The MCC and the ECB will have urgent talks to discuss worries that Lord’s may lose one of its summer Tests in 2009, when the new staging agreements take hold.Lord’s has traditionally received two Tests each summer, owing to being the home of cricket and its grandeur, but with increasing competition from other grounds, there are worries that one of the two Tests may be in jeopardy.The MCC needs to make a good case to the ECB as to why they should continue to stage the amount of internationals that they do. Part of that will be capacity increases, which could be part of the redevelopment proposals.Iain Wilton, the head of communications and public affairs, confirmed to Cricinfo that imminent talks were planned, but said that the £100million rumoured to be the cost of the planned redevelopment was “entirely speculative” at this stage.He said: “The MCC Committee has yet to decide on how, for example, the ground’s capacity should be increased – or by how much. When it has developed its thinking further, the club’s first priority will be to consult its members.”Lord’s is not the only traditional ground to think about redevelopment amid worries of increasing competition. Earlier this week, Surrey unveiled plans to overhaul The Oval in a £35million revamp.
Parsimonious spells from Prosper Utseya and Hamilton Masakadza combined with Gregory Strydom’s hard-hitting fifty powered Zimbabwe to victory in the fourth one-day international against Bangladesh at Harare. This was Zimbabwe’s 12th series win since their entry into the international fold in 1983 and their fourth in a bilateral series against Bangladesh.Zimbabwe outperformed Bangladesh in all departments to win the series with a match to spare – their spinners restricted Bangladesh to 206 for 9 before Vusi Sibanda and Strydom marshalled the run-chase superbly to achieve the target in the 42nd over. Despite winning the toss for the first time in the series, Bangladesh got off to another poor start. In earlier games they lost their first wicket for 15, 17 and 4; today they managed 21 before Rajin Saleh, who replaced the out-of-form Javed Omar, pushed one straight to Stuart Matsikenyeri off Ed Rainsford.There was a brief revival as Aftab Ahmed flung his bat around. Having scored 40 off 24 balls and 53 off 39 in his last two games, Aftab smashed four fours off Rainsford in the 11th over. However, the rush of blood eventually worked in Zimbabwe’s favour and Aftab’s innings ended on 27. Bangladesh had added 52 in 44 balls during Aftab’s stay and his dismissal in the 15th over prompted Utseya to take the third Powerplay immediately.Shahriar Nafees had played a steady hand at the other end after surviving a testy spell from Anthony Ireland. However, it was his indiscretion – ball-watching in the direction of mid-off – that led to Mohammad Ashraful’s run-out. Thereafter Utseya and Masakadza took centre stage. Utseya, fast aquiring a reputation for his miserliness as explained in S Rajesh’s Numbers Game, started uncharacteristically with a short and wide long-hop that Ashraful promptly cut for four. Thereafter normal service resumed. Overs zipped by in double-quick time and runs came at a trickle. Utseya compounded Bangladesh’s woes when Alok Kapali lobbed a tame shot to midwicket.Zimbabwe struck a body blow when Masakadza breached Nafees’s defences. He finished with 2 for 36, Utseya 2 for 25 and Stuart Matsikenyeri none for 18 after five overs. Between them they had conceded just two boundaries between the 20th and the 38th over – a period in which Bangladesh managed only 61. Farhad Reza had just struck a six when he was wretchedly stranded a few balls later. Such was the nature of Bangladesh’s effort. There were several spurts of intent but they were just that – spurts, as they allowed Zimbabwe to make frequent inroads.
