Sri Lanka crash to their lowest one-day score

PAARL: Sri Lanka collapsed to their lowest one-day score of 43 on Wednesday when they lost by 258 runs to South Africa in the first one-day international at Boland Park.

Their total equalled the fourth previous lowest score ever in 50 overs internationals and the victory margin was the third largest. The Sri Lankans’ previous lowest score was 55 against West Indies in Sharjah in 1986.

Pace bowlers Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe claimed seven wickets between them as Sri Lanka, chasing 302 for victory, were shot out in 20.1 overs.

Hashim Amla earlier scored a century at opener before Morkel destroyed the Sri Lankan top-order with pace and bounce to claim four for 10 off six overs.

Tsotsobe also created havoc with the new ball, taking three for 19 in six overs with his left-arm seamers.

Kosala Kulasekara was the only Sri Lankan batsman to reach double figures and was the ninth man out for 19.

Amla anchored the South African innings with a determined 112 off 128 balls, stroking eight classy boundaries. It was the ninth century in 53 ODIs for the vice-captain.

The hosts won the toss and AB de Villiers, leading the team for the first time, chose to bat first.

South Africa scored 301 for eight with Jacques Kallis stroking a fluent 72 off 80 balls, adding 144 for the second wicket with Amla.

De Villiers added a quickfire 52 off 40 balls, before fast bowler Lasith Malinga ripped through the lower-order, taking five for 53 as South Africa lost five wickets for 22 runs in 4.4 overs.

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Good cricket our only concern: Misbah

DUBAI: Pakistan cricket captain Misbah-ul Haq on Tuesday stressed the need for forgetting the 2010 spot-fixing scandal when his team take on England in the first of three Tests here next week.

The Pakistan captain got the first taste of how the series – the first between the two countries since the scandal – will be seen during his press conference after arriving here on Monday.

The scandal, related to the bowling of deliberate no-balls during the Lord’s Test against England, ended in jail terms for then captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir.

When asked about the scandal, a visibly upset Misbah said: “That’s the past, we don’t get into that. I am only focusing on what we can do on the ground. I think everybody knows in both teams that we just have to forget the past.”

Since the scandal, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has implemented a strict code of conduct for the players and introduced anti-corruption courses for both international and domestic cricketers.

Misbah said corruption in Pakistan cricket was no more a concern.

“It’s not an area of concern for me. Our area of concern is to play good cricket, fair cricket, and that’s what we can do,” said Misbah, under whom Pakistan have not lost a Test series since the spot-fixing scandal.

And since he replaced Shahid Afridi as one-day captain, Misbah has led Pakistan to wins over Ireland, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Misbah said the credit goes to the players.

“I think the credit goes to the team and all the players after that difficult time,” he said. “They just wanted to collect their thoughts and prove to the world that we are good players, a good team, and I think they just proved it.

“They are really focusing on their cricket and making my job easier. The players are ready to give their hundred percent and we are concerned with the present and future, not about the past.”

Misbah said the series against England will be played in good spirit.

“Our target is just to play cricket in the true spirit … good relations, and play really good and hard cricket,” he said.

Misbah also praised his off-spinner, Saeed Ajmal, who took 50 Test wickets last year.

“Ajmal is a fine bowler and has a lot of variations but we are not depending on him only,” said Misbah of Ajmal, who has promised to use a surprise delivery against England.

“England will have to explore themselves. Let’s see how England’s batsmen tackle it. That’s a secret.”

England, who earned a hard-fought three-wicket win against an ICC Combined IX here on Monday, take on a PCB XI in another three-day game here from Wednesday.

The first Test starts on January 17. Both teams will also play four one-day and three Twenty20 internationals.

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Amir could make a return: Zaka Ashraf

KARACHI: Teenage Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir, serving six-months in jail for spot-fixing elements of a test match, could still have a future in international cricket, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Zaka Ashraf said.

Amir, 19, was detained for six months in a young offenders institution after he admitted bowling two intentional no-balls in the Lord’s test against England in August 2010.

Amir, along with team mates Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt, was banned for a minimum of five years by the International Cricket Council in February last year.

“Whenever he is cleared by the International Cricket Council and serves his punishment, we think he needs intense counselling and then the selectors can decide about him,” Ashraf told a news conference on Tuesday.

“As far as his playing again is concerned that is for the selectors to decide because there is no doubt about his immense talent and he is still very young.”

Amir has taken 51 wickets in 14 tests.

Former captain Butt and Asif were jailed for 30 months and one year respectively by a London court in November for their part in the gambling-inspired plot.

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