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Pakistan 171 for 5 (Tariq 45*, Fawad 43*) beat India 169 (Uthappa 33, Qadir 2-27) by five wickets
Scorecard

Ali Imran celebrates a wicket in the crunch game © Getty Images

Fawad Alam held his nerve when Pakistan were in a precarious position and his decisive partnership with Tariq Mahmood propelled them into the final of the Under-19 World Cup in Dhaka. India had their batsmen to blame, who could muster only 169 in the face of some very disciplined bowling. Yet India’s bowlers did their bit by picking up early wickets, but the undefeated 88-run partnership between Fawad and Tariq was an ideal lesson in pacing a run-chase.Fawad and Tariq came together with the score on 83 for 5. Abhishek Sharma was fizzing his legbreaks and Rudra Pratap Singh was zeroing in on the corridor. Scurrying between the wickets, deftly gliding and nudging, they slowly uncorked the pressure valve. And when the target looked within striking range, they did just that. Out came the ballistics and the ball soared like a rocket in all directions.India needed an exceptional effort if they were to have any hope of defending 169. But Gaurav Dhiman and Rudra Pratap Singh provided them with an ideal start – Dhiman swung the ball both ways and generated some alarming seam movement. He struck in his second over, when Khalid Latif (1) missed a straight ball that pitched on leg stump, deviated towards middle and trapped him right in front (3 for 1). Jahangir Mirza (9) was undone by a swinging yorker, from Rudra Pratap, that crashed into his boots (20 for 2).But Adnan Zaheer made sure that the scoreboard kept ticking along with some confident shots and he wasn’t prepared to let any bowler settle into his rhythm. He added 28 with Usman Saeed, and while Zaheer was completely in control, the other looked very uncertain in his 63-ball stay. Ironically it was Zaheer who fell first, as a thick edge lobbed up to short third man (48 for 3). Zaheer made 18.Salman Qadir, although flummoxed by some zipping legbreaks from Sharma, cashed in on the loose deliveries and kept the asking-rate well in control. Usman (19) tried to break the shackles by cutting a straight ball from Sharma and predictably lost his off stump (68 for 4). Qadir (24) showed a few powerful shots, before he tamely prodded at one from Rudra Pratap. Dinesh Kartik, who was captaining the side in the absence of the suspended Ambati Rayudu, completed the simple chance and Pakistan were hobbling at 83 for 5. Over to Fawad and Tariq.Apart from the brief moment when Kartik called the coin right, India had a poor first session. The Pakistan’s bowlers showed exceptional skill and control and tightened the noose from the first ball. They were also helped by some poor shot selection and weak nerves.Shikhar Dhawan took strike with 497 runs to his name already at a Bradmanesque average of 99.4. But today he learnt that even Eric Hollies can have his day. Dhawan (8) miscued a pull off Ali Imran and found Latif at mid-on (23 for 1). Just one run later Praful Waghela was back in the hutch for a first-ball duck, trapped in front of the stumps by Riaz Afridi (24 for 2).Robin Uthappa didn’t take any undue risks and held his end up well, but Rakesh Solanki (21) soon became the next casualty, run out after he played the ball straight into the hands of short third-man and set off for a nonexistent single (73 for 3).Uthappa departed soon after when he flicked Qadir uppishly to square leg. He made 33 with 3 boundaries. Karthik got out in similar fashion and Suresh Raina was soon out in a freakish manner. He played an extravagant pull off Tariq only to inside-edge the ball towards the keeper. Zulqarnain Haider fumbled the ball, but it lodged in his pad and he was able to claim the catch (113 for 6). Qadir, who is the son of the legendary legspinner Abdul Qadir, ended with 2 for 27 from 10 overs of high quality offspin.But, the best passage of play came in the 39th over. Mansoor, bowling his legspin with phenomenal control, tempted Sunny Singh into a big drive. The third ball of the over was dispatched to the boundary – the first in 114 balls -and a hint of a smile spread across Sunny’s face. Two balls later, he had the look of a man who’d seen a ghost. A perfectly flighted delivery enticed him forward. The ball ducked in at the last moment, a googly, turned in just enough to beat the bat and clipped the top of the off stump. It’s hard to imagine how any legspinner could have bowled that ball better.The fast bowlers then cleaned up the tail with minimum fuss and India folded for a meagre total. India’s opening bowlers gave them a chance, but they were left as clueless as Sunny was, when the two unbeaten Pakistan batsmen began to turn it on.

