Despite good showing only two Indians in ICC top 10

London Indian opening batsman Gautam Gambhir retains his 10th spot while team-mate off-spinner Harbhajan Singh moved up one place to seventh in the Reliance Mobile ICC Test rankings issued on Thursday.

Gambhir, who scored 1134 runs in 2008 including three centuries in his last four Tests, is still the highest-ranked Indian batsman.

His opening partner Virender Sehwag, who scored 1462 runs in 2008, is at 13th spot while Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, both of whom also scored more than 1000 runs in 2008, jumped two places each to share joint 16th spot.

Harbhajan Singh remained the only Indian at the top 10 in the Test bowlers' list at the seventh place with 686 rating points.

Pacer Zaheer Khan is at 12th with 630 points in the list headed by Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan. The Test batsmen's chart is still headed by West Indian Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who is currently the only batsman in the world with 900 ratings points or more.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting has climbed back up the rankings to sixth after impressive knocks of 101 and 99 in Melbourne against South Africa. Ponting has leap-frogged his opposite number in the South Africa side, Graeme Smith, who has risen one spot to seventh.

Ponting's team-mate and vice-captain Michael Clarke climbed three places to reach career-best ninth following his 88 not out in Melbourne while Michael Hussey dropped out of top 10 for first time since 2006 after a run of low scores in the two Tests played so far against South Africa.

Outside top 20, South Africa's Jean-Paul Duminy has shot up the rankings by 62 places to 47th after his outstanding knock of 166 in Melbourne which set up a nine-wicket victory for the Proteas.

In the Test bowlers' chart, South Africa's Dale Steyn has narrowed the gap at the top of the table between himself and Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan.

Currently 39 points separate the two bowlers and with both men having two more Tests to play in their respective series, there is every opportunity for the gap to widen or decrease further.

Australia's injured fast bowler Brett Lee has dropped two places to ninth after ending the Melbourne Test with match figures of 0-117.

South Africa's Jacques Kallis still heads ICC Player Rankings for Test all-rounders followed by New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori.

Source: http://www.indiavilas.com/redir.asp?l=http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?j1752539753

Gambhir, Mendis top ODI charts in 2008

The year that was

There were a total of 125 one-day internationals played in 2008. While 116 of these matches ended in results, one was tied and the remaining eight were No Results. The total number of runs scored in the 125 ODIs was 51,240 in 62,186 balls with 1,766 wickets falling at an average of 29.01 and the run rate per over being 4.94.

The run-machines

India's opening batsman Gautam Gambhir with 1,119 runs in 27 matches at an average of 46.62 and strike rate of 90.53 was the leading run-scorer in ODIs in 2008. Gambhir, who hit three 100s and seven 50s had a highest score of 113. In fact, India had four batsmen in the top-five leading run scorers -- Gambhir (1st), captain MS Dhoni (2nd), Virender Sehwag (4th) and Yuvraj Singh (5th). Gambhir and Dhoni were the only batsmen to have scored more than 1,000 runs in 2008. Dhoni scored 1,097 runs with a highest score of 109* and one century and eight half-centuries in 29 matches at an average of 57.73 and strike rate of 82.29.

Sri Lanka's vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara with 942 runs in 27 matches at an average of 39.25 and strike rate of 75.29 occupies the third spot, followed by Sehwag who scored 893 runs in 18 matches at an average of 49.61 and strike rate of 120.02, and Yuvraj with 893 runs in 27 matches at an average of 38.82 and strike rate of 100.22. Suresh Raina at No 10 is the fifth Indian batsman in the list with 680 runs in 19 ODIs at an average of 45.33 and strike rate of 94.83.

Interestingly, there are only three non-Asians in the list of the top-15 ODI run-scorers in 2008: England captain Kevin Pietersen (12th), Australian middle-order mainstay Michael Hussey (14th) and New Zealand's wicket-keeper batsman Brendon McCullum (15th). Pakistan has four players in the list -- Younis Khan (6th), opening batsman Salman Butt (7th), captain Shoaib Malik (9th) and Misbah-ul-Haq (13th). The surprises in this list are Bangladesh's opening batsman Tamim Iqbal in the eighth position and his captain Mohammad Ashraful who finished 2008 as the 11th highest run-scorer in ODIs.

Sri Lankan's new weapon

The Sri Lankan trio of Ajantha Mendis, Muttiah Muralitharan and Nuwan Kulasekara are the three leading wicket-takers in ODIs in 2008. Mendis, who has had a terrific first international season, was the best bowler in the 50-overs format scalping 48 wickets in 18 ODIs at an economy rate of 3.58 and average of 10.12. His best effort in a match was 6/13, and he took four and more wickets on six occasions. Muralitharan took 33 wickets in 21 matches at an economy rate of 4.24 and average of 22.08, while Kulasekara took 33 wickets in as many matches at an average of 20.87 and economy rate of 4.32.

