Cricket Encyclopedia Blog: February 2008

Zimbabwe national cricket team

Zimbabwe national cricket team
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v • d • e
Zimbabwe
Flag of Zimbabwe

Flag of Zimbabwe
Test status granted 1992
First Test match v India at Harare Sports Club, Harare, 18-22nd October 1992
Captain Prosper Utseya
Coach Robin Brown
Official ICC Test and ODI ranking N/A (Test)
11th (ODI) [1],[2]
Test matches
- this year 83
0
Last Test match v India at Harare Sports Club, Harare, 20-22nd September 2005in Adelaide at Adelaide oval
Wins/losses
- this year 8/49
0/0
As of 19th January 2008

The Zimbabwean cricket team is a national cricket team representing Zimbabwe. It is administrated by Zimbabwe Cricket (formerly known as the Zimbabwe Cricket Union or ZCU).

Zimbabwe is a full member of the International Cricket Council (I.C.C.) with Test and One Day International status, although it is currently inactive in Tests (see below).
Contents
[hide]

* 1 History
o 1.1 Before Test status
o 1.2 Test status
o 1.3 1990s
o 1.4 The 2003 World Cup
o 1.5 The Streak affair
o 1.6 Self-imposed international suspension
o 1.7 2007 Cricket World Cup
o 1.8 Twenty20 World Championship
o 1.9 2007-8 season
o 1.10 Future
* 2 Current Squad
* 3 Notable players
* 4 Tournament History
o 4.1 World Cup
o 4.2 ICC Champions Trophy
o 4.3 ICC Knockout
o 4.4 Commonwealth Games
o 4.5 ICC Trophy
* 5 See also
* 6 References

[edit] History

[edit] Before Test status

Main article: History of cricket in Rhodesia and Zimbabwe to 1992

In common with all the other full members of the I.C.C., Zimbabwe had a cricket team before it achieved Test status.

A brief summary of key moments:

* Rhodesia was represented in the South African tournament, the Currie Cup, between the wars, and then again from 1946.
* Following independence in 1980, the country began to play more international cricket.
* On July 21, 1981 Zimbabwe was elected an associate member of the ICC.
* Zimbabwe then participated in the 1983 cricket World Cup, as well as the 1987 and 1992 events.

[edit] Test status

Zimbabwe played its first Test match in 1992 (against India at Harare resulting in a draw), becoming the ninth Test nation.

Zimbabwe's early Test performances were consistently weak, leading to many suggestions that they were undeserving of that status. In the one-day arena, however, the team soon became competitive, if not particularly strong. In particular, world respect was gained for their fielding ability.

[edit] 1990s

In spite of his team's difficulties, wicket-keeper/batsman Andy Flower was at one point rated the best batsman in world cricket. During this era, Zimbabwe also produced such cricketers as Flower's brother Grant, allrounder (and later national captain) Heath Streak and professional chicken farmer Eddo Brandes, who achieved considerable fame as a bowler. Murray Goodwin was also a world-class batsman; following his retirement from international cricket, he has scored heavily for Sussex. Sometime captain and middle order batsman Alistair Campbell, leg-spinning all rounder Paul Strang, and pace bowler/opener Neil Johnson were other important contributors for Zimbabwe on the world stage at this time.

With the appearance of some quality players, a breakthrough was achieved in levels of performance in the late 1990s. Unfortunately, the political situation in Zimbabwe declined at around the same time, with corresponding implications for the national cricket team.

[edit] The 2003 World Cup

Increasing politicization of cricket, including selectorial policy, along with the declining situation in Zimbabwe disrupted the 2003 cricket World Cup, which was jointly hosted by Zimbabwe and South Africa.

England forfeited a match scheduled to be played in Zimbabwe, risking their own progress through the competition, citing "security concerns" as their reason.

Zimbabwean players Andy Flower and fast bowler Henry Olonga wore black armbands, for "mourning the death of democracy" in Zimbabwe. Both were immediately dismissed from the team and applied for political asylum overseas. This public political protest caused considerable embarrassment to the co-hosts and disrupted team harmony.

Since the 2003 World Cup, with a succession of Zimbabwe's best players ending their international careers early, a new side began to develop, featuring the likes of Travis Friend, Andy Blignaut, Craig Wishart, Ray Price, Sean Ervine, Mark Vermeulen, Doug Marillier, and Barney Rogers. Whilst not of the same calibre of Streak, Goodwin, and the Flower brothers, this new breed of predominatly multi-disciplined players formed a solid backbone to a competitive, if usually unsuccessful, side.

In late 2003, Zimbabwe toured Australia in a two-match series. The series was more memorable for Australian opener Matthew Hayden's innings in the first Test - in which he overcame a back strain to score a then record 380 runs - than for the Zimbabwean performance.

[edit] The Streak affair

In 2004, captain Heath Streak was sacked by the ZCU, prompting a walkout by 14 other players in protest against political influence in the team's management and selection policies. A scheduled tour by Sri Lanka went ahead, however this was a lopsided affair, with Zimbabwe represented by fringe players who had not reached international standards yet.

Because of this, the ZCU accepted that Zimbabwe were to play no further Test cricket in 2004, though its status as a Test nation was unaffected.

In early 2005, Heath Streak was reinstated into the national side, but the political situation in Zimbabwe involving Operation Murambatsvina disrupted the Zimbabwean team. During overseas tours, the players were often said to be buying necessities which were unavailable - or prohibitively expensive - at home, as opposed to the souvenirs which other touring teams would purchase.

In 2005 an agreement was signed which led to the return of many of the rebels to the Zimbabwe side. However, results failed to improve as in March Zimbabwe lost both their Tests on tour against South Africa by an innings. Worse was to follow in August, when they were crushed on home soil by New Zealand, in a match that was completed in just two days, instead of the usual five. In the process, Zimbabwe were humiliated; they became only the second side in Test history (after India in 1952) to be bowled out twice in the space of one day.

By November 2005, the players were once again in dispute with Zimbabwe Cricket over political interference in the management of the game as well as contract negotiations, and the new captain, Tatenda Taibu, resigned from international cricket.

By January 2006, 37 Zimbabwean cricketers had failed to receive any offer of renegotiation talks from Zimbabwe Cricket after their contracts with the board had expired. This body of players demanded that the chairman and managing director of Zimbabwe cricket, Peter Chingoka and Ozias Bvute, be removed from office for there to be any hope for the players to return to the international stage.

On January 6, 2006, the Sports and Recreation Commission, a division of the Zimbabwean government, took over the offices of Zimbabwe Cricket. The apparent takeover has resulted in the firing of all whites and Asians among the board directors, because of "their racial connotations and saving their own agendas and not government policy" according to Gibson Mashingaidze, an army brigadier and chairman of the government's Sports and Recreation Commission.

An interim board was appointed as the new leading party of cricket in Zimbabwe, with Peter Chingoka appointed as the committee's head. Given Chingoka's close ties to Bvute, it is likely that the latter will continue in his post as well.

[edit] Self-imposed international suspension

On 18 January 2006, Zimbabwe Cricket announced that they were suspending the playing of Test cricket for the rest of the year[1]. Zimbabwe's coach Kevin Curran has said that Zimbabwe are aiming to play their next Test against the West Indies in November 2007[2]. It is currently felt by observers that the Zimbabwean national team is not of sufficient Test standard, and that competing against Full Member sides would do little to improve standards, given the likely one-sided nature of the games. Bangladesh, for a long time seen as the 'whipping boys' of Test cricket, recorded their first win against Zimbabwe, and are now generally regarded as being of a superior standard.

Domestically, the Logan Cup - Zimbabwe's first class competition played amongst the provinces - was cancelled in 2006 for the first time since its inception over a century ago (though the Cup was not played during some of the years of the World Wars). This was widely seen as due to concern by ZC that the standard of play would be so poor as to be both not worthwhile and potentially harmful to the external image of cricket in Zimbabwe. The one-day trophy, the Faithwear Cup, was contested, and drew complaints from observers that the quality was less than club level. As well as player exodus, the main reason for this catastrophic fall in standards was put down to wrangling within Zimbabwe Cricket, where internal politics motivated the removal of the historic provinces and their replacement with revamped, newly-designated provincial teams.

In a further harmful incident, ex-player Mark Vermeulen was arrested after attempting to burn down ZC's offices, and successfully destroying the Zimbabwe Cricket Academy's premises. In a nation in increasing social and economic turmoil, such facilities are hard to replace, and their loss has proven difficult to manage for a cricket administration already short of top quality facilities.

The ICC has give no support for Zimbabwe to return to full Test status until they can perform consistently at that level and compete competitively at international level.

[edit] 2007 Cricket World Cup

In the period coming up to the 2007 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies, and to stop a similar exodus of players after the 2003 World Cup, the selected players were asked to sign a new contract. The players were summoned to meet Ozias Bvute, Zimbabwe Cricket's managing director, a week or so before they were due to set off and given an ultimatum - sign the contract on offer or be removed from the squad. It is understood that they were not allowed to take advice and were told they had to make the decision there and then.

One player told his team-mates that there were certain things contained in the contracts that needed clarification. He was summoned back into Bvute's office and warned that it was a take-it-or-leave -it offer: this player was later revealed to be Anthony Ireland[3]. Another said that when he told Bvute he wanted to consult with friends, Bvute picked up the phone and called Kenyon Ziehl, the head of selection, and told him he wanted the player replaced in the squad. Unsurprisingly, the player backed down and signed.

In light of the poor state of Zimbabwe's finances, and that Zimbabwe Cricket had to borrow around US$1 million in early 2007 pending receipt of monies from the World Cup to help them over an ongoing cash crisis; the board agreed to pay match fee's in US Dollars. The players are being paid US$2000 per appearance and a series of US$500 bonuses based on wickets taken and fifties scored. The maximum payment was believed to be capped at around US$8000. However, fee's will not be paid until June 2007 to stop the exodus and help cash flow[4]

The spectre of continued problems with the ZC board has influenced some players to cut their losses and seek to finish their careers abroad: Ireland accepted a contract to play for Gloucestershire during 2007, while opener Vusi Sibanda also left. More are thought to be considering following suit.

