Andy Blignaut has been named in the Zimbabwean squad for the first Test against South Africa at Cape Town which starts tomorrow (March 4). It follows Heath Streak’s return to the national side in Wednesday’s final one-day international at Port Elizabeth. Blignaut, an explosive allrounder, is the latest of the 14 rebels who have not played for almost a year to make a comeback after agreeing terms with Zimbabwe Cricket.While out of the international arena Blignaut, 26, tried to forge a career in Australian domestic cricket by signing with Tasmania. But he had a chastening experience, as poor form and injury restricted him to just one first-class match, which resulted in figures of 12 overs for 79 runs. However, his Test record is more impressive – he has taken 51 wickets at 32 apiece with five-wicket hauls against India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. He is also the only Zimbabwean to take a Test match hat-trick, against Bangladesh at Harare in 2003-04. A powerful hitter, he is no slouch with the bat either with a top score of 92 against West Indies, but he has never played a Test against South Africa.Blignaut played for Zimbabwe A in the third match of their series against Bangladesh A at Kwekwe last week with limited success, making 10 and 14. But the good news for Zimbabwe’s captain Tatenda Taibu was that he started bowling again after his injury setbacks. He will add another dimension to a Zimbabwean attack that has looked distinctly ordinary – with the honourable exception of Streak’s return – and could find the pace and bounce of Cape Town and Centurion Park to his liking.The top-order batsman Dion Ebrahim has also been recalled and the 18-year-old legspinner Graeme Cremer secures a place in the squad after picking up six wickets in his first two Tests against Bangladesh.Zimbabwe squad Stuart Matsikenyeri, Barney Rogers, Hamilton Masakadza, Dion Ebrahim, Sean Williams, Tatenda Taibu (capt and wk), Alester Maregwede, Heath Streak, Andy Blignaut, Elton Chigumbura, Graeme Cremer, Prosper Utseya, Twanda Mupariwa, Christopher Mpofu, Douglas Hondo.
Sri Lanka A have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in their five-match series against Kenya. Nuwan Zoysa claimed 4 for 15 as Sri Lanka A beat Kenya by seven wickets at Simba Union grounds on Wednesday. The Kenyans were no match for a strong Sri Lanka A team and only Steve Tikolo (71) could make any impact.After they won the toss, Kenya batted first and began well, reaching 119 for 1. Kennedy Obuya’s contribution of 40 at the top of the order ensured that the Sri Lanka A bowlers were kept at bay. When Obuya was dismissed, lbw to Rangana Herath (119 for 2), the wheels came off.Kenya lost wickets in rapid succession, with Tikolo waging a lone battle. Wickets fell at regular intervals and no one else made more than 13 as Kenya were bowled out for 179 in 45.3 overs.The total did not trouble Sri Lanka A, who reached the target in just 36 overs. Zoysa, no doubt buoyed by his four-wicket haul, was sent out to open the innings and topscored with 48. He was named the Man of the Match.
New South Wales all-rounder Shane Lee has been ruled out of Australia A’s two matches against the New Zealanders and South Africans next week, due to on-going soreness in his right knee.He will be replaced in the squad by young Tasmanian all-rounder Shane Watson.Lee’s injury, which prevents him from bowling, forced him to withdraw from the Blues’ four-day match against South Africa at the Sydney Cricket Ground in December 2001.He will receive on-going treatment and his progress will be closely monitored by Cricket New South Wales physiotherapist Patrick Farhart.Despite the injury, Lee may still be selected as a batsman in the Blues’ ING Cup clash with the Victorian Bushrangers this Sunday 6 January in Melbourne.20 year-old Watson has made 548 runs and taken 18 wickets in 10 matches for the Tasmanian Tigers since making his first-class debut midway through the 2000-01 season.Upon learning of his selection Watson said: “I really am thrilled.”David Johnston (Tasmanian Cricket Association Chief Executive Officer) told me the news while I was coaching at a junior clinic.”I didn’t expect this opportunity to arise for at least another couple of seasons, but I am looking forward to being part of a team that has so many top players in it.”Tuesday’s day-night match at The Gabba won’t be the first time Watson has faced the Black Caps this summer. The former Queenslander was part of the Prime Minister’s XI that was defeated by the New Zealanders at Canberra’s Mauka Oval in December.Watson will face new Australia A team-mates Darren Lehmann and Greg Blewett in the Tasmanian Tigers’ ING Cup match against the Southern Redbacks this Sunday 6 January at the NTCA Ground in Launceston.
