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International reinforcements benefited New South Wales as David Warner, Steve Smith and Doug Bollinger took the Blues to a 23-run limited overs victory over South Australia

Daniel Brettig04-Nov-2011
ScorecardSteve Smith fell short here but the Blues ultimately had too many runs for the Redbacks•Getty ImagesInternational reinforcements benefited New South Wales as David Warner, Steve Smith and Doug Bollinger took the Blues to a 23-run victory over South Australia in the domestic limited overs match at the SCG.Warner, demonstrating the growth evident in his increasingly measured batting, and Simon Katich made the key contributions with the bat to lift the hosts to 8 for 261, before Smith, Bollinger and Mitchell Starc did the bulk of the damage with the ball.In SA’s pursuit the former Victorian wicketkeeper Adam Crosthwaite played creditably as an opening batsman to cover for Daniel Harris, and Daniel Christian provided impact with both bat and ball. But the Redbacks never looked likely to challenge the total after the early losses of the captain Michael Klinger and his deputy Callum Ferguson.Klinger snicked a Starc delivery angled intelligently across him towards the slips, and Ferguson failed to maintain his so far imposing limited overs form by edging a flat-footed swing at Josh Hazlewood, making another small step towards his best after long injury absence.Crosthwaite alternated conservative strokes and outlandish ones in a useful contribution as the makeshift opener, and was aided in his efforts to stabilise the innings by the former NSW under-age batsman Tom Cooper.They took SA to a decent platform before Steve Smith lured Cooper into a drive to mid off. Borgas hinted at a dangerous innings with his flashes of invention but then cut unwisely to backward point, and Crosthwaite’s stay was ended when Starc bowled him behind his pads after an episode of verbals between the pair.At 6 for 172 Christian mounted a brazen counter-attack, crashing four sixes in the space of five overs but his exit, bowled by Bollinger attempting to flick the ball over the ‘keeper, effectively signalled the end of the contest.The Blues had won a good toss, and were given a rapid start by Warner, returned from South Africa, and Daniel Smith, he of the blistering 183 not out to beat Victoria in the hosts’ previous match.Smith’s pyrotechnics could not be sustained this time, as he skied a catch to fine leg having made only 12, but Warner played with nicely controlled aggression. Twice he coshed sixes, a hook from the bowling of Gary Putland particularly striking, but otherwise chose his shots judiciously and hustled intelligently between the wickets.His downfall arrived at the hands of the legspinner Cullen Bailey, who was hammered for six by Warner first ball and gave up 16 from his first over, but regathered himself to tease the batsman into an ill-advised paddle-sweep to short fine leg.Steve Smith, steady at No. 3 though a little less fluent than Warner, had already been run out after a mix-up with his partner, and the Blues’ middle order would slip from 1 for 140 to 6 for 193 when Christian defeated Moises Henriques and Peter Nevill with consecutive well-directed deliveries.The remainder of the innings was more a case of salvage than savage for the hosts, as Katich and his captain Steve O’Keefe ensured a competitive total with sensible placement.

Norman Gordon, the lone survivor from the final timeless Test, has become the first Test cricketer to have lived 100 years

Sidharth Monga06-Aug-2011Norman Gordon, the lone survivor from the final timeless Test, has become the first Test cricketer to have lived 100 years. Gordon, a South Africa pace bowler, was renowned for his fitness and athleticism during his playing days. He bowled 92.2 eight-ball overs during that timeless Test. He could play only five Tests because his career coincided with World War II. He lives in Johannesburg.The reception around his 100th birthday has been emotional, according to his son Brian. Exhausted, Gordon was not available to talk. “The reception they had for him at his school was overwhelming,” Brian said. “That brought him to tears.”Jeppe High School for Boys, the school that Gordon went to, felicitated him a day before his 100th birthday. “He has been pretty pleased, and a bit nervous,” Brian said. “The reception they gave him at the school today was unbelievable. Marching bands were there, and three of the previous headmasters were there. Ali [Bacher] was there. And the choir, and the whole assembly, all the boys at the school assembly. And they named a board at the school after him.”The final few months of the 100th year have not been easy. “[His health is] not bad, but he had a fall in April,” Brian said. “He broke his arm and he really battled, and he has aged about three years in the last four months. Otherwise he is okay. He has just slowed down a lot. Yeah. Just very, very tired.”That hasn’t stopped Gordon from going to his favourite Hutton Golf Course “almost every day”. “I bring him here almost every afternoon. If he has nothing else to do, we come and sit at the golf course.” Norman stopped playing golf three years ago, but he loves to spend his time there. Before the fall in April, he used to go there everyday.The birthday itself is hectic too. “He is coming to the golf course because we are having a benefit golf day for him,” Brian said. “Then in the evening we are going to the Wanderers. Ali Bacher and South Africa Breweries have organised a party for him at the Long Room in the evening.”

