The board of Zimbabwe Cricket should finally meet on Saturday in Harare to discuss a number of issues which might culminate in the appointment of a new captain and new selection panel.The board, headed by beleaguered chairman Peter Chingoka, has not met since September 12 when it briefly convened in Bulawayo following the annual general meeting held earlier in the day. That meeting has since been declared null and void as only seven out of the 12 members attended and therefore did not constitute a quorum in terms of the organisation’s constitution.It is not yet clear whether all the members will turn up this time as a number of them have refused to attend meetings called by Chingoka as part of the ongoing row blighting the game.A new captain is expected to be announced following the retirement of Tatenda Taibu last week. Allrounder Andy Blignaut, currently playing franchise cricket for Highveld Lions in South Africa, is favourite, although he blotted his copybook somewhat when he joined the strike in 2004, and top-order batsman Hamilton Masakadza is also in the frame.A fresh selection panel should also be unveiled. A new panel was named at the illegal September 12 meeting, comprising Bruce Makovah (convener), Ethan Dube, Macsood Ebrahim and Robin Brown, but they never assumed their duties and the old panel, led by Ebrahim with Dube and Richard Kaschula, selected the squads for the two Tests against India. As things stand, the selectors won’t have too much to do as almost all the country’s players have said they will refuse to play while Chingoka remains.The board is also expected to clarify the status of former national coach Phil Simmons who was sacked in August following Zimbabwe’s dismal showing in the two Tests against New Zealand. It subsequently emerged that Simmons’s dismissal was probably unconstitutional as it was made by senior board officials rather than the board as a whole. That led to Simmons taking ZC to court for unfair dismissal.Whatever happens, the meeting will be overshadowed by the escalating crisis engulfing the game, and the ongoing investigations by the Sports and Recreation Commission and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
The ICC and the Irish Cricket Union have named 25 venues for matches in the 2005 ICC Trophy scheduled in Ireland for July next summer. Five of the twelve sides participating will qualify for the World Cup in 2007.The tournament will be the eighth of its kind, and the 25 venues are spread around Ireland. The final will take place at Castle Avenue, Clontarf, where Ireland defeated Surrey by five wickets in the 2004 C&G Trophy. Forty-two matches are scheduled overall: the ones in the group phase are scheduled to take place in the north, the ones in the knockout stages in the south. No side will be eliminated from the competition at the group stage, but the rest of the matches will help decide an overall ranking of the teams participating.Group A is made up of Bermuda, Denmark, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United States and the host nation, Ireland. In group B, five of the six places have been decided: Canada, Holland, Namibia, Scotland and Oman. The last spot will go to the winner of the ICC World Cup Qualifying Series (WCQS) that will take place in Malaysia next February. Oman, an affiliate member of ICC, had some strong performances in the Asia Cricket Council Cup and have qualifed for the ICC Trophy for the first time. They did so ahead of Hong Kong and Fiji, both Associate Members which will now hope to be progress from the WCQS.Ehsan Mani, the president of ICC, was pleased at the announcement: “The ICC is delighted that the games will be played at such a variety of venues as it means that no ground will be played on too frequently and that will augur well for the state of the pitches.”It is obviously a hugely important aspect of the tournament,” he added, “not least because five of the 12 countries will qualify for the ICC World Cup in the West Indies in 2007.”However, John Wright, the secretary of the Irish Cricket Union and the tournament director, sounded a warning: “We received more acceptances [for acceptable-standard grounds] than were required so, inevitably, some clubs will be disappointed. However, such is the enthusiasm for the tournament that some of these clubs have offered their facilities for ‘warm-up’ games.”Three previous winners of the ICC Trophy have gone on to win Test status. Sri Lanka, who won in 1979, became a Test country in 1981-82. Zimbabwe played their first Test against India in 1992-93 after triumphing in 1982, 1986 and 1990, while Bangladesh, who won in 1997 after a last-ball victory against Kenya in the final, became a Test nation in 2000-01.The 25 venues are: Armagh, Bangor, Carrick, Civil Service (Stormont, Belfast), Cliftonville, Clontarf, Cooke Collegians (Belfast), Downpatrick, Drummond, Eglinton, Instonians, Leinster, Limavady, Lisburn, Lurgan, Malahide, Merrion, Muckamore, Newforge, North County, North Down, RBAI (Osborne Park, Belfast), The Hills (Dublin), Waringstown, and Woodvale.
