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Younis Khan has been named as Pakistan’s vice-captain for their forthcoming tour of India, while Arshad Khan, the tall offspinner, has earned a recall to the Test team. Shoaib Akhtar, who recently ruled himself out of contention with a hamstring injury, was left out of the 15-man squad announced today by the Pakistan Cricket Board.Arshad, speaking to was understandably ecstatic about his recall. “It is like a dream come true for me,” he said. “I have been performing in the domestic matches in the hope of being picked for India. Now that it has happened I want to do my best for the country.”Wasim Bari, the chief selector, explained Arshad’s selection. “Arshad has been recalled because we require a second specialist spinner in India to support Danish Kaneria,” he said. He is experienced and has been bowling very well in domestic matches.” Arshad has certainly had a good run in domestic cricket, picking up 46 wickets in 13 first-class matches at an average of 22.02.Shabbir Ahmed, who has been struggling with injury, did not recover in time and nstead the pace department is spearheaded by Mohammad Sami, and also includes Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Mohammad Khalil. Pakistan will also lean heavily on Abdul Razzaq’s medium-pace.Danish Kaneria heads the spinners and will be assisted by Arshad, who was rewarded with a recall for performing consistently in domestic cricket in Pakistan. Arshad last played a Test against England in 2000-01. Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi, the allrounders, strengthen the spin department.Squad Taufeeq Umar, Salman Butt, Yasir Hameed, Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, Asim Kamal, Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal (wk), Danish Kaneria, Mohammad Sami, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Arshad Khan, Mohammad Khalil.

Ross Emerson, whose no-balling of Muttiah Muralitharan at Adelaide in 1999 caused a near melt-down, has turned his back on cricket, blaming the lack of support from the game as the reason for his disenchantment.”Cricket gave me the arse, didn’t they? I didn’t have a future in cricket, so I retired a year after Adelaide,” Emerson said to . “They sacked me from the next two games and then just didn’t reappoint me.” It wasn’t the first time Emerson had called Muralitharan. It had happened earlier, during the infamous tour in 1995-96, when Darrell Hair no-balled him seven times. Ten days after the incident, Emerson called him in a one-dayer. The tour initiated an acrimonious relationship between Muralitharan and Australian crowds, and matters came to a head when Muralitharan reacted to comments ascribed to the Australian Prime Minister.Emerson refused to comment on the new bowling recommendation, and said he enjoyed his new role as the president of Swimming Western Australia. “Swimming has helped fill the void cricket left,” said Emerson. “I love the swimming job and it means I’m present when my daughters are swimming. I’m actually able to be a father again, rather than travelling around.”

Bob Woolmer, the Pakistan coach, has hit out against the stream of criticism directed at the team after their humiliating defeat against Australia at Perth. Pakistan were thrashed by 491 runs and were then subjected to a fearful backlash, as the media, fans and former players vented their ire – effigies of players were burnt, while a crowd of around 150 apparently smashed a television set.Among former players, Javed Miandad, the previous coach of the side, has been most vocal in his criticism, but Woolmer said that such comments helped no-one. “It’s the criticism before the match and the criticism continually of everything that undermines the players and everyone around the team,” he said, according to a report in ABC Sport. “I don’t see the point of it, quite frankly – what are people trying to achieve?”For example, the burning of the effigies… are you trying to burn the people who are doing their job, instead of encouraging them? It’s obviously something I will have to get used to – I don’t want to get used to it, so we’ll have to perform better. It’s a strange world we live in when people criticise you for not doing things you’re already doing, because they don’t know – they’re six or seven thousand miles away.”In the aftermath of the defeat, Woolmer spoke to a number of experts, and while some – most notably Bob Simpson – offered to help, Woolmer said that the team was keen get out of the rut by themselves.”Part of the team meeting we had (after Perth), we discussed the role of a sports psychologist,” Woolmer said. “The team was adamant that they were very disappointed about what happened and they would like to handle it themselves. It doesn’t mean I can’t talk to these people and see if there’s anything new on the market that might help the team. Inzamam specifically was adamant that it’s not outside help we need, we need to help ourselves and that was the most important thing I think that came out of the meeting.”

