De Villiers to miss Bangladesh Tests, Steyn rested for ODIs

AB de Villiers will miss South Africa's upcoming two-Test series in Bangladesh while he takes paternity leave but will play the limited-overs matches beforehand. As cover, South Africa have named wicketkeeper-batsman Dane Vilas, who is one of four new Test caps. Opening batsman Reeza Hendricks, left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso and fast bowler Kagiso Rabada have all earned maiden call-ups which left no room for Dane Piedt or Kyle Abbott, who were part of South Africa's last two Test squads.

South Africa's limited-overs squad retains the core of its World Cup players with only one new cap. Legspinner Eddie Leie has been included in the T20 squad. Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander will be rested from the ODIs and T20s, from which Morne Morkel and Imran Tahir will also be given time off.

Although the Bangladesh tour is South Africa's first post the World Cup, it precedes a bumper 2015-16 season, which includes four Tests, five ODIs and three T20s in India and the same from an incoming England tour, which explains the part-experimentation on this visit.

The first area of South Africa's focus will be at the top, where they will look for an opening batsman to fill the spot left vacant by Alviro Petersen's retirement. Stiaan van Zyl is the favourite to assume the role, despite being a regular No. 3, and was moved to open the batting for his franchise, Cape Cobras, last summer. He enjoyed success in the latter half of the season when he scored a century and a fifty in two of the last three matches.

Whether van Zyl will get the opportunity to play in that position on the Bangladesh tour will depend on if South Africa's management prefer to use him in the middle-order in de Villiers' absence. If van Zyl is deployed lower, instead of reserve batsman Temba Bavuma or reserve wicketkeeper Vilas, Hendricks could get an opportunity to open the batting. Hendricks is a regular opener who has performed well for the South Africa A side but did not stand out last season. He was 15th on the first-class run-scorers' charts with 540 from nine matches at an average of 31.76, 349 behind the leader Stephen Cook, who is also an opener.

The South Africa attack will be overseen by a yet-to-be-named bowling coach for whom the Bangladesh tour will be the first assignment. That person, likely to be Charl Langeveldt, will work with Rabada in his first Test series. Rabada was part of the South Africa squad that won the Under-19 World Cup last year and has been fast-tracked through the franchise and national structures. He was third on the first-class wicket-takers' list last season, with 39 from eight games at 21.12 including best match-figures of 14 for 105, a franchise record in South Africa.

The only thing stopping Rabada from being handed a Test debut is where to fit him in, in an attack that includes Steyn, Morkel and Philander and could also see two specialist spinners playing, given conditions in Bangladesh. For that purpose, South Africa will take offspinner Simon Harmer, who debuted against West Indies, and left-arm spinner Phangiso, who has only played limited-overs matches to date.

Phangiso's first-class record does not stand out, with 109 wickets from 60 matches at 35.20, but he has not played as much first-class franchise cricket as he might have liked, with Lions' attack well-equipped in that department. He was preferred ahead of Piedt, who took eight wickets on debut against Zimbabwe. He was sidelined for much of last season with a shoulder injury but has since recovered.

Phangiso will also play a major role in the limited-overs matches, especially the T20s where Tahir will be rested. There could be a debut for Leie, as South Africa explore their bowling options ahead of next year's World T20 in India. The Lions' legspinner has had good results over the last two seasons and finished last season's T20 competition as the joint second-highest wicket-taker with 14 at an economy of 5.93, the lowest among the top 15 bowlers.

The squad to Bangladesh is the last one to be picked by South Africa's current selection panel, who will be replaced next month. Andrew Hudson has already announced that he will not be available for reappointment.

South Africa Test squad: Hashim Amla (capt), Dean Elgar, Reeza Hendricks, Faf du Plessis, Stiaan van Zyl, JP Duminy, Quinton de Kock, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Aaron Phangiso, Simon Harmer, Temba Bavuma, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Vilas

ODI squad: AB de Villiers (capt), Hashim Amla (vice-capt), Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Rilee Rossouw, JP Duminy, David Miller, Farhaan Behardien, Chris Morris, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir, Kagiso Rabada, Kyle Abbott, Aaron Phangiso, Wayne Parnell, Ryan McLaren

T20 squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Quinton de Kock, Rilee Rossouw, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, David Miller, David Wiese, Chris Morris, Kyle Abbott, Kagiso Rabada, Aaron Phangiso, Eddie Leie, Wayne Parnell, Beuran Hendricks

Chanderpaul has earned farewell series - LaraChanderpaul has earned farewell series - Lara

Brian Lara has berated the West Indies selectors and the WICB for seeking to deny Shivnarine Chanderpaul the chance of a final Test series against Australia, demanding that his former teammate be reinstated for a farewell along the lines of that given to Sachin Tendulkar by the BCCI.

Chanderpaul, 40, was omitted from the West Indies training squad ahead of their two Tests against Australia following a significant downturn in his run-making during his two most recent series, where his average dipped to little more than 16 over six matches.

However, Lara said that Chanderpaul's contribution to the game, which left him narrowly short of surpassing Lara as the most prolific Test batsman in the history of the Caribbean region, merited a more respectful farewell than the one ultimately decided on by convenor of selectors Clive Lloyd and coach Phil Simmons.

"This has absolutely nothing to do with runs or numbers," Lara told the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. "It has to do with respect and Chanderpaul has earned the right to say goodbye in an acceptable way. In fact, he should be allowed to do it in his own way.

"The manner in which they deal with their players is despicable and should no longer be tolerated. When you look back to so many of our heroes and the manner in which they were dumped, it makes you shudder."

Lara contrasted Chanderpaul's fate with that of Tendulkar, who was granted a specially scheduled Test series at home against West Indies to end his own storied career. "What did they do?" Lara asked. "They organised a Test series in his honour and gave him a farewell in keeping with his contribution to the game.

Cricket needs men like Ben Stokes

The moment will linger.

Ben Stokes with his flaming red hair a glowing blaze on the green under the afternoon sun.

The ball gripped at the end of the fiercely tattooed arm. The strides hasten with the final bursts of boundless energy. The ball propelled, fast, full, straight, on the leg stump. Mark Craig’s bat comes down a trifle late, the red cherry brushes his pads and crashes into the stumps. READ: Stokes plays two career-defining knocks against New Zealand

The crowded arc of fieldsmen from wicketkeeper to second gully go up in unison. With an exultation of untold joy, Stokes erupts in ecstasy. The England fielders converge on the man of the moment in a huddle of unbridled celebration.

After four days and five hours of fickle fluctuation of fortunes, the end is in sight. The English team, 134 behind in the first innings, 232 for 4 in the second essay halfway through the fourth day, has suddenly emerged on the brink of an incredible victory in an incredible Test match. READ: Alastair Cook lauds Ben Stokes after England defeat New Zealand in 1st Test

They owe it to Stokes, the man who strode in at that No 6 the day before and hammered 101 from 92 balls with 15 fours and three sixes. He got the runs, and got them fast, grabbing the game by the collar and snatching it away from the Kiwis, giving England just enough time to close it out in a fascinating finish.

And now he is in the thick of things yet again, hitting timber, picking up his third wicket in just his eighth over. That is why the other ten have surrounded him. He is touched by something special.