Chris Taylor and Will Gidman, plus a big helping hand from the weather, enabledGloucestershire to earn a draw against Essex in their County Championshipclash at Colchester

20-Aug-2011
Scorecard
Chris Taylor and Will Gidman, plus a big helping hand from the weather, enabledGloucestershire to earn a draw against Essex in their County Championshipclash at Colchester.After being set a huge victory target of 388 in 88 overs, the visitors finishedon 231 for 5, with Taylor striking an unbeaten 103 and Gidman making 57 in anunbroken stand of 133 spanning 106 minutes.They had come together with their side on 98 for five and went on to defy asuccession of bowling changes to guide their team to safety, although raindeprived Essex of 28 overs in which to force a victory that would have keptalive their slender promotion aspirations. The visitors’ hopes of launching their victory bid on a sound footing were soon dashed.Richard Coughtrie departed without a run on the board, caught in the slips byRyan ten Doeschate off the bowling of Maurice Chambers, and David Masters snaredtwo more wickets before the 50 was raised.Kane Williamson was caught behind by James Foster for 19 and then Tom Westley’ssafe pair of hands at second slip accounted for opener Chris Dent (16). Gloucestershire avoided further mishap before lunch, taken at 71 for three, but were plunged into further trouble immediately afterwards by Graham Napier.First he had skipper Alex Gidman (18) easily caught by wicketkeeper Foster froma thin edge and then breached the defences of Hamish Marshall (seven) to leavethe stumps in disarray. By this stage, with half of their side back in the pavilion cheaply, the bestthe visitors could hope for was a draw. A total of 62 overs still remained, withtheir last recognised pair together.Taylor, having come in at the fall of the second wicket, was now wellentrenched and completed a fighting half-century that contained half a dozenfours. At the other end, Will Gidman was offering obdurate support as they carried thetotal to 131 before rain forced a suspension in play.When play did resume, Essex were left with 22 overs to try to force victory butTaylor and Gidman denied them with considerable ease whilst putting together anunbroken partnership of 133.Earlier in the day, Essex added a further 45 runs from six overs beforedeclaring on 288 for five immediately after Jaik Mickleburgh was run out for 84- a knock that included eight boundaries. Skipper Foster finished unbeaten on 46from 40 balls, but not before he was involved in the final of several heatedincidents in this match.It featured Jon Lewis, who appeared to obstruct Foster as he completed asingle. Angry words were exchanged before umpire Steve Gale stepped between thetwo players and the game continued.On the second day, Alex Gidman had angrily remonstrated with the same officialafter being given out lbw whilst on the opening day, Gale had reversed hisdecision against Ten Doeschate – much to the annoyance of the Gloucestershireplayers. Essex finished with 10 points and Gloucestershire eight points.

