All posts by h716a5.icu

The split-innings format will need more of the excitement provided by Nathan Rimmington if it is to grip the nation

Peter English06-Oct-2010Split-innings cricket is currently like getting the birthday present you didn’t ask for and aren’t sure you want. It’s looked at it in strange ways, with awkward smiles and mainly polite expressions, as the receiver tries to work out the point of it all.Even before the 45-over Ryobi Cup competition started there were people involved who didn’t think it would last more than a season. Cricket Australia would love it to be adopted internationally by 2015, when they are scheduled to host the World Cup. It will need more of the excitement provided by Nathan Rimmington in the final six overs of the opening fixture if it is to go on to grip even one nation.Rimmington, a No. 11 who had already taken four wickets, saved the contest with 42 off 24 balls even though he could not seal victory for Queensland with a six from the final delivery. Until then the game had burned dangerously slowly.What the match showed was that the players were right to be confused about the regulations and the over structure of 20-20-25-25. At first glance it was disruptive to watch and the change-of-innings order was uncomfortable. The rhythm of the game was also upset for players and spectators.Mark Cosgrove finished Tasmania’s first innings unbeaten on 59 off 60 balls but was out early in the second for 69 off 74 after battling to re-start. The advantage of what he had achieved early in the day was lost. Only at the conclusion of both innings did the batsmen really race, just as they would have in the concluding stages of a traditional one-day affair.Understanding the score was complicated by the four segments making up two completed innings. It was better for the television watchers than the sprinkling of supporters at the ground, where the main scoreboard didn’t work because the computer software couldn’t translate the new conditions. (Our ball-by-ball commentary didn’t work over the second half for the same reason.)One of the arguments for the introduction of the format was to increase the strategy of the game, but even Tasmania’s coach Tim Coyle felt it was important not to “over-think” the tactics. The spinners Xavier Doherty and Jason Krejza were used in the first 20 overs, which isn’t that unusual for Tasmania, and Queensland briefly went for a first-innings bonus point. Having only four men outside the fielding circle made the captains frown more, but overall it was hardly a case of Mike Brearley staring at Stephen Fleming.Under the conditions two bouncers an over were allowed but there weren’t a barrage of short balls. They were used as an attacking option by Tasmania towards the end of the match, but that gave Ryan Broad and Rimmington room to power a couple of sixes each. Broad also picked up a bruise on the neck from a Brett Geeves lifter. That was different to a normal 50-over exchange in which the bowler finds it hard to defend himself.What was most fair was that both teams had to bat under lights and experience the seaming conditions that usually help the bowlers on Brisbane evenings. The prospect was made even trickier with two new balls being used at the start of each first innings, meaning they were only 10 overs old at the beginning of the final stanzas. Still, it was a lot to take in during one match and would be a nightmare to explain to a first-time watcher.A player involved in the competition this week described the format as “s***house”. Cricket Australia thinks the idea is brilliant and believes it will show the organisation leads the world in innovation. Like a surprise gift, it will take a while to work out what exactly it’s useful for.

Wolves are now reportedly the front-runners to sign Aaron Ramsey from Juventus on deadline day, as they look to pip Rangers to his signature.

The Lowdown: Constant Ramsey links

Wanderers have been linked with a move for the 31-year-old in recent days, with a number of reports doing the rounds regarding his future.

Ramsey’s career in Italy has failed to ignite since he moved to Juve from Arsenal in the summer of 2019, finding himself limited to just 70 appearances in total.

With deadline day now well underway, an exciting update has emerged from a Wolves perspective.

The Latest: Wolves favourites to seal move

According to TEAMtalk, Bruno Lage’s side are now the favourites to complete a loan move for Ramsey, with Rangers also keen on acquiring his signature.

That follows along with David Ornstein’s claim that the Welshman is at a private airport terminal right now deciding which of three interested teams he will join.

Wolves weren’t specified in that report, but it was stated that a Premier League team are one of the three candidates, along with Rangers.

The Verdict: Very exciting update

Ramsey might not be at the absolute peak of his powers these days, with age and injuries catching up with him a little, but he could still be a really shrewd signing by Wolves.

