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Zimbabwe have made six changes to their Board XI for the second four-day game at the Harare Sports Club

Cricinfo staff29-Aug-2008Following the 202-run loss to the visiting Pakistan Cricket Academy side, Zimbabwe have made six changes to their Board XI line-up for the second four-day game at the Harare Sports Club.Stuart Matsikenyeri and Keith Dabengwa, two national team players, have been drafted into the XI. Dabengwa, a spin-bowling allrounder, will lead the side, replacing Erick Chauluka, who will be 12th man.”We just want to give the team a little bit of experience which they lacked in the first match,” convener of selectors Kenyon Ziehl told the . “We hope the experience of Stuart and Keith will rub on to the younger guys. We are also lengthening the batting order which was weak in the first game. Keith will also bring experienced captaincy to the side.”The other additions to the XI are opening batsman Friday Kasteni, who was 12th man in the first game, Prince Masvaure, Zimbabwe’s captain at the under-19 World Cup, and fast bowlers Tendai Chisoro and Michael Chinouya.Zimbabwe Board XI
Keith Dabengwa (capt), Bornaparte Mujuru, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Friday Kasteni, Regis Chakabva (wk), Timycen Maruma, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Prince Masvaure, Tendai Chisoro, Michael Chinouya, Trevor Garwe.

Glasgow Rangers fans were livid with an article penned by The Times journalist Magnus Linklater.

On the pitch, the past 12 months have been marvelous for the Ibrox outfit. They won the Premiership last term for the first time in 10 years, marking the end of a struggle back to the top of the Scottish game from the fourth tier. Such was their dominance, they didn’t lose a single game and racked up over 100 points (thefishy.co.uk).

Off the pitch, however, things haven’t gone quite as swimmingly, especially in regards to the club’s relationship with the press. In a surprising move, the Gers have decided to charge reporters and publications up to £25,000 for access to Ibrox and exclusives (The Daily Mail).

Linklater clearly wasn’t happy with this move, and wrote an article slamming the Gers – although, ironically, the piece itself is behind a paywall.

The article was shared on Twitter by The Times Scotland’s official account, and it attracted plenty of attention from the Gers supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Linklater article below

“Rank hypocrisy from The Times! Can I read Magnus’ article without paying? No. The Times have a pay wall. Getting the picture now, or are The Times not prepared to show that degree of ‘humility’ yet?”

Credit: @B0mberHarris

“Would have loved to have seen what you had to say regarding paying to get into Ibrox but it seems I have to pay to get into the site to read this!! Unbelievable!!!”

Credit: @stephmcd90

“Oh the irony. A former Newspaper Editor/journalist preaching to people about humility. You couldn’t make it up. Now I’m being ironic, that’s usually what newspapers do! ….. allegedly.”

Credit: @sonofwill57

“Rangers have paid their dues in more than enough ways, are we meant to bow down to the low lives who punished us in such a draconian fashion”

Credit: @SergioGeorgino

“The end is near for publications such as The Times and they know it. The younger generation have no need to consume media in this way and don’t want to with its agenda and bias.”

Credit: @NightmanAJB

“From the paper that sticks this behind a paywall. So you can charge for your product, but Rangers can’t? Why are you so special? The entitlement is unreal Can you not see the irony which completely backs the clubs stance?”

Credit: @4ladshadadream

In other news, Rangers fans loved this man versus Real Madrid.

Everton are a club who often aren’t afraid to splash the cash but under new manager Rafa Benitez, Goodison Park has a very different feel to it.

They have added the likes of Demarai Gray and Andros Townsend to their ranks but further bodies are essential if they are to find themselves in European football again.

What’s the word?

Everton were linked with a move for Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek back in June as the Blues planned a mass exodus after winning the Champions League.

The England international spent last term on loan at Fulham but was relegated during his time with the Cottagers.

However, according to a fresh report, his parent club are set to loan him out again in a bid to help him get his career back on track.

