ScorecardNew Zealand were given a boost ahead of their match against England Lions this Thursday with a 92-run win over Essex at Chelmsford. Set 293 to win, Essex faltered to 200 all out, with Alastair Cook top-scoring with 57, while Iain O’Brien and Michael Mason shared six wickets.It was a tall ask for Essex, and much rested on Cook’s shoulders at the top of the order. After Ross Taylor dropped him on nought yesterday, Cook was threatening to make New Zealand pay with a solid 57 from 126 balls. He and Tom Westley pottered along without great intent, though they weren’t helped by the often wide bowling from New Zealand’s opening attack. But their patience paid off; Westley was caught at cover, and Ravi Bopara and Mark Pettini fell within an over of eachother to leave Essex struggling on 87 for 4.Once Cook fell – followed two balls later by James Foster for a duck – Essex still required a further 193 to win. And though Ryan ten Doeschate spent nearly two hours compiling 38, wickets continued to fall at the other end and O’Brien wrapped up a convincing win by bowling Alex Tudor in the 71st over.New Zealand will be encouraged that they coped without the services of their captain, Daniel Vettori, whose split finger will rule him out of his side’s final warm-up before the first Test, a four-day match at The Rose Bowl.
Craig McMillan remembers the inaugural Twenty20 international, played in 2005 between Australia and New Zealand on a warm summer’s evening at Eden Park. He remembers the colour, the crowd and the retro uniforms. He also remembers that the players all thought it was a bit of a joke, and that none could foresee the T20 explosion to follow.This time around as New Zealand’s batting coach, McMillan knows the inaugural day-night Test at Adelaide Oval will be another leap into the unknown. Once again, there will be some level of scepticism among players about the concept. But McMillan is adamant that they should embrace it, in the knowledge that it may be a format of the game they are soon playing far more often.”It was a different feeling, almost a carnival atmosphere,” McMillan said of the T20 game ahead of a pink ball warm-up match against a Western Australia XI at the WACA Ground. “Perhaps it wasn’t taken as seriously as what it should have been. No one had the inkling in eight years time it was going to be the norm and part of the calendar.”That’s why it’s important we prepare properly and we look forward to this, because we just don’t know in three or four years’ time where cricket is going to head. I think it’s important, as a sport, that we’re always looking to encourage different groups, different people to come to the game, and this is certainly a way of doing that.”Ticket sales for the Adelaide Test have been strong, compared to “Ashes levels” by Cricket Australia. McMillan said the prospect of crowds in the region of 50,000 on the first couple of evenings was something the tourists were eager to embrace, even as they took time to adjust to the vagaries of the pink ball and evening air. Then there is the momentum New Zealand built through a highly resilient display in Perth.”I don’t know how the Australians are thinking, all I know is talk of 50,000 on the first day of a Test match, for us, is very exciting,” he said. “We generally don’t play in front of crowds like that in terms of Test cricket. There is a lot of excitement. We’ve heard a lot about the Adelaide Oval, its redevelopment and how it looks. Everyone we’ve talked to says what an amazing stadium it is.”We’re certainly more happy with our performance in the second Test than the first. I think guys have gained a lot of confidence individually and as a group from the performance in Perth. With this being a little bit of an unknown because it’s a different situation – it’s at night, it’s a different ball – there’s an excitement. I think there’s not a lot between the two sides, so it all adds up to an exciting Test match ahead.”One of McMillan’s primary responsibilities right now is to bolster the confidence of the opener Martin Guptill, who is still working to bring the free-flowing elements of his limited-overs batting to the Test arena. To play with freedom is invariably easier said than done, and Guptill must overcome the anxieties associated with spells in and out of the Test team before he can muscle the ball around as he has done so often in ODIs.”Gupps has spent a fair bit of time at the crease and I don’t think he’s too far away,” McMillan said. “Over the last six months coming back into the Test side – he spent some time out – and I don’t think he’s too far away from actually closing that gap between his one-day game and his Test game.”One of the important things I talk to Gupp about is encouraging him to play similar to his one-day game. There’s not a lot of change with the way he should play. He’s still working through it. He’s a quality player at the international level and I don’t think he’s far off producing some of the innings we know he can produce at the top of the order.”New Zealand will try as many options as possible during the two-day fixture, with Trent Boult and Tim Southee both expected to bowl under lights with the pink ball to re-familiarise themselves with it after two daytime Test