Offspinner is set to play competitive cricket for the first time since May 2019

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Mar-2021

Harbhajan Singh has not played competitive cricket in nearly two years and is entering his first bio-bubble environment since the Covid-19 pandemic began, but feels sure of “what needs to be done” as he prepares to represent his third IPL franchise – the Kolkata Knight Riders – in what will be his 13th IPL season.”These questions [about playing after a gap] are asked because I haven’t played a lot of cricket of late so teams are a bit defensive at auction and they don’t want to bid for me,” Singh, who was bought by the Knight Riders for INR 2 crore (US$ 273,000 approx.) in the 2021 auction, told PTI. “But let me remind all that when I did well for CSK in 2019 IPL, I hadn’t played any domestic cricket. I came to the camp, prepared and went into the match. At my level and experience, I know what needs to be done.”I don’t need to play domestic cricket for Punjab and stop a young talent from flourishing. That boy needs that chance more than me.”Singh, 40, had pulled out of last year’s IPL, when he was part of the Chennai Super Kings, because of “personal reasons” and had said “family takes precedence over sport”. He said he felt more confident now about being in a bubble because the IPL as back in India and people “have now got used to new normal”.”Last year, when IPL happened, Covid-19 in India was at its peak,” he said. “I was concerned about my family and also about hard quarantine in India after coming back. But this year, it’s happening in India and also we have now got used to new normal. Vaccines have come. Also it’s my family which pushed. My wife told me that I should go and play.”Singh had played 11 matches in the 2019 IPL for the Super Kings and picked up 16 wickets while conceding only 7.09 runs per over. Singh played eight of those 11 matches in Chennai and Delhi, where pitches are known to favour spinners more than fast bowlers. This time, he joins the Knight Riders’ spin attack of Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, and the franchise has its 14 league games spread across four cities: Chennai (three), Mumbai (two), Ahmedabad (four) and Bengaluru (five).”We have a good team,” Singh said. “T20 is all about three players in a team, could be any three, clicking on that particular day. You see Mumbai Indians are a side which has all its bases covered but they are still beatable. It could be a Rahul Tripathi or a Nitish Rana can win it for us.”Singh has primarily been a T20 player for over three years now, having last played first-class cricket in November 2017, for Punjab in the Ranji Trophy. Since then, he has featured in domestic T20s [Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy] twice and has mainly been playing the IPL since 2018, barring three games in the domestic circuit.”I have got nothing to prove to anyone. My intention is to play well, enjoy my stint out there in the middle and playing cricket still gives me that satisfaction. I have set a standard for myself and if I don’t meet that, I don’t need anyone else but I will blame myself. I need to ask myself, ‘did I put in the optimum effort that was required’,” he said. “Yes, I am not a 20-year-old anymore and won’t be training like I did then. But yes, as a 40-year-old, I know I am fit and will certainly do what is required to succeed at this level. The expectation is still going to be there and responsibilities that were there when I was playing for India remains.”Every season, I introspect if I have it in me to play or not. If I feel I am done, I will say, ‘thank you, very much’. If I feel I am doing alright, you will see me next year.”

Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has ruthlessly snubbed one of his most influential former Blues teammates when naming his all-time Premier League XI.

Football FanCast ranks Premier League's greatest-ever players

Football FanCast have now ranked the greatest players in Premier League history, and there is certainly no shortage of Chelsea players among them, with former captain John Terry named as the best centre-back to have ever played in the top flight.

Petr Cech also tops the list of goalkeepers, while Didier Drogba is regarded as the ninth-best striker in Premier League history, having maintained a fantastic record in front of goal throughout his time at Stamford Bridge, culminating in the Blues winning the 2012 Champions League final.

As such, it will come as no surprise to learn that Terry, Cech and Drogba all feature in Obi Mikel’s all-time Premier League XI, but the former central midfielder has ruthlessly snubbed one of his former teammates.

