All posts by h716a5.icu

Ireland are targeting victories in their two ODIs against Bangladesh this summer

Cricinfo staff26-Feb-2010Ireland are targeting victories in their two ODIs against Bangladesh this summer – at Stormont on July 15 and 16 – as a chance to gain valuable ranking points and as an important benchmark for the side as they attempt to assert their readiness to step up to cricket’s top level.”For the last three years or so, we have targeted matches against the lower-ranked full members as the most important means of measuring our progress and determining our readiness to step up to the elite level,” said Warren Deutrom, Cricket Ireland’s chief executive.”All our players will be aware of the perception that strong results against Test-playing countries create, and will be keen to maximise home advantage to good effect in the year that we are applying to move higher in the international firmament.”Ireland coach Phil Simmons sees the games as a chance to test his side ahead of the World Cup in 2011, where they will meet Bangladesh in the group stage at Dhaka. “It’s great that we have a chance to play them on home soil,” he said. “We lost to them badly in 2008 in Bangladesh but on our home turf I’d be confident of doing well.”We have beaten them in both the 2007 World Cup and in the World Twenty20 last year, so I don’t think there’s much to choose from between the two teams. It’s a great opportunity for us to gain valuable ranking points.”

Stuart Clark’s hopes of a Test recall this summer are all but over after he withdrew from New South Wales’ Sheffield Shield match with a back injury

Cricinfo staff11-Dec-2009Stuart Clark’s hopes of a Test recall this summer are all but over after he withdrew from New South Wales’ Sheffield Shield match with a back injury. Clark had been mentioned as a possible replacement for Peter Siddle if he did not recover from a hamstring problem in time for Wednesday’s Perth Test, but Australia named an unchanged squad.Clark suffered back pain during Wednesday’s FR Cup match and returned to Sydney to speak to Cricket New South Wales medical staff about a recovery timetable. However, Clark was not expecting to be available until January, which would effectively rule him out of contention for all of Australia’s home Tests.”I experienced pain during the Ford Ranger Cup match and will follow the recovery process as set down by the Cricket New South Wales medical staff,” Clark said. “I am confident that the recovery process will allow me to be available in the new year.”Clark was meant to captain New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield game and he has been replaced as leader by the allrounder Moises Henriques. It will be the first taste of state captaincy for Henriques, 22, who was given the task ahead of more experienced candidates including Phil Jaques.

Aston Villa will be looking to begin Steven Gerrard’s tenure with consecutive victories when they take on Crystal Palace in their Premier League clash this afternoon.

The Villans secured all three points against Brighton and Hove Albion last time out thanks to two late strikes from Tyrone Mings and Ollie Watkins, and they’ll be hoping to carry that momentum into today’s encounter.

In Friday’s press conference, Gerrard confirmed that he should have a couple of extra bodies back in his matchday squad as he goes in search of another three points.

“Douglas Luiz will come back into the squad this weekend,” said the former Rangers boss. “He’s trained well. I’ll decide late whether he’ll go in from the start or will come into the game.”

However, fellow midfielder Morgan Sanson is still lacking the match fitness required to feature from the off, despite appearing on the bench last weekend against the Seagulls.

“Morgan is starting to look fitter and stronger as the days go by but he needs more work and more training sessions before he’s fully ready,” said Gerrard, who added that the Frenchman will be in the squad for the trip to south London.

That’s where the good news ended on the fitness front for Villa fans, however. Bertrand Traore, who has been out since the beginning of October with a thigh injury, is still unavailable for selection.

“We need to be patient,” Gerrard explained. “He is progressing well but he’s still quite a few weeks away from being around the team.”

With that in mind, here’s how Football FanCast expects the 41-year-old to line up at Selhurst Park, with just one change from the side which started against Brighton…

The virtually ever-present Emiliano Martinez will take up his usual residency in between the sticks after making an impressive start to the current campaign.

Ahead of the Argentina international is set to be a familiar back four. Matt Targett, Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa and Matty Cash should complete the defensive unit once again, so Manchester United loanee Axel Tuanzebe will have to settle for a place on the bench.

In midfield, the hard-working trio of Marvelous Nakamba, Jacob Ramsey and John McGinn should all keep their places as Luiz battles his way back to full fitness.

The only area where Gerrard may be tempted to shake things up is across the forward line. Emiliano Buendia is still searching for his first goal since August, so the £31.5m-rated summer signing may be relegated to the substitutes’ bench today.

That should present an opportunity for Leon Bailey to feature from the off alongside Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings, while the former Southampton striker is another summer addition who will be desperate to rediscover his best form. He has scored just once since August but boasts an enviable record against Palace in the past.

