CA interviews Waqar for Aus bowling coach

Melbourne: Cricket Australia (CA) has interviewed former Pakistan captain and coach Waqar Younis as Craig McDermott`s successor for the position of Australian bowling coach.

Waqar, who is based in Sydney since finishing his two-year term as Pakistan coach last year, according to `ESPNcricinfo.Com`, has spoken to CA`s team performance manager Pat Howard about taking on the role that was left vacant by McDermott at the conclusion of the Australian tour of the West Indies.

Australia`s highly promising battery of young pacemen will surely benefit should Waqar is appointed to the post.

Known for his mastery over reverse swing, Waqar would help Australian bowlers muster the art, something the team has struggled to make best use of down the years.

Under McDermott, the Aussies learnt the importance of sticking to the basics -- bowling full, straight and moving the ball conventionally, and they will look to build on those gains if Waqar is appointed.

Waqar, who has taken 373 wickets in 87 Tests and 416 from 262 ODIs, resigned as Pakistan coach citing personal and health reasons.

Source:http://sports.in.msn.com/cricket/article.aspx?cp-documentid=250119896

Gayle brings quality to the side, says chief selector

St. John`s (Antigua): Chairman of selectors Clyde Butts has welcomed Chris Gayle`s return to the West Indies team for the one-day tour of England, saying the big-hitting left-hander will bring a "quality dimension" to the Caribbean side.
The talismanic Gayle was Monday chosen in a 15-man squad, ending a protracted impasse with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) that kept him out of the regional side for the last 14 months, reports Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

"Chris is a player of proven quality and we are looking forward to him adding the new dimension to the side and his contributions as a senior member of the squad," Butts said.

The way was paved for Gayle`s return after he sat down in a high-level meeting in St Vincent on Sunday with his representative Michael Hall, WICB president Julian Hunte, WICB director Elson Crick and the Board`s legal officer Alanna Medford.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves and Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer also attended the meeting.

Gayle, who has scored 8,087 runs from 228 ODIs with 19 centuries, will now join the side led by Darren Sammy and which includes eight members of the squad already in England playing a Test series.

Trinidadian opener Lendl Simmons has also been recalled after recovering from injury while Dwayne Smith has been given the nod in a one-day unit for the first time in over two years.
Butts said the composition of the team reflected the continued preparation for the 2015 World Cup in Australia.
"We are now moving into the next phase of the development of the team as part of building our ODI side for the 2015 World Cup," said Butts.
"A number of players, who have been exposed to international cricket, have been retained as they have performed well."
"There is, what we believe, is a balanced combination of young rising players like Sunil Narine in the bowling department and Johnson Charles in the top order of the batting in addition to the well-known senior internationals."
West Indies face England in three ODIs from June 16-24.

Source:http://zeenews.india.com/sports/cricket/gayle-brings-quality-to-the-side-says-chief-selector_743354.html

Axed Adrian Barath welcomes Chris Gayle return for ODIs

West Indies opener Adrian Barath has said "it's great" Chris Gayle is returning to the one-day squad -- even if the recall has come, in part, at his expense.
Former captain Gayle has been selected for the three-match one-day series against England later this month after a 14-month dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).
The 32-year-old dynamic opening batsman, with a West Indies record 19 hundreds in 228 ODIs to his name, has not played international cricket since a defeat by Pakistan in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in March last year.
A month later, Jamaica left-hander Gayle, one of the world's most ferocious hitters and a dazzlingly quick run-getter when in form, criticised the WICB and team coach Ottis Gibson after being left out of a squad for a one-day series against Pakistan.
However several meetings between the WICB and Gayle, brokered by senior Caribbean politicians, have ended the stand-off.
Both Barath and Kieran Powell, who have struggled against England in a Test series where the West Indies are 2-0 down heading into the third and final match starting at Edgbaston here on Thursday, have been left out of the one-day squad.
But, sportingly, Barath said Tuesday: "We always welcome players into the set-up. He's been in the set-up for years and everyone has respect for Chris.
"It's great to have him back and he'll lend experience to our players," added the 22-year-old Trinidad batsman, who in 14 one-dayers has scored one hundred.
"We're looking forward to having him in the set-up and everyone will learn from him.
"Having Chris in our team (makes it) a really solid team. The depth in our batting - with Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy, the Bravos (Dwayne and Darren), Marlon Samuels, Andre Russell - once we get going in the powerplay it would be difficult to say how could we not chase a big score or set one.
"So once we get it right, we have a good ODI team and we're working on getting there in Tests, also."
The one-day series starts at Southampton on June 16 before further matches at The Oval (June 19) and Headingley (June 22) are followed by a stand-alone Twenty20 international at Trent Bridge on June 24.
Source:http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news/item/191357-axed-adrian-barath-welcomes-chris-gayle-return-for-odis

