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The much-awaited results from Shoaib Akhtar’s scan on his injured ankle have revealed that his old hairline fracture has still not healed properly. The result means he will be unable to resume bowling for four to six weeks and will almost certainly rule him out of the initial part of Pakistan’s tour to England.”It’s a bad week for me. First I lost a close friend and now got a bad news that my injury has not healed although I still feel no pain and can jog for hours,” Akhtar told AFP. “But a bad news for me is a good news for the English batsmen. I will do my best to recover in time to at least play two Tests.””I carried that ankle injury from the series against England but I continued to play. Even after the operations I was feeling well before I twisted the ankle earlier this month.”Bob Woolmer, Pakistan’s coach, told Cricinfo that the results of the scan they had sent to specialists in South Africa did not make for good news. “Unfortunately the scans have revealed that though he doesn’t have a new injury, the fracture that he sustained during the home series against England and India, has not yet fully healed. He cannot bowl at all for four to six weeks.”Woolmer agreed it was “highly unlikely” that Shoaib would be able to play any part in the first half of the England tour but wasn’t willing to comment on whether he would be taken as a member of the squad. “We have a selection meeting later tonight in which we’ll discuss the situation and come to a decision after that.”The fact that his old injury still hasn’t healed will not sit well with the PCB. After he sat out the ODIs against India and then missed the tour of Sri Lanka, reports suggested that Shoaib was training and recovering with his own trainer rather than PCB-appointed officials, which irked board and team officials. It means, as one source close to the team revealed: “no-one is quite sure what he has been doing to his ankle because given proper rehabilitation, it should’ve healed comfortably by now. But it hasn’t.”The first Test is due to begin at Lord’s on July 13, just over five weeks, from now, which means Pakistani fans will now witness, helplessly, the same anguished race against time English football fans are currently experiencing with Wayne Rooney’s metatarsal.Earlier, the PCB had said their own medical commission had advised Shoaib three weeks’ rest and that his selection for the tour of England rests on the recommendation of the commission.Pakistani selectors are scheduled to announce the touring squad in the next day or so. Wasim Bari, chief selector, has said that Shoaib is likely to accompany the squad whether or not he is injured.He told : “It is certainly the most difficult decision that the selection committee will have to take when it meets. I’ve already met Inzamam and Woolmer recently to take their inputs over the team’s selection but recent developments have made it necessary to meet them again.”Bari said the inclusion – or not – of Shoaib will be the main issue of discussion. “There is nothing in writing for us on Shoaib’s fitness issue so I can’t say what we might opt for in our meeting to select the team.,” Bari added. “There is no doubt that Shoaib is a key player for us but then he has to be fit to be able to live up to the expectations. He cannot be included in the team without achievement and proving full match fitness.”

Tatenda Taibu, Zimbabwe’s captain, has ended his 11-year relationship with Takashinga and is looking for a new club side. He joined in 1993 when he was still at Chipembere Primary School in Highfield.Taibu made up his mind before last month’s Champions Trophy. “It was a very difficult decision for me to make but I felt that I needed to move to a club with very few, if any, players in the national team,” he told the Daily Herald. “At the moment there are about seven Takashinga players in the national team and so I decided to join a smaller club where I can help the youngsters there to progress in their cricket.”Three clubs – Uprising, Old Georgians and Harare Sports Club – are vying to sign him. “I have already spoken to these clubs,” he admitted. “This week I will be attending their training sessions to see how they do it and also have a look at their facilities.”His decision to move might not be as straightforward as it seems. Taibu admitted that there were problems – he described them as minor – with Takashinga but stressed the club “had become my second home and it was hard leaving”.But Takashinga has strong political affiliations and its influence with the selectors is considerable – Steven Mangongo, until recently the chief selector, is a senior member – and it is rumoured to have close links with the ruling Zanu-PF party. Its players have been sent home from development clinics for turning up in Zanu-PF T-shirts and bandanas, and one former club member said; “The ZCU makes them a powerful club, because they want them to be powerful. They have some real radicals and that suits some people at the ZCU down to the ground.”Every time they play against white or Indian clubs there are problems. There are always racial things said, and arguments on the field. Except when Taibu and [Stuart] Matsikenyeri play, then they keep quiet.” Without the calming influence of Taibu, things are likely to get worse.