Alastair Cook, whose nine-hour vigil provided the plinth on which Stokes essayed his audacious strokes, finally manages a winning smile. It is a smile forged through raging fire. READ: England defeat New Zealand by 124 runs in 1st Test at Lord’s

This is Test cricket at its very best.

Cricket needs men like Stokes. Cricket needs performances like his.

Zimbabwe Cricket chairman declares Pakistan ‘safe’ for international matches

The Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Wilson Manase has declared Pakistan safe for international cricket after two matches of their five-game tour and urged Test-playing nations to revisit their decision to shun the troubled country.

Since the 2009 attack on the visiting Sri Lanka team in Lahore, Test teams have refused to tour Pakistan, leaving the national side to play most of their “home” matches in the United Arab Emirates. The ICC also refused to send match officials to the country for the Zimbabwe series.

Manase said he was given the green light for the tour from Zimbabwe defence officials and was happy with the tight security laid on after both Twenty20 internationals passed without trouble.

“I would like to indicate to the world – especially the Test-playing nations – that Pakistan is a safe country to play cricket,” Manase told the ESPNcricinfo website. “We need to encourage members of the ICC to re-look at the position of not visiting Pakistan, and if they are watching how things have gone, they would realise that Pakistan, in the quest to have teams visit, have done great work to create an environment where cricket can be played safely.”

Manase denied there was any reluctance in the Zimbabwe squad, who lost both the T20 matches. “I can tell you that players were never reluctant. They were always ready to go, we never had any dissent within,” he said. “All players who were selected did come. We are safe, the players are safe and there is no problem.”

Jason Gillespie would take England job if offered by ECB

The Yorkshire coach, 40, has been impressed by Andrew Strauss, England's new director of cricket, after positive face-to-face meetings this week.

Australian Gillespie said on Friday he was one of several candidates in the frame for the position vacated by Peter Moores's sacking on 9 May.
England caretaker coach Paul Farbrace has also declared his interest.
However, the ECB has not yet offered the job to anyone.

BBC Radio Leeds' Yorkshire reporter Dave Callaghan
"Strauss and Gillespie met on Monday in Leeds and again on Thursday in London. They got on well and found a lot of common ground in a bid to resurrect the fortunes of the England team.
"Strauss explained that there were other candidates and he had to go through a proper process. As yet there has not been a firm offer to Gillespie, who loves his job at Yorkshire, where he has had considerable success. But he is ambitious and loves a challenge."

Former Australia fast bowler Gillespie led Yorkshire from Division Two to the 2014 County Championship title within three years and previously said he would "take persuading" to leave his current job.

Gillespie is with the White Rose county for their four-day Championship game at Somerset, which begins on Sunday.

England's second Test against New Zealand starts on Friday at Headingley - Yorkshire's home ground.

The timing of both matches suggest the process of appointing a successor to Moores could last until the conclusion of England's two-Test series against the Black Caps, for which Farbrace has been put in charge.

Raza Hasan banned for two years

Raza Hasan, the Pakistan left-arm spinner, has been suspended from playing any form of cricket for two years, having tested positive for a prohibited substance.

The Pakistan Cricket Board had conducted dope tests during the Pentangular one-day cup 2015 in Karachi. The sample collected from Hasan was subsequently analysed at a World Anti-Doping Agency accredited laboratory. The results were relayed to the PCB, who banned Hasan on the basis of their anti-doping rules.

"During the period of ineligibility, he will not be entitled to participate in any capacity, in any cricket match or activity (other than authorised anti-doping education or rehabilitation programmes) authorised or organised by the PCB," a PCB release said

The PCB had notified Hasan of their findings on March 24, and he did have the opportunity to request a hearing within 14 days, but did not do so.

The 22-year old Hasan has played 10 Twenty20 matches for Pakistan, having made his debut in September 2012. He went on to participate in the World T20 later in the month, where he took three wickets in four matches at an economy of 4.93.

His ODI experience is limited to only one match, and he last played international cricket in December 2014 against New Zealand.

Watson's Test availability uncertain

Shane Watson's availability for the first Test against West Indies in Dominica remains unclear as he prepares for the birth of his second child in Sydney. Watson has delayed his departure for the Caribbean due to the impending arrival of the baby, and he will miss the only warm-up match ahead of the first Test, a three-day game starting in Antigua on Wednesday.

He hopes to have arrived in Dominica in time to be considered for selection for the first Test, but knows there is a possibility that by staying at home he will affect his chances.

"They've said that I don't have to play the tour game, but obviously there is going to have to be a certain amount of time for me to get there, if it works out that way, to be able to play the first Test," Watson said in Sydney on Friday. "Coming off playing Twenty20 cricket, and then it's a long flight and recovering from a long flight into a Test match, I'm going to have to have a decent enough sort of lead-up anyway to be right to go.

"There is no doubt there will be a certain cut-off date at some stage, but there will be physically alone to be able to be right for that Test match. But the most important thing for me right at this time is to be here for the birth of my second baby."

Fast bowler Ryan Harris will miss the whole West Indies series to be at home for the birth of his first child, but he is considered a certain selection for the Ashes campaign that follows. The situation is not quite as straightforward for Watson, who faces a challenge from fellow allrounder Mitchell Marsh and could open the door for his younger team-mate if he is unavailable.

Should Watson be available for the first Test, it is possible that he and Marsh would play alongside each other, with the potential for two spinners to be included on a likely slow surface - Fawad Ahmed and Nathan Lyon. Whatever the case, Watson knows that he has the full support of the coach Darren Lehmann to be at home for the birth.

"It's one of the things he said immediately when he came in," Watson said. "It's family first. Initially our partners were banned for the first couple of weeks [of the 2013 Ashes] when Mickey [Arthur] was in charge but he just said if your family is here you've got to make the most of spending time with them.

"Darren has always been very much family first and this is a perfect case for myself and Ryan. In the end it is just a game even though it's a game we all love so much. I know it's a really important time in my career as well, obviously the opportunities that are going to be there aren't always going to be there, there's no question. I do have to make the most of the opportunities I get leading into the Ashes as well but there is no question [the birth] is my priority."

Watson arrived in Sydney this week after his IPL campaign ended with the Rajasthan Royals. It was also announced that he had signed a three-year deal with the Sydney Thunder in the BBL, having previously been part of the Sydney Sixers and then Brisbane Heat squads.

Sourav Ganguly Set for New Role With Team India

The BCCI's mandate is clear. They want to have a strategist who will help Team India boost its overseas record and for that they have turned to former captain Sourav Ganguly.(Ganguly a Good Option)

NDTV has learnt that in the next couple of days the BCCI will unveil its new Cricket Advisory Committee and Ganguly will have a prominent role to play. He will either take charge as the Team Director or the High Performance Manager. The former India captain will most likely travel to Bangladesh with the team. Though some BCCI members are in favour of scrapping the Team Director's position, it will be retained till at least the Zimbabwe tour. However, Ravi Shastri is unlikely to hold onto his position. It is learnt that he wouldn't be keen on taking the job unless he is retained for a longer duration.

