The Bombay High Court has ruled that IPL 2016 matches scheduled in Maharashtra after April 30 will be moved out of the state

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Apr-20163:51

Bal: IPL just a soft target

All IPL 2016 matches scheduled in Maharashtra after April 30 must be moved out of the state, the Bombay High Court has ruled. The ruling came after a Public Interest Litigation questioned the hosting of matches in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur due to a severe drought in Maharashtra.The ruling affects 13 matches, including the final which was to be held in Mumbai on May 29. Pune will miss out on six matches, including the Eliminator and Qualifier 2, while no games will be held in Nagpur. The state was earlier scheduled to host 20 matches.Last week, the court had sought an explanation from the BCCI and the three state associations on why water should be “wasted” on hosting the games when the state faced one of its worst ever droughts. The court later allowed the opening match to be held as scheduled in Mumbai on April 9, and asked the Maharashtra state government and Mumbai’s civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, to respond on plans to tackle the issue of water shortage. On Tuesday, the court orally asked the BCCI if matches could be shifted out of Pune.In its defence, the BCCI had stated that less water was used to prepare the ground for an IPL game when compared to an international fixture. The board also stated that it intended to use treated sewage water for ground preparation in Mumbai and Pune. Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiants, the franchises based in Mumbai and Pune, had proposed to contribute INR 5 crore to the Maharashtra chief minister’s drought relief fund and supply 40 lakh litres of water to drought-hit areas at their own cost.While the BCCI is mulling its next move, IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla has admitted that moving games out of Maharashtra is a logistical problem for the board. He also pointed out that no objections of this kind were raised when Mumbai and Nagpur hosted World T20 matches last month.”Organising the IPL is a gigantic work. It’s not easy. All preparations had been done, completed,” Shukla said. “Now shifting the matches will be a problem. So far, we have not got the written order, after we get that, we will study the order and work out an alternative plan. We always respect the court. We need to talk to other franchises. We will have to work it out.”The key problem is water for farmers, which we are trying to find a solution to. We were willing to give water, contribute to the CM’s fund. Now shifting matches will be a problem. If matches are to be shifted, where will they be moved, how will they be moved, all these issues are involved. And this comes after nobody raised an issue about the 24 World T20 matches that were held recently.”Nobody raised these issues for six months. Whatever was required, we were willing to do. In fact, I would like to point out that a lot many other sports and cultural events are going on in Maharashtra, which also use water and they should also help.”Anurag Thakur, the BCCI secretary, said there was an attempt to create negativity over issues: “We are not using drinking water, we have said that we will use treated sewage water only. How many swimming pools of five-star hotels have been shut? Have people stopped watering their lawns? There is an attempt to create negativity on every issue these days. IPL was to use 0.00038% of water so that shows the requirement was not much.”Ness Wadia, co-owner of the Kings XI Punjab franchise, welcomed the order. Kings XI were scheduled to play three home matches in Nagpur between May 7 and 15, apart from games in Mumbai and Pune on May 13 and 21, respectively. “I’m very happy with this, we welcome this decision,” he said.

Leeds United could achieve great things with the 49ers Enterprises owning the club if they avoid relegation from the Premier League, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Do Leeds look likely to go down?

The Whites have once again struggled in the top flight, having survived late in the day last time around after a tense end to the campaign. It looks likely to be similar in 2022/23, with Javi Gracia's side currently 17th in the table and only above the relegation zone on goal difference.

Off the pitch, it feels like a matter of time until the 49ers gain a majority share in the club, at which point Leeds could become a greater financial force, possibly allowing them to spend more on new signings and also potentially develop Elland Road. For that to happen, however, the Whites need to be in the Premier League, which as things stand, is far from a given.

That highlights the importance of these remaining 10 matches this season, starting with a massive home clash with fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest on Tuesday evening.

