Pakistan beat Australia by 23 runs in 1st T20i

Pakistan beat Australia for the 1st time in 13 matches across in all formats of cricket as they won the first T20 international by 23 runs at Edgbaston.

They were grateful to Umar Akmal's career-best 64 runs in just 31 balls that helped Pakistan to a total of 167 for eight after they had been 47 for four.

Australia, chasing 168 to win, were 144 allout with off-spinner Saeed Ajmal three wickets for 26 runs off his four overs and teenage left-arm faster Mohammad Aamer doing the mass of the damage.

Victory put Pakistan 1-0 up lead of the 2nd and final T20 international here on Tuesday.

Match Summary
Pak 167/8 20 over Umar Akmal 64 Kamran Akmal 23 Shaun Tait 2/25 Dirk Nannes 2/41	Aus 144 allout 18.4 over David Warner 41 David Hussey 34 Saeed Ajmal 3/26 M. Aamer 3/27

Man of the match: Umar Akmal

Pakistan v Australia in England 2010, Schedule

Date	Match Details	Time IST	Venue
Jul 05 - Mon	Pakistan v Australia, 1st T20I Pak won by 23 runs	21:30	Birmingham
Jul 06 - Tue	Pakistan v Australia, 2nd T20I Pak won by 11 runs	21:30	Birmingham
Jul 13 - 17	Pakistan v Australia, 1st Test	15:00	London
Jul 21 - 25	Pakistan v Australia, 2nd Test	15:00	Leeds

Australia in India 2010

Raina powers India win T20 Series

Captain Suresh Raina led from the frontage with a blistering 72(44) as India signed off their Zimbabwe tour with a complete 7 wickets win over the hosts in the 2nd and final T20 International at Harare.

Chasing 141, India made 144 for three with Suresh Raina striking the winning runs and comprehensive the two match Twenty20 series 2-0. Raina's effort earned him the Man of the Match & the Man of the Series awards.

India lost the 1st wicket of Naman Ojha early, but Vijay and skipper Suresh Raina ensured that India would not face any complexity. Along with Murali Vijay (46), Raina shared a 79-run standing for the 2nd wicket, which set up the second easy win. Raina's 44-ball knock contained 6 fours and 2 sixes.

India's 2nd consecutive win, after a poor show in the ODI tri-series, will do a world of good to the confidence of its youngsters as they head off for the Asia Cup 2010 in Sri Lanka, which starts in two days time.

Match Summary:

1st T20: Zim 111/9 20 Over Chibhabha 40 Ervine 30 V.Kumar 3/24 A. Dinda 2/27 Ind 112/4 15 Over Y. Pathan 37 S. Raina 28 Price 2/24 Mpofu 2/31

2nd T20: Zim 140/5 20 Over Taibu 45 Coventry 28 A. Dinda 2/15 A. Mishra 1/21 India: 144/3 in 18 Over S. Raina 72 M. Vijay 46 Chibhabha 1/19

Adam Gilchrist warns of T20 overkill

Former Australian wicket keeper Adam Gilchrist has warned of a T20 overkill in cricket in the wake of the IPL's success, saying it is time the administrators give thinking to how much more the players can take.

The 38-year-old wicketkeeper, who has remained in action civility the Indian Premier League, feels the number of matches should be regulated.

"The IPL is going bigger next year. How much further can you go? We have to be very smart with it and make sure that we monitor that," Gilchrist said.

"I think we are very close to the limit of how much cricket we can stage in general and Twenty20 has contested to the fore. But, this vast tool we have got, let's not burn it out," he said.

Gilchrist said players who decide to take breaks during the season should not be criticized as they are only trying to protect their bodies for as long a stay as possible in international cricket.

"If someone doesn't play because he has the chance to rest, the public shouldn't beat up on him. They are just trying to be as good as they can for as long as they can, first for their country, then their county," he said.

"But the IPL has moved the goalposts and clouded the issue a bit. But as professional cricketers, we have to stride carefully. I know a number of Australian players who have stayed away from the IPL for reasons of extending their Test careers and that's something all players have to weigh up," he added.

Australia in England 2010, ODI Schedule

Date	Match Details	Time IST	Ground	Place
Jun 17 - Th	Ireland v Australia, Only ODI	15:15	Castle Avenue	Dublin
Jun 22 - Tu	England v Australia, 1st ODI	19:00	The Rose Bowl	Southampton
Jun 24 - Th	England v Australia, 2nd ODI	19:00	Sophia Gardens	Cardiff, Wales
Jun 27 - Su	England v Australia, 3rd ODI	15:15	Old Trafford	Manchester
Jun 30 - We	England v Australia, 4th ODI	17:30	Kennington Oval	London
Jul 03 - Sa	England v Australia, 5th ODI	15:15	Lord's	London

Only 10 teams for this year's Champions League

There will be only 10 teams in this year's CL T20 as opposed to the 12 that participated in the inaugural in 2009, after the English Cricket Board(ECB) expressed their incapability to participate as their domestic season clashed with the tournament's dates.

English teams were forced out after their cricket board declined to adjust the dates of their domestic season to avoid a clash with the profitable league. The England and Wales Cricket Board had proponed the dates after being requested by the BCCI initially.

But when the Indian Board rejigged the Champions League T20 dates for a 2nd time, the ECB said it was left with no room to make adjustments again.

The tournament is a joint project between the cricket board of India (BCCI), Australia (CA) and South Africa (CSA).

Already nine of the ten teams for the tournament in South Africa, scheduled between September 10 and 26, are confirmed. Only the tenth team is to be known and that will be confirmed once the West Indian domestic T20 competition ends in July. The tournament will feature 23 matches, with the format, schedule and venues to be decided in the coming weeks.

The teams that have already qualified for the 2010 Champions League T20 are: Chennai Super Kings (India), Mumbai Indians (India), Royal Challengers Bangalore (India), South Australian Redbacks (Australia), Victorian Bushrangers (Australia), Warriors (South Africa), Highveld Lions (South Africa), Central Stags (New Zealand) and Wayamba Elevens (Sri Lanka).

No match-fixing in 3rd IPL 2010: Paul Condon

Outgoing ICC Anti-Corruption chief Paul Condon said he had no evidence to propose there had been any fraud in the 3rd edition of the IPL.

"3rd IPL from a clean cricket point of view seems to have been a very clean event," Paul Condon told a news conference at Lord's.

"There were rumours and unclear allegations about match-fixing in 3rd IPL 2010."

"No one has come forward from within the Indian board or the IPL or franchises or journalists, players or team managers, anyone with any specific allegations about match-fixing in the IPL 2010. All there has been is a nonspecific rumour."

The Anti-Corruption and Security Unit did not monitor the first two IPL Twenty20 competitions. Condon, who has been in accuse of the unit since it was set up 10 years ago to deal with a match-fixing scandal which resulted in life bans for three international captains, will be succeeded by former senior British police offical Ronnie Flanagan on July 1.