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Shane Warne believes Ricky Ponting is the best man to captain Australia to an Ashes triumph this summer, despite his criticism of Ponting’s field placements last week

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Oct-2010Shane Warne believes Ricky Ponting is the best man to captain Australia to an Ashes triumph this summer, despite his criticism of Ponting’s field placements last week. Warne wrote on his own website that there was no rift between him and Ponting, and that “Never at any stage did I say or imply that Ricky’s time as captain is up”.However, the former fast bowler Geoff Lawson has raised the idea of taking the captaincy off Ponting so he can focus on his batting. The issue has occupied plenty of airtime on sports talkback radio stations over the past week, but Warne doesn’t agree with the many callers who think Ponting’s reign should end.”Ricky, to me, is the right man to lead Australia for the Ashes,” Warne wrote. “It’s a great opportunity for him to show his leadership and captaincy skills. He also looks in super touch with the bat; I am sure he’s going to fill his boots this summer.”This Ashes series is going to be the biggest of his and the Australian team’s career. I think Ricky is at his best when he shows his Tassie devil side which is, aggressive with a dash of flair.”Although Ponting was disappointed with Warne’s tweet about the fields set for Nathan Hauritz, the pair later made up by SMS. Warne said he found it “staggering, but not surprising” that his original tweet was reported as a falling-out between he and his former team-mate Ponting.”My tweet about Ricky’s fields for Nathan Hauritz for two overs has been portrayed as a rift between myself and the Australian captain and journos have tried to start a slanging match between us; what rubbish. Commentators on the match, cricket journalists and even the Indian captain, MS Dhoni, have agreed with my tweet. It was an observation, not an attack!”

Neil McKenzie used all his experience gleaned over a long career in international cricket with South Africa to guide Hampshire to a two-wicket win

Cricinfo staff18-Aug-2010
ScorecardNeil McKenzie continued his fine form as Hampshire secured victory•Getty ImagesNeil McKenzie used all his experience gleaned over a long career in international cricket with South Africa to guide Hampshire to a two-wicket win over Leicestershire in their Clydesdale Bank 40 at the Rose Bowl. As wickets tumbled around him, McKenzie held firm with an unbeaten 51 to help his side get home with 13 balls to spare in a rain-affected match.Leicestershire, choosing to bat first, made 176 for 8 from their allotment of 35 overs, rain having knocked five from their total available. With McKenzie in control, Hampshire reached their target in 32.5 overs, keeping alive their hopes of qualifying for the latter stages of the CB40 competition.Leicestershire struggled to get going with Hampshire captain Dominic Cork taking two wickets before rain came and on the resumption Jacques du Toit and Matt Boyce contrived the best partnership of the innings, 71, for the fourth wicket. Du Toit was caught at mid-wicket for a valiant 45 and Boyce made 37 before he became a victim for Benny Howell, a 21-year-old allrounder making his Hampshire debut.Hampshire’s young side contained eight players who had come through their academy system and one of those, left arm pace bowler Chris Wood, ripped through the middle order, dismissing Wayne White, Tom New and Jigar Naik in rapid succession to finish with figures of three for 39.Leicestershire’s total never looked likely to be enough although Nathan Buck got rid of Jimmy Adams and Howell to leave Hampshire 45 for 3 in the 12th over. But then came two substantial partnerships involving the durable McKenzie, 52 for the fourth wicket with Michael Carberry and 55 for the fifth with Liam Dawson.Nadeem Malik kept alive Leicestershire’s outside hopes of snatching an unlikely win when he had Dawson caught at square leg for 30 and then dismissed Wood next ball to leave Hampshire 153 for 6 at the end of the 29th over.Malik knocked back the off stump of Michael Bates when the scores were level but McKenzie kept calm to see Hampshire complete their fifth win. McKenzie’s unbeaten innings came off 62 balls and including five fours while the persevering Malik took 4 for 40, the best bowling of the match but it was not enough to earn his team victory.Buck also caused Hampshire plenty of problems with a sharp opening spell and concluded with 2 for 16 from seven overs but in the end Leicestershire did not have enough runs to play with.

Even though Aston Villa have been particularly busy in the January transfer window so far with the likes of Lucas Digne, Philippe Coutinho and Robin Olsen making moves to the Midlands club in the past few weeks, it appears as though the club still have their eyes on potential targets and areas to improve their squad.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from The Athletic by Villa journalist Gregg Evans, the Midlands club have had “some conversations” over the possibility of a new striker being brought in this month, with Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah being “considered” for a move to Villa Park.

