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Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Asif have been advised futher rest for two weeks to allow time for their injuries respective injuries to heal properly.Shoaib’s knee troubles and Asif’s elbow injury forced their withdrawals from the World Cup and they have been advised to rest for a couple more weeks before they can return to training.”They need at least two more weeks of rest before they are examined again by our medical panel,” Zakir Khan, the board’s director of cricket operations, told .”The medical panel will decide when they can resume training,” he added.The bowlers tested positive for a banned steroid last October in out-of-competition tests conducted by the board. They were initially banned but then cleared by an appeals panel a month later.At the time there was intense speculation that they were pulled out of the tournament because of fears that the may still be carrying traces of the steroid Nandrolone in their bodies and thus may have tested positive in the Caribbean. The PCB has consistently rubbished the speculation.In the absence of the new-ball duo, Pakistan crashed out of the World Cup after successive losses to West Indies and Ireland.

50 overs New Zealand 340 for 7 (How 139) tied with England 340 for 6 (Mustard 83, Cook 69)
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Jamie How produced the innings of his life to guide New Zealand to within a single blow of victory in the fourth ODI at Napier, but in the end his 139 from 116 balls was trumped by six balls of nerveless discipline from England’s rawest recruit, Luke Wright. His solitary over of the innings – his third in four international matches to date – resulted in six thrifty runs and the game’s pivotal dismissal, as England snatched an incredible tie from the jaws of defeat to carry the five-match series into a decider at Christchurch on Saturday.In any ordinary match, How’s masterclass would have won the contest with a yawning chasm to spare. He batted throughout with a Test-class composure, and yet moved to his hundred from a mere 86 balls, cashing in on Napier’s short square boundaries with a series of shredding drives and emphatic pulls. England’s own efforts with the bat had been impressive – Phil Mustard made a career-best 83 from 74 balls as he added 158 for the first wicket with Alastair Cook, and Paul Collingwood latched onto six leg-side sixes in an England-record 24-ball fifty – but all the while that How was easing New Zealand towards their target, their efforts paled to insignificance.With seven overs remaining, New Zealand needed a fraction more than a run a ball with seven wickets still standing. It was looking like a done deal – not least because the same team, 12 months previously, had twice chased 340-plus scores to beat the mighty Australians. From Jesse Ryder’s pugnacious opening salvo of 39 from 32 balls, via Brendon McCullum’s gutsy 58 from 65 and a run-a-ball 48 from Ross Taylor, New Zealand had demonstrated the firepower and the willpower to win. James Anderson bowled a succession of long-hops to concede 61 runs from his first six overs, and England’s lack of a specialist fifth bowler was causing an over-reliance on the ineffectual offspin of Owais Shah.But then, suddenly, something clicked within the England mindset. Scott Styris, on 20 from 17 balls, lashed their best bowler, Ryan Sidebottom, down Anderson’s throat at long-on, and one over later, the disastrously out-of-form Peter Fulton ran himself out for a four-ball duck as he chipped and charged to a pumped-up Kevin Pietersen at mid-on. The dangerous Jacob Oram punctured the off-side ring with a fierce drive in the next over, from Stuart Broad, but then picked out Pietersen at short cover with his next shot. Three prime wickets had fallen in consecutive overs, and with 25 needed from 24 balls, a sense of vertigo began to set in for the New Zealanders.Back came Anderson for his final two-over burst. Suddenly his length was full and menacing, and backed up with a hint of reverse-swing, he conceded a meagre two runs in his ninth over to lift the requirement to a daunting 23 from 18. Though Daniel Vettori connected with a scythe over mid-on, the equation was still fractionally in England’s favour when Wright was thrown the ball on a whim by his captain. There was no planning involved in the hunch – England in their desperation had been forced to bowl out their big guns early, but Wright was confident after producing an effective innings of 24 from 13 balls, and it showed.