The Bath festival County Championship match between Somerset and Kent looks set for an exciting finish on the fourth day.Somerset were left to chase 190 for their second championship success of the summer after they bowled Kent out for 223 in their second innings.But Kent hit back well in the last hour to take the wickets of Marcus Trescothick, Piran Holloway and nightwatchman Steffan Jones.Somerset closed on 50-3 and their hopes of a second championship success of the summer could depend largely on skipper Jamie Cox, unbeaten on 27, and former captain Peter Bowler, who has four to his name.Kent’s main victory hopes are likely to rest with the left-arm spin of Min Patel. With the festival wicket offering some assistance to the slow bowlers, Patel bowled five tight overs for ten runs and snapped up the wicket of Holloway, stumped by wickekeeper Paul Nixon.Martin McCague had claimed Trescothick’s wicket with the first ball of the innings. The in-form left-hander attempted a legside glance and Nixon snapped up the catch.Jones, who came in with seven overs remaining, departed in unusual fashion. He pushed forward defensively at a Patel delivery, but lifted his foot from the crease as he did so and Mark Ealham’s sharp return to Nixon from silly mid off brought the run out.Earlier, Kent had been indebted to Matthew Walker and Ealham for holding their innings together.They shared a fifth wicket stand of 99 to frustrate Somerset after three wickets from Andrew Caddick had reduced the visitors to 60-4.Ealham took 16 deliveries to get off the mark, but he became increasingly fluent after lunch and had struck seven boundaries before he was caught down the legside by wickekeeper Rob Turner off Caddick.Walker has a habit of making substantial scores against Somerset and he had moved confidently to 61, with nine fours, when he gloved a catch to Trescothick at backward short leg off Ian Blackwell’s left-arm spin.Nixon dug in for a gritty 28 not out, and skipper Matthew Fleming made 23, but Kent will have been disappointed that their last four wickets tumbled for eight runs in 25 balls.Blackwell began the collapse by having Fleming caught loaw at slip by Keith Parsons.Min Patel was then run out by Jones, who produced a sharp piece of fielding off his own bowling, after Nixon had called for an unrealistic single.Jones then wrapped up the innings by uprooting McCague’s middle stump and having David Masters lbw.He finished with 3-74, while Caddick again took top honours for Somerset with 4-40. That left Caddick with a match analysis of 10-97 and the England pace star has now claimed 25 wickets for Somerset this season in only five innings.
It is sometimes difficult to keep up, but it does appear that the majority of Arsenal fans are still ‘Wenger out’ despite the Frenchman seemingly turning things around in recent weeks.
Arsenal have actually won each of their last six matches in all competitions, and the Gunners are on the verge of reaching the Europa League semi-finals.
Arsenal are not going to finish in the top four in the Premier League this season, but the capital outfit will be in the Champions League next term if they manage to win the Europa League.
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Arsene Wenger remains under serious pressure at the Emirates Stadium, and it will be very interesting to see what he chooses to do at the end of the season.
Arsenal’s record goalscorer Thierry Henry has previously been linked with the managerial role at the London club, and the Gunners supporters have urged the Frenchman to take control for the 2018-19 campaign.
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Henry is, without question, one of the greatest players to ever play for Arsenal, but is he ready to take on such a big role? The Arsenal fans seem to think so.
A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
Former Hampshire batsman Sean Morris has been appointed as the new chief executive of the Professional Cricketers’ Association, replacing Richard Bevan who stood down at the end of last year.Sir Ian Botham will succeed Mike Gatting as PCA president. “I’m very proud,” he said, “and will do all I can to ensure players continue to be looked after and championed.” Gatting had been in the honorary role for almost two decades.”Ian will bring a fresh perspective and help build further profile for the PCA,” PCA chairman Tim O’Gorman said. “I would like to thank Mike for the huge amount of time and undying commitment he has given.”Jason Ratcliffe was promoted from group director to assistant chief executive.
