Chappell: India psychologically scarred

'We need some inspiration' - Dravid

Michael Clarke's Triple Century v India 2012 (300*)

Need to perform well in all conditions - Strauss

After their lengthy break from the international circuit, England's Test squad arrived in Dubai at the beginning of a year that will play a big role in determining the legacy that this generation of players leaves behind. Last year's Ashes victory in Australia and the rise to No. 1 means this group has already carved their niche in history, but facing them in 2012 are contests that will determine how universally acclaimed they become.

Next summer's home series against West Indies and South Africa are sandwiched between away campaigns in the UAE and the subcontinent that will push the skills of this England team to their limits. Conditions that they are likely to encounter in the Middle East, Sri Lanka and India will require a new set of skills from batsmen and bowlers, and will also push Andrew Strauss as a captain.

Victories in such an environment have been rare since Nasser Hussain's triumphant tours of Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 2000-01. England have twice secured series wins in Bangladesh, but since Hussain's successes the Johnny Cash-inspired series-levelling victory in Mumbai in 2006 has been the highpoint for them in the subcontinent.

"England cricket teams' record in the sub-continent has been patchy," Andrew Strauss, the England Test captain, said. "I think it's a really good time for us to have a lot of subcontinent cricket because we are confident; we've done well over the last two years or so and this is a kind of new frontier for us - to win and hopefully win consistently in the sub-continent.

"We are aware it's a stiff challenge and we are also aware you need to have very different types of skills if you want to do well out there. You've got to be very fit and it comes at a good time. It's just what we need as a side but we are not underestimating the size of the challenge."

During England's climb up the world rankings, which began following their series defeat in the West Indies in early 2009, they have only played one Test series in the subcontinent, when they beat Bangladesh 2-0 in 2010. During Australia's era-long stay as the No. 1 Test side they achieved series victories in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and, finally, India to confirm their standing. That is the task now facing England.

"If you want to be regarded all around the world as the best side in the world, then you've got to win in all conditions," Strauss said. "But the rankings are there for a reason. To get to No. 1 you've got to win consistently. It doesn't mean you've got to win every series, but you've got to win consistently. I'm very keen to move away from the rankings. I don't think that's something we need to focus on hugely at the moment. We are very conscious of concentrating on these short-term goals.

"It would be wrong for us not to see these tours to the subcontinent as a way of us pushing ourselves forward as a group. I think that's a pretty exciting thing to be able to do. Long-term goals are pretty irrelevant unless you can achieve your short-term goals. In some ways these challenges that await us in the next 12 months are more demanding. We are not at home, we are in subcontinent conditions and we need to develop new skills quickly."

Strauss, himself, faces an important year because while England beat all before them in 2011 his own form was patchy. He did not make a Test hundred - his previous three-figure score was 110 at Brisbane in November 2010 - and averaged 28.72 across eight matches. While the team continues to win consistently he won't be in danger, but Strauss is reaching the stage of his career when he does not want a prolonged lean spell. He went on a pre-Christmas training camp to India but has not played for England since August or competitively since finishing the County Championship season in mid-September.

"Last summer I probably didn't play quite as well as I'd have liked to," he said. "But form ebbs and flows a bit in Test cricket. I'm very keen to perform well and lead from the front. You can analyse these things to death; the truth is I've had a really good break, I'm healthy and I'm motivated. I had a really good training camp in India as well and hopefully that's a pretty good recipe to play well."

Pakistan Cricket's Resurgence Year 2011

Pakistan Resurgence Year 2011 has been by far best year of Pakistan cricket team as far as I can remember. In year 2011 Pakistan haven't lost a single test match although Pakistan didn't competed with any of team in top 4 but yet their performances has been something

to speak off after turbulent year 2010 .

Pakistan performance in world cup was a major surprise for cricketing world fresh from match fixing allegation Pakistan cricket showed that off field controversies don't make much of difference to them which also show their mental strength but i guess not many will agree with me on that.

I will put Pakistan cricket Resurgence to following!

AFRIDI coming of age
How is it possible that you talk about Pakistan cricket and forget to name the boom boom, Afridi captaincy is in world cup which was quite illogical sometime but the way he picked up the team from match fixing rubble is highly to speak off. I think talking about his bowling will be wastage of time because everyone knows he is right at the top especially in ODIs.

