Shane Bond is still expected to be fit for the first Test at Centurion despite concerns over a knee injury which forced him to sit out most of the tour opener at Benoni.A spokesman for the New Zealanders said medical staff were confident Bond would be ready. “It’s not a structural thing like a medial ligament. There’s a connecting tendon that sometimes gets a bit inflamed, so as a precaution we took him out of here to have a look at it. It’s a reoccurrence of something we knew about and it will be carefully managed.”Lindsay Crocker, the team’s manager, told reporters that Bond had been undergoing treatment and was walking freely.Crocker added that the entire squad was still jet-lagged and that they had all been given Wednesday off to recover.
In 2001, Steve Waugh took his Ashes squad on a detour to Gallipoli, where they made an emotional pilgrimage to the place where 9000 Anzac soldiers died in an ill-fated First World War campaign. This year, Ricky Ponting’s men will stop off in Northern France to visit the battlefields of the Western Front.Although Gallipoli is synonymous with the Australian contribution to the First World War, there were four times as many men killed in France and Belgium. According to a report in The Daily Telegraph, the Australian squad will be based in Lille, from where they will visit the Australian Memorial Park at Fromelles and the town of Villers-Bretonneux, where Australian troops halted the German spring offensive in 1918.”People say we’re heroes and put us on a bit of a pedestal,” said Waugh during the 2001 trip to Gallipoli, “but realistically there are so many people who deserve more accolades than us. The soldiers who fought here are the heroes. We just go out and play sport and we’re good at it.”
Sourav Ganguly has put to rest the speculations that has raged over Sachin Tendulkar’s ‘demotion’ in the batting order in the second innings, and that should be that. When pushed to answer what prompted the decision, Ganguly clarified that Tendulkar hadn’t suggested the move, but when given an option, had a shown an inclination to save himself for the battle the next day.”It’s not that he suggested it,” Ganguly said, “I asked him after they got bowled out that evening if we were to lose early wickets would he still like to go out for the last four or five overs. He said he wouldn’t mind coming the next day. I said fair enough. He deserves that consideration after the amount of runs he has scored for the country.”It wasn’t the best time to bat. And when you haven’t got runs in your last two or three innings it does become a bit harder when you come out to bat in the last five or six overs of the day. Sachin is the best batsman in the world and he is one of our key members. And there are times in your career when you have to look after certain people. I don’t think there is anything wrong in that. We want him to fire, and if he could have converted that knock into a hundred, me coming at number four would have done the job.”Not to anybody’s surprise Ganguly held the batting collapse in the first innings responsible for the defeat. “We were in good positions in the match, but we failed to capitalise on them,” he said, “we ended the first day on 336 for four and then got bowled out for 366. That’s where we lost the game. Of course, Zaheer [Khan] pulling a muscle before lunch on the second day didn’t help”, he added, because it left India with three bowlers for most of the match. “But in end, if we had put up a few more runs in the first innings, it would have helped. On a fifth-day MCG pitch, about 225 to 230 runs would have been competitive.”Ganguly said his head had been a bit sore after he took a blow from Brad Williams but that he had to return to bat because India were still in the game then. “Steve had come back to bat the earlier day and put on a partnership of 60 valuable runs,” he said, “and if I had stuck around for a bit more, it could have been different.”When asked if he and Dravid had been a bit too aggressive for their own good after the tea-break Ganguly asserted that the objective at that point was not saving the game but putting runs on the board. “It was tea on the fourth day, not the fifth, there was plenty of time left in the game for us to try to save it. We had to score runs. If a bad ball came along, you had to put it away. That’s the way I play my game and that’s how I have scored all my runs. If I suddenly tried to change that one afternoon, it wouldn’t have worked.”Has the momentum now swung in Australia’s favour? “Sydney is a new day,” Ganguly said, “It’s a new game. It’s going to be different. It’s the same situation that Australia were in after Adelaide. When two good sides play its the small, small sessions which will make the difference.”