Doping The Pakistan board (PCB) is conducting drugs tests on all players selected for the World Cup on February 17. Mohammad Asif and Shoaib Akhtar, who failed the last doping test in September, are also included in this.Sports doping expert Danish Zaheer (a dissenting member of the appellate committee that overturned the bans on both last November) has already said that both are likely to test positive again. Not because of any new indiscretion, though, but because traces of Nandrolone, the banned anabolic steroid, are likely to remain in their bloodstream for some time after use. If they do test positive, it could have serious implications for the careers of both.Rumours in Pakistan that the two have undergone private doping tests, confirming that levels of the banned anabolic steroid remain higher than is allowed, persist. Cynics suggest that injuries (see below) are less injuries, more cover-ups to avoid possible bans.Injuries Shoaib Akhtar: Take your pick from any number of complaints. The latest though is an injury to the left knee, which he says may take three to four weeks to heal. He has gone to London for scans but if it is anything like last year’s knee injury, he is unlikely to be back soon. If you’re into conspiracy theories, there is no injury, just a way of avoiding a potential life ban for testing positive again.Mohammad Asif: He has been worked into the ground in South Africa, at precisely the time when Pakistan might have wanted to wrap him in cotton wool. Instead, 150 overs later, Asif has reported a flare-up of the elbow injury that forced him out of three Tests last summer in England.A source close to the team told Cricinfo, “He has a stiff elbow, but it doesn’t seem to be serious. He just needs to warm up properly.” Local newspapers suggest that Asif might also be carrying a calf injury.
Umar Gul: A serious concern. Ever since it emerged he was injured at the start of the South Africa tour, the extent and nature of his ankle injury has been the subject of wild speculation.He has repeatedly said that he is or will be fit but a PCB official told Cricinfo that MRI scans have revealed the existence of a stress fracture, which is now healing. He is due to undergo another scan on February 26 but as the official conceded, “He may regain fitness during the World Cup but to be able to immediately come back having not bowled for two-three months will not be easy.”Back-up or packed up? Mohammad Sami and Shahid Nazir are on standby but the former has sat out the last three ODIs in South Africa with a back injury that was supposed to be a minor spasm. The latter hasn’t played an ODI for seven years. Shabbir Ahmed, who might have been a choice, is also injured. Returning from a one-year ban for a suspect action, he went to South Africa at the insistence of Inzamam-ul-Haq despite reports that he wasn’t fit, bowled three overs in a Twenty20, promptly pulled a groin muscle and returned.
ScorecardBaroda wrapped up a comprehensive rout of Hyderabad inside four days at Vadodara, with Yusuf Pathan, the offspinning allrounder, bagging career-best bowling figures. Baroda, 150 for 3 overnight, were boosted by valuable knocks from Connor Williams and Kiran Powar despite a superb spell from Pragyan Ojha, the left-arm spinner, who also picked up his best analysis. Set 371 to get, with the entire fourth day remaining, Hyderabad hardly offered a fight and folded meekly for just 150. Pathan, who had earlier bailed Baroda out of trouble with a fine 72 in the first innings, ran through the lower order with his offbreaks after Irfan Safi Pathan rocked the top order. ScorecardPowered by a superb unbeaten 152 from Rajat Bhatia, Delhi managed to avoid the follow on- effectively dashing Tamil Nadu’s hopes of making it to the semi-finals – and reached 366 for 8 at the end of the third day at Chennai. Bhatia first put up a 94-run stand for the fifth wicket with Mithun Manhas to propel Delhi before Aashish Kapoor clean bowled Minhas to trigger a minor collapse – 3 wickets fell for 17 runs as Delhi reached 228 for 7. But Bhatia stood between TN and a spot in the final four as he combined with Chaitanya Nanda to put on 102 runs for the eighth- wicket and guided the tail to charge Delhi past the follow on-mark. ScorecardBengal, rocked