MISBAH-UL-HAQ  captaincy

I personally think Pakistan is kind of team which needs  a captain having calming influence on the team. There so much of things going in Pakistan cricket that its come difficult to concentrate on real job. The best possible man available for that job was Misbha. Soon Misbha came the captain you could see his calmness having effect on team unlike Afridi running to bowler after every ball. Misbha performance with the bat has been outstanding too scoring a lot of fifties. If u want to have any criticism of Misbha batting it would be his conversion rate of 50's to 100.

MUHAMMAD HAFEEZ Batting
Pakistan batting especially opening has been awful to say the least in last decade. Openers going for early bath leave our experience but fragile middle order to new ball in no man lands especially against world class bowling attacks. This stability is provided by non other then "PROFFESOR". His calmness at the crease and waiting for the right ball to hit has been  key to success.  I have not been his fan from the day one but now i am short of reason to unlike him.Good fielder, outstanding Batsman and steady bowler. 

SAEED AJMAL

Saeed Ajmal now fully established in Pakistan cricket team much thanks to Misbha for giving him the confidence which he was lacking under Afridi leadership. Saeed Ajmal is the world second best spinner in the world mostly of you wont agree with me on that but Swann performance against top side gives him edge. He provided much awaited threat in middle over which was missing in last few years Afridi at his prime on one end and Ajmal on other makes the most deadliest pair in cricketing world. He can run though any lineup with his PEHLA, DOOSRA and now TEESRA ( straighter with low arm).

PACE ATTACK

Sometimes it feels like there is a tree in Pakistan on which fast bowlers grow. One goes and two are ready to take his place. Every country will struggle if you take out the most lethal bowlers out of their bowling attack but it doesn’t make any kind of difference to Pakistan. Juniad Khan and Wahab Riaz has been like fresh air and the old but yet new to Pakistan bowling attack Aizaz Cheema has provided the support. Umar Gul the best of the lot but somehow always findings ways to struggle with run up or his action. In year 2012 i would like to see him in the top bracket of fast bowlers.

ICC denied PCB's statement over Wahab Riaz Selection

The International Cricket Council on Saturday denied a reported statement made by the Chairman of PCB that fast bowler Wahab Riaz was selected in the Pakistan squad for the series against England after clearance from The International Cricket Council. According to a report PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf had said that the PCB had sought clarification from the ICC before including Wahab in the side.

Zaka Ashraf said, "Since his name was mentioned in the spot-fixing trial in London, as a precautionary measure we didn't consider him for the matches against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. But we inquired from the ICC if they had any evidence suggesting that Wahab might also be involved in the scandal,"

In a statement, ICC Chief Executive Mr Haroon Lorgat said: "I've said before and reiterate that the ICC has no part to play in the selection of any team. It remains the absolute right of a Member Board to decide which player it wishes to include in a squad or select in its team for any match." He also added,"Only if a player has been charged and/or provisionally suspended by the ICC and/or banned by an independent tribunal, will he not be permitted for selection. In all other circumstances, it is the Member Board's absolute right to select players."

What does 2012 hold for the Green machine?

After a disastorous first half of 2010, an erratic cricket board made, what seemed to be, yet another idiotic choice; recalling an out of favor Misbah as not just a player but the test captain. Misbah had his hands full as the south africans came to the UAE for what was expected to be a walkover. Pakistan thrashed in the T-20's, got pipped in the ODI's 2-3 were expected to wilt without a fight in the test matches but this is where Misbah showed why he is considered the best cricketing brain in Pakistan. Though both matches were drawn, the result was heartening for a side that hadnt won anything for a while. Pakistan took on the Kiwis in New Zealand at the start of 2011 and won both the ODI's and the test match series and from there on there was nothing stopping Pakistan. From being on the mat in 2010, Pakistan emerged as one of the most succesful sides in 2011 with its players dominating every aspect of the game.

Pakistan hasnt seen such a strong team since the days of Imran khan in the late 80's and early 90's. Even after that there were some succesful sides but they all relied on individual brilliance and spark. Wasim or waqar ripping the opposition apart, Inzi, Anwar or Yousaf playing blinders to see Pakistan home, Afridi or Razzaq playing some sort of a cameo, whatever it was the previous teams relied on individual brilliance of an elite few to see them home. Rather than being the sum of its parts the previous teams were like a boxer who relied on one knockout punch rather than a complete technique to skittle out an opponent. This current team has a different flavor, to be honest one cant recall from previous memory any Pakistani team that has been so united and has every cog in its wheel pulling its weight.

