All posts by h716a5.icu

Worcestershire’s difficult start to the season gets no better with the news that opening bowler Kabir Ali has been ruled out for six weeks

Cricinfo staff25-Apr-2009Worcestershire’s difficult start to the season gets no better with the news that opening bowler Kabir Ali has been ruled out for six weeks.It has been a troubled couple of weeks for the club who have lost their opening two Championship games heavily after being promoted last summer and suffered another injury blow to Simon Jones who is out until at least June.Ali picked up his injury against Hampshire in the Friends Provident Trophy, at The Rose Bowl, and it leaves Worcestershire’s pace-bowling resources looking thin despite the arrival of Ashley Noffke as their overseas player.However, Steve Rhodes, the director of cricket, was trying to look on the bright side. “The results are actually better than we expected but Kabir has got a small tear in his left hamstring,” he told the Press Association. “It is likely to keep him out of action for four to six weeks.”That should hopefully mean that for the second half of the season, we will have both Kabir and Simon Jones fresh and raring to go.”

Middlesbrough have made contact with Celtic-linked free agent Robbie Brady, according to Football League World.

The Lowdown: Celtic links

The 29-year-old, about whom Ange Postecoglou spoke last month, has been linked with a move to Parkhead since February.

Reports over the weekend even claimed that the Hoops were front runners for his services, with nothing coming from other speculation linking the Irishman with moves to Gaziantep and Swansea City.

It now seems as if Celtic have another contender to fend off in their reported attempts to land the versatile wide midfielder.

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The Latest: Boro contact

Football League World shared a story on Monday morning suggesting that Middlesbrough have been in touch with the 29-year-old, who is still without a club since leaving Burnley in the summer.

The report credits Celtic with interest when discussing the Teessiders’ involvement in the race for Brady’s services.

The Verdict: Time for Nicholson to act?

Michael Nicholson is Celtic’s interim CEO following Dominic McKay’s abrupt departure, so he may have to act fast if Ange Postecoglou wants to bring Brady to Glasgow.

All parties will need to be on board over a possible move, though, with recent reports suggesting that Postecoglou and his scouts didn’t have meaningful input in James McCarthy’s Celtic Park arrival.

If everyone at the club agrees that Brady would be a shrewd signing, now is the time to make a move.

In other news: ‘Brilliant news if true’, ‘Please’ – Lots of Celtic fans buzz at Scott Burns’ ‘great’ update. 

An update has emerged on Joe Rothwell, regarding Rangers’ interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, Rangers are weighing up a swoop for Blackburn midfielder Rothwell.

The report claims that he is out of contract at the end of the season and the Gers could snap him up on a pre-contract agreement in January.

Get it done

Rangers chief Ross Wilson must secure a deal to sign Rothwell on a free transfer in the January window. The Gers have a key advantage over any English side wanting to sign him as they are able to agree a pre-contract with the player in January, whereas teams south of the border will have to wait until his contract expires to speak with him.

36-year-old Steven Davis has been a regular this season, with 13 appearances to his name, and Rothwell could be seen as a long-term replacement for the former Southampton man. Davis has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.99 in the Premiership this term, winning 50% of his duels and making 2.3 interceptions and tackles per game.

Rothwell, who is ten years younger than the Gers man, has averaged a score of 6.90 in 11 Championship outings for Blackburn. He has won 54% of his duels and made 2.1 interceptions and tackles per game, suggesting that he has been performing to a similar level in comparison to Davis, albeit in different competitions.

Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray once hailed the midfielder and urged him to get closer to the opposition goal. He said:

“He’s an exciting talent, he’s exceedingly fast, he keeps the ball really tight. We want him running towards the opposition goal rather than across the pitch.”

The £4.1k-per-week beast could be signed without Rangers needing to spend a penny on him in terms of a transfer fee and he could represent a bargain for the club.

This is why Wilson must work hard to secure a deal for him in the upcoming transfer window, so that he could potentially replace the ageing Davis heading into the 2022/23 campaign.

