Umar Akmal dropped by his domestic side

Umar Akmal, the Pakistan batsman, has been left out by his department side Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) from the President's Trophy, the Pakistan's domestic first-class tournament. Akmal had skipped several rounds of the tournament, but was 'discouraged' after being dropped as he had hoped to show his Test credentials in the remaining rounds of the competition.

SNGPL are currently unbeaten in the President's Trophy, topping the table with 45 points after winning five of their six matches. Akmal only featured in one game, against National Bank of Pakistan in mid-October. He played in two Twenty20s against an International XI led by Sanath Jayasuriya and in the Hong Kong Sixes in late October but mainly missed matches due to his brother Adnan's wedding between November 6 and 8. Akmal has been associated with SNGPL since 2007 and scored 2224 first-class runs for the department at 57.02.

"It's really discouraging for me when I was snubbed by my department for just a petty reason," Akmal told reporters in Lahore. "I am in full practice and was meant to play most of the rounds but due to Adnan's wedding I had to miss most of the matches- a reason that was known to the management but still I am dropped. I was informed that it's a decision taken by higher management, and not the team management."

Basit Ali, the SNGPL coach and former Pakistan batsman, said Akmal was dropped over his form and he need to work on his technique to play first-class cricket. "He needs to learn how to bat in the longer-format of the game," Basit told reporters on the sidelines of the on-going match against Pakistan International Airlines at Gaddafi Stadium. "No doubt he is a great talent but he must sense the nature of the formats and play according to the format. He wasn't in good touch and was asked to play club cricket."

Akmal, 22, scored his maiden ODI hundred in his third match of his career and also made a century in his debut Test in 2009. While his limited-overs career has flourished since that promising start, his Test fortunes have waned, and he is yet to establish himself in the side.

Akmal shrugged off the tag of being a limited-overs cricketer, and said he was keen to play the longer format. "I have scored a lot of runs with good average (35.82) and I think I have done well with my Test cricket," Akmal said, "but perhaps because I play aggressively, the label is there. But I had a golden opportunity to play the President's Trophy to impress the selectors and win back my Test place. I am disappointed at being dropped (by the SNGPL)."

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Patience pays for Chanderpaul

While Tamim Iqbal was taking apart the West Indies attack in Mirpur, Shivnarine Chanderpaul walked up to him. "He asked me whether I was playing a Twenty20," Tamim said. "I replied that I'm just hitting what the bowlers are bowling but I can't bat like you." To which Chanderpaul said, "Neither can I."

Perhaps Chanderpaul meant that is the case at his current age of 38, because he has batted at higher strike-rates than Tamim in the past two decades, most memorably during the 69-ball century against Australia in 2003, which at the time was the third fastest Test hundred. In Mirpur, though, he showed the side of his batting that is more frequently seen these days.

His 203 took more than seven-and-a-half hours, the fifth longest innings in terms of minutes. He used the example of the first two days of this Test to explain how he changes the pace of his innings according to the situation. He batted at a strike-rate of 63 on the first day during which he scored 123 runs off 195 deliveries, but then he took 177 balls to score 80 on the second day, at a strike-rate of 45.2.

"These are things I work out in my game, whichever way I can," Chanderpaul said. "Sometimes you find yourself in good form and things go your way, you get into a rhythm and you're able to score freely and quicker. Some days you have to work hard, that's how it goes.

"We scored freely yesterday, but we had to work hard today. The [Bangladesh] bowlers tried a little too hard yesterday but today they bowled well. They bowled to a plan, stuck to it and made us work hard. You have to, as a Test cricketer, put your head down and work hard when the time comes."

His double-century also brought him level with Garry Sobers on 26 Test hundreds, leaving Brian Lara as the only West Indian with more Test tons. "The team comes first, it doesn't matter what the individual score is. Whatever the team plan is, that is what we have to stick to. It is always a great honour [to be mentioned] with names like Sir Garry, though I have played a lot more games than him."

