The ICC has appointed Darrell Hair to stand as an official umpire in the triangular one-day series in Mombasa involving Kenya, Scotland and Canada which starts next week. He will also officiate in the World Cricket League which follows in Nairobi.In November, Percy Sonn, the ICC president, announced that Hair would “not be appointed to international matches involving ICC Full Members”. He added: “The board has discussed this matter with great sincerity and gave lots of attention to it and they’ve come to the conclusion that they’ve lost confidence in Mr Hair.”The announcement came from Cricket Kenya and a spokesman from the ICC told Cricinfo that there would be no formal media release until Sunday. The ICC added that this news did not represent an about-turn in policy from the board, insisting that Hair is still banned from officiating in any matches involving Full Member sides.The Kenyan authorities said the other on-field umpires were Ian Gould (Eng) and Buddhi Pradhan (Nepal) while the match referee would be Javagal Srinath.Send us your thoughts
Abdul Razzaq, Pakistan’s experienced allrounder, faces a race against time to be fit and available for the first Test against India from January 13, after being hospitalised with a severe chest infection in Lahore. Razzaq, who has played 37 Tests and 201 One-day Internationals, was taken to hospital after running high fever and severe coughing bouts which were diagnosed to be due to a chest infection.”Doctors say that the recovery process is going to be slow because the infection is severe and will take time to be eliminated. I am feeling very weak at the moment and really don’t know when I will be able to resume full training and playing cricket again,” Razzaq said on Wednesday.Razzaq has been a key member of the Pakistan Test and one-day squads for the last two years and recently also missed the Test series against England due to an elbow injury, the cause of which was found to be a damaged tissue in his hand.He recovered in time to play in all five One-day Internationals against the England side. “I am very disappointed because I am looking forward to the Indian series and the training camp also starts from January 6. I don’t know if I would be able to join the camp or how long it will take for me to make a complete recovery,” he said.Razzaq said he was hoping to be fit for the first Test in Lahore but would act only on doctors advice. Another allrounder Shoaib Malik has also undergone surgery on his heels five days back to remove painful corns, which caused him a lot of problems during the series against England. Malik who opened against England has however been told by his doctors he can resume training in a week’s time.
Cricinfo adds: According to reports in several newspapers as well as private television channels, Razzaq has been diagnosed with typhoid. said Razzaq had gone to hospital two days before being checked in, when he was discharged after a medical check-up. When he went again, on Wednesday, doctors revealed he had typhoid.
Scorecard Ramesh Powar, the offspinner, dismantled the South Zone batting line-up with a seven-wicket haul, his best first-class figures, on the opening day of the star-packed Duleep Trophy game at Hyderabad. West Zone ended the day on 71 for 3, with Dheeraj Jadhav unbeaten on 30, as Anil Kumble gave South an opening with a double strike late in the day.Powar has had a great time in the league phase of the Ranji Trophy, finishing fifth on the wicket-taking charts, and his four-wicket burst against North Zone in the last game helped his side fight back. After the top three South batsmen were dismissed by the faster bowlers, Powar got his first wicket, that of Rahul Dravid, as early as the 14th over. He struck at regular intervals from then on and bowled a marathon 22.5 overs when he snapped up the rest of the batsmen. Powar had burst on to the scene in the Irani Trophy game of the 2003-04 season and had hinted at how Sachin Tendulkar’s advice helped him immensely. It was a similar day today with Tendulkar captaining and Powar striking it big.Venugopal Rao and Lakshmipathy Balaji lent the innings some respectability with 30s and Kumble chipped in with a solid 28. With Kumble getting two early wickets this evening, the spin bowlers may have a major say in the result of this one. Tomorrow promises to be another exciting day with the prospect of Tendulkar walking out to bat first thing in the morning.