Barath welcomes Gayle return for ODIs

Birmingham: West Indies opener Adrian Barath has said "it's great" that Chris Gayle is returning to the one-day squad -- even if the recall has come, in part, at his expense. Former captain Gayle has been selected for the three-match one-day series against England later this month after a 14-month dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

The 32-year-old dynamic opening batsman, with a West Indies record 19 hundreds in 228 ODIs to his name, has not played international cricket since a defeat by Pakistan in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in March last year. A month later, Jamaica left-hander Gayle, one of the world's most ferocious hitters and a dazzlingly quick run-getter when in form, criticised the WICB and team coach Ottis Gibson after being left out of a squad for a one-day series against Pakistan. Continue reading below

However several meetings between the WICB and Gayle, brokered by senior Caribbean politicians, have ended the stand-off.

Both Barath and Kieran Powell, who have struggled against England in a Test series where the West Indies are 2-0 down heading into the third and final match starting at Edgbaston here on Thursday, have been left out of the one-day squad. But, sportingly, Barath said on Tuesday: "We always welcome players into the set-up. He's been in the set-up for years and everyone has respect for Chris.

"It's great to have him back and he'll lend experience to our players," added the 22-year-old Trinidad batsman, who in 14 one-dayers has scored one hundred. We're looking forward to having him in the set-up and everyone will learn from him."

"Having Chris in our team (makes it) a really solid team. The depth in our batting - with Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy, the Bravos (Dwayne and Darren), Marlon Samuels, Andre Russell - once we get going in the powerplay it would be difficult to say how could we not chase a big score or set one. So once we get it right, we have a good ODI team and we're working on getting there in Tests, also."

The one-day series starts at Southampton on June 16 before further matches at The Oval on June 19 and Headingley on June 22 are followed by a stand-alone Twenty20 international at Trent Bridge on June 24.

Source:http://cricketnext.in.com/live/news/barath-welcomes-gayle-return-for-odis/66228-13.html

India-Pakistan cricket ties may resume soon: Pakistani envoy

New Delhi: In what will be music for the ears of thousands of sub-continental cricket lovers, Pakistani High Commissioner Shahid Malik on Tuesday expressed the hope that bilateral cricketing ties between India and Pakistan will soon resume.

Talking to reporters at Indian Women Press Corps, he said that Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani talked to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during World Cup semifinal at Mohali last year on restarting bilateral cricket matches.

"I hope that the cricket bilateral series between India and Pakistan resume soon," Malik said.

"There is a desire on the part of the leadership of both countries that this start," he said adding that Manmohan Singh had said he would take up the issue with the Indian cricket board.

Malik also pointed out that PakistanCricket Board chairman Zaka Ashraf was in India at the invitation of Indian cricket board to witness last month's Indian Premier League final at Chennai.

Ashraf had met board president N Srinivasan in Chennai, and later, in Delhi, he met ICC chief Sharad Pawar and IPL commissioner Rajiv Shukla.

"The two cricket boards are discussing the possibility of restarting the cricket ties and series," Malik said.

He also said Pakistan's T20 tournament winners have been invited to participate in the Champions League tournament in India later this year.

"That is a sort of breaking of the ice," Malik said.

Source:http://sports.in.msn.com/cricket/article.aspx?cp-documentid=250119898

TROTT CONTENT WITH BUSY SCHEDULE

Jonathan Trott is highly unlikely to follow Kevin Pietersen's lead, and start narrowing his options as an England cricketer.

As both South Africa-born batsmen began their preparations for tomorrow's third Investec Test against West Indies, it was Trott who found himself quizzed on the ramifications of his team-mate's decision to retire from limited-overs international cricket rather than Pietersen explaining his apparent change of heart.