AND in other news, 18x possession lost: Wilson sent Rangers transfer warning by dud with 44% pass success…

Bangladesh handed Sri Lanka their first defeat of the tri-series to set up a virtual semi-final clash against Pakistan on Saturday

Cricinfo staff13-Feb-2009
Scorecard
Bangladesh handed Sri Lanka their first defeat of the tri-series to set up a virtual semi-final clash against Pakistan on Saturday. Sri Lanka, who had won three games in a row, were routed for 67, a target which Bangladesh chased with six wickets in hand and 111 balls to spare.Bangladesh used four bowlers, all of whom picked up wickets. Panna Ghosh struck the first blow, trapping Chamari Polgampola lbw in the fifth over, and Shamima Akhter bowled Hiruka Fernando to reduce Sri Lanka to 25 for 2. Sri Lanka were dealt a body blow when two of their middle-order batsmen were run out after which the tail folded meekly, four of the last five batsmen were out for duck.The hosts’ chase began badly when Shatira Jakir was lbw to Polgampola for a 13-ball duck but steady contributions from Ayesha Akhter, who top scored with 24, Ghosh and captain Salma Khatun secured the victory.Sri Lanka have already qualified for the final of the tournament and will be joined by the winner of tomorrow’s contest between Pakistan and the hosts, both of whom are on five points each.

Sri Lanka Women 4 3 1 0 0 15+1.160 590/164.4 401/165.3 Bangladesh Women 31 2 0 0 5 -0.507315/131.3 388/133.4 Pakistan Women 3 12 0 0 5 -1.079 305/117.4421/114.4

Liverpool are among a host of top clubs still interested in signing Fiorentina sensation Dusan Vlahovic, according to a report which has emerged.

The Lowdown: Vlahovic shining for Fiorentina

The 21-year-old is arguably one of Europe’s most exciting young attacking players currently, having caught the eye hugely in Italy.

Vlahovic has scored has scored 10 goals in just 13 Serie A appearances for Fiorentina this season – only one league goal fewer than Mohamed Salah in 2021/22 – taking his overall tally for the club to 41 in 98 matches.

It looks as though one of Europe’s top clubs will snap up the Serbian eventually, and Liverpool look set to be in the race to sign him.

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The Latest: Reds in the hunt

According to 90min, the Reds are ‘keeping close tabs’ on Vlahovic’s current situation, with his Fiorentina deal expiring in the summer of 2023.

Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Everton and Newcastle United are all mentioned as potential suitors as well, though, highlighting how difficult it could be for the Reds to acquire his signature.

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The Verdict: Massive potential

Vlahovic seems to not only be an incredible long-term prospect but also someone who could immediately become a key performer for Liverpool, having been hailed as ‘incredible’ by Italian football expert Conor Clancy.

With Roberto Firmino now 30 years of age, and Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane both 29, the Reds’ attack will need freshening up at some point in the foreseeable future.

Vlahovic could be the man to lead the line for years to come, with the youngster averaging one key pass, 2.2 headers won and 1.1 dribbles per game in Serie A this season, showing his all-round effectiveness as a striker in addition to his Salah-esque scoring return.

In other news, a journalist has tipped a Premier League player to join Liverpool. Find out who it is here.

Thilan Samaraweera, who was shot on his leg during the armed attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore, has undergone a two-hour surgery and is reported to be safe and stable

