Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) ended national team coach Geoff Lawson's contract with a three months' pay as compensation. The board’s CEO Shafqat Naghmi has also been replaced by Saleem Altaf.

Speaking to the media persons here, PCB spokesman Raza Rashid said, “Geoff Lawson has been removed as coach of Pakistan.”

The former pace bowler from Australia was hired after the former Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer was found dead during the 2007 World Cup in West Indies. Lawson’s two year contract was due to end in 2009.

Cuttack: A brilliant century by Rohit Sharma helped India Red to score a much needed five-wicket victory over India Green in the NKP Salve Challengers Series match.

Though wickets kept on falling at the other end, Rohit Sharma kept his head cool. The Mumbai batsman scored 117 runs off just 120 balls (13 fours and 2 sixes). Opening batsman M Vijay also did well notching up 59-ball 45.

Earlier, batting first, India Green set a daunting target of 261 with Naman Ojha's scoring a well made 96 runs. Ojha and Dhawan (45) added 102 runs for the for the opening wicket and then Ojha and Suresh Raina (58) took India Green to a strong position. But the team lost its momentum in the last overs by losing seven wickets just for 63 runs.

After Adam Gilchrist's remarks over Sachin Tendulkar's honesty on the famous ''Monkeygate'' issue provoked angry reactions from Indian cricketing fraternity, the Indian batting maestro said the Australian called him up to clarify the whole issue and added that the matter was blown out of proportion.

Speaking with Times Now, Tendulkar said, “Gilchrist called me up and clarified the whole matter.”

“He said his comments have been taken out of context,” added Tendulkar. However, the master-blaster batsman refused to comment any further on the issue.

Gurgaon: An unbeaten 51 from Hemang Badani helped Chennai Superstars to defeat Delhi Giants by five runs in the ICL 20s Championship at Tau Devi Lal stadium.

Chasing a victory target of 167, the Delhi team got to a solid start as both their openers, Marvan Atapattu (25) and Monish Mishra added 60 runs in just seven overs for the first wicket. Mishra scored a quick fire 36 runs off just 20 balls with two sixes and three fours. However, after losing both their openers, no other batsman from Giants could stay at the wicket for long. For Chennai, Nantie Haywards was pick of the bowlers claiming two wickets for just 25 runs.

Scores in brief: Chennai Superstars: 166/6, H.Badani 51*, R Satish 41, Murtaza 1/11, S Bond 1/34.

The first match of the N. K. P Salve Challenger Trophy at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack was won by India blue defeating India Red by

After becoming the highest run getter in Test cricket, the Liitle Master Sachin Tendulkar has catapulted back among the top 20 Test batsmen in ICC test rating. 

Now he stands at number 19 in the ICC list. He was at 24th spot before the biginning of Mohali test; that was his lowest position in last 15 years. 

In the same match the 35-year-old Mumbai player became the highest scoring Test batsman in history of world cricket overtaking the record of 11,953 runs set by West Indies' Brian Lara.

The Maharaja of Indian cricket Sourav Ganguly, who hit a century in the first innings of the second Test has also improved his position. The ranking shows his position at 23rd.