In other news… Gerrard could be heading for his first AVFC disaster on £31.5m-rated “absolute joy”

On the same day that Ricky Ponting’s follow-on decision paid off at the Gabba, Queensland were also forced to follow on after a disappointing first innings at the MCG

Cricinfo staff28-Nov-2009
ScorecardClint McKay picked up 3 for 60 for Victoria•Getty ImagesOn the same day that Ricky Ponting’s follow-on decision paid off at the Gabba, Queensland were also forced to follow on after a disappointing first innings at the MCG. Nathan Reardon’s 58 was the only contribution of note in the Bulls’ 195 and at stumps they were still 173 in arrears.Melbourne’s rainy weather cut the day short and Queensland had reached 0 for 10 in their second innings with Nick Kruger on 9 and Wade Townsend on 1. They had already conceded first-innings points, although they were one batsman down as Ryan Broad could not take his place having fractured his thumb while fielding on the first day and is expected to miss three weeks.Clint McKay was the star for Victoria with 3 for 60 but it was the home team’s fielding that really hurt the Bulls. A direct hit from the substitute fielder Michael Beer ended Nick Kruger’s innings on 30 and Chris Simspon was also caught short thanks to a relay effort from Bryce McGain to Andrew McDonald.Victoria’s first-innings points have given them outright first place on the Sheffield Shield table and they will be keen to extend their lead with victory over the next two days. However, Melbourne’s weather is likely to affect their efforts with more rain expected on Sunday and Monday.

Manchester United are reportedly set to part ways with midfielder Donny van de Beek over the January transfer window after a torrid 18-month spell.

What’s the story?

The 24-year-old has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford since the summer after struggling for game time under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and he finally seems set to seek pastures new.

According to well-known journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, there are ‘many clubs interested’ in van de Beek’s services, and the creative talent is planning to leave the red half of Manchester in search of regular game time.

He tweeted: “Donny van de Beek has never been offered to Real Madrid. There are many clubs interested, but no talk, proposal or negotiation with Real Madrid as things stand #MUFC. The plan is still to leave Man Utd in January if he’s not gonna be involved in Solskjær team in the next weeks.”

Man Utd fans will be gutted

After securing a domestic double with boyhood club Ajax and playing a pivotal part in their run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019, Van de Beek’s arrival on English shores the following year was greeted with much excitement amongst the United fanbase.

His record of 41 goals and 34 assists in 175 appearances for the Amsterdam club pointed to a player who was more than capable of making the step up to the demands of the Premier League, yet things haven’t worked out as planned.

Van de Beek was unable to force his way into Solskjaer’s starting XI last term, featuring from the off on just 15 occasions in all competitions, but his game time has been even more limited in the current campaign.

The technically gifted talent has received just 154 minutes of action across five outings, completing 90 minutes just once in a third-round Carabao Cup defeat at the hands of West Ham United.

And now, it appears as though an imminent exit is on the cards for van de Beek as the winter window fast approaches, something that will leave large sections of Red Devils supporters feeling gutted.

His previous exploits at Ajax and several promising cameo appearances at United have shown his truly top-class potential, and yet he seems destined to fulfil that promise elsewhere after not receiving the opportunity to demonstrate his potential in the red half of Manchester. This is a sorry saga, one that will surely leave fans rather dejected.

And, in other news…Rice signs, CR7 dropped: How MUFC may look under Rodgers after potential £135m spree

Cricinfo previews the Champions League Twenty20 Group B clash between Eagles and Sussex

Cricinfo staff12-Oct-2009Start time:
October 13, 14.30 GMTCan Piyush Chawla turn it Sussex’s way?•AFPThis could be the most unglamorous game in the tournament as neither team has any famous name in its ranks – Sussex allrounders Luke Wright and Dwayne Smith being the only one with some international pedigree. But even Wright, who arrived only a day ago, is yet to recover completely from the virus he picked up during the ICC Champions Trophy and playing him may be a gamble. Sussex would hope that their captain Michael Yardy recovers from the severe stomach cramps that forced him to watch the defeat against New South Wales on Sunday from the dressing room.Still the Twenty20 Cup winners could count themselves as favourites in this crucial clash – the winners advance to the next round – based on the Eagles’ toothless display in their 53-run loss against group leaders New South Wales in their first game. Another boost for the English champions came from the New South Wales’ captain Simon Katich who picked them as a favourite when asked for his prediction for tomorrow’s game. Compared to the Sussex batsmen, who at least got starts, none of the Eagles’ batsmen, barring Ryan McLaren, got a look-in on the low pitch.Watch out for:
Dwayne Smith v Thandi Tshabalala: Smith had blasted a 26-ball half-century to help Sussex lift their first Twenty20 Cup and could be a dangerous proposition for the rookie Tshabalala, who already got stick after being wayward the other day against the Australian youngster Moises Henriques, who thrashed him for 15 runs in five balls.Riley Rossouw v Yasir Arafat: Rossouw turned 20 last week and is one for the future for South Africa. The left-hander goes for his shots and he could have an interesting tussle with Arafat, a skiddy customer who maintains a wicket-to-wicket line.Ryan McLaren v Piyush Chawla: McLaren, though an unorthodox batsman, is not shy to step out as he did against in the very first over of the New South Wales legspinner Steve Smith, thumping a six and four. Chawla had recently said that he would attack the batsmen even at the expense of going for runs so this contest could get engrossing if players stick to their guns.

