Oz middle order bat Ferguson’s cool head enhancing his reputation

October 12th, 2009 BANGALORE - Somerset's entry into the Super Eight stage suffered a setback after a 44-run defeat to Trinidad and Tobago in the Champions League Twenty20 cricket at the M.Chinnaswamy stadium here Monday. Somerset, who registered a thrilling last ball win over Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Deccan Chargers in their first match, were bowled out for 106 while chasing 150 for nine by Trinidad and Tobago, which decided to bat.

September 30th, 2009 LAHORE - The Pakistan Cricket Board's senior selection committee has axed controversial fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and middle order batsman Misbah-ul-Haq from a list of 25 probables for the forthcoming series against New Zealand and Australia. Pakistan is to play three One-day Internationals and two Twenty20 Internationals against New Zealand in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and a three-match Test series in New Zealand.

September 27th, 2009 CENTURION - Pakistan middle-order batsman Shoaib Malik has refused to open the innings in case the team management decides to send him up the batting order as the regular openers have not been so successful in the ongoing Champions Trophy, The News reports. According to sources privy to the Pakistani dressing room, Malik is reluctant to open the innings which has forced the team management to drop Misbah-ul Haq in order to accommodate captain Younis Khan.

September 4th, 2009 LAHORE - Another Pakistan batsman Imran Farhat has parted ways with the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL). Farhat has handed over a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), saying he longer is affiliated with the ICL.

August 25th, 2009 SYDNEY - Former Australian cricketer and now a newspaper columnist Peter Roebuck has said that England deserved to win the Ashes, as they had the better-balanced side, and blamed the Australian selectors for sending an unbalanced squad lacking back-up in vital areas to a series of such high stature. "Clear errors of judgment were made in the make-up of the side.

August 17th, 2009 CANTEBURY - Australian middle order batsman Michael Hussey has admitted there is pressure on his place in the Test team, but is confident of crossing a fine line between a reasonable and match-winning total in the fifth Test match at The Oval. The tenacious middle-order batsman has experienced two substantially lean years compared to his emphatic arrival on the scene in 2005, and his Ashes form has been far below par.

August 16th, 2009 CHENNAI - Former India captain Rahul Dravid expectedly made a return to the one-day squad while Virender Sehwag, who is recuperating from a shoulder injury, was not considered in the 15-member squad announced Sunday for next month's tri-series in Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy in South Africa. The national selection committee-headed by chief selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth met here Sunday in the presence of skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and decided to pick one squad for both the tournaments.

August 12th, 2009 London, Aug .12 (ANI): Applauding young batsman Umar Akmal for his brilliant performance in the just concluded Sri Lanka One-Day International series, Pakistan opener Yasir Hameed has said Akmal has the potential to be a world-class batsman and break his record of scoring 1000 one day runs in 24 innings. In an interview with PakPassion, Hameed described Akmal as a stylish and talented batsman.

August 6th, 2009 YORKSHIRE - Australian fast bowler Stuart Clark is being strongly considered for the critical fourth Ashes Test. According to a Fox Sports report, skipper Ricky Ponting has hinted that the tourists are considering tinkering with their attack at Headingley and seeking greater control to put the clamps on England's middle order of Ravi Bopara, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood and Matt Prior.

July 23rd, 2009 LONDON - The England team's middle order has become a bit vulnerable and pressure has increased on other players to perform after star batsman Kevin Pietersen was ruled out of the Ashes series due to injury. Pietersen, who had been troubled by the injury for the past six months, had surgery on Wednesday after seeing a specialist from Sweden and will be out of cricket for at least six weeks.

July 3rd, 2009 WORCESTER - Fast bowler Steve Harmison has warned that England's quicks plan to target the body of young Australian batting sensation Phillip Hughes during the Ashes series. Harmison may not be in the England attack but he was happy to furnish fast-bowling colleagues such as Stuart Broad and James Anderson with information about the Australians, and in particular, their new opening batsman.

June 30th, 2009 LAHORE - With the return of middle order batsman Mohammad Yousuf in the team, the Pakistan team management is undecided over how to utilize all rounder Shoaib Malik, and is now thinking of pushing the former captain up the batting order. Malik, who has been in indifferent form with the bat in the recent past, may be asked to open the batting with Salman Butt in the first Test against Sri Lanka, which begins from July 4 in Galle, team sources said.

June 27th, 2009 SUSSEX - Australian opener Phillip Hughes was once again amongst the runs, 13 days before the first Ashes Test against England to be played at Cardiff from July 8. Hughes, Ponting and Clarke all passed 70 and the Australians declared their second innings against Sussex with a lead of 417 so as to give the bowlers a second crack at the county batsmen on Saturday.

June 8th, 2009 LONDON - The Pakistan cricket team is never short of controversies, as barely six months after the change in captaincy, differences seems to have crept-in between Coach Intikhab Alam and captain Younis Khan. Both the captain and coach are going poles apart when it comes to matters concerning the team, The News reports.

June 6th, 2009 LAHORE - Pakistan middle order batsman Mohammad Yousuf has said he is eagerly waiting to return to the national team. He however said, it was upto the selection committee to decide whether to include him in the team or not.