PERTH, Dec 17 AAP – He looks like a pirate and loves nothing better than plundering bowling attacks with his unique brand of swash-buckling cricket.The dashing Ryan Campbell is set for his second taste of international one-day cricket when the Australian team is named tomorrow for Sunday’s day-night match against Sri Lanka at the WACA ground.The 30-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman is tipped to again replace West Australian team-mate Adam Gilchrist who is sitting out the match with a slight groin strain and knee soreness.If so it will be his second international one-day after he scored 38 from 52 balls in a 23-run loss to New Zealand at the SCG last season when filling in for Gilchrist.While Campbell is no Gilchrist, Gabba fans can attest to the right-hander’s entertainment value after his 42 from 28 balls in Australia A’s win over Sri Lanka on Saturday.Such was the audacity of Campbell’s two flick shots over the Sri Lankan keeper that viewers could have been excused for thinking they had stumbled upon a game of backyard cricket.His radical style has seemed even more appropriate this summer with his wild facial hair.Campbell grew up in the goldfields city of Kalgoorlie where he developed a fossicker’s inventive style.But former WA team-mate Simon Katich was one person who was hardly surprised at Campbell’s improvisation last weekend after spending the last six summers playing together.Katich did have reservations about Campbell’s current look.”He’s sporting a new-look mullet and he has had fair bit of growth happening, he’s looking a bit eccentric actually,” Katich said.But the current NSW player said any comparison with the destructive play of Gilchrist was difficult.”It is hard to compare anyone with Gilly, but in terms of a guy who can play some strokes, Campbo’s right up there,” Katich said.He put Campbell’s unconventional scoring ways to having a superb eye.”He picks up the ball pretty early and he plays shots other blokes probably wouldn’t,” he said.”He can pick up fours and sixes with shots that aren’t conventional but are totally effective.”In a recent four-day match against Victoria, Campbell when berserk mid-innings with 10 fours in 18 deliveries before being lowered by a ball which struck him in the groin.He dropped to his knees and crawled along like a desperate man searching for water in the desert.He was out only five runs later for 75.”Campbo can change the tempo of a game, because he scores so quickly he also takes the pressure off the batsman at the other end,” Katich said.Whatever happens for Campbell this weekend, be assured of one thing, when he is at the crease tune in, because it will not be dull.
If any one cricketer can walk on water then he’s Inzamam. He carried his test match form straight into one-day cricket. Pakistan was unable to take full advantage of this memorable innings as they fell a bit short of a commanding total. Who could have thought this burly chap would score over 8000 runs in one-day cricket when first chosen to play for Pakistan.
Pakistan elected to bat first on an ideal batting pitch. It used to be a rather benign one until it changed character once Alan Donald signed up for Warwickshire. All the test matches there started to finish within four days and most of the county batsmen started to take time off when it was their turn to confront the Mighty Donald. Ironically, Donald parted company with Warwickshire last season and this pitch has now changed character again.Pakistan started this game on the back of their victory at Old Trafford amidst some very unfair and strong criticism. If Pakistan players felt that English pundits were unjust, then they were justified. When a McGrath or Caddick stares down at batsmen its called ‘raw aggression’ but if Wasim and Waqar do it the English media call it ‘disgraceful intimidation’ and labels them as bad boys of world cricket.One cannot ignore that England lost the test because they had two bad sessions in five days and Pakistan’s skipper was good and aggressive enough to wrest the initiative well: Enough about the last test match. I just wanted to get it off my chest.
Afridi started Pakistan’s innings in his own fashion. Though he is exhilarating but one knows nine time out of ten this excitement will be short and sweet. Just when English bowlers looked helpless and baffled, he gave it away. I just cannot understand why he can’t settle down after he has given his team such an impetus.Razzaq was unfortunately run out. His dismissal was a blessing in disguise for Pakistan. Inzamam, in great form recently, needs as many overs at his disposal as he can. This is a strong reason why I want him to bat at number three. Saeed after a circumspect start did settle down to play an important innings. Together, they systematically destroyed the England bowlers. None of the bowlers seemed in control of the situation. Why did England drop Robert Croft for this game? In the face of a decent Pakistan partnership they had no back up bowler to support their new ball bowlers.Inzamam and Saeed entertained the full house at Edgbaston in brilliant fashion. Some of their strokes down the ground were truly memorable. Alec Stewart, desperate for a breakthrough, brought back his best bowler Darren Gough. All his teammates were horrified when he spilled a simple return catch off Saeed. Pakistan lost their two stalwarts in quick succession and consequently lost momentum. At this juncture, I’d have promoted the in form Younis Khan in place of Youhana. Anyway, Pakistan missed this trick and unable to score around 300 runs, which at the half way stage, looked a mere formality. After the productive Saeed – Inzamam partnership, 273 for 6 was certainly well below Par.
