Tag Futebol

Reports that the multi-million dollar deal between Allen Stanford and the ECB is under threat because of problems with Stanford’s black bats were dismissed as “rubbish” by an ICC spokesman.It was claimed that Stanford’s trademark black bats, which are central to his marketing strategy, would be outlawed by the ICC and, as a result, he would withdraw his offer to put up to US$100 million into matches in the Caribbean and London.However, matches played by Stanford are not under the jurisdiction of the ICC, who oversee international cricket, and, as such, the sides involved can agree to their own playing conditions and amendments to the laws.The Times quoted a source close to negotiations between the ECB and Stanford as saying that “we have been told that the ICC put forward this recommendation about the colour of the blades at the request of the BCCI”. The ICC spokesman pointed out that coloured bats were not even discussed by the cricket committee.

Bermuda’s Royal Gazette has reported that the indiscipline of the national team, which was of concern for some time before the World Cup, has grown worse in the two months.In the four weeks since training restarted for the national side, only three players – Irving Romaine, Kevin Hurdle and Lionel Cann – have bothered to attend, with another, Dwayne Leverock, absent because he is recovering from a tonsillectomy. A further three players – Dean Minors Saleem Mukuddem and Clay Smith – have retired.”There seems to be a certain amount of disinterest as far as the cricket and the preparation is concerned for the players to play to the best of their ability, and maybe this is something that needs to be looked at when the Board has its AGM,” Gus Logie, the coach, told the newspaper. “People have been invited to train with the squad but if they aren’t showing any interest then I think the board will have to make a decision on that.”Logie has clearly grown exasperated by the attitude of many players. “I have gone beyond being surprised by anything and I’m prepared to work with what I have.”Bermuda’s World Cup preparations were dogged by problems of the fitness and discipline of a number of players.Tell us what you think …

Andrew Miller on the second day of the Trent Bridge Test
Download MP3 (right click and select “save target as”)
Streaming Audio: Real :: WMALasith Malinga and Muttiah Muralitharan bowled particularly well on a day when Sri Lanka brought themselves back into the series, getting England out for 229 and getting a two-run lead in the process. Andrew Miller, Cricinfo’s UK editor, chats with Ranjit Shinde, and tells him about how this Test is perfectly balanced. Listen in.Download MP3 (right click and select “save target as”)
Streaming Audio: Real :: WMA

The West Indies selectors delivered a significant vote of no-confidence in Mehendra Nagamootoo yesterday, omitting the leg-spinner from the squad for the second Test against India in spite of a bare pitch seemingly tailored for the Indian spinners.Nagamootoo was the only one dropped from the 11 that lost the first Test in Mumbai by an innings and 112 runs.Jermaine Lawson, the 20-year-old fast bowler, and his fellow Jamaican, off-spinner/batsman Gareth Breese, 26, neither of whom has yet played Test cricket, were included in the 12 from whom the final team would be named at the start.Both were expected to make their debut with Lawson gaining final preference over aging fast bowler, Cameron Cuffy, 32.Manager Ricky Skerritt said Nagamootoo was unfortunate to lose his place but added he seemed to be lacking confidence.The fourth leg-spinner used by the West Indies in the past six years, after Rajindra Dhanraj, Dinanath Ramnarine and Rawl Lewis, Nagamootoo’s five Tests have been spread one at a time (against England in England in 2000, Australia in Australia in 2001, India and New Zealand in the West Indies in 2002 and India in the first Test in Mumbai).His 12 wickets have cost an average 53.08 runs each and taken a strike rate of one every 20.75 overs. He had three for 132 from 47 overs in the first Test but his first was not until his 38th over.The 12: Carl Hooper (captain), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ryan Hinds, Gareth Breese, Ridley Jacobs, Merv Dillon, Jermaine Lawson, Pedro Collins and Cameron Cuffy.

Zaheer Khan has finally sorted out his action at the MRF Pace Academy, guided by a world-renowned bio-mechanics expert who assisted him with tips about injury prevention. Press Trust of India reported that according to Dr David John, the expert, the minor changes Zaheer made to his action helped him bowl faster and without pain during match situations simulated at the academy.Zaheer’s injuries and niggles had become a source of worry for the Indian team, who have required him to spearhead the bowling attack. But during the sessions with Dr John, his bowling action was scrutinised and his run-up dissected. John said, “He was not making any good use of his front arm by jumping high in the air, which translates more power on his front leg.” He added that Zaheer’s previous action resulted in his muscles coming under a lot more stress.The news, if true, will come as welcome relief for India, who need all the fit bowlers they can get before the start of the new season. Last season, the main bowlers were constantly hampered by injuries, and India were fortunate that Irfan Pathan and Lakshmipathy Balaji filled in admirably.

