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Saleem Malik, the former Pakistan captain, believes that he was made a scapegoat in the match-fixing scandal, which ruined his career.Malik, currently in Mumbai for fund-raising purposes, went on to name a few cricketers who had been cleared in the match-fixing affair. An ANI report quoted him as saying, “Ata-ur Rehman’s ban is off. Herschelle Gibbs and Shane Warne are still playing, but I am stuck. Other Pakistani players whose names appeared in the investigations were fined and let off. Only I was punished. I guess they wanted a scapegoat, and who better than me? In India, the board thought Azharuddin would be the ideal person to ban because he was nearing the end of his career, and here in Pakistan I was coming towards the end of my career. So, Azhar and I were made the scapegoats.”Malik felt that players from the subcontinent were at the receiving end of the ICC’s anti-corruption unit. “England lost to Zimbabwe in the early 90s. West Indies were bowled out for 54 against England recently. But no one ever says those matches were fixed. The ICC continues to scrutinise only games where teams from the subcontinent are involved.”Accusing the ICC of bias, he said, “It’s because of the colour of our skin. If we were white, there wouldn’t be so much scrutiny. Shane Warne is still playing, as is Herschelle Gibbs.”When asked about his appeal to the Supreme Court to lift the life-ban imposed by the Justice Malik Qayyum committee, Malik said, “What can I say? The court is not willing to give any date for a hearing. To be honest I have given up all hope that I would ever be cleared of this allegation.”He spoke about his plight and fading hopes of detaching the stigma from his name. “As it is, what damage had to be done has been done to me and my family. I have suffered a lot … The matchfixing allegations completely destroyed me and I could not perform in the middle after that at all. In the middle of the 1999 World Cup I had to attend court hearings. It was humiliation of the worst kind. I was harassed, shot, slapped, slaughtered in public by my board, the ICC and also the media.”Malik also denied rumours about him wanting to migrate to some other country after being banned for life. “Where will I go from here? This is my country and this is the only place where they are people who still believe I am innocent and support me.”

He may be the most influential man in Pakistan, but even Pervez Musharraf needs to buy a ticket to watch the cricket. According to the Times of India, he paid Rs 4500 (Rs 1500 per ticket) to watch the one-day international at Rawalpindi along with his family. The newspaper quoted Shahryar Khan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, as saying: “He is patron-in-chief of the PCB and doesn’t need tickets to watch matches. But he overruled the PCB request and paid for himself and his family.”* * *The News, a Pakistan daily, reports that about 1000 Indian fans will walk across the border in hte next few days to watch the one-dayers over the weekend. “About 500 Indian spectators will cross the Wagah border on foot on Friday,” said Alamzeb Khan, a border-force officer for the Sutlej Rangers. “They are coming to witness the one-day international matches here.” An similar number are expected to come in before the last two ODIs in Lahore, on March 21 and 24.* * *Sourav Ganguly’s request to extend the boundary ropes was allowed at Rawalpindi, but he wasn’t quite as successful at Peshawar. Tariq Rana, the head curator of the Arbab Niaz Stadium, confirmed that Ganguly had made a similar request here: “Ganguly insisted that since the boundary on either side of the squares was at 75 yards and the boundary ropes in front of the wickets were just 70 to 71 yards, they should also be extended by five to six yards,” Tariq said, according to . “His argument was that if the boundary rope was extended it would allow the batsmen to run for longer periods.” The request was turned down, though, as the curator felt that would leave very little space between the ropes and the fencing, increasing the possibilities of injuries to fielders.* * *In his column in the Asian Age, Rajan Bala suggests that the Indians should gamble on playing an extra spinner to curb the free-stroking Pakistani batsmen. The Indian bowlers were tonked around in the first two ODIs, and were struck a further blow with the injury to Ashish Nehra, but Bala sees this as an opportunity to innovate. “It is in crisis situations like this, when there is a shortage of quality and penetrative bowlers, that one must be innovative,” he writes. “It is all about pulling off a bluff or two.” Bala recalled the 1992 World Cup, when Martin Crowe experimented with Dipak Patel’s offspinners at the start of the innings. “This is not to suggest that either Ramesh Powar or [Murali] Kartik be given the new ball. But if Ganguly took the chance he might flummox a batsman like [Shahid] Afridi who is capable of much indiscretion.”

