A high voltage behind-the-scenes drama was sparked off in the Indian dressing-room by Rahul Dravid’s abrupt declaration in the Multan Test which left Sachin Tendulkar stranded only six runs short of a double century, the then coach John Wright has revealed.Tendulkar, batting on 194 in the first Test against Pakistan, left no one in doubt that “he felt let down”, Wright said in his just-published book , disclosing for the first time the tense moments the Indian camp went through although publicly every effort had been made at that time to play down the controversy.Acknowledging that the team managament had a “hot potato on our hands”, Wright said he spent a sleepless night whereas captain Sourav Ganguly, who missed the Test because of an injury, was worried that the issue would snowball and end up dividing the team. Wright says no one could be blamed in particular for the situation which could have been avoided had he himself been able to convince Dravid to declare earlier.”Midway through the final session, Dravid declared, as you do when you’re 675 for 5. What Indian captains don’t tend to do, however, is declare when Sachin Tendulkar is on 194 not out. The matter became a full-fledged sensation when Tendulkar told a press conference he was disappointed not to get his double century.”Wright said had he been the captain, he would have declared a lot earlier, allowing Pakistan to face about 25 overs and with Tendulkar on about 170. But the former New Zealand captain also pointed out that Tendulkar needed to “move on” after tea when things got slow. “Dravid wanted less time in the field, but got caught a bit betwixt and between. At tea he told the batsmen he wanted 15 or 16 overs at the Pakistanis, and after tea a couple of messages went out. As I sat there watching the innings grind on, it crossed my mind that Tendulkar needed to get a move on,” Wright continued. “A final message went out saying they had one more over. Then Yuvraj got run out going for a quick single and Dravid called them in.”Wright felt there was fault all round. “I should have convinced Dravid to declare earlier and he should have grasped that it’s one thing to declare when a batsman’s 170 or 180, quite another when he’s 194. And Tendulkar should have pushed to get there quicker.” Once Tendulkar publicly expressed his disappointment, Wright knew they had a “hot potato on our hands”.”I talked to Dravid, who agreed that he had to have a chat with Tendulkar before things got out of hand. That combination of steeliness and serenity, so evident in Dravid’s batting, is the mark of the man: nothing fazes him. He’s a mature and intelligent individual; all the hype and fuss goes over his head because he can stand back and put the issue in perspective.”Tendulkar, Wright felt, “felt let down”. “He’d been playing for India since he was 16; he’d stood up for his country in bad times and tough conditions, and often been the only man to do so. Having given so much for the team, over such a long period, he probably thought this was one time the team could give something back to him. Even the greatest have their goals and dreams and milestones, and a double century against Pakistan in Pakistan would have been a memory to treasure. After a sleepless night, I spoke to Tendulkar who confirmed that he’d wanted the team to cut him some slack. Then he and Dravid talked it through and resolved the matter.”
Ashley Giles has insisted that the England team would have been “strung up” if they had lost the second Ashes Test at Edgbaston. England tied the five-match series at one apiece despite a last-wicket stand on the fourth day that took Australia to within three runs of victory.Giles said England would have taken plenty of flak had they lost after reducing Australia to 175 for 8 on the third day, still needing 107 to win. “We’d have been strung up if Australia had won so we’re just happy it ended this way,” he wrote in his diary on the ECB website. “It’s fine lines because we were three runs away from being sent to the moon again as well.”Giles, after a wicketless first Test, bounced back with five wickets at Edgbaston, and was looking forward to the third Test at Old Trafford, which starts on Thursday. “It was nice to get a few wickets again, I thought I bowled all right and got a few runs in the first innings,” he wrote. “I did what I can do in many ways and in recent times that’s how I’ve had my success, by chipping in with wickets and a few runs. That’s what I’m about and I hope I showed that in this game.”Giles had been under tremendous pressure following his performance at Lord’s and acknowledged the backing he received from his family. “I’ve had a tremendous amount of support from my wife Stine and the family and it was nice that they could be there, he wrote. “It’s great because the stuff that goes around hurts them as much as it hurts me so I owe a lot to them.”
