On the pitch It’s a very placid track. Whatever we have achieved in this game is because of the huge score that the batsmen put on the board. Once they scored 675, there was enormous pressure on the opposition. But whatever is said about the pitch, I think the credit should go to the team who have been able to get a result out of it. This team truly believes that it can win, no matter what the conditions.On the prospect of becoming the first Indian team to win in Pakistan We thought it might be possible today, but we have to come back tomorrow and pick up one wicket. It’s going to be a great achievement. We’re playing in Pakistan after 15 years, and to win our first Test here will be a source of tremendous satisfaction.On comparisons to his ten-wicket haul at Delhi in 1999 It’s difficult to compare. What is important is the team winning.On how quickly he got into the groove after a spell on the sidelines At times today, with the number of overs I bowled, I felt like I hadn’t left off in Sydney. After a couple of overs in the first innings, the ball was coming out nicely. It’s no secret that I love to bowl, or that I like to be involved as much as possible.On how the team coped for such a long time without the injured Zaheer Khan I thought Irfan [Pathan] and Balaji bowled great spells early on. Yuvi also took a crucial wicket, and ran Inzamam out. And it also helped that we have guys like Sachin and Veeru, who are capable of picking up wickets rather than just turning their arm over.On whether this will quieten his critics, who claim he’s effective only on helpful pitches I’m not here to prove anybody wrong. They will say that this is still the subcontinent [laughs]. They will say that I don’t spin the ball. But ultimately, all that matters is the number of wickets, and how you contribute to the team’s success.On Irfan Pathan It was fantastic to see a 19-year-old run in so hard in just his third Test. He has made big improvements in every aspect of his cricket, and that augurs well for the future of Indian cricket.On looking back at his career, and looking ahead to 400 wickets I look back with a bit of pride. As for the 400 wickets, I’ll take things one at a time, and hope I get there soon.On Yousuf Youhana’s century He’s a quality batsman. It would have been nice to get him out today, but we’ll have to come back tomorrow for that.On whether he had thought of how India’s famed spinners had been savaged here in 1978 I don’t like to go back to history. I came here with a lot of confidence, having done well against Pakistan in India [in 1999].On what has changed in Indian cricket, allowing the team to become more consistent and successful I’d put it down to the belief that we have now. The players have worked very hard, and have been helped by the support staff. Credit needs to go to John [Wright], Andrew [Leipus] and Greg [Allen King], and also Adrian [le Roux] who was there before Greg. They have instilled confidence in us, and the work ethic is also great. The players have also made a tremendous effort.On how the result here will affect the rest of the series We hope we can take the confidence we have gained here to Lahore, and win the series.
With six weeks left for the World Cup, the South Africans are bracing themselves to the fact that the big event will be upon them soon and they have a job in hand to show to the world and prove that this was the best that ever was.Fifty-four matches are to be played starting from Feb 9 at various centres which include already established venues and the one’s which are still in the process of being rebuilt and renovated.The one-day series against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Tests against them were taken as a dress rehearsal and experiment to assess the security arrangements and crowd management. The series against Pakistan isalso being treated as such. But there is a lot to be desired. Nearer to the event, the organisers say that all things will be in order to make it a success.In the one-day games that Pakistan played recently, strict security was in evidence. Security guards, stewards, metal detectors, searching of bags, all seemed to be in order. And plains-clothed policemen mingled with the crowd to make sure that banned substances like sharp objects, whether metal, wooden or glass bottles and alcohol were not smuggled in.Like at Sharjah, there were also guard dogs with their handlers posted round the ground at Port Elizabeth where Pakistan had their only victory in the five match one-day series. The organisers say the experiment could be repeated for the safety of the crowd and players.The ICC sleuths were also seen hanging around having their lunches and drinks hoping that there presence will be a deterrent for the wheelers and dealers. Whether they will ever succeed in that will always remain a matter of speculation.The worrying thing however for some of the visiting journalists is the lack of communication facilities in the press boxes at the venues where Pakistan has recently played matches and where World Cup games are due to be played.There were no internet or phone facilities available at any media box unless one had his own dedicated phone line. Not even a coin-box or card operated phone line as was provided in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and also for the first time in England during the 1999 World Cup.A great majority of scorers in the box seemed untrained and agency men struggled at times to wire a correct scorecard in time to meet their deadlines.Organizers claim that when the big event comes nearer things may start to look right and a lot better than it is at the moment. The management of the World Cup led by Dr Ali Bacher is racing against time but they promise a problem free World Cup and the best that has ever been organised. Only time will tell if they are right.
