West Indies captain Chris Gayle expects India to be back to their best when the teams meet in the Caribbean for a one-day series starting next week.Gayle's side sprung a surprise when they beat India by seven wickets in a World Twenty20 Super Eights match at Lord's last week, a loss that contributed to the defending champions' failure to make it through to the semi-finals.By contrast, the West Indies have reached the last four where they are up against Sri Lanka at the Oval on Friday.But opening batsman Gayle, speaking at the Oval here on Thursday, told reporters: "India are never easy to beat, it doesn't matter where they play. They are a very good one-day team and I am sure they want to rebound from what happened here in the T20."They have a lot to play for and they will want to give their own crowd something to cheer about," the left-hander added."It will be a challenging tour. We just want to get past this stage. I am sure they are actually prepared for us and they will come at us hard to try to win back some sort of support for the team."The first of a four-match limited overs series between the West Indies and India is due to take place at Jamaica star Gayle's Sabina Park home ground in Kingston on June 26, with the second match at the same venue on June 28.The series concludes with a pair of matches in St Lucia on July 3 and 5.
Australia are capable of retaining the Ashes against England despite losing in the opening round of the ongoing World Twenty20 championship, legendary captain Steve Waugh said here on Friday."As for Australia, they may not be invincible any more, but winning a series like the upcoming Ashes won't be difficult for them," the former Australian captain said at a function for his charity foundation.The first Ashes Test starts in Cardiff on July 8.Like Australia, defending champions India also failed to make it to the World Twenty20 semi-finals after losing their Super Eights matches against hosts England, the West Indies and South Africa."Twenty20 is exciting and has given the game new shots, but I am not surprised that India and Australia are out of the ongoing championship because any team can lose in this format," said Waugh.The Australian, who quit international cricket in 2004 with 10,927 runs in 168 Tests, denied he was one of the candidates to replace John Buchanan as Kolkata Knight Riders coach in the Indian Premier League (IPL)."I am not giving a thought to coaching in this form of the game for Kolkata Knight Riders or for any other team. I wonder where all the stories about me joining them come from," said Waugh."I would consider coaching only if I were willing to give my 100 percent to it. But as of now, I am busy with my foundation."Former Australian coach Buchanan was sacked Thursday after the Kolkata team's dismal performance in the recent IPL in South Africa, where they finished last in the eight-team competition.Waugh set up the Steve Waugh Foundation after his retirement. The organisation aims to help disadvantaged, disabled and ill children and young people.
Paul Collingwood insisted he was ready for any taunts he might receive from Shane Warne during the course of an Ashes season after the Australia leg-spin great questioned the all-rounder's captaincy. Warne has been anything but impressed by the way in which Durham all-rounder Collingwood, captaining hosts England at the World Twenty20 while Test skipper Andrew Strauss sits out the series, has been leading the side. Collingwood, who 'sledged' Warne during England's 2006/07 Ashes series defeat in Australia, said he was ready for any stick the Australia star, who has now retired from international cricket, might send his way in his role as a commentator for Sky Television. "Listen, I'm going to get a lot of stick off him this summer - I know that for a fact," Collingwood, who will lead England in their Super Eights opener against South Africa at Trent Bridge on Thursday, said. "I haven't got any comeback against him now because he's in the media so I can't actually sledge him back. "We had a ding-dong out in the middle of the last Ashes series and I'm the kind of person who wants to compete with him, I want to win and whether he likes that I don't know. "I'm going to get plenty more off him this summer but I'll just have to grin and bear it because I can't say anything back to him now." Warne, who queried whether Collingwood should have received an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for playing in just one Test of England's 2005 Ashes winning series, wrote in his column on Wednesday in Britain's Times newspaper: "Tactically, I haven't been too impressed with Paul Collingwood. I don't see him as a captain. "You need to get funky at times, throw a bit of caution to the wind and show a bit of flair and imagination. I don't think that Collingwood has that. His fielding positions always seem a little basic to me."
