Yuvraj looking forward to home series next to Windies

Yuvraj Singh enjoys being in the wide of action, so competitive juices are flowing in anticipation of the forthcoming home series next to the West Indies. The India all-rounder expressed his approval of the team's fielding ability. “Indian teams have been a great fielding side since 2003. Guys like (Suresh) Raina, Rohit (Sharma), and Virat (Kohli) are extremely talented fielders. I'm sure the old horse (referring to him) is also able of saving a few runs.”

Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma do not figure in the Test series next to the West Indies, but with Kohli and uncapped youngsters like Ajinkya Rahane, India will not be short of fielding options.

Yuvraj was discussion on the lines of an event by Puma, which named him as brand ambassador. “I had a long time off the field and am getting better now. For the last 10-15 days I have been pushing really hard.” He is back in the Test squad after a three-month break.

With VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Kohli in the middle-order, Yuvraj will have to fight for his place in the squad. “I'm sure the more we play, the better we become. It is unlucky, every time I have done well, I got wounded. It is part of life and you have got to move on.”

Clear priorities

Yuvraj is clear about his priorities. “I want to be a good Test cricketer. I have done politely well, but am looking to improve my graph all the time.” He averages 35.60 after 1709 runs in 35 Test appearances for India, while scoring 62 in his last Test match for India next to England. He has taken 31 catches and nine wickets.

He sounded optimistic of teammate Harbhajan Singh making a comeback and liked leg-spinner Rahul Sharma's nature. The India all-rounder said, “If you are the best, no one can stop you. Harbhajan is a great bowler; he has got 400 wickets and played almost 100 Tests.”

Sharma played under Yuvraj's captaincy for Pune Warriors in IPL 2011. “Whenever I have given him the ball, he got wickets and was inexpensive. If you have the best talent you should play them, irrespective of how much domestic cricket they may have played,” he said.

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Kenya put to tour Namibia, Zimbabwe for T20s

Kenya will play eight Twenty20s next to Namibia and a further two matches in Zimbabwe this month in training for next year's World Twenty20 qualifying competition, Cricket Kenya said Tuesday.

The tour begin on November 2 in Windhoek, which will host all eight Twenty20s. The team travels to Zimbabwe on November 15 to play two top franchise club sides, Mashonaland Eagles and Midwest Rhinos, in Harare.

Kenya has named two separate teams for the tours, with most of the players having featured in the opening East Africa Premier League tournament, which also concerned Ugandan clubs.

Only one Kenyan club reach the final, and the chairman of selectors, Alpesh Vadher, said the tournament exposed how much the Kenyan side needed to improve.

"Following the end of the East Africa Premier League these two tours will be critical in developing our player's skills in this format, in front of the T20 World Cup qualifying tournament next March," Vadher said.

"The EAPL has shown us that our players have a lot to learn about playing Twenty20 and the more matches we can play against appropriate opposition the better.

"The two squads chosen give opportunities to a number of players to show they have the aptitude to make the squad next year."

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Bangladesh hard but West Indies still favourites to win

Bangladesh 231 and 164 for 3 (Tamim 82*, Mushfiqur 33*) need another 344 runs to beat West Indies 355 and 383 for 5 dec (Bravo 195, Edwards 86, Chanderpaul 59*)

Bangladesh face a hard battle to save the series-deciding second and final cricket Test against the West Indies in spite of opener Tamim Iqbal's bold winning 82 on Tuesday.

The host, chasing an unlikely victory target of 508, was 164 for three in its second innings at stumps on the last but one day of the match in Dhaka. Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim was victorious on 33.

Earlier, Darren Bravo shattered five sixes and 12 fours on his way to a 297-ball 195, before the West Indies, most important by 124 runs on the first innings, confirmed its second innings closed on 383 for five. The first Test of the two-match series broken in a draw in Chittagong.

Scoreboard 

West Indies — 1st innings: 355.
Bangladesh — 1st innings: 231.

West Indies — 2nd innings: K. Brathwaite (run out) 0, K. Powell c Nasir b Shakib 12, K. Edwards b Shuvo 86, D. Bravo c Rahim b Shuvo 195, K. Roach c Naeem b Shuvo 12, S. Chanderpaul (not out) 59, Extras (b-6, lb-4, nb-4, w-5): 19; Total (for five wikts. decl. in 111.3 overs): 383.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-33, 3-184, 4-240, 5-383.

Bangladesh bowling: Rubel 12-2-36-0, Nasir 25-5-78-0, Shakib 21-1-79-1, Naeem 12-2-38-0, Shuvo 26.3-3-73-3, Shahadat 11-0-57-0, Raqibul 4-0-12-0.

Bangladesh — 2nd innings: T. Iqbal (batting) 82, I. Kayes c K. Edwards b F. Edwards 9, S. Nafees c & b Sammy 18, R. Hasan c Sammy b Samuels 17, M. Rahim (batting) 33, Extras (b-2, lb-1, nb-2): 5; Total (for three wkts. in 47 overs): 164.

Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-73, 3-124.

West Indies bowling: F. Edwards 9-0-38-1, Roach 8-2-36-0, Sammy 7-2-11-1, Bishoo 11-3-35-0, Samuels 12-2-41-1.

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Latest Cricket News: Mohammad Amir plead at fault in spot-fixing dishonor

Young Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has pleaded at fault to spot-fixing during last year's Lord's Test next to England, a media report said on Tuesday.

According to cricket website, Amir said that "there was great pressure on him and cite pressure to his place in the side if he did not participate in the fixing".

Amir gave his appeal at the pre-trial at Southwark Crown Court on September 16, which had precede the full trial attended by Salman Butt and Mohammed Asif, who plead not guilty to the charges next to them.

Reporting limits under the United Kingdom's laws destined Amir's plea could not be available so as not to bias a jury ruling on the other two players, the report said,

Salman Butt and Mohammed Asif were on Tuesday found responsible of plot to cheat and getting corrupt payments.

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