The name Fazal Mahmood conjures up much; folklore, legend and awe. His legcutters are the stuff of legend, always extravagant, always moving from leg stump to take the off bail, his metronomic line and length of folklore. and his stamina – he bowled 677 overs on the 1954 tour of England – awe-inspiring.Many compared him to other names about whom there is as much folklore, legend and awe. Alec Bedser was a contemporary master of cutters, but Frederick “The Demon” Spofforth and Sydney Barnes, who cut with the best of them, were of a different time and eraentirely – when cricket was still prone to statistically freakish occurrences.Many will also say that Fazal was the first great fast bowler of many that Pakistan produced, maybe the constructor of a legacy which moved from Sarfraz Nawaz to Imran Khan to the two Ws and has now passed on to Shoaib and Sami. In truth, there was little connecting him and the rest.Modern Pakistani fast bowling, of pace and swing – reverse and conventional – has more to do with Sarfraz and Imran than it does with Fazal’s medium-pace cutters. Yes, the confidence, the steadfast belief that any situation could be salvaged, any match won, that coursed through Wasim and Waqar could be traced back to Fazal’s conviction (he said of the 1954 Oval game, “even though we were bowled out for 133, I did not think for a second we would lose”).For those who didn’t see him play, pictures of him show he was impossibly debonair, with a magnificently thick crop of wavy hair grown as if for the Brylcreem which he went on to model, the bluest of eyes to accompany his filmstar looks. He was Imran Khan before Imran Khan.There is a picture of him in his recent autobiography, , with cravat round neck and cigarette in hand, standing alongside the Indian screen legend Raj Kapoor. Even in a photograph, he managed to out-dash the most dapper of actors.Those who didn’t see him play might wonder if he was really accurate and wholeheartedly committed … Did his legcutter really, as Frank Tyson once wrote, jumpfrom leg stump towards the slips regularly? Did it really spin more than Richie Benaud’s legspinner, as the man himself claimed? (Ken Barrington, bowled by one such miraculous delivery, was prompted to call him, pint in hand and sorrow in tow, “the bloody greatest”).Well, cold numbers tell a big story: he took 13 five-wicket hauls in just 34 Tests, and he took ten in a match on no fewer than four occasions. A further six times, he ended with four in an innings. Add to that his impressive economy rate – just over two an over – and the picture looks even better.He played a key role in each of Pakistan’s first, and most celebrated, victories. Whatis set in stone – in cold, hard numerical fact – is his part in first ensuring Pakistan’s entry into Test cricket, and then making it among the most accomplished of any new nation.Towards the end of 1951, Fazal took 6 for 40 in the first innings for Pakistan against the MCC, leading to victory in an unofficial Test match which sealed Pakistan’s promotion to the international stage. Pakistan’s first-ever Test victory, at Lucknow, was built on his 12 wickets. Victory at The Oval in 1954 remains Pakistan’s greatest moment in Test cricket and, at the centre, with 12 wickets, was Fazal Mahmood. How Bangladesh, also scrapping to eke out an on-field identity and hammered on their first tour of England this week, would have wished for a figure like Fazal.Thirteen Australian batsmen succumbed to him on their first trip in 1956, at Karachi, on the matting wicket on which he was supposedly lethal. On the run-infested tour of the West Indies in 1957-58, he took eight wickets in Pakistan’s first win at Port-of-Spain. When West Indies toured the following year, he took 19 wickets in the first two Tests, including 12 in the second at Dhaka, to ensure Pakistan won the series.It is impossible to argue against the fact that, with Hanif Mohammad and Abdul Hafeez Kardar for company, he made Pakistan into a Test nation worthy of that status, only five years after the country itself had been traumatically created. At every moment in their early history, he shone among pioneers. More than just Pakistan’s first great fast bowler then,Fazal Mahmood was Pakistan’s first true great. And as he departs, he takes with him a significant portion of Pakistan cricket’s glorious, heady beginnings.
