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The seamers had a ball on the opening day of the contest between Habib Bank Limited and National Bank of Pakistan at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Eighteen wickets fell with NBP edging out the day, 74 runs ahead and with two wickets in hand. HBL, currently leading the Division One table, were skittled out for 116, with Hasan Raza, the captain, managing a top score of 24. Medium-pacer Uzair-ul-Haq led the wickets tally with four, and was supported by Wasim Khan and Mohammad Talha who took three each.The NBP reply began on a positive note with openers Nasir Jamshed and Rashid Riaz adding 50, but wickets then fell at a steady pace with only Qaiser Abbas, in the middle order, being able to measure up to the bowling. He counterattacked in his 34-ball 46, but seamer Sajid Shah picked up a five-for to limit NBP to 190 for 8 at stumps.Sialkot held a slight edge over Islamabad at the end of the first day at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad. Islamabad, being put in, began poorly, losing their openers for zeroes. But the middle order launched a recovery with Faizan Riaz and Rashid Amin adding 101, with more assistance down the order as Imad Wasim and captain Rauf Akbar put together an unbeaten 74 for the ninth wicket. Prince Abbas, the seamer, grabbed four wickets, and Asim Butt chipped in with three to leave Islamabad at 291 for 8 at stumps. However, they would rue not breaking the ninth-wicket stand which got together at 219 for 8.No surprises with Multan, as they were yet again bowled out for a score under 100 and appear to be on their way to a tenth straight defeat in the tournament. Karachi Blues ended the day at the National Stadium in Karachi in a dominant position, leading by 129 in the first innings with five wickets still in hand. The fast bowlers, again, made merry, with Tabish Khan and Babar Rehman taking five wickets each. Wicketkeeper Waqas Khan was the top-scorer for Multan, with 18, and it took only 24 overs for the Karachi bowlers to get the job done. Opener Asad Baig guided the Karachi reply with an unbeaten 82 and even though the Multan bowlers made inroads, taking five wickets, defeat still looms large for their side.Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited held the advantage over Pakistan International Airlines at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. Shoaib Malik continued his good form in the tournament, top-scoring with 108 and rescuing the innings via an 89-run stand with Sheharyar Ghani, who chipped in with 70. At 221 for 5, PIA would have hoped for a substantial score but left-arm seamer Sohail Tanvir ran through the middle order to restrict PIA for 297, seize the initiative and put ZTBL in a good position going into the second day.Sadaf Hussain picked up a five-for to help skittle Faisalabad out for 153, but he was upstaged by Nasir Hayat, who also took five wickets as Rawalpindi limped to 94 for 8 by the close of play. Opener Farrukh Shehzad rattled along to 79 from 108 balls, with 15 fours, but the rest of the batsmen on both sides found it tough going at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, with no one else even reaching 20. Sadaf ran through the the top and middle orders, taking the first five wickets to fall, as Faisalabad slumped to 37 for 5, and it took a seventh-wicket stand of 56 between Shehzad and Hasan Mahmood to carry the visitors past the three-figure mark. Sadaf finished with figures of 5 for 64. The Rawalpindi batsmen then showed even greater ineptitude, with Nasir and Ahmaed Hayat running riot. Nasir picked up 5 for 32 from 11 overs, while Hayat had figures of 3 for 23, also from 11 overs.Asad Ali and Yasir Shah took four wickets apiece as Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited dismissed Water and Power Development Authority for 227 at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground . SNGPL chose to field and WAPDA’s openers added 43 before Adil Raza struck to remove Rafatullah Mohmand for 25. The next three wickets fell quickly, with Yasir taking two of them, to leave WAPDA struggling at 79 for 4. Sohaib Maqsood and Ali Azmat then came together to add 118, before Yasir prised out Maqsood for 69 and Asad had Azmat caught behind for 38 with the song on 197. Asad then ran through the tail as the last four wickets added just 30 runs. In reply, SNGPL limped to 25 for 2, with Kashif Raza picking up both wickets

