Former Newcastle midfielder Lee Clark has admitted watching son Bobby lift the Carabao Cup with Liverpool was an emotional experience.
Left-arm spinner Jon Holland ran through Tasmania with a five-wicket haul on the first day in Hobart, where the Tigers were dismissed for 203 after choosing to bat first
ESPNcricinfo staff05-Dec-2016
ScorecardJon Holland claimed his third five-wicket haul in first-class cricket•Getty Images
Left-arm spinner Jon Holland ran through Tasmania with a five-wicket haul on the first day in Hobart, where the Tigers were dismissed for 203 after choosing to bat first. At stumps Victoria were 3 for 54 in reply, with nightwatchman Scott Boland on 1. Jackson Bird, captaining Tasmania for the first time in any format, had 2 for 25, having dismissed Travis Dean and Marcus Stoinis cheaply.But Tasmania still had much work ahead of them after their own batting struggles. Dom Michael made 54 and Simon Milenko chipped in with 52, but they were the only contributions of note as Victoria’s strong attack – all of its members have represented Australia in one format or another – gave them little respite.Holland finished with 5 for 49, the second-best figures of his first-class career, and he now has 25 at 17.08 in this Sheffield Shield season. John Hastings, overlooked for Australia’s ongoing Chappell-Hadlee campaign against New Zealand, picked up 2 for 29 from 16 overs, and Chris Tremain also claimed two wickets.
Players who hit the spotlight thanks to the media must be prepared for the harsh glare
Aakash Chopra11-Feb-2007
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In another game, where it generally pays to whack the ball as hard and as far as you possibly can, another often misunderstood sportsman once distinctively remarked, “Slump? I ain’t in no slump. I just ain’t hittin.” Baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra is now 80-plus, but many of his pithy ‘Yogiisms’ would be happily taken up by many of my cricketing colleagues. With the same spirit.Case in point: Ever since India’s tour to South Africa ended, Virender Sehwag has been the talk of the town. First for his omission in the series against West Indies, then for his inclusion in the side for this series (which, doubters believe, apparently bettered his chances for the World Cup), and now for an alleged manager’s report that is said to reveal a lot of damning secrets about his behaviour in South Africa.Intriguingly, this “report” was leaked just before Viru was set to play his first match after his comeback and that itself gives rise to many questions (which, of course, is not my job to raise).However, the situation took me back to the day before I made my debut for India in October 2003. I got a call from an inquisitive (and well known) journalist, ostensibly to ask about my plans for the Kiwis but matters quickly went another way. He soon reminded me of a couple of balls I had nicked in the side game prior to the Test and how lucky I was to find no third or fourth slip in place. He went on to tell me about an inside edge that missed the stumps narrowly and how I was seen to be uncomfortable against the Kiwi attack.He must have watched the tour game very closely indeed as he detected a flaw in my forward defence too (and told me in detail). Finally, when I put the phone down, I was in a daze and left wondering if there was anything right at all about my batting and technique. I had scored runs against the same opposition in the two warm-up games while playing for the Board President’s XI and India A but that conversation scared me more than actually facing Daniel Vettori and the others.And it was not an isolated incident. On the eve of our first Test in Australia, later that year, a senior, renowned cricket journalist took the time out to explain to me why I had neither the technique nor the temperament to face the Aussies at the Gabba!I’m certain every cricketer who’s played for the country has encountered similar situations. I haven’t spoken to Viru about this but I’m sure he’s been bombarded by calls and text messages in the past few days. I’m also sure a lot of people trying to get in touch with him were not ill-intentioned and were merely trying to put forward his case but does he need all that attention before a hugely important game?His focus should be on the game but is it really possible to not only switch off your cell phone but also switch off mentally and turn a deaf ear to whatever is happening around? If he manages to get runs in the next game, it will be dubbed a timely return to form ahead of the World Cup but, if he fails, no one will spare a moment of thought in sympathy for the man.Players are humans (though many believe they aren’t) and are as affected by the environment around them, especially if they’re in a fragile state of mind, as most other people. There’s more than enough on your plate during these times (regarding your form and self-belief) and any add-ons are disruptive. But who’s listening?