[edit] Twenty20 World Championship

Zimbabwe upset Australia in its opening match of the Twenty20 World Championship in Cape Town, defeating them by 5 wickets. Brendan Taylor led the way for Zimbabwe, with first class wicket keeping (a catch, stumping and run out) and a crucial unbeaten 60 from 45 deliveries. He was man of the match. They then lost to England by 50 runs, meaning they exited the tournament at the first stage due to their net run rate being inferior to both Australia and England after Australia beat England in the other group game.

[edit] 2007-8 season

There was more encouraging news in October 2007, when it was announced that Zimbabwe would compete in all three domestic competitions in South Africa as part of Cricket South Africa's attempts to improve the standard of cricket in Zimbabwe. [3] However, their participation in the above competitions was thrown into doubt when the plans were postponed pending a Cricket South Africa board meeting.[5] A compromise was reached in late November, meaning Zimbabwe will take part in the MTN Domestic Championship and the Standard Bank Pro 20 Series, but not the SuperSport Series as originally planned.[6] Instead, they played three first-class four-day games against a South African Composite XI made up of franchise and provincial players. The three games, in Paarl, Potchefstroom, and Kimberley were all won by Zimbabwe.[7]

In between those games, they played a five match One Day International series against the West Indies, scoring an upset win in the opening match[8] before losing the series 3-1. The final match was abandoned due to rain.[9]

[edit] Future

The immediate future does not look too promising for the Zimbabwean cricket team. The effects of the player exodus can be seen in repeatedly poor on-field performances, which have been perpetuated by the failure of domestic cricket to provide sufficient quality replacements. Whilst the likes of Streak, Ervine, Price, Goodwin, the Flower brothers, Friend, and Johnson have been awarded first-class contracts abroad, it is highly unlikely that many of the players remaining in the national side could do so, such is the gap in ability. Even ex-skipper Tatenda Taibu, a rock for the new Zimbabwe before being forced out, failed to find a first class club. In the aftermath of the 2007 World Cup, opener Vusi Sibanda and seamer Anthony Ireland both announced their departures, as rows over player contracts and representation rumbled on.

On the bright side, however, with most of the squad now aged about 20-23 years there is a good chance that by the 2011 Cricket World Cup, the team will be of reasonable strength, providing that they continue to have exposure at international level and there are no further player retirements. The batting of Sean Williams and off-spin of captain Prosper Utseya have stood up well to international-class scrutiny, while Brendan Taylor has shown promise as a reliable wicketkeeper-batsman. Terry Duffin and Hamilton Masakadza are two young players who have demonstrated their fine potential at different stages, whilst quick bowler Ed Rainsford is developing into a serious new ball threat. Whilst Zimbabwean resources are not as great as their international rivals', this group of players represents a starting point from which a revival can be staged.

The national team's eventual re-introduction to Test matches will give some clue as to the strength of Zimbabwe cricket in relation to the rest of the world. Most commentators predict that results, at least initially, will be poor at best, so more emphasis will be placed on individual performances, team-building, fielding, and squad cohesion than on winning matches. Realistically, it will take a long time for Zimbabwe cricket to recover from its current state to a level of respectable competitiveness, last achieved during the late 1990s/early 2000s.

[edit] Current Squad

Current Squad with ODI shirt numbers in brackets (where applicable)

* 01 Brendan Taylor (wk)
* 03 Hamilton Masakadza
* 04 Graeme Cremer
* 05 Piet Rinke
* 07 Ryan Higgins
* 10 Friday Kasteni
* 11 Tafadzwa Mufambisi
* 12 Gary Brent
* 13 Gregory Strydom
* 14 Sean Williams
* 17 Keith Dabengwa
* 21 Mluleki Nkala
* 23 Edward Rainsford
* 26 Vusi Sibanda
* 28 Christopher Mpofu
* 33 Chamu Chibhabha
* 44 Tatenda Taibu
* 45 Stuart Matsikenyeri
* 47 Elton Chigumbura
* 52 Prosper Utseya (C)
* 53 Tawanda Mupariwa
* 55 Alester Maregwede
* 58 Johnson Marumisa
* 65 Timycen Maruma
* 72 Terry Duffin
* 74 Charles Coventry
* 88 Anthony Ireland - (retired after the 2007 World Cup[10])
* 90 Blessing Mahwire
* 98 Tafadzwa Kamungozi
* N/A Regis Chakabva
* N/A Tendai Chisoro
* N/A Trevor Garwe
* N/A Tinashe Hove
* N/A Tino Mawoyo
* N/A Keegan Meth
* N/A Ray Price
* N/A Prosper Tsvanhu

[edit] Notable players

Players are included here because of outstanding achievement or other prominence / notoriety. For a fuller list of Zimbabwean cricketers, see Category:Zimbabwean cricketers

* Eddo Brandes (chicken farmer who stunned England with a hat-trick in 1997)
* Alistair Campbell (former captain and opening batsman)
* Kevin Curran (former coach)
* Andy Flower (quality wicket-keeper batsman and black arm-band demonstrator. Once ranked as top batsman in Test cricket. Former captain)
* Grant Flower
* David Houghton
* Anthony Ireland - retired post 2007 Cricket World Cup[11]
* Neil Johnson
* Murray Goodwin
* Henry Olonga (quick bowler, musician and black arm-band demonstrator)
* Heath Streak (former captain and leading wicket taker for Zimbabwe in both forms)
* Tatenda Taibu (regarded as one of Zimbabwe's few current international class players. First black captain)
* Brendan Taylor (current wicket-keeper batsman)
* John Traicos (spin bowler who broke records for longevity of Test career)
* Guy Whittall

[edit] Tournament History

[edit] World Cup

* 1975: Not eligible - not an ICC member
* 1979: Not eligible - not an ICC member
* 1983: First round
* 1987: First round
* 1992: 9th place
* 1996: First round
* 1999: 5th place
* 2003: 6th place
* 2007: First round

[edit] ICC Champions Trophy

* 2002: First round
* 2004: First round
* 2006: 10th place

[edit] ICC Knockout

* 1998: First round
* 2000: Quarter Finals

[edit] Commonwealth Games

* 1998: First round

[edit] ICC Trophy

* 1979: Not eligible - not an ICC member
* 1982: Won
* 1986: Won
* 1990: Won
* 1994 onwards: Not eligible - ICC Full member

[edit] See also

* Zimbabwean women's cricket team

[edit] References

1. ^ BBC SPORT | Cricket | International Teams | Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe revokes 2006 Test status
2. ^ Cricinfo - Zimbabwe target 2007 Test return
3. ^ Cricinfo - Ireland: 'I cannot work with such people'
4. ^ Cricinfo - Alarmed Zimbabwe look to prevent player exodus
5. ^ http://www.cricketworld.com/zimbabwe/article/?aid=13686
6. ^ Zimbabwe's Place In SA Franchise Cricket Confirmed, Cricket World, Retrieved on November 21, 2007
7. ^ Cricket World. "Utseya Leads Zimbabwe To Challenge Clean Sweep", Cricket World, January 06, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-06.
8. ^ Cricket World. "Chanderpaul Ton In Vain As Zimbabwe Open With Win", Cricket World, November 30, 2007. Retrieved on 2008-01-06.
9. ^ Cricket World. "Last Zimbabwe-West Indies One-Dayer Abandoned", Cricket World, December 9, 2007. Retrieved on 2008-01-06.
10. ^ BBC SPORT | Cricket | Counties | Gloucestershire | Gloucestershire sign Zimbabwe ace
11. ^ BBC SPORT | Cricket | Counties | Gloucestershire | Gloucestershire sign Zimbabwe ace

West Indies cricket team

West Indies cricket team

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
v • d • e
West Indies
Test status granted 1928
First Test match v England at Lord's, London, 23-26th June 1928
Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan
Coach John Dyson
Official ICC Test and ODI ranking 8th (Test), 8th (ODI) [1],[2]
Test matches
- this year 443
2
Last Test match v South Africa at Kingsmead, Durban, 10-12th January 2008in Adelaide at Adelaide oval
Wins/losses
- this year 150/143
0/2
As of 19th January 2008
Learie Constantine was one of the first great West Indian players. He played Test cricket in the 1920s and 1930s. He later became active in politics, was the first High Commissioner from Trinidad and Tobago to the UK, and entered the House of Lords as Baron Constantine of Maraval and Nelson.
Learie Constantine was one of the first great West Indian players. He played Test cricket in the 1920s and 1930s. He later became active in politics, was the first High Commissioner from Trinidad and Tobago to the UK, and entered the House of Lords as Baron Constantine of Maraval and Nelson.

The West Indian cricket team, also known colloquially as The Windies or The West Indies, is a multi-national cricket team representing a sporting confederation of a dozen English-speaking Caribbean countries and British dependencies that form the British West Indies.

As of December 2007, the West Indian team has played 441 Test matches, winning 34.01%, losing 31.97% and drawing 33.78% of its games.[1]
Contents
[hide]

* 1 History
* 2 Flag
* 3 Stadia
* 4 Colours
* 5 West Indian women's cricket team
* 6 Statistics and records
o 6.1 Test matches
o 6.2 One day matches
o 6.3 Twenty20 matches
* 7 Current squad
o 7.1 Support staff
* 8 Famous players
* 9 Captains of the Test side
* 10 Tournament history and honours
o 10.1 World Cup
o 10.2 ICC Champions Trophy
o 10.3 World Championship of Cricket
* 11 See also
* 12 Notes and references
* 13 External links

[edit] History

Main article: History of the West Indian cricket team

The history of the West Indies cricket team begins in the 1890s, when the first representative sides were selected to play visiting English sides. Administered by the West Indies Cricket Board ("WICB"),[2] and known colloquially as The Windies, the West Indies cricket team represents a sporting confederation of English-speaking Caribbean countries.

