12 Wednesday 9th April, 2008 Inzy and Moin Mature Sarwan threaten Shoaib

There seems to be no end to into account. Shoaib Akhtar's woes these days. Inzamam feels that, given Shoaib's yet to peak Now his former team-mates long record of misbehaviour, the Inzamam-ul-Haq and Moin Khan are PCB was completely justified in threatening to sue the banned handing down such a heavy ban. feels the 10 rience and I think I Pakistan speedster over claims he "What can I say about Shoaib? His months he spent out of has can use that." was asked to under-perform in whole career has been full of contro- allowed him to return to the West Sarwan shared a matches. versies," Inzy continued. "Those who Indies team a better player. stand of 157 with Akhtar allegedly told a television have played with him know him The right-handed batsman struck a , who fin- show that he was offered money to well. He has got into one scrap after crucial century to help his side clinch ished unbeaten on 85, to help the under-perform in some matches, and another. victory in the second Test against Sri hosts reach their victory target of the names of Inzamam and Moin "This ban was coming because of Lanka in Trinidad on Sunday. 253 with six to spare. have been linked to the allegations. his repeated bad behaviour. Yes, five His innings of 102 completed a fine Although the pair were unable to Inzamam is fuming over the years is a bit harsh but the ban is series for the 27-year-old, his first see it through to the end their efforts claims, and says he could sue the totally justified. back in the team following a series of made sure the series finished all beleaguered fast bowler. "I think the Pakistan board injury problems. square at 1-1. Sri Lanka had won the "We are waiting to see what hap- should be supported for finally tak- Despite the disappointment of opening Test in Guyana. pens. But myself and Moin are con- ing disciplinary action. But I think missing out on so much cricket "I've been getting off to good starts sulting and we will then decide to whatever he is saying has only got Sarwan, who lost the captaincy dur- in this series, I wanted to do the maybe sue him," Inzamam told a him into more trouble." ing his time out, feels he is still yet to same, pick the bad balls and fortu- Pakistani television channel on In the meantime, Akhtar's hit his peak. nately I was able to do that and go on Sunday. lawyers are yet to file an appeal "When I couldn't play I realised and get the hundred," Sarwan said. Ramnaresh "He has tried to drag us into this against the Pakistan speedster's ban how much I was missing the game "After we lost Marlon (Samuels) I Sarwan match-fixing issue. We will wait and by the PCB. and it gave me time to think about knew I had to form a good partner- see and then do something," the for- The fast bowler's legal representa- what I need to do," he said. ship with Shiv mer Pakistan added. tives will ask for the ban to be lifted "I've been out for 10 months, play- (Chanderpaul). Akhtar was banned for five years "outright", although sources close to ers tend to mature around 26-27 and "The good thing by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Shoaib suggest he could be willing then it carries on till they are 33-34 was that Shiv was for criticising the board after being to accept a decrease in the ban. and I hope that is going to be the case flowing and I didn't overlooked for a central contract, a for me. have to do all the scor- ruling that took previous offences (cricket365.com) "I've certainly gained a lot of expe- ing, he was positive and that paid off for us."

The Indian cricket team have come under fire for devoting Bausch & Lomb Championships Harmison more time to the (IPL) build-up than to the Test series against South Africa. 'not viable Sunil Gavaskar has hit out at Mauresmo defeats Savchuk the players after they suffered a for England' humiliating innings-and-90-run AMELIA ISLAND, Florida (AP) Lindsay Davenport (No. 16). play gets a little more equal. I proba- defeat in just three days in the - Amelie Mauresmo capped a perfect The event lost luster recently bly wanted to do too much in Fast bowler Steve Harmison is no Sunil second Test. day for seeded players with a 6-0, 7-5 when Venus Williams, Elena that second set instead longer a viable option for England, Gavaskar Gavaskar claims some of the play- victory over Olga Savchuk in the Dementieva, Nicole Vaidisova, of staying focused according to the man he replaced in the ers are distracted by the IPL. first round of the Bausch & Lomb Nadia Petrova and defending cham- and playing a very Test team, Andrew Caddick. "Disappointing as the performance Championships on Monday night. pion Tatiana Golovin withdrew. simple and basic The 29-year-old Durham player has is, the question that is being asked is After Mauresmo breezed through Davenport will play her first- game." struggled for form since England's 2005 whether the the opening set, Savchuk failed to round match Ashes success and was dropped for the Indian team deliver on two set points serving against second Test with New Zealand in Are India`s was prepared with a 5-4 edge in the second, then American wild March. for the second foot faulted on a break point to even card Vania King Caddick told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Does stars dancing Test," Gavaskar the set at 5-all. during the day. he want to play domestic