Pakistan started their defense in some extremely bowling friendly conditions. England is heaven for fast and medium pace bowlers and when you invite them to bowl in the evening you are simply asking for trouble. Wasim and Waqar bowled excellent opening spells aided by the evening heavy atmosphere moving the ball disconcertingly, in the air and off the pitch. It must have been disheartening for England because their own bowlers looked like club class bowlers in the afternoon sunshine.Waqar, bowling at a brisk pace accounted for his old teammate Ally Brown when he angled the ball away. Trescothick was looking dangerous when the captain outfoxed him too with a slower delivery. Then Shoaib Malik and Saeed Anwar splendidly caught Stewart and Vaughan. After the initial burst from Wasim and Waqar, England were never in the hunt for this game.Razzaq and Azhar seemed at home bowling in this one-day game. Razzaq in particular bowled at a sharp pace and looked a class act. I feel he likes this form of cricket. Lo and behold, Pakistan’s fielding standard was excellent today too! Shoaib Malik who came on as a substitute is the best athlete in the team.Towards the end, Shahid Afridi made a mockrey of the batsmen who could not wait to get out of the ground. In just two games all of England’s frailties have been exposed and they look disjointed in the absence of Nasser Hussain. Pakistan on the other hand, is fully committed to their captain who once again gave a commanding performance. There is no better time to take on the Aussies.
Ed:Mudassar Nazar is a veteran of 76 tests and 122 ODIs. He is currently the chief coach of Pakistan’s National and Regional Cricket Academies. In view of the overwhelming interest of users in CricInfo’s articles, we have invited him to write for us.
Journalist David Anderson has provided an update on Leeds United winger Raphinha, amid links of a summer move to Barcelona.
The Lowdown: Costa and Summerville links
Raphinha, who Jesse Marsch has already forged a great relationship with since arriving at Elland Road, isn’t the only Whites attacker who could be on the move this summer. Helder Costa is currently on loan at Valencia, who have an option to make a move permanent in the summer.
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Meanwhile, youngster Crysencio Summerville is still being linked with an Elland Road exit after a move to Hamburg fell through in January, with the German side still keen on his services.
Raphinha, the highest-profile player of the three, may also be on the way out, with his agent Deco in talks with the Catalan giants.
The Latest: Anderson’s post
Anderson took to Twitter on Monday morning, claiming Leeds won’t sell the Brazilian on the cheap.
The journalist also added that there isn’t a release clause in Raphinha’s contract, should the club remain in the Premier League.
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“Leeds will not sell Raphinha on the cheap to Barcelona with the Spanish giants understood to be preparing a £33.5million offer. Also Raphinha does not have an escape clause in his contract in the Premier League.”
The Verdict: Good news
Should Raphinha play his part and help Leeds guarantee their top-flight status, then the Whites will be in total control when it comes to the winger’s future. That is obviously good news, with Leeds then able to call the shots in talks with Barcelona as their star man enters the final two years of his current deal.
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Of course, Marsch’s side will need to pick up points in their final eight games to ensure they’ll be playing Premier League football next season, and if they do just that, a big-money move to the Nou Camp could be on the cards for Raphinha.
His current Transfermarkt valuation stands at a career-high £40.5m, so you’d expect Leeds chiefs will hold out for a fee way above that figure.
In other news: Orta now ‘open’ to signing ‘unbelievable’ Raphinha replacement who’s scored vs Leeds this season.
Dear Ian,Thank you for your very frank, though concerned, email to me.I will be equally frank with you, and as concerned. I have known you for many years and you know that I will call it as I see it, which is something you also do exceptionally well in your present profession. In fact, this is what makes you one of the best commentators in the world.Essentially, cricket is the core function of the Board On that basis, the Cricket Committee is our most important committee. This very simple view has not been adhered to and the Board previously spent most of its time on ancillary matters instead of addressing its core issues.We now start our Board meetings by focusing first of all on cricket. Our Strategic Plan, now being drafted, is based on our goal, our determination really, to re-establish the West Indies at the pinnacle of world cricket. Whatever is in harmony with that goal will be kept. Anything in our strategic plan that does not contribute to the development of West Indies cricket will not be considered.Given that approach, the Cricket Committee has to be at the centre of our plans, policies and programmes for cricket, not just the playing and player aspects, but in terms of our development.We need the Committee to meet face-to-face frequently to deal with the many issues confronting us now and to develop the blueprint for the future. The core of the Committee must be available and accessible and ready to meet in the Caribbean at short notice. Teleconferences are fine but right now they do not serve our best interests.This is why we rethought what we wanted from the Committee and how