The next five days could determine Ricky Ponting’s future but the decision over whether he stays as captain is ultimately out of his hands. Australia have to prevent England from winning the third Test in Perth to retain any hope of regaining the Ashes and save Ponting from becoming Australia’s first three-time loser of the urn in 120 years.At a time of so many “what ifs” for the hosts, Ponting is trying not to peer towards the horizon, but that is impossible in his team’s current state. He is realistic enough to know that his future could be decided as soon as the end of this match.”Probably not a decision for me to make,” Ponting said when asked if he would still be captain if Australia lost the Ashes. “I don’t pick myself as captain so, look, in all honestly, I haven’t thought about that at all.”The decision’s completely out of my hands. At the end of the day, I’ll do my best to make sure we’re on a winning end this week and I’ll do my best as a player to make sure I score runs and lead the team the best way possible. Then the powers that be will make those decisions I guess at the end of the series, or after this Test match.”If Ponting was in peak batting form the questions over his future would hold less substance, but he has struggled to 70 runs in this series and has not had an impact on the campaign. Ponting is both the game’s most successful captain, with 47 wins in 75 matches, and the ruler of a unit that has lost most of its powers with the departure of key personnel over the past four years.Three new faces have come into the squad for this game and Ponting is in a situation where he can’t trust his bowling attack or rely on his batsmen for big runs. He remains the only great player in Australia’s side, but he will be 36 on Monday and is in a battle to hang on.There have been no hundreds in his last eight Tests and he will walk out at the WACA with the memories of receiving a tenderised left elbow from a Kemar Roach short ball in the game here last year. That bruise forced his first retired hurt and he has been struggling for sustained form and fluency ever since.After the innings defeat in Adelaide, Ponting had five days off and tried not to think about the series. Compartmentalisation is a key attribute for any leader, but there would be no way Ponting could have escaped from all the disruptions and criticism of himself and his team. He remains relaxed in public but is a man under extreme pressure.”I know a lot of our success revolves around how well our batting does at the top of the order and my input in the series so far hasn’t been what it’s needed to be for us to win games,” he said. “So purely and simply I need to stand up, I need to score runs and we need to play better cricket than we have in the last two Test matches.”Australia last lost a home Ashes series in the depressing summer of 1986-87 and this campaign is already evoking similar feelings among the home supporters. The bowlers have taken only 16 wickets in the opening two matches and England’s batsmen have dominated in gaining a 1-0 series advantage. One thing in Australia’s favour is that the green WACA pitch is looking like providing a result.”Obviously that has to be a positive one for us or it’s game, set and match,” he said. “We are priming ourselves to play our best game so far in the series and we know we have to do it by a long way if we want to win the game.”

Shane Shillingford, the West Indies offspinner, has been reported for a suspected illegal bowling action following the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. He will have to undergo testing within 21 days.Shillingford will have to submit to an independent analysis of his bowling action, which must be conducted by a member of the ICC panel of human movement specialists within 21 days. If he is found to have bowled with an illegal action during the analysis, Shillingford will be suspended from bowling in international cricket until he undertakes remedial action and is reassessed.Until the WICB receives a report of the assessment, however, Shillingford will be allowed to continue bowling in international cricket, which means he will be available for selection for the second Test against Sri Lanka that begins on November 23 in Colombo.Shillingford, who had figures of 4 for 123 and 1 for 79 in Galle, was reported by on-field umpires Steve Davis and Richard Kettleborough, along with third umpire Asad Rauf and fourth umpire Tyron Wijewardene. The umpires’ report cited concern over the straightening of Shillingford’s arm while he bowled some deliveries.