This was only his second double-hundred, and he doesn't have the mammoth scores that Sobers and Lara ran up. "[Batting low down the order] could be one reason. I had opportunities to get a big hundred but I didn't, it's unfortunate. Thankfully today I was able to cross it [200]."

Chanderpaul's usefulness isn't limited to the field. He is a mentor to batsmen like Kieran Powell and Denesh Ramdin, both of whom shared long partnerships with him in this game. Powell missed a short ball from offspinner Sohag Gazi to be bowled after making a century, prompting Chanderpaul to have a talk with the young opener about his dismissal. "He played a fantastic innings yesterday. Unfortunately he got out the way he did. I had a chat with him about the way he did. I thought he should have played the first ball after tea a lot straighter.

"I didn't see anybody getting him out, he's the one who's giving his wicket away. I have talked to him about already. The future looks bright, you've seen [Veerasammy] Permaul today. We were here last year, you know what we have back home on offer. The future looks good for us."

At the end of the tour last year, Chanderpaul spent nearly half an hour with the Bangladesh batsmen. How Bangladesh would like to have someone like him in their midst for the long term.

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Century eludes aggressive Tamim again

There's an innings that Tamim Iqbal can't seem to forget. When he spoke to ESPNcricinfo a few days ago, he used it to explain why he missed so many hundreds in the past and said he wanted to instil some restraint into his game. After throwing it away again on the second day of this Test match, Tamim remembered the moment he had a brain-freeze in the eighties against West Indies in the Dhaka Test last year.

Regardless of the situation, Tamim's approach rarely differs from his natural instinct. But the innings he keeps referring to also had a period when he batted out the last hour and a half of a crucial fourth day scoring very few. He had called it a breakthrough in his career at the time, and though he got restless and was dismissed early the next morning, it was understood he could grit it out in Test cricket.

A year ago, an ability to change gears in Test cricket was hailed as progress, but now Tamim has suggested he is better off sticking to his attacking mind-set.

"The last time I made around 80 at this ground, I played out 15-20 overs when I had made only 10 runs [against West Indies]. It is probably how one should bat in a Test match but everyone has an individual plan due to difference of mentality," Tamim said at the end of the day's play. "I wanted to bat long [in this game], so that it would help the team. I also wanted to keep my aggressive approach intact. I think I was thinking properly, but the shot was wrong.

"I started well and I was playing as I normally do but I didn't want to be bogged down. I was leaving the good balls when Sammy was bowling. I would say it was a bad shot. The open leg-side field played on my mind. It was a bad decision because it wasn't the right ball to play that shot."

After West Indies had declared surprisingly at the stroke of tea, it was clear Tamim wanted to open up. The 16-run sixth over off Tino Best had a straight drive and a cover drive but Tamim was also brutal on the short deliveries. He played one towards midwicket, keeping the ball down, and then smashed the next through the same region. He also launched Sunil Narine for two sixes as he moved from 45 to 57.

But just as Tamim took advantage of their lengths, West Indies began to take advantage of his hastiness and his reputation to be erratic after crossing the 50-mark. After two more boundaries off Ravi Rampaul, Tamim was strangled by Narine and Sammy, both by their lengths and the fields they had set.

Tamim tried to explain why his approach is correct: "There are two types of batsmen. Some score runs and get set, and some spend time at the crease to get set. I am from the first group, I am settled quickly when I see runs on the scoreboard.

"I don't want to let go of my strength, but it is true I have got out at strange times and playing strange shots. It is natural for such things to happen because I am a stroke player. Still, it is not an excuse for getting out in this manner."

Shivnarine Chanderpaul, whose double-century pushed West Indies into a strong position, also backed Tamim's belligerent approach. "That's his style," Chanderpaul said. "We can't be surprised [at] how Christopher Gayle bats also. He bats one way, we can't tell him how to bat. If Tamim has his style, he has to play his game."

