Cricket may lessen anguish of quake-stricken people: Vaughan
Says victory in Pakistan important to become No.1
By Our Sports Correspondent

ISLAMABAD—England will play good, competitive cricket on the Pakistan tour as one way of lessening the suffering and anguish of earthquake-stricken people of Pakistan. “Our aim will be to bring smiles back on the faces of Pakistani people”, the England captain Michael Vaughan said on Wednesday after arriving with his squad for the 58-day tour of Pakistan, featuring three Tests and five One Day Internationals.
“We are all struck by the devastation caused by the earthquake in Pakistan”, Michael Vaughan told reporters. “We all share the grief of these people and we will be happy if cricket can bring smiles back on their faces”. “We will also be available for fund-raising matches he said”.
He said the two teams would be engaged in good, competitive cricket so as to provide moment of joy to the people reeling from the aftermath of the worst disaster to hit Pakistan. The young but talented England team will regard physical fitness as the key to victory on the important tour of Pakistan in their bid to become the No.1 side in world cricket, skipper Michael Vaughan said on Wednesday.
“Success in Pakistan and India will be an important stepping stone in our bid to become the no.1 cricketing side in the world”, Michael Vaughan told a news conference at the team hotel after landing with his 14-member squad at Islamabad Airport a few hours earlier to undertake the 58-day tour of Pakistan. The officials of Pakistan Cricket Board warmly welcomed the England cricketers who will be provided with top-level security on the tour which features three Tests and five One Day Internationals.
All-rounder Andrew Flintoff and pace bowler Steve Harmison will join the squad later after playing fundraising matches in Dubai for the earthquake-stricken people of Pakistan. “We will play good competitive cricket to bring smiles back on the faces of earthquake-hit people of Pakistan” besides being available for fundraising matches, Michael Vaughan said in reply to a question.
“We will try hard over the coming days to remain fit on this important tour”, he said. “Success in Pakistan now and in India after christmas will be crucial in our effort to become No.1”, he added. He, however, said that both Pakistan and England had been playing well over the last one year and the series would be close affair.
“We had a good build-up before coming here and the team is keen to carry on their good ashes form on the Pakistan tour as well”, said the English Captain. To a question, he said the England swing bowlers had employed skill and technique to generate reverse swing and win the Ashes Test series against Australia and was confident his bowlers would repeat that performance.
“But our strength is our team’s character” in fighting against the odds, Vaughan said. “Though we have beaten Australia, we have some work to do before becoming the best in the world”. Asked about the threat from Pakistani spinners Danish Kaneria and Mushtaq Ahmed, he said his batsmen had the experience of playing them in county cricket.
“They may no longer be mystery bowlers for us”, he said, emphasising, in reply to a question, his team also had a plan up their sleeves for coping with the probable destructive prowess of world’s fastest bowler Shoaib Akhter. He said his team was young but talented as compared with the side that toured Pakistan in 2000 and won the Test series 1-0. “That side was experienced but we have young but talented players now”.

We did well in all departments: Dravid

NAGPUR—Good performances by the Indian cricket team in batting, bowling and fielding led to their emphatic win over Sri Lanka, said Indian skipper Rahul Dravid after the first one day international (ODI) here Tuesday.
Talking to the media after a convincing 152 run-victory over the Sri Lankans, Dravid said it was a good day for the team when everyone contributed towards the win.
‘Not often do we get to win with such a margin against a team like Sri Lanka. We did well in all departments,’ he told reporters.
‘It’s a great thing to start the series on such a positive note’.
However, Dravid added that it was too early to be complacent as there was a long way to go before any team could assume supremacy.
‘This is just the first match where everything went well for us. I am not even suggesting that the team could become complacent. We all know what a good team Sri Lanka is,’ Dravid cautioned.
India put on board 350 runs for the loss of six wickets in the mandatory 50 overs with memorable performances, including 93 by batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, a surprise 83 by one-down batsmen Irfan Pathan, captain Rahul Dravid’s 85 and wicket keeper M.S. Dhoni’s 38.
This was complemented by some disciplined bowling, especially by spinners Harbhajan Singh and Murali Karthik who took three wickets each, conceding 35 and 48 runs respectively.
They were supported by some excellent fielding by Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh as well as debutant S. Sreeshanth, who took two wickets in his second spell after wilting under pressure in the first.—Agencies