Nabeel Ahmed, the first vice-president of the USA Cricket Association, has resigned from the USACA board. It was reported that Ahmed had informed president Gladstone Dainty of his resignation and cited “his disappointment with Dainty’s leadership” as one of the reasons.”I did see an email addressed to me, but it was qualified that an official letter would be coming,” Dainty said when contacted by phone on Monday night. “Lots of times, when there’s frustration, a lot of people say a lot of things. I do take it seriously, but at the same time, I deal with only official stuff.”Ahmed, however, confirmed in an email what had been reported earlier. “I have resigned,” he said. “The whole board and CEO knows it.” Ahmed’s resignation adds fuel to the speculation that he may run against Dainty to be USACA president at the next election.Despite this, USACA chief executive Don Lockerbie hoped that Ahmed will change his mind. “I’m waiting to have Nabeel send a formal letter of resignation, which I have not seen,” Lockerbie said. “I don’t know what to say because I haven’t been able to speak to Nabeel, but I’m hopeful that there’s reconsideration. We need Nabeel.”According to USACA’s treasurer, John Thickett, Ahmed was a member of the Commercial Committee along with Thickett, Dainty, and Lockerbie. The committee is responsible for reviewing commercial opportunities received by USACA through their request for proposals in a global tender. Thickett said in a recent interview that they were closing in on a deal that could generate in excess of $10 million for association.Both Dainty and Lockerbie were unsure as to whether there would be a replacement named for Ahmed before the next USACA election in 2011, or if Ahmed’s position would be left vacant until the election. “That’s a board decision. I can’t speak for the board,” Dainty said.

The fast bowler Shaun Tait will miss Australia’s limited-overs matches in India this month and at home against Sri Lanka in November after having surgery on his right elbow. Tait is expected to be out of action until at least early December, which also leaves his World Cup hopes in doubt as the squad will be announced later that month.”Shaun Tait underwent corrective elbow surgery this afternoon for a chronic elbow complaint and his return to cricket will be determined by the speed of his recovery from surgery,” Cricket Australia’s doctor Trefor James said. “It is not anticipated he will be able to play within the next two months.”Tait has been in and out of Australia’s one-day side over the past few years but he made a strong return during the series against England in June. He was a key man during the World Cup triumph of 2007 in the Caribbean, when he finished equal second on the wicket tally.Most recently Tait, who no longer plays first-class cricket, helped South Australia reach a semi-final at the Champions League Twenty20 in South Africa. His absence will be a major blow to the early-season hopes of the Redbacks in the new split-innings one-day competition.

There is plenty to ponder when a David like Alviro Petersen breathes the same rarefied air as the Goliath who is Sachin Tendulkar. And the Highveld air was indeed rare at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, where Petersen’s Lions played Tendulkar’s Mumbai in the Champions League Twenty 20 opener.Lo and behold, David’s dapper dazzlers stuck to the Biblical script by slaying Goliath’s giants by nine runs. Let the atheists among us quiver in disbelief: look in the Book. It was, unarguably, by any measure reasonable or unreasonable, the biggest win in the hitherto limping Lions franchise’s history, and Petersen knew it.”It’s a great start,” he said after the game. “It’s all we could ask for. We were underdogs, but we were a family out there. On paper, the Mumbai Indians are probably the better team. But we focused on what we had to do and our bowlers came through beautifully in the end.”Tendulkar did his bit with a sparkling 69, but it wasn’t enough on the night. Not that Petersen was about to admit that the Mumbai skipper was an unusually large thorn in the Lions’ paws. “Whether we play against Sachin Tendulkar or just an ordinary guy, we play with the same intensity.”For all that, Petersen has first-hand knowledge that Tendulkar is anything but ordinary. They first met on the field in Kolkata, in February this year, when the South African marked his Test debut with an innings of 100. Tendulkar made 106, the 47th of his 48 centuries in the 166th of his 169 Tests.Neither had a memorable first one-day international in Jaipur, but the second match of that series, in Gwalior, will forever be remembered as the game in which Tendulkar took one-day batting into a galaxy far, far away with his monumental 200 not out. Petersen scored nine.The trend looked set to continue at the Wanderers on Friday. In the fourth over of the Lions’ innings, Petersen and Jonathan Vandiar scooted for the same end of the pitch. Petersen was declared dead on arrival for 12 when the bails were removed leisurely at the other end.Tendulkar looked dead in the water for six when Ethan O’Reilly struck him plumb in front in the second over of the Indians’ reply. Asoka de Silva was among the few in the ground who reckoned otherwise. A blink of an eye later, Tendulkar was bumbling about mid-pitch when a frozen rope of a throw whizzed past the stumps. “I just put it behind me and thought about the next ball,” Petersen said about the near miss. “The next ball is the important thing.” Three overs of next balls after that, a shy that might have run Tendulkar out for 18 hit him instead.By the time Shane “Cheese” Burger knocked out two of Tendulkar’s stumps, in the 15th over, the momentum was firmly with Mumbai. Only for Burger to snatch the advantage back for the Lions by yorking Kieron Pollard, a ball after the West Indian had launched him over long-on for six. JP Duminy and R Sathish also became casualties as the Lions surged to their famous victory.”Hats off to the Lions bowlers. They were exceptional in the last four overs. Until then, we were very much in the game,” said Duminy, who had been sent to the post-match press conference instead of his captain. “He [Tendulkar] played extremely well, but it’s a team sport and we all have to chip in. Unfortunately, we ended up a few runs short.”Vandiar, who rose from the ashes of his moment of madness with Petersen to score a 71 that bristled with pugnacity and verve, showed he has a few things to learn about diplomacy off the field as well as on it. Asked what he thought about batting as well as he had against an attack studded with bowlers of the stature of Zaheer Khan, Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh, Vandiar said, “They’re world class, but they’re just guys.”Petersen, who went to some trouble to explain that his team remained the tournament underdogs, despite their fine win, might want to have a word with the youngster about that. After all, the Lions captain has up close and personal knowledge of what world class players can do.

