bowling has reinvented itself, crushing all best known batboys without compromises. Australia crushed India, while South Africa thrashed Sri Lanka and Pakistan just shattered all hopes of both England’s team and Indian sport strategist who wanted to see Pakistan crushed by English boys in Dubai so that Indians could derive some extra sadistic pleasure forgetting their own poor fate in Australia. Pakistan has slapped the all powerful UK, a junior part of USA-UK terror twins, right in their face in Dubai playing test cricket. Since England claims to be the top test team today while Pakistan is nowhere in the map and makes no claims, the Pakistani thrash is too harsh for the poor English boys to digest. England, which asks the UK state terrorists to consume the corpses of fallen Muslims in NATO occupied Islamic nations, thought it was too easy to defeat a weakened Pakistan now.

But the English boys are deadly mistaken. It seems, a new sense of discipline, has given the Pakistanis a chance to put their cricket house in order. Castigated for a lack of unity, consistency and awareness of the pitfalls in the game, some of Pakistan’s most talented players went into oblivion. This is the 2nd victory for Pakistan in Dubai. This is also the 3rd time that they have inflicted a 10-wicket win over England. Since the spot-fixing scandal, conspired by Indo-UK to further weaken Pakistani cricket, Pakistan’s decision to appoint Misbah-ul Haq as captain has proved inspired and the team has not looked back, beating the world’s best team England by 10 wickets in the first Test on 18th January in Dubai, the adopted cricket home of Pakistan to play international cricket because of insistence of Indo-UK led ICC not to approve Pakistani stadiums for cricket. Misbah said he has tried to introduce the missing virtues of unity, discipline and focus into the team. Ajmal, who took a career-best 7-55 in the first innings, completed a 10-wicket match haul as Pakistan dismissed England for 160 before scoring the 15 runs needed for victory.

However, any other team would have won the match by one innings after such a turn of fortunes in their favor, but Pakistani team lacked both commitment and will or desire for that. They just wanted to win the match no matter whether with one innings or one run. Gul threw deliberate no-ball t spoil his LBW removing Swann but Swann had to return to play for more t runs to deny Pakistan a real chance for one innings win over the British “masters”. Of course, an innings win is not that important. The win gave Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series. The second Test starts in Abu Dhabi from January 25 and which won’t be different from this one, but it could only be better if Pakistani boys played with a vision, inheriting the Australian drive against India.

None is too indispensable in cricket. But for India some players like Tendulakar are indispensible for ever, even e when they keep standing at the crease without hitting single runs. Pacer Shoaib Akhtar has gone away because he has lost his way and talent, refusing to reinvent himself when run check – and not bogus wickets- is vital now. In fact Pakistani bowlers are not better than England’s. Nor the British batboys are worse than Pakistan’s. But the fact is rankings in cricket are bogus- both teams and individuals. British team is not the best but they were groomed by others, including India and Australia.

Pakistani team wanted to give credit for the win to its batboys and hence they did not want to win with an innings and waited for the batboys to bat again chasing down meager 15 runs with 10 wickets in tact quickly with UK help of fast 4s.

Pakistani victory could be explained not by the prowess of its cricketers, but bad cricketers of London which claims the number one slot in test cricket, and controls the other small nations within what is known as UK, imposing its will on other English speaking peoples. Democracy is defined by UK in its own way.

Match fixing is common in cricket and teams do it on behalf of the nations or mediated by mafia. But Pakistan has been made a scapegoat because the NATO terror syndicate operating on Pakistani soil wanted to control the regime and military there by controlling cricketism and adding insult to injury. The Indo-UK spot-fixing scandal of 2010 destroyed the careers of three of Pakistan’s most exciting talents in Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer. These players also refused to quit cricket in protest against ICC highhandedness and in favour of human dignity. Their disgrace is also disgrace of puppet Pakistani regime which did nothing to stop action against its cricketers.