Scorecard

This wasn’t a Test that you would call great in the traditional sense. It was a no-contest: Pakistan won by an innings and 87 runs, their biggest win over India at the time, and one they went on to better two Tests later at Hyderabad. But the match was significant for the performance of one man – Imran Khan took 11 wickets, eight of them in the second innings, five in the space of 25 balls, and the legend of reverse-swing was born. Sarfraz Nawaz is credited as being the earliest exponent of reverse-swing, but on that third afternoon of the Karachi Test, Imran gave the most fearsome exhibition of the art which was yet to acquire a name.India, trailing by 283 runs, would have nurtured faint hopes of saving the game as Sunil Gavaskar and Dilip Vengsarkar took them to 102 for 1 shortly after tea. The new ball had been negotiated comfortably and the only wicket to fall, that of Arun Lal, had been claimed by Abdul Qadir. But Imran returned for his second spell with a semi-old ball and, aided by a strong wind, produced prodigious late swing at a blistering pace that left the Indian batsmen numb.Gavaskar was the first to go, bowled through the gate, and it signalled a procession. India ended the day at 118 for 7, and of Imran’s five victims, four were bowled and only Mohinder Amarnath managed to get his front pad in the way. This was the spell that decided the series. Writing on the series for World Cricket Digest, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi termed it a “case of overkill”. Imran, who started the match with flu, ended the series with 40 wickets, and by the time the Indians arrived in Hyderabad, Pakistani fans were holding up banners likening him to the F-16s, the American fighter planes that were the latest addition to Pakistan’s military stable.India had begun the Test horribly after being sent in on a newly laid, green-tinged pitch, by losing Gavaskar to a run-out from a direct hit by Imran, who then accounted for Vengsarkar with a ball that lifted and swung away. Arun Lal and Gundappa Viswanath put up a brief partnership, but India soon found themselves at 70 for 5. Kapil Dev avoided a total rout by merrily swinging away to a 53-ball 73. He was severe on Qadir in particular, hitting him for five fours and a six. And when Madan Lal removed Pakistan’s first three batsmen for 18, the day didn’t seem so bad for India.However, the second day belonged to Pakistan. Zaheer Abbas, who had scored a double-century in the first Test at Lahore, stroked away to 186, and added 213 runs for the fifth wicket with Mudassar Nazar, who was batting down the order because of flu. With useful contributions from Imran and Wasim Bari, Pakistan ended up with 452. India stayed in the battle for a couple of hours, after which it was all Imran.

The USA Cricket Association elections are on hold, although this does not appear to have been conveyed to those involved in the process.Chris Dehring, the independent third party appointed by the ICC to try to find a resolution to the ongoing struggle for control of the USACA, managed to get a new constitution approved but the elections that were meant to follow within 30 days have already become embroiled in controversy.It is believed that Dehring will appoint an external independent auditor to oversee the elections and this means that they not take place until March at the earliest.Since the announcement of the yes vote for the new constitution, the USACA has yet again not uttered a word in public. Some regions have held their elections while others appear to be uncertain how to proceed.New York Region and Central West have already announced their regional board and their representatives to USACA.

By choice, Trinidad and Tobago will go into their second match of the Carib Beer regional four-day tournament without their most senior player and bowler. Daren Ganga, the captain, said it was not an easy decision to make and he promised that the omission did not mark the end for the discarded West Indies pacer with the national team.”It was very difficult given the fact that Merv Dillon has the most experience on the team and has done well for West Indies and Trinidad and Tobago in the past. It was a tough call,” Ganga said. However, despite an eight-year regional career of 29 matches in which he has so far taken 98 wickets, Ganga and his fellow selectors decided to look beyond Dillon for the match against the Jamaicans starting tomorrow at the University of the West Indies ground in St Augustine in preference to all-rounder Richard Kelly and fellow seamer Rayad Emrit.Ganga said, “It’s a matter of choice based on form.” He also added in the case against Dillon that, “Dillon is nursing a finger injury that hampered in the first game [against the Leeward Islands] and the practice games as well and in the end, the decision was made to go with Emrit and Kelly.”The skipper said however, that Dillon, 31, a veteran of 38 Tests and 108 one-day Internationals for West Indies had not been left in the dark over his omission. “He is quite aware of the thinking,” Ganga said. “We had a good forum where we discussed the decision. It’s something that had to be done. It’s just unfortunate that Dillon had to be the one missing out. I personally know that he is going to bounce back and make an impact on the latter half of this Carib Beer Series.While Dillon’s absence is confirmed, the presence against Jamaica of Dave Mohammed is still in doubt. Mohammed, the left-arm wrist spinner, who missed T&T’s disastrous KFC Cup regional one-day campaign last October because of a finger injury, will have a fitness test this morning for another finger problem, this time to his right hand, suffered in the final warm-up last weekend. It is a test Ganga will be anxious for Mohammed to pass given his preference for playing two spinners against the defending champions at UWI.Should Mohammed fail to be fit however, Ganga still has the option of using steady offspinner Amit Jaggernauth and rookie leg-spinner Sanjiv Gooljar.