How bright could Whites' future be?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that the "sky is the limit" for Leeds, as long as they stay up this season:

"It feels like the sky is the limit for Leeds if they stay up this season. There could be a massive turnaround if they can ride this wave, but I don't know if they will.

"But, certainly, from the dugout to the playing staff, I think they're looking at it so closely, and they will step up their ambitions for next season in every single area."

This is an encouraging claim and it only further highlights how vital it is that Leeds retain their Premier League status beyond this season. If they don't, their long-term future could take such a hit, with the 49ers' grand plans immediately affected and the club going backwards again.

Should the opposite happen, however, Whites supporters should have every right to feel excited about what could happen in the coming years, as the club look to go from being relegation fodder in the top flight to steadily pushing further up the table and eventually becoming a true force again.

If Leeds hold their nerve and stay up, then the 49ers complete a summer takeover, the Whites could genuinely be in their most promising position for many years, following such a long period in the footballing wilderness.

Former Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann is Tottenham Hotspur's 'favoured choice' for their manager position, according to The Times.

What's the latest on Nagelsmann to Spurs?

Reports of Spurs' real interest in the 35-year-old recently surfaced when he was unceremoniously, and perhaps surprisingly, dismissed by Bayern near the end of last month.

In what was a ruthless call, the Bundesliga giants handed Nagelsmann his P45 despite having led them to a Champions League quarter-final – all while still being in contention for the German title.

Following the former RB Leipzig boss' shock exit from Bayern, Premier League clubs queued up to express their interest in Nagelsmann who was suddenly readily-available.

Spurs were no exception amid their search for Antonio Conte's replacement with Chelsea also registering their fondness for Nagelsmann.

The managerial merry-go-round could be in full swing this summer and Nagelsmann may well have his pick of top European clubs, especially with speculation surrounding the futures of PSG boss Christophe Galtier and Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti.

Nonetheless, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and the north Londoners are apparently still battling for Nagelsmann, with The Times sharing an update on their pursuit.

The reliable newspaper claims he is Tottenham's 'favoured choice' to succeed Conte, coming after reports that he 'developed an affinity' for the club and even owned a replica Spurs shirt.

However, that doesn't appear to be counting for much as things stand – as Chelsea are still well and truly in the running.

As per The Times' information, Nagelsmann is apparently leading towards west London as things stand.

Should Spurs push the boat out for Nagelsmann?

The coach has plenty of credentials which put him out in front of other Spurs manager candidates.

Boasting a league title on his CV already at the age of 35, the former Hoffenheim boss has been praised as a real innovator by members of the media like BBC Sport writer Raj Chohan – who called him 'phenomenal' in that regard.

Nagelsmann's high-pressing, intense style would also be a joy to watch for Spurs supporters who yearn to see a more expansive and progressive brand of football.

Tottenham actually looked at appointing him back in 2021 in the search for Jose Mourinho's replacement but he ultimately ended up joining Bayern.

Going by this update, it could be a tall order for Spurs to beat Chelsea to Nagelsmann, yet his exciting reputation indicates he could be worth the effort.