Sa'adi Thawfeeq05-Mar-2009
Thilan Samaraweera will spend the rest of the week recuperating in hospital and is only expected to resume physical training in two months © AFP
Thilan Samaraweera, who was shot on his leg during the armed attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore, has undergone a two-hour surgery and is reported to be safe and stable.Samaraweera, who scored successive Test double-centuries in Pakistan, was the worst affected from the terrorist attack and was admitted to a private hospital on arrival in Colombo on Wednesday. He had the bullet removed from his left thigh muscle the same day.Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene said the decision to remove the bullet was made to protect Samaraweera’s long-term playing career.”The bullet, which fortunately missed all nerves, was relatively close to the knee joint so the safest course of action was to remove it,” Jayawardene said.Samaraweera will spend the rest of the week recuperating in hospital and is only expected to resume physical training in two months.After the operation he said he was relieved to be home and with his family after the ordeal. “I am feeling better and I’m very happy to be back in Colombo with my wife Erandathie and my children,” Samaraweera said. “This has obviously been a very difficult time for them, but we are all relieved the operation was successful.”The surgeon told us that it must have been a ‘lucky bullet’ because somehow it missed all the important bits of nerve tissue, tendons and ligaments. I certainly feel lucky to have survived and I would also like to sincerely thank the [bus] driver Mohammad Khalil for showing such courage to get the team bus away from the gunmen.” Samaraweera, hoped to resume playing cricket in June.Kumar Sangakkara and Ajantha Mendis also underwent further surgery for removal of shrapnel from their bodies. Sangakkara had shrapnel removed from his shoulder on Wednesday and was said to be out of danger. He is expected to leave hospital today.Mendis underwent two operations on Wednesday to remove more shrapnel from his head and back. He is still detained at the hospital although he is out of danger. Mendis is expected to be out of action for at least four to six weeks according to medical authorities.Newcomer Tharanga Paranavitana and assistant coach Paul Farbrace are the other two team members detained in hospital. But neither were operated upon. Paranavitana is expected to be discharged later on Thursday while Farbrace, who had a large piece of shrapnel removed from his right arm by surgeons in Pakistan, is under observation.

Plays of the day for the fourth day of the second Test between Australia and South Africa

Brydon Coverdale in Durban09-Mar-2009
No keeping duties for AB de Villiers, please © AFP
The sparrow takes flight
Luke “Sparrow” Gillian is often seen when the TV cameras cut to the crowd, wearing his version of the baggy green and waving the Australian flag. The founder of the “Waving the Flag” supporter tours has been a lone figure in the stands at the Tests but he got hismoment in the sun during the tea break, when he was one of three people competing on the field to win some beer. It was a simple bowl-off – whoever hit the stumps most from three attempts won. A young South African man, a bikini-clad girl with a highly dubiousaction, and Sparrow failed in all their attempts and it wasn’t until the makeshift pitch was shortened that anyone got near the stumps. Sparrow eventually got his line right, grabbed a stump and set off on a lap of honour, stopping briefly to happily accept a hug ofcongratulations from the girl in the bikini. The beer will taste extragood tonight.Asad watch, the sequel
On the third day, the umpire Asad Rauf was always worth watching as he tried various poses with his hat, preened his ample head of hair and got a massage from the fourth umpire during a drinks break. Again on the fourth day he was up to some strange antics, collecting a bottle of water during the final drinks break and proceeding to pour thewater into … his eyes. For the second day in a row, Billy Bowden wasthe least interesting umpire on the field.A-grade AB
AB de Villiers has declared he does not want to become the long-term wicketkeeper for South Africa whenever Mark Boucher retires and when he shows off his best in the slips it’s hard to imagine gloves making him any better. There was another top-drawer effort when Marcus North flashed at a wide ball from Dale Steyn and de Villiers, at second slip, hurled up his left hand and casually took the catch as easily as if he was picking apples.
More fielding practice for Marcus North © AFP
North’s day goes further south
As if a duck wasn’t enough for North, things got worse for him when he couldn’t replicate de Villiers’ effort at the start of the Australia innings. Peter Siddle had just got rid of Neil McKenzie and should have had Jacques Kallis first ball when he drew a thick edge. North, at first slip, was a little slow to react and couldn’t get his hands around the ball. At that moment North would have liked to be invisible, which he clearly was later when the ground announcer introduced the fast bowler Ben Hilfenhaus as Marcus North. It was a change from the tour match at Potchefstroom, where North came on tobowl and was introduced as Phillip Hughes.Right to refer
South Africa’s appalling record with referrals in this series got slightly better when McKenzie was unconvinced about Billy Bowden’s decision to send him on his way lbw for 3. The line was good, there was no inside edge but the height was the problem and the side angle suggested the ball was already at bail-height and still rising, so McKenzie was rightly reprieved. The referral system hasn’t endeared itself to the South Africans over the past nine days of Test cricket but as they are starting to learn, it’s all about when you use them.