The midfielder has a wealth of experience at the top level, winning one Serie A title and three FA Cups (six total domestic trophies), and he has also scored 20 goals for Wales, putting him sixth on their all-time list.

Ramsey would bring an eye for goal with him from midfield and his more attacking style could make for a nice balance alongside the likes of Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves.

In other news, Wolves are also interested in signing another player on deadline day. Find out who it is here.

A round-up of matches from the second day of the BCCI Corporate Trophy

Cricinfo staff02-Sep-2010Group A
A combined bowling effort from State Bank of Hyderabad inflicted a second consecutive defeat on All India Electricity Board in Visakhapatnam. Vinay Dandekar picked up three wickets and was supported by Abhishek Jhunjhunwala and Rana Chowdhary who picked up two each. The problem for SBH was the failure of their batsmen to convert starts. T Suman made a fluent 32, P Srihari Rao chipped in with 37 while wicketkeeper M Srinivas contributed an unbeaten 33. They were not helped by the appalling lack of support from the other end, as the AIEB bowlers kept chipping away.AIEB would have backed themselves to chase down 172 but they didn’t have to go that far. Rain intervened when they were on 99 for 2 in 20.3 overs, well past what they required at that stage in the event of an interruption.Group B
In a thrilling contest in Chennai, Tata Sports Club survived a spirited chase by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and prevailed by one run to open their mark in the BCCI Corporate trophy.The chase of 265 was dealt a major setback when Abhishek Nayar’s fluent knock of 85 was terminated by Gaurav Jathar. At 138 for 4, it seemed TSC were in control but captain VA Indulkar and wicketkeeper Uday Kaul struck half-centuries to surge BPCL back in the game. Indulkar was more measured while Kaul stepped up with four fours and a couple of sixes. Just as it seemed BPCL would upstage their opponents, Wilkin Mota struck twice, ending the threatening stand and then dismissing Sairaj Bahutule. Mota bowled the final over and Bahutule fell first ball but BPCL were still favourites, requiring 4 off 5 balls with Kaul still batting. However, they managed just two more, failing to dispatch Mota, and slipped to an agonising defeat.The star with the bat for TSC was Dhruv Singh, who led his team’s recovery from 109 for 5 with an attacking 115. He was supported down the order by Mota, who chipped in with 30 – part of a decisive all-round effort – and Ajit Agarkar, who blasted 31 off 19 to stretch his team’s score to one they barely managed to defend.Group C
Air India eased to their second straight win in the tournament, beating Chemplast by six wickets in Hyderabad. Even a century from Napoleon Einstein and a score of 278 wasn’t enough in the wake of a solid reply from AI’s batsmen. Captain Mohammad Kaif took the lead in steering his team home, making an unbeaten 82 in 88 balls including four fours and two sixes. And there was ample support from the rest. Hrishikesh Kanitkar scored a run-a-ball 53 in a 118-run stand with Kaif, while Sushant Marathe and Chandan Madan put the chase on track with a 70-run stand. Victory was secured without much fuss with 14 balls to spare.Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited edged State Bank of Mysore by five runs in a fascinating encounter in Hyderabad. Both teams were bowled out, there were no half-centuries in the match and yet there were 575 runs scored in all.BSNL opted to bat and seemed to be on track for a more challenging score with a series of consistent contributions from the batsmen in the top and middle orders. Monish Mishra made 39, NS Negi made 41 and Niranjan Behera chipped in with 36 but what was missing was a more substantial innings. Chethan William grabbed three wickets while every other bowler chipped in with at least a wicket to keep BSNL in check and restrict them to a score of 240.SBM were in a good position to secure a win at 152 for 3 but offspinner Kamlesh Makvana broke a 76-run stand between William and B Akhil. He dismissed both batsmen and left-arm spinner Kuldeep Diwan stepped in to trigger a collapse where the last five wickets fell for 31 runs to deprive SBM of a win.Group D
State Bank of Patiala and Income Tax (India) served up the third closely-fought game of the day, with the former prevailing by 17 runs in Bangalore. SBP batted first and squandered an excellent start provided by their openers, R Rehni and Ravi Inder Singh, who added 101. Inder Singh made 75 but there were no major contributions from the rest. Spinners Ankit Sharma and Parag Khanapurkar grabbed seven wickets between them to help skittle out SBP for 218. SBP held the edge in the chase, limiting IT for 104 for 6 at one stage. But wicketkeeper Amol Ubarhande and Rohit Dahiya tried to revive the innings with a 57-run stand for the seventh wicket, but SBP fought back. Mukesh Sharma chipped away at the rest of the line-up, finishing with 5 for 26, and ending IT’s innings with more than three overs to spare.Oil and Natural Gas Corporation raced to victory against Madras Rubber Factory at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. Despite good starts, the MRF top-order batsmen fell in pairs. The openers Thalavan Sargunam and S Anirudha fell with the score on 87, Sridharan Sriram and Y Gnaneswara Rao then fell in a space of three runs. Venugopal Rao remained unbeaten on 83 but MRF had been in a position to post more than 242 for 6. The score proved inadequate. Praveen Kumar, who opens the bowling for India, shone in his role as a batsman at the top of the order, giving the ONGC innings a boost with a quickfire 54. His opening partner Sandeep Sharma made 75 while Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir remained unbeaten to steer their team to victory with 73 balls to spare.

