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Match facts

January 3-7, 2009
Start time 10.30am (23.30GMT)

Big Picture

South Africa can take the official No. 1 ranking by winning the game, even though they sit on top by every other measure after handing Australia their first series defeat at home in 16 years. Following up their chase of 414 in Perth, the tourists beat an uninspired Australia in Melbourne by nine wickets and their only concern entering the match is a hangover from the breakthrough success – and the celebrations.

Match facts

January 3-7, 2009
Start time 09.30am (03.30 GMT)

Big Picture

Bangladesh’s brave attempt at pulling off a record-breaking chase of 521 in Mirpur rounded off one of the most memorable months of Test cricket in recent memory. It also dispelled the notion that anything over 450 is unattainable in the fourth innings, even if it involves the weakest Test nation. Though the result didn’t go their way, Bangladesh’s effort has sparked some life and anticipation into the short series, which Sri Lanka were overwhelming favourites to sweep.

Hugh Morris has been entrusted with the responsibility of resolving ongoing difficulties between Kevin Pietersen and Peter Moores, the captain and coach of England. Reports suggest that Morris, the managing director of England cricket, could effectively be forced to make a decision on the future of Moores over the weekend, possibly after a meeting with the pair.

Differences between the pair were given a public airing late on Wednesday with news that Pietersen had asked for an urgent meeting with Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman. The focal point of the latest disagreement is said to be over Michael Vaughan and the West Indies tour: Pietersen was keen to have Vaughan on the trip, but Moores wasn’t.

As the Sri Lankan tour goes to the clouds and new conflicts arises over the schedules of the matches, Pakistan Cricket Board has started looking foward towards Bangladesh.

PCB officials are also making efforts to convince Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to reshuffle the dates of a one-day series that Pakistan are scheduled to play their in March. The PCB is exploring the option of pushing forward the five ODIs and a twenty20 game in Bangladesh in case Sri Lanka stick to their demand of a shortened tour.

Match facts

January 2, 2009
Start time 2pm (0100 GMT

Big Picture

New Zealand will be looking to put a summer of stalemates behind them in the second one-day international on Saturday. After two drawn Tests and a win apiece in the two-match Twenty20 series, the home side were on top in the first one-dayer in Queenstown before rain brought an early end to the game.

Perhaps Pakistan Cricket Board is really going to make a thumping impression after all and by the look of the urgency, steps and the initiatives it seems that the things will improve sooner rather than latter and one has to hand it to the new management of the PCB to put a new honest face, which is also objective one.

Pakistan Cricket Board plans to ‘rationalise’ rather than reduce players’ salaries in the new central contracts which would be offered to 25 leading national cricketers later this month. In the simple words, Board is seriously planning to severely cut down players’ pay but there would be some changes in the criteria governing the central contracts. It will be more performance oriented.

On the occasion of the ICC centenary celebrations in Sydney, Haroon Lorgat told that the ICC is in hot waters and the spirit of the game is dwindling while the economic strength has been propped up by the new Twenty20 format of the game, though the test matches and even the ODIs are loosing their touch.

Chief executive International Cricket Council (ICC) Haroon Lorgat said that the council is facing the challenges of corruption, players’ match load and their security. ICC chief was really worried about the fast declining standard of the classical game and the violations of the traditions.

Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh allrounder, is eager to build on his impressive performance in the first Test against Sri Lanka. His second-innings 96 gave the home side an outside chance of chasing down a record-breaking 521 for victory, but although they came up short it was a timely show of competitiveness from Bangladesh.

Shakib’s all-round success – he claimed five wickets in the first innings – capped off a fine 2008 as he became one of Bangladesh’s leading players. In the series against New Zealand in October he claimed 7 for 36, the best figures by a Bangladesh bowler in Tests.