It’s thought that Germany remains a big option for Chelsea when considering the 25-year-old’s next destination.

Rafa must sign him

Even if the Toffees can’t secure his signature on a permanent basis, landing him for a temporary stint in Merseyside would undoubtedly be a wise move.

Everton look unlikely to spend anywhere close to some recent sums in years gone by and thus, Loftus-Cheek would be a shrewd option for Benitez.

They sit in a position where the likes of Fabian Delph, Tom Davies and Andre Gomes have all been linked with the exit door and if they lose a trio of central midfielders, the head coach will undoubtedly need to find replacements.

However, what makes Loftus-Cheek such an appealing signing is his box to box nature.

Everton have a rich history when it comes to goal scoring midfielders; all you need to do is think of Tim Cahill or Marouane Fellaini leaping high to head home.

The Chelsea midfielder isn’t as dominant in the air but he’s a robust individual capable of offering something completely different to Benitez’s midfield.

At the moment, they currently have a host of more defensive-minded players in the middle of the park with Abdoulaye Doucoure and Allan usually being utilised in those areas.

They form a brutal bond in central positions but by acquiring the Chelsea man, they could score more goals from deep.

Loftus-Cheek, who was described as “exceptional” by Scott Parker last season, once netted ten times in a single campaign for the London side.

Injuries have since plagued the £150k-per-week earner but he is still a wonderful box to box player who could add plenty to their squad.

AND in other news, Rafa Benitez can land dream Everton signing in “explosive” 29-goal animal…

Ishara Amerasinghe’s five-wicket haul narrowly gave Sri Lanka A victory in the first unofficial one-day international against hosts South Africa A at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom

Cricinfo staff20-Sep-2008
Scorecard
Ishara Amerasinghe’s five-wicket haul narrowly gave Sri Lanka A victory in the first unofficial one-day international against hosts South Africa A at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom. South Africa, chasing 275, needed seven runs from the final over, but Amerasinghe struck with the first and fourth balls to deny them victory by three runs.South Africa were given a steady, if unspectacular, start. Imraan Khan and Heino Kuhn, who earlier took four catches behind the stumps, added 57 before Kuhn departed in the 13th over. Khan and Alviro Petersen, South Africa’s captain, then took the score to 107 when Amerasinghe removed Khan for 61. That became 107 for 3 when Amerasinghe sent Henry Davids back a first-ball duck. With the asking rate increasing Petersen started hitting out – Gihan Rupasinghe’s single over went for 21 runs – but once Dilruwan Perera dismissed him for 60 from 62 balls, Sri Lanka were in with a solid chance.Vaughn van Jaarsveld (29) fell shortly after his captain, and the battle swung both ways through a few small partnerships down the order and further strikes from Amerasinghe. In the end, however, the Sri Lankan fast bowler held his nerve to clinch a tense win. Juan Theron (22) was bowled on the first ball of the 50th over, and Thandi Tshabalala was given out lbw for 11 three balls later, as Amerasinghe finished with 5 for 44. These are his best limited-overs figures.Sri Lanka’s total of 274 came down to half-centuries from Upul Tharanga (56), captain Thilina Kandamby (67) and Angelo Mathews (70). Sri Lanka lost two early wickets after opting to bat, but Tharanga and Kandamby added 67 and later Kandamby put on 64 with Mathews. Wayne Parnell, who captained South Africa Under-19 to the World Cup final earlier this year, returned the most economical figures of 2 for 45.Sri Lanka lead the five-match series 1-0. The second match is on September 21 in Pietermaritzburg.

According to a report by the Daily Express, West Ham United are in ‘pole position’ to sign Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic and ‘remain in talks’.

The Lowdown: West Ham in defender chase…

As explained by club insider Claret & Hugh, strengthening the centre-half position has been a priority for manager David Moyes since the beginning of this window.

However, in recent weeks, signing a new defender and reinforcing West Ham’s centre-back options has been placed at the top of GSB’s transfer agenda – even ahead of the chase for an attacking midfielder and striker (ExWHUemployee).