ScorecardArun Harinath fell for 96 after a diligent innings•Getty Images

Spring finally sprung for the punters in South London, as a crowd of some 2000 weekend sun-seekers dotted themselves around the stands at the Kia Oval, lapping up the most determined rays of the year so far, and convincing themselves that the distinct chill in the air on those occasions when the shadows encroached on their seats was nothing more than a faint breeze on a mid-summer’s afternoon.Sure enough, for long periods of the day, most notably during an enterprising post-lunch stand of 135 between Arun Harinath and Steven Davies and again after tea as Jason Roy and Zafar Ansari traded strokes in their own fifth-wicket partnership of 112, Surrey took to the Durham attack – Chris Rushworth, Graham Onions and Ben Stokes included – as if the pitch had been prepared for the August Bank Holiday, not the May Day version.And yet, by the close, a combination of Durham’s refusal to yield and Surrey’s own wastefulness in shot selection had redressed the balance of power a touch. Though it still remains a good toss to have won – and a toss was what we did indeed have, after Durham declined the automatic chance to bowl first – Surrey’s total looks set to fall someway short of formidable.Arun Harinath epitomised the combination of hard yards and soft focus that marred his team’s performance. His 96 from 188 balls was a dogged, diligent anchor role that should, by rights, have resulted in his second century in three Championship matches, following his match-salvaging effort at Trent Bridge earlier this month.Instead, having played a willing second fiddle to a free-flowing Davies, whose 55-ball half-century was the most fluent innings of the day, Harinath contrived to give away his innings only moments after Davies himself had departed for 87 to a fine stretching catch from Keaton Jennings in the gully.Seeking a statement shot where previously he had been content to grind his runs, Harinath climbed into a pull and top-edged to mid-on to give Rushworth his second wicket in as many overs. “It was just a poor shot, a misjudgement of length,” he admitted at the close. “I thought it was shorter than it was, but Durham have a disciplined attack and that can happen, unfortunately.”Nevertheless, Harinath had played his part in setting the scene for Surrey, not least in seeing off a typically testing new-ball spell from Rushworth and Onions, and a fiery burst from Stokes that resulted in the first breakthrough of the day when Rory Burns was bowled for 15 by a beauty from round the wicket that pitched on the left-hander’s off stump and plucked it out too – shades of Flintoff to Gilchrist, as if any more comparisons were needed.He hung around, too, after the biggest shock of the day’s play – the insubstantial departure of Kumar Sangakkara, who got off the mark with a typically dreamy cover-drive only to be bowled off the inside edge for 26 by Brydon Carse, a South African-born 20-year-old with designs on an England future, and whose fourth first-class wicket was unquestionably his finest yet.”The first aim tomorrow is 400 for maximum batting points, and another partnership to see how far ahead we can get in the game,” said Harinath at the close. “If some of us, including myself, hadn’t got ourselves out we could have put a few more nails in the coffin, but we’ll have to turn up tomorrow and keep fighting as we have done for the last 12 months or so.”The punters didn’t seem to mind – some of the slightly lax departures seemed a price worth paying for the entertainment on offer, particularly during the alliance of recent England internationals, Ansari and Roy. One Twitter pundit described their century stand as “deeply erotic”, although it ended in a flaccid finish for both – Roy chipping a leading edge to mid-on for 64 as Onions appeared to stop one in the pitch, before Ansari flapped a back-cut off Stokes to the keeper Michael Richardson for 41 – another confident display in his successful return to the fray following his horrible hand injury last season.Richardson was in action again as Tom Curran came and went for a duck, nibbling outside off to give Carse his second scalp of the day, but with Ben Foakes and Gareth Batty still in situ at the close, Surrey retain the upper hand in a contest that seemed to bloom very rapidly in the sun.

Chelsea have endured a woeful season by their standards and that comes after spending millions across the summer and winter transfer windows over the previous year.

Following the hiring of Frank Lampard last month on an interim basis until the end of the season, Todd Boehly is now on his fourth manager of the campaign and things have to change this summer otherwise a dangerous precedent will set in, and they will become just another big club who hires and fires on a whim.

There will need to be a few players heading out of the Stamford Bridge exit door this summer due to the financial fair play regulations and the club have a few quality assets which could generate a tidy sum.

Mason Mount is one of them, with the attacking midfielder having been linked with a move away, of late as Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle United all show interest in the Englishman.

With just one year remaining on his contract, if Chelsea were to sell, this summer is their only chance to make a solid profit on the player, and they could hit the jackpot considering his current value.

How much is Mason Mount worth?

The 24-year-old has emerged through the Chelsea academy to become one of the finest players in the team since making his debut under Frank Lampard back in 2019.

He has gone from strength to strength at the club during those four seasons, working under Lampard, Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter while winning the Champions League in 2021.