Ahead of their County Championship tie against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham, Yorkshire have dropped Yuvraj Singh from their middle order, bringing in Gavin Hamilton instead.Yuvraj has struggled in the County Championship, making only 137 runs in 10 innings. His big knocks for Yorkshire came only in the Twenty20 Cup.Geoff Cope, director of cricket for the county, said: “Yuvraj has come over here and has not found it easy. Pressure has been coming from the second team, with Gavin Hamilton in good form and scoring runs, and we felt the time had come for a change.””Yuvraj is struggling,” Cope added. “He has accepted the decision and we all hope that he will find his touch and show everyone what he is capable of.”Yuvraj Singh in county cricket
New Zealand’s Cricket Academy made full use of the head start it made to the season last week, and the batting skill of Chris Cairns, to beat Central Districts by 79 runs in a 40-over match at Lincoln Green today.It was the only day of four scheduled days for CD at Lincoln University after bad weather in the Canterbury region.The Academy side batted first at CD’s request and lost Brendon McCullum who misjudged an inswinger from the fourth ball he faced, from Ewen Thompson, while fellow opener Jamie How was defiant for 50 minutes before being trapped leg before wicket by Brent Hefford.However, Shanan Stewart and Nick Horsley regained some initiative for the Academy in a 66-run third wicket stand in only 52 minutes. Stewart was first to go when caught at deep backward square leg on 31 when picking up a ball from off spinner Campbell Furlong.Horsley was in full cry however, and he put together 86 at almost a run a ball before he was out to Thompson’s bowling having hit two sixes and 10 fours.Any hopes CD had that they had gained the breakthrough were soon allayed when Cairns took control. Michael Mason was on the receiving end at one stage when in the space of seven balls, Cairns scored 22 runs, including three sixes. He raised his 50 off only 33 balls with four sixes and five fours.Cairns finished 84 not out, scored off 41 balls and he ended with seven sixes and seven fours. He found a solid ally in Nathan McCullum who scored 28 off 24 balls as 83 were added off 47 balls.It took only 19 minutes for the Academy side to move from 200 to 250 and at the end of 40 overs the Academy were 266/6. All of CD’s bowlers took a pasting with Thompson the only bowler to take more than one wicket with his two for 48 from seven overs.The Academy bowlers were miserly in their approach and only 30 runs came in the first 10 overs and by 20 overs the score was only 61/1. David Kelly and Peter Ingram scored 98 in 78 minutes for the second wicket. Both batsmen fell to Nathan McCullum’s spin bowling for 50 runs while Furlong retired on 35, scored off 30 balls.Time and overs ran out for the CD batsmen and the score was 187/5 when the 40 overs were completed. Nathan McCullum finished with two for 34 from his six overs. Cairns had none for 19 from his five overs.
Leeds United will be hoping to gain some momentum in the Premier League tonight as they take on Wolves at Molineux.
Jesse Marsch’s side finally got their late-season rescue act underway with a much-needed last-gasp victory over Norwich last time out, but tonight they face a Wolves team who are battling for European qualification next season.
The Whites boss will have some tough calls to make, but one ruthless decision he must surely consider is finally dropping Pascal Struijk from his starting line-up.
The Dutchman has been part of a leaky Leeds back-line which has conceded a league-high 65 goals this season, and while he looked a touch more assured against the Canaries, he should be given a rest here.
His performances in 2022 have very much left a lot to be desired, and his first couple of games under Marsch saw him look really troubled.
In his post-match player ratings following the match against Aston Villa, Leeds Live’s Beren Cross gave the 22-year-old a five, saying: “Unlucky to see his attempted block go beyond Meslier for the opener, but looked like he had an error in him all evening. Ball trickled away from him at one stage in the second half too without punishment.”
That followed on from his role in Leicester’s 1-0 victory in Marsch’s first game in charge of the club, with Rio Ferdinand slamming: “As a defender, if you’re on the halfway line with Jamie Vardy, you know what you’re playing against.
“I don’t know why he’s playing in the same line as him when he’s not even quick. You’ve got to give yourself a yard or two to see ball and man. The moment you get into a foot race with this guy, it’s curtains, it’s over for you.”
Indeed, as per WhoScored, the Dutchman hasn’t averaged a single game over a 6.8 in Leeds’ past nine fixtures in all competitions, including a shocking 4.9 and 5.3 in back-to-back encounters against Manchester United and Liverpool last month.
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While match ratings certainly aren’t the be-all and end-all, there’s no questioning that Struijk has found Leeds’ slump more of a struggle than most, especially when you consider that he’s still a very young defender having to cope with a very attacking tactic which demands a lot out of him both in terms of concentration and reading of the game.
