Compared with the soul-searching and winter-long agonising that went intoEngland’s eventual refusal to visit Zimbabwe for lastyear’s World Cup, the decision that Steve Harmison reached this morning wasan absolute no-brainer. But it was no less laudable for that.In the 18 months that have passed since that World Cup,Harmison’s stock as a cricketer has risen exponentially, the standard ofthe Zimbabwean team has fallen through the floor, and the situation in that country becomes ever more objectionable by the day. In the eyes of those who seek to put a political spin on every step of this saga, he had muchto lose from taking the trip, but plenty to gain from taking a stand.The tour will probably benefit from his absence as well. At a time when theworld is debating whether cricket’s minnow nations have any place inthe big pond, it makes no sense for Harmison, one of the meanest pikes inthe game, to be let loose on such defenceless opposition in suchmeaningless circumstances. If England are obliged to take part in thisseries, then the least they can do is blood some young bowlers and makea competition of it.Harmison has long had a reputation as a somewhat reluctant traveller, sothe moral aspect of his stand is probably less relevant than was the casewith Australia’s Stuart MacGill, who might now be reflecting on whether his refusal to tour Zimbabwe had anything to do with his omission from nextmonth’s India series. Naturally, Harmison has no such fears.But looking at the bigger picture, this tour is an unwanted distraction forEngland. They have a crucial nine months coming up, with a massive series in South Africa in December, followed by next summer’s Ashes. The morale ofthe side is every bit as important as form and fitness, and all three couldbe jeopardised on this trip.Harmison has a young family to consider and a huge workload ahead of him.Secretly, the England management may be hoping that his influence rubs offon some of the other key players, not least that man Flintoff. For the timebeing, less is definitely more.
Graeme Smith (left): a doubtful starter for the latest ODI
Graeme Smith is doubtful for the NatWest Triangular Series clash against England at Old Trafford on Thursday after injuring his shoulder during South Africa’s 46-run victory against Zimbabwe at Canterbury.Smith fell twice while attempting to catch Travis Friend in the outfield and though scans and X-rays revealed no serious damage, he faces a race against time to be fit for the day-night game.”It’s not the best preparation for the next match, but Shane (Jabbar) [the physio] and I have been working extremely hard and will continue this evening,” he said. “I had a couple of injections today which seem to have helped as well as I’m not feeling nearly as much pain. It has definitely improved a lot from Monday. If I play I will play with a fair bit of pain – but I would love to play and give 100%. I am working very hard on getting myself fit.”A final decision regarding Smith’s participation will be taken on Thursday morning. South Africa are currently bottom of the table, though they have played one game less than the other two teams. A continuous light drizzle prevented them from practising on Tuesday.
The Tasmanian Cricket Association has all but put the finishing touches on a spectacular new grandstand at its home ground. But it may not be enough to prevent local fans from tearing down the facilities at the Bellerive Oval if Jamie Cox is never chosen to play for his country.At a time when Australian cricket continues to struggle to find its best Test opening combination, Cox continues to make runs. By the bucketload.And so it was that New South Wales suffered badly at his hands at the opening of a new Pura Cup season here at the Sydney Cricket Ground today. Though a sensational burst with the second new ball from Stuart Clark (4/24) significantly improved matters for the locals in the last half hour, the Tigers dominated the first day of this contest, powering their way to a scoreline of 4/328 by the time that bad light forced an early finish.Devastated by a stand of 205 for the opening wicket between Cox (107) and Dene Hills (136), and then another of 113 for the second between Hills and captain Ricky Ponting (75*), an attack that contained even the likes of Glenn McGrath (0/86) and Stuart MacGill (0/87) looked powerless to halt the onslaught.”I was actually very disappointed (in some ways); I feel as though I left a lot (of runs) out there as well. To get small hundreds is a bit frustrating to be honest, but overall it’s still very satisfying nonetheless,” said Cox after stumps.It was Tasmania’s openers who did all the day’s hard work, their approach watchful initially before they expanded their range of shots expertly even against a new ball which seamed sharply at times on a pitch tinged with grass at both ends.As always, Cox’s driving and cutting through the off side was a feature, albeit that the Blues did not seem to heed the message from earlier years that straying for length on the off side is generally