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At the start of their Ashes-winning series against Australia in 1986-87, the England side were famously mocked by one local journalists under the headline “Can’t bat, can’t bowl”. Following their crushing defeat in the first Test at Lord’s, Zimbabwe have attracted similar criticism from the English media, but unlike Mike Gatting’s side, it is hard to see that there is any way back for Zimbabwe.They have only one match ahead of the second Test which starts in nine days time – a four-dayer against Middlesex at Shenley – but so outclassed were they at Lord’s that their main objective would appear to be trying to avoid another humiliation at Chester-le-Street.”It will be difficult to come back from this but we have got to pick ourselves up, there is a lot of work between now and then,” Heath Streak, Zimbabwe’s captain, admitted. “We have a young side but they have to learn quickly and show a bit of character. We don’t have the time not to learn from these experiences.”Streak was also aware that Zimbabwe’s poor bowling performance was simply not good enough at Test level. “Our guys just haven’t adapted to conditions here,” Streak said. “We had problems against the Duke ball as it swings consistently throughout the innings and we did not seem to know where our off stump was.The long and short of it is that we didn’t get enough in the right zone and create enough pressure. We gave too many four balls which released any pressure we built and allowed them to keep ticking over”The batting was equally disappointing, with inadequate technique to blame for two collapses – something that cannot be remedied in nine days. “We showed that on wickets that swing and seam you cannot play with hard hands and I think that this was the big difference between the sides at Lord’s,” Streak continued. “There were a lot of soft dismissals throughout for us and we have to learn from that. A lot of guys were sparring at balls they needn’t have played at, well outside off stump, and they will have to learn to leave better and play straighter.”

Somerset Chief Executive Peter Anderson is to make representation to Duncan Fletcher after being told that his two England contracted players will not be available to play for the county after the Cheltenham and Gloucester Final at Lord’s on Saturday.Originally it had been assumed that the two players would return to Somerset to play in the last two Championship matches of the season, against Essex at Chelmsford on September 5th, and Northants at Taunton on September 12th. Their presence could well be a deciding factor in whether or not ‘The Cidermen’ finish in second place which would will be the highest championship finish that the county has ever achieved in its history.Earlier today the Chief Executive commented: “It seems that out of all the contracted players Nasser Hussein, Andy Caddick and Marcus Trescothick are the only fit ones who are not being released to play for their counties for the rest of the season. Somerset are not happy about this situation and are planning to make representation to Duncan Fletcher.” He went on: “It’s down to the individuals to try to get their release if they want to play for Somerset.”Regarding the England overseas touring parties that were announced on Tuesday Mr. Anderson said: “One must feel sorry for Richard Johnson for not being selected after being called up to the squad on three occasions. We must assume that he will be on standby and ready to fly out if there are any injuries.”He continued: “We are surprised that Ian Blackwell hasn’t been named in the one-day squad after the season he has had, and even more so that he hasn’t been included in the Academy side. Somerset nominated Matt Bulbeck and Pete Trego, but neither have played enough to justify their selection.”With regard to Matt Bulbeck he continued: “We are sending Matt out to Perth in Australia to the Paul Terry School after Christmas to help him to prepare for next season.”

Match facts

November 20, 2015
Start time 1500 local (1100 GMT)
1:34

We’re desperate to win the series – Buttler

Big Picture

Such has been the force of England’s comeback after going 1-0 down, they would now be sorely disappointed not to clinch the series. Even allowing for the fact they won the ODIs 4-0 on their last visit to the UAE, victory would count as another significant staging post for Eoin Morgan’s young side on their journey to being considered genuine contenders in the 50-over format.They overturned a significant disadvantage after losing the toss and being asked to chase in Sharjah, with James Taylor and Jos Buttler showing commendable sangfroid to avert crisis in the middle overs and ultimately steer England to a comfortable win. Taylor is fast building a reputation as one of England’s most accomplished players of spin, while Buttler’s return to form with an unbeaten 49 could have wider significance.Pakistan’s collapse from 132 for 2 to 161 for 8 raised eyebrows and tempers – though why anyone would be surprised by such a performance from one of the game’s flakiest batting line-ups is perhaps the bigger mystery. Back home, some have questioned selection – the continued absence of Ahmed Shehzad particularly – while dissent against the coach, Waqar Younis, has increased, despite Pakistan’s rise to No. 2 in the Test rankings just a fortnight ago.While there had been signs of an upturn in their one-day form under the captaincy of Azhar Ali, any progress has apparently been checked. The top order remains in a muddle, with Babar Azam’s promotion to opener yet to bear fruit, while the running in Sharjah would have embarrassed the Keystone Kops. It is all the more galling to have stuttered against England, who were antediluvian at the World Cup eight months ago but have located a flux capacitor to arrive with a zap in the present day.Pakistan can still tie the series but they remain without a win over England in bilateral ODI contests since 2005. Lose in Dubai and it will be three series defeats in a row. The last time that happened, Pakistan were at least consoled by having the World Cup in their possession.Jos Buttler found some welcome form in England’s Sharjah victory•Getty Images

