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A series of contrasting fortunes is dead in terms of a contest but there’s plenty for both sides to play for

The Preview by Mathew Varghese24-Nov-2008Match factsNov 26, 2008
Start time 1430 (0900 GMT)
Owais Shah: “We need to get hundreds. Whoever gets in on the day has to be the man to kick on” © Getty Images
Big Picture A series of contrasting fortunes is dead in terms of a contest but there’s plenty for both sides to play for. India, with a comfortable 4-0 lead, will test their bench strength while aiming to avoid complacency as they chase a clean sweep and keep up the momentum ahead of the Tests. They have never won five games on the trot in a two-team contest – against England in 2006 they won four before rain interrupted their run. England have been getting better with every defeat and will, as captain Kevin Pietersen said, need to “keep their chins up”. Pietersen wants them to come “back firing on all cylinders” and he can take heart from a Cuttack factoid: England lost the inaugural ODI, in 1982, at the Barabati Stadium, but in three matches since, they have emerged victors – one of those, though, was against Pakistan.Pietersen’s appointment as captain worked instant wonders for the team during the home summer – they won one Test and four consecutive ODIs against South Africa – but he knows the pressure on him will increase with each defeat. They might have had excuses for being distracted during the Stanford Super Series but they seem to lack focus during the ongoing series as well. England opted for a team meeting instead of the usual practice session – India had optional nets – the day before the game, an exercise to get the team to “identify areas that have not gone quite right”.India’s Bangalore win was preceded by a selection controversy over RP Singh’s omission from the squad but another dominant display there meant Dhoni emerged with one more series win. The Indian juggernaut keeps rolling over all-comers under his leadership and Dhoni wants to keep winning – a 7-0 scoreline would be a welcome addition to an already-impressive captaincy record. Coach Gary Kirsten has asked his team to look at the upcoming contests as a three-match series.Form guide (last 5 completed ODIs, most recent last)India LWWWW
England WLLLLWatch out forOwais Shah – His powerful 48-ball 72 kept England in the hunt during their chase of a stiff 198 in Bangalore. England’s players have expressed their keenness to play in the IPL and, if Shah continues his big-hitting, it will not only boost his team but also the potential of offers from franchises.Paul Collingwood – Top scored with 71 in England’s 16-run win in 2002 in Cuttack. He’s made 44 in four innings in the series so far, and if his performance does not improve, the former captain’s place will be under scrutiny.Mahendra Singh Dhoni – The captain has led his team to the series but he could do with a big innings under his belt before his first Test series completely in charge. Dhoni suppressed his attacking instinct in Kanpur to ensure India did not lose wickets with a D/L result likely. With the others firing he has had it easy, unlike the ODIs in Sri Lanka, but he will want to stamp his mark with the bat as well.Team newsEngland need to settle on their combination at the top of the order. Matt Prior has been shunted down, with Ravi Bopara the latest man to partner Ian Bell. Despite a stand of 79 in Kanpur, the rate of scoring early in the innings is still a major problem. Owais Shah was back at No. 3 for the 22-over chase in Bangalore, but could slip to six again with Kevin Pietersen heading back to first drop as England continue to send out plenty of mixed signals. Also worrying is the form of James Anderson, who has one wicket in England’s last eight completed games, and has not kept the runs down against India, conceding 158 runs off 25 overs. Steve Harmison is likely to replace him although he, too, was expensive in the first two ODIs, but his ability to generate bounce could provide problems for the batsmen.England (probable) 1 Ravi Bopara, 2 Ian Bell, 3 Kevin Pietersen (capt), 4 Paul Collingwood, 5 Andrew Flintoff, 6 Owais Shah, 7 Samit Patel, 8 Matt Prior (wk), 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Graeme Swann, 11 Steve Harmison.After the Bangalore match, Dhoni said the unused players would be tried in the remaining games. Dhoni himself could do with a break, but there is no other keeper in the squad, though Thursday’s selection meeting for the last two ODIs could redress that. Virat Kohli, Irfan Pathan and Pragyan Ojha will be hoping to get a chance in Cuttack.India (probable) 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Gautam Gambhir, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Suresh Raina, 6 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt & wk), 7 Yusuf Pathan, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Zaheer Khan/Irfan Pathan, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Munaf Patel.Pitch and conditionsThe Barabati Stadium hosted day-night games during last month’s Challenger Trophy. With the pitches on the slower side there were not many big scores, and teams were dismissed four times in eight innings. No rain is expected on Wednesday, but dew could play a factor during the chase. The curator, Pankaj Patnaik, felt the team winning the toss would bat. “The pitch is looking good, it’s compact,” he told the . “It’s a sporting wicket, and the bowlers will get good bounce here. But at the end of the day, it’s a one-day match and the pitch will be batsman-friendly.”Stats & Trivia Ian Bell, batting at No. 3, scored 422 runs at 70.33 during the home seven-ODI series against India last year and was a vital factor in England’s 4-3 win. Unfortunately, that form has not been replicated in this series, with only 84 runs in four innings in the opening spot. England’s opening stands read 12, 6, 79 and 1; the same for India is 127, 4, 31 and 38. In the Bangalore ODI, England managed 35 in eight Powerplay overs while chasing 198 in 22 overs. India, on the other hand, scored 106 in their 17 Powerplay overs.Quotes”Some of the lads have not played a great deal in India, played in front of these type of crowds with the attention on cricket you get over here. The World Cup is over here in a few years’ time, so the more opportunities to play out here and develop your skills on these type of wickets, the more it will be beneficial to this group of lads.”
“I think the exciting thing about this team is that they are playing for each other. We are more interested in what we can achieve as a team rather than individuals.”
“Everyone feels they are hitting the ball okay and the bowlers feel all right – you’re not going to forget how to play your shots overnight just because you don’t practice for one day.”
Aborting a practice session is no big deal, says Owais Shah

