Australia A v Pakistan A

Australia A v Pakistan A
	Pakistan A in Australia 2009
Venue	Allan Border Field, Brisbane on 18th July 2009 (20-over match)
Balls per over	6
Toss	Pakistan A won the toss and decided to bat
Result	Australia A won by 7 wickets
Umpires	SD Fry, BNJ Oxenford

PIETERSEN'S OFFERNING OF

Former England opener Geoff Boycott has blasted Kevin Pietersen for behaving like a 'spoilt child' by getting himself out with an ill-judged sweep shot in the drawn opening Ashes Test.

Pietersen's offering of a gentle catch to Simon Katich off the bowling of Nathan Hauritz when on 69 infuriated Boycott, who vented his spleen in a Tuesday commentary for the Daily Telegraph.

"Pietersen is like a spoilt child, the family favourite who can get away with anything because he is the golden boy," Boycott charged.

"Until someone takes the trouble to discipline him he will keep making the same stupid mistakes over and over again."

And Boycott indicated England captain Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower should sit down with the batsman and set him straight.

"My concern is that there is no one in the England set up who will go up to Pietersen and tell him that this is not good enough," Boycott said.

Pietersen loses his wicket while trying to play the sweep shot

England bowler Andrew Flintoff

England bowler Andrew Flintoff at the first Ashes Test match in Cardiff, Wales Enlarge Image © AFP/File

England's Andrew Flintoff at the first Ashes test match in Cardiff, Wales Enlarge Image © AFP/File

England paceman Andrew Flintoff at the second day of the first Ashes test match in Cardiff Enlarge Image © AFP/File

Enlarge Image © AFP/File

Australia captain Ricky Ponting

Enlarge Image © AFP

Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes England will recall fast bowler Stephen Harmison for the second Ashes Test here at Lord's.

The Durham quick has not played for England since being dropped in the Caribbean earlier this year and missed last week's drawn Ashes opener in Cardiff where Australia piled up a huge 674 for six declared.

Harmison has ostensibly been included as cover for Andrew Flintoff, who is struggling with a knee injury.

But Ponting, who still bears the scar of being hit on the cheek by a Harmison bouncer which drew blood during the first Ashes Test at Lord's in 2005, said he expected both fast bowlers to play come Thursday's start if fit.

"I reckon Harmison will play, yes," Ponting told reporters at Lord's on Tuesday. "I think he will play even if Flintoff is fit, they'll play them both if they can.

"I think these conditions will suit him more than what the ones down at Cardiff would have done. I had the feeling he was very close to selection down there," Ponting added.

Harmison has ostensibly been included as cover for Andrew Flintoff

Michael HusseY

Michael Hussey top scored for Australia with 51

A shell-shocked Australia was in damage control on Friday night after a string of batsmen went down swinging, leaving the tourists in deep trouble in the second Test at Lord's.

Five of the eight Australian wickets to fall on a dramatic second day came following reckless pull or hook shots as England's strategy of short-pitched bowling paid handsome rewards.

Michael Hussey, one of only three Australian batsmen not to fall victim to a cross-bat shot, could not explain how quickly the game swung in England's favour.

"I haven't had time to digest it all really but probably a mixture of everything really," said Hussey, who made 51 before being bowled shouldering arms to Andrew Flintoff.

"The pull shot's a very instinctive shot. You try and pick up the length as quick as you can and instinct takes over and your reflexes take over."

"Unfortunately today we had a few dismissals with the cross-bat shot but maybe it was a plan of theirs."

Australia need a further 70 runs to avoid the follow-on

Australia need a further 70 runs to avoid the follow-on Enlarge Image © AFP

The Daily Telegraph said Australia's Ashes campaign is in tatter

The Aussie team skipped the traditional Friday night reception

The Aussie team skipped the traditional Friday night reception much to the exasperation of the MCC officials

©AFP

The Australians argued that attending the reception was not on their approved list of commitments.

MCC committee and other senior club members attend the reception on Friday's of each Lord's Test.