MELBOURNE, Jan 20 AAP – Australia could regain leg-spinner Shane Warne for Thursday’s first one-day cricket final against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).Warne reported he pulled up well from bowling for Victoria in yesterday’s match against Tasmania.National team physiotherapist Errol Alcott will examine Warne’s right bowling shoulder tomorrow.Alcott said provided there were no unexpected problems, he could clear Warne for national selection.”I’ve seen Shane today and he says his shoulder is excellent, he says he `fizzed’ a couple (of deliveries) yesterday and he’s very happy,” Alcott said.”I will `put him on the hoist’ tomorrow and examine him….he could be available as early as this week.”It (Warne’s rehabilitation) has gone as well as anticipated – I’m just happy he’s come along.”Warne dislocated the shoulder on December 15 in a fielding accident during a one-dayer against England at the MCG.He had exploratory surgery the following day, which revealed no secondary damage to the joint, and Warne made his cricket comeback 10 days ago in a one-dayer pitting his team Victoria against Western Australia at the same ground.His return, providing there are no setbacks, will be a massive boost to Australia’s World Cup chances.Alcott added Jason Gillespie, out with an elbow injury, had been “pencilled in” to play for South Australia in its January 26 one-dayer against Tasmania.Gillespie continued his rehabilitation here today with the national team, which will play Sri Lanka at the MCG tomorrow night in the last of the preliminary matches of the tri series.Alcott will also reassess paceman Glenn McGrath (back) on Wednesday when the Australians go to Sydney to prepare for the best-of-three finals against England.But fellow paceman Andy Bichel is in doubt for tomorrow’s dead rubber with a shoulder injury.The weekend’s results in Adelaide ensured England would play Australia in the finals regardless of tomorrow’s result.Australia denied deliberately batting slowly in yesterday’s win over England to ensure it would not play Sri Lanka in the finals.Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya said he could not criticise Australia after his team lost to England on Friday night.”If we won the other night, it’s a different story,” Jayasuriya said.”We lost the other night, we can’t blame anybody.”A Sri Lankan team spokesman said a squad would be picked later tonight, but Muttiah Muralitharan (thigh) would not be available.Australia will regain captain Ricky Ponting and opener Matthew Hayden, who were rested at the weekend.AUSTRALIA (from): Ponting (capt), Michael Bevan, Andy Bichel, Nathan Bracken, Adam Gilchrist, Hayden, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Jimmy Maher, Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds, Shane Watson, Brad Williams.SRI LANKA (from): Sanath Jayasuriya (capt), Russel Arnold, Marvan Atapattu, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Aravinda de Silva, Buddhika Fernando, Dilhara Fernando, Chamila Gamage, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Chaminda Vaas.

Good knocks from Vinit Saxena and Rahul Kanwat helped Rajasthan to285/3 on the third day of their Central Zone Ranji Trophy league tieagainst Madhya Pradesh at Gwalior. The first innings lead is stillhanging very much in the balance but Rajasthan should fancy themselvessince they trail by just 123 with seven wickets in hand.Resuming at 57 without loss, the visitors lost an early wicket whenNational Cricket Academy product Anshu Jain was bowled by SanjayPandey for 21 in the third over of the day. Kanwat now joined Saxenaand the two held a fairly decent Madhya Pradesh attack, including legspinner Narendra Hirwani, left arm spinner Sunil Lahore and pacemanHarvinder Sodhi, at bay for the next four and a quarter hours.With the partnership worth 154, Kanwat was held by Nikhil Patwardhanoff Abbas Ali for 81 (136 balls, 8 fours). Saxena’s patient vigilended at 256 when he offered a catch to the same fieldsman to givePandey his second wicket. The opener fell nine runs short of hiscentury. His 302 balls fetched just four boundaries. Skipper GaganKhoda (31), batting down the order, and PK Krishnakumar (15) tookRajasthan safely through to stumps.

