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Australia have announced 17-man test squad for the upcoming four-Test series against India. The tour will start with two warm-up games on February 12-13 and February 16-18 in Chennai. " It is a large squad and we felt as though we needed that for flexibility ," John Inverarity , the national selector, said. " We're certainly looking for a right-arm finger-spinner and a left-arm finger-spinner. Xavier [Doherty] has been bowling very well lately. The four contenders for that position [were] Jon Holland, Michael Beer, Xavier Doherty and Stephen O'Keefe. Two of those [Holland and Beer] are injured and we preferred Xavier Doherty to Stephen O'Keefe ." Australia Test squad : David Warner, Ed Cowan, Michael Clarke (capt), Usman Khawaja, Moises Henriques, Mitchell Johnson, Phillip Hughes, Shane Watson, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Steven Smith, Matthew Wade (wk), Peter Siddle, Jackson Bird, Glenn Maxwell, Xavier Doherty, Nathan Lyon.

Zimbabwe have confirmed a limited-overs squad for the upcoming tour of West Indies. The left-arm spinner, Ray Price has been dropped from the squad. The tour will begin with three ODIs, two T20s and two Tests. ODI and T20 squad : Brendan Taylor (capt), Hamilton Masakadza, Tendai Chatara, Chris Mpofu, Vusi Sibanda, Tino Mawoyo, Malcolm Waller, Keegan Meth, Prosper Utseya, Regis Chakabva, Tino Mutombodzi, Natsai M'shangwe, Kyle Jarvis, Craig Ervine, Chamu Chibhabha. Test squad : Brendan Taylor (capt), Tino Mawoyo,  Malcolm Waller, Kyle Jarvis, Hamilton Masakadza, Regis Chakabva, Vusi Sibanda, Keegan Meth, Sean Williams, Timycen Maruma, Tendai Chatara, Chris Mpofu, Raymond Price, Graeme Cremer, Prosper Utseya.

Pakistan have added Fast bowlers Tanvir Ahmed and Rahat Ali to squad for the three Tests against South Africa, begins on February 1 in Johannesburg. Pakistan to play two Twenty20s and five ODI in South Africa, just after the Test series. Pakistan Test squad: Misbah-ul Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Azhar Ali, Nasir Jamshed, Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Sarfraz Ahmed, Umar Gul, Junaid Khan, Ehsan Adil, Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Haris Sohail, Faisal Iqbal, Taufiq Umar, Tanveer Ahmed, Rahat Ali.

The New Zealand tour which starts in February of this year will be the first visit the England cricket side has made to the country since 2008, and is a pretty extensive – if short – tour, involving three Test matches, three Twenty20 international matches and three one-day international matches. Alongside offering the team a pretty intensive test, this variety of match types will also ensure that those betting on the tour with one of the sports bet sites have a variety of different betting options open to them. There is not really any information available yet about the actual odds that are being offered for this tour, but cricket betting offers a variety of different ways of placing a bet – probably more than most other types of sports betting. Of course there is always the option of betting on the winners of each match in the tour, or of the overall winners of the tour itself, but beyond this there are other ways to bet on the tour of New Zealand. Most of the sports bet site

England Fast bowler Tim Bresnan has been ruled out of Test series in New Zealand due to his right elbow injury. England to play three Twenty20 Internationals, three ODIs and three Tests against New Zealand starts on Feb 09 in Auckland. Test squad: Alastair Cook (capt), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Steven Finn, Graham Onions, Monty Panesar, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior (wkt), Joe Root, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott, Chris Woakes Twenty20 squad: Stuart Broad (capt), Jonathan Bairstow, Danny Briggs, Jos Buttler (wkt), Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Michael Lumb, Stuart Meaker, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, James Tredwell, Woakes, Luke Wright ODI squad: Alastair Cook (capt), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, James Harris, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Joe Root, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell (Kent), Jonathan Trott, Chris Woakes.

Australian right-handed batsman, David Hussey has been dropped from squad for the first two ODIs against West Indies. He has been replaced by right-handed batsman Aaron Finch . Australia ODI Squad : David Warner, Aaron Finch, George Bailey, Matthew Wade (wk), Phillip Hughes, Michael Clarke (capt), Mitchell Johnson, Ben Cutting, Clint McKay, Xavier Doherty, Glenn Maxwell, Moises Henriques, Mitchell Starc.

South African seamer Vernon Philander has been returned to the test squad for the first Test against Pakistan. " We are very happy with the job that Rory did against New Zealand when Vernon dropped out while Jacques provides us with a lot of experience as the cover batsman, " Cricket South Africa (CSA) selection convener Andrew Hudson said. The first Test match against Pakistan will begin at Wanderers in Johannesburg from February 1. South Africa test squad : Graeme Smith (captain), Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, Rory Kleinveldt, Alviro Petersen, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Jacques Rudolph, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn.

