April 3, 2003	Thursday	Muharram 30, 1424

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SHARJAH (UAE), April 2: New-look Pakistan lead a bunch of World Cup losers attempting to get back on track during the 150,000-dollar Sharjah quadrangular cricket tournament which opens on Thursday.

Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Kenya are the other teams in the fray over the next eight days in the first international cricket event since the World Cup ended in South Africa on March 23.

Sri Lanka and Kenya were unconvincing semifinalists at cricket’s four-yearly showpiece, Zimbabwe fared poorly in the Super Six while Pakistan were knocked out in the preliminary round.

Pakistan, finalists four years ago, responded to the embarrassing exit by sacking eight senior players, including the legendary Wasim Akram and captain Waqar Younis, and handing the reins to seasoned wicket-keeper Rashid Latif.

They also brought back former captain Javed Miandad as coach after South Africa-based Englishman Richard Pybus quit in disgust, saying he was frustrated at the inability of unnamed senior players to adjust to new ideas.

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, persuaded a reluctant Sanath Jayasuriya to continue as captain, but lost the services of batting great Aravinda de Silva, who retired after the World Cup to become a national selector.

Mahela Jayawardene, who averaged a meagre three runs in the World Cup, and fellow middle-order specialist Russel Arnold, were omitted for the Sharjah event, but both are expected to play in the two-Test home series against New Zealand later this month.

Zimbabwe, led once again by Heath Streak, have been hit by the retirement of four stalwarts, Andy Flower, Henry Olonga, Guy Whittall and Alistair Campbell.

Flower and Olonga opted to leave Zimbabwe after winning acclaim for their protests against the Robert Mugabe government during the World Cup, Whittall said he had played long enough while Campbell quit after being ignored for Sharjah.

Kenya, the first non-Test playing nation to make the World Cup semifinals, retained their ageing squad, but are still looking for a coach after Sandeep Patil opted to seek new pastures in his native India.

Sympathetic Sharjah hosts persuaded another former Indian Test star Abid Ali, who coaches the United Arab Emirates cricket team, to take charge of Kenya for the tournament.

Most attention, however, will be focused on Pakistan’s new management duo of Rashid and Miandad, who have been given the task of grooming the young squad.

“I was planning to retire after the World Cup but I’ve decided to put it on hold to help my country in the re-building process,” said the 34-year-old Rashid.

“It may not be easy to establish ourselves as a top team quickly. They need time to get the feel of international cricket.

“The more matches they play the better they will become.”

In Thursday’s opener, Pakistan take on Zimbabwe, who like Kenya were brought in at the last minute after South Africa backed out due to the war in Iraq.

Each team plays the other once with the top two advancing to the final on April 10.

Meanwhile, the opening match of quadrangular event on Thursday will be the first played under ICC Code of Conduct incorporating new penalties for slow over rates.

Teams will still have three-and-a-half hours plus allowances given by referee to bowl 50 overs and each member of bowling team will be fined 5% of match fee per lost over. However, under amended playing conditions, penalties will be doubled for captain of bowling side.

If shortfall in One-day International is more than two overs, captain will also be charged with a Level Two breach of ICC Code of Conduct for deliberate time wasting. This will result in disciplinary hearing with possible penalties of fine of between 50% and 100% of his match fee and/or a two One-day International ban.

The penalty of reducing overs for a team batting second that failed to complete its overs in allotted time has been removed.

The principles of new approach will also apply in Test matches with increased penalties coming into effect after five rather than two overs.

The amendment reflects decision taken at ICC Cricket Committee — Management (CC-M) meeting in Cape Town on Feb 7-8, 2003. It also approved introduction of process for match referee to suspend play due to safety and security concerns and this too will come into effect from opening match of Sharjah tournament.

On pitch, Sri Lanka can move into third place in the ICC ODI Championship table if they win the event in Sharjah. They go into the tournament with rating of 108, just two behind third-placed Pakistan.

Although Sri Lanka reached World Cup semifinal, defeats to India and Kenya, plus two defeats to leaders Australia caused their ranking to fall during the tournament by two points.

Pakistan overtook Sri Lanka in rankings in November 2002 and narrowly held onto third spot in spite of poor showing at World Cup 2003.

Thus, Rashid Latif’s team will be looking to consolidate its third spot.

Kenya was biggest beneficiary from World Cup, increasing its rating by 10. Victories over Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe helped Steve Tikolo’s team close gap to ninth placed Zimbabwe from 46 to 33 points.

Kenya’s current rating of 30 is highest it has been since ICC ODI rankings were introduced in October 2002.

Zimbabwe’s World Cup defeat to Kenya was main reason their rating fell by three from 66 to 63 during the tournament. They will have chance to avenge that defeat on Saturday.

The umpiring duties in Sharjah will be shared between Arani Jayaprakash, Billy Doctrove and Kevin Barbour. Match referee will be Justice Ahmed Ebrahim.—AFP/PPI