ST JOHN'S, Antigua: Spinner Graeme Swann kept England's noses in front on the third morning here on Tuesday by claiming both of the wickets to fall, as West Indies went to lunch on a steady 132 for 3, but still trailing England's hefty first-innings 566 for 9 declared by 434 runs. Swann, who extracted sharp turn in an exploratory first over of the day, ended up bowling more overs, 11, than anyone else in the session, as England's seamers failed to locate the correct stump-to-stump line to exploit the low bounce of a deteriorating wicket.
SHC clears last six ICL cricket players
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday lifted domestic bans on the country's last six active players who joined the unofficial Indian Cricket League (ICL). Seventeen ICL rebels are now free to play Pakistani cricket but remain barred from international matches until they are cleared by the ICC. "Imran Nazir, Imran Farhat, Humayun Farhat, Riaz Afridi, Arshad Khan and Taufiq Umar got their bans suspended by the court and are now free to play in domestic matches," the players' lawyer Zahid Fakhruddin told AFP.The PCB respected the decision and cleared the players for domestic matches. Eleven players were reprieved last week, nine of whom featured in the latest round of premier Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.
Sports minister to meet Yousuf today
KARACHI: Federal Sports Minister Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani will be meeting with Test batsman Muhammad Yousuf on Wednesday at Pakistan Sports Board office in Lahore. "I personally want to give him a hearing because of his immense contribution and record for the game and Pakistan," he said before his departure for Lahore. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt had categorically said that the board was ready to select Muhammad Yousuf in the Pakistan team if International Cricket Council (ICC) clears the way for the inclusion of Indian Cricket League (ICL) players.
Royals sign unknown pace bowler
NEW DELHI: The Rajasthan Royals have picked a young fast bowler, Kamran Khan, out of obscurity for the second season of the IPL. Not much is known about him except that he impressed Darren Berry, Rajasthan's director of coaching, during a recent Twenty20 tournament in Mumbai. Kamran, 18, a left-arm fast bowler, has never played first-class cricket. Primarily a tennis-ball bowler, he now finds himself with a Rs 12 lakh (approximately $24,000) contract with Rajasthan. "I can't express how happy I am. I knew I would play for a big team one day, but I never thought it would come so early," Kamran, 18, told Mid-day, the Mumbai-based tabloid.
Alleyne named new MCC head coach
LONDON: Mark Alleyne, the former Gloucestershire and England allrounder, has been appointed as MCC head coach. He succeeds Clive Radley who has been in the post since 1991 and who was due to retire at the end of the summer. Alleyne played ten ODIs for England, but his biggest impact came at county level where he led Gloucestershire to a raft of one-day titles and was named one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year in 2000. He went straight from playing into coaching, taking charge of Gloucestershire between 2004 and 2007.
Oram wants more than just a batting role
WELLINGTON: Jacob Oram, the New Zealand allrounder, has said he has recovered from his Achilles tendon injury sustained during the ODI series at home against West Indies, which kept him out of the recent one-dayers against Australia. Hoping to get back to full fitness ahead of the home series against India, Oram said he will be playing as a batsman in Central Districts' Twenty20 clash with Otago on Friday. Oram, though, was keen to resume his bowling duties as well. "Would I have got eight years (in the national side) if I had stuck with just batting?" he told the New Zealand daily, the Manawatu Standard. "I don't want to do that. It's like asking someone to do half the job. I'm not a batsman, I'm an allrounder, and I'm enjoying what I'm doing," he added.
Zafar Iqbal leads Livna to win
By our correspondent
KARACHI: A fine half-century by Zafar Iqbal, who hit 60 with the help of four boundaries and five sixes, helped Livna Veterans beat National Arms Veterans (NAV) by eight wickets and Hush Puppies Veterans beat Nisar Jan Corporation (NJC) Veterans by five wickets, in the All Sindh Dr Fakhar Khairi Memorial Veterans Grade II League Cricket Tournament here the other day. Scores: At KCCA Stadium - NAV Veterans 145-6 in 25 overs (Afzal Mohammad 38). Livna Veterans 147-2 in 19 overs (Zafar Iqbal 60, Sadarat Ali 38). At DHA Ground - NJC Veterans 156-8 in 25 overs (Kashif Butt 44; Iqbal Surti 3-14). Hush Puppies Veterans 157-5 in 20.5 overs (Asim Mumtaz 57).
Raul doesn't want 'artificial' call-up
MADRID: Real Madrid veteran striker Raul does not want to be called up for a November friendly against Argentina to mark the Spanish Federation's centenary as he perceives it would comprise an "artificial" homage to him, AS sports daily said on Tuesday. Raul did not make the squad for last summer's Euro 2008 triumph and has not featured for the "Furia roja" for the past two seasons in spite of a return to form at club level which last week saw him become his club's all-time top scorer with 309 league goals. The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) was seeking to call him up for the centenary at Real's Bernabeu stadium in recognition of his exploits - he is also Spain's all-time top scorer with 44 goal - but AS indicated the 31-year-old player was not keen if it meant a one-off "artificial homage". Vicente del Bosque has not called Raul back in to the squad for World Cup qualifiers this season in spite of his good form for Real Madrid.
Juve interested in Sampdoria's Cassano
LONDON: Juventus are interested in Sampdoria's influential playmaker Antonio Cassano, who was again instrumental in Sunday's 1-1 draw between the sides. "He is a boy who is becoming a man. He is exciting and agood player," Juve president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli told Radio Anch'io. "Cassano is a name which we are considering," he added.
'Mourinho will stay at Inter'
MILAN: Zlatan Ibrahimovic is confident Jose Mourinho will stay at Inter Milan for the foreseeable future. Mourinho fuelled speculation over his future last weekend by refusing to rule out a possible return to Chelsea. Ibrahimovic has played down the rumours and expects the Portuguese tactician to stay in Italy for a while yet. "He has a long time to go as a trainer before he will think about going back to Chelsea," Ibrahimovic told The Guardian. "He has a contract here and I think he will respect that," he added.
Hiddink takes first Chelsea session
LONDON: Guus Hiddink took charge of his first Chelsea training session on Monday with the club's England midfielder Frank Lampard saying the Dutchman was already making his presence felt. Hiddink watched last weekend's 3-1 FA Cup win away to Watford following the sacking of former Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari. Lampard told Chelsea's website that Hiddink's presence had lifted the spirits of the players.
Numancia sack coach Kresic
MADRID: Struggling Numancia sacked their coach Sergio Kresic and appointed Jose Rojo Martin 'Pacheta' in his place until the end of the season, the Primera Liga club said on Tuesday. Croatian Kresic took the helm in July after the side won promotion to the top flight last season. But their 1-0 defeat at home to direct rivals Real Mallorca on Sunday was their fifth league reverse in a row. They slipped to 19th in the 20-team standings with 20 points from 23 games, and are one point from safety.