Mount is fast approaching 200 appearances for Chelsea, and although he perhaps hasn’t enjoyed the most lucrative time of it during this term, last season saw the midfielder at his very best under the German coach.

Across 53 matches in all competitions, Mount scored 13 goals and grabbed 16 assists as Chelsea came so close to glory in the League and FA Cup finals, being denied on both occasions by Liverpool, however, his attacking contributions turned him into a key player for club and country.

It’s no wonder then that journalist Benjamin Lynch dubbed the Englishman as “generational” late last year due to his performances and his soaring value is now a testament to just how impressive he has been.

Indeed, Football Transfers suggested the player's expected transfer value will fall around a staggering sum of €73.8m (£65m) and with plenty of potential suitors keen on the maestro, Boehly could land a major profit by selling him during the summer transfer window.

A key feature in Celtic's recent rise during the Ange Postecoglou regime has been experienced goalkeeper, Joe Hart, with the veteran gem having enjoyed a real career revival at Parkhead over the last 18 months or so.

Having been cast out by Tottenham Hotspur after enduring a difficult few years following his Manchester City exit in 2018, the former England number one was "down on his luck" prior to joining the Old Firm giants in the summer of 2021, as per pundit Alex McLeish.

As it has proved, however, the Shrewsbury native has proven himself a "really great signing" having been "transformed" in the green and white jersey, as per McLeish, having kept 43 clean sheets in 97 games for the Hoops to date.

Now 36, however, and with just over a year to run on his existing deal in Glasgow, it could well be time for the Scottish champions to consider finding a long-term replacement for Hart this summer, with pundit Frank McAvennie having already predicated that the ageing 'keeper will be a "backup next year".

Postecoglou and co could have potentially identified a dream successor to the 75-cap ace in the form of Liverpool rock, Caoimhin Kelleher, with reports last month having suggested that the Bhoys are among the clubs interested in the Republic of Ireland international.

While the suggestion is that the 24-year-old could cost as much as £30m if a permanent deal is to be agreed, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has also revealed that a loan exit could be on the cards, with the £10k-per-week man looking for "regular minutes" elsewhere.

Would Kelleher be a good signing for Celtic?

Although Kelleher has been forced to play second fiddle to Brazilian superstar, Alisson, at Anfield in recent years, the Cork native has been handed the chance to impress in cup competitions of late, racking up 20 appearances across all fronts since his debut back in 2019.

The 6 foot 2 ace was notably a vital figure in the Merseysiders' Carabao Cup success last season after featuring four times in the competition, notably starting and starring in the shootout victory over Chelsea in the final, having netted what proved to be the winning penalty.

Although chances have been few and far between for the emerging ace of late, the young stopper has certainly made a strong impression on manager Jurgen Klopp, with the German hailing him as "exceptional" after saving three penalties in the League Cup win over Derby County earlier this season.

The Irishman was also praised as an "exceptional goalkeeper" by national team boss Stephen Kenny, albeit with the ten-cap ace seemingly in need of more regular game time if he is to establish himself as the first-choice pick for his country, ahead of Southampton's Gavin Bazunu.

As such, a move to Paradise could be just what is needed for young Kelleher to finally be able to blossom as the starting pick at a club, with that possible swoop allowing Postecoglou to acquire an ideal replacement for the ageing Hart in his side.

Kent secured their second Royal London Cup win of the South Group campaign after easing aside Somerset by 95 runs during a squally afternoon in Canterbury.

