with which I play my strokes doesn't really surprise me because as a schoolboy, this was how I batted. I used to play quite aggressively. When I started playing international cricket, I realised I really had to tighten my game and take more responsibility. In Test cricket you don't always have too much freedom. In one-dayers, for a long period of time you have to build your innings, especially at my position at No. 4. Opening the batting has given me the same kind of freedom I enjoyed as a schoolboy.

I have enjoyed a fair amount of success as an opener in Twenty20, but my presence at the top depends on the team combination. Tillakaratne Dilshan and I have built up a decent opening partnership in the last couple of years or so. Even in one-day cricket I regularly open the batting. We're trying to be more flexible as well, because going into the World T20, we need to have a good idea on what kind of squad we need. We're using these two games, plus the one T20 against India, to find the right combination so we will mix and match. This is the start of an important series for us so we need to make a statement.

It's a fact that we've hardly played Twenty20 cricket as a unit over the last six months. However, if you look at the IPL, quite a few of our players were involved in it in one way or the other so, individually, that's a lot of Twenty20 cricket. With the three upcoming games (two against Pakistan and one with India), plus the upcoming Sri Lanka Premier League, that should be enough to prepare us for the World T20.

Those players who have not had the benefit of match practice in the IPL have been training over the last few weeks on their fitness. The period after the England Tests was the best time to do that. They've also spent time working on their skill sets. We had about six-seven guys training specifically for the Test series and some for the ODIs and T20s. Taking Dinesh Chandimal's example, halfway through the IPL his franchise realised he wasn't going to play so he was sent back to train with the national squad. It was nice of Rajasthan Royals to release him. It has all been done in a systematic way so that the preparation hasn't been compromised.

As for our bowling reserves, I feel Nuwan Kulasekara is right up there to give Lasith Malinga the support he needs. We're trying a few young guys so we need to see how they come up. Thisara (Perera) and Angelo (Mathews) have been around for a while so I'm glad I've got a couple of allrounders I can always bank on. I'm also very excited about Sachithra Senanayake, the offspinner, who had a good time in Australia. Ajantha Mendis is coming back from injury, so we're going to gradually build him up, perhaps try him at some point in the Pakistan series or against India. We rested Rangana (Herath) because he had a knee operation but he might play him in the one-dayers. There's good competition as well and it's healthy.

Pakistan will be a challenge because have a nice blend of youth and experience. From the squad of 15, they've got a lot of variety in their bowling armoury. What makes them competitive is the sort of bowling options available, apart from the specialists. All in all, it should be a competitive T20 series.

Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene is the country's leading Test run-scorer

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Decision on Indo-Pak ties likely in June - Ashraf

The ICC's annual conference in Kuala Lumpur in June is where India and Pakistan could take significant steps towards the resumption of cricketing ties, with even the possibility of the announcement of a series, according to PCB chief Zaka Ashraf.

Ashraf is in Delhi for a few days after attending the IPL final (to which he was invited by the BCCI) in Chennai, and he told ESPNcricinfo, "Probably the final decision will be [taken] in Kuala Lumpur, where the ICC board of directors meeting will be held. There MrSrinivasan and I will hold discussions, and maybe we will be able to formulate and announce something about the resumption of ties."

He denied that the two parties had already discussed or suggested a tentative schedule for a bilateral series during a gap in England's winter tour of India, when the England team will return home for a Christmas break. "The BCCI haven't conveyed that to us. What we see on the calendar is that the English team will continue to play matches. But that is now up to the BCCI, the ball is in their court. They have to think which slab is available, where there is a vacuum during which both of us can play. What we can play, what format … they have to take steps and let us know."

During his stay in Delhi on what was his first visit to India, Ashraf said he had met with the Pakistani high commissioner to India, Salman Bashir, and political leaders of several parties, ruling and opposition, whose names he did not wish to reveal.

India and Pakistan have not played each other in a bilateral series since December 2007. It is India's turn to tour Pakistan, but the country has not hosted an international series between two Full Members at home following the Lahore terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team bus in March 2009. Bilateral ties between India and Pakistan have been frozen since the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. Pakistan, however, travelled to India to play in the semi-final of the 2011 World Cup.

On the day that an unofficial lunch meeting took place between Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari in April, IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla had told Pakistani channel Geo TV that the participation of Pakistan players in the IPL would depend on bilateral ties between the two nations.

Ashraf said his discussions with BCCI president N Srinivasan had not touched upon the participation of Pakistan players in the IPL much. "I didn't discuss the IPL, because it was more of a commercial thing. I was talking to the BCCI more on the revival of cricketing relations - on bilateral ties, because that is more important. If they feel like inviting Pakistani players [to the IPL], it is up to them. If they want to, I think that will be a good move also."