Meanwhile, Ganguly has also told the board that he would only be interested in a BCCI position if given a longer duration. He wants to prepare a team for the 2019 World Cup.
The Board is also keen to acknowledge Ravi Shastri's good work with Team India. So he is likely to be awarded with a position in the Cricket Advisory Committee. The Board Secretary is also waiting for one final chat with Sachin Tendulkar before they give final shape to the all-powerful committee.
It is understood that Sourav Ganguly was given the choice of becoming a Team Director or a High Performance Manager. And though he would prefer the former, that would also mean giving up his CAB post. Some members within the Board have sent a message to the former India skipper that they would want him in both roles, hence he should choose the one that keeps him in CAB for at least six months a year.

With Sourav almost set to step into a dressing room of a few superstars and two captains, Indian cricket is headed for interesting times.

Embattled England face rising force NZ

Whatever dramas and controversies are floating around either England cricket or the world game - and at the moment there are plenty in both - there is something reassuring about the first Test of the English season. Whether Alastair Cook, Paul Farbrace and Andrew Strauss - captain, stand-in coach and new director of cricket - will be reassured come the end of the match is a moot point, but after all the off-field shenanigans at least the action moves back to the field.

And it is an intriguing contest between teams currently moving in opposite directions. The recent update of the Test rankings had England and New Zealand swapping places; the home side down to the fifth, the visitors up to third. However, New Zealand's rise is even more significant than that: a year ago they were seventh, which is the position England will occupy if they lose this series. Much has changed since the last meeting between the teams in 2013.

The current crop of England cricketers are trying to look to the future but are often handed the hospital pass of needing to bat away questions about Peter Moores' sacking, Kevin Pietersen's continued banishing or something Colin Graves may or may not have said. New Zealand, meanwhile, are still regularly asked about their uplifting World Cup campaign and the glow, albeit dampened somewhat by defeat in the final, remains as does an air of confidence around the squad.

Although this is a return to Test cricket they promise to retain the attacking brand of cricket instilled under Brendon McCullum and Mike Hesson, led so strongly by the captain himself. It will be a challenge in early season English conditions, not least because a core of the Test side have arrived late from the IPL, but McCullum has always been clear: cricket is a game to enjoy and play to provide entertainment. The English public would love that to be shown by their team, too, although right now Cook would take a victory any which way.

Mills may have to quit first-class cricket

Tymal Mills could be forced to retire from first-class cricket after being diagnosed with a congenital back condition.

Mills, who is thought to be the fastest bowler in English cricket, moved to Sussex from Essex over the winter and has been thought of as an England bowler of the near future. But, after breaking down in the early weeks of the season, he has been diagnosed as having a narrow spinal cord, which he has been warned could, in a worst case scenario, eventually cause substantial mobility problems if he continues to bowl.

For a man with so much natural talent, who had started to find the accuracy to complement his pace, it is crushing news.

"I have accepted that I might not have a future in first-class cricket," Mills told ESPNcricinfo. "It is absolutely gutting and I had a very difficult 48 hours when I first heard the news.

"I haven't completely given up on the dream of playing Test cricket but, realistically, it looks as if my future may be in the shorter formats. I still want to play 50-over and T20 cricket."

Sussex have already announced that Mills will play no first-class cricket for a couple of months, but specialists have advised that he will probably have to limit his bowling load significantly if he is to enjoy a prolonged career.

Mills bowled in Sussex's NatWest T20 Blast victory over Gloucestershire on Sunday and took three wickets - all bowled - and could feature in the side to play Somerset on Friday. He is travelling with the squad and hopes to shake off a minor ankle injury.

With that in mind, a career as a T20 specialist seems the most likely solution for a 22-year-old who, only weeks ago, was thought of as one of the most exciting prospects in England.

"I just hope nobody portrays me as a mercenary," Mills said. "This isn't a case of me not wanting to bowl; it's a case of me having a medical condition would could affect my future. It's all been pretty hard to take."

BCCI, franchises mull scrapping afternoon matches in IPL

IPL games which begin at 4pm are always a real challenge for players, umpires and even the crowds, considering the searing summer heat in which they are played in, especially the first innings. The TV ratings and crowd attendance of these matches are also not the same as those of the 8 PM matches. However, BCCI is forced to schedule these 'double headers', since it has to 'fit in' 60 matches in the one-and-half month period during which the IPL is played.

There could be a change in the offing here, despite the risk of the tournament running for an extra week. At a meeting in the city between IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur and franchise officials at a five-star hotel on Tuesday, the possibility of scrapping the 4pm games was discussed.

"The meeting was held since the BCCI wanted our feedback about this IPL. We expressed happiness at the way the tournament was run. There were a few things which were discussed. One of the things we pondered about was doing away with 4 pm games, and stretching the IPL by a week or so to complete the tournament," said a franchise official after the meeting.

If the tournament is indeed stretched, the IPL's biggest challenge will be to ensure availability of top players for the latter half. The English cricket season is on in full swing in June, with at least a couple of teams touring England around that time.

There has also been plenty of speculation about the CLT20 tournament being replaced by an abridged version of the IPL, where the eight IPL teams would be split up in two groups and made to play against each other in the UAE in September, but the official said that "there was no discussion on this issue at all."

Simmons and I have gelled well: Parthiv Patel

Mumbai Indians have scripted a fabulous turnaround. After slipping to five defeats in their first six games, they won seven of their final eight fixtures to finish second in the league phase. On Tuesday, at the Wankhede Stadium, the 2013 champions completed a convincing 25-run win over arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings to qualify for their third IPL final.

At the heart of the turnaround is the swing in fortunes of a certain Parthiv Patel, whose association at the top of the order with Lendl Simmons has been chiefly responsible for Mumbai Indians' renaissance. After the win over CSK in the first qualifier, Parthiv revealed that the team never let the pressure of their early season table position get to them and instead approached each game as a new start.

"We were not taking the pressure of having to win nine matches, we were just taking it one game at a time and that's how we planned," Parthiv told iplt20.com. "We know well about this tournament; if you get on a roll you win a lot of matches and we knew we could qualify for the final. We did our planning well and executed it brilliantly."

The diminutive left-hander, who has 339 runs at an impressive strike-rate of 139.50, credited his partnership with Simmons for the turnaround in the team's fortunes. "I think openers in any format, if they play well they set the platform for the big-hitters that come in to bat later and I am glad that I could play a part in it. Simmons and I pace our innings well. Whenever, whichever one of us gets off to a good start, the other tries to rotate the strike and give more strike to the person timing the ball well. And we have gelled well together."

"The first six overs are important. Once you get through that you make sure that you keep rotating and try and play 10-12 overs. If an opener bats deep he always gets big runs and if you look at the stats whenever an opener has batted deep the team has got bigger scores."

Parthiv also had words of praise for head coach Ricky Ponting, who he believes has been a vital cog in inspiring the tea perform to its potential. "He (Ricky) has been a great help," Parthiv said. "I have played against him, he is always aggressive, always busy on the field. He has been the same as a coach. He always wanted us to be aggressive and always wanted us to back ourselves."

Now that they've qualified for the final, Parthiv reckoned that the team wouldn't try to do anything drastically different just because it was the final. "We will just stay calm. We believe that big matches and pressure situations get the best out of us and hence we will try and stay calm."

