All posts by csb10.top

Australia will struggle to fill the gaping hole left by Glenn McGrath’s departure, according to Shane Warne. While Stuart Clark has been mentioned as a “McGrath clone”, Warne believes it is in part McGrath’s attitude and persistence that will be difficult to replicate.”I don’t think Glenn can be replaced,” Warne wrote in his column in the . “In pure bowling terms, Australia might find another like him, but there is still a big question mark over that. It’s everything else that he has brought to the table that has set McGrath apart.”His attitude and ability to get the best players out consistently in all conditions has been unbelievable. The way he has stopped the momentum of opposition sides doesn’t show up in stats. His whole attitude through his career has been to keep it simple, and that’s been shown in the way he bowls.Warne said opposition teams would enjoy the fact they no longer had to face he and McGrath. “That will give them a bit of a lift,” he said. “We’ve seen that before when McGrath and I haven’t played. But we have some wonderful players who can do the job for Australia.”He mentioned Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson as two young fast bowlers who could benefit from some time in the side while Australia’s remaining veterans were still playing. “It’s a great time for young players to come in because the team is still successful and on a roll,” Warne wrote. “These players can develop before a few of the other guys retire.”

ScorecardSimon Katich’s fourth Pura Cup century of the season gave second-placed New South Wales a handy lead and then four cheap Western Australian wickets put them in a strong position heading into the final day. Katich moved to 189 before chopping on to leg stump in sight of what would have been his fourth double-century in the past year. The ball clipped the bail and he became one of four victims for Ben Edmondson.Beau Casson added a useful 72 not out and was part of a stand with Katich that took New South Wales one run behind, then Nathan Bracken pitched in with 30. But Brad Haddin, perhaps overawed by being tipped to be Australia’s new wicketkeeper-batsman following Adam Gilchrist’s retirement, was an early casualty, adding five to his overnight 8 before being caught by Chris Rogers off Marcus North.Then came a procession as Doug Bollinger delivered two sharp blows, and Casson’s slow left-armers also bagged a couple to send Western Australia’s top order back. Three of the dismissals were lbws and they were in severe trouble at 4 for 36. Luke Pomersbach and Aaron Heal will resume with a huge task to push third-placed Western Australia into any kind of lead and then hang on for the draw. New South Wales, however, will be confident of capturing the final six wickets to keep their final bid secure.

Having earned a Test recall after nearly two years, Mohammad Kaif said he was expecting to be picked based on his domestic performance. He was named as replacement in the squad for the second Test against South Africa after Sachin Tendulkar was ruled out with a groin injury.”I had scored some 1000 to 1200 runs,” Kaif told the tabloid . “A bulk of them were scored on tough wickets so the call was kind of expected.” He scored 687 runs at 59.73 from eight Ranji Trophy games for Uttar Pradesh and 266 at 52.46 from two Duleep Trophy matches for Central Zone this season.Kaif was dropped from the Test side after India’s tour of West Indies in June 2006 despite scoring an unbeaten 148 in the second Test in St Lucia. “I had learned a lot during this period. I think whatever happens, happens for some good only. So I think there must have been some good reason of my being away from the Indian side.”I must thank my supporters and those who stood by me in my bad period. I hope that the bad phase has ended and this selection will bring more good news for me in the future.”Though excited about being included in the squad, Kaif said India would no doubt miss Tendulkar. “Captain Anil Kumble will never have wanted him [Tendulkar] to be out of the side,” Kaif said. But now I have got a chance and if I play, I will try and make the best out of it.”