He did nothing more than bowl six consecutive wicket-to-wicket deliveries, but with no room to swing their arms, New Zealand’s batsmen were forced to take on the ground fielders. Pietersen missed by inches from midwicket with How stranded, but one ball later Anderson – who was superb in the field – did not. How had to turn back after Vettori’s drive went straight to the man, and he carried on walking as his stumps were pinged down from ten yards.And so it all came down to the very last ball. Vettori was on strike, although he arguably should not have been there at all, after the third umpire failed to notice that his bat had been in the air during an earlier run-out referral. Wright kept it full and straight once again, and a cramped shot squirted out to point. A direct hit would have given the match to England, but the shy slipped past the stumps and so the spoils were shared. As he left the field, Collingwood admitted he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but there’s little doubt that, after the devastation at Hamilton, England would happily have accepted a win and a tie in their next two games.England did, however, have their eyes on a bigger prize at the start of today’s game, and by the interval, Vettori was doubtless pondering the wisdom of bowling first. England’s sizeable total might have been very different had McCullum behind the stumps held onto the simplest of edges off Chris Martin, when Cook had made just 2 from 14 balls. The opportunity, however, went begging, and Cook joined Mustard in England’s biggest stand of the series.The main source of England’s mayhem was Mustard, who allied power with patience and even some delicate touch play in his most convincing innings to date. It was the brutality of his cutting and square driving that really caught the eye, and set the tone for the day. Vettori was running out of options as the stand entered the 27th over of the innings, so he tossed the ball to the innocuous seamer, Ryder. But, in a remarkable maiden ODI over, he removed both men in quick succession – Mustard to a flat smack to wide long-on, and Cook to a perfect wicket-to-wicket seamer that nipped through bat and pad to rattle middle stump. Perhaps it was the memory of that intercession that prompted Collingwood’s last-ditch gamble. Either way, part-time medium-pacers are the toast of Napier tonight.

Sachin Tendulkar says he is back to full fitness and looking forward to the four-Test series against West Indies starting on June 2. Tendulkar, who underwent a surgery on his shoulder in March, has already been ruled out of the preceding one-day series.”I am fit now. I am looking forward to the West Indies tour,” Tendulkar told reporters. Tendulkar has made satisfactory progress with his rehabilitation following the shoulder surgery he had in March. The third and final phase was completed on May 1, and this week Tendulkar began light batting drills and has expressed his satisfaction at the work out.Meanwhile, Niranjan Shah, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary, said a decision on Tendulkar’s availability for the Test series will be known after physio John Gloster submits his report. Gloster is expected to examine Tendulkar next week and based on his report, the BCCI would take a decision on the master batsman.

Powered by Rob Nicol’s 134 Auckland ran away to a 149-run lead before restricting Central Districts to 114 for 4 at the end of the second day’s play at McLean Park. Nicol added 36 runs with his overnight partner Colin de Grandhomme, who moved from 65 to 87, but three quick wickets left Auckland struggling at 182 for 6. Nicol, then, stitched together a valuable 103-run partnership with Andre Adams to lift Auckland and was the last man to be dismissed, when he became the fourth victim of Gregory Hegglun. Chris Martin, who took a five-for in the first innings, caused a dent in the top order with a double strike but Jamie How revived Central Districts with a fluent 84-ball 72. Central Districts still trail by 35 runs, with only six wickets left.On a turgid day’s of cricket Northern Districts reached 181 for 3, in response to Otago‘s 404, at the end of the second day’s play at Dunedin. Bradley-John Watling shared a patient 122-run opening stand in 62.3 overs with Alun Evans but Bradley Scott struck twice to push Northern Districts on the backfoot at 142 for 3. Watling, however, carried on with his immensely patient knock and ended the day 15 runs short of what would be his maiden ton.Michael Papps starred with a fine 98 but three quick wickets in the last session saw Canterbury slide from a healthy 171 for 1 to 204 for 4 at the end of the second day’s play at Wellington. Jesse Ryder cleaned up Papps to start the mini-collapse and 22 runs late Shanan Stewart fell as Wellington came back into the game. Earlier, Wellington’s tail wagged to lift the score from the overnight 314 for 8 to 365.

Auckland v Wellington
Wellington were well placed to take first-innings points as they inched to within 61 of Auckland’s total on another rain-affected day at Christchurch. After losing the entire second day, only 49 overs were possible today, but Wellington used them to good effect after an early shock when they found themselves at 29 for 2. New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming’s lean start to the season continued when he was trapped in front by Tama Canning for just 6. However that brought Jesse Ryder to the crease, who changed the tone of the match by scoring a quick-fire 77 off just 88 balls before falling to Lou Vincent. At stumps Matthew Bell was not out 65 and Neal Parlane 18.Central Districts v Northern Districts
Northern Districts gifted Central Districts first-innings points but showed they intend to make a game of it after declaring 402 runs behind at Lincoln. Whether anything will come of it will depend on the weather in Canterbury which has severely disrupted days two and three. Central’s Greg Hay took his total through to 74 to continue his impressive start as a first-class player while Bruce Martin, the left-arm spinner, ended the first innings with 4 for 117 from 40 overs of toil. Perhaps the most interesting point will be how much stock the New Zealand selectors will place in Hamish Marshall’s undefeated 33 before the declaration.