As reported by talkSPORT, the Nigerian named N’Golo Kante and Paul Scholes as his two central midfielders, leaving out Frank Lampard, and he even went on to clarify that the ex-England international wouldn’t have featured in a three-man midfield either.

Lampard undoubtedly one of the greatest Premier League midfielders

It is a little strange that the 38-year-old opted to omit his former teammate, given that the Englishman is without doubt one of the best Premier League midfielders of all time, particularly impressing on the front foot.

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The Coventry City manager chipped in with a remarkable 211 goals and 149 assists in 648 professional appearances for Chelsea, cementing his place in the Premier League Hall of Fame in the process.

That said, Kante is also a fantastic choice from a more defensive point of view, given what the Frenchman achieved at Leicester City and Stamford Bridge, winning two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, the 2020-21 Champions League and the 2018-19 Europa League.

Lampard played in a golden era of midfielders, sharing the stage with the likes of Scholes and Gerrard, and a number of other former Chelsea stars, who also feature in our list of the best Premier League midfielders of all-time.

Joe Root has reiterated his call for changes to be made in county cricket to provide players with better preparation for the international game.Root, England’s Test captain, suggested that flatter wickets and a change to the bonus-point system might result in conditions more akin to Test cricket. In particular, he argued that better batting surfaces would bring spinners into the game more and provide batsmen with the experience of playing the sort of long innings that tend to define results in Tests.At present, the County Championship tends to be dominated by seamers making use of a Dukes ball and helpful surfaces. As a result, low-scoring games have become commonplace and opportunities for spinners are limited.Root has previously advocated the use of a Kookaburra ball for a portion of the season, and speaking in the immediate aftermath of England’s 3-1 Test series defeat in India, he suggested things would have to change if England were to have a better chance of winning such series in the future. “I do think that there are areas of county cricket that can be improved – quite easily as well,” he said.Related

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“They need to find ways of making games last four days, giving spinners the opportunity to bowl and learning to bowl at different stages of the game. They need to learn to hold the game in the first innings if it’s not spinning and things are not in your favour so they can give the seamers some respite. Then they need to be able to attack and to really deal with that pressure of trying to bowl a side out.”It’s not just spin, it’s seam as well, and the batting group. For example, you want guys to come into this environment of Test cricket and have that knowledge of what it’s like to go out in the second innings and know the opposition have 450 on the board.”They need to be able to ignore that scoreboard pressure, put it to the back of their mind and get a score. And to go beyond another team’s score to make sure you’re massively in the game when it comes to the second innings.”It’s the same with the seamers. You want them to have a range of skills that can exploit flat wickets. Can they change their angles round? Can they go up and down the gears in terms of pace? Have they got a five-over spell in terms of short-pitched bowling?”While few would dispute the logic of Root’s words, there is a major practical obstacle to producing better pitches. In recent years, the County Championship campaign has been conducted disproportionately in the early weeks of the season – in 2021, eight of the 14 rounds of the competition are scheduled to take place before the end of May with four more played in September – when it is tough for groundstaff to provide the type of hard, flat pitches Root mentioned.Although Root dismissed the suggestion of abandoning the window for white-ball cricket that dominates the fixture list in the weeks of mid-summer – “that’s there to stay,” he said – which might enable groundstaff a chance to provide better surfaces, he suggested that greater rewards for drawn games might provoke a rethink about pitches at county level.At present, teams are awarded 16 points for a victory, with drawn games worth five points each. Teams are also awarded up to eight bonus points for runs and wickets in the first 110 overs of the first innings.”If draws are more appealing, because of the amount of points on offer, it might improve our situation slightly,” Root said. “They’re all the things that will improve the game and Test cricket for England in the long run if the games go longer.”

Over the last couple of years, Manchester United have shifted their focus in the transfer market to landing young talents who can make an immediate and long-term impact at the club.

Such a strategy may prove to be a risky one, but the benefits massively outweigh the negatives, with the huge development and room for profit no doubt a real contributing factor.