Tony Frost has been brought out of retirement by Warwickshire to cover for the potential absence of Tim Ambrose on England duty next season. Frost ended his first-class career after the 2006 summer and took up a position on the Edgbaston ground staff and continued playing club cricket with Knowle and Dorridge.The offer was put to him by Ashley Giles, the director of cricket, following Ambrose’s call-up for the tour of New Zealand which starts next month. If Ambrose cements a place as England’s wicketkeeper it will leave Warwickshire short of options behind the stumps.”Tony ticks all the boxes and can provide good cover should Tim be away for prolonged spells with England,” said Giles. “He is an experienced, capped player who is an accomplished batter and like-for-like replacement.”As a club we want to be positive and support our younger players and we feel that Richard Johnson [the reserve keeper] would benefit from more matches with the second XI before being thrust into first team cricket. Tim’s position in the England set-up is not guaranteed but until we know more about his long-term commitments we now have an experienced and committed replacement for what is such a crucial position in the side.”Frost was thrilled to be given the opportunity to relaunch his professional career. “It was a surprise to be having the conversation but it didn’t take me long to accept the offer,” he said. “I have enjoyed working with the ground staff and learning the other side of the game but I loved my time with [Warwickshire] and I can’t wait to get back with the team and playing.”In his last season before retiring Frost topped Warwickshire’s batting averages and was highly rated around the circuit as one of the safest wicketkeepers. Early in his career he was forced to bide his time while Keith Piper had the No. 1 slot, but enjoyed a consistent run when Piper vacated the role.

Shane Bond, the former New Zealand fast bowler currently signed up with the Indian Cricket League (ICL), has accused international boards of succumbing to pressure from the Indian board to ban players believes players who join the unofficial Twenty20 league.”I’m just disappointed that players are getting banned. I just don’t think that is fair,” Bond, 32, said. “All boards want to make money and they have been quick to jump in with the BCCI, basically doing what they told them.”They [boards] are really the ones who are breaching contracts and probably aren’t acting ethically very well.”The BCCI has refused to recognise the ICL and later launched a multi-million dollar official version, the Indian Premier League (IPL). International Cricket Council regulations prevent contracted players from taking part in any league or tournament not sanctioned by the home board where they are based. The popular belief is that the financially-powerful BCCI has pushed various boards to ban players who play in the ICL from appearing in international or domestic competition.Bond believes these boards could have made a joint demand that the ICL pay a fee in return for each player, with the money going into facilities and grassroots development projects. “We’re professional cricketers and we should be able to play anywhere and for anyone,” Bond said, criticising NCZ for retracting their permission to allow him play in the ICL.Bond, who took 79 wickets in 17 Tests and 125 wickets from 65 ODIs, will debut for Delhi in the ICL’s new tournament starting on Sunday. “It is a job and we are trying to provide and look after families,” he said. “We are forced into a situation where we are getting banned from a job we want to do.”Bond also warned that legal action could be taken if more players were prevented from competing in the ICL. “I think we are going to see it get a ruling in the high court or supreme court. Something like that will happen one day because it will get over the top … people would have had enough.”

Vikram Solanki held up Warwickshire for a further 85 minutes today as Worcestershire topped 300 in a first innings at New Road for the first time this season.Solanki is a batsman who cashes in on his big innings. Resuming on 113 – thed ninth first-class century of his career – he went on to pass 150 for the seventh time.Three fours off Graeme Welch in the sixth over put him back in the groove but overnight partner Steve Rhodes was content to plod along with only five in the first hour.Solanki eventually collected 25 boundaries to reach 160 in 311 minues before a loose drive off Dougie Brown flew straight to substitute Stuart Eustace at mid-off.Rhodes contributed 28 to a partnership of 112 in 34 overs and added only 25 in 135 minutes this morning to reach 45 in a lunch total of 311 for six.

