Rahul Dravid is pleased with the players the Bangalore franchise had procured in the IPL auction, and believes his side has individuals who can handle pressure.Dravid, the icon for the Bangalore Royal Challengers, played down the talk of his side not buying any big names. “This is an erroneous perception,” he told Cricinfo. “The quality of Indian and international players in our team speak for themselves. They may not be glamorous in the areas people typically judge them by, but in terms of cricket they are fantastic and at the end of the day this is a cricket tournament and cricket is what is important.”We are fortunate to have such great players in the side. With them in the squad, we will get so much more experience and ability.”Unlike the others, the Bangalore franchise preferred innings builders, like Jacques Kallis, Wasim Jaffer and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, to aggressors. “We have players who have played under pressure,” Dravid said, “and therefore are confident that under similar circumstances in the Twenty20 matches, they will perform exceedingly well.”Although the franchise bought Anil Kumble, they failed in their bid to purchase Robin Uthappa, another Bangalore-based player in the Indian team. Uthappa, who was bought by the Mumbai franchise for a whopping US$800,000, would have not only provided a balance to Bangalore’s batting line-up but his purchase would have also helped fill up one slot among the four catchment area players.”As a Bangalore player, I obviously would have liked to have had Robin, who is from our catchment area, in the team,” Dravid said. “However, in an auction where there are rules and restrictions, it is not always possible to get every player one wants.”In fact, none of the teams were able to get all the players they would have liked to. However, having said that I would like to add that I am excited with the team we have got.”On the potentially match-winning bowling attack that his team has lined up – Dale Steyn, Nathan Bracken, Zaheer Khan and Anil Kumble, Dravid said, “The idea was to have a good balance, which is very important for the tournament.”Dravid said Australian allrounder Cameron White, whomBangalore bought for US$500,000 at the auction, was an “exciting” addition.”I think people are getting a bit confused by the price aspect. It’s just reflective of the current situation in cricket and what people want. White is a very exciting Twenty20 player and his domestic record [with two Twenty20 hundreds] in Australia is phenomenal. He was always on our wishlist.”Asked whether he viewed the 44-day Twenty20 tournament starting in April 18 as a platform to stage a comeback into the Indian one-day team, Dravid said: “I am not looking at this that way. To be honest, this is something new for all of us. There are so many things you want to experience as a player. Personally, I have seen and experienced a lot over the last 12 years [in international cricket]. Now, I am just so glad that at this point of my career, I will be a part of this new experience.”Dravid didn’t want to divulge much about the strategies that his side were planning to adopt during the tournament, set to start on April 18. “It is still too early for me to comment on this. At the moment I am focused on getting fit after my finger injury [sustained during the Test series in Australia] and preparing for the Test matches against South Africa.”
Lord MacLaurin, the former chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, has called for a major review of the ICC in the wake of the murder of Bob Woolmer last Sunday.”When you have a terrible situation like we are now facing, one’s got to look at the whole of the operation: the directorship; the way it’s run; the calibre of people that are doing it,” he said. “We’ve got to have the very best people running world cricket, otherwise we will continue to have problems.”Although police do not, as yet, have any proof that corruption and match-fixing are the heartbeat of the whole investigation, the smoke signals are there. Rumours abound that Woolmer’s forthcoming book was to reveal the true extent of the game’s rotten core and have invited reactions from across cricket’s community, with Michael Vaughan, the England captain, conceding corruption is, in his “gut instinct,” still part of the game.”When you’ve got something like this happening, which has really besmirched this World Cup, we’ve got to look at absolutely everything in cricket and make sure no stone is left unturned to make sure we do the very, very best for cricket around the world,” MacLaurin said.It was during MacLaurin’s tenure as ECB chairman, in 2000, that the first thorough investigation into cricket’s match-fixing was undertaken. MacLaurin employed Sir Paul Condon, the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner who, although now retired, is on standby to assist. In his 2001 report Condon recommended a permanent Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) be installed which, since 2003, has been in West Indies preparing for the World Cup and identifying suspect gangs and syndicates.”The only way I can suggest you stop it – or try to stop it – is to make sure you have the finest people running world cricket that you can possibly have,” MacLaurin said. “But you will always have a problem, whether it be cricket or soccer or even in business.”