Amid all the excitement surrounding the historic series between Pakistan and India, one group of people have been largely forgotten – the umpires.Simon Taufel, the Australian who officiated in the first two matches, told the Sydney Morning Herald of the problems he encountered. The main difficulty is the noise – and it’s not only the umpires who struggle, as proved on Tuesday when Sourav Ganguly clearly edged the ball but such was the cacophony that neither bowler nor wicketkeeper appealed.”From an umpiring perspective, it’s very difficult and challenging,” Taufel explained. “Umpiring before 75,000 at the MCG is nothing like here. The fans go nonstop. When the person they love comes out the noise is immeasurable.”That makes umpiring bloody difficult, especially when it comes to caught-behinds and communicating with other officials. It’s nothing you could ever train for. It’s very hard when you have one of your senses, hearing, taken away from you.”The fact that that the umpires have been ignored is probably a mark of the good work they have so far done: the effect of any howlers in these high-pressure games would be multiplied tenfold. “I’ve made several close calls in the two games already,” Taufel smiled. “Maybe you think that you might start World War Three if you get something wrong but, on the whole, I feel very comfortable to keep calling it as I see it.”

Somerset County Cricket Club Junior Sabre members are all invited to go along and watch Bristol City play against Peterborough United absolutely free of charge.Over the next few days all paid up Junior Sabres members of the club will be receiving their invitation in the post from membership secretary Joanne Arnold to go along to Ashton Park in Bristol on Saturday March 15th to see the match.All Junior Sabre members have to do then to receive their free ticket is to complete the form at the bottom of their letter and return it to Jo Arnold with a stamped addressed envelope before March 5th.Accompanying adults will have to pay £10 at the turnstiles, or alternatively they can book in advance by calling the Bristol City Hotline on 0117966 6666.Earlier today the membership secretary told me: "This offer is all tied in with the link that we have developed with both Bristol City Football Club and Bristol Shoguns Rugby Club, that gives our Junior Sabre members the chance to watch top class sporting action in the region absolutely free of charge. However it is only on offer to those who have joined for the 2003 season."On the day of the match the Junior Sabres will be joined by Somerset’s friendly dragon mascot Stumpy. Several members of the playing staff are also expected to be present at Ashton Gate.Anybody who has any queries regarding the arrangements for the day should contact Jo Arnold at the County Ground on 01823 272946.

• It was the 1733rd ODI in cricket history.
• It was India’s 468th and West Indies’ 428th match.
• It was the 65th match between these two sides. The record nowreads : India 23, West Indies 40, tied one and abandoned one.
• Umpires KC Barbour and GR Evans were officiating in their eighthand 13th match respectively.
• Carl Hooper, on one, completed his 1000 runs in matches againstIndia. He was playing his 35th match and 33rd innings. Hooper alsobecame the third West Indian after Desmond Haynes (1357 runs in 36matches ) and Gordon Greenidge (1181 runs in 24 matches) and 16thbatsman overall to do so. Incidentally Pakistani Saeed Anwar with 1901runs from 49 matches holds the record of aggregating most runs in acareer against India.
• India conceded only five extras in West Indies’ innings – twowides and three no-balls. It was only the seventh occasion when Indianbowlers and fielders conceded five or less extras in opponents’ totalof 200 or more. The details :