Rogers set for Ashes farewell

Chris Rogers, the Australia opener, has confirmed he is set to retire after the Ashes in England this summer. Rogers said finishing his international career in the country where he had played a lot of county cricket would be a fitting end.

"I'm very happy, I've been pretty fortunate to have this second go at it and have loved every moment of it, but time calls on everyone and I think it's nearly up for me," he told Fox Sports. "I think to go out in the Ashes and in England where I've played a lot of cricket is pretty fitting."

Rogers, 37, had indicated in November, when he was selected for the home series against India, that the Ashes would be his finishing line. Before the Ashes, however, Rogers will travel with the Australian squad to the Caribbean for two Tests against West Indies in June.

He has played 20 Tests for Australia in a career than began in 2008, scoring 1535 runs with four hundreds at an average of 39. He's played 289 first-class matches for various state sides in Australia and counties in England, making 23,796 at an average of 50.

ICC statement on Pakistan-Zimbabwe series

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today advised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) that it will not be appointing its match officials for the upcoming series between Pakistan and Zimbabwe. The ICC’s decision has been made after receiving a report from its security consultant.

The ICC Board, during its April meeting, had decided that the playing conditions relating to the appointment of match officials could be waived to allow the PCB to appoint local match officials for this series should the ICC decide not to send its umpires and referee due to the current security situation in Pakistan.

If this was to occur, the matches would still be considered “official cricket”, even though they will not be played strictly in accordance with the ICC standard playing conditions.

The umpire and referee appointments will be announced by the PCB shortly.

Gayle: Credit must be given to Kings XI Punjab bowlers

Royal Challengers Bangalore put on a majestic display against the Kings XI Punjab at the Chinnaswamy stadium on Wednesday thanks to an epic century from Chris Gayle. It was his fifth IPL century and his efforts helped Royal Challengers Bangalore reach the third spot in the points table.

Speaking to iplt20.com, Gayle, who was rested for the previous game against Chennai Super Kings, said he was feeling really fresh following the break. The left-hander shared a 119-run stand with Virat Kohli and a 71-run stand with AB de Villiers and it was his partnership with de Villiers that propelled Royal Challengers Bangalore.

"Once AB comes in, you tell him to give himself a chance, bat a few balls and we can take it from there. But today the game was already set up, so batsmen could come and bat freely straight away. AB is one of the best batsmen in the world, if not the best. It is amazing to bat with him. It was a good wicket to bat on. And although I scored a century, I have to give a lot of credit to the Kings XI Punjab bowlers. After the 14th over, those guys bowled some really brilliant yorkers and pegged things back to a great extent. We could have easily got 250 from where we were if it wasn't for some really good bowling by them," he said.

Gayle started cautiously in the first over bowled by Sandeep Sharma by scoring just one run. He opened up in the second over bowled by Mitchell Johnson by smashing 20 runs and followed it up by smashing 22 runs off Sandeep.

He said that he had a plan to combat Sandeep. "Sandeep got the better of me the last year. He bowls really well upfront, getting the ball to swing. I just wanted to get past his first over. I started to open up in the second over and once I got my first boundary the momentum was built and things started to go in full flow," he said.

Guptill in doubt for first Test against England

Martin Guptill's quest to return to the New Zealand Test team has taken a hit after he suffered an abdominal injury that has ruled him out of the first warm-up game against Somerset on Friday.

Guptill, who suffered the injury during his knock of 227 for Derbyshire against Gloucestershire last week, will be reassessed ahead of the final warm-up game against Worcestershire on May 14.

New Zealand physiotherapist James Montgomery said the abdominal tear in his abdomen could take upto 2-3 weeks to heal. "We are hopeful that we will be able get Martin ready to play at Worcester but we will see how he recovers. With good treatment and a reduced workload, the goal is to get him back on the park for some game time so he is available for selection for the first Test," he said.

Guptill, who was the leading run-scorer in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup with 547 runs at an average of 68.37 with a best of an unbeaten 237 against West Indies, was included in the Test squad for the England tour. His last Test came against England in May 2013 but drifted out of the side after scoring just four runs in the Leeds Test.

Sunrisers Hyderabad aim to stay alive in the tournament

Two play-off spots are potentially up for grabs and five teams are vying for it in IPL 2015. Sunrisers Hyderabad are currently in the tail-end of the mid-table scramble. One slip-up and their chances could take a big dent.

Rajasthan Royals, on the other hand, are in a comfortable position and they will be buoyed by the fact that they have finally got back to winning ways. The win over Delhi Daredevils has boosted their campaign after a middle period during which they failed to win. The main aim for Rajasthan Royals will be to sustain their consistency and ensure they finish in the top two.

Do-or-die for Delhi Daredevils

A defeat at the hands Mumbai Indians has put Delhi Daredevils under pressure to secure a berth in the Playoffs, and the road gets tougher when they take on Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens, where a defeat could end their hopes of making the final four. After Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Daredevils will have games against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore, making their chances of making it appear rather slim.

Kolkata Knight Riders, on the other hand, are on third position in the standings and two of their remaining games on their home ground gives them an opportunity to cement their place in the Playoffs.

Last chance for Pakistan to salvage pride

In the spotlight
Imrul Kayes kept wicket for 120 overs before batting Bangladesh out of trouble with a career best 150. It is the hardest he has had to work in a CRICKET match, so it remains to be seen how he has recovered physically going into the second Test.

Pakistan's bowlers struggled to take wickets in the second innings in Khulna. Wahab Riaz, the leader of the attack and the only bowler to trouble Tamim Iqbal and Imrul, needs to step up for Pakistan and be the difference between the sides in Mirpur.

Team news
Shahadat Hossain could take the injured Rubel Hossain's spot in Bangladesh's XI. The big decision is whether to pick the defensive option of a batting allrounder - Shuvagata Hom - or the more attacking one of a legspinner - Jubair Hossain. Mohammad Shahid could play his second Test after impressing the senior players.

Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Mominul Haque, 4 Mahmudullah, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Soumya Sarkar 8 Shuvagata Hom/Jubair Hossain, 9 Taijul Islam, 10 Shahadat Hossain, 11 Mohammad Shahid

Pakistan called in Bilawal Bhatti as cover for Rahat Ali but they are unlikely to change their line-up. They rested all their front-line seamers on Monday, giving them ample rest before the Test.

Pakistan (probable): 1 Sami Aslam, 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Azhar Ali, 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 6 Asad Shafiq, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed, 8 Wahab Riaz, 9 Junaid Khan, 10 Yasir Shah, 11 Zulfiqar Babar

Pitch and conditions
The Mirpur pitch is likely to play like the one in Khulna did. It will provide another run feast but there are chances of cracks developing later in the game. The forecast is for high temperatures and the chance of rain is remote.

KXIP seek elusive win, weather permitting

Kings XI Punjab are at a crossroads in their 2015 IPL campaign and after enduring seven defeats in their first nine matches, only a miracle can turn things around for the bottom-placed side. Against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Wednesday, they would hope for better fortunes against a side that has arrested its own slide to stay in contention for a place in the Playoffs.

A hiccup against Chennai Super Kings snapped the healthy momentum Royal Challengers Bangalore had gathered, but their recent form is a sign of positivity. In the sapping heat of Chennai, Royal Challengers Bangalore fluffed their opportunity to chase down a modest total but back in the familiar surroundings of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium and against a team that is on a four-game losing streak, Virat Kohli's men would be confident of taking one step closer to a last-four finish.