Australia put themselves in a strong position after two days of the one-off Adelaide Test, forcing India to follow on and then reducing them to 3 for 51 in their second innings. Dismissed for 93 in their first innings in reply to Australia’s 250, India lost the key wickets of Mithali Raj and Anjum Chopra in the final session to Lisa Sthalekar’s offbreaks.India were in trouble as soon as their innings started and were unable to cope with some aggressive bowling. Sarah Andrews, on debut, prised out Monica Sumra – caught by the captain Karen Rolton – in the fourth over before triggering a dramatic collapse.From 1 for 41, India fell to 6 for 51 at lunch with Andrews trapping Karu Jain – India’s highest scorer with 21 – and Cathryn Fitzpatrick removing Raj (16) and Rumeli Dhar (4). Nooshin Al Khader stuck around for 41 minutes for 16, but Julie Hayes removed her as India were bowled out in 61.4 overs. Fitzpatrick was the most successful bowler with 3 for 24.Rolton had little hesitation in enforcing the follow on and gave her side the breakthrough with Jain’s wicket. If India enjoyed a reasonably good day with the ball yesterday, then today it was Australia’s turn to show their abilities.Resuming on 8 for 230, Australia lost Hayes and Andrews early and were bowled out for 250, with Jodie Purves remaining unbeaten on 43. Jhulan Goswami was the pick for India with 4 for 43 off 24 overs.
CloseSouth Africa 130 for 6 need another 214 runs to avoid the follow-on against West Indies 543 for 5 dec Scorecard and ball-by-ball details How they were out
West Indies’ bowlers carried on where their batsmen left off, in glorious critic-defying mood, reducing a quivering South Africa to 130 for 6 and in big trouble in the first Test in Guyana. Fewer than 37 overs were possible on the third day after heavy rains delayed the start and bad light brought an early finish, but West Indies more than made good use of what they had: after an impressive cleaning-up operation from the groundstaff came an even more outstanding mopping-up display as their pace bowlers applied the cosh.Pedro Collins and Daren Powell started the rot, each striking twice to set South Africa reeling at 30 for 4 in the hour that was possible before tea. Powell accounted for both Jacques, Rudolph and Kallis, and both departed without scoring as South Africa were rocked by an explosive display of devastating swing bowling. But it was the early departure of Kallis, the ultimate flat-track bully, that provided the biggest boost to a frustrated West Indies team who had been waiting patiently for play to commence.Kallis sought to exploit the bowling from the off on a docile pitch that should have favoured his accumulative style. Instead he hooked his second ball – a short one outside off stump – straight onto his stumps. It was an injudicious shot so early in his innings, particularly with his team in so much trouble. Their situation worsened when Collins trapped Herschelle Gibbs just before tea, and a buoyant West Indies further turned the screw in the final session.AB de Villiers and Mark Boucher stabilised the innings for a time, aware that the follow-on was looming, but de Villiers mixed edges with class shots and finally went too far, as the wayward Reon King strayed close enough to induce the edge.Boucher held firm and he was joined by Nicky Boje; they were unbeaten at the end of the day. But South Africa are still way short of safety: they need 214 runs to avoid the follow-on, with just four wickets remaining. The forecast for tomorrow is for more rain. It may be South Africa’s only hope of saving this game.How they were outSouth AfricaSmith c Browne b Collins 2 (15 for 1) Prodded regulation edge at one swinging away.Rudolph c R Hinds b Powell 0 (16 for 2) Thick-edged first ball to third slip for good, low catch.Kallis b Powell 0 (16 for 3) Looked to pick up short one on off-side, but slashed hook straight onto his stumps.Gibbs lbw Collins 0 (30 for 4) Trapped plumb in front.de Villiers c Browne b King 41 (71 for 5) Inside-edged through to keeper.Hall c Collins b King (95 for 6) Poor stroke to innocuous delivery – but an impressive tumbling forward catch at wide mid-on.