Pakistan’s chief selector, Salahuddin Ahmed, has resigned, stating a change was made to the original 15-man squad for the four-nation Twenty20 tournament in Canada

Cricinfo staff08-Oct-2008
Salahuddin Ahmed says offspinner Saeed Ajmal was picked in the team by the selectors, but instead the PCB named opener Shoaib Khan in the 15-man squad © AFP
Pakistan’s chief selector, Salahuddin Ahmed, has resigned, claiming a change was made to the original 15-man squad for the four-nation Twenty20 tournament in Canada without the selectors’ consent.Salahuddin said they had chosen offspinner Saeed Ajmal in the squad, but instead uncapped opening batsman Shoaib Khan was included in the list announced by the PCB on Tuesday. Salahuddin said he and his fellow selectors Shafqat Rana and Saleem Jaffar hadn’t been informed of the board’s decision.”I left for Karachi immediately after finalising the team but when the Pakistan Cricket Board announced the team in Lahore, Shoaib Khan was named in the squad,” Salahuddin told the Associated Press. “Nobody in the cricket board had the courtesy to ask me or the other two selectors before replacing a player and I felt insulted.”I have faxed my resignation to the PCB office in Lahore as I do not compromise on merit.”Salahuddin also questioned the logic of the move; Shoaib Khan is the fourth opener in the team alongside Salman Butt, Khalid Latif and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal. “We had already selected three openers in the 15-member squad for the Toronto event and it makes little sense to include a fourth one,” Salahuddin said. “It’s not the right decision.”Salahuddin, 61, had served 13 times on Pakistan’s selection committee between 1979 and 1999 before his latest appointment, which came after the team’s first-round exit from the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies. On Tuesday, the PCB named Ijaz Butt, the former Test opener, as the board’s new chairman, taking over from the position left vacant after Nasim Ashraf’s resignation in August.