Leny Yoro joined the Red Devils in a £52m deal from Lille last summer, with the Frenchman seen as a huge addition for the backline in their attempts for Premier League glory.

At just 20, he’s racked up nearly half a century of appearances at Old Trafford and is likely to remain a key member of Ruben Amorim’s squad for the foreseeable future.

However, with January rapidly on the horizon, the hierarchy look set to make yet more additions, which could see numerous other youngsters take the jump to move to Manchester.

Man Utd’s hunt for new additions in January

Elliot Anderson is the player who has mostly been linked with a move to join United this winter, with the 23-year-old seen as the club’s marquee addition for the upcoming window.

However, his potential move to Old Trafford would likely be a club-record one for Amorim’s men, as current employers Nottingham Forest are currently demanding £100m for his signature.

Such a price tag is to be expected given his recent rise, which has seen him cement himself as a regular starter in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad in 2025.

However, he’s not the only youngster in their sights, with AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit another talent the hierarchy are considering, according to CaughtOffside.

Their report states that the Red Devils have already reached out to the Dutch outfit over a move for the 19-year-old star, with a £25m price tag currently being mooted for his services.

The article also claims that local rivals Liverpool are also interested in a move for the teenager, but it remains to be seen where the player himself would prefer to move.

How Smit compares to Scott McTominay

United’s academy setup has often produced numerous top-level talents, with midfielder Scott McTominay just one player who has placed himself in that bracket.

The Scottish international rose through the ranks at Old Trafford, before making himself known to the supporters in the first team ranks – subsequently racking up a total of 255 appearances for the club.

However, last summer, the hierarchy decided it was best to move him on and cash in on his services, with the club offloading him to Napoli in a deal worth a reported £25m.

Such a decision has massively backfired, with the midfielder scoring 13 times in all competitions last season, resulting in the 28-year-old winning the Serie A MVP award for 2024/25.

He’s carried his phenomenal form into his international career as of late, even scoring a remarkable bicycle kick against Denmark this week to secure Scotland’s place at the 2026 World Cup.

His move away from Old Trafford has made him an elite-level talent, but the club could be about to land their next version of the star with a move for Smit in the coming months.

The Dutch youngster has also made a name for himself in recent months, as he’s already registered six combined goals and assists in his 19 appearances across all competitions.

He’s become a box-crashing midfielder who likes to pop up with a goal or an assist, something which McTominay has done excellently since his transfer away from his boyhood club.

Smit, who possesses “superstar potential” according to Ben Mattinson, has also completed 88% of the passes he’s attempted – resulting in 2.1 chances created per 90 this campaign.

Games played

19

Goals & assists

6

Pass accuracy

88%

Chances created

2.1

Successful dribbles

1.2

Dribble success

50%

Recoveries made

6.3

Tackles in final third

0.9

Other figures, such as 1.2 successful dribbles per 90 and a 50% dribble success rate, further showcase his talent in possession, which makes him a huge threat in attacking areas.

Out of possession, the youngster has also thrived, subsequently making 6.3 recoveries per 90 and 0.9 tackles per 90 in the final third of the pitch – numbers which could add a new dimension to Amorim’s side.

£25m for a youngster with Smit’s quality and potential is an excellent deal, but the Red Devils board will need to act quickly to avoid missing out to Liverpool.

If he can replicate McTominay’s incredible nouse for goals and assists within the final third, it would be a phenomenal piece of business that could take the club to the next level in the years ahead.