matches. McMillan has seen predictions of a well-grassed Adelaide surface in order to preserve the condition of the ball.”I’m expecting a bit more grass than what we’ve seen in the last two Test matches,” he said. “Historically Adelaide has generally been pretty flat and at times hasn’t turned. But I wouldn’t be surprised to maybe see more grass and even a hint of green grass on the surface. Certainly more than what we’ve seen in the first two Tests.”To a degree, yes [surprised at flatness of pitches]. I think on previous tours of Australia there’s certainly been a little bit more there for the bowlers at different stages. Certainly the last two Test matches have been taxing on both bowling attacks. So giving everyone a bit of a break over the last couple of days has been really important.”Western Australia XI squad: Ashton Turner (capt), Tom Beaton, Will Bosisto, Ryan Duffield, Marcus Harris, Josh Inglis, David Moody, Liam O’Connor, Joel Paris, Andrew Tye, Jonathan Wells, Sam Whiteman (wk)
Take a look at the scorecard from West Indies’ tour match in Geelong at the weekend and you’d be forgiven for thinking it was as meaningless as warm-up games get. A two-day match against a Victorian XI featuring only two players – neither of them bowlers – with first-class experience. But Darren Bravo hopes that if his fellow batsmen gained just one thing from the game it is this: confidence.West Indies have been sorely lacking it of late. In Sri Lanka in October they were roundly defeated and none of the batsmen scored centuries in the two Tests; in fact, only Bravo and Jermaine Blackwood managed so much as a fifty. That was followed by a tour game in Brisbane that the team lost to a rookie Cricket Australia XI, which in turn was followed by a crushing three-day loss in the first Test.But as poor as West Indies were in Hobart, there were a couple of encouraging signs. Bravo himself scored a classy 108 in the first innings, but was let down by the complete lack of support from the rest of the batting order. In the second, Kraigg Brathwaite found himself in a similar position, posting 94 out of a total of 148. A bit more back-up in either innings and it could have been a much tighter contest.So, as weak as the Victorian attack was in Geelong, West Indies were still pleased that Blackwood, after making a pair in the Hobart Test, managed 69, that Brathwaite backed up from his Test effort with 78, and that Marlon Samuels and Denesh Ramdin at least spent some time in the middle. Bravo did not bat in Geelong but was pleased with what he saw, and hopes that the batsmen will be better for it come Boxing Day.”It’s just a matter of confidence,” Bravo said. “Coming in to this series most of our batsmen didn’t really have that confidence. We lost the series in Sri Lanka, we lost the practice game as well in Brisbane. It’s a matter of confidence.”It’s important that whenever we go to bat we spend some time out in the middle. If we spend time we’re definitely going to score runs. Naturally we play aggressive cricket where batting is concerned. It’s just a matter of us spending time out in the middle and putting up a very good fight.”It’s very important we look at the positives. In the practice game young Blackwood played pretty well, as well as Kraigg Brathwaite. The bowlers had a very good run, including Jerome Taylor. The guys are putting in the work, it’s just a matter of us going out there and executing.”West Indies trained at the MCG on Tuesday for the first time ahead of the Test, which starts on Saturday, while the Australians will begin training on Wednesday. The Victorian fast bowler Scott Boland has been added to Australia’s squad as an injury replacement for Nathan Coulter-Nile, and while Josh Hazlewood, Peter Siddle and James Pattinson remain the likely attack, Bravo knows from his Hobart ton that scoring opportunities will present themselves.”The Australian bowlers, they have a plan exactly how they want to get us out,” he said. “You respect the good balls and put away the bad balls. Yes they are a very good team but at the end of the day they are still humans. They’re going to present bad balls and it’s just a matter of putting it away. I don’t think you should be bogged down too much. Don’t be intimidated by the Australian bowlers. Just back yourself and your ability.”When you’re not scoring runs it is difficult to pick yourself up. I believe the guys have that sort of resilience in them. Most of us have scored international hundreds. We have proven that we are definitely capable of playing at this level. It is just a matter of going out there and spending some time.”It was also easy to forget after the three-day result in Hobart that at lunch on day one, West Indies were arguably in the stronger position, having picked up three wickets after Australia chose to bat. However, they then allowed Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh to compile a record fourth-wicket partnership that batted West Indies out of the match.”It’s very important that whenever we’re in the driver’s seat we try and stay there,” Bravo said. “I remember in the first Test match we had Australia three for 100 or something like that. We were in the driver’s seat and we let loose. We need to maintain the momentum in the game.”