Subject to weather conditions - thunderstorms are forecast for Wednesday evening - the stadium produces high-scoring contests and this should be no different. The last game was reduced to a 10-over contest but it didn't stop both sides from scoring 100-plus totals with the team batting second winning it.

Rayudu: I relish batting under pressure

Mumbai Indians were in a spot of bother in their clash against Delhi Daredevils. Chasing 153, they were reduced to 40 for 4 and with rain falling, Delhi Daredevils were ahead on the D/L score. However, the rain relented and a 60-run partnership between Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu gave Mumbai Indians hope.

Rayudu ensured that his team would not suffer any further hiccups and along with Kieron Pollard, guided Mumbai Indians home to a five-wicket victory with three balls to spare. Rayudu's unbeaten 49 was the key in their fourth consecutive win and speaking to iplt20.com, he said he had learnt to play according to the situation.

"Once you are a seasoned cricketer you know how to handle situations and I am happy that I could do that today. It gives me immense happiness to come out on top. I have played quite a few innings for MI like that. It is just trying to be there till the end and being calm, knowing what I can do and what (Kieron) Pollard can do, and playing to our strengths. It helps when you have played with somebody for a very long time and you know which bowlers he can target and which bowlers I can target. So it makes it all the more easier," he said.

Rayudu was even happy that his knock came in a pressure situation and stated that he relished playing under pressure.

"Pressure brings the best out of me. I stay a lot calmer when I have a target it mind and I know how to pace an innings. I am happy that I could do it. When it had come down to getting ten runs per over, all we had to do was hit one boundary an over and run the next five balls (for singles). It is exactly what we were doing till the 19th over. We wanted to leave around six or seven runs for the last over; we left eight and it was all about one hit in the next few balls," he added.

Rayudu's words were echoed by Kieron Pollard, who came in when 53 runs were needed off five overs. He changed the equation of the match by blasting 26 off 14 balls and said both Rayudu and Rohit Sharma had put them in a position where runs could be scored at the fag end. However, Pollard added that the bowlers had set up the game nicely.

"Harbhajan Singh bowled well, the other bowlers too bowled well and we fielded well. 150-odd on this wicket was always gettable, but again the circumstances and rain made it a bit difficult for us. It was about winning, which we've done now and its on to the next game now," he said.

Sangakkara to play for Hobart Hurricanes in BBL

Kumar Sangakkara, who retired from ODIs after the end of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, has been signed by the Hobart Hurricanes for the next two editions of the Big Bash League.

Sangakkara, who has played for Kings XI Punjab and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL as well as for Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League, said that he is looking to the challenge.

"The Big Bash League is a fun, exciting and family friendly league with a very high quality of cricket," Sangakkara, who will be playing in his first Big Bash League, stated.

Speaking about Sangakkara's signing, Hobart Hurricanes head coach Damien Wright said, "Kumar's signing is not only huge for the Hobart Hurricanes but for the Big Bash League overall. Kumar is not only an extremely talented batsman but also a leader which is also fantastic."

Cricket - Bangladesh look to build on "turning point" draw

REUTERS - Bangladesh's superb rearguard action that led to an unlikely draw in the first test against Pakistan last week could well be the "turning point" their coach believes will inspire the side to build on a brilliant run of form.

Considered one of the minnows among the 10 test playing nations, Bangladesh's realistic goal at previous World Cups had always been to beat teams ranked lower than themselves while trying to cause an upset against one of the major sides.

However, they performed admirably at the recent tournament co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, ousting England in the group phase and reaching the quarter-finals for the first time.
Despite bowing out to powerhouse India, if that showing was not enough to convince all about their rising stock in world cricket, Bangladesh silenced many of the remaining doubters with their recent results against Pakistan at home.

After beating Pakistan in a one-day international for the first time in 16 years, the hosts went on to blank the tourists 3-0 in the series and followed that up with a maiden Twenty20 victory against the opponents.
Although Pakistan had been weakened by the retirements of senior players and the unavailability of some frontline batsmen and bowlers due to injuries, the margins of victory underlined Bangladesh's utter dominance.

The hosts then came into the two-test series having lost all their previous eight matches against Pakistan and that record looked set to continue before they overhauled a huge first innings deficit to force an incredible draw at Khulna.

Tamim Iqbal scored a double century and Imrul Kayes 150 in a record opening stand of 312 as Bangladesh overhauled a deficit of 296 after Pakistan's mammoth first innings total of 628.
"I think it is a very big turning point in Bangladesh cricket," coach Chandika Hathurusingha said after the match.

"We recently made some history but it is mostly beating our own records. The significance here is the biggest opening partnership in the second innings.

"We have really made a mark in the international stage that we have come of age. The last two days have proved that we are a very competitive side."
Test captain Mushfiqur Rahim hoped the result would spur them on to achieve even better results in the future, starting with the second test in Dhaka on Wednesday.

"We dominated this draw and it was nothing less than a win, against such a team and with 296 runs behind," Rahim said.

"Such a performance gives you belief as a group that we can overcome future goals.

"There is no end to improvement."

India to tour Bangladesh for one Test, three ODIs

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that India will be touring Bangladesh for one Test and three ODIs in June. The fixtures for the same have also been announced.

India will play a Test at Fatullah from June 10-14 while the three ODIs will be played on 18th, 21st and 24th of the same month. All the ODIs will take place in Mirpur.

This will be India's first series after the World Cup but with a majority of the players playing in the Indian Premier League, it remains to be seen if they do send a full-strength team to Bangladesh. The IPL ends on May 24th and that means that some players might get only a two week gap before embarking on national duty.

Suresh Raina led India to victory against the hosts in a three-match ODI series last year but this will be the first time India meet Bangladesh in a Test after January 2010.

Jonathan Trott: England batsman retires from international cricket

The 34-year-old returned to the Test side for the tour of the West Indies, 18 months after leaving the Ashes tour with a stress-related illness, but managed only 72 runs in six innings.

"This was a tough decision but I don't feel my game is at the level needed to play for England," said Trott.

"I was honoured to come back and play international cricket again and I'm disappointed it didn't work out."

The Warwickshire right-hander scored 3,835 runs in 52 Tests, including a century on his debut in the 2009 Ashes decider.
BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew

"Trott has made no mention of the stress-related condition that forced him to return from Australia. He accepts that, technically, he is over the hill. His best days are behind him and he has chosen a dignified withdrawal. Trott made a significant contribution to English cricket as an understated, but dependable number three."

He played in two more successful Ashes campaigns and was named the International Cricket Council player of the year in 2011.

"I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped me and given me the chance to represent England and to thank supporters for all their backing over the years," added Trott.

Kolkata Demolish Hyderabad In One-Sided Contest

KKR 167-7 (Pandey 33) beat
SRH 132-9 (Henriques 41) by 35 runs
38th match, IPL in Kolkata
Scorecard

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) produced a classic team-effort to expose and rip apart Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a highly one-sided contest at the Eden Gardens defeating them by 35 runs to go third on the Indian Premier League (IPL) points table.