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Arsenal starboy Bukayo Saka says a lot of work goes into set-pieces following their 2-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

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Arsenal unbeaten in 2024-25Finding joy from set-piecesSaka says a lot of work goes on in trainingFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Gunners breezed past Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday night, preserving their unbeaten start to the campaign. Arsenal have been noticeably clinical from set-pieces under Mikel Arteta this season, particularly with Saka's deliveries to defender Gabriel. The England international opened up on the work done on the training ground that is paying off handsomely in games.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT SAKA SAID

Speaking on Amazon Prime after the match, Saka said: "I won't be giving you any inside secrets [on set pieces] but we do work a lot, most days in training, on set pieces. For me and for the boys it is not a coincidence that we score from them every game. This season there is a lot of hunger in my belly. In previous years we have been runners-up a lot so it is just that spirit in me that I want to win this season, that is where the confidence is coming from. I believe in myself and that is driving me forward."

"All attacking players we are attack-minded and want to go forward but the manager has emphasised a lot to us the need to do the other side of the game. I'm sure you can hear him on the touchline when we are out of possession! It does take a lot of sacrifice and discipline but it is what the team requires. When you see the results we have a lot of clean sheets and it shows that we are getting the rewards for that work."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Arsenal have lacked a little bit of bite and creativity without Martin Odegaard in the last few games, so for the team to be so dominant in the air on set-pieces is a huge plus. Gabriel has already scored two crucial goals from corners against Tottenham and Manchester City this season to preserve their title charge.

(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

Arteta will fancy his side to win again on Saturday when they host struggling Southampton in the Premier League. After that, it is a trip to Bournemouth, a match Gunners fans will again see as winnable.

Everton are in the race to sign James Ward-Prowse from West Ham in January, with the midfielder “almost certain” to leave the London Stadium in the new year.

Ward-Prowse has enjoyed an impressive career, spending many years at Southampton and being renowned for being one of the best set-piece specialists in Premier League history.

Ward-Prowse has struggled to be a regular for West Ham this season however, and with his current deal expiring in the summer of 2027, the Hammers are set to listen to offers for him in January.

“There’s no way he’s getting back into the plans at West Ham. Nuno just doesn’t want him in the team; he is not open to the idea of this turning around,” reported Dean Jones earlier this month, claiming a move is “almost certain”.

“I don’t see any possibility that West Ham try to stop him from leaving. I think they will treat him with respect and allow him the chance to move.”

Everton are the team most strongly linked with the 11-cap England international, and now a new update has emerged regarding a possible move for the 31-year-old.

Everton ready to offer Ward-Prowse exit route

Speaking to Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown talked up Everton’s interest in Ward-Prowse due to his connection with David Moyes, confirming the Blues are “willing” to offer him a fresh start.

At 31, Ward-Prowse is now in the autumn of his career, so Everton wouldn’t be signing him as a long-term prospect with lots of sell-on value.

That said, he could be a shrewd signing in terms of his experience and enduring quality, not necessarily being a key starter but adding depth to the Blues’ squad at a relatively low cost given his contract situation.

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The fact that Moyes knows him well can only be a positive – he wouldn’t want him if he didn’t value him as a player and a character – so the positives outweigh the negatives.

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Norwich City have held talks with one manager who has a 100% win record over the recently sacked Liam Manning.

When Norwich City could appoint Manning’s replacement

The Canaries finally parted ways with Manning after a seventh straight Carrow Road defeat prior to the international break.

The 2-1 loss to Leicester City was Norwich’s 10th defeat from 15 Championship games, leaving them in 23rd place and four points off safety.

Sporting director Ben Knapper said in a statement that he understood criticism from supporters and is looking to “repair the relationship” with fans.

“We have tried absolutely everything possible to work through this incredibly challenging period but, unfortunately, given the recent run of results and performances, we have been left with no choice other than to make a change at this stage.

“Liam and his staff worked tirelessly to move our football club forward. They are all fundamentally good people and we wish them the very best in whatever comes next.

“We very much understand the frustration and criticism from our supporters at this stage. So far, results and performances on the pitch haven’t been good enough.

“We accept that responsibility, but it’s now imperative that we start to repair the relationship with our supporters and do everything we can to give them something to get behind.”

Something that will get supporters back on side will be to appoint a winning manager, with former midfielder Gary O’Neil linked with the vacancy.