not the best method of either containing or conquering him.Even by the time that MacGill spilled a hot caught and bowled chance when the Tasmanian vice-captain’s score was 70, he had already become the first player in history to score 10,000 first-class runs for the island state.His forty-second first-class century (and his twelfth against this opponent) also swelled his phenomenal haul of runs against New South Wales alone to a whopping 1574 from his last 15 completed innings.The reigning Pura Cup Player of the Year was a controversial omission from the Australian squad which toured England this winter. He has also ceded the state captaincy to Ponting, the one representative that Tasmania does provide to the national team these days. But his thirst for runs seemingly remains undiminished.”Enormous hopes – I’ve had them all my life,” he said of his aspirations for the Test opening role that might well be opening up for him after Michael Slater’s removal from the position in England.”Whilst I’m still playing and feeling good and feeling young, then they’ll stay. If I keep scoring runs, then hopefully a door may open.”It’s one of the things with selection: you never know how close or how far away you might be.”After enduring fluctuating fortunes in 2000-01, Hills was also back to his fluent best, striking the ball beautifully to both sides of the wicket. Ponting was similarly in control in driving, hooking and cutting with savage intent through the middle and late afternoon, even slamming three successive boundaries off Test teammate McGrath at one point. By the time that they reached a scoreline of 1/318, an imposing position by stumps looked a near formality for the visitors.Clark had other ideas, generating a devastating spell that yielded figures of 3/0 in the space of eight balls and forced all-rounder Scott Kremerskothen (0*) to hospital with a broken nose and an horrific wound above his left eye. That blow came courtesy of a lifting delivery that spat off a length and chiselled its way between the peak and grill of a hooking Kremerskothen’s helmet en route to the bridge of his nose.The Tasmanian all-rounder was not the first player to head from the ground to the casualty ward, though.Mark Waugh had also ventured there earlier in the day – needing two stitches to repair split webbing on his right hand – after grassing a chance to accept an edge from Hills (then on just 7) at second slip off McGrath.And, if it hadn’t been for Clark’s intervention, then the whole Blues’ side might have been on their way there after stumps too.
Wayne Rooney has been handed a three game ban that means the Manchester United striker will be ineligible for all of England’s group games. The FA need to decide as to whether to appeal, given a rejection could see Rooney missing further matches in the tournament.
Elsewhere in the news Scott Parker claims he is getting better with age; Kenny Dalglish hails Steven Gerrard, while Adel Taarabt is free to leave Queens Park Rangers.
Rooney handed three match ban
Scott Parker getting better with age
Taarabt given the greenlight to leave QPR
Andre Villas-Boas backs move
Ferguson eyes Anfield improvement
Dalglish hails Steven Gerrard
Carlos Tevez forced to train alone
Phil Jagielka seeks self-improvement
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.
Arsenal join City in the race for Serb
Liverpool lead £5m Premier League pursuit of Celtic ace
India Under-19 coach Rahul Dravid has said that best message he can give his players heading for the World Cup in Bangladesh is to treat it as a stepping stone on their journey towards the national dressing room. This would be Dravid’s first major assignment in the job, but he is “not trying to win the World Cup” as a coach. Instead, he is focussed on helping the youngsters grow into capable players who can graduate towards playing for the national team in the future.”My message to them is to focus on actually improving, getting better, seeing this as an opportunity to learn and grow as a cricketer, to see this World Cup as another exposure they are getting at a very young age,” Dravid said at the pre-departure media briefing in Mumbai. “They are lucky to get this at a young age. That’s all I tell them about: it is just one step in their journey hopefully as cricketers. Nobody wants to end up being just an Under-19 India cricketer. That is not the aspiration of anybody in that dressing room we are sitting.”According to Dravid, just being consumed by the thought of winning the World Cup would not serve the young players well considering they ought to focus on the long-term goal of working towards earning the Indian cap. “I always keep reminding them there are enough examples of people who go on to play India Under-19, but don’t go on to represent India. Conversely there are very good examples of people who have played at this level and then actually gone on to represent India. The important thing is you have to go on from here, score runs in first-class cricket, score runs in List A games and then get the recognition from