Simon Katich works up for CA face-off

A defiant Simon Katich is likely to fight the harmful public comment charge lay next to him by Cricket Australia, with his manager claim that the ax opener know he would land in problem for blaming Michael Clarke for his upheaval.

An angry Katich had affirmed that his 2009 dressing-room bust-up with now-captain Clarke after a Test in Sydney was the reason why he was left out of the contracted players' list previous this year.

Both Clarke and CA did not take his commentary kindly, with the governing body reproachful him of making a harmful public statement last week. Katich and his manager Robert Joske will meet a lawyer before decide the course of response. Joske said the opener knew what he was receiving into when he made the remarks.

"He only ever speaks the truth as far as he perceives it. In saying that, he was aware he almost certainly cross the line as far as Cricket Australia's directives is troubled," Joske was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph.

Meanwhile, Katich also got some much-needed hold up when former Test players Mike Whitney and Greg Matthews said it would be unjust to penalize the opener for his honesty.

"He has every right to speak his brain and get whatever it is off his chest," Whitney said.

"When Kat was not chosen in the top 25 (contracted players) this year, I was amazed the captain (Clarke) did put his hand up, known Kat has been in the top five batsmen in the world the past few seasons.

"Kat has got the admiration of everybody, players like him, he's truthful, there's no bullshit about him at all - he ticks all the boxes."

Matthews echo the feeling and said no player should be punishing for being up-front.

"For a man of his integrity to speak his mind, we should listen somewhat than criticize him for speaking the truth.

"If you had to go into war, who would you favor on your shoulder - Simon Katich and Andrew Symonds or Michael Clarke? I hope the ACA (Australian Cricketers' Association) fight tooth and nail for him."

The 36-year-old originally react angrily to his axing in June, calling a press discussion to slam selectors. CA chose not to react at that time.

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Adrian Barath takings to WI squad for India Tests

Adrian Barath on Tuesday returns to the West Indies squad for the upcoming three-Test series in India after getting better from a hamstring injury.

The opener misses the continuing two-Test series in Bangladesh after distress the injury during the opening one-day international in Dhaka last month.

Barath, who scored a century in his Test entrance next to Australia in 2009, has so far made 350 runs in seven matches.

Opener Lendl Simmons, who replace Barath for the Tests in Bangladesh, will come back home after the ongoing second and final Test in Dhaka, according to a West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) press release.

There was immobile no place in the 15-man squad for unstable opener Chris Gayle following his difference with the WICB. He has not played for the West Indies since the World Cup previous this year.

The WICB last month ask Gayle to retract his bitter criticism of official and coach Otis Gibson in a radio interview if he required resurrecting his international career.

The West Indies play the first Test in Delhi from November 6, followed by matches in Kolkata (Nov 14-18) and Mumbai (Nov 22-26). They will also play five one-day internationals behind the Tests.

The one-day squad will be named later, the WICB said.

West Indies Test squad: Darren Sammy (capt), Adrian Barath, Carlton Baugh, Devendra Bishoo, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Kirk Edwards, Keiran Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Shane Shillingford.

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Centurion Bravo lead West Indies supremacy

West Indies 355 and 207 for 3 (Bravo 100*, Kirk Edwards 86) lead Bangladesh 231 (Shakib 73, Naeem 45, Fidel Edwards 5-63) by 331 runs

Darren Bravo's maiden Test century put the West Indies in control of the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka after three days.

Resuming on a modest 204 for seven, the home side could only add 27 runs to their overnight total and headed back to the pavilion trailing by 124.

And a third-wicket partnership of 151 between first-innings centurion Kirk Edwards and Bravo took the game away from the Tigers before the latter finished unbeaten on exactly 100.

The West Indies ended the day on 207 for three, a lead of 331 runs.

Bravo lofted his second ball back over Shakib's head for a one-bounce four and then deposited him for six two overs later to set the tone for an uncharacteristically attacking innings.

Two fours and a six followed in a single Nasir Hossain over, leaving Bravo on 25 from 22 balls, and though the left-hander then adopted a more measured approach, his fourth four brought up the 50 stand.