Form guide

Pakistan: LLWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
England: WWLLW

Players to watch …

He has overseen three series wins in a row (albeit two of them were against Zimbabwe) and is only just back from injury but Azhar Ali is quickly learning about the pressure of being Pakistan captain. Having taken over from Misbah-ul-Haq after the World Cup, Azhar resumed his ODI career after a two-year gap with two hundreds and three 70-plus scores in eight innings; that form has tailed off, however, and he has managed just 66 runs in three games against England, at an antique strike rate of 60.55. Needs a score almost as much as victory.James Taylor might finally have made himself an automatic selection, more than four years after his ODI debut. He impressed after getting an opportunity at No. 3 in Sri Lanka 12 months ago, before being dropped down the order at the World Cup and then dropped from England’s new-look side altogether (despite captaining the team against Ireland). Another chance came when Joe Root was rested against Australia – as did a maiden hundred – and his Man of the Match display in Sharjah ought to secure him a berth in the middle order for some time.

Team news

Will Shehzad finally get his chance? Haroon Rasheed, the chief selector, has said that his exclusion is not on disciplinary grounds and his proven quality at opener has been lacking. Mohammad Rizwan’s self-inflicted run-out was the dopiest of the lot and he could make way for Azam to return to No. 6, where he scored an unbeaten 62 in the first match. Doubts remain over Yasir Shah’s fitness but Zafar Gohar did provide something for Pakistan to be encouraged about with his debut performance.Pakistan (probable) 1 Azhar Ali (capt), 2 Ahmed Shehzad, 3 Mohammad Hafeez, 4 Iftikhar Ahmed, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Babar Azam, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 8 Anwar Ali, 9 Wahab Riaz, 10 Yasir Shah/Zafar Gohar, 11 Mohammad Irfan.England have stuck with the same XI in all three games so far and seem likely to continue with that approach as they look to seal the series.England (probable) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 James Taylor, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 David Willey, 11 Reece Topley.

Pitch and conditions

The teams have moved to Dubai for the final match, where the Test surface was more receptive to pace. The last three ODIs between Full Members there have seen the chasing team win, suggesting that batting under lights won’t be such an issue.

Stats and trivia

• Eoin Morgan needs 47 runs to become the sixth England player – and first captain – to score 1000 ODI runs in a calendar year.
• England won both of their previous ODIs in Dubai, beating Pakistan by nine wickets and four wickets in 2012.
• Sarfraz Ahmed needs 18 runs for 1000 in one-day internationals.

Quotes

“Yes we have been making mistakes so we have to overcome that. England is playing well and we did not play to our potential, that’s why we lost but we have confidence that we can play well and win.”
“It was a magnificent win, we look to the next game to go on and win the series, we’ve earned the right to do that so hopefully we can produce another performance like that.”

Tottenham midfielder Scott Parker has stated that he feels he is getting better with age, and has vowed to repay the London club’s faith in him.

Spurs signed the England international from relegated West Ham in the summer, but Harry Redknapp has recently revealed that some of the White Hart Lane board were sceptical about the signing due to his age.

Parker, who turned 31 on Thursday, is out to prove any doubters wrong.

“In the last two years, I feel my football has come on massively,” he told Mirror Football.

“I’ve taken on a lot more in terms of stature and confidence in the way I’m playing and the way I feel about things. There were the early parts of my career when I wasn’t mentally tough enough, and it was probably because I was too young.

“In the past, certain things may have got me down but now I’m older and wiser. I understand more about football, and life in general,” he stated.

As the midfielder enters the twilight of his career, he has earmarked Spurs as the team that he will retire at.

“I’ve signed for four years here and would like to think this is my last club. You’re thinking, ‘At 34? He won’t be able to run!’ But I honestly believe players these days can go on for so much longer.

“The game itself is moving on so quickly now in terms of sports science and how players need to look after themselves – I would like to think I would still have a lot to offer when I reach that stage.

“There is so much on offer to help players, like nutrition, specific training and preparation, plus the way you live your life.

“I’m open-minded about sports science and anything that can improve me. You’re talking about fine margins and if you can be one per cent better than your opponent, I try to embrace it,” he concluded.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

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Parker is set to face former employers Newcastle at St James’ Park on Sunday, as Tottenham look to make it five wins on the trot.