by a four-wicket haul from Harvinder Singh, were bowled out for 278, gaining a 19-run first innings lead, before an unbeaten 76 from Amit Pagnis steered Railways to 140 for 2 by the end of the third day at Kolkata. Thirties from Manoj Tiwari and Deep Dasgupta shored up Bengal, overnight on 169 for 2, before Harvinder Singh removed Tiwari enroute to a four-wicket haul to reduce Bengal to 253 for 9. Deep Dasgupta shared a vital 25-run stand with Shib Sankar Paul for the last wicket to steer Bengal to a first-innings lead. Railways, lying at the bottom with 4 points in six games, are in danger of being relegated to plate.. ScorecardSiddharth Verma’s valiant 74 propelled Haryana, overnight on 221 for 6, to 282, gaining a 41-run first-innings lead before Madhusudhan Reddy powered Services to 182 for 3 by the end of the third day at Palam A Stadium in New Delhi. Verma guided the tail and was the last man out as he steered Haryana to a valuable lead before Reddy’s unbeaten 82 enabled Services to erase the deficit. ScorecardP Kumar’s four-wicket haul put Uttar Pradesh in complete command as Andhra, following on, reached 292 for 9 – thanks largely to Syed Sahabuddin’s 84 – and led by 135 runs at the end of the third day at Anantapur. Earlier, Kumar grabbed two wickets to finish with a five-for as Andhra, overnight on 155 for 6, were bundled out for 208 in their first innings. Uttar Pradesh will be looking to come out tomorrow and register their second win in the tournament. ScorecardSairaj Bahutule picked up three while Rohit Jadhav and Munaf Patel grabbed two wickets apiece to give the advantage to Maharashtra as Mumbai, chasing 226, were struggling at 155 for 7 by the end of the third day at Wankhede stadium. Munaf Patel struck twice to push Mumbai to a shaky 35 for 3 before Amol Muzumdar shared a 60-run stand with Vinit Indulkar to lift Mumbai to 95 for 4. But the spinners – Bahutule and Jadhav – struck to put Maharashtra ahead at stumps. Ramesh Powar had earlier grabbed a five-wicket haul to bowl out Maharashtra for 187 to bring Mumbai back in the game. Swapnil Hazare grabbed two early wickets to push Maharashtra to 79 for 6 before Anupam Sanclecha put on a 73-run stand for the seventh wicket with Bahutule to lift the score to 152 before Powar got into act. He spun the tail out to provide Mumbai a fighting chance of victory. ScorecardPowered by a four-wicket haul from Siddharth Trivedi, Gujarat bowled out Karnataka, overnight at 68 for 1, for 226 before Niraj Patel’s unbeaten half-century steered Gujarat, chasing 143, to a comfortable 106 for 3 by the end of the third day at Ahmedabad. Karnataka were shored up by half-centuries from Bharat Chipli and Robin Uthappa before Balachandra Akhil’s unbeaten 41 gave them a target to bowl at.
Wickets tumbled on the opening day of the Provincial Tournament final, with Ruchira Perera first jogging the memory of the selectors with a five-wicket haul that included a hat-trick and helped Central Province bowl out North Central Province for just 175. Nuwan Kulasekera, an emerging talent, then struck back in the evening with a four-wicket spurt to leave the match evenly poised in the evening with Central Province still 91 runs adrift on 84 for 4.North Central Province, the form team of the group stage, struggled from the start after being put into bat by Kumar Sangakkara, the Central Province captain. Priyankara Silva, a 28-year-old right-armer, chipped in with three wickets to leave North Central 83 for 6. But Upul Chandana (37 not out) and Kumar Dharmasena (42) stopped the freefall for a while with an 89-run stand before Tharanga Lakshitha bowled Dharmasena.Perera, still trying to rebuild his career after his action was called into question during Sri Lanka’s Lord’s Test in May 2002, then took centre stage with a dramatic hat-trick. Farveez Maharoof was caught and bowled and then Kulasekera and Channaka Welegedera were both adjudged leg-before.Fortunately, for North Central, Kulasekera struck back in the evening with the important wickets of Sajith Fernando (16), WMB Perera (5), Kumar Sangakkara (0) and Thilan Samaraweera (4), the in-form double centurion in the last game. Opener Nishad Paranavitana was unbeaten at the close on 27 with Hasantha Fernando on 21.