England's Stuart Broad is in the fourth position with 32 wickets in 21 matches at an economy rate of 4.85 and average of 25.03 and Pakistani pace bowler Sohail Tanvir, who took 32 wickets in 19 ODIs at an average of 23.87 and economy rate of 4.74 rounds off the top-five.

India doesn't have a lot to cheer about on the bowling front as pace bowler Ishant Sharma (10th) with 27 wickets in 19 matches is the country's only representative in the list of the top-15 wicket-takers in one-day internationals in 2008.

Pakistan, which had four batsmen in the list of top-15 run-scorers in 2008, also has as many representatives in the bowling department with Tanvir (5th), Shahid Afridi (7th), Iftikhar Anjum (12th) and Umar Gul (13th). Australia and Bangladesh have three bowlers each in the top 15 ODI wicket-takers in 2008. Nathan Bracken (6th), Mitchell Johnson (11th) and Brett Lee (14th) form the Aussie trio, while Abdur Razzak (8th), Mashrafe Mortaza (9th) and Shakib Al Hasan (15th) are the three Bangladeshi bowlers in the list.

Harbhajan Singh (17th), Praveen Kumar (18th) and Irfan Pathan (19th) are the other three Indian bowlers in the top-20 wicket-takers of 2008. Harbhajan (19 matches), Praveen (14 matches) and Irfan (20 matches) all took 21 wickets this year. Harbhajan took his wickets at an average of 28.66 and had an economy rate of 4.39, while Praveen's average per wicket was 28.19 and he had an economy rate of 4.83. Irfan, however had a high average per wicket of 42.95 as well as a high economy rate of 5.80.

Safe hands

Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jaywardene with 22 catches in 27 matches emerged as the leading fielder in ODIs in 2008. South Africa's AB De Villiers with 14 catches in 17 ODIs slips occupies the second place, while Australia's Michael Hussey and the Pakistani duo of Misbah-ul-Haq with 12 catches round off the list of the top five fielders in ODIs in 2008.

Men with the gloves

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni with 49 dismissals (38 catches + 11 stumpings) in 29 matches was world cricket's leading glovesman in ODIs in 2008. Sri Lanka's vice-captain Kumar Sangakkar with 30 dismissals (22 catches + 8 stumpings) in 27 ODIs occupies the second spot.

Pakistan's Kamran Akmal (24 catches + 3 stumpings), South African wicket-keeper Mark Boucher (20 catches) and former Australian wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist with 18 dismissals (16 catches + 2 stumpings) round off the list of the top wicket-keepers in 2008.

Top partnerships

Indian opening batsmen Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag were the leading pair in terms of runs in ODIs in 2008. The pair added 898 runs with a highest partnership of 155 and average of 64.14 in 14 ODIs. However, the pair with the highest average per partnership is the duo of Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Suresh Raina, whose 573 runs in six innings came at an astounding average of 95.50. Dhoni features again in the list with Yuvraj Singh as this pair added 502 runs in 12 matches with a highest partnership of 105 at an average partnership of 41.83.

Kumar Sangakkara also features twice in the list of the top-10 partnerships in one-dayers in 2008. The Sangakkara-Sanath Jayasuriya combination occupies the fourth position with 495 runs in 12 innings, while Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene who added 482 runs in 13 ODIs finished 2008 as the sixth leading partnership of 2008.

Mohammad Yousuf and Shoaib Malik may have had their differences off the field, but they formed a potent partnership as they added 408 runs with a highest partnership of 145 and average of 51 to round off the list of top-10 partnerships in 2008.

Win/loss records

India, who played the most number of ODIs in 2008 -- 29 -- won 19 and lost eight matches with two matches being no-results. Pakistan won 18 of their 21 matches, while Sri Lanka won 14 and lost 11 of their 27 ODIs. Australia won 13 and lost four of their 18 matches, while South Africa won 12, lost four and had a no-result match. New Zealand played 15 ODIs in 2008 winning 10, losing three, with one match ending in a tie while the other was a no-result.

England won only 6 of their 21 ODIs, but they lost 11 matches, with one ending in a tie and the remaining being no-results.

Bangladesh won only five of their 26 matches, while West Indies also won only five and lost 13 of their 19 ODIs with the other being a no-result. Ireland played 11 ODIs in 2008 -- winning four, losing six and one no-result, while Zimbabwe won only one of the 12 matches they played in 2008.

Source: India Syndicate

Complacency, not Pakistan, India's main threat in final

R Eswar

Dhaka, Jun 13 (PTI) Rampaging form and beleaguered opponents tilt the scale pretty much in India's favour but complacency, and not Pakistan, pose the most serious threat to Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team in the final of the cricket tri-series here tomorrow.With runs flowing from the top order blades and the bowling attack mowing down rival line-ups with regularity, Dhoni hardly had a reason to worry as his team bulldozed Bangladesh and pounded Pakistan with characteristic ruthlessness in two lop-sided league contests to storm into the final.In contrast, a depleted Pakistan reached the summit showdown not before India had inflicted on them their worst defeat against the arch-rivals.The 140-run thumping in fact had a ripple effect with a livid Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Nasim Ashraf shooting off a stinging e-mail to team manager Talat Ali seeking immediate explanation and questioning the team's ability, along with that of coach Geoff Lawson and the captain Shoaib Malik.And with Ashraf set to attend tomorrow's final, Malik and his teammates would surely feel the heat.In contrast, Dhoni's team has hardly put a foot wrong since their arrival here and the India captain said he was expecting the openers and new ball bowlers to give the side a good start tomorrow."I am really happy about the team performance. We have played two matches and in both ties, we had good starts both in batting and bowling. I wish the same kind of performance continues in the final against Pakistan also," Dhoni said. PTI