Michael Hussey believes it will become increasingly difficult to conquer the tricky surface

Cricinfo staff10-Oct-2008
Michael Hussey: “It’s particularly special to get a Test hundred in India. It’s arguably the toughest place to play for an Australian” © Getty Images
The century-maker Michael Hussey has spent more time on the Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch than anyone in this match and he believes it will become increasingly difficult to conquer the tricky surface. Hussey’s 146, built on the excellent hundred of Ricky Ponting the previous day, allowed Australia to reach a satisfying total of 430.”It’s particularly special to get a Test hundred in India,” Hussey said. “It’s arguably the toughest place to play for an Australian. To get a hundred and put the team in a good position is very, very rewarding.”Hussey was playing his first Test in India and he excelled on a cracking pitch that offered variable bounce. “It is a great place to bat,” he said. “It suits my style, to be patient.”You get great rewards for your shots. The outfields are so short here you just have to place the ball. It’s been a good start, but it’s a long series.”Zaheer Khan’s wicked reverse-swing eventually broke through Hussey’s previously impregnable defence and one of the few other moments of trouble came when he inside-edged Ishant Sharma to bring up his century.”It was a relief it didn’t go back on the stumps,” he said. “Then it was just pure excitement. It was a lot of hard work, I was pretty tired. It was just a big relief to get to three figures.”Hussey warned the conditions will deteriorate over the remainder of the match. “You never really feel in,” he said of the pitch. “There’s just enough variable bounce to keep all the bowlers interested, particularly the fast bowlers.”Australia’s fast bowlers appeared to waste the new ball as India raced to 68 for 0 in the 18.1 overs before the rain came. “It would have been nice to pick up a couple of wickets, but they played well and we created a few chances,” Hussey said. “Maybe the luck will go our way tomorrow. We’ve just got to really stay patient, bowl in partnerships and build pressure from both ends.”

Newcastle United journalist Chris Waugh says he can’t see Steve Bruce’s position coming under threat ‘any time soon’. 

The lowdown

Newcastle find themselves in 18th place after following up a 4-2 defeat against West Ham United on the opening weekend with a 2-0 loss at Aston Villa on Saturday.

As Chronicle Live journalist Lee Ryder notes, the Magpies have now lost 13 games over the course of the calendar year, and only Southampton and Burnley have suffered more top-flight defeats since New Year’s Day.

Back in March, Bruce was able to survive after a 3-0 defeat to relegation rivals Brighton and Hove Albion left his side teetering just two points above the drop zone. He subsequently steered them to a 12th-place finish.

The latest

After the defeat at Villa Park, Waugh was asked by a supporter in a Q&A for The Athletic if Bruce’s job is ‘really ever going to be under threat’.

The journalist replied that he expects the hierarchy to maintain their policy of keeping faith in the manager, even to the point where it may not seem ‘wise’ to do so, saying: “The hierarchy stuck by him last season and have done with previous managers, perhaps beyond when was wise. I think they’ll do likewise this season as well.”

The verdict

There may come a point – perhaps if the long-mooted takeover goes through – that Newcastle need to dispense with Bruce to realise their lofty ambitions.

Realistically, he’ll probably guide them to a steady lower mid-table finish this season, and those in situ might simply be happy with that.

It’s also worth acknowledging that we are only two games into the new season, and there’s a week of the transfer window still to go, so the activity on that front over the coming days could alter the picture somewhat.

In other news, Lee Ryder was critical of this man’s performance against Villa. 