The £17m-rated youngsyer must surely be taken out of the firing line, allowing him a mental breather.
AND in other news, Beren Cross reveals huge behind the scenes Leeds decision, Jesse Marsch will be fuming
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFour specialist bowlers and one of them succumbing to injury. For Kagiso Rabada, an up-and-coming fast bowler acting as spearhead one moment, workhorse the next, it was an onerous burden. But Rabada was up to the task, producing the most redoubtable display of his fledgling career to leave South Africa anticipating victory in the final Test in Centurion.Radaba’s return of 7 for 112, his finest figures in a Test career only five matches old, presented South Africa with a first-innings lead of 133 which they extended to 175 for the loss of Dean Elgar by the time bad light fell upon the third day.With reason to expect that this surly surface will become more indifferent as the Test progresses, South Africa retain strong hopes of a consolation victory which would reduce the series margin to 2-1 and enable them to claim their first victory in 10 Tests.Rabada tore through England’s batting line-up with three quick wickets on the stroke of lunch, removing Joe Root, James Taylor and Jonny Bairstow in succession to turn the Test heavily in South Africa’s favour. With Kyle Abbott leaving the field as tea approached for intensive treatment on a tight hamstring, South Africa’s four-strong attack was under heavy strain and Rabada, at the tender age of 20, bore most of it.By the time he led South Africa from the field half an hour after tea, his figures were the third best ever recorded at Centurion, outdone only by two other outstanding displays of recent vintage – Abbott’s 7 for 29 against Pakistan in 2013 and Mitchell Johnson’s terrorising of South Africa to claim 7 for 65 a year later.The accolades were thoroughly deserved for a display of great control, nous and stamina. His best Test figures followed a return of 5 for 78 in the third Test in Johannesburg. His achievements so young are rarely achieved. An unrewarding Test introduction on spin-friendly surfaces in India has been well and truly put behind him.His progress this series has been swift, his speeds around 145kph until fatigue took a hold and he sensibly throttled back, and his control of line excellent. He caresses the pitch – the antithesis of Hardus Viljoen who in Johannesburg tried to deep mine it. At 20 years old, he is a prize asset but he is still physically developing and South Africa will have to nurture him with care as they prepare for a future – not too distant now – without Dale Steyn.Alastair Cook, the first wicket to fall on the third day, must wait for the potential accolade of the youngest player to reach 10,000 Test runs – and as he watches England flounder after losing an influential toss he must be ageing by the minute.Cook, 67 not out overnight, began fifty runs short of the record, but he added only nine runs in an hour before he was unpicked by Morne Morkel, an excellent delivery from around the wicket which bounced and seamed away to take the edge. The wicket stirred Morkel, whose signal has come and gone like a mobile in an iffy reception area.Cook has one more innings in South Africa to secure a record that looks inevitable, barring injury, as he still has a full English summer to achieve it. He has ticked off the record thousand by thousand since his Test career began to evolve, the youngest batsman at every measuring point.The removal of Root, the mainstay of England’s batting line-up, was a huge breakthrough for South Africa. Root had launched England’s challenge by taking three back-foot boundaries off him in an over, the first of them thick-edged wide of gully, but he became the first victim of the morning when Rabada produced one that shaped away a tad around off stump for Quinton de Kock to hold a simple catch.Rabada struck again when Taylor was too early on a pull shot that was both too wide and high for the shot, especially with wickets falling and lunch approaching, and cue ended the ball to the wicketkeeper. Taylor might have been defeated by the inconsistent bounce, but it was an unwise shot with a short leg and two men back for the shot.Three balls later – the last before the interval – Rabada added Bairstow for nought. It was a dismissal that emphasised he is already a bowler of craft, an offcutter bouncing back at Bairstow who failed to withdraw from the shot to catch the glove and give de Kock his fourth catch of the innings.South Africa had squandered two reviews in the morning session. Morkel’s belief that he can get Cook caught down the leg side is all very well, but not when South Africa review an appeal – as they did when Cook was 70 – that missed the bat by several inches. The noise must have been that made when a theory collides with reality.There was over-eagerness, too, in de Kock’s belief that he had held a leg-side tickle from Root off the offspinner, Dane Piedt. Such considerations were soon forgotten as Rabada made deep inroads into England’s order, reducing them to 211 for 6 – still 63 short of avoiding the follow-on.Rabada added the wicket of Ben Stokes, picked off at second slip with only the second delivery with the second new ball, a success Rabada greeted with nothing more aggressive than the gentlest of smiles.England would have sensed an unlikely escape route, especially with Moeen Ali fashioning resistance with his usual languid unpredictability, leaving South Africa eminently grateful for the charitable departure of Chris Woakes shortly before tea.JP Duminy, a notional fifth bowler, whose confidence impaired by an injury in India when he split the webbing of his bowling hand, looks in bad shape, bowling wise, and seems to have adopted a strange, whirly Harbhajan Singh impression.He did nothing more than slip a straight one across Woakes, who edged it into the pads of the wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock and from there to first slip where Dean Elgar held a simple chance. Woakes had also been dropped on 1 when de Kock failed to hold a one-handed catch above his head off Morkel.After tea, South Africa threw the ball to Rabada once more. By the time he added his seventh – Stuart Broad obligingly pulling to deep square leg – he was running on empty, about 10kph down on his speed at the start of the Test, unable to summon the energy to run and congratulate the fielder.Moeen’s departure to Morkel, for 61, driving on the up to extra cover, finally gave Rabada release. His 29 overs had revealed a few home truths about the arduous nature of Test cricket. In another 24 hours or so, perhaps even less, he would be doing it all again.