A big Newcastle United injury update has emerged on Joe Willock ahead of the club’s clash with Everton… 

What’s the latest?

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has confirmed that the former Arsenal gem will be in contention to feature in the Premier League tonight.

The Magpies have a chance to pile the pressure on the Toffees whilst pushing themselves further away from the pack of clubs fighting for survival at the bottom and Willock looks set to be involved.

He was absent from the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea at the weekend as Eddie Howe went with a 5-4-1 formation and Kai Havertz scored the only goal of the game.

Downie Tweeted: “Joe Willock is back for Newcastle at Everton tomorrow following illness.”

Buzzing

This update will surely leave the St. James’ Park faithful buzzing as Willock can slot back into the midfield and allow the head coach to go back with a 4-3-3 formation.

Whilst the caveat is that they played the Champions of Europe, Newcastle only managed two shots on target and had 27% of the ball against Chelsea. The 5-4-1 was a predictably defensive set-up with the goal of keeping the Blues out for as long as possible, but a match against Everton – who are 17th and have lost their last four games – should see them act on the front foot.

This means that switching back to a 4-3-3 to offer more of a balance between defence and attack – given the added numbers up top – is the way Howe should go and Willock’s availability means that he can do that.

Sean Longstaff and Bruno Guimaraes were his only natural central midfield options at Stamford Bridge, with Willock, Joelinton and Jonjo Shelvey out, but he can now slot last summer’s big-money signing in alongside the pair tonight.

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Supporters will also be delighted because the 22-year-old has been in impressive form of late and will provide a big lift to the team. He has scored two goals in his last four Premier League outings as he found the back of the net against West Ham and Brentford in consecutive away matches.

Willock has also averaged 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game in the top-flight this term. This shows that he offers plenty of endeavour defensively to go along with the goal threat that he has recently been providing and his return will be a major boost. Therefore, the fans will be buzzing to see him back in action, potentially from the start, against Everton tonight.

AND in other news, Howe must unleash “breathtaking” £93k-pw NUFC gem today, he “will reach” a Ballon d’Or…

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

	Dale Steyn led the South African charge as Bangladesh faced the prospect of an innings defeat in Chittagong © Getty Images