Otago’s batsmen were given a thorough working out by the New Zealand Academy Selection at Lincoln Green yesterday, before the match ended as a draw with Otago 159 runs behind the Academy Selection with only two wickets in hand.The day had been affected by heavy rain just after noon and nearly three hours of play were lost. Otago were 63 for 2 when the rain began, Craig Cumming and Robert Lawson attempting to rebuild momentum after opener Mohammad Wasim and Chris Gaffeney were dismissed when there were only 28 runs on the board.The Academy Selection’s bowling options were disrupted when Richard Sherlock, bowling first change, suffered a twisted ankle when bowling the first ball of his second over. Lawson, after showing some of his attacking skills, was bowled by Michael Mason for 36.Cumming proved the key batsman for Otago, as he was last summer, and he had a fine contest with Shane Bond, the New Zealand fast bowler who is using the series as a build-up for his return to international play. Cumming showed his patience, taking 134 balls over his half-century and was on 59 when he was dismissed, caught behind by Griggs from Neil Broom’s bowling.It then became a battle of survival for the Otago side and they eventually made it home on what was a chilly day. Mark Richardson added to the dramatics of the day by claiming a wicket, trapping Warren McSkimming leg before wicket, an appeal that umpire Doug Cowie was unable to deny.New Zealand Academy Selection 349-9 dec (J Ryder 97, M Richardson 75, R Taylor 52, P Fulton 43, B Scott 3-67, W McSkimming 3-85) met Otago 190-8 (C Cumming 59, R Lawson 36, G Hopkins 34, N Broom 2-29, M Mason 2-52).
Bangladesh showed some improvements in the one-day matches they played against Pakistan. If they seek a momentary solace throughout the series in the game’s both versions, they can put forward their good efforts in the limited over matches as evidence.As for Tests they couldn’t hang on to the crease for full three days yet. Many controversial remarks have been made on Bangladesh’s horrendous performance in the Tests already. Sometimes the top-order was blamed and sometimes the middle. An impartial observer would find a good number of incongruities in Bangladesh’s so called strong batting line-up and in the team selection as well.Selectors have been trying to make a good opener out of Al-Sahariar, undoubtedly one of the most gifted batsmen in the country. But sorry for Al-Sahariar that he couldn’t accomplish the duty he was given (I would rather use the word “Imposed”) as a makeshift opener. He is most likely the most unfortunate victim of the reckless decisions carried on by the selectors. He was tested in all slots from number one to number six. How it is possible for a batsman to go on well against such odds?It’s right that he couldn’t bat with the prudence of an opener, as he was repeatedly seen carried away with the nasty prods he made out side the off stump. But we must remember it side by side that Sahariar has been playing in the middle-order for years and he feels pretty relaxed there. The selectors shouldn’t gamble with Al-Sahariar against a team like Pakistan.Mohammed Ashraful, a prodigy without a shred of doubt, is obviously playing under pressure since his sparkling debut against Sri Lanka. They way he batted in the first Test leaves ample evidences that he was succumbing to that pressure he tried to improvise shots against the cunning Pakistani bowlers, who are at any rate more skillful and experienced to baffle such boyish efforts.Besides that he is yet to learn the patience needed to play the longer version matches. A century knock in the debut doesn’t make a fixed grade of a batsman. Instead of being pompous of what he achieved in the past Ashraful should develop skills to play judiciously against the better bowlers in the world.He was too aggressive against the prominent Pakistanis, tried to outplay them by his fiery efforts as he successfully did in Colombo last year. But little Ashraful has to discover that these efforts don’t have good snaps in them always. No matter how tough a cookie he is, he should be warned by his seniors and others over this matter. Otherwise, he might face set backs in his auspicious career.
Unbeaten Slimline Sports Club beat Colts Sports Club by 68 runs in an anti-climax final of the Women’s Cricket Association Challenge Championship Tournament to retain the title at the Moors SC grounds, Braybrooke Place.The encounter was expected to be a thriller with the two teams being tipped to come out with improved performances after their first round encounters.Chasing a victory target of 176 runs to win in 38 overs Colts lost wickets at regular intervals and were nowhere in contest for the trophy being bowled out for 107 runs in 31.2 overs. Their wickets tumbled mainly due to poor cricket, with three players succumbing to run-outs and two to stumpings.Colts were also at a disadvantage of having being penalised two overs in the 40-over final for slow over rate.Sudarshani Sivaratnam top scored with 25 with Hiroshi Edirisinghe(22) and Michelle Pereira (19) chipping in with valuable knocks.Ramani Perera (2/14) and Champa Priyangika (2/25) spearheaded the bowling attack to take two wickets a piece.Early in the day, Slimline electing to bat first scored 175 for nine in 40 overs. Only Ganga Silva (46) and Kalpana Liyanarachchi (41) batted well against the Colts bowling. Silva struck four boundaries while Liyanarachchi had five fours. Four players were run out bringing the total number of such dismissals to seven in the match.Sudarshani Sivaratnam (3/26) excelled in the bowling too.Vanessa Bowen (1/25) and Lalani Priyadarshani (1/26) were the other wicket takers.