ESPNcricinfo previews the first Test between England and Sri Lanka at Cardiff

Preview by Andrew McGlashan25-May-2011Match FactsMay 26-30, Cardiff
Start time 11.00am (1000GMT)Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower now want their team to secure the top spot in world cricket•AFPThe Big PictureThis series is being billed as the starter before the main course of England’s season. India are the major drawcard of the summer, but Sri Lanka’s visit promises much interest and intrigue. It pits a home side wanting to build on one of their finest triumphs in Australia against a visiting side trying to rebuild under a new captain and coach amid more political rumblings in Sri Lankan cricket.A lot has happened since England celebrated in Sydney and even since Sri Lanka finished second in the World Cup. The hosts now have three captains for starters, but nine of the team that played in Sydney are set to line-up in this Test. Andrew Strauss has been very keen to stress how the Ashes success was just a stepping stone, albeit an historic one, in England’s quest to be No. 1 in the world. That aim could be achieved by the end of the summer if they beat both Sri Lanka and India but it won’t be an easy task.Sri Lanka come here as significant underdogs, largely due to the loss of three match-winning bowlers in Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan and Lasith Malinga. Yet England will underestimate them at their peril. They showed their fighting qualities with an impressive victory against the Lions after being forced to follow-on as Tillakaratne Dilshan, the new captain, led the way with 117 at better than a run-a-ball. Much will rest on the tone Dilshan sets as a captain and batsman.However, with Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene in the ranks runs shouldn’t be in short supply and then it will be down to a new-look bowling attack. The loss of Nuwan Pradeep is a significant blow and they can’t afford Dilhara Fernando to go lame as well. It’s impossible to replace Murali, but in Rangana Herath they have a steady left-arm spinner who will no doubt target Kevin Pietersen.Although Sri Lanka haven’t won a series in England they have surprised the hosts more than once. Most famously there was 1998 at The Oval, but five years ago they also won at Trent Bridge to level the series. A shared contest this time would be a fine achievement for Dilshan and a major let-down for Strauss.Form guide (Most recent first)
England WWLWD
Sri Lanka DDDLDWatch out for…In the end Eoin Morgan made a case that was too good to ignore. His 193 against the Sri Lankans at Derby secured him a Test place that appeared to have slipped away after six weeks at the IPL. Now he has the chance to make the No. 6 berth his for the foreseeable future. He is the ideal counter-attacking player to have in the middle order; someone who scores at close to a run-a-ball and can shift momentum. However, his biggest challenge will come if (or when) he walks in with England wobbling. Barring his hundred against Pakistan at Trent Bridge last year he was vulnerable against the moving ball. One thing he doesn’t lack, though, is confidence and that can carry you a long way.Tillakaratne Dilshan won’t do anything in half measures. He has shown his attacking mindset already on this tour both with the bat and in the field. Much like Virender Sehwag, one session of Dilshan blazing away can set the tone for a Test match. England’s bowlers won’t be allowed any leeway to find their feet. As a captain he isn’t a long-term option, but is determined to do things his way and that will include thinking ‘outside of the box’. Against the Lions he brought himself on to bowl with the new ball and made a breakthrough. Don’t be surprised to see Herath in action as soon as Pietersen walks to the middle.Team newsThe only decision for the home side is the make-up of their pace attack and it seems likely that Steven Finn will miss out. Stuart Broad is fit again after his winter injuries although he looked a little short of rhythm in the County Championship. Morgan replaces Paul Collingwood in the middle order with Ian Bell set to move to No. 5. Pietersen and Jonathan Trott will be needed for some fill-in overs at various stages.England (probable) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Ian Bell, 6 Eoin Morgan, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Chris Tremlett, 11 James AndersonSri Lanka have been hit with injuries to their pace attack. Pradeep is out and there are concerns over Dilhara Fernando, who is set to share the new ball with Chanaka Welegedara. Dilshan confirmed they’d picked six batsmen and five bowlers, a hint that Farveez Maharoof could play while Rangana Herath is the one spinner in their 12.Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), 2 Tharanga Paranavitana, 3 Kumar Sangakkara, 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Thilan Samaraweera, 6 Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), 7 Farveez Maharoof, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Rangana Herath, 10 Dilhara Fernando, 11 Chanaka WelegedaraPitch and conditionsDomestic and international pitches are often two very different beasts at Cardiff. Alarms are sometimes raised by the amount of turn for Glamorgan matches, but the groundsman keeps things safe for the internationals. Stuart Law said the pitch “looked a belter” and two years ago Australia piled up 674 for 6. The forecast, however, isn’t too promising with showers forecast for the opening day and further rain over the weekend.Stats and trivia Stuart Broad is currently sat on 99 Test wickets having collected just two scalps in his two Ashes Tests before injury. The performance of Sri Lanka’s bowlers in England since 2000 is better than only Zimbabwe Thilan Samaraweera, overall Test average of 54.25, averages just 4.25 in England albeit from just two matchesFor a full stats preview click here.Quotes”They have some high quality players, some of them we don’t know much about but that does not mean they are not good bowlers, we expect a stern test.”
Andrew Strauss may be looking forward to the Indian challenge later this summer, but that doesn’t mean England will be taking Sri Lanka lightly
“We have a few youngsters who will get a chance and it will be good for their development in international cricket. We are looking forward to a new era for Sri Lankan cricket.”

