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Ian Bell could not quite make the same early statement as Gary Ballance managed in Abu Dhabi but a lower-order fightback lifted the MCC to a first-innings lead against Yorkshire

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Mar-2016
ScorecardKarl Carver celebrates dismissing Ian Bell•Getty ImagesIan Bell could not quite make the same early statement as Gary Ballance managed in Abu Dhabi but a lower-order fightback by Ben Foakes and Rikki Clarke lifted the MCC to a first-innings lead against Yorkshire.Bell was dropped from the England Test side after the series against Pakistan in the UAE – the Sheikh Zayed Stadium is the scene of his most recent international half-century – and like Ballance, who scored a century on the opening day, is eyeing a strong early-season push to state his credentials for a recall to what remains an flimsy England top order.However, having eased to 44 with seven fours and a six he fell to Karl Carver, the 19-year-old left-arm spinner, when he tried to clear the infield and was caught at mid-on having earlier deposited the spinner over the ropes.Bell was one of three middle-order wickets to fall for 11 runs in four overs as the MCC slipped to 114 for 5 following a third-wicket stand of 89 between Bell and Rory Burns. Tim Bresnan, who finished the day with 3 for 51, had Burns caught behind for 51 and after Bell departed he trapped Samit Patel lbw to add to his early scalp of Nick Browne.When Tom Westley edged Steven Patterson, Yorkshire were well-placed for a lead but an unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 131 in 37 overs between Foakes, the Surrey wicketkeeper-batsman, and Warwickshire allrounder Clarke turned the day around for the MCC.Clarke bided his time – he was 1 off 34 balls at the tea interval – but during the final session the scoring rate increased and he brought up his fifty from 103 deliveries.Foakes was initially given out on 17 before the umpires, Neil Mallender and David Millns, conferred and the decision was reversed – his dismissal would have left the MCC 152 for 7 – and he brought up his half-century from 132 balls with boundary off Bresnan as both batsmen profited against the second new ball until bad light ended play.

Paris Saint-Germain have confirmed Marquinhos' injury, which will rule the defender out of next week's Champions League clash with Newcastle.

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Marquinhos injured with BrazilHas a "small" hamstring issueWill be out for close to 10 daysWHAT HAPPENED?

The centre-back had to be replaced by Nino at half-time after he complained of muscle discomfort during Brazil's recent 1-0 defeat to Argentina in an ill-tempered 2026 World Cup qualifier. Marquinhos had admitted after the match that he felt a "strain on his hamstring" which forced him to come off. The defender returned to Paris on Thursday and after undergoing further tests the extent of the injury was ascertained.

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PSG put out a statement that read: "Victim of a small injury to his right hamstring, Marquinhos will remain in treatment for 10 days."

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PSG find themselves in a spot of bother as they face Monaco at Parc des Princes on Friday night before hosting Newcastle on Tuesday evening. They will also miss Warren Zaire-Emery with an ankle injury and the midfielder is not expected to be back until 2024. However, Presnel Kimpembe has been training with the group and is nearing recovery which should relieve manager Luis Enrique.

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PSG can hardly afford to drop their guard against Monaco as Adi Hutter's men are just three points behind the league leaders and have the potential to cause an upset in Paris. Whereas, the Magpies will be out to get a win to revive their European fortunes after two consecutive defeats. Eddie Howe knows that another loss could virtually put them out of contention for a spot in the knockouts and will be eager to repeat their heroics on foreign soil after they beat the Parisians 4-1 at St. James Park earlier in the season.

Bayer Leverkusen have denied the existence of a Real Madrid, Liverpool or Bayern Munich release clause in impressive manager Xabi Alonso's contract.

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Alonso has Leverkusen top of BundesligaLinked with former clubsLeverkusen CEO denies release clauseWHAT HAPPENED?

The former Spain international midfielder has been linked with each of his ex-clubs having guided unbeaten Leverkusen to the Bundesliga summit this season. It has been rumoured that there is a release clause in his contract to allow him to walk away from the Werkself in 2024 to take charge of one of those sides, but Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro claims that is not the case – although he stopped short of guaranteeing that Alonso would stay.

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Alonso's men remain unbeaten in the league with 10 wins and one draw, although Bayern Munich – also undefeated – are close behind them having drawn a game more. Leverkusen's form also translates to the Europa League, where they top their group with four wins from four so far.