Until the end of the Indian tour of Pakistan, we will be running a daily Paper Round of what newspapers in India and Pakistan, and from around the world, are saying about this series. This is what the media had to say today:

Kapil Dev has announced that the upcoming tour will be a matter of life and death for the players, The Times of India reports. “It may be a goodwill series for some, but for the boys, it’s life and death,” Kapil said. “It’s about their careers. The players need to win for the team as well as for themselves.”He had a few words of advice to counter the pressure. “The boys must learn to enjoy the game and savour the opportunity. They have to just concentrate and work hard for the results to show up.” Kapil spoke about his role during the three-day camp: “There is no chance of making big changes in three days. I just wanted to get them more confident before the series. Of course, there were some technical aspects as well, but I wouldn’t like to talk about them now.”* * *Shoaib Akhtar played down his impending duel with Sachin Tendulkar, saying that cricket was not about individuals. “Cricket is a team game. The Indians now have more than one Tendulkar, and we have to get five Tendulkars out to win matches, but we are up to it.”Shoaib spoke to Press Trust of India about the additional responsibility of leading Pakistan’s attack, and the country’s expectations of the team. His personal goals, however, hadn’t changed from the start of his career. “I want to be the best against the best. That has been my endeavour since I started my career. So I am gearing up.”* * *Ten Sports and India’s cable operators have been involved in a confrontation that could affect viewers when the first Indo-Pak one-dayer gets underway on March 13, PTI reports. The channel had been blacked out because of a dispute over a 400-500% rise in subscription payments. “Not only Ten Sports, most pay-channel broadcasters have asked for four-five times the present subscription payments and they want this agreement for the next one year,” a cable operator said. “We cannot sustain such payments.” However, Ten Sports was confident that the matter would be settled soon.* * *Irfan Pathan is waiting eagerly for the day he opens the bowling with Zaheer Khan, according to a report by PTI. “I am enjoying the prospect of bowling alongside Zaheer Khan. He is a great help and always gives me tips. We vibe pretty well … it will be fun bowling with him.” While training on the last day of the three-day camp in Kolkata, Pathan said he was working on getting his basics right, which was essential for the tour to Pakistan. “Sharing the new ball has thrust greater responsibility on me. I am aware of the demands that come along with it. I am working on the basics and trying to perfect the line and length to get the little things in order … It is these things which will help in Pakistan.”* * *Ramesh Powar came in for praise from John Wright, The Indian Express reported. On the verge of representing India for the first time, Powar’s all-round ability and hard work was commended by Wright. “Apart from being an offspinner, he is a good fielder and can also bat. It’s an advantage to have a player like him in the team,” Wright said. “He has a lot of energy and let’s see how he shapes up for the tour.”* * *The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has taken steps to ensure that spectators are given every chance to watch matches without untoward incidents taking place.According to The Indian Express, the PCB has put up huge TV screens at various points in Lahore to lessen the pressure on the Gaddafi Stadium. Bar-coded tickets were issued to avoid forgery and the custom of giving away complimentary tickets was done away with. Meanwhile, tickets were issued for the warm-up game in Lahore on March 11.* * *Yuvraj Singh’s father, Yograj, wants his son to marry “someone of the calibre of Steffi Graf.” Why? Genetic preparation’s the answer, according to The Indian Express. “I have read some books on genetic preparations and I want to ensure that Yuvraj, whenever he decides to marry, ties the knot with a strong, athletic woman irrespective of where she comes from.” Yograj also had the country in mind when he said, “Look how he’s [Andre Agassi] planned his generations. He is already talking about careers for his children. It’s an approach everyone should have, only then India can boast about being a sporting powerhouse.”

