Djokovic in US Open semis

NEW YORK - Novak Djokovic survived a brutal test from former champion Juan Martin del Potro to storm into the semi-finals of the US Open on Thursday and stay on course to defend his title. The Serbian was at his brilliant best, producing 43 breathtaking winners and scrambling around the Arthur Ashe Stadium center court like a golden retriever, fetching everything the towering Del Potro threw at him. Djokovic eventually won 6-2, 7-6, 6-4 to go into the last four as the only man yet to drop a set in the tournament but the scoreline did not reflect the intensity of a match where he was pushed to the limit. "Even though it was a straight-sets win it was much closer than the score indicated," Djokovic said in a courtside interview. "I'm just happy to get through." Djokovic's next opponent is the Spanish baseliner David Ferrer, who won a four and a half hour slugfest with Djokovic's countryman Janko Tipsarevic. With both players close to exhaustion after running each other to a standstill in the mid-afternoon sun, Ferrer clawed his way back from 4-1 down in the final set to win the deciding tiebreaker and triumph 6-3, 6-7, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6. "It was an emotional match," said Ferrer, who has made four grand slam semis in his career but never a final. "My opponent, he deserved also to win this match. In one tiebreak it's a lottery and I was lucky in important moments." Battered and bruised by the battle, Tipsarevic tumbled heavily to the court in the fifth set and twice called on his trainer to have his foot and thigh taped.

"I think it was a high intense match with not too many ups and downs," he said. "Both of us are baseline players, both of us are big fighters on court, so something like this was only expected." Olympic champions Bob and Mike Bryan booked their place in Friday's doubles final against Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek while French Open champions Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci of Italy advanced to Sunday's women's final against Czech pair Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka. The Bryans, winners of 80 doubles titles including 11 grand slam crowns, beat the ninth-seeds Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan and Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands 6-3, 6-4 in their semi-final on Thursday at the National Tennis Center. A 12th grand slam triumph for the brothers would tie them with Australians John Newcombe and Tony Roche as the most successful doubles combination in the grand slams. Errani is also due to play Serena Williams in the singles semi-finals on Friday, with the winner to meet Victoria Azarenka or Maria Sharapova in Saturday's final. The men's singles resume on Saturday, with Olympic champion Andy Murray squaring off against Czech Tomas Berdych in the other semi-final. Despite losing his number one ranking to Roger Federer this year, Djokovic has been the most consistent player in the majors over the past two seasons, reaching the semi-finals in the last 10 grand slams. Only Federer, who made 23 consecutive semis during his peak, has made more but Djokovic is in exalted company, joining Rod Laver and Ivan Lendl in second place with 10.  The defining moment in his win over Del Potro came late in the second set, which went 84 minutes. The Argentine served for the set at 5-4 but Djokovic broke back and eventually won it in a tiebreaker after the 12th game lasted 17 minutes. "He is a quality player," Djokovic said of his opponent. "I was lucky in the second set. We had some amazing rallies and he hit some great groundstrokes."

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Imran stunned by Ajmal's omission from ICC awards

Cricketing legend Imran Khan led a protest of former Pakistan captains over off-spinner Saeed Ajmal's omission from a list of annual awards, terming it a great injustice.

The wily spinner was not included in a shortlist of four players for the best Test player of the year category in the International Cricket Council (ICC) annual awards to be held in Colombo on September 15. A 32-man independent jury comprising former players, officials and journalists provoked anger in Pakistan after omitting Ajmal from the shortlist, Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, Australian Michael Clarke and South Africans Vernon Philander and Hashim Amla.

Ajmal, 34, took 72 wickets in 12 Tests from August 2011 to July this year, including 24 wickets in a 3-0 rout of then world ranked number one England in January-February. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) earlier this week lodged a protest with the ICC demanding a review of the shortlist but the game's governing body rejected it. The PCB said it was considering boycotting the ceremony. Khan said Ajmal's omission was unjust. "It is a great injustice to a player who is a match winner in all formats of the game and his omission was surprising," Khan told reporters during the second Twenty20 match between Pakistan and Australia here on Friday. Another former captain Ramiz Raja said Ajmal was hard done by the jury. "I feel that Ajmal was hard done by the jury and it is a serious case for review because if performers are not picked then the credibility (of awards) is missing," Raja told AFP. Raja said an award is an honour for the player.