Norwich, according to reliable reporter John Percy, have interviewed O’Neil and want to appoint a new manager by November 22, the day club football returns and the Canaries travel to Birmingham City.

Norwich City hold talks with Will Still

Sky Sports reporters Zinny Boswell, Lyall Thomas and Anthony Joseph shared a Norwich City manager update on Wednesday morning, naming the three bosses who the Canaries have spoken with.

As well as former player O’Neil, Norwich have also held talks with Jon Dahl Tomasson and Will Still, with the former Southampton manager available following his St Mary’s departure earlier this month.

Still, who plays a 3-4-1-2 system, struggled to turn the Saints around, winning two of his 13 Championship games which resulted in his sacking a week prior to Manning.

He did defeat Manning and Norwich 3-0 at Carrow Road in an EFL Cup second round tie, though, which began a terrible spell at home for the former Canaries boss.

Still has a 100% win record vs Manning, and he was impressing over in France with Lens before his move to England, being linked with numerous jobs.

The 33-year-old is still inexperienced in English football, though, and after his spell on the south coast, taking a chance on Still would be a gamble by the Norwich board as they look to climb out of the relegation zone.

It could be a risk worth taking, although O’Neil and Tomasson have more experience in English football than Still.

تحدث مدرب ريال مدريد، كارلو أنشيلوتي، بعد تعادل فريقه أمام أتلتيكو مدريد في الديربي بمنافسات الدوري الإسباني.

وانتهت المباراة بهدف لمثله لكل فريق، وأحرز كيليان مبابي هدف ريال مدريد، وسجل جوليان ألفاريز هدف أتلتيكو مدريد من ضربة جزاء، وعلّق أنشيلوتي على الأمر.

رفض أنشيلوتي في البداية الحديث عن ضربة جزاء أتلتيكو مدريد، ثم قال: “لا أريد التحدث عن التحكيم”.

وتابع: “في الشوط الثاني كان لدينا السيطرة التامة، وصلنا إلى المرمى عدة مرات، الشوط الأول كان مختلفًا، أبطأ بكثير، لكننا خرجنا من المباراة بانطباعات إيجابية”.

وأضاف: “لقد أثرت حالة ركلة الجزاء على الفريق، قبلها كان اللعب بطيئًا جدًا، لكن في الشوط الثاني لعبنا بشكل أكثر اتساعًا، وفينيسيوس ورودريجو خلقا الكثير من الخطورة”.

وتابع بشأن ركلة الجزاء: “احتسبت تقنية الفيديو ركلة الجزاء، وكان الحكم قريبًا من الوضع ورأى جيدًا ما حدث، لقد رأيت ركلة جزاء أخرى في مباراة أتلتيك بلباو ضد جيرونا، الناس في كرة القدم لا يفهمون هذا”.

وأصر مدرب ريال مدريد: “لا أريد الدخول في الجدل، أفضّل التحدث عن المباراة، غادرنا المباراة بالتعادل، نشعر بالتفاؤل، الفريق كان جيدًا، خاصة في الشوط الثاني”.

وأستطرد: “الفريق كان جيدًا، الجميع ضحى واستعاد الكرة في مباراة كانت معقدة، كان أتلتيكو يدافع ويقوم بهجمات مرتدة، وكانوا جيدين جدًا في الدفاع، تشواميني وأسينسيو قدما مباراة رائعة وكنا قريبين من الفوز”.

وأسترسل: “الشوط الثاني كان جيدًا، الفريق محبط لأنه يعتقد أنه كان يستحق الفوز، كنا قريبين، لكن يجب أن نكون راضين، ما زلنا في الصدارة، بعد أسبوع مكثف والآن لدينا أسبوع أكثر هدوءًا حتى يوم الثلاثاء”.