Ian Healy, the former Australian wicketkeeper, has claimed that banning Muttiah Muralitharan from bowling his doosra does not go far enough – his entire bowling action should be re-examined.Healy was disappointed that biomechanical experts at the University of Western Australia focused only on Murali’s mystical doosra when they hooked him up to their computers. “It’s a bit of a shame,” said Healy. “The public wants to know how the rest of his action stands up. Let’s get the whole thing analysed. If I was Murali, I would want that.”Healy, who was in Zimbabwe commentating on last week’s first Test against Sri Lanka, also called for any testing of Murali to be conducted in a match situation instead of a laboratory. “It should all be done from live action in the pressure of a game,” he told The Australian newspaper.Meanwhile Bruce Elliott, the Perth-based biomechanist who investigated Murali’s doosra, said that Brett Lee, Shoaib Akhtar and various other front-line bowlers also routinely breached the ICC’s new five-degree arm-extension rule.”You look at Shoaib Akhtar and Brett Lee and they have hyperextension in the joints, which is a special occurrence,” said Elliott. “I guarantee Shoaib extends more than ten degrees on some deliveries because of it, and Brett could well too.”But Elliott said the law, not Shoaib or Lee, should be tinkered with. He said the five-degree rule should be trebled to accommodate bowlers with their physical characteristics.The recently sacked Zimbabwe captain, Heath Streak, said that the ICC, havingjudged Murali’s doosra to be illegal, should now strip him of all Test wickets he has taken with the ball, which is bowled with an offbreak action but spins like a whopping legbreak. But the Wisden editor Matthew Engel disagreed. He told the Melbourne Age newspaper: “Chuckers have been part of the game since overarm bowling began. Only when a bowler is no-balled, then it is considered illegal. You can’t retrospectively change the records, going through each dismissal to see if it was taken with the doosra.”Australian players reacted sympathetically to Murali’s latest setback. Adam Gilchrist, who has previously landed himself in hot water for pontificating on Murali’s action, said: “I think he is a great exponent of what he does. I think he is talented enough and resilient enough to redefine the delivery or develop something else.”Ricky Ponting suggested Murali’s action had grown more ragged of late. “It might have got worse over the last couple of months. He certainly hasn’t taken all his wickets with that delivery.”Bishan Bedi, the former Indian spinner, has always been very vocal in his views regarding Murali. He told the Indian Express, “I have never seen Murali bowl. Bowling is an art. Chucking is not. And why just the ‘doosra’, even his ‘pehla’ [the offspinner] is not genuine.”Bedi also felt that the methods used to test Murali’s bowling action were ineffective. “Why are they [ICC] resorting to geometrical methods to assess bowling actions of cricketers. The field umpires must decide with their human eyes. You can’t decide things with the help of protractors.”
Organisers of the Bank Alfalah Cup have decided to play all the remainingmatches of tournament at Dambulla after heavy monsoon rain in Colombo.The last four games were scheduled to be played in Colombo, but prospects ofplay were remote considering the current cyclonic weather pattern.The dates of the matches have been changed as well, with the fourth, fifthand sixth games to be played on May 18, 19 and 20. The final, which was tohave been played under lights, will now be a day match.May 18 Sri Lanka v Pakistan May 19 New Zealand v Sri Lanka May 20 Pakistan v New Zealand May 23 The final
Just minutes after leaving the field at Taunton, unbeaten after scoring his maiden century, Somerset opening batsman Matthew Wood told me, “I’m very happy to have scored my first century. It was a good wicket out there, and I felt comfortable after we had seen off the new ball.”What was it like batting with Jamie Cox I asked. Matthew told me, “Coxy was great to bat with. He was a great help to me. He carried me through and kept me going.”The twenty year old from Exmouth told me, “It was nice to get a ton against Northants, particularly after getting 90 odd up there earlier in the season.”What did he plan to do during the winter I asked. “I plan to go to Perth for some of the time, and will also go back to Exeter University to do another semester for my degree course.”
Umar Akmal has been left out of Pakistan’s T20 squad for the series against England in the UAE after being handed a show-cause notice for “bringing the PCB and Pakistan Cricket into disrepute.”
Pakistan T20 squad
In: Rafatullah Mohmand, Iftikhar Ahmed, Sarfraz Ahmed, Anwar Ali Out Mukhtar Ahmed, Umar Akmal Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Rafatullah Mohmand, Shoaib Malik, Sohaib Maqsood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfraz Ahmed, Anwar Ali, Imad Wasim (Subject to fitness, otherwise Bilal Asif), Imran Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz, Aamer Yamin
It is understood that Akmal attended a party in Hyderabad without the requisite permission during the current Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match between Hyderabad and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited.Chief selector Haroon Rashid said: “Umar Akmal had been pencilled in for selection, but he has subsequently been dropped on instructions from the Board, as he has been issued with a show cause notice for bringing PCB and Pakistan Cricket into disrepute.”The selectors have also handed a call-up to uncapped 39-year-old Rafatullah Mohmand who is in contention to open the batting. In 2009, Rafatullah was part of the world-record second-wicket stand in first-class cricket when he added 580 with Aamer Sajjad for Water and Power Development Authority.Imad Wasim’s position in the T20 squad is subject to fitness and if he is not available allrounder Bilal Asif will take his place.Meanwhile, Iftikhar Ahmed has been called into the ODI squad to fill the space created by Younis Khan’s retirement following the first match of the series in Abu Dhabi.”Having experience of playing first class cricket for many years, with his form, sound technique and fitness, and also given his fielding credentials, Rafatullah Mohmand has been afforded an opportunity as he was considered to have potential to feature in an international T20 competition as an opener,” Rashid said.”Iftikhar has filled in the spot vacated by Younis Khan in ODIs; it was considered that he also be tried in the T20 format on the back of his performance on the domestic T20 circuit.”
