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By Adveith Nair

While visa troubles managed to take some sheen off Grant Flower’s shock comeback to the Zimbabwe cricket team , fans around the world will tune in on Friday for what could be the dashing batsman’s first ever Twenty20 international, and the first step towards rebuilding a team that has spent six years in political and sporting wilderness.

The opening batsman, who was recently appointed player-batting coach , was held back at the airport in Harare because of problems relating to his travel documents. Flower, arguably one of the country’s best batsmen, was one of the many key players to have resigned following then-captain Heath Streak’s removal in 2004 amid a period of political turmoil, protesting political influence in team selection.

This, a year after Grant’s brother Andy, once considered the world’s best batsmen, and fast bowler Henry Olonga, wore black armbands to “mourn the death of democracy,” during the 2003 World Cup and subsequently quit the team.

Grant Flower, who spent six seasons with Essex, joins a list of high-profile players, including fast bowler Allan Donald and Jason Gillespie to have joined Zimbabwe cricket recently. Streak is also back as bowling coach. Zimbabwe fans will see these developments as a big positive for a team that has seen a massive dip in fortunes for a team that often gave the big dogs South Africa and Australia a run for their money in one-day internationals in the 90s.

“Having some experience around is vital as we make our way back into international cricket and head towards test cricket, and there’s no doubt Grant still has what it takes,” chief selector and former Zimbabwe captain Alistair Campbell said.

For a team that has seen a rash of debutants and a string of losses over the past six years, fans will certainly hope so .

PHOTO:Zimbabwe’s Grant Flower dives to field the ball during the Tri-Nations limited overs match against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground January 11, 2004. REUTERS/ David Gray   .. more …

As Four Corners confirmed last night, Pakistan cricket is a shambles, and Ijaz Butt, its absentee chief executive, is a dill. Bookmakers have exerted a heavy influence not only on the team but also on Pakistani players appearing in the ICL and elsewhere.

Don’t blame the bookies. It’s what they do, and the unscrupulous will always try to shave the odds. Certainly, they are shadier than most because gambling is illegal in Pakistan, and the betting runs into hundreds of millions, but no one forces players to take part.

Blame the captains of the Test team, for failing to halt the rush of players lining up to fill their pockets. Blame the feeble administration that took a grip on corruption after so many players, local and foreign, were exposed a decade ago and then slowly, inexorably, let it loose, forgot to maintain the cameras and microphones in hotel lifts, forgot about following the money, tracing the calls, stopped urging the army to take charge of it. The generals were the best deterrent. A few months ago, a former Pakistan coach said, “the military know everything. They briefed me when I took up the position. They had bulging files. I was staggered by the extent of it. But then their influence waned.” And old habits returned

Blame the ICC because it has the facts but not the will to act. It’s too hard. Instead paid officials are forced to twiddle their thumbs while the Test nations talk themselves into a stupor of inactivity. Sami ul Hasan, ICC’s genial communications officer, worked in Pakistan cricket in the critical years a decade or two ago but nowadays is ineffective.

Let’s not make the mistake of condemning an entire nation and its people. Pakistan has many faces, gave cricket its finest president, one of its noblest captains and umpteen skilful and sincere cricketers. A recent Twenty20 tournament, staged between teams from the main cities drew a vast audience. All the top players appeared. Right now 14 teams are taking part in the local Shield. Every country needs to be seen in the round. Pakistan cricket has been betrayed by the people it trusted most, its officials and captains. Sensible supporters, those not joining the nationalistic frenzy are angrier than anyone else because they’ve been let down more than anyone else. Pakistan is the sixth-largest nation in the world, and a priceless asset. It’s worth attacking the cancer.

Why Pakistan? Jinnah did not live long enough to establish proper institutions. India and South Africa were lucky with their first leaders. Zimbabwe has been ruined by its egoistical, cruel and greedy liberator. Pakistan needed Jinnah to live another five years so democracy and modernism could be established. Instead he was taken, and ever since the country has been a battleground.