The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) today extended its deepest sympathies and condolences to the family of former Australian Test bowler Ernie Toshack, who passed away on Sunday night, aged 88.Toshack, who made his Test debut for Australia against New Zealand at Wellington, in 1946, played 12 Tests for Australia between 1945-46 and 1948, taking 47 wickets at an average of 21.04.A valued member of the Don Bradman’s 1948 Invincibles, Toshack also enjoyed a successful career with NSW, making 48 first-class appearances between 1945-46 and 1949-50 when a troublesome knee forced his retirement.ACB Chairman Bob Merriman today extended his condolences to the Toshack family.”On behalf of the ACB, I would like to express sincere condolences to the Toshack family, including Ernie’s wife Cathleen and daughter Maria,” Mr Merriman said.”Ernie will be remembered for playing an important part in an unforgettable era of Australian cricket as a member of the late Sir Donald Bradman’s 1948 Invincibles.”

* Yet another change in England tour scheduleThe Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was at their favourite game of making changes to the already announced India-England itinerary on Monday. The latest change sees the fifth one-dayer being shifted from Kanpur to Mumbai. The third one-dayer scheduled earlier to be held at Mumbai will (surprise, surprise) now be held at Kanpur.The change has reportedly been made to make it easy for the England team to take a direct flight to New Zealand where they will be touring next. Meanwhile, the opening tour game at Mumbai has also been changed into a two-day affair. That the changes have followed the visit of England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Tim Lamb is noteworthy.Warm-up games: Nov 18-19 Mumbai President’s XI (Mumbai), Nov 22-24Board President’s XI (Hyderabad), Nov 27-29 India A (Jaipur)Tests: Dec 3-7 First Test (Mohali), Dec 11-15 Second Test (Ahmedabad),Dec 19-23 Third Test (Bangalore) A break for ChristmasJan 17 Practice one-dayer (Mumbai), Jan 19 Practice one-dayer (Mumbai)One-dayers: Jan 22 First ODI (Chennai), Jan 25 Second ODI (Calcutta),Jan 28 Third ODI (Kanpur), Jan 31 Fourth ODI (New Delhi), Feb 3 FifthODI (Mumbai)* Give the players a fair run: GangulyIndian skipper Sourav Ganguly reportedly feels that players must be given a longer tenure at the international level if India has to have a better team. He made the comments while talking about the way the team has failed in crunch situations.”Definitely, it’s frustrating when hopes are not fulfilled. It is natural to be disappointed. But it is also true that if you want the best performance from a cricketer, you will have to give him a good length of time. If you keep changing and chopping players frequently, you cannot build a team,” the Press Trust of India quoted Ganguly as saying to Bengali newspaper ‘Ganashakti’.The Indian skipper also felt that the openers, who did a decent job in Sri Lanka, needed to translate good starts into big scores. He though was confident that with the injured five – Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath and Ashish Nehra – having returned, the team would measure up to the challenge in South Africa.”It is good that all the injured players have returned. There is no doubt it is the most difficult tour but we have a full strength team, so I am hopeful of doing well there”, he said.* Rameez Raja wields the stickFormer Pakistan captain Rameez Raja has come down heavily on India’s decision to pull-out of the Asian Test Championship (ATC).”I am sure history will see this (India’s refusal to play against Pakistan) as an immature step,” Raja told reporters. “Politics should stay away from cricket. There is no point in cricket boards making moral judgements.”The Board of Control of Cricket in India had decided to pull-out the Indian team of the tournament after the union government refused to let the team to play Pakistan in Pakistan.Raja also said that he did not see the two countries clashing on the cricket field in the immediate future. “Not in the near future… It’s a sad story… (Indian) Cricket Board is a toothless body. They want to play but are not being let to play. The problem before us in Pakistan (cricket establishment) is whom do we talk to (in India to resume cricket ties).”* Dev and Prabhakar head IT defaulters list says that the Income Tax (IT) department has found Kapil Dev, Manoj Prabhakar and Mohammad Azharudin among others to be guilty of concealing huge amounts.The magazine says that ‘Operation Gentleman’, which the IT sleuths conducted to flush out concealed income, assets and investments of cricketers, board officials, bookies and their “associates”, has yielded findings that make shocking reading.Kapil Dev’s undisclosed income reportedly works out to be close to Rs 2.5 crores, “which could cross Rs 3 crore once the assessment proceedings begin”. The report also discloses the amounts the others reportedly stashed away: the “James Bond of Indian cricket” Manoj Prabhakar – Rs 2.5 crore; Azharuddin – more than Rs 2 crores; Ajay Jadeja Rs 1.4 crores; opener-turned-commentator Navjot Singh Sidhu – about Rs 1 crore; former Indian off-spinner Nikhil Chopra – Rs 40-50 lakh); and Ajay Sharma – Rs 20 lakh.Current Asian Cricket Council president and strongman of Indian cricket Jagmohan Dalmiya too might have to answer charges of money laundering if the report is to be believed.