Over these last few days, news has emerged of West Ham’s interest and talks to sign either Milenkovic or Chelsea colossus Kurt Zouma (Sky Sports).

The Latest: West Ham in pole position for Milenkovic…

As per the Daily Express, Moyes’ men are now in ‘pole position’ to sign the Serbian amid Tottenham’s move for Atalanta star Cristian Romero.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-developments/” title=”West Ham latest developments…” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Their London rivals are said to be ‘keen’ on the Fiorentina centre-back but their prioritising of Romero has propelled West Ham to the front of the queue for Milenkovic.

This report adds that the Hammers ‘remain in talks’ over the 23-year-old, having held a strong interest since January.

The Verdict: Get it done…

After signing goalkeeper Alphonse Areola on loan from Paris-Saint Germain, we believe that Milenkovic should definitely be next through the door in east London.

Standing at a colossal 6 foot 5, the young defender won more aerial duels per game over 2020/21 (three) than any West Ham player bar Tomas Soucek and former Irons striker Sebastien Haller (WhoScored).

He is also a viable target financially, with reports suggesting he could leave Italy for as little as €15m (£12.7m) this summer (Charlie Eccleshare).

As explained by Italian football expert Conor Clancy, who spoke exclusively to Football Transfer Tavern, he could be an ‘affordable’ signing for Moyes or any English club, so West Ham need to do all they can to get this one over the line.

In other news: ‘As of now’…Journalist says ‘really exciting’ 54-goal player close to West Ham move, find out more here.

Matthew Hayden has said that he will be the beneficiary if Harbhajan Singh gets distracted by any ongoing tension between the pair during the upcoming Test series

Cricinfo staff07-Oct-2008
Matthew Hayden says he does not harbour any “massive resentment” for Harbhajan Singh © AFP
Matthew Hayden has said that he will be the beneficiary if Harbhajan Singh gets distracted by any ongoing tension between the pair in the upcoming Test series. The two men had a fiery relationship during the Tests in Australia earlier this year when Hayden labelled Harbhajan an “obnoxious little weed”.In the build-up to the return series in India, Harbhajan has said he is not out to win friends. Hayden downplayed the ill-feeling between the pair but at the same time said any continuation of the animosity would only have a positive effect on his own on-field performances.”There is a lot less of the personal tension with Harbhajan than what gets made out,” Hayden said. “In a lot of ways, I feel if that is affecting him, it’s a good thing for Hayden because I don’t feel I am harbouring any massive resentment.”I think he is a very, very good bowler and I think it is challenging every ball to play well against him. As you know, over the years those kind of tensions have always made me play better, and I will certainly be using that to my advantage.”It is going to have Test match tension and I don’t feel threatened by that. The only thing that threatens me is what balls he can deliver to get me out. To me, that has been a great source of motivation, not just [against] Harbhajan. They’ve got a very solid bowling attack right around.”Hayden is one of only four men in the Australian squad to have played a Test in India and he said it was important his colleagues did not convince themselves the conditions would be unplayable. In the tour match in Hyderabad, some of the batsmen struggled but Michael Hussey and the No. 11 Stuart Clark added 96 for the last wicket.”If you look at Huss and Stuey Clark, there are times when you look invincible in these conditions,” Hayden said. “Then there are other times when the momentum is against the batter and it looks like you’re going to get out every ball. The conditions are relatively benign once you spend a lot of time in them.”Hayden, who turns 37 during the third Test, is making his return following several months off with a nagging injury to his achilles tendon. He is likely to open with Simon Katich, who was preferred to Phil Jaques in the warm-up game, when the first Test starts in Bangalore on Thursday.

An update has emerged on Leeds target Arnaut Danjuma, regarding Leeds’ interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to Marca, via the Daily Star, Liverpool have joined Leeds in the race to sign Bournemouth forward Arnaut Danjuma this summer.