the selectors.”As a player himself, Dravid participated in three World Cups with the national team (1999, 2003, 2007), with the last one as captain where India bowed out in the group stages. Dravid emphasised that he was not looking at the Under-19 tournament to cover up for the absence of a World Cup trophy in his career. He pointed out that his impact as a coach would always be limited. Hence it was important the players understood it was for them to work hard and execute the plans drawn by him and his coaching staff comprising Paras Mhambrey (fast bowling coach) and Abhay Sharma (spin bowling coach).”I am not really going into this [tournament thinking] if we win it or if we lose it,” Dravid said. “I know the role of a coach. And I know how much a coach can influence and impact a result. I am realistic about that. I knew how much I could impact the result as a player and I am realistic about how much I can impact the result as a coach. So it is in their hands. It is their opportunity, their team, their World Cup. And it is their opportunity to win the World Cup. Not necessarily mine as a coach really.”I am not trying to win the World Cup as a coach. I am trying to hopefully grow and develop these guys. Winning the Under-19 World Cups is honestly not the be all and end all of anything. In the end I will be happier if some of these guys go on and play for India. That should be their aim and real aspiration.”In the previous edition of the tournament, played in the UAE in 2014, India had finished fifth after failing to make the semi-finals, but had topped Group A with three wins from as many matches. This time Dravid is more confident about what he calls a balanced Indian squad. The other teams in India’s group are New Zealand, Nepal and Ireland, but Dravid pointed out that he would not read too much into the oppositions at this stage.”One of the things about Under-19 [is that] you don’t really know, you don’t have enough knowledge about a lot of Under-19 teams. So I am not really focussed on who we are going to play against. It is really about can we do what we do well. Now I believe there is a lot of talent in the group. We are covered in all departments. We have got good fast bowlers, we have got very good spinners, we have got allrounders, we bat deep upto No. 8. So we have got it all covered. It is about executing our skills and the boys performing under pressure. If they play well and if they perform upto the potential that I have seen over the last two months then I don’t think we need to worry too much what the other teams are like.”India’s 15-member squad will be led by Jharkhand batsman Ishan Kishan. Their first match of the World Cup will be against Ireland on January 28 in Mirpur.
Matthew Hayden has urged Cricket Australia not to adopt a zero-tolerance approach on drugs because he believes the issue needs flexibility. The board is set to announce a new policy and Hayden, who is strongly opposed to drugs in sport, would welcome a “two strikes” rule that would give players one chance at rehabilitation.”I don’t think you can have a zero-tolerance policy on drugs because it’s not as black and white as that,” Hayden told the . “For example, what sort of drugs? Shane Warne was hit with a drugs charge but it was nothing more than a diuretic. Is that the same as Shoaib Akhtar getting caught out with steroids in his system?”There has to be flexibility. When drugs stuff goes public, like Shane went public, he is considered a drug cheat. It is a debate on a human life. I don’t think zero tolerance is the way to go.”The No. 1 aim is to eliminate drugs within any sporting code. As a part of that you have to look at the individual and help them become rehabilitated the most effective and the quickest possible way.”
Ranjan Madugalle, the chief adjudicator in Inzamam-ul-Haq’s ICC hearing, has called for more diplomacy if a situation similar to The Oval Test between England and Pakistan arises again.At the bottom of his lengthy decision Madugalle, who is also the ICC’s chief referee, says that every effort should be made to continue play before the ultimate call to abandon a match is taken. There is a feeling from the Pakistan camp that Darrell Hair was heavy-handed in the way he explained the situation to Inzamam, and his team, at the team interval and would not enter into any discussion.In his judgment Madugalle said: “The umpires would do everything possible to try to defuse tensions in the dressing-room by explaining that a team is entitled to raise any grievance through the ICC but that it is not in their interests, or in the interests of the game, for the team to interrupt play.”And he continued: “The umpires and other officials should do everything possible to ensure the resumption of play. And they should not return to the field of play and then declare the match to be forfeited unless and until they are absolutely sure that the team is refusing to play the rest of the match. All other options should first be exhausted, involving discussions with the team captains and management.”