Gurkeerat Singh Mann led Punjab to a clinical, five-wicket win with a brisk 91 off 86 balls in their chase of 197 after Haryana had reduced them to 75 for 4. It was Harbhajan Singh’s figures with the ball – 10-0-33-4 – that put Punjab in a position of strength by bowling Haryana out for 196 in the penultimate over. After Siddarth Kaul removed Shubham Rohilla for a 12-ball duck, Nitin Saini and Chaitanya Bishnoi put on 68 for the second wicket in 109 balls, the biggest partnership of the innings. Punjab’s bowlers provided regular breakthroughs thereafter, led by Harbhajan, who had four batsmen lbw. Punjab’s chase got a steady start through U-19 opener Shubman Gill and Mandeep Singh, who added 47 in 81 balls. Legspinner Rahul Tewatia took three wickets and Harshal Patel had Yuvraj Singh bowled to pull Haryana back. Gurkeerat and Nikhil Chaudhary added an unbeaten 71 for the sixth wicket, of which the latter added 14.At the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi, Assam aced their chase of 216 against Railways to register a four-wicket win with 12 balls to spare. After being asked to bowl, Assam restricted Railways to 215. An 85-run third-wicket stand between Akash Verma and Pratham Singh – after Railways were reduced to 8 for 2 – was the only phase in the game that Railways dominated. Arup Das took three wickets, while Pritam Das, Amit Verma and Swarupam Purkayastha claimed two scalps each. Handy contributions from Assam’s top order – Pallavkumar Das (44), Arun Karthik (42), Verma (35) and Riyan Parag (32) – ensured there wasn’t much trouble in the chase.Akshay Karnewar, an ambidextrous bowler, led Vidarbha to a comfortable seven-wicket rout of Odisha with figures of 4 for 21 from 10 overs. Odisha chose to bat, and were given a steady start by Govinda Poddar’s 68-ball 58. However, a score of 87 for 2 in the 23rd over quickly turned to 162 all out in the 46th over as the Vidarbha bowlers took control of the game. No other batsman scored more than 30. After a stable base, Vidarbha’s chase was never in doubt. Jitesh Sharma struck a 71-ball 70 before he was lbw off Rajkishan Patel. A patient 30 from Ambati Rayudu took Vidarbha home with 59 balls to spare.
Shaun Pollock had some sympathy (but not all that much, mind) for Sanath Jayasuriya after South Africa had wrapped up the Standard Bank one-day international series against Sri Lanka with a crushing 99-run victory in the fourth match at Newlands on Thursday.The win was South Africa’s ninth on the trot and the fourth over Sri Lanka in this series. Indeed, the only home ODI not won by South Africa this summer was the washout in Potchefstroom way back at the start of New Zealand’s tour.