Leeds and West Ham were both touted with interest in the Dutchman earlier this window and could now be competing against the Reds for his signature.

Raphinha 2.0

Victor Orta must react to this news by swooping in to secure a deal for Danjuma as quickly as possible. With more clubs joining the race for his services, it could make it more difficult for Leeds to snap him up.

If the Whites can bring him in then it could be a terrific signing for the club. Marcelo Bielsa would love to coach him next season as he has shown incredible promise with his form in the Championship for Bournemouth. He provided 17 goals and seven assists in 31 starts for the Cherries, averaging an excellent WhoScored rating of 7.21 in the second tier.

Bielsa would be delighted to add another talented attacker to his squad as it would give him more options in the final third.

Last year, Clinton Morrison hailed him as an exceptional talent whilst speaking about him on Quest, via Football League World:

“Danjuma is an excellent player. Whatever happens, he will be playing Premier League football next year, whether it’s with Bournemouth or without them. He’s an exceptional talent.”

Bielsa already has Raphinha on the right-hand side of his attack, but he could have ‘Raphinha 2.0’ on the left by bringing Danjuma in. Whilst the Brazilian is a left-footed attacker who plays out on the right and likes to cut in, Danjuma is a right-footed player who starts on the left and can drift inside or go down to the byline.

Raphinha averaged 1.9 dribbles, 2.1 key passes and 2.2 shots per game last term, compared to the Bournemouth man’s 1.8 dribbles, 1.5 key passes and 2.1 shots per game. This, along with their positional awareness, suggests that they both have a similar style of play and, therefore, Danjuma could be Leeds’ next wing wizard if they are able to secure a deal for him ahead of the likes of Liverpool.

Bielsa would love having two dribble kings on the wings as it could strike fear into opposition defenders. Both Raphinha and Danjuma are capable of taking players on and either creating a chance for a teammate or a shooting opportunity for themselves, which could also excite the fans watching on from the stands.

Leeds need to push ahead and get a deal done.

AND in other news, Orta must complete Leeds United deal for “magical” £30m wizard, Bielsa would adore him…

Delhi Giants beat Chandigarh Lions 2-0 in a bowl-out in a high-scoring ICL encounter in Panchkula where both teams scored 200

Cricinfo staff05-Nov-2008
Scorecard

Monish Mishra’s 44-ball 81 for Delhi earned him the Man-of-the-Match © ICL
Undoubtedly the best match of the tournament so far. It had all the makings – both teams scoring big, a last-ball tie and a nervy bowl-out. In the end, it was Delhi who emerged victorious, winning the bowl-out 2-0. It was a gutsy performance after Chandigarh looked to have the match wrapped up after posting 200, the second-highest score of the tournament.Delhi, however, miss out on semi-final spot, as they could climb as far up as fifth in the points table with the win in this, their last match. Chandigarh would be gutted after this performance but may still make the semis with a win against Ahmedabad and other results going their way.The Chandigarh openers justified captain Andrew Hall’s decision to bat first. Sarabjit Singh and TP Singh were in unforgiving mood as they launched into Shane Bond and TP Sudhindra early on. Sudhindra in particular came in for some punishment from TP, being hit for two and four boundaries in his second and third overs respectively.TP looked to be a man possessed as he raced to his fifty off 22 balls, while Sarabjit ably assisted him at the other end. Chandigarh were looking at a mammoth total at the half-way stage with the score on 95. But Benkenstein had TP caught by Mishra in the eleventh over.Newest recruit Graeme Hick walked in and it was in Benkenstein’s next over that he smashed four fours. Sarabjit brought up his fifty with a six off Abid Nabi as Chandigarh stepped on the accelerator with the score on 157 and four overs to go.But Bond, introduced back into the attack removed Hick and new man Lou Vincent in successive balls as Delhi looked to claw back. Murtaza’s twin strikes the next over pegged back Chandigarh further. Chetan Sharma became the first man in the tournament to be given out obstructing the field as Chandigarh finished on 200.Undaunted by the huge target, Monish Mishra gave Delhi the perfect start hitting Hall for three consecutive fours in the first over. Similar treatment was dished out for Ishan Malhotra in his first over. The bowler was then plundered for 24 in his next as Delhi raced to 68 in five overs. Mishra brought up his fifty with a four off Hall, while Avishka Gunawardene held up the other end well as Delhi reached 109 after 10 overs.But in the 11th over, Mishra was stumped off Rajesh Sharma for 81. His 44-ball innings comprised 10 fours and three sixes. Abhinav Bali and Gunawardene looked to reduce the runs required-balls remaining margin. However, a cameo from Abbas Ali edged Delhi closer after TP had accounted for Bali in the 17th over with the score on 167.But it was the last over from Hall which provided the heart-stopping moment. He bowled a fuller length, castling Gunawardene off the second ball, as the equation finally reduced to five off the last ball. Nixon turned it to fine leg to bring the scores level and set up a bowl-out.Chandigarh were disappointing in the bowl-out with Bipul Sharma, Chetan Sharma, Daryl Tuffey and Andrew Hall failing to hit the stumps. But hits from Ali Murtaza and Dhruv Mahajan were enough to hand Delhi victory.

