Ed Cowan, the New South Wales batsman, has been ruled out of the ING Cup and Pura Cup matches against Western Australia at Perth this week. Cowan hurt his toe in grade cricket and could be out for four to six weeks after doctors ruled that he needed surgery. He has been replaced in the one-day squad by Craig Simmons, a 22-year-old left-handed opener, while Greg Mail has been named as Cowan’s replacement in the Pura Cup squad.Simmons was with Western Australia till last season, but moved to Sydney in the hope of furthering his first-class career. The match against his former state will be his first one for New South Wales.Meanwhile, Aaron O’Brien has also been picked in the Pura Cup squad after scoring an unbeaten 227 in a second XI game against Victoria. O’Brien, an allrounder, has been a member of the one-day squad this season.
Durham have signed Ashley Noffke for the English season in 2005, making him the second overseas player in the team, after Mike Hussey. Noffke is no stranger to the rigours of county cricket, as he took 45 wickets in eight games for Middlesex in 2003. His consistency with the ball and reliability with the bat in the lower order – averaging 25.86 – made him a target when Durham were recruiting.Noffke was keyed up about the appointment, and spoke of performing well enough to help earn Durham promotion: “I am really excited about joining Durham. Their performance in the Totesport League this year indicates that there is huge potential in this squad and promotion should be in our sights for both forms of cricket next season. I am looking forward to playing a major role in helping the squad to achieve this.”Durham, for their part, were happy to have signed Noffke. “We are delighted that Ashley will be joining the squad next season,” said Martyn Moxon, their coach. “As well as being a superb bowler he is an enthusiastic fielder who will contribute immensely to our team in the field and to next year`s assault on the leagues. Ashley is an experienced cricketer who will bring an element of leadership to the squad that will help our local talent flourish.”David Harker, Durham’s chief executive, felt the same way: “Ashley and Mike’s commitment to Durham certainly brings us a step closer to becoming a strong force in domestic cricket. Between them they bring a great deal of talent and a wealth of knowledge to the squad which will undoubtedly help us to progress in a positive direction.”
Test cricket came to Australia’s Top End today, when Steve Waugh won the toss and put Bangladesh in to bat on the drop-in pitch at the Marrara Oval, a cosy oasis of green in the dry old Northern Territory.It’s normally an Australian Rules football stadium, with cavernous dressing-rooms beneath the big concrete grandstand. Notices on the walls beseech players not to spit (or worse) on the floors.After a quiet start it was business as usual for Bangladesh, who lost wickets in clumps after being put in. Punters with money on at 14/1 that the match would be all over inside a day are going to be disappointed, but the local TV station, which is only broadcasting the fourth and fifth days live, must already be looking out a few more repeats of Neighbours or Home and Away.There were extra-loud cheers for Jason Gillespie, especially when he struck to remove Javed Omar and start a slide in which four wickets tumbled for 14 runs. Gillespie, you see, is part-Aboriginal, and up here in NT the indigenous Australian peoples make up 30% of the population, compared with around 2% in the country as a whole.Gillespie is proud of his Aboriginal heritage and has traced his forebears back to the Kamilaroi tribe. “I’m an interesting mix because I’ve got Aboriginal blood and on my Mum’s side it’s mainly Greek,” he said. “I was never really brought up as an indigenous person. But I’ve really started reading about it and where that my side of my family comes from.”In a country just coming to terms with the retirement of Olympic champion athlete Cathy Freeman, who was famous for brandishing the red-and-black Aboriginal flag on the track, does Gillespie see himself as a sporting ambassador? “I don’t know how comfortable I’d be, to be honest … technically I guess I’m the first [with Aboriginal blood], but I think there’d be a lot of former Test players with indigenous blood and just didn’t know about it.”The ground at Marrara, near Darwin’s airport, is in the town’s sporting park. Bowling greens and clay-pigeon galleries jostle for position. But the cricket holds sway today – the authorities were expecting a crowd pushing the capacity of 11,500 - and that includes provision for a “Small VIPs Car Park”. Next door, obviously catering for the more comfortably built, is the Large VIPs Car Park.Among the larger VIPs for Darwin’s big day was Clare Martin, the chief minister of the Northern Territory, who is a distant relative of Victor Trumper, one of Australia’s early greats. And John Ah Kit, NT’s minister for sport, was a genial presence in the grandstand, showing off one of the day’s brighter shirts.Over on Channel 9, one familiar face was missing. Richie Benaud, taking a break in France from commentating duties in England, was not there to don the off-white blazer for a home Test for the first time in most people’s memories. Instead Simon O’Donnell, another former Test allrounder, took over the hot seat. But his “Morning everyone” just wasn’t quite the same …Steven Lynch is editor of Wisden CricInfo.