After joining the club from Chelsea’s youth system back in 2015, Nketiah has worked his way through Arsenal’s youth ranks and even had a loan spell with Leeds United, as well as making 73 senior appearances for the Gunners with 18 goals and one assist under his belt.

With the 22-year-old’s contract at Arsenal set to expire in the summer, Villa’s apparent interest could persuade the north London club to sell Nketiah, who Mikel Arteta has described as “extraordinary” in the past, and get a suitable transfer fee rather than see him leave as a free agent at the end of the season if he doesn’t sign a new deal there before then.

One in, one out

If Villa were to sign the £9m-rated Nketiah this month or even in the summer transfer window, this could give the Midlands club the chance to finally axe their current striker Wesley on a permanent basis.

He joined Brazilian club Internacional on loan earlier this month after spending the first half of the season on loan in Belgium with Club Brugge but could be shipped out permanently in the summer if bumped even further down the pecking order.

Given how he failed to score a goal for Brugge during his time there this season and has only managed to score six times in 26 appearances for Villa across all competitions since his arrival back in June 2019 in a deal worth a reported fee of £22m, selling him could be a great way of getting his £46k-per-week wages of the club’s bill to accommodate a place for Nketiah in their squad for the future.

If Villa and Steven Gerrard think Nketiah would be a good fit in the squad and deliver what they want, then they should definitely make an approach to Arsenal to see what his situation is and whether or not they’d be willing to negotiate a suitable deal for him.

Either way, his entrance would certainly facilitate a permanent move away for one of the club’s unfortunate flops.

In other news: Sky Sports journo drops exciting AVFC transfer update on live TV, fans surely buzzing…

In terms of incoming transfers this month, Wolves have secured a deal for Japan midfielder Hayao Kawabe from Swiss Super League side Grasshopper Club Zurich. He is expected to return to Switzerland on loan to complete the season with Grasshoppers after spending January in the Black Country.

With three-and-a-half weeks still left until the window shuts, it seems as though the Old Gold have been dealt a blow in their attempts to add a new player to Bruno Lage’s squad, one which will leave their fans gutted.

What’s the news?

According to a recent article from French media outlet L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), Wolves have had an offer of €30m (£25m) for AS Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile rejected by the Ligue 1 club.

As a product of Monaco’s youth system, the 20-year-old has already made more than 100 senior appearances for the club, scoring three goals and providing three assists along the way, showing how highly he is rated in the principality and presumably why they have reportedly rejected Wolves’ offer for him.

Standing at 6 foot 4, Badiashile has played in 19 games for Monaco across all competitions so far this season, highlighting his importance to the team and why they would be reluctant to let him leave this month for a fee they don’t see as suitable for his services.

With Wolves seeing Romain Saiss jet off to take part in the Africa Cup of Nations after playing in all 19 of their Premier League games so far this season, it’s easy to see why the Old Gold would be looking at bringing in a defender like Badiashile this month to not only fill in for Saiss but also potentially become a long-term figure in their squad for the future given his young age.

Moving forward, if Wolves are serious about signing the 20-year-old in January, they should try to establish what sort of fee Monaco would be willing to accept for him and then decide whether it is feasible.

If they aren’t willing to pay whatever the French club would want for him, then Lage may need to look at other options who would be available for less than Badiashile. He could also give Dion Sanderson, who was recently recalled from his loan spell with Birmingham City, the chance to prove himself in the team as an even cheaper option.

That could help to soften the significant blow of seeing a sizeable bid for the Monaco youngster rejected.

