NZ-WI 2nd test starts today
Wellington: Coach Mike Hesson says New Zealand’s performance in the first cricket test against the West Indies was “close to perfect” even though the team had to settle for a draw. New Zealand hopes to go one better and get its first win in 11 matches under Hesson and captain Brendon McCullum in the second test that begins in Wellington on Wednesday. The Basin Reserve pitch is expected to be livelier than the strip at the University Oval, which produced a high-scoring draw in the first test, with the help of rain in the final session. That’s likely to suit New Zealand’s bowlers more than the West Indies’ depleted attack and Hesson hopes his team will get over its recent inability to close out matches. New Zealand should have won the first test at Dunedin after forcing the West Indies to follow on 396 runs behind, but the hosts bowled poorly in the second innings, allowing the West Indies to make 507. Still, New Zealand should have been able to score 112 to get the win, but the team slumped to 44-4 before rain brought an end to the match, 33 runs from victory.
Ruling on action due mid-Test
Wellington: The West Indies have appealed to the ICC not to rule on the legality of spinners Shane Shillingford and Marlon Samuels during the second Test against New Zealand starting on Wednesday. A decision on the bowlers’ actions is due on the third day of the Test, but West Indies coach Ottis Gibson said that would not be fair. The actions of key spinner Shillingford and part-timer Samuels were reported during the West Indies second Test against India in Mumbai last month. The International Cricket Council (ICC) ordered them to undergo independent testing which was conducted in Australia while the players were en route to New Zealand. The report was to be handed over to the ICC within a 14-day period which comes to a conclusion on the third day of the Test in Wellington. “We’ve not heard anything from the ICC,” Gibson said Tuesday. “We’ve left it up to them. They are the ones that have to digest the reports and give us the results. If nothing is said before the Test starts on Wednesday, I don’t believe we will know until after the game. I don’t think it would be fair for them or us to issue the results in the middle of the game.”
Gul fails fitness test
Karachi: Karachi: Senior Pakistan paceman Umar Gul couldn’t to impress the national selectors in his comeback bid after he failed a fitness test at the National Cricket Academy on Monday. Gul, who last played for Pakistan in South Africa earlier this year, has undergone a knee surgery in Melbourne in May and is yet to convince the selectors he is ready for a comeback to the national team. “Pakistan captains, Misbah-ul-Haq and Muhammad Hafeez had conveyed to the selectors they wanted Gul back in the national side for the Sri lanka series,” one reliable source said. “Because of this the selectors decided to have a fitness test for Gul at the NCA, where he bowled in the nets but apparently he failed to convince the selectors he had made a 100 percent recovery from his operation and was fully match fit for international cricket,” the source said. Though Gul has resumed playing cricket in the domestic competitions but so far in the few appearances he has made he has failed to come out with a big performance.
Pak, Sl tune up for World T20
Durban: Sri lanka and Pakistan will use their two-match series in Dubai starting on Wednesday to size each other up ahead of the World Twenty20 in three months’ time. Pakistan, fourth in the Twenty20 rankings, are also aiming to topple Sri lanka from the top of the standings by winning both matches, the second of which takes place on Friday. “Sri lanka are a top side so this is in itself a motivation to beat the number one side and if we win both it will lift us to the top of the world,” Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez said.
Modi set to fight RCA elections
Jaipur: Uncertainty over lalit Modi contesting the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) elections later this month ended on Tuesday with his legal counsel Mehmood Abdi confirming that the former IPl commissioner will fight the polls. Talking to PTI, Abdi said that the former RCA President will fight for the top post once again, thereby throwing a gauntlet at the BCCI, who has banned him for life in all cricket matters in India. “He is all set to fight the RCA elections, which would be held on 19th December. He is willing to challenge the BCCI who has banned him for life,” Abdi, who is also the president of the Sri Ganganagar District Association, said. Abdi also insisted that there was no legal tangle and Modi was entitled to fight the elections. “His name is already on the eligibility list as president of the Nagpur District Cricket Association and moreover Rajasthan is governed by the Sports Act 2005. The date for nominations is from 14th to 16th December and Modi would file his nomination in time,” he said.
KSCA condoles Wodeyar’s demise
Bangalore: The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has offered its deepest condolences to the breaved family of President Srikantadatta Narasimharaaja Wodeyar, who passed away after suffering a massive heart attack here on Tuesday. “The KSCA and its Managing Committee offers its deepest condolences to the bereaved family,” a statement released by the state cricket body said. “He was a very happy man when we won the recently concluded elections. He had definite plans for the next three years and was very keen to start implementing them at the earliest. This is really unfortunate. Our thoughts are with the family as of now,” KSCA Secretary Brijesh Patel said.