Bangladesh Seal Series Against New Zealand

Captain Shakib ul Hassan scored his fifth ODI hundred and took 3 wickets to help Bangladesh win the 4th ODI against New Zealand by 9 runs.

For New Zealand, Kane Williamson hit a valiant 108 despite injury but could not get his team over the line.
Chasing 242, New Zealand lost wickets at regular intervals and when Shafi ul Islam ended Williamson's lone vigil, it was the end for New Zealand as well.

Bangladesh now have an unassailable 3-0 series lead in the five match series, the first match having been washed out.

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India Sweep Aside Australia in the 2nd Test, take series 2-0

Riding on the Little Master's half century, India overcame a toothless Australian attack to take the match by seven wickets, winning the two match series 2-0.

CJ Pujara, on debut, played a responsible innings of 72 and put on 72 for the second wicket with Murali Vijay(37).

For Australia Hilfenhaus, Hauritz and Watson took a wicket each before Tendulkar (53*) hit the winning runs.

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North Hits Century As Australia Score 478

Marcus North scored a magnificent 128 to lift Australia to 478 after the tourists were in a spot of bother at 256-5 in the first innings. Tim Paine contributed a gutsy 59 before Australia were all out in the post lunch session on day 2 of the 2nd Test of the Border Gavasker Trophy.

India have a 1-0 lead in the two match series.

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No Star Player Sales Despite ManU's losses

Manchester United chief executive David Gill has said there is no pressure on the club to sell any of their star players including Wayne Rooney.


Gill said the club would still prefer to have "Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch than £80million in the bank" as proof of their desire to keep players. He said: "There was no desire at all from anyone at the club to sell Cristiano - he wanted to go and as a result we managed to extract a world record fee."


Gill said Manchester United has enough cash in the bank to give reasonable contracts to several new players.

Fans' group say the "clock is ticking" on the Glazer family's ownership of United and that a similar outcome to Liverpool could arise but that is denied by the club's senior executive despite losses of £83.6million.Although United's group operating profit topped £100.7million, after player-related costs, interest payments and a number of expensive one-off costs related to the bond issue, overall there was a record loss for the club.

The Manchester United Supporters' Trust (MUST) claimed the results highlighted how well off United would be without the interest payments.

A MUST spokesman said: "Imagine how successful we could be without the millstone that is the Glazers' ownership."

MUST said the club was now "extremely vulnerable" if there was any fall in revenue.

The spokesman added: "When Sir Alex retires the chances of maintaining anything like the same level of success look remote without massive investment. So the clock is ticking for the Glazers - and for the supporters too."

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Rana Free to Play Again

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has lifted a 12-month ban and halved a fine on all-rounder Rana Naved. 

Rana was among the seven players who were banned or fined by the PCB after a disastrous tour to Australia earlier this year, on the grounds of misconduct and indiscipline. The other six had already been pardoned, their bans lifted and fines reduced. 

"It is a great relief to finally be cleared of this ban and now I just want to focus on cricket," Naved told reporters in Lahore after a hearing of the appellate tribunal of the board. 

Naved, 32, said he was always confident he would be cleared and now his main aim would be to make a comeback to the national team. 

"These punishments were a dark chapter of my cricket career and I want to get over it and from tomorrow I will play domestic cricket and show my form," he said. 

The appellate tribunal also reduced a fine of two million rupees ($23,242) to half that amount. 

Talib Rizvi, legal advisor to the PCB, said appeals judge Irfan Qadir had lifted the ban as Naved had apologized for his conduct and served six months of the suspension. 

"He is now free to be considered for national selection," Rizvi said. 

Rana is scheduled to take part in the PCB's Twenty20 domestic tournament for reigning champions Sialkot Stallions from Sunday. If he is not part of Pakistan's winter plans, which include a tour to New Zealand, he will turn out for Tasmania in the Big Bash as he did last season.


Rana has played nine Tests and 74 ODIs for Pakistan.

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PCB appoints Misbah as a Captain for Test Matches

PCB spokesman Nadeem Sarwar confirmed the appointments and said details would be given later.
The appointment of Misbah is a surprise given that he was only recalled to the national team for the ODIs and T20 against South Africa on Thursday after a gap of six months.
The 36-year-old, who has never captained Pakistan in test matches, last played in the T20 World Cup in West Indies and his last test appearance was in January against Australia in Sydney.
National selectors announced a new-look squad for the two tests against South Africa by recalling opener Taufeeq Umar for the first time since he played against England in August 2006.
Also recalled was fast bowler Mohammad Sami, who was dropped after the Australian tour.
Selectors also showed confidence in youngsters Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq and Zulqarnain Haider.
Test squad for the matches in South Africa is as follows:
Imran Farhat, Taufeeq Umar, Umar Akmal, Azhar Ali, Mohammad Yousuf, Asad Shafiq, Misbah-ul-Haq (Capt), Zulqarnain Haider, Danish Kaneria, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Umar Gul, Tanvir Ahmed, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Sami, Sohail Tanvir (subject to fitness).

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Deedar Hussain appointed Chairman NAB

In another strange move, the PPP-led government has appointment Justice (Retd.) Syed Deedar Hussain Shah as Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Geo News reported Friday.

The decision was made at a consultative meeting chaired by Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani here.

Sources told Geo News that the meeting was by Federal Minister for Law and Justice Babar Awan and some other members of the federal cabinet

Geo.tv

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