It is barely three months since Pietersen was racking up successive one-day international hundreds for England, and pledging himself to the cause as far as the next World Cup in 2015.

Yet last week, it became clear that those two match-winning innings in the United Arab Emirates would be Pietersen's last in 50-over cricket for his adopted country.

Trott, surplus to Twenty20 requirements for the past two years since the last of his seven caps in the shortest format, remains a central plank of England's middle order in ODIs and Tests.

He wants to keep it that way too.

"You have to speak to the guys who play all three (formats) about how they feel, but I'm really happy with the scheduling for me," he said.

"It's really busy - but that's part of being an England cricketer... it's part and parcel. You have to accept it and get on with it.

"Kevin's made his mind up about what he wants to do, and that's fine.

"The guys support and understand the decision he's made."

Trott is confident too that, although Pietersen's retirement is a "huge disappointment", others will be able to pick up the slack.

"There's plenty of talent to come in and take his place. It's a bit of a blow, but you have to pick yourself up and get on with it.

"He's box-office, as everyone will tell you. He's a great fielder and a really entertaining, powerful and destructive batsman - so it will take a bit to replace him. But I'm sure there are people up there who can do the job."

In the immediate future, Trott is relishing the opportunity to try to complete a 3-0 whitewash on his home ground - where he was absent through injury last year when England beat India to go to the top of the world rankings.

"I missed out last summer, so there's an extra incentive," he said. "It was strange.

"To be part of the build-up to the India series last year and then have some of it taken away, it was tricky."

Trott and Pietersen may have to deal with the mystery spin of Sunil Narine, should West Indies select him as a Test debutant here.

Trott will be respectful of Narine's variations, but will not be losing any sleep either.

"You have to treat any new bowler the same, figure him out," he said. "There's a certain amount of respect that goes around facing someone new. But you don't fear them; you play them, as anyone else."

Source:http://www.sportinglife.com/cricket/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=cricket/12/06/06/CRICKET_England_Trott.html&BID=615

Pietersen ODI retirement no surprise to Trott

Birmingham: Jonathan Trott is saddened but far from shocked at fellow England batsman Kevin Pietersen's decision to retire from limited overs international cricket.
Pietersen had indicated he wanted to help England retain the World Twenty20 title he did so much to help them win in the Caribbean two years ago when they defend their title in Sri Lanka later this year.
But with England insisting players must make themselves available for both 50-over one-day internationals and Twenty20 contests -- in part to ensure there isn't a mass exodus from the longer format in an increasingly packed schedule -- Pietersen announced his retirement from all limited overs contests last week.
It means England will be without one of their best batsmen in all but Test cricket from now on, despite it being just over three months ago since he scored back-to-back hundreds in England's 4-0 one-day series sweep of Pakistan.
But as Trott prepared to play alongside Pietersen at Edgbaston, where England will try to complete a 3-0 Test series win over the West Indies, he said he had not been taken unawares by his fellow South Africa-born batsman's decision.
"It wasn't a huge surprise," Trott said Tuesday.
"You can understand it in a way, but it's a huge disappointment as well, " added Trott
"Kev's his own guy and has to make his own decisions. The team fully support his decision. Whatever he decides to do with his cricketing career is fine."
Missing players has become something of a theme heading into the third Test, due to start on Thursday, with England controversially resting spearhead seamer James Anderson ahead of a home series against South Africa where Trott and his team-mates will put their world number one Test ranking on the line.
"It's happened in the past, and probably will in the future as well - with the schedule getting busier and busier," said Trott. "It's only right that these things happen.
"Jimmy would have liked to have played, and quite rightly. He's the spearhead of our bowling attack, and you can understand that he will probably be a little bit disappointed.
"But with the bowlers and their heavy workload, it's going to happen from time to time.
"It's not as if you're giving away international caps. We have guys who are vying to play, and whoever takes his place should do a great job."
As for the prospect of completing a Test series whitewash, Trott -- who play at Edgbastpn for Midlands county Warwickshire -- said: "We've got the opportunity to win 3-0, so it's really important we drive home that advantage and don't take our foot off the gas."
Source:
Source:http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news/item/191356-pietersen-odi-retirement-no-surprise-to-trott