Flintoff seals England success

Flintoff seals England success

England secured a 3-2 series win with a 26-run victory in a rain-affected fifth and final ODI against West Indies.

In a match reduced to 29 overs in St Lucia, England had Andrew Flintoff to thank for their triumph, with the all-rounder taking 5-19, including a hat-trick.

The tourists made 172-5 from their 29 overs, before Flintoff's heroics sealed a series win which ended a poor winter on a rare high note.

Captain Andrew Strauss said afterwards: "Given we lost the Test series the one-day series was very important to us. It is a very satisfying win.

"We've had our lows on this trip, quite a few of them actually, but we've worked hard and had some positive moments as well.

"To get to the end of the tour and see some reward for all our hard work is very satisfying. I know the players are delighted and it's a good basis to move forward from.

"There were certainly occasions on the tour when we could have fallen apart quite comfortably, especially after what happened in the first half of the winter.

IPL chance excites Flintoff

IPL chance excites Flintoff

Andrew Flintoff believes he will be at the peak of his powers when the Ashes series starts in July.

The Lancastrian all-rounder is looking forward to starring for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL and believes the experience will help him to return to his best form.

He said: "It's been frustrating with the hip injury, thigh injury and getting hit on the thumb just before the end of the tour of the West Indies and I think the IPL will be good for me.

"There are a few people putting the IPL down but keeping playing should help me out a lot. When I stop and start is when my body is at its most vulnerable.

"I know I'm only bowling four overs a game, but it will give me a chance to work on my game in between games going into a Test series and I'll be working with top facilities out in South Africa.

"It's a long schedule and everyone is looking forward to the Ashes and making sure everyone is fit for that but I've stressed all along that we have to perform in all the games we're playing.

"From my point of view, although it's been frustrating, I've had four or five weeks when I've not played because I've been injured so I'm probably fresher than a lot of the lads.

"If I'm asked whether I'm jaded in September I'll probably be on my knees, but at this moment in time I'm looking forward to getting on with it."

Vaughan stressed as skipper

Vaughan stressed as skipper

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has spoken of the stresses involved in leading his country.

The 34-year-old led England for just over five years, but stepped down in August 2008 after running out of the emotional energy needed to lead the side.

He told the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 2009: "I wasn't very good at switching off. I thought about the captaincy 24-7 and that is why it took its toll.

"Even in my year out with a knee injury, I was still thinking about how to make us a great team. Even when playing golf, after two or three holes I'd get back to strategies for beating Australia and what sort of cricket we had to play.

"For three-quarters of my time I didn't worry about my decision-making. Towards the end, especially in my last series in charge against South Africa, I started to question myself.

"In sport, the more you start to think, the more you have a problem. I didn't want to go on as captain for a year too long.

"A lot of captaincy is about acting - you want your team-mates to play naturally and be themselves, but the captain has to act. Your job is to lead with a calm authority.

"The players in my last year as captain didn't know I was struggling and that is one of the things I will always be proudest of."

Rhodes calls for fielding captains in Twenty20s

Rhodes calls for fielding captains in Twenty20s

	Jonty Rhodes says a fielding captain will relieve some of the burden on the team's captain © AFP

Jonty Rhodes, one of the greatest fielders, has partially backed John Buchanan's multi-captain theory by calling for a fielding captain in Twenty20s. Rhodes feels the nominated player can play the role of a "facilitator" for the team captain, who would have many other responsibilities and could not be expected to carry out every fielding change.

Rhodes, the fielding coach of Mumbai Indians in the IPL, said Hansie Cronje, the former South Africa captain, had given him the task of monitoring the field to make sure all the players were attentive. Rhodes felt it was a move that helped South Africa become one of the best fielding units.

"Cronje gave me the responsibility to find ways to improve our fielding...You can have a guy who is responsible for that, if you want to call him the fielding captain that's fine," Rhodes told Cricinfo from Durban, where he is supervising the Mumbai squad with his former team-mate Shaun Pollock, the team's mentor.

Buchanan's theory of multiple-strategists for the Kolkata Knight Riders created a huge furore. As part of his plan to succeed in Twenty20s, Buchanan favoured more "decision-makers" in the side, including one who could look after the fielders. Rhodes said the man in charge of the fielding needs to make sure fielders are into their positions quickly so the bowlers could get through the overs soon.

"Also if there is an instance where the player could dive but doesn't then, without adding pressure on him, you need the guy [fielding captain] to tell him what could've been the result if only he had attempted the dive," Rhodes said. "That's not the captain's role (to advise the fielders). He has many other things on his head. The fielding captain is like a facilitator."

Rhodes, who was a consultant with the South African team, said during his interaction last month with the Mumbai players he stressed on throwing techniques and foot movement, two aspects that make a good fielder.

Asked to nominate the best fielders in the game today, Rhodes picked countrymen JP Duminy and AB de Villiers, Australian Andrew Symonds, and England's Paul Collingwood.

Ponting keen to finish lost series on a high

Ponting keen to finish lost series on a high

	Ricky Ponting wants his team to lift for Friday's fifth ODI, despite it being a dead rubber © Gallo Images

Ricky Ponting's men have been unable to win back the No. 1 one-day international ranking but he believes they can still finish the tour on a high. South Africa claimed the series with a 61-run win in Port Elizabeth on Monday and in doing so confirmed their position at the top of the rankings table.