By Gareth McKnight

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Scorecard

Aimee Mason celebrates her first ODI century on a day when she dominated Australia © Getty Images

Aimee Mason picked a perfect time to post her maiden one-day hundred before she floored Australia with the ball as New Zealand levelled the five-match Rose Bowl series at 1-1. Mason’s previous high in 57 matches was 71, but she comfortably extended her career best with 102 and went within an over of carrying her bat in Darwin.The performance was the only New Zealand score above Sara McGlashan’s 28 and it was responsible for the challenging total of 209. After hitting 13 fours and a six from her 128 balls, Mason then captured the wickets of Shelley Nitschke (24), Kate Blackwell and Sarah Edwards to gain figures of 3 for 15 off ten overs and give Australia some severe headaches.Karen Rolton, the captain, tried to steer her side back into contention, but when she departed for 27 Australia were in serious trouble at 6 for 134 and they fell 35 runs short. Sarah Tsukigawa was on a hat-trick after removing Sarah Andrews and Clea Smith – consecutive wides stopped her adding a third victim in a row – and she ended with 3 for 27.Australia’s main bright spot was the performance of Ellyse Perry, who at 16 years and 261 days became the country’s youngest debutant in a national cricket team. Perry bowled eight overs for 37, picking up the wickets of Maria Fahey and McGlashan, chipped in with the run out of Rowan Milburn and scored 19 before she was last out.”I was a little nervous before I came on to bowl,” Perry told . “It was good to get my first wicket because it gave me more confidence with my bowling and helped me to get through it. It was very exciting and great fun.”

L Balaji’s comeback bid is going according to plan © Getty Images

Lakshmipathy Balaji, the Indian fast bowler, is making encouraging progress with his recovery from a back injury, according to John Gloster, the Indian team physio. Balaji, who has now actively resumed his fitness training, said that his back had healed well and confirmed that he would attend the fitness camp in Bangalore starting on July 25 with the rest of the Indian squad.”Mr. Gloster was extremely happy with the progress I have made”, Balaji told . “He has given me a schedule to follow and asked me to approach the recovery process in a phased manner. He said there was no need to rush things.”Balaji has been out of competitive cricket since last November, missing almost the entire domestic season. He travelled to Australia in February to diagnose his injury, and doctors adviced him against surgery.He resumed bowling in the nets in May, and took a fitness test under the supervision of Gloster, hoping to make a comeback to the Indian Test squad for the tour of the West Indies. However, Gloster recently told Cricinfo that the purpose of the test was mainly to determine if he was ready to resume bowling, and that it was still early days in his rehabilitation. He added that Balaji is now in the final stages of his recovery from a lumbar spine stress fracture.When asked about his own assessment of his recovery, Balaji said that he is now bowling at 60-70% of his bowling speed. “The important thing is that I am feeling good”, he added. “I will be back.”

Gary Gimour in action at Headingley in 1975 where he took 6 for 14 © The Cricketer

Gary Gilmour, the Australian swing bowler who famously took 6 for 14 against England in the 1975 World Cup semi-final, is fighting for his life and is in desperate need of a liver transplant.Gilmour, who is 54, needs an operation urgently and fund-raising efforts are being spearheaded by Ian Chappell, his former Australian captain. “His condition has deteriorated to the point where he is on three hours’ standby for surgery that will, hopefully, give him a new lease of life,” Chappell said. “It is vital that funds be raised to cover his medical costs and his family’s ongoing needs.”Chappell has organised a dinner in Sydney on September 23, and a number of past and present players have donated items for auction. “One of the guests may possibly end up being 13th man during the Australia-Rest of the World Test in Sydney in October,” Chappell said. “And that means being in the Australian dressing-room and carrying the drinks.”Gilmour, a burly allrounder, burst onto the scene at Headingley in June 1975 when, in ideal conditions, he destroyed England in a display rated by Wisden as the greatest one-day bowling performance ever. Then, set just 94 to win, Australia were in tatters on 38 for 6 when he hit a run-a-ball 28 not out to see them through to the final. Although Australia lost that game to West Indies, Gilmour was the pick of the bowlers with 5 for 48 off his 12 overs.Despite that remarkable start, Gilmour played only 15 Tests and three more ODIs. “A debilitating foot injury was a handicap,” noted Gideon Haigh. “So was a light-hearted attitude to training and fitness that owed more to the 1950s than to the increasingly professional era of which he was part.””I couldn’t play under today’s conditions, what with the travelling and training and scientific aspects,” Gilmour once said. “It’s not a sport any more, it’s like going to work. You know how some mornings you get up and don’t want to go to work – that’s how I’d feel playing cricket these days. I’d clock on for a sickie.”