Pakistan are putting a cheerier spin on the loss of Mohammad Yousuf fromtheir middle order ahead of a much-awaited ODI series against the WestIndies in Abu Dhabi next week

Cricinfo staff07-Nov-2008
Shoaib Malik: “I never felt Yousuf was upset over anything. In the Pentangular matches for Punjab everything was normal. He missed the last game, I was told, because his wife was ill” © AFP
Pakistan are putting a cheerier spin on the loss of Mohammad Yousuf fromtheir middle order ahead of a much-awaited ODI series against the WestIndies in Abu Dhabi next week.Yousuf, one of Pakistan’s most productive ODI batsman in recent years, wasselected in the 15-man squad, but within hours of the inclusion, itemerged that he had signed with the unauthorised ICL. As per board policy, he has now been banned from representing Pakistan.But Intikhab Alam, Pakistan’s new coach, believes the absence had to belooked at positively. “I don’t think any cricketer is bigger than thegame. I feel very sad about his decision but good luck to him.”But whoever takes his place it is an opportunity for him. Amit Mishracame in because Anil Kumble got injured so this is how cricket is. Ourbench strength we are looking to build so it shouldn’t be a problem. Maybewe won’t miss him as much in ODIs as we will do in Tests.”Yousuf criticised captain Shoaib Malik and the team management for notgiving him enough respect, as explanation for his decision to join theICL. But both captain and coach played down the barbs, claiming they hadno sense of what was about to happen.”He went without telling anyone which wasn’t right,” Intikhab said. “Ididn’t get a chance to speak to him as far as his comments criticising themanagement go. If he had come to me I would have spoken to him.”Malik, who has suffered persistent reports through his tenure ofsenior-player dissatisfaction, also questioned Yousuf’s contentions,claiming there was no “communications gap” with senior players in theteam. “I don’t agree with his criticism. There was no communication gap -I have played with senior players like Inzamam and Yousuf my whole career.All senior players have been supportive. I have learnt a lot from them.”I never felt Yousuf was upset over anything. In the Pentangular matchesfor Punjab everything was normal. He missed the last game, I was told,because his wife was ill.”Yousuf’s place in the squad has been taken by the prolific young Karachibatsman, Khalid Latif. It is expected, however, that Fawad Alam, the youngallrounder, will take Yousuf’s place in the matches initially.Pakistan travel to Abu Dhabi on Sunday and the first ODI is scheduled forNovember 12.

Muttiah Muralitharan says he hasn’t yet signed the Bengal contract and he may miss the Ranji matches due to international commitments

Cricinfo staff30-Sep-2008
Tale spin: Muttiah Muralitharan, who has not yet signed a contract with Bengal, appears unsure about his availability for the Ranji Trophy due to international commitments © AFP
Muttiah Muralitharan has said he is yet to sign a contract to play for Bengal in the 2008-09 Indian domestic season and that his priority will be to represent Sri Lanka. He said he was still unsure about his availability though the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) had got clearances from Sri Lanka Cricket and the BCCI.The player’s manager had also earlier confirmed to Cricinfo that he would be available to play about four matches for Bengal, subject to no clashes with international commitments.”The Lankan board chief [executive], Duleep Mendis, has sent across a fax to us, mentioning that Muralitharan will be available for Bengal in the upcoming first-class engagements,” Jagmohan Dalmiya, the CAB president, said earlier. However, the CAB were unsure which games Murali would play.Murali said he was eagerly awaiting the home series against Zimbabwe, comprising two Tests and three ODIs. “I am looking forward to Zimbabwe’s tour beginning November 7. Then, in January we play in Bangladesh, so it remains to be seen whether I am at all available for Bengal,” Muralitharan told .With the Ranji Trophy beginning on November 3, and Bengal playing away to Assam in their opener, chances are slim that Muralitharan may play a crucial role in the team’s bid to perform well in the Ranji Trophy Plate League, which will help them earn promotion to the Super League next season.Muralitharan said he was also contracted with the IPL franchise, Chennai Super Kings, for three years and was committed to them as well. Having finished as runners-up in the inaugural season of the league, he will also represent the Super Kings in the Champions Twenty20 League to be held from December 3-10.The group phase of the Plate League is scheduled from November 3-December 4 with Bengal playing five games before the knock-out stages.