Bangladesh fought bravely in the first half of the day but were then swept away by a tidal wave of South African pace, and a clever little spell of left-arm spin from Robin Peterson. Having been asked to follow on 324 runs behind, and with Aftab Ahmed in hospital under observation, Bangladesh slid inexorably towards defeat as the evening shadows lengthened, finishing the day on 54 for 5.A positive start was essential for Bangladesh at the second time of asking but once again, Dale Steyn’s pace was a huge stumbling block. Junaid Siddique, who had batted so well in the second innings in Mirpur, went without scoring, hanging his bat out at one, and with Tamim Iqbal marooned on 0 for 28 balls, it was left to Shahriar Nafees to pick off some runs.Nafees had anchored the first innings with a solid 69, but he once again flirted with danger in the quest for runs. There was once classy pull for four, but several of his boundaries came either off the outside edge or the glove as South Africa’s bowlers persisted with a barrage of short-pitched deliveries.The breakthrough though came courtesy spin. Tamim had already been dropped by Kallis at slip earlier, but a needless heave after a sashay down the pitch only found the man at mid-on. Three balls later, Peterson landed one in the rough and a squared-up Nafees could only edge to slip. This time, Kallis made no mistake.The last act was left to Steyn. Mohammad Ashraful was softened up by bouncers, and a delivery that lifted outside off stump was poked through to Mark Boucher. Soon after, Shakib Al Hasan got into an awful tangle, and could only fend one off the glove to forward short leg. Bangladesh were reeling, and the offer of light from the umpires only served to delay the inevitable till the fourth morning.It hadn’t always been such one-way traffic. In the morning, Nafees had chiselled out a fine innings and enjoyed significant partnerships with Abdur Razzak, the nightwatchman, and Aftab, before Shakib took over the mantle after lunch. His departure just before tea, significantly impacted Bangladesh’s hopes of saving the Test, as did the nasty injury to Aftab.Graeme Smith’s lucky charm turned out to be Makhaya Ntini, who returned just before the interval to have both Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim caught behind. Shakib had struggled at times against the short ball, but was otherwise composed, striking some lovely fours down the ground and through midwicket. But when he tried to cut one that was too close to him, Boucherhad an easy catch to take.Ntini bowled round the wicket for that dismissal, but minutes earlier, he had struck with his traditional weapon, the ball that angles back in to the right-hander. Mushfiqur got the edge, and Ntini went past Allan Donald (330 wickets) on South Africa’s all-time list.South Africa had reason to rue some uncharacteristically sloppy fielding too. Shakib was dropped when he had yet to score, with Johan Botha putting down a low chance at gully off Steyn. Another edge from Mushfiqur evaded Smith at first slip, and South Africa were left to celebrate only the one wicket in the first hour after lunch.

	Aftab Ahmed was stretchered off after he top-edged a delivery from Jacques Kallis into his face © Getty Images

That came in the very first over, with Nafees edging Steyn to Smith to end his morning of defiance. Soon after, Bangladesh’s innings was in further trouble, with Aftab top-edging a Kallis delivery into his face – ball just squeezing between helmet peak and grille. He was stretchered off it was left to Shakib and Mushfiqur to resurrect the innings.The morning had belonged to Bangladesh, with Nafees wresting the initiative, and Razzak providing sterling support. Steyn and Ntini tested both men with the short stuff, and searing pace in the case of Steyn. There were a couple of streaky strokes down to third man, but the initial stages were characterised more by defence. Steve Bucknor expressed his unhappiness at Steyn running on the pitch, but otherwise, there was little to talk about.That changed once the batsmen grew in confidence. Nafees started to cut and pull with power and precision, and with Ntini and Mornè Morkel below par, the runs started to mount. And when Hashim Amla wore a sweep from Nafees on his ankle, Smith’s worries merely increased.The wicket, when it came, arrived from an unlikely source. Peterson had been tidy rather than threatening, but after Razzak slogged one over midwicket, the encore flew off the top edge to point. Aftab might have gone early, but the bat-up-like-periscope response to a Morkel bouncer fetched him four to third man instead.With Nafees playing some gorgeous drives off the expensive Morkel, the fifth-wicket partnership reached 50 at almost five an over, and it was Bangladesh that went to lunch the happier. But Ntini’s dramatic four-wicket intervention either side of tea being brewed was decisive, and South Africa were always on course thereafter to tie up another crushing victory. Barring rain, it should come on the fourth morning.

Sachin Tendulkar will be seen in action in India’s first Twenty20 tournament © AFP