SRH won the toss and opted to field first on a track that had some turn.

Dale Steyn (0-37) took the new ball playing instead of Trent Boult but never really got his strapping right.

Gautam Gambhir (31) played a characteristically aggressive knock cracking couple of fours off Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2-42) even though he was deceived by swing a few times.

Praveen Kumar (0-10) went for two fours off his first two balls, Robin Uthappa (30) joining the party.

Although Steyn had change of ends, Gambhir still managed to find the boundary twice, one a clip off the legs and another a cracking cover drive.

KKR did well to reach 55 for no loss in the first six overs.

Karn Sharma (2-29) introduced into the attack took a wicket with his second ball, Gambhir lured into a slog sweep and done in by the extra bounce, giving an easy catch to deep midwicket.

Sharma also got the other well-set opener, Uthappa who smacked one straight to cover where David Warner pulled off a very sharp catch.

Andre Russell (1) promoted up the order couldn’t do much damage this time, holing out to long on after the ball came off the toe-end of his bat.

Manish Pandey (33) added yet another pretty thirty to his tally, missing out yet again on the big one, but not before he hammered a six and a four off Sharma in a 15-run over.

He was run-out unfortunately in a mix-up, Ryan ten Doeschate (8) sending him back.

Ten Doeschate himself couldn’t produce the cameo KKR was looking for at that stage, trapped lbw by Moises Henriques (1-20) who produced a good spell of death bowling.

KKR were reduced to 111 for five after 15 overs, the advantage of an excellent foundation undone by a middle order collapse.

KKR still managed a 13-run over in the 18th off Bhuvneshwar with a six and four although, both Johan Botha (12) and Suryakumar Yadav (6) lost their wickets.

Bhuvneshwar signed off on an off day with a 13-run final over, Yusuf Pathan (30 not out) slamming two fours in the last over to remain unbeaten after a lovely 19-ball cameo with four fours.

KKR managed 167 for seven in their 20, scoring 56 in their last five.

SRH conceded more than they should have, largely because both their new ball bowlers failed to contain. Karn and Bipul Sharma (1-23) were every bit impressive though and so was Henriques.
SRH had a disastrous start probably losing half the game in the first over.

Warner (4) smacked a four but then Umesh Yadav (2-34) bowled a dream ball that took Warner’s off stump out for a walk.

Couple of balls later, Yadav produced another peach of a delivery that sneaked through Naman Ojha’s (0) forward defence to uproot his off-stump.

SRH were six for two after the first over. Russell (1-10) took the new ball from the other end and was smacked for couple of fours.

Shikhar Dhawan (15) looked to be in sublime touch smacking two glorious fours off Yadav.

One of them resulted in Russell injuring his left shoulder, which looked bad initially.

But he did come back onto the field later. Against the run of play, Dhawan stunned himself by hitting a long hop from Brad Hogg (2-17) straight to square leg with SRH descending to 29 for three after five overs and 33 for three after six.

Henriques (41) brought some much needed momentum into the chase smacking couple of big sixes and a four off Yusuf Pathan’s (0-19) seventh over that went for 19 runs.

Eoin Morgan (5) threw his wicket away with a wrong call for a single, finding himself well short.

Piyush Chawla (1-16) who was in the middle of an excellent spell put further dents on the SRH chase in the 12th over when he gave away just three runs and SRH lost two wickets, Hanuma Vihari (6) stumped by Uthappa who joined MS Dhoni for most stumpings in IPL, followed by the run-out of Bipul (1).

With a mounting required run rate, the last nail came when Hogg got rid of Henriques with a wrong ‘un that was top-edged to extra cover, pretty much ending SRH’s chase.

Karn (32) reduced the margin of defeat by smacking three sixes off Botha (1-32) in the 18th over before holing out to long on.

Bhuvneshwar (11 not out) managed to take a six and four off Yadav’s bowling to spoil his figures after a 14-run over.

SRH eventually managed just 132 for nine losing the game by 35 runs.

For KKR, Chawla and Hogg were excellent going at 4 and 4.25 respectively. KKR now go to third on the points table.

Keeping things simple key to Rahane's success

With his fourth fifty of Indian Premier League 2015, Ajinkya Rahane set up a vital win for Rajasthan Royals against Delhi Daredevils at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai and said that he wanted to make the innings count.

Rahane scored 91 not out off 54 balls to lead his team to 189 for 2, which proved too much for a battered Delhi Daredevils side who finished with 175 for 7, 14 runs adrift of the target.

"Just keep it really simple. When I try to do something, I get out. I played a rash shot in the previous game and wanted to make it count today. How you adjust to the format is very important. Watto just told me to back my instinct," he said.

After being put in to bat on a seamer-friendly track, Rajasthan Royals got off to a good start with Rahane combining with Shane Watson for a 52-run opening stand. But, it was a big 113-run stand for the second wicket with Karun Nair (61) that took the team to the big total and talking about the partnership the opener lauded Karun's effort and said that shot making was easy as the outfield was quick.

"It is important to build a foundation in the first 6 overs and later on back our game. He (Karun Nair) batted really well, he didn't get a big score in the last 9-10 games. We were just discussing about timing the ball as it was a fast outfield. I am really enjoying it. I am not thinking about the Orange Cap, I just want to keep it simple and score runs," added Rahane who overtook David Warner as the highest run-getter in the tournament so far with 430 runs from 11 games to take the Orange cap.

After winning five straight games, Rajasthan Royals had lost momentum with three losses and two washouts, and skipper Shane Watson said it was important to win this game to turn things around.

"We did have to turn it around. To get 190 on that wicket was a great effort. Ajinkya and Karun were brilliant. Then the bowlers did an excellent job of defending the total. I did think the ball would seam around as there was some grass. It was a good cricket wicket. We did a REALLY GOOD JOB. It helped with the ball swinging around. Hopefully, we win every game. We have got the momentum back and we can't let go now," said Watson.

On the other hand, rival skipper JP Duminy was disappointed with his team's performance, especially fielding that saw them drop couple of crucial catches compounded with numerous misfields. Rahane was dropped on 34 by Gurinder Sandhu, while Saurabh Tiwary grassed one at third man to hand Karun a reprieve on 35. "We were probably guilty of not putting the ball in the right place. I still thought that 190 was gettable on this wicket. We let ourselves down in the field today." said Duminy.

In chase of the stiff target Duminy kept his team in the hunt scoring 56 but did not get any support from the other batsmen. "We didn't get any partnerships going. We have to win 5 more to qualify. We have the squad that can get us through to the playoffs," added the skipper.

With this win Rajasthan Royals went top of the table with 14 points, while Delhi Daredevils slipped to sixth position.

Finch hopes to return in roughly eight weeks

Aaron Finch, who had to return to Australia midway through the IPL 2015 due to a hamstring injury, is expected to be back in action in roughly eight weeks. The Mumbai Indians opener, who played just three matches for the franchise this season, hobbled off the field when he pulled up while attempting a quick single against Rajasthan Royals on April 14. He had earlier tweeted that the scans showed considerable damage to his left hamstring.

However, after undergoing surgery on April 21, he told IPLt20.com on Sunday that his recovery was on track that he is hopeful of regaining full fitness soon. This is the first occasion in his international career that the Australian opener has had to miss CRICKET due to any form of injury. "The hamstring's feeling good after the surgery and the surgeons are really hopeful I will be back in about eight weeks," he said.