The Championship match between Glamorgan and Gloucestershire at the Nevil Road ground in Bristol endedin a draw, as Gloucestershire, needing 360 to win on the final day, ended on 280/7. Jonty Rhodesand Tim Hancock each made half centuries in a third wicket stand of 125 and for a while in mid-afternoon,a Gloucestershire victory could not be ruled out. But Glamorgan then claimed fourwickets in twelve overs either side of tea, before a defiant 50 in two hours from Alex Gidman saw thehome county to the safety of a draw. However, Glamorgan will not be too despondent at this outcome, as theten points they picked up allows them to consolidate on their position in the promotionrace into Division One.Glamorgan had earlier batted on for a couple of overs in the morning before being dismissedfor 291 to leave Gloucestershire their victory target of 360 in a minimum of 92 overs.A slash to the third man boundary off Jon Lewis by David Harrison had broughtup the 50 partnership for the last wicket with Michael Kasprowicz. The Australianalso clipped Lewis for two legside boundaries, before he was caught at mid-wicketby Tim Hancock off Martyn Ball for 25. David Harrison was undefeated on 39 withthe merry 10th wicket stand being worth an invaluable 62 runs.Had luck been going their way, Glamorgan might have taken four wickets in the first twenty fiveovers before lunch, and both of Gloucestershire`s openers might have gone in the first fiveovers. Firstly, Craig Spearman survived a difficult chance in the slips in Alex Wharf`s second over,before Phil Weston gave a sharp chance to first slip in Kasprowicz`s third over. But afterHarrison had replaced Wharf at the Ashley Down End, he made the breakthrough as Weston edgedto wicket-keeper Mark Wallace.Craig Spearman continued to live dangerously, twice playing the ball in the air close to a fielder, buttwo overs after Weston had departed, Harrison dismissed Spearman as he slashed a ball straight into the handsof Dean Cosker who was fielding at point as a substitute for Matthew Maynard who had a bruised finger.Harrison might have dismissed Jonty Rhodes first ball, as the South African nearly chopped a ball ontohis stumps. Then two overs later the Springbok edged an outswinger from Harrison just wide of a divingJimmy Maher at second slip, before surviving another loud appeal for a catch as the umpiresruling in the batsmans favour.Rhodes and Hancock brought up the 100 after lunch and despite both batsmen playing and missing several times, neithergave any further chances, and a pull for six by Rhodes off Harrison not only brought up the century partnershipbut also saw the South African to his fifty from 90 balls. Hancock, who had been content to play second fiddle,duly reached his fifty – his second half century of the game – from 124 balls with 7 fours.The game changed complexion in twelve overs either side of tea, as 4 wickets fell for the addition of just 41 runsThe 3rd wicket stand between Hancock and Rhodes had added 125 runs in 39 overs when Wharf returned at the PavilionEnd and had Rhodes leg before playing across the line. In the next over Hancock was caught at short-leg by Ian Thomasoff Robert Croft. The same combination accounted for Matt Windows in the first over after the interval. Ian Harvey thencame in and made his intentions clear by immediately going onto the attack, hitting two consecutive fours off Wharf.But on 16 he was superbly caught and bowled by Croft attempting another firm drive as Gloucestershire slippedfrom 180-2 to 221-6.Jack Russell and Alex Gidman then mounted a stubborn rearguard action, with Russell in his usual dogged fashionfending off the seam of Kasprowicz and the clever spin of Croft, whilst Gidman offered stout support at the other end.After seventy minutes of defiance, Russell was trapped leg before by Croft, but Gidman remained resolute throughthe final eight overs and with Martyn Ball, he saw his side to safety.