SanathJayasuriya Photo CricInfo
Sri Lanka, as Jayasuriya conceded, were out-batted and out-bowled by South Africa on the day. The tourists now have only the third and final Test match from which to salvage some pride, but before then they have to play out the final rites of the one-day series in Bloemfontein on Sunday and in Johannesburg next Wednesday.Jayasuriya, quite obviously, has his work cut out now to somehow lift a team that, from the outside anyway, is dejected, demoralised and dispirited.”It is difficult,” said Pollock. “We had the same situation in Sri Lanka when things didn’t really run for us and it is hard. But we’re going to have those times too so we can’t afford to have too much sympathy for them. We’ve just got to go out and play as well as we can.”Motivation, said Pollock, is no problem at all for the South Africans. “You’ve just got to think back to the last time you lost and that feeling is more than enough motivation.”As has been the case throughout the series, South Africa once again outclassed the opposition. With Boeta Dippenaar playing his most accomplished innings yet for his country, the home team barely noticed another failure from HerschelleGibbs.
BoetaDippenaar Photo CricInfo
Gibbs made just 13 on Thursday to follow his 0 in the second Test match and a 1 in Paarl on Tuesday, but Dippenaar, whose first boundary was a six pulled over square leg off Nuwan Zoysa, played quite beautifully for 77 until undoing himself with an ill-conceived reverse sweep off Muttiah Muralitharan.Jacques Kallis again paced himself and, as had also been the case in Paarl, Jonty Rhodes sparked the innings with a 52-ball 53. It was Rhodes’ fifth successive 50 – a South African record – and on each occasion he has provided an invaluable injection of urgency.Kallis, meanwhile, played patiently until 55 when he sliced Muralitharan straight upwards. Romesh Kaluwitharana gathered himself beneath the ball, with Kallis turning towards the dressing rooms, and dropped it.”I couldn’t believe my eyes,” said Jayasuriya afterwards. “He never drops those ones.”Kallis promptly carted Muralitharan and Zoysa for sixes and raced to 82 and it was this burst that enabled the South Africans to reach 290 for seven.Sri Lanka needed a big one from Jayasuriya, but he went for 12 and although Kaluwitharana atoned for his dropped catch with a gutsy 74, he had precious little support. Makhaya Ntini, meanwhile, helped himself to his first ODI five-wicket haul, helped effect Chaminda Vaas’ run out and caught Russel Arnold to snatch the man of the match award away from Kallis and Dippenaar and Sri Lanka were bowled out in the 42nd over.It was a walloping as South Africa continued to ride the wave. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have been swamped.
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShahid Afridi picked up a career-best 5 for 7 to derail Quetta’s innings•PSL
Shahid Afridi picked up career-best T20 figures of 5 for 7, setting up a comprehensive eight-wicket win for Peshawar Zalmi against Quetta Gladiators in Sharjah.Afridi, who will be retiring from international cricket following the World T20 in India next month, struck off just his second ball, accounting for Akbar-ur-Rehman in the sixth over. Quetta, who were at a promising 40 for 0 at one stage, soon began to slide, as Afridi struck at regular intervals to carve through the team’s middle and lower order. He trapped Mohammad Nawaz lbw and bowled the captain Sarfraz Ahmed in the 10th over, before proceeding to remove both Mohammad Nabi and Elton Chigumbura in the 12th.When the dust cleared, Afridi was left boasting figures of 4-1-7-5, and Quetta were tottering at 66 for 9, starting at the prospect of being bowled out inside 13 overs. However, Grant Elliott, on the back of two consecutive Man-of-the-Match performances, led a late rally, slamming a 29-ball 40 and adding a world record 63 for the final wicket with Zulfiqar Babar. Their efforts lifted the team to 129.Peshawar, though, had no troubles chasing down the small total. Their openers Mohammad Hafeez and Dawid Malan began brightly, putting up 60 runs off just 50 balls. Hafeez eventually fell for 36, but Malan carried on, adding a further 54 with Kamran Akmal. Malan went on to stroke his 12th half-century in T20 cricket, his 52-ball 60 taking the team home with eight balls to spare.