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Flintoff defends move into boxing

Andrew Flintoff has hit out at suggestions that his professional boxing debut at 34, more than two years since his retirement from international cricket, is little more than a TV publicity stunt.

Flintoff will make his professional debut at the Manchester Arena against Richard Dawson - a little-known American pugilist, not the former England spinner - amid widespread criticism from the boxing fraternity and fears within cricket for his welfare.

The boxing promoter, Frank Warren, has described Flintoff's debut as "car crash TV", while another promoter, Frank Maloney, has called it a "scandal". Colin Hart, the highly-regarded boxing correspondent of The Sun, has dubbed him Foolish Freddie and said he did not know whether to laugh or cry.

But Flintoff, who claims to have lost 45lbs (20.4kgs) in weight during a training camp which has been filmed for a three-part TV series, insists he could not have withstood four months of intensive training is his intentions were not to succeed in his new career.

"You couldn't go through this for a TV stunt," he said. "If I was looking for a publicity stunt I'd have picked something easier. There has been criticism of things I've done in the past. I'm just getting my head down and doing the best I can.

"I appreciate that people want to protect the sport they're involved in. I'd be the same with cricket. I'm hoping this is something where boxing is celebrated because it's not my intention to cheapen the sport or show it up.

Flintoff had been due to announce his opponent on Friday but Dawson, who has won his two fights on points, jumped the gun by confirming that it was him.

A spokesman for Dawson was quoted as saying: "It will be a wonderful experience. We respect Mr Flintoff as an athlete and from everything we've read he appears to be a well -conditioned athlete. However, he does not appear to have any fight experience and even though we know he has been training with some of the best in the business, that is not the same as being in a prize fight."

Flintoff, who is training under the supervision of the former WBA featherweight champion, Barry McGuigan, claims to have given up beer to get himself in shape, will contest four two-minute rounds against Dawson, who has won both of his bouts.

McGuigan said: "What we're doing is the opposite of cheapening the sport, it's promoting it. You see the pain and anguish Freddie goes through. How can that be negative in promoting the sport? To say it cheapens boxing is a complete and utter load of nonsense. Freddie has worked his nuts off and we're promoting the sport in a very positive way."

Even McGuigan accepted at a private screening of the forthcoming TV series that Flintoff, who played 79 Tests and 141 ODIs for England, was not a natural and was technically limited.

Since retirement, he has been a captain on sports panel show A League of Their Own, the celebrity face of Morrisons supermarket, a guest commentator (briefly) on the world darts championships and star of Freddie Flintoff vs The World, in which, according to promotional material, you could watch "cricketing legend and ultimate bloke Freddie Flintoff try his hand at some of the most extreme sports and challenges on offer around the world".

He has his limits, though, vowing never to do I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here or Strictly Come Dancing, on which several former England cricketers have appeared, currently including Michael Vaughan.

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Gazi bright spot on tough first day

Sohag Gazi is the first offspinner in Test history to bowl the first over of a Test match on debut, and the first debutant spinner to do so in 103 years.

The surprise move didn't ruffle Chris Gayle, though, who lashed the first ball of the match for a six, on his way to 18 runs in the opening over. Gazi removed Gayle soon after but despite his best efforts, West Indies scored more than four an over on the first day and are poised for a big total. This, after the hosts gave up the momentum they had gained at the end of the first session, picking up three wickets.

Bangladesh had to wait out a full session for their next wicket, as both Kieran Powell and Shivnarine Chanderpaul helped themselves to centuries. As the day progressed even the more experienced Bangladesh bowlers looked short of ideas, and later liveliness.

This was Bangladesh's first Test of the year, and none of the front-line bowlers, barring Shahadat Hossain, have played enough first-class cricket recently to be physically prepared for staying on the field for a long time. With the wicket easing up, more hard work lies ahead for them. Shahadat and Rubel Hossain were costly as they have been throughout their careers while Shakib Al Hasan was simply steady, mainly because the allrounder finds it tricky to switch between long stints as a Twenty20 bowler to bowling long spells in Test cricket.

