Kritik und Lob » ship - Match ALeg 1 (6 v 3): Friday,

Alastair Cook has said that England will seek to park all of the off-field hype surrounding Mohammad Amirs comeback to Test cricket, despite reiterating his belief that players who get involved in corruption ought to be banned for life.However, he also admits that the distractions may help to galvanise a Pakistani team that is eager to make amends for the controversies of their 2010 tour.Well spend a lot of time talking about it in the build-up, Cook told ESPNcricinfo during a Yorkshire Tea event at The Oval, but once we get out there well just be thinking about playing.Obviously its more of a distraction on the Pakistan side, but we know they tend to get united behind distractions. But all that stuff off the field, weve just got to park it, and were pretty good at that.Nevertheless, ignoring the hype of Amirs comeback is not the same thing as ignoring the threat that he will pose in his first Test appearance since the lifting of his five-year ban for spot-fixing, and Cook in particular remembers the challenge he posed as a teenaged prodigy that summer.Cook was dismissed three times each by Amir and his then new-ball partner, Mohammad Asif - who was also implicated and jailed in the News of the World sting, as he mustered 57 runs in six innings, either side of a cathartic and career-changing century at The Oval in the third Test.It was warm and humid, it was muggy, Cook recalled. When the sun was out it was hot and there was rain around. The ball swung.He bowled brilliantly as a youngster on his first tour, in good conditions he was an absolute handful, he added. But a lot of water has gone under a few bridges since then, so itll be interesting to see how he copes and see the crowd reaction is.But as an England side, weve got to stay away from that sideshow. Whether you agree with him playing or you dont, thats not for us to say as players. Its down to us to play him as a fantastic bowler.Nevertheless, memories of the 2010 Lords Test are sure to come flooding back when the players take the field for the first Test next week, and Cook admitted that the atmosphere on that fourth and final day six years ago, on the morning after the newspapers revelations that Pakistans bowlers had been bribed to bowl no-balls to order, was one of the most peculiar he had ever experienced on a cricket field.It was very surreal, horrible, he said. Did Swanny [Graeme Swann] get a five-for? I dont think anyone celebrated any wickets. It was a disappointing day as we were on the verge of what we thought was a genuine win.And thats the problem when you fix games of cricket, or spot-fix, you tarnish games of cricket for the players, the crowd, everyone. The punishment should be befitting of someone who does that.Guys who are paying a lot of money to watch us want to see a genuine spectacle, they want to know the 22 players, and the two umpires, are trying their best, and nothing should distract from that.My feelings are clear, if you get caught matchfixing, you should be banned for life.England come into the Test series off the back of a convincing 2-0 victory over Sri Lanka but with recent memories of their own 2-0 loss against Pakistan in the UAE last winter - when a near-miss in the first Test at Abu Dhabi gave way to two comprehensive defeats at Dubai and Sharjah. Cook, however, is confident of setting that record straight.They are massively different conditions, he said. Misbah scored about 95% of his runs against spin, I dont think hell be facing as much spin as he did there.Theyve got a very good bowling attack, with a lot of variety, backed up by good spin. But it was a very close series. I dont think 2-0 quite reflected the sides. We are a bit more comfortable in those conditions, but we were unlucky in that first Test. Garrett Celek Super Bowl Jersey . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Tom Rathman Super Bowl Jersey .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. http://www.49ersofficialfanshop.com/jerick-mckinnon-jersey-sales.html .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Roger Craig Super Bowl Jersey . MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez also will attend the session, which was announced Monday. The league has discussed placing its next two expansion teams in Miami and Atlanta. Dre Greenlaw Super Bowl Jersey . Dukurs winning time was 1 minute, 45.76 seconds, a quarter-second better than Russias Alexander Tretiakov. Lativas Tomass Dukurs was third, 1.41 seconds off the pace. Jon Montgomery of Eckville, Alta.Sheffield Wednesday will get the Championship play-offs under way after the Football League released the running order for its matches. The Owls know they will finish sixth in the Championship table and will host the third-placed team - either Middlesbrough or Brighton - on Friday, May 13, with the return leg taking place on Monday, May 16.Boro host Brighton at the Riverside at lunchtime on Saturday - live on Sky Sports - in a final-day shoot-out for the second automatic promotion place, after Burnley sealed their place in the Premier League with victory at home to QPR on Sunday. The other tie will be between Hull and Derby, although which way round they will finish in the table is yet to be decided. Derby will face Steve Bruces Hull in the Championship play-offs Hull are currently fourth and two points ahead of Derby and will hope to keep it that way as it would mean they have the second leg at the KC Stadium on Tuesday, May 17, with the first leg scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 14.The first match of the League 1 play-off semi-finals will be contested between the sixth-placed side and the third-placed team on May 14. Either Barnsley, Scunthorpe or Gillingham will host Burton, Walsall or Millwall and the return leg will be on Thursday, May 19. Phil Parkinsons Bradford could face Millwall Bradford are guaranteed to be involved in the other tie but could yet finish fourth or fifth and the Bantams opponents could be either Millwall or Walsall. The first leg of that tie will be on Sunday, May 15 with the return leg on Friday, May 20.ddddddddddddIn League 2, AFC Wimbledon are certain to finish seventh and they now know they will be at home to either Accrington, Oxford or Bristol Rovers on Saturday May 14, ahead of a second-leg trip on May 18. Portsmouth will take on Plymouth Argyle for a shot at Wembley The other tie will definitely be between Portsmouth and Plymouth Argyle on Thursday May 12 and 15 but with both teams level on 78 points going into the final game of the season on Saturday, their final positions in the table have yet to be decided.All three finals will be held at Wembley over the weekend of 28-30 May.Sky Bet Football League play-off schedule - all games live on Sky Sports:Championship - Match ALeg 1 (6 v 3): Friday, May 13 (7.45pm)Leg 2 (3 v 6): Monday, May 16 (7.45pm) Championship - Match BLeg 1 (5 v 4): Saturday, May 14 (12.30pm)Leg 2 (4 v 5): Tuesday, May 17 (7.45pm) League 1 - Match A*Leg 1 (6 v 3): Saturday, May 14 (5.30pm)Leg 2 (3 v 6): Thursday, May 19 (7.45pm) League 1 - Match B*Leg 1 (5 v 4): Sunday, May 15 (12.15pm)Leg 2 (4 v 5): Friday, May 20 (7.45pm) League 2 - Match ALeg 1 (6 v 5): Thursday, May 12 (7.45pm)Leg 2 (5 v 6): Sunday, May 15 (6pm) League 2 - Match BLeg 1 (7 v 4): Saturday, May 14 (7.30pm)Leg 2 (4 v 7): Wednesday, May 18 (7.45pm)Championship play-off finalSaturday, May 28 (5pm)League 1 play-off final Sunday, May 29 (3pm)League 2 play-off finalMonday, May 30 (3pm)*If Millwall finish third and Barnsley finish sixth, then the Match A and Match B dates will switch in Sky Bet League 1. Also See: Championship video Fixtures Table Live on Sky Get Sky Sports ' ' '