Wahab Riaz, who received his maiden call-up to Pakistan’s Test squad for tour of England, and opening batsman Yasir Hameed are eager to translate their domestic form into success at the international level

Cricinfo staff21-Jun-2010Left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz, who received his maiden call-up to Pakistan’s Test squad for tour of England, and opening batsman Yasir Hameed, who was given a recall, are eager to translate their domestic form into success at the international level.Riaz was at home watching television when the news of his selection came through and he was overjoyed. “I just couldn’t believe my eyes when my name came up,” Riaz told the website . “I see this selection as a show of faith from the PCB and the selectors in my ability as a bowler. I’m in good form with the ball and I can only hope that I will carry this form onto the international stage with me.”Riaz made his ODI debut for Pakistan against Zimbabwe in 2008 and played five one-dayers and a Twenty20. He picked up two wickets on debut but, after a promising start, struggled in the Kitply Cup in Bangladesh in 2008, where he was taken out of the attack for bowling two beamers against India. Riaz last played an ODI for Pakistan in June 2008 but strong performances for the A team against England Lions in Abu Dhabi, and against Australia A and Sri Lanka A, brought him back into the reckoning. In six games during last season’s Qaid-e-Azam Trophy, Riaz picked up 14 wickets.Opening batsman Yasir Hameed was returning to the Test squad after a gap of nearly three years. Hameed’s last Test appearance was against India at Bangalore in 2007 where he made 19 and 39. Hameed made 513 runs at an average of 42.75 in the Qaid-e-Azam Trophy and he said he had ironed out the technical deficiencies in his batting.”You have to understand that the hardest part for a professional sportsman is to admit that he does have weaknesses and that there are flaws in his technique which need to be addressed,” Hameed told . “I’ve worked really hard on the problems I had against spin and I’ve done a lot of homework on this specific problem. As for my off-stump weakness, I’ve been using a tape ball to learn when to leave the ball and when to go for it. It’s all about patience and application and I’ve been working hard on both those things.”Pakistan play their first T20 game against Australia in Birmingham on July 5, and the first Test against Australia at Lord’s begins on July 13.

Many Everton fans have been slamming the performance of Dominic Calvert-Lewin in their 1-0 loss at home to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.

It was another disappointing defeat for the Goodison Park faithful, with Duncan Ferguson this time in the dugout following the departure of Rafael Benitez, as Emi Buendia flicked on the only goal of the match from a corner kick on the stroke of half-time.

Calvert-Lewin struggled to make any sort of impact on the game for his side, as he failed to record a single shot on target and only had a mere 36 touches of the ball in total, fewer than his own goalkeeper Jordan Pickford (SofaScore).

Villa’s defence seemed to routinely get the better of him, as he also lost out on no fewer than 17 of his duels, by far the most out of any player on the pitch.