The MCC had booked the Long Room, rather than the Committee Room as usual, for the reception.

"This is a traditional part of the Lord's Test and (England coach) Andy Flower, understands the value of tradition, so England agreed to attend. But the Australian manager just keeps turning us down," The Daily Telegraph quoted as saying an MCC source.

A spokesman for the Australian team said it was not obligatory for their players to attend the reception.

"We have a memorandum of understanding that lists all the functions that we are obliged to attend on this tour, and the MCC drinks reception is not on it.

"In order to develop the relationship between Cricket Australia and the MCC, we arranged for the team coach and manager, Tim Nielsen and Steve Bernard, to attend an MCC lunch on the Tuesday before the Test," the spokesman said.

Pakistan’s shocking defeat in first Test vs Sri Lanka

After outplaying Sri Lanka for the first three days, Pakistan cricket team was surprisingly all out on the fourth day when it lost their last eight batsmen for 46 runs, giving the visitors a dramatic 50-run victory in the first cricket Test at the Galle International Stadium.

Chasing a modest target of 168, Pakistan were collapsed from a seemingly impregnable 71-2 to 117 all out in their second innings before lunch on the fourth day.

Pakistan’s astonishing defeat gave Sri Lanka a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series, the first between the two nations since gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan team bus in the Pakistani city of Lahore on March 3.

A stunned Pakistan captain Younis Khan said the team's lack of Test cricket -- just three Tests in the last 18 months -- had proved costly.

The team who a few days ago emerged as the champions of the World Twenty20 Cup could not achieve an easy target despite dominating the game for three successive days.

What do you think were the factors behind this defeat?

How Pakistan can stage a comeback, after poor show in Lanka first test?

Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by 50 runs in the first cricket Test on Tuesday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Pakistan, chasing a modest target of 168, collapsed from their overnight total of 71-2 to 117 all out just before lunch on the fourth day at the Galle International Stadium. Brief scores: Sri Lanka 292 and 217-- Pakistan 342 and 117. Pakistan losing so soon against Sri Lanka, one could never expect, especially when the euphoria of T20 victory had not yet died down. Yet, the poor performance of Pakistan squad particularly in the second inning of the first test gave Sri Lankan a chance to avenge their defeat at Lords. The second Test starts at the P. Sara stadium in Colombo on July 12.

Shortening Test matches from five to four days

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is considering shortening Test matches from five to four days in a bid to revamp the game's traditional format and save it from the rise of the popular Twenty20 version.

The idea of four-day Tests was raised in strategy discussions during ICC meetings in London last month.

ICC president David Morgan has floated the idea of having four-day Tests saying that Test cricket will have to be made more exciting through a series of steps.

Responding to this idea, some people feared that such steps would achieve little other than ruining the traditional format of the game.

"To have four-day Tests played with coloured balls and under floodlights will be the sort of experimentation, which Test cricket doesn't need," said Javed Miandad, regarded among the greatest batsmen of all time.

He also suggested that the ICC should form a think-tank involving the big names of world cricket, which should come out with comprehensive suggestions over issues like the survival of Test cricket.

You are invited to comment on this issue

Who is responsible for shifting of World Cup matches?

The government of Pakistan has blamed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the International Cricket Council (ICC)’s decision to shift 2011 World Cup matches from the country.

Pointing fingers towards the PCB chief Ijaz Butt, Sports Minister, Pir Aftab Jilani said those who run the matters of PCB are responsible for losing the rights of hosting World Cup 2011 matches.

Of course, the one who is running the show of Pakistan cricket is responsible for this shift, media quoted Jilani saying.

The ICC had decided not to host any World Cup matches in Pakistan following the brazen terrorist attack on the visiting Sri Lanka cricket team in Lahore in March.

Later, the apex cricket committee awarded all the 14 matches, which Pakistan had to host earlier, to the other three host nations India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Pakistan revelled in its World Twenty20 triumph recently, as former cricket greats voiced hopes that the victory could help restore the strife-torn nation's place in international cricket.