All-rounder Abdul Razzaq was on Wednesday given the all-clear to replace injured Yasir Arafat in Pakistan's World Twenty20 squad, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed. The 29-year-old Razzaq cut his ties with the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) earlier this month and was cleared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to play for the national team. Fast bowler Arafat suffered a hamstring injury during Pakistan's 48-run defeat against England in their opening match on Sunday. Razzaq, who played 46 Tests and 231 one-day internationals for Pakistan, joined the unofficial ICL as a protest against his omission from the squad selected for the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa in 2007. The PCB barred all the 23 players who signed for the rebel league from domestic and international cricket as the ICL was not recognised by the ICC and Board of Control for Cricket in India. However, all but two of Pakistan's ICL players had their bans suspended by the Sindh High Court in February this year. Razzaq said he was delighted at the prospect of playing for Pakistan again. "I am very happy and if given a chance I will do my very best for the country," he said. The ICC said in statement that confirmation was conveyed to the PCB on behalf of the event technical committee. "The ICC has confirmed the event technical committee of the ICC World Twenty20 2009 has approved Abdul Razzaq as a replacement player for Yasir Arafat in Pakistan's squad for the tournament," said the statement. Pakistan's next match of the tournament is on Friday against Sri Lanka at Lord?s.
Jesse Ryder is set to miss New Zealand's opening World Twenty20 Super Eights match against Ireland at Trent Bridge on Thursday as he undergoes hospital treatment.The 24-year-old opening batsman missed New Zealand's one-run loss in their final group match against South Africa at Lord's on Tuesday and is staying in London to have tests to determine the nature of an ongoing muscle pain.New Zealand team manager Dave Currie said: "Jesse is continuing to suffer serious discomfort and has been admitted to hospital for observation and further tests, which we hope will provide a clearer picture of his condition."The Black Caps also have ongoing concerns regarding the fitness of captain Daniel Vettori, who has yet to play in this tournament because of a shoulder injury, and batsman Ross Taylor, who appeared to sustain a hamstring strain against South Africa.
Kevin Pietersen has reserved some of his best performances in an England shirt against South Africa, the land of his birth, and the hosts will hope for more of the same at Trent Bridge on Thursday.England face South Africa in their opening match of the Super Eights with Pietersen, who missed their shock loss to the Netherlands because of an Achilles injury, having played a key role in getting them to the second round by making a fifty in their victory over Pakistan.Pietersen, 28, caused widespread resentment in South Africa by opting to play for England because he believed a racial quota selection policy was holding back his career.Whatever the rights and wrongs of that decision, it was certainly a bold move to come to England and that innate self-confidence was on show when he first came up against South Africa in international cricket.After a modest debut against Zimbabwe, he was chosen for the one-day series in South Africa in 2005.Confronted by hostile crowds, the talented batsman responded with three centuries in five innings which showcased his ability for improvisation and excellent eye for the ball.Having taken more than his fair share of verbal abuse from spectators, it was perhaps no surprise that, after scoring his maiden ODI century in Bloemfontein, Pietersen made a great show of kissing the England badge on his batting helmet.And just in case there was any doubt as to where his allegiance lay, Pietersen announced afterwards he was going to get a tattoo of his England number and the national emblem of the Three Lions.In the end Pietersen's talent appeared to have trumped the initial hostility to the extent that by the end of that series the jeers had turned to cheers.That brilliant start against South Africa means that while Pietersen's career average in one-day internationals is 46.67, against the Proteas it stands at a mammoth 98.66.But there is rather less Twenty20 evidence to go on, with Pietersen's lone match against South Africa in the format at the inaugural World Twenty20 in Cape Town two years ago seeing him run out for 15.Last year, ex-England captain Pietersen had the satisfaction of making 152 against South Africa in the drawn first Test at Lord's.After an enthusiastic reception from spectators, Pietersen declared he'd never felt "so loved".Pietersen began his county career at Trent Bridge with Nottinghamshire where his three year stint ended in a bust-up and a move to Hampshire, who were then captained by his friend and Australia leg-spin great Shane Warne.It is fair to say Pietersen did not always 'feel the love' at Trent Bridge, first time around. But spectators and England team-mates alike will be grateful if Pietersen gives the crowd cause to show him affection on Thursday.
West Indies captain Chris Gayle expects India to be back to their best when the teams meet in the Caribbean for a one-day series starting next week.