A target of 273, constructed largely and painstakingly by Nayan Mongiaand Himanshu Jadhav, stared Rest of India in the face as they startedtheir run-chase. With one day to go and 213 runs still to get, DayFive of the Irani Trophy promises to be a humdinger.Mongia, unbeaten overnight, retained his mode of sedate play. Hittingseven fours in a restrained knock, his 52 off 165 balls ended whenBaroda still had considerable distance to traverse to a challengingtotal.Wickets fell at regular intervals; after Mongia was snapped up bySarandeep Singh, Rishikesh Parab was caught behind off HrishikeshKanitkar. Tushar Arothe and Umang Patel fell in quick succession,leaving Baroda reeling at 199 for six.It was then that Himanshu Jadhav started farming the strike, ensuringthat the lower middle order faced as few balls as possible. Thedeparture of Rakesh Patel and Valmik Buch immersed Baroda further inthe mire, but Irfan K Pathan provided Jadhav stout support.Jadhav left finally with the score on 269, making 42 off 109 balls.The Pathans added a few more to the tally before Irfan K Pathan wasbowled by Tinu Yohannan for 32 off 45 balls, ending Baroda’s inningsat 285.Rest of India started disastrously, losing both openers with the scoreon six. Kanitkar and VVS Laxman then built the score up steadily,rotating the strike frequently; Kanitkar, however, was caught behindoff Irfan K Pathan for 21 off 45 balls.At the close of play, skipper Laxman, hoping to revive his battingfortunes ahead of his departure for South Africa, and Dinesh Mongia,the first innings hero, were unbeaten on 26 and 6 respectively.Knowing Laxman’s penchant for long innings and Mongia’s form, it isentirely possible that Rest of India reach 273 with little fuss. ButBaroda’s bowlers, inspired by a pitch that is falling apart, will belooking to skittle Rest of India out for far less.
Journalist Dean Jones has been left confused with Bruno Lage’s decision to drop star striker Raul Jimenez, speaking in the build-up to Thursday’s clash against Watford.
The Lowdown: Jimenez’s omission
The Mexico international has been the talisman since arriving at the Molineux Stadium on loan in 2018, before joining the club in a permanent deal worth £30 million a year later.
The 30-year-old has netted an impressive 53 goals in 137 appearances, 39 of which have come in the Premier League.
However, Jimenez seemingly appears out of favour under Bruno Lage, who dropped the striker to the bench for their recent fixture against West Ham, bringing him on for the final nine minutes of action.
More surprisingly, he was dropped once again in Wolves following league clash against Crystal Palace. Again, he was brought on as a substitute, featuring for 27 minutes.
The Latest: Jones’ claim…
Jones has weighed in on the situation, having been left confused with Lage’s decision to drop his star man, who has scored five Premier League goals this season.
Speaking with GiveMeSport, he claimed:
“Even if Jimenez isn’t scoring goals, you have him in the team as an outlet if nothing else. You can’t play Podence through the middle.
“As a defender or even midfielder sometimes you want an out ball and a guy you can stick the ball up to hold the ball up, bring others into player and the next phase begins from there.
“Jimenez is one of the best at that, so it’s very strange [he has been dropped].”
The Verdict: Likely to start again soon?
Whilst Jimenez’s tally this season has not compared to either of his previous two double-figured seasons in the Premier League, the Mexican offers far more to the team than just goals.
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The striker has added defensive attributes to his game to add to Wolves’ style of play. According to FB Ref, over the course of the past year, Jimenez ranked in the 81st percentile for tackles, the 89th percentile for interceptions and the 85th percentile for blocks made for players in Europe’s top five leagues.
With Wolves failing to score in the previous two games that the 30-year-old didn’t start, it may be likely to see Jimenez lining up for his side’s upcoming fixture against Watford, as the Wanderers continue their push for European football.
