Sachin Supports England For Ashes

Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar believes England have every chance of retaining the Ashes on Australian soil this winter.

Tendulkar, widely regarded as one of the best batsmen in the history of the game, believes England's chances will largely depend on the form of Kevin Pietersen and Graeme Swann down under, while he also expects Test rookie Eoin Morgan to feature prominently.

Tendulkar was speaking in London at a NatWest celebration to mark its 30th season supporting English cricket.

Tendulkar, in his capacity as global ambassador for the RBS Group, kicked-off the start of the 2010 NatWest series which will see England play Australia, Bangladesh and Pakistan in 13 one-day internationals and two T20 events from June to September this year.

But with the focus clearly on England's bid to retain the Ashes in Australia this winter, Tendulkar was adamant that they had every chance against an Australia side still in the process of rebuilding.

Tendulkar, 37, believes England will be high in confidence following their ICC World Twenty20 success in the West Indies in April.

"I think England have a good chance of retaining the Ashes," said Tendulkar.

"The key members for England will be Pietersen, Morgan, and in the bowling department - Swann.

"For me they will be the key members of the team. Then after that you have the experience of Andrew Strauss, so they can do something special in Australia.

"Swann will play a big role so I think England definitely have a good chance.

"Also, from what I have seen of Morgan, he looks a solid player. He can control the pace of the game quite nicely - certainly in T20 and one-day matches.

"The winning of a major tournament gives you confidence and this is what winning the ICC T20 World Cup has done for England.

"I am sure at this moment England feel as though they can pull off any situation. It's all about confidence and positive energy and once you have this, then anything is possible.

"I would not use the word vulnerable to describe Australia. But they have lost some match-winners.

"They are going to miss those players and it takes time to replace them."

Tendulkar is currently taking a break from the game to spend time with his family but will return to play for India against Sri Lanka in a Test series which starts in July.

After that, he has set his sights on lifting the 2011 World Cup with India in Mumbai.

The country are currently the Test game's world number one and Tendulkar is extremely proud of that achievement.

But to secure World Cup victory on home soil would be the pinnacle of his outstanding career.

"I want to play for as long as possible and as long as I have the desire and the hunger I will carry on," he added. "The day I do not want to get out of bed and do anything then I know it will be time to go in another direction.

"To be number one is special, it was our dream and our target to get to the number one spot in Test cricket.

"We have had a good run in the last 20 months. Everyone wants to be number one and we cannot relax because there are other countries who want to be number one. It means a lot to us.

"As far as the World Cup is concerned it is a process. We don't want to jump to the 50th floor, we must start on the ground floor.

"We must take it step-by-step but to get there would be a fascinating journey. It is our dream, not just mine but the entire nation, to get there. To play the final in Mumbai is something you can only dream of and everything has to come together.

"But if we can play to the best of our potential then I think we can do something we have been longing to do for quite some time."

England thrashes Bangladesh

Steven Finn took five wickets as England thrashed Bangladesh by an innings and 80 runs inside three days in the second Test to wrap up a 2-0 series victory at Old Trafford here on Sunday.

Bangladesh, following-on, were dismissed for 123 in 34.1 overs with fast bowler Finn taking five wickets for 42 runs in 10 overs.

James Anderson took three for 16 in 10 on his Lancashire home ground.

Defeat meant Bangladesh have now lost 34 of their 68 Tests by an innings.

Anderson and Finn combined to reduce Bangladesh, who'd suffered a dramatic collapse in yesterday's final session, to 37 for five in the 13th over. Only Mohammad Mahmudullah, with 38, offered much resistance.

England, after rain meant no play was possible before lunch, saw captain Andrew Strauss enforce the follow-on. Bangladesh, dismissed for 216 after losing all 10 first innings wickets after tea on Saturday, were still 203 runs behind England's 419.

In overcast conditions, their top order struggled against England's new ball pair on Sunday.

England captured the prize wicket of Tamim Iqbal, who'd made hundreds in his last two knocks, including 108 in the first innings of this match, when the left-hander was caught behind second ball for just two fending at a rising Anderson delivery.

It was the first time in six innings against England that Tamim had failed to pass fifty.

Imrul Kayes, the Tigers' other left-handed opener, then fell hooking Finn for the second time in the match, with Test debutant Ajmal Shahzad once more taking a catch at long leg.

Junaid Siddique was then caught by Kevin Pietersen in the gully off Anderson and when Finn had Jahurul Islam edging through to wicketkeeper Matt Prior for naught, after trying to cut a lifting ball that was too close to him, Bangladesh were 21 for four off eight overs.

The 6ft 8in quick had taken two wickets for 12 runs in four overs, including two for three in seven balls. Mohammad Ashraful off-drove Finn for four in textbook fashion.

However, his innings of 14 ended when he couldn't keep down an Anderson delivery that moved off the pitch and edged to Jonathan Trott at first slip.

Bangladesh were now 37 for five, with Anderson having taken three wickets for 10 runs in 6.2 overs.

And the Tigers were 39 for six when Yorkshire quick Shahzad bowled Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan between bat and pad.

But four byes, conceded by Prior -- nursing a finger injury -- off the bowling of off-spinner Graeme Swann gave Bangladesh the consolation of surpassing their record lowest Test innings score of 62 against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2007.

Mahmudullah several times hooked Finn to the boundary but, trying to repeat the stroke, he edged and was well caught by a leaping Prior to end a 52-ball innings featuring five fours.

Bangladesh were now 97 for eight and that became 119 for nine when Shafiul Islam was caught at first slip by Strauss off Finn.

And the match ended when Abdur Razzak holed out off Swann.

England's total saw Ian Bell make 128. Bell's third hundred in five Tests against Bangladesh took his average against the Tigers to 158.25.

Swann, with five wickets for 76 runs -- his first five-wicket Test haul in England -- did the bulk of the damage in Bangladesh's first innings, after they had been 153 for one.

Afridi Ready for England Tour

Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has made himself available for the Test tour of England after ending his self-imposed exile from the format.

Afridi, who captains his country in Twenty20 cricket, has not played a Test since 2006 and has spoken in the past of his unsuitability for the longer form of the game.

But he now looks set to put himself back in the frame in time to face England later this summer.

Afridi's decision will be a huge boost to a side who are currently without Mohammad Yousuf, Younus Khan, Shoaib Malik and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, following a spate of suspensions by the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Afridi said: "It was a very hard decision for me because I have wanted to devote more time to my family and playing all forms of the sport all the year round has not been my cup of tea.

"That is why I avoided Test matches, but after speaking to my family I have decided to resume playing Test matches because it is the need of the time."

The 30-year-old is currently appealing against a fine imposed by the PCB for his bizarre attempts to bite a ball in a one-day match against Australia, an act that also earned him a two-match ban from the International Cricket Council.