Bangladesh may not be providing South Africa the most stern examination before Australia next month, but for the first time in this series they challenged the hosts with a combative performance to reach 250

The Bulletin by Will Luke26-Nov-2008
Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
How they were out
Morne Morkel showed an improvement in form to pick up four wickets © Getty Images
Bangladesh may not be providing South Africa the most stern examination before Australia next month, but for the first time in this series they challenged the hosts with a combative performance to reach 250. Fifteen minutes before stumps on the first day at Centurion, Mashrafe Mortaza capped an encouraging day for Bangladesh with the wicket of Neil McKenzie for a duck.Their performance today was in stark contrast to their dismal effort in Bloemfontein last week when they only managed to survive 88.3 overs in two innings. But this was a different story, with Junaid Siddique cracking 67 while Mushfiqur Rahim’s elegantly crafted 65 lifted his side to their highest first-innings score since April 2006. There were signs of encouragement for Morne Morkel, the fast bowler who has struggled with his consistency, but again he mixed the sublime with the scattergun.In fact, Bangladesh improved with each session. Choosing to bat on what is traditionally an encouraging surface for the seamers, and with South Africa calling up Monde Zondeki to replace Paul Harris, it seemed perfectly logical that they would succumb to their long-standing vulnerability to pace. Yet they showed early promise, particularly Junaid who took a liking to Dale Steyn, who had a poor day. Holding the pose, Junaid drove him casually down the ground while Tamim Iqbal nudged and nurdled singles, dispatching the occasional handsome cover-driven four.Having struggled with his line and length, Morkel finally settled into a good rhythm to hit Junaid with a viper-spitting bouncer which hammered into his unprotected left arm. A fuller delivery accounted for Tamim on 31, who edged him behind, causing celebrations of relief from an embattled fast bowler. He followed it up with a slightly slower and fuller delivery to Mohammad Ashraful who, with concreted feet, offered a simple return catch.A lunchtime score of 64 for 3 summed up the situation. Bangladesh had begun promisingly, only to throw it away before the interval, but Junaid continued to flourish after the break as South Africa were made to wait. Jacques Kallis produced several unplayables, gaining prodigious swing to Mehrab Hossain jnr, but as ever it was Makhaya Ntini who made the breakthrough when Mehrab was drawn into a loose swish outside his off stump.Junaid grew in confidence, upper-cutting Kallis over point for a confident and tone-setting boundary, but he showed his true class when on the front foot. A sweetly timed off-drive sped for four off Ntini, bowling a touch too full, while Steyn – curiously ineffective throughout the day – was punched off the back foot for four more. A streaky, uppish cut flew past gully to bring up his third Test fifty, an elegant example of the talent in Bangladesh batsmanship.At the other end, however, came evidence of Bangladesh’s difficulties. Raqibul Hasan, making his debut, showed potential with a supremely elegant flick off his pads, but couldn’t cope with Morkel’s bounce, fending him to Smith for his second catch. Shakib-al-Hasan entertained with a cameo of 30 off 27 balls but Bangladesh needed rather more substance than a brief flurry.And they received it from Mushfiqur, batting a little too low, frankly, at No. 8. With strong wrists and firm cuts, he batted with great aggression – driving Kallis beautifully for four; slapping another wide from Morkel through the same cover region before swinging Steyn for two sublime sixes over midwicket. He was dropped on 23 by Mark Boucher – one of two spills by the wicketkeeper – but two more fours off Steyn took him through to a superb fifty. His tenth-wicket partnership with Mahbubul Alam (who contributed just 1) of 56 spanned just 12 overs. South Africa were increasingly incensed, but were guilty of bowling too wide.Granted, 250 is not a total to challenge one of the world’s best line-ups, but Bangladesh ensured it was their day in the sun when Mortaza found a brute of a delivery to square up McKenzie. He could have had Hashim Amla, too, but the ball appeared to brush the batsman’s pads rather than his glove down the leg side. Nevertheless, with South Africa trailing by 230, for the first time in this series Bangladesh have put up a fight.