Australia have announced 12-man squad for the two upcoming T20 internationals against Sri Lanka. The matches will be held in Sydney on January 26 and in Melbourne on January 28. Australia T20 squad : George Bailey (captain), Ben Cutting, Aaron Finch, Ben Laughlin, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Mitchell Starc, Adam Voges, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

England's Left-arm spinner Monty Panesar have been given permission to appear in this year's IPL auction by Sussex. The next season of IPL will begin on April 3, 2013. "It's not ideal for us," Sussex's head coach Mark Robinson told, " It could cost us the chance of winning the County Championship, but we understand that it's a great opportunity for the players. " It's a bit of a myth that players go for the money. Such is the compensation they have to pay to their counties that, unless they go for over $400,000, they probably aren't making a lot. Certainly in the case of Monty, he just wants to improve as a limited-overs cricketer and we respect that. "

West Indies Left-handed batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul , has joined English county side Derbyshire on a two-year contract. Currently Chanderpaul rated the world's number two Test batsman. He has scored over 10,500 runs in just 146 Tests at an average of 51.67 and has previously played for Durham, Lancashire and Warwickshire in the English County Championship. " I'm excited to be joining an ambitious club with a talented young side, " Chanderpaul told the Derbyshire website. " I was impressed with (head coach) Karl Krikken's vision for the team and am looking forward to linking up with them at the start of the season. "

The South African spinner, Paul Harris has announced his retirement at the end of the season. Harris played 37 Tests for South Africa and his last Test was in Cape Town against India in January 2011. Harris said, " I would like to thank all the people who have helped me over my career. A special mention must go to Richard Pybus, who had the biggest coaching influence on my career. I am sure that I would not have played for South Africa if it had not been for him. " cricket-cup.blogspot.com  wishing him all the very best for his future endeavors.

Australia have announced 13 member ODI squad for the opening two one-day internationals against Sri Lanka this month. Captain Michael Clarke and senior batsman Mike Hussey has not been included to the Australian squad. Australia Squad : George Bailey (capt), Ben Cutting, Phil Hughes, David Hussey, Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Xavier Doherty, Aaron Finch, Clint McKay.

South Africa have announced four uncapped players - Quinton de Kock, Aaron Phangiso, Farhaan Behardien and Rory Kleinveldt - in their ODI squad for the series against New Zealand, starting from this month. Jacques Kallis has been rested while JP Duminy is still recovering from the injury that he sustained in Australia. South African ODI squad: AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Rory Kleinveldt, Ryan McLaren, Farhaan Behardien, Colin Ingram, Graeme Smith, Dale Steyn,  Morne Morkel, Robbie Peterson, Aaron Phangiso, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

Virender Sehwag has been ruled out for the first three matches of the five-ODI series against England, starting from January 11 in Rajkot. India Squad : MS Dhoni (capt), Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shami Ahmed, Ashok Dinda, Amit Mishra.

India's Middle order batsman Virat Kohli bagged the International Cricketer of the Year award on Friday. Kohli, beat the Australian captain Michael Clarke, former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara and South African opener Hashim Amla to be the vice captain of the side. Pakistan named as the Best International Cricket Team in the 2011-2012 season and the former Pakistan batsman Zaheer Abbas received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar named the Best Test Batsman trophy while former Pakistan captain  Inzamam-ul-Haq was honoured with the Best ODI Batsman award. The 1983 World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev was lifted the Best Test bowler, Akram received the Best ODI bowler award. CEAT Audience Choice Awards went jointly to former Pakistan opener Saeed Anwar and Indian opener Virender Sehwag. India U-19 World Cup winning captain Unmukt Chand received the first-ever CEAT young Indian cricketer award, who collected the trophy from Gava

Sri Lanka have announced a 16-man squad for the one-day and Twenty20 matches against Australia. The one-day series will be held from from January 11-23 across Australia, and the two T20 internationals will be played in Sydney on January 26 and Melbourne on January 28. Sri Lanka ODI, T20 squad : Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Lasith Malinga, Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, Ajantha Mendis, Jeevan Mendis, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Nuwan Kulasekara, Rangana Herath, Kushal Perera, Akila Dananjaya, Suranga Lakmal, Thisara Perera, Shaminda Eranga.

Former Australia fast bowler, Glenn McGrath will be inducted to the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame during the Test between Australia and Sri Lanka in Sydney on January 4. McGrath will be the 68th male cricketer to make into the hall of fame. In 2012, Brian Lara was inducted the last before him. "I am honoured that the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame voting academy, which includes all the current living Hall of Famers, have nominated and voted me to be inducted," McGrath said . "I am very much looking forward to celebrating the occasion on January 4 at the SCG, which is of course is like a second home to me." Glenn McGrath played 124 Tests, with 563 wickets at an average of 21.64. He is the Australia's second leading wicket-taker, behind Shane Warne, and fourth on the overall list. He was part of Australia's World Cup-winning teams in 1999, 2003 and 2007.