ECB Reporters Network14-Jun-2016
ScorecardDaniel Bell-Drummond played another eye-catching innings•Getty Images

Kent secured their second Royal London Cup win of the South Group campaign after easing aside Somerset by 95 runs during a squally afternoon in Canterbury.Kent posted a creditable 231 for 6 from their reduced allocation of 30 overs after half-centuries from Daniel Bell-Drummond and skipper Sam Northeast, a total that proved way beyond the remit of an out-of-sorts Somerset side.Gloom, rain, thunderstorms and bad light dominated the morning, but umpires Jeff Evans and Steve Garrett finally deemed conditions playable at 2.30pm and Kent, having lost the toss, made the best of tricky conditions.In-form openers Joe Denly and Daniel Bell-Drummond posted 56 for the first wicket before Denly, on 12, top edged an attempted pull to mid-on.Bell-Drummond, whose stunning early season form must have caught the eye of the England selectors, marched on to a 39-ball 50 with seven fours, but the England Lions’ batsman holed out to long-on to make it 128 for 2.Kent skipper Northeast shouldered the batting responsibility thereafter, hitting an elegant 64, while those around him perished in the pursuit of rapid runs.While Northeast plundered five fours and a six, his colleagues struggled to provide fluent support on a pitch that had been dulled by the earlier showers, Billings, fresh from a stunning unbeaten ton against Glamorgan, succumbed for 29 but with a useful 36 from Darren Stevens Kent set a testing target of 232 to win.Run-rate pressure and a pitch enlivened by the rain soon took its toll on Somerset’s top order and the match was as good as sorted once Kent reduced their visitors to 44 for 4.Billings took a stunning catch low to his right to account for Johannes Myburgh off the bowling of Matt Coles, then Darren Stevens snared Adam Hose leg before to make it 35 for 2.Stevens clipped the top of Jim Allenby’s off pole to send him packing for a golden duck then, once Somerset danger man and former Kent all-rounder, Peter Trego, holed out to cow corner off the bowling of Fabian Cowdrey, the result was as good as assured.Matt Coles bagged two, and Ivan Thomas secured 3 for 31 as Somerset’s middle order subsided in the face of an overwhelming asking rate.

Everton have been offered the chance to sign Boca Juniors striker Mateo Retegui this summer, according to reports.

What's the latest on Retegui's future?

The Toffees failed to sign a single player during the January window and having not replaced Anthony Gordon or recruited another senior forward to help Ellis Simms whilst Dominic Calvert-Lewin is on the sidelines, these could be just some of the reasons why Sean Dyche finds his outfit in this dangerous position.

The Argentinian’s contract with Hugo Ibarra’s side isn’t set to expire until the end of next year, but having fallen out of favour, is currently on a season-long loan at Club Atletico Tigre, as per Transfermarkt. Despite them having the option to buy included though, the 23-year-old has been attracting interest from the Premier League.

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, the forward admitted that he’ll be on the move at the end of the season and is ideally looking to secure a switch to Europe. He said “Melarana [Tigre's president] said that in July it could be likely that I'll be sold. I really like the idea, it is a dream for everyone who plays football, the greatest teams are in Europe. In Italy there are great clubs, I like them all.”

Now, according to 90min, Retegui has been “offered” to Everton, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Leeds, Leicester and newly-promoted Burnley, who have all been “made aware” of his potential availability in the summer. AC Milan, Inter Milan, Lazio and Udinese are also “keen” to secure his services, whilst Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Eintracht Frankfurt and Union Berlin are among others “weighing up” an approach.

Should Everton splash the cash on Retegui?

Journalist Josh Bunting has claimed that Retegui is a centre-forward who has a natural “instinct in the box” and so Everton should certainly consider tabling an offer should they be in an affordable position to do so.

The Adidas-sponsored star has posted 33 goal contributions (30 goals and three assists) in 53 appearances for Tigre where he’s currently averaging 3.9 shots per league game, showcasing how prolific he is at not only taking his chances but creating them.

The 6 foot 1 striker also poses a physical presence and threat up top with his height where he’s recording 2.7 aerial wins every 90 minutes, making him the ideal target man when it comes to long balls, crosses and set pieces being whipped into the area.