ScorecardSajeewa Weerakoon, the left-arm spinner, took 4 for 28 to reduce South Africa A to 108 for 6 with an overall lead of just 129 at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground in Colombo. Sri Lanka A seized control of the match after conceding a first-innings lead of 21 as they were dismissed for 224.Paul Adams and Monde Zondenki took three wickets each to skittle out Sri Lanka A for 224 after they were 16 for 1 overnight. Kaushal Lokuarachchi remained unbeaten on 53. Ian Daniel (48) and Jehan Mubarak (46) made useful contributions. Thami Tsolekile and Johan Botha will resume the South African innings on the third day.
ScorecardA stubborn innings from Mushfiqur Rahim boosted Bangladesh to 273 on the opening day of their Test match against England U-19 at Taunton. After Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat, they made a shaky start with Mark Turner taking 5 for 57, but Rahim held things together with 88. England then closed at 33 for 0.Adam Harrison and Ravi Bopara both made early breakthroughs for England, with Harrison removing both openers in the 20s, including Nafis Iqbal, who was called up for the national squad to play in the ICC Champions Trophy in England next month. Bopara then had Aftab Ahmed, who has also been called up, and Dhiman Ghosh caught behind by Steven Davies, the wicketkeeper, in quick succession, and Bangladesh had slumped to 84 for 4.However, Nazimuddin and Nadif Chowdhury forged a recovery stand of 104 to put Bangladesh back on track until Bopara struck again for the third time when he trapped Nazimuddin for 35. Nafid then fell almost immediately when he was caught by Samit Patel off Turner for 36.Turner then pegged Bangladesh back further with two more wickets. Nazmul Hossain and Enamul Haque jnr both fell cheaply, caught by Davis, to leave the score at 167 for 8. But during that time, Rahim was quietly going about his business. He hit 10 fours and three sixes in his innings, which lasted over three hours.He received good support from Shahadat Hossain, who became Turner’s fourth victim for 12, and from Ashim Chowdhury, who hung about until Rahim was lbw to Turner shortly before the close.
Arjuna Ranatunga, Sri Lanka’s former captain, has bemoaned the decision toappoint two separate captains for Test and one-day cricket in a recentinterview with the .
Ranatunga also criticised the selectors for not consulting Marvan Atapattu,the current one-day captain, who they believed would be overburdened by theresponsibility of handling both jobs at the outset.”I vehemently object to having two captains for the national team,” saidRanatunga. “If Marvan (Atapattu) was not good enough for the (Test)captaincy then they should have handed it to someone who could have handledboth. I think the selectors should have consulted Marvan on the issue.””If you look at the last two one-day international championships (in Sharjahand Dambulla), where we failed to make it to the final, the problem was notthe captaincy issue but the fact they were not given a proper team. AvishkaGunawaradene, Romesh Kaluwitharana and even Upul Chandana, who made usefulcontributions in the Caribbean, were not given the nod when they were ingood touch.”
Ranatunga doesn’t doubt the captaincy skills of his former colleague, HashanTillakaratne, but he believes that he should have been given a chanceearlier instead of Sanath Jayasuriya, who was appointed after Ranatunga’ssacking. “I don’t say that Hashan is not fit for the captaincy,” he says.”He should have been made captain in 1999.”Ranatunga only recently lost the race for the cricket board presidency,winning just seven votes compared to the 121 clinched by ThilangaSumathipala. But Ranatunga rubbishes the suggestion that his candidacy was amistake.
“Actually, I am very happy with the way things went,” he claimed. “I cameforward to prove a point, which many people did not want to accept. But theman on the street understood. I chose to bell the cat, which in future willbe an example to BCCSL aspirants.””Experience has shown how an organized group is influencing the BCCSLaffairs. It culminated on June 6 when the election was held. I don’t thinkwith this situation and single good cricketer or administrator would want tocome forward.””The situation is such that even if you led Sri Lanka to five world crowns,you cannot win the BCCSL election. It is very hard to beat them. If RanilWickremasinghe, the Prime Minister, had contested, he would have lost too.”Defiant to the end, Ranatunga pledged to continue his battle. “I think thegeneral public is aware of the corrupted system and I will continue toexpose these things in the future as well.”