Record-breakers of the day
In what turned out to be a misleadingly serene passage of play, Jonathan Trott and Stuart Broad spent most of the morning session receiving ovations for one landmark after another. First came Trott’s 150, then England’s 350, then the 250 stand, then Broad’s 150, then England’s 400, then the 300 stand. And so it went on until finally, with lunch looming, Broad was adjudged lbw on review to Saeed Ajmal for 169, having just overhauled his father Chris’s highest Test score of 162. As he returned to the pavilion to a magnificent ovation, he took with him a share in an eighth-wicket world-record stand of 332, having overhauled the 313-run mark set by Wasim Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq at Sheikhupura in 1996-97. And his personal score finished just four runs short of Ian Smith’s 173, the highest by a No. 9 in Test history.Honorary Londoner of the day
It’s hard to believe that Jonathan Trott had never played a Test at Lord’s before this season. Following on from his scores of 226 and 36 not out against Bangladesh back in May, he finished today with a magnificent 184 – and had it not been for the comparative clatter of wickets that followed the dismissal of Broad, he would almost certainly have pushed on to become the only man to record two double-hundreds at the ground. But Trott is not merely at home at the home of cricket. His love of London Tests extends south of the river as well, given that his only other Test century was at The Oval against Australia last summer. His current London average now stands at 109 (654 runs in four Tests), which means he is unlikely to be too upset about the ECB’s southern-heavy fixture list next season.Ignominious stat of the day
Before this series, England had not dismissed Pakistan for less than 100 for more than half a century. They’ve now managed that feat three times in four Tests, and while today’s total of 74 was worse than the 80 they made in the second innings at Trent Bridge, it did at least improve on the 72 they made in the first innings at Edgbaston. Nevertheless, they cannot escape the fact that they have now recorded their three lowest totals of all time against England. Curiously, their other two double-figured scores, 87 and 90, were also made on the same tour – their maiden trip to England in 1954. And then as now, they put aside those lows by notching up a remarkable victory at The Oval.Trendsetter of the day
Mohammad Yousuf’s calm assurance was acknowledged as a major factor in that Oval victory, as his veteran knowhow instilled a new confidence in his team-mates and allowed them to build what proved to be a matchwinning first-innings total. Today, however, he was all at sea in a grim four-ball stay, and the shock of his runless departure appeared to scupper any prospect of a fight. His best shot was his first, as he jabbed down effectively on a James Anderson yorker. After that, he looked liable to fall at any moment. He completely lost sight of his second delivery, from Broad, and almost ducked into a full-length delivery, Chris Read style. Two balls later, he was gone anyway, as Broad pegged back his off stump with a beauty. Though he attempted to cling on in the follow-on, Yousuf’s lame dismissal to the final ball of the day, caught in the deep as he top-edged a pull off Steven Finn, was sadly apposite.Collapse of the day
Having failed to dislodge England’s eighth-wicket pairing for the best part of a day, Pakistan managed to ship 11 wickets for 69 in an inept final session of the day. The rot set in from the very first post-tea delivery, bowled inevitably by Graeme Swann, whose ability to strike at the start of a spell is becoming the stuff of legend. Salman Butt was the victim, as he misjudged a tweaker and had his off bail trimmed, even as he stood his ground in the vain hope that Matt Prior had disturbed the stumps with his gloves. It wasn’t to be, however. And by the time Butt fell for the second time in the day, for 21, the combined total of 25 visits to the crease by batsmen not called Trott or Broad added up to a mere 159 – still ten runs shy of Broad’s own total.Record-chaser of the day
