Kevin Pietersen to play in England warm-up match against India 'A'

Kevin Pietersen will make his England return against India 'A' when the upcoming tour match gets under way in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Pietersen has not played a competitive fixture for England since August when he was suspended for exchanging text messages with members of the South Africa team.
But, after settling his differences with the England and Wales Cricket Board, Pietersen returns in time to help his country tackle India in a four-Test series, starting in Ahmedabad on November 15.
"Kevin will play tomorrow and bat at four," England team director Andy Flower confirmed after the tourists arrived in Mumbai.
The Surrey batsman, who missed out on participating in the ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, was added to the original 16-man touring squad after lengthy conciliatory meetings with the ECB.
He didn't fly in with the rest of the party having been in action for the Delhi Daredevils in the Twenty20 Champions League in South Africa.
Flower refused to be drawn on Pietersen's contract situation, with the 32-year-old having signed a new deal that only lasts for four months.
"I haven't thought much about the extension of his contract," he said. "We are focusing on playing well in India.
"I don't envisage a problem. I think we can work very well together in the future and we've already started that process."

South Africa seek ruthless edge

South Africa are looking to rediscover their ruthless streak in the home Test series against Sri Lanka, according to captain Graeme Smith.

Although South Africa have stayed in the top three of the world Test rankings for the last few years, they have not won a home series since beating Bangladesh in 2008, drawing with England, India and Australia.
"I hope we get a lot of confidence out of the way we play. We've played some really good cricket at home, but we just haven't been able to land that killer blow. We've dominated, but we haven't done enough to get over the line," Smith told a news conference before the first Test starting on Thursday.
"I'm hoping we can string three good sessions together instead of just two out of three ... that's probably why we haven't been able to beat the good teams. Hopefully, we can string a whole day together against Sri Lanka."
Sri Lanka arrived in Centurion to a pitch with a lush covering of grass, conditions exactly the opposite to what they are used to at home.
"The pitch looks pretty green. I think the groundsman's having a bit of a panic, he'll be wanting heaters and I reckon there'll be a tent up over the pitch this afternoon," Smith said.
"He only started preparing the pitch on Monday and he desperately needs some sunshine. I'm sure he hoped for more sunshine than he got."
Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan said his side were going to have to perform on whatever surface they were given.
"The pitch looks good for fast bowlers, all fast bowlers will enjoy it," he said. "We have no control over the groundsman, we just have to play on that wicket. It's definitely the greenest pitch I've seen in South Africa, even more than in 2002-03."
Sri Lanka's pace bowling reserves were decimated before the tour by injuries to Nuwan Kulasekara, Dhammika Prasad, Shaminda Eranga and Suranga Lakmal. The tourists are also still waiting for a replacement for Nuwan Pradeep who strained his hamstring in a warm-up game last weekend.
Sri Lanka have taken encouragement from their performance in that match, against a SA Invitation XI in Benoni. The visitors dismissed the home side for 357 and made 207 for three in reply in a rain-shortened game.
"Our last Test against Pakistan went very well, we came back strongly after losing the previous game. And the bowling unit did a great job on a really flat pitch and the top-order batsmen got runs in the warm-up," Dilshan said.
Sri Lanka are hoping for a change of luck South Africa, where they have lost six and drawn one of their seven Tests.
The Centurion Test is the first Sri Lanka have played in South Africa since 2002-03. The second match of the series is in Durban and the third in Cape Town.

Mushtaq eyes England v Pakistan spin battle

England spin coach Mushtaq Ahmed has predicted a battle of spin between the two countries when they meet in an upcoming series.

Mushtaq has been working as a spin bowling consultant with England for last three years and was recently given a fresh two-year contract by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
He will join the England team in the United Arab Emirates on Jan. 4 as they prepare for a test and one-day series against Pakistan in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
"England has been preparing hard for this series and I have tried to convince them that they must learn to depend on spin if they want to win in the Asian region," Ahmed said.
"I see this series as a big challenge for the English and Pakistani spinners and there is going to be tough competition between Swann (Graeme) and (Saeed) Ajmal, who are the best off-spinners in the business today.
"It will depend on what sort of pitches are prepared for the series but I sense they will give assistance to the slow bowlers.
"But Swann and Ajmal are bowlers of a quality who can trouble anyone, even on even tracks. Swann has been brilliant for England in the last two years."
Ahmed, who played 52 tests and 144 one-day internationals, said he enjoyed working with the English cricket set-up as they had a very disciplined system.
"For me, coaching is a profession and my first job is to see in this series that the English spinners do well. Emotions become secondary when you are working as a professional," he said.
The two sides play three tests and a one-day and Twenty20 series, which is taking place outside of Pakistan due to security concerns.

Lorgat announces 2012 exit

Haroon Lorgat has announced he will stand down as International Cricket Council chief executive when his term of office expires in June 2012.