The WICB joined the sport's international ruling body, the Imperial Cricket Council, in 1926,[3] and played their first official international match, granted Test status, in 1928.[4] Although blessed with some great players in their early days as a Test nation, their successes remained sporadic until the 1960s, by which time the side had changed from a white-dominated to a black-dominated side. By the 1970s, the West Indies had a side recognised as unofficial world champions, a title they retained throughout the 1980s.[5] During these glory years, the Windies were noted for their four-man fast bowling attack, backed up by some of the best batsmen in the world. The 1980s saw them set a then-record streak of 11 consecutive Test victories in 1984 and inflict two 5–0 "blackwashes" against the old enemy of England. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, however, West Indian cricket declined, largely due to the failure of the West Indian Cricket Board to move the game from an amateur pastime to a professional sport coupled with the general economic decline in West Indian countries, and the team today is struggling to regain its past glory.[6]

In their early days in the 1930s, the side represented the British colonies of the West Indies Federation plus British Guiana. The current side represents the now independent states of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago, the British dependencies of Anguilla, Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands, plus the U.S. Virgin Islands and St. Maarten.[7] National teams also exist for the various different islands, which, as they are all separate countries, very much keep their local identities and support their local favourites. These national teams take part in the West Indian first-class competition, the Carib Beer Cup (earlier known as the Busta Cup, Shell Shield and various other names).[8] It is also common for other international teams to play the island teams for warm-up games before they take on the combined West Indies team.

[edit] Flag
Flag of West Indian Cricket Board
Flag of West Indian Cricket Board

Most cricketing nations use their own national flags for cricketing purposes. However, as the West Indies represent a number of independent and dependent states, there is no natural choice of flag. The WICB has therefore developed an insignia showing a palm tree and cricket stumps on a small sunny island. This insignia, on a maroon background, makes up the West Indian flag. The background sometimes has a white stripe above a green stripe, which is separated by a maroon stripe, passing horizontally through the middle of the background.[9]

[edit] Stadia
George Headley's batting average of 60.83 over 22 Tests played in the 1930s to 1950s, is the third highest average of players who played at least 20 Test innings and have completed their careers. Sir Donald Bradman's 99.94 and Graeme Pollock's 60.97 are higher.
George Headley's batting average of 60.83 over 22 Tests played in the 1930s to 1950s, is the third highest average of players who played at least 20 Test innings and have completed their careers. Sir Donald Bradman's 99.94 and Graeme Pollock's 60.97 are higher.

The following nine stadia have been used for at least one Test match.[10] The number of Tests played at each venue followed by the number of one-day internationals played at that venue is in brackets:

Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados (43/19)

Recognised as the 'Mecca' of West Indies cricket, Kensington Oval hosted the region's first Test match in 1930. It also played host to the first-ever Test triple century, Andy Sandham's 325. It's capacity has been increased from 15,000 to its current 28,000 for the 2007 World Cup. It hosted the World Cup final.

Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad (54/42)

The Queen's Park Oval first hosted a Test match in 1930. It has a capacity of 25,000.

Bourda in Georgetown, Guyana (30/10)

Bourda first hosted a Test match in 1930. It is the only Test ground in South America, and the only one below sea level. It has a capacity of around 22,000.

Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica (41/17)

Sabina Park first hosted a Test match in 1930. The Blue Mountains, which are famed for their coffee, form the backdrop. Sabina Park played host to Garry Sobers' then world-record 365 not out. In 1998 the Test against England was abandoned here on the opening day because the pitch was too dangerous. It has a capacity of 15,000.

Antigua Recreation Ground in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda (20/6)

Antigua Recreation Ground first hosted a Test in 1981. Three Test triple centuries have been scored on this ground: Chris Gayle's 317 in 2005, and Brian Lara's world record scores of 375 in 1994 and 400 not out in 2004. The historic stadium hosted its final international cricket match in June 2006, to make way for the island's new cricket stadium, being constructed 3 miles outside the capital city expected to be completed in time for its hosting of matches for Cricket World Cup 2007.

Arnos Vale Ground in Arnos Vale, Kingstown, St Vincent (1/16)

The Arnos Vale Ground first hosted a Test in 1997.

National Cricket Stadium in St George's, Grenada (1/8)

The National Cricket Stadium first hosted a Test in 2002.

Beausejour Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia (2/7)

The Beausejour Stadium first hosted a Test in 2003. It has a capacity of 12,000. This was the first stadium in the Caribbean to host a day-night cricket match. The match was between the West Indies and Zimbabwe.

Warner Park Stadium in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis (1/1)

The Warner Park Sporting Complex hosted its first one day international on May 23, 2006 and its first test match on 22 June 2006. The stadium has a permanent capacity of 8,000, with provisions for temporary stands to enable the hosting figure to past 10,000.

Three further stadia have been used for one-day internationals,[11] but not Test matches. The number of one-day internationals played at each venue is in brackets:

* Albion Sports Complex in Albion, Berbice, Guyana (5)
* Mindoo Phillip Park in Castries, St Lucia (2)
* The old ground of Queen's Park in St George's, Grenada (1)

In addition the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua and the Providence Stadium in Guyana hosted one-day internationals (including home West Indian ODIs) for the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

[edit] Colours
Viv Richards, who has a Test batting average of 50.23 from 121 matches, captained the West Indies from 1983-84 to 1991, a period throughout which the Windies were the best Test match side in the world.
Viv Richards, who has a Test batting average of 50.23 from 121 matches, captained the West Indies from 1983-84 to 1991, a period throughout which the Windies were the best Test match side in the world.

When playing one-day cricket, the Windies wear a maroon shirt, with grey around the sides. At present the shirt also sports the logo of the West Indian Cricket Board and the name of their sponsors, Digicel. The one-day cap is maroon with the WICB logo on the left of the front, with two yellow stripes separated by a green stripe running vertically on the right of the front.

When playing first-class cricket, in addition to their cricket whites, West Indian fielders sometimes wear a sunhat, which is maroon and has a wide brim. The WICB logo is on the middle of the front of the hat. Helmets are coloured similarly.

During World Series Cricket, colour uniforms were adopted. The initial West Indies uniform was pink. Later, the uniform was changed to maroon to match their test match caps. Grey was also added as as secondary colour. In some of their uniforms grey has been dominant over the traditional maroon.

[edit] West Indian women's cricket team
For more details on this topic, see West Indian women's cricket team.

The West Indian women's cricket team has a much lower profile than the men's team. They played 11 Test matches between 1975-76 and 1979, winning once, losing three times, and drawing the other games. Since then, they have only played one further Test match, a draw game against Pakistan in 2003-04.[12] They also have an infrequent record in one-day internationals. A team from Trinidad and Tobago and a team from Jamaica played in the first women's World Cup in 1973, with both sides faring poorly, finishing fifth and sixth respectively out of a field of seven.[13] The Windies united as a team to play their first ODI in 1979, but thereafter did not play until the 1993 World Cup. The side has never been one of the leading sides in the world, however, with their main success being achieving second place in the International Women's Cricket Council Trophy, a competition for the second tier of women's national cricket teams, in 2003. They finished in fifth place in the most recent World Cup, which was held in 2004-05. Their overall record in one-dayers is to have played 45, won 17, lost 27 with one no result.[14]

Because of the women's side's relatively low profile, there are few well-known names in the game. The most notable is probably Nadine George, a wicket-keeper/batsman, who became the first, and to date only, West Indian woman to score a Test century in Karachi, Pakistan in 2003-04. George is a prominent supporter of sport in the West Indies, and in particular in her native St Lucia, and in 2005 was made an MBE by HRH The Prince of Wales for services to sport.[15]

[edit] Statistics and records

[edit] Test matches

Innings totals above 700

For: 790 for 3 declared against Pakistan in Kingston in 1957-58; 751 for 5 declared against England in St John's in 2003-04; 747 all out against South Africa in St John's in 2004-05
Against: 849 by England in Kingston in 1929-30; 758 for 8 declared by Australia in Kingston in 1954-55

Innings totals below 60

For: 47 against England in Kingston in 2003-04; 51 against Australia in Port of Spain in 1998-99; 53 against Pakistan in Faisalabad in 1986-87; 54 against England at Lord's in 2000
Against: 46 by England in Port of Spain in 1993-94

Triple centuries scored for the Windies

400 not out by Brian Lara against England at St John's in 2003-04; 375 by Brian Lara against England at St John's in 1993-94; 365 not out by Garry Sobers against Pakistan at Kingston in 1957-58; 317 by Chris Gayle against South Africa at St John's in 2004-05; 302 by Lawrence Rowe against England at Bridgetown in 1973-74

Twelve or more wickets taken for the Windies in a Test match

14 for the cost of 149 runs by Michael Holding against England at the Oval in 1976; 13 for 55 by Courtney Walsh against New Zealand in Wellington in 1994-95; 12 for 121 by Andy Roberts against India in Madras in 1974-75

[edit] One day matches

Hat-trick

The first and only ever hat-trick performance was made by Jerome Taylor on October 19, 2006 at Mumbai in an ICC Champions Trophy league match against Australia.[16]..

[edit] Twenty20 matches

The West Indies have played six twenty20 internationals, the first against New Zealand being the first tie to ever take place. The West Indies however lost on a bowl-out.

The second match was played against England at the Brit Oval, and was the West Indies first victory in this format, by 15 runs. They lost the return match, also at the Brit Oval, by five wickets.

Their fourth and fifth matches came in the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa; both were lost as they were beaten by hosts South Africa and Bangladesh.

The West Indies split their seventh and eighth games with South Africa, winning the first by five wickets in December 2007 and falling away on January 18th 2008.