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On the eve of our first Test in Australia, later that year, a senior, renowned cricket journalist took the time out to explain to me why I had neither the technique nor the temperament to face the Aussies at the Gabba |
Before I’m attacked for being anti-media, let me quickly say I’m not. I think the media of today does a great job in highlighting domestic performances and bringing deserving players into the national reckoning. Look at how Robin Uthappa was rewarded for his outstanding first-class season and is now a new sensation. Or the way Ranadeb Bose has figured on every news channel after taking his team to the Ranji finals.This wasn’t the first time a player had scored in excess of 1000 runs or taken 57 wickets in a season. A few years ago, Tamil Nadu’s Sridharan Sriram scored more than 1200 runs in 12 games, Dinesh Mongia totalled more than 1000 in 11 while I managed to cross the 900-run mark (in 9 and 11 matches respectively) in two consecutive seasons.Similarly, Narendra Hirwani, the former India legspinner, took 79 wickets in 2002-03; the same season Sairaj Bahutule, another former India leggie, took 62 wickets. But did anyone really know anything about it then? The answer is no, simply because the kind of interest you see in domestic cricket now was absent a couple of years ago.This has happened because purely because of the media, thanks to whom people across the country now know in advance who’s next in line for an India cap, instead of knowing people only when they wear one.The added pressure is the flip side of the publicity. So not only do you have to develop a skin thick enough to face verbal assaults (read: sledging) from the opposition but also to prevent whatever is written or said about you in the media to get to you. Or, to paraphrase Yogi Berra, the nickel you have won’t be worth a dime. Tell us what you think of this article
Jermaine Blackwood returned to form with a patient half-century while R Ashwin scalped three wickets in the second innings as the Indians’ warm-up game against West Indies Cricket Board President’s XI petered out into a draw in Basseterre
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jul-2016
ScorecardJermaine Blackwood compiled a patient 143-ball 51•AFP
West Indies batsman Jermaine Blackwood returned to form with a patient half-century while R Ashwin scalped three wickets in the second innings as the Indians’ warm-up game against West Indies Cricket Board President’s XI petered out into a draw in Basseterre.Resuming from their overnight deficit of 158, batsmen Joel Campbell and Shai Hope started slowly. After striking Ravindra Jadeja for two sixes, Campbell holed out to mid-on for a 59-ball 31.Five overs later, Hope was caught by Virat Kohli at leg slip and the President’s XI were 70 for 3. However, Blackwood, who is part of West Indies’ Test squad for the India series, and Vishaul Singh expelled the Indians’ hopes of a win with a 62-run fourth-wicket partnership off 31 overs.”I’m fully confident,” Blackwood said after play. “The first innings [I] was looking to bat as long as possible, [I] have the feel of the bowlers. Now I know what they have to offer. I tried to pick the gap, not try to be as aggressive as my normal self and changed my approach. [I’m] always going to be confident, even if I get one ball or make a hundred, I’m still going to be the same Jermaine Blackwood.”Vishaul was run-out for 39 and Blackwood was bowled by Ashwin for 51 off 143 balls, but Montcin Hodge and Rahkeem Cornwall added 39 for the sixth wicket. Cornwall was caught behind for 21 off Mohammed Shami but with an Indian win seeming unlikely, the game was drawn with 78 overs bowled in the day.Seamers Shami and Shardul Thakur bowled 11 and 12 overs respectively, while spinners Ashwin, Jadeja and Amit Mishra shared 43 overs among them.”In both the (warm-up) games, pitches in St Kitts were slow,” Thakur said after the game. “We are expecting slower wickets in the Test matches. If there is a slow wicket the next time we play, it won’t surprise us. We are ready for it. Doesn’t matter what the pitch is – slow or fast. Effort matters. To put in that effort is my job.”India begin their four-Test series against West Indies in North Sound, Antigua from July 21.
More than 100 capped international players will be among the 351 players available for bidding at the upcoming IPL 2017 auction in Bangalore on February 20
Nagraj Gollapudi13-Feb-20170:48
Quick Facts: IPL 2017 Auction
A total of 351 players, which includes 122 capped internationals, will feature in the IPL auction, scheduled to be held in Bangalore on February 20. The final roster was pruned from the original list of 799 players, after the eight franchises submitted their wishlists to the IPL.Fast bowler Ishant Sharma is one of the seven players with a maximum base price of INR 2 crore – approximately US $298,000 – for the tenth player auction. The other six include three England players – allrounder Ben Stokes, ODI and T20I captain Eoin Morgan and allrounder Chris Woakes – two Australian fast men Mitchell Johnson and Pat Cummins, and Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews.In the initial list there were 160 capped players from nine countries – none from Pakistan – and 639 uncapped ones. The final list also contained six players from the Associates, including five from Afghanistan: captain Asghar Stanikzai, Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Shahzad, Rashid Khan and Dawlat Zadran. Shahzad and Rashid have the highest base prices among the five at INR 50 lakh. UAE batsman Chirag Suri was the other Associate player in the list.Seamer Sudeep Tyagi, who has played four ODIs, is the only one to have been cut from the original list of 24 capped Indian players.Considering they will have to put a majority of their players back into the auction in 2018, some franchise officials said they would not be too aggressive in buying players this season. However, they did agree that there would be considerable interest in the English players.Although the IPL is yet to decide on the retention rules, franchises expect the right-to-match option to be available. This allows a franchise to buy back a specific number of the players they have released for the auction by matching the highest bid those players attract. If they match the bid, they get the player.