The business end of the all-India Inter-State Twenty20 cricket tournament kicks off in Ahmedabad and Mumbai from April 15 with a host of national players set to participate. The Mumbai leg of the matches will be shared between the Wankhede Stadium and the Brabourne Stadium while Motera will host the Ahmedabad games.Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan will turn out for their respective state sides and their presence is expected to infuse much-needed spectator interest in the aftermath of India’s early exit from the World Cup in West Indies. In addition, several young players on the fringes of national selection will also get a chance to impress. The tournament should serve as a selection trial for the national selectors when they sit down on April 20 to pick the squad for the tour of Bangladesh beginning next month. The tournament runs till April 21, with two matches scheduled daily in the group stages.All ten qualifying teams have been divided into two groups of five each. Mumbai will host all Group A matches while all Group B games will be held in Ahmedabad. The Brabourne Stadium, which hosted a few Champions Trophy games last year, will host the final on April 21. The day games are scheduled to start at 09.30 local time while the evening games, under lights, will begin at 6.30 PM.Jharkhand and Delhi failed to qualify, which means that the big-hitters in Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virender Sehwag will not be seen in action. It took a while for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to embrace Twenty20 after several Test nations included it in their domestic fixtures. The upcoming Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa in September may have been the catalyst for the BCCI to slot a tournament of this format in an already crowded domestic schedule.Incidentally, India were the last Test nation to make their debut in a Twenty20 International, during the tour of South Africa last year. India beat South Africa by six wickets in a closely-fought game at Johannesburg, proving that Twenty20 is here to stay as far as India is concerned.

Sanath Jayasuriya walks back in agony © AFP

Sanath Jayasuriya’s Test career ended on a painful note after dislocating his right thumb during the second Test against Pakistan at Kandy. He also needed several stitches after splitting the webbing when he attempted to catch Imran Farhat in the gully during the morning session of the second day.”It looks like he will be out for at least four weeks,” Tommy Simsek, the Sri Lankan team’s physiotherapist, told reporters after returning from the Kandy Central Hospital. “There’s also a dislocation near the joint. It is very unlikely he will take any further part in the Test.”Jayasuriya announced his retirement from Tests last week, but will continue to play ODIs in the lead up to the World Cup in West Indies, which will be his last outing in international cricket. He made 14 in the first innings at Kandy and, if he doesn’t bat again, will finish with 6613 runs and 14 hundreds. His left-arm spin has picked up 92 wickets.

Inzamam-ul-Haq: two appeals too many© Getty Images

Inzamam-ul-Haq has received a one-Test ban for showing dissent against umpiring decisions on the last day of the Bangalore Test.Saleem Altaf, the Pakistan team manager, clarified that Inzamam had been pulled up for two instances of misconduct. “We had a hearing with the match referee, Chris Broad, for two counts of excessive appealing and dissent. On the first count, he has been fined 30% of his match fees and on the second, a level two offence, he has been given a one-Test ban.””As captain he has to set an example for others to follow,” said Chris Broad, the match referee, in a release issued by the ICC. “Following the incident that happened in the ninth over of the innings, Inzamam was warned about appealing by the on-field umpires. In addition, I went to the Pakistan dressing room at lunch and requested the Pakistan coach to pass a message on to his team about the manner of their appealing. This means that when this second incident happened he knew he should not have reacted as he did.”Pakistan ended up winning the match by 168 runs, but Inzamam was visibly miffed when a couple of caught-behind appeals against the Indian openers were denied on the first session. Gautam Gambhir was lucky to survive – the snickometer clearly showed contact between bat and ball – but the decision in favour of Virender Sehwag seemed a good one. Inzamam was especially upset after Sehwag was ruled not out, charging past the batsman and shaking his hands in anger.Altaf indicated that the Pakistan board would take a decision on whether or not to appeal against the verdict. If the decision stays, then Inzamam will have to sit out of Pakistan’s first Test on their tour of the West Indies.

Steve Waugh: cricketer, humanitarian, Australian of the Year &copyGetty Images

John Howard, the Australian prime minister, has named Steve Waugh as the Australian of the Year for 2004.Currently playing for New South Wales in a Pura cup match against Western Australia, Waugh could not be at the awards, but expressed gratitude for the title.”Simply, thank you for the honour,” he said. “In accepting I hope the award will help the focus on me to be about more than just cricket. If it is meant as a recognition in some way of the other work I’ve done in the community in Australia and in India then I’m grateful indeed.”Waugh’s role in humanitarian causes was recognised, as well as the influence he exerted in Australian cricket, as the award was conferred to him. With this award, Waugh joins Allan Border and Mark Taylor as the only cricketers to be named Australian of the Year.Earlier this month, Waugh announced his retirement from international cricket, ending an eventful 18-year old career. With him in the one-day team, Australia won two World cups, and reached the finals of another. Under his captaincy, the Test side became a dominant force, and set the benchmarks in international cricket.

