Kaneria to join Essex on May 6 leaving match-fixing reports behind

Karachi, May 3 (ANI): Putting the alleged spot fixing rumours behind, Pakistani leg spinner Danish Kaneria said that he is due to join up once again with English County team Essex.

The UK Police was investigating Kaneria, who plays for English county team Essex, for his involvement in a cricket betting scandal.

He is reportedly under police investigation over a NatWest Pro40 match between Essex and Durham at the Riverside on September 5, 2009.

“Yes I’ll be back at Essex later next week, probably 6th May. I’m really looking forward to it, especially after our promotion to Division 1 of the County Championship,” Kaneria said.

“It will be a good challenge for myself and my Essex colleagues to test ourselves in the top tier of English County cricket,” Pakpassion.net quoted him, as saying.

Kaneria said that he would have liked to be part of the Pakistani squad in the ongoing Twenty20 World Cup.

“It was good to see the boys (Pakistan) get off to a winning start in the West Indies against Bangladesh. Of course I would like to have been part of the squad and who knows maybe in future I’ll get a chance,” he said.

Speaking about the role of leg spinners at the Twenty20 World Cup, Kaneria said that leg spinners will be pivotal and crucial to any team’s chances, especially given the nature of the wickets in the Caribbean. (ANI)

Swann hopes to wake England pals from their one-day slumber

London, Sep.15 (ANI): Off-spinner Graeme Swann is hoping to give a wake up call to his England team-mates when they take on Australia in the fifth of the seven match NatWest series.

The day-night clash is to be played at Trent Bridge tonight.

The spin ace told SunSport: “I’m going to try to lift the camp. I find it easy to have a laugh while playing cricket – and it’s probably more important to do that when you are losing. I don’t target anyone in particular with the piss-taking. It is whoever walks in the dressing room at the wrong time. But you can’t kid anyone, we’ve played terrible cricket in the one-day series so far.”

England’s one-day form needs a sharp hand-brake turn if they are to stand any chance in the upcoming Champions Trophy in South Africa. Their mini-World Cup campaign starts on September 25 and once again you wouldn’t back them to bag the silverware.

Swann was meeting fans on the Ashes Urn Tour. (ANI)

Out of form Bopara wants to be England’s main man

London, Sep 11 (ANI): Ravi Bopara, who has been struggling with his batting form, remains convinced that he will become an international star despite a desperate struggle against Australia.

He has already been dropped from England’s Test team and is now in danger of relinquishing his place in the one-day team.

The Essex batsman was speaking up for England’s under pressure one-day side after three miserable performances in the past week that have handed Australia a 3-0 lead in the NatWest Series.

According to The Sun, Bopara knows he has no alternative other than to fight and discover some form from somewhere, or to lose the series by a humiliating margin, perhaps even a dreaded 7-0 whitewash.

“I don’t doubt my ability. It is just a case of getting my game in order. There is a lot to come from me yet. A big score can turn it round. I’ve made a few 40s and 50s but I want to go out and win games for England,” Bopara said.

“I don’t want to get scores that just do enough to give England a chance, I want to seal the win. I’m desperate to do that but not over-desperate because that’s when things can go wrong.

“I want to be the main man for England. I would love to go out at Lord’s on Saturday and smack the Aussies around. I still think we can pull this series out of the fire – England normally respond well when we are down,” he added.

Since scoring three tons in three Test innings against West Indies earlier this year, Bopara has been struggling with the bat. (ANI)