Australia have picked the same 12-man squad that comprehensively beat New Zealand at the Gabba for the conclusion of the Trans-Tasman Test series, starting at Adelaide on Friday. The Australians, who arrived in Adelaide this afternoon, need only to draw the Test to retain the trophy after thrashing their rivals by an innings and 156 runs on Sunday.John Bracewell, the New Zealand coach, said his side would look at the pitch before considering any changes but James Franklin, the left-arm bowler who missed the first Test with a groin strain, is expected to return after completing a training session today. Kyle Mills would be the man to make way after Bracewell was impressed by the form of Chris Martin, who took 5 for 152.Australia 1 Justin Langer, 2 Matthew Hayden, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Damien Martyn, 5 Darren Lehmann, 6 Michael Clarke, 7 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 8 Shane Warne, 9 Jason Gillespie, 10 Michael Kasprowicz, 11 Glenn McGrath, 12 Brett Lee.

A career-best 7 for 95 for Burton de Wett was not enough for Border to avoid a first-innings deficit of 157 in Durban. Resuming on 183 for 3, KwaZulu-Natal stumbled to 326 as de Wett mesmerised the Natal batsmen with only Kyle Smit scoring 46 and Rob Frylinck adding 37 making worthwhile contributions after the hundred from Mark Sanders. De Wett then followed up his bowling performance by scoring 63 as he and Laden Gamiet put on 76 to give Border a slight lead. At the close Gamiet had moved to 101 not out, his first hundred of the season, and Border 264 for 6, a 107-run lead going into the final day.Rain in Cape Town brought an early end to the day’s proceedings with Western Province in a very strong position to record an early win on Saturday morning. An undefeated hundred for Warren Wyngaard and a career-best 72 for Ryan Canning allowed Province to declare at 298 for 6, setting Boland a formidable target of 473. A disastrous start to the Boland innings had them struggling at 10 for 4 but 36 not out from Peter Laing saw them move to 55 for 4 when bad light and rain ended the second day’s play.A career-best 69 not out from Frikkie Holtzhausen and 110 from Juan le Roux allowed North West to take a 50-run lead into the second innings against Free State in Potchefstroom. Jacob Malao used all his experience to take 3 for 112 and help restrict North West to 290 for 8 declared. Jonathan Beukes, scoring 47, got the Free State second innings off on a good foot while Benjamin Hector (24*) and Petrus Koortzen (33*) took them to 137 for 2 at the close.In Johannesburg a disciplined bowling display by Northerns, where noextras were given in 81 overs, allowed them to take a 162-run lead intothe second innings over Gauteng. Douglas Gain mdae 64 and Dumisa Makalima made 61 to allow Gauteng to reach 235 all out with Aaron Phangisotaking a career-best 5 for 76 with his left-arm spin. The 93-run fourthwicket partnership between Gain and Makalima has kept Gauteng in thegame that will end on Saturday.

Andrew Symonds is happy with the way his arm injury is progressing and is delighted the ICC has allowed him to be picked – and perhaps replaced – in Australia’s World Cup squad. Symonds had surgey for a torn biceps on Sunday and Trefor James, the team doctor, said the next week of his recovery would be crucial.”I will be doing everything I possibly can to be right in six weeks or so,” Symonds said in the Herald Sun. “We will be realistic about my chances, but at least we’ve got something to work towards. I’m happy with how things are going so far.”Australia’s selectors are expected to finalise the 15-man squad today, but it is unlikely to be announced until after the second final against England on Sunday. The team has been given permission by the ICC to choose Symonds and then replace him if the injury does not heal in time. Dr James told the paper it was possible Symonds could take part in the World Cup, which starts on March 13 and ends on April 28.”We are seeing how he responds to the surgery over the next week or so,” he said. “That is really important. Everyone is a bit different in how they come out of surgery. But it certainly is possible he will be available.”