In one of the clearest indications yet that he is on the verge of a Test recall, Daryll Cullinan has been named captain of the South Africa `A’ team play Australia in a four-day match starting at St George’s Park on Friday.Cullinan, along with Jacques Rudolph, Graeme Smith, Gulam Bodi and wicketkeeper Thami Tsolekile, has been retained from the `A’ team which drew with Australia before the first Test match last week.After the stunning innings and 360-run defeat in the first Test match at the Wanderers on Sunday, there are bound to be changes in the Test team. That South African cricket needs to re-examine its policies and strategies is also clear, but for the moment the priority is to find an eleven capable of competing with Australia.The lack of fight shown by the South Africans at the Wanderers indicates that the wounds suffered during the 3-0 series defeat run deeper than might have been thought. It is a surelyu no accident that one of the few South African players to come out of the Wanderers Test with credit was new cap Ashwell Prince.Cullinan missed selection for Australia partly because he had undergone surgery during the off-season but also because of his poor record against Australia. He averages 44.21 from 70 Test matches, but against Australia this record drops to 12.75 from seven.At the same time, he was South Africa’s premier batsman throughout the 1990s, had an excellent series in the West Indies last year and remains one of the most astute thinkers about the game in South Africa.Along with Cullinan, Rudolph and Smith have been given a second chance against Australia while Martin van Jaarsveld, who scored 340 in two innings without being dismissed in his last provincial game, and Hashim Amla, the South African under 19 captain, have also been included.The two Test players probably under most threat are Boeta Dippenaar and Nicky Boje and in the latter’s case he could be challenged by Bodi (left-arm wrist spin) and Eastern Province captain Robin Peterson (left-arm orthodox).In the wake of Allan Donald’s retirement from Test cricket, South Africa hope to have Shaun Pollock back for the second Test, but good showings from the `A’ team’s new ball pairing of Charl Willoughby and Dewald Pretorius could bring them into contention.South African `A’ team:Jacques Rudolph (Northerns), Graeme Smith (WP), Martin van Jaarsveld (Northerns), Daryll Cullinan (Capt, Gauteng), Hashim Amla (KZN), Justin Kemp (EP), Robin Peterson (EP), Gulam Bodi (KZN), Thami Tsolekile (WP), Dewald Pretorius (FS), Charl Willoughby (WP). Twelfth man: Garnett Kruger (EP).

Lasith Malinga, the Sri Lankan fast bowler, says he is struggling to be fit for the start of next month’s Indian Premier League (IPL).A niggling knee injury ruled Malinga out of Sri Lanka’s Test and ODI series in the West Indies but he hoped to be a part of the Mumbai Indians’ squad.”I’ve had this injury in Australia and played with it,” Malinga said. “However as it got worse I couldn’t tour the West Indies too. I would have loved to be with the team and enjoy its success. I am still under treatment and working hard.”It is tough at this stage to be sure about IPL, but I am very hopeful I can make it.”Malinga, 24, was bought by Mumbai for US$350,000 in the Twenty20 competition that starts on April 18 and finishes on June 1. Mumbai – who have two other Sri Lankans in Sanath Jayasuriya and Dilhara Fernando – kick off their IPL campaign the against Bangalore Royal Challengers on April 20.

Rahul Dravid, the Indian captain, has sustained a nose injury after getting hit by an RP Singh bouncer during a net session in Kolkata. He is unlikely to take further part in the preparatory camp for the tour of Bangladesh beginning on May 10.With the focus being on running between the wickets during the practice session, two batsmen at a time were batting on the main Eden Gardens wickets. Sourav Ganguly had batted with Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa with Mahendra Dhoni, and then Dravid came out with Wasim Jaffer. The early excitement of the start of the session had worn off and almost everybody had settled for a quiet outing. Even the zealous TV cameras missed what followed.RP Singh, one of five bowlers taking part in the exercise, bowled one short of a length; Dravid leaned forward and, surprised by the bounce, was hit flush on the helmet. The crashing sound was heard in the BC Roy Club House Stand and Dravid went down immediately. He lay on the ground for about five minutes and the whole team gathered around as John Gloster, the physio, attended to him. As Dravid walked back to the dressing-room, his shirt had blood stains and he was in pain.The ball had hit the visor which in turn hit Dravid on the nose, causing the bleeding. An ENT specialist was summoned and an X-ray immediately done at the Eden Gardens revealed that there was no fracture or head injury, but a nose trauma. Surendra Bhave, the administrative manager, said that Dravid had been advised rest for 24 hours. “The X-ray showed bruises. John Gloster will follow up with the procedures advised,” said Bhave. “We are expecting him to be back in 48 hours.”A 24-hour rest and a slow recovery would mean that Dravid would not take further part in the Kolkata camp but was sure to travel to Bangladesh on May 7.