As a part of their World Cup build-up plans, India will host West Indies and Sri Lanka for a series of one-day internationals in January and February. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the itinerary yesterday for a total of eight matches, four each against West Indies and Sri Lanka.India host West Indies in the first leg of the series, with the first ODI on January 21 at Nagpur. The next two games, at Cuttack and Chennai, will be day-night matches. Sri Lanka will play a warm-up game in Mumbai on February 6 before their first game at Pune two days later.West Indies’ will have happy memories of their last bilateral one-day series in India, in 2002-03, when the triumphed in a thrilling seven-match rubber. Sri Lanka, though, will not have too many fond memories of their trip last year when India thumped them 6-1. However, next year’s series promises a fair amount of needle with both teams, who’re slotted in the same World Cup pool, trying to gain the advantage before the big event.West Indies in IndiaJan 21 1st ODI Nagpur
Jan 24 2nd ODI Cuttack (d/n)
Jan 27 3rd ODI Chennai (d/n)
Jan 30 4th ODI Baroda
Sri Lanka in India Feb 6 Warm-up match Mumbai
Feb 8 1st ODI Pune
Feb 11 2nd ODI Rajkot
Feb 14 3rd ODI Goa
Feb 17 4th ODI Vizag

Shane Warne has rubbished reports in an Indian magazine that he was seen in the company of a known bookmaker during the 1999 World Cup. The magazine Outlook claimed that Warne and Brian Lara were seen leaving a London pizza restaurant with Ratan Mehta, a man who is accused in the same article of fixing the Super Six match between India and Pakistan at Old Trafford.”This story is total rubbish and completely untrue,” said Warne. “The only time I have had dinner with Brian Lara in London was at the Pizza Pomodero with his manager, David Manassi, and my good friend Dwight Yorke. As far as Ratan Mehta is concerned, I have never even heard of him before.”Cricket Australia has come out in support of Warne. “Shane Warne has emphatically denied the reports which have surfaced out of India overnight,” said the acting chief executive David Fouvy, “and at this stage, Cricket Australia does not consider these current allegations credible to warrant any formal investigation.””Cricket Australia is fully committed to ensuring cricket remains free from corruption. If we are presented with any credible allegations of misconduct against Australian players or officials, these will be fully investigated.”

In an interview to ABC radio, Shane Warne has hit back at Dick Pound, World Anti-Doping Agency president. He said: “As far as I’m concerned it’s got nothing to do with these guys (WADA).””I’m an employee of the Australian Cricket Board and both the ACB (now called Cricket Australia) and us have come to a decision," said Warne. “I’ve abided by their rules and had an arbitration meeting and they said I can play in charity games, I can train with the team, I can do all those things.”Pound and David Howman, WADA chief executive, earlier criticised Cricket Australia’s (CA) decision to allow Warne to play in charity matches and train with the team, saying that it was “bizarre” and “anti-ethical” to “allow a cheater to play”.Jason Warne, Shane’s brother and manager, said today that Shane didn’t have immediate plans to play charity games anyway, putting to rest rumours that he had a game lined up for the rich Lashings club in England on August 18.”The first thing is, Shane has no charity games booked in at the moment – no, he’s not playing for Lashings, simply because he’s unavailable,” said Jason. “Right from the word go, not once has Shane been told he can’t train with the team, as long as he’s invited.”CA ruled Warne was ineligible for any form of cricket when it suspended him in February for testing positive to a diuretic.But in July an independent arbitrator gave Warne the green light to take part in charity fixtures, forcing CA to comply.Warne will finish his ban on February 10 – just before Australia leaves for a tour of Sri Lanka.In the meantime, he can be invited to train as a guest with the Australian team – another development the WADA hierarchy disapproves of.Warne, who hasn’t bowled a ball since a guest appearance at a net in June, will be commentating on Channel Nine during Australia’s home Test series against Zimbabwe in October.

Wisden Asia Cricket“There was a motorcade around the island for me.”