"The wicket flattened out after the lunch session, but there was turn in the first hour," Gazi said after the first day. "We will try to bowl them out as quickly as we can. We don't have any sort of targets because the wicket is flat. We will try to keep them to as low a total as possible."

But it was the first session which showed Bangladesh in a positive light. Mushfiqur Rahim had decided quite early, in fact the day before, that it would be Gazi who would open the bowling regardless of who takes first strike for West Indies. So despite the inevitable attack, Gazi was only encouraged by his captain and to his credit, the debutant kept giving the ball flight. "He told me that Gayle wasn't comfortable with my bowling, that's why he gave me the charge. He said keep doing what you're doing.

"I was prepared to bowl the first over, whether Gayle took the strike or not," Gazi said. "It was my bad luck that I got hit for two sixes in the first over. I was going to bowl my second over, and I just wanted to bowl dot balls. I didn't really think of who was on strike."

The first-ball six was a jolt for Gazi, but he wasn't frazzled. "Anyone can hit a six, I wasn't expecting that exact shot. The ball I got him out turned slightly, because there was turn on the pitch in the first session. He tried to lift me over mid-on but mistimed it."

After he had picked up Gayle's wicket, Gazi added that of Darren Bravo before Shahadat Hossain accounted for Marlon Samuels. But they hit a wall in the form of the Powell-Chanderpaul partnership during the middle session and lost their way in the final two hours.

With West Indies sitting on a strong position after the first day, questions will be asked about the need for three off-spinning allrounders - Mahmudullah, Naeem Islam and Nasir Hossain. The trio bowled 16 wicketless overs and Gazi's introduction to international cricket could spell the end of Bangladesh's defensive ploy of employing eight batsmen and playing three similar allrounders. It is now clear that all three would have to make major contributions with the bat in the next four days to be automatic picks in the near future.

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Powell firming up opening spot

Two hundreds in a day are more likely to grab headlines, but it was the partnership of the centurions that lifted West Indies from trouble and placed them in a commanding position at the end of the first day's play in Mirpur.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Kieran Powell added 125 runs for the fourth wicket, which wasn't even the highest partnership on the day, but it was their solidity that stood between Bangladesh and dominance. Powell was dismissed for 117 after a four-hour stay in the crease, hitting 18 boundaries and a six. Chanderpaul remained unbeaten on 123 off 195 balls with the help of 17 fours, having reached his 26th Test century.

Before lunch however, the situation was different. Bangladesh were celebrating after West Indies lost their third wicket. It gave the home side momentum going into the second session. But the pair batted until the tea break, unperturbed, with West Indies scoring 121 more without the loss of any wickets. They, however, didn't slow the scoring rate, batting at a slightly higher pace than the first session, which included Chris Gayle's 17-ball 24.

What makes the partnership more important were the efforts Bangladesh made between lunch and tea. The home side had to wait in the face of Gayle's early onslaught, but once they got rid of him and took two more wickets, they went for the kill. Captain Mushfiqur Rahim rotated his bowlers quite regularly, and the bowlers changed angles a number of times. The fielders worked hard too, but neither Chanderpaul nor Powell yielded as the latter went on to score his second Test hundred.

Later Powell said he found it comforting to bat with the Chanderpaul, who is in the 18th year of an illustrious international career.

"I think batting with any senior player is easy. Shiv has lots of experience, something like 145 Test matches," Powell said after the day's play. "He takes all the pressure off you and lets you play the normal game. He keeps talking to you."

The age difference between the pair is around 16 years, a non-issue for Chanderpaul, who has been known to take young batsmen under his wing. "He's just telling me to be patient, stay positive, look to rotate the strike and put away the bad balls, and play straight," Powell said.

It is only natural for Powell to have batted, among the senior batsmen, more frequently with Gayle. It was only the third time for him to bat with Chanderpaul and it was obvious who suited him more, especially when playing a long innings.