Everton welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Goodison Park this afternoon as Rafael Benitez’s charges attempt to end a run of three consecutive defeats in the Premier League.

A 2-1 loss to Wolves last time out saw the Toffees drop down to 10th following a fast start to the season, with injuries to multiple key men playing their part in the recent slump in form.

The likes of Abdoulaye Doucoure, Yerry Mina and Dominic Calvert-Lewin remain sidelined through their respective issues, although Benitez did provide a positive update on one star performer in Friday’s press conference.

Full-back Lucas Digne has returned to training this week after a muscle complaint ruled him out of action for the trip to Molineux, providing Benitez with a significant boost. Doubts remain over how the Spaniard will solve his midfield conundrum, but the return of his first-choice left-back will be a big relief.

With that in mind, here’s how Football FanCast expects Everton to line up against Spurs, with three changes from the starting XI from last Monday…

In goal, England’s number one shot-stopper Jordan Pickford will start once again after making a solid start to the season, and he’ll be hoping to keep a first clean sheet since 25 September.

Ahead of the 27-year-old is likely to be a back four of Digne, Ben Godfrey, Michael Keane and Seamus Coleman, resulting in Mason Holgate dropping to the Everton bench as the French left-back returns to the line-up.

It’s in the midfield engine room where Benitez will have the biggest decisions to make. The £13.5m-rated Jean-Philippe Gbamin struggled next to Allan at Molineux, beaten in two dribbles and losing 60% of his duels, while Fabian Delph made an impressive 45-minute cameo against Wolves.

As a result, Benitez is likely to select a midfield consisting of Andros Townsend, Delph, Allan and Anthony Gordon (who was one of the better performers against Wolves), with the out-of-sorts Alex Iwobi missing out.

Completing the starting line-up will be the attacking duo of Demarai Gray and Richarlison, and the duo will be tasked with providing the firepower to see off Spurs in Antonio Conte’s first Premier League game in charge of the London club.

In other news… Benitez may unearth Everton gem in “skilful” 18 y/o prodigy, he’s an “intelligent” player 

Lots of Everton fans have been left slamming some quotes which have emerged from Bill Kenwright.

As per The Athletic, the chairman at Goodison Park was particularly vocal during the Premier League meeting about the proposed European Super League (ESL), in which all clubs from the top flight apart from the six involved (Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur) attended.

Kenwright allegedly quoted William Shakespeare at one point and claimed later in the meeting that ‘we’re all in the Twilight Zone now’.

The quotes have left several supporters of the Merseyside club embarrassed, and it is not the first time that he has come under fire from sections of the Toffees support.

After the disappointing 1-0 loss at home to West Ham United in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, these were comments that Blues probably did not want to read from their chairman.

Everton fans on Kenwright quotes

These EFC fans slammed the quotes as they were shared on Twitter, with one Evertonian even going as far as to claim that this is ’embarrassing’:

“He’s fully lost the plot”

Credit: @bobmarl03974950

“He has lost the plot he has”

Credit: @VSFDaniel123

“Embarrassing”

Credit: @arrow9116

“Call it a day Bill man”

Credit: @JamesQualtrough

“Of course he did. Clown.”

Credit: @glioriginali_

“This man is an utter embarrassment get out of the club”

Credit: @richythepigeon

In other news, find out what contract news has Toffees talking here!

Sourav Ganguly, the former Indian captain, has backed Virender Sehwag to lead India before he retires from international cricket

Cricinfo staff07-Oct-2009Sourav Ganguly, the former Indian captain, has backed Virender Sehwag to lead India before he retires from international cricket.”Virender Sehwag has it in him to lead India,” Ganguly told Indian television channel . “Sehwag still has at least five or six years of cricket in him and even if any chance of captaining the side comes his way in the last two years of his career he should not pass it on.”Having initially stated that he did not want to lead India, he backtracked by saying he was not keen on the vice-captaincy as he felt the selectors were better off grooming a youngster for the job, but was open to leading his country. To that Ganguly said: “I don’t think Veeru should think like this.”Sehwag considered Ganguly as the best leader he had played under.