As befits a player whose formative years in the Australian side were spent under the caustic leadership of Ian Chappell, Rod Marsh earned a reputation for blunt talking. Age might have mellowed him a little, but he stills calls it as he sees it, and he has no doubts about the mountain he has to climb if he is to help England challenge Australia’s dominance of the game.”I would suggest they’re going to have to get a wriggle on,” Marsh, in India as coach of the England A side, admitted when asked about the chances of any success in the next Ashes series next summer.”They’ve had it too easy for too long, some of these guys,” he continued “There is a distinct lack of discipline. I can’t see what’s wrong with telling the truth. Maybe people don’t like hearing the truth.”A heavy defeat in England A’s first match prompted a characteristic broadside from Marsh . “To me, there was a team that looked like they knew how to play cricket and a team that had no idea. It was a very poor performance,” he fumed. “We needed to spend some time in the middle but these guys think they are millionaires and have to play a shot a ball. The sooner they learn they can’t, the better off everyone will be.” He immediately ordered a re-match the following day. England lost again.”Every time something goes wrong, they have a team meeting then think the problem is solved,” he explained. “But they are the only ones who can help themselves and until they realise that, there is no point them being here.”Marsh believes that if the youngsters are hungry and pushing for places in the side then it will have a knock-on effect of making the senior players more conscious of the need to perform. But he warned that “at this point in time, they’re not pushing hard enough. If they were, the England team would be performing 100% flat out all the time. They’ve got to say to the selectors, ‘pick me’, like Ed Smith did last year.”The games in India will be tough but, typically, Marsh would have it no other way. “If we came over here and there was no challenge then it would be quite boring for me,” he said. “The challenge is to help these blokes improve. They’re still babes really. They haven’t seen much of the world.”
A game that started in very warm and bright sunshine ended with abandonement at Carisbrook today with two State Shield points being awarded to both Otago and Central Districts.Otago won the toss and batted on a very good pitch but could only muster 161 – another very disappointing batting performance by them. Only Brendon McCullum with 50 – his maiden half-century at either international or domestic one-day level – made any impact on the Central bowlers who were certainly not unplayable. McCullum faced 59 balls and hit 30 of his runs from five sixes, amazingly with no fours in accompaniment.He was fifth batsman out as a middle and lower-order slump, which saw seven wickets fall for 40 runs, cost Otago dearly.Robbie Lawson faced 79 balls for his 21 runs but Otago struggled to make any other impact on the scoreboard.Brent Hefford with three for 44, Jacob Oram (two for 18), Lance Hamilton (two for 35) and Michael Mason (one for 21) from seven overs were the wicket-takers with two run outs completing the picture of Otago dismissals.Under these conditions this target was almost a certainity for Central and at 65 without loss this appeared to be so. The 65 runs were on the board in the 10th over, at which stage Jesse Ryder was caught for 21 from Nathan Morland’s bowling.Off the last ball of the 11th over, Craig Spearman’s innings of 45 off 31 balls was ended by James McMillan. The two wicket-takers only bowled an over each while Kerry Walmsley, with 31 taken from his four overs, and Shayne O’Connor (30 from his five) on the receiving end of the CD opening assault.But the rain had other ideas and, after two stops for 10 minutes apiece, a heavier shower sent all from the field at 4.51pm – they did not return and the umpires officially abandoned the game at 6.27pm as it was still raining.Central Districts looked by far the better team and were unlucky to be robbed by the weather. But with two quick wickets lost by them just before the rain came for the third time, a smidgeon of doubt existed as to the probable final outcome. However, such discussion is only academic of course – two points to each team.