There are the rare instances where one individual performance has seen the team home, like afridi at sharjah, but other than that the bowlers have pulled their weight and the batting, which has been Pakistans Achilees heel in the past, has performed rather consistently with Hafeez, Omar, Umar Akmal, Misbah, Younis, and Azhar all coming to the party and ensuring that the traditional batting collapses, that Pakistan is so prone to, have stayed away. The bowling, however, has been Pakistans sharp edge throughout the year. With Saeed Ajmal the leading wicket taker in the test arena even all the support bowlers like Junaid Khan, Wahab, Maana and Umar Gul have provided fantastic support to the wily off spinner. Pakistani bowlers dominate the ODI charts with the three spinners, Ajmal, Hafeez and Afridi at 1,2 and 9 respectively in the ICC rankings.

So what does 2012 hold? This team has performed near miracles in 2011 and the acid test of all this unity and method to the beast shall be against the British on the sands of the UAE. The England tour shall be decisive one and will expose the direction of how this team will play in coming times. Pakistan have a packed schedule in 2012 and should this team play like the well oiled machine that it is now, there is no reason to doubt it performance, credibility or its potential to dominate for the next few years.

Big Bash | Hurricanes remained unbeaten

The Hurricanes started the year with a win and remained unbeaten in the Big Bash League. Hurricanes captain Doherty and Thunder captain Smith met at toss, the Thunder captain won the toss and decided to bat first. Once again it was Gayle show, he was unstoppable in earlier overs. After losing the captain Smith in 6th over, Gayle with the help of Abbot built a partnership of 53 runs. At a time when Gayle and Abbott was dominating, Krejza took rid of Gayle (53) and later on Abbot who was caught by Triffitton on 39 runs. After Gayle and Abbott there were no other player to make a compete-able total.

Thunder scored 138 runs in 20.0 overs after losing 8 wickets. Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan bowled very well and took 3 wickets for 22 runs in 4 overs, he is still leading with 11 wickets. On the other side, the top runs-scorer of the tournament Chris Gayle scored another fifty of the tournament, he scored 53 runs on 33 balls. His inning included 2 fours and 5 sixes.

In reply, the Hurricanes had a bad start and lost Jacques in the first over, he was bowled by Edwards when the score was 1. Birt and Wells controlled the innings after the first blow and made 49 runs partnership for the 2nd wicket. Birt scored 35 quick runs from 18 balls and was given out on the LBW shout of Coyte. Wells slow inning was come to an end when the total was 92, he was third victim of Thunders, and scored 29 runs from 36 balls. Triffitt and Lockyear failed to perform but it was Shah who made it Hurricanes day and batted till the end.

Hobart Hurricanes achieved the target in 19th over after losing 5 wickets. Owais Shah played a vital role in chase and remained unbeaten with 41 runs on 32 balls. Coyte 2/14 in 4 overs couldn't save the Thunder from the 2nd consecutive loss of the tournament. Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan for his brilliant bowling figure of 3/22 was given man of the match award.

MATCH SUMMARY:
Sydney Thunder: 138/8 in 20.0 overs
Hobart Hurricanes: 139/5 in 18.4 overs
Man of the Match: Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan

Pakistan Vs England Full Fixture Of The England Tour In Dubai 2012

Whatmore may take role as head coach of Pakistan ... coming next month

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has invited Dav Whatmore to Pakistan to discuss the terms of becoming their next head coach, a board official has said. Whatmore, along with Julian Fountain, who is tipped to be the new fielding coach, will arrive in Pakistan in the second week of January next year.

We are in discussions with [Dev] Whatmore," Subhan Ahmed, the PCB's chief operating officer told ESPNcricinfo. "In fact, we have called him next month to negotiate and hope to reach a final agreement with him."

Whatmore is the current head coach of the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, and is a former coach of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. He has been in talks with the PCB's search committee for a few months but both sides have failed to reach an agreement so far. The committee is believed to favour hiring home-grown batting and bowling coaches, given Pakistan's traditional strength in these disciplines, but is keen on having Whatmore and Fountain be the head coach and fielding coach respectively.

One sticking point with Whatmore is that his contract with Knight Riders runs until December 2012, and his desire to wait until after IPL 2012 ends in May is the main reason the PCB has delayed appointing a full-time coaching staff. Earlier this month, Mohsin Khan was named interim coach for the England series.

Fountain has worked with the PCB before in 2001 and 2006 under former Pakistan coaches Richard Pybus and Bob Woolmer. He was the specialist fielding coach for Bangladesh from August 2010 until the end of the 2011 World Cup and has previously worked with the England and West Indies teams as well. If he signs a deal with the board, Fountain could join the squad for the England series.