We want to beat India by 150 runs: Lawson

Dhaka: After crushing Bangladesh by 70 runs, Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson says his team would now look to extend its 12-match unbeaten run by routing arch-rivals India by a bigger margin.

An elated Lawson said Pakistan just had to play their natural game without allowing the pressure of the contest to get to their nerves.

"We do not want to treat the match as a must win one and put ourselves under pressure. We want to play our own game,"

Lawson said about the match, a win in which would assure Pakistan a place in the finals.
On what the team's strategy would be against India, obviously stronger opponents than Bangladesh, the Australian said it was not meant to be discussed in the media.

"I would prefer to discuss strategies against India with my players rather than telling the media. I would like to score a 150-run win over India on Tuesday," he said.

Lawson was all praise for his bowlers and said the team won because of a coordinated effort.
"We analysed our matches against Bangladesh so far in the recent past and decided on our strategies to success. Our batsmen, particularly the top order and the bowlers did a fantastic job. It was a total coordinated effort," Lawson said.

Source: http://www.cricketnext.com/news/we-want-to-beat-india-by-150-runs-lawson/32061-13.html

Asif stays in detention, no decision on trial

Dubai/Karachi: Mohammad Asif continues to languish in detention with the Dubai Attorney General and Public Prosecutor's office on Monday not taking any decision on whether to trial the Pakistani pacer for alleged possession of contraband drugs or deport him.

The law firm hired by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to bail out Asif also declined to make any comments on the issue that has become an increasing source of embarrassment for Pakistan's cricket authorities.

Nadeem Akram, the senior PCB official in Dubai, said no decision had been taken on Asif's case and they were still awaiting a word from the Attorney General's office.

"All these rumors off him being charged are not true. I will not substantiate them. The position is that the AG has yet to decide on the report of the Prosecutor and until that is done Asif will remain in detention," Akram said.

No official was willing to give a deadline on when a decision from the authorities in Dubai can be expected, an indication that perhaps the pacer's ordeal is far from over.

Sources close to the case said that the board, despite its best efforts, was also still not sure if Asif would be released as there was now a 50-50 chance of the case going either way.

Senior board officials also said to have raised the Asif issue with Pakistan's top security official Rehman Malik in Islamabad on the sidelines of a meeting held to review security arrangements for the Asia Cup and the Champions Trophy.

The pacer on Sunday appeared before the prosecutors along with his lawyers following which the case was forwarded to the Attorney General of Dubai.

Asif remained detained since he was caught with contraband drugs at the Dubai airport on his arrival from Mumbai on June 1. Asif was going to Lahore after playing in the Indian Premium League for the Delhi Daredevils.

The fast-bowler would face a minimum of four years in prison if charged and found guilty.

Akram, meanwhile, told Khaleej Times that Asif's lawyers have sought a meeting with the Dubai Attorney General.

"Our lawyers have requested a meeting with the Dubai Attorney General but no time has been fixed as yet," Akram said.

Chief Prosecutor Mohammed Rustom told the daily that a decision was expected any time this week.

"If the case is referred to the court, what kind of charges will be pressed against him has still to be determined. We cannot anticipate the results of the ongoing investigation," Rustom said.

Source: http://www.cricketnext.com/news/asif-stays-in-detention-no-decision-on-trial/32066-13.html

'Transition to ODIs from T20 will be smooth'

Press Trust Of India
Posted on Jun 09, 2008 at 15:15 Updated Jun 09, 2008 at 20:35

Dhaka: India coach Gary Kirsten ruled out any Indian Premier League hangover on the team and asserted that the transition from Twenty20 to One-Day cricket would be smooth for his wards in their tri-series opener against arch-rivals Pakistan here on Tuesday.

Talking to reporters ahead of the match, Kirsten said the team think-tank have done enough to ensure that the players swiftly adjust into the One-Day mode.

"It is something we have given some considerations and thoughts too. We need to make sure that our game plan and strategies are designed for 50 overs cricket. It is different to what they did in IPL. So, we worked hard during the last two days to get things right," Kirsten said.

The Indian players just finished their assignment in the 44-day IPL and had hardly any breathing space as they flew in here for the tri-series.

Asked if they were made to play too many matches, Kirsten said, "That is the reason that the selectors have chosen a pretty young side for this tournament and the Asia Cup.

Source: http://www.cricketnext.com/news/transition-to-odis-from-t20-will-be-smooth/32062-13.html