In other news: Journalist drops 19-word Wolves update that will surely have a lot of fans fuming – opinion

Former England allrounder Dominic Cork proved the years have not hindered his quality with a five-wicket haul for Hampshire against Kent at the Rose Bowl

05-Jul-2010
ScorecardDominic Cork claimed figures of 5 for 50 as Kent were bowled out for 251•Getty ImagesFormer England allrounder Dominic Cork proved the years have not hindered his quality with a five-wicket haul for Hampshire against Kent at the Rose Bowl. Cork, who turns 39 next month, finished with 5 for 50 as Kent lurched to 251 all out after their captain Robert Key had won the toss.In reply, Hampshire lost in-form opener James Adams first ball and then Liam Dawson to end a turbulent first day 200 behind at 51 for 2. Cork’s burst of wickets took his first-class career total to 944 and the ex-Derbyshire and Lancashire player is also in sight of another impressive milestone, requiring 400 runs for his 10,000.Key was Cork’s first victim in the 11th over when the bowler took a smart return catch, and the rest was a bit of a procession with Geraint Jones and Martin van Jaarsveld both out by the 26th over. Only the obstinate Joe Denly and Sam Northeast offered any prolonged resistance in a stand of 74 for the fourth wicket.David Balcombe removed Denly after a hard-fought 67 off 153 balls, smartly taken by wicketkeeper Nic Pothas diving to his right in front of the slips. That left Kent on 172 for 4 but Northeast did not last much longer, departing the ball after reaching his half-century to a catch at second slip by Neil McKenzie.Northeast hit nine boundaries in a fluent 50 off 108 balls, and it was then that Cork came on to do his major damage. James Hockley was bowled by Cork, getting plenty of movement through the air, without scoring and Simon Cook went the same way.In between, Malinga Bandara edged Cork to the wicketkeeper and suddenly Kent were 191 for 8 and in real trouble. Their tail gleaned some extra runs, Alex Blake making 31 and helping take the total to 251, thanks in part to a stand of 24 for the last wicket involving Amjad Khan and Robbie Joseph.Left-arm spinner Danny Briggs continued to show his promise with figures of 2 for 26. England selector James Whitaker had travelled to the south coast to look at the form of opener Denly for Kent and Adams for Hampshire, but Adams lasted only one ball before fending a sharply rising delivery from Khan to short leg where Northeast held the catch.Dawson departed with the score on 24, edging Joseph to second slip where Van Jaarsveld clutched onto the opportunity.

Middlesex enjoyed their first win of the County Championship Division Two campaign as an unbeaten century from Dawid Malan secured a three-wicket triumph over Sussex at Hove

08-May-2010
ScorecardMiddlesex enjoyed their first win of the County Championship Division Two campaign as an unbeaten century from Dawid Malan secured a three-wicket triumph over Sussex at Hove. Malan struck the winning runs in the fourth over after lunch to reach his second hundred of the season, the 22-year-old left-hander reaching his ton off 173 balls with 15 fours.Sussex stay on top of the division despite suffering their first defeat after four successive wins, and they will be disappointed not to have extended their winning run having had Middlesex on the ropes at 78 for 5 yesterday in pursuit of 243 for victory.The game was effectively won in the first hour today as Malan and Gareth Berg added 83 in 17 overs as they took full advantage of some wayward bowling. Both Rana Naved, who was also plagued by over-stepping as Sussex conceded 37 extras, and Corey Collymore struggled for rhythm and when skipper Murray Goodwin turned to left-arm spinner Monty Panesar, his four overs cost 30 runs.It included a horrible full toss which Malan pulled out of the ground and into an adjoining garden for six, forcing the umpires to change the ball. The sixth-wicket pair had put on 127 in 31 overs when Robin Martin-Jenkins gave Sussex a glimmer of hope as he had Berg leg before playing across the line to claim his sixth wicket of the match and 22nd of the season, only one fewer than he managed throughout 2009.Malan and former Sussex player Tom Smith added a further 17 runs before Smith was athletically taken down the leg side by Matt Prior off James Anyon, who had just been brought back into the attack.Middlesex needed 21 runs at that stage and Sussex’s last hope of victory effectively went when Michael Thornely, diving to his left at extra cover, put down a difficult chance offered by Tim Murtagh when he was on six.Middlesex were unable to finish the game off before lunch, but Malan hit the first ball after the break from Panesar to the boundary to relieve the tension in the visitors’ dressing room before finding a gap on the leg side to win the game with a single and compete his century.

According to John Wenham of Lilywhite Rose (as shared by Football Insider), Tottenham could agree a new contract with Harry Kane which would see him commit the rest of his career to the club.

The Lowdown: Poor start to the season

Kane’s relationship with Spurs saw a rapid decline over the summer as he asked to leave the club in search of silverware. This came after Manchester City’s public pursuit of the England captain, which saw Tottenham reject two offers for the player, the second of which was for a staggering £125m.