[edit] Current squad
Name Domestic team Playing Role Tests Runs Ave Wkts Ave Ct/St Shirt Numbers
Ramnaresh Sarwan (c) Guyanese Guyana RHB, LB (Middle-order Batsman) 67 4303 38.77 23 46.74 47 53
Dwayne Bravo Trinbagonian Trinidad and Tobago RHB, RMF (All-rounder) 23 1404 34.24 45 43.38 23 47
Shivnarine Chanderpaul Guyanese Guyana LHB, LB (Middle-order Batsman) 104 7182 46.64 8 105.63 44 6
Corey Collymore Barbadian Barbados RHB, RFM (Bowler) 30 197 7.88 93 32.30 6 32
Fidel Edwards Barbadian Barbados RHB, RF (Bowler) 27 136 4.12 72 43.01 4 20
Daren Ganga Trinbagonian Trinidad and Tobago RHB, OB (Opening Batsman) 45 2043 26.19 1 106.00 27 4
Chris Gayle Jamaican Jamaica LHB, OB (Opening Batsman) 68 4479 38.28 59 39.59 69 45
Sylvester Joseph Leeward Islands Leeward Islands LHB, OB (Middle-order Batsman) 5 147 14.70 N/A N/A 3 13
Runako Morton Leeward Islands Leeward Islands RHB, OB (Middle-order Batsman) 10 381 23.81 N/A N/A 13 37
Daren Powell Jamaican Jamaica RHB, RFM (Bowler) 22 216 6.55 56 43.63 1 39
Denesh Ramdin Trinbagonian Trinidad and Tobago RHB, W/K (Wicket-Keeper/Batsman) 19 704 24.28 N/A N/A 49/2 80
Ravi Rampaul Trinbagonian Trinidad and Tobago LHB, RFM (Bowler) 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 14
Darren Sammy St Lucia Windward Islands RHB, RMF (All-rounder) 1 26 13.00 8 12.25 1 88
Devon Smith Windward Islander Windward Islands LHB, OB (Opening Batsman) 20 884 24.56 N/A N/A 17 28
Jerome Taylor Jamaican Jamaica RHB, RF (Bowler) 13 164 9.65 35 39.69 1 75

[edit] Support staff

* Team manager: Mike Findlay
* Head Coach: John Dyson
* Assistant Coach: Henderson Springer
* Physiotherapist: Stephen Partridge
* Strength & Conditioning Coach: Richard Smith
* Performance Enhancment Consultant: David Scott
* Media Liaison Officer: Imran Khan
* Last Captain: Brian Lara

[edit] Famous players

See also: List of West Indian Test cricketers and List of West Indian ODI cricketers

A list of the most notable players, by decade in which they first represented the West Indies, is below:

* 1920s: Learie Constantine
* 1930s: George Headley, Manny Martindale
* 1940s: Clyde Walcott, Everton Weekes, Frank Worrell (collectively known as the Three W's)
* 1950s: Basil Butcher, Lance Gibbs, Wes Hall, Conrad Hunte, Rohan Kanhai, Sonny Ramadhin, Garry Sobers, Alfred Valentine
* 1960s: Charlie Griffith, Vanburn Holder, Clive Lloyd, Seymour Nurse
* 1970s: Colin Croft, Joel Garner, Larry Gomes, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Michael Holding, Roy Fredericks, Alvin Kallicharran, Malcolm Marshall, Viv Richards, Andy Roberts.
* 1980s: Curtly Ambrose, Ian Bishop, Jeff Dujon, Carl Hooper, Richie Richardson, Courtney Walsh
* 1990s: Jimmy Adams, Ridley Jacobs, Brian Lara,Shivnarine Chanderpaul
* 2000s: Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle and Corey Collymore

[edit] Captains of the Test side

See also: West Indian national cricket captains

The following men have captained the West Indian cricket team in at least one Test match:
Courtney Walsh, who captained the Windies between 1993-94 and 1997-98.
Courtney Walsh, who captained the Windies between 1993-94 and 1997-98.
West Indian Test match captains
Number Name Period
1 Karl Nunes 1928-1929/30
2 Teddy Hoad 1929/30
3 Nelson Betancourt 1929/30
4 Maurice Fernandes 1929/30
5 Jackie Grant1 1930/31-1934/35
6 Rolph Grant1 1939
7 George Headley 1947/48
8 Gerry Gomez 1947/48
9 John Goddard 1947/48-1951/52, 1957
10 Jeffrey Stollmeyer 1951/52-1954/55
11 Denis Atkinson 1954/55-1955/56
12 Gerry Alexander 1957/58-1959/60
13 Frank Worrell 1960/61-1963
14 Garfield Sobers 1964/65-1971/72
15 Rohan Kanhai 1972/73-1973/74
16 Clive Lloyd 1974/75-1977/78, 1979/80-1984/85
17 Alvin Kallicharran 1977/78-1978/79
18 Deryck Murray 1979/80
19 Viv Richards 1980, 1983/84-1991
20 Gordon Greenidge 1987/88
21 Desmond Haynes 1989/90-1990/91
22 Richie Richardson 1991/92-1995
23 Courtney Walsh 1993/94-1997/98
24 Brian Lara 1996/97-1999/2000, 2002/03-2004, 2006-2007
25 Jimmy Adams 1999/2000-2000/01
26 Carl Hooper 2000/01-2002/03
27 Ridley Jacobs 2002/03
28 Shivnarine Chanderpaul 2004/05-2005/06
29 Ramnaresh Sarwan 2007-incumbent
30 Chris Gayle 2007

Note: 1 Jackie and Rolph Grant were brothers

[edit] Tournament history and honours

[edit] World Cup

(this is the leading international one-day tournament, held approximately every four years since 1975)

* 1975: Champions
* 1979: Champions
* 1983: Runners up
* 1987: First round
* 1992: First round (6th place)
* 1996: Semi Finals
* 1999: First round
* 2003: First round
* 2007: Super Eight stage (6th place)

[edit] ICC Champions Trophy

(this is the only other one-day tournament featuring all the top international cricket teams, held every two years since 1998; known as the "ICC Knockout" in 1998 and 2000)

* 1998: Runners up
* 2000: First round
* 2002: First round
* 2004: Champions
* 2006: Runners up

[edit] World Championship of Cricket

* 1985: Third place

[edit] See also

* West Indies Cricket Board
* West Indies women's cricket team
* West Indies A cricket team

Cricket Portal

[edit] Notes and references

1. ^ Cricinfo Test Team Records page retrieved on December 29, 2007
2. ^ See, for example, the official website of the West Indies Cricket Board (http://www.windiescricket.com/ )
3. ^ See CricketArchive, for example, for a reference to when Test status was acquired
4. ^ #See, for example, 75 Years of West Indies Cricket 1928-2003 by Ray Goble and Keith AP Sandiford ISBN 1-870518-78-0, the WICB authorised reference book on cricket in the West Indies. For more information on the first Test played by the Windies, see http://www.cricinfo.com/db/NATIONAL/WI/SERIES/TOURS.html . See also the scorecard of the First Test played by the West Indies.
5. ^ Until June 2001 there was no official ranking of Test nations, with the unofficial epithet of "World champions" being decided by acclaim based on recent results. Although exactly when the West Indies became and ceased to be world champions is therefore disputed - that they were world champions for a prolonged period of time is not
6. ^ The West Indies are currently ranked 8th out of the 10 Test playing nations, and 7th in the one-day international rankings, which likewise only cover the 10 Test playing nations. The current tables can be found on the ICC homepage
7. ^ see note 1 and especially Leeward Islands Cricket Association
8. ^ For the results of domestic competitions see http://www.cricinfo.com or http://www.cricketarchive.com
9. ^ Flags of the World page on the WICB flag
10. ^ See Cricinfo for a list of Test match grounds
11. ^ See CricketArchive for a list of stadia that have hosted home West Indian ODIs
12. ^ CricketArchive has details of the Tests played by the West Indian women's cricket team
13. ^ CricketArchive shows the 1973 women's World Cup table
14. ^ CricketArchive has detailed records of the West Indies women's ODI results
15. ^ See Wikipedia's own article on Nadine George, or Cricinfo's article on George receiving the MBE
16. ^ Cricinfo - Taylor hat-trick sinks Australia

Sri Lanka national cricket tea

Sri Lanka national cricket team

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Go to: navigate by search >>>>>
v • d • e
Sri Lanka
Test status granted 1982
First Test match v England at Pakiasothy Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo, 17-21st February 1982
Captain Mahela Jayawardene
Coach Trevor Bayliss
Official ICC Test and ODI ranking 2nd (Test), 5th (ODI) [1],[2]
Test matches
- this year 175
0
Last Test match v England at Galle International Stadium, Galle, 18-22nd Dec 2007in Adelaide at Adelaide oval
Wins/losses
- this year 51/65
0/0
As of 19th January2008 [3]

The Sri Lankan cricket team is a national cricket team representing Sri Lanka. The team first played international cricket in 1975, and were later awarded Test status in 1981, which made Sri Lanka the eighth Test playing nation. The Sri Lankan team transformed themselves from the underdog status to a major cricketing nation during the 1990s. The team went on to take 1996 Cricket World Cup beating Australia in the finals, and becoming the World Champions. Since then, the team continued as a major force in international cricket, with ups and downs in certain periods. The Sri Lanka team did well to reach the finals of 2007 Cricket World Cup but lost to Australia in a rain affected match to becomes the runners up. The batting of Sanath Jayasuriya & Aravinda de Silva, backed up by the bowling of Muttiah Muralitharan & Chaminda Vaas has largely contributed the success of Sri Lankan cricket during the last 15 years. It is administrated by Sri Lanka Cricket.

As of October 2007, the Sri Lankan team has played 170 Test matches, winning 29.41%, losing 37.05% and drawing 33.52% of its games.[1]
Contents
[hide]

* 1 History of Sri Lankan international cricket
o 1.1 Early years
o 1.2 Test status and beyond
* 2 Tournament History
* 3 Current Squad
* 4 Trivia
* 5 National Records by Sri Lanka (Country Specific)
o 5.1 Batting Records set by Sri Lanka
o 5.2 Bowling Records set by Sri Lanka
* 6 World Cup Records by Sri Lanka
* 7 Miscellaneous information
* 8 See also
* 9 References
* 10 External links

[edit] History of Sri Lankan international cricket

[edit] Early years

Ceylon, as the country was known before 1972, played its first first-class match under that name against MCC at Nomads Ground, Victoria Park, Colombo in 1926-27, losing by an innings. [2] The team's first win came against Patiala at Dhruve Pandove Stadium in 1932-33. [3] The Ceylonese side competed in the M. J. Gopalan Trophy games from the 1950s, through the change of name to Sri Lanka, well into the 1970s.

[edit] Test status and beyond

* Gained Test Status in 1981 and first played a Test Match in 1982
* Won the 1996 Cricket World Cup hosted by India/Sri Lanka/Pakistan
* Semi Finalists in the 2003 Cricket World Cup hosted by South Africa
* Runners up of the 2007 World Cup

Sri Lankan cricket's greatest moment undoubtedly came during the aforementioned 1996 World Cup, when they defeated the top-ranked Australian team in the Final. Sri Lanka's game style over the course of the series revolutionized One Day International Cricket, and was characterized by urber-aggressive batting in the first fifteen overs of the innings in order to take advantage of the fielding restrictions imposed during this period. This strategy has since become a hallmark of One Day International cricket.