But Australia can make the scoreline a little less lopsided and will fly out with a 3-2 loss if they fight back to win the final ODI in Johannesburg on Friday. It will require a turnaround in form after South Africa's strong performances but Australia are keen to regain some momentum before heading to the UAE to take on Pakistan.

"We weren't able to do well this time, and the South Africans outplayed us in the last three games in all facets of the game, so they deserve to be where they are," Ponting said after the Port Elizabeth loss. "We'd like to finish the tour on a high, so hopefully there'll be a bit of character in the team when the guys pitch up on Friday."

Ponting took a risk by sending South Africa in on Monday but the bowlers struggled to make inroads into the top order. Herschelle Gibbs' 21st ODI century and an attacking 84 from AB de Villiers left Australia chasing 318 and despite a promising opening stand between Brad Haddin and Michael Clarke Australia fell well short.

"Herschelle obviously played beautifully, he played a sensational innings," Ponting said. "I thought de Villiers was also outstanding. We needed someone at the top to go on and make a big hundred, but we didn't really have that."

Gibbs finished with 110 and it was his first century since coming back into the side during the one-day series in Australia, following his month-long stay in alcohol rehabilitation. He showed encouraging signs with a 64 at the SCG and in Port Elizabeth finally made use of one of his many starts.

"I feel I have been boiling for some time, probably since the third ODI at Sydney," Gibbs said. "I have probably wanted it too badly which is why it did not come sooner. I knew if I got through the first 15 to 20 overs that I could go all the way. It was an excellent pitch."

South Africa's captain Graeme Smith said Gibbs had played a sensational innings and it was pleasing to see him cash in on his starts. The teams now head to the Wanderers, the venue of the famous 438 match of three years ago, for the series finale.

Pakistan announce initial squad for Women's World Twenty20

Pakistan announce initial squad for Women's World Twenty20



Pakistan have announced a preliminary list of 30 women for the Women's World Twenty20 which will run alongside the men's tournament in England in June. Pakistan finished sixth in the Women's World Cup which was held in Australia in March.

Squad: Sana Mir, Bismah Maroof, Nain Abidi, Sajida Shah, Sukhan Faiz, Nazia Sadiq, Qanita Jalil, Almas Akram, Asmavia Iqbal, Kainat Imtiaz, Salma Faiz, Naila Nazir, Armaan Khan, Urooj Mumtaz Khan, Javeria Wadood, Nahida Bibi, Sania Iqbal Khan, Batool Fatima, Marina Iqbal, Zeba Manzoor Hussain, Sumaiya Siddqui, Saima Jamil, Mehwish Tariq, Masooma Junaid Farooqi, Namra Imran, Komal Feroz, Rabia Batool, Badar-un-Nisa Shaukat, Sadia Yousaf, Farzana Shafi.

Malaysia, Ireland and Scotland among Pakistan's offshore options

Malaysia, Ireland and Scotland among Pakistan's offshore options

	Pakistan could play home games at the Kinrara Oval in Kuala Lumpur © Dileep Premachandran

Malaysia, Ireland and Scotland have emerged as surprise contenders to host future Pakistan "home" series. Ijaz Butt, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, confirmed that those nations, along with England and the United Arab Emirates, could become the Pakistan team's foreign base while the domestic security risk remained high.

While stressing his desire for cricket to make a prompt return to Pakistan, Butt said his board would announce in the next month neutral venues for impending international series. Butt has already held discussions with Giles Clarke, chairman of the ECB, regarding the feasibility of England hosting next year's Test series between Pakistan and Australia, and will soon decide where other matches will be based.

"We have a number of alternatives before us, and we are investigating their suitability as host venues," Butt told . "We have spoken with the ECB, and we will speak again with Giles Clarke when we all get together for the next ICC meeting in Dubai. There are other alternatives too. Kuala Lumpur, Ireland and Glasgow are among those. Nothing has been finalised at this stage but we will hope to make a decision in the next month."

Pakistan will return to competitive cricket this month when they play Australia in a five-match one-day series, followed by a one-off Twenty20 match, in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. They have not played since the terror attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore on March 3, and now face an uncertain future with teams unwilling to tour in the immediate future due to the security risk.

England and the UAE have previously been discussed as potential foreign bases for the Pakistan team, but Malaysia, Ireland and Scotland emerged as new contenders. In 2006, Kuala Lumpur's Kinrara Academy Oval hosted a triangular one-day series featuring India, Australia and West Indies. Ireland and Scotland, meanwhile, host international cricket on a more regular basis, as their respective national teams attempt to ascend from the Associate ranks.

"Some have contacted us, and others we have inquired about," Butt said. "We are investigating all possibilities. We want teams back in Pakistan as soon as possible, but for now it is important that we ensure matches still progress."

Warren Deutrom, the chief executive of Cricket Ireland, confirmed he had held preliminary discussion with the PCB's chief operations officer, Salim Altaf, and was amenable to the idea of hosting Pakistan matches.

"Our aim is to heighten interest in cricket in Ireland," Deutrom said. "We are trying to build an argument that we are a sufficiently viable cricket nation to make the step up to the elite level. To be able to host Pakistan in limited overs and even Test matches could only help us in attracting more interest in the sport. We would be more than happy for Pakistan to play here."