Monday 26th September, 2011 15 Malaysian Open Grand Prix PCB must frame strategy Nimali, Hasaranga, for Sri Lanka tour BY: MOHSIN ALI approach and must adopt an aggressive ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan cricket strategy for the upcoming series against Chamal win golds team is back after a very successful Sri Lankans. Mistakes like this will not go Zimbabwe tour where they outclassed the unpunished against an experienced BY REEMUS FERNANDO hosts in every format of the game, Test, Lankan side. They will be roaring to go ODIs and T20s. It was in fact a significant against Pakistan as they have a point to achievement and every countryman must prove. W.K.L.A Nimali came feel proud of this, but this is all past now. Bowling has always remained as close to establishing a new Well done team Pakistan, you have done Pakistan’s main weapon, but in Zimbabwe Sri Lanka record as she wonders. the tourists struggled to make an impact. returned a time of 4:22.33 Now the team must focus on the next It’s true that Aizaz Cheema, the debutant seconds to win the gold in assignment which is against Sri Lanka as managed to take eight wickets in the the women’s 1,500 metres, they will give a run for their money to the match, but he looks out of sorts and at this at the Malaysian Open green shirts. If we closely look at the age, 32, it will be difficult for him to per- Grand Prix on Saturday, Zimbabwe series, then we all get close to a form on a regular basis. Sri Lanka, according to the Athletics conclusion that over all this series victory England or other top sides will certainly Association of Sri Lanka. was largely possible through some individ- pose a grave threat to this weak Pakistani While her male team- ual performances, specially this series bowling. mates, namely, Ashan belongs to one man, M. Hafeez, who has The PCB top brass must now adopt a Hasaranga, H. Chamal and gone from strength to strength and shown more realistic approach to focus on the Sachith Maduranga also all-round performance and turns the tables present and the future of cricket, when no won a medal each, Nimali on Zimbabwe and enabled Pakistan to win international team is willing to come to came close to achieving specially the ODI series and the two T20s. Pakistan sighting so-called security con- her target of establishing A new Hafeez is born in this particular cerns then there is no need of wasting a new Sri Lanka record in series and has managed to get rid of the national wealth on appointment of a for- her event. Nimali was just tag of inconsistent performer, a serious eign coach. The PCB has a luxury in a fraction of a second allegation and a question mark on his abil- appointing a coach if they look closely behind the Sri Lanka ities, to a great extant with his superb al around they will find the likes of the little record set by Shanika round consistent performances. master Hanif Muhammad, Javed Miandad, Samanmalee (4:22.04sec). This series also points out the flaws in Zaheer Abbas and if the PCB wants to go “I wish I could set new Misbah’s captaincy, with his defensive for a young and energetic person, then Sri Lanka record in approach that could have easily cost they can easily go for Rawalpindi Rams Malaysia (in 1,500 metres). Pakistan the Test series against Zimbabwe. coach Sabih Azhar, who has proved his I will try to do that, Nimali If the PCB wants to continue with Misbah metal by guiding different sides to victory told ‘The Island’ before her as captain then he has to change his stands. departure last week. While Chamal clocked 3:46.93 seconds to win the gold in the men’s 1,500 metres, sprinter Hasaranga clocked 10.60 seconds to win the gold in the men’s 100 metres. Sri Lanka men’s javelin record holder Maduranga cleared a distance of 65.18 metres to win the silver. The Mumbai Indians snatched an ing Hussey picked up on the rich run of W.K.L.A Nimali unlikely three-wicket win over the form that saw him land three Man of the Chennai Super Kings in the final over of Match awards on the trot - and the Player the match in Saturday’s Champions of the Series accolade - in the three Tests WELLINGTON, New Zealand including Chris Martin, Andy League Twenty20 clash in Chepauk. against Sri Lanka recently. Shoaib was a problem (AP) — Uncapped fast bowler McKay and Tim Southee. Southee It took a last-gasp stand of an unbro- Making the transition from five-day and remains a Doug Bracewell has been named will have to prove his fitness after ken 53 runs at a rate of 11.77 to the over competition to the game’s shortest for- in New