Striker Fernando Torres is happy to put talk over his Liverpool future on hold until after the World Cup.
Torres' Anfield future has been brought into doubt following his claim that the ailing Reds need to sign "four or five" new players to bounce back from a disappointing season which saw them finish seventh in the Premier League table.
Chelsea have been linked with a £50million move for the Spain striker in recent weeks.
However, Torres insists he is thinking only of the World Cup in South Africa and shaking off a knee injury in time to be fit for Spain's opening game against Switzerland on June 16.
Speaking about the situation at Anfield with the club up for sale, Torres said:"I know the situation, I speak to the chief executive (Christian Purslow) and Rafa (Benitez) every week and I am aware of what is going on.
"I have tried to stay apart from them and re-focus on the national team so when the World Cup ends, we'll see what happens."
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Torres joined Liverpool in the summer of 2007 from Atletico Madrid and has since scored 72 goals in 116 appearances despite a number of injury problems.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Real Madrid are reportedly set to launch a bid for Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and they will offer the club in excess of £30m plus either Rafael van der Vaart or Fernando Gago. With such a large offer would the club be making the right move in accepting the bid?
Everybody knows that Steven Gerrard is a world class midfielder and could probably play for any team in the world and so it’s no surprise that Real Madrid are interested in his services. As a symbol of Liverpool it would be heartbreaking for fans to see him go, just like it must be for Real Madrid fans to see Raul leaving the club this summer. However in both circumstances fans have to consider what more can they offer the club? And is it economically a good deal?
The answer in both circumstances is a resounding yes, Gerrard is now 30-years-old and to get that sort of money for someone that age is a great deal on it’s own, to get that amount plus quality midfield with it is even better. As for Raul the Spanish striker is 33 now and reportedly earns £3.3m a year at the club, so although he could maybe still have a part to play for them it would be better for Real Madrid to let him leave.
With Liverpool having very limited funds they probably need all the money they can get to go out and make new signings. The cash injection his sale would bring will enable Roy Hodgson to get them a lot of players and would significantly boost their chances of getting back into the top four next season. Both van der Vaart and Gago are great players and despite them being different types of midfielders, could both easily get into Liverpool’s team. It would just be a question of what is needed more, a defensive midfielder or an attacking one? Really a case could be made for either coming to the club with Liverpool already boasting Alberto Aquilani as an attacking midfielder and Javier Mascherano as a defensive midfielder. What would make an even better deal for the club would be if they could persuade Real to part with both midfielders plus the cash. Considering Madrid always seem to be happy to go out and buy new players it may not be such an improbable idea.
It will be very sad for everyone at Liverpool to see Steven Gerrard go and it will be a loss to the Premiership as well, but Liverpool have to look at the deal they’re being given and their current situation. It is a very generous deal and really they should be biting Real Madrid’s hand off. Nobody likes to see a symbol leave the club but unfortunately Gerrard isn’t Liverpool’s most important player anymore, that honour is now bestowed by Fernando Torres. The Spanish striker is the one player who Liverpool must do everything to keep as no doubt their resolve will be greatly tested this summer.
At 30-years-of age a move to Real Madrid would appeal greatly to Steven Gerrard as it is a club that everyone would love to play for, and the chance to represent them will probably not come around again for him. Although his departure would be with heavy hearts surely the fans would not hold it against him should he decide to leave. Gerrard himself will also recognise what a good deal the club will be getting with this transfer, and as a Liverpool lad himself he would want to ensure that they get the best deal possible for him.
Should Liverpool cash in on Gerrard, or simply spurn Real’s advances?
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Click on image below to see the Dutch babes at the World Cup
New Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson remains confident that star striker Fernando Torres will still be a Reds player next season.
The 26-year-old Spain international continues to be heavily linked with a move away from Anfield, but Hodgson has faith that Torres is going nowhere.
He told reporters:"As far as I know he is looking forward to coming back here – he is back on Monday.
"He is enjoying a holiday – a well-deserved break as he has not had one for three years.
