latest cricket news(legendry England bowler Alec Bedser dies )

Legendary fast bowler Alec Bedser, regarded as one of the greatest English cricketers of the 20th century, has died at the age of 91 after a brief illness, reports said Monday.

Bedser passed away on Sunday in hospital southwest of London, said the BBC and the Press Association news agency.

“Alec Bedser deserves to be remembered as one of the greatest England bowlers of all time, a master of the craft of seam bowling and a true legend of the game,” said Giles Clarke, chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board.

“All cricket-lovers in England and Wales will mourn his death and our deepest sympathies go to his family for their loss,” he added.

Bedser took 236 wickets in 51 test matches for England in a career which lasted from 1949 to 1960.He made his debut for England aged 28, taking 11 wickets against India.Over the following decade, Bedser spearheaded England’s attack and helped them to Ashes victory in 1953.

Before his death, he was also the last man alive to have taken the wicket of Australian legend Donald Bradman – something he managed six times, more than any other cricketer. He twice dismissed Bradman for a duck.

As part of the Surrey team along with his twin brother Eric, he helped to secure seven consecutive county championships between 1952 and 1958.“His contribution to cricket in this country as a player and an administrator was immense and he will forever be associated with Surrey’s famous County Championship winning sides of the 1950s,” said Clarke.

He played just two matches and never took a wicket before a seven-year break during World War II. But when he returned, Bedser immediately made an impression by taking over 100 wickets in his first full season at Surrey.

After retiring, he served as a national team selector for 23 years and chaired the selectors from 1969 to 1981.

The Times newspaper paid tribute to the cricketing legend, describing him as “one of the great sporting heroes of post-Second World War England.”

“He was humble, down-to-earth, unspoilt, loyal, always willing to serve,” said the paper.

latest cricket news(England hire former Aussie pacer David Saker)

Former fast bowler David Saker has followed in the footsteps of fellow Australian Troy Cooley and been appointed as England’s new fast bowling coach.


Saker, who spent six years as an assistant coach with Victoria after playing 72 first class matches for the state and neighbouring Tasmania from 1994-2003, is to replace Ottis Gibson, who has taken over as the head coach of the West Indies.

“I’ve long held ambitions of coaching at international level so the prospect of working with the England team is something I’m very much looking forward to and excited by,” the 43-year-old Saker said in an England and Wales Cricket Board statement.

“I believe I can offer the England bowlers a great deal and oversee their development at the highest level.”

Cooley was widely credited with helping England’s bowlers to a surprise Ashes victory in 2005, though he has since joined the Australian team.

England coach Andy Flower said he was looking forward to working with Saker.

“We were sorry to see Ottis Gibson leave the position but we believe we’ve found an excellent successor and look forward to David joining us in the lead up to what will be an exciting and challenging year ahead.” England host Bangladesh and Pakistan before they travel to Australia in November to defend the Ashes.

latest cricket news(Missing IPL a blessing in disguise: Afridi )

Missing the third season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is actually a blessing in disguise for Pakistan cricketers since it has allowed players to gel well as a team and prepare better for the World Twenty20 spectacle, skipper Shahid Afridi said.


The flamboyant all-rounder, who was asked to lead the national team in the West Indies, insists that he has no regrets on missing the lucrative IPL.

"No, I don’t have any regrets at all. In a way it’s a blessing in disguise for all our players that we are not playing in the IPL before the World Twenty20,” Afridi said.

“Given the problems that have besieged Pakistan cricket in recent months it is good that we’ve got time to work together as a team in the training camp. It has allowed us to settle down and focus on World Twenty20 assignment,” he added.

Afridi and several other leading Pakistan cricketers were included in the list who were put up for auction in the IPL but none of the franchises bid for any of the 11 players.

However, Afridi said the issue was now behind him and he was focused on the World T20.

“We really are not following the IPL closely. We don’t know who is playing or who is not playing because the purpose of holding this training camp has been to gel players and allow them to prepare as a team for the World Twenty20,” he added.
Afridi feels his side badly needed a break after the disastrous tour to Australia. So, missing the IPL has actually helped the team