Biete - Kristall » support us and back us and be excited abo

Giles Clarke, the ECB president, is set to renew his relationship with the Pakistan Cricket Board, after being tasked alongside Dave Richardson, the ICC chief executive, to explore ways to boost the boards economy in the absence of any home international matches.The decision was taken at the quarterly ICC board meeting that concluded in Cape Town on Friday. The board also agreed to look into financial assistance for the PCB given that it has now been almost eight years since their cricketers were last able to play a match in front of their home fans.Clarke, who is a member of the powerful Financial and Commercial Affairs Committee, headed up the ICCs original Pakistan Task Force in 2009, although he was unable to visit the country in that capacity due to the ongoing security concerns.Despite their difficulties, Pakistans Test team rose to become the No.1 nation earlier this year following a hugely creditable 2-2 draw in their away series against England. It is understood that Clarke is scheduled to meet PCB officials in a months time to chalk out the details of the ICCs funding exercise.We reflect the unique contribution of Pakistan to world cricket. There is a huge amount of goodwill at the ICC board table for Pakistan, Clarke told ESPNcricinfo. Along with the [ICC] chief executive, I have been charged with looking at how we can assist Pakistan. Some of the economics of life has not been easy for Pakistan because they cant play home games.We are looking at the economics of Pakistan cricket, seeing where the ICC can help in recognising the importance of Pakistan to the international cricketing community, and to the cricketing world. They got the Test mace and played a superb series in England this summer. They were magnificent on and off the pitch during the England series.Describing himself as a very committed supporter of Pakistan cricket, Clarke said he had spent seven years trying to figure out ways to develop the game in the country.We have made a bit of progress today with some of the ideas that came out of the meeting. Dave Richardson and I are going to see what we can do to help Pakistan cricket economically and what we can do what possibilities are there for anyone to tour Pakistan.However, the prospect of international cricket making a permanent return to Pakistan remains doubtful. Earlier this year, memories of the terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in March 2009 were revived when another terrorist attack ripped through Lahore, killing at least 72 people and injuring 300 others in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, a popular hangout.As you know, we were a very long way down the road with a concept of having a heavyweight world team tour Pakistan and play against Pakistan, said Clarke. Then the atrocity in Lahore absolutely scuppered that.As a consequence of that attack, the PCB had to terminate a planned World XI versus Pakistanis match, an exercise that had been intended to provide a first step towards a return of full international cricket.Cricket does not belong in a war zone, said Clarke. [But] Cricket does belong in Pakistan. If we are going to bring world cricket back to Pakistan, then we will need the help of the vast number of massively enthusiastic Pakistani cricket followers - which in my view is most of the country. Because it is the bad guys who are stopping us. If you love cricket in Pakistan, you know we cant have atrocities. It stops people from coming. But if you give up, then the terrorist wins. I am not bloody giving up.According to Clarke, PCB executive chairman Najam Sethi made a very powerful plea which had struck a chord with the ICC board during the Cape Town meeting. Sethi had been representing his board in the absence of Shaharyar Khan, who could not attend due to health reasons.During his address, Sethi focused on the major issues that were denting Pakistan cricket financially. Aside from Zimbabwes limited-overs tour in May 2015, have played all of their matches since 2009 in the UAE. However, the extra costs incurred by those matches have directly hampered the development of the game back home in Pakistan.In a bid to shore up their domestic infrastructure, the PCB recently began work on 16 regional academies as a part of their developmental plan. Another option under consideration is that ICC should help carry the cost of Pakistans bilateral series in the UAE.There is, however, an acceptance from all parties that it will ultimately be down to the players themselves to determine whether they are prepared to tour Pakistan again. As Englands current tour of Bangladesh shows, administrators cannot force players to tour when they are not comfortable with the security.Bill Buckner Red Sox Jersey . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. Dustin Pedroia Jersey .875,000, avoiding arbitration. Clippards deal Monday means all eight Nationals players who filed for arbitration wound up settling before a hearing. https://www.cheapredsox.com/141z-andrew-benintendi-jersey-red-sox.html . Nigeria beat surprise package Ethiopia 2-0 in the second leg of their playoff for a comfortable 4-1 aggregate victory. Victor Moses converted a 20th-minute penalty after an Ethiopian handball, and Victor Obinna made certain of Nigerias place in Brazil with his powerful free kick in the 82nd at UJ Esuene Stadium. Denyi Reyes Red Sox Jersey . -- The Missouri Tigers might not have a roster full of superstars. Allen Craig Jersey . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action.WASHINGTON -- John Wall remembers how good of a defensive team the Washington Wizards were when they made the playoffs in 2014 and 2015 and wants defense to be the foundation they use to get back to the postseason.With new coach Scott Brooks preaching a defense-first mentality, Wall, backcourt mate Bradley Beal and the Wizards appear ready to buy in. As much as Washington can light up the scoreboard, the path to the playoffs starts with being more consistent defensively.Some nights youre not going to make shots, but your defense has got to win you games sometimes, Wall said. If were a great defensive team, well be fine. But if not well go through the same problems we went through last year.A bevy of injuries and defensive off nights contributed to the Wizards missing the playoffs and led to them not renewing the contract of coach Randy Wittman. Enter Brooks, who hopes to make the Wizards an even better defensive team than he had with the Oklahoma City Thunder for seven seasons.Brooks believes the Wizards have the athleticism and depth to be one of the best two-way teams in the league and hed like that to be their identity.Defensive basketball, toughness: We want to be known as a defensive team that can score, not a scoring team that only wants to play defense if it has a scoring night, Brooks said.Wall and Beal each set career highs in points, but that only led to a disappointing 41-41 finish.Beal said they have matching goals to be on one of the NBAs all-defensive teams and want to lead the charge of keeping points off the board.Wall believes this is the most complete team the Wizards have had during his career and knows the burden is on him to get them back to the playoffs. But he must be on the floor to do that.I dont want to talk about all the playoffs and stuff, Wall said. The most important thing is if we just stay healthy, we give ourselves a great chance.---Some other things to watch as the Wizards try to get back to the pllayoffs:NEW FACES: The starting five of Wall, Beal, Otto Porter, Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat are back along with young Kelly Oubre Jr.dddddddddddd, but there were plenty of changes on the bench. Washington acquired guard Trey Burke, signed big men Ian Mahinmi, Jason Smith and Andrew Nicholson and brought over 2012 draft pick Tomas Satoransky. Wall believes the key is players having and understanding clear roles. I think in the past we kind of didnt know what our roles were, he said. When we did, we were a good team. When we didnt, we looked (like) a bad team.HOME COURT DISADVANTAGE: The Wizards were just 22-19 at Verizon Center last season, and Wall has made comments about the crowd there not being as enthusiastic as elsewhere in the league. Brooks said his team will have a no-excuse mentality but also acknowledged there will be nights players need fans to pick them up. Its a two-way street. If we leave everything on the floor each and every night, our fans will continue to support us and back us and be excited about us, Brooks said.MINUTES WATCH: Brooks already knows hell set aside rest games for Wall, Beal and others to make sure theyre not worn down. Thats particularly important given the Wizards injury woes last season, and Brooks is prepared and plans to hold players out of practice and do other things to keep them fresh.BEALS BIG MONEY: After signing a $128 million, five-year deal, Beal has big expectations for himself -- he wants to produce, lead and defend better than ever before at age 23. Brooks challenged Beal to make his teammates better as the next step of his career evolution. He has 3-point range, he can score in transition, he can put the ball on the floor, he can play pick and roll and he can be a two-way player, Brooks said. He can be one of the best two-way guards in the league. ' ' '