Zimbabwe got off to a perfect start in a crucial run-chase. Sibanda and Duffin bucked the trend of poor opening partnerships by putting on 57 runs – the highest first-wicket stand in the series for both sides. Instead of approaching the target cautiously, both openers took on the opening bowlers – Shahadat Hossain and Mashrafe Mortaza – at every possible opportunity. The batsmen took turns at finding the fence and Hossain, the hat-trick hero of the previous game, leaked 26 runs in his first three overs. Bangladesh could ill afford runs to flow at such a pace – 43 had come off the first seven overs – and Khaled Mashud was forced to try Abdur Razzak’s left-arm spin as early as the eighth over. The drop in the run-rate that followed was dramatic.The first Powerplay had yielded 50 runs off ten overs but Zimbabwe struggled to score 12 runs off five in the second Powerplay. Both batsmen were clueless against Razzak and Mohammad Rafique who induced an edge from Duffin off his second ball. Sibanda, however, survived tense moments against the spinners and found his groove again in the company of Strydom.Strydom muscled his first few boundaries to get going and, once settled, took charge after Sibanda’s departure. He kept the runs flowing with regular boundaries and brought up his first ODI fifty – of 47 balls – with a lofted hit in front of square. By the time he fell, to a leading edge, Zimbabwe were on the threshold of victory. If Bangladesh thought they had a flicker of hope, it was quickly stubbed out by Matsikenyeri and Brendan Taylor, who fittingly sealed the series with another massive six over wide long-on.
BangladeshRajin Saleh c Matsikenyeri b Rainsford 11 (21 for 1) Aftab Ahmed c Utseya b Masakadza 27 (73 for 2) Mohammad Ashraful run out Duffin 6 (82 for 3) Alok Kaplai c Sibanda c Utseya 10 (102 for 4) Shahriar Nafees b Masakadza 45 (137 for 5) Farhad Reza run out Utseya 30 (157 for 6) Mohammad Rafique c Sibanda b Utseya (160 for 7) Khaled Mashud c Rainsford b Ieland (190 for 8) Mashrafe Mortaza b Ed Rainsford 23 (197 for 9) ZimbabweTerry Duffin c Mashud b Rafique 24 (57 for 1) Vusi Sibanda b Reza 46 (91 for 2) Hamilton Masakadza retired hurt 19 (156 for 2) Gregory Strydom c Ashraful b Razzak 58 (159 for 3)
Victoria 2 for 14 trail South Australia 254 (Cosgrove 82, Manou 50) by 240 runs ScorecardSouth Australia and Victoria were evenly poised in their Pura Cup match at the Adelaide Oval after a lacklustre opening day. Mark Cosgrove hit a stylish 82, with 13 boundaries, and his contribution lifted the home side from 4 for 68 after the captain, Graham Manou, won the toss and elected to bat.Manou chipped in with 50 while the No. 8, Mark Cleary, scored 40 as the lower order pushed the total past 250. The paceman Michael Lewis impressed early and finished with 3 for 34 while Mathew Inness also grabbed three as he cleaned up the tail.South Australia finished strongly as Shaun Tait picked up the valuable wickets of Matthew Elliott for 6 and the nightwatchman Lewis for a duck.
Tim Lamb, the chief executive of the England & Wales Cricket Board, is expected to tender his resignation at a press conference on Thursday morning, according to a report on the BBC website. Lamb, who has held the post since 1997, has been in discussion with lawyers to finalise the terms of his departure.It is only the timing of his departure that is coming as a surprise. On Wednesday morning, the British newspapers were united in their belief that Lamb would step down as soon as the end of September, despite the ECB’s continued insistence that such talk is “pure speculation”. There is no formal process for nominating Lamb’s successor, although the current operations director, John Carr, is a likely candidate.Writing in The Times, Christopher Martin-Jenkins didn’t mince words: “Tim Lamb is to leave his six-figure-salary job as chief executive of the England & Wales Cricket Board before the end of the year. A statement originally intended to say that he had resigned and would leave at the end of September was delayed last night while lawyers discussed the terms of his departure. His successor will be appointed by the 18-man ECB management board … The Zimbabwe issue and a row over the future programme of domestic cricket have sparked Lamb’s exit from a role that he has performed with immense industry for seven-and-a-half years.”CMJ continued: “At 51 and with children in private education, his departure, despite his disillusionment with the sport’s internal politics, is not entirely voluntary. In effect, he has been pushed from the job he has held since the board’s inception in January 1997.”Elsewhere, there is widespread agreement that the main reason for Lamb’s departure is the ongoing saga surrounding the Zimbabwe tour. But behind the scenes, Lamb – and also David Morgan, the ECB’s chairman – have lost the support of many of the county chairmen, and without that his position became increasingly untenable.Lamb’s departure also raises question-marks about Morgan’s own future. Plans for a review of the county system were not so much thrown as hurled out by the First Class Forum (FCF) earlier this month, and while talk of a no-confidence vote turned out to be wide of the mark, the positions of Lamb and Morgan were greatly weakened. It is widely expected that Surrey’s Mike Soper, the chairman of the FCF and an outspoken critic of many of the ECB’s recent initiatives, will oppose Morgan when he comes up for re-election later this year.Yesterday’s announcement that Mark Sibley, the ECB’s commercial director, has also resigned after less than a year in the job was another blow. Sibley is the man who would have spearheaded the board’s crucial discussions with broadcasting companies over the TV rights from 2006 onwards. It has been suggested that he was fed up with the ECB’s “oppressive” bureaucracy and the continuing uncertainty over the Zimbabwe issue.