Yes, if there is one bowling attack that has the balance and the variety to win a game within 3 days in the flat tracks of UAE, it has to be Pakistan. Even faster than the Aussies! They have absolutely decimated the so-called number 1 Test side in the world, which looked pretty clueless. It should be noted here that cricketers are not just a foolish crop of mainly school drops outs seeking big honours from regime but they are closely knit network connected with mafias and other similar networks and they have been plying to boost the image of batboys. Bowlers are used just the “helpers”. UK, South Africa, India and Africa and other teams played joint cricket exercises to pursue the common agendas and promotion of rankings.

South Africa after “clinching” the ODI series 3-0 has let the SL win the fourth ODI apparently not to offend India by overtaking its ranking. SA also promotes India and others. South African cricketers- essentially of the while British origin, are also top frauds, playing joint exercises for years now.. SA won the ODI-3 and sealed the series. It appeared, in order to prove that their team can win without big batboys, South Africa has asked world No.1 batsman Hashim Amla to rest and he has pulled out of the series owing to “family responsibilities” and veteran Jacques Kallis has been rested for the 2 remainder of the series.

But it is obvious that SA has done it only to keep a joint cricket exerciser Indians in good humor, without disturbing the bogus team ranking where SA is just one point below India. Hence SA deliberately lost to SL by playing for mutual appeasements; 100 plus for both wicket keepers in final 5th ODI. Obviously, all those who played the “exchange programs” for 100 plus now look extremely tired and too slow in the field, especially the Indians. They still keep idolizing their “greats”, not sure that the old practices are dying away faster than expected and credible bowling is looking to the future.

There is a need to constantly updating the team with new bowlers and batboys with better training. The fake threat that strong bowling units could destroy all batboys is unfounded. Batboys should also improve their real performance against reckless bowling and genuine fielding. Pakistan still has to re-think about their bowling options, by removing those who do restrict run flow, because England would certainly make necessary amendments to face the “threat”.

England would also get generous “tips” from others like India. But the puncture inflicted upon England by Pakistan in Dubai is so deep and so huge that the English boys would have to suffer now without ready-made remedies while all pleasures of joint cricketism with Indian team last year end in favour of the Indian hosts and celebration of Diwali festivities not long ago in India have just melted away in Mideast....

Dr. Abdul Ruff is Specialist on State Terrorism. He is an Educationalist; Chancellor-Founder of Centre for International Affairs Independent Analyst and Chronicler of Foreign occupations.

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Dilshan, 35, was appointed after Kumar Sangakkara stepped down following this year’s World Cup and led Sri Lanka on away tours against England, Pakistan and South Africa, while also leading the team at home against Australia.

“Dilshan has resigned as captain in all three formats of the game,” read an SLC statement. “Members of the executive committee take this opportunity to thank Dilshan for his commitment and dedication during his tenure as the national captain. We also wish him well as he continues to represent Sri Lanka as a national player.”

His captaincy came under severe criticism as the World Cup finalists lost both the Test and One-Day International (ODI) series against all four countries including being bundled out for 43 in the first ODI against South Africa.

Dilshan’s batting form also suffered during his tenure as captain as he averaged a poor 20.95 in 11 ODIs  – in comparison to his career average of 34.68. In 11 Tests, Dilshan averaged 33.6 as opposed to his overall 40.89.

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Tasmanian George Bailey is the new Australian Twenty20 captain replacing Cameron White, who has been cut from the squad to face India in two matches next month. The other major selection shock is the return of veteran spinner Brad Hogg to international cricket. Hogg is nearly 41 years of age and had retired back in 2008.

But after a brilliant comeback season for grand finalists the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League, Hogg is preparing to play his first match for Australia since his one-day farewell against India in March 2008.
Bailey, 29, who plays alongside White in the Melbourne Stars in the BBL, will lead Australia against the Indians in Sydney and Melbourne.

Bailey, who is one of five Stars players to be named, captained Australia A in the drawn tour match against New Zealand at Allan Border Field in November. Tasmanian Tigers skipper for the one-day and Sheffield Shield competition, Bailey is a surprise selection after compiling very modest Big Bash figures. White scored just 55 runs at an average of eight, but Bailey only managed 114 runs at 19 himself for the tournament.