WHAT CARRO SAID

Asked about the existence of a release clause, Carro said, as quoted by Ben Jacobs: "No, but you don't need a clause. We have a very, very good relationship with Xabi and he knows we are a serious club. And at the end of the day, we're not going to force someone to stay if he doesn't want to stay. We want him to feel so happy and so good with us that he really only wants to stay and this is our objective..

"There is nothing on paper [allowing Xabi to leave for a former club]. But sometimes agreements that are not on paper are agreements as well. We know if he needs to do a move in the future we will be able to talk with each other. And I hope we will not need to do this because he will stay and be happy at Leverkusen."

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It will be very interesting to see what the future holds for Alonso, who has been strongly linked with a return to Madrid. There is also speculation that Anfield or Munich may also beckon, although those outcomes seem less likely as it stands with Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel currently installed, respectively. For the time being, though, the Spaniard will be focussed on chasing down an unlikely Bundesliga title.

Kumar Sangakkara has called for England and Kevin Pietersen to “iron out their differences” and find a way for him to return to international cricket

David Hopps in Cardiff20-Apr-20151:03

Sangakkara: Want to see KP play for England again

Kumar Sangakkara has called for England and Kevin Pietersen to “iron out their differences” and find a way for him to return to international cricket – perhaps in time for this summer’s Ashes series.Sangakkara’s comments might be regarded as a predictable show of support for Pietersen now that he has joined forces as a Surrey team-mate, a recognition of the value that a constructive relationship can bring to Surrey’s season at the start of his two-year contract with the county.But, in his years with Sri Lanka, Sangakkara has experienced the murkiest depths of cricketing politics and his view that the best team must be fielded – sometimes against the odds – is unlikely to have been expressed glibly. Sangakkara is not known for doing glib.”It is not just an English media obsession,” he said. “It is a case where you have a fantastic player and you have had some controversy and some strain in the relationship between him and the ECB. I think everyone is wishing – the spectators, I’m sure, want to watch KP out there in the middle.”When you have a batsman of that ability I reckon even the side would like him there. It’s not my call to make or my place to comment on it but at the end of the day I just hope that they iron out their differences.”Sangakkara still has vivid memories of Pietersen’s exceptional hundred in searing heat in Colombo, an innings that sustained England on their last Sri Lanka tour.”I know from playing against Kevin when he came to Sri Lanka the last time. Wiith England 1-0 down, the way Kevin Pietersen came into that last Test with that hundred was magnificent.”He is an out-and-out matchwinner. I want to watch a matchwinner out there, I would want a matchwinner in my side so hopefully they can iron out their differences and Kevin Pietersen can come back and play.”

Half-centuries for Jimmy Adams and Adam Wheater made sure both Hampshire and Middlesex secured a third draw in three County Championship fixtures

ECB Reporters Network04-May-2016
ScorecardJimmy Adams made 70 to help ease Hampshire towards a draw (file photo)•Getty ImagesHalf-centuries for Jimmy Adams and Adam Wheater made sure both Hampshire and Middlesex secured a third draw in three County Championship fixtures. Adams, on his first appearance of the season, led the charge with 70 before Wheater, alongside Ryan McLaren, took the sting out of the match, with an unbeaten 57.Hampshire resumed with a lead of 26 knowing they needed to bat out the majority of the final day to make sure Middlesex could not force a win.Adams, with skipper James Vince, started solidly enough – the latter again showing some flair – as the pair added 81 for the second wicket. But Vince somewhat gave his wicket away by steering fast bowler Toby Roland-Jones to Sam Robson at gully.Will Smith provided little assistance to the cause when he was adjudged leg-before to Tim Murtagh less than ten overs later – the first of two blips for the hosts. Adams, meanwhile had reached a 140 ball fifty as he proved a valuable anchor, before he loosely swung at a ball outside the off stump to first slip – a rare mistake in a mostly flawless knock.Alarm bells rang two overs later when Liam Dawson, on 19, was comprehensively bowled by a Steven Finn delivery which kept very low, on a pitch which offered variable bounce throughout. But a 104 run stand for the sixth wicket between Wheater and McLaren eased the game back to its natural conclusion of a draw.Wicketkeeper Wheater kept the game moving with a half-century from 74 balls, with just eight of the runs coming from boundaries in a busy innings. McLaren also batted to quickly take the possibility of defeat away, ending the innings on an unbeaten 46 as Vince declared at tea, with Hampshire keen to get the over rate into minus figures.There was still time for nerves for the visitors as Robson fell for a three ball duck – he edged Tino Best behind for the West Indian’s first Hampshire wicket.Best was bowling at impressive pace and was close to getting Nick Compton lbw before Nick Gubbins was leg-before to James Tomlinson – the visitors effectively 19 for 3, with Adam Voges absent, and 20 overs still on the board. But first-innings centurion Dawid Malan and Compton saw Middlesex home – as Vince and stand-in Compton shock hands at exactly 5pm – Middlesex taking 12 points, Hampshire one fewer.