Kenya left for the Caribbean today to start a ten-week tour during which time they will participate in the domestic Carib Beer Series. They start their campaign against the West Indies ‘A’ team at St. Kitts on January 9.”It’s going to be a great tour for us since we will play in all the Carribean islands during the eight weeks,” said Andy Moles, Kenya’s new coach. “It is a long tour and there are opportunities for both the younger players and the established ones to show what they can do at a different level of the game, in a different environment.”The team, which includes three junior players, will be without the country’s leading bowler Thomas Odoyo, who underwent a successful knee operation in December. “I’m sad to have to miss the tour but I have to save my future career,” said Odoyo. “I hope Alfred Luseno who takes my place in the team will be a good replacement and will learn a lot during the tour.”Kenya squad Steve Tikolo (capt), Martin Suji, Peter Ongondo, Maurice Odumbe, Hitesh Modi, Brijal Patel, Lameck Onyango, Alfred Luseno, Kennedy Obuya, Maurice Ouma, Francis Otieno, Collins Obuya, Ravindu Shah, Rageb Aga.
New Zealand Cricket boss Martin Snedden has been delighted with the way the ICC Under-19 World Cup has worked out.It is the first big tournament run since he became chief executive of NZC last year, although staff members were involved in the running of the CricInfo Women’s World Cup in 2000.”It has been terrific. All the feedback has been great and the organisation has been spot on.”I know the ICC representatives here have been over the moon about the efficiency of the operation.”Tim Murdoch and Catherine Campbell have gone a great job of organisation while Karl Johnson and his team have done an amazing job on the grounds at Lincoln for the tournament.”And reports from Auckland and Dunedin where preliminary rounds were played have also been terrific.”It has just gone perfectly, touch wood. It has exceeded my expectations. I knew our people were good, but I am very pleased with how this has gone,” he said.All it needs now is for fine weather for the last three days of the event, tomorrow, Friday for the Plate Championship final and Saturday for the World Cup final.The High Performance Centre which includes New Zealand’s cricket academy has stood up well under the pressures and scrutinies of overseas teams.”It is an excellent facility,” Snedden said.”We are under-taking a major review of it over the next few months. It has been going for a five-year period and we want to see what we can do better,” he said.
After making heavy weather of a target of 172 off50 overs, Tamil Nadu managed to edge past Andhraby two wickets in their South Zone Ranji One-Dayencounter at the CPT-India Pistons Ground atChennai. On winning the toss, Andhra skipper ASPathak elected to bat first on a slow wicket. Thisturned out to be a good decision for the skipper,but not necessarily so for the team. Opening theinnings for the visiting side, Pathak made asteady 80 (100 balls, 9 fours) before he was runout by substitute fielder R Satish.Unfortunately there was no serious support forPathak other than a innings of 32 from FaiyazAhmed. With seven batsmen failing to make it todouble figures, Andhra slumped to 171 all out in49.2 overs. Chasing a target of 172 should nothave been a tall order for the Tamil Nadu side.However, they have not been in the best of battingform in the tournament and this hampered them.Free stroking southpaw Sridharan Sharath openedthe innings and looked to get his eye in. After hewas well set he began to open up, driving the ballwell square of the wicket. After making anenterprising 47, he departed, falling tooffspinner Vatekar. The middle order failed yetagain and a mini collapse was at hand. At 114 for6, it looked like Andhra would pull off an upsetvictory.Aashish Kapoor and Thirunavukarasu Kumaran ensuredthat this did not happen. Batting sensibly, Kapoormanaged 19 from 26 balls before being trapped legbefore wicket by Vatekar. At this stage Tamil Naduwere 144 for 8 and there was still a bit of workto be done. Kumaran mixed a cautious straight batwith several well placed heaves and Tamil Naduwere nearly home. A frantically scampered leg byeoff the third ball of the last over took the homeside to victory by just two wickets.Tamil Nadu take on an inform Hyderabad tomorrow,and will have to do much better if they want tocome out of the game with a positive result.
