Pakistan

With the rampant march of Twenty20 upon the throne of cricket, Test matches are taking on a whole new complexion, with run rates rising and batsmen appearing to have turned into whirling dervishes.

Thing is though, there was a time when carrying your bat and grinding out an innings was valued above all else

Timekeepers (over 600 minutes) since the introduction of Twenty20 cricket

Lancashire have signed Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf as a replacement for Brad Hodge while the Australian competes in the IPL. Barring any freak training injury or global catastrophe, Yousuf should make his debut in Sunday's Friends Provident Trophy clash with Durham Dynamos at Old Trafford. "I've always wanted to play county cricket, and to get the opportunity with a club as big as Lancashire is fantastic," says the 33-year-old. "I'm determined to make a significant contribution to Lancashire's season."

Rawalpindi Express derailed...

Pakistani speed king Shoaib Akhtar has lost his appeal against a five-year ban imposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board for breaching their code of conduct. While the ban does not apply outside Pakistan, the 32-year-old fast bowler is still eligible to play in the Inidan Premier League, although the competition's organisers say they too will enforce the ban. Maybe he should give the Central Lancashire League a bell? We've heard Norden need a new quickie...

The big man strikes again...

Today’s the day in 1994 that Pakistan batsmen Aamer Sohali and Inzamam-ul-Haq set the record for the highest ODI partnership when they hit 263 for the second wicket against New Zealand in Sharjah. Sohali contributed 134 before falling with Inzamam finishing on 137 not out. Surprisingly, neither man hit a six. This helped Pakistan defeat New Zealand by 62 runs en route to Pepsi Austral-Asia Cup success after beating India in the final. Their record has since been eclipsed with current holders Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar knocking up an amazing 331, again plundered against a hapless Kiwi attack.      

Elsewhere, on this day in 1968, Enoch Powell made his controversial ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech about immigration. Today in 1974 saw the 1000 victim of ‘The Troubles’, after a petrol station owner is found on a roadside in County Fermanagh after being shot dead. Planet Earth had a lucky escape in 1989, after narrowly avoiding being hit by a passing asteroid weighing 400 million tonnes. In 1999, the Columbine Massacre occurred when two teenage students rampaged through a school in Denver, Colorado killing 15.

We say Makhaya Ntini! as they say in South Africa to former Lancashire and England batsman Graeme Fowler (51), Australia batsman Peter Toohey (54), English novelist Sebastian Faulks (55), glamour model and part time actress Carmen Electra (36), rotund Dutch darts star Raymond van Barneveld (41) and Bob Marley’s son and reggae singer, Stephen Marley (36). Today in 2001 also marks the death one of the greatest New Zealand players of all time, Bert Sutcliffe. 

Shoaib's all set for a long holiday...

So, what’s all this about Shoaib Akhtar and a five year ban?
 
Well, Shoaib Akhtar has been given a five year ban.
 
Thanks, any chance you could elaborate?
 
You mean, you’d like this somewhat confusing issue cleared up in a nice and easy Q&A format? How convenient.

Indeed. So what’s the score?

The man dubbed the Rawalpindi Express was suspended following a disciplinary on Tuesday for comments made against the Pakistan Cricket Board.

What the hell did he say?!

Well he was already serving a two-year probation for attacking his team mate Mohammad Asif last year, and then he criticised the PCB when he wasn’t given a central contract in January, claiming to have been made a scapegoat following the defeats to India.

Sounds like he had a point.

Maybe so, but the PCB didn’t think so. They said that they had “lost confidence” in him and that they felt “his presence in the field was damaging to the Pakistan team, for Pakistan players and for the image of Pakistan cricket."  

So what is he going to do?

He’s set to fight the ban in court, saying that his punishment is harsh and that he “hasn’t murdered anyone.”

Well isn’t that a relief.

Er, yeah. Still, he is allowed to play in the Indian Premier League later this April.

Oh well that’s alright, that’s all anyone in cricket cares about these days anyway isn’t it?

Oh hark at her..