With or without Alec Stewart and other stars, the show must go on© Getty Images

American ProCricket, the league set to get under way on July 2, will proceed as planned despite the fact that several international players have pulled out, or have claimed they were never involved in the first place, just days before the scheduled start. The Indian Express reports that the ProCricket is set to take place in spite of the ICC instructing national boards not to allow contracted players to take part in the event.The ProCricket league hoped to attract international players from around the globe, and released a list of likely signings, but there have been several casualties already. Alec Stewart, who was one of the touted signings, has denied any knowledge of the league, while Andy Caddick, also mentioned in connection with ProCricket, has pointed to an existing contract with Somerset which leaves him with no chance of playing elsewhere during the time ProCricket is set to be conducted.The Indian board was quick to remind its players that ProCricket was not an official ICC event and that players did not have the permission of the home board to take part in the event. Despite this, several cricketers who are active in domestic cricket, including Nikhil Chopra, Ajay Jadeja and Rahul Sanghvi, have decided to go ahead and play in the tournament, according to a report in The Asian Age. These players will be exposed to disciplinary action from their respective state associations if they decide to take part in ProCricket.But in all this, Kalpesh Patel, the American ProCricket commissioner, is soldering manfully on, and believes that the venture will be a success. He told The Indian Express, “Only the non-contracted ones [players] are our interest. We are not in competition with anybody, so we are not a threat, as all the protocols will be followed.” He added that the ICC appreciated “our efforts and wished us well”.Patel insisted that all was well with ProCricket, basing this on his claim that the league is fully funded for the first three years. The interest raised by an exhibition match played in America on June 19 has also led him to be optimistic. “Actually we sent out invites to only 50 people, but around 900 turned up as we kept the gates open. Online bulletin boards have been talking about the opening match, so that is an indication that it is here to stay.”

LAHORE, March 20: Pakistan captain Rashid Latif vowed on Thursday he would play cricket for one more year. Rashid said that he accepted the offer of captaincy as a challenge while talking to reporters at Gaddafi Stadium.”Yes, the rebuilding of the Pakistan team is a challenge for me. And the task is possible and not impossible,” he said.The 34-year-old wicket-keeper/batsman admitted that though the axing of seniors players was a hard decision yet it was taken in the best interest of Pakistan cricket.”The senior players are talented and they had done good work for Pakistan team. But now it is time to test fresh blood,” he said.Rashid emphasised his prime mission was only to serve the nation and during his captaincy he would try to prepare a strong team and a wicket-keeper which could be either Kamran Akmal or any one else.He said he had opted for retirement after the World Cup but the new responsibility given to him forced him to change his decision.Rashid was all praise for Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan, whome he termed as a good all-rounder and who deserved a place in the team much earlier.He called Taufiq Umar the best find of the year and added left-hander opener should have played in all matches of the World Cup.To a question, Rashid said that Razzaq was included as there was no substitute of him at the No 6 spot when the playing eleven was discussed with the selection committee.

Darren Bicknell’s sixth NCL century set the platform for Notts to claim their first home victory over Northants in six meetings.The visitors were set a revised D/L total of 281 from 42 overs which was further reduced later another stoppage. Without ever threatening to get close to their target they were restricted to 185 all out and remain deep in relegation territory.The winning margin for the Outlaws was 82 runs (under D/L), giving them their first win in five matches and lifting them up to fourth in the table.After a tea interval of high farce – when the Steelbacks’ target was amended several times – the visitors began their reply with Mike Hussey and Matt Cassar occupying the crease. Dangerman Hussey was quickly removed, snicking Greg Smith to Greg Blewett at first slip.Two more wickets fell cheaply as the innings failed to gather any early momentum. Russell Warren and Tony Penberthy were both caught behind by Chris Read to give wickets to Nadeem Malik and former Northants player Richard Logan.Graeme Swann got off the mark with an all-run four – John Morris doing the chasing to the longest boundary – but didn’t add to it before playing around a straight one from Malik.Alec Swann committed cricketing suicide by trying to pinch a quick single to Blewett at mid-wicket but was still a yard short as Pietersen took the return and whipped off the bails.With the game well out of their reach Northants opted for batting practice but Kevin Innes couldn’t hang around for long before being bowled on the back foot by Pietersen.Cassar, who had opened on his first appearance of the season, batted patiently to record a half-century (104mins 70 balls 5x4s) but it didn’t arrive until the 29th over.He added eight more before losing his leg stump in Logan’s first over from the Radcliffe Road End. A smart piece of work from Chris Read ran out Paul Taylor to reduce the total to a hopeless 143-8.Thirty more runs were added before rain, in the 35th over, again interrupted play. After the briefest of intermissions the players were sent back out with Northants requiring a further 94 runs from 2.2 overs with just two wickets in hand!Michael Strong went immediately upon the re-start and then there was an historic moment as Paul Johnson picked up his first wicket in 20 years of one-day matches for Notts when he bowled Jason Brown. David Ripley remained not out on 40.Earlier, a heavy shower had curtailed the Outlaws innings with 16 deliveries still to be bowled. The home side had crashed 28 boundaries and six sixes in amassing 267-6 with skipper Darren Bicknell hitting 115 and sharing in a stand of 166 with Greg Blewett, who made 71.