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By his own standards, he has had a poor start to the Premier League campaign, having scored just once in his opening 13 matches. However, it seems recently that the striker is picking up form, netting in Spurs’ last two games against Liverpool and Crystal Palace.

At the age of 28 and with just two-and-half-years left on his current contract, Spurs are keen on agreeing a new deal with Kane, keeping him at the club during his probable prime years.

The Latest: New contract closer

According to club insider John Wenham (via Football Insider), Kane could agree a new contract with Tottenham which would see him spend the rest of his career in north London. Fabrizio Romano recently reported the relationship between the player and his manager Antonio Conte as being ‘more than good’.

Following information from club sources, Wenham spoke to Football Insider, revealing: “Kane has made it very well known that he’s enjoying working with Conte.

“I heard some little snippets from well-placed people that Tottenham are confident of agreeing a new contract with him. That would signal that he is going to spend his whole career at Tottenham.

“If you look at his age and the fact some top strikers are probably going to be available soon, Kane won’t be on the shopping list of the big clubs. I’ve heard some murmurings that Kane is very, very happy with Conte.

“I saw a report from Fabrizio Romano that said the same thing. It seems as though it is building towards a new deal.

“Personally, I think we will agree a new contract with Kane sooner rather than later. His form is really improving on the pitch and he continues to be a big player for us.”

The Verdict: Kane is essential

Despite this season’s dip in form, Kane is an essential part of Conte’s plans. Having secured his status as a club legend by scoring 231 goals in a Lilywhites shirt, it would be ridiculous if Spurs weren’t trying their hardest to come to an agreement on a new deal, especially following their rejection of Man City’s £125m summer bid.

If Tottenham are to challenge for Champions League football, it is imperative that Conte is able to keep Kane at the club. As has been reported, the striker is desperate to win some silverware, so Daniel Levy and Fabio Paratici will need to do everything they can to keep their star man happy.

Judging by Wenham’s revelations, the 52-year-old’s appointment as manager appears to have gone some way towards improving Kane’s morale in N17, which may just be the springboard towards him committing his future to the club.

In other news: 52-cap star already has proposal from Tottenham with Paratici in pole to sign him

To say things have been turbulent for Leeds United in recent weeks would be an understatement, with three defeats in a row from their previous three league fixtures and a total of 14 goals conceded in those games.

In addition to this dismal run of form, Leeds have a very hefty injury list at the moment with the likes of Kalvin Phillips, Liam Cooper, Patrick Bamford, Rodrigo and Pascal Struijk out on the sidelines.

As well as these injured players, it seems as though the Yorkshire club have another player out of action for the time being, which will not please many fans at Elland Road.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his post-match press conference (via Leeds Live) after their 4-1 defeat against Arsenal, Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa revealed that defender Charlie Cresswell was supposed to be in the matchday squad for the clash against the Gunners but had to pull out with a shoulder injury.

Bielsa then said that Cresswell now has a “long period of recovery” ahead of him, which suggests that his injury is a serious one and he could be out for a while.

Given the injuries to the likes of Cooper and Struijk and the fact that Leeds have conceded as many as 14 goals in their three recent league games, it’s safe to say that they could do with as many defensive players available as possible, which makes this injury to Cresswell such a big blow.

Even though the 19-year-old has only made four league appearances for Leeds this season, completing the full 90 minutes in just one of them, Bielsa would have undoubtedly preferred to have the teenager available in his squad for the Arsenal game and their next fixtures moving forward to call upon if needed judging by prior injury concerns.

Looking ahead to the future, Bielsa and everyone else at the Yorkshire club will be hoping that their injury situation can improve sooner rather than later so they can have the likes of Phillips, Cresswell, Cooper and Struijk back available again. Once they have all of them back, their chances of avoiding relegation will improve significantly.