Jude Bellingham has been starring for Real Madrid, but he has also laid out an ambitious “goal” with England for the “next 10-15 years”.

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Midfielder starring for La Liga giantsAlso a key man for his countrySights set on major honoursWHAT HAPPENED?

The 20-year-old midfielder has made a stunning impact at Santiago Bernabeu on the back of his €103 million (£89m/$109m) summer transfer from Borussia Dortmund. With 10 goals recorded for the Blancos through as many appearances, Bellingham is emulating the efforts of Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo.

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England are hoping that impressive club form can be transferred onto the international stage, with Bellingham telling of his long-term targets with the Three Lions: “My goal for the next 12 months with the England team will be the same for the next 10-15 years: try to win major tournaments. I think we can’t shy away from saying that now. We’ve come close in the last few tournaments, and to now go back and say: ‘Ah yeah, that was enjoyable, but now we have to be more realistic’…I don’t see the point. We should use the experiences we’ve got from previous tournaments to push on and bring some silverware home. That’s the common goal that we are striving towards and we aren’t afraid to say that anymore. In the last few years it’s been a case of hiding that expectation, so that we never fail. We’ve got to be willing to say it, so we can achieve it.”

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Bellingham has unshakable faith in his own ability and that of the England team as a whole, with the hottest of prospects adding on a bid to secure international honours: “If you look at the progress we’ve made in the last few tournaments, it’s important that we have that mentality and we do believe we can win the tournament. Of course, there is a sense of humility and having our feet on the ground in whatever game we go into. You’re not going to play seven of the top seven teams every tournament and it’s important that you approach every game like it’s the last game of the tournament. That’s how we approach friendly games and qualifier games – if we don’t get the result we want, you can see how much it hurts us. And when we do, you can see how rewarding it is for the whole squad. There definitely has to be a belief that we can win trophies because that’s what we are here to do and that’s the standard of the team that we’ve now got. In a humble way, of course.”

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Bellingham forms part of the latest England squad that is preparing for a friendly date with Australia on Friday and a Euro 2024 qualifying clash with defending European champions Italy at Wembley on October 17.

Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai drank a shot of Palinka with Hungary fans to celebrate their Euro 2024 qualification – after a two-goal showing.

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Szoboszlai seen drinking a shot of Palinka with Hungary fansHungary beat Montenegro 3-1 having already qualified for Euro 2024Liverpool star scored twiceWHAT HAPPENED?

Liverpool midfielder and Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai was seen enjoying a shot of Palinka, one of the most popular spirits in his country, while celebrating the team's qualification for Euro 2024 next summer. Hungary had already booked their spot at the tournament in Germany after a 2-2 draw with Bulgaria on Thursday, but that didn't stop them putting on a superb display in their dead-rubber against Montenegro.

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Hungary defeated Montenegro 3-1 in their final Euro 2024 qualification game, with the Reds midfielder bagging himself a brace in the second-half. Hungary finished at the top of Group G with five wins and three draws in their ten games to take their points tally to 18 points.

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The 23-year-old will return to action for Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp's men look to stay in a tight title race with the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham. The summer signing has been a superb addition to Liverpool's engine room this season, and will hope for another start when they face champions City on November 25.

