Yasir Hameed files complaint against NOTW

 Yasir Hameed

Yasir Hameed, the Pakistan batsman, has lodged a formal complaint with the UK Press Complaint Commission against the tabloid News of the World. Hameed, who last played for Pakistan on the 2010 tour to England, was the subject of a video sting operation by the tabloid, in which he was seen discussing the fall-out of the Lord's spot-fixing controversy and, among other things, an approach by a bookie during the 2004 Champions Trophy in England.

Hameed says he was duped by the investigative reporter who came to him in a hotel in Nottingham claiming to be a representative of a global airline who wanted to talk about possible sponsorship deals, days after the end of the four-Test series, and is now seeking a formal apology and retraction from the tabloid.

The complaint centres on four points, of inaccurate reporting, a breach of privacy, misrepresentation of character and harassment. Hameed opted to wait till the end of the spot-fixing hearings and a definitive verdict before he filed the complaint.

Soon after the video came to light, Hameed was called to the Pakistan High Commission in London to explain his utterances in the video. He issued a statement later that day saying that the man, an Abid Khan, sent him intimidating SMSs after the meeting when Hameed denied what had been attributed to him.

Hameed was also asked to explain the incident to the PCB's integrity committee earlier this year, and he apologised to the board about the conversation. "I was trapped into it but I should not have said all that before a stranger and I apologise to all the players who were hurt because of that," Hameed had told AFP. It is believed the board has held back on his payments from the tour, though it isn't clear whether it is because of this incident.

Pakistanis T20 update

Bates destroys Pakistanis in tour opener

 (Abdul Razzaq couldn't script a recovery for Pakistan as they slumped to 91 all out)

Auckland 92 for 5 (Guptill 28*, Ajmal 2-20) beat Pakistanis 91 all out (Umar Akmal 25, Bates 4-11) by five wickets...

      Pakistan's tour of New Zealand got off to a poor start after they lost their twelve-a-side Twenty20 match to Auckland at Colin Maiden Park. The hosts won with 40 balls to spare, easily chasing down the target of 92 after Pakistan were bowled out in 17.4 overs.

     The Pakistanis were put in to bat and were in immediate trouble, sinking to 7 for 3 inside the third over. Left-arm seamer Michael Bates did the early damage, getting Mohammad Hafeez out caught and bowled off the fourth ball of the match. Two balls later he got Ahmed Shehzad to nick to Lou Vincent and be dismissed for a duck. In Bates' next over he got rid of the big fish - the captain Shahid Afridi, for 1. Afridi tried to pull Bates, but only got it as far as square leg, where Anaru Kitchen took a sharp catch.

     Pakistan never recovered from that rocky start. Umar Akmal provided them with a silver lining, showing some signs of form to get to 25 - Pakistan's top score of the innings. Left-arm spinner Roneel Hira dismissed Younis Khan for 18 and then Umar in his next over, and Fawad Alam was run out for 0 in between, to leave the visitors reeling at 52 for 6. Umar was trying to power Hira through the off side off the back foot, but missed the ball and was bowled. Abdul Razzaq wasn't able to pull off a recovery and fell to offspinner Bhupinder Singh for 16. Bates came back into the attack and dismissed Wahab Riaz to finish with figures of 4 for 11 in three overs.

     Auckland opener Colin de Grandhomme was in a hurry to knock off the required runs and raced to 20 off 12 before he was caught at gully by Shehzad off Shoaib Akhtar. Martin Guptill, the only member of the Auckland side who is in New Zealand's squad for the Twenty20 series against Pakistan, played the sheet-anchor role, and batted through the innings, making 28. Shoaib managed another wicket, bowling Lou Vincent, but was expensive, going at 7.75 in his four overs.

     Saeed Ajmal did a good job of drying up the runs, giving away 20 in his four overs, and picked up the wickets of Anaru Kitchen and Colin Munro. Gareth Hopkins, who was dropped from New Zealand's squad for the Twenty20 and Test series against Pakistan, made only 8 before falling to Wahab Riaz. But Auckland were always comfortable, and reached their target with plenty of overs to spare, helped by the 17 extras conceded by Pakistan's bowlers.

     Pakistan will have two days to recover before the first Twenty20 match of the three-match series against New Zealand, in Auckland, on December 26.

 

 

Domestic Cricket

Big wins for Karachi Blues and NBP

 Rumman Raees, Akbar-ur-Rehman

      Karachi Blues notched up their first win of the tournament, beating Islamabad by 121 runs at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad. The hosts were set a target of 210 but capitulated against a collective bowling effort from Karachi. Seamers Rumman Raees and Akbar-ur-Rehman grabbed three wickets each, and were supported by Tabish Khan and Adeel Malik who shared four wickets. Islamabad kept losing wickets without any strong resistance to show for, and the opening partnership of 22 was their highest. They folded for 89 and are now tied with nine points with Karachi, who are just one spot below on the table at 11th place. 

      National Bank of Pakistan cruised to their third win of the tournament, beating Water and Power Development Authority by nine wickets at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot. NBP had gained a lead of 161 in the first innings and had WAPDA on the back foot at the end of the third day, having reduced them to 93 for 4. Mohammad Talha starred for NBP on the final day, finishing with figures of 6 for 53 and the only significant resistance his team met was from Umair Asif, who made 58. Wasim Khan, the seamer, supported Talha, chipping with three wickets and WAPDA could only muster 224 in their second attempt. NBP knocked off their target of 64 in just 5.5 overs. WAPDA, at the end of the round, find themselves at the fifth place on the table, still one spot ahead of NBP.