There have been a number of changes to the Australian squad which toured South Africa late last year, mostly due to injury. Notable omissions include then vice-captain Shane Watson and young bowlers Pat Cummins and James Pattinson. Australia play India at ANZ Stadium on February 1 with the second game two days later at the MCG.

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They might have lost narrowly in the first game but New Zealand were no match for Australia in the second Twenty20 international in Sydney today, losing by 59 runs in the five-match series.

Australia managed a useful 128 for five from their 20 overs and then bundled out the White Ferns for 69 in 17.1 overs. Only Katey Perkins (19 off 15 balls) made double figures for New Zealand. Australian openers Meg Lanning and Leah Poulton got their side off to solid start with a 46-run opening stand before three quick wickets pegged back the home side.

Rachel Candy caught Poulton of her own bowler for 18, Lucy Doolan trapped Manning LBW for 27 before Candy struck again to have Jess Cameron nicked out for two. The ascendancy was short lived with the experienced Lisa Sthalekar pounding 52 off 32 balls while Alex Blackwell supported with 20.

Frances Mackay picked up two late wickets to finish with two for 15 off two overs while Candy took two for 24 off four. The White Ferns' run chase got off to a horror start, losing their top five batsmen for single-figure scores.

Perkins provided some brief resistance but more was required with the rest of the line-up crumbling under the scoreboard pressure and quality Australian bowling. Sthalekar capped off a stellar game with three for 16 while Julie Hunter, Sarah Coyte and Erin Osbourne picked up two apiece.

The teams meet again tomorrow at the same venue for the third match of the five match series. Australia won the first match on Friday by four wickets, with Jess Jonassen hitting a boundary off the penultimate ball to secure the win for the home side.

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Pakistan openers Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar hit contrasting half-centuries to steer their team to a 96-run lead over England with three wickets in hand by stumps Wednesday on the second day of the first test.

Led by Hafeez's chancy 88 and Umar's solid 58, Pakistan reached 288-7 in reply to England's 192 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

"We are very much in control of this game (and) with two spinners in our side we have a very good chance to win the test match," Hafeez said. "We have collected enough runs to dominate this test, and hopefully tomorrow we will stretch our lead."

Offspinner Saeed Ajmal's career-best 7-55 on Tuesday had bundled out top-ranked England on a pitch favorable for batting.

Misbah-ul-Haq (52) frustrated England further with his 11th half-century in 13 tests since being appointed captain in 2010, before England hit back with two wickets just before stumps.

Captain Andrew Strauss won his first of two television referrals after New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden had turned down Graeme Swann's (2-89) lbw appeal against Misbah.


James Anderson (2-57) brought some relief for England on an otherwise frustrating day by bowling Abdur Rehman in the last over of the day.

Anderson had provided immediate success with the second new ball, inducing Asad Shafiq to get a big edge while on 16 and Pakistan's lead was 39 runs.

Adnan Akmal, who will resume on 24, was on 9 when Kevin Pietersen dropped a hard chance in the covers after England bowlers had toiled without much success in the first two sessions.

Hafeez escaped a run out on 44 and was also dropped on 52 before falling lbw when he missed Swann's full-pitched delivery while attempting a sweep shortly after lunch. Hafeez hit 11 fours and also lofted Swann over wide long on for the lone six of the match so far.

England - unbeaten in its last nine test series - found something to cherish in the middle session as part-time medium-pacer Jonathan Trott forced Younis Khan to play across the line to trap the former Pakistan skipper lbw on 37.

Earlier, Stuart Broad claimed two quick wickets to give England some hope of getting back into the match before lunch. Bowling round the wicket, Broad clean bowled Umar as the left-hander played down the wrong line. The fast bowler found a thin edge to dismiss Azhar Ali for 1 just before lunch, and ultimately finished with figures of 2-72.

Umar and Hafeez batted with aggression against the England seamers after resuming overnight at 42 without loss. The pair added 48 inside the first hour, with both using their feet against Swann to hit some attractive boundaries.