The organisers of next year’s World Cup in the West Indies have assured that the security arrangements for the tournament will be comprehensive and that the planning has gone according to schedule.Rory Steyn, the tournament’s security consultant, along with senior police and security officials from the nine host countries have been conducting meetings this week to review existing plans. These cover security during air travel as well as the master plan for the entire tournament. There will be more meetings over the next nine days featuring over 400 people, including tournament organisers and planners from over 60 countries.”Given the length of time we have had to prepare I would have to say we are in very good shape,” Steyn told the Caribbean Media Corporation. “We in the Caribbean are further advanced, further ahead than we were in South Africa for the 2003 tournament.”Steyn, who served as the head of security for Nelson Mandela, the former South African president, added that the organisers have had the benefit of drawing from the experience in South Africa.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the West Indies batsman, believes the Indian Premier League (IPL), has a far superior foundation to Allen Stanford’s 2020 in the Caribbean. Chanderpaul, representing Bangalore but sitting out “after a decade”, also felt that more West Indian players needed to be brought over to foster interest back home.”The IPL is much better organised than Stanford 2020. Stanford 2020 is not paying anything. IPL is actually recognising the players and paying them,” he told the . “Without players, the sport cannot go on. This is a lot bigger with more international variety at the highest level.”Chanderpaul strongly advised more West Indian representation in the IPL. “You need people from everywhere. And to get the West Indian public more interested, you need these players out here and want them to be playing,” he said. “Right now, the West Indian public is not paying much attention to IPL. Even though they have a few players here, not all are playing.”Chanderpaul, who has played just two games for Bangalore, felt it was “strange” to be sitting on the bench. “I have been actually out to play cricket and am sitting out. This is happening after a decade,” he said. “You still have guys who have not played. One has to understand that everyone will have to get an opportunity.”Thought Bangalore have struggled to gain momentum, Chanderpaul said he was enjoying his time. “It has been an experience by itself. I never expected the tournament to be this big. We [Bangalore] have been struggling a bit but we have also been playing good cricket in the last few games and managed to pull one off on Saturday night. Winning is a habit as much as losing is. Hopefully, we can get into that habit of winning.”

Scorecard

Matthew Wade justified Victoria’s decision to make him their No. 1 wicketkeeper with 83 and four catches on debut as the Bushrangers took control against South Australia. Despite all their off-season batting work the Redbacks showed little improvement from their woeful 2006-07, ending the day at 8 for 162 and trailing by 276.Gerard Denton and Dirk Nannes claimed three wickets each as several Redbacks made starts and failed to go on. Matthew Elliott fared best with 42 but the Borgas brothers’ first Pura Cup match together will be one to forget – Jason edged Denton behind for 1 and Cameron went in the same manner for 0.Mark Cosgrove managed six fours in his 34 before nudging to short leg off Bryce McGain right before tea. A further five wickets fell in the final session and at the close the home side was 127 short of avoiding the follow on, with Cullen Bailey on 18 and Jason Gillespie on 2.South Australia were also disappointing with the ball as they let Victoria’s last two pairs add 118, with Wade the major contributor. He was chosen ahead of Adam Crosthwaite because of his batting skill and although he survived a couple of dropped catches he showed serious potential, striking nine fours and two sixes. Nannes, who made 31 not out, and Peter Siddle (17) were Wade’s tail-end helpers.