وعن داني سيبايوس، أفاد أنشيلوتي: “لعب سيبايوس بشكل جيد كما هو معتاد، وكان المدافعون أيضًا جيدين جدًا، بالنسبة لمباراة الثلاثاء (أمام مانشستر سيتي)، يجب أن نرى كيف سيستعيد الفريق لياقته، اللاعبون الذين شاركوا اليوم لديهم أفضلية (للمشاركة أمام السيتي)”.

وأردف: “تشكيل اليوم قد يكون صالحًا لمباراة الثلاثاء، أعتقد أنه نجح بشكل جيد، لا أتذكر أننا عانينا من فرص كبيرة سوى ركلة الجزاء”.

وإذا كان بيان ريال مدريد ضد التحكيم (بعد المباراة أمام إسبانيول) أثر على أداء الحكم في المباراة اليوم، علّق: “لا أعرف”.

وكان دييجو سيميوني مدرب أتلتيكو مدريد علّق أن أفضل فريق هو برشلونة، ورد أنشيلوتي: “كل شخص لديه رأيه، سيكون دوريًا تنافسيًا جدًا حتى النهاية، نحن سعيدون، رغم الصعوبات التي نواجهها”.

وأتم: “قبل المباراة، كان هناك مشهد، مع الأربعة، كارفاخال، ميليتاو، ألابا، وروديجر، وهم يحيون زملاءهم الذين يدخلون إلى الملعب، وهذا يعني أنه، رغم الصعوبات، نحن نؤدي بشكل جيد جدًا”.

“The main thing is we want to play these [top-ranked] teams more often,” says Scotland’s Priyanaz Chatterji after the crushing loss

Valkerie Baynes09-Oct-2024South Africa have stomped one foot into the women’s T20 World Cup semi-finals with their crushing victory over Scotland in Dubai on Wednesday.Needing a net run-rate boost to leapfrog West Indies into second place, South Africa went one better – for now – with their 80-run win after bowling Scotland out for 86 taking their NRR to 1.527. That’s ahead of an undefeated England, who beat South Africa on Monday and have a game in hand. South Africa have one more group game, against Bangladesh on Saturday.South Africa signalled their intentions through openers Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits, the batting stars of their ten-wicket victory over West Indies in their first match, and then Marizanne Kapp. All three posted quick scores in the 40s to take their side to the highest total of the tournament so far, 166 for 5.Related

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Fast, accurate, relentless Mlaba is determined to be No. 1

Their bowling performance, led by Nonkululeko Mlaba’s 3 for 12, made this as brutal a dismantling of a side as it can get.Wolvaardt’s charge down the pitch to muscle Olivia Bell down the ground for six in the fourth over was evidence enough as she and Brits thundered their way to 60 without loss, the best powerplay of the tournament so far.”It’s always tricky games, games like today, but we knew we had to be at our best,” Kapp said after the game. “That has been the message throughout this tournament, that powerplay, to try and be a bit more attacking. Today I think our openers started us off brilliantly.”Brits’ merciless heave over long-on off Katherine Fraser in the ninth over strengthened South Africa’s case and Kapp went about picking off six boundaries en route a 24-ball 43.But Nadine de Klerk’s fierce bellow of “come on!” as she pinged the top of Priyanaz Chatterji’s middle stump to reduce Scotland to five down for just 39 runs said it all: South Africa meant business.They held their catches – some soft, some difficult, like Sune Luus’ graceful dive to her left to catch Lorna Jack-Brown off her own bowling – and didn’t let up.