Tuffers is off the Audi!Let me explain – when you bat, the worse scenario is being dismissed without scoring, for a duck as is it called. If you get two of these in the same match it’s obviously a pair or, as they say on the circuit, “you’ve bagged them up!”.Tuffers [Phil Tufnell] has had three disappointments in a row. Therefore, when he went out to bat yesterday he was sitting on an Audi which is four rings in a row, The same branding as this type of car.I’m pleased to say, as he confidently gave himself room and scythed the ball through point, there was a huge amount of relief around the Lord’s ground.If the ball had gone to hand at point, then Tuffers would have been on the ‘Olympic’ next time he took guard. After that I’m not sure but it was suggested a P45 which is hinting at finding a new job. If it happened to a batter we wouldn’t be laughing, but to ‘The Cat’ it’s a different story. His job is with the ball and he proved his class yesterday with his 47th five-wicket haul.At present we are in a bit of a fight with Nottinghamshire, former county of Sir Richard [Hadlee] and, more recently, Chris Cairns. We bowled poorly on the first day at Lord’s and have played catch up ever since.Angus [Fraser] is out for a couple of weeks with his injury so I’ve got the reins, although it was a pretty loose grip as we went around the park courtesy of a South African recruit playing for Notts.I’m interested to see an increase of these types of players. They are from another country but can play as a resident under the EU passport policy. If these guys have success, I’m sure other counties won’t want to miss out.Speaking of Cairnsy earlier, I caught up with him this week as he breezed through on his way to South Africa to begin some training outside. His knee is progressing well and while it’s only early days in his recovery we look forward to his return at some stage this year.The news is also pretty positive on our other injuries with the guys now settling into the winter training programmes and skill work at the Academy.I caught up with John Reid, New Zealand Cricket’s, cricket operations manager this week at Lord’s. He was over to discuss changes to the international game, in particular the limited over matches with other members of the ICC.The feeling was that the one-day game was becoming too predictable, especially during the middle stages of an innings. The new rules are attempting to liven up the action and speed up play, both important if as players we wish to entertain. One bouncer per over is an interesting one, it gives the bowler a little artillery especially in the first 15 overs, but it is how it is policed that may cause confusion. Lets wait and see!
Newcastle United head of recruitment Steve Nickson admires Sassuolo’s Gianluca Scamacca, according to The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder.
The lowdown
The 23-year-old Italian striker has finally established himself in the Sassuolo first-team after loan stints at Cremonese, PEC Zwolle, Ascoli and Genoa. He has scored 13 goals in 28 Serie A appearances this season, averaging one every 117 minutes.
Nicknamed ‘Il Bomber’, Scamacca has been called ‘deadly’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig and dubbed ‘a bit Zlatan-ish’ by sports journalist Maxi Angelo.
Newcastle have also been strongly linked with another Serie A striker in the form of Atalanta’s Duvan Zapata. The Daily Record even claimed that the Magpies made a £25m bid for the Colombian in January.
The latest
Ryder reported for The Chronicle that Zapata remains on Newcastle’s ‘wish list’, but they may only make a move for the 30-year-old if they are unable to snap up Scamacca.
Nickson is said to be ‘well aware’ of the Sassuolo hitman ahead of the summer transfer window.
The verdict
How do Scamacca and Zapata compare?
First and foremost, the former scores more non-penalty goals per 90 minutes (0.65 against 0.52). In terms of their all-round game, though, Zapata boasts double the expected assists p90 (0.2 against 0.1) and has also completed more than twice as many dribbles (1.68 against 0.79) a the Sassuolo marksman.
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However, Scamacca’s defensive contribution is far stronger – he ranks in the 62nd percentile (among positional peers) for pressures and the 73rd for tackles, compared to just the sixth and the 19th for Zapata.
Also, whereas the Colombian may be more or less the finished article at the age of 30, Scamacca’s game can be expected to develop even further over the coming years. Valued at £27m by Transfermarkt, the 23-year-old could be a smart long-term addition for Newcastle.