England twice came close to dismissing Hafeez, but Bell missed a sharp run out chance and Chris Tremlett couldn't hang on to a diving catch off a mistimed hook shot.

Umar completed his half-century with his ninth four when he hit Tremlett through the covers, before Bell's throw from square leg narrowly missed the stumps with Hafeez well short of the crease.

Hafeez had another lucky escape shortly after completing his half-century - also including nine boundaries - when Tremlett's desperate dive at wide mid-on saw the ball pop out of his hands.

Broad, who bowled sharply in his second spell, ended the 114-run partnership by dismissing Umar off the next delivery. It was the Pakistan opening pair's fifth century stand in tests, surpassing countrymen Sadiq Mohammad-Majid Khan (4) and Saeed Anwar-Aamir Sohail (4). "I didn't know about that (record), but obviously now I am very happy about it and will try to extend it further," Hafeez said.

England has not won a test on the subcontinent after conceding a first-innings lead in 12 years. The two times it has achieved the feat have both been against Pakistan - in 1961 at Lahore and 2000 at Karachi.

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Modern sport is competitive, dynamic and can almost be cruel. A side that was ranked No 1 in Test cricket a little over six months ago is today in complete shambles, almost not knowing what hit them. However to put things into perspective one needs to understand that the gutted downfall is confined to only the Test format (more specifically overseas) of the game and not the ODI format! The Indian national T20 team is another issue, but can be reflected upon only post the team's performance in the fourth edition of the World Cup for the same, scheduled in Sri Lanka in September.

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Former pacer Shoaib Akhtar has expressed fears over Pakistan’s batting strength in their impending Test series against England in the UAE. “I believe that Pakistan is the best one-day side in the world. But when it comes to Test matches I have fears about the batting and whether it has the depth and stability to do well against England,” he said.

Akhtar has remained out of the media glare in Pakistan ever since he announced his retirement in during the 2011 World Cup. The former pacer said that a lot will depend on experienced Younus Khan.

“Younus has an important role to play in this series. He has to play an anchor role. If he is unable to do that than Pakistan will face problems against the England bowling even in the UAE,” Akhtar said. Akhtar pointed out that England definitely had more depth in their batting compared to Pakistan.

He said this was the reason he felt that former captain, Mohammad Yousuf should have been selected for the series.  “Look Yousuf can easily play two more years of Test cricket and against a top attack like England I think Pakistan needs two quality batsmen like Yousuf and Younus.

“UAE is not Australia and I think if Yousuf had been recalled he would have played an important role against England even now,” Akhtar said. Akhtar said Pakistan did not need to treat it as a revenge series. “It is good if we show controlled aggression. But our aggression should be focused on bowling a good line and our batsmen prepared to be patient. It is useless wasting our energies otherwise.”

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New Zealand will have a new wicketkeeper in its one-off test against Zimbabwe later this month after incumbent Reece Young was dropped from the squad. The wicketkeeping duties in the January 26 test in Napier will be handed either to Kruger van Wyk, a South African-born wicketkeeper batsman who has yet to play a test, or B.J. Watling, who is also South African-born and played his six previous tests as an opening bat.

Watling will keep wicket for a New Zealand XI in a three-day warm-up match against Zimbabwe while van Wyk, who plays for Canterbury province, will play in that match as an opening batsman. Former test wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum is also named in the 12-man squad but he no longer keeps at test level due to injuries.

Young's omission follows his batting failures in New Zealand's recent two-test series against Australia. The 32-year-old, who has scored almost 4 000 first class runs, has made only 169 runs in five tests.

Watling's selection reflects the desire of New Zealand coach John Wright to have a genuine batsman in the wicketkeeping role, to add strength and balance to his test line-up. If Watling is selected as a keeper for New Zealand's first home test of the summer, he will likely bat No 7 while former captain and all-rounder Daniel Vettori will move up from No 8 to No 6. That would allow New Zealand to play four quicks with the left-armer Vettori as specialist spinner.

