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THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015 SPORTS Cook agrees with decision to bar Pietersen from team LONDON: Alastair Cook denied yesterday he leading the team out tomorrow at Lord’s. All that gave an ultimatum to England management to external stuff over the last 10 or so days isn’t relieve him of the captaincy if Kevin Pietersen important.” was recalled, but agreed with Pietersen’s extend- Pressed about whether he could play with ed exile from the team. Cook’s comments at Pietersen, Cook said it was irrelevant. “That’s not Lord’s, on the eve of the first test against New a decision I’ve got to make, or have to make,” he Zealand, were his first in public on the recent said. “That’s not a decision I have to worry turmoil in English cricket. Former captain about.” Andrew Strauss was appointed director of crick- But the prospect of the two of them in the et and immediately sacked coach Peter Moores, same dressing room beyond the summer has and told Pietersen, discarded since the 2013-14 been widely speculated in English newspapers. Ashes series, that he would not be considered Most believe Cook, not willing to forgive until after the summer campaign. Pietersen for criticisms in his autobiography, “I do agree with the decision,” Cook said of barred the batsman’s recall by threatening to barring Pietersen. He declined to say why, with resign as captain. some despair. “This has been going on for 15 or The English and Wales Cricket Board, so the so months. We’ve got to start really looking for- media say, went with the least worst PR prob- ward, we have to really, really focus on what’s lem. But Cook holds sway only as long as he’s important to us (as players). For me, it’s about captain, and if results don’t come against New Zealand, then especially Australia, he will likely be replaced by new vice-captain Joe Root. “There was no ultimatum,” Cook said. “I can deny that, I don’t quite know where that came from.” He said he and the players weren’t con- sulted by Strauss and new chief executive Tom Harrison regarding the moves against Moores and Pietersen. LAHORE: Pakistani cricket players take part in a net practice to play against Zimbabwe at the Gaddafi stadium. — AP “I want it to be that way,” said Cook, in defin- ing the trust between the team and manage- ment to do their jobs without interfering with the other. Troops, checkpoints for Cook appreciated Strauss spelling out his rea- sons and vision to the team on Tuesday, and said he was sorry for Moores, who was a players’ Pakistan, Zimbabwe T20 coach and helped him improve. Cook noted that, as captain, he’s working with a fourth LAHORE: Bemused players said they hoped to take the national coach, caretaker Paul Fabrace, the for- focus of security and put it back on cricket after authori- mer assistant. ties mounted an unprecedented operation to guard Strauss was searching for Moore’s replace- insurgency-hit Pakistan’s first home international in six ment, and Fabrace, who coached Sri Lanka to years. victories in the World Twenty20 and Asia Cup Thousands of police and paramilitaries have been last year, confirmed he was willing to become deployed and helicopters will be buzzing over Lahore’s head coach, or continue as assistant. Cook con- Gaddafi Stadium, which has been turned into a fortress firmed he will open the batting with Adam Lyth, for tomorrow’s Twenty20 game against lowly who will make his debut as the replacement for Zimbabwe. the retired Jonathan Trott, but wouldn’t reveal The fixture is Pakistan’s first on home soil since 2009, the fate of the squad’s other uncapped player, when militants launched a gun attack on Sri Lanka’s fast bowler Mark Wood. team bus in Lahore, killing eight police and civilians and As for New Zealand, captain Brendon leaving seven players wounded. McCullum said the late arrival of himself, Kane Roads around the stadium will be closed and shops Williamson, and new-ball bowlers Tim Southee and restaurants have been shuttered for the duration of and Trent Boult from IPL duty, would not be the series, consisting of two Twenty20s and three ODIs, offered as an excuse if they don’t hit the ground all in Lahore. running. Jammers are in use to cut out radio signals, hamper- “Last year, a few of us went from the IPL to ing wifi at the stadium, and fans will have to go through the West Indies and we scored 500 in the first metal detectors at three security checkpoints, raising innings, so it can be a positive,” McCullum said. the prospect of hours of queuing. Harbhajan Singh “We’ve still been playing cricket, still been Zimbabwe have been