Peter English previews the second Ashes Test at Lord’s

The Preview by Peter English15-Jul-2009Match factsThursday, July 16 – Monday, July 20 2009
Start time 11.00 (10.00 GMT)
Graham Onions is in line for a recall as England try to find a way of taking 20 wickets…with or without Andrew Flintoff•AFPThe Big PictureThe series resumes after a nail-biting final hour in Cardiff in which England clung to the mightiest of draws after being dominated for most of the match. Since then time wasting and Andrew Flintoff’s retirement have become the big issues, but the teams will not be focussing on the pre-match hype when the first ball is delivered.They will be more intent on a brisk start and continuing their on-field battles in a contest that has already provided more heat than the St John’s Wood tube station in summer. Australia enter the match disappointed they are not leading 1-0, while England are buoyant to be level. The visiting batsmen fired at Sophia Gardens, roaring to 674 for 6 before declaring, and their bowlers fell one wicket short of victory. The bowlers on both sides will be more excited by the conditions on offer in this game.Nothing gets an Australian’s neck prickling like the sight of Lord’s and the players’ baggy greens gain extra power whenever they bob through the Long Room. England’s leaders can’t understand why their team hasn’t beaten their Ashes rivals in 75 years here. Another chapter will be added to the dusty pages of history this week.Form guide (last five matches, most recent first)
England – DWWDD
Australia – DLWWW
Watch out for …Lord’s is a place for the captains to star. Andrew Strauss missed out twice in the first Test, scoring 30 and 17, and needs to inspire his batting team-mates after they all gave away reasonable starts last week. The home of cricket is also Strauss’s county ground for Middlesex, so he knows everything about the revered address. He has not scored a century here since 2006, but has reached triple figures three times on the way to averaging 58.17 in 11 matches.Ricky Ponting, who has made 27 runs in three Test innings at Lord’s, must stand up if his side is to maintain its intimidating batting intensity. In Cardiff Ponting breezed to 150, becoming one of four Australian century-makers, but the second Test will be played in different conditions and against a team that now remembers the last hour of batting, not the 181 overs of bowling.Team newsStrauss wants to go with five bowlers – Ian Bell has been released from the squad – but his biggest worry is Flintoff’s injured knee. Flintoff is bowing out of Tests at the end of the series and will be desperate to play while Steve Harmison is acting as his cover. Graham Onions was in the squad in Cardiff but didn’t get a game, increasing his chances of appearing at Lord’s, where two spinners are not a viable option.England (possible) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Ravi Bopara, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Paul Collingwood, 6 Matt Prior (wk), 7 Andrew Flintoff, 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Graham Onions.Stuart Clark will be talked about but don’t expect any changes to Australia’s XI. Ponting should confirm the side later on Wednesday and it would be a shock if any of the players who pushed England last week are omitted. Brett Lee remains out with a stomach problem.Australia (probable) 1 Simon Katich, 2 Phillip Hughes, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Hussey, 5 Michael Clarke, 6 Marcus North, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Nathan Hauritz, 10 Peter Siddle, 11 Ben Hilfenhaus.Pitch and conditionsDraws have been common recently at Lord’s, but all the bowlers will feel this pitch is a raging seamer compared to the block of cement offered in Cardiff. There was an attractive green tinge on the surface on Tuesday and even though the grass was cut shorter on Wednesday, there is sure to be some life in it for the fast men. The same strip was used in 2005, although nobody is expecting a repeat of the 17 wickets that dropped on the opening day. The forecast is for sunny intervals on Thursday, rain on Friday and some showers over the weekend.Stats and trivia Australia have lost only one Test at Lord’s, in 1934, since the 1896 tour In 33 matches at headquarters Australia have won 14, drawn 14, and lost five England have been successful in 43 of 116 Tests at the ground, but have drawn six of their past seven encounters Don Bradman’s 254 in 1930 is the highest score at Lord’s in an Ashes contest, ahead of Wally Hammond’s 240 eight years laterHedley Verity’s 15 wickets in 1934 are the best here by an Englishman in an Ashes game. Bob Massie’s 16 for 137 in 1972 leads the overall list Ponting needs 65 runs to overtake Allan Border’s Australian record of 11,174 Test runs Quotes”If you have gone for 670 runs and taken only six wickets then it is probably not a great option to reduce your bowling attack. We are pretty happy with the five bowlers.”
“I’ve got to start from scratch again, like we all have to do, after we didn’t quite get the result we were after last week. It’s up to me to lead the way with the bat.”