Wolves are looking to tie down ‘other star players’ after committing Pedro Neto to a new contract.
The lowdown
It emerged on Wednesday that Neto had penned a new deal, tying him to Wolves until the summer of 2027.
According to Transfermarkt, Neto is their second most valuable player at an estimated £31.5million, behind Ruben Neves (£36million).
It was only in November 2020 that the winger last signed a long-term contract extension.
The latest
Late on Wednesday night, Express and Star journalist Liam Keen relayed news on Twitter from Bruno Lage’s press conference.
‘Following Pedro Neto’s new contract’, he reports, ‘Bruno Lage says that Wolves are working hard’ on extending their other big names.
Indeed, the manager told the media that the ‘next move’ was to secure the signature of those players who ‘want to put the club on a different level’.
The verdict
So then, who should be next?
Well, Neves is under contract for another two years and three months, meaning there’s arguably no immediate pressure to bring him to the table.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
But Wolves may see it differently. Neto was under contract until 2025, and an early extension can ward off interest from suitors, or at the very least increase a player’s value to a ridiculous sum if they were to leave.
Arsenal were strongly linked with Neves last summer, and Wolves may be wary of fresh approaches this time around unless he signals his commitment to the club.
In other news, Tim Spiers reacts as footage of a loanee emerges.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) has delayed announcing the national squad for the tour to Bangladesh, amid reports of a row over quotas between board president Norman Arendse and the five-man selection committee.The squad was to be finalised on Tuesday and Arendse attributed the delay to the fitness of Neil McKenzie and Andre Nel, who have injuries to the calf muscle and neck respectively and are to be assessed on Monday. “If two of the players [Neil McKenzie and Andre Nel] selected for Bangladesh are not fit and will undergo fitness tests on Monday, why don’t we wait until Monday before we announce the squad,” Arendse was quoted by .Arendse denied reports that he wanted Herschelle Gibbs and Monde Zondeki, both of whom are coloured, to be included in the squad. “At no stage did I say I’m insisting on Gibbs and Zondeki,” Arendse said. “I did not mention their names.”The reported a heated discussion between Arendse and the selectors after the squad chosen by them contained four coloured players against the seven required by CSA policy, after which Arendse refused to approve the squad.While not directly touching on that issue, Arendse said: “My role is not to rubber-stamp the squad. My role is to ensure that the CSA transformation policy is complied with. That may seem controversial to some people but it remains the policy of CSA.”However, South Africa coach Mickey Arthur, who is on the selection panel, said he wanted his strongest team on the field in Bangladesh given that it is followed by a three-Test tour of India. “As a coach and a selector I share Norman’s determination to push the transformation agenda,” Arthur told Reuters. “At the same time, I want to be able to look every player in the eye and tell him: ‘I believe you’re the best player for this position’.”
Darrell Hair’s claim that the ICC’s decision to bar him from officiating in major international matches was racially-motivated will be heard by an employment tribunal in London starting on October 1. The hearing is expected to last around a fortnight.Hair has recently returned to Sydney after living for three years in England. He told the Australian media that it was “unsure but unlikely” he would umpire again, although James Sutherland, Cricket Australia’s CEO, hinted that Hair might be offered a contract to umpire first-class cricket there.”We had three good years living in England,” Hair said, “but I am sure we will enjoy living here as well.”Hair is believed to be writing his memoirs which are expected to be published at Christmas.