under tight wraps since their playing in pressure environments. The guys arrival early on Tuesday, when they were whisked from LONDON: New Zealand’s BJ Watling during a have got simple games which we’ll try to roll the airport to their hotel watched by thousands of secu- training session at Lord’s cricket ground yester- out, and they’re very professional about how rity personnel. Harbhajan back in day. England will play New Zealand in the first they go about things, so that won’t be an They are far from the usual arrangements for a crick- Test Match starting today. — AP excuse for us.” — AP et match, and Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura said it was a new experience for him and his team. India Test squad “Yes, it’s obviously something new for us,” said Chigumbura. “But we know why it is like this and players NEW DELHI: India has recalled offspinner Harbhajan Singh for Pakistan umpire wants are not worried because Pakistan have done this for us, a one-off test against Bangladesh next month, on a tour which to be secure and safe. “For us the main thing is to play will also feature three one-day internationals. good cricket and I don’t think it will affect us.” The 34-year-old Harbhajan, who last played in a home test Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi hoped the first ball on to forget 2009 attack Friday will refocus attention on cricket as he attempts to series against Australia in March 2013, was picked yesterday in lift his team after a poor World Cup and series in the Virat Kohli-led side despite limited success in first-class LAHORE: Ahsan Raza is looking forward to was back on the field as umpire in 2010. He has Bangladesh. cricket this past season. umpiring Pakistan’s match against Zimbabwe, officiated in a number of Pakistan’s international “These (security) arrangements are necessary,” said Harbhajan, who has 413 wickets from 101 tests, finds him- putting behind him the morning when he was matches in the United Arab Emirates over the Afridi. “I am sure with the first ball on Friday all attention self in the team along with regular test offspinner shot twice in an attack that slammed the door last five years after the Gulf country became will be on cricket and fans will enjoy the game without Ravichandran Ashwin. any bother and I hope they come in big number.” closed on international cricket in Pakistan. Pakistan’s ‘home’ venue. “Bangladesh has quite a few left-handers, so we thought a Despite the tight security and the late confirmation of The 2009 ambush by gunmen on Sri Lanka’s But Zimbabwe will revive international cricket second offspinner was needed,” chief selector Sandeep Patil the series, following a massacre in an attack on a bus in said in Mumbai. “We discussed it with captain Virat Kohli, and a team and match officials on their way to Lahore’s in Pakistan on Friday when the limited-overs Karachi, organisers say the 27,000-capacity venue is a Gaddafi Stadium killed six people and one of the series begin with the first Twenty20 game. decision was taken after considering other options.” sell-out for Friday’s game. Bangladesh openers Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes, Shakib Al bullets left Raza with a damaged lung. The ICC has declined to send its match offi- Local umpires including Ahsan Raza, who was Hasan, Mominul Haque and Soumya Sarkar, all left-handers, “I don’t want to look back and recall what cials for the series in Pakistan on the security wounded in the 2009 attack, will take charge of the happened six years ago, it was dreadful,” Raza advice of its own experts, although the games series after the International Cricket Council refused to plundered runs during a recent home series against Pakistan. India frontline pace bowler Mohammad Shami was not told The Associated Press yesterday. “It was not will have formal international status. send its officials. available for the tour because of a knee injury, while left-arm easy (to recover) with so many stitches all Raza has been chosen by the Pakistan Cricket Zimbabwe have not won any of their five Twenty20 spinner Ravindra Jadeja missed out. around my stomach and one of the bullets even Board to officiate as an onfield umpire in two internationals against Pakistan, but Chigumbura prom- Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has retired from test cricket, damaged my right lung.” The attack in this east- Twenty20s and in one of the three one-day ised his team will do its best despite the unusual cir- cumstances. will lead the ODI squad. The test will be at Fatullah from June ern Pakistani city killed six police officers and internationals.