Zaheer Abbas applies for Pakistan batting coach job

By Ubaid Awan

KARACHI, Pakistan (TheSportsNEXT) November 4, 2012: After former captain Salim Malik expressed his keen interest in joining the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as batting coach, Asian Bradman Zaheer Khan also jumped into the reckoning on Saturday when he applied for the job with the cricket board, TheSportsNEXT.comhas learnt.

Zaheer Abbas, who is regarded as one of the finest batsmen produced by Pakistan cricket, has been demanding a local batting coach for the national cricket team and now he has decided to come practically into the contention.

With Zaheer Abbas’s interest, the race to win post of Pakistan batting coach has heated up as other former Pakistani cricketers are also taking keen interest in the role.

Sources told this scribe that Zaheer Abbas has resigned from the PCB coach hunting committee and is now available to work as batting coach.

Zaheer Abbas has a clear edge over Salim Malik as Malik has had a tainted past but there is no question about the integrity of Zaheer Abbas while his reputation as a good batsman can be gauged by the fact that he was called by numerous former international cricketers as Asian Bradman.

Pakistan cricket team has been let down by batsmen over the years at international level and currently doesn’t have even a single quality Test batsman, a fact which has led Pakistan to numerous defeats in important matches.

Pakistan crashed out of the last month’s ICC World Twenty20 in semi-final when their batsmen failed to chase down a moderate target of 139. The dismal performance forced the PCB authorities to think seriously about having a full-time batting coach for the national cricket team.

PCB chief Zaka Ashraf constituted a three-man committee to scrutinize, shortlist, and recommend candidates for the post. The committee also included Intikhab Alam and Colonel (Retd) Naushad Ali other than Zaheer Abbas and had mandated time till December 5 to figure out the right man for the job.

It is important to mention here that Zaheer Abbas, a right-hand batsman, represented Pakistan in 78 Test matches and scored 5,062 runs at an average of 44.79 with highest score of 274. During the course of his Test career, the Asian Bradman hit 12 centuries, 20 half centuries and also took 34 catches. Zaheer Abbas also played 62 One Day Internationals scoring 2,572 runs at a healthy average of 47.62 with highest score of 123. He hit seven hundreds and 13 fifties during the course of his ODI career.

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Lahore court issues contempt notice to POA

By Tasawwar Abbas

LAHORE, Pakistan (TheSportsNEXT) October 25, 2012: Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan of Lahore High Court (LHC) issued notice to President, Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Arif Hassan on Thursday.

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The contempt notice was served on contempt petition filed by Imtiaz Gill Secretary General of Pakistan Badminton Federation.

The LHC served the notice for Pakistan Olympic Association's failure to admit Pakistan Badminton Federation (PBF) as constituent member of Pakistan Olympic Association and restraint exercised by the POA regarding badminton for the past few years, after the Lahore High Court declared the parallel Pakistan Badminton Federation illegal body on June 18th.

The court has fixed October 31, 2012 for further proceedings.

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Impossible to fix matches by umpires: Daryl Harper

By Bipin Dani

Daryl Harper finds it "Impossible" for cricket umpire to fix matches

MUMBAI, India (TheSportsNEXT) October 15, 2012: Former ICC umpire, Darrell Hair was not surprised with the recent allegations of fixing against match umpires. However, according to another retired ICC umpire, Daryl Harper, the result of the match can’t be fixed in normal circumstances.

 

Speaking exclusively with TheSportsNEXT.com from Adelaide on Monday, Daryl Harper said, "I don't believe that it would be possible for umpires to fix the result of a match without drawing attention to themselves. A series of poor decisions would be likely to attract attention and may lead to an umpire's demotion".

Adding further, he said, "However I do think that it would be possible to give marginal decisions in favour of one particular team. Often with an LBW appeal, an umpire has an element of doubt in his mind and in such a case, he usually gives the batsman the benefit of his doubt".

"I imagine that if an individual umpire was tempted by money or other benefits, to officiate against the spirit of the game and against what we know is right, then decisions in favour of one team would be possible", he believed.

"I officiated at the international level from 1994 until 2011 and I was never approached to perform in any way for anyone's benefit. I actually found that the principle of treating every player with the same even handed approach was the only way I could umpire. It was so difficult trying to get every decision correct, I can't imagine how an umpire could deliberately favour anyone", the 61-year-old Australian signed off.

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Abdul Razzaq may miss Pakistan-India series

By Nadira Mushtaque

Abdul Razzaq may also have to sit out of Pakistan-India series!

LAHORE, Pakistan (TheSportsNEXT) October 14, 2012: Pakistani cricket fans may not find veteran hard-hitting all-rounder Abdul Razzaq in action during the upcoming Pakistan-India series after the PCB decided to penalize him for his media outburst against his skipper.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on Monday, started penalizing the outspoken veteran all-rounder Abdul Razzaq for his media outburst against T20 skipper Mohammad Hafeez by dropping him for the upcoming Hong Kong Super Sixes 2012.

Sources told TheSportsNEXT.com on Monday that the star all-rounder is unlikely to be considered for the upcoming Pakistan-India series to be played in December this year.

Earlier local media had reported that Abdul Razzaq was likely to lead Pakistani outfit in the Hong Kong Super Sixes tournament which is held every year in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Super Sixes 2012 tournament will be played on October 27-28, 2012 at the Kowloon Cricket Club.

The PCB has appointed wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal as skipper of the team which also includes Owais Zia, Umar Akmal, Hammad Azam, Yasir Shah, Junaid Khan and Tanvir Ahmad.

It is important to mention here that Abdul Razzaq had lashed out at Mohammad Hafeez for keeping him out of the all-important Semi-Final encounter against Sri Lanka in the recently conclude ICC World Twenty20 2012 which Pakistan lost by 16 runs.

Abdul Razzaq had alleged that it was Mohammad Hafeez and not the team management which decided to drop him out of the playing eleven and gave only one chance during the whole tournament.

The veteran all-rounder, who has the reputation of a great finisher and hard-hitter of a cricket ball, had earlier on Monday apologized to the Pakistan Cricket Board for his media outburst.

The PCB will hold another round of meeting with Abdul Razzaq on Friday.

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