"Both are different players. Chris [Gayle] is more of a power player. Shiv is more about manoeuvring the ball. You have to give him the strike and keep it flowing (when you bat with Chris) but with Shiv you have to maneuver and build a steady partnership."

Powell has had to fight for his spot with the likes of Kirk Edwards, Adrian Barath and Kraigg Brathwaite. With Gayle returning to the team after his clash with the WICB, it was one out of four who would get a place, but Powell got in after his century and big opening partnership against New Zealand in July. This innings, too, would put him right ahead in the race.

"I can't really say if I'm going ahead, you would have to ask the selectors," he said. "I'm just trying to strengthen my case each and every day. The more centuries you have, the better it is. I want to control what I can."

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Media boycott threatened over BCCI stance

Major news agencies could boycott the series between India and England in protest at restrictions imposed upon journalists by the BCCI.

The News Media Coalition (NMC), which campaigns for media freedom around the world and represents a large number of media organisations, has issued a statement saying it "deplored" a decision by the India board to bar photo agencies such as Getty Images and Action Images. The BCCI have said they will supply their own images of the series, which starts with the first Test in Ahmedabad on Thursday, to be downloaded from their website.

"The NMC, an international organisation which defends the ability of the press to inform the public with independent news material, has urged the BCCI to withdraw the policy which will hit media coverage, fans and the sponsors involved with teams," a NMC statement read. "Getty Images and Action Images and Indian photographic agencies have been barred by the BCCI for this latest cricket series."

Agence France-Presse (AFP) announced they would suspend text and photo coverage unless the matter could be resolved ahead of the series. AFP stated that it "strongly believes the right of the media to cover news events without undue restrictions should be protected", adding it hoped "the BCCI will lift its policy so news media and fans can continue to get independent coverage".

Reuters and the Associated Press also said they may be forced to suspend coverage. Other news organisations are considering their positions, fearing that the BCCI's policy may set a precedent.

"The BCCI has offered to make its own photographs available but this is no substitute for independent and objective press photography," Andrew Moger, executive director of NMC, said. "Despite numerous opportunities, the BCCI has yet to explain why it is discriminating against photographic agencies or indeed whether other news sectors will be targeted. We deplore this move and insult to organisations which have supported cricket worldwide."

BCCI media manager Devendra Prabhudesai said the board was not seeking to bar news agencies. "The BCCI has a policy not to accredit photo syndication services like Getty Images and other similar foreign and domestic agencies," he told AFP. "We have no such problems with AFP, AP or Reuters since their text and photo service is for editorial use only. We have already explained our stand to the News Media Coalition."

The episode is the latest dispute between the BCCI and media organisations in the run-up to the series. Sky TV, which owns the television rights for the tour in the UK, decided not to send its team of commentators to India after the BCCI demanded £500,000 for hosting them in the grounds. Sky refused to pay and will instead commentate from a live television feed in London.

The BBC, which owns the rights for audio coverage in the UK, was also asked for an extra £50,000 but reached an agreement with the BCCI.

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Langer confirmed as Warriors coach

Justin Langer has been confirmed as Western Australia's new coach, leaving his role as an assistant with the national team to try to improve the state side's fortunes after almost a decade without a domestic trophy and widely known cultural problems.

The announcement, which also has Langer taking up the job as coach of the Perth Scorchers in the BBL, arrived the day after Australia drew the first Test with South Africa in Brisbane. Langer will be in place as coach of the Warriors in time for Saturday's domestic limited overs match against South Australia in Perth.

He has been contracted until the end of the 2015-16 season, offering Langer the chance to work with and improve the the team's results over a lengthy term.

Noted for his heavy emphasis on team-work and the mental side of the game, Langer has the job ahead of him to build a WA side in his own determined and dedicated image, following a dire start to the season that included widely publicised disciplinary problems at the T20 Champions League in South Africa and three outright losses to start the Sheffield Shield.