A dominant Nigeria prevailed in the ICC Africa World Cricket League T20 Division Two tournament in Johannesburg

ESPNcricinfo staff19-May-2011A dominant Nigeria prevailed in the ICC Africa World Cricket League T20 Division Two tournament in Johannesburg, defeating Tanzania in their final game to top with tables with 14 points from seven victories.Yet again batsman Sean Phillips was the star performer for Nigeria, racing to an unbeaten 80 as his team reached 150 for 6. His knock means he ends the tournament with 446 runs, including two centuries, at an average of 148. Tanzania’s batsmen made a fist of their chase but fell just short, reaching 144 for 4 before they ran out of overs.Nigeria and Ghana, who finished in second position with 12 points and ahead of Botswana on net run-rate, will now proceed to the Division One Twenty20 tournament, which is scheduled to be held in Entebbe, Uganda in July this year.

A big Newcastle United selection claim has emerged over Darsley Park gem Elliot Anderson…

What’s the talk?

Daily Mail reporter Craig Hope has confirmed that the youngster will not be making an appearance for the Magpies until next season at the earliest.

The 19-year-old returned to Tyneside this week after the conclusion of the League Two campaign last Saturday and will now bide his time until pre-season later this year.

Hope tweeted: “It would have been great to see Elliot Anderson for Newcastle in final two games, but club say he is not eligible to feature after loan spell at Bristol Rovers.”

Supporters will be gutted

Newcastle supporters will surely be gutted by this news, as it would have been exciting to see him play against Arsenal and/or Burnley in the Premier League.

The Magpies have avoided relegation to the Championship and these last two matches will play no part in deciding whether or not they stay in the top flight. This means that it would have been a great opportunity to hand some minutes to the youngster to give him a taste of what may be to come.

His form for Bristol Rovers in the second half of the campaign suggests that he has the potential to make the step up to first-team level.

In 21 appearances for Joey Barton’s side, he scored seven goals and provided six assists as he averaged a phenomenal SofaScore rating of 7.23. Anderson created eight ‘big chances’ in total and provided 1.9 key passes per game as he showcased his consistency and quality during his spell on loan.

He was also involved in one of the craziest matches in EFL history as he scored once and provided two assists in a 7-0 win against Scunthorpe on the final day of the League Two season. This win resulted in his side securing promotion on goals scored after the seven-goal drubbing placed them level on points and even goal difference with Northampton.

The 19-year-old will come back to Newcastle as a better player for this experience, as he has been able to enjoy playing regular first-team football in a pressured environment, excelling at the same time. He has proven that he can perform under pressure, and Magpies fans will surely be excited to see what he can do next season, which is why they must be gutted that they won’t get a glimpse of him over the next two weeks.

