English board denies Lorgat’s claims of blocking Test championship

September 26th, 2009 LAHORE - The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said that it would oppose the idea of having a two-tier Test structure, if the issue is discussed in the forthcoming International Cricket Council's (ICC) board and chief executives meeting. "We have seen no such proposal coming from anyone but even if it does come up for discussion during the ICC meetings we will reject it outright," PCB Chief Operating Officer (COO) Wasim Bari said.

September 25th, 2009 LONDON - The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has released the itinerary for Pakistan's 'home' series against Australia which is to be played in England in 2010. The ECB has also announced the dates of the home Test and one-day series which the English team is scheduled to play against Bangladesh, Australia and Pakistan next year.

September 11th, 2009 LONDON - Legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar has led eminent cricketers in London in honouring the original Indian cricketing hero, K.S. Ranjitsinhji, with one devotee describing him as the greatest batsman of all time.

August 21st, 2009 LONDON - Australian captain Ricky Ponting has said that he hasn't thought about the final Ashes Test match at The Oval being his final Test match against England on their soil. Ponting is unlikely to play in the next Ashes series on English soil, which would be held in 2013, but he avoided declaring The Oval Test as the last.

August 5th, 2009 LONDON - The Chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, Giles Clarke, has appealed to English fans to stop booing Australian captain Ricky Ponting during the ongoing Ashes series and maintain the game's positive spirit. The English crowd has enjoyed the prospect of getting under the Australian captain's skin, subjecting him to prolonged jeering and booing during the second and third Test matches at Lord's and Edgbaston respectively.

July 27th, 2009 KARACHI - Pakistan cricket captain Younis Khan has vehemently denied rumours of divisions in his team, saying he would step down if such a problem existed. In an emotional interview to Daily Jang Monday, Younis stressed that there were no problems in the Pakistan team and speculations of infighting in the dressing room are being spread by some people with vested interest.

July 25th, 2009 KOLKATA/NEW DELHI - Under fire from the Indian cricket board, former captain Sourav Ganguly Saturday went back on his allegations about the board having different rules for different players, and said he knew "what to say and what not to". "Being a responsible person, I know what to say and what not to say.

July 14th, 2009 MUMBAI - Vinod Kambli Tuesday denied making any remarks against Sachin Tendulkar after a media report claimed the former cricketer had, in a reality show, accused his childhood friend of letting him down when he was going through a rough patch in his career. Kambli also said he did not say anything against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

July 13th, 2009 KARACHI - Former Test spinner Iqbal Qasim was Monday installed as the new Pakistan chief cricket selector. Qasim, 55, will take over from another former Test cricketer Wasim Bari, who served as an interim chief selector following the resignation of Abdul Qadir as the chairman of the national selection committee last month because of differences with the Pakistan team management and senior board officials.

July 5th, 2009 LONDON - Australian captain Ricky Ponting claims that his team is itching to rip apart England in the First test to be held at Cardiff on Wednesday. Though, the Aussie skipper was disappointed with his squad's performance against the English Lions in a four-day game at Worcester, but he was delighted to see key players like Brett Lee finding form ahead of the tournament.

July 3rd, 2009 KARACHI - Former Pakistan Test cricketer Aamer Sohail Friday played down reports of a growing rift with fellow Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) director Wasim Bari. Sohail, currently serving as director of the National Cricket Acadeny, was served with a show-cause notice by Bari, a former Pakistan Test wicket-keeper who is working as the boards director for human resource.

July 3rd, 2009 LONDON - Ricky Ponting might be disappointed with John Buchanan's new job as an advisor in the English board, but the former Australian coach will be backing Ponting to win the Ashes. Buchanan said that Ponting can lead the team to a win in the series and atone for their loss in 2005.

June 14th, 2009 LONDON - Lancashire have confirmed that they are willing to stage Pakistan's "home" Test matches next summer. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) post terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in March, coupled with ongoing instability in Pakistan, has been looking for alternative venues for its 2010 series.

May 27th, 2009 MELBOURNE - Cricket Australia has requested the England and Wales Cricket Board for permission to play an extra man in its two tour matches to allow all five quicks an opportunity to build cases for a first Test inclusion. The return of old-stagers Brett Lee and Stuart Clark has created a logjam of contenders after Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus combined superbly for a rousing 2-1 series win in South Africa in March.

May 27th, 2009 SYDNEY - Australian captain Ricky Ponting has said next month's Twenty20 championship would have little or no impact on the hotly debated bowling line-up for the first Test against England. Australia is scheduled to play four-day matches against Sussex in Hove and then the second-tier England Lions in Worcester in the days leading up to the first Test at Sophia Gardens, which starts on July 8.