Zealand’s test and one-day a recent knee injury and Wright between Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan mat with remarkable ease, the left-han- problem: Akram cricket squads to tour Zimbabwe said he would not be risked Singh to force a win that seemed entirely der slotted eight fours and a trio of fine next month, becoming the latest because he was needed for New out of the question heading into the final sixes for his 57 ball vigil. Former Pakistan captain Wasim player with that surname to rep- Zealand’s later series against three overs of the match. With Richard Cameron’s 78 not out, Akram on Saturday ridiculed Shoaib resent New Zealand. Australia. Mahendra Dhoni fluffed a simple Michael Klinger’s 78 and Jamie How’s 77 Akhtar and his controversial autobiog- Bracewell is the son of former “We’re very mindful of the stumping opportunity and then let slip a - all in the 2010 edition of the lucrative raphy, which has made several tall test fast bowler Brendon fact we need him to be absolutely couple of byes before Albie Morkel Twnenty20 tourney - left in his wake, claims, saying that the pacer was a Bracewell and the nephew of test 100 percent for Brisbane (where coughed up a couple of wides, though, Hussey spared a struggling Mumbai ‘problem’ when he was an active player off-spinner and former New the first test starts on Dec. 1),” letting Mumbai back into the contest. attack no mercy. and remains just that even in retire- Zealand coach John Bracewell. Wright said. Malinga, for his highest Twenty20 Mumbai’s next game is against ment. Coach John Wright, who was a Australian-born batsman score of 37 not out, struck anything mar- Trinidad & Tobago on Monday, while Akram pooh-poohed Shoaib’s claims teammate of both Brendon and Dean Brownlie has been named in ginally full to the ropes, while Harbhajan Chennai take on the Cape Cobras on of making Sachin Tendulkar uncomfort- John Bracewell, said the younger the test squad and is likely to bat was happy to play the anchor role before Wednesday. able with his pace in the Bracewell, who turns 21 next at No. 6 in the test at Bulawayo. sneaking the boundary and the single (cricket365.com) Faisalabad week, had caught his eye both All-rounder James Franklin that sealed the deal with one delivery to Test with his lively pace and as a hard- has been named in the one-day spare. in hitting lower-order batsman. squad and off-spinner Jeetan Chasing a tough target after 2006 Wright said “Doug has got Patel in the test squad, though Mike Hussey’s knock of 81 and cricket in his blood and I’ve got a both recently missed out on New had steered the hosts also hunch he may Zealand to a lofty score of reject- turn out to be Cricket con- 158 for four ed a tough com- tracts. across trying some of petitor, typi- Fast conditions at the the cal of some of New bowler MA other his relations.” Graeme Chidambaram allega- “Doug’s Aldridge has Stadium, the tions he had (a couple Zealand won his first Mumbai outfit has made of) seasons New Zealand entirely deserved in the Wasim Akram behind him callup, to the their victory. book titled in first-class names one-day Plagued by ‘Controversially Yours’. cricket and squad, at the injury, including “I remember one of Sachin’s knocks we think he’s age of 33 after the absence of the in the Sialkot Test. It was the fourth got quite lot squads 12 seasons legendary Sachin Test and the wicket had lot of grass, I of upside,” and 90 first- Tendulkar, they was 22 and Waqar was 19 and we were Wright said. class games. were afforded all of very fast,” Akram recalled. Bracewell for Aldridge is five overseas “Waqar hit him on his chin and he is one of likely to recruits - one more came back after taking treatment and eight players replace than the usual scored a 50. If a 16-year-old can’t be named in Zimbabwe Southee in quota - by the tour- scared, I don’t think any batsman can be both the test the test squad nament’s powers- scared. It hardly matters what Shoaib and one-day if he is ruled that-be. Each of says,” Akram told reporters here. squads as unfit. them - Malinga, Akram said Shoaib, who was a con- New Zealand tour New Kieron Pollard, troversial figure all through his playing returns to Zealand Aiden Blizzard, career, was just trying to sell his book Zimbabwe squads: Davy Jacobs and with tall claims and also rejected allega- after a long period in which politi- Test: Ross Taylor (captain), Andrew Symonds - tions that he tried to destroy the tear- cal strife put the African nation Martin Guptill, Brendon played an integral away pacer’s career.