Shane Warne

Australia turn to Warne to help spinners

MANCHESTER: Australia are to call on Shane Warne to advise their spinners ahead of the make-or-break third Ashes Test at Old Trafford -- where the leg-spin legend delivered the 'ball of the century' 20 years ago.

Warne, in England as a television commentator, has been asked to have a word with 19-year-old left-armer Ashton Agar and off-spinner Nathan Lyon by former team-mate turned Australia coach Darren Lehmann ahead of a match the tourists, 2-0 down in the five-match series, must win to keep their Ashes hopes alive.

Concerningly for Australia, Agar went wicketless on a helpful pitch during a crushing 347-run defeat by England in the second Test at Lord's.

Meanwhile Lyon, having seemingly established himself as Australia's premier spinner, has yet to play in this Ashes after being left out for the first two Tests in favour of the teenager.

But both sides could yet field two spinners at Old Trafford, with England having added left-armer Monty Panesar to a squad already containing in-form off-spinner Graeme Swann, as the Manchester ground has a deserved reputation for taking turn.

It was at Old Trafford in 1993 where Warne, making his Ashes debut, saw his first ball pitch outside leg-stump and then spin viciously across Mike Gatting to clip the top of the England batsman's off-bail.

The delivery was soon labelled 'the ball of the century'.

Warne would go on to win six successive Ashes series, finishing with 708 Test wickets after helping to secure a 5-0 series whitewash at Sydney in January 2007. (AFP)

Pakistan Cricket Team

Pakistan cricket team returns home after West Indies tour

LAHORE/KARACHI: The Pakistan cricket team on Wednesday returned home after West Indies tour.

Eight players including Saeed Ajmal, Nasir Jamshed, Assad Ali, Zulfiqar Babar, Junaid Khan and others arrived at the Lahore airport while Shahid Khan Afridi, Hammad Azam and Umar Amin landed at the Karachi’s Jinnah International airport.

The team won ODI series against West Indies by 3-1 and the T-20 series by 2-0. Speaking to media at the airport, Saeed Ajmal said he was thankful to almighty Allah over the victory.

He said that the national team was in dire need of such a victory and it was not an easy task to defeat West Indies on their home ground. He said all the players performed well while he was satisfied with his own performance.

Zulfiqar Babar expressed resolve that the team would show the same good performance in the upcoming series against Zimbabwe.

Team manager lauded the players for maintaining exemplary discipline in their ranks. He said that Shahid Afridi put up good performance but the credit for the victory went to the whole squad.

Speaking to reporters, Shahid Afridi said the team needed such a victory, for which he was thankful to Allah. He said that he had always tried to perform well for the team.

The flamboyant all-rounder said that new players must be provided an opportunity but it was essential to take the senior players along.

Shahid Khan Afridi

Savour the win, Afridi urges Pakistan

KARACHI: All-rounder Shahid Afridi Thursday urged Pakistan to savour their one-day and Twenty20 wins over the West Indies and forget allegations of fixing.

Pakistan beat the West Indies 3-1 in the five-match one-day series, and clinched both the Twenty20s on the tour which finished on Sunday.

But the wins were clouded by controversy after British newspaper The Mail on Sunday claimed the one-day matches could be investigated by the sport's international anti-corruption unit.

Asked about the claims, Afridi said: "I don't know about any allegations, but I would say 'Savour the win when you have done well and forget any other thing'."

Team manager Naveed Cheema denied the allegations.

"These are baseless allegations and anyone can investigate," said Cheema. "The discipline of the players was exemplary and that showed on the results."

Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal also urged people to give Pakistan credit.

"Sometimes they must appreciate us," he said. "Why people take our wins lightly and allege strongly is unfathomable."

Afridi said Pakistan's wins were much-needed after a lacklustre tour of South Africa and a poor Champions Trophy performance earlier in the year.

Pakistan lost all three Tests and the one-day series 3-2 in South Africa. They crashed out of the first round of the Trophy after losing all three group matches.

"This win was very much needed after what happened in South Africa and England and I am sure this will go a long way in improving the image of the team and the players," said Afridi, who became the first batsman to hit 400 international sixes.

Pakistan next tour Zimbabwe in August where they play two T20s, three one-dayers and two Tests. (AFP)