Scorecard

Dwayne Smith and Corey Collymore were the heroes for Barbados as they beat Leeward Islands by 17 runs to register their third win in four matches in the KFC Cup.Smith, who has been included in the West Indian squad for the tour to Australia, made 75, easily the highest score for their side, to help Barbados to 229 at the Police Sports Cub Ground. Collymore then stole the show with a superb bowling performance, taking 5 for 27 from ten over to endure that Leeward Islands fell short despite two fine batting performances from Sylvester Joseph, who made 73, and Omari Banks, who remained undefeated on 55.Smith spanked eight fours and four sixes in his knock, which came off just 65 balls, an was involved in an excellent 99-run stand for the third wicket with Floyd Reifer, who made 25. However, Barbados lost their way momentarily after the pair was separated and slid to 143 to 6, before Alcindo Holder (31), Courtney Browne (25) and Ian Bradshaw (19 not out) chipped in with handy contributions towards the end of the innings.Leewards struggled at the start of their run-chase, collapsing to 27 for 4 before Joseph and Tonito Willett put the innings back on track with an 88-run stand for the fifth wicket. Once that partnership was broken, the innings crumbled again, and at 139 for 8, Leewards were staring at a huge defeat. However, Banks revived their hopes, adding 47 for the ninth wicket with Gavin Tonge, but it wasn’t enough to stave off defeat.The loss was the first one for Leewards in the competition, but at 11 points, they are third in the table, and are almost certain to make it to the semi-finals.

Imran Javed, the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) allrounder, celebrated his 31st birthday in style as he compiled an unbeaten century to take his side to victory against Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on the final day of their fourth-round Pentangular Cup Cricket Championship match at the Multan Cricket Stadium.The win over PIA gave NBP only six points instead of the full nine, as they had surrendered the first-innings lead earlier, but it took their points tally after three matches to 24. PIA have now been eliminated from the race to the Pentangular Cup title.Yasir Hameed, the PIA captain, had declared his team’s second innings at 339 for 8, setting NBP a stiff target of 375 for victory. At stumps on the third day, PNB were 58 for 2 but yesterday their batsmen brought them an improbable win as they inched home by two wickets. The overnight pair of Nasir Jamshed and Faisal Athar then took the score to 91 for 2. After Nasir departed for 46, Faisal found an able partner in Shahid Yousuf and the fourth-wicket pair added 79. Faisal’s 61 came off 93 balls and included 12 hits to the ropes. Shahid made 32 off 64 deliveries with the help of five boundaries. But six NBP wickets went down with just 187 on the board and the objective still 188 away.Imran then changed the entire complexion of the match. With fellow all-rounder Yasir Arafat, he helped post 117 for the seventh-wicket partnership, bringing his team to within 71 of the target.Yasir missed his half-century by a solitary run, scoring 49 off 75 balls with five fours and a six. But Imran, who scored his third century after more than four years, remained unbeaten at 102, having batted for 10 minutes short of four hours and making his runs off 170 balls with 11 fours and two sixes. Playing in the 31st first-class match, Imran had earlier completed 50 wickets with the ball. Mohammad Sami, the rejected Pakistan fast bowler, chipped in with a useful 20 off 48 balls with two fours and added 61 for the eighth wicket with Imran.With only the fifth and final round matches remaining, starting from Sunday, NBP have a great opportunity to win the competition. While table leaders Faisalabad have ended their programme of four matches with a total of 27 points, NBP must not be defeated by Karachi Harbour in their last match. to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. In case their match ends as a draw, NBP will take their points tally to 27, the same as Faisalabad if they take the first-innings lead. Even if they emerge triumphant after losing the first-innings advantage, six more points will give them the championship title.PIA, three-time winners of the Pentangular Cup in the past, will now play a rather inconsequential fifth-round match against Sialkot, here at the same venue from Sunday. Victory for neither side will make a difference to the final outcome on April 26, when the tournament comes to an end.