"I am really thrilled to be taking up the position as Warriors and Scorchers Head Coach and feel that the energy for my work will be doubled now that I am back home around my family, my cricket friends and my personal friends," Langer said.

"I have two main objectives. The first is to bring cricket back to life in Western Australia, and the second is to help these boys become men on and off the cricket field.

"I was very fortunate to serve an apprenticeship with the Australian team and I can't wait to roll up my sleeves and get started on this new challenge at what promises to be an exciting time in WA cricket."

Having retired from a decorated international career at the conclusion of the 2006-07 Ashes series in Australia, Langer returned to the national set-up as batting coach in November 2009. Since then he has applied for various coaching jobs, including WA's, and was also a candidate for the senior Australian coaching job when Mickey Arthur replaced Tim Nielsen in 2011.

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Worcestershire sign RAF Corporal

Worcestershire have signed Graeme Cessford, a Royal Air Force Corporal, for the 2013 season.

Cessford, 29, has been granted elite athlete status by the Royal Air Force which means he can take his chance in county cricket before returning to the military when his contract expires.

During the 2012 season Cessford made three appearances for Worcestershire's Second XI, taking seven wickets. He also played for Northumberland Minor Counties and Chester-le-Street in the North East Premier League.

"I'm delighted to have signed for Worcestershire," Cessford said. "I'd like to extend a massive thank you to the Royal Air Force, the RAF Sports Board, and Worcestershire for giving me this fantastic opportunity."

Worcestershire's director of cricket, Steve Rhodes, said: "Cess has the ability to bowl with pace and this will be a valuable asset in our 2013 campaign. He will give the squad some depth for bowling spots and I am looking forward to working with him."

Squadron Leader Sally Varley added: "Corporal Graeme Cessford has been granted Elite Athlete Status by the Royal Air Force. This status allows him time to realise and develop his cricket potential through the opportunity to play for Worcestershire County Cricket Club. In addition, the Royal Air Force has exceptionally adjusted Corporal Cessford's employment for a year to include a public relations engagement role."

Cessford is not the first county cricketer to join from the military in recent seasons after Gloucestershire signed David Wade, an active Lance Corporal with Royal Signal Corps in the British Army, although he was released after the recent 2012 season after a two-year stint where he failed to break into the First XI.

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All-round Bruce Martin takes Auckland to big win

Auckland 392 (B Martin 114, Craig Cachopa 82, Aldridge 3-74) and 14 for 0 beat Northern Districts 208 (Yovich 106, B Martin 4-43) and 196 (Yovich 42, B Martin 3-63) by ten wickets
Scorecard

Seven wickets and a century from left-arm spinner Bruce Martin enabled Auckland to defeat Northern Districts by ten wickets at Eden Park. Auckland scored a commanding 392 in their first innings to gain a lead of 184, after which Northern Districts were bowled out for 196, narrowly avoiding an innings defeat.

After being put in to bat, Northern Districts started strongly to score 118 for 2, but eight wickets then fell for 90 runs as opener Joseph Yovich struck small partnerships with seven other batsmen to score 106, taking his team past the 200-run mark. Auckland's openers didn't begin as strongly, and they had lost six wickets for 150, but middle-order batsman Craig Cachopa, who is the brother of this season's prolific run-getter Carl Cachopa, struck a 168-run seventh wicket partnership with Martin to go well past their opponent's score. Cachopa was dismissed for 82, but Martin went on to complete a hundred.

The game had already tilted towards Auckland with the big lead and a collective bowling performance ensured a comfortable win. Yovich, the first-innings centurion, top scored with 42 and none of the other Northern Districts batsmen scored more than 24. At 150 for 9, an innings defeat was probable, but the last pair of Brent Arnel and Jimmy Baker took them to a 12-run lead. Martin took three wickets, to add to the four he had taken in the first innings. Auckland needed only eight deliveries to complete the chase. They move to third in the points table.

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