Pragyan Ojha has joined Bengal as a professional after leaving his home team Hyderabad to strengthen his case for a national recall

Amol Karhadkar02-Jul-2015Pragyan Ojha has joined Bengal as a professional after leaving his home team Hyderabad. Ojha, who was cleared to bowl in February after being suspended for using an illegal action earlier in the 2014-15 season, confirmed that he decided to move to Bengal for strengthening his case of a recall into the national team.”With all due respects to Hyderabad, I wanted to play for a team that is in the top rung (of the Ranji Trophy) and Bengal suited my cause. With so many Test matches coming up, I hope to come up with stronger performances in the coming season,” Ojha told ESPNcricinfo.Ojha will start the new season next month, playing for India A in two four-day games against Australia A. India are scheduled to play three Test matches in Sri Lanka in August-September, followed by four matches at home against South Africa in October-November.With Hyderabad playing in Group C, the lowest rung of the Ranji Trophy, Ojha opted to switch allegiance to a higher-ranked team. Bengal were happy to have him on board since they were struggling to find a lead spinner.Ojha will thus become the second high-profile cricketer to leave Hyderabad in recent seasons. After a spat with the Hyderabad Cricket Association hierarchy, Ambati Rayudu had moved first to neighbouring Andhra before settling on Baroda. Ojha’s switch, on the other hand, looks like a smooth one.”He approached us and explained his rationale honestly,” John Manoj, the HCA secretary, said. “Once he had made up his mind, we just respected his decision, supported him and issued the NOC.”According to BCCI rules, players who wish to turn professional have to first obtain a No-Objection certificate from their home association and submit it to the BCCI. The deadline for domestic transfers is September 1.Bengal, meanwhile, have approached Lalchand Rajput, the former India opening batsman, to replace Ashok Malhotra as coach. It is understood that Rajput has also been in talks with Uttar Pradesh, who are looking for a replacement for Venkatesh Prasad.

David Warner inspired Sunrisers Hyderabad to a challenging total, but a Kieron Pollard blitz threatened to overhaul it but 20 off the final over proved a challenge too far

The Report by Alagappan Muthu30-Apr-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details7:23

Mumbai need to sort their batting order

Sunrisers Hyderabad gritted their teeth nearly 10 overs without a boundary. David Warner was muzzled so profoundly that he was striking under 100 as late as the 15th over. But then he woke up. He used the slow start as a foundation and collected a half-century that proved the difference. But his patience might have been a mere footnote had Irfan Pathan not delivered a brilliant final over. He had 20 to defend and the first ball of sneaked through Kieron Pollard’s defences and seeing the back of a man who hit 78 off 48 balls is usually enough to seal the game, and it was. Pathan only gave away four runs.Mumbai Indians were flummoxed by the pace and swing of Dale Steyn and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The asking rate rose north of 10 in the 5th over and at 31 for 3, recovery seemed a remote possibility. Only no one had bothered to clue Pollard in. After a jittery start, he remembered his penchant for brutality. Amit Mishra, a far cry from the one that turned up for India in the World T20, was razed for 27 in the 17th over. Rohit Sharma, who was confident today was the game Mumbai would pull off their much-needed turnaround, began contemplating an improbable victory. But much to the birthday boy’s chagrin, his side just ran out of juice.Sunrisers were conscious of their batsmen needing to provide better cover to their bowlers, and opted for Naman Ojha and Irfan to add depth. Ojha smashed the final two balls of the innings for fours and Irfan shouldered the burden of bowling the 16th and the 20th overs with consummate proficiency. Slower balls, yorkers and a refusal to hand width highlighted his two-over spell which ensured Steyn’s fearsome bursts and Bhuvneshwar’s control were not in vain.In between though, Mishra braced against a clobbering at the hands of Pollard. The 13th over was biffed for 19 runs and signalled the first challenge from Mumbai. A daunting 87 off 42 was being chipped away. It didn’t seem to matter whether Mishra gave the ball air or fired it in, Pollard revved up and mauled five of his six sixes off the legspinner, who ended with 0 for 54. At the other end, Ambati Rayudu ensured he wasn’t lost in the slipstream during a 77-run stand for the fourth wicket. The equation was diluted to 31 off the final three overs, but that was when Sunrisers dug deep. Steyn, as ever, delivered when it mattered, ceding only four runs in the 18th, and Bhuvneshwar just seven in the next, to put Sunrisers ahead going into Irfan’s final over.Sunrisers’ batting resources were lumped too tightly at the top and an early wicket prompted a change of tactic. KL Rahul’s technical correctness was banked on to minimise the damage. Mumbai were adamant on not giving the batsmen any room and their fielders were no shy of hurtling after the ball if it was anywhere near their vicinity. They were desperate.Rahul blunted the challenge, placing faith in his footwork against spin and nudges around the ground to keep the scoreboard ticking. He knew Warner was better equipped to lead the charge.Harbhajan Singh did his best to plant doubts, constantly foiling Warner’s attempts to blaze away in the early goings with a remarkable control of flight and line. Warner fronted 16 balls from the offspinner and could summon only nine runs. But as the death overs came, Warner found his touch. Batting both right- and left-handed, he inspired Sunrisers to crash 73 in the last six overs.Pragyan Ojha was carted repeatedly over midwicket and the partnership with Rahul blossomed to 101 – Sunrisers’ second hundred-plus stand of the season and that was the partnership that forced Mumbai into a position of having to win almost all of their matches in the India leg to progress in the tournament.