AND in other news, Craig Hope drops worrying worrying £50m NUFC claim, it’s a first major disaster for PIF…

West Indies’ chances at the World Cup have been dealt a huge blow as their allrounder Dwayne Bravo has been ruled out of the campaign due to a knee injury

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Feb-2011West Indies’ chances at the World Cup have been dealt a huge blow as their allrounder Dwayne Bravo will miss the rest of their campaign after been ruled out for a minimum of four weeks due to a knee injury he picked up in the match against South Africa on Thursday. The West Indies Cricket Board said an MRI scan on Bravo’s left knee had revealed a sprained ligament and torn knee cartilage, and he would return home for further assessment.The board have not yet named a replacement for Bravo, as they are in the process of applying to the ICC to call someone else in. Bravo would have been certain to miss the entire league phase of the tournament and may not have been fully rehabilitated by the knockout stage either, and West Indies have decided to replace him in their fifteen.Bravo sustained the injury while fielding off his own bowling, during his third over in West Indies’ game against South Africa. Attempting to change direction in his follow through and cut off a drive from Graeme Smith, he swivelled awkwardly and immediately fell to the ground, clutching his knee. He was led off the field, and took no further part in that match.West Indies have now lost three players to injury in a week, with opener Adrian Barath and wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh also forced to fly home before they had even played their first match. Bravo, though, will be the one West Indies miss the most, as he is the vice-captain of the side and an important ingredient in both their batting line-up and bowling attack.”This is a blow for us. Dwayne is our vice-captain and one of the key members of our team,” West Indies coach Ottis Gibson said. “He has been showing good form with the bat and batted well against South Africa on Thursday. He is also a livewire in the field and a reliable bowler. We wish him a speedy recovery and hope he gets back on the field soon.” Bravo had added a quick 40 before being run out on Thursday.West Indies play their next match against the Netherlands, on Monday at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi.

India captain MS Dhoni says the performance of Harbhajan Singh and the part-time spinners has been a big positive that has come out of the on-going ODI series in South Africa

Sidharth Monga in Port Elizabeth20-Jan-2011India came here as a potential threat to South Africa’s proud home record, but while people would have expected the result in Tests, it comes as a surprise that for the second time on the tour India find themselves one match away from winning a series. It didn’t happen in the Tests, although 1-1 was a hugely creditable result, but in the ODIs they have two chances to become only the third side to win a bilateral series in South Africa.They have come close without the services of key players; something they have become used to in limited-over series. Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Praveen Kumar have played no part in the series, and Sachin Tendulkar went home after the second game.On the eve of the fourth ODI, MS Dhoni said his side was approaching the game the same way as any other. “The mood is the same,” he said. “When we lost the first game, we felt it was very important to keep a positive state of mind throughout the series. We play so many games, so our mood and mental state cannot fluctuate too much. We always concentrate on the process, and don’t really see what the scorecard is saying or what the series position is. We are not thinking about anything right now. We just need to make sure that we don’t repeat all the wrong things that we have done so far in the tournament. That will be our focus.”One of the big positives from this series for India has been the way the spinners have performed on tracks that, in theory, should be less helpful than the ones in the subcontinent. Harbhajan Singh, Dhoni said, “is bowling as well as you have seen him bowl through his career”, and the part-timers are “a big plus for us”.”Harbhajan has done really well. We are using him regularly in the Powerplay and have used him even before the 10th over.” Harbhajan has gone for just 3.82 runs an over in the first three games.Dhoni said the reasons for the improvement in Harbhajan’s form could be a mix of conditions and batsmen’s attitude. “If the batsmen are successful, we tend to turn around and say maybe the bowler is not bowling well, but sometimes it may just be that the batsmen are playing really well.”Some of the Indian tracks are too flat to do anything on. The batsmen have the momentum from the very start. If they get off to a good start, then once you bring the spinner on, it is a 50-50 scenario. They go after the spinners. If in the first few overs they are able to apply some pressure, then the spinner is on the back foot. A lot depends on where you are playing, and how the batsmen are coping with you.”Dhoni is also pleased with the work the other spinners have put in. “Along with him, the part-timers are doing a real good job, and of course the team composition allows me to have a few more part-timers than we would [with a full-strength squad]. Virender Sehwag is not bowling regularly, if Gautam Gambhir is part of the side he doesn’t bowl, and we are not using Sachin Tendulkar that much, but because of their absence we are featuring players who can contribute with the ball. It gives me the liberty of using even eight bowlers in one innings.”Rohit Sharma, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh have combined to bowl 40 overs over the three ODIs played so far and have taken five wickets between them.That, though, doesn’t undermine the importance of the three big batsmen when they are back. “We will have to use the resources that are part of the side at that point of time. If you see the best batting line-up the Indian team has, Viru will be part of it, so will Sachin and Gautam, which means we will have maybe just two part-timers in the side. The surprise element of who is going to bowl from the other end won’t be there, because I won’t have so many options. But still they are the best batting line-up, and they will feature, that’s why we need to perform with the bat more than the ball.”