“Depending who you listen to Joey Barton is a footballer, ex-con, ranting anti-celebrity, “football’s philosopher king, loving dad and violent thug all rolled into one.” (joeybarton.com)
Barton has never been one to pull his punches – in every sense of the phrase – but his latest fracas at the Eithad Stadium on May 13 has perhaps threatened his career more so than ever before. The season begins on Saturday for everyone except the troubled midfielder whose 12-match ban may mean he never graces the Premier League again.
Barton is a lot like Marmite, he’s only used when all other options in your cupboard or rather squad are unavailable. Long gone are the days when he used to carve teams open for Manchester City, relishing in his role as both playmaker and midfield general. His transfers to Newcastle and Queens Park Rangers have been smeared with trials and tribulations and neither the tough love of Sam Allardyce or Neil Warnock have been able to improve his temperament.
During the summer it was announced that Barton would participate in pre-season training with Football League newcomers Fleetwood Town, a move that the player himself insisted would help “rediscover his love for game”. Whether this was indeed the case is entirely up for debate, I for one think it was further punishment for his Rambo approach to the last day of the season. Perhaps Mark Hughes was keen to give Barton a glimpse into his future should he continue to court with controversy.
Nevertheless the process was considered a success even though a proposed loan move never materialised. The League Two club praised his professionalism whilst Barton said he relished the “pure, old school, mortgage/livelihoods on the line, balls-out football.” There was even rumour of sessions with sports psychotherapist Steve Pope although I can’t see Barton lying on a coach unless he’s just tried to tackle it.
In the following days a loan move to Ian Holloway’s Blackpool spontaneously appeared in the tabloids but both parties labelled the story a complete fabrication. The Football League has since stepped in to announce that it would block any move to one of its clubs by refusing to register him whilst his ban remains. Officials are said to be unhappy with the attempts to reduce the impact of his FA punishment and believe it would bring the loan system into disrepute.
Many fans and personnel within the game have commended the Football League’s stance but I am confused as to why the ban wasn’t allocated a time period, similar to those given to Cantona and Ferdinand. In this instance there would have been no room for manoeuvre unless Barton was shipped to an area of the world that didn’t adhere to the Gregorian calendar. A loan stint abroad could now prove the only viable option but Barton is unlikely to want to distance himself from his young family.
With Barton due to celebrate his 30th birthday in September he is arguably entering into the prime period of his career. Surely his time in West London is the last chance to make a success of his career, especially having continued to alienate 99% of the footballing world with his impetuous, albeit refreshing outlook on the beautiful game. The introduction of tiki-taka and possession based tactics means that perhaps the Roy Keane’s and Patrick Vieira’s of this world no longer have the same inspiring impact. Barton will no doubt see himself in the same mould as the aforementioned midfield duo – he’s good enough to play for England after all – but I doubt his club share the same ‘us against the world’ mentality that he so easily adheres himself to.
QPR are in a fortunate position in that they can afford to support the financial burden regarding wages and his ongoing rehabilitation. However the flip side to this is that they can also afford to cancel his contract should the negative aspects of retaining Barton outweigh the positives. Therefore he must begin to prove himself useful off the pitch by working within the academy and ensuring his name is kept out of the headlines. I still don’t think he quite understands the level trust he has to regain, his actions after all could easily have cost QPR their place in the Premier League.
Ultimately Barton’s future will be decided by his manager Mark Hughes, a man who unsurprisingly has his own section on Barton’s official website that is littered with praise. Unless the Welshman oversees a vast clearout in the fortnight before the transfer window closes, the club will boast one of the most bulging and competitive squads in the league. If the new additions of Ji-Sung Park and Junior Hoilett ensure a promising start to the campaign then Barton will struggle to remain in contention for a first-team place come November.
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There will always be managers, clubs and even chairman who are willing to gamble on a player like Joey Barton, which is perhaps why he’s always been picked up whilst drinking in the last-chance saloon. The mavericks and risk takers of this world will be convinced that they can liberate the talented footballer that’s locked deep inside. Whether we ever get to see that side of him again, remains to be seen.
Join me on Twitter @theunusedsub where I have been checking out the new Mitre ball set to be spanked around in the Football League this season.