Jeff Thomson and Wally Grout will become the newest inductees into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame at the Allan Border Medal night in Melbourne on Wednesday.Thomson was one of cricket’s most fearsome pacemen and took 200 wickets at 28.00 from 51 Tests, and was also regarded by many who faced him as the fastest bowler the game has seen. He formed a terrifying partnership with Dennis Lillee during the 1970s and in particular demolished England during the 1974-75 Ashes, which was just Thomson’s second Test series.”Only a handful of Australian cricketers had taken 200 Test wickets and Jeff did it at a strike rate of almost four wickets a Test, which is exceptional,” David Crow, the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame chairman, said. “But of course he was most famous for his pace and outright aggression, and it is was these qualities that people came to see when he played. He was a major drawcard for Australian cricket.”Thomson, now 65, rates the 1974-75 Ashes as a career highlight, along with playing in the 1975 World Cup final, and beating West Indies during 1975-76. He had made his Test debut in 1972-73 against Pakistan but went wicketless in his one Test appearance that season, which he played with a broken foot, and he was finally given another chance two years later.”I had to work really hard to get back (into the Test side), and I never doubted I was good enough,” Thomson said. “I always knew I was going to brain them, I just needed the opportunity.”Of the Hall of Fame honour, Thomson said: “It’s for my wife and kids, my parents, my brothers, my mates, all those people who took me to cricket when I was young and helped me along the way. I got a ring from a mate of my brother’s who I hadn’t spoken to for 30 years. He was rapt and said how weird it was for a bunch of kids who used to play cricket for hours against a telephone pole that one of us was now in the Hall of Fame.”Like Thomson, Grout also played 51 Tests, and he finished his career with 187 wicketkeeping dismissals, which at the time made him the Australian record holder and the second most prolific keeper in Test history behind England’s Godfrey Evans. His Test career lasted from 1957 to 1966, and he died of a heart attack at the age of 41, less than three years after his last Test.”Wally Grout was one of Australia’s finest wicketkeepers,” Crow said. “Luminaries such as Bob Simpson and Wes Hall claimed he was the finest gloveman they had ever seen. Wally Grout was the first player in Test history to claim six dismissals in an innings and that remains an Australian record which has since been matched by Rod Marsh, Ian Healy and Adam Gilchrist.”Wally also set the record for the most catches taken in a Sheffield Shield innings, eight, which is now held jointly with Darren Berry. But Wally’s contribution went beyond immaculate wicketkeeping. He was highly regarded for his honesty, integrity and sense of humour. As captain, Richie Benaud relied on Wally for the team’s strategy because of his great understanding of the game.”Grout and Thomson take the number of Hall of Fame inductees to 43 since its inception in 1996.Hall of Fame inductees Warwick Armstrong, Richie Benaud, John Blackham, Allan Border, Sir Donald Bradman, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Alan Davidson, George Giffen, Adam Gilchrist, Clarrie Grimmett, Wally Grout, Neil Harvey, Lindsay Hassett, Ian Healy, Clem Hill, Bill Lawry, Dennis Lillee, Ray Lindwall, Charles Macartney, Rod Marsh, Stan McCabe, Glenn McGrath, Graham McKenzie, Keith Miller, Arthur Morris, Monty Noble, Bill O’Reilly, Bill Ponsford, Jack Ryder, Bob Simpson, Fred Spofforth, Mark Taylor, Jeff Thomson, Hugh Trumble, Victor Trumper, Charlie Turner, Doug Walters, Shane Warne, Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh, Bill Woodfull.

Adam Gilchrist has hinted at his possible retirement from one-day cricket to extend his Test career, although he is not ready for such a move yet. Gilchrist had always believed in playing all forms of the game but the birth of his third child, together with the busier international cricket schedule has forced him to reconsider.”Up until the last 12 months, I had never been a guy to consider phasing out one form of the game and just focusing on one,” Gilchrist told . “But I am open to thinking about that now. I have been quite firm on playing both forms in the past, but I guess that things have changed a little.”When a few of the guys started retiring last year, it made me stop and reflect on where I was at personally. And, while the appetite is still very strong to keep playing, I’ve just noticed the hunger and the drive for Test cricket that guys like Warney and Justin Langer had when they didn’t have one-day cricket to consider.”Gilchrist, 35, indicated he would resist the temptation to bow out of the limited-overs game after one of his most masterful displays – his blistering 149 that led Australia to victory in the World Cup final. “That’s not to say that I am announcing right now that I am retiring from one-day cricket, but it’s just that I am more open-minded about the issue these days,” Gilchrist said.Australia are expected to play a record-breaking 20 Tests in 2008. Combined with various ODI series, including the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in September-October, that could mean unprecedented fitness challenges for an Australia squad that could still feature more than ten players aged over 30.