"(It is) very disappointing but I suppose I have got through ten years of the game injury-free, so that's been a positive," he said. "I knew something was wrong and unfortunately it had to be at this stage of the IPL when we were looking to get off to a good start in the tournament. The tendon pulled off the bone unfortunately. I have been lying on the couch watching the IPL, but I wish I was out there."

Finch was acquired by Mumbai Indians for INR 3.2 crore during the 2015 IPL auctions, but the hard-hitting Australian had failed to make his presence felt in the first three games with scores of 8, 8, 10*. He may no longer be able to take part in this year's IPL, but Finch will get another opportunity when he readies himself to take part in Yorkshire's county campaign. The club had added Finch and his Australian team-mate Glenn Maxwell in their ranks and the opener is hopeful of recovering in time.

"Hopefully I should be fit again in eight weeks and play some county CRICKET for Yorkshire," he said. "Until then there's a lot of rehab and spending time with the physio, and it's quite boring stuff. It's very rare that we get some time off to sit at home and not do stuff. I am starting to get itchy feet already. I want to get out and train and play and get ready to go again."

wahab, Shakib,fined for on-field altercation

Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan and Pakistan pacer Wahab Riaz have been fined 30 percent of their match fees for a heated on-pitch argument during the final day of the drawn first Test between the sides at Khulna. Both players have been found guilty of breaching Level 1 of the ICC code of conduct.

The players were found to have breached Article 2.1.8 (a) of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to "conduct contrary to the spirit of the game". The incident happened in the 118th over of Bangladesh's second innings when the two players unnecessarily halted play by arguing and pointing fingers at each other.

Shakib and Wahab admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Jeff Crowe. "Posturing and finger pointing in each other's face is not what we expect from two senior international players and has no place in cricket. International CRICKETERS should always remember that they are being watched and followed by millions and, therefore, need to always control their emotions and demonstrate respect," Crowe said in an ICC statement.

The charges were levelled by on-field umpires Nigel Llong and Ranmore Martinesz, third umpire Paul Reiffel, and fourth umpire Sharfuddoula. All Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player's match fee. Shakib notched an unbeaten 76 runs during his team's second innings of 555-6, helping Bangladesh earn their first draw against Pakistan after losing all previous eight Tests to their rivals.

Shakib scored an unbeaten 76 in Bangladesh's second innings, in which they scored 55 for 6 and helped his team draw the first Test after having lost all previous matches against their Asian neighbours. The second and final Test of the series will be held at Dhaka's Shere Bangla National Stadium from May 6 to 10.

Kiwis official denies Black Caps being lured by rival T20 league

New Zealand CRICKET (NZC) believes there is no immediate concern about any of the Black Caps' players joining the lucrative T20 league, backed by Essel Group. "I don't think our players are under threat at the moment," NZC Board member and representative at the International CRICKET Council (ICC) Greg Barclay told Sunday Star Times.

No venues in New Zealand had been consulted about plans to hold any matches and no players had been approached as far as he was aware. Barclay said NZC had blocked attempts for the registration of the name Aotearoa Cricket Ltd and revealed that NZC became aware of potential New Zealand involvement in December when it had to block attempts to register company names New Zealand Cricket Ltd and Cricket Ltd.

On March 11, a representative of the Essel Group had registered a company called ECML Cricket Limited. Similarly, companies had been registered in Australia, England, Scotland and Canada. Surveillance continues in New Zealand, Barclay said. "There is nothing more we can do at the moment. It is business as usual," Barclay said.

He said reports were currently speculative and he hasn't been intimated of any player being approached. "It is quite possible that anyone organised could pick it up and run with it, and if they do it and don't do it right, it would be particularly damaging to cricket," he said.

The Sunday Star Times reported that New Zealand CRICKETERS are under a master collective agreement that runs through until 2018 but players' individual contracts are renewed annually. Barclay said despite the fact players could be targeted on an annual basis, NZC was not concerned players would be poached.

Leanne McGoldrick, agent for high-profile players like Ross Taylor and Corey Anderson told the newspaper that she had not been approached by the league about her players and knew nothing more than what had been reported in the media.

Reports surfaced last week that a new lucrative T20 league, backed by Essel Group, had offered deals worth $ (A) 50 million to Australian CRICKETERS Michael Clarke and David Warner, though several officials, including Cricket Australia Chairman Wally Edwards, have denied any such possibility.

An ICC committee, including Chairman N Srinivasan, ECB's Giles Clarke and CA chairman Edwards, will investigate the development.

IPL 2015: Big earners not justifying their worth in crores

It has been exciting three weeks in the eighth season of the Indian Premier League and things are getting tight as the tournament heads towards the death overs of the league phase. With jam-packed stadiums, close finishes and a controversy here and there, the ongoing edition is turning out to be a wholesome entertainer for everyone, but for one disappointment.
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The franchises emptied their pockets to buy few of the top-grade players in the game, but their

INVESTMENTS aren't yielding the desired returns.

ALSO SEE IPL big buys struggling

Big names mean big MONEY but the results are not always appealing. As the old saying goes: Money can't buy you everything. That's exactly what's happening with some of the big earners this season.
Let alone success, many players unfortunately have not lived up to their expectations, making a mockery of reputations. Cricketnext takes a look at some of the expensive flops of the edition.
ALSO SEE 'Didn't tell anyone to give me the money I got'

Yuvraj Singh: After releasing most of their players before this year's auction, Delhi Daredevils had a large purse and they INVESTED a major chunk of it on this swashbuckling southpaw. Once a star of the Indian dressing room and hero of the 2011 World Cup,Yuvraj fetched a mammoth Rs 16 crore, breaking his previous record of Rs 14 crore paid by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the last edition. On his day, Yuvraj can destroy any opposition at his will, and this season of the IPL was a perfect opportunity for him to reclaim his spot in the Indian team. However, he has been no way near his reputation.

In the seven matches he has played so far, Yuvraj cuts a sorry figure with just 124 runs, averaging a poor 17.71 with his highest being 54. On top of that, his jaded fielding and uninspiring bowling have added to his worries.

ALSO SEE IPL 8 last comeback chance for India's famous five

Dinesh Karthik: Bought at a whopping price of Rs 10.5 crore by Royal Challengers Bangslore, wicketkeeper batsman Dinesh Karthink raised eyebrows the world over. But all that MONEY has not transformed into results for RCB. He has been totally out of touch and has done precious little to justify his value. With a highest score of 27 in seven outings so far and with a lowly average of 14, Karthik can only be stated as a highly over-valued player. At a time when Dhoni has already hung up his boots in Test cricket, the IPL came as an open opportunity for Karthik to make his case for that spot. However, it has been appalling to see his struggle with the bat on even the best of batting pitches.

Angelo Mathews: The Sri Lankan captain was the third most expensive buy in this year's auction after Yuvraj and Karthik. Delhi Daredevils spent Rs 7.5 crore on the acclaimed allrounder and would have expected a lot of out of him. But Mathews has been a big disappointment, having tallied a mere 93 runs in seven games and just 5 wickets to his name.

