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Highlights of Ireland’s win over Pakistan

last year, mid-March

Begorrah begosh. Video highlights of Ireland’s win over Pakistan.

Click here if nothing shows above.

Ireland v Pakistan, World Cup, Kingston

last year, mid-March

It’s St Patrick’s day - as if Ireland needed any further inspiration. They were excellent against Zimbabwe but Pakistan are a whole different mercurial, unpredictable, brilliant animal. But as their captain said after their tie against Zimbo, they really have nothing to lose; they are the banana skin.

Watch it, follow it, leave comments and whatever.

West Indies v Pakistan, World Cup, Kingston

last year, mid-March

At last it’s here. The opening match of the 2007 World Cup gets underway this afternoon (or this morning. Or even this evening, depending on where you are) at Kingston. The hosts, West Indies, against Pakistan. We’re doing ball-by-ball commentary for every match, along with our usual bulletins, verdicts, photos, galleries, blogs and thoughts from our chaps at the grounds.

Dileep Premachandran is out there at the moment, albeit without his luggage which is on a Parisian holiday, and has provided a preview.

As ever, keep an eye on the scorecard post your thoughts on the game.

World Cup, fourth warm-ups: live discussion

last year, mid-March

So the final warm-ups are today, and some fascinating matches in store, not least England against Australia. Duncan Fletcher has been wittering - “It’s an important game, but we’ve still got to use it as practice”. Usual nonsense.

Anyway. Post your thoughts on the matches which all begin around 13.30GMT

New Zealand v Sri Lanka
Three Ws Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados

Pakistan v South Africa
Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground, St Augustine, Trinidad

Australia v England
Arnos Vale Ground, Kingstown, St Vincent

India v West Indies
Trelawny Stadium, Jamaica

World Cup, second warm-ups: live discussion

last year, at the start of March

More warm-ups today.

Australia v Zimbabwe
Arnos Vale Ground, Kingstown, St Vincent

Bangladesh v New Zealand
Three Ws Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados

Canada v Pakistan
Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground, St Augustine, Trinidad

India v Netherlands
Trelawny Stadium, Jamaica

For those in Britain, India’s match is being televised on Sky.

The Shoaib and Asif farce

last year, at the start of March

I’ve been out of action for a few days drinking my bodyweight and trying to ignore the fact I’m now closer to 30 than 20. Not to mention a flurry of “you’re halfway to 50 you old bastard” texts.

What better way to cure my groggy mind than to understand the Shoaib and Asif affair?

“The truth is both of them are injured and they may take even months to make a full recovery,” Nasim Ashraf said, with fingers, arms and legs firmly crossed. “The board’s medical panel will soon check them out but the chances of them recovering quickly from their injuries is very bleak.”

Complete and utter farce. But they’re not banned, they’re injured. Just in case you forget.

Mushtaq Ahmed’s Twenty20 Vision

last year, at the end of February

Reborn as a cricketer, as a person
© Getty Images

A very positive review from Bruce Talbot of Mushtaq ‘Mushy’ Ahmed’s book, Twenty20 Vision: My Life and Inspiration.

Mushtaq was re-born as a person and eventually as a cricketer, although Sussex supporters will be disappointed that only six pages - the smallest chapter in the book - are devoted to his amazing success with the county since 2003.

His outstanding county career is strangely ignored in a statistical appendix that does not do justice to his record and it is a shame that the publisher’s budget did not stretch to a wider selection of photographs. But these are minor gripes. Mushtaq has written that rarity among current players - an honest appraisal of his life so far. Sussex supporters in particular will hope there are a few more chapters left to tell.

Buy it for a smidgen over a tenner.

World Cup squads announced

last year, mid-February

My tooth is out, and I’m all doped up. Who said drugs are bad?

The World Cup squads have been announced. For Australia, the main surprise was the inclusion of Shaun Tait who was preferred over Stuart Clark. As Tait is from my home town, I’m personally delighted, although I doubt he will play much, at least after the first group games. Scotland might be facing a new ball attack of Tait and Lee, which would be a rough initiation for them. Clark is not happy about being omitted but has vowed to come back next season as a better bowler.

Meanwhile, Australia’s cheif medical officer has come out to warn injured Andrew Symonds about rushing his come-back. The Australian dressing room is full of half-fit players, and given the lack of fitness and form of so many players, I do not think Australia can really be favourites for this tournament anymore. Even a player of Symonds ability can’t just be rushed back into the side and perform at top level.

England on the other hand have a fairly predictable World Cup squad, the only major changes are the return of Pieterson and the omission of Mal Loye. It’s tough on Loye given the job he has done in Australia, but the other alternative of dropping Bopara would not have made much sense, and would have left England’s squad top-heavy with openers.

I still can’t understand why Alastair Cook hasn’t appeared in the frame at all in coloured clothes though.

Meanwhile, as I write, Pakistan are in awful trouble against South Africa in the 5th ODI in Johannesburg. Pollock, South Africa’s ‘old man river’ has defied the years and ripped the Pakistani top order apart by taking 5 for 23.

England take on New Zealand for a place in the finals

last year, at the start of February

So, for one of the two sides, it is judgement day, and not a moment too soon. The Australian triangular series drags on forever, and it gets rather stale by the end, don’t you agree?

I’m going to hope that England win, not for the reason that I think Australia can beat them, but rather because if Australia play New Zealand in the finals, we could have a situation where Australia play New Zealand six times in two weeks (for the two sides meet in New Zealand for the Chappell Hadlee trophy straight after this).

New Zealand is a great team, and I’m sure New Zealanders are a swell bunch of people, but six times in two weeks is too much.