Joe Wainman from All Leeds TV has expressed his frustration at Leeds United missing out on the signing of Conor Gallagher to Crystal Palace.

The midfielder has moved on loan to Selhurst Park from Chelsea, with The Guardian reporting that he rejected potential moves to both Leeds and Newcastle United.

The 21-year-old has not actually made his debut for the Blues yet but has gone on a variety of different loan spells.

He has played for Charlton Athletic, Swansea City, and West Bromwich Albion, progressing through the leagues as he went, and has now made the move to south London.

Wainman believes that the fanbase were disappointed with Gallagher’s decision to link up with new Palace boss Patrick Vieira rather than Marcelo Bielsa.

Indeed, he has claimed that Leeds fans wanted to sign the player on a loan deal that included an option to buy, instead of just borrowing him.

He said: “The fanbase seems to be split on this one because a lot of people wanted a loan with a view to a permanent, and obviously Chelsea were only willing to loan him.

“I’m a little bit disappointed that he has chosen Palace and, for me personally, I would question him because I don’t understand why you would choose Palace, and Patrick Vieira.

“I get Patrick Vieira was a great midfielder but as a manager I’m not really sure, the jury’s still out for me on Patrick Vieira. Whereas Conor Gallagher could have come to Leeds United and worked under Bielsa.”

With the new Championship season fast approaching, West Bromwich Albion still have a considerable amount of work to do in the summer transfer window if they are to have any hope of securing an immediate return to the Premier League come next summer.

One of the positions most in need of reinforcements is central midfield, with Okay Yokuslu, Conor Gallagher and Ainsley Maitland-Niles returning to Celta de Vigo, Chelsea and Arsenal respectively following the expiry of their loan deals at The Hawthorns, as well as Rekeem Harper and Sam Field leaving the club on permanent moves.

Yokuslu, in particular, highly impressed during his time with Albion, with the defensively-minded midfielder ranking as the club’s fourth-best performer in the top flight last term.

As such, with a deal to bring the 27-year-old back to The Hawthorns looking unlikely following the club’s relegation to the second tier, Valerien Ismael faces the challenge of finding a suitable alternative to the Turkey international this summer, with the recently linked Trevoh Chalobah appearing to be a fantastic candidate for the Frenchman.

Yokuslu 2.0

While Chalobah has ultimately failed to break into the Chelsea first team, with Thomas Tuchel’s side reported to be more than happy to part with the former England U21 international this summer, the 22-year-old nevertheless demonstrated during a loan spell in France last season that he is a player with a significant amount of potential.

Indeed, over his 29 Ligue 1 appearances for FC Lorient last term, the £3.15m-rated man made an average of 2.4 interceptions, 1.6 tackles, 1.9 clearances and won 5.2 duels per game.

He also chipped in for Christophe Pelissier’s side going forwards, scoring two goals, providing two assists and creating one big chance for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 0.3 key passes and taking 0.5 shots per match.

These returns saw the man Paul Lambert dubbed a “complete” midfielder earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.87, ranking him as Lorient’s joint fourth-best performer in Ligue 1.

For comparison, over Yokuslu’s 16 Premier League appearances for West Brom last season, the £6.75m-rated midfielder made an average of 2.2 interceptions, 2.4 tackles, two clearances and won 7.9 duels per game.

Going forwards, the 27-year-old failed to score for the Baggies, although he did manage to provide one assist and create one big chance for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 0.8 shots and making 0.4 key passes per match.

These metrics saw the £31k-per-week gem earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.99, a rather remarkable feat considering the Baggies were battling at the wrong end of the top-flight table.

As such, while Yokuslu’s statistics do better Chalobah’s, there are nevertheless quite clear comparisons that can be drawn between the two players, and, considering the Turk is five years the Englishman’s senior, the argument could even be put forward that the youngster has a higher ceiling than the Celta Vigo midfielder.

So, it is easy to understand why competition for Chalobah’s signature is so high this summer, as well as why we believe Ismael must do all he can to land the £12k-per-week midfielder ahead of next season.

