Malik expects tough series against Sri Lanka

Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik thinks Sri Lanka will make a tough opponent as replacement for India, which canceled next month's cricket tour.

"We all are disappointed that India is not coming to Pakistan, but Sri Lanka is also a good team," Malik told reporters in the southern port city of Karachi on Friday.

Sri Lanka has agreed to replace India and play three Test matches, three one-day internationals and a Twenty20 game in Pakistan shortly after finishing the series against Bangladesh on January 16.

"There's a huge interest in both countries when India and Pakistan play against each other but that's not the case now and we are gearing for Sri Lanka," Malik said.

New unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis baffled experienced batsmen of both India and Pakistan during the Asia Cup in Pakistan earlier this year as Sri Lanka successfully defended its title.

"We are going to watch closely the videotapes of how Mendis has thus far bowled in international cricket and then they also have experienced Muttiah Muralidaran," Malik said. "It will be a tough series for us because Sri Lanka has been doing well in international cricket, but we have not played any Test cricket this year."

"After the Sri Lankan tour I do hope that more teams would come to Pakistan," Malik said.

Credit: Yahoo Cricket

'Pie Chucker' Yuvraj offers bowling tips to Pietersen

Yuvraj Singh entered the media conference hall here Monday announcing that the 'Pie Chucker is coming'.

'I know this will be the first question and that is why I myself said that 'Pie Chucker' is coming. I do not know the meaning of this. If it means a useless bowler, then how a Pie Chucker could get wickets?' said Yuvraj after the end of the fourth day's play in the second cricket Test against England here.

He was reacting to England captain Kevin Pietersen calling Yuvraj 'a left-arm filth and a Pie Chucker' at Sunday's media interaction after third day's play.

'I have got the wicket of Pietersen in the last few matches. Then I can also call him be a useless batsman because he fell to a Pie Chucker. I am ready to give some bowling tips to Pietersen if he approaches me,' he said.

On a serious note, Yuvraj said: 'Pietersen is a phenomenal batsman and he really played well in the first innings. We have competition only on the field and off it we are good friends. There is a healthy competition between the two teams and we have not bad mouthed anyone.'

on the match, he said: 'Anything can happen on Tuesday. Things will be difficult for England as any total to chase on day five will be difficult.'

About his Test career, Yuvraj said: 'There is no threat to it, this is all a media speculation. I have three Test hundreds and my knock of unbeaten 85 in the second innings while chasing 378 in Chennai was one of the best.'

Credit: Yahoo Cricket

Gayle satisfied after draining knock

Chris Gayle, the West Indies captain, has said his team will look to score at least another 50 runs on the fifth day of the deciding Test at McLean Park to extend their advantage. Gayle ended his three-year century drought with an unbeaten 146 and steered his team to a lead of 214 with three second-innings wickets in hand.

"I will be looking to come back tomorrow and push on to see how many more I can get," Gayle said. "We still have three wickets in hand so I will be looking for as many as possible.

"We would probably look for another 50 runs and build from that. The pitch is still good for batting so we won't be taking anything for granted."

Read more at: cricinfo.com

Post-Match: Australia vs South Africa 1st Test

AB de Villiers erased a lingering hoodoo for South Africa as they sealed their most satisfying win with a record-breaking chase of 4 for 414 that buried Australia. Since coming back into the international arena in the early 1990s, South Africa have had the most trouble with Australia and finally conquered them, with de Villiers fighting to 106 and Jacques Kallis and the debutant JP Duminy producing nerveless half-centuries.

In a thrilling and stomach-turning adventure in the top-of-the-table contest, South Africa registered the second-biggest successful pursuit in history and did it so comfortably that they could have got 500. Australia's only answer was Mitchell Johnson, who took a career-best 11 for 159, but the rest of the performance was as worrying as South Africa's was outstanding.

Graeme Smith, who set up the chase with 108, watched his team drop the hosts to 3 for 15 on the opening morning, but it was not ahead again until after lunch on the final day. It has been like a handicap sprint race, with the runners not coming together until the final ten metres. South Africa finished with more than their chests in front to capture an invaluable 1-0 lead in the three-match series, which resumes in Melbourne on Boxing Day.

Read More at: cricinfo.com

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