• Tendulkar (122*) when reached 76,completed his 1000 runs against WestIndies. He became first Indian and ninth batsman overall to do so. Hewas playing his 28th match and innings. Tendulkar now holds the recordof completing 1000 runs in a career against West Indies in leastmatches and innings. The earlier record was held by Pakistani Inzamamul-Haq who took 33 matches and 32 innings for his 1000 runs.
• The hundred was Tendulkar’s 29th in ODIs and second against WestIndies. His only other hundred against West Indies was made at Jaipuron November 11,1994 when he scored 105 off 148 balls.
• Tendulkar’s innings was the highest score by an Indian against WestIndies-home or away. -bettering Navjot Sidhu’s 114* at Visakhapatnamon November 7,1994.
• Tendulkar’s innings was the highest for India on this ground. Theprevious highest was a paltry 70* also by Tendulkar against Zimbabwein the second league match of this series on June 27,2001.
• The hundred was Tendulkar’s second in Zimbabwe. The other being 127*against the hosts at Bulawayo QC on September 26,1998. Tendulkar hasnow become only the third batsman to score more than one hundred onZimbabwean soil. The others being Alistair Campbell in 42 matches andRoshan Mahanama in three matches.
• The hundred was Tendulkar’s 17th on foreign soil-yet another record !He was earlier at level with Pakistan’s Saeed Anwar with 16 hundreds.
• Tendulkar has now aggregated 6712 runs (ave.41.43) in 182 `away’matchesmaximum by any batsman in ODIs. He surpassed the aggregatesof two Pakistanis – Saeed Anwar (6685 in 186 matches) and Inzamam-ul-Haq (6647 in 209 matches) . The following table lists the leading runscorers in away matches in ODIs :

• The 133 run-partnership between Ganguly and Tendulkar was the secondhighest for India for the opening wicket against West Indies. The besthowever still remains the 176 run partnership between Ajay Jadeja andTendulkar at Cuttack on November 9,1994. Incidentally the previoushighest opening stand for India against West Indies in `away’ matcheswas unbroken 116 runs also between Ganguly and Tendulkar at Port-of-Spain on April 27,1997.
• Ganguly and Tendulkar also became the third pair to participate in twocentury partnerships for the opening wicket against West Indies afterAustralians Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh and Indians Ajay Jadeja andSachin Tendulkar.
• Tendulkar was getting involved in a century partnership for the 47thtime in his careera new world record. The break-up of Tendulkar’scentury partnerships- 20 for the first,11 for the second,10 for thethird,3 for the fourth and 3 for the fifth. The previous record ofmost century partnerships was on the name of West Indian DesmondHaynes who featured in 46 such partnerships. The following table liststhe batsmen who have been involved in most century stands

• Tendulkar was winning his 41st Man of the Match award. This was alsohis sixth award against West Indiesmaximum by any player. He waspreviously at level with Pakistan’s Imran Khan with five awards.

Match facts

Thursday, October 22, 2015
Start time 1330 local (0800GMT)5:11

Manjrekar: India need to look at new bowling talent

Big picture

There comes a time in every chase when the players are under so much pressure that unless they catch up, the game is over. For India, that time is now.After trailing South Africa in both limited-overs’ formats, India face the prospect of a second successive series defeat unless they draw level in Chennai. To do that, they will need a more convincing batting performance particularly in the death overs, where they have lacked aggression. Simply put, they have to ensure they compete over 50 overs, not just 35, because South Africa have demanded that level of commitment from them.The tension in the twilight exchanges of the three matches so far has made for absorbing viewing and neutrals will hope there is more to come so that a grand finale is set up for the fifth game. But South Africa won’t be advocating excitement of that kind.They will want to secure their second trophy of the tour before the final match. Not only will that tick the box of dominating an opposition in their own backyard but it will set the tone for the Tests, where South Africa are the authority on traveling, having last lost a series away from home nine years ago. Victory in Chennai will allow the players that aim to continue that legacy, particularly the fast bowlers, a chance to rest and South Africa’s bench strength to be tested in Mumbai.

Form guide

(last five completed games most recent first)
India LWLWW
South Africa WLWWL

In the spotlight

With just three runs from the three matches so far – and all of those in the first game – Suresh Raina will be aware that he needs to step up. He has been dismissed for ducks in his last two innings and has not contributed a fifty since the World Cup. With India’s middle-order being prone to meltdowns, Raina will have to be in the runs soon to help solve the problem.Hashim Amla is 22 runs away from being the fastest to 6000 ODI runs but he may be more concerned with the speed with which he hits top gear after a quiet tour so far. Amla has bubbled under with small starts but is struggling to push on and has been uncharacteristically stumped off the spinners in the last two matches. If he can shake the rut, South Africa’s line-up will be in full flow again.