Paris Saint-Germain chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi gave a blunt response when asked about Kylian Mbappe's future, amid his impending move to Real Madrid.
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Allan Donald has stated his desire to be Australia’s reverse swing sage after he was announced as the national team’s bowling coach for the tour of Sri Lanka
Daniel Brettig28-Apr-2016Allan Donald has stated his desire to be Australia’s reverse swing sage after he was formally announced as the national team’s bowling coach for the tour of Sri Lanka in July, with the possibility of a longer term appointment to follow.Cricket Australia confirmed the appointment on Thursday, with Donald revealing he had first been approached by Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann during the brief tour of South Africa that preceded the World Twenty20 in India. Donald’s record of success as a bowler on the subcontinent was a key factor in the choice, as Australia face tours of Sri Lanka and India either side of the next home summer.”From a Test match point of view you need to be using that new ball and using it really well, and being very disciplined,” Donald said of bowling on the subcontinent. “You take the conditions, not only the pitch but the heat the players have got to deal with, the humidity and that sort of thing but reverse swing is massive in the subcontinent. I’ve played enough against Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis to know what it takes to be able to execute that, it’s a massive key.”I certainly want to take reverse swing to another level – I think Australia have done it pretty well but I think there’s a lot more to it and a lot more skill to take a lot further. That for me is going to be a massive skill over there. To take 20 wickets over there you’ll need patience, discipline and skill, but reverse swing will be a massive key to making that happen.”Lehmann said he expected Donald to challenge conventional Australian thinking as the team tries to find ways to succeed away from familiar conditions. “He brings a wealth of experience with him and our guys will benefit greatly from having him around,” Lehmann said.”His Test record speaks for itself and he was without a doubt one of the most formidable bowlers of his generation. He has also had considerable success in subcontinent conditions and will bring a fresh perspective, and challenge some of our thinking.”Donald worked with South Africa’s bowlers from 2011 to 2015 but his contract was not renewed following last year’s World Cup. He said it was vital that he took time to build relationships with the current crop of fast men including Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, in what he hopes will grow into a longer term posting.”There’s no question if that opportunity does come a long then I’d love to work with Boof and his team without a shadow of a doubt,” Donald said. “For the moment it’s an opportunity just to come in and spend some time with the Australian culture … being part of that now is very special for me and very humbling. But if it does happen to be a long-term thing I’d absolutely love to do that. We’ll take it small steps at a time and see how that goes.”You can’t sit sit down and say ‘what am I trying to do’, I’ll be trying to sit down and get to know these guys for a period of time and then do what I can to help. I played cricket a lot against Australia and one thing that I have a lot of respect for is the way the Australians play their cricket.”It’s always giving it a crack and always willing to take a risk to give it a crack. Something I’ve always prided myself on as a bowler myself, so that sort of positive energy will help to get that across to some of the young guys in this Australian attack.”CA also named Stuart Law as interim batting coach for the tour, with Greg Blewett to be unavailable on parental leave. Sridharan Sriram, who worked with Australia prior to the World T20, will take the reins as fielding coach.
The ECB have contacted Durham’s creditors to try to negotiate a part writing-off of debts to put the county on a firmer financial footing
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Oct-2016The ECB have contacted Durham’s creditors to try to negotiate a part writing-off of debts to put the county on a firmer financial footing.The message to creditors is that, unless debts are further reduced, Durham’s involvement in events such as the 2019 World Cup cannot be guaranteed and their long-term viability remains uncertain.Durham have received a £3.8m bailout from the ECB. They have been relegated from Division One of the County Championship because of the need for emergency ECB support during the season and have been told that they will no longer be allowed to bid to host Test matches at Chester-le-Street.That, though, is only part of the approach. An ECB spokesman told the : “ECB has written to Durham County Council and the North East Local Enterprise Partnership asking them to support an all-creditors solution to enable Durham County Cricket Club to move towards a fully secure future.”The club’s acceptance of the ECB financial aid package is significant, but on its own does not give a long-term solution.
