Pakistan vs South Africa ODI Series, 5 ODI Cricket Series in United Arab Emirates , 2013

1 30 Oct,2013 11:00 AM GMT PAK vs SA Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah
2 01 Nov,2013 11:00 AM GMT PAK vs SA Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
3 06 Nov,2013 11:00 AM GMT PAK vs SA Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
4 08 Nov,2013 11:00 AM GMT PAK vs SA Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
5 11 Nov,2013 11:00 AM GMT PAK vs SA Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah

Australia in India ODI Series, 7 ODI Cricket Series, 2013

1 13 Oct,2013 08:00 AM GMT IND vs AUS Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, Pune
2 16 Oct,2013 08:00 AM GMT IND vs AUS Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
3 19 Oct,2013 08:00 AM GMT IND vs AUS Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali
4 23 Oct,2013 08:00 AM GMT IND vs AUS JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi
5 26 Oct,2013 08:00 AM GMT IND vs AUS Barabati Stadium, Cuttack
6 30 Oct,2013 08:00 AM GMT IND vs AUS Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur
7 02 Nov,2013 08:00 AM GMT IND vs AUS M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru  

Bangladesh vs New Zealand ODI series - 2013

Bangladesh vs New Zealand Three ODI series Schedule...

1 29 Oct,2013 07:30 AM GMT BAN vs NZ Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur  

2 31 Oct,2013 07:30 AM GMT BAN vs NZ Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur  

3 03 Nov,2013 03:15 AM GMT BAN vs NZ Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium, Fatullah  

Cook happy with favourites tag for Ashes

Reuters

England captain Alastair Cook says his side accepts their role as favourites as they chase a fourth consecutive Ashes series victory over Australia for the first time in over 100 years.
England depart for Australia on Wednesday, two months after claiming a 3-0 win over their great rivals at home, and open the tour with warm-up match against a Western Australia XI in Perth beginning on October 31.
They have not won four consecutive series since 1890, but Cook said expectations of doing so did not weigh heavily on the 17-man squad who will be mounting the defence.
"When you have won the last three series, and the last series was just two months ago, I think that is a fair description," he told a news conference on Wednesday.
"I don't think it makes that much difference who is favourite, that last summer it was the first time we've gone into an Ashes series as favourites, I thought we coped with that pretty well, and the outcome certainly suggested we did.
"Winning in Australia is no mean feat, that's the challenge we've got ahead of ourselves.
"We know what we need to do if we want to win, it consists pretty simply of scoring big first innings runs and applying a lot of pressure with the ball and restricting scoring rates."
They play three warm-up matches in Perth, Hobart and Sydney, which Cook said would be important in acclimatising the side to the Kookaburra ball and faster pitches.
Despite England's success at home their top order struggled, with Cook a major culprit with only three half-centuries in 10 innings, but was hopeful of reclaiming the form which saw him hit over 700 runs in Australia in the last tour in 2010-11.
"I enjoy batting in those conditions, when the ball is flying past your ears a lot. As an opening batsman it's a great place to test your skills, but then in the afternoon sessions it can be fantastic to bat once you get through the new ball.
"Australia bowled well this summer and I didn't execute as well as I could have done. It happens in cricket. You'd love to score runs all the time. I could have done better, I want to lead from the front and set the example and get the big runs."
Most of the squad flew out of London on Wednesday evening, with Kevin Pietersen not joining his team mates until Sunday after being given compassionate leave.
The first test begins in Brisbane on November 21. (Reporting by Josh Reich)

Michael Clarke sets to return

AFP

Micheal Clark

Australian captain Michael Clarke could return from injury as early as next week in a major boost on the eve of arch-rival England's arrival for the Ashes series.

The star batsman was ruled out of Australia's one-day tour of India this month with a long-standing back problem, and feared he could miss the first Test against England starting on November 21.

But after intensive treatment on a degenerative disc problem, which has been an issue since he was a teenager, the prognosis is good.

"Michael is progressing well and recently recommenced batting in the nets," Australian team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said in a statement.

"At this stage we are aiming to have him fit to play the second round of the Sheffield Shield, but we have not ruled out the possibility of him playing the first round of the Shield season if he makes better than expected progress."

Clarke's state side New South Wales start their Shield season at home on October 30 against Tasmania, and then play Victoria in Melbourne from November 6.

"We'll continue to monitor him closely," added Kountouris.

Clarke's back problem flared up again before Australia's final ODI in Southampton last month at the end of a gruelling five-Test Ashes tour to England, which Australia lost 3-0.

He played in that game, but selectors were reluctant to take any more risks given the big home summer coming up, and ruled him out of the India tour.

England are due to arrive in Perth early Friday bidding to win a fourth straight Ashes series -- something they last achieved in the 19th century.