He was dropped by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim and slip Imrul Kayes in the same Shakib over, but progressed to 50 soon afterwards from 63 balls.

Edwards made just four from his first 34 balls before doubling his tally from the next and steadily began to build momentum in partnership with Bravo.

He lifted Shahadat Hossain for six and took two fours in an over from Shakib to reach a 115-ball half-century, and he and Bravo were unbeaten on 59 apiece at tea.

Edwards survived when television replays failed to prove whether a catch had carried to Shakib diving forward, and Suhrawati Shuvo had an lbw appeal against Bravo turned down.

Edwards welcomed Shakib back into the attack with a boundary and Bravo drove Shuvo to deep cover to pass his previous Test best of 80.

But a lapse in concentration cost Edwards his second century of the game when he missed a straight delivery from the debutant and was bowled for 86.

Nightwatchman Kemar Roach survived an lbw appeal and Bravo had a late escape when Shuvo narrowly beat his edge and appealed for a catch behind, but he reached three figures when he cut the final ball of the day for two.

Earlier, Bangladesh started slowly and Shuvo departed for 15 when he prodded Devendra Bishoo straight to Kraigg Brathwaite at short leg - and Nasir followed 11 balls later for 42.

Desperate for a single to keep the strike away from Shahadat, he snatched at one from Marlon Samuels that was neither full nor straight enough for the slog he was trying to play, giving Kirk Edwards the easiest of catches. Shahadat was then cleaned up by Bishoo (three for 62).

The tourists lost Brathwaite, run out by Rubel without scoring, and opening partner Kieran Powell (12) when he needlessly miscued Shakib Al Hasan to Nasir at mid-on, but Edwards and Bravo turned the tables.

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Yuvraj Singh opens cricket conservatory

Following the footsteps of his colleague Virender Sehwag, cricketer Yuvraj Singh, too, on Saturday set up a cricket academy called 'Yuvraj Singh Center of Excellence' at Pathways World School in Gurgaon and Noida. School and college students will be trained under Yuvraj Singh among other coaches.

Singh said, "I have been playing cricket since childhood. I joined various academies, but they were not excellent in terms of facilities and training." He said he would be in constant touch with the coaches at the academy through the Internet and help in chalking out plans to enhance the budding talent. Singh added, "I will also invite other cricket icons to my academy to guide the youngsters."

He said, "We are trying to help the budding cricketers. The academy will also help children from humble background. If we come across a talented boy from such a family, we will accommodate him and try to nurture his talent."

BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla and Haryana Cricket Association secretary Anirudh Chaudhry were also present.

In October, Sehwag had opened a world-class training institute — 'Sehwag Inter-national School' in Jhajjar.

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We will not at all play negative cricket: Mohsin Khan

Pakistan team's temporary coach, Mohsin Khan has made it clear that his team will go all away for a win in the third Test next to Sri Lanka, in spite of enjoying a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Pakistan won the second Test in Dubai last week by a believable margin of nine wickets.


Pakistan also conquered the first Test in Abu Dhabi after bowling out the Sri Lankans for 197 on the first day.

"As long as I am with the boys, we will never play negative cricket and we want to go into the third Test in a optimistic frame of mind. We will go for a win in Sharjah and will not go there looking to sit on our one series lead," Mohsin said.

"However Test cricket is very unpredictable and in five days of cricket anything is possible and plans have to sometimes be changed as the match goes on and it's important that the captain and I keep discussing the match progress and the game plan," he added.

Mohsin is expecting the pitch to favour the batsmen. "The pitch at Sharjah will of course dictate the game plan. When I played there many years ago it was always a batsman-friendly surface. I hope we get a track that is similar to the Dubai one, but perhaps not one that deteriorates as much as the Dubai wicket did later in the match," he was quoted as saying by 'Pakpassion.net' website.

Mohsin, who was named coach for the series after the resignation of Waqar Younis post the Zimbabwe tour, said he had forged a good understanding with the players and they had given him lot of support.

"I'm really pleased with the team spirit in the camp and I think this group of players has the potential to improve further. I do feel that the last six months have been the beginning of a new era in Pakistan cricket. We want to build on the momentum and and God willing I am confident that the team will continue to improve," Mohsin said.

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