Everton may be teetering on the verge of relegation but they already planning potential incomings this summer.
What’s the news?
After scoring his 30th goal at youth level already this season, Reyes has reportedly attracted interest from not just the top clubs in the Premier League including Everton, but also the likes of Bayer Leverkusen, Red Bull Salzburg, and most notably, Bayern Munich.
The 17-year-old has made just one appearance at senior level for West Brom, which came in the FA Cup, and should his lack of opportunities in the Championship continue, it’s quite likely that he will see his future elsewhere in order to continue his development.
Unique striker who can emulate Lukaku
Everton have usually had at least one clinical striker throughout the last 20 years or so, and despite being stuck in a relegation battle currently in the Premier League, they still have valuable strikers Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison – who both would likely be sold if the club failed to secure their top-flight status at the end of this season.
In that event, it’s likely that boss Frank Lampard will look to sign a younger prospect to bring through alongside a more experienced striker, and that player could just be West Brom starlet Cleary – who has been described as an “uncut diamond” by Albion U23s manager Richard Beale.
It isn’t often that a young striker with a stocky figure attracts the interest from Europe’s top teams despite barely playing any first-team football, but Cleary has physically dominated defenders at U18 and U23 level already and has shown consistently how clinical he is.
This term alone, the Baggies youngster has found the net an impressive 20 times in just 21 outings, something he’ll be hoping to transfer into senior-team action.
Speaking further of the teenager, Beale said: “If he keeps working hard and keeps his head, he has a mature head on his shoulders and he knows he needs to work hard, the bits he has to improve on. He can be anything he wants to be.
“It is a big step up to the first-team and he’s certainly got lots of work to do yet, but he’s in a good place. We’re really excited by his potential and what he could become.”
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Should he sign for Everton, Lampard could well mould him into the next Romelu Lukaku. He shone at Goodison Park during his time there following a spell where he starred with West Brom; something that Cleary is now doing as well.
It’s a mighty reputation to live up to but his goalscoring exploits, like Lukaku, speaks for itself.
In other news: Lampard has already found his new Mount at Everton in “top quality” £2.5k-p/w starlet
It was fitting that Shoaib Akhtar caused one final dent in India’s run down the home stretch but it was equally apt that VVS Laxman was at the crease when the winning runs were knocked off and India took a 1-0 lead in this three-Test series. Sachin Tendulkar was unbeaten on a half-century and India chased down a target they had never managed before at the Feroz Shah Kotla with six wickets to spare.When Akhtar bounced Sourav Ganguly and the ball got big on the pull shot, resulting in a swirling top-edge to fine leg, Pakistan supporters would have got a whiff of the unlikely. A wicket had fallen, Ganguly on 48, with 22 still needed for victory. But there would be no more heroics as Tendulkar took the lead and knocked off the required runs with a minimum of fuss.In some ways it was ironic that Laxman was at crease when victory was sealed, for the lead-up to this Test match was full of questions over what the composition of the Indian team, especially the middle order, should be. Amid overwhelming calls to include the in-form Yuvraj Singh, Laxman came under pressure for his spot, as he often does. But he delivered in the first innings with a classy unbeaten 72, when it mattered the most, setting up an India win.Equally, it was fitting that Anil Kumble, who picked up seven wickets in his first match as captain, walked away with the Man-of-the-Match award. When he was named Test captain, ahead of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who already had the job for the one-dayers, there was some concern about the Indian selectors looking back rather than forward. But Kumble proved that captaincy would rest lightly on his broad shoulders and did not let it affect his performance.Pakistan, meanwhile, have a Test full of missed opportunities to look back at before the second Test begins in Kolkata on November 30. At crucial points in the match they failed to drive their advantage home, and paid the price. The bowling