Team news

India altered their squad as the series heads into its decisive stage and added S Aravind in place of Umesh Yadav and the left-arm seamer could find himself in the XI. The three-spinner strategy worked well for India and if they stick with it, they may have to leave out another seamer as well.India: (probable) 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Ajinkya Rahane 4 Virat Kohli, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Suresh Raina, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Amit Mishra, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 S AravindJP Duminy’s hand injury, which has ruled him out of the rest of the series, presents South Africa with a puzzle in the allrounder’s department. Dean Elgar, Duminy’s replacement, only arrived early on Wednesday morning and may need time to acclimatise, which could allow Chris Morris his first chance in the ODI series. David Miller may have to return to the middle order as a result, unless Khaya Zondo is given a debut ahead of him. With all the tinkering in the batting department, South Africa are unlikely to fiddle with their bowling combinations unless Morne Morkel, who picked up a quad injury in the third ODI, is unfit. Kyle Abbott is in reserve if needed.South Africa: (probable) 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 AB de Villiers (capt), 5 Farhaan Behardien, 6 David Miller, 7 Chris Morris, 8 Dale Steyn, 9 Morne Morkel/Kyle Abbott, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Imran Tahir

Pitch and conditions

Dale Steyn said he expected a slow wicket that may take turn but there are rumours of some extra bounce, which will be a welcome surprise for the visitors. Chennai will warm up to 34 degrees, a couple cooler than Rajkot and Kanpur, but humidity will be a factor. This match will be officiated by two local umpires because Aleem Dar was withdrawn over security concerns following the anti-Pakistan protest at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai. Umpires Chettithody Shamsuddin and S Ravi, who is from Chennai, will stand.

Stats and Trivia

• Though MS Dhoni is not from Chennai, the city is an adopted home to him because of the Super Kings franchise and he seems to have embraced it as a favourite venue. He averages 153.50 in ODIs at Chepauk, where he has scored two undefeated hundreds.
• The last ODI played in Chennai was between India and Pakistan in December 2012.

Quotes

“We want to take wickets as a spinning unit and whoever is bowling at any point of time, we want to attack, we want to have a lot of catching fielders in place. “
“We’ve been to a lot of different cities since arriving and it’s arrive, play, practice, go – that kind of thing. It’s on the go all the time. The boys have needed the rest.”

A good innings from skipper Ronnie Irani who made 95, helped Essex torecover from 13 for three to make 292 all out in 103.2 overs againstfellow Division Two County Championship promotion hopefuls Glamorganat Southend on the first day today.Irani (95) and Stuart Law (70) put together a partnership of 111 forthe fourth wicket before Law fell to Robert Croft. Irani was out toDean Cosker, the left arm spinner.The other impressive performer for Essex was the debutant James Foster(52) who fell to Steve Watkin. For Glamorgan, Watkin, Croft and DarrenThomas took three wickets each.In reply, Glamorgan were 40 for 1 with Steve James being the batsmandismissed for 30 by Ashley Cowan. In the process he crossed 1000 runsfor the season.