One a totally different topic, did you see that South Africa piled on 392 against Pakistan in an ODI game? What’s notable about that is that it isn’t even in the top five ODI scores anymore. But South Africa has gone past 400 twice now as well as this effort in the last 12 months or so. This sort of batting firepower has to make one stand up and take notice at the World Cup.

The many varied faces of Pakistan

last year, mid-January

Curious first day between South Africa and Pakistan. I fancy Pakistan against most teams, through sheer force of talent, yet you can never be certain which side will turn up. Will it be the aggressive, gifted team with a hunger for the extraordinary? Or will it be the blind, hapless tourists?

Both sides played against South Africa today. They lost two wickets in the morning but fought hard. They laid a foundation after lunch before counterattacking with verve afterwards, with Younis and Yasir putting on 133. Then, after a 15-minute cup-of-tea, crazy madness ensued and they shot themselves in the head with three near-identical dismissals: two hooks and a pull. Pakistan fell for the bait like a desperate, emaciated salmon. Younis defended the three careless shots, insisting that it demonstrated the side’s aggressive nature. Well that’s all very well if it works, Younis…which it did not. Both he and Yasir ought to have ended the day unbeaten with three figures to their name.

Inzamam might yet produce one of his herculean innings, but which side of his side will turn up tomorrow?

The bowlers have a good day for once.

2 years ago, at the start of December

Bowlers around the world are actually full of the joy of living today.

In Faisalabad, Pakistan’s bowlers have been right on top in the Second ODI, and have bowled out West Indies for 151.

Meanwhile in Christchurch, Mahela Jayawardene showed that making bad decisions is not a monopoly of the English coach, because Sri Lanka batted on a greentop in the First Test, and were skittled for 154. New Zealand had some early alarms with Lasith Malinga, as you do when he’s sending them down at 94 mph, but are 2 for 85 at stumps.

In Ashes news, Shane Watson has been ruled out of the Third Test, with his hamstring injury not recovering in time.  I really feel for the guy. He has had a torrid time with injuries throughout his career.

And Shane Warne has (and you’ll NEVER believe this) still got plenty to say about Adelaide and the Second Test, and the Third…

“At this stage we are not getting carried away with the win,” he said.

“We are just concentrating on playing good cricket. We said all the way along we are just going to play each Test match and just keep our feet on the ground and keep playing good cricket.

“If we keep playing good cricket then hopefully things will go our way for the rest of the series. Tp win a Test that way has given us a bit of momentum going into next week’s match and we are 2-0 up which means they have to win two of the next three Test matches to retain the Ashes.

“Hopefully we can win in Perth and go 3-0 up and win the series.”

Warne admitted that bowling 27 straight overs took its toll on his body and he was looking forward to the week’s rest before the next Test in Perth, beginning on December 14.

“Yeah, the body is pretty sore and I’ve got a bit of a headache,” Warne said after the Australian team celebrated long into the evening.

“So I am glad we have a week until the next Test.”

Indeed. There are, in effect, three Tests in a row once the Perth Test starts, which is a drain on the players, and even the spectators. Blame Cricket Australia for that one.

At the foothills of the Karakorams

2 years ago, at the start of December

I’ve posted photos of cricket being played in some extraordinary places, none more so than this: the rocky mountainous foothills of the Karakorams in Pakistan.

Karakorams

jzakirya on flickr.

In other (non-Ashes) news…

2 years ago, at the start of December

There’s more cricket then the Ashes going on. Just to keep everyone up to date….

Sri Lanka play New Zealand in a two-Test series starting this morning NZ time. A thoughtful bit of scheduling, that, to not clash with the Second Test. The good news from a neutral point of view is that Shane Bond is actually still fit despite playing in the Champions Trophy, so his performance will be worth looking out for. Sadly, I don’t think he’ll ever get recognised for what he could have been- the best bowler in the world, when he’s fit and firing.

Sri Lanka have a real fast bowling find of their own in Lasith Malinga, who seems to have come on in leaps and bounds as well. Given that Chaminda Vaas isn’t getting any younger, it’s time for Malinga to stand up, and given the constant problems New Zealand have in their top order, he can really cash in.

****

Pakistan can’t stay out of the news, with the drugs ban on Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif being overturned. With all the Ashes excitement, I do not know enough about the case to comment, but it certainly will be a shot in the arm for Pakistan to have them back in the side. They weren’t needed in the first ODI against the West Indies, but there is four more to come.

And it is past time that West Indies fired up and made a statement and went out and won this series. I’ve seen a lot of West Indies in the past few months, and while they keep promising, they still haven’t actually delivered anything. There seems to be a new spirit in West Indies cricket, but they remain fragile; the onus is on them to prove that they can roll with the punches, otherwise they’ll be bit-players at their own party when the World Cup comes along.

A moment of applause, please

2 years ago, at the end of November

Congratulations to Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf, who has gone past Sir Vivian Richards’ long standing record for the most Test runs in a year. Well done that man. As I write, he’s still at the crease, so he could still push the mark beyond 1,750 runs. A remarkable achievement!

Shoaib and his steroids

2 years ago, mid-October

So then. What do we all think? Original story at Cricinfo if you don't know what's going on.

"I cannot say much at this time about what has happened but I just want to assure everyone that I am innocent of doing anything I shouldn't have," Shoaib told bigstarcricket.com. "The President of Pakistan has asked me not to comment in any detail at this stage and I want to respect his wishes, so I will keep my message short.

"All I can say is that I have not knowingly taken any performance-enhancing drugs and would never cheat my team-mates or opponents in this way. I have always played the game fair and I give 100 percent and do not feel that I need to take drugs to help my bowling."

And for what it's worth, The Times have a piece on nandrolone and its effects. Leave your thoughts on the whole mess below.

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