The England and Wales Cricket Board have told the International Cricket Councilin a letter that they will not play Zimbabwe in Harare on Thursday.More details to follow.
Steve Waugh is a tough and uncompromising cricketer – and he believes his side are in the same mould.You don’t win 16 Test Matches in a row by being soft on the opposition and, though the Australians enter the Ashes series following back-to-back defeats in India, Waugh’s resolve remains as steely as ever.He aims to hold the Ashes for a record seventh consecutive time and improve as a side while doing so.”I like the side to play their cricket the way I like to play,” said Waugh. “Tough, hard and giving 100% every time to make the most of your ability.”Whilst we did lose in India, we got a lot out of that series. We got to knoweach other better and the one thing we did learn is that you can’t take winningfor granted.”After 16 winning Test Matches in a row some of the celebrations were not asvocal or as energetic as they should have been.”I don’t think we had anything to prove before that series. That’s not theattitude we go out with. We just go out with the attitude to make the best ofour ability and best of our talent and to give it our best shot.”On this tour we just want to try and enjoy ourselves, improve as a side andcontinue to win. It’s not always possible but I don’t think we have anything toprove.”At 36, Waugh is the only member of the touring party to have lost an Ashes series and that taste of defeat was brought back to him in India. But, he insists, he has no regrets about the Indian defeat.”I’ve been over it a few times but it’s nothing I can change now,” he said.”I probably won’t get the chance to play against India in India again so it(winning there) will be something the other guys can hopefully achieve when Ifinish.”This Australian team certainly mirrors Waugh’s ideals of how cricket should be played, displaying a delight in mercilessly crushing opponents.”As captain I have got to know the guys pretty well, I’m relaxed out therenow and it’s taken a while,” he said. “The team seems to function well and it obviously makes it a lot easier when you are winning.”We have a good relationship, I trust them and I think they trust me.”When I first played for Australia I don’t think I realised what it was allabout, the responsibility and what a great honour it was.”The positive aspect of the first few years was that I learnt from thoseexperiences and it actually made me a lot tougher than it might have if it hadcome easily.”I guess being captain for the first time in an Ashes series is a pretty bigmoment in my career. It’s a great honour. We will be judged on our results and Iwill be judged as captain.”But I really enjoy the role, it’s a great challenge and it’s great to seethe players really improve and develop their game.”I have always liked playing here, it’s my favourite place to play cricketoutside of Australia and I will savour every moment of this trip because itmight be my last,” added Waugh, who has pencilled in the World Cup of 2003 forhis international retirement.Waugh is not putting much store by Australia’s heavy defeats of England in the one-day NatWest Series although, typical of the man, he has made mental notes of various weaknesses which became apparent among his opponents.”There are going to be plenty of changes to that side so we probablyshouldn’t read too much into it,” he said.”I think we learned a lot about (Marcus) Trescothick and perhaps to a lesserextent (Michael) Vaughan. We picked up some good hints.”We have always rated Thorpe as a very good player and I think he’s gone thatextra step from being a very good player to a great player for England. He will probably be the danger batsman.”Mike Atherton has had a good 18 months but Glenn McGrath has always donewell against him and has got good memories there. He will be under pressure inthe first two Tests.”We have a few tricks up our sleeve and we think we know where we have tobowl at their batsman.”England – you have been warned.