In the last 11 years, Bangladesh have won only three out of nine deciding matches in a bilateral ODI series comprising three or more games. The three wins have come against Zimbabwe in 2005 and 2009, and against West Indies in 2012.The third ODI in Chittagong on Wednesday gives them a chance to add another win to that list – this time against South Africa.After losing to South Africa by eight wickets in the first game, Bangladesh bounced back in the second match with a seven-wicket win. With the three-match series tied 1-1, Bangladesh have a chance to claim their third straight home bilateral series win in 2015 and allrounder Shakib Al Hasan has little doubt about the importance of the occasion.”This is big, no doubt,” Shakib said. “We haven’t achieved such things before. Whenever you go to achieve something you haven’t, then it will obviously seem big. We haven’t beaten South Africa in a series before so that is a big deal.”Every match is important for us. Whenever we get on the field, we think the same but all matches don’t go according to plan. Because this is the series decider, however, it is important. We haven’t lost at home in a long time. So this will be another opportunity for us if we can win this match. I won’t tell you how big a match this is, but this is a very big opportunity for us.”Against Zimbabwe in 2005, Bangladesh were trailing 2-0 in the five-match series before they made a comeback and won the decider by eight wickets. In the three-match series against Zimbabwe in January 2009, they lost the first match but bounced back quite comfortably to win the series 2-1. Against West Indies, they took a 2-0 lead in Khulna before losing the third and fourth games, and the fifth ODI was a tight affair which they won by two wickets.Shakib was a part of two of those turnarounds and it was his bowling that brought Bangladesh back into contention in the current series against South Africa. Shakib stated that his returns of 0 for 30 in the ten overs in the second ODI in Mirpur was his best bowling performance in recent times, which should be encouraging for Bangladesh after he had conceded difficulty in bowling before the Tests against Pakistan in late April. He is only two wickets away from becoming the seventh cricketer – after Sanath Jayasuriya, Shahid Afridi, Jacques Kallis, Abdul Razzaq, Chris Harris and Chris Cairns – to take 200 wickets and score 4000 runs in ODIs.”I think after a long time I bowled quite well in the last match,” Shakib said. “I was satisfied personally. After a long time I think I bowled as I wanted to. If you get rewards, then you will feel good but I am not that disappointed regarding those things. I am happy as long as I can contribute.”I don’t think I have changed much in my bowling. But the opponent’s batsmen don’t charge at me as much as before so in one-dayers it is difficult to get wickets, unless you have a pitch of that kind. I think you also need luck to get wickets. I try to do everything that is in my hands.”Shakib said that the team’s confidence has remained even after contrasting results in the series: “Actually I don’t think our confidence will go down the drain when we lose one match or be sky-high if we win one match. No player thinks that way. All our matches are important. It’s not possible [to win] all the time but I am sure that if we can stick to our processes then it’s possible to do well at home.”

Former Surrey and England one-day captain Adam Hollioake is reported to be about to hold discussions with Essex over playing for them in this year’s Twenty20 Cup, according to a report in today’s Guardian.The move stems from Hollioake’s appearance in a beach-cricket tournament in Australia in January which left Graham Gooch impressed. “I played pretty well and Goochie said I was good enough and young enough to play county cricket again,” Hollioake told The Guardian from his home in Perth. “Later, when he got home, he sent me an email asking if I’d be interested. I am. Nothing has been confirmed yet. We’re still talking. But it’s not the worst idea in the world.”Essex’s chief executive, David East, confirmed to Cricinfo that the talks were taking place. “We have had some initial discussions with Adam and are jointly exploring the possibility of him playing Twenty20 cricket for us.”Hollioake will be in the UK next week to attend a charity event and is expected to chat to Essex officials then. He admitted that he was approached by Nottinghamshire a while back but nothing came of it.

Download MP3 (right click and select “save target as”)
Streaming Audio: Real :: WMAIt seems like yesterday – well, maybe last week! – that a 16-year-old kid was charging down the pitch and hitting Abdul Qadir into the crowd. Sachin Tendulkar is 33 now, and as his career enters his last phase, he struggles with injury and a desire to play that simply isn’t matched by his physical fitness. In this interview with Dileep Premachandran, which was conducted for the , he talks about his “desire to get back into action” and “the hunger to go out there and perform.”He tells us of “sleepless nights”, of “nights full of frustration” as he waits to get back into action. He also talks of the vagaries of time, and of how he ignores what the outside world says about him. “I don’t need a newspaper to make me believe that I’ve scored a double-hundred,” he says, remembering the time a journalist asked him during the Sydney Test against Australia in 2004 if he would read the papers the next day.It’s our greatest batsman at his most candid. Listen in!Download MP3 (right click and select “save target as”)
Streaming Audio: Real :: WMA