"It's a great honour for the player to win an award and it hurts not only Pakistan but the whole community," said Raja, now a renowned commentator. Former captain and coach Waqar Younis said he didn't understand the system.

"I don't know how this system is working," said Waqar of the process. "Maybe the system needs to be reviewed because 32 people are too much. "On the basis of performance you can't overlook Ajmal and it comes as a great surprise to me."

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The first T20 Pak Australia will be played in Dubai Today

T. cock first match against Australia will be played in Dubai today. Defeat in the ODI captain of the national team are determined to kill Mohammad Hafeez field. Opening match series in Dubai will begin at nine o'clock at night. Captain of the national teamI hoped for the best performance. aggressive style series opener Imran Nazir and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq is likely to represent. injured hand injury is suspected participation of Shahid Afridi, Shahid Afridi, however, said the series final are hopeful to play., the Australian captain George T. Twenty Ballet will. stars all-round Shane Watson will show her essence. between Pakistan and Australia played at Twenty Seven T. teams won four national and three The success of competitors.

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Australia won ODI series in sharjah

  

Sharjah in the third and final one-day match Australia beat Pakistan by three wickets and won the series. Australia's team was deserving of success. Mixed performance of Pakistan in this series, but there are some cases that focus onNor can the target successfully chased. has shown that this series opener before the game even better middle order batting has been unable to score big. Than this to be considered if Australia's battingThe winner, this means that middle order player baujudan the pressure did not come out and successfully reached the target. Secondly, if any Pakistani bowler in his next over when batting is dominating changed tyknkquality is not. Sharjah wicket of Pakistan who depend on their aspnrz satisfactory manner, played his part in the Australian batting line pakstaby through its Peace out attack, which means that only wicket aspnrzSuch performance does not expect to win any series or tournament dlaskty.

Reported by: Syed Shahzad Alam

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U.S. Open: Aisam-ul-Haq will play the quarters finals

The tennis star Aisam-ul-Haq duo in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open action will be. Fourth and final Grand Slam of the tennis season Aisam-ul-Haq continued success journey.

Aisam and Roger J. Julian quarterfinal play today. Players that match the Dutch-American pair Kirsten listening to Harry and Harry Ryan will be heard. Aisam and Roger beat his rival Russia and South Africa have made a place in the quarter-finals., Two thousand Aisam-ul-Haq U.S. Open in one of the final pair of games.

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PCB plans triangular series

LAHORE - Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf is planning to hold a Triangular series to bring back international cricket in Pakistan to be held in October and November, it has been learnt.  Afghanistan and Zimbabwe will be other participants of the triangular series beside hosts Pakistan, the source revealed on Friday. Pakistan Cricket Board has earlier requested the Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) to change schedule of Pakistan tour to Zimbabwe that was to be held in November and December prior to Pakistan’s India tour. Zimbabwe Cricket authorities agreed to postpone the tour to next year and the dates of tour will be finalised later.

Zimbabwe team will not play international matches after next month’s ICC World Twenty20 (T20) following the Pakistan Cricket Board proposal to have their tour, which was scheduled for November, postponed to next year, it has been learnt. If Zaka Ashraf succeeded in holding the triangular series in a successful manner that will be his other achievement after revival of cricketing ties with India, the source added. The source revealed that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is negotiating with Afghanistan and Zimbabwe cricket boards officials to finalise the itinerary of the Triangular series to be held in October and November.

Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board has also delayed launching of Pakistan Twenty20 league till March 2013 for this triangular series, the source added. Pakistan was due to play two Tests, three one-day internationals (ODIs) and two T20 international matches in Zimbabwe ahead of their much-hyped tour to India in December.  Pakistan will tour India in late December to play three ODIs and two T20 internationals and the series is being given a lot of importance as it will herald the revival of bilateral cricket ties between the two nations which were frozen since 2007.  On the other hand, Zimbabwe Cricket head of media and communications Shingai Rhuhwaya confirmed the postponement of Pakistan series and said the two boards were now in discussion to find a suitable time on the international calendar where it can be rescheduled.