Drop of the Day Mk 1
Ashwell Prince’s parry at square-leg had all the makings of a match-sealing moment. When you’re defending 193 and the batsman of the tournament, Scott Styris, gives a chance while still in single figures, there’s really no forgiving the culpable fielder. In mitigation, the ball was whipped through square leg with such power that it pulled up just yards inside the rope, but on the other hand, South Africa’s reputation in one-day cricket has long been based upon their superlative fielding. At 54 for 2 it was a vital opportunity squandered.Drop of the Day Mk 2
Ditto, with knobs on. Mark Boucher will need little reminding of the last time New Zealand and South Africa met in the World Cup. At Centurion in 2002-03, he dropped Stephen Fleming on 52 – a sitter of a chance off Jacques Kallis – and Fleming went on to make a fantastic match-winning 134 not out. Two weeks later, the hosts had been ejected from their own party. Today’s chance was tougher – a thin top-edge that a leaping Boucher could only parry onto his nose – but the impact on his team-mates was very much the same.Drop of the Day Mk 3
Ok, so it’s cruel to labour the point, but déjà vu is a powerful thing, especially when poor old Herschelle is involved. For eight painful years, he’s had to live with the memory of that aberration at Headingley in the 1999 World Cup, and like a particularly rubbish punchline, the joke gets wearier every time it is repeated. So, all together now, for (surely?) one last time: “You just dropped the World Cup, Hersch!” Of course, he could well cling onto a blinder to seal victory over England next week, and all will be forgiven. (At least, until the fourth-placed South Africans take on Australia in the St Lucia semi-final…)Call of the Day
Win the toss and bowl – it’s a tactic that’s been fraught with danger down the years. But today it worked a treat for Fleming, who unleashed his seamers in drizzly overcast conditions that were more Queenstown, Otago, than Queen’s Park, Grenada. Shane Bond was magnificent, James Franklin was rejuvenated, and at 66 for 2 at the end of the Powerplays, the pattern of the match had been established. Who knows what South Africa might have achieved if Graeme Smith had called correctly, but their decision to omit their leading wicket-taker and leading swing bowler, Charl Langeveldt, suggests they were not banking on bowling first.Bowling spell of the Day
If a cricketer could be designed to get under the skin of the rigidly orthodox South Africans, then he would doubtless look and sound something like Craig McMillan – a chippy, chirpy little irritant of a character who tempted three of South Africa’s finest into wicket-surrendering indiscretions. McMillan once got the better of Steve Waugh in a bouncer offensive, so his bowling is not to be underestimated. That, however, is just what Gibbs, Ashwell Prince and Boucher all did, as South Africa crashed from 128 for 3 to 149 for 6. Each wicket was celebrated with double clenched fists and a cheeky knowing grin, the sort of reaction that doubtless made the incoming batsman want to smack him even further …Duck of the Day
How good would AB de Villiers be if he could start every innings on 1? Unfortunately for him and for South Africa, that initial notch in the scorebook is proving infuriatingly hard to come by. Today was the fourth time in eight World Cup innings that he had been dismissed without scoring, and on none of those occasions has he survived for more than six balls. When he does get stuck in, however, woe betide the opposition. His other efforts have been 62 from 45 balls against Scotland; 92 from 70 against Australia; 15 from 39 against Bangladesh, and last week’s outrageous 146 from 130 against West Indies.Innings of the Day
Sporting a beard that makes him look like the celebrity chef, Anthony Worrall-Thompson, Styris is absolutely cooking in this World Cup. Today he produced his fifth half-century in eight innings. Three of those have been unbeaten scores of 80 or more, including the recent 111 not out against Sri Lanka. He is one of only three players to have made 400 runs for the competition (Jacques Kallis and Matthew Hayden are the other two), although his average of 108.75 is unsurpassed. And if that’s not useful enough, he’s also grabbed eight vital breakthroughs with his medium-pacers. It’s not a bad time to hit the form of your life.Number Crunching of the Day
The calculators were working overtime in the press-box today (at least, for those who have such things – one chap was too busy clacking away on his 1970s typewriter). But by the end of the New Zealand run-chase, the numbers were stark. South Africa’s net run-rate, that issue that Smith insisted was totally under control, is now drifting uneasily at a measly – 0.2097. That means that England (NRR +0.079) are as good as through if they win in Barbados on Tuesday. It’ll be a big “if” on the bouncier Bridgetown wicket but, should that happen, South Africa’s only salvation would then come if West Indies delivered a judgment of biblical proportions in England’s own final game next Saturday.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has offered central contracts to 33 players, with top-grade cricketers being offered a whopping Rs 60 lakhs. The retainership for various categories was hiked and the BCCI announced that it would offer contracts to a record number of players. All top players have received A-grade contracts, while an extra category, the D-grade, has been created to include promising cricketers.The A-grade contract, which comes with a retainer of Rs 60 lakh, was offered to Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Anil Kumble, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan. Of this lot, Zaheer is the biggest gainer as he was on a C-grade contract last year.Grade B comes with a retainer of Rs 40 lakh, Grade C 25 lakh and finally grade D Rs 15 lakh. In the final category the BCCI has included people like Subramaniam Badrinath and Cheteshwar Pujara, who have done well for India A but not yet made it to higher honours.Any player from outside this list who played for India would automatically fall into the D grade, and when a player from the D grade notches up five Tests or 15 ODIs in the year he would automatically be upgraded to the C category.Dilip Vengsarkar, the chairman of selectors was part of the gradation committee that decided on which player would get what contract, along with Sharad Pawar, the BCCI president, and Niranjan Shah, the secretary. Soon after the contracts were announced Vengsarkar said, “This is very good for the players. They are being rewarded for their performances. This will create a wider pool of players.”Full listGrade A
Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Anil Kumble, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer KhanGrade B
VVS Laxman, Harbhajan Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Wasim Jaffer, S Sreesanth, Dinesh Karthik, RP Singh, Virender Sehwag.Grade C
Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar, Ramesh Powar, Munaf Patel, Robin Uthappa, Piyush Chawla, Suresh Raina.Grade D
Rohit Sharma, Joginder Sharma, Manoj Tiwari, Ishant Sharma, Ranadeb Bose, Mohammad Kaif, Cheteshwar Pujara, Parthiv Patel, S Badrinath, Aakash Chopra, Yusuf Pathan.