The road to the 2011 World Cup continues for six teams with the start of the ICC World Cricket League Division Two in Windhoek, Namibia this weekend. The hosts, as well as Argentina, Denmark, Oman, Uganda and United Arab Emirates will battle it out over a week of action at three venues around the city.And at stake are four places in the World Cup Qualifier (formerly the ICC Trophy) in the UAE in 2009, the tournament that will determine which of the leading ICC Associate and Affiliate teams will go to the World Cup in the Asian subcontinent two years later. For five of the teams in Windhoek, it is a road they have travelled down before as Denmark, Namibia, Oman, Uganda and the UAE all played in the ICC Trophy in 2005 but failed to reach this year’s competition.However, Namibia (2003 in Southern Africa) and the UAE (1996 in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) have both reached World Cup finals so they should know exactly what is at stake and what sort of rewards are on offer to the successful sides.The new kids on the block are Argentina, a country basking in the glory of its success in the recent rugby World Cup where they reached the semi-finals and finished third.The cricketers have done just as well in many senses because, as late replacements for the United States of America in the ICC WCL Div.3 event earlier this year in Darwin, they were not expected to make many headlines. On paper, at least, the likes of Fiji, Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea and the Cayman Islands all looked likely finalists alongside the fancied Uganda, and there were also Italy and Tanzania to consider.But Argentina proceeded to rip up the formbook and won through to the final before losing out to Uganda, the other side to earn promotion from that event which gave both line-ups their tickets to Windhoek. It will be fascinating to see if Argentina can continue their journey or whether they will get stopped in their tracks by some of the more experienced sides on show.Explaining the significance of the World Cricket League and how the Windhoek tournament fits in, ICC global development manager Matthew Kennedy said: “The idea of the WCL is to give each of the ICC’s 91 Associate and Affiliate Members a clearly defined pathway to progress and develop in world cricket. Apart from Division 1, which involves the top six Associate sides, the next best teams from the ICC Trophy 2005 have been allocated to Division 2 and 3 events along with the top teams from each of five regional qualifying events.”It means that regular global one-day cricket opportunities are no longer confined to just the top sides in the LG ODI Championship table and this tournament in Windhoek is an example of that. Our belief is that by exposing these sides to different opponents and different conditions they will improve and take that improvement back into their own domestic structures thereby helping our strong sport grow even stronger by broadening its base to a significant degree.”With places up for grabs in the World Cup Qualifier, the incentives and rewards for teams to improve have never been greater and I wish all the sides in action in Namibia the best of luck in what should be a terrific tournament and a great advertisement for Associate and Affiliate cricket.”