In other news: Forget Raphinha: Leeds’ £3.6m gem with 3 key passes was Bielsa’s shining light v AFC – opinion

Suresh Raina, who recently overtook Adam Gilchrist as the leading scorer in all IPL matches, has credited his Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni for his current form

Cricinfo staff25-Apr-2010Suresh Raina, who recently overtook Adam Gilchrist as the leading scorer in all IPL matches, has credited his Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni for his current form.”I have been hitting the ball well after having a good season. The confidence comes from the faith my skipper Dhoni has in me,” Raina told the . “He has given me the freedom and authority to play my own game. All he says is play your game and keep it simple. That trust, that backing has brought out the best in me.”When I walk in to bat, I asses the situation and play accordingly. Like anyone else, I am also a huge admirer of Sachin Tendulkar and try to learn from him. That is one big reason why I stick to playing proper cricketing shots. One has to understand that its just not possible to smash every ball out of the park. You can score runs at a good rate playing normal cricketing shots which is what I try to do.”This season Raina has again been in great form with the bat, scoring 463 runs at 42.09 and a strike-rate of 140.72 which places him at fourth highest for 2010. He also attributed this success to “a positive attitude and a clear mind” as well as senior team-mates in the Chennai camp. “When you spend time with quality players like Matthew Hayden and Mike Hussey it adds to your wisdom,” he said. “It is a great learning curve. I have had the good fortune of receiving the full support of all the senior players.”In Twenty20 cricket, your shot-selection has to be precise. You cannot afford to be double-minded. The clarity of thought is important. I bat at No. 3 and that is a very crucial position. I make sure that my body language is good and I like to dominate the bowling with controlled aggression. As a senior pro, my job is to stay there till the end and win matches for my team. That is what the aim is and that is what I try to do to the best of my ability.”Raina also holds the record for most catches, 26, for a non-wicketkeeper, and his athleticism in the field has earned him many plaudits. “Fielding is a very important aspect of the game. A run saved is a run scored. It is all the more important in T20 where good fielding and catching can make a huge difference,” said Raina. “To be a good fielder you got to be swift and agile. You’ve got to have a good presence of mind if you are fielding in the deep. Again one has to enjoy fielding if you really want to excel in this department.”I was lucky to have Robin Singh as my coach when I went to England as a 17-year old and he helped me to take my fielding seriously. He told me that fielding is as important as batting or bowling. Even if you fail with the bat and ball, you can still contribute with a good work in the field. It can also serve as grace marks when there is a tie between two equally good batsmen.”Chennai will compete their second IPL final, against the form team of the season at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai today and Raina termed it a great opportunity. “We tripped in the first edition. We are all eager and excited. We will have to play really well if we are to win our first IPL title.”

The January transfer market will open in the next few weeks, and all eyes already on new manager, Steven Gerrard, as he enters his first window with Aston Villa, who is reported to make moves and changes at his new club.

Although there has been mounting speculation on incoming transfers, there is also likely to be a number of outgoings too as Gerrard sets out to free up funds to develop and build a team with his vision for the future of Villa in mind.

One player who will reportedly be moved on when the opportunity arises is Wesley, who became a record signing for the club when Villa paid Club Brugge £22m for the striker who is currently on a season-long loan back with his former team.

The 25-year-old was hailed a “handful” by teammate, Tyrone Mings when he was secured on a permanent deal at Villa Park:

“He’s a handful! He’s a very strong guy, a very big guy, technically he’s very good,” he said.

Despite the praise from Villa’s captain, Wesley struggled to make a direct impact on the side, with only 26 appearances due to an unfortunate knee injury that sidelined the Brazilian for over a year. He scored just six goals and registered one assist for the senior team in the two seasons prior to his current loan stint at Club Brugge.

The £9m-rated centre forward hasn’t scored or assisted for his loan club yet in six appearances so far, and spoke out recently on his future, refusing to rule out a return to Brazil;

“I do not rule out returning to Brazil at this time,” Wesley told Globo Esporte.

“I try to focus on my field work and leave this part of the negotiations with my managers.

Steven Gerrard could strike gold if he can find a good suitor for Wesley that would raise funds for the Villa manager to reinvest into other key areas, where the squad is thinner, like midfield.

Villa are facing no troubles in their attack, winning three of their last five games, after beating Norwich comfortably in their midweek Premier League fixture at Carrow Road, where the Villans bagged a 2-0 win ahead of their clash with Burnley on Saturday afternoon.

When comparing Wesley’s current form of no goals or assists on loan to Villa’s current strike force, with Ollie Watkins on five goals and Danny Ings on three strikes and two assists, along with Leon Bailey breaking into the team, the likelihood of the Brazilian starting in Villa’s attacking line is low.

With that being said, Wesley being put on loan before Gerrard’s arrival and currently struggling to make a convincing impact at his temporary side, it should only further the manager’s decision to axe the forward.

In other news: Aston Villa must sign Liverpool star Joe Gomez