In other news: Wolves: Journalist concerned about star duo’s contract situation
Stephen Alleyne, the former president of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA), died of a heart attack on the morning of October 15. Alleyne, 47, headed the Barbados Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2007 World Cup and was also a former director of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).He was the driving force behind Barbados getting to host Super Eight matches and final of the World Cup. He was also in charge of the redevelopment of the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown. The ground did not host any international games in 2006, due to the renovation work ahead of the World Cup.Alleyne was a member of the BCA’s Board of Management from 1992 to 1993. He then served as the Third Vice-President from 1994 to 1997, and later the First Vice-President in 1999. He took over as president after the death of Conrad Hunte, the former West Indies batsman, in December 1999. He was then elected President in 2000.Ali Bacher, the former president of the South African cricket board, said that Alleyne’s contributions to the game in the West Indies would be missed. The two first met when Bacher arrived in Barbados for Hunte’s funeral and he stated that he was impressed with his abilities as an administrator.”I always told him he had the attributes to be president of the West Indies Cricket Board,” Bacher told the , a Barbados-based daily. “There were two main reasons. The first was he had a great respect for the legends who helped build the game in the West Indies. He had a desire to keep the legends as part of the game. The second was that, as an actuary, he understood the commercial world very well and looked at the commercial side of West Indies cricket and how it could work.”When I heard of his death I was absolutely shattered. He was in the prime of his life. It’s a national tragedy, he was such a gifted person and wonderful man.”Joel Garner, the former West Indies fast bowler and current president of the BCA, acknowledged Alleyne’s contribution to cricket in the West Indies. “Stephen possessed a brilliant mind, a quiet confidence and he was always willing to give advice freely. He was thoughtful, meticulous and would be thoroughly analytical before he offered his counsel.”
A long-standing dispute between the Punjab Sports Council (PSC) and PunjabCricket Association (PCA) has returned to the spotlight after a localcourt issued a notice on behalf of the PSC, asking the PCA to return theland on which their stadium is built.The PCA Stadium in Mohali was built in 1992 on land leased from the PSC.Inderjit Singh Bindra, the president of the PCA, was then also the sports secretary inthe state government and he is supposed to have taken the lease on anominal annual rent (which some sources say was as meager as Rs 100). Nowthe PSC has demanded Rs 150 crore (US$ 33,366,000 approx), which theybelieve the PCA has earned since 1992, along with an additional Rs 50crore for damages.Pargat Singh, former Indian hockey captain and currently director ofsports at Punjab, filed a petition yesterday at Kharar SDM’s court. Heconfirmed that the PSC had asked the PCA to hand over the land to theSports Council, which, he believed, was the legal owner. Pargat also addedthat the PSC had been forced into this move because the PCA had requestedfor more time in response to the legal notice sent in the second week ofJuly. “Three months is a long time and since there was not furthermovement, we decided to approach the courts.”As the situation stands, the PCA has been asked to file a reply byNovember 15. Bindra insisted he hadn’t seen the notice yet. A few closeobservers point to the political dimension to the whole matter, with theruling party trying to get a foothold into cricketing matters in the stateahead of the assembly elections scheduled for February next year.
Stuart Law, who played one Test for Australia and who earlier this year became a British citizen, has praised the standard of county cricket in England, and believes the county system has been the fundamental reason for England’s success.County cricket has long been lamented; indeed, in the 1990s, it was said to be the primary cause of England’s poorly-performing Test side, contrasting starkly with Australia’s fiercely competitive domestic system. A decade later and things are changing, according to Law.Speaking to , he said: “The gap is definitely closing. It has certainly become more and more professional. I think a big move was sacking those guys who just wanted to pay off their mortgages and replacing them with players who want to improve themselves and, one day, play for England.”Law is in the unique position of having played in significant seasons in both Australia’s and England’s domestic game. He captained Queensland to their first Pura Cup title, spent time with Essex and, most recently, has continued his prolific run-scoring for Lancashire.”The standard of cricket in England has improved dramatically since I first came here. It’s that competitiveness that comes from the overseas influences and the hard grind of it all. You have to know how to fight, and that is being bred into the English system these days. It all adds up to hard-nosed cricket.””In England these days there’s so much cricket that it really plays on the body and the mind but there’s no chance to let up,” he added. “You might have just finished a game, driven across the country and woken up to be facing Shoaib Akhtar or Shane Warne the next day. You have to be on your game every day of the week. If you’re not, some of these guys will make fools of you.”As much as England’s domestic system has improved, Law concluded with a note of caution: “I wouldn’t say that England are on the verge of controlling world cricket for the next 10 years just yet. But there are some very promising guys in the county ranks that, in a couple of years from now, could be very good.”