Broad is on a mission in this match. Not content with a career-best total, he is aiming to become the 11th England cricketer to complete the 1000 run and 100 wicket double, and the first since Ashley Giles and Andrew Flintoff achieved the feat in the same match at Cape Town in January 2005. By the close, with 1096 runs already to his name, he had taken his wickets tally to 97, having struck in his second over of the match to remove Yasir Hameed. He added Yousuf as well one over later, before nailing Imran Farhat in the follow-on. But the rout that Swann and Finn instigated after tea left him needing some rapid breakthroughs on Sunday morning. Only three men have previously managed the double in the same match – Kapil Dev, John Bracewell and Shaun Pollock.

Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir and Harbhajan Singh have all been rested for the tri-series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand that kicks off on August 10. Yuvraj Singh makes a return to the 15-man squad after being dropped for the Asia Cup, the first time he had been omitted since cementing his place.Pace spearhead Zaheer Khan remains sidelined due to the shoulder injury which kept him out of the Tests against Sri Lanka. Ishant Sharma, out of favour when it comes to limited-overs sides after a prolonged fallow period, takes Zaheer’s place and gets in line to play his first one-dayer this year.Abhimanyu Mithun, who made his Test debut against Sri Lanka, returns to the one-day squad in place of Bengal quick bowler Ashok Dinda. Offspinner R Ashwin and Jharkhand batsman Saurabh Tiwary, who were both in India’s victorious Asia Cup team, also find a place.Dinda will now head to Australia, along with with Manish Pandey, to replace Ashwin and Tiwary in the Indian team participating in the Emerging Players tournament.Dinesh Karthik, who flew in as Virender Sehwag’s replacement midway through the Asia Cup before turning in a Man-of-the-Match performance in the final, keeps his spot and is likely to open the innings with Sehwag.The series which also involves Sri Lanka and New Zealand has a league phase in which each team plays the other twice before the top two advance to final on August 28.India squad: MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Dinesh Karthik, R Ashwin, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Abhimanyu Mithun, Ashish Nehra, Pragyan Ojha, Saurabh Tiwary

Harbhajan Singh, one of the senior members of the Indian team with more than 11 years experience at international level, has said he would be willing to take up the role of captain or vice-captain if offered. Harbhajan led Mumbai Indians in the inaugural IPL, but has not been a candidate for national captaincy despite having won several games for India.”When my time comes, I will get captaincy or vice-captaincy,” Harbhajan, who turns 30 on Saturday, told Indian news channel . “I have said many times that I am available and obviously if something like this comes then I would definitely be really honoured to receive such kind of responsibility.”As you said, I have not got my dues, so probably I will when that time comes. I have seen Anil Kumble retiring. He was the captain of India for two years. For me it will be the same thing. Let’s see, who knows.”Harbhajan acknowledged the responsibility on his shoulders and said his role was to guide India’s upcoming spinners in the way Kumble had guided him. “I am the kind of person who actually believes that I have to win this game and I have got young bowlers like Pragyan Ojha, Piyush Chawla, Ashwin and I need to show them the way,” he said.”Even now, when he [Kumble] is retired, I ask him whenever there is something wrong with my bowling. After the Nagpur Test, I called him and asked him whether anything is wrong. He just told me that there is nothing wrong with my bowling, just keep things very simple, you’ve won games on previous occasions, just go and give your best shot and be relaxed as much as you can.” Harbhajan bagged eight wickets in the next Test in Kolkata to level the series and propel India to the No.1 ranking in Tests.Harbhajan also dismissed talk of him being an allrounder, following his match-winning cameo against Pakistan in the Asia Cup. “I am not an allrounder. There was only one allrounder that India produced and that is Kapil Dev,” Harbhajan said. “I don’t think after Kapil Dev any allrounder came. But I am definitely someone who can work with the bat. I have worked really hard on it thanks to