British universities team arrives in Pakistan - Cricket News Round-up – April 03, 2012 – Part 2
A British Universities cricket team, comprising university graduates and Marylebone Cricket Club members, arrived in Lahore today for a series of charity matches scheduled to be played this month in Lahore.
With Pakistan Cricket Board struggling to bring International Cricket back to the country, and facing repeated roadblocks on the way, the recent tour offers a superb opportunity to send a message to foreign teams about the satisfactory security situation
in Pakistan.
The PCB’s struggle to bring international cricket to the country commenced after the attack on the Lankan team in 2009, which made teams reluctant to tour the Green Nation. The PCB’s recent efforts to host http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747 have also fallen flat however;
recent talks with Kent-based club Lashings look promising.
The visitors will be playing the Aitchison college team first before facing the U-19 side for two 50-over games.
“This is the second tour that we have brought here in the last seven years from the British Universities and we are here as a charity team and also a goodwill gesture between Britain and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755,” said Kemal Alam, skipper of the touring team.
The upcoming Test series against the Windies carries extra pressure for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RT-Ponting-c2377, who will need to prove he deserves a place in the Test team after he was dropped from the limited-overs squad owing to poor performances.
After his abrupt axing from the limited-overs squad, the 37-year-old is hoping to cement a place in the Test team.
Following his impressive performances in his last Test against India (which saw him scoring a double century) and his more recent outings for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Tasmania-c854 (including scores such as 75, 130, and 111), selectors placed the veteran batsman in the line-up for the
upcoming series, scheduled to kick off on April 7 at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Spinner http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757, and being with them on their Caribbean itinerary, has
found support in compatriot http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RJ-Harris-c2330, who himself expects to be ignored.
Beer recently performed well in the warm-up game before the actual Test series, bagging 4 for 41, and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Harris-c61739 believes he should be given a chance in the big games.
“He thoroughly deserves to be in the squad, no doubt about that. He's putting pressure on Nathan as well - that's their little duel,” opined the 32-year-old medium pacer.
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