KARACHI, 14 July 2003 — The cricketing youth of Asia will be putting their skills to the test when foreign teams return to Pakistan for the first time in a year yesterday with the start of the Youth Asia Cup in the southern port city of Karachi.

The event, contested by 10 non-Test playing countries from Asia, is the country’s first major sporting event involving foreign teams since New Zealand cut short its tour in May last year after a bomb blast outside their hotel in Karachi.

“It’s a matter of great pride for us to host this event and we will make every effort to make teams comfortable,” said Zakir Khan, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) general manager for cricket operation.

PCB is providing extra security to the competing teams to avoid any incidents in the troubled port city where two people were killed in a bomb blast on Friday. Last year Pakistan had to play two of its Test series on neutral ground after the West Indies and Australia refused to tour the country over security fears triggered by the US-led war on terrorism in neighboring Afghanistan. But big-time cricket is due to return to the country later this year with Pakistan hosting Bangladesh, South Africa and New Zealand between August and November. The Youth Asia Cup runs from July 14 to 27 at seven venues in Karachi.

The event was originally scheduled to be held in Singapore but was relocated after that country’s outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

The participating teams are divided into two pools — the United Arab Emirates, the Maldives, Singapore, Nepal and Qatar form pool “A” while pool “B” comprises Malaysia, Kuwait, Hong Kong, Oman and Thailand.

“The tournament will go a long way in establishing Asian countries for high-level cricket,” said former Bangladesh international Athar Ali Khan, who is also tournament director. “Interest in the game has increased three-fold in our country and with Asian Cricket Council’s support it will go a long way,” added Mahboob Moosa, manager of the Oman team.

Bangladesh Grab Second

Tour Win in Australia

In Darwin, Australia, Bangladesh recorded their second win from three matches on tour in Australia when they scraped past a Northern Territory XI by two wickets yesterday.

Set 187 for victory, Bangladesh recovered from a late batting collapse to reach their target just after lunch on the fourth and final day which they had begun on 90 for four. Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore said the result would help raise the team’s confidence before next week’s first Test against Australia. Opener Javed Omar made 44 and middle-order batsman Al Sahariar Rokon 41 to put the tourists on course for victory before they lost three wickets for three runs.

Tailenders Khaled Mahmud (12 not out) and Mashrafe Mortaza (4 not out) eventually steered them safely past the target. “They played very well and to be honest, they deserved to win in the end,” Northern Territory captain Michael Clarke said.

Gough on Verge

of Test Recall

In London, Darren Gough has almost certainly played his way into England’s Test side and said yesterday he was ready for the rigors of five-day matches against South Africa. The injury-dogged 32-year-old Yorkshire fast bowler believes four weeks on the road with England playing one-day cricket has proved he can return to the Test game after a two-year absence. “I’m confident I can do it. If there was a Test match tomorrow I could play - until I play a game like that I don’t know what my body’s capable of, but I’m sure it won’t be a problem.” And England chairman of selectors David Graveney has praised the role Gough is playing in guiding rising star James Anderson. Graveney said: “Darren is a major influence. When he marks out his run you can feel the response from the crowd — he is a hero.