Sri Lankan cricket supporters were once again overwhelmed with the team's tremendous performance at the NatWest Series, 2006. Although as a whole it missed its captain Marvan Atapattu and Muttiah Muralitharan; Sanath together with Upul Tharanga, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Russel Arnold, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando and Farveez Maharoof played some fantastic innings. Sri Lanka's performance during the 5-0 whitewash, England's heaviest home defeat in 13 years, was, some sloppy fielding in a couple of games aside, consistently excellent. Sanath Jayasuriya was both the Man of the Match and Man of the Series. They also made the highest score in One Day International Cricket of 443 against The Netherlands in the following series.

[edit] Tournament History
World Cup ICC Champions Trophy Asia Cup Australasia Cup Asian Test Championship Commonwealth Games ICC Trophy

* 1975: First Round
* 1979: First Round
* 1983: First Round
* 1987: First Round
* 1992: Eighth Place
* 1996: Champions
* 1999: First Round
* 2003: Semi Finals
* 2007: Runners Up

* 1998: Semi Finals
* 2000: Quarter Finals
* 2002: Joint winners with India
* 2004: Preliminary Round
* 2006: Main Round

* 1984: Runners up
* 1986: Champions
* 1988: Runners up
* 1990/91: Runners up
* 1995: Runners up
* 1997: Champions
* 2000: Runners up
* 2004: Champions

* 1986: Semi Finals
* 1990: Semi Finals
* 1994: First Round

* 1998/99: Runners up
* 2001/02: Champions

* 1998: Fourth place

* 1979: Champions
* 1982 onwards: Not eligible - Test nation

[edit] Current Squad
Player Name Batting Style Bowling Style Shirt Numbers
Marvan Atapattu - Retired Right-hand bat Legbreak 46
Malinga Bandara Right-hand Bat Legbreak 72
Tillakaratne Dilshan Right-hand Bat Right-arm offbreak 18
Dilhara Fernando Right-hand Bat Right-arm fast 26
Sanath Jayasuriya - Retired from Tests Left-hand bat Slow Left-arm Orthodox 7
Mahela Jayawardene - Captain Right-hand bat Right-arm medium/ Legbreak 27
Prasanna Jayawardene Right-hand bat Wicketkeeper (Usually Tests) 3
Chamara Kapugedera Right-hand bat Right-arm medium 16
Nuwan Kulasekara Right-hand bat Right-arm fast medium 2
Kaushal Lokuarachchi Right-hand bat Legbreak 77
Farveez Maharoof Right-hand bat Right-arm fast medium 28
Lasith Malinga Right-hand bat Right-arm fast 99
Jehan Mubarak Left-Hand Bat Right-arm offbreak 42
Muttiah Muralitharan Right-hand bat Right-arm offbreak 8
Ruchira Perera Left-hand bat Left-arm medium fast 15
Thilan Samaraweera Right-hand bat Right-arm offbreak 96
Kumar Sangakkara Left-hand bat Left-arm offbreak Wicketkeeper (Usually ODI's) 11
Chamara Silva Right-hand bat Legbreak 5
Upul Tharanga Left-hand bat Occasional Wicketkeeper 14
Chaminda Vaas Left-hand bat Left-arm fast medium 22
Michael Vandort Left-hand bat Right-arm medium 19

[edit] Trivia

* Sri Lanka is the only ICC Trophy winning team to have gone on to win the World Cup at a later date.
* Sri Lanka is the only team to have participated in every edition of the Asia Cup.
* Sri Lanka is the only host team to win a World Cup.

[edit] National Records by Sri Lanka (Country Specific)

Records are bold if it is a World Record.

[edit] Batting Records set by Sri Lanka

Test Matches

* Highest team total - 952/6 against India in 1997.

* Highest aggregate of runs- Mahela Jayawardene (7271) in 107 matches at an Average of 51.93

* Most number of matches played - Muttiah Muralitharan (118).

* Most number of matches as captain - Arjuna Ranatunga (56) from 1989 to 1999.

* Highest individual score - 374 by Mahela Jayawardene against South Africa in July 2006.

* Highest partnership - 624 for the third wicket by Kumar Sangakkara (287) & Mahela Jayawardene (374) against South Africa in 2006.

* Most number of centuries- Mahela Jayawardene (21) in 93 matches.

* Most number of half centuries- Arjuna Ranatunga (38) in 93 matches.

* Most number of dismissals(includes wicket-keeping)- Kumar Sangakkara (166 dismissals) in 64 matches.

* Most number of catches - Mahela Jayawardene (113) in 85 matches.

* Highest average (qualification 20 inns.) - Kumar Sangakkara (54.37)

ODI Matches

* Highest team total- 443/9 against Netherlands in July 2006.

* Highest aggregate of runs- Sanath Jayasuriya (12,116) in 398 matches at an average of 33.12.

* Most number of matches played - Sanath Jayasuriya (403).

* Most number of matches as captain - Arjuna Ranatunga (193) from 1988 to 1999.

* Highest individual score - 189 by Sanath Jayasuriya against India in October, 2000.

* Highest partnership - 286 for the first wicket by Sanath Jayasuriya (152) & Upul Tharanga (109) against England in July 2006.

* Most number of centuries - Sanath Jayasuriya (25) in 398 matches.

* Most number of half centuries - Aravinda de Silva and Sanath Jayasuriya (64) in 308 and 397 matches respectively.

* Most number of dismissals(includes wicket-keeping)- Kumar Sangakkara(229 dismissals) in 200 matches.

* Most number of catches - Mahela Jayawardene (118) in 245 matches.

* Highest average (qualification 20 inns.)- Marvan Atapattu (37.57).

* Highest number of sixes in a match - Sanath Jayasuriya (11).

* Highest number of sixes in a career - Sanath Jayasuriya (242).

Twenty20 Matches

* Highest team total - 260/6 against Kenya on 14th September 2007.
* Highest wining margin - 172 runs against Kenya in 14th September 2007.

[edit] Bowling Records set by Sri Lanka

Test Matches

* Most number of wickets - 723 by Muttiah Muralitharan at 21.77 in 118 matches.

* Best individual bowling - 9-51 by Muttiah Muralitharan against Zimbabwe in January 2002.

* Best bowling in a match - 16-220 by Muttiah Muralitharan against England in August 1998.

* Most number of 10 wicket hauls - Muttiah Muralitharan (20).

* Most number of 5 wicket hauls - Muttiah Muralitharan (62).

* Best average - 21.33 by Muttiah Muralitharan.

* Most number of wickets taken bowled - Muttiah Muralitharan (157).

* Most number of wickets taken stumped - Muttiah Muralitharan (41).

ODI Matches

* Most number of wickets - 455 by Muttiah Muralitharan at 22.68 in 297 matches.

* Best individual bowling - 8-19 by Chaminda Vaas against Zimbabwe in December 2001.

* Most number of 5 wicket hauls -Muttiah Muralitharan (8).

* Best Average - 22.68 by Muttiah Muralitharan.

* Only bowler to take 4 wickets in 4 consecutive balls - Lasith Malinga against South Africa in March 2007.

* Only Sri Lankan bowler to have taken two ODI Hatricks in a career - Chaminda Vaas against Zimbabwe in 2001 and Bangladesh in 2003.

* Only bowler to have taken 8 wickets in a ODI - Chaminda Vaas against Zimbabwe in 2001.

[edit] World Cup Records by Sri Lanka

* Highest team total - 398/5 against Kenya in 1996.

* Highest partnership(runs) - 183 for the third wicket by Sanath Jayasuriya(115) and Mahela Jayawardene(82) against West Indies in 2007.

- 183 for the third wicket by Asanka Gurusinha(84) and Aravinda de Silva(145) against Kenya in 1996.

* Most number of runs - Sanath Jayasuriya (1165) in 38 matches.

* Highest individual score - Aravinda de Silva (145) against Kenya in 1996.

* Most number of matches played - Sanath Jayasuriya(38).

* Best individual bowling - 6-25 by Chaminda Vaas against Bangladesh in 2003.

* Most number of dismissals (includes wicket-keeping)- Kumar Sangakkara(32) in 21 matches.

* Most number of wickets - Muttiah Muralitharan (53) in 31 matches.

* World's only bowler to take four wickets in four consecutive balls - Lasith Malinga against South Africa in 2007.

* First Sri Lankan bowler to take a World Cup Hatrick - Chaminda Vaas against Bangladesh in 2003.

* World's only bowler to have taken a World Cup Hat-trick in the first three balls of a match - Chaminda Vaas against Bangladesh in 2003.

[edit] Miscellaneous information

* The world's Highest total in a Test match: 952-6 vs India
* The world's Highest score in a ODI match: 443-9 vs The Netherlands on the 4th of July 2006
* The world's Highest score in a 20-20 match: 260-6 vs Kenya on the 14th of September 2007.
* The world's Fastest ODI half-century was scored by Sanath Jayasuriya (17 balls).

[edit] See also

* Sri Lanka women's cricket team

[edit] References

1. ^ Cricinfo Test Team Records page retrieved on November 3, 2007
2. ^ Ceylon v Marylebone Cricket Club in 1926/27. CricketArchive. Retrieved on 2007-05-06.
3. ^ Patiala v Ceylon in 1932/33. CricketArchive. Retrieved on 2007-05-06.

[edit] External links

* [4]
* Official Home of Sri Lanka Cricket
* Cric Info - Sri Lanka
* SL Cricket - A Forum for Sri Lankan Cricket fans to be

Sri Lanka national cricket tea

South Africa national cricket team

South Africa national cricket team
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
v • d • e
South Africa
Test status granted 1889
First Test match v England at Port Elizabeth, March 1889
Captain Graeme Smith
Coach Mickey Arthur
Official ICC Test and ODI ranking 5th (Test), 2nd (ODI) [1],[2]
Test matches
- this year 220
Last Test match v Pakistan at Newlands, 3rd Test, 26,27,28 January 2007 (5-day match) 2007 Result South Africa won by 5 wickets.in Adelaide at Adelaide oval
Wins/losses
- this year Tests played/win/loss record= 220 / 105 / 115

ODIs played/win/loss record= 366 / 225 / 126
Pro20 played/win/loss record= 5 / 3 / 2
As of 3 Feb 2007

The South African cricket team, also known as The Proteas are a national cricket team representing South Africa. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.