Everton fans slam Calvert-Lewin

These Everton supporters slammed the England striker’s performance on Twitter, with one Toffees fan going as far as to claim that the 24-year-old was a ‘passenger’ against Villa:

“Calvert-Lewin gave it the big one the other day – stunk the yard out”

Credit: @tomosefc

“Calvert-Lewin was awful today as well”

Credit: @Kizzaefc

“Calvert-Lewin was an absolute passenger today.”

Credit: @rowloefc

“Dominic Calvert-Lewin is and always has been an overrated footballer. Couldn’t lace Rom’s shoelaces if he tried!!”

Credit: @saucyscouser

“Calvert-Lewin offers absolutely nothing, it’s like playing with 10!”

Credit: @Wazza23666

“1/10 performance from Calvert-Lewin here”

Credit: @IlGalkEFC

In other news, find out what club update has left these Blues fans buzzing

Sean Ervine claimed four wickets for 12 runs as Hampshire skittled Gloucestershire for their lowest Twenty20 Cup score in a one-sided game at Bristol

19-Jun-2010
ScorecardSean Ervine claimed four wickets for 12 runs as Hampshire skittled Gloucestershire for their lowest Twenty20 Cup score in a one-sided game at Bristol.The Gladiators were shot out for just 68 in 17.5 overs after winning the toss, with only two players reaching double figures. Dominic Cork took 2 for 9 and Chris Wood 2 for 12.That total was never likely to prove a problem for the Royals, who skated to victory by seven wickets with a massive 12.3 overs to spare. James Vince top-scored with 26, while man-of-the-match Ervine finished unbeaten on 14.Hampshire had gone into the game bottom of the South Division, but their third win in the competition lifted them above their hapless opponents. Gloucestershire never recovered from being reduced to 11 for three as Will Porterfield sacrificed his wicket to a needless run out and Wood dismissed Hamish Marshall and James Franklin in the same over.Ervine then destroyed the middle order, sending back Chris Taylor, Alex Gidman, Steve Snell and Kadeer Ali for a combined total of 24 runs. Vince took two good boundary catches at midwicket as Hampshire backed up their bowlers with some sharp fielding.Jon Lewis top-scored with 19 and hit the only six of the innings in a rare moment of defiance. But Cork returned to polish off the tail and it was a sorry procession for the home side, who have now lost five of their seven Friends Provident t20 games.Hampshire openers Michael Lumb and Jimmy Adams had no intention of hanging around and took 17 off the first two overs of the powerplay. It looked a pretty good batting pitch, which made Gloucestershire’s failings all the more inexcusable. But Kirby struck twice in the third over as Lumb pulled a catch to Vikram Banerjee at fine leg and Adams edged a catch to Porterfield at second slip.Home supporters had precious little else to cheer as Ervine and Vince continued to be positive in seeing Hampshire to a facile victory. They added 47 in less than five overs before Vince was bowled by Banerjee with the match already won.

West Ham United are not interested in a deal to bring Adama Traore to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by ExWHUemployee, with the club insider revealing in a post on The West Ham Way that he does not believe David Moyes will be making a move for the Wolverhampton Wanderers winger this month, despite recent reports to the contrary.

In his post, Ex said: “I don’t believe there is any serious interest in Traore at this point for that price. In the past, the club have held an interest in the player, but I don’t believe he is a name that Moyes has mentioned recently and he is also out of favour at Wolves after an unproductive season, so I doubt the club would wish to risk £20m and high wages on an out of form player. Should a loan deal be available this may change things but, at this point, I do not believe he is a target.”

Fans will be buzzing

While it is abundantly clear that, should Moyes wish to give his side the best possible chance of securing a top-four finish this season, West Ham simply must bring in attacking reinforcements during the January transfer window, whether or not the signing of Traore would have been a good move by the Hammers is very much up for debate.

Indeed, while the £25.2m-rated man has returned some impressive metrics over his 18 Premier League appearances so far this season, taking an average of 1.2 shots, making 1.1 key passes, completing a league-high 4.5 dribbles and winning a whopping 7.1 duels per game, the fact remains that the Spain international has failed to score a single goal or register an assist in the current campaign.

