SHC allows ICL cricketers to play domestic cricket

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday allowed cricketers who joined Indian controversial Indian Cricket League (ICL) to take part in domestic cricket.SHC issued a notice to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to submit its reply till February 10. Pakistan has banned 20 of its leading cricketers because of their association with the ICL. The Indian Cricket Board had adopted a hard-line approach against the ICL, barring Indian cricketers associated with the unofficial league from accessing even their local college grounds. It also used its significant influence within the ICC to ensure other national boards imposed similar bans on ICL cricketers and officials

ICC again awards England Oval Test on forfeit

PERTH: England has once again been awarded the controversial 2006 Oval Test against Pakistan, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced here Sunday.The match was originally awarded to England when umpires Billy Doctrove and Darrell Hair ruled that Pakistan had forfeited the match by refusing to take the field after tea on the fourth day following accusations of ball tampering.But pressure from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) saw the result of the Test match changed from an England win to a draw by "match abandoned" by the ICC in July.However, a two-day meeting of the ICC board here reversed that decision, after pressure from Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which said it believed the move contravened the laws of cricket and set a "very dangerous" precedent.ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said here Sunday the decision reflected the necessity of upholding the laws of cricket

English Premier League: Manchester United at the top

English Premier League: Manchester United at the topMANCHESTER: Manchester United went five points clear at the top of the Premier League as goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar set a new English record for minutes in not conceding a goal in the 1-0 victory over Everton.Van der Sar was left to celebrate a United win and a new goalkeeping record. Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed the winning goal with a 44th minute penalty but once again it was United's rock-solid defense and keeper that made sure of the vital three points. Everton's failure to score by the 73rd minute at Old Trafford left van der Sar unbeaten for 1,104 minutes.The Dutch international was breaking the previous record set by Reading's Steve Death 30 years ago. He had taken Petr Cech's Premier League record in the 5-0 win at West Bromwich Albion last week and has now had 12 straight clean sheets.With title rivals Chelsea and Liverpool playing each other on Sunday and Aston Villa being held 0-0 at home by Wigan, the record was the icing on the cake for Alex Ferguson's defending champions.World footballer of the year Ronaldo had hit the post in the first half before converting from the spot after Michael Carrick was tripped by Mikel Arteta

Sports ministry nods players for IPL

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Sports Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani said that the ministry has no objection to its cricketers competing in the Indian Premier League (IPL)."We feel it is a private league in which Pakistani players can compete in an individual capacity," Jilani told media.The sports minister said President Asif Ali Zardari, patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board, had sought the ministry's opinion on players' participation in this year's IPL, a highly lucrative twenty20 tournament that begins April 10."We have replied to the presidency on this issue and now it is up to the players and the PCB," Jilani said.Leading Pakistan players including Shoaib Malik, Sohail Tanvir, Shahid Afridi, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif and Kamran Akmal all played in last year's IPL

Sania, Bhupati win Australian Open mixed doubles title

MELBOURNE: Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza registered their first Grand Slam title together, crushing Andy Ram and Natalie Dechy in straight sets in the mixed doubles final of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Sunday. The duo defeated the pair of Nathalie Dechy from France and Israel’s Andy Ram 6-3, 6-1 at the Rod Laver arena in Melbourne Park.This is Sania Mirza’s first ever Grand Slam titile and also she is now the first Indian women to win a senior Grand Slam title. While, Bhupathi clinched his 11th career Grand Slam title. Hesh, who has seven mixed doubles titles under his belt now, had earlier won the Australian Open mixed doubles title with Switzerland’s Martina Hingis in 2006.Mahesh Bhupathi expressed joy after the victory in the presentation ceremony and said, “I would like to congratulate Sania on her first Grand Slam win, she has more to come by her way.I would also like to thank all those Indians who have stood by us and supported us throughout.”

Pakistan hosting Champions Trophy-2009 undone

PERTH: The ICC has decided to move the postponed 2009 Champions Trophy out of Pakistan due to several members expressing reservations about touring the troubled country, during the second day of the ICC board meeting in Perth. The location of the event has yet to be finalised by the ICC, and a decision is expected before the tournament's next scheduled meeting, in April. "It is unfortunate the ICC Champions Trophy will not take place in Pakistan due to circumstances completely beyond the control of the PCB," said Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive. "However, the board has accepted the need for certainty in planning for and delivering a world-class event and will now assess where the event should be held." In October, the ICC had rescheduled the tournament to take place next September, after it was abandoned earlier this year due to security concerns over Pakistan's political stability. The ICC will send a delegation to visit Pakistan and work with the PCB to find ways bring back international cricket. Pakistan has struggled to attract touring teams for a number of years owing to their concerns over its security. Two home series, against Australia and West Indies, were relocated in the aftermath of the 9/11 bombings in America in 2001, and Australia also postponed their full tour of Pakistan this year. India then pulled out of a tour in the aftermath of the Mumbai terrorist strikes, following, which Sri Lanka agreed to a split tour early this year. The Champions Trophy is expected to rake in around US $40 million, most of which will be redeployed for the development of the game

NZ beat Australia by 2 wickets

PERTH: New Zealand have beaten Australia by two wickets in the first ODI match here on Sunday.Ross Taylor dragged New Zealand from a sluggish start to within spitting distance of the winning runs, with a cool-under-pressure 64 off 97 deliveries, as the visitors beat Australia by two wickets in the first ODI at the WACA, Perth, on Sunday. The Kiwis did not have the best of starts as Brendon Mccullum was unluckily given out leg before wicket off a thick inside edge in the first over. They did their utmost to emulate their hosts' innings as the top three batsmen were back in the hut for 25 runs. Taylor, however, found a willing partner in Neil Broom (29), and when the latter departed, Taylor was joined by Kyle Mills who - with a quick 26 runs off 35 deliveries - inspired the former up his own run-rate. Australia had a glimmer of hope in the final three overs as Nathan Bracken and Shaun Tait bowled with discipline and guile and between them took three wickets for 17 runs, but it was too little, too late, and New Zealand took a 1-0 lead in the series off the final ball of the match. Earlier, Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. Still smarting from their series loss to South Africa, and thereby losing the Nr 1 ODI ranking, Australia were looking for a victory in today's encounter to see them regain that top spot. However, the Kiwis had other ideas, as first they sent Shaun Marsh (15), then the dangerous David Warner (seven) and finally Ricky Ponting (five) packing with only 27 runs on the board. Ponting, in particular, was kicking himself as he walked back to the pavillion, having underestimated the arm of Broom, and found himself a few inches short of his ground. Only Mike Hussey with 49 runs, and Brad Haddin with 31, stayed put for any amount of time, raising hopes of a decent total with a sixth-wicket partnership of 61. But when the latter dragged a Mills delivery onto his stumps, the writing on the wall was just about dry, as the hosts lost wickets at regular - and what must have been infuriating for them - intervals, and in the end were bowled out for 181 eight balls short of their 50 overs. Mills was the pick of the New Zealand attack, taking four wickets, but Daniel Vettori was the man to turn the screws (and kept them turning ever tighter) as he conceded a mere 22 runs off his ten overs