The South African, who took on the role in 2008 and agreed a 12-month extension to his three-year deal last year, will make way after deciding against another renewal.
"My sense is to step aside after having delivered a successful ICC Cricket World Cup and the new global ICC strategy, which is now in place," said Lorgat.
"In 2010, I felt there was much work for me to complete during 2011, which included protecting the integrity of the game and restoring the reputation and image of the ICC. Having dealt decisively with the spot-fixing issues, delivered a highly-successful ICC Cricket World Cup and adopted a new global strategy, I feel the time is right to move on.
"I am hopeful that the independent governance review currently in progress and due to be published after the next board meeting would find acceptable outcomes and thereby leave a legacy for future generations.
"Although disappointed that the Test World Championship will not be played in 2013, I am confident that with the strategic restructures we have undertaken, all three formats can be sustained at international level.
"Overall I feel personally satisfied with having successfully led the ICC through some difficult issues. I am especially grateful to have worked with our exceptional broadcast and commercial partners and the fantastic people who work at the ICC. I wish to thank each and every one of my staff for supporting me so loyally and ably. Their contributions are enormous in the face of many difficult challenges."
The ICC Nominations Committee have tasked an executive recruitment agency to advertise and identify a successor. The recruitment process will be managed by ICC vice-president Alan Isaac and will begin soon.
Isaac said: "I have been asked by the ICC Nominations Committee to manage the process. From a personal point of view I am extremely disappointed that I will not be able to work with Haroon during my term as ICC president.
"He has been exemplary in the way he has led the organisation and deserves credit for his ethical leadership of the ICC."

County - County players set for Zim T20

Former England wicketkeeper Phil Mustard and Surrey captain Rory Hamilton-Brown are among a handful of county cricketers who will take part in Zimbabwe's domestic Twenty20 competition.

Squads for the third edition of the Stanbic Bank 20 were submitted on Tuesday, with the English game strongly represented in the five franchises.
Durham star Mustard joins Leicestershire's Ned Eckersley at Mountaineers, while all-rounder Hamilton-Brown (pictured) will link up with Somerset's Peter Trego, Northamptonshire's Andrew Hall and Essex's Ryan ten Doeschate at Mashonaland Eagles.
Essex wicketkeeper Adam Wheater and Lancashire's Tom Smith will play for Matabeleland Tuskers under the captaincy of Red Rose opener Paul Horton, while MidWest Rhinos have named Yorkshire's Zimbabwe-born player Gary Ballance and Riki Wessels, who played for Nottinghamshire last season, in their squad.

Australia beat South Africa to level series

Australia beat South Africa by two wickets in the second and final Test to draw the series after a gripping fifth day at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.

Australia were chasing 310 for victory on the final day at and had slipped to 215 for six when Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson, whose places in the team have been questioned in the media, added 72 off 81 balls to take Australia to the verge of victory.
Haddin scored 55 and was dismissed 23 runs shy of the target, quickly followed by Peter Siddle for four as South Africa fought back with all four results still possible in fading light at the Wanderers.
But 18-year-old Pat Cummins, who had taken six wickets in South Africa's second innings, completed a dream debut by scoring 13 not out and hitting the winning runs as he pulled leg-spinner Imran Tahir over the infield for four.
"Mitch asked me to keep a cool head, and I took that for swinging," man-of-the-match Cummins said.
Johnson finished on 40 not out, a commanding innings that came off just 47 balls and included six fours.
Seamer Vernon Philander had earlier made his mark with five wickets, but South Africa captain Graeme Smith replaced him with Tahir for what proved to be the final over.
No play was possible in Monday's first session because of rain, meaning the stands were largely empty for the tense finale.
South Africa won the first test of the two-match series in Cape Town where Australia were bowled out for just 47 in another enthralling encounter.
Philander, playing in just his second test, struck in the fourth over of the day when he bowled Australian captain Michael Clarke for two with a fine delivery that nipped back in through the gate.
Morne Morkel claimed the wicket of Ricky Ponting for 62 when Australia's leading run-scorer tried to cut a short delivery outside off stump and edged it into the slips, having survived for over three-and-a-half hours in a innings that could prolong the embattled former captain's career.
Australia then looked in control as Mike Hussey and Haddin added 50 for the sixth wicket before Philander struck with the first ball of his second spell, just two overs before the tea break.
The left-handed Hussey tried to play across the line of a delivery that straightened into the pads and was given out lbw for 39, the decision being confirmed on review.
The hosts then believed they were in sight of their first home series win over Australia since 1970 but the tourists had other ideas.
Haddin had endured a torrid time when he first came to the crease, being struck on the helmet by fast bowler Dale Steyn, but he began to play positively and collected seven fours as he counter-attacked.
The wicketkeeper, coming off a poor run of form with the bat, eventually fell in the second over with the second new ball as his hesitant drive at a Philander away-swinger gave wicketkeeper Mark Boucher an easy catch.
Siddle then chipped Steyn to mid-on after hitting a boundary, leaving South Africa with two wickets to get and Australia needing 18 runs.
Captain Smith controversially gave Johnson singles while trying to target Cummins, but if the youngster had any vulnerabilities, he did not show them with a composed innings.
Johnson proved how dangerous a lower-order batsman he is by thumping a series of drives down the ground, transferring the pressure on to the misfiring South African bowlers.
A ball from the end, Cummins was given not out by the umpire and given the benefit of the doubt on review after an lbw appeal by Tahir.
The number 10 batsman then slammed the same bowler for four to seal the amazing win.

Kevin Pietersen faces fitness test ahead of T20

Kevin Pietersen will have a fitness test on his broken thumb on Friday but is rated "very doubtful" for England's one-off Twenty20 against India at Eden Gardens this weekend.

Pietersen missed the final match of England's 5-0 one-day series drubbing by their hosts, at the same venue two days ago, having injured his thumb in last Sunday's defeat in Mumbai.
A team spokesman said on Thursday: "He will have a fitness test tomorrow. He is still very doubtful for Saturday."
The middle-order batsman was optimistic on Wednesday that the bruising was going down, and he might therefore be able to play on Saturday - in a match which will see England defend their new-found status as International Cricket Council number ones in the shortest format.