David Warner has defended his use of thick, lightweight bats, and said he believed flat pitches were a more significant factor in any perceived imbalance between bat and ball

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jul-20161:55

‘There are pros and cons to using big bats’ – Warner

David Warner has defended his use of thick, lightweight bats, and said he believed flat pitches were a more significant factor in any perceived imbalance between bat and ball in Test cricket.Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting recently argued for greater regulation of bat depth and weight – at present only a bat’s length and width are restricted – in the long form, a call that found support from fast bowler Josh Hazlewood. Ponting will be at the MCC’s World Cricket Committee meeting at Lord’s next week, and he said bat size would be part of the discussion.The Gray Nicolls Kaboom bats used by Warner are notable for the extreme thickness of their edges, but they are made of a lightweight wood that makes them deceptively easy to wield. Warner said there were downsides to using such bats, including the greater likelihood of being caught off a leading edge, and he said the state of pitches had a greater say in determining scores.”If we look around the country, I think the wickets are pretty much dictating,” Warner told reporters in Sydney on Friday. “A lot of batsmen are scoring a lot of runs, there have been a lot of runs scored in the last 12 to 18 months; you can’t specifically come out and say it is the big bats, because everyone around the country and around the world is scoring a lot of runs. In my mind it is a credit to the bat maker.”Ponting argued that restrictions to bat size should only occur in the longer form of the game and thick, lightweight bats should be allowed to remain in one-day and Twenty20 cricket. In those shorter forms, he said, spectators expected to see plenty of boundaries and entertaining batting, but in Test cricket it was more important to ensure the balance between bat and ball was as fair as possible.”If people think that it is becoming an unfair advantage they will speak their opinions, but we are getting bigger and stronger and are capable of using bats that are a bit heavy,” Warner said. “In Test matches I use a smaller bat unless we are playing in the subcontinent, where I use a heavier bat. My bigger bats might be a lot larger than other players’ bats, but it is still the same cleft of wood.”Australia coach Darren Lehmann said the size of bats were just “about right”, but also expressed safety concerns for bowlers at nets.”Where they [the size of bats] are at now, is about right, maybe a little bit less,” Lehmann said. “They will certainly make it stock standard for everyone. The edges are too big on some of the bats.”I see health and safety as a big issue, especially more so in the nets. To be fair, bowlers and net bowlers in the nets are a real worry for us. The way they hit them now, they are stronger athletes – they hit them harder, there is no doubt about that. It [injuries] are going to happen somewhere, hopefully it doesn’t, but you have just got to be mindful of all that.”

Andrew Poynter, the Ireland batsman, has announced his retirement from international and inter-provincial cricket at the age of 29

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jun-2016Andrew Poynter, the Ireland batsman, has announced his retirement from international and inter-provincial cricket at the age of 29. He had been part of Ireland’s T20 squad at the World T20 in March, but had not played ODIs since September 2014.Poynter played 19 ODIs and 19 T20Is in an international career that began in 2008. He scored a combined 474 runs and three half-centuries, averaging 19.61 in ODIs and 19.90 in T20Is. He featured in two World T20s, with his brother Stuart, a wicketkeeper-batsman, also part of Ireland’s squad in the 2016 edition.”I have always found it tough to manage an international and inter-provincial cricket career whilst having to juggle running my own business, AP Sports,” Poynter said. “I’m head of youth coaching at Clontarf CC and have other coaching roles as well as a young family.”I feel that I can still perform at inter-provincial level and scored runs this season, but I do not want to stand in someone’s way who has a dream of playing for Leinster Lightning and Ireland.”I am looking forward to developing my coaching career – I have nearly finished my level three award and [am] keen to move to level four in the near future. But most of all spending more time with my family with a bit less stress.”I am so proud of my achievements in an Irish jersey, especially captaining my country and playing in two World Cups. I’ll miss the green jersey but this is the right decision for me. I’d like to thank all involved in giving me the opportunity to pursue my dream.”