Zaheer Khan: Once the boss of India's pace attack, Zaheer Khan continues to struggle with injuries having played just one match for Delhi Daredevils this season. Bought for Rs 4 crore, the discarded pacer, however, made his presence felt against Kings XI Punjab with a spell of 2 for 17. But brittle fitness remains Zaheer's biggest enemy in his bid for an India comeback and doesn't justify his price tag.

Amit Mishra: The quickest bowler to reach 100 wickets in IPL, Amit Mishra is far from hitting his best this year. With seven wickets from as many games as Delhi Daredevils' premier spinner, Mishra's performance has been lacklustre to say the least. What is even more disturbing for the Delhi bowler is the good performance of his teammate Imran Tahir. Mishra and Tahir, both legspinners, show a huge degree of contrast in their respective performances. Compared to Mishra, Tahir is leading the IPL bowler's tally with 13 wickets in seven outings.

KC Cariappa: One of the uncapped players to became the talk to the town in the February auction was Karnataka mystery spinner KC Cariappa. Having a base price of only Rs 10 lakh, Cariappa was brought by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 2.4 crore but it's turning out to be a low-key affair for him soon after. He has played just one game so far, conceding 28 runs in the two overs he bowled before being taken off the attack against Royal Challengers Bangalore. The only high point of Cariappa's debut was grabbing the wicket of AB de Villiers. However, it is still early days for the 20-year-old Cariappa and he would get a lot of opportunities to prove his worth in crores.

World champion Ausies extends lead on ODI table following annual update

World Cup winner Australia has doubled its lead over second-ranked India on the Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings from six to 12 points following the annual update while the West Indies, Bangladesh and Pakistan are now locked in a tight struggle for the remaining two slots in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 whose cut-off date is 30 September 2015.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2017 will be played from 1 to 19 June in England and Wales, and the host country (England), plus the next seven highest-ranked ODI sides will participate in the event.

The annual update is carried out to ensure the table continues to reflect results from the last three years. As such, results from 2011-12 have been dropped while the results from 2013-14 have been reduced to a weighting of 50 per cent.

The updated rankings now see a battle between the West Indies (seventh, 88 points), Bangladesh (eighth, 88 points) and Pakistan (ninth, 87 points). The three sides are separated by one   point and will be vying for the last two places in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, adding significant interest to their ODIs in the lead up to the cut-off date.

The latest Future Tours Program lists the following ODI series for these teams.

West Indies (88)         No ODIs scheduled
Bangladesh (88)          vs India (home, 3 ODIs, June)
vs South Africa (home, 3 ODIs, July)
Pakistan (87)               vs Zimbabwe (home, 3 ODIs, May)
vs Sri Lanka (away, 5 ODIs, July)

To find out exactly how the forthcoming series will affect the ODI rankings table, please click here. The ODI and T20I rankings tables, unlike the Test ranking table, are updated after each match.

The annual ODI update has also seen New Zealand and England head in opposite directions.

ICC CRICKET World Cup 2015 runner-up New Zealand has made the biggest move, jumping eight   points to be third-ranked ahead of South Africa. In contrast, England has had the biggest fall as it has surrendered seven points, dropping to sixth-ranked, 12 points behind fifth-ranked Sri Lanka.

In the T20I update, ICC World Twenty20 champion Sri Lanka has extended its lead over second-ranked India to 11 points. The top three positions in the updated T20I table are unchanged while the West Indies has gained two places to rise to fourth, pushing Pakistan into fifth spot. South Africa has also slipped two places to seventh, allowing New Zealand to move up one place to sixth.

Australia and West Indies have gained five points each while Netherlands has conceded eight, Scotland seven and South Africa six points.

The annual Test Championship update will be released after the completion of West Indies versus England and Bangladesh versus Pakistan series.

Record opening stand between tamim and kayes stuns Pakistan

The prospect of surviving five sessions under a heavy deficit against a potent bowling attack would have forced most sides into a shell. Ten years ago in Dhaka, Bangladesh had batted out 142 overs against Zimbabwe to force a draw and win their first Test series. Nafees Iqbal had knuckled down to score 121 in almost six hours in that match.

Faced with a daunting deficit of 296, Nafees' brother Tamim Iqbal, however, chose an alternative approach. He kept all diffidence aside in a blistering century - his third in three Tests, his seventh overall and his first against Pakistan - that helped Bangladesh slice off almost all of Pakistan's daunting lead in just over two sessions. Along with Imrul Kayes, who was close on Tamim's heels with his third Test century, he added 273 runs in 61 overs during an unbeaten stand that not only beat the record of Bangladesh's best opening set by the same pair in the the team's previous Test, it also was their best stand for any wicket.

If there was any help for the bowlers from the pitch, it remained buried deep under the solidity of the two batsmen. The ball reversed, but often found the middle of the bat; it turned, too, but was regularly carted away over the boundary ropes. Only twice, Pakistan came close to breaking the stand as Tamim was hit on the pads, but in both instances, the decision stayed with the umpire after Pakistan asked for a review.

It was a riposte Pakistan would have least expected after their continued dominance on the fourth morning. Even though left-arm spinner Taijul Islam ended with figures of 6 for 163 - his third five-for in sixth Test - as Pakistan lost their last five wickets for 34 runs, the damage had seemingly been done. Leading by 205 runs at the start of the fourth day, Sarfraz Ahmed and Asad Shafiq had extended the dominance with a 126-run stand for the sixth wicket. Both batsmen missed out on centuries but Pakistan's total propped up to 628, their best against Bangladesh.

The four overs Bangladesh had to play before lunch hid completely the approach they were going to take in the innings. Only six runs were scored after Tamim had narrowly survived an appeal for lbw off the first delivery from Junaid Khan. In the first over after lunch, though, Tamim carved the same bowler stylishly with a back-foot punch through backward point. In the next over from Wahab Riaz, Tamim picked up two consecutive boundaries with the pull shot.

If one thought it was a brief tactic to score quickly off the faster bowlers on a pitch that was still good for batting, before the arrival of spin, Tamim was to prove it wrong. He came out of the crease on the second ball bowled by Zulfiqar Babar but was lucky to mistime the lofted shot as it landed only couple of meters short of the fielder at deep midwicket. Had he holed out, his method would have surely been termed reckless.

Afridi to quit all cricket after T20 WC next year

Talking to the media at a function today, Afridi said his last remaining ambition was to lead Pakistan to the T20 World Cup title next year.

"I want to not only play but also captain the Pakistan team to the T20 World Cup title," he said.

Afridi, 35, has appeared in 78 T20 Internationals, besides 27 Tests and 398 One-day Internationals.

He announced his retirement from Test CRICKET during the Pakistan team's tour to England in 2010 after captaining the side in just the first Test at Lords. He has also retired from ODIs after the recent World Cup.

"Who does not want a happy ending to his career. I am looking at that in the T20 format. I never thought I would be at this level and play CRICKET for Pakistan team," he added.

Afridi said he had made up his mind to also quit T20 Internationals after next year's World Cup.

"I have made up my mind but before that I want to also groom a future captain and vice-captain for this format with the Board's support," said Afridi.

He said that Pakistan needed to play attention to its domestic CRICKETstructure and improve it so that more quality players could be produced in the country.