cricket or wrote in his Mauresmo regained control of Sharapova work hard and play international crick- to IPL tune? Hindustan the match and took the next two starts at night et? Times column. games for a satisfying straight-set against Czech "The standard he is playing right "Even after considering that the win in her first match on clay this qualifier now, he is not viable in the side." teams spent five hot and humid days in year. Barbora Harmison, who retired from one-day Chennai, the absence of some players "I was pretty happy to come back Zahlavova internationals 18 months ago, has been for two whole days out of the three rest from 5-4 to 5-all because going into a Strycova, who roundly criticised in the last few days between the two Tests was third set is never easy," said defeated Timea Bacsinszky 6-2, 6-4 months. strange to say the least. Mauresmo, the 2001 Bausch & Lomb on Monday. England skipper Michael Vaughan "They could have done with an champion whose recent rankings Mauresmo, who will play the revealed he was concerned about extra session at the nets rather than slide has her seeded 11th this year. winner of Tuesday's match Harmison's form during the tour of dancing at the launch of their (IPL) "It was important to get the momen- between American Bethanie New Zealand, while Surrey captain franchise." tum back because she was really Mattek and Sorana Cirstea, Mark Butcher said he felt "Steve looks The former Indian skipper believes rolling." showcased the talent that had such a long way off". new coach Gary Kirsten should not be Other seeded winners on Monday once vaulted her to No. 1 in the And BBC cricket correspondent afraid to come down hard on the included No. 9 Sybille Bammer, No. world and a pair of grand slam Jonathan Agnew also made it clear he under-performing players. 13 Virginie Razzano and No. 15 titles in a dominating first set. felt Harmison has made it impossible "Kirsten better crack the whip, else Anabel Medina Garrigues. But Savchuk went up 3-0 to for the England selectors to pick him. some of the guys will ride roughshod No. 1 seed Maria Sharapova and start the second and hung tough Now Caddick has added his voice to over him. the rest of the top eight seeds while both players struggled from the critics and continued: "He frustrates "They should have been hard at the received byes into the second round. the service line. me because he took over my spot and he nets trying to get their wrist position Anna Chakvetadze, Daniela "I kind of let her come back into can be a world player. and footwork right rather than practis- Hantuchova, Marion Bartoli and the match a little bit in that second "If he is on song, like Freddie ing their dancing steps. Patty Schnyder round out the top set," Mauresmo said. "When you Flintoff, then he is unbeatable. He has "It's about time they realised that five in the field, which also includes take confidence like she did in the Amelie so much to offer but he is just not ful- they are what they are, because of three-time tournament champion beginning of the second set, then Mauresmo filling his potential." cricket." Sri Lanka looking to World Cup PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad – Sri Warnapura, fellow batsman Thilan Lanka will use the upcoming Digicel Samaraweera, wicketkeeper Prasanna One-Day International Series against Jayawardene, off-spinner Muttiah West Indies to begin preparations for Muralitharan, along with fast bowlers the 2011 World Cup. Ishura Amerasinge and Chanaka The tourists have included seven Welegedara. new players who did not take part in " and One-Day cricket the just-concluded Test series and cap- are totally different. You need to totally tain Mahela Jaywardene said the inten- focus yourself on the One-Dayers dif- tion was to give them international ferently," Jayawardene said. exposure ahead of thenext World Cup "We've got new guys coming into the in Asia. set-up. Our challenge is to try and "There are a lot of youngsters. What blend as quickly as possible, get them we are trying to do is develop a team for going and play some good cricket. the next World Cup. We are going to try We're looking forward to it." a few guys, some exciting youngsters," While Muralitharan is expected to Jayawardene said. feature in the 2011 World Cup, which "We want to compete against the will be played in India, Pakistan, Sri West Indies and see where we are. It's Lanka and Bangladesh, his absence going to be a very good series because here for the limited-overs matches will West Indies is a very good One-Day unit blood new bowlers. as well." "Cricket is going to go on. Players The fresh faces for Sri Lanka's team will come and go. We just need to make for the limited-overs series which starts sure we have the right combinations on Thursday at Queen's Park Oval are going," Jayawardene said. openers Upul Tharanga and Chamara "It is just two-and-a-half years away Kapugedera, fellow batsmen Ajantha from the World Cup. We need to make Anura Prasad Dias, Captain of Mahanama College receives the Aravinda de Silva Challenging trophy at the SSC grounds after the Mendis, Mahela Udawatte and Jehan sure we get the personnel right and 2nd annual 50 over match between D. S. Senanayaka College and Mahanama College, Colombo. Mahanama beat D. S. Senanayake Mubarak, all-rounder Kaushalya give opportunities. Weeraratne and leg spinner Malinga "If you are going to bring young