The long awaited suspense over announcement of Pakistan squad for next year’s World Cup in southern Africa will end on Tuesday afternoon when the national selectors unfold the 15-man party in Lahore.Chairman of national selection committee Wasim Bari was scheduled to arrive in Lahore on Monday evening to discuss the finalization of the squad with fellow selectors Shafiq Ahmed and Abdur Raqeeb.The squad will be approved by chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Lt Gen Tauqir Zia at the board’s council meeting on Tuesday morning before it is made public at a press briefing later in the day.The task in front of Bari and company is definitely tricky, although most of the squad, who were on duty during the recent one-day series in Zimbabwe and South Africa, pick themselves. But in this country where everything is possible, a few surprises in the final list cannot be ruled out.After the calamities in the Morocco Cup, the tri-series in Nairobi, the ICC Champions Trophy in Colombo and the 4-1 thrashing against Shaun Pollock’s Proteas, the PCB has already come under a barrage of criticism.The selectors must keep in mind that the time for whatever experimentations is over and they must ensure the best available team is picked for cricket’s most prized trophy. They are left with no alternative but to include a few players who were not considered for selection despite having strong claims.Saeed Anwar, barring a last minute change of mind by the selectors, is almost certain to be recalled for the mega event after being constantly overlooked since the ICC event in September.The left-handed opening batsman, a veteran of 242 One-day Internationals, was sorely missed in South Africa where his experience would have surely come in handy at the top of the order where time and again Pakistani openers failed to deliver.Another ex-captain who is hotly tipped to make a comeback is Moin Khan. According to well-placed sources, Moin, who was dumped after leading Pakistan in New Zealand 20 months ago, is being considered as reserve batsman and the second wicket-keeper behind Rashid Latif.Moin’s inclusion with 2853 runs in 190 one-dayers is likely to face strong resistance from Waqar Younis because the Pakistan skipper does not feel comfortable with yet another ex-captain coming under his wings with Wasim Akram, Saeed and Rashid already in the squad.Azhar Mahmood is certain to miss out because Surrey physio Dale Naylor, has intimated to the PCB that the all-rounder is making a slow recovery from an old shoulder injury that flared up on Zimbabwe tour last month and is unlikely to be fit on time.Shoaib Akhtar, meanwhile, finally arrived back in Lahore on Monday from Durban after his latest ‘disappearing act’ and is expected to appear tomorrowbefore the PCB panel of doctors who will assess whether the injury-prone speedster has recovered from reportedly sore knees.Shoaib was supposed to return on Dec 21 along with Wasim and Rashid after the conclusion of the one-day rubber in South Africa. Tauqir, must have heaved a sigh of relief to have his favourite player back. Any disciplinary action against Shoaib is unlikely because he is supposed to be the key to Pakistan’s remote hopes of repeating their World Cup triumph of 1992.This time the selectors must get the balance right otherwise another disappointing campaign is on the cards for Pakistan.On another front, the PCB is keeping its options open as regards to naming a new manager to replace Brig Khawaja Nasir, who reportedly twice clashed with Waqar during the Zimbabwe tour.However, in some quarters it is believed that either ex-Test off-spinner Hasib Ahsan or Salim Swaleh, a Karachi-based businessman, are the front-runners to take over from Nasir.Likely World Cup squad: Waqar Younis (captain), Inzamam-ul-Haq (vice-captain), Saeed Anwar, Salim Elahi, Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, Abdul Razzaq, Rashid Latif, Wasim Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Sami, Moin Khan and Faisal Iqbal