Ryan Harris has said he has taken cricket’s current corruption storm personally, and Michael Clarke expressed hope the game’s followers did not now assume that every match now needed to be viewed through cynical eyes

Daniel Brettig21-May-2014Ryan Harris bowled himself halfway to crippledom for Australia last summer, culminating in a Cape Town effort where he routinely charged in on a right knee that sported fragments of bone visible through the skin. Two months later, he confesses that surgery has allowed him to walk properly for the first time “in about two years” though it will likely cost him a place in the Test squad to face Pakistan.In that same Newlands Test match, Michael Clarke was battered by Morne Morkel and later revealed to have carried a fractured shoulder through the latter part of his unbeaten 161. Since then he has weathered plentiful criticism about a level of aggression on the field that suggests he wants to win a little too much, rather than too little.Little wonder then that Harris said he has taken cricket’s current corruption storm personally, and that Clarke spoke with pained idealism that he hoped the game’s followers did not now assume that every match now needed to be viewed through cynical eyes. Australia are presently the world’s top Test and ODI team, and neither Harris nor Clarke want to contemplate the possibility that they are at the pinnacle of a rotten game.”I’ve been out there and done my best, my teammates have, it’s just a very unfortunate thing that we’re talking about corruption,” Harris said. “Corruption in any sport I think is wrong and it damages the credibility of the sport. That’s something that as players we take personally, because every time we go out as an Australian cricket team, and I know a lot of other teams do as well, they go out to win.”Clarke expressed no worry whatsoever that any of his Australia team-mates, past or present, had dabbled in the kinds of fixes daubed across the pages of the world’s press this week. “I’m extremely confident about the players that I’ve played with,” Clarke said. “For this Australian team they all know very clearly that there is no room for corruption in our team. A big part of our job is to uphold the integrity of our sport and I think we do that well.”Everybody involved in the game is disappointed that things like this happen but I want to pay credit to the ICC and Cricket Australia for the work they put in to try and stop this, stamp it out of our game. Players have a big role to play as well, making sure that if you are approached or if something does come up, to go and speak to your captain, your team manager, the people at Cricket Australia.”I don’t think we should be tarring all the players with the same brush as well. What we’ve seen of late it’s a minority that we’re dealing with in these type of issues. I’d be disappointed if the supporters and the fans of cricket think that this is happening a lot more than it is. I am very proud of what this current team has done and achieved and I think we are educated well on what is right and wrong.”Australia’s players, both international and domestic, have been the beneficiaries of comprehensive education on corruption issues down the years. Clarke made his debut for Australia in 2003, and has watched the growth of integrity procedures from their initial concentration on Test and ODI players to the wider net now cast to ensure all those entering into the Sheffield Shield, limited overs and Big Bash League competitions were fully aware of what not to do and what to report.”What was I, 21, when I played my first ODI for Australia? And I think it probably started then in regards to international cricket,” Clarke said. “But these days you get educated from a very young age. Once you come into the first-class system, even on a rookie contract, so for some guys it starts at 16 years of age. I think the educational process that Australian cricketers go through is extremely thorough – we know the differences between right and wrong and what is accepted and what isn’t.”More unsettling for payers traversing the world for domestic Twenty20 tournaments, in addition to their international commitments, is the realisation that they cannot always be sure the inexplicable run-out, the surprising dropped catch or the heedless wide may all have far more deliberate and sinister implications. Harris admitted that hindsight was now murkier than it once was.”It’s a tough question … you don’t know,” Harris said. “For me I’ve played to win and it’s not until afterwards you find out that things have gone wrong or things are under suspicion. At the time I don’t think of it, no one thinks of it.”For Harris, Clarke and other honourable competitors, that uncertainty is every bit as uncomfortable as the physical ailments they have so often pushed through in pursuit of victory. Because if the game isn’t pure, is it really worth such pain?