Manchester United are acting on a mega-money bid that would see Napoli striker Victor Osimhen trade the Serie A for the Premier League if it all comes to fruition.

What’s the word?

That is according to La Repubblica, via Sport Witness, who claim that Manchester United “have already come forward” for the 23-year-old striker “with an offer of €100 million” (£84m).

Corriere dello Sport’s report is along the same lines, with the outlet stating that Manchester United and Arsenal “may make a sacrifice (a big bid) that would make him happy.”

The report states that “Napoli would not falter” if they were “faced with an indecent proposal worth €110 million” (£92.5m), but would “let the deal happen.”

United’s “Lion Heart”

If there is one thing that Manchester United need in the side, it is heart. Previously dubbed a “Lion Heart”, Osimhen brings that in abundance.

The 23-year-old has had a tough upbringing. His mother died when he was still a child and his father lost his job three months later. He sold bottled water in the middle of traffic to help his family get by financially.

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It seems as though his work ethic has transitioned into his play style on the pitch, with Osimhen willing to graft from the front in order to win back possession for his side. The Nigeria international’s match average of 10.31 pressures in the attacking third are elite level, as per FBref, and fit perfectly with the pressing system that Erik ten Hag will seek to employ at the Old Trafford side.

Osimhen is enjoying yet another prosperous season at Napoli in Serie A, with his five times in a row.

With two goals) combined.

With his average of 3.89 shots total per 90, he pips that of Erling Haaland’s average of 3.65, with the Norwegian previously linked.

His threat up top could see him become a talismanic figure for the Red Devils, and with his link as a similar player to Erling Haaland, as per FBref, he could well be United’s version of the Dortmund sensation.

In other news: Man United now plotting bid to sign £70m “machine”, he’s a big upgrade on Martial

Tottenham Hotspur ‘insider’ John Wenham expects the club to ‘get rid’ of Matt Doherty during the summer transfer window. 

The lowdown

Spurs paid £15.1million to sign Doherty from Wolverhampton Wanderers ahead of the 2020/21 season.

The wing-back penned a four-year, £65,400-per-week contract on his arrival in North London.

Doherty was enjoying an extended run in the side under Antonio Conte, starting seven consecutive Premier League matches before sustaining a season-ending knee injury earlier this month.

The Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick said the 30-year-old had been in ‘resurgent’ form, The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare called the injury a ‘big’ blow, and Conte himself confessed it is ‘really bad news’.

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The latest

Speaking to Football Insider, Wenham predicted that Spurs will sell Doherty, whom he believes is ‘out of his depth’.

“I would still get rid of him and I think we will,” he said.

“I’m basing this on the game against Man United. He was in a run of good form and as soon as he came up against someone at a decent level he couldn’t handle it.

“We want to go back to the Champions League next season, that’s the level we need to be at.

“He wasn’t good enough for that, he was out of his depth. I think he will be moved on.

“Hopefully this run of form has done well to increase his price. There is an argument for him staying as backup but I just don’t think he’s good enough for where this club wants to be.”

The verdict

It’s true that Doherty did play in some kinder fixtures prior to his injury.

Spurs’ run included games against Leeds United, Everton, Newcastle United and Aston Villa, all of whom currently sit in the league’s bottom seven.

But is Wenham’s assessment of Doherty’s performance in the 3-2 defeat against Manchester United fair?

Well, on the one hand, he won a respectable four out of seven duels and completed 31 of the 36 passes he attempted (via SofaScore).

But on the other, it’s fair to say his offensive impact was limited, given that the Irishman failed to create a chance or find a team-mate with any of his three crosses.

In other news, an Italian transfer report raises the prospect of an Antonio Conte reunion at THFC.