"He is spending a lot of time with his family, keeping a low profile and as far as I know he is not really speaking to anyone.
"But he has told us that he is looking forward to Monday, looking forward to getting back to work and looking forward to playing for Liverpool next season.
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"That is what I know, so other reports, I would suggest, are erroneous."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
By Alex McLeish’s own frank admission another finish in the “Top 17” next season would be progression in itself for a Blues side looking to establish themselves in the top flight after their best place finish for 51 years upon their return to the Premier League. Whilst the Scotsmen is right to quell any over-exuberant and somewhat premature whispers about Europe..
Just how do Blues go about building upon such an excellent campaign?
1.Retaining the services of “Big Eck” – Alex McLeish’s signings last summer were as good as any, typified by the additions of Scott Dann and Roger Johnson from Coventry and Cardiff respectively as well as Barry Ferguson from Rangers but after such a startling season that saw Blues go 12 games unbeaten typing up McLeish’s contract may prove to be their best piece of business this time around.
2. Scoring more goals – Whilst there defensive performances took justified plaudits, Blues were a bit shy in front of goal scoring just 38 goals in 38 games and another striker to feed off 6ft 7inch Nikola Zigic may be essential if they are to try and match their achievements last term. Blues had been linked to Bobby Zamora for most of the summer and have more recently turned their attentions to AZ Alkmaar’s Moussa Dembele.
3. Looking to the future – Despite their experience the likes of Lee Bowyer, Stephen Carr and co will not be around forever and perhaps McLeish would be wise to take a closer look at January acquisitions Craig Gardner and Michel. The Spaniard has only featured nine times since arriving at St Andrews but his arrival was not without praise from SkySports Spanish correspondent Guillem Balague who described the former Sporting Gijon man as a good passer of the ball whilst comparing him in style to Javier Mascherano but with better passing range. After being given time to settle in, Michel may flourish this season under the guidance of a man who was so patient in the chase for his signature and he may add some much needed energy and elegance in the absence of Bowyer and Ferguson. Gardner made 13 appearances for Blues after the short trip from Villa Park, the last six matches on the right side of midfield due to Sebastian Larsson’s incline in form. A ‘bluenose’ himself, he endeared himself to the St Andrews crowds earning special praise for his performance against Aston Villa in an unjust 1-0 defeat. If Pre-season is anything to go by McLeish certainly seemed impressed with Gardner towards the end of last season and he may be used more frequently for Blues.
The addition of Crystal Palace full-back Nathaniel Clyne may also be a judicious signing if Birmingham are willing to stump up the £3million the club insist on for a player with such a bright future. Stephen Carr was resolute amongst the Blues back four but the eulogies about the young defender from the Championship tend to suggest he will one day play for a side in the top four and his natural pace and stature make him ideal to push Carr for a place in the first-team.
4. Continue to improve the infrastructure – If Birmingham are to progress on the pitch, progression off it may also be key and Peter Pannu’s pledge to invest heavily in the scouting network and the academy will be certainly enhance the club. Clubs like Everton and Fulham invest around £1.5 million into their scouting department in comparison to Blues’ £200,000 in the most recent past. If Blues are to stay in the Premier League for years to come, the right model for the academy set-up is required so that the club can prosper in future.
5. Hope that Foster can emulate Joe Hart’s season – The signing of Ben Foster from Manchester United is perhaps the best Birmingham could have done after Manchester City denied them the chance to keep hold of Hart. Hart was integral in Birmingham’s sensational return to the Premier League and this was reflected in his emotional farewell at the Reebok Stadium on the final day of the 09/10 season. They will hope that just like Hart, who struggled initially, Foster will exhibit his talents when thrust under the scrutiny regular first-team football will put him under and this may be key for Birmingham if they are to get anywhere near last season’s dizzy heights.
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With the PL season nearly upon us, let’s see the WAGS that will be keeping the players on their toes. Click on image to VIEW gallery
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