Twelve countries have assembled in England to contest the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy. Wisden Cricinfo takes a look at the teams, their prospects, and some of the names to look out for:
There’s nothing like a challenge to bring out the best in an Aussie. The Champions Trophy is the one major tournament that has so far eluded their grasp, and that fact alone will make them all the more determined this fortnight. They may not be quite the formidable unit that steamrolled all comers at the 2003 World Cup, but how could a side containing Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and a resurgent Glenn McGrath be anything other than overwhelming favourites?One to watch It’s the dawn of a new era of allrounders, and right up there with the best is Andrew Symonds. Like that other Andrew – Flintoff – Symonds has always had ability, but only lately has he developed the intense focus to deal with his immense power. He announced his arrival with a century against Pakistan in the 2003 World Cup, but when he repeated the feat at Lord’s last week, from an equally dicey situation, you couldn’t help noticing that he has morphed into a more violent version of Michael Bevan. His offspin’s pretty handy too, and he rockets returns in from the deep as if he’s got something against the keeper.New kid on the block While we’re on the subject of allrounders, here’s another useful addition to the Aussie squad. Shane Watson isn’t new new – he first played as a 20-year-old in March 2002, but after being kept out of the World Cup with a stress fracture of the back, he’s back to form and fitness, with a remodelled bowling action and a lust for leather-whacking. Andrew Miller
New Zealand
New Zealand disappointed in the Tests in England earlier this summer, but there wasn’t much wrong with their one-day form, as they spoiled England’s party then blitzed West Indies in the final of the NatWest Series in what was, remarkably, their first one-dayer at Lord’s. And the good news is that most of the injury problems that beset them on that tour have been resolved. Daniel Vettori is back in action, and so is Daryl Tuffey. Brendon McCullum is back after paternity leave. Sadly, Shane Bond is still unable to strut his stuff, but Ian Butler, puzzlingly overlooked for the Tests in England, isn’t far behind him for pace. Their match against Australia could well be the clash of the first round.One to watch Chris Cairns, no longer a Test player, but still a one-day legend. It was his responsible century that clinched the Champions Trophy for New Zealand – their first victory in a multi-nation tournament – in Kenya in 2000. Since then he’s blitzed his way to the top of the Test six-hitters’ list, and remains a ferocious competitor.New kid on the block Michael Papps, 25, didn’t feature in the one-day series in England after breaking a finger during his only Test of the tour. But his five ODI appearances so far, all against South Africa last winter, includedmatchwinning innings of 67 at Wellington and 92 not out at Napier. He’sshort, but drives well, and acts as a handy foil to the big hitters down the order. Steven Lynch
United States of America
Their first appearance in the big time, and they couldn’t have landed amore brutal group if they tried. Australians have long had a penchant for annihilating teams with “America” in their title – in 2001, the “Socceroos” football team beat American Samoa 31-0 in a World Cup qualifier, while South Australia’s favourite Canadian, John Davison, recently grabbed 17 wickets in the ICC Intercontinental Cup fixture aganst the USA in Florida. So quite what vengeance the world champions en masse intend to wreak is anyone’s guess. Mind you, America can’t expect the Kiwis to go easy on them either – because if rain happens to wash out the third and decisive match between the big guns, it’ll all come down to net run rate …One to watch Clayton Lambert may be a venerable 42-year-old, but in his days as a West Indian batsman, he played five Tests and 11 one-day internationals, with a century in each format. A left-hand batsman with a forthright, if crabby, style, he was never one to bother with the orthodox – as an exasperated Angus Fraser would readily testify – so if he can last long enough to get his eye in, we could yet see a reprise of his former glory days.New kid on the block The entire team … this is a whole new ball game for Team America. They may have taken part in the original cricket international, against Canada in 1844, but it has been a struggle to get the game re-established since. A boardroom dispute has undermined the fledgling professional 20-overs league, and the side has been treading water ever since qualifying for this Champions Trophy at the Six Nations Tournament at Sharjah. Still, there’s nothing like exposure on the big stage for getting a country kick-started. Andrew Miller
Other Pool previews
Pool B – Down on their luck Pool C – Pakistan in the ascendancy Pool D – Clash of the resurgents
Glamorgan`s next National League game will take place on Sunday, 8th June againstWorcestershire at the St. Helen`s ground in Swansea. On that day, Swansea will also behosting the Great Wales Triathlon.There will therefore be a small impact as far as access to the Swansea ground is concerned,and in order to minimise the impact, the start time of this match has been put back half anhour to 1.30pm.Whilst the main routes to the cricket ground will be closed from 6 a.m. to 1.00 p.m., alternativeroutes will be available which will enable traffic to reach parking facilities near St. Helen’s.These detours will be signposted off the M4 at Junction 47 and will then lead spectators tothe Recreation Ground Car Park via Brynmill Lane and Bryn Road.There should be no problems after the match with Worcestershire is over because the main roadswill re-open again from approximately 1.00pm.