KARACHI — Pakistan's cricket authorities Thursday ordered English-style pitches to help their struggling batsmen prepare for the Champions Trophy, to be played in England in June. Pakistani batsmen had a woeful time on the fast and bouncy tracks in South Africa where they were whitewashed 3-0 in Tests and edged out 3-2 in the one-day series last month. Teams from the sub-continent raised on slow, dry pitches have traditionally struggled in countries like England and South Africa, where conditions offer more help to quick bowlers. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided that after the South African debacle, in which the tourists were shot out for their lowest Test score of 49 in the first Test in Johannesburg, the team needed intense preparation for the eight-nation Champions Trophy to be held from June 6-23. “The committee noted that during the South Africa tour Pakistani batsmen struggled and considering the venue of the Champions Trophy it was decided that special pitches, which are close to the English conditions, would be prepared for the training camp,” a Pakistan Cricket Board release said. The 10-day camp will be held at Abbottabad, north of Islamabad, while legendary paceman Wasim Akram will lead a separate 10-day fast bowling clinic in Karachi. Akram will later join the practice camp in Abbottabad for a few days, the Pakistan Cricket Board said. Media reports said captain Misbahul Haq had suggested the team should prepare on fast pitches for the tournament, in which Pakistan faces the West Indies, South Africa and India in the initial group stage. Defending champion Australia, England, New Zealand and Sri Lanka make up the other group. Kolkata begins IPL with win Defending champion Kolkata Knight Riders got off to a perfect start in their IPL 6 campaign beating Delhi Daredevils by six wickets Wednesday. KKR scored the required 129 runs with six wickets in their hands and nine balls to spare. Put into bat, Delhi was not able to get a partnership. Skipper Mahela Jaywardene scored a valiant 66, but wickets kept falling on the other end. West Indian Sunil Narine was the pick of the bowlers as he rattled the Delhi batting line up with four wickets to restrict the Delhi lads to a modest 128. In response, KKR reached home thanks to a solid innings by Gautam Gambhir (41) Kallis (23) and Tiwary(23). — Agencies