South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status. Between February 18, 2007 and April 7, 2007, South Africa was ranked at the top of the ICC One-Day International rankings.

As of October 2007, the South African team has played 322 Test matches, winning 32.91%, losing 35.71% and drawing 31.36% of its games.[1]
Contents
[hide]

* 1 History
* 2 Tournaments
o 2.1 Tournament history
+ 2.1.1 World Cup
+ 2.1.2 ICC Champions Trophy
+ 2.1.3 ICC Knockout
+ 2.1.4 Commonwealth Games
o 2.2 Current squad
o 2.3 South Africa A Squad
* 3 External links
* 4 See also
* 5 Notes

[edit] History

Cricket in South Africa was established by the British, and the first tour by a side from England took place in 1888-89. Here South Africa played its first Test match (against touring England at Port Elizabeth), becoming the third Test nation.

In 1970, the ICC voted to suspend South Africa from international cricket indefinitely because of its government's policy of apartheid, a policy which led them to play only against the white nations (England, Australia, New Zealand), and field only white players. This excluded one of the brightest sides the cricketing world has ever seen, containing players such as Graeme Pollock. It would also cause the emigration of future stars like Allan Lamb and Robin Smith, who both played for England, and Kepler Wessels, who initially played for Australia, before returning to South Africa.

The ICC reinstated South Africa as a Test nation in 1991 after the deconstruction of apartheid, and the team played its first sanctioned match since 1970 (and its first ever One-Day International) against India in Calcutta on 10 November 1991.

Since South Africa have been reinstated they have achieved mixed success, and hosted the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2003. However, it is widely believed the sides containing the likes of Alan Donald, Shaun Pollock, and Hansie Cronje, grossly underachieved, gaining a reputation as chokers, due to them reaching the semi-finals of the Cricket World Cup three times, but failing to progress into the finals, with Herschelle Gibbs famously dropping Australian captain Steve Waugh in 1999 in a league game. They have also had bad press for choking in vital matches in other important tournaments including the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy and the 2007 ICC World Twenty20.[2]

With Donald retiring, Cronje banned for match-fixing and later killed in a plane crash, and Pollock nearing the end of his career, the team has once again changed shape. Due to a racial quota policy, the side now contains black players, unlike the past, it is currently captained by Graeme Smith, although following injuries to Smith and Jacques Kallis, Ashwell Prince was appointed Test captain on July 12, 2006. At the age of 29, he became the first non-white man to captain the once all-white South African cricket team.

[edit] Tournaments

South Africa has an unfortunate record of failing to win major tournaments. The 1992 cricket World Cup, for example, featured a rain-affected match played before the introduction of the Duckworth-Lewis method. As a result, South Africa was left in the ludicrous situation of requiring 22 runs from one ball in order to progress. At the 1999 Cricket World Cup, South Africa played against Australia in the last Super Six match as well as the knock-out semifinal. Australia defeated the Proteas in the Super Six match and recorded a thrilling tie in the semifinal, which was enough to knock the Africans out of the tournament since Australia had previously beaten them (in the match immediately beforehand). It is in the Super Six match that Steve Waugh is reputed to have told Herschelle Gibbs "Mate, you just dropped the World Cup" when the latter dropped him en route to a match-winning century, a comment which has to the disappointment of many a cricket fan been denied by Waugh himself in interviews. The image of the South Africans following the run-out of their last batsman has become an iconic sporting image, referenced by The Twelfth Man, among others.

South Africa hosted the 2003 Cricket World Cup, but failed to progress beyond the group stage due to a misunderstanding of how many runs they needed to score in a rain-affected run chase. As a result of this, Shaun Pollock resigned as captain and was replaced by young batsman Graeme Smith, although Pollock continued to play for the team. Under Smith's leadership, South Africa has achieved some success, although they have been hampered by the retirements of many star players, including fast bowler Allan Donald and one-day specialist Jonty Rhodes. As a result, they had a poor 2004, only winning against the West Indies.

South Africa became the world's No. 1 ranked side early in 2007 but then failed to deliver once again in the 2007 Cricket World Cup. They had a rollercoaster ride that included dominant wins over England, the West Indies, Ireland, Netherlands and Scotland, and a narrow win over Sri Lanka, but devastating losses to Australia, New Zealand and Bangladesh that cost them the number one ranking. Then they bowed out in the semifinals with their lowest ever score in a World Cup as Australia bowled them out for 149 and won by 7 wickets. South Africa are regarded by many as the best team never to have won the Cricket World Cup.

However, they won the inaugural ICC Champions Trophy in 1998, beating West Indies in the finals, and also won the first and most likely the only Commonwealth Games gold in cricket in the same year. They are currently ranked second in the world in the One-Day International Cricket rankings and are rated in the top five for Test cricket rankings. This is due to a long streak from January to November 2005, in which they were not defeated. They gained the top position in the ODI rankings after Australia's defeat in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series, but lost it during the 2007 World Cup.

They also hold the record of the Largest Successful Run Chase and the Second Highest Team Total in One-Day Internationals (438-9 in 49.5 overs), in an iconic match against Australia on 12 March 2006. This game is considered by many to be the greatest One-Day International ever played.

[edit] Tournament history

[edit] World Cup

For World Cups from 1975 to 1987 inclusive, South Africa were not an ICC member, and therefore ineligible to compete in the tournament.

* 1992: Semi Finals
* 1996: Quarter Finals
* 1999: Semi Finals
* 2003: First round
* 2007: Semi Finals

[edit] ICC Champions Trophy

* 2002: Semi Finals
* 2004: First round
* 2006: Semi Finals

[edit] ICC Knockout

* 1998: Won
* 2000: Semi Finals

[edit] Commonwealth Games

* 1998: Gold medal

[edit] Current squad
AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers
Name Playing Role Shirt Numbers
Graeme Smith (c) Opening Batsmen 15
Hashim Amla Middle-order Batsman N/A
Gulam Bodi Opening Batsmen 69
Loots Bosman Opening Batsmen 20
Johan Botha Offspin Bowler 22
Mark Boucher Wicketkeeper 9
AB de Villiers Opening/Middle-order Batsman 17
Boeta Dippenaar Top-order Batsmen 77
Jean-Paul Duminy Middle-order Batsman 21
Herschelle Gibbs Opening/Middle-order Batsman 5
Paul Harris Left-arm Orthodox Spin Bowler N/A
Jacques Kallis Batting Allrounder 3
Justin Kemp Batting Allrounder 6
Charl Langeveldt Fast Bowler 67
Neil McKenzie Opening/Middle-order Batsmen 44
Albie Morkel Batting Allrounder 81
Morne Morkel Fast Bowler 65
Andre Nel Fast-medium Bowler 89
Makhaya Ntini Opening Bowler 16
Justin Ontong Middle-order Batsmen 23
Robin Peterson Spin Bowler 13
Vernon Philander Bowling Allrounder 24
Shaun Pollock Bowling Allrounder 7
Ashwell Prince Middle-order Batsman 50
Dale Steyn Fast Bowler 32
Roger Telemachus Fast Bowler 37
Thandi Tshabalala Orthodox Spin Bowler 0
Johan van der Wath Bowling Allrounder 29
Morne van Wyk Wicketkeeper 76
Monde Zondeki Fast Bowler 33

[edit] South Africa A Squad
Name Playing Role Numbers
Thandi Tshabalala Orthodox Spin Bowler 0
Thami Tsolekile Wicketkeeper 10
Tyron Henderson Fast Bowler 14
Loots Bosman Opening Batsmen 20
Jean-Paul Duminy Middle-order Batsman 21
Johan Botha Offspin Bowler 22
Justin Ontong Middle-order Batsmen 23
Vernon Philander Bowling Allrounder 24
Jacques Rudolph Middle-order Batsmen 27
Johan van der Wath Bowling Allrounder 29
Alviro Petersen Opening Batsmen 30
Monde Zondeki Fast Bowler 33
Roger Telemachus Fast Bowler 37
Garnett Kruger Fast Bowler 40
Neil McKenzie Opening/Middle-order Batsmen 44
Morne Morkel Fast Bowler 65
Gulam Bodi Opening Batsmen 69
Morne van Wyk Wicketkeeper 76
Albie Morkel Batting Allrounder 81
Hashim Amla Top-order Batsmen N/A
Paul Harris Offspin Bowler N/A
Alfonso Thomas Fast Bwoler N/A
[show]
v • d • e
South African cricket seasons

Pakistan national cricket team

Pakistan national cricket team
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
v • d • e
Pakistan
Test status granted 1952
First Test match v India at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi, 16-18th October 1952
Captain Shoaib Malik[1]
Coach Geoff Lawson[2]
Official ICC Test and ODI ranking 6th (Test), 6th (ODI) [1],[2]
Test matches
- this year 335
0
Last Test match v India at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, 8-12th December 2007in Adelaide at Adelaide oval
Wins/losses
- this year 103/89
4/0
As of 19th January 2008

The Pakistan National Cricket Team is an international cricket team representing Pakistan. It is administrated by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Pakistan is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status.

Before the independence of Pakistan, cricket was played well before the first Pakistan national team was granted test match playing status. Documentation and archives show that during the 18th century, cricket was played on the western side of India and many successful Indian cricketers played for the English cricket team.[3] It was not until July 28, 1952 that Pakistan started playing test match cricket. Their first match took place in Delhi against India on October of the same year. Their first international tour was to England during 1954. Over the half century, Pakistan has become one of the most challenging and unpredictable teams in the world, the team won the 1992 World Cup and were runners up in the 1999 World Cup. The country has produced several world-class bowlers such as Fazal Mahmood, Sarfaraz Nawaz, Imran Khan, Abdul Qadir, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar.[4]

As of October 2007, the Pakistani team has played 332 Test matches, winning 31.02%, losing 26.50% and drawing 42.46% of its games.[5] The team is also ranked sixth in the ICC Test Championship and sixth place in the ICC ODI Championship.[6] On 28 August 2006, Pakistan won its debut Twenty20 International match in England and were runners up in the inaugral ICC World Twenty20 in September 2007.
Contents
[hide]

* 1 History
* 2 Governing body
* 3 Tournament history
* 4 Test cricket grounds
* 5 Pakistan women's cricket team
* 6 Current Squad
* 7 Notable Pakistani cricketers
o 7.1 Batsmen
o 7.2 Bowlers
o 7.3 Reverse swing
* 8 Controversies
* 9 Fan following
* 10 See also
* 11 References
* 12 External links

[edit] History

Main articles: History of the Indian cricket team and History of the Pakistani cricket team

Following the Partition of India in 1947, and the establishment of the separate nation state of Pakistan, cricket in the country developed steadily and Pakistan was given Test Match status at a meeting of the Imperial Cricket Conference at Lord's Cricket Ground on 28 July 1952 following recommendation by India[7], which, being the successor state of the British Raj, did not have to go through such a process.