“For the club to have the best chance of a viable future in first class cricket – as well as host prestigious internationals and play a part in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup – it needs an approach which has the support of all creditors.”We have outlined a proposal which we believe gives the cricket club a viable future whilst ensuring creditors have the best opportunity to get their money back.”Durham City Council and the North East Local Enterprise Partnership will now be invited to reduce the debt burde4n in a similar manner in which Glamorgan escaped potential bankruptcy last year when Cardiff Council wrote off £4.4m debts as part of a restructuring in which creditors waived 70% of loans.In Glamorgan’s case, politicians conceded that the survival of the club was vital to the Welsh economy and the sporting community and its bankruptcy could not be contemplated. The ECB hopes that the same conclusion will be reached in the north-east.With too many international grounds to go round, the loss of Chester-le-Street as an England venue could easily be masked. But the north-east has been a fertile production ground for England players, leaving the ECB and the public bodies with deloicate negotiations ahead.The ECB already supports each first-class county to roughly £2m a year and felt obliged to penalise Durham heavily so that the impression does not grow that they will happily be the lender of last resort to every county that is badly run or that has embraced necessary expansion to bring England’s cricket grounds into the 21st century.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are being backed to make funds available for January transfers if Wrexham feel like they need more bodies on board.
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Nathan Lyon has suggested Matt Prior “wanted to fly home” during the 2013-14 Ashes because he was intimidated by Mitchell Johnson
George Dobell in Brisbane20-Nov-2017Matt Prior has dismissed claims he wanted to fly home from the last Ashes tour because he was scared of Mitchell Johnson’s bowling as “laughable”.The claims were made by Nathan Lyon who suggested the entire England team were terrified of Johnson during the 2013-14 series and said he “nearly had to push a couple of the guys back towards the stumps” from his fielding position at leg slip.Lyon, the Australian offspinner, was particularly critical of Prior whom he accused of “wanting to fly home” ahead of the Perth Test. Lyon went on to say he hoped Australia would end the careers of more England players in this series.”Seeing Mitchell Johnson scare all the Poms was unbelievable,” Lyon said. “I was at leg slip and I nearly had to push a couple of the guys back towards the stumps. It was good fun.”Leading into Perth we knew that they were broken. We knew Matt Prior wanted to fly home before the game started and he was one of the senior players. He was scared.”Prior, who was dropped after the third Test, said Lyon’s comments were “completely ridiculous” and untrue.”If that was the case and I was scared, why didn’t I go home then?” Prior said. “I have no idea where this has come from. It’s completely ridiculous and all I can do is laugh. It is wholeheartedly untrue.”I stayed out there and what hurt me more was that I was dropped for the last two Tests because I wasn’t playing well.”I hope the first Test goes well for Nathan. I will be watching with interest to see how he goes. He has other things to worry about rather than thinking about me. I hope he lets his cricket do the talking now.”Lyon also stated that Australia’s current attack was better and quicker than the one that inflicted a 5-0 whitewash upon England in 2013-14.”They are quicker,” Lyon said of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins. “In the nets, definitely. I saw Steve Smith land on his backside the other day. Johnson didn’t do that.”I’m not getting in the nets to face them because they are bowling way too quick for my liking. They are class bowlers.”But the best bowler in the world is Josh Hazlewood. He can swing the new ball in and out, he can seam it, he can bowl fast, he can bowl a nice bouncer, he can reverse an old ball. His consistency, the pace he bowls at and the way he controls the game is incredible. In my book he’s the No. 1 bowler in the world.”Lyon went on to raise a few more spectres from the 2013-14 series in Australia, when Kevin Pietersen and Graeme Swann were among the long-standing members of the England dressing room whose careers finished, while the coach, Andy Flower, also stepped down.”I know Joe Root got dropped last time when he was here, so it’d be good to get him dropped again,” Lyon said. “If we can start by opening up that crack, it’s pretty crucial. There’s a lot of scars for the English guys, especially coming over here, especially when we have two guys bowling 150kph and not just one now.”Could we end some careers? I hope so.”