Sunderland have been handed a triple injury boost ahead of their League One clash with Gillingham today…
What’s the latest?
Black Cats boss Alex Neil has revealed that Alex Pritchard and Nathan Broadhead have been back in training this week and might be available for selection.
He told The Sunderland Echo: “Alex and Nathan have been making really good progress this week and they’ve been out training on the grass. We’ll make a late call on them in terms of Saturday’s game.”The Sunderland Echo added to his comments by stating that central defender Danny Batth is also set to return after he featured for the under-23 side during the international break. Delight
These updates will surely delight the Stadium of Light faithful, as they provide Neil with a massive boost heading into the clash with Gillingham today.
All three players being fit are boosts in their own way. Firstly, having Batth as an option will add further depth to the head coach’s options at the back. Sunderland have kept an impressive four clean sheets in their last five games, which suggests that there is no need to throw him straight back into the starting line-up.
However, having him available to potentially play will delight the 40-year-old. Batth may not have had a dream start to his Sunderland career but he has shown that he can excel at Championship level, with an average SofaScore rating of 7.10 for Stoke earlier this season, and he still has time to show that form in the third tier on Wearside.
With Pritchard and Broadhead, meanwhile, Neil has two players who have proven themselves in Sunderland colours this season. The former has four goals and seven assists in League One this season, whilst the latter has found the net seven times in his last 10 outings for the Black Cats, with five goals in nine third-tier starts since joining on loan from Everton.
Sunderland failed to score in their last match against Lincoln, which suggests that they will benefit from having both players back fit and available. Pritchard and Broadhead are capable of delivering quality in the final third and they can be difference-makers for the club, potentially winning crucial points in the race to secure promotion to the Championship.
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Therefore, Black Cats supporters will surely be buzzing with their progress and hoping that they are both fit enough to play a significant part in the match today.
AND in other news, Donald howler: Sunderland will have nightmares over “surprise” 18-year-old, he’s the new Harry Kane…
Greg Hay is one of 14 first-class players who will represent New Zealand at the Emerging Players Tournament in Queensland in July. The side will be coached by Andy Moles, the former Warwickshire batsman who has coached Kenya, Scotland and England Under-19s.Hay, the Central Districts batsman, missed out on the England tour despite averaging 49.33 in 15 first-class matches and 49.91 in one-day matches so far but this announcement will prove some consolation, as will his winter contract awarded on Monday. Neil Broom, Michael Guptill and BJ Watling have also been selected for the tournament and for a deal.The wicketkeeper Bevan Griggs, 30, has been included ahead of Peter McGlashan, who played two Twenty20 internationals in 2006, and the rising star Derek de Boorder. New Zealand Under-19 players Corey Anderson and Trent Boult got the nod as well.Nathan McCullum and Bradley Scott were left out, despite appearing in the tournament last year and receiving winter contracts. McCullum is playing club cricket in Europe, while Elliott is currently on tour with New Zealand in England.The Emerging Players team will play against sides from South Africa and India alongside the Australia Institute of Sport. They will then have one three-day match, a 50-over match and a Twenty20 against a Queensland state XI.”This is the fourth year of the tournament and it has become a key part of NZC’s winter training programme,” selector Glenn Turner said. “We have seen a number of players progress through to the Blackcaps after showing potential on such tours. The event also gives players competition experience and our teams have always performed well there.”Emerging Players squad Corey Anderson, Brent Arnel, Hamish Bennett, Trent Boult, Neil Broom, Leighton Burtt, Brendon Diamanti, Bevan Griggs (wk), Martin Guptill, Greg Hay, Brandon Hiini, Peter Ingram, Robbie Schaw, BJ Watling.