Pakistan’s first Test match was played in Delhi in October 1952 as part of a five Test series which India won 2-1. Pakistan made their first tour of England in 1954 and drew the series 1-1 after a memorable victory at The Oval in which fast bowler Fazal Mahmood took 12 wickets. Pakistan’s first home Test match was in Dacca in January 1955 against India, after which four more Test matches were played in Bahawalpur, Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi (all five matches in the series were drawn, the first such occurrence in test history[8]).
Pakistan playing against Australia at Lord's.
Pakistan playing against Australia at Lord's.

The team is considered a strong but unpredictable team. Traditionally Pakistani cricket has been filled with players of great talent but limited discipline, making them a team which could play inspirational cricket one day and then perform less than ordinarily another day. Over the years, competitions between India and Pakistan have always been emotionally charged and provide for intriguing contests, as talented teams from both sides of the border elevate their game to new levels to produce high-quality cricket. Pakistani contest with India in the Cricket World Cup have seen packed stadiums and elevated atmospheres no matter where the World Cup has been held.

The 1986 Australasia Cup, played in Sharjah, is remembered as a famous last-ball victory for Pakistan against arch-rivals India, with Javed Miandad emerging as a national hero.[9] India batted first and set a target of 245 runs, leaving Pakistan with a required run rate of 4.92 runs per over. Javed Miandad came in to bat at number 3, and Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals. Later recalling the match, Miandad stated that his main focus was to lose with dignity. With 31 runs needed in the last three overs, Miandad hit a string of boundaries while batting with his team's lower order, until four runs were required from the last delivery of the match. Miandad received a leg side full toss from Chetan Sharma, which he hit for six over the midwicket boundary.[10][9]

At the 1992 World Cup Semi Final, having won the toss New Zealand chose to bat first and ended with a total of 262. Pakistan batted conservatively yet lost wickets at regular intervals. With the departure of Imran Khan and Saleem Malik shortly thereafter, Pakistan still required 115 runs at a rate of 7.67 per over with veteran Javed Miandad being the only known batsman remaining at the crease. A young Inzamam-ul-Haq, who had just turned 22 and was not a well-known player at the time, burst onto the international stage with a match-winning 60 off 37 balls. Once Inzamam got out, Pakistan required 36 from 30 balls, which wicketkeeper Moin Khan ended with a towering six over long off, followed by the winning boundary to midwicket. The match is seen as the emergence of Inzamam onto the international stage.[11][12][13]

The 1992 Cricket World Cup in Australia & New Zealand marked Pakistan's first World Cup victory. It is remembered for the comeback Pakistan made after losing key players such as Waqar Younis and Saeed Anwar, and being led by an injured captain in Imran Khan. Pakistan lost 4 of their first 5 matches and were nearly eliminated in the first round of the tournament after being bowled out for 74 against England, until the match was declared as a "no result" due to rain. Captain Imran Khan famously told the team to play as "cornered tigers", after which Pakistan won five successive matches, including, most famously, the semi-final against hosts New Zealand and the final against England.[14]

The 2007 Cricket World Cup was one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history when Pakistan was knocked out of the competition in a shock defeat to Ireland, who were playing in their first competition. Pakistan, needing to win to qualify for the next stage after losing to the West Indies in their opening match, were put into bat by Ireland on a green pitch. They lost wickets regularly and only 4 batsmen crossed double figures. In the end they were bowled out by the resurgent Irish for 132. The Irish went on to win the match, helped by a knock of 72 from Niall O'Brien. This meant that Pakistan had been knocked out during the first round for the second consecutive World Cup.[15][16][17] Tragedy struck the team when coach Bob Woolmer died one day later on March 18, 2007 in a hospital in Kingston, Jamaica. Jamaican police spokesman, Karl Angell, reported on March 23, 2007 that, "Mr Woolmer's death was due to asphyxiation as a result of manual strangulation", and that, "Mr Woolmer's death is now being treated by the Jamaica police as a case of murder."[18] Subsequent to his team's defeat and the death of Bob Woolmer, Inzamam-ul-Haq announced his resignation as captain of the team and his retirement from one-day cricket, stating that he would continue to take part in Test cricket but not as captain.[19]

On 23 March 2007, Pakistan players and officials were questioned by Jamaican police and submitted DNA samples along with fingerprints, as part of the routine enquiries in the investigation into Woolmer's murder.[20] Three days after leaving the West Indies for Pakistan, via London, the Pakistan team were ruled out as suspects. The deputy commissioner of Jamaican police. Mark Shields, the detective in charge of the investigation, announced, "It's fair to say they are now being treated as witnesses." "I have got no evidence to suggest it was anybody in the squad."[21] A memorial service was held in Sacred Heart Church, Lahore, for Bob Woolmer on 01 April 2007. Among the attendees were Pakistan players and dignitaries, including Inzamam-ul-Haq, who was quoted as saying, "After Woolmer's family, the Pakistan team was the most aggrieved by his death."[22] After the World Cup ended, serious doubts were raised about the investigation, with increasing speculation that Woolmer died of natural causes. This has now been accepted as fact, and the case has been closed.[23]

On 16 July 2007, Geoff Lawson, previously head coach of New South Wales, was appointed coach of the Pakistan for two years, becoming the third foreigner to take on the role.[2] In the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, Pakistan exceeded expectations to reach the final but ended as runners-up, after losing the final to India in a nail-biting finish.

[edit] Governing body

Main article: Pakistan Cricket Board

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is responsible for all first class and Test cricket played in Pakistan and by the Pakistan cricket team. It was admitted to the International Cricket Council in July 1953. The corporation has been run by former cricketers, professional administrators and trustees, who are often respected businessmen. The Board governs a network of teams sponsored by corporations and banks, city associations and clubs including advertising, broadcasting rights and internet partners.[24]

After taking heavy flak for corruption and match fixing, the PCB re-emerged by taking the initiative to sponsor the wildly successful 2004 tour of Pakistan by arch rivals India. The PCB's experiment with the Twenty20 cricket model has also proven popular and hopes to similarly revive popular interest in domestic games. The PCB also set up major domestic competitions such as the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, and the ANZ Trophy.[25]

[edit] Tournament history
World Cup Champions Trophy Asia Cup Australasia Cup Asian Test Championship Commonwealth Games World Twenty20

* 1975: First Round
* 1979: Semi Finals
* 1983: Semi Finals
* 1987: Semi Finals
* 1992: Champions
* 1996: Quarter Finals
* 1999: Runners Up
* 2003: First round
* 2007: First round

* 1998: Quarter Finals
* 2000: Semi Finals
* 2002: First round
* 2004: Semi Finals
* 2006: First round

* 1984: Third Place
* 1986: Runners Up
* 1988: Third Place
* 1990-91: Did not participate
* 1995: Third Place
* 1997: Third Place
* 2000: Champions
* 2004: Third Place

* 1986: Champions
* 1990: Champions
* 1994: Champions

* 1998-99: Champions
* 2001-02: Runners Up

* 1998: First Round

* 2007: Runners Up

[edit] Test cricket grounds
Stadium City Test matches ODI matches
National Stadium Karachi 40 32
Gaddafi Stadium Lahore 38 49
Iqbal Stadium Faisalabad 24 12
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Rawalpindi 8 21
Arbab Niaz Stadium Peshawar 6 15
Multan Cricket Stadium Multan 5 4
Niaz Stadium Hyderabad 5 6
Jinnah Stadium (Sialkot) Sialkot 4 9
Bagh-e-Jinnah (Lahore) Lahore 3 0
Sheikhupura Stadium Sheikhupura 2 1
Jinnah Stadium Gujranwala 1 11
Ibn-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium Multan 1 6
Pindi Club Ground Rawalpindi 1 2
Defence Housing Authority Stadium Karachi 1 0
Zafar Ali Stadium Sahiwal 0 2
Ayub National Stadium Quetta 0 2
Sargodha Stadium Sargodha 0 1
Bugti Stadium Quetta 0 1

[edit] Pakistan women's cricket team

Main article: Pakistan national women's cricket team

The Pakistan women's cricket team has a much lower profile than the men's team. For all national women's cricket teams, the female players are paid much less their male counterparts, and the women's teams do not receive as much popular support or recognition as the men's team. The women's teams also have a less packed schedule compared to men's teams and play fewer matches. The team played it first match during 1997, when it was on tour of New Zealand and Australia and were invited to the World Cup later that year and in the Women's Asia Cup during 2005 the team came third place. During 2007, the team with face South Africa and later in the year travel to Ireland to play in the Women's World Cup Qualifier.