This would appear to be the primary reason as to why many of the London Stadium faithful took to Twitter to state their bewilderment at their club’s link with a move for the 25-year-old – with a great deal suggesting that, while a backup to Michail Antonio is very much needed, the £20m signing of a player who is yet to contribute to a single goal this season is simply not the answer.

As such, it is clear to see that ExWHUemployee’s latest update will have left many of the Hammers fanbase buzzing, and we have to say, we can understand why.

In other news: “Been told…”: Fabrizio Romano drops transfer update that will leave WHU fans fuming

As per Eurosport, an update has come to light on the future of Tottenham Hotspur outcast Dele Alli as reporter Dean Jones makes a behind-the-scenes claim.

The Lowdown: Alli decision made…

Reliable reports indicate that manager Antonio Conte has already made his decision on the once Tottenham mega star with the club’s January exit stance crystal clear.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-updates-5/” title=”Spurs latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Spurs and chairman Daniel Levy are now open to entertaining offers for the midfielder as he fails to establish himself under their new manager.

It is believed that a loan move appears the most likely as things stand with Eursport’s Jones now sharing an update.

The Latest: Jones make behind-scenes claim…

According to the reporter’s information, agents have already begun working on Alli’s exit behind the scenes and have been informed that Tottenham will not stand in the way.

It is also backed that the club, and by extension Conte, are ready to cut the 25-year-old loose, as explained in their headline.

The Verdict: Right move…

A temporary stint away from Tottenham could be just what’s needed to reignite Alli’s career and increase his market value ahead of a potential permanent sale.

Paris Saint-Germain were interested in taking the £100,000-per-week man from Spurs last January with ex-boss Mauricio Pochettino previously chasing a loan move.

It remains to be seen whether Tottenham’s former favourite coach could reignite that interest again in 2022 for a player he once called ‘one of the best in Europe’, with suitors such as Newcastle arguably proving more likely avenues.

In other news: Levy now open to another big name exit as Conte tells Spurs to sell ‘magnificent’ player, find out more here.

The combination of a greenish pitch and indiscipline were the key factors in Bangladesh being bowled out for a modest 231 by Essex at Chelmsford

Cricinfo staff14-May-2010
Scorecard
The combination of a greenish pitch and indiscipline were the key factors in Bangladesh being bowled out for a modest 231 by Essex at Chelmsford. In complete contrast to the friendly batting conditions they experienced in their recent match against Surrey at The Oval, the tourists were made to fight hard for runs.Jahural Islam, a century maker at the Oval, was quickly made aware of the pitch’s capacity to help bowlers who employed a full length. He was still seeking to get off the mark when a delivery from Maurice Chambers cut back prodigiously to uproot the leg stump.And before the 50 was raised Tony Palladino produced deliveries that moved enough to send the off stump out of the ground to get rid of Imrul Kayes and Junaid Siddique. The best and most positive batting came from Mohammad Ashraful, whose innings of 58 contained a series of well executed square cuts and drives among his 12 boundaries.But just when he seemed destined for a substantial contribution he fell victim to a wild swing against Max Osborne to provide Adam Wheater with a simple catch. Soon afterwards Mahmudullah was also guilty of a loose shot to cover point having played himself in, his dismissal coming at a time when Bangladesh needed him to show greater restraint.A last wicket stand of 35 during which Shahadat Hossain dispatched fast bowler Michael Comber for three sixes earned the tourists respectability. Chambers ended the fireworks by bowling Hossain for 33 to finish with figures of four wickets for 32 runs from 15.4 overs.The fast bowler was by far the most impressive of those used by Essex, whose side was captained by Grant Flower and included just three players who appeared in the County Championship Division One match against Kent which finished 24 hours earlier.Palladino’s three wickets came at a cost of 91 from 23 overs while Comber and Osborne, another youngster making his first-class debut, conceded 104 between them in 21 overs. But the bowlers were hardly helped by fielding lapses as three catches, two of them far from difficult, were put down.Robiul Islam was the pick of the Bangladesh bowlers when Essex replied, finding the edge to have Billy Godleman caught at second slip before Jaik Mickleburgh edged to the wicketkeeper when chasing a delivery he need not have played. He also had John Maunders dropped at deep square leg, the opener going on to close on 54 out of a total of 83 for 2. His innings contained two pulled sixes at the expense of Shafiul Islam.