it should operate. We kept Clive (Lloyd) although at this period he is in South Africa but he will have other options later. Deryck (Murray) as deputy chairman is in Trinidad and the other core members are in Barbados, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Nevis.As a special advisor you and the other special advisors will get copies of agendas and minutes and if you could be physically present you would be welcome at all meetings. Efforts will be made to have teleconferences but these will be a desperate last resort for emergency use only.We value your experience, expertise and, more recently, your exposure. You have a major contribution to make to our planning and our strategy. However, it is very difficult to do this from distance or to coincide with your schedule and working hours. I will ask Clive and Deryck to make a special effort to keep our advisors informed, to seek your views individually or collectively, and to ensure that your perspectives enlighten our decision-making. You have my commitment on that.If you felt slighted, overlooked or insulted, you were not. Perhaps I should have explained better, but we cannot change the past. We can only move on and make the best use of the resources we have available. You are one.If this episode has served any purpose it has demonstrated to me the depth of your commitment which is as broad as your expanding knowledge of the game and your impact on it. You will always be one of us and your views will always be welcome. Feel free at any time to talk to me or write.I hope this helps to explain what I intended and that we can now agree to move ahead together in the interests of West Indies cricket.All the best,Julian R. Hunte
Michael Vaughan insists he isn’t about to give someone a game for the sake of getting practice as England turn their focus to Canada in their second Group C match on March 18 in St. Lucia. “We’ll certainly be picking what we feel is the best XI to beat Canada,” he said. “There’ll be no thought of playing players just to get practice. We need to win the game and make sure we get our World Cup campaign off and running.”Even though Canada went down to a seven-wicket defeat by Kenya on Wednesday, Vaughan said England couldn’t afford to take them lightly. “It’s a good thing we play again so soon. Bodies might be a little bit tired but it’s sometimes the best thing to get back on the horse and play. We know the conditions here now. We just need to make sure we improve our performance and make sure we come out on Sunday night with a victory.Despite the six-wicket defeat to New Zealand, Vaughan insisted it was too soon to write off England’s chances. “How significant this is only time will tell. It’s not a great start and we have to make sure we win the next two games to get into the Super Eights. But it’s certainly not the end of our tournament by a long way.”Reflecting on England’s middle-order collapse, Vaughan said: “We didn’t get a player to an 80 or a hundred when we know that if we do that we will post a decent total. In that position of 130-odd for three with 17 overs left, we should have played a lot better, got a lot more and and put them under a lot more pressure.”It’s a disappointment and a frustration. But we were also in a position of strength when we were in the field and we couldn’t capitalise on that either. Full credit to New Zealand, they put us under a lot of pressure with the ball. Shane Bond bowled very well.”James Anderson and Liam Plunkett hit back from the start, reducing New Zealand to 19 for 3, but Vaughan said England just didn’t have enough runs. “With the early wickets, there was a moment when we were all thinking this could be it. But when you’ve got the experience of Jacob Oram and Scott Styris coming in and playing the way they did, they quite easily saw them home and over the line.”
Clea Smith, the Victoria fast bowler, will replace the Test player Sarah Andrews in the first of three one-day internationals against India at Adelaide on Saturday. Australia, who sealed the one-off Test by an innings earlier this week, will be looking to continue their hold over the tourists in back-to-back matches at St Peter’s College over the weekend.Jodie Purves, the wicketkeeper who scored an unbeaten 43 on Test debut, is also due to play her first ODI after the side was announced today. Karen Rolton leads the team while Lisa Sthalekar, who was Player of the Match in the Test, is her deputy.Australia, who beat India by 98 runs to secure the World Cup last year, have played their opponents 22 times for 18 wins. The third match will be held at Adelaide’s Woodville Oval on Tuesday.Australia Karen Rolton (capt), Lisa Sthalekar, Alex Blackwell, Kate Blackwell, Melissa Bulow, Cathryn Fitzpatrick, Michelle Goszko, Julie Hayes, Shelley Nitschke, Jodie Purves (wk), Clea Smith.
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details 5th day Bulletin – Kallis leads South African resistance4th day Bulletin – Smith dismissal rocks South Africa The Big Picture – Boje falls to spark celebrations 3rd day Bulletin – South Africa in deep trouble The Big Picture – Celebrating in style2nd day Bulletin – Chanderpaul grinds South Africa down News – WIPA claims players received death threats The Big Picture – Double celebration 1st day Bulletin – Hinds and Chanderpaul power West Indies The Big Picture – Devon Smith falls News – Cable & Wireless retract their claims Preview News – Chanderpaul upbeat about new role News – West Indies manager talks up team News – Gayle and Sarwan terminate Cable & Wireless contracts Commentary – Vaneisa Baksh on the need to start afresh