England will not play World Cup match in Zimbabwe
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.
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…
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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.
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.
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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.
England cricket coach Duncan Fletcher was certain he would havea full squad available for the first Test against Australia next month,despite injury concerns surrounding several tourists.England’s tour party flies out to Australia tomorrow for the five Testtour with clouds hanging over pacemen Darren Gough, Simon Jones and AndyFlintoff and batsmen Mark Butcher and Michael Vaughan.Gough, Jones and Flintoff will arrive in Australia still a long way fromfull fitness but Fletcher was confident the three first class matchesbefore the opening Test in Brisbane on November 7 would give them enoughtime to recover.Spearhead Gough, who has 228 Test wickets to his name, is vital toEngland’s bid to win back the Ashes for the first time since 1987.And Fletcher played down fears that knee surgery in the summer wouldkeep the 32-year-old out of at least the first two Tests.”We expect Gough to be fit for the first Test. He’s ahead of schedule,”Fletcher said.”He’s been bowling off a short run for the last week and a half.”Flintoff has not fully recovered from a hernia operation and said todayhe was still unable to run.Jones, however, was making good progress with his side strain, as wereButcher and Vaughan with their niggling knee injuries”Everybody is as we hoped. The only person that is slightly behindschedule is Andy but we do have time on our side,” Fletcher said.”We can get him along in the next 10 days or two weeks in Australia.”Simon Jones has been bowling in Glamorgan and is bowling at 85 to 90per cent.”Butcher and Vaughan, from what I’ve heard, they will be available fromthe start.”Fletcher today announced he had signed a one-year extension to hiscontract to keep him at the helm of the England side until 2004.”We have already laid the foundations of a successful side and thecontract extension will give me the opportunity to help the England teamprogress even further,” he said.
Frank Chamberlain, the chairman of the Test & County Cricket Board between 1990 and 1994, has died at the age of 78.Chamberlain, who made six first-class appearances as an amateur for Northamptonshire in 1946, succeeded Raman Subba Row at the helm of English cricket’s governing body – the forerunner of the ECB. He served a four-year term before being succeeded by Dennis Silk.Chamberlain was also chairman of Northamptonshire from 1985 to 1990, and later served as their president. He was educated at Uppingham School, but his playing career was cut short by the demands of business.
The ICC Cricket World Cup South Africa 2003 today marked the launch of one the event’s most important projects – the Learners’ Homework Diary 2003. The mass-produced publication forms part of a commitment to use the world’s premier cricket tournament to spread ownership and knowledge among South Africans of all walks of life.A total of 700 000 of these will be distributed free nationwide to 7000 secondary schools (essentially Grade 12s) as the new school year begins.This is believed to be the biggest print order for a book yet produced in South Africa.At a media function in Johannesburg it was announced that the Homework Diary had come about through a partnership involving the SA Post Office Ltd, Penguin Books and the Department of National Education.The diary is packed with cricket facts and figures, diagrams, photos of top SA players, information on SA’s national symbols and geography graphics of the competing nations.Dr Ali Bacher, executive director of ICC CWC 2003, thanked all those involved. “This could well be the most significant of a number of wonderful projects that are being launched at this very important time for our country, and for international cricket. It is our commitment to spread the game of cricket through all our communities and there is no better way than to embrace the youth of our country than by providing them with a book that will be both educational, motivational and inspirational.”Dr Bacher said he was delighted to announce that the printing contract for this mass publication was awarded to a black empowerment company Shumani Printers who are linked to CTP Printers in Cape Town.”Black empowerment is a cornerstone of all our endeavours at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003. It is indelibly inscribed in our mission that we will spread ownership and transfer skills at every opportunity. This, I am proud to say, is one of them.”The Minister of Education, Prof Kader Asmal, said the Homework Diary “will go a long way in bolstering our efforts as the Ministry of Education in developing a new generation of learns who embrace the values that are the foundation of our new democracy: tolerance, friendship and fair play for all.”Dr Bacher praised the involvement of the SA Post Office Ltd who have contributed R4 million to the project. “The Post Office has become an important ally, not only through this but through the postage stamps and related products that they are putting out to mark the ICC CWC 2003.”Mr Maanda Manyatshe, CEO of the SA Post Office, said the backing for the Homework Diary was part of a series of projects that the SAPO had initiated to deliver opportunities to young South Africans countrywide.Alison Lowry, chief executive of Penguin (South Africa), a member of the CWC 2003 Publications Consortium, said: “Penguin are proud to have been in a position to make a contribution to the CWC 2003 organising committee’s vision of leaving something of value in the hands of SA’s youngsters once the tournament is over. The learners’ diary is intended to be both inspirational and aspirational, giving them role models in the cricketers who are showcased in it, as well as providing an educational spin in the information its pages contain, which is presented in an interesting and user-friendly way.”
Mark Ramprakash, in magnificent form, took Surrey to their first CricInfo Championship victory of the season as he led the way during the second session on the final day, chasing a target of 209.During those two most entertaining hours play, while he was at the crease, the London side thrashed Somerset’s bowling, hitting 143 runs with Mark Ramprakash at his best. He came in at the start of the session and was out in the penultimate over before tea, which was taken on 184 for four with Surrey only 25 runs away from victory.Ramprakash fell just ten short of what would have been his second century of the match. Had he achieved it, it would have been the fifth time in his career, having completed the feat on four occasions for his previous county Middlesex.It had been a wonderfully aggressive knock, he hit fourteen boundaries and a six from the 99 balls that he had faced. After putting on 65 with Mark Butcher for the second wicket, he added 60 for the next with Nadeem Shahid.He brought up the 50 in confident fashion, with a straight six off left-arm spinner Ian Blackwell and later got to his own 50 with a stylish cover drive for four. With dark clouds threatening at that stage, he scored quickly, at the rate of a-run-a-ball. It was a marvellous exhibition of batting, featuring perfectly timed cuts and beautiful drives, particularly in the cover area.After tea, it was just a formality, with Gary Butcher hitting the winning boundary in the fifth over to bring about a six-wicket victory.Earlier, it had taken Surrey an hour and ten minutes this morning to claim the remaining two wickets after Somerset had added 44 runs in 18.2 overs to their overnight score of 190 for 8.Martin Bicknell had Richard Johnson caught behind for 21 in the sixth over and finally Ian Salisbury took a return catch from Matthew Bulbeck – who had come out to bat with a runner, still suffering from a back injury – after the last pair had put on 27 to take their side to 234. It left Steffan Jones not out with 29.Salisbury, who seems to enjoy bowling against Somerset, finished with his first five wicket haul of the season for 95 runs from a long spell of 35.2 overs. His best bowling figures last season were also against Somerset.Afterwards Surrey skipper, Adam Hollioake, showered Ramprakash with praise.”His innings made the tough target really easy,” he said. “He played positively and took out all the close catches. If a guy can average 50 in all his cricket he can play; you don’t do that without being a class player. He can score runs anywhere.Commenting on the fact that this win was achieved without several key players, either injured or on England duty, Hollioake said: “If you look over the years we have performed as well or better without our international players. I don’t know if it’s because when they are here it is early season but it has been a long time since we have been beaten without our internationals.”