The Bangladesh players have been fined five percent of their match fees for maintaining a slow over-rate during the third ODI against Pakistan in Lahore. Mike Procter, the match referee, also reprimanded Shahriar Nafees, the Bangladesh batsman, for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct.Bangladesh were found to be one over short of the target after taking time allowances into consideration. Players are docked five percent for every over their team fails to complete within the alloted time and captains are penalised double, resulting in a ten percent cut in the match fee for Mohammad Ashraful.Nafees was found guilty of breaching clause 1.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct which relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings.” Nafees kicked and damaged an advertising hoarding after a misfield, but was let off with only a reprimand.”It was Shahriar’s third misfield in the innings and he was obviously frustrated as it was a crucial game because Bangladesh was playing to stay alive in the series,” Procter said. “But it is not the sort of example that players should be setting at any time. Shahriar pleaded guilty, apologised for the incident and promised not to repeat it again.”All Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum penalty of 50% of a player’s match fee.Nafees had scored a duck in that match, and was dropped in the subsequent game in Multan. Pakistan lead the series 4-0.

Scorecard

Russel Arnold blitzed a 40-ball 66 to inspire the Chennai Superstars to a nail-biting victory over the Kolkata Tigers in Hyderabad. Set a challenging 186 to win, Arnold and the Superstars held their nerve to post their first win of the tournament, with two balls to spare.While it was Arnold who applied the finishing touches, it was the in-form opener Ian Harvey who laid the groundwork with an express 49 featuring three sixes and four fours. He and G Vignesh gave the Superstars a flier, raising 49 off the first five overs.By the time Harvey was dismissed in the tenth over, the Superstars had raced to 92.Though Hemang Badani fell cheaply soon after, the asking-rate wasn’t allowed to increase too much from the initial 9.30. It was the Arnold show from then as the other batsmen contributed a mere 11 of the required 53 runs. A torrent of boundaries flowed from his bat and even his mishits cleared the ropes, including a top-edged pull which flew over fine leg.Earlier, after opting to bat, the Tigers were reduced to 14 for 3 by the third over. However, a brutal onslaught from captain Craig McMillan (69 off 41, five fours, four sixes) and a relatively tempered half-century from Abhishek Jhunjhunwala enabled them to reach a formidable total. At that stage, it seemed the Tigers would condemn the Superstars to their third successive defeat but Arnold’s pyrotechnics carried the Chennai side to victory.Despite the defeat, the Tigers are in third place, one above the Superstars. The Lahore Badshahs top the table having won all three of their games so far.