Paul Wiseman and Graham Onions made useful inroads into Hampshire’s strong batting lineup who struggled against Durham on the first day at The Rose Bowl. Choosing to bat, Hampshire lost Michael Brown and John Crawley, both for ducks, before Michael Carberry and Michael Lumb put on 82 for the third wicket. After hitting 10 fours in his 70, Lumb was trapped lbw by Wiseman as Hampshire went to stumps on 160 for 5.Lancashire moved to 164 for 1 on the opening day against Kent at Old Trafford. Only 50 overs were possible due to the heavy rain affecting large parts of the north of England, but there was enough time for Iain Sutcliffe and Mal Loye to each notch half-centuries. Loye was typically aggressive, crunching nine fours and a six in his 62 while Sutcliffe played the anchor role.Kabir Ali took three quick wickets for Worcestershire who reduced Warwickshire to 86 for 4 on a damp day at Edgbaston. Rain delayed the start of play by 75 minutes before Ali’s new-ball partner, Doug Bollinger bowled Darren Maddy – shouldering arms – for 5. And then Ali struck, removing Ian Westwood, Kumar Sangakkara and Jonathan Trott in quick succession. He ought to have had Jim Troughton caught, too, when he edged him to first slip but the wicketkeeper, Steven Davies, dived in front and spilled it. Half-an-hour after lunch, rain and bad light forced the players off for the day.There was no play between Yorkshire and Sussex at Headingley due to heavy rain.
Division Two
Andy Bichel cracked a brilliant 102 from 138 balls to give Essex the upper hand on the opening day against Middlesex at a gloomy Lord’s. In ideal bowling conditions, Chris Silverwood and Chaminda Vaas reduced Essex to 55 for 5, before Ryan ten Doeschate and James Middlebrook rescued a sinking ship with a sixth wicket stand of 42. But it was Bichel who transformed the whole feel of the day with his destructive hundred coming from 137 balls and containing three sixes and nine fours. Owing to the slow, damp outfield, his team-mates had earlier struggled to gain full value from their strokes, but Bichel had no such problem and brought up his hundred with a huge six over square-leg. He perished in the following over to Murali Kartik, attempting an equally ambitious shot, but his knock has put Essex in command when all seemed lost.Andy Caddick rolled back the years with three wickets in 17 balls to help Somerset reduce Gloucestershire to 69 for 4 at Bristol. Caddick, returning to the team after a side strain, began the day with four successive maidens before the rain came down after 7.5 overs. The match resumed at 5.15pm and, with his seventh ball after the break, Caddick had Kadeer Ali caught by Marcus Trescothick low at first slip. Hamish Marshall and Chris Taylor both fell in the same fashion, caught by Trescothick, as Somerset made the most of a shortened day.Only 18 overs were possible on the opening day at Northampton, but Leicestershire’s bowlers made the most of the shortened day to reduce Northamptonshire to 53 for 3 at stumps. That they reached the heady heights of 53 owed much to Riki Wessels who, coming to the crease at 9 for 3, cracked 37 from 46 balls to restore some respectability. David Masters picked up 2 for 24, and Stuart Broad 1 for 24.There was no play on the opening day at Nottingham between Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire due to rain.
Sachin Tendulkar has been declared fit to play in the upcoming tri-series in Sri Lanka, the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) said today.Tendulkar has made good progress after testing his right shoulder over the last five days under the supervision of John Gloster, the India team physio. Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary, also confirmed that that Tendulkar will not be required to undergo a fitness test, originally scheduled for Wednesday.”Tendulkar has been undergoing rehabilitation under the supervision of team physiotherapist John Gloster and in the last five days has made progress satisfactory enough to make him available for the Sri Lanka series,” he told reporters. “The report we have got is that Sachin is fit to play. He is available for selection again.”Tendulkar also consulted his surgeon in London, Dr. Andrew Wallace, who was very satisfied with his recovery from shoulder surgery. Tendulkar showed little discomfort during his short tour of England, where he represented club side Lashings and participated in a Twenty20 charity match.If he is indeed selected, which is a certainty, the tri-series will mark his international comeback after a four-month layoff. After a successful surgery, Tendulkar was hopeful of being fit for the Tests in India’s tour of West Indies recently. However, he had to cancel a scheduled fitness test in May to determine his selection, as his shoulder required more time to heal.The selectors meet on Thursday to pick the squad for the tour of Sri Lanka.