The participation of the Sialkot Stallions in the Champions League T20 was however confirmed by Ashraf. News of the decision to invite the team from Pakistan to the most lucrative club competition in world cricket was released on Twitter by Sundar Raman, a member of the CLT20 technical committee, but it is yet to be formally announced. Similarly Raman announced on Twitter that the dates for the Champions League T20 would only be released by the end of June. Ashraf, who had talked about the resumption of ties with Srinivasan on the side of ICC meetings in Dubai, said he had been asked for his approval for the Sialkot Stallions not once but twice by Srinivasan.

"He called me once from India about 15-20 days ago to discuss the Champions League T20, saying the issue [of Pakistani participation] has come to the board and 'if we decide in favour of Pakistan do you have any objection'. And I said no, of course not, I am always in favour of ties. So after the meeting he called me and said 'I'm going to the press to announce it. Finally I just want to ask, I hope you don't any objections'. I said our board and our people are also for the revival of ties of cricketing relations, Test series, one-day and Twenty20 games." Ashraf said the news of the invitation extended to the Sialkot Stallions had been welcomed "in the press, by the general public and the board. At least the ice is melting. And things are moving in the right direction."

The meeting between the Indian prime minister and the Pakistani president had been important, because it indicated that the Indian government had no objections to the resumption of cricketing between the two countries. "What I understand is that, again, the honourable president of Pakistan requested that the honourable prime minister of India do something, so that India-Pakistan cricket could be revived. He [the Indian prime minister] said, 'Yes, I'm for it, the government has no objection and we are going to convey it to the [Indian] board. The board should decide the other questions … when and where they should play, because those are the nitty-gritty details.' "

Ashraf said that he had kept aside an extra day after the IPL final to have an extended meeting with Srinivasan. However, the extended meetings could not take place because Srinivasan had to be admitted to hospital during the IPL final for observation. "He never used to smile, but he was smiling then [when Ashraf visited him in hospital]," Ashraf joked. "He was very happy that I went. That showed that brotherly relations between the boards are developing."

He came across goodwill in general, he said, on his visit to India. "I found that everybody in India has got good feelings about Pakistan and they all want cricket to resume between these two great cricketing nations. There's great cricket passion in India, like there is in Pakistan. I brought with me, to the people of India and Indian cricket fans, the warmth and feelings of Pakistani cricket fans. This visit is like a friendship message from both the nations to each other.

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Indian engineer challenges D/L method

The ICC will meet to decide whether an engineer from India has simplified the system to determine a winner in rain-affected matches.

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New Dehli – An Indian engineer will learn Thursday whether his challenge to the English system for determining the winner of rain-affected cricket matches – one of the most complicated rules in the sport – has been successful.

The current method, devised by English statisticians Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis and known as the Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) rule, was first introduced at the international level in 1996.

It uses mathematical formulas to calculate the winning target for the batting team when rain reduces playing time in limited-overs matches and was first adopted after World Cup rules made a mockery of the 1992 semi-final between England and South Africa in Sydney.

V. Jayadevan, an engineer in southern Kerala state, spent a decade working on his so-called VJD system, which has been used in Indian domestic matches since 2007 following a recommendation from batting legend Sunil Gavaskar.

The International Cricket Council will announce on Thursday if the VJD system will replace the Duckworth-Lewis method after discussions in London by the ICC’s cricket committee, headed by former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd.

Jayadevan, a passionate statistician, calculates his chances of success in percentage terms.

“I think there is 90 percent hope if members read it patiently,” Jayadevan told AFP from his office in Thrissur.

“I will not be at the meeting because I was not invited, so I cannot immediately clear any doubts which a member may have. That is why I have taken away the remaining 10 percent chance,” he said.

Jayadevan insists his system of calculating revised targets is a vast improvement on the D/L method.

“Both are two different ways of approaching a problem, two different mathematical models,” he said. “There is nothing wrong with D/L system, but many times the targets set by it are not reasonable or sensible.

“In my report to the ICC, I have pointed out the mathematical and statistical flaws in the D/L system and how that has been corrected in my method.”

In the World Cup game that prompted the adoption of the D/L method, South Africa needed a gettable 22 runs off 13 balls before rain stopped play, but that became a ludicrous 21 off one ball when the match resumed.

In England, the challenge has been seen by some as another attempt by India, the game’s superpower, to chip away at the influence of England, the former colonial power and inventor of the game.

“There could be no more symbolic example of India’s challenge to surpass England in every aspect of cricket’s world order,” noted the Guardian newspaper. – Sapa-AFP

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