In other news, Luke Edwards has revealed Newcastle’s summer budget
Australia’s tour of Pakistan may have hit another roadblock with word that Darren Lehmann, the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) president, will not send a delegate on a pre-tour security inspection of Pakistan due to safety concerns.Australia’s scheduled tour has already been shortened and, if it goes ahead, will begin later this month, but further bombings in Pakistan over the weekend have heightened safety fears.ACA chief executive Paul Marsh had been scheduled to join Cricket Australia representatives in Pakistan this month to decide if its players can visit safely, but Lehmann has said that would not happen. “We’re not sending Paul Marsh on the pre-tour visit and that’s basically because we as a board don’t feel comfortable sending one of our employees there at the moment,” Lehmann said.”At the moment our advice is not to, and I don’t feel comfortable sending anybody to be perfectly honest, and the [players’] board doesn’t.”There’s been a lot of things going on in Pakistan. Hopefully it settles down, but only time will tell.”Lehmann believed CA would go ahead with plans for the tour unless it is made clear the trip cannot proceed, and said the players would require plenty of assurances to change their minds. “On Wednesday we’ll meet with the government departments and see what is really out there,” he said. “We’ll get our advice from them, security issues, any other problems we have with Pakistan. I think they’d need a lot of assurances along the way.”CA will meet with officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra on Wednesday to receive advice on the current security situation in Pakistan.CA’s spokesman Peter Young said it was too early to tell if the latest bombings would affect the tour. “We will sit down with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and take a formal briefing from them on the situation in Pakistan and the likely situation in the coming weeks,” Young said. “We’ll continue to move through that formal process. We’re not going to pre-empt the outcome of that process until we have gone through the whole thing.”
Ross Taylor could be fit for New Zealand’s next Super Eights match, against Ireland in Guyana on Monday. Taylor strained his hamstring a fortnight ago when he attempted a quick single during his innings of 85 against Kenya.He has missed New Zealand’s three games since then, which along with Lou Vincent’s tournament-ending broken wrist, has forced a reshuffle in the top order. However, Taylor said he was not far off returning to the side.”For the last few days I have been gradually increasing my workload at practice, starting with a few gentle stretching exercises to the point where I am now starting to stretch out fully,” Taylor told . “I’m hopeful of being ready for Ireland in Guyana in a week’s time.”I had a similar injury a few years ago and then I tried to rush my recovery and tweaked it again, setting me back an extra week. I certainly don’t want to do it that again.”Stephen Fleming said he was confident Taylor would be ready against Ireland, which would mean one batsman making way to allow Taylor to slot back in at No. 3. Peter Fulton has struggled since being made a makeshift opener, scoring 0 and 15, but Fleming indicated Fulton might play.”I’m not overly concerned, Pete’s been in good form,” Fleming told . “We’ve asked him to do a role that’s a little bit foreign to him and it takes time to adjust. He just needs to find a tempo at the top of the innings. We’ve got a game against Ireland which will be another opportunity.”Michael Mason is also in doubt for Monday’s match after straining his calf during his second over against Bangladesh. Should Mason be unavailable, New Zealand might play Chris Martin, who was a replacement for the injured Daryl Tuffey, or Mark Gillespie, who has been out of action for a month with a viral infection in his right shoulder.Fleming said Gillespie had now recovered and was available to play. “He’s in contention now so the only challenge the selectors have is he hasn’t played for four weeks,” Fleming said. “We have to make sure the work he does in practice is as close to match simulation as possible and that’s often difficult to do.”
Mumbai was the setting for some memorable scenes on Wednesday and there was another notable occasion today. Hafti Gulabid, a fast bowler from Jalalabad, claimed the prize wicket of Mike Gatting for a duck as an Afghanistan side won their first ever match against MCC at Mumbai.Gulabid, 22, induced an edge from Gatting’s bat, and his brother Karim Khan Sadiq, 20, took the catch behind the stumps. “I am so happy, he’s a senior player.” said Gulabid. “I’m 22 – and he has probably been playing for longer than that.”Gatting was philosophical about his dismissal. “I got a decent ball,” he said. “This isn’t a game you just go out and play. If you don’t have practice you don’t do as well as you should.”The Afghanistan side posted a formidable 356-7 from their 40 overs against a team predominantly made up of minor counties cricketers from England. Mohammed Nabi top scored with 116. In reply, the MCC were all out for 185.The match was played at a club ground in Mumbai as part of MCC’s mission to popularise the game. Most of the Afghan team learned their cricket in Pakistan in refugee camps after fleeing the invasion by the then Soviet Union in the early 1980s before returning to organise tournaments at home.