To stay afloat, Rajasthan Royalswould need to not lose three out of first three; which would mean they need to beat a team that successfully chased 204 at the same venue two days ago, without even needing Eoin Morgan

The Preview by Sidharth Monga17-Mar-2010Match factsBangalore v Rajasthan in Bangalore
Thursday, March 18
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)Big pictureRajasthan Royals will look forward to a big effort from their two key players – Shane Warne and Yusuf Pathan – if they are to register their first win of the tournament (file photo)•Getty ImagesThe captain’s legbreaks are not coming out right; the most imposing batsman of the team has broken a finger, the canny wicket-taker has done an ankle; their fastest bowler is fast becoming wider than he is fast; and the talismanic allrounder’s arrival is still two Test matches away. So average were the rest that even a 37-ball hundred from their big hitter proved to be inadequate. Rajasthan Royals need to find inspiration from somewhere, somehow they need to stay afloat till Shane Watson arrives and joins forces with Yusuf Pathan.To stay afloat would mean to not lose three out of first three. To not lose three out of first three would mean to beat a team that successfully chased 204 at the same venue two days ago, without even needing Eoin Morgan. After a one-sided defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders in their first match, Royal Challengers Bangalore seems to have put the pieces together, at least in the batting department. Orange cap Jacques Kallis is to be the springboard; Manish Pandey, Robin Uthappa and Morgan are to soar. If the plan goes wrong, there are Rahul Dravid and Mark Boucher. The bowlers still remain a worry, and Bangalore will be pleased if they can get a better show from Praveen Kumar and Dale Steyn.Team talkRajasthan have lost Graeme Smith and Dimitri Mascarenhas for the whole season, and will struggle for replacements. Adam Voges is due to arrive in India on Wednesday, and he could start in the XI. Alternatively Hampshire’s Michael Lumb could replace Smith. Damien Martyn is there too, but unlikely to play; if he does, and does well, it will be a pleasant shock. Mascarenhas’ replacement will be difficult to pick: there is Johan Botha and Morne Morkel to choose from, and neither brings in the batting prowess that Mascarenhas did. Bangalore’s batting looks largely settled, and they might want to give the same bowling unit another go.Previously…In 2009, Bangalore won their first game against Rajasthan by 75 runs in Cape Town. Rajasthan returned the favour when they met next, winning just as comprehensively, by seven wickets, chasing 106 at the same venue.In 2008, Rajasthan won both the matches against Bangalore. The margin in the first game at the Chinnaswamy Stadium was seven wickets with 17 balls to spare, while in Jaipur it was 65 runs.In the spotlightShane Warne just seems to be holding back when bowling them legbreaks. There’s just not enough fizz on them, and duly he has failed to trouble batsmen and gone for 51 in seven overs. It can happen with a man who had not bowled in competitive atmosphere for a year, and it will be interesting to see what is coming up next.Both teams know that Rajasthan are the underdogs in the match, but they also know that it takes only 15 minutes of Yusuf Pathan to turn the match on its head. Right now, it’s about as bad as Rajasthan have ever needed him.Eoin Morgan didn’t get going in Bangalore’s first match and wasn’t required in the second. India is yet to witness first-hand what has made Morgan one of the most exciting Twenty20 batsmen going around.Prime numbersJacques Kallis gets a chance to tighten his grip around the orange cap: he currently has 154 runs from two matches, and next in line is Ravi Bopara with 133.Swapnil Asnodkar has scored 103 runs in his last 10 innings, since the start of the last IPL. In 2008, he scored 311 in nine innings.The chatter”SRK is also a friend… And I wish him luck tonight, congrats also to Jumbo [Anil Kumble] on his win. He is a true gentleman…”
“He is the Bradman of Twenty20.”
“I’m certainly not on a holiday as I’m fully committed to playing and helping the Royals win.”