Kent beat Cumberland by nine wickets in the third round of the C&G Trophy at Barrow-in-Furness.The start of play was delayed for 15 minutes due to heavy morning rain. Kent acting captain Mark Ealham, deputising for the injured Matthew Fleming, won the toss and put Cumberland into bat.It proved a prudent decision because the Kent opening pace bowlers Martin Saggers and Ben Trott got appreciable movement with the new ball in the heavy cloud conditions.Trott, recruited from Devon and playing in his first season with Kent, got a vital breakthrough in the second over when he had Steven Knox lbw for one. This left Cumberland reeling at 1-1.The Cumberland batting was somewhat brittle as epitomised by their losing three wickets on 26 including Andy Williams who had made 19.Apart from the seventh-wicket partnership of 28 between Cumberland captain Martin Lewis and Jonathan Fielding there was little achievement from the Cumbrians. They lost their last four wickets for only eight runs.Trott returned the superb figures for 5-18 from his ten overs, while Saggers supported him with 3-14.The Kent openers David Fulton and James Hockley laid the foundation for Kent’s easy victory by putting on 43 for the first wicket before Fulton was caught behind by David Pennett off Marcus Sharp for ten.Hockley and Robert Key saw Kent through to victory ater only 10.2 overs. The aggressive Hockley hit 10 fours and a six in his unbeaten 48, while Key was 12 not out at the finish.The man-of-the-match award was awarded to Trott who recorded his best bowling figures of the season.
Leeds United are now in active talks to sign an attacking addition worth £9m in the January transfer window, according to recent reports.
Farke: Calvert-Lewin on course to become "Leeds United hero"
When Leeds signed Dominic Calvert-Lewin on a free deal fresh from his Everton exit in the summer, there were plenty of doubters. Now, however, he very much looks like one of the most in-form players in the Premier League and has barely put a foot wrong in front of goal since Daniel Farke changed to a 3-5-2 system.
It wasn’t so long ago that reports were indicating the worst for Farke. Some even went as far to suggest that he would be out of a job if he lost against Chelsea and Liverpool. By the time those fixtures had passed, though, the German had overseen victory over the Blues and a dramatic draw against the Premier League champions.
Leeds’ turnaround has been as unexpected as it has been sensational and they’re now on a run of just one defeat in their last five Premier League games.
In that run, Calvert-Lewin has scored six goals and sparked deserved praise from Farke, who told reporters: “Right now he’s on the on a path to be a top-class player for Leeds United and also a Leeds United hero.
“But you know my attitude – I don’t like to speak about quality and top-class players just after a few weeks or a good couple couple of months.
“You have to show this with consistency over the whole season. But if he keeps going in this way and keeps delivering, then we would speak about an outstanding season.”
As things stand, the Whites are six points clear of the dropzone and perfectly placed to welcome vital January reinforcements, should they please.
Leeds now in active talks to sign Ruben Vargas
As reported by TeamTalk, Leeds are now in active talks to sign Ruben Vargas from Sevilla next month. The Swiss winger reportedly wants to complete a move to the Premier League and intermediaries have been in contact with Leeds, as well as Sunderland and Bournemouth.
49ers masterclass: Leeds star looks like their best signing since Raphinha
This Leeds United star looks like the club’s best piece of business since they brought Raphinha to Elland Road.
ByDan Emery
Valued at around €10m (£9m) by Sevilla, the deal won’t come too cheap for those at Elland Road next month. Alas, it could be one worth chasing.
Subscribe for deeper Leeds transfer insights and analysis Gain in-depth transfer context: subscribe to the newsletter for scouting takeaways, tactical implications and market perspective on Leeds’ interest in Ruben Vargas and wider Premier League moves. Subscribe for deeper Leeds transfer insights and analysis Gain in-depth transfer context: subscribe to the newsletter for scouting takeaways, tactical implications and market perspective on Leeds’ interest in Ruben Vargas and wider Premier League moves.
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Aside from Calvert-Lewin, Farke’s forwards have struggled for goals throughout the campaign and it’s no secret that the former Everton forward has an extensive injury history. That makes an attacking addition crucial to the Whites’ survival chances.