“Looking to the lead-up to this World Cup, she’s not been at her best, and she knows that. Then she gets to the World Cup and somehow finds her best. So it’s good signs for us”Marizanne Kapp on Nonkululeko Mlaba

De Klerk’s celebration for her second wicket was more controlled, but the dismissal no less spectacular, Mlaba launching herself forward at short third to grasp Abtahah Maqsood’s leading edge and grinning broadly as she lifted her head from the turf, the match won.Mlaba had set up the victory over West Indies with a career-best 4 for 29 and she now threatens Kapp’s nine wickets in the previous T20 World Cup as leading wicket-taker for South Africa at a single edition of the tournament. Mlaba has eight wickets so far – equal to the retired Shabnim Ismail in 2023 – at an average of 7.87 and economy rate of 5.25.It follows a difficult time between World Cups for Mlaba, who during that time had only taken 14 wickets from 19 matches at an average of 38.40.”Looking to the lead-up to this World Cup, she’s not been at her best, and she knows that. Then she gets to the World Cup and somehow finds her best,” Kapp said. “So it’s good signs for us. Hopefully she can continue like that for the next couple of games. But very proud of her to turn things around so quickly.”Scotland want fixtures against higher-ranked teamsScotland’s batting card made for sorry reading with only two players reaching double-figures and no one passing Fraser’s 14.While Chatterji remained upbeat, saying Scotland continued to learn from the experiences, having gone through qualifying to get here, she also highlighted the need for those opportunities to come outside of major tournaments.”It’s tough but we’re a resilient group and that’s part of cricket, it’s part of high-performance sport,” Chatterji said. “The best teams go away and they learn and they move forward and you take what you can. But for sure, it’s disappointing to lose and it’s always disappointing to lose and a heavy defeat like that isn’t much fun, but I thought they played very well.Katherine Fraser top-scored in the chase for Scotland with 14•ICC/Getty Images”The main thing is we want to play these teams more often. I think South Africa is the highest-ranked team we’ve ever played, so it would be awesome to get some fixtures lined up against the higher-ranked teams and if we can get these back-to-back fixtures, we’ll learn and develop a lot and progress for sure.”Scotland are still a semi-professional team and when comparing their set-up to those of South Africa and Australia, whose resources blow South Africa’s out of the water, the disparity is stark.”There’s quite a few gaps,” Chatterji said. “It’s pretty hard being an Associate country and I guess it’s a double-whammy being an Associate and a women’s team. That being said, if you look at the overall budgets between the different countries it’s very, very different especially comparing between Associate and Full-Member nations, so we do what we can.”But when we’re away, we don’t make any excuses. There’s really important conversations to be had about overall structures, fixtures and how there can be more support from, whether it’s the governing bodies or the ICC, and how you make that happen to grow the game. But again, the biggest thing for us is just we need to play more and probably more at a higher level.”

“The protocols we proposed to CA were unprecedented,” said CSA’s chief medical officer

Firdose Moonda02-Feb-2021Cricket South Africa are “extremely disappointed” and “frustrated” at Cricket Australia’s decision to pull out of their Test tour in March, saying they couldn’t have done more to appease the touring team.”We are extremely disappointed by the decision of CA,” Graeme Smith, CSA’s Director of Cricket, said in a strongly-worded statement. “CSA has been working tirelessly in recent weeks to ensure that we meet every single expectation of CA.”This was set to be our longest tour in a bio-secure environment [BSE] comprising a three-match Test series that was scheduled to begin with Australia’s arrival later in the month. So to be informed about the CA decision at the eleventh hour is frustrating.”Related