England have survived their first pressure test – but only just

Andrew Miller in Antigua29-Oct-2008
England’s efforts were stoical rather than spectacular, and yet the will to win proved sufficient in the final reckoning © AFP
England have survived their first pressure test – but only just. There was nothing at stake but pride in this evening’s encounter with Trinidad & Tobago, but happily for their prospects of scooping the jackpot on Saturday night, that alone proved sufficient to overcome the advance of a competitive T&T team.With four men on their sickbeds and two more – including Andrew Flintoff – looking far from a million dollars, England dug deep and held on for a win that matters more than the academic nature of the contest would suggest. “You always want to win a fixture for England, but what will be, will be,” their captain Kevin Pietersen said.Pietersen has repeated that mantra ad nauseam ever since the tournament got underway, but on this evidence the trance-like assertion that Saturday is just another game might yet stand England in good stead. Their efforts today were stoical rather than spectacular, and yet the will to win proved sufficient in the final reckoning.”It was a good game of cricket,” Pietersen said. “The guys came out and played nicely – hit some sixes, hit some boundaries – and we definitely thought we had [scored] enough. But with four guys sick at home and Freddie (Flintoff) on his last legs, it just a case of getting the boys right for Saturday. He did the job tonight, so there’s no problem.”Pietersen was adamant there would be no concerns about England’s wellbeing come the big night – “There won’t be too many missing the bus on Saturday,” he said – but the timing of the stomach bug that has swept their ranks is awkward to say the least. “Yes, there’s a lot of dosh at stake, but it’s just like any other game,” said Pietersen. “We’re not going to take people on to the park who are not fit to play for England.”Strong words, but surely hollow on this occasion. It’s hard to see the Middlesex duo of Dawid Malan and Steve Finn, who stood in as 12th and 13th men because of the virus, stepping any closer to a share of Stanford’s millions.Having said that, however, few would have imagined back in June, when the 20/20 for 20 was unveiled, that Nottinghamshire’s Samit Patel would be among the first names on England’s team-sheet. He was in the thick of the action throughout, with a well-paced cameo of 17 at No. 3, four tidy overs of spin after taking the new ball as an experiment, and run-out to boot.Who, though, will miss out if Swann is deemed to be an essential selection? It’s not a decision that Pietersen is looking forward to making, and James Anderson in particular is bracing himself for the chopA missed return catch spoiled his night a touch, but Pietersen was effusive in his praise of a player who could have a critical role in turning his team-mates into rich men on Saturday. “I was going to give him the captaincy in the second half,” Pietersen joked. “The little lad loves it. He’s got a good head on his shoulders, and he’s full of confidence. I’m happy with the boy.”Another man who is rarely anything less than cheerful is Patel’s spin colleague, Graeme Swann, whom Pietersen conceded was almost assured of a starting role given the turgid nature of the pitch. If it wasn’t for the fact that money is the root of all evil, it could be said that there is something faintly biblical about the journey he has taken to reach this stage of his career. After seven years in the international wilderness, he is now just three playing hours away from a dividend beyond his wildest dreams.”When the game was first announced I don’t think anyone took it seriously, least of all the players,” Swann said. “I remember thinking that would be incredible if it happened but a lot of people are pinching themselves that they are here, especially in the current financial climate. You’ve got to be humble about it, it’s a privileged position but we haven’t chosen to be selected. When you get picked for England, especially in my position, you just enjoy playing.”Swann’s two overs were not a roaring success, but he held his nerve when it mattered, as Daren Ganga swatted a fast, flat catch down his throat at deep square-leg. “When you’re out there, you forget where you are and what you’re doing, you just get taken away by the competitive nature that you find within yourself,” he said. “Some of the biggest games I’ve played I’ve found to be the easiest. You forget yourself and why and who you are anyway.”The hardest games of cricket I find are on a cold Tuesday in June, when you’re away at Derby and it’s freezing. And there’s nothing on the game. I find those almost impossible to pick yourself up for. But this is massively high-profile and you find yourself so pumped up. So far we’ve not won anything, but if we lose, at least we’ve got a free holiday in 30-degree heat, so it’s a pretty decent spot to be in.”Who, though, will miss out if Swann is deemed to be an essential selection? It’s not a decision that Pietersen is looking forward to making, and James Anderson in particular is bracing himself for the chop. One man, however, whose opinion might be worth gauging is the Man of the Tournament so far. Denesh Ramdin should really have been in the Superstars squad, but instead he has settled for making the lives of all his opponents as tricky as possible.