In other news: Transfer update emerges on “world-class” £41k-p/w beast, West Brom fans surely gutted

Brad Haddin is desperate to get back into Australian colours after breaking a finger on the recent Caribbean tour, just as he was settling into the role as the country’s No. 1 wicketkeeper

Cricinfo staff27-Aug-2008
Brad Haddin has given his previously injured finger a good workout at the team training camp in Queensland © Getty Images
Brad Haddin is desperate to get back into Australian colours after breaking a finger on the recent Caribbean tour, just as he was settling into the role as the country’s No. 1 wicketkeeper. The three-match ODI series against Bangladesh, which starts in Darwin this Saturday, gives him the perfect chance to ensure the injury is fully healed.”I got the cast off last week, the results were good,” Haddin told . “The fracture is stable and I’m right to get back into cricket. It was frustrating for a while because it took a little bit longer to get right. Over the last two days I’ve had a great chance to test it out and I’ve had no problems.”The injury to the ring finger on his right hand was a case of bad timing for Haddin, who is still familiarising himself with the top job following Adam Gilchrist’s retirement. Haddin’s break allowed Luke Ronchi to make an impressive start to his international career, although Haddin is also still enjoying a few firsts of his own.”For me personally it’s another international,” Haddin said of the Bangladesh games. “It’s the first time I’ve had the opportunity to keep in Australia since Adam retired. I’m jumping at the bit to have an opportunity to play in front of an Australian crowd.”Unlike his predecessor, Haddin is not being asked to open and has instead slotted into a No. 6 or 7 position. But the absence of Matthew Hayden for the Bangladesh games could give him an opportunity to nudge up the order slightly, a move that would not bother the versatile Haddin.”I’ve been lucky I’ve batted from one to seven,” he said. “In the early days it was a little difficult getting used to that. But I think as you get older and you mature more for a personal point of view, I’m not really fussed these days. I’m pretty comfortable in the role I’ve been playing at six and seven in the middle order.”

Leeds United youngster Bobby Kamwa featured on trial at Sky Bet League One side Rotherham United in a pre-season victory over Harrogate Town, as reported by Rotherham Advertiser journalist Paul Davis.

The Lowdown: Bielsa’s Leeds United get set for 2021/22

Leading towards the new campaign, Marcelo Bielsa and the Whites hierarchy will already have the wheels in motion with regards to their aims for this season.

Whilst bringing in players like Junior Firpo will play a part in prolonging success at the club, trimming the squad will also be of paramount importance in order to fund the pursuit of new recruits, whether that be the first-team or the academy.

One man who may be on the way out of Elland Road is youngster Kamwa following recent developments.

The Latest: Kamwa features on trial for Rotherham

According to Davis on Twitter, the centre-forward played a part in the Millers’ 3-1 win over EFL League Two opponents Harrogate last night.

It is said Kamwa has two days to prove himself to the Rotherham United coaching staff.

The talented Thorp Arch product signed a new two-year contract at Leeds United last year, meaning he could depart Elland Road for free in 12 months-time [Leeds United FC Official].

The Verdict: Right time for club and player to part ways

Considering the unlikely reality of the prospect obtaining minutes for Bielsa’s first-team any time soon, moving to the English third-tier may present an excellent opportunity for Kamwa to gain regular senior experience.

In 2020/21, the Cameroonian featured 11 times for the Leeds United Under-23 side, notching two goals [Transfermarkt].

Only time will tell with regards to whether Rotherham offer him a role at the AESSEAL New York Stadium, though it may be the right time for player and club to part ways in a critical point in Kamwa’s footballing development.

In other news, Leeds United have been linked with a Bundesliga ace.