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Smith was intricately involved in organising the Australia tour in which CSA were willing to put in place their strictest restrictions of the summer. That included a longer quarantine period than South Africa’s players have had to deal with before, quarantine for other members of staff including hotel staff and transport staff, purchasing an Australian track-and-trace system and obtaining government-sanctioned VIP treatment for the touring party.”The protocols we proposed to CA were unprecedented,” Dr Shuaib Manjra, CSA’s chief medical officer said. “Firstly, we had agreed that our own Proteas team would enter the BSE 14 days prior to the arrival of the Australian team, thus altering their planning during the current tour of Pakistan.”South Africa are currently on their first tour to Pakistan since 2007, a series which includes two Tests and three T20Is. All but four members of the Test squad will return home after the second Test finishes on February 8 with a second-string T20I squad to arrive in Pakistan tomorrow to play the three matches. But Australia’s cancellation of their tour to South Africa means that these arrangements will not be changed though the Test squad no longer has to prepare for Australia, who would have played their first Test series in South Africa since 2018. They will return home early, as planned, but will not need to enter a two-week quarantine as they would have done if the three Tests would be going ahead as scheduled.For South Africa’s previous home series this season against England and Sri Lanka, players entered the BSE without quarantining but had to socially distance until they had returned three negative Covid-19 tests. Both those series took place with the squads staying at one hotel albeit confined to different areas. For the Australia’s visit though, CSA were due to make use of separate facilities for each squad, thus adding to the cost of hosting the tour.”We agreed to two separate BSEs and had granted Australia full and exclusive use of the Irene Country Lodge – which we shared with Sri Lanka – with a minimum staff present on site,” Manjra said. “In terms of the arrangements, the Proteas were to move to a separate hotel altogether. Furthermore, all hotel staff, match officials and even bus drivers were to enter the BSE 14 days prior to Australia’s arrival. In addition, CSA had also committed to importing an Australian tracking system at great cost to ensure proper tracking of close contacts in the event of a positive test. The touring team was also going to be granted VIP access through the airports – after government intervention – to ensure this privilege.”Asked if South Africa would consider an earlier offer from CA to play the series in Perth, Graeme Smith said “no”•AFPManjra described Australia’s concerns as greater than any other touring team to South Africa. “They were concerned about the 14-day hard quarantine when they returned to Australia. And if an Australian player tested positive in South Africa it would be difficult for them to get back to Australia,” he said.He also said Australia’s requirements were “far more stringent” than any of the other BSEs that CSA have had to host this summer. Aside from hosting England and Sri Lanka, South Africa are also playing the domestic one-day cup in a bubble.Their BSE against England was thought to have been compromised when three South African players, two hotel staff and two members of England’s touring party tested positive – though the England travelers were later confirmed as false negatives – and resulted in England leaving the country before playing their ODI series, while the Sri Lanka BSE was held without incident. While both those series were expensive for CSA, Australia’s arrival would have come “at a much huger cost” according to Manjra. CSA will also miss out on revenue of up to R40 million (approx. US$2.6 million) from the postponed Australia tour, leaving South African cricket in a financially precarious position.”CSA has incurred significant costs related to the planning stages, and the cancellation of the tour represents a serious financial loss,” Pholetsi Moseki, CSA Acting Chief Executive Officer, said. “In this challenging period for cricket and its member countries, we believe the stance taken by CA is regrettable and will have a serious impact on the sustainability of the less wealthy cricket playing nations.”Last month, Smith said that unless member countries “support each other”, cricket will find itself in a “challenging space”, and CSA are now at the centre of that challenge. With limited time to find other opposition, South Africa face a curtailed summer with no cricket in March despite lockdown restrictions being eased.Asked if South Africa would consider an earlier offer from CA to play the series in Perth – an idea that had been floated last December – Smith said “no”.On Monday night, the country’s president Cyril Ramaphosa announced that South Africa had passed the peak of its second wave and also received the country’s first batch of vaccinations. Thus, by the time Australia were due to arrive in South Africa on February 24, a significant number of South African healthcare workers would have received the jab.Australia are also due to begin their vaccination drive this month and have been affected by the pandemic much less than South Africa. The total number of cases in Australia is under 30,000 compared with almost 1.5 million cases in South Africa, and lockdowns in Australia have been enforced strictly even for very few cases. On the other hand, South Africa’s measures were among the strictest in the world when they first locked down last March; but as things stand, most economic activity – including travel – is allowed.South Africa are due to host Pakistan for white-ball matches towards the end of the season, though those fixtures are yet to be released. They have also already had a white-ball tour to Sri Lanka, a two-Test and five-T20I visit to the West Indies, and three home T20Is against India postponed because of the pandemic.