[edit] Current Squad
Name Batting Style Bowling Style Domestic team
Captain
Shoaib Malik[1] Right Hand Bat Right-arm offbreak Sialkot
Vice-captain
Misbah-ul-Haq Right-hand bat Right-arm medium, Legbreak Faisalabad
Wicket-keepers
Kamran Akmal Right-hand bat – Lahore
Sarfraz Ahmed Left-hand bat – Karachi
Opening batsmen
Salman Butt Left-hand bat Right-arm offbreak Lahore
Yasir Hameed Right-hand bat Right-arm offbreak Peshawar
Imran Nazir Right-hand bat Legbreak Sialkot
Nasir Jamshed Left-hand bat Right-arm offbreak Sargodha
Middle-order batsmen
Mohammad Yousuf Right-hand bat Right-arm offbreak Lahore
Younus Khan Right-hand bat Right-arm medium , Legbreak Peshawar
Asim Kamal Left-hand bat – Karachi
Faisal Iqbal Right-hand bat Right-arm medium Karachi
All-rounders
Shahid Afridi Right-hand bat Right-arm medium, Legbreak googly Karachi
Sohail Tanvir Left-hand bat Left-arm medium-fast, Slow left-arm orthodox Rawalpindi
Yasir Arafat Right-hand bat Right-arm medium Rawalpindi
Fast Bowlers
Shoaib Akhtar Right-hand bat Right-arm fast Rawalpindi
Mohammad Asif Left-hand bat Right-arm fast-medium Sialkot
Umar Gul Right-hand bat Right-arm fast-medium Peshawar
Mohammad Sami Right-hand bat Right-arm fast Karachi
Iftikhar Anjum Right-hand bat Right-arm medium Islamabad
Spin Bowlers
Danish Kaneria Right-hand bat Legbreak Karachi
Abdur Rehman Left-hand bat Slow left-arm orthodox Sialkot

Notes

The team's most recent coach was Bob Woolmer, who died during the 2007 World Cup. Assistant coach Mushtaq Ahmed acted as temporary coach for the team's final group game of the tournament.[26] Following Pakistan's disappointing World Cup campaign, Shoaib Malik was announced as successor to Inzamam-ul-Haq as the team's captain.[1] On 20 April 2007, a PCB official announced that former Test cricketer Talat Ali would act as interim coach, in addition to his role as team manager, until a new coach had been appointed.[27] Following his return to the squad, Salman Butt was appointed as vice-captain until December 2007.[28] On 16 July 2007, former Australian fast bowler Geoff Lawson was appointed coach of the national team for two years, becoming the third foreigner to take on the role.[2]

[edit] Notable Pakistani cricketers

[edit] Batsmen

Batting feats:

* Hanif Mohammad scored 337 against the West Indies in 1958, the first triple hundred by an Asian cricketer, and at the time the longest innings by any batsman in terms of time spent at the wicket.
* Hanif also held the record for the highest individual first class innings for just over 35 years, 499 runs, until Brian Lara scored 501 for Warwickshire in 1994.
* Saeed Anwar holds the record for scoring the highest ODI innings against the Indian cricket team (194) at Chennai in 1997.
* Mohammad Yousuf holds the record for the most Test match runs in a calendar year (2002), the most centuries in a calendar year (nine) and the most centuries in successive tests (six centuries in five successive tests).
* Shahid Afridi holds the record for the fastest ODI century, reaching the milestone off just 37 balls and also the third fastest ODI century (45 balls).
* Inzamam ul-Haq and Javed Miandad are the most prolific Pakistani batsmen.

[edit] Bowlers

From the likes of Fazal Mahmood, Sarfraz Nawaz, Imran Khan, Intikhab Alam, Iqbal Qasim, Abdul Qadir, Wasim Akram, Aaqib Javed, Waqar Younis, Mushtaq Ahmed, Saqlain Mushtaq and Shoaib Akhtar.

Bowling feats:

* Wasim Akram has taken 502 ODI wickets, the most in ODI cricket.
* Shoaib Akhtar holds the record for the fastest delivery recorded, clocked at 100.2 mph.
* Saqlain Mushtaq is credited with inventing the off-spinner's deilvery known as the "doosra."
* Saqlain also holds the record for being the fastest to reach 100, 150, 200 and 250 wickets in ODI cricket.

[edit] Reverse swing

Main article: Reverse Swing

Reverse swing was first discovered by Sarfraz Nawaz in the 1970s, who then passed it on to another Pakistani bowler, Imran Khan. Khan mastered reverse swing and the evidence of reverse swing by him was seen in 1983 in a Test match against India at Karachi, where he took 5 wickets in 25 balls. Imran Khan subsequently passed this skill on to Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram who are considered to have been the finest exponents of the art.[29][30][31]

On Pakistan's 1992 tour of England, the England had no answer to the reverse swing, a new phenomenon to them. Pakistan won the series 2-1. The series was controversial one as the Pakistani team were accused of ball tampering, particularly by the English media. Reverse swing soon expanded around the cricket world and more bowlers, including those from England, mastered the art.

[edit] Controversies

* During the fourth Test against England at the Oval on 20 August 2006, ball tampering accusations were made against the Pakistani team, which resulted in the team forfeiting the match. On the fourth day of the Test, during England's second innings, the ball began to late reverse swing for Umar Gul in particular, resulting in him dismissing Alastair Cook LBW to an inswinging yorker. Four overs later, on examining the ball, umpire Darrell Hair decided there was evidence that the ball had been tampered with. He consulted with the other umpire, Billy Doctrove, and penalised the Pakistani team for interfering with the condition of the ball, awarding five runs to England. Following the playing conditions for that Test, the England batsmen were allowed to choose a replacement ball from a selection of six provided. Although play continued until the end of the afternoon session, the Pakistani team decided in principle, not to reappear at the start of the third session. This decision was made in protest of what they believed to be an unjust and insensitive decision. As a result of the Pakistani team's failure to appear at the field, the umpires awarded the test to England, cricket's first and only forfeiture. However the Pakistani team was cleared of any wrongdoing when further proceedings saw captain Inzamam-ul-Haq found not guilty of ball tampering. However, the team's protest led to him being banned for four games on the charge of bringing the game of cricket into disrepute.[32][33][34]

Pakistan are thought to be the best team in the world on their day, and yet on another day they can be very disappointing. There is no doubt that despite the talent that they have, they are the most underachieving side.

* Immediately following the ball tampering controversy was the news that its front-line pace bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif had both tested positive for Nandrolone, a banned anabolic steroid. Though both denied any substance abuse, on November 1, 2006 both Akhtar and Asif were banned for a period of 2 years and 1 year respectively. However, both bowlers were successful in their appeals with the earlier bans being revoked. The World Anti-Doping Agency made an appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport over the revoking of this ban.[35] However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport later dropped the case, ruling it had no jurisdiction to challenge the decision made by PCB.[36][37]

[edit] Fan following

* Abdul Jalil, aka Chacha cricket, (photo) has been following the team since 1969. The PCB pays him 10,000 Pakistani rupees per month to follow the team, and he himself has a number of his own followers.[38]

[edit] See also
Cricket Portal

* Pakistan Under-19 cricket team
* Pakistani national cricket captains
* Pakistan national women's cricket team
* India versus Pakistan cricket rivalry
* Pakistan Cricket Team Records

[edit] References

1. ^ a b c Shoaib Malik appointed Pakistan captain: Cricinfo.com Retrieved 19 April 2007.
2. ^ a b c Lawson named Pakistan coach. Cricinfo.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-16.
3. ^ Archives of Cricket in India, 1911
4. ^ The Pakistan cricket team: Profile
5. ^ Cricinfo Test Team Records page retrieved on November 3, 2007
6. ^ ICC - Cricket Rankings. ICC-cricket.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-29.
7. ^ Guinness Cricket Encyclopaedia
8. ^ Stump the Bearded Wonder No 126: BBC Sport Retrieved 28 February 2007.
9. ^ a b Going, going...gone. Cricinfo.com. Retrieved on 14 May 2007.
10. ^ Austral-Asia Cup, 1985/86, Final, India v Pakistan. Cricinfo.com. Retrieved on 14 May 2007.
11. ^ Inzi announces his arrival, and India's hat-trick hero. Cricinfo.com. Retrieved on 14 May 2007.
12. ^ Five of the best. Cricinfo.com. Retrieved on 14 May 2007.
13. ^ Benson & Hedges World Cup, 1991/92, 1st Semi Final, New Zealand v Pakistan. Cricinfo.com. Retrieved on 14 May 2007.
14. ^ Imran's Tigers turn the corner. Cricinfo.com. Retrieved on 14 May 2007.
15. ^ Pakistan sent home by bold Ireland. Cricinfo.com. Retrieved on 14 May 2007.
16. ^ Shamrocks turn Pakistan green. Cricinfo.com. Retrieved on 14 May 2007.
17. ^ ICC World Cup - 9th Match, Group D, Ireland v Pakistan. Cricinfo.com. Retrieved on 14 May 2007.
18. ^ Police hunt Woolmer's murderer: Cricinfo.com Retrieved 24 March 2007.
19. ^ Shattered Inzamam retires from one-day scene: Cricinfo.com Retrieved 24 March 2007.
20. ^ DNA testing for Pakistan players: Cricinfo.com Retrieved 07 April 2007.
21. ^ Pakistan no longer suspects in Woolmer case: Cricinfo.com Retrieved 07 April 2007.
22. ^ Memorial service for Woolmer held in Lahore: Cricinfo.com Retrieved 07 April 2007.
23. ^ Doubts grow over pathologist's findings. Cricinfo.com. Retrieved on 21 May 2007.
24. ^ PCB Sponsers
25. ^ PCB Media news, publications and articles, 2007
26. ^ Woolmer post-mortem inconclusive: BBC.co.uk Retrieved 24 March 2007.
27. ^ Talat to act as interim coach: Cricinfo.com Retrieved 20 April 2007.
28. ^ Butt named Malik's deputy. Cricinfo.com. Retrieved on 20 June 2007.
29. ^ Wasim Akram - Player Profile: Cricinfo.com Retrieved 28 February 2007.
30. ^ Waqar Younis - Player Profile: Cricinfo.com Retrieved 28 February 2007.
31. ^ Waugh, Steve Reverse swing looms as the decisive factor: The Hindu Retrieved 28 February 2007.
32. ^ England v Pakistan 4th Test: BBC Sport Retrieved 28 February 2007.
33. ^ Day four: How the controversy unfolded: BBC Sport Retrieved 28 February 2007.
34. ^ Inzamam cleared of ball tampering: Cricinfo.com Retrieved 28 February 2007.
35. ^ WADA to challenge Shoaib and Asif verdict. Cricinfo.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-28.
36. ^ Court has no jurisdiction in doping case. Cricinfo.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-03.
37. ^ Court cannot rule on Pakistan duo. Cricinfo.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-03.
38. ^ Pakistan's favourite uncle. BBC News. Retrieved on 2007-06-10.

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