“From the time I was 12, my coach would tell me that I had it in me to play for West Indies – but then coaches always tell you positive things. The first time I really it this might happen was when we lost the first two Tests against Australia in the home series and the talk throughout the Caribbean was that we needed a spinner in the XI.”I was at my girlfriend’s house when the captain called me. I knew Brian Lara somewhat from earlier – I had got him out once! He rang and said, “Congratulations”, and I said, “For what?” even though I knew exactly what it was for. I was really excited inside, but wanted to appear calm.”I kept telling myself not to get caught up in the moment. It was only a cricket match, and I had played plenty before. The debut didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to. But though I conceded more than 200 runs, I knew I hadn’t bowled that badly, and I batted okay. I was just happy playing for West Indies. Then came St. John’s and that record chase: the best day of my life, on or outside the cricket field. When I was waiting to go in to bat in the last innings, I kept reminding myself of the team’s objectives. The worst that could happen was that I could get out; the best was we could win the Test – which we did. That night, I celebrated by playing with Curtly Ambrose and Richie Richardson’s band – my dad is a musician, and I play some guitar too. Anguilla was all excited when I returned. There was a big reception for me at the airport, and then there was a motorcade all around the island, which is only 35 square miles.”I look back happily at my first international season. Playing with spinners like [Stuart] MacGill and [Muttiah] Muralitharan was a great experience. Murali is awesome, something special.”There are no international matches for a while now, but I’ll play some club cricket. I like to play the year round. And even if there is a break from matches, I don’t like to ever take a break from practice.”

Former West Indies batsman Runako Morton will not play in the 2004 Carib Beer Series following an negative medical report. Morton, who completed a year-long suspension in September, has not been named in a 22-member Leeward Islands training squad.Carlisle Powell, president of the Leeward Islands Cricket Association, recently disclosed that Morton was given an unfavourable report after an examination by a clinical psychologist.Morton was suspended by the West Indies Cricket Board for misconduct on the A team tour to England. Then, he asked to return home early from the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka to attend his grandmother’s funeral, a story which later turned out to be untrue.Morton, who has played two ODIs for West Indies, both against Pakistan, and has scored 1,736 runs (ave.33.86) in 34 first-class matches, made a return to the Leewards side for the regional Red Stripe Bowl in October.

Stuart Carlisle celebrated his 31st birthday with the best century of his first-class career, a dogged marathon of 139 runs. He left the field unbeaten with the Zimbabweans on 296 for 8 in reply to Worcestershire’s total of 262.A brief light shower at about 10 am resulted in the start of play being delayed for 15 minutes. The Zimbabweans quickly lost the wicket of Barney Rogers, who dabbed at a ball from Australian Mark Harrity into the slips to depart for 4, leaving them on 75 for 4, having added only six to their overnight score.Tatenda Taibu, as usual, looked to take the initiative, and hit one particularly superb cover drive to the boundary. Both he and Carlisle had to handle dubious light, though, conditions far removed from their normal experience. Carlisle moved slowly to his fifty, working hard for every run, and then the rain returned briefly.Gradually after lunch the batsmen tried to accelerate, although whether it was wise to do so – against good bowling extracting movement off the pitch – was debatable. Carlisle got away with a top-edged hook over the keeper’s head and a snick over the slips, both going for four, but these should not detract from an excellent innings of concentration and determination. Taibu too had a couple of narrow escapes, and had any of these blemishes gone to hand, there would have been an inappropriate end to a gallant innings.Frustrated, the Worcestershire bowlers resorted to an overdose of short-pitched bowling, forsaking pitch movement. Taibu reached his fifty with a hard slash over the slips for four, and in the same over another slash over gully brought up the hundred partnership, which took 35 overs. However, within minutes he was on his way, caught at the wicket off Kabir Ali for 57. The Zimbabweans were 178 for five.Andy Blignaut scored only 2 before he was brilliantly caught at first slip by Andrew Hall in the same over. Joined by Travis Friend, Carlisle began to open up, surviving a hard chance at backward point on 92, and brought up his first century in England in remarkable style, cutting a six off Kabir into the stands below the Worcester pavilion behind backward point. It took him 221 balls.Friend too played a few handsome drives and Zimbabwe took the lead with six wickets down, an achievement that had not appeared very likely when play started. They survived the new ball until Friend was well caught at first slip for 39. Raymond Price made 5, but Douglas Hondo stuck around with Carlisle, who even now did not look fully in touch, playing and missing with some regularity.Unlike many players in the modern era, the batsmen did not appear over-eager to leave the field as the light worsened, and were discussing the matter with the umpires when bad light dissolved into rain. The lost overs could not be made up, so Zimbabwe finished 34 runs ahead with two wickets to fall – although it is not certain Heath Streak, still suffering back spasms, will decide to bat.