“Yes, I can confirm that the Pakistan tour has been postponed to next year after the PCB requested more time to prepare for their tour of India in December. The two boards are still in discussion to reschedule the tour to next year. Zimbabwe Cricket is also in discussions to have the limited-over leg of the tour turned into a triangular series,” said Rhuhwaya without disclosing the name of the country.

“Without any international matches lined up until the end of the year, Zimbabwe team players will focus their attention on the domestic league which gets underway early October.”

A Pakistan Cricket Board source confirmed the latest development. “But we have now asked them to postpone this to next year as the dates clash with the Indian tour. “We tried to adjust the series in November, but at that time the Zimbabwe Cricket Union has some issues,” the official said.

The official insisted that Pakistan was keen to support Zimbabwe cricket and had invited them regularly to play. “But unfortunately this time we are facing problems in creating a proper window because immediately after the Indian tour, we also have a full tour to South Africa,” he said. He said Pakistan had no intention of cancelling the tour, but only wanted it moved to next year. Pakistan’s last tour to Zimbabwe took place last year. The Test series was supposed to be new ZC managing director WilfredMukondiwa’s first since he took over from Ozias Bvute.

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Michael Hussey takes Australia

ABU DHABI  - Saeed Ajmal confounded Australia’s batsmen again, but led by Michael Hussey the Australians were still able to set Pakistan a challenging target in the Abu Dhabi heat. Hussey top scored with 61 and valuable contributions from George Bailey, Michael Clarke and Glenn Maxwell helped Australia reach 248 for 9 at the end of 50 overs, despite Ajmal finishing with an impressive 4 for 32.

Pakistan did not help themselves in the field, dropping catches and missing run outs, and it could have been worse had the Australians capitalised more on the five free hits given up due to no-balls from Sohail Tanvir. It was left largely to Ajmal to keep Australia in check and he was not only dangerous but also economical, slowing the scoring rate towards the end as Daniel Christian and Mitchell Johnson cautiously saw him off.

The Australians could have pushed harder in the final overs had Ajmal not found a way through both Hussey and Maxwell, whose 58-run sixth-wicket partnership pushed the total past 200. Both men fell in the same Ajmal over, Hussey bowled attempting a tired slog and Maxwell advancing down the pitch, missing the doosra and finding himself stumped by a matter of metres.

But Hussey and Maxwell had done their job, continuing the rebuild started by Hussey and Bailey after the top order wobbled to 87 for 4. Maxwell launched two consecutive sixes off Abdur Rehman, one a slog sweep and the other a drive over long-on, and that was followed by six more from the next delivery when Hussey pulled a short ball from Junaid Khan. As usual, Hussey was good at finding the gaps and rotating the strike, and he brought up his half-century from 59 balls. Maxwell helped keep the scoreboard ticking over, although he should have been caught on 21 when he top-edged a slog sweep off an Ajmal doosra and was put down by Asad Shafiq running in from deep midwicket; the ball had sailed so high the batsmen were able to run two.

Maxwell had come to the crease after Bailey departed for 39 from 46 balls when he pushed a catch back to the bowler Rehman.

scoreboard

AUSTRALIA:

M Wade b Khan    7

D Warner lbw b Ajmal    24

M Clarke lbw b Hafeez    37

M Hussey b Ajmal    61

D Hussey lbw b Ajmal    0

G Bailey c and b Rehman    39

G Maxwell st Kamran b Ajmal    28

D Christian c Ajmal b Khan    18

M Johnson b Khan    2

J Pattinson not out    2

M Starc not out    11

EXTRAS: (lb9, nb5, w5)    19

TOTAL: (9 wkts; 50 overs)    248

FOW: 1-8, 2-74, 3-86, 4-87, 5-153, 6-211, 7-214, 8-235, 9-235

BOWLING: Tanveer 9-0-59-0, Khan 9-0-52-3, Hafeez 10-1-28-1, Rehman 10-0-54-1, Ajmal 10-0-32-4, Ali 2-0-14-0

PAKISTAN: Misbahul Haq (capt), Nasir Jamshed, M Hafeez, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanveer, Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Junaid Khan

TOSS: Australia

UMPIRES: Nigel Llong (ENG), Ahsan Raza (PAK)

TV UMPIRE: Billy Bowden (NZL)

MATCH REFEREE: Roshan Mahanama

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