DUNEDIN: New Zealand batsman Daniel Flynn fell five runs short of his maiden century after the West Indies used a new rule to successfully challenge the umpire’’s decision in the first Test here Thursday.The 23-year-old scored 95 as New Zealand made a solid 226 for four on the opening day of the first of two Tests before bad light stopped play about 70 minutes early.This Test series is being used to trial a new rule where both fielding sides and batsmen can ask for a review of an umpire’’s decision, although each team is limited to three unsuccessful review requests in each innings.The review rule has been trialled in Tests only once before when Sri Lanka hosted India in July and August.The dismissal was not the kind of history Flynn wanted to make after he made the most of his promotion up the order to number three, scoring his maiden Test 50 before falling frustratingly short of a century.Playing just his eighth Test, Flynn survived the occasional bad shot to play the anchor role for New Zealand, hitting 12 fours in his 188 minute stay at the crease.Jesse Ryder mixed careful defence and daring stroke play to remain undefeated on 54 at the end of the day, putting on 61 runs for the fourth wicket with Flynn.Gayle’’s dismissal of Flynn was his third wicket for the day and the languid off-spinner finished with figures of three for 42 off 20 overs.The placid University Oval wicket did no favours for the West Indian bowlers, but some of the New Zealand batsmen were guilty of not taking full advantage by throwing their wickets away with poor shots.Debutant opener Tim McIntosh played the early supporting role, recovering from a nervous start to reach 34 before falling shortly after the lunch break and ending an 87 run partnership with Flynn.New Zealand’’s opening partnership woes — which have seen a stream of batsmen come and go in recent seasons — continued with the early dismissal of How with the total on 10.McIntosh took 34 balls to get off the mark, edging a streaky four over gully to end his frustration.The debutant struggled to come to terms with the pace of Fidel Edwards, Daren Powell and Jerome Taylor in the first hour, but gained in assurance after hitting Edwards for two fours.Six overs into the afternoon session, McIntosh gave his wicket away too easily, mistiming an on-drive off Gayle to find Lionel Baker at mid-on. Gayle struck again eight overs later when the talented but ill-disciplined Ross Taylor skied an attempted sweep to Xavier Marshall at mid-wicket to end his innings on 15.
More: continued here
PESHAWAR: Seven people were killed as a result of a reportedly American missile attack in South Waziristan.As per a foreign news agency, a missile attack was made from a US spy plane at a house in the area of south Waziristan and in result seven extremists were killed.According the foreign news agency, the extremists killed in the incident included three foreigners but their nationality was not mentioned.
More: continued here
RawalpindiEidul Azha left behind memories of uncounted joy and happiness for people who grabbed each and every moment of this auspicious occas
More: continued here
LAHOREMISERIES of patients were aggravated due to the lack of medical attention, caused by the absence of a majority of doctors and other medi
More: continued here
Pakistan News
CHENNAI: England opener Andrew Strauss hit 123 in the first Test on Thursday as cricket returned to centrestage in India after the Mumbai terror attac
More: continued here
LAHORE: Pakistan launched a countrywide crackdown on Thursday against Jamaat-ud-Daawa as the police in all the four provinces and Azad Kashmir raided
More: continued here
CHENNAI: England opener Andrew Strauss hit 123 in the first Test on Thursday as cricket returned to centre stage in India after the Mumbai terror attacks.The left-hander’’s 13th century after a first-wicket stand of 118 with Alastair Cook (52) lifted England to 229-5 by stumps on the opening day at the heavily guarded Chidambaram stadium.Andrew Flintoff was unbeaten on 18 and nightwatchman James Anderson was on two.India fought back in the final session with four wickets to end the day with honours even on a barren wicket that is expected to turn later in the match.The 45,000-seater stadium wore a deserted look as less than 1,000 fans watched the Test start just a fortnight after the Mumbai attacks that left 172 dead and injured more than 300.England, who abandoned the one-day series and flew home after the attacks, agreed to return for the two-Test series after security checks and a shift in venues.Kevin Pietersen’’s men joined the Indian players in wearing black armbands and observing a minute’’s silence for the victims before play began.The crowd, which swelled to around 5,000 by afternoon, included International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat and top officials of the England and Wales Cricket Board.The left-handed pair of Strauss and Cook batted through the first three hours to give England a solid start after Pietersen won the toss and elected to take first strike.Cook fell soon after reaching his 15th half-century when he miscued a pull off Harbhajan Singh high to mid-on where Zaheer Khan took a well-judged catch.England, at a commanding 164-1 at tea, slumped to 221-5 soon after the break following a double strike by Zaheer.The left-arm seamer trapped Ian Bell leg-before for 17 with the second delivery after tea and then took a return catch as Pietersen (four) top-edged a hook high into the air.India earned a lucky break soon after when Paul Collingwood (nine) was declared caught at short-leg off Harbhajan by umpire Billy Bowden. Television replays showed the ball go off the pad.Strauss finally fell after a dour six-hour vigil at the crease when he was beaten in the air by leg-spinner Amit Mishra and spooned a low return catch to the bowler.
More: continued here
NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council’’s chief executive Haroon Lorgat said the world governing body would be powerless to intervene if the Indian government refused to sanction the tour.”We would try and encourage India to tour, but if the government decides otherwise, we will have to respect that because there is nothing the ICC can do about it,” Lorgat told reporters here.”We can”t force any country to tour Pakistan.”Lorgat hoped the matches could be played at a neutral venue such as the United Arab Emirates.”Rather than not playing all, it would perhaps be better to go to neutral venues, but that would depend on Pakistan and India,” he said.”There are excellent facilities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, so why not make use of them?”The tour was first put in doubt in early November when the Indian government denied permission to the national junior hockey team to visit Pakistan.Australia cancelled a Test tour of Pakistan in March and the ICC put off the high-profile Champions Trophy there in September due to security concerns.
More: continued here
WANA: A missile fired by a US drone in Azam Warsak, Wana killed at least 6 people and injured several others on Thursday.Initial reports say, a US drone fired a guided missile targeting a house which killed six people and injured many others.Seven people were present in the house when the missile landed on it.The local tribesmen began removing rubble to recover the trapped people.
More: continued here
NEW DELHI: India’’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday called Pakistan “the epicentre of terrorism” and said the international community must deal with the problem.”We have to galvanise the international community to deal with the epicentre of terrorism, which is located in Pakistan,” Singh said in a speech to parliament.The prime minister said India had exercised “the utmost restraint so far” but added that should not be “misconstrued” as a sign of weakness.He said India “cannot be satisfied with mere assurances on an end to terror emanating from Pakistan.”"We have noted the reported steps taken by Pakistan but clearly much more needs to be done,” he said.”The infrastructure of terrorism” in Pakistan must be dismantled, he said.Singh’’s statements capped a day of speeches by Indian political leaders expressing outrage over the carnage in Mumbai that left 172 people dead, including nine gunmen.The Indian politicians demanded strong action by Pakistan to crack down on militants operating on its soil.Acknowledging security lapses, Singh said he apologised “to the people of the country that the dastardly act in Mumbai could not be prevented.”"We have identified gaps in the security system, there is a need to equip the security personnel to meet the unprecedented threat to the unity and integrity of the country,” he said.He urged the country to “stand firm and as one people” against the challenge posed by militants.
More: continued here