Ryan Hinds, who missed the second Test against South Africa with a viral infection, is likely to rejoin the squad for the third Test in Barbados, which starts on April 21. West Indies will also be boosted by the return of Fidel Edwards and Tino Best, who have regained full fitness.Jacqui King-Mowatt, a member of the medical panel of the West Indian board, was quoted in as saying: “There was mild swelling that has gone and he [Hinds] is feeling a lot better than he was. As with any viral infection, it left him feeling tired but he has got progressively stronger. There are still five days before the team assembles in Barbados and a week before the Test and he should be fit enough by then. I’d say we would know by Sunday.”Hinds was replaced by Donovan Pagon, the Jamaican batsman, who is likely to be dropped after he had a miserable second Test, scoring 0 and 2 and also spilling a catch.King-Mowatt said that Best and Edwards had resumed practice. Both have been out of the squad since the Test series in England last August with back injuries, and returned to first-class cricket only in the later stages of the regional Carib Beer tournament. Best also had to remodel his action because of a persistent back problem. “It was discomfort caused mainly by the kind of boots he was wearing,” Kind-Mowatt explained. “He has been practising diligently and looks sharp and keen.”Both have been included in the University of the West Indies Vice-Chancellor’s XI, which will play the South Africans in a practice match in Trinidad tomorrow.
Sri Lanka’s top and middle-order batsmen may have scored the required runs to beat England in the third and final Test at Colombo, but that has not stopped the national selectors from continuing their search for middle-order batsmen and spin bowlers.The on-going TenSports provincial tournament is giving the selectors some food for thought. “This is a good concept and the cricket so far produced indicates that the tournament is coming almost to the top level as other countries,” Lalith Kaluperuma, chairman of selectors, said. “The tournament was begun to bridge the gap that exists between club and national team cricketers. It is more or less serving the purpose.”One of the positives to come out of the tournament is that it is giving the batsmen the opportunity to play long innings. Mahela Jayawardene, Romesh Kaluwitharana and Sanath Jayasuriya have all made big scores,” added Kaluperuma. “The batsmen have shown they have the stamina and fitness to play long innings in the middle.”The pitches are also very good and the bowlers are learning to bowl to a proper line and length or they have to pay the penalty.”So far there have been two weekends of cricket, and all four matches have produced a winning result, including a world-record run chase by Central Province against Southern Province. The fact that all these games have gone the distance indicates that the players are getting used to the four-day game, which will hold them in good stead at Test level.Kaluperuma has been following the progress of the Southern Province team, while his three colleagues in the selection committee are doing the same with the other four teams in the competition.Aravinda de Silva is responsible for Western Province, Ashley de Silva for North Central Province and Roger Wijesuriya for Central Province. Kaluperuma said that Uva Province is handled by its coach Champaka Ramanayake, who is a member of the junior selection committee: “After every match we get a feedback from the management of each team which includes the captain, coach and the manager.”Kaluperuma said that the selection committee was awaiting the arrival of John Dyson, the national coach, before deciding to pick the pool and the captains for the Test and one-day series against Australia next month. “It has to be a collective decision and John must be present before we arrive at any decision,” said Kaluperuma. Dyson, who succeeded Dav Whatmore as head coach, returned to Sydney for a short holiday at the end of the England series, which was his first assignment as coach. Sri Lanka beat England in the one-day and Test series1-0.