Australia 1 for 28 (Ponting 11*, Hayden 12*) trail England 6 for 551d (Collingwood 206, Pietersen 158) by 523 runs Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary How they were out – England How they were out – Australia
It has happened again. Down 1-0 after a first-Testthrashing, England have been revived for the secondAshes series in a row by batting first in the nextmatch. Through brilliant returns from Paul Collingwoodand Kevin Pietersen they grabbed the momentum fromAustralia, posted 6 for 551 and promptly declared infive-star luxury. The series gained further life whenJustin Langer edged Andrew Flintoff, who decided toopen the bowling, and the home side were 1 for 28 atstumps.Collingwood clipped a superb 206 and Pietersen backedhim up with a sensible 158 as England enjoyed anotherwildly successful day on a pitch offering nothingencouraging to the fast bowlers. Together they etchedthemselves into Ashes history with England’s highestfourth-wicket stand against Australia, passing the 288of Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe at Edgbaston in1997.Individually they coped well with Australia’spersistent tinkering in the field, the attempts atregular containment and Shane Warne and Stuart Clark,the biggest dangers in an ineffective attack.Collingwood closed a 70-year double-century droughtfor England Down Under when he became the first sinceWally Hammond to achieve the milestone. It was anoutstanding all-round innings that has sealed his spotat No. 4. Pietersen has been criticised for sitting aspot lower in the order but the move has workedspectacularly in this game.The top four blunted Australia and then Pietersen andCollingwood were allowed to capitalise, driving theirside into a position that was unthinkable for even themost positive England supporter over the past week.They narrowly avoided going three sessions withoutAustralia’s hyped attack taking a wicket and thechilly wind that blew between lunch and tea was morebiting than Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee.It took an edge from Clark, who was easily the leadingfast man with 3 for 75, to end Collingwood’s stay of392 balls and signal the tea break. India havepunished Australia at home like this recently, butonly occasionally do they allow themselves to betreated so badly in their own conditions.Adelaide is not Warne’s favourite ground and he hasnever given up as many runs against England as his 1for 167. Struck for centuries in consecutive inningsby opponents who usually shake whenever he flicks hiswrist, he has started to look like a 37-year-oldinstead of a vibrant 20-something. Spin has been greatbut slow and his first wicket didn’t come until his47th over. He barely acknowledged it.Age is also telling for McGrath and his left heel. Hewas on and off the field in the opening session for boot treatment and was belted for three fours by Pietersenin his first over of the morning. Clark was preferredto start proceedings and McGrath was only called for athree-over spell. He delivered 12 in the day, most ata speed in the mid-120s, and the decision to passhimself fit is in the process of back firing.
England have no such concerns thanks to the 310-runpartnership between Collingwood and Pietersen thatrattled at 3.68 an over. Collingwood’s century arrivedfrom his second ball this morning and he was measuredin the first session before outscoring Pietersen by 27runs in the second.The most spectacular of his 16 fours were lofteddrives to bring up his 150 and 200 as he corrected hiserror on 96 in Brisbane. Warne was the first to watchthe ball sail over his head while Michael Clarke wasthe victim when Collingwood joined Hammond and REFoster as the only Englishmen to scoredouble-centuries in Australia.Until his dismissal Collingwood came closest to losinghis wicket on 109 when Michael Hussey had a chance ata direct hit and missed. As Collingwood walkedfollowing his edge 97 runs later Pietersen ran over tohis team-mate to join the loud applause and the BarmyArmy sang his name.Australia had shut down Pietersen by employing Warnearound the wicket, sometimes with five men on thelegside, but he was happy to let the ball thud intohis pads and occasionally used his feet to attackhalf-volleys. Lee was hammered by Pietersen on acouple of memorable occasions; one thumping straightdrive was just out of the bowler’s reach and a finehook shot sped to the short square boundary. However,Lee was convinced Pietersen nicked him on hisovernight score of 60, but Steve Bucknor ruled not outand was supported by the technology.A quick single from Clark brought up Pietersen’ssecond century against Australia and his double-armraise paid particular attention to his fiancée andLiberty X singer Jessica Taylor, who was standing andsmiling in the Sir Edwin Smith stand. A similarattempt at a run caused his downfall when Ponting under-armed sharply from midwicket. By then England’sgrip on the match was as secure as Pietersen’s bearhugs of Collingwood.
Short cuts
Shot of the day Paul Collingwood’s lofted four over the head of ShaneWarne to bring up his 150. He tried a similar shot inBrisbane last week and failed, but stayed true to hisaggressive instincts and was rewarded.Highlight of the day Collingwood again. His double-century was only thefifth by an Englishman in Australia. Wally Hammondscored three, the last in 1936-37, and RE Foster’s 287came in 1903-04.Partnership of the day Collingwood and Pietersen gave Justin Langer andMatthew Hayden a target to aim for this summer for themost hugs in a liaison. There was a lot of love on theoval as they produced the highest fourth-wicketpartnership for England against Australia.Surprise of the day Bored of Pietersen andWarne’s battle, the Boony Army tried to start aMexican Wave in the middle session, but the Barmy Armywere gripped by the action and refused to haveanything to do with it. How times change.Wave of the day Glenn McGrath has never given up as many runs withouta wicket as his 107 in this innings, but theperformance did not steal all of his humour. When theBarmy Army cheered his century McGrath gave a thumbsup as he walked back to his mark.
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.”