"There's a lot of competition for the wicketkeeping spot in the country at the moment," Wright said. "It's tough on Reece, his keeping has been good and he knows that if he goes back to domestic cricket and scores runs he will remain in the frame.

"B.J. will get a chance to prove himself with the gloves in the three-day game and Kruger will open the batting. A decision on who will take the gloves in the test will be made closer to the start of the match."

Watling and van Wyk came into the squad for Young and top-order batsman Jesse Ryder who has a calf injury and is out of form. Young fast bowler Doug Bracewell, who took six second innings wickets as New Zealand beat Australia by seven runs in the second test in Hobart in December, heads the fast bowling contingent which comprises veteran Chris Martin, Tim Southee and young left-armer Trent Boult.

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PERTH: Australia captain Michael Clarke won the toss and chose to bowl first in the third test against India on what is expected to be a lively wicket with plenty of bounce at the WACA on Friday. Australia, who lead the four-match series 2-0, decided to drop spinner Nathan Lyon and include pacemen Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus, Ryan Harris and Mitchell Starc in a four-strong attack.

"The pitch has got a fair bit of grass, and we decided to go in with four quicks," Clarke said. "Bowling first today will help us win this test match."India have also gone with four paceman, handing right-armer R Vinay Kumar his test debut in place of spinner Ravi Ashwin in an otherwise unchanged side.

"We would have liked to bowl as well," said India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. "The Perth wicket will help the fast bowlers more than spinners."Dhoni and the India selectors have resisted pressure to tamper with their batting line-up and Virat Kohli survives at number six to leave Rohit Sharma still awaiting his test debut.

Experienced but injury-prone Harris replaces the injured James Pattinson in the Australia team, while Starc gets a recall after missing out on the first two tests of the series in Melbourne and Sydney. The 21-year-old left-armer made his test debut alongside Pattinson in the series against New Zealand last month, taking four wickets at a cost of 200 runs in two matches.

Australia won the first test in Melbourne by 122 runs and the second by an innings and 68 runs in Sydney last week. Teams: Australia - Michael Clarke (captain), David Warner, Ed Cowan, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Mike Hussey, Brad Haddin, Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus, Ryan Harris, Mitchell Starc.

India - Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virat Kohli, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), R Vinay Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav.

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Tim Bresnan was ruled out of England’s Test series in the United Arab Emirates against Pakistan, and cricket betting fans wonder what kind of impact this could have on the game. Cricket betting fans were concerned when they learned that the Yorkshire seamer, 26-years-old, who in November had elbow surgery, suffered swelling while training last week in Dubai.

The player could still be available for the limited-overs internationals that begin on February 15, and many cricket betting fans hope that he will make it. “I’m obviously gutted not to play in the Test series but I knew looking at my rehabilitation it was always going to be touch and go,” said Bresnan.

“The priority for me now is to get myself ready for the one-day series in February.”Graham Onions, Durham seamer, who is with England as cover, will be joining the squad as a replacement while Bresnan goes home to take care of his elbow, and many fans hope that very good cricket scores are made.

On Monday, Bresnan was sitting out during England’s three-wicket win over an International Cricket Council Combined XI  after he aggravated the injury last Wednesday. “I think we were all expecting him to be absolutely fine,” Strauss said after England was able to successfully chase 261 on the third and final day, winning their opening warm-up match.

“We’re all gutted for him, because it’s come from left-field. It’s surprised him and us. “He’s probably not going to be able to play for two or three weeks. That means he’s unable to play any part in the Test series, so he’s flying home.”

Graeme Swann will have a precautionary scan on a leg muscle injury that was preventing him from fielding on Monday, as Chris Tremlett, who missed the match due to an eye infection, is also expected to see a doctor.

Cricket betting fans learned that the first of three Test matches, two of them which will be played in Dubai, and the other one in Abu Dhabi, will begin on January 17.

England will then take on their Lions side in a one-day game before they play against Pakistan three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 games, and fans everywhere are expecting some great cricket scores made.

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