No sponsors for Pak-NZ Test series leaves PCB in the lurch

November 22nd, 2009 LONDON - The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is eager to host India - Pakistan Test series in 2011 in England. Speaking at a press conference here, ECB President Giles Clarke said the board has no issues in hosting the Test series if both the Indian and Pakistan cricket boards agree to the proposal.

November 16th, 2009 AUCKLAND - New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori has been cleared to take part in the upcoming three-match Test series against Pakistan. Vettori had earlier suffered a mild concussion after being struck in the helmet, while batting in the ODI series against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi.

November 12th, 2009 LAHORE - The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is under fire for appointing Mohammad Yousuf as the captain of the Test team. Former players and officials have criticized the PCB for the sudden change in the leadership and blamed the board for not standing by Younus Khan, who has been going through a rough patch in his career.

November 9th, 2009 MUMBAI - Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara has said the islanders would be able to upstage India in the upcoming three-match Test series. Addressing reporters here on Sunday, Sangakkara said India would be under pressure to maintain their home record of not losing a single Test to Sri Lanka in their previous 14 encounters.

October 17th, 2009 WELLINGTON - New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori will move up the batting order if required to fill the absence of the now retired all rounder Jacob Oram in the test cricket team against Pakistan next month. Oram's retirement from the test cricket this week leaves a gap, but it should enable Vettori to move up to No.7 at least in the lineup, after his batting performance in recent matches.

October 9th, 2009 BANGALORE - Former Australian cricket skipper Steve Waugh has said though Twenty20 cricket is exciting it can never undermine the essence of test cricket. Talking to reporters here on Thursday, Steve Waugh says, "T20 format is exiting.

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 4th, 2009 PORT OF SPAIN - As talks to resolve a two-month dispute between the West Indies Cricket Board and senior players ended without an agreement, an unknown batsman with a Test average of nine could possibly lead the team against Australia. Floyd Reifer, who has a Test average of 9.25, may lead the West Indies this summer, as twelve senior players, including captain Chris Gayle and star batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, went on strike in July on the eve of the home test series against Bangladesh after negotiations with the board broke down.

August 28th, 2009 LAHORE/LONDON - Pakistan will play a 'home' Test series against Australia in England next year. It will also play a series against England.

August 18th, 2009 LONDON - England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff says his retirement from Test cricket will not be a distraction for the team in the last Ashes Test at the Brit Oval. FLintoff expects to be fit for the fifth Test against Australia that starts Thursday as he continues to battle with the knee injury that forced him to call time on his Test career.

August 17th, 2009 KARACHI - New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has demanded $750,000 from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to host the three-match Test series in November. The series was supposed to be played in Pakistan but was relocated because of security apprehensions.

July 25th, 2009 SYDNEY - Former Australian Test opener Justin Langer has expressed his desire to play for the national team once again, saying he is ready to comeback from retirement to play in the third Ashes Test. Langer, who recently broke Don Bradman's record of scoring most first-class runs, said he is ready to play the third Ashes Test against Australia "for nothing".

July 22nd, 2009 LONDON - England's star batsman Kevin Pietersen Wednesday predicted the death of Test cricket in a decade. "A few months ago I was so clear in my thoughts that nothing would affect Tests, but then you see what certain players are saying in the media and what kind of players are retiring to continue with the Twenty20 format as well as the riches of Twenty20 cricket," the Daily Telegraph quoted Pietersen as saying.

July 8th, 2009 KARACHI - A fortnight after their team's World Twenty20 triumph at Lords, Pakistan cricket fans had a rude awakening Tuesday when Younis Khans men crashed to a 50-run defeat in their first Test against Sri Lanka from a seemingly winning position at Galle. The defeat means that Pakistan's poor run in Test cricket continues as it has failed to win a single Test in the last 30 months.

June 18th, 2009 NOTTINGHAM - Pakistan could host Australia for a 'home' Test match in Edgbaston next summer, as the Warwickshire County Cricket Club has shown much interest in staging one of the Test matches of the relocated Test series. According to the sources, Edgbaston has emerged as the second possible venue after Old Trafford for Pakistan's 'home' Test series against Australia, and there is a big possibility that both the countries would play each other there if the two cricket board's confirms their plans to play the series in England.