attack, when the chips were down, lacked penetration, barring Shoaib, who bowled with customary pace and hostility. The absence of Mohammad Asif definitely hurt Pakistan, for even chasing 203 on a less-than-perfect batting strip would have been a task had he been around.”This ground has been very special, everything has happened on this ground,” Kumble said soon after receiving the Man-of-the-Match award. “I think the boys responded really well and getting Pakistan out under 250 in both innings was creditable. The partnerships between Laxman and Dhoni, [Rahul] Dravid and [Wasim] Jaffer and Sachin and Ganguly were all very crucial.”Kumble also conceded that his own performance was crucial. “It was excellent to get into the [bowling] groove right away. Three months is a long break at my age and I’m very happy with my performance.” The last time he played a Test, against England at The Oval, Kumble was the sentimental choice for the match award, having just scored his only Test hundred in a series where no Indian batsman reached three figures. This time around there was no sentiment involved, just cold performance by India’s newest captain. And that’s the way he would like it.
Ricky Ponting’s “relentless” Australia will push for the second 5-0 result in Ashes history and a 12th win in a row next week in Sydney. The innings and 99-run victory at the MCG added more despair to a wretched England tour, but they can expect no let-off as the series winds down.Ponting said the side would celebrate their two days off but he wanted his players to prepare as well as they did for the first Test in Brisbane when they meet in Sydney. “When we do get to training we’ll make sure we’re ready to go,” he said. “We’ve got an opportunity to create something very special.”Warwick Armstrong’s side managed an Ashes cleansweep in 1920-21 and only Steve Waugh’s team has achieved more consecutive wins than the current outfit. By posting their 11th success this side has matched the West Indies of the mid-1980s.Shane Warne, who was the Man of the Match, refused to say this was the greatest outfit he had appeared in, but he felt the previous teams could not match the result. “To play against the second best side in the world, who are a very good side, and to be 4-0 up, I don’t think any side I’ve played with has been as good as at the moment,” he said. “It was a great exhibition from a very good team.”Ponting said Australia’s low error rate and the ability to win the important moments set them apart from their “demoralised” opponents. “When you’re playing at the standard we are and not making mistakes, it doesn’t matter who you’re playing,” he said. “We’ll get in as much trouble as any team in a Test, but we’ll find a way of scrapping away and getting our noses in front. When we’ve had the chance we’ve made the most of it – the Symonds-Hayden partnership in this game or the last day in Adelaide. We’ve been relentless.”Andrew Flintoff spoke for England and had no revealing answers about his side’s demise. Ponting tried to be kind to his opponents but finished with a crushing statement. “After losing a game like today after three days and winning the toss, I think they’d be pretty demoralised.”
The Supreme Court today sought a response from Prasar Bharati, the state-owned broadcaster, on whether it was willing to share the Ten Sports’ feed of the upcoming India-Pakistan series without any alteration. A bench headed by Ashok Bhan posted the matter for further hearing tomorrow, and asked GE Vahanvati, the Solicitor General, to elicit Prasar Bharati’s position on the issue.Ten Sports, the exclusive telecast rights-holder for the series, had on January 8 moved the Supreme Court seeking a stay of the Indian government’s decision making it mandatory for private television channels to share feed of sporting events of national importance with Prasar Bharati. The petition, filed by Taj Television Ltd, owner of Ten Sports, had termed the decision arbitrary and contended that the government had no authority to take away its exclusive right which was negotiated with a foreign sports body.Meanwhile, Prasar Bharati has already filed a caveat to pre-empt Ten Sports from taking any ex-parte interim order against the Bombay High Court order which refused to grant any relief to Ten Sports on the matter.Terming it as a malafide exercise of power by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry for making money at the cost of private channels, Ten Sports said it alone has the exclusive right to decide with whom it wants to share the feed and in India it has chosen the cable operators.