England have given a hint to their first-team line-up this summer in announcing their eleven to take on the England Academy this Sunday, June 22

Cricinfo staff19-Jun-2008England have given a hint to their first-team line-up this summer in announcing their eleven to take on the England Academy this Sunday, June 22. The occasion is another attempt to hold a women’s Twenty20 following a men’s domestic match after last year’s day was washed out. This game will be played immediately after Somerset’s tie with Worcestershire.Sunday’s match will feature all England’s Ashes winners as well as those that toured Australia and New Zealand in the winter. They will be joined by nine players that the selectors feel are knocking on the door for a squad place. England captain Charlotte Edwards will lead the full England side, while the Academy will be captained by Cheshire’s Jenny Halstead, who also captains England A.Clare Connor, England women’s head of cricket, said: “With only a year to go before the ICC World Twenty20, this match gives our players the opportunity to win over some new fans at the County Ground Taunton who may not have seen much live women’s cricket before.”The England women’s team have four international Twenty20 matches on the horizon against South Africa and India. Every Twenty20 match is an opportunity for the players to prepare for a successful campaign in the ICC World Twenty20 next year.”England Charlotte Edwards (capt), Sarah Taylor (wk), Claire, Taylor, Lydia Greenway, Jenny Gunn, Ebony Rainford-Brent, Beth Morgan, Nicky Shaw, Laura Marsh, Katherine Brunt, Isa Guha.England Academy Jenny Halstead (capt), Salliann Briggs, Caroline Atkins, Rosalie Birch, Kate Oakenfold, Anya Shrubsole, Lynsey Askew, Kathryn Cross, Lauren Griffiths (wk), Danielle Hazell, Georgia Elwiss.12th Dannielle Wyatt (for both teams)

Wellington showed great composure under pressure to deny Otago a long overdue win in a nail-biting finish to their State Shield match at Alexandra today

28-Dec-2002Wellington showed great composure under pressure to deny Otago a long overdue win in a nail-biting finish to their State Shield match at Alexandra today.Otago has suffered some close losses to Wellington in recent times but it seemed that this time they would come out on top.Wellington had different ideas, and the advantage of knowing how to handle a tight situation.Earlier, Otago had asked Wellington to bat first, and the northerners made a sound start courtesy of some attacking play from Chris Nevin. He scored 42 off 57 balls as Wellington reached 79 in the 21st over before Nevin was out to Warren McSkimming’s bowling.But the experienced Wellington top order kept the pressure on with Matthew Bell scoring 57, albeit off 116 balls which was not the sort of pace he would have been wanting to score at. When Bell was out in the 40th over, there was a chance for Wellington to really kick on from their position of 163 for three wickets.And while Wellington did reach 233, scoring at nearly seven an over through the last 10, they would have been disappointed not to have scored more. As it was, it took a timely piece of batting from Matthew Walker who scored 37 not out off 22 balls to get the total to its final position.James McMillan and Shayne O’Connor came in for some treatment from the batsmen. O’Connor finishing with one for 54 and McMillan two for 51 from their 10 overs while McSkimming took two for 45 from his 10. The most economical of the Otago bowlers proved to be Jeff Wilson who took one for 32 from his 10.Andrew Hore provided a blast to Otago’s chase when scoring 15 off 11 balls but it needed a more sustained assault to give the side the perfect start. But the side were well placed with Craig Cumming in good touch in scoring 33 off 53 balls and seeing the score to 105 when he was the second wicket to fall in the 21st over.By the 30th over, Mohammad Wasim had played a steadying hand scoring 70 off 94 balls before he was trapped leg before wicket by James Franklin.With four overs to play, Otago, with wickets in hand should have got home with time to spare. They were 209/4, needing another 25 needed to win.But some tight bowling from the Wellingtonians pegged back the difference between the sides.Four runs came off the 46th over bowled by left-arm slow bowler Mark Jefferson. Then five came off the 47th over bowled by Walker. Jefferson only conceded four off the 48th and amazingly only two runs came off the 49th bowled by Walker. He completed his 10 overs and finished with one for 45.Ash Turner was especially troublesome for the batsmen and he was entrusted with the last over.Ten runs were needed but Marcel McKenzie and McSkimming could do no better than a leg bye and two singles off the first three balls. When the fourth ball was not scored off, Otago needed a miracle and Wellington were not about to concede them one.Turner showed good composure and ended his nine overs with two for 35, and Wellington had come through again, to claim the win by two runs.