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has dismissed England’s chances of winning Euro 2012, stating that the core of the team is not as strong as other nations.
The 2-2 draw with Montenegro in Podgorica on Friday night assured that Fabio Capello’s men will take their place in Poland and Ukraine next year.
Despite an unbeaten qualifying campaign, the 85-times capped full-back is not convinced by The Three Lions’ chances.
“It’s as though we think one world class player might be able to propel us to a major trophy,” he stated in the Mail on Sunday.
“And now we are talking about Rooney possibly missing two games at Euro 2012 when what we should be talking about is the spine of a team that has no mobility and can’t keep the ball.
“When I look at it coldly, a team that has John Terry, Gary Cahill, Scott Parker, Gareth Barry, Darren Bent and Rooney in its central positions is nowhere near good enough to take on the major nations such as Spain.
“I’m not having a go at individuals; there are some very good players among those names. Collectively, Rooney aside, there is hardly any pace, very little invention and hardly any rotation of positions.
“The real issue is that the spine of the team is not good enough, as it stands, to take on Spain, Italy, France or Germany at Euro 2012,” he stated.
Neville picked the world champions out as a particular team of strength, that England may not be able to compete against, but will come head-to-head with on November 12th in an international friendly.
“Compare England with the spine of Spain: Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Xabi Alonso, Xavi, David Villa and Fernando Llorente. That’s the issue Fabio Capello now has to resolve and why the Wembley friendly is so much more than a practice.
“Never has a friendly been more important.
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“It’s like a Cup final. Somehow, Capello has to do something that no England manager has done in 15 years, and that is make the England players believe that this next match could be the most important of their life,” he concluded.
West Ham are likely to field a weakened team in the FA Cup fifth round on Monday.And that could give Championship side Burnley the chance of an upset at Upton Park.With the Hammers locked in a relegation battle, manager Avram Grant is unlikely to risk influential players in the last 16 tie.Captain Scott Parker, as well as the likes of Matthew Upson, Wayne Bridge and Demba Ba, could be benched.Robbie Keane is out injured, but Germany international Thomas Hitzlsperger is in line to make his debut after a long spell on the sidelines.Grant steered Portsmouth to the FA Cup final last year, but said on Friday that English Premier League survival for West Ham must come first.”The FA Cup is always exciting,” he said. “After a few games you can be in the quarter-finals and semi-finals.””I like the FA Cup, but of course our first priority is the league like every other team in the league.””It’s a good competition. I like this competition. It gives you a break from the league which is also good.””It’s always good to play at home but I know this won’t be an easy game. This team [Burnley], for them the FA Cup is everything.””This is an opportunity for them to get everyone to love them and I know from the past that teams can come from the Championship and give it their all. We will prepare ourselves for a very difficult game.”With eight days between the 3-3 draw at West Bromwich Albion and the clash with Burnley, Grant used the break for a team-bonding exercise.”It was good for the team spirit and was very successful,” said Grant, whose side have won nine consecutive cup games against lower league opposition.”We did go-karting and many other things. It was nice. It doesn’t matter who won, but it was nice to watch them enjoy themselves in the middle of everything.”Burnley, relegated from the EPL last season, are chasing promotion and face a fixture pile-up, but boss Eddie How is taking the game seriously.”We’d love to continue the run and go as far as we can,” he said.”We’ll look to enjoy it. I don’t think we’ve got an awful lot to lose.”We want to go there and put on a performance against a Premier League club who, despite their league position, are a good Premier League club.”I think it’s a nice distraction and a different kind of pressure with the cup games, it’s probably a nice release for us.””We’ll look to enjoy it. I don’t think we’ve got an awful lot to lose.”
Midfielder Steven Gerrard is confident that England team-mate Wayne Rooney will keep his cool at the World Cup finals in South Africa.
Rooney was cautioned during his side's final warm-up game against the Platinum Stars and warned about his swearing towards match officials, but Gerrard is confident that there will be no problems when the tournament itself gets underway.
He told reporters:"People talk about the yellow card he got the other day, but that is Wayne Rooney. He is always on the edge. He has got that fire in his belly.
"I know Wayne. I know about his upbringing and his background. We have a good understanding on the pitch because we are quite close off it.
"If Wayne channels his frustrations in the right way he can be one of the players of this tournament."
Meanwhile, USA head coach Bob Bradley has dismissed suggestions that his team could try and provoke Rooney in Saturday's clash in Rustenburg.
He added:"I'm asked this a lot and no we won't try and wind him up. We don't get into that sort of thing.
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"I have tremendous respect for Rooney and what he brings to England in so many ways. His effort, his competitiveness, his movement, his influence on that team is great.
"But we won't try and wind him up."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email