An update has emerged on AS Roma phenomenon Amadou Diawara, regarding Wolves’ talks over a deal for his services.

What’s the talk?

According to Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur, Wolves have opened talks over a deal to sign AS Roma midfielder Amadou Diawara.

Konur claims that Bruno Lage is pushing for the signing and a one-year loan has been proposed to the Italian giants as we enter the final weeks of the transfer window.

Lage would love him

Wolves boss Bruno Lage would love Diawara at the Molineux stadium next season and the club must work hard to ensure that they can get a deal over the line for him. If Roma are willing to accept a one-year loan deal for the powerhouse then it could be a relatively risk-free addition with the potential for it to be a shrewd piece of business.

With a temporary switch, Wanderers would not be burdened by a hefty price tag or the prospect of him having multiple years left on his contract should it not work out. This means that it would not be a massive blow for Wolves if he came in and struggled to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League.

Diawara has had a tricky career to judge as he has been a role player at both Napoli and Roma for the majority of his time in Italy after leaving Bologna. He has only started more than 10 Serie A matches in one season since departing Bologna in 2016, which came in the 2019/20 campaign for Roma. In that year, he averaged a solid WhoScored rating of 6.71 and made 3.2 tackles and interceptions per game.

The enforcer’s coach at Napoli, Fabrizio Tazzioli, hailed him as a phenomenon, saying: “I saw the guy in training and thought that he is a phenomenon. He is not as strong physically, but better with his feet and has the same presence on the pitch.”

This highlights the impact the £84k-per-week beast could have on Wolves’ midfield if given a larger part to play than he has been given at Roma and, previously, Napoli. Lage could love working with the Guinea international to help bring out the best in him, with his defensive instincts potentially good enough to provide a screen in front of the defence alongside Moutinho or Ruben Neves.

The 24-year-old has a career average of three tackles and interceptions per game, although that is skewed downwards by the large number of substitute appearances he has made. Therefore, he could arrive in the Midlands and be a midfield tank for Lage, which is why he could enjoy having him in the squad next term.

AND in other news, Wolves make enquiry to sign “fearless” 6ft5 colossus, he’s a big upgrade on Saiss…