Inevitably, cricket has been affected. As governments change so the cricket administration changes, and often selectors and captains as well. Recently, it went from tolerable to abysmal, as Ijaz Butt was elevated to the foremost position in the game.

Butt is an idiot and ought to have been sacked after accusing England of throwing a game. That he apparently had not a whiff of evidence did not appear to bother him, or his High Commissioner. Cricket deserves better of Pakistan, a nation it is bending over backwards to help.

Pakistan deserves better from its players. Some of the supposed giants of yesteryear were outed years ago. The senior judge reported that the team had been torn apart by factions run by rival bookies. He insisted that the main culprits be banished. But they were heroes in a nation short of them. Self-delusion and paranoia are rife. India was accused of organising the sting to embarrass its neighbour. Cricketers were recently surprised to be informed that Abdul Qadir had invented the googly. As Rameez Raja pointed out, the events surrounding the Lord’s Test presented an opportunity. Three players have been with their hands in the pie. At last an opening. Instead ranks closed.

Now those who truly care about Pakistan cricket need to get angry and involved. Stop giving plum jobs to the shysters of yesteryear, sack all those involved in nefarious activities. Some progress has been made. A monitoring body has been set up. Butt has been isolated. ICC has sent a team of advisers. But absurdity is not finished with us yet. Peter Chingoka, Zimbabwe’s long-standing chairman, has been put in charge of the clean-up operation. Sweet dreams.   .. more …

London, Oct. 29 (ANI): Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan has ramped up the pressure on England by claiming there will be “no excuses” should they fail to return from Australia with the Ashes.

Australia has just suffered a 2-0 series loss against India, slipping to an all-time low of fifth in the latest ICC Test rankings.

England begin an Ashes series ranked above their arch-rivals for the first time and former England skipper Vaughan believes that is a bittersweet statistic for current captain Andrew Strauss.

“For him (Strauss) personally, this is his golden chance to put himself up there with the great captains in cricket history,” The Sun quoted Vaughan, as saying. “This could be his time to stamp an indelible mark on the English game.I will be very disappointed if they do not come back with the Ashes. There are no excuses. They have left no stone unturned.”

Vaughan believes Strauss’ role in the dressing room is the key to success.

“Man for man, Strauss has got to make England believe that they are better than Australia,” he continued. “Success will come down to whether England can handle the pressure and make Australia start doubting themselves on home soil,” he said.   .. more …

Sport – Cricket   

Arthur’s shocking revelation

Johannesburg: Former South Africa cricket coach Mickey Arthur has made a shock revelation that he suspected match-fixing when Pakistan lost a one-dayer against his side in Lahore in 2007.

Arthur went public with his revelation when Pakistan and South Africa have just started a One-Day International series in Abu Dhabi. Arthur’s revelation can be found in his soon-to-be released biography ‘Taking The Mickey’ but he spoke about it in an interview with South African website Sport24.

Talking about the 2007 series, which South Africa won 3-2, Arthur said they suspected match-fixing when Pakistan lost decisive ODI from an advantageous position. “There was a strong suspicion of match-fixing and it took some of the gloss off the series win,” Arthur said.

“We did not have any proof, but when you have been involved in the game long enough, you know when something is not right. How else do you explain a batting side needing only 40 runs with seven wickets in hand, and then losing?,” he added.

Chasing 234 to win, Pakistan was positioned comfortably at 149 for two but went on to lose the match and the series.

Arthur’s comments have come at a time when three Pakistan cricketers have been suspended by the ICC on spot-fixing allegations.

Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were suspended after a British tabloid claimed that they took bribes to bowl deliberately no-balls in the Lord’s Test.

Easy win

Arthur also predicted easy win for South Africa in the ODI series against Pakistan.

“Pakistan are at an absolute low and I can’t see us having any trouble beating them. Our real test will come when we play against India at home at the end of the year,” he said. – PTI

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