Gary Kirsten and other team-mates.”Harbhajan, who continues to represent India in all three formats, admitted India’s early exit from the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean was a setback but the kind of criticism that followed, he claimed, was unwarranted. “Of course, it hurt when people were taking our case,” he said. “Everyone was saying we are running after money. We are playing cricket and nothing else and for God’s sake please leave us alone for some time. You know we have got our own life as well. We are mature people and know what to do.”Playing for the country is my first thing and what I am today is because I am playing for my country. If I was playing just IPL, or for any other club, then nobody would have given me the respect I have got. Whatever I have achieved today [is because I play for India].”Such criticism, Harbhajan added, was difficult for the youngsters in the squad. “If someone does not do well you criticise him, but do not take his case for any other reason. It definitely affects the youngsters.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were outPragyan Ojha registered the most economical Twenty20 figures for India with 2 for 11•Associated Press

India registered their first win of the tour against Zimbabwe after their spinners choked the life out of the middle of the hosts’ innings. Zimbabwe came out all bats blazing, but charred themselves as well, losing too many wickets early, and let spinners dominate proceedings after that. India stuttered in the chase, getting reduced to 48 for 4, but Yusuf Pathan and Virat Kohli carried them home.Zimbabwe were 41 for 2 after four overs when spin was introduced, but Pragyan Ojha, R Ashwin and Piyush Chawla did to Zimbabwe what their spinners were used to doing to others. That the slow bowlers went for 57 in 14 overs among them, and that there was a spell of 59 deliveries without a boundary, underlined Zimbabwe’s trouble. Ojha also registered the most economical Twenty20 figures for India.Chamu Chibhabha, who had a career strike-rate of 80.64 before today, surprised India with four fours and a six off the first 18 balls he played, but the spinners reined him and his team-mates in – the high point for the slow bowlers was the Chawla googly which dismissed Chibhabha in the 11th over.Zimbabwe made a hectic start with Chibhabha and Brendan Taylor getting stuck into the medium-pacers despite the loss of Hamilton Masakadza in the first over. Ashok Dinda assisted them, conceding two free hits in his first two overs. R Vinay Kumar’s back-of-a-length deliveries were punished by the pull-happy batsmen, but he came back with a slower delivery that trapped Taylor, who played a horrible shot.Chibhabha was happy to sit back and pull or cut length deliveries, but the spinners thwarted him. Tatenda Taibu fell in Ashwin’s first over – the innings’ sixth – and Craig Ervine struggled to alternate strike. A spell of six overs for 32 runs was followed by the googly that deceived Chibhabha, who had gone from 27 off 18 balls to 40 off 40, equaling his personal best.Ervine, at the other end, was troubled not by the spin, but by the lack of it. A shortage of singles meant the pressure increased at the other end, and Elton Chigumbura fell while trying to play the big sweep against Ojha. The straighter one again proved valuable when Ojha trapped Greg Lamb in the same over, making it 81 for 6 in the 14th. Ervine was 12 off 24 at the time.Ervine finally broke the boundary drought in the 18th over, hitting Yusuf Pathan over extra cover. He managed one more four in the next, but was bowled by Dinda, with 30 off 42 to his name, which meant there was no flourish in the end either.Chris Mpofu couldn’t do much with the bat in the last over, but removed India’s openers early: M Vijay with a slower ball and Naman Ojha with a short one that caught the glove even as the batsman looked to leave it down the leg side. Suresh Raina eased the situation with 28 off 17, but Ray Price struck in the eighth over, removing both Raina and Rohit Sharma.Yusuf and Kohli counterattacked by hitting a six and a four immediately. Yusuf then hit two sixes and a four in the next three overs. That was enough to take the steam out of Zimbabwe’s effort, and Kohli rubbed it further in, hitting Mpofu for a six and a four in the 13th over.