Leeds’ attacking options
Goals
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
7
Lukas Nmecha
4
Noah Okafor
2
Joel Piroe
0
Vargas could help the rest of Farke’s frontline kick on, having scored three goals and assisted another four in 12 La Liga games so far this season. Whilst his goalscoring record is not clinical, his creative spark would undoubtedly add another element to Leeds’ attack in the January transfer window.
Venkatesh Prasad, the coach of Bangalore Royal Challengers, has asked for patience and trust in those who are managing the team after the Indian Premier League’s second-richest franchise sacked its chief executive following a string of poor performances in the inaugural season of the Twenty20 tournament.Terming Charu Sharma’s dismissal as “unfortunate”, Prasad feared it could send the wrong signal. “It was the management’s decision to sack him,” Prasad told Cricinfo. “Having known him, he is a fantastic individual. But it was unfortunate and it could send a wrong signal to the individuals.”The hire and fire policy might work in the corporate world, probably,” Prasad said. “But we are building a team which came together two days before the tournament. So what is very important is to have a lot of faith in the team and build the trust and faith factor. You need to show patience and trust the people who are managing the team.”Asked about pressure from the franchise on the team, he said, “I understand the franchise has put in loads of money and for them what is important is the performance, the outcome basically. You can’t do anything when performance is the key and so much is at stake.”Prasad also said that though he was the designated coach of the team, he effectively “started handling the duties of the bowling coach as Martin Crowe, the Chief Cricket Officer, and Rahul (Dravid, the captain) handle the team selections and all the other duties”. He revealed that he had briefly thought about resigning from the job following media reports that the franchise wanted to sack him too.On Tuesday, the Bangalore franchise replaced Sharma with Brijesh Patel, the secretary of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), which runs the game in the team’s home city. A Royal Challengers spokesperson said that the CEO had stepped down due to personal reasons, but Sharma said that he was dismissed by the franchise, which is owned by Vijay Mallya, the chairman of United Spirits Limited. Mallya later clarified that he had complete confidence in Prasad, the “bowling coach” and the team.”There was confusion in terms of my role and how to define it,” Prasad, the India bowling coach, said. “But both Rahul and Martin have supported me throughout. My job was more about making sure specific strategies were being worked out during the net sessions while they took care of the overall running of the team.”Prasad said that he was upset over the media reports which suggested that he was being sacked, too.”The thought (of resigning) did cross my mind when the rumours surfaced. But I didn’t want to take a decision in haste. I did chat with Rahul and the support he and the team showed in me was tremendous,” Prasad said. “I was angry as the fingers were pointed towards my commitment and integrity which I’d built over a period of a time. And now suddenly I was in the middle of this. As I said, there is a lot of money at stake but for me what matters more than the monetary aspect is being committed and organised. And as far as I’m concerned, I do it to the best of my ability.”Prasad, a former India swing bowler, admitted that it was “extraordinary” that the Challengers have not been able to get their act together in the tournament – the team lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by five runs on Thursday and is at the bottom of the table with just two wins from eight games.”With the players we have, we don’t belong to the bottom of the table,” Prasad said. “In fact, we should be in the first two for sure. It’s extraordinary that we are not getting our act together as a team, even if there have been a few individual performances which doesn’t help much in a team game. We need to get our act together. Our bowlers have done well and we have one of the best bowling units in the IPL with five international bowlers.”The Royal Challengers will take on Kings XI Punjab in Mohali on Monday.
These are just more symptoms of an incurable illness.Not a terminal ailment, mind you, because West Indies cricket is not going to die just so. Yet as painful as it is to comprehend, the overwhelming evidence of more than a decade of struggle on the field and incessant turbulence off it virtually ensures that West Indies will continue to languish among the ranks of the mediocre for the foreseeable future.As per usual whenever some controversy erupts, as it invariably does almost every Monday morning, the public and media alike are obsessed with the personality clashes, so ignoring the greater reality that all of these convulsions are merely confirming that the slide from the summit shows no sign of slowing down and, in fact, may be accelerating to the level where the trials, travails and infrequent triumphs of the former champions will become increasingly irrelevant to a disillusioned populace.The responses to this latest episode are no different to ones of the past weeks and months, yet every time we seem to react with shock and disbelief, as if this was totally out of the blue and that all we need to do is make a really concerted effort to solve this particular problem and all will be well again. How short our memories are.Chris Gayle is either hailed for speaking out against the gross incompetence of the West Indies Cricket Board or dismissed as just another boldfaced Jamaican troublemaker who should never have gotten the captaincy job ahead of our boy Daren Ganga in the first place.Mike Findlay, the tour manager, is pilloried for his role in sanctioning the new captain’s tour diary entry, while everyone comes off the long run in hurling every conceivable insult in the direction of the WICB.It’s really true what they say about the more things change, the more they remain the same. The personalities and embarrassing fiascos may be different, but the theme remains steady: players and administrators at odds, nurturing a poisonous cloud of suspicion and mistrust that shows no signs of lifting anytime soon.How is it possible for any meaningful progress to be made in this environment? Yet millions, obsessed as they are with the cult of the personality that is so evident in almost every aspect of public life in these tiny territories, will hold fast to their belief that once this crop of incompetents is dispensed with and Ken Gordon is replaced by a favourite cricketing legend or a highly-touted visionary leader then, sooner rather than later, we’ll be well on our way back up to the top.Gordon is a failure, of course, while the integrity of some members of his inner circle at the board must be open to question given the ease, speed and regularity with which information from confidential meetings are leaked into the public domain.This betrays a house divided unto itself, with grown men pretending to accept collective responsibility only to be sneaking around like rats trying to undermine each other for their own parochial purposes.On principle alone they should all go, but that would still leave the same complex, archaic structure that is unworkable in a flourishing culture of selfishness and shortsightedness.Everyone keeps saying it is impractical to consider shutting down the whole thing for a couple months and developing an administrative system that is less cumbersome and more transparent. It is too radical, too impractical and, in truth, will not happen because enough influential people like things just the way they are.But have any of the many changes in personnel made any difference over the past 12 years? From former greats to successful businessmen, all have failed in various capacities, yet we keep waiting for that anointed one to lead us out of the valley of mediocrity.All of which makes the players and the Players Association look like valiant heroes battling the many world-class opponents out there on the field and the evil empire that would seek to enslave and humiliate them.Yet it is only against the backdrop of the gross incompetence of the WICB that WIPA and its membership have any substance. By any other metre rule they have been a consistent source of embarrassment at home and abroad, the four-Test series in England being just the latest of the many sound whippings administered to the Caribbean squad since 1995.Long before the Cable and Wireless-Digicel dispute and the agitation of Dinanath Ramnarine, the West Indies were being pummeled from pillar to post. The Brian Lara fanatics who would have us believe that it wasn’t so bad before the unexpected departure of the “Prince” are either deliberately dishonest or really know nothing of even the recent history of West Indies cricket. Conversely, the early evidence suggests that those convinced that his exit would herald a new, brighter era are way off the mark.Even if we were to wake up tomorrow to find the WICB and WIPA happy like pappy and everything settled once and for all, who really believes that a stable, united West Indies team will fare significantly better in South Africa at the end of the year and then at home to Sri Lanka and Australia in 2008? WIPA only looks good or has a bargaining leg to stand on because the WICB is just so consistently, unbelievably bad.This long, steep drop has been quite distressing. More disheartening, though, is the realisation that the bottom is nowhere in sight.
Inzamam-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, hopes to have the services of Shoaib Akhtar during his side’s tour of England in July. Akhtar has not played cricket since he underwent knee surgery in February, but has been invited to a training camp later this month to determine his fitness for the tour.Inzamam, 36, remained confident that the fast bowler would be back to full fitness. “The reports about his rehabilitation are very positive. He is in the gym and has also started bowling in the nets,” he told Reuters. “We will invite him for the camp and hopefully he should be 100 percent fit soon.”Shoaib, with 165 Test and 199 one-day international wickets, went through a bad patch in early 2005 when he seemed to be betraying high expectations with a wayward work ethic. But later in the year he regained the trust, especially of Inzamam and Bob Woolmer, Pakistan’s coach, by taking 17 wickets in a 2-0 win over England at home. Having missed the one-day series against India earlier this year with fitness problems, Shoaib has been named a key figure in Pakistan’s progress as a Test side.”Shoaib is an important member of our attack. Conditions in England help the pace bowlers and we would like to go there with our first line pack of bowlers,” Inzamam said. “I see him forming a very potent new ball attack with Mohammad Asif. Then we will also look again at Mohammad Sami. We have a quality leg spinner in Danish Kaneria who has bowled a lot in their conditions. And we are planning to go at them with a top pace attack.”Pakistan play four Tests and five one-day internationals in England.
Darren Stevens and Matthew Walker each struck centuries to launch Kent into a strong position against Warwickshire on day three at Edgbaston. Stevens struck 163 and Walker 140 as Kent turned a slender overnight lead into a huge one. Replying to Warwickshire’s first-innings score of 252, they reached 569 and Warwickshire were 45 for 2 in reply at stumps, trailing by 272 runs with eight wickets remaining.Walker and Stevens carried on where they had left off on the second day, as they each posted a century. Walker’s knock included 14 fours and two sixes, and Stevens’ was similarly boundary-laden: he smote 22 fours and a six.Andrew Hall also chipped in with a handy 49, and the wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien as undefeated on 21. Hall then turned his hand to the ball, removing both Ian Bell and Michael Powell, the only two wickets to fall so far in Warwickshire’s reply.Bell failed for the second time this match – with the bat at least – as he added a duck to his solitary run in the first innings. Both he and Powell were bowled by Hall. Alex Loudon was Warwickshire’s most successful bowler, with three wickets but they came at a cost of 130, runs that the home side could ill afford in the face of an onslaught. The day belonged to the batsmen – and Stevens and Walker took full advantage.Knocking the champions off the top spot should go some way to soothing Kent’s mood after the ECB confirmed yesterday that they would be docking eight points for the provision of a poor pitch. There’s not much wrong with the pitch at Edgbaston, as today’s run-fest demonstrated, but Kent’s bowlers will nevertheless be hoping to take early wickets tomorrow and complete victory.
The United States of America claimed the final spot in September’s ICC Champions Trophy tournament, pipping Scotland by 0.028 on net run rate to win the Six Nations Challenge in Dubai.The USA overhauled Scotland’s 206 to win by five wickets in the 48th over, to scupper the Scots’ hopes. Meanwhile Holland, the tournament’s overnight leaders, blew their chances by losing to the United Arab Emirates. In an exceedingly close-fought competition five of the six teams finished up with six points (click here for the points table), but America squeaked home by virtue of a superior net run rate. Canada, conquerors of Bangladesh at the 2003 World Cup, lost all their five matches.The USA now take their place alongside the ten Test-playing nations and Kenya at the Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to take place in England in September. The Americans face group games against Australia, the world champions, and New Zealand. They will be the USA’s first official one-day internationals.
England seem certain to face a much tougher match than that provided by Otago when they meet Canterbury in the last warm-up match before the first Test starting next week in Christchurch.In a departure from the norm, the result of rugby gaining precedence for use of Jade Stadium at the weekend, the England-Canterbury match will be played on Hagley Oval.The inner city ground is the home ground for several Christchurch senior club sides and while Hagley Oval is one of the oldest first-class grounds in the country it has not been used regularly for first-class play for many years.This match also celebrates 125 years of the Canterbury Cricket Association, just as the Otago match celebrated 125 years of Otago Cricket.Eight players with international experience have been included in the Canterbury side, including the match-winner from the last of the One-Day Internationals, Nathan Astle, world-ranked all-rounder Chris Cairns, Craig McMillan and Chris Harris.Fast-medium bowler Chris Martin could also play although he has to prove his fitness after a recent injury.Captain Gary Stead is a former international as is off-spinner Paul Wiseman. Warren Wisneski has played ODIs for New Zealand while Shanan Stewart and Wade Cornelius are graduates of last year’s New Zealand Cricket Academy intake.Both have made their mark in first-class play this summer while opener Robbie Frew has been in good touch this summer.Canterbury has disappointed in the State Championship this year but has had to play without its international players for much of the time.They will greatly strengthen the Canterbury side.England has had some good news however, Michael Vaughan is likely to play in the game. Vaughan suffered a shoulder dislocation while fielding in the fourth ODI in the recent series after playing one of the better innings of the series for the tourists.The injury has not completely recovered but by the time the match starts Vaughan is certain he will be ready and is keen to stamp his claim on a place in the Test side.Certainly after the batting embarrassments at Otago’s hands, an in form Vaughan would be greatly appreciated by England.The Canterbury team is: Gary Stead (captain), Robbie Frew, Michael Papps, Shanan Stewart, Craig McMillan, Nathan Astle, Chris